Whatcha Eatin Wednesday

Good morning, girls! Whatcha eatin' lately? Share!

Whatcha Eatin Wednesday

Hey, girls! Any of us eating smthg new or yummy?! Do share!

Whatcha Eatin Wednesday

Heeeeeeeey, good lookin'! Whaaaaaaatcha got cookin'? :)

What yummies have you been enjoying lately? Any great new finds at the grocery store or farmer's market or garden?  Any new recipes you've tried or are dying to try?  Please share!

Remember, there's always the Ten in Six recipe log: http://www.teninsixrecipes.blogspot.com/
And there's always the My Fitness Pal recipe forum: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/14-recipes
There's this girl's weight watchers- inspired recipe blog: http://www.skinnytaste.com/
And Kraft & Betty Crocker aren't too bad sometimes, especially w/ modifications for lowerfat substitutes in the cheese department :) :  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/home.aspx  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes 
Great search engine at Mayo Clinic's recipe site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RecipeIndex

What sites do you guys use? Or cookbooks? Or do you have any healthy family recipes you'd be willing to share w/ us?

Whatcha Eatin Wednesday

Hey, girls!
It's a bright new day & it's a bright new start.  Putting yesterday behind you, live life alive today.  Grasp it!

What yummies have you been eating lately?  Please share!

Here's a cool site for recipes that a friend shared on FB: Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes
http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Check it out!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!
How are you doing?  How's the challenge going for you this time around?
Remember, all the recipes that people post on here are on this site http://teninsixrecipes.blogspot.com/ which is also a permanent link on the left side bar of this blog.  I went back and got the last 6 months or so of recipes from this blog onto the recipe site, but I definitely want some fresh ideas.  Please share what you've been eating lately :)
I picked up some zuchinnis at the farmer's market on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to stirfrying those up w/ parmesean cheese.  Yummy! 

I've been enjoying Meghan's recommendation of the Arnold Multigrain Sandwich Thins (Costco here carries them but they're Arowheat brand) with the Morningstar Black Bean Burgers (also at Costco).  I've been eating a lot of PB&J sandwiches on the sandwich thins in the afternoons, and egg white sandwiches in the morning.  The wheatiness really helps me feel fuller longer. 

I love my Bonk Breaker bars, too, and the Stinger organic honey pommegranate chews (REI carries them but I bought them cheap online at Amazon.com in bulk). 

Hubby & I have been loving this ice cream substitute: put your fav yogurt cup in the freezer!  Kinda like ice cream, only healthier & w/ lots of protein.  Can nuc' for 10 secs if it's too hard for you to dig a spoon into.  We just put yoplait light cups in there, a few at a time.  And it takes a while to eat, so it tricks your mind while you're watching a movie :)  I read online that it is a good solution for taking a snack on a hike (b/c it starts frozen and then when you're ready to eat it, it has stayed safely at refrigerator temps).  I've been digging the lemons in water, too.  It's been helping me drink a lot more water than I normally would.  The lemon makes it so I can't taste the metallic subtleties of drinking fountain water or the plasticy/metallic taste of water bottles.  Yeah, I'm that picky :)

Does anyone else have good recommendations for any kind of food?  Especially appealing to me are portable foods that I can eat as I run out the door...story of my life :)

Wouldn't it be nice if these companies paid for my testimonials?! Haha....

Make it a phenomenal day!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Hi, ladies!
Thanks for sharing all of your little successes from yesterday.  I loved it!
Share today what you've been eating lately!
And don't forget to check out the link on the left side bar to go to the page w/ recipes.  If you share recipes on here, I'll post them on there so we can all have access to them easily.  Or you can email them if you'd prefer.  Or if you have a ton to post, let me know & I'll add you as an author to that blog and you can post whatever you want to it.

This article written by a performance nutritionist is great Optimal Fuel for High Octane Workouts, albeit a little technical, but I've pulled out here to share the parts that I thought the most useful.  Cortisol is a fat storer.

