Fit RN

M.I.A.

2011-07-31T21:15:00.000-04:00

I could not stand to not have a post in the month of July, so here I am... July 31st. Can you believe tomorrow is August 1st? Where has this year gone? I have had quite a few people tell me that they have missed my blogs, and to be honest, I missed blogging. However, I had to cut a lot of things out of my life because school was kicking my butt. Here are some things that I did this last month:

My beautiful cousin Ashley's WEDDING weekend in COLORADO!

My finals were on July 20th, so I ran, worked, studied, slept..... for three weeks straight. I cut out reading, friends, family activities, and computer.... Clay even changed my Facebook password so I would not be tempted to get on (sad, right?).

At work, we have multiple six week challenges throughout the year for our employees to join. In the beginning of the year, we focused on weight loss and knowing what your "numbers" were (cholesterol, glucose, BMI, body fat %...etc.). The next challenge focused on nutrition; we set goals for our employees to add more color to their diet (red/apples, orange/peppers, yellow/squash.....you get the idea). The challenge that we just started is called the YOU CAN challenge. What I LOVE about this challenge is that the EMPLOYEE gets to pick their goal; we do not make it for them. The first two weeks of the challenge the employees gets out their calendar and PLANS tasks/activities that will help them to accomplish their goals. For instance, do you want to lose weight? Do you want to reduce a pants size? MAKE IT HAPPEN. Get out your calendar and set a date to go to the grocery store and buy your food, plan your workouts, and schedule time to meet up with friends to workout together. If your goal is to have more time with your family, SCHEDULE IT. My husband always tells me that, "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting change, but always getting the same result." Is that what you are doing with some area of your life? It has definitely been thought provoking for me.

Speaking of my hubby, he sold his first house in the last few weeks as well. I am so proud of him. He is LOVING his new job!

Last week, I went to a diabetes seminar and learned ALOT about helping people control their diabetes while they are at work. If you know me at all, THIS IS MY PASSION. Diabetes (type 2) is preventable and our society is in an epidemic. There was a lady at this event (she was a benefits/HR manager at her company) who was complaining about how expensive healthy food was; she was the largest woman there. I always have to hold my tongue when people say that because it is simply not true. There are EXPENSIVE healthy foods, yes. However, you do not have to eat ORGANIC everything (or anything). I rarely buy organic items because of the price. Items like brown rice, beans, seasonings, chicken (buy it when it is on sale and freeze it), oat meal, peanut butter, eggs.... these are all staples. I buy fresh produce in the beginning of the week, but I have frozen veggies for the end of the week because buying produce for a whole week can be pricey. This same woman, ate three cookies at lunch... and they were free... it is not just a price thing for her. I am not saying NEVER indulge, but seriously, we were at a diabetes seminar. Control your portions at least.

I have also been enjoying a new book, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Very good so far; I have a hard time reading for pleasure, thanks to college, so I am determined to get back in the "reading" loop.

New training goals: I am running the Ragnar Relay in the Florida Keys in January. I am so excited, not only for the course, but also for the group I am running with. We are going to have so much fun. There are a few half marathons that I will be running in the fall as well, so stay tuned!

Have a good week everyone!

sunshine

2011-06-30T16:17:00.001-04:00

Say hello to the sunshine state. Unfortunately the last few days of our beach trip looked like this. We had a great time with family though. Now, Clabo is heading home and I'm off to Denver for my cousin's wedding. I had a few good runs at the beach and I have already mapped out a few in Colorado... in between wedding festivities, homework, and family time. Have a good afternoon!!

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Another Chicken Recipe

2011-06-24T08:44:00.000-04:00

Last year, I made this slow cooker recipe from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet: Cookbook. It was very good and I thought I would share it for those of you that are tired of "grilled" chicken.... like me. It is a crock pot recipe so set it and forget it!!!! Have a good weekend!!!!!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)

1 medium onion - peeled and finely chopped

3 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks

4 stalks celery trimmed and chopped

4 cloves garlic passed through a garlic press

1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes (not the ones found packed in oil)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 2/3 Cup chicken stock-low sodium

1 can 1 (15 oz each) navy beans, pinto beans or black eye peas, rinsed and well drained

1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped fine

1 tsp thyme

2 Tbsp minced parsley

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 small skinless boneless turkey breast cut into 4 large pieces

Directions:
1. Peel and slice the onion.

