CHALLENGE #12: Pull Ups and Push Ups!

I'm not sure how obvious it is that arms are my least favorite muscle group to train, but I am here to tell you... Arm workouts kill me.

Recently, my boyfriend became a live-in and one of his contributions to our home is a pull-up bar... *Life Changer*

I'm not sure if the novelty of the bar is still lingering or if I've just finally found the fun in arm day, but I love that thing. It's like I'm back in elementary school on the playground!!

Before you read the following, freak out, and close your browser window, let me explain:  This workout is to be done multiple times, expecting gradual improvement. Start by trying it out, setting a baseline for what you are capable of, then try it again a few days later, pushing for one more rep!

Secondly, feel free to take a break in the middle of a set. This workout is ONLY meant as a competition with oneself.

Warm Up:

With feet flat on the ground, and arms lifted and held out to the side-- parallel to the floor, begin doing forward arm circles. Continue for 30 seconds.

Jumping jacks- 1 min

Arm circles (backward)-  30 sec

Workout: (again, look for gradual improvement over days, weeks, or months)

5 pull ups, 15 push ups

10 pull ups, 10 push ups

15 pull ups, 5 push ups

Cool Down:

Yoga flow concentrating on asanas that promote relief of the muscles in the arms and back. See below for a flow I might use:

Loyalty: Players v. Fans

Patrick Says...

Hello again! I promise, this post is not about the Broncos... I will say, a week after their win in the big game, I am still absolutely reeling. If you follow my posts, you may realize my in depth analysis of the quarterback situation was for none. Turns out it didn’t seem to matter much who the quarterback was. The Broncos suffocating defensive play throughout the playoffs was what ultimately led them to victory. At no time was the elite status of the defense more evident than during Superbowl 50. So congrats to the Broncos and to Peyton who will hopefully take this opportunity to go out on top.

Anyway, we have just finished NBA All-Star weekend and I figured it would be a good opportunity expand on the topic I last wrote about:  loyalty. As fans, many of us are deeply loyal to our teams. Through thick and thin, we stick by them. Any true fan has experienced immense pride in their team, and also bitter betrayal. Now what about the players, coaches, and owners?  We hear all the time from players who've been released or traded, “it’s just part of the business.” It's true, professional sports teams are driven by revenue and at the end of the day, they are part of the entertainment industry. However, it does not take away from the fact these are still humans playing a game at a very high, emotional level. So, I have to think loyalty, betrayal, and pride have a consistent place in sports. 

BIG NEWS: I now officially live in Chicago now!  I don't know about you, but when I think of Chicago sports, the first name that comes to mind is Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. If you'e not familiar, check out an earlier post by my D. Rose fan of a girlfriend, here. The short of it is, he was born and raised in Chicago, drafted with the number one overall pick by the Bulls, and won league MVP during his second season in the league. The man had it all until a number of injuries sidelined his career. As he struggles to get back on track trade rumors circulate here and there, though the credibility of these rumors are questionable.  Up until now the Bulls have stayed loyal to Rose and Rose loyal to his team.

My question in all of this is, is this actually loyalty from the Chicago Bulls to their hometown kid? Are they giving him every possible chance to regain his MVP form and lead the team to a title? Sticking by him through thick and thin?  Or is it all about the money?

Rose was the youngest player to be named MVP of the league at age 22. At 23, the Bulls signed him to a 5 year, $94 million contact. That same year, Rose tore his ACL during the playoffs which started his run of tragic injuries. The good news for Rose? He plays in the NBA and not in the NFL. Not to get into too much detail but NBA contracts are mostly guaranteed... the NFL’s, mostly not. We hear about it every year, players getting cut from NFL teams to make create cap room. So, if the contracts were set up in a way the Bulls could easily part ways with Rose, would they have taken that opportunity? Perhaps we will know when he is a free agent in 2017. My hope: the Bulls will resign him, albeit at much lower number than he saw when he was 23. I expect Rose would stay loyal, but with the trend we've seen in the NBA of players chasing rings no matter what team or city it’s for, you just never know.  It all started with the Celtics acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Piece and bring a title to Bean town. And of course, it continued with the more hyped, LeBron James storyline between Miami, where the championship was there for the taking, and Cleveland, his "beloved" hometown. Currently, the buzz is of Kevin Durant's aspirations in Golden State (yes…seriously).

