Fit Lifestyle: What should you eat?

Today I want to talk about food - I get a lot of questions about what I eat, how often I eat and how many calories a day I eat so I wanted to address that.

What to EAT?

I actually don't know the specific number of calories I eat per day because I follow a diet that is constructed around portion size and weight, not number of calories. Often, calorie counts on foods are at best an estimate of that actual macro nutrient content of the food, and the actual number of calories (or as I like to think of it "energy") cannot be accurately determined! For example a "banana has 100 calories" but not all bananas are created equal! Some are bigger, longer, riper, from a different region, ect... all which could effect their calorie, vitamin, sugar, or fiber content.

Bananas come in all shapes and sizes, just like people!

 So, to answer the question of "How many calories do I eat per day?" I have to say, I don't know! And, it varies! I know if I am not seeing the fat loss I want I will slightly decrease my food intake, usually from carbs, and see what happens in a couple weeks. Same goes for muscle building, I will increase calories in my post-workout meal and maybe add a slow-digesting protein, like a steak salad or a casein protein shake to my meal plan right before bed. After making sure all your food choices are CLEAN, and beneficial for your body, personal diet largely depends on the specific person! Everyone needs to find their own balance and if I eat 1500 calories in a given day that doesn't necessarily mean you should too.

That being said, here's a typical day of my diet and training:
6am - first thing in the morning take a fat burner before 1 hr of cardio (varies)

8am - Meal #1 oatmeal, egg whites, flax oil

10:30am - Meal #2 a serving a fish, veggies, and sweet potato

1pm - Meal #3 a serving of chicken on spinach greens with balsamic & olive oil
1/2 serving of fruit

3pm - Meal #4 1 scoop of protein powder, 2 rice cakes and coconut oil

4pm - Evening lifting session. I usually hit legs 2-3 times a week and shoulders/chest, back/biceps/triceps the other days. I do abs and calves twice a week too.

6:30pm - Meal #5 Right after training (I eat in the car on the way home from the gym!) I eat a serving of ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, olive oil and green beans
9pm - Meal #5 a serving of flank steak and sweet potato salad greens with balsamic and olive oil

10pm - Bedtime! Rest and recovery :)


You may be wondering, "What is a 'serving of ___?" Well for proteins, this is anywhere from 3-6oz for women. And like I said, it varies for me! If you don't have a food scale, it's about a palm size. For vegetables, portion size is basically unlimited. 

Be sure to eat your veggies!

Veggies aren't something that contain a lot of calories, carbs, or sugars; unless we're talking starchy/sugary veggies like potato, sweet potato, corn, or peas. Don't go crazy with these. About half a sweet potato should do it, and the other veggies have portion size given on their packaging (ie: 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup). For fats and oils, 3 tablespoons of healthy fats (olive, flax or coconut oil) should be your max (as a female, men may need more).

A typical plate with correct portion sizes

You may also be wondering, "What foods are considered "clean" or contest-prep approved?" This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here's an example of "clean eating" foods:

• almond milk
• egg substitutes
• skinless/boneless chicken breasts
• tilapia fillets
• tuna in water
• salmon fillets
• balsamic vinegar
• bran cereal
• plain oats, cream of wheat
• brown rice, couscous
• dried beans (black, kidney, etc)
• peanut butter, almond butter, walnut butter
• mixed raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc)
• extra virgin olive oil spray
• raisins
• bananas
• avocados
• blueberries
• strawberries
• grapes
• apples
• oranges
• prunes
• spinach
• peas
• broccoli
• asparagus
• mushrooms
• peppers
• tomatoes
• onions
• carrots
• sweet potatoes
• green tea

Find the definition and philosophy behind clean eating here:www.eatcleandiet.com

Tosca Reno, the woman behind the Clean Eating Movement

Here's a very complete list of BodyBuilding (aka fit lifestyle) foods, courtesy of Clutch Fitness: Clutch Fitness Bodybuilder's Grocery List


So that covers the basics of WHAT I eat in my diet, next time I'll discuss HOW I prep all my food and plan ahead so I can eat clean all the time. It's not easy, but it can be simple if you learn a system that works. I'll share my system next time! :)

Next time: FOOD PREP :)

Hope this helps, and as always... blessings,
~ Ruthie

Food Fight

Gooood evening friends! I hope you're about to roll to bed so you can really to attack the day tomorrow ;) I love Sundays because they mean I get to be re-filled with God's power and fellowship with my friends at church. I really recommend you take the time to soak up some of J.C.'s lurve too, aka go to church.

