Playing Catch Up.....I mean, I forgot I had a blog

Did anyone else think I forgot I had a blog?  Because I did.....seriously, the last couple months have been SO crazy. Hopefully I will have more time now to update on a more regular basis....hopefully. (because obviously y'all have been sitting on the edges of your seats waiting on a new post.....right? RIGHT??)

So, in a nutshell....right after I got back from my Daytona work trip....

Headed to Guatemala on a mission trip with Tulsa First Baptist. Met this precious kid (excuse the bluriness...), and worked in the medical clinic, 1st day as a dental assistant (extracting teeth, filling cavities, and teaching proper teeth brushing), and the 2nd day I was in la farmacia! Ol' Larry would be so proud.

On our last day, we made a trip down to Antigua, where we took a small hike to this beautiful old cross! It was an amazing view.

Another pic of the kids in Guatamala playing on our bus...stole this from one of the other ladies on the tip. Excellent photographer.

I got back from Guatamala JUST. IN. TIME. to make it to Stillwater for The Greatest Homecoming Celebration in the Nation!

Got to see these kids.

...and this kid!

...and 3 of my favorite people in the world. Mom, Dad, and Nick!

And finally, this good lookin' bunch! The whole family!!

Then, after a day of rest and lots of sleeping, and months of praying over it, I made the firm decision to go back to school....yes, I said it, I'm going back to school....full time, working part time (hopefully), and living in the booming metropolis of Kingfisher, America.

Next up, Thanksgiving!  My absolute FAVORITE holiday!!! I mean, c'mon! It's got the best food, the best colors, the best weather, the best family time, the best smells (pumpkin, general smell of fall, the "leaves" scent from Bath and Body) Went home to Kingfisher and celebrated with both sides of the family.  I seriously LOVE when my family from CO gets to be with us! It just makes everything complete!  So late Thursday night/early Friday morning, we were Black Friday shopping at Wal Mart.  I was on the hunt for the $19 printer/scanner.  The Roarks made a killing and got amazing deals....but most importantly, I found this beauty...

That's right...this little slice of heaven is very difficult to find, but if you try it, trust me, you won't be sorry. I had been searching for it for about 3 weeks. I even looked for it the day before at this very Wal Mart.  But Black Friday magic is where it's at. I walked by, just to look, and there it was.....Ahhhhh, delicious. THIS is MY Black Friday deal of the year! (I might be slightly addicted. but I'm okay with it)

...And finally, I helped Mom put up the tree and Christmas decorations while I was home over the weekend....okay, I helped decorate the tree, and then took a nap, passed out on the couch, while she finished decorating the rest of the house.

So, that should pretty much catch everyone up on my life since mid-October, when I last updated.  Basically I'm still happy, blessed beyond belief, and yet somewhat scared and stressed about all the huge changes coming up in life.  But I know God has the answer...

Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and what I Learned.....

So this past week I was able to check off a place on my list of places I HAVE to visit; Daytona Beach, Florida.  Now, before you go gettin' all jealous or think I'm rubbing your face in it, it was for work, I was inside a majority of the day everyday, and was on the beach once.....at 10 p.m......for about 30 minutes. So it was mostly work and no play.  BUT, here's a list of new things I learned/saw while in/traveling to and from Daytona last week.

6. Tropical storms are MUCH scarier than tornadoes!  We experienced one day 1 of the trip.  They said it was close to becoming/being (I don't know how these things workd) a hurricane.  SCARY.  The people on property laughed that we were scared and I said "Okay, yes, we do have 90 mph winds in OK, but they typically don't come with rain and water and flying debris, and even when they do and it's a tornado, it last for about 10 minutes and it's over.  This is 48 hours of it!"  Where do you go? further inland?.....I'm such a true Oklahoman.

