Special Labor Day Edition! OK, it's not that special, but here is today's ingredient list.
I ran 4 miles first thing this morning, then had a scoop of whey protein. After that, I went to the gym for my TT workout, and then I had breakfast.
Post-run/Pre-workout
1 scoop whey
creatine
water
Ingredients:
whey (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
French toast with eggs
water
Ingredients:
1 slice sprouted grain bread (organic sprouted grains of wheat, water, unbleached flour, gluten flour, honey, yeast, molasses, salt)
apple butter (ground apples, white grape concentrate, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, salt)
cinnamon
eggs
Lunch
Cheeseburger wrap with applesauce
Ingredients:
Boca Grilled Vegetable 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)
whole grain tortilla (whole wheat flour, water, oat fiber, soy bean flour, cold pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil, contains 2% or less of the following: baking powder [sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate], sea salt, yeast, xanthan gum, guar gum, citric acid, sorbic acid, calcium propionate [to maintain freshness])
ketchup (water, organic tomato paste, organic sugar, organic distilled white vinegar, sea salt, organic onion powder, organic allspice, organic clove powder)
pickle* (fresh cucumbers, water, salt, contains less than 2% distilled vinegar, dried garlic, spices, mustard seed, citric acid powder, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate [to preserve flavor], dried red peppers, natural flavors, polysorbate 80)
Butterkase cheese (pasteurized milk, culture, enzymes, salt)
applesauce (apples, water, ascorbic acid [vitamin C])
Diet Pepsi (carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor)
*Bought different pickles that do not contain high fructose corn syrup
Snack
yogurt with fruit and a sprinkle of Ezekiel cereal
1 VitaBrownie
almonds
water
Ingredients:
plain nonfat yogurt (cultured grade A nonfat milk, pectin)
raspberries
blueberries
Stevia packet (inulin fiber, Stevia)
Ezekiel cereal (organic sprouted whole wheat, organic malted barley, organic golden flax seeds, organic sprouted whole barley, organic sprouted whole millet, organic sprouted whole lentils, organic sprouted whole soybeans, organic sprouted whole spelt, filtered water, sea salt)
VitaBrownie (water, whole wheat flour, egg whites, maltitol, organic evaporated cane juice, cocoa [processed with alkali], chocolate chips [sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter], soy fiber, inulin, wheat gluten, dried honey, erythritol, wheat protein isolate, fruitrim [grapejuice, brown rice syrup], walnuts, natural flavor, leavening [potassium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate], lecithin, sea salt, xanthan gum, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folic acid, iron, biotin, zinc)
Dinner
cornish hen with polenta and grapes
cornish hen
garlic cloves
cornmeal (organic stone ground whole grain corn)
plain nonfat yogurt (cultured grade A nonfat milk, pectin)
carrots
garam masala (salt, spices, autolyzed yeast extract, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, red pepper)
garlic powder
onion powder
grapes
Diet Pepsi (carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor)
Snack
carrot oatmeal raisin cookies with a glass of chocolate almond milk
water
Ingredients:
wheat flour
oatmeal
baking powder (corn starch, bicarbonate of soda, sodium aluminum sulfate, acid phosphate of calcium)
wheat germ (wheat germ, vitamin E acetate, folic acid)
walnuts
raisins
coconut oil
Ezekiel cereal (organic sprouted whole wheat, organic malted barley, organic golden flax seeds, organic sprouted whole barley, organic sprouted whole millet, organic sprouted whole lentils, organic sprouted whole soybeans, organic sprouted whole spelt, filtered water, sea salt)
carrots
pumpkin
cinnamon
sea salt
ginger
sugar free pancake syrup (water, sorbitol, cellulose gum, natural and artificial flavors, caramel color, sodium hexametaphosphate, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate to protect quality, salt, citric acid, sucralose)
unsweetened chocolate almond milk (purified water, almonds, cocoa [dutch process], tapioca starch, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, natural flavor, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, D-alpha-tocopherol [natural vitamin E])
Stevia packet (inulin fiber, Stevia)
Whole foods (foods with ONLY 1 ingredient): 23
Other foods (foods with more than 1 ingredient): 16
On the fence foods (natural, but more than 1 ingredient): 7
Last week I had 55 foods total and this week I only had 46. My "Other" foods and "On the fence" foods were nearly identical to last week, but I had 13 fewer whole foods this week. Next week, I'd like to increase the number of whole foods, and decrease the number of other foods.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Hogs And Kisses From Iowa!
