Motivate Me

People always say to me "You are so motivated" or "I wish I had you're motivation".  To that I say "Ha!"  I'm just like any other woman. I do not have a super-power type will that gets me working out every day. Just like everyone else, I would be happy to curl up with a blanket and watch a movie, read a book,  or just take a nap...and sometimes I do. Most days I NEED motivation. I NEED some sort of push to get me out the door. The motivation is never the same for too long and it constantly changes. Here are some ways I have stayed motivated:

1) Signed up for a race and told people that I was going to run it. Yep, that's it. A) All of those people will hold me accountable and B) I paid for it. I'm pretty frugal, so there is no way I would pay for a race and not do it unless I could not get out of bed. I huffed and puffed and vomited and limped my way through my first half marathon with a fever and bronchitis just because I paid for it.  I would not recommend that. Stupid idea....I wonder why my husband always tells me I'm stubborn....sigh...who knows...

2) Make plans to work out with a friend.  It's much harder to let a friend down than to let yourself down.

3) I constantly create fresh, new workout playlist on my iPod and will only allow myself to listen to it while working out. So, if I want to hear those awesome songs, I better get my butt out there.

4) New gear. I don't care what it is : a new headband, a new hat,  socks, shoes, sports bra, running shorts...whatever. If I have new gear, I will get out there and use it. *see 1B

5) My husbands deployment was a HUGE motivator for me. While he was gone, I was super motivated to work out. It got me out of the house instead of thinking about how much I missed him, it gave me a goal to see how much I could change my body in 18 months, and, I'm not gonna lie, I wanted him to come home to a smokin' hot wife :)

6) Find something you love. Is it dancing, yoga, cycling, roller skating? Find something you love to do and just do it.

7) When I start to get lazy, I will hang a picture of myself in a bikini on my mirror. That just scares me into working out.

8) Create a log book for your workout. I always keep a notebook of my workouts and it really helps to keep me on track.

9) Just think of how great you feel when you are done.

10) Think of that new outfit you want to wear. Tape it to your wall or even buy the outfit and hang it where you see it every day. Wanting to look good in it always gets me out the door.

11) Right now I am motivating myself with a money jar. It's right on my fire place mantle where it stares at me everyday and taunts me with "If you workout today, you earn another dollar". It sounds silly, but I pay myself a dollar every time I work out. When the jar is packed and full, I will buy myself something that I really want. I don't have anything I really want right now, but just watching that jar fill up is enough motivation for me.

So, there you have it...just some of the ways I stay motivated. I would love for you to comment and share how you motivate yourself. Thanks for stopping by. I love getting your comments and emails!

Lemon Pepper Turkey with Asparagus (Super Easy!)

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Sorry for my lack of posts these days...2 kids with confirmed flu, a very sick old dog, and a husband who was away for work...you all know how that goes. Hopefully, things are calming down around here now.
     This is a very very easy recipe that I like to make on nights that I want to make something fresh and healthy, but don't have a lot of time. You can also use this recipe on the days I forget to take meat out of the freezer to thaw (which happens a lot)! I made it up out of desperation and leftovers. Along with many other things (chicken breast, sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, etc...)  I usually cook a big pot of brown rice, a couple of pounds of ground turkey, and steam asparagus. This is one of those things I threw together one night after a long day of activities, so excuse the lack of appropriate measurements:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 bunch of asparagus
lemon
salt
black pepper

Brown ground turkey with a little olive oil. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the meat.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes, if I'm out of lemons, I will use an msg and salt free lemon pepper seasoning.
While turkey is browning, steam asparagus. I usually just put the asparagus on a plate with a couple of tablespoons of water and microwave it for about 3 minutes. Comes out perfect and still crisp.


Serve meat and asparagus over brown rice.
That's it! Super easy, right? My kids really love this too.  This is a great meal for those busy nights or a healthy lunch you can throw together if you already have the ingredients prepared. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you make it. I love to hear from you!
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Staples

Today I thought I'd write about the staples I keep in my pantry and fridge. These are the items I am never without and may or may not loose sleep if I start to run low on them. I can be a teeny bit neurotic that way. I went back and forth about writing this because, who really wants to know what I keep in my kitchen???? Well, I guess actually a few people (and by few I think about 3) have requested a blog post on my pantry, so here goes:

1) Walnuts and almonds- Walnuts are full of fiber, protein, B vitamins, and those super important omega 3 fats I discussed in an earlier post. I mix them with salads, oatmeal, hot cereals, or in my protein bars I make. Almonds are packed with protein, omega 3's, potassium, folate, and magnesium. These are my go to snack and I keep a bag of them in my car, my purse, and my gym bag.
2) Frozen Blueberries-I always throw a handful of these bad boys in smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt. My kids just love them right out of the freezer. Blueberries are low on the Glycemic Index (I'll post about that later) and high in antioxidants. They are a great source of fiber, Vitamin C, and K...plus they are just plain good.
3) Whey Protein Powder- Choose carefully here. I have tried many protein powders and they are not created equal! Some of them taste horrible....like I wanted to scrub my tongue with a brillo pad horrible. And Sweet Baby Jesus, some of them will give you horrible gas. I'm not trying to be funny, just thought I should warn you. The one I have found with the best flavor and no gassy side-effects is Muscle Milk (in powder form).  You have to experiment because everyone is different.  I add protein to my smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, or almond milk. I use it on the days where I have had a particularly heavy work-out.  I would not recommend using it if you are not working out or it will just cause weight gain...not the muscle kind. I don't use it every day, just on days where I may need the extra protein.
4) Spinach, Asparagus, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms are my favorite veggies. I prep them when I get home and they are so easy to add to my egg whites in the morning, a protein at lunch, or a soup or stir fry at dinner. I usually buy veggies that are in season, but get these every time I shop or grow them in my garden.
5) Hummus- Hummus is one of my favorite snacks. I like to dip the above veggies in it or spread it on sprouted grain toast.
6) Egg Whites-
Egg whites by the carton are an easy way to get protein. I like the because they cook up quickly for breakfast or lunch and go with any vegetable I might want to add. I like to have them for breakfast with a little turkey sausage, veggies, and salsa.
7) Almond Butter - Almond butter is a great source of protein, iron, calcium, potassium, fiber, and monounsaturated fats. I use it on toast, in smoothies, and on fruit.
8)Bananas, Berries, Lemons, and Limes - Like with vegetables, I buy whatever fruit is in season, but always have these around.  They are super easy to bag up and take when you are in a hurry, go great in smoothies and on yogurt, and my kids love them.  I keep lemons and limes in the house because they freshen up water. I also like them on my avocados, and they are great for squirting on your fish and chicken.
9) Avocados-  Avocados are another great source of B vitamins, Folic acid, potassium, and fiber. They are also full of those good fats you need to keep you full and keep your skin and hair soft and smooth. My usual way to have them is just cut up with some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper on top. This is probably my favorite snack.
10) Ground Turkey, Chicken Breast, and Salmon: These are all easy to prepare, low fat proteins that can be used in so many recipes. I will post some of my favorites on here in the coming months.
11) Almond Milk- This one took awhile for my family to get used to. One of my sons still prefers regular 2% milk, so we have that too. I don't force anything on anyone, but they all seem to come around eventually:)  I sometimes get soy milk, but almond milk is lower in sugar. You can read all about the benefits of almond milk here.  I have found that I have been able to use it in most recipes, but I don't like it as much as regular milk in creamy soups or hot chocolate.

So, those are some of the main staples in my pantry. The things that make it easier for us to maintain a clean eating lifestyle. I'm sure many of you already buy these things regularly, but if not, I hope you can take away some ideas and see that clean eating is not as boring or difficult as some might think. Again, thank you for all of the great support on this blog. You can also follow it on Facebook to get the latest updates, polls, discussions, and FAQ's.

Crotch Sweat and Grunting (Things that make me go "Ew!" at the Gym)

Warning: If you are easily offended or grossed out, do not read this post.

To me gym etiquette seems pretty common sense, but it seems some people treat the gym like their own private home. I mean, it's cool that people feel all comfortable at the gym, but c'mon, let's remember that there are others around you to consider. I have seen some pretty disgusting/hilarious things at the gym so I complied a list of favorite I have either seen myself or heard about from friends.

1) Naked Shaver Lady
The gym I go to has a really nice locker room. In that really nice locker room are benches near the locker area where you sit to change your clothes, counter areas for washing hands, drying hair, applying make-up, and fairly roomy and private showers with benches in case you need to sit down or shave at one point during your shower.  Well, there's this lady that my friends and I call "Naked Shaver Lady". One would think that Naked Shaver Lady might shave in the shower...or at least near the sink to be near some water, right? Oh no! Naked shaver lady shaves in the locker area on the benches where people lay their nice clean clothes or sit down to tie their shoes. Did I mention that she is TOTALLY NAKED when she does this. Ladies, you know how you have to position yourself to shave your legs. Yes. She does this. totally. naked. ...and waterless. Ouch.

2) Body Odor
Now I'm not offended by the typical body odor that comes from a hard workout. I have been in races where we are all sweaty and smelly and packed like sardines. I have been in cars, full of my friends and I after running long and sweaty races. No, body odor does not offend me at all. I smell sweaty almost every single day.  What does offend me is people who will run next to me on the treadmill and smell like their momma never taught them to wipe after they went number two.It's one thing to smell like a diaper after a hard core workout, that happens to me too...but to smell like one before you even start??? To those people I want to say : " One little baby wipe can go a long way". Maybe I should start carrying them in my gym bag and handing them out...just kidding...I think.

