Naturally Thin...

I have finished a great book by one of my fave celebrities right now, Bethenny Frankel. Naturally Thin is a wonderful book that helps you balance your eating habits to stay naturally thin. She has 10 rules that out line the book. Here they are:
 1. Your Diet is your bank account.
2. You can have it all, just not all at once.
3. Taste everything, eat nothing.
4. Pay attention.
5. Downsize now.
6. Cancel your membership in the clean plate club.
7.Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
8. Know Thyself.
9. Get Real.
10.Good for you.
These might not make sense right now.. so buy the book off of Amazon for 7 dollars and it will break them down. My favorite is "Cancel your membership in the clean plate club." I hate wasting food... but this really help me see that you shouldn't finish your plate always, especially when out to eat-- and the portions are WAY to big. I think the one that makes the most sense is the "Your diet is your bank account." Duh! If you have sweets all day and no veggies or something of substance- you will be in the negative. Duh?!? The way she breaks it down has made me think more about the moments when I want to eat everything in sight. "Taste everything, eat nothing" is something I need to learn. Taking bites of the "bad" stuff and not actually eating all of it. That way you still get the taste and actual food- just in bites- like two bites. That will save you the calories but still keep you from the dieting that makes most people go over the edge to binging! I like her "No diet" attitude... cause you still get to experience the good stuff. :) For real ladies, go out and get this book ... especially if you love Bethenny like I do:) Well worth it... and just 'food for thought.'
Happy work outs...

A few of my favorite Summer food things.... Oh , and healthy too:)

Some things I am indulging in this summer.... and not bad for you either....

First up.... Watermelon...OMG... so refreshing..

then... these little ice creams that are only 190 calories and a dollar at Wal mart!! they are just enough ice cream too, and way less calories than a pint!

And these Luna Bars are amazing for breakfast before the gym ... love! and way less calories than Cliff bars

These whole grain  peanut butter crackers are the perfect snack.. and whole grain!

(can only find them at wal mart too!)

I will end with the BEST salsa that is from a local company... OMG so good...and so fresh.. .and such a good dip!

Happy Work outs!:) and eating....

Veggies and My 9 mile run....

Yes, the title doesn't go together but two things I want to blog about today. Okay so last week was my Too Hot Too Handle 15K(9 miles). I hadn't thought it was going to be as hard as it was... but boy, was I wrong. Ok, so during the summer I had fell off the training program for the race and had have been doing a TON of crosstraining. This summer has been alot about the gym... I love being up there and changing up my routines from Spinning to NO limit cardio to Total Conditioning. So, back to the race, OK so I was Super nervous b/c all I had run up until then was a 10K (6 miles) (and a 7 mile training session). And I knew how hot it had been here lately. But I tried not getting to psyched about it. So my awesome boyfriend and his dog Sprig came along for the support bright and early. Such troopers since all Justin was pretty much doing was waiting on me the whole time in the heat. So, right before I was going to start, the announcer came on and said it would be 20 more minutes due to the delay of water stations not being ready. I was so anxious, I just wanted to start! SO finally it got closer and closer and then.... the gun went off! So we are off, Of course people are passing me, and thats okay b/c I am in no hurry when I run. The thing on my mind in mile one is "here we go..." Then mile two approaches and I feel a slight pain in my IT band on my left knee... Oh no, I am thinking.. please don't start acting up now(they had been fine for months)... Then they started completely giving out.... Ugh! I mean bad.. it felt like the bones in my outside part of my knee were just hitting and rubbing on each other.... So.. thats when the race started to get wearing and long. Unfortunantly I didn't enjoy the race b/c I was soooooo upset about my knees and not being able to run this thing like I thought. I was just trying to get to the end.... and my time is not even worth mentioning.. .. So sad. I was WAY sore for the 2 days after. But, the good that I got out of it was that I am thankful that it is not an injury that I am unable to keep working out-- it only hurts when I run! That is the weird part of an IT band injury.. things like going down stairs and only hurting when running ... ugh... So the good... I am able to stay healthy and be active and run races... So many people aren't able to things due to limitations or handicaps... And I had an awesome supporter. Here are some pics....

My supporters:)

final stretch...I was so happy to see the finish line...

A very sweaty, tired girl.

Ok... so now on to an amazing veggie dinner that I had recently... I have been eating so many Veggies lately. Lots of squash and zucchini....So this was a pita fold with marinara and mozerella sauce. Then a side of veggies... not rocket science...but a healthy version of pizza:) so yummy....

