Exercise Enthusiast to Runner and Beyond

I love fitness!  It has become like an addiction.  In college, and mostly after, I liked to be in the gym lifting weights and "workin' on my fitness".  I've also done some home video programs such as Cindy Crawford, Tae Bo, and The Biggest Loser Yoga, just to name a few.

In 2010 my husband and I even tried out this hard core workout called P90X.  Wow was it tough, but it was good!  I made it through 12 out of 15 weeks, not bad.  Around the same time as P90X, I started running and had no idea what running would mean for me.  I thought you just go out and do it, one foot in front of the other. But running has become my release, my therapy, and my passion.

The more I learned about running the more I loved it, and the less time I spent in the gym.  Well, it finally caught up with me.  In the fall of 2011 I became an injured runner.  Severe tightness in my calf - no tear - told to rest.  What?  No way!  I had to run.  I needed to run.  So a friend recommended active release therapy. (Check out the link to my friend Tabatha's site for more information about ART) Wow! I was back in business after 1 session (results vary!) But it took me some time to get back to feeling confident in my running. Then tarsal tunnel showed up in early 2012 and I was sidelined again.  Back to Tabatha.  After a few sessions I was once again back in business.  But that's when I realized I needed more than just running to be a good runner.  There was something that I was missing. I needed to cross train.  

Cross training for a runner is about building up all the other muscles that support you when you run.  It had been a while since I had been to the gym, and with children at home I was not sure how to go about cross training without a gym.  I tried to plan my own workouts at home, but I was missing the motivation. About this time Insanity by Shaun T was a popular infomercial I had seen and thought - that is just insane, who would do that???  Well, I thought of doing another round of P90X, but that was too time consuming and I didn't want to do weights (and pull ups!)  So a friend let me borrow her Insanity for a few weeks.  OMG!  I was in love!!  Here is a challenging workout that made me sweat, I didn't need any weights, I could do workouts at home, and I had a guy named Shaun T encouraging me to "Dig Deep".

Cross training has worked for me.  I have moved on to other Beachbody programs, including Turbo Fire, and PiYo.  Each program has worked and improved my body in different ways. And I am happy to say I have not only been running consistently since 2012, I have also improved greatly as a runner. If you would like more information and support in starting your cross training or fitness program please contact me.

And I'm happy to report I had another personal best in February 2015 - 1:47 at A1A Fort Lauderdale.

Tasty Tuesday: Meatloaf and Mashed Cauliflower

Welcome to the first Tasty Tuesday post!  Since changing our eating habits in 2012 I have been asked many times what do you eat?  Which is usually followed up by questions of "Is it any good?", and "How long does that take?".  There is often a misconception that healthy eating is tedious, and often times doesn't taste as good as the original version.  This is simply not true.  Our tastebuds have been fooled by many chemicals into what actually tastes good.  Our tastebuds have become numb the taste of real food.

While I do love to cook and bake, I like to make simple, yet tasty things that don't take me all day to prepare.  So, I hope that you  find the recipes just that: healthy, simple, tasty, and easy.

One of the easiest family meals to make it meatloaf.  Since cutting out the wheat this was a difficult at first as most meatloaf recipes call for breadcrumbs or stuffing mixes, which often are used to hold it together.  Without the use of a binding agent (breadcrumbs, rice, vegetables) your meatloaf might turn out like a brick.  This recipes is based on Dr. William Davis' book, Wheat Belly.  The main binding agents in this recipe are vegetables, eggs, and flax seed. I've made a few changes to make it our own, just as I encourage you to do.

Wheat-Belly Meatloaf
Serves 8

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Small onion, finely chopped
1 8 baby carrots, finely chopped
1 Rib of celery, finely chopped
2 Cloves of garlic, minced (I like to use my Pampered Chef Garlic Press)
2 Pounds lean ground beef
1/4 Cup ground flax seed
2 Large eggs
1 Small (5.5oz) Can of V8
1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning.
Salt & pepper to taste
3 Strips of bacon

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350*F, and place aluminum foil in a baking sheet.

