Menu Monday - What Is A Whole Food?

Since one of my goals for this contest is too eat more whole foods, I was thinking I would post an ingredient journal on Mondays. That way I could keep an eye on things and see (actually see, visually, in the length of the ingredient list) how I am doing. For each meal, I'll list the "menu" followed by all of the ingredients. If you don't want to look through all the ingredients today, please skip to the bottom to discuss what constitutes a whole food.

Today's Menu

Post Workout
whey protein powder
creatine
water

Ingredients:
Whey Protein Isolate, Salt, Lecithin, Sucralose, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Carbogen, Enzyme Matrix™ (lactase, lipase, Bromelain, Glucoamylase, Invertase, Alpha-Galactosidase, Protease 3.0, Peptidase, Amylase, Protease 4.5, Protease 6.0, Protease AM, CereCalase), Aminogen (Patented Bioactive Polypeptide enzyme system)

creatine monohydrate

Breakfast
pumpkin oatmeal
water

Ingredients:
oatmeal
pumpkin
walnuts
cinnamon
Stevia packet (inulin fiber, Stevia)

milk and egg protein (Protein Blend [Calcium Caseinate, Egg White, Whey Protein Isolate], Vitamin and Mineral Blend [Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Ferric Orthophosphate, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, Vitamin A Palmitate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Ergocalciferol, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Cyanocobalamin], Natural and Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Papain, Bromelain, Sucralose)

unsweetened almond milk (purified water, almonds, tapioca starch, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, D-alpha-tocopherol [natural vitamin E])

Lunch
Bhoona over brown rice (from Eat Clean Diet for Men), fresh muskmelon, diet pepsi

Ingredients:
bison stew meat
tomato
pineapple
garlic
onion
rice vinegar (water, rice)
olive oil
garam masala (salt, spices, autolyzed yeast extract, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, red pepper)
chili powder (chili pepper, spices, salt, silicon dioxide [to make free flowing], garlic)
organic coconut milk (organic coconut, water, less than 1% guar gum)
brown rice
muskmelon
diet pepsi (carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor)

Snack
plain yogurt with berries, diet pepsi and water

Ingredients:
yogurt (cultured grade A nonfat milk, pectin)
strawberries
raspberries
Stevia packet (inulin fiber, Stevia)

diet pepsi (carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor)

Dinner
Tomato pie, corn on the cob, fresh pineapple, diet pepsi

Ingredients:
flax seeds
almond flour (blanched almonds)
egg white
salt
tomatoes
basil
oregano
olive oil
Dijon mustard (water, mustard seed, vinegar, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices)
Gruyere cheese (pasteurized milk, culture, enzymes, and salt)
sweet corn
pineapple
diet pepsi (carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor)

Snack
homemade berry cobbler, small scoop of fat free, sugar free vanilla ice cream

Ingredients:
coconut oil (100% raw organic unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin coconut oil)
agave nectar (100% pure agave nectar)
spelt flour
oatmeal
flaxseeds
vanilla extract (vanilla bean, extractives in water, alcohol [35%], corn syrup)
almond extract (water, alcohol, almond oil)
cinnamon
sea salt
ginger
baking powder (corn starch, bicarbonate of soda, sodium aluminum sulfate, acid phosphate of calcium)
blackberries
cherries
blueberries
unsweetened vanilla almond milk (purified water, almonds, tapioca starch, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, D-alpha-tocopherol [natural vitamin E])

ice cream (nonfat milk, maltodextrin, sorbitol, whey, polydextrose, whey protein concentrate, glycerine, mono and diglycerides, natural and artificial vanilla flavor, locust bean gum, cellulose gum, guar gum, cornstarch, polysorbate 80, carrageenan, sucralose, vitamin A palmitate)

So here's the tally for today:

Whole foods (foods with ONLY 1 ingredient): 36
Other foods (foods with more than 1 ingredient): 13
On the fence foods (natural, but more than 1 ingredient): 6

The numbers above include the food each time it is used. For example, today I had tomatoes in 2 recipes, so I get 2 whole foods. Conversely, I had 3 cans of diet pepsi, so that's 3 "other" foods. I am not counting water, because I drink that throughout the day, and not just where I've noted it here. Also, I am putting things like spelt flour, cinnamon and oatmeal in the whole foods group, even though they are technically processed. I'm not grinding my own grain or spices. :) Unless they have other ingredients added to them (such as the garam masala), then they become "other" foods.

So What Is A Whole Food?
I was a little torn on items like the cheese, yogurt and rice vinegar. If I follow my own rules, they are an "other" food. But the cheese is made with pasteurized milk, culture, enzymes, and salt. Is cheese a "whole food"? How should I define whole food?