5. Bikers.  It's possible to see thousands and thousands of bikers, and it's totally normal.  Okay, so it was Biketoberfest in Daytona this past weekend.  It was CRAZY the sheer amount of motorcycles we saw!  There are so many, every hotel sections off a part of their parking lot just for bikes.  Daytona International Speedway had a big setup with different booths and all that, and then down by the beach, on Main St. was where ALL the action was.  Bikes lined up for at least 1/2 a mile, parked on the sidewalks and bikers driving down the street like they're in a parade, showing off their bikes and makin' the drag.  There were more booths, food vendors, concerts going on every couple blocks, etc.  It was awesome.  Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you've walked down a 1/2 mile strip and back through bikers.  The people watching is amazing, and you make lots of friends along the way.

4. Five Guys burgers and fries.  This place has THE BEST burgers.  It was recently named like the top fast food burger in America, and for goot reason.  It's both delicious and totally greasy goodness.  My favorite burger of all time still has to be the Belle Isle Burger at Republic, but Five Guys has my vote on a more fast-food choice.

3. If you can't tell from #3 I ate A LOT of really bad food.  I'm definitely a foodie, especially when it comes to visiting new places.  C'mon, you just HAVE to taste all they have to offer.  I wasn't going to go to the place the locals said has the greatest BBQ and order a salad!  And the seafood was absolutely delicious!  So, basically, lesson learned here is that I still have a TON to learn about eating healthy while traveling and vacationing.  Any tips?

2. This was the most glorious looking meal when I finally got home.  Again, lesson I'm still working on learning.  Find fruit and veggies and find a way to work them into your "unhealthy" meals so you don't fill up on all the fried stuff.

1. Despite the tropical storm the day before, Tuesday, this is what the view from my room was, proving that God. Is. Great. He can overcome any adversity, weather any storm.
""Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Jeremiah 1:2-4

Becoming a Morning Person

So, like many people in the world, especially fresh out of college (...or 3 years, whatever) I've always been more of a night owl....followed, of course, by this phrase on most mornings: "DON'T talk to me until I've had at least 2 cups of coffee."  However, I've found myself recently turning into.....A MORNING PERSON.  I know, I will wait a moment for the shock to wear off........

Okay, c'mon. It can't be THAT shocking.  Anyway, after doing a boot camp class every morning at 5:30 a.m. for a solid month, I've realized just how AMAZING morning workouts really are.  Not only that, but if I do my workout early enough, I have plenty of time to get ready, and not my previous routine (which was basically; wake up late, jump out of bed, 5 minute shower, brush my teeth, hair in a ponytail, and go. NOT cute).  Morning workouts give you more energy, bump up your metabolism for the rest of the day, and basically set you on track - AND your workout for the day is done and you don't have to worry about it again.

Oh, another great thing about morning workouts.  It gives me time to actually eat breakfast.  And let me tell you, not only is breakfast the MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, but its also the most delicious, in my opinion.....anyone who knows me can tell you that 1. I LOVE brunch and 2. I am a carb-o-holic so breakfast is pretty perfect in my eyes.  I know, you're thinking "breakfast foods are so high-calorie and bad for you. Why are you ruining all that hard work you just did in your workout."  Au contraire, not all breakfast foods are bad for you!!!  Here's a list of some really healthy breakfast choices. My personal favorites will, of course, be in bold (because I try to force my opinions on anyone who will listen)

Oatmeal - I make mine with milk (or water and a scoop of protein powder) and cinnamon!  Then add either frozen blueberries or sliced bananas (only add sugar if you have to)

Cereal - top a high fiber cereal with a sprinkle of granola and bananas, strawberries, or your favorite fruit. Choose either low-fat milk or plain yogurt.  Gives a good combo of fiber, protein and calcium.

Smoothies - great for on-the-go!  Add a scoop of protein powder after a workout (or if you just don't typically eat a lot of meat, like me)

Eggs - scrambled eggs (1 whole egg, 1 egg white) and a piece of whole-wheat toast, with some fruit on the side.

Breakfast burritoes - yes, breakfast burritoes can be healthy! Scrambled eggs (1 whole, 1 egg white), turkey bacon or turkey sausage, in a low-carb whole wheat tortilla, with salsa, low-fat sour cream, and a little bit of cheese.

