Protein Variety

As I look at my twitter and facebook feed I see so many people working hard to be summer-ready. Diets are hard to stick to if you have not yet made healthy eating a lifestyle. The trick is to make your food interesting. Love your seasoning cabinet and you won't miss all those unhealthy foods.

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Two scrambled eggs, 2 slices of turkey bacon
Meal 2: High-fiber bean dip with whole grain chips; Canadian stew
Meal 3: La Madeleine petite wild field salade & cup of french onion soup (reason)
Meal 4: Navel orange, Chicken waldorf salad (leftovers) with multi-grain baked pita
Meal 5: DATE NIGHT: Tx LC smoked sirloin and lightly steamed broccoli with cracked peppercorn and garlic
Meal 6: N/A

Eating Right, But Out With a Client

Today I have a business lunch. The persons I am meeting chose La Madeleine. In efforts to stay lean, I wanted to check out the calorie count on my favorite hot sandwich at La-mads for lunch today, the Turkey Bistro. To my horror! 500 calories!!! for HALF of the sandwich!!! Wowzers!!!! Needless to say, I will NOT be getting their turkey bistro!!! But you know...who was I kidding? I always remove the bacon, but there is cheese, a huge white bun, pesto, mayo...need I go on?

After sifting through the menu I have narrowed it down to 2 options.

OPTION 1 (complex carbs, no protein):
Wild Field Salade (Regular) (110)
Vegetable Soupe (60)

OPTION 2 (protein):
Wild Field Salade With Salmon (260)

I can't wait till I can workout for real again so that I can go back to eating high protein+complex carbs. My body doesn't need the same level anymore...soon, Faith...be patient.

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 21!! (posting a little late)

Posting regularly has been difficult since I've been back at work. Schedule has gotten pretty cramped. Here we are on the final day of my 21-day project! 6 weeks from the date of my injury! Bones take approximately 6 weeks to heal, but I am still feeling the achy-ness of recovery and am still not able to sit without a pillow or run. Maybe its because I tore or strained some ligaments in the process of braking that bone off.

Here was that original list:

1. Finish Echo painting for mom Done!
   
2. Start creepy-circus painting Done!
3. Tune and learn one solo piece on the cello
4. Put London scrapbook together for Mother's day gift (hmm...need to get a scrapbook and lignon free tape) Began, but incomplete
   
5. Make a list of supplies for brother's graduation table Done!
6. Contact church youth to make sure on schedule for Youth Sunday Done!
7. Brainstorm how to finish the "green" painting for Phil. house
8. Sort pictures for wedding album project
9. Work towards pull-up goal of...10... (that's reasonable right? in 21 days?) NOT REASONABLE haha....but I did make progress
   
10. Write a letter to each missionary we are supporting
11. Our taxes & come up with a new system to track expenses so that 2011 taxes will be cake Done! and Done!
12. [Daily] Study Psalm 63 Did this! (But there is way more to study in that passage)
    
13. Make real crepes
    
14. Write an email to my mom in her native tongue [Ilonggo]
    
15. Go through closet for items we don't wear --send to the Philippines Done!
16. Build something out of wood
17. Make paper
    
18. [Daily] Learn and use one vocab word that I have never used before Done!
19. Make new pillow cases (ours are on the fritz)
20. Not be shlubby even though I'm just at home Dressed cute every day! Should have been doing that all along...never stop impressing the hub :)
    
21. Plant an herb garden Done! Parsley was a fail, but my basil is sprouting!
    
22. Learn a tango piece on the piano Began, but not ready yet
    
23. Read "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken (been trying to get to it since last fall) Nearly...will hopefully finish it soon...
    
24. [Daily] Isometric exercise Did this nearly every day, with the exception of pain days
25. [Body allowing] Grill out! May do this soon! Weather is rainy this weekend, so maybe next weekend...
    

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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 42 (somewhere my count got off...)

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 15

PRIORITY CHECK
I really love that I came across a great reminder today: Psalm 73.25-26
Being injured has really given me a great opportunity to reassess what should be most important to me. My God, Luke, others. I am excited that my progress of recovery is slow because it may help me ease into finding the good balance of maintaining priority order while incorporating things (like running) in a way that is in alignment with those core priorities. Hmm..the wheels are spinning!

