Go Green and Buy Shoes.

Happy Friday!!! Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday, I sure am.  I've been on the hunt for new cream or light pink flats and finally bought some today!!! Kelly found them and thought of me, (she knows I've been on the lookout) it was perfect timing.  Look to left, there are my new beauties. Sigh...there is just SOMETHING about shoes that make me so dang happy. 

Next on the list....I made/created a burrito inspired veggie bowl.  It turned out fantastic, that is...if you like veggies, you will love this.


Ingredients: 

1 red potato (mind you, this was for one person, make 2 potatoes if there are 2 people etc)
1 zuchinni (1 diced tomato--I forgot, it was late, I was hungry)
1 head of broccoli
7 asparagus
1 slice of mozzarella roll
1/2 avocado
3 tablespoons of  Verde salsa
sprinkle of Parmesan

Saute all your greens together with a bit of olive oil in the pan. Let those cook down while you slice up your avocado, mozzarella, and red potato. Make sure to microwave your potato for 1-2 mins prior to slicing it.  Once sliced, put a little bit of VEGETABLE oil in a pan, sprinkle with black pepper, and cook your red potato.  Do NOT mix up vegetable oil with olive oil, you do not want slimy potatoes. I've done this, it tastes terrible to mix them up.  

Once everything is sauteed and cooked, toss them in a bowl, put a bit of Parmesan on top for a little zing of flavor, and use a hefty amount of Verde salsa. It gives it a great kick. It was a delicious veggie filled burrito bowl.  I would definitely add some black beans next time, but all of the veggies hit the spot, I think I needed a vitamin boost.

It's off to the gym we go, hi ho, hi ho.....

Ready for another work out? This was last nights little routine. Shoulders and back my friends. Let's start by saying, these are not areas of the body I NORMALLY worked out, so I'm much more sore today than usual after an intense work out. 

Warm Up: Run 2 miles

Round One:
Kettle bells: 3 sets of 12 (I used the 27.5lb bell)
Bicep curls: 3 sets of 12
Shoulder squeezes: 3 sets of 12. (this was new to me, use a 45lb or more bar, bend your legs like your fielding a ground ball, or playing defense...hold the bar in front of you resting on your thighs, and pull it up to the diaphragm area while using the muscles surrounding your shoulder blades to do the work) It's tough...good luck with this one! 
--Rotate kettle bells, curls, shoulder squeezes...until done.


 Round Two: 
Shoulder press machine: 3 sets of 12
Seated pull down: 3 sets of 12
--Rotate until done, we only do two machines when we do shoulder press because it's extremely hard! I can HARDLY push up 15lbs on each side. [Another new exercise for me...I don't have much shoulder muscle :) ]


Round Three:
Shoulder Flys: 3 sets of 12 (use a smaller free weight in each hand and use shoulder muscles to lift weight and extend the arms...you sort of look like you're 'flapping wings')
One round of 8 minute abs. Check out the youtube video for all the moves. This is a killer...so it's great to end with! I try and get as many reps as possible for each exercise, you surprisingly get much stronger abs fast by doing these.

Good Luck  and have fun!!!

Feel the Burn

Motivation.

If you are like me, you like variety in your work outs.  I don't like to go to the gym and do the same thing day in and day out.  Plus, that defeats the purpose of working out! Muscle confusion is the key to keeping your body in shape via cardio and weight training!  I'm going to try and post my work outs more often so you can pull ideas from my work outs, or try them yourself!

Work out time: 1 hour

Warm up with biking 2 miles.

First rotation:
-Squat 3 sets of 12, make sure the weight challenges you.
-Push ups 3 sets of 10 with push up bars, facing down with feet on weight bench.
-Put exercise ball between your legs, lay on a weight bench and lift legs up until you're at a 90 degree angle, bring back down flat.  3 sets of 10.
Rotate, squat, push ups, exercise ball...until sets are done.
Second rotation:
-Leg extensions (for quads), 3 sets of 10, try to up your weight each time.
-Seated leg curls (for hamstrings) 3 sets of 10.
-Leg press (for gluts & upper quads) 3 sets of 10.
Rotate again, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press...until all sets are done.

Third rotation:
-Ab roller machine, work obliques. 20 on right side, 20 on left side.
-Tricep extensions 10 for each arm
-Lower back extensions, 3 sets of 10, click the link to see how they are done. Do not add weight when doing this, and do not do them fast.  These are to strengthen your lower back, not to strain it. Using your own weight as resistance is more than enough.
Rotate abs 20 each side (40 total per rotation), triceps extensions 10 for each arm, and lower back extensions, 10 each time. 

