Abandoning the Men

This post is long over due but the memories are still fresh in my mind so I will blog away. For several months Mi Amiga's and I had been planning a girls weekend away. This weekend would take place in beautiful North Conway, New Hampshire where Jen's Mom and Dad happen to have a beautiful home. You can imagine the coordinating and scheduling that took place for three very busy ladies to make this happen - you know kid schedules, work-schedules, husband schedules, meal schedules (pre-made meals would be me as my hubbie's only question when I told him I was planning a girls weekend away was "What will I eat?) In other words all the planets would have to align in the universe.

Well Mother Nature would not let us off so easy. Lo and behold 6 days prior to our much anticipated weekend the meteorologists start tracking the Blizzard of 2013 - "Nemo" why they have taken to naming all storms now is beyond me. So it begins - Do we go? Do we not go? Do we leave earlier? Do we re-schedule?  After several conversations and support from the husbands, it is decided we leave Thursday night to get a jump start on the storm.

We are excited and happy and kid free for the weekend. We talk about what we will do, where we will go, what we will eat and so on.

We arrive safely and sleep well on some of the most comfortable beds imaginable. We wake up to snow on Saturday morning which continues at a steady rate throughout the day. That does not stop us from going out to breakfast, picking up some groceries, renting movies,  and shopping.

Of course we are in touch with the men back home who confirm that the Blizzard is well on it's way. The wind is picking up and the snow is piling up. But they assure us they are fine, after all we are married to some pretty resourceful men!

We have the time of our lives and are just slightly stressed when two out of our three households lose power. Maybe a little more stressed when the power is still  out on Sunday. Dan was the fortunate one and reports he has spent the weekend watching "B" movies and eating the mounds of Chicken Stir-fry I have made for him.

We laugh alot, eat alot (well at least I do) take naps, watch movies (5 to be exact), cry a little, and have deep and long heart felt conversation.

We are grateful for each other and for our men who do not once complain that we have abandoned them during the Blizzard of 2013

Here's to Good Friends and Good Men!

Excuses or Solutions

Well Old Man Winter recently blasted New England with a blizzard! I think Mother Nature is making up for a mild winter back in 2012. This recent storm brought upwards of 2 feet of snow in many areas, extended power outages, downed trees, and very messy driving conditions. As pretty as the snow can be, I am done with the cold and ready for Spring!

Due to the piles of snow everywhere it has made my weekly runs through town not only difficult but dangerous due to the lack of shoulder area on the road. Not only that but my boot camp class got cancelled one day as well. Ugghh! How was I going to get "my burn on?"  I can be pretty good at improvising; so with just a few pieces of equipment, my good-sized kitchen, and my IPod plugged into it's docking station I was ready to roll.

A floor mat, jump rope (if you've never jumped roped - holy moly can you get some serious calorie burning going on), set of 8 lb & 10 lb weights, interval timer, and notepad w/ exercise sets written down. So here is what I did. I set my top interval for 2 minutes and bottom interval for 1:30 (minute and 30 seconds) I did 9 sets of alternating exercises. The 2 minute interval was always the jump rope - I would then rest for 30 seconds - I then did the alternate exercise for 30 seconds and rested for 30 seconds before beginning the jump rope again. Here is a list of my alternating exercises all done for 30 seconds:

weighted crunch

push-up

plank

mountain climbers

shoulder raises

bicep curls

leg raises (single single double)

mountain climbers (second time)

push up (second time)

This totaled an approximate 35-40 minute work-out where I maintained a heart-rate of 140 - 152 BPM(beats per minute) which resulted in 325 calories burned! Yup I got my burn on and I was a happy girl because I truly believe that:
                                                             

I

I also made a yummy weight watcher recipe that Mi Amiga Jen turned me on to; I docked it up a little bit and I happen to make it on Valentine's day for the hubbie and he gave me the "thumbs up"

Coconut Curry Shrimp 

(Please note: I added the following to the recipe: 1 cup of mixed pineapple & mango and 1/2 cup frozen peas) I also did 1 whole can of light coconut milk instead of 1/2 I mean what the heck right?

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 Tbsp curry powder, mild or hot, to taste
	1/2 tsp table salt
	3 medium uncooked scallion(s), thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
	1/2 cup(s) light coconut milk
	1 pound(s) uncooked shrimp, large, shelled and deveined
	3 cup(s) cooked brown rice

Instructions

• Coat a medium to large skillet with cooking spray; add oil and set over medium heat. When heated, add curry powder and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until curry is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  
• Add white parts of scallions; cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes more. Add coconut milk; stir to blend. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions; serve. Yields about 5 to 6 shrimp, 3/4 cup rice and 1 to 2 tablespoons sauce per serving.

