Menu Plan Monday 2015 #10

 Last week's menu was pretty successful for the most part, we took lots of snacks to Belgium and threw out a couple of meals in favor of leftovers! ha! My workout schedule was not successful, I tried a couple of days, but coupled with all the sight seeing we were doing and still not being 100% apparently I had to abandon my plan and listen to my body.

Let us move on to this week!

Workout Schedule

• Sunday: Yoga
• Monday: 3 mile run, fit tutor
• Tuesday: Insanity workout
• Wednesday: 2 mile run, fit tutor
• Thursday: Yoga
• Friday: 3 mile run, fit tutor
• Saturday: Insanity workout

Weekly Goals

• Meal plan, prep, and stick to it.
• Bike to one cultural event.
• Create four items to list in Etsy store.
• Complete 4 hours of Dutch practice, and try and conduct one meeting with a Dutch person in Dutch.

Weekly Menu

Breakfast

• Sunday: Cheese Crescents with fruit salad
• Monday: Smoothie bowl
• Tuesday: Quinoa Oatmeal (Thug Kitchen Cookbook)
• Wednesday: Eggs with sweet potato
• Thursday: Quinoa Oatmeal
• Friday: Eggs with sweet potato
• Saturday: Eggs, pancakes, sausage

Lunch

• Sunday: Snacks/Leftovers
• Kiddo: Sandwich with cucumber and orange slices x2
• Kiddo: Leftovers x2
• Kiddo: Buy one time
• Me:
• Monday: Grilled chicken with Italian cabbage salad
• WF: Chicken Salad
• Tu/Th: Tuna Salad
• Will Have a potato and leek soup to go with the meal each day (didn't get to this last week)
• Saturday: Panini's with Veggie Soup

Dinner

• Sunday: Tacos/Roasted Chickpea and Broccoli Burritos with side salad and apple-pear (once upon a time this said broccoli-pear sauce, I meant apple-pear, that is what I get for writing while hopped up on cough medicine! ha!) sauce. We are having a dinner guest and will serve for dessert Stroopwafel and coke floats!
• Monday: Coconut-lime rice with red beans and mango (a meal I didn't get to last week)
• Tuesday: Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf with side salad and apple-pear sauce
• Wednesday: Roasted cauliflower/chicken wings for the hubby, corn, fries, green beans
• Thursday: Zoodles with creamy tomato sauce and chicken (optional), from 21 Day Sugar Detox cookbook; Chicken carbonara for hubby served with a side salad for everyone
• Friday: Leftovers/breakfast for dinner
• Saturday: Create something fabulous out of the leftovers, date night for the hubby and I, we will probably go for a movie and walk depending on the weather.

Snacks

• Rosemary almonds
• Cinnamon Spice Peppitas
• Banana and Coconut Slices (for the afternoons) with Earl Grey Lattes from Thug Kitchen Cookbook
• Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Bites
• There will also be a selection of string cheese, local cheese, leftovers, and smoked meat.

What are you eating and planning this week?

P.S, Join in on the parties over at Mommy Run Fast, Jill Conyers, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

The Fit Tutor +New Workout Schedule for February

Last month after going hard core on my workouts with Asylum Vol. 1, I decided to take things a little "easier" this month and create my own workout calendar and focus on eating less sugar.

I was offered a membership at The Fit Tutor in exchange for my opinion on the service Allison offers. I promise, as always, all opinions are my own. Keep reading for a special offer for my readers too ;)

I took this first week to just focus on the Fit Tutor program and see what it was like for me.

The advanced level was still a bit "easy" for me as far as exercises go, I do the max number of sets, 3, and get a pretty nice sweat going, but I have yet to wake up sore.

This program is nice, especially if you are a busy Mom because you can bring the example video up on your phone, watch it, then do the number of reps Allison suggests. You can move from room to room if you need to and do the exercises through out the day. Heck, you could even do these at the park while your kids play, that is just how versatile this sort of program is!

