The idea for this post came from Women’s Health Magazine in an article called “Pimp Your Smoothie”. So the premise of the article is to drink smoothies under 300 calories for a slimmer body…Humm…300 calories doesn’t sound like much, but, it would depend on what else you ate that day.  A smoothie from any of the major chain restaurants can have a boat load of carbohydrates in them!  They seriously have enough carbs in them for the equivalent of a healthy meal minus the protein.

From the article, here is one of  the recipes:

Awesome Almond
Blend 1 small frozen banana, sliced; 3/4 cup kale, lightly packed, stems removed; 3/4 cup almond milk; 3/4 Tbsp almond butter; and 1/8 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger.

Serves 1. 233 cal, 8 g fat (<1 g sat), 37 g carbs, 134 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 6 g protein

So, let me just say that I’m all for smoothies, especially post workout smoothies, but, in my humble opinion, these recipes that call for 37 grams of carbs or more are WAY TOO HIGH IN CARBS.  My opinion is based on what is prescribed for the zone diet, which would be 27 grams of carbs in one meal along with 21 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat {For a woman on a 3 block meal plan}.   And, by comparison, a cola soda has 39 grams of carbs, no fats or proteins!

My version of the post-workout smoothie is water, ice, strawberries and bananas with one scoop of protein powder.

If you’re going to make that smoothie be a meal, then great.  Eat some chicken with it.

Just my two cents! Anybody have any thoughts on this?

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The following is probably going to end up being a note to myself.

This past week, we were in San Diego for a “getaway” with the kids. I’m calling it a getaway and not a vacation because to me a vacation implies –REST and RELAXATION. With kids in tow, nights in hotel rooms are not vacations. Everybody has to share the space, the TV, the light, when to go to bed and when to wake up….In addition, you have to eat three meals a day where ever you are. On top of that, we have food requirements….such as eating lean meats, eggs, veggies, fruits and nuts for all our meals.

Now, here’s where I get a little freakish about my food. There was not fridge or microwave in our room so that left me wondering…”what will we do for food??” Not to mention my cheapness… First morning I spent an hour searching for a grocery store so I could buy sandwich meats, pre-cut fruits and nuts plus cereal and milk for the kids.

When we could have all just gotten dressed and head towards the nearest Coco’s or Denny’s and had omelets and the kids could have had pancakes for the same money and time I spent hunting for a grocery store!

At lunch, the same thing occurs, I need/want to eat clean food and I go out hunting for food to take back for the family! Not knowing the area nor fast food eateries that would offer healthy fare, it took me WAY longer than it should have. Luckily, I found, Corner Bakery Shop that had plenty of healthy food choices for both lunch and breakfast!!

Bottom line is that I was way too INflexible when it came to dining options and spent too much time and energy looking for healthy food options when they were right in front of my nose. Also, since it is vacation, I could have also tried to revert back to a Zone type diet for the few days we were gone for a bit more flexibility as there would be times and hours when I just wouldn’t eat because I didn’t want to eat crap food and was being cheap (not a good choice for me, but?!!)

Healthy food options are always available!
Omelets
Roasted Chicken
Raw veggies or pre-cut fruits
Half of Sandwiches
Smoothies (?!)
Salads (without cheese or croutons)

Live and learn right?!

How do you keep it clean while on vacation?

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We, hubby and I, have been following a fairly rigid paleo diet for the last six months now. For the first few months of it, I referenced Robb Wolff, author of the Paleo Solution, as the source for most of my food choices. For the last two months, we’ve eliminated a few more items from his list, just to see how’d it go. The items we eliminated were all dried fruit, chocolate, maple syrup and cashews. Prior to these 45 days, I very likely ate more than my share of those choice items, and for the last 45 days, I have not had any except for chocolate– which I saved for one cheat meal per week.

In a nut shell paleo is eating like the caveman! What you can grow or pick yourself, is probably considered paleo. What you can buy in the farmer’s market is the best place to start.

What paleo is: Nuts, Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Meats, Seafood
What it isn’t: Dairy, Sugar, Grains, Legumes,

We added: Coffee and wine on occasion

What we can offer as a testimony for following a paleo diet is the following:
Both of us have had huge PR’s in our workouts–either in strength or by decreasing our times for named workouts.
We feel and look better and leaner.
It’s likely that my quads are bigger…not that is a good thing, it simply is.
I’ve had a tough time eating enough on my work days as I teach in three hour blocks.
You can eat out at nice restaurants easily, although, we really haven’t done that too much.

