Finally...September!
Has this not been the longest August in recent memory? I am not sure if it is the extended 100+ degree weather we have had in Texas or just all the back to school shenanigans, but it just seemed like August would never end.
We are settling in on our homeschool year, and next Saturday is our first ever cross country meet as parents and as coaches. Looking forward to the excitement!
In the meantime, here is the workout schedule for next week.
Monday: P90X2 Recovery and Mobility
Tuesday: P90X2 V-Sculpt
Wednesday: P90X2 Plyocide
Thurday: P90X2 Recovery and Mobility
Friday: P90X2 Chest, Shoulders, and Tris
Saturday: P90X2 Yoga
Sunday: P90X2 Base and Back
Friday, August 31, 2018
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Weekly Workout Schedule
Hello, Internet!
It's been so long since I've blogged, and lately I've been getting the urge to carve out time to write again. So much has happened in the past two years, but one thing that hasn't changed is our addiction and adherence to daily morning workouts with Beachbody programs.
I'll be sure to catch you up on all the new things going on in our lives, but Zach thought of a great idea for a regular series of posts so I thought I would start there.
Some good friends of ours have Beachbody On Demand (Beachbody's online platform of fitness videos -- essentially Netflix for exercise), and they like to find out what workouts we are doing. Zach thought we could just use the blog to post our weekly workout schedule so anyone with BOD can follow along.
As with basically anything you want to accomplish in life, a plan is CRITICAL. Whether it's exercise, food, or learning a new language, letting things fall to chance is a recipe for failure.
On a personal note, having a weekly workout plan is key to marital harmony. Without a plan in place every night includes a lengthy and circuitous conversation regarding the next morning's workout that occurs right about the time I'd like to be going to sleep.
One new thing happening in our lives is that Zach and I are the sparkly new coaches of Drew's cross country team, so Monday and Thursday mornings are for cross country practice. Our plan is to make those recovery and stretch days, or we might run with the team. Here's what the rest of the week looks like:
Monday: P90X2 Recovery and Mobility
Tuesday: P90X2 Core
Wednesday: P90X2 Plyocide
Thursday: P90X2 Recovery and Mobility
Friday: P90X2 Total Body X
Saturday: P90X2 Yoga
Sunday: P90X2 Balance and Power
I promise not to be such a stranger! In the meantime, if you don't have BOD I'd recommend you try it free and follow along with our scheduled workouts. Or if not with ours, check out the "Challenge Du Jour" page on the site that posts schedules each week. Here's the link to our page to sign up for BOD:
SmellsLikeFitness.com
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Shakeology Chia Pudding
I think being cold hurts.
Hurts like being punched all over. Each November I kiss the feeling in my feet goodbye until March, and grouse about how unfair and awful the winter is. I seek solace in one of three places: the shower, my car, and underneath my electric blanket. I can only imagine what might happen if I lived north of the Red River...
For my birthday, my sister was moved to sent me a tank top she saw at Old Navy. I modeled it for her in this picture:
When winter rolls around, about the last thing I want to do is drink a giant, frosty Shakeology for breakfast.
However, I am committed to having my healthiest meal of the day every day (six years running!), so when I discovered the meal I'm about to share with you, I was ecstatic.
It's Shakeology Chia Pudding.
But first! A primer on chia seeds.
Perhaps chia rings a bell? Perhaps you remember that they used to be "pets"?
These are the same chia seeds. But now we know that, in addition to an interesting conversation piece on your mantel, they are also a nutritional powerhouse!
Dietary fiber (11g – 42% recommended daily value)
Protein (4.4g – 9% RDV)
Omega-3 fatty acids (4915 mg)
Omega-6 fatty acids (1620 mg)
Calcium (77 mg – 18% RDV)
Copper (0.1 mg – 3% RDV)
Phosphorus (265 mg – 27% RDV)
Potassium (44.8 mg – 1% RDV)
Zinc (1.0 mg – 7% RDV)
Chia also contains essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid, mucin, strontium, Vitamins A, B, E, and D, and minerals including sulphur, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, and they are a rich source of anti-oxidants.
Hurts like being punched all over. Each November I kiss the feeling in my feet goodbye until March, and grouse about how unfair and awful the winter is. I seek solace in one of three places: the shower, my car, and underneath my electric blanket. I can only imagine what might happen if I lived north of the Red River...
For my birthday, my sister was moved to sent me a tank top she saw at Old Navy. I modeled it for her in this picture:
When winter rolls around, about the last thing I want to do is drink a giant, frosty Shakeology for breakfast.
 |
| There is a time and place for an icy Shakeology. Winter in Texas is not one of them. |
It's Shakeology Chia Pudding.
But first! A primer on chia seeds.
Perhaps chia rings a bell? Perhaps you remember that they used to be "pets"?
Here are the stats:
Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals such as
Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals such as
Dietary fiber (11g – 42% recommended daily value)
Protein (4.4g – 9% RDV)
Omega-3 fatty acids (4915 mg)
Omega-6 fatty acids (1620 mg)
Calcium (77 mg – 18% RDV)
Copper (0.1 mg – 3% RDV)
Phosphorus (265 mg – 27% RDV)
Potassium (44.8 mg – 1% RDV)
Zinc (1.0 mg – 7% RDV)
Chia also contains essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid, mucin, strontium, Vitamins A, B, E, and D, and minerals including sulphur, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, and they are a rich source of anti-oxidants.
Sounds like a good way to start the day to me!
You can get chia seeds at virtually any grocery store, as they have become really popular. You can sprinkle them on salads and in smoothies, but it's important to know that chia seeds soak up liquid and expand. The best way to use them (particularly in the pudding I'm sharing today) is to soak them for at least 20 minutes, but preferably overnight.
Here's what we do: get a small mason jar and spoon in six tablespoons of dry chia seeds. Fill the mason jar with water to about 3/4 full. Let the seeds soak overnight in the fridge. They will stay fresh for about a week, and each chia pudding uses about one heaping tablespoon of the soaked seeds. I'd estimate that we get about 8-10 tablespoons of soaked seeds from the jar. Remembering to soak the seeds is the hardest thing about chia pudding...and that's not so hard, is it?
Okay, now to the good stuff. Shakeology chia pudding. What I love so much about this recipe is its versatility. If you like fruity, make it fruity. If you want chocolate pudding, make it chocolate. I'm going to give you the base recipe and some of my favorite variations. Here's what you need at the very least:
- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds
- 1 scoop Shakeology, any flavor
- Fruit, any kind (optional)
- Liquid (water, milk of any kind), amount varies
That's the bare minimum, but we tend to go nuts with this. Here's how I like to do it:
Apple Pumpkin Shakeology Chia Pudding
- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds
- 1 scoop vanilla Shakeology
- 1 diced apple (cooked by itself in microwave for 1:30)
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon
- 1TB flax seeds
- 1 TB hemp seeds
- Water (mixed in slowly until I reach a pudding-y consistency)
- 3 TB walnuts on top
Oh...My mouth is watering thinking about it. I seriously think I need an intervention. Here's another one.
Chocolate Berry Shakeology Chia Pudding
- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds
- 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
- 1 cup frozen strawberries and blueberries, thawed in microwave
- Cinnamon
- 1TB flax seeds
- 1 TB hemp seeds
- 1 TB cacao nibs
- Water (mixed in slowly until I reach a pudding-y consistency)
- 3 TB walnuts on top
Not only does it taste amazing, but it does not leave me feeling cold from the inside out. You have to try this! And if you're not already drinking ingesting the healthiest meal of the day, please do yourself (and us!) a favor by ordering a month's supply here. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the only risk is that you'll come through a month a healthier person.
