living life as the pickiest eater

So I may not be the pickiest eater ever, but I'm definitely one of the pickiest 31 year old eaters ever! I've come a long way and I eat a lot more than I used to but I still have a lot of food issues.

(a few of the) Things I can't even have on my plate:
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Cooked tomatoes
Mayonnaise
Mustard

I don't really care for red sauces (hence the cooked tomato issue), so that cuts back on the healthy sauce choices. It's not that I don't like the flavor - it's that I don't like the texture. I can dip things in tomato sauce or salsa, but only because I have control over how much will be on the piece. And to be sure that no chunks make it into my mouth. I know, I know - I'm slightly insane.

That being said - it's hard for me to just go online and find a recipe. I'm always having to adjust things - which sometimes changes the flavor too much. But I have had some successes!

The Spicy Parmesan Shrimp skillet from How Sweet It Is was fabulous! Next time I make it, I may cut it in half - there was a lot of marinade for the amount of protein/pasta in it. And I definitely threw in some extra red pepper flakes to kick it up. I also halved the pasta and added in veggeti-style carrots. It was delish and easy! I marinated the shrimp Sunday night and cooked the pasta - and then just cut the carrots and threw it all in a big pan Monday night, plus I have leftovers! 


What are some either flavor combos that work olive oil and soy sauce? This one used both - but definitely didn't have a strong taste of either - probably because of the Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

the blueprint cleanse

If you're like me, doing a cleanse is something you think about, heck - you may even talk about it, but you don't actually do it. I like eating. I don't want to drink my calories all day.

But now that Target carries the Blueprint Cleanse AND it was on sale, I figured this was the time to give it a try. The juices range from about $6-$11 each and according to BPC you should be drinking six juices a day. There's a green juice, a cashew milk juice and some other fruit juices. You can go on the actual BPC website to see which juices you should get depending on which level you want to juice at.

I went with the introductory Renovation cleanse. It includes two green juices, a pineapple juice, a spicy lemonade, a beet juice and finally a cashew milk. They advise that you eat light leading up to the cleanse to help ease your way into a day without a food. I did my best, but I didn't want to cut back on runs/spin so I definitely still ate - just cleaner.

First juice of the day:

Green juice. Eek. This was scary. I didn't know this at the time, but celery is a super overpowering flavor. And definitely one that I'm not a fan of. I choked it down, but it wasn't pretty.

The next juice was fruity - pineapple, apple mint.

I thought I was going to love this one. Don't get me wrong, it didn't taste bad. It was pleasant enough (I mean, it would've gone down a lot easier with some Malibu, but I digress)...

By the time I finished this one, I was over drinking. I felt bloaty. I was trying to drink water as well and some tea to have something warm, but I just felt full!

The next juice was another green one. I couldn't even finish it. 

My afternoon snack consisted of a spicy lemonade - lemon cayenne agave. I was surprised how good it was! Definitely not very spicy. But again, this is a lot of freaking juice. It was hard to get down because I felt so full of liquids!!

 The last clearish juice was the beet (you can see it in my cart shot above). I didn't like it.  I think the ginger was overpowering and I just didn't enjoy the flavor. But I wasn't tired or starving. But I was ready to leave work!

I saved the so-called "milk shake" of cashew milk for last (as suggested) - and I was SO excited for it. People described it as a milkshake and said it was thick and creamy and filling. Well let me tell you, those people LIED.

It tasted like a combination of chalk and milk of magnesia. It was so gross. Whoever called it a milkshake has never been to Dairy Queen. I took a few sips and declared the juice cleanse OVER. I did lose a few pounds, but probably because I peed more than I ever have in my life, so it was definitely just water weight.

If you like the flavors (and plenty do, I shared with my work friend who loved them) then this could be a great cleanse. I liked focusing not on food - but on me for the day. Not sure I'd ever want to do it for multiple days, but I am glad I tried it!

Do you juice? Which are your favorite?

breaking up with the gym

I became a bit of a gym rat in college. But let's be real, it was easy back then. You just walk across campus. There's hotties to stalk. You have tons of friends who will meet you there. At one point, I went twice a day regularly. In the morning by myself - and in the evenings with my bestie before we had fro yo for dinner. I was slim and pretty strong. But I also didn't have a full time job. Or any of the other real life obstacles in the way now.

Since college, I've been in an on and off again relationship with my gym. I love spin classes, but they've changed the way you sign up for them and I'm not sure I want to keep paying the premium price to be able to sign up. I can downgrade but then I can't sign up. But I can still use the gym as I wish. It's a tough choice. I've been running - but I realize a time will come over the winter where I just don't want to run outside. Or I'll be in pain and would rather cross train on an elliptical. I'm afraid to pull the plug on my gym membership. I have been Soul Cycling - but it's expensive. And not around the corner from me.

