Jenistrayning Test Kitchen...

So tonight's goal was to make / bake a couple of raw fresh desserts to get ready for JENuary (more details to come on the perimeters of JENuary in a future post, but needless to say - I need to have some raw recipes in my back pocket).

I started with trying out Avocado Banana Cookies and Coconut / Date Balls.

Both turned out great but both have improvements to be made over time (oh and both take NO time at all).

Avocado Banana Cookies:

1/2 banana
1/4 avocado
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 egg white
2 tbsp oat flakes
2 tbsp sunflower seeds

I put everything into a bowl mixing all ingredients together.  I actually added almond flour to this recipe because I felt it was a bit watery for baking (I would figured it would be best to add almond flour over more banana).

I put the mix on a cookie sheet with some coconut oil on the bottom to prevent sticking.  I baked at 350 for 12 minutes.  The bottom was very close to, but didn't, burn and they didn't end up having a cookie like consistency - rather they were a bit mushy (but good none the less).  Next time I will end up grounding up the oats in a food processor along with the sunflower seeds - I think this is why my mix was a bit mushy?

Coconut Date Balls:

2/3 cup of pitted dates
1/4 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut flakes
1/4 cup cashews
Tiny pinch of salt

Mix everything in a food processor.  It will come out like a big glob of date coconut mix.  You have the option to add dark chocolate pieces; however I took the dark chocolate chips and added them in after.  This will open a whole new world of making energy bars.  Next up: cranberry/orange? :)  I see these all the time in the bins at Mother's and Whole Foods for a pretty penny.  They're so cheap, super raw and a good snack for a SWEET TOOTH LIKE ME!

The Holiday Gift Guide for the Fitness Enthusiast - Jenistraying STYLE!

So obviously we're nearing the end of the year - and this signifies the end of a full year of non-stop training.  This year I have hit the gym, hiking trails, studios (yoga and barre, hot and cold), biking paths, running paths, spinning asylums and numerous fitness centers in various hotels across the country.  I just took off my 30th day of the year TOTAL so one would say I have become a bit of an enthusiast.  I have put together a list of my favorite products that I've come across pertaining to fitness in case your loved one has become a bit of a fitness nerd themselves (and you're stumped for a gift).

#1 product of the year for me was the UP BAND.  I've truly enjoyed the data that comes along with the band and have been thoroughly motivated to get to my steps goal and increase my sleep.  Probably the biggest eye opener was the SLEEP portion (because let's face it, a 25,000 step day and 4 hours of sleep just doesn't add up).  In October I "upped" my UP Band steps goal to 15k a day.  This is about 8 miles.  I was REALLY nervous to do this until Tray said, "what are you worried about?  Failure?  Just change your goal already and move on with it" so - I did.  In the past week and 1/2 I had a 9 day streak of over 15k steps with my longest stride day being 27,555 on December 1st (about 13.3 miles of steppin'!)  Needless to say, this band has worked well for the competitive nature in me.

Another product that would be a great gift for your fitness enthusiast would be the SIX PACK BAG.  This is actually something I don't own - BUT SHOULD!  It's a meal planning system that allows the user to have different areas for their food for the day (including a couple blender bottle sections for their protein shakes and/or water bottles!).  PERFECT!  Why didn't I think of this?  Anyone want to gift me the SIX PACK BAG because you're awesome?

Obviously shoes are important.  This year I learned how important when Tray made me change/buy new shoes every 6 months!  By the time 6 months was up you could feel how important it was to get a new sole on those tired feet.  My personal favorite?  Nike Free Runs.  Obsessed with the colors, obsessed with the light weight and obsessed with the barefoot like feel.  I mean I'm bohemian at heart...of course I would walk around barefoot everywhere if it was possible.

  

What fitness enthusiast doesn't like to cook?   I have yet to find one that hasn't been a fan of their own kitchen (to monitor sodium intake, fat content and portion control).  One of my favorite kitchen items and a necessity was actually gifted to me by my mom.   Now I do not have a lot of experience with many different brands of hand immersion blenders but the Cuisinart CSB-77 SmartStick® Hand Blender is pretty much the raddest contraption ever.  You have three functions like a hand blender, food processor and the hand mixer all in one.  You can make awesome recipes like Spinach and Zucchini Soup or my Roasted Cauliflower Soup or even one of the best desserts ever, the Banana Almond Butter Ice Cream.  Yum Yum, it's all good...possibilities are endless when you own a hand immersion blender.  It's by far my favorite kitchen gadget I own!

