Another thing I wanted to share was this list that I found. It tells you what your body really needs when you are craving foods (like chocolate). Hope this helps.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Late-Night Snacks
Just real quick I wanted to share a few healthy things you can eat when you get the late night munchies. I found a couple of things here like frozen blueberries or a strawberry shake. Or head over to Red and Honey. They give a list of 100 healthy snack ideas, including no-bake chocolate macaroons, chocolate pudding, and peppermint patties.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Protein
I had a friend mention to me that she isn't getting enough protein in her diet, and she wondered what foods were high in protein. Per her request, I am writing a post dedicated to protein. What is protein? Essentially protein is a nutrient needed to perform basic bodily functions. Our body is partly made up of proteins. You can read more about protein and its functions here.
How much protein do we need? You can calculate that here. If you are a 145 pound woman like myself then you would need anywhere from 52-118 grams of protein, depending on how active your lifestyle is.
There are so many sources of protein. In my opinion, when people think protein they generally think meat. Yes, meat provides a lot of protein. 3 ounces of lean beef has 31 grams of protein. One chicken breast contains 58 grams of protein. Animal protein is good, but you should also get your protein from other sources.
I know this week I am off dairy, but in general dairy is good in moderation. Cheese is a good source of protein. A tablespoon of parmesan cheese has 2 grams of protein. An ounce of cottage cheese has 5 grams of protein. A serving of greek yogurt can contain as much as 17 grams of protein.
Fish are full of protein. A 3oz fillet of tuna, salmon, halibut or snapper has 22 grams of protein. Tilapia has 17 grams of protein.
Eggs are a great source of protein. 1 large egg has 6 grams of protein. If you want to keep an eye on your cholesterol, you can use just the egg whites and still get 4 grams of protein.
There are also many options for those who do not do dairy or meat. 3 ounces of tofu offer 6 grams of protein. A cup of soymilk has 8 grams of protein.
Beans are a wonderful source of protein and there are a large variety of beans to choose from. Soy beans (as I like to call Edamame) offer 29 grams of protein per cup. They make a great snack. They are really fun to peel open and pop in your mouth! The following protein is per cup: kidney beans-17 grams, white beans-17 grams, lima beans-15 grams, fava beans-14 grams, black beans-15 grams, mung beans-14 grams. Beans are your friends! You could make a chili or bean stew and you have a high protein meal.
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) have 39 grams of protein per cup. Most hummus is made from chickpeas, so a high protein snack could be fresh veggies and hummus. It is also really easy to make. Try this basic hummus recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.
Nuts and seeds also provide protein. An ounce serving of either almonds, pistachios or sunflower seeds contains 6 grams of protein. An ounce of peanuts is 7 grams. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 8 grams of protein.
You can also use protein powder, but be careful to look at the ingredients and nutrition facts.. Often a ton of sugar is added to protein powder.
A variety of vegetables provide protein, but a small amount. 1 cup of spinach has 1 gram of protein. 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli has 1 gram of protein.
Need some ideas for high protein meals/snacks? I have some for you!
Breakfast
Pumpkin Protein Shake at around 270 calories, this morning shake offers 30 grams of fat
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie 380 calories with 12 grams of protein
Breakfast Cookies and Bars 234 calories and 7.6 grams of protein
Snacks
Nutty Putty
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into about 16 balls with hands. Can keep in the fridge or freeze. This makes a great snack! Each ball is 170 calories and 10 grams of protein. Be careful with this snack, though. It can be addictive!
Trail mix--an ounce of mixed nuts is around 5 grams of protein
High-protein Portable Snacks
Larabars are great snacks, made from fruit and nuts. They contain anywhere from 4 to 6 grams of protein. Plus they can curb the sweet tooth.
Like I mentioned earlier, hummus is a good source of protein. A half cup of hummus has around 6 grams of protein. Here are a few other hummus recipes: Green Monster Hummus, Hummus
Meals
Chili is a great way to get in protein. 1 cup has about 14 grams of protein and is very filling. I found a few different chili recipes: Easy Vegetarian Chili, 6 Delicious Chili Recipes, Turkey Black Bean Chili, Paleo Crock Pot Chili
Taco salad-using black beans and ground turkey. I like to top it with tomatoes, corn, cilantro, salsa, a little bit of cheese, and avocado.
Baked potato bar-- a baked potato has 3.5 grams of protein. Add cheese, greek yogurt, beans, sliced ham and you have around 12 grams of protein right there.
