My 1500 calorie day

One thing I've realized is I love food. I love cooking it, creating new meals, shopping for food, stocking up on food, and especially eating food! I always tell people I run so I don't have to think about what I'm eating. But I'm realizing my body is slowly changing after having a baby and I need to pay more attention to what and how much food I am putting in my body.

What I've finally realized that works the best for me is to rotate meals. I'm trying to get these extra few pounds off of me so this week I wrote out a day's worth of 5 meals (300 calories each) and I am eating the same meals every day this week.

This made grocery shopping easier, counting the calories and measuring out the portions easier, logging in my food journal easier, and getting my discipline back with the food I eat. On Monday I brought to work with me all 5 days worth of mid-morning snacks, lunch, and afternoon snacks. That way I'm not staring at my fridge the night before thinking "what should I eat tomorrow?"

Here is my 1500 calories meal plan I am eating this week  -

Breakfast:
(omelet)
2 eggs, scrambled
1/2 cup bell peppers and onion, diced
3 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups baby spinach

1/2 grapefruit

Mid-Morning Snack:
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 medium Gala apple
1/2 cup of pistachio nuts

Lunch:
(salmon salad)
1 pkg cooked pink salmon
1/2 cup kidney beans
12 grape tomatoes
2 cups baby spinach
10 spritz of balsamic vinegar

1/8 cantaloupe

Mid-Afternoon Snack:
1 scoop chocolate peanut butter protein powder
10oz soy milk
3oz sugar snap peas

Dinner:
4oz grilled chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup broiled zucchini 

This all equals 1,522 calories. I am eating this many calories to help lose a couple extra pounds. Then when I am back to the weight I want to be at I will bump the calories up to 2,000. Even though I'm eating less calories, I feel my body is getting all the nutrition it needs and I am weening myself of the sugars that my body doesn't need.

Next week I will be choosing a new menu to eat. I'll post that next week as well!

Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup

I was looking for a good Lentil soup recipe and came across this recipe on one of my favorite blog sites. I made it last night exactly as the recipe called. The only difference was adding an extra cup of water at the end because I wanted it a bit more soupy.

I cannot begin to tell you how AMAZING this soup tastes. It's up there with one of the best soups I've ever had (only my grandma's soups are higher ranked). I recommend to not change anything from the recipe above. The turkey italian sausage made it tastes great and much healthier, too.

 I loved it so much I did the math and figured up the nutrition facts for it. If you follow the recipe above, you will get about 10 servings total. Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups full. Here's the nutrition contents for each serving:

Calories: 202
Fat:           6g
Protein:   22g
Carbs:     32g
Fiber:      16g
Sugar:       6g

One serving alone meets well over 100% of your vitamin A and vitamin C daily needs.

I just may make a pot every week. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am!

Eating smaller portions for fat loss

I have 5 weeks before my first attempt at a half marathon PR. To lose the few extra pounds I have on me I am changing my nutrition plan to eating 300 calorie meals 5 times a day (1500 total calories). That will equal out to at least 5 pounds lost in the next 5 weeks.

After doing all my food prep yesterday for the week, I realized just how much good, healthy, filling food I actually can eat for only 300 calories. I'll be posting pictures over the next weeks of what kind of meals I am eating for just 300 calories.

Here's my eating schedule:

4:30am - 100 calorie snack (if I work out that morning)
6:45am - meal one
9:45am - meal two
12:45pm - meal three
3:45pm - meal four
6:45pm - meal five

It will be roughly 1500 - 1700 calories depending on how hard my cardio was that day to refuel.

I just had my lunchtime meal and I am so stuffed I can barely finish my 300 calories! Crazy!

Here's an article I found that gives a visual of what 300 calories of food really looks like. It's unbelievable how much I was underestimating the caloric balance of certain foods I was eating.

Let the storm subside

Let the Storm Subside (written from the Joyce Meyer Devotional)

I have faced so many storms in my life, some like the quick afternoon storms that are common in the summertime and some that seemed like category four hurricanes!

If I have learned anything about weathering those storms, it has been that they don't last forever, and I don't need to make major decisions in the midst of them.

Thoughts and feelings run wild in the midst of crises, but those are exactly the times we need to be careful about making decisions. I often say to myself, "Let emotions subside before you decide."

We must remain calm and discipline ourselves to focus on doing what we can do and trust God to do what we can't do.
Instead of drowning in worry and fear, get in touch with God, who sees past the storm and orchestrates the big picture.

He makes sure everything that needs to happen in our lives happens at the right time, moves at the appropriate speed, and causes us to arrive safely at the destinations He has planned for us.

Bottom of Form

Psalm 46:1-3

·     1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her.

 My thoughts - 

Throughout my life I have been through many storms and I know I am not where I am today by my own strength. My parents divorced when I was 12 years old. My father was an alcoholic. Soon after, my mother also fell into the trap of addiction and chose cocaine for the next 13 years instead of her children.

I spent my middle school and early high school years living with my grandparents and the last two years of high school living in an apartment mostly on my own. I did not have the guidance, direction, or wisdom from my parents to help lead me in the right direction.

