a fast on sweets

so for some odd reason i decided to give up sweets for 21 days. it may have sprouted from my resolutions for 2014. but either way. it hasn't been fun. do i feel better? yes. do i miss chocolate on a regular basis? yes. do i plan what i am going to be baking up as soon as my fast is done? yes. all of a sudden, flavored yogurt (which i usually don't eat, due to artificial sweeteners/i usually make my own) taste like a chocolate bar!!

another good/bad thing i have been doing is every time i crave something sweet, i read about how bad sugar is for you... ha!it the natural researcher inside me. one article i read stated that sugar is as addictive as cocaine (so that is why i am having with drawls....)

finally though i feel that i have control over my body. it is weird how sugar affects you so much.i hope that i can continue to balance this whole sweets thing even after my little fast. even if the only yummy food that sounds good is desert ;) any healthier desert options for this lady??!!

outfit details:

jacket// thrifted
pants// american eagle
scarf// aerie
boots// frye
bag// madewell

oh breakfast!

everyone talks about how important it is to start the day off well by eating breakfast, but realistically speaking, how often do you do it? ever since chad and i have been married i have really upped the breakfast routine. i no longer just take my food on the go (aka just eat granola bars every single morning) but spend some time eating a healthy breakfast. granted... my newly founded habit has not affected chad's decision on eating breakfast in the morning, but i still feel pretty proud of myself that i am making an effort to eat breakfast everyday. i have really started a good routine, one that i don't feel like i am running around with my head spinning. i take that time to relax and read in the morning before rushing to work.

my little sweet tooth starts craving some sweets pretty early on. its like 6:00 am and i am thinking, should i or should i not have the cookie for breakfast,  should i eat nutella toast? ha! i really do try and start the day on a more healthy note, so i have came up with a solution. tasty, healthy, easy pancakes that have a little sweet. best of both worlds.

healthy banana oat pancakes

2 eggs
1 banana
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
handful of oats

1. put all ingredients into a blender and pulse for 10 or so seconds. do not over mix.
2. pre-grease a skillet (i use coconut oil sometimes from trader joes!) add pancakes and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. in this stage feel free to add blueberries, or chocolate chips for an extra treat!
3. serve with honey, syrup, powdered sugar or even eat plain!

next time when you are in doubt... healthy pancake it out ;)
enjoy!

sweet potato chips with dip

i frequently go on random kicks with what my favorite food is. this happens quite often, one week i am obsessed with popcorn, then it will randomly be tomatoes, then lemon heads! it makes me laugh to think of how all over it is. a few weeks back i was on a major sweet potato kick. this little kick was better because it was actually a little healthier for me  ;) i honestly would crave sweet potatoes morning, noon, and night. but when you are on a sweet potato kick, you can't just bake it the same ol' way every time, no no, that would be quite boring! so i began to get pretty creative and came up with these chip things. i have seen sweet potato chips all over pinterest so i can't exactly claim the great idea all on my own. there are spicy  chips (kinda like this one), vinegar chips (that is what kind i want  to try next!) , and even sweet, sweet potato chips. yum! whatever your chip flavor may be, i highly recommend trying to bake your sweet potatoes this way! sweet potatoes are a power food, they naturally contain beta carotene, vitamin a, and potassium, a few things that their brother, the regular potato doesn't have.

so with no further ado, let me introduce to you....

 the sweet potato chip with creamy avocado dip

2 potatoes-sliced very thin
drizzle of olive oil
chili powder
cayenne peeper
salt
pepper
garlic

scoop greek yogurt
1/2 avocado mashed
cayenne pepper
cherry tomatoes, halved
freshly squeezed lemon juice
pepper

1. mix oil, chili powder , Cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic in a bowl, add in potatoes.
2. place on a foiled baking sheet, and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes
3. mix yogurt, avocado, cayenne, cherry tomatoes, pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl.
4. enjoy!

recipe modified from eating_whole

recipe // cilantro bean tuna spread

growing up, it was always tuna sandwiches on sunday afternoons. my family and i would arrive home from church, and open that can up of tuna, mixed in a little mayo, cut up some celery, and presto lunch was served. i remember my sister laurel getting so frustrated at my parents, "tuna, again?!" she was always sensitive to scents and hated that weekly smell of tuna.

