Food For Thought: Nutrition Facts

As you know, I am all about eating clean. I firmly believe that anyone who is looking to improve their health, lose weight, achieve fitness goals, or even just feel better should make the focus of their food based on the principle of clean eating. One who is eating clean should seek to avoid processed foods, decrease their sugar intake, and eat as many foods in their whole and natural form as possible. Individuals who are striving to eat this way often question where they stand with packaged foods. After all, sometimes broccoli comes in a package? There are definitely some healthy and nutritious foods that come packaged, the trick to knowing which packaged items are better than others lies in knowing how to read the nutriton labels.

A few things to look for:
1) The fewer ingredients the better
2) The ingredients are listed in sequential order of the amounts used (largest amounts first)
3) You should be able to identify the names of the ingredients
4) It is also smart to check the serving size

Let me explain a little further with some pics...
Nutrition Label #1

The ingredients are very simple; Dates, unsweetened coconut, almonds, cashews, and extra virgin coconut oil. You know by looking at this that dates are the first ingredient so they are used in the largest amount, and then on down the line with the rest of the ingredients. All of these ingredients are recognizable, and the serving size is one bar. This is a clean and healthy choice for sure. 

Nutrition Label #2

The ingredients are NOT so simple here. I have no idea what isomalto-oligosaccharides are? I don't think you can pick those up at the local farmers market. AKA - processed. The first listed ingredient is the items that make up the coating of the bar...that scares me a little? Again, words I don't recognize. Lastly, there are actually two servings in this one bar. Most people would assume that if it is one bar, the nutrition information would be for one serving. Not so. This is definitely something that throws people off with vending machine food, soda, ice cream, etc. Portion control gets tricky with scenarios like this. 

So, clearly we would go with bar #1 if we were choosing which ingredients were better. My challenge to you is to be more aware of the food you are putting in your body. Look to see if you are eating an apple...or an isomalto-olgiosaccharide...whatever that is? 

Rotisserie Chicken - Make Eating Healthy Easier!

A great deal of the questions I get have to do with making healthy eating easier. Everyone has busy schedules, and finding ways to make healthy meals quickly can be a huge help in making positive food choices. One of the biggest problems that I have when it comes to quick food prep is protein, especially when it comes to making healthy choices. Whipping up some protein usually takes time...that and I HATE touching raw meat. It really is not my favorite. So, what's a healthy, in a hurry, meat-a-phobe to do? The answer...rotisserie chicken! 

All you have to do is bring it home, take off the skin, peel the chicken off the bones, put it in a tupperware, and throw it in the fridge. It is fantastically easy and can be used for so many different things! I just recently used it in my Greek Chopped Chicken Salad. You could put it in a stir fry, put it in a wrap, make a sandwich, throw it in a casserole, or just eat it as a snack. EASY. 

Greek Chopped Chicken Salad: AKA I have created a masterpiece

While I was in Austin over Christmas break my sister made us a greek salad for dinner, which reminded me just how much I LOVE greek salads. They are simple, delicious, and full of good nutrition. Ever since then I have been wanting to make one. Last night I decided to make a delicious greek salad for dinner, but I decided take my own spin on it. Well, guess what? It turned out kind of amazing. It is such a simple meal, but totally filling. It is full of protein, fresh produce, and good fats. It is an easy make ahead meal that you could pre-chop and mix together right before it's time to eat. Promise you'll love it.

Greek Chopped Chicken Salad

Ingredients for salad: 4 oz cooked/shredded chicken breast, (I used rotisserie chicken) 1/4 an avocado chopped, diced tomatoes, diced olives, a few cups of your choice of lettuce chopped (I used a spring mix w/spinach).  You could also add chopped cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and feta if you like!

Ingredients for dressing: 1 part red wine vinegar, 2 parts olive oil, 2-3 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1-2 tsp Lowry's season salt. (I put this in a mason jar and shake it to combine) This will make more dressing than you need for one salad, but it will keep great in the fridge.

Combine lettuce, chicken, avocado, tomatoes, and olives in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

I had this for dinner last night and made it again for lunch today because I liked it so much! It is light, flavorful and filling! SO TASTY!

Going Going Gone.

