Arm Blasting Workout and Dining Out Tips!

I am finally going to share with you what I have been calling my "random" or "arm" workouts! I am seeing the doctor soon and canNOT wait to figure out what is causing all of this pain in my knees and hips! In the meantime, I have been trying to keep myself busy and active in the most pain-free way that I can. I also thought I'd share my meals on a day where I did not have the chance to cook all my foods and dined out instead! There are ways to eat healthy and still enjoy your meals while dining out! Read on to find out how! :) This morning, I woke up and started my day with Jesus! Everyone spends time with Jesus in a different way, but I feel that I am at my best in the mornings and want to begin the day with God before I do anything else. I spent some time reading and reflecting on 2 Corinthians 3-4 and wrote down some verses that stood out to me. I especially loved verses 17-18 in chapter 3 where Paul writes that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM! Which means we can be free from anything that is weighing us down once we accept Jesus and have his Holy Spirit living in us. Because wherever His Spirit is, there is freedom; freedom from habits, worry, guilt, shame, (ahem, text anxiety) or any other feelings or situations that have a hold on us. I just love the freedom that God always promises His children, and the peace that inevitably comes with that freedom!

After my quiet time, I made some breakfast, which consisted of my usual scramble with kale, peppers, and a side of avocado. Yum!

I studied for a little while after breakfast and then decided to do my short workout that I have been doing lately since I have been out of commission. This workout got my heart pumping and my arms burning! I finally jotted the exercises down today (picture below). I do each exercise for 1 minute and the whole list for 2 rounds, for a total of 20 minutes. The faster you do the moves, the more calories you burn. In just about 6-7 songs, this workout is accomplished!

After I was done, I was drenched and out of breath! And produced a nice little calorie burn!

After studying some more, I decided to take a break and get out of the house to walk around my local mall. I knew I wouldn't be having lunch until later, as I was meeting my cousin around 1:30. I decided to pack a small snack with me to eat at the mall. Even though I know the mall has food and I could have gotten a snack from there, I definitely didn't want to give in to the smells of sugary pretzels, salty popcorn, or sweet cinnamon rolls! I know my body pretty well, and knew I would get hungry at the mall. I always make sure I have a small snack with me at all times so I can have something to fall back on while I am out and there are limited healthy options! SO! I packed one of my gingerbread cake squares (recipe posted!) and some grapes.

This was the PERFECT snack while I was walking around and enjoying all the Christmas decorations!

After spending some time at the mall, I drove back home and studied some more (surprise, surprise). When it came time for lunch, I decided to walk down to the restaurant where I was meeting my cousin. I bundled up (yay for fall weather, FINALLY!) and took the short 10 minute stroll down to the restaurant.

The restaurant we went to had a wide variety of foods ranging from salads, sandwiches, wraps, pastas, and grilled BBQ options. For lunch, I had a salad with a ton of yummy veggies and some tri-tip! I asked for the dressing of the salad on the side to regulate how much dressing I was using. This place usually brings their salads swimming in dressing, and I definitely didn't want that. The tri-tip portion was HUGE, so I could only stomach a few slices! This was a great meal that left me feeling comfortable and full. They brought out two breadsticks with my meal as well, but I didn't even feel like eating them. Protein with veggies is such a satiating and satisfying combination, which is why I usually stick to these options while eating out.

For dinner, my parents and I decided on Cheesecake Factory. I usually get the same old chicken lettuce wraps, salmon, or salads every time I go to Cheesecake, but this time I wanted something different. This is also a very important factor when going out. Try new things! This way you will have a variety of healthy options instead of feeling stuck with only one healthy dish per restaurant, which can get mundane. It is always possible to tweak meals and ask for special orders while going out! Your health is important, so don't be too shy to ask (politely of course)! :) My friend gave me the suggestion to try the turkey burger, so I got it lettuce wrapped with a side salad! It was DELICIOUS!

Overall, this was a great day for healthy choices. I was able to get a short workout in even with my injuries. And I did not let eating out stop me from making healthy choices! To summarize my tips below:

*I have a healthy snack on hand while I am out, just in case hunger strikes...

*I have mostly protein and vegetables when dining out...

*I ask for sauces and dressings on the side, and...

*I am always up for experimenting and trying new things!

