Training Update III

Love the reflector action and car seat box in the background? Oh yea!

So tonight was the second week of Mini training! It was awesome...and who says you cant run in 10 degree weather with a wind chill making it feel like its in the negatives? Shut yo mouth! We had a good run. It took me  a few miles to warm up and when my legs finally went numb, the run was basically over. We only did about 3.5. This week, I  ran 5 days totaling 18 miles and had one day of cross training/weights. I am following this specific training and logging all of my activity. It is demanding but I honestly feel great and just hope that I can keep it up! I still have to run Saturday (a four miler)

Its been fun getting healthy with friends and reconnecting with old ones.  As far as weight goes, I am still weighing in between 123-124. I am not really counting points as much since I am eating so healthy and working out. However, I try to stay aware most days.

How are you staying healthy this week? How are the weigh ins coming?

Food Inc

You must rent this documentary. I havent watched the full documentary but this is what I have been preaching for years! One thing it reminded me of was what I like so much about the SCD way of eating. Our pantry is literally empty! That's because all of the foods we eat are alive and can die/rot! Seriously people, we have to know what is going into our bodies. Eliminate processed foods. Buy organic and local when possible. Will you pay a little more? Maybe, but pay now or pay the Dr. later!

Got lunch?

Most filling lunch ever: Gluten free brown rice tortilla filled with organic roast beef, spinach leaves and hummus. Dehydrated veggies: sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, taro and squash with sea salt.

Smoothie with strawberries, banana, kiwi, blueberries, Kefir and Chia seeds

yummy filling

(hopefully the medium rare look doesnt gross you out)

Chi Chi Chia seeds...they are so good for you and nicknamed the Runner's seed so I had to get some! You should look them up and read about their advantages. I will post more about them later

And last nights dinner: Roasted carrots, Organic pot roast, my classic salad and a smoothie!.


What's on your menu? Later today I am making my almond butter banana nut muffins with cacao nibs for small group. I am going to put chia seeds in them as well for an extra boost.

A few facts about Cacao nibs: Good for you and chocolate? RAW CACAO NIBS contains many rare key nutrients that enhance physical and mental well-being. RAW CACAO NIBS also contain more ANTIOXIDANT flavanoids than any other food tested including Red Wine, Green Tea and Blueberries. Other essential minerals present in Cacao are Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Copper, Sulfur, and Potassium. Cacao also contains many chemicals that enhance physical and mental well-being, including alkaloids, proteins, magnesium, beta-carotene, leucine, linoleic acid, lipase, lysine, and some neurotransmitters such as dopamine and anandamine.



 I'll have some of those with my muffins please!:)

Product review

Well sadly and excitedly, we purchased a new car seat for Chase today. He actually still fits in his infant carrier, but with me traveling to TN this weekend, we decided now was the time for a "big boy" seat. We found this seat and really liked the cutting edge technology. It's Safety 1st's Air Protect. Have you heard of it? used it? What do you think?

I will be very sad to tuck Chase's seat away in a closet but hopefully we will be taking it out soon for another little one!

(Chase's is black with red trim and also has a cup holder and snack holder)

 ABOUT AIR PROTECT™ TECHNOLOGY




What is Air Protect™ Technology?



Air Protect™ Technology is the most innovative safety feature ever offered in a car seat. It is a technology that protects our children at their most vulnerable – the head.

How does Air Protect™ work?



Through the precise release of air, Air Protect™ shields children from side impact intrusion and immediately reduces crash forces at the most critical spot: around a child’s head. Air Protect™ does this by extending ride-down, the amount of time it takes to slow a child’s movement in a crash.







How is Air Protect™ different?



1. Primary Focus on Head Protection



Air Protect™ Technology has been designed to defend against the biggest threat to children on the road today; side impact collisions. Side impact are by far the deadliest type of collision for children, accounting for one in three child fatalities; nearly all of which are caused by head trauma. The placement of Air Protect™ Technology on the car seat diverts crash forces away from a child’s head, the most vulnerable place in a side impact crash.



2. Superior Testing Methodology



The Complete Air™ Convertible Car Seat is tested with an intruding door technique, which best replicates an actual side impact crash. Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) collaborated with Kettering University’s renowned Crash Safety Center to develop a new standard for side impact testing. This new testing method is so significant that DJG and Kettering University have shared their findings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), supporting NHTSA’s efforts to provide more comprehensive regulations for side impact crash testing.

Game day food

I know you are probably sick of seeing my salads but they are oh so good! Organic spinach salad mix, strawberries, walnut halves and feta. We topped it off with a squeeze of lemon and olive oil

Finally some good carrot chips! We peeled them, put them in my friends food processor (http://www.mckinneyclan3.blogspot.com/) and fried them with canola oil in a turkey fryer..Success!

