Weekend Prep

If you backtrack some of your habits, you may be surprised by the number of years you've had them. My weekend prep habit started in College. I noticed the laundry room was empty at certain times on Saturday so that became my laundry day. I used to clean my room on Saturday during my breaks from my cafeteria job. 

When I went to graduate school, that habit continued. Weekends were for cleaning, cooking and laundry. There was little time during the week to prep. Everything needed to be ready so I could hit the ground running. I even started working out early. My roommate and I would hit the gym at 6 am. The mutual encouragement was good. 

When I got married, we kept the weekends as prep days. I took a break during my early motherhood years. I was staying at home, which gave me more flexibility to fix meals and laundry during the week. Sundays were the big days for us. We needed to prep outfits, hair, food and diaper bags. 

Being prepared for my week has allowed me to feel peaceful and prepared. Alert and ready to tackle any challenges I may face. 

This prep thing looks so simple but really it is powerful. You can get things done when don't prep but the freedom to know things are ready so I can fulfill God's call for my life is amazing.

The areas that help me the most during weekend prep are:

• Laundry - I start by choosing a laundry day and committing to finish what I started. I wash, dry, and actually put my work outfits together for the week. The less I have to think when I'm getting ready, the better. The outfit has to be complete from head to toe.

• Food - I've been asked over and over why I prep food. The questions help me define why I go through this process each week. At this point in our family's life, we eat for fuel. We are all active people. Food fuels the life God has graciously given us. 
I look at my schedule first. There are days we are not eating dinner at home. I plan for the days we will eat at home. Then I write a menu. A few years ago, I decided to stick with foods my family will eat. I used to try to cook all types of things I didn't even want to cook. I still try new things, but the old reliable ingredients are so much easier to prep and serve. 

I write down a list of ingredients I need. I try to take inventory of things we need so I don't buy things we already have. I go to the grocery store and buy the foods. Then, I commit to a prep day. Usually, by Sunday, everything needs to be prepared. 

Lately, I commit to prep foods for at least 3 days. The first part of the week is the busiest one for us. Life truly is easier if dinner is ready when we get home. I also freeze a few of our meals, if I can. This way, all we have to do is bake dinner for 45 minutes or less. 

I also batch cook most weekends. I discovered that if rice and black beans are in the menu, I can freeze a portion for busy nights. I've thanked myself plenty times when we were hungry, I didn't have anything ready but there were plenty healthy meals in the freezer. 

Last weekend, I prepped the following:

• Grilled chicken - marinate recipe

• Chicken taco soup - recipe

• Green salads with protein - 2 and a half cups of greens, 4 oz of lean protein.

• Protein overnight oats -  recipe 

• Protein bean muffin (makes 6 regular muffins)

Bake at 350 for 22 minutes and enjoy! You can also freeze these. 

• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 scoop of protein powder
• 1 egg 
• 1t baking soda 
• 1/2 t salt 
• cinnamon and nutmeg to taste 

I usually prep more food but we have a school break so there will be more prepping as the week goes by. For now, we're pretty set. 

Do you prep for your week? How does it help you?

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I'm not giving up on me

I am so close to reaching my weight loss goal. 

WW has been a blessing. During this time of social isolation, the corporation did a great job keeping us connected. 

I have relied on their motivation and encouragement weekly to help me reach my health and weight loss goals. 

The thing is, regardless of the motivation and support I receive, I'm the one who needs to do the work. My motivators do not get to do the work for me. 

I made the difficult choice to lose weight during the pandemic because I decided not to give up on myself. It was difficult. 

I admit it would be understanding to let go and just coast for months. The problem was, I spent years praying to change. I waited to change. I took multiple baby steps that led me to where I am. 

I simply can't give up now.

WW is not for everyone. Just like any program out there, it receives its criticism. I don't mind criticism. I learned to listen and let go. Do you know why?

Critics are not paying for my membership. They are not doing the hard work of buying food, cooking fresh food, pre-packing meals, and feeding my family. 

I let go because I am responsible for what I put in my own mouth and how much I exercise. 

I'm not giving up. I want to finish what I started. With God's help and by His strength (along with my own perseverance and hard work) I will reach my goal.

Question: What is the one thing you won't give up during this pandemic?

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Cooking

I enjoy eating at home more than eating out. 

I've always been like this but now, even more. 

Even when we lived in the Houston area, we would eat mostly at home. 

