CrossFit, Calluses & Coconut Bread

Today’s WOD was so hard on my poor hands.

I subbed the pull ups for ring rows but sadly, my elbow injury-ish-thing kept me from getting my chest fully up to the ring. I’m way too impatient for this whole healing process thing. It’s a bad, bad trait.

So I have these bad boys showing up on my hands. Being a lady, I never thought I’d enjoy having calluses or blisters, but these ones are different.

Kettle bell swings, cleans and AMRAP push ups are leaving their marks on my hands. And I’m so proud of them! Not even a year ago, I laughed at the idea of going to a gym. Now a day without CrissFit makes me go stir crazy.

After the WOD, I hit up Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for some weekly essentials. Since I’m trying to transition into Paleo, I grabbed some Greek style almond yogurt.

Pretty stoked to tear into that stuff. I tried the coconut yogurt earlier this week—not too shabby.

After groceries were all in their proper places, I whipped up a loaf of coconut bread, courtesy of What Runs Lori. It’s AMAZING. Rich, a little sweet, and great for sandwiches, or dipping in soups and paleo pumpkin chili.

Since I’m more of a cooker than a baker, I’m sufficiently wiped out. And I so dearly need a shower. But in the meantime, if anyone has must-try paleo recipes, please share!

It’s Been a While, Folks.

Got into the blogging thing, then out of it and now I’m back. So here’s a recap of what’s been going on:

I had a trip home for the Fourth of July and worked wicked hard to slim down before I left. I did. Then I ate a ton, thanks to my Italian family and my vacation-mode mindset. Since then, I’ve been flittering between hardcore eating habits and careless office snacking. Office snacks are obviously the Devil.

To try to whip myself back into shape, I joined CrossFit and it’s seriously been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The price is as insane as the workouts, so I’m hoping the payoff is worth it. From what I can gather, between the weight gain from my vacation and starting CF, I’ve maintained the same weight on the scale but lost a handfull of inches. Lesson learned: scales lie.

This week I heard some great news. My CrossFit community is taking part in the Lurong Living Paleo Challenge, which is super easy to incorporate into Tone It Up. It’s all about whole foods, lots of proteins and healthy fats and using foods to fuel your workouts.

Just like CrossFit, this challenge is pretty costly—$50 to enter. Still debating if it’s worth it, but I have a few days to decide. But the one thing I know is: I need a kick in the pants if I’m going to reach my goal: 5 consecutive strict pull ups by Christmas. And after last night’s Tabata WOD, I have some work to do.

We only counted our lowest score from each of the eight reps. With the thickest band, I managed a mere three assisted pull ups. It’s time to get serious.

On another note, I’m pretty excited for today’s noms. As mentioned above, I’m Italian. Food is such a source of joy and comfort. Yeah, this is something I need to get over, but in the meantime, here’s everything I packed for Friday:

M1: Coconut yogurt, 1/2 scoop Perfect Fit Protein, banana, mixed berries and carob chips

M2: Apple and natural almond butter

M3: “Enhanced” Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger soup, slow cooked the soup with chicken breast, peas, sweet potato, celery and carrots.

M4: Steve’s Original Paleo Kit

Hoping I can stick to the plan today and keep it clean. Happy Friday, y’all!

Round Two of the Tone It Up 5 Day Slim Down!

I’m headed home this coming Saturday and will see friends and family I haven’t seen since January (about the time I realized I had some uncomfortable weight to shed). So to prepare I’m diving into the 5 Day Slim Down again.

It’s incredible, tropical and oh-so-delicious. Filled with smoothies, pancakes, Caribbean dinners and more… That’s a SLIM DOWN? Yes. The last time I completed the 5DSD I lost four pounds. Better yet, I said goodbye to a handful of inches #ThatsWhatSheSaid #MaybeThatDidntMakeSense #ImGonnaSayItAnyway

Today I jump started the SD with a wicked awesome workout from the Nike Training Club app

45 minutes of butt-kicking and sweat-dripping really gets my day started off on the right foot. Never thought I’d say that.

Afterward, I mixed up my Bombshell Spell and Pineapple Protein Pancake (slash-waffle, since I’m obsessed with my recent purchase) and headed out the door to take my pup to the vet for some routine shots. Needless to say, Brodis was not pleased. I compensated by taking him for a long ride on a beautiful BEAUTIFUL day (but detoured for a bathing suit shopping trip. He was okay with that.)

After a successful stop, we headed back and I had my one piece and loved up on Brodis. We read some Wicked and laid out in the sun. I obviously had to take my new swimsuit for a spin, so he supervised and made sure I didn’t get sunburned.

