10 Day Cleanse

Last Monday Joe and I started a 10-Day Herbal Cleanse from AdvoCare.

We did this back in April but since the wedding is less than two months away we decided to do it again so that we can keep on track for the wedding. Below is a snapshot taken directly from the www.advocare.com of what is included in the cleanse and what the products are.

The AdvoCare® Herbal Cleanse system can help rid your body of toxins and waste with its unique blend of herbal ingredients.* Using a systematic approach, this 10-day system guides you day by day through the steps for thorough internal cleansing and improved digestion.* Herbal Cleanse supports the body's metabolic systems and general health during the detoxification process by helping to keep energy levels up, aiding in removing impurities and supporting the immune system.* Some people who use Herbal Cleanse for the first time experience an encouraging weight reduction and/or reduction in inches when they pair the system with the recommended diet and exercise.

Each Herbal Cleanse system includes these three key products:

ProBiotic Restore™ ULTRA: Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that confer health benefits on the host. Our bodies must maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria to work at its best. When this balance is disturbed, it can have significant negative effects on our health. ProBiotic Restore ULTRA contains a superior multi-strain probiotic complex that provides four billion colony forming units (CFU) of freeze dried friendly bacteria to support your body's overall health by main-taining the normal, healthy balance of microorganisms your body needs.* This probiotic complex with six high potency strains - three species of Lactobacillus and three species of Bifidobacterium ensures full coverage of both the small and large intestines. ProBiotic Restore ULTRA helps strengthen and support our immune system, supports intestinal health and function, aids in digestion and enhances your weight loss program.*
Take on days four through 10.

Fiber Drink:: Fiber Drink is rich in the mixture of fibers your body needs to work at its best.* Each serving contains 10 grams of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber to help add the fiber your diet may not provide. As part of the Herbal Cleanse system, Fiber Drink also helps move the toxins and waste material through the digestive tract while scouring your intestinal tract to support improved nutrient absorption.* Take on days one through three and again on days eight through 10.

Herbal Cleanse Tablet: The Herbal Cleanse tablet provides herbal extracts that help rid your body of the impurities that may be obstacles to achieving better health.* One ingredient, senna leaf extract, is known for its use to relieve occasional constipation, as well as to encourage the movement of waste through the intestinal tract.* Beet root powder and wheat grass juice are included to aid in the reduction of metabolic by-products in the blood and liver.* Cranberry juice powder helps cleanse impurities from the kidneys and aid in excretion through the bladder.* The Herbal Cleanse tablet also contains milk thistle extract, which has the active component silymarin. Silymarin has been traditionally used to aid in eliminating toxins from the liver and is also an excellent hepaprotectant and antioxidant.* Echinacea, astragalus, garlic, zinc and vitamin C help support the immune system.* Herbal Cleanse tablets also contain a wide range of B-vitamins to help maintain energy levels during the detoxification period.* Take on days one through seven.

DIRECTIONS

• For ages 18 and older.
• Follow the instructions included with each Herbal Cleanse system to carefully consume the correct products each day.
• It is important to consume a well-rounded diet while taking Herbal Cleanse.
• Drink clear liquids such as water, herbal teas and diluted fruit juices.
• Follow a diet rich in whole, fresh fruits and vegetables with light lunch and dinner options.
• Avoid fried, heavy foods, junk foods and fast food.
• Do not take thermogenics (MNS® color packets, ThermoPlus™ and AdvoCare Slim®) when using Herbal Cleanse. All other AdvoCare products may be continued but should be taken several hours after consuming Fiber Drink.
• Herbal Cleanse should only be used once every 90 days.

The key is to maintain a clean eating diet that includes no gluten, sugar, alcohol, refined or fried foods. So far we are on day 8 and it is going extremely well. I am down five pounds.

Question: Have you tried any cleanses and how have they worked for you?

New Things in My Life

Since I fell off the grid for awhile I figured it might be a good idea to recap some of the new things I am loving these days.

