runaway weekend

I heard a rumor that it was going to snow in provo, so I grabbed some of my besties and ran away to St George for the weekend. It turns out the snow rumors were true. Dodged that bullet. I'll be back to regular posting when I return...posting from the blackberry is a tad bit difficult.

I hope you're having a fabulous weekend! Xoxoxo

Going Broke off Veggies.

It's clear that I have got salad building skills. If you don't believe me I challenge you to a build off at any local salad bar you can find.
Evidence:

Sometimes my skills get me in trouble.
There is an awesome grocery store by my work that has a super fresh salad bar full of all sorts of goodies. I have seen it several times, but I've never eaten there. I needed to grab something to eat in between clients so I decided to run over and get myself some dinner.
I noticed that the salad was priced at $6.99 pound so I very carefully chose all of my favorite items...Spinach, some whole grain noodles, edama me, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, peas, beets, mandarin oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, roasted chicken, cottage cheese, and sunflower seeds. So freaking delicious. I thought I was probably like...ohh...at a pound maybe. Wanna guess my salad cost? 

 

$13.00

13! 

I don't know how you Whole Foods people ration how much you are eating price-wise because I'm pretty sure I'd go broke there.  Apparently I like really dense foods. It's a good thing I don't have to weigh my salad at Pizza Factory... $4.95 for my mile high stack of veggies.

 

You better believe I finished off EVERY last bite. It really was so good...almost worth $13 dollars. Almost.

Do you feel like your salads are pretty healthy? Salad is one of those foods that can be VERY deceiving calorie-wise. Click HERE to get a salad bar break down, and HERE for some tips to salad bar success. 

Some of my favorite salads are...this delicious GREEK SALAD

 This fresh summer yogurt glazed fruit salad

 This tasty WINTER SALAD

 One of my favorite low-cal/low-fat meals... My FIESTA CHICKEN SALAD

 Very easy and delicious SALSA CHICKEN salad

 Fruit salad on top of YOGURTLAND...oops how did that slip in there...does that not count?

 and my latest favorite protein packed salad; RANCH COTTAGE CHEESE W/CHICK PEAS

So how in the world do you avoid spending your life savings at Whole Foods or other Pay-by-the-pound salad venues? Please enlighten me. Do you feel like you are pretty healthy when it comes to creating your own salads? What is your favorite healthy salad combo?

Oh..p.s. BREAKING news today. H&M coming to SLC. RIGHT BY MEEEEE! Did you think I was going to say something about the royal wedding? Cause this is way more important!!!!

Elevate Wellness Workshop

As you all know my work is the BOMB. We do monthly wellness workshops that are FREE and open to the public. We have one tonight at 7:00 PM and you are all invited! Feel free to fly in from out of state :)

Tonight's guest speaker is Melissa Chappell, the author of Purposeful Eating.

She is amazing and will be discussing intuitive eating, how to let go of guilt and fear associated with food, and the importance of loving our bodies. These are all VERY relevant issues with all of the women I train, and some of the men as well. I am really excited to hear what she has to present. It's going to be amazing and SUPER informative, so COME!!

Elevate is located at 147 W 400 N in Orem, UT

Anyone is welcome to attend. Bring your friends and fam and come say hi! I'll be there!! xoxoxo Megs

Come on and do the humpdy hump...and an exercise of the week

For whatever reason I can't think of Wednesday without calling it hump day at least one time. Remember the day my internet stopped working for no reason? LAME. I'm currently trying to get it from my neighbor and the connection is no bueno. So, please excuse the lack of pictures. Not gonna happen.

Today's workout was awesome. One of those days where you are just in the mode and feeling GREAT. I lifted this morning, full body 60 minutes followed by twenty minutes on the elliptical. I usually focus on muscle groups when I lift, but I like to shake it up and do full body sometimes to keep my body guessing.

My lifting looked something like this:

3 sets of each of these...

12 Assisted Pullups
alt. with
15 Squat Curl Press w/40 lb bar

Leg Press 270 lbs
alt. with
15 Push ups

15 R&L Isolated Squat Reverse Lunge Combo (see below for exercise of the week)
alt. with
15 decline rear rows on the bar (think lifting body up off the ground with palms facing the ceiling, touching chest to the bar)

12 alt lunge with cable chest press 25 lbs on each side
followed by 12 alt lunges keeping the 25 lb resistance at each side.

 Plate Pushes and
Abs Circuit to finish

Tonight I made it back for 40 more mins on the elliptical and Janae's spin class. Love it. So so much. It was a great workout day.

This week's exercise of the week is a new lunge/squat combo I've been LOVING. It is killer if you push yourself and do it right!

