Simply Fit Mama

Sexy Mom's Running Club Giveaway WINNER!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 01:20:00 +0000

By random generator:

Congratulations, Meercat!

I will contact you and make sure your prize package is on it's way to you!

The Sexy Mom's Running Club Giveaway!!

An item from Becky Reese’s apparel line

The Fresh 20 Cookbook by Melissa Lanz

And a $50 gift card good for any paid content on SexyMomsRunningClub.com

Thank you everyone for participating!! Hope you enjoyed the Pantry list and I hope you had a chance to stop by the Sexy Mom's Running Club.

The Healthy Pantry-The Sexy Mom's Running Club Blog Tour GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Today I'm participating in The Sexy Mom's Running Club blog tour! Becky Reese is the founder of The Sexy Mom's Running Club, she is also an author and owns a activewear clothing line. You can hop on over to Becky's site to be inspired, find training plans, recipes and many other fun things.

The Sexy Mom's Running Club Giveaway!!

An item from Becky Reese’s apparel line

The Fresh 20 Cookbook by Melissa Lanz

And a $50 gift card good for any paid content on SexyMomsRunningClub.com

Becky Reese @ The Sexy Mom's Running Club is sponsoring this amazing giveaway. Please take the time to leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing closing Friday evening at midnight (Central time zone). Winner will be announced Saturday.

I know with fall on it's way and school days right around the corner I have been stocking my pantry to get ready for school days and busy sports filled evenings. I love to keep my pantry well stocked because if you have a well stocked pantry you always have the choice to make something at home instead of going to a drive thru. And that my friends, is one of the biggest battles in making healthy food choices.

Last week I didn't want to go to the grocery store due to a trip we were getting ready to take but because I had a well stocked pantry I was able to throw together a handful of dinners using only what was in my pantry and bits and pieces of what was left in my fridge.

So what kind of things do I stock in my pantry with?

Canned Items:

Tomato Sauce- no salt added (4 cans)
Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis (2 cans-I prefer Trader Joe's brand)
Basic Spaghetti Sauce (2 jars- if you shop at a conventional store watch the ingredients list)
Garbanzo Beans (2 cans)
Kidney Beans (2 cans)
Black Beans (2 cans)
Organic chicken broth-no salt added (2-32oz containers)
Organic beef broth-no salt added (2-32oz containers)
Vanilla Almond Milk-Unsweetened (1-64 oz)
Coconut Milk (4 cans)
Creamy Almond Butter-no salt (1 jar)
Creamy Peanut Butter-no salt (1 jar)
Tuna (2 cans)
Whey Protein

Starch /Grains:

Organic brown rice
Quinoa
Cous Cous
Organic whole wheat spaghetti (3 bags -.99 cents a bag at Trader Joes)
Panko bread crumbs
Dried black beans
Sweet Potatoes (4-6 potatoes)
2-3 varieties of cereal (6-8 grams of sugar max...otherwise it's should be considered dessert)
Steal Cut Irish Oatmeal
Quick cook Steal Cut Irish Oatmeal
Pretzels

Fats:

Nuts-raw unsalted--We love almonds, cashews and pistachios
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Spray Coconut Oil
Ghee

Flavor Makers / Seasonings:

Balsamic Vinegar
Apple cider Vinegar
White wine Vinegar
White vinegar
Dried Herbs-anything and everything you can get your hands on
Spices-anything and everything you can get your hands on
Sea Salt
Onions (red and yellow)
Fresh garlic

Baking / Indulgent stuff:

Unbleached flour
Sugar
Brown sugar
Vanilla extract
Turbinado raw cane sugar
Stevia
Baking Powder (aluminum free)
Baking Soda

Freezer-(my extended pantry):

Broccoli
Corn
Green Beans
Ginger
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Chicken breast
Fish-Salmon, Mahi Mahi, Tuna
Pork, variety of cuts
Beef, variety of cuts

Hope this helps get you on your way to a well stocked pantry.

