Daily Manna: it's Christmas!

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope you all are having a great week and are gearing up for Christmas! I am OH so excited about Christmas this year! We are spending Christmas Eve with my husband's side of the family, and Christmas Day with my side of the family. I can't wait to celebrate the birth of our Savior with family, good food, and my favorite Christmas movies!

I thought I'd do another Daily Manna post this week, holiday style! I've been keeping up with my workouts and it's become such a regular part of my routine, which I am grateful for! And the 21 day fix workouts make it so easy because they are only 30 minutes and VERY easy to fit in to my busy day! 

Yesterday morning, I did the upper fix extreme and then downed my Shakeology! It was sooo yummy! 1 scoop vegan chocolate blended with coconut milk, ice, and a handful of spinach!

I also had some extra time in the morning and decided to make spelt blueberry banana pancakes with PB smeared on top and strawbs on the side! These turned out SO fluffy and delicious! I'll have to post the recipe soon!

There were SO many treats at work yesterday, so I indulged in a dark chocolate coconut cashew bite. SO good with my coffee!

And of course, my daily baby carrots!

Along with 6000 pounds of chocolate, one of my patients also got me this beautiful necklace as a Christmas gift! It was so sweet! I love being a part of these peoples' lives and helping them get through a difficult time. Working as an online wellness coach, as well as a dietitian at a dialysis center, has put me in a position where God can use me to positively impact others. All of the treats and the beautiful gifts yesterday were just yet another confirmation that God can even use someone like me who is broken, but redeemed, to love on others. I know He has me where He wants me in this season of life, and for that I am grateful. 

Lunch was a HUGE salad with cilantro dressing and some chunky veggie marinara with chickpea fritters! These fritters didn't turn out quite as great as I wanted, so I will keep testing it out and share a recipe soon hopefully!

In the afternoon, I also had an apple and nuts but forgot to snap a pic! I had to work later than usual yesterday and knew I would need an extra snack to get me through the afternoon! When I got home, I vegged on the couch for a bit, and then got to cooking! My hubby and I snacked on these veggie and flaxseed chips with some hummus while we cooked!

Dinner was some roasted sweet potatoes with a one-pot-wonder I improvised: zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, kidney beans, and diced fire-roasted tomatoes, with some cumin, salt, and red pepper! Oh and garlic, always garlic!

The night ended with my husband and I getting sucked into yet another show: The Man in the High Castle! SO GOOD but so disturbing at the same time. I can't wait to keep watching and see what happens!

It was a rainy and relaxing day yesterday with some good, healthy eats as well as some treats mixed in there! I've been learning the art of balance this month, and it's been, without a doubt the healthiest thing I've ever done. More on this later as I am still processing and learning and journeying, but all I can say is God is SO good, Christmas is 2 days away, and I am so excited for what is in store for 2016!

Daily Manna: pancakes, rest day, and a muffin recipe!

Well hello there! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend and are having fun gearing up for Christmas! I know I am! My hubby and I decorated our apartment and we are so excited to celebrate our first Christmas together! I love everything about this season and am looking forward to many cozy nights sipping tea and watching Christmas movies! :) 

I thought I'd bring back my daily manna posts from...um...about 2 years ago? I used to write these daily posts as a journal to myself and I absolutely loved them! But, life got in the way, which is typically the case, and I didn't give this blog the attention it deserves. Blogging is near and dear to my heart so I definitely want to take care of my blog more and give you more content to read! 

And with that said...here is today's daily manna!  

Today was a rest day for me workout-wise. I don't take nearly enough rest days as I should, and since I felt a little under the weather earlier this week, I decided to take it easy on my body. So, I started my day out with quiet time with Jesus and read and journaled. Then I whipped up my shakeology and sipped on yummy superfoods! 

I blended a scoop of vegan chocolate Shakeology with coconut milk and ice...so good!  

I decided to make my hubby and I some pancakes since I had some extra time in the morning (I am a super early riser). I used the gluten free pumpkin pancake mix from Trader Joe's and mixed in oats and flaxseed for some extra fiber and healthy fats! I topped these babies up with sunflower seed butter (I'm obsessed). They hit the spot!  