Whenever I know I am leaving to go out of town my supply of fresh fruits and veggies tends to dwindle. I HATE not having fresh produce. It is one thing that really stresses me out. I know that lack of good food leads to increase of poor eating decisions. It's all about the preparation people. Luckily, one of my favorite salad bars is just down the street.

Enter, Brick Oven.

Doesn't that look awesome? If you only knew how excited I get when I am the first one to dive into this fresh deliciousness. I highly suggest you find a healthy "go to" quick place to get some healthy food, so you don't turn to bad decisions when you are short on time or groceries!

Today I am driving to Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with my family, and I can hardly wait!!! My sister sent me this yesterday...

Yes, Nichole. Yes, I am ready.

Chobani-licious: Chobani Product Review & Giveaway!

First things first. It's been about a year and a half since I discovered greek yogurt. Thank goodness that happened, right? I have since then learned that there are some wannabe greek yogurts, and there are some REAL greek yogurts. Chobani is DEFINITELY one of the legit kinds, and so I was STOKED to do a product review for them. I love getting mail...especially when it is in food form.

The fantastic people at Chobani sent me a case of the flavors of my choice.  I usually just go with the plain yogurt, so wanted to try some flavors that I hadn't yet tried before. I went with the low fat strawberry banana, the Chobani Champions chocolate chunk and the chobani champions orange vanilla. 

 Oh my goodness. So tasty!The thing that I loved about these flavors is they are not only tasty, but they are packed full of protein. They make for an awesome snack, part of a perfect meal, or even a sweet dessert. The Champions yogurts were made with little ones in mind, and I am certain that any kid would think they were delicious! 

Another reason to LOVE Chobani products is the fact that they use only natural ingredients in making them, so you don't have to worry about any strange additives being added in to your food. They are DELISH! 

The good news? The fabulous people at Chobani have offered to give one of YOU an assorted case of your choice! 

To enter to win your own case of Chobani... simply leave me a comment telling me which of their flavors that you want to try! For additional entries, you can tweet about the giveaway, blog about it,  or FB it and leave additional comments telling me you've done so! The last day to enter this contest will be Monday, November 5th, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be announced on November 6th! Good luck to ya! 

And while we are talking about giveaways...don't forget to enter October's Mix Giveaway!

Jet Setting Tips to Keep You On Track

Traveling is one of the fun things we get to do in life. Vacations are wonderful, and they are definitely a great time to allow yourself to be a little bit lax with your diet and exercise if you are really needing a break from the regimen. BUT...they surely don't have to be. We could think of a million reasons why we are going to "put our diet on hold" for some period of time for another. I hate to break it to ya...that just gets you nowhere. Instead, why not do your best to stick to some principles that will keep you from feeling like you need to be wheeled into your room on a luggage dolly at the end of the day. Here are some of the things I do to stay on track when I'm away from home.

- Pack snacks. I always plan ahead when I leave for trips because you never know what is going to be available to you. It is better to be prepared! My standards are almonds, Larabars, turkey jerky, apples, and other nuts. Breakfast is usually the hardest meal when you are traveling, so I plan on eating the things that I bring instead of going for a stack of pancakes or something else that is likely to start my day on an insulin rush.

- WALK. You may not have the opportunity to exercise wherever it is that you are going. If you can. AWESOME. In fact, it is very possible to do squats, planks, push ups, lunges, sit ups, heck...even burpees in your hotel room. But, if nothing else choose to walk. When you are doing your sight seeing, strap on a good pair of walking shoes (yep, be that tourist) and get your walk on. You will burn a ton of calories as you get to enjoy your sights, and it will help to make up for your lack of exercising.

- Remember your moderation. It is pretty easy to make every meal like Thanksgiving when you are eating out on vacation. There are oftentimes restaurants that you are dying to try along the way, and a lot of crazy delicious food can sometimes me a lot of crazy outrageous calories. Instead of gorging all the time choose to share meals with the people you are with. This way you get to try a little bit of everything without going calorie crazy. You can also remember that you don't HAVE to fall into peer pressure while eating out. While I was in NY, the people I was with had a long list of eateries that they wanted to stop at...The Donut Plant, The Shake Shack, Max Brenner, and on and on...and guess what, I never ate at any of them...GASP. I know, crazy right? I was pretty sure if I would have, the chances of me feeling sick the whole day were fairly high, so I opted out. I actually managed to stay very close to my Paleo eating while I was gone. If I couldn't find something on the menu that suited the way I wanted to eat, I didn't just give in. The good news is that at almost every place you go to eat you can usually modify your meal to make it healthy and worthy of your hard working body. With that being said...it is totally fine to have some meals where you let loose and enjoy. Life is to be enjoyed! Just try to avoid being gluttonous.