I guess this preference came in handy when the restaurants were closed for a good spell here in East Texas. 

I used what I knew in order to make sure our meals were enjoyable. 

I usually come up with a menu. The menu includes foods I know my family would enjoy. In the past, I've bought exquisite ingredients I didn't use or my family wouldn't eat. I learned to stick with what I know they will like. 

I am sure this might change in the future because we are all pretty adventurous with our taste. My issue is also time to concentrate and execute a recipe that's not new to me. 

Anywho, once I get a menu ready, I buy the things I do not have. 

Here are a few things I make on a regular basis:

• Grilled/Smoked Meats 

• Grilled Salmon 

• Fajitas 

• Butter Chicken and Naan Bread 

• Brazilian food (Black Beans and Rice is our staple)

• Quesadillas 

• Tuna/Chicken Salad Sandwich 

• Spaghetti
• Pizza 

• Green Salads 

• Grilled/Sautéed veggies 

• Quick Bread 

• Homemade rolls 

• Homemade dessert 

• Fresh fruit

What are you cooking lately?

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How to prep ahead: food and laundry

It was the end of a busy week. Helping my family and making sure they have everything needed to succeed at work and school was a priority. Homemaking is unescapable. Doing my best at my full-time job is a joy.

It is Friday. I can sit back and rest. Instead, I choose to enjoy family time and prepare for the week ahead.

I star by making a list of meals we needed for the weekend. We were going to be out for multiple hours, so I decided to pack brown bags for the kids.

I also make an assessment of the laundry. Do I need to start a load now or can it wait until tomorrow?

I learned that it takes longer to do dishes when I let them sit on the sink for two (or three or four) days than it takes to just wash everything at night. 

Preparing food ahead of time requires time and dedication. The result is the satisfaction and freedom to simply enjoy the weekend ahead.

I am not going to say that prepping for the week ahead is easy or convenient. I often ask myself what is the advantage of doing such thing after a long week. I quickly remember the results of my preparation.

We eat better when I prep ahead. We also save money as a result. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing exactly what you are eating.

I know clothes will be clean. We will all enjoy our weekend activities better. 

Back to preparing for the week ahead. Preparation adds quality to the life you want to live.

How will you prep for the week ahead? Be specific and enjoy the benefits!

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MWLISS: What if my spouse won't diet with me?

When Zeke and I first met, somehow, I gave him the diet talk. I'm sure I was very joyous about it. I basically announced I was on a diet and proceeded to tell him what I was doing. We even went on a diet together for a short period of time.

Once we got married a lot of things changed. Looking back, I didn't know that sometimes, what works for one person is not best for both.

I confess I tried to make Zeke do everything I was doing. He even went along with it for a little while. In my mind, that's what couples did: they diet together.

My quitting point was when we were in the nutritionist's office. I had tried everything, including leaving the diet book in strategic places so he could read them. The visit to her office was my last attempt to get Zeke go get in the diet bandwagon. He was gracious but I knew our interest level was not the same.

I cried a little bit on the inside and gave up on making him diet with me. So, what if my spouse won't diet with me? Here are some tips I learned over the years:

• Respect your spouse - respecting the other is the best way to start. I know you want their good. I know you care about their health. You also need to respect them from the bottom of your heart. Respect their ability to know how to make good choices. Respect their ability to choose what's best for themselves. Respect the season of life your spouse is experiencing. There are seasons in life where a person just can't make big changes (stressful seasons such as grief or a if they are having a difficult time at work for example). Start with respect and everything will be better.

• Pray for your spouse - I'm sure I spent time more nagging and strategizing than praying. After that visit to the nutritionist, I turned to prayer. I learned that God cares about the health of my spouse way more than I do. Only God can change hearts. Only God can transform. Prayer is the best thing you can for your spouse in any area, health and nutrition included.

• Encourage your spouse - I must confess that my efforts to change Zeke were not encouraging. I know that most people clearly know when they need to make improvements to their health. They are simply not blind to it. Encouragement is like water to the soul. My husband actually told me that encouragement makes a person feel like they can conquer the world. Nagging and manipulating does the opposite. Only your spouse can decide when change will happen. Encouragement is a great way to pave the way.