Isolated Squat Reverse Lunge Combo

Muscles Targeted: MAJOR glute exercise, inner thighs, quads, hamstrings, and core as well. 
Grab a bar. The heavier the better. I did these today with a 50 lb bar.
Put the bar on your shoulders, chest up, abs tight, and legs shoulder width apart.

Start focusing on the right leg.
Do a full squat. Step back with the right leg and do a reverse lunge.
Step back to starting position legs shoulder width apart again and do another full squat. Followed by another reverse lunge on the right leg.
Do 15 of each on the right side and take a lil' breather.

I like to do a plank in between so I'm utilizing my rest time. 
(It's allll about alternating exercises. Maximize your gym time, and get you in and out of there faster.)

Repeat this on the left side doing 15 of each. Your legs should be shakity shaking by the end of each set. If not, your weight isn't heavy enough. As you get tired, really focus on keeping that core tight, and being sure that your form stays correct.
Aim to do three sets on each leg.

Let's hope this internet get's back to normal by tomorrow...Buenos noches.

Did you have any workout highlights for the day? I am guessing my legs are going to be tired tomorrow! Do you ever do two-a-days? Sometimes it just feels right. :)

I feel good about that.

Thank you Khloe and Lamar for making my cardio session today fly by like magic. I was dragging a bit when I got to the gym to do my cardio today and I flipped on the TV to find the new Kardashion phenomenon on to suit my fancy. One and a half episodes later I was well worked and fully entertained. I love when that happens. Don't you?

My food today went swimmingly.
5:20 AM Chocolate PB Oatmeal

8:40 AM 3 oz Smoked Crack Pepper Turkey & some diet hot chocolate (I know early for turkey...an easy snack for work)

1:00 PM Strawberry Banana Protein Shake w/ Fage Greek Yogurt

4:00 PM Ranch Cottage Cheese with Chickpeas

Ok, so I saw this combo the other day on Janetha's Blog Meals and Moves and I thought to myself...
I LOVE chickpeas.
I LOVE anything ranch flavored.
I try and like cottage cheese. I like it with other foods...and I know how good it is for me, but sometimes I struggle with it. I should try this.

I combined 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1/3 cup chickpeas, and 1 1/2 tsp ranch seasoning. I think I might add 2 tsp next time. It came to 210 calories and 19 grams of protein. I feel good about that. I LOVED this combo. I think it would be good with some shredded chicken added in, or even tucked inside a whole wheat pita. It was delish. Thanks Janetha!

7:30 Peanut Butter Cliff Bar (I haven't had anything bar-ish in a long time, but I went to a class straight from work, and knew I needed to eat something before 8:30 when I got done. Usually I would have probably felt like it was a little high in carbs for my liking, but I'd already eaten 100 grams of protein for the day.)

9:00 8 oz Fat free cookies and cream frozen yogurt soft serve cone from the local Maverick with Benits and SB. 

Stats for the day: 1320 calories, 114 grams of protein, 20 grams of fat, 179 grams of carbs, and 18 grams of fiber. (The fiber was a LOT lower than I usually like, but because I had to switch my normal dinner to a cliff bar there was a lil' fiber shortage.)
My percentages were at %35 protein %52 carbohydrates and %13 fat. I like.

Between the Greek Yogurt and this cottage cheese combo I am loving these new food finds for the week. A great reminder to me that I need to be willing to try new foods! I know I am one to get stuck in my ways of eating, and it's always fun to add new tasty foods to the regimen. There are definitely ups and downs. I don't always love the outcomes of the new foods I try, but it seems that there is are a lot of positives that come from the trial process!


Does anyone else get caught watching lame TV and loving it...oops? I definitely do when I'm working out. Do you like to try new foods? Sometimes new healthy foods can be scary, and take an acquired taste. Any new ones that you have been surprised at how much you've liked them?

The Motivation Factor

So, today something glorious happened. I purchased plane tickets.

 Oh hello Duck Beach. I can't wait to meet you.

Yep. I'm going to be heading here over Memorial Day and I couldn't be more excited. We seem to be living in eternal winter here in Utah, so having some warm sunshine to look forward to is the best news ever! (I'm currently sipping on my second cup of sugar free hot chocolate for the day. That really just isn't right. It's almost May people!) Have you ever been to Duck Beach?? Tell me about it if you have. :)

I'm currently looking forward to running beach side, sipping diet dr pepper as I lounge on the beach listening to my favorite jams, riding bikes around town, and pretending I live by the ocean for just a bit. Sounds ok, right? 

I have been doing great with my goals these past couple weeks, but knowing I have a swimsuit filled weekend to look forward to in a month gives me even more reason to kick in to high gear. Don't you love when that internal motivation factor kicks in? I sure do.