Allison is a great personal trainer. You can email her with any questions and she answers in a timely manner. Each instructional video is short and to the point. If there are variations for beginner, intermediate, and advanced she tells you in the video so even if you choose the "beginner" schedule, but an exercise is particularly easy you can choose to do a more advanced option and vice versa, if you choose the advanced version but it is too difficult you can do the beginner version (I have to do this with the ab exercises.)

So, if you would like to work out with me this first month use the code BloggerFIT over at The Fit Tutor and check it out! I will be doing daily check-ins over on my Facebook Page so come and join me, this will be fun!

Workout Schedule

So, tell me what does your workout look like this month? What are you doing to move? Do you think you'll join me over at The Fit Tutor?

Disclaimer: Like I stated earlier, I was offered a free membership in exchange for my opinion on the services offered at The Fit Tutor,  but all opinions expressed are my own.

What I Ate Wednesday +Week in Review of Workouts

Been a bit since I've written one of these. Been forgetting to photograph most of what I've been eating...probably because it all isn't healthy for me! ha!

I have been unmotivated to workout. I was doing P90X2 and it just wasn't challenging enough for me so I have gone back and am doing a round of Insanity with one day a week of some P90X upper body work. I will also do one to two days a week of running anywhere from 1-3 miles. Just sort runs but enough to keep my muscles long and stretched out.

Last Wednesday: PIYO Sweat
Thursday: PIYO Strength Intervals
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Bike ride and walk
Sunday: Rest
Monday: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tuesday: Cardio Power and Resistance + a nice long walk downtown to see a church and grab some fresh juice and tea at La Place at the top of the library
Today: Bike ride to my bookclub, one mile run, and Insanity Cardio Recovery

I am feeling great so far this week. I forgot how awesome this programme is and how moving at a high intensity really gets my body feeling good and trim so quickly. Of course, I am pairing it with super healthy eating. I have found gluten and alcohol just make me really tired so I have completely cut alcohol out and I am eating more and more gluten free, just having a few items that are low on the gluten scale.

So, without further ado...



Morning Coffee

Snack

I didn't actually eat the pumpkins but I couldn't resist making the smiley face ;)

Post Workout Breakfast

Eggs with tomato, onion, cheese, and pepper! YUM!

Lunch

Tuna salad with balsamic, apples, onions, and cheese

Snack

Best snack ever: 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1T chia seeds, 2T raw cacao powder, 1T wheat grass powder, blend!

Dinner

Chicken burgers over lettuce and acorn squash with caramelized onion.

Bonus dinner from Tuesday:

I took some leftover chili I had in the freezer and warmed it up while I roasted a small pumpkin. Then split the pumpkin in half and scooped out the seeds (save them and roast them excellent when the seeds have already been steamed), and put the warmed chili in and top with a little cheese...it was so amazing!

So, that is it for me this week, folks! What has been your favorite meal this week?

What I Ate Wednesday +workout update!

Whew, hump day already!! I know my husband and kiddo are glad the week is half over...can't wait to sail into the weekend! But, this last week I had some delicious eats...here are the highlights:

This was our breakfast Saturday. It was so good. The night before I made croissants, then I took the leftovers and stuffed them with egg, cheese, tomatoes, and onions and put them on our George Foreman grill and grilled them up like Panini's! Everyone agreed they were amazing. On mine I put a smear of laughing cow & mustard too.

This was my post workout lunch one day last week...I made mini caprese pizza's! Just a few thick slices of tomato, put a basil leaf on and sprinkle with cheese. On one I had a leftover bean burger so I put that one there too. I had a few hard boiled egg whites...my dirty little secret: I DESPISE hard boiled egg yolk lol

This was our Saturday dinner. We had some amazing fries, but had them fairly late and weren't super hungry so I just rolled out some croissant dough, mixed some tomato sauce & tomato paste together, seasoned them added cheese and we had an instant quick light dinner! It hit the spot after a long day in the sun doing tons of walking sight seeing around town.

This was post workout just yesterday. Some brown rice with tomatoes sauteed in garlic butter with cheese, and some salad on top! Super filling.