Cheers!
Workout of the Day
P90X3 Decelerator
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Sport Wedding Bands
Confession 1: I really only wear my wedding ring if I dress up.
Confession 2: I rarely "dress up." We're talking one or two days a week, usually church and home school co-op day.
I feel kind of bad about it. I mean, Zach spent a pretty penny on those rings and we've got 13 years going over here...I ought to represent! But I don't really like wearing jewelry that much, I don't like getting my pretty ring dirty with the messes I make in the kitchen, and I inevitably scratch one of the kids in the face whenever I have it on.
At Christmas Zach mentioned he'd like to get a sport wedding band that he could wear while training. It's basically just a piece of rubber that isn't going to get tarnished or broken, or hooked on a piece of metal and tear off a digit. I'm for all those things, so I got him one. And it was so cool, I bought one for myself, too!
Confession 2: I rarely "dress up." We're talking one or two days a week, usually church and home school co-op day.
I feel kind of bad about it. I mean, Zach spent a pretty penny on those rings and we've got 13 years going over here...I ought to represent! But I don't really like wearing jewelry that much, I don't like getting my pretty ring dirty with the messes I make in the kitchen, and I inevitably scratch one of the kids in the face whenever I have it on.
At Christmas Zach mentioned he'd like to get a sport wedding band that he could wear while training. It's basically just a piece of rubber that isn't going to get tarnished or broken, or hooked on a piece of metal and tear off a digit. I'm for all those things, so I got him one. And it was so cool, I bought one for myself, too!
Zach's (black) is a BULZi brand ring (order on Amazon here) and mine (gray) is a ThunderFit brand (order on Amazon here).
What I like about my ring is that it's comfy, and I can wear it anytime, anywhere. I don't care if it gets chicken guts or chicken poop on it (both very real possibilities). It will not maim anyone's face, and I can wear it while working out. Both rings were really cheap, so it's been funny to hear the amount of comments both of us have gotten about them. People are surprised when I tell them it's just rubber.
I've heard of hard-core exercisers getting tattoo wedding "bands" instead of wearing a ring. If you're anti-tattoo, I think this is a good alternative! Personally, I'm glad for the chance to represent even when I'm not "dressed up."
Workout of the Day
Yoga Camp with Adriene Day 4
I know, I know! I haven't posted about how our Ultimate Reset ended up. I will soon. It's just that things haven't changed much since it "ended." I'm eating many of the same meals, still drinking a gallon of water a day, and still feeling AWESOME. It was a great experience.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Barn Wood Backsplash
We have lived in our home near Austin for 18 months now, and for a good bulk of that time we have wondered what to do with the backsplash. Well, actually there were more pressing things on our mind before the backsplash, but now that those things have been largely completed, we recently turned our attention to the torn up, ugly walls in our kitchen.
I was truly open to all kinds of ideas for backsplashes, but I thought it would be nice if it was:
1) Cool looking.
2) Easy to install.
3) Relatively inexpensive.
I'm happy to report we were able to accomplish all three! While at Home Depot one weekend, Zach spied some engineered, tongue and groove "barn wood." It was regular wood stained to look like barn wood, but it was symmetrical, uniform, and hence very easy to work with.
Now I know that real barn wood would be much cooler, but real barn wood is neither easy to install nor relatively inexpensive. So it was off the table. We also considered pallet wood, but I'd read some things about the chemicals and cleanliness of using pallet wood in your kitchen, so that gave me pause. After one trip to Home Depot to take a look at their product, I was sold!
This project was so easy. I feel comfortable saying that even though I was not the person doing the measuring and cutting. The whole thing took less than a day and I didn't hear even one curse word along the way, so to me that equals an easy project. And the final cost for materials was in the neighborhood of $150.
Here's a picture of the project halfway through. The most difficult part truly was the measuring and cutting out for the electrical and light sockets. Luckily my math whiz, construction-minded husband does not have an issue with that. See that window on the right? That angle was a nightmare to cut and measure, but he got it the first try! He's the bomb.com.
Here's a look at the whole kitchen (my apologies for not bothering to clean up. I was tired from telling Zach what boards needed to go where).
I'm thrilled with how this turned out! After getting all the boards up, we took another trip to Home Depot to procure some stain to touch up some areas where cuts made real wood color show through. Then we put a coat of polyurethane on the wood so that I can wipe it down when splashes inevitably occur.
This stuff was so easy to work with that we are planning another project using the "barn wood" -- an accent wall in the formal dining room that will cover three-fourths of the wall with a small shelf on top. I found the idea on....wait for it....PINTEREST, the place from which all good and bad ideas are born. I'll be sure to chronicle that project, too!
I was truly open to all kinds of ideas for backsplashes, but I thought it would be nice if it was:
1) Cool looking.
2) Easy to install.
3) Relatively inexpensive.
I'm happy to report we were able to accomplish all three! While at Home Depot one weekend, Zach spied some engineered, tongue and groove "barn wood." It was regular wood stained to look like barn wood, but it was symmetrical, uniform, and hence very easy to work with.
Now I know that real barn wood would be much cooler, but real barn wood is neither easy to install nor relatively inexpensive. So it was off the table. We also considered pallet wood, but I'd read some things about the chemicals and cleanliness of using pallet wood in your kitchen, so that gave me pause. After one trip to Home Depot to take a look at their product, I was sold!
This project was so easy. I feel comfortable saying that even though I was not the person doing the measuring and cutting. The whole thing took less than a day and I didn't hear even one curse word along the way, so to me that equals an easy project. And the final cost for materials was in the neighborhood of $150.
Here's a picture of the project halfway through. The most difficult part truly was the measuring and cutting out for the electrical and light sockets. Luckily my math whiz, construction-minded husband does not have an issue with that. See that window on the right? That angle was a nightmare to cut and measure, but he got it the first try! He's the bomb.com.
Here's a closer picture of the back wall and wall by the refrigerator. We glued the boards but used nails sporadically, too. I think the nails add to the rustic look.
Here's a look at the whole kitchen (my apologies for not bothering to clean up. I was tired from telling Zach what boards needed to go where).
 |
| Ooh, look at the floors, too. That's ceramic tile that looks like wood. We've had it for a year now and I'm still SO HAPPY with it. |
This stuff was so easy to work with that we are planning another project using the "barn wood" -- an accent wall in the formal dining room that will cover three-fourths of the wall with a small shelf on top. I found the idea on....wait for it....PINTEREST, the place from which all good and bad ideas are born. I'll be sure to chronicle that project, too!
**************
Workout of the Day
Chopping loads of veggies for the Ultimate Reset and Yoga with Adriene Day 14 of 30
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Ultimate Reset Day 13
Just a quick check in on day 13 to say that I feel AWESOME. Like really, fantastically awesome.
I was scared going into this thing, to be honest. Last time was HARD. I thought about food ALL the time. This time has been relatively easy and enjoyable.
Weight loss has not been as dramatic as last time (11 pounds in round one, if I remember correctly); thus far I've lost four pounds. Choosing to do 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene instead of working out has also been key, as I feel I'm maintaining strength while gaining flexibility and a general sense of emotional well-being, without burning a bunch of calories.
The one area I've struggled is sleep, but I think I know why. To drink one gallon of water takes all day, and usually after dinner I have one big old glass of hot Sleepytime Chamomile tea. It helps with any hunger that might crop up in the evening, but also ensures that I have to pee a lot in the first half of the night. Hence, sleep disruption. But last night I slept from 9pm - 5am with only one pee interruption, so I'm feeling feisty today!
