Can't shake my sweet tooth

I'm going to give you my deep and profound philosophy on sugar....it causes belly fat (and other fat too, but people [women especially] don't like fat bellies.

Now that I've said that, I had some issues over the weekend shaking my sweet tooth.  I always do well during the week because it's a structured setting.  However, with work coming to a close for me after today, this is going to be an uphill battle.  Once I start school full time in mid-June I'll be back to a schedule, but until then I must stay strong.

Once I started monitoring and being conscious of my sugar intake, I really saw a difference in my overall physique.  I truly believe 80% of your results come from diet and the other 20% from working out.  So go get in the kitchen where your abs are made, not in the gym.  If you want a cut stomach, limit your sugars (and of course workout too, it does help).  But by merely going to the gym and doing ab exercises for an hour every day and then coming home and eating whatever you want that is bad for you, is not going to get you where you want to be.  Read labels people!  You would be surprised what has more sugar in it than you think.  If you don't care about your physique, then by all means eat whatever you would like. 

Yesterday, I wanted to make something to feed sweet tooth and make it as healthy as possible with the ingredients I had.  I found a cinnamon chocolate chip protein bar recipe on The Gracious Pantry (www.thegraciouspantry.com) that pretty much did the trick.  And yes, I ate more than the prescribed serving size, oops.  They are pretty tasty.  Both Matt and I agreed that they kind of have a store bought protein bar consistency, but we both give them a positive review.  Click on the link below the picture for the recipe and other great recipes from the website.

Clean Eating Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Protein Bars http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-cinnamon-chocolate-chip-protein-bars/

Often I will video tape myself performing an exercise so I can review it to see if I'm doing it correctly, getting low enough, etc.  For squats, I have been notorious for not going low enough.  So lately I have been really focusing on depth as opposed to heavy weight.  So a video for you viewing pleasure.  If you don't think I'm going low enough, here is where you are allowed to constructively critique.  Especially if your name is Joe S.

The next video is just for fun and for those of my friends who aren't in to fitness will think I'm crazy.  For everyone else, you will understand.  The WOD I was doing today had handstand pushups in it.  I can't do them by myself so I use resistance bands.  This is my first time attempting them ever and I was by myself.  Fairly successful.  You can see around rep 20 my necklace started irritating me as it was caught on my nose.

 

What I did today:

Squat:  5 repetitions x 5 sets @ 130lbs (focusing on getting low)

30 handstand pushups (band assist)
40 pullups (band assist)
50 kettlebell swings
60 situps
70 burpees (Shoot me now, I hate burpees.  Then again, who actually likes them?)

New Benchmarks

So I'm giving you guys/gals some new benchmarks.  Two reasons:

1. To keep myself accountable.
2. To give you something to challenge yourself with.

You should take a look at what I lifted and think "she didn't lift that much at all!"  Set out to lift heavier.  Really I did not lift that much, so you can do it and more.  Compared to some pretty bad @$$ fitness ladies I like to follow, what I have lifted is NOT heavy whatsoever.  What this gives me is a visual of where I am now.  Next month when we do one repetition maximum limits again, I will strive to increase these benchmarks once again.  So take what I give you and hit the gym.  Show me that you can lift heavier and I'm just a little weakling.

May 14 1RM

Squat 190lbs...I need to work on getting lower.  


Bench press 130lbs...I can lift MYSELF!

Dead lift 205lbs

If you are a fan of sweet-n-sour chicken, I made a clean version last night.  I got the recipe from the blog Little B's Healthy Habits.  (http://www.littlebshealthyhabits.com/2011/12/two-clean-crock-pot-meals.html) I don't claim, nor will I ever, that I make these up on my own.  I'm not a huge fan of sweet-n-sour sauce, I never have been, but I still wanted to give this a whirl.  I think next time around I won't put in as much tomato sauce. 

Sweet-n-Sour Chicken (see link above).  The recipe calls for it to be made in the slow cooker, however, I baked mine.

 

I forgot to add a picture in my last post of my before bedtime meal that I make.  It's a treat for me and I look forward to this every day.  It's my version of 'ice cream' and it really helps with my late night sweet tooth cravings. 

• 1 scoop all natural whey protein (chocolate or vanilla)
• 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa
• few dashes of almond milk
• 1 heaping spoonful of all natural peanut butter
• Mix ingredients in all together and put in freezer for about 30 minutes
• ENJOY!

If you are eating ice cream before bed stop!  It's contributing to belly fat.