though i can't say i was a fun of tuna back in the day, i have really grown to like it and found that the canned (or no-canned) goodness has lots of great meal potential aside from the classic mayo-tuna sandwich. i remember the first time i saw a tuna spread and thought, you can actually eat that stuff with out being on a sandwich?! yes heather, yes you can. anyway! i have slowly been incorporating tuna back into my diet and have to say why was i hesitant for so long. tuna is actually pretty dang good for you. obviously, it is fish so it naturally contained anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. it is a cheap source of protein and all around flavorful. i have been playing with how to get it into my diet more, when i created this recipe late one night. i had been staring at this little can of tuna thinking, what am i ever going to do with this. then it hit me. i was trying to do some meal prep for the next day, knowing that i would be going straight from work to school with no time to stop at home for dinner. while trying to figure what to do with this tuna, i thought, why don't i make a modified,better tuna sandwich! i dont really know what to call this recipe so i am going to simply call it a spread. i ate it as a salad but it would pair nicely as a lettuce warp or onto of some crackers!

cilantro bean tuna spread

1 can olive-oil packed tuna

1/2 can cannelloni beans, drained

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 apple, diced
1/2 tsp capers, drained

2 stalks celery, diced

juice from 1 lemon

salt

pepper

mix tuna, beans and yogurt into a medium sized bowl, add cilantro, onion, apple, celery, lemon, salt and pepper. mix well.  enjoy as a lunch, appetizer, or side at dinner! 

fit report: winter activites

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well, winter is clearly on its way here in minnesota with snow and chilly temps in the forecast. this is all awesome and i really don't mind except for one thing. my ability to run. as i have mentioned several time through out this blog, i love to run. its my favorite form of exercise by far and this time of year always makes my relationship with running a little tricky. for one, i like to run in the daylight. this is more for safety being a women. and two, sometimes it is just too dang cold to run outside. especially when that sun goes down. 

so i am in need of a new fitness routine. aka, back to the gym i go. working out in the winter is way harder. you have to take off your clothes and put cold ones on, just to go back into the cold and head to the gym. its hard getting motivated to do just that, and the workout hasn't even begun yet. my goal of working out three times a week just got a whole lot harder.

but never mind here we can't let that get in the way of defeat, so i have come up with a few ways that i am planning on staying active during the winter/colder months.

soccer league chad and i signed up for a weekly soccer league that starts next tuesday. cannot wait!

yoga: i am really hoping to keep practicing yoga by attending a class once a week. there are a few good ones right by my fitness center by my house. for me, i know that i am more likely to back out of a workout after work (all i want to do is get home, cook dinner, and spend time with chad/homework) so i am going to try going to a wendesday morning class every week. if i miss that class, i hope to get to one on sunday evenings.

ice skate/winter hike: though the lakes haven't frozen yet, i am hoping to engage in more activities outdoors. you can bundle up and enjoy these things most months so i am going to make it a goal to do so every other week.

find classes at the gym, or equipment you really enjoy: realistically i will for sure be doing my soccer league every week but i am going to have to try and work out at the gym still. i love going to classes and hope that i can get better at doing this. otherwise, i do find the stair stepper enjoyable for some odd reason. i hope that i can have a good balance and do each of these things at least once a week.

how do you stay fit in the winter?

p.s. this is the new version of fit report. i used to post my fit report weekly, sharing my workouts with everyone but i felt like it got too repetitive so i have decided that i am going to continue with the fit reports but have them more designed to share a health and wellness or fitness topic, not just share my workouts every week. 

for lunch: chickpea salad with broccoli and tomatoes.

does anyone else feel like putting together a good lunch can get tricky? lunch is one of those things if you are going to be eating "in", it can be challenging to be eating something that is actually tasty and not just a crusty sandwich.  over the past few months i have begun to get really creative with our lunch meals, i just crave an actual good meal.  i have found the key to a good lunch is... prepping the night or sunday before. lunch is usually not good when you are rushing to do it in the morning.

so one solution i have found is making lunch salads and grabbing them on the go in the morning. let me tell you... its great.  i have started doing more and more sunday "meal prep" by getting some lunch and dinner prepped on sundays to lead to non-stressful weekday meals. i have found that i eat much more healthier by doing this. so i can't really complain. also i have found that chad and i both have started to save a lot of money by my meal prepping too. it leads to less impromptu spending and random lunch expenses.

i try to have my lunches pretty vegetable heavy (basically so i can eat whatever i want that evening, and that usually means ice cream- if i am being honest ;) ) so i get creative. my ultimate go to lunch is a sweet potato, or oatmeal. but if i have been a little more prepared (which i am trying to do more and more) i usually have some type of soup and salad. lately it's been chickpea salads... my favorite being  chickpeas with broccoli and tomatoes. its a great combination of protein (chickpeas, otherwise known as garbanzo beans) to help fill you right up.. with a heavy side of vegetables... and a little bit of Dijon. num, num, num. (and if you didn't know broccoli is in season so go take it all in!)


chickpea salad with broccoli and tomatoes.