You cannot imagine how good the food on the Reset tastes. Last night's Mediterranean roasted beets with a side of coconut collards (we actually used the fresh green leaves off our broccoli and Brussels sprouts plants we have growing in the winter garden*), was out of this world amazing. A little side of quinoa soaked up that delicious coconut milk....mmmm.
* While typing this sentence I realized that I have punched my one-way ticket to hippie-ville. Good thing we already live near Austin.
One breakfast change I've made: the plan calls for three cups of fruit. I'm doing chia pudding with my vegan chocolate Shakeology. Add fruit (strawberries and blueberries) with a tablespoon of soaked chia seeds, some walnuts, a scoop of Shakeology and some water. You get a chocolate pudding that's kind of warm and is most definitely NOT a freezing cold shake that makes me miserably cold. It's really good!
I turn 38 years old in a week, and I'm thinking this Ultimate Reset process is the best gift I could have given myself. I'm not worried about "missing out" on birthday cake, because I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything at all!
More updates to come!
***** Would you like to complete the Ultimate Reset? Zach and I will be more than willing to help you through the process! Visit www.UltimateReset.com/CoachZachH to read more about the plan and purchase your kit. ********
I was scared going into this thing, to be honest. Last time was HARD. I thought about food ALL the time. This time has been relatively easy and enjoyable.
Weight loss has not been as dramatic as last time (11 pounds in round one, if I remember correctly); thus far I've lost four pounds. Choosing to do 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene instead of working out has also been key, as I feel I'm maintaining strength while gaining flexibility and a general sense of emotional well-being, without burning a bunch of calories.
The one area I've struggled is sleep, but I think I know why. To drink one gallon of water takes all day, and usually after dinner I have one big old glass of hot Sleepytime Chamomile tea. It helps with any hunger that might crop up in the evening, but also ensures that I have to pee a lot in the first half of the night. Hence, sleep disruption. But last night I slept from 9pm - 5am with only one pee interruption, so I'm feeling feisty today!
You cannot imagine how good the food on the Reset tastes. Last night's Mediterranean roasted beets with a side of coconut collards (we actually used the fresh green leaves off our broccoli and Brussels sprouts plants we have growing in the winter garden*), was out of this world amazing. A little side of quinoa soaked up that delicious coconut milk....mmmm.
* While typing this sentence I realized that I have punched my one-way ticket to hippie-ville. Good thing we already live near Austin.
One breakfast change I've made: the plan calls for three cups of fruit. I'm doing chia pudding with my vegan chocolate Shakeology. Add fruit (strawberries and blueberries) with a tablespoon of soaked chia seeds, some walnuts, a scoop of Shakeology and some water. You get a chocolate pudding that's kind of warm and is most definitely NOT a freezing cold shake that makes me miserably cold. It's really good!
I turn 38 years old in a week, and I'm thinking this Ultimate Reset process is the best gift I could have given myself. I'm not worried about "missing out" on birthday cake, because I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything at all!
More updates to come!
***** Would you like to complete the Ultimate Reset? Zach and I will be more than willing to help you through the process! Visit www.UltimateReset.com/CoachZachH to read more about the plan and purchase your kit. ********
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Tips to Survive the Ultimate Reset
Day six of Ultimate Reset Part Deux!
Wow, this round of the Reset couldn't feel more different than the first. Turns out I didn't have an understanding of just how much the Reset impacted our menu plans and food habits as much as it has! I think the biggest change has been my attitude in that I actually look forward to my Reset meals, whereas the first time meals were full of fear and dread. Making new meals every day was hard, and when you like food as much as I do it felt like pretty much the end of the world if I put in all that work and then didn't like the meal (spoiler alert: it wasn't often that I didn't like the meals).
The other thing that has been different is that I have not been hungry at all. It seems to me I sat around and pined for food quite a bit the first time. I think our experimentation on the high fat diet has helped both Zach and I stabilize our blood sugar and not rely as heavily on snacks as we once did, so three square meals seems to be working just fine.
So, all that said, I've thought of a few tips to make the Reset easier for anyone who attempts it.
1.) Plan. Then plan again. And once more...the planning. I can't emphasize it enough. Whatever it is you need to do to get your head around what it is you need to do, do it! Use your phone, use paper, use whatever mode you feel most comfortable with to over-plan your plan. You must be the valedictorian of planning for the next 21 days.
2.) Take a chill pill. All that planning you did? You're still gonna forget stuff. Or you're not going to anticipate that it takes six cucumbers, not four, to make it through the week. Don't get annoyed, don't get mad at yourself. Either find a substitution (how about celery? It's basically crunchy water just like cucumbers are), or make a run to the store. It's not the end of the world. It's going to be okay.
3.) Open your mind. And your taste buds. You're going to eat things that look weird. Look at it as an adventure! It's not all going to be your favorite food, but you just may find some things you really like. My favorite food, zucchini cashew soup, comes from the Reset!
4.) Drink water early and often. You've got to drink a gallon a day on the Reset, and if that water bottle isn't in your hand basically first thing in the morning, you're not going to make it. It requires some diligence to get a gallon down your gullet. Remember that hot tea (particularly in winter!) counts toward your quota, so use that as much as needed.
5.) Batch cook. You'll see in the meal plan that you have rice, quinoa, and oatmeal several times the first week. Make big batches of all of these things before you start and your life will be so much easier! All of those items reheat beautifully and it saves precious food prep time. This time around, I also grilled a big batch of chicken to add to the kids' meals when we are eating largely meatless. If you have people in your family who aren't participating and you're responsible for feeding them, this makes life easier, too. Tonight the kids ate our roasted root veggies and zucchini cashew soup along with us, but I added 21 Day Fix turkey meatballs, which I had in the freezer, to their plate.
6.) Slow down! Savor your food. This has been huge for me this time around. I am famous for inhaling my food, so I've been making an effort to slow down. As a country, I think we've really disconnected from the gift of food. We take it for granted that we can get food anywhere, anytime. We see eating as a chore that we need to get done so we can get to the next thing. It's sad.
When you're on a plan that gives you only three square meals a day, you really look forward to that food and it tastes so good when you sit down to it. When you're eating your Reset meals, don't multitask. No T.V., reading your iPad or phone, or otherwise taking your attention away from the meal you're eating. Take small bites and chew them thoroughly. Eat slowly. Enjoy your company if someone is eating with you. Put your utensil down sometimes and take a deep breath. Enjoy.
7.) Think positive. Try not to dwell on what you're not having. Do I miss my Saturday morning coffee? Yes. But I've tried not to dwell on that and have bought some tea that I really enjoy to have in its place. So much of this battle is going to be in your head. You've got to choose to think positively!
That's all for now. Zach and I both feel really good and are glad we're taking this challenge together. We're also both enjoying our 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene! Check her out on YouTube for a great intro to yoga.
Wow, this round of the Reset couldn't feel more different than the first. Turns out I didn't have an understanding of just how much the Reset impacted our menu plans and food habits as much as it has! I think the biggest change has been my attitude in that I actually look forward to my Reset meals, whereas the first time meals were full of fear and dread. Making new meals every day was hard, and when you like food as much as I do it felt like pretty much the end of the world if I put in all that work and then didn't like the meal (spoiler alert: it wasn't often that I didn't like the meals).
The other thing that has been different is that I have not been hungry at all. It seems to me I sat around and pined for food quite a bit the first time. I think our experimentation on the high fat diet has helped both Zach and I stabilize our blood sugar and not rely as heavily on snacks as we once did, so three square meals seems to be working just fine.
So, all that said, I've thought of a few tips to make the Reset easier for anyone who attempts it.
