Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Maple Bacon Pancake Cookies

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Cheating gets a bad wrap.

 

Cheat day, that is.  That cheatin’ man doesn’t deserve a second look.  

This cheat day weekend was a little spread out… but I had trainer-blessings in my quest to gain more weight.

 

Saturday was Take Your Mom to the Gym Day.  This Saturday Mom joined me at my gym for a workout, and scheduled time with my trainer to being a program of her own.  Mother-Daughter Beast Mode = ON.

 

 

Mamma has gotten on pain relief (she was sidelined for a long time after a bad surgery), and has decided to refocus on fitness and building muscle.  I am SO proud of her!

 

 

After out workout we headed to Buford Highway, Atlanta’s ethnic food mecca, for a refuel.  Korean BBQ at Hae Woon Dae (5805 Buford Hwy., Doraville, GA 30340, 770-451-7957).  If you’re in ATL, I highly recommend it – don’t be scared by the fact that you practically have to turn into a “Gentleman’s Club” to get there.

 

 

If you’ve never experienced an authentic Korean BBQ meal, I cannot recommend it enough.  They cook the meat over charcoal at your table (they also have tofu), and serve it with a boat-load of tasty sides like cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, pickled radishes, sprouts, lettuce, and soy bean paste.  Also, don’t skip the Korean pancakes.  The egg and flour-based pancakes are traditionally laced with scallions, but often include other add-ins.  Ours also contained carrots, zucchini, and kimchi.

 

Sunday my friends Summer and Annette had a baby shower celebrating the impending arrival of TWINS!

 

 

I had the honor of creating a few desserts… I may have gotten a little carried away with the baking, but it is fun to cut loose and get creative with the full-fat sugar-loaded treats every once in a while.

If you follow me on Instragram, you may have seen this shot of my grocery basket on Friday night:

 

 

You may have also seen the following scene as I cooked.  This is what happens when you’re frying bacon, creaming an obscene amount of butter and sugar, and it’s time for your 20g of protein (yup – that’s salmon).

 

 

The bacon and the creamed deliciousness were for 2 things that I could eat 24×7 and never tire of (though my waist line may say otherwise):  Maple Bacon Pancake Cookies and Banana S’More Nut Bars.

 

 

These S’more Bars are the best I’ve ever had.  I only wish I could take credit for the recipe!  They are the ingenious work of Eric Wolitzky from Cake & Ale in Decatur, GA.

The restaurant serves some of the best food in Atlanta (they are responsible for getting me to like seafood), but their bakery was recently recognized by Bon Appetite as one of the best in America.

 

 

The only liberties I took were to replace the milk chocolate with dark, use plain peanuts instead of salted, and toast the marshmallows before mixing them into the fudge-y chocolate-banana-peanut butter fudge.  Next time you have the occasion to go all-out with a dessert, MAKE THIS.  Click here for the full recipe.

 

Creation #2 was my own.  A pancake in cookie form.  It’s like breakfast for dessert.  I cooked bacon for the first time in years (I’m not actually a bacon fanatic as this post would indicate).  The only downside is that my condo STILL smells like bacon. 🙂

 

 

Maple syrup is a must with pancakes, so I added extract to  mine to acheive that deep sweetness.  I wasn’t sure I’d want to add anything else, as bacon is potent stuff… but I decided to stir in some dark chocolate chips.  What’s better that chocolate chip pancakes?

 

 

Sweet, salty and indulgently amazing, these chewy cookies are fit for any cheat day.  I’d say my trainer agrees since his sample were gone almost as fast as I could hand him the baggie.

Recipe at the bottom.

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First we need to recap what I did to EARN that incredible day of cheats!  No huge news to recap this week.  It was a good week of workouts, and I’m excited to keep seeing gains as I keep pushing and amp up the protein.

I don’t ever get to see my back, so I recruited Mom to take a pic while we were at the gym this weekend:

 

 

Workout Recap (9/4 – 9/9):

  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Butt, 1.5 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Legs (with trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Sunday – Chest/Biceps, Calves

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Cookies

  • 1/2 C butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 C granulated sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 2 C pancake mix
  • 1 tsp maple extract
  • 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/3 C dark chocolate chips

 

Cream butter and sugar together in large mixing bowl. Beat in egg and maple extract, mixing well.