And this was our breakfast to feul up for game day! Coconut flour, eggs, vanilla, honey topped off with bananas

And Brian had strawberries for his topping

Go Colts!

Well, today was the playoffs and what better way to celebrate than with good food and friends! We went to Abby and Brian's house for a game day party and enjoyed some awesome SCD food. Brian loved the chicken wings and the turkey burgers with pepper jack cheese were so spicy and yummy! We also had squash fries with cheese, honey glazed pecans, homemade hummus, carrot and squash chips, celery and peppers and some almond flour cookies!  And to top it off, we just learned the Colts are going to the Super Bowl! So in honor of the good news, I just had  to share some game day food pics...

Did you watch the game?

Friday night pizza night and some other yummy treats...

Spinach, tomato, pesto, olive oil and feta (crust is made  with gluten free, casein free, soy free, corn free ingredients)

My lunch: flax seeds, Kefir, blueberries, banana, strawberries, spinach and oranges

Finished product

Chase enjoying his smoothie

Our yummy dinner (pizza and organic spring mix with strawberries, bleu cheese and walnuts)

and for desssert! almond butter muffins with banana, honey, egg and raw organic  cacao nibs

So how did my blog suddenly become all about food and training? I am not sure but I love it! Sorry if I bore you to death with recipes and pictures of food but its so fun! I have always had a love for nutrition and majored in it for a short time in college. I have also always been pretty obsessed with working out. I used to own my own franchise of Jazzercise...yes, you heard me right, Jazzercise...so to me it is no surprise I enjoy doing this so much.

 On another note, we have always had Friday night pizza night but we are finally eating the pizzas I love instead of gross, greasy pizza chains pizza. So whats on your menu tonight? Any weekend family traditions?

Will you choose to walk the other way?

It's naptime and I am watching Chase sleep on the monitor. He is so peaceful as he lays his head down and covers up with his warm blanket on this rich snowy day. I have a few things on this heart of mine that I wanted to share. For the last several months you have heard me mention struggle and how God has been revealing Himself to me. This has been a life long process but increasingly so since summer.


I have begun to understand this elementary teaching..and not just understand it, but embrace it. ("If we are to share in His glory, we must also share in His suffering.") A few weeks ago, I also mentioned to you experiencing joy while singing. I honestly believe that in that moment, God did something totally unexpected in my heart. He changed me. I had and continue to have joy in the midst of unknowing and sometimes painful circumstances assured that I am in His will and unafraid of where He is taking me. The moment wasnt related to the song we were singing or the sermon being taught. I walked away knowing I would never be the same.


And since then, it is almost like I am experiencing a rebirth. I feel new, free and unashamed. I am yearning to study and learn about Christ in a new way...to understand who He really is and what He came to teach this world. I have been growing as a believer for close to 15 years. But, I feel like I havent even scratched the surface of who He is. Jesus is so contrary to all this world offers us, to all we as Christians believe we deserve. I would even propose that perhaps the reason we sometimes "cant find Him" is because He's standing in the opposite direction of all we are striving for.


I mentioned several weeks ago the Advent experience...it was through this exercise and those simple words spoken by my godly husband that are transforming my life-my worldview-my faith. I share this with you now in hopes that you could do the exercise with your spouse or small group. Spend some time really meditating on it. Let it resonate with you.



Line up against the wall. Answer the series of questions by stepping foward (if yes), stepping backward (if no) or remaining where you are if unsure.



Have you had a vacation this year?



Do you have a loving family?



Do you feel you have a special gift?



Do you feel close to God?



Have you plenty of food in your kitchen?



Do you know your neighbors?



Is your car less than five years old?



Do you have someone to share your secrets with?



Do you feel valued at work?



Do you get enough rest?



Do you own your own home?



Are you at peace with your friends?



Are you at peace with yourself?



Are you financially secure?



Do you have good memories of childhood?



Do you have good health?



By the end of questioning, the line has become a spread pattern of of spiritual states, the fortunate out front, the less fortunate left behind. And now the coup. Turn around for God has decreed the Great Reversal-and suddenly, the fortunate are at the back, and the last are out in front.






"The Great Reversal subverts me. Tired of pressing forward, I realize I need to turn, for what I have been searching for has just walked past me the other way."


(Taken from Alternative Worship;an exercise called the Great Reversal)

Will you choose to walk the other way? To not only be radically changed but in doing so radically change the world around you? You might be surprised at what or Who you discover in the process.


Hop on over to http://www.ungrind.org/ to participate in Fresh Brew Fridays and read about others on their spiritual journey. Ungrind is a great place to find support and encouragement for your daily life.

