Medical Slacking

Published on March 9, 2010 in Uncategorized. 9 Comments

Hi guys!

So basically I’ve been slacking on my Medical Tidbits. I’m embarrassed that I haven’t done them in so long! If you guys have any ideas/suggestions for some shoot them my way!

This morning I had the usual pre-workout breakfast of 40 grams of oatbran cooked with water and 20 grams of Dymatize Blueberry Muffin Protein Powder (plus cinnamon and ginger):

awful photo

205 calories, 20 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat

Then I headed to the gym for my Push workout. (Shoulders, chest, and triceps.) I didn’t go up in weights or anything..darnet! My lower body is gaining much faster than upper. I guess that’s how it is for all women though! Anyway, here’s what I did:

Superset One:

Regular Set: Reverse Tricep Bench Press- 60 pounds, 4 sets of 8

Superset Two:

Superset Three:

Regular Set: Cable Upright Row- Dropsets- 85 pounds, 70 pounds, 60 pounds

Giant Set:

Total Time: 55 minutes Calories Burned: 315 Max Heart Rate: 167

Then I came home and had my favorite post workout breakfast.. a Protein Shake Parfait! I didn’t have one yesterday and seriously missed it! So I whipped up a Double Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake and poured it over 1/2 cup hot oats (cooked in water):


340 calories, 37 grams of protein, 31 carbs, 3 grams of fat

I spent the rest of the morning studying for my exam! Usually on Tuesdays I have a smaller post-workout breakfast and then a bigger meal a couple hours later before class. Today I planned to meet my friend earlier so we could study so about an hour and a half after my post-workout breakfast I had a snack instead. It was just 2/3 cup Daisy 2% cottage cheese mixed with 1 tbsp Dymatize Protein Powder, cinnamon, and a little over 1/2 tbsp Justin’s Maple Almond Butter:


200 calories, 21 grams of protein, 8 carbs, 8 grams of fat

After my exam (which I did some good guessing on!) I came home and had my next meal. I first blended up 1 cup of liquid egg whites with cream of tartar, cinnamon, and cinnamon flavored stevia. Then I cooked them up! I also had 155 grams of a purple sweet potato with cinnamon and ginger. Plus 1 tbsp Costco Organic PB divided among the eggs and potato:


335 calories, 29 grams of protein, 28 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

The reason why the sweet potato looks so mangled up is because I had to dissect it to get the good parts! LOL

A couple hours later I got really hungry! I had a random meal of 4 oz steamed broccoli with Braggs Aminos:


35 calories, 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs, 0 fat

Plus 1 cup Daisy 2% cottage cheese with 1 tbsp protein powder, 1 tbsp raw oats, 2 tsp almond butter, and cinnamon:


285 calories, 38 grams of protein, 15 carbs, 11 grams of fat

Before Tabata I wanted something small but enough to power me through my workout. I dug through my fridge and found a Spiced Carrot Muffin! I topped it with 1/2 tsp Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil:

Then I went to the Tabata class at the gym. It was a good one- 300 calories burned!

After Tabata my dinner included.. chicken sausage! I love chicken sausage but it’s hard to find a semi “clean” brand. I found some at Sam’s club and they have great stats- 120 calories, 17 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Not too shabby! Anyway, I had about 2 cups of spaghetti squash with fresh salsa, a serving of chicken sausages, and the usual seasonings (cayenne, black pepper, oregano):


170 calories, 18 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fat

My appetite is always MIA after Tabata.. but I’ll still have dessert! Probably protein cookie dough or a shake or something!

See ya!

Did You Miss Me?

Published on March 8, 2010 in Uncategorized. 27 Comments

Hi friends!

I’m back! Did you miss me? ;) I must admit I felt lost without blogging.. but at the same I felt free to eat as much plain chicken, broccoli, and protein powder as I wanted without feeling like I’d bore you all! :D

I had a great weekend with Bryon.. although I got sick! Something caused me to have the worst stomach ache of my life and left me bed (or couch) ridden Saturday and although I was semi better on Sunday, I still wasn’t up to feeling that great. Luckily Bryon is a great guy and didn’t mind just lounging around with me!

And I apologize for the ugly pictures.. gloomy weather means gloomy lighting :(

Anyway, this morning I woke up and had a pre-workout meal of 40 grams of oatbran cooked with 20 grams of Dymatize Blueberry Muffin 12 Hour Protein Powder, 1 tsp almond butter, cinnamon, and ginger:

dymatize oats with nut butter

235 calories, 23 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

Then I headed to the gym for lower body! This weekend Bryon gave my legs a deep tissue massage.. and holy cow did it help! Today I went up in weights or sets/reps for almost all of the exercises I did. I’m pretty excited because I’m currently squatting 35 pounds more than my body weight, deadlifting almost my body weight, and doing lunges and split squats heavier than my body weight as well. Anyway, here’s what I did:

Regular Squat:

  • 140 pounds, 5 sets of 10

Superset:

  • Single Leg Split Squats- 110 pounds, 4 sets of 12 on each leg
  • Straight Leg Russian Twists off a bench- 10 pounds, 4 sets of 50

