Workout Wednesday - Workout Fuel

On this Workout Wednesday, I wanted to talk food.  One of my favorite subjects!

Lots of people ask, what should I eat before a workout? What should I eat after a workout?  

I don't think there is one right answer to this.  I'm not a doctor or nutritionist and I've just experimented to see what works for me.  Personally, I prefer to eat my carbs before a workout and focus more on proteins after a workout.  Carbs are good for you.  They give your body ENERGY which you need for a workout.  (*Note, not all carbs are created equal! You have to choose the healthy kind...whole grains, not overly processed stuff.*)

If I know I'm not working out first thing in the morning and will get my sweat on later in the day, one of my favorite breakfast options is oatmeal.  I've recently discovered steel cut oats. Yum!  I had been using the quick oats version which is also tasty but I find I enjoy the slightly chewy texture of the steel cut variety now.  It takes me 5 minutes to make on the stove top as opposed to 1 minute in the microwave for the quick oats, but when I have the time, I like to indulge myself.

I've played around with different mix-ins and have my top favorite version at the moment...Chocolate Shakeology Steel Cut Oats simmered in Almond Milk, Cinnamon and Vanilla, topped with Blueberries, Walnuts and Chia Seeds.  This thing is basically a dessert...it tastes that decadent. 

Ingredients:
*Quantities can vary depending on how much oatmeal you want.  This is my "big bowl" version.*

• 1/2 cup steel cuts oats
• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. chocolate Shakeology

Instructions:

• In a small pot, bring the almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla to a boil on the stove top. Stir occasionally to keep the milk from burning.
• Once at a boil, add the oats and stir.  Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for approximately 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
• *Note: The amount of liquid you use and length of cook time can vary to personal preference.  I like my oats to be a little runny when they're done cooking as I find mixing in my other ingredients is easier.  I also don't like chunky, congealed oatmeal. It took me a few times of experimenting with liquid amounts vs. dry oats amount and cook time to find my magic combination.  You can do the same!*
• Once oats are done to your liking, pour into a bowl and stir in your other ingredients: blueberries, walnuts, chia seeds and Shakeology.
• Enjoy that big bowl of tasty goodness!

This breakfast will satisfy a sweet tooth and give you a great balance of heart healthy whole grains (good carbs people!), omega 3 fatty acids from the walnuts and chia seeds, a heaping serving of antioxidants from those super powered blueberries and protein from the oats, walnuts, seeds and Shakeology.  

A delicious and filling way to kick start your day so you can kick butt at your workout later!

Pesto Mozzarella Tomato Grilled Cheese

This delicious combo came about because I was craving something that felt indulgent but still kept me on track with my clean eating.  What's more indulgent than gooey melted cheese on toasty bread??

I was also looking for something quick because I was super hungry after my husband and I got home from a hike in the Central Florida wilderness.  This was just the right balance of treat and healthy after sweating it out for 7 miles.

I threw this tasty sandwich together with only five ingredients.  The cheese was actually some string cheese I had on hand.  I just pulled it into thin "strings" and layered it on the sandwich with the pesto and sliced tomato.

Butter the outside of your bread and grill it up!

I will definitely be making this beauty again.  Healthy fats, whole grains and protein?  Yes please!

Put An Egg On It - Then Add Some Hot Sauce!

Another edition of Put An Egg On It!  If you still haven't tried putting a fried egg on top of your meal, what are you waiting for?  It is a perfect way to finish a dish, add some good protein and healthy fat.  Not to mention the delicious rich flavor of that runny yolk.  

So. Good.

This meal was another use up of leftovers.  I had some ground turkey meat with sauteed veggies that I wanted to liven up a bit.  Eggs to the rescue!  Fried some eggs, chopped some fresh tomato and topped my leftover turkey and veggies with that combo.

What kicks it up another notch and adds another layer of flavor?  Crystal hot sauce!

This can be a super easy, cheap and quick meal for anytime of the day.  This comes together in five minutes!  I've definitely eaten some version of this meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Totally satisfying and, added bonus, healthy!

Workout Wednesday - Midyear Check In!