• "Research shows that the more conditioned an individual becomes (exercising on a regular basis), the less cortisol is secreted during exercise. One more reason to adhere to a regular athletic lifestyle! Consuming the proper nutrients before and after exercise can protect both the beginning exerciser and the conditioned athlete.
• When the body is stressed, as in intense exercise, it isn’t interested in digesting food. Instead, most of the blood supply goes to the extremities, not to the stomach. You should therefore not consume a lot of solid food before intensive exercise.
• Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not the best food source to consume just before training. They raise insulin levels, causing you to use glucose (sugar) as your primary fuel instead of a steady mixture of glucose and fatty acids.
• For best results and the highest growth hormone peaks, exercise on an empty stomach. If you do wish to eat before exercising, limit intake to 100 calories of easily digestible protein foods such as three-quarters of a cup of plain organic yogurt. Since the protein in yogurt is partially digested, it’s absorbed quicker than other protein-rich foods.
• After any athletic activity and especially weight training, the body requires refueling of its glycogen (stored sugar in liver and muscles) reserves. The body uses the enzyme glycogen synthetase to store sugar for future needs. Within a two-hour window after exercise, this enzyme is extra hungry. It’s the only time you can consume larger amounts of carbohydrates without worrying that they’ll convert to fat.
• Many of us make the mistake of consuming only simple carbohydrates post-exercise. This is wrong! Drinking carbohydrate beverages like Gatorade without sufficient protein after exercise will cause a drastic increase in insulin levels, bringing growth hormone and testosterone levels to a halt. New research confirms that protein mixed with carbohydrates after training allows for faster muscle recovery and greater hGH and testosterone increases.
• If solid food is your preference, consume a high-protein, moderate-carbohydrate and low-fat meal right after training. Solid food takes time to enter your bloodstream. Fat slows this process down considerably, taking away from the valuable timing of repair. Good food choices are plain organic yogurt with mixed fruit or egg whites and organic oatmeal. [Whole eggs and muesli are also excellent choices–Editor] The best fruits are from the berry family due to their low insulin-spiking effect and high antioxidant benefits. The combination allows for high hGH levels.
• An ideal way to increase the anabolic response immediately after exercise is to drink a mixture of no more than 25 grams of high-alpha whey-protein isolate and plain water in a shaker cup. The high-protein, zero-carbohydrate mix allows for a full surge of amino acids to enter the system without over-stimulating insulin levels. It also keeps hGH levels high. Up to one hour later, mix protein with carbohydrates to ensure rapid replacement of body sugars and protein for recovery.
• Combine from two to four parts carbohydrates to one part protein. The protein can again be an isolated whey protein for maximum timing and absorption value. The carbohydrates should come from berry fruits.
• Research confirms an increase in protein synthesis in the body for up to 36 hours following intense exercise (especially weight training). But the body can easily fall into a catabolic (breakdown) state if sufficient protein is not ingested at regular intervals throughout the day. Never allow more than three hours go by without a consuming a high quality protein. You’ll re-establish a proper hormonal environment that will set the body on anabolic mode, allowing for continued improvements from any exercise program."

Ok, so all that technical stuff, but still good info & still stuff we've been saying all along.  Be sure to eat very lightly before workouts (yogurt is a good choice).  Be sure to have some high protein mixed w/ carbs IMMEDIATELY after a workout (protein powder mixed w/ berries or a good cheap alternative to protein shakes is plain old chocolate milk or make an omlet).  And save your big carb intake of the day for about an hour or two after your workouts.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, healthy munchers!  Hope you're making it a fresh start to a new day :)

What yummies have you been enjoying lately?  I have a hard time w/ lettuce (silly, I know), so I am always really excited when I find a new way to get in fresh veggies that doesn't involve a salad!  Last weekend a friend of mine made the yummiest and simplest snack ever and I loved it!  Which is weird, b/c I usually don't like cucumber.  He sliced a fresh cucumber, laid them out on a plate, squeezed fresh lemon juice all over them (really soak the slices), and sprinkled on coarse sea salt.  Eat raw just like that!  The lemon juice softens them a little bit.  Better even if they're chilled in the fridge a little.  Actually looks kind of pretty on a serving platter, too :)  So I picked up some cucumbers last night & made some.  Depending on how big your cucumber is, I found about half a cucumber to half a lemon is about right. 

Share some fresh new recipes!!!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Hi, patient girls!
How is your week going so far?
Please share what yummies you've been enjoying, any new recipes, etc.
Meghan, I tried to find those black bean burgers at Costco and couldn't track them down!  What brand are they?  In the frozen food section by the beef burgers, turkey burgers, & boca burgers?  I'll be so bummed if they don't have them out here.....whole reason I got a Costco membership this week! jk :)
I don't really have anything new & exciting to share on the food front- just loving the egg scrambles made w/ spinach & feta, the cheerios w/ banana, the english muffin w/ dark chocolate almond butter, the whole wheat waffles, the apple & peanut butter, the muscle milk, the fresh fruits & berries, the summer salsa w/ pita chips, the clif bars, etc.
Making some grilled salmon & grilled asparagus this weekend- excited for that- yum!
Share some fresh new ideas, all!
Here's a bunch of no-cook summer meals from Fitness Magazine:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/quick-meals/
This lunch idea sounds delish!!!

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Blue Cheese, Fresh Corn, and Arugula:

Slice the kernels from a cob or two of sweet corn. Prepare whole wheat pasta; when it's almost done, add corn, cook for 20 seconds, then drain pasta and corn and briefly run under cold water. Drain well. Place arugula in a large salad bowl, add pasta and corn, and coat lightly with olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper; toss well. Crumble some blue cheese over the top.

Any of the recipes on that site sound good to you???

