End of Week 13 And Other Updates

It seems like forever since I have posted a weekly update. Between home and work, it's been so busy. I get home from work and don't even want to look at a computer. And the past few weekends have been packed.

One weekend we painted both kids' bedrooms - I let the kids pick what colors they wanted. My son wanted black, but I talked him into gray. He ended up choosing a color called "Platinum". It actually turned out really nice. It's a gray with a bluish undertone. My daughter, on the other hand, chose a color called "Rosy Cheeks". It really should have been called "Strawberry Milkshake" because that's exactly what it looks like. I don't know if I could sleep in her room, but she really seems to like it. :)

Then another weekend I ran in a St. Patty's Day 5K. I'm a little out of practice, but I came in a fairly respectable 88th out of 327 in my age division. I was hoping to make it under 30 minutes, but there were 3 pretty big hills I had not anticipated, and ended up with a time of 30:43.

I've also been reading like crazy, which cuts down on my computer time. I recently read all 5 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books (loved them), then I read Christopher Pikes' Thirst No. 1: The Last Vampire, Black Blood, Red Dice (just OK, will probably read Thirst No. 2 eventually), and I just started Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austen). So far it seems pretty funny. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books so I am getting a kick out of reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Today is the last day of Week 13 in the program I am using (the one from the Precision Nutrition forums). I am in Phase 4, which is supposed to be more of a fat burning phase. The problem is, the strength training part of the workouts takes me so long, I don't have time to do the recommended cardio. I recently began to look over my Turbulence Training workouts because I have an event I would like to attend in about 5 weeks and really need to lose a little fat! :)

However, when I went to the grocery store yesterday, I picked up the March/April issue of Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine and there on the cover was "Bikini Ready in Just 4 Weeks!" So I looked it over and it looks like a solid workout. It's circuit training 4 days a week, with other cardio on the remaining days. I plan to complete Week 14 to end Phase 4, and then I think I am going to start the "Bikini Ready" program. I'll let you know how it goes!

If you're still with me here after all my rambling (thanks!), I wanted to let you know I may not be posting very much in the near future. Things have been pretty busy, and will remain that way for the next few months. I hope to pop in when I can! :)

Have a great week!

End Of Week 1 - Maybe I Overdid It :)

Or maybe not. But I did have trouble walking a couple days this week. ;)

My first week with my new program is pretty much in the books. (Except for my planned 5 mile run tomorrow.) It was a really nice change. I'm trying to think of what to call the workout. I don't want to call it my Precision Nutrition workout, because it's not really a PN workout, just a PN-approved workout that I got from the forums. Hmmm...I'll think a little more about this.

Speaking of Precision Nutrition, I was reminded on Wednesday that they are going to be signing up another round for their Lean Eating Coaching Program on January 4th. Since I am using PN now, I am kind of thinking about signing up. But I'm not sure yet. Still thinking about it. There's a $10,000 prize for the best transformation - you can learn more about it by clicking here: PN Lean Eating Coaching Program

Here's how my week went:

Monday: Lower body workout with quad focus. I thought I took this workout easy, because I hadn't used the squat rack in a while, but as I was walking down the stairs on the way out of the gym, my legs felt like jelly. Later Monday night, I really was starting to feel it.

Tuesday: Upper body workout. I forgot my mp3 player at work on Monday, so I had to use my husband's this morning. That was kind of fun because I got to listen to different music. The next song is always a surprise - especially when the Iron Maiden plays! :) This was a good workout - lat pulldowns, presses, tricep extensions, curls and shrugs. I didn't think I would be too sore because my arms were used to working out, but Tuesday night I started feeling it in my triceps. My leg workout caught up to me too - I was having trouble walking! LOL

Wednesday: OFF. And a good thing too. I still had trouble walking. When I was planning my workouts, I had considered a 2 mile run on Wednesdays, but I really needed the whole day off. My legs started to feel better in the afternoon.

Thursday: Lower body workout with hamstring focus. Good workout, not too sore afterward, but definitely felt it on Friday morning. Also got a good upper body workout chipping the ice off of our driveway. :)

Friday: Upper body workout. This one was tough. Lots of rows, presses, flyes, and curls. I'm pretty sure I will be feeling this one later.

That's all for this week. I will be in Phase 1 of the workout for 2 more weeks, and then I move on to Phase 2.

Also - just a quick reminder that the Turbulence Training half off sale ends tonight at 9:00pm ET. You can check that out here: TT Half Off Sale

Happy New Year!!

