Time Challenge & Tabata Jump rope!

Hey ~

I've been so bad and haven't worked out since 12/23 or so that's what my w/o journal says. Time goes by so quickly. I'm really trying to be consistent with my workouts. It's a process for me and I'm starting to make some headway finally. I have gained some weight which isn't surprising, coming off Christmas. But now I need to really start paying attention again. I'm thinking I should journal for a few days. That really helps to get on track. Eating is the most important thing when you are trying to lose weight. You've got to eat clean. I realize how much better I feel when I'm eating clean. Lots of fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains instead of pasta, bread, sweets. I think those things should be eaten in moderation and I usually will have something like that on a cheat day and I workout on those days.

So today was the day to get back on the horse.. so here's the workout I did.
My shoulders and biceps are gonna be sore tomorrow ;) which means I'm building muscles, burning more calories, burning fat and exercising my heart and lungs with cardio!

Burning shoulders workout!
This workout was a timed challenge. I like to mix it up. I get bored so very easily!

Do 15 reps of each exercise and do 3 sets or 3 times through. In between ea exercise do 20 Mountain Climbers. It took me 32 mins and 11 seconds to finish the workout then I did a Tabata rountine with Jump rope for some more cardio

1. Bicep curl on the way up then hammer curl on the way down ~ Go slow on the way down really control it, that's when you do the muscle building. first round 15lb, 2nd rd 12lb, 3rd 10lbs


20 Mt. Climbers

2. Lateral raises to the front then to the sides ~1st 2 rds 10lbs, 3 rd 5 lbs, my shoulders were on fire!

20 Mt. Climbers

3. Reverse Lunges ~ 12lb all 3 rds, alternating legs Do 15 ea leg, total 30

20 Mt. Climbers

4. Side Planks arm up reach under ~ no weight (R)

I didn't do mt. climbers in between this exercise

5.  Side Planks arm up reach under ~ no weight (L)

20 Mt. Climbers

6. Overhead Tricep extensions 12 lb all 3 rds

20 Mt. Climbers

7. V sit with a knee hug

20 Mt. Climbers

8. Standing side crunches alternating sides 15 ea side total 30

Then set your timers for 8 rds of 10 sec rest and 20 secs work.. Jump rope for the 20 sec work interval!

It was a great workout!

Sherice oxox

New Beginnings!

Hi,
So glad you stopped by~

I hope everyone's Christmas was good. Not the best Christmas here this year but it's not really about presents and "wants" right. That's what we try to tell our kids but when they've been spoiled most every Christmas it's hard for them to "get it"!

I always feel down this time of year. I think it's a combo of having way to much emotional drama going on (this yr), needing some meds (not kidding) and for every year it seems that there is such a huge build up to Christmas.. summer ends, fall begins and the kids start school, then it's Halloween, birthday's, Thanksgiving and then Christmas with a new year right on it's heels and we do it all over again.. No wonder time seems to fly by us!!

I don't like New Years resolutions. I think why wait.. it's just the procrastinators way of procrastinating! But I do have some goals I'd like to work on this year!

1. Loving & believing in myself more
2. Say something positive about myself everyday
3. Drink less coffee and more Matcha (powdered green tea.. see my post http://foodieluvsfitness.blogspot.com/2011/11/matcha.html)
4. Don't major in minor things (awesome saying)
5. To live in the moment and be thankful
6. Get counseling
7. Get my Personal Trainers Certification
8. Be more active..(I know some of you think I am but I do have a lot of down time, usually on this thing aka computer)
9. To try and see the positive in every situation
10. LET GO MORE!!!!! let go of my fears, control, guilt!! JUST LET IT GO AND BE HAPPY!!! that's where the counseling comes in LOL

That's my list of 10 things I would like to be better about this year. What are a few of your things?

 Sherice oxoxoxox

Quick workout post

Last night I did a quick 16 min H.I.I.T. workout.... here it is.........

10/30/24rds/4x thru=16mins

1. side lunge w/knee tuck (R).. so when you bring your leg back from the side lunge bring your knee up to do a knee tuck. You can add in a little hop once you get some momentum which will make it harder..
18, 18, 17, 18

2. side lunge w/ knee tuck (L)
19, 16, 17, 17

3. Crab toe touches (alternating feet) in reverse plank bring opposite hand to opposite foot
20, 23, 20, 21

4. Donkey kicks (alternating legs)
17, 19, 18, 21

5. mini squat pulses, in an already squatting position pulse up and down with out coming out of the squat position.
36, 44, 38, 47

6. Plank up and downs, these look really easy but aren't
10, 10, 9, 9

There, your done!! I was going to do a 4 min Tabata cardio w/o but my honey was anxious for dinner.
I hope you get your sweat on doing whatever kind of workout that works for you!