Slowly stir in pancake mix.  Fold in the crumbled bacon and chocolate chips.

Drop by the spoonful (~1.5 T) onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 12 mins.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

***

Back on track!  I’m determined to make this the cleanest week ever, and to keep increasing my weight.

What is your favorite “cheat?”

Have you ever had Korean BBQ?

 

Freaky Friday

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Quick: Name your first pet and the street you grew up on.

 

That’s your stripper name.

My name is is Twinkle Dickerson… and these are my shoes:

 

For real – these are my shoes for the figure competition.  They arrived yesterday and my doorman wouldn’t let me leave until he saw them.  Apparently the thought of me walking in heels like this is entertaining to everyone except me. 🙂

 ______________________________________________________________________________________

In other Freakish-ly Friday news… (this is going to be most random post ever, btw.)

 

1. Protein Cereal

Who would have thought this existed?  When I posted about my wish, you guys suggested I check out Kay’s Naturals.  THANK YOU!!!

 

I’m digging the sample pack I ordered.  The puffs were just “meh” but I am really liking the cereals and well as the pretzels so far.

Use discount code kays123 for 20% off your order!

 

 

2. My Veins

 

…look in freakishly pumped right after I lift.  Does this happen to other people?!

Side freakish note: she the scar above my tattoo?  The oven attacked me.

 

 

3. Lauren’s Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes

 

These are freakishly good.  And the recipe can be used to make a protein microwave muffin that is also delish.

 

 

4. Current Veggie Roast Obsession

 

Cinnamon-roasted white veggies and protein dip.  I originally did it with just parsnips here, but cauliflower is mighty tasty too, especially when dusted with cinnamon AND cocoa.  Sounds freaky, but I swear by it.

 

 

5. Hump Day Blog Love

I freaked out when Calee told me she gave me some Hump Day love – in a good way.

I was so honored to be featured by my pixie Blend.  If you don’t read her blog, you should.  And you should check out her freakishly amazing zippy pouch creations.

***

I fully realize I’ve reverted back to middle school with the use of “freaking out.”  Some days you just have to embrace your inner 13 year old.

What is your stripper name?

In the spirit of random: my mom wants to start doing some HIIT. Can anyone suggest some good beginner workouts?

 

Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes

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Important tip: read labels.

 

I’m new to this seafood thing.  It still makes me a little squeamish to touch it.

When I finally located low-sodium canned salmon I was so excited that I neglected to check the label to ensure it was de-boned with the skin removed.  It most certainly was not.

 

 

WHY would anyone want canned salmon with the skin and bones?!  They DO NOT.  I’ll gladly pay an extra dollar or two for that task to be done.

Stubbornness trumped squeamishness, and I dug through the damn can of salmon removing all the icky bits.

 

 

It paid off.  These cakes were the best seafood creation I’ve made yet!

I first worried I was adding too much lemon, but discovered that it only makes salmon more delicious.  The fresh thyme goes well with lemon, and adds a light slightly sweet accent.

 

 

These cakes are kept moist by the grated zucchini.  I loved its creamy and faintly nutty flavor made the salmon that much richer.

A bit of coriander goes well here, as it also has a bit of a nutty, citrus-y flavor that is well-balanced with the lemon and thyme.

 

 

I paired my cakes with a simple salad of raw asparagus, roasted beets, and chopped broccoli.  A quick toss is rice vinegar and pepper kept it light and refreshing.  Asparagus is surprisingly high in protein; that and the fiber from the broccoli make this a pleasantly filling salad.

The earthy beets against the crunch of the sweet, raw greens is fantastic.  Not to mention the colors – I’ve said it before, but colorful food just tastes better.  I made it several times this past week!

Recipes at bottom of post.