What I Ate Friday

I can finally write another WIA_ (What I Ate insert day) because I actually changed up my daily eating today.  Not really on purpose, but rather because I ran out of some typical items that I usually eat.  So you saw on my first WIAToday post an example of what I usually always eat.  I'm not a creature of change.  I found what I like and what is easiest for my crazy busy life and stick with that.  Until I run out of something(s). 

Both Matt and I eat a cup of plain greek yogurt for breakfast every day.  This was the first change in the day because I need to go grocery shopping for our usual items.  I changed my typical meal one from ezekial toast and yogurt to a protein shake and oatmeal.  We don't use the packaged kind of oatmeal.  We use Old Fashioned Quaker oats flavored with truvia and fresh berries.  A lot of people who follow my same meal plan from the LiveFit trainer (www.bodybuilding.com) eat the prescribed 5 egg whites for meal 1.  For the life of me and my entire life, I can't bring myself to eat eggs.  Yuck.  Therefore when in doubt for my meal 1 protein source, I default to a whey protein shake with almond milk.  Remember why we use almond milk instead of cow's milk?

Meal 1, protein shake and oatmeal

I ate a ton more carbs last week than usual due to the 1/2 marathon I was supposed to run.  Long story, but I didn't end up running it due to child care coverage.  Thus Matt ran and the kids and I cheered him on.  I was feeling more bloated than usual, so this week I really wanted to keep my carbs low and to the earlier part of the day.  Usually I have homemade protein bars made with oat flour for meal 4, but this week I moved that to meal 2 and made a strawberry banana oatmeal bake (https://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=230337487043980&id=201928239884905) from Natalie Hodson's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NatalieHodsonOfficial).  If you don't know Natalie, check out her facebook page.  She is amazing inspiration and I get a lot of meal ideas from her page.

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal bake fresh out of the oven (see link above)

Meal 2, Strawberry Banana Oatmeal bake and veggies

I always have chicken for meal 3 (normal people's lunch meal).  We already ran out from the bulk I made over the weekend, so today I ate 3-bean turkey chili from the LiveFit trainer (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-recipes-3-bean-turkey-chili.html).  I omitted the beans this time around because I didn't want the extra carbs.  So basically I made the same recipe linked above and just did not add the beans.  We love this chili recipe.  It's the perfect amount of spices and sweet all rolled into one healthy recipe.   

Meal 3, 3-bean chili, minus the beans, veggies, and rice cakes

Meal 4 was a post-workout protein shake.  On most days I don't count this as one of my meals, but due to timing and having to pick the kids up from daycare, it just became a meal today.  


Now to my favorite, it's FRIDAY!!!  That means pizza cheat day for us.  We had the USMA Nordic Ski team over for an end of the year celebration and ate our favorite pizza.  I always cheat once a week and when I cheat, I cheat.  So of course I had a few dessert treats as well.  :)

Meal 5, pizza, wings, and dessert!

The point of telling you guys that I cheat once per week is to let every know that you have to indulge.  You have to live.  I chose for us to do this once per week.  I don't feel like it is hindering my results.  If I stuck to the diet 100%, I'm actually quite nervous of what I would look like.  I'm happy with what I look like, so this cheating NEVER makes me feel guilty.  Oh, and I also don't have just one slice of pizza either (usually 3-4).


Meal 6 is my version of pudding.  I mixed a scoop of whey protein and a tablespoon of cocoa with a few dashes of almond milk and mix until it is the consistency of pudding.  I add a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter and mix it all up.  Stick it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.  I eat this before bed so my muscles can have something to build on while I'm sleeping for 8 hours [yeah right, 8 hours!].   I look forward to this meal every day.  It's so good!


So today I had a lot of whey protein, which I usually don't like to do.  Although it's nice to know in a pinch, I have something to turn to other than candy, chips, soda, etc.  


Cardio I accomplished this week:
*Remember I no longer focus my 'working out' on cardio.  You can run, stair climb, elliptical train, etc. all day long, but you won't achieve muscle definition.  Not the kind I like at least.

Monday:  30 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on the treadmill.  Warm up for 5 minutes.  Then sprint for 30 seconds on then 30 seconds off b/w the speeds 10.0 and 12.0

Wednesday: HIIT on the treadmill
9% incline at 3.5 mph for 5 min
6.5 mph for 5 min
12% incline at 3.5 mph for 5 min
7.5 mph for 5 min
15% incline at 3.5 mph for 5 min
9.0 mph for 6 min
Walk 3.5 mph for 4 min

Thursday: 14-mile road bike ride with an old high school/Army friend of ours, Micah Rue.