Books to Read/Websites to Check:
The Primal Blueprint
Everyday Paleo
Whole9
Rob Wolff
Loren Cordain

Final Thoughts:
We will continue to follow this style of diet forever. We will bring in non-favorite paleo foods on cheat meal days or special occasions, but, for the most part, but, I’ve learned how to manage a household and our food choices with this style of diet. Slowly, but, surely, I will bring my kids on board!

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If you’ve followed this blog long, you know that lately, I’ve stuck to a fairly rigid paleo diet.  What is a Paleo Diet- you might wonder?? Well, it’s basically about getting your calories from protein, fruit, seeds, nuts, vegetables and eggs rather than from grains, dairy, sugar or alcohol. Admittedly, during the holidays, we (hubby and I) indulged in the good stuff a little too much…however, on looking back, I still cooked and served most of our meals using the paleo style of cooking.

The difference between the Zone diet and the Paleo diet is – what you can eat.  On the Zone, everything is allowable (in moderation) while on the Paleo diet certain foods are off limits- such as sugar, rice, pasta, bread, beans, and cheeses.  This is the good thing about the ZONE diet- PORTION control.   The trick to following the ZONE diet successfully is knowing how much you can eat.  For example, six egg whites is equivalent to the amount of protein I can eat at breakfast.  Along with 1 apple, 1/2 cup of salsa and 1/2 an avocado.  For a snack, I can eat 2 boiled eggs (minus the yolks + 1 tablespoon of hummus).  For lunch a gigantic salad with chicken and dinner could be fish + 2 vegetables.  This is plenty of food, readers!  And, it never felt like I was cheating myself.  1 glass of wine with dinner is the same as one serving of vegetables.  1 square of 85% dark chocolate is the same as one serving of vegetables.  2 raw sugars in my coffee is the same as one apple.  1 cup of Greek yogurt is the same as eating 3 ounces of chicken breast.

Knowing the ZONE diet can greatly benefit YOU when/if you decide to follow the paleo diet.  If you want to know why, please follow these links, then, utilize the portion sizes from the Zone and apply it to the Paleo Diet.  Because, when first starting on the paleo diet, I could easily overeat on the protein and the vegetables- particularly on the ones I like- sweet potatoes and dates.

What’s the plan for January for this Fit Mom family? Rigid Paleo Monday -through Friday with allowances for a glass of wine on the weekends and I especially appreciate the 85% dark chocolate as being allowable on Rob Wolf’s plan (although, I’m sure you’re not supposed to eat it everyday, ha ha ha).

If this post is confusing, please leave a comment, I’d be glad to answer any questions!

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Tomorrow, will mark our 14th trip to Monterey. These photos reflect our first year in Monterey with kids. This time will be with two, ages 6 and 4. We already have packed our “Spy Watching Jackets” our “Spy Watching Shoes” and two very excitable kids- as my oldest is fascinated by ORCAS!!!

Fitness routines will continue, however, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to maintain a ZONE diet while on vacation. If any of you have suggestions for eating while in the car/on the run, I”d love to hear them! My protein powders, chicken breasts, and apples are ready to go, but…..we will see how it goes.


Happy Thursday.

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So, you finish a killer workout and run out the door, right?! Wrong, or at least, when time allows, there is always room for improvement in the recovery from exercise and in your ability to bounce back the next day.

The cool thing is that ******maybe****** cross your fingers, I’ve got it figured out. Number 1, I get calories in my stomach as soon as possible- like within 15 minutes.

#1 I have been using 2 scoops of Opticen in 20 ounces of water! For the last month, my muscle soreness has been significantly better.

#2 5 Essential Yoga Poses: Pidgeon, DownDog, Standing Forward Bend, Handstand, and Legs up the Wall Pose

#3 FOOD…..Check out images below. Egg White (ish) {Couple yokes fell in}Frittata with Onions, Zucchini, Broccoli, and Spinach topped with one measly ounce of Pecorino Cheese! This is two meals for me!


Smothered with avocado and a side dish of cherry tomatoes…

Finally, water, water, water….and a little iced coffee from the best coffee in my town!

How do you recover from exercise?!