- Drink a lot of water. I always notice that my water consumption drops a TON when I am traveling because it isn't as easy to grab a drink when you are nowhere near a drinking fountain or sink. Bring a water bottle with you and fill it up whenever you can. When you do stop to eat, be sure to drink a full glass of water first before you eat.

- Try for healthy eateries. Some of the best places I've eaten are fun health food spots. Try to find some fun local healthy options!

- Don't kick yourself. If you do feel like you go overboard, don't let it ruin your trip. Simple pick yourself up, start over, and move forward with the desire to do better. What's done is done, but there is always a new day with new decisions!

Feeding An Army & Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

I mentioned yesterday how much I loved my trip to Lake Powell. I also mentioned that we had 40 people that I planned food for. Many people think that feeding a large group means immediately resulting to frozen pasta dishes and pizza, with lots of potato chips and packaged cookies. I get that those are easy options, and sometimes in big groups the easy option wins out. However, maybe the following tips can help you think in quantity AND quality.

1. Include a fruit tray or a veggie platter at EVERY meal. Even if your "veggie platter" is nothing more than a big bag of baby carrots and some hummus. If you don't want to cut up your veggies yourself, purchasing a tray at Costco or your local grocery store is really easy to do. We had a fruit tray or a veggies out for every single meal in Powell and they ALWAYS were scarfed up!

2. Use a crock pot. It is easier to cook for a crowd when you don't have to be a slave to the kitchen all day. One of the recipes that I make every year in the crock pot are chicken chalupas. This recipe makes a lot, but I doubled it. People then have the option to put this chicken over chips, in a tortilla, over salad, or on its own. It is SO tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

4 lbs. cooked cut up chicken

2 large onions diced

3-4 cloves of garlic

3 - 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

2 – 7 ounce cans diced green chilies

3 - 151/2 ounce cans pinto beans

2 cans black beans

1 1/2 Tablespoons oregano flakes

1 tablespoon cumin

Cook chicken in crock pot, add remaining ingredients (mix tomatoes, garlic and onions in food processer )

Mix together and cook in oven at 325 degrees in a large roster for 2-3 hours, or crock pot for 3-4 hours. Squeeze lime juice in before serving

I also served this with diced tomatoes, avocado, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, black bean salsa, and any other toppings you may want.  This stuff is SO GOOD, and it keeps really well too. 

3. Give "create your own" options. One of the hardest parts of feeding a large group is attempting to please everyone's tastes. For lunches I always have several different kinds of lunch meats, cheeses, wraps, bread, toppings, and even lettuce for lettuce wraps. It is amazing to me that people really do usually go for the healthier options. Even with the chalupas, people have the option to make salads if they wish to avoid all of the extra chips and tortillas. 

For one of the dinners I had everyone assemble their own pita pizzas. These are so easy, healthy, and portioned perfectly. These are great for kids as well because they love to get involved on making them! When kids are involved in the cooking and creating process they are far more likely to eat their food! 

4. Have a good mix of healthy and not so healthy snacks and treats. You may want to eat perfectly healthy, but that doesn't always mean everyone else does as well. Moderation is a good thing, and having a good mix of healthy treats with some others sweets is OK. Once again, if you provide the healthy options, you may be surprised at how people devour them. Along with whatever treats you may have, include nuts, pieces of fruit, fruit leathers, jerky, etc. Not all snacks on vacation need to be covered in sugar and processed to the nines.

Feeding a group can be healthy, and may just require a little creativity. Include as many fruits and vegetables as you can! Keep it simple, keep it healthy, and you will have a happy crowd!

