On Today's Plate

Once Upon a Time...

2014-06-09T15:58:00.002-07:00

I considered myself a fit girl. It wasn't that much long ago, or in a galaxy far, far away. Even if at the moment it *does* feel like a long time ago. I had managed to successfully lose 50+ lbs (22.5 kilos -- gotta convert now that I'm on metric, but more on that later), and kept it off for a year and a half. During that period of time, I had gone through a terrible relationship, lost my job, and couldn't find a new job for 6 months. Yes, I was sad and depressed, but it actually kept me more motivated to go to the gym. Being unemployed allowed me to spend MORE time at the gym, hurray. Well, now you all know what I did with my unemployement checks :P ha! After applying for everything (literally! I filled out an application to work at a damn Burger King), I started to work at a nice luxury hotel. My new job was amazing. Not what I had in mind, since I didn't go to school to be in the hotel industry, but I was pleased with my job.

There was a downfall about working at the hotel: time management. I started to make new friends, and started going out after my working hours, that I began to neglect my gym activities, and my diet -- including jiu jitsu. The little time I did go to the gym, I wasn't as active as I was when I was unemployed. I slacked off more, I didn't "dig deeper", as Shaun T. would say. I wasn't training as hard as I used to. I started to get more motivated about going out with the hotel people rather than keeping true to my gym regime. Little by little, I started to gain some weight.

A year into my hotel job, I switched departments, and got a new position at the hotel during the graveyard shift. At the time, I had a freelance job during the daytime (sporadical, not daily), and later my graveyard shift. I even had less time for myself, or for my hotel hangouts. I didn't even have time for the gym any more. I had joined Planet Fitness in the hopes that I could workout anytime, since it was a 24 hour gym, but it unmotivated me even more (no hate, PF).

Fast forward to today...I'm currently living in Spain. I'm studying abroad, but not with a study abroad program, get it? :P Now, I do have free time to exercise. If I can manage my time correctly, which sometimes I still can't properly do that, I can wake up early every morning, for an Insanity workout, go running around Parc Güell, etc. I still feel like I'm doing something wrong. As if I'm missing out on something. I'm not getting the results I was expecting, or losing the weight as fast as I did a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away). I don't want to use my age and metabolism as an excuse. I'm turning 30 next month, and all I hear is people just making me feel fucking old. "Sweety, you're turning 30, your metabolism isn't as fast as it was when you were 25....or 15" Listen, I know my metabolism bla bla bla, all that b.s. But that's no way to motivate me. Obviously, I might have to work harder, and diet more proper (what -- that last part didn't make any sense. It's not even proper English!!), but it can be done. I'm not going to use my "oh I'm so very old" age, or my metabolism as a stupid excuse.

I feel like I'm back at square one. Looking for all the endless solutions to my weight problems. I already KNOW what to do, I've done it before, what's keeping me from doing so? Sometimes I use my "oh, I don't have money to go to the gym" excuse. I KNOW I don't need a gym. First and foremost, what I need to do is control what goes into my damn mouth! I can't eat all the pa amb tomàquet in Barcelona...with a nice cold caña, not to mention those delicious bravas....ahh! At least I walk everywhere, or use a bicycle.

Well, here's to my journey (again).

Exhaustion...

2013-08-31T20:57:00.001-07:00

I recently re-learned the importance of sleeping!! See..a backstory to my work life. For almost a year now, I've been working the graveyard shift, 8pm - 4:30am. Because of that, I joined Planet Fitness, a 24 hour gym. Great idea, right?! I worked out a couple of times before going to work, o after. Unfortunately, as the months went by, I started to skip on my workouts, and slack off, until I literally just went to the gym like once a month. Wait, I got a little bit off track. Point is, I used to work the graveyard shift, yeah. Recently, I got bumped to a "normal people" shift, starting at 6am. On my night off, between my overnight shift and my new 6am shift, I decided to workout it with my BJJ and Coastie friends. We did cardio and core, and later we went to out BJJ practice. Btw, if my Polar watch is correct, we burned almost 500 calories in an hour's worth of exercise. That was the pre-BJJ workout. I don't wear my watch for BJJ.