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Hey, beautiful ladies!  I hope you're doing great.  I'm sure some of you are still traveling back from summer vacation over the holiday weekend.  Whenever you're back, check in to say hey to everybody!  The cheering each other on is one of the things that makes this group work for everyone. 

A couple things: First of all, there shouldn't be anything scary about a reduced caloric intake....unless you're not eating what you're burning.   If you're at too much of a caloric deficit, then you'll experience scary things like weakness or lightheadedness, not to mention you won't be losing weight to keep it off, AND your body will enter "starvation mode" and your metabolism will hit the floor in an effort to keep you alive and your organs pumping.  Here's an example of how the "calorie counting" thing should be going:

• Enter in your age/gender/current weight/goal weight/activity level, etc. to My Fitness Pal (or other sites you prefer, like Daily Burn, etc.)
• It will then spit out that you should aim for (for example only) 1300 calories a day NET. 
• Then you start keeping track of what you eat.  So if I eat 300 calories for breakfast, 100 calorie late morning snack, 500 calories for lunch, 200 calories for afternoon snack, 300 calories for dinner, and 200 calories for an evening snack, then that totals 1600 caloiries consumed for the day. 
• But you're also tracking what workouts you do.  So if I went for a jog for 3 miles and burned 300 calories, that's subtracted from my total calories consumed for the day of 1600, so then my NET calories consumed is 1300, which is right on target. 
• So if I don't have time to get in a workout that day, then I'm going to be extra careful w/ my food intake and stay at 1300 calories consumed. 
• On the other hand, if it's a Saturday and I go on a 4 hour bike ride and burn 1000 calories, I'd better be consuming 2300 calories that day total (1000 calories above my net goal b/c I'm burning 1000 calories), b/c if not, my body is going to be burning muscle for energy instead of the fat & food I want it to burn, I'd feel weak, drained, exhausted, & have a really crappy workout.
• I can't emphasize enough how VERY VERY important it is that you're "eating what you burn" for workouts. 
• After you've got that figured out, then you can work on improving the quality of your diet, being sure that what you're consuming is the highest quality, highest-octane fuel possible.  Try to hit your protein intake goal, your fiber intake, etc.  Try to stay under your sodium limit.  Try to get in enough water.  Try to limit sodas, etc.  Your My Fitness Pal food diary will  tell you the protein amount you should be aiming for based on your current weight, gender, activity level, etc.  But if you're doing really hard strength training or race training, you should be aiming for way more protein, as close to your body weight as possible.  So if you weigh 160 lbs, you should be aiming for 160 grams of protein.  I know that seems like a TON, but just get in as much as you can up to that amount.  Most everything I've heard on the subject goes off this basic guideline.  And if you're not that active, don't worry about that much protein.  Just if you're really pushing it and really building muscle.  And eating every few hours is going to keep your metabolism roaring for you all day long- I like the mini meal method.  Keeps you feeling fuller longer, too.

There is lots and lots of medical advice out there for this being the healthiest way to lose weight.  Yes, it's really gradual weight loss, a pound here & there, but it's the best way to lose if you want to keep it off.  Ask any dietician for advise specific to your body and your circumstances- be sure to consult a physician for a good way to modify your diet if you have health concerns like hypo/hyper-thyroidism, hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.  This is the principle behind Weight Watchers, too---you gain extra points by working out.

Ok, then SECOND of all, it's our day to swap recipe and snack ideas!  Please help; I'm in desperate need of fresh new ideas.  This past weekend I made a favorite, Summer Salsa.  Which I've posted before on here, but YUM YUM YUM!

Summer Salsa

• 1 can corn, drained
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 can blackeyed peas, drained
• 3 avocados, diced
• 1 package of dry italian dressing mix (prepared as directed on package, so w/ the oil & vinegar & water)
• Mix it all together
• Enjoy w/ whole wheat pita chips, blue corn chips, etc.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Hey, hey, beautiful, babes!
Thanks for all your great comments and contributions. That's what I
love so much about this great group of girls. It really uplifts &
motivates!

What yummies have you been eating lately? Any new recipes to share?

I recently tried Maranatha Dark Chocolate Almond Butter (can get at
SuperWalMart) and YUM! Good new taste on top of my Thomas 100 calorie
English muffins as I jet out the door in the morning. Also, I brought
with me today to work the snack of 3/4 cup
Bush's Seasoned Black Beans w/ half an avocado stirred in. Energy
powerhouse! Would also be yummy in a whole wheat tortilla w some
shredded lettuce, but I like it w a spoon :)

Any great grilling ideas or side dish or appetizer ideas as we are
rolling into an awesome holiday weekend??? I've got to plan some BBQ
fare, so help me out with some ideas! I'm going to do the California
Turkey burgers again (recipe on www.fitnessmagazine.com).

