What I Ate: A Big Old Salad

Diet: Paleo VS Keto VS Candy Corn, which is better?

All the trendy diets make it hard to choose which one is right for you. Here’s my take on three of the latest fad diets...well, ok I'm the only one on the Candy Corn diet for weight loss and fat loss. LOL, JK

Linked up at 

Is The Ketogenic Diet For You

Diet trends come and go and the current diet du jour is the Ketogenic Diet. Will it work for you? Is it something you could benefit from? Here are my thoughts.

First, any diet you pick will work to lose weight as long as it is implemented with 100% CONSISTENCY. To keep it off, it has to be a diet that you can live with for a lifetime. Many people wrongly assume that once they reach their goal weight, the diet is over and they can resume their normal life and eating. That’s why finding a diet that you can stay with forever is so important. It’s why I choose to track my macros, why some people eat Paleo, some are vegetarians, some Mediterranean, etc.

The Ketogenic diet is quite simply any diet that forces the body into a process called ketosis, whereby fats are burned instead of carbohydrates for use as energy. A proper ketogenic diet calls for the dieter to consume high amounts of fat, adequate amounts of protein, and very low amounts of carbohydrates. Generally this breaks down to about 70-60% fat, 30-20% protein, 10-5% carb. It can be very effective for weight loss and many people find it just makes them feel good overall.

Studies have shown that this diet is also very good for people with cancer and persons with epilepsy. There’s even some anecdotal evidence shows it is good for people battling Lyme disease.

Here is where you have to be very careful with this diet. The first few days will be miserable as your body is still trying to run off carbs and you aren’t giving it any. Once your body kicks into ketosis, you’ll start to feel great, about 2-3 days in if you are really keeping your carbs low (less than 25 grams per day). However, ketosis (where your body runs off fat and not carbs) is meant to be a temporary condition for your body when it suspects starvation is imminent. It does not like to stay in ketosis so the moment you eat anything carby (or even an excess of protein), your body will revert back to normal function and you will feel like poop again. That’s what makes a true ketogenic diet somewhat challenging. Cheat days are very counterproductive, especially in the beginning (2-3 months). After awhile, your carb tolerance will build up and you will not feel the carb hangover so badly.

Most sources recommend you buy testing strips to see if you are truly in ketosis or not. I would definitely suggest doing that.

Beware all the folks selling exogenous ketones and telling you that you can eat whatever you want. It doesn’t work that way. Ketone supplements do have their place, read more here about who should consider supplements.

Make sure you take a fiber supplement as you will not get enough without one. The recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams for women and 35 for men.

And know the difference between a true ketogenic diet and something like Atkins. With ketogenic you have to really watch and track your percentages as excess protein AND carbs can affect whether you are in ketosis or not. With Atkins you can have unlimited fat and protein. Big, big differences between the two!

The biggest issue with this diet is sustainability. Studies that have been conducted to assess its effectiveness on weight loss or as nutritional therapy have seen huge dropout rates because it’s actually a really hard way to eat.

I personally do not recommend this diet because of the sustainability issue. Folks, that’s a lot of damn fat. A lot. Not there is anything wrong with it, but I personally don’t want to eat 60-70% of my daily calories from fat. If it sounds good to you, rock on! But do it correctly. Measure and weigh your foods. Track your percentages. Use ketosis strips. Don’t half ass it. And again, let me emphasize…

YOU CANNOT POP A KETONE SUPPLEMENT AND MAGICALLY BURN MORE FAT. 

Stay Strong Y'all!

What I'm currently nerding out about: This special exercise edition of Time Magazine! 

Fat Loss VS Muscle Gain

Me: What is your goal for the next 3 months? Fat loss? Muscle Gain?

New Client: BOTH!

Me: Sorry, but you have to pick one.


What? You mean I can't make my muscles bigger and lose this fat around my belly in the next three months? 

Sorry, nope. You cannot gain muscle and lose fat at the same time...unless you are very special* or on drugs**.

Why? Here's the quick and dirty

• BMR- Basal Metabolic Rate. The number of calories it takes each day to keep you exactly the way you are while doing nothing but resting. No weight loss, no weight gain. 