I knew God had a plan for me and it wasn’t to follow in my family’s footsteps. I threw myself into every school activity there was, tutored after school to elementary kids, and worked 20-30 hours a week to pay for bills.

I graduated in the top 10% of my class with several local scholarships for college and was even blessed to have a teacher of mine co-sign on a car for me to get me to college.

Throughout college, I worked 3 part time jobs to pay for my living and still managed to take a full class load each semester. I knew God had bigger plans for me if I kept working hard and staying faithful to him. He was my family, my support, my strength, my protector, my determination to be whatever He had planned for me.

I worked at an school with an amazing environment for two years my first years of teaching and then a school with a not so amazing environment for the next year. Even though I went through much pain and difficulties at my previous school, God allowed it to show me the kind of teacher He wanted me to be and what kind of environment He wanted me to use my gifts in.

The storm I had of going through a year of unemployment while also having our first child was not an easy one…but it allowed God to do a tremendous growth in me. I just kept remaining faithful and patient knowing He had the answers to my future even if I didn’t.

Coming to ACS was a definite “God Thing”. He knew all along that the hardships at my previous school would lead me here. I never would’ve imagined this is the path He had chosen for me. Sometimes we have to remember that the options we try to give God for our path aren’t even options because what He has in mind is so much greater.

What we have to realize as adults is our paths can be ever-changing. Where we are at may not be the final ending to God’s plan for us. It can be merely just a chapter. We need to remember that what we think other people should do really doesn’t matter because what ultimately matters is what God has planned for them to do. We do not have the privilege or telling people whether the choices they are making are right or wrong. God is directing their path…not our expectations of what path they should choose.

Whatever storm you may be in…little or big…God has the wheel, it’s His plan not ours, and it’s our job to wait patiently for Him to reveal it to us when His timing is perfect.

“let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;”   -Hebrews 12:1-2

29 ways to leap out of debt

Dave Ramsey put together a great article here about how to get yourself out of debt fast.

Remember to live like no other now so that later you can live like no other! Being debt free will free you from bondage to any loan company or third party. What's yours is yours!

We are well on our way to being debt free by using our taxes and my husband's bonus to pay off two more chunks of debt this spring. We will be paying off our car by the end of the year, also!

What's your "get out of debt goal"?

Eggplant Parmesan

I modified a recipe I found online for this eggplant parmesan. I wanted to make it gluten-free so I changed up bread crumbs and crushed up Rice Chex cereal instead. Try the recipe below!

Ingredients (makes about 4 servings) -

• 1 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 cups Rice Chex cereal, crunched up in fine crumbs
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 large can of pasta sauce, divided into thirds
• 2 cups mozzerella cheese 
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese  plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• generous dash of pepper

Directions - 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. In one bowl, mix together chex crumbs, oregano, basil, and Parmesan cheese. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Take the eggplant slices and dip them in the egg (shaking off any excess egg) and then coat them each in the crumb mixture. Place the slices on the cookie sheets. 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn each slice over and bake for another 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven. 

Spray an 8x8 pan. Pour 1/3 of pasta sauce in the pan. Lay half the eggplant on top of the sauce. Pour 1/3 more sauce on top. Then sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat with eggplant, sauce, and cheese. Lastly, sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese on top of the dish. 

Bake in the oven for another 15 minutes until sauce and cheese are bubbly. Serve hot. 

I refuse...

I refuse to quit.
I refuse to let someone tell me I can't do it.
I refuse to settle for mediocre.
I refuse to get tired.
I refuse to say it's too hard.
I refuse to be like the rest of the world.
I refuse to unconsciously eat and feel bad about myself.
I refuse buy things and get myself into debt.
I refuse to feel incapable because all things area possible through God.
I refuse to believe I am just a normal girl...God has a great plan for me.
I refuse to let the day slip by and not tell someone I love them.
I refuse to keep my voice quiet when I know someone needs to hear how much Jesus loves them.
I refuse to feel weak because God helps me be strong.
I refuse to let people in my life who are going to hold me back.
I refuse to go a day without laughing.
I refuse to try to live without holding God's word in my heart.
I refuse to not praise God for the amazing blessings He has given me. 
I refuse to feel unworthy because God thinks I am enough.

I am enough because God is more than enough for me.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 

Matthew 7:13-14

Running Training Programs

Here is a list of great training tips, programs, and schedules if you are running a 5k, 10k, or half marathon in the future. I reuse schedules like these for different races and just change the dates.

I am currently using the advanced schedule for this year's Hospital Hill half marathon. That will be my 100th day goal!!

Chobani Greek Yogurt

I have a new love - Chobani greek yogurt. I tried it for the first time last fall at the Kansas City Marathon expo when I was picking up my race registration packet. I got the peach flavor and LOVED it. I've tried to get on the greek yogurt bandwagon for some time now...but I just couldn't get the taste right for it to be pleasant enough without having the "fruit mixed in" kind.