1.) Plan. Then plan again. And once more...the planning. I can't emphasize it enough. Whatever it is you need to do to get your head around what it is you need to do, do it! Use your phone, use paper, use whatever mode you feel most comfortable with to over-plan your plan. You must be the valedictorian of planning for the next 21 days.
2.) Take a chill pill. All that planning you did? You're still gonna forget stuff. Or you're not going to anticipate that it takes six cucumbers, not four, to make it through the week. Don't get annoyed, don't get mad at yourself. Either find a substitution (how about celery? It's basically crunchy water just like cucumbers are), or make a run to the store. It's not the end of the world. It's going to be okay.
3.) Open your mind. And your taste buds. You're going to eat things that look weird. Look at it as an adventure! It's not all going to be your favorite food, but you just may find some things you really like. My favorite food, zucchini cashew soup, comes from the Reset!
4.) Drink water early and often. You've got to drink a gallon a day on the Reset, and if that water bottle isn't in your hand basically first thing in the morning, you're not going to make it. It requires some diligence to get a gallon down your gullet. Remember that hot tea (particularly in winter!) counts toward your quota, so use that as much as needed.
5.) Batch cook. You'll see in the meal plan that you have rice, quinoa, and oatmeal several times the first week. Make big batches of all of these things before you start and your life will be so much easier! All of those items reheat beautifully and it saves precious food prep time. This time around, I also grilled a big batch of chicken to add to the kids' meals when we are eating largely meatless. If you have people in your family who aren't participating and you're responsible for feeding them, this makes life easier, too. Tonight the kids ate our roasted root veggies and zucchini cashew soup along with us, but I added 21 Day Fix turkey meatballs, which I had in the freezer, to their plate.
6.) Slow down! Savor your food. This has been huge for me this time around. I am famous for inhaling my food, so I've been making an effort to slow down. As a country, I think we've really disconnected from the gift of food. We take it for granted that we can get food anywhere, anytime. We see eating as a chore that we need to get done so we can get to the next thing. It's sad.
When you're on a plan that gives you only three square meals a day, you really look forward to that food and it tastes so good when you sit down to it. When you're eating your Reset meals, don't multitask. No T.V., reading your iPad or phone, or otherwise taking your attention away from the meal you're eating. Take small bites and chew them thoroughly. Eat slowly. Enjoy your company if someone is eating with you. Put your utensil down sometimes and take a deep breath. Enjoy.
7.) Think positive. Try not to dwell on what you're not having. Do I miss my Saturday morning coffee? Yes. But I've tried not to dwell on that and have bought some tea that I really enjoy to have in its place. So much of this battle is going to be in your head. You've got to choose to think positively!
That's all for now. Zach and I both feel really good and are glad we're taking this challenge together. We're also both enjoying our 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene! Check her out on YouTube for a great intro to yoga.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Ultimate Reset, Part Two: Day One Re-cap
Happy 2016!
Zach and I have decided to kick off the new year with another round of Beachbody's Ultimate Reset 21-day cleanse. We completed our first Reset almost three and a half years ago, and it's time to give it another go!
(Don't know what the Ultimate Reset is? Read about it here.)
When I told my boot campers that we were going to do the Reset, their response was: WHY? And then I was a proud trainer, because it's always good to ask that question of yourself before you embark on something that might be difficult. I knew that I needed to get in touch with my WHY before I did this, because otherwise it would be really easy to cave when the going gets tough.
My why for doing the Reset this time around is to shake things up and give myself a challenge. I've gotten into a pattern where working out and eating (relatively) healthy is just routine. Especially over the holidays, I find myself saying, "Hey, I can eat that because I'm a pretty fit person, and I can work it off tomorrow..." blah, blah, blah. I want to get back in touch with being on point with food because it's what my body needs and quit making excuses when I feel like treating myself...more and more often. And during this Reset I won't be working out, but instead taking a break and doing 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. Adriene has a GREAT page on YouTube and I definitely recommend that you check it out, even if you've never done yoga before. She is silly and fun, and makes yoga very accessible.
In an in-depth interview just now sitting across from the breakfast table with Zach, he said that his WHY is to "redefine his relationship with food." He feels like he's gotten into a habit of eating just because the food is there, instead of because he's truly hungry (I hear that!), and he wants to buckle down to get a bit more strict with himself.
So, we're going to try to check in regularly (I'd love to say daily, but I hate to make a promise I may not keep!) and let you know how it's going and what our experience is like this time around.
We finished day one yesterday, and it went very well...but it's the easiest and yummiest day of the whole Reset, with a dinner of Salmon, asparagus, and new potatoes. The food stays yummy throughout the three weeks but gets smaller from here, so that's where the challenge lies.
Things are already easier this time because we have kept so many of these meals in our regular rotation. The zucchini cashew soup coming up this week is my number one favorite food, so that alone is making it easier! Last time I was not prepared for the amount of food prep and being unfamiliar with the meal I was cooking each day. This time I've batch prepped all my oats, rice, lentils, and quinoa for the week, as well as some chicken breasts to help feed the kids when they're not having the same thing as us for dinner. Tonight they will have the same dinner again because they love the black bean and rice tacos!
Yesterday I got a little grumpy in the afternoon, but that could have been attributed to A) PMS, B) S.A.D. (Seasonal Affect Disorder, aka, I NEED SOME SUN IN MY LIFE!) C) I hate being cold D) I wanted to eat, even though I wasn't hungry. I think it was more of an attitude issue than a Reset issue. I got my gallon of water taken down (mostly in the form of hot tea), and woke up this morning feeling well and not terribly hungry.
Here's to day two!
Zach and I have decided to kick off the new year with another round of Beachbody's Ultimate Reset 21-day cleanse. We completed our first Reset almost three and a half years ago, and it's time to give it another go!
(Don't know what the Ultimate Reset is? Read about it here.)
When I told my boot campers that we were going to do the Reset, their response was: WHY? And then I was a proud trainer, because it's always good to ask that question of yourself before you embark on something that might be difficult. I knew that I needed to get in touch with my WHY before I did this, because otherwise it would be really easy to cave when the going gets tough.
My why for doing the Reset this time around is to shake things up and give myself a challenge. I've gotten into a pattern where working out and eating (relatively) healthy is just routine. Especially over the holidays, I find myself saying, "Hey, I can eat that because I'm a pretty fit person, and I can work it off tomorrow..." blah, blah, blah. I want to get back in touch with being on point with food because it's what my body needs and quit making excuses when I feel like treating myself...more and more often. And during this Reset I won't be working out, but instead taking a break and doing 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. Adriene has a GREAT page on YouTube and I definitely recommend that you check it out, even if you've never done yoga before. She is silly and fun, and makes yoga very accessible.
In an in-depth interview just now sitting across from the breakfast table with Zach, he said that his WHY is to "redefine his relationship with food." He feels like he's gotten into a habit of eating just because the food is there, instead of because he's truly hungry (I hear that!), and he wants to buckle down to get a bit more strict with himself.
So, we're going to try to check in regularly (I'd love to say daily, but I hate to make a promise I may not keep!) and let you know how it's going and what our experience is like this time around.
We finished day one yesterday, and it went very well...but it's the easiest and yummiest day of the whole Reset, with a dinner of Salmon, asparagus, and new potatoes. The food stays yummy throughout the three weeks but gets smaller from here, so that's where the challenge lies.
Things are already easier this time because we have kept so many of these meals in our regular rotation. The zucchini cashew soup coming up this week is my number one favorite food, so that alone is making it easier! Last time I was not prepared for the amount of food prep and being unfamiliar with the meal I was cooking each day. This time I've batch prepped all my oats, rice, lentils, and quinoa for the week, as well as some chicken breasts to help feed the kids when they're not having the same thing as us for dinner. Tonight they will have the same dinner again because they love the black bean and rice tacos!