Today's workout:

Arms:
Narrow pushups  4 sets x 15 repetitions
Seated tricep extension 4 sets x 8 repetitions @ 40lbs last set 35lbs

Super Set: 3 sets x 8 repetitions
Cable one are tricep extension@10lbs
One are reverse grip tricep push down @10lbs

Super set: 3 sets x 8 repetitions
Skull crushers @ 40lbs
Close grip bench @ 40lbs

Incline dumbbell curl 4 sets x 8 repetitions @ 15lbs 20lbs 20lbs 15lbs
Alternate dumbbell curl 4 sets x 8 repetitions 20-25lbs last set drop set to 10lbs
Barbell curl 21's (2sets)  @ 30lbs

Arm day, one of my favs.  Do you prefer the muscle look or no muscle look? (hint, if you disagree with me, keep your comments to yourself)  This is immediately following a workout so I still have the muscle pump look.  My arms don't look like this on a regular non-flexed, non-workout basis.

Run. Bike. Run.

I'm just a regular mom.  Nothing I do or post is anything spectacular as far as times, speed, weight, etc.  Really this is just to show others out there that it doesn't take anything crazy to be 'fit.' 

Lara first two mile run

Matt first two mile run

Lara bike

Matt bike

Lara finish second 2 mile run

Matt finish second 2 mile run

Lara picking up her swag for winning her age group

Matt's swag for the military division

Last weekend, Matt and I participated in the West Point duathlon.  This wasn't an extremely long or challenging event:  run 2 miles (flat), bike 14 miles (not flat!), run 2 miles (flat).  I was not trained specific for this type of event as my focus as been solely weight lifting with HIIT a couple times per week the past 5 months.  I hit the bike a total of three times prior to this event and ran one 6-mile run and one 2-mile run.  

It was a chilly morning with temperatures in the 30's but the sun was shining.  The run course paralleled the Hudson River on the quick flat PT test course for West Point.  As I counted the women in front of me at the turn around, I sat in 3rd or 4th.  I clocked something around 14:29 for the first two miles.  That is about my ONLY strong point of the ENTIRE race.  Basically I suck at transition, so so at the bike, and my legs are dead on the second run following the bike.  I came into transition one as the 3rd female, but probably left out as the 6th or 7th.  I kind of felt like I might have a slight advantage on the bike being that we live on West Point, and we tested out the course one time prior to the race.  After we exited Washington gate, the bike course followed Route 293 to Camp Bunker and every time I have rode in the past year of living here, that is the road I ride.  The bike course started with a pretty steep uphill and continued for probably 4 miles all up.  As I rode by other riders they all kept asking how much further is it going to go up?  I kept track of the couple of females that passed me on the ride.  Being that the bike is always my weakest event, I knew I probably wasn't going to be able to catch them.  By the time I finished the bike, with the windchill my toes and fingers were numb. 

As I came into transition two, all I kept thinking was "I am SO hungry and should be eating Meal #2 now."  For those of you who follow my same eating schedule, you know what I'm feeling like at this point.  One of the race volunteers said as I got off the bike "You have finished the hardest part, now just a 2-mile run."  I thought "yes, he is right."  Then....I hit the road running and my legs felt like dead weight.  Basically, I got through the next two miles and was happy to be finished.  My second two mile run was not impressive what so ever, 17 minutes and some change (awful).

I ended up winning my female age group and was the 7th female overall.  I don't find that to be impressive at all considering every female that beat me was older by a handful of years and a 48 year old beat me!  Must, work, HARDER. 

Matt and I's life dilemia is how to fit in everything we like to do.  We don't necessarily want to train solely for races.  That would mean my weight lifting has to take a back seat, and I don't like that.  Generally speaking, I'm looking to be an overall bad ass (thanks Joe S.).  I don't want to go out there and win every event.  I want to have an overall fitness level that allows me to compete in all sorts of events, survive, and maybe even challenge some folks. 

For now I'll stick to heavy lifting a couple times per week, a high intensity Crossfit workout a time or two a week, and maybe one cardio day.

Next up, tomorrow...the Bear Mountain 1/2 Marathon.  Say I if you don't think this girl is trained for that event either.  "I!"

Wish me luck!
I haven't posted any "what I've eaten today" blogs since my first b/c I haven't changed it up yet.  I tend to eat the same things for a while until I get sick of them.  Typically 5 out of my 6 meals daily are the same.  The dinner changes each night though, but usually lacks creativity.