1 pound broccoli, separated
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed


1. steam broccoli (i used a stove top steamer insert) until tender, 5-7 minutes.
2. in a large bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and onion. add salt and pepper to taste. then add tomatoes, chickpeas, and broccoli.
3. once the dressing is evenly mixed with the vegetables, enjoy!


 because i have been on a lunch kick, i will continue to share some of my other lunch favorites over the net few weeks, because who doesn't need more ideas of what to eat for lunch?

recipe adapted from: food

market on saturday, vegetable soup sunday

let me start with a warning: this post is at three fold post, two part random, one part recipe. ready...

so i think nannying is a wonderful thing, but sometimes... i get those silly kids songs stuck in my head all day long.  and then i think ah nanny life!! the worst part is that i then sing these tunes to chad who responds with a blank stare,  that i am pretty sure means wife you cannot sing and why do you constantly sing kid songs to me, i am not a baby. i bring this all up to say, in the process of putting this post together, i started to sing "this little piggie went to market..." which then lead to this beautiful tangent. and i now have "this little piggie" in my head and probably will sing it to chad for tonight's sing a long tune. 

any ways... market soup! vegetable soup! whatever you want to call it, its my favorite kind of soup. for some reason it never occurred to me to make my own. i would go spend, $5 on a bowl... when one day after going to the farmers market i thought, i should make my own (and now, i kick myself, why did i wait so long)

lovin' on juice, a fit report

so i haven't decided how much i like doing these fit reports, but i figured since i hadn't done one in awhile that i would share.

monday: 4 mile run
thursday: 2 mile run
saturday: 4 mile run
sunday: yoga sculpt

first thing, i am loving that i am able to finally run again. it has changed my life. i feel so happy, getting up in the mornings, watching the sunrise, while i jog along side of trees. since moving in with chad, my running route has become much more scenic, which i am not complaining about.

secondly, yoga. i forgot how great it is. (and remember how much i love it??) i haven't gone in over six months (boy does time fly by) but am hoping that great 7 o'clock class on sundays will become a regular thing now that i am not wanting to be outside every second of every day.

thirdly, i decided because i had over indulged in sugar in the earlier part of this week  (i am talking multiple deserts a day, sugar is my frienemy), i needed to be healthy and have some juices as meal replacements friday evening. my boss had gone to truce and gave me some of their juices before, so after work i headed over and picked some up. juice is such a refreshing way to get nutrients in your body. and though i don't know if i could commit to a whole juice cleanse (is it sad to say that i don't think i have the self control?), i love having juices to help balance out a healthy diet.

how was your fit week? have you tried juice cleanses before?

also, do i keep doing this, yay or nay?

food of the week: zucchini

have you gone to the farmers market lately? is yours bursting with zucchini like ours is?! i am in love! zucchini is of my favorite veggies. but i only like it in the summer so when it is in season i load up. i went to the farmers market the other day and bought 5 zucchinis for $2.50, only $2.50! so i have been trying to come up with all of the things i can make with zucchini. so far i have made 12 loaves of zucchini bread (stop on over if you want some ;) ), zucchini salad, zucchini noodles (great gf dish!), and zucchini chips. so i thought because of all of the zucchini-ness that has been going on at my house i have to share some of the great benefits of zucchini and some lovely recipes to go along with it!

health benefits of zucchini:

helps prevent heart attack/stroke prevention. if you aren't aware, heart disease and stroke are on the raise every year here in the US. something that i think as americans we are taking all too light heartedly, anyways the point is one cup of zucchini contains over 10% of RDA of magnesium, which is a mineral proven to reduce risk of heart attack.

lowers blood pressure

high in manganese which is a nutrient that helps build healthy skin and ensures wounds heal properly.

high levels of fiber which is simply good for you, and also helps lower cholesterol. fiber encourages health and regular bowel movements, which in return helps prevents colon cancer.

one cup = 36 calories you can eat a whole lot of zucchini, get the amazing heath benefits, and savor the delicious flavors.

favorite zucchini recipes:

zucchini bread

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

3 eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

2 1/4 c. white sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

2 c. grated zucchini

1 c. chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 325  grease two pans, i used 8x4.