Boredom with food is such a sad place to be, especially if you are a foodie like me! That is why variety and FUN are so important when it comes to making healthy choices.

I hope you all have a wonderful night and get a chance to try the arm blasting workout!

Arm, arms, arms...and Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado Salad!

Happy Monday everyone! I can't believe there are less than 2 weeks until December! This is my favorite time of year and I am definitely already listening to Christmas music and enjoying seeing all the decorations! :) This morning started out pretty typical. I woke up, spent some time with the Lord, and decided on what I wanted to do for my workout. "Workout" is a general term, since I have basically had to stopped all activity including my legs :( My hip and knee injury has progressed to a point where walking causes strain, pain, and even numbness. I am hoping to see an orthopedic in a few weeks and figure this out once and for all!

I had a hard-boiled egg while I searched YouTube for some arm routines...

...and lo and behold my favorite trainers popped up as the first hit! I had never seen this TIU workout before, and I was so relieved that it didn't involve my legs. I did this workout (about 8 minutes long), followed by some boxing punches with my 3 lb weights, making my workout a total of 13 minutes long. Even though it is not my usual 6 mile run, I am grateful for the fact that I can still MOVE and do some sort of workout. But I honestly cannot WAIT to incorporate my runs back into the toning routines I have been doing!

I made myself a kale, sausage, and egg white scramble around 10:30 as a mid-morning snack. Yes, the scramble was my snack :) I always try to make my snacks protein and veggie packed in order to get as much nutrition as possible!

This scramble definitely kept me full until almost 2pm, which is when I whipped up this delicious Cheesy Black Bean and Avocado salad! I knew I didn't want to go shopping or eat out; I've been very committed to using up whatever is in the house lately. This is probably because I am still studying for my RD exam and have yet to find a job, but it is also very smart and leads to less food waste and usually much healthier choices! Anyway, I'm so happy I stayed in for lunch, because this salad tasted great!

The base of this salad was romaine, kale, tomatoes, yellow pepper, and carrots:

I used the Cuban Black Beans from Trader Joe's because they have a spicy kick to them! I melted a little pinch of light mozzarella cheese (also from TJ's) in the microwave until it became a cheesy and creamy consistency!

While the beans and cheese were melting away, I mixed half of an avocado with some pico de gallo to make an avocado-y type of salsa! I left it pretty chunky because I love my salsa chunky, but you could definitely mash it until it reaches whatever consistency you enjoy!

I added the avocado salsa to one side of my salad, and the cheesy beans to the other! And here is the finished product!

This salad was so refreshing and filling! I absolutely LOVED the flavor of the beans with the cheese, and the avocado addition was perfection. I hope you all get to enjoy this salad soon!

After lunch, I continued studying (of course). I just took a break now to ice my knees and hips while blogging! I am so excited to be making tabbouleh with my mama tonight for dinner, which one of our favorite recipes! I have that recipe posted if anyone is interested!

I hope you all have had a great beginning of your week!

Just keep walking, just keep walking...

Happy Tuesday everyone! I have been such a bad blogger lately, but I am determined to get back at it! One reason being I miss writing and it is such a stress relief for me during this crazy time of studying! And also because I want to try some new recipes soon and get back in the kitchen! It's been hard to cook lately since my schedule has been taken over by studying for my RD exam. But I'm hoping to get back to the cooking and baking soon!

Update on my hip/knee situation: Basically, all I have been doing for the past week is walking, walking, walking. My new shoes have been working out really well for me!

I still have some aches and pains, so I am continuing my walk/stretch/ice regimen for a couple more weeks. I'm hoping to maybe be able to start running by December...Christmas present to myself?? Here's to hoping!

My days have been pretty routine lately. Basically, I have been waking up in the mornings, having my quiet time, then heading to the gym. This song has been in my head for days and days, and I have had it on repeat all morning! I highly recommend it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRUU8UBXCk

Yesterday morning, I woke up and made some banana peanut butter waffles. My dad had the day off, so I decided to make us some breakfast before heading to the gym!

I walked for 30 minutes, then did the TIU shoulder routine (I've posted this before, it's great! Just look back a few posts for the video!)

