is that sweat? 3 weeks postpartum

why yes!  that IS sweat.  today...was a great day. not just cause it's friday either! it was great cause i started my day super-duper early this morning in the what?

GYYYM!

i'm back baby!!!! i'm home. kinda. i miss the smell, the energy,  the whirring of the machines...  is that weird!?   the same smell that used to make my stomach turn when i was training for my bikini comp, go figure. and i definitely miss my gym buddies and instructor friends!  i said 'kinda' cause i only came to walk, which is still the only thing i've been doing until i'm cleared to hit those weights again.  that's next though! i haven't gotten up at the crack of dawn to workout since i took my hiatus from teaching my Lifetime classes at the end of May.  i had my headphones blasting and arms swinging as i power walked to the beat. before i knew it, my hour was up! pure, sweaty, bliss.

Odego is sleeping a lil' longer these days (prolly 3-4 hour stretches if that) so this morning i had a small window of opportunity that i ran and jumped straight through.  praying for more mornings like that! else it's back to my evening neighborhood walks or whenever i can get them in.

i felt like i had the entire day ahead of me to get stuff DONE.  i've been losing track of what day it even is while trying to get a routine going with the kiddos, and today's workout made me energized, refreshed, focused, and most important, MOTIVATED!!! you see i even got this blog post up :D

i'm eating around 1900 cals a day currently, and this morning's balanced brekky consisted of scrambled egg whites with homemade guacamole (i only had a fresh lime instead of lemon and it worked just as well, yum), low fat turkey sausage, a nectarine, and some whole wheat toast with a tbsp of dark chocolate dreams peanut butter.  for your own customized meal plan, email me at leah.egwuatu@6packusa.com.

i marinated some chicken breasts in homemade honey mustard (equal parts dijon mustard and agave nectar and yes you can you honey) and a little sea salt and black pepper to taste.  i grilled them up on my grill pan and smoked up the 1st floor of the house real good.  all you need is a HOT grill pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray, cook the breasts for 8 minutes on each side (depending on size), then cover the meat with foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.  here are a few of my grilled chicken lunch/dinner plates from this week:

,..paired with plantains pan-fried in coconut oil, a fresh spinach, tomato, pecan, jicama salad, Annie's  all natural Artichoke Parmesan dressing on the side (i could turn the entire bottle UP it's so good) and my prenatal vitamin...

..paired with sautéed spinach and mushrooms, a summer corn, tomato, cilantro & mozzarella salad with honey mustard on the side..

..a ginormous spinach salad topped with pecans, strawberries, blueberries, jicama, green onion, and feta cheese crumbles.. this was actually my first time ever buying jicama and it won't be my last!

3 weeks postpartum now and my sweet tooth is still RAAAAGING, so i've been trying to stick to natural sugars as often as possible.  the cravings are SO strong though and all i want to do is eat chocolate and chips all day.  so i've been having fresh fruit with a little sugar-free cool whip and cinnamon for dessert most nights. super yummy and a better option than the Marble Slab i will go HAM on. also, the peeps over at Squarebars so graciously sent me some samples of their organic protein bars to try. omg. can you say right on time!? they are D-freakin-licious!!

no refined sugars, no GMOs, soy-free, gluten-free,  low glycemic, vegan, and 12g of protein. i'm feelin'em, and their nutritional stats aren't too shabby!

newborn life lol! have a fun friday evening!

le

bok, bok, bok! healthy, homemade chicken nuggets

after a fantastic early morning church service that concentrated on faithfulness to your spouse, i got crackin' on meal prep right away.  i roasted some asparagus (seasoned with Weber Zesty Lemon blend) and some red bell peppers (seasoned with Weber Smoky Mesquite) in the oven on 400 degrees for 17-20 minutes or so. for our protein, i made something i will be making more often, especially for Chiso since he loves'em.

the coating for this recipe stemmed from the Fit Sticks recipe in my first ebook!  anytime Chiso eats and asks for more of something homemade i have to shout it from the roof tops!

healthy, whole wheat, tender, baked, HOMEMADE CHICKEN NUGGETS!

i went a lil' crazy and made them 3 ways: baked nuggets, and pan seared & grilled strips.

the coating can easily be gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread to make your breadcrumbs.  i used toasted Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delicious multigrain wheat bread.  a few pulses in the food processor and that's it!

healthy homemade chicken nuggets 

the stuff:

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 + 2 tbsp cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 heaping tbsp of your fave no-salt seasoning (lemon pepper, cajun, bbq, etc)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp parsley
• sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

do this:

1. set oven to 450 degrees.
2. cut chicken into desired shapes and coat with olive oil.
3. spread a layer of foil across a large baking pan and coat it with no-stick cooking spray.
4. add all dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl; blend well.
5. in a large tupperware container with a lid, add in a few raw chicken pieces with a few spoonfuls of breading and SHAKE!  (or you could spread out some breading on a plate and dredge the chicken pieces until fully coated but this way was easier and not as messy AND Chiso had fun doing all the shaking :lol: )
6. space the nuggets out across your baking sheet and bake for 17-20 minutes. (high heat & 4-5 min on each side if grilling, and 7-10 min on each side if pan searing or until done in the center.)
7. let them cool, then whip out the dipping sauces! we used honey mustard, Weber all natural Buzz'n Honey bbq sauce, and dijon mustard.

i know i cut strips with some of my chicken, but i used 4 large breasts total.  you can cut at least 40 nuggets alone from 4 breasts though.  stats per nugget (using 40 ct):

35 cals,  1g carb, 2g fat, 3g protein

then we had a biggest belly contest! happy sunday family funday!

le

updated oats & flashbacks

i am all over the place today and don't even know where to friggin' start! ok how about with....breakfast:

i've been saying i'm gonna post my updated morning bowl of oats recipe and i need to do it already. less talking and more action is what i'm putting into 2013.  i mean really.

this particular bowl was made with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, real vanilla, vanilla creme stevia, and topped with bananas, chopped almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon <3

fitfoodiele's BBO (basic bowl of oats) 

the stuff:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

do this:

bring the almond milk to a boil, add the vanilla, then add the oats. stir them around until every oat is wet lol, then turn your burner on low.  after 3 minutes it's pretty much done!  i like mine not too lose, and not too tight.. so if a little liquid left is left that's cool wit me.

**this is THE most basic way to make the oats...like ever.   when i post recipes in the future, this will almost always be the very base of the recipe...before i go crazy and start adding stuff all willy nilly.   sometimes i like to use 1 cup of almond milk + 1 cup of water which makes for one big huuuuuge bowl of oatmeal.  you know oats expand  in volume and soak up alotta the liquid it's cooked in, so it's like you're eating more but really, you're not.  i usually add a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon in there too- i like A LOT.  now, the toppings are endless i tell you, ENDLESS.  i usually do bananas (as if you didn't know lol) but apple chunks and raisins, and blueberries work well as far as fruit goes, and all kinds of nuts pair well too.  my fave are almond, pecans, and pistachios.  a lot of people throw in a big scoop of nut butter (PB2, the real thang, almond butter, etc.) which adds incredible flavor. add what ya like!!!**

here's the break down on the types of oats so you won't be in the bulk aisle lookin' clueless:

old fashioned - not that great for smooth pancakes UNLESS you grind them first.  even when making a bowl of regular oatmeal, they don't soak up much liquid, and take the longest to cook.

quick cooking / rolled oats  (1-3 minute cooking time) - these are pressed old-fashioned oats into thinner flakes which makes for a quicker cooking time, hence the name.  they work best for pancakes IMO. makes a huge difference in the texture of your cake.  buuut again, if you grind them up first, it doesn't really matter now does it!

steel-cut - chopped up oat groats. (oat groats are the real whole oat, hulled and unprocessed). they produce a rougher, chewier bowl of regular oatmeal and take as long as old-fashioned oats to cook...maybe longer.

instant - i don't do instant and you shouldn't either :shock:

after breakfast, i hit the gym and worked on my core, glutes, and ended with a little cardio.  you remember that ab machine that looks like a little tire wheel with two handles on either side? we had one of those growing up lol! the thought of my parents attempting to use that thing back then is HILARIOUS to me now.  matter fact, i don't even remember anybody using it correctly, ever.  i like the cooler looking one above- i saw somebody else with one and grabbed one too.   i did 5 reps of 10 of these and was feelin' it by the 2nd set, MY GOODNESS.

then, grocery shopping! yeah i had a pretty awesome day! got lots of fresh produce and restocked Produce Island (e.g. my kitchen island, even though you prolly figured that out).  i have a lot of work to do in my test kitchen this month:)

aaaand of course i restocked my snack corner too. all good stuff, i promise.

sooo, yesterday i made nachos for lunch. not just any nachos though, 

grilled, JUMBO shrimp nachos!!!!

i marinated the shrimp in liquid aminos, smokehouse maple seasoning, fresh chopped cilantro, and black pepper for a few minutes first,

then went to work with my grill pan.  before i started that, i sliced up  some of my low carb La Tortilla Factory soft wraps, put them on a baking sheet, and cooked them until they were crispy.

then...the magic happened.

semi-homemade chips, shredded kale, chopped roma tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, shredded almond cheese, and SCRIMPS! i only had one small corner of almond cheese left and nachos MUST HAVE CHEESE! i scrounged up what i could, but they were still so good!  next time, way more cheese. way more. i also made some homemade guacamole:  avocado, tomato, cilantro, liquid aminos, pepper, and lemon juice.