2. sift flour, salt, powder, soda, and cinnamon together, set aside.

3. beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. gradually start mixing in flour mixture. do not over mix. stir in zucchini and chips. divided into pans.

4. bake for 40-60 minutes

zucchini "pasta" salad

1 cup shredded zucchini, i used a vegetable peeler to get my slices
grape tomatos
sunflower seeds
diced peppers of any sort
a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
juice from 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil
dash a salt

put it all together and eat the summery goodness!

how do you like your zucchini? do you have any recipes to share, i'd love to hear!

fit report: let's walk!

...another reason why i love summer: it is so easy to get out and spend time outdoors. and when you get outdoors, you are usually more active. (another way to make healthy living apart of your lifestyle, get outside with friends and family!) you can go on a bike ride with friends, or walk around the lake with an iced tea. i have been so blessed that the majority of my hang outs lately have been with people, outside, and doing something slightly active. but the only problem is that it is so nice... that if you go on a walk with heather, chances are she is going to want some ice cream. (all things in balance!!)

anyway, here is the fit report for the week!

tuesday 40 minutes stair stepper life time (i love this thing, pair it with netflex and you hae a great combination!) 

thursday 3 mile run, 6 mile walk w/ my mother

friday 3 mile walk w/ my friend katie

sunday 2 mile run & work out video

**my friend kate and i walking around one of our lakes, drinking coffee and catching up!**

so i have obviously been spending most of my days walking, and i encourage you to do the same! take advantage of the long days and walk around. make it a social thing! it become a much more enjoyable thing.

as of healthy reading 

i just finished a book called the heavy which basically was a book that was written from a mother's perspective of how delt with her child's obesity. childhood obesity is a scary thing that is on the up rise. now it is predicted that the next generation of children will be 50% at risk for diabetes and may not out live their parents. this is not okay and as responsible citizens i think we need to be very aware of the types of foods we are feeding out children and the associated risks of obesity for those so young. the book was a very good insiders perspective of the issue and how difficult it was for her to manage with our cultural tendencies as americans that result in unhealthy behaviors. it was a great read and encourage anyone with kids or interested in the matter to go read it! 

how did you stay fit this week? how do you stay active with friends?

food of the week: organic foods

source
this week "food of the week" isn't about a specific food. rather the type of food you are putting into your body... so today we will be talking about organic food. today you can basically buy any food organic, rice cakes, milk, veggies. you can get it organic, but does it really need to be? there are several products that i do buy organic, but there are also even more products that i don't buy organic. the food industry has caught on to the marketing principles of labeling a food product "healthy".  they can label something organic, increase the price of it, and people will buy it because they feel like it will be healthier then the non-organic product.  but in all honesty the product is still not a healthy food choice. i.e. organic cheese crackers, these are still not the best food. this is one of those products that does not need to be bought organic (or in my personal opinion) if they have an organic option great! i would probably buy it, but i would make sure to compare the cost of the non-organic item to the organic one and decide if it does or does not make a difference.

this post will be more about buying organic produce and the reasoning behind why i choose to buy some of my food organic. keep in mind i am a newlywed, in graduate school so i don't have a lot of extra cash laying around but i recognize the value of buying these products organic so i can avoid pesticides and unnecessary chemicals in my body.

foods to buy organic:

fit report: i want a backyard garden

so...today is the day i am suppose to share my weekly fit report.

but i have to say... this past week was not a very fit week. and though it may not all attribute to one thing, i am going to blame the holiday weekend!

but that is life, there are times in your life where you must feast and fast. and this past weekend was a feasting weekend. not to say that i didn't make healthy choices, or that i didn't work out at all. but it was a weekend where i had second helpings of ice cream and did not hold back :)  but i still do have four "fit" things to share!

the first: i did get a few runs in last week(two). so it is better then nothing but, that is alright. embrace it and move on!

the second is i read wheat belly over the weekend which basically explained how the obesity crisis in the united states is closely linked to the annual increase of wheat and flour in the american diet. this book points out that through out the years wheat and flour have slowly been added into every product (mostly processed products), and as the united states became more dependent on these products, the obesity crisis continued to clime. a bit biased but it was still a good read and highly recommend it to anyone who does not know a lot about wheat based products and the associated risks with them.