If you are just started on your journey to healthier living take it one step at a time. Don't look in your pantry and feel discouraged. If you have unhealthy foods crowding your pantry start by not buying things that have a long list of ingredients that you can't read. Stop purchasing that stuff! Start buying healthier choices. And as you stop buying unhealthy things they will run out and you will have slowly replaced them with healthy options without killing your food budget.

What kind of things do you like to stock in your pantry?

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:47:00 +0000

Source

Wordless Wednesday: My Kiddos :)

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Photo by: FotoEnvy

Menu Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Monday

Salmon | Asparagus | Salad

Tuesday

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli | Rice

*I didn't get to make this last week*

Wednesday

Meat Free Taco Night

Thursday

Grilled Tuna | Green Veggie | Salad

Friday

Baked Spaghetti | Broccoli Slaw

*Leftover reinvention*

Saturday

Grilled BBQ Chicken | Salad

Sunday

Leftovers

For more menu plan ideas check out Menu Plan Monday.

Fitness Friday: Charity Miles

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:49:00 +0000

Charity Miles

This is my favorite "new to me" running app right now. If you are running, walking or biking why not turn that time into giving back? I have been using this app for over a month now and it just makes my heart smile that while I run I can give back to the world.

So here's how it works:

First download the Charity Miles app, it's free!

Open the app and choose walk, run or bike.

Swipe through the charities and decide which one you will be walking, running biking for.

Push start and go!

At the end of your workout you get to either accept the sponsorship for the charity or not.

Then you can tweet or FB about the charity that just sponsored your workout.

When you run your sponsor will donate .25 cents for every mile. If you walk or bike it's .10 cents a mile. As you can see this would easily add up mile after mile...especially if you are training for a big race this year.

The app is fairly simple to use I have had no problems with it. I run Charity Miles app and Pandora while I run and I have had no problems with either app. This app is not meant to track pace, I use my Garmin to track all my running data (I'm a nerd like that).

Help change the world...One mile at a time!

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

“It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place this world is when one is playing golf.“ -Robert Lynd

Menu Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:37:00 +0000

Monday

Pan Seared Tilapia | Green Beans | Salad

Tuesday

Crock-Pot Roasted Chicken | Salad

Wednesday

Hamburgers | Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday

Salmon | Asparagus | Salad

Friday

Crock-Pot Beef and Broccoli

Saturday

Brats | Salad

Sunday

Spaghetti and Meatballs | Artisan Bread | Salad

For more menu plan ideas check out Menu Plan Monday.

Fitness Friday: Battling Ropes

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Battling Ropes

Have you seen these at your gym? They are usually wrapped around a pole of some sort. I have seen them used on the Biggest Loser all of the time but I never thought to try them out myself until just recently. I met with one of the trainers at my gym to get my body fat % measured and get some new ideas for workouts and he introduced me to my two new favorite things at the gym: battling ropes and kettlebells.

Honestly I've stepped over the ropes many times while working out at the gym but I never thought to try them because I did not know how to use them and I really wasn't sure what I would be working on when using them. That first time I used them I was amazed at how much of a challenge it was and I was hooked. They look so easy and innocent just lying there on the ground. But believe me they can be a killer workout!

I have integrated the battling ropes into my current strength training/ running plan for about three weeks now and I already feel stronger. I like it so much that I want to buy one to use in the basement during the winter and hook up to my play set outside during the warmer months.

Here are a few of the benefits from using battling ropes:

They are fun
Low Impact
Burns as many calories and gets your heart rate up as much as running does
You use your ENTIRE body
Builds core strength and stability
Builds endurance
You look pretty cool using them

You can YouTube videos on Battling Ropes and there are a ton of different workouts to use with them. Here are a couple of my favorite YouTube videos.

Okay next time you see these ropes at the gym don't just step over them give them a try. A nice intro into battling ropes is to start with 20 second intervals and 10 second rest, repeat three times. You can increase your active time and increase your reps as you get fitter.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 03:11:00 +0000

by random number generator:

AubreyLaine said...

I make it a game with myself to see how many times I can keep refilling my water bottle.

Congratulation AubreyLaine! Thank you for all the great tips on drinking more water!

$25 Spa Week gift card GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:29:00 +0000

Today I am hosting a GIVEAWAY sponsored by resource natural spring water!