Make it an awesome day! Think nothing's impossible & you might be
surprised how many of our barriers are mental and self-created!!!!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning girls!  With so many of you training soo soo hard and really pushing yourselves, challenging excuses, Amy C. had posed the question this week about nutrition for high-activity athletes.  I turned to my awesome sister-in-law Erianne for this, & here's what she said:

I'm an outsider to the group, but Sarah asked me to comment on nutrition for high-activity athletes trying to lose weight. I was a heptathlete for the University of Utah, and after having an anorexic roommate, I felt a constant need to eat less and less, which led me to hit a wall during practice. After passing out during practice twice in one week while running, my coach pulled me aside and told me that he saw the words all-American written on my forehead, but every time I skipped a meal or skimped on nutrition one of the letters would fall off. This visual was really powerful to me. I was asked to see a nutritionist, and through her and studying on my own, I learned a lot about nutrition related to a high-activity lifestyle. When you're burning thousands of calories, you won't last long if you don't refuel...and you can refuel on cheap gas that will get you through the activities you do, or you can choose the high-octane stuff that will get you in peak performance and help your body function the best it can as well.

So, my advice is to eat lots of really good food. Primarily what I mean is #1 complex carbohydrates, and #2 low-fat protein...duh, I know...but there is a method, and it is a mindset. For sprints and all anaerobic exercise, you are burning the energy that is stored in your muscles. After a workout, your energy stores are depleted, and there is a ~20 minute window where your body will take the food you put in and deposit it directly in your muscles to replenish your stores. If you wait longer than that, your recovery will be longer, and your food might get stored elsewhere. So, in terms of quantity, your body will tell you what you need. I personally think you should eat if you're hungry, and eat often (5 snacks a day to keep your metabolism up)...but what is THE MOST important thing is that you cut out ALL of the crap - no high fat proteins, no simple carbs. This is what will kill you in a diet/exercise regimen. Everything you touch to put in your mouth needs to be toward the goal of the high-octaine kind of food. Whole grains, brown rice, oats, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, fruits, etc are great post work-out refuelers. Lean meat - chicken, turkey, ground turkey, fish, albacore tuna, mozzarela cheese, cottage cheese, vegetables, and lean red meat are also good.

After a while, the junk that used to seem so good actually seems gross! It tastes gross, and you get a visual of it clogging your arteries and pores and inhibiting your performance...this is what got me through the mental battle of food, weight, and exercise. I ended up becoming the athlete I dreamed of becoming, and I learned a lot along the way...so that's all I have - good luck, ladies! Kick some bootie :)

Thanks, Er!  So I hope that helps.  It made me also think about that article I posted on here a few months ago that compared fast food to partially-digested food.  Ick!  Whatever mental image you need to use, make it work for you.  I do have a good recipe for Quinoa from a friend of mine- I'll have to look it up at home later and then post it on here as a comment.  It's yummy, w/ vegetable broth, garlic, onion, etc. 

So keep in mind it's not just low calorie.  It's about high-octane fuel to give your body the energy it needs. 

That in mind, what have you ladies been eating? Any new recipes? 

Lately I've been enjoying:

• Egg sandwich (2 fried eggs on 2 pieces of multi-grain bread w/ 1 T of fat free mayo)
• Egg scramble (6 egg whites w/ 1/4 cup Athenos Tomato Basil Feta w/ 1 cup spinach)
• Chicken strawberry salad (2 baked Tyson chicken strips over 2 cups baby rommaine w/ 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries & 1 T low fat sweet vidalia onion bottled dressing)
• Thomas whole wheat english muffin w/ 1 T Maranatha organic almond butter spread on top
• 2 Kelloggs Eggo Nutri-grain low-fat whole wheat waffles
• Fresh red grapes
• Tuna bagel (1 can solid white albacore tuna drained, mixed w/ 1 T yellow mustard, on toasted sliced whole wheat bagel)
• Whole bag of Archer Farms steam-in-the-bag asparagus w/ 4 T grated parmesean cheese
• Clif Builder's Bars, peanut butter flavor
• Gala apple sliced w/ 1 T of natural PB (can't wait til Honeycrisp or Pacific Rose get back in season!)

I am excited b/c I just found a berry farm here in Colorado (sadly VERY VERY few & far between compared to midwest!) that I'm going to try to go to this weekend to pick some fresh berries!  Go to http://www.pickyourown.org/ to search for a pick your own berry farm near you.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls! I hope you're off to a great start! (and if you're not, today's the day to begin fresh!)

On Wednesdays we share recipes, snack ideas, etc.  Whatcha been eatin'???

I'd love to hear about your substitutions today. 

Hankering for pizza?  What's your healthy subsitute- half an english muffin w/ a spoonful of marinara sauce & a pinch of fat-free cheese, toasted a few mins under the broiler until hot & bubbly?