Sherice oxoxoxo

Laundry soap recipe and something else I'm super excited about!!

Hi~

Sorry I've been missing for a couple of days but it's the week of Christmas and like everybody else I've had a lot going on. Let's get to some exciting things..
FIRST~ Do you know who easy and inexpensive it is to make your own laundry detergent & Fabric softener?? SUPER EASY & INEXPENSIVE!! There are recipes for both liquid and powder detergents. For my first time I choose to try the powder. It was more convenient and less money up front for me. I have always washed my clothes with cold water. I always thought, "well it costs less money".. but after reading this article I've changed my mind.. I was really grossed out!! Here's the link, http://www.laundry-alternative.com/lurking.htm

Here's the recipe for Laundry detergent ~ I tripled this recipe...I found all these ingredients at my local Fred Meyer


1 bar Fels Naptha soap $1.33 x 3
1 cup 20 mule Borax $3.72
1 cup A & H Washing Soda $3.17
container
Tablespoon

This is what I did, I used my food processor to grate the soap then I took it out and added my processor blade, added the grated soap back into the processor and then added the borax and washing soda. Then I pulsed it a couple times to really break up the grated Fels Naptha soap.

This is what you end up with. I recommend you give it a shake before adding it to your washer. You use 3 tablespoons per load. I'm really bad at math so I haven't figured out how much this is saving me per load and I also haven't figured out how many loads I will get. But feel free to figure it out if you'd like.

Now for the Fabric Softener recipe ~
I have 2 recipes for you. One is for fabric sheets and the other is for liquid fabric softener.

Liquid Fabric Softener ~  I got the ingredients at Walmart

1 64 oz bottle of distilled white vinegar (I bought a gallon)  $2.38
1 55ml bottle of essential oil $2.00

if you get the gallon like I did just get two bottles of the essential oil, I got Vanilla Lavender. It smells so yummy! It's made with natural and essential oils. They do carry a bigger variety of fragrance oils if you want that.

pour the essential oil into the vinegar bottle and shake to mix. It's that easy. add it into the fabric softener slot in your washer or add it into your downy ball and put in your load of laundry just like you would if you were using downy or snuggle.
Now don't freak out, your clothes will NOT smell like vinegar!!




Fabric sheets ~ bought materials at Walmart

1 yard of 100% cotton jersey fabric  $5.97 per yard
essential oil $2.00 for 55ml
dropper free from pharmacy

Cut your fabric into 4x4 squares, but they shrink in the laundry so if I had thought about it I would have made mine more like 6x6. I got 104 squares out of a yrd of fabric. Then place 3-5 drops of essential oil onto each square. Be careful not to use more because it could damage your clothes, or so that's what I read. Keep in an air tight zip lock and throw into your dryer just like a regular store bought fabric sheet. You can use these twice before needing to be laundered and resmelled.. if that's a word. LOL. I will use 2 sheets at a time because 1 just didn't do it. But I only used about 3 drops on each sheet b/c the dropper was a larger one. It's a learning process.


The reason I 'm doing all this make it myself stuff is because it's cheaper, better for me and the environment, I have the time. And if I can save a few bucks on stuff I can make myself than I can spend more on Organic meat and produce. Which is VERY important to me.

Enough about laundry! I found a recipe that I was thrilled about!!

Microwave popcorn!!! Do you know how bad microwave popcorn is for you... it's horrible, the coating inside the bag leaches into your popcorn and causes cancer. so when I saw this I had to try it.. and it worked great!! I was so fricken thrilled I could have jumped up and down.

all you need is a brown paper lunch bag.. I got a bag of 100 at Fred Meyer for maybe 2 bucks.. then I already had a bag of organic popcorn.. remember corn is a GMO crop here in the states, so make sure your buying organic...

put 1/2 cup popcorn ( I might play around with this, there were a lot of unpopped kernels in the bag) into your brown paper lunch bag and fold top over twice. Put into microwave and pop just like you would a store bought microwave popcorn.