Honey Ginger Grilled Salmon 306 calories per serving and 36.5 grams of protein
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken 239 calories, 25.6 grams of protein
Maple Glazed Salmon 454 calories and 66 grams of protein
That's what I have for now. I hope this helps you out. I plan on getting another post out soon on good snacks and food to curb cravings and keep you from going off the healthy bandwagon. Happy eating!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
How much protein do we need? You can calculate that here. If you are a 145 pound woman like myself then you would need anywhere from 52-118 grams of protein, depending on how active your lifestyle is.
There are so many sources of protein. In my opinion, when people think protein they generally think meat. Yes, meat provides a lot of protein. 3 ounces of lean beef has 31 grams of protein. One chicken breast contains 58 grams of protein. Animal protein is good, but you should also get your protein from other sources.
I know this week I am off dairy, but in general dairy is good in moderation. Cheese is a good source of protein. A tablespoon of parmesan cheese has 2 grams of protein. An ounce of cottage cheese has 5 grams of protein. A serving of greek yogurt can contain as much as 17 grams of protein.
Fish are full of protein. A 3oz fillet of tuna, salmon, halibut or snapper has 22 grams of protein. Tilapia has 17 grams of protein.
Eggs are a great source of protein. 1 large egg has 6 grams of protein. If you want to keep an eye on your cholesterol, you can use just the egg whites and still get 4 grams of protein.
There are also many options for those who do not do dairy or meat. 3 ounces of tofu offer 6 grams of protein. A cup of soymilk has 8 grams of protein.
Beans are a wonderful source of protein and there are a large variety of beans to choose from. Soy beans (as I like to call Edamame) offer 29 grams of protein per cup. They make a great snack. They are really fun to peel open and pop in your mouth! The following protein is per cup: kidney beans-17 grams, white beans-17 grams, lima beans-15 grams, fava beans-14 grams, black beans-15 grams, mung beans-14 grams. Beans are your friends! You could make a chili or bean stew and you have a high protein meal.
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) have 39 grams of protein per cup. Most hummus is made from chickpeas, so a high protein snack could be fresh veggies and hummus. It is also really easy to make. Try this basic hummus recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.
Nuts and seeds also provide protein. An ounce serving of either almonds, pistachios or sunflower seeds contains 6 grams of protein. An ounce of peanuts is 7 grams. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 8 grams of protein.
You can also use protein powder, but be careful to look at the ingredients and nutrition facts.. Often a ton of sugar is added to protein powder.
A variety of vegetables provide protein, but a small amount. 1 cup of spinach has 1 gram of protein. 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli has 1 gram of protein.
Need some ideas for high protein meals/snacks? I have some for you!
Breakfast
Pumpkin Protein Shake at around 270 calories, this morning shake offers 30 grams of fat
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie 380 calories with 12 grams of protein
Breakfast Cookies and Bars 234 calories and 7.6 grams of protein
Snacks
Nutty Putty
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into about 16 balls with hands. Can keep in the fridge or freeze. This makes a great snack! Each ball is 170 calories and 10 grams of protein. Be careful with this snack, though. It can be addictive!
Trail mix--an ounce of mixed nuts is around 5 grams of protein
High-protein Portable Snacks
Larabars are great snacks, made from fruit and nuts. They contain anywhere from 4 to 6 grams of protein. Plus they can curb the sweet tooth.
Like I mentioned earlier, hummus is a good source of protein. A half cup of hummus has around 6 grams of protein. Here are a few other hummus recipes: Green Monster Hummus, Hummus
Meals
Chili is a great way to get in protein. 1 cup has about 14 grams of protein and is very filling. I found a few different chili recipes: Easy Vegetarian Chili, 6 Delicious Chili Recipes, Turkey Black Bean Chili, Paleo Crock Pot Chili
Taco salad-using black beans and ground turkey. I like to top it with tomatoes, corn, cilantro, salsa, a little bit of cheese, and avocado.
Baked potato bar-- a baked potato has 3.5 grams of protein. Add cheese, greek yogurt, beans, sliced ham and you have around 12 grams of protein right there.
