Meals lately/ How to maximize the results in your workout

We are now into week 2 of the whole 30. Only (well, that's an understatement) 3 weeks to go! I've been reading a lot of other people's experiences on the program, and I relate to a lot of what they're reporting. Basically, I've read that many people say the first week is tough, and you start to feel a little discouraged by how restrictive the program is. I felt that way 100%. I also was dealing with feeling a constant sense of hunger in the evenings. I'd have a snack of an apple and almond butter most nights, but then worry that I was taking in too many calories. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I'm not trying to gain weight by any means. Matt has also been frustrated because he gained a pound in our first week (despite feeling like he's hungry)! He's going to stick with it and weigh in again next week. I know the program suggests to not weigh in, but that doesn't really work for Matt (who has been doing so well with his weight loss) and it also goes against how I maintain my weight.

This program can be tough if you're not a big meat eater, which I am not. I eat meat (not much red meat), but it's not something I crave, and I don't have large portions of it. That can make it hard to get full, especially at dinner. I've been eating sweet potatoes with a lot of our dinners to help get full.

I loved our dinner last night. We had fajita style chicken, peppers, and onions. Instead of cooking it in a grill pan like I usually do, I baked it in the oven. It was easy clean up, so I think I'll stick with this method.

I sliced up boneless/skinless chicken into strips, and sliced one (very) large onion and 3 bell peppers. Then I added cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt on top (just estimated amounts). I squeezed the juice of half a lime on top before baking at 400 for about 40 minutes.

Keeping it easy, I cubed avocado in the shell, juiced the other half of a lime on top, and added chopped cilantro. It was a VERY easy version of guacamole. We each had half of the avocado with our dinner. This was nice and filling!

 

On to a little workout stuff. One method I use in my classes to really get the most effective results is to pulse or hold a movement at the most challenging part.

 

For example, instead of doing a regular squat, try squatting low, pulsing up halfway up, bring it back down, and then come all the way up. You really get double the muscle work done in that one squat. Try that method with other simple exercises to get the idea down, and then you can move onto more complicated moves.

 

I always love to work total body instead of just one body part, so combine a lunge and curl with the pulse. Start low in the lunge, come up halfway with your legs (they will be working the entire time) as you do a bicep curl halfway. Pulse it back down as you lower your arms, and then come all the way up with legs extended straight and arms curled up. It's a great way to mix things up!

Day 3: Whole 30 and a Recipe

We have officially completed 3 days on the Whole 30! Only....27 more to go, ha!

When I first read about what the plan consisted of, it looked like more of a list of what you couldn't have vs. what you could eat. I'm sure that is pretty intimidating to most people (including myself), but it honestly hasn't been that challenging.

What I've learned in the past few days about how to succeed on this plan: you need to meal plan in a new way. When I typically meal plan, it's for 4 dinners. Sometimes we have leftovers that are taken for lunch, other times Matt picks something up and I'll have a few different snack type things for lunch. Many of those items include granola bars, peanut butter and an apple, a yogurt, cheese stick, etc. ALL items that are banned on the Whole 30. Meal plans need to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we can't just plan on eating out Friday and Saturday nights. I'm cooking a crockpot meal tomorrow that will be dinner for Thursday and Saturday nights. We're having Whole 30 friendly pulled pork. Of course, the difference with this recipe is that there is no sugar (which is always one of the first ingredients with any bottled or prepared sauce). This recipe uses pineapple to sweeten it. I'll serve it with roasted broccoli and carrots.

Matt and I are both feeling really good. We haven't been having any crazy cravings (thankfully), but Matt has had a few headaches. From what I've read, this seems pretty typical. I think it's probably a mixture of sugar withdrawal and caffeine withdrawal. We have both only been having one small cup of coffee each morning because unsweetened black coffee basically sucks.

So far this week we've had Chili:

 

Salads with veggies, grilled chicken, and roasted veggies on the side.

 

 

And, Curry Chicken with peppers, sweet potatoes, and onions.

 

 

Now, the picture of the Chicken Curry really doesn't do it justice (forgot to take a picture until I had packed up the leftovers in tupperware). This recipe is SO GOOD. And I'm completely patting myself on the back, because it's something I pretty much winged without a recipe. I love the Trader Joe's Thai red curry sauce, but one of the first ingredients is sugar. I looked at the other main ingredients in the recipe, and made this version. Try it!

