What I Eat In a Day

I'm back!  I can't believe its been almost a year since I've blogged!  Where has the time gone?

I decided to start with this post because its one of my favorites to read on others' blogs and watch on YouTube. It gives me some ideas and I just enjoy reading about it.  

I should preface this by stating that I have been doing the Whole30 for the past 23 days. If you're unfamiliar with the Whole30 I encourage you to read about it here.  I'm sure most of you have hard of pale before.  Basically, no grains, sugar, dairy, gluten, refined anything, soy, or anything processed or from a package except a few random things.  Everything all natural!  I've mostly been eating meat, fish, veggies, eggs, and fruit. If you're interested in completing one I recommend the book- It Starts With Food.  I've really enjoyed this way of eating.  But it has really taken a lot of the enjoyment out of my meals. I've just been eating to nourish my body rather than eating for entertainment.  I haven't eaten in a restaurant in several weeks other than the occasional Chipotle lunch in a pinch.  I plan on doing a full post on the Whole30 and my experience once it is over this weekend.

So on to what my typical day looks like in food!

Breakfast: 

-2 fried eggs with fresh eggs from the farmers market cooked in ghee

-A side of green beans- so random- but I try to eat veggies at each meal. Usually for breakfast I just have whatever veggies are left from the night before

-an orange

-a glass of ginger kombucha

I drink a ton of water all day. When I get to work I have either hot tea or coffee with coconut milk or homemade almond milk (tutorial coming).

-Around 10am I have one of my herbal supplement drinks: Solle Vital I will do a post on all of my herbal supplements soon

 Lunch:  forgot to snap a pic until almost done!
-salad with leftover chicken, avocado, strawberries, dill, and a boiled egg
-baked sweet potato with ghee

I had to run to Home Goods at lunch to return something and I found these snacks.  I love stuff like this. I ended up eating this whole bag. Both have only fruit as the ingredients.  No added sugar!

 And 2 pieces of this:

 Around 2:00 I got hungry and had this:

When I got home around 5 I was starving!  I randomly ate a boiled egg and drank some water to hold me over.  Then dinner was not my favorite. I actually ended up throwing half of it way because it just wasn't good.

Dinner:

-Tuna steak marinated in coconut aminos, ginger, cilantro, and green onion

- sautéed cabbage and sweet potatoes

Then after dinner I had a big spoonful of Sun Butter. 

Not the most glorious or exciting meals but this is what a typical day looks like these days!  Each meal I try to include protein, fat, and carb. Nothing fancy.  On the weekends I will cook more elaborate meals that my husband and I can enjoy together. But for now- this works.  

Hope you enjoyed a little sneak into my day:)

Embrace

I came across this website for a documentary while reading this post on CleanandDelicious.com.  I read her post and then immediately went over to the website to watch the video.  It hit home.

I struggle with confidence and self esteem.  I guess digging REALLY deep I can say that I always have. In high school and unfortunately as young as junior high I turned to drugs for a sense of belonging in a group of people and to make me fun or fit in...  Luckily I got out of that crowd of people by my senior year of high school and before it ever became a real problem.

And then I think a lot of people get hit with the shock that who you were in high school doesn't matter in the real world anyway. That sense of belonging I had in my tiny town didn't matter when I graduated and moved away.

Then after high school I put on weight. At the time I thought it was the worst thing!  But now looking back- I think it was just me growing into my body.  I finally started to get hips and a butt. Now those are things I try to embrace.  Back then, I didn't love it.

Then of course started the ridiculous dieting cycle that I think most women go through.  The ups and downs and calorie restricting then putting the weight back on when I realized I can't maintain that forever.  I am just now realizing and accepting these patterns.

I have a huge problem with comparison.  I always have.  If only I could have her hair or her thighs.  That's what usually ends up bringing me down.  I think I mentioned before that I unfollowed a ton of people on Instagram recently because of this problem.

All of this is huge for me.  I have never admitted any of this out loud or even to myself until recently.  So I am working on it.  I am working on accepting me.  I am working on not turning to other people for my acceptance.  I am working on loving my body the way it is and working hard to become strong healthy and not just skinny.

I love the concept of this documentary and I think its something that women need to watch.  I hope they make it.  Its something we all need to see!!!

You can watch the video here.
You can contribute to the campaign here


XO,
Heather

21 Day Fix- Day 2 Recap

Woohoo I'm currently on Day 3 of the 21 Day Fix (I'm doing my recaps the next day)!

Tuesday- Day 2 was more difficult for me than day 1.  I will be honest- i was pretty hungry. But I worked out twice on Monday- pretty hard too... Working my legs and doing cardio. So I think my appetite was just revved up from that.  

This program is great because it is helping me to see I am already eating the right things but WAY too much of it. Y'all... I have a big appetite.  I'm hungry a lot. And I use that as an excuse to overeat- even on healthy foods.  This is helping me to see how much to eat.  I like that because I need it and struggle with it.  