The Get Back At It Workout and a DANG Good Salad

If there is one reason I love coming home from vacations...and there is probably only one...it is because I really like to get back into my workout/eating routine. I have been out of my normal routine, and that was made clear to me when I became very sore after my Monday circuit workout. It was the perfect little boost towards getting me back into the swing of things, and so I thought I'd share.

One mile run to warm up OR 10 minute elliptical intervals

3 sets of the following alternating between exercises
15 squat, curl, presses with 20 lb db's
15 burpees with a push up
20 walking lunges with 20 lb dumbbells
2 minute plank hold (1st plank no weight, 2nd plank 10 lb plate on your back, 3rd plank 25 lb plate on your back)

and then...

3 sets of the following alternating between exercises
15 bent over rows with 20 lb dbs
15 squats with 35 lb dbs
2 minute plank hold (1st plank no weight, 2nd plank 10 lb plate on your back, 3rd plank 25 lb plate on your back)

finish with
1 mile run OR 10 minute elliptical intervals


DONE. I think it was the walking lunges that got me. I guess walking around New York City in boots uses different muscles.

So, while I was in the Big Apple I ate at a place called Chop't that I guess is a chain restaurant? Have you eaten there? I'm probably just out of the loop on this one, but I am a HUGE fan.
Basically you go through and pick your lettuce, your protein, your veggies/toppings, and then they chop it all up into one HUGE salad.

I had baby spinach and mixed greens, lemon pepper chicken, beets, tomatoes, broccoli, and sunflower seeds. Maybe it sounds strange to you...but it thought it was bomb. I ate every last bite. And I'd do it again. I love when I find new healthy options of places to eat that are good. Now, if they could just bring one of these to Utah...

Why I Eat Paleo?

So, I explained a little more about how I have been eating in my What is Paleo post. Now, I'll try to help you understand a little more why I eat paleo, and what started the whole process in the first place.

So...it all started back in March. A coworker and friend of mine had been eating this way for some time, and she was telling me how positive her results had been and how much better she felt. I read the book Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson, and decided to give Primal Eating a try. The thought of eliminating grains and legumes terrified me. (Remember me, the girl who ate oatmeal with peanut butter for breakfast every day, and would rather eat cereal than just about anything...any day.) I was also very nervous about increasing my fat intake, being as how I had been eating a low fat/no fat diet like the rest of America. I am not going to lie, I was afraid I was going to fail miserably, but just the opposite happened.

Along with the principles I had researched in deciding if this could work for me, there was another factor that I would be changing a great deal, my exercise. Previously I had been working out doing at least an hour of cardio a day, and three days a weeks doing weights for 45-60 minutes on top of that. Guess what? That routine was getting me nowhere. I wasn't seeing any changes. I was tired all the time, and always hungry. I decided to change up my exercise plan as well...3 days a week of 30-40 minute intervals, focusing on keeping up my intensity, REALLY busting it for that short stint of time. 3 days a week of circuit training with weights/plyometrics/intervals for 30-45 minutes. Again, working as hard as possible for that time period. Long story short, shorter workout stints, but more intense. Making the workouts worth it! Mentally, this change was probably the hardest part for me. BUT it made sense to me. I was training for the Utah Valley Marathon for part of the time, which threw off my plan a bit, but also made me excited to finish the endurance training and mix things up.

Part of the "Why" behind this way of eating just makes sense. You are getting rid of all of the processed crap that has infiltrated our diets in such a big way. By eating clean, you eliminate so much of the foods that don't do anything for us. Think of it more as filling your diet with good, whole foods instead of focusing on what you "can't" have. Many have questioned the elimination of whole grains.
The reasoning behind this principle is because of insulin regulation, and avoiding inflammation of the gut. I would also add in that so many people eat tons and TONS of empty calories via their bread/sugar/cracker/candy/processed snack addiction. The problem is, many of the "Whole grain" foods we are eating, aren't really even whole grains. Many of them are still very processed. The evolutionary process of what a whole grain is now, compared to what it was years ago is very different. Getting rid of the grains is difficult, but doable. You can read some more detailed information on why grains are removed from paleo eating HERE.

