TABATA Workout

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining the Fit Mom Diet team on the FOX 10 News Morning Show to help demonstrate a TABATA style workout. TABATA is fun and you can do it in less than 5 minutes at home with or without equipment! 

Here is a blog post written by Fit Mom Diet and posted on their page, check it out! They even posted a workout to get you going! 

Fit Mom TABATA Workout

Tabata is a popular workout phenomenon right now.  It is high intensity exercises for 4 minutes at a time, 20 seconds intense work, followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds.  Studies show that tabata style workouts have been linked to increased fat loss and improved endurance. It gives you both aerobic and anaerobic benefits, just like you would get from a both cardio and strength workouts.

These time saving tabata sessions work your entire body in less than 40 minutes. For those who have more limited time to workout, consider breaking the tabata workout up by doing rounds one through four.

Tabata workouts can be incorporated into your routine easily as there is no equipment necessary to perform them.

Below is a tabata style workout you can do in the comfort of your own home. Make sure you warm up properly before you begin.  Marching or jogging in place is an easy way to warm-up Pre-workout. Finally, after you’re done do a cool down and stretch.  Because this style workout exhausts your muscles depletes your energy, its important to fuel your body with proper nutrition post workout. Within thirty minutes of working out make sure you eat a snack comprised on protein and complex carbohydrates. Examples include a high quality protein shake such as Isagenix IsaLean, Greek yogurt with a banana, or tuna on Ezekiel bread. Remember to also drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Any exercise can be incorporated into the Tabata training. However the basic outline of the Tabata training method are as follows:

•     4 minutes long (whole Tabata Session)

•     20 seconds of intense training

•     10 seconds of rest

•     Total of 8 sessions or rounds

Check out the Fit Mom Diet Team on Fox 10 Arizona Morning show demonstrating a TABATA style workout: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9445809

I had so much fun with the Fit Mom girls and have loved surrounding myself with like-minded women. It really is good for the soul!

Stay Healthy,
Rene

Excerpt taken from an article on FitMomDiet.com, you can read the full article here.

Change.

Workouts just weren't working out (haha) for me anymore. Either I wasn't able to take my dear little one to the gym daycare because he had picked up another cold from, they gym daycare, or I had too many things going on during the day and just couldn't get myself there regularly. 

Change was necessary. 

I used to go to bootcamp from 5am-6am and friends thought I was crazy. But really it's not that crazy at all. Since my workouts weren't happening as much as I liked I figured instead of complaining about it, or making excuses, I'd set my alarm for 4:35am and get to the gym at 5. 

Today was two days in a row and I feel amazing. I took control, made a change and am already noticing a difference in my mood just from having that hour of "me" time before the rest of the family starts their day. It's nice because, I get home at the time I would normally wake up, groggily, and make my dear husband and my older son's lunches for the day. Not my teenager just gives me a crazy look when I come bouncing in the house at 6am as he's just rolling out of bed. 

I am happy with this change and happy I am dedicating myself to health and working on being a happier person. Make a change, it seems hard, but if you don't try, you'll never know what good it could bring... 

And just for fun... since I'm on a "cleanse" day (which I'll explain more about later) I did a little easier workout today. Lighter weights, enough to spark my muscles but not enough to make myself too fatigued. Here's what my workout consisted of: 

Wide Grip Bench Press with Barbell 

Push-Ups

Cable Cross Over

Planks on a stability Ball 

Side to Side Push-ups

Incline Bench Press with Barbell 

Toe Touch/ Crunch Combo 

STRETCHING! 

Make it a great day!!! And check out today's Deal of the Day from Tinyprints! It's about that time to start ordering Holiday cards!! 

{Wordless Wednesday}

Ok... so this post may not be so {Wordless Wednesday} after all... 

For the past two years I've been trying to get my body back. When I was pregnant I gained 72 pounds. Yes, I just said that out loud, 72 pounds. I don't think I ever told anyone just how much I had gained... I guess I carried and hid it well to the outside eye. 