Now on to my workout update! I am still plugging along with my double days...some days are better than others with hitting the doubles here lately. I am really sore everyday. Not a bad sore, definitely a good sore, but sore none the less. I am seeing huge differences all over my body...my hubby said he is too. I don't know if he is just saying that because he knows how sore I am or if he is really seeing them...I am going to trust him, he usually won't lie to me about that ;) haha

Last Thursday: Piyo Drench...today was a rest day from X2

Friday: X2 Yoga...was also supposed to do Piyo Buns, but this workout tends to bother my hips and
I was so sore so I skipped it.

Seeing major changed in my flexibility and balance. I can hold crow for a good 10 seconds and I am getting my legs closer together in wheel! YAY!

Saturday: Rest day but did tons of walking.
Sunday: Piyo Strength and lots of walking

I included this just because I love pictures of my jumping! ha! Plus, the shirt in this picture was really form fitting at one point and really tight and now it is loose! Look at it flying up in my jump! :D

Monday: This started a recovery week for X2. Piyo Drench and foam rolling
Tuesday: X2 Yoga
Today: Piyo Hardcore on the floor and buns. My two least favorite but they need to be done. I am finally seeing major changes in my bum and my stomach is definitely pulling up and getting flatter and I am seeing tons of definition in my obliques so I know they need to keep getting worked so I can continue to see that definition.

I am so glad this is a recovery week. I am taking it easy with the workouts and trying to do just one workout a day, making today my hardest day all week and I may not do the buns one will just depend on my hip.

I have been proud of myself for really cleaning up my eating again. I am feeling so much better and have a ton of energy, but at night I crash and I sleep super hard and have even been waking up naturally before my alarm (which is a big deal with our blackout curtains lol).

So, that sums it up for me! What have you been eating this week?!

Werkin' on my fitness...

Well, well, well, halfway through the week! Hard to believe it is that time already! My little pumpkin will be home before I know it!



This week I've been gobbling up lots of delicious food...here is a selection from yesterday:

Breakfast was a sad event. I had to eat alone since the kiddo is off at camp. Luckily I got to talk to her but I was still sad to have coffee and brekkie all by myself. *sniff*sniff*

Post-workout wound up keeping me full for a VERY long time.

Chocolate shakeology make with one cup of almond milk, a banana, 4 dates, and 4 ice cubes.

I am almost out, may have to have some friends that are moving here bring along a few bags for me lol

Lunch was this interesting sandwich I put together with some leftovers. I was supposed to make chili with it but I really wanted BBQ flavor so I made something similar to chipped beef sandwich.

Just leftover browned ground beef, add some bbq sauce, warm up, put on baguette with gouda, melt, add onion and lettuce!

I had a tiny spoonful of nutella for post-lunch dessert.

Yes, I know you are thinking wtf, post lunch dessert?! It works for me. If I don't allow myself something small after lunch I feel deprived and the rest of my diet will go to hell in a handbasket quicker than you can say fried chicken. So, having the little spoonful keeps me sane.

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up. Yup, afternoon coffee and a book.



Dinner was supposed to be this great little recipe I found on pinterest. But, two things happened 1) I apparently was on a bbq kick and really wanted bbq'd chicken legs and 2) I didn't want potatoes but wanted mac and cheese instead. I guess I needed a taste of home!

Dessert...yup I have dessert too lol Nothing huge, but it keeps my goals on track. Today's wasn't bad since I had the nutella earlier ;)

Just a small glass of Apple-Elderberry juice. This is fresh and delicious. Yum!

Workouts

Last week I did amazing at keeping up with my doubles. I hit every double, every day! I always feel so good when that happens. This week is starting off ok. Tuesday was better than Monday...

Last Thursday....X2 total body and Piyo Lower
Friday...X2 Yoga and Piyo Sweat
Saturday...X2 Balance and Power and Piyo Strength

Sunday...Day off...foam rolling and stretching and lots of walking.
Monday....X2 Core (I did this halfheartedly..I am not a fan of this workout lol) and Piyo Sweat-I gave 120%
Tuesday....Plyocide and Hard core on the floor....both were excellent workouts. Exhausting, but excellent.