• Remember your boundaries - I wish I could change people. The fact is the only person I can change is myself. Boundaries are really important when it comes to practicing good nutrition habits. I understand that like most wives, I thought it would be way easier if my spouse was doing the same thing I was doing. Once I understood the concept of boundaries, I learned that knowing where I end and someone else begins gives me a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me a sense of freedom. I own the responsibility to take care of my health. I can make good choices for my health such as exercising and eating a nutritious diet. I don't need someone else to do that for me because this decision falls within my boundaries. Encouragement from others is always welcome but the responsibility, or should I say, response ability, is all mine.

• You reap what you sow - My imperfection is a good reminder that I reap what I sow. I need mercy, therefore, I show mercy to my spouse. Chances are, Zeke wishes I would make better choices in a different area. I want to sow seeds of encouragement, understanding and love, knowing that God has this whole thing under control. When I respect, pray and encourage my spouse, I am practicing good boundaries. When I remember my own imperfections and need for grace, I am inclined to show mercy and to rely on God to do everything outside my power.

What if my spouse won't diet with me? The simple answer is, it will be okay. God is for you and He wants your entire family to be healthier more than you do. Follow the way of grace, mercy and encouragement. Practice good boundaries and smile, everything will be alright.

Stats:
WW start weight: 175 lbs
Current: 155 lbs
First Goal: 150 lbs
Second Goal: 146 lbs
Third Goal: 136 lbs

Previously in this Series:
• First week of WW
• WW Speak
• Premeditated Portion Control 
• Weights and Measures
• Time
• Carbs & WW
• Proof of Weight Loss
• Why I started

• Preparation

• Fear
• Daily Choices

• Is running ruining my weight loss?

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Food Prep Tips

I have always been fascinated with the concept of food prep. I was particularly interested in the group of women who got together and prepared enough food for their families to eat for an entire month. I also enjoyed looking at photos of food prep sessions online. My problem wasn't so much the ingredients but the time it took to food prep. An entire day or weekend? No way I could fit that into my schedule.

As the years rolled by, I found something that works for me. Here are my food prep tips:

• Focus on staples. Our family's stables are rice, black beans, banana nut muffins, mixed veggies. Every week, I cook our staples plus, I freeze an extra batch or two for those days (or nights) I'm in a hurry and I need do put dinner on the table quickly.
• Keep it simple. Someone once told me I should pack my salads in a jar. I have also seen food prep with matching containers, alphabetized by the ingredients used (slight exaggeration here). I pack my means in whatever containers I have available. I keep it simple because the goal is to have healthy food prepared ahead of time.
• Commit to the cooking day. Lately, my cooking days have happened between Saturday and Monday. My days are fluid because of the different commitments we have. The goal is to commit to preparing food, no matter when it happens.
• Eat the food. It sounds silly but I have heard people tell me that after they prep their food, they choose to eat something else. Eat the food you cooked. If you feel like you cooked too much, cut back. There is room for improvement every week. Don't waste good food that will make you feel better and save money my friend.
• Wash dishes quickly. I bet a a lot of people get discouraged because of the number of dishes involved with food prepping. If you wash your dishes quickly, you will avoid looking at multiple dirty dishes mounting in the sink. Do yourself a favor and wash as you go.

What about you? When you prep your food? What are your favorite food prep hacks?

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Food Prep Day

I am constantly in search of inspiration to make my life more effective. I've heard of food prep day before but a recent Podcast episode gave me a much needed boost of confidence to give it a try. Prep day is simply a day set apart to prepare for success during the week.

Because I am taking one solitary college class this semester, I realized that I need to be ready for all the food demands we have here at home. I like to cook most of my food so looking at my schedule, I realized that I can't possibly accomplish that in small chunks.

Here's how prep day worked for me:

• I waited for the kids to come back from school and I had their afternoon snack ready to go.
• All the recipes I needed were at hand and I previously purchased all missing ingredients.
• I made a list of foods to cook and I went to work!
• The kids did homework and played while Food Prep Day was going on. We also ate dinner during that time.
• I had all dishes cleaned 6 hours after I started this process.

Here's what I cooked:

• Rice
• Beans - recipe here
• Meatloaf Cupcakes
• Kale with chicken fajita meat
• Ground beef with garlic and onion seasoning (for spaghetti later on this week)
• Cauliflower rice
• Banana nut muffins - recipe here (my spin)
• Granola bars - recipe here (I used flax seeds, chia, walnuts and chocolate chips)

It is not a fancy menu but it works for our family. I also did not want to be an over achiever and cook an enormous amount of food for the whole month. This is a small step for what I hope will become my norm. Oh, the day before I made a breakfast casserole and those last for two days around here.