On my journey of finding myself over the past couple of years, I've also been on a journey to fall in love with my body. Friends who are close to me know that I am overly critical of myself and a little bit too hard on myself at times. Ok, pretty much all of the time. For me, it isn't about the size I wear, or how much I weigh {I don't weigh myself unless I have to} it's about what I see when I look in the mirror, how I feel and being comfortable in the clothes that are in my closet. 

I am proud to say that I do love my body. Yes, I complain to myself or my husband about my stomach, or my booty but in life there is always room for improvement. Just because I still want to work on certain areas doesn't mean I can't love my body. Even when I had gained 72 pounds carrying my second son, I still loved my body. {pictured}

Where-ever you are in your life, you must love yourself first. You must wake up with a positive outlook and know that you are the best possible version of yourself that you can be. Knowing this, deep inside will open up doors and potential that you didn't know existed. So try it, make sure you always, always, always Love Your Body first and just see what happens. You will be amazed. 

Stay Healthy,

Rene

Sweaty, Out of Breath Type of Cardio

For a little over a year now I have been doing higher intensity training. Years ago, when I didn't know better, I'd go to the gym and get on the elliptical for forty-five minutes to an hour, set on the same level. Thinking that's all I needed. Of course, I was twenty-five and my metabolism was much different.

A few years ago when I was just getting started on my fitness path, starting my day with fasted cardio and adding in ninety days of P90X, I still had no idea that the forty-five minutes to an hour on my elliptical wasn't doing the same as what I've been doing for the last year.

Every day, I am learning so much more about fitness, nutrition, and exercise and I'm applying it all in the gym and at home. I am hoping to someday turn my love for fitness and nutrition in to something more, but for now, I'll just stick to sharing some of my workouts and blogging my thoughts...

This was the cardio I did yesterday, and it kicked my booty!!! Sweating, out of breath kicked my booty. Try it and tell me how YOU feel after!

xo

It's only 95 degrees outside, is this August?

The week is half over, or halfway started, which-ever way you look at it, and I've managed to get a lot done surprisingly! With the wee one sick over the weekend, I actually got caught up on a lot of the cleaning and organizing that needed to be done. This left me more time for ME the past couple of days! I have been busy brainstorming, writing and researching for my first blog post on East Valley Moms Blog  (which if you haven't checked it out, you should!) and planning my meals and workouts for the week.

Really?

You think that's all I've done? Ok, so I've paid the bills, cleaned the house (including toilets), done the dishes, taken out the trash, played with the dog, gone to the park, read books to tiny human, played legos with tiny human, changed diapers, etc... Writing in my blog or any blog is just extra stuff I get to do when it's nap time and all of my other chores are done. 

I did manage to have a pretty good workout Monday night, partially with the hubby. He was there and even though we were doing different things, it's fun to be there at the same time. I treasure our newly found gym time hobby. Yesterday I managed to kick my own booty with some good leg exercises that left me walking funny. Wait, didn't I post about legs last time too?? Did I mention LEGS ARE MY FAVORITE?

When I did these yesterday, I was averaging a rest time of 30 seconds to a minute in between reps. My weight has varied over the last few weeks, increasing of course, and I'm quite proud when I have to add weight! 

My Weight Amounts for Tuesday, August 6, 2013 

Leg Extension (single leg) ~ 25lbs

Squats ~ 70lbs

Glute Kickbacks ~ Bar only (on the Smith Machine)

Walking Lunges ~ 15lbs in each hand

Leg Press ~ 90lbs

Deadlift ~ 40lb Barbell

Hip Extension ~ 20lbs 

I'm learning. It's all a learning experience for me right now. I'm focusing on form and learning the different exercises and machines. BUT, it's working. Whatever I'm doing is working. I'm still doing a small amount of cardio (at least 20 minutes a day) and eating a clean diet, consisting of the proper amounts of proteins, fats and carbs, and it's working. My shorts are looser, and while I may be bloated at the end of the day from the gallon of water I have drank or the egg whites I've eaten, I'm still getting closer to where I want to be. 

I drink my MonaVie juice every morning and every night, a RVL shake at least once a day and minimize my snacks. I believe that ANYONE who sets their mind to achieving goals can do it. Whether you want to feel better, lose weight, or just quit complaining, it can be done! I am proof of that one. 