Regular Set:

Superset:

  • Single Leg Deadlift- 50 pounds, 3 sets of 12 on each leg <-need to increase next time
  • Bicycles- 3 sets of 60 (30 slow, 30 fast)

Superset:

Regular Set:

  • Sled Press- 290 pounds, (240 added plates)- 3 sets of 10
  • Cable Step Ups- 45 pounds, 40 pounds, 2 sets of 10 on each leg

Total Time: 1 Hour 15 minutes Calories Burned: 455 Max HR: 177

I must tell you all- lifting heavy WILL NOT make you bulk up. I was always scared of going heavy on legs in fear that they would get huge.. right now I’m still a size 2. Only difference is I must say I’m liking my butt.. it used to be non-existant and now it’s starting to get a nice lift! LOL! So no worries ladies!

I came home and had a different post workout breakfast than usual- Peppermint Patty Oatmeal! I cooked up 40 grams of oatbran with 1.5 serving Biochem 100% whey chocolate protein powder, 2 tsp 100% cocoa powder, splash of peppermint extract, stevia, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup defrosted berries (for recovery purposes.):

chocolate protein oats

320 calories, 38 grams of protein, 37 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat

But lifting heavy weights.. especially on legs really makes my appetite crazy! Despite that big bowl of oats I still felt hungry. So I defrosted a Low Carb Protein Bar (yogurt version) and ate that while getting ready:

low carb protein bar

90 calories, 16 grams of protein, 4 carbs, 2 fat

Then I headed to take a midterm in my Microbiology Lab. Ugh!! It was pretty hard. On the drive home I had my next meal- about 90 grams of a purple sweet potato and 5 oz chicken breast covered with 1 tbsp organic peanut butter, cinnamon, and ginger:

sweet potato, chicken, nut butter

330 calories, 35 grams of protein, 24 carbs, 10 grams of fat

Yum!

After my next class I came home and had my next meal- total comfort food: 5 oz of salmon, roasted asparagus, and steamed broccoli all covered in cayenne and black pepper:


245 calories, 33 grams of protein, 6 carbs, 13 grams of fat

How sad is it that my comfort foods involve all healthy foods? LOL!

For dinner I made spaghetti! Not really, but it was like it! I mixed up 4 oz of lean ground turkey breast with about 1.5 cups of roasted spaghetti squash, 1 tbsp tomato paste (mixed with water to make a sauce), 1 Light Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge, red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley, and a couple sprays of Braggs Aminos:


245 calories, 28 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbs, 9 grams of fat

Well, that’s about it! I’m still feeling hungry and this purple sweet potato is staring me down.. I’m going to drink some tea and then decide if I want some. LOL. But for sure tonight’s dessert will be the usual cottage cheese, protein powder, and nut butter. Sooo delicious!!

Bye!

You Asked For It

Published on March 6, 2010 in Uncategorized. 25 Comments

Hi guys, here’s some Q’s and A’s for you! If you have anymore, feel free to send them to my formspring account !

Hi April, First of all just wanted to say that your blog is great! You have truly been a motivator/ inspiration for me. I really enjoy your recipes. Question.. which cottage cheese to you use? Thanks! Diani

Thank you! :) I normally use Daisy 2% since it’s the most natural. But lately since I’ve been eating a ton I’ve had to switch back and forth between Daisy and the generic store brand!

How can you afford so much protein powder? Any good quality brand around here seems to be $20 or more per pound! Craziness. I generally stay away from artificaly flavored brands. Are all “natural” protein powders this pricey? Do you order online?

I’m a super good shopper! I don’t ever really go out to eat, I rarely get Starbucks, and I never spend more than 15 dollars on a shirt, so I can afford to buy some quality protein powder. I get my biochem (the 2 pound tubs) from allstarhealth.com for only 20 bucks and muscle gauge is only 17 dollars for 2 pounds!

How’s your sister & her health doing? Hope the seizures were resolved.

She has epilepsy so unfortunately they aren’t resolved :( She may have brain surgery this summer but we have to meet with the doctors soon to discuss it! Thank you for the concern though- me and Cerina both appreciate it!

This is a strange question but, what’s the longest car trip you’ve ever taken? I am going on a 20-hour ride to Florida for spring break and I’m freaking out about what to do! I’m a total fitness gal and hate sitting still for so long. What would you do?

Haha good question! The longest car ride I ever took was 8 hours and that was rough! LOL. I hate sitting still too but I would just try to do some stretching in the car (ones you can do- just flex your feet or something! LOL) And if you take bathroom breaks maybe do some jumping jacks or something like that!

does stevia taste like white sugar?

It’s much sweeter so you need less! But yes it’s nice and sweet :)

do you ever go out with your friends on the weekends?

Haha most of my friends are older and have children, jobs, etc so none of us are really into partying. Sleeps more important to me- I’m like a grandma! We prefer socializing in the daytime. When my boyfriend lived here we’d go out every weekend but since we’re doing the long distance thing that isn’t possible :)

April, you have such pretty skin! What face wash do you use? lol =]

Aww thank you! :D LOL! I’m not a beauty queen so I just use whatevers on sale. LOL! Well, kind of. I use Biore “clean things up” in the morning and neutrogena cream cleanser at night! I think my skin stays pretty good because of the water I drink (1-2 gallons a day) and the clean food I eat (salmon is super good for your skin!)

do you ever eat out?

