*waving*

hello? is this thing on :shock:

hi there. *jumps over the bush* i have a lot of explaining to do concerning my blog whereabouts.  for now, i just wanted to come 'back' with a lil' shout out to my amazing hubby-face. i am so HONORED and PROUD to be his wife and teammate for life! he is the epitome of a #1 fan for real and God has blessed him to be an outstanding husband and father. God reminds me often as to why we were made for each other.  i thank you for ALL you do for our family, Sonny!

hope your father's day weekend was spent honoring and remembering true fathers everywhere.

 i can't get over how much my itty, bitty BABY has grown, my goodness.  to watch him do for himself 90 percent of the time these days gives me such a proud, bittersweet feeling.  i'm sure mothers everywhere can relate.

we headed to celebrate with our parents on Sunday afternoon.

so, originally, i had an AWESOME restaurant picked out for dinner...but i remembered one very crucial thing as we were on the way.

the NBA finals were on at 7!  so i had to make a game time decision while en route and drove straight to the Houston Texans Grille  so that Sonny could enjoy himself his way on his day.

and what do ya know, Sonny's brother and lady, Kara, were there enjoying the game as well!  i definitely didn't plan that but it worked out perfectly.  they ordered those 'bigger than the state of Texas' nachos up there and i almost knocked my water-glass over scrambling for my phone to take a pic.  what can i say, food excites me!  they are monstrous in person and they threw in the towel early on them!  Sonny stuck with salmon, rice, and veggies,  since he is training, and i ordered a baja grilled shrimp salad with romaine, black beans, roasted corn, red bell pepper, cotija cheese, dressing on the side.  i ordered the 'healthiest' thing i could find on the menu for Chiso, which were those fried sweet potato tots.  they were DELISH but were way too sweet from the added sugars.

cheese pizza wasn't on the menu but i asked and they made one for Chiso. love that! #score

 Wally World had these ginormous red bell peppers for just 44 cents each this weekend.  couldn't pass it up so i got a few and made the recipe you're about to read right now:

 red pepper crock pot sirloin

the stuff:

• 1 lb lean sirloin
• 1 large chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 3 stalks chopped green onion
• 4 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp pecan, hickory, or mesquite liquid smoke
• 2-3 tbsp of your favorite low-no sodium seasoning
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

do this:

add half of the veggies to your crock pot, then lay sirloin on top.  add the rest of the veggies on top of the meat.  dump all seasonings, liquids, and herbs on top of meat.  set crock pot on the lowest setting and cook the sirloin for 6 hours, or 4 hours on high.  it will be moist, juicy, and FORK TENDER BABY!

*i didn't measure the ingredients the first time honestly and it turned out great.  but if you find comfort in following a recipe, i estimated as best i could!  feel free to do your own thing with it, as you should *

then you can have something like my meal 5 from tonoooight:

boom. pow. ta-dow.

well that was REFRESHING!  taking a break from life, even your passions, is a great thing.  i have so much crazy energy right now from this small post alone, whew!   my flame has been rekindled and i typed this whole post at what seems like 554 wmp!!!!  now if i could just get back to doing this every day....... 

one day at a time though.

tell me something. ask me something.  just say HAI!

email - le@fitfoodiele.com

Instagram - fitfoodiele

Facebook Fan Page

Vine - coming SOON and i'm so dang excited about it!

Kik messenger: fitfoodiele

go buy a crock pot,

le

zucchini pizza cruise ships + single leg deadlifts

that caption is PERFECT!!!  i freakin' love this picture.

i don't know about you, but i need my daily dose of endorphins!  i got some this morning in the form of Total Conditioning. can you tell by those sweat stains?  afterwards, i took a moment to focus on my exercise pick of the week: single leg deadlifts.

1. start in a standing position; knees soft, back flat, feet shoulder width apart, weights in front of your thighs, shoulders down and relaxed.  lift right leg slightly so foot is off the floor.

2. lower your torso forward/downward.  at the same time, raise your lifted leg, keeping it straight.