 

 

1-1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 can light coconut milk

4 red/orange bell peppers

1 large white or yellow onion

2 sweet potatoes cut into medium chunks

1 T cumin

1.5 T curry (more if you like it spicer, less if not)

2 t garlic powder

1 t powdered (more of fresh if you have it) ginger

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro on top (as much as you like)

1 lime wedge per serving to squeeze on top

Olive oil to saute

 

Pre-heat oven to 410. Throw the chopped sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until fork tender, I do about 15 minutes, flip, and another 15 minutes.

 

In a small sauce pan, combine coconut milk and all spices and heat over medium  low heat. Whisk it together as it heats. I let it simmer while the chicken and peppers cooked, it will continue to cook in the larger pot with the chicken and veggies.

 

In a large pot, brown the chicken pieces on medium high heat in olive oil (or coconut oil), set aside. Add a small amount of oil back into the pan, and throw in the veggies. Sautee until browned, about 8 minutes. Add chicken back in. Pour the coconut milk/spice mixture over the chicken and peppers. Let it simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

 

I served this with the sweet potatoes on the bottom of a bowl with the chicken curry mixture on top. Yum!

The Whole 30

I can't stop reading about or hearing from people who have done The Whole 30 program, and my curiosity recently made me start to read more about it. Trying to sum up the Whole 30 isn't easy, so I'll give you some basic info straight from the source.

What is the Whole30®?

Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you?

Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health. The most important reason to keep reading?

This will change your life.

We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact—the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and tens of thousands of people have done it since, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion. (Need convincing? Just read some of our stunning testimonials.) The Whole 30

I first thought it was a "diet" intending to cause weight loss, but that really isn't the main point. People do lose weight on the program often, but not always. Even though I try to maintain a healthy diet, I've been feeling like too much sugar and dairy have been creeping in (I have a minor Reece's addiction). I'm hoping that by being pretty strict and cutting sugar and dairy out completely, I'll be less likely to reach for them. I gave up dairy for about two months when Connor was a newborn because I thought he might have a dairy intolerance. While I don't think he really did, what I noticed was how much better I felt off dairy. I didn't feel bloated, and my skin was completely clear.

Cutting out legumes isn't something I've ever done, or wanted to do. I'm going to get rid of them during the Whole 30 and then re-evaluate when I incorporate them back in. I like the idea of starting from a "clean slate" in terms of diet so you can really see what works for you, and even more importantly, what doesn't work for you.

Matt has agreed to sticking to the plan for the 30 days, and I'm trying to make it easier for him by preparing our dinners and helping him decide what to eat or bring for lunches.

This week I'm making a new chili recipe from a paleo blog that I found, Chocolate Chili. The blog is called The Clothes Make the Girl, and the author writes a lot of tasty looking recipes. I'm also going to make a chicken curry with peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes, which is a recipe I made up and already make on a regular basis. I'm making big batches of everything so that we can either have leftovers for lunches or other dinners. For breakfast I'm going to either do hard boiled eggs and a piece of fruit or an egg scramble with veggies. Lunches will either be leftovers from the previous night's dinner or a veggie packed salad with grilled chicken on top.

I'll report back with my take on the Whole 30 periodically, and while I'm not in it to lose weight, I'll certainly update you with my results! Hopefully he won't kill me for writing this, but Matt is down 22 (or 23?) pounds and looking amazing! He's really been so on point with food, and it very motivated to give the next 30 days a shot.

And I call myself a blogger?

It's true, I've been terribly neglectful of this blog. Truth is, just like everyone else in the world, the holidays and life completely took over. No excuse! We've been up to a lot of the same things, working out and teaching a ton, spending family time, and of course getting together with friends.

One tradition we've started is a spin on something we already did. Friday pizza night! So creative, right? The "spin" is that I've been making my own pizza. I've made pizzas before, but usually just bought ready made naan bread and used it as the crust. I've broken my streak with unsuccessful bread recipes with a really easy pizza crust. I also don't have a pizza stone, and thought that it wouldn't come out well. Wrong! I found a really easy method on popsugar (randomly found while googling) that works SO well.

The way to cook the pizza without a stone is really easy, and it totally changes how the crust tastes and looks. Preheat a cookie sheet to 500 for about 10 minutes. When you pull it out, drizzle the sheet with olive oil (I lay down tin foil for easier clean up). Lay your rolled out dough onto the cookie sheet, top with your toppings, and bake. That's it!