Whole grain English muffins - with peanut butter! (Whole Foods has the fresh ground peanut butter - DELICIOUS) with some fruit and a glass of milk if you need some calcium

Cottage cheese - with fruit or nuts. It's high in protein and has calcium.

Vegetables - yes, they too can be breakfast.  Add them to eggs (mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, etc) with salt and pepper (and ketchup, if desired) for a scramble or an omelette.

Enjoy your day by getting off to a great start!!

Dash here, dash there

Yes, I survived the Warrior Dash.....and I do mean SURVIVED!!  They weren't lying, it's 3.2 miles of hell.  Actually, the part I was the most nervous about, the obstacles themselves, weren't that intimidating at all.  What WAS hard was that the running part was mostly trail running.  TRAIL RUNNING IS HARD, PEOPLE!  There's a whole different training method for trail running as opposed to just plain running.  And, with my (un)gracefulness and lack of normal balance, trail running is probably not for me.  I was looking down the entire time, making sure I wasn't going to trip over a rock or branch or something.

And, oh the pictures.....again, further proof of my beautiful lack of grace.

Okay, and in honor of the Warrior Dash, here's a quick list of 3 ways to get the most out of a workout (and make it fun):

1. Kick up the cardio.  Kind of a no-brainer, huh?  Get the heart rate up = burn more calories = better workout.  There are other ways to get in cardio besides just the treadmill too (just plain ole' running gets really boring for me after a while); Jumping jacks, mountain climbers, bear crawls, ski jumps, and one I just recently learned that also will work your arms and shoulders at the same time: Get in a pushup position and jump your feet from side to side, keeping feet together and "jumping" the feet as high as you can each time.

2. Confuse your body.  Switch up your workouts. Doing one thing over and over (isn't this also the definition of insanity?) will slow results and sometimes, if your body gets too used to it, you'll stop seeing results and stay in one place.  When you switch it up, you're making your body continually adapt and change, so you're, in a sense, keeping it confused.  So, do cardio one day, strength training the next, or go play tennis, do a zumba class, try pilates or yoga, spin class, or kickboxing (personal favorite)

3. This is my jam!!!  Find 5 new, upbeat, fast-paced songs to add your iTunes workout playlist.  Or they can be oldies ("Groove Is In the Heart", anyone?)  One of my favorites, oddly, is Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'"....yeah, I know, my music taste no longer counts....but there's a great list here (Tone It Up blog)

A quick pic from right before the Warrior Dash!

Competitive Drive - Shut Up and Run

I like to think it's because I'm such an easy-going and laid back person, but I'm not incredibly competitive when it comes to sports....of any kind really. (It could also have a tiny bit to do with that whole "lack of balance and torn ligaments in my knee" thing)  In fact, I'm fairly certain my best friend, when we were in high school, totally jumped at the chance to never ever have to be my tennis partner again after about 2 matches (And for good reason. She's super competitive and a natural born athlete).  I was the kid who "played" softball in 5th grade and stood out in the outfield picking weeds flowers out of the grass.  Yeah, I think we've established me and sports-related comptetition don't mix (yes, I'm tall. yes, I played basketball in high school)

Now, don't go thinkin' I have no competitive drive whatsoever.  You would be sorely mistaken.  When it comes to school and clubs and leadership roles, be prepared to lose, Mr. AnyOneWhoDaresGoAgainstMe.  Seriously, just try writing a better research paper, because mine has zero spelling mistakes, minimal "be verbs", God-forbid ever a fragmented sentence, and my first draft is most likely the final draft. Boom. Consider yourself "schooled". (I believe the word you're looking for here is "awesome")

And now everyone knows what a big nerd I am.

I've recently also become very competitive when it comes to fitness.  And, fortunately for my own benefit I'm mostly competitive with myself.  I joined a really awesome boot camp I found out about through a LivingSocial deal.  It was only for a month but, if I was going to have access to a kick-ass trainer for a month I was going to make the most of it.  In less than a month I lost over 5% body fat and said to my month-ago-self "Booyah! Take that...myself!!"  So, now that I'm on my own, I have goals set for the next month (the first of which is continue to get up every morning at 5:30 of my own accord.) so that I win against myself again and again and again.