Mini Training

Last night was the long awaited first night of Mini training. It went really well and was super informative. I received my training schedule and it is very intimidating. I have 5 runs a week  and one day of cross training. That leaves one day of rest. ONE. This is similar to what I was doing back in November before I was injured. But two days were cross training and only three runs. I am nervous about getting all those in. I really dont want to burn out but I also want to be prepared for my first marathon so that I can run and finish!

This was my yummy feul for my run. Organic spring mix salad with strawberries, feta and walnuts

And this was me before I left. It was 36 degrees, raining and very windy for the run. But, with my new gear, I stayed warm! My shoes were completely wet as well as my socks in the first few minutes of the run...Yuck! Of course I also wore a hat, my neck warmer and two layers of gloves. Overall, I stayed warm! (Like how I am refelecting there?)

Yummy Recipe

I have had a few people ask me for recipe's so I thought I would post last night's dinner. I totally made it up but it was yummo! (it looks a little burnt but it wasnt, that was just the mozzarella around the edges)

Lots of shredded roasted herb chicken (I roasted it in the crockpot on low for 8 hrs the day before with onions and spices)
5 oz of spinach
Feta cheese (to your liking)
A little bit of mozarella around the egdes
Pesto spread liberally around pizza
Namaste pizza crust made out of the bag
 
450 for 15 minutes. It was really good! Next time, I am putting olives and tomatoes with spinach and feta
 
*I am making smoothies for lunch and will post pics later! Enjoy:) Update: Here ya go!

1 large frozen banana

1 cup frozen blueberries

5 fresh strawberries

1/2 cup Kefir

2 tablespoons Flax seeds

It's a yummy and filling lunch! Success!

Now onto making carrot chips for a snack later:)

What's in your fridge Wednesday?

Fruit counter: Organic apples, bananas, organges, onions and dehydrated apples with cinammon, organic, fair trade expresso whole bean coffee

top shelf: blueberries, strawberries, hummus, organic yogurts for Chase, and Naked Juice

second shelf: three cartons of brown eggs, feta cheese, five pd bag of organic carrots, gluten free brown rice tortillas

*in the drawer is bleu cheese, individual slices probiotic white cheddar cheese, organic salsa

third shelf: Tayler's milk, Kefir, waters (our filter needs to be replaced), organic spring mix and organic spinach (for smoothies)

bottom left shelf: organic spring mix salad, organic celery, fresh dill

bottom right shelf: two packages of Trader Joe's beef and Organic sirloin roast

The essentials: honey, coconut oil, pesto, baking soda, olive oil and coconut flour

Walnuts, Namaste gluten free, casein free and lots of other thingss free:)  pizza crust, raw organic cacao nibs, almond butter and flax seeds

 Okay, so we have to keep hump day excitng right? And what else is more exciting than pics of your frig?:) I have seen this posted on a few different blogs and thought I would do the same. So, if you are as lame as me, celebrate hump day by posting pics of your frig and perhaps your menu for the week! I love to take ideas and try them for our family...Some of the blogs I have gotten great ideas from are: http://www.mckinneyclan3.blogspot.com/ http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/ and http://www.rawandcrunchy.org/
I also look at SCD websites and gluten free recipes online.

Our menu:


Breakfast:
Pancakes (made with coconut flour) and fruit
eggs and fruit
almond butter and banana nut muffins (with cacao nibs)

Lunch:

Leftovers from dinner
organic salads
organic free range turkey and probiotic cheese

Dinners:
Organic sirloin roast with organic broccoli and roasted carrots
Cocktail shrimp with organic salad (stawberries, feta, walnuts)
Hamburgers with bleu cheese and organic salad
Gluten free pizza (feta, pesto, roasted herb chicken, walnuts, spinach, onions) *and whatever else I decide to throw on there
Tacos (with gluten free tortillas)
Pizza again (it comes with two and we love pizza people!)
Organic herb roasted chicken and organic roasted veggies

Snacks:
Carrot chips
dehyrdrated apples
oranges
bananas
gluten free brown rice tortillas with banana slice and almond butter (yum!) see pic; its Chase's new fave

*will also have smoothies for bfast or lunch consisting of: organic spinach, blueberries, stawberries, frozen bananas, flax seed and kefir; I will definitely post pics

If you are interested in recipe's or price ranges/shopping organic on a budget, just leave a comment or email me. It really is so doable!

Training Update III

Okay, so its week 3 and the week has finally come that I have been blogging about for months! It's the offical Mini Marthon training! I am terrified and excited! I have been doing 3 runs  a week since September (for the most part) but this eek kicks off the 12 week training leading up to the event. Good times:)

Okay, so back to the update: I didnt do much last week. I ran one day, did bootcamp one day and did Yoga one day. I was a serious slacker:(

This week, I went to a bootcamp style class this morning (Insanity workout if you've heard of it-but we do it with breaks) My first run of the week will be Thursday night unless I make myself go tonight...which I am thinking I will.