I was SUPER excited when shopping at Walmart this weekend to see that they now carry Chobani! Walmart is finally starting to get on the healthy eating bandwagon.

I grabbed two of each flavor - there were 7 flavors total. Each container is 6 ounces and has 14 grams of protein. They also have 19 grams of sugar, which is a lot, but it's all natural sugar and natural ingredients. So it's the perfect snack to eat after a hard workout with a good carbohydrate : protein ratio.  Oh, and it's gluten-free, too!

I made it even better by adding little extras to my raspberry flavored Chobani yogurt. I put the yogurt in a bowl and added  frozen raspberries and 1/4 cup of Naked brand granola. That boosted the protein count to 22 grams.

Walmart has each 6oz container for $1.22 each. Yes, that's more expensive than regular yogurt but it is definitely worth it. My little dish above is so sweet and tasty it fills my ice cream craving at the end of the day. Here's a link for some Chobani coupons. Definitely try it if you haven't yet!

100 days workouts week #1

Week 1 is wrapped up and I feel AMAZING! It's so great to be back in the groove again of sweating and burning some much needed calories. This week's workout summary is below:

Monday
8am (no school today) - 1 mi warm up + upper body strength training
5pm - 5mi easy treadmill run

Tuesday
3pm - 50 x 10 sets of jump rope
5pm - 3mi speedwork intervals on the treadmill
6pm - 3mi with Run the Streets

Wednesday
5am - core circuit at home
4pm - 20 min on stationary bike; 10 min on rowing machine

Thursday 
5am - 2 laps of stairs around the gym + upper body strength training
5pm - 3mi easy run
6pm - 3mi with Run the Streets

Friday
5am - Yoga + stretching
(Leg rest day)

Saturday
7am - 4mi with Run the Streets

Sunday
2pm - 13.1mi goal pace run (1:55 min / 8:45 pace)
3pm -5.5mi walk with a best friend

How did your workouts go this past week?

Loaded baked potato

Need a quick and easy lunch? Steam a baked potato and top it with diced tomatoes, black olives, shredded chicken, and a bit of shredded cheese and sour cream. It's healthy and gluten-free, too!

Fitness Friday #4

Today's fitness Friday challenge -

Do at least 20 minutes of cardio today. Anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you break a sweat!

I plan on doing a 45 minute yoga video later today to release some tension in my legs. Don't think yoga counts as cardio?? Just try it and see how hard it really is!

What did you do today for your cardio?

Delighting in my weaknesses

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God reminded me of these verses this morning as I was praying on my drive to work. I've been struggling with some issues lately with feeling inadequate and weak in certain areas of my life. I've tried to gain control of it but I realize I am incapable of success with these areas without God. 

I am weak. I am not always in control. I am not always strong enough. I feel like quitting sometimes. I get tired and worn down. And yet I find so much peace in those things because I know God, MY God, is perfect and will help me be strong enough. 

I am weak...and I thank God every day for it. Because "for when I am weak, then I am strong." 

Being God's Music Player

I read a great article yesterday about the history of Fat Tuesday and how it is related to Lent. It helped me understand the meaning behind Lent and why Christians display this act of fasting.

I always thought growing up Lent was just for Catholics or people who just needed an excuse to go on a diet. After doing more research about Lent and reading the article above, I got a much better picture of what this time of year is really all about.

I want to be like the flute...not the stick in the ground. I want to empty myself of all the worldly things that are distracting me from having a stronger relationship with God and what He wants me to do with my life. I want to be all He has planned for me.

This year for Lent I am giving up things that I've lost control with over the past few months. I am giving up some bad eating habits (sugars and continuing my gluten-free plan) and praying for God to give me discipline. I am also devoting time every day to my relationship with God - either by praying, reading devotions, studying the Bible, or listening to worship music. I am also giving up any numb-minded, drama-filled, worldly-driven TV shows. I need Godly things to be filling me...not TV trash.

What are you emptying of yourself this Lent season? What are you praying for God's help with?

Black Bean Salsa

I love digging through my fridge, pantry, and freezer and pulling out ingredients to make dishes like this. This salsa was simple and easy to throw together and extremely healthy for you, too. Here's how I made my dish -

Ingredients:
(makes 4-6 servings)

• 1 can of black beans, drained
• 1 bag of frozen corn, steamed (or you can use a can of corn, too) 
• 1 can of diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• handful of cilantro 
• generous squeeze of lemon juice

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients. Store in fridge for about an hour to chill. Serve with either tortilla chips or on corn tortillas for a meal in itself. 

Be it

What is it you want to be? What does God want you to be?

What's stopping you?

White Chocolate Popcorn

A good friend of mine shared this amazing, simple dessert with me a few weeks ago. It's so easy to make and healthier than your usual cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. You can change up the variety by adding other simple ingredients for your liking.

