WIAW....After the Long Run

Most days I fly through the door after the gym, hitting the ground running prepping lunches, breakfasts, and guzzling down a cup of coffee.  Within an hour's time, I need to have everyone fed, clothes laid out, lunches packed, and my sweaty self in the shower in order to be ready to leave the house on time.  Seriously I need this shirt from Another Mother Runner!!!

However, Saturday's are my long run day and while I still am up and out the door early, I have more time when I get home to refuel.  I'm able to think a little bit more about making sure I have a good, protein packed snack to both feed my muscles that were out climbing the hills around my neighborhood and keep the eating monster at bay!  I know that everyone is different but I crave salty and sweet wicked bad after a long run, so I try to have snacks that will satisfy both and thus keeping me from eating everything in the cabinets!  Here are four of my go-to snacks after heading back in the door from a long run.

Cottage Cheese with Almonds (nice and salty ones)

I get a protein punch from both the nuts and the cottage cheese while also satisfying that salty/sweet craving.  Drizzle some honey or sprinkle in some cranberries or other berries for some added sweetness!

Green Monster Smoothie...This is one of my favorites!

I throw a frozen banana, protein powder, coconut milk, a little almond butter, and a couple of handfuls of baby spinach!  Blend up and enjoy!  Yes it looks very daunting at first but it tastes delicious!  I like to play with the ingredients too depending on what flavor powder I use!  I love these too because I can walk around the house and get things done while sipping...although it tends to get stolen by little hands!

Brown Rice Cakes with almond butter and banana!

This is another awesome salty/sweet combo for after a long run!  I love these brown rice cakes and they're even better loaded up with almond or peanut butter and sliced bananas on top!  In the summer I love crushing sweet raspberries on it too so it is like a pb&j!!!

Bar....If I am pressed for time when I get home, like if we have lessons or a game to leave for, I love to grab a bar as I'm walking toward the shower.  It depends what we have on hand but I love Quest Bars and Lara Bars.  I keep saying that I really need to make my own....a lot like the recipes found on Nuts.com.  They have a fabulous page with suggestions for high-protein snacks along with some great recipes that I really need to try out like their no bake granola bars....yum!!  They have even more recipes and suggestions on their healthy snacks page.  Looks like I'm going to need to get into the kitchen and kick up my snack game!!

What is your go-to snack after a hard workout?  Do you make your own bars?

WIAW...Runner's Reset Style

So I am almost 2 weeks into the Runner's Reset with Laura and I can honestly say I am learning so much about food as fuel and how my body reacts to it.

The biggest difference this time around for me is that Laura has not told us to restrict any foods...however I have decided to limit my carbs (meaning white flour fun) and sugar.  Now mind you I did have a birthday last week and I did have cake....twice!  The big thing after that was recognizing how I felt after.  No not the guilty I need to go run this off (although admittedly that was the first thought) but the sluggish and bloated feeling.  It was important for me to look for those signs as ones that are telling my body that this type of food while being delish is probably not something I should be putting in my body and expecting it to perform well.

So enters the question...what do you eat?  I have been trying to hit my macros for so long now but with this reset I have really been focusing on whole foods that help me get in enough protein and veggies along with healthy fats and healthy carbs.  Some examples of my favorite meals have been...
Breakfast: Ezekial toast with mashed avocado, Franks, and two eggs....seriously could eat this EVERY meal!

Lunch: I've been making a huge pot of chicken noodle soup minus the noodles and double the chicken...I added in kidney beans and garbanzo beans too...yum!  This helps too because when it is time to grab something to pack for lunch, I've already portioned it out and it's fast and easy!

Snacks this week has been roasted chicken and clementines.  Dinners have been a variety of things depending on what we have on hand.  I definitely think that dinner is the meal I need to pay more attention to going forward....and having a plan for when I get home from work and I want to eat my way through our cabinets!

I am again so happy I'm doing this reset!  I will talk later this week about how this reset is challenging my running and training.  It really is making me rethink things and challenging some pretty deep-seeded thoughts!

What's your go to protein packed healthy dinner?

WIAW January Reset Week 1

Monday started the January reset that I am doing with Laura from Mommy Run Fast.  I know it has only been a few days into the reset but clearly this is exactly what my body needed because I am feeling so much better and far less of that bloated feeling!  Christmas with it's stress and sugar at every turn did a number on me and boy am I happy to be back on track!! 

As a working mom of 2 lovely ladies, it works best for me to prep ahead and also make the same meals from breakfast through lunch.  This way things can be prepped ahead of time and all I have to do in the morning is grab it out of the fridge and throw it into my lunch box!  This week I have been making it on the fly more but I planned out all my meals and have kept to the same things every day.  Some people need a lot of variety but I could honestly eat the same thing for weeks at a time!  When I was pregnant with our second daughter I ate a BLT almost every day for dinner for the first 3 months!!! 
Here is how my days go from wake-up through afternoon snack:
Coffee....sorry I just have to have something!!!

