Whole30 Day 2

Breakfast:  fruit & nut salad (cantelope, almonds, coconut, ground flax seed, chia seeds and low-fat coconut milk)
Lunch: Pork loin, green salad, zucchini with onions, tangerine
Dinner: apple, almond butter, lara bar (key lime pie, yum)


So, today wasn't too tough.  I was super hungry by lunch time - I hardly drank any water, which I'm sure contributed to it.  I made up for it in the aafternoon though.

Not so bad, no cravings, no mood swings yet...  Woo Hoo!!

The Whole30

Hey my friends!!!
After a long hiatus.... I'm back and well ready to clean house!! Ok, it's not spring cleaning I'm talking about (although my cupboards need it) I'm talking working from the inside out! I have decided to do a clean food cleanse! Huh? What? I know, no Vegan diet, no quantum wellness cleanse, not another detox.... I'm talking about going the Whole9 (pun intended).

For those not familiar with the Whole9 it is geared towards a "paleo" lifestyle of nutrition and eating, yet  it's more focused on healthy, clean nutrition than how the neanderthals ate :/

Today I began what has been coined the "Whole30" which is 30 days of eating clean, balanced amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates.  A diet founded on eating the three macronutrients, free of processed refined ingredients that most of our food contains.  Resetting my body systems and catapulting me into a groundwork aimed at a healthy way of life to live for the long haul.

Here are a few of the principles of the Whole30 approach (not for the faint at heart)

The Whole30 Program Rules

Yes: Eat real food.

Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive detail in our free shopping list.

No: Avoid for 30 days.

More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.

• Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
• Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
• Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
• Do not eat white potatoes. This is somewhat arbitrary, but if we are trying to change your habits (chips and fries) and improve the hormonal impact of your food choices, it’s best to leave white, red, purple, Yukon gold, and fingerling potatoes off your plate.
• Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
• No Paleo-ifying baked goods, desserts, or junk foods. Trying to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold will ruin your program faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” This means no desserts or junk food made with “approved” ingredients—no banana-egg pancakes, almond-flour muffins, flourless brownies, or coconut milk ice cream. Don’t try to replicate junk food during your 30 days! That misses the point of the Whole30 entirely.

One last and final rule: You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program. This is about so much more than just weight loss, and to focus on your body composition means you’ll miss out on the most dramatic and lifelong benefits this plan has to offer. So, no weighing yourself, analyzing body fat or taking comparative measurements during your Whole30. (We do encourage you to weigh yourself before and after, however, so you can see one of the more tangible results of your efforts when your program is over.)

- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-two#sthash.clMXDFbp.dpuf

Handstands at Niagara falls!!

Ok, I know, I have been away too long!! And for good reason....

I got my CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certification and am still recovering from that! 

I will be posting a full review of the course, what I've learned and the new goals I've set!

Until then, this is for your viewing pleasure!!!

 

 

 

Creamy Almond Milk

 

Wow!!! Now I feel like I'm getting there! I'm not afraid of my

Vitamix anymore and I whip things up like nothing these days!

My friend JM warned me: "Once you make your first batch of fresh almond milk,

you'll never go back to store bought"....

 

Almond Milk

1 cup Raw Almonds

3 cups Filtered Water

Nut Milk Bag

(you can also use a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth)



 

First you will need to soak the Almonds in water for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight

 

 

Once hydrated they look nice and plump!

 

 

 

Add youringredients to your blender and blend on high speed for 2 minutes

 Once it is blended to the desired consistancy, pass through a fine mesh sieve (or in my case I only had cheese cloth on hand)

 

And that's IT!! At this point you can add any other ingredients you like.  Consider Pure Vanilla Extract (1/2 tsp), Honey (1 tbsp), Dates (2-3), Raw Cacao powder (1 tbsp) the options are endless!

 

Well, I am a BELIEVER!!! This is the creamiest, freshest, most flavorful milk I have ever tasted!! I'm not just tootig my own horn people, this is good stuff!

 

Creamy Almond Butter

 

One of the AMAZING things about this machine, is that you can make virtually anything that supports a Clean, healthy, plant based life-style. This is how we roll (or blend)

  

 

Ingredients: ALMONDS

 

 

Ready???