KILLED IT!

so i taught my very first class of 2013 this past Wed- i subbed a weight's class for another instructor and got my burn ON baby!  i also realized that this is the beginning of my 5th year as an instructor. MY how time has flown. i have super-duper BIG news for my Houston area readers and gymers- just you wait!!

all these progress and throwback pics on IG have me going back looking through my own photo archives these days!  i came across this one from Sonny's frat brother's wedding in 2011.  

fluffaaaaay!  and look at my posture:( however, my boobs were so heavy from breastfeeding.  i was darn  near hiding behind Sonny!!   i felt and definitely looked self-conscious and unconfident. i said on IG that Chiso was less than a year when we took this, but i later realized that he was 4 months old at the time.

now, it didn't take me an entire year to trim down to this size, but it's something very gratifying about being able to look back to see where you WERE.  one bikini comp down and a current, consistent exercise/nutrition off-season regiment and i'm grabbing a fist full of that dress behind me cause it won't stay up on its own these days!  i can finally say i'm content with my body; i'm staying right here. HEY Chiso, dang!!!!!!!

never, ever limit exercise to physical benefits only; i tell people this over and over again!  exercise reduces stress... it's an escape.. it's a form of therapy.  along with looking fitter, it makes you FEEL better emotionally too.  i even sleep better!  this is why i was ITCHING to get back into the gym after having to sit down and recover from my dental surgery.  all of  those reasons above!

so, other than the physical benefits, WHY do you exercise?  (2013 gym newbies AND veterans!)

le

runnin the streets

i went out this past weekend!!! ok not out out, but it was to a private dinner celebrating my dear friend turning 30.  it was held at Perry's Steakhouse - one of my faaaaaaave places for a magnificent dining experience!  always great service, and the food...well, look:

i kept it clean and enjoyed the grilled salmon (sauce on the side) and kept the sautéed spinach that accompanied it.  i reeeeeally wanted to sub it for the butternut squash puree, but our waitress quoted me some ungodly price for that small change and i declined.  anyway, i made sure i altered my macros to fit this meal in- it was delectable.  i'm glad i got my sauce on the side cause i put a little on my fork and it tasted like straight flavored butter!!

my friends were so sweet- they snapped pics of their plates for me :lol:   that was steak topped with crab with steamed asparagus spears on the side.

here we have pecan crusted red snapper and broccollini florets.

this is totally what i would normally order!!  surf and turf, YUM.  lobster tail, fillet mignon, and asparagus spears.

quick pic before we got busy!  the birthday girl is in the upper right corner:) i'm honored to have been apart of her celebration.

so this is from yesterday's workout which means this post was supposed to go out yesterday too. 

i'd love to have my competition abs/core back!  i took this pic immediately after my class- 1 hour of  HIIT and some core work at the end.

Q: what's the best type of cardio? HIIT or steady state?

A: BOTH.  incorporate both types into your weekly routine.  i do HIIT once or twice a week, and steady state either early in the morning, or after my weights session.  switching up the days you do either one will keep your body from plateauing and constantly  burning fat.

i sped home to my breakfast- scrambled eggs this time with fat-free feta, dried parsely, and reduced sugar ketchup,

aaaand a bowl of cinnamon oats made with unsweetened almond milk and topped with bananas, more cinnamon, walden farms syrup, and raw, unsweetened coconut flakes.

i bought a crap load of kale at HEB so i've been incorporating it into my dishes these past few days! we have here:

ground turkey and egg white kale wraps lol

for another lunch or dinner i had a bowl of torn, raw, kale, roasted sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and lean ground turkey.

but this recipe right here is my fave so far.  grilled smokehouse maple shrimp and kale tacos!

with fat-free feta cheese and homemade guacamole.