I want the food to be close to it's natural state. Take the yogurt for example - made with just milk and pectin. Two natural foods, but I should I put it under "other" because it has more than one ingredient? We could argue that the milk is processed, but let's not. :) And the Stevia packet - inulin and Stevia - whole food or not?

These thoughts created the third catagory - "on the fence" foods.

Anyone have an opinion on how I should add things up?

Here We Go Again....

I'm joining another Turbulence Training Transformation Contest! (You didn't think I could stay away forever, did you?) My first day is TOMORROW!! I'm taking Before pictures early, early tomorrow morning. Even before going to the gym! I think my eyes will be open in the pictures. :)

If you are interested in joining me, please check out the rules here ==> Transformation Contest Rules

If you complete the 6th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest, and submit Before and After photos and a 300-word essay, you will receive SIX MONTHS FREE to the TT Members website (which includes the discussion forums and new workouts every month). That is a fantastic prize, and the only thing you have to do is complete the 12-week contest. EVERYONE who finishes (and submits their photos and essay) gets that! At least go check out the rules...

You have until September 18 to think about it... ;)

Here are my goals for the next 12 weeks:

Primary Goals
Eat healthfully and mindfully, with foods more in their natural state

To NOT use Fitday*

Complete every TT workout to the best of my ability

Run 15-20 miles (at minimum) per week

Complete two 5K races, with at least one of them under 30 minutes

*As I've said before, I think Fitday is a fantastic tool for someone who is a beginner, or is not likely to be obsessive/compulsive about it. It was becoming a little OCD for me.

Secondary Goals
Lose 5 pounds of fat (mostly from abs and thighs)

Reduce consumption of diet soda


The workout I chose to start the contest with is TT for Athletes. It's an older TT workout, but I liked the way it had a couple of optional interval days that I could use to instead work on my endurance running. It's mostly bodyweight exercises, with a couple of optional weighted exercises.

So my week looks like this:

Monday: TT for Athletes, Workout A

Tuesday: TT Intervals

Wednesday: TT for Athletes, Workout B*

Thursday: OFF*

Friday: TT for Athletes, Workout C

Saturday: 5-7 mile run

Sunday: OFF

*My gym is getting all new equipment and they are closed this week on Wednesday and Thursday to clean the area and install the new equipment. Since it's mostly BW exercises, I can do workout B at home. Next week I will probably add a short run on Wednesday (as the TT workout seems like it will be short), and will run 3 to 4 miles on Thursday. If the stars align right, I may run 3-4 miles this Thursday. :)

So that's it for now. Remember, if you want to check out the rules for the contest, you can do so here ==> Transformation Contest Rules

See you on the forums! :)

Racing Results!

Weeeeellllllll......Not EXACTLY the result I was looking for, but I still set a new personal best in a race. I started near the back (so I wouldn't get run over) but that may have been a mistake. I started off slower than I intended because we were kind of crunched, and it was hard to pass at first. I felt really good the entire race, and I didn't have to stop and walk at all. I ran really hard at the end and managed to cross the finish line without vomiting. Although I did gag 3 times. :) But....I didn't make it under 30 minutes.

My official time was 31:15, with a pace of 10:04. I finished 192/480 overall; 92/317 total women; and 16/52 women in my age division. Very happy with those results!!

There's another 5K next Monday on Labor Day, but I haven't decided if I will enter. I'm going to check it out though. :)

Week In Review

Today I picked up my bib and timing chip for the race tomorrow. I'm getting a little nervous because it's my first "real" chip-timed race. There will be 500 people running the 5K, and so this will also be my first race that will most likely have a large audience.

I felt really good running this week. My nutrition was pretty good, aside from the bit of sugar free, fat free ice cream I had. :)

Here's how this week's training went:

Saturday: Ran outside for 5 miles. It felt pretty good, and I was proud of my time. It was a run full of adventure, though. I almost stepped on a cicada, nearly got hit by a bee in flight, and even got honked at twice, followed by one "Hey Baby!" (And I wasn't even wearing my short shorts.) 5 miles/51:43

Sunday: 1 mile warm up, 1 mile run, 1/2 mile cool down. I warmed up more than I usually do on Sundays and this was my fastest Sunday mile yet. First week was 11:15, second was 10:12, third was 9:55, and this week was 9:25. 2.5 miles/28:57

Monday: Today I was supposed to run 5K on a treadmill at my target pace. I warmed up for 12 minutes before I started the 5K. I made it 1.5 miles, then walked for 1 minute, then ran 1.6 more miles at my target pace. So I completed the 5K in less than 29 minutes, but had to walk for a minute. Which I think is OK. :) 4.69 miles/50:00