I woke up at 5:30 and did my Upper Fix workout.  I liked it. But because I am used to heavier lifting it wasn't challenging enough for me since I only have 5 lbs weights... I completely forgot until after that i had a resistance band!  It would definitely be a good workout with challenging weights.  Its normal every day exercises that I do in the gym already. So I liked that!  My abs are actually pretty sore today from the planks- I'm assuming.  

My meals:

7:30 on my way to work I had my Chocolate Shakeology with water.

9:30- cottage cheese with berries 

12:00- stir fry veggies with tofu

2:30- apple w/ 1 tsp almond butter

5:00- whole wheat tortilla with hummus and bell peppers

8:00- grilled halibut with asparagus

Around 3:30 I got hungry.  I had some wasabi peas in my desk. I grabbed the bag and took a few out.  Then once I started eating them I couldn't stop. Before long I had eaten almost half the bag. I finally just threw them away.  Snacky foods like that are my weakness. I will eat them while I work and not even notice how many.  But I was able to recognize my weakness and remove it. So that's good.  

For the most part I am staying satisfied. I am eating every 2 hours. I don't give myself long enough to get super hungry.  

I did skip my chest and tricep workout with my husband last night. I didn't feel guilty about it because I did the Upper Body WO yesterday morning.  I am actually dreading the Lower Body fix after work today because I am REALLY sore today. 

Happy Hump Day everyone! 

Holiday Hottie Series- Catch Up

Happy Wednesday everyone!
I really hope social media goes back to normal now that the election is over.  I'm all for people voicing their opinion.  But intentionally attacking another person because their opinion is different is just ignorant and a real asshole thing to do.  I'm over it!  America chose.  Now we can be happy because its who we voted for, or we can move on and support our country regardless.

Enough political talk!  Let's move on to the Holiday Hottie series! 

I am really loving all of the encouragement and positive attitudes that comes with something like this! I love seeing the check-ins and pictures on twitter, facebook, instagram, and the TIU Community.  Its so much easier to keep going when you know so many other people are doing the same thing!

The daily workouts are throwing off my half marathon training. But the HM isn't until February.  So I have an opportunity to even start back from the beginning if I wanted to after this 2 weeks is up.

Yesterday's workout was so so tough!  Take a look at the cardio circuit from yesterday!

I managed to make it through and burn 367 calories! 
M1: pumpkin protein pancake and coffee
M2: green juice (kale, banana, apple, cilantro, & ginger) and 2 boiled eggs
M3: tempeh sandwich w/ asparagus
M4: Luna Fiber bar and hummus w/ green peppers
M5: almond crusted tilapia and roasted brussell sprouts

Now on to today's plan.  I started my day with the MaliBooty workout.  I woke up pretty sore this morning.  So this was a killer!
My meal plan for the day looks like this:
M1: pumpkin protein oats and coffee
M2: plan greek yogurt w/ honey, pumpkin spice, & pear
M3: sauteed tempeh and brussell sprouts
M4: hummus w/ bell peppers
M5: Hearty Mushroom Soup

I hope everyone has a great day!  And if you haven't joined the Holiday Hottie challenge you can do so here!

Holiday Hotties

The gorgeous girls of Tone It Up are hosting the Holiday Hottie series starting today.  And of course, I am participating!
Basically it is taking the next 2 weeks to prepare, refresh, and transform your body to get ready for the upcoming Holidays!  There will be live daily chats with Karena & Katrina, giveaways, daily workouts, and daily motivation!  You can sign up here to receive the emails for the series.

So this first weeks is focusing on meditation, appreciation, and setting your intentions.  These are things I need to work on! 

The first week is eating strictly on the Tone It Up plan.  Week 2 will include two a days and the 5 day slim down again!  My only concern is doing this in conjunction with my half marathon training. I don't want to overdo it. 
You can check out today's workout here.  I only had time to do half of it this morning, and I will do the rest after work.
Here's my eating plan for the day:
M1: green juice (spinach, apple, ginger, cucumber, and carrot) with 3 boiled egg whites
M2: blueberry oikos greek yogurt

M3: homemade butternut squash soup 
M4: hummus and bell peppers
M5: almond crusted tilapia w/ brussel sprouts

I hope everyone has a great Monday!
XO-Heather

My Girls' Night Recipes

Last Tuesday I hosted a girls night at my house with my friends, Amanda and Victoria.
We are obsessed with PLL. They've been watching it way before me, but they got me interested in it.
When I decided to watch it I watched all the past episodes to catch up the started back with them when this past season started.
I have also read books 1-9. I'm currently on 10. Right now there are 11 total. The books are really good! The show is awesome too! I really like suspenseful movies, shows, and books. I like stuff that keeps me guessing and surprised!! This series is great for that. I have yet to lose my interest in it. I tend to lose interest easily in tv shows.
So the show has been on this random break. And it came back on for a Halloween episode. Then it will start back up in January.
For our girls' night I cooked Tone It up Savory Fall Stew and Karena's Kale salad. I posted the recipes below (both recipes from the tone it up website) and some random pics! I was really impressed by both of these recipes. They were awesome! I ate the soup every day for the rest of last week. And I still ended up throwing some away it was supper easy to make too.

