[Fitness, Health and Happiness]

Commitment to Health and Fitness [Clean Eating and Consumer Supported Agriculture]

Today is Blog Action Day 2011!

Since 2007, Blog Action Day has focused bloggers around the world to blog about one important global topic on the same day. Past topics have included water, climate change and poverty.

This year, Blog Action Day will be held on October 16, which coincides with World Food Day, so naturally our 2011 theme is FOOD.

In July I signed up for Consumer Supported Agriculture. Since I wasn't sure what I was investing in I split a half season share with a friend. My menu planning tip for this week is consider signing up for CSA because:

• eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• in all the years I've planned weekly menus I now start with the vegetables as the main entree
• eating seasonally adds variety to your weekly menus 
• get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking 
• the flavor of fresh can't be beat
• supporting a local farmer
• organic fruit and vegetables (make sure to ask because not all CSAs are organic)

Thinking about trying a CSA? Visit Local Harvest and search a database of more than 3,000 CSAs.

On the menu for this week:

Sunday

Breakfast: egg white scramble with flax, 1 slice Ezekiel
Snack: protein bar
Lunch: Ultimate Turkey Sandwich
Snack: Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake
Dinner:  Chicken Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Phyllo (recipe coming soon and you're going to love it)

Monday 
Breakfast: Protein Berry Smoothie
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: Chicken Pot Pie (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Chicken and Eggplant Lasagna (trying this recipe with a different variety of squash)

Tuesday
Breakfast: Protein Berry Smoothie 
Snack: Honeycrisp Apple, 1 tbs almond butter, cinnamon
Lunch: Chicken and Eggplant Lasagna (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: White Chicken Chili (trying a new recipe)

Wednesday
Breakfast: Protein Berry Smoothie
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: White Chicken Chili (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: On-Your-Own Night

Thursday
Breakfast: Protein Berry Smoothie 
Snack: Honeycrisp Apple, 1 tbs almond butter, cinnamon
Lunch: Chicken and Eggplant Lasagna (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Wild Rice and Chicken Stuffed Peppers (another new recipe)

Friday 
Breakfast: Protein Berry Smoothie
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: White Chicken Chili (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Chicken and Pepita Salad

Saturday 
Breakfast: egg white scramble with flax, 1 slice Ezekiel
Snack: Honeycrisp Apple, 1 tbs almond butter, cinnamon
Lunch: The Best Ever Tuna Salad
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: OUT

Recipe and menu planning template downloads found here Recipes and Menu Planning Templates.

 

 

Fitness Friday || Memories of a Marathon [Quitting Was Never An Option]

 

Welcome to Fitness Friday blog hop! A weekly blog hop for blogs that focus on overall fitness and health. A way to meet new friends, find new blogs and get new followers, subscribers and readers. 

Click How to Participate for the details.

It's still hard to believe it's over. The race has been run. The memories are forever.

Chicago was beautiful. We arrived early enough Saturday morning to take a walk through a park and along Michigan Avenue.

Packet pick up and have the DTAG scanned to activate. I remember feeling butterflies in my stomach at this point.

Ready for tomorrow. Set my goal at 4:30 and signed up to join the Nike Pace Team.

Words that inspire!

At the expo there were 3 large walls listing the names of every runner. Found mine right...there!

Actually running the race. A beautiful morning and it only took about 15 minutes to get across the start line. I found my pace group and stuck close to Marie. She was running her 112th marathon so I figured she must know what she is doing. I was right! She was fun, encouraging and at about mile 15-16 she said to me, "You've got this Jill!" At that point I was 2 minutes ahead of my goal time and feeling stronger than ever. It was the best and easiest 15 miles I have ever run. 

Then, the split second decision of one runner changed that for me when he decided to stop right in front of me. As he stopped and I tried to prevent myself from falling over him I landed on my right food and immediately felt a stabbing pain in my right calf. I thought maybe it just tightened up or minor cramping so I ran past two emergency aid stations. By the third one I could barely run on it. So I stopped just to have it wrapped and to get Tylenol. The EMT tried to convince me to quit the race. All I could think about was if he would hurry I can try to make up the time. He kept asking "are you sure?" No I wasn't sure I would be ok but I was sure quitting was not an option. So, I just ran. One step became one mile. One mile finally became the finish. I didn't meet my goal. I couldn't return to my miles 1-15 pace. Still, quitting was not an option. 