Motivation is an interesting thing...Webster tells us;

motivation |ˌmōtəˈvā sh ən|
noun
{the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way : escape can be a strong motivation for travel.
• the general desire or willingness of someone to do something : keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation.}

I am definitely a goal oriented person. I have to have a reason behind what I am doing. If I don't have a purpose in my actions I don't feel the same drive. I've noticed my clients are the same way. It is really easy to see when they actually want what they are working for. Progress doesn't happen when they don't.

Goals don't always have to be monumental, like losing twenty pounds or running a marathon. They can be small and purposeful for the moment.
Some days my goals are to run my mileage at a certain pace or to eat a certain amount of this or that. Other days it's more like...just get through sixty minutes of cardio, even if I'm crawling on the treadmill. There are even times when my goals are more related to what I want to avoid...not to make negative body image comments to myself or to stop dipping my finger in the PB jar.

Some would argue with me that weight loss, looking a certain way, or wearing a certain dress size are not good and positive goals. I would disagree. While I think some of these goals can lead to the imperfect syndrome if you aren't careful, there is nothing wrong with wanting to feel good about the way you look.


What motivates you? Do you need goals to stick to, or can you just keep on keepin' on just because?Are you going anywhere for Memorial Day? Cause I am...

Get us back on the beach where we belong.

Easterlicious

Happy Easter everyone!!! I hope you have had a fabulous, pastel colored, easter egg filled day! I LOVE Easter. I have to admit I was a weeeee bit sad this year that I wasn't going to be spending Easter in AZ like usual.

I hate to brag, but my family has some BOMB Easter traditions, like probably the best ever. I wouldn't be mad if you stole this idea and did it from here on out because it's that great.
As a kid we would wake up to find this...

(These pics are from last year. I took some of my besties home to experience the goodness that is The Smith Family Easter celebration.)

... The Easter bunny had left all of our names attached to kite string.

 Kite string leading allllllll over the house.

 Inside. Outside. Wrapped around railings. In and out of chair rungs. EVERYWHERE.

 Until finally you reach your basket. Yes, 25 year olds still need Easter baskets.

It is so much fun! Such a great tradition. Although I don't think my dad loves waking up to a web of string you can't find your way through.

Once the baskets are found it's time for our traditional breakfast of Abelskivas or Danish Pancakes as we call them.

Good times, huh? Now you can see why I'm sad I missed out this year. Remind me to never let that happen again.

I have to say thank you SO much for all your input on the greek yogurt! I told you I was a novice to the greek yogurt world, so I was very appreciative of all your knowledge! Janetha from meals and moves gave me the heads up that not all greek yogurt is created equal. Yoplait and Dannon actually put additives and other crazy things in the yogurt that make it knock-off greek yogurt, if you will. Lindsey from Lean Bodies Health and Fitness told me to hit up Costco for their Fage Greek Yogurt, which I did yesterday. She also has some great recipe ideas with greek yogurt on her blog. Cara from Eat.Pray.Run gave me the recipe for her greek yogurt + PB creation which I'm going to have to try! Stephanie from My Thorns Have Roses has been doing some greek yogurt taste test comparisons as well. 

It seems like everyone is loving mixing in cinnamon, stevia, pumpkin, fat free sugar free pudding mixes, fruit, cereal, granola, among other things. I can't wait to to try these ideas out! Thank you thank you!!

Like I mentioned, I purchased the Fage yesterday.

 I was instantly stoked with the nutrition facts. In comparison to the Yoplait brand I tried previously, the Fage brand is actual Greek Yogurt, not a knock off. It has ten more calories and 6 MORE grams of protein. Love that. 

I made my protein shake with it today, and I was SO happy with the turn out! This brand of greek yogurt bumped the nutrition facts of my shake to: 295 calories, 0 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbs, 44 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber. I feel SO good about that.

With all of the Eastering that is going on I'm sure you have LOTS of eggs all over the place. Read HERE for my post on why eggs are GREAT for you! Speaking of Easter. All growing up going shopping for a new Easter dress was always an exciting outing. My mom would always make us stand on the porch and take pictures in our Easter outfits before church. Since mom wasn't here to snap my Easter photo, this will have to do!

Happy Easter!! I hope your day was great!

Do you have any fun Easter Traditions? Aside from the "string" and the Danish Pancake breakfast we always dye eggs and have an Easter egg hunt. Super fun! Any other great greek yogurt tips for me? I'm going to become a pro at the stuff and I'll let you know how it goes! I hope you've had a great holiday and that you have a great start to your week! xoxoxo

A Mid-day Miracle

So yesterday something crazy happened. By 12:30 I had consumed 71 grams of protein. 71!! That is sometimes my intake for the whole day. I was so proud of myself. The reason I was able to accomplish such a miraculous feat was because of this lil' number I picked up at the store this week.