3. once stretch is felt mainly in your hamstrings and lower glutes, return to original position by raising torso and lowering the lifted leg.

4. straighten the knee of the supporting leg as torso becomes upright. try it again on the opposite leg! 4 sets of 12 on each leg with heavy ;) bells.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

• the heavier the weight, the more challenging the exercise
• keep your back flat all the way down and all the way up
• hips remain square; try not to tilt or twist them. torso should face the front at all times.
• go as far down as YOU feel comfy, not as far as your neighbor is going!
• you can modify this exercise and keep your back toe on the ground for balance
• keep your dumbbells super close to your body all the way down and all the way up.
• which ever leg you are standing on should keep a soft knee ensure the weight is in your heel and not your toes

what they work: those glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, trunk.

awesome. on to tha fooooooood!

Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships

the stuff:

• 2 raw zucchini
• 1 cup extra lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella almond cheese
• 1/4 cup low sodium pizza sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash tomato basil no salt seasoning
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

do this:

preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

halve raw zucchini (long ways) and scoop out the seeds and insides.  they should look like empty canoes once done. (don't discard the insides! you can actually cook them back in with the meat if you'd like or eat them separately at a later date. either way, don't waste!)

in a large skillet, set your burner to medium-high heat.  add chopped garlic and onions and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.  add in your extra lean turkey meat, liquid aminos, pepper, dried basil, and Mrs. Dash seasoning.  stir/saute until cooked through completely and there is no more pink.

in a separate bowl, combine the pizza sauce and turkey meat crumbles.  then, divide and spoon this mixture evenly amongst your zucchini shells.

top the ships with your sliced tomato, shredded almond cheese, and finally, the chopped basil.

bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until your desired zucchini consistency.

serving size: 4 ships

approximate stats for the entire recipe! (*remember, ingredients vary by the brands you use*)

Q: how much does 'heavy' weigh?  

A: i am so sure i have answered this before, but here it is again!  you gotta implement a little trial and error.  i usually do 12-15 reps per set.  so, heavy for me equals pretty much struggling to finish on rep 8-10. it varies per exercise though! there is no set number across the board so to speak... you must see for yourself.  write your beginning numbers down to track your progress, and add weight gradually over time to get better , bigger, and stronger.  you'll start seeing muscles you didn't even know you had, watch!

weight lifting has transformed not only my body, but my mind. confidence booster? heck yeah!  i no longer dread the dressing room mirror and i find myself trying on items i would normally shy away from.  better fitting clothes is definitely an advantage worth working for! i get emails here and there concerning that darn scale and how insecure it makes people feel. you are worth so much more than a silly NUMBER.  i don't watch my weight anymore; i watch my body!

le

muscles & fro-yo

i'd like to introduce you guys to my fit friend, Tasha.

thank you, Tasha, for proving yet again that you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to!  she is living proof!  after seeing some of my journey last year, she was further intrigued by the sport of bodybuilding.  so, she went for it!  why? because she CAN!  Tasha overcame the physical and mental challenges of the competitor training journey and ROCKED THAT STAGE.  i'm super proud!  please read her advice and overall first time experience:

What made you compete?

I, like many others, was just going to the gym with no any specific goals but just to be healthy. I’d go and do maybe 30 minutes of cardio then get on a few weight machines that I thought I knew how to use, and then just leave. I liked the idea of having a more muscular physique but had no idea what it took… then someone randomly asked me if I ever thought about doing a fitness competition. I promised them that I would consider it and the first people I contacted was Leah and my cousin, who also competes and is currently my trainer. Both of them gave me lots of insight and encouraged me to compete, so I decided I would give it a try.

What did you gain from the experience?

It’s funny because I went into this thinking all I would gain was a nicer looking body and lower body fat percentage but I gained sooo much more. Competing has given me a sense of accomplishment. Competing is a major commitment and I was able to set this goal that was so far out of my comfort level and accomplish it. Although I am very personal, it’s still a great feeling to show people my competition pictures. It’s the product of months of work and dedication. My friends and family have also been really supportive of my decision to compete, even more than I would have imagined. That feeling of overwhelming love and support has actually been one of the best experiences from competing. This is what kept me motivated.

