"I Can Do Hard Things"

If there is one thing that I have struggled with throughout my life, it's selling myself short. We don't realize the amount of discouragement we may give ourselves throughout the day. We tell ourselves we want to do things, set goals, but don't actually tell ourselves we CAN do these things.

For me, being a Christian and believing in God, I trust Him to give me the strength to do these hard things, because I know I cannot do it on my own! One of these "hard things" lately has been to continue with my no more calorie counting. I haven't been counting for about three weeks now. There have been ups and downs, but it is definitely by God's strength that I have lasted this long!

I told you all that I would be honest with you during this journey and I plan on keeping that promise. Last night, I had a tough time. I still haven't counted my calories and haven't gotten my app back, but I definitely was tempted to restart counting last night. I was feeling pretty down due to some personal matters, and was feeling "fluffy" as I was telling my friend. I know we all have our fluffy days, but for some reason, this just made me want to go back to the security I had while counting my calories and knowing exactly what was going into my mouth. However, the minute these thoughts came, I dismissed them. Because I CAN do this. I can do hard things, all through God's strength working in me.

This is definitely going to be a process for me, and I must remember that. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13) and can call on Him whenever I am struggling. I feel SO much better about things this morning, I just had to push through the tough moments last night. Oh I still feel fluffy, but I don't feel the need to bounce back to a destructive habit.

I've been eating healthy while not counting calories, and I plan on continuing doing just that. I've been sticking to my gluten free diet, and while I feel like I have been having one too many gluten free baked goods and treats lately, I feel LOADS better by not having gluten in my diet. I'm blessed to have a friend who is not only encouraging me, but supporting me in this diet as well! We have a grocery shopping date tonight to stock up our homes with fresh, whole foods.

God helps us do the hard things. He is always there for us. Nothing is too hard for him! He wants his children to be free of strongholds and destructive habits. And don't think that these issues are trivial to our God. If they matter to us, they matter to Him! So take your struggles to Him today, and watch how He will strengthen you to do the hard things.

Work Hard, Stay Humble: Daily Manna 12/8/14

I miss these daily posts I used to do. For me, writing is like therapy. It's such a natural outlet for me. I've always been a big reader and writer. I miss writing about my days and reflecting on what went on and what I experienced. I want to start doing these posts again whenever I can. I want to write more. I want to reflect more. I want to remember all of God's blessings each and every day. Like this morning, it was a blessing to be able to wake up. It was a blessing to read my Bible while sipping on some warm lemon water in the stillness of my home. It was a blessing to greet my dad as I ate some delicious gluten free gingerbread to gear up for my workout. It was a blessing to be able to run with the legs God has blessed me with. Legs that can move, run, bend, and withstand some pain in order to become stronger.

I am so blessed to be able to move and I never want to forget that. This morning was my first day training for my 10 K that is coming up in 10 weeks. I followed my training plan, and followed it up with a killer back and biceps workout with my trainer. I worked hard, but must remain humble because I know it is all by God's strength and grace that I am even able to move.

Here is my day 1 training update:

This morning's run went great! I was able to do a few intervals but didn't push too hard or too fast since this was a moderate (M) run. I was so happy with my time! I also did some ab work which consisted of a plank, some ankle grabbers, and flutter kicks. And, most importantly, I stretched!!! It felt great and I definitely need to do it more often.

For breakfast, I made a quick sausage and sweet potato casserole while I was getting ready. I love making this dish because it lasts a few days and tastes amazing!

I thought I would be late to work, but I was early. I was so stressed for nothing! I realized that I tend to get worked up over things, and 90% of the time, those things never happen. I really need to destress and not take little things as the end of the world!

Work was pretty busy which helps it go by super fast! I had some carrots and hummus on my break, then had my usual turkey burger and salad for lunch.

This has been my easy go-to lunch on Mondays if I am short on time for meal prep on Sunday night. I can fry up this burger in no time; and paired with a salad...it's delicious! Weekends have been jam packed for me recently, so it is nice to have an emergency healthy meal always on hand! I keep the Trader Joe's turkey burgers in my freezer at all times.

I got hungry around 4pm so I had a yummy quest bar!

These bars are such treats, and yes they do have a few "iffy" ingredients, but they have a good amount of protein for when I don't have time to eat a chicken breast. Ideally, I would love to just eat a chicken breast. I would love to have a completely clean week one of these weeks and not have any convenience foods, just to challenge myself. Because I'm sure it's possible. But life is life and you make the most of the options you have. And today, my best option (as Christmas cookies were staring at me in the break room) was a quest bar!