1. Advocare Products - if you haven't even tried the products check it out they have some really good things. My favorite two products are Catalyst which is an amino acids that helps maintain muscle mass and weight management. My second favorite product is Spark which is a powdered energy drink that contains 21 different vitamins. My favorite flavors of the Spark are the fruit punch, pink lemonade and mango strawberry.

2. Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties - I actually just ate one for lunch and it was delicious.

3. Mango Salad from Qdoba - if you like mango and haven't tried this salad it is a must. I love it with the fajita vegetables, guacamole, mild salsa and no dressing.

4. HIIT Treadmill workouts - I have been trying to incorporate speed work into my training over the last few months and the HIIT workouts are by far my favorites. I find a lot of good ones on pinterest that I use but one of my favorite is this.

Minute	Incline	Speed	Interval time (min)
1-5	0	6.0	5
5-6	10%	7.0	1
6-7	10%	3.0	1
7-8	10%	7.0	1
8-9	10%	3.0	1
9-10	10%	7.2	1
10-11	15%	5.5	1
11-12	15%	2.0	1
12-13	15%	5.6	1
13-14	15%	2.0	1
14-15	15%	5.5	1
16-17	2%	9.2	1
17-18	2%	3.0	1
18-19	2%	9.3	1
19-20	2%	3.0	1

5. Passion Iced Tea - I usually stick to green tea when I want an iced tea but a few weeks ago I tried the Passion tea from Starbucks and I fell in love with it. If you like a fruit flavored tea I would highly recommend trying passion tea, I even found it in k-cups.

 

Question: What are you loving these days?

Happy National Running Day

Sorry that I have gone missing for awhile now but I am trying hard to get back into the blogging world because I have missed it. Since today is National Running Day I thought it would be the best day to start blogging again.

I have some exciting news for all of you as well, I got in to the New York City Marathon. I can't wait to run my fourth marathon this November.

I started off my morning with a nice crisp run along the beach with my Back on My Feet Team. The sun was rising over the ocean and it was just perfect especially since we haven't seen the sun in Boston for a few days now.

If you have ever wanted to run a Rock n Roll Series race today is your day to sign up as they are offering a $20.00 discount today for National Running Day.

Question: What did you do to celebrate National Running Day?

Spaghetti Squash, a new obsession!

Sorry I have gone MIA for awhile things with work and life in general have been very busy lately. My goal is to get back on track with blogging ASAP.

I wanted to share with you a few things I am loving right now.

1. Spaghetti squash - I can't get enough of this delicious veggie lately. Last night I heated some up in a pan with some.leftover roasted veggies, spinach, Newman's Own pasta sauce and some fat free mozzarella. It was so delicious and under 200 calories.

2. MyFitnessPal - speaking of calories I have been logging my calories on the best program ever http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ for about 2 months now and have lost about 8 pounds. I can't believe once you start tracking how much you are in tune with what you are eating.

3. Veggies and fruit - for lent I decided to give up meat so I have been eating a ton of veggies and fruit to keep me full throughout tthe day. My favorite new veggie (besides spaghetti squash) is brussel sprouts roasted in the oven with a little garlic. As far as fruits go the pink lady apples and Asian pears have been my go to fruits.

4. Sprints - I have been working with my trainee doing sprints several times a week and I have to say I am loving the results. I ran a 10 mile race this weekend with a pace of 7:41, crazy!

Question: What are you loving right now?

Best Lunch Ever

The other night I wanted to throw something together so I could have lunch the next day. I put can of pinto beans and slightly mashed, a can dark red kidney beans, taco seasoning, onions, peppers and mango salsa into a pan and cooked them until everyone was heated through and the flavors were mixed.

I let it cool then put it in containers for lunch the next day and to no surprise it was delicious!