The basic dough recipe is:

1 packet dry active yeast
1 Cup warm water
3 Cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 t sugar
2 T olive oil

Combine the first two ingredients in a mixer and let stand for about ten minutes (you're just activating the yeast). Once that starts foaming a bit, add the other ingredients into the mixer with a dough hook attachment. Let it rise for about an hour. I split it in half to make 2 pizzas.

My best pizza yet came from a very complex and difficult combination of ingredients. Not really, it came from a magical item you can find in your local Trader Joe's. Or Trader Giotti's. Their bruschetta is amazing, and it worked perfectly as a pizza "sauce"- chunky and flavorful without being too much like a regular chopped tomato bruschetta. I also use the bread dipping seasoning herb grinder on the left to season the pizza. Sometimes I even throw it into the dough as it mixes.

 

I put a blend of Parmesan and mozzarella on top of the bruschetta, and then baked at 500 for about 10 minutes.

 

 

Connor loves to cook in his new kitchen as well!

 

 

His latest favorite toy is very high tech....a diaper box. It's the simple things!

 

 

Happy weekend!







Christmas Time

Christmas is in full swing over here, and I've had more fun this year getting everything ready than ever before. I know having Connor is what has made the holiday season so exciting; watching him experience new things and actually be "old" enough to get exciting is just thrilling.

We've been doing a whole lot of baking, decorating, and yes, still working out.

Our tree is fully decked, and I'm happy to say that Connor hasn't attacked it yet. Pretty much all of our ornaments came in a set, and they're hard plastic. That is KEY with a toddler. If the ornaments were all glass I'd probably be too paranoid to let him play around the tree.

 

I think our mantle is one of my favorite holiday decorations. The garland came pre-lit from Costco, and I used twine to hang Christmas cards from clothespins (that was an idea I stole from my friend Beth).

 

Connor visited Santa, and was NOT feeling it. Honestly though, the Santa was pretty intimidating, so I don't blame him!

 

These picture are pure gold in my eyes. The sheer terror Santa incited is just too much to handle.

 

 

One tradition we decided to start this year, and look forward to the kids taking part in, is baking cookies throughout the season, assembling cookie baskets for friends and family, and delivering them right before Christmas. If you're a friend that I'm getting together with next weekend for a certain holiday party, you *might* have some cookies coming your way ;)

 

So far, I've made: oatmeal chocolate chip, regular chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, and gingerbread cookies. My favorite recipe happens to be a new one I found googling. It's seriously the easiest peanut butter cookie, and it is SO good.

 

1 C sugar (you can use brown or white, I do half of each)

1 C peanut butter- I use chunky

1 egg

 

I throw all of the ingredients into my mixer, and let it go until combined. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes. SO GOOD!

 

I also do the Hershey's kiss in the middle directly after baking. Try these, you will not be disappointed.

 



 

And now, you have to burn off those cookies, right? Try a HIIT workout. High intensity interval training. Use the easy formula of 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest. You really can pick any total body moves for this. Here's a great example of a HIIT workout you can do at home or in the gym. Remember, there are no reps listed because you should be working for 45 seconds, and that could end up being a different number of reps for every person. The purpose of only having a short rest period is to keep your heart rate up, and have maximum calorie burn.

 

HIIT workout- repeat 3-4 times

45 seconds work/15 seconds rest

 

Burpees

Squat jumps

Butterfly push-ups

Plank

Alternating forward lunges with bicep curls

Squat with shoulder press

Bicycle crunches

 





Frittata Cups

 

I have a new favorite dinner that is both easy to make AND healthy. Those are usually my 2 requirements for a meal, so this fits the bill! Frittata cups made with veggies, eggs, and bacon. So good. This really isn't a "recipe", but more of a method that you can adapt depending on what veggies you prefer or have already at home.

 

Crack a few eggs and egg whites into a bowl (for 3 people I've been doing 3 regular eggs and adding 4-5 egg whites), add a splash of milk, seasonings (I do salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Whisk that all together. Sautee whatever veggies you have, I usually do onion, pepper, and spinach. Wait until the veggies cool, and then whisk that into the eggs.

 

Before you start prepping the eggs, spread your bacon onto a sheet pan lined with foil and bake at 375 for about 6-7 minutes. You want the bacon to pre-cook a little so it crisps up nicely in the muffin cups.

 

Using either a muffin pan or cupcake tin, line the cup with a slice of bacon, and then laddle in the egg mixture about half to three quarters up the tin.  You can also top it off with a little cheese if you're feeling that.

 

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the center is firm.