 

One of the products I purchased from myself was the BALANCE BALL CHAIR through Gaiam.com.  This was primarily because I had a gift card; however, although probably used seldom in December - I really like this contraption.  I feel it keeps me alert and active while sitting (if that's even possible?)  I move a lot in the morning, I move at lunch and I move after work so slouching in my chair sometimes isn't an option.  This keeps me upright and suppppposedly burns calories while sitting - which seems like wishful thinking.  None the less, a thoughtful gift for someone who most likely wouldn't purchase it themselves.  

And finally (for now), the gift I gave myself, The Omega Juicer.  My juicer is the NC900HDC Nutrition Center and it's a versatile machine.  Keep in mind, if you want to buy one - buy it online (elsewhere from the Omega site).  You can find these, anytime of year, for under $300.  I got mine for Black Friday at Macy's for $220ish.  This is a masticating-style juicer which means it juices at low speeds of 80 RPMs (minimizing heat build-up and oxidation).  This particular one forces product into the tight chamber, grinding and pressing the food to squeeze out the juice.  You can also make nut butters, baby food, soy milk, almond milk, pasta, grind spices, mince herbs and garlic.  Realistically, I'll stick to juicing and MAYBE nut butters but it's become fun to play with and a way to have a very healthy way of ingesting multiple servings of veggies!  I am going to start to grow wheat grass in the new year - so stay tuned for a post on that!

Keep in mind, work out clothes are ALWAYS something that your loved ones will enjoy.  My favorites this year were the SCUBA Hoodie from Lululemon and this summer, when it came to shorts, nothing beat Nike's Womens Shorts.  You can definitely get the shorts on sale from Nike.com periodically (most likely not around the holidays) for as little as $20 a pair.  

Other great gifts are PURE BARRE GIFTCARDS or class packs for a local yoga, bikram, spin/cycle or training studio.  I know most crossfit classes will allow you to gift 5-10 classes or more.  This means you can get your loved one involved and after 10 classes they'll be hooked on the energy and how they feel!

xoxo - Happy Holidays from Jenistrayning :)

My favorite "BAR" these days is PURE BARRE!

So I've held off on creating my Pure Barre post until my 100th class - which, in the Pure Barre family is the mile stone where you're celebrated for "lifting, toning and burning" 100 times.  For me this challenge started on May 1st, 2013 and I just completed my 100th class yesterday - 11/11.  That's on average, a class every other day for 7 months or so, so yea - I'd say this is an accomplishment.  I joke that Pure Barre has been my local "bar" for the last 1/2 a year. 

What do I love about barre:  Barre is a way for me to be able to concentrate on the trouble areas - hips, thighs, seat, abs and arms all in one hour.  The class actually goes by quickly as its sectioned in different segments and you feel that you flow through the segments quickly.  I don't feel I've ever had a better ab work out then my pure barre class.  My abs are always an area that is extremely targeted.  I also have trouble with flexibility and feel that this has greatly improved in my last 100 classes.  When your legs are shaking uncontrollably you know you're doing something right.....check out a side by side - the left image is in May (before Pure Barre) - the right is from my 100th class yesterday!!

As you can see, the toning and definition is definitely noticeable.   In addition to my abs and arms being defined, my hamstrings (a serious problem area of mine and one of the reasons my back hurt so badly earlier in 2012) are so much stronger which gives my "seat" lift and definition.  There is a great natural shape to my backside purely from Pure Barre! 

The next step for my Pure Barre endeavors is the 90 minute inner thigh intensive class on 11/23.  This is free because I'm now a "centurion"!!  I'm scared but excited as it will be a good way to blast the inner thighs and get them in tip top shape!  It's expensive at times but I think the studios really give those that continue to come on a regular basis a way to pay much less than their normal 'pricing'.  There are incentive programs (like their November "20 classes in 30 days") that challenge the client to stretch their attendance in exchange for $100 off for the next month...etc. 

 

(My Facebook post from Pure Barre Irvine where you wear the tutu and get featured on the Facebook page!)

Ever considered a "cleanse"??

Confession: for the last three weekends in October I had slightly tail spinned out of control.  Yes, true - "we're only human" however for whatever weird emotional (or not) reason, I was eating my feelings through french toast, appetizers mini bites, raisins, cranberries, trail mix, chocolate, coconut and other 'healthy' items.  Sure, I'm complaining about raisins and cranberries and almonds....who do I think I am complaining when THAT'S my binge food; however, for me, when consumed in a large quantity these items are high in fat and not effective to my goals.  Quite honestly I ballooned 8-10 lbs at times, only having to work my ass off Mon-Fri to shed this excess stupid weight.  Luckily enough I never stopped moving.  I kept pushing on.  In fact, I usually ended up with more steps on during this 'dark period' (average 12-15 miles a day) than before.  My guess is that I was so imbalanced that by Monday I was trying everything I could to walk off the caloric intake I had over the weekend.  I feel it might be easier to post this here, admit to it and figure out what I can do to avoid it.  The weirdest part was that it was such a foreign land for me.  In this entire journey I have yet to have major issues with diet.  It was always pretty easy for me to eat healthy, it was actually fun to come up with new concoctions.  Therefore, when I would be in my tailspin on Sunday evening going for anything / everything I could that would "satisfy me" (nothing really did) I didn't quite know what to do but go for it on Sunday and be pissed at myself Monday. 