Oh, and speaking of competitiveness, check out this race  obstacle course 3.5 miles of hell I'm doing this weekend!  Warrior Dash - Oklahoma Course!

And here's a pic of one of the obstacles....for your entertainment

I'm baaaaaack!!!!.....hopefully

Okay kids, I'm back at blogging.  I can't seem to get the look and feel that I want, which could have something do to with not being quite as tech-savvy (or as patient) as I need to be to get it there.  So, if anyone would like to offer up their services, I would be much appreciative.  What's that you ask? Don't I work for a software company and thus should know what the heck I'm doing?  Oh you're so funny. Don't be ridiculous.

So, with that said, I'm revamping a little bit so that I can blog about more stuff, and (hopefully) more often. So, not only will I be adding fitness and nutrition, but there will be lots more on working patience (which I need endless lessons on) and hopefully some other fun stuff as I get back into the swing of things. As always, I would LOVE feedback, especially if I EVER get super complainy, or if you'd just like to tell me "be funnier".  My life at work is seriously like an episode of "The Office" so there will no doubt be some fun stories there.

With that said, I'm heading into some new, exciting (to me anyway) changes in life, including a mission trip to Guatemala, moving, and going back to school full time (yikes!) so any words of advice are gladly accepted!  Thanks and please be patient with me while I work on mine....

Sore Muscles = Water Retention

Over the past couple weeks (okay, week and a half) I have been doing some intense workouts.  Actually, after Easter, I set a goal that for 30 days I will wake up early and work out.  So, I started out totally gung-ho....maybe a little overeager, because I started "Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred".....first day, I did the workout in the morning, no problem.  Well, that first morning workout was followed by the first night of kickboxing classes.  Again, no problem......until the next day.  I was SO SORE!  And continued to be sore for the next 3 days (needless to say, for the following 3 days my morning "workout" consisted of stretching out my sore muscles).

So after several days of this, my muscles are still way sore, but feelin' relatively good (My favorite phrase being "hurts so good"), the rest of my body doesn't feel so good.  How can that be? I've been working out like a crazy person and eating healthy food, so why do I not feel much healthier right now?  Well, I found the answer!

runner's blog

My minor freak out - especially when I saw a 5 pound gain in a matter of a few days - was quieted by the above blog:

- You can gain anywhere from 2-4 pounds after an intense workout or event.
- When you're muscles are sore, it means there are tiny tears in the muscle.  In order to repair themselves, they retain water.  This is why you may feel bloated or "sloshy" for a few days after a hard workout.
- After an intense workout, the glycogen in your body is depleted, so when you eat sugar (from either simple or complex carbs) your muscles soak up a lot of it (along with all the water) right away.
- Once your muscles start to heal and feel better, they start getting rid of some of this as waste, causing you to lose the weight you "gained".

Oh yeah, and any time you start a brand new workout, especially if it's more intense than you're used to, your metabolism is known to go a little wonky at first.  So don't get discouraged!  Keep on keepin' on with the workout! It will pay off!

Laugh Your Ass Off

I laugh. A LOT.  All the time really.  I have friends who tend to introduce me as "This is Meredith.  She'll laugh at anything.".....I'm not always sure if it's meant as a compliment??  But hey, I think of it this way, I like it when people laugh at my jokes, so surely everyone likes someone who thinks they're funny, right?  AND, if I'm laughing, surely I'm burning more calories than if I weren't laughing.  And guess what folks, IT'S TRUE.

Not only does laughing burn calories, but there are lots of other health factors as well:

First off, and probably the most obvious is Mental Health.  Laughing helps protect you from emotional issues like depression.  Don't get it wrong, depression is both a chemical imbalance as well as emotional issue.  The laughing comes in to helps as a buffer against the negative things in life.

It also helps with your Physical Health.  The article I found this in also said that laughing is a common therapy used with cancer patients.  And there have been studies done that show people who laugh regularly are in better health and shape than those who don't.