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A five egg white omelet cooked in olive oil with one square of laughing cow cheese. On the side were 3 slices of turkey bacon and 4 small plums. {My book says one plum is one carbohydrate…but, not sure of the sizes of plums!!}

Tuna mixed with some soy Nayonaise and pickles. On the side is approximately one cup of strawberries and 2 plums. For desert, I ate 6 or so cashews.

Have a very large quantity of plums due to my backyard orchard of 2 plum trees.

Mid-afternoon snack of one scoop of chocolate protein powder, banana and water. Served with a few nuts on the side.

Dinner is when everything went wrong……It started with my chicken catching on fire and ended with a big handful of chocolate covered pretzels (bad mommy).

Below is the nice pretty chicken that I bought at the store after I torched mine. Note to self: Must learn how to use grill properly!


This is a sample of a day on the ZONE diet when I ate all my meals at home. I don’t think it’s perfect in quantities?!?! Which is why I am constantly rereading my books and notes on the zone diet.
Questions? Comments!?

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Check out the Honest Food Guide here.
There is some stuff listed here that I don’t even know what they are- sprouted grains, sea vegetables or spirulina, black strap molasses and chlorella!?! However, the main point is quite clear- if you ditch the bad foods, you will be healthier and possibly free of disease!

Now, the next question is organic or non-organic? The “dirty dozen” list of the worst offenders in pesticides include apples, bell peppers, carrots, celery, cherries, grapes, kale, lettuce, nectarines, pears, peaches and strawberries. How many of you always buy organic? Admittedly, I don’t always buy organic. Prices can be significantly more and this family is on a budget.



However, one way I have managed to avoid buying certain fruits was to plant my own trees. In one very large hole, we planted three different trees that will all become ripe at different months of the year. We have peaches, plums, and pluots. Basically, I have six trees in two holes, they cross pollinate each other and are HEAVY duty producers! In fact, I am beginning to have anxiety about the number of peaches on my kitchen floor and still more left to pick!

Peach Smoothies here I come! Good thing the kids love them, too!

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As you may have read last week, I am on the Zone diet. {Meaning, my goals for each meal are 21 grams of protein, 27 grams of carbohydrate and 7 grams of fat}. Meals should be ideally lean protein, fruits and veggies for the carbohydrate and a small bag of nuts for the fat. However, I’m also ridiculously busy during the school day! There are days when I don’t sit down for one meal until dinner. So, I’m always looking for ways to get my meals quick!!

I was thrilled to be offered the chance to try the Perfect Foods bar for purposes of review on this site. First of all, the protein and carbohydrate grams are almost exactly what I need for a three block meal. Obviously, the fat grams are higher than I need, but, I’m okay with it! The taste is fantastic- pretty much like eating a healthy version of a peanut butter bar.  They also have a Perfect Foods Bar Lite which has only 8 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of protein. 

These bars can be found in the refrigerated section of your health food store or online.

You can read more about the Perfect Food Bar here.

Have you tried this bar? Do you like or dislike? What do you eat for a meal on the run?

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You know this and I know this….The magazines all say we can get a bikini body by summer if we follow their ridiculous diets! I love reading these magazines as much as you do.  I’m the first to admit to reading them while standing in line at the grocery store, at home and on vacation.  There is something about the glossy magazines that interest me…but, when you get down to the MEAT of the stories- it’s all BS.  You are not going to have a total body transformation by summer unless you do some serious work.   You think you may be eating clean, but in reality, it’s likely too many carbs or calories in one day.  I know this because of my own diet.  I thought oatmeal for breakfast was a healthy choice!  And, it is, except that it NEVER filled me up —which lead to more eating an hour later  and more likely too many carbs.  The Zone Diet is working for me.  It gives me a calculation and a formula with which to live by (and don’t get me wrong, I cheat) but when planning my days, I really focus on getting the right amount of protein, carbs and fat in each meal I eat.

In Sunday’s edition of the LA TIMES, they discuss the “best” ways to lose body fat and guess what?! You know the answer to this already- cardio+ strength training six days a week is the recommendation!  And as for the food, they say the same things the zone diet says, lean protein, good fats like avocado and nuts and eating copious fruits and veggies!

That’s it.  I don’t even think about “getting a bikini body” by summer!  Mainly, because I kick my own arse daily at Cross Fit and I follow the Zone diet most of the time.    I could care less about the “look” that everyone seems to be striving for and more about my daily fitness work, my children and family, and in just enjoying the process!

What are you all planning for this summer?

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