Week One: The Popeye Adoption

Week One: 6 Pound Weight Loss 

Getting ready to shovel some snow 1/18/2012 (You cannot tell but it is snowing like a mofo!)

Current Weight/Situation: 177.9

The first week of getting back into a workout plan is always the hardest and most rewarding. It is the time when your body is saying, "OUCH! What are you doing to me?!?! I'm pooped! That hurts! Call Ben and Jerry! Tell them that you are sorry, and want to return back to your long lost boyfriends!" Spite that voice in your head, you push through and make it one week into your new lifestyle. Then, at the start of the next week, when you weigh yourself again, your body thanks you for what you did. I lost 6lbs this week. I ate well (see examples below in The Kitchen Counter with Katie). I worked out hard (see below in the Workout Routine Queen). I am happy that I have been able to turn a negative (loosing my job in California) and turned it into a positive (being healthy in Washington). Without this motivation it would have been an impossible week to get through. I also accomplished everything on my list of goals last week- besides buying a new lap shade. I call that a success. 

This Week's Goals: 

*More Zumba- 3x or more this week

*2 Weight Lifting Sessions

*Eat Even More Spinach 

*Rock My Interview

*Unpack

*Start Watching How I Met Your Mother (that is for you Hill!)

*Do Something That Makes Me Feel Like Me Again 

*Mix Up the Routine (new class?)

 The Workout Routine Queen

I had some obstacles. One of which is a hazard to where I live. Snow. It forced me to think out of the box for my workouts. It even forced me to take a day off- which is probably for the best. I need to remember to do that.

This is the view from my front window. 1//22/2012

 At the Gym:

I love the elliptical. It is my version of cross country skiing. I get to be inside, nice and warm with a TV in front of me (I'm what you call, 'indoorsy'). I did this most days I went to the gym. I used it for either a warm up, or for my hour of cardio. It really depended what was on TV. Let's face it, staying in one place for an hour is only fun when getting to hang out with your friends like McDreamy, Cory and Topaga, and baby Stewie (of course any version of one of my CSI families as well).  

I love taking classes. This week, it worked out that I only got to one Zumba class, which is my favorite of them all. I am going to make sure I can get to at least 3 next week. What could be better than shaking your booty and burning calories? Nothing.

I hate weight lifting. I need a new attitude toward it. It is so good for your body and burning calories. It is just sooo much harder in my mind to do that, rather than cardio. I did one day of lifting last week. I am going to try to make it two days this week. 

Outside:

I tried to make a snowy mess of my neighborhood into a snow cone with watermelon syrup on top (Yes, that was suppose to be a lemons into lemon aid reference). I used one of my dad's pairs of snow shoes to walk around the neighborhood. It was fun, especially with my music blasting. I MAY have even started to dance while walking. I am sure I could have won some money from America's Funniest Home Videos if someone would have been video taping my ridiculousness (It might even help my cause that the show is not funny at all anymore. BRING BACK BOB SAGET!). 

I also went for some jogs to the bird sanctuary in town and did a fair share of snow shoveling.  

Motivated Mood Music: California and Job Loss Edition

  Every week, I am going to share with you my top 15 tunes that got me through my week's workouts. This week is a topic near and dear to my heart.

Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me- Keith Urban

Gives You Hell- All American Rejects

California Gurls- Katy Perry

Save Me San Francisco- Train

Hound Dog- Elvis

California Waiting- Kings of Leon

Be Good to Yourself- Journey

Hotel California- Eagles

Career Opportunities- The Clash

Going to California- Led Zeppelin

California Girls- The Beach Boys

She’d Be California- Rascal Flatts

California Girls: Gretchen Wilson

Queen of the Week: The Show Must Go On

Guilty Pleasure of the Week: California- Phantom Planet

 

Featured Fantastic Food Friend: Spinach

 

We all know that Popeye made himself super strong by eating spinach, but you may be surprised to learn that he may also have been helping to protect himself against inflammatory problems, oxidative stress-related problems, cardiovascular problems, bone problems, and cancers at the same time.

Iron

According to the National Institutes of Health, iron is the most abundant metal on earth and one that you need for your health and survival. Iron aids your body in creating red blood cells that help get oxygen to all the parts of your body. Your body also needs this key mineral because it contributes to the healthy formation of your cells. Women need more iron than men, with 18 mg versus 8 mg a day, respectively. A 1-cup serving of spinach will supply 0.81 mg of iron.

Vitamin C

You may not think of spinach when you consider your intake of vitamin C, but 1 cup supplies you with 8.4 mg of the 75 mg women need and the 90 mg men need as part of a healthy daily diet. Vitamin C contributes to the healthy production of collagen, which ensures healthy skin, bones, teeth and blood vessels, the Harvard School of Public Health reports. Vitamin C also has the potential for helping your body fight infections.