Tone It Up Savory Fall Stew
1 Cup Dry Lentils
3/4 Cup Dry Quinoa
1 cup Water
2 Quarts Vegetable Broth
2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Carrots, sliced
1 yellow Onion, diced
1 Tbs. Black Pepper
1 Tbs. Basil
2 cloves Garlic
2 tsp. Thyme

Mix ingredients together in crock pot and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Karena's Kale Salad- I cut this recipe in half

• 5-6 cups kale, washed and cut with kitchen scissors into thin strips.
• 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries.
• 1/2 cup pine nuts.(I use almonds)
• 1/2 cup diced red onions.
• 1/2 cup cherry red tomatoes
• 1/3 cup feta cheese.  We suggest low-fat or non-fat.
• juice of one lemon
• 2 fresh diced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• I also added some hot banana pepper rings

Mix kale, cranberries, tomatoes, nuts, onions in a glass bowl.  In a separate dish, mix lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic to make a dressing.  Pour dressing over kale and toss to coat evenly.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight 6 hours or more is best!   Before serving, toss in feta cheese.

Hopefully everyone had a great Monday!  Let me know if you try these recipes.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

XO-Heather

OOTD & a recipe

I haven't been feeling too good since yesterday afternoon. I had a 3 mile run scheduled with a friend. And I thought really hard about canceling. But I went anyway, and I felt better afterwards.

For my meal 5 on day 1 of the 5dsd yesterday I made a random concoction of kale and chickpeas.

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Minced garlic
A few handfuls of kale
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
.5c veggie stock

Heat up a pan with olive oil
Add minced garlic (however much you like)
Pour in chickpeas and heat them up for a minute
Throw in kale, balsamic vinegar, & stock
Let simmer until kale is wilted
* this would w great topped with feta too!!

This morning I did not want to wake up to work out. But I got up and did the surfer girl routine from the TIU beach babe DVD. My M1 was a typical protein pancake.

Here's an outfit for today too!

 Top: Loft

Blazer: LC for Kohls

Skinnies: Kohls

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Headband: Goody from Target

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

XO-Heather

My first 5 mile run

Saturday morning I woke up around 7, laid on the couch, and drank a couple cups off coffee.  Around 7:30 I decided I go on a 4 mile run.  I ate a think thin protein bar.  Then laid around for a little bit to let it settle.  (I usually do not eat when I run before work b/c its so early.  I just have water).  Then changed my clothes, stretched, and set out around 8:20.  It was extremely foggy out so the sun was hidden.  It was nice and breezy.  I normally don't run with music b/c I think its extremely peaceful when I run in the dark in the mornings with no noise.  But I brought my phone and put it on the Pandora Alternative Endurance station. 

My street is exactly .5 mile to the end from my house.  So I ran there and back twice.  I felt good.  The first 1-2 miles when I run is always really hard.  Its so funny that I even say that b/c I normally only run 3!  But the beginning is tough for me.  When I got back to my house after the 2 miles I turned around and ran around the neighborhood block, 1.5 times is a mile.  I still felt pretty good.  I wasn't bored yet.  I did have some stomach cramps.  And I am blaming it on the 2 cups of coffee.  But I had tons of energy.  My legs felt great.  Eventually I passed the 3 mile mark, then the 4.  At that point I thought about a post I had read from Mama Laughlin last week.  And I asked myself, how do you feel?  How do your legs feel?  Are you hurting?  Are you tired?  Why not go 5?  I've never really thought of running that way before.  I kept telling myself... since you feel good... Just make it to the end of this song and then go back in.  But then I kept going.  I finally looked down at my watch when I was coming to the end of the block.  I had just ran 5.3 miles without stopping.  And I felt amazing!  I decided to go inside b/c my stomach was still cramping up a little, and I didn't want to overdo it.  I have the Komen 5k this Saturday, and I didn't want my knee to start bothering me.  
I ran inside and showed my husband my watch.  Panting... "Look what I just did! I just ran 5.3 freaking miles! I ran the whole thing!"  I think he was also a little stunned...

I did a few things different this time that may or may not have helped.  I drank coffee before, I ate, and I ran with music.  All of these things probably worked in my favor.  I always have to remember to stretch afterwards.  Normally I just want to lay down for a while.  But I did about 10 minutes of stretching/yoga.  I was so hot it took a while for my appetite to come back.  I shouldn't have waited so long to eat, but the thought of food made me want to throw up.  Around 11 it hit me how damn hungry I was.  I wanted carbs!  Hell, I just burned 525 calories!  So husband went to Quizno's for me to pick up a tuna on wheat.  I inhaled it! 