Honey Ginger Grilled Salmon 306 calories per serving and 36.5 grams of protein
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken 239 calories, 25.6 grams of protein
Maple Glazed Salmon 454 calories and 66 grams of protein
That's what I have for now. I hope this helps you out. I plan on getting another post out soon on good snacks and food to curb cravings and keep you from going off the healthy bandwagon. Happy eating!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Friday, June 21, 2013
Clean Eating Meal Plan for Saturday through Thursday
Note from your not-too-fit guru:
The following meal plan is a guideline, to give you ideas if you don't know what to make. You do not have to stick to it. I know things might come up where I can't stick to every meal. Or I might not be hungry for snack time. You can also eat leftovers from any of these meals in place of another. For snacks you can have any of the snacks on the list or if you know of any others under my "clean eating" guidelines then go for it! Feel free to stick to the meal plan. It is there to help you. And I don't always put this but you are welcome to add as many veggies to your meals as you want. The more the merrier! Comments or questions? Let me know. Enjoy!
-Kate
Saturday
Breakfast- Fruit Salad (here is a video of one fruit salad you can make, but really you can toss whatever fruit you have together and eat it) and Almond Milk with Peanut Butter Granola (if you have any left over from Friday--I like to make a triple batch each).
Almond Milk Recipe via Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups soaked almonds (soak almonds in water for 8-12 hours then drain)
3 pitted medjool dates, soaked (for 30 mins in water then drained)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Place 1 1/2 cups of the water and the almonds, dates, and optional vanilla in a blender. Blend on high speed until very smooth. Add remaining 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and pour the almond mixture through it. Using a rubber spatula, stir and press the pulp that is caught in the strainer to extract as much milk as possible. Alternatively, use a sprout bad to strain the milk.
Discard the pulp left in the strainer (or you can freeze it and save it for other recipes--like using it to substitute for meat in lasagna!). Transfer the milk to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator. Almond milk will keep for 5 days. It will separate, so shake well before using.
Snack- Beet-Kale Juice
Lunch- Refreshing Cucumber Salad, grape tomatoes, cut up bell peppers, and hummus
Snack- Choose from the list (I'll post it at the bottom)
Dinner- Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Red Sauce, slightly steamed green beans
Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
Half small can of tomato paste
dash of salt
Fresh Garlic (or minced, or powered.. no garlic salt!)
Basil (fresh or in the squeezable tube)
Heat a pan on medium heat. Spray with pam and cook onion until tender. Add in tomato paste, garlic (to your liking), and optional salt and stir. Add in diced tomatoes. Let simmer 5 minutes. Add water if too thick. Add basil to your liking at the end and serve immediately.
Sunday
Breakfast- Detox Green Smoothie (it's the last smoothie on the page when you click on the site)
Snack- Triscuits and apple with peanut butter
Lunch- Baked sweet potato with steamed veggies.
Snack- Nuts and dried fruit
Dinner- Slow Cooker Jambalaya (can substitute with chicken or go meatless) I love crock pot dinners. They are an easy, delicious, one dish meal!
Monday
Breakfast- Raw Granola with Almond Milk
Snack- cut fresh veggie platter and fresh fruit
Lunch- Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce (I like to use romaine lettuce and fill it with brown rice, shredded carrots, julienne zucchini, julienne bell peppers, caramelized onions). For the Peanut Sauce I do it by taste, and every time it comes out different. I use a little water, a little chicken broth, lemon juice, natural peanut butter, Tamari (Tamari is a gluten free soy sauce). If it needs to be sweetened I might add a little honey. If you need to thicken it a little use cornstarch. If you need a recipe for lettuce wraps you can try this one and let me know how it is!
Snack- Frozen fruit
Dinner- Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Mango and Sweet Chili Sauce
Tuesday
Breakfast- Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie, green juice or green smoothie
Snack- Fresh peaches, yum!
Lunch- Carrot and Blueberry Salad
Snack- Choose from the list
Dinner- Stuffed Bell Peppers
Wednesday
Breakfast- Green smoothie and fresh fruit
Snack- Choose from the list
Lunch- Chickpea Salad
Snack- Choose from the list
Dinner- Shrimp with Avocado-Mango Salsa (can substitute with chicken or go meatless)
Thursday
Breakfast- Banana, Spinach, and Avocado Smoothie
Snack- Choose from the list
Lunch- Turkey wrap (use hummus instead of mayo, wrap in lettuce. Use cucumbers, tomatoes, yum!)
Snack- Guacamole with crackers or fresh veggies
Dinner- Crock Pot Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
List of Healthy Snacks
Fresh fruit--bananas, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, clementines, etc.
