3 favorite foods you should be eating

Happy Monday!!  Today I have GREAT food ideas, killer workouts for the next 2 weeks, and a sweet outfit (:  FIRST off!!!  I have been so happy with myself for staying strict on my eating.  I am 2 lbs. away from my Nov. 15th deadline and I feel great!  I even ate two treats over the weekend in complete MODERATION!!  That’s my weak spot!  Nothing new about what I’m eating.  Protein shakes, veggies, fruit, and lean protein.  Small servings and lots of workouts since I will be reaching this goal!  I have 3 favorite foods right now!!  SOUP, SPAGHETTI SQUASH, and PESTO (not really a food but a divine flavor!)  Yesterday, I baked a squash in the oven and scraped it out with a fork.  It looks like spaghetti with MUCH lower carb count than regular pasta.  I put a small amount of spaghetti sauce on it, steamed some broccoli, and added a little pesto for flavor!!  SO DELSIH!!!  I didn’t take a pic. but I found this on Pinterest!  FYI!!!  There are so many spaghetti squash recipes on Pinterest!  I think I’ll be trying many of them!!

Cut in half, scoop out seeds, brush with olive oil, bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

This is what I buy at Costco.

As for SOUP!!!  This is how I warm up in the winter.  Our temps just dropped 20 degrees and I’m feeling it!!  One of my FAVORITE soups is the tomato basil soup from ZUPPA’S.  I need to look up that recipe.  On Saturday we were at Zuppa’s and all I ordered was a large bowl of this MINUS the orzo pasta.  SO GOOD!! OK!!!  Next up, WORKOUTS!!  I workout too much I know.  This week and last I’ve been on a mission, but normally (: I’m not that crazy!!  You have to look up Jamie Eason’s last 2 weeks of her 12 week trainer.  This is what I’ll be doing for the next 2 weeks.  I’m a little scared! Every day is a different body grouping.  This one appears to be LEGS!  Yikes!  I’ll fill you in later this week on how things are going! I’ll finish up since I don’t have as much time this week!  Early out schedule for the kids takes away 2 hours of my day!  I’m going to get cooking!  I’m making a few meals tonight for friends.  Torture for me because I’m making my favorite rolls!  DIET TIP 101!  Don’t eat any, save a couple and put them in the fridge for later.  Then you don’t feel like you’re missing out!  This will be a fun week of meetings, kid stuff, and my youngest child’s birthday party!  Two parties I might add.  My baby is 6!!  WHAT!?  Have a splendid day!  Work Hard ALWAYS!!!! Here’s my Sunday outfit!  I fell in love with the color of this skirt and then of course I had to have the birdie sweater to go with it!  I can’t remember, but I think it’s all from Banana Republic! The button down shirt is J Crew.  Until next time!

10 days and something new

Hello!!  It’s super late.  I’m up finishing laundry and making lists (: I should be sleeping!  November!!  Here already and one of my favorites!  Halloween about did me in.  I’m soooooo glad it’s over.  It gets a little ridiculous at some point.  Thanksgiving has always been my FAV!!!  Sweet, simple, yummy, and happy!  I have several goals and tasks on my plate.  Every day is numbered this month.  I have an order of TO DO’s.  Here’s my LIFE list for November, not just fitness!  Writing this down helps me remember.  Finish and turn in Reflections, prepare a lesson, prepare a talk, finish planning an activity for next week, church volleyball, memorize The Living Christ, water and plant bulbs, organize play committees, hold play meeting, meet with principal, create flyer and send, start and finish Christmas shopping, plan a winter getaway, get ready for ski season, buy Piano Guys tix, signups for Junior Jazz, tumbling class, personal train…I’m going to end there.  I will share a sweet pic. from Halloween.  We visited my in-laws before the Trick or Treating!  The weather was fantastic!  I love my beautiful children.  My husband was playing the part of his costume…yard guy and MIA (:

Now that that’s out of the way, here are my fitness goals.  I have a  10 day weight goal I’m working on.  It’s also a measurement goal.  I have 4 lbs. to go.  I’m pretty good at playing the weight loss game and I know I’ll do it.  November 15th is my weigh in day!  This will be fun!  I’m loving my weights and everything else.  I love to plug my music in and lift.  I used to very much dislike lifting weights, but once you start seeing results, it becomes a little addicting.  I’m following Jamie Eason’s Phase 3 workouts and diet.  LOVE IT!  All my protein powders are running low, so I thought I’d try something new.  I read about a new stack endorsed by Jamie Eason and I’m going to give it a try!  I’ll have to post a review.  It’s protein powder, multi vitamins, krill oil, and anti-bloat capsules.  I found the best price through bodybuilding.com.