I took a shower and laid around for a couple of hours.  Then around 3 we left to head to the LSU game.  It was my first LSU game.  We went to a local bar/restaurant near campus, Walk-ons.  It was actually voted America's #1 sports bar!  I love this place because the atmosphere is great and the food is delicious!  The game wasn't until 7 so we had a lot of time to kill.  I didn't want to be stuck eating nachos or something random for dinner in the stadium.  So we decided to just eat there.  I honestly don't know that I've ever been so hungry.  My appetite was so spiked!  After drinking a few beers I ordered a fried shrimp po-boy with french fries.  I never order stuff like this.  But I was so hungry.  I ate every single morsel of food on my plate.  I haven't eaten fried food in several months, much less that much food.  But oh well!  It was a special occassion...

The LSU game was ok.  I'm not really a sports/football person.  I do love going to Saints games though.  I think they are way more fun! 

Yesterday I was pretty sore.  After running, walking a lot at the game, going up and down stairs, etc... My hips were hurting.  I didn't do anything yesterday.  I ended up going to the grocery store around 6 last night.  But that was the extent of my day. 

I picked up food to do the 5 day slim down again.  Not really because I want to lose more weight. I just noticed the Tone It Up Girls, Karena & Katrina, posted they were doing it on Twitter.  So several of the other girls on the TIU plan said they were too.  So I figured why not?! 

Have a great Monday everyone!

XO-Heather

  

Friday Favorites

   

Here are a few of my favorite things this week:

 

Favorite Nail Polish:

Orly Rage Polish

 I love this shimmery rose gold color!  

 

Favorite Purchase:

source

 

 

I bought some new running shoes!  I went to a running store where they watch you walk and match different shoes to your foot type.  So I ended up with the Mizuno Wave Inspire 8.  This is my 2nd pair of Mizunos. 

Favorite Workout:

Tone It Up Love Your Booty Shorts routine

I did this Thursday morning.  I was drenched in sweat.  At one point I thought I would fall over because my legs were so tired.  It was a great workout, and I burned 226 calories in 30 minutes.  Which is good!  High intensity interval training (HIIT)  workouts are great to do in the mornings.  They burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time and really boost your metabolism for the day. 

Favorite Food:

I have been obsessed with roasting vegetables lately.  I have made roasted vegetables almost every night as a side for 2 weeks.  Its the only way I have ever been able to get the husband the eat veggies at home. 
Heat the oven to 450
I cut up a combo of  brussel sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, and red onions.  I throw them in a very large Tupperware bowl.  Then on top I put some olive oil, a heaping spoonful of minced garlic, S&P, and rosemary.  I put the lid on the bowl and shake them up.  To me this just creates less mess than stirring them and trying to get everything to distribute evenly.  Then I spray the pan with cooking spray and pour them on.  I bake them for 12 minutes.  Sometimes the sprouts have to go a little longer.  But I love eating roasted veggies! 

What's your favorite things this week?  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

XO-Heather

What I Ate Wednesday

I'm linking up with Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!  

For my morning Booty Call ( a TIU term referring to a morning workout) I did about 20 minutes of toning.  I did the Blogilates Total Body Toning routine.  

For my M1 I had a smoothie made in my Nutribullet.  It was a handful of spinach, 1/2 banana, handful of pear and apple, vanilla protein powder, and Zico coconut water.  I use the Sun Warrior vanilla brown rice protein powder.  I buy it on Amazon.  This protein powder is honestly disgusting mixed with just water.  Its really good mixed in stuff.  I like to use it in my protein pancakes and smoothies.   

 

 

I love making these smoothies when I'm in a hurry b/c it takes no time at all, and I can drink them on the way to work.  Or I put a top on it and drink it later in the day. 

I was on the road a little for work the first part of the morning. So for my M2 I had a blueberry muffin Larabar.  I absolutely love those things!  They have really grown on me!

My M3 was a salad that consisted of tempeh sauteed in siracha garlic sauce, organic girl super greens salad mix, banana peppers, cucumbers, egg whites, and Annie's tuscan italian dressing. 

Usually when I only have a little bit of these salad mixed left I'll just throw stuff together in that container and take it to work for lunch. 

M4 will be some Cedar's garlic hummus with cucumber and maybe some plain avocado.  I am so obsessed with this stuff. I drive 20 miles to Whole Foods just for this hummus.  It is the best hummus I've ever had! 

After work I'm meeting up with a friend to run 2 miles then grab some dinner to go and hang out at her house.  We're going to a local italian restaurant.  We've already decided that we're going to share a vegetarian pizza.  I know this definitely isn't TIU approved.  But hey- that's ok. I still want to participate in life and splurge every now and then, especially if it means I get to hang out with a friend!  I knew I had this planned so I didn't have any other really dense meals or grains today. 