The reality is, not every Monday is the same in the Listenbee household. We actually have afternoon commitments. I might have to move prep day to Sunday or break it down in two days. The keys is that if I want to succeed, I need to plan my meals, prep my meals and expect this preparation to set us up for a successful week. 

Many good things come from food prep:
• I don't have to wonder what's for dinner.
• I don't have to eat junk food.
• The kids have great food for lunch every day.
• The kids have homemade snacks every day.
• We know where the ingredients of the foods we are eating came from.
• We get an extra amount of satisfaction from all the work that goes into cooking these meals.

I have other areas of life that can seriously benefit from Prep Day. I always prep my workout clothes the day before so there's no doubt that exercise will happen.
I always write down my weekly schedule so that I will be prepared for the things I committed to attend.
I am seriously trying to apply my 45-minute organization solution when it comes to laundry so that we will be prepared to walk out of the door looking our best.
Zig Ziglar's quote often rings in my head when I am tempted not to prep and go with the flow:

"You were born to win, but to be a winner, 

you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win."

Let's all expect to win this week!
A big hug from me to you my friend. 

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Pasta Dinner

"If you want to travel fast, go alone. 

If you want to travel far, go together."

Last night I experienced what true accountability looks like for those of us who are long distance runners. My beloved running group had its annual Pasta Dinner. It was a night to celebrate all the accomplishments of the group. This is our group's 16th season. 

I won a little prize during the drawing, check it out: 

winner winner! will be put to great use :)

 I loved the theme! It did rain a lot on Saturdays this season. Our friends did a great job decorating and preparing for this amazing Dinner!

 I always take a photo of the cake. Cute!

I had the honor or training with these amazing folks in the photo but of course, there are a bunch missing. I can't thank God enough for their encouragement as we "travel far." 

The truth is that none of us know what to expect on Sunday, only God knows what. The truth is also that faith requires an evidence. My evidence is that I prepared myself and I have great hope that I will accomplish my goals. I pray that all my friends will have an amazing race Sunday! As always, I appreciate your prayers and I thank you for your encouragement. Thank God for my running group! On to our 26.2-mile victory lap folks! 

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Vegan Banana Muffin Recipe

Remember my Vegan for 23 days experiment? I really wanted banana bread but I never had time to bake a vegan version. Well, today was the day! And just in time for Thanksgiving! Here's the recipe I used. These Vegan Banana Muffins with Coconut Oil are moist and delish!

Vegan Banana Muffins 

• ¼ c plain, unsweetened vegan milk
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ c Coconut Oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ c walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

I basically mixed everything together and put it in the muffin pans. There you go people, great recipe for a rainy (or any) afternoon. You're welcome. 

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Vegan for 23: the wrap

23 days ago I decided to do my Vegan experiment (again). It wasn't easy but I got it done. This time one friend from church joined me. Most people who answered my digital invite told me "no thanks!" but I'm so thankful one person joined me!

I am aware that the next 51 days are the most challenging ones to start a nutrition plan so I'm glad I'm ahead. The vegan challenge was not easy but I am glad I did it.

At the end of the challenge I got in touch with a nutritionist friend who gave me some great advice on how to improve on what I am already doing. I am looking forward to following her advice and keep a large amount of vegetables on my plate! 

I don't intend to be a vegan for life but I do enjoy joining this great group of people every now and then for the health benefits. 

As the holiday season gets near, I am happy that I am already enjoying great health benefits and I don't want to regress. 

So, do you have a plan for the holiday season? My plan is not to gain weight but to keep up with my fitness training and to keep tracking my nutrition. Gone are the years I helplessly gained weight due to over eating. I want to encourage you to take small steps towards a healthier holiday season. My small step is tracking. What will your small step be?

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Sunday Seven

Happy Sunday! It's a holiday weekend here in America, so a lot of us will be enjoying extra foods (I'm taking an extra run) so I decided to post photos of foods I've prepared on the past and blogged about. 

preparation stage of the low carb lasagna

 1. Zucchini Lasagna - I got the recipe from Pinterest and it really worked. I enjoyed it, my family, not so much. It's low card and fabulous if you want to cut back on the carb calorie.

yum

 2. Ezekiel Bread + Nut butter + Banana - I know, it doesn't required "cooking" but it's so good.

coffee with friend

 3. Coffee or Tea with friends - I found mini scones in the grocery store, fruit, chocolate and we had a great time.

A Fall Favorite

 4. Pumpkin Angel Food Cake - another Pinterest find: super easy to make and it gave us all a taste of Fall.

Zeke's Award Winning Cake

 5. Pumpkin Surprise - Zeke seriously won some awards with this cake at church. It's really good!

someone took a bite before they should have

 6. Homemade Pizza - the kids raised money for missions by skipping the pizza shop for a good 6 weeks. I made homemade pizza (another Pinterest find) and it tasted so good the kids wanted to eat the dough by itself.