One reader will win a $25 Spa Week gift card.

*Content and/or other value provided by our partner, resource natural spring water.

I know there are a lot of Mom's out there sending there kids off to school soon. Time at the spa is a a lot better use of time than pacing around waiting for the kids to come home.

**To enter the giveaway**

In the comment section below leave a tip on the ways you get yourself to drink enough water during the day.

The winner will be determined by random number generator. The giveaway ends tomorrow 8/17 at 11:00 p.m. central time. Winner will be announced on Saturday.

Yesterday was the first day of school...

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:53:00 +0000

and today I feel much better.

Living somewhere new can just take time to adjust all around. I had gotten use to our school routine in California and I loved walking to school and seeing that my son got into class. Here the kiddos ride the school bus and I have to trust that they will arrive to school safely and make it to the classrooms they are suppose to be in. I know people do this all the time...it's just new to me.

Natalie started kindergarten. She is my baby. It is hard to cope with the fact that she is actually old enough to attend a full day of school without me by her side. She is very independent and very happy to go to school. Which makes things easier. But boy do I miss baby Natalie.

I spent my first free day in over 6 years pacing around the house close to the phones (just in case) and just scatterbrained. I actually almost locked myself out of the house when I went to get the mail...that would have been an embarrassing call to my hubby.

I know there were many days when the kids where younger and I couldn't even see straight that I prayed for some peace and quite. But I never imagined that when I finally got it that it would feel too soon. I know that everyone says time flies and I really never believed it when I was a sleep deprived mother of two kids 20 months apart. But time flies!

The kiddos had a wonderful first day of school. The bus was 20 minutes late due to a parent not being outside waiting for their kindergartener at one of the stops (the bus drivers will not let the little ones off until there is an adult present). I was besides myself waiting for them at the bus stop and when the bus finally arrived my son started to get off but I didn't see my daughter. We found her fast asleep in one of the seats... I had to go on the bus and carry her out. She was worn out from all the excitement of the first day of school!

It's been a HOT summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:15:00 +0000

*Content and/or other value provided by our partner, resource natural spring water.

Make sure you are staying hydrated!! I know that I can get pretty lazy on making sure I'm staying hydrated. It's important all year but especially important with the hot summer I know that everyone has been experiencing.

The kind people over at resource water sent me two bottles of their newly launched product: resource natural spring water. And I have to say that the water was quite tasty. The water has naturally occurring electrolytes which is a good thing. I love that this water is sustainably sourced and that the bottle is made of 50% recycled plastic. I wish more companies used sustainable sources and packaging.

I have been out and about a lot lately and it's nice to have more choices in the water category at the stores. I know that for a while I did not know the difference between purified water and natural spring water. Before I learned the difference I always chose purified because it usually cost less but after I learned the difference I only buy natural spring water now, I don't mind the extra pennies it cost.

Here is a quick run down of the differences:

Natural Spring Water: It is water bottled at a fresh source. Usually an underground formation where water flows on it's own to the surface. For bottled water to be labeled natural spring water it has to be collected at the spring. FRESH.

Purified Water: Also known as drinking water. This type of water is typically processed by distillation, deionization or reverse osmosis. They process water in different ways so that they can dissolve any solids and bacteria to clean the water and make it purified.

Personally I choose Natural Spring Water and resource is a great new option out on the market. Whatever water you are drinking...I hope you are drinking plenty...your body needs it!

Like resource spring water on Facebook by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/resourcespringwater

Getting settled in the Midwest

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:46:00 +0000

I love all the barns that we see everyday here in the Midwest.
I snapped this pic on my iPhone while golfing in Madison with my hubby.

So this move has been a bit bumpier than we predicted it would be. For starters we bought a home here and the home needed some updates. We coordinated some of the updates from California but of course couldn't start until we closed on the house in April. The day we closed we met with the contractor and finalized all the paint colors for the house and the new flooring choices(stressful). The contractors started working the very next day. The goal was to get everything livable before the moving truck came to deliver all our home goods (that didn't really happen).