Once in a while- I prefer to cook at home!

Hi April! I always feel like if i do weights without cardio, I’ll bulk up, is this all in my head? sometimes I just don’t want to do cardio and want to get straight to the weights

You’ll definitely not bulk up! I felt the same way at first- I was deathly afraid to cut down on cardio! But I’ve actually decreased my body fat with less cardio. During my weight workouts I burn up to 500 calories due to lifting heavy- trying to get that bar over your head is hard work! LOL. I say cut down cardio! My sanity has never been better. :)

in response to what you replied to the poster below – do you ever buy supermarket brand meats like tyson or perdue? i have a hard time finding local meats where i live.

Yep! We actually buy ground turkey from Costco which is foster farms brand. And we buy frozen chicken breasts from Costco too which is tyson. Usually I get sliced turkey and bison from the local meat market because it’s really hard to find preservative & natural sliced turkey!

Love your blog! Do you ever find that your high protein intake leads to constipation? and if so, how do you mitigate that? Thanks!! :)

Well to be honest, I don’t have a normal digestive system to begin with. The high protein diet doesn’t effect my bowels any differently than a high or regular carb diet would. However, high protein CAN constipate you if you don’t get enough fiber or water. Remember the 3 F’s (I learned this in nursing school!)- Fiber, Fluids, and Footwork! :)

Do carbs have a negative effect on fat loss or muscle gain? I’m an athlete and with my training I require 2,800 calories a day. I pretty much NEED to have lots of carbs for energy and cals but I am a protein lover too. Will I still stay lean?

You do need some carbs to build muscle but I’ve found less carbs work better for me. It’s all a personal preference and choice.. I can’t tell you how carbs would effect you because everyone is different! I’m sure if your getting a balanced diet you’ll be fine :)

When you shop for meats and chicken, do you buy organic or local, or just a grocery store brand? I would love to buy organic but it’s too expensive. Oh, and what brand of bison do you purchase?

I’m right there with you on the organic. It’s too expensive! So I buy local. That way I know where my meat is coming from, plus it’s all natural (no preservatives, no nitrates, no antibiotics, etc.) The bison is from my local meat market too!

Have you read the Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno? It’s an awesome book and pretty much matches the way you like to eat!

I haven’t read the diet book but I do have all of her cookbooks.. I love them! :)

:P you’re cute

Haha why thank you! (I know that’s you Cerina!)

I noticed on your blog that you have a really low body fat percentage. Did you ever lose your period?

Nope- I’m in a healthy range! :)

do you commute to school?

Yep I drive 40 minutes there and back this semester!

Why did you decide to switch to Muscle Gauge protein powder?

I definetly haven’t switched over to muscle gauge.. I just like variety! I have 7 tubs of protein powder in my house right now. LOL.

Do you count veggies in your calorie totals?

Yep!

Thoughts on the Bowflex?

I actually have a Bowflex! I think it’s great if you use it. My dad uses it and has gained strength! I just prefer dumbbells/free weights personally. But it is a good at home-gym!

Is Biochem your favorite protein? I have tried the “natural” flavor – do you like that one? My favorites are probobly Solgar’s vanilla bean protein or Jay Robb, but they are so expensive.

Biochem is my favorite! I haven’t tried the natural one.. I have a major sweet tooth so I get the chocolate fudge! :D

What do you wear to the gym?

Yoga pants and a tank top!

I’ll Be Seeing You

Published on March 4, 2010 in Uncategorized. 27 Comments

Hi friends!

Guess who is flying home this weekend? Bryon! He gets here Friday afternoon and is here until Sunday night. So, I’ve decided to take a couple days off of food blogging. I’m sure you won’t miss much- protein shakes, oats, sweet potatoes, chicken, you know the drill! BUT, I do have a special Q and A post going up!

Last night I fell asleep a little after 8:30.. I’m an old lady, I know. So naturally I was up at 6:00 this morning! I took advantage and made a stove top breakfast- my new favorite- cooked egg whites in oats. I cooked 1 cup of liquid egg whites with cream of tartar, 1 packet stevia, and cinnamon. On the side I cooked up 1/3 cup oatbran in water and then mixed the two together along with some Capella Crumb Cake Flavor Drops and a little bit of Walden Farms Calorie Free Syrup:

250 cals, 29 grams of protein, 22 carbs, 2 grams of fat

Then I headed to the gym for a light (er) lower body day. And guess what? I was back in the groove! I felt super strong today. In fact, the weights I used were almost too easy. Next time I’ll increase the weights! Here’s what I did:

Regular Sets:

  1. Barbell Plie Squats- 135 pounds, 4 sets of 10 + 1 set of 10 pulses @ contraction
  2. Barbell Lunges- 115 pounds, 5 sets of 10 on each leg
  3. Sled Press- 280 pounds (230 added plates)- 5 sets of 10 (3 narrow stance, 2wide stance)
  4. Hack Squat- 150 pounds (110 added plates)- 5 sets of 12 (2 narrow, 3 wide)