And finally, Heart Health.  When you laugh, there is an increase of oxygen-rich blood flowing into your body, possibly due to endorphins, which, as we all know "Endorphins make you happy.  Happy people don't kill their husbands.  The just don't."  Thank you, "Legally Blonde".  Endorphins are also released during a good workout as well.

So, it can be concluded that a good workout = endorphins and laughing = endorphins, so working out = laughing......am I right? Am I right?!?!

Soooooooo guess what comes next?!?! That's right!! MY suggestions for a good laugh:
 - Talk to Me.  I will make you bust a gut. haha, jokes.
 - Watch a funny movie.  I suggest the classic "Dumb and Dumber".
 - People-watch.  Trust me. It's HILARIOUS.

And, yes everyone, there is also such thing as a "certified laughter teacher" (I've clearly missed my calling) and an entire Laughter Movement afoot!  Including Laughter Yoga, finding a Laughter Group (because it's no fun to just laugh alone), and practice "Woohoo!!! Time" everyday.  That's right, if you look at the clock anytime at 20 past the hour, yell out "Woohoo!!!" and then you can't help but laugh (or at least make everyone around you laugh at you).

No such thing as a "plateau"

So right before Christmas, I had hit a plateau (dun dun dun *scary music*).  I had been exercising like a fool (because I'm one of those people who would rather work out hours a day and eat what I want) but nothing was happening.  So, what did I do? I took a "break"...and by break, I mean over Thanksgiving and Christmas I ate every bad thing I could get my hands on.  And by "bad", I mean DELICIOUS......anyway, I digress...what I SHOULD HAVE done, was pay attention to more than just the stupid scale....

So we all know about BMI.  What most people don't realize is that it's just a calculation of numbers.  The bad thing, is that it doesn't take into account your muscle mass.  It doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, so, while it's a good indicator of if you're overweight or healthy, it's definitely not the only thing you want to rely on.  Here are some great suggestions I found of what to look at and consider when you've hit the supposed "plateau" in your venture to healthy living:

Take measurements, with a good, ole' fashioned measuring tape.  Write it down.  Measure your arms, chest, waist (belly button) hips (standing feet hip-width apart and measure at your biggest area), and even calves.  Take the measurements every 4-6 weeks.  If you're losing inches, you're probably still losing fat and gaining muscle = no plateau.

Take stock of your energy levels and mood.  When you're exercising regularly, you're probably getting more sleep, your energy levels are higher, you feel better in your body, and you're overall happier with yourself.  That doesn't sound like a plateau to me!

Go to your closet.  Do your clothes fit better?  Can you fit into that smaller size? See? No plateau here.

When you think you've hit a plateau, you probably really haven't.  You're just paying attention to the scale, which, a lot like your BMI number, doesn't give you the whole story.  If you're exercising and still making an attempt to eat right, you're making a positive difference on your body.  Everything you do will pay off eventually, and is well worth the effort.  Don't give up. Your hard work is paying off!!

Recipe!

So, I tried a new recipe last night.  Super-duper easy, AND healthy!  You'll have to bear with me, as I am not one to follow a specific recipe, so these are close approximations....

Fancy Breakfast "Tacos"

Corn tortilla chips OR flour tortillas cut into triangles

Turkey bacon

Egg whites

Salsa

Shredded cheddar cheese
Cupcake pan

- Preheat oven to 350.

- Spray the cupcake pan with a little cooking spray. 

- Per "slot", put 2 tortilla chips (I had to break mine into a few pieces first to make it fit)

- Add to each, 1 tbs Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles, 3 tbs. egg whites, and 1 tbs. salsa

- bake in the oven until eggs are fully cooked (I didn't set a timer, but I think it took around 10-15 minutes?)

- Add up to 1 tbs shredded cheese after you take them out of the oven.

- If you love salt,  you might want to add a little at the end, or mix in with the egg whites before baking.

- pop them out of the cupcake slots and serve!

Not only is this recipe DELICIOUS, but it's also super healthy.  You can eat 2 "tacos" for only about 200 calories!!

