april goals, a week late.

by Janetha on April 7, 2010

in meals,moves

hey, friends! welcome to the second (and better, in my humble opinion) half of the work week. it is all downhill from here :)

I JUST REALIZED MY WEDDING IS 100 DAYS FROM TODAY. eep. scary? not at all. nerve wracking? definitely. exciting? YES.

it was great hearing about all of your different stories regarding your education, degrees and what your aspirations are in life.  it is amazing how many different paths there are to take when it comes to schooling.. and not a one path that was mentioned was the same as another.

also, the results are in.. raspberry jam is the most favorite among those of you who chimed it.

meals

this morning started with, what else, a waffle. i don’t remember the last time that i let a wednesday go by waffle-less!

meal 1: waffle topped with PB mousse & egg whites topped with ketchup @ 8:45 AM

IMG_9434

277 calories, 5g fat, 23.5g carbs, 33.5g protein

okay, i promise that this meal tasted better than it looks! i wasn’t able to take photos right away, and consequently the toppings on both the eggs and the waffle got all sorts of melty from the heat of the food they sat a top!

IMG_9436

for the eggs, i microwaved 3/4 cup of egg whites for 5 minutes on half power and topped them with heinz reduced sugar ketchup.

IMG_9437

for the waffle, i used one nature’s path flax toaster waffle and topped it with a mix of 1/2 cup oikos 0% greek yogurt + 1 TB of PB2.

i promise there was a waffle hiding under there!

IMG_9439

my PB2 stash is depleting quickly. word on the street is that the company who makes it has it on back order. eep. i better be able to replenish my supply when necessary.. or else.

the first half of my work day flew by! it was lunch time before i knew. it.

meal 2: savory oats @ 12:00 PM

IMG_9442

since i didn’t have oats for breakfast, i decided to get some quaker lovin’ in for lunch.  can you guys believe i didn’t try oatmeal until august of 2008?! the horror.

IMG_9440

this bowl was 1/3 cup oats cooked with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt, on the stovetop, until all water was absorbed.  i then topped the oats with 1/2 cup of browned ground lean turkey (which i had leftover, no.. i did not brown the turkey at work. i do have a stove top but there are lines that i draw~ and browning ground turkey at work is one of them!) mixed with one wedge of laughing cow light,  two types of salsa and the best part: an egg!

IMG_9446

350 calories, 11.5g fat, 28g carbs, 32g protein

i tried to do an over medium egg but i don’t have the right pan here at work, so it ended up as a semi-scrambled egg. it was still super delicious. i love savory oats and honestly do not remember the last time i enjoyed them!

IMG_9448IMG_9451

looks disgusting, tastes amazing.

meal 3: banana protein mocha & 1/2 of a luna bar @ 3:25 PM

IMG_9456

one pack of jay robb+1/2 of a frozen banana+black coffee, blended in the magic bullet.

i kept meal 3 light because today was a cardio day and i hate doing cardio on a full stomach. plus, i’d been wanting to try out the jay robb protein powder that sami so graciously sent me!

IMG_9453

i haven’t ever tried jay robb (i know, the horror, and i call myself a blogger) and i was pleased to see the great stats:

IMG_9454

my thoughts? delicious! i will be purchasing jay robb chocolate whey protein the next time i need some more chocolate protein powder. loved it.

this shake was super low cal (170 calories) so i bulked it up a bit with half of this dude:

IMG_9459IMG_9460

meal 3 totals: 260 calories, 2g fat, 30g carbs, 30g protein

moves

like i mentioned, today was a cardio day. i have been loving the fact that i can run again thanks to my new asics running shoes, so i went ahead and ran some more!  gotta keep up on that mileage goal, right?

here is my HIIT workout of the day. i have dubbed it the 4×5 HIIT because there are four sets of five minute intervals. check it:

minute # speed (MPH) incline (%)
0-1 6.0 0
1-2 6.5 0
2-3 7.0 0
3-4 7.5 0
4-5 8.0 0
5-6 6.0 0.5
6-7 6.5 0.5
7-8 7.0 0.5
8-9 7.5 0.5
8-10 8.0 0.5
1011 6.0 1.0
11-12 6.5 1.0
12-13 7.0 1.0
13-14 7.5 1.0
14-15 8.0 1.0
15-16 6.0 1.5
16-17 6.5 1.5
17-18 7.0 1.5
18-19 7.5 1.5
19-20 8.0 1.5

total distance for the 20 minutes was 2.31 miles.