Breakfast is a green smoothie...protein powder, water, spinach, and a banana
Snack: almonds and a pear/apple
Lunch: I love this tuna avocado salad (Laura's recipe)!  I drench it in some lemon juice and YUM!!

When I get home I either have a handful of nuts or a protein shake depending on what time it is.  If it is too close to dinner I pass!

Dinners so far have been pretty basic but yesterday's dinner I LOVED!!

Brown rice, steamed edamame, and grilled salmon!!!  YUMMM!!!

I am missing my crock pot since some of the other resetters have been boasting about fabulous things they have made in theirs, but I am feeling great and back in control!!

Are you a variety kind of person or do you eat the same day in and day out?

WIAW...Detox Style

I am 3 days into the Winter Detox with Laura and I have to say that I am feeling great!  Now please note that yes I still come home from school and want to eat my way through the cabinets...and yes I find myself reaching for my kids snacks absentmindedly....and sugar is on my mind after dinner...but the difference is I am stopping myself and I've survived!!

I honestly feeling empowered now that I have control over my eating.  I do realize that I have only been in this rodeo for 3 days and am probably in a honeymoon stage, but after the holidays I needed this...to regain control...to let my body recover!  One of the things that is awesome is that I am not hungry!!  Laura gave us a lot of recipes, a sample menu, and a shopping list to start us off...I've followed it pretty closely and I honestly am full most of the day!  Here I thought I would be ready to eat my fist!!  I wanted to share with you for WIAW what my last few days have been like with foods!

Breakfast

Eggs, mushrooms, and spinach

Snack

Lunch

Laura's awesome tuna avocado salad over greens with banana peppers

Dinner

Fritata with spinach, peppers, onions, and mushrooms

I know I had a lot of eggs today but it is just the way it worked out...I needed something fast and quick to make for dinner! 

I'm linking up with Peas and Crayons for WIAW!

WIAW...#HBBC2013 Week 1 Eats

This week is the first week of the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge with Amanda at Run to the Finish. 

One part of the challenge is to get in 7 servings of fruits and veggies each day.  In order to do this I try to incorporate veggies into each meal of the day....

Breakfast is a big ole green smoothie!  This week's smoothie was a banana, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, almond butter, chai tea, protein powder, and a splash of pumpkin pie spice.  Yum!!!

Lunch was 2 cups of roasted veggies with grilled chicken (not shown).  On Sunday I cut up a bunch of veggies and roast them with balsamic vinegar and a little bit of olive oil.  Then I portion it out for the week!  This week's roast was zuchinni, summer squash, portabella mushrooms, onion, and kabocha squash.  I also have an apple for dessert!

Dinner is usually veggies and some kind of meat.  Yesterday was turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash.  I made brown rice pasta for the hubby! 

I've been planning meals veggies first usually with what is on sale at the grocery store.  It's a challenge at times but I do feel much better as the day goes by!

How do you incorporate more veggies into your meals?  Any fun/unexpected ways?

WIAW....Prep for Success

Well I am 2 months into my Paleo Challenge and I have to be perfectly honest....I've SUCKED (sorry Mom I know you hate that word!)

I do awesome for the first 2/3 of the day and then I come home from school and WHAM....I proceed to rationalize and lose focus!  It isn't for long...usually just an hour but the damage I do sometimes is just not ok!  This week I'm back on track and I'm convinced that even through these holidays I can do it!!

Part of the problem with my day is that I have prepped breakfast, lunch, and dinner but nothing for my afternoon snack.  I get home hungry and that is where I fail!

The name of the successful eating game is prepping ahead!  I know that if I have good choices that are just as convient as bad choices then I will be far more successful than if I need to prep something while I'm starving and having to run the circus show that is our afternoon!

This week I made my lunches, bagged up nuts for snacks, hard boiled eggs, and even prepped some dinner for later in the week (when I'm more apt to call for take out) on Sunday afternoon!  I have a weight goal for the end of this year and I'm not letting my lack of preparation or laziness get in my way!!

There are some great bloggers out there to get ideas from for Sunday prep as well!  Lindsay at Lean Green Bean is amazing at prepping her week (like serious organization and awesomeness!)   Also Jill at Fitness, Health, and Happiness hosts a weekly menu planning link-up that is chock full of bloggers who plan and prep their week ahead of time!

Do you menu plan/prep your week on the weekend?  How do you set yourself up for nutritional success?

WIAW....Back-to-School Challenge

For most people, the new year comes around once a year on January 1st.  At that time they make resolutions or promises to themselves about how they are going to spend the next year making themselves a better version on themselves.  365 days to a new you.  For me there is another "new year" that has me making resolutions.  As a teacher our year lasts 180 days and begins on the first day of school.  This year I have many resolutions...promises to be more organized, run late less, and to not get overwhelmed with perfectionism but this wouldn't be WIAW if it didn't have to do with food!  This year I am making a big challenge to myself....I'm challenging myself to eat Paleo for the duration of the school year. 

The days that I am in school (including when I'm home) I will be following the Paleo way of eating.  I'm giving myself the weekend (well just one day) and he occasional holiday (maybe) off but I'm commiting to 180 days of Paleo eating.  No grains, dairy, sugar, flour, or legumes for 180 days. 