Tonight though, I want to cover a topic I have been "battling" with for years... I told you this week was WAR, and this is one of the reasons ... Dieting.

I know the word "Diet" it's not any one's favorite topic except maybe my sister who is a Nutritionist, but before you immediately click off this page and run off to the fridge screaming for an ice cream bar or leftover pizza I want you to know that this post does not give you all the answers (I wish I had them!) but I just promise to be transparent in my own struggles and failures; and share what I've learned from them since I've been on a strict diet for competition.

Sadly, this is NOT how to eat to get a bikini body!

I totally believe in celebrating with a "cheat meal" after competition. I mean, I worked HARD!! I had a cheeseburger (w/ fries!) on the night after competition, and it was delicious!

Reeeed Robin. YUM.

I'm not gonna lie, when I was out and about with my dad and brother I even had some ice cream, candy, peanut butter (yay!), fish and chips, and a fruity cocktail throughout the course of the weekend and the following week ... but I knew it was time to get back to eating clean since I started to actually really miss salad and "clean eats."

Yummers! Fresh, crispy greens :)

The reason I'm writing about diet though is because I hardly have a stellar track record when it comes to knowing when to stop/start eating on a strict diet plan, and the meaning of moderation. I hate to say this but...

I am well-qualified to discuss food-related issues.

From the various stresses I've been through in my lifetime (which would take far too long to describe in length) I have been a:

 - Obsessive-compulsive, calorie counting maniac

 - "Catch-up" fitness junkie who elipticals for hours to negate a binge 

 - "Light" "Lite" "Diet" "sugar Free" "Fat Free" fanatic

 - Frantic "I give up!" binger... followed by self-punishment and fasting

Any of those sound familiar? You are not alone. You name it... I've probably been there. Every carb-depleted, over trained, "skinny-fat" girl with low self esteem, huge guilt issues, a closet full of workout clothes, a magazine rack full of Oxygen Mag and Women's Health, and a pantry full of supplements is squirming in their seat right now.

Diet fads and quick fix promises all sound so good at first,
 but don't offer lasting results. Or more often, ANY results!

Before I get too into the topic of "dieting" though, let me explain what my current diet is. The quantities and specific foods on the Team Bombshell diet plan is strictly confidential, but I can tell you the general structure. With Team Bombshell, you get an exact meal plan emailed to you every 4 weeks,and a that vary depending on what Shannon Dey had determined you need: fat loss, muscle building, slimming down for a contest. Before a contest your plan has lower carbs and decreased cals.

What IS my diet plan?

Each plan consists of 6 meals with given quanities of food for each meal. I have X oz. of protein (chicken, fish, lean  beef, ect), X oz. of carbs (oatmeal, sweet potato,ect), X cups of vegetables, and X tsp. of healthy fats (flax or olive oil) at each meal. One meal per week you are allowed a "refuel meal."  At this meal you replace one of plan's meals with an approved "cheat" meal.

So, why am I doing it...is it effective?

 - Yes. Definitely. As evidenced by my win, it works! If you follow your plan you WILL fuel your body correctly to build your muscles, have enough energy, and stay lean.

Bombshell Progress :D

The diet hypothetically allows me to satisfy crazy cravings for "normal food" at the refuel meal, instead of being too strict all the time and freaking out and having a binge. Of course, I am human and I have not been 100% perfect with this. I struggle with emotional eating when I am stressed from work, moving, training, being away from family, ect. But I am conquering this one day at a time and learning new tactics to avoid binges! If you've ever struggled with this you may find these articles helpful: 

• Dealing with Hunger and Food Cravings
• Overcoming Overeating

What surprised me? 

 - I never though it would be, but the hardest time to stick with the diet is the weekends! I struggle with sticking to my plan on the weekends because I don't have the structure of a workday to keep me chugging along without the chance to binge, snack, or skip meals. With Team Bombshell, your "refuel meal" is also supposed to be on a Saturday night which makes it hard for me to stop at just the approved cheat and then get right back on track with my next meal. It's harder to flip the switch back to diet mode after getting negative momentum ya know?

Read more on how to Stop Emotional Eating Before It Starts at SparkPeople. The New York Times also did a story on the adverse effects of late-night eating based on scientific research.