i continued to walk at 3.0 MPH & 15% incline for 25 minutes while reading.

total distance: 3.5 miles. max HR: 176, ave HR: 141.

after my workout i went home to shower and ponder the possibilities for dinner. i didn’t have any leftovers and wasn’t in the mood for pasta again, so i dug into the cabinets to see what i could come up with.

meals

meal 4: garbanzos+cottage cheese+ranch+veggies @ 7:00 PM

IMG_9465

it had been ages since i had my old favorite mixture! luckily i had all the ingredients on hand so it was a no-brainer for dinner.

IMG_9462

i mixed 2/3 cup garbanzo beans and 2/3 cup low fat cottage cheese and i upped the veggie and color departments with roasted asparagus and red bell pepper.

secret ingredient:

IMG_9464

mixed it all together and dinner was served in a snap!

IMG_9467

310 calories, 5g fat, 36g carbs, 32g protein

did you guys think i forgot about national coffee cake day today?  no way. not me! i had a square of my apple cinnamon protein coffee cake about an hour after dinner.

IMG_9471

179 calories, 6g fat, 17g carbs, 14g protein

poor pups thought they were getting a treat! sorry guys.

ummm.. this coffee cake wins at life. i only have one square left!

IMG_9469

i will be making another batch tomorrow. different flavor.

well.. i just got done whipping up some white & dark chocolate coconut blondies using angharad’s recipe she posted today. no, not for me, i will be taking them to the office. they are still cooling but i will snap a photo and show you in my next post!

today’s ratios have clocked in at a protein/carb/fat breakdown of 41/39/20. wow! i am pretty proud of my ability to balance my meals out without having to plan ahead. once you eat BFL style long enough, it just comes naturally.  FYI, i have eaten about 1400 calories so far today and will consume about 200-300 more for meal 5. i get a lot of questions about calorie intake so i thought i would mention that. i don’t really care how many calories i eat.. just as long as my macros are balanced and my body feels full :)

*************************************************************

fun stuff!

check out this list of the 43 most mispronounced foodie words (thanks for the link, shannon!)  are you pronouncing escargot, paella and sriracha correctly?

the one that irks me the MOST on this list is “espresso”~ i hate it when people throw an “x” into the mix and call it “expresso”.. um, wrong!

the one that i used to be guilty of myself is “quinoa”.. i used to say “qwi-no-ah” until my mom was talking about it one day and said it the correct way: “keen-wah”!!  (you may recall a post i wrote way back when, talking about this.)

*************************************************************

i came across these great tips/strategies for cutting fat and leaning out. a lot of what i read i already knew and do the tips myself, but i thought you guys would find these strategies interesting so i wanted to share them with the class:

(copied & pasted and edited to make shorter)

Do the following NINE (the article says ten but he skips one) strategies to your program to push your metabolism through the roof. These are time-tested suggestions, and you’ve got nothing lose by trying them … ‘ cept a boatload of fat – and faster than you thought possible.

STRATEGY 1 : Eat Enough Protein Daily

Some nutrition gurus will tell you that eating anything at all will boost your metabolic rate – its called digestion. Yet of three macronutrients, protein boosts that rate the most ( up to 200 calories per day ) , since it requires a great deal of energy to digest and absorb. Amino acids are much harder to break down than fats or carbohydrates. This doesn’t mean, however, that you need megadoses of protein. According to research, ingesting more than 1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight will not in fact result in improved metabolic response.

One efficient way to figure out your (rough) daily protein need is to take your goal weight and then multiply that number by .8 grams.

After monitoring the effect for approximately four weeks, adjust intake as necessary. If you seem to have reached a plateau in fat loss or muscle gain increase protein intake slightly. If you’ve gained a little fat, decrease protein intake slightly and monitor for another few weeks

STRATEGY 2 : Eat Five or Six Meals a Day

There are a number of metabolic benefits to holdings a strict routine in regards to your meal intake. Elevated insulin levels inhibit fat burning, but eating on a multi-meal schedule stabilizes blood sugar and thus insulin levels. Eating regularly also helps your liver and muscle tissue store glycogen more efficiently, which prevents the body from utilizing hard-earned muscle tissue for energy. Additionally, improved glycogen efficiency allows you to recover better from training.