2. Peel and cut the carrots

3. press the garlic

4. trim and cut the celery

5. Rinse and drain the beans of your choice

Cooking:
1. Spread half of beans in the bottom of your slow cooker

2. Season poultry with pepper and sea salt.. Heat EVO over medium heat in a skillet. Brown the poultry on both sides in the skillet for about 5 minutes each side.

3. Place the browned poultry on top of the beans in the slow cooker. Top with the remaining beans and the chicken stock. (you can sub with water)

4. In the same skillet, saute onions, carrots, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, celery and herbs. Stirring occasionally.

5. Spread the mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
-----------------------
Cover and cook Low 6 hr (or High 3 hr) until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
Makes 6 servings.

261 calories, protein 24g, carbs 24g, Dietary fiber 6g, fat 6g, and sodium 553mg

Recipes and a little bit o' fun.

2011-06-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

I have been asked by a few individuals lately to post a few more recipes. I have an exam on Wednesday, so that is not going to happen in the next few days because my dinner tonight will consist of egg whites and broccoli, and my lunch was a boca burger and broccoli, so no body wants to read about that. I do not even want to think about it because it was so boring.

Here is my resource for my protein bars: Get Lean, Eat Clean with Jamie Eason. My favorite is the carrot cake protein bars, adapted by yours truly with pumpkin instead of carrots. My mother in law puts shredded pineapple in her carrot cake bars sometimes and IT IS AHHHHMAAAZING. It is just so helpful to have a nice treat ready for you to enjoy.... without having to splurge =) The chocolate ones are BETTER THE NEXT DAY.... not so yummy right out of the refrigerator.

Another resource I really like is MyFitnessPal.com. You can put in your information and track what you eat. I am not a tracker, BUUUUTTTTT, I recommend for everyone to at least track themselves for a day or two JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ARE EATING. Americans are so accustomed to SUPER SIZING life, so do it, do it now..... seriously. GO. If you do not like MyFitnessPal, try sparkpeople.com or livestrong.com. They are all FREE, so check them out.

Also, I am the QUEEN of the at home workout. You do not have to go to the gym for 2 hours a day. TRUST ME. I am super busy so I have to adapt a lot of my workouts to be functional in my living room. Check out this plyometric video.... LOVE IT.

If you need any more encouragement, let me know. I am always here with a cheeeeezy thumbs up for ya!

Sorry if this picture gives you nightmares later......

day off #1

2011-06-16T15:18:00.002-04:00

This is what I'm doing the rest of the day... what are you up to? I'm hoping to go for a run but it is 900 degrees out so I may have missed my opportunity since I slept in until 9!!! Happy Thursday! The week is almost over :)

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Back on the Road

2011-06-11T09:50:00.001-04:00

This morning I woke up determined to run. I have not run in more than a month. I did this on purpose though. I tend to eat worse when I run a lot. I decided to clean up my eating habits, hit the gym, burn some body fat, and then start to run again. I did not diet. I just ate clean... complex carbs, lean meats, vegetables, and dessert (in a proper portion) if I wanted it. To be completely honest, I did not lose any weight, but my body fat % changed some AND Claybo said I look leaner.... which, is a HUGE deal to me.... not because I am insecure about how my husband sees me, but because it takes A LOT for him to notice anything and I have been working really hard... So I feel like I accomplished my goal..... not to lose weight, but to clean up what I was eating. I also do not want to burn through lean muscle mass as I start to run again. Your body is more efficient at burning calories when you have muscle.... so WHY would I want to burn through muscle? If my body has to potential to burn more calories while I sit and do NOTHING..... that is EXACTLY what I want it to do. I am too busy to run 2 hours a day and hit the gym for 2 hours a day.... that is unrealistic.

Anyways, I ordered a Garmin Forerunner 405 (I worked a few extra side jobs to earn some extra cash.... they were HARD side jobs, so this is sooooo worth it) and I am so pleased..... side note, if you want one of these, go to www.heartratemonitorusa.com. BEST. PRICES. ANYWHERE.