The end of June is quickly approaching.  That means we're almost halfway done with 2016. Crazy how fast the time goes by, right?  

Did you make a resolution at the beginning of this year to take better care of yourself? Weight loss, more sleep, better nutrition, making time for a hobby you enjoy (good for the soul), etc.  

If you did, like many people do, how are you doing with that resolution?  
Have you reached your goal?  
Have you incorporated healthy habits into your daily life?  
Or do you need some help?
Maybe fallen off the wagon a bit?

I've had some days when I've nailed my workouts and nutrition.
I've also had some days when I've binge watched TV and ordered pizza.

And you know what?  Both types of days are OK, as long as I balance them and have more of the active and healthy days than the sitting-on-the-couch-eating-pizza days.

I know some people roll their eyes at the phrase above, but it's really true.  I'm not on a "diet."  I'm just eating mostly good-for-my-body food and breaking a sweat most days through some kind of active workout.  That's it.  No fad diet.  No magic pill.  No miracle shake.  Just having a balance of veggies and exercise with some days of happy hour and cheesy carbs.

It works!  I've lost roughly 15 pounds since the start of the year and have maintained it. (Give or take a few slices of pizza or glasses of wine).  And you know what's great about it? You can start a healthy lifestyle ANYTIME.

If you made a resolution for 2016 and you're crushing it, good for you!

If you fell off the wagon, grab my hand and get back on!

If you feel like you're so far away from the wagon that you're rolling around aimlessly with the tumbleweeds, that's OK too.  You can also make your way back!  

That's the great thing about each new day.  Each new morning gives us the opportunity to make new decisions.  Just because you had three servings of mac and cheese last night doesn't mean you can't eat some fruits and veggies today.  If you haven't moved your butt more than walking from the couch to the kitchen, make it a goal to take a short walk outside today.  No need to try and punish yourself with an hour long workout.  Just get that body moving in a way you enjoy.  Take a bike ride.  Swim in the pool.  Play with your pets or children.  Jump rope.  Work in the garden.  Take a hike.  You WILL feel good and happy with yourself after you break a sweat.

So what are YOU doing TODAY for your body?  Wednesday's in our house means Workout Wednesday.  That means I got up at 6:00am and will knock out my 30 minute workout at home before heading into the office.  I'll eat whole foods today to fuel my body, with my focus being on whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats and colors (fruits and veggies!)  Tonight I'll treat myself to my version of a chocolate frosty for dinner and enjoy a show from the DVR.  

Balance.  Simple food.  Happy life.

Workout Wednesday - 21 Day Fix - Post-Cruise Edition

We've been home from our cruise vacation for about a week and a half now.  As soon as we got home I went to the grocery store to restock the fridge and started another round of the 21 Day Fix the very next day.  I knew I had to get back on track with my balanced meals and portion control.

I've lost the 3 pounds I gained on vacation...yahoo!  Getting back into the swing of things has been relatively simple.  I really believe the work I did prior to vacation, from the start of this year, prepped me to be able to get back into it after a long vacation.  Eventually eating well and exercising becomes a healthy habit.  That's not to say it was easy at the beginning of the year, because it was NOT.  But, every step along the way, big or little, has led me into a healthy life style with simple food.  Looking at the picture above I remember how much I struggled at the start of this year to hold a plank longer than 10 or 15 seconds.  Last night I held it for 60 seconds.  It's amazing what the body can do if you don't give up and stay consistent.

I've become a big fan of the 21 Day Fix for many reasons but the main ones being it has allowed me to get a healthy grasp on proper portion control (used to be one of my biggest downfalls) and the results are quick, and often surprising!  It is shocking what eating right can do for your body.  

And guess what?  The 21 Day Fix, one of Beachbody's most popular programs, is on sale this month!  If you're at all curious about trying it, you can get it at a discounted rate during the month of June.  I know it's summer time and people are thinking about the pool, the beach and other outdoor activities.  If you're looking to feel a little more confident about your summer health, why not give it a try?  You can be Summer Strong with me!

Side note, I did manage to get my butt out of bed around 6:30am today and get Lower Fix DONE before work.  Who knew 6 months ago I would willingly be up that early to workout?! Not me, but things can always change.

