Motivational Monday – Running is Mental

What a weekend! My mom and completed our 4th Women’s Running Series Half Marathon. We drove down to St. Pete yesterday and visited the expo to pick up our race packets and enjoyed an amazing dinner at a great restaurant on Beach Drive! Sunday morning we got up before dawn and made our ways to the start.

We stay at a hotel right across the street from the starting line so it is super convenient! 3-2-1 and we were off! The first 7 miles went by pretty fast. I found the 2:00 pace group and was able to keep up with them for a good distance. Since I wanted to finish in under 2:00, I figured I would stick with them until the end. Around mile 8 my legs were yelling at me. I had done a 10 mile training run so this was odd. We came upon a water station with Power Gel so I decided I better grab one. As I was eating that and drinking water, I watched the 2:00 group get further and further away. “That is OK,” I thought, “If I can keep the 2:00 sign in my sights, I can still beat my previous time.”

Off I went and each mile, the more my legs hurt and the sign got further away. I tried every mental trick in the book; I listened to music, prayed, recited mantras, you name it but nothing seemed to work. Finally, I saw the 10 mile sign and I knew I only had a 5K (3.1 miles) left. That was the hardest 3.1 miles of my life! Thank goodness for the cheering spectators along the route; they make the experience so much better. So I started with my mantras and prayers again and continued through the final stretch. As I turned the corner, I saw I was nearing the finish line. According to my watch, I was so close to my 2:00 goal! I heard the cheering and the announcer and there it was! “Pick up your feet!” I told myself, “you have a little push left.” I heard them announce the 2:00 pace group just in front of me, so I knew the possibility was still there to make it in under 2:05. I finally made it across the finish line at 2:00:51 on their clock and 1:59:10 on my watch. I did it! I beat my PR!

My official time was 1:58:57 🙂 We did it! We both finished and both agreed that this was the toughest half-marathon we had completed. I am so proud of my mom! She ran with a cold and still made great time. She is an inspiration! 

I saw a funny bumper sticker in the parking lot of the hotel that said,
“Running is a mental sport and we’re all insane!”
After this race, I would have to agree!

FIT Hits the PAN Friday – “Skinny” Pumpkin Cheesecake

This weekend is the Women’s Half Marathon and although I hear you are supposed to eat a little more before a big race, I struggled with calories this week. When you are used to eating somewhat healthy (key word “somewhat”), adding in extra calories is tough! Tonight, my efforts included a low(er) fat pumpkin cheesecake 🙂 I searched all over the web for a good recipe and this is a combo of several so I suppose I can call it my own! You will notice “skinny” is in quotes; you will understand when you see the nutritional info. I should warn you that I used the pre-made pie crust that is jam packed with really bad things. We eat cheesecake so rarely that I didn’t see the harm (don’t judge).

Skinny Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nutrition Info: Serving Size – 1 piece
Serves 8
253 calories/16 g fat/10 g sugar/7 g protein/20 g carbs/40 mg cholesterol

Ingredients

• 2 – 8 oz packages of 1/3 fat cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 c pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c sugar or sugar substitute (I used Stevia)
• 2 eggs (I used 6 tbsp of egg whites)
• 1 reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust

Directions

• Preheat the over to 350 degrees
• Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
• Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the mixture into crust and bake 25-30 minutes or until the center has set.

I have to confess, I had two pieces It was really good!

Stop being so critical of yourself!

I stumbled across this photo online and it bears repeating.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

I have been a lazy blogger this month. Maybe it is the time change or the weather change. My creative juices have been more like a stagnant puddle. On an exciting note; my presentation at the gym went great! I even managed to bring on a new client 🙂 I am so excited! I love helping people find joy through healthy living!

I plan to cook a bunch this week, so I will share an awesome recipe I tried from my favorite site (SkinnyTaste.com). This is a great choice for a busy week because it calls for the use of the beloved crock pot! I don’t think I have shared my affinity for slow cooking. It is like having someone (or something) cook for you! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

Ingredients:

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

Directions:
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.

The right time

Motivational Monday!

My first speaking gig!

I am so excited! I was asked to speak at my gym this Saturday. This is my first presentation and I am really looking forward to sharing what I have learned over the last year. My goal with the talk is to help people understand that healthy living can be fun! It is not the same as dieting since it is something we incorporate everyday. A healthy life doesn’t mean eating bran every morning and salads every night. I want people to understand that food can be an adventure. Every ingredient brings about new opportunity!

I see that excitement in many of the the blogs I read. Many of you truly enjoy food and have a passion to share your creations with others! I want to encourage you to keep blogging! You are an inspiration to me and others to get out there and try new things!

A Nice Infographic About My Favourite Seed!

Quinoa!!!!

Love and Lentils

Did you know if quinoa is not harvested, it would sprout into a leafy green vegetable?

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Chocolate Frosting with a Whole Food Twist

Sounds delicious!

food to glow

It is not very often that I go a bit crazy with my own cooking. Like most cooks and food bloggers I will make stuff, serve it, write about it, but gosh don’t I get embarrassed when people like it. Do you do that too?

It is not that we aren’t grateful for adulation – not at all, please don’t stop – but we can be a bit awkward and weirdly shy. My schtick is that I hem and haw and say something like “oh, it doesn’t have enough salt in it,” or “it was in the oven about five minutes too long” (that was yesterday’s rebuttal to the lemon polenta cake I brought to a class). To some this may smack of false modesty, but I am sure that the majority of the time most of us praise-rebuffers are not fishing for compliments: we genuinely…

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FIT Hits the PAN Friday – Brian’s Vegetable Soup

I did not cook much this week. We made a huge batch of soup earlier in the week and just finished it today. I love vegetable soup because anything goes! You can make it chunky (or not) and you can add all the veggies you have left in the refrigerator and it all blends well together. My husband has a base he uses that is always a great hit. Enjoy!

Brian’s Vegetable Soup

Ingredients (you can use any variety of vegetables)

• 1 tsp olive oil (to saute’ the onions and garlic)
• 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups of carrots (sliced or diced)
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 can kidney beans (you can use dried for lower sodium but make sure you cook them before you add them)
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, saute’ the garlic and onions in the olive oil until clear. Add all of the liquid to the pot. Last, add all of the veggies and let simmer on medium-low for 2-3 hours. The liquid amount is really your preference. I prefer a chunkier soup and my husband likes it, well, more soupy!

Serve with your favorite crusty bread, over rice, over mashed potatoes or by itself! We ate it with cheese tortellini last night and it was very good!

Motivational Monday – SMILE!

Top 10 Reasons to Smile

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive

We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away — but a smile draws them in.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood

Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious

When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress

Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you’ll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System

Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure

When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin

Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger

The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don’t go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day — you’ll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful

Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is Good!” Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.