Then add whatever topping you want. I love mine with butter, salt and parmesan cheese, so TASTY!!








now here's my workout for 12/20/11 my hip was still bugging me so I did a core and arm workout.. I'm calling this one Tank Top Ready Workout
15 secs rest/35 secs work/24 rds/3x thru/ total of 20 mins

1. Jumprope
61, 73, 72

2. Plank knee tucks on bosu.. using the round side do a plank then bring in your knee to the opposite elbow
34, 36, 40

3. Medicine ball slams w/ 12lb ball
21, 21, 21

4. Push ups I did these on my knees. My pushups aren't very good so instead of struggling I decided to do the easier version so I could perfect my form and work my way up
7, 9, 11

5. Jumprope
45 ( rope malfunction) 83, 83

6. Bench dips with feet on Stability Ball
14, 11, 13 these are a killer

7. Curl & Press on rounded side of Bosu w/ 12 lb weights
8, 9, 6 my shoulders were screaming by that last round

8. V sit with 10 lb kettle bell
39, 26, 40

I really try to push it on the last round... no matter how gassed out I am. I have finish strong playing like a broken record in my head!!

I really hope everyone who is reading my blog is enjoying it.. I'd love to hear from you guys! Don't be shy!!

Sherice oxoxoxox

Saturday Chili

Hey guys ~

I hope everyone's Saturday has been good. Mine's been ok. We've been going through a tough time with our daughter and it's been taking it's toll on all of us here at home. With Christmas around the corner I'm just not feeling it this year, I know it's multiple things and I try to be positive but sometimes I get bit by the blue bug!! I've been really depressed and I'm trying to just snap out of it!! So I'm telling you this because I've been naughty and haven't worked out in about 3 days... so today I said ENOUGH!!! I know it will make me feel better and I just need to get it done! So of course accident prone me... I did a leg lift, just messing around. (I'm weird ) and I fricken pulled something in my hip.. (this is why stretching is VERY important) I didn't hurt it bad, but enough to put a giddy up in my workout. I will ice my stupid 38 yr old hip muscle and by tomorrow it will be good as new.

I had planned on doing 28 rds/4x thru my workout but I'm really trying to listen to my body and it said "whoa lady, your only doing 3x thru today" so I complied!  I had to switch up the cardio part also. By the 2x thru my hip muscle was NOT liking the high knees so I improvised, because I can!!!

 15 rest/30 work/21 rds/3x thru = about 15 mins which is still long enough to get a good sweat going!

1. High knees

me after this workout.. see I was sweating!

82, 72, 40 (jumping jacks)

2. Push up w/ knee tuck across to opposite elbow
8, 8, 6

3. Lat raises with a med resistance band
7, 9, 9

4. High knees
76, 54 (mt climbers) 44 (jumping jacks)

5. Fire hydrant w/ leg lift (R)
9,10,12

6. Fire Hydrant w/ leg lift (L)
8, 10, 12

7. toe touches w/ reverse crunch
9, 10, 11

I ended up doing this workout at home which my husband enjoyed.. anything to get a laugh! He enjoyed the fire hydrant/leg lifts.. (perv)

I know I didn't push myself to my max during this workout but at least I did it. I hate it when I have to many days in between working out because it just seems so much harder. I know you lose endurance really quickly so I'm trying to be more consistent about everything I do in my life! So don't be hard on your self!! It's never to late to make changes! :)

Now for a delicious and healthy Chili recipe
This Chili has some kick so if you don't want it spicy then leave out the cayenne!

Turkey Chili~serving size 1 1/2 cups makes about 6 servings (I'm guessing) about 490 calories per serving!
1 Tbls coconut oil
1 cup cooked Quinoa Or 1 lb Ground Turkey Breast
1 onion chopped as big or small as you like
1 yellow or orange bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbls chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt.. any is fine but I use celtic sea salt.. I'd recommend using at least sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups water
1 28 oz can crushed tomato
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz cans red kidney beans... low sodium kind 

1 15 oz can pinto beans

1 10 oz pkg of frozen corn 

saute onions, peppers, and garlic, remove from pan, if using turkey, brown at this point. once turkey is cooked add sauteed veggies back into pan. Then add in your tomatoes and spices. If making this recipe Vegan.. add in your cup of cooked Quinoa now.

Let simmer for at 30 mins to an hr. Add in your kidney beans and let simmer another 30 mins. This recipe stated to cook at least 30 mins, so if your in a time crunch you could add the kidney beans in when you add all the rest of the ingredients and cook it for 30-45 mins. But it will taste so much better cooked a bit longer!

Garnish however you like... I usually garnish with a little Better than sour cream, a little pepper jack Daiya cheese, cilantro, and don't forget a few Organic corn chips. For non vegans garnish with Sour cream & cheese...

I really hope you enjoy this as much as my family.. the turkey takes it to a whole new level.. it's melt in your mouth delicious!

Ciao
oxoxoxo Sherice

Yep.. I satisfied my ice cream craving!!