Do you have any advice for first time competitors?

There are 2 things I would share with first time competitors. The first thing is that competing is both physical and mental. The physical part is expected, but the mental not so much. The mental part was actually as hard as the physical for me. You will doubt yourself and your progress, but keep with it! This is when a good support system will be needed to help keep you focused. The second thing is be careful not to compare yourself with others. It’s okay to use other people as inspiration, but remember that every body is different and we are all at different points in our fitness journey. Your progress is based on how much you improved from where you started, not only if you look like anyone else.

excellent advice, Tasha.  thank you so much for sharing your experience, insight, and HOT pics with my fit foodies!

i love the fro-yo combo below and get it pretty much every time we go. usually no sugar added vanilla, cake batter, or no sugar added chocolate as far as the fro-yo goes. most of the time it's worth the tummy after-bloat and overall fluff dairy tends to give me, but now....ooooh but now, my prayers have been answered.

i recently discovered two new flavors at Red Mango that are both dairy-free and sweetened with all natural, zero calorie, STEVIA!  dark chocolate and raspberry sorbetto. have you had them yet?!  they are both fantastic.

15 and 10 cals per oz.  YAAAAAS. let me know what you think!

fro yo tips:

• look up the nutritional stats online before you visit 
• check for speciality options e.g. dairy-free, sugar-free, no sugar added, low fat, etc.
• fresh fruit and nuts preferably for toppings
• live a little. it's dessert. dessert is fun and to be enjoyed. so do so in moderation!

there are a bajillion self-serve fro-yo places these days, huh!  one on every corner seems like. so....who's the BEST in your opinion?

 you know who's got my vote!

le

he's on a horse + crunchy almond butter brown rice crispy treats

happy mothers day!! i mean, wait... wrong sunday. ah well, i was honored and grateful to participate in my very 2nd MD.

this is one of my fave pics of two of my fave people.  7 day old Chiso and his new Granny.

Sonny treated the special ladies in his life (l to r: our moms and i) to a SCRUMPTIOUS dinner at Capital Grille.  excuse the crappy pic- ALL of our phone batteries were too low to use the flash, smh. 4 outta 4. what are the odds.... so our waiter used the restaurant's digital camera and even printed us all hard copies. what a nice touch to our special date!

yes, yes, yes, and yes.  lobster mac n' cheese, my mom's pan seared chilean sea bass with citrus and pea tendrils, creamed spinach, and of course i got the salmon which had green beans and onions on the side.  everything was cooked and flavored to peeeeerfection.

so beautiful and true.  i love when my own little family can all sit down and eat a meal together, but  i definitely miss eating at home with my 'rents.... i often find myself reminiscing about my childhood memories when hanging out with Chiso.

anyway, that creamed spinach and mac n cheese had my tummy upset with me until about wednesday!  i've been keeping my dairy consumption super low, but i went HAM that afternoon. i had to.

however these guys helped me forget aaaall about my tummy troubles! i love, love, LOVE receiving health and fitness gear for any occasion! do you even need a reason?! thanks hubby!

so that was last weekend.  THIS weekend, i had been to the gym all week and didn't want to go anywhere near one saturday morning. i stepped outside instead! Chiso and i had some birthday parties to attend, so i ran to Walgreens (yes, last minute as always) to get some cards.  Walgreens is about 3 miles away, so i ran there and back. literally.  it's always great to switch things up a bit.

 one of our events for the day was Rilee's 1 1/2 birthday fun fest!  this was our first 1 1/2 party and i thought it was the coolest idea ever.  i love when people do their own thing!  Kudos to Tinnell and Marcus.

