“The BOMB” Egg Muffin Recipe

The preparation is really simple, all you need is:

1. Liquid Egg Whites
2. Your favorite omelette ingredients
3. A muffin tin

I always use cubed ham and shredded cheese, I put the ham in first, then fill in with egg whites and top it off with the shredded cheddar..

Ready to go in the oven

I will pre-heat the oven to 350 and once that’s done, they go in for about 20 minutes or until they are inflated and my cheese looks crispy!

The finished product!

These little bad boys have become my best friend, when I leave for work at 5:30 am I can just throw them in the microwave at work. Breakfast on the go and they are really filling! I have them for breakfast almost everyday and sometimes as my snack.

Just for fun because I am so proud of my homemade marinade this is what tonight’s dinner looked like! It was my own version of Honey Ginger Chicken..

My dinner plate..love sugar snap peas!

Cales dinner plate with rice instead of veggies haha

It was sooooo good!!

TRY THE EGGS!

Sooo What Do You Eat

I get that a lot! I know my list is pretty basic but I haven’t really delved into the more complex recipes…yet! My work schedule sort of limits what I can eat each night, coming home at 8:00 pm some nights doesn’t really allow for an elaborate meal. BUT, I have turned into quite the whiz in the kitchen, at least I think so! Planning meals ahead of time has helped so much, every Sunday, Cale and I plan our weekly meals. Each night is planned based on when I get home from work and what groceries we have left haha..Cale usually has a little tweak to his meal, he is not low Carb by any means!

This weeks dinners are:

Monday: Keilbasa and mixed veggies

Tuesday: Hamburgers with Swiss Cheese and broccoli (no bun for me)

Wednesday: Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin ( I had green beans and Cale had Tater Tots haha)

Thursday: Honey Ginger Chicken Breasts with sugar snap peas (Cale will have rice with his)

Friday: Steaks! Cales favorite – his 2nd favorite is Taco Dinner, I always hear about it Taco Dinner is not on the weekly plan

Saturday: this is a special one, we are going to the IRISH festival in downtown Raleigh so I imagine I may indulge is some Shepherd’s Pie..I am so excited to go to this, I am so proud of my very IRISH heritage and I love IRISH music!!

Sunday: we left this day open, since Sundays are usually “ME” days, I am usually inspired and cook something a little more detailed! I’ll let you know what I make.

My typical day!

Breakfast: the bomb egg “muffins” I haven’t come up with a cool name for them yet but they are sooo good and convenient! I’ll post the recipe tonight..

Snacks: cucumbers, tomatoes, string cheese, sliced deli meat

Lunch: either leftovers from dinner the night before or sliced deli meat with slices of cheese, I guess these could be called ham/turkey roll-ups? with some veggie

Dinner: my new favorite food – salmon (grilled), chicken breasts, hamburgers (no bun), steaks, Kielbasa (very infrequent), basically any meat that can be grilled or cooked in a crockpot

Foods I AVOID: rice, pasta, breads, junk (occasional cheats), most processed foods, sodas (occasional cheat like the time I went to Bull City Burger and Brewery and they gave me this awesome mason jar and served only Boylan Company drinks, Cream Soda will win anyday!!! – other than that Perrier has taken over the needs for bubbles), sugary juices..you get the gist!

Back to Bull City Burger for a second, this place is the BOMB!! (yeah, I’m using the Bomb again like its 1998) Their burgers are soooo good, I have sort of made it a ritual after my Saturday double down to eat at a D-town Durham restaurant. Food tastes so much better after 2 hours of crazy, sweaty, hard-work and the loss of about 1200 calories!! Reading this will tell you many reasons why you should go there..Mom, next time you come down and if you ever do a double-down again with me – we are going there!!
Anyway, lots of disgress-ing (not a word) in this post but I hope the food info helps! Best of luck if you are trying to go low-carb, it is not easy in the beginning but trust me when I say…it gets better! (not to sound cliche)

Why/How I changed How I Eat?

I get that question A LOT! Sorry for the rambling back story but it is relevant!

I got engaged Thanksgiving of 2011, I can safely say I was the biggest I have ever been in my life! I was strong, but my cardiovascular fitness was not there AT ALL..not a good look! So Cale’s proposal as with most brides-to-be; panic set in, I have to look my best on my wedding day.