So I decided - nearing my 30th birthday party and in a true effort to get my shit back in gear, to do a 5 day juice cleanse.  This cleanse actually ended up being more of a 6 day because I had received some complementary juices, avoided number 5 one day to save it for day 6 and purchased 2 additional juices.  For me it was less about "detoxing the system" (I had a bit of black coffee on day 3 and 4...shhh!) and more about having a controlled caloric intake and 6 solid days of clean eating, good vitamins and non-processed sugars.  It was also about setting out to do something and sticking to it.  I was having such a hard time with my diet.  I would start the day in this "ok I'm going to be good!" phase and end up being terrible and getting down on myself.  Through this whole journey I never beat myself up; however I was finding myself doing this often so my cleanse was to A) avoid succumbing to temptation B) to stick to my juices and most importantly C) to be good to myself --- 100%, inside and out, good to myself.  I can say overall, I feel great.  A bit bummed it's over but I feel awesome.  I am making some additional juices at home with a co-workers juicer to have for the weekend.  I am now going to attempt to get through this weekend being active, healthy and binge free.  Wish me luck!!

My results: 6 days, 8 lbs and a whole lot of bloat

Sometimes Accidents can be a Good Thing!

I am in LOVE with this soup so I had to make sure to post it to my blog for ya'll to try it out.  I think one of the main reasons I enjoy it is because it's SOUP'er healthy and SOUP'er easy.  Get it?  See what I did there?  :)

I also enjoy this soup because I veered off from a recipe I found for a cauliflower soup and tried a couple different things, making the outcome a wonderful coconut flavored curried cauliflower soup than the traditional soup that was on the recipe. 

I have deemed this the:

Accidental Cauliflower Coconut Curry Soup

What you'll need:

2 small heads (or 1 large head) of cauliflower
2 onions (medium sized)
2 tablespoon of coconut oil
2-3 medium carrots
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of water or vegetable broth
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of coconut milk
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

I happened to roast the cauliflower - not necessary but bueno none the less.

Cut your cauliflower into florets and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Drizzle in olive oil and bake at 350 until golden brown. 
Meanwhile in a deep pot cook your cut up onions and carrots in a tablespoon (or a bit more, as I did) of the coconut oil).  Cook the veggies for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add your roasted cauliflower to the concoction as well as your brother (or water) and bring to a boil.
Once boiled for 5 minutes, turn heat to low and let it simmer for about 30-45 minutes (until veggies are tender)
With a hand immersion blender (and if you don't have one, a regular blender will do - however the hand immersion blender is AWESOME) blend everything up
Add in slowly the 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk.

What you turn out to have is a SUPER healthy, SUPER fresh vegetable stew that nixes your craving for Indian food because it has an almost curry like taste due to the coconut mixes with the carrot, onion and cauliflower.  This is why it's OK to add a bit more coconut oil if desired.

 For lunch today I poured the soup into an avocado middle, eating a little soup with a little avocado.  I kept refilling my avocado middle as I ate the soup with avocado.  Totally recommend!

 

Coconut Date Shake!!

When shopping at Whole Foods the other day I found a couple "young coconuts" and decided I was going to cook them the way I did in July.  As I was looking up some cooking tips and suggestions I found this amazing recipe.  This is so good and will definitely be a go-to for a low(er) carb and not too bad for you drink that makes you feel oh-so-good.  It will, as the recipe I read online said, 'knock your socks off'...

Ingredients:
one young coconut
5 dates (pitted!)
two tablespoons of almond butter
ice
1/4 cup water

How-to:
Put the coconut water and the coconut meat in the blender.  The young coconuts' meat is really easy to spoon out (vs. an older coconut that is literally impossible)
Spoon in 2 tablespoons of almond butter
add 5 dates to the blender
add ice (I personally grab my ice from Sonic Drive-Thru, weird...I know - but AMAZING and one of the best kept secrets ever.  It makes this shake frothy and SMOOOOTH!)
Blend blend blend. 
Serve in a cute mason jar and garnish with a date or almond because it's all about presentation

Make one and you'll be thanking me later.  One coconut (this recipe) will make three mason jars filled.  If you put 1 or 2 away for later it will still be frothy the next day - or at least with the Sonic ice it will.  Oh yeaaa!

