FITastic Cooking Challenge: Day 2

One of my biggest challenges with cooking is how long it takes. I tend to go from feeling satisfied to STARVING in a matter of 5 minutes, so anything which requires time to make poses a problem. That's what happened today at lunch. Once I realized I was hungry, it was too late. I drove to Braum's and purchased some meat and milk and then stopped by Chipotle on my way home.

Here is Food Journal, Day 2:

Breakfast:

1/2 cup egg beaters (60 cal/12g/2g/0g)
1 slice Sara Lee 45 calorie 100% whole wheat bread (45 cal/3g/9g/0.5g)
crushed red pepper
pepper
8 oz. glass Trop50 apple juice (50 cal/0g/12g/0g)

Total: 155 cal/15g/23g/0.5g

Lunch:

1/2 Chipotle Burrito (372.5 cal/18.5g/39g/15g)
(burrito consists of tortilla, fajita veggies, wild rice, barbacoa, medium salsa, and sour cream)
8 oz. glass of Crystal Light Lemonade (10 cal/0g/0g/0g)
1 small/medium nectarine

Total: 382.5 cal/18.5g/39g/15g

Snack:

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (90 cal/14g/4g/2.5g)
1 tsp honey (22 cal/0g/5.5g/0g)
cinnamon
1 tsp splenda
4 oz. skim milk (65 cal/6.5g/9g/0g)

Total: 177 cal/20.5g/18.5g/2.5g

Supper:

Taco Lettuce Wraps



 

 

 

 

 

4 oz. 90/10 ground beef (200 cal/23g/0g/11g)
2 tbsp Jalapeno Dip (60 cal/1g/2g/6g)
2 tbsp Pace Medium Salsa (10 cal/0g/2g/0g)
0.75 oz. pepperjack cheese (83 cal/4.5g/<1g/6.75g)
lettuce (for wraps) (10 cal)
2 tsp diced onions
crushed red pepper
jalapeno seasoning
pepper
8 oz. tea with splenda

Total: 363 cal/28.5g/5g/23.75g

Total for Day 2: 1,077.5 cal/82.5g/85.5g/41.75g

(This is what I've eaten so far today. I will edit the post if I consume anything else.)

When on Chipotle's website, I saw just how many calories are in each ingredient I put in my burrito. If I were to order the burrito bowl (exact same burrito, but leave off the tortilla), I could have saved 290 calories. 290 CALORIES!! DANG! That's a can of Coca-Cola, 5 crackers, and 1 oz. of gouda cheese! Crazy talk! I could have left off the tortilla and ate the ENTIRE contents of the burrito for 455 calories. I need to keep that in mind for next time!

Keeping this food journal has been interesting. It takes quite a bit of work, but it's nice to see exactly how many protein/carbs/fat consumed over the course of the day. I definitely recommend doing it, if for just a few days.

I'm already scheming up a plan for what I'm going to prepare tomorrow. Isn't that crazy?!? Maybe one of these days, I will become like the Pioneer Woman, with my own food blog. Wow. That just made me laugh a little.

Have a great night!

 

FITastic Cooking Challenge: Day 1

Here is my food journal from Day 1:

The setup is calories/protein (g)/carbohydrates (g)/fat (g)

Breakfast:

1/2 cup egg beaters (60cal/12g/2g/0g)
1 slice Sara Lee 45 cal multi-grain bread (45cal/3g/9g/0.5g)
1 tsp Miracle Whip Light (7cal/0g/0.7g/0.5g)
crushed red pepper
pepper
1 8 oz. glass tea (with splenda) (0cal/0g/0g/0g)
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (93cal/20g/2.3g/0.33g)
4 oz. water

Total: 205 cal/35g/14g/1.33g

Lunch:

5.25 oz. boneless chicken tenderloin (144cal/29g/0g/2g)
1 MiCasa 100% whole wheat tortilla (120cal/4g/20g/4g)
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves (20cal/2g/3g/0g)
1 tbsp Jalapeno dip (30cal/1g/2g/3g)
1 8 oz. glass tea (with splenda) (0cal/0g/0g/0g)

Total: 314 cal/36g/25g/9g

Snack:

1 oz. smoked gouda cheese (90cal/7g/1g/7g)
4.5 oz. red grapes

Supper:

2 slices Sara Lee 45 cal. multi-grain bread (90 cal/6g/18g/1g)
1 tbsp reduced-fat Jif creamy peanut butter (95 cal/4g/7.5g/6g)

Total: 185 cal/10g/25.5g/7g

Snack:

5 clusters True North Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters (170cal/5g/9g/13g)

Total for the day: 964 cal/93g/75g/37g

(Note: This does not include calories for the grapes. I don't know how to measure calorie count on fruits and veggies. There are different websites which offer answers, but at this time I am choosing to not worry about it. When I googled the calorie count on grapes, it averaged around 100 calories. The problem with knowing that information is it makes me rationalize pop drinking. Example: I can have 100 calories for grapes, or for 40 calories more, I can have a Coca-Cola, which I'm totally craving right about now. See? This is why I'm not going to focus on calorie count for fruits/veggies at this time. I can be completely irrational when it comes to Coca-Cola or cheese!)

Uh-oh. I didn't get enough calories in for the day! That will not be the case today (I can PROMISE you that!) One issue I have is I want to eat as healthy as I can so that if I go out and eat later in the day, I can spend extra calories on that. Last night, I was wanting something to eat, but I had to go to the grocery store after work, and by the time I got home, I was exhausted and I wanted to go to bed. I can tell by what I purchased at the grocery store last night just how hungry and tired I was; I purchased 4 different types of cheeses and 2 yummy dips. Never fails! You'd think I'd learn the first 20 times this happens not to go to the grocery store hungry or tired, but alas, I did it again.


Looks like Day 1 wasn't too shabby! Let's hope this continues!

30 Day FITastic Cooking Challenge

It's time for a challenge.

I have been whining lately about how I need to be cooking more at home. Everyone I know seems to cook scrumptious meals at home, and I want to jump on the bandwagon. I'm tired of eating the same types of healthy foods over and over and over again. I am not bland (that's an understatement), nor do I want my diet to be.

Cooking is not something I naturally enjoy doing. Some find it to be very cathartic; I tend to find it time-consuming and a chore. I think part of the reason is because I cook for one person, me. It takes 30-45 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to clean, and 5 minutes to eat. That's quite a bit of time in preparation and cleaning to spend 5 minutes eating. Nevertheless, I am too old to not know how to fix yummy dishes. Seriously!

Something has to change. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't know how to prepare Thanksgiving Dinner. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't have any recipes to pass down because I simply didn't take the time to cook. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't have dinner parties because I can't cook anything beyond the basics. I want to be the person who loves preparing healthy meals at home. Just think of how much money (and calories!) I could save by eating at home.

I want to be the woman who knows how to cook! I want to be the woman who people can't wait to see what concoction I've created! As a woman, I need to know how to cook. (Yes, I just went back in time about 60 years with that statement.) The time has come for me to step it up and develop my cooking skills.

And what better way for me to develop my cooking skills than to have a challenge!

During this 30 day challenge, I am going to prepare healthy meals 5 days each week and post the recipes (with pictures) for you, along with calories and protein/carb/fat count. Because I'm a novice cook, I haven't mastered the art of creating my own dishes (yet!), so my recipes aren't going to be of my own creation (unless I'm feeling adventurous...or out of my mind). I am going to search for recipes that are easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and healthy (or healthier than the alternative).  I plan on throwing in one dessert recipe each week since many people are dessertaholics! (I am a cheeseaholic. Someone told me about how delicious a 24 layer chocolate cake looked. I immediately thought of a 24 layer cheese dip. Seriously...it's THAT bad.) Not only will I be posting the recipes, but I will also post my food journal. My diet can be very repetitious at times, and I am all open for suggestions. Variety is the spice of life!

The challenge will start on Monday. If you have any suggestions for recipes I should try, please let me know! Also, if there are any pointers you have in terms of cooking, preparing, or cleaning that makes things easier or better, do tell! I need all the help I can get!

I am anxious to get started! It's time for me to cook at home and branch out in terms of my diet. It's time for me to make a fool of myself in the kitchen. IT. IS. TIME!

Let the FITastic challenge commence!

Ode to the Gym

Oh, Gym! Must you be so wonderful?!

As I walk from the parking lot to your front door, I hear you calling out to me, beckoning me to cross the threshold into a new world filled with endless, health-laden possibilities.