Hi There ~
I've been very lazy the last couple days and haven't had a workout, so tonight when I got a BAD ice cream craving (and knew I hadn't earned it) I remembered a recipe that I've been wanting to try that I first saw awhile back on a post by Jamie Eason on her FB page. Then I saw it in this months issue of www.oxygenmag.com. I love this magazine for the recipes but it also has weight lifting advice. But I find it's geared more for fitness competitions in my opinion, I could be very wrong!!

Here ya go!!

~ 5 min Almond milk Ice cream ~

1 cup almond milk
1 scoop choc protein powder
1/2 capful of coconut extract
1/2 cup table salt.. the cheap kind
1 sm sandwich ziplock bag
1 gallon size ziplock bag
Ice
Revised version.. Add 1 scoop Vegan Choc Shakelology instead of choc protein powder

Now take your almond milk and put in a bowl, then add in your protein powder and coconut extract whisk until the protein is incorporated into the almond milk. pour this mixture into the sandwich ziplock bag. Then fill up the gallon ziplock about 1/2 way with ice. I have a handy ice maker in my freezer so I pretty much have an endless supply of Ice.. but if you don't you might have to plan a bit in advance.. then pour the 1/2 cup of regular table salt onto the ice in the gallon ziplock bag.

Then making sure you have a tight seal on your sandwich bag with your liquid inside, put that bag into the gallon ziplock. Seal up the gallon ziplock and start shaking away.. I'd say shake your bag for 3-5 mins depending on how solid you want your ice cream. I recommend using an oven mitt while doing this because the ice gets REALLY cold.. this is how they used to make ice cream with salt and ice.. so be careful. and it's also a great arm workout. I shook my bag for about 3 mins.

this was so good.. I didn't eat the whole bowl. I put some in my freezer for my next craving!!

The possiblities are endless.... I'm already thinking about adding in some espresso powder to my next batch and then making a batch w/ greek yogurt and some peanut butter added in. Choc/peanut butter is one of my favorite flavors. If your not a choc lover than use vanilla protein or leave it out all together. Add in some peppermint extract instead or use both.. so many choices..

The 1 cup of almond milk is 60 calories and the 1 scoop of whey protein is 65 calories
This is by far the better "ice cream" option.

I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. I can't wait to hear how you made your almond milk ice cream!

Bye oxox
Sherice

Crockpot Stroganoff & 23 min workout!

Hey Out There~

I hope everyone's Monday was good. This weekend I made a really good crock pot Stroganoff.  I didn't get any pictures for this recipe but I will the next time I make it.

1-2 lbs Stew meat
1 yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped crimini mushrooms
1 pkg Stroganoff mix (by the taco seasoning)
2 cans heart healthy cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup beef stock (more if you think you need it, but remember the sour cream will thin it some)
salt and pepper to taste
Let cook in crockpot on high for a couple hrs and then turn to low for another 4 hrs or until the meat falls apart
then before you serve add in 1/2 to 1 cup lite sour cream.

Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, Basmati or Brown rice

It was really good!!

I was really sore the last couple days since my killer workout on Friday, so I took it easy this weekend.
Today's workout

Set your timer for 10 rest/40 work/28 rds/4x thru = about 23 mins

1. Squat with front kick
25, 16, 15, 15
2. Medicine ball slams 8lb ~ slam the ball down on the ground as hard as you can
20, 19, 21, 25
3. High Knees
93, 81, 80, 81
4. Push ups
11, 11, 10, 10
5. Side plank knee tucks (R)
7, 7, 8, 7,
6. Side plank knee tucks (L)
9, 10, 10, 10
7. Heismans
55, 68, 57, 43

Then I did a quick but effective 15 mins on the Arc Trainer.
 I love the Arc Trainer because it's a great calorie burner! I burned 153 calories in 15 mins

See ya later
Ciao!

Fantastic Friday workout!

Hey~
It's FRIDAY! two of my favorite days to workout are Fridays and Sundays. It seems that the majority of people aren't in the gym on these days. So these 2 days are almost always workout days for me.

Today I did a killer workout! well for me anyway. I know that I won't reach my goals if I'm not accountable for not only getting my workouts in but also pushing to my max during them. Of course I am human and I do have those days where I get to the gym and I'm lacking energy or not fully into a workout. But even then, I usually know that if I don't push to my max then I will feel guilty about it later.

This makes me smile!