Being a fan of small market teams, I would like this trend to go in the opposite way, though I understand the lure for all-star players to go to big market cities.  Now, I'm not saying I want leagues to control the outcome of trades and free agent signings, a la the Chris Paul trade veto a few years ago. At the end of the day, it would just be nice if players could show some loyalty to a team that took a chance to draft them and vice versa...a little loyalty to the players the team invested sometimes millions of dollars in.  Maybe D-Rose will set the stage for players to maintain allegiance to their roots, by resigning with the Bulls for the rest of his career. In a perfect world, they'd have a little success and the NBA's sense of devotion would be renewed. A guy can dream can't he?

A Day Late: Super Bowl Snacks You Can Eat Any Day!

Quick post today, guys!

As you may know, I LOVE THE DENVER BRONCOS. You may also know, THEY WON THE SUPER BOWL!

My hectic life has been consumed by my day job recently, so I had to come up with quick, easy dishes to bring to the Super Bowl party I went to. I wanted to keep it simple, healthy, and paleo and here's what I came up with:

Keep in mind, I was going for BLUE and ORANGE (food coloring was involved)

The blue and orange sunset said it all

CHALLENGE #11: Kettlebell Krazy

This is embarrassing to admit: For the longest time I was sure the piece of equipment that looks to me like a weighted ball with a handle was called a, "kettleBALL." I unknowingly called it this for awhile before my significant other informed me otherwise. Naturally, I still called it a, "kettleball" insisting that is what it was, for quite some time... you know, to save face.

Okay, okay, Patrick. I relent... YOU WERE RIGHT!

Warm up:

Walk/Run 10-20 minutes at an easy pace (C'mon, I never make you run)

Workout:

3 Rounds: (round 1: 20 rep // round 2: 15 reps // round 3: 10 reps)

Rest: (after round 1: 60 seconds // after round 2: 45 seconds // after round 3: 30 seconds)

Kettlebell swings
Kettlebell clean and press (reps per arm)
Renegade rows with kettlebell (reps per arm)
Goblet squats

*Use any weight you are comfortable with.

Cool Down:

Repeat workout a final time, minus the kettlebell

+

Yoga flow 

ps: THERE IS STILL TIME TO SIGN UP TO RUN WITH ME OR DONATE TO THE CHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION! Please consider helping out in any way you can :)

February 13th: Cupid's Undie Run, Chicago

What does being, "healthy" mean to you?

This is a question I have no choice but to consider when I claim to write a blog about, "fitness and health."  I'm not a doctor, nor am I a medical professional in any sense of the term.  I know so little about medical conditions I google,  "paper-cut" and conclude I have the plague. Yet, I keep on talking about health. I spend time everyday working out, preparing "healthy" food, reading articles about fitness, and then sharing what I learn with others. 

It occurred to me this week, that when it comes to, "health" I have been absolutely blessed. I am lucky enough to stand up every morning, and to lay completely down every night. My body is capable of so much more than I even have to think about... really, ever. But do I understand health? Does anyone understand anything fully if they only have experience with one side of it? Okay, take money for example. Can you speak intellectually about poverty as a whole, stating facts about what it feels like to be rich AND poor if you've only been rich OR poor. Or gender; can you comment on the feeling of being  male AND female, if you've only been either/or? Maybe that one's a touchy subject... but you get my drift, right?

I have exactly zero experience being unhealthy.  I assert, this makes me exactly 0% qualified to preach about health... But read on! Really! 

Cupid's Undie Run is next month, (February 13, 2016, if you're in the Chicago area). It's a fundraising, one mile(ish) run/party, sponsored by Children's Tumor Foundation (CTF) to fund research of Neurofibromatosis (NF). 

NF is, "a debilitating genetic disorder" which causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the entire nervous system. It often results in blindness, deafness, learning disabilities, and severe chronic pain. What's more is there's currently no cure for NF and very few options for treatment. Cupid's Undie Run is an effort to change this for the two million (1 : 3,000 births) people struggling with this disorder worldwide. 