My hubby had to travel a lot during the first couple of weeks here which left me and the kiddos on our own. We stayed in hotels, checked on the remodeling and spent the days exploring our new area. It took right around three weeks to get most of the work finished. I was very motivated to unpack and get things settled since we wanted to host my daughter and my niece's fifth birthday at our house at the end of May(we did and it was a blast).

Unfortunately I was rear ended in the middle of May and that has slowed me down some. For the most part I'm fine just dealing with some neck and back pain from it (and the pain of dealing with insurance companies). I tried to just push through the pain but I started to get an ongoing headache and pain that would not go away so I started seeing a chiropractor to get everything back in order.

I have happily found a new gym, it's very family oriented and I love that! The kiddos love going to the daycare, they have a game room, rock wall, indoor and outdoor pool and Tae Kwon Do. I have had to take a break from running, first because of the move and my husband traveling I had no way of getting out on the road. Then after the accident I have had to take it easy but I just received the go ahead to start back running gradually so I'm exited and a bit nervous to get back on the road.

A few weeks ago I got back in the gym with a great strength building program that I had originally started after the Marathon. It's Jaime Eason's LiveFit program. The program is 12 weeks and there is no cardio the first 4 weeks which has worked well for my no running phase. I am on week 3 of the program and would love to share more about it with you. ;) It's really a good solid weight program and the best part is it's Free.

I am finally starting to feel a little more settled and feel like I have so much to share about all my new surroundings. I miss all my friends in Cali, it's been pretty lonely here. I know that this is just part of moving but it is really hard to start over in a new area.

In a week and a half I will be...

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:18:00 +0000

moving to the midwest!!

This is part of the reason I've been so quiet lately. I've have had my mind stirring with move stuff. We are moving for my husband's job. We are excited because we have a lot of family in the area and it will be fun to have family around for the first time ever!

I'm excited to explore this new area to meet new friends and find new running and biking trails. I'm sad to leave all my dear friends here in California. I will greatly miss seeing them everyday but know that we will keep in touch. And when winter falls on the midwest I may be booking flights back to sunny SoCal the first time the temperature drops below freezing!

Huntington Beach Marathon 2012 - Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:03:00 +0000

I can't believe it's all over. Finished.

The week leading up to the race was less than ideal. My running buddy Karoline had a house full of sick kids and then towards the end of the week (just days before our race) she got sick too. We spent a lot of the week wondering if she would be well enough to run. We picked up race packets on Saturday morning and as exciting as it was to pick up our Marathon bibs there was still a little bit of frustration and sadness since Karoline was still sick and we were unsure if she would be able to run in the morning. The rest of Saturday was spent resting and relaxing.

Race morning we got in the car and drove over to Huntington Beach. Karoline was feeling a little better and we were going to run the race together as planned. I was worried about her health. I ran my first half marathon with a severe case of bronchitis and I know that it's not a pleasurable experience. But the sad thing is that when you put so much time into training you just don't want to throw in the towel at the very end...you want to finish what you started sick or not.

As we drove to Huntington Beach we started to get ourselves pumped up. We hit Beach Blvd. and we were stuck in major race day traffic jam. As frustrating as that was we decided to just eat our breakfast in the car while we waited. When we reached the parking lots we spent over 45 minutes trying to find a parking spot. Needless to say we were running out of time very quickly. We finally found a parking spot at 6:20 a.m. the waves started at 6:30 a.m.! We hopped out of the car and started lightly jogging to the start line and then we heard the National Anthem and realized that we were about two miles away from the start line...we started to sprint. We made it to the start line out of breath just as our wave was sent off to start the race. It was a really bad start to the race. We didn't even have time for a pre-race potty break!!

We paced a little slower than our predicted marathon pace but all in all we were feeling pretty good despite the crazy start and Karoline being sick. The first 14 miles went by nice and smooth.

We practiced taking in nutrition every four miles in the future I would push nutrition every six miles (to break up the race in bigger chunks). The turn around on Pacific Coast Highway was a little tough since we were running straight into the sun I felt like I squinted that whole portion of the race. The turn onto the bike/beach path took forever to get to. We kept thinking we should have hit it but it was almost a mile and half further than we thought it was which just bummed us out.