I tried making a couple with flour tortillas cut into triangles in place of the corn chips, which made it look prettier, but took away the nice "crunch factor".

The top 2 are made with chips, the bottom 2 with flour tortillas

AND, for the eternal party-hoster, it's great for individual portions or finger-food type brunch!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I'm back! Sorry, forgetting to blog should be an assumption taken from the way you get to this blog. idonthavethepatienceforthis.  I didn't even have the patience to type spaces in between the words.  But I love this current blog idea, so really it's mainly because I've been super-busy traveling for work over the last week.

While I'm on the subject, and, yes, my last post was a quick workout one, but this is where I'm currently at in life. Busy, busy, busy.

SO...what I'm giving you today is time-saving tips for cooking...and cooking healthy at that.

Soup.  My mother happens to be the master at what looks to me as taking whatever she finds in the kitchen, throwing it into a pot, adding some broth, and POOF! It's the most delicious soup you've ever tasted!  Currently, my "go to" soup if I realize on Sunday night I haven't bought groceries OR even thought about my lunches for the week is Taco Soup. 4 cans of beans (black, pinto, red, kidney? I think are the 4 it calls for, but I am "bean picky" so I use 2 cans black and 2 cans pinto), 1 can corn, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1lb ground beef or ground turkey, a taco seasoning packet mixed with the meat, and a ranch packet.  Heat it up on the stove and you've got lunch for days and days (Which also leads to the point of Double or Triple-up on Quantity). It's oh-so-hearty and delicious (if you want a little somethin-somethin extra, add a little shredded cheese and sour cream....and tortilla chips)

You know who else has great soup? Whole Foods! They make several kinds, hot and ready to go everyday! so if you live close to one, check it out.

Use packaged, chopped veggies.  I personally prefer fresh veggies just because I think they taste better, but when you're short on time, you'd rather have frozen veggies than none at all, am I right?

I am also a big proponent of buying pre-cooked, frozen grilled chicken breasts and grilled chicken strips.  They are the perfect addition to salad, and add the flatout bread or sandwich thins and BBQ sauce, and you've got BBQ chicken sandwich!

For more quick tips for cooking, look HERE!!!

10 Minutes

I only have 10 minutes to do a post, so what's more fitting that doing a post about a quick 10-minute workout when you don't have time for a full-fledged cardio session?

So, if you have 10 minutes, work off of the acronym U.C.M.L. to get a quick, total body workout:

Upper body: Do as many pushups as you can (still in correct form.  And I say, yes, "girl" pushups do count)
Cardio: mountain climbers or running at max speed for 60 seconds
Middle: ab exercises for 30 reps (crunches, sit ups, etc)
Lower: squats/squat jumps for 20-30 reps

Repeat until you've hit the 10-minute mark.  Add in lunges if you want extra lower/cardio combination.

Stop, Collaborate, and Listen.

Vanilla Ice.  Tha's right. So gangsta. That man is a genius....Okay, he probably has no idea how many times his lyrics have been used.  I actually just found a blog that related his lyrics to the perfect marketing strategy.  Well, I'm applying it to food.  And really, I'm going to veer off a bit.  It just sounded like a good title.

So I don't know about anyone else, but from what I gather, there are a lot of people out there that are mindless/bored/emotioinal eaters.  I'm totally in the "bored" spectrum.  If I'm busy all the time, I don't even think about food because it's busy,busy,busy, work work work.  But if I'm sitting with nothing to do, that's when things get crazy. I have to go through the steps....

First, I distract myself - find something, anything to do.  If I'm at work, I write this blog (jokes!....sorta) I never get bored at work **wink wink**.  If I'm at home, I clean the house (more jokes!) paint my nails, or brush my teeth.

If that alone doesn't do the trick, I think it through.  Am I just tired? Am I stressed out?  Am I emotional (always), am I just bored?

