I am a routine person. I like surprises and going and doing fun things, but I very much like my routine. Anderson is very much like that too. I guess I might have made him that way, but I like to know what is coming next so I can plan accordingly.
When I was pregnant with Scarlett, like most parents do, I asked around about how life changes once you have two small children. I heard lots of “advice” on how life would be with two. I wondered how just the small day to day things would be, once there were two more little hands reaching for me and needing me constantly. I wanted to know what was coming and be prepared for how life was going to change for my family.
One little piece of “advice” I got was that my workouts would cease to exist. I was making it work well with one child, but I was reassured that with the second one coming, there was no way I would be able to keep the same routine. She went to the gym religiously like me, bright in the morning, but once that second child came along her time at the gym ended. Comments like this shouldn’t still be stuck in my head over a year later, but they are. Negative comments seems to make more of an impact than positive encouraging comments do. This individual was not intending to have their comment stick with me in this manner, but that is the thing about words, they impact others in a way that we never expect.
“Advice” like this fires me up.
I like to prove people wrong on my ability to accomplish things, without having to say anything at all, and without their help. It kills me how quickly someone is willing to be negative. Being honest and upfront is great and a rare quality, but just because you don’t have the discipline to get up at 4:00 a.m. and make it to the 5:00 a.m. class, on just a few hours of sleep, don’t say I can’t. How dare you think that I can’t do something that you couldn’t make happen. I was determined that I would still keep my routine going. I have created healthy habits for myself and my family and do not want that to be compromised. These habits keep me consistent in my diet and workout routine.
I woke up last night (Thursday) several times sleep walking. Sleep walking comes in spurts for some reason…I don’t always sleep walk or wake several times a night, but as sure as the kids sleep all night, I am going to be restless. Well, I woke up at 1:37 a.m. Friday morning and I guess my brain saw 4:37 a.m.. I jumped up and started getting ready for the gym. I ate a banana because I didn’t have time for oatmeal. Got dressed and in the car. I looked at the clock on the dash to see how late I was going to be and it said 2:00. I had to stop myself. I thought what on earth happened to my clock in my truck…noting dummy, you just woke up, got dressed and are heading to the gym at TWO IN THE MORNING! I debated on going ahead and working out then. I was wide awake at that point. I even took a screenshot of the time on my phone, to show Josh later on.
I went back inside & went back to sleep. Woke up at 5:00 and went to the gym. Dog tired. I still went. I could have taken the day off, Lord knows I had zero desire to do 150 wall balls, but I did it.
I know me. I know that all day, I would have felt this disappointment in myself for not going. Even when I am sore I go. I might not be capable of doing what the coach has programmed for that day, but I go. My day is just thrown off if I don’t make it to the gym. It also is a great common interest Josh and I share. We constantly compare notes on how the workout went, what was the most difficult part, which one of us beat the other, etc.
If I had not created this habit for myself, I would have kept on sleeping and not gone to the gym. My fear is getting out of the habit of going. Once you stop working out, especially CrossFit, it is hard to just jump back in. Even when I take a week off and go on vacation, I feel like my body is starting all over again. I feel so sluggish. I don’t ever want to let myself get too comfortable with not going, that I stop going.
I thought as I was walking to my car for the second time that morning with the intention of going to the gym, that this is like a job for me. A job that I want to do. My time taking care of my body and mind is that serious to me. Isn’t it great that you can be that passionate about something that is good for you?! All too often I see people take a day off here and there. Those few days off turn into a week, then two weeks off. Then the next thing you know, you haven’t seen that person in over a month. I want to be that consistent face that everyone sees at the gym, regardless of sleep and body aches. I want to be there. I am there to make myself a better person and hopefully encourage other people to keep coming.
I want to be the person that encourages others, that they can make it to the gym with two kids. Not the person that tells them it’s too hard and it is better to just not even try. Even if you have to go in the afternoon. Go. Mama/daddy needs an hour of time to blow off steam and socialize. I want to be the positive comment that people remember, not the Negative Nancy saying you can’t do it and it is too hard. You can do it! You can create healthy habits for you and your family, if you are willing to put in the effort.
Linked is a great article on habits, how they are formed, how to break them, and how to create new ones.
MENU
Back Strap + Citrus Beet Salad
Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl
Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing + Chicken
Roasted Fajita Vegetable Bowl + Chicken
Back Strap + Citrus Beet Salad
We still have some back strap left from Josh’s last doe. We usually cook back strap and tenderloin fresh, but frozen works just fine too. I like to cook our back strap like small medallion steaks. I slice the back strap into 1.5-2 inch steaks, season well (just like you season your rib eyes), and cook a few minutes per side in a cast iron pan on the stove top.