Late-night food zombie.
Don't let this happen to you!

Late-night eating is a huge health goal sabatoger. I am going for scare tactics on this one: According to the study done by Northwestern University, mice that ate when they would normally be sleeping increased their bodyfat by 48% versus only 20% for the mice who overate the same calorie amount during normal hours. That had better scare me away from the fridge!!  

This mantra is written on my fridge!

What have I learned?

 - As far as actually accomplishing all the meal prep for my meal plan... it's all in the name: Plan, plan, plan. I don't try to do everything at once. Every week, I make a shopping list, and then set aside one evening to do my shopping, one afternoon to do my cooking/weighing/bagging, and every day I put my meals #1-6 in a cooler to take with me where ever I am going that day. If it's not packed in the cooler, I don't eat it! Snacking is off limits and everything that goes in my mouth must come out of that cooler except water, coffee or tea.

As far as actually sticking with my meal plan... that's a whole new ball game. I have 3 main players: Coffee, Gum and Spices. Coffee for the energy and something hot, gum for something for my mouth to do, and spices to add some flava and make my food satisfying. Coffee is pretty self explanatory, I keep it simple: black coffee w/ a dash of almond milk.

I cook with LOTS OF SPICES! No butter, oil, dressings or sour cream, but you'd be suprised what a little Cumin and Garam Marsala can do for a plain old hunk of Tilapia. YUM! Thank yoooouu Kinjal for introducing me to Indian flavors :)

Yummers, and SPICY!

One thing I learned from eating Indian food is their creative use of spices! They really know how to make dishes satisfying and decadent without adding fat or sugar. Win. Win. Here's some tips to add some spice to your life.

My last secret weapon: Gum! This is my most effective defense when sugar cravings hit: Desert Extra Gum.

Kari over at FitnessRx shares my love of this gum, and recommends
it to fight 'cake in the office lunchroom' induced cravings. Heard that!

What's the hardest part?

 - The mental aspect of the diet is pretty taxing. You know how you always want something when you can't have it? Try overcoming that with every food commercial you see on TV, every restaurant you pass, and every plate of home-made cookies a coworker brings to work. Ahhh!! It's a battle for sure. A week of that and I am practically screaming for a cheat meal.

Seriously Dairy Queen? Seriously!? Get outa my head!!

One tactic I started recently is instead of scheduling a cheat meal I will just have one cheat meal a week, at an unscheduled time. If I set a date, then I am building up anticipation and cravings all week and by the time the day comes I just want to go nuts and eat way too much  because I have made such a big deal of the meal. Not good. Now, instead I will just stick with my diet for as many days in a row as I can, and have my refuel meal as life happens. This way it might be a Monday one week, and a Friday the next, or a Sunday then Monday on a particularly stressful 2 weeks :). I bet I will always have it on a weekend anyway, because weekends are waaaayyy harder for me, but this way I don't go nuts waiting for it all week!

Funny, but also sooo true.

I struggle DAILY with food related issues. If you learn one thing about me from reading this blog, let it be this: I will not only show you the good side of me... my successes, my goals, desires, aspirations and victories. No, I am not perfect!!! Not even a smidgen perfect. There's other issues besides cravings that get me, for example, the "I-Only-Want-It-Because-I-Can't-Have-It" syndrome that commonly attacks during the final week of contest prep, or when I get your new month's diet plan and (gasp!) there's no protein powder on the menu!! I without fail seem to crave foods only when I specifically am restricted from having them. This problem is the underlying root of the self-sabotaging binges many women in the competition field deal with. It's a viscous, viscous mind game :( BUT, Victory is obtainable! I AM STRONGER THAN A JAR OR PEANUT BUTTER!

There's a ton of blogs and articles written on food disorders, but here's what I have found to be effective tactics to shift my mindset from obsession over food to a much more healthy viewpoint. I have not yet mastered this, nor do I expect to ever be perfect (that is NOT a healthy goal!) but I strive to forget about food as "pleasure" and instead make eating a mindful and thankful experience.