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase the product, I will receive a small portion.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Many of you know that I have used Turbulence Training for most of the past 2 years and love it. For the past year, I also have been a member of the Precision Nutrition forums. When I was looking for a new workout to use after my current TT workout, I stumbled onto the workouts section on the PN forums. One of them really caught my eye and I have decided to give it a try! It's a bit different from what I have been doing, and there are lots of techniques that I've never done before. So I'm pretty excited to get started!

Overall, it's a 22 week program, broken into 7 phases. Each phase is only 3 or 4 weeks long. The 7th phase is just the last week; I don't think I will actually be doing that phase because it's supposed to be a final "peak" week prior to a competition. And as I don't plan to compete anytime soon, I'm probably going to just take that week off before I begin my....[fanfare]...12 week half marathon training!

Yes, you read that right. I've signed up to run a half marathon at the end of this summer! That's 13.1 miles - Yikes!

I'm going to concentrate on this other workout program first. The first 10 weeks is focused on building muscle (but I'm going to continue to run on only Saturdays during this time).

Since I am using a workout from the PN forums, I've decided to more closely follow the 10 principles or "habits" of PN. I've been a little lax with a couple of the principles. I also am going to aim to get more sleep, which means going to bed about 30 minutes earlier than I am now.

My new program kicks off this morning! I'm looking forward to the first workout. I have my new hot pink training journal and am ready to go! :)

If you are looking for a new training program, don't forget the next TT contest has just begun. Nothing like a competition to motivate! And currently Turbulence Training is selling for 50% off until Friday, January 1st, at 9:00pm ET. (Comes with 5 bonus workouts and 30 days of access to the TT Members website.)

Have a great day!!


Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase the product, I will receive a small portion.

Recipe Wednesday - Turkey Zucchini Casserole

As some of you may know, I love casseroles. I adapted this from a recipe in the original Gourmet Nutrition recipe book (part of the Precision Nutrition package). As a quick side note, Gourmet Nutrition V2 would make a lovely Holiday gift for the fit food lover on your list (wink, wink).

Turkey Zucchini Casserole

8 oz extra lean ground turkey breast
2 Tablespoons salsa
1/4 to 1/2 of a small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small to medium zucchini
1 cup fat free or low fat cottage cheese (I used low fat)
1 egg
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 1.5 quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Roughly chop the zucchini and then pulse in a food processor. Just pulse, don't puree.

3. Lightly spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and cook the turkey until no pink remains. Stir in the 2T of salsa and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and place in the prepared casserole dish.

4. Respray the skillet with a somewhat heavier layer of nonstick spray. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Next stir in the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in the food processor, blend the cottage cheese and egg until smooth. Don't worry if there is still zucchini in the processor's bowl, it's all going to the same place. :)

6. Next place the zucchini mixture on top of the turkey in the casserole dish, then top with the cottage cheese mixture.

7. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with the mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 minutes more.


Makes 2 servings, each with approximately:

345 calories
51.0g protein
9.1g fat
11.5g carbs
1.8g fiber

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase the product, I will receive a small portion. I don't get paid for reviews, and I only review items that I actually own.

Why You're Not Losing Weight

I just wanted to post about this new Precision Nutrition article about Clean Eating Gone Wrong because I am sooooooo guilty. Here is the link to the article: This Meal Plan Could Make You Fat

The article discusses how even though your meal plan looks great on paper, it's all of the little extras throughout the day that we "forget about" that make a difference. I am totally guilty of this.

I often finish my kids' leftovers.
I am guilty of eating things while standing in front of the pantry/kitchen cupboard.
I am guilty of eating ice cream from the carton in front of the refrigerator.
I've been better about hitting the office candy bowl. (Record 33 days so far!)

The article hits on exactly what I am trying to achieve:
"avoiding self-imposed eating restrictions, meal plan rules, and cheat foods"
and
"eating a reasonable amount of quality food each day, forever"

It's a great article to read if you, too, have these same issues. I still like to make a meal plan, because it helps me shop for the week, but I've become much more flexible on what I put on the meal plan. For example, I'll put "fruit" instead of "6oz watermelon". Then I have freedom to choose what fruits look good at the farmer's market. I don't think meal plans are inherently bad, I think being so strict you fall off the wagon is bad. But I really need to curb the extras. Since I am not counting calories now, all those little extras can add up, and if they go unchecked, then I know I won't make any progress. So keep an eye on all your "little extras" (I'll keep an eye on mine) and we'll all be that much closer to our goals! :)

Recipe Wednesday - Tomato Pie

I adapted this recipe from a fellow TT'er on the TT Recipe Forum. I changed the crust to one that it used in the Precision Nutrition cookbook, because I really like it and thought it would go well with this recipe. This was sooooo good. It tastes like fancy pizza!