 

 

 I also wanted to share a few pictures we had done recently for our Christmas cards. Unfortunately, Connor was sick the day of the photo shoot, and he wasn't his usual smiling self. We got a few that will be cute for a Christmas card, even if he isn't smiling brightly!

Another big update on the baby (I guess toddler now!) front- he started walking yesterday! Just over 14 months. Everyone has always warned me about how much harder things will get (at pretty much every development), but Connor is such an easy little guy, and I don't worry too much about it.

Quick and Healthy Dinner

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places. It's also one if Connors (they give out free samples). I love it because they have lot of prepared food that is actually healthy. Most frozen foods are high calorie, high fat, and loaded with sodium. 

My favorite frozen staples are the Thai shrimp and veggie dumplings. They're pretty low calorie (under 300 for about 6) and make a good lunch with added veggies. The quinoa with roasted veggies is really flavorful and filling. One bag is good for about two lunches for me (and Connor). Organic waffles are a breakfast staple for C. The frozen fish is amazing, too! We especially love the miso glazed cod.

The refrigerated section has great options as well. I LOVE the eggplant parm stacks. About 300 calories for a portion (two per package). I add roasted broccoli and its a really filling lunch or dinner. 

The grilled marinated chicken breasts are perfect for building salads. Last night I took the lemon pepper chicken, added a ton of fresh veggies, and dressed it with tj's peanut salad dressing. Matt was raving that this was "seriously a restaurant quality salad". Now, that's huge. It takes a lot to get that man excited about salad for dinner.

Trader Joe's lemon pepper chicken breasts

Shredded carrots

Butter lettuce

Pea shoots

Thinly sliced celery

Scallions

Peanut dressing 

Try this!

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cooler temps and pretty foliage, and I love being able to make a one pot meal that is super easy and tastes amazing.

My girlfriend Alia gave me this recipe. It's meant to be done in the slow cooker, but mine is pretty small, and I realized early on (after throwing a bunch of ingredients in) that it wouldn't fit. I threw everything into my big soup pot and brought it to a boil, reduced it to low, and let it cook for hours on the stove.

This was so good, and will be great for leftovers throughout the week. Now that I'm out teaching 2 (soon to be 3) nights a week, I like to have something easy for Matt to heat up for dinner.

I've also done a little fall decorating around the house. Trader Joe's has mini pumpkins and squash for on 69 cents. I bought a bunch and put them around pillar candles on my dining room table.

 

On our buffet table in the dining room, I added a glass container with fake artichokes and wine corks. I finally hung my favorite (target) missoni prints. They were such a steal, and I don't know why I didn't think to hang them there. It's the perfect spot! 

 



 

 

I found these cute little glass figurines for my mantel.

 

 

Enjoy the soup!

 

Pasta Fagioli

 

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 C carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped (I used 4)

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

4 C beef broth (I always use low sodium)

1 jar prepared pasta sauce

2 t oregano

1 T hot sauce

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 C dry pasta, add at the end of cooking time until done

 

Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, cut the recipe in half, or cook on the stovetop.

 

Brown the meat in a pan, drain well. While meat is cooking, chop up the veggies, add to the crock pot or large soup pot. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with juice. Add in pasta sauce, beef broth, and seasonings. Once drained, add beef. Cook on low for 6-8 or high for about 4 hrs. Every crock pot is different, so keep an eye on your soup and taste to see when you think it's done.

 

This recipe is from my friend Alia, who originally found it on abcnews.com





Lately, I've been starting each day with a protein shake about 20 minutes after my morning workout. I've never really been that into them before, but I've been bored of my same go to protein snacks, and need something that will fill me up for a few hours. I think I've found a good mix of ingredients that really work well together. The shake is delicious and really does keep me full until lunch.

 

I blend:

 

1 frozen banana (I cut them up and freeze individually in plastic baggies)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use designer whey from Trader Joe's)

1 T smooth peanut butter

1 cup vanilla almond milk (I'm going to get the lower cal version next time to compare taste)

 

 

 

Something else we've been doing lately is jogging over to the park near my house and working out outside. Although I run outside a lot, I usually keep my strength workouts in my living room or the gym. The weather has been much cooler and just too nice to stay inside. I like working out at the park because it keeps me thinking, and using whatever "equipment" is there, like the swings. 

 

Today we did:

 

Quick jog to park

10 pushups

20 tricep dips on park bench

repeat 3x

 

30 jumping jacks

20 squat jumps

20 "pull-ups" holding onto a swing

10 reps of knee tucks from plank position- feet on swing

repeat 3x

 

1 min high plank

30 sec side plank R

30 sec side plank L

 

I then did about 3 minutes of walking lunges, pushing the stroller.