I hope everyone is having a great Wednesday!

How often do you have splurge meals?  Do you plan around your splurges?

XO-Heather

Final Day of the 5DSD

So... I just ate a mini Reese cup and a mini Hershey bar.  I felt like I just had to have it.  But I'm ok with it b/c I know its not going to ruin all of the hard work I put in this week!

When my alarm went off this morning I did not want to wake up.  I felt like it took everything out of me to get up and work out.  But I did it.  I laid in bed, and I kept telling myself "its the last freaking day! Wake up!"  So I did, and I completed another session of HIIT the beach from the Beach Babe DVD!  I really love that workout! Its so short, but I feel like its extremely effective.  It was a tough workout because I was so tired.  I had to stop several times and catch my breath.  Plus, my legs are pretty sore from the Surfer Girl routine from the BB DVD. 

After getting ready for work I scrambled up 3 egg whites with some spinach and topped it with my homemade salsa.  I also had my Meta-D drink from the TIU plan.

M2: fresh fruit- melon, pineapple, and strawberries

M3: I wrapped up some tuna, siracha sauce, and red onion in my collard wrap today.  It was sort of a random mix but pretty good!  These collard wraps are awesome! They're pretty filling, and there's a variety of things you can wrap up!  I'll definitely continue to eat them even after this week!

For my M4 I have a smoothie from my NutriBullet made of spinach, cucumber, banana, strawberries, and cilantro!  I tasted it last night when I made it.  It was delish! 

I'm going to end my long week of hard work with the Sunset Workout after work! 

I still haven't quite decided what I will do for dinner yet.  It will definitely be something 5DSD approved.  I might just grill a piece of tilapia to eat with asparagus.  I just want it to be something simple and quick.

I will wait to review my whole experience with the 5DSD since I'm not quite done yet!  I'll be weighing and measuring tomorrow, and I will share the results also!  

Today I've been pretty exhausted.  I'm not sure if its the fact that I haven't been eating much this week or because I've been working out twice a day all week or waking up before 5:30 is getting to me... But I'm tired.  The crazy thing is that I haven't felt super hungry for the most part or deprived.  I've felt very satisfied with my choices so far.  

I really want to complete a long run tomorrow, but I might just take the day off and do absolutely nothing!  I've already decided regardless of what my results are I'm not going to ruin it on the weekend by eating a bunch of crap! 

Anyone have any good plans?  I have none, and I'm so excited about it!  I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! 

XO-Heather

Day 4 of the 5DSD- Almost there!

I'm pretty surprised by myself and how well I've done this week!  Its been pretty easy for me so far.  Yesterday was a little rocky- I will say that.  I was pretty hungry yesterday afternoon.  But once I had my smoothie I felt much better.  I've always had a very big appetite.  I am always hungry! I can easily out-eat my husband at any time!  And I really love good food!  So I think this is why I've surprised myself so much!  I haven't felt deprived though.  I feel like everything I have been eating has had plenty of flavor.  So that definitely helps!

After work I met up with a friend for another 2 mile run around campus.  Here's my Garmin pic for the afternoon.

For my M5 last night I had a random combo of things.  I put some black beans, rotel tomatoes, garlic, and spinach in a pan and sauteed them until the spinach was wilted.  Then I roasted some asparagus, brussel sprouts, and red onion in the oven.  It was so good! I actually made too much.  So I'll be eating that again tonight!

This morning for my BC workout I did another 2 mile run, but this time it was with the dog.  So you can see she slowed me down quite a bit.  I kept having to stop and wait for her! 

M1 was ANOTHER protein pancake.  That was actually the last one I made.  So tomorrow I will probably have some eggs for breakfast.

M2: fresh pineapple

M3: Shrimp and grapefruit collard wrap with siracha and homemade salsa.  I love things spicy!  Here was a pic after I took a bite!  I topped it with cilantro and green onions! 

M4: smoothie from my NutriBullet of spinach, cucumber, banana, and strawberries!  I'm actually about to go eat that now!

PM workout will be the surfer girl routine from the Beach Babe DVD and the Sunkissed Abs routine.

M5: same as last night- black bean, tomato, and spinach sauteed w/ roasted asparagus and broccoli

I feel great today! My pants feel a good bit looser today!  I'm so excited to weigh and measure Saturday morning!

Happy Thursday everyone! 

XO-Heather

Day 3 of 5DSD

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Today's post may be a little boring again because its pretty much the same. And I didn't take any pics of my meals. 