Clean Eating Concoctions

I have experienced another wonderful week. This does not mean it was without it's challenges. But as I face and overcome challenges, I know I am becoming stronger. I am feeling fit, healthy, and strong spiritually, physically, and mentally. I have been trying to be really conscientious about the goals and commitments I have made for this new year.  I really believe we are happier people when we make short and long term goals and stick with them! Consistency is key.

I am a foodie; I love to eat and lately I have been "Eating Clean" and you know what? It's fun. I try to eyeball my plate and see a meal that is 2/3rd's fruits/and or vegetable, a smaller portion of complex carbohydrate (brown rice, sweet potato, etc.) and 3-4 oz portion of lean protein. This gives me nutrition, staying power for work-outs(avoiding that 3:00pm crash) and happiness in my belly. The following are some of my creative concoctions:

     

To your left: Vegetarian Deliciousness! Simply Sauteed Baby Spinach w/sliced mushrooms in a little olive oil, seasoned w/Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder. Accompanied w/ 1/2 an Avocado (loaded w/lots of fiber and the good fats) and ripe Cherry tomatoes w/salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

To the right is Grilled center cut Pork loin flavored w/kosher salt, garlic and pepper seasoning tossed w/ a little Thai Peanut sauce. A baked sweet potato topped w/cinnamon and nutmeg and some steamed broccoli - Can you say delish!

Fiber Packed Snack for 150 calories!

Featured above was simply a fresh pita topped w/ 2 tbs each of homemade hummus and Tabouli.  This was a 150 calories of Yum!

Hummus Recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
• 8 dashes hot sauce

Directions

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Tabouli Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fine cracked wheat
• 1 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 teaspoons sea salt

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, pour the water over the cracked wheat and cover, let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the mix. Combine the oil, lemon juice, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wheat mixture and mix well. Chill. Serve and enjoy.

Last but not least - my favorite smoothie of the week; "The Green Monster"; This one felt like I was drinking a dessert and it's loaded w/Spinach - Hello Popeye! and thank you Pinterest for this sweet find!:

Ingredients:
1 frozen sliced banana
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt
1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)
4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)

I add 1 tsp agave nectar and 1 scoop protein powder for a great pre or post work-out drink

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I leave you with one more little jewel I found: Dream big!

The Three Amigas!

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” 
― Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

And boy do I love these two ladies with my whole heart! What is better for the mind, body, and spirit than a "true" friend? A friend is one of life's greatest blessings.

Here we are the Three Cone Heads, No just kidding we call ourselves "The Three Amigas" Jen actually came up with that name for us. So Aimee' (Amiga on your left) I have known for more than half my life. I actually don't remember life without her. She knows everything about me - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and she chooses to love me anyways. Jen (Amiga in the middle) I have only known for about 4 years; BUT have you ever met someone and feel like you have known them your whole life? Well yes, that is how I feel about Jen. Like somehow I have always known her. And to know her is to love her!

Yes we are busy women, wives, and moms, but we are  committed to meeting twice a week at the pool for a work-out. Now this work-out is no joke. Jen is our leader and puts us through the paces. Just when we are getting comfortable she kicks it up a notch. A typical work-out begins with a 1/4 mile warm-up swim. Following that we work in intervals with with speeds similar to Michael Phelps and short rests in between. Ha Ha!! No seriously we work hard for a few 40ish year old women. We like to say we're working on our Bikini Bods! We end with a nice chat session while we use the kick boards. During this time we discuss husbands, children, recipes, our trials as well as our triumphs! It is a time that I look forward to every week and boy how it lifts my spirit!

Off the Hamster Wheel and On The Road!

Well Winter is upon us here in beautiful New England. We were blanketed with our first snow right on the first of the year. Although Winter is not my favorite season, It was a glorious sight to wake up . Have a look:

I find Winter a challenge for me in a variety of ways. Cold days and nights. Snowstorms that require shoveling of decks and walkways, plowing of driveways (ours is 150 feet long maybe more) and of course the dreaded visit from the Oil man that can drain a bank account faster than you can say "Is it Summer yet?" Yikes!

Because I am a fair weather chick, Winter also offers me fitness challenges. In previous years I have had to resort to this dreaded piece of equipment:

Now I know there are a ton of different treadmill work-outs floating around out there, but the fact remains I find absolutely no pleasure in using this. Studies show that a treadmill does up to 30% of the work for you (fact) and is just plain Boring (opinion). So this Winter I resolved to keep up my running regimen - outside. Yes I was one of those people who would see a runner doing his/her thing in the cold and think "What a nut job." Well with just a little research and the right gear, I have become one of those "nut jobs." 