Abs really are made in the kitchen.....and ruined in the living room :(

So the below photo shows 17 days of aggressive clean eating and paying attention to diet.  It's the difference of 10 lbs and a whole lot of belly jiggle gone.  If this doesn't make you realize that abs are made in the kitchen, I don't know what will.  It's sad, but true.....we are what we eat. 

LEFT: September 17th, RIGHT:  October 4th

Like Miley says: can't stop.  won't stop.

Cheers! to Sober October...

No this isn't a fundraising thing; just another silly challenge I bestow upon myself - because, well...that's my style. This month, all 31 days of it - will be alcohol free and will consist of mainly H2O intake.  I will; however, drink coffee because I love it.  31 days, no drinking...please - easy as pie.  If I can do 30 days of Bikram Yoga...I can do this.  Who's with me?! :)

Jen is SLIPPING dot blogspot dot com!!

So I've found that I'm looking in the darkest deepest hole of my getting fit journey right now - 2 months from my 30th birthday.  Is this why people say "boy oh boy....when you turn 30 - I tell ya, it gets tougher to lose it..." I call BULLSHIT to that and am deciding right now to not lose it.  I am deciding to go back FULL FORCE and nip this in the bud.  It was a fun summer no doubt - but I can't lose it here...not after I've come this far! 

I looked up how to get back into the mindset and came across a couple great tips:

1. Keep a written reminder of your goals. When you start wondering why you’re depriving yourself, pull it out and take a look. (I made a screen saver for my phone of my photos from June)
2. Select a diet that doesn’t leave you starving. Eating plenty of low-density vegetables and getting sufficient protein and even fat will keep you feeling sated longer while still supporting your physique and performance goals. (haha I'm always hungry but definitely getting my veggies in)
3. Drink plenty of water! (on my 65th ounce of water now!)
4. Write down everything you eat, every day, including quantities. Yes, the corner of the cookie from the break room counts. Yes, the leftover mac-and-cheese from your kid’s plate counts. Write down all your beverages, including any added sweetener. If you don’t track it, you don’t know. And you may be surprised. (I use a system creating an album in my phone called Food Tracker.  This is where I take photos so I can show portion size and put the time with the amount of carbs)
5. Whenever possible, choose naturally raised, pastured/free range/wild caught meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, as well as organic fruits and vegetables. (I do love me the farmers market as well as Bear Flag Fish Co!!)
6. Alcohol will not help you reach your goals, no matter how low-carb, light, or antioxidant-rich. (I know I know I know....no more alcohol until I'm 30!)
7. If it was handed through a drive-thru window (or could have been), think of it as dessert, not food. Soft drink (even diet)? Dessert. Burger and fries? Dessert. Deep-fried chunks of what was once chicken or fish? Dessert. Ice cream cone and apple pie? Duh. If you put fast food into the “treat” category instead of the “food” category, you’re less likely to grab it for lunch or dinner. The only car-consumable exceptions are unsweetened ice tea and bottles of water, which aren’t dessert - just overpriced. (eww...no drive through - I've had my moments but it's gross and not healthy!)
8. Nothing is “neutral”. If it’s not a step toward your goals, it’s a step away. If you take a step away, do it with your eyes open, enjoy it, and don’t try to convince yourself that low-fat cookies or low-carb artificially fruit-flavored spread are “less-bad”.  (This is important to realize...I keep thinking that a bad Saturday / Sunday isn't a big deal - it is...it throws me off track, it's time to get focused and stop with these over indulgent weekends)
9. Ordering nachos and margs is not a “slip”...it’s a choice. (very very true....it's always a choice)
10. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you have to decide what to eat when you’re already hungry. Have good healthy meals pre-planned - and when possible, pre-prepared. (I'm pre cooking and pre planning everyday!!)

I will hit my goals, I will be successful and I will make sure to do this for me - because I deserve it and have worked very hard.

What happens when you totally lose your mind?

So this past weekend a really interesting thing happened to me.  Aside from my boss starting out my Friday with Chinese food for the office (always tough to resist) - the rest of my weekend seemed to be a downhill blur of not very active days, trail mix, snacking and blurred drunken nights.  Also part of my weekend was an "all you can eat / all you can drink brunch for $35 a person".  Now anyone that has followed this blog knows exactly how I feel about all you can eat.  I 100% feel that this is completely unnecessary.  So good, but for every once in awhile.  My guess is after the Chinese food Friday day, the beers at the concert and late night eating on Friday night...the last thing I needed was all you can eat anything on Saturday.  Good news is I played a bit of tennis (of which I did really well at even though it's been awhile).   

