Chipped Off

Alright, I'm 3 for 3 on exercising:) This MIGHT be a personal record, so it's kinda a big deal- ideally it will become a habit, so bear with me while I create it. I was extra motivated to run due to some poor planning for dinner last night- we had to run errands and because we were starving decided Mexican sounded good. I had broiled chicken breasts with tomatillo sauce (which is AMAZING) and black beans- I skipped eating all but a bite of the rice and flour tortillas...and cheese. Bad news is I ate a bowl full of tortilla chips while we waited for our food because I was STARVING....hence the motivation to go running at 10:30pm.

Notice they how new my shoes look XD

I actually bought them not long after I had Parky in 2011....In fact with baby in tow I went to 3 different stores and tried on all kinds of shoes (cause I'm super picky) even those toe sock ones (too weird for me) and I remember one sales Lady asked me what kind of running I do....with a straight face!






...Oh, well ACTUALLY I'm trying to put on some weight right now for this movie that I'm in where I play an overweight, post pardum, depressed mom, who's stressed out and at the end of her rope...but AFTER THAT I'm right back at training for the 2016 Olympic Long distance qualifications..

It really wasn't as bad as I remember, but last time I tried running was a few months after I gave birth so I know there was a whole lot of jiggle going on and I HATE that! It was nice and cool out and I only saw one person- the security golf cart guy- which I never know if it's a good thing or a bad thing....good that he's out?? or is he out because he needs to be?? I try to pay attention either way- I'm not letting hoodlums deter my goals here!

My after run treat-<3 these Gingerbread Snack Bars! (still showing available!) They taste just like carrot cake! I need to order more before they are gone for the season :(

Some love to run, some hate it, where do you stand?

YAY for OmegaPlex!

Exercised two days in a row now! Go Me! To be honest I wasn't THAT excited about doing it last night, but knowing I am taking 60 day pics in less than two weeks is pretty motivating. Broke out the Zumba to sweat it out~

This is as far as I've made it with the 6 Zumba DVD's- #2- I actually tried to do the 3rd one a while back and about died, these are no joke folks!

















Used my other marinade score to make Teriyaki Chicken
last night- this one was yummy!











Took two frozen chicken breasts and threw them in the crock pot with about 1/2 C of this marinade and 1/2 C water mixed for about 4 hours on low. Steamed some broccoli and threw the chopped chicken over the broccoli and topped with some of the crock pot sauce- yum-yum!








Noticed something in the shower last night...don't be scared! My hair finally stopped falling out! Ever since I gave birth to Parky my hair keeps falling out in ridiculous amounts- like scary amounts, all time! It's like someone flipped a switch and it's stopped! YAY!

What changes are you noticing on the challenge?

Floor Exercises

Well it's official...I have BEGUN "working out"! YAY ME! For the record this monument occurred on day 47 with my favorite Pilates DVD:

I consider this one my "favorite" as not only does it actually work- BUT it literally starts with "okay so I want you to lay down on your mat..." So basically it's more of a mind battle just to get up and put in the dang DVD than to actually DO-IT! I  tell myself "All I have do is lay down and do what she says!"- it's hard arguing not having the energy to lay down, but of course, I've done it! ...by the looks of my "before" picture- A LOT!

What is your favorite go-to workout DVD?

Now & Later Sweet & Sour

We just got WinCo in our area, so I ventured out to see what all the fuss was about- PLUS they had chicken breast for $1.44/lb and super cheap bulk almonds and apples- $.25/lb so it didn't take much. Right when I walked in they had these marinades for a steal so I thought- why not?

I picked two of the three flavors- I should have grabbed two of each- at least! I ended up marinading the half the chicken breasts package for about an hour then pulled them out and put them in a baking dish for 35 min at 350- super delish! Lyss and I shredded ours for lettuce wraps again and everyone else had them shredded over brown rice.








Between the amount of chicken and the amount of sauce in on bottle I was able to make two dinners with one family pack of breasts and 1 jar of sauce. I poured about 3/4 to marinade what I made tonight and then I added enough water back in the bottle to fill it back up to half and shook it. I threw the rest of the chicken into a zip lock and the water downed marinade to throw in the freezer.

Now I have a crock pot ready meal for another day! I read this trick on another blog- <3 it! You just throw the frozen chicken/marinade mass in the crock pot and there you go!






I also snagged these delights off the check stand and ate them while I was getting the chicken all ready...

 

The kick at the end reminded me of Limon Cheetos- oh yeah! I love finding healthier replacements for my favorite junk foods!

 

What's your favorite junk food swap?

No Riding Red Bicycles after 9pm

Last night I thought it would be a brilliant idea to have a glass of wine (it was a poopy Friday and I figured I have EARNED it).....at 11:30pm. Not the best idea- not only did I have the worst time ever getting up this morning, I slept like crap AND I have a headache- not the way I wanted to start my Saturday :/

                                                                                                                      ~YOU, Mr. Red Bicyclette are NOT my friend








 In surveying my visible progress so far I am thinking it is time to ramp up the exercise effort a notch. I have been walking the dogs with Mr. Water Diet pretty much every night which is 35-40 minutes but it may be time to dust off the yoga DVD's. Now that I'm shrinking it's time to tighten it up a bit and really see what this stuff can do. I've got 2 weeks from yesterday to my Day 60 updates so note for the future- Day 48 I decided to start "working out" :D

 

When did you decide to start working out on the challenge?