(Proofs from Marathonfoto. I will be ordering a few of these)

I cried twice somewhere between mile 17 and the finish. Not because of the pain. The first time was when it occurred to me [for a split second] that I might not be able to finish. The second time was when I finished.

Since then I've gone over the whole race in my head a million times. I'm planning a do-over in 2012. I've been frustrated and angry off an on since that day. Cried 2 more times. And finally with all sincerity can say, "look what I accomplished! I ran 26.2 miles!"

This was the day I decided to stop beating myself up and taking away the glory that is finishing. Christie O

Now that my biggest goal for 2011 has been accomplished I'm thinking even more about 2012. Thinking about do I really want to run an ultra, trying a different marathon training program, possibly running the Colorado Ragnar Relay, and yes, even a few non-running/fitness goals too. 

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That brings me to a new giveaway generously sponsored by The Run Home! To get you thinking about looking back at 2011 and looking forward to 2012.

The Run Home is your home for unique, handcrafted running inspired and inspirational and motivational jewelry and ornaments! We love to make items that we love, related to everything we love! We strive to make beautiful, affordable jewelry to celebrate life!

 I love this necklace. Love the words, dream and believe. A little reminder on those less than great days. Seeing the 2012 reminds me of the promise of a new year and the endless possibilities. Debbie's shop is a great place to start your Christmas wishlist!

                                                               How to Enter

Mandatory Entries

1. You must be a follower or my blog.
2. Leave a comment and tell me what goals you have accomplised in 2011 and/or what goals you have in mind for 2012.
3. Visit The Run Home and leave a comment on a favorite charm or necklace.

Extra Entries

1. Leave a new comment on a non-giveaway [Fitness, Health and Happiness] post.
2. Tweet about the giveaway.
3. Post about the giveaway on your blog. 
4. Post about the giveaway on Facebook.

Leave a comment for each entry and include an email address. Giveaway ends 12:00 p.m. EST October 29, 2011.  If winning entrant doesn’t acknowledge their win within 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to US residents only. 

Disclosure: For the purpose of this giveaway, The Run Home generously donated the necklace free of charge. No monetary compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions of this product are my own and not influenced in any way by the company or products I received.

Now the link up!

 

PINspiration Monday [on Wednesday]

Chicago Marathon 2011. The race has been run. The memories are forever.

Now what? Currently I'm sick. A bad enough cold [or some other cold-ish illness] to feel like crap and tired but not bad enough to stay home from work. A few days rest is all I need.

Race recap and photos coming soon and a new giveaway sponsored by The Run Home, beautiful hand crafted fitness inspired jewelry. 

Favorites from Pinterest

 

 

Countdown to Chicago Giveaway Series || Larabar

The miles have been run, the successes have been enjoyed, the challenges faced, the hours running remembered and the heat endured. Now, I'm counting down the days to Chicago 2011!

4 days : 2 hours : 53 minutes (and counting)

Enter to win your choice of 6 delicious Larabars. Larabars are packed and ready for my trip to Chicago! My favorites are Peanut Butter Cookie with only 3 all natural ingredients and 7 g of protein and with only 4 ingredients, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Tasty and all natural. Keeping it clean!

How To Enter 

Leave a separate comment for each of the following:

Mandatory Entries

1. Tell me, what is your favorite afternoon need-a-pick-me-up snack.
2. Like [Fitness, Health and Happiness] on Facebook.
3. Like Larabar on Facebook.

Extra Entries

1. Leave a comment on [Fitness, Health and Happiness] with a link to your FB page or blog.
2. Tweet about the giveaway.
3. Post about the giveaway on your blog or Facebook.

Giveaway ends 12:00 p.m. EST October 16, 2011. If winning entrant doesn’t acknowledge their win within 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to US residents only. 