 - Winning the Fight: Conquer Cravings

• Chew gum when cravings are instantaneous... usually they'll pass before the flavor even runs out!
• Focus on what you CAN have. I love sweet potatoes just as much as peanut butter, and I get to have them every day!
• Don't be unrealistic. Food will NOT fix any problems. When it all boils down to it, you're still the same person before and after a binge and before and after a good day. Food is merely fuel; if you need to do some mental housecleaning and/or deal with issues food cannot do it.
• Team up with an accountability partner and be HONEST! I just started this on Tuesday, and I am already doing better. The idea is that you'll be more motivated to meet your goals, of not eating in the middle of the night for example, if you have to tell someone else how you did. My partner and I text eachother every morning and every night to remind eachother to "win the night" and to encourage or praise eachother in the morning :)
• Love yourself and forgive the past. Don't play catch up, it's a viscious cycle and no matter what you tell yourself it will never end... let alone end well! Learn from your past mistakes and remember this:

If you also struggle with eating, try putting this on your fridge and read it ALL THE WAY THROUGH before you put anything in your mouth... still hungry?

Change is not easy.

 Give yourself time to make the adjustment to more balanced eating. Strive to make small changes every day and over time you will get to your goals.

Eat Like Every Day Is Thanksgiving

What?? No, not your portions... your mindset! I believe the key to overcoming overeating is being mindful and thankful of the privilege of  having an abundance of food. Reverence to God, instead of worshipping food as some great indulgence to be sinfully and gluttonously enjoyed.

The apostle Paul had it nailed when he wrote the following in his letter to the Philippians:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

For the ladies, the site justbetweenus.org has great verses and daily devotions. We need to daily remind ourselves of the important things in life and of our many blessings; then have contentment in the blessings we DO have!

I hope you're not struggling with a food related disorder, but if you are I want you to be encouraged and to go forth and live in strength, God's strength :) Be blessed.

Goodnight,

~ Ruthie

Bombshell: 9 Weeks In, 3 Weeks Out!

Oh how times have changed... I remember just a few months ago in April I was signing up for my first ever NPC Bikini Competition, and now I am on a national training team, Team Bombshell, being coached by IFBB PRO Bikini Athletes and training as hard as an Olympian for my 2nd show! 

**My next Bikini competition is on July 23rd. That's only 3 weeks from this Saturday, 7/2/2011... Let the countdown begin!

2011 NPC Washington State Open BB, Figure, Fitness, & Bikini Championships
NATIONAL QUALIFIER
Date: July 23, 2011
Where: Auburn Preforming Arts Center - Auburn, WA
Website: http://www.williamsproductions.com/ 

Come out and enjoy the show if you're in the area!

 ~         A look back ...        ~

It's been quite the journey. Looking back, I am amazed at all I have learned about fitness, diet, motivation, perseverance, dedication, balance, and the list goes on... My entire life has changed just by a last minute entry in a Bikini show.  


** Read about how I became a Bikini competitor in my older posts: 

• Going For It: My 1st Competition. I decided to compete!
• Bikini Babay. Post-show recap.
• It. Is. On. My plans to continue competing in Bikini.
• No Plan B. My original post on joining Team Bombshell.
• Life Changes. My first thoughts on the Bombshell training and diet.
• A Little Bit of Everything. The last update on my Bombshell training.

 ~         What's happening now ...        ~

I'm still pluggin' away at my crazy-hectic day-to-day schedule, which starts with my "Morning Bliss" and ends with another gym session of weights + cardio and then catching ferries to get home and hopefully in bed by 9pm.

I like to remind myself it will all be worth it though :) One anonymous quote that has stuck with me about accomplishments in life are like diamonds is:

"If you don't grind, you don't shine!"

I am following my Bombshell diet (I'll be posting more on this in the near future!), supplementation, cardio, and lifting plans and have seen great progress in my physique. I've gotten a couple compliments on my "Bombshell booty" and that's enough in itself to keep me motivated haha. Every week on Sundays I email my coach, Shannon Dey, progress pictures so she can see where I'm at with my training and give me encouragement or tell me what to change. I have started sending my weight as well, so she can monitor me more closely since competition is just a few weeks away. Any necessary adjustments to my food intake or cardio plan will be made to make sure I look my best come showtime!

Weight:
138 lbs on 6/26/11
136 lbs on 7/3/11

Besides appearance and weight, another good measure of fitness level is percent body fat. I first measured my body fat on 6/15/11 and I just did it again 2 weeks later on Wednesday (6/29/11).