I ran a VERY HARD 3 miles this morning. Ernest went with me to keep me company.... we are both out of shape. I kept a good pace though and just kept telling myself that this is the worst it will be. I am pretty impressed with the 405 so far. As soon as my watch got in range with my computer, it uploaded my run. I saw all of my walk breaks, the times I had to slow down to cross a street, and I saw my killer sprint at the end....when I say "killer," I do not mean that it was good, I mean that it almost killed me.

I know I have spoken about goals before, but I want to address this again. I am reading a book for a class I teach at work and I love it. (Progress not Perfection by Kate Larsen) Not only is it health/fitness/wellness based, but she is a Christian and applies the same goal-making-principles to every day relationships (God included). One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they set goals is instead of READY, AIM, FIRE people decide to READY, FIRE, AIM.... for example, Susie-Q wants to have legs like Carrie Underwood. She immediately stops eating carbs, hits the gym 5 times a week, and works out really hard for 2 hours each time. Susie-Q is going to burn out. Instead, she should ask herself WHY she wants legs like that. Is it a REASONABLE goal for her? What is your action plan??? What is ONE STEP she can work on for a week? I have an employee that I was working with a few months ago. She came to me because she was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes and she wanted to lose weight. I asked her why. It gets pretty personal when you do that. Is it to make yourself look like someone else? Is it to glorify your own self? Is it because you want to FEEL better.... ok, we are getting somewhere. Is it because you want to be able to run around with your kids or grandkids? All my employee did the first week was cut down to ONE sweet tea a day (instead of 4). She lost 4 pounds the first week, was so encouraged, and was able to pick a new step. YOU NEED TO FORM GOOD HABITS.

Stop over analyzing yourself!!!!!!

I am sorry this was kind of a soap box trail, but I really get sad for people who get discouraged because they think they CANNOT accomplish their goals. You have the will power.... you just need to set SMALL goals for yourself. I have been applying this to how I read my Bible. If I just say, "I want to know my Bible like she does," instead of "I want to know my Bible better to Know God better,".... my motives are not correct. PLUS, if I never pick up my Bible, study it, or ask God to help me apply it to my life.....how do I expect to learn? HELLO.... There is no such thing as osmosis studying.... speaking of which, epidemiology is calling my name. Happy Saturday everyone!!!

xoxo

Shout OUT to Claybo

2011-06-08T13:43:00.001-04:00

MadeByGirl - BLOGS AND COFFEE - ESPRESSO

From j.ramos at MadeByGirl.com

Dear Clay,
If you choose to read my blog today, you can add this poster the list of present ideas for your wife that I know you keep.

Love, B.

Tuesday = Leg Day

2011-06-07T05:10:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I am up at 4 am and ready for the day. I wanted to share a little bit about how I streamline meals for the week so that I do not have to do as much in the morning.... more time for coffee and blogging when I wake up =) Today is leg day at the gym, so I needed extra time to drink my coffee and eat my snack..... snack and ibuprofen because Vicki is going to tear me up today.

MASSIVE lunch box

First, I have my amazing lunch box... it has my work logo on it, so I covered it up. It acts as a cooler and it holds EVERYTHING.

Tupperware!!!

Next, I use multiple little things of Tupperware. I used to keep a thing of peanut butter at my desk, but I would go through way too much peanut butter, way too fast.... it is really embarrassing, so I will not tell you how fast, or how much.... but I have portion control issues with PB so I put my serving in my lunch box and I am done with it =) I have oats and flax seed next to it.... I will add hot water, cinnamon, honey, and pb later on this morning for snack/bigger breakfast. I made chicken on Sunday and have used it for the last few lunches/dinners. I sliced a tomato and through it all over romaine. I do not use dressing, so I will just eat it like that.... mostly because I am lazy and I refuse to pay for dressing. My mom makes her own, but I am still working on that.

Fast, inexpensive, and yummy!!!

I LOVE my toaster oven!

When I made the chicken the other night, I used Publix chicken breast tenderloins.... on sale! I placed them in aluminum foil on a pan, sliced onions, sprinkled garlic powder and salt free creole seasoning on it, and baked it in the toaster oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

ALL DONE

Sorry it is blurry. I really like cooking in bulk because it makes throwing lunch together super easy.Well, this nurse has to head out the door. Have a great day!!!!

