My favorite soup - Southwest Chicken Soup

Have you checked out the Choose My Plate.gov website? I'm on a mission to make healthier meals for my family. This is a great resource!

It's not easy at first, but eating clean makes me feel great. I've had to work longer hours this week, but making sure I plan ahead for my meals helps. I took bags of healthy food to work and kept in our break room. Fresh fruits and veggies are now my go to choices. My new favorite soup is Southwestern Chicken Soup, that a sweet lady at my church gave me. It's the easiest recipe I have found! As you can see, it does well in the slow cooker. I took some to work to share and it was a hit!


Ingredients:
1 can of black beans
1 jar of mild or hot salsa (depending on your preference)
1 can of shoepeg white corn
1 can of chicken broth (reduced sodium)
1 package of Tyson southwestern chicken strips - diced into bite size pieces.

Open ingredients and drop into pot and cook for an hour. Delish!

Southwest Chicken Soup!

 

 

 

 

I feel good....

Last night, after working I decided to try out my hotel's fitness center. I'm glad I did. I was a little nervous about the glass windows, but I guess everyone else was watching the College football championship game. It was cool having the whole place to myself.

I've also been eating healthy for the most part....I stocked up on healthy foods for my mini fridge in my hotel. I'm glad I did.

The room didn't have any fans, so it was incredibly hot in there. I started off with a stationary bike workout and did 5.8 miles in 20 minutes. Then I did a treadmill workout for a mile. I wanted to run longer, but the heat was killing me!

The best thing about working out at night, is that I sleep so much better AND I felt great this morning! I felt so refreshed and had more energy than usual. I'm going to try and remember this is why I do this!

My business trip will be over soon and I'll get to go back home to my family. I miss them and I need to get back to MY gym. I have 2 5k's in March and want to be prepared.

St Pat's Day Kegs & Eggs 5k









Special Kids 5k



Are you keeping your resolutions for 2012?

The first week of January is almost over and I feel good about my resolutions. The first week of the year is usually easy since most people are motivated about their goals and resolutions. It's the weeks that follow that are tough.

I did well this week for the most part. I didn't eat any junk food, even though there is candy at work and snacks in my pantry. I brought healthy lunches to work everyday and didn't drink any soda. I kept up my exercise appointments. I signed up for two 5k races in March. This one is on St Patrick's Day and looks like so much fun! Kegs & Eggs 5k . The next one is a few weeks later. Special Kids Race . I made dinner for my daughter more this week than I usually do. So, I can say this week was a success.

Yes, it took more effort on my part. But it can be done. Even my cat, Tiger wanted to workout with me this week.

Keeping my resolutions/goals will get a little tougher over the weekend. I have to travel to Knoxville for work on Sunday. I find it difficult to eat healthy and exercise when I'm living out of a hotel. But I will definitely try!

How do you overcome challenges for keeping your fitness goals?

More goals for 2012....Happy New Year!

It's December 31, and I'm taking one more look at my goals for 2012. In my previous post, 2011 is Coming to a Close , I planned out my goals for the coming year. They are good ones....keep running, eat healthy, spend more time with family. After thinking more about this, I need to add a few to the list.

I want to start cooking healthy meals for my family. It is hard sometimes to do this, since I work full time and have other things going on as well. My teenage daughter informed me that she is tired of eating out of a can...which breaks my heart. She has eaten Chef Boyardee until she is sick of it. There has got to be a way that I can make sure she gets healthy meals at home. I have a crock pot that hasn't been used in a while. I'm going to take the time to plan meals and make this a priority! She is definitely worth it!

Whitney - she is such a doll!

My husband also deserves a good, home-cooked meal once in a while. Since we work different shifts, we don't get to have very many meals together. And on the weekends, we tend to eat out for than we cook at home. This is a goal that will not be easy, but I'm determined to be a better wife and mother by cooking meals for my family.

me and my hubby

I will continue going to church and spend more time in prayer. One of my goals last year was to start going back to church, even if my family doesn't go with me. Sometimes that is difficult. It is hard getting up early on Sunday morning when everyone else is sleeping. It is also hard walking in church alone. But I will continue, because I feel more at peace and happier when I do. Yes, I wish the family would go with me, but I have to respect them for their feelings and cannot make them. I also spend time watching Joyce Meyer Ministries and have purchased many of her inspirational products. If I'm having a rough day, listening to her sermons gives me hope. I believe prayer changes things....so I want to add this to my list of goals.