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, registered dietitian, or fitness expert. The purpose of my blog is to share my experiences with food, fitness, and life—not to dole out advice. When it comes to your health and fitness, do your research. All blog content is for entertainment purposes only. This blog contains my own views and does not necessarily reflect the view of MonaVie. 

Today's Workout - Thur, August 1

I decided that I wanted to start blogging about my workouts... maybe not all of them, but most.

Today was "leg" day and I was still feeling my legs from Monday's leg day workout. I want to make sure that I am really changing up my workouts so my muscles don't get used to the same motions over and over. By changing the exercises frequently, your body will consistently stay challenged and you will definitely see results!

I've been waking up at 5:30am and doing fasted cardio first thing (usually 20-25 minutes on the elliptical) and then lifting weights a few hours later at the gym. Today, since I had planned on a higher intensity workout I skipped the morning cardio and snoozed a few minutes longer. (Really, it was like 20 minutes, I just couldn't stay in bed!)

My friend met me at the gym and we got started... Wow, was that a great work out! The first and second set of the circuit was probably the hardest for me, with the fourth being the easiest. I felt almost like doing a 5th! Once I was done with the leg curls I went back to stretch and held a 3 minute plank to really challenge myself. 

It was definitely a good, sweaty, workout and helped to change it up from the normal squats, leg press, lunges, kick backs, etc... and of course I threw together my RVL Vanilla Cream shake in the locker room for recovery! 

Enjoy! Let me know how YOUR legs feel after this one! 

Not your average muffin

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals and I grew up on Lucky Charms and French Toast so it's no wonder that I have a sweet tooth. Ignoring that sweet tooth has gotten easier and easier and I don't even eat cereal anymore. I can't even remember the last time I had cereal.

My oldest still eats cereal, but I buy him organic, non sugary types (that I force him to eat). He doesn't "like" them but he eats them. 

My little guy is happy with a waffle. Every. Single. Day. Or donuts if we take the car to get it washed. Yes, I am that mom who splurges and buys donuts once in a while. 

My husband is the hardest one to get eating breakfast. He wakes early, showers, and leaves for work with no time to eat a breakfast. Now that he is working out quite frequently I am trying to incorporate more of a healthy breakfast alternative for him. Oatmeal gets kind of old after a few days... (even for me, especially since I eat it plain).

Then introduces these "muffins". 

A trainer at my gym that I was talking to said he makes a batch of these and takes a couple a day for his mid-morning snack/breakfast. He rambled off how he made them and I don't remember all of it, but I remembered the basics and came up with these. 

First I browned the extra lean ground turkey I had, such a great source of lean protein and it's low in fat. 

Dumped the cooked turkey, a whole carton of All Whites Liquid Egg Whites and 3 heaping handfuls of spinach into my Ninja blender. At this point, you could probably add whatever other veggies you want; red peppers, zucchini, kale, etc... I stuck to the three basic ingredients this time around because I wasn't sure how they'd turn out. 

Lined my cupcake pan with liners and poured in the goop. I'm not sure how well these worked this time, might try to do them without the liners next time and use a non-stick cooking spray. Once they were cooked, the papers stuck to the finished product quite a bit. 

I liked them so much when I took them out of the oven, I ate three. The first two I ate plain and the last one I tried with some hot sauce on it. PERFECTION. So tasty! 

My husband had some this morning (after they'd been in the refrigerator all night) and said they were good. Edible and tasted better than plain ol egg whites! Next time he wants to put hot sauce on them too.. They would even be good with salsa! 

If you try them out, please leave a comment or email me and let me know what variations you used!! 

Of course, my little helper wanted his photo taken as well while I was snapping shots of the food. 

Happy Wednesday! 

Ingredients:

1 32oz Carton All Whites Liquid Egg Whites

1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey

Spinach, how ever much you want! 

Salt (to taste on the ground turkey while browning)

Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor, pour in to muffin tins and back at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. 

**I wasn't sure how long to bake them, set the timer for 15 minutes and then watched them until they looked "done" 

ENJOY! 