I planned on attempting to eat this way for 21 days. I wanted to see if I could do it, how I felt, and if it changed the way I looked. 6 months later, I am still eating this way. Here is the WHY behind why I have kept up with my paleo eating.
- It keeps me full. This aspect of it absolutely amazes me. I am eating good fats and protein that help to keep me full. I never feel ravenous like I used to.
- I am more intuitive about my eating. I never thought I would say this, but because I am not always hungry, I don't always feel like I have to eat. I pay attention to my hunger cues more.
- I don't count calories. I never thought I would ever say this, but it's true. I am pretty sure I could show you an online log of every single thing I have eaten for the past five years up until 6 months ago. It is crazy, but true.
- I have dropped ten pounds. Nuff said.
- I feel more condensed. I realize now that I don't eat grains and legumes that I no longer feel bloated or gross after I eat. When you are eating good foods, your body responds well.
- I am not a slave to my exercise routine. I used to mentally kick myself if I didn't get my 60-90 minutes of cardio in per day. Who wants to live like that? Not me.
- I have more energy. I love this part. I reaaallly do.

I have managed to continue to eat this way on family vacations, with friends, with a crazy schedule, and even when I have to eat out. It really isn't hard once you get into a routine. I am a big fan. I also am a firm believer in the 80/20 rule. I think that if you can do all that you possibly can to eat perfectly %80 of the time, you will be able to be a little less perfect %20. Now, this doesn't mean live for the %20. It means do all you can to live for the %80 and then when that %20 comes around again every now and then, you won't feel guilty at all.

Sure, I miss cereal and oatmeal sometimes. I miss a good PB&J every now and then. BUT I LOVE how I feel. I know this has worked for me, (and for quite a few of my clients.) So, it is worth it to me.
Any questions? Comments? Arguments? Concerns? I'd love to hear them!

Let's Talk Eating Habits

One of the most difficult things about working out is food. People would love to think that they can separate the two, but unfortunately it just isn't possible. I've said it once, I'll say it again...(as will the million other people who have said it)...YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. True, there are some people who can get away with eating whatever they want and working out occasionally, and sometimes never. BUT, understand that these people are the minority. My motto of the day?

I have worked with people in the past that think that they can eat whatever they want all day long, and by coming into the gym they will look like a million bucks. If only, right? The problem is, it can take a LOT of sweat and effort to burn a good 500-1000 calories, and it can take about 5 to ten minutes (and scarily sometimes even less time) to consume that same amount. Sabotage anyone?

This is the first thing that I try to drill into the heads of those that I work with. The food you eat will make up about 80 percent of the results you'll get, and your workouts are about 20 percent. So, with my clients, before we even start working out...I make sure they know if you want to see results from the ten million squats, hundreds of sprints, and hours of planks that you're doing...be sure that what you are eating smart. Eat clean. Watch your portions. CUT OUT SUGAR. AND for heavens sake stop eating so much sugar! Be consistent with your actions. Doing things for a week isn't going to do much for you...keep up your efforts for several weeks! If you need some more tips read 10 weight loss tips that work and 10 that just won't.

Bottom line: Make your efforts in the kitchen more than just lifting a fork up and down...kapeesh?

I Forgot to Tell You...

So, there are a few things I forgot to mention from my AZ trip. 

1) Eat at Sauce. 
I think this makes like the 20,000th eating recommendation I have for Arizona. How about if you are ever planning on going there, consult with me first, K? Anyways, back to Sauce. Ever heard of it? My sister LOVES it, and for whatever reason in all of my Arizona visits I have never been there. Well, we took care of that. OHHHH. It's so good. We may or may not have eaten there for lunch two days in a row....annnnd I may or may not have eaten the same thing both times.

The Turkey Avocado Feta salad is BOMB. Just looking at this photo makes me hungry.

2) Driving in the car is not that fun.
Although Papa Les is a good time, Spending about 22 hours in a car within a period of three days is not what I'd consider the best form of exercises. You should avoid doing that.

The view may be pretty...but...still.

3) iPhones are essential for road trips. 
Well, they are essential for life too, but for road trips especially. Words With Friends, Scramble With Friends, Instagram, Twitter, surfing the web, texting, and my music library saved me. Thank you to all of you who participated in making life better for me :)

4) The olympics are still awesome
We spent a lot of evenings watching the olympics and I have decided that I'll take the body of a sprinter, thank you. WOW. They are unreal. I love when they show snippets of their training procedures and what their regimens are. They really really do work SO hard. I am sad that the games are drawing to a close because I have loved watching them so much!