Chiso had THE time of his lil' life lol.  he went from the bounce house, to the petting zoo, to stuffing his face with James Coney Island hotdogs and fries nonstop from start to finish.

and he even got to experience his first pony ride!

sooo about the ebook!!!!! the sweetest girl in entire world, Ogechi, came over to proofread it for me again.  i claimed May for the book's completion date and i'm sticking to that. for one of the books anyway;)   i posted about the sweet snack above on IG- they are crunchy almond butter brown rice crispy treats and taste DARN GOOD. see for yourself!  i made some of them for us to snack on, yum.

crunchy almond butter brown rice crispy treats

the stuff: 

• 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 cup crunchy almond butter or cashew butter
• 1 tbsp Enjoy Life dairy-free dark chocolate chips or plain dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp Walden Farms Pancake Syrup
• 2 cups gluten-free crispy brown rice

do this:

in a medium pot, set your burner to medium heat.

add brown rice syrup, vanilla, Walden Farms syrup, and almond butter together and stir until well combined.

shut off the fire and add in your cereal.

mix well and transfer to a pan that has been sprayed with no stick cooking spray (rectangle, circle, square, don't matter) and press the cereal flat into an even layer.

refrigerate for at least an hour so it can firm up before you cut it in squares.

gluten-free and dairy-free treat!  as always, sprinkles are optional but you gotta have'em.

makes: 10 bars. serving size: 1 bar. 79 cals - 1g fat - 66mg sodium - 18g carbs - 9g sugar - 1g protein.

it wasn't as crowded as expected for our Mothers day date this year.  just curious, where did you celebrate ? (celebrate = eat) answer below!

[polldaddy poll=7115316]

le

knock, knock

it's me. so if i'm going to be a nationally known blogger, i might need to blog then, huh. hi. my head is spinning with a full to-do list all day every day and i can't even begin to tell you how much i miss blogging consistently!  even though i haven't blogged consistently since i started :lol: anyway, i have given my all to these ebooks for the past few months and i am sick of them!! i'm waiting on one last mandatory piece to this puzzle before i put these bad boys on out there. i do thank you sincerely for being so patient with me.  if you've been with me for a while, you know how me and the balance thing goes...  i'm still growing, learning, and getting better.  i'm not even gonna attempt to try to play catch up with yall this time smh, but hopefully you've been following me on Instagram and keeping up with me there!

and if you are, then you would've  seen my 1000th photo!!! like you haven't seen all of these photos at one time or another :roll: they're just all in one place now for this nice little transformation collage.

what's new?  the Fit Foodie Finisher silicone bands are finally IN. i am super pleased at the way they turned out!  they serve as a token of appreciation for each person that commits to run with me, and hopefully they serve as a reminder to keep up the running habit.

the Esprit De She 5k went down this past Thursday night juuuust before the rain storm moved on in. it was super humid at 6pm but that's Houston for ya.   it was a great turn out despite the weather and it being their very first year!  this brings the Fit Foodie Finisher's total to 40k for 2013 so far. AWESOMENESS.

during my last visit to Walmart, i went extract crazy on accident-  i just kept seeing different flavors i wanted to try!  i got coconut, strawberry, lemon, butter, almond, vanilla, maple, and raspberry. after i got home, someone posted an IG pic of peanut butter extract. i would have gotten that too had i seen it.  anyway i've been trying them in my recipes:

i tried the strawberry extract in yesterday's bowl of oats.  i cooked them in water, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, cinnamon, and stevia, then topped them with fresh strawberries.  Chiso ate that UP!

divine.

next, i tried some of the maple extract in those cakes up there. this recipe is featured in my ebook!  maple banana oatbran pancakes...and check their stats:

245 cals - 4g fat - 10g fiber - 12g natural sugar - 16g protein

so this pic got a lotta IG love, wow! i'm as excited about this super healthy, low-calorie, sweet potato pizza crust as you are.

i topped my pizza with low sodium pizza sauce, yellow and orange mini peppers, cilantro, zucchini, extra lean ground chicken, and jalapeno jack almond cheese.

and ate the entire thing, solo.

did i EVER picture myself  as a published author? heck no!  but when you follow your passion and do what truly makes your heart happy, that's when the magic happens.  this book is just one of the many doors health and fitness has opened for me... i'm extremely excited, nervous, yet READY for whatever the future holds!  THANK YOU for reading, supporting, and being apart of my journey.

le