Sweet tooth, satisfied.

All day long, all I can think about is peanut butter.

Is my body craving the sugar? The protein? I just want PEANUT BUTTER!

I was going to make oatmeal cookies, then maybe some peanut butter ones but opted to try making some sort of granola concoction that I could snack on, throw on some yogurt or mush up with some bananas.

My mom had told me how she makes her granola for her breakfast every day, but she puts sugar and raisins and other stuff I did not have on hand nor did I want to use it.

In my pantry, I had all of the necessary items and a little bit of extra time.

This little monkey decided to help me.

I have only made this one time before and I modified it this time around. I sprinkled a small amount of Stevia instead of using brown sugar and mixed up some PB2 instead of "regular" peanut butter. 

What made it easiest for me was to mix the oats and coconut oil first, then add in the honey and peanut butter. It made it easier to blend everything together. I sprinkled the stevia on top and lightly mixed that in. 

Once everything was pretty well blended I spread it out on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and placed in the preheated oven. 

I am not going to lie.... I may have sampled some of this mixture before placing it in the oven. It was pretty amazing, and could definitely be eaten like this as well.  

I baked in the oven at 350 for approximately 10 minutes, stirring it up once about half way through. I was watching it, to see when it turned slightly brown and thats when I pulled it out. It probably could have gone longer and gotten a little crunchier but to me, it's perfect. Just the right amount of crunch. 

So delicious! The perfect healthy, clean snack! If you make some, and make any changes, let me know how they turn out!! I'd LOVE to hear! 

Recipe

1 1/4 C Rolled Oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned this time)

1/4 C Peanut Butter

1 1/2 tsp Coconut Oil

1 TBS Honey

1/2 tsp (approx) Stevia to sweeten 

Mix ingredients, spread onto wax or parchment paper and bake 350degrees for 10-12 minutes depending on desired crunch. Enjoy!! 

Drink it, Feel it, Share it...

In April I was introduced to something that I never though would have the impact it has had.

I have been trying to eat cleaner for a couple of years now. I never did do a complete cold turkey cut of foods, but have slowly eliminated them and after time, forgot them and don't even want them anymore. Especially after I've learned what they do to my body and have seen how much better I feel without them.

Eating fruits and vegetables has never been a problem for me, I love them. I am not too picky and am willing to try new ones when given the chance. I started juicing earlier this year and felt I was getting "plenty of fruits and veggies" doing it that way. I was healthy. I was detoxifying my body.

But was I really? I was still really tired all of the time, not sleeping well and my skin was breaking out again like I was a high school sophomore. Something was missing and I couldn't quite figure it out.

My yoga instructor had briefly mentioned MonaVie while finishing up class one day and offered up a chance to receive our "Life Score" or antioxidant levels score. I thought, sure! What the heck! I eat lots of blueberries, I juice, and I drink that lovely green juice from Costco called Green Machine. I stuck my finger in the little black contraption that she carries around with her (my husband says it looks like an electronic stapler) and within a few seconds I had my score...

Photo Credit: www.monavie.com 

It was low. Very low... 

The score ranges from red, to orange, yellow, green, blue then purple. The lowest score being in the red range and highest being purple. I was orange. The lowest range of orange, almost red. 

I was shocked. How could I score so low when I ate so well? I don't eat a lot of processed foods, I eat several servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day but still... not enough. 

That is when she told me about "the juice". Juice that is made from real fruits and vegetables. 100% pureed wild organic fruits and vegetables with glucosamine for your bones and joints, wellmune to get your immune system primed up for fighting off sicknesses, and flax seed oil to help nourish you cell membranes making your cells more susceptible to all of this good nutrition. If I try this juice for 60 days and my score doesn't go up, I will get my money back. 

I decided to try it for a week... see what I thought and then I'd go from there. It's just 2oz twice a day and I could easily add that supplement to my day. 

I was given a bottle of the MX blend to try and just two days later I placed my first order. I am proud to say that I am a distributor and the only regret I've had is that I didn't start drinking this stuff sooner! Even though I was eating healthy and exercising regularly something was missing and I've found the missing block. I can't even begin to list the benefits that I have felt in such a short period of time and now it's completely my passion to share better health with those I care about. Great health starts internally. 