 

This is how it looks about half way through....

 

 

Almost there!!!

 

Aaaahhhhhhhh!!

 

 

 

Seriously people, you should be making this!!  For those of us that are a little challenged, here's the recipe:

 

 

Almond Butter

3 cups Almonds (Raw or Roasted)

 

Place the almonds in your food processor.  Blend on Medium speed for 1 minute, then on high for 6-7 minutes until desired consistency is reached.

 

In my Vitamix, it was warm and oh so creamy and good when it came out!!

Let me know if you try it!

 



 

 

Has it been that long???

Yes!!! It has been like 6 months since I last posted!! With the latest invent (and my newest obsession)  Instagram, I've been a little side-tracked!!

That being said, Sea & I have been SUPER busy with our new LOVE..... Our Vitamix.  I'll start here. We've decided to institute in our hoe: 365 of VITAMIX!  Doesn't really matter what it is, but at least once daily we will be utilizing this wonderful machine!  Here's our beauty looks like:

 

I decided on the "Reconditioned" model that Vitamix offers on their website. I know that Costco has them for sale around the country right now, but I wanted to get the "New Generation" series.

 

 It touts a new quieter, more powerful motor, a shorter wider 64-oz container (that is BPA-free)!  Because it's "reconditioned" it's not considered Refurbished, no broken parts or anything, it just means that 1. someone returned it within the 30-day period of use or 2. It was used as a "model/demo"

 

 

  Although the base/motor is "reconditioned" the container, tamper and cookbook are all BRAND NEW.  That was a plus for me too!  When I opened it, I fully inspected every inch of this thing and it doesn't have a scratch, a smudge or any indication it was EVER used!!. 

We are in LOVE!!  

Raw VEGAN Energy Bars

Who couldn't use a mid-afternoon pick-me-up?  I know I could!! These bars are amazing!  Good to keep on hand when you get the munchies or in the mood for something a little sweet or pre-workout like me on most days!  Easy ingredients, even easier to make!  Thanks for the inspiration Felicia!! 

 

 

Energy Bars

INGREDIENTS:

 

1/2 cup Almonds

1/2 cup cashews or walnuts

1/2 cup pistachios or pepitas

2 cups pitted dates

1/4 cup dried cherries (chopped)

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/2 cup dried coconut

3 tablespoons chia seeds or flaxseeds

 

Place the nuts in the food processor and pulse a few times until nuts are coarsely chopped, set aside. Blend the dates in the food processor. It will be very, very sticky. Transfer it into a bowl and then mix in all the other ingredients.

 

 

 

 

Wet your hands slightly and knead and fold the ingredients together by hand. It will be tough but if you knead and fold it will eventually all be mixed togeher. 

 

 

Press the ball of ingredients into a wax paper lined 9" x 13" baking pan. Chill for 1 hour in the freezer and then cut into bars. 

 

I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator, it keeps them at a nice firm consistency.

Hope you love them as much as we do!

Sprinting through Cadman park

Some may not realize that Crossfitters can do other things bedsides lift weights!!

The girls and I have been trying to incorporate more running (and cardio in general) into our WODs and well, today's did not disappoint!  And we got to do it outside!!

Today's WOD

100 Meter Sprints

10 rounds

for BEST time

Our Best time was 10 seconds!!!

 

First time in Tucson

 

So, we had the privilege of going to Tucson Arizona for the Special Talk and we had a blast!!!

Good food and great friends!!  Sad it went by so quickly!

Tucson National Forest

KH project



KH project

 

Casa Grande Assembly hall

Casa Grande Assembly hall

Casa Grande Assembly hall

Casa Grande Assembly hall

Juice Detox

Sometimes, you just need to reset your body.  It may be as simple as taking out a few quality moments for yourself, or eating cleaner for a day or two.  Well, we decided to do a detox juice cleanse for the weekend to reset our guts!! We loved all that wonderful food we ate in california, but my gut was screaming for this!

We went straight to the farmers Market.  I'm so glad we have one just a few blocks away.  Getting fresh organic ingredients makes all the difference!!  I love kale, any variety.  The greener the Better!
Need more convincing.....

Top 10 Benefits of Kale

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.