Superset:

  1. Dumbbell Step Ups- 40 pounds, 2 sets of 10 on each leg
  2. Reverse Crunch/Toe Tap combo- 50 reps

Regular Sets:

  1. Glute Pushback Machine- 80 pounds, 3 sets of 10 on each leg
  2. Calve Extensions- 115 pounds, 3 sets of 10

Superset:

  1. Stability Ball Ham Curl with 20 pounds- 2 sets of 20
  2. Ball Pass- 2 sets of 15

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Calories Burned: 400 Max HR: 164

I came home and decided to change around my protein shake for the sake of not boring you all to tears! I used 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Dream, 1.5 serving Muscle Gauge Cake Batter Protein Powder, 1 cup vanilla tea, vanilla extract, vanilla flavored stevia, 1/2 tsp each guar gum and xanthan gum, cinnamon, and a few cups of ice. I had it Parfait style as usual over 1/2 cup hot oats and 1/2 cup defrosted mixed berries:

370 cals, 40 grams of protein, 35 carbs, 3 grams of fat

Yeah.. I thought my stomach was going to burst after that! Lately I’ve been downing those shakes like nobody’s business but today it was a bit too much!

After cleaning up I made a trip to the school to use their WIFI and get the work for my online classes done. I came home about 3 hours after my previous meal and decided it was time to eat. In my fridge right now there is a ton of baked chicken breasts and baked sweet potatoes.. obviously I can’t let them go to waste! So I had 4 oz of chicken breast and 4 oz of baked sweet potato covered in 1 tbsp natural almond butter (split between the potato and chicken.) Oh, and they were both covered in cinnamon and cayenne of course!

320 cals, 29 grams of protein, 23 carbs, 10 grams of fat

But after eating, I became ravenous! If I did the “20 minute” rule which I usually do I probably would have been fine but I didn’t feel like waiting. LOL. So I proceeded to eat 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese mixed with 1 tbsp Dymatize 12 Hour Blueberry Muffin Protein Powder + 1 tsp Justin’s Maple Almond Butter:

140 cals, 21 grams of protein, 6 carbs, 6 grams of fat

But I went back for another serving! There’s something about leg days and hunger…

140 cals, 21 protein, 6 carbs, 6 fat

The rest of the afternoon I spent cleaning and organizing. At 3 I went to babysit for two little munchkins. I ate my next meal/snack/whatever you want to call it over there- I packed 5 oz chicken breast with 1/2 tbsp tomato paste, cinnamon, and cayenne:

145 calories, 30 grams of protein, 3 carbs, 2 grams of fat

Dinner was simple as usual. I used up the last of the ground bison (3 oz) by throwing it along with 2 cups of mixed veggies, dried basil, red pepper flakes, all natural hot sauce, and 1/4 avocado:

255 calories, 28 grams of protein, 9 carbs, 5 grams of fat

Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around! I’m not ditching my computer for the whole weekend (I’m addicted) so I’ll still be popping in to say hello! :)

Until then!

I Apologize

Published on March 3, 2010 in Uncategorized. 26 Comments

Hi guys!

I’m currently sitting in my car outside of one of my neighbours houses stealing his WIFI so I can get this post up. LOL! Lets hope nobody sees me.. they’ll think I’m crazy! I can’t wait to get my new WIFI box.. I’m dying without the internet a click away!

So this morning I woke up and had the usual 1/3 cup oatbran cooked with water and 20 grams of Dymatize Blueberry Muffin 12 Hour Protein Powder with cinnamon:


190 calories, 25 grams of protein, 23 carbs, 3 grams of fat

Then I headed to the gym for my Pull workout (back and biceps, minus the abs). For some reason my workouts have felt less than stellar. I just don’t feel as strong as I’ve been! I don’t know what’s up with that. But I’m still pushing through- I’ve got goals! :) Anyway, here’s what I did:

  • T-Bar Row- 95 pounds, 3 sets of 8; 80 pounds, 3 sets of 8, 70 pounds, 1 set of 8 pulses
  • Bent Over Row- 3 sets of drop sets with 80 pounds, 70 pounds, 60 pounds
  • Barbell Curls- 40 pounds, 3 sets of 6
  • Lat Pull Down- 70 pounds, 3 sets of 8
  • Cable Row while in Squat- 2 sets of drop sets with 115 pounds, 100 pounds, 85 pounds

Superset:

  • Seated Cable Row- 2 sets of drop sets with 85 pounds, 70 pounds, 55 pounds; 1 set of 10 with 55 pounds
  • Cable Curls- 40 pounds, 3 sets of 8
  • 20 minutes steady state cardio on the Stairmaster (heart rate at 150)

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Calories Burned: 430 Max HR: 170

I came home and refueled with the usual Protein Shake Parfait- a Double Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake over 1/2 cup hot oats + 1/2 cup defrosted mixed berries:


375 calories, 37 grams of protein, 39 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fat

I promise I’ll make another flavor of shake sometime soon! :D

Then I headed to my Micro lab where I didn’t do so well on a quiz. And then I almost merged into someone on the freeway.. it was not my morning!