7. Banana Muffins - I make these muffins weekly. They work every time and my entire family loves it. Google gets the glory for this recipe. I modified it and blogged about it here. 

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How to do Meal Prep: 5 steps

Other keeping a Food Journal, I find that Meal Prep really helps me to eat better and more efficiently. Here is what works for me:

1. Buy the containers and the food you want to prep - it is important to have everything you need for success. I try to use what I have but as most normal people do, I keep losing containers. I recently went to Aldi and found containers for $0.86 each. Hard to beat!

 2. Cook everything at once - I park in the kitchen until everything is ready. The meals that work for me are rice, beans and veggies. They are quite easy to get it done in less than 2 hours. Those 2 hours saves me 4 days of cooking. I think that's a very good investment!

I tried to prep oatmeal but the kids didn't like it. Oh well!

 3. Store everything in your refrigerator - I personally do not freeze my meals but I believe I could. The goal is to go ahead and put it where you can easily access it.
4. Eat the meals - I sometimes cook a different menu for my kids so I need to intentionally eat the meals that I prep. It is important to remember why you prepared the meals ahead of time during these times. For example, I'm attending a banquet tonight. I can waste thoughts of calories feasting in the banquet or I can eat the meal I prepared ahead of time and have a better chance to succeed tonight. I believe I'll choose success.

The wonder containers I bought for $0.86 at Aldi. 

5. Take them everywhere you go - I know a person who takes her meals with her everywhere she goes. It sounds inconvenient but what that person never had a major health or weight problem. I bought an insulated lunch bag so that I can do just that. The benefits of taking your meals with you is that you will always have access to good nutrition. You will always have a great source of energy when you need it.

I hope these tips gave you a better idea of how easy meal prep can be. If you haven't already, follow me on Periscope. For one of my latest videos, watch here.

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Sunday Seven

If like me you enjoy cooking for your family, here are my 7 go to internet recipes. That's right, I don't know them by heart and I entirely rely on the internet to remind me of how to make these recipes. I really enjoy all of them and I hope you find some inspiration for your menu this week.

1. Sarah’s Banana Bread Muffins - we eat a lot of bananas so this is a recipe we enjoy often. I'm actually supposed to bake these today or tomorrow.
2. Cuban Grilled Pork - we discovered this recipe when we didn't know what else to do with the abundance of lemons from our trees in the backyard. My husband really loves this dish.
3. Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti - I didn't know what chicken spaghetti was until I started dating my husband. I really enjoy this recipe and I often bake it and give it to different friends who need a night off the kitchen.
4. Martha Stewart’s Pecan Pie - I bake pecan pie during Thanksgiving. I make the crust too and it works every time. 5 years ago I compared this pie with a lighter version here on the blog. Check out the video here.
5. Baked Turkey Meatballs - this is a newly found recipe (thanks Pinterest!). These are delicious! I don't like to fry things so the fact that they're baked is awesome. The meatballs taste great by themselves or with whatever sauce you choose.
6. Sloppy Joe Casserole - I found this recipe when I first joined Pinterest and my husband and kids really enjoy it. I usually serve it with salad. Super tasty!
7. Whole wheat bread - I have my "super baker" seasons and this is a recipe that worked for us. The only problem is the effect that freshly baked bread has on us. We want to eat the whole thing in one sitting! I need to schedule some 17-milers the day after I bake. Ha!

• What are you cooking this week?