Folate

The B vitamin folate gets its name from the Latin word folium, which means leaf, the National Institutes of Health reports. Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, are nutritious sources of folate. Folate contributes to the growth and health of your cells. Folate is also necessary to make DNA, which is why it is so crucial during pregnancy. A 1-cup serving of spinach provides 58 mcg of folate toward the 400 mcg you need each day.

Beta-Carotene

The pigment responsible for many of the vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables you see in supermarkets is called beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a vitamin that gives you the ability to produce vitamin A. The National Institutes of Health reports that beta-carotene is also considered a powerful antioxidant that may help protect your cells from damage. You will get 1,688 mcg of beta-carotene in 1 cup of spinach.

Vitamin K

Spinach is one of the highest food sources of vitamin K. You need 90 mcg of vitamin K each day to enable your blood to clot normally. Vitamin K may also help protect the bone health of elderly individuals as well, the National Institutes of Health notes. Eating a 1-cup serving of spinach provides you with 144.9 mcg of vitamin K.

The Kitchen Counter with Katie:  A Typical Day with My Friend Spinach

Spinach is one of those foods that are so incredibly good for you it would be a shame not to eat. However, it is also a good that can get get boring fast. I have been figuring out way to incorporate it into my diet without even tasting it sometimes! Below is a recipe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including our friend, Spinach into the mix- in an exciting way, non-Popeye way. Let's face it, if someone put a can of spinach in front of me for a meal, I would punch them. My mom scared me for life as a child with spinach in a can. It is a long story. These 3 meals will be much more enjoyable, I assure you!

Breakfast : Smoothie

Smoothies are a magical way of getting a crap ton of nutrience- without tasting like it. You can make them taste like a fatty dessert, and it could actually be the heathiest thing you eat all day. I love tricking my brain like that. Besides, I am not what you would call a "gourmet chef." I am inpatient and I like my food ready quickly and easily. With smoothies there is little to no prep time, and you can use what you have on hand. I assure you,  the veggies you sneak in, you will not even taste. Trust me, and try this!!

Base: Juice (I like a mix of carrot, pomegranate, beet, and aloe juice- but you can be as complex or basic as you want with this!)

Creamy Factor: Yogurt or Protein Powder (I like Greek Yogurt in any flavor for this. For Protein Powder I prefer vanilla)

Not-So-Secret-Ingredients: (Spinach, and lots of it!! Any other leafy green is also excellent in the shake. I also love getting a powdered green mix with things like wheat grass in them. You can find them at any health food store, or cheaper, places like, Trader Joe's. I also like to put a dash of cinnamon in the smoothie. It is super good for your metabolism.)

Sweet Factor: Frozen or Fresh fruit of your choice (I also like to add 1-2 packets of sugar or a zero calorie, natural sweeter like Truvia in the mix. It compliments the fruit and makes them stand out even more).

Place in any blender or food processor and enjoy!

Lunch: Taco Salad

Base: Spinach (I also like to mix other leafy greens in as well.)

Protein: Meat, Beans, or Tofu (I had this yesterday and used left over rotisserie chicken breast. It was bomb dot com!)

Pixie Dust: Shaved Almonds, Non-Fat Feta, Jalapenos, Banana Peppers (you can be very creative with this!)

Sweet Factor: Fruit (I love adding dried cherries or fresh fruit like pears to a salad)

Dressing: Fresh chunky salsa (very healthy in the scheme of dressings, or anything for that matter!

Dinner: Sloppy Sam

If you are wondering what a Sloppy Sam is- think the healthy version of a Sloppy Joe (take away the tomato sauce and the open faced burger bun...and add some healthiness too it)! It is packed the nutrience! This is also one you can be very creative with. As you see, I am concreting the fact that I am the furthest thing from gourmet by my fancy choice in plates.

Base: Spinach (I bet you could not have guessed that one!) Put (give or take) 2 cups of fresh spinach in to a medium to large frying pan (you will be adding a lot) after spraying a non-stick stray. Put it on medium heat. Add whatever veggies you would like at this time as well. I have baby cucumber here. Bell pepper is also good.)

Protein: Beans, Meat, or Tofu (Seen above a black bean burger cut into chunks. I have also done it with chicken and ground turkey.)

Spice up your life: Add your favorite spices to it. I added curry and Cajun.

Hearty Factor: I love adding a little big of egg whites to the mix. It thickens it up and makes it feel like a compete meal. Not to mention the health benefits of eating egg whites! Also, In the plate above, I added a VERY small amount of bacon bits. See the video below if you wonder why I did so.

Chubby Cuisine Challenge: Calamari Edition


You know those days when you are faced with unhealthy food and you REALLY want to eat it? Worse, you don't want to be rude by turning it down? This is bound to happen. I faced one of these Chubby Cuisine Challenges this week. My mom decided to make a lovely dinner involving this breaded and fried food with a large salad. Don't get me wrong, it looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. How I coped with eating it was snagging the pieces that the breading was coming off. I just peeled it the rest of the way and threw the little squidies into my salad. It was a divine way of eating it and guilt free.  
  
Have a super week! Let me know if you have any questions or comments. :-)