Needing Some Sleep

My workouts have been going well, and my deficit has been good - but I'm running out of energy! I really need to get more sleep. Work has been so busy, and I've had to cover shifts lately, which definitely impacts the amount of shut-eye I can get. I do know, though, how important it is to get good rest and recovery if I want to succeed at my goals!

Tonight, Jeb is making Chicken Pot Stickers for dinner. The recipe is out of Leigh Peele's "Around the World" cookbook from Body By Eats. Have you checked out that product yet? You should - there are great (and varied) recipes, and lots of good, real information about healthy nutrition. I'm looking forward to having a good meal and crashing early!

Yes, I did drop a Kettlebell on my head today...

...but I'm ok - I swear! It didn't fall in dramatic fashion, but triceps failed toward the end of my workout (a Kettlebell class) and the bell slipped a bit. I was able to catch it, and the instructor didn't notice!

My workouts have been great. I continue to use kettlebells as much as possible, and am working on my pistol squats - yikes! It's coming along though. I want to have the best base possible before I start training for the Warrior Dash after the snow melts.

I am so FREAKING close to having lost 50 pounds. It's been a long journey so far, and I have a long way to go. I'm still making progress, though my scale weight hasnt' changed over the last few weeks.

TGIF - seriously. What a long week! My parents are coming over tomorrow to work on the house, and they MAY be bringing my niece along to hang out - yay!

I'm Back!!

I'm totally overthinking this whole blog thing. First, I thought it needed more focus - but then it was so focused that I couldn't ever think of anything to write about! I'm still alive - still cooking healthy food, training regularly, and working like crazy!

Some updates:
*I pulled my Achilles tendon on 12/30. I was running late to my favorite mindless cardio class - BodyCombat. I didn't warm up and jumped right into class. During jump-kicks, I pushed too hard and felt it pop - it was awful - and I was seriously depressed about it for days! My workouts had been going great, I was achieving some decent fat loss, and I felt completely stuck! Fortunately, the Men's/Women's Health Big Book of Exercises had just come out, and I found Dave Tate's Bench Press workout! It gave me something to focus on, when I couldn't do much for lower body workouts. Instead of completely vegging out, I improved my upper body strength and mobility - and I REALLY learned the value of a good warm-up. Since I've recovered, my workouts have picked up and I'm actually stronger than ever!! Still frustrated, though, that I can't seem to break a 135# bench press though - it would probably be easier if I actually spent significant time on it...

*Leigh Peele released a new cookbook for Body By Eats - the "5 Ingredient Cookbook." It has some great recipes in it that have been so helpful for Jeb and I as we've tried to fine tune our diet. I've even taught the kids at work some of them - all a big hit! I really really love tricking the kids into eating something healthy for a change!

*I've really increased my kettlebell work. Since I'm focused so much on fat loss right now, I dropped lifting to twice/week, and am completing some sort of circuit (Spartacus workout, KB circuits I shamelessly borrowed from someone else's blog, Cardio Strength Training, etc.). The workouts are fun, difficult, and have helped me improve my conditioning rapidly.

*Kettlebells rock for core strength! I HATE core work, and only do it because it's important. Last summer, I made a sorry attempt to perform a Prone Jackknife on a Swiss ball. I couldn't really even hack it, so I had to use an egg-shaped swiss ball. This exercise hasn't been part of my program for awhile, so when I found out it was a part of my new workout phase, I was intimidated! At the gym, I grabbed the Swiss ball and gave it a try - and I COULD DO IT! Better than ever, actually! It felt great! I can't really think of anything else that could have made me improve this much without specifically working on it, but kettlebells do work the core (especially Turkish Get-Ups), so I think that might have been the difference. YAY!

*I am definitely going to stop overthinking, and start posting more often. :)

Until next time...

This week was a blur...

Overall, though, I was able to juggle everything pretty well. We ate some good food (some of my favorite, healthy fall recipes), and I got in all my workouts! I'm really enjoying kettlebell class, although it is REALLY tough.

Today, we went to Pickity Place for lunch. It was fantastic! Pickity Place is an old farmhouse with little shops and gardens. They serve a luncheon each day that has a fixed menu. The menu changes monthly based on the seasons. The food was fresh and delicious, and the shops were filled with unique gifts. We had so much fun walking around and smelling herbs, browsing the shops, and, of course, eating our lunch! Our table was in a greenhouse, so the area was filled with natural light. If the weather had been better, the day would have been perfect! Even with the rain and cold, we still had a blast. It was nice to slow down a bit and just spend time together.

