How else....???

C'mon...how else are you supposed to open it?  Looks like someone didn't follow directions....

Oh the weather outside is frightful

Monday's workout included a Plan A,  Plan B & Plan C. 

Plan A was to go for a run with my wonderful friend Sarah, as long as it was warmer than 29 degrees. 
Plan B was to go to the gym and run on the treadmill. 

Plan C was to try a new workout website that my crazy friend Matt sent to me.  I will report later on the new workout, when I actually do it.

Which plan did I choose?  Plan F- for Fail.  I had a craptastic day at work and realized that I had a lot of stuff I was supposed to do this weekend for a Christmas Party on Wednesday.  My husband had a bad day too, so we decided to work on some Christmas crafts and then get some sleep.  The word crafts does not bring good thoughts, but since I procrastinated, it needed to be done.  Crafts usually involve the words "ouch" ..."this stupid thing".... "that is not what its supposed to look like"...."why won't it stick"......etc.  I'm just not a crafty person, and I don't have the patience.  I hate getting glue on my fingers.  I hate scissors because they never do what I tell them.  Markers always bleed through my work after I finally get the glue off my fingers and the scissors to work...causing me to have to start all over. 

Lucky for me the craft was an ugly Christmas sweater, so it doesn't have to look pretty.  Maybe, if you're lucky I'll post pictures tomorrow. 

Needless to say, I wish I had been able to go for a run.  But with the temps, there was no way I was going to freeze my buns off in 5-10 degree weather.

  I'm from Minnesota, and people always ask "well, aren't you used to the cold?"  Absolutely not.

I'm a weirdy...

{Rest Day}

I'm really particular about some things and I don't even know why.  Like really pointless things.

I have a blanket that I like to use that has a light blue side....and a dark blue side.  And it drives me crazy when the light blue side is visible  Really crazy.  And Justin thinks its the funniest thing that I am so particular about it.  So, tonight I turn my back for a second and I see this:

It's almost like nails on a chalkboard to me.....and look at his smirk.  Haha...he likes to see me squirm.  I forced him to switch it, otherwise I was going to sit on the floor so I didn't have to see it!   He was a good boy and complied.

Insane...Insane...Insane

{55 min  Insanity- Max Interval Plyo}

Last night (after my quick workout) was spent not being guilty for sitting on the couch for 3 hours catching up on the Biggest Loser.  It was glorious and we needed it. It's been a crazy week.

This morning I woke up determined to go for a run.  Then, I looked at the weather and it said 15 degrees with a wind...oh heck no.  So, I decided I was going to do the hardest workout I had in the house.  Insanity: Max Interval Plyometrics.  It was....insane.   I could hear Justy laughing when I started yelling at Shaun T in the back room.   Shaun T....you crazy, man....you crazy.

Yeah....I was spent afterwards....like I couldn't even get off the floor....even my pinkies were sore. 

And then I got really hungry.   I was going to take a picture of the breakfast my hubby made me (aw for sweet)....but I shoveled the food into my mouth too fast.

Let me tell you about my fabulous & healthy breakfast that my amazing hubby cooked up.

Basically we scrambled egg mix using only egg whites (no yolks...too much cholesterol!)
(This is a serving size for 1 person)
4 egg whites
1/8 cup milk
1 tbsp onions, chopped
2 tbsp green & red peppers, chopped
1 medium mushroom, chopped
1/4 Roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup raw spinach, chopped

We also cooked up some Honeysuckle lean turkey sausage.  You'd be suprised at how much fat breakfast sausage has (15-30% fat)....so we use the lean Honeysuckle turkey sausage.  Very flavorful and only 5-7% fat, depending on which you buy. 

Then, we put the egg mix & the breakfast sausage in a whole wheat tortilla...and added some salsa.  DELISH!  Here are the nutrition facts :

I keep track of my food using an online food journal at www.myfitnesspal.com  MyFitnessPal is an absolutely free site I've been using for over 2 years to track my workouts, calorie goals, weightloss goals, and it has a great support community.  I've actually "met" a lot of awesome runner friends there.  They have support groups for people with similar interests, question boards, blogs, news feeds,  etc.  It's pretty great.  If you want to find me there....my username is kicklikeaGIRL  (make sure to include a message!)