**Read my post on bodyfat here: Fat Chance!

I am happy to report I am down to 9% bodyfat! That's a 2% decrease in 2 weeks from 11% on the 15th. Like I said before, I am not so sure that the number itself (9%) is completely accurate - I think that must be reading lower than I actually am - but the method I used to determine my % bodyfat is consistent: Both times I had the same personal trainer use body fat calipers.

Measuring body fat with calipers

Bodyfat:
11% on 6/15/11
  9% on 6/29/11

Therefore, the change in % body is accurate. So whatever my % body fat actually is, it's down by 2% in two weeks! That's an 18.2% decrease in 2 weeks... which means that my training and diet is working :)

Here's my weight and measurements as of April 23rd: (click the picture to enlarge it)

And here's my weight and measurements as of July 3rd:

I have decided not to post my progress pictures on my blog since it's re-published to the Montana Tech college website and I feel like they don't need that directly on the front page ha ha.
Go to my Bodybuilding.com BodySpace page to see my latest progress pics :)


3 weeks until I'm rocking the stage! It's go time...
~ Ruthie

Reading Material: Ever wonder what's the difference between the women's fitness competiton divisions? What's Fitness vs. Figure vs. Bikini? Find what division fits you!

Going For It: My 1st Competition

Okay so here's my announcement that I teased you with in my last post ... Remember back in January when I said I wanted to take it up a notch with my fitness and exercise level?

Well, consider this coming Saturday the official "check off" of that goal.
I am competing in the 2011 NPC All American EFX Big Sky Championships.
Yup, April 9th I will be showing off all my hard work in the gym and my dedication in the kitchen by competing in the Bikini Championships.

Picture me up there with these fit ladies...

So now it's only1 week till showtime! It's coming up so fast... I decided to do it only two weeks before I went on my cruise to the Bahamas for Spring Break, so I had basically no time to get a suit, shoes and accessories, learn to model walk, learn the right poses, learn the NPC Bikini competition rules, and try to perfect it all! On Saturday, I will be displaying the fittest, finest version of myself :D And I can't wait...


My beautiful (tiny!) suit I'll be sashaying around in on Saturday



My training has always been intense, but for the month I had to prepare after I decided to do the competition I took it up a notch, and added lifting back into my fitness routine along-side BodyRock. I found www.Bodybuilding.com to be a great resource of information, as well as Oxygen magazine. I also keep a workout journal to track my workouts and my progress with increasing weight or beating my reps in BodyRock.

My workout journal

Here's what a typical week from my workout journal looks like:

 

-- Training Schedule--

Sunday - Lift (Back/Bis/Tris) + Cardio (elliptical)

-Warmup 20 min on elliptical at steady state pace

- Lifting (here's the tri/bis section of my workout)

Monday - Lift (Shoulders/Calves) + Cardio (BodyRock)

-"4 Minutes" Workout and "Hot Curves" Exercise Challenge in morning

-Lifting in evening

Tuesday - Lift (Glutes/Abs) + Cardio (elliptical)

-Warmup 10 min on elliptical

-Lifting

Wednesday - Cardio only (BodyRock)

-"Gaga For Poker Face" Workout

Thursday - Lift (Back/Bis/Tris) + Cardio (elliptical)

-Warm up 20min on elliptical w/ stead state pace

- I tried this new combo of workouts from Scott Herman for Bis and Tris 

Friday - Lift (Shoulders/Calves) + Cardio (elliptical)

-Warm up 20min on elliptical w/ stead state pace

- Lifting

Saturday - Lift (Glutes/Abs) + Cardio (bike)

-Warmup 10 min on elliptical
-Lifting

So that's the workout end of the bargain, some of the sections of my workout I didn't link, but I generally do 4-5 exercises per muscle group so if I listed shoulders for example, then I did something like 3 sets x 10 reps of shoulder press, rear delt raises, reverse flyes, arnold presses and crossover cable raises, in addition to a similar circuit for the other muscle groups I listed for that day. Like I said- it's pretty intense but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.

Dieting for a competition is not so fun though, it can get a little tough having no cereal, bread or other high carb foods for the pre-contest weeks. I love my oatmeal!

An average day looks like this:

 -- Sample Meal Plan --
Meal 1

-greek yogurt

-peanut butter

-blueberries

-(ONLY if I do morning cardio, 1/3c. oatmeal)

-water

Meal 2

-chicken on mixed greens + balsamic vinegar

-cottage cheese

-almonds

-water

Meal 3 (Pre-workout)

-Jamie Eason's Carrot-Cake Bars - these are actually really awesome

-strawberries

-water + Jack3d

Meal 4 (Post-workout)

-1 scoop protein powder

-1 cup almond milk 

-Sweet potato + greek yogurt

-water

Meal 5

-green beans + mushrooms +onion

-salmon fillet

-peppermint tea

REPEAT for weeks and weeks....

