Back To The Gym

Hey folks ~

My good news today is that I'm BACK IN THE GYM, Slowly but surely!

I've been taking a 'healing hiatus' for about the last 10 mos. I've got 2 bulging discs in my back that I've been healing. With that comes other issues so now I'm dealing with more Sciatic pain, like a constant charlie horse in my right glute.. seems to be Piriformis syndrome, which is due to a tightening of the piriformis muscle that attaches from your hip to your pelvis across the sciatic nerve. So when it's inflamed and tight it can irritate the sciatic and make you miserable. I literally woke up about 4 mos ago with this pain and it hasn't really left. Here's a link to more about Piriformis syndrome.

All the info I've read on sciatic and PS has said that the one thing I need to be doing is a lot of stretching and YOGA!! Which I already knew because when I'm really good about stretching and doing yoga it feels SO MUCH BETTER!!

So I feel like getting back to the gym is going to be a good idea. I vowed to myself to take it slow and easy.. I have a problem with going balls to the wall crazy and I I know I'm still healing and DON'T want to injury myself further.

I was in the need for a new gym because the Gold's I was going to closed and the only other one is to far for me to drive so I looked around and choose a locally owned gym in my area that had everything I was wanting, including a pool, which is a great low impact exercise.. it's low impact for me right now.

The Fitness Center has 2 locations... one right by my mom's place and the other is in the valley. I have access to both. I really like it. The North side gym, I will be using that one mostly, has a nice area for functional fitness training. So I'm excited about that.

On Sunday I made a workout that seemed pretty easy for my sister and I and we hit the gym

OH.MY.GOODNESS......
 It felt SO good to be back working out! I felt awesome..... until the next day and the day after that.. I hate DOMS.. even though I stretched and foam rolled my legs were Killing me.. with a Capital K!!! So Today is Weds and I'm finally feeling better...

I know getting back in the saddle will be a hard, slow process but I'm glad I've taken the first step!

So you know what this means right?! I will posting my workouts and progress.
I will be getting the Iphone 5 soon.. my 4 is crapping out and I'm due for an upgrade soon. As of now though I have NO memory on my iphone 4 so I have only been filming little vlogs on my macbook at home. But as soon as I get my new phone I will be filming more stuff.. So if you don't know or haven't checked out my youtube channel here it is foodieluvsfitness. Go and subscribe please and show some love by sharing with your friends :)


Till next time :)
Sherice oxox

Farmers Market

Hey Peeps~

Saturday my sister and I ventured downtown to the Farmers Market! It was such a beautiful day for it! It makes me feel good to know that I'm supporting local farmers and I'm getting organic food. Know your farmer, Know your food!

As we sat and shared a delicious Huckleberry Danish and drank our coffee, we listened to the band play and took it all in. I appreciate all the farmers who work so hard to bring their yummy, healthy, organic foods to us.

There where booths selling Honey, Flowers, Meats, veggies, starts for all sorts of veggies, herbs, breads, eggs, and cheeses!

I love this picture...

I didn't get this exact Honey but I did get some that was Alfalfa and Goldenrod... it's really yummy!

here's what I did get..

2 lbs ground beef, 2 lbs stew meat, 1 pint honey, 1 flat strawberries (that are just about gone), a delicious loaf of Italian bread, 2 bunches radishes, a basil plant and a yummy Chipotle garlic chevre. I've never had goat cheese and I'm sold. My sister got a round of the lavendar and we shared.

The Strawberries were from Hermiston Or and I should have gotten 2 flats.. they were so good. Then I came home and made a late breakfast from what I bought.

Coffee, some of the Italian bread, 1 egg + 2 egg whites with some of the Chipotle Chevre , and some strawberries w/ honey! It hit the spot!

DO you have a Farmers Market where you live? If so, do you go?

Sunday was a lazy day but I did manage to get this workout done! It was brutal. I haven't done a H.I.I.T workout for a while.

If your on Instagram feel free to follow me.... foodieluvsfitness...

Have a great week!

OX Sherice

Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies :)

Hi ~

I've been watching some great videos on Tara Stiles youtube channel and come across this recipe. It originally came from a blog called 101 cookbooks, http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html.

These cookies are really good!! They can be eaten as a snack, dessert or even a breakfast cookie.. I'm going to use the base and switch up some chip flavors and see what happens. I'm thinking Peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips or chunks would be wonderful!
 I always have Bananas in my freezer. That's were they go when they get spotted and brown. They add the perfect amount of sweetness and keep the cookies nice and moist. Along with the Coconut and almond meal, They have a wonderful nutty banana chocolate flavor. In Sherice fashion I added another ingredient.. Flax seed meal.

I will be enjoying a few of these with my morning coffee and some fruit tomorrow... how will you eat yours?

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate chip Cookies

3 bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup warmed coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal.. ground up almonds, I did this using my coffee grinder. I'm pretty sure Bob's Redmill brand sells almond meal
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, again Bob's Redmill has an organic unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbls Flax seed meal 
6-7 oz dark chocolate bar chopped or chips

Mix first 3 ingredients in a bowl.  In separate bowl combine next 6 ingredients, mix well. add the dry into the wet and mix together. Then stir in the chocolate. put spoonfuls or you can use a small ice cream scooper, that's what I use. Then bake on parchment lined baking sheet or baking stone for 10 -14 mins.

Nutritional info on these delicious little cookies.. they are about 1-2 bites..
1 cookie
calories 70
fat 1.7 g
carbs 7.7 g
sugar 1.2 g


For Dinner I made a favorite standby at our house. Quick and easy Chicken Enchiladas. This is probably not the healthiest, figure friendly recipe but it could be worse.