Photo credit: www.monavie.com 

Don't hesitate to leave me a comment with questions, concerns or just to say hi! I love answering questions about MonaVie and just plain old chit-chat about the kids!

Mom's Lemonade

When my mom was visiting last month, she brought so many lemons I didn't know what to do with them!

My oldest son is always asking for Lemonade and since I won't buy that Countrytime crap (even though it tastes amazing) I opted to make our own lemonade with fresh home grown lemons.

Since it is already well into the ninety degree range here, it is a perfectly refreshing drink to have in the afternoon, after working or playing outside. Poured over ice, it quenches thirst and gives you the satisfaction of a sweet dessert. 

It is SO simple and easy to make and can be modified if you like it a little more sour or sweet.  The first time I made it, I followed my mom's recipe and used sugar. Of course it tasted great but I wanted to change it up a bit and use Agave nectar to keep it on the healthier side. It really depends on your taste for sugary drinks.*  

You can also juice all of the lemons and portion them out into freezer bags so you always have the lemon juice ready to go for mixing! Just take the bag out, let it thaw and mix up a new batch of lemonade! So simple and takes less than five minutes to mix it up. 

There is really so much you can do with the lemonade; another thing I was going to do was pour the lemonade into popsicle molds so we have homemade lemonade pops! It's so simple and tastes great!

Ingredients:

1 C Fresh Lemon Juice, 5-6 lemons 

5-6 C Water

2/3 C Agave Nectar (or  1 C white granulated sugar~ which ever you prefer)

Directions:

For me, I cut all of the lemons in half, they fit in to my hand juicer easier that way. They can be juiced which ever way you want, and whatever works easiest for you. Mix lemon juice and water and stir in agave nectar. I started with a small amount of agave until it was sweet enough for my boys to drink. (You can always substitute part granulated sugar part agave as well). I like to slice another lemon to throw into the juice, it not only looks nice but still adds a little more lemon flavor to the drink. 

*The conversion for sugar to agave is 1 C sugar = 2/3 C Agave.

Mood Booster Workout

It is so easy to forget to take care of your body. Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight or just stay active it's easy to fall off course and lose momentum.

Here is a quick workout that I like to do if my day is too busy to get to the gym or to a bootcamp class. It elevates my heart rate, helps burn a few calories and boosts my mood. Anytime I engage in any physical activity, I feel better. 

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins and these endorphins trigger positive feelings in your body. Why wouldn't you want that? 

So, if you are feeling down, depressed, low energy, try this quick little workout to boost your mood!! It doesn't take very long, and it always works for me! 

Items Needed: 

Self!

Positive Attitude 

A little bit of space for burpees (yes, I said burpees)

Workout:

20 pushups (Try to do them from your toes, as many as you can, then go to your knees if you need to.

          Gradually you will be able to do more from your toes, I promise! It's all about progress!)

20 sit-ups (Actual sit-ups, not crunches!!)  

5 Burpees**

20 Squats

REPEAT! (You can repeat for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 40, however much time you have!)

**Burpees~ if you are not familiar with how to do a burpee, it's just a few simple steps! 

1) From standing position, drop down to a squat position and place hands on the ground in front of you

2) Kick your feet back, leaving you in a plank/pushup position 

3)*optional* pushup at this point

4) Return your feet to squat position 

5) Jump up from the squat position, hands reaching high, jump as high as you can

Motivation is what gets you started...

     Habit is what keeps you going. 

~Jim Ryun 

     

Protein & Oats Pancakes

I have a sweet tooth, I admit.

Especially when it comes to breakfast. French toast, pancakes, waffles, crepes... if it's sweet? I love it.

Over the last year as I've slowly been making changes to my diet, breakfast has been one of the harder ones. On a regular basis, I make plain old fashioned rolled oats with either blueberries, flax and honey or whatever other berry I have in my fridge. When I get tired of oats, I make eggs. When I get tired of eggs, I ask my children, "Hey!? Do you boys want pancakes??" And of course their answer is... "yes".

