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!

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?

New week! Meal & Fitness Plan: October 13-17

Good morning everyone! I am meal prepping at the moment, so I thought it would be fitting to do my meal and fitness plan post while I wait for my chicken and tilapia to cook! I had an awesome workout at the gym this morning, and now am rushing to prep my proteins for the week before heading to work! I know that if I don't, I will be scrambling all week to pack my meals and will be more likely to spend more money and eat less healthy choices! So, here we are, Monday morning, rushing and cooking! Here is my tentative plan for the week. I am going to write out meal options for each meal for this week instead of planning each day.  

Pre-workout options:

* nuts

* banana w/nuts or nut butter

* baked good (if I have time to bake this week...which I probably won't!)

Breakfast options:

*veggie scrambles with fruit

*sweet potatoes as a side

*hard boiled eggs

*leftover protein with vegetables

Lunch/Dinner options:

*boiled chicken salad

*tilapia with salad

*sweet potatoes as a side

*turkey burger

*tuna salad

Snack options:

*carrots

*hummus

*nuts

*jerky

*fruit

*Larabars

Workout plan:

Monday: I had a session with my personal trainer this morning. We worked on chest and triceps and then I ran 3 miles. It felt amazing! Yesterday I took a rest day, which I think is why I had more energy this morning. It was hard for me to rest! But I made myself relax at home, sketch, and read. It's all about balance! (see previous post on October goals)

Tuesday: Run 4 miles, plank, push-ups

Wednesday: Log book workout from my trainer (legs), cardio (probably elliptical)

Thursday: Run 6 miles

Friday: Log book workout from my trainer (back/biceps), cardio (run or elliptical)

I'm focusing on saving money lately by just using the food up at home. I don't want to overthink my meals too much. So far so good! All my meats were frozen meats I found at home (except for the tuna...which is canned) and I figured these will get me through the week! Meals don't have to be fancy shmancy all the time. sometimes, simple is better (and cheaper!) This way, you don't have to over-think your options and can just make the healthy choice and move on!  So here is the plan, and I am hoping I stick to it! Keep an eye out tomorrow for a new spicy garlic green bean recipe! It was delicious and I can't wait to share it! :)

Food & Fitness Plan! October 6-10

Hello everyone! Happy first Monday of October! I am going to try and be better with my food and fitness weekly plan posts because it helps me stay on track, and hopefully helps and motivates someone out there to plan out the week too! I'll plan Monday-Friday, since most weekends are filled with last minute plans (which doesn't have to mean falling off the healthy train!) So here is my plan for the week!

Monday 10/6: Preworkout: HB egg/egg white Workout: Leg day with my trainer, incline walk for 20 mins (my legs were dead after my training session! Definitely will be feeling that tomorrow!) Breakfast: banana protein pancakes w/peanut butter Snack: quest bar Lunch: leftover BBQ chicken, carrots, hummus Snack: nuts Dinner: leftover BBQ chicken (Taking advantage of leftovers since I did not have much time to meal prep this weekend!)

Tuesday 10/7: Preworkout: hard boiled egg w/nuts Workout: run + the new TIU workout! Breakfast: banana protein mug cake Snack: carrots with dip (either hummus or guacamole...can't go wrong with either one!) Lunch: sausage and tater casserole, super easy! Snack: nuts Dinner: planning on a taco salad since I will have to eat it before or at bible study!

Wednesday 10/8: Preworkout: banana w/cashew butter Workout: chest and tricep workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots with dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts, fruit Dinner: turkey burger

Thursday 10/9: Preworkout: nuts Workout: run! Breakfast: veggie scramble Snack: carrots w/dip (can you sense a pattern here haha) Lunch: sausage w/taters Snack: larabar Workout: with my friend Hanna! We do circuits and cardio and always leave the gym sore and happy! Dinner: with Hanna :)

Friday 10/10: Preworkout: nuts Workout: back and biceps workout from my trainer with some cardio! Breakfast: sausage and taters Snack: carrots w/dip Lunch: taco salad Snack: nuts Dinner: probably out with my man!

The theme of this week's plan was: use up what I have and stop spending crazy amounts of money on food haha seriously though, the only things I am running low on at the moment are salad greens, which I am planning on stocking up on today! So I should be good to go for the rest of this week! I will probably sprinkle in some extra snacks, fruits, etc into the plan, but I am excited about all the food and workouts I have this week, which definitely increases my chances of sticking to the plan!!

I also want to get into the habit of practicing my planks and push ups before bed every night. I want a nighttime routine and I think these exercises will be great before I brush my teeth, take care of my face, have some quiet time etc before bed! We will see how it goes this week!

Let's have a great first week of October everyone!

Workout Rant & Mugcake!

Blah. That's the word I would use to describe my workout this morning. Lately I've been feeling like if I don't run, my workout is not as WOW feeling. But I also have to take care of my knees/joints, and don't want to get into the habit of running every day again! Yesterday, I ran 4 miles and had a great session with my trainer. I left the gym feeling amazingly fatigued and so happy with the workout! Today, I got a good back/biceps workout in the weight room, then did the elliptical for 30 mins. I felt NOTHING. I didn't break a sweat, my heart rate barely made it in "the zone," and I left feeling kind of disappointed in myself.

