Transparency Part 2 (Erin)

Over the next four days I will be posting my meals/work outs again. I need the accountability. This weekend was FULL of splurges. It's time to get back on track.

My focus has been left of center lately, mostly because of stress and emotions. Saturday I went to yoga in an effort to snap myself back in line. It was the beginning, for sure, but not the perfect solution.

One thing I love about yoga is the way it teaches you to be in the present moment. Every time your mind wanders to a future worry or a past regret or even your to-do list, you are supposed to guide it back to the present and just breathe. So simple. So healthy. But so abnormal when you consider the speed we run at on a daily basis. 

The simplest things, like being mindful of your breathing and aligning your body, can make a huge difference in awareness and energy level. This week I may get into that a little deeper as I post daily.

Back to the stress. My response to stress and being off track is planning. I'm Type A, it's what we do to take hold of the reins again. 

Today I did my grocery shopping for the next several days and prepared lunches in advance. I'm having Cooking Light's chili mac with kale salad for lunch. I also gathered a ton of fruits and veggies to pack my days with nutrition. 

Work is hectic. Three coworkers left in quick succession of each other, and I have been tasked with their old duties. So now I'm essentially working FOUR jobs at the office. Because I'm stressed, my weakness with eating out has been especially hard. So I'm making it as easy as possible to stay on track by pre-packing meals and snacks for the day.

Here are a few good recipes I've stumbled across lately:

--Whole Foods has me sold on avocado kale salad. They were handing out samples when I went shopping over the weekend. It was the first time I've tried kale, and I am now a fan. According to some things I've read,  kale is known for anti-cancer benefits and lowering cholesterol. It's high in Vitamin K (so don't take it with anticoagulant drugs, apparently, and don't take it with calcium-rich foods because it can interfere with absorption of calcium).

2 lbs chopped kale

1/2 lb (8oz) red onion sliced thinly

3 avocado (reserve one and chop)

3 peeled lemons

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

Wash kale 
Puree 2 avocados, lemons, and salt/pepper (add a little water to thin, if necessary)
Chop one avocado and thinly slice the red onion
Add pureed "dressing" and onion to kale 
Mix to coat all kale, massaging to soften greens
Add the chopped avocado and chill

--Chocolate sauce for fruit!

Dark chocolate is great for you in moderation. So...why not melt it and drizzle it over fruit? It's a nice treat, I think...

--Smoothies...all of them...any kind...

I am on a smoothie kick. This week I'll post recipes and reviews as I try a couple of new smoothies for breakfast. On the menu: blueberry as well as apple smoothies.

On a random note, I've noticed my feet are tense lately. Running comes with its side effects. I've been advised to roll my feet around on a tennis ball to make the muscles release and ease up. If you have similar issues, maybe you can try that with me. It seems like a simple, cheap solution.

Stay motivated! Here's to a new day tomorrow!

According to WebMD:

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Lately (Erin)

Ok, ok...I'm going to try to be a better blogger. Really. This is crazy -- it has been almost two weeks since I last blogged.

This is going to be quick and dirty. Ready? Here we go.

Here are two of the best things I've tried in terms of new food lately. First of all, Lean Cuisine now makes salad additions! I am not a huge fan of salad, because it usually just seems like a snack; however, this was filling! It throws in a nice dressing with chicken and veggies. I need more green veggies in my life, so between this spinach salad and my breakfast smoothie with spinach I can eat my way through a large container of spinach in a work week. Easily. This was really good! When I went back to buy another, I noticed they were out of the mexican style additions. If you see one, grab it!

  

I also tried these saute express meal helpers. They blend butter, olive oil, and herbs. Pretty good! I cooked chicken and veggies in the Italian Herb flavor -- really flavorful! And simple!

AND of course we need to talk about working out. I've made these goals for the week:

AND I've decided to incorporate two interval training sessions in place of the 2 inside runs. 'They' say interval training is more efficient at burning fat than keeping a steady pace for a long length of time.

I found an interval mix by Jamie Eason that uses the stepmill, treadmill, upright bike, and a few lower-body exercises. It is INTENSE! You do 3-5 minutes on each of the six exercises and repeat the cycle three times. Pretty hardcore. BUT you can find one the interval mix that works for you -- like everything else in life, it is probably just a Google search away.

Hope everyone is doing well! Here's to being a more consistent blogger!

New Year! (Erin)