I came back home, showered, and hit the books with studying for my RD (registered dietitian) exam. There is so much information I need to know, and I am feeling pretty overwhelmed! But I am studying the best I can and praying for focus! Around 11am (I know, early, right?) I made a quick lunch for my dad and I. I seasoned some canned in water tuna with some olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper, and garlic powder. It tasted great in our flat out bread! We also had a side of carrots with eggplant hummus (my favorite kind from Trader Joe's!)

After lunch, my dad and I headed to Peet's to have some tea and study/read. It was so nice having my dad to hang out with yesterday. I am usually home alone during the days studying and just keeping myself busy. It was such a blessing to have some company! I got the Masala Chai tea and munched on an apple later on in the afternoon. I knew I'd get hungry before dinner since we had lunch so early, so I planned ahead and brought a juicy and delicious apple!

  

I also had a small handful of nuts when we got home from the coffee shop. I was still feeling hungry and knew I wouldn't make it until dinner. 

  

I was contemplating just staying home for dinner so I could continue my studying, but my parents convinced me to get out and spend some time with my family, which I'm so glad I did! Life is all about balance, and I knew that I would just burn out if I continued studying through the night instead of getting out. We went out to one of my favorite restaurants, Pita Jungle! This place uses such fresh and healthy ingredients, and I can always count on their food tasting delicious. I got the broiled chicken pita wrap!

 

After dinner, I studied some more but could not keep my eyes open after 9pm! I know, grandma status. I finally decided to sleep around 9:30. I tend to listen to my body when it comes to sleep and not fight it, because if I do, I've found that I miss my window of opportunity for good sleep and end up staying up all night and being very restless!

So that was my day yesterday! I am hoping to do some baking and cooking soon and get back on here to share some recipes with you guys! I hope you all have a fabulous day! :)

New Shoes and Workout Routine!

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all have had a great start to the week. I woke up this morning certain it was either Wednesday or Thursday, but no, it's only Tuesday (sigh). Oh well! 

I thought I'd write this post as an update to my hip/knee injury journey. I was lucky enough to have my cousin Jimmy, who is a Certified Athletic Trainer, come and take a look at me yesterday to try and figure out why I have been experiencing these aches and pains lately. We went to a running store near my house, where I learned that I should have changed by shoes once I hit the 300 mile mark, which was a while back since I have ran at least 650-700 miles in my current running shoes! This could definitely have contributed to my aches and pains! I tried on a variety of running shoes and finally picked one that seemed to work for me (more on this later). After we got the shoes, Jimmy did a few tests on me and realized that I am incredibly tight. I have very little flexibility in my hamstrings, quads, and hips, which contributes to an increased risk of the injuries I have been experiencing. So here is confession time:

I am a horrible stretcher. As in, I NEVER stretch. Once I'm done with my run, I get lazy and just decide to head home. I've tried to get myself to stretch in the past, but my motivation only lasts about 2-3 days, and then I get back into my old, harmful, injury-provoking habits. Talking with Jimmy last night helped me realize how VITAL stretching is to my fitness and health, and how important it is to incorporate it into my daily routine if I want to run the mileage and distances that I am used to.

SO! Jimmy gave me 3-5 stretches to do each day to help loosen up my muscles and get me back to running form soon. I am also going to lay off the elliptical for the next couple weeks and just do some easy walking in order to loosen my muscles and not put any added stress on my already tight joints. I started my new "routine" this morning, and it went pretty well! I laced up my new running shoes and had a banana and some nuts before heading to the gym:

I bought a pair of New Balance running shoes that are light and easy to walk in. At the running store, we learned that my usual Brooke's were over correcting my feet. They are made for those that pronate, and, even though I slightly pronate, I don't pronate nearly enough to use the Brooke's shoes. I decided on the New Balance because they didn't hurt my hip while I was walking around the store, and are made for those with regular, "medium" arches, which is me! I was excited to break these in this morning, even if it was for a short and light walk.

I walked 2 miles on the treadmill, on a 3.5-3.7 mph (NO incline!), which took about 35 minutes. Walking was a little painful at the beginning, but once my body loosened up, it felt great! I followed my walk with about 15-20 minutes of stretching, which is a HUGE accomplishment for me! I was so proud of myself for being able to stretch for this long and really be patient with the process. After stretching, I did the TIU Short and Sweet Shoulder routine, which has grown to be my favorite shoulder workout! 

