Advertisements
Month: April 2014
6 miles, a perfect day off and rocky week to follow
For those of you who don’t live in Massachusetts, Monday was Patriot’s Day, also known as Marathon Monday. It’s a state holiday and since I didn’t have to work either job, I took myself hiking. For those of you who don’t believe me that this is a thing, here’s a wiki-link for it. It’s to celebrate the battles of Lexington and Concord because I’m sure middle schoolers are very concerned with the American Revolution and its’ battles giving them days off.
Here are some pictures from my hike.
With my little map in hand and heart rate monitor on, I hiked 6 miles of trails around Well State Park, which is about 25-35 minutes from me depending on traffic. It had great, clear trails and it’s one I would definitely do again, but only after I cross a bunch of others off my list. Needless to say after my hike and fruit bar snack, my Monday was pretty great.
The rest of the week not so much.
The work week was short and that was great, but mentally I don’t think I was into my overall health to feel driven. I managed one day at the gym this week (Friday). I accomplished almost 30 minutes of free weights on my lunch hour. Aside from this my eating was all over the place and I was the face of stress eating. From pizza to sushi and french fries. This was definitely a low week in my better lifestyle that I have had the past two years. I can’t even pin point what made me feel so low. But if I wasn’t stuffing my face then I was forgetting to eat, and only a crazy person forgets to eat.
By Friday night, I had a gala to attend and it was a self serve buffet… let’s not talk about it.
The upside to the weekend was I chopped off some of my hair and got layers. This is a big deal for me. While it may not look like anything is missing, the shortest layers is shoulder length, she had to cut off 7″ for that. I would say this was a ballsy move and kind of what I needed to get me moving for this week.
I acknowledge my failure and this week is going to be different. I’ve pre-registered for Bikram tomorrow. I’m in serious need of finding my center and sweating this funk out. I was going to pre-register for that HIIT like small group training class for Wednesday, but it’s completely booked. There’s one at 7:30 on Friday morning, I need to check with work and see if I can come in late instead of taking my lunch hour because I would really like to end the week on a powerful note like that.
In between these days I want to try to get two runs in, no specific distance yet, hopefully around 2 miles a piece.
For the “in my belly” segment of this post, I’ve made chicken and steak for the next two days at least. I bought produce this weekend including salad fixings, mangos, bananas, squash, onions, sweet potatoes, oranges and lemons. I need to get back on track and stay on track. Summer is around the corner and more importantly I don’t want to reverse my hard work.
Here’s to kicking ass and taking names this week. We stumble and fall and pick ourselves right back up. This is just a bump in the road.
❤ Cristina
New recipe and some breakfast in bed
A few weeks ago I started making my own fruit bars and I had bought both pitted date paste and whole pitted dates from a local international market. I haven’t used the whole pitted dates until last night. I had no idea what to make with them other than the bars.
Thanks to Pinterest, I found a crockpot recipe that calls for pitted dates, apples, and pecans as the main ingredients. Turns out, it’s from a blog on blogspot called Feeding Ger Sasser. You can get the recipe I used here. There’s no special name for it, but it tastes pretty special :]
Pitted Dates
Post-crockpot to bowl picture
Breakfast in bed on Easter morning
Some notes. I could’ve cooked this a little longer, my apples are a little crunchy still, but it’s still really good. Maybe adding a little water to the mixture might have helped break the apples down a little more.
This made for a great breakfast this morning, while I watched Hop. I don’t celebrate Easter so I plan on relaxing and working around the apartment today and I have a ribeye pulled from the freezer for dinner tonight :] Bring on the wine!
I hope everyone has a great day with family and friends!
❤ Cristina
Added Bloglovin Widget, so Follow Me!
Ignore this post. I added Bloglovin’ to my blog and in order to claim my page I had to create a post with my bloglovin URL.
<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12142429/?claim=sabnzd3kzxz”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
I still surprise myself: Saturday Run
Today’s run was pretty fantastic if I say so myself. I did a tiny bit over 2 miles at the park. I’ve mentioned that each lap is 3/4 of a mile, so this was about 2.5 laps. The first lap I ran at a 9:27 minute mile pace and I seriously couldn’t believe. It explained why I was huffing and puffy, but I had no idea my little legs could carry me like that. I started to slow down so I wouldn’t burn out, which is freaking hard to do! I maintained between a 9:35 and 9:44 pace.
I couldn’t have asked for better weather. My weather app said it was about 40 degrees, but it was definitely peaking around 60, with a sweatshirt on I was clearly overdressed, but I didn’t mind the extra sweat.
