Breakfast Casserole

I have been trying to incorporate eating protein at breakfast. It is hard for me because I don't like eating dinner left overs for breakfast and can't imagine just eating a chicken breast at 8am. Christmas morning we had brunch here and I made a yummy breakfast casserole. I have been making one, once a week and eating it in the mornings. If you are really trying to cut carbs you can take out the potatoes but they really make it tasty. This is very satisfying and keeps you full.

Breakfast Casserole

Spray 11x13 casserole dish with some olive oil spray or PAM

Layer 2-3 cups of frozen or baked chopped potatoes

Add browned Jimmy Dean mild sausage (you can use turkey sausage)

Add 1 can green chilles

Add 1/2 white or yellow finely chopped onions

Beat 6-8 eggs with 1C fat free sour cream and layer on the top (you can use milk if no sour cream)

Sprinkle with some shredded cheese (optional)

Serve with 1 TBSP salsa

Cook at 350 for 30-45 minutes (till eggs are firm, mine is faster because I use my convection oven)

I then cut this into 8-10 pieces

6-8 WW Points depending on variations

My go to breakfast

My new favorite, easy, balanced breakfast is a yogurt parfait. I've been eating it a couple of times per week. What I like about it is that it gives you a good balance of protein, carbs and fat. So easy...here it is. I found a very similar recipe on skinnytaste.com but she used honey. That would be good as well. You could also use stevia.

Yogurt Parfait

1 Oikos plain greek yogurt

1/2 C mixed berries (I use the frozen)

2 TBSP sliced pecans

1 TBSP agave nectar, honey or stevia

You could defrost your berries but I just add them to my yogurt frozen first thing in the morning and then do some of my morning chores, get my kids breakfast ready and then about 15 minutes later I stir it up and chop up the berries with my spoon a little. Give it a good mix and eat it up. I love it! The pecans really add to it.

Weary of the Weekends

2012 has started off right! We have literally been gym rats; going almost daily. Travis also has some goals. He is trying to gain 1 pound a week for 6 months (20-26 pounds). This means that I am restricting my calories and carbs while Travis is eating more than usual. This creates a little bit of a challenge.

During the week; I seem to do great. I get into a routine. I eat my breakfast, drink my water, prepare a healthy dinner that works for both Travis and I. Pretty much I just make a protein, vegetable and carb and I don't eat the carb portion. Travis and the kids eat it though. I feel like I make good choices at home, probably because I don't have a lot of bad ones to choose. When I am hungry I eat my greek yogurt, cheese stick or handful of almonds. I usually eat a sensible lunch too.

It is the weekends that I am weary of. It is during this time that we run errands, take the kids on adventures, attend social gatherings, etc and it seems like the weekends are my sabotage. How can I do better? We eat out way too much on the weekends and we probably need to limit that. However, it seems hard when you are out and about all day to pack a picnic every weekend. I guess there is always Subway and the possibilities of just making better choices.

That is my goal for this month, to really focus on the weekends. To make good choices and to not let the weekends ruin my progress from the week. One thing that is really nice is having Travis as my workout buddy. We don't really work out together but just going together holds us both accountable. I also have 5 girlfriends from church that are members and I have been working out with. Everyone is pumped since it is January; hopefully they all keep it up. I'll need all the motivation I can get.

Spin

Last night I took my first spin class this decade. I had only taken it two other times with my cousin-in-law in Boise (literally 10 years ago) and I hated it, my butt hurt for weeks after. Well, I am not sure what the difference was but last night I LOVED IT! I think I feel a new addiction coming on. I could literally feel the fat melting off my legs.

I was really proud of myself. I did the entire class and I tried to do everything the instructor asked of us. When she said to pedal with a faster cadence....I did, when she said to stand up and increase resistance....I did. It was a challenge, but a good one. I felt awesome when I was done.

This morning my sitting bones are sore but I feel great. I can't wait to do it again (maybe Saturday morning). Several of my friends were in the class with me and that made it fun. I was so proud of all of us. There were several "first timers" and we all finished!

If you are interested in taking spinning, here are some tips:

1) Bring lots of water (preferably with a straw or nozzle...it's hard to drink and cycle at the same time)

2) Bring a towel...you sweat A LOT.

3) When getting up out of the saddle make sure to increase your resistance; or your legs go flying

4) Have fun & make the class right for you.

5) Get in the zone and believe in yourself

6) If it is your first time, let the instructor know and have them help set-up your bike

I can't wait to take it again! I'll keep you posted.