Frozen fruit--grapes, bananas
Dried Fruit--apricots, raisins, dates (be careful that no extra sugar has been added)
Apples and Peanut Butter
Nuts--pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews
Raw veggies with hummus (cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower,etc)
Sunflower seeds
Baked apples (filled with a little bit of pure maple syrup and cinnamon)
Guacamole with fresh veggies or Triscit type crackers (remember 5 ingredients or less!)
Larabar (these are made with 5 ingredients and all natural fruits and nuts!)
Edamame
The following meal plan is a guideline, to give you ideas if you don't know what to make. You do not have to stick to it. I know things might come up where I can't stick to every meal. Or I might not be hungry for snack time. You can also eat leftovers from any of these meals in place of another. For snacks you can have any of the snacks on the list or if you know of any others under my "clean eating" guidelines then go for it! Feel free to stick to the meal plan. It is there to help you. And I don't always put this but you are welcome to add as many veggies to your meals as you want. The more the merrier! Comments or questions? Let me know. Enjoy!
-Kate
Saturday
Breakfast- Fruit Salad (here is a video of one fruit salad you can make, but really you can toss whatever fruit you have together and eat it) and Almond Milk with Peanut Butter Granola (if you have any left over from Friday--I like to make a triple batch each).
Almond Milk Recipe via Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups soaked almonds (soak almonds in water for 8-12 hours then drain)
3 pitted medjool dates, soaked (for 30 mins in water then drained)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Place 1 1/2 cups of the water and the almonds, dates, and optional vanilla in a blender. Blend on high speed until very smooth. Add remaining 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and pour the almond mixture through it. Using a rubber spatula, stir and press the pulp that is caught in the strainer to extract as much milk as possible. Alternatively, use a sprout bad to strain the milk.
Discard the pulp left in the strainer (or you can freeze it and save it for other recipes--like using it to substitute for meat in lasagna!). Transfer the milk to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator. Almond milk will keep for 5 days. It will separate, so shake well before using.
Snack- Beet-Kale Juice
Lunch- Refreshing Cucumber Salad, grape tomatoes, cut up bell peppers, and hummus
Snack- Choose from the list (I'll post it at the bottom)
Dinner- Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Red Sauce, slightly steamed green beans
Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
Half small can of tomato paste
dash of salt
Fresh Garlic (or minced, or powered.. no garlic salt!)
Basil (fresh or in the squeezable tube)
Heat a pan on medium heat. Spray with pam and cook onion until tender. Add in tomato paste, garlic (to your liking), and optional salt and stir. Add in diced tomatoes. Let simmer 5 minutes. Add water if too thick. Add basil to your liking at the end and serve immediately.
Sunday
Breakfast- Detox Green Smoothie (it's the last smoothie on the page when you click on the site)
Snack- Triscuits and apple with peanut butter
Lunch- Baked sweet potato with steamed veggies.
Snack- Nuts and dried fruit
Dinner- Slow Cooker Jambalaya (can substitute with chicken or go meatless) I love crock pot dinners. They are an easy, delicious, one dish meal!
Monday
Breakfast- Raw Granola with Almond Milk
Snack- cut fresh veggie platter and fresh fruit
Lunch- Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce (I like to use romaine lettuce and fill it with brown rice, shredded carrots, julienne zucchini, julienne bell peppers, caramelized onions). For the Peanut Sauce I do it by taste, and every time it comes out different. I use a little water, a little chicken broth, lemon juice, natural peanut butter, Tamari (Tamari is a gluten free soy sauce). If it needs to be sweetened I might add a little honey. If you need to thicken it a little use cornstarch. If you need a recipe for lettuce wraps you can try this one and let me know how it is!
Snack- Frozen fruit
Dinner- Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Mango and Sweet Chili Sauce
Tuesday
Breakfast- Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie, green juice or green smoothie
Snack- Fresh peaches, yum!
Lunch- Carrot and Blueberry Salad
Snack- Choose from the list
Dinner- Stuffed Bell Peppers
Wednesday
Breakfast- Green smoothie and fresh fruit
Snack- Choose from the list
Lunch- Chickpea Salad
Snack- Choose from the list
Dinner- Shrimp with Avocado-Mango Salsa (can substitute with chicken or go meatless)
Thursday
Breakfast- Banana, Spinach, and Avocado Smoothie
Snack- Choose from the list
Lunch- Turkey wrap (use hummus instead of mayo, wrap in lettuce. Use cucumbers, tomatoes, yum!)