Yesterday I got a little grumpy in the afternoon, but that could have been attributed to A) PMS, B) S.A.D. (Seasonal Affect Disorder, aka, I NEED SOME SUN IN MY LIFE!) C) I hate being cold D) I wanted to eat, even though I wasn't hungry. I think it was more of an attitude issue than a Reset issue. I got my gallon of water taken down (mostly in the form of hot tea), and woke up this morning feeling well and not terribly hungry.
Here's to day two!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Snap Kitchen: Restaurant Review
By Zach
Traveling and maintaining a healthy diet typically do not go hand in hand. It requires twice as much work to eat healthy when on the road and away from home. It is easy to find yourself eating every meal at a restaurant, or worse getting your calories at the drive thru. In my opinion, the best option is to prepare all your meals at home for your trip. However, for a multi-day trip, this can be a huge burden. Snap Kitchen takes the work out of preparing meals for time away from home.
When you walk into a Snap Kitchen, it's not like a normal restaurant, it's more like a convenience store. All the food is pre-made and pre-portioned, and it is sitting in microwaveable containers along the refrigerated wall units. There is a microwave there in the store and a few tables, but most people are coming in, grabbing their containers, paying, and then hitting the road. It's fast and easy. Well, picking out what you'd like to eat is kind of hard because everything looks so good.
I have tried almost all of Snap Kitchen's dishes and have not been disappointed even once. That's not to say that some dishes are better than others, but that's subjective of course. Even when the dish isn't my "favorite" per se, it was still high-quality food that satisfied my hunger.
I definitely recommend Snap Kitchen as a great resource for meals if you're traveling, or even if you don't have time to cook one night. If you go, remember to get a points card to start building up towards free items!
I have tried almost all of Snap Kitchen's dishes and have not been disappointed even once. That's not to say that some dishes are better than others, but that's subjective of course. Even when the dish isn't my "favorite" per se, it was still high-quality food that satisfied my hunger.
A couple dishes that I have purchased more than once because I enjoyed it so much the first time include: Bison Quinoa Hash, Chicken and Sesame Chopped Salad, and the Crispy Scottish Salmon.
For snacks or additions to a smaller meal, I also recommend the Harvest Kale Snack salad, the Smoked Salmon, and the Kale Caesar Snack salad. I drink Shakeology for breakfast 99 percent of the time, so my testing of the breakfast items has been limited. One I did try is the the Bison Breakfast Bowl. Talk about a great way to start your day off with some healthy protein!
Snap also carries some great snack items. I mentioned the Exo Cricket bars in the last post. I am also a fan of their Caveman Clusters.
While the food is fresh, tasty, and healthy, Snap Kitchen also has great customer service. I went into the store one morning to stock up for a three-day trip out of town for work. When I got home and started to pack my foods in my travel cooler, I noticed that the receipt had three additional items on it that I did not order. I checked my items four times just to ensure that I did not receive the items.
Snap also carries some great snack items. I mentioned the Exo Cricket bars in the last post. I am also a fan of their Caveman Clusters.
While the food is fresh, tasty, and healthy, Snap Kitchen also has great customer service. I went into the store one morning to stock up for a three-day trip out of town for work. When I got home and started to pack my foods in my travel cooler, I noticed that the receipt had three additional items on it that I did not order. I checked my items four times just to ensure that I did not receive the items.
Once I was confident that I had paid for three items that I did not receive, I called the store to explain the mistake. The Snap employee remembered me and pulled up my order. She knew exactly what had happened. Someone had phoned in an order right before I checked out. However, the phone order did not get properly completed before my order was entered. It added the two orders together. She requested for me to come back into the store so that she could credit my credit card. I explained that I was on my way out the door for a business trip and did not have time. She offered to just give me a $25 store credit on my account. I looked at the three items and stated that they only added up to about $15. She said that the additional $10 would be for the hassle. I thought this was a very generous gesture that will keep me as a loyal customer.
I definitely recommend Snap Kitchen as a great resource for meals if you're traveling, or even if you don't have time to cook one night. If you go, remember to get a points card to start building up towards free items!
Workout of the Day
Tony Horton Fitness on YouTube: QUADZILLA
See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yVpFV-LT0
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Eating On the Go
If I had to choose the most important food philosophy that I follow, it would be to eat whole foods as much as possible. What does that mean exactly? It means eating things that are what they are: eggs, carrots, broccoli. Things that do not have any ingredients on their label. Or better yet, there is no label.
However, I realize that sometimes this is really hard to do. I travel for my job occasionally, and don't always have a refrigerator down the hall to keep my hummus and veggies cool. So how does someone maintain a healthy diet while on the go?
As with most things related to health and fitness, planning is key. You might have to take an extra step or two to stick with the plan, but I think you'll find it's worth it.
When I'm preparing for a trip, I have a handy travel cooler I take with me. I'll pack fresh fresh veggies that will keep for the first day or so, along with fruit that travels well like apples. Not recommended: bananas (they bruise easily and go bad fast with fluctuations in temperature). Nuts such as almonds, cashew, and walnuts are also an easy snack that travel well.
When whole food isn't an option, here are some of my go-to meals and snacks.
Shakeology -
Either in easy travel packets or I'll scoop into containers. If I know I will have access to electricity I pack my Magic Bullet to blend it into a smoothie, but if not I'll just shake it in a shaker cup. Shaking it isn't the best tasting way to fix Shakeology, but it will do in a pinch...and it's still the healthiest meal of the day.
Epic Bars- https://epicbar.com/
These are high-quality jerky bars that are a great protein source. Choose from several interesting flavors. I have had the following:
- Bison Bacon Cranberry
- Lamb Currant Mint
- Beef Habanero Cherry
- Turkey Almond Cranberry
My favorite is probably the beef flavor, and my son likes the lamb. They are all tasty and easy to pack and travel. Available through Amazon.
EXO Bars - https://www.exoprotein.com/
Stick with me, here: these are made with cricket flour. Yes, the black bug kind of crickets. Cricket flour is an emerging trend in America, but other cultures have been using this for decades. I can vouch that these are really delicious,and they have 10 grams of protein per bar.
A friend of ours is studying nutrition at the University of Texas, and she recently posted an article in The Daily Texan about some nutrition students spreading the word about the benefits of cricket protein. Find the article here: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2015/10/26/texas-nutrition-serves-up-crickets-for-annual-food-day
Amazing Grass Greens Powder - http://www.amazinggrass.com/
Amazing Grass has multiple products and flavors. I am a fan the Lemon Lime flavored green superfood powder. Mixed with water, this is a great way to get an infusion of greens into your body when vegetables are scarce. Susan calls it her "swamp water" because of its looks, but the lemon lime flavor is refreshing. Only 30 calories per serving. If you like flavor in your water, this is a good way to get it.
Justin's Nut Butter - http://justins.com/
I buy them in individual packets for the convenience of traveling. They can be eaten alone right out of the packet or as a spread on apples or celery. Very tasty and a great source of healthy fat. I like the honey almond butter.
If you're staying at a hotel, many times breakfast is provided. Here's what to grab and what to leave at the continental breakfast.
Pastries, doughnuts, bagels. LEAVE. You don't need these in your life.
Waffle batter: Nope...skip it.
Scrambled eggs: most likely made with powdered eggs, and taste as such. If you're lucky, they'll have boiled eggs. Take as many of these as you want since they are the real deal.