When we got on the bike/beach path it was hot. No shade but we were trucking along but then around mile 21 the pace group I had been trying to stay ahead of passed us and I just broke down and started crying. I was so upset. I had to walk to calm down. Karoline was the sweetest friend and knows that I get crazy and make "secret goals" that absolutely crush me if I feel like I'm not going to meet. She talked me off the ledge and reminded me that our goal was not for a specific time it was to FINISH and that was the goal we needed to meet. I was so thankful that she felt well enough to run that day because it would have been hard to pull myself together without her voice of reason. At this point we were completely out of water and decided to walk through all the water stops.

From mile 21-24.5 (until I could see the 25 mile marker) it took all of me to keep going. That was an ugly, ugly part of the race. But when I could see the 25 mile marker I felt so excited and couldn't believe that it was over! Chin up and get this bad boy done was all I needed to do.

Right before we turned back on Pacific Coast Highway a guy told us that we were almost there and Karoline almost bit his head off ( so funny!!) . She told him people have been telling us that for miles and he smiled and patted her arm and said "Really I promise it's right around the corner". And he was so right because we turned the corner and there it was. I was in tears I could not believe it was so close and to make things even better my hubby and kiddos were right there cheering us on at the finish.

We finished our first marathon with an official time of 4:58.

I am so extremely proud of both of us for pushing through and finishing this marathon especially with the insane start we had. In my mind I will always consider my first marathon mileage to be more along the lines of a 28.2 race since we tacked on the 2 mile sprint at the start.

Oh man the walk back to the car was KILLER. Two miles seemed more like six.

I've spent most of the week decompressing over the race. I have celebrated and I have cried. I have been nursing my muscles and race wounds (blisters, chaffing, etc) back to good health. The first couple days of soreness were intense sorta like I got hit by a truck. By Wednesday I felt a million times better and the soreness has virtually gone away.

I thought this little saying was super funny before the marathon but now I feel it's so true.

2 Week Countdown...

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:26:00 +0000

To the Super Bowl? ... yes...

but the Super Bowl is not what I'm counting down to.

I am counting down to February 5th because that is the day that I plan to complete my first Full Marathon!! Yes, that's right I said it...Full Marathon! That is 26.2 miles of pure determination. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would want to or have the fitness base to sign up for one let alone be excited about running in a Marathon.

Run Surf City

I have been training since October. I took a week off after Long Beach half marathon and then began training for this marathon. So far I have completed 14 weeks of training. These last two weeks are taper weeks. Which means my training is reduced to let my legs recover and rest so that they will be fresh for race day. Yippee!

I went back and forth before training started with how I wanted to run this race. I felt there were two ways I could run it: push my pace and finish as fast as I possibly can or not worry that much about pace and just get comfortable with the distance and enjoy the experience. After a lot of thought I decided to not push my pace and just enjoy this distance for my first time running it.

I'm running this race with my good friend Karoline and our goal time is somewhere around 4:30. Last weekend we ran the 20 mile run at a 10:29 pace but the training plan predicts our pace to be 10:00 for the race so I'll be interested to see what pace we end up at.

It's funny how scary 26.2 seemed just a few short months ago. I honestly don't feel intimidated by the mileage anymore and really I'm amazed at how strong our bodies are and how much they thrive at being challenged.

So while everyone countdowns to the Super Bowl I will be counting down to my first full marathon in beautiful Huntington Beach!

And just in case you are interested I ran the half marathon at Surf City last year. Here is the recap.

I used a specific training plan which I will share the details later this week. I absolutely loved using this "new to me" method.

Long Beach Half Marathon 2011 - Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:46:00 +0000

It's almost been a full week since Long Beach half marathon and I have been meaning to write to tell everyone what a fun race it ended up being!

I admitted earlier that my friend and I did not train like we needed to in order to run a fast race since we had been focused on the triathlon in September. In the future I won't plan races that close together or at the very least have a better plan in place before committing.