Ingredients:
(serves about 4)

• 1 bag of plain or lightly salted popcorn, popped
• 1/2 white almond bark chocolate 
• a couple handfuls of roasted, plain peanuts

Directions: 

Pop the bag of popcorn as directed. Carefully take out the popcorn and put in a large bowl (Do not pour the bag into the bowl because you don't want any unpopped kernels in the bowl with the popped popcorn.) Melt the almond bark in a microwavable dish for 30 second increments until it is melted. Gently drizzle the chocolate on the popcorn while stirring with a spoon (chocolate will be extremely hot!). Add the peanuts as you drizzle to get it all mixed together well and covered in chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and enjoy! 

Simple Salsa

I have a new love - my Ninja blender I got for my birthday this past year. If you like making your own sauces, smoothies, and anything else that needs blended you NEED this blender! It's definitely worth the $100.

I am a sucker for homemade salsa. It has so much more flavor than store bought salsa. And it's SO easy to make! Here's the simple recipe I created to make my own salsa at home -

Ingredients:
(makes about 3 jars)

• 1 28oz can of whole tomatoes
• 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and halved 
• 1 jalapeno, cored and seeded 
• 3 cloves of garlic
• a big handful of cilantro
• a squirt of lemon juice 

Directions:
Pour the cans of tomatoes into the blender. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and lemon juice. Blend until smoothed to desired consistency. Pour into mason jars, chill in the fridge, and enjoy!

Country Skillet

I've posted this before but not the actual recipe. My family loves loves loves it when I make this. It's healthy, filling, full of vegetables, and delicious! You can change it up by using shrimp or chicken instead of the sausage as well.

Ingredients:
(makes 4 servings)

• 6 small russet potatoes, washed and sliced (you can leave the peel on) 
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced 
• 1 16oz bag of frozen corn
• 16oz fresh green beans, stems removed 
• 1 package of turkey sausage links, sliced into coin sizes 
• a generous dash of olive oil
• all purpose seasoning
• Ziploc steam bags (if you want to cook this meal quick) 

Directions:
Prepare all the ingredients as directed above. If using the steam bags, steam the potatoes and directed on the bags. Then steam the green beans and the corn in the steam bags (You can steam them on the stove if you don't have the bags. The bags just save time and make cooking go much quicker.)
Heat a wok on medium high with olive oil. Add the onions and the sausage links until they are browning. Add the potatoes, corn, and green beans to the wok. Add the seasoning and stir frequently to mix well and cook through (about 15 minutes). Serve immediately.

Fitness Friday #3

Today's Fitness Friday Challenge -

Log some miles. It doesn't matter how many miles. It doesn't matter what kind of miles whether you run, jog, walk, bike, swim, or stair climb. Just get moving and make today your day to get healthy!

How many miles did you log today? What did you do?

How to pray using ACTS

Sometimes a lesson for my elementary kids speaks volumes to me, too. Today my principal talked about how to pray during our weekly Chapel time. He reviewed how we should pray when we are praying for a request to God. He used the acronym ACTS. I found a great resource that explains ACTS thoroughly -

Adoration - Adoration is to adore God, to worship him and to fulfill the commandment to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul. As we spend time in adoration, we praise God for who He is - our Creator, our
Sustainer and our Redeemer. When we focus our attention on the One who can meet our needs, it takes our eyes off circumstances and allows us to experience God's sufficiency and peace. “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet… harp and lyre… tambourine and dancing… strings and flute… clash of cymbals resounding. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. PRAISE THE LORD.

Confession - Confession allows us to clear away the things in the relationship between you and God which are displeasing to Him. All of us have sinned, and the Holy Spirit will reveal areas in our life that are not
pleasing to Him. Take some time to confess those sins. If the Spirit reveals sin in your life, name that sin
specifically and repent. This involves a change in your attitude and an active move on your part to no
longer indulge in that sin. Then thank God for forgiving your sin on the basis of His promise in I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Finally, and most importantly, ask God to fill (control and empower) you by His Holy Spirit. Sometimes confession involves restitution or making things right with friend you have wronged. If the Holy Spirit reveals this in your life, do not hesitate to obey.

Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving allows us to thank God for what he has done for us, and through us, right now, just as Adoration is to praise God for who he is, in his pre-existent and eternal Being. Whereas adoration is to
praise him for his character, thanksgiving is thanking him for his actions toward us. Each day God is blessing us! Every moment we can recall the wonderful things that God has done for us, and the gifts that we have been given. We need to be constantly thanking God for his blessings.
"He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me." Psalm 50:2

Supplication - Finally we come to ask God for our needs and the needs of others.
PRAY FOR OTHERS. In the epistles of St Paul, we read of him praying for those he has led to faith, and asking them also to pray for him. So, you too can pray for other Christians, and encourage them to pray for you. Pray for your familiy members, and for neighbours and friends. It's also good to pray for those who don't know Jesus to come to faith - many Christians have come to believe in Christ through the prayers of others.
PRAY FOR WORLD ISSUES. For peace in difficult situations, for leaders and those in influential positions, for global issues such as care of God's environment, justice for the poor, relief of suffering in less developed countries, and other issues that come to you.
PRAY FOR YOUR OWN NEEDS. It’s easy to neglect this, but Jesus encourages us to do so in the Lord's
Prayer - the model for prayer that He gave us.
"No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:1
(source from: http://xacentral.com/resources/files/ActsPrayer.pdf) 


When you pray, think about ACTS and how it can help you have a clearer more precise conversation with God. He WANTS us to pray and come to him with our troubles. Being specific with your prayers will build a stronger, more faith-filled, relationship with God.