I felt fine afterwords. Everything was burning (no pain, no gain, right?), and I even figured that I was tired early enough to go to bed and start my 6am shift well rested.

WRONG!

Since my sleeping pattern is still in graveyard shift mode, I couldn't go to sleep until 3am, only to wake up at 4:30am. And go to work.

That first day working at 6am wasn't too bad. I just felt tired. I got a little dizzy at the beginning of my shift. That was about it. So I still worked out that night. The next day was hell. I was gonna go train again with my friends, but I just couldn't bare to even stand on my own. I was weak, dizzy, walking all "drunken" like. I even cried after work cause I was just so damn tired. I was even falling asleep on the road. As soon as I got home, I decided I needed to go to bed.......at 7pm. Slept like a friggin' baby, until 4:30am!

Long story short, don't overkill yourself with your workouts. I'm so desperate to get back into the shape I was a couple of years ago, that I was skipping on my sleep. My own body kinda just shut down. It's also been on a lethargic stint, that it couldn't handle two back to back workouts like it used to. I'll be able to get back to that point. I'm starting right, again...

Oh, btw, here are some nice pics from the USCG here in Old San Juan. I loved training there!

Very Berry Overnight Oats

2013-08-28T18:32:00.001-07:00

Ho-lee SHIT! Man, I've made overnight oats before, but they were always just kinda bland...until my most recent overnight oats experiment. I present to you my Very Berry Overnight Oats:

1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
raspberries and blueberries*

*Berries of choice. I really didn't measure the berries. And notice how I didn't add any stevia, or agave nectar to my mix. Why? Because fruits already have sugar as it is.

Mix the oats, greek yogurt, almond milk, chia seeds, and cinnamon. If you want a more "liquidy", go ahead and pour some more almond milk into the mixture. Pour the mixture in an air tight container (glass or plastic). I layered my mixture as if it were a parfait. Refrigerated overnight. I left it for 12 hours. And, ta-da!! Devour it like there's no tomorrow!

Enjoy!!

Fat rage, instead of 'roid rage...

2013-08-19T23:05:00.001-07:00

Man, I haven't updated this in ages. Why? Cause I got fat...I feel like one of those athletes who were caught cheating, or using steroids (no hate towards A-Rod), or even like a President after a scandal. I feel like I let, not only myself, a lot of people down. When I started my weight loss journey, I had inspired a few of my friends even. My friend Jen (http://theroadto100-jennifer.blogspot.com) had even started her own weight loss journey. I felt powerful, and not in the evil-power kinda way. I felt like I was an example, and proved that anyone could do it. I know there are NO EXCUSES, but I guess I'll throw my excuses for now: - work (different shifts. working overnight, switching to a normal shift, etc) - relationships (a few toxic guys in my life here and there) - money (no money to buy quality food to make quality meals) - sucky gym (lamest of the excuses, but I had switched from LA Boxing to Planet Fitness due to my overnight work schedule) - injuries (guess who messed up her shoulder again? and now I need surgery!) - etc.. Anyway, I need to rebuild myself. I need to be my own inspiration. If I did it once, I can do it again. And I need to do it again. It just sucks that I let myself, and everybody else down.

On Today's Plate: Food

2012-09-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

For breakfast I had delicious oat bran pancakes (which I can't share the recipe online. If you'd like the recipe, then get this e-book) with a Stevia banana compote.

And as a snack, I just had some fresh beans with balsamic vinegar, onions, minced garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes over avocado slices. Ok, I need to work on my avocado slicing skills :P

On Today's Plate: Double Whammy!!

2012-09-01T20:17:00.001-07:00

Day 1: Mission Accomplished

Part 1: The Workout Bit:

Today was my BJJ day. Usually on Saturdays I wake up early, and, if I'm not scheduled to work that day, I attend my jiu jitsu practice. So, from approximately 9:00am til 1:00pm, I'm warming up, doing some cardio, some techniques, some grappling, etc. By the end of practice we're all scattered around the mats looking like sweaty squashed bugs. lol. Normally after BJJ, I just go home, and nap for a while. Today was a little different.