You may have guessed by the name of the run, it is to be done wearing very little, and exposing a lot! Those diagnosed can't hide their disorder, because it effects their whole life and every move they make. NF is their most sensitive reality, and in tribute to their struggle, CTF wants us put ourselves out there too... Imperfections, extra holiday weight, beer belly... Cupid's Undie Run is a chance to bear it all  to support the rock stars big and small on their missions to a healthy future.

Here's the fun part of the post:  I will be participating in Cupid's Undie Run here in Chicago, IL and

I would LOVE for YOU to JOIN ME! 

You can sign up to run on my team by going to: https://my.cupids.org/shaylasays and clicking, "Join This Team"

10% Off Registration with Code: CHICUR$

If you're not into running, don't own any undies, OR you're not in the Chicago area, you can still support NF research and my team by clicking here: MAKE A DONATION! 

Plus, right now every $50+ donation will be matched by The McMeen family. 

Anything you can give to help this cause would be so appreciated, you guys.

"Health" is a helluva concept to truly grasp unless you don't have it and so many of us take our health for granted. I am so fortunate to be in good health and have the capability to run a mile. This event is a reminder that not everyone has that chance.

So what's a mile in your undies... In Chicago... In February?? We've got this you guys!! It will be a blast and you'll be doing something to help so many families in need of an answer.

Hope to see you all out there. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

Planning Pt III: Scheduling Workouts

Hey Fit Followers!

The past year has been a testament for me to the necessity of planning when exactly I will work out each week, and what time each day. With so much going on, a pump is just not going to happen unless time is specifically set aside for that. Before I started working on a schedule there were so many days where I had every intention of working out and just never got to it. Now, rather than just having it on my list of things to do, (because let's be real, none of us finish an entire, "to do" list in the amount of time we expect to) I know when and where my workout will happen, and I stick to the plan.

I begin by creating a visual map of my week on a whiteboard. I block off each day with what I have to do. It looks like this:

As you can see, I include my workout schedule in the plan. Typically I don't write the, "when" or "where" on the board, but I do take the time to give it some thought. Like I'm sure you are, I am very busy during the week. My goal is to get in some physical activity every single day, even if that simply means walking to and from my errands rather than driving or taking public transit. When I write down what workout I'll be doing, I'm mindful of the other tasks I have to complete that day including work, school, meetings, and social activities. Beyond my visual of the week, I hang a monthly calendar so I can be aware of what's on the horizon. That way, if the next week looks packed, I can get some minor errands or cleaning tasks out of the way this week.

Also, and very importantly: before I go to bed each night, I run down the following day in my head making a mental note of the free time I'll have. I think, "Okay, session 8-9am, session 9-10am, session 10-11am, supervision 2-2:30pm, and babysit 3-6pm." Then, I think about what my evening will consist of... "I have to run an errand on my way home, and publish my blog post." On this particular example day, I know I am scheduled to get a "HIIT" workout in which will only take 20-30 minutes. So, I'd opt to squeeze it in before evening rolls around... otherwise I'll have to do it kind of late, and
there's a chance I'll bail or I'll do it and then be too amp'd to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. I'll think, "Looks like I'm getting my pump in between 11:30am and 1pm. For me, a small window is helpful because I know I have a limited amount of time, and I'll get right down to business rather than wasting time doing mostly nothing before actually starting my workout.

Another thing I just started doing this week, is making a little note in my day planner about how my workout went. I created a little key for myself in which a check mark indicates a very good/high energy sweat sesh, a dash indicates a decent/average pump, and an "X" indicates a poor/low energy excuse for a workout. I also note the type, time, and place. My intention here is to paint a picture for myself of the optimal workout and workout setting, so I can be most productive in the future.

Is my crazy showing?! I think I'm making my "type A" personality quite clear, but I'm telling you! People have asked me, "How do you stay motivated?" and this is the answer. I make it a priority in my life, as if I were getting paid to do it... because really, I AM getting paid... paid in health. I'll say it again, physical fitness has to be a lifestyle choice. So CHOOSE to live the lifestyle and it will get easier and eventually it will become a part of your routine. The key is to have a plan and stick to it

What is your workout plan?!

CHALLENGE #10: Jump, Jump, Jump! (Legs)

You would be surprised at how much good you are doing for your body by doing a movement you learned before the age of 5: Jumping!