Good luck and have fun, when it hurts is when it counts the most!!! I would rather feel sore the next day instead of regret for not doing it.

This is what I tell myself when I'm exhausted....

 

Stuffed Peppers

Recipe time! The vegetarian cuisine has been going pretty good, and my recipe list is growing.  Many thanks to my friends for sending me ideas, I very much appreciate it! If you think of any more yummy vegetarian dinner recipes send them my way! 

Stuffed Peppers

Kelly gave me a great recipe, Healthy Stuffed Peppers.Click on the link and check out her recipe and her blog! I added a few extras to my peppers because I made my sans meat.  I made to sure to include a little more corn/black beans, and a few cubes of avocado in the mix.  I served them with a side of diced tomatoes and sour cream.

Picture perfect.

Delicious!

This post is LONG overdue, thanks stupid phone e-mail.  I believe my friend Juliane should take up dinner party planning.  That girl has skills. Like the amazing girl that she already is, she and her husband Michael planned me a birthday dinner party.  It included to die for food...especially the cheesy bacon pasta-amazing, and the special pomegranate bubbly drinks she made for us, YUM. It was a great low key evening with friends and delicious food, and it made turning 25 painless and fun! After seeing her gorgeous spread I want to throw a dinner party with tons of goodies for everyone! 

Spooks!

I can finally catch up on my long overdue blog posts!  I love this time of year for many reasons. One being, October is my birthday month, the leaves change color, there is a legitimate reason for hot coco by the fire, and of course HALLOWEEN.  Carving pumpkins goes hand in hand with October weekend activities.  Brent and I were well prepared and bought our pumpkins the first weekend of October...and I had to painfully wait another couple weeks to actually carve them. Here they are in all their glory! I did the ghost, Brent did the skull. They're super spooky huh? haha. 

Phone is hindering my blog...

I have had THREE posts I want to write the last few days, but my PHONE won't send out e-mails ever since I updated my software....so my pictures have been stuck on my phone, and not displayed on my blog. Humph. I have baked to die for apple cider caramel filled cookies, carved pumpkins, and made fantastic stuffed peppers. All of which will get a post of their own...when I can upload their pictures. 

I truly believe this is what pets do when their owners are at work!

In the mean time, hope everyone is doing great! My vegetarian challenge is still going strong and my trainer (Brent) has been kicking my tail at the gym!! Life is lovely. Have a great Tuesday, hopefully with coffee in hand ;) 

My first 24 hours.

I made it through the first day without any hiccups! Yesterday was my first complete day EVER eating 100% vegetarian. Breakfast and lunch were easy, it was dinner that challenged me. My main concern is that I won't find enough foods to fix that are filling enough to be a dinner dish. Thank GOODNESS for Kelly and her vegetarian cook books! Last night we had Huevos Rancheros, which is actually one of Brent's favorites. This was his portion...I didn't overload mine with avocado...boys. I highly reccomend this dish.  

-You only need: tortillas (optional) black beans (add cumin and pepper), 2 over easy eggs per serving, salsa ( I use verde and southwest) sour cream (optional) light sprinkle of grated cheese, avocado if you have it! Voila! You only need one helping because it's extremely filling.

I'm not sure where tonight's dinner will lead me...but I have some GREAT ideas thanks to my friends that are full ideas. Thank you much! Any idea is welcome, please send them my way!!!

Vegetarian Challenge!

Here goes nothing friends.  Starting TODAY, 10-10-11, Brent and I are challenging ourselves to eat vegetarian for a month and 22 days (up until the day we leave for Maui). I'm being completely honest...I'm extremely nervous about trying this.  I'm not trying to sound creepy or weird, but I LOVE meat....odd I know. I think the challenge will be much more tough for me than Brent.  BUT, we will see.  I will definitely keep you updated on my progress/challenges. Friends, please please please send recipes if you have yummy ones!!! I need, and would love any and all vegetarian recipes!

The Big 2-5.

Well kids, the day has come and gone.  I am officially 25 now! Saturday was the big day and it was GREAT! Brent woke me up super early, made me breakfast and then drove me to "pick up" my surprise birthday present. What was the present? A couples foot bath/massage with champagne, and THEN, and 90 minute couples massage!!! I was ecstatic! I am a HUGE fan of massages. The man knows me well. I was in 7th heaven with my champagne and massage...it was a fabulous way to start off the first day of being 25. Cheers!