My next meal (eaten at stoplights) was super yummy though- 4.5 oz chicken breast mixed with 3.5 oz baked sweet potato, 1 tbsp Costco Organic PB, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and ginger:


315 calories, 30 grams of protein, 18 carbs, 9 grams of fat

And when I got home I did a little (emotional) eating in the form of a Low Carb Protein Bar (yogurt version):


90 calories, 16 grams of protein, 3 carbs, 2 grams of fat

After developmental psychology I came home and one of my favorite simple meals- 3.5 oz baked salmon smothered in cayenne pepper and 4 oz of steamed broccoli with Braggs:


145 calories, 27 grams of protein, 4 carbs, 10 grams of fat

Yum!

I haven’t made dinner yet but it’s going to be 4 oz of lean ground bison, 1.5 cups of cabbage, pure red chili, and 1/3 avocado:

 

 

without the cheese- sorry, repeat photo

220 calories, 26 grams of protein, 3 carbs, 7 grams of fat

And you know I’ll have dessert!

I seriously apologize for my boring and repetitive meals/posts. Lately I’ve been so darn busy that cold chicken and leftovers are the easiest (and not to mention delicious) meals!

Well, hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow with my own laptop at home!

See ya!

Quick and Dirty

Published on March 2, 2010 in Uncategorized. 20 Comments

Hi guys!

This is going to be a quick one- my laptop is still down so I’m using a different computer and have to be quick!

Thank you all for the compliments on my last post! It’s so embarrassing putting up pictures of myself but I want to show you all that as women, we CAN eat! :)

This morning I started my day off with the usual 1/3 cup oatbran + 20 grams Dymatize 12 hour protein powder:

Then I headed to the gym for my Push workout. Here’s what I did:

Superset 1:

  1. Wide Grip Bench Press- 80 pounds, 4 sets of 8 with
  2. Wide Push Ups (real ones)- 4 sets until failure (1st set 30, 2nd 25, 3rd 20, 4th 15)

Reverse Grip Tricep Bench Press- 60 pounds, 4 sets of 8

Superset 2:

  1. Standing Military Press- 40 pounds, 4 sets of 8 with
  2. Dumbbell Bent Over Lateral Raises- 30 pounds (15 each), 4 sets of 10

Superset 3:

  1. Incline Dumbbell Flies- 45 pounds (total), 3 sets of 8
  2. Tricep Kickbacks- 40 pound (total), 3 sets of 8

Cable Upright Row- 3 sets of Drop sets, 85 pounds, 70 pounds, 60 pounds

Giant Set:

  1. Cable Cross Overs- 80 pounds, 3 sets of 10
  2. Tricep Press Down- 80 pounds, 3 sets of 8
  3. Body Weight Dips with One Leg- 3 sets of 20

Total Time: 1 hour. Calories Burned: 320

I came home and had something a tad different.. a Double Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake with 1 oz of Kay’s Naturals Protein Cereal:

shake and cereal

I typically don’t eat cereal- they usually don’t fit my macros (high carb, low protein, high sugar, a lot of weird ingredients) but the stats on this cereal isn’t shabby at all! 100 calories, 12 net carbs, and 9 grams of protein. Plus pronounceable ingredients!

My workouts haven’t has been as good as usual lately so I upped the carb intake today. So my next meal was my new favorite- 1 cup egg whites (cooked with cream of tartar, cinnamon, and stevia) mixed with 1/2 cup oats (cooked in water and ginger). I also stirred in 1 tsp coconut oil and sugar free maple syrup:

So good you guys!

I stayed at school a little later than usual so I could use the WIFI there to get some of my work for my online classes done. I ate my next meal/snack there- just 4 oz chicken breast with 1 tbsp organic peanut butter, cinnamon, and ginger:

WITHOUT THE SWEET POTATO.. sorry I lost the picture!

And a couple hours later I had 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup 0% Fage, 1/2 scoop Muscle Gauge Cake Batter Protein Powder, 1 tbsp organic pb (mixed in), and cinnamon:

I also grabbed 1/2 Low Carb Protein Bar (no picture) before my HIIT workout. I went to Tabata at the gym tonight.. it was a good one! Burned 220 calories in the 16 minute workout.. well, that includes the 5 minute warm up and cooldown.

When I came home I had a different dinner (finally!) A portion of Veggie Parmesan (without the cheese) with 4 oz of chicken breast:

I forget how good this is!

Well, I must get going. I’m sorry for such lackluster posts and pictures.. I promise I’ll come up with something good as soon as my laptop is up and running! Any recipe requests? :)

Bye!

Pushing Through

Published on March 1, 2010 in Uncategorized. 41 Comments

Hi guys!

** I wrote my post earlier and it got deleted.. grr! Thus, I don’t have my macros for each meal (I keep a running daily total). And my links aren’t showing up.. I apologize!

Well, first off, I updated my Operation Increase My Metabolism Page… thanks for the reminder from one of my readers!