Last night one of my friends had the brilliant idea to go to the gym today. I was a little hesitant to say yes, since BJJ is exhausting. I agreed to it anyway, a little more cardio never hurt anybody, right? A little side note before I continue with my story. I was talking to my friend, and he tells me that he can lose weight faster than me. heh...I can get a little bit, what's the word, competitive at times. As soon a he said that I took it as a challenge. Now I have to prove to him how wrong he is/was/and will be. But yeah, a little more cardio never hurt anybody, right? Last night all I could think of was how tired I was gonna be after bjj and how I was just gonna slack off at the gym later. Since I remembered how I wanted to beat him at this competition (that only exists in my head, and he has no idea that's going on, lol), I made a little routine for today.

I started of by running internals for 20 minutes. Started out with 2 minutes of a brisk walk, then ran at 5mph for 3 minutes, and then ran at 6.5 mph for a minute. And you get the gist of it. And then...oh just look at the pic :P

I was tired, drenched in sweat, but I felt revitalized and glad to be back in the gym.

Part 2: Food Bit:

Breakfast: oatmeal
Snack: organic peanut butter on organic whole wheat crackers, and sliced bananas
Lunch: chicken and corn on the cob (no butter) -- kind of a late lunch too
Snack: plum
Dinner: _____

It's too late for me to make myself dinner (it's 11:15pm). The gym kind of interrupted my 6 meals a day thing. boo :P

---------------

I think that's all for today. Tomorrow...CARDIO!

Challenge Accepted!

2012-08-31T19:38:00.002-07:00

wtf is this sorcery...I'm gonna have to get used to the new blogger look, lol.

I haven't updated this blog in almost a year. I also probably haven't been as loyal to the gym in the past year as I was in the years before. I'm still proud of the fact that I lost 50 lbs!! What I'm not proud of is that in the past year and a half I've managed to put back ALMOST half of what I've lost. I'm not too proud of that, especially after the progress I had made. Instead of sitting back and, you know, being all depressed about how unfortunate my last year and a half has been (gym wise, I mean), I'm going to challenge myself into getting back in track.

Starting tomorrow, SEPTEMBER 01, 2012, I am challenging myself to the "Santa's Snow Bunny Challenge"...ok, so I just made up that title on the spot. I really just wanted something catchy. ESPECIALLY since it doesn't snow here in Puerto Rico... From September 01 through December 31, I will be at the gym, and making the proper dietary options, to become a better person. I want to lose weight, feel good about myself (with and without clothes on-- damn right I want to look good naked), and I want to make a lifestyle change. I want to be able to eat well, without thinking "gross I hate diet food". Like I said before, a long time ago I made a promise to myself, where I was going to change my lifestyle (food and exercise wise). The time was then, and the time is now again. I don't ever want to see my scale tip at 200 lbs again. And I no longer want to hear people tell me that it's ok to weight what I weight only because I'm tall. People, I'm 5'9" (179cm)!! I'm not a 6'5" man (???cm)!

-- is this starting to sound like a campaign speech?? --

Anyway, ~~when you vote for me~~, even though I don't have that many followers, I am making a promise to myself to post my daily workouts and my daily food intake (unless I'm violating some sort of copyright code: example, any day I do a Fighter Diet workout). Every two weeks, I'll also be posting updated pics and updated stats....and I really hope to inspire at least one person.

~~Vote for me!!~~

On Today's Plate: Circuit Training!

2011-10-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Man, oh man --

Hello, and welcome to another edition of "On Today's Plate"...