We decided to make this race a fun run and partially a training run for our full marathon coming up in February. The moment we made that decision all race jitters and any anxiety about the race went away. The night before the race I slept like a baby and this is not normal for me. The night before a race I usually get very little sleep because I'm really afraid of sleeping in and missing the race. So I usually wake up every hour which is not fun.

Race morning I felt well rested and I walked out my door to find my friend Karoline with two egg and chorizo burritos in her hand. Yummy! It was a real treat. We walked out to the street and the rest of our friends were there to pick us up and then we were off to the race.

We got to the start area in plenty of time to use the potties and get in our wave. Two of our friends went up to the speedy waves and Karoline and I went a couple waves back to where we thought we would pace ourselves. We took a quick picture before the start.

Then it was our turn to start the race. It was hard to keep our pace slower than normal but we knew it was needed to get through the race comfortably. We chose to walk through every water station which was a wonderful change! I usually run through them because I carry my own water and nutrition but occasionally I will grab a cup and try to drink it only to be plagued by a side cramp five seconds later. No side cramps this race. I really don't think we lost any time doing this because we would quickly catch up with the group we were around before the water break.

I really enjoyed all the scenery I totally missed last year. Around mile nine we were both talking about how good we felt mainly due to keeping the pace nice and easy. But around mile eleven I hit a point were I felt I was just done running for the day. Luckily Karoline told me to get my booty in gear and to keep moving and that little boost help me push through my yucky spot. I really wasn't hurting but I think it was more mental.

It was a great race experience this year so I couldn't ask for more than that!

Here are the race stats:

Official Finish time: 2:18:11
Avg. Pace: 10:33
Age group place: 364 out of 1063

Splits from my Garmin:
Mile 1- 10:10
Mile 2- 10:24
Mile 3- 10:05
Mile 4- 9:39
Mile 5- 10:06
Mile 6- 9:55
Mile 7- 9:44
Mile 8- 9:52
Mile 9- 10:14
Mile 10- 10:26
Mile 11- 10:18
Mile 12 -10:27
Mile 13- 9:33

Zucchini "Spaghetti" Low Carb Pasta Substitute- Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:09:00 +0000

During my Whole Foods Market challenge I tried a few new recipes and one of them was Spaghetti Squash with Italian sausage and it was delicious. Someone gave my husband a giant zucchini from their garden and I started thinking about the spaghetti squash and how yummy it was as a low carb and a nutrient dense substitute for pasta so I made Zucchini Spaghetti with meat sauce and it was really great! Another wonderful thing about using zucchini instead of spaghetti squash was that it is super quick to make and quick is always good.

The giant zucchini.

Quick work shredding in the food processor.

Zucchini "Spaghetti"

Recipe by: Simply Fit Mama

1 giant zucchini or 3-4 regular size
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Peel zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half and scoop the seeds out of each half. You should have little zucchini boats. Use your food processors shredding blade and shred away. If you don't have a food processor you can make zucchini ribbons with your vegetable peeler which will give you a wider "noodle". Or you can use a mandoline slicer with a julienne blade.

Heat your pan to medium-high heat (I used a medium cast iron skillet). Once your pan is heated add your oil and quickly add your shredded zucchini. Using tongs toss the zucchini a time or two then add the garlic, salt and pepper. I like this cooked al dente so don't walk away your zucchini "pasta" will be done in 3-5 minutes. If you leave it longer it will release water and get soft and a bit mushy.

Now top with your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy!

What to do when you are undertrained for a race...

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:17:00 +0000

This weekend is the long beach half marathon I signed up for earlier this year. Unfortunately I have not put in the training necessary to run a PR or to really run it at any of my previous paces. It's a bit of a bummer but also a good lesson for me about planning my race schedule for the year.

I made this summer/fall race plan back in June. I really didn't think I was going to sign up for the Pacific Coast Triathlon but I did. The triathlon was only four weeks ago and it has not been enough time to ramp up my training for the half. I thought I could do it but I just didn't want to.

So I have had to wrestle with myself on how I would like to run this race. I have a pretty good base so it's not a stretch or really terrible for me to run the 13.1 miles. I did get in one 10 mile run and it was fine. If this were my first half and I slacked on training I would drop out of the race. Since this is my third half marathon and I have been super active with cycling, swimming and base running I know that I have a good fitness level to run it. Which is great!