Tuesday: 3 miles at an "easy" pace. 3.22 miles/40:00

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: OFF

Friday: I wanted to do a 1-2 mile run today, just to loosen up my legs. At least, I think that's the reason. I got this "week before race" plan somewhere online, and I think that's what they said about running a couple miles on the Friday before the race. So I did an easy 1.52 miles this morning, and it felt really good! 1.52 miles/15:38

Total Weekly Miles: 16.93 miles

I went back to compare my weekly miles, with how long I spent running them (because I'm nerdy like that) and found that:

Week 1 - 18.29 miles - 3:51:04 (average of 12:38 per mile)
Week 2 - 19.165 miles - 3:40:22 (average of 11:24 per mile)
Week 3 - 21.36 miles - 4:02:11 (average of 11:20 per mile)
Week 4 - 16.93 miles - 3:06:18 (average of 11:00 per mile)

Whoo-hoo! I can be pretty number-driven sometimes, so it's nice to see improvement by the numbers. Gee, I hope I did the math right!

Tomorrow is the big day - wish me luck! Better yet, wish for me not to vomit on the finish line! :)

Recipe Wednesday - Monte Cristo Sandwich

This is adapted from the current issue of Clean Eating magazine. I made just a couple changes and had it last night for dinner. It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. (Not kidding!)

Monte Cristo Sandwich

2 slices whole grain bread
3 oz turkey cutlet, extra lean
1 slice reduced fat pepperjack cheese
6-8 spinach leaves
thin slices of red onion (however many you like)
2 thin slices tomato
small apple
1 tsp Dijon mustard or dijonnaise
1/4 cup egg whites
1 Tablespoon skim milk
1/2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
dried oregano
cayenne pepper

1. Place turkey cutlet on a plate and rub both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle one side with a little salt, pepper and oregano. Roll the oregano with your fingertips first to help release the flavor.

2. Place seasoned side down in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until cooked through. Set aside for now.

3. In a shallow dish, mix together egg whites, skim milk and a sprinkle of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

4. Cut the apple into 8-10 wedges. Cut one of the wedges into thin slices. Eat the remaining apple with your sandwich.

4. Lay both slices of bread on your work surface. On one slice, spread the Dijon mustard (I used dijonnaise because we had that on hand and were out of regular Dijon mustard.)

5. On top of the mustard, layer the tomato, red onion, apple slices, spinach, cheese, and finally the turkey cutlet. Do not put on the top slice of bread just yet.

6. Make sure your skillet is hot (spray with nonstick spray, if necessary) and place the bread with all the toppings on it into the egg whites. Let sit for a couple seconds, then, using a turner,* remove the sandwich and place in the hot pan. Next, place the top slice of bread into the egg whites for a couple seconds, then remove and place on top of the sandwich, egg white side up. Cook each side for a few minutes, until the bread is browned and toasty.

*It's called a turner. It's not called a spatula. Just one of my pet peeves. :)


Sandwich has approximately:

363 calories
42.6g protein
11.9g fat
18.7g carbs
6.7g fiber

Ingredient Experiment - Day 2

Not sure if I did better today. Here's how it went:

Post Workout
whey protein powder: GPC protein blend (cross-flow ultrafiltration whey protein concentrate, cross-flow microfiltration whey protein isolate), medium chain triglycerides, L-glutamine, cocoa (processed with alkali), rice bran, oat fiber, inulin, natural and artificial flavors, cellulose powder, soy lecithin, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, sucralose
creatine
water

Breakfast
oat bran
wheat bran
cinnamon
walnuts
dash salt
1 packet of Stevia: inulin fiber, Stevia
whey protein: GPC protein blend (cross-flow ultrafiltration whey protein concentrate, cross-flow microfiltration whey protein isolate), medium chain triglycerides, L-glutamine, inulin, rice bran, natural and artificial flavors, oat fiber, soy lecithin, cellulose powder, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, sucralose
applesauce (unsweetened): apples, water, ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Almond Breeze (original unsweetened): purified water, almonds, tapioca starch, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, D-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin E)
water

Snack
homemade blueberry walnut bread: whole wheat flour, quinoa flour, flax seeds, banana, egg whites, agave nectar, coconut milk beverage (coconut cream [water, coconut, guar gum], calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D-2, L-Selenomethonine [selenium], zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin B-12), baking soda, blueberries, walnuts, sea salt, cinnamon
water
Steamer: made with skim milk (grade A pasteurized nonfat milk, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3), splash of sugar free caramel syrup* (purified water, natural flavors, acesulfame potassium, citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, sucralose), cinnamon

*These ingredients are for the sugar free caramel syrup I have at home, which is not the same brand as the coffee shop at work. However, I suspect they are pretty similar.