I wanted to share with you some more progress pictures. If you recall, I posted a picture of my abs on December 22, when I was currently only eating 1200-1400 calories daily. Here’s what they looked like then:

And as of Today (2 months later- please excuse the bloat.. I had drinken a huge shake! LOL):

I can notice a difference! I see the “v cuts” coming in and I’m hoping to get my 6 pack to show here pretty soon! LOL :)

Anyway, this morning I started off my day with the usual pre-workout meal: 1/3 cup oatbran cooked in water + 20 grams Dymatize Blueberry Muffin 12 Hour Protein Powder + cinnamon:

Then I headed to the gym for lower body. It definitely wasn’t my best workout.. my legs felt like they weighed a million pounds and didn’t want to cooperate with my mind. However, I truly believe weight lifting (any exercise for that matter) is truly a mental thing. If you set your mind to it, you can do it! I kept reminding myself of my goals and my strengths and I got through it. Here’s what I did:

  • Barbell Squats- 130 pounds, 4 sets of 8 plus an additional set of pulses at contraction
  • Single Leg Split Squats- 110 pounds, 3 sets of 8 on each leg SUPERSETTED WITH:
  • Straight Leg Russian Twists off edge of a bench- 10 pounds, 3 sets of 50
  • Stiff Leg Deadlifts- 95 pounds, 3 sets of 10
  • Single Leg Deadlifts- 50 pounds, 3 sets of 10 on each leg SUPERSETTED WITH:
  • Straight Leg Elbow To Knee- 3 sets of 15
  • Walking DB Lunges- 40 pounds, 3 sets of 8 on each leg SUPERSETTED WITH:
  • Jackknifes holding 20 pounds- 3 sets of 15
  • Sled Press- 280 pounds, 3 sets of 8
  • Cable Step Ups- 30-45 pounds, 2 sets until failure on each leg SUPERSETTED WITH:
  • Weighted crunches- arms above head, never pass the ears- 10 pounds, 2 sets of 20

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Calories Burned: 425 Max Heart Rate: 170

I came home and was HUNGRY! I whipped up a Double Chocolate Peppermint Shake and had it over 1/3 cup oatbran cooked in water and also had 1/2 grapefruit:

Then I headed to my Microbiology lab. On the drive home I had my next meal: 1/3 cup dried edamame; 3.5 oz cold sweet potato with cinnamon and ginger; 1/2 oz almonds:

That held me through my next class but I was hungry when I got home! My next meal was 5 oz baked chicken breast with 1 tbsp PB & Co The Heat Is On PB (it has cayenne! :D ); steamed summer squash; steamed broccoli:

But I was still quite hungry so I snacked on a Low Carb Protein Bar (made with yogurt instead of cottage cheese):

Then for dinner I had 4 oz lean ground bison with 1.5 cups cabbage and pure red chili:

Plus 3 oz sweet potato with 1 tsp organic pb:

And dessert was cottage cheese, protein powder, and almond butter- my favorite!

Well, that’s about it! Sorry for the lame post.. I’m supposed to get my new WIFI box in the mail soon!

Rest & Rumbles

Published on February 28, 2010 in Uncategorized. 22 Comments

Hi guys!

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Today was my rest day.. as you all know I hate taking rest days! I force myself to take one a week but I go a little stir crazy on them. Although I didn’t do any formal exercise I definitely didn’t sit on my bum all day- I kept myself busy cleaning, cooking, doing about 20 minutes of yoga, trying to fix my Internet, and giving myself an at home spa day complete with a hair mask (made from banana, avocado, honey, and egg yolk), a deep conditioner treatment, and an exfoliating treatment!

Anyway, this morning I started off my day with some hot oats. I’ve been craving hot oatmeal like crazy lately! During the week I don’t have time for stove-top oats so I took advantage of them today. In the mix:

  • 1/3 cup oatmeal + 1.25 cups water
  • 1 serving Dymatize Blueberry Muffin Protein Powder
  • 2 tbsp psyllium husks (stirred in at end of cooking after I turned the stove off)
  • 1/2 tbsp Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
  • Cinnamon!

315 calories, 29 grams of protein, 19 carbs, 11 grams of fat

I used to HAVE to have nut butter with my oats but now I enjoy them in the more simple form!

A couple hours after breakfast I had a small snack of 1/2 cup Daisy 2% cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 scoop Muscle Gauge Cake Batter Protein Powder + cinnamon:


140 calories, 26 grams of protein, 4 carbs, 3 grams of fat

Mmm!

It was Salmon Sunday of course! Salmon is so easy to make and it’s actually inexpensive when you make it like we do. We buy a fillet from Costco (usually about 18 bucks) but we end up getting about 11 servings out of it. Not bad for salmon!