Its times like this when I know I need to throw a bounce off of someone so they can slap some sense into me or a "well...you know what you're doing wrong" haha. Causing me to definitely miss one of my absolute greatest friends of all time! Germany has stolen her from me! Em!

I spoke with a dear friend, Annette, who might as well be my big sister. What a great encouragement. She prodded me onward!

Thanks also to everyone who comments, emails or messages me a cheer or click of a "like", you guys have been such a motivational boost! Being inactive is such a weird state of being.

OUTLET
I got muh hair did. Rockin Red. THANK YOU VAL!!!!


WORKOUT
Today my girl, Mary, challenged me to a push-up-on-demand. All day, randomly (as is our personality), we texted each other and at that moment we had to drop everything and do 10 pushups. 10 was a good number, but I think next time it should be at least twice that. ;) What do you say Mar-shmack?


MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Scrambled egg, slice of turkey bacon , navel orange
Meal 2: Avocado with lemon juice
Meal 3: Farm Stand Tomato salad, ear of corn (barely steamed to maintain nutrients) and Avocado with banana slices
Meal 4: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Meal 5: N/A
Meal 6: N/A


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 34

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 14

Didn't need pain meds at any point today. rock on.

WORKOUT
Didn't want to push my luck, so to speak. (but I did squeeze in a few pull-up [attempts])

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Banana Bread, Eat Clean style
Meal 2: Navel orange (bread was pretty filling)
Meal 3: Cubed sirloin stew
Meal 4: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Meal 5: Avocado with lemon juice (I eat it right out of the skin with a spoon)
Meal 6: Grilled lean sirloin strips (3 oz), corn on the cob


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 33

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 13

FYI: I have not been slacking, the lack of posts is due to the fall my lap top had. Shattered the LCD. Major bummer.

NIX NEGATIVE
Feeling a lot stronger today and will be working full days this week from home.

OUTLET
Work :) Tango music, Banana bread (Eat Clean style, efforts to post later)


WORKOUT
Pullup Monday Madness ...not really progressing like I had hoped...partly for the waaay to long rest days in between, but recovery/healing is more important to me right now.

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Quick Sunrise Smoothie*
Meal 2: Avocado with lemon juice (I eat it right out of the skin with a spoon)
Meal 3: 1/2 turkey wrap with slices avocado, lettuce and tomato in whole wheat tortilla
Meal 4: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Meal 5: Angry Mediterranean Salmon (3.5 oz) and raw zucchini
Meal 6: N/A

*Quick Sunrise Smoothie
1/3 C skim milk
1 scoop vanilla protein
1 navel orange

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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 32

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 10

NIX NEGATIVE
Feeling stronger today!! I can't stand up straight still, but I am definitely feeling stronger. Score.

OUTLET
Resume fun with my friend, Valerie.
Organized and began plotting things to be removed #springcleaning.
Stared at my canvas.


WORKOUT
Rest. Normally, as soon as I feel strong during recovery, I push myself. This time, I am going to play it chill and let my body enjoy the rest - come on recovery juice, do yo thang.

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: 1/2 Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein) ---weird...low appetite.
Meal 2: too full to eat....also weird
Meal 3: Lamb gyro with fresh sliced tomatoes and chopped lettuce and greek yogurt
Meal 4: too full to eat.....what a weird day
Meal 5: 1/2 of a ginormous green mango....and felt STUFFED....weird, weird, weird.
Meal 6: Vietnamese chicken salad rolls- a la Pei Wei


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 29

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 9

NIX NEGATIVE
Trouble walking again, but was able to work a full day from home, so there's improvement. Still can't find a comfortable way to sit for a long period of time, but I feel like I am improving.


OUTLET
Not able to stand or sit for long, so was hard to read more than a page or even pull out my paints. Date night was a nice change of pace!