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100 days of Food Journaling

The decisions I make today can and will influence the person I will be in 100 days. This week I launched a personal challenge to journal my food for 100 days. I followed the guideline that usually works for me:

1. have a goal - I wrote down measurable and specific goals for these 100 days.
2. share it with people - for accountability's sake I need to let someone know. I told my husband and now I am telling you.
3. do the goal - unless I do what I set out to do, this project will be a dream.
4. measure your progress - I am after progress and improvement. I can't manage what I won't measure.
5. treat your faithfulness - I need to make a list of healthy, non-food treats. I heard a podcast yesterday challenging me not to reward myself for doing what I'm supposed to do but to introduce regular treats to my plan. A great treat for me, in this season of life, would be 30 minutes of uninterrupted reading. It's great, it is refreshing and I think it will actually help me reach my goal. These are the types of 'treats' I need to include in my weekly schedule. Another good one would be an extra 30 minutes to exercise.
6. encourage someone else - I am sharing my journey with my Facebook Health Support Group. If you want to join the group and share your own journey, leave me a comment so I can add you. I started the group because I noticed several friends who are by themselves in their health journey and I thought we could encourage each other. I launched a 12-week health challenge earlier this year and now I'm launching the 100-day challenge. Join us for extra support and encouragement!
7. readjust approach as needed - notice I said readjust the 'approach' not the 'goal.' I find that sometimes, readjusting my approach to my goals really help. Taking a new class and changing up my vegetable selection a bit really helps me reach my goal in a more exciting way. Eating the same foods for 100 days is just not my idea of fun.

One of my most popular posts here on the blog is the Food Journal How To. Read it if you want a couple of tips on how to successfully start a Food Journal. Whether you write it in paper or go high tech, journaling your food will really help you be in control of the person you will be 100 days from now.

* Check out my new Running Page for post of all my races thus far.
Previously in this Series:
• Day 11: Change Begins in the Kitchen 

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Meia Maratona de Franklin: 25 dias

arroz, feijão, verduras e legumes.

Duas semanas atrás resolvi cozinhar meu almoço e minha janta, medir tudo e colocar na geladeira. Estar preparada pra semana foi uma das melhores decisões que já fiz! A minha alimentação ficou bem mais saudável, eu comi todos os nutrientes que precisava e perdi o peso que estou precisando perder. Correr a meia-maratona no peso certo é bom porque não vou carregar o peso extra por 21 km. Assim que comecei a medir tudo e comer na hora certa me senti bem melhor. 

Chia amolecendo na água, aveia com banana, pasta de
amendoim e canela. 

A maratona de Houston em Janeiro foi ótima, mas quando cheguei lá eu estava lutando pra não ficar doente. Com a graça de Deus terminei a corrida bem, e a recuperação começou. Depois dessa fase de descanso eu continuei a fazer exercícios, mas aumentando os kms no final-de-semana e incluindo a musculação. Fiquei feliz com essa a oportunidade de correr a meia maratona de Franklin porque é mais um incentivo pra continuar o treino e pra manter a saúde. 

Fim da corrida e a felicidade do nosso treinador atrás de mim.

Sábado passado corremos 16 km. Estava quente a bessa, antes de chegar aos 5 kms estávamos pingando no chão. O segredo aqui é correr onde se tem posto de gasolina porque lá dá pra colocar gelo na garrafa. Também passamos perto de escolas onde sempre tem bebedouro. Durante a época do grupo de corrida (começa em Julho e termina depois da maratona de Houston), um grupo de voluntários põe água e gatorade em certos pontos do treino pra nós, então não precisamos de nos preocupar. Nesse Sábado eu levei o meu próprio Gatorade (na verdade o Powerade Zero) porque aprendi no verão passado que repor os eletrólitos é importante demais. O meu objetivo pra essa semana é de continuar tomando bastante água, tomar o nuun (eletrólitos), comer bem mas sempre medindo tudo e continuar com o mesmo plano de exercícios. Tenho me sentido bem melhor e mais forte. Comecei a fazer mais exercícios abdominais e também tem me ajudado bastante. Parece brincadeira, mas por causa do meu abdômen estar fraco por falta de exercício e por causa das cesárias, levantar da cama ás vezes é bem doloroso por causa de cãibras. Isso melhorou bastante em um mês de exercícios abdominais e nos outros músculos daquela área. Bem, por enquanto são essas as novidades. Uma semana bem saudável pra você!

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The Waltons Experiment Wrap Up

A few months ago our family did The Waltons Experiment. Great things came out of our experience. We ate out less and when we did, I constantly tried to think about how to make the same recipe at home. We did and I have to admit it tasted better. I tried a few new recipes but mostly brought out some old recipes that the whole family enjoys. 