Disclosure: For the purpose of this giveaway, Larabar generously donated the 6 bars free of charge. No monetary compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions of this product are my own and not influenced in any way by the company or products I received.

 

Outfit. Outlose. Outlast. Shrinkvivor [Mid-Week Update].

As of tomorrow the first week of Shrinkvivor will come to an end. Except for finding out what the new challenge is I'm not sure what to expect next.

Week 1 Challenge

This week’s physical challenge is to get up and get moving. As in exercising! We are going to count ALL EXERCISE MINUTES towards this week’s Fitness Challenge. 

Exercise minutes as of Wednesday morning:

9/28 Wednesday - 50 minutes - strength
9/29 Thursday - 30 minutes - run; 21 minutes - abs
9/30 Friday - Rest
10/1 Saturday - 110 minutes - run; 25 minutes - abs
10/2 Sunday - 63 minutes - stretch 
10/3 Monday - 64 minutes - strength
10/4 Tuesday -  50 minutes - run; 21 minutes - abs
10/5 Wednesday - 64 minutes - strength; 30 minutes - run

Total - 528 minutes 

Mini Challenge {Week 1}

The mini-challenge this week is to completely avoid fast food.

I'm not a fan of fast food and unless you count Chipotle I never eat it. My kids don't even particularly like it. Given the choice of a restaurant they don't typically choose fast food. 

How did Shrinkvivor Week 1 go for you? Did you set a goal? Have a plan? Or do what you could day by day? 

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I would love to follow participants' blogs. Leave a link in the a comment. I'll visit and follow.

Lastly, if you're new to my blog [or even if you're not new] I'd like to invite you to join us every Friday for Fitness Friday blog hop. An amazing group of health and fitness bloggers join each week to share stories, successes, frustrations, tips and suggestions.

To give you an idea here's last week's link up post Fitness Friday and here are the details Fitness Friday || How to Participate

Clean Eating Recipe || Chicken and Eggplant Lasagna

This recipe turned out to be one of my Top 5 Recipe Favorites of 2011. The original recipe, found in Clean Eating magazine, is delicious but after trying it the first time I knew immediately what I wound modify the next time. The zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant are my favorites but it can easily be adpated to use your favorite types of squash or what you have on hand.

Ingredients

1 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 1/2 lbs zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds 
1 1/2 lbs yellow sqwuash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds 
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 c fat free small curd cottage cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
olive oil cooking spray
6 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella
3 grilled chicken breasts, shreded 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degress.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spread eggplant, zucchini and squash out in a sinlge layer on sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from over and set aside.
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil on medium for 1 minute. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until transluscent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from hear and stir in cottage cheese and oregano.
4. Lightly coat an 11x7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 
5. Line bottom of dish with zucchini and squash, using all rounds and overlapping them so dish is completely covered.
6. Add shredded chicken spreading evenly over the squash and zucchini.
7. Top wtih cottage cheese mixture.
8. Arrange eggplant over cottage cheese in overlapping rows, then top with mozzarella.
9. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling. 
10. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Download Recipe

Coming Soon!

• A new Countdown to Chicago 2011 giveaway, 6 Larabars of your choice. Details posted tonight.
• Packing for a destination marathon.
• Update on Shirnkvivor Week 1.

Commitment to Health and Fitness

Sunday

Breakfast: egg white omelet with flax, 2 slices Ezekiel
Snack: Kashi Protein Bar
Lunch: 2 chicken soft tacos on corn tortillas, 1/4 c guacamole
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner:  Chicken Pot Pie with Phyllo 

Monday 
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Groud Flax
Snack: 1 oz edamame (dried), 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: Salad with mixed greens, grilled chicken, sliced pear, toasted walnuts, 1 tbs vinaigrette
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Slow Cooker Taco Soup, Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla Chips

Tuesday
Breakfast: Egg White Sandwich (4 egg whites, 1 tbs ground flax), 2 slices Ezekiel
Snack: apple, 1 tbs almond butter, cinnamon
Lunch: Slow Cooker Taco Soup (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Zucchini Kale Lasagna