One of my favorite Christmas presents: "Brooks" Utopia Thermal Hoodie. Worn over a  long sleeve "Under Armour wicking top, it has held up in 21 degree weather for me. I pull that hood up over a little "Under Armour" beanie and my ears and head are toasty warm. I have the matching thermal running pants with a pair of "Belega" socks and the bottom part of me is just as warm.

Can't forget my IPOD with my "run playlist" to keep me motivated. Lately this song pumps me up! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=J91ti_MpdHA

Here I am suited up and ready to go. Nope it's not pretty but it keeps me off the "Hamster Wheel" So I'm a happy girl. 

Happy Trails Y'all!

Drink a Meal Now and Then!

I often drink my meals; I actually have no problem doing that. It's not uncommon for me to have a delicious protein power packed smoothie for breakfast or lunch, sometimes both. I also start each morning off with a 4 - 6oz serving of pure homemade juice. I have actually been juicing for quite a while now after a friend if you can believe this; offered me her Jack Lalanne juicer that she never used. Hello! Yes I'll take that! Anyways, I have gone through several inexpensive blenders and recently the bullet. I just wore the sucker right down. One of the only things I asked for Christmas was the "Ninja 1500" blender,juicer, food processor, dough maker "all in one" And Santa was good to me. This bad boy comes complete with a 2 horsepower motor and a triple blade which makes all the difference in the world. Take a look:

Pretty cool; so I decided to turn our center island in the kitchen into a juice and smoothie bar for my family and I to enjoy. I love it! My Dad has gotten into the habit of coming over every morning for one of my many concoctions: Check it out: Bottoms up to a continued Happy and Healthy New Year!

Carrot Apple Tangerine Juice - 1 Large Carrot, 1 Red Delicious Apple, 2 Clementines or 1 lg tangerine, Cut tips and ends off carrot, Core and cut apple into quarters (no need to peel), Remove peel and pith on clementines or tangerines, Feed through juicer in above order - stir and serve over ice

Blueberry/Banana Protein Smoothie - 1 Frozen Banana (Peel and slice banana before freezing), 3-4 Ice Cubes, 1 Cup Frozen Blueberries, 1 Cup Almond Breeze Almond/Coconut milk or any low-fat milk, 1/2 Cup Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt, 1 Scoop vanilla protein powder, 1tbs ground flax seed (great for omega 3's), 1tbs wheat germ, 1 tsp agave nectar for sweetness (has a low glycemic index will not spike your blood sugar), Place all ingredients in blender and mix to enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie - 1 Frozen Banana (Peel and slice before freezing), 3 Ice Cubes, 1 Cup Almond Milk, 3/4 Pumpkin Pure (I used Libby's,) 1/4 Cup Oatmeal, 1/4 tsp Chia Seeds or 1 Tbs ground flax seed, dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice, Blend all together and squirt a little light whipped cream on top for an extra 15 calories! Calorie Count = 335 Not bad at all! - One of my favorites - Thank you Pinterest!

It's a New Day; It's a New Dawn!

Who doesn't love the dawning of a New Year - It holds promise, hope, and a desire to make some changes or improvements in our lives whether they be big or small. We all hear the jokes "Resolutions are made to be broken" or "A resolution is just a to do list for the first two weeks of January" I choose to be a positive thinker. Last year I clearly resolved to become more healthier and fit in my mind, my body, and my spirit. And I worked hard on that all year. I realized throughout the year that it is not just a resolution I make on the first of the year with a check-list to go along with it, but instead it becomes a way of life, not a sprint, but a marathon if you will.

Last year was a year of Big Change for me. I left a 19 year career that was weighing me down in body, mind, and spirit. There have been small sacrifices but Big Blessings with that decision. And I feel that I and my family and those close to me are reaping the benefits of that change more and more every day. Another big change - My first born daughter Victoria left to serve an 18 month mission in El Salvador. I put on a strong face but it was hard letting her go. Sending her to a 3rd world country is much scarier than sending her to BYU with 33,000 LDS students and faculty. I prayed for peace and received that peace. Once again the blessings have far outweighed any sacrifice I've had to make.

So for this year - I want to keep it going. I want to keep this body, mind, and spirit fit and healthy, and happy. I want to challenge myself in new ways. Some of what I am looking forward to this year are reading, writing, travel, more prayer and meditation,study, healthy living, Triathlon! Blessing and serving others starting with those closest to me. I make this not as a checklist as mentioned; but that it may become a way of life - My Way Of Life! Happy New Year! Bring it on 2013! Oh and as Bruce Lee says "There are no limits; There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them" So I'm going!