A New Year for a New Me: 2012

All of the holidays were great. My kids loved Christmas and the magic of Santa and we had a fun New Years party with friends. But now...it is time for business. One of my Christmas gifts that I got was a membership to the gym. As I have stated in the past this was a hard decision for us. I have been training at a private gym for over a year and have truly loved my one on one attention with my trainer. However, Travis was unable to workout and there was no place for the kids. I have signed Hudson up for a program called "Kids in Motion" where he can take unlimited classes in running, aerobics, ball sports and pre-karate. He is going to love it. Luckily my trainer still has weekend warrior sessions that I plan to attend and I am hoping to still get to workout with her a couple nights a month. I would miss my workout girls and her too much, they have become some of my best friends.

So.....I have two goals for the year and they are big ones!

1) Lose 50 pounds & wear single digit clothing sizes

2) Complete a half marathon (April 28)

So, today is day 1. I am going to try and get back on the band wagon and start blogging again. I have been a total slacker and I know that it will help. I am going to be doing weekly weigh-ins with some friends and that should help too.

Today is assessment day. My friend Nikki is doing this with me. Here is the agenda:

1) Weigh

2) Take measurements (chest, abs, hips, arms, thighs, calves)

3) 1-minute assessment (push-ups, jump squats, sit-ups, burpees, & plank)

4) 25-100 rep workout (I'll do an entire blog post about this soon)

I am meeting her at the gym at 8:45. Better get going. Wish me luck!

Why Wait??

OK...so I thought I was going to wait until New Years but I decided that, that was a crutch. I just need to start now. I have been battling some sort of cold (sinus) thing so haven't been up to working out but I am starting to feel better. On Saturday, my trainer Tammye, is doing an Weekend Warrior Holiday Blitz. I figure it is a good time to start. Friday I am going to do my assessment; I am trying to convince Travis to do it with me.

Starting weight, before picture, measurements and a timed challenge. I am going to do 10 exercises each 100 times and time myself. After 30 days I am going to do it again and see if my results got faster. The plan that I am following is 5-6 workouts per week, 3 strength and 3 at home. My trainer has taught me so much and so many of the exercises we do are using only your body weight and don't require tons of equipment. Thankfully my little home gym is getting pretty equipped. I would like some TRX bands and maybe a sandbag for Christmas though. I am going to try and do 2 of my strength workouts at home. It also has days of cardio which I am dreading but if I am going to do the half marathon I need to get training now.

The diet that I am planning to follow is a 1400 calorie diet. It is pretty clean eating, reducing processed foods and starchy carbs. I have a grocery list that goes along with the plan, so I am going shopping tomorrow, and doing the assessment tomorrow. Starting Saturday.

Blog Slacker

Wow!! I have really been slacking on my blog. Not really sure why I think that I have just been motivated to do different things with my time. However, I am going to try and get back at it again. I have had some hard months and it is time to make this all happen. This time of year seems so hard. It starts out with Halloween and then Hudson's birthday, Thanksgiving, my birthday, my grandpa's birthday, christmas parties, christmas, and new years. Not a good time to be losing weight. I am just being realistic...and not trying to gain any more for the next few weeks and then start at it hard with the new year. I promise to start blogging regularly about what I am doing at that point.

I will be blogging my food journal, weight, pictures, and some exercise stuff. I am getting excited about it. I am sticking with Tammye my trainer and I think Travis might join a gym on his own and work out in the mornings before work. I also traded another fitness trainer some CPR lessons for a subscription to her blog which has lots of recipes, workout videos, etc. I think it will help me with my at home workouts.

I recently added a kettle bell to my home gym arsenal. I have asked for TRX bands for Christmas. I should be set to do some home workouts and continue with Tammye 1-2 times per week. However, I know that my issues are not with working out. I do love it when I go, finding time to do it at home can be challenging. My biggest issues are with diet though so I am going to start going to the Weight Watcher meetings in January.

I have a big big challenge ahead of me. If you remember one of my posts was about a friend of mine, Win Apel, he had ran a marathon in every state and every continent...well he passed away the day before my birthday (Nov 28th) due to complications with his brain tumor. He was an inspiration to me through this journey and I am going to run in a half marathon, April 28th to honor him. It is the country music marathon in Nashville. Anyone want to join me? The middle of May will be the two year anniversary to me starting this blog and I figure it is a good way to celebrate and hopefully keep me motivated.

More to come very soon!