5) My family is the best.
I love them so much, and it has been so fun to spend so much time with them!

Ok...so maybe I've mentioned that like 5,000 times...but it's still true!

Summer is ending...isn't it...?

UGH. I know that saying, "all good things must come to an end," but that doesn't mean I have to like it. There are a few things that always let me know really quickly that summer is over.

1. The first thing that always reminds me that my favorite time of year is over is that everyone leaves me.
It has become a trend for my family members to venture to Utah for the summer to enjoy some down time, and although it is always CRAZY when they are here, I love it.

We work out together. We swim together. We craft together. We eat together. We laugh together...and somewhere in between all of that I fit in sleeping, working, and a social life. We go a million miles a minute, and I love it.  Then, all of the sudden everyone leaves...and it always makes me sad! I had to say goodbye to the last of the visitors yesterday.

 And so instead of dealing with the realization that everyone is gone, I hopped in the car with these fine individuals and ventured to Arizona for a few days... :)

 My dad insists on stopping at the Cracker Barrel every time we drive through Flagstaff. Oh, the Cracker Barrel...

2. The second thing that always reminds me that summer is ending is quite a bit happier, and makes dealing with the blow a little easier. FRESH PEACHES! Oh my gosh I forgot how much I love fresh Utah peaches.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. Fresh produce is the best thing ever. If you want your family to learn to love healthy fruits and vegetables, stop feeding them canned stuff, and give them the GOODS! There is nothing better than the fresh and delicious taste of fresh produce. FRESH PEACHES people. I'm telling you. They are worth coming to Utah for. My mom bought a whole box to bring back with her to Arizona. They are that good.

I'm still sad that summer is ending. Hearing everyone talking about going back to school is so crazy to me. When did time start flying by so dang quickly?

Bananarama! Snack time!

A lot of people have asked me what I eat as far as snacks are concerned with my paleo eating. Here is a list of some of my favorites...
- frozen banana chunks (they are like lil' popsicles to me)

So simple. So tasty. 

- Natural turkey jerky from Costco
- Almonds (My favorites are raw almonds, and the cocoa roasted almonds)
- Produce (baby carrots, berries, apples, cherries, cherry tomatoes, all other veggies)

Sorry for the blurry photo...but this is a pic of the beautiful tomatoes a client brought me yesterday from her garden. Garden tomatoes = heaven. I drizzled a little balsalmic on them and was happy as can be! 

- Larabars

- Roasted Veggies (I know I already said veggies, but I usually make a huge batch of THESE roasted veggies and eat them all week.) 

- Rotisserie Chicken 

-Eggs 

Pretty simple. My meals and my snacks are all kind of the same it seems. I am a total snacker by nature, so it is always important for me to be prepared. I used to be a reach the hand in the cereal box/dip my finger in the jar of PB kind of girl, but that is no longer the case. The biggest thing for me is having fresh produce on hand, so I always have a good option to go to if I need a snack! Don't forget that snacking calories count too, and a LOT of people think they are eating healthy, but fail to remember the excess four or five hundred calories that have crept in their day by way of extra handfulls here and there. 

What is your favorite go-to healthy snack? Have you ever tried frozen bananas? You should...they are sooooo good! 

Hikes, Babes, and Polka Dots.

1) Hikes. 
I worked out with one of my AWESOME clients yesterday morning, and we did a high intensity circuit workout that made my legs burn real good...yet, for some reason on my drive home from work I was REALLY itching to hike the Y. It is a great little hike if you are looking for something to completely burn your legs and your lungs all at once. It is one mile to the top, and the incline is insane.

 I decided to go for it. The view from the top is SO pretty! My legs were already tired from my workout with Tycee, and the hike was like the basketball sized cherry on top. A little part of me wanted to try and run it, but I decided against it with my foot still not being %100. I made it up in 20:35 and back down in 13:12. A solid half hour of cardio for the day!