Mexican Bowl

This is a yummy lunch when you need a little Mexican carbohydrate fix. I make a big bowl of it and eat it throughout the week.

Ingredients:
(serves 4)

- 4 servings of brown rice, cooked as directed on package
- 1 pound of chicken breast, cooked in the crockpot and shredded
- 2 cans of black beans, drained
- 1 can of mild diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 1/2 jar of picante salsa

Directions:
Place chicken in crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Shred with a fork. (I usually cook 5 pounds of chicken breasts at once, shred it all, divide into baggies, and freeze for ready-made meals such as this one).
Cook the rice as directed on package. Mix in a large bowl rice, chicken, beans, diced tomatoes, and salsa. Best if it sets overnight to absorb the flavors. Add a dollop of sour cream and/or shredded cheese.

Gluten-Free Day 2

My Gluten-Free plan is underway and going quite well. Luckily, I loved healthy food from the start so changing my eating habits to cut out gluten hasn't been hard yet.

To keep things simple since this is week 1, I am planning on eating the same snacks/meals during the workweek this week. That takes out the thinking to packing my food the night before. Here's what I'm eating for breakfasts this week -

 - 3 eggs (scrambled) with multi colored peppers, tomatoes, onions, and spinach
 - handful of strawberries

This only takes me about 10 minutes to make in the mornings. What saves me a BUNCH of time is cutting up the vegetables on Sunday so they are ready for the week.

I've noticed a difference already with not being hungry so soon after breakfast when I eat the eggs and vegetables vs. the pancakes or egg sandwich I used to eat in the morning. I feel fuller much longer.

Here's the rest of the food I take to work with me.

- a handful of blueberries and salted pistachios for my mid-morning snack
- Mexican bowl with peas for lunch
- sliced apple with peanut butter and a mozzarella string cheese for my afternoon snack

I have designated eating times throughout the day to keep my metabolism going. The schedule is as follows:
      6:30am - breakfast
      9:30am - snack
      12:30pm - lunch
      3:30pm - snack
      6:30pm - dinner

So far I don't feel extra hungry at all and I actually have struggled to finish all my meals. I've been getting a few headaches that may be from the gluten withdrawals. I'm excited to check back at the end of the week and see how I am feeling then.

Lose the Wheat - Lose the Weight

I've had two different friends in the past a few weeks ask me if I've ever tried going "gluten-free". Then I saw a post on one of the blogs I follow about a book that changed her eating habits for the better. I never really thought about it or looked into it until then. It intrigued me since I was already rethinking my food choices and cutting out the sugar, processed foods, and artificial foods.

So I looked at the reviews for Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight on Amazon (I highly recommend reading reviews on Amazon before making a purchase). The book had over 200 reviews and was just shy of 5 stars. So I started reading the reviews to see what all the fuss of this "gluten-free" lifestyle was about. It is written by William Davis, MD. He is a Cardiologist who has been studying the effects of gluten on humans for decades and has seen thousands of patients completely healed by eliminating wheat from their eating.

After reading the reviews, I decided the $15 for the book was worth it to at least read and gain some new nutrition knowledge. I wasn't making the decision to go "gluten-free" - I was just interested in why people were choosing this path.

I started the book yesterday and already finished it today (it's over 200 pages, I might add). I can't really describe the word I am feeling right now. Shocked? Dumbfounded? Ashamed that I've been eating poorly for so long? I guess a good word would be "motivated". I am motivated because I think I've finally found the answer to why I've been feeling so cruddy lately.

I thought cutting out the sugar was my answer...but yet I still felt like I was getting over-stimulated by sugar from some source. Then I read this book and it answered all my "why" questions I've been having. Sugar wasn't my main problem (it was still a problem...but only part of it). It was WHEAT!

Many people suffer from Celiac Disease - who find out they can't eat wheat at all because it is destroying their digestive systems. Some people don't have Celiac Disease, but still have a gluten sensitivity. You can only know for sure if you are sensitive to gluten if you cut it out of your diet for 4-6 weeks.

