chocolate, chips, and crackers, oh my

this morning i got the chance to walk it OUT again at the gym! you've seen the quote 'you're one workout away from a good mood,' but baybaaaay, i was already in one and the early workout made my day that much better.

i did about an hours worth of treadmill incline intervals.  i switched back and forth between these two settings:

4 mph @ incline level 4

2.5 mph @ incline level 15

sweaty, saturday FUN.

back at home, i had a gangload of zucchini (about 6 medium) i needed to spiralize so that's exactly what i did before they went bad.  i sauteed the zoodles in a large wok for about 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat, then added them to a large bowl with about 3 large spoons of homemade guacamole from yesterday.  i didn't really have a sauce prepared and was being lazy. it worked though!  i paired them with tilapia and a few fresh tomatoes for lunch.  Sonny really enjoyed this! seriously.  these postpartum cravings...  i try to fight them as best i can and it is pure torture some days. i am a bottomless pit and i'm not even working out like i used to yet, jeez.  i either want chocolate, salty, crunchy chips, or crackers, so I turned to my old friend, popcorn.

3 cups of air popped popcorn is only 25 cals, 1g of fat, 22g carbs, 6g fiber, and 3g protein. soooo I made a big vat of homemade Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn! I melted 2 tbsp of dark chocolate and drizzled it over the popcorn (that I cook on the stovetop with a lil coconut oil) and added a pinch of sea salt and a few mini chocolate chips. i suggest putting the entire bowl into the fridge so the drizzle can harden first, but i didn't wanna wait nor did i mind the mess.

 so, friday night ended differently that i expected! hubs came home and suggested sushi and i did not dispute him.  i order the same thing at our fave spot every time with the following adjustments:

• salmon teriyaki bento box with the teriyaki sauce on the side
• steamed veggies instead of vegetable tempura
• 2 salads instead of the soup & salad my meals comes with as the sodium from the miso soup bloats me
• i customized my roll and asked for brown rice with fresh shrimp and avocado.

according to Sonny my roll always tastes too healthy.  whatevs.

dinner... and a show.

 Q: what special healthier requests do you make when ordering food at a restaurant?

le

savory protein-packed albacore tuna cakes....and stuff

it is NOT tuesday already!!! seriously?  please, come back with me to the weekend for a sec.

it started with this awesome quote above by Jim Rohn. when a quote hits home and find myself reading it over and over again, i GOTTA share it.

if you're satisfied with being unsatisfied, stop complaining and UPROOT YOURSELF.   take comfort in knowing that you have the power to change your situation for the better, especially if you are unhappy  with the way things are.  less talking, more action!!

we met up with a few of our 6 Pack USA clients that morning for body fat testing and progress checks, then hit the gym, together! we make the effort to work out together at least once a week, minimum.  it's our kinda date.  this man pushes me like NO OTHER.  buttons and all :lol:  but it brings out the best in me as well as fantastic results.  i always see more progress in my body working out with Sonny vs. solo.  working out with a partner (or sig. other) provides:

*support

*encouragement

*partnership

*motivation

*accountability

*companionship

*friendly competition

choose a workout partner that truly pushes and inspires you to do better and go harder.  friends don't let friends SLACK!

also, being able to see Sonny across the (weight ) room  is....nice.  even if we are both doing our own thing on opposite ends of the gym, i take comfort in knowing he is simply there.

afterwards, we went on another date.

a lunch date.

to my fave Greek spot in Houston, Niko Nikos!  peak or off-peak hour, it don't matter.  they stay busy because the food is that good.

i started with the greek salad- it's automatic.  it was topped with a block of salty feta, calamata olives, tomato, red onion, peppers, and a splash of their famous vinaigrette dressing.  i usually get my dressing on the side, but they never load it on ridiculously and i have always appreciated that.  their salads are always cold, fresh, and crisp.

the salad was followed by a spinach & chicken pita loaded with lots of feta and melted mozzarella.

ok....as much as i LOVE me some cheese, it was too much.  i watch my sodium intake and because i had just murdered that block of feta on my salad, i was good in that department already.  soooo, i definitely took some off before i dove in.

this one's at the top of his list...the massive, impressive, Hercules Plate.

like mother like son! i'm always reaching over my own plate for Sonny's food too.

i sure wish i had read this statement straight from their menu while we were there:

'We challenge you to finish it: Gyros, Souvlaki, Chicken kebob served with tomato, cooked onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, tzatziki, yalandji dolma and two pita breads.'

cause Sonny KILLED IT.  maybe we could have gotten free dessert or something!? i'll ask next time.

after church and teaching my gym class on Sunday, we sped over to a kiddie b-day party for Titus, the Engineer!  he turned the ripe ol' ago of TWO. happy birthday big boy!