You would think that somebody with my educational background and job title, I would be a self-motivated crazy person when it came to working out…FALSE!! I struggled with the motivation to start and finish, I needed some outside help to get/keep me going.  I used to not be that way! Strange I know, but from the few years I have been in this industry; I know I am not alone. So I started looking around for Boot Camps, workout groups, running groups, etc. Long story short I found a Fitness Camp that met MWF for an hour – I did that for a bunch of months and lost about 10ish pounds. I had some up and down weigh-ins but it felt good to have somebody push me. Added bonus, I was the only one in the camp so I got personal training!! I became good friends with my instructor Cassandra and she kicked my butt every MWF. Anyway, my wedding came and went..I was down about 12 pounds on my wedding day. Every pound counts…right

The Big Day..12 pounds down

This was my heaviest..I’m guessing
This was pre-proposal..Easter 2011

I gained most of it back during and post honeymoon..womp womp! I settled into married life and had to do something about that…so I started running. I registered for my first 1/2 marathon with my mom..crazyyyyy idea. We had both only done a few 5k’s leading up to that.  I got a training plan and stuck to that..it kept me going and I had a schedule (Schedules help with adherence). I also started my Crossfit BootCamp again – did 4 months of that and I stopped weighing myself. My body composition was changing and my cardiovascular fitness increased significantly.

My friend Cassandra opened up her own studio while I was Boot Camping and she started a weight loss challenge, 12 weeks with weekly weigh-ins. You paid $25.00 to get in and every week you had to weigh in with her, if you gained .5 lbs or higher you had to pay a $1.00 per 1/2 pound, if you maintained your weight from last week you had to pay $1.00, if you lost weight, you owed nothing. While she was running this program, I had ended Boot Camp and was focusing on my running and had joined SYNCStudio (my 2nd favorite place) I still don’t know what took me so long to join it but I didn’t come in until about week 5 or 6. The hardest day for me was when I did my first weigh-in with her, I was only down about 3 pounds from December 2011 – End of May 2012. I had been busting my butt with Crossfit BootCamp for 4 months and had 1 month of cycling/TRX/Total Body Circuit under my belt…to have that small of a change.

This is May 2012..only 3 lb difference from Wedding Day! That beautiful lady on the left is my mom!

During my post wedding “fitness rush” I had made some dietary changes, very little eating out/fast food, I added smoothies to my everyday routine, ate more fruit, decreased junk food, cooked “healthy” meals…I did the standard “Watch what you eat” and count calories approach. Obviously that wasn’t enough! After that initial weigh-in, I did some research and looked into Paleo, Zone, and a few more scientific/educated eating styles. I kept running into lower carbs, high protein/good fat styles so I went a little deeper into understanding those types of “eat-styles.”

I was at a turning point in more ways that one, I needed to do this for me and I could not put it off for another day/month/year! So I started that week, I planned the meals for that week, went to the grocery store, got double of everything and went home to put it all together. Cale was a little alarmed by the changes but he has adapted and is on board..now! That first week I lost 4 pounds and since then every week that I have stuck to it, I have lost weight!! Since the beginning of June to this morning I have lost 22 pounds and I feel amazing. I have said is previous posts how I feel when I do over-eat Carbs..it’s disgusting really.  I will list SOME of the physiological, physical, and mental changes I have felt:

• Bloated feeling- gone
• Breakouts- gone (even though I am working out multiple times/day..eryday) My skin is clear and feels smoother
• Fatigue/Laziness- gone (I do love a good nap though)
• Energy level has increased 100%
• Might sound weird but my hair feels/looks healthier
• I feel stronger in my workouts and have so much more stamina
• I sleep like a baby
• I have way more confidence than I ever have (I think)
• My productivity level at work/home has increased significantly
• Clothes fit that have never fit before (you know those clothes you keep in the back of your closet in case you get small enough to wear them..Yeah I’m wearin ’em)
• Waking up at 5:00 am is much easier
• I am happier than ever

and I have become the self-motivated person that I used to be. I no longer have to rely on somebody else to get me going, I am driving myself. Yeah, I take classes at SYNCstudio but nobody is making me, or waking me up (except for Cale sometimes haha) I am excited to get to my workout or complete a run; remember I used to have run anxiety! Now, I am cranking out an 8 mile run before work.. 🙂

This is July 2012 with my handsome husband in the British Virgin Islands..I think I was down 15-18 pounds here

I love sharing with people what I have done to change my eating habits and why, my only hope is that they try it for a few days! Since this post was so long, I will share what I eat in my next post!

Workout of the Week 9/17/12

Two posts back to back…WHOA!

Last Monday I posted the Workout of the Week..I wonder if anybody did it! My group at IBM crushed it and everybody finished in under 1 hour!! This weeks workout is completely different..

Warm-up

2 rounds

1 minute of each

Man-Makers

Jumping Jacks

Squat Jumps

Shoulder Press

Burpees

Then, Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes..

10 Push-ups

15 Sit-ups

20 Squats

Take a 1 minute break at the end of the 15 minutes

Then do, as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of…

10 Burpess

15 Lunges (each leg)

20 Jump Squats

Have Fun!!

Serious Case of the Mondays

Ever have that “I don’t wanna move” feeling on Monday mornings? Who am I kidding..everybody has felt that and there is no denying it! I have noticed that it is significantly worse after a not so active weekend..Monday mornings are sooo much more difficult!