 Now, I know, I know. Everyone looooves greek yogurt. I am soooo behind the times. Blah blah blah. Yogurt is an awesome source of protein, it's true. But, to be honest with you, unless it's coming out of a soft serve machine of the frozen variety, I don't really like it. I decided this week I wanted to give it a shot and I found this Yoplait kind that had awesome stats. 17 grams of protein? Seriously? Love it.

 I got the plain kind because I knew I was going to be adding it to a protein shake. I tried a little dip of it on it's own and it was kinda nasty. I don't like the tart/sour creamish taste. BUT...I added to it

- 8 oz water

- 1 cup of ice cubes

- 1 serving Vanilla Biochem Protein Powder

- lots of cinnamon

- some splenda (I had to sweeten up the greek yogurt taste)

- 5 frozen strawberries and a 1/2 a banana

 Strawberries have been so cheap lately, so I bought a bunch and prepped little fruit bags to freeze for my protein shakes so I can just throw them in there really quickly.

I LOVED how the shake turned out. The yogurt made it really thick and creamy. the total nutrition facts on this shake...

285 calories, 0 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbs, 38 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber. 38 grams of non meat protein in ONE meal. Yes...it is true. I was seriously so excited about it. Let's be honest. I still am. This totally fills me up so I had it by itself for my lunch. AWESOME. Try it. I promise you'll love it.


Do you like greek yogurt? I am guessing some of the flavored kinds are better, but I am loving mixing it in my protein shakes right now. How do you usually eat it? I don't like yogurt plain, but i do like it when it's mixed with cereal and fruit.

When is it good enough? The Imperfect Syndrome.

Yesterday was Tuesday, and I was convinced that today should be Friday. It's been one of those weeks. Not that it has been a bad week, I have had some great things happen in fact, but I'm just feeling out of sorts.

Today I got to spend a lot of time with the fabulous Ashley, both at lunch and at spin. As we devoured monstrous salads we discussed the usual's...running, working out, eating healthy, and on and on. In our discussion we started talking about feeling like we are "good enough."

Ash is incredible and has used WW to reach her goal weight. She is also an awesome runner, and just accomplished a 20 miler in training for her upcoming marathon. I look at this girl and think. DANG. Look at all she has accomplished.

Others might say the same of some of my accomplishments. I have run races, stuck to goals, made improvements, etc. Yet, I have never reached a point where I thought, there it is I made it to "good enough." I think there are positives and negatives to this, "imperfect syndrome." On the plus side it helps push us to do things we didn't realize were possible. It can help us to improve our health. It can make us better athletes. It can test our endurance and our strength. We need some of that drive in us to always want to be better. To keep improving ourselves. To a point...

We then get to a point where we can't see our accomplishments. This this is the negative side. We don't allow ourselves to enjoy the progress we have made, at least not for long. We are never skinny enough, strong enough, fast enough, pretty enough...etc. etc. etc. This is where we can push ourselves into the unhappy part of life where all we are ever doing is thinking...I'll be happy when...but in reality we keep increasing and changing our "when," so what we are really saying is, "I will never be happy." What kind of a life is that?

I think it is so sad that we do this to ourselves. We may disguise this type of self destruction as "pushing ourselves to be better," when in reality we are just pushing ourselves to an unreachable limit. So how do we stop this vicious cycle? How do we reach a point where we are happy with what we have accomplished and let our goals be positive instead of negative.

I've been thinking about this all day, and I'm hoping the following suggestions may help...
- Set realistic, reachable goals with a purpose. If your goal is to lose 15 pounds because you know that will be a healthier weight for you that is a positive goal. If you are doing it because you feel like you have to due to societal pressure that isn't so healthy.
- Look at the accomplishments you have made. Take a second to appreciate all you CAN do and HAVE done. I bet the list will be long.
- Don't obsesses over numbers. If you are really eating healthy and exercising you body will take on a healthy frame. Don't let a number on the scale dictate your level of happiness.
- Don't compare yourself to what you see in the magazine. It's not real, and usually it's not realistic. You are probably a lot prettier than that anyways.
- Set goals and push yourself. Get to know your limits. Set goals that will help you to improve.
- When you reach your goals be proud of yourself. Why set goals if you don't even allow yourself a victory dance when you get there?

Remember that you are capable of anything, but that you don't want to live your life constantly thinking that you aren't good enough. Sometimes it's more important to accept who you are and be proud of that. Celebrate your positives. Find things about yourself that you love and when you are starting to get down remind yourself of those things. Surround yourself with people that you love, and that love you back. They will always make you feel like a million bucks, even if you aren't feeling it that day. You are incredible, and don't you forget it.