If that doesn't work, I drink water.  Now, if you're tired, drinking water can help.  It can rejuvenate you and keep you from falling asleep, say, at your desk.  It can also slightly help stress levels.  Think of it as sort of a way of counting to 10.  I once read somewhere that to know how much water you really need in a day, you divide your weight in half, and that's how many ounces you should drink....so I did, and basically trained my body to need a lot of water.  Now, I feel like I drink more water than the average person, so after a while, I start to feel like I'm drowning myself.

So, let's say that also doesn't work....You listened to your body and you really are hungry.

Smart snacks are the key.  And here are a few ideas for any craving you're having:

sweet - low fat vanilla yogurt and a sliced banana or strawberries.  I personally like the Dannon Light & Fit yogurt. I also found a recipe (which I haven't tried so don't blame me if it's not tasty) that says to warm, in the microwave, 1/2 sliced banana, a square of chocolate, 1/4 c. oats, and drizzle of honey, mash it all together and enjoy.
salty - edamame and sea salt.  One of my personal favorite snacks.
savory - water packed tuna and dijon dressing
creamy - Laughing Cow cheese on veggies
crunchy - carrots, peppers, etc with hummus or guacamole.  The Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by Sabra is my fave.  I also have a friend who absolutely loved sliced cucumber with sprinkled pepper and Splenda.  Sounds weird, but it was actually pretty tasty.
sweet/salty - mix Smart Pop popcorn, pretzels, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips for a healthy trail mix!

And MOST IMPORTANTLY.....

Plan a splurge!! You have to give in to your cravings every once in a while.  It's unrealistic to think you're never going to eat Chinese food, pizza, alfredo, or CARBS ever again.  And if you plan out your splurge, you look foward to it and are less likely to sabotage and eat unhealthy the rest of the week/month/year (however long your willpower is).

Know when to Plan a Splurge.

Okay, so just to share for a second, the first week of no-carbs went like this:
 
Day 1: I'm feelin' good! So much energy. This is a piece of cake!! (or NO-cake, actually)
Day 2: Yep, still feelin' pretty good. So many options for no-carbs. Didn't even feel the need to eat dinner. Just not hungry
Day 3: Ate a light breakfast. Feelin' good.  By lunch I was hungry; ate my salad with grilled chicken. By 3 p.m. I was STARVING. Like, "throw this no-carb thing out the window and eat a whole loaf of bread" level of starving.  Could have something to do with not eating dinner, and barely any breakfast or lunch.  BAD IDEA.  But I thought, I'll hit the gym first, and see how I feel after. And by the time I was done running, I had resolved to make grilled chicken and green beans. **Insert self pat-on-the-back here**
Day 4: Back on track....except that I'm now jones-ing for a soda like no other....

Over the weekend I took a short break from no-carbs since I went to Dallas with friends, still keeping in mind that I should eat healthy-ER.  Oh, and we went to brunch on Sunday at this amazing, trendy place called the Dream Cafe. It. Was. Delicious.  And, well, the term No-Carb should never ever be used when referring to brunch, soooooo you can guess what happened there.  Whatever, it was worth it.

See, it's my personal philosophy that no "diet" actually works unless you puposely cheat every once a while, as long as you can get right back on track.  So that was my cheat.  Now, I'm back on no-carbs.  So far it's totally worth it, because I feel so much better and don't have that gross, "heavy" feeling in my stomach from eating something that just seems to sit there and never digest. (i.e. Chinese food. You all know the feeling)

Run It Out.

Officially, it's on the record books....Valentine's Day = worst day to start the 2 weeks of no carbs.  All I wanted all day was chocolate, and, of course, since I personally loathe the day, I was trying to pretend it wasn't happening.  Then the lack of carbs started messing with my head, and I almost went crazy (okay, it was all in my mind, and only lasted about 20 minutes).  I almost gave up and said "Screw it! I'll start tomorrow!"....but isn't that the way most healthy eating or "diet" decisions go....and then you never start it.

NO, I was determined!  I've got to get those carbs cut down!!