Around 9am, I definitely needed something warm since our office was freezing! I had an extra tea bag from sbux (I usually order grandes with just one tea bag and sometimes the kind souls at Starbucks let you take the second tea bag home!) so I boiled some water and snuggled in my office chair with my tea. I also had a Larabar but forgot to take a picture of it...sad day! 

After a busy morning meeting with patients, it was time for lunch! 

Lentil veggie stew with brown rice and a side of carrots. And for dessert...kiwi! I love kiwis!  

Work ended pretty quickly in the afternoon and once I got home and did an inventory of our fridge, I grabbed my purse and headed to sprouts. We literally only had kale and quinoa in the fridge, and I knew we needed some more supplies! I love going to the grocery store when I'm NOT in a hurry, and this afternoon provided me with that opportunity! I walked along each and every aisle and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I also snacked on some almond because PSA: do not go grocery shopping hungry!  

Almonds yummmm :)  

I got home and organized our fridge and pantry and settled down to some Netflix time. I love being productive when I'm home (and I DID clean the kitchen floor!) but today, rest was calling to me, and I listened. 

Until...baking called my name. I have been wanting to experiment with spelt flour lately, so I decided to whip up some almond blueberry muffins. I just basically threw what I had into a bowl and hoped for the best! The recipe went something like this: 

Makes 9 muffins:

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup applesauce

1 T coconut oil

1 whole egg

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup baking stevia (or sugar) 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

I mixed the batter thoroughly, poured the batter in 9 muffin tins, and then baked them on 350 for about 20-25 minutes (I've found the baking time REALLY depends on your oven, so check with a toothpick!). While I waited for these to bake, I whipped up a quick dinner. 

I had made the quinoa and black beans yesterday, so dinner was a breeze tonight (yay for meal prep). Basically cooked quinoa and added a can of cuban black beans and about 1/2 cup fresh salsa (laziest dinner ever). So for today, I made a huge salad (massaged kale, romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic salt), with the quinoa-bean mix, and a small handful of rice chips! This dinner hit the spot and left me feeling satisfied and happy! 

And a little bit after dinner, it was time to taste-test my muffin. I smeared it with a bit of Justin's vanilla almond butter which legit tastes like frosting...SO GOOD! And I'll definitely be baking with spelt from now on! Some benefits of spelt include its high fiber and protein content, and how abundant it is in important minerals such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins! Plus the spelt flour gave these muffins a crunchy top and a soft and fluffy middle...just the way I like it!

After my delicious muffin, I cleaned up the rest of the kitchen and am now enjoying some quiet time waiting for my hubby to get home. On Thursday nights, he leads a small group bible study for high school guys in our home, so I plan on heading to our bedroom and having some quiet time, reading, and journaling, then hopefully dozing off and getting a good night's rest for my Disneyland day tomorrow! I'm oh so excited! 

It truly was such a good day today. It's so important to look for the good in every day and gather the blessings God lays before us, just as the Israelites gathered the manna God provided for them. I am so grateful today for my job, my coworker, my sweet bosses, my husband, and our quaint little apartment. I'm thankful for my clients who bring such joy into my life and are KILLING it with their healthy lifestyle habits this week during our challenge. Lastly, I'm so very thankful for my relationship with Jesus and the grace and restoration He has shown a broken girl like me. His love is SO sweet! 

I hope you all have a restful evening...it's FriYAY tomorrow!! :) 

Summertime Meal & Fitness Plan: June 8-12

I MISS YOU ALL! I really miss blogging, I need to be better about it and have it as a priority! Life has been so busy with parties and graduations and my new job, but I need to put my hobbies first! So, here we go...my  meal and fitness plan for the week!

I've only planned lunches and dinners this week. Usually breakfast has been shakeology, banana with peanut butter, or some toast as I rush out the door since my new job requires me to be there by 6:30/7:00 in the morning! So, here are our tentative lunches and dinners for the week!

Monday:

Lunch: leftover kebab with tzatziki sauce

Dinner: Turkey burger with curry veggie quinoa (recipe coming soon!)

Tuesday: 

Lunch: leftover quinoa, hard boiled eggs

Dinner: Chicken fajita night!