Overall, I had a great morning and a great workout. I am currently icing all my hurting parts and snacking on some strawberries and a peanut butter wrap.

Side note: I tried cutting out the inflammatory foods for a few days, but it kinda made me cranky and didn't help the pain. So I decided to go back to my "a little bit of everything, what works for me, I love healthy food" mindset! :)

I am hoping this process of walking, stretching, and icing will help correct my tightness and help me get back to the level of running I want to be at, while being more balanced, flexible, and not hurting myself in the process! :)

Have a great Tuesday everyone! 

Inflammation is NOT my friend

Wow, I cannot believe how long it has been since I've written a post! I am SO sorry! I've been crazy busy this past week nursing my poor hip/knee, which has appeared to have gotten worse, as well as studying for my RD exam. It's been really tough not being able to workout the way I am used to, especially because running is not about burning calories for me anymore. It's become something I look forward to every  morning when I wake up. It's become a way for me to think, pray, and relieve my stress before the day begins. Which is why I am determined to have this pain figured out! I have not run for 3 weeks now, and it is really starting to get on my nerves! I went to the doctor this week, who ordered x-rays, and a possible MRI if the x-rays come out clean. Since I'm pretty sure I have no broken bones, I'm hoping the MRI will be the next step to make sure I haven't torn any muscles or ligaments. I'm certain this pain is inflammatory and is caused by overuse, and possibly the need for new running shoes (which I wish were cheaper)!

In the meantime, I've been trying to do as much as I can to alleviate the stress on my hip and knee, while still working out and maintaining my endurance and active lifestyle. For example, this morning, I did 3 miles on the elliptical, with no incline and minimal resistance (between 1-3)...

Even though I definitely don't get the endorphins I am used to on the elliptical, I am trying to be positive and focus on the fact that I can still do SOMETHING to move my legs and stay active! After my workouts, I typically come home and ice my hip and knee while having a light snack...check out these jumpo grapes from a few days ago!

I've also been dabbling in a "paleo" type of lifestyle this week, since these foods are anti-inflammatory, and I'm hoping they may help my pain! I haven't been too strict on this, and might see better results if I am more strict; but for now, I am trying to focus on being grain and dairy free, icing my hip and knee, and stretching as much as possible.

Today, I had a lovely sausage and veggie omelet for lunch, and got a surprise double-yolk from one of my eggs! These grain and dairy free meals have been helping me in the staying-full and having-energy department, so I am very much hoping they will help my pain as well!

I'm hoping to be back and running again very soon. My plan is to wait on my doctor for the results of my x-ray, and for a possible MRI. I am also going to continue my elliptical regimen with icing and stretching afterwards. I am going to try my best to stay grain and dairy free for a short while to see if that impacts my pain. I am also going to check out a running store soon to see if I need new or different shoes. Hopefully these things will help me heal soon, as I am SO ready to get back to my running!

I hope you all are having a fantastic Thursday and I hope to be writing again soon! :)

Injury Update & Workout Schedule! 10/21-10/27

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I had a very restful weekend mixed with good people and good food. I tried out an amazing Indian restaurant on Saturday night and had lamb, which is NOT a usual food for me, and loved it!! I had to provide a picture below! :)

I also went to a fun pumpkin patch yesterday, which made it finally feel like Fall, minus the hot weather we are experiencing here. Overall, it was a great weekend!

Injury Update:

My hip and knee have been healing nicely ever since I have been taking it easy activity-wise. My hip pain is 90% gone, but seems to have moved on to my knee. Thankfully, this pain is subsiding as well. My cousin gave me some great icing and stretching tips, which have been working out great! I have also been doing the elliptical for about 30 minutes a day, which helps me get my cardio in without being too strenuous on my hips and knees. Since my pain has been getting better, I am hoping to fit in a short run later on this week, depending on how things go! Here is my tentative workout plan for the week!

**I also decided to provide the machines/exercises I typically do for my toning work instead of just the body parts I work. I hope this helps! I plan to get more and more detailed as I go along with my workouts and schedules, and once I have more time after I take my RD exam!