The rest of the day goes as planned:

Tankini: Kevita

Lunch: Tempting Mango Chicken Wrap

Smoothie: Monkey’s Mango and Cream

Dinner: North Shore Garlic Chicken

If all goes well, I’ll get Blogilates‘ Drive By Inner Thigh Challenge in this evening (it’s a KILLER) and Sun Kissed Abs from my biggest inspiration, the Tone It Up ladies.

Here’s to Day 1 of the 5DSD!

Time to Tone it Up

My struggle with slimming down and toning up really started after Christmas when I saw photos of myself. (I’m on the left).

I was (of course I still am) just shy of 5’1″, 115lbs and had no muscle—it was all unhealthy weight on my body. To many of you, 115lbs probably doesn’t sound like much. On a short and slim-framed body that’s used to being slender, it was. Or at least it felt like it.

Something else to note. I smile. A lot. Like, ridiculously-a-lot. And because I carry so much weight in my face, I was ashamed to smile. A friend even called me “cheeky”. I know she didn’t mean any harm by it, but it reminded me what people saw when they looked at me. I didn’t want to be “Jubilant Jamie,” the girl who reminds you of Santa or some other jolly, well-padded figure. I wanted to be me. Most of all, I wanted to be proud to smile.

I joined the YMCA around January and worked my butt off, often working out three times a day. I became obsessed with counting calories—nearly panicking if I was near my limit for the day. All of the calculation and worry drained my confidence and social life, which were already squashed. So I hid out at home to avoid facing people and food. Around the time I started losing motivation and was ready to accept myself as a friendless hermit, I found Tone it Up (It’s a nutrition and fitness plan developed by Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn, which focuses not on calories and weight, but on nutrition and toning).

I didn’t take the plunge and buy the plan right away, but for months I followed the workouts and monthly calendars. Plus, the blog gave away juicy tidbits and tips from their plan that I gobbled up. (Har har.) After noticing some progress by just using the teasers, I figured it was worth it to go all-in. Best. Decision. Ever.

When you join the Tone it Up “Dream Team”, you don’t just get a meal plan. You get an entire community of support from other girls via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the TIU Community. A big plus is how active K&K are in the online discussions. More active and supportive than I would’ve imagined. Some people might wonder how impactful social media can be in helping to gain confidence and drop weight—they shouldn’t. It works. Girls from all over the globe form a network that motivates you not only to get fit, but to be happy.

After joining TIU, I saw my weight dropping, lean muscle building and my confidence soaring. I no longer hide at home. I itch to socialize and meet new people. And best of all, I love to smile again.

I still have a journey ahead of me, but the Dream Team is behind me. I just wish I knew how to thank them.

Pictures to come soon 🙂

Pew, Pew! Mind. Blown.

Part 1

I just ordered a product that could potentially change my life. Maybe I’m a little overdramatic, but I really like peanut butter. And I can’t ever eat it! For nearly 200 calories in two measly tablespoons, it’s just. Not. Worth it.

I’ve seen a lot of reviews on powdered peanut butter recently. Not familiar? Check this out. It’s only 45 calories per severing because they squished out the oil. And it comes in chocolate flavor, too. Hooray, light “Nutella”! Details and review to come.

Part 2

So it’s no secret I’m a Hungry Girl fan and I found what looked like the most delectable chicken recipe here. It’s found in her “We’re Loyal to Foil!” edition of her daily newsletter (if you’re not subscribed, you’re missing out!). But I amped up my game and put my own twist on the recipe to lower the cal count and size up my portions—so check out Hungry Girl’s recipe below, and you’ll see my changes highlighted in red.

Cha-Cha-Cherry BBQ Chicken Pack PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, about 1 cup): 294 calories, 2g fat, 874mg sodium, 33.5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 24.5g sugars, 34g protein — PointsPlus® value 7* My recipe, after alterations added up to 245 calories for the 4 oz of chicken, PLUS a box of frozen veggies with sauce (mentioned below). Ingredients: 10 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into strips (I only used 4 oz, since I just made it for myself, so go for 8 oz of chicken if you’re making this for two people. I did NOT cut it into strips. Instead I left them whole but beat them so they became thin) 1/8 tsp. salt, or more to taste 1/8 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste 1 cup sliced onion (about half an onion) (I just used some dried minced onion from my spice cabinet and didn’t use NEARLY as much as this recipe calls for) 1/2 cup unsweetened dark sweet cherries (about 16 cherries), thawed from frozen (Since I was only making it for myself, I used 1/4 c cherries but I didn’t even need that many. I also added 3 tablespoons of sugar free cherry preserves like this one from Smuckers, but again I didn’t end up using it all) 1/2 cup BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tbsp. serving (Instead of a BBQ sauce with 45 calories, I opted for Walden Farm’s Calorie Free BBQ sauce. It’s surprisingly good in moderation.) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a large baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Lay chicken strips (breast or tenderloins, in this case) in an even layer in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and evenly top with onion. Set aside. Roughly chop cherries, and then transfer to a bowl. Add BBQ sauce and mix well. Evenly pour cherry-BBQ mixture over the onion and chicken. Place another large piece of foil evenly over the baking sheet. Fold together and seal all four edges of the two foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked. Allow packet to cool for a few minutes, and then cut to release steam before opening it entirely. (Careful — steam will be hot.) If you like, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Time to chew! MAKES 2 SERVINGS (My recipe only made one serving, but like I said above, the ingredients for the cherry bbq sauce made almost twice as much as I needed to cover my chicken tenderloins)