Wednesday: 

Lunch: salad, hard boiled eggs

Dinner: leftover quinoa OR out with the family!

Thursday: 

Lunch: chicken sausage and potatoes

Dinner: out with the family! 

Friday: 

Lunch: Chicken sausage and potatoes

Dinner: Salmon w/rice and steamed vegetables 

There are LOTS of graduations and family events this week, but I'm going to try to keep it as healthy and clean as possible. I am also trying to follow the 21 day fix container system along with the workouts. I LOVE this portion control system! It really helps me see how much more I was eating of some foods, and less of others. And plus, the containers are SO CUTE!

For example: 2 eggs equal one red container (protein), and this is a serving of blueberries which fits into the purple container for fruit! 

As many of you know, I am NUTS for nuts!!! But, this little blue container helped me see how I was way overeating these, and then complaining of tummy aches. Hmmm I wonder why? ;) 

My fitness/workout plan is as follows! 

Monday: I just completed the 21 day fix total body cardio workout! I was dripping...so good!

Tuesday: 21 day fix upper body workout, 30 min walk/run 

Wednesday: 21 day fix lower body workout

Thursday: 21 day fix dirty 30, 30 min walk/run

Friday: 21 day fix cardio fix

Saturday: 21 day fix total body cardio, 30 min walk/run

The 21 day fix workouts are only 30 minutes in length so they have been perfect to fit into my busy days. I've also been loving going on walks (sometimes runs) lately, so I want to incorporate those as well on the days I have time! We will see how this week plays out, but I've been feeling pretty motivated! 

I am also hosting a 21 day fix challenge group starting on June 22nd! It will be a private Facebook accountability group for those wanting to take on the 21 day fix this summer! The package includes the program, nutrition guide, 30 day supply of the superfood shakeology (OBSESSED!), and accountability with me and the rest of the group as we embark on the program together! The deadline to order is MONDAY, JUNE 15th! If you have any questions, please contact me through the "contact" button on this website, or email me at TveenRD@gmail.com for more info! 

Ok, I'm off to start cooking dinner for the hubby and I! Have an awesome Monday night everyone!

Adding Variety to Meal Planning

I've heard it said time and time again that the more simple you keep your meals, the higher the chances that you will stick to your healthy eating goals. While I agree with this to some extent, I do think there are a few exceptions to this piece of advice. Keeping meals simple helps us when we are planning because we don't have to overthink what we want to eat. I know that I do this from time to time, especially during busy weeks. If I have some of my beloved frozen turkey burgers from Trader Joe's in my freezer, BOOM, meals for the week. If I have some sausage and sweet potatoes, I whip up a casserole and call it a day. But sometimes, especially when you are finding yourself eating out of boredom and dreading your next meal, it's time to rethink the mundane simplicity of your every day, go-to meals.

I've been feeling this kind of boredom lately. And I am a big lover of food, so when I don't look forward to my next meal...it's a problem. I realized that all I've been eating are salads with the same dressing, and some kind of protein, usually my turkey burgers. I love those turkey burgers, but sometimes, a girl needs some variety! These past few weeks, I have been giving myself so many more options when it comes to my meals. My only "rules" are gluten free (I started sneaking that pesky bugger in during and after the holidays...not a good idea), and minimal sugars, processed carbs, and processed foods in general. All else is totally game.

Let's start with breakfast. Usually, I eat veggie scrambles. Every. Single. Day. And while I love eggs, eggs every day can get a tad bit repetitive. Last week, I made some protein pancakes instead. I hadn't made pancakes in FOREVER, and I decided that I would make them again. They don't take that long to make, and are still healthy when you pack them with some protein (I used Jaime Eason's Lean Body for Her Vanilla Whey; best whey I've ever tasted!). These turned out great and added some nice variety to my morning.

I also hadn't had oats in what felt like a very long time, so yesterday morning, I microwaved my oats (short-on-time syndrome) and topped them with some chopped walnuts and blueberries. This kept me full for a WHILE and I thoroughly enjoyed my warm mushy breakfast.

And speaking of blueberries, I've just been having them as a snack lately too! On Saturday, I was pretty hungry in the mid morning, but it was almost lunch time and I didn't want too much to fill me up. So I opted for a nice bowl of bloobs and they hit the spot!