Wednesday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Groud Flax
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: Zucchini Kale Lasagna, 1 c Canary Melon
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie with Phyllo (leftovers)

Thursday
Breakfast: Egg White Sandwich (4 egg whites, 1 tbs ground flax), 2 slices Ezekiel
Snack: apple, 1 tbs almond butter, cinnamon
Lunch: Zucchini Kale Lasagna (leftovers), Pluot
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Ratatouille Pizza

Friday 
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Groud Flax
Snack: 1 oz edamame (dried), 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: Ratatouille Pizza (leftovers), Pluot
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: TRAVELING TO CHICAGO!

Saturday 
Breakfast: TRAVELING
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: TRAVELING
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Pre-Race Italian Dinner!

Sunday: Stretch X
Monday: AM- Legs and Back, Ab Ripper PM- Run 4, Ab Ripper
Tuesday: AM- Ab Ripper PM- Run 3
Wednesday: AM- Shoulders and Arms  PM- Run 3, Ab Ripper
Thursday: AM-Ab Ripper 
Friday: AM- Chest and Back  
Saturday: Relax!
Sunday: Chicago Marathon 2011

Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you
believe you were meant to be. George Sheehan

September by the Numbers

September was a month of feeling like all I ever did was run and shower. It was a month of feeling stronger than ever, racing with my family, running with my husband, frustrations, fun, friends and successes. And the best running weather!

September Miles Run - 120
September Races - 2
September Days Run - 13
September Shortest Distance - 3
September Longest Distance - 20
September Strength Training Workouts - 13 

 Inspired by Running On My Time.

How was your September? What do you numbers look like?

Fitness Friday || 2012 Race Calendar

NOTE: I'm having trouble with InLinkz HTML. If the link up is not available, please leave your Fitness Friday link up in the comments. Hopefully it won't be a problem. Thanks!

Have you started thinking about 2012 yet? I set goals every year and this is a little earlier than usual, but after deciding I wanted to run 12 in 2012 (a half marathon every month) I realized it would take some planning. Since I'm a mom, wife and work full-time and taking into consideration the travel, expense, time, etc. I need to have a plan. In addition to 12 in 2012, I also want to run the Dirt Days Trail Series again, 1 marathon and 1 ultra. And if I can, a Tough Mudder or Warrior Dash type of run. Too much? Is it doable?

At this point the only definite goal is the 12 in 2012. The rest is what I'm considering as goals for next year. I'll decide for sure before January 1. In the meantime, this is how my 2012 race calendar looks as of right now.

January- 

February- 

March- 2012 Cincinnati Heart Mini Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 1

April- Gulf Coast Half Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 2

May- Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 3

June- Dirt Days Trail Series 4

July- Dirt Days Trail Series 5

August- Little Miami Half Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 6

September- Air Force Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 7

October- Community Health Network Indianapolis Marathon; Dirt Days Trail Series 8

November- Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

December-

As you can see I still have a little planning to do. 

"The task ahead of you is never greater than the strength within you." ~Unknown

Want to join me for 12 in 2012? Have you thought about what you would like to accomplish next year with health and fitness? Do you have a favorite half marathon? Or a half marathon that you want to run? 

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Now the link up!

My Latest Challenge...Shrinkvivor

I'm headed out the door for a run so this will be quick. I'm checking in for Week 1 of Shrinkvivor at Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.

Week 1 Challenge

This week’s physical challenge is to get up and get moving. As in exercising! We are going to count ALL EXERCISE MINUTES towards this week’s Fitness Challenge. 

I'm starting the challenge at 104 pounds but I'm not in it to lose weight. I'll be back later with more details.

Edited to Add

I'm back from my run.

Why Shrinkvivor? For the challenge (I can't resist a challenge), the fun and meeting other people focusing on health and fitness. And just maybe provide someone a little inspiration along the way.

So, my minutes from Wednesday to today are

Wed. - P90X Total Body Plus - 50 minutes
Thurs. - Run - 30 minutes

Good luck to all the Shrinkvivor participants!