Hankering for ten pounds of pasta?  What's your healthy substitute- a small portion of pasta with loads of veggies tossed in it (primavera) so it gives you the illusion of a huge plate of pasta and fills you up, but is much healthier and lower calorie?

Hankering for ice cream?  What's your healthy subsitute- pureed frozen berries or melon w/ a packet of Truvia or Splenda sprinkled on it & some lime juice (extremely low calorie sorbet look-a-like), or a Skinny Cow or Weight Watchers ice cream treat?

Hankering for chocolate?  What's your healthy subsitute- cup of fresh berries drizzled with a tablespoon of melted dark chocolate chips?

Hankering for potato chips?  What's your healthy substitute- homemade sweet potato fries- sliced raw sweet potato drizzled w/ olive oil, laid out on cookie sheet, sprinkled w/ cinnamon & Truvia/Splenda, and baked at 400 for about 20 mins until cooked through?

Check out this Oprah article for healthy subsitute ideas- some of them are no-brainers, but the swapping powdered milk out for 1/4 of the sugar in recipes was a cool idea I'd never heard before!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

It's the 200th Post!  Whoa!

:)

Gotta let the little things in life make you smile.

Good morning, girls!

I've been dying to post this all weekend.  These California Turkey Burgers were a huge hit.  LOVE THEM!

Click on the link above for the recipe.  The only thing I did different is I carmelized the red onion slices.  I heated a teaspoon maybe of olive oil in a skillet, then sauteed the thin red onion slices with a couple packets of zero calorie Truvia (like Splenda).  So yummy :)  Had a leftover burger all loaded up for dinner last night!

What have you been eating lately? Any recipes to share?

I've been enjoying lately (fast & portable is the name of the game with me):

• 
  
  2 toasted (frozen) whole wheat waffles = 120 calories
• 
  
  1 cup of dry Multigrain Cheerios w/ half a banana= 160 calories
• 
  
  1 container of Yoplait Greek Yogurt  (honey flavor) = 130 calories
• 
  
  California Turkey Burger w/ whole wheat bun = 370 calories
• 
  
  4 ounces of sandwich meat turkey = 120 calories
• 
  
  1 whole wheat english muffin w/ 1 T of Maranatha almond butter = 215 calories
• 
  
  1 cup of frozen strawberries (thawed out w/ juice) = 50 calories
• 
  
  Sliced tomatoes w/ salt & pepper= 35 calories each
• 
  
  Sliced apple w/ 1 T Smucker's reduced fat peanut butter = 175 calories
• 
  
  Mixed Berry, banana, & vanilla protein shake = 400 calories
• 
  
  Green Giant steam-in-bag roasted red potatoes w/ green beans in rosemary butter sauce = 300 calories
• 
  
  Archer Farms steam-in-bag broccoli florets = 100-300 calories
• 
  
  6 egg whites scrambled with 1/4 cup Athenos tomato basil crumbled feta and 2 cups baby spinach = 200 calories
• 
  
  1 banana = 100 calories
• 
  
  Terra sweet potato chips w/ tomato horseradish dip (dip powder mix given me by my mother-in-law but from (http://www.gotdip.biz/) made w/ FF sour creme & FF mayo) = 200 calories
• 
  
  2 cups baby spinach w/ 1 cup of frozen strawberries (thawed out w/ juice- no need for dressing) = 62 calories

What have YOU been enjoying lately?

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, girls!

I hope you're all as anxious for the long Memorial Day weekend as I am! 

I know this is totally random, but I'm going to try these two shake recipes this weekend b/c they sounded interesting, so just thought I'd share :)

Apple Pie Delight Shake

1 serving of vanilla protein powder

1 peeled and cored apple, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 Ice Cubes
Microwave the apple pieces for 2 minutes on high.
Add all ingredients to blender, puree for 30 seconds.

Banana Bread Shake
1 banana
3/4 cup Kellogg's Bran Flakes
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup Quaker oatmeal
1 bottle of water
Add Truvia or Splenda to taste.


And for the feel good post today, check out this article for 6 Free Weight Loss Resources.  I like the guy's story.  And I've never seen that Mayo Clinic Food & Fitness Planner that creates an actual meal plan for you- very cool! 

And not in this article, but also something I really like, particularly for great recipes and success stories, are the My Fitness Pal forums.  Browse by topic.  Whatever interests you.  And did I mention the recipes are great!?   :)  There are little support groups on there you can try, too.

Share with us all your active and healthy plans for the weekend!

Ooooh, and one more thing I almost forgot, in honor of fantastic Memorial Day BBQs everywhere, how do you all grill your veggies?  I want to grill some this weekend.  Do you HAVE to go out & buy one of those grill woks or baskets to put the veggies in?  Do you drizzle on olive oil & what seasonings?

Here's a recipe I just found.... http://www.readersdigest.ca/food/cms/xcms/grilled-vegetable-salad_875_a.html   ....but it sounds kinda complicated & labor intensive......for me.......