• TDEE- Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The number of calories it takes each day to keep you exactly the way you are while going about your normal daily activities. 

• Gaining muscle means you are actually adding mass to your body. Your weight will increase because there is more of you. Where will the building blocks for the gain come from? Calories! To gain mass you have to eat enough calories to be in excess of your TDEE.

• Losing fat means you are taking mass off your body. You will weigh less because you are carrying less fat. How will this happen? You will take in calories under your TDEE.

You see the problem with trying to do both? They are on opposite ends of the spectrum! 

The good news though is that when you lose fat, the muscles you already have will stand out more and have more definition, making it look like you gained muscle. I think this is what women mean when they say that they want to get "toned" (a word I would like to abolish). 

If you are bulking (the term for trying to put on mass), the good news is that you get to eat a lot more than you normally would! However, you have to be mentally strong to truly bulk as you will gain fat and get fluffy while bulking. Sorry, there's no way around that. The key is to do an appropriate, well thought out bulk to maximize muscle gain and minimize fat gain. 

Lastly, all these things take TIME!! We aren't talking days or weeks here. We are talking months and years. Be patient and keep your eyes on the prize. To see physique changes that last, you need to cycle through periods of bulk, maintenance, fat loss, maintenance, and keep repeating until desired results are achieved.

PS: Another word I dislike: "bulky", as in "I don't want to get "bulky".  Some women do put on muscle easily and without a good nutrition strategy this muscle will build under their fat layer and cause them to get bigger overall. A good nutrition plan can minimize this by maintaining the strong muscle they already have, but cutting the layer of fat down.

*If you are new to fitness, are extremely overweight and/or are new to dietary tracking it is possible for a brief window to both lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. But it's a small window of opportunity. Don't count on this to be your golden goose.

**Performance Enhancing Drugs can help the user to override normal biological responses. Not recommended.

If you are interested in losing fat or gaining muscle or both (over a period of time!) and need a little help, look here.

Stay Strong Y'all!

I just updated my "Affiliates I Love" page, check it out!

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me on Facebook at Angie McCord, Fitness, Nutrition and Life Improvement.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more random fun over at IG!

Why Normal People Can’t Have Abs

Did that title catch you attention? Did it make you feel a little smug and justified as to why you don’t have abs? I mean, of course you don’t have abs! You don’t have the genetics of those supermodels or CrossFit athletes. #notfair

Or did it irritate you a little bit because now you think you can never have abs? Like maybe you’ve always wanted abs, but now you realize you can never have them because you are, after all, a normal person.

Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you are right. If you are a ‘normal’ person, you will never have abs. Think about the average person in the United States. You know the ‘normal’ person. Does he have abs?

The normal person has habits and excuses that they resort to day after day that keep a layer of fluff around their midsections. ABnormal people have a set of rules and regulations that govern their healthy habits and keep those beautiful 6 packs on display.

Abs don’t magically appear because you wish for them. But you can become ABnormal and adopt the habits of those 6 Packers. Once you decide to no longer be normal, you can become ABnormal!

Take a look at these habits and see where you fall.

Normal folks	ABnormal folks
Go to the gym when it is convenient or when they have a spare moment	Fitness is non-negotiable. They have a workout routine and they schedule their lives to incorporate that
Exercise regularly, but don’t track food intake	Know that abs are made in the kitchen
Eat out for lunch daily	Bring their lunch and snacks with them wherever they go
Throw all healthy eating plans out the window on the weekend	Realize that the weekends are just as important to their goals as weekdays
Don’t weigh, measure and/or track foods eaten	Know their macro goals and consistently track & monitor each bite of food
Don’t eat enough protein	Realize that abs are muscles and you need to fuel them with protein to keep them strong
Don’t eat enough/cut calories excessively	To fuel their workouts and keep their muscles strong, ABnormal folks make sure to fuel their bodies every day.
Do 100 sit ups every day	Know you cannot spot train. To have strong, prominent abs, you have to eat right, have low enough body fat for abs to show and strength train.
Run for hours	Realize that cardio is important for fitness, but don’t do so much that they cannibalize the muscle they have.
Have kids/family/job and use them as an excuse	Objectively look at their obligations and schedule time for themselves. They set a good example for their family of self-care and health.
Treats every meal as a celebration and/or last supper	Treats every meal as an opportunity to get closer to their goals or to move away from them.
Dietary compliance is all over the place.	90% + diet compliance. People with abs do enjoy food and treats, but it is savored and enjoyed with the bigger picture in mind.
Eat a diet full of highly processed carbohydraes	Acquires most all carbs from veggies and fruits
Whip into a fast food place because they are starving	Whip the car off the road and dig through their stash of healthy snacks they keep with them at all times.
Gives up after 15 days because rewards aren’t coming fast enough	Knows that this isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle. There is no end point.