While eating six times per day allows your furnace to keep burning fat, the periodicity of meals keeps your body’s nutrient stores at optimal levels. So when you start pushing hard under the iron, you’ll be able to keep performance levels high even though you’re on a fat-loss plan. Your body will have adequate nutrients in reserve for you to train effectively.

Because your body processes macronutrients more efficiently on a six-meal-a-day plan, fat moves through the system more rapidly. Hence, less fat is stored or absorbed, while much of the remainder is sent to the porcelain god.

Once your body has become accustomed to being fed this regularly and this efficiently, it will signal hunger almost to the minute every few hours.

STRATEGY 3 : Don’t Miss Workouts

Studies show that hard weight training can elevate calorie burning for several hours after you’ve left the gym . However, for this effect you need to keep rest time between sets brief, that is, one minute or less. If you’re doing singles or below –six-rep sets that require several minutes’ rest time, you will not experience the same elevated metabolic rate post-workout.

STRATEGY 4 : Eat a Variety of Carbs

Just Because you know which low energy-dense carbs (squash, cucumber, celery, lettuce, etc.) to eat on your shredding plan, don’t become maniacal with types and amounts. You already know that the body’s response to lack of variety can be stagnation and plateaus. Just like you need to switch up your workouts, you also need to switch up your food.

If you want to continue shedding adipose tissue, you can’t allow the body to get contented with the status quo. Just as you manipulate growth with training adjustment, you should do the same with carb manipulation. Keep the metabolic furnace revved by consuming sweet potatoes, brown rice or yams instead of white rice or baked potatoes, brown rice or yams instead of white rice or baked potatoes. Double up on salads and water-packed vegetables, which require a lot more digestive energy than they themselves contain. Avoid limiting yourself to the same-old same-old carbs.

STRATEGY 5 : Carb Deplete Occasionally

Most fat-loss programs reach homeostasis – that is, the body finds a rhythm and sticks to it. But often, this rhythm means yet another weight-loss plateau . To avoid such stagnation, do a low-carb day or two every two or three weeks.

When carb intake is reduced so dramatically, the body will start hunting for alternative energy sources, and in the process the shock to the system will pull the body out of its homeostatic state. As soon as you return to your normal carbohydrate intake levels, the glycogen-depleted tissue will quickly absorb the newly arrived glycogen, sucking it into the cells for energy. Your metabolic rate will jump a notch or two and you’ll be back in a hyped fatloss mode.

Do not try this if you are diabetic or suffer from periods of hypoglycemia. Low-carb days can lead to irritability, anxiety and other such problems, so pick your low-carb days wisely.

The last few meals of the day should be high in low-energy-density carbs. Among all types of high-water-content carbs, you can pack in all of the green salads, squash, zucchini, celery, cucumber and asparagus ( you’re on a fat-loss plan so don’t whine about the smell ) you want for your last two meals of the day. They fill you up, provide enough fiber to improve transit time of food through, and out of the system more rapidly ( minimizing it’s absorption ) and hype the body’s overall metabolic response.

If you want to eat heavier, less waterpacked, carbs, do so during the first three or four meals of the day. This way, you’ll load the system with plenty of glycogen early on in the day and your training efforts won’t suffer

(*janetha here.. where did strategy six go??*)

STRATEGY 7 : Vary the Amount of Carbs

As noted earlier, the body loves homeostasis, because that’s the place where it needs to do just enough work to get along. Feed it same amount of carbs daily, and you risk slowing down fat loss. In order to keep the system surprised, occasionally shock the body by lowering carb intake one day by a couple of hundred calories, increasing it by 300 calories the next day, dropping it again by 400 to 500 calories the third day, and them return to your normal carbohydrate level on day four. The body will respond by adapting – that is, it will continue to lose fat.