My hips are a little sore today, which I think running added to after a week’s worth of wearing heels and being on my feet constantly. I’m taking tomorrow off from running and working out. I intend on cleaning my apartment and going through some things to donate to the local Saver’s. I started today and after 2 loads of dishes and 3 loads of laundry, my living room looks great, my bedroom is coming together and my kitchen could be in better shape.
Monday I’m taking myself hiking since I have the day off for Patriot’s Day. Yay for made up holidays.
Anyway, I’m getting ready to switch over the laundry and The Big Bang Theory is on. I hope everyone had a great Saturday :] Below are some pictures to brighten your night and your Easter morning!
❤ Cristina
Why am I awake?!
Blogging from my phone and on what appears to be a super Sunny Saturday morning, I’m questioning my body’s sanity for being up before 8 am when it knows I didn’t get into bed until 7 hours ago. Get it together!
After a long week of being very cautious and clean I had a treat, one hard cider. Not paleo, but gluten free nonetheless. I plan on running this morning and maybe this is my body’s way of saying “you cheated, now get up”. I’m going to lay here a few more minutes until I realize that I’m wasting my morning and then I will get my butt in gear. I just wish I could’ve slept in. I mean, it’s the weekend and I deserve a little break!
Well fingers crossed that my run goes well. I haven’t set a distance for today yet, but it’s a little chilly and this is new to me, but runners run in crazy weather, so I need to suck it up 🙂
Have a great Saturday everyone!
❤️ Cristina
Recipe: Paleo Breakfast Muffins
Two recipes from my 50 in 2014 list in one week; it’s definitely been a busy week and one where change is welcome! I found this recipe as a pin on Pinterest, but turns out the blog is also a WordPress blog called Pop an Egg on It.
The blogger, Katy, is a mother and has a passion of cooking. She’s battled a lot of eating issues and stomach issues. She discovered paleo and has lost weight and become healthier as a whole person. Her blog is mostly if not all paleo recipes and I can’t wait to try others because this one rocked!
Katy’s breakfast muffins remind me of making paleo pancakes with eggs and a banana when I was prepping them, but with some oil, coconut, honey and almond meal these are so far from the banana bread smelling pancakes.
This batch made 8, which is what Katy said it would make.
yay batter!
post oven- yes the unwrap one was eaten :]
They came out fluffy and light. Typically, I think almond meal can be a little chewy and sometimes dense, but these were just like cupcakes. I had set the oven for 350 since I was making other things, and I have never been more happy that I have an oven temperature gauge because the oven was heated to 450!
This little guys only needed 10 minutes and they were done. I can’t win with my oven, not at all.
I have no idea what a serving would be, but it’s safe to say eating one with something else would be a good call. It wouldn’t be hard to eat them all. Katy’s post even suggests mixing in other things like chocolate chips or blueberries to make them interesting. I’ll have to make a variation next time :]
Where has this week gone?
Seriously? Is it just me, or does this week seem to be flying by a little faster than it should? I’m not complaining because I love the weekends like the next person, but I kind of want to be like, can I get off this ride, it’s nap time!
Last night I had a work event so I was out super late and didn’t get to bed until later (11 ish, I’m getting old!), so I thought my lack of sleep would make today drag, but it didn’t. By the time I looked at the clock it was lunch time and I drooled over Don Draper watched Mad Men and ate my lunch. The afternoon went by just as fast as the morning and I got a chunk of work done.
Since I didn’t have to work at my retail job, I knew I wanted to get to the gym, but I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for tonight. I texted a friend of mine who teaches Zumba and does a class on campus a few times a week. I had taken her class when I was at my old gym and we stayed in touch. She said she was teaching tonight and I should come by. MUSIC TO MY EARS!
As soon as I got home, I got straight to business- changed into my workout clothes and made myself some dinner. Her class is from 730 to 830 and dinner after was out of the question.
I made buffalo chicken salad with extra Frank’s Red Hot. I’m obsessed with hot sauce and I’ve been craving wings lately, so this was a good alternative. While there is some cheese on my salad, everything else I’ve eaten today was squeaky clean so a tiny bit wouldn’t hurt and I would rather get rid of it faster than have it sit around or throw it out (world hunger and all).
After all the eating I did today I feel pretty good. It’s day 3 and I’m way less bloated than I was on day 1. Changing my workouts up a bit is also feeling pretty good too. I’m pushing myself without feeling like I’m going to far or have the chance to injure myself.
After dinner I worked on a recipe post from the other night and then headed off to Zumba. I had never done any of the routines in this class, but I picked it up pretty fast. We did the Footloose line dance, and OMG your left leg gets such a workout! There needs to be a change up when you switch sides and use the right. I’m sure I’ll feel this in the morning.