Wednesday(Today)....Piyo buns...X2 is a rest day but I am going to go downtown and do a walking tour with my Nikon...it is beautiful and sunny, can't wait to explore a bit.

I am seeing huge changes since starting X2 and Piyo. I am also being really mindful of what I am putting into my body. Sticking to my meal plans and adding in "desserts" where they work for me and my body. I think my goal of seeing my abs again by my birthday in mid-November will definitely be happening!

So, share with me, what was your favorite thing you ate this last week?

Glorious Summer What I Ate Wednesday +week in review of workouts!

I really have to get a better title for my What I Ate Wednesday posts...these are hard though because well, they are what they are! But, I had a *spam* commenter say the titles were "boring" and if a spammer thinks its boring...in my mind there is no doubt it is...so I need to get my creative brain flowing.....so this week I added "Glorious Summer" to the title since we kicked off summer vacation this past week finally....but, I still need to figure out what else to title these...for now though, I will continue to call a spade a spade ;)




I feel like I wasn't a very good journal-er for this week my food photos are really sort of random! ha!

Breakfast one morning: Oatmeal with almond milk, coconut oil, blueberries, chia seeds, blueberries, banana slices, cinnamon, and a tiny bit of vanilla sugar (I made, recipe coming soon it is amazing)

This was a quinoa scramble minus the eggs. We've been using up food because I am too lazy to transport it from one house to the other lol So this has a little bit of everything in it: peppers, onions, mushrooms, quinoa patties I made and had frozen topped with a bit of cheese. It was perfect after a nice 40 minute run & some insanity cardio recovery.

I confess: this is canned pineapple lol It was still delicious & I used the pineapple juice it was packed in to make a delicious drink with pineapple juice, pear juice, and some lemon...it was very yellow. :P

This is probably my most favorite salad ever! I will be posting the recipe soon...but it is so delish!

Hubby worked late one night and the kiddo and I didn't have to be creative so veggie nuggets and sweet potato pieces and onions it was. Easy, fast, and we had leftovers ;)

Finally...we had a great little treat day this past week on Friday. School let out Thursday so we partied hearty on Friday with a day at the beach & some delicious treats!

For me: Mojito...so tasty! For teenager: Coke

We split this tasty little concoction....nachos with salsa and guac and some chicken satay. Satay was a bit much for me I only had one skewer...the teenager devoured them though! 

Finally...some ice cream! No better way to kick off summer than some awesome ice cream and a walk on a bright sunny day along the canals of Amsterdam!

It was a great week and I really stuck to eating clean and healthy a majority of the time! This is good for me because I have been caught in a "cheating rut" for a while now...(btw, a "cheating rut" is where every meal is a cheat meal lol)

Now for my week in workouts! This has been a fantastic week for me. My legs are super sore, but I am more energized and feeling accomplished after my workouts even on days when I wasn't particularly looking forward to the workouts...

Last Wednesday: Ran 30 minutes and stretched...I did my C25K...it truly was an awful run. I was still lethargic after our Paris trip but, I got out there and did it and had a great time! 

Thursday: Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance

Friday: we were at the beach all day and our train coming home was late! We at dinner and I ALMOST didn't work out....but, I started getting mad at myself for not working out so I got up & did it! This is the end result of Insanity Pure Cardio! 

Sweaty & gross but feeling amazing!

Saturday: P90X Stretch and date night since it was raining all day I wasn't up for a run in the freezing rain ;)

Sunday: Got up at 7am and went for a run before everyone got up...did a 40 minute run then came home and did Insanity Cardio Recovery. 

Monday: 20 minute run with the teenager that included two sets of 20 second sprints, then some Insanity Cardio Abs...my abs still ache ;)

Tuesday: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Starting today I may have to change my schedule around since it looks like it is supposed to be really rainy the rest of this week and I am not a fan of running in the rain in this colder European climate....but, hopefully it will be nice enough for me to get up and do my 40 minute scheduled run with my cardio recovery...but we will see...may wind up being pure cardio ;)

How about you...if you run do you run in the rain? If you don't run what is your favorite thing to do for exercise?