Yogurt: the reason the yogurt business has ramped up so astronomically in this country is because it's a perceived health food. However, most of the yogurts contain far too much sugar to be healthy. Unless it is plain yogurt with no fruit added, leave the yogurt alone.
Oatmeal: depends! If it's in a pot that has been cooked, it is probably okay. Add some dried fruit and nuts and you're golden. If it's flavored packets to add hot water to, skip it. Too much sugar and artificial flavoring. Although, if your choice is between a pastry and packet oatmeal, choose the oatmeal!
Bacon, biscuits, sausage, hash browns: pass on these. They are probably very poor quality.
Finally, the emergence of prepared meal-to-go restaurants is making it easy to take meals with you. I've had a great experience with SNAP Kitchen in Austin. I'll do a full post with a review of SNAP very soon.
If you plan right, you can come out of a business trip or vacation without losing ground on reaching your goals or gaining any unwanted things (weight, brain fog, sugar cravings). While you might have to carry some extra weight in a bag or cooler for a few days, that's better than carrying it around on your a$# for weeks afterward.
Workout of the Day:
PiYo
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Not Another Fad
Posted by Zach
Just about everyone we know is aware that Susan and I are Beachbody coaches and have been for several years now. Our journey began right after Kate was born in the spring of 2008 when I convinced Susan to complete P90X with me. We had been using running as our form of exercise previously, but with the addition of child number two, we had no desire to push two strollers on our runs. At least with one stroller we could take turns. So we ordered P90X and dove in for 90 days.
We had run for years with very little change in our body composition. But the changes we saw after 90 days of P90X were so amazing that we began a second round almost immediately. We also became very interested in Beachbody, the company behind P90X.
About a year later, we had the opportunity to attend a lecture and workout with Tony Horton in Dallas. At the event we learned more about the company and what they stood for. Beachbody has been around since 1998 when it was founded by Carl Daikeler (CEO) and John Congdon (President). Since then, they have produced multiple fitness programs and nutrition supplements. After 17 years, I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay.
We were so impressed that we signed up to be Beachbody coaches, which means that we are ambassadors for the products and also coaches to help others choose and complete programs. Plus we get a discount on products we buy and commissions on anything we sell through our websites.
In the past seven years, we have made many changes in our lifestyle. I would say the most beneficial has been the addition of Shakeology to our daily nutrition. I read a lot of articles and books on nutrition, and lately I’ve learned a lot about the superfoods our bodies can benefit from. I’m always pleasantly surprised to see that most of the superfoods I come across are already in the Shakeology I drink every day.
We also improved our overall diet. On the fitness side, we began going through essentially every exercise program produced by Beachbody (with the exception of some dance programs, because I’m a white guy with no rhythm). Our goal was to experience each program so that we could tell others about them and answer any questions.
While we may not follow the typical business model for a Beachbody coach, we still truly believe in the company and the products. Darin Olien, the creator of Shakeology is about as knowledgeable as they get when it comes to providing great nutrition to fuel your body. (His book, “SuperLife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome,” is worth the read.)
Susan and I do not go for the “hard” sale in our approach. We strive to be a product of the product and let others know that we are Beachbody coaches and how we feel about the company and products. Our strategy/goal is to be the first person that others think of when they have a question about an exercise program or nutrition that will help them achieve their health and fitness goals.
We care more about our relationships than the sale of a product. We want others to trust us and have faith in us and any product they choose. I do not want someone to choose to drink Shakeology or order P90X3 because I am a good salesman. I want them to make these things a part of their life because they see the impact they have had on our lives and trust us. Is this a good business model for us as Beachbody coaches? Probably not. But, it is in line with our morals and goals of helping others.
In the past few years, I can’t count the number of fitness fads that have come and gone; some multi-level marketing companies and some not. Regardless of the business model behind them, the fads bother me. It seems that they all have one thing in common: immediate results with little work. Drink this, pop this pill, or wear this on your body and you will achieve your weight loss goals in no time. If there truly was a magic pill or magic wrap that melted fat, then why do we still have an obesity problem in our society? The answer is an easy one: because there is no magic pill. I think that Beachbody is unique because it’s premise is built behind hard work. You’ve got to put in the effort to reap the reward.
Susan and I are happier, healthier, fitter people now than we when we were in our twenties. Heck, I turn 40 next year and can do things I would not have even tried at the age of 30. We have helped multiple friends and family members improve their health, lose weight, get off of medication, and improve their energy over the past several years.
I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay, and I’m pretty confident that Susan and I will be very old people before we stop doing the programs (shoot, Tony Horton is 56 years old and still starring in these videos, so I’m sure I can keep doing them till I’m at least 70...or 80).
There is no magic pill. Improved health, fitness, and weight loss require hard work and proper nutrition. There is no way around it. Beachbody offers all the tool to get you there. All you have to provide is the intrinsic motivation to push play and follow the nutrition plan.
I really like Beachbody’s slogan, which is “Decide. Commit. Succeed.” That’s what we’ve done, and that’s all it takes for anyone who wants to make a change. Decide to make a change. Commit to a plan. Succeed in your plan. Our help is always here when you are ready.
Just about everyone we know is aware that Susan and I are Beachbody coaches and have been for several years now. Our journey began right after Kate was born in the spring of 2008 when I convinced Susan to complete P90X with me. We had been using running as our form of exercise previously, but with the addition of child number two, we had no desire to push two strollers on our runs. At least with one stroller we could take turns. So we ordered P90X and dove in for 90 days.
We had run for years with very little change in our body composition. But the changes we saw after 90 days of P90X were so amazing that we began a second round almost immediately. We also became very interested in Beachbody, the company behind P90X.
About a year later, we had the opportunity to attend a lecture and workout with Tony Horton in Dallas. At the event we learned more about the company and what they stood for. Beachbody has been around since 1998 when it was founded by Carl Daikeler (CEO) and John Congdon (President). Since then, they have produced multiple fitness programs and nutrition supplements. After 17 years, I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay.
We were so impressed that we signed up to be Beachbody coaches, which means that we are ambassadors for the products and also coaches to help others choose and complete programs. Plus we get a discount on products we buy and commissions on anything we sell through our websites.
In the past seven years, we have made many changes in our lifestyle. I would say the most beneficial has been the addition of Shakeology to our daily nutrition. I read a lot of articles and books on nutrition, and lately I’ve learned a lot about the superfoods our bodies can benefit from. I’m always pleasantly surprised to see that most of the superfoods I come across are already in the Shakeology I drink every day.
We also improved our overall diet. On the fitness side, we began going through essentially every exercise program produced by Beachbody (with the exception of some dance programs, because I’m a white guy with no rhythm). Our goal was to experience each program so that we could tell others about them and answer any questions.
While we may not follow the typical business model for a Beachbody coach, we still truly believe in the company and the products. Darin Olien, the creator of Shakeology is about as knowledgeable as they get when it comes to providing great nutrition to fuel your body. (His book, “SuperLife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome,” is worth the read.)
Susan and I do not go for the “hard” sale in our approach. We strive to be a product of the product and let others know that we are Beachbody coaches and how we feel about the company and products. Our strategy/goal is to be the first person that others think of when they have a question about an exercise program or nutrition that will help them achieve their health and fitness goals.
We care more about our relationships than the sale of a product. We want others to trust us and have faith in us and any product they choose. I do not want someone to choose to drink Shakeology or order P90X3 because I am a good salesman. I want them to make these things a part of their life because they see the impact they have had on our lives and trust us. Is this a good business model for us as Beachbody coaches? Probably not. But, it is in line with our morals and goals of helping others.