Monday 10/21

I did 35 minutes on the elliptical this morning, followed by chest and back work.

Tuesday 10/22

Elliptical 40 minutes, biceps, push-ups

Wednesday 10/23

Elliptical 30 minutes, triceps, shoulders

Thursday 10/24

If my hip and knee are feeling better, today is the day I am going to TRY a 1 mile run, along with 20-30 minutes on the elliptical, chest, biceps

Friday 10/25

30 minutes elliptical, back, triceps

Saturday 10/26

1-1.5 mile run, 20-30 minutes elliptical, shoulders, biceps

Sunday 10/27

2 mile run, 10 minutes elliptical, chest, triceps

**Toning:

Chest: chest press machine

Back: Lat pull down, mid row machine

Biceps: seated bicep curl machine, seated bicep curls with dumbbells

Triceps: tricep extension machine, tricep dips on seat

Shoulders: Shoulder press machine, shoulder press with dumbbells, and I also LOVE the TIU shoulder routine! Found here :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA8acVEBn0k

And that is the plan for a week! I am feeling optimistic and hoping that I can actually run my intended 2 miles by the end of this week. I hope you all make this week a great one!

Training with an Injury

Today marks about 5 weeks until my half-marathon! It also marks that time that I had shooting pain down my back/hip/bottom while running and almost fell off the treadmill :( I have been trying to do 2-3 mile runs ever since my hip decided to grace me with its painful presence last week. I was doing well until this morning. The minute I hit mile 3, I had the worst pain shoot down my left hip/bottom, which is crazy because it is my RIGHT hip that always gives me trouble! I decided, or rather, was forced, to get off the treadmill immediately and do some stretches in order to be able to just walk out of the gym! After stretching I did some arm work and was definitely done with my workout. I immediately got to work on my half-marathon training plan, taking my injury into account. I know that rest, icing, and the lovely smelling icy-hot are going to be the only things that will help my pain and allow me to successfully run my half-marathon in 5 weeks! As hard as it is for me to rest, I have been reminding myself that resting now means better success later. After reading up on my pain online and seeing that rest for a few days up to a week is necessary, I have tweaked my plan and am going to hopefully be running again in a few days! Here is my tentative plan for training with an injury this week:

10/14 (today): Cardio: 3 mile run. Toning: biceps, triceps, back

10/15: Cardio: rest from cardio! Toning: shoulder routine

10/16: Cardio: rest OR try a cardio barre class. This workout could either stretch out my hips and help the pain, OR make the pain worse...I will definitely be listening to my body with this one! Toning: chest, triceps, push ups

10/17: Cardio: 2 mile run OR rest. Toning: shoulder routine, back

10/18: Cardio: 2 mile run OR 20 minutes ellipitcal. Toning: Frisky fall toning routine (minus lunges/squats) from a fall challenge group I am a part of with Tone it Up! (www.toneitup.com)

10/19: Cardio: I am being positive and planning to run 2 miles today! Toning: biceps, triceps, push ups

10/20: Busy day planned out so this will probably be a rest day overall! Maybe some quick toning work in the morning :)

Stretching will also be HUGE as I try to overcome this injury. I have never been a good stretcher, which I know is probably why I get injured like this! Not only will I try to get better at stretching, but will also continue to stretch even after my pain is gone in order to prevent future injuries! Hopefully I can be pain-free in a few days and pick up my running and training for my half-marathon!

Gluten, Grains, and Paleo, Oh My!