That should be the official heading from now on, lol. Today, I had scheduled to do some light cardio, and later some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I started on the stationary bike, a small 7 minute warm-up, just to get going. Then, I moved onto the treadmill, where I usually do intervals. Instead of doing intervals (I usually do 2 minutes on 5.5mph and then a minute of 7.5mph for abour 20 minutes), I went "up-hill" (incline at level 10) for a minute on 4.5mph (light jog), and later flattened it out (incline at level 1) at 6.5mph for 2 minutes. It wasn't easy. I don't have a problem admitting it to the little users that do follow my blog. And it was probably a dumb thing to do, but I wanted to switch things up a bit. I didn't last too long, at around minute 8, I was walking up-hill instead of trotting. At that time, my BJJ trainer signals me over. Since no one else had shown up to the BJJ session, my trainer took it upon himself to give me a hell of a good workout. And he did. I'm still sore, and I can't wait to freakin' fall asleep! No pain, no gain, right?

We did a full body circuit. Started with the core, worked our way into my shoulders and back, did some cardio (stationary bike -- intervals between level 10 and 12...AND I had to keep my RPM over 100), chest, more cardio (elliptical -- intervals), arms, more cardio (treadmill -- intervals, started out at 5mph to 6mph, and finished with 6.5mph to 7mph), and finished with the core again. I wish I new more in detail, but, my mind couldn't keep up with all of the exercises, and their descriptions, that we did!

I do encourage you to do your own circuit! It's all about repetitions and speed. So, good luck!

over and out!

On Today's Plate: Legs!

2011-09-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

Working on my seated calf raises at 205 lbs....Look at those legs. I swear, my crap ass camera phone isn't doing much for them. They look better in person ;) Hopefully, someday my legs will look that toned without the need of the leg press :P

On Today's Plate: Upper Body and Core

2011-09-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

I totally killed my upper body routine today!! Too bad my shoulder is still sore from my injury. I mean, I've been on a fast track of recovery, but there are still some things I can't fully perform how I used to. For example, I used to be able to bench press with 25lb plates on each side. I had to drop it to 12lb on each side. Everything that I do with the barbell I've had to drop about 10 - 20 lbs off it because of my shoulder.

Here's a glimpse at tonight's routine:
• warm-up: stationary bike
• bent-over barbell row x 3
• lat. pulldown x 3
• inclined dumbbell bench press x 3
• standing overhead dumbbell press x 3
• lat. raise x 3
• alternating dumbbell curls x 3
• one-arm overhead dumbbell extensions x 3

On top of all that, I did my mandatory rotator cuff exercises.

I love the burn I feel when I work on my upper body. I just feel everything shaping up. Overall, I love the burn anytime I work out. I hate it when it lasts more than 2 days, though...lol. Happened last week, when I did my lower body routine O.o

On Today's Plate: 10 Years of Me

2011-09-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

2002: how most of my high school friends/classmates remember me like
2004 - 2008: how most of my college friends/classmates remember me like (...I need a reunion, lol)
2011: that's how people know me now-ish!!

In case you haven't figured it out, that's 10 years of me. The first pic dates back to 2002. I was about 17 or 18...definitely college bound. At that time, I thought I was fat. I dieted, exercised, and did just about anything to not be fat. Apparently it didn't work (as in, I wasn't quite as motivated later on) because I shot up to about 220+ lbs. (see 2004 - 2008). I actually stopped weighing myself once I went over 220 lbs because I just didn't want to know anymore. I had given up.

I now weigh 185 lbs. On the most "recent" (the one with the cute dress, was taken in late April) picture of my collage I was at around 180 lbs. I'm hoping to drop back to 155 and be toned (I'm not scared of muscles). I hope to someday fight too (in the 145 lbs category).

The sad thing is that, I still look at myself in the mirror and all I see is fat and grossness. I need to change my perceptions of myself, and boost up my self esteem so that I can work harder at achieving my goals without getting discouraged.

But yea, ten years of me...raging from 150-something lbs all the way up to 220+ (gross! I stopped weighing myself after that), and lost about 50+ lbs.

For my awesomely international readers: that's ranging from about 68 kilos up to 99+ kilos and lost about 22+ kilos

Hello! It's been a while...

2011-09-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

wow!! Five months have passed by, and I haven't posted anything. sheesh!! Well, let me give you a quick update on what has been going on, and why I haven't really updated...