So what to do now?  get back on the horse.  It should take me about 3 days to drop the water weight that the weekend brought on.  First thing I did when I arrived home from LA on Sunday was hit the local Sprouts to get chicken, veggies, sliced deli meats and more.  I need to pre-cook like crazy if I'm going to get through this week the way I should - active and healthy.  I'll be at the gym multiple times a day this week and hitting the sauna hard.  There is nothing worse than the feeling of regret and dammit, I'm feeling it right now.

2 months exactly until my 30th birthday.  Time to get CRACKIN!

Bikram is my boyfriend: Part II

So 30 days has come to an end of my hot and steamy relationship with Bikram.  What an accomplishment.  I would say, overall, it wasn't the actual act of doing - cause it's a good work out, fun, much needed, felt good on my bones....etc.  It was the time management.  I mean, bikram is a 90 minute class in which you must shower after.  I would show up about 15 min prior, leave my house 30 min prior and with the post yoga rinse off, you're looking at a 2.5 hour ordeal...every. single. day.  This was easily the more challenging part of the challenge. 

I would say of the whole 30 days I had a handful where I really had to drag my ass to the studio.  One or two of those I HAD to go to the 8:30 PM class because I just couldn't even make it to 6:30 PM (I was so over it).  Around day 18, I was feeling like it would never end, day 24 I remember feeling like I was flying high and on night 30, with Judy as my teacher (which was so fitting because I definitely had her the majority of the 30 days) I completed the task I set out to do. 

I would say I'm most interested to see how my cravings change.  I feel like because you literally sweat SO MUCH I ended up craving salty things when I got home.  I wanted Gatorade, coconut water, juice...anything liquid and when would have the strangest cravings for dried cranberries, dark chocolate, cashews, almonds, peanut butter...etc.  In this journey I don't remember having those late night needs so unless my psyche has changed and I'm all of a sudden a late night eater (which I don't think is the case) I'm pretty sure my bitch of a boyfriend Bikram was causing me to have some random food cravings.  I would drink a TON of water, so I need to be conscious of this and not lose my water intake.  The amount of water I drank at bikram made my skin look so healthy - so I'm going to keep with a gallon a day - or at least attempt. 

Bikram was my boyfriend but as I told the ladies in the studio, we're going back to a 2-3 day a week relationship.  My body pushed it's limits for sure, is more flexible than it's ever been; however - it's ready for a break from prune'y hands and toes. 

August 5th - September  3rd

After the last and final class of the challenge...feeling accomplished. 

My peace from the crazy world of insane clients and intense phone calls...

EGGIES!!!

So, needless to say - and I'm sure you've heard the saying before - "breakfast is the most important meal of the day".  Many of you guys do not realize why and how important breakfast is.  Many people eat around noon as their FIRST meal which in the metabolism friendly world is a no bueno habit.  People who successfully maintain a significant weight loss eat breakfast just about every day. So what is best? AND more importantly - EASY?

We all work hard.  We brave traffic, commute, get to work early, jump on the train / bus and make keep grinding out Monday - Friday to get to where we need to be.  Usually breakfast has to be simple or you'll be picking up a doughnut or bagel and stuffing with carbs in the am.  This isn't terrible once in awhile, and probably better than nothing, but when you're trying to not have so much bread and carbs and sugar in the am - what can you go for to be an easy light jumpstart meal?  Maybe some EGGIES!!!

TOTAL TIME: about 5 minutes to make (note: my red peppers and onions were pre-prepped so my time was a bit shorter)

Cook spinach in a big pot to wilt up (only using cooking spray - I use the coconut oil spray from Trader Joe's)

In a muffin tin add SPINACH, RED PEPPER, ONION, sliced up SAUSAGE pieces (note - turkey and ham work well also) and pour liqued EGG WHITES to almost the brim of the muffin tin

MAKE SURE TO SPRAY YOUR MUFFIN TIN WITH PAM OR COCONUT OIL SPRAY AS WELL.  THIS HELPS THE EGGIES RELEASE FROM THE TRAY

I added a sprinkle of grated jalapeno cheese (but be aware - I'm on a low carb high fat diet, if you're not think about nixing the cheese and sausage and only having turkey or ham without cheese)

Cook in the over for 15-20 minutes, remove, let cool and add some Siracha sauce because it's amazing.

Wa-lah - eggies for the week! They're quick and simple for the 'on-the-go' individuals!

Other reasons why it's important to eat breakfast:

- After fasting all night, breakfast can kick-start your energy level
- Overeating throughout the day is less likely
- Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to make up for the calories later in the day, often with unhealthy, high-fat and high-calorie convenience foods.
- Eating breakfast increases the metabolic - or calorie-burning - rate.
- You have more energy and weight control is easier.