Once inside, my senses are instantly awakened by your smell of sweat and mold (from your leaky roof). I scan my card and walk over to your stationary bike section. I sit down, adjust the seat, and begin pedaling. As I'm sitting there listening to my iPod and watching tv, a gentleman sits down next to me. The scent of Old Spice wafts over me, melding with your leaky roof smell to create a fragrance which really captures my attention. I notice something dripping. I look up, and behold the condensation from your vent. Thankfully, it doesn't land on anyone's head throughout my cardio session.

After I finish my initial cardio, I clean off the bike with alcohol and walk over to the "Trainer's Lair." This is where your prized possessions prepare to torture mentally prep to motivate your other gym-goers. I meet with my trainer and he feels the need for a good laugh, so he decides to weigh me on your scale which mimics one seen at a doctor's office. As the lever slows to a halt, I can almost hear you taunting me to work harder and spend more time at your residence, as though approximately 10 hours a week isn't enough.

My trainer and I then enter your purple room I've so rightly titled "The Dreaded Yoga Room." Thankfully, my trainer is kind enough to not make me do any yoga (although recently he started making me stretch, which is the poor man's yoga, in my opinion). After stretching, I am told to lie down on your sweat-stained yoga mat to do push-ups, planks, and crunches.  As the aroma of moldy sweat approaches my nostrils, I remind myself that being FITastic is hard work. It's all about survival of the fittest. If I want to win at this, I have to suck it up and deal with it. As they say, "No Pain, No Gain." I look at the clock a few times to gauge how much time is left in the room before I can move on to better things. I also perform other exercises in your purple room, such as squats, lunges, band work, and the like. You seriously need to get rid of the mirrors. I'm just sayin'!

Once enough pain has been inflicted upon me, my trainer decides it's time to venture out to the rest of the gym. I would like to fill up my water bottle, but your water fountain is out of order. Not good, Gym-bo!

We walk past your large rubber tires and hopscotch section towards the weight machines. I quickly glance at the clock on your wall to see how much more time of torture I have left before my hourlong training session is finished. (Perhaps you should use larger clocks, and more of them, so I can see them from any area throughout the gym. I'm sure my trainer would appreciate that very much!) I have the pleasure of seeing the guy with the orange and black shirt, purple and black shorts, and blue crocs (I need to take a picture one of these days) as I begin my weight lifting. You so cleverly ensure he is in my view at some point during my workout session. Smart one! It makes me chuckle, which then allows the "keep your core tight" speech from my trainer to ensue.

After my workout session is finished, it's time for me to head back to the Trainer's Lair for one last emotional beating pep talk from the trainer. I then head out to your treadmill/elliptical area again to finish my cardio for the day.

The last part of my cardio session generally goes unscathed, as you have decided to not foist any more unpleasantries upon me. I end with my hair being soaking wet from sweat and my face being red, and I am exhausted. I clean off the machine with alcohol one last time, and I then look at the clock as I exit your presence.

All in all, my experience at your residence is physically demanding, but I always feel satisfied when I leave. The release of endorphins for several hours following our encounter is pretty fantastic! You have a positive, lasting impact on me! I think I will keep you around in my life for many years to come.

Oh, Gym! You are too wonderful for me!

Out with the Old...

Day 2 at home from Snowmaggedon 2011 found me coming out of the closet...with tons of clothes in hand.

This morning I walked into my closet and decided it was time to clear out the clothes that did not fit any longer. I was tired of having to search through the mess to find the clothes that DID fit. It was definitely time to clear the clutter.

I started around 8:45 a.m. this morning; by 11:15 a.m. I was finished.

Check out the photos:

Before

I went through EVERY SINGLE article of clothing and tried it on before deciding whether to keep it or not. I was completely AMAZED at all the clothes that were too big. It was really exciting!

 

After

Look at the space between the hangers! It looks so much better! I was able to get rid of so many items!

Look at all the hangers leftover!

It felt so good seeing all those clothes out of my closet. It was almost like a cleansing of sort. Today was another reminder of how far I've come in terms of my FITastic adventure. Pretty remarkable, I must say!

Out with the old...in with the new!

Motivation, Where Are You?

Why is it the more I want something, the more I seem to struggle?

I've been eating healthy and going to the gym almost every day of the week. I have made working out my number one priority. I've been completely and totally into health. I actually LOST weight during the Christmas season!