But then, as many Pinterest quotes have reminded me, a bad workout is better than no workout at all! And plus, it wasn't a bad workout! My arms are already sore from my toning session, and I definitely challenged myself with my weights. Some days, it has to be okay to not completely push yourself in both cardio and toning work, but still know you got a solid workout in. It isn't always about the number of calories you burn! Working out has to have a deeper meaning than just burning some calories. So I am going to be proud of my workout today, and have a great and healthy day!

On a side note, I made an awesome mug cake post workout!

It consisted of: 3T peanut flour, 1/2 mashed banana, 1/2 scoop cellucor protein powder, and 1 egg! Mix all the ingredients in a microwavable bowl, then microwave for 3 minutes! I sliced mine in half, then topped it with some strawberry jam!

Have a great Thursday everyone, and get a workout in, even if it's a blah one!

September 15-20 Fitness and Meal Plan

How is everyone's week going so far? I had yesterday off of work, and I have today off too! So for me, the week has been great :) I thought I would share my fitness and meal plan for the week, since it's a short-ish work week for me and I don't want to fall into the trap of spending too much money on random groceries! I'm planning on going out a few times, but my goal is to use up what I have at home in a healthy and nutritious way! I also have workouts that I want to do from my trainer as well as my Tone it Up Frisky Fall challenge! I put it all together since my meals depend on the timing of my workouts! Food and fitness blend together when it comes to a healthy lifestyle! Monday (yesterday): I had a great leg workout with my trainer and did some cardio and the TIU bikini arms workout! The rest of the day was spent at the aquarium with my fiancé! I had amazing seafood and had so much fun!

Tuesday 9/16: No pre-workout meal! I am trying to do some of my cardio/running workouts on an empty stomach and see how I feel with fasted cardio! Workout: Run 5 miles, TIU yoga Breakfast: Protein waffles! Also look out for my pumpkin protein waffle recipe coming soon as well!) Snack: veggies if necessary! Lunch: beef kebab tacos with paleo tortillas from Against All Grain! With a side of veggies of course :) Snack/pre workout: nuts Workout: Cardio Barre Dinner: Pita Jungle with my girl Michelle! Planning on the broiled chicken salad because their chicken is bomb.com!

Wednesday 9/17: Wednesdays are my long days at work so I usually have multiple meals and snacks planned. However, I always listen to my body and eat what I've packed if I am truly hungry! Pre workout: protein waffle w/pb Workout: Back/Biceps workout from my trainer, cardio, and possibly new HIIT workout from TIU! Breakfast: veggie scramble Snack: hard boiled egg and veggies Lunch: turkey burger with guacamole and salad Snacks: nuts & jerky Dinner (light since it will be late!): paleo tortillas with nut butter

Thursday 9/18: No pre workout meal: fasted cardio attempt! Workout: Run 3-4 miles, frisky fall routine and TIU bikini abs Breakfast: green protein smoothie Snack: carrots & quest bar Lunch: salad with hard boiled eggs Snack/pre workout: nuts Workout: circuits and cardio with my friend Hanna! She is quite possibly the best workout buddy ever! Dinner: out with Hanna!

Friday 9/19: Pre workout: protein waffle w/pb Workout: Chest/Tricep workout from my trainer, cardio, TIU quickie workout Breakfast: veggie scramble tacos Snack: carrots with guacamole Lunch: salmon burger w/salad Snack: nuts Dinner: unsure!

Saturday: MY BIRTHDAY! That's right, September 20th is my birthday and I have no idea what my plan is yet! But enjoying time with friends and family will definitely be part of my day!

That's about it for my plan this week! As always, life happens, but I am attempting to stick to this plan pretty closely! I hope this helps some of you plan your week out to ensure a healthy eating and workout week. Planning is key to any kind of success in my book! So get to it! :) Have a great day everyone!

Running on Up!

Hello everyone and happy Sunday!! It's been a hot but beautiful weekend where I live. I've been enjoying it so much. I'm having a relaxing Sunday afternoon today. After church, I came home and made a quick lunch with some leftovers from last night's 2 year anniversary dinner with my fiancé! Post on that coming soon! But I ate my leftover skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, which was incredible! I added some veggies and egg whites to round out my meal.

I also made a big batch of my Paleo Kung pao chicken to take to work this week....it was one of the first recipes I posted and is one of my favorites!!

Isn't it gorgeous!?! It is so colorful and full of healthy veggies and protein! As well as YUMMY!

I thought I would also write a little update on my workouts lately. I've still been doing strength training and toning work about 3-4 times per week, and am loving the results I am seeing! I am increasing my weights and being able to do more than I thought possible! My feet/knees/all other pains have also been better, so I've been increasing the number of runs per week, as well as my mileage and speed! I'm not pushing too far, but it feels great to be running more!

I'm glad I have been averaging less than 10 minute miles, and even faster in some cases!! I'm making sure to rest between runs do I don't make the same mistake I made when I injured myself in the first place (7 mile runs three days in a row are never a good idea!)

Anyways, I plan on hitting the gym this afternoon with my fiancé, which I am excited about, and enjoying this Sunday afternoon and long weekend!! Have a great weekend and Labor Day everyone!