2011 was a fabulous year for me. I participated in several 5k races, many charity walks, and made a healthy lifestyle part of my routine. I received 2 job promotions. I have enjoyed many wonderful moments with my family and loved ones. I became a grandmother! I look forward to 2012 and hope to improve my life in many ways. I strive to always be the best I can be, whether it be in my job, family, or my fitness. I'm going to keep this attitude in the next year and keep on keeping on....

"One of the simplest things about all facts of life is that to get where you want to go, you must keep on keeping on"- Norman Vincent Peale

I'm wishing you love, peace and happiness in 2012!

Thanksgiving 2011

I woke up thinking I was going to my race today. Instead, I woke up coughing and congested and really didn't feel like I could make it. I was devastated. This was my last race of 2011 and I was feeling like a failure. The worst part of missing the race was my daughter calling me to let me know she was heading to the finish line to meet me. Too bad I wasn't there. This was not the time for me to get sick.

After sulking for a few hours, I got up and got ready for our family dinner. It was a nice afternoon with my parents and my sister's family. We even got a surprise visit from my granddaughter. That's enough to brighten anyone's day!

I must say that I was a little disappointed that my healthier options were not accepted by my family. I made a berry crumble that I found on the Dr Oz website. Here is the recipe.... Mixed Berry Crumble

I thought it was fine, but just mentioning that it was a healthier version of a fruit cobbler made them refuse to try it. I'm used to eating meals with lower sugar and fat but my family is not there yet. I wanted to make some things that my parents could eat without worrying about their blood sugar, since they have been recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic. My dad is more on board with watching his sugar intake than my mom. She still eats whatever she wants. My sister's family feels that they should be able to eat whatever they want and do not agree with me in trying to make healthier dishes. The seven layer salad I made was a hit, as it usually is. I'm glad about that. I also made a pumpkin spice cake but it didn't stand a chance against my sister's multiple desserts consisting of a coconut cake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cookies and boiled custard. If you are not familiar with the boiled custard, it is probably more of a southern tradition. It's basically a mixture of milk, eggs and sugar boiled until it is thick. It's good but way too sweet for me. Since, its Thanksgiving I don't feel right complaining so much. I just feel disappointed that some people not only don't want to try new things, but tease me for trying. Gripe session is now over. ;)

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and enjoyed your time with your family.

Question of the day....How do you incorporate healthy dishes on holidays? If your family isn't ready to try healthier dishes, how do you deal with that?

Salads aren't always the healthiest choice

Had a great salad for lunch until I looked up the calories info. It was an Asian chicken and shrimp salad. I only ate about half of it so I saved a few calories. You would think that by ordering a salad you would be having something healthy. Not necessarily so. But....It was very yummy. I'm glad I'm having an active day!

How soft drinks impact your health - Do you agree?

a-sip-of-soda-how-soft-drinks-impact-your-health

I found this article and photo today and thought it was an interesting topic for discussion. I've read for years that drinking soda is not good for you. Do you agree with this article?  Does your family drink soda? I personally have almost completely cut soda out of my diet. Once in a while, I will have a Dr. Pepper or Coke at a restaurant or when I have a migraine. Most of the time I drink water and occasionally green tea. I'm interested in hearing your ideas....

Adventures in Nashville - Day 2

The Parthenon at Centennial Park

Day 2. I woke up early and had the free breakfast at the hotel. I was able to choose a few healthier options. They had fruit, low fat yogurt, coffee, juice and a few healthy cereals to choose from. I passed on the eggs, sausage and biscuits.

After breakfast, I decided to head out to Centennial Park to do some walking/jogging. It was a lovely morning. I walked around the pond a few times and around The Parthenon. If you ever visit Nashville, this is one stop you should make. Click on the links above for information about this park and the Parthenon.

After my easy workout, I got back in my car and drove a few miles downtown to the Nashville Women's Half Marathon 5k course I will be doing in less than a month I wanted to drive the course and see what to expect. It looks like it will be a good course. There are a few hills but nothing too daunting.

It was a nice weekend to explore in Nashville. It wasn't as hot and humid as it usually is. I really should do this more often, especially since I only live about half an hour away from Music City! There's so much to do, even if you aren't a fan of country music.

Here are some photos on day 2 of my adventures in Nashville:

Nashville skyline

The ducks in the pond at Centennial Park

My semi-healthy breakfast at my hotel

Looking a little tired after my walk/run this morning

Going on a hike?