I've been seeing friends post photos of their "Protein Pancakes" and just haven't been brave enough to try them. It's hard enough for me to choke down my protein shake sometimes, let alone think of making a pancake out of it.

So, today, I finally did... grabbed some eggs, old fashioned rolled oats, protein powder and almond milk. I adapted this recipe from a friends recipe that used 4 eggs and oats, changing the measurements slightly.

(I didn't realize I'd need the almond milk until I had blended the first three ingredients together)

I thought about mixing in a bowl, but I didn't really want "chunky" pancakes, so I threw all of the ingredients in my Ninja single serve blender cup.

I blended everything and then added almond milk since the consistency was a little thick and poured on to my pan. 

I was very impressed with how similar this recipe was to actual pancakes! It bubbled just the same and was easily flipped to cook both sides. 

And just like that, I had pancakes! They were a little dense, so maybe next time I will add a little more almond milk? I was still able to eat them both and satisfy my sweet tooth. I topped them with Earth Balance Coconut Spread and All Natural Maple Syrup. 

Delicious!!

Protein & Oats Pancakes

1 Egg

2 Egg Whites

1/4 C Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/4 C Almond Milk

1 Scoop of Life's Basics Plant Protein Powder, Vanilla 

Cinnamon (lightly sprinkled on top while cooking) 

Blend all ingredients, pour onto pan and cook until lightly brown. 

Training for Life

102 was the high today and I'm thinking it feels a little too early to be that hot. I can't believe summer is already approaching and we haven't replaced our air conditioners yet. (They are awfully old and one is leaking so it actually doesn't work...)

Today, I chose to workout at 6am instead of 9:30am and I was happy I did. The sun was already out and shining bright but there was still a nice cool breeze to keep me cool while I ran.

We did three separate circuits today, rotating through each of them twice, with a running lap in between. After taking a few days off towards the end of last week, today's workout was just what I needed. It was hard enough to make me sweat but not so hard that I couldn't get all of my reps in. I worked out with a new girl today and the highlight of my workout was when she said, "Wow! You are in really good shape, what are you training for?" My reply? "Life."

I have been waiting a long time for someone to ask me that so I could respond with "Life."

Who is it that has led so many people to believe that working out, eating healthy and staying fit has to be because you are "training for something"? I feel that if everyone would eat healthier, exercise and educate themselves on proper nutrition we might all be happier! I know for me, when I eat really well and workout, I am flying high. It's my drug and I'm addicted. When I don't get it, watch out.

Lately I've been asking myself what are my goals. At one point I thought that I might want to be brave enough to train and enter a fitness competition. Not necessarily fitness, but maybe bikini. I'm not sure how much support I'd have and I really don't know that I can (or have) get together enough money to pay for all that is involved in doing a show.

I had the goal of running a half-marathon, well, I've done two now.

I had the goal of participating and finishing Tough Mudder, well, I did that and have plans to sign up again next year.

So, what exactly am I "training for" now? Life. I want to feel good and look good. Inside and Out. I want people to ask me, not "what am I training for" but "what are you doing? How are you so happy and healthy?"

I'm working on a list. Maybe a couple lists. The foods I am cutting out, the new workout routines I'll be doing, some certifications I'd like to get and goals I have for my family in general. I'd love to share them with you all when I get them finished! I am excited for new things, the new doors that have been opened to me and I can't wait to look back on this post knowing that I set goals and achieved them.

The highlight of my night? My push-up and plank challenge that I did with my husband. It was fun and now I'm determined to keep up with him. He beat me by one push-up (20-21) and I beat him with a 3:10 plank. (his was 2:45). Who knows, maybe we can start incorporating this little challenge before bed every-night?

ABC Juice

The last few days were somewhat of a blurrrr...

I had plans to run the 4.2 Annual Pat's Run on Saturday morning with my husband but those plans changed after I spent most of the day Friday in the Emergency Room. {insert mad gruntle}

I don't like doctors, I don't like going TO the doctor and I always try to diagnose myself instead of relying on medicine. I exercise, I eat pretty healthy and usually don't get sick.