Now, I’m not saying normal is wrong. Normal is normal. Normal is fine! But if you really want abs, you have to reject normal and accept the ABnormal mindset. You have to adopt the ABnormal habits. You can no longer sit around and wonder why you work so hard, but don’t have abs.

If the ABnormal list looks a little weird and hard, trust me, it is! That’s why most people don’t have 6 packs! But it's not un-doable. It's just a mindset.

And don’t confuse ABnormal with neglecting your other life responsibilities. All of the things ABnormal people do can be done by anyone while still leading a full, balanced life.

DISCIPLINE IS JUST CHOOSING BETWEEN WHAT YOU WANT MOST AND WHAT YOU WANT RIGHT NOW.

Got thoughts or questions? Let me know below.

STAY STRONG Y’ALL!

I just updated my "Affiliates I Love" page, check it out!

Hey, I know you may not know me that well, but can I ask you to do something for me? Do me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me on Facebook at Angie McCord, Fitness, Nutrition and Life Improvement.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more random fun over at IG!

Fiber, The Other 'F' Word

When you are tracking macros it is not enough to just, 'hit your numbers.' Yes, you can meet your carb goal with rice, pop-tarts, low-fat ice cream and green beans, but are you getting your fiber in that way? You have to pay attention to the fiber number as well! I tell my clients to prioritize fiber first, then add in fun foods like pop-tarts and ice cream. This ensures that the system runs smoothly and that you are getting a variety of micronutrients and phytochemicals that are only found in vegetables and fruits.

Jason struggled a bit with hitting his fiber goal, but once he added in some fresh veggies, raspberries, chia seeds, oats, etc. he excitedly sent me this screen shot! Nailed it!

Stay Strong Y'all!

Hey, I know you may not know me that well, but can I ask you to do something for me? Do me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, I'll send you my weekly planner printable!

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me on Facebook at Angie McCord, Fitness, Nutrition and Life Improvement.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more random fun over at IG!

A Healthy, Affordable Lunch!

So many of us try to eat healthy, but get frustrated when our wallets fight back against the high cost of healthy food. It is truly ridiculous that you can buy a 99-cent breaded chicken sandwich at a fast food chain that is basically complete junk, but a (slightly) healthier salad will cost you over $6. And I say slightly because those fast food salads are loaded with hidden fats and sugars. Fried onions? Toast? Creamy ranch? Honey pecans? You get the idea.

I usually pack my lunch so that I don’t have to pay $$$ for a healthy option when my tummy starts growling at me. The lunch I’m sharing with you today came almost completely from Aldi’s. I’ve only recently become an Aldi’s convert because it is 45 minutes away and I always assumed they were cheap and low quality. But, WOW! Was I wrong!

Aldi’s is inexpensive, but they are putting a huge effort into being health conscious and affordable. They carry many organic brands and just recently removed all trans fats, synthetic colors and msg from their brands. We especially love their 95-cent steamable frozen vegetables!

We went on Sunday and stocked up on veggies (both frozen and fresh), dried fruits, baby foods, cheese sticks and lots of other yummy foods. On Monday, I used many of these purchases to make a simple, healthy lunch that cost less than $2.25. Take a look and see if you can get some inspiration!

Monday's colorful lunch

<All prices below are approximations based on my memory because, unfortunately, I lost my receipt. Duh!><UPDATE! Found the receipt! J had it in his wallet! All prices have been updated!>

Chicken breasts- We purchased a frozen package of 4 pounds of chicken breasts for $5.49. We grilled them up and then I froze them into 3 oz portions. This little 2 oz chunk was leftover so into my lunch it went! Approx. cost- 18 cents.

