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Asian Salmon

Like anyone, I get bored of eating the same meals all the time and look for ways to add flavor to meals, while still keeping them healthy.  Right now, I'm hooked on this Asian Salmon dish that I've made several times now.  If you try it, please let me know what you think.  The recipe below is for one meal, so make more marinade if you're feeding your whole family.  

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40-Day Fat Loss Challenge (Day 14 Update)

It's time to check in and update my progress for the 40-Day Fat Loss Challenge I entered at my gym. For my body fat percentage, I'll use my trainer's caliper measure since I won't have access to the machine until the 40 days is up.  The machine measured about the same as my trainer anyway.  My goal is to lose at least 1% body fat each week so that at the end of the 40 days (nearly 6 weeks), I'll have gone from 24% down to 17%.  I'm on track for that now, but would love to get closer to 15%.  

PROGRESS

Day 1:  24% body fat (112.4 pounds)

Day 7:  22.4% body fat (110 pounds) 

Day 14: 21% body fat (109.4 pounds) 

(These numbers reflect what I weigh when I weigh-in at the gym mid-morning.  My weight below I take first thing in the morning when I wake up, so it's slightly lower.) 

Below is a picture of where I'm at as of Day 13.  I didn't take a good "Day 1" picture, so the "start" is from December, but it's a good representation of me on Day 1.  

You're not going to notice a dramatic difference week by week, but over many weeks, and then a couple or few months, you definitely will.  If there's one thing I've learned it's to be patient, take it one day at a time and TRUST THE PROCESS.  If you look carefully, you'll see my arms and tummy are leaning out a little 

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Healthy Meal Prep | Grilled Chicken Salad

Today (Thursday) marks Day 7 of our 40-day Fat Loss Challenge.  I measured in on Day 1 at 24% (calipers) and today was at 22%!  Woo-hoo!  A 2% difference in 1 week is a big deal!  I'll show you some progress pics soon so you can see what it looks like.  I'm also using my heart-rate monitor (twice) and have been surprised at how little amount of calories it says I'm burning during my workouts.  I'll get into more detail on that in another post soon too.

Today, I'm sharing one of the meals I've been eating- a Grilled Chicken Salad and I always make multiples at a time so I can just pull the assembled salad out of the fridge and I don't have to spend time reprepping.  

Step 1 is to always have grilled chicken on hand or prepare enough for several salads.  If I'm just cooking 4-8 chicken breasts at a time, I use a grill pan.  Spray that pan with cooking spray, and heat to medium-high heat.  I pound my chicken breasts a little so they are thinner and cook evenly.   My seasoning of choice is Mrs. Dash, which I put on both sides, then cook for about 4 minutes per side   or so until they are cooked through, and let rest before eating so they stay moist. 

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40 Day Fat Loss Challenge

At the beginning of last year (2014), I challenged myself to get in shape for my first ever NPC bikini contest and reached that goal after 5 months of training (July 2014).  Since then, I'd been pretty much slacking on the diet and workouts, but by October 2014, I was not liking how I felt physically when I had gotten used to being in great shape.  My weight was creeping back up and my muscle was turning into fat.  In November, I started back with my trainer and by December had started embracing my bikini meal plan again, but not nearly as strictly and not without lots of "cheats".  It was the holidays after all.  And I like to eat as much as the next person.

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Healthy Afternoon Snack -Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt

Hi friends!  I'm definitely back in the workout/eat healthy grind, training with my trainer 3 times a week and doing 30 minutes of cardio 4 times a week.  It feels good to be back to it and I'm already noticing my jeans fitting better again, but being back on my meal plan where I eat every 3-4 hours is where I feel the most benefit.  If you're like a lot of women, you might actually skip meals (and I'm guilty of that too!) but eating consistently throughout the day keeps my energy level constant and there's no energy dip mid-afternoon.

If I'm in a pinch and can't eat a whole meal (or I'm just not hungry enough) around 3:00 p.m. (the time I'm typically heading out the door to pick up my son from school), I'll grab a Greek yogurt because it's delicious, low calorie, and full of protein.  

I was asked by Yoplait to try their Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt, and since it's something I eat anyway, was happy to try their brand and flavors.  I didn't realize Yoplait made Greek yogurt, so I was surprised to see the varieties of flavors they had.  To name a few:  Coconut, Honey, Banana Caramel, Orange Crème, Apple Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, Mango, and Key Lime.

My favorites are Peach and Honey.  My husband likes Strawberry Cheesecake and Mango. So yummy!  

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5 Month Post Bikini Contest Check-In

It's been a little more than five months since I competed in my first NPC bikini competition and I wanted to share what life's been like since then and where I am now with my (lifelong) fitness journey.  I say lifelong journey because as long as I'm alive, I want to take care of myself and never take my health for granted.  With my Dad's illness, I've painfully watched his physical ability diminish to the point where he cannot walk, so I'm always mindful of how grateful I am to be able to move and exercise.  

the beginning

Almost one year ago, I had gotten out of shape and was ready for a big change.  I couldn't fit comfortably into my clothes, felt sluggish and missed feeling good about myself.  I started working out and eating better in February 2014 on my own, and began working with my trainer (3-4 days a week) at the end of March 2014.  We trained together for 15 weeks and I competed in the bikini contest on July 4, 2014.  I went from 112 pounds and 25% body fat (Feb 2014) to 100 pounds (July 2014).  We didn't test my contest body fat because I was supposed to go the BodPod for a very accurate reading, but the facility cancelled my appointment because they machine wasn't working.  My trainer guesstimated I competed at about 15% body fat.  

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Meditation Challenge Update

It's been about two weeks since I wrote in, declaring my intentions for the 21-day meditation with Oprah and Deepak.  The update is I have failed miserably.  Like bad.  In the past 14 days, I have meditated a total of three times.  Yeah.  The challenge started on a Monday, but I began on Tuesday because that's when I got the email linking to the first meditation.  I also meditated on Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday is where I fell off the wagon.  I totally forgot about meditating on the weekend and then into the next week I never got back on the wagon.  Now, I feel too far gone to continue.  

The meditations are only available for 5 days, so I could start back up (having missed some) but I'm so not into it right now. Admitting this to myself and you feels like a big failure, but I would rather be real about my failures than pretend to be someone I'm not.  I hear the negative voices in my head and have to work to let them go.  

I still crave a quiet, still alone time in the morning and will be making an effort to incorporate that more, but I think pulling out my Bible/praying/journaling would be more natural to me than meditating.  

How are you doing with the challenge if you tried it?  If you've stuck with it, I applaud you.  And I hope you are getting something good out of it.  Are you hating me for not continuing?  I feel like a workout partner who quit, leaving you hanging.  And that feels bad.  When it comes to certain things in life, we absolutely have to keep going, whether we feel like it or not.  You have to wake up to feed the crying baby, you have to go to work, you have to take your parents to the doctor, you have to pay the mortgage, you have to meet that deadline.  But, there are other times when it's really okay to let something go. Only YOU can decide what those situations are.  And you have to face the consequences for your decision.  I completely get it if you're disappointed in me or upset or think I'm not good with my word.  I have to live with the fact that I said I was going to do this and I didn't finish.  And I chose to put it out there on the Internet, so it's a public fail.  

I would appreciate your grace, your kindness, your empathy.  The friends who support us when we've let ourselves down are the kind of people we need in our lives.  It's the kind of person I want to be in return.  

My intention for trying the meditations initially was to try to still myself each day so that I could be more present and more peaceful on the inside.  Admitting that I failed makes me feel human, vulnerable, and a little bit brave.  

21-Day Meditation Experience with Oprah & Deepak Chopra

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to Oprah's 'The Life You Want Weekend' event courtesy of P&G brands OLAY, Tide, and Orgullosa.  Being a huge Oprah fan since middle school (I would watch everyday after school at 4:00 p.m.) and having subscribed to her magazine since the first issue, this was a big deal.  I'd always wanted to go to a taping of her show, but never got the opportunity, so getting an email offering tickets to the event was definitely a good mail day.  At the event, our seats were close to the stage, so seeing O up close and personal was pretty thrilling, a bucket-list item  happily checked off.  

On day 2, Deepak Chopra was one of the speakers and, during his presentation, he lead us in a group mediation.  I've always been intrigued with the idea of meditating, and my two closest friends are daily meditators, but I have never put it to consistent practice in my life.  In fact, I've only tried it a handful of times and usually end up thinking about random things like dinner or laundry.  But, I'm ready to challenge myself to a consistent practice of mediation now.  

Oprah and Deepak have teamed up to present a free 21-day Energy of Attraction Meditation Experience that starts tomorrow, Monday, November 3.  You sign up creating an account and then will receive a daily email with a link to the meditations.  I'm one of those people who is on the go pretty much non-stop, so training myself to not just slow down, but to be still will be good for me.  Sure, I often relax on the couch or in bed with a magazine or book, but I almost never just sit still and do nothing.  I feel like right now, in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and before the Christmas holiday, is the perfect time to tune in and listen to my Spirit and see what it wants to tell me. 

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LARABAR GIVEAWAY | Eat Healthy & Get Outside

As we draw closer to the end of the year and towards the holidays and cold weather where we just want to bundle up and stay inside, I'm reminded that I don't want to slack off now and lose the fitness level that I worked so hard to achieve earlier this year.  It's so hard to get in shape, but so easy to get out of shape! I'm definitely going to enjoy myself and won't be sticking to a rigid routine these next couple months, but I plan to continue to exercise and eat healthy because I want to take care of myself and feel good.  As part of my daily meals, I typically eat a LÄRABAR each afternoon as that's about the time I'm hungry and heading out the door to get my son from school.  I'm never without them, because my son likes them too (as picky as he is), so there is always a LÄRABAR in my purse, gym bag, or car.  Do you do that too?  If you've ever been out and about, starving and grouchy, with equally grouchy and starving kids, you probably do. 

November 17 is National Take a Hike Day and if you need a bit of fuel before or after your walk, a LÄRABAR is the perfect thing for you.  I love that LÄRABAR is actually made by a real woman named Lara, who, in 2000, found herself hungry after a hike and created a natural food full of wholesome ingredients like fruit and nuts to give her a tasty healthy snack to fuel her active lifestyle.  Lara has a passion for natural foods (each LÄRABAR has no more than 9 ingredients, is gluten-free, non GMO, kosher, and most of the products are soy-free, dairy free and vegan).  There are so many flavors to choose from.  I'm a big fan of the chocolate and peanut butter flavors, but I know other people who prefer the fruity ones. 

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Happy Friday friends!  My friend Leanne (And Away We Go) sent me a slow cooker recipe for chicken tacos (one of my faves!) that I had to share with you! Don't you just love a slow cooker/crock pot meal?  Nothing better than getting dinner going at the beginning of the day and then not having to worry about it again!  I think this will be on our menu this weekend!  

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Now that the days are cooler and our routine is busier, I have pulled out the old slow cooker and started to add a few soups and casseroles to our weekly menu. These slow cooker chicken tacos have been an old stand by in our house for a few years and I was excited to make them again the other night!

The recipe is just what I think every slow cooker recipe should be; toss the ingredients in the pot and turn it on! The mixture of chicken, beans and corn makes for a filling meal, packed with protein. 

I've made this dish for guests and taken it to parties and have always had lots of requests for the recipe...

So here it is!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 large jar of chunky salsa

2 large chicken breasts (bone and skin removed)

2-3 Tbsp taco seasoning 

1 cup frozen corn

Add black beans and salsa to slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and sprinkle with taco seasoning. 

Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.  

Remove chicken breasts and shred with a fork. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, add frozen corn and mix together with black beans and sauce. Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for a half an hour. 

Serve with soft tortillas and top with shredded cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Thank you for sharing Leanne!  We'll be thinking about you as your new little bundle is about to arrive! 

Walking/Running Shoes for a Cause

This month is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and I'm proud to wear my Skechers in support of breast cancer.  (I shared my own family experience with cancer on Honey We're Healthy and you can go here if you want to read it.)  I already love and wear Skechers GoWalk line of shoes because they are the most comfy and lightweight shoe I've found- perfect for busy days running errands.  This new performance division line where proceeds go to the American Cancer Society are not only helping win the fight, but are a truly fantastic shoe.  Anyone who walks, runs, or exercises consistently knows the importance of a great performance shoe to keep you moving.  This one is cute too in pink and grey. ;) 

GOwalk2 Flash  

GOrun3   

  GOrun Sprint

How Sketchers Supports the American Cancer Association

Skechers Performance Division proudly supports American Cancer Society in the fight against breast cancer with a special collection of products.  In addition to the “Awareness” footwear and apparel line, Skechers Performance Division supporting American Cancer Society in several ways:

• Skechers Performance Division is offering a donation to American Cancer Society, and all of the Skechers Performance Division Awareness apparel and footwear will feature the ACS logo and messaging.

• Skechers is hosting the American Cancer Society San Francisco Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, and will be donating a percentage of proceeds from the sales of Skechers shoes on-site that day. 

• Skechers is launching a register round-up program in Skechers Retail stores in which customers can round up their purchase to the nearest whole dollar to benefit American Cancer Society for the entire month of October.  If consumers donate $5 or more, they will also receive a 20% off discount for their next visit. This will offer anyone shopping for any item in a Skechers retailer store the opportunity to give back and support the cause.

• Skechers Retail stores are offering a gift with purchase for customers who purchase a pair of limited-edition Awareness shoes. The gift with purchase will be either a breast canvas awareness canvas tote back or a pink water bottle.

Please visit Skechers site and check out their cute, quality shoes to help end breast cancer.  If you visit, please write "visited" in the comments so we can acknowledge your support.

                             

*Thank you Skechers for sponsoring this post.

Clear Skin & Non-Oily Hair

During high school, my skin (especially on my cheeks) would break out pretty bad.   I heaped on the makeup to try to hide it, which I'm sure only exacerbated the situation.  My skin was never "perfect", but later, when I got on the birth control pill, my skin cleared right up.  I also noticed that it kept my hair from getting oily.  I got off the pill awhile ago and ever since, I've noticed my hair getting greasy and my skin not looking as clear.  My forehead and the area around my jawline was full of little bumps under the skin. After about two months, I ended up going to my dermatologist and he prescribed Acanya, which is a combination of Benzoyl Peroxide (2.5%) and Cindamycin Phosphate (1%), and also told me to use Witch Hazel as a toner after washing with Cetaphil cleanser (which I've been using since high school).

So far, so good.  My skin is looking much clearer.  I wish I had visited my dermatologist when I was pregnant with my son- my back/shoulders broke out terribly in big, ugly blistery pimples.  We don't have to suffer!  Benzoyl Peroxide is available over the counter without a prescription, but I would recommend finding a good dermatologist in your area.  It's amazing how bad skin can affect your self-esteem.  Even though my break-outs weren't terrible recently, I was still self-conscious about it.

For my hair, my dermatologist gave me samples of this DHS Clear Shampoo, but he was out of the conditioner.  The shampoo has no scent, but lathers well and seems to be working.  I couldn't find this brand at my drug store, so I just ordered the shampoo and conditioneron Amazon (it's available on Prime).  I was also advised to let my hair get oily so that my hormones can balance out my oil production.  Oh man, is this hard to do?!  But, I found a cornstarch/baby powder combination at my grocery store that I love to use between washings if my hair is oily.  It's better than straight-up baby powder because it's not as strong-smelling.  It actually feels really cool and nice on your scalp when you put it in and just a little goes a long way!

But, before I headed to the doctor, I started researching online what I could do at home to help the acne situation.  I came across the Alkaline diet, which is supposed to help balance your hormones my keeping your body's blood pH level slightly alkaline at 7.35-7.45.  Below 7 is said to be acidic and above 7 is alkaline.  I'm new to this info, but here are two charts that explain which foods are on the acid-forming side, and which are more alkaline.

ALKALINE DIET

via

NO SUGAR.  That's what I'm working on eliminating.  

HEALTHY FATS- I'm adding back in healthy fats like a few crushed almonds and slices of avocado on my salad, cooking my protein pancake in a teaspoon of coconut oil instead of cooking spray.  

FRUITS/VEGETABLES- eat to your heart's content.  I realize I hardly eat any food- instead always serving them to my son.  I need to partake in this goodness! 

WATER- Spring, river, or tap water is completely neutral.  I'm doing good on my water intake.  Keeping my insulated water bottle nearby helps. 

The biggest no-no's on the Alkaline diet are coffee, alcohol, processed foods, sugar, salt, and red meat.  Coffee is the hardest for me to give up, I drink two cups most days.  

How do you keep your skin clear?  Have you noticed whether your diet affects your skin?  

Cardio Kickboxing

I'm so excited to tell you about the new group exercise class I tried last Monday, "cardio kickboxing".  My husband said he was going to do it with me, but when we got there, it was only women lined up, so he politely declined. (don't blame him!) I'm so glad I tried this class- it was my absolute favorite of all the group classes I tried!  

It was a new experience for sure, I've never worn boxing gloves before or punched a heavy bag.  The bags were all stored in one corner of the class and you had to move it to the room to use.  They are so heavy, you have to squat down with your back against the bag to even move it into position for class- that's a workout in itself.  Most people were two to a bag, but I had my own. 

The class was an hour long, but went by fast.  The instructor played awesome music and was great at explaining what combinations to do.  I watched the two women in front of me (they seemed experienced and knew what to do) so I just followed them.  I have to say it feels GREAT to let go and take all your stress, aggression, and anger out on that bag.  I put a beating on it for sure.  Even though I was wearing gloves, my knuckles were all red at the end.  I was thinking I'll buy my own gloves for the next class and maybe tape my knuckles. 

But, the problem is, I hurt my right shoulder in the process.  I woke up on Tuesday morning and it was kind of sore.  By Wednesday, it hurt to move it.  I still have a range of motion, but I can tell I strained it because it hurts to lift it shoulder height.  Passing anything to my son in the backseat of the car is a killer.  I'm so bummed because I want to go back to kickboxing, but I know I need to lay off it for awhile so it can heal.  

I didn't do any other exercise for the rest of the week, but I think I can run or do the stair master this week.  Or maybe one of the other classes and just not use the weights.  That would be more fun!

Have you tried kickboxing?  What did you think?  Any injuries or pointers to avoid injury?  I'm going to talk to the instructor about my shoulder and see what he says.