After Christmas, my motivation disappeared. While I've still been going to the gym daily and meeting with my trainer three times a week, I have been eating out almost every night. I'm back to drinking Coca-Cola on an almost daily basis. I'm fortunate I'm still losing weight, even with the setbacks.

Where did my motivation go? One minute, I'm feeling as though I am going to conquer the world; the next moment, I am whining non-stop to my trainer, and I have no drive to push myself further during my workouts.

Recently, several people have commented on my change in appearance. I even had people tell me they were INSPIRED by me! Wow! What a huge compliment! Now that people consider me an inspiration, I definitely want to give my fitness and health 110% effort. People depend on me now. There is no room for failure.

My trainer recommended I basically take next week off from the gym. Here's what I heard in that conversation: "..... time off..... 20 min of cardio ONLY..... only cardio on days I train with him..... maybe just train once next week ......"

I have to admit, when he mentioned this at the end of our workout session today, I felt unsettled. What does this mean, exactly? Will this really help with my motivation? Has he finally had enough of me?

I realize I have lost some weight. I know I am stronger now than I was. But I have so much more work to do before I reach my goal. I greatly desire to be physically fit and healthy. I know everything I have to gain from working out, pushing myself at the gym, and eating healthy.

What will it take to jump-start the motivation again?

The Initial Meeting

I remember the day I made the call to the gym to request a personal trainer.

It was a beautiful day outside that Saturday morning. The sun was shining brightly and there was not a cloud in the sky. Mom and Mema were in town, and they drove to my house to pick me up so I could spend some time with them while they were running errands.

I was feeling so frustrated with myself. Why was I not physically fit? Why, if I really wanted to be fit, was I not doing anything about it? I don't know what sparked those thoughts that day, but the more time went by, the more upset I became.

After a few hours, they took me back to my house and decided to come inside for a few minutes. I started up again about my wanting to lose weight. While mom and I were talking, I decided I was going to call up the gym and request a trainer. As soon as she and Mema drove away, I made the phone call.

A lady answered the phone at the gym. I told her I was wanting to lose weight and would like a trainer. She then asked me what type of trainer I wanted. I explained to her that my ideal trainer would be fairly tough on me, but I didn't want someone who would yell at me or talk down to me. (I have very limited tolerance for either of those things, so if they were to happen, I would completely shut down and my stubborn streak would take hold. Plus, that's just nonsense!) She asked me if I had a preference for a male or female trainer. I told her I wanted a male trainer, but if a female trainer fit the description of what I wanted, I would be willing to give her a chance. The conversation ended with her telling me that someone would call the first part of next week to schedule a training session. And that was that. I hung up the phone and felt relieved and excited. I'm going to do it this time! I am going to succeed! This is it! I'm not just going to talk about losing weight and being fit and athletic anymore; I am going to do something about it!

Not 30 minutes after I hung up the phone with the lady at the gym, a trainer called me. I spoke with him for a few minutes, and we settled on a day to meet and begin training. Anxiety began to creep over me as I thought of what this trainer would be like. What kind of trainer will I have? How will he treat me? Will he ask me to do jumping jacks? When will I have time to train? How much will this cost me? What if I don't succeed? At this point, I knew this was it; there was no turning back.

On Tuesday, it was gym time. I pulled into the parking lot and nervousness swept over me. I'm actually meeting my personal trainer today. What will he think of me? I look like a slob! Why didn't I go buy new gym clothes and shoes? Oh geez! This is going to be disastrous! I got out of my vehicle, took a deep breath, and walked into the gym.

Upon entering the gym, I told the lady at the desk I was there to see the trainer. He then came over and introduced himself. Oh no! He's nicer than I expected! Great. Now I REALLY feel like a failure. Where's the mean, 'roided out guy I was expecting? My anxiety rose as my self-esteem fell through the floor.

He walked me over to where his desk was, and he had me sit down so he could talk with me. We first discussed my goals. What was I wanting to get out of the training sessions? He appeared somewhat surprised by the specificity of my goals. (Purchasing training sessions was not something I thought of on a whim; this was something I've had planned for a while.) The discussion then turned to dieting and what I should(n't) eat/drink. Pop limitation was the biggest downer of that conversation. (I drank tons of pop at that time, Coca-Cola to be exact. Not diet, but REAL Coca-Cola.)