Tomato Pie

For the crust:
9 Tablespoons whole flax seeds
1/2 cup almond meal
1 egg white (3T packaged egg whites)
dash salt

For the pie:
3-4 medium/large ripe tomatoes
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
8-10 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoon olive oil
3 oz (about 3/4 cup) of shredded Gruyere cheese
dash of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9" pie plate (I use a glass dish) with nonstick spray.

2. Grind the flax seed until it becomes a fine meal. I use an inexpensive coffee grinder and grind it in 3 batches.

3. Mix the flax seed in a small bowl with the remaining crust ingredients. It will seem like it is dry, but it will eventually all mix together. Resist the urge to add water.

4. Press the mixture evenly into the pie plate, covering the bottom and up the sides of the plate. My edges are usually a little ragged around the top. Spray a little nonstick spray onto your hands to keep the crust from sticking to you.

5. Spread the 2T of Dijon mustard evenly on top of the crust. (I know, it sounds weird, but trust me on this.)

6. Grate the Gruyere cheese finely into a bowl. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup on top of the Dijon mustard. Set aside the remaining cheese for later.

7. In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes and garlic. A few chunks are OK. You don't need to completely puree the mixture.

8. Pour the tomato mixture into the crust. Bake for 25 minutes.

9. While that is baking, gently tear the basil leaves and place in a small bowl. Add the oregano, olive oil, and a dash each of sea salt and pepper.

10. After baking for 25 minutes, remove the pie from the oven. Gently blend in the basil mixture, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cut into quarters and serve.


Assuming 4 servings, each one has approximately:

359 calories
15.6g protein
28.2g fat (75% from the olive oil, almond meal and flax)
14.5g carbs
7.9g fiber

What Is Ideal? Part II - My Experiences

Recently I've been striving to change how I look at eating. In the past, it's been very controlled, neurotically counting calories and carefully measuring everything. Which works great for serious fat loss. And I lost a lot of weight doing that. Too much, in fact.

In March I weighed in at 127 lbs and 16% body fat (I'm nearly 5'8" tall). I was thrilled with how I looked! But it was not a healthy weight for me. Losing your period for 3 months does not equal a healthy weight. So I've gained some weight back - up to about 20% body fat - and now I'm struggling with how I look.

In the back of my mind, I know I'm not fat. But when I look in the mirror, my brain remembers what I looked like at 127 lbs and it sees someone who is overweight, which I know I am not. But my mind's eye has not yet made peace with the fact that 127 lbs is not a healthy weight for me.

I started coming up with a list of reasons to be happy where I am:

I can see muscle definition in my arms and legs.
My bodyfat is about 20% (still considered "fit/lean/athlete").
(Most of) my pants still fit.
I can still do more chin ups (and push ups) than my husband.
My resting heart rate is in the high 50's/low 60's (considered "athlete").
I would still wear a bikini in public.
My husband thinks I'm sexy.

That last reason alone should be enough. :) I think I need to work on focusing on the positives of where I am now, instead of negatively thinking about where I am, compared to where I have been in the past.

As for exercise, my husband and I recently took a 90 day break from Turbulence Training and completed a round of P90X. It was extreme, heavy lifting, and a lot of fun, but the 6-day-a-week schedule was pretty tiring by the end. Now during my "rest week" I am just running because I have decided to run another 5K race at the end of July. I'm going to start a TT bodyweight program next week. Even though I am a fan of heavy lifting, I also think it's good to give your body a different challenge every now and then.

On a side note, we took pictures pre and post P90X (had to get the high heels out for the after pics), and I just want to post my legs up close so you can see how well my rash is finally healing. I've had this rash now for 4 months (since mid-March)!


As far as diet, I'm just trying to eat healthy foods without counting too many calories. Not that I won't be planning anything. I still think failure to plan is a plan to fail, but my meal plans will be much less fixed. I want my eating to be more organic. Not organic as in "certified organic" (although that would probably be good as well), but more in the way of a natural flow and progression. As opposed to "clinically controlled" with all the weighing and measuring. Although I still weigh some things, like oatmeal. It's so easy to throw the bowl on the scale and pour in 40g of oatmeal. I've been eating less meat as well. No real reason, just seem to be eating less, particularly beef. It seems like everyone is eating less meat nowadays. Precision Nutrition even has a Plant-Based Diet Guide in the new V3, and I've heard that Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training is coming out with vegetarian meal plans very soon.