Lastly, last night, I decided to have a vegetarian dinner. I am a huge, HUGE, meat eater. I was actually vegetarian a few years back in grad school, but because of some of the health problems I experienced, I decided to add meat back into my life, and I have never looked back. But as much as I love meat, having it at every single meal can get annoying and kind of gross. Last night, I heated up a can of Amy's Organic low sodium lentil vegetable soup. I added a WHOLE lot of spinach to the pot to make it more vegetable-y (yes, it's a word), and the spinach of course shrank. Then, I added a bag of Trader Joe's frozen brown rice. The whole meal was ready in about 5 minutes, made two servings so I am all set for lunch today, and is the perfect winter stew!

If you want to add more variety to your meals while still keeping them healthy, I recommend getting started in a few easy steps:

1. Take inventory of what you have at home. I realized I have so much frozen tilapia, chicken, grass fed beef, and a mahi mahi burger that are just waiting to get eaten. You can season these meats up differently every time you cook them and get a different flavor each time.

2. Make a list of all the meals you could make adding and combining these foods. I brainstormed that I could use the chicken as a stir-fry with vegetables and some coconut aminos, I could make it into a vegetable casserole, or I could eat it with some marinara sauce and lentils (such a great combination!) I could make the grass fed beef into taco meat, or into little sausage patties. There are so many things we could create if we actually knew the foods we had on hand!

3. Start today. Start changing up your schedule today. You can still eat healthy foods while adding variety to your meals and not getting stuck in the same patterns every day. For me, getting stuck causes me to reach for variety in the form of not so healthy foods. I'd rather change up my daily meals knowing that they are still healthy and look forward to eating every day of my life!

I hope this helps someone out there who finds themselves in a food rut! What is your go-to meal every day, and what do you think you could do to spice up your meal plan a bit?

Let's do this! Food and Fitness Plan Jan 5-11

Are you ready for the week?? I am!!! Not so much ready to go back to work after a nice weekend...but I am ready to grow, reach to goals and have a productive week. This weekend was so fun for me, I'm sad to see it end. However, I have to come to terms with the fact that work is a part of life, and I am beyond blessed to be working in a job that I enjoy and that does such great things for people! This week is super busy, I pretty much have something planned out every evening! Ps did I tell you guys I finally bought my planner! Yep, that's right, a good old fashioned planner. Paper and pen and all. It has "Faith, Hope, Love" written on it, which is always a good reminder. I transferred all of my stuffs to it this morning after some good pumpkin gingerbread and quiet time!

I want to try and use a paper planner this year and see how I do. I feel like I rely too heavily on my phone and want to not have to use it so much! Wishful thinking probably, but this is a start!

Busy weeks are even more motivation for me to figure out what and when I am going to do things. I have to make sure that I have enough time for productivity as well as rest. I've tried to find that balance this week, so we will see how it goes! Here is my food/fitness plan for the upcoming week!

Food:

Breakfast options: Hard boiled eggs Scrambles with veggies Sausage and veggies Oats with fruit and nuts Protein waffles Bars if in a rush!

Lunch options: Leftover kebab from my awesome lunch today!!

Turkey burgers Tuna sandwiches/salads

Snack/pre-workout options: Nuts Carrots w/hummus Larabars String cheese Hard boiled eggs

Dinner options: I'm meeting up with a lot of friends and family for dinners this week! I'm definitely planning on still keeping it healthy, but I'm not entirely sure what these options will be! Probably some sort of protein and veggies per usual!

Fitness plan:

I'm trying to move some of my workouts to evenings since my schedule has been tiring me out. Waking up at 4:30am is not ideal and not a way to live everyday life! Here is my tentative plan for the week. I've put AM next to morning workouts and PM next to evening workouts.

Monday: AM: tone it up arms and abs workout PM: cardio for 3-4 miles (either elliptical or treadmill)

Tuesday: AM: run 3-4 miles

Wednesday: AM: Plyometrics, then circuits with my friend Hanna

Thursday: PM: personal training session, cardio

Friday: AM: Run 5 miles

Saturday: AM: cardio, plyometrics, abs

Sunday: Random!