I am writing this post sitting in Starbucks at the moment and am SO tempted to get one (or a few) of their baked goods. But I'm not going to, as hard as it may be, because this morning, I posted on my Instagram (name change! @fitfoodie_tveen) that I wanted to try to eat as grain-free as possible for a while. Truth be told, I LOVE BREAD. Seriously, I used to love going to restaurants with unlimited bread baskets, warm rolls, or fresh baked pita bread. I love dipping bread in soups, sauces, and, of course, oil and vinegar. Growing up, I have always had some...shall we say..."tummy issues," but never figured that they could have been caused by things like breads and grains. I was allergic to milk as an infant and had to rely on soy-milk, until I just simply stopped drinking milk altogether. I loved grains and relied on these foods when feeling sick (toast, crackers, rice, etc). But then again, I followed this type of lifestyle, and still had tummy issues throughout my whole life. And I was always so grateful that I didn't have Celiac's disease or gluten intolerance because, I told myself, I could NEVER follow a lifestyle without bread! Until...last summer, when my tummy issues escalated. I had been following a predominantly vegetarian diet since the winter before, while training for a half-marathon. This meant that my meals consisted of wheat-rich whole grain bagels, pita breads, and waffles. I felt uncomfortable, bloated, and in pain CONSTANTLY. I was miserable all the time and stayed home most nights because I did not want to go out feeling so uncomfortable and in so much pain. I finally went to the doctor at the beginning of the summer in 2012, and she said she was absolutely sure I had Celiac's disease and was going to send me for blood work just to be sure. I was upset but also relieved to have some REASON behind my discomfort. I mean, I am a nutritionist/almost RD! I eat healthy and I did not understand why all these things were happening. To my disappointment (weird, right?) I tested negative for Celiac's disease. However, my doctor still diagnosed me with gluten intolerance and told me to avoid gluten. Once I cut out gluten, something amazing happened. I was no longer bloated or in pain after eating! It was an amazing/weird feeling that I was not used to, since, for 23+ years, I had always experienced this type of discomfort after eating and truly thought it was normal. I followed a strict gluten free diet, and didn't mind the restrictions, for a few months. However, at the beginning of this year (2013), I really started to miss bread. I mean, REALLY started to miss it. Around this time, I also ironically discovered the Paleo diet and read the book "It Starts with Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. If you haven't heard of the Paleo diet, I suggest researching it. But, in a nutshell, this diet cuts out grains, legumes, dairy, soy, and added sugars and focuses on wholesome foods our ancestors ate. On the Paleo diet, you could have meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. I wanted to try this 30-day clean paleo diet challenge (called "Whole 30") because it really seemed to focus on wholesome foods that heal your gut, while helping you get over your "carb cravings" by allowing your body to get used to foods it was meant to live off of. I also read that some people with gluten intolerance were able to return to eating grains "once in a while" because of healing their gut through the Whole 30. I decided to try a "whole 30" and see how my body reacted, in the hopes of possibly being able to eat grains again!

My body LOVED eating paleo. My body LOVED the whole 30. I was sleeping better, my run times were improving, and I lost weight even though I was eating more than I ever had before in my life! However, my brain felt VERY restricted. All I could think about was how much I missed bread, dairy, and my beloved hummus. Once I completed the whole 30, I started to slowly reintroduce my go-to grainy foods that I had missed so much. I started eating my whole grain bagels, tortillas, and pita breads, with the original intention of eating them "once in a while." I started incorporating dairy to my diet again. I starting having my hummus with pita bread. And I was NOT feeling sick! It was an amazing feeling. I continued to still eat a balanced and "healthy" diet of meat and grains, with healthy amounts of fruits, veggies, legumes, and healthy fats. I was so excited that I was not being sick. My gluten intolerance was cured! I couldn't be more ecstatic.

Which brings me to my post this morning on Instagram. The past few weeks, I have been having some tummy trouble again. I realized that I was eating grains ALL the time, not just "once in a while" as I had originally intended. I would have a peanut butter tortilla wrap in the mornings, turkey sandwiches at lunch, and rice and meat for dinner, all in the same day. I was reflecting this morning at 3am (my sleeping has declined again as well!) and I realized how much better my body felt eating gluten and grain-free, even though I felt very restricted. I decided that I would follow my own kind of "grain-free" diet that works for me. Because, in reality, for every study done proving a food or diet is "healthy," there is a study done showing that it may cause cancer, diabetes, and be "unhealthy." For example, you read a study that oats lower cholesterol! And then you find another study that grains (including oats) raise cholesterol. There is a very confusing world of scientific research out there (trust me! I had to do a TON of research these past 6 years completing my undergraduate/graduate degrees in nutrition and dietetics!) Therefore, I decided that I need to follow a lifestyle that works for me and my body. And this lifestyle happens to be a mostly grain and gluten-free one. This isn't to say that I am never ever going to eat grains again, but I am going to do my best to follow this type of lifestyle 80% of the time, while leaving room for real life events (such as my birthday in 4 days!) to eat the foods that are worth it to me to splurge on. This week will serve as a trial run since I have two Disneyland trips planned and my 25th birthday party on Friday! I plan to still make healthy choices along the way, but don't want to stress myself out with the rules. It's a celebratory week! Yay! But anyways, here are my general guidelines:

1.) I will be cutting out all gluten and grains. Exceptions may include special occasions when the gluten/grain options are worth it to me (wonder bread vs. my birthday dessert for my 25th birthday this Friday? Birthday dessert wins, wonder bread can wait...probably forever). I've promised myself that I will give in only when I really really want the food and only if it is worth it to me! And I have promised myself to keep my portions in check. If I want to give in, 1-2 bites should be enough to get my fill of these foods.

Another exception will be when I bake. I love to bake! I love creating healthy version of foods that I love. I always bake gluten free, but the mix I use has rice flour in it, which is a grain. I am going to make an exception for this because, again, I LOVE TO BAKE! I think that life is too short to cut out things that we enjoy to do. Baking is a hobby of mine, and I will continue to bake in a gluten-free and healthy way that works for me! :)

2.) I will be eating dairy (cheeses only, I always avoid milk!) and legumes and will be following an "in-between gluten-free and paleo" type of plan with these food groups. I will incorporate foods such as peanuts, hummus, and low-fat string cheese, and not be too strict on myself. Low fat dairy products (such as cheeses) and legumes (hummus, beans, etc) have never effected my body negatively, so I do not want to cut these out and be overly restrictive! Remember, the more you restrict certain foods, the more your body, or brain rather, will want these foods!

3.) I will not obsessively worry about the type of oils foods are cooked in. This is something that majorly stressed me out while I was doing the Whole 30. I tend to be a stickler for rules and would obsessively call restaurants and research menus to make sure foods were "whole 30 approved," but I realized this type of worry about my food was not healthy, nor was it glorifying to God. God gives us food to make us healthy, strong, and for us to enjoy. Food shouldn't cause unhealthy stresses on our lives! I've realized that the time I spent worrying if foods were whole 30 approved at restaurants or not could have been spent doing other more God-glorifying things. Therefore, I will just pick foods that are protein and vegetable based from restaurants, that are gluten-free, and not be annoying to the restaurant staff :)

4.) I will pay attention to my running, sleeping, tummy issues, and overall mood. I will see how eating real, healthy, wholesome foods effects all aspects of my life!

I am excited to start/continue this journey and return to this type of eating. I am hoping my story inspires some of you who suffer from these issues as well to figure out what foods bother your body. If anyone wants to follow along in my journey, I will be posted pictures on Instagram (again @fitfoodie_tveen).

Have a wonderful, healthy, and happy day everyone!

Slow and Steady! Workout Plan: 9/8-9/14

Happy weekend everyone! I have been wanting to write a new workout post for a while, but I got very sick this week with a bad sinus infection and, thanks to antibiotics, am finally feeling a little better today! Needless to say, my workouts have suffered and I have mostly just done the elliptical with a few weight machines this week. However, I have been able to keep up with my plank challenge! Today was a hard one at 1:35, but I was able to pull through thank the Lord :) With that said, this week's plan is going to start out little slow. I have not been able to work out at the intensity I would like to, and I am very low energy as I try to get over this infection, so I am going to start with a short mileage and work my way up. Here is my tentative plan for the week:

9/8/13: 2 mile run, 20 mins elliptical HIIT, plank

Chest press, Tricep dip, and Tricep press

9/9/13: 3 mile run, plank

Nike Training Club class (this is strengthening and toning class for basically the entire body! I love these classes!)

9/10/13: 4 mile run, plank, swimming

Shoulder press, Lateral raises, Bicep curls

9/11/13: 5 mile run, plank, push ups

Leg press machine

9/12/13: 6 mile run, plank

Mid-row machine, Lat pull-down, Inner/outer thigh machine

9/13/13: 4 mile run, plank

Nike Training Club class

9/14/13: 6 mile run, plank, push ups

Chest press and Tricep dips

I am hoping that I can actually start on the right foot tomorrow morning with my 2 mile run. I have missed running SO much this week since I have been sick. Again, this is a tentative schedule. I may change things around this week depending on my health, schedule, and what is sore! However, I am hoping to stick to this plan! I will keep you posted using my Daily Manna posts on the days I have time to post :)