Fantastic Friday workout

intervals ~ 15/45 the first being your rest interval
30 rds/5x thru = 30 mins
as always my reps are under the exercises

1. Dynamic squats ~ do a squat tben drop down and touch the
ground and back to a squat, you get a bit of a low jumping movement 28,22,15,25,22 = 112
2. Kettle bell swings ~ I used 20 lbs on the first 2 rds then switched to 10lbs which was to light but the 15lb was in use.
 23,18,20,17, 20 = 98
3. Renegade row w/ 12 lb weight
18,18,17,15,15 =83
4. Mt Climbers w/bosu ~ hold onto the flat side of the bosu while doing mt climbers
60,59,51,55,54 = 280
5. Reverse crunch
20,20,23,21,24 = 108
6. hanging knee raises
19,20,18,14,20 = 91

There's your Friday workout

catch ya later
OX Sherice

Chicken Tacos

Hey~
Somedays it's a two post kinda day! I'll keep this one short and sweet, or should I say spicy!
This is MY version of a recipe that I saw in a magazine.. I'm always adding or omitting things from recipes to make them my own!

Shredded Chicken Tacos with salsa.. you can find the salsa recipe here....http://foodieluvsfitness.blogspot.com/2011/12/chilly-sunday.html

homemade salsa

you can use a rotisserie chicken for this or you can prepare you chicken however you'd like, but This recipe is meant for the chicken to already be cooked. I had some already shredded that I had cooked in my crock pot for another recipe and had just made extra to freeze for a quick and easy dinner like this one. Remember that if you taste the chicken and it needs more of a seasoning then go ahead add more!! but you can't take it out so just keep that in mind.

We only eat white meat here so it's chicken breast all the way..
so put your chicken in a pan, probably about 2 breasts
add in juice of 1 lime
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp chili powder
and about 5-6 shakes of the smoked paprika..I didn't measure this one, sorry! FYI: don't buy this at the regular grocery store like I did. for a little jar it cost me over 5 bucks then at Costco it was a few dollars more for 3 times as much.. shop around!!
Corn Tortillas

mix together and let chicken get hot.. meanwhile put your corn tortillas in some foil in a 400 degree oven, I'd recommend putting parchment or foil between the tortillas, they tend to stick together.
When everything is hot.. put chicken in tortillas add some salsa on top, if you want a little cheese and sour cream, great. But these Tacos can be really healthy, so if your going for low calorie than don't use the cheese or sour cream. I did add a tad bit of cheese on mine :)

 

They are delicious.. I don't know about you but at our house we eat Mexican at least 3 days a week probably more!! There's a running joke in our house about us having some rogue Mexican gene somewhere because we just can't get enough Mexican food!! WE LOVE IT!!

Enjoy!
OX Sherice

Nut Butters!!

Hey!

I don't know about you but I love nut butter! Why should we have to stop at Peanut butter and Almond butter? I love to make nut butter at home. It's so EASY and a lot less expensive than buying it at the store. The only piece of equipment you need to make nut butter is a food processor. So today I made some Cashew butter and with it I made some really good blueberry coconut protein balls.  Here's how you make nut butter.

You can use any nut you want... I'm thinking I need to make some Macadamia nut butter. Wouldn't that be the cat's meow!?

**RECIPE UDATED: 3/20/2017

I used 1 cup of roasted UNsalted Cashews. I used unsalted so that I could control the amount of salt.
a pinch of sea salt
1 Tblsp of melted Coconut oil
Place the first 2 ingredients into your food processor. 

 Give it a few whirls and it will become crumbly. Give the sides a scrap and turn it on again. While it's on pour in the coconut oil and let it mix until it's incorporated.

Whaaalaaa.... you've got Cashew butter!
1 cup of cashews made 1/2 cup of Cashew Butter.

Now with this Cashew butter I made these great snacks......

 

Here's the recipe ~

1/2 cup Cashew Butter
1 TBSP local honey
1/2 cup Vanilla Shakeology or vanilla protein powder *
1/4 cup Bob Red Mill unsweetened organic coconut
1/4 cup dried Blueberries
1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
2 TBSP melted Organic Coconut oil

Mix first 6 ingredients in food processor. It will be crumbly. scrape down sides. Then turn on processor and pour in melted coconut oil.
Take out your blade & Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, scoop out mixture, then half the scoop into 2 bite size balls. put in plastic container and store in fridge.

This recipes makes about 24-28 bite size snacks
I don't worry to much about calories, macros and micros so I have no idea what the stats are on these. I image if I had to guess I would consider about 2 of these as 1 serving.
I feel that these are a great grab and go snack. pre or post workout snack or all around yummy treat. they are a great source of carbs protein and fat.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________


My workout for 12/7
This was a timed workout, so I set my Gymboss on the stopwatch setting and started sweating!!