However I don't have the training to run it like a race. Which is a bummer--who doesn't like to run all out for a race? So thanks to kind and loving advice from my friends and a lot of time thinking it over I plan on taking it nice and easy. No racing for me. My friend Karoline and I will run it together enjoy the scenery take walking breaks as needed and just have a good time.

This will be my first "just relax and enjoy" race that I have done. I struggled with the idea because I know I can run faster than we are planning to but it would not be smart. Running smart is important especially since I will start training for Surf City Marathon shortly after this race. My goal is not to hurt myself and focus on running my best at Surf City in February.

2010 Long Beach Race Recap

Have you ever had a race that you just weren't prepared for?
Did you drop the race or run it anyway?

Menu Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:58:00 +0000

Monday

Sausage and Lentil Soup | Salad | Bread

Tuesday

Garlic and Onion Chicken Thighs | Green Beans

Wednesday

Roasted Salmon with Potatoes and Mushrooms | Salad

Thursday

Spaghetti | Salad | Bread

Friday

Pizza Night

Guest Blogger: Thoughts for Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Post by:
Brandy STEW , Allergy Mom

I know it isn’t very ‘green’ of me, but I wish someone would invent a disposable Crockpot. There is nothing better than opening your front door and being smacked in the senses by the scent of hot dinner. However, having to clean the thing is like having ‘hot dinner’ with Hugh Jackman, then having your afterglow with Hugh Hefner. Cleaning the Crock gets old.

I know I’m not the only person out there who enjoys playing with the food, and eating the food, and utterly despises the cleanup. Yet somehow my neighbors’ homes are not piled high with dirty dishes (yes, I peek in the windows to check). So I know other people are getting this done without the degree of avoidance I am capable of.

The Crock and I have squared off yet again because I have two meals planned this week that require its participation, but the thought of facing off with old Hef has me putting those meals off. Is it sheer laziness or subtle rebellion? Will I once again put off cleaning the thing to find my mother has done it to teach me a lesson? I know she’s hoping I’ll come home and feel ashamed of myself, which of course I will, but I’m never more shamed than relieved that Hef has left the building.

My friend K has a gig similar to mine, Mother of Two with a full-time job outside the home. Unlike me, K isn’t fazed or put off by piles of dirty dishes. She is amazingly focused and efficient in the kitchen. Just listening to K recite her regular Saturday accomplishments has me wondering if a team of Rowling’s house elves could keep up.

Imagine a lengthy recitation of multiple shopping trips, chopping, cooking, packaging and freezing, after which, for fun, she bakes a triple-layer cake for co-workers from scratch. K does all of these things, start to finish, in about five hours and appears to enjoy it. I need to spend five hours reading ‘The Magicians’ in order to recover from a grueling hour at Costco. I am not a likely candidate for mother or wife of the year.

So someone, please invent a disposable cooking gadget for those of us who want hot meat but don’t want to handle dirty old Hef afterward. Preferably before the Costco food expires.

Guest Blogger: Brandy STEW, Allergy Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Post by:
Brandy STEW, Allergy Mom

I was promoted from Brandy, “Mother of Two” to Brandy, “Allergy Mom” at our eldest son’s third birthday party when our one-year-old was fed an egg-loaded peanut butter cookie by a relative who adores him. One look at the little guy and it was clear something was wrong – his sweet face was blotchy and swollen, and a scary ride to the emergency room later, it was determined that our baby had food allergies- lots of them.

The first year being an Allergy Mom is terrifying. First, you have to figure out what you can feed the kid, which means spending hours in the grocery store reading labels; preferably alone. It is hard to find the dozens of words that mean ‘egg’ in small print when someone is shrieking in the cart.

Every outing has the potential for disaster, including hours in the emergency room and hundreds of dollars in prescriptions and co-pays - if you are lucky. You are armed with medication that requires injection by sharp needle. An Allergy Mom is no longer just a mom. She’s a warrior, armed and paranoid.