 

Here's an image I found to illustrate the swing "pull-ups".

 

Little buddy was watching me :)

 Our "gym" for the day:

Lastly, a quick pic of Connor while waiting for the Doc at his one year exam. Little peanut is still under 20 lbs at a year! Not sure how he's this small, I swear he eats as much food as I do!

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup/ Weekend pics

I've been trying to get some new recipes in my routine. We've been having so much of the same things lately. Tonight I made a pumpkin black bean soup that was so good. The only changes I made was an additional Tablespoon of curry (original recipe had 1 T), and I swapped the heavy cream for milk. It was just as good (I'm sure) and it cut a lot of calories and fat. The picture doesn't necessarily look too appetizing, but I promise it was delicious! I also added some sriracha on top. Try it.

*Edited- original link to recipe wasn't working. This was originally from food network, it's not a recipe of my own.

 

1 small onion

2 cans pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1carton veggie or chicken broth (I used chicken)

1 cup heavy cream (I used milk)

1 T curry powder (I used 2 T)

1 t cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Dice the onion and saute in olive oil until softened. Add all of the other ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Let this soup simmer on low for at least 30 minutes. I find soups have the best flavor when you turn the heat off, and put the lid on about 20 minutes before serving. When the soup is too hot, you simply can't taste the ingredients. 

This weekend, we packed up the family and headed to upstate New York for my cousin's wedding. The reception took place in a barn and was absolutely beautiful. Everything was very rustic and elegant. Connor was a trooper, and was so well behaved at the ceremony. He even hung out with his parents for a drink at a bar during the afternoon!

 

Connor selfie

 

This weekend was a lot of fun with my family. We spent a lot of time together with my parents, brother and sister in law. Connor loves them all, and has so much time with them.

 

Beautiful floral arrangements

 

Such a beautiful place!

 



 

 

 

Zucchini Cakes

This was a last minute recipe I threw together after reading through a few other recipes for ideas. My in laws grow zucchini, and Connor loves it roasted with olive oil and garlic so they being some when they come over.

I had one very large zucchini left and wanted to try something different. I think my zucchini was probably equivalent to 2 small/medium zucchini. The flour will also depend on how wet your mixture is. Since I didn't fry them in oil, they're healthy, too!

1 very large or 2 medium zucchini

1 egg

1/2 red pepper

1/2 t baking soda

1/4-1/2 C flour

1/2 t garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Gyoza dipping sauce (trader joes)

Grate the zucchini and red pepper into a bowl using a large box grater. Add the egg. Stir everything together. Add the dry  ingredients until the mixture comes together. It will still be wet, that's ok. Add small amounts if the mixture to a non stick pan heated over a medium heat. I use olive oil Pam spray. Cook until browned on one side and then flip. About 4 mins per side. 

Serve with dipping sauce.

Baby approved!

Muggy Monday

The weather is insufferable lately. Ungodly humid and HOT. Today's high was 95. The rest of the week is only supposed to get hotter! Ugh. Not only does the weather put a cramp in our plans because it's just such an effort to get going, but it hinders my workouts because I have to stay inside. I can be tough, but running in the 90's just isn't going to happen.

Once I got Connor down for his morning nap, I started a workout so it was out of the way. I repeated this circuit 3 times- each round took me about 15 minutes. 

20 squat jumps

10 pushups 

20 squat jumps

10 pushups

1 min high plank

30 sec side plank R

30 sec side plank L

30 sec high plank

30 sec low plank

1.5 min skull crushers on mat (laying down/legs in tabletop- tricep extension)

1.5 min bicycle crunches

10 reps butt lifts/bridge position
10 reps lowering butt halfway down
10 reps bridge up on your toes (engages the calves)
10 reps bridge toes point up/heels press into mat

3 min- alternate bicep curl, front arm raise, side arm raise 

10 squat/hold down in squat for 10 sec/10 half squat- repeat 3 times

Try this! I did 3 rounds, but you could do one or two and still get a workout in. 

For dinner, I made bruschetta chicken and roasted broccoli. It was healthy and very easy! Recipe to come soon- it's super easy and uses premade bruschetta from Trader Joes, one of my favorite spots. 

Making a Change

The most intimidating part of weight loss or maintenance is getting started, and once you have gotten to your ideal weight, maintaining it. Most people get caught in the same traps which end up sabotaging their goals. 