WORKOUT
Pull-ups 2S/4R
Still, not feeling good enough to put more energy into a workout, but:
Iso-abs - every time I thought about it throughout the day

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: oats with a few pieces of cut up dried apple and fig (Use organic, no added sugar fruits so that you are getting nothing but fruit. Dried fruits are great when you want to pack your oats in a ziploc. I can get hot water at a coffee shop or my office.)
Meal 3: Oh-my-gosh egg-white omelet
Meal 4: Avocado cubed with 1/4 banana sliced, lightly tossed with lemon juice
Meal 5: Celery with all-natural, no-sugar added peanut butter
Meal 6: DATE NIGHT - pizza? what?!


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 28

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 8

NIX NEGATIVE
Can barely walk today. ergh. What's the dealiyo, yo? Wondering if my body is needing more rest so it can focus on healing, but instead I've been working full days and traveling. That would explain why I've felt so exhausted as though I need more than 8 hours of sleep. Hmm...Today I will take off half a day and start trying to listen to the rest "urges". I am so thankful to have a job that will let me do this without firing me.

OUTLET
Yesterday I put away our winter clothes. A whole 24" box haha - gotta love Texas.
Painting, reading, studying, piano, and a little language studying.


WORKOUT
Not feeling good enough to put more energy into a workout, but:
Iso-abs - every time I thought about it throughout the day

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: 1/2 [ginormous] green mango; 1/4C oats
Meal 2: Whole grain bagel; cottage cheese
Meal 3: 1/2 turkey wrap with pieces of avocado, lettuce, tomato, mustard on whole wheat
Meal 4: Mott's All Natural no sugar added Applesauce
Meal 5: Avocado
Meal 6: Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein)


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 27

Kill the Quote? Food is Fuel

I wanted to take some time to write about the concept of "Food is Fuel". The concept that is used to retrain your brain to understand what to put in your mouth to help you perform [on the track, in the gym, carrying groceries, etc] better. This is a wonderful simple statement that really helps you put your grocery shopping in perspective to your goals. It's easy to understand and it's a catchy phrase. THE PROBLEM is we cannot always live like that. Are you supposed to always avoid wedding cake? or never eat your mom's famous eclair? or never make your favorite pot of chili? Food is also meant to be enjoyed.

I usually do not like to talk about food this way, because many people who have not yet created the healthy-eating lifestyle will abuse this epiphany. It's sooooo easy to say "oh well I've been so good, I can treat myself this once". But that is a pit-fall.

Beware, "Food is Fuel" and "Life is too short" need to be observed in good balance.

Know your goals, stick to your goals, but know your limits. If you are too strict, too quickly you will set yourself up for failure.

Enjoy life! Be healthy, be strong and enjoy life!

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 7

NIX NEGATIVE
Sunday we went to Garland to be with Family on Easter. The trip there really screwed with me - I never realized how bumpy those roads are. I have been pretty sore since, so walking is painful again. Bummer.

...BUT....Tricep Tuesday, anyone? :)

OUTLET
Reading the book "A Severe Mercy" recommended to me by a friend and fellow musician in the church orchestra, Sarah. Apparently, it is a pretty radical story, so onward I plunge!


WORKOUT
Trics - 4S/10R
Shoulders - ant. delts. -4S/8,10,10,8R
Shoulders - pos. delts. -4S/12,14,10,10R
Shoulders - extensions -3S/8,8,6R
Iso-Squats - 4S/30secondR no rest between sets
Iso-abs - every time I thought about it throughout the day

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: 6 almonds
Meal 3: Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein)
Meal 4: Mott's All Natural no sugar added Applesauce
Meal 5: Grilled jerk chicken with asian mixed veggies lightly sauteed in peanut oil
Meal 6: Celery sticks with organic, no-sugar added peanut butter


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 26

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 6

NIX NEGATIVE
Pull up madness is my favorite kind of Monday.

OUTLET
Making major headway on my next piece. Using oils this time at the encouragement of my husband and other awesome artist friend, "Val".

Still enjoying Psalm 63 and the grateful heart David had while he wrote and sang that song.