So for lunch I had my 4 oz portion on top of a bed of spinach and homemade salsa:


Plus a small portion of Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes” and 3.5 oz baked sweet potato with 1/2 tsp Costco Organic PB, cinnamon, and ginger:


270 calories, 29 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbs, 13 grams of fat

But I needed some lunch dessert after that so I snacked on a portion of Protein Brownie Batter:


100 calories, 20 grams of protein, 4 carbs, 0 grams of fat

Then I was stuffed! But then 2.5 hours later my stomach was grumbling again. So I made my newest love- egg whites and oats! I simply cooked 1 cup egg whites with cream of tartar, cinnamon, and stevia. Then I cooked 1/4 cup oats with 1/2 cup water and mixed the two together with 1/2 oz pecans and sugar free maple syrup:


275 calories, 28 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat

Soo good! Don’t knock it ’till you try it ;)

My stomach started rumbling shortly after so I tied over the grumbles with 1/2 cucumber with cayenne pepper. Sorry no picture!

Dinner was for all my vegetarian friends! :D Alyson makes some amazing looking spaghetti squash combos and I stole one of them tonight. I had about 1.5 cups spaghetti squash with 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 2 oz baked Wildwood Firm Tofu, 30 grams of avocado, red pepper flakes, and black pepper:

190 calories, 15 grams of protein, 15 carbs, 8 grams of fat

And I’m off! Tomorrow it’s back to the grind- workout, school, repeat :)

Bye!

It’s Been a While

Published on February 27, 2010 in Uncategorized. 19 Comments

Happy Saturday!

True story- I used to like to go to bed a little hungry so that I would wake up hungry for breakfast (breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!) However, with all my reading and research I’ve been doing (LOL!) I’ve read that during sleep is when all your muscles grow and in order to keep you anabolic you should eat before bed. I explain what I eat before bed here! Anyway, I got really hungry last night and pictured my muscles being eaten away so I of course devoured my favorite cottage cheese + protein powder + pb combo :) LOL!

Anyway, this morning I treated myself to something I haven’t had in ages.. oats in a jar! Well, protein/April style :) I did my basic Overnight CC Muesli using 3/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup 0% Fage, 1/4 cup raw oats, 15 Capella French Toast Drops, vanilla stevia, cinnamon, and ginger. Then I poured it all into a Sunland Mixed Nut Butter Jar with 1.3 tbsp left in it:


350 calories, 40 grams of protein, 21 grams of carbs, 12 grams of fat

Yes I weighed my jar to find out how much peanut butter was in it. No, it’s not obsessive. Personally, I like to weigh my food because I like to know what’s going in my body!

3 hours later I was still feeling pretty full but I don’t like to go more than 3 hours without eating. So my next meal was 4 oz chicken breast with 1 tbsp Costco Organic PB, cinnamon, cayenne, and ginger. Plus a cup of steamed broccoli with Braggs:


235 calories, 31 grams of protein, 4 carbs, 9 grams of fat

But for some reason I got super hungry after I ate. Does anyone know why this happens?? So I had 1/4 cup (what was left) of lowfat cottage cheese with Capella Pralines and Cream Drops and stevia:


40 calories, 7 grams of protein, 2 carbs, 1 gram of fat

Then I went to Kickboxing! Kickboxing and Tabata are my absolute favorite cardio workouts. It’s funny because I’m actually super shy in real life and I never thought I’d enjoy punching and kicking.. but I love it! And  it was my favorite focus today- abs! I love how the instructor teaches- he really pushes you past your limits (or what you thought was your limits!)

When I came home all I wanted was a Protein Shake Parfait. But I switched it up on you-I made a rocky-road shake! I used 1 cup Almond Dream, 1 cup Yogi Cocoa Spice Tea, 1.5 scoops Muscle Gauge Rocky Road Protein Powder, 1 tbsp 100% cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp guar gum and xanthan gum, and ice. Poured it over 1/2 cup hot oats (cooked in water):


345 calories, 39 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fat

But I must be honest- I like my peppermint one best! I adore the Rocky Road in cottage cheese but the flavor isn’t as prominent in shakes. I think I”ll stick with my beloved Biochem for shakes!

After eating I went to Marshalls with my mom and sister. It’s been so long since I’v been clothes shopping! I was shocked to find a pair of jeans that actually fit me right- American Eagle brand for only 16 dollars. Plus a workout tank for 7 dollars, and I found a gift for Bryon too. (Sorry Bryon- I’m not posting what it is!)

When I came home I had a small snack-2.5 oz leftover all breast ground turkey meat with 1.5 oz baked sweet potato, cinnamon, ginger, and red pepper flakes:

120 calories, 13 grams of protein, 7 carbs, 1 gram of fat

For some reason Kickboxing always throws off my appetite!

And for dinner I kept it simple! I was really craving Salmon but I knew I couldn’t break into our Salmon Sunday stash ;) So instead I mixed 5 oz of canned atlantic salmon with 1 cup spaghetti squash, 1/2 oz avocado, black pepper, and red pepper flakes:

275 calories, 43 grams of protein, 10 carbs, 11 grams of fat

Well I’m off to go babysit my favorite little boy! And I’ve got my dessert packed- cottage cheese/yogurt with protein powder and nut butter.

See you tomorrow!

Down Low

Published on February 26, 2010 in Uncategorized. 28 Comments

Hi guys!