In the past few years, I can’t count the number of fitness fads that have come and gone; some multi-level marketing companies and some not. Regardless of the business model behind them, the fads bother me. It seems that they all have one thing in common: immediate results with little work. Drink this, pop this pill, or wear this on your body and you will achieve your weight loss goals in no time. If there truly was a magic pill or magic wrap that melted fat, then why do we still have an obesity problem in our society? The answer is an easy one: because there is no magic pill. I think that Beachbody is unique because it’s premise is built behind hard work. You’ve got to put in the effort to reap the reward.
Susan and I are happier, healthier, fitter people now than we when we were in our twenties. Heck, I turn 40 next year and can do things I would not have even tried at the age of 30. We have helped multiple friends and family members improve their health, lose weight, get off of medication, and improve their energy over the past several years.
I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay, and I’m pretty confident that Susan and I will be very old people before we stop doing the programs (shoot, Tony Horton is 56 years old and still starring in these videos, so I’m sure I can keep doing them till I’m at least 70...or 80).
There is no magic pill. Improved health, fitness, and weight loss require hard work and proper nutrition. There is no way around it. Beachbody offers all the tool to get you there. All you have to provide is the intrinsic motivation to push play and follow the nutrition plan.
I really like Beachbody’s slogan, which is “Decide. Commit. Succeed.” That’s what we’ve done, and that’s all it takes for anyone who wants to make a change. Decide to make a change. Commit to a plan. Succeed in your plan. Our help is always here when you are ready.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
High Fat, Low Carb
Posted by Zach
Workout of the day: 21 Day Fix Extreme - Plyo Fix
There has been a lot of talk lately about the low carb/high fat (LCHF) diet. The concept can be a little scary and even misleading unless you really dig into the details. I became interested earlier this year and decided to test it out myself.
First, let me clear up some misconceptions. First, fat is not the enemy that we once thought it was. I personally feel that saturated fat from red meat should still be consumed in moderation. However, healthy fats from nuts, oils and other plant-based products can do wonders for your health and weight maintenance. Second, I think the key ingredient to the LCHF diet is not the high fat piece of the pie (so to speak), but the low carb piece. In my opinion, cutting out processed carbohydrates and sugar is the best thing you can do for your health and weight maintenance. The trick is to replace these food items with lots of healthy vegetables and fats while maintaining a moderate protein intake.
There are a ton of resources available on this subject. Just google (low carb high fat diet” and you will get over 5 million results. A good place to start is with one of the following two books written by Jeff Volek.
- The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living
- The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance
Dr. Volek has conducted some impressive studies on this subject, especially in the areas of endurance performance. The goal is to convert the body to rely on fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates or glucose. More information can be found on his website.
Another great resource is Dr. Phil Maffetone’s website. Maffetone is well-known for his creation of the 180 formula. The 180 formula is used as a heart rate training tool for endurance athletes. What I like about Maffetone is his overall approach to a healthy lifestyle. His two week test is a great way to get you on the path to being a fat-burner and following a low carb, high fat diet.
As I stated above, curiosity on this subject got the best of me earlier this year. I am the type of person that has to test it out myself to be a believer. So, I set in to change my diet. Now, my diet was pretty darn good to begin with. It did not take a ton of changes to convert to a low carb, high fat diet. The major changes made included cutting out my oatmeal that I ate for breakfast a couple of days each week along with the side of toast that I enjoyed with my eggs regularly. I would also skip the bread products or tortillas at any of the meals that included them. For example, if hamburgers are on the menu, mine becomes a hamburger salad.
My diet consists of tons of vegetables, moderate fruit, a lot of healthy fats, and lean protein. I keep my red meat consumption to a minimum. The majority of my protein comes from eggs (we have our own chickens), chicken breast, and fish. My fats consists mainly of avocados (I average about 1 per day), nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, and brazil nuts), seeds (sunflower, hemp, flax, chia), and oils (olive, avocado, coconut).
My typical day looks like this:
Breakfast - Vegetable and fat dense smoothie consisting of: Shakeology (of course), half an avocado, kale or spinach, tablespoon of coconut oil, berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), ginger root, and some nuts and/or seeds. Throw it all in your Vitamix with some ice and water and give it a whirl until smooth and creamy.
Lunch - A huge salad with tons of leafy greens and other vegetables such as: cucumbers, celery, beets, bell peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage. I will usually top with a half an avocado, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some protein (hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast, canned tuna or salmon, or edamame),
Snacks - If I need a snack during the day, it will usually be one of the following: an apple and some almonds, carrots, amazing grass supergreens powder and sunwarrior protein, or chia pudding.
Dinner - Basically, dinner is whatever Susan decides to prepare. The great thing is that I know it will be healthy and meet my goals. Our dinners are typically plant-based with the addition of some meat a few days each week. If I do have some carbs, this is the meal that I indulge. If I do, it is usually something along the lines of sweet potatoes or legumes.
So, what did I notice by this slight change in my diet?
- A decrease in cravings and being hungry every 2-3 hours. I had been eating 5-6 meals per day. Now I eat 3-4. I rarely need a snack, and if I do, it is pretty small. Based on what I have read, this is due to my body learning how to tap into my fat stores for fuel. This is also a benefit for endurance athletes. Less need for fueling during long events.
- An increase in my range on my long runs without the need for fuel. I have completed runs in excess of two hours on nothing more than water with no adverse effects. I can make it through the remainder of the day with regular eating and maintain my energy levels.
- I have seen a slight decrease in my weight (about 5 pounds) and have managed to maintain this over several months. This may not sound like much, but I have stalled in the area for many years.
- I have seen a decrease in my body fat percentage (I currently run about 9-10% bodyfat). I have been this low before, but it entailed some calorie restriction and lack of energy to complete workouts. I have not had to restrict my calories and my energy levels have been great. Even for high intensity efforts.
- I have had a reduction in cravings for sweets. I still indulge on occasion, but the cravings are minor.
Is this diet for everyone? Definitely not. However, if you are carbohydrate intolerant and/or insulin resistant, this diet might be worth testing out. I would also recommend giving it a try if you are an endurance athlete and struggle with fueling/stomach issues during long events.
I must point out that I am not a doctor or nutritionist. I am just sharing my personal experience with a diet that has become quite the hype lately. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor or health-care provider before making any drastic lifestyle changes concerning diet or exercise.
Comment below if you have had any experience with LCHF. I would be interested to hear what others have experienced.
To close on an exercise note, Susan and I have been enjoying the new Beachbody on Demand. We can access hundreds of Beachbody workouts online at anytime. This is a great tool for those that travel for work or pleasure. Your workouts can go with you anywhere.
Workout of the day: 21 Day Fix Extreme - Plyo Fix
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The Lesson of the Water Hyacinth
Hey! Susan here. I'm so pleased to announce that Zach is going to start helping me keep this blog active by sharing some of his fitness and general life tips/observations. That's good because if you really want to know, he's the brains behind anything fitness that goes on in our household. He is a major researching and experimenting enthusiast, and as an ultra-marathoner (you'll never hear him call himself that, but I will!), he has some really great insight into the human body and mind. Our goal is to help as many people as possible, so I hope you enjoy a new perspective on the blog!
The Lesson of the Water Hyacinth
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The Lesson of the Water Hyacinth
The water hyacinth is one of the most beautiful and unusual plants on earth. A delicate flower with six petals, it ranges in color from blue to lavender to pink and floats on the surface of ponds in warm areas around the world.
What makes the water hyacinth really special is that it is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. A single water hyacinth can produce as many as 5,000 seeds and sends out short stems that become new plants. Over time, a single water hyacinth continuously doubles itself - one plant becomes two plants, two plants become four plants, four plants become eight plants, and so on.