The months pass and it becomes clear that close friends and family, who think they understand food allergies, really don’t. Multiple scares taught my husband and me to flank our son like Michael Jackson’s bodyguards every time we left the house. The years passed, and this became our new normal.

Just over a week ago our youngest started kindergarten on his 6^th birthday. The nurse had his epipens and Benadryl, the teachers were informed, and hubby and I started to head off to work. The universe, in all of its wisdom, had me back at the school at snack time for another reason, and I happened to stop by to check on my little guy. There he sat at the snack table in his paper birthday crown, and as I spoke to him a hive appeared on his chin, typically his first sign of allergic reaction.

Did I freak out? No. Experienced Allergy Mom that I am, I summoned all of the adults to come see what the initial onset of a food allergy can look like. I even let it progress a bit, comfortable in my knowledge to know when a Benadryl will do the job and when to yank the epipen out of my purse like Nurse Ratched. My beautiful boy in his birthday crown and I walked hand in hand to the nurse’s office to go through the routine Benadryl dosing. I thank God I was there. The other adults were freaking out, which I appreciated, but I wasn’t. I knew this was a teaching moment for others. Same old, same old for my boy and me.

After the Benadryl our son was able to return to class. A few years ago I would have spent the remainder of the day freaking out, stopping for therapeutic Starbucks coffee and anything containing sugar, calling to check on him every 15 minutes. But not this time. His caregivers are trained and prepared. My boy knows what to do, I know what to do, and the universe, once again, took care of us both.

Menu Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Monday

Crockpot Chicken | Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday

Roasted Pork Shoulder | Mashed Potatoes | Green Beans

Wednesday

Zucchini Spaghetti with Meat Sauce | Garlic Bread

Thursday

Baked Pork Taquitos | Chopped Tex-Mex Salad

(using leftover roasted pork)

Friday

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole | Broccoli

(using leftover crockpot chicken)

I don't know about you but I am ready for a little fall weather. It's still been really warm around my neck of the woods and it doesn't get very cold during fall and winter but I really would love the cool crisp air of fall to come my way.

We deserve Happily Ever After

noreply@blogger.com (Simply Fit Mama) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:13:00 +0000

Post by:
Brandy STEW, Allergy Mom

Today I welcome Brandy STEW, Allergy Mom to the Simply Fit Mama Site. I have been introduced to her through a mutual friend and I think she has a great voice and would love to share her writing with you. She is funny and witty and has a wonderful name! I hope you enjoy her guest post.

Last month I caught a glance of my disheveled self in a hallway mirror and thought, “When did I stop looking like Snow White and start looking like the Evil Queen’s Hag???” You know what I’m talking about. When dating Prince Charming I spent considerable cash on essentials like shoes, skin cream and the perfect outfit. Now I spend considerable cash on Stride Rite shoes and Neosporin. The perfect outfit is whatever is clean and hides the muffin top.

After that watershed moment at the hall mirror, I took a good look back. After marrying the Prince I wasn’t a hag…when did hag become the norm? I maintained my looks after marriage, but the sad decline from beauty to beast happened somewhere around the first pregnancy. By succumbing to the relentless pounds of baby weight, somewhere in my mind I let go of the idea of being the nubile princess and anointed myself ‘Mother.’ The self-sacrificing, last on the list, will do anything for you resentful martyr that after a wine-filled dinner admits she misses herself. Misses the girl who was lost.

The good news is that what has been lost can be found. Since realizing I don’t want to be a hag anymore, I made a list of the things that I resent: cleaning bathrooms, prioritizing everyone else’s exercise routine above my own, buying everything I need at Target instead of department stores and never having dates with King Charming without the Little Princes.

Without pomp or even announcement, I’ve made some changes. I convinced someone else to clean the bathrooms. My exercise routine happens and I bought a few things to make me feel less like a servant and more like the Queen that I want to be. Happily, King Charming has noticed and, even though it has dented his treasury, seems to like that I once again remind him of the nubile princess he married. The Little Princes seem happier too. It appears that ancient wisdom still rings true: “If Mama Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy.”

Next time you pass the magic mirror, see what it says. It is hard work to create a Happily Ever After, but we deserve it.