I had some awesome energy after class so after I got home and showered I made two things to eat over the next few days: another pizza and paleo breakfast muffins. I put onions and mushrooms on this pizza because I had some left over veggies in the fridge. I definitely let it cook a little longer than the one from the other night, yay for crispy crust!
The breakfast muffins are actually on my 50 recipes in 2014 list and something I found on Pinterest, but the post is from another fellow WordPress blogger. Check out my post and check out Pop an Egg on It, the blog I got the recipe from.
Well with the momentum of the first three work days, tomorrow is packed so I’m heading to bed. Happy Hump Day!
❤ Cristina
50 Recipes for 2014: Coconut Flour Pizza Crust
I made another one of the recipes on my 50 for 2014 list the other night. This one I found on Pinterest, but it’s from another WordPress blogger, Enjoying Healthy Foods.
The blogger, Lindsay, is a wife and mother and a lover of food. Her blog shares her experiences with food, the good, the bad and the flops! You can find the recipe for coconut flour pizza crust here on her site.
Here are some pictures from my pizza making adventure.
I used canned coconut milk, instead of the carton kind. They’re very different in how they mix and cook.
Coconut milk and eggs
crust baking in the oven
Pre-cooked toppings
Post- cooked toppings
I put tomatoes and cheese on my pizza because I was being a little lazy. I really want to make this again and make a buffalo chicken pizza or my favorite Hawaiian with extra pineapple :]
Notes
The crust is sweeter than normal pizza crust, but it fits perfectly with tomato sauce and it’s not overly noticeable. I probably should’ve cooked my crust a little longer than I did because it wouldn’t have been as soft, but I don’t mind eating my finger foods with forks if necessary :]
While it doesn’t completely replace pizza, this is a great alternative that I recommend to anyone who likes to play with healthy alternatives.
Double post: Weekend Wind down and 21 Day Kick Start
I thought this posted last night, my Internet is clearly a little slow :[ So this is two posts in one!
This weekend was busy and relaxing at the same time. After roughly 7 loads of laundry on Saturday and a short run, food prep was calling my name. Strawberries were super cheap, so I couldn’t pass them up.
Look at these babies!
Back to my short run. I met a girl at my job the other week and we started talking about running. She ran cross country in high school, and since starting college she’s run off and on. We decided we should run together because while she’s a solid 5’11”, she runs at my pace. We were aiming for 3 loops at the park, which would be around 2.25 miles, but we cleared a solid 2 laps running, then walked a lap. Here’s what our run looked like.
For me, this was a little slower than the week before, but I did two laps instead of 1.25 laps. Longer distance = slower time, so I don’t wear myself out. I’m going to try to do this loop this week and go for 3 laps.
Happily, my Larabars came in Friday, but I didn’t open them until Saturday. I was so excited when they arrived, that I showed everyone at work. I also made a new fruit bar recipe; this time using unsweetened chocolate, coconut oil, unsweetened coconut and sunflower seed butter. FREAKING DELICIOUS!
I also made paleo buffalo chicken tenders with coconut flour and Frank’s Red Hot. I definitely miss Ranch dressing, but these were great without it.
After reflecting on my weekend, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s so much easier be clean on the weekends than it is during the week. So for the next 21 days, I’m doing a squeaky clean paleo kick. This will get me back on track, help me debloat, get my crazy in check and hopefully shed some inches in the process :]
Today was the first day of my kick start and I did great. I have confidence that this 21 day challenge will be easier than the 30 day challenge I did when I first started paleo. Breakfast was banana and egg pancakes with walnuts and 20 ounces of unsweetened iced chamomile tea. I had some raw veggies and fruit throughout the day and lunch was ground turkey and baked zucchini- seriously, best idea I had all Sunday night. I also brought one of my homemade fruit bars. Sunflower butter and 100% cacao- AMAZING!
For dinner I tried a new recipe- I’ll post it tomorrow!- Coconut Flour Pizza Crust. It was so easy to make and while it had a sweet taste, it’s a great alternative to real pizza. I need put just tomatoes on this one, and I need to figure out more toppings to use. I had been considering buffalo chicken pizza, but got a little lazy this evening. Maybe that’s a possibility for next time.
I went to the gym to lift pretty late, so late that I went to the gym on campus instead of my gym (mine closes at 9). I was reminded why I don’t workout where my students do… awkward. But I got a good workout in, nice and sweaty. The heat is still on from the winter even though it’s warming up, so I was extra sweaty tonight, but I felt like it was easier to workout. It was easy to stretch and I feel pretty good about waking up tomorrow. :]
Well, I’m heading to bed and binge watching Netflix I’m predictable. Hopefully day two goes just as smoothly.
Chocolate sunflower butter and coconut fruit bar
Coconut Flour Pizza