I was feeling "off" on Thursday night, low-grade fever, chills, and dizziness. Went to bed hoping I'd feel better in the morning, especially since I had my six month dermatologist checkup. That went well, she made notes on a few more of moles, took measurements and will recheck them again in another six months. She did find one on my back that she removed for a biopsy and I received the happy results this morning that it was precancerous but she removed it all. Happy Dance!!! I was getting really scared that it might be my melanoma showing it's dirty devil face again.

My husband was home for the day since I wasn't feeling well and to help with Travis while I went to my appointment. After we ate lunch I laid down on the couch because I was feeling nauseus and crampy. I started having excruciating pains in the right side of my stomach and they weren't going away. After about an hour I asked him to take me to the ER.

They were concerned it may have been my appendix or my ovaries so they ordered a ct scan so they could see all of my organs with one sweep.

After a long day (6.5hours) in the ER and treatment room, an IV of fluids and a paramedic student failing to give me a proper IV they sent me home...

My appendix appears to be fine, however they saw several cysts on my ovaries and moderate inflammation of my distal ileum, (small intestine). Sigh. It could be either and they left me with instructions to follow up with a GI Specialist because the inflammation most likely shows that I have Inflammatory Bowel Disease or something like Crohn's Disease. While I am thankful it was not my appendix, I am frustrated that I now have other questions unanswered. I don't want to go to more doctors, I don't want to have tests run, BUT the pain in my stomach was horrendous and something just doesn't feel right.

I know that when I eat 100% clean, I feel great. It's when I slip up and eat processed food and or lean meat that I end up with a bloated stomach or stomach pains. So is this something I can treat on my own? Do I really need to go see more doctors? The stomach pain lasted all weekend and was mostly a dull ache. Today, I feel fine.

On a food note, I wanted to share the new juice that I tried yesterday!! I had bought beets at the store the other day with hopes of juicing them. I have never had beets that weren't in a can {yuck} so had no idea what to do with a fresh beet. I trimmed the top, peeled the skin like a carrot and ran it through my juicer, along with 1 green apple and 1 cucumber.

It was AMAZING!!!

So, now that I have had it two days in a row, I am already addicted. It's veggielike, sweet and goes down so smoothly! It might even make great popsicles! This afternoon I may try pairing it with something else, such as a grapefruit or substitute 1/2 of the cucumber for some celery. We'll call it ABC juice: Apple, Beet, Cucumber. 

ABC Juice:

1 Green Apple 

1 Beet

1 Large Cucumber 

Put all fruits and vegetables through juicer and enjoy! 

For The Love of Bread

In an effort to eat "healthier" over the past couple of years, I have cut several items from my diet.

When I was pregnant with Travis (23 months old) I stopped drinking cow milk and went to strictly almond milk. It was a bit of a transition and an acquired taste, but now I can't live without it. I can't say that I have cut dairy out of my diet because cow milk really is the only thing I've been able to say "no" to 100% of the time.

Cheese, yogurt, ice cream and some of those snacks that come in boxes or a bag (that contain dairy) are the ones I am having a hard time with. And cookies, don't forget cookies. It IS getting easier though. What really opened my eyes was when I had given birth to Travis and he had an extremely sensitive tummy, gastritis and severe food protein allergies. I had to do a total elimination diet (which you can read about HERE or HERE) and really learned how many of the processed foods have dairy, soy, wheat, eggs and are manufactured near in factories with nuts! I was amazed! It truly is what started to open my eyes.

As of now, I have gone from eating yogurt and cheese daily to eating a yogurt *maybe* once a week and stealing pieces of cheese squares from Travis' lunch or dinner plate. It has been hard, and I miss my smoked gouda cheese on crackers with apple slices!

My efforts to change my diet don't solely surround weight. I do feel blessed in the body I was given and I thank my excellent genes that I haven't ever had to battle with weight issues that so many women my age do. I have a fast metabolism and always have. Has it slowed down? Yes, but it is still fast.