So my eats were pretty boring today.. I’m a creature of habit- when I find something I like I just want to eat it everyday! LOL. Unfortunately that makes for a boring/lame post. So along with my boring eats I thought I’d make today’s post more interesting with a little update as well a Q’s and A! First up..

That’s right! My body fat is now at 13.38%. Eating more, less cardio, and intense weight lifting has helped me drop my body fat another percentage point. I’m actually up a couple pounds but obviously it is not fat I gained.. it’s muscle! (maybe some water weight too). I urge you all.. don’t starve your bodies! 1300 calories is not enough. I don’t know how I ever lived on that much! I’ve seen such an improvement in my body- I’ve got a better butt now too! :D

Also, I’ve gotten a lot of questions regarding my low body fat and my female cycle. (Sorry if there’s any guys reading.. just skip ahead ;) ) The answer is yes- I still have my cycle. I have a low body fat because my diet is clean and I lift heavy weights- which equals more lean body mass. I’ve never had a problem with my cycle and my body fat- I eat enough calories and fat which is necessary to maintain my body functions.

Ok, moving on! I was one hungry girl today.. my appetite is out of control! Despite having bigger my meals I could not get myself full!

This morning I had the usual- 1/3 cup oatbran cooked in water and 20 grams of Dymatize Blueberry Muffin protein powder:

190 calories, 27 grams of protein, 24 carbs, 4 grams of fat

And then I was off to the gym for a light (er) upper body! I exhausted my arms by doing a bunch of super sets and that pre-exhaust superset I did at the beginning killed! Here’s what I did:

Superset 1:

  • Pre-exhaust Superset (kind of like a clean and press, but only using your arms)- 30 pounds, 3 sets of 12
  • Lateral Raises- 25 pounds (total)- 3 sets of 8

Superset 2:

  • Decline Bench Press- 55 pounds, 3 sets of 20 (way too easy but I didn’t have a spotter! :( )
  • Decline Push Ups- 3 sets of 10

Superset 3:

  • Wide Grip Pull Ups- 25 pounds of assistance- 3 sets of 10
  • Tricep Dips- 25 pounds of assistance, 3 sets of 10

Superset 4:

  • One Arm Row- 35 pounds, 3 sets of 6
  • Skull Crushers- 50 pounds, 3 sets of 12

Superset 5:

  • Face Pulls- 85 pounds, 4 sets of 10
  • One Arm Tricep Push Down- 30 pounds, 2 sets of 10/ Both Arm Push Down- 85 pounds, 2 sets of 10

Iso-Lateral Bench Press- 47 pounds, 3 sets of 8

Superset 6:

  • Reverse Flies- 40 pounds, 3 sets of 10
  • Iso Lateral Shoulder Press- 50 pounds, 3 sets of 10

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes Calories Burned: 395 Max Heart Rate: 167

I didn’t go as heavy as usual since my Push and Pull days I go pretty heavy. I also thought about staying for Tabata but figured since I had the time today I’d do my cardio and weights and different times since I was pretty exhausted from lifting!

When I came home I had the usual Protein Shake Parfait with a Double Chocolate Peppermint Protein Shake over 1/2 cup oats (cooked in water) and 1/2 cup defrosted blueberries:

375 calories, 38 grams of protein, 38 carbs, 3 grams of fat

After digesting a bit I decided to do a little cardio. As I’ve mentioned, too much cardio can prevent muscle growth so I’ve cut down my cardio sessions from 6 days a week to 2-3 times. I wanted to do an easy cardio workout today though so I just did 20 minutes of kickboxing and 10 minutes on the stationary bike burning 190 cals.

My next meal was nothing out of the ordinary- 6 oz of cold chicken breast with 2 tsp almond butter, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Plus 3.5 oz baked and cold (resistant starch!) sweet potato with 1 tsp organic peanut butter, cinnamon, and ginger:


355 calories, 41 grams of protein, 18 carbs, 9 grams of fat

I was telling my dad last night about eating chicken with nut butter and he thought it sounded nasty..I know that’s what you all are thinking too but trust me, it’s yummy!!

A couple hours later I was hungry again so I had the most delicious thing ever- 3/4 cup 2% Daisy Cottage Cheese, 1/4 cup 0% Fage, 1 scoop Muscle Gauge Rocky Road protein powder, and 1 tbsp almond butter:


360 calories, 53 grams of protein, 11 carbs, 12 grams of fat

I’ve been eating that for dessert.. it’s sooooo good!!

A little while later I started to feel kind of icky and thought I needed to eat some more. So I had a Low Carb Protein Bar with 1/2 tsp Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil:


And another:

Total of: 230 calories, 32 grams of protein, 8 carbs, 10 grams of fat

That filled me up forever! I wasn’t very hungry when dinner rolled around so decided on something basic. I apologize for how it looks… I know it’s super unattractive! Just 4 oz lean (all breast) ground turkey with 1 cup spaghetti squash and unclean (but delicious!) Walden Farms Calorie Free Hot BBQ Sauce and red pepper flakes:

150 calories, 25 grams of protein, 11 carbs, 2 grams of fat

I think I’ll have a protein shake before bed! Well, I’m off to watch a movie with the family! Bye!