I’ll end with a few FAVORITES as of late!!!  An outfit, a quote, and a song.  Here’s a new combo from my wardrobe.  The sweater was a gift from my very stylish friend and the sweet tiny polkadot red jeans were purchased at a boutique in St. George.  My husband found the cute red booties one day at the Sundance Outlet!

 

Next, my quote of the day was shared by a fitness Instagrammer I follow.  I read it a couple times and thought, I love that and I love birds!

Lastly and most favorite, is a song by David Archuleta called GLORIOUS!  It was written for an incredible movie called Meet The Mormons.  I love the piano and his voice.  I could listen to it over and over.  Have a beautiful and happy FALL day!  Count your blessings.

3 most important rules for weight loss

Well hello there!  This has been a week of GET IT DONE.  I told my family I’ve turned into a complete perfectionist OCD person and they said I thought you already were.  I had my lists and I kept busy every second of the day.  I went a little crazy on the cleaning and cooking.  I’ve always liked to cook and bake, but that’s going to be my new thing now next to exercise.  Keeps my mind happy and I love feeding people (:

O.K.  workouts were insane too.  My whole body hurts and I’m running a half marathon this Saturday!  For the rest of today and tomorrow I’m going to make myself SLOW down, if that’s possible.  I have the high school kids coming over for lunch in an hour so this will be short and sweet!!

3 things in this ORDER:  DIET, WEIGHTS, CARDIO.  Remember that and all your dreams will come true!

Diet focus today is VEGGIES and LEAN PROTEIN.  You must UP UP UP your protein to see your hard earned muscles.  Eat protein with every meal.  Egg whites, chicken, shrimp, turkey, any lean meats, protein powder…  Get used to it.  Veggies all day and with every meal if possible.  Stay away from breads and sugar and you’ll be happy happy!  I’m working on my goal for October and THIS is key!!  I’ll post my results on HALLOWEEN!!

OK!!  Weights.  I’m not talking 2 lb. weights.  Lift as heavy as you can to complete your reps and maintain proper form.  I lift every day pretty much.  I’m going to take a break next week.  The following week I’ll be hitting Jamie Eason Phase 3 for 4 weeks.  Scary.  Here’s my workout from my class this week.  It was awesome!  Great group!

Killer All Around FUN

 (3 people in a group.  Burpees is the timer.  When they are done, rotate.  Complete 3 times.)

25 burpees

Bicep curls

Sit Ups

25 Tricep Extensions

Thrusters

Tick Tock Abs

50 Walking Lunges

Push Ups

Curtsy Lunges

5 MINUTES OF POWER-Complete each set as fast as you can in a minute for 5 minutes.

8 Overhead Press

5 Burpees

8 Sit Ups

Sweaty mess is all I can say.  Alright.  What did I say was last?  Oh Cardio!  I love cardio.  I’ve been doing these HIGH intensity aerobics classes and they are awesome!  I feel like I’m burning a million calories, BUT if you have more muscle you will burn more calories throughout the day, meaning a higher metabolism.  So, if you are crunched for time drop cardio first, weights second, and diet LAST (:  Most important according to ME!

Well, I better be off!  I did want to add a SWEET compliment my husband gave me.

I posted this dream body on my last post and he told me I already looked like that!  HA HA HA HA HA!!  I think he was just being nice (:  Not quite…until next time.  Train Outstanding and don’t Underestimate yourself!  Have a beautiful day!

Disneyland and a recommitment to WEIGHTS

Hello!!  Happy day after Disneyland vacation!  WOW!!  I still feel like I’m in a whirlwind.  We left on Friday to drive to Disneyland.  Spent the night at the half way point and then woke up at 5:30 a.m. to drive the rest of the way.  We hit the park ALL day Saturday, Sunday, and Monday!!  I am beat.  Saturday and Sunday were rainy days.  We were prepared and it was so much better because the crowds were probably half of what they normally are.  Here are my fabulous pictures.  We love our great friends so much!!

Holy Ghirardelli store!

Sunny day in Bugs Life land!

We love legos!

My Princesses!

Cars Land! My FAV!

Highlights of the trip: Music everywhere you go. Cars Land, especially the ride Radiator Springs.  Amazing!  Space Mountain.  Splash Mountain.  California Screamin’.  Hollywood Tower of Terror. The lights at night.  Watching the kids, especially my youngest.  Ghirardelli chocolate store.  Yes, I totally love chocolate!  Churros dipped in chocolate.  Everything!!!