Lettuce Fettish

You would think I am prego with all my ''pickle" snacks, but I think I just like pickles...I totally get Snooki's obsession- and YES, FRIED are the best, IF you get them in the right place...AND it's your free day, cause the fried ones are definitely not recommended as a daily indulgence for a healthy lifestyle.




I like to snack on these when I'm cooking now- keeps me from nibbling other things because I ALWAYS wait too long to start dinner...



This jar had a ton of cauliflower in it- that's my FAV, the onion thingy scares me a bit- it looks too much like an eyeball. Luckily there was only one in this jar...it's still floating around in there...watching me eat the other vegi's- creepy!



 We continued the lettuce wrap experiment as it was highly popular, I made Asian style lettuce wraps with ground turkey that I seasoned with this coupon freebee:

 

 ~these are pretty cheap w/out a coupon at Kroger affiliates, ($.89 at my local Fry's) and you can use this coupon link for  $.25 off Sunbird Seasoning or Soup Mix and save more $$ :D

We usually use this as a chicken marinade and then you can bake the chicken (I don't follow the directions on the back, as it has you coat the chicken in flour ect) I just marinade the chicken and bake or pan fry (no oil- but you need REALLY good pans to fry w/out oil) This marinade is a STAPLE in our house- everyone loves it!

 

Here's the finished product and the kids ATE THESE UP! super fun for them and super yummy! I made sure to double the turkey so I would have leftovers for lunch and you will probably want to as well as the marinade packet makes A LOT of marinade- way to much for 1 package of turkey meat.

Since Mr. Water Diet doesn't eat lettuce I just saved a bowl of the meat and topped it with a healthy serving of steamed broccoli- he loved it, so there's another meal option/idea if your not into lettuce.

I'm just starting explore the lettuce realm- what are your favorites?

Lettuce Eat Better Tacos

Had to hit the store yesterday at lunch to get the stuff I needed for my lettuce wrap taco's. Only thing about eating fresh all time is that you have to go to the store more often cause fresh don't last forever! I actually try to buy more "not quite ripe" things now to buy me another day or two.

While I was there this kid tried to jack my lettuce...

...he also poked a hole in it for me...awesome! :/








I like to make my own salsa and I don't measure anything so it's pretty much to taste, but the Kiddo's eat it up; today I used about 5 Roma tomatoes, 2 large garlic cloves chopped, 2 chopped green onions, about 1 TBS of left over red onion I had from another dish, chopped cilantro to taste, juice of two limes and a dash of salt. Sometimes I add a couple TBS of jarred salsa to thicken it up but tonight was straight up.


I think I out did myself on presentation on this one cause
seriously- this is restaurant quality!

Alyssa thought they tasted better than "regular" tacos and I do have to say I didn't really miss the tortilla, and I certainly don't miss what tortillas were doing to my backside...just sayin!


I did "cheat" and have a slice of Birthday Cake, but I keep in mind this is a lifestyle and it's about making better choices not PERFECTION. Perfection is an illusion that will eat you alive (in a BAD way)- don't let it. I did however pass up the wine for now, so THAT my friends is a WIN in my book!

 

I am thinking iceberg lettuce may be an under-used vegi, what else can we do with it?

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today I change the 36 in my profile to 37...not really stressing about it because I actually feel better NOW than I have my entire 30's- maybe I started going back in time thanks to AdvoCare- they should market THAT!

Also excited today as they are releasing the "Holiday Flavors" with Gingerbread Snack Bars and Orange Cream Meal Replacement Shakes- while supplies last! I've been sitting at my computer like the old Target commercial..."open!open!open!" YAY!

K made me the best-est cake for tonight, it's not my Free Day but since it is my B-Day I am going to have a small slice of this beauty~

Everyone should have 1 friend take a cake decorating class, but make sure they don't live to close or you will gain a pound a week I swear! Especially if they are a perfectionist so they make like 5 of everything "just in case"- <3 her though! Thanks K!

Thinking of making lettuce wrap tacos for dinner...we've been having a lot of chicken lately and ground turkey sounds amazing right now- maybe I will make it lettuce wrap week and get all crazy! Speaking of chicken, if you are looking to get some on cheap you should try Zaycon- you order in bulk but get a huge discount, they emailed me today that right now they are offering 40lbs (frozen) for $1.69/lb! cheap-cheap!

In other news....so since my daughter Alyssa is on The 24 Day Challenge for Teens I was explaining to her why you can't eat mushrooms while on the cleanse- they are a fungus and you are trying to rid all the toxins in your body right now and I also read they cause yeast infections in a lot of women...at which point my son chimes in "Yeah! You don't want your yeast to get infected!"...oh joy...