3) Loud Grunting
Gentlemen. The loud, obnoxious, obvious grunting. Please. I understanding a little grunting, huffing, puffing, and straining, but when you sound like the Incredible Hulk when he is a little low on fiber, it's a bit disturbing. When I can hear you through my very loud music in my ear buds, it's way too much. It really is not necessary to grunt with every single bicep curl or chest press. So, unless you are lifting very heavy weight and you are on your last set, please grunt quietly.

4) Crotch Sweat
Sweat does not bother me. Like I said, I sweat all the time. My husband, friends, and I give each other sweaty hugs at the end of a race. Sometimes my friends and I will hug or high five in the middle of a workout...sweat and all.  What does bother me is stranger sweat. What bothers me more than that is stranger crotch sweat left on a machine I want to use.  Dude! I do not want to sit in a puddle of your crotch sweat. I also don't want to wipe it with my towel I brought along to wipe the sweat off of my face with.  Clean up your own crotch sweat. Note: When working out in the weight room, bring two towels. One for wiping the equipment, one for your face. Don't get them mixed up.

5) Drying Your Hair
As I mentioned in #1, the gym I belong to has hair dryers in the wall. These are provided to dry your hair...on your HEAD. Well, believe it or not, there was this lady using the hair dryers to blow dry her "other hair". I'm not even kidding. I do not even have words for this. I bring my own hair dryer now.

6) The Locker Room is not a Picnic Area
I have been know to scarf down a protein bar and wash it down with an electrolyte drink between workouts while sitting in the locker room. People do it all the time. Nothing wrong with that. But there are people who lay out their entire lunches on the benches where people sit (sometimes naked) and change their clothes. One time my triathlete friend Luly called me and told me that someone had a whole salad bar lined up on one of those benches.  That's so weird because not only is there a lounge area in the locker room, but there is also a cafe where you can bring your own food. Bet if they had seen Naked Shaver Lady there in the past, they would have never set up their picnic in that spot.

Do you have any funny gym stories???

Healthy (er) Chicken and Dumplings

Oh how I LOVE me some Pioneer Woman recipes. They are so delicious, but only something we eat sometimes at our house. I have been experimenting with adapting her recipes to make them a bit healthier without sacrificing too much of the taste.  This is her recipe for Chicken and Dumplings that I adapted to fit the way we eat:

(Note: my food photography needs some help)


 Ingredients:
olive oil (just enough to coat the pan)
1/2 cup whole wheat, soy flour,  or brown rice flour
1 lb of skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite sized pieces, fat trimmed)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green peppers (traditional calls for celery, but peppers are more nutritious and I like the flavor)
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage

6 cups low sodium chicken brith
1/2 cup cup skim milk

Dumplings:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 heaping TBS baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 and 1/12 cup skim milk

Mix the flour with salt, pepper, and herbs.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken through the flour mixture.

In a pot, add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove and set aside.

In the same pot add the peppers, onions, and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.  At this point I sprinkled in more herbs and chicken broth.

Add the chicken, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. At this point, it did not look promising to me and I was getting worried...but it got better.

Now make the dumpling dough. Sift together all of the dry ingredients, then add the skim milk and stir to combine. When using wheat, soy, or brown rice flour I have found that I have to let it sit a bit longer than white flour so it can soak up the liquids. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

 (this picture is not skewed, one of my children named 'not me' stepped on it while trying to use it as a step stool...I don't know what goes through that child's head)

Remove the chicken from the pot and cut into bite sized pieces. Return it back to the pot with the skim milk and stir.  At this point is is not as thick as it would be if heavy cream were added, but it got thicker after the dumplings were added in.

Drop tablespoons of the dough into the pot while it simmers. Cover pot and cook an additional 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper as you wish.  Remove from heat and let it sit for 10 more minutes.

It turned out to be a hit.  The kids actually liked it. Let me know if you make it and how it turns out for you.

I Have No Time! ~Creative Workouts to Kick Those Excuses in the Butt~

I get it! I'm a mom with 3 kids.  I run a business. My husband travels. My kids are in activities. Like the rest of you, when my life gets busy it is so easy to make excuses and put yourself last. I really get it.

Last year, my husband was on an 18 month deployment. Running the house by myself, working, and running the kids around made it hard to find time to work out. There were times when sick kids, tired, grumpy kids, or just plain old busy days made it impossible for me to get to the gym.   I really only recently got a gym membership, so I spent years coming up with some creative ways to work out.

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1) If I didn't have a big chunk of time to work out in the day, I would just fit in short bursts work workouts where I could: crunches and push-ups while I waited for the kids to brush their teeth, tricep dips on the stairs, running up and down the stairs a bunch of times, doing bicep curls with gallons of milk or full laundry detergent bottles, walking lunges with full laundry baskets before putting the laundry away. Yes, I look like a big dork, but by the end of the day I have done several forms of exercise.