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Workout Recap

Plantar fasciitis is a weird thing.  It hurt all week, and I decided to resume regular leg-day workouts as long as it didn’t make it worse.  Lo and behold, after 2 hard leg days it finally QUIT hurting.  Sunday was supposed to be a rest day, but I was so exited to be pain-free that I ran some sprints (my only trainer-approved cardio, as sprinting is good for the glutes).  “Sprint” is used loosely… I was so sore from leg day that they were more like sprints in slow motion. 🙂

I also found the secret to watching football without cable TV.  Rather than going to the bar like I would have in the past, I went to the gym and took a leisurely walk on the treadmill while I happily watched GA Tech play on ESPN… happily until the very end when we lost the game.  *sigh*

Even more exciting was a new bicep curl PR.  After a couple of years trying to get over the 15 lb hump, I was finally able to curl 20s!!!  I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat, looking around to see if anyone noticed how much of a beast I was.  LOL!  Of course, so one was tracking my curl weight, but whatever.  This is me trying to play it cool in the locker room:

 

Workout Recap (8/27 – 9/3):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Butt, 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Bis, 2 mile walk, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Sunday – Rest, Sprints
  • Monday – Back/Bis, Calf raises, 5.5 mile football walk

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Beet, Asparagus, and Broccoli Salad

  • 1 small beet, roasted
  • 1/2 C asparagus, chopped
  • 1/2 C broccoli, chopped
  • 1 T red onion, diced
  • 1 T rice vinegar
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine.
Serves 1 (easily doubled).

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes

  • 1 7oz canned salmon (no salt added), deboned with skin removed
  • 1/2 C grated zucchini, pressed to remove water
  • 3 T egg whites
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 2 T fresh thyme
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • S&P, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease muffin tin.

Place drained salmon in medium bowl and break into small piece with fork (or fingers).  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Spoon into muffin tin, lightly packing down to remove air spaces.  Bake for 20 – 25 mins, or until golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and let cool for a minute. Gently loosen with a knife and lift from the muffin tin.

Makes 4 cakes.

Approximate Nutritionals (per cake): 82 calories, 3.2g fat, 56mg sodium, 0.9g carbohydrates, 0.2g fiber, 0.6g sugar, 10.2g protein

***

These cakes are great to make ahead for an portable, protein-filled lunch!

How was your long weekend?  Any new dishes (or pumpkin beers) to report?

Does touching seafood/meat make you at all squeamish?

 

Stripper Heels + WIAW

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I got 99 problems but a bench ain’t one.

Yep.  That’s on my workout play list.

Last week I talked in this post about focus at the gym, and how purposeful lifting increases results.  I attribute that to many of the gains I’ve been able to make since beginning figure competition training.  I’ve also talked a lot about diet and eating to fuel workouts.  I’m doing a little better with my increased meal requirements.  It’s still not easy… but seeing that it works is encouraging.

So now it’s time for the other part of training to begin.

Posing in stripper heels.

If you ever want to feel totally awkward and like Bambi on new legs, try to balance in plastic heels while keeping your feet together, butt out, and shoulders “big.”

After last night – my very first posing practice – I learned that I have a LOT to learn.

This is the last summer edition of What I Ate Wednesday.  While I’ll be strutting my stuff in a bikini and stripper heels in the coming months, looking out my window at the rainy weather I know fall is in the air.

 

 

Check out my pescatarian protein-filled day below, then click here to visit Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s end of summer eats!

Meal 1:

I’ve been changing up my typical mix of aminos and 2T of apple cider vinegar but adding 1 tsp of glutamine and a couple drops of orange stevia.    I’m loving the hint of orange!  This combo has really replaced my coffee to aid in digestion and provide energy in the morning.

Something I have noticed since being on a training diet is that I get on food-kicks more often.  Right now it’s pancakes!  This morning I did a repeat of last week’s PrOATein Pancakes.

This week I spiced it up a bit by doubling the cinnamon and adding 1/4 tsp of ground ginger.

Served with a broiled grapefruit – recipe here.

Meal 2:

Remember the apple cupcake from last week?  I made that frosting again, but this week I enjoyed it out of a martini glass with pumpkin seeds and golden kiwi.

The golden kiwi was a farmer’s market find.  It’s like a sweeter regular kiwi.  I love them!

 Side note: late in the day I knocked this glass off the counter and shattered it.  See how graceful I am?

Meal 3:

This is one of my favorite seafood creations to-date.  I marinated tilapia in tequila, lime and some other stuff before cooking it on a grill pan.

I continue to suffer from over-stuffing.  My “taco” was more of a flat bread.  Whatever… it was still good.  My toppings: black bean dip, spinach, red onion, cucumber, red pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro.