So, after I finish my show I am totally rewarding myself (in a healthy way) by making this...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard

Photo and Recipe courtesy of OhSheGlows.com

Coo-Coo for Coconut

Hi guys- Happy Weekend :)
I'm sure I'll see alot of you up on the slopes tomorrow at TECH day up at Discovery Ski area. I hope all the snow hasn't melted up there. While I'm on the subject of snowboarding, below are a few pictures from the last time I was up at Discovery with some friends. 

Leeza and I in the locker room gettin ready to shred...

And we're off: Into the mist!

 

Almost to the top, and the rest is history :)


This weekend has been great so far. I reffed a few basketball games, went to my friend Ashley's Halfa Belly Dancing Party, wrote up my pre-lab for Strengths Lad and did my Fluids homework. Our first test is next week on Friday, I plan to be a buoyancy expert by then :)

I did BodyRock everyday this weekend, and I want to really encourage you to try one of the workouts. If you never have tried High Intensity Interval Training: HIIT, just give it a go and you'll experience the post-workout euphoria that I can't even describe. If you don't kow where to start, try this one: Bikini Beach Workout, I did it this morning and it's amazing. (And your butt will thank me later haha). I am especially motivated because I have a tropical destination in my future and I want to be completely confident in my bikini. More on this later though...