Do you visit state parks in your area? Luckily I am surrounded by many of them. I am seriously thinking about visiting one this weekend for a hike. The closest one to me is Cedars of Lebanon State Park. They have several hikes to choose from and the park only about 15 minutes away from my home. Now I have to decide when I'm doing this. I'm thinking either Friday or Saturday morning will work out fine. Essentials for my adventure: healthy snacks, water, fully charged MP3 player and comfortable shoes.

I'm trying to stay in shape for my upcoming events. My next 5k is only 29 days away. I am doing the 5k on the same day as the Nashville Women's Half Marathon. My goal is to finish in :45. That is 5 minutes under the 5k I did last weekend. I didn't run as much as I wanted to during that race, so if I continue training, I feel I can do that. It's my favorite time of year. I have 3 events planned for the fall. They are spread out about a month apart, giving me plenty of time to train. As long as I continue to improve, I'll be happy. The transition from walking to running isn't as easy as I had hoped. But I'm not giving up! Here is one of my favorite quotes/pictures I found on tumblr. This keeps me motivated.

Happy Trails!!

Where Have I Been?

It  has been a while since I have posted, so I thought I should explain. I have found myself in a busy mess! My boss has been on vacation since Aug 1st, so I have been left to handle things while she is out of town. I'm glad she was able to take a vacation. She deserves it! But I have become overwhelmed with the extra work and have not had the time or energy to get my workouts in for a few days. I'm feeling kind of guilty about that. I'll be glad when things get back to normal and hopefully I can take a day off and get back into my workouts. I love my job but sometimes I envy those stay at home mom's who have time to get everything done.

I think I will try to get a brisk walk done in the morning before work. I usually don't have much luck with that, but since I am so tired after work I'm hoping this will be the answer. And hopefully the weather will be cooler in the morning hours. July and August are terribly hot and humid here in the south. It makes it difficult to exercise outside. I'll have to trick myself somehow in order to get up and actually do it.

I have managed to keep my healthy eating on track even though I haven't been working out like I should. I'm glad to have my smart phone app, My Fitness Pal to help me out. I have been able to stay under 1200 calories each day. Now I just need to get the fitness part back into the program.

What are ways you fit in fitness into your busy schedule? This one has always been a struggle for me. I'd love to hear your comments!

Healthy eating - PMS gets in my way

I'm frustrated. I am trying to figure out the reasons and find solutions for my unhealthy eating during PMS. I have been keeping a food journal and have found that I stay on track pretty well except for a few exceptions. The times I struggle are the afternoons during the workweek and the week I suffer with PMS.

The afternoons at work are usually easier to deal with. I keep healthy snacks at work and actually choose those over a piece of candy or sweet treat. I have also found that chewing sugar free gum helps some also.

The second one is another story. It seems like I am almost a little crazy during PMS week. Even if I have healthy food in the house or at work, I do not want that. I want something with little or no nutritional value, like Oreo's or chocolate cake.

I do not like this and I do not want to give in to these cravings. I understand its all about the hormones and being an older woman doesn't help me either. (by older, I only mean that I'm not in my 20's.) I'm determined to find a way to overcome this feeling of frustration.




I do find that exercising during this week helps me feel better. I just wish I didn't get these food cravings when I am doing so well at eating healthy. I'm going to continue keeping my food journal and see how my moods affect my eating. I'm not a dietician or nutritionist, so this will be a challenge for me.

Fitness First

It's Monday and I'm back on the fitness kick! I signed me and my hubby up for a 5k together. Its the Fenton Payne & Fred 5k Run in my town on August 20th. I'm thrilled that he wants us to do this together. I better get back to my running training. After a busy week in the office last week and a class reunion weekend, its time to get back to the gym.

For some reason, I've been stressed out at work today. I even had to shut my office door for several hours. I look forward to getting to the gym tonight. A good sweat session always makes me feel better!

I went home for lunch and had a BIG salad with romaine, carrots, a cucumber and sunflower seeds. I also had an applesauce cup with it. Very tasty! After a weekend of eating too much, a fresh salad was just what I needed. I'm also on track with drinking water today.

How is your Monday so far?

Goals for 2011 - Let's evaluate my progress

Its June 30, which means 2011 is halfway over. Today seems like a good day to look back at my goals for the year to see how I'm doing. I posted my Goals for 2011 on December 29, 2010. If you missed that post, I'll summarize and comment on my progress. Let's see where I stand...