Other breakfast options:

· A nonfat or lowfat yogurt parfait layered with fresh fruit and cereal, nuts or raisins
· Lowfat yogurt mixed with fresh fruit in a blender for a vitamin-rich smoothie
· Whole wheat toast with a little peanut butter and banana slices
· Instant or quick-cooking oatmeal or whole grain cold cereal with raisins or fresh fruit and lowfat dairy or soy milk
· Fish, such as leftover salmon, on a whole grain bagel with reduced or nonfat cream cheese
· Homemade bran or fruit and nut muffins, made on the weekend and frozen.

3 months til 30!

Soooooo today is THREE months til 30!  3 months exactly until I WILL be in the best shape of my life.  I say this because this IS my goal and I WILL achieve it.  I want to hit my all time goal weight - 50 lbs down from my July 2012 weight by November 29th, 2013.  Realistically - it's 10 lbs.  How do you lose 10 lbs (when you've already dropped 40?)  Here are 50 different ways to lose 10 extra lbs.  I've highlighted those that I am going to focus on from now until November.  I mean really - how fast does three months go?  NO. BIG. DEAL.

1. Water yourself (I drink two large smart water bottles of water daily and I love it!) Research shows that dieters who guzzle plenty of H2O lose more weight than those who don't.
2. Halve at it. Divide your normal portion by two and save the rest for later. You are likely to feel full on less food than you think.
3. Go meatless. In general, vegetarians have lower body weights than their meat-eating peers. Follow their lead—at least until you drop a few pounds. 
4. Go vegan. Vegetarianism not helping you lose? Take it to the next level by swearing off eggs and dairy, too. Cheese can be a diet killer.
5. Get fresh. (Farmers markets on Sat or Sun and pre-cooking for the week.  I need to take my own advice from my blog and get to pre-cooking more often again!) Eliminate all packaged foods and eat only fresh ingredients you've prepared. No bags, boxes, cans, or cartons allowed.
6. Diet two days a week. If you can't stick to a program all the time, try slashing your calories to 650 a day just two days a week and eating normally the other days.  
7. Not so sweet. Everyone knows sugar isn't healthy, but when you start reading labels, you find it in unexpected places, like pasta sauce and frozen entrees. Cutting the sugar out of your diet will mean healthier meals overall.
8. Cut the flour. The short-term elimination of floury foods like white bread and pastries can efficiently kick-start your weight loss plan.
9. Be a virgin. (I will do this - except the weekend of 9/21 & 9/22 haha) Alcoholic beverages are some of the emptiest calories out there. Replace them with water, and the weight comes off.
10. Walk two minutes out of every 30. Short walking breaks add up to weight loss.
11. Fidget more. Studies show that fidgety types burn significantly more calories than their stationary peers.
12. Sleep it off. (working on this one) Research shows that those who don't get enough shut-eye eat more and reach for more fattening grub than people who get plenty of rest.
13. Get it on. (anyone?  anyone?  in for a little exercise? haha) Thirty minutes of sex burns at least 60 calories for a 150-pound woman.
14. Eat at home. Meals eaten away from home have 134 more calories, on average.
15. Start a blog. (I vow to keep it up a bit better now that it's not summer - lucky you guys! and for all ya'll that don't like my check-in's at the gym - tough luck for you cause they're gunna be coming hard and real...get used to it!) The weight loss blog is practically a literary genre. Start one, and you aren't just losing for yourself. Your public needs you.
16. Tweet your weight. Some call it the #humiliation diet, but many credit the accountability for their weight loss success.  
17. Find a buddy. (I'm lookin' at you Mel!!) You know you are more likely to show up at the gym if someone is waiting there for you.
18. Lose to win. Bring a taste of The Biggest Loser to your own gym, work, family, or circle of friends for extra motivation.
19. Veg out. Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, which are less calorie dense and more nutritious than any other type of food.
20. Go nuts! A recent study found that dieters who snacked on shelled pistachios shed more pounds than those who ate other snacks, even though they contained the same amount of calories.
21. Grapefruit diet. Eating one grapefruit daily helped 58% of subjects to lose weight, according to research.
22. Pay cash. (hmm, good idea) Shoppers who pay with plastic are more vulnerable to impulse buys, which tend to be the fattening snacks you know you shouldn't have anyway.
23. Don't be smelly. Scented cosmetics make us crave the foods they remind us of, which ultimately makes us eat more, according to recent reports.
24. Remind yourself to eat better. One study found that people chose better-for-them foods when they were prompted to "consider the healthiness" before digging in.
25. Learn to knit. Doing something—anything—with your hands can distract you from your cravings.
26. Train for a race. Many people find that having an athletic goal motivates them to exercise regularly in a way that nothing else can.
27. Join a sports league. (hey, I need to make friends anyways - adult league anyone?) Fitness can be fun, and if it is, you're more likely to stick with it.
28. Quit sugary drinks. (all I drink is water!) Some supersize sodas have 500-plus calories, and juice isn't much better. Drink water instead.
29. Swear off dessert. (I'm going to do this...which is crazy for me - I LOVE sugar but from now until November - no more dessert and no more sweets!) Cut a slew of calories by ordering a skim cappuccino instead so you have something to do while your dining companions devour a cheesecake.
30. Join a program. US News recently rated Weight Watchers the best choice for weight loss.
31. Work standing up. Standing burns at least 30% more calories than sitting on your backside all day.
32. Get a treadmill desk. Studies suggest you can burn an additional 800 calories during your workday—if you continually walk at a very slow pace.
33. Swap your supper for soup. Soup's high water content makes it a low-calorie and filling option. Just steer clear of the creamy kinds.
34. Stop dieting. (my goal is to find the balance...September is the month for finding and achieving the balance) Yo-yo dieters don't tend to get thinner—they get fatter. Instead, make a serious lifestyle change.
35. Quit snacking. (no. more. snacking) The real reason the French don't get fat is because it's a cultural faux pas to eat between meals.
36. Go gluten-free. It isn't a miracle diet, but it can be a useful short-term experiment that often leads to weight loss and ultimately a less bread-heavy diet.
37. Spice it up! (Cayenne pepper, lemon and hot water every morning) Cayenne pepper really can rev your metabolism, according to research.
38. Abandon your car. Walk or bike to work for a slimming—not fattening—commute.
39. Eat breakfast. Those who enjoy a morning meal have been shown over and over to be slimmer than breakfast skippers.
40. Drink more milk. Low-fat dairy consumption seems to speed weight loss—scientists credit the calcium.
41. Eat more yogurt. A recent report revealed the foods most identified with maintaining a healthy weight, and yogurt ranked among the best.
42. Drop the potato chips. At the top of the list for foods that make you add pounds? Potato chips.
43. Take a two-wheeled tour. A long weekend bike ride around your hometown will help you see the sights in a new light, all while you torch a ton of calories.
44. Make it interesting. Go to Stickk.com to sign a contract with yourself to lose weight. If you don't shed the pounds, your money will be donated to a charity that you hate.
45. Weigh in daily. For some, the scale is a bummer and a distraction. Others like the daily feedback and accountability. Try it, and see if you lose weight.
46. Meditate. (after 30 days of bikram in a row - I've learned the invaluable necessity of meditation) It's no secret that stress-eating can sabotage the best diet intentions. A short daily meditation can help you keep binge-inducing anxieties in check.
47. Chill out. Drinking eight or more glasses of ice water a day may help your body burn fat, according to research.
48. Express yourself. (painting my house...here I come!) A creative outlet is likely to boost your self-esteem and take your mind off food. You can't eat and decoupage at the same time.
49. Brush and floss. Who wants to ruin their minty-fresh breath with a snack?
50. Fantasy binge. Before you dig in, visualize yourself eating a treat. Science suggests that those who do this mental exercise will eat less of what they first imagined.