About a month after my last post (give or take, maybe a couple of weeks), I hurt my back doing BJJ. So I took a break. After my break, I went back to the gym. It felt like starting from square one. It's amazing what a couple of weeks of not working out can do to you. Shortly after getting back on track, I messed up my shoulder sparring with a girl at my gym. DAMN THE FRUSTRATION!! But I said to myself "hey, at least I can do cardio this time. I just don't be able to lift".

Since my last recorded weigh-in, I've gained 5 lbs. eeesh! I feel like crap, but, I have two options: give up, or work harder. Guess which one I'm going to pick ;)

So, what am I going to do to work harder??

For my diet plan, I've decided to do the Fighter Diet: FDX3. Since I'm going to be following that diet plan, I won't be posting my meal plan. Hey! Pauline has put a lot of work and effort into making the e-book. BUT, if I do come up with my own meals (NOT diet plan), I'll see what I can do ;) I hate the word "diet" -- it has such negative connotations for me, but, after talking around with different people on the Fighter Diet Facebook, they treat it as a "lifestyle" and not a "diet". I can do that, hehe. I'll also increase my workout...perhaps sessions in the AM and the PM, on top of my BJJ. I'll post my workouts at least.

Why the FDX3?

I need to challenge my body. I've been on a 2 year stint, where I've been fluctuating between 180 - 185 lbs. I even balloon up to 190 lbs when I'm on my period or retaining water. I have specific weight, and toning goals. You have to work hard to get the body you want. A magic pill won't do it...

I "discovered" www.fighterdiet.com/ back in 2009, a couple of months after I started training at LA Boxing. By then, I had done BJJ for a couple of months, and I had started attending some MMA classes and training sessions with a friend. I made it a goal that I wanted to fight. If I want to fight, I need to train, eat, drink, and sleep like a fighter. So I Googled like a mad-woman diets for female MMA fighters. ...and nothing came up. I searched for "fighter diets" and I came across two links that caught my attention: www.fighterdiet.com/ and graciediet.com/. I browsed through the two, and I later decided on neither, lol. I didn't think the Fighter Diet was for me. I tried doing my own thing, but trying to keep everything low-everything. I didn't completely disregard the Fighter Diet, though. I kept going back to the site, reading her old blog posts, and joined the Fighter Diet Facebook. I kept following her blog and Facebook because she has muscles! I always find it inspiring when women aren't afraid to have muscles.

After a couple of years of reading her blog, and reading about her clients results (pictures and testimonials), I decided to join the bandwagon! I understand that it will take time, dedication, and many days of frustration, but, I am confident that I can reach my goals.

Stop making excuses, and go for it! What's your plan?

On Today's Plate: No-Flour Vegetarian Pizza

2011-04-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

Hooooly crap! I just discovered how great zucchini is!!

yum! I never knew how good zucchini really is!

I was really craving some pizza...really, really, bad...but I didn't want to deal with the bread, dough, and all the extra grease on it. So I took matters into my own hands. I googled like a lean mean googling machine (hey Google...I just said your name 3 times, I should get money for that :P lol) to alternatives to pizza dough. I came acrossa zucchini crust recipe, which I altered a bit. The one I found used 2 eggs. I think 1 is plenty, if not, it was gonna get too omelette/frittata-ish. I also added cheese and herbs to the crust mix.

And now without further ado.....This dish serves 1 or 2 (depends, really). I made it on a 9" springfrom pan.

No-Flour Vegetarian Pizza:

Crust:

1 whole zucchini (grated)

1 egg

1/4 c of grated mozzarella cheese (I wanted to use real mozzarella, but I'm kinda broke so I went with Sargento)

herbs/seasoning of choice (I used dried basil, powdered oregano, and dried parsley)

Pre-heat oven at 400°F. After you grate the zucchini, pat it dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and set to the side. On a separate dish, beat the egg, and add your seasonings. Mix in the egg with the grated zucchini and add your mozzarella cheese. Put a little cooking spray on your pan, and press your zucchini mix onto the pan. When the bottom of the dish is fully covered, you can add more of your herbs to it. Once you're done, pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Pressed zucchini "crust" mix, before going into the oven.