I am changing the way I eat because I am trying to get the crap out of my refrigerator and pantry. I don't want my children growing up on crappy sugary cereals (that we all love, including me) and I want them to eat real, natural, not made in factories food. I can't call myself a vegetarian, yet, nor can I call myself a vegan. I just have goals to eliminate certain foods, one at a time. None of this cold turkey crap in my house. (Yes, I am an addict and I AM addicted to ice cream)

Each week I am trying to make a few subtle changes.

This week, instead of purchasing Dryers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream at the grocery store I replaced it with SoDelicious Almond Milk Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream and I am making every effort to not eat bread. No PB&J's, toast or bread and butter. I had the ice cream last night and it was just as good as "cow-milk" ice cream so that was an easy no brainer.

Today, after my workout at bootcamp, I was craving protein but did not want my usual chocolate or vanilla protein shake. Instead, I was craving (yes, craving) eggs. Egg salad to be exact, so I grabbed two hard boiled eggs, mashed them up and drizzled yellow mustard on top to mix it in. I used both egg whites, but only the yolk from one of them.

It was tasty. Since I am making every effort to cut out bread, I went to my hydroponics garden out back and picked some fresh butter-crunch lettuce leaves to substitute as bread. Who would have thought that egg salad lettuce wraps would be so good!? They were delicious and so easy to make. I added a few stalks of celery to my lunch to give me the crunch that I crave and I had the perfect healthy bread-free lunch I was hoping for. 

Easy Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps:

2 eggs (hardboiled, 2 whites, 1 yolk)

Yellow mustard, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Any leafy greens that can be used to sandwich the salad 

Hydroponics

A few months ago my dad told me about his new method for growing lettuce in his garden & greenhouse. He said that he wasn't using soil to grow the plants but water! This method, called Hydroponics is a popular way to grow crops and I had no idea! Plants absorb nutrients from water and really don't need soil to grow at all, if done properly.

Being in Arizona, I have always wanted a garden but I am the last person to know how to keep my vegetables alive, let alone even get it started. I had no idea that in just 4 short weeks, I'd be picking kale daily for my juicing and smoothies.

My dad came to visit last month and brought all of the supplies that I would need to start a few plants growing. He even brought the starter plants!

He basically just used one of those plant starter kits that you can purchase at any local hardware store, such as Home Depot, Lowes or Ace Hardware. He planted the seeds and in just a couple of weeks they had sprouted and were ready for their transplant into their new hydro-home. 

He had already purchased the paint buckets and lids from Ace Hardware and drilled the small holes in the tops so that the baskets would fit perfectly. 

He wasn't sure which plants would survive or which ones I'd eat the most, so he brought me Spinach, Butter-crunch Lettuce and Kale. He pulled each of the plants out of their soil and washed them off so that we could then place them in the small baskets (which were purchased at a hydroponics store and can also be purchased online). The clay rocks help to protect the delicate roots from the sun and help to stabilize the plant. 

[Butter-crunch Lettuce]

[Spinach]

[Kale]

Once the plants were delicately placed in the little baskets we added water to the buckets and enriched it with "MaxiGro-Plant Food for Vigorous Growth" which we purchased at a local Hydroponics store but can be found HERE on Amazon. 

We bought two cement blocks and a piece of wood to place the buckets on to keep them off of the ground. We placed them in my backyard in a spot that receives a lot of morning sun and shade in the afternoon. I live in Arizona and we didn't want the water in the buckets to get too hot. Normally, they would do fine in a very sunny area. 

After just 1 week in their new hydro-home, look how much they have grown! 

And after 4 weeks....

I've just been harvesting the plants as I need them, which is daily. I use the Kale and Spinach for juicing, smoothies and salads and have used the Butter-crunch for ground turkey breast lettuce wraps and egg salad wraps. There is nothing more delicious than to be able to have fresh lettuce right from your backyard! It tastes wonderful and it's so fresh. I am going to be adding more buckets of Kale once I see how it does during our hot summer months. 

**Items you will need to get started:

Seeds of whatever leafy greens you want to grow

Seed Starter Kit

Paint Buckets & Lids, 2 Gallon size is what I used

Water

MaxiGro (Plant Food)

Round Net Pots

Clay Pebbles 

Patience! 

Please share with your friends and leave comments or questions!