Do you ever get a case of the, "imperfect syndrome?" I think we all do. It's hard not to sometimes. What do you do to combat it?

I get it...not everyone likes broccoli and oatmeal as much as I do.

I know that I have unique taste buds. I realize that not everyone gets excited about eating oatmeal in the morning and the thought of a night out to an amazing salad bar. I get that people don't usually crave heaps of vegetables and egg whites. I understand that most people consider dessert a huge red velvet cupcake with an inch and a half of frosting and sprinkles on top, not a healthy zucchini cookie. I am not oblivious to how the rest of the world eats. I get it. I do however, think that for there is a happy medium for those who don't love all of the healthy goods. You don't have to go from being a candidate for a real life version of the show, Supersize me to a 100 percent perfect clean eater. It doesn't usually work that way, although more power to ya if it has. There has to be a point where you meet in the middle. Taking baby steps towards making positive eating changes is the best way to do it. Make these changes habits, and they will last.

I love to cook and bake for my friends and family, but I know that they aren't always as stoked about my 99% fat free cookies that are nearly calorie free. I have come to terms with the fact that I think I have more of an acquired taste for these types of foods. Because I know this I will often times make small changes in the food I make for other people; changes that they will never notice, but helps me to be able to sleep at night.

Tonight I made some cookies for my friends. I have a KILLER Oatmeal chocolate chip recipe that I've made a few modifications to in order to health-ify it a little. I am in no way saying that these are basically better than broccoli and should replace the healthy foods in your diet. I'm just saying it's possible to make little changes to some of the foods you love to make them a little better for you. If you are going to eat them or serve them anyways, you may as well do all that you can to make them a little healthier, right? Right.

 

Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients: 
(Makes 36 cookies)

1/2  cup butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce (originally this was butter, but I always replace 1/2 with applesauce)
3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2  cup granulated sugar
1  egg
2 egg whites (this was another whole egg, but I like to replace 1 of the eggs with 2 egg whites)
1  teaspoon vanilla
3/4  cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (this was originally all white flour, but again I like to do 1/2 and 1/2)
1  teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon salt 
1 1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
3  cups old fashioned oats
1  cup chocolate chips


Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together butter, sugars, and applesauce. Add eggs, egg whites, and vanilla. Beat well. Add in dry ingredients. Mix together and then add chocolate chips. Bake for 10 mins or until slightly golden. They are better if they aren't crispy, but a dab under cooked.

The nutrition facts come out looking a little something like this:

You end up saving about 20 calories and two grams of fat per cookie.

There are a lot of other little changes that you can make when you're trying to eat better one step at a time. Here are some of my suggestions for some small changes that can add up to make a big difference.

- Go whole grain. Buy wheat bread instead of white. Make brown rice instead of white rice. Switch out your regular pasta for whole wheat pasta. Try other delicious whole grains such as quinoa, cous cous, or barley.
- Stop buying junk. If it's not there it won't get eaten. It's as simple as that.
- Make it a goal to incorporate at least one serving of a fruit and vegetable at every meal.
- Stop putting butter on everything. Learn to use seasonings, herbs, and spices. There is actually other flavors aside from "smothered in butter." Crazy right?
- Plan your meals for the week ahead of time. We eat crappy when we aren't prepared and it turns into the grab and go scenario. Don't let that happen to you.
- Eat real breakfasts instead of just sugared cereal. Whole grain cereals, whole wheat toast, eggs and egg whites, protein shakes, etc. These are much better options than starting the day off with 60 grams of sugar sludging through your body.
- Switch from 2% or low fat milk to skim milk. It will save you calories and fat.
- Use low fat or non fat soups as base soups for your meals.
- Stop covering everything in a pound of cheese. Use stronger flavored cheese so you only need a touch of it instead of eight cups.
- Build your meals around lean protein and healthy fruits and vegetables.
- Stop cooking like your mom/grandma. Despite what Paula Dean may say, you don't need a stick of butter in everything.
- Stop frying your food. Instead faux fry them with an egg white dredge and whole wheat bread crumbs or panko, and then bake them.
- Focus on the good foods you are adding into your diet, instead of only thinking about what you can't have. Healthy food can be so delicious and full of flavor.
- Drop the dressing. Instead use salsa, or put the dressing on the side and then just dip your fork for the small amount you need. You'll save tons of calories.
- Eat at home instead of on the go. You'll be more aware and more conscious of what your food is comprised of.
- Make healthy snacks available for your kids, and encourage them to eat those snacks instead. You'll be surprised they may just delve right in.
- Be aware of your extra snacks and desserts. You don't need five treats a day. You just don't.

I know...kind of a lot...but hopefully you found one or two things that could help you make your food choices just that much healthier. It's worth the effort. I promise. You will feel better and look better, and your family will too.