For my PM workout last night I didn't end up going to body pump.  I actually just went home and did 3 different TIU YouTube videos.
Lift and Tone Booty Routine
Sleek and Slender Abs
Fine Toning Arms

I absolutely loved this combo! It was about 26 minutes total between the 3.  I did them while fixing dinner.  I kept my HRM on for a while afterwards b/c I was still sweating and a little out of breath.  I burned 150 calories!  I thought that was pretty good!  And plus, I'd do anything for my ass and legs to look close to this!  This is exactly what I love about these girls!  They have AMAZING athletic bodies! 

toneitup.com

For dinner last night I had the other quinoa stuffed mushroom I cooked with roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts.  I love roasted veggies!  Its one of my favorite things to eat.  And its one of the way to get my husband to eat something green! I also had a little bit of fresh pineapple after dinner while watching last week's Survivor.  I felt great and satisfied all day!

This morning it was so hard for me to wake up.  I felt exhausted.  And to be honest, I've been really tired this week, and I've been getting headaches.  I'm wondering if I am getting sick.  I was actually about 10 minutes late for work and my hair is a mess because I did not want to get out of bed.  But I forced myself up and into the guest room to do the HIIT the beach routine from the Beach Babe DVD. I love this routine!  Its only about 18 minutes total. But it is awesome!  I typically burn close to 150 calories in that short amount of time. 

After my workout I got ready for work then ate another protein pancake with strawberries and honey for my M1.  I had to go pick up a cake and fruit tray for a co-worker's 70th BIRTHDAY and our monthly meeting!!!  At work I had a huge cup of coffee with So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer.

M2 was some fresh fruit.  Then someone came in with fresh donuts.  I really wanted to punch him in the face.  But I stood strong drinking my water and eating my damn fruit all the while cursing them all in my head.  But then it hits me... I'm doing this for my health. I'm doing this for me- to feel better, look better, and live longer.  THAT is what makes it worth it.

M3 was another collard wrap. But this time I had sauteed garlic shrimp, grapefruit, and homemade salsa in it.  It was divine!  And I really don't think it was enough food.  Because right now I am starving.  This is the first day I've been really hungry.  But the first 2 days I had tempeh in my wrap, and that has a ton of protein.  So I'm thinking it is just more filling than the shrimp.  I'm anxiously awaiting 3:30 so I can go get my M4 juice.  I want to wait as late as possible because I don't want to be starving to death by the time I get home and am able to eat.  This morning I made my juice with spinach, cucumber, 1 banana, a small handful of chopped pear, and a kiwi.  I can't wait for it!

After work I'm meeting up with a friend for a 2 mile run.  Then I'm thinking of just doing a spinach salad with some black beans and salsa for M5.  I forgot to put anything else out.  Husband has a work event so I'm looking forward to going home, eating, painting my nails, and watching some TV! 

I weighed myself this morning just to see if it were any different than Monday.  Its still the same.  I'm very anxious to see how it all turns out when I weigh and measure myself on Saturday morning.  I've been working my ass off- working out twice a day and following the guidelines perfectly!  But I'll definitely post my results regardless! 

Sorry for this totally picture-less post.  But today was a little hectic due to our work monthly meeting so I didn't get to snap any pics. But you can follow me on Instagram @hfbaham or Twitter @hfbaham.  I'm always updating there! 

XO-Heather




 

Day 2 of 5DSD

So I survived Day 1 of the 5dsd! I stuck to the plan perfectly! I felt great at the end of the day. I wasn't hungry at all.  I actually probably didn't eat enough for the day.  For my second workout yesterday I ran around the local college campus for a total of 2 miles with a friend after work.  It was a lot hotter than I thought!  I took this pic while trying to cool off a little in my car.

I started this morning off with a HIIT run for about 20 minutes.  I warmed up for 3 minutes then sprinted for 1 minute, walked and/or jogged for 1 minute, then repeated about 8 times. Then I walked back home to get ready for work!  It was hard sprinting like that at 5:30 in the morning. I was exhausted afterwards! 

 After stretching and cooling down a bit I had to get ready for work.  Then eat breakfast.  On Sunday night I made a batch of protein pancakes for the week.  So all I had to do was heat it up in the microwave.

So my M1 was a protein pancake topped with strawberries and honey and a Meta-D drink (a TIU drink that helps with pH levels and metabolism for the day).  Obviously I like to break out the good dishes for pics! :)

When I got to work I had a couple cups of coffee with So Delicious Coconut Milk creamer.  That run wore me out this morning.  When running I never focus too much on time.  I'm happy with 12 mins/mile or under.  So having to exert that much energy so early in the morning was rough.   

Here's my plan for the rest of the day:

M2: fuji apple

M3: same as yesterday- Teriyaki Tempeh collard wrap- I made enough for 2 meals when I made it on Sunday

M4: smoothie from my NutriBullet of spinach, cucumber, banana, and apple

I'll be doing a 1 hour Body Pump class tonight after work.  This is my last week at the gym. I cancelled my membership to save some money and workout at home.   