Wednesday and Saturday mornings are not as early for me as some other days. I also moved my personal training session to Thursday for this week to see how evenings work for me! They used to be bright and early Monday mornings. I'm experimenting with this, but also hope to gain some more rest through the process! I've found that, without proper rest, your workouts just won't mean anything. There has to be a balance of good nutrition, good movement, and good rest in order to reach good health.

Lastly, I want to continue with my resolutions of watching less Netflix shows and spend more time reading, playing the piano, and just doing other things instead! I've really been enjoying reading my Nicholas Sparks book lately (love his stuff!) and doing other things with my time. Not to say that I'm not watching any TV, because I am. But again, balance is key.

I also want to continue with my stress and worry less goals (which I definitely cannot do without the grace of God since I am such a stress case most of the time!) and want to work on my secret project. I'm hoping to have time this week with all that is going on!

Have you set a plan of goals for the week yet? Sunday night is the best time to prepare for and plan out your week! It helps me get more motivated for the week to come, and I hope it does the same for you!

Pieology Pizza Dinner

I don't think I've met a single person who does not like pizza. People all have their different tastes and preferences. For me, I LOVE the crust. The thicker, the better. It is probably because I love bread more than a "normal" person would. However, when I had to give up gluten, one of the hardest things to give up was pizza from my favorite place because of their thick and delicious and bready crust.

I'm pretty sure this pizza is 90% bread, 5% cheese, and 5% sauce and veggies. Which is precisely the way I like it. I'm not even pretending it's healthy because it's NOT, but it is definitely delicious.

ANYWAYS, since going gluten-free, no pizza has measured up to the amazing gluten-filled pizza shown above. And with good reason, since most gluten-free crusts taste like a cardboard cracker. However, this past weekend, I was pleasantly surprised with my experience at Pieology. They just opened this place by my house and my fiancé suggested we try it out Friday night. I got my usual pizza with bell peppers, olives, and pepperoni.

My fiancé basically got every topping they offered....he is definitely a toppings man and could care less about the bread. Oh, how I wish that trait would rub off on me!

As I took my first bite, I expected the cardboard and the crunch and not the soft crust that I was accustomed to in my pro-gluten past. However, even though this was a thin crust pizza, the crust actually tasted like bread!! I was so excited when I took my first bite. I even had my fiancé try it and he agreed with me; the gluten free crust tasted great! I don't think anyone would have even noticed it was gluten free if they hadn't been told. I ate half the pizza and was so satisfied with this meal. I didn't miss my fluffy gluten crust...ok maybe I did a LITTLE...but this pizza definitely takes the prize of one that is similar to usual thin-crust pizza while actually tasting like bread. I would definitely try this place again and know that I would feel like I was eating normal, delicious, savory pizza. Thanks, Pieology!

Some Favorite Things...

Yayyyy it's Friday!!!! I had work today, which is a little hard to get my mind around, but it wasn't too bad and thank God for the weekend!! Just thought I'd share a little update post about some of my favorite things lately. 1. GOD. God has been throwing blessings at me left and right and I just feel so grateful and full of thankfulness to Him. Good people, family, food, and fun times this Christmas season was just what I needed!

2. My new workout jacket. I know I posted about this already but I just had to share again!

This top is so warm and and cozy! I wore it for an outdoors run/walk yesterday with my fiancé (his family bought it for me...THANK YOU!) and it kept me SO warm in the freezing weather we have had lately. Plus it's super cute...so it's a win-win!

3. My new egg pan! My mom just bought a Caphalon pan just for eggs and I love it. It is beyond non stick and so easy to clean! Plus, the eggs are coming out super fluffy and restaurant-like! Can't explain it, but I'll take it!

4. My new family. I love the family that I'm marrying into! They have shown me such love and joy, and I am so excited that I get to finally have a brother and a sister. We had a lot of fun over the holidays and I can't wait for more fun in the future!

5. Lastly, running! I took a little hiatus over the holidays from my 10K plan and did some more easy cardio and weights. I kicked off my running again this morning with a 4 mile run and it felt great! I want to do more low impact workouts like yoga and Pilates, but I will always love running and include it in my regular workouts! And I can't wait for my 10K in 6 weeks. And you can bet I'll be following my injury-proof plan (check in previous posts for schedule!)