Do you feel like you have "healthy" taste buds, or are your healthy food choices more of an effort for you? I definitely have an affinity for healthy food, but it is also a conscious choice for me. What are some small changes you've made in your eating habits that have helped you become a little bit healthier? I never use butter. Ever. I don't even like the taste of it anymore. I always get my salad dressing on the side. I don't eat candy and sugar.

Woooooosh

That is the noise you would have heard if you had been in Boston today. As I'm sure you've probably heard by now the winner of the Boston Marathon, Kenyan, Geoffery Mutai ran the race in 2:03:02.
2:03:02!!?!? Insanely speedy. The speediest, in fact that ANYONE has ever ran a marathon. Pretty astounding if you ask me.

I bet he had to do a lot of carb loading to get that kind of speed.
I think my carb loading meal of choice would be my mom's Chicken Scampi Pasta.

Let's be honest. I eat it when I'm not carb loading. It is sooooo good. Click HERE for the recipe.

Oh and the recipe for this delicious greek salad is HERE.

We're watching Country Strong right now. Have you seen it? At the end Gweneth wears the most fabulous dress.

I want it. You know, just to wear to work while I train people, or to throw on for a quick outing to Yogurtland. Well, I at least plan on running up and down the Y until I look like Gwen in that amazing dress. It looks like some of you are going to take the Y Challenge with me? I LOVE IT. Can we do it together please??

Are you totally astounded with the Boston Marathon results today? I am. It's amazing how these insane world records for speed just continue to get shattered. Don't you want Gwen's amazing legs? Or Kelly Ripa's arms? Is there another celeb favorite that you'd like to body double for?

When the exercise motivation runs freely...soak it up. Oh, and you know you eat too much Frozen Yogurt when...

I know I talk a lot about how excited I am for warm weather, but it's in good reason. I sincerely think that when it's warmer outside I am more motivated to move! This also means I feel better and usually equates to better eating habits and feeling happier as well. Have you ever heard this song by The Weepies?

I think they wrote it about me.

I love when I have motivating exercise days. Friday was definitely one of those for me. I had a break in between clients Friday morning, so I went over to the gym by my work to do some cardio. Sometimes I work out at work, and sometimes I like to just go unplug and be in my own little world. I had been on the elliptical for about twenty minutes and my sweet friend Cassie came and started ellipticizing next to me. The next 25 mins FLEW by. We just chatted about life and health and being injured and everything else under the sun. We also talked about how fun it is to have someone to work out with. It seriously makes me so happy. Just so you know, I will be your workout buddy ANY DAY.

Workout Motivation Tip #1: Workout with a friend. It makes the time go by so much faster. It will motivate you to work harder. AND you will be more likely to get there and do it if you know someone is going to be there to workout out with you. 

I went back to work for my last couple clients, and then headed home. I was about decided I wanted to do another little bit of cardio because I had the energy and I usually try and do at least 60 mins a day. It makes me feel good, especially on the weekends. I wasn't super stoked about it, but I decided to just get in there and get going and see if I could bust out at least 15 more mins. (I know myself...once I get going I'm good to go.) I got started and was STOKED when Remember The Titans was playing. 50 more mins flew by. I was laughing, crying, cheering...it was great.


Workout Motivation Tip #2: Find something that can distract you or entertain you. I am a big fan of watching TV while I cardio it out. I ALWAYS have my music on hand. It pumps me up, and I'll just sing along as the time passes by. Also, remember that sometimes it just takes getting yourself going. Commit to doing ten minutes. If at the end of ten you feel like you could go ten more try it, chances are you'll be able to.

I got home from my workout and had some lunch...a Strawberry Banana Protein Shake and my Guiltless Chips and Salsa.

Post lunch, I was working on some writing stuff, and two of my friends called me to come and hike the Y with them. In UT we have a lot of big beautiful mountains, and on the mountain right by my house there is a trail leading up to a giant "Y" which is quite the steep little hike.

This photo may help give you a little insight. It really is steep. The hike is only about 1.2 miles, but your legs are burning by the time you get to the top. It was SUCH a beautiful day it felt awesome to be out in the sunshine burning some calories. 

Here is the view from the top taken with my phone.

 I decided when we got up there, that my goal for this summer is to be able to run all the way up to the top of the Y without stopping. It's only 1.2 miles but it is STEEP. I feel this is going to help my legs get into bangin' shape! My game plan? Start at the base and run as far as I can without stopping. I'm going to do it 2-3 times a week and just keep building up that endurance. My hip BETTER not get in the way of this.

Workout Motivation Tip #3 Coming...hang in there...

Last night I went and watched my friend Jan fight. He played football for BYU as a defensive end for four years and is now an MMA fighter.