What I Ate Wednesday +workout review-Europe Week 3

Hello! Hello!

Hard to believe we have now been living in Amsterdam for three weeks! Time sure does fly. I am really enjoying cooking these days. I think because there isn't nearly as much convenience it puts my laziness at bay ;) If you check out my menu plan Monday post from earlier this week I showcased a few dinner's I cooked last week from The Fresh 20 Cookbook.

Banana pancakes topped with a coconut oil & peanut butter with greek yoghurt, blueberries & honey.

I called this concoction cheesy chicken bruschetta eggs

Detox banana split..heavenlly!

Amazing sandwich!

I know this looks kind of gross lol but it was amazing! Ultra clean meatballs from Blogilates 12 week new body makeover and a sweet potato with frozen spinach mixed in! Super tasty!

I've really been working hard these last two weeks to clean up my eating. I was way too lax on the desserts & even though my size has stayed the same luckily because I've packed on some extra fat my clothes aren't fitting quite the way I want lol So, just a few less desserts & really amping up the good foods..ya know the ones that actually fill me up! ;)

Workouts

May 14-C25K Week 1, Day two Goodbye Stress Stretch
May 15-Since I didn't do a barre workout on the 14th I decided to do two today: Barre Workout for butt and thighs and Cardio barre
May 16-Woke up with very sore thighs & obliques after yesterday lol C25K Week 1, Day three (whoop whoop, finished that) and Floor barre
May 17th- Off, visited a friend in Haarlem (lots of walking)
May 18th- Nice yoga stretch +tons of walking
May 19th- C25K Week 2, Day 1 and stress release stretch
May 20th- P90x3 Yoga
May 21st-C25K Week 2, Day 2 & one full song workout

So I am totally loving the full song workouts I think I am going to add those to the end of each C25K day now. If you find them on buzzfeed they even have the sound cloud clip that goes with each workout!

Anyway, what was your favorite dish this week?

What I Ate Wednesday-Europe Week 2

Well, we are around at hump day AGAIN! Just a few more days until the weekend...can we make it?! I hope so! We've been having some great meals since moving to the Netherlands and I have really found a joy for eating healthy, unprocessed foods again! My body is so thanking me!

So, here is...

French toast with banana's & honey...my daughter & I split this for breakfast was so filling!

Then, some apple & cranberry juice at a pub with hubby. I Love the muddler (is that a word?! LOL) they give you to smash up your lemon with!

The lunch I had was amazing. Baked egg covered in cheese and it had ham & tomato inside. I couldn't eat it all but it was tempting lol

Locally made Dutch ice cream. This is so creamy and amazing. Thank goodness I just got a small scoop because I could have done some damage with this. It was called chocolate chip cookie.

My mother's day dessert...chocolate ice cream with whipped cream...thank goodness for small bowls to make me feel like that was a lot of ice cream hehe

This has been my breakfast the last couple of days. An orange, banana, and cherries. So tasty the flavours when mixed together taste like an orange cherry creamsicle!

My coffee this morning was all like well, Meow hehe

Our meatless-ish Monday dinner...yams with cheese and green onions and eggs scrambled with cheese, tomato, and green onion. I've been on a serious green onion kick the last couple of days!

This last week I've been doing some fun workouts...I got some new running shoes so I was able to start my C25K running...

Aren't they adorable?! #sweatpink

So here is my review of workouts:

May 8th-Ultimate Hot Body Workout

May 9th-Barre Workout

May 10th-Off went shopping all day and had a fun party that night & then walked the Red Light district so that was workout enough in 6" heels!

May 11th-Off-out late the night before, it was mother's day and we had to go to another city for a cheerleading practice. I walked a solid 6 miles that day lol a workout was not happening

May 12th-Day 1 of C25K & Barre workout

May 13th-Ballet Body Sculpt (Barre)-Her dog is hilarious & does a "magic trick" haha

Today, May 14th-Day 2 of C25K & Barre workout for butt & thighs

What are you doing for your health? What have you been eating?