I did 3 rounds of these 5 exercises
1. Side jump lunge 20 reps = 60 total
2. Prisoner get ups 20 reps = 60 total
3. Cobras on a stability ball 20 reps = 60 total
4. Heisman's 20 reps = 60 total
5. Row with a medium resistance band 20 reps = 60 total
when I was done,  I just felt like I could do more so I changed it up on the fly and did 1 set of...

1. High knees 20 reps
2. Squat pulses 20 reps
3. Superman on bosu touching ankles 20 reps
4. Heisman's 20 reps
5. hanging knee raises 20 reps

This time challenge took me 26:46
Then I did 20 mins on the elliptical.. remember when your using the elliptical to do intervals forward and backward. I see so many people who don't ever go backward.. it works different muscles and you need balance! Remember to drink your water and stretch!!

Cheers
OX Sherice

*if not i'm not using shakeo my other vanilla, PP go to is Jay Robb. it's super clean and nothing yucky including fake sugars, I get it at Super Supplements*

Smoothie on the go and a workout!

Hi out there~

So I LOVE www.pinterest.com . I got this idea from a pin that I saw on there.

Quick Smoothies on the go!

I froze some Honey blueberry yogurt and some nonfat yogurt in a mini muffin tin.. It makes the perfect portions of yogurt to go into your smoothies. Then I cut up 2 bananas and froze them on a cutting board. You can you a silpat mat or cookie sheet.

So with my frozen yogurt and bananas I also used frozen Peaches, Raspberries, Blueberries & Strawberries. Don't worry if you can only find whole frozen strawberries, they are easy to cut when frozen. I cut mine into fourths.



Then I added 2 frozen yogurts in with about 1/2 cup berries and 4-5 banana slices and 5-6 peaches and strawberries. You can really use what ever kinda fruit you like and how much you like. I put these in individual ziplocks so when I want a smoothie for a pre or post workout snack I will have one and I can just add in some protein powder and almond milk. When my kids want a quick breakfast or after school snack they can have a healthy smoothie.

This is what my ziplocks look like....

 

 

Here's the workout I did on 12/6

15 sec rest/45 sec work/30 rds/5x thru/total workout time 30 mins
my scores are posted under the exercises!

1. Low Jacks
53, 51, 49, 47, 43 = 243 total

2. Bridge w/tricep extension w/ 10 lb weight
13, 13, 12, 11, 12 = 61

3. plank elbow to knee touch
23, 27, 22, 21, 20 = 113

4. side to side bosu
67, 67, 65, 61, 67 = 328

5. v-sit w/ 15 lb side to side
41, 40, 43, 40, 38 = 202

6. Plank knee tucks
40, 45, 56, 54, 62 = 257

There are a few reasons why I keep a workout journal. It's nice to be able to see your progress and go back and do old workouts and see how you've improved. It also helps me to assess where I'm at in my fitness and to be able to set fitness goals. Seeing my scores on this workout it's apparent to me that I need to work on my endurance and consistency. It seems that a lot of the time I start out really going and I use up all my gas and have nothing left at the end. I want to be more consistent and have my numbers be going up not down.

Well that's if for now. I hope you try the workout and you enjoy the smoothies. And remember......

Later xo
Sherice

chilly Sunday...

Hi guys!

How is everyone today on this sunny but chilly Sunday? I've got a workout post and a quick Taco Seasoning & Salsa recipe. Since this blog is in the baby stages, I often get a head of myself and end up forgetting to take pictures of ingredients or the process. I've made a mental note of this and as I get better about this blog I will remember.

This Taco seasoning is really easy. I had everything in the recipe on hand in my cupboard. I love to cook with herbs and spices. you can be as creative as you want.

Taco Seasoning
This recipe makes 4 servings of mix

4 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 Tbsp Cumin
2 Tsp Paprika
2 Tsp Sea Salt
2 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes. If you have  mortar and pestle than crush them in those other wise no biggie, add them in as is
1 Tsp Oregano
2-3 pkts of true lime - depending on how much citrus you want



Add 2 Tbsp to 1 - 1.5 lbs of Hamburger, chicken, or ground Turkey Breast
This just goes to show that you can make spices, sauces, and rubs at home for half the cost of a bottled or packaged kind. That is going to taste better and be better for you. These spices are really so inexpensive if you can find them in bulk. I know that Fred Meyer has a good bulk section.

This Salsa is delicious. And it's so easy to make. It last about a day or 2 in your fridge.

1 large Onion chopped as big or as small as you like
3-4 good sized Tomatoes chopped as big or small as you like
1 whole Jalapeno minced finely, I like spicy so I use the whole Jalapeno, seeds and all.
2 good pinches of Sea salt
2 nice cloves of Garlic minced finely
2 handfuls of Cilantro, remove bigger stems, chopped finely
1/2 a lime, but if you taste and want more add more
1 whole Avocado, remove from skin and remove pitt cut into cubes

Add everything together and stir. Delicious right when you make it or after it's chilled!!