OK, I saw that on a T-shirt and thought it was cute. My husband and I took a trip to Iowa this weekend for a wedding. For the entire trip, I had that Backyardigan's song in my head. (W-IOWA, Corn-i-est sta-tion, in the na-tion) The wedding was very nice and reminded me of my own wedding (outside, gazebo, short and sweet).
I don't know about you, but I've never really paid that much attention to Iowa before this weekend. In case you've never been there, here are a few things Iowa has to offer:
70 mph speed limit
High frequency of fairly nice rest rooms
World's Largest Truckstop. Yes, we made a special stop.
We also saw a lot of this:
And this:
And this:
And as my husband put gas in the car, I saw this cute little guy checking me out from the car next to us:
I'll post a Week in Review next week, at the end of my second week of the TT contest. (Still time for you to enter! See Rules HERE.)
Have a great week!
I don't know about you, but I've never really paid that much attention to Iowa before this weekend. In case you've never been there, here are a few things Iowa has to offer:
70 mph speed limit
High frequency of fairly nice rest rooms
World's Largest Truckstop. Yes, we made a special stop.
We also saw a lot of this:
And this:
And this:
And as my husband put gas in the car, I saw this cute little guy checking me out from the car next to us:
I'll post a Week in Review next week, at the end of my second week of the TT contest. (Still time for you to enter! See Rules HERE.)
Have a great week!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
RIP Immersion Blender
My beloved Immersion Blender is seizing and no longer consistently blends. May it rest in pieces now after it has tirelessly worked nearly every day. I will cherish the memories of our time together. All those morning and evening protein shakes, 30 Days of Ice Cream, and all the pureed vegetables eaten by my unknowing family in countless sauces, meatloaves and casseroles.Thank you, Immersion Blender.
You will be missed.
Which means.....
I get to shop for a NEW immersion blender!
;)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Whew, What A Day!
Today definitely took it's toll on me. It was my son's first day of kindergarten! :)
I started the day at the gym, as usual, but got to sleep in (all the way to 5:45am)! I didn't go to work at my normal time so that I could make breakfast for the family (promised my son pancakes) and to take my son to school for his first day.
My workout went well. I did the TT intervals, which, in this particular program, were quite similar to what I had been doing on Tuesdays to improve my running. I warmed up, then ran 2 minutes followed by walking for for 2 minutes. The first 4 intervals I did the 2 minute run at my target "race pace" which is 9:00/mile (6.7 mph). For the last 2 intervals, I used an 8 minute mile as my target and ran the 2 minutes at 7.5 mph. I think next week I will do more intervals at 7.5 mph!
When I got home, I started making the pancakes for breakfast. I was using the recipe from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. I beat the egg whites, and mixed the other stuff in the food processor. The last thing I added was the canola oil. I blended it in and then, as I was pouring the mixture into the egg whites, I remembered that the canola oil had gone rancid. Why I hadn't thrown it away yet I have no idea.
I had to scrap those pancakes. There was no way I could serve them to my children. My husband, maybe. ;) Just kidding!
So now I have no pancakes, and I promised my son pancakes, and I'm looking around my kitchen for stuff to make pancakes, because I used up the last of my packaged egg whites in the rancid pancakes, and don't have enough eggs to start the recipe over, and the kids are sitting at the table waiting for PANCAKES!
Whew.
Then, I remembered I had a box of Bisquick baking mix in the back of the fridge. Well, it wasn't EXACTLY what I had in mind, but it makes quick pancakes. I tried to "healthy it up" by adding pumpkin, blueberries, wheat germ and flaxseed. My son liked them anyway. ;)
We went to his school and took the prerequisite photos out in front of the school, standing in front of his locker, etc. Then we went back outside and stood in line with the rest of his class. As the class filed in, I tried my best to let him walk in by himself, but he was getting farther behind, and looking more and more lost, and the hallway was quite busy with kids, and I could see him becoming disoriented, and I wanted him to be able to do it by himself, but really wanted to hold his hand too. It was very overwhelming. For him too, I mean. :)
We dropped him off in his classroom and I went to work and bit my fingernails for 3 hours. Then we went back and picked him up from school.
Me: "How was your day today?"
Him: "Good."
Me" "Did you do anything fun?"
Him: "Yes."
Me: "What did you do?"
Him: "I don't remember now."