STRATEGY 8 : Hydrate often

Without adequate fluids, the body simply cannot convert carbs to energy efficiently. Since 70 percent of muscle tissue is water, it relies on consistent hydration to keepfunctioning, and when you’re depleted of fluid, the muscle cells simply cannot load up with energy nutrients or amino acids. Not only will your training suffer during your fat loss plan, but the process of the breakdown, especially from under the skin, relies on hydrolysis. That is, if you want to lose fat, you have to keep the body well hydrated.

So, avoid becoming dehydrated – if you’re thirsty, you’ve just reached the initial stage of dehydration and have slowed down your fat loss. At the very least, drink fluids immediately. Better still, drink water throughout the day to stay well hydrated.

STRATEGY 9 : Eat Breakfast

Never, ever skip breakfast, arguably the most important meal of the day, especially when you want to hype your metabolism and keep losing fat. Research shows that those who eat breakfast lose more fat than those who skip meal. According to Barbara Rolls, nutrition professor at Penn State University and author of The Volumentrics Weight Control Plan, says, “ Your metabolism slows down during sleep, and it doesn’t rev back up until you eat again, “If you wait until midmorning or lunchtime for your first meal of the day, your metabolism won’t kick into high gear until then. You need to stoke the furnace immediately upon rising, or if you work out first thing in the day, eat within 90 minutes after the training session.

STRATEGY 10 : Have a Cheat Day

While it seems counterintuitive and counterproductive in this manner, the cheat day allows you to eat with relative impurity scrambled eggs, bacon, pizza, ice cream, hamburgers, the works.

Of course, even with a cheat day there are basic guidelines. As the day moves forward, your food choices should become cleaner and cleaner. That is, if you start the day with bacon, eggs and pancakes, for example, your mid-day meal may be pizza or burgers and fries, but dinner should be something like sushi or a lean steak with baked potato (no sour cream) and veggies.

What this approach does is tell your body that the famine is over and that it should stop hoarding fat, especially around the viscera. With these signals, the body launches into a heightened metabolic state. What you must do on the day after cheat day is jump right back on the fat-loss bangwagon, train hard, and you’ll find that you’ll continue to move closer and closer to your shredded desires.

[source.]

great list, right? i thought so too. i do all of the strategies listed above except for carb depleting (#5) and carb cycling (#7) but i have thought about doing it and it may be something i implement in the future. you may remember my post on carb cycling awhile back.

**************************************************************

GOALS!

SO. i have been mentioning that i was going to talk about this month’s goals! but here we are on the 7th of april and i haven’t talked about them yet. but no worries, the goals for the month have been SET.. just not blogged about. so, i thought i would go ahead and share my april goals here on the blog.

  1. blog goal: create more “meals” aka recipe pages. my recipe page has been lacking lately. while i cook things day in and day out, i often times do not create a page for each recipe.  my goal is to add one a week. this week i made the apple cinnamon protein coffee cake, so the goal is going well so far.
  2. blog goal: create more “moves” pages. same story as goal #1. i haven’t added to my moves section in a LONG time, but i am always making up new routines. i posted a page for my 3-2-1 heartrate blastoff HIIT, which takes care of this week’s page in the moves section.
  3. financial goal: put $500 into savings. we are going to have to start paying a mortgage right quick. and i will still be paying rent until july. in order to bulk up my savings account, i had to implement a savings goal.. which means less grocery money and ZERO new clothes money. that’s ok, i think the whole house thing will be worth it ;) so far i have put $125 away. with 1/4 of the month being over, i am right on track!
  4. wedding planning goals: find a printing press for the invites, book the cake baker, order the bridesmaid footwear, complete the gift registry, get engagement photos taken, work out furniture rental and linen details. i think this is all do-able. i can’t believe that my wedding is just over three months from today. holy balls.
  5. fitness goals: work out 6 days / week, three days of cardio and three days of strength training. so far, so good!
  6. eating goals: reduce BLTs (bites, licks, tastes), reduce sugar intake, increase variety. i need to work on keeping my hand out of the cereal box. and no more easter candy nibbles. i am working on creating more meals that aren’t ALWAYS chicken or lean ground turkey. i am thinking i need more fish, different grains, new recipes.. this one is a work in progress.
  7. education goal: meet with advisor at the university. yep.. need to do that STAT.
  8. intellectual goal: read one book this month. yep.. i should probably start this one so i can finish it.
  9. blog goal: complete all pending product reviews. little do you guys know, but i have about 5 products to try out and review. major slackage on my part! at least i did get my mezzetta review done last night.
  10. sleep goal: get 7 hours of sleep each night. this is hard for me. i am trying.

there they are! my april goals. i will check back in on them in a couple weeks.

