Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Ever Feel Like This...

Like the previous post I made, there are so many things in our schedules that drive our day...some good, some not so good.  Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you didn't do something as well as you wanted?  The presentation didn't go off without a hitch.  Your carefully planned vacation was ruined by a sudden rainstorm.  A particularly difficult client blew up at you no matter how much you've bent over backwards to appease them.  Your workout sucked. 

Going through a rough patch at work, I've tried to keep things in perspective.  It's hard to remain objective, but it is important to do.  I am constantly reminding myself to let go of the things I cannot control.  That irate customer?  I did the best I could do (as did many of the other people involved), and they are still irate.  That is not in my control.  A bad presentation?  Your lethargic workout?  It is now over and done with.  I'm not saying to shirk responsibility.  Learn from it, but then let go of the things you cannot control.  It serves no purpose other than to bring you down.  Don't dwell on it (I know, easier said than done).  Just know that tomorrow is a new day.



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

So much to do, so little time

Ever feel like you're a chicken running around with your head cut off?  I'm sure if you're anything like me, there are more days than you want to admit that you feel this way.  Whatever happened to the organized person I used to be?  The one who would prep work or dinner ahead of time?  The person who would remind others when things are due?  What happened???

 Kids happened.  Haha.  I love my kids, don't get me wrong, but the constant barrage of stepping on toys on the floor, or the cleaning up of spilled milk (like tonight) or the picking up off the ground of newly cut apples without the skin (also tonight) can get to you.  I am forever grateful for my children and for the joy (and tribulations) I receive from them.  There comes a time when things get crazy for whatever reason.  The kids are still the same, but your mind is in a different place.  Maybe it's because of work (yes!) or because of other reasons.

We are so inundated with work schedules, school schedules, life schedules.  We work ourselves to a frenzy and maybe are able to take a little time for ourselves to work out, to recuperate.  That's what I needed tonight. I needed my kids to go to bed so I can get my 30 minutes of workout in (tonight it was Pilates Fix Extreme).  It wasn't my best workout, but it was definitely needed.

How often do you feel this way?  Some thing I just have to let it go for another day.  Remember...

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Healthy Chocolate Pudding

OMG, this is so yummy!  I've been doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts and trying to follow the meal plan.  There are no cheats on this plan...no wine (though I don't drink), no chocolate.  And of course, when you're not allowed to eat something, that is the EXACT something that you want to eat.  Well, looking through the meal plan, I came across the chocolate pudding recipe.   It's soo good, and I don't feel any guilt eating it at all.  It's a 1/2 red, 1/2 yellow, and 1/2 blue container.  Yummy goodness.
Makes 4 servings, approximately 1/2 cup each

1.5 scoops         Chocolate Shakeology
1                        Ripe Medium avocado
1                        medium banana, cut into chunks
1 C                    unsweetened almond milk

1. Place Shakeology, avocado, banana, and almond milk in blender.  Blend until smooth (If too thick, add additional almond milk).

2. Pour into 4 dessert cups; refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until set.



Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Chicken Fajitas

It's always fun to try out new recipes.  Because of 21 DFX, I've been looking for some that follow the plan.  It's like research...would I make it again?  If so, and when I'm not on the meal plan, how can I make it better?  In any case, I made this according to the recipe and it was delish! 

I didn't have red bell peppers, otherwise I think the picture would have been prettier.  I am no photographer, obviously.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  Also, the tomatoes I used were on the riper side, so the salsa ended up more like a chunky sauce.  Still yummy though.

Makes approximately 4 services, 2 fajitas each

1 tsp               chili powder
1/2 tsp            sea salt or Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp            ground cumin
1/2 tsp            garlic powder
2 tsp               olive oil, divided use
4 (5-6 oz)       raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1                     medium red (or green) bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1                     medium onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp            fresh lime juice
8                     Large romaine (or butter) lettuce leaves
1/2                  Medium avocado, thinly sliced
1 C                  fresh salsa

1. Combine chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and 1 tsp oil in large resealable plastic bag.
2. Add chicken, bell pepper, and onion; mix gently to coat.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat
4. Empty contents of bag into skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat. Add lime juice.
6. Evenly top lettuce leaves with chicken mixture, avocado, and salsa.