While I debate the breakup, I'm focusing on Daily Burn videos. They have some quick ones that are great. I'm currently crushing on Ben Booker and LTF. Easy and you feel the burn. Plus runs and spins for cardio.

What is your fave non-gym workout?

taming the ta ta's

As a big boobed gal, I understand the PAIN of finding the best sports bra. Too tight and you can't breathe (let alone run) and not tight enough and you are risking hitting yourself in the face. I went to a Soul Cycle class the other night with only one weak sports bra on and I thought I was going to lose a boob while sprinting in the saddle. It was awful. I almost wish I could see how awful it was to remind myself to keep extra sports bras with me at all times!

So the hunt for the best sports bras continues!

My current fave: Moving Comfort - Endurance
Don't get me wrong, this bra isn't easy to get on and off, but it does the job. The girls stay in place and I don't feel unable to breathe. I got lucky and found it on sale in Jack Rabbit, but it's carried in many stores, like Nordstroms (free shipping, who doesn't love that!?) and Road Runner Sports -- and  both stores have great sales. Coming from a girl with double D's, any bra that can keep me tamed is a winner in my book. Before this bra, I often wore two sports bras. Not fun. Nor is it good for my laundry basket.

Any other recommendations? I hear mixed reviews on the Lululemon bras. I need the ultimate in bounce protection!

getting back in the zone

I don't know about you, but when I slack off from exercise and eating well, it's super hard to get back on track. And each time I try to get back hardcore, I fail. I need to gradually work at it. While I certainly haven't been eating super healthy over this break, I've made an effort to eat more veggies (um, hello vegetti!) and less crap. It's great being able to make an egg white omelet every day, but I'm back to planning for the work week ahead.

Breakfasts:

I'm no early bird. I AM trying to start morning workouts again. Whether it's a run or just a Daily Burn video, it has to start happening. It's too easy to make excuses after work. I make hard boiled eggs on Sundays and eat an egg white (or two) each morning while I'm getting lunch ready. Then I take a multigrain Fiber One english muffin for the road. Once I'm at work, I have two apples throughout the course of the morning. Repetitive (I switch up the fruit more in the summer), but it works and I like it.

Lunch:

This meal is the bane of my existence. I hate lunch. I don't work somewhere I can run out and get something yummy or healthy, so it's up to me to pack it or be miserable. My current plan is grilled chicken and black beans (in taco seasoning) in a spinach mix salad. Throw in some avocado and a bit of low fat colby jack cheese and it's a done deal. Filling, a lot to chew and yummy.

My snacks consist of apples, Fiber One bars, nuts, Babybel cheeses (I can't live without cheese), Cup of Soups (I know, high in salt, but sometimes I crave it!) and peanut butter.

Dinner:

Again, TRYING to plan better. So that I don't say F it and order something fatty in take-out or just eat a ginormous bowl of cereal.

The newbie on this week's dinner menu -- Spicy Parmesan Shrimp from How Sweet It Is. I plan on using way less pasta and adding in some veggies to bulk it up.

My other go-to dinners as of late include some kind of chicken in a high fiber wrap. I throw in the grilled chicken (with buffalo sauce or taco seasoning) with a bit of low fat cheese - and grill the wrap to make it a quesadilla. Pretty easy and definitely yummy. And filled with fiber!

What else can I eat for dinner?! Help me. Shrimp and chicken breasts are my main proteins, it's the sauce/flavoring I need help with. I'm red sauce-phobic so it cuts down on my options.

New Year - New Me!

How cliche can I get? Sorry!

But this morning, I saw that 2015 is the year of the sheep. Those who know me well know that my mom calls me lamb - so what's closer to a lamb than a sheep?! This IS my year!

Zucchini, carrots, soy sauce. Amazeballs.

I've been trying to channel my inner fit chick since my winter break from work started. I bought a package at Soul Cycle (obsessed) and made the decision to run a super big race in 2015. I'm ready for change! Plus, I bought a Vegetti. What could be more exciting than veggies masquerading as pasta?!

And today is the Sugar Bowl. Houndstooth is in full effect. 

I'm not setting any resolutions. I'm just focusing on feeling great - inside and out. And I figured today was as good a day as any to start blogging again. So here goes nothing...

what goes through my mind when i go to the gym

 A friend emailed this to me. I don't know its origins, but it is AMAZING.