Lunch
homemade chicken barley stew: chicken breast, pearled barley, black eyed peas, potatoes, carrots, red onion, garlic, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, reduced sodium fat free chicken broth (chicken stock, salt, flavoring, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, celery juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate, onion juice concentrate)
spinach
tomato
cucumber
egg (hard boiled)
organic french dressing: canola oil, water, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, sugar, sea salt, xanthan gum, garlic powder
Diet Pepsi: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor

Snack
plain, nonfat yogurt: cultured grade A nonfat milk, pectin
strawberries
blueberries
almonds
1 packet Splenda: dextrose, maltodextrin, sucralose
Diet Pepsi*: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor

*Trying to phase out this snack soda. It's like weaning a baby off of the bottle - one at a time. I got rid of the evening soda (caffeine free) first, then the one with breakfast. I don't drink this one everyday; it's a work in progress.

Dinner
homemade Monte Crisco sandwich: Sprouted wheat bread (organic sprouted grains of wheat, water, unbleached flour, gluten flour, honey, yeast, molasses, salt), turkey cutlet, apple slices, spinach, red onion, reduced fat pepperjack cheese (pasteurized reduced fat milk, hot peppers [jalapeno, habanero], cheese culture, salt, enzymes, vitamin A palmitate, natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]), egg whites, tiny bit of dijonnaise (water, vinegar, mustard seed, soybean oil, modified corn starch, salt, sugar, egg whites, xanthan gum, color added, natural flavor, spice, (sodium benzoate, calcium disodium EDTA) paprika, white wine, citric acid, yellow 5, tartaric acid, paprika oleoresin, turmeric)
whole dill pickle: fresh cucumber, water, distilled vinegar, salt, high fructose corn syrup (in pickles, really?), dried garlic, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate, spice, mustard seed, natural flavor, dried red peppers, polysorbate 80
broccoli
musk melon
Diet Pepsi: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor

Snack
The kids wanted chocolate pudding so, like the good mommy I am, I made:

sugar free chocolate pudding: modified cornstarch, cocoa (processed with alkali), maltodextrin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, disodium phosphate, natural and artificial flavor, salt, soy lecithin, calcium sulfate, xanthan gum, mono- and diglycerides, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, red 40, yellow 5*, blue 2**, artifical color, BHA
made with coconut milk beverage: (coconut cream [water, coconut, guar gum], calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D-2, L-Selenomethonine [selenium], zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin B-12)

Please note:
*linked to learning and concentration disorders in children
**loosely linked to cancers in animal studies
Source: Eat This Not That Supermarket Survival Guide

And I fed this to my children. Feeling the crushing guilt.

To our pudding, I added:
sliced banana
teaspoon of peanut butter: peanuts and salt

This concludes the experiment for this week. It's been very interesting to see how the ingredients start to stack up. I think I may continue to try this once a week or so, just to check in on how I'm doing. We'll see how things go! :)

What EXACTLY Are You Eating?

OK, I'm totally taking this from today's post from Scott Colby's blog. He proposes to keep an ingredient journal, instead of just a food journal. Now I am trying to NOT be neurotic and to NOT count every calorie, but I AM trying to eat more real, unprocessed foods. I think I will give this a try for just a couple days, only to see what I actually am putting into my body.

So here is the list today:

Post Workout
whey protein: GPC protein blend (cross-flow ultrafiltration* whey protein concentrate, cross-flow microfiltration* whey protein isolate), medium chain triglycerides, L-glutamine, cocoa (processed with alkali), rice bran, oat fiber, inulin, natural and artificial flavors, cellulose powder, soy lecithin, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, sucralose
creatine
water

*I have no idea what this means. :)

Breakfast
egg whites
homemade blueberry walnut bread: whole wheat flour, quinoa flour, flax seeds, banana, egg whites, agave nectar, coconut milk beverage (coconut cream [water, coconut, guar gum], calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D-2, L-Selenomethonine [selenium], zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin B-12), baking soda, blueberries, walnuts, sea salt, cinnamon
water

Lunch
Turkey sandwich: wheat sub roll*, deli sliced turkey*, provolone cheese slice*, tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, red onion, light mayo packet (water, soybean oil, modified food starch, egg yolks, vinegar, salt, eggs, mustard flour, potassium sorbate, calcium disodium EDTA, phosphoric acid, DL-Alpha tocopheryl acetate [vitamin E], oleoresin paprika, artificial flavor, phylloquinone [vitamin K1])
Diet Coke: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, natural flavor, citric acid, caffeine (and apparently saccharin is in Coke from a fountain, which I did not know)

*Got the sandwich in the cafeteria so I do not know the ingredients for the bread, meat or cheese. I assume the deli turkey contains water, and I'm sure the cheese, at the very least contains milk, enzymes and salt.