Meal 4:

This gazpacho was made using some late season tomatoes and my über expensive crab meat.  It’s what I ate pre-workout the night I hit my bicep PR, so I thought I’d try it again!

Meal 5:

One of the best modifications my trainer has made to my diet is meal switching.  If it is time for a carb meal, but I’m about to workout out I swap it for a non-carb meal.

Normally right now I’d be eating 2 veggies, a carb, and a protein; however, I had leg day with my trainer.  What I did instead is have a veggie and a protein and saved the carb for Meal 6.

This is what eating just to get my protein in on the whey to the gym looks like:

GNC whey protein mixed with Greek yogurt and cinnamon.  With a side of cauliflower.  It was an interesting combo, to say the least. 

Meal 6:

Post-workout I happily slurped on my Carrot Cake Batter Protein Shake on the way home.  I added spinach and celery to get my second serving of veggies.  You can’t taste either one at all!  I also blended in some rolled oats and topped it with cinnamon Kashi to get my carbs.

Meal 7:

This week I have been really FULL.  I think I’m making such an effort to increase meal sized during the day that I get to meal 7 and am over the limit.  There’s nothing like 2.5 hours at the gym to cure that!  After posing practice and a brutal leg day, I was more than happy to squeeze in one more meal.

This is Lauren’s recipe for Vegan Bread Pudding, slightly modified.  Instead of the pumpkin I used a mashed up peach, added 1 T almond milk, and used the end piece of my P28 High Protein Bread rather than Ezekial bread (I’ll be ordering more of that!).  I also left out the walnuts, as I don’t eats fats in Meal 7.

So.  Good.

***

I still need to get a little more in my day, but I’m well on my way with the 176.6g of protein from today’s eats!

Have you ever had broiled grapefruit?

Any one out there with experience walking in stripper heels?  I’m going to need help.  🙂

Do I Spend Too Much on Groceries?

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Families of 3 or 4 are able to spend just $100 a week on groceries.

Apparently I’m eating for 3.

At least that seems to be the case according to a question posed on Facebook last week.  In my defense, I do buy a few things family probably wouldn’t spend money on.

When I want something, I buy it.  There’s not much grocery cart self-editing going on; however, I don’t waste food.  Thanks to my meal plan spreadsheet I stay on track.  If I end up with to much of something, I share with friend or my concierges.  That’s probably why my weekly haul hovers around $100… this week’s was $104.

I get a lot of questions about nutrition and diet, so I thought this would be a good time to give you guys a peek into my grocery bill.  It has certainly increased since I began training.  Protein costs a lot more than the pounds of veggies I was eating on my sort-of vegan diet.

Protein

Seafood: Mahi Mahi, Tilapia, lump crab meat (I just learned it’s very high in protein), and canned tuna and salmon

Dairy: Greek yogurt and cottage cheese

Vegan: Sprouted tofu

Produce

 

Veggies: Celery, 2.5 lb bag of spinach, cilantro, carrots, broccoli, red pepper, Spanish eggplant, cucumber, portobella, asparagus, cauliflower, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and ginger

Fruits: Golden kiwi, nectarine, apples, Thai banana, and pear

Other

Packaged/Canned Goods: Pumpkin puree, tomato paste, tortillas

Goodies: Teff flour, sugar-free chocolate covered espresso beans, cinnamon, lavender, flowers

This week I did my shopping at Atlanta’s local year-round farmer’s market where (most) groceries are much cheaper than a typical store (ahem… Whole Paycheck Foods).  For instance, I got the 1/4 lb tub of cinnamon for $0.68.  However, some things will always be pricey… my crab meat was $16.29.

This wasn’t a big staple-buying week.  Some items I already had include: tempeh, almond milk, egg whites, tomatoes, grapefruit, beans, nuts, and grains.

I already cooked my Mahi Mahi!

It’s really easy to prepare.  I squeezed a lemon over the filet and let it sit for about 30 mins.  Then I sprinkled it with paprika and placed it in the oven on broil for 10 mins.  Bam.

Served with roasted broccoli slaw and sweet potato tots.  No, I’m not sharing the tot recipe yet.  They weren’t the right texture and the flavor needed some “umph.”  Soon though!

 

Workout Recap

My plantar fasciitisis still raring it’s head.  Despite being responsible and doing the stretches prescribed by my podiatrist, it’s not 100%.  It’s not even 80%.

With some modifications I’ve still been able to do leg day (focusing on extensions, curls, etc.).  I’m crossing my fingers that I will be able to do more by tomorrow’s leg day.  The arms are still going strong.  I’m excited to be increasing the weight I’m lifting, and to be getting a little bigger.  Still a ways to go though!  Bring on the protein.

Workout Recap (8/20 – 8/26):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Butt, 100 push-ups
  • Sunday – rest, 1.5 mile walk, Yes/No machine

***

This is going to be a busy work week and I’ll be working at home a good deal.  Therefore, I treated myself to a bouquet of pretty flowers to look at. 🙂

What are your weekly must-buy items?

Are there items you only buy on occasion as a treat?

PrOATein Pancake + WIAW

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There isn’t much you can’t accomplish with discipline and focus.

After seeing my first body building competition last weekend, I re-committed to leaving nothing on the table in my training.

Studies have shown purposeful lifting can increase muscle activation as much as 18%.  When working out you should really focus on the part you are training.  Eliminating wandering thoughts, gym distractions, and general rushing is important to getting the most out of your workout.

For the past several days I have committed to purposefully lifting – focusing only on the exercise I am doing and the muscle groups I’m targeting.  If muscle soreness is any indication, it’s working!

A few tips:

  • Choose an optimal training time when you have the most energy and enthusiasm to work toward your goal.
  • Have a written workout with what machines or weights you’ll use.  Some even write out pace and rest periods.  This allows you to move deliberately about the gym, without sitting there looking around for what to do next.
  • Wear headphones to discourage others from talking to you, and to drown out distracting gym “chatter.”  Use your play list to capture your intensity and keep your body pumping to the beat.
  • Before beginning a set, think about your goal – visualize the muscle group you are targeting, and what good form looks like.
  • Use the buddy method – have a friend or trainer assist and motivate you from time to time.
These tips can be applied to running and other forms of exercise too.  Are you working out with purpose?

Despite the chilly early morning air (boo hoo!) we’re still on summer edition of What I Ate Wednesday.  I’m still digging all the sweet summer produce.  The changes in my competition diet have allowed me more veggies!

Check it all out below, then click here to visit Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s summer eats!

Meal 1:

First thing I chugged down my Aminos, only now I’m mixing it with both 2T of apple cider vinegar and glutamine.  Again, I won’t bore you with another pic… but this combo does wonders for my digestion and energy in the morning.

Since is has been chillier in the mornings, I’ve been craving warm breakfasts – like pancakes!  I am notorious for ruining batch after batch of pancakes in the past, jealously watching as everyone else posted pics of perfect fluffy cakes.  Knock on wood – I think that’s behind me now!

Everyone has their preferences, but I like a thick, hearty pancake.  My protein-filled oat cakes fit the bill.  Laced with cinnamon and vanilla, these are like cookie cakes!

The biggest secret?  Let the batter stand for a bit before cooking.  It thickens, leaving you with a batter that won’t fall apart as soon as you try to flip it.  That wait isn’t as bad as it sounds – mix it up before you go to the gym or take a shower.  It will be ready by the time you’re done!

Recipe at bottom.

Meal 2:

I brought back an old favorite – my apple cupcake.  I made essentially the same frosting, but added 1T of vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, almond milk, and a few cake batter drops.  No lie – it really does taste like frosting.

Leftover “icing” eaten with a spoon.   *swoon*

Meal 3:

On my training diet I’m supposed to limit sodium.  It has been shocking to see how much sodium is added to everything.  Protein powder, canned beans, and frozen foods are some of the biggest offenders.

Frozen meals were never prevalent in my diet, but I did keep a few on hand for emergencies.  Sometimes you need a quick lunch!  Now, rather than buying salty meals, I make sure to freeze servings of homemade dishes.

Yesterday’s lunch was a slice of my Vegan Mexican Crustless Quiche.  I thawed it in the micro at work and ate if with raw asparagus and a Nutritional Spicy Peanut Sauce (1 T peanut