Snack- Guacamole with crackers or fresh veggies
Dinner- Crock Pot Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
List of Healthy Snacks
Fresh fruit--bananas, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, clementines, etc.
Frozen fruit--grapes, bananas
Dried Fruit--apricots, raisins, dates (be careful that no extra sugar has been added)
Apples and Peanut Butter
Nuts--pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews
Raw veggies with hummus (cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower,etc)
Sunflower seeds
Baked apples (filled with a little bit of pure maple syrup and cinnamon)
Guacamole with fresh veggies or Triscit type crackers (remember 5 ingredients or less!)
Larabar (these are made with 5 ingredients and all natural fruits and nuts!)
Edamame
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Clean Eating Challenge Meal Plan for Friday
Hey guys. I have come up with a meal plan for those of you who are interested in clean eating for a week. You can go by what I am doing or come up with your own meal plans. If you find something else that you like let me know!
Here is the Meal Plan for Friday:
Friday
Breakfast- Peanut Butter Granola Make sure to use Natural Peanut Butter that doesn't have any additives in it. If you have a juicer, you can also make a Bright Light Green Juice. If you don't have a juicer, try out this Get Your Greens Smoothie.
Snack- Sunshine Juice (or any other snack from the list later in this post)
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Sunshine Juice recipe:
1 sweet potato
1 carrot
1 apple (cored)
1 orange (peeled)
small piece of ginger root
Rinse all ingredients. Then juice. It is really tasty. I made some today and it was really refreshing.
Lunch- Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing
Snack- Nuts and Dried Apricots
Dinner- Stuffed Pitas without the cheese. Looks good!
List of Healthy Snacks
Fresh fruit--bananas, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantalope, oranges, clementines, etc.
Frozen fruit--grapes, bananas
Dried Fruit--apricots, raisins, dates (be careful that no extra sugar has been added)
Apples and Peanut Butter
Nuts--pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews
Raw veggies with hummus (cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower,etc)
Sunflower seeds
Baked apples (filled with a little bit of pure maple syrup and cinnamon)
Guacamole with fresh veggies or Triscit type crackers (remember 5 ingredients or less!)
Larabar (these are made with 5 ingredients and all natural fruits and nuts!)
Edamame
Drink LOTS of water! I would say at least 10 cups of water. You can also drink herbal teas. I really enjoy mint tea. My mom is a nutrition coach and her advice is to also sip on warm water throughout the day. Nothing in it. Just plain old good warm water.
Eating clean doesn't mean starving yourself! Or depriving yourself of tasty food. If you try these recipes let me know how you liked them. I am excited to try all the meals out. Hopefully I will be able to put the rest of the week's meal plans out on Friday. Happy cleansing!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Here is the Meal Plan for Friday:
Friday
Breakfast- Peanut Butter Granola Make sure to use Natural Peanut Butter that doesn't have any additives in it. If you have a juicer, you can also make a Bright Light Green Juice. If you don't have a juicer, try out this Get Your Greens Smoothie.
Snack- Sunshine Juice (or any other snack from the list later in this post)
.JPG)
Sunshine Juice recipe:1 sweet potato
1 carrot
1 apple (cored)
1 orange (peeled)
small piece of ginger root
Rinse all ingredients. Then juice. It is really tasty. I made some today and it was really refreshing.
Lunch- Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing
Snack- Nuts and Dried Apricots
Dinner- Stuffed Pitas without the cheese. Looks good!
List of Healthy Snacks
Fresh fruit--bananas, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantalope, oranges, clementines, etc.
Frozen fruit--grapes, bananas
Dried Fruit--apricots, raisins, dates (be careful that no extra sugar has been added)
Apples and Peanut Butter
Nuts--pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews
Raw veggies with hummus (cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower,etc)
Sunflower seeds
Baked apples (filled with a little bit of pure maple syrup and cinnamon)
Guacamole with fresh veggies or Triscit type crackers (remember 5 ingredients or less!)
Larabar (these are made with 5 ingredients and all natural fruits and nuts!)
Edamame
Drink LOTS of water! I would say at least 10 cups of water. You can also drink herbal teas. I really enjoy mint tea. My mom is a nutrition coach and her advice is to also sip on warm water throughout the day. Nothing in it. Just plain old good warm water.