Snack
plain, nonfat yogurt: cultured grade A nonfat milk, pectin
strawberries
raspberries
walnuts
whey protein: GPC protein blend (cross-flow ultrafiltration whey protein concentrate, cross-flow microfiltration whey protein isolate), medium chain triglycerides, L-glutamine, inulin, rice bran, natural and artificial flavors, oat fiber, soy lecithin, cellulose powder, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, sucralose
1 packet Splenda: dextrose, maltodextrin, sucralose
Diet Pepsi: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor

Dinner
Boca Grilled Vegetable Burger Patty: water, soy protein concentrate, red bell peppers, corn, zucchini, green bell peppers, onions, wheat gluten, asiago cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), dried garlic, methylcellulose, salt, dried onions, autolyzed yeast extract, caramel color, natural flavor (non-meat), spice, dextrose
cheddar cheese: pasteurized milk, culture, enzymes, salt
salsa: crushed tomatoes (water, concentrated crushed tomatoes), fresh onions, fresh jalapeno peppers, diced tomatoes in tomato juice, distilled vinegar, salt, dehydrated onions, garlic and natural flavorings
1 egg
egg whites
Sprouted wheat bread: organic sprouted grains of wheat, water, unbleached flour, gluten flour, honey, yeast, molasses, salt
peanut butter: peanuts, salt
apple butter: ground apples, white grape concentrate, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, salt
cauliflower
musk melon
Diet Pepsi: carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor

It looks like I ate an amazing amount of food for dinner, but it was just a omelet with a crumbled Boca burger, salsa and a tiny sprinkle of cheese, 1 slice of toast with a little pb and apple butter, 2/3 cup of cauliflower, and about 1/8 of a musk melon.

Snack
water
musk melon
almonds
homemade blueberry walnut bread: whole wheat flour, quinoa flour, flax seeds, banana, egg whites, agave nectar, coconut milk beverage (coconut cream [water, coconut, guar gum], calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D-2, L-Selenomethonine [selenium], zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin B-12), baking soda, blueberries, walnuts, sea salt, cinnamon

Yikes, that's a lot of "stuff". Let's see if I can do better tomorrow. :)

Turbulence Training Contest Voting Has Begun

The finalists have been chosen and now it's time to vote! They all have worked really hard, so if you have a minute, please go and vote for whomever you think had the best 12 week Turbulence Training Transformation!

Click here to vote ==> Transformation Contest Voting

I have to admit, I looked over a couple of the male finalists for quite a while before making my choice. ;) And I had trouble voting for the female finalists - they all look great!

Voting will close on Wednesday, August 26, at 9:00pm ET.

Week In Review - What Goes Around Comes Around

This week's lesson: If you eat like crap, you run like crap.

Work was a little stressful this week, and while I am usually pretty good about it, this week I found myself in a meet-and-greet with a bowlful of peanut m&m's. On more than one occasion. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty. But I did learn a lesson. My morning runs did not feel that great the day after a peanut m&m lovefest.

Here's how the week went:

Saturday: The week started out really well. 6 miles/1:08:38

Sunday: 1/2 mile warm up, 1 mile run, cool down. 1.75 miles/19:33

Monday: 4.09 miles/45:00/TT 2K6 Workout B (later in day)

Tuesday: 8 minute warm up, 3 x 1200 at race pace (6:45 each), 2 min walk in between, cool down. I felt like I could have done 4 x 1200, but I ran out of time because I got to the gym late. 3.34 miles/37:00

Wednesday: 11 minute warm up, 2 miles at race pace (18:00), cool down. 3.24 miles/35:00.TT 2K6 Workout A (after running)

Thursday: OFF

Friday: 11 minute warm up, speed drills like the previous 2 Fridays, but this week was 10-10-5 (x6), followed by 10-10-15 (x3) for a total of 9 intervals with a 1 minute walk between each. I don't think I will be doing my TT workout tonight. Was at work really late and I have a lot to do around the house before I can get to bed! 2.84 miles/37:00

Total Weekly Miles: 21.26 miles

I think I did OK increasing my miles this week. My first week was 18.29 miles, my second week was 19.175 miles, and now this week is just a hair over 10% more of last week, so I think I'm doing this right! :) However, next week my miles will be a little bit reduced, closer to 15 or 16 miles. It's the last week before my race!

This was my last week for TT 2K6. I really liked it. It was a nice complement to my increased running. Next week I am only running. Tomorrow I plan on running 5 miles, then my usual warm up plus 1 mile on Sunday (might complete that last TT workout too), then Monday I am going to attempt 5K at race pace. Tuesday's plan is for a 3 mile easy run, then off on Wedneday and Thursday. Friday I want to do 1 or 2 miles, then Saturday is race day! That sure went fast!!

And there will be clean eating all week!!!! I may try "The Flash Diet" again and start taking pictures of my meals. Helps with accountability!