2.  Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
3.  Add finely chopped vegetables and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes, until slightly tender. Then remove from heat and low to cool.
4.  Meanwhile, place ground beef, flax seed, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
5.  Once vegetables are slightly cooled add in V8 and mix thoroughly.  Then add to meat mixture.
6. Combine the meat and vegetables with your hands.  One combined then transfer to baking sheet and form into a log.
7.  Lay strip of bacon on top.  Place in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until internal temperature is 160*F.
8.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 4

Step 5

Mashed Cauliflower
1 Large head of cauliflower, cup up
2-3 Tablespoons butter

Directions:
1.  Steam cauliflower until very tender.
2.  Add in butter and mash with hand masher until smooth.  OR place in blender or food processor with butter and blend until smooth.

I used the hand method in the pictures below and ended up with more of a cauliflower rice.  While the result still tasted good, I prefer the food processor for a more "mashed potato" texture.

Options: you made add in some Parmesan cheese, chives, or salt & pepper to taste.  However, I do not recommend adding in any liquids.

This is one my families favorite meals.  Even my 3  year old nephew couldn't get enough of this meatloaf.  Enjoy!

Xylitol: Lesson Learned

I love to bake!  It is a fun activity I have enjoyed since I was a little girl.  My mom and I even talked of opening our own bakery some day.  Even when I was in high school looking at colleges I considered attending Johnson & Whales University in South Carolina and pursue a career in cooking and baking.  But life took me in a different direction.

Baking is still something I enjoy.  But with the changes in our eating habits I looked for ways of "healthifying" recipes; and I still do.  In my search for a better sugar I found a product called Xyla at  one of my local health food stores.  If you've never hear of xylitol here is a little bit more information.  With a product that is good for teeth and doesn't create insulin spikes that lead to sugar and carbohydrate cravings how could I go wrong?

I have used Xyla for the past year and it has worked great in the cookies and treats.  On January 26, 2015 I made a no-bake cookie for my kids after school.  The recipe calls for 1/3 of a cup of sugar, and I just swapped out Xyla, like always.  Also included in the ingredients was cocoa.  I left them on the counter to harden.  After the whirlwind of other after school activities I came home to find the wax paper on the floor... and no cookies to be seen.  Enter our family dog Milly.  She has that look on her face like, what did I do?  At the time, I only thought of the 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder in the recipe.  Milly has gotten in to other treats before and did not have much of a reaction, so I didn't think much about it; just kept a little eye on her throughout the night.

Tuesday morning was another story.  Milly vomited.  A lot.  It scared me a little, so I called the vet. I was explaining the ingredients - oats, butter, cocoa, xylitol, flax seed, and vanilla.  When I said xylitol, the nurse had a sense of urgency in her voice that made me stop and remember the warning.  There is a warning on the back of the bag about how toxic it is for dogs.  Oh my goodness... what did I do?!?!

I rushed Milly to the vet.  They did initial blood-work and her liver enzymes were off the chart.  Upon calling Poison Control the vet was given a protocol to follow to treat Milly for xylitol toxicity.  I did not realize the care Milly was going to need over the next 24-48 hours, and was sent to the 24-hour emergency vet.

At the time Milly still seemed ok to me, just a little tired.  The emergency vet told me the next important test for Milly was a coagulation test.  This would determine how likely it was that she could bleed out.  Given the time that had passed since she ate the treats it could go either way.  Since it had taken her a long time to have a reaction it could mean her body had began to process the toxins, but also that her body had had enough and it was in her blood.

The coagulation test came back off the chart.  So our next step was to give her plasma and retest over the next 24 hours.  After the first round of plasma her levels were still off the chart.  We made the decision to try one more round of plasma, and another 24 hours at the emergency vet.  I began to think "what if this doesn't work?"  Then what?  That was a long, restless night.  Here is the dog that I love.  She's my running buddy, my confident (yes, I talk to my dog), and a loving member of our family.  I know she won't be around forever, but I never expected it to end like this, and so suddenly.

When I got the call Thursday morning and it was the news I had been waiting to hear.  Milly's coagulation levels were normal!  She could come home!  I was so relieved.  But, we still have a long way to go.  While Milly's coagulation levels are ok, her liver enzymes are still off the chart and she is still at risk for liver failure.  But we are able to treat her at home with medications - 4 in all - over the next 30 days.

This has been a scary experience for all of us.  I am happy Milly is still here.  It makes me want to spread the word on how dangerous xylitol can be for dogs, and caution other dog owners to be careful of your baked treats and your sugar free gum, and anything else that is deemed dangerous for dogs.

I will continue to bake in a healthy way.  But this has been a lesson to be careful.  What is healthy for us is not always healthy for our furry friends.