*************************************************************

this post has become rather lengthy, so i am going to stop rambling now :)

i will NOT be back tomorrow, since it is guest post thursday, but i do have a great post lined up for everyone and i am still trying to get an upcoming giveaway typed up.. so look forward to that.

Qs~

1. what are you goals for the month? how are they coming along? see above for mine.

2. are there any foodie words that you mispronounce or that you used to mispronounce and now say correctly? my word was “quinoa”.. and truth be told, although i know how to SAY it right, i still say it wrong in my head!!

xo. janetha b.

Run Sarah April 7, 2010 at 7:57 pm

Intense HIIT workout! I plan on trying one of yours out on Friday if I get to the gym! I mispronounce gnocchi apparently, I thought it was naw-chee, whoops.

Jenna April 7, 2010 at 7:57 pm

Yahhh for the wedding soon!

emily April 7, 2010 at 7:58 pm

1. To focus on my schoolwork before finals, and figure out my class schedule for this summer/fall.

2. Quinoa gets me too, and Fage, always!

inmytummy April 7, 2010 at 8:05 pm

Was it my facebook status that made you realize it was 100 days?

Jason just said something the other day about a bologna sandwich except he pronounced it “bolona” instead of “baloney.” I’ve never heard anyone say bolona. Not on the list too. Like Emily above, I say Fage even though I know it’s pronounce fay-eh.

inmytummy April 7, 2010 at 8:05 pm

I don’t know why I said, “not on the list too.” in my previous post. That makes no sense. Haha.

Patricia Braithwaite April 7, 2010 at 8:14 pm

Those goals are amazing. You are an INSPIRATION!! I need to do better at writing my goals down. I have a habit of just keeping them in my head. My biggest goal at the moment is training for a 5k. That’s HUGE for me. I haven’t signed up for one yet, but I’m planning on it. I can’t believe the wedding is only 100 days away. Time goes by so quickly. It will be here before you know it. Is there anything I can do to help? Be sure to let me know. I am definitely willing and able.

Amanda April 7, 2010 at 8:14 pm

Actually, Quinoa is pronounced either way (at least according to Merriam-Webster). For a while I thought it was ke-no-a, then I thought I’d been pronouncing it incorrectly all along and changed to keen-wa, and after that I saw it in the dictionary both ways :-)

Jill April 7, 2010 at 8:24 pm

I love Asics!! They are the only ones I run in. My closet is full of 2140s and 2150s cause they were on sale so I stocked up.

Good luck with the wedding plans! It was so much fun planning my wedding. Do you have everything picked out?

Jessica @ How Sweet It Is April 7, 2010 at 8:30 pm

Hahahah I still pronounce quinoa wrong, too. It’s cute the other way. :)

Hallie April 7, 2010 at 8:41 pm

OMG 100 days is going to go by SOO fast, girl…I’d love to hear more about how wedding planning is going (it’s interesting to me how the more “laid back” types do it becasue I think that’s how I’m going to be.”

I cannot pronounce Fage yogurt! I seriously don’t know how to say it still. Oh a funny one though is Pho…the Vietnamese soup. I said it like it’s spelled in English but I guess it’s really pronounced phuh…or as Mitch’s dad says, “The F word minus the k”

Mama Pea April 7, 2010 at 8:43 pm

You are so chill about this whole wedding thing! I don’t know how you are finding time to plan it, blog, eat well, exercise and bake frickin’ coffee cake for cripes sake! You are going to be one helluva mom one day!

I also said quinoa QUINN NOAH and even had the nerve to correct other people who were saying it the RIGHT way. I am kind of a jerk like that.

I love your goals and with your track record here, you are well on your way! “See ya” Friday!

Julia April 7, 2010 at 8:58 pm

I LOVE those fat burning tips! Thanks for sharing.
I’m also in complete shock that I’m getting married in only a few months! WOW!
I can’t wait to see your invites! We haven’t ordered ours yet because law school takes up all of my time :(
Have a great rest of the week!