Jumping rope, box jumping, and jump squats and lunges provide you with an easy-to-do, multi-muscle group, cardio AND resistance workout. Plus, if you ask me, jumping is pretty fun. See cheesy jumping photo below:

My beauty of a friend, Kaitlin, and her bridesmaids. Myself included (right of the bride) // August 11, 2012
Photo Credit: Mark Hayes Photography

Warm Up:

You guessed, it... Jump some rope!

5:00 standard jump. Rest as needed.

Workout:

Jump Squats- 10 reps

Box Jumps- 10 reps

Jump Lunges- 10 reps (each leg)

*Repeat x3

Alternating Leg Box Jumps- 10 reps (each leg)

Jump Squat/Lunge Combo (aka "X-Hops")- 10 reps (one squat + one lunge = one rep)

*Repeat x3

Cool Down:

Yoga flow, go!

As always, see Yoga for 2015 for tips!

ps: I will update that post for 2016 soon, stay tuned.

Show Your Team Pride!

Patrick Says...

Tonight is the College Football National Championship, so I figured it would be an appropriate time to talk a little bit about college sports and the crazy pride that goes along with them. In the last post, I briefly mentioned team pride, more specifically the allegiance we have for certain schools and sports teams. These allegiances usually develop when we are young and stick with us through good times and bad. These allegiances can also come to us later in life, for example the college you choose to go to, or maybe a new career in a new city adjusts your pride. 

Something Shay has wanted to mention in the blog but hasn't had the chance, is the intense love she has for the University of Colorado Buffaloes.  I also have love for the Buffs, however our allegiances came from two different avenues. Hers was developed when she was young, but was cemented when she had the opportunity to attend the University of Colorado, which brought her pride to a whole new level. My story is a little different as I did not attend CU. When I was a kid the Buffs were good…I mean really good. We’re talking National Championship, Heisman winning, powerhouse good. Unfortunately, the program has taken a turn since the glory days, but there is no doubt my pride comes from growing up near Boulder and during that time. As my Dad used to tell me, root for the Buffs because they’re the only school in the state that will have a chance to win a championship. This might have been a subtle hit on CSU, but with how the conferences and the NCAA is set up, it had some truth to it. 

Now to be clear, my family wasn’t fanatical when I was growing up the way a lot of families are. I understood that families had traditions that go way back and generation after generation rooted for the same team. However, it wasn’t until I started dating Shay that I realized how deep the pride can go. The team I’m talking about here is not the Buffs, but The University of Notre Dame. At the beginning of our relationship Shay mentioned her family was from Indiana and that her Great Grandfather had run track for ND back in the day. Then, at a wedding her Aunt hinted at the intensity of the family's devotion, saying not long ago, the outcome of a Notre Dame football game dictated the mood of an entire day. It wasn’t until we were in her mother's hometown for Thanksgiving I realized how entrenched the whole family is and was able to develop a greater respect for this type of tradition. Over the next couple days, it was always a topic of conversation. Where was everybody going to watch the bowl game? Or what the Irish need to do differently, advice coming from every part of the family. Multiple shirts and hats worn from old to young, pictures of the family and Lou Holtz together on the wall. I left that weekend with a greater appreciation not only for the University, but for the way team pride can bring a family together. I think the unity is the most important factor. Sharing that experience with others.

Can you think of anything better then yelling at the TV with friends and family? Or have you ever called a friend the next day to see if he watched the game? I was watching a game the other day and sat next to a guy at a bar who had the same allegiance and we became instant friends. It's these experiences that build pride we pass down to the next generation.