Egg- This did not come from Aldi's. I purchased these from a local farmer at $2.50/12. At Aldi's, the eggs are generally 99 cents per dozen, so that would be waaaay cheaper, but I really enjoy the farm fresh ones. Approx. cost- 21 cents.

Cheesy veggies- These are the Aldi's brand of California blend with cheese. Generally we don’t do the cheese version, but we purchased a few bags for a change up. Each bag was $1.29 and the variety without cheese is only 95 cents. This is a half a bag. Approx. cost- 65 cents.

Grape tomatoes- I LOVE GRAPE AND CHERRY TOMATOES! These came in a pint container and I believe they were $1.49. I’ve had to restrain myself to not eat the whole container! Approx. cost- 28 cents.

Sweet peppers- These came in a good sized bag for $1.79 (again, I can’t remember exactly). Approx. cost- 32 cents.

Hummus- LOVE LOVE LOVE Hummus! The Aldi’s brand is $1.99 and I’ve trade a few flavors. Warning: The “Significantly Spicy” flavor doesn’t lie. Approx. cost- 24 cents.

All total, this lunch is approximately $1.93. Of course, your caloric needs may vary and you may need a lot more protein or more carbs which would affect your cost. However, no matter the amount you need to eat, this lunch will be very reasonable on price and will taste delicious! All the lovely colors provide many micronutrients and it has just enough fat to keep your coat shiny, lol!

No more excuses on eating healthy being too expensive. It can totally be done!

Stay Strong Y'all!

Hey, I know you may not know me that well, but can I ask you to do something for me? Do  me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, I'll send you my weekly planner printable!

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me me on Facebook at Angie McCord, Fitness, Nutrition and Life Improvement.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more fun over at IG!

What Is In My Shopping Cart, You Ask?

Many people ask me what do I eat and I explain that I don’t cook and I eat the same foods over and over. I thought it would be neat to share with you all what was in my grocery cart this week so that maybe you would get some new ideas to try.

Before I start however, you will see some “good” food and some “bad” food in my cart. Get over it! There is no such thing as good food or bad food! Are some things healthier? Yes! But do some foods invoke joy at their deliciousness? Yes! A healthy diet involves a variety of foods and no food should be off limits. As long as the majority of your diet is lean meats, plants, fruits, nuts and seeds and you are getting plenty of fiber, enjoy yourself occasionally!

Steak- I’m not a big red meat eater, this is Jeremy’s. We grill out one night a week typically and he always fixes himself a steak. We rarely go out to eat, so this is his little treat.

Generic Honey Smacks Cereal- NOMNOM! I do have a sweet tooth and try to keep it under control, and having something fun to eat after I workout is very motivating! Junky carbs are best consumed post workout because they hit your system fast and promote quicker glycogen stores recovery. The last month or so I’ve been enjoying Peeps after my workouts. YUMMY! I was ready to do something different, so cereal it is! And if I’m feeling really crazy, I might use my protein powder to make “milk” for my cereal.

Pears- We sliced these up and grilled them with cinnamon and then put them over…..

Blue Bell Individual Ice Creams- Perfect little portion control fun! You can enjoy anything in moderation as long as the majority of your diet is full of healthy micronutrients, phytonutrients and all those wonderful little vitamins and minerals.

Watermelon- Honestly, how can you pass up a cute little watermelon? But keep reading about how I feel about fruit.

Chuck 85/15- I know I said above I don’t really eat a lot of red meat, but yesterday I decided I was in the mood for a burger. We pattied this package up into varying sizes (4 oz for me, 8 oz for J, and then one weirdo that was 3 oz). We grilled them last night and will eat on them the next few days.

Dt. Mt. Dew- Our collective vice. I realized this past week I was way too addicted to them and white Monsters, so I have actually been off the Monster and Dew train 5 days now. I’m not saying I’ll never drink them again, rather it’s a hiatus.

Salmon- This was a, “Hey, that looks good for supper!” purchase. It came already seasoned and on a cedar plank for grilling and was DELICIOUS! It was only $14.99 as well and we had leftovers. I sliced some up to eat with my omelet this morning.