One day there was a very beautiful (and very small) water hyacinth growing near the edge of a big pond. Nobody ever noticed it. Nobody noticed the second day either, when it had doubled and there were now two plants. Nobody noticed the water hyacinth on the third day or the fourth day. Even though they kept doubling in numbers, the water hyacinths were so small on the big pond that you’d have to look very hard to see them.
For two weeks the water hyacinths continued to double, but still covered only one square foot of the pond, just a tiny part of its huge surface. On day 20, a person passing by the pond noticed something floating along the shore, but mistook it for a lost towel or a discarded trash bag. But by day 30, it was impossible to ignore the hyacinths, because a blanket of beautiful flowers now covered the pond’s entire surface.
The lesson of the water hyacinth is this: Small actions may not seem like much at first, but over time they have a compounding effect. All that means is that actions add up or intensify over time - you can get big results from small, daily steps. this is perhaps the most important lesson of the slight edge and it applies directly to your life.
Source: Success for Teens, by the editors of the Success Foundation
The water hyacinth in our lives are our choices. We make choices every hour of every day. The impact of these choices will spread throughout our lives like a blanket of water hyacinths covering a pond. We may not see or realize the results of our choices today, tomorrow, or even next year. However, the results of our actions become apparent by the fabric of our life that has been woven over the years.
This concept can be applied to any aspect of your life: losing weight, getting healthy, starting a business, learning to play the guitar, saving for retirement, etc. It sounds so easy. Just make the right choices day after day.
But if it’s so easy, why are we not all successful at the things we pursue? I think it’s because, while it sounds easy to do, it is also easy not to do. It’s easy to think that the burger we order for lunch isn’t going to make a huge impact on our life. But when we order that burger again and again over the weeks and months of our lives, it makes a difference. That doughnut on Sunday mornings? It makes a difference. That workout you chose to do instead of sleeping in? It makes a difference.
We must remember and understand that little steps make a difference. What results do you want? What actions will you choose today?
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Zach's Workout of the Day
8-mile run
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
The Tale of Two Laundry Bags
This is the story of how two laundry bags taught me how people can look at life in two very different ways.
This is our laundry hamper.
It sits in my closet, as it has each day for the past nearly thirteen years of marriage.
A week ago, a spied a dreaded roach scurrying into my closet. In my desperate attempt to squash the life out of it before it took up residence in a shoe, I threw that hamper across the closet. When I determined that the roach was lost (probably to make its next appearance, I imagined, crawling up a sleeve onto my neck), I threw the hamper back in place and went on with life.
A day or so later, I noticed that, inexplicably, my husband had started putting the "whites" in the back hamper, when they had always gone in the front. I chalked it up to a miscue, but when it kept happening, I asked him why he was throwing the universe off kilter by throwing whites in the back and not the front.
"Because whites go in blue, and darks go in black," he replied.
"No," I politely replied. "Whites go in front and darks go in back."
"Front and back has nothing to do with it. It's about the color of the bag."
Mind = Blown.
In 13 years, not once have I noticed that the whites happened to go in the blue bag and the darks in black. I suppose it makes a certain amount of sense...blacks...dark. But I never looked at it that way. I was all about the position of the bag, not the color.
Isn't life like that in so many ways?
Chapman proposes that there are five different ways people give and receive love: acts of service, quality time, gifts, physical touch, and words of affirmation.
This book made sense to me on so many levels. If you're running around giving gifts to someone whose primary love language is quality time, you're going to be upset because it seems that they don't appreciate the gift. And your partner is wondering why you're wasting money on gifts because they just want you to quit spending money and start spending time with them.
I learned that I'm a "Words of Affirmation" gal. I run around doing acts of service like cooking great dinners and attempting to keep a clean house because I'm fishing for compliments...I really just want people to tell me I'm a good cook...and also that I'm smart and pretty.
Zach is a quality time kind of guy, and always has been. I remember even back when we were first dating that he was adamant about spending weekends hunting with his Dad because that was precious time that he wouldn't have once his Dad got older and couldn't do that stuff anymore. Looking back, I'm glad he took those weekends.
It works on kids, too. When I asked Kate how she knows I love her, she said it was because I "kiss and hug her." That was an easy one...that "Physical Touch" girl has had to be on someone's lap since she came home from the hospital. Drew's answer to that same question? "Uh...I dunno. When you make me lunch." I guess that's Acts of Service?
Anyway, it was eye-opening, and I highly recommend you find out for yourself the dynamic you have going in your own household.
As for us, you can tell by the picture above that once we cleared the confusion, I went ahead and moved the blue bag to the front so that we can both be "right" when it comes to the whites.
This is our laundry hamper.
It sits in my closet, as it has each day for the past nearly thirteen years of marriage.
A week ago, a spied a dreaded roach scurrying into my closet. In my desperate attempt to squash the life out of it before it took up residence in a shoe, I threw that hamper across the closet. When I determined that the roach was lost (probably to make its next appearance, I imagined, crawling up a sleeve onto my neck), I threw the hamper back in place and went on with life.
A day or so later, I noticed that, inexplicably, my husband had started putting the "whites" in the back hamper, when they had always gone in the front. I chalked it up to a miscue, but when it kept happening, I asked him why he was throwing the universe off kilter by throwing whites in the back and not the front.
"Because whites go in blue, and darks go in black," he replied.
"No," I politely replied. "Whites go in front and darks go in back."
"Front and back has nothing to do with it. It's about the color of the bag."
Mind = Blown.
In 13 years, not once have I noticed that the whites happened to go in the blue bag and the darks in black. I suppose it makes a certain amount of sense...blacks...dark. But I never looked at it that way. I was all about the position of the bag, not the color.
Isn't life like that in so many ways?
"There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so." - William ShakespeareI read a really great book this summer that I want to recommend to you. It's not new; in fact, I've been meaning to read it for years.
Chapman proposes that there are five different ways people give and receive love: acts of service, quality time, gifts, physical touch, and words of affirmation.
This book made sense to me on so many levels. If you're running around giving gifts to someone whose primary love language is quality time, you're going to be upset because it seems that they don't appreciate the gift. And your partner is wondering why you're wasting money on gifts because they just want you to quit spending money and start spending time with them.
I learned that I'm a "Words of Affirmation" gal. I run around doing acts of service like cooking great dinners and attempting to keep a clean house because I'm fishing for compliments...I really just want people to tell me I'm a good cook...and also that I'm smart and pretty.
Zach is a quality time kind of guy, and always has been. I remember even back when we were first dating that he was adamant about spending weekends hunting with his Dad because that was precious time that he wouldn't have once his Dad got older and couldn't do that stuff anymore. Looking back, I'm glad he took those weekends.
It works on kids, too. When I asked Kate how she knows I love her, she said it was because I "kiss and hug her." That was an easy one...that "Physical Touch" girl has had to be on someone's lap since she came home from the hospital. Drew's answer to that same question? "Uh...I dunno. When you make me lunch." I guess that's Acts of Service?
Anyway, it was eye-opening, and I highly recommend you find out for yourself the dynamic you have going in your own household.
As for us, you can tell by the picture above that once we cleared the confusion, I went ahead and moved the blue bag to the front so that we can both be "right" when it comes to the whites.
*****************
Workout of the Day
Beachbody on Demand Challenge Du Jour - Insanity Round 18
I'm loving these daily workouts on the On Demand channel! Our television in the garage blew up, so our entire library of DVDs is basically useless. We've been streaming our workouts on the phone or computer and it's opened up a whole new group of workouts I've never done before! Love it.
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