I got home from work around 5:45 and wasn't too hungry for dinner. I had defrosted some chicken so I decided to make some Parmesan garlic sautéed chicken for lunch tomorrow and the next day. I ended up having some yummy gluten free crackers and hummus for dinner while cooking...totally acceptable in my opinion!

Andddd a gluten free banana chocolate chip protein cookie too (recipe coming soon!) I will also post the recipe for the chicken (so many things to do!) It was very easy to prepare and it tasted delicious (I had to have a few bites!) I can't wait to gobble it up tomorrow!

And now...for some rest and relaxation time with my parents. Something I have been looking forward to all day! It was a day full of hard work, patience, and relying on God through it all!

First Week of 10K training! Food & Fitness Plan 12/8-12/14

Hello all! I am sooooo excited about this coming week! Not only are we getting closer to Christmas, I am officially starting my 10K training this week! I posted a couple of days ago about my training plan, and this week will be week 1. I'm excited to see how actually following a plan that not only includes running, but also strength and endurance training, will effect my training and proneness to injury. I am so excited about meal prepping this week because my friend Hanna and I are planning to go grocery shopping Wednesday! I LOVE GROCERY SHOPPING! And especially going with someone else and taking your time and discovering all these new foods. I'm a nerd and I know it, but I love it!

Here are my meal options for the week:

Pre workout: * gingerbread bars * hard boiled eggs w/nuts * banana w/nuts or nut butter * gluten free toast w/nut butter

Breakfast: * sausage and taters * scrambles/hard boiled eggs * waffle/pancake Wednesday! * quest bar (if in a hurry!)

Lunch/Dinner: * turkey or beef patties * turkey/mahi mahi burgers * sausage and taters * healthy Parmesan chicken (I want to experiment with a recipe I've been concocting!)

Snacks: * hummus with carrots or GF crackers * Larabars or quest bars * fruits/veggies * nuts * banana chocolate chip cookies (recipe coming soon!)

Fitness Plan:

**F means fast/short run, M means moderately paced, and L means long endurance run. See 10K training plan post for more details!**

M: 3 mile M run, abs, personal training session T: 4 mile M run, plyometrics, circuits with Hanna W: Circuits with Hanna, abs Th: 2 miles F (intervals), personal training session F: Log book workout from trainer, lateral elliptical, plyometrics S: 5 mile L run Sun: rest?

I'll share my progress with my training and let you all know how it goes! I'm looking forward to getting started and seeing how my runs improve with this plan!!

Lastly, this is my inspirational quote for the week:

Humbleness is something I pray for, as well as the worth ethic to work hard and do it all for God's glory! I also want to enjoy my work and be kind to everyone I come into contact with. These things are only possible through God and His work on my heart.

Well, I'm off to an early start this Monday morning and headed to the gym! I hope you all have a great Monday and a good start to the week!

Solvang Day Trip: 11/29/14

My fiancé and I have been wanting to go on a day trip somewhere for a few months now. We were mulling over our options and trying to decide between Santa Barbara and San Diego. However, we both have been to each of those places multiple times and wanted to try somewhere different and "other worldy." We decided to head up to Solvang, somewhere we have both only been once and hardly remember. I am SO glad we took this trip! It was so fun to explore somewhere different together. This town has so much character and is like a little Dutch village. I took a ton of pictures and can't wait to share them! Enjoy! The morning started out early. We left around 8am and decided to stop at the outlets since it was Black Friday weekend and we hadn't done any shopping yet. Of course, I had packed some healthy snacks for our drive!

We got to the outlets and immediately went in to a kitchen store. Our first purchase was probably the one we were most excited about...a Pyrex glass container set!!!

We also went into Banana Republic and bought some clothes. My fiancé bought me a beautiful necklace too! I love it!

We left the outlets and made our way up along the coast. We drove past a beach and decided to stop for a bit and get some fresh air. We had some bananas with my yummy nut mix: almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts, while enjoying the beautiful beach and ocean waves.

We loved taking our time to get up to Solvang, but were so excited when we finally made it! We had planned on going to Paula's Pancake House, a famous breakfast spot (even though it was 2pm) in Solvang that is known for their huge Danish pancakes.

