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.