1 can 99% fat free cream of chicken soup. I use a small mesh strainer and I use a spatula to strain the yucky fake chicken pcs out of the soup

1 can Rotel

tortillas corn or flour. corn would be healthier
1/2 cup lite sour cream
2 chicken breasts cubed or shredded. a couple times a month I will cook 6-7 organic chicken breasts in my crockpot with some chicken stock and then shredded them. so I have cooked shredded chicken breast in my freezer for quick meals. But I have also used rotisserie chicken breasts from the grocery store.

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Cheese.. I use chedder and pepperjack.

put everything together except cheese and tortillas.. 

spray a cassarole dish or a pan w/ cooking spray

layer tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese until you reach the top of your dish. Then cover with foil and bake at 350 - 400 degrees until nice and bubbly, at that time take off foil and let top get brown and bubbly. 

Then top with whatever your heart desires! I like avocado, salsa, cilantro, black olives and tomatoes! DELICIOUS!! 

I did my workout today so I don't feel to guilty about having this for dinner. Did you do a workout today? If so, tell me about it :)

Here's my workout for today 1/18/12 

15 sec rest/40sec work/20 rds/4x thru = about 18 mins

1. side to side squats w/ 12lbs

10, 11, 10, 10

2. Push ups

13, 12, 10, 10

3. Diagonal Knee raises on dipstation
18, 15, 17, 17

4. overhead tricep extension w/12lb
15, 16, 15 17

5. Dbl Crunches
16, 18, 19, 20

Then I did this short, less than 10 min yoga routine by Tara Stiles. I need more breathing in my life. She says when you breath deeply your creating more space.. when your letting out the breath your creating space... I need more space. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pnOoxwi9aE&feature=channel_video_title
Yoga looks really easy. Oh it's just stretching but wow doing it is another thing. I enjoy it! I just need to learn to breath through the moves. I find myself concentrating so hard on doing the stretches and holding them that I'm not breathing deep and evenly like I should be. If anyone has some advice on this, please leave a comment. Or leave a comment about whatever you'd like! :)

Sherice ox

Hottie Tottie Workout!

Hi guys!

So, I'm going to start using a food journal again for a while. I need to get myself back on track and I know this will help. I use a regular notebook. That way I can carry it around with me so I don't have to try and remember every single thing I put into my mouth.

I really want to be successful with my weight loss and get to where I want to be or close to it by summer. I want to get a new bikini and enjoy the boat we bought at the end of the summer last yr and not feel fat, frumpy, old and out of shape!

I cannot wait to get some sun and have some family time camping and enjoying the lake every chance we get this coming summer. There is nothing more relaxing than closing your eyes, kicking back and getting lost in the motion of the water!



My sister and I are also doing a "mud run" in June called The Dirty Dash so I better get in gear! 

So this is what I've eaten today......

9am ~ 3 cups coffee w/ 2 tbls creamer, 3 egg whites with garlic powder, mushrooms, onions, basil and pepperjack cheese w/ 1 slice Ezekiel bread w/ butter
11:30 am ~ 2 tuna salad lettuce wraps.. romaine, 1/2 avocado, tomatoes and 1 serving (20) BBQ pop chips
1 pm ~ 1 protein ball http://foodieluvsfitness.blogspot.com/2011/12/nut-butters.html
2:30 pm ~ 1 choc strawberry banana protein smoothie
3:30 pm ~ 16 oz single wh. choc mocha
6:00 pm ~ huge salad with tons of veggies, crushed pita chips, 1 slice pepperjack cheese, and 2 tbls lite balsamic dressing, 1 1/2 cup homemade tomato, basil soup, 1 mozzarella stick
so far my water hasn't been great today.. I've had about 48 oz
I will probably have a piece of fruit or some yogurt in a little while.. I'm already feeling my tummy rumbling again.

I can already tell by looking at what I've eaten today that I'm not eating enough fruits and veggies, I'm drinking to much coffee & I need to cut down on the cheese. That is why a food journal is so important. In my mind it doesn't seem the same as it is when I can see it on paper, besides I'm a very visual person so seeing it is twice as helpful to keep me on track.

Another goal of mine is to be working out 5 days a week w/ 2 active rest days. By active rest days that means, a bike ride, climbing the rock wall, a hike, going to the park and throwing the frisbee around, playing a game of tennis or walking my dogs... anything that is active but not a "workout" at the gym.


The Hottie Tottie workout ~ I did this workout on 1/5 (wow time flys)
20 sec rest/40 sec work/20 rds/4x thru = 20 mins & during the 20 sec rest interval I did 10 Mt. Climbers to keep my heart rate up since I didn't really have any cardio in this workout


1. 1 leg toe touch w/ 15 lb kettle bell (L)
14, 12, 14, 15

10 Mt. Climbers

2. 1 leg toe touch w/15 lb kb (R)
14, 15, 16, 16

10 Mt. Climbers

3. Hanging knee raises
19, 20, 20, 18

10 Mt. Climbers

4. Wall sits during the 30 sec work interval

10 Mt. Climbers

5. Knee tucks and a pike on stability ball
8, 7, 7, 7

10 Mt. Climbers


when I was done with that I did a skipping rope interval ~ 10 sec rest/30 sec work/24 rds = 16 min

How do you feel about keeping a food journal? Do you or do you keep a tally in your head? What are some of your goals?  I'd love to hear your input, so leave me a comment! :)

ox Sherice