I ate it on a flax wheat tortilla that I placed in the toaster oven so it could get nice and crispy. Then I topped it with about 1/4 of an avocado. Since I am trying to eat more vegetarian options this is a perfect lunch that is packed with fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Question: What is your favorite lunch recipe?

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Whoever came up with this invention is genius! These turkey meatloaf muffins were delicious and the best part is the entire outside gets crispy because you bake them in muffins pans. If you ask me the best part of meatloaf is the crispy edges!

I found this recipe on bodybuilding.com and it is super easy and healthy to make.

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dry yellow mustard
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chipotle pepper spice  (I used Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.

 

Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Serving Size:
Women: 2 muffins
Men: 4 muffins

Calories: 80
Fats: 2 grams
Carbs: 4 grams
Protein: 11 grams

I paired my two muffins with some Green Giant Broccoli and Cheese an it was such a delicious and filling.

The next day I two leftover muffins for lunch over spinach with a little spicy mustard. I froze the last four and now have an easy dinner for another night.

Question: What none baking recipes have you made in a muffin pan? 

Top This Pizza

I ventured to Whole Foods again this weekend and found some great finds but my best find is the whole wheat Top This Pizza Crust. I love this crust because it is super thin and is great for a quick and easy dinner.  I made two pizzas so that Joe could have leftovers for lunch for the week.


One pizza was made with caramelized onions topped with fresh spinach and the other had turkey pepperoni. My favorite was the onion and spinach one I just love greens on top of my pizza, if you haven't tried this yet it is a must! My favorite green topping on a pizza is fresh arugula but unfortunately I didn't have any at home when I made these.

The key to making the caramelized onions is to use a non stick pan and keep the heat up medium high and stir the onions frequently and they come out delicious, I didn't even need to use butter or oil.

Cook the pizzas at 450 degrees until the cheese is melted. I add the spinach or greens right at the end and let them cook for just a minute or two. Let cook then slice and serve and enjoy some delicious pizza!

 

 

Question: What is your favorite type of pizza dough?

**Be sure to check out my new page that I added of my upcoming races and PR's**

Chocolate Banana Protein Shake

I experimented making some different flavor protein shakes over the weekend and found one combination I absolutely loved!

I mixed together in the blender one scoop of Food Science of Vermont vanilla protein powder (of any vanilla protein powder you have), a couple of handfuls of ice cubes, 1 whole banana, 1 tbl all natural peanut butter and 1/2 tbl cocoa powder.

Place all items into the blender at the same time and blend until smooth. Serve in a nice big glass and enjoy! The best thing about this protein shake is there is lots of protein in it so it is great for a post workout shake which is usually what I am looking for in the morning before work, something quick and easy for breakfast that is packed with protein. I think I finally found something I won't get sick of.

Question: What is your favorite flavor combination for a protein shake?

Pinspiration Recipe

As I mentioned before I have a slight obsession with Pinterest, if you are not currently on it you need to join today!

The other day I saw a salad on Pinterest that was a chicken and avocado salad but included mayo which I despise. I liked the idea of the recipe though so i adapted my own ingredients and made my own version of Chicken Avocado Salad.

Ingredients:
Shredded rotisserie chicken
Chopped celery
1 avocado mashed up
1 tbl spicy brown mustard

Directions:
Mash up the avocado until smooth then shred up as much rotisserie chicken as you like and mix together. Chop a few celery stalk and 1 tbl spicy brown mustard and mix together thoroughly with the chicken and you have a delicious lunch.

 

 

I know it may not look that appealing but it tastes so delicious. I brought a whole wheat sandwich thin to put it on but didn't even need it I ate it right out of the both and it is very filling.

Question: What are your thoughts on mayo?