Finish a 5k by running more than walking - I have 3 races planned in the fall so far and I am training for those now. I began with the Couch 2 5k training and now I'm using an Active.com trainer. I just joined a gym so I can train easier and hopefully get some help & advice. So even though I haven't completed this goal, I am taking the steps to do this.

 
Control my sugar addiction- This is a constant battle for me. I'm still addicted to sweets but I try to limit these to special occasions and smaller portions. I find that PMS causes me more trouble than any other time. When a craving for chocolate overwhelms me, I am able to control myself by eating a small cookie or brownie, instead of an entire box.

Attend church regularly - I have been attending church regularly since January. It's amazing what you can accomplish when God is in your life. "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Healthy eating plan - I am able to keep this goal during the workweek more than on the weekends. Our family likes to go out to eat as a family activity and we all know how hard it can be to eat healthy when restaurants offer portions that are too large and with too many calories, sodium, fat, etc. But, I do make an effort to make healthier choices when we are out. If I know we will be eating a higher calorie meal, I try to balance that out with more exercise.

Spend less/Save more - This one is tough. I try to keep spending in control but unexpected things seem to come up. I guess that's why we have an emergency fund. Thanks, Dave Ramsey. I have established an automatic transfer to our savings account on payday, but I know I could do more.  I'll continue working on this one.

So after reviewing my goals, I feel good about my life in 2011 so far. Everyone can use improvement, so I'll keep that in mind in the months to come. I'm happy that I've managed to sty focused on my goals so far. So many times before, my goals for the year rarely fizzle out sometime mid-February. I'll revisit these goals again in December and hopefully be able to give another positive report.

How are you doing with your goals for 2011? Even if you have slacked on your goals, remember every day can be a new beginning. Live life one day at a time and celebrate the small victories.

Goals

It's a beautiful Monday morning. I'm so happy to start my new work schedule today. I was able to have coffee and my healthy breakfast at home this morning.

I also brought my workout clothes with me so I have plans after work!

Here are my personal goals for the week:

1. Continue trying out different gyms in my area and decide on which one to join! I have 3 gyms that I am looking at and they all have free passes to try them out. I feel making this commitment will help me reach my fitness goals!
2.  Stay on track with my healthy eating. Weekends seem to be the hardest for me. I brought a bag of salad fixings to work today to keep here.
3.  Set aside time for me to relax and do something for ME! Is it time for a massage yet?

I'll revisit these goals on Friday to see how I did!

Life is Good!

Another road trip

It's Friday and I am spending the day packing for a short road trip with my sister and my mom. We are leaving tomorrow morning to drive to Birmingham, AL for my cousin's wedding. It's been a while since us girls have taken a trip, so I'm looking forward to it. No husbands. No kids. Nice! It will be a short trip since we are only staying one night. But we always have fun, wherever we go. Pictures will follow!



Mom and my sis on one of our other adventures!


My dilemma is wondering if I will be able to workout while I am out of town and what healthy options there will be to choose from at the wedding. I am probably screwed! I scheduled Saturday and Sunday as rest days on my calendar, but having two days off in a row may be too much. I will take some healthy snacks with me, just in case. I doubt the wedding reception will offer healthy options, unless they have fruit. I will definitely have to kick up the workouts after I return, but I will pack my running shoes.

running shoes + pedometer + water = happy




Here are some of the snacks I'll pack:

bottled water
nuts - almonds, sunflower seeds
organic granola bars
fruit- bananas and apples

How do you maintain your healthy lifestyle while on vacation? Do you find it easy or difficult?

Healthy Eating - USDA Choose My Plate

I just saw the USDA website for Choose My Plate. This looks much different from the usual Food Pyramid we are used to. This website have some very helpful tips and information. I encourage everyone to check it out!

photo compliments of http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

I try my best to maintain a healthy diet, but living with teenagers and a husband who loves junk food makes it hard sometimes. I just try my best to keep the pantry and fridge stocked with healthy food so I'm not tempted to give in to the goodies! While on vacation, that was a different story. I drank soda, ate oreos, chips and other things that I usually never eat. As of yesterday, I am back on my healthy eating plan now and feel much better. I can tell a difference in the way I feel when I'm eating healthy. Here are some of my favorite healthy foods!

Oatmeal with organic blueberries

Green tea

veggies with brown rice

What are your favorite healthy foods?