P.S. Any runners out there? Tell me your running plan/goals/stories!!! I am grounded to do homework tonight AND my Garmin 405 just came in the mail!!! It is torture. I am saving it for tomorrow night.... I need extra motivation because I have taken a few weeks off from running and I know I am going to be frustrated that I will feel awful after the first minute.... just kidding.... Hopefully it will not be that bad =) xoxo

monday is scary

2011-06-06T07:23:00.003-04:00

Another week has started. Happy Monday. I started my morning off with an upper body blast/massacre with my friend BJ.... she rocks, and so does her daughter.... way too much fun for one family...

Anyways, I have a few funny thoughts, and then my bus ride will be over and it will be work time:
- the above magazines keep coming in the mail.... does someone know something I do not?
- I reached into my glove compartment to find a napkin and almost sliced my finger on my razor I keep for just in case I have stubble.....almost lost a finger.
- I then reached my hand in my duffle bag for my deodorant and my chi was still hot from getting ready.... Seriously? Too many close calls for this early in the morning.

Watch out world.... I am dangerous today.
HAPPY MONDAY!!!!

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It's Been a While

2011-06-05T18:36:00.000-04:00

Sunny afternoon in Florida

Does anyone else out there suffer with "post weekend blues" ? I DO. Every Sunday evening, around 5:00pm, I start to get sad that the weekend is over. What do you do to get rid of them? What do you have left to do to get ready for the week? I still have to get some laundry finished and grill chicken for the next few days.... while watching Breakfast at Tiffany's of course =)

Last week I experimented with something: A.M. workouts again. My friend graciously accepted my offer to meet me at 5:30am a few times a week. The way my schedule is lately, it is morning or nothing.... for the most part. I choose to do this because I have family and friends that live in the area and I want to be able to see them after work for family parties/dinners AND get homework finished if necessary. I have a few half marathons coming up AND I have some personal fitness goals of my own, so that requires insuring that I get my workouts in... plus, the ladies that I will be meeting in the morning are INCREDIBLY encouraging and uplifting. I am truly thankful for their fellowship and wisdom that they share with me.... while we are sweating and gasping for air in between sets =)

I was asked to speak at a girls night (the theme was health and fitness) for the college group at our church last week.... and I started thinking..... each person's health and fitness goals are personal and unique. I would never tell someone to workout as much as I do in order to be healthy. I care more about helping you with your blood sugar and blood pressure than I do your pants size. I genuinely ENJOY exercising.... and some of my closest friends enjoy exercising as well, so it is my "girl" time. Other people relax by reading, gardening, watching tv/movies, or some other hobby. I enjoy exercising, training people, and reading about new fitness/health research projects..... not because I think we all need to be a size 0, but because I want to know what people are saying so that I can be aware when I educate people. There is no magic formula that works for everyone. I will tell you this though: Nutrition is 80% of your health/fitness goals. Are you trying to decrease your blood pressure? Sodium decrease and water increase will help more than walking 2 hours a day and eating crap.

My life does not revolve around exercise. I am really not obsessed with this topic. Please understand that my JOB involves educating employees about lifestyle changes and disease management.... I read this stuff all day. Yes, my eyes light up when I talk about what strength training can do for a diabetic struggling with blood sugar control. True, when I see morbidly obese adults taking their morbidly obese children to McDonalds I want to cry.... seriously. Maybe if I did not read articles/textbooks about these things all day I would not notice..... even for grad school, my test questions involve things like "If company A was trying to show the relation between obese children and the distance they live to a fast food restaurant, what type of research study would they conduct......". I am so excited to be a nurse practitioner one day and really help adults who are struggling with these things..... but until then, I will continue to post my plethora of knowledge on the internet for interested persons to read at their leisure. Have a great evening..... ~B

Polite?

2011-05-20T08:24:00.001-04:00

Lately, there are two phrases that bother me.

"You are soooooo young....."

"You would understand if you had children....."

I do not tell you that you look "soooooo old....." (inappropriate) and I would certainly never say, "Well, stop complaining, you chose to have children......" (also, extremely inappropriate). So why do people feel like they can down play, or explain my feelings, experiences, and outlook on life? Claybo gets this as well..... We just look young I guess. Yep, we are 12 yrs old, have full time jobs, and pay bills. We are very mature middle schoolers. I think people honestly just do not think about their responses sometimes. I do not take offense to it, but I wish we would all be a little more "present" in each conversation. Stop thinking about what your response is going to be and TRULY listen to one another's feelings. Also, try to give others the benefit of the doubt.... maybe they do not really mean to affend you, they are just not aware of how they sound. Stop assuming the world is out to get you. Fear does not come from God, and I think anxiety/worry/paranoia all stem from fear.....