After the initial discussion, he had me do a few exercises. To be honest, I really don't remember what they were. I do know I had to get on the treadmill for a few minutes. I was having a self-esteem crisis, what with seeing all the physically fit people everywhere I looked and knowing I had some hard work ahead of me before I would reach that point. Once the session ended, we scheduled the next few sessions and I went home.

Once home, I remembered sitting on my couch thinking about the session and what changes were going to happen now that I started back to the gym. Healthy living will be my new lifestyle. Maybe I will finally be able to join a basketball and softball league. Perhaps I will finally regain the self-confidence I've been lacking to start dating again. My life will soon be changing for the better! I'm so ready!

I felt satisfied. What a relief it was to have taken the first step towards improving myself! Not looking on the outside the way I felt on the inside was really taking a toll on me. Not only that, but I was tired of feeling undisciplined. It was time to make a change.

This was the beginning of the rest of my life. This is where it all began...the initial meeting.

Chug It!

That's the chant I hear as I prepare my protein shake. I take my colorful Blender bottle, pour cold water into it, add a scoop (or two) of protein powder, and shake it until it (sorta) dissolves. I then add tons of ice. (The colder the protein shake, the easier it is to chew, er...swallow.) I let it sit for a few minutes so it gets as cold as possible. After a few minutes pass, I hear the chant.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

I can hear the clumps of protein powder calling out the chant with exuberance as though I am competing for the gold. This is now a competition I HAVE to win. Defeat is not an option. My muscles begin tensing as the event looms on the horizon. I take several deep breaths as the anticipation builds.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

My heart begins to beat faster. Beads of sweat start to form on my forehead. My hands and knees begin to quiver as nervousness takes hold. What if I don't win? What if I can't finish the race? The torment is almost unbearable.

I take another deep breath.

"You got this. You are an unstoppable force!" I tell myself as I quickly stretch my arms and pop my neck. "I'm so going to win! Bring it!"

It's finally game time and I can't take it anymore. I reach out and wrap my trembling hand around the Blender bottle.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

There's the chanting again. The protein powder is taunting me with its relentless cry. I give the bottle one last shake and then open the lid. I ever so slowly put the bottle up to my mouth. I start to chug it.

I chug half the bottle and then stop. It's time to catch my breath. Because the adrenaline is going at full throttle, I have to continue the race; otherwise, I will surely fall to defeat. I hurriedly grab hold of the bottle again and I chug until the last sip is gone.

I WIN! I am on top of the world! You can't beat me, protein shake! I can bring it All. Day. Long! I ROCK!

After a few moments of celebrating my win with a victory dance, I smile and walk away with my head held high. I am the triumphant one!

Until we compete again, protein shake... just remember one thing: I always win. Always!

Shep  1           protein shake  0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FITastic

Thump. Thump. Drip. Drip.

What is that, you ask? It was the sound of my heart beating rapidly and sweat dripping from my face (and hair) as I finished my workout this morning.

I started this FITastic adventure a few months ago. On Saturday, August 14, 2010,  I decided I was tired of not living a healthy lifestyle, so I called up the gym where I had a membership (but never used) and requested a personal trainer. They asked me several questions about what type of trainer I wanted. At the end of the conversation, I was told I would receive a phone call the first part of next week from a trainer to set up a training session. Not 30 min. later, my phone rang. It was a trainer! We set up our first training session for Tuesday, August 17th, and I was ready to begin!

I guess I wasn't as ready to begin as I initially thought because I didn't make a full commitment to working out, cardio, or dieting. Because of my lack of commitment, I saw no results.

On October 9, 2010, I officially made the commitment to my trainer (most importantly), my workouts, my cardio, and my diet. Since that time, I have lost weight and gained muscle strength. I feel so much better! My knees don't hurt, I have tons more energy, and I made it up six flights (six!!) of stairs without feeling like I was going to tackle a COPD patient for his oxygen mask.

This category is all about my fitness adventures. My hope is that it will make you laugh (trust me, there is never a dull moment when I train with my personal trainer) and inspire you to achieve a healthy lifestyle. My goal is to blog about my (mis)adventures at the gym, provide tips and recipes for a healthier diet, give training tips and advice that I've learned either from my trainer or from personal experience, and provide inspiration for healthy living!

Bring it on, Trainer! I can handle anything! (except jumping jacks...as we've already established)

And the FITastic adventure continues...