Just Do It

{20 minutes HIIT workout}

I did not feel like working out tonight.  By the time Friday comes around I am beat, and all I feel like doing is sitting on the couch with some food...

But, I know I will feel so much better if I just buck-up and get my workout on.  Even if just for 15- 20 minutes.  And so, that's what I did tonight.  I immediately put my workout clothes on, because if I do that it seems easier to get motivated, and then I quit whining for 2 minutes and just started moving.  Something is better than nothing.  

I always know that I will feel better if I do something, because otherwise I end up on the couch all night (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), and eat too much food (which is a bad thing).  So, follow the motto I came up with a while ago......... Just Do It.  

I can kick it too....

{60 minutes Turbo Kick class  + ChaLean Extreme Push 3}

Tonight's Turbo Kick class rocked! Tonight was supposed to be the last night of the semester....but luckily I weaseled my way into teaching at least one more week of classes this semester. (So...if you're still in town....come next week!!)

  I love Turbo Kick, its such a fun workout....and teaching it makes me so happy!  My class members rock my socks off.

I love Turbo Kick as a way of cross training.  Its a combination of kickboxing, core strength, dance, and plyo-metrics.  I love love love it!  And the music rocks!

Wanna sneak peek?  Here's a two clips of tonight's workout.  I was DANG tired on the Turbo, since it was the 2nd turbo, but we pushed through it!!

PUNCHES SECTION

TURBO!

Late night granola chef

First off...my picture taking skills are horrendous, at best.  I wish I had some creative skills...and I wish I had a nice camera  (Hubby, you reading this?  hint. hint. hint.)   But, I am still going to take them and unfortunately....post them.

Last night I decided to do make some Low Fat Chewy Granola Bars close to bedtime so that I could bring some to work with me.  I don't know why I torture myself like that.  My family knows that I am a beast if I do not get sleep.   I didn't want to make eye contact with the camera because I was tired, grumpy, and frumpy.  But, the granola bars are delish...and a staple in this house.  I LOVE them because I make them with natural products (none of those long ingredients we can't pronounce).  PLUS they taste delicious!   And..they are cheap!  Buying a box of 6 granola bars at the store cost me close to $3 a box.  I can make 20 granola bars for less than $3.   I am now your bestie for sharing the recipe.........



LOW FAT CHEWY GRANOLA BARS -  Makes 20 granola bars
Nutrition: 150 Calories; 26g carbs; 3g protein, 4g fat, 14g sugar
1/4 cup lite brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (I use the natural kind)
1/4 cup honey
2 TBSP peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural PB, or I grind my own)
1 large egg white
3 TBSP unsweetened almond milk (you could use regular milk)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups oats (I use the Quaker old fashioned oats)
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Optional Ingredients:  (I use ALL of these...but you can use whatever you'd like!)
handful of craisins or raisins
handful of white chocolate chips (or chocolate chips)
handful of almonds (chop 'em up)
handful of shredded coconut (optional!)


In a medium bowl, use a mixer to mix together the sugar, maple syrup, honey, PB, egg white, milk, vanilla until the mixture is thick and creamy and well blended.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, allspice, & baking soda.  Combine both the creamy mixture and flour mixture together and blend well with the mixer.  Once it's well blended, add the oats & rice krispies and mix with a large spoon until oats & rice krispies are well disbursed.  Then, add any of the extra ingredients you'd like! 

Don't mind the mess...and don't mess with me....I'm tired!

Lay down Parchment Paper in a 9X13 baking pan.  (I've never tried this recipe without the parchment paper, and I probably wouldn't attempt doing so).  Flatten the granola bar mixture into the pan, on top of the parchment paper.  Use a hard spoon and firmly flatten mixture as even as possible. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until outside edges are slightly golden brown.  

Let granola bars sit for just a short few minutes, and then "score" them into bars.  Don't fully cut them yet, because the mixture is still soft.  But, if you "score" the tops, then it will be easier to take a knife later and cut them into nice bars.  I like to cut the bars long-wise so they look like actual granola bars, but you can cut them like you would brownies. 

I usually keep them in the pan, and then throw them in the fridge for about an hour so they harden.  I'm too impatient to wait...and usually the Hubster smells the granola goodness and can't wait either. 

YUM!  The black spot in the middle is a shadow.  I warned you about my picture-taking skills.