Let's talk cake- I have to say Chocolate is my FAV, what's yours? 

Hay...it's worth it! Promise!

So excited for my teenage Daughter Alyssa who started The 24 Day Challenge yesterday! She starts softball season right after the Holiday's in January so she has perfectly timed 90 days prior to drop some weight and shape up for her Sophomore season! The plan is to work the Trim Challenge and move her into the Elite Perfomance products during the season.

To help her out I portion everything out for her and threw it in a zip lock:

We also went over her schedule and timed out when she should have snack, Catalyst, ect and it worked out perfectly with her schedule. I really stressed WATER making sure to get enough in to flush all the bad stuff out.

She did awesome her first day! Said the chocolate peanut butter Meal Replacement Bar was delish and I tried the Peach AM Bar this morning and really like it. I don't think it's as filling as the Meal Replacement Shake but is a good option if you are super rushed.



This Kid totally cracks me up- she didn't mind Facing the Fiber in the AM but I about peed myself when she text me regarding the PM cleanse pills- her exact text:

"Dog food pills!!! Gross!!! >.<"

 ....well they are Herbs, not exactly tasty- have you ever chewed on hay?- same taste- and it's only for 7 of the 10 nights...totally do-able!

Fess up- HAVE you ever tasted HAY?

Hazards of cooking "Winter Chicken" in the Fall

I have learned that it is possible to simultaneously melt your eyelashes and burn your armpit at the same time:/ This is why Rachel Ray has a production team and isn't snapping photo's herself while cooking...offender? Winter Chicken Bake:


picture not cooperating...sorry about the necessary head tilt:/

It looks harmless enough, but do not be fooled- cooking out of season has consequences!

Recipe: In a lightly greased baking dish layer-
1 peeled/sliced med apple
1/2 sliced sweet onion
3 sliced carrots

Original recipe called for basting 3 large chicken breasts with 2 TBS sugar free barbecue sauce- which FYI Target does not carry (my last minute shopping trip choice) so I substituted a rub and this was a winner:

Top with 1 chopped up cooked sweet potato (cut in half, pierce and microwave for 10 minutes then peel and chop) and 1 C cranberries (again I struck out at Target on these and bought dried thinking they would "plump up"- negative....these got crunchy so might be personal choice on this one. I still ate them so not sure what that says..

Overall I thought this was pretty good, though the top was a little dryer than I would like- I would almost slice the sweet potato and throw them and the cranberries (if using dried) underneath too and leave the chicken on top by itself next time.

In other news.... My teen daughter Alyssa started The 24 Day Challenge today! So excited for her journey, will keep you posted!



I am off the charts "cooking challenged" where do you stand?

Struck Down by Flatiron Mountain

Well today I took on a mountain- literally! Lesson- ask more questions before you determine you can "hang" during a hike...5.8 miles of Difficult level...yeah, not THIS girl- at least not yet!

Here's my prep for what I think is a leisurely day hike:)

This is Mr. Water Diet's 6:30 am contribution to my safety- I did tell him I actually KNOW the people I am going with, but I guess you can never be too careful these days :/

Here's the middle of what I actually survived through which is pretty close to 4000 ft and 4 miles round trip!

Here's me pretty stoked with myself for not falling, breaking anything- and oh yeah, dying! I did try to grab a cactus at one point to steady myself...not recommended. :/

Here's what I pied out on....there was really no way I was prepared for the remaining 1 mile of vertical climbing, including-but not limited to (per one of my fellow hikers) a 12 ft wall of rock at the top that you use a near by tree to scale- WHAT?! I don't even scale my fish myself you fool!

So beware Flatiron rock...one day I will climb your 12 foot wall...and I will stand on your 4861'-tree or no tree. HUMPH!

What adventures are you taking on in your journey?

Company's Coming...What's For Dinner?

Found the best vegi meatloaf recipe (courtesy of Sandra C. from CO) for the Lean In phase, great for company over or just to have left overs for lunch or to freeze:

1 3/4 lb ground turkey
6 egg whites
- combine the two and then add:
1 C frozen squeezed chopped spinach
1 C diced white onion
1 C diced red onion
1 C diced red bell pepper
1 C cauliflower pieces
1/2 C chopped cilantro
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp seasoning salt
2 tsp granulated garlic (or 1/4 minced fresh)- I used fresh cause I love me some garlic!

Mix together in a non stick pan or rub a sticky one with olive oil. I used a 9x13 and press the mix all in out to the corners. I topped with a can diced tomatoes that I pureed in the ninja, but recipe calls for a 6oz can of tomato paste mixed with a cup of water- I'm all for using what you have on hand:) Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and for the 24 Day Challenge portions for people 141-224lbs you will have 6 equal portions from this recipe- yum, yum!

My sister in law wanted the recipe, the kids chomped it down, everyone loved it except Mr. Water Diet as he doesn't eat vegetables...he choked it down cause that's all I made for dinner:)

Do you have any great Lean In recipes for company coming over?