Rocky Mountain Showdown // 2012

Anyway, back to the Buffs. If I don't have any cool family stories or deep tradition in the school, then where does my pride come from? I believe it goes back to the time period and the region that I grew up in. As I mentioned earlier, Colorado was quite good in the late 80s and early 90s. I remember watching Rashaan Salaam (the only Heisman winner from CU), Eric Bieniemy, and my favorite as a kid, Kordell Stewart. I also recall being enthralled watching Ralphie run onto the field before games. Shay is adamant and will tell anybody, there is no better mascot in all of sports than Ralphie. I would wear black and gold together all the time just because I thought the colors looked so cool. I imagine the same will be true tonight when kids from Alabama and South Carolina watch their home teams take the field. As a kid, what could be better then watching the hometown team compete at a national level? In the end, this is my hope for the University of Colorado...a return to prominence. I know it's an uphill battle since the Buffs recently moved to the PAC 12, one of the most competitive conferences in college sports. I, for one am not giving up hope as the past season showed spurts of movement in the right direction.  With quality wins against home state rival CSU and against division foe Oregon State. There were games that were so close and CU barely let them slip away. Big games too...against powerhouses Oregon, USC, and Arizona. The Buffs should have come out on top in every one of these games. As I look toward the future I can envision good things...a return to recruiting greatness Coach Bill McCartney had when he was building the great teams of the late 80s and early 90s. To paraphrase Coach Mac, there is no better place to play football than Boulder, Colorado.  He's right, it is a beautiful school, in a beautiful town...it's deserving of greatness.

When I picture my own future, I imagine my kids watching the Buffs and taking in the special moments the same way I did.  Building memories filled with pride, where the guys wearing Colorado across their chests come out victorious more times than not. We can share moments of yelling at the TV in joy, building a family tradition that will continue on down the line.

Shay, her freshman year at CU, in the student section.
She misses those days... tells me all the time. 

Shay graduated from The University of Colorado, Boulder in 2009
(She wouldn't like it if you did the math there)

Planning Pt. II: Goal Setting

 Happy New Year fitness friends!!

I am excited to announce that Patrick and I have finally finished moving into our new apartment, and are settling in nicely. I have started the year off with many major changes, so resolutions don't really seem to have a place at the moment. However, I do have big plans for 2016.

Yesterday, we were able to sit down and create a map of how we'd like this year to look in terms of fitness feats. I have mentioned before our plans to take the OCR world by storm this year. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the acronym, OCR = Obstacle Course Race. Patrick has competed in several, and I am looking forward to adding some finisher medals of my own to the collection. Additionally, I would like to make some major strides in my yoga practice this year.I have decided to start from square one, and re-learn the basics. Yoga 101 is in session in this household, and I plan to work my way up to intermediate status by the end of the year... In fact, while writing down our goals yesterday, Patrick noticed I wrote, "Intermediate Yogi Status" as my long-term (one year) goal, and asked, "Um... what is that?" I responded, "I don't know exactly, but I figure when I'm there I'll have a better idea." So that's that.

We decided to organize our goals into three increments: short-term, mid-term, and long-term. We defined those as one month, six months, and one year, respectively. We decided when each amount of time is up, we will take on the task of setting a new goal for the same amount of time. For example, in one month I will evaluate whether I accomplished my short-term goal, and set a new one for one month from then.

As we decided what we wanted to work toward, we considered many factors. Should each goal be aligned with the others? Should we have multiple goals at each juncture? Should we have the same goals as each other? Ultimately, we went with what we each felt was realistic for ourselves, and with goals we truly felt would be worth the work. Here is our goal planning chart:

When setting goals, I think the most important factor is making them realistic and reachable. Patrick and I spent a considerable amount of time debating, and evaluating whether we would be able to reach the goals we most wanted to include. Patrick has dropped about 20 lbs in the past five months, the majority of which was lost in the past month and a half. He figures if he's able to maintain the same workout regimen and diet, he will have no problem hitting the mark. My short-term (one month) goal is to handstand, unsupported for a full five seconds. In the middle of making our goal chart, I had to stop and do some handstands in order to get a baseline. I had Patrick time my handstand beginning when I appeared stable and stopping at the first sign of a wobble. My best attempt was only steady for about 2 seconds (which felt more like 10). I can, however, hold myself up for a substantially longer period with some assistance from a partner or the wall. Therefore, I thought 5 seconds would be enough of a challenge without being unrealistic. 

The second most important factor in goal setting (again, in my opinion), is reevaluation of the goal. Hence, the one month increment of the short-term goal. If for example, Patrick is unable to lose 10 pounds by February 6th, he will have the opportunity to adjust his mid-term goal to something more within reach. For both the short-term and mid-term goals we wrote the goals as bullet points, and left room to add in the coming months. I plan to keep setting small accomplish-able goals each month related to inversions, as this is something I feel will be helpful in achieving my mid-term and long-term goals. Little-by-little I will gain arm and core strength which will be useful in OCRs and my yoga practice. 