I have a few tips that I've used to both drop weight, and keep it off. They're simple- certainly nothing earth shattering, but they work. 

Be consistent. Consistency is important in all aspects of healthy living- especially with food and exercise.  I typically eat the same few things for breakfast. I know they are: healthy, easy to prepare, tasty, and fill me up. Lunch tends to be somewhat repetitive as well, and dinners switch up often. If you find something that fits your needs for breakfast, who cares if you eat the same thing almost every day?

Plan ahead. Meal planning is a very important and useful way to ensure you stay on track with your food. Unhealthy lunch and dinner choices usually happen when you have nothing planned and grab something quick out. If you're new to healthy cooking, find a few recipes (try some of mine!) and put them into the rotation. Once you have healthy cooking methods, you can adapt your favorite recipes to be healthier. Check out my healthy recipes for some ideas. 

Workout planning is JUST as important as meal planning. Pick a day (I like Sunday for this) and look at your calendar. Maybe there are 2 days that will be impossible to work out based on your work and social schedules. Make those your rest days. Once you know which days you're working out,  think about the kind of workout you're going to do. Maybe it's a class at the gym, a run, or a circuit workout at home. Whenever I see people wandering around the gym floor aimlessly, I'd bet they had nothing planned, and as a result, are getting a workout that isn't as effective as they'd like. 

Weigh in. Everyone has their own opinion of how often you should weigh yourself- if at all. I think it is important to check in regularly. Maybe that's once a week, maybe twice (I usually weigh myself twice per week). The number on the scale certainly doesn't define you, but if you don't weigh in you're more likely to eventually step on the scale and realize you've gained ten pounds. That won't happen in one week, but if you see a 2 pound gain, maybe you'll step back with dessert for a bit. Weighing in is especially helpful if you gain weight evenly on your body (I do). In that case, it really can be hard to tell when you've gained. There have been times I swore I shrunk my pants in the wash....yeah, no. That's when I needed to check myself and remember to weigh in!

Food Journal. This is a tool that I find especially helpful during the weight loss process, and depending on your preferences, even during maintenance. I think people really underestimate the calories they take it. Often, you think you're eating something healthy- because it's marketed that way- but it's way too calorie dense. Olive oil is a perfect example of something that everyone thinks of as "healthy" because it contains low saturated fat. There are still 120 calories per tablespoon, and if you measure it out you're probably using a lot more than one tablespoon! Those calories add up, and can quickly turn a simple veggie side dish into a calorie bomb. 

Think about these tips and how they might help YOUR weight loss and healthy living. Pick a workout and get it done!

Turkey Meatballs

This is a favorite meal of mine that is quick and healthy. You can swap out the turkey for any other ground meat (pork/beef/veal blend, chicken, etc). I use a lean ground turkey, but not the 99% fat free- that ends up way too dry.

If you mix up the ingredients, form into meatballs, and then refrigerate for about 30 minutes they will hold their shape best. I really am not too particular about that, so I usually skip that step (unless I make them earlier in the day).

You can use these for spaghetti and meatballs, or for sandwiches. We usually make a meal out of it by just serving them with a vegetable on the side, and maybe a salad. Easy, low carb, and healthy.

1 lb turkey
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
1/4 C  breadcrumb (Italian blend or panko)
1 small onion diced and sautéed
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1 t Italian seasoning
2 T ketchup
1 t sriracha
1 egg

Dice the onion and saute in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. While the onion is sauteing, combine all of the other ingredients. One the onion is finished, let it cool, and then add to the mix. Roll into balls, and brown the meatballs in a little olive oil in the same pan you cooked the onion. 

Brown the meatballs on all sides, but they do not have to be cooked through. Add your sauce (homemade or store bought) and simmer the meatballs in the sauce on medium low heat for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Banana Cookies

I found this recipe when Connor was very little, and they quickly became a staple here. Although they look and taste like cookies, they're completely healthy. Just 2 ingredients- oatmeal and bananas. You can then add any additions that seem tasty to you: nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, the list goes on.

If you're nursing, oatmeal is really good for your supply, and you can also add to the effect by throwing in a few tablespoons of ground flax seed meal (also good for supply).

You can find the original recipe here.

Take 2 bananas and mash them in a bowl. Add 1 cup of quick oats. Add your mix ins (although they're optional). Drop onto a greased cookie sheet. I usually do a dash of cinnamon, dash of salt, and a few chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 until set (10-15 minutes).

So good!