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Big Breakfast Club: Daily Manna 8/26

Today was such an up and down day with work, energy, and my overall mood. All I wanted to do ALL day was just go back to my bed. It was humid and rainy today, so that will be my excuse. Even if it isn't cold outside, the fact that it is rainy automatically makes me want to cuddle up in bed with a good book. Which is precisely what I plan on doing after writing this post! I woke up this morning, did my quiet time (I started a new Bible study on John and it is incredible so far!) and got ready for my workout. I ate my flat out bread (100 calories and high protein!) with a smear of peanut butter.

And yes, I pinterest at 4am. Don't judge :)

I had a great workout this morning! I ran 6 miles and it was really easy at the beginning and the end, with just a little difficulty sprinkled in the middle. I like to change the incline on my runs since I run on the treadmill (the air quality is AWFUL where I live at the moment), so I think my body is resisting that a bit! But that's okay, I'll just have to keep pushing! After my run, I did some strength training, working on my chest and triceps! Plus a plank :)

I really want to get better at my planks. I used to be able to do 2-3 minute ones last year! Oh grad school...how it ruins you. Maybe I will make my own Plank Challenge plan to help me out a bit...hmmmm...

I made breakfast at home before heading out for my hour-long drive to work. I had some fresh watermelon my mom had given me over the weekend which tasted like candy! YUM! As I have mentioned before, I've been struggling with getting hunger pangs midmorning. My shift at my internship is 7am-3:30pm, which means breakfast is eaten extremely early. I decided that, today, I would have a large breakfast. And this one was LARGE for me! I scrambled 2 whole eggs, 3/4 cup egg whites and a yellow bell pepper and placed it all on a tortilla with some salsa on top. My hope was that the fat from the two whole eggs plus the protein from all the eggs in general would help me stay full till 11/11:30. And my plan worked! My breakfast kept me so full that I was able to happily wait to take my lunch at 11:45am instead of having a grumbling stomach at 9:30am! I am happy to report that I am now a part of the Big Breakfast Club, and will not fear getting so many calories in that early in the morning!

For lunch, I made my usual salad, got my chicken breast, and meandered around the cafeteria for a little bit. At the sandwich bar, they had a side salad of broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, bell peppers, and red onions tossed in a light Italian dressing. Bingo! I knew this side salad atop my regular salad would taste so good! It was the perfect variation to my typical lunch and helped me not get caught in my salad rut :)

Around 3:30pm, I had my 100 calorie pack of cinnamon roast almonds and a plum. This plum was so juicy and red inside. Plums are definitely one of my favorite fruits so I thoroughly enjoyed my snack!

By the time I ran my errands after work (gas, picking up quest bars, etc), I was ready for dinner. I stopped by the grocery store and got a garlic rotisserie chicken. Once I got home, I picked out the white breast meat, saved the rest for tomorrow, and created my quick and simple basic food groups meal:

This meal filled me up, tasted great, and got the job done. And I have more of it left for tomorrow's dinner! Win-win :) As I've mentioned before, I am moving back home at the end of this week and trying to eat as simple as possible so I won't have any access food :) I can't wait to get back home to my own kitchen and cook all of my favorite meals!!!

Before ending this post, I want to share a quote I had posted on my Instagram a while back (@thejoyfulharvest if you want to follow!) I have been reflecting on it all day today...

I don't know about you, but I tend to focus on my past and the mistakes/victories I have had. I dwell on the former things whether they are the positive or negative aspects of my life. I try to think about what made me do the things I did in the past. However, today, I was reminded of this verse while reading the Socrates quote:

Isaiah 43: 18-19

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

I love the excitement of this verse! "See, I am doing a new thing!..do you not perceive it?" It's almost like God is standing with us, holding us tight, pointing off to something in the distance, and saying with excitement "there it is, right there! Don't you see it?!" God has a plan for us, and He is excited about it! What is the point of dwelling on the former things, when God's plans are alive and active and always moving us forward? I hope that these verses help us focus on the "new" thing instead of the old. Let us put our hopes and energies into what is coming instead of getting caught in what has already passed.

Have a lovely night everyone!