You may also notice, for his mid-term goal P included his plans to maintain a weight of 200 lbs. It is my suspicion that this will be much more difficult than it sounds regardless of the successful completion of his first short-term goal, because it necessitates him putting a halt to his weight loss, while continuing healthy eating, paleo-style, and working out at the same or higher intensity as he is currently. He will also continue to gain muscle mass, which weighs more than fat, so things may even out nicely. BUT the more muscle mass, the more rapidly the body burns calories, (aka he is going to be hungry). It will be a good test of whether he can avoid the quick and easy fixes for this... something I know I struggle with. I am always hungry... Not an exaggeration.

Okay so you caught me, I made a "New Year's Resolution" and called it a, "goal." Really, it's nothing new. It is nice that it coincides with the beginning of the year, new beginnings can be symbolic and motivational and aint nothin' wrong with that, but goals are intended to be updated, renewed and revisited. I make them all year long, and I think you should too.

Chime in! What are your goals for 2016?

CHALLENGE #9: Partner Workout

Patrick is here this week, and since we're in between programs, we've been improvising; finding quick workouts to do in the middle of packing, work, and spending holiday time with the fam. We came up with a method a few days ago that worked really well, and helped us encourage one another to push harder.

Basically, we choose a workout to do together... something simple, 15-30 minutes and which necessitates little or no equipment, so it's doable in our mess of an apartment. One person begins with the first exercise in the workout, and the other starts doing burpees. When all reps of the exercise are done, we switch places and the burpee-doer does the exercise and vice versa. This creates a HIIT workout for both partners! Not to mention, the burpees get really hard, so motivating your partner to work hard and fast, is in your best interest.

In the video below we used the Stability Ball Challenge I posted a few weeks ago as the groundwork for the workout:

Try this...

Warm Up: 

Together--
1:00 Jumping Jacks
:30 High Knees
:30 Butt Kicks
3:00 Yoga Flow

Workout: (alternate with partner, burpees in between exercise)

Squat & Press (20 reps)
Raised Leg Sit-Ups (20 reps)
Jump Squats (12 reps)
Spiderman Push-Ups (12 reps)
Mountain Climbers (20 reps)
Triceps Dips (20 reps)
Lunges (15 reps each leg)
Straight Leg Raises (15 reps)
X Jumps (20 reps)
Commandos (10 reps each side)

Cool Down:

Yoga Flow... or better yet, partnered yoga flow.

Feel free to use this method with any workout routine your are comfortable with! Enjoy!

BBG: Week 12 (Final) Update

Hey All!

Merry Christmas week! It's a very exciting week for me because Patrick and his family are visiting me in Chicago for the Holidays. I have been cleaning my apartment, grocery shopping, and present wrapping pretty constantly for the last four days so I'm looking forward to few days of relaxation, and then Patrick and I will be moving to a new apartment which we will eventually live in together. Big things!

I am going to keep it simple since I firmly believe this time of year is to be spent giving others PRESENCE. Real presence. Not, reading-a-blog-post-on-your-phone presence, but actually spending quality time, enjoying each other's company. So here's the update, real quick...

We made it through the Beach Body 12 week program, and we are both very happy with the results:

Before // After 12 Weeks

As you can see with both trimmed down a bit, and though it's hard to tell in the pictures we both gained a significant amount of muscle tone. Best of all, we feel great (though you can't tell by the look on my face)! I, for one, have tons of energy and feel like I have really mastered the art of making a workout a part of my day, rather than an optional activity. Sweating feels good.

We have yet to chose a new workout plan, and I think we will probably wait until our schedule gets back to normal after the holidays to delve too deep into anything new. However, on Monday I started the 12 week program over again, just to keep in rhythm. I was amazed at how much different the first workout felt now than it did when I first started. I even had to amp it up a bit!

Thanks for checking in guys! I hope your Christmas is magical and the New Year looks bright!

Planning, Pt I: Food Diary

I've been thinking about my lifestyle of fitness recently, and why it works for me. This week it occurred to me, just like with anything in my life, being active and eating mindfully has taken me a good deal of practice to perfect, but more importantly, it takes A LOT of planning.