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good morning, girls!
I hope you're enjoying your week so far.
What workouts have you been up to so far this week & what workouts do you have planned for this weekend?

So today's post is going to be a modge podge of Food and Workouts, not just Workouts.
It is so important to fuel your body with wholesome, high-energy, nutrient-rich foods in order to be able to do great workouts and just feel good inside and out.  Yes, Amy C, you're perfectly right, diet soda is not a dieter's friend :)  Even if you got a free 24-pack from the gas station last week for purchasing a car wash....haha...that was me :) 

Amy C. shared this Athleta Chi Blog post about nutrition with me over last weekend and I think it's pretty good. 
http://www.athleta.net/chi/2010/05/14/dinas-food-journal-the-home-stretch/
Here's a good part of this woman's story about nutrition fueling the athletic lifestyle and just how much better you feel when you put good foods in your body instead of junk, no matter how much you're working out: "Despite a lifetime of sports and vigilantly training for sports, I’ve been neglecting a key aspect of wellness: good nutrition. Yes, despite my lapse into a batch of cookie dough today, I am eating better now than I was, say, four years ago (when I’d make several batches of cookie dough a week rather than a batch every several months). But four years ago 1) I didn’t mind working out four to six hours a day to compensate for my poor food choices and 2) (as silly as this may sound) I had no idea how much better (or worse) food could make my body feel."
Also, Kim shared with me last night a big email filled with great crock pot recipes, but I can't get it to post on here while maintaining all the links, so I'll just email it out to you all, so look for that today :)

Planning out a few days at a time for what I'm going ot eat when, and trying to keep it well-balanced, and heavier right after a workout, and filled with lots of lean protein, whole grains, veggies, & fruit has REALLY made a difference for me this week.  Yesterday was great.  It made it so that it wasn't a matter of entering into MFP what I ate and then begrudginly seeing if I could eat anything else that day or if I had to be done.  So it's just an attitude shift.  Planning ahead of time.  I know exactly what I'll have when.  I know it's probably just a short-lived bug, but I'm going to try really hard to maintain it through the weekend to see great results on Monday's weigh-in, then that should motivate me to keep it up again! 

For workouts, last night I did a trial run at my sprint triathlon.  Holy cow, I was spent.  It was nuts.  Actually made me really nervous for the tri because it was so hard (at least there was the American Idol finale on TV that I could watch to keep from watching the odometer :) ).  I swam in the pool at the Y for 40 minutes, then rode the stationary bike for 17 miles, then ran on the treadmill 3.1 miles.  I've got the fitness, and so I'm hoping with the tri obviously being outdoors instead of the mindnumbing indoors, and with some race-day adrenaline, that I'll be able to pull it off.  Nonetheless, I'm going to be doing some training bricks the next week and a half.  I'll do back-to-back rides then runs for the right distances.  Talk about muscle confusion!!!

Also, last Saturday I did a free intro class at LA Boxing.  It was so much fun!!!!! I totally recommend you all check out a gym near you for a free class.  It was the hardest workout I've had in....EVER!  But it was fun.  I got my hands wrapped, wore boxing gloves, did conditioning drills, and punched and kicked the crud out of a big boxing bag w/ the help of my pro MMA fighter coach!  I was keeping up with the big boys and even met a new friend who just moved out here w/ her husband from Michigan- woohoo Midwesterners :)  After doing their free intro class, they gave me a free 7 day pass, too.  So I'm going to do that Saturday through next week to do more boxing and kickboxing classes.  What a riot!  I felt like I was on Biggest Loser :) http://www.laboxing.com/ and click on gym locator.  Sadly there aren't any in WI, UT, IA, or DE, but Tara, Amy F, & Isolde, you're in luck in IL & IN!!!  Check it out.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!

I hope you're doing well.  Take a look at this link for a list of SUPER FOODS.  http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/the-new-superfoods/

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Beer & Wine...hmmmm....haha
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• Flaxseeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Salmon
• Trout
• Olive Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Edamame
• Black Beans
• Brown Rice
• Barley

Alright, you creative pantry artists.  What meals or snacks can you toss together with several of these items?  Share how you eat these items.  I like how the article has less expensive alternatives to the traditional super foods. 

Addtionally, here are some yummies that sounded/looked delicious so I'm going to try them this weekend- the almond apple english muffin being top on my list!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!
What's on the menu for this week?

I've shared this before, but I made it this weekend and I absolutely adore it. 