I don't know about you, but I am extremely excited about the new year. I can't wait to see what God is up to and I definitely want to be available to be used by Him. Reflecting on some of the blessings and "favorites" in my life keeps me joyful, humble, and grateful.

What are some of your favorite things/people lately? How do you keep your joy up?

Food & Fitness Plan: 12/15-12/21

Good morning everyone and Happy Monday!!! I just love the beginning of the new week; it is filled with freshness and possibility. No matter was has happened, Monday is a chance to start brand new. Leave it all behind and move forward with this new week ahead. I know that is what I need to do! I had a great weekend sprinkled with some not so great moments. But God is good and His mercies are new every morning. EVERY SINGLE MORNING! How awesome is that. Thank you, Jesus. Food Plan:

I did some heavy duty meal prep yesterday, so I am very excited about my meals this week!! I have leftover kebab for today, but tonight, I get to enjoy my Eggplant Spaghetti Squash Lasagna (recipe coming soon!)

I also made a huge batch of Parmesan sweet potatoes (I use the white sweet potatoes because they aren't as sweet as yams, while still having high amounts of vitamin A and other nutrients!)

Here are my meal options for the week:

Pre workout: - Gluten free seeded bread w/nut butter - Hard boiled egg with nuts - Banana with nuts or nut butter - Pumpkin protein bread (if I have time to bake!)

Breakfast: - Scrambles w/veggies and avocado - Protein waffles/pancakes - Quest bar (if rushed, like today!)

Lunch/Dinner - Eggplant Spaghetti Squash Lasagna - Chicken meatballs w/sweet taters - Salads - Tuna w/plantain chips

Snacks: - Carrots w/hummus or guacamole - Nuts - Larabar - Quest bar (I want to slowly step away from these, as I feel that they may be causing some digestive discomfort! I may just use up what we have and phase them out haha stay tuned)

Fitness:

Here is my plan for the week! My 10K training is embedded in here as well:

Monday: I ran 2 miles at my "fast" speed (18:48) which wasn't as fast as I wanted, but I'm tired and it's Monday. Then I had my personal training session, working on chest, triceps, and shoulders. Tonight, I have circuits with my friend Hanna!

Tuesday: 5 mile long run + abs

Wednesday: 2 miles elliptical, plyometrics, logbook leg workout from trainer

Thursday: 4 mile run (moderate speed), personal training (probably back and biceps), Hanna workout

Friday: 3 mile run moderate, plyometrics

Saturday: TIU workout + abs

Sunday: easy elliptical, toning

I'm so ready for the week! I'm feeling super motivated this morning and have a set of goals for myself apart from food and fitness to work on as well:

1. Work on special project 2. Sketch 3. Play piano 4. Take make up off every night (this may sound silly, but I am so horrible at skin care, and need to get on top of this ASAP!)

I am hoping for a productive, fun, and restful week! Have you set your goals yet? Make a plan and try your best to stick to it...you'll be happy you did!

Work Hard, Stay Humble: Daily Manna 12/8/14

I miss these daily posts I used to do. For me, writing is like therapy. It's such a natural outlet for me. I've always been a big reader and writer. I miss writing about my days and reflecting on what went on and what I experienced. I want to start doing these posts again whenever I can. I want to write more. I want to reflect more. I want to remember all of God's blessings each and every day. Like this morning, it was a blessing to be able to wake up. It was a blessing to read my Bible while sipping on some warm lemon water in the stillness of my home. It was a blessing to greet my dad as I ate some delicious gluten free gingerbread to gear up for my workout. It was a blessing to be able to run with the legs God has blessed me with. Legs that can move, run, bend, and withstand some pain in order to become stronger.

I am so blessed to be able to move and I never want to forget that. This morning was my first day training for my 10 K that is coming up in 10 weeks. I followed my training plan, and followed it up with a killer back and biceps workout with my trainer. I worked hard, but must remain humble because I know it is all by God's strength and grace that I am even able to move.

Here is my day 1 training update:

This morning's run went great! I was able to do a few intervals but didn't push too hard or too fast since this was a moderate (M) run. I was so happy with my time! I also did some ab work which consisted of a plank, some ankle grabbers, and flutter kicks. And, most importantly, I stretched!!! It felt great and I definitely need to do it more often.