This was my workout on Saturday

10 sec rest/40 sec work intervals 35 rds 5x through
The total time 29 min. My Scores (reps) are below the exercises.

1. Mt climbers on bosu ~ Cardio, Hold bosu with round side on ground, hold on to side handles and do Mt. Climbers
88, 67, 62, 44, 50
2. Bent over Row with a Tricep kick back w/ 10lb weight (R)
12, 12, 11, 12, 12
3. Bent over Row with Tricep kick back w/ 10lb weight (L)
11, 11, 14, 10,  12
4. Medicine Ball taps ~ cardio, tap each foot on medicine ball as fast as you can
99, 79, 85, 86, 67
5. Single leg deadlift w/ 15lb Kettle Bell (R)
11, 13, 13, 13, 12
6. Single leg deadlift w/15 lb KB (L)
12, 13, 14, 14, 14
7. Stability Ball Knee tuck and Pike ~ Core, This is a hard one for me. My Core isn't strong. Roll out off a stability ball until feet are the only thing on the ball, your hands are on the ground,  pull in your knees towards your stomach and back out again for the knee tuck and the pike up in the air with you butt making a v shape, and down again so your straight. 1 kn tuck and pike = 1 rep
6, 7, 8, 7, 6

I hope you do try this workout.  You'll get a good sweat! Just remember you want to push yourself to the max and really challenge your self, but go at an intensity level that is ok for you. So in other words don't go so hard you pass out or injury yourself because your sacrificing good form to go fast. Use common sense.

See you later!

Matcha

Hey out there!

Today is hump day, the middle of the week, the bend in the road towards the weekend. I hope everyone's Wednesday is going well.  I wanted to share a yummy breakfast sandwich that I typically eat almost everyday! It's egg whites and herbs on a whole wheat bagel thin with an oz of pepper jack cheese or sometimes I use a wedge of garlic and herb laughing cow cheese, which is REALLY good! I usually have some sort of fruit with it too. 

Today I had Pears. There in season and so juicy and yummy. I love all types of fruit!

This is very easy to make..
3 egg whites
chop up a couple crimini mushrooms
a slice of onion
and I have a basil paste you can buy in the fridge veggie section at Safeway, so I added about 1/2 a tbls of that also
a little salt and red pepper flakes
combine and whisk with a fork & cook.. as it starts to cook, kind of use your spatula to move everything into a circle about the size of your bagel thin. I have one of those handy round egg things to keep the egg round but it NEVER works.. so this is by far easier for me. then flip it,  let cook a bit longer, add cheese and take it off the heat. Place foil or a lid on the pan to melt the cheese. meanwhile put your bagel thin in the toaster and whaaaa laaa. you've got yourself a healthier version of your typical breakfast sandwich. Like I said I eat this almost everyday. It's quick, delicious & filling and keeps me going until my mid morning snack.




Another one of my  "almost always" is Matcha. If you don't know what this is, it is a Green tea powder. To get the same nutritional and antioxidant's in 1 glass of Matcha you would have to drink 10 glasses of brewed green tea that comes in a tea bag. The reason is because the water can only extract some much out of the tea leaves in this form. But with the Matcha, you get ALL the nutrients and antioxidants because it is stone ground green tea leaves. And it tastes 100% better than green tea in a bag. The only downfall to Matcha is that it's on the pricey side but it will last a while. My little 1oz jar cost me almost $11.00 but it was so worth it!

The health benefits of Matcha are amazing..

• Is packed with antioxidantsincluding the powerful EGCg
• Boosts metabolism and burns calories
• Detoxifies effectively and naturally
• Calms and relaxes
• Enhances mood and aids in concentration
• Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
• Fights against viruses and bacteria
• Is rich in fiber
• Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar
• Does not raise insulin levels

So Enjoy a nice soothing mug full daily!