Finally, Turbulence Training Transformation Contest Finalists are supposed to be announced very soon so get your voting fingers ready!! :)

Recipe Wednesday - Doughnuts!!

As promised, I'm back with a recipe for doughnuts. I'm still tinkering, though, so look for another doughnut recipe in the future! :) These were really good, and kid approved! You will need a doughnut pan for this recipe.

For the Doughnuts

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup ricotta cheese (low fat or fat free)
1/4 cup Splenda
dash of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk (or milk substitute)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the doughnut pan with nonstick spray.

2. Mix the first four (dry) ingredients in a small bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, blend the remaining ingredients. Instead of milk, I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage, mostly because I had it on hand.

4. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until just blended.

5. Place the batter into a quart size zip-top baggie. Snip a corner off the bottom to pipe the batter into the doughnut pan.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 15 doughnuts that are about 2.5" in diameter. Frost with frosting recipe below, if desired.


For the Frosting

2 Tablespoons whipped butter
1/4 cup ricotta cheese (low fat or fat free)
2 packets Stevia
5 packets Splenda
1 scoop Milk and Egg Protein
dash sea salt
3-4 Tablespoons water

1. Blend the butter, ricotta, salt and sweeteners until smooth. Beat in the Milk and Egg Protein as best as you can. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. I think you could add more water if you wanted more of a glaze, rather than a frosting, but I've never tried doing that.

This makes a frosting that is not super sweet. Adjust the sweetener to your tastes. I store these in the fridge since the frosting recipe contains dairy. And I think they taste better after they sit in the fridge overnight.

Assuming 15 doughnuts, made with fat free ricotta, each one has approximately:

57 calories
3.2g protein
0.5g fat
10.6g carbs
1.7g fiber


Assuming you use all the frosting, each one has approximately:

67 calories
3.6g protein
1.3g fat
11.1g carbs
1.8g fiber


The sprinkles were also kid approved! :)

Happy Belated Elvis Week!

Darn it all, I missed National Elvis Week again. (It was last week - I think I missed it by a week last year too.) So, in honor of the King, here's a few Fun Facts I found around the internet. I can't confirm they are all true, just that I found them online. :)


Fun "Health" Facts About Elvis

His favorite drink was Pepsi
His favorite toothpaste was Colgate
His favorite games were Monopoly, Scrabble and Yahtzee
His favorite pie was lemon meringue
He was a natural blond; he dyed his hair black
He liked roller coasters
He wore a size 11 shoe
He liked to collect police badges
He weighed 5 lbs at birth
He liked his meat cooked "burnt"
His favorite sandwich was fried peanut butter and banana (made like a grilled cheese sandwich)
He died at Graceland on August 16, 1977, while sitting in his bathroom reading
In Switzerland, it's illegal to dress up as Elvis and mow your lawn

So go and celebrate with some "Skinny Elvis" ice cream or put on your Blue Suede Shoes and dance with the kids. (Could this get any cornier?) :)

Seriously, the PB and Nanner sandwich sounds pretty good. Whole grain bread, natural pb, sliced banana, lightly grilled....mmmmm.....

Week In Review

Wow, it was a really busy week this week. Sorry about missing Recipe Wednesday. It was one of those nights where I had to choose between posting a recipe and sleep. I chose sleep. ;)

Diet has been good this week. I started using unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze in my morning oatmeal, just to try something different and it was really good. Also got the kids hooked on unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze. :) This week I am experimenting with So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage. We'll see how that goes!

Training this week went really well. I know my times aren't real fast, but I feel like I am making really meaningful improvements.

Saturday: This was the day I got stuck in the rain while trying to run the course for the upcoming race. My average mile was 10:50, but I had a 15 minute break in the middle while waiting for the rain to pass. Total 5.13 miles/55:40

Sunday: 1/2 mile warm up, then 1 mile, then a quick cool down. 1.625 miles/18:53

Monday: 1/2 mile warm up, followed by 1.5 miles at an attempted race pace. I'm having trouble finding "race pace" while not on a treadmill, but this run felt pretty good. I did those two miles in 19:32 (average 9:46 per mile), then slowly jogged just under a half mile for a cool down. 2.43 miles/24:35/TT 2K6 Workout A (after running)

Tuesday: 1 mile warm up, 3x800 at race pace (4:30) with a 2 minute walk in between, then cool down. I wanted to do 4x800, but ran out of time. 3.27 miles/40:00

Wednesday: Finally got back to the course for the upcoming race and ran it after work, plus an extra mile. The course has a big hill in the beginning, and then right before the finish line, there are stairs (up, then down). YIKES. My legs are not going to like those stairs at the end. I was really pushing to finish in less than 45 minutes, but I did it! (average 10:41 per mile) 4.2 miles/44:54/TT 2K6 Workout B (in the morning)