After: what it kinda looks like after 10 minutes in the oven

Pizza:

cubes veggies -- of your choice. I used the following:

1 1/2 tomatoes

1/2 eggplant (I bought a tiny eggplant)

chopped spinach (I didn't really measure it)

3 tbsp chopped black olives

1/4 mozzarella cheese

herbs/seasoning of choice (again, I used dried parsley, dried basil, and powdered oregano)

virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

Cube/dice/hack all of your veggies. Since I don't like pizza sauce, I laid down the tomatoes first, but, hey, if you like your pizza/spaghetti sauce, use it. I bet this would taste really really really good with some pesto sauce....After I layered the tomatoes, I randomly tossed the veggies onto my pizza, drizzled a little bit of the virgin olive oil over the veggies and sprinkled some herbs over the veggies. Top it off with the mozzarella cheese. Pop it back into the oven again for 25 minutes (still at 400°F). While it's cooking, enjoy the smell of the vegetables and herbs coming together......

Topped pizza before going into the oven...

Pizza's ready!! Fresh and hot off the oven!

And here's another picture of the end result...

Yum!

Enjoy!

On Today's Plate: Getting personal....

2011-04-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

lol...ok, so that sounds a little bit dramatic, but I bet it caught your attention! It almost seems like I've abandoned the blog, but I haven't. I still cook and eat healthy, and I'm always thinking about things to write about. I just haven't been feeling confident in myself, and if I really can't stay positive to myself, how can I inspire others?

I've always been self-conscious about my weight. Funny thing is that, as a kid and through my teens, I wasn't a fat kid. But I always saw myself as fat person. When I was 18, I weighed about 150lbs (I'm 5'9"), and I played a lot of sports too. Like I mentioned before, my weight plummeted during college, and by the time I was 23, I weighed about 220-something lbs. Even though I've lost most of the weight I gained during college, when I look in the mirror, I still see my 220+lbs self. I don't feel comfortable in my one piece swimsuit, I don't feel comfortable in my clothes....sometimes don't even feel comfortable working out at the gym sometimes, or grappling with my (well) grappling buddies...I feel like I'm the fat chick trying to appear as if I'm working hard at lifting weights and running...I dunno....

I'm working to improve that. Above losing weight, and eating healthy, what I really want to change the most is how I see myself.

On Today's Plate: Goals Revisited

2011-03-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!! I know I haven't been updated because I've been a little bit busy...but not busy enough to stop with my daily exercise routine! Or to prepare savory healthy meals, which I will post soon :)

So March snuck up on me (hello), and it's time to take a look at the goals I set for February...and you should do the same.

In case you forgot, or just don't want to scroll down, here are my goals:

- Drink more water: check! I carry my water with me at all times and refill it

- Lose 5lbs by March: check! To my surprise, I actually lost 6.5 lbs!

- Study hard and train harder at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: I started to train at the club that I used to train in last year again. It's been going rather well.

- Sketch every day. no check :( I've kinda been slacking on this one. I did only one sketch for fun, the rest were for work purposes.

- Improve my posture. I think I've been improving it. I have a book on exercises to do in order to improve that posture! ...so check!

I think I managed to fulfill most of my goals, and I couldn't be happier! Especially that unexpected 6.5lb loss. Now would be a good time to set new goals. But, I think I'll post those tomorrow.

Good night everybody (or good morning...it's morning somewhere!)

On Today's Plate: Oatmeal Pancakes

2011-02-13T09:30:00.001-08:00

I woke up craving some pancakes. So....I made some :P

I eyeballed some of the ingredients, realizing later that it was a mistake...haha, but, they still came out tasting delicious!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oatmeal (I used rolled oats) <-- eyeballed
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 to 1 cup of milk (I used skim milk)
1 capful of vanilla extract
cinnamon (its up to you how much you want to use. I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
fruits (also up to you. I used an apple, but these would go great with berries)