Today I want to share a healthy and delicious recipe for Coconut Pistachio Bars. I made this today, after being inspired by Angela @ OhSheGlows recipe for Tropical Lemon Cranberry Coconut Chia Bars. Here's the recipe, I posted it on SparkRecipes and calculated the nutrition facts there aswell.

~~~~       Coconut Pistachio Bars       ~~~~

 Nutritional Info:

Fat: 7.2g
Carbohydrates: 24.1g
Calories: 105.2
Protein: 5.2g





 Ingredients:
Vanilla Protein Powder, 1 cup
Coconut, raw unsweetened, 0.75 cup
Bob's Red Mill High Fiber Pancake and Waffle Mix, 1/3 cup
Quaker Oatmeal, 1/3 cup
Stevia Powder, 1.5 cup
Hazelnuts, 0.25 cup, chopped
Baking Soda, 1 tsp
Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp
Fat Free Sugar Free Pistachio pudding DRY mix, 3 tbsp
Chia Seeds, 3 tbsp
Coconut Oil, 4 tbsp
Almond Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla, 5oz (about a half cup)
Water, 1/2 - 1 cup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
You will need two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients.

1. In the wet bowl add: pistachio pudding DRY mix, Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil, and Almond Milk. Add about 1/2 cup of water so it's pudding consistency. Set aside.
2. In the dry bowl combine: Vanilla Protein Powder, shredded UNsweetened coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill), the High Fiber Pancake Mix, Oatmeal, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder. Mix until combine evenly.
3. Add the dry bowl to the wet bowl and then add the Stevia Powder and Hazelnuts. Mix until combined, it should be about the consistency of pancake mix. (if not, add more water)
4. Line a 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and pour the mix into the center. Spread evenly.
5. Bake for 20min on center rack. Remove from oven when the top is set and rises slightly when you press. Cool for 10 min in pan then lift out by parchment paper and cool on counter. Cut into 16 squares. Then enjoy! :)

Makes: 16 servings (squares)

Health & Happiness: Now You're Cookin'

Happy Saturday guys! The weekend is here and the time has come to let my brain have some "play time" and relax a bit after a full school week. I'm writing from the comfort of my parents house. I love, love, love mi familia :)  

What're your plans for the weekend? Today I opted to not hit the slopes like last weekend, in favor for some family time and baking.

Today I'm making:
Zuzana's Shweddy Protein Balls.

Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Both of these recipes I've made before and they're great for bringing to school for lunch and post/ pre-workout fuel. Delicious and nutritious. It sooo doesn't have to be one or the other! Another positive aspect of the protein balls is they're low cost to make. The ingredients: peanut butter, protein powder, unsweetened coconut, and water are all very affordable. The meatloaf muffins are simple and wholesome too. Check out Jamie making them in the video below:

I would like to talk to you guys today about how we're eating. Food affects our lives in a big way because everyone does it at least three times a day. How and what we eat affects our mood, our sleep quality, self confidence, brain and cognitive ability, joints, energy level, overall well-being... the list is endless.


A lot of people have made New Year's resolutions to eat healthier, or start a diet... but diets, have a problem: THEY DON'T WORK!! I don't want to feel deprived, no one does. It's no way to live. Now, my philosophy is: my life is worth living right all the time. Diets fail, and then later there's a new diet.. or you give up all together because you decide your happiness is more important to you than your health and physical appearance. I have news: It's not one or the other.
It's simple, make your health and happiness an integrated lifestyle that work together and compliment each other. You'll be amazed how you don't even want all the things you have to "cheat" your diet to have when you're making food choices based on having lasting, lifelong success and happiness.

The amazingly motivating and inspiring Zuzana @ BodyRock said this about living with passion for fit lifestyle:

 "If you're sick of starting over, then don't quit."
  
Failure is depressing, and 'dieting' or ignoring your health completely are two surefire ways to fail to live life to the fullest. I want you to think about this important fact: Your lifestyle is how you line up your eating and physical activity with your real goals and desires. Success is defined in terms of how these changes make you feel about yourself. There's more good news: Healthy eating doesn't have to take a lot of time or money. Making recipes like the ones above to have on hand for healthy meals, starts with:
Rethinking How To Grocery Shop

I started doing these things this year to save time, $$ and my sanity at the grocery store:

• Start at Home- Take Inventory

-Check your cabinets and fridge to take stock of what you already have. To know what you need you have to know what you DON'T need.

• Make a Grocery List Before You Go

- Keep a running list of staples as your run low on them. Either start with a blank sheet, or I like to circle them on a handy printout already filled with the essentials for healthy meals.
- Don't try to come up with your list after you hit the store! There's too many "deals," marketing fads and overpriced junk there to distract you.

• Eat Before You Go

- Don't ever shop hungry. You'll end up with way too much junk. Man does not live on snack crackers, cookies, pop, a gazillion other convenience foods.
- Your meal before you shop should be something you really enjoy. Try not to eat in the car on the way there, your brain won't register this as a meal. You may end up digging into everything as soon as you get home and overindulging.

• Only Go Once a Week- Set a Time Limit

- Armed with your list, make grocery shopping a time challenge. Get in and get out. Set a tangible time, I give myself 30 minutes, so you don't spend 15min ogling all the new cereals. (I've done it!)
- This part makes it fun because you have a real sense of accomplishment when you make it in under time :)

• Set a Food Budget

-This can be the hardest part at first, knowing how much you should be spending. It's a crucial part though so don't skip it.
-Try going shopping for only a week's worth of groceries a few times and keep your receipts to find out a reasonable amount for your expenditures. I set my budget at $60/week.

• Only Bring Cash $$

-Don't even bring that debit card! This is the top way to save money at the grocery store. When you hit the limit, you're done. It's as simple as that.
-Research shows that people who spend in cash, spend less money because they can visibly see there money leaving their possession, as opposed to credit/debit cards.


I can't possibly cover all the positives of switching from "diet mode" to "lifestyle mode." To me it means: I Eat Clean. I BodyRock. And then I get out there and enjoy life!

Want to learn more? If you're like me and always want to learn for yourself, here's a good start- In my research I have come across some very interesting and useful web pages on healthy eating, and how to save $$ while grocery shopping I'd like to share with you guys. As fitness and health enthusiasts we have better things to do with our fabulous energy filled lives then fiddling with food :)

Eating Healthy

• The Fitnessista: 'Winter Shape Up 2011' Fitness + Meal Plans make healthy eating as easy and click and scroll.
• Zuzana's @ BodyRock.tv breaks down why and to Eat Five Times A Day
• Conventional food vs. organic food – is organic really better?
• Five Ways to Deal with Stress that Don’t Involve Food
• WebMD: Health & Nutrition Video Minutes
• SparkPeople: Stop Dieting and Start Living!

Food Shopping

• Your Shopping List for Clean Eating
• USDA Weight-Loss + Healthy Food Tips
• How to Slash Your Grocery Budget
• Fresh vs. Frozen? Choosing your Fruits and Vegetables
• 25 Cheap Foods that are Good for You!