                                  

M5: quinoa stuffed portobello mushrooms topped with sauteed spinach, bell peppers, and nutritional yeast and some steamed or roasted asparagus.  This pic was from last night.  My meals aren't very exciting this week. I'm eating a lot of the same things all week.  I just doubled my recipes so its easier for me.  Plus, I typically still cook the husband a separate meal each night. So in order to save a little money and my time I am repeating a lot this week.  

Last night killed me because I put some good ole red beans and rice in the crock pot for him.  They smelled amazing!!!!  Normally I would just eat that, but I'm sticking to this slim down.  I can do anything for 5 days!  I'm already 1/2 way through the 2nd day! 

Happy Tuesday everyone!  

XO-Heather

Motivational Monday: Tone It Up

Good Monday Morning!

I recently started following the Tone It Up nutrition plan.  If you've never heard of the Tone It Up girls go to their website quick!  You will love them!   TIU was started by 2 best friends, trainers, and nutritionists: Karena and Katrina.  These girls are gorgeous and in amazing shape! 

First they had a fitness studio together in California.  Then they started doing YouTube fitness and diet videos. And eventually developed their own nutrition/lifestyle plan, website, DVDs, and online social networking site. 

You can purchase the nutrition plan from their website, www.toneitup.com for $150.  It includes a 150+ page guide with recipes, lifetime updates, and access to the TIU community.  I highly, highly recommend it!  $150 is a little steep.  But its extremely worth it if you plan on following the plan.  The information you gain from it will help you forever.  It should be something you follow for the rest of your life- not just a quick weight loss plan.  

Here's a little glimpse into how I got started with it:

I've been around size 6 weighing about 138 lbs for about 5 years now.  But that certainly didn't mean I was healthy.  I've never thought I was overweight, but I've wanted to be around 128 for a while now.  I've tried several different fad diets, and I'll admit it- diet pills!  I worked for a medial weight loss clinic for a while in college so I have the knowledge of what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle.  But I love to eat. And I mean LOVE it!  I wake up thinking about what I'm going to eat.  When I eat one meal I'm asking my husband what's for the next?!  So my massive appetite and bottomless pit stomach has made it very hard for me to lose weight.  I didn't consider myself to be an unhealthy eater for the most part, but my portions were way too much.  Oh and I love sugar, candy, cakes, and junk food.  I've been a pescatarian (eliminating land animals) since October of last year.  But just because I don't eat meat certainly didn't mean I ate healthy.  I was eating a lot of junk food!  

About 6 weeks ago, my gorgeous friend, Victoria, told me about "eating clean." She said she read about it online.  I went crazy researching this term and dove right into it!  So I made a decision at that point to cut out processed foods, white flour, white bread, white sugar, etc... (when possible. sometimes in social situations its just not possible. I try to do the best i can when I can)  I wanted to switch to whole, healthy, clean foods. So I did, and I lost about 3 lbs just from doing that.  I felt absolutely amazing. My running time and endurance improved.  But then I hit a weight loss plateau.  I think I was still eating too much food.  So while doing a ton of research I came across the Tone It Up girls. 

I've been following the nutrition plan for several weeks.  I've lost 5 more lbs.  Its so easy to do!  Its nothing crazy or even really new.  But it teaches you how to fuel your body properly- like an athlete- with 5 small meals a day.  It also teaches you how to combine your food at the right times for optimum fat-burning!  They promote healthy living, not being skinny!  That's what I love.  They're extremely encouraging with their facebook and twitter followers.  And their workout DVD is awesome! 

I didn't measure myself from the beginning. But  I know I've lost several inches because my clothes fit differently, and I definitely feel like I look more toned.   

Also included in the TIU Nutrition plan is a slim down plan.  Today I'm starting the 5 Day Slim Down.  I need to reset my mind-frame with food. The past 2 weeks I haven't been eating very clean.  There's been a lot of temptations, and I gained 2 lbs back.  I'm determined to lose the last few lbs and a few more inches.  So this week I will be documenting what I'm eating and what I'm doing for my workouts (I'm aiming for two-a-days).  Obviously since this is the first day, and I don't have any pictures of my food yet. 

They recommend working out first thing in the morning.  When I run I do it before work anyway.  So getting up early is very easy for me!  This morning I did a 20 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout from their Beach Babe DVD.  And I'm doing a 45 minute step class after work. 

Here's my meals planned out:

M1: protein pancakes

M2: peach

M3: teriyaki tempeh wrap

M4: green juice (spinach, carrots, cucumber, and pear) and some pineapple

Step Class

M5: quinoa stuffed mushrooms

Have you ever heard of TIU or "eating clean"?