2) Play Just Dance on the Wii with the kids.  I don't care how good of shape you *think* you are in, that game will make you sweat AND get your heart rate up. It gets me every single time!

3) A friend and I have taken our kids (6 between us) down to the playground so we could work out. While the kids played, we ran sprints, did pull -ups on the monkey bars,  squats, push-ups and whatever else we could think of.

4) I have found that going to the local high school track on weekends or school holidays is a great way to get a workout in.  I load up the minivan with frisbees, balls, bubbles, and such and head to the track with the kids. They play in the center grass area where I can always see them while I run.  My workout at the track looks something like this: run 400m, go to the middle and do 50 push ups, run 400 m, 50 burpees, run 400m, 50 crunches, etc.....While I do my workout in the middle, the kids often join me and try to do the same. It's a great way to spend time with them and get my workout in.

5) Set up a self imposed bootcamp in my backyard.

6) If you have access to a pool (YMCA, Community pool) then pool workouts are a great way to stay cool in the summer, play with your kids, and workout with little impact on your joints.
         My pool workout:
        a) Carry 1, 2, or 3 kids and walk/jog back and forth across the pool.  I usually have one on my front and 2 holding on behind me so I have to drag them. They think this is so fun.
        b) Hold onto the edge of the pool and let your legs float out behind you so you look like Superman in flight.  Have a contest with your kids to see who can create the most splash just by kicking.
        c) Flip over onto your back, hold onto the side and bicycle your legs.  This is a great ab workout.

        d) Find a corner of the pool.  Push yourself up by placing your hands on the edge of the pool. Continue to push yourself up and lower yourself keeping your elbows close to your body. This is great for the triceps.

7) When the kids are playing in the drive way I do sprints up and down our sidewalk by 'racing' them on their bikes or scooters.  Of course, they always win, but they think it's so much fun.

These are just a few of the things I do during the times I do not have a gym membership or on the days I just can't make it out without kids.  I would love to hear some of the ways you workout when you can't get out of the house and I will post more ideas as I remember them.  I will leave out the one where I wake up at 4:45 am to squeeze a workout in....that's the one I hate the most  and do the least  ;)

Have a great day and remember : You have GOT this!

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Weekly Workout

I have had a few people asking what my workout schedule consists of, so here is a rough outline of what I do:

 Like I said, this is just a rough outline. Some days might be mixed up and some days I might replace cardio with yoga when I need a little extra stretch. Some days I might dump yoga and choose some extra long cardio when I have some extra piss and vinegar in me. My husband says I'm a lot nicer when I get my runs in....it's not mean when it's true, ha!
   By cardio I mean I run or cycle for 30 minutes to an hour. If I'm feeling extra grumpy that day, I might go a little longer until I am so exhausted that I have no energy for mean.  When I'm training for a race, I stick to my training schedule and just plug my training runs in as cardio.  I Love Hal Higdon's site for training and have used his schedules for the last 6 years. He has training at all levels and for all types of races...and it's free.
   Some days I don't feel like running or cycling, but I still want to get that cardio in, so I make up my own little 'boot camp'. The one I used for Tuesday is just an example. I like to change it up often. Channel Maze runs a local boot camp and I love getting ideas from her blog.
    Strength training is the one thing I never skimp on. It is so important for me to be strong....not so much for the way strong looks (but that's a definite plus), but for the way strong feels. Strong allows me to be more independent...my husband works hard and I can't always wait for him to move furniture or lift things for me. Strong makes me a lot more fun when playing with my kids. Strong helps get me through my long runs. Strong helps me in my photography business (have you seen the size of some of those lenses). Strength training also helps with bone density, joint pain, and increases your metabolism. For strength training I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from Jamie Eason.
For yoga I like Bikram  because of the heat and predictability. 
My favorite yoga is Vinyasa.  I love the challenge of the complex poses, inversions, and balance poses. It pushes me, it hurts, and I always feel like I have accomplished something in the end.
     So, there it is. My nutshell's worth of training. I try to stick to a format somewhat like this, but it's not always possible. Everyday, when I wake up, I have to convince myself to get out the door and do this. Everyday I have to bat away the bazillion excuses that my brain makes up to convince me not to go. Everyday that I choose to go, I feel a lot better. Getting out the door is the hardest part.
     When I miss a day or two, I don't beat myself up over it. I shrug my shoulders and know I will be back at it again. Life happens, kids happen, work happens, sick happens,  monthly periods worthy of a spot on CSI Miami happen so sometimes workouts can't happen. Just know that it's NOT forever and you WILL get back to your schedule soon.

See you tomorrow when I will post workouts I do when I can't get to the gym:)