I'm just going to get out all my healthy cookbooks and create with abandon. OK, maybe not with complete abandon, but with moderate abandon. :)

OK, signing off here. We are unplugging the computer and taking ourselves "off the grid" for awhile, so no posts next week. Hope you all are enjoying your summer!

In Defense of Food

Part I: In Defense of Food

I finally finished Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food (I'm a little behind) and all I can say is "Wow, what a great read!" Even though I like to think I'm a pretty healthy shopper, by the 6th page of the Introduction, I was prepared to change my shopping habits; by the 7th page, I was taking notes. The writing style is easy to read and I even laughed out loud in a number of places.

The author's take home message is "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants." I've been eating less meat nowadays anyway (more on this in a future post). He mentions how America is becoming a nation of people with Orthorexia - an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating - and I feared I was heading in that direction. I spend more time planning menus than any normal human being should.

The first section of the book is about the Age of Nutritionism and how "nutrients" have taken the place of "food". Also how "healthy" foods aren't always what they seem, and how there always seems to be one nutrient that's better (and one that's worse) than all the others (think low fat/low carb/trans fats/omega-3's/etc).

The second section is about the so-called "Western Diet" and how humans can thrive on many types of diets (all meat/few plants/no meat/all plants/no dairy/etc) except the Western Diet (lots of meat/highly processed foods).

The third section is broken into several personal rules (like "Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food") to follow while you are shopping/eating.

It is basically a commonsense approach with a focus on whole foods. This book prompted me to rethink what I've been eating (and feeding my children). Not that my diet is awful, mind you. I looked over my meal plans for the next two weeks (see orthorexia, above) and only changed a few things. It also prompted me to visit my local farmer's market.

Part II. The Farmer's Market

I live in a town that has a very nice farmer's market...at which I have never shopped in the 13 years I have lived here. Yesterday I went for the first time. It was a fantastic experience. Everyone was very nice (well, the gourd guy was a little weird) and I got some great produce and even a pound of grass fed bison burger (for cheaper than I can get at my grocery store!) I found myself wishing that I didn't have to stick to my meal plan so I could buy things that weren't on my list. (I did end up buying some unplanned asparagus because more than one vendor proclaimed "last of the season!")

There was only one tense moment as I returned to my car in a mostly empty parking ramp, and a strange guy walked past as I was loading my trunk. But I held tightly to my small bison-and-ice-pack-filled cooler, ready to swing it at his head if necessary. All in all, it was well worth the extra drive, and I plan to go again next week. If I hadn't read In Defense of Food, I don't believe that I would have gone to the farmer's market and discovered how nice it is.

I also think reading this book has given me the extra push to move away from neurotically counting calories. I can't tell you how liberating it felt today to sneak a few bites of fresh pineapple as I sliced a whole one up for the week. I have already been using Fitday a little less, but I am striving to not use it much at all. (Don't get me wrong, it's a great tool, but I was getting to be a slave to the numbers.) I'm still using Precision Nutrition, but not exactly following the anytime vs. post workout meals. (More to come about my current nutrition in a future post.)

I have also decided to (gasp!) NOT stick to my meal plan for this week. (I've got to eat that asparagus!) I will stick to the bones of it, but I'm allowing myself to be more flexible and if I want a few more almonds, I'm going to eat them, darn it all! ;) I'm just going to focus on eating real FOOD. Remember, "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants."

I think that this is a great book for anyone interested in what they eat. (That should be most of you!) :) It really opened my eyes to what real food is, and how some foods claiming to be healthy really aren't. Highly recommend it!

How You Could Win $10,000

Next week, on Wednesday May 27th at 2PM EST, Precision Nutrition is opening registration for their Lean Eating Coaching Program. It's a six-month group coaching program designed to help you lose fat the Precision Nutrition way - all with the help of expert PN coaches. There's a group for men and a group for women. At the end, one male and one female will each walk away with $10,000!!

Here is a link to Precision Nutrition blog with a video explaining all about it:

Precision Nutrition Transformation Contest

Since I purchased Precision Nutrition V3 earlier this year, I have loved the methods of eating outlined in the book (not to mention the fantastic recipes!). I know that it has been one of the more important tools I have used to obtain my healthy weight. I considered joining this, because the 6 months of coaching would be so cool, but I feel that I am at a healthy weight and wouldn't make a real dramatic transformation.

To qualify for the reward, you have to participate in the Lean Eating program. You get 6 months of world class coaching. If you achieve the best body transformation, you'll win 10K. Spots will be limited, so if you are at all interested, you should definitely check out the link.

Precision Nutrition Transformation Contest

Good luck!!