Some of our go-to meals were:
• Brazilian Rice and Black Beans
• Baked Turkey Meatballs
• Organic Oat Bran Banana Muffins
• Breakfast Casserole

I often realize that it is a lot of work to eat mostly homemade meals but the pay off is fantastic. With that in mind I cooked vegetable soup this morning and I got started on dinner which will probably be Brazilian rice, beans, Baked chicken and veggies. The greatest investment I make in my health comes from the food I choose to eat. The Waltons Experiment taught me that cooking most of my meals at home can be done and it is worth doing it.
My next "food" experiment is to journal my food for 100 days. It'll be a type of "Food Journaling Streak." So far day 2 is going well!

• Have you challenged yourself to eat more homemade meals? What did you learn?

Follow Cintia's board What's for Dinner on Pinterest.

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Como achar 5 ingredientes Brasileiros nos EUA

1. Creme de Leite - Chama-se “table cream” e fica perto dos produtos latinos ou “Hispanic Products” no supermercado. Quando achei foi uma alegria. Eu uso Table Cream pra fazer strogonoff e pra fazer arroz de forno. Já fiz sobremesas com ele também. 

2. Leite Condensado - Chama-se “condensed milk” e geralmente fica perto de produtos de sobremesa. Procure perto de leites enlatados (como evaporated milk) e geralmente você também pode achar perto dos produtos hispanicos. Eu uso muito pra fazer pudim de leite, rabanada e outras sobremesas. 

3. Farinha de Farofa - no sul do Texas eu achei que a farinha africana “Garri” é parecidíssima com farinha de fazer farofa. Quando não tem farofa o Garri é que me ajuda a matar a saudade mesmo. 

4. Louro - Chama-se “Bay leaves” e se acha perto das frutas, verduras e legumes. Aqui também vende-se tudo bem moído se preferir desse jeito. 

5. Feijão Preto - aqui vende-se feijão de tudo quanto é jeito, mas como cresci comendo o feijão preto, prefiro ele. Depois de 17 anos aqui, percebi que o feijão da marca Goya é o de melhor qualidade. 

• Quais são outros produtos brasileiros que você já achou aqui nos Estates e por quais ainda está procurando?

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Two Things

The amount of work and concentration it takes to prepare for and run a marathon is enormous. It takes coming out of one to realize how much work it takes. Good thing I have the Green 6.2 to look forward to tough! 

It's been 31 days since I crossed the finish line of the Houston Marathon and thank God I have recovered well. This morning a group of friends and I went running in the morning. I really enjoyed the run. It reminded me of running just for the joy of it, which is lovely. Another thing I like to do is to readjust my nutrition. I enjoy eating fruits, veggies, legumes and all of this stuff so I have a Pinterest Board with some cool recipes if you'd like to find some inspiration. So, running for the joy of it and readjusting my nutrition are two things I do after a major competition. How do you recover?

Follow Cintia's board Daniel Fast on Pinterest.

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First Half-Marathon, The Waltons and Potty Training

This is how my week started. My prayers were answered and God blessed our family with our first half-marathoner! 

Zeke finishing his first half-marathon!

I was not there to see it in person (I was at church filling in for Zeke) but my friend Rita sent me this photo (thanks!!!). I am so thankful that Zeke is a runner and he accomplished his goal of becoming a long distance runner. Of course my son was in tears become he too wants to run a marathon (so cute). He actually told his classmates his dream is to be a runner. Sweet stuff!

The Waltons Experiment started on February 1 and so far it's been great. Our first meal was homemade turkey burgers with fries. The greatest challenge we've had was to pack our food and take it to Chickfila when we met with a sweet friend the other day. I made sure we ate before we got there but it was a great test of our self-control. One small step at a time we're learning the benefits of eating out less. 

My whole world doesn't revolve around running (surprise!) but the sport does enhance other aspects of life. Family is my priority and we are getting ready to be diaper free for the first time in almost 6 years. The interesting thing is that I'm a mother of 3 who has never potty trained before. That's right, my mom was around and did it for me. The woman potty trained 5 kids before and she's still a master at it. We were convinced she'd come back and do it for the third time but just in case that doesn't happen, I went to a class with the Master Educator herself, Mrs. O and took Potty Training 101. I was really enlightened and encouraged about the whole process. 

I have resumed running but this week I feel like I'm still recovering. 26.2 is hard on the body friends. I'm aware that I'm not to jump back into intense training. My next race is my favorite 10K in town the Green 6.2 and I hope you can join me!
Have an amazing week and thanks for reading!

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The Waltons Experiment: a Food Challenge

I'm challenging myself to eat out less in the month of February. Hope you join me in this journey!

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