Workout Wednesday - Back from Vacation!

We are back home after a wonderful vacation to Seattle and Alaska!  We spent two days in Seattle exploring the city and completely loved it.  Then we headed out of the Port of Seattle on a seven night cruise along the Alaskan coast.  Wow!  Beautiful scenery and so different from what I'm used to in Florida.  Just check out that mountain!  This was the view at Sturgill's Landing in Skagway, AK.  It was the pay off from an 8 mile round trip hike my husband and I spontaneously ventured out on.  Just gorgeous with the forest, mountains and water...and the sunny day!

Another highlight of the trip?  We got to play with Alaskan puppies that will be trained by the dog mushers to race.  Too much CUTENESS!

I can do several posts about our trip and the fun we had but let's focus on Workout Wednesday.  Workout Wednesday did NOT happen while we were on vacation.  I had a vision of getting to the gym on the cruise ship and getting my sweat on, but the closest I got to it was walking through the gym with a glass of wine in my hand on the way to dinner. Cheers to an honest vacation! :)

Another honest vacation moment?  I packed what I referred to as my "beginning of cruise jeans" and my "end of cruise jeans"...two different sizes in case I needed some more breathing room at the end of vacation, ha!  But, to my surprise, I didn't need as much room as I had in the waistband of those "end of cruise jeans."  

Now, let's be real.  I ate and I drank...a lot.  We bought the beverage package on the ship just for me.  My husband knew I would drink enough to make it worth it.  I am Irish and German after all. :)  Let's just say the bartender at my most frequented bar on board knew me by name and knew my order each time.  And my eating habits were definitely not what I would normally do at home.  This had a lot to do with not being in control of my food.  You ate what the cruise ship provided and that consisted of lots of carbs. Carbs upon delicious carbs.  There were days or nights when we'd eat a relatively light lunch or dinner in the dining room on board, then exchange a look with each other and say, "Pizza?"  Then we'd head up to Deck 15 to the Pizza Bar and indulge ourselves.  I lost count of how many pizza slices I had during the cruise (along with that wine count...hey I bought the unlimited beverage package and you better believe I was going to make the most of that cost!)

In between the drinking and eating, we did get some activity in.  In Juneau we took a hike excursion to go check out the Mendenhall Glacier.  That was a good hike!  It was about 4-5 miles and there were some seriously steep areas where you could feel your legs burning and your breath was labored.  Again, we were rewarded with an awesome view!  A huge glacier in between two mountains.  

And that 8 mile hike we took in Skagway, not to mention all the extra walking around we did in Seattle the two days before the trip (hours of walking) and the walking we did when we were in port.  And I made myself take the stairs on the cruise ship 95% of the time. Our room was on Deck 10, my favorite bar was on Deck 7, pizza on Deck 15, dining room on Deck 6...I took thousands of steps on that ship!

Overall I was pretty active but it was the food and drink that did me in.  At the end of the trip, I was feeling pretty sluggish and really craving some fresh veggies and fruit.  Every meal on the ship felt like it consisted of this:

Breakfast croissants, muffins, pastries, a variety of rolls and bread sticks at lunch and dinner, croutons on salads and soups...bread and butter were everywhere!

I think I came back from vacation roughly 4 pounds heavier...not a huge deal but I felt enough of a lag in my energy levels that I was anxious to get back to proper nutrition and portion sizes.  That meant getting back home, stocking the fridge and starting Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix.  I got right back to it this past Monday and am on Day 3 now.  It's not hard and it feels quite good to be enjoying some balanced meals.  

And I was super excited to get back to my chocolate goodness...

That was my dinner tonight...chocolate Shakeo blended with some frozen banana and almond milk...SO GOOD!

And I even manged to wake up early this morning to get a workout in at 7:00am!  Felt so good to have that DONE so when I got home from work I immediately put on comfy clothes, blended up my healthy milkshake and enjoyed a date with my DVR (hey, husband was still at work and I have a lot of shows to catch up on after vacation!)

Overall, vacation was a wonderful time and it was so special to take that trip with my husband.  We made memories that we'll remember forever but it's always nice to come home.