the third is that i am gluten intolerant. this has been going on for a few months but i haven't shared this on the blog. after years of headaches and stomaches, fatigue and odd bowl movements, i have found the culprit! gluten. it has been a sad process with not being able to eat cookies and cupcakes. but i have found that i am feeling ten time better then i did a few months ago. now it is just a learning process of what does digest or does not digest well.

the fourth and final thing: i have been become obsessed with my dream garden. all i think about is how i am going to turn the entire backyard into a beautiful garden filled with flowers and veggies. i just love love love having the small garden that i have right now. its so great to walk out your back door and pick some fresh herbs to use for dinner. chad and i don't live in a place where we would be able to maintain a backyard garden but i am thinking that next year i may rent a plot within the local community so i can expand my gardening efforts!

so, how was your fit week? did you get any moving in the holiday weekend?

fit report: i ran!

i started this week out pretty strong in the fit department. for some reason i woke up monday morning thinking "it is going to be a great week" and it was! i was so motivated to get up everyday, go work out, eat healthier, and overall feel amazing. i was addicted. let me tell you, it has been months since i felt like this (once again, maybe the vitamin d? i am taking it!) so, with that. let me first encourage everyone to be spending time outside. the summer season is so so short. and it slips away! and before you know it, there is snow again in minnesota. and just a reminder to everyone, the days are not getting longer anymore!

with that... the fit report!

monday 40 minute bike ride at the gym

tuesday 40 minute stair stepper

wednesday 40 minutes elliptical

saturday 5 mile run

the best part of this week was that i ran! saturday was a beautiful day. i had finished my homework early on in the day and just wanted to be outside when chad suggested i go on a run. initially i thought really? a run. what about my knee. but then i thought about it and wanted it really bad. so i decided to slow my pace down about a minute/mile and see how it went. and it worked! i slowed down, focused on my form. and actually felt good. my knee hurt a little bit but at the end of my run i felt like i could keep on running. it was amazing. i am hoping that by slowing down a little bit my form will improve and this will mean i will be able to run again. let me tell ya, that would be amaaaaaazzing! so say a prayer for me, maybe my knee will recover and i will no longer be an injured runner! 

i also started to read Mirelle Guiliano's French Women of All Seasons book. She is the author of French Women Don't get fat ( a personal favorite, if you haven't read it, its a must read!). The book was great and offered perspective of how to properly eat and move seasonally, a key of how the french ladies stay so slim. I haven't gotten through the entire book but i just love how she writes and the great perspective she shows in cultural differences of health. the book also really encouraged me to keep up my little garden. there is something so great about building and working with your hands, especially when it comes to food. food that is garden is free from pesticides and preservatives. though all i am growing is coming from a few planters i hope to keep growing these things and eventually have an entire lawn dedicated to produce. 

what did you do active this week? did you get a nice long run in? (and if you did i am so jealous!)

fit report

happy sunday! aka fit day ;)

i actually do the least amount of working out on the weekends, i know that it is usually the opposite for people but for some reason i cannot get my bum out of bed on saturday mornings. and sunday mornings are usually reserved for church, so my working out on the weekends only happens if chad and i are going to be going on a bike ride. 

last week was a pretty good fit week. i am still feeling pretty motivated which i am glad because i had lost some motivation for 3-4 months. i have found that if i am actually getting up in the mornings to get my work out in, i feel 10x better the entire day. i still get this feeling if i work out after work, but it isn't as intense and doesn't do me as good because the majority of the day is already over. 

so, that is what i have been doing. the morning comes and i jump out of bed. i realize that by prepping my work out clothes right by my bed i am much more likely to go just because everything is already set up and i dont have to go around looking for my work out tank, shoes ,etc. i can just get up and go! 

with that... here is my fit report:

monday 40 minute bike ride, 20 minutes lifting

wednesday 40 minute stair stepper

friday 35 minute stair stepper

saturday jumped at skyzone, a trampline park for an hour (this only half counts! ha! we went for chad's birthday)

overall not too bad! i met my goal and was feeling great. i am loooving the stair stepper lately. i don't know why, but i think it is soo fun.  i am hoping to start going to more yoga classes again because i haven't done that in a while and that always helps break up my work outs. maybe i will be extra motivated and go to the 5:30 am class before work tuesday... we will see ;)

and as of food...