 (I dressed up as him for Halloween a couple of years ago. The costume went over really well in Utah Valley. We have a lot of die hard Cougar fans in these parts.) 

Let me just say, I'm not a huge fan of fighting. It makes me nervous. I don't like when people fight for reals, why would I like it when people fight for sport? Can't we all just get along? I guess not.
One of the highlights of being at the fights was running into the DARLING Kristy, from Sweet Treats and More. Her husband played football with Jan and they are really good friends. If you haven't checked out her blog go there now it is every bit as darling and delightful as she is!
Anyways...Jan is an incredible athlete, and did awesome in his fight, winning in just over a minute. He is one of the most mild, even tempered people I know. Not the personality of what I would consider a "fighter" to be, but he doesn't do it to get all crazy and aggressive on someone. He does it because he is a competitive athlete and he loves it.


Workout Motivation Tip #3: Find something you love to do! Whether you are going outside for a scenic hike, knocking someone out (k...probably not that) running, playing basketball, riding a bike, WHATEVER. If you don't like to do it you will dread it. On the other hand, if you love it exercise won't be a chore for you. It will just be a way of life. You will look forward to it, and it will have more benefits than just calorie burn.

Whatever your motivation for working out may be, find what works for you! 

On a side note...remember Michael, the owner of Yogurtland who did the AWESOME giveaway for us back in March? Well he posted this on my FB wall the other day.

Don't worry. SB and I made it in to Yogurtland yesterday. It's good to know that my Yogurt people are looking out for me.

I ended up with a combo of peanut butter, cookies and cream and pistachio with bananas and granola.

What is it that keeps you motivated? Do you workout with friends? Do you watch TV? Do you do what you really love? I love to workout with friends. It's so much more fun that way. I am also all about the cardio with the TV and music, or just a good run outside. Aside from home/work who would notice first if you were to go missing? I'd say for me it's a three way tie between the gym, The Pizza Factory, and Yogurtland.

I heart guiltless chips and salsa. The best snack EVER.

OK, so maybe I'm over exaggerating a little bit. I tend to do that from time to time. BUT, this is seriously so quick, easy, and TASTY. Who doesn't love the endless bowl of chips and salsa? Unfortunately that love can present some problems.

1) Because they usually come either in bag form if you are at home or bowl form if you are at a restaurant there is NO portion control. Everyone tends to underestimate how much they are really eating.

2) They are so good, but they are SO not filling.
3) They aren't your meal. They make makeup the caloric amount of what your meal should be, but they are usually just the appetizer or a snack. You are usually hungry when you eat chips and salsa and you want to just keep eating because you are hungry!
3) They are high in calories. The salsa isn't, but the chips unfortunately are.

 So what's a salsa lovin' snacker to do? 

Let me tell you.

Guiltless Chips and Salsa

1) Get yourself a whole wheat tortilla. I used my favorite La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortilla. I swear they should be paying me in mountains of tortillas for the props I give. You are welcome La Tortilla Factory! Turn your oven on broil. Spray a cookie sheet. Place your tortilla down on the sheet.

 2) use a pizza cutter to cut your tortilla into strips as big or small as you'd like. Spray the tortilla slices with a quick spritz of non-stick cooking spray. This helps them to crisp up.

 3) Stick them in the oven on the top rack until they are nice and crispy. Be careful not to let them burn.

4) Pop them out of the oven and serve along side your favorite salsa.

 

Yep. That just happened. THAT quickly. They taste SO dang good and they are an awesome alternative to fat filled tortilla chips. This entire portion is about 120 calories, 8 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fiber. Hello...amazing. Not only that, this snack is completely portion controlled. My tortilla makes about 24 chips. I PROMISE you will love this. 

As I was eating it I was dreaming about how good it would have been with my healthy black bean salsa. Next time!

Do you love chips and salsa? I don't know how you couldn't. I hope you all have great plans for the weekend! I love Fridays!!

A Smattering of Topics

I love the RARE occasion of not waking up at 5AM and getting in a good morning workout. I had some clients out of town for spring break so I was able to sleep in until 7:45!! It was glorious. I had my favorite breakfast...

 I have been making my oatmeal with 6 oz of skim milk instead of 8 oz of water like I used to do, so I could increase the protein. I'm loving this change. It's so dang tasty.

After I ate I got ready and peaced out to the gym for a pre-work workout. This RARELY happens, so I was super excited about it! Morning workouts are the best, and you know what makes them even better?? Surprise visitors! My sweet lil' BFF Janae came and surprised me mid workout with a bag of my favorite things! It totally caught me of guard and seriously made my morning! She is a total sweetheart!! Thank you darling!!!!!!