Eating clean doesn't mean starving yourself! Or depriving yourself of tasty food. If you try these recipes let me know how you liked them. I am excited to try all the meals out. Hopefully I will be able to put the rest of the week's meal plans out on Friday. Happy cleansing!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Clean Eating Challenge
I have not been eating well. I want to eat well. I tell myself I am going to eat well. But then I want those Pepridge Farm Mint Milano cookies. Or I want Junior Mints. Or I want to make naughty homemade chocolate chip cookies. It is really hard to eat well these days, but I REALLY want to.
It is time to challenge myself. I think baby steps are in order to make a healthy change. I am going to start myself off with a week long challenge. I am going to eat clean for one whole week, starting today. What does that mean? I am not going to eat processed foods. If it comes in a can or a package, it has to have less than 5 ingredients in it, and those ingredients can't be chemicals. I will eat fruits and vegetables, I will drink only water and herbal tea. I will not have any dairy for the week. I will eat whole grains and brown/wild rice and quinoa. I will eat beans. Eggs are ok.
I WILL NOT EAT: candy, chocolate, cheese, milk, chips, cookies, crackers (unless they are whole grain less than 5 ingredients with no chemicals), butter, sugary things.
I am putting this in a post so I will be held accountable. I need to make a change! So from today to next Thursday I am clean eating. Who will join me in this challenge? I would love to have a friend in this.
This morning I made a green juice in my juicer: spinach, zucchini, celery, carrot, apple. It was NASTY! But it was healthy. I am going to the store this morning to get some more fruits and veggies. I will log my meals so you can get an idea of some healthy but tasty clean eating meals.
It is time to challenge myself. I think baby steps are in order to make a healthy change. I am going to start myself off with a week long challenge. I am going to eat clean for one whole week, starting today. What does that mean? I am not going to eat processed foods. If it comes in a can or a package, it has to have less than 5 ingredients in it, and those ingredients can't be chemicals. I will eat fruits and vegetables, I will drink only water and herbal tea. I will not have any dairy for the week. I will eat whole grains and brown/wild rice and quinoa. I will eat beans. Eggs are ok.
I WILL NOT EAT: candy, chocolate, cheese, milk, chips, cookies, crackers (unless they are whole grain less than 5 ingredients with no chemicals), butter, sugary things.
I am putting this in a post so I will be held accountable. I need to make a change! So from today to next Thursday I am clean eating. Who will join me in this challenge? I would love to have a friend in this.
This morning I made a green juice in my juicer: spinach, zucchini, celery, carrot, apple. It was NASTY! But it was healthy. I am going to the store this morning to get some more fruits and veggies. I will log my meals so you can get an idea of some healthy but tasty clean eating meals.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Guest Post from Chub Rub Runner
No matter what fitness level you are at, you can complete a 5k. It is 100% doable. There are so many couch to 5k programs available for free. I have a friend who started a blog about her experience with a couch to 5k running program. Please check out her site here. I want to share one of her posts with you. Thanks Stephanie for letting me share your story!
Thanks again, Stephanie! I would love to have more guest posts in the future so if you are interested in being a guest let me know!
Embracing a Crazy Idea
Let me be honest, I'm 33 years old and I'm pretty sure the last time I ran for any length of time was during a required P.E. class in college when I was about 21 years old. I cannot remember a time in my life when I've been "little" but there have been times when I had great cardiovascular fitness.
Many things have prompted this decision. My 3 young children are the main reason. I want to set a good example for them early on. My husband is another. He will be undergoing his own transformation this year with weight loss surgery.
A few months ago, I decided I was going to run a 5k. I had heard about the Couch to 5k method and found blogs from people like "The Fat Runner" that gave tips on how to modify the workout and what gear to purchase. My husband purchased a book for me by renown runner Jeff Galloway and included a $50 giftcard to Finish Line.
And to make it more tangible I actually picked a race scheduled in October just after my 34th birthday.
Running shoes and socks were purchased. A date was set and off I went.
The First Run
One of my big excuses not to workout outside was the Texas heat. Anyone can testify of the brutality of summers. Just sitting outside makes you feel like you'll pass out any moment. As fate would have it, the very week I decide to begin is the week Summer finally arrives.
I used the official Couch to 5k app to notify me of when to walk and when to run. As I was doing a brisk 5 minute walk warmup, I was dreading the first run. It was going to take every bit of willpower to actually run. The first week calls for alternating 60 second jogs with 90 seconds of walking.