Thursday: OFF

Friday: Did the same speed drill as last week. Walked for 3 minutes, jogged for 8 minutes, then ran for 10 seconds, ran faster for 10 seconds, ran faster yet for 5 seconds, then walked for 1 minute and then repeated that 3 more times. After that, I ran for 10 seconds, ran faster for 10 seconds, ran faster yet for 10 seconds, then walked for 1 minute and then repeated that 2 more times (total of 7 intervals). Cool down was jogging 8 minutes and then walking for 5 minutes. 2.52 miles/34:00/TT 2K6 Workout A (later in the day)

Total Weekly Miles: 19.175 miles

Today I ran for 6 whole miles! Whoo-hoo! Two weeks ago I ran 5.8 miles with a time of 1:19:49 (average 13:46 per mile) so I made my goal today to run 6 miles in less than 1:15:00. I got started a little later than I intended so the sun was higher than I had hoped, but the run felt good. I realized it takes me a good 15 to 20 minutes to hit my stride. (Note to self: warm up 15-20 minutes on race day.) At 3 miles my time was around 34 minutes, so I was feeling good about coming in under my goal time. My final time was 1:08:38! I was so excited about that time! I was especially excited that my 6th mile had a time of 11:08. My average mile time for all 6 miles was 11:24. Much better than my average from 2 weeks ago.

Off now to do a million things! LOL OK, maybe it just seems like a million things, but this weekend is jam-packed!

Finally, a big Happy Anniversary to my parents who are celebrating their 40 Year Anniversary this weekend!!!

Week In Review - Honk If You Love Pluto!

What a great week! Training went well, diet went well - just felt great! Ever since I have been back from vacation, my diet really has been falling into place. I haven't been counting calories at all, and I'm even down a few pounds!

Before vacation, I had started feeling a little out of control. I was eating a few things I shouldn't have been eating in great quantities (i.e., graham crackers, ice cream). I don't know if my new balance has to do with eating more fruits and veggies from the farmer's market, getting more sleep, running more, or if it's something hormonal dealing with leptin, serotonin, cortisol, or whatever. Probably a combination of all of the above, but everything has been great since vacation - so when in doubt, take a vacation! :)

Running went well this week. My legs didn't feel overly sore, and it didn't feel like it was too much. I did modify my plan slightly, so here's what I did (distance and times include warm up and cool down):

Saturday - 5.8 miles/1:19:49

Sunday - 1 mile/11:15

Monday - 4.18 miles/48:00/TT 2K6 B (later)

Tuesday - 4x400 (2:15 each)/3.17 miles/40:00

Wednesday - TT 2K6 A/1 mile (9:00)/2.14 miles total/25:00

Thursday - OFF

Friday - speed drill (see below)/2.00 miles/27:00/TT 2K6 B

Total miles for the week: 18.29 miles

The speed drill is something I found online and decided to try. I walked for 3 minutes, jogged for 8 minutes, then ran for 10 seconds, ran faster for 10 seconds, ran faster yet for 5 seconds, then walked for 1 to 2 minutes and then repeated that 2 more times. Cool down was the reverse of the warm up - jogging 8 minutes and walking for 3 minutes. I had enough time afterward to complete my Turbulence Training workout so I didn't have to do it later in the day. Next week, I will do more repeats so probably won't have time for the TT workout before I have to leave the gym, so I will do it later in the day.

This morning's workout was a 5 mile run. I parked in a ramp near the farmer's market and then ran 1 mile to where the 5K race will be in a couple weeks. I wanted to test out the course. :) There was just one little problem - it started pouring rain (complete with lightening and thunder) about half way through. I stopped in a bus shelter and waited for about 15 minutes, then finally decided to head back. It was still raining (not quite pouring) and by the time I got back to the car, I was soaked. Still, the run felt good, and I feel like my running form is improving. It ended up being 5.13 miles, and it took me 55:40, not including the time I spent in the bus shelter. A much faster average than last week's 5.8 mile run. I'll give this another try next week.

Then I did my shopping at the farmer's market. Luckily, I brought some dry clothes! As I was leaving the parking ramp, I saw my new favorite bumper sticker: "Honk if Pluto's still a Planet."

Honk! Honk! :)

Recipe Wednesday - Turkey Loaf Surprise

This is my adaption of the Turkey Loaf in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. The kids won't touch it with a 10 foot pole, though. My son asked what the green stuff was and I told him it was salad. He says "I don't like salad" even though he was eating leaves out of my salad bowl just a few nights earlier. He did finally eat some of the turkey. :)

Turkey Loaf Surprise

20 oz package of extra lean ground turkey breast
10 oz package of frozen spinach
1/4 large red onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, cooked then chopped
1/4 cup mashed sweet potato (optional)
1/3 cup oat bran
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon tomato paste, mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook the spinach according to package directions. I place mine in a microwave safe dish with 1 Tablespoon water. Put on a lid and microwave for about 2 and half minutes. Stir and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes more. Place spinach in a colander over a bowl to drain. Set aside for now.