I forgot to add the avocado, and I actually didn't cook this the same day I prepped it.  I prepared this on the weekend, and then used it later in the week.  As a matter of fact, we went to a kid's birthday party right around dinner time.  I knew there would be pizza and that THAT is not 21dfx approved, so I had a couple servings of cottage cheese first, to tie me over.  Once we got home, I cooked this and about 10 minutes later, was eating.  Yum.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Healthier General Cho's Chicken


Since doing 21 Day Fix Extreme, I need to find alternative foods to stay within the meal plan.  The thing about the meal plan is actually planning.  So I've been spending a day during the weekend looking up different recipes to try.  I came across a recipe of General Cho's Chicken.  Go visit a Chinese Restaurant and you will likely see a version that's deep fried.  Who doesn't like deep fried food?  I do, but we know that that type of food isn't healthy.  Try this instead.



Ingredients:
1 lb. raw chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cornstarch, divided use
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thin slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. tomato paste, no added sugar
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
2 Tbsp. cold water
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. dried Thai chilies (optional) 


Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
3. Place chicken, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl; toss until well coated.
4. Place chicken in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. While chicken is baking, heat oil, garlic, and ginger in large skillet over medium heat; cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add soy sauce, broth, vinegar, tomato paste, hoisin sauce, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Dissolve remaining 1 tsp. cornstarch in cold water; add to soy sauce mixture. Gently boil, stirring frequently, for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
8. Add cooked chicken to sauce, coating thoroughly.
9. Serve chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds, green onions, and chilies (if desired).


Enjoy!  Children approved also. 

Friday, April 10, 2015

My thoughts on 21 Day Fix Extreme So Far

So far, I'm really digging 21 Day Fix Extreme.  It's 30 minutes so I know I'll be done within a certain amount of time.  Also, knowing it's 30 minutes pushes me to just get it done instead of procrastinating.  I didn't do the original 21 Day Fix program so I can't compare it to that.  But I CAN compare it to the previous workouts I've done.

I'm only 5 days into it and I'm liking the soreness that comes from these exercises.  I never thought I was a weights person (and these are light weights too!).  After all, I started on PIYO and LOVED that because it didn't have weights and I still got a great workout in.  However, there were days that I wished I would feel that soreness that comes from taxing your muscles.  I only got that soreness when I played volleyball the whole day after not playing for a long time, so I was missing it.  I am definitely feeling the muscle pain now.  It's not ridiculous to the point where I can't walk, but it's a good constant reminder that I'm changing my body.

I'll post pictures later.

Yummy Turkey Meatloaf

Since I'm doing 21 Day Fix Extreme currently, I'm doing my best to try to follow the nutrition program too. Here is a recipe that was super easy to make. I made it ahead of time for us to have for dinner later in the week. Super yummy. The picture does not do it justice. Just make sure the salsa you use does not have a lot of salt. If it does, bypass the added salt.  This was a mistake that I made, but it was still yummy.  Enjoy! 




2 lbs raw (93%) lean ground turkey
1 Cup all-natural mild salsa (I used medium and it added a nice kick.  It was also all I had at the time
)
1 Cup cooked quinoa, cooled
2 Large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
Ground pepper to taste (optional)
Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish, optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine turkey, salsa, quinoa, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix well by hand or with a rubber spatula
3. Shape mixture into shape of a loaf and place on ungreased 13x9 inch baking pan.
4. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.
5. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve garnished w/parsley.

You can also cut the cooked meatloaf into single servings and freeze for future meals. Delicious!

Friday, April 3, 2015

Insanity Max 30 Done!

I've completed Insanity Max 30!  I never thought I would ever do a program like that.  After watching my siblings do the original Insanity workout once, I shook my head and said I'd never do it.   I'm not a cardio girl at all.  In high school, I hated running laps, running the mile, whatever.  I could play volleyball all day, but doing those cardio exercises sucked!  In any case, I saw this program and thought, why not?  It's only 30 minutes and I wanted the challenge.

Two weeks into doing the unmodified moves, I threw out my back doing nothing.  I had an old back injury from college that flared up.  I couldn't walk or sit down without extreme pain.  I had to take a week off to recover.  After that, I did all the moves modified.  It was still a hard program to complete, as cardio is difficult for me.  However, I was bummed about not being able to complete it doing the unmodified version.  I am competitive with myself, and I was interested to see how much I could improve on my max out time.  On some of those exercises though, I could barely make it to 10 minutes DOING the modified, so I think overall it was a good mix.

I liked the program.  It was quick and dirty.  I definitely think it improved my cardio.  And the fact that you can make it so the modifier is on a split screen while working out was truly helpful.  Interested in trying it?  Contact me!