And there you have it.  Jenistrayning's resolutions for the next three months....90 days....looking forward to it!!!

Bikram is my boyfriend! PART ONE

Have you ever done anything for 30 days straight?  Like anything?  I mean even if it's not pertaining to eating healthy or exercising - but like keeping your house clean?  getting lots of sleep?  I mean I cannot remember being diligent about doing anything for 30 days straight, especially when it's hot and sweaty and hard and annoying - like bikram.  BUT....I love it.  Bikram has been my boyfriend now for 9 days in a row.  I'm ALMOST 1/3rd of the way through and my body, mind, soul, skin...etc. has all been improving since my "padahastasana hands to feet pose" has been going down.  Since my hips and sciatica have been MAJOR issues through my working out over the last year and several months these poses have been awesome to keep everything stretched and relaxed.  You see small improvements here and there and most recently I've been able to ACTUALLY do the camel pose.  This was something that was SO not going to happen 6 months ago and I've now done the camel - on the second set - 5 times in a row!

Camel Pose - (Ustrasana)

I'm not sure what my deal is with a challenge but you give me one, and I work my ass off to achieve it.  I think I just wanted to do 30 days of Bikram to say I indeed - did 30 days of Bikram.  What I've learned so far is with 30 days of hot yoga comes a lot of hair washing, good nights sleeps and a LOT of laundry (i.e. clear plastic bags that once held your wet clothes) laying all over your room / car. The hardest part is time maintenance and making time for a 2 hour event daily.  It's a good discipline though and I'm fortunate to have this as part of my regimen....for now.  20 days to go!