Directions:
1. Since I didn't use any flour, I decided to grind the oats (in my Magic Bullet). Thus, the oats became my "flour". So yeah...step 1, grind the rolled oats.
2. Add the egg and beat with a fork.
3. Pour the milk 1/4 cup at the time, or until you reach your desired consistency. I used a little bit over 3/4 cups (but not the whole cup).
4. Pour the vanilla extract. You could use sugar, Sugar on Raw, brown sugar, or one of those new fancy substitutes (Spenda, Truvia, Stevia). But, since I didn't use any sugar, I wouldn't know how much to actually add. haha!
5. Add the cinnamon.
6. Mix all of your ingredients.
7. Turn on your stove top (medium heat), spray some vegetable non-stick spray on your skillet, and make like normal pancakes.
8. Once they're done, it's time to garnish! I just added some apple wedges, and violá! You can garnish it any way you like. Pour honey or pancake syrup over them, powdered sugar, more fruits. I was going to add cranberries to the actual mix, but I had apparently ran out....damn.

Some variations include adding baking powder, vegetable oil, buttermilk (I guess to replace the milk?), pumpkin puree, etc.

These are a great healthy alternative! And, honestly, the difference is not that noticible. These are approximately 227 calories, 3g of fat, 32g of carbs, 17g of protein, and make 3 pancakes.

On Today's Plate: 4 Miles With A Side of An Awesome Core Workout

2011-02-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

Double whammy! Posting twice today!

Today's workout consisted of running 4.5 miles and working on my core. For those who are new to fitness, this fitness blog explains in great detail (and really well) what the core is, and the muscles targeted when working it out.

I started out by running 3.25 miles (including a 2 minute warm up) at 6.0 mph on at an incline (I am not familiar with the incline percentiles, but...it was up 1.0). After running, I did 3 sets of 25 reps of the following exercises: crunches on an exercise ball, oblique crunches (on each side -- also on an exercise ball), cable crunches (with 75 lbs of resistance), and kick-out crunches. To do a proper kick-out, you should lie on the floor, face up, with your knees and hips bent at 90°. Extend (or "kick-out"...ha!) your legs out to about a 45° angle, keep it for a couple of seconds, and retract. Your hands should be placed to your side. After working on my core, I finished off with a 1.5 mile run (including a 2 minute cool-down) at 6.0 mph, also on an incline.

Remember, keep in mind your form when performing any type of exercise. Also remember to stretch before AND after your routine. And finally, if you have any questions, remember to ask a professional!

On Today's Plate: Fish and Chips

2011-02-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe not, since nothing here is deep fried, or beer battered, but it's so much better than calling it "steamed tilapia and potato sticks"

"Fish and Chips"...sort of...because I say it is! :-P

Ingredients:

1 tilapia fillet

1 potato

ground pepper

paprika

garlic (minced)

parsley (flakes)

oregano (flakes or powdered)

1 lemon

Directions:

Chips:

1. Slice the potatoes (with a mandolin, vegetable slicer, or by hand...like I did), Julienne cut or wedges. Once you're done, soak in a large bowl of water for approximately 30 minutes.

2. Heat up a large skillet (medium to high heat) and spray some vegetable non-stick spray.

3. Place the potatoes on the skilled, and turn them until they are golden brown and look crunchy.

4. Once they're done, turn off the stove, and place on a plate. The potatoes are not done yet...stick them in the microwave for approximately 3 to 5 minutes (remember not all microwaves work the same). You don't want to leave them in for too long, though, cause then they'll just get soggy.

5. Ding fries are done -- time to season the fries. I used pepper and paprika. I like it spicy ;)

note: It's easier to do the chips in the oven, but, my oven was occupied at the time :-P

Fish:

1. Place fish in a steamer, that is, if you have one of those fancy steamer...steaming...thingies. But, if you are old school like me: fill a casserole with water, and set aside to boil. Once it's boiling, place the steamer lid over it. Spray some vegetable non-stick spray and place the fish on the steamer lid.

2. Squeeze the lemon over the fish.

3. Season the fish: brush on the minced garlic, sprinkle with some oregano, ground pepper, and parsley flakes.

4. Place the lid over the steamer, and let it steam for 7 - 10 minutes.

And you're done! I think I explained it thoroughly....this is my first food entry, so, take it easy on me.