The first 2/3 of the book is the "why" part of gluten being so detrimental to our bodies. The last 1/3 of the book is the "how" part of being gluten-free. I've highlighted key points that were very important and I've summarized them below:

• The wheat of our ancestors is not the same as modern commercial wheat that reaches your breakfast, lunch, and dinner table. 
• Wheat has undergone a highly drastic transformation - stretched, stewed, cut, and stitched back together to yield something entirely unique, nearly unrecognizable when compared to the original and yet still called the same name: wheat. 
• Small changes in wheat structure can yield a damaging immune response. 
• Over the past 50 years, thousands of new strains have made it to the human commercial food supply without a single effort in safety testing. 
• Whole wheat bread increases blood sugar to a higher level than sucrose. 
• Eating two slices of whole wheat bread is worse than drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda or eating a candy bar. The GI (glycemic index) of wheat bread is 72. The GI of a Snickers bar is 41.   
• The higher the blood glucose after consumption of food, the greater the insulin level, the more fat is deposited. 
• People who eliminate wheat from their diet typically report improved mood, fewer mood swings, improved ability to concentrate, and deeper sleep within just days to weeks of removal.
• For some people, wheat is addictive. Eating it makes you crave it more and more. It can be so addicting that 30% of people feel withdrawal symptoms after completely ridding wheat of their diet. 
• Wheat is an appetite stimulant. This is why you never feel completely full and you are always going back for more. 
• You can workout, eat healthy, cut out sugars and fats, and still not lose the weight. This is because your are replacing those calories with wheat carbohydrates which will actually make you gain more weight. 
• Wheat fat is stored in the belly as visceral fat. The only way to get rid of the belly fat is to get rid of the wheat (gluten). 
• Few foods has as high a GI as foods made from wheat. 
• Visceral fat (caused by wheat) is a factory for estrogen production in both sexes. This is why men get the "man boob" syndrome. Increased estrogen also causes breast cancer. 
• People who have a gluten sensitivity are either overweight or underweight and can't gain enough weight. Our bodies try to get rid of the gluten in different ways. 
• People who have access visceral fat around their waist (a wheat belly) will see drastic weight loss of belly fat in just a few months of removal of wheat. Anywhere from 20, 30, 40, and even 50 pounds in 6 months has been reported time and time again. 
• When removing wheat, it no longer triggers appetite and addictive foods behavior - instead it makes you eat food because you need it to supply your physiologic energy needs, not because you have impulses and cravings. 
• Be gluten-free but don't EAT gluten-free. There are products being made that are gluten-free but they in turn contain sugary starches that negate the reasons behind cutting out the wheat. Eat REAL, natural, non-processed foods that are gluten-free themselves. 
• Wheat causes cancer...and it often causes cancer in the unsuspecting. 
• Eliminating wheat will cure many health problems such as: diabetes (in both children and adults), joint pain, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, weight gain, heart disease, behavior modifications in children, rashes, acne, overeating, loss of focus, hair loss, cravings, etc. The list goes on and on. 
• Wheat is among the most potent sources of sulfuric acid, yielding more sulfuric acid per gram than any meat (Sulfuric acid is found in acid rain and car batteries and erodes what it touches). 
• Just because the loaf of bread at the store says "whole grain, vitamin enriched, organic stone-ground, multigrain", it is all still the same wheat. 
• Wheat is an exorphin for your body. Exorphins cause your brain to instruct you to eat more food, increase calorie consumption, and tells your body it needs to eat more frequently. 
• The effect of wheat on the brain is more than just the influence over mood, energy, and sleep. Actual brain damage is possible. 
• Gluten sensitivity can also show itself as seizures. 
• There is no rehabilitation from wheat, only elimination. 
• No deficiencies are caused by removal of wheat. Your body isn't being deprived of anything nutritious.
• When removing wheat, you must replace the lost calories with REAL food. 
• Wheat is in nearly all the processed foods on the shelves. 
• Wheat is a multi-billion dollar industry for two reasons:  1) It tastes good,  2) It stimulates appetite. 
•  After eliminating wheat, your body will no longer feel the "afternoon slump" and will no longer feel groggy, tired, or crabby after a few short hours of eating the wheat. 
• Removing wheat and you've removed the most flagrant problem source in the diet of people who follow otherwise healthy diets. 
• Removing wheat will set you free. 

I am going to do a gluten-free diet for the next six weeks (if not longer depending on how it goes). I want to see what kind of difference it makes with my eating habits, cravings, moods, energy, etc. I'll keep you all posted! 

Fitness Friday #2

I forgot last Friday's fitness challenge!! Today's will be extra good then.  :)

Today's Fitness Friday Challenge -

1. Complete 100 squats
2. Complete 20 lunges (each leg)
3. Complete a wall sit for one straight minute

This whole circuit will only take about 5 minutes if you don't rest in between. Want a bigger challenge? Do this circuit 3 times with a one minute rest in between each set.

How did you do?

Serving God

Hebrews 6:10 NIV

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

I read this verse this morning and felt God speaking right to me. I've been struggling lately with whether the things I'm doing with my life are for God or if they are really just for my satisfaction. 

I would say that my top spiritual gifts are: 1) an encourager, 2) a helper, and 3) a server. All my life I've had a giving spirit and I am always helping people that I come in contact with daily. 

I go to work each day and serve the children in my class and their families. I have been extremely blessed to be working at a Christian school which allows me to speak God's truth to kids each day. I know I am fulfilling my purpose that God has set out for me. 

I also have my kids' running group, Run the Streets. I spend at least 3 days a week while we are in season mentoring with kids by running with them. I've been a part of this program for 3 years now and even though it is extremely time consuming and it takes away from my own running/working out time, it is more rewarding than I ever imagined. 