Bikram's Yoga College of India has 2 weeks UNLIMITED for $20 so if you're interested you should definitely check it out.  Come stretch with me in a 110 degree room! 

No cuts, no butts, no......

COCONUTS!

So I've become fascinated with coconuts lately.  I found a bag of 'coconut chips' at Trader Joes that are amazing but it got me thinking....can I make these myself and limit the amount of salt and sugar?  Well...that was my weekend project.  I have realized about 12 things I'd do differently after I finished the process but I must say it was a very interesting project indeed.

I started by going to Growers Direct and the nice man at the store actually machete'd the top of the coconuts for me (thank goodness).  It took him about 10 minutes to do this and all I heard was the sounds of a sword chopping at what seemed to be concrete.  When he came out from the depths of the backstage area he told me that all I had to do was go home, pierce the top, drain the water and throw the coconuts on the ground.  Naturally I was a bit weary; so - I used a hammer instead.

I think before hammering into the coconuts that next time I will read a recipe.  The internet says to bake the coconuts at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.  This makes it easier to remove the hard shell as it softens the meat inside.  This time around I was far too eager and ended up hammering them BEFORE baking them, making it pretty difficult to work with them.  The first batch I used a peeler but when I realized how much easier the hard shell was to remove if they were baked first the second batch turned out much better.  I shaved them down, cooked the meaty pieces I gathered in a bit of coconut oil and toasted them in the oven at 400 for about 10 minutes.  They're not as much of a 'chip' consistency but they're still damn tasty.  I sprinkled one batch with a tad of sea salt and one batch with sea salt and sugar.  They are an amazing treat and pretty good for you!  I love weekend projects and although this one was a 'once in awhile' occurrence I will definitely do this again.  Raw coconut is fun and interesting and toasted coconut is oh-so-good!

The best bottle of wine to open while making homemade coconut chips (pan.de.mo.ni.um)

My natural coconut water

After hammering the crap out of the coconuts...

First batch - shaved

Second batch sliced...

FINALLY I took some of the pieces and dipped them in melted dark chocolate!  

YEAR TWO...

So I've changed up my food tracking a bit to get a little bit more serious.  Since heading on recent excursions I've found that my diet has been hard to track (naturally) and because of this I came dangerously close to being hard on myself - which would be new to me.  Instead of having this mentality - Tray snapped me out of it and helped me get back on track (not to mention he gave me two additional days on my weigh in and I don't have to step on the scale until Friday ... PHEW).  My new food tracking for year two is including not only water intake (which generally isn't an issue because I down two bottles of SMART WATER a day) but this also includes a work out section and a "feeling" section where I can fill in my feeling for the day - i.e. low energy, skinny, tired, stressed, emotional....etc.  This will hopefully help me understand if high sugar, high alcohol content, low vegetable days are affecting my moods and thoughts.  It's all good and no bad to have analytical data on yourself.  I look forward to delving in more and being more organized in year two!  This red book will be my best friend for the next 365 days...

Spiralizin'

Soooo...even Siri doesn't know what a 'spiralizer' is... which makes me feel really cool because, you know - Siri knows everything right?  Well she's missing the mark BIG TIME because the spiralizer is one of the coolest new things I've found in a long time!

I had no idea these things existed until someone in this group I am a part of on Facebook for recipes and health tips posted this contraption with a photo of their dinner they made the night before.  I was so excited about it.  I took to Amazon.com right away, PRIME'D this baby to my office and got to spiralizin'!

Here is a link to the spiralizer I purchased: SPIRALIZERRR!

"Mock" raw alfredo sauce:

1/4 cup soaked cashews
1 whole avocado
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup of water (or more for thinner texture)
a bit of thyme
fresh basil
salt
pepper

Blend everything in a food processor or blender and set aside.

Put your spiralized zucchini 'noodles' in a large pan with a bit of coconut oil to heat the pan.  Get them a bit warmed up (maybe 5-7 minutes of sauteing).  Add your sauce and mix until warm.

Other suggestions: Add fresh cut tomatoes for the acidity?  Bell peppers for a kick?  Instead of the mock Alfredo some lemon, olive oil and pepper would do just fine for a spruce'd up veggie side dish...

Other suggestions for the spiralizer:

Cucumber Radish Salad:

Beet Apple Noodles:

Sweet Potato Noodles - SO excited to get back to 'low carb' to try this one!

Cucumber Noodles:

Roasted Onion Noodles: