This week’s workout plan

Since last week I was a little off in terms of completing my scheduled workouts, I figure I better start this week off with a more realistic plan of attack…working out six days a week is probably no longer an attainable goal.  BUT, that doesn’t mean I can’t still get in some intense workouts and healthy eating, right?

Anywho, seeing as how one of my friends just got engaged over the weekend (congratulations Karleen! 🙂 ), it’s time to get down to business and get “wedding ready”!  So here’s to week two of half marathon training and some great circuit workouts! 🙂

Here’s what I have planned for this week:

Monday:

3 mile repeats at 10k pace

Remember last week when my plan was 4 mile repeats and I only completed two?  Well, this week’s plan is to sloooow down and aim for three quality miles, each under 8 minutes.

Tuesday:

Row mini-circuit (warm up) and 20x5x2

Wednesday:

6 mile run

Thursday:

Off 🙂

Friday:

1500m swim or rest day

Saturday:

8 mile run

Sunday:

Off…or a makeup day if I miss one of this week’s workouts.

He may not look like it, but LeRoy’s excited about this week! 🙂

Brown rice, black bean, and vegetable mix

Hello!

Today’s workout was far from what I had originally planned!  Here’s what I planned…

And here’s what happened…

I ran at a track and my aim was to run each mile in eight minutes.  I broke it down to 100m increments-each 100m needed to be around thirty seconds in order for me to reach my eight minute mile goal.  However, I noticed after my first lap I was ahead of pace, and rather than slow down to match my goal pace, I sped up!  I think I had a little bit of a competition with myself going on.  Here was my first mile:

A little faster than eight minutes, right?  Also, apparently four laps around the track in lane one isn’t a full mile…? My second mile was the same story as the first…only a little slower.

Again, faster than my goal pace.  When I went to run my third mile, to say I sputtered out would definitely be an understatement!  I ended up jogging two laps and calling it a day.  So, rather than beat myself for not completing the workout, I decided to celebrate the fact that my first two miles were faster than my goal pace! 🙂

Anyways, I’m always looking for new ideas for lunches I can bring to work.  After so many sandwiches and salads, I need to switch it up.  Here’s a little creation I made for this week’s lunches.

Brown rice, black bean, and vegetable mix

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 can of black beans (drain and rinsed)
• 1 can of diced tomatoes-low sodium (drained)
• Vegetables of choice (I use zucchini and broccoli)
• Green onions
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

I like to boil the vegetables in water for about five minutes before baking them in the oven.  Once brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with pepper, I bake the vegetables for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the type of vegetable) in the oven at 350 degrees.

LeRoy wishes everyone a happy Tuesday! 🙂

Why dachshunds are my favorite

Alright, I know this has nothing do with exercise or nutrition, but when you have a little guy as cute as mine, it deserves some recognition!  While I could go on for days talking about dachshunds and bragging about LeRoy, I will try my best to keep it short and sweet.  First and foremost, a lot of you might not know what a dachshund or “doxie” is…ever heard of a wiener dog?  🙂  So let’s talk about why dachshunds are so awesome…

Reason # 1: Like any other breed, dachshunds definitely have some distinct personality traits.

Now I know not all dachshunds are the same, but there are certain characteristics that you are likely to find in each dachshund you encounter.  So what are these traits I speak of?

Well, first there’s the aloofness.  LeRoy doesn’t really take to new people until he gets to know them, which surely disappoints all the people who approach and ask to pet him.  Sometimes I wish he would be more friendly so others can get to see why we love him so much, but I like to think this “aloofness” means LeRoy isn’t as easily won over as other dogs and have therefore come to terms with this “rude” behavior.

His need to be involved in EVERYTHING!! Whether it’s building a table, a family hug, or going to the dry cleaners, LeRoy has to be involved.

And then there’s his stubbornness.  An example of this is when he stops and refuses to budge on our walks.  He puts on this pitiful, tired look to evoke sympathy from us, but we know this is just a ploy to get carried.

Reason # 2: Dachshund odor.  You’re probably thinking, “Don’t all dogs smell?”  Yes, this is true, BUT…dachshunds have a buttery, popcorn-like smell to them, especially when you smell under their ears. (Now you probably think I’m really crazy!)  This “dachshund odor” is especially pungent during sleep time when LeRoy’s in “baby mode” and doesn’t object to cuddle time.

Reason # 3: Dachshund people are crazy! Have you ever been to a dachshund race? Enough said.

Image source

LeRoy has…

Oh, and who can forget all that cuteness!

And the list can go on for days, but I don’t want to bore you with my dachshund obsession…so I’ll end it there!

Summer grillin’-Gorgonzola Turkey Burgers

Remember those pop tarts  I mentioned yesterday, you know, one of my many kryptonites?  Well, after a late start this morning I gave in and grabbed some for an easy breakfast-on-the-go.  To my surprise, I was starving after only two hours…which is surprising considering how many calories pop tarts pack in.  It just goes to show how filling a nutrient-packed breakfast can be.  For all their hype (or how much I build them up in my head), they were definitely not better than yesterday’s banana smoothie. 🙂

Here’s your daily dose of dachshund cuteness.  LeRoy’s best dog friend, Charley, lives right next door.  He can’t get enough play time with Charley, which definitely says something considering LeRoy’s usually either aloof or a scaredy cat around other dogs.  This is LeRoy climbing the stairs that lead to Charley’s apartment.

Quick question for dog lovers/owners: Do you ever notice how you ask for and remember other dogs’ names but never manage to pick up or remember their owner’s names?  Humans are obviously not as memorable as their four-legged companions.  The only exception to this is a little old lady down the street who for some reason always calls LeRoy “Oscar.”  (Must be a reference to Oscar Meyer Weiner?)  And LeRoy hates being called a weiner! 🙂

Anywho, after yesterday’s workout I’m surprised I was able to even lift my arm to blow dry my hair this morning.  So I decided to take the day off! 🙂

I made Gorgonzola turkey burgers for dinner.  I got the recipe from Women’s Health a couple years ago.  I’ve always used a skillet or griddle to make them, but today we threw them on the grill.

Can you guess which plate is mine?

You guessed it!  The one with the “green stuff,” as Rob calls it.  (The “green stuff” is actually green bell peppers.)

The burgers turned out pretty well.  We had a slight problem with the green beans.  They kept falling in between the cracks and cooked more quickly than we had anticipated.  They may looked burnt, but they were actually pretty tasty.

Well, that one didn’t quite make it.

LeRoy’s such a little beggar! His little nose goes on hyperactive mode when we grill.  Too bad burgers aren’t for dachshunds!

We toasted some wheat buns and topped the burgers with guacamole. Yum!

Check out the recipe for Gorgonzola turkey burgers here! 🙂

Well, next week I say goodbye to nice, short summer hours and hello to another school year.  For most jobs, this shift in seasons isn’t as tangible, but for teachers (or up and coming ones 😉 ), the pangs of summer vacation’s end is definitely starting to settle in.

Manic Monday

Hello again!  I can’t believe it’s Monday already…the weekend flew by much too quickly!  It’s especially hard to get up on a Monday (or any day) when you have this guy willing and ready to snuggle!  He always tries to hold me hostage with his cuteness, which sometimes leaves me racing against traffic to make it to work on time.  Just look at the sleepy eyes!

Today’s breakfast was a banana and peanut butter smoothie.

Banana smoothie recipe (Compliments of Shannon):

• 1/2 a large banana
• 1 tbs. crunchy natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

Mondays and Tuesdays are my long days, so I’m usually on the go most of the day.  I have to pack my snacks the night before, because like I said before, showering LeRoy with attention usually takes priority in the morning.  Plus, if I don’t bring a snack, I’m vulnerable to Rob’s strawberry poptarts. (one of my many kryptonites!)  For a snack I had some almonds, strawberries, and raspberries.

I really like Blue Diamond’s low sodium, lightly salted almonds.  (Kind of an oxymoron, right?)  There’s only 40 mg of salt per serving though, so I don’t feel too bad!  For lunch I had a chickpea salad again.  I literally had only 10 minutes to eat, so I had to wolf it down as quickly as I could.

Today’s workout was another pyramid workout.  I really like timed workouts because I have more of an incentive to push myself…I know there’s an end in sight, I just have to make it there.  Plus, after a long day it’s nice to get in a quick workout and still get home at a reasonable time.  I’m still a little sore from Saturday’s “Filthy Fifty,” which quickly became apparent on my way back down the pyramid during round one.  I had to do a lot of “girl” push ups and nearly smacked myself in the face with the med ball while doing wall balls.  Note to self…don’t wear bright yellow when working with a med ball, those things are filthy!

I managed to make it through the pyramid twice in 30 minutes…which probably wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have such a great workout buddy! (Karl! 🙂 )  My shoulders and arms are toast, though…especially after swimming yesterday.

When I got home I had an edamame, corn, and feta salad.  I get a half a pound or so every time I go to Sprout’s and snack on it until it’s gone…which always makes me wish I had gotten more and makes me look forward to my next trip to Sprout’s.  It’s super good…I might try to recreate it but I doubt it would come out as tasty.

This Thursday some friends and I are having a “healthy” potluck.  I’m in charge of the salad.  I LOVE salads, but I usually have salads as the main course, not an appetizer.  Any ideas on what kind of salads I can bring for an appetizer?  Remember, we’re trying to have a “healthy” potluck. 🙂

Sunday Funday!

Sundays are probably my favorite because it’s the only day Rob and I both have off from work.  I get to sleep in, make a nice breakfast, and spend the day meandering the town with my two favorite boys!  Today’s breakfast was a veggie omelet with some extra ripe strawberries I picked up yesterday from the market.  I usually make omelets using the griddle (greatest invention ever!?), but today for the sake of minimizing dishes I’d have to clean I used a skillet.  I’d say my omelet turned out pretty nicely, don’t you think?

My omelet consisted of two eggs (one egg and one egg white), spinach, broccoli, green onions, a little sprinkle of pepper jack cheese, and avocado slices.  Rob’s not really into veggie omelets, so I made him scrambled eggs, hash browns, and toast served with a fruit medley.

I was stumped as to what to do for a workout today because I was (and still am) SO sore from yesterday.  My forearms, biceps, and hamstrings are especially sore.  The “Filthy Fifty” might not seem like much since it’s only one set of each exercise, but let’s remember that one set is 50 reps!  It’s strange my forearms and biceps are sore, but I’m guessing the high number reps caused my primary muscles to fatigue and my body to resort to its secondary muscles.  When I took LeRoy out to handle his business this morning, I saw my neighbor getting ready to go mountain biking, which almost inspired me to go for a ride, but I opted for a swim instead.  I should mention that I’m miserably horrible at both biking and swimming!  I ended up swimming 750 meters, which may sound far, but it’s not.  I went around 10:30 am to make sure I didn’t have to wait for a lane and ended up only having to share the pool with one swimmer.  This never happens!  Also, this one swimmer happened to call me a “machine” when I finished (I’m totally not a machine in the pool…more like an uncoordinated fish out of water…or in this case, in the water! 😉 )

For whatever reason, swimming always makes me famished.  So I feasted on one of my favorites, a chickpea salad.

It was a beautiful day outside today, and LeRoy definitely wanted to bask in some rays and take it all in.

We’ve been considering moving to a nearby city, so we decided to take a car ride over and check it out.  LeRoy loves his car rides and loves going on adventures, so of course he came.

After walking around for an hour or so, we started to get pretty hungry, so we split an apple cinnamon muffin from a cute little coffee shop.

Tonight for dinner Rob grilled a sirloin steak and served it with noodles and a Cesar salad…his favorite.  Typical man meal…right? (Or just typical Rob?)

Although it was deliciously mouth-watering,  I was only able to eat half of the steak.  Rob can eat meat every day-breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Maybe it’s man thing?  After so many nights of meat, I need a break!  I can only think of a few meatless dinners that Rob will eat without grimacing…lentil soup, black bean quesadillas (although he usually requests chicken in his), and pancakes (yes, I sometimes have to resort to making breakfast for dinner).  I obviously need to come up with some more ideas for meatless meals, because I can’t keep making these same ones or we’ll tire of them.  What are your favorite meatless meals?

Filthy fifty, tomatillo chicken tacos, and a date with the foam roll

This weekend couldn’t have come soon enough!  LeRoy and I took a trip to a nearby park early this morning.  There’s something about the sand that makes him go wild…he sprints laps around the jungle gym, barks, and digs for rocks.  It’s so fun to watch and is a definite way to tire him out.

Today’s workout was rough, especially after Thursday’s workout.  Karleen and I attempted the “Filthy Fifty.”

We made some slight modifications.  For instance, we didn’t time ourselves; our main goal was to complete the workout.  Also, we did assisted pull ups rather than jumping pull ups.  The burpees were definitely the hardest part of the workout, especially since we saved them for last.

Here’s what my food look like so far for today…

# 1: Egg whites, spinach, cheese, and avocado in a wheat tortilla. # 2: Juice blend with a dried fruit and nut mix.      # 3: Chicken with grape tomatoes, cucumber, pita bread, and hummus.

So I’ve been slacking and have yet to post the recipe for tomatillo chicken tacos.  Well, here it is!  This started out as a crock pot recipe, but I’ve been using the oven and found it’s much more convenient and time efficient.  This chicken recipe is very versatile.  You can use it for tacos, stuffed bell peppers, or top a bed of rice with it.

Ingredients (chicken only):

•  Two chicken breasts
• Tomatillo sauce (green salsa)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1/2 a yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 a jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix onion, garlic, jalapeno, and 16 ounces of tomatillo sauce together.
3. Place chicken in an oven-safe pan.
4. Pour tomatillo mixture over chicken.  Make sure tomatillo mixture falls on top and under the chicken.
5. Cover pan with aluminum foil and place in oven.  Cook for 20 minutes.
6. Check if chicken is cooked through.  Depending on the thickness of the breasts, it may take more time.  Continue to cook in increments of 5 minutes until chicken is thoroughly done.
7. Turn off oven.
8. Shred chicken with a fork.  Once chicken is shredded, place chicken back in oven for 5 minutes.  (This allows the shredded chicken to marinate.)

As mentioned above, there are several options as to how to serve the chicken.  We used it for chicken tacos.  I topped the chicken with pepper jack cheese, cilantro, sautéed green bell peppers, lite sour cream, and avocado.

As for tonight, I have a dreaded date with this guy… 🙂

Mr. Foam Roll

A run to the park

Hello! So today I had originally planned to get up before work and get in an early gym workout.  Can you guess how that turned out?  I found myself continually pressing the snooze button until it was absolutely time to get up and get ready for work.  Plan B?  Go to the gym during my two hour break between tutor sites.  Lunch packed, iPod charged, gym bag ready (shower flip flops included)-seamless plan, right?  Only as I’m leaving my first site I received a seemingly urgent work email requiring me to return home for lunch in order to respond.  At least I was able to eat lunch at home with my boys.  I had a turkey sandwich with tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts.

Alright, two workout plans down the drain…do I go to the gym or run to a nearby park after my last site?  A run to the park it is!  This option was especially appealing because Rob and LeRoy decided to meet me at the park for some play time.

Typical man…not smiling for the camera!

I don’t know what it is, but whenever I run to the park I run faster than usual.  Maybe because it’s a shorter run?  Or perhaps it’s because Rob and LeRoy usually either bike along side me or meet me there?  Both possibilities seem feasible.  Anyways, it’s a two mile run to the park.  Knowing this, I ran my first two miles hard…I mean huffing and puffing, side-ache-gripping, dripping sweat hard.  When I made it to the park, Rob wasn’t there yet (Maybe he didn’t expect me to run so fast!?), so I ran around the park to make it a total of three miles.

Average mile time: 7:55, Fastest mile: 7:28

Once at the park it was play time!  LeRoy was in a running mood today so we chased him around until he decided it was time to eat some grass.  The life of a dog…so simple!

For dinner I made chicken pasta with spinach, green beans, broccoli, and pine nuts.  I’ll post the recipe later, but for now a picture will have to do!

My plan is to go to the gym tomorrow morning before work, but we’ll see how that goes!  Good night!