I am a planner...

I like to plan but I find that I can find a way to wiggle out of that plan relatively quickly when things get busy.  So, to be able to move to a more paleo/primal eating style, I need to have a set of solid (and preferably easy) group of meals to grab from.

I've been thinking about this a fair bit over the last 24 hours and have come up with a set of 4-5 possible meal options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I am looking for a few additional ideas, so if you have some "secret faves" please, fee free comment.

Breakfast:

• egg and Canadian bacon
• Greek yogourt and fruit
• protein shake (on busy mornings)
• cottage cheese and avocado
• protein pancakes (have some rolled oats in them)

Lunch:

• grilled meat (chicken, pork, beef) and salad
• cottage cheese with salmon or tuna
• grilled meat and grilled veggies
• omelette with cheese and veggies

Dinner:

• Grilled meat/fish with roasted or mashed sweet potato
• Large salad with salmon/tuna or eggs
• Eggs with lots of veggies

Snacks:
Lots of nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) a bit of dried fruit (blueberries, cranberries) fruit  (apples, avocado, grapes, berries), Greek yogourt.

I am going to go back to drinking black coffee ( I can't give up my java!) and I already drink anywhere from 3-4 litres of water a day.  The occasional green, orange pekoe or herbal tea at night as well.

So, feedback, opinions are always welcome!  I am going to make a basic grocery list that I will be able to use weekly to replenish my cupboard.   


I will be posting some recipes once I have tested them out (and approved by my Foodie palate) over the next couple of weeks.  While I am OK with keeping the basics in rotation, I do enjoy cooking and recipe testing, so I will be playing around with those "basics"

Have an AWESOME DAY!

Friday musings.....

First off, thanks for the comments in my first post.  I appreciate them, and some of the links that I have found while perusing through your respective blogs! 

Today will probably be a whole lot, about a bunch of things.  I'm in one of those moods.. lol.

First topic of discussion:  Strong is the New Skinny (SINS).  I ADORE this term.  This is how I talk to my clients, and how I perceive myself.  While now I have a little excess over my strong, it is my motto, and my training method.  At the previous gym I worked at, I got into a very lengthy discussion with a woman (about my own age) one evening.  She was waiting for her daughter to finish a yoga class and I was just finishing up my day and leaving the Trainer Office.  She looked as though she wanted to ask me a question, so I stopped to chat with her.  I didn't get the comment that I expected, but I took it like a big girl.

"You're a personal trainer, how come you are big?"

Yes.. she said that... While it did cross my mind to drop her to the floor right there, I sucked up my pride and defended strong vs "skinny".  I know what I look like at 125 lbs.  I am waify and my spine is noticeable.  It's not nice.  I am desperately trying to find some pics so I can put them in my blog, but 2002 was pre-digital!  I always seemed to be behind the camera, even at my thinnest!  I told her I would rather weigh 10-15 lbs more (so 135-140) and look/feel strong. 

   This is me, September 2006, at about 138 lbs.... Has to be one of my fave running photos. 

She still wasn't getting it.  She is/was stuck on that THIN = FIT.  So, to make my point, I asked her to point out someone she thought was "fit" in the gym... then get that girl to do a side-by-side plank against me... I may not be "fit" (in her mind) but I can do a 2+ minute straight arm plank....

Being a single and looking girl as well, I often struggle with filling out the body description area of my profile.  I always lean towards "athletic" but know that far too many men equate athletic with skinny.  Where on earth do they get that from?  I mean - look at female cyclists & speedskaters (whom I resemble most build wise).  They are strong, powerful and ATHLETIC!  But I know that by putting athletic as my body type I am just setting myself up for discussions that I don't want to get into, so I simply put "average" .  :(  I can't even flaunt my athleticism when looking for a date. 

So that is my constant dilemma.  Lord knows I have actually had dreams lately that I have been fired from the gym I train in because I am not skinny.  Which is a silly, silly idea.

Speaking of work, I had a FANTASTIC work out today.  First strength workout in about 5 weeks.  Between being super busy and hurting my back a week and a half ago I made myself work out after I had finished my last client today.  3 circuits, 15 reps & 3 sets of each.

1:
Plate press (200 lbs)
Tricep pull down (cable) 25 lbs
Bench step ups

2:
Laying Hamstring curls 30 lbs
Lat Pull down 45 lbs
Good Mornings 20 lb barbell

3:
Smith Squats 90 lbs
Decline chest press 10 lbs
Piston squats

I was "done" when I was finished, but I had a smile on my face and felt awesome.  Workouts scheduled for S, T & Th next week.  Same legs, mix up the upper body work. 

Food, not completely paleo/primal yet, but working on it.  I can't afford to clear the fridge and start from fresh right now (February has been a brutally expensive month for me) so I am making do with what I had already.  I am pretty much out of bread products, so the last 2 days have been completely bread free.  Tonight I did have some rice, but that was due to my workout..... A lot of the other trainers I work with will have some carbs, but only after they have done a work out.  So that worked for me today. 

Well, if you are still reading, thank you.. my ramblings are done for tonight! 

See you in a day or two! 

ONE SIXTY ONE...

Yes, that's the number that greeted me (or rather mocked me) on the scale this morning....

How did it get to that? 

Easy, I have been eating like crap, no time to work out, you name it, I have an excuse for it.

There.  Said it....

Today is the start, the start of my returning back to the person I "like"

I took before pictures (which may NEVER bee seen by the public eye) and re-visited some web sites that I have bookmarked.  The Warrior Diet, Mark's Daily Apple, Weight Watchers and SINS of course (Strong is the new skinny). 

What's left to do today? 

•  measurements
• food plan
• grocery shopping

What are my short term goals for this week:

• Get a couple of work outs in.  My back is still not 100%, but that doesn't preclude me from doing some upper body
• Eat well - basic paleo, lots of protein, start cutting back the excess carbs
• Make a pact with a couple of my co-workers to kick me in the @ss when they see me wasting time that I could be working out.  

I am going to think about a 4 week goal, and an 8 week goal for my next post.  But I know that I want to get back to around 23-25 % body fat (perfect for endurance) and get back to running shorter distances, heck just RUNNING again would be awesome, over the next few months, maybe target a 10K in May, followed by a couple of shorter triathlons in the summer.  

Anyhow, thanks for reading, and if you decide to follow, comments and @ss kicking are always encouraged!