XO-Heather

*All of these opinions are 100% mine.  I was not compensated or asked to review their plan.  I'm sure they have no clue who I am! LOL

*All pictures are from toneitup.com

Weekly Meal Plan

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  We had a very relaxing weekend, and we didn't do much.  I've been trying so hard to stick to a meal plan again.  I started to get away from that, and its costing us more money...  So this should hold me accountable. 

Monday: Crockpot white beans and rice

Tuesday: Skinny Taste Cajun spiced fish with tomatoes (made with tilapia)

source

Wednesday: Spaghetti

Thursday: Skinny Taste baked broccoli Mac & cheese

source

Friday: frozen pizza

Saturday: Unsure- probably a date night

Sunday: leftovers

Hope everyone has a great Monday!!

Xo-Heather

Tasty Tuesday: My New Fave Snack

via

A couple days ago a friend of mine told me about the side dish she had at an sushi restaurant.  She said it was delicious, and she asked her waitress what it was!  It was cucumbers marinated in ponzu sauce with wasabi sauce drizzled on top.

So we set out on a hunt to find ponzu and wasabi sauce.  After searching several grocery stores we found it at Albertsons.  Both products were made by Kikkoman. 

I've been eating this pretty much every day since I started making it.  It is the best thing ever. I don't even have a picture but I wanted to share this simple and quick snack.  It can be pretty spicy though depending on how much wasabi you put.

I just slice up a cucumber and put it in a tupperware container.  Then I pour some of the ponzu sauce on top and put it in the fridge until I'm ready to eat it.  I let it sit as little as 30 minutes and as long as a day before.  Then when I am ready to eat it I drizzle some of the wasabi sauce on top.  It is so delicious!

Tasty Tuesday- 5 Dinners in 1 Hour

Instead of featuring a recipe today I am going to fill you in on a secret... Sometimes I prepare all of our meals for the week in one hour on Sunday.
When I first started reading coupon blogs somehow I came across a site, Make 5 Dinners in One Hour.  Of course, I was intrigued by this idea.  At the time I was looking for ways to save time in the kitchen.  I commute an hour to/from work and go to the gym (usually) everyday.  So I leave for work at 7 a.m. and sometimes get home as late as 7:00 p.m.  I cook all of our meals during the week, and we usually bring leftovers to work for lunch.  (We usually like to eat out on the weekends).  If I get home that late and cook a full meal I won't eat until 8:00.
The idea is to spend 1 hour preparing 5 meals.  You can store these meals in the fridge (some can be frozen).  Then you cook them when you are ready.  You can learn more about the monthly subscription here.
I signed up for a free 1 week trial, and after the 1 week trial I was sold.  The meals are fairly healthy.  They call for lean meats, fresh veggies, and very few processed ingredients.
I've been using the plan off and on for about 6 months now.  I don't use the entire plan every week.  Sometimes I just use a few of the recipes.  There have only been a few of the recipes that husband (he's picky) and I didn't care for.  The recipes are for a family of 5.  So we always have leftovers, and sometimes all 5 meals will last until the weekend since there's just the two of us.   
The meal plan also includes a shopping list divided out by sections.  The ingredients aren't expensive.  If I need anything additional I just write it out on that page.  I will check the shopping list against the sale papers for the week to help me decide which one to use.  Grocery shopping with a purpose and a detailed list definitely helps to save money and time.
I highly recommend everyone checking out the site and signing up for the free trial week.  After being at work all day, commuting, and working out I don't want to spend an hour or two in the kitchen every night.

dinner last night from 5 dinners, 1 hour: pineapple jerk chicken with teriyaki sauce

XO-Heather
* I wrote this post on my own free will.  The creator, Michelle, has no idea who I am.  I just wanted to share a great find.          

Three Things Thursday

1. Spotify- I am obsessed! Does anyone else use it?  I didn't sign up for a paid subscription.  I just requested an invite.  I have it downloaded at work and at home.  I love that I can type in a song or artist and listen to it instantly.  It definitely helps the workday go by faster.

2.  Rotolo's Pizzeria- The first one opened in Baton Rouge near LSU 15 years ago.  They have several in LA, one in AZ, and one in AL.  Husband eats at one in BR a lot, and I've eaten there a handful of times.  They just opened one a mile from my house.  We have nothing to do in our little town... nothing!  So this is exciting news!  They have a bar with great drink specials, and AMAZING specialty pizzas and calzones.  The buffalo chicken calzone is my fave!  So I'm excited to have a new hangout right by our house. This could be bad for my waistline.

3. Covergirl Natureluxe gloss balm- i love these!  They're around $7.49 at drugstores.  But I had a $5 off 2 coupon from the 6-5-11 Proctor and Gamble insert.  So they were only $4.99 a piece when I bought 2.    They have an SPF of 15.  They're perfect for summer: very moisturizing and not sticky at all.  I have the Hibiscus 215 and the Anemone 225.  The anemone is my favorite.  It's a bright red.  But they both go on a little sheer.
Happy Thursday everyone
XO- Heather