Vegan Chickpea Scramble

The other day a lady I work with had heated up a chickpea scramble for breakfast that she bought through an online vegan website. It looked so delicious and she indicated it was very filling. I was then on a search to find a recipe for this delicious breakfast dish. I found one online and altered it slightly and added my own twist to it:

Ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion
1 tbl garlic
1 tbl vegan butter (I used Earth Balance whipped)
1 15oz can chickpeas
2 tbl nutritional yeast
1 tsp tabasco sauce
2 tbl reduced sodium tamari
1 pepper, chopped (color of your choice)
2 tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
Place the butter, onions and garlic in a pan and saute until golden brown.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and mash them up until mostly smooth. Then add the tamari, nutritional yeast, tabasco and mix together. Add your chopped peppers and chickpea mixture to the pan with the onions and garlic mixture and cook for several minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook for another few minutes until all ingredients are hot. 

The best part about this dish is that it is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and is super filling and good for you!

Question: What is your favorite vegan recipe?

Chicken Sausage Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

I have been loving the hot italian chicken sausage from Whole Foods lately and they were all sale this week so I picked up a few of them. I decided to put a spin on my usual chicken sausage with broccoli rabe and pasta. I removed the casing from the sausage like I have in the past and cooked it in a pan with a little chicken stock and garlic. Once the sausage started to cook I crumbled it up, while that was cooking I boiled a pot of pasta for my whole wheat pasta shells and chopped up two vine ripe tomatoes. I added the tomatoes, cooked pasta and a little water from the pasta to the sausage mixture and let cook a few minutes. Right before I was able to take it off the stove I added a few cups of spinach and let it wilt in. This was a quick and easy dinner that was delicious!

 

Enjoying dinner with my bride mug from my wonderful niece

Question: What is your favorite recipe to make with chicken sausage?

Heavy Lifting

For the last few months I have been dedicating one day of my stregnth training to strictly lift heavy.  My trainer has me do the same plan for a month trying to increase the weight as the month goes on. Last night I started my new plan and it was hard!

Squats with the Smith Machine
120 lbs 5 reps for 5 sets
paired with
DB Flat Bench
27.5 lbs 5 reps for 5 sets

Single Leg Hip Lift with Ball
12 reps each leg for 3 sets
paired withDouble Arm Standing Row on the Kesier Machine
30lbs 12 reps for 3 sets

Curl to Press
15lbs 12 reps for 2 sets
paired withLateral / Front Shoulder Raise
(alternate one lateral with one front raise for a total os 16 for one set)
7.5lbs. 8 reps for 2 sets

I finished off my workout with 5 sprints on the treadmill at 4% incline and 9.5 speed. I did 45 seconds on with a 30 second rest for 5 rounds. These sprints were no joke but I felt so good once I finished.

Question: What is your favorite sprint workout?

Clean Green Cleanse

The other day I was given a recipe for a green cleanse drink to have for breakfast in the morning. I decided to make it on Monday night and it was my breakfast all week. I love recipes that I can make at the beginning of the week that will last me all week.

The recipe is super easy and I just left it in my blender and just blended it for a quick minute before serving it up in a glass for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 head romaine
1/2 bag baby spinach
1 pear
1 banana
1 apple
1 celery stalk
1 juice of a lemon
3 cups water

Combine all ingredients into the blender and mix. Note that you may have to blend items as you go if you have a smaller blender.

This was a great breakfast to take with me as I walked out the door to work and it actually filled me up.

Question: Have you ever tried a cleanse drink? If so what ingredients were in yours?

Happy 2012

Sorry I have been missing the last few weeks, the holidays were super busy and I am just trying to get back into the groove. I have a few new great recipes to share with you but those will have to wait until after I post my 2012 goals.

1. Complete 10 unassisted chin ups (currently I am at 5) by my wedding 8/11/12

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2. Complete 5 unassistes pull ups (currently I can only do them assisted)

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3. Eat out only once a week

4. Lose 10lbs (a few pounds snuck up on me over the holidays) and keep it off

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5. Attend one yoga class a week and work on my flexibility (I want to try to be able to touch my toes by 2013)

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6. Eat vegetarian at least one day a week

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Question: What are your goals for 2012?