(1 avocado + half a roma tomato + liquid aminos)

the shrimp was marinated in liquid aminos and smokehouse maple seasoning.

i'm head over heels in love with sautéed kale. oh and those are La Tortilla Factory white-wheat soft wraps.

i posted this on IG the other day- Trader Joe's cranberry apple butter.  i went in looking to replace my fig butter but happily left with this instead after i didn't see any.

it tastes just like the traditional canned, jellied, cranberry sauce, but fresher and more tart. i'm cool with it! 20 cals, 4g sugar, 5 carbs for 1 tbsp. i do believe it has the lowest calorie and sugar count of all the butters.  i missed it on Thanksgiving, but i will definitely be eating some with my Christmas dressing this year!

which means after 30 years of this stuff, i have no more use for it.  those stats are outta line for only 1/4 cup serving...i can eat the whole can by myself with my plate.  too high in sugar and has high fructose corn syrup at that. no thank you.

got great news and events coming up for 2013 that  i'll be sharing very soon!

which apple butter is your favorite?

le

@ my desk

no more start/stop- catching up NOW.

good monday that is almost over to you!!

this will be crazy random but just stay with me.

i hope you guys are using and being creative the IG food pics- that's definitely some of my motivation for posting.

this was lunch @ my desk last Friday:

100 calorie multi-grain english muffin, grilled chicken breast, avocado, spicy mustard, and a crispy red bell pepper.  since my job is waaaaaaaaay closer to Trader Joe's than my house, i stopped by there to get a few specialty items on my lunch break that day.

more eggplant humus wish it came in a big TUB.

i can pronounce everything. that's the kind of ingredient list i like to see and the kind you should look for as often as possible.  also, natural, no additives or preservatives means eat it sooner than later! won't last but a few days.

also got some sweet sugar snap peas for dipping! in the car.

 i walked into TJ's with intent to restock my fig butter, but as soon as those double entrance doors parted, i walked straight up to a tower of pumpkin butter.  clever is that seasonal marketing. they also had honey apple butter and i couldn't leave without it.  i did leave the mango butter for next time though.

i hit up HEB, Whole Foods, and Sams this weekend to do my real shopping.  i got my sample on of course,

  *high five*, HEB.  but zero points for presentation.  steak pizzaiola, italian chicken sausage soup, and creamy potato casserole was served at one of their live sample stations. oh God, those potatoes though :shock: . i always grab a recipe card to see just what they put in those samples and they never fail to freak me out.  full-fat heavy cream and cream cheese is what made those potatoes so darn good!  but they were sample size sooooo i proceeded to enjoy.

i got outta there with my usual stuff plus a few specialty items.

my kitchen island stays just like this for the most part.  i like to keep my produce out where i can see it cause i'll forget about it in the fridge and it's more likely to spoil.  gonna go ahead and add 'personal grocery shopper' to my resume, seriously!!! i could do this every day.

i've been using the sesame Ezekiel bread for the past few weeks, so i picked up the cinnamon raisin loaf this time.

i have sweet and savory dishes in mind for this puppy.

fat-free feta and goat cheese are still two dairy cheeses i won't be giving up (will expand on that shortly), but i was inspired to try almond cheese from a fellow health and fitness IGer.  i figure i love almond milk, so i'd prolly like the cheese too. uh, yeah! it melts, grates, and tastes just like dairy cheese and nutritional stats are awesome.  i'm impressed and sold.  gonna try some rice cheese too.

i've been a fan of Blue Diamond brand almond milk since Hungry-Girl introduced me to it a few years ago, but decided to try the Silk brand because of the lower calorie count.

it is so much more creamier than i was expecting! i may have been converted indefinitely...

I picked up some of Sonny's fav granola from Whole Foods - pumpkin flax.  it's the best granola (nutrtion-wise) in the bulk aisle line up.  140 cals and 5g of sugar per serving. read your labels- granola is more like a treat/dessert as the sugar content can be super high for some of them.  a few spoonfuls over some cottage cheese or yogurt or a small serving of it is just enough.

 granola + almond milk = one great bed time snack.  if only i could stop eating bowl after bowl.

lunch today @ my desk:

seeing red today for meal 2-  grilled chicken breast, avocado, red bell pepper, tomato, spicy mustard and honey apple butter.  wrapped all up in a La Tortilla Factory white-wheat soft wrap with some strawberries on the side.

i snuck in some sugar snap peas and eggplant humus too.

we had some GORGEOUS weather in Houston today!! Sonny hates the cold and is already griping about having to stop his outside runs.  he still has time to take advantage though cause it will be hot again like tomorrow.

cajun crusted tilapia recipe coming up next.

le