Then, it hit me.  Go run.  Running always releases all the frustrations of the day.  Fight with boyfriend? Go run it out.  Rough day at work and couldn't scream at clients? Run it out. Frustrated at wanting to quit your healthy eating and stuff your face with carbs? RUN. IT. OUT. It's amazing. Even if you hate running, try it when you're frustrated about something. You don't have to do long distances, just enough to get those endorphins pumping.  Running is no longer done as punishment. It's FUN!....no, really.

Bye Bye, Carbs

So, I've been inspired by my friend, Shanna.  Like her, I never have believed in the whole no-carb/low-carb craze.  In fact, I subscribe more to the idea of the ALL-carb diet.  I would rather eat breads, grains, cereals than any other food group.  And after thinking about how many carbs I take in on any given day, I thought "holy hell! I need to get this level WAY down!!!" 

And then, Shanna shed new light on it.  She said the whole purpose of cutting out carbs for 2 weeks on diets--like the South Beach diet--is to get rid of the CRAVING for carbs and sugars.  If you cut out anything for 2 weeks, your cravings for that thing decline by a huge percentage.  So if I cut out carbs for 2 weeks, then gradually allow them back into my diet, I will have made a HUGE step in cutting down on my carb-o-level.

So, I'm trying it.  For 2 weeks, no breads, grain, starches.  I'm leaving in some fruit, but cutting back by a lot. Lot's of protein (who'da thunk it) and leafy greens, here I come!

One thing I'll need help on--breakfast.  I came up with menu upon menu for luch and dinner, but there's seriously not a lot of options out there for a low-carb breakfast.  Turkey bacon, check. Eggs, check. Yogurt, check.....and that's about it. So help!

It's all about the math

I'm not a huge advocator of just doing something just because someone else said it worked for them. I want to know how it worked and why.  This is the very reason I love Jillian Michaels.  I get a lot of awesome info from her site, but this is my favorite so far.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness-specialist/how-much-how-fast.aspx?xid=nl_LosingItWithJillianMichaels_20110131

For the quick version:  Jillian breaks it down into one of the most logical ways I've seen.  It's all about the math.  First, you have to know your BMR (basal metabolic rate) or the amount of calories you burn off just by doing your daily activities.  Here's the calculation:

For Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
For Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

So, in order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume.  One pound of weight equals 1.500 calories.  So, if your BMR is 1,600 and you burn, say, an extra 500 calories in a workout, that's 2100 calories.  Based on how quickly you want to lose weight, you cut down your daily calorie intake accordingly.

BUT, here's another cool fact.  So your BMR is 1,600.  If you do 2, 1-hour sessions of cardio a day (morning and night) you burn 500 calories in each workout.  The morning and night workouts can actually speed up your base metabolism to 2,000.  So you've just burned 3000 calories just by adding 1 extra workout.  As a result, you burn 1500 calories a day, resulting in a weight loss of 3.5-4 pounds a week!!

Don't kid yourself.  There's no way I have enough time to workout 2 hours every single day of the week, but I try it as often as I can.  Every little bit helps, especially when you can speed up your BMR by a little!

I've got it!!!

Okay, I've finally got it! After pondering and pondering (okay, I almost gave up on this whole blog business because I couldn't think of anything worthwhile to write about, and then today it just hit me), I finally know what my blog will consist of........wait for it.....this blog will henceforth be about fitness and nutrition.  Now, obviously I'm no shining example of perfect fitness by any means.....If I were, given my height, I'd be a model or professional athlete of some sort....and definitely not blogging about it.

I've always been super-interested in nutrition and the right ways to work out and still make it fun. I mean, I played basketball in high school and hated running with a burning passion.  Especially just going to the baseline to run for mistakes.  THAT'S where it starts! (Epiphany happening right now, people!) In high school sports, you're FORCED to run for your mistakes.  Mistakes = running. Therefore running = hell. And then you go to college, rebel, and get fat.  Okay, that's exaggerating a little, but whatev.

So here we go. I'll post here tips on fitness and nutrition I find any and everywhere I can.  And, naturally I'll pepper it with my own opinions, stories from friends, and, since I love my life, probably tidbits of that here and there as well.  I welcome the comments. BRING. IT. ON......ready? Go.