P90X Beef & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/4-1/2 medium Red Onion, minced
• 1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Ginger, minced (I use ground ginger)
• 4 cups Broccoli Florets (I use one package of Archer Farms Steam-in-Bag Broccoli Florets)
• 1 box Taste of Thai Plain Flat Rice Noodles (SuperTarget, Woodman's, SuperWalmart all carry it)
• 1 1/2 lb Top Sirloin Steak (I just use one steak)

Directions:

 1) Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil
2) Meanwhile, heat a small amount of soy sauce in a large saute pan, add onions and garlic. Saute until opaque.
3) Add beef and saute, turning often (total 7-10 mins).
4) Mix oil, vinegar and ginger. Add to saute.
5) Prepare noodles according to package directions (6 mins boiling), Drain.  Steam broccoli. Add to saute and keep warm.
6) Mix noodles with beef and broccoli and serve.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!
I hope you've all been making this a phenomenal week. I really enjoyed all your insight yesterday. 

What have you been eating lately? Any great new recipes or snacks you've tried?  Share with us! Since I've been craving and loving fresh fruit this week, here's a fun recipe I have that's originally from Amy T. in Indiana for Pampered Chef (Isolde & Amy F know her :) ):

Apple Berry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips


CINNAMON CHIPS

4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

SALSA
2 med Granny Smith apples
1 cup strawberries -- sliced
1 kiwi fruit -- peeled and chopped
1 small orange
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp apple jelly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For cinnamon chips, lightly spray tortillas with water. Combine sugar and cinnamon in flour/sugar shaker; sprinkle over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges; place in single layer on round baking stone. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove to cooling rack; cool completely.

For salsa, peel, core, and slice apples. Cut apples into quarters; chop with food chopper. Slice strawberries and chop kiwi. Place fruit in 1 quart bowl. Zest orange and juice. Add orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar and apple jelly to fruit mixture, mix gently. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Does anyone else have summer BBQ recipes or fresh fruit recipes?  Strawberries are almost in season!

So there were too many to post as a comment on yesterday's post, so here are most of my songs on my marathon playlist.  Don't judge me- if you don't deem them appropriate- then let's just say I have the edited versions- just shake them hips, girls! :)

• Mamma Mia- A* Teens


• Take a Chance on Me- A*Teens

• I Love Rock & Roll- ACDC

• Walk This Way- Aerosmith

• End Transmission- AFI

• Beautiful- Akon

• Right Now- Akon

• Superwoman- Alicia Keys

• Swing, Swing- All-American Rejects

• Nothing on You- B.O.B. featuring Bruno Mars

• Feel Like Makin’ Love- Bad Company

• No Sleep Till Brooklyn- Beastie Boys

• Timebomb- Beck

• Steal My Kisses- Ben Harper

• Get Me Bodied- Beyonce

• Irreplaceable-Beyonce

• Single Ladies- Beyonce

• Ring The Alarm- Beyonce

• Baby Boy- Beyonce

• Crazy in Love- Beyonce

• Don’t Phunk w/ my Heart- Black Eyed Peas

• Meet me Halfway- Black Eyed Peas

• Hey Mama- Black Eyed Peas

• Imma Be- Black Eyed Peas

• Pump It- Black Eyed Peas

• My Humps- Black Eyed Peas

• Boom Boom Pow- Black Eyed Peas

• I Gotta Feeling- Black Eyed Peas

• All the Small Things- Blink 182

• Blue Skies- Blue October (this one’s from Nicki)

• Love Drunk- Boys Like Girls

• Break the Ice- Britney Spears

• Womanizer- Britney Spears

• Short Skirt Long Jacket- Cake

• Evacuate the Dancefloor- Cascada

• I Want You to Want Me- Cheap Trick

• Broken- Daughtry

• Candyman- Christina Aguilera

• Fighter- Christina Aguilera

• Get Up- Ciara

• Viva la Vida- Cold Play

• Higher- Creed

• Fortunate Son- Credence Clearwater Revival

• Born on the Bayou- Credence Clearwater Revival

• Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger- Daft Punk

• Ecstacy- Darude

• Sexy Chick- David Guetta featuring Akon

• Let ‘Er Rip- Dixie Chicks

• Boom Boom Pow Remix- DJ Ammo

• Give me the Beat Boys- The Doobie Brothers

• Best I Ever Had- Drake

• Lose Yourself- Eminem

• Enur MIMS Remix- Calabria featuring Natasja

• Love of My Life- Erykah Badu

• Bring Me to Life- Evanesance

• Tambourine- Eve featuring Swizz Beatz

• Fergalicious- Fergie

• Clumsy- Fergie

• Glamourous- Fergie feat. Ludacris

• Turn It Up

• Barracuda- Fergie (Shrek the 3rd soundtrack)

• London Bridge- Fergie

• Superman- Five for Fighting

• Jump- Flo-Rida feat Nelly Furtado

• In the Ayer- Flo-Rida feat Will.I.Am

• All My Life- Foo Fighters

• Don’t Stop Believing- Glee Cast

• Mercy- Glee Cast

• Somebody to Love- Glee Cast

• 99 Red Balloons- Goldfinger

• Leave- Chemical Brothers (Gone in 60 Seconds soundtrack)