My fiancé was all over that. Seeing as I am gluten intolerant and am trying to be as strict as possible with my GF diet so I can feel better, I decided to just get a veggie omelet with fruit. The omelet was SO good....I know eggs are just eggs, but oh my goodness, I polished off the plate! It was delicious!

My fiancé got their Danish pancake combo with a  sausage, biscuit, strawberries, and scrambled eggs. The man can eat! And he was so excited! :)

We were proud of ourselves for not getting too full after eating. He didn't finish all his food, and even though I did, I still felt light and not overly stuffed. Eggs have an amazing way of filling us up without getting us uncomfortable!

We walked around the antique shops and came across some interesting stores. We went into this really cool clock and music box shop. All of their clocks played music on the hour!

There were a lot of random shops in Solvang, but we loved walking around and exploring. I really wanted to buy this sign, since it basically describes me perfectly!

"If you can't stand the garlic, get out of my kitchen." YES!

Surprisingly, we got hungry a few hours after our breakfast/lunch. We decided to split 2 scoops of ice-cream, peanut butter swirl and vanilla. The lady at the ice cream shop gave us almost 4 scoops! The minute we got it we thought, "there is NO way we will finish this!" Then...we finished it.

It started getting cold, so we decided to bundle up in our coats and scarves and walk around the pretty Christmas lights they had decorated all around the town.

For dinner, we went to this little spot called Succulent Cafe. It had such a romantic atmosphere, we had to sit outside even though it was cold. They had their silverware in mason jars, and I LOVE mason jars! We were so excited to eat here.

We started off with their sea salt fries with homemade ketchup. These fries were delicious! But we had to exercise some self control and cease and desist while we were halfway through in order to fully enjoy our dinner! I loved that they were served in a pot. When I have my own kitchen one day (soon!), I would love to decorate with and serve food in mason jars and pots!

My fiancé ordered a pumpkin seed crusted lamb dish, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I got their side arugula salad with feta cheese. This salad was DELICIOUS! The feta was so good and I kind of wished I had ordered two of these salads!

After dinner, we decided to head back home since we had a pretty long drive. We had such an amazing time in Solvang and can't wait to go back. Sometimes, you need to just get away for a day and step out of your usual routine!

Long Weekends & No More Counting

I literally cannot believe that it is only Saturday. I'm sipping my tea and smiling for joy that there are still two days of this weekend left. I feel that my body definitely needed a break, and I have really enjoyed it these past two days!! Thanksgiving morning was a restful one and I spent some time with my parents at home relaxing and watching silly shows that make us laugh. I went to the gym and got a workout in, but didn't kill myself over it. Too many people work out like maniacs before Thanksgiving in order to eat whatever they want; but for me, I treated this day as a typical day, eating a little more than usual but not going crazy over all the goodies we had. And as the saying goes, "you can't out-run your fork." No matter how much you work out, you can't fix a terrible diet. Foods have a certain effect on our hormones, metabolism, and health, which all play a huge part in your ability to burn fat, lean out, bulk up, or reach whichever goals you have.

Black Friday was also a restful day for me. I woke up, spent some time with Jesus, did a 20 minute cardio routine at the gym, then came home to do this back/bicep workout I made up on the spot!

It was definitely more intense than I thought it would be! I did it three times through and really tried to push myself. In 15-20 minutes, it was over, and I felt great. The rest of the day was spent shopping, hanging out with family, my fiancé, and watching the poor Lakers lose yet again. My family and I are HUGEEEEE Lakers fans, so this season has been a tough one for us!!!

Today (Saturday) my fiancé and I are going to take a day trip up the coast. I'm pretty excited for this mini getaway. Even though I have been enjoying being lazy at home the past couple days, it will be nice to get away for the day!!

As far as calorie counting goes, I still have not done it!!! I've actually been feeling great lately, praise the Lord! I feel God's strength with me and I am not getting anxious about my food choices. I am learning to just eat the healthy, good foods that he provides, while indulging in moderation and trusting my body in the process. Thanksgiving was freeing, and I felt that I could have little nibbles here and there without logging every single thing into my app. I also used to feel like I had to wipe my plate clean since I had calculated certain portion and had to stick to eating what I had entered. This may sound silly, but it felt so good to leave some food on my plate! I am still keeping a food journal, but have almost forgotten about it and just write down what I have eaten for accountability's sake. Yes, there are times when I feel like I am eating more, and even less than what I would have eaten if I had been keeping track of my calories and strict portions. In those situations, I have been listening to my hunger cues and adding a snack somewhere if I am still hungry, or just waiting till the next time I am hungry to eat my food instead of forcing a snack down before the hunger strikes. Overall, I am happy not counting my calories, and I hope God's peace and strength continues throughout this journey!