For me, everything goes more smoothly if I have a plan, and stick to it (within reason... sometimes life happens, and sticking to the plan is impossible). Sunday is generally my day to lay out the rest of my week, although it often spills over into Monday... Let's be honest, sometimes: Football. For this reason, the following begins a series I will do on

PLANNING. 

Enjoy!

I spend a lot of time thinking about food, you guys... Like, a scary amount. Especially when I'm working out as much as I have been lately. Believe me, I feed myself more than frequently enough, but P will tell you, I'm like a bottomless pit. I think he's exhausted when we're together from trying to keep me fed and happy. Anyway, I truly enjoy planning what I will eat in the following week and finding recipes to make. I've mentioned before, I go to the grocery store once per week (again on Sunday or Monday).

I begin working on a grocery list as soon as I'm inspired (usually immediately after leaving the grocery store for the present week). I find my inspiration on Pinterest most weeks, simply by browsing the home feed, or possibly filtering "paleo" or a specific meat or veggie I have in mind. This week, I found a recipe for barbacoa tacos and another one for brussels sprouts with bacon. I tweaked both of them a bit and came up with a meal plan revolving around the meat. I also included on my list, the snacks and breakfast items I wanted for the week, and my staples (eggs, almond milk, bananas, greens, avocado, sweet potato). Here's the list I headed out with:

Many times, I keep my list general like, "fruit," or "meat." That way, when I get to the store I can price things out, or see what looks fresh and go from there. On this particular shopping trip, I had planned to make barbacoa, but there was a good deal on ground beef so I simply adjusted the recipe to fit that instead (it was delicious!) I also found chicken sausage that sounded like better company for my brussels sprouts, so I went with that.

*Side note: I am pretty particular about my meat, so I make a separate trip to Whole Foods for that (For most items, Whole Foods is a bit too pricey for my budget, but Mariano's is my latest fave-- fresh produce at fair prices).

Here's what my grocery trip yielded:

Now for the prep part:

My method is simple, really. I just make everything on Sunday, separate it into large containers, and put it all in the fridge. Before I head out to work in the morning I take the portion I'd like in a smaller tupperware. Easy as that. I find my preference is to have some options so I don't get bored eating the exact same thing 5-7 days in a row. I will either make multiple dishes in smaller quantities OR I will make one dish in a large quantity but store each ingredient separately so I am able to mix and match from day-to-day. For example, here is what last week's food prep end product looked like:

The original recipe was Paleo sweet potato chili. By keeping the meat separate from the veggies I was able to add either chicken, turkey, or both each day. I also varied it by adding spinach, avocado, or a fried egg. I even ate it one morning for breakfast on top of scrambled eggs (SO good, guys).

This week's menu included two main dishes:

Topped with AVOCADO, and served on a bed of SPINACH

Additionally, I prepped:

Hard-boiled eggs.

I used them throughout the week as breakfast (two eggs + a piece of fruit), or as a between-meal snack. 

 Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

I boiled them in salted water, then mashed them with a fork. Throughout the week, I ate them as a side dish with the main meals above. One particularly delicious combination was the ground beef barbacoa served on top of the mashed sweet potatoes (!!).

                                                  Frozen Chocolate Cashew Milk. 

I used the milk throughout the week in smoothie bowls (new obsession) which include: frozen cashew milk (chocolate if you wish... and I do), coconut milk, berries of your choice (I used blackberries), banana (frozen or not), chia seeds, almond butter, and topped with shredded coconut, raw pumpkin seeds, and slivered almonds. 

Trail-Mix.

Raw pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, and raisins. (Sometimes I add chocolate chips too... shhh).

Other snacks this week included clementines, bananas, and an always-in-stock, emergency back-up in my house, Kind Bars:

So, there you have it! A week of clean eating, Shayla style, all prepped in one day. It really does make a difference for me when it comes to being on-the-go. No more ordering out because you're too tired to make dinner after a busy day, or fast-food on the fly at lunch. Everything you need is ready to go in minutes, saving you the last hassle you want to deal with during a hectic week. 

As always, comments and suggestions help me out! Have an active, and clean week!