WORKOUT
Pull ups - 3S/4,4,7R assisted. 1 min rest between sets
Bics-burnouts - 50,45,40
Bics-hammer burnout
Iso-abs - 100S/10secondR no rest between sets
Iso-Squats - 4S/30secondR no rest between sets

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Chocolate Protein Shake (skim milk, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: Protein bar 1/2 apple
Meal 3: 4 oz Ground turkey and steamed veggies
Meal 4: Celery sticks with organic, no-sugar added peanut butter
Meal 5: Miso soup and 3 oz salmon
Meal 6: 1/2 protein bar and 1/4 cup steamed broccoli


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 25

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 5

NIX NEGATIVE
Loving the chance to focus on my upper-body strength, something that's taken a sideline to my half marathon training.

OUTLET
Starting work on my next art piece.


WORKOUT
Off-day (Always important to honor the off day. if you miss a day in your workout, don't think, I'll just make up for it by skipping my off day. WHY? training is way more a mental challenge than you think. Honoring the off day will train you to push it hard in the few days you have to work out because you will know you have that off day coming up. The rest day is just as important as your training days because your body needs a good solid recovery day.


MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Power Protein Shake (Banana, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: N/A - hard to squeeze that in during church
Meal 3: Unfortunately not good selection at the Church potluck lunch, so after the lunch we rushed home and sauteed some chicken in onions and a bit of soy sauce, garlic salt and cracked pepper
Meal 4: Vanilla protein with frozen strawberries
Meal 5: Easter dinner at the in-laws. Prediction: Grilled chicken, salad with avocado (I'll edit this note if this is not what happens, but I can promise you I'll be eating healthy)
Meal 6: N/A


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 24

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 4

NIX NEGATIVE
Yesterday I climbed up and back down 5 steps. It felt a little stiff, but ..no pain. I think I will try to make it down to the gym for my workouts this week!

OUTLET
My sister came in town, so I did not accomplish anything on my list. I'll have to double up tomorrow :)


WORKOUT
Pullups 3S/4 assisted.
30 min walk - getting easier

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Power Protein Shake (Banana, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: chicken sandwich
Meal 3: pear, pineapple, frozen strawberries. blended (add water)
Meal 4: yogurt topped with mango, kiwi, blueberries
Meal 5: chicken adobo with 1/3C rice [My sister was coming in town and was craving home Filipino food]
Meal 6: N/A


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 23

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 3 "A la Peanut Butter SAND-wiches!"

NIX NEGATIVE
Not only can I walk, but I can bend! Woot! It's almost like, as soon as I resided myself to a long recovery, my body goes into turbo-healing-mode. #IamsecretelyWolverine

OUTLET
My brother's graduation supply list ready, check!
Concept for circus painting sketched!


WORKOUT
Attempted a pushup hoping maybe I was ready...won't be doing that again for a little while...
Iso-abs
Bis: 4S burnouts

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Power Protein Shake (Banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein)
Meal 2: Fiber One Bar
Meal 3: Greek style lamb, lettuce, tomato
Meal 4: Cottage cheese
Meal 5: 1/3 C Yogurt with 1 heaping Tbs pulverized almonds and shredded coconut
Meal 6: Grilled chicken and oven roasted Brussels sprouts


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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 22

21-Day-Recovery-Project: Day 2 "Positively Healthy"

NIX NEGATIVE
I CAN WALK!! This morning I woke up and could walk easily without pain! "Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You"[ps 31:19]

OUTLET
Echo painting, check!














WORKOUT
Pullups: 5S/3,3,3,5,7R assisted 1 min rest between sets [goal: 10 unassisted by end of 21 days]
Iso-squats 8S/30secondR no rest between sets

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Fiber One bar, Navel orange, 1/4 C organic corn cereal [this was a terrible breakfast...what was I thinking]
Meal 2: Power Protein Shake (Banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein)
Meal 3: Garlic soup and toasted whole grain french bread
Meal 4: Avocado; oats
Meal 5: 1/3 C Yogurt with 1 heaping Tbs pulverized almonds and 1/2 apple, sliced
Meal 6: DATE NIGHT/cheat meal: grilled chicken sandwich, yo, on white bread


"The power of healing can come from the effort to face the challenge. The challenge of an injury is often misconstrued as a curse."

"'Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

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Broken tailbone got me down and pouty, so I started the 21 day streak of getting over the despair. #injuryrecovery at its finest!
Days since injury: 21