I was a Bridesmaid in my good friend Rachel’s wedding this past weekend and it was a BLAST!! Their reception venue was beautiful and I enjoyed every minute of the prepping and partying!!

The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC

The festivities started Friday night with the Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner..I somehow managed to do awesome with my food selection there! The menu was fixed so you had to select from the options given…we were at an Italian restaurant! I’m not gonna lie, I was a little bit stressed out trying to figure out what I could eat! Thankfully there was chicken on the menu and some greens so all was good – I skipped dessert and felt amazing leaving that dinner! Saturday morning started off great and the smart food selections continued until the mimosas and pinwheel sandwiches came into the picture at lunch (and a tiny fudge brownie- I’m talking 1.5 bites)! WHOOPS…I am not lying when I say this..I felt bloated almost immediately! Our dresses were a really pretty halter, cocktail length dress – I felt like my food baby was protruding and all the world could see! It is insane how quickly that happens, and to think I used to feel like that all the time 😦  I did make smart decisions for dinner and drinks…until the 1 Bud Light appeared… and I felt immediately bloated again haha! AND when I woke up Sunday morning, I could feel the 1 measly beer!

You see how excited I am about that..

Anyway…I thankfully did not trip walking down the aisle and we all made it through the wedding and reception without any crazy accidents or mess-ups! Rachel looked beautiful… like a princess

Lord knows why I am standing like that

The hair and make-up team made everybody look gorgeous…I loved my hair!!

Cale looked so handsome and he was the best Plus 1!!

So back to the original reason for this post…inactive (fitness-wise) weekends make for a tough Monday! I felt it this morning in my Total Body Circuit class and not it a good way! I was struggling through some of my easier exercises..practically panting after jumping jacks and feeling so weak-sauce. I had big plans to run 10 miles this morning after TBC but when I hit the start of that run, I knew it was gonna be a short one. My legs felt like jello and every stride was a struggle, I made it through 4 miles and called it a morning. BUT, I did re-schedule my 10 miler for the originally planned Saturday.

The point is…stay active over the weekend, it makes the rest of the week so much easier. Many people do amazing during the week with their meal planning and execution as well as their workouts, only to let it slip away on the weekends!! That’s the best way to NEVER accomplish your goals. Find ways to do something active and try to hardest to keep your eating in check! Even though I had some minor slips over the weekend, I still remained true to my eating habits 75% of the time. I will toot my own horn and say I am proud of myself for sliding out of bed this morning for my workout…I almost made it to the 3rd chance on my alarm!

Workout of the Week

Every Monday at work, I post a Workout of the Week, and any member can do it at any time during the week it is posted. I started doing this about 5 months ago and a Monday night group slowly started forming and has grown into something bigger than I expected! Let me tell you, these workouts are not easy and they are done much better in a group.  They are do-able alone, you just have to be able to push yourself through it! I put the workout together in order to challenge their routine and get them outside of their comfort zones.

Very much like some Crossfit programming, the workouts are varied, challenging, and functional. I am a big fan of Crossfit and wish I could be a member of SyncStudio and a Box but that is just not practical for me! I used to do Crossfit Bootcamp for about 4 months (2 different times) I absolutely loved it and really miss it! I was able to be really competitive and take down boys (men) in the workouts – it felt so good! If you are unfamiliar with Crossfit you can check out their website, I guarantee there are at least 2 boxes within 20 miles of you!!

Since this Workout of the Week has become so popular at IBM, I decided to post that same workout here (just in case anybody wanted to try it) They will look a little intimidating but they are well worth it!! This weeks workout is:

Warm-up:

3 rounds of

Run .25 miles or Row 500 meters

30 Box Jumps or Step-Ups (30 each leg if you choose step-ups)

30 WallBall – watch this to see how to WallBall, we usually use a weighted Medicine Ball

Then do:

100 Sit-ups

90 Lunges (45 each leg)

80 Mountain Climbers (80 each leg or a 2-count)

70 Shoulder Press

60 Jump Squats

50 Push-ups

40 Pull-ups (you can do these a lot of different ways; regular strict pull-ups, assisted with a machine or a band, or you can do Lat Pulldowns)

30 WallBall

20 Burpees

10 Star Jumps

As fast as you can!!!