I then paired it with the whole box of the Green Giant Antioxidant Blend of veggies that come tossed in an olive oil sauce. The most important part of all? This recipe was INCREDIBLE! I’m talking’… banging! The chicken was fork tender, the sauce was perfectly sweet. Couldn’t have asked for more. You did it again, Hungry Girl! P.S. I got my first “You look smaller!” comment since I’ve been working out and watching what I eat, yesterday. Cheers to getting skinny!

My Favorite Things: Fat Free Hummus

I’ve always loved hummus. I also enjoy hearty portions of the things I like to eat—so thanks to the hefty use of fattening ingredients, I’ve had a quasi-distant relationship with it. Until now!

Between the olive oil and tahini, the calories in this stuff can add up fast. On average, two tablespoons can pack 60-90 calories. And who stops at two tablespoons? Not this girl.

Cedar’s fat free hummus is only 25 per serving, so devouring it doesn’t cast a dark cloud over my dieting soul.

I tested the roasted red pepper variety and the first thing I noticed was a slight vinegary taste—which is awesome. I’ve been known to open up my cupboards just to get a sweet, sweet whiff of the apple cider vinegar inside.

So if you’re a vinegar fan, go for it! If you’re not, maybe I’m just a little too enthusiastic about that part so it sticks out in my memory, but you might not even notice it.

Besides the slightly sour undertone, it’s right on par with your average hummus. Creamy, flavorful and carrot’s favorite friend.

Either way, for just 25 cals, I say give it a shot! But be warned, it’s a tough product to come by. I found this at Whole Foods, but haven’t seen it elsewhere.

If you try it, I’d love to hear your own take on it.

Happy snacking!

One Sweet Day

If you don’t start the day off right, you’re asking for trouble. Put a little sweetness in your life with this coffee drink. It’s more like a dessert than anything else:

• Southern pecan flavored coffee (I use H.T. Trader’s from Harris Teeter, but any yummy flavor will do!)
• Torani sugar free caramel syrup (to taste)
• 1/2 c unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• Zero calorie brown sugar substitute (to taste)
• Dash of cinnamon

Mix it all up and enjoy every delicious sip. Basically, the only thing with any calories is the almond milk (45 calories in a cup). So drink up!

Here’s The Skinny

Here I Am

I’m 25, female and itching to shed some weight. I have a desk job that keeps me idle most of my day so staying active is tough.

This is My Momentum

This blog is for myself, and if it helps anyone get or stay on track, that’s a sweet bonus (and I love my sweets). Expect to see recipes, workout reviews, light/alternative food reviews and my physical progress (if I’m feeling share-y).

Get Fit

I’ve taken up membership at the Y and discovered they’ve got some pretty awesome programs. I’ve fallen in love (or hate, depending on my mood or sore muscles) with these classes:

• Zumba
• Cycling
• Ready 2 Dance
• Toning
• Body Power

Let’s Dish

I made a butt-kicking dinner tonight. Slow-Cookin’ Pulled Chicken from Hungry Girl. If you haven’t heard of this book series, daily newsletters and website yet, you’re missing out. Go look. Immediately. Now. Do it!  The whole premise revolves around the author and recipe creator who loves to eat. These recipes aren’t just light because they’re lame, or have tiny portions. The serving sizes are huge and the dishes are tasty—like super tasty. Here’s the pulled chicken au jour. For the full recipe, check it out here.

*This image and the ingredients are directly pulled from the Hungry Girl Newsletter linked above*

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 149 calories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste

I skinni-fied this even more by substituting ketchup with this handy reduced sugar ketchup (saves 15 calories per tablespoon, and replaced brown sugar with Kroger’s brown baking sweetener so the calorie value is a bit less. Then I tossed the meaty deliciousness between two slices of Nature’s Own Light Honey Wheat toasted bread. And zomg, it was delish.

Here’s to getting skinny.