Katie April 7, 2010 at 9:18 pm

First off, love Jay Robb. The powder, that is. ;)
Second, Dulce de Leche Luna bars are amazing!
Third, I want a waffle! :D

Jenn N. April 7, 2010 at 9:18 pm

I think I sometimes put the “x” in espresso. :-O

I’m doing the 10,000 swing challenge this month. That’s my goal. It would be a good idea to start working on my weight loss goal so I can test with the bell I need so I can actually pass the RKC.

glidingcalm April 7, 2010 at 9:23 pm

mmmmmmmmmm jay robb….mmmmmmm browned turkey…mmmmmmm protein coffee cake.

pass the pan! bowl! packet!

Ildie April 7, 2010 at 9:34 pm

100 days. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

My insane April goal is to try and lose 10 pounds. Seems high I know but I’ve done it before. AND I had a great start last week with 3.4. :) It would be nice before I went on vacation. Though I do officially have until 5/15 before we leave.

The Hot and Fit April 7, 2010 at 9:42 pm

REALLY need to get more sleep. Eat clean. And get enough mileage!

Michelle April 7, 2010 at 10:32 pm

Hmmm, stats on Jay Robb very good! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a protein powder w/ stats that great. Will have to investigate …

Goals are going great just need to de-stress a bit more.

Can’t think of a foodie word but I always say laundrymat instead of laundromat. My mom and I were watching Oprah and she says laundrymat too so I guess I am in good company ;-)

Erica April 7, 2010 at 10:37 pm

Hello! Congrats on being 100 days out! I love the idea of the PB mousse on top of your waffle- sounds yummy. Glad you liked the jay robb!! My favorite protein powder. I am working my way through a large tub of jay robb egg white chocolate right now. I never though to add coffee to my shakes- I bet that is awesome. Love goal #6- people never realized how quickly those little tates add up! My goals are to continue to meet my protein goals, take more time to relax & stop an dsmall the roses, try to get Frank walked 6 out of 7 days a week.

eef April 7, 2010 at 10:40 pm

I don’t even know what a lot of those words are! haha

I’ve totally been saying quinoa wrong though. And even guacamole, although it makes sense now that I’m thinking about it!

I think “acai” should be added to the list!

And having worked in a coffee shop, I can’t begin to express how much I hate it when people say “expresso”!

mom April 7, 2010 at 10:51 pm

You are just way too smart – I LOVE learning something every time I read your posts! Your goals are awesome and for sure doable (gee is that a word?) Just keep giving me assignments :)

I have got to eat MORE PROTEIN – that’s my April goal and to work harder in the gym – I’ve been a slacker and my middle is spreading out just to show me the proof!!

xoxo

Alyson @ Nourished Fitness April 7, 2010 at 11:18 pm

I love that Garbanzo bean mix, totally genius! I think April goals fall into 2 categories: 1)finish out school strong and try not to get senioritis too bad, and 2) not go too crazy, but still have fun with food, in my last month before carb-cycling and cutting for competition.

Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) April 7, 2010 at 11:33 pm

Love your goals. Girl. I dont know how you are so gung ho with the blog when you are buying a house, moving!, planning a wedding, and you’re betty crocker in the protein kitchen over there. You amaze me, love you!!!!!

healthyappletite April 8, 2010 at 1:26 am

i’m going to try a HIIT today thanks to your inspiration! :) xx

balancejoyanddelicias April 8, 2010 at 2:38 am

less than 100 days for the wedding? wooo!!! so it’s possible to plan a wedding in less than a year! :)
April goals: pass the proposal defense! Yeah~ Mine is short list! :)

Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) April 8, 2010 at 3:05 am

Your coffee cake looks *amazing!!* Yum! :D

And I butcher the word “pinot grigio” all the time. That is why I will never choose the beverage when eating out with a group of people. ;)

Diana April 8, 2010 at 3:52 am

Those tips sound great. :)
I like your goals and many of them apply to me, also. Right now my biggest ones are drinking more water (this becomes easier as the weather gets better, thankfully) and exercise 5-6 times a week, which is a big deal because I’ve never done that before.
Good luck on your goals!