3. Do the same thing with the carrot. I read somewhere cooking carrots whole and then cutting them retains more nutrients so I nuke them whole and then cut them up. Not sure if nuking them is the best thing, though! :) Cook the carrot until it is soft and then roughly chop.

4. Spray a good amount of cooking spray into a skillet. Add the onion and celery. Cook until soft, stirring fairly often to keep them from sticking. Add the carrot to the pan and cook together for a couple minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Puree with an immersion blender, if desired. Add the mashed sweet potato here, if using.

5. To this bowl, add the eggs, tomato paste, chicken broth, oat bran, flax and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the ground turkey. Roll up your sleeves and mix everything together with your clean hands. :)

6. Place half of the turkey mixture in a loaf pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place the drain spinach on top and then cover with the remaining turkey.

7. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink. Let sit for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven.


Umm...yes, that would be a Disney Princess plate that my turkey loaf is resting on.

Makes 6 servings, each with approximately:

199 calories
27.3g protein
6.2g fat
10.5g carbs
4.7g fiber

Is This Real Food?

So, I was looking through the cupboards in the kitchen/break area at work and found this:


This, my friends, is a jar of crunchy peanut butter that expired in May 2006. Over 3 years ago! Shouldn't it have mold on it or something? I'll admit, it doesn't smell that great, but if mold won't eat it, I don't think I want to either. REAL food rots! (Except for honey. Honey never spoils if kept tightly sealed. Click HERE to find out why.)

Anyway, back to the peanut butter. Here is the ingredient list: Roasted peanuts, sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (cottonseed and rapeseed), salt

Maybe I am being unfair. Does anyone know if natural peanut butter will grow mold if left alone for over 3 years? I did an online search and found conflicting answers on whether peanut butter actually supports growing mold. Anyone have any first hand experience? :)

(P.S. Fred, I sooo wanted to use the vomiting tag for this post, but I didn't taste the peanut butter. I'm sure it would have made me puke. Oh, now I can use the tag! LOL)

"You Might Think I'm Crazy..."

My penchant for 80's music aside, I officially signed up for another 5K race. A big thank you to everyone who gave me a pep talk and/or advice after my last race! :)

I have about 4 weeks to train for this next one, so this time I am mapping out a real training plan. I'm currently using Turbulence Training 2K6, which appears to be a good workout choice. It's 2 alternating workouts - one upper body, one lower body - 3 times per week. The lower body workout has 3 exercises that are lower body-specific, and 3 exercises that are more ab-specific (and 1 other exercise that's more arms), so it shouldn't be too tiring for my legs since I will be running more. So after consulting a few websites and a few friends who run, here's the plan:

Mondays: 4 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Tuesdays: 1 mile warm up and cool down, 4 pace intervals (length will vary week to week)
Wednesdays: 3 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Thursdays: Off
Fridays: 3 or 4 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Saturdays: 5 or 6 mile run
Sundays: 1 mile run, increasing speed each week

The week before the race is a little bit different than this, but I'll tell you about it when I get there. :) Since I'm such a beginner, I didn't want to make the training too complicated. I wanted to put a lot of focus on gaining endurance. Any opinions?

So yesterday was my first 6 mile run. I re-used the course from the 5K race I ran last weekend and mapped out a course that ended up being about 5.8 miles. I ran at a pace that was "easy" for me. (Run along to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and that was my pace.) It probably looked like I was running in slow motion. :) It took me 1 hour, 19 minutes, and 49 seconds. But I was able to run the whole way, except for the few seconds I stopped about every mile to check my heart rate. (My heart rate monitor watch is kind of diva and won't take my heart rate while I'm actually running.) My first few miles were at about a 13:15 mile pace, the middle miles took a little longer. But my last mile was at about 12 minutes, so I was proud that I was able to speed up at the end. (And I was still able to sing along with The Outfield's "Your Love".)

Today my quads and hips are sore, but not near as sore as I was expecting. I ran "down to the tracks" and back, which is about a mile. It took me about 11 minutes so next week I will aim to be a little bit faster.

Well, that's all the news I have today! Although I will hint that I found a recipe for doughnuts that I've being playing around with so perhaps look for a doughnut recipe soon for Recipe Wednesday! :)

Oh, and here's the link for Craig Ballantyne's Weekly Fat Loss Call ==> Fat Loss Program Call I keep forgetting to post the link on Sundays when they come out. This week he talks about dreaming big, foam rolling, and the first 5 day per week Turbulence Training Program (TT Reconstruction Program).

Have a great week everyone!