Anyways, I need to go get dressed and ready for my day date! And of course, I need to pack some snacks!

I love Quest and Larabars!! I also loveeeee nuts, as you well know if you follow me on Instagram (@tveen_RD). I have a problem and eat nuts every single day. But until I can handle eating an avocado by itself (I love avocados but just can't eat them on their own for some reason), nuts (and olives but we are out!) are the easiest portable fat source for me!!

Anyways, I hope you all have a great Saturday and a wonderful last few days of November!! Remember to start thinking about those December goals!! We are coming upon a new month and new beginnings for everyone!!

Thanksgiving Short-week Plan!

I am so excited Thanksgiving week is here! Christmas is my favorite holiday, but Thanksgiving has always been a close second. I love spending time with family and reflecting on God's uncountable blessings and what I am thankful for.

This week is also a short week at work! Just 3 days! Which is great since I worked all weekend getting trained to be a Certified Lactation Educator! It was such an amazing and informative week at work, but I am mentally exhausted and can't wait for a few days off!!

Here is my tentative meal plan for this short week. I've only planned my meals for work days since thanksgiving + leftovers will probably make up the rest of the week! Also, I am still not counting calories (yay!) and update on that coming soon!

Meals:

11/24: B: sausage, taters, veggies L: turkey with gluten-free peanut sauce, brown rice, carrots, hummus S: nuts D: out with parents!

11/25: B: sausage, taters, veggies L: Mahi Mahi burger, brown rice, veggies S: nuts/quest bar D: probably out!

11/26: B: sausage, taters, veggies L: turkey burger, salad, carrots, hummus S: nuts D: probably out!

And then the family time begins!! I can't wait!

As far as workouts go, I plan to be very on top of my workouts this week! I want to stay in my routine and build on the strength I've been developing!

11/24: I had my personal training session this morning. We worked on chest, triceps, and shoulders, then I did a 2 mile run/walk

11/25: RUN! I am at 45/100 miles for Christmas...being sick really set me back! I hope I can get some decent mileage in this week!

11/26: Log book workout (legs), cardio

11/27: Log book workout (biceps/back), cardio

11/28: run...if I have time before shopping of course!

11/29: rest day

11/30: run/toning circuit before church!

And that's about it! I'm hoping the first 3 days of this week fly by and the last 4 days take their sweeeeet time! That's possible, right?? :)

Okay Monday, let's do this!

Leaps of Faith: November 17-23

Here we are! Another week on its way. I can't believe we are halfway through November. It's almost Thanksgiving and almost Christmas!! I am looking forward to spend time with family and friends and make the most out of this season. I also don't want to stray too much from my  healthy eating plan except for the occasional treats here and there. I have been doing pretty well with my fitness lately, but my food...not so much. It has been hard to resist temptations and there seem to be treats everywhere I go!

Real talk right here...even RDs struggle! I am striving to find balance, allow the occasional treats, all while making most of my food choices real, whole, healthy foods. I am also trying to steer away from calorie/macro counting. I have counted calories since I was in high school...so about 10-12 years. I know, that is SO long. But I am being honest in my post today because it is something that I really want to grow out of. I rely on it too much, know too much, and let it rule my life too much. I have learned throughout the years what healthy food choices and portions are, and I want to trust the brain that God gave me and rely on His strength in all areas of my life, even my food. I know God cares about ALL of us, our entire being, and if one area is taking over and causing anxiety and confusion, I think God just wants IN to that area in order to redeem, restore, and renew us. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that calorie counting is harmful for everyone. Most people can have a balanced approach. But being the perfectionist that I am, it was taking up too much of my mental time and energy. I feel convicted to step away from it, and that is the leap of faith I am taking this week!

With that said, this is my food and fitness plan for the week. As always, this is a tentative plan, but I hope to follow these guidelines throughout the week! I will also probably keep a food journal as a way to track myself without the use of numbers or apps. I want to be mindful of what I eat without getting so caught up in the calculations of it all!