My omelet with grilled veggies and salmon. I used my TupperWare Breakfast Maker to make the omelet in the microwave in three minutes! And it's currently on sale for only $15.

Water- I drink at least a gallon a day and refill my jug each morning. However, after 3-4 days of using the same jug I do wonder about bacteria and gross stuff so I’ll get a new one.

Tuna Pouches- I have found that the Kroger brand ranch tuna packet is actually a lot better than the Starkist variety. It “ranchier” and creamier. The macros are pretty close so it’s not a big deal to switch brands. J also got a couple of packages of a jalepeno tuna, so we will see how that plays out.

Tostitos Dip-etizers- Every Friday Kroger has a Friday Freebie download that allows you to get a product completely free. This past Friday it was a package of Tostitos Dip-etizers. I’m not sure there is anything healthy in this at all, lol, but I might find it tasty at some point. Of course, if I eat the whole thing, I’ll be consuming 54 grams of fat, but that leaves me with 20-ish the rest of the day, right?

Tum-E Yummies- This is one of those products that actually pisses me off. It’s sugar water that manufactures sell to parents for kids to consume thinking it’s healthy. Not. The only reason I have it is because it was also a Friday Freebie. Because it has 13 carbs (all from sugar) it will be an acceptable pre- or post-workout source of carbs. I will probably combine 2 ounces of this with water and my pre workout bcaa’s and creatine just to mix it up a bit. It will give my muscles a nice little carb boost before I workout.  I DO NOT advocate getting all your carbs from junk and I really don’t think you should drink your carbs if you can help it. I’m only doing this because it was free, and I hate to let something free go to waste!

Coconut oil- We love coconut oil at our house. Jeremy uses it for his breakfast cooking and I often add it to my protein powder, peanut butter “ice cream” to give it a really smooth texture.

Bread – I don’t eat a lot of bread because I prefer to get the majority of my carbs from veggies. Two slices of bread or a whole bag of veggies? To me, that’s a no brainer. The bread has basically no nutrients so I feel they are empty calories. And if I’m going to eat empty calories, I would rather have candy!

J's breakfast of egg, bacon and cheese on bread with a piece of his steak grilled last night.

Oats- We eat oatmeal every day. We have accidently ran out a couple of times and I can tell you that quinoa nor grits are an acceptable substitute in my world. In a perfect world we would use the steel cut foo-foo oats, but the old-fashioned 5 minute oats are the best I can handle.

Bananas- I divide fruit into two categories: lazy fruit and working fruit. Bananas are the pinnacle of lazy fruit. Peel and eat. Watermelons are working fruit. You have to rinse the rind, then you have to cut it into slices. It’s a lot of trouble. More examples: Grapes, lazy fruit. Yes, you have wash them, but it’s not that bad. Oranges, working fruit. The peeling process can be excruciating.

Cliff Bars- Very high carbs, but very tasty! I like to keep a few on hand in case I realize mid-day that I somehow have not had enough carbs. Let me clarify though, they are not a best choice and they are basically candy bars masquerading as health food. To be blunt, they are junk bars. Don’t build your carb intake around them. See them as accents to healthy meal plan or the Plan B of flexible dieting.

Simple Truth Energy Bars- See above. These are J’s btw.

Bacon- I really see no point in explaining this.

Stir Fry Veggies- We love to get these when they are marked down and grill them! Just make an aluminum foil pouch for them, drizzle a bit of olive oil and add some chopped garlic. Yummy!

So there is this week's haul. There are some things not in this that I eat all the time, like chicken and frozen veggies. I tend to stock up on those when I purchase them so that I don't have to get them all the time.

Let me know what your go-to foods are! What was the last new food you tried?

Stay Strong Y'all!


Proudly linked up at Fit & Fashionable Friday and Fitness Friday!

Hey, I know you may not know me that well, but can I ask you to do something for me? Do  me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, I'll send you my weekly planner printable!

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me me on Periscope, I'm crossfitang.  I broadcast about fitness, nutrition, life improvement, planning and organizing and lots of random stuff.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more fun over at IG!

Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Pie Donut Eater

A few of you had a pretty rough week last week with the snow and with sickness. Some of you ate off plan and then felt really guilty about it. It got me to thinking about "cheating" and how we should address it. My line of thinking is that 'accidental" cheating' leads to binging and guilt. 'Intentional cheating' allows you to actually enjoy what you are eating. One sucks, one is smart!

What is the difference?

Intentional cheating is when it is your kiddo's birthday and you plan to have a piece of cake and a slice of pizza. You think it through, decide to be off on your macros for the day and have a great time at the birthday party. 

Intentional cheating is going out with your girlfriends and having a couple of drinks and enjoying a fun filled night. You didn't meet your macros, but you are 100% the rest of the time so you don't feel bad. 

Accidental cheating is when you subconsciously decide that this diet sucks and you eat a cupcake really quickly and feel bad the moment it is swallowed. Then, because you have already blown your macros, you get a case of the eff-its and eat everything in sight. And then you feel guilty. You don't really enjoy it while you are doing it and you certainly don't enjoy it the day after.  That's no fun.

Many of you are on very strict programs right now where you are cutting for a specific event. You really don't get any cheats because you can easily erase any progress made. Many of you are in a maintenance phase where you have a little more leeway. In both cases, be mindful of your cheats. If you are going to do it, think it through. 

It's like getting a designated driver. Have a plan. 

CHOOSING to cheat versus crashing and burning. Big, big difference.

Stay Strong Y'all!

Hey, I know you may not know me that well, but can I ask you to do something for me? Do  me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, I'll send you my weekly planner printable!

And if you are hip on the social media, 

Follow me me on Periscope, I'm crossfitang.  I broadcast about fitness, nutrition, life improvement, planning and organizing and lots of random stuff.

Follow me out on Instagram, I'm doodleturtle. I'm even more fun over at IG!

What I Ate Wednesday AND it's my 100th blog post!

As a nutrition coach, you might think that I eat only raw, organic, free-range tofu.

But you'd be way wrong.

I eat based on a few principles.

• Hit my protein gram goal.

• Hit my carb gram goal.

• Hit my fat gram goal. 

• Hit my fiber goal.

• Get most of my micro nutrients from meat, veggies and fruit.

• Supplement with a multi vitamin and fish oil. 

• Eat fun stuff after all that.

If I'm cutting for a weightlifting meet, I'm very, very strict. If I'm just living life, I'm fairly strict, but I enjoy more freedom to wiggle with the macros. 

So in honor of #WIAW (What I Ate Wednesday), here's my day, no holds barred!

Breakfast #1

It doesn't look amazing, but it tastes pretty darn good! It's 30 grams oatmeal, 5 grams chia seeds, 5 grams of flax, 60 grams pumpkin, 10 grams raisins, 8 grams crunchy peanut butter, 1 scoop Progenex Belgian Chocolate More Muscle. Oh, and because I have a problem, the oatmeal was made with a bit of coffee (errrr....or a lot of coffee). 

Breakfast #2

Quest S'more Bar and two S'more Candy Corns. Because, yum. 

Pre-Workout

BCAA's & Creatine

Post-Workout/Lunch

One bag of California Blend Veggies, 40 grams Libby's Pumpkin, 3 ounces chicken breast & siracha. I don't normally pumpkin it up like crazy, but once you open a can, you have to eat it!

Pre-Workout #2 Snack

1/4 Cliff Bar and a few milk chocolate chips

Afternoon Snack/Post Workout/Lunch 2

Starkist Tuna Creations Pouch and a banana

Dinner

Taco Bell Chicken Cantina Power Bowl. Sorry the picture is horrible, I was in the truck, in the dark and they got a little heavy with the Cilantro Ranch Sauce. If you haven't had one of these, they are AWESOME! Chicken, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, quacamole and cilantro ranch. It also comes with sour cream, but I don't like sour cream. 

Evening Snack Part 1

Hard boiled egg

Evening Snack Part 2

24 grams Kroger Natural Chunky Peanut Butter, 10 grams of raisins and sprinkles.

From a previous post, you may already know I have a drinking problem. No, not that kind! I just REALLY like caffeine and diet soda. It's a vice and one I may have to contend with soon. In the spirit of transparency, here's what I drank today. 