• Slide- Goo Goo Dolls

• When I Come Around- Green Day

• Time of Your Life- Green Day

• 21 Guns- Green Day

• Bananas- Gwen Stefani

• Strength, Courage, & Wisdom- India Arie

• Beautiful- India Arie

• Feedback- Janet Jackson

• In My Head- Jason Derulo

• Young Forever- Jay-Z feat Mr. Hudson

• Spotlight Remix- Jennifer Hudson

• Jumpin- Jeremih

• Leavin’- Jesse McCartney

• Baby- Justin Bieber feat Ludacris

• What Goes Around Comes Back Around- Justin Timberlake

• My Love- Justin Timberlake

• Rock your Body- Justin Timberlake

• Dance Bailalo- Kat DeLuna

• Tik Tok- Ke$ha

• Somewhere Only We Know- Keane

• Say Goodbye to Love- Kenna

• Use Somebody- Kings of Leon

• Live Like We’re Dying- Kris Allen

• Lookin’ For a Good Time- Lady Antebellum

• Poker Face- Lady Gaga

• Everything UR- Lindsay Pagano

• Four Minutes- Madonna feat Justin Timberlake

• Just Stand Up- Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Rihanna

• The Climb- Miley Cyrus

• Lose Control- Missy Elliot

• Pocketful of Sunshine- Natasha Bedingfield

• Saturday Night’s Alright- Nickelback

• Some Kind of Beautiful- Nikka Costa

• Everybody’s Got their Something- Nikka Costa

• Sinnerman- Felix Da Housecat

• Running- No Doubt

• The Way You Move- Outkast

• Fireflies- Owl City

• So What- Pink

• Don’t Stop Me Now- Queen

• You Are the Best Thing- Ray LaMontage

• Snow- Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Distrubia- Rihanna

• Please Don’t Stop the Music- Rihanna

• Umbrella Remix- Rihanna feat Chris Brown

• Fire Burning the Dancefloor- Sean Kingston

• She Wolf- Shakira

• Hips Don’t Lie- Shakira feat Wyclef Jean

• Pedal Pusher- Stereophonics

• All I Want to do- Sugarland

• Eye of the Tiger- Survivor

• Life your Life- T.I. feat Rihanna

• Crank That- Travis Barker & Soulja Boy

• Smile- Uncle Kracker

• Yeah- Usher feat Lil Jon & Ludacris

• Ella Me Llama- Wisin, Yandel Feat Sean Paul

• Way Away- Yellowcard (this one’s from Heidi)

• Esta Amor

• Noches Enteras Sin Dormir

• Jai Ho- Pussycat Dolls Remix (slumdog millionaire soundtrack)

• Dude Looks like a Lady- Aerosmith

• Beautiful- Beyonce feat Shakira

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!

Today's the day for sharing all our snack ideas, recipe ideas, etc.  Has anyone come across anything new?  What have you been eating this week?

Check out this article from MayoClinic.com that re-affirms our rockin' caloric strategy for dropping that 10 lbs in 6 weeks: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MY00432

"Your weight is a balancing act, and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to burning more calories that you take in. You can do that by reducing extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity."

The site has a lot of different pages you can go to for diet plans, quit smoking strategies, exercise tips, healthy lifestyle tips, etc. 

Here's their page for healthy recipes: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RecipeIndex.  You can even search for recipes based on the main ingredient.  How neat is that?!  You can also search by serving size, by cooking type, by meal type, etc.  And Cadie & Val, there's a meatless section, too.

I wanna try the vermicelli tossed with roasted asparagus and tomatoes :)

Whatcha Eating Wednesday

Good morning, ladies!  Hope you're all doing great despite the weather being drizzly and gyms being locked (mini-me was locked out of her gym this morning :(  )

Overcome it all! 

So here's the day where we share what we've been eating.  What snacks have you been enjoying?  What meals?  Any good recipes? 

I'm making Smothered Chicken one night this week.  There's not really an exact recipe for it, just something my mom used to make when I was growing up.  I think it may have it's origins w/ Weight Watchers actually. 
*Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
*Mushrooms, sliced
*Onions, sliced (optional- I don't use them in this recipe)
*Reduced Fat Swiss cheese slices

Saute the mushrooms & onions in a dabble of olive oil.  When cooked, set aside.  In skillet cook chicken breasts until about a minute from being done.  Add back in the mushrooms & onions, warm them up in the skillet bottom, then when warm, stack on top of the chicken breasts, then place cheese slice on top of the mushroom & onion pile on top of the chicken breast.  Cover skillet until the cheese has mostly melted & is "gluing" the goodies on top of the chicken breast.  About this recipe, I don't use the onions, but I use TONS and TONS of mushrooms.  I love me some sauteed mushrooms :) Good w/ a side salad of greens.