 Sipping on some DDP and chewing the strawberry shortcake gum as we speak. Heaven...
After my workout I headed to work. It was so nice knowing my workout was done and behind me. I prefer to workout in the mornings. I like to have it done, and sometimes I HATE that looming feeling of my body getting more tired as the day goes on knowing I have to summon up extra energy for a workout. I know there are some people who enjoy the late hours, but for the most part, I am not one of them. Lots of people will ask me when I think the best time of day to work out is...read THIS POST to answer that question.

For lunch today I had a Mexi Chicken Wrap that was VERY delicious. Ingredients were a La Tortilla Factory Wrap, spinach, chicken grilled with fajita seasoning, a drizzle of fat free southwestern ranch, and a few heaping spoonfuls of mango salsa. It was so tasty! This whole wrap is about 250 calories. Mango salsa is the answer to so many problems. I'm pretty sure it could bring world peace.  

I also added in a side of Edama me for some bonus protein. My whole lunch had 40 grams! That is huge for me FYI.

I know some of you have told me that you've had a hard time finding the La Tortilla Factory Tortillas. I get mine at Costco in the bread section. They come in a pack of like 20 that lasts forever. I just keep mine in the fridge, so they stay fresh. I have also seen them at Good Earth and Sunflower Market. If you don't have any of these stores, or you aren't seeing them click HERE and see if that helps?  

Where did Elaine get the silicone oven mitts I spoke of yesterday?

Sur La Table. That store is amazing. Here is the link to the square potholder, and the mini mitt.

How do I know what the nutrition facts are for my recipes? I use THIS website. I am obsessed with knowing the nutrition facts of the food I eat, so If I make something myself I have to calculate it out. There are a lot of free resources out there that can help you break down your recipes. You have to know the amounts of all of your ingredients and how many servings one recipe makes.

How do I keep track of my calories? I don't really need to write them down because I have a strangely large library of caloric facts in my head. I can't remember people's names, but I can tell you how many calories are in pretty much whatever you'd like to know. That is sad...I know. What I can't figure out in my head is my macro nutrient percentages (fat, carbs, protein) and that is what I'm most concerned with. I also like to be exact, so keeping track keeps me in line. I used the fitday.com website FOREVER. It's free, it's super user friendly. I did a post about it HERE. I now use a program that I use with my clients at work called dotfit.com It is also fabulous, but not free. There are a ton of methods of tracking food, and you just have to find what works for you. I also own a food scale which makes exactness possible.

Hopefully that answers some of your questions!! Anything else I can help you with? Let me know. I love it :) 

p.s. Amazing JEN is giving away a GARMIN, a Spibelt, and a super cute shirt. You should probably go check it out! 

Call them what you will. I call them classics.

There are two things that I would say are never out of season. Pumpkin flavored goodness, and the color black. Fight me on it if you want, but I will stand my ground. Pumpkin ALWAYS tastes/smells good, and black ALWAYS looks classic. 

I was looking to whip up a tasty delight today, and so after sifting through my recipes I decided I wanted to mix and match and came up with this delightful recipe for Whole Wheat Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

This was a perfect opportunity to try out the new silicone oven mitt and potholder my mom gave me with my Easter package. They are AWESOME. They are dishwasher safe too, which is great because all my baking goods tend to get dirty from time to time.

 They can also double as a fun toy for your kids...or yourself...the mitt looks like a monster of sorts.

 In case you were wondering; yep, I bake in my gym clothes. I work in my gym clothes. I work out in my gym clothes. I run errands in my gym clothes. I sleep in my gym clothes. There are times in the week when I realize that I have gone from Monday to Friday without putting on jeans. Sad? Awesome? I don't even know anymore. Remember that gym clothes = work clothes for me. I am a comfy type person, so I love it.  Also, remember my bondi band? I love it. It is seriously awesome for working out, or for those days where doing your hair just isn't in the cards.

Guess what else??

This grandma hip just might be coming out of retirement. I had an AWESOME run yesterday. I'm definitely feeling it today, but the fact that I actually made it through a decent run without extreme pain makes me OH so happy. Keep your fingers crossed. I'm not signing up for any races just yet, but hopefully soon!

Ok, on to the recipe...

Whole Wheat Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients: 

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup splenda (you could use agave or honey here)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together pumpkin, egg, sugar, splenda, applesauce, and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Combine dry ingredient with wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for ten minutes, or until the bottom is lightly browned. Let cool completely. Yum. Yum. Yum. This recipe makes 36 cookies. Here are the stats.

Do you have things that you would consider never go out of style? I would have to add not washing my hair being tan. I'm sure my list is probably longer this, but I'll spare you :) Do you live in your gym clothes? I do, and I think everyone I know is kinda used to it. It's always fun to be all dressed normal. It throws people off.