After two reps of this and already feeling a little lightheaded and my legs screaming for relief, I knew this pace would not work. The whole point of this workout is to alternate whatever you're capable of running with walking. I didn't want to go home or sit down so I slowed it down and only did 20 seconds of running.
By the end of the first workout, my feet felt numb and I could hardly lift my legs into our van for the short drive home. I probably shouldn't have drove home. I felt a little lightheaded and my legs were heavy noodles.
I made it home and drank a ton of Gatorade. Put some Icy Hot on my legs. I walked around with noodle legs and the inability to bend my toes up.
But I was proud and hopeful that I'd be able to walk better the next day. My shins were sore but my muscles were already recovering by the morning.
Many things have prompted this decision. My 3 young children are the main reason. I want to set a good example for them early on. My husband is another. He will be undergoing his own transformation this year with weight loss surgery.
A few months ago, I decided I was going to run a 5k. I had heard about the Couch to 5k method and found blogs from people like "The Fat Runner" that gave tips on how to modify the workout and what gear to purchase. My husband purchased a book for me by renown runner Jeff Galloway and included a $50 giftcard to Finish Line.
And to make it more tangible I actually picked a race scheduled in October just after my 34th birthday.
Running shoes and socks were purchased. A date was set and off I went.
The First Run
One of my big excuses not to workout outside was the Texas heat. Anyone can testify of the brutality of summers. Just sitting outside makes you feel like you'll pass out any moment. As fate would have it, the very week I decide to begin is the week Summer finally arrives.
I used the official Couch to 5k app to notify me of when to walk and when to run. As I was doing a brisk 5 minute walk warmup, I was dreading the first run. It was going to take every bit of willpower to actually run. The first week calls for alternating 60 second jogs with 90 seconds of walking.
After two reps of this and already feeling a little lightheaded and my legs screaming for relief, I knew this pace would not work. The whole point of this workout is to alternate whatever you're capable of running with walking. I didn't want to go home or sit down so I slowed it down and only did 20 seconds of running.
By the end of the first workout, my feet felt numb and I could hardly lift my legs into our van for the short drive home. I probably shouldn't have drove home. I felt a little lightheaded and my legs were heavy noodles.
I made it home and drank a ton of Gatorade. Put some Icy Hot on my legs. I walked around with noodle legs and the inability to bend my toes up.
But I was proud and hopeful that I'd be able to walk better the next day. My shins were sore but my muscles were already recovering by the morning.
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Friday, June 7, 2013
Juicing
I have been really interested in juicing lately. After watching Fat Sick and Nearly Dead I was really inspired to get into juicing. Well in order to juice you need a juicer and that I did not have. Well I just bought a juicer, folks! I am so excited about it!
I went out and bought a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer. It is not top of the line, but it got pretty good reviews for being a lower end juicer. I will say it is really noisy. I like it though. The juicer is really easy to assemble and really easy to clean up. Wanna see it? Do ya? Ok, here it is:
Ahh, I am so happy!! I have made a few juices in it, and I wanted to share this recipe I made tonight. It is called Rainbow Bright Green Juice, although mine turned out orange and not green. Here are the ingredients:
3 kale leaves
3 celery stalks
4 carrots
2 apples, cored
I have read to juice kale leaves first so they can mix in with the other juices better. My mom said to juice the celery last because it helps to clean out the juicer. I also read to core the apple before juicing it. Everything else can just be juiced through whole. Make sure to wash your produce. You can find out how to prepare your produce for juicing here.
Juicing is really fun. I get excited to juice. Weird, I know. But you should try it sometime and you will see. I get a deep satisfaction when the veggies and fruit just zip right through the juicer and BAM! you have juice. It is amazing how much produce you can get in such a small amount of juice. Here is how much produce I used:
And here is the juice it made:
I used a spoon to sift out the frothy part. Some people drink the froth, and some hate it. I usually drink it, but the cup was going to overflow if I left it. It tasted very carrot-y. Maybe less carrot next time. It tasted pretty good even with the carrot-y flavor. And I got tons of nutrients in in a flash! I can't imagine sitting and eating all that produce. It was easy to drink. Yum!
Yay for a new juicer! I am excited to try more recipes!
Happy juicing!