HAVE FUN

Finding Motivation to Keep on Truckin’

As I write this post, I am layed out  sitting on my couch…sore and wiped out! Having done 2 Double down (back to back classes) days in a row at Sync, my body is tired. Looking ahead to my 5:00 AM  wake-up call for my 5:45 Total Body Circuit class, my excitement level on scale of 0 – Richard Simmons is most definitely a 0! This is not the first time I have felt this way..it happens more times than I would like to admit. BUT, I have developed some tactics/strategies to fight back…

1. I set 2-3 different alarm times (some call it a snooze option) I like to refer to them as chances, first chance 5:00, second chance 5:05 and third 5:10
2. I pre-plan and lay out my workout clothes the night before..sometimes if I am really excited about an outfit I only need the 1st chance to wake me up
3. Think about all of the other things you can get done around the house after your workout is over..it is crazy how much I get done in the morning after a workout!!
4. The last one is really Cale – he can guilt me out of bed in the morning, unfortunately, he hears my alarms! He will poke me in the back, gently nudge me towards the edge of the bed and if that doesn’t work he kills me with question “Don’t you have a workout?” UGH the guilt that comes with that question!!!

Once I move around the room for a few minutes, I am wide awake and ready to roll! 1 hour and 15 minutes later, I am done with my workout and feeling better than ever.  Conquering any housework or running a million errands before 9 am feels amazing!!

No matter what time of day you workout, there are always things that are going to kill your motivation..finding ways around them and pushing through to get your workout in each day is soooo important! Here are some doctor (from the MayoClinic) inspired tips to help you stay motivated..

1. Set goals

Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious.

2. Make it fun

Find sports or activities that you enjoy, then vary the routine to keep you on your toes. If you’re not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a health club or martial arts center. Discover your hidden athletic talent. Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be drudgery — and you’re more likely to stick with a fitness program if you’re having fun.

3. Make physical activity part of your daily routine

If it’s hard to find time for exercise, don’t fall back on excuses. Schedule workouts as you would any other important activity. You can also slip in physical activity throughout the day. Be creative! Take a walk during your child’s music lesson. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Pedal a stationary bike or do strength training exercises with resistance tubing while you watch TV at night.

4. Put it on paper

Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Sleep better? Manage a chronic condition? Write it down! Seeing the benefits of regular exercise on paper may help you stay motivated. It may also help to keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts can help you work toward your goals — and remind you that you’re making progress.

5. Join forces with friends, neighbors or others

You’re not in this alone. Invite friends or co-workers to join you when you exercise. Work out with your partner or other loved ones. Play soccer with your kids. Organize a group of neighbors to take fitness classes at a local health club.

6. Reward yourself

After each exercise session, take a few minutes to savor the good feelings that exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise. External rewards can help, too. When you reach a longer range goal, treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes or new tunes to enjoy while you exercise.

7. Be flexible

If you’re too busy to work out or simply don’t feel up to it, take a day or two off. Be gentle with yourself if you need a break. The important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can.

Now that you’re enthusiastic again, get moving! Set your goals, make it fun and pat yourself on the back from time to time. Remember, physical activity is for life. Review these tips whenever you feel your motivation sliding.

 

6 weeks to 1/2 marathon – Whoopsies!

UPDATED*

Oh my goodness – I just checked my calendar to see how far away my next race is! For some reason I was thinking I still had at least 2 months to train … try 6 weeks!!! My weekends have been jam-packed with craziness and I have not done a long run (more than 4 miles) since my glorious DC run! I am serious trouble!!! I hate to rush increasing mileage, but I have to do something! Thankfully, we have no weekend travel plans for the rest of this month!

My plan is to get my long runs done on Saturdays – more than likely on the lovely Tobacco Trail , there is a trail entry right near SyncStudio. It’s a great place to train for long runs because if you go out a certain distance, you have to come back; so it makes you cover your planned mileage! I will have to make some sacrifices (I don’t wanna)  in order to get this training done.

My typical Sync schedule is:

Monday: 545 am Total Body Circuit

Tuesday: off

Wednesday: 545 am Total Body Circuit and 700 pm Cycling

Thursday: double-down of 1 hour Cycling then 1 hour of Cycling-TRX combo

Friday: 545 am Total Body Circuit and 715 Cycle-Sculpt

Saturday mornings: (when we are in town) I do another double down of 1 hour Cycling and 1 hour TRX.

Sunday mornings: double down! 900 TRX and 1015 CycleSculpt

Since I plan to run Tues/Thurs/Sat. I will have to scale back on my Sync-ing..here’s how I feel about that!

This will be SUPER SATURDAY SEPTEMBER!!

SO, this Saturday I have  a 6 miler on tap (my 6 miler in Atlanta did not go so well, haha)

Saturday (9/15)- 8 miler, will need to be early in the am because I am in a wedding that afternoon, YAY RACHEL!!! Did this one on Wednesday morning before work…..made for an interesting day!

Saturday (9/22) – 9 miler – my go for 10 on this one

Saturday (9/29) – 10 miler

Sunday (10/7) – 12 miler

Saturday (10/13) – 8 miler

Sunday (10/21) – RACE DAY!

….I wish I had a workout buddy here!