Pre workout ideas: * 1/2 bagel with cookie or nut butter * hard boiled egg * high protein pumpkin bars

Breakfast ideas: * scrambles with veggies * hard boiled eggs * protein waffles

Lunch/dinner ideas: * mahi mahi burgers * turkey burgers * roasted sweet potatoes * salads * peanut chicken * curry with chicken and veggies * marinara w/lentils and veggies

Snack ideas: * larabars/quest bars * nuts * fruits * veggies w/hummus

This week will be a little different because I also have all day trainings for work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will be working on my certification to be a certified lactation educator (BREAST IS BEST)!!! So, I will be basically on a work schedule this weekend from 8:30-5pm. I plan on packing all of my meals for these training and have healthy meals for dinner/possibly go out with family.

Fitness plan:

Monday: logbook toning workout (back and biceps), run 3 miles

Tuesday: run 4-5 miles

Wednesday: TIU kettle bell workout, possible circuits with my friend Hanna

Thursday: personal training sessions (probably will be leg day!), cardio

Friday: logbook toning workout (chest and triceps), cardio

Saturday: run outside and/or TIU workout

Sunday: run outside and/or TIU workout

That is all for this weeks! I will try and update you all on my progress with the no calorie counting goal for this week. Get ready for some honest heart to heart posts by yours truly!

Just Do It!!!!

Yesterday I surprised myself. No really, I did. This usually doesn't happen often since I am a very routine person. I like to stick to what I know and am pretty stubborn in most areas of my life. As many of you know, and if you don't you can read my post about one year ago called "the strength training woes of a cardio queen," I am not into toning or lifting weights. Give me a 7 or 8 mile run and I can run it out in no time, but the motivation to lift heavy things has never been a natural desire in my soul. Until...yesterday. My fiancé and I headed to the gym yesterday morning and only had about 30 minutes to workout because of the crazy busy day ahead. I planned to just run or do some cardio for the entire 30 minutes...because HELLO calorie burn! But then, 18 minutes into my run (yes, 18), I started to get an itch in my soul to lift some heavy things. Now, I've been lifting regularly since May, ever since I got a personal trainer to keep me accountable in the toning department. I workout with him once a week, and workout of a logbook of exercises he gives me twice a week. I had already done my allotted logbook exercises for the week, so yesterday should have been a purely cardio day (days that I usually look forward to more than logbook days). So when I started craving lifting some weights, on my own, without a trainer or my logbook accountability to stick to, I was shocked!!! I decided to grab hold of that feeling, run another 2 minutes to hit 20 minutes total (OCD problems), and hit the weights. I did a short 10 minute circuit, but it felt amazing, and I feel sore today! Just from those short 10 minutes. Here was my circuit, and I even had time to stretch afterwards!

The point of this post is this: just do it. Start that program. Start lifting the heavy things. Even if you don't feel like it, just start. Eventually, the feeling will follow. Lifting weights has transformed not only my body, but my mind as well. I feel stronger and challenged every time I pick up a weight. I want to see how heavy I can go and how many reps I can do. And the thing is, I NEVER thought I would enjoy it. I was always the 40 mins on the elliptical, 3 mile run, kind of girl. But now, I find myself wanting to fit in the toning and lifting into my workout routine because of the results I have seen in my overall health, body, and sense of self. I have more confidence in my abilities and my strength. The combination of toning and cardio have helped me find more balance in the area of fitness, instead of being lopsided to one side. Sometimes, we have to workout not for the sake of a calorie burn, but for the sake of bettering our strength and abilities. I challenge any girl, or even guy, out there who is scared of weights to start a toning program this week, even if it is with a pair of 2 lb dumbbells! Starting is the biggest step!

Food & Fitness Plan: 11/10-11/14

Hello friends! I hope you all had a fabulous first week of November. I have been loving this month so far and am looking forward to a colder more wintery week...or at least wintery for California! This week's plan is going to consist of a few new recipes and hopefully a some runs. I came down with a nasty cold last week which really effected my running plan. I am feeling much better today and hope to be as good as new in order to run this week! But first, the food plan:

Pre workout options: * I spied these yummy looking pumpkin bagels at Target a few weeks ago and have been wanting to try them. Yesterday, I finally took the plunge and bought them.

I am trying to treat myself a bit more in this whole healthy eating journey without going overboard. I decided that pairing half a bagel with either a fat or protein source would help me enjoy these delicious carbs while still balancing my plate! So as a pre workout option, I may have half a bagel with some fat or protein! I have been eating them with a 1/2 T of Trader Joe's cocoa swirl cooking butter and it's AMAZING!