2) Babes: 

For lunch I met up with two of my favorite friends, Janae and Ashley. I think we laughed for like two hours straight. We talked about just about everything under the sun, and we could have kept going. Isn't Janae just the darlingest little preggers you've ever seen? She still runs like 8-10 daily and she is due in a few weeks...NBD. Here BABE is going to come out wearing mini Nike Free's I can see it now.

 These are some of the only girls I know that can hold their own against me in salad bar construction. These are also some of the only girls that don't judge me when I take 15 minutes at the salad bar to construct my masterpiece. YUM. I could eat that every day...and sometimes I do.

 3) Polka dots. 
So for a few months now I have been OBSESSED with these jeans from Anthropologie.

Tell me those aren't to die for? I just couldn't seem to bring myself to spend a couple hundred dollars on a pair of pants that could possibly make me look like myself circa 1994 (May ALL of my stretch pants of old rest in peace). Well, yesterday I decided to take matters into my own hands. My mom and sister and I Anthropologized our own polka dot pants...and voila.

I feel good about it. I love a good DIY.

I am off to AZ for a couple days tomorrow! Wahoo!!

A Surprisingly Good Fast Food Find

My darling roommate is a 6th grade teacher. She happened to have a plethora of tickets from a reading program her school did, and she decided to share the wealth with my family. I kinda laughed when my sister told me to meet the clan at Chick-fil-A, because I was pretty certain that there was not a THING on the menu that I would want to eat.

Well, I was wrong, and I'm not going to lie...I'm a little bit impressed. We used our kids meal coupons to feed the fam, and we were not disappointed. Who knew that Chick-fil-A offers grilled chicken nuggets, and that you can swap out your fries out for fruit? I most certainly did not. It was actually really good!  

 The calorie count is awesome! For the 4 piece grilled chicken nuggets pack it is 80 calories, 1 gram of fat, 17 grams of protein! AND they are made from 100 percent all-breast meat NOT pre-formed meat. It is cut really thin, and without all the fat. I was impressed. This meal was gluten free AND paleo approved...WHAAAAA?
Ummm...like I said...awesome. Also, the fruit cup only has 60 calories in it. Who knew I'd ever be endorsing fast food on the blog? I, of course, think that cooking at home is going to be the best option, but this is pretty dang good if you are on the run!

The winner of the July Jams Giveaway is Amber Handy! Email me at megolina21 at gmail.com and I will get you hooked up with your tunes!!

#30: 30 high knees in place

This one is easy, but great to amp up the heart rate. Just run in place, getting your knees as high as you possibly can! Do thirty on each leg for a total of sixty!

Produce for Days

Today's workout was an awesome circuit workout. 

10 minutes of warm up intervals on the elliptical
50 assisted pull ups
50 air squats
2 minute sprint on the treadmill (I wish I could have sprinted more with this workout, but I am still trying to keep my foot healing)
50 step ups with a curl
50 step ups with a press
30 inchworm pushups
1 minute plank with oblique twists
50 springing lunges off the bench
1 minute plank with oblique twists
50 full sit ups
50 supermans
10 minutes of intervals on the stairs
It was sweaty and fabulous!

I have commented on my love for salads before. It is no secret that I have a put my salad construction skills to the test in many a salad bar establishment, but one of my favorites just happens to be a favorite family eating venue, Brick Oven. We went there tonight for family dinner and it was tasty!

 I felt like my building skills were adequate. My nephews were awe-stricken by how high my salad was piled, and they couldn't wait for me to dig in so they could see it tumble off my plate. I showed them, not tumbling at all. :) I love when I have produce for days.

 I am surely going to be sad when these sweet ladies go back to their homes. I have LOVED having them here. They are so amazing.

Twinner sunnies, stripes, and buns.

I am going to call it a solid day. Because it was. Give the circuit workout a try. It's a good one!

DAY #17: 17 Leg jacks in a plank 

Get into a plank position on your hands or elbows and once you have your form right, jump your legs out and in, in a jumping jack motion. Do 17 in a row...or more if you want a challenge!

Grocery shopping is hard to do.