Now here's my question....

Who's coming with me?

You had to know that was coming!!!  You don't have to do 180 days...maybe you want to start with 30 days and see where you are then.  For me I did the 30 days...I felt fantastic...then summer came!  Who knows what you will discover about yourself in the next 180 days...where you will be come June! 

Here's to a healthy school year!!!

WIAW...Paelo 30 day Challenge

So as if someone was sending me a very clear message from above, I got an email at work the week before vacation about a 30 Day Paelo Challenge.  We were to eat following the Paleo guidelines for 30 days while keeping a journal of what we are eating, how we are feeling, and and cheats starting the Monday we returned (Feb. 25th).  Of course I signed up...I mean is there a challenge I don't sign up for?!  I spent my vacation researching recipes and substitutions I could use and actually getting excited to start the challenge.  Here are the guidelines for those of you who are unsure what Paleo is all about:

Here are some of my eats thus far as I navigate these next 30 days.

Breakfast: My old standby a mongo green monster

snack: almonds

Lunch: Paleo Chili and a giant orange

Dinner #1: Huge salad with a turkey burger and avocado (clearly I was too hungry to wait!)

Dinner #2: steamed veggies and Chili Lime Chicken I omitted the flour

My biggest stress is what to eat before my long run.  I have perfected the bagel and peanut butter but both are no nos on Paleo.  Any suggestions?

I also wanted to give a shout out to a new blogger named Lindsey who blogs over at Food Behavior.  She's an amazing CrossFit chickie and I can't wait to try out some of her Paleo recipes!  YUM!  Head on over and check her out!!

Linking up with Peas and Crayons for WIAW....so many amazing eats linking up there!!

 

WIAW...Dinner Time!

First let me thank you all so much for your support and kind words!  I am breathing and practicing grace with myself each step of the way!

I've been trying out quick and healthy Paleo meals for dinners this past week.  I do really well for breakfast (green smoothie) and lunch (big ole salad) but dinner, after I've worked all day and have two lovies who I would rather play with, is a challenge.  I wanted to share with you a few of my eats from this past week's dinners!

Turkey Burger and Avocado salad...Turkey Sausage Stuffed Kabocha Squash...Big ole Salad with Tuna

I have a few more recipes to try out...which makes my hubby's heart sing (can you hear the sarcasm?) but overall I'm really liking eating more Paleo.  I wouldn't say I've been 100% but it has only been a few things over the past few weeks! I'm really focusing on getting in lots of veggies which works great since it's

over at Peas and Crayons!!

What have you been loving on the dinner table lately?

WIAW....What's in My Lunchbox

Another Wednesday is here already!!  The weeks seem to be ticking by quickly now that I am back in school teaching.  One aspect of being back to school that I am finding my rhythm with is packing this bad boy

Since I am up early trying to pack all that I can into the 1 1/2 hours before I head out the door with one of these in my hands,

I pack my lunch the night before with lots of snacks

 and of course my lunch

This chicken salad recipe I made up from taking pieces of recipes that I found on Pinterest.  Basically I took chicken and shredded it (you can poach it or use a rotisserie chicken).  Then I combined an avocado, a tiny amount of mayo, and green onion.  I added a little salt and pepper and threw it on a flax wrap...oh let's not forget some pickles!

I'm linking up with the fabulous Peas and Crayons....check it out and see some amazing eats!

WIAW-Barilla Pasta Makes Life Easy #BarilaIn60

Since starting the Fresh Start Fitness Challenge with Tamara at Fitknitchick, I have been working hard at cleaning up what I eat each day.  That meanss I have been drinking a daily one of these....

And choosing snacks from here...

One added challenge has been going back to work last week.  Shifting gears from summer (which equals lots of time to prep my meals) to school (which equals much less prep time and only a very short time to even eat lunch) is always a challenge so I was excited to try out these....

If you love Barilla pasta and their sauce as much as me you would be excited too!  These are their new microwave meals that take just 60 seconds in the microwave!  All you need to do is microwave, peel off the top...

 and pour the sauce over the steamed pasta!

 How easy is that?  

Barilla Microwave Meals are made from 100% natural ingredients and contain NO....read that NO preservatives!!!  Plus they come in these great flavors...

•   Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil Sauce
  • Mezze Penne with Traditional Marinara Sauce
  • Mezze Penne with Spicy Marinara Sauce
  • Whole Grain Fusilli with Vegetable Marinara Sauce
  • Whole Grain Mezze Penne with Tomato & Basil Sauce

One night it was just the chickie and I...dinner for mom in a snap!  I browned up some turkey sausage...stuck this bad boy in the microwave

and....

Voila!  A great, healthy meal in less than 10 minutes.  An added bonus...only one pan to clean up!  Score! My favorite flavor is the spicy marinara sauce but I do love having the option of the whole wheat pasta which is not chewy at all!  Check them out...you won't be sorry!!

I'm linking up this week with Peas and Crayons for WIAW!!

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