Lauren April 8, 2010 at 3:54 am

OMG 100 days!!!! Let the countdown begin! :)

Okay, first the apple coffee cake and now blondies!!! Girl you are killing me. I want to make these things so bad but if you only knew how much I suck at baking! :( LoL

Have a wonderful day love!

Lindsay April 8, 2010 at 4:01 am

Some of the best meals are the ones we find just looking the pantry. Its more fun to be sporadic I think. Love the cottage cheese salad. YUM!
I’m trying to save more this month and am trying for a half marathon on may 2nd with a goal pace. thats it. My other goals are to live each day as it comes, I tend to get bogged down in future instead of enjoying the present. Great post, love everything! Enjoy your thursday off.
Cheers,
LC

Abby April 8, 2010 at 4:31 am

Worchestershire sauce. I used to work in a restaurant that used it in one of their sauces and still can’t say it right. I don’t use it and I’m glad I could type it here instead of giving and audio example…

Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble) April 8, 2010 at 5:13 am

100 days?! Awesome!!

I NEED to make that coffee cake, it looks so delish!

Goals for April…
Work out- I missed THREE Workout days so far this month because I was on vacation! Ahhh! This means running & yoga 6x/week!

Focus on eating healthy- continuing to reduce processed foods and increase whole foods in my diet!

Get more sleep!

RELAX more- reading, meditating, etc. Life is stressful!

Work on my big upcoming blog posts, every day- no slacking!

Clean & Organize my apartment… FINALLY!

xo
K

Heather (Where's the Beach) April 8, 2010 at 5:19 am

Hey there – I must try savory oats…Oh and the chickpea concoction, yummy. I really haven’t set out any goals for myself. I should set at least 2: stay away from mall and save money (the 2 would go hand-in-hand of course!!). As for that list – I do don’t do any carb cycling or carb depletion either. For the most part, I follow everything else. Of course, I’m not trying to do any comps or anything like that.

Tina April 8, 2010 at 5:19 am

That 4×5 HIIT looks killer! I saved it for the future. :D

And you have lots of goals this month! I have no doubt you will be able to accomplish them though. I have been so lazy with specific goals lately. Probably because I have one “goal” right now, so I just don’t worry about other stuff. Not the best way to think I admit!

And those tips on fat loss are good ones. I know I use basically every one when I am trying to lean down. It even takes all my will power not to incorporate those things right now since I can’t lose weight. PS – #6 is my favorite tip! ;)

Karin April 8, 2010 at 5:28 am

Your goals seem great. I never make some though I should maybe start with that ;).
Ha! Quinoa.. Yeah I used mispronounce it too. However, I think that I say everything else correctly. EXXXXpresso is driving me crazy too. And the English way of saying “Chardonnay” (sorry but it’s butchering up that pretty word ;)).

Lauren @ Eater not a runner April 8, 2010 at 6:07 am

I am the same with quinoa! Can’t help it ;-)

Paige April 8, 2010 at 6:07 am

I never really have any goals written down, but I’m always trying to cut back on spending and eat cleaner.

I think Worcestershire is one of the hardest words to pronounce! I definitely say that one wrong…all the time. People who say “expresso” bug me too! I always ask if their espresso is really fast and they usually just give me a blank stare. This isn’t a food word, but when I was little (like 7), I was a major bookworm and thought the word “khaki” was pronounced “kah-hee-key.” I had never heard it spoken aloud before, I had just read it in books! My mom and I were shopping one day and I pointed out the “kah-hee-keys” on the rack and my mom just about died laughing.

Joy~R3FitShow April 8, 2010 at 6:30 am

I have been seeing lots of garbanzos recipes lately. I will be tossing them in a salad today or tomorrow for sure!

Teri [a foodie stays fit] April 8, 2010 at 6:32 am

excellent goals. Mine are: get up on time! (I totally failed in March) and reduce my treat intake. I should probably give more thought to my goals. hehe

Morgan April 8, 2010 at 6:44 am

great goals! mine is to maintain a positive attitude in the short months I have left living in this awful town! I can’t wait to get out of here!!!!!!!
I love the foodie list. I can’t stand it when people say “expresso.” Especially when waiters say it!

lizzyj1305 April 8, 2010 at 6:58 am

hey gorgeous girlie! shout-out to you in my wacky post!! i hope u don’t mind that i linked! Have a fabulous thursday loveee!
xoxo!