OK…here we are. Ready to exercise. Gymming it up! Really gonna go after it today. No more half-assing it on the stationary bike and reading old People magazines. NO! Today we get serious. But first, a little stretching. GOTTA STRETCH. Oh yeah, that’s nice. Real loose. Don’t want to get hurt, because this workout is gonna be PSYCHO. Whew, that feels good! I swear, if stretching before a workout was an Olympic sport, I’d totally get the Gold Medal. OK, Bronze. OK, no medal, but I’d be good at watching it on TV. Hmmm. I’m kinda thirsty. Water break!…The question is…on which machine do I start my fitness revolution? That elliptical over there is free, but… it’s close to the window. Probably pretty drafty. Don’t wanna get sick. Then there’s the treadmill in the corner, but I saw a guy fall on it once, mighta messed up the alignment. Better steer clear. Once you’re known as Fall Off The Treadmill Guy you might as well just switch gyms. You know what? I better take a little stroll around the place to assess my options. Five or six laps, probably, just to be safe…right after I have a little more water….Ooooh, the room with all the weights. I’d really like to go in the room with all the weights. That seems to be where the real work gets done. But it’s terrifying in there. All the men are gigantic, and I’m sure the second I walk in someone will ask me to spot them, and I don’t really get what that means, so then he’ll probably end up dead. And there’s a disproportionate amount of grunting. OH! Open treadmill! Run! THANK GOD I STRETCHED!…Alright, here we are, having a nice little jog. Feels pretty good actually. This is nice. A little heat in my legs, a little sweat on my forehead. Whew! Look at me go. Why don’t we turn up the speed here a little and….HOLY SHIT IS THAT FAST! 4.5 miles per hour?! What? I instantly feel like I’m going to die. How do you know your lung has collapsed? Does it make a sound, or does it just hurt terribly? Because I’m pretty sure I just heard a sound…Really? I’m at the only machine with a broken television? How does this happen every time?! Let’s see what the guy next to me is watching…golf?! GOLF?! The only show that’s more awful than just working out?! Whatever. Go ahead, dude, give me that look that says “don’t watch over my shoulder.” I don’t care. The distraction of that TV is the only thing that’s keeping me alive right now…Hmmm…it says I’ve burned 23 calories. That’s pretty good, right? So when is the absolute soonest I can eat a Snickers ice cream bar? Why is everyone here so attractive? Aren’t we supposed to be working out? My face looks like a watermelon that’s about to explode, and my t-shirt now holds more liquid than a Great Lake. Meanwhile that chick over there looks spectacular. Honestly, I don’t dress that nice to go out on a date! Not sure who that says more about, me or her. Oh God, and she’s wearing makeup. Who puts on makeup to go to the gym? Is there a red carpet portion of the evening I’m not aware of? Aaaaaaand I’m pretty sure I just tore my achilles…11 minutes?!?! You’re telling me I’ve only been on this devil machine for 11 MINUTES? I swear to god, I will kill you, treadmill computer. I will break in here in the middle of the night and stab you in your guts, and the world will applaud me for doing it. OH! I still have some water left!…Oh no, the guy that smells is walking over. I hate you, Guy That Smells. There must be some way to handle this. I should tell him. I mean, I’d want to know if I smelled so bad that people couldn’t stand within five feet of me. Look! Even that nice old man he walked past knows he stinks. He wincing! That’s clearly a “you stink” wince! And that guy’s really old. He musta smelled a lot of really bad stuff in his day. OK. I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna be the one that fixes this. When Guy That Smells walks by, I’m gonna motion him over, very polite, and quietly suggest he give his gym clothes a wash. Look at me. Making changes, fixing lives. Children will learn of me one day in their textbooks as The Great Ambassador! Here he comes, I’ll just give a little wave and– OH GOD! It smells SO AWFUL. Retreat! He got too close! It’s burning. My nose is burning! Stop waving, he’ll walk away. STOP WAVING!!!…Alright, we get it, 65 year-old vixen. You’re in very good shape. But please, I’m begging you. Buy looser pants…She’s running faster than me, isn’t she? Yep, she is. I’m officially in worse shape than a Golden Girl…Now look, we set this treadmill for 40 minutes, so we’re staying on the damn thing for 40 minutes. There is no way we are ending this workout a minute under—OOPS. I hit cool down. I accidentally hit the cool down button! Now we’re just at walking speed. I mean, I could crank it up again, but I’m out of a water, which is a serious medical concern. So…good work. Done for the day. At least I don’t have to be this miserable again for another…24 hours! Sigh.