-Kate you not-too-fit guru
I went out and bought a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer. It is not top of the line, but it got pretty good reviews for being a lower end juicer. I will say it is really noisy. I like it though. The juicer is really easy to assemble and really easy to clean up. Wanna see it? Do ya? Ok, here it is:
Ahh, I am so happy!! I have made a few juices in it, and I wanted to share this recipe I made tonight. It is called Rainbow Bright Green Juice, although mine turned out orange and not green. Here are the ingredients:
3 kale leaves
3 celery stalks
4 carrots
2 apples, cored
I have read to juice kale leaves first so they can mix in with the other juices better. My mom said to juice the celery last because it helps to clean out the juicer. I also read to core the apple before juicing it. Everything else can just be juiced through whole. Make sure to wash your produce. You can find out how to prepare your produce for juicing here.
Juicing is really fun. I get excited to juice. Weird, I know. But you should try it sometime and you will see. I get a deep satisfaction when the veggies and fruit just zip right through the juicer and BAM! you have juice. It is amazing how much produce you can get in such a small amount of juice. Here is how much produce I used:
And here is the juice it made:
Yay for a new juicer! I am excited to try more recipes!
Happy juicing!
-Kate you not-too-fit guru
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
National Running Day
I ran 4.8 miles yesterday without the stroller. It felt so good! I ran about 2.3 miles and then I ate a shot blok before going on. I averaged a 10:30 min/mile. It was cloudy and a little windy which is great running weather for this time of year. I didn't push myself and I need to start doing that. I would love to be running 10 min/mile by the time the half marathon comes.
Speaking of running, today is National Running Day! Have you had your run today? I don't run on Wednesdays but maybe I will try to squeeze a run in today. I was on Pinterest this morning and saw a website that offered $20 off of Rock 'n' Roll Marathons TODAY ONLY! So if you are interested in signing up for one you can find the information here. If you know of any other races and running discounts let me know!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Speaking of running, today is National Running Day! Have you had your run today? I don't run on Wednesdays but maybe I will try to squeeze a run in today. I was on Pinterest this morning and saw a website that offered $20 off of Rock 'n' Roll Marathons TODAY ONLY! So if you are interested in signing up for one you can find the information here. If you know of any other races and running discounts let me know!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Saturday, June 1, 2013
What's Coming Up This Month
A new month is a great time for setting challenges and goals. This month I am going to focus more on nutrition. I will be posting recipes for healthy smoothies, raw foods, clean foods, etc throughout the month.
Since I am training for a half marathon I will be posting a lot about running, but it is not the only thing I am interested in. I also decided to challenge myself to try new/different exercises this month. I will post videos, pictures, and my personal thoughts on the different exercises I try out. A few I am going to try are Zumba, water aerobics, and prancercizing (that's right, folks!). If there are any exercises you would like me to try or blog about let me know. I am up for anything!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Since I am training for a half marathon I will be posting a lot about running, but it is not the only thing I am interested in. I also decided to challenge myself to try new/different exercises this month. I will post videos, pictures, and my personal thoughts on the different exercises I try out. A few I am going to try are Zumba, water aerobics, and prancercizing (that's right, folks!). If there are any exercises you would like me to try or blog about let me know. I am up for anything!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
Running With a Stroller
On my training schedule for my half marathon I was supposed to run a 5k today. My sister-in-law is hosting a free 5k next week so I decided to switch around a few things. Now instead of a 5k I was supposed to run 7 miles. That didn't happen.
I have been struggling with running with the stroller. Over the last couple weeks I have figured something out. A few weeks ago I ran 5 miles. I was home alone with my daughter so I took her in the stroller. After that run my right calve muscle was really sore. It got better as I ran but it was super sore for a while. Last week when I ran my 6 mile run alone my leg felt fine by the end. After that I had no problems... until this week, running with the stroller.
I have discovered that I run differently when I am pushing the stroller. I don't use my arms as much because they are pushing the stroller. I am not running as tall. I slouch a little. When running up hills I hunch over the stroller and rely on it to hold me. I run in some way that either pulls a muscle in my right leg or makes it sore.
Today when I was running I felt that muscle hurting. After running 3 miles I decided to stop. I don't want to injure myself anymore. I don't feel bad about stopping today. It wasn't like my 4 mile run this week when I wanted to end it early. I felt like I knew my body needed a break. I am going to have to figure out a way to run this next week on my own (until my hubby comes home and can watch the kids). Curse the wretched stroller that changes the way I run!
For those of you who are running, I hope you are fairing better than me. Happy running!
-Kate, your not-too-fit guru
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