i have been loving all of the produce that is in season! watermelon, strawberries, mint. it is all so so good. and makes eating healthy way easier.  during the week i did so well with eating well rounded, flavorful meals and had a little ice cream here and there. however over the weekend i may have had a little too many sweets, but couldn't help it because it was chad's birthday. thats why we have the week to get back onto track!

i am also loving that our garden is doing so well. we don't have a good yard to plant but i did several potted veggies/herbs and they are doing so well. some of the herbs we have harvested and i am about to try our fresh lettuce we have growing.

being healthy in the summer is so much easier for me, i don't know if that is the case fo reveryone but i long for great flavorful fruits and veggies in the summer. yum yum!

how was your fit week?!

fit report: i'm an injured runner

today is a day to share a fit report. 

i really am wanting to incorporate healthy living more into my blog but it has been slightly difficult to make it apart of the blogging rotation. but, i am really am planning on getting better at this because i feel like play such a significant part in my life. and this is a lifestyle blog, therefore there should be some healthy living experts in the blog. 

i am planning on doing the healthy living posts sundays/monday. so we will see how this goes and if it is or is not good! 

moving on. 

just to refresh everyone, i have a weekly goal to try and be physically active 3-4/week. this went great last year. this year not so much. but i am actually getting better.

here is the fit report of last week

monday stair stepper 40 minutes

wednesday 30 minutes elliptical

thursday walked a total of 7 miles!

sunday 20 mile bike ride

it was a great week! i have tried getting back into my running, but unfortunately i have injured my knee so that means no running for a little bit. no marathon this year. i hope to recover soon because my inner runner is screaming get out there, enjoy the sun! go run! i am so torn. i miss it so much. but i am trying to find other methods of keeping myself active. and it has been going great.

chad and i finally got out to the minneapolis lakes and biked around! this is something that we have been doing for the past 3-4 years but because of the abnormal weather we have been having we hadn't gotten a chance to get out there until the other day. it reminded us of how much we love the city, how we can't wait to live in the city, and how we really really missed biking.

how did you stay active this week? i would love to hear! 

SMART goals

Hi guys! I am over at The Dwelling Tree talking about my SMART goals, so go check it out! and follow Tiffany, she is great! 

happy days running

so the  first week back go working out was a success! and i felt so good( not to mention i lost a pound!)! like i said last week, my health habits have been slacking lately... but i have regained motivation, and started to be more fit again. i am so much more happier when this is apart of my life. and the runner's high is amazing. hopefully i will be able to keep my goals up and run another half marathon this year! 

fit report

wednesday 5 mile run

thursday 4 mile rub

friday 3 mile rollerblade

and lots of walking inbetween!

i really wanted to get some more runs in last week.. but because it was my lovely friends wedding over the weekend , i wasn't able to get them in. however i was able to do a little dancing on the dance floor ;)

chad and i have both decided to start exercising more so our goal is to do 2-3 work outs in the mornings before work. i realize that i love working out in the morning. and if i wait till after work, there is a very high probability that the workout will not be happening, ha!

even if i know i won't be able to get a work out in, i try to at least do some walking to be a little bit active. yesterday i was busy catching up, doing things around the house and kinda ran out of time to go for a run, but chad and i decided to go out on a walk and it was so beautiful. the sky was filled with beautiful colors and  it almost looked like we were in a tropical area.

so, even though i didn't get my work out in- i was able to spend some time outside, doings something active with the one i love. 

how was your fit goals this week?

highs and lows

so, three months ago i was in the best shape of my life. i had recently completed two half marathons, i was making sure i was going to gym to look good for the upcoming wedding, and i was just feeling great.

then, fast forward to today. and i have lost my motivation, i hardly work out, and i am feeling frumpier then every... i lost the fit girl i was.

and i realize its all because i just lost track. i got married, got a new job, moved, and was trying to figure out my "new life". and all of this was great but i lost my health routine. i lost my motivation to run (i think we can attribute this to the never ending winter in minnesota that struck this year).  i never felt like going to the gym. so i didn't go. and as the months have gone on. i feel less and less like myself. and i have come to the realization its because i lost that inner fit girl.  

it is amazing, how fitness is something that you truly work at. and i did for a year. it was a critical part of my daily routine, i loved it.
but, it is something that goes quickly. and for me it is way gone.