I will do Yoga on Friday for sure again. I feel like my body is telling me to rest a little so I am only going to bootcamp once a week if at all.

On another note, I am really getting into Yoga again. It really gets you in tune with your body. I love that and feel like it is very important. Listen to your body. Oh and don't forget Biggest Loser comes on tonight!

How is your training going?

In honor of Martin Luther King

Click on the playlist on the right and turn up your volume to listen to one of the most poweful speeches in history. I also encourage you to go dowtown or visit a museum to teach your children about his life. What bravery, what selflessness, what legacy. He was a pioneer, a true hero. And his life deserves to be honored.

Did You Know...?

Saw this video at church and thought I'd share it.

Adventures in eating SCD

Just bake an organic spaghetti squash

Sautee' onions, mushrooms and bacon

Take out the squash and add mixture. Top with parmesan and you have Spaghetti Carbona

Mix almond butter, eggs, banana and honey

And enjoy these almond butter muffins

Organic Butternut squash chips (still perfecting this)

Organic Carrot chips (again havent mastered yet)

My lunch today (Organic spinach leaves, bleu cheese, organic pears, walnuts and dried cranberries)

"I can't believe its not mashed poatoes" bake

steamed organic cauliflower, sauteed onions and mushrooms, egg, coconut flour, parmesan and spices

(this pic was before it was done and it wont rotate for some reason)

Just simmer almond butter, honey, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour in loaf pan and freeze for one hour

Enjoy these yummy caramels

Tonight's dinner: Organic baked chicken with tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lemon juice, jalepenos and a little bit of cheddar

organic celery with hummus

Here are some pics of food I made yesterday and today. Eating this way is definitely a learning process, but SO worth it. I feel so good knowing that I am feeding my family organic whole foods that give them nutrients and not heart disease or other illnesses. That may seem extreme but if you do the research, you will be quite surprised at what you find in your foods. Those "tasty" foods that seem hard to give up pale in comparison to fresh foods that have natural flavors. I realize its not for everyone but if you are interested, just leave a comment or email me for more specific instructions on recipe's.

What's on your menu for the week?

Training Update II/Update officially 123 for the last two days!

No, no..I didnt cut my hair, dye it black or start dressing like a man. It's just a picture of a random dude that describes how I feel. Exhausted.

So, its been another week already and I am weighing in b/t 124-126. I keep going up and down. If you've been following for a while (is anyone out there?:) then you know that I do this each time I hit a big milestone. I hang out around the weight going up and down, up and down, until finally staying at the lower number. Then, I repeat. I am so ready to be at my goal of 118 and maintain! But, really it is just a life long journey. I havent been dieting. Its all been learning and making lifestyle changes. Sometimes, its overwhelming...like when I am tired from going to bed at midnight and getting up at 5a.m. to do bootcamp. But, enough whining!

So, here is the training update. Last week, I went to an intense class (just like bootcamp) and ran the three days (one outdoor run at 19 degrees) This week, I plan on two days of bootcamp and three runs-with one outdoor run on Saturday. I am going to try and get 4-5 miles in at my runs but I am just not sure. I am in serious need of a new play list. Did I mention I am tired?:)

I am eagerly anticipating Mini Marathon training next week. Once that begins, I have to get in four runs in a week. I cant believe that it is time to train and that I am that much closer to running my first marathon. Wow.

Now, put down that doughnut and show me those results people!!

Souffle'Saturday!

The essentials (minus the marinara)

Pancakes with blueberries and strawberries

Pancake mix consists of coconut flour, eggs, honey, vanilla, almond butter and banana

Salmon patties with cucumber and dill sauce

Cheese and onion biscuits (coconut flour)

Almond butter brownies batter consists of almond butter, eggs and honey

Almond butter brownies

Okay, so I didnt make any souffle's but it was catchy..I couldnt help myself...(Brian says I am a cheese ball) So, I did a lot of cooking yesterday as it was day 1 of eating only organic, unprocessed, gluten free foods. It actually goes deeper than just gluten free. I will explain all of that later. But, it is the SCD diet-which stands for specific carbohydrate diet...not what it sounds like. We are basically embarking on this adventure to help reduce our risk of heart disease, cancers, diabetes and just overall health. We are eating only natural foods from the earth. Brian has committed to one week so far. I'm crossing my fingers it becomes a way of life. If you are interested in recipe's, just leave a comment and I will email you. For more information on the SCD way of living, see http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/ (It's not a diet to lose weight and its intention is not to be low carb but can be)

Here's a great short article on coconut flour: http://www.livestrong.com/article/28183-health-benefits-coconut-flour/