Chiso will be two in May, and i plan to do a similar type of party, meaning, somebody else will be doing all the work this time!  nothin like last year's 1st birthday party at all!

Chi chowing down on cheese pizza.

once home again, meal prep sunday was in full effect.

i did a combo of grilling and roasting for my vegetables this week.

even had some egg-plant up in the mix!

i also made egg-plant 'fries' by slicing the starchy veggie into fry sized stalks, seasoning them with Mrs. Dash no-salt garlic & herb, and placing them flat on a baking sheet, 7 minutes each side. different and tasty!

roasting and grilling over steaming, ANYDAY.  brussels sprouts, multi-color bell peppers, and egg-plant for the next few days.

last nights dinner:

savory, protein-packed albacore tuna cakes

the stuff:

• 2 cans albacore tuna, drained
• 2 egg whites
• 1 heaping tbsp 0% greek yogurt
• 1 heaping tbsp course ground mustard
• 2 tbsp red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp yellow, orange, or green bell pepper
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp Mrs. Dash no-salt garlic & herb seasoning ( i like lots!)
• 1 tbsp green onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

do this: * in a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix very well.

* coat a medium heated pan with no-stick cooking spray

* scoop out some of the mixture and place it in the hot pan, pressing it down flat, like a pancake.

*cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until done and cooked through!

that topping is just 0% greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, and sriracha.  i didn't measure, but play around with these components to make a dipping sauce to your liking!

i made 8 cakes, and these are the stats for 1:

if you hadn't noticed yet, 

SO,  i started a new section up there titled FFL approved!  but you noticed already, right!  that page will be filled with all things health and fitness that i have either eaten, worn, or used myself!  e.g. good ol' PRODUCT REVIEWS!!!  i mean i've really been doing them all along, but this time the products will be mostly complimentary which i appreciate TREMENDOUSLY.  sooo, head on over there if you haven't already... there's more to come. way mo!

**p.s. if you make ANY of my recipes, i'd LOVE to see them! how? take a pic and post them to the Fit Foodie Le Facebook Fan Page, or Instagram it and tag me to it -----> #fitfoodiele. **

le

weekend eats

so i used to REALLY let loose and eat whatever and however much i wanted on the weekends.  but i always despised how i felt on mondays... especially during my workout.  i felt greasy.. heavy.. and kinda sick to my stomach.  i don't like that feeling.  and it's not like i didn't work out on the weekends either!  clearly it was what and how much junk i was putting into my body that made me feel that way.

saturday morning started off like it normally does- at the gym.  shoulders, cardio, abs and stretching.  i've been making it a point to stretch after my workouts and now i feel incomplete if i don't do it!  that's how it should be.  i'm the same way with water.  when i force myself to down a bottle with every meal, i start craving it over time.  that's also when i start collecting empty bottles from EVERYWHERE!!!  every cup holder in the cars, piled up on my end table, and all over the house.

i got in and out super early cause i had a baby shower to attend for a friend of mine.

Lululemon is a beast with the slimming effect, seriously!!!! she'll also slim the heck outta your wallet though, my goodness.

first things first, lol! kidding.  really though, this cake gave my cake lady a SPRINT for her money.  it was from Ooh La La Sweets. do you see how ginormous that cake is?  that's only half a sheet :shock:

we were all watching Emily open her gifts (Chiso tried to help) and even after all that cuteness, the thought of having a girl still scares me!!  i know she'll come at the most perfect time..... but i could totally do a few more boys.

nevertheless, we cannot wait to meet baby Audrey:) a HUGE congrats to Mike and Emily on their precious blessing and addition to their family.  our little boys are close in age and i remember us both taking fitness classes and bouncing around the workout room, big bellies and all!

the lovely hostess on the left is my girl, Anna.  she's an instructor too, can't you tell!? she's also a huge part of my inspiration for becoming an instructor in the first place.  i'm so grateful for her friendship.