Therese April 8, 2010 at 7:01 am

Girl you have your schtuff so together! I wanna be organized like you when I grow up :)

That waffle looks like a glazed Krispy Cream of something lol. Oh and I lurve me some savory oats! Need to make those soon…remember my tilapia oats??

Having to pay a mortgage was a super shock in the beginning for us. Well plus our Home Owner’s Association fees are an extra $300 per month. Be thankful you bought a house and not a condo!

Naomi(onefitfoodie) April 8, 2010 at 7:11 am

haha my family as you know is in the coffee bizz and when my mom hears people say EXPRESSO it drives her bonkers, she really makes it clear that its ESPRESSO…her company that she works for is called espresso express (say that 10 times fast!!)

love those strategies for getting lean…def varying carbohydrates and eating breakfast are right up there on my list!!

oatmeal wasn’t eaten until 2008!!?!?! ahh girl are you cuuhrazy!? haha just kidding, i didn’t really get into it until about 2005 so its allll good!

quinoa is a good one…I also get hung up on kabocha…i mean how is that really pronouced? I say “KAH-BO-CHA” i hope thats right?! haha

love you girl and love those savory oats…haven’t tried them that way yet!!

brittac April 8, 2010 at 7:18 am

i am excited for this apple coffe cake recipe! I have still been making protein cakes often and LOVING them!

Susan April 8, 2010 at 7:47 am

“Just like you need to switch up your workouts, you also need to switch up your food.”

Lovelove this! So many people are spot on in the workout department, but then eat the same things over and over and don’t get the best results they can. I’m guilty of this too – but it’s always a good reminder!

I also got a kick out of the PB2 coating on that waffle ;)

1. My biggest one was to “chill the eff out.” I’m doing okay on that. I put my foot down and told my boss I’m done April 30 (even though he wanted me to stay until the last possible minute!). And now I’ll have a whole month to get my life sorted out before I move to Toronto. Feels good :)

2. I always have to make an effort to say “keen-wa” out loud because I still say it “qwin-oh-ah” in my head! I’ve also been pronouncing gyros as “j-eye-roh” and nicoise as “nick-waz” Oops!

Angharad April 8, 2010 at 7:51 am

Oh yay! So glad you made the blondies – could they be any easier/quicker? I love them. My office are currently enjoying my batch of cherry-choc chip. Holler!

I can’t believe your wedding is in three months and I can’t believe how excited I am to see the photos! As well as your new house! Holy balls, life is moving fast for you right now!

lisaou11 April 8, 2010 at 7:56 am

Hey! Great post with tons of good info—sadly, I know when I cut down on carbs and do carb cycling, it definitely helps to get lean! It’s a bitch to do though!

great goals!

julie April 8, 2010 at 8:08 am

i haven’t had banzos + cc in SO long! bah humbug

i wish i could participate in waffle wednesday but it just doesn’t work with my driving to work schedule haha i know fail. BUT if i can get my hands on a box of waffles i’m pretty sure i’d participate in waffle thursday. among the reasons why i love pancake sunday haha.

crap! i wanna say more but i’m gonna miss my train!

love youuu :)

ellie April 8, 2010 at 8:32 am

I bought some cottage cheese and chickpeas today to make that salad again. Love it!!!! Jay Robb is awesome- try the Pina Colada flavour if you get the chance.

Love the tips- I have never tried carb depleting (intentionally) or carb cycling. Hmmm. I want to look into this to find someone who has done it.

I never know how to pronounce tempeh! I thought I had it right until I saw Holly’s v-log and now I am confused. And seitan? I pronounce it like “say-tan” but have never heard it said out loud before. The rest I blame on my British accent :P

Holly April 8, 2010 at 8:41 am

haha…i am planning to do a post on my april goals that is also over a week late. no shame. however, i will say that some of your goals are similar to mine. and no, they don’t have to do with a wedding.

you are a machine. i got 6.5 hours of sleep last night and woke up EXHAUSTED. i need straight up 8 hours, or i want to die.

and i pronounce everything wrong. VLOG. tempeh. spatula.

LOVE YOU LONG TIME!

Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post:

Next post:

FTC Disclosure. Disclaimer.