Look how yummy it looks!! Spice up your meals by adding lots of veggies!!!:)

This was a big meal that can def be cut in half and saved for the next day!!! Happy work outs!

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Fresh dinner...yum.

So I have been reading Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel and am absolutely loving it. I have been trying to go more "fresh" with eating.. even though its def more expensive and time consuming. This book also emphasizes how important it is to eat fresh foods and go more organic. So with this in mind, I took a recipe out of her book and tweaked it a little bit. No pics, but just wanted to share this one. You will need whole wheat noodles of your choice, fresh tomatoes(not canned), garlic cloves(it was my first time dealing with garlic:), spinach (I got this canned b/c I couldn't find it otherwise), and Smart Balance butter. Cook the noodles normally, cut your tomatoes, saute your garlic, add butter. Bam...there is your recipe:) For desert, I had Greek plain yogurt with just a tiny bit of Vanilla extract and cinnamon. Added some organic (23-cause that was the serving size) chocolate chips on top...and mixed it up! So good and I feel not disgusting full after. Try it!!:)

A Veggie Sandwich that will change your life (if you like veggies!!)

Ok, so after my stint of trying to be a vegetarian for a couple of months a year ago, I am still not that big of a meat eater. I don't like steak, can't each lunch meat for some reason, and chicken has to be perfect for me to eat it ( like no chewy parts- or barf)! So I have been sticking to fish for my meat intake.

So since lunch meat still grosses me out for some reason, I have switched to purely Veggie sandwiches. LOVE Subway's version of it and heck its 5 dollars! But to be more practical every day, I have bought the fresh veggies and started making my own- which is more of a bargain in the long run too. And, with the right kind of bread (Nature's Own- no crap preservatives and high in fiber/ low in calories) this sandwich is a guilt free kind of meal. I have my preferences of what I like and how I like it, but this is really a "you" kind of sandwich. Change it up if you see something you don't like! Here are some pics... hope I make you hungry:)

Here are the ingredients:)

tomatos and cucumbers

Can't forget the cheese:)        Love pickles!!

Okay now here is the sandwich in a couple steps... make yours how you want it:) You can be your own "sandwich artist" as Subway puts it.

No sure why its a 'm' ?!?

banana peppers and Muenster cheese on!

pile in the veggies...and...

Look how thick and yummy this sandwich looks... without the guilt of tons of calories;)

So I hope your hungry enough to go out and get FRESH vegetables and take the time to prepare a fresh meal. The leftover veggies I put in a container for tomorrow's sandwich, which will cut the time of preperation in half! When school starts again, I will put the veggies in a seperate bag than my break so it doesn't get soggy.... I hate soggy bread!!:)

P.S. Just got this new book in... LOVE Bethenny Frankel and her healthy way of life... I'll let you know how it is  when I am finished...

Happy work outs...:)

High Fructose Corn Syrup.... bad news bears

I first found out about this thing called high fructose corn syrup which I will gladly call HFCS in this post, through a fabulous book called Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.  This book caused me to be a vegetarian for about 7-8 months until I fell off the band wagon (still don't eat hardly any meat except fish- but occasionally give in to Sausage and cheese Kolaches), really started wanting to go organic, and really helped me learn about all the crap they put in food and what they do to animals. It actually shocked me. Read it if you want to change your life! :) Ok back to HFCS, I couldn't put it better than how the authors of Skinny Bitch put it...so here it is...

" High fructose syrup is another badass that finds its way into tons of foods. Manufacturers loves its versatility and put it in nearly everything: juice, soda, beer, yogurt, energy bars, cookies, candies, breads, even frozen goods. HFCS is processed more than sugar and is even sweeter.  But it's a friend of the farmer because its so cheap to produce.  Like refined sugar, it has a negative, dramatic effect on our blood-sugar levels....."

After seeing more and more on the topic of HFCS, I started to take notice on the nutrition labels. Wow, was I shocked. It was in things like  whole wheat bread (some do offer without it- Natures Own is the one I eat.) rice cakes, and tons of drinks. I couldn't believe how many products have it. Even Special K cereal has it in it! So many "healthy" snacks and foods claim to have low calories but are packed with tons of artificial.  Not good. My personal opinion and theory is all the symptoms and sicknesses that have taken such a rise (cancer) has a lot to do with all the crap that is in our foods these days. I mean, to me, its just insane the rise of illnesses people are going through. It has to be something that we are ingesting. For something to okay in my book, it needs to be USDA certified. There website has more info. They are a respected organic label... not just some logo slapped with no back up.

