m<3m's day '14

one of my most cherished moments in time. i didn't even know this pic of me and Chiso's first  face to face interaction was captured until later;  i was so wrapped up in his little presence.  simply honored God saw fit to make me his mommy.

 almost 3 years later i'm still getting all the kisses i can before he starts wiping them off! i woke up to the sweetest mothers' day card from Sonny & Chi along with this little lifesaver right here:

 my Samsung s4 is so full of pics and vids that i haven't been able to download any new apps for weeks.  i mean really. and i've backed up everything in my phone onto my mac but because i never know when i'll need to upload or get access to a particular pic, i can't bring myself to wipe my phone totally clean. i know. all kinds of crazy over here. but now i have even more space to fill with food and workout pics :P

i got on up and made breakfast for the fam and had one of my usual combos: mushroom egg omelette with whole wheat toast, natural pb, and sprinkles for fun ( i used a cupcake cookie cutter btw) and some wild blueberries.

then i threw on my Mothers' Day best and snapped a few 35 week pics before we hit the road to go celebrate with our moms!

Sonny's mom and sis couldn't make it,  but he and his brother, Brian, treated my mom, his fiance, and his future MIL to a feast of a lunch at Las Ventanas.  May 17th, 2014 is the BIG day for those two!!! i am so happy to be gaining another sister as awesome as Kara.  my dad is a homebody and told us all to have a great lunch lol.

so this is what i ordered... shrimp & mushroom topped brown butter snapper with steamed veggies.  it originally came with mashed potatoes but i switched them out. i normally ask for any sauce/dressing to be put on the side.....but i didn't want to this time to be honest!  Sonny ordered a side of rice and i took a few scoops.

 and here's what everybody else ordered!   good stuff. this is actually one of the restaurants that will be catering Brian and Kara's wedding. definitely looking forward to the reception, hahaha!

 we skipped dessert at the restaurant and headed to get some all natural fro-yo from Tasti D-lite, our first time there. i heard about them via Instagram and was stoked to find out Houston had one too.  my mom and i both got their bananas foster fro-yo...heaven.

   heath bar and sprinkles for me.

*****

my love and respect for my own mom grows exponentially each day. especially the older Chiso gets lol. seriously!!!  never knew motherhood would be so challenging yet rewarding all in the same breath.  God bless all mothers, those who play the mother role, and moms-to-be. you are needed and you are appreciated.

*****

i love you mom!!!!

le

Esprit De She 5k + glute bridges

breakfaaaast this morning!  just an egg white omelette chock-full of kale, roma tomatoes, baby bella mushrooms, mrs. Dash onion & herb seasoning. cheddar almond cheese, sriracha and avo on top. super filling!

let's get physical.

basic glute bridge: with your head on the floor and heels on  the bench or floor, raise your hips off the ground while squeezing your glutes and pressing your heels into the step or floor.  when your glutes are level with your hips, stop. lower and repeat.  mix it up with different counts- singles and pulses set those buns on :shock: FIRE :shock:

leg variations: 

• left foot on your right knee (pictured) 12 x 2
• right foot on your left knee (pictured) 12 x 2
• right leg extended at hip level (pictured) 12 x 2
• right leg straight up in the air 12 x 2
• left leg extended at hip level 12 x 2
• left leg extended up in the air 12 x 2
• heels down, toes up 12 x 2

tips:

• this can be done on the floor without the bench; alway make sure your surface is stable. an elevated surface provides a wider range of motion to perform the exercise.
• keep a neutral chin; slighty tucked in towards your chest
• avoid pushing your hips too high as this can hyperextend your back
• you should feel this primarily in your glutes. if you feel lower back discomfort, try doing them without elevation.

have fun!

i added a new recipe to the ebook today- roasted, curried cauli (as in cauliflower) mash.  i used to eat broccoli and cheese like nobody's business but neither one of them are kind to my tummy. soooo, this was a great, flavorful replacement.  i also had some roasted butternut squash sprinkled with cinnamon, and pan seared lemon pepper tilapia.

are you on IG? of course you are. i'm doing @fitnessfoodandstyle's May Photo A Day challenge this month cause i love me some Dani and it looks fun! you should join me.

'don't copy, compete with or compare yourself to others. their path is not your path, nor should it be. everyone has a unique gift to offer. what is yours?'

-mary frances winters

with that said, this next event is for my fit ladies only. let's finish this race and compete together as a team. the Athleta Esprit de She Houston 5k/10k will be making its debut on May 9th, 2013!  yes, 8 days away!

 

let's make their very first year one to remember.  if you would like to run with the Fit Foodie Finishers, send me an email (le@fitfoodiele.com) so i can send you the link to sign up!   we will be running the 5k, so whether you're a veteran or first timer, come oooooon.

le