 'we don't even have to try, it's always a good time!!' :)

ok back to this cake though!! the icing was subtly sweet. i LOVE that.  it's like they got the recipe just right.  it's not the  heavy, super-sugary icing, and not the fluffy non-dairy whipped topping either.  it's... perfect.  the right consistency, texture, everything.

white french vanilla cake iced  with vanilla buttercreme and filled with chocolate mousse w/ chocolate chips. YES. what a combo. definitely something i'd put together myself.  and pink sprinkles!

next, we went to meet my bro for lunch and also to attend a kiddie Halloween event in the same area.

Matt chose Ruggles Green and we scored some awesome seats facing the courtyard where all the action was.

kids in costumes everywhere!

 the view + the  awesome fall weather +  family = my heart overflowing with joy.

#thelittlethings

Matt ordered his usual-  bison (or turkey) burger with sweet potato fries.

is this rude?

i ordered a side of their famous organic butternut squash and split it with Chiso.  i was still full from the shower.

i get this whether Chiso is present or not though!  i Googled the recipe immediately while we were sitting there.

duplication recipe WILL be happening.

i'm glad he enjoyed it so much- he's been turning away vegetables left and right.  i'm sure that graham cracker crust had something to do with it.

oh and we had more cake. Anna cut us a huuuuuuge chunk lol! my mind screamed 'nooooooo', but my taste buds said 'heck yes', 'why not?', and 'burn it off tomorrow'.

 the event was over and they were cleaning up by the time we finished.  we let Chiso run around and expend some energy for a little bit though.

when we got home, it was time for me to eat again, so i cut up a sweet potato and made some chips in the oven.

i also put a chunk of baked salmon, fresh steamed spinach, a fried egg, some reduced sugar ketchup, and spicy mustard on an Ezekiel sprouted grain wrap.

early service on sunday was fantastic.  it never fails- i always want to go OUT to breakfast after church!  apparently Sonny felt the same way cause he starting driving the opposite direction of home without saying a word.

we ended up at The Egg & I.  that was Chiso's cheat meal!

at first i ordered their 'Granny Smith Chicken Salad' and silly me neglected to ask how it was prepared.  it was chicken salad on top of actual salad.  you know, that mayo-laden, creamy stuff that is usually full of fat.  i despise having to return my food or ask my waiter/waitress for anything extra (i've always been that way) but this time...i couldn't do it.  i had it replaced with their citrus chicken salad and double checked that the meat was grilled.  it was topped with raw red pepper, red onions, candied walnuts, and cilantro.

i also ordered some pecan coffee, but these were my only sweetener options, booooooo.  artificial everything...not good.

i 

so i reached in my purse and pulled out one of my 'stevia in the raw' packets.  always be prepared.  ladies, stash a few in each of your bags so if you happen to switch it up real quick before heading out, you'll be covered.

'the best paaaart of wakin' up, is stevia in your cup.'

Sonny had a 6 ounce steak and a few cups of steamed spinach.  he's competing soon, so he's staying on track with his clean diet.

 however,  he  did help me ensure Chiso's waffles were OK for consumption :lol:

afterwards? grocery shopping!!! i KNOW!  i can't believe Sonny went WITH ME again either! twice in one month!  or maybe it's cause i told him fresh salmon was on sale and that's all he's eating for his last week of competition prep. hmmmmm

we took advantage and got a couple lbs.  i seasoned these puppies as soon as we got home.  mc cormick bbq and dried parsley on one slab,

12 min. in a 450 degree oven.

and then i did a lemon pepper/dried parsley slab as well.

and then i hit the gym and put in some work on these legs.

i did the same leg circuit from last week.

we ended our evening and weekend with a walk down the block.

the big day is tomorrow- remember, MODERATION!!! have fun and be super safe.

i'm gonna give out candy + a  piece of fruit.  i'm so serious.

le