The absolute funniest though and the final note of our trip was during the drive home.  We caravanned with my friend.  She was driving solo with the kids because her husband stayed in California for work.  We stopped plenty of times for potty breaks, gas, food, barfing…TWICE.  Near the end of our journey home at about 9:00 p.m. on a stretch of nothingness road, her 6 year old daughter threw up for the second time in the car.  So, on the side of a deserted off ramp, my friend completely lost it with hysterical laughing.  My husband and I helped her clean up the car and her daughter and soon we were literally rolling with tears on the ground.  I LOVE that in a stressful situation she could LAUGH!!  Sometimes that is all you can do.  Between dry heaving and laughter we finished our road trip safely and happily!  (No, I didn’t take any pictures of the situation!)  Thinking of this will always bring a smile to my face (:

Clean eating and working out 6 days a week!

Words I want to live by!  Jan 1 my friends and I are starting a weight training schedule.  We’re going to follow Jamie Eason’s Live Fit program.  It’s a great progressive program that takes 12 weeks.  It’s divided in 3 phases.  We are doing phase 2 and 3 because my friend’s have a trip coming up in 8 weeks.  Before I lay out my week of exercise and food, I have a few words of advice.  I’m not a doctor, but these are TRIED and TRUE tips from an exercise fanatic and health eating nut!

#1  EVERYTHING IS WHAT YOU EAT!!!!!!!!!!!

#2  YOU WILL NOT LOSE WEIGHT BY RUNNING ALONE.

#3  LIFTING WEIGHTS IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN WEIGHT LOSS.

#4  DRINK A TON OF WATER.

#5  NEVER GIVE UP!  CONSISTENCY IS KEY!

So, if you remember those 5 things you should be well on your way to achieving the rockin’ bod you want!

Exercise has NEVER been my downfall.  I love it!  I do however NEED variety.  Variety will help you lose weight faster too.  You need to trick your body and constantly keep it guessing.  If you do the same thing over and over again YOU WILL plateau and get VERY frustrated.  Find 3-4 different exercise options!  Here are my top 5 favorites in no particular order:

• Running
• Boot Camp classes
• Weight Lifting
• Body Combat or any Les Mills classes
• Zumba

This is what my week of exercise will look like starting December 31st (I know that’s a little weird, but I have a thing for starting my goals on Mondays!)  My diet will not start until January 1st however (:

MONDAY:  6 mile RUN with my friends, Live Fit Day 29 BACK workout

TUESDAY: Live Fit Day 30 CHEST & ABS workout, 30 minute sprints on the treadmill

WEDNESDAY: My full body boot camp class and LEGS Live Fit Day 31

THURSDAY:  (This is my crazy day!  I like too many things)  6 mile RUN, Body Combat, Arms and Abs Day 32

FRIDAY: Shoulders Day 33, LONG RUN 8-10 miles

SATURDAY: LEGS Day 34

SUNDAY: Rest or a nice walk

Doesn’t that sound like so much fun!  This program is not just for chicks either, my husband loves the workouts and is constantly sore from them.  FYI-He has lost 70 pounds or more in the last 2 years from DIET, EXERCISE, and MOI!  Just kidding about the last one.  He did it all himself!  They will KICK YOUR BUTT!

Diet.  This is the hard part.  That is why I give myself 3 days a month to eat whatever I want.  Keep at it and it will become a habit, I promise!  Eating healthy does not come naturally for me.  I have to prepare, plan ahead, and consciously think about what I eat each day.  Get creative and try new recipes to keep it fun.  Here is a typical day of healthy eating for me.

Meal 1: Banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein powder, and spinach smoothie

Meal 2: Muscle milk

Meal 3: HUGE salad with chicken, cottage cheese, nuts, or beans for protein

Meal 4: Protein ZONE bar and an apple

Meal 5: Chicken or fish, veges, brown rice or quinoa, salad

Meal 6: Cottage cheese or greek yogurt with blueberries or blackberries (optional meal)

Drink a big glass of water with every meal.  Stay away from bread or pasta, sorry!

I hope this helps everyone!  Much like the quote to BE YOUR BEST SELF, you should also LOVE WHO YOU ARE!!!

Choose Choice food *  Tomorrow I will be going to Cheesecake Factory so that won’t be a problem (:

Work Inspire Train Keep it up!