but i know my "fit girl" can come back. so starting this week, i am getting back into my fitness goals.
...back to the working out/ moving 3 times a week, back to making healthier food choices. back to doing fit reports and constantly establishing health goals, it's what worked for me before. so if i know it works, you do what you gotta do. 

with that. here are my new spring/summer fitness goals

work out 3/week. run outside at least once

sign up for a 10k run (or two!)

make sure to eat 5-8 fruits and veggies everyday

reduce sugar intake. 

more daily, go on walks! enjoy the sunshine
do a weekly fit report

have you ever lost track of your fitness goals? do you have any fit goals?

ps just read a great healthy lifestyle book, relish by daphine oz (thanks wendy for recommending it!), great lifestyle/cook book/ heatlh book that got me excited to live a healthy lifestyle again

nuts about oats

breakfast is a pretty big deal at our house. there is nothing better then walking up on saturday morning, and making a delicious meal. however during the week it can be tough trying to figure out what to make in the mornings that won't have you hungry by 10 am. solution! oatmeal. oatmeal is a quick meal that is good for you. it fills you up, is full of fiber, and helps regulate your digestive system.

so i thought i would share some of my favorite oatmeal recipes.

grandma's oatmeal

**this recipe is great for a saturday morning brunch, a little sweet, makes a fair amount, and it is a tasty way to start your morning!**

1 cup old fashioned oats

2 1/3 cups water

pinch of salt

1 medium apple coarsely grated 

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon butter

serves 2-3

1. combine oatmeal, water, and salt in a sauce pan, bring to a boil.

2. add grated apple and lemon juice, cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally 

3. add the milk and butter. stir well and cook for one minute. serve immediately. 

chilled oatmeal

**this oatmeal recipe is my favorite for busy mornings, prep the night before and you will have breakfast all ready to go!**

2/3 cup milk (of your choice)

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup yogurt (i use plain, but i have heard of people using vanilla)

pinch of cinnamon

1. combine all ingredients, place into jar and refrigerate overnight (or a minimum of 3-4 hours)

2. top with the fruit of your choice

what are your favorite ways to eat oatmeal? 

walk it out

sunday funday. this week has flown by but i have to say it was a fit one (finally). i haven't been doing the best with my workouts. life got busier, school is crazy, and somehow i feel like i have less hours in the day then everyone else. but, i am getting back into it finally. and i still am keeping my resolutions (though my workouts have been pretty wimpy, i have kept the resolution!) anyways... here is my fit report for the week

monday: 40 minute on the stair stepper

wednesday: 30 minutes yoga, 20 minutes treadmill

saturday: *this only half counts as a work out* pedal pub around minneapolis for 2 hours

sunday: yoga sculpt

though i am really enjoying working out, the more i read about health and the lifestyle of other countries, the more i realize that i (and the majority of americans) do not move half as much as the rest of the world. we get into our cars, drive to work, park in ramps that are steps away, and sit at a desk all day. (and then we wonder why our country struggles with obesity). then we go to the gym, slave away for an hour, and then go home and sit on the couch.  our mobility is so low that though we have worked out, we still aren't moving as much as we were designed to do. hence, weight gain. 

however- this could all be solved by simply increasing how much we walk. just walking!

the average american walks 2,000 steps a day, while researchers show that europeans walk 10,000 steps a day. that is five times more then us americans, and they their obesity rate is SIGNIFICANTLY lower then ours. and they don't even go to the gym! amazing i tell ya. 

so with that. i have decided to do a walking challenge. i have found a few fun pedometer apps on my phone so i can keep track of how much i am going to be moving and am going to be trying to reach the 10,000 step mark every day. i started this a few weeks ago and have been playing with the apps and found that they don't always record very accurately/turn off sometimes.  so i decided while i will still use these apps to record my movement am going to compare the apps to a regular pedometer to see if the difference is significant or not (and i will do a pro/con list in a few weeks). 

the last few weeks i have been doing trial runs seeing how many steps i am taking on a daily basis and i have found that i average 4,000-5,000. so i am only halfway to the what health professionals recommend. yikes. so tomorrow starts a new challenge, the 10,000 step challenge. i am going to try walk 10,000 steps a day at least three times a week. it will get a little easier now that it is getting warmer out but i really think that if i am moving more, i will have more energy, feel better, and maybe even loose a few pounds. 

so who is with me with doing a little more walking? ;)