Since I left work early to pick up my son from school, I had a brief amount of time to do a little shopping before dinner. After shopping, I was near a tanning salon and thought I might stop by and tan for 5 minutes. I thought it might be relaxing after my stressful day. LOL
Upon arriving at the tanning salon, I heard either my conscience or my dermatologist's voice (tanning bad, tanning bad). So instead, I used
the...Hydration Station! From their website: The Hydration Station™ is a combination of topical radiant heat and steam, LED color technology, and a vibratory bed in an advanced capsule.
Well, I turned the vibrating part off right away. That was highly annoying. The rest, however, was quite relaxing, and I felt refreshed afterward. It was like being in a steam room, but while lying down. I think I may have even dozed off for a minute...
Then I went home and started dinner - pork loin, fingerling potatoes, and musk melon. Yum! I cut the fingerlings into halves and quarters, baked them in the oven, and called them french fries. To my surprise, even though they weren't "french fry" shaped, the kids loved them! Hurray!
Got to get the kids off to bed soon. It's a school night! Boy, it feels weird to say that! :)
I started the day at the gym, as usual, but got to sleep in (all the way to 5:45am)! I didn't go to work at my normal time so that I could make breakfast for the family (promised my son pancakes) and to take my son to school for his first day.
My workout went well. I did the TT intervals, which, in this particular program, were quite similar to what I had been doing on Tuesdays to improve my running. I warmed up, then ran 2 minutes followed by walking for for 2 minutes. The first 4 intervals I did the 2 minute run at my target "race pace" which is 9:00/mile (6.7 mph). For the last 2 intervals, I used an 8 minute mile as my target and ran the 2 minutes at 7.5 mph. I think next week I will do more intervals at 7.5 mph!
When I got home, I started making the pancakes for breakfast. I was using the recipe from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. I beat the egg whites, and mixed the other stuff in the food processor. The last thing I added was the canola oil. I blended it in and then, as I was pouring the mixture into the egg whites, I remembered that the canola oil had gone rancid. Why I hadn't thrown it away yet I have no idea.
I had to scrap those pancakes. There was no way I could serve them to my children. My husband, maybe. ;) Just kidding!
So now I have no pancakes, and I promised my son pancakes, and I'm looking around my kitchen for stuff to make pancakes, because I used up the last of my packaged egg whites in the rancid pancakes, and don't have enough eggs to start the recipe over, and the kids are sitting at the table waiting for PANCAKES!
Whew.
Then, I remembered I had a box of Bisquick baking mix in the back of the fridge. Well, it wasn't EXACTLY what I had in mind, but it makes quick pancakes. I tried to "healthy it up" by adding pumpkin, blueberries, wheat germ and flaxseed. My son liked them anyway. ;)
We went to his school and took the prerequisite photos out in front of the school, standing in front of his locker, etc. Then we went back outside and stood in line with the rest of his class. As the class filed in, I tried my best to let him walk in by himself, but he was getting farther behind, and looking more and more lost, and the hallway was quite busy with kids, and I could see him becoming disoriented, and I wanted him to be able to do it by himself, but really wanted to hold his hand too. It was very overwhelming. For him too, I mean. :)
We dropped him off in his classroom and I went to work and bit my fingernails for 3 hours. Then we went back and picked him up from school.
Me: "How was your day today?"
Him: "Good."
Me" "Did you do anything fun?"
Him: "Yes."
Me: "What did you do?"
Him: "I don't remember now."
Since I left work early to pick up my son from school, I had a brief amount of time to do a little shopping before dinner. After shopping, I was near a tanning salon and thought I might stop by and tan for 5 minutes. I thought it might be relaxing after my stressful day. LOL
Upon arriving at the tanning salon, I heard either my conscience or my dermatologist's voice (tanning bad, tanning bad). So instead, I used
the...Hydration Station! From their website: The Hydration Station™ is a combination of topical radiant heat and steam, LED color technology, and a vibratory bed in an advanced capsule.Well, I turned the vibrating part off right away. That was highly annoying. The rest, however, was quite relaxing, and I felt refreshed afterward. It was like being in a steam room, but while lying down. I think I may have even dozed off for a minute...
Then I went home and started dinner - pork loin, fingerling potatoes, and musk melon. Yum! I cut the fingerlings into halves and quarters, baked them in the oven, and called them french fries. To my surprise, even though they weren't "french fry" shaped, the kids loved them! Hurray!
Got to get the kids off to bed soon. It's a school night! Boy, it feels weird to say that! :)
Monday, August 31, 2009
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?
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?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
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! :)
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! :)
Saturday, August 29, 2009
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. :)
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. :)
Friday, August 28, 2009
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! :)
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! :)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
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
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
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