sammich — Blog — Fit Foodie Le

what.a.BLAST this morning! this was my first time participating in the The Color Run 5k and imo, everything was set up perfectly. because i have a goal of hosting my own 5k one day, i took special note of well, everything. instead of just showing up to run, i tried my best to pay attention to all the minor details that go into making a 5k (or any distance really) so great, fun, and memorable. and BOY am i overwhelmed!!! but hey:

:shock:

never settle for good, mediocre, or average because you weren't created to do good, mediocre, or average things!

packet pickup was at Rei and i had never even been inside the store until then. there was soooo much Color Run paraphernalia to choose from it's not even funny! shorts, fanny packs, drawstring back packs, tanks, frisbees, bandanas, socks,

and sunglasses!

pre-race breakfast was an egg-white omelette (with some shredded and melted parmesan cheese that was thrown on top as it cooked), fresh spinach, tomato, and honey mustard on Nature's Own double fiber wheat bread. no oatmeal this time as it can come back to haunt ya real quick if you know what i mean, especially on longer runs. no pun intended. L O L. however 5k's are over rather quickly.

that's my sweet, fab, supportive friend Kara!

our driver (Sonny) so graciously snapped some pics of us right after we jumped outta the truck and headed to the start line.

i met up with more great friends on our way to the start line- hey Roberto, Ana, and Kara's fingers! *waving*

i had NO idea how popular this run was!!! our team was set for takeoff at 9am, but we didn't make it all the way to the front as it was just too crowded. to avoid so many people on the course at once, they created several 'waves' and our start time was unexpectedly pushed back more than a little bit. this was terrible because somebody had to drive back across town to teach class in less than 2 hours. yep....me. when i signed up for the race i was so excited about participating i forgot about my class!!!! pushing it, yes, but i knew both could be done. i can't and won't let my members down. or waste 50 bucks :lol:

i heard somebody was not feelin' the weather change this morning. it dropped to around 50 degrees outta no where.

but we finished strong. it was bob and weave, stop and go the entire way. this was the first untimed race i've ever participated in and it was a true fun run with an emphasis on fun! people were clearly not concerned with breaking any PR's lol. it's a huge, family and friends type event for sure, and i DEFINITELY recommend this race for anybody's very first 5k.

the Fit Foodies meant business though! we turned on our heart rate monitors and did our thing. Kara and i pretty much have the same running pace, so we started and finished together.

Kind Bars! i see these guys in Whole Foods all the time and they look scrumptious, right? they were giving out these two flavors and OH BOY...

this peanut butter and strawberry flavor was uhhhmazing. tasted like a sticky, chewy, pb and jelly bar sammich. these are the only samples i could get my hands on before having to head out.

going and coming, literally. i missed out on tons of pictures and good ol' fashioned color fun and could not stay to meet up with and party with the other runners at all:( you live and you learn. this was our first Fit Foodies event and we have only just begun to scratch the surface. so seriously, NO WORRIES if you weren't able to make it this morning, there are too many races coming up to dwell on one! just know that plenty of advanced noticed will be provided next time, you have my word.

we sped across town and made it just in time. did i shower first? heck no! i didn't have time anyway! 1 hour of total conditioning and a family shoulder workout later,

(alternating punches with dumbbells for 1 minute straight w/ Kara, my bro Brian, my hubby, and i )

TOAST was not the word.

i'm gonna put this in the side bar over there, but the Green 6.2 will be held on April 27th, 2013. that's next month yall! email me if you'd like to run with the Fit Foodies team. the earlier you register, the cheaper the price. set a goal and let's go for it, together. le@fitfoodiele.com

alright...had this dressing tonight and it's definitely gonna be added to the FFL approved list! Walden Farms Raspberry Vinaigrette. it's great as a salad dressing, but i'm positive it would work as a marinade for fish or chicken too. try it! i like.

250mg of sodium per 2 tbsp and you know the rest: calorie, gluten, fat, sugar, carb, and cholesterol-FREE.

more q & a in the upcoming posts, fyi.

start this week off STRONG!!!

i must start this post out by giving a HUUUUUGE congrats to everyone that participated in the Chevron Houston Half and Full Marathon races this morning!!!! my Facebook feed is blowing the heck up right now with pics of friends i had no idea were even running this year! the weather wasn't the greatest, but i am so thrilled to see people sticking to their goals, breaking PR's and just being such HEALTHY examples. AWESOME job, all runners!

i had this bad boy a few days ago- my protein filled breakfast sammie.

it's got 2 egg whites and 2 oz of lean grilled chicken breast previously dipped in some calorie-free, carb-free, fat-free, Walden Farms pancake syrup and sandwiched between a Thomas light, multigrain english muffin. who needs a high-priced drive-through breakfast sandwich when you can make these right at home? my family doesn't.

before heading out to church this morning, i had another one and added some dijon mustard for some tang. some cheese will make it even better! stats: 225 cals, 3g fat, 26.6 carbs, 8g fiber, and a WHOPPING 30g of protein! YUP!

so today was the launch of 24 Hour Fitness's new Total Body Conditioning format (HIIT) and i had so much fun sweating it out with the members! please, allow me to give just one more shout out to my amazing husband for his support.

weights? yes. cardio? not a big fan. nevertheless, he was in my front row doing his thing and making crazy faces at me as usual.

this is my 5th year teaching and i always, and i mean always, get butterflies in my tummy right before class. i don't think that feeling will ever leave me. soon as i put that mic on...

it's ON!!

i feel unstoppable when i am in my zone!

they made breaking a sweat look FANTASTIC. so inspiring.

i was on such a natural high which called for rr selfies- it was a modest turn out and i KNOW the class will only grow to be bigger and better in the coming weeks. i just love family gym dates! heeeey, Chiso ;)

so salmon is STILL on sale at HEB this week *big cheese*. the price did go up a dollar, but it's still a couple dollars lower than regular price. i couldn't pass it up. soooo, here are more healthy, fresh salmon meal ideas:

salmon is amazing when paired with fresh dill, but i didn't have any. i used another toasted Thomas english muffin, broke apart some of the baked salmon and put it on one side, and i slathered the other half of the muffin with a homemade no-fat cream cheese & green onion spread. i smell a salmon, dill, chive, cream cheese dip coming soon, don't you!? no pun intended.

fresh blackberries are on sale too! i made a spring mix salad for lunch one day last week and threw a few on top for one of my meal 5's. grilled squash, roasted new potatoes and a hunk of garlic and herb salmon went right along with it. i roast or grill my food A LOT- you create so much flavor! steamed is my least fave...

yesterday, my fam got together at my grandma's house for a huge pot luck style brunch. what did i volunteer to make? banana pancakes, duuuuuh!

i quadrupled my original recipe and blended 3/4th of the oats in a powder but i left 1 cup whole for texture. you already know the ingredients, so i'll spare ya.

all griddled up and ready to be devoured.

if you gone do brunch, do it right! i brought sliced fresh bananas, chopped pecans, Cary's sugar-free syrup, and whipped cream along to top them. we also had:

a beautiful concoction of fresh, ripe fresh fruit brought by my cousin Anne,

eggies made with love by my aunts,

french toast (made with organic, low-fat milk, right, Kristy!)

here's one end of the table,

this thing was soooooo sweet and delectable! i had to know what the crust was and found out it was a big sugar cookie, yum! topped with cool whip, cinnamon, and fresh fruit. awesome idea that i WILL be stealing and tweaking lol.

aaaand here's the other end.