My workout for today was a 2 part interval workout ~

Part 1 ~  10 sec rest/30 sec work interval/30 rds /6 x thru/ total time = 20 mins
1. Squat Jumps ~ 18, 13, 15, 13, 15, 12
2. Reptile push ups ~ 9, 11, 9, 8, 10, 7
3. Toe touches w/ a butt lift ~ 9, 7, 7, 6, 6, 7
4. Curl w/ a press on bosu w/ 10 lb weight ~ 6, 7, 8, 6, 8, 8
5. Plank jacks on dynex ball ~ 29, 19, 23, 24, 17, 14

Part 2 ~ 10 sec rest/20 sec work interval/10 rds/5 x thru/ total time = 5 mins
1. Medicine ball toe taps ~ 52, 50, 45, 46, 45
2. Burpees w/out pushup ~ 6, 5, 5, 5, 5

I was sweating and huffing and puffing by the time I was done. This is a great workout. I hope you will try it out and enjoy it.
Please don't forget to stretch before AND after your workouts and always, always drink LOTS of water. use the 8x8 rule.. 8 oz, 8 times a day!!! I have a BPA free water bottle from Nathan that I lOVE.. it's 24 oz and I drink about 3 of those daily! I cannot live without my water. I take it everywhere with me and it's always by my side at home!
Until next time :)

Tomato and Basil Soup

Hi~

I've made an incredible soup. Well actually I've been making this recipe for a couple of yrs. It's a favorite for my son Corey.  Who usually loves anything
I make!
once you try this you won't want to buy store bought soup again!


What you'll need for this recipe ~

1 28 oz can whole peeled organic Tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced organic Tomatoes
2 lrg onions. I know it seems like a lot but they will cook down some
3 cloves garlic
1 pkg organic fresh Basil
2 cups organic Vegetable broth or Chicken broth
Red chili flakes
salt and pepper

Chop and Saute the onions in a little Olive oil or Coconut Oil for 5-7 mins until they become translucent and soft. I used Coconut oil. It's just so good for you!
add  in chopped or smashed garlic cloves. You really don't need to chop up the garlic or onions to small you will end up blending them up with the tomatoes in the blender. Make sure you season every layer of the soup.. something I learned from Giada!! so a good couple pinches of sea salt and a crank or two on the pepper mill. Saute for a 2-3 more mins. Add in Both cans of Tomatoes with juice and chicken broth. Add in a couple of sprinkles of red pepper flakes and let simmer for at least 30 mins or longer. The longer it simmers the more flavor it will have.

This is where it gets a bit messy, unless you have an immersion blender. Oh boy do I want one of those! Take by ladel fulls and carefully, it will be hot put in your blender, make sure you take out the little piece in the lid to let some of the heat escape when you turn it on, but use a towel to place over the top of the blender lid so keep it sealed. blend about 1/2 a blender full at a time and place in a bowl, once all the soup has been blended you will transfer it back into the soup pot.

 

 At this point you can chop up your fresh basil and put it in the pot, taste the soup and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for a while longer to infuse the basil flavor. This is a good time to make garlic bread, grilled cheese or salad.  I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do!

Chocolate Protein balls

Hello My Foodie Friends ~

Today I made these... They are good!!

Chocolate Protein Balls~ makes 10 balls
 
1/3 or a little more natural peanut butter ~ you can play around with the amount I'm guesstamating. I used the peanut butter you grind yourself from Fred Meyer that's just peanuts.
2 tbls Organic Agave nectar ~ you could use honey, I haven't tried that yet but I plan to.
1/2 cup Chocolate Whey Protein Powder ~ at the moment I have some GNC Pro Performance but I found some online that is healthier and cheaper with no soy in it which is important to me. Soy is a GMO crop here in the USA. I will do a post very soon on GMO foods.. nasty stuff!
1/4 cup Rolled Oats ~ not instant but not steel cut either. It is the middle of the road less processed than instant. I have it in bulk so I can't recall what kind.
2 Tbls Organic Coconut Oil ~ 

Mix peanut butter, agave, protein powder and oats in food processor. once that is mixed, heat up your coconut oil and pour through top of processor while it's on. Then scoop into a bowl. I have a small ice cream scoop that I used to make the balls. 

I scooped out a ball then rolled it between my hands and placed them into a plastic container. Once you've made all the balls put the container in the fridge and the balls will set. 

I'm going to add some cinnamon next time I make these. Cinnamon is antifungal, antibacterial, and antiparasitic. It also has anti-inflammitory properties and smelling cinnamon helps with memory!
 
 These are perfect for a pre or post workout snack. Or you can eat 2 with some fruit for a meal.  There are so many different ways you can make these. You can use this recipe as a base and add in different protein powders, nut butters, and dried fruits. I've made this recipe before and used Cashew butter, apricots and coconut. Those were a delicious breakfast protein ball!!  Let your imagination run.... You can really get creative in the kitchen. I'm a right brained person, which means I'm artistic, a day dreamer and I'm horrible at math. But my point is, that's why I love cooking because I can get really creative with it!

I hope you guys try these and let me know what you think! Please share your own protein ball recipes with me if you change it up!!

Blog at ya later ;)