Goals

2011-02-10T08:56:00.001-08:00

It's important to set goals during your journey. Keep in mind that in order to stay motivated, these goals have to be REALISTIC and easily attainable. Many people make the mistake of having unrealistic short-term weight loss goals, and thus, get discouraged easily. Each goal should act as a motivational tool to help you continue on with the journey, and to reach your other goals (whether they are fitness goals or not). You should start by having smaller goals, instead of having a big one such as losing 40 lbs by March (it's Feb. 10, 2011 -- not happening, unless you take an unhealthy route...and we don't want this).

Reward yourself when you reach a goal! So you lost your first 5 lbs! Congratulations! You should go out and celebrate! Reward yourself with a new pair of jeans, go out for a refreshing walk around the park, or the beach (sorry Northern friends and followers, I live in Puerto Rico), buy a book, or cook a succulent healthy meal for your family and/or friends!

Write down your goals. Categorize your goals by type too: weight loss, exercise, drawing, reading, sports, etc. Plan your goals and go through all the details: when to start, when to finish, etc. Track your progress as you go. For every goal you reach, just cross it off the list! Being able to see all the crossed out goals can be a huge motivation. Instead of saying "I am going to do this" it says "I am doing this"!

Plan for setbacks. ~~Shit~~ Setbacks happen! Don't let them discourage you. Instead, just use those as motivation to work harder at your goals. Maybe it's your body's way of telling you that you need to work harder. Or maybe it's your body's way of telling you that maybe you shouldn't have had that extra serving of dessert at last weekend's family reunion (or office party).

Just remember that your goals are to help you stay motivated.

In case you are wondering, here are some of my goals:
- Drink more water. I already drink water as it is. I don't drink soda (never have), I have a glass of milk a day, and sometimes the occasional lemonade. But I still don't drink enough water during the day.
- Lose 5lbs by March. I've already lost 2...come on those extra 3lbs!!
- Study hard and train harder at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I am very close from a belt upgrade. I want to be able to say that I earned this belt!
- Sketch every day. Inspired by the book You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When It Monsoons, I want to be able to keep a sketch-journal (or diary).
- Improve my posture. I used to have good posture, then I got a job that required for me to be on a computer from 9am - 6pm. I need to work on my posture 24-7!

What are some of your goals?

Welcome, Vilkommen, Yokosou, Bienvenidos!

2011-02-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to On Today's Plate; a blog dedicated to two of my favorite things (amongst, art, design, and photography): food and exercise. I love to cook! And I love being able to create savory healthy meals. I also love to exercise.

I've been exercising for as long as I remember...kind of. When I was 7, I picked up my first tennis racket and played until I was 14. At 12, I started to play basketball, at 15 softball and volleyball (I wasn't good at volleyball, but it kept me in shape!!), all up to when I was 18. That's when everything changed.

When I went to college, I was expecting I could try out for an intramural team, which didn't go as planned. Since I wasn't in any team, I didn't see the need to go to the gym as often as I used to. I ate a lot (those tricky all-you-can-eat college dining commons), became lazy, and a huge couch potato. Gross. During my years at college, my weight shot up to a bit over 220 lbs.

When I realized how much I had gained, I desperately tried different diet plans and fads. I joined Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Natural Slim, etc. I tried Slim Fast, South Beach, etc. Nothing worked. In a desperate attempt to lose weight, I joined a boxing and MMA gym, and it changed my life. I slimmed down to 170 lbs, I started to gain back some muscles again, and my confidence.

In 2010 I kind of fell off the wagon, and gained a little bit of weight. Thankfully, I didn't gain ALL of it back. I had a stressful job, which left me exhausted at the end of the day and too tired to make an effort to go to the gym. I also stopped eating healthy. I ate fast food for lunch, pigged out on chips for dinner...not a good combination. But you know what, it's a new year, time to get back in track!

Join me on my journey to get fit again! Hopefully I'll inspire a few to do the same!

p.s: Before starting any diet or exercise regime, please consult a professional.