Cranberry Banana Muffins

It's a snowy fall day in New England, so I did a little bit of cooking. I had some cranberries in the fridge and some overripe bananas on my counter, so I figured I would combine them and make lower carb, higher protein muffins. I like to have a bread or muffin option to pair with a protein for a snack when I'm on the go at work. I prefer a muffin to breads because it is easier to control portions and track my calories. These muffins have healthy fats, potassium, and antioxidants which make them work well in my diet!

Next time, I will probably add more protein powder and use 1 less banana - simply to have an even lower carb, higher protein muffin. I will also try them with slivered almonds.

The texture is just right with these - they taste just like a regular banana bread/muffin!

Cranberry Banana Muffins

(makes 24 muffins)

6 overripe bananas (about 725g)

2 cups Old Fashioned Oats (not quick oats - processed into a flour)

1 cup White Whole Wheat Flour

2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder (the brand you use will change the nutritional info)

3 TBS Milled Flax Seed

2 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp Apple Pie Spice

6 TBS butter (melted)

1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 cup egg white substitute

1.25 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Coat muffin pan with cooking spray.

Mix oat flour, flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and Apple Pie Spice. Set aside.

Beat bananas in mixer until broken down. Add brown sugar and mix until completely incorporated. Add melted butter and olive oil and mix well for about 1 minute.

Slowly add egg whites and vanilla extract.

Add flour/protein mixture gradually.

Stir in cranberries. If desired, you could also stir-in chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, slivered almonds, etc. Orange zest would also be tasty.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition info:

Per Muffin

Calories: 155

Fat: 6.4g

Carbohydrates: 19g

Dietary Fiber: 3g

Protein: 6g

I never met a squash I didn't like...

...so I wasn't afraid to try Spaghetti Squash! I had often heard of it as a low-carb option for a side dish, but had never actually seen it in real life until a couple weeks ago. When I saw them at Stop and Shop, I couldn't believe they DO exist out here in Northern Central MA! Jeb was skeptical, but he really can't say no to me, so we picked some up.

I won't lie - the squash sat on my counter for about 2 weeks while I tried to figure out just what I was supposed to do with it. I wasn't REALLY clear on what spaghetti squash actually was, so I didn't know if I could roast it like other squashes, or if it had to be boiled (it IS spaghetti squash, after all!). A few nights ago, I was looking at it and noticed a sticker on it with cooking instructions! Whoops!

Anyway, we decided to cook it in its purest form, and just serve with basic Chicken Parmesan (we like the Cooking Light version). It was a bit weird at first to scoop the stringy flesh out of the skin, but once it was on the plate, I was sold! It was pretty tasty, and I didn't even miss the usual starchy sides that go so well with Chicken Parmesan. We finished it with a bit of salt, pepper, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The best way to know how much we enjoyed the Spaghetti Squash?? Jeb bought 3 more this week at the grocery store!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Jeb and I went to Judie's Restaurant in Amherst last night. Jeb had a Butternut Squash soup, and it was delicious! We loved the light texture and the layers of flavor, and decided to create our own version. We created our own base, and then added some lean ground turkey breast for some protein and some celery and carrots for some crunch!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

(serves 10)

2 TBS Olive Oil or Butter

1 medium onion, chopped

Ground nutmeg

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

8 cups 99% fat-free chicken broth

2 Apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 cup Apple Cider

1.25ish lbs. lean ground turkey breast

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped carrots

Heat olive oil or butter in pan. Saute' onion in oil and nutmeg until soft and transparent.

Add squash, apples, cider, and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until squash and apples are tender.

While base is simmering, cook turkey breast in a separate pan until no longer pink. Add celery and carrots at the same time as turkey to help them soften. When turkey is nearly cooked, add additional 1 cup of broth (if desired) and cook until veggies are tender.

When squash and apples are tender, puree' the mixture either with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Add turkey and veggies.

Simmer for 5 minutes and season to taste.

Nutrition info:

Calories: 155

Fat: 3.4g

Carbohydrates: 18.6g

Fiber: 4.2g

Protein: 15g