* banana w/nuts * low carb tortilla with peanut butter * hard boiled egg

Breakfast options: * veggie scramble * egg tacos * hard boiled eggs * healthy whole grain French toast * a bar if I am in a rush!

Lunch options: * Sausage minestrone soup (recipe coming soon!) * Mahi Mahi or Turkey burgers from Trader Joe's w/salad * I bought the Thai Green Curry Sauce from Trader Joe's I am hoping to experiment with this week! Maybe with some chicken...yum! * I also bought some ready-made meatballs from Trader Joe's to have as a quick meal option.

Dinner options: * my Mama's beef and potato casserole...SO GOOD! * out with my parents possibly * any lunch option as dinner would work too!

Dessert options (yes, dessert!) * I made a super healthy single crusted apple pie yesterday that came out tasting delicious! It satisfied my apple pie craving and only has 120 calories/slice...no joke! I'm glad to have a healthy dessert option this week if my sweet tooth kicks in. And don't worry, I will be sharing this recipe soon as well!

Fitness Plan:

11/10: training session (back and biceps) with a lateral elliptical workout...I love this elliptical machine! It moves you up and down and side to side so it targets every leg muscle!

11/11: run + TIU kettlebell workout

11/12: logbook workout from my trainer (legs), lateral elliptical

11/13: run + possible workout with my friend!

11/14: logbook workout (chest, triceps, shoulders) from my trainer, some kind of cardio

11/15-11/16: run, strength training, random!

I am doing the Tone it Up 100 miles by Christmas challenge. I've reached 19 miles so far and am hoping to make a dent in my mileage this week since I am feeling a bit better!

That's all for this week, folks! Here is a bit of Motivation Monday for you before I end this post:

It all starts in the mind! If you keep your thoughts positive and focused on God and His strength, peace and strength will follow. As one of my favorite passages, Colossians 3:1-4 states:

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Have a great Monday!

It's November! Weekly Food & Fitness Plan

Happy Monday and November everyone! This is without a doubt the most favorite time of the year for me. I love everything about Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I have already started listening to Christmas music...don't judge! :)

This week's food plan is going to be pretty simple. I had plans to do some shopping and cooking yesterday, but when I got home to do some inventory on what I had, I realized I had more than enough food to last me the week! My dad had done a bulk of our grocery shopping (thanks Baba!) and I came home to find a ton of fruits, veggies, eggs, tuna, chicken sausage, and nuts. Since those are pretty much staples for me, I decided to save my money, get creative, and just eat what I have! Here is my tentative food plan/options for each meal this week:

Pre workout meal: * Peanut butter energy balls (recipe coming soon!) *banana with nuts or nut butter * tortilla with PB

Breakfast: * veggie or sausage scrambles * mug cakes or protein waffles * emergency frozen waffles with PB * side of fruit! * healthy French toast (recipe coming soon!)

Lunch/Dinner: * turkey burgers (Trader Joe's has a great frozen burger I always keep in the freezer!) * tuna * grilled chicken (I keep a bag of frozen chicken in the freezer so this is always a great fall-back!) * salads * black bean salads with avocado * grilled tilapia (again frozen) with sweet potatoes * turkey wraps

Snacks: * carrots/veggies * string cheese * nuts * Larabars * seaweed snacks

See? More than enough food! I hope to have some time to get more creative in the kitchen and do some recipe development...but with a full time job, planning a wedding, and life in general, it's been more difficult lately! But that doesn't mean you just throw your healthy eating plan out the window. These foods are simple to put together and really easy for when you are in a bind and need quick and healthy food fast. Keeping some of the essentials I posted earlier always in stock in your home will make it even easier to make the healthy choice.

Fitness wise, I am hoping to get in a few runs along with the strength training routines from my trainer. Here's the plan:

Monday: Walk/run 20 mins Training session (chest, triceps, shoulders)

Tuesday: Run 3-4 miles

Wednesday: TIU kettle bell routine Elliptical 20 mins

Thursday: Logbook workout (legs) Run 3 miles

Friday: Logbook workout (back/biceps) Walk/run 20 mins

Saturday: Run 3-4 miles

Sunday: Random!

I'm a little worried because I've been fighting a bad head ache all weekend, plus woke up with a sore throat this morning! I really hope I am not getting sick, but will adjust my workouts accordingly if I do!

Other goals for the week include: * organize scrapbook pictures * start writing project plan * read/personal growth

Have you made a plan yet for your week? Planning is so important in ensuring a healthy and focused week! And what better day to do it than Monday?