Oh the empty fridge...You know when you get to that point where you open your fridge 20 times, magically hoping that something else is going to reappear next time you open it? I'm there. I HATE when I don't have any fresh produce. It kills me. Good thing I'm going to eat dinner with my family tonight :) Elaine never disappoints with the fresh fruits and veggies. I love her for that.

I have  a love/hate relationship with going grocery shopping. I hate it because I hate it. Going to the store is kind of a pain. I swear I almost always forget something, I usually buy way more than I planned on, and I always walk past the cereal isle with a little sadness in my heart. (Ever since eating paleo I miss cereal more than anything.) I love it because I know I will have awesome options to eat for the next little while, I'll have a ton of delicious fresh produce, and I will be prepared. Making good food choices is allllll about being prepared. These tips also help me when I am trying to be a smart and healthy grocery shopper...

(Image source)

- Make a menu. Decide what your schedule is going to be like for the upcoming week. Figure out what your are going to eat for all of your meals.
- Make a list. When you have your menu you will be able to make a list of what you are going to need. Having a plan at the grocery store is KEY. Wandering down isles aimlessly is what gets us into trouble, and leaves us lurking in front of the Oreo cookies. Click HERE for my Muncher Cruncher approved grocery list. This list is before my paleo days began, but it is still a good one.
- Don't shop hungry. This is a common tip that you probably hear all the time, but it is a good one. When you grocery shop on an empty stomach you will want to eat everything, so you will more than likely buy everything. This will cause you to stray from the plan. It also will help you to avoid binging on samples. Click HERE to see just how costly Costco samples can be on your diet.
- Avoid your weaknesses. If you know you venturing past the bulk candy is going to mean you are going to want to grab lots of sugary sweets, don't even venture past. Don't put yourself in temptations way! Be sure to get some healthy snacks that will keep you armed with good food when you get home!
- Wear a medical mask or your running shoes. The bakery is always going to smell amazing. I don't know how to tell you to avoid that...except to cover your nose and sprint with your cart.

Go prepared when you grocery shop, and you will be prepared when you come back home to stay healthy and keep up with the good habits that you have worked SO hard to develop!

What are you grocery shopping tips and pitfalls? Do you have a hard time avoiding the less healthy items?

DAY #15: 15 burpees 

Burpees are killer. There is just no way around it, but they are also GREAT. They are a perfect way to spike that heart rate up, they are a total body exercise, and they are killer so you feel super tough and legit doing them....or maybe after you are done with them. With these burpees, try to get your chest all the way down to the ground. Go for it!

If You Were Wondering Where I Get it From...

I know that my family and I are very similar in our likes and our dislikes. However, last night was a definite representation of just how similar we are.

My sister and mom were determining what we should have for dinner, and they decided that a salad bar sounded good. I, of course, agreed. I am never one to turn down a salad bar.

 I think this is SUCH an awesome idea to feed a group because everyone can make their salad however they like it. We had rotisserie chicken, kidney beans, hard boiled eggs, cucumbers, avocado, pineapple, tomatoes, olives, beets, carrots, diced almonds, and sunflower seeds. SO, SO, GOOD! I had everything except the kidney beans. My family hardly has a meal without a fruit platter.

 Doesn't that just look awesome? It was. I can vouch for it's awesomeness. My salad looked a little something like this...

 Yum right? After we all ate we decided our night wouldn't be complete without a little bit of frozen yogurt to top it off. Like I said, surprised as you may be, this wasn't my idea either! My family and I really are just one and the same. No wonder I like them so much. ;)

 Aren't these ladies just beautiful? I sure do love them, and their stripes.

 My sister had a look-alike walk in, so we tried to be very sneaky and get a photo of them together.

 It is very clear that we really like our frozen yogurt, and that we have great balance.

As I was thinking about how similar I am to my family members, I began to think of the positive effect we have on one another, and that all families can have one each other. One family member can have such a great impact on the rest of the family as far as introducing healthy food items and even getting others involved in exercise and physical activity. My challenge to you would be to evaluate yourself and the role you are playing with your family. Are you having a positive influence on those who are around you, or are you having a negative influence? What can you do to change the influence your are having? Just some food for thought...

What does your family love to do together? Do you feel like you are an active and healthy family, or an unhealthy one? Have you tried to implement healthy habits in the lives of those you love?