2 cups coffee

1 Absolute Zero Monster

1 32 oz Dt. Dew

1 large McDonald's Dt. Sweet Tea

1 gallon of water (yes, an entire gallon)
1 cup decaff

So there you go. That's my day. And that is pretty much every day as I don't like to cook.

OH WAIT! I just discovered this is my 100th blog post! I would say 80% has been complete rambling on my part, but the other 20% was/is some high quality, informative reading! I'm looking forward to continuing this little project and have some awesome ideas for down the road!

Stay Strong Y'all!

Do me a favor and subscribe to my email list. 

Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, I'll send you my weekly planner printable! 

  

The Power of the P's recap!

Trying something new (cheating) .....

Stay Strong Y'all!

I'm on a fancy omelette kick.

8.30.15

Life
The last few days I've been on a fancy omelette kick. Normally my omelettes are made in my Tupperware Breakfast Maker because I'm fixing meals in a hurry. I've had a bit more time the last few days and have made omelettes in a real pan, thus, they are fancy omelettes.

Omg this. Today's omelette was THE BEST.  Pan fry one slice of bacon in pan and then drain off grease. Throw in 50ish grams (each) of baked sweet potato and black beans. Then throw in some onions (mine were pre sautéed earlier in the week). Next pour in 1 egg and 2 egg whites (beaten) and sprinkle with Tupperware Southwest Chipotle Seasoning. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip it out and sprinkle with siracha. Yum yum! Oh! And eat the bacon!  20 protein, 12 fat, 23 carb, 4 fiber (fat is inaccurate due to draining off bacon grease and is actually lower, but I'm just going off labels.)

This omelette was pretty tasty as well! I purchased some huge bags of spinach marked down at Kroger so I sauteed the whole bag with some chopped onions in a little coconut oil. Then I added 3 ounces shredded chicken and poured in 1 egg and  two egg whites beaten. I topped it with black bean dip and Siracha. 43 proteins, 21 carbs, 8 fats, 11 fibers 

Training

This week was pretty hard on this lady! Lots of running and barbell cycling! The biggest highlight though was Jeremy's challenge to me to work my goat every day. A goat is something that you aren't good at and you actively avoid doing. For me, it's wall balls. If you are unfamiliar with this exercise, it goes like this. Hold a heavy ball in front of your face (14# for women, generally), squat with it and then throw it up to hit a target 9-10 foot up. Catch and repeat ad nausem. 

Because I'm 5'3" and blind, this exercise has always been a burr in my butt. 

However, 4 days this week I incorporated wall balls into my warm up. I did varying weights and reps, but always a 5 minute EMOM. (Every minute on the minute). 

And you know what? By the end of the week, they didn't feel that bad! I'm going to continue this goat work until I love wall balls. 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Who am I kidding? I'll never love them, but I can learn to tolerate them.

My reverse dieting is pretty on point, but I can tell I'm still burning more calories than I am eating because Thursday I was hungry and ate all the things. Haha! Tomorrow my calories go up again so hopefully training starts to feel better and recovery is better. I'll keep you posted.

Best Thing I Came Across Lately

I love books, always have and always will. And on Friday I wandered into Angel's Attic and they had all hard backs on sale for 25¢ and all paperbacks on sale for 10¢. Heaven! I keep a list in my phone of books that friends have recommended or that I have heard about that I want to read so I immediately pulled it up. Low and behold, I found a few that were on my list and few that weren't on my list, but were by the same author. Score! My hint to you is to keep a list of books you are interested in and just a generic wishlist of things you are looking for so that when you go to the thrift shops or yard sales you know what you need and don't purchase a bunch of random crap. 

Stay Strong Y'all!

Do me a favor and subscribe to my email list. Not only will you be able to keep up with all my random thoughts, you'll get first notice when I finish this really cool project I am working on! I promise not to spam you or sell your information! 

This project is one that I hope will enrich your life! It's taking a lot of things I've learned through the years and boiling them down into quickly digestible truths. And because I think I'm funny, I think it will be pretty entertaining as well. I've set a goal to be done by Thanksgiving! Countdown to Black Friday!