This week has flown by and I am excited to get a workout in after work today. There has been no downtime for me this week.... I have had something to do every night after work (I did get a good leg workout with with my friend Rebekah on Monday, but that is about the extent of my gym visits). The semester has just started and my workouts have pretty much consisted of circuits in my living room while dinner was cooking, laundry was drying, or an online video for school was playing. I hope you have a good weekend. I am sooooooo ready!!!!

Compartmentalized

2011-05-17T10:10:00.002-04:00

Lunch packing made easy! Ever wonder why guys can just "think" about losing weight and they drop five lbs? Not only do they naturally have a faster metabolism, they also are more "compartmentalized".... Women are like spaghetti noodles, men are like waffles. Our thoughs, conversations, stress, and mood all interact with one another. Guys can genuinely be thinking about NOTHING. They finish emptying the dishwasher and honestly do not see the dishes in the sink that could be loaded.... it is just the way it is. We cannot change them.

I applied this to my lunch/meal planning. If you pre portion your meals, you are more likely to eat out of hunger and not emotions or boredom. I found this 60 piece tupperware set at Ross the other day for $9. I love it. Do not sit on the couch with a bag of chips.... you are setting yourself up. You CAN do it. Women complicate and sabotage their nutrition because "I had a bad day and deserve this venti frapp" or "I have tried and failed so what is the use." Snap out of it! You have will power. You deserve to treat your body as a temple.... if you are a Christian you are called to, but that is another topic. Let me know if you need help. I will help you, pray for you, and brainstorm. We all started somewhere. Pre portion and enjoy :)

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Easy Peeeezy

2011-05-11T07:36:00.003-04:00

I do not know who invented the crock pot, but I am pretty sure he or she was a busy, efficient, type A individual. I love setting it up in the morning, heading out for the day, and coming home to the delicious smell of a finished meal. This morning I set up my version of lemon lentils.

- two cups lentils

- the rest of my low sodium chicken broth (about a cup and a half)

- onions and peppers pre chopped and frozen (one cup)

- one lemon, squeezed and sliced

- garlic

- salt free Cajun seasoning
I set my pot on low because it will be nine hours before I'm home.

I will let you know how it turns out. I desperately need to go grocery shopping so this was created with scraps :) have a good day!!!

What is your favorite CROCK POT recipe????

Check out this interesting BEACH BODY READY article

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munchies

2011-05-10T15:27:00.001-04:00

Need help curbing your afternoon cravings? Hot tea works for me. Don't sabotage your goals by eating mindlessly. Chew gum, drink calorie free beverages, or go for a walk. If all else fails, I heard tape works :)

Be careful though. Usually, if you are eating enough you will not crash or feel like you are starving. Know the difference between hunger and "munchies." I hope everyone is having a good day!

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It's a new day

2011-05-09T08:30:00.000-04:00

Oh, Monday. How I have not missed you. However, I did have an extra "pep in my step" this morning just knowing that I do not have homework this evening. Yesterday was probably the most relaxing day I have had in a long time. Claybo and I went to church, my parents went to their church, and we all met at our place afterward. We ate Cuban sandwiches and then hit the pool. The great thing about owning a townhouse is NO YARD WORK and a PERFECTLY KEPT POOL that yours truly does not have to take care of. SCORE. My sister Dianna and her hubby Nathan came over as well... she brought an Edible Arrangement for my mom, so we all munched as we swam and soaked up some rays.

The boys took off on Clay's boat and the rest of us sat on my back porch, drank lemonade, and stalked this HUGE cat. 29 lbs...I asked. The owner was quite proud. I decided not to go off on him with a lecture about animal abuse....he does, after all, life next door.

We went out for yummy Mexican food, frozen yogurt, and ended up back on our back porch. So relaxing. Such a great mom. She is the most unselfish person I know, and I hope I will be like her when I reach mommy stage....MANY MANY YEARS. Stop asking. Cheers to you mom!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Healthy Topic: What are your goals this week? Care to post? Read a book? Run a certain mileage this week? I have been studying about the psychology of setting goals....nerdy because that was not in school, that was my "free time."

via good!!!

2011-05-09T07:31:00.001-04:00

This morning's discovery:
- one packet of Starbucks via instant coffee
- one frozen banana
- one cup almond milk
- one scoop vanilla protein powder
- handful of ice
- sweetener of choice to taste
BLEND!!!

So yummy. Happy Monday!

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This is the life.....

2011-05-07T08:43:00.001-04:00

I am sitting in bed, drinking coffee, reading blogs, and watching a movie with the hubby.... Seriously, loving this morning. I will manage to get my lazy rear end to the gym sometime. We have graduation parties and family events the rest of the day, so I need to do something. I Hope you all are relaxing as well. The above picture is his majesty, Malcolm. He reigns the home of Billy and Ruthy... Well, he used to until Liam came a long =) Well, I am going to get more coffee and plan a few workouts for the week.... and get my books ordered for my next semester.... Epidemiology. Jumping for joy.

Post Final

2011-05-06T21:26:00.000-04:00

Finals are over! Seriously, what a relief. I have managed to get a few strength training workouts in this week, but no running. I am contemplating my run for tomorrow, but it will be the first day in WEEKS that I am able to sleep in without an alarm so I am going to take advantage.... which pretty much means I will wake up at 7:30am because I am cool like that.

Last week, I was given the opportunity to go out to dinner at Berns Steak House in Tampa with my family. Claybo's grandma turned 85, so his parents treated her (and all of us) to dinner at this renown restaurant. WHAT A TREAT. I have seen the wine cellar on the food network before, and we were able to take a tour. There were bottles of wine in there that were worth $40,000.... seriously? We took a tour of the kitchen and enjoyed dinner and the desert room... yes, they take you to a separate room for dessert. MY DREAM.

I ordered swordfish.... not ok to eat if you are pregnant... lucky for me, that is not a problem.

French onion soup... decent. I cannot eat that much cheese. My thighs appreciate it though.

Claybo's DelMonico steak

FABULOUS salad. All organic veggies from their garden!

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate... seriously, that is the name.

Mississippi Mud Pie

The whole gang =) ~ Claybo's side of the family

King Midas... carrot cake with macadamia nut ice cream... holy cellulite. Amazing.

I am ready to get back to my running/blogging schedule. It is funny how we find "outlets" for our brains to take a break. Mine is fried. I hope everyone had a great week. I am posting a few workouts tomorrow. Stay tuned. Be safe. Work out. Be smart. "make good choices...." seriously, my parents said that when I would leave the house in high school.... Ok, signing off. Good night =)

Greener Grass???

2011-05-04T21:31:00.000-04:00

One of the things that bothers me the most about some people is the inability to be real. The last thing I want is for people to think that I have it all together all the time (try, NONE of the time....what is "all together" anyways.....another soapbox). Women tend to compare themselves to other people too much so I wanted to share my dirt. I believe this is part of the female sinful nature; my identity is in Christ... not in what Mrs.X is doing, wearing, organizing, or cooking. I AM WHO GOD MADE ME. The truth is, I am awful at keeping things organized when I get busy. I do not take care of the things around the house that need to get done when there are other things to do. Finals week looks like this:

Dinner anyone? Sure, take a seat.... oh wait....

Where are all of the coffee mugs.... seriously. All dirty

How many times can you wear dirty socks in one week?

When we tell ourselves that we "should have done" this and we "should have done that," we are only living in the past. NEGATIVE SELF TALK does not come from God, and if you do not believe in God, even psychologists say that NEGATIVE SELF TALK is destructive and will not help you accomplish your goals. Think about what your priorities are. If spending time with your family, getting in a little workout, visiting a friend that needs you, or spending time SLEEPING are more important than that final load of laundry.... let it go. Keeping a spotless house does not make you superwoman, righteous, or wife of the year. No one expects your house to be spotless all of the time. I give you permission to let yourself off the hook. Go to bed. Go for a walk. Take a bath. Stop beating yourself up.

I just finished my first of two finals. I am going to study for number two and then hit the sack. Have a great evening everyone....

Hodge Podge

2011-05-04T07:42:00.001-04:00

Here is my hodge bodge of a lunch/snacks today:
- bowl o' veggies
- carrot cake protein bars
- whole wheat tortilla
- almonds

Hopefully it will all come together with some tuna at work. I have a final tonight so wish me luck and say a prayer! My brain is fried and today is going to be a busy day at work. I have done a few pretty cool weight circuits the past few days that I want to share. Stay tuned! Happy Hump Day!!

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smooothieeeee

2011-05-03T07:29:00.001-04:00

Just a quick recipe and workout. Finals are this week so I am pretty spacey... don't let the picture fool you, I am obviously not a photographer :) this was delish!

1 frozen banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
Sweetener of choice
Handful of spinach
2 tbsp of wheat germ
1 tbsp peanut butter
5 ice cubes

Enjoy!

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Best Husband Ever

2011-04-30T12:18:00.001-04:00

My work participated in a charity event this morning that I needed to go to because I was a team captain. It was a great cause and I am glad I was able to be a part of it. However, I want to focus on my fabulous husband. He woke up this morning WITH ME and left the house at 6:30am to go WALK WITH ME. Clay, Ernest, and I walked for the charity event! I was so excited that my little family was all together. I was proud to show off my husband to all of my coworkers and I really enjoyed seeing everyone outside of the office setting.

Flowers that he bought me

Ernest

Great pic of Clay... I kinda look like I am in a daze

I love him so much and I think he is the greatest man on the planet. If anyone needs to buy a house or find an investment deal in the Tampa area... HE IS YOUR MAN... Well, he is mine, but he can help you =)

I have a ton of homework to get done (FINALS NEXT WEEK!!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!!) but I wanted to put a little workout on here for my friend Sam... I always tell her to do intervals and circuits for weight loss. It has kind of been my MO and she thinks I am crazy. Here is a good one:

What you need: Treadmill, or area to run, weights, mat, maybe a bench (not required)

Warm up walk 3:00

Jog 3:00

20 Pushups

20 Crunches

20 Jumping sqauts (or regular squats if you are embarrassed to do that in public or have knee problems)

Jog 3:00

15 Pushups

15 Crunches

15 jumping squats

Jog 3:00

10 Pushups

10 Crunches

10 Jumping squats

SPRINT 1:00

Jog 2:00

20 Tricep Dips

20 Plank Toe Taps (you are in a plank, but you tap your foot...left tap, right tap = one... so 40 taps total)

20 Lunges

Jog 3:00

15 Tricep Dips

15 Plank Toe Taps (you are in a plank, but you tap your foot...left tap, right tap = one... so 40 taps total)

15 Lunges

Jog 3:00

10 Tricep Dips

10 Plank Toe Taps (you are in a plank, but you tap your foot...left tap, right tap = one... so 40 taps total)

10 Lunges

SPRINT 1:00

Jog 2:00

20 Bicep Curls

20 Bicycle Crunches

20 Step ups on a bench or plie squats (toes pointed out... stand with your feet wider than your shoulders)

Jog 3:00

15 Bicep Curls

15 Bicycle Crunches

15 Step ups on a bench or plie squats (toes pointed out... stand with your feet wider than your shoulders)

Jog 3:00

10 Bicep Curls

10 Bicycle Crunches

10 Step ups on a bench or plie squats (toes pointed out... stand with your feet wider than your shoulders)

Jog 5:00

Cool Down 3:00

ENJOY~ xoxo

ps. This is for you Sam.

For Sam... She knows

Royal Snack

2011-04-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

At work we are all looking forward to gathering around the TV to watch the royal kiss. I am about to leave for work, but I wanted to share my healthy "biscotti" or "scones" that I am going to make this weekend.

I got them from Jamie Eason at http://www.bodybuilding.com/
Orange Almond Biscotti

Per cookie:
Calories: 31
Carbs: 4 grams
Fat: .4 grams
Protein: 1.5 grams
Ingredients:
2 cups Oat Flour
1 cup Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Orange Extract
¼ tsp Salt
½ tbsp Almond Extract
4 Egg Whites
4oz baby food Applesauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients (oat flour, baking powder, salt) together in a large bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients (egg whites, Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal, almond extract, orange extract, baby food applesauce) together in a medium bowl.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Spray baking sheet with a non stick butter spray and spread mixture on sheet.
6. Bake for 20 min on middle rack.
7. Remove biscotti from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
8. Cut dough down the middle and cut into about 13 slices.
9. Bake in oven for another 15-20 minutes.
Makes about 26 cookies.