 No, not every little thing I eat is organic, but I try as much as possible to get it in. Healthy Choice makes all natural/no preservatives Frozen meals.... they still make some that aren't so look for the label. I try and not buy things with HFCS b/c not it just bugs me to know that something I am eating or drinking has it in it. Just use your judgement. If this is something that sounds like you want to start looking into and weighing heavily, then jump on board. Some people say "one day I will die regardless of something," then good for you. Thats not my way of thinking and so for me, I have consciously tried noticing these things. Happy work outs...

While your away, still keep the work out on...

"Its easier and quicker to get out of shape than to get in it." I completely agree with the unknown person who said this. If you take a week and a half off from working out, boy do you feel it when you go to that first work out back. Sad, but so true. You can work hard for months and it can be undone so quickly. So, when I go out of town, I  stay active. When me and my sis went on vacation to Huntington Beach, Cali, I only took a day off from work outs-- mostly from fear of packing on all the good food calories and getting out of shape. I mean, running by the beach in 70 degree weather def wasn't torture. It was sooo nice!

I felt better about enjoying the food at all the good restaurants too. I often go visit my family in a different city as well. This has teamed up to be an easier match to keep work outs up b/c me and my sis are both Lifetime members and really enjoy a really good work out. Its nice to have a work out partner as well. We are kinda competitive too so that makes it fun. Your more likely to go with a partner than by yourself.

So, to help my fellow fitness fanatics, I looked up some things to do when your out of the comfort of your own gym. This website had some great ideas http://exercise.about.com/cs/fittingitin/a/vacation_ex.htm.

Exercising On Vacation

How to stay in shape when you travel

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated June 22, 2009

• Walking on the beach. Walking in soft sand is a killer workout and burns more calories than walking on flat ground. Some experts suggest that you can burn twice as many calories walking in soft sand. Keep it safe by wearing shoes (you may get shinsplints if you go barefoot for too long) and going for a few minutes at a time to get used to it. You'll be surprised how hard it is.
• Beach volleyball. You can burn more than 150 calories an hour, depending on how hard you work and it's a great way to meet other people at the beach while having fun.
• Surfing, swimming and snorkeling. Surfing is a total body workout that will challenge every muscle in your body. Even if you just paddle out to the waves and fall off (like I do), you'll get a great workout. Snorkeling is a bit more leisurely, but you can add intensity by swimming a little harder. If you're at a beach that doesn't have big waves, put on your snorkel gear and swim out and back for a few laps to get your blood moving.
• Leisurely bike rides. Long bike rides are a great way to see the area while getting in some low-intensity exercise. If you take your time and go all day, you'll burn calories without even thinking about it.
• Hiking. Anytime you add elevation to your walks, you'll burn more calories. If you carry a backpack, you'll challenge yourself even more, all while enjoying a little nature. Check with your hotel concierge to see about hiking adventures nearby or visit Local Hikes to find trails near major metropolitan areas.
• Golf. Golf can be a dud of a workout if you ride around in a cart and drink beer at every hole. If you want to burn more calories, though, carry your clubs and walk the course. You'll burn around 200-300 calories per hour, even more if you hit every ball into a bunker and add 19 strokes to each hole, like I do.
• Tennis. Like golf, a game of tennis can be as easy or hard as you want it to be. Chasing the ball and hitting it like you're Serena Williams or Roger Federer will give you a great workout, burning up to 400 calories for a 150-lb person.
• Shopping. Okay, maybe shopping isn't the highest intensity activity, but it can be very aerobic under the right circumstances. If shopping is your activity of choice, make it count by walking fast, taking the stairs and avoiding fatty foods at the food court.

 I couldn't have said this better. These are great ideas and alot of these don't involve any money or a gym! I would also like to add walking also burns calories-and parents love when you visit them and ask for a walk. There are often little gyms in hotels...even if their old, take advantage of it! You can also ALWAYS run for free. Mapmyrun.com is a great resource to find a good run with accurate mileage anywhere. I LOVE this website. You type in your address and its based off a satellite. Then you map your run by moving the line. Play with it a bit to learn the website. Also, do the zoom button to make sure its on the path more closely. Its free too!! Just make an account and pick the most basic one. So, I hope that your vacation doesn't involve a complete vacation from the work out scene. Yes, I believe in breaks and know there are times in the year where a week off is just how the cookie crumbles. I am not a 'work out every week for 36 weeks with absolutely no break' girl. Thats stupid and I am not going to say thats how I am.. ..come on now.  But, stay motivated in your work outs and staying healthy. Don't give in to going down hill just cause you are on "vacation." Grab a friend or a family member and get your work out on!!
Happy work outs.