I personally like to use Pike’s Peak seasoning, but you can make your own version of it at home as well. It has black pepper, sea salt, white pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, minced green onion, and parsley
I love a good beet salad and this is probably my favorite one that I have made so far. It has oranges and uses orange juice in the dressing. I make sure to weigh out my orange juice and not to over do it on the orange slices. The juice is where you will really get a lot of calories if you are not mindful. To track your dressing, make sure you are weighing every ingredient. Get the total weight of the dressing and then divide into equal servings.
*- changes I make to meet my macros
Vinaigrette:
1/4 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
* I leave out the olive oil
2 Tablespoons Honey
* 1 Tablespoon Honey
1/2 teaspoon Stone Ground Mustard
* 1 Tablespoon Mustard
Pinch Salt/Pepper
Salad:
Fresh Baby Romaine or a Peppery Greens Salad Blend
Micro Greens
4-5 Cooked Beets - cut into chunks
Goat Cheese Crumbles
* 1 serving per salad
1 Orange - segmented
* 1/4th of an orange per salad
Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl
This recipe has a lot of different sauces and I don’t recommend leaving any of them out. The sauces are a minimal in quantity, but certainly need to me tracked. I am going to cut back on the amount of rice used and make more if need be. I don’t want to over do it on the carbohydrates, since there are so many different sauces used.
If am not satisfied with how the rice turns out, I am going to use jasmine rice. If you are watching your carbs, you can always substitute with cauliflower rice or put in a wrap.
*- changes I make to meet my macros
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or flank steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
black pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 cup sesame or extra virgin olive oil
* spray pan with olive oil
3 cups cooked white rice
* 1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup shredded radicchio or purple cabbage
4 carrots, shredded or cut into ribbons
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
1/4 cup fresh basil, and or mint, roughly chopped
chopped peanuts, for serving
* leave out the nuts
Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing + Chicken
I love a good well balanced bowl. This bowl does not have chicken in it, but I am going to put chicken into the bowl, instead of just having it on the side. I am not a fan of chicken breast on it’s on. I need some sort of sauce or a lot of vegetables, like in this bowl. I am going to make a few changes so it is not too heavy on the carbs though. Bowls always have some grain in it and lots of vegetables. While vegetables are great for you, some carry a lot of carbohydrates, like the sweet potato.
*- changes I make to meet my macros
Ingredients:
* Chicken Breast
1 cup freekeh or other grain (quinoa, bulgur, etc.)
1 head cauliflower
* 2 heads of cauliflower
2 sweet potatoes
* 1 sweet potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
* spray with olive oil
1 large apple
For the Lemon Dressing
1 bunch parsley (about 1 cup), minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
⅔ cup olive oil
* no oil
juice of one lemon (more to taste)
* 2 lemons
1 teaspoon agave (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
I love this chili, but I must say that it is not spicy enough. I would add a jalapeno to spice it up if you like spicy food too. The last time I cooked this meal, the macros (without the chicken) were 140 calories, 8 g protein, 29 carbohydrates, and 0.5 grams of fat. I like to add a squeeze of lime and cilantro to the top of the soup. I am going to test this soup out in the crock pot. First, I will sear the chicken with garlic and seasonings. Then put it all in the crock pot and let the chicken continue to cook on low until cooked through.
*- changes I make to meet my macros
Ingredients:
6 C. Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
3-4 C. Cooked & Chopped/Shredded Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (1 1/2 lb.)
2 (15 Oz.) Cans White Beans, Drained & Rinsed
2 C. Salsa Verde
2 Tsp. Cumin
Salt & Pepper to Taste
*jalapeno and garlic
Roasted Fajita Vegetable Bowl + Chicken
This bowl is intended to be a vegetarian bowl, like a lot of dishes I make, but I am adding chicken to it to meet my macros. Like I stated earlier, I am not a fan of chicken breast on it’s own, so I am going to put the chicken in the bowl. This recipe does not have any oil, which is amazing! I am going to cook the chicken and vegetables in the oven together, like a sheet pan dinner. If you are unsure about using rice or quinoa, opt for a low carbohydrate wrap.
*- changes I make to meet my macros
Ingredients:
* Chicken Breast
* Lime juice and zest on chicken and vegetables
Fajita Vegetables
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ strips (about 1 cup)
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ strips (about 1 cup)
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ strips (about 1 cup)
* 2 green and 1 yellow bell pepper
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2″ strips (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Serve with:
3 cups cooked brown rice
* Jasmine rice, quinoa, or low carb wrap
3 cups steamed kale or greens or choice
Fresh cilantro, to garnish
Optional: 1 small avocado, sliced
* Leave out the avocado
E N J O Y !