Have a cup of tea, hold the cream, and enjoy a healthy snack. Happy Friday everyone!!!!

Golf Last Night

NYC Negative

2011-04-27T17:45:00.000-04:00

Today I awaited anxiously, along with 93,000 people, to find out if I made it "IN" to the NYC Marathon 2011. Unfortunately, I did not. I was pretty disappointed in the whole process. We were told to tune in at noon... Well, great if you do not have a job! I am finding more and more "mega runners" that do not have jobs. I think I picked the wrong hobby to aim to excel at. ANYWAYS, after their live feed was finished, they started a ROLLING FEED of every name that was chosen. I sat their for all of 30 seconds before I turned it off and got back to work (lunch break was OVER). However, at the end, they did finally post a NAME SEARCH so that you could find out. BJ got in, but I did not. I am soooo happy for her. She is going to rock it. So now, I am left with a few decisions to make. What do I train for now???? Should I plan a fun trip/race? Probably not, because it gets expensive. There is a Rock 'n Roll Marathon in Savannah GA in November. I am leaning towards the Spacecoast Marathon at the end of November. Is this probably a GOD thing because grad school is so crazy right now? Probably. Am I still disappointed. Absolutely. So what is a girl left to do????? One word. Qualify. Next year, 2012, I am not going through this "AM I IN" business. D.U.M.B.

Healthy thought for today: Set goals for yourself. Think about what you want to achieve. Do you want to strengthen your relationship with God? Do you want to qualify for a race? Do you want to get a certain job? Do you want to get a certain GRADE? Do you want to go to a certain school? Do you want to lose a certain amount of weight? Claybo always tells me, "The definition of insanity is trying to do the same things over and over again expecting a different result." WOW. Stop staying up until 2am watching mindless TV and then complain the next day that you are tired. Stop saying you want to lose weight as you swing through the McDonalds drive through. Goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely). For example, "I want to look like Jamie Eason," is not a SMART goal. However, "I want to lose one inch in my thighs by the end of August," is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. "I want to spend more time with my husband," is probably not the best goal. "I will set aside Thursdays nights for 6 weeks to play 9 holes of golf," is more targeted. Does that make sense? Next, make a list of things, habits, or chores that get in the way of you accomplishing your goal. PLAN how to attack or avoid each thing. You cannot quit your job. You cannot give your children away. Be realistic. That might mean you have to give up TV. That might mean you have to wake up early to hit the gym. LOVE = SACRIFICE and and HARD WORK = SACRIFICE. Now, stop complaining and go work hard.... sorry, I am a little feisty tonight.

One last thought.... Never go bra less when you run. Thanks.

Night with Friends xoxo

2011-04-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

Tonight after work, Clay and I headed down to Hyde Park Village in South Tampa. What a lovely place. I love the shops, flowers, lamp posts, phone booths, and fountains. Here is a picture of my first trip down there with my roommates and friends in college:

Tonight we went to the Wine Exchange and enjoyed bread, fresh pizza, and yummy quesadillas.... check out how much cheese is in that thing. It had cheddar, feta, and a TON of veggies. The vegetables were not just onions; I am talking your cruciferous category... cauliflower and broccoli! Holy YUMMMMY.

Gina and her hubby Eric met us there. WHAT LOVELY PEOPLE. I have few friends that I feel like I can be 100% MYSELF, and she is definitely one of them. Check out her blog here. She is an amazing photographer. Classic. Romantic. Clean. Fresh. I just feel pretty and feminine looking at her pictures. Here is her photography site. We enjoyed chatting about blogging, networking, health, and fun ideas for the future. Thank you Gina for an amazing night!!!!

Healthy thought of the day: Some people that I have been working with have lost weight recently by taking the stairs whenever possible AND by eating a fruit or veggie of every color every day (red, orange, yellow....). It is the little choices we make that will result in big changes. Have a great evening. Hug your loved ones. Be present in each moment. Enjoy where you are at in life right now.