For breakfast, I made a quick sausage and sweet potato casserole while I was getting ready. I love making this dish because it lasts a few days and tastes amazing!

I thought I would be late to work, but I was early. I was so stressed for nothing! I realized that I tend to get worked up over things, and 90% of the time, those things never happen. I really need to destress and not take little things as the end of the world!

Work was pretty busy which helps it go by super fast! I had some carrots and hummus on my break, then had my usual turkey burger and salad for lunch.

This has been my easy go-to lunch on Mondays if I am short on time for meal prep on Sunday night. I can fry up this burger in no time; and paired with a salad...it's delicious! Weekends have been jam packed for me recently, so it is nice to have an emergency healthy meal always on hand! I keep the Trader Joe's turkey burgers in my freezer at all times.

I got hungry around 4pm so I had a yummy quest bar!

These bars are such treats, and yes they do have a few "iffy" ingredients, but they have a good amount of protein for when I don't have time to eat a chicken breast. Ideally, I would love to just eat a chicken breast. I would love to have a completely clean week one of these weeks and not have any convenience foods, just to challenge myself. Because I'm sure it's possible. But life is life and you make the most of the options you have. And today, my best option (as Christmas cookies were staring at me in the break room) was a quest bar!

I got home from work around 5:45 and wasn't too hungry for dinner. I had defrosted some chicken so I decided to make some Parmesan garlic sautéed chicken for lunch tomorrow and the next day. I ended up having some yummy gluten free crackers and hummus for dinner while cooking...totally acceptable in my opinion!

Andddd a gluten free banana chocolate chip protein cookie too (recipe coming soon!) I will also post the recipe for the chicken (so many things to do!) It was very easy to prepare and it tasted delicious (I had to have a few bites!) I can't wait to gobble it up tomorrow!

And now...for some rest and relaxation time with my parents. Something I have been looking forward to all day! It was a day full of hard work, patience, and relying on God through it all!

First Week of 10K training! Food & Fitness Plan 12/8-12/14

Hello all! I am sooooo excited about this coming week! Not only are we getting closer to Christmas, I am officially starting my 10K training this week! I posted a couple of days ago about my training plan, and this week will be week 1. I'm excited to see how actually following a plan that not only includes running, but also strength and endurance training, will effect my training and proneness to injury. I am so excited about meal prepping this week because my friend Hanna and I are planning to go grocery shopping Wednesday! I LOVE GROCERY SHOPPING! And especially going with someone else and taking your time and discovering all these new foods. I'm a nerd and I know it, but I love it!

Here are my meal options for the week:

Pre workout: * gingerbread bars * hard boiled eggs w/nuts * banana w/nuts or nut butter * gluten free toast w/nut butter

Breakfast: * sausage and taters * scrambles/hard boiled eggs * waffle/pancake Wednesday! * quest bar (if in a hurry!)

Lunch/Dinner: * turkey or beef patties * turkey/mahi mahi burgers * sausage and taters * healthy Parmesan chicken (I want to experiment with a recipe I've been concocting!)

Snacks: * hummus with carrots or GF crackers * Larabars or quest bars * fruits/veggies * nuts * banana chocolate chip cookies (recipe coming soon!)

Fitness Plan:

**F means fast/short run, M means moderately paced, and L means long endurance run. See 10K training plan post for more details!**

M: 3 mile M run, abs, personal training session T: 4 mile M run, plyometrics, circuits with Hanna W: Circuits with Hanna, abs Th: 2 miles F (intervals), personal training session F: Log book workout from trainer, lateral elliptical, plyometrics S: 5 mile L run Sun: rest?

I'll share my progress with my training and let you all know how it goes! I'm looking forward to getting started and seeing how my runs improve with this plan!!

Lastly, this is my inspirational quote for the week:

Humbleness is something I pray for, as well as the worth ethic to work hard and do it all for God's glory! I also want to enjoy my work and be kind to everyone I come into contact with. These things are only possible through God and His work on my heart.

Well, I'm off to an early start this Monday morning and headed to the gym! I hope you all have a great Monday and a good start to the week!