Because Run the Streets has been so successful, I've been asked to develop and coordinate a new running program for girls 8-12 yrs old. We can reach more kids who need good mentors, role models, love, and care. 

My husband and I also serve at our church every other week. Even though this takes from our own worship time, we know that helping more people come to Christ is our ultimate goal as faithful Christians. We have invested into our church and we feel like it's an extension of our home and family. 

On top of all that I have my family at home to care for as well. My husband and my son keep me going every day. Sometimes it's hard to get home and put on my mom/wife hat after a long day of serving others but that is my job that God gave me as well. 

Does it all get overwhelming sometimes? Yes. Do I have days when I just want to stay and bed and check out? Yes. Is there enough hours in the day for me to focus on myself? No. Do I always get in my workouts or my runs? No. 

But is helping and serving others every day the least I can do to bring glory to God? Absolutely, without a doubt, YES. 

Learning to do less and have peace

Just last night I was talking with my husband after a long day and saying to him how I feel so overwhelmed with so many different things going on right now. I feel like I am always giving, giving, giving to everyone else and there is barely anything left for me at the end of the day.

I prayed last night for God to help me see what things in my life are for His purpose and what is glorifying him by using my spiritual gifts. I need to separate the "best" things from the "good" things. I was reminded in church a couple weeks ago that just because something is "good" doesn't mean you have to do it. Save your time and energy for the BEST things that will show honor and glory to God the most.

It seems as though every time I pray something like this God speaks to me through my daily devotions. I just got to work, opened up my computer, logged on to my YouVersion, and clicked on today's Joyce Meyer Devotional bible plan. Today she focused on finding peace in our everyday lives. Here is a glimpse of her list on how to have peace -

1. Be selective with how you spend your time. You may be trying to do too many things and end up doing none of them well. Hurrying is the flesh trying to do more than the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. Be led by the Spirit.
2. Be prepared to say "no" nicely. Sometimes we take on things we shouldn't because we're uncomfortable saying no. Ask God to give you the words to say no when you need to.
3. Resist the spirit of procrastination. God's Word tells us to exercise self-discipline. Do what you know you need to do now so you can fully enjoy your times of rest.
4. Eliminate key distractions. If you know you are prone to certain distractions, such as watching TV, set some guidelines for yourself.
5. Set appropriate boundaries for interruptions. Life is full of interruptions, but you can learn to set boundaries that help you manage them in healthy ways, such as scheduling times when you are "off limits." Schedule time to give yourself a break.
6. Modify your life. Ask God to show you out-of-the-box ways to save time and trouble. For instance, when I don't have time to do the dishes, I use paper plates!
7. Pray and listen. If you can see that your plan is not producing peace, go back to God, pray for peace in the now, and for the wisdom to make changes that will benefit your life.


I'm so glad I got this reminder and I will be looking at what fills my days and creating more time for peace in my life. 

What is your biblical goal?

We rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
Nehemiah 4:6

What job do you need to work on with all your heart to please God? Your finances? Health? Family? Relationships with other people? Your relationship with God?

I know for me, personally, it is the balance between my family and the other commitments in my life. I have been through a lot in my life and I tend to over-control many things. I am learning to let go and let others do things. I'm going to devote more time during my 100 days focusing on what my jobs should be as a wife and making sure I am letting my husband do what God called husbands to do.

What biblical goal do you have?

Eating organic on a budget

Read a great article here about a family who chose to eat organically while on a tight budget. I especially notice a difference in my couponing since I started eating "real" food. I don't spend my Sundays searching for and clipping coupons anymore.

 If you really think about the products the coupons are for, they are mostly highly processed foods that aren't "real" foods anyways. This is just one of the small changes I've noticed since changing my home to real food.

What changes have you noticed?

Homemade mac and cheese

My husband is a HUGE macaroni and cheese fan. I can't tell you how many boxes of that stuff we bought and ate through college and our first couple years of marriage. Then as I started being more health conscious I tried to make it more "healthy" by adding tuna or even broccoli to it. I thought I was doing a good job by adding things to do. Boy, was I wrong!

Have you ever looked at the back of one of those macaroni and cheese boxes? The list of additives and ingredients is soooo long. And I can't even pronounce most of the stuff. Then I graduated from the boxed macaroni and cheese and tried to make it with my own pasta and velveeta. That must be better for you, right? Wrong again!

I guess I was always scared to try to make mac and cheese from scratch. I didn't think it was going to be that easy. But it was! I used the macaroni and cheese recipe from 100 Days of Real Food, and let me tell you, it was REAL easy!

Now I get to give my family whole wheat pasta (that only has ONE ingredient on the box) with some added shredded cheese and milk. I know every ingredient in it and I can pronounce them all. Now that's a winner in my recipe box!

Our first giveaway...winner!

Over the weekend, our facebook paged reached its 100th "like"! Our winner for the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook goes to - Carey Jones!!!  Send me an email at    rblevins4858@gmail.com    and I will get your cookbook to you.

Thanks everyone for participating! I already have the prize lined up for our next giveaway. It's going to be a GREAT ONE! Stay tuned!

An amazing opportunity

Those who know me well know that I am a part of a great youth mentoring program called Run the Streets in my community. For those who don't know about this program, it is a program for 12-18 year olds where they run with mentors for 14 weeks to train for a half marathon. We are currently in our 6th season and have seen over 140 kids finish half marathons with this program.

This program has been so successful that the Run the Streets developers wanted to create a program that is an extension of RTS. The amazing opportunity that I have been blessed with is that I was asked to be developer and coordinator for this new program!

The program is called Girls Rock and Run and it will be open to all girls in the area ages 8-12 years old. It will be organized through the Richard Kane YMCA in Bartlesville, OK (where I live). It will be a 10 week program starting the end of June and finishing the beginning of September.

The purpose of the program is to help young girls develop positive attributes socially, mentally, physically, and intellectually. The program will be led by trained coaches who will provide the girls with the tools necessary to prevent future at-risk situations and establish positive feelings and values about themselves, their peers, and the world around them.

The girls will participate in a character building curriculum that focuses on self-esteem, self-image, peer pressure, empathy, being a positive role model, building friendships, media awareness, community service, and health/fitness. Along with the curriculum, the girls will also be training and running a 5k at the end of the program.

I am so excited to be creating such a wonderful and life changing program for the girls in my community! Be looking for more details as it gets closer for registration.

The smallest things...

The official "100 days" start date

So I've been battling something in my mind over the weekend while I was sick. If I started my 100 day countdown the day I started my blog then my 100th day would be on May 1st. That's not really any significant day, it's in the middle of the week, and it's just random...which really bothered me (you're probably thinking I'm a bit crazy for thinking this over so much but that's what I do).

So I was looking at my calendar to find a perfect end goal for my 100th day. A kind of big "Tada!! This is your finish!" kind of goal. I didn't really have anything major going on in May that seemed worth a big finish. However, on June 2nd I am planning on running the Hospital Hill half marathon in Kansas City. This seemed like a great "tada" kind of goal to finish my 100th day on.

I ran this half last year and it was KILLER. It was 5 1/2 months after having my first baby (2nd half marathon post-baby) and it was SO STINKIN' hot out! I've ran 15 half marathons in the last 4 years and this ranked in my top 2 worst half's ever. It was like 90 degrees, super hilly, everyone was suffering from sweat, heat exhaustion, and all those dang hills. Almost every woman tossed their shirts and finished in sports bras.

I think this would be a great end goal for my 100 days. So that means my "official" start date will be on February 24th. So I will use the majority of this month getting recipe ideas ready, workouts started and ready, pre-100 days pictures posted (not an exciting part for me). I'm ready to do this!

Who else is on board and has a start date in mind??

Homemade Coffee Creamer

This was so easy, so yummy, and so so good for you. I didn't realize how cruddy the store bought creamer was until I looked at the back of the ingredient label and saw this:

There's no reason why anyone should be putting things in their body that they can't even pronounce! So I found some great recipes for homemade coffee creamer over at Deliciously Organic. There are many different flavors to choose from. I decided to start with the basic French Vanilla.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix it well and heat over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Stir until it starts to steam. Remove from heat and cover for 20 minutes. Put in a glass mason jar and enjoy!

Hot Sauce Hamburgers

As promised, here is the recipe for an amazing hamburger that I know you will thoroughly enjoy. It has healthy elements from the oats and a little kick from the hot sauce. Hope you love them, too!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean ground beef (preferably locally raised)
1 cup oats
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium heat. Mix together all ingredients until blended (try to not over-mix because the patties won't stick together very well). Scoop out mixture and form into 8 patties. Cook until desired thoroughness. Top with lots of veggies 100% whole wheat bread. Enjoy!

Your goal is as important as anyone else's...no matter how small.

This morning I went to the gym at 5:30am for my strength training workout (2nd time this week...yay!)  I put my headphones in, turned on my music, had my workout sheet, and got started.

About halfway through I was feeling really great because earlier in the week this was the point where I was starting to feel like I couldn't finish my 2nd set on each circuit. I was already feeling much stronger than I had during my last workout.

Then I looked around me.

I was the only girl in a group of bigger men working out. There was one guy that was HUGE. He looked like the Hulk. I tried to ignore them, put a serious "don't mess with me I'm getting pumped up" look on my face, and went on with my reps.

Then I noticed something. Every time I did a new workout the big Hulk-looking guy next to me would do the same workout but with MUCH more weight. It's like he was trying to say "look how much stronger I am than you." Well, hulk guy, yes you are stronger because you are HUGE and I am a girl.

I just went along with my workout and decided that I wasn't going to let anything in that gym distract me from my workout or what I wanted to accomplish. I was already feeling great because I was able to finish my whole circuit twice without cutting any short this time. And that I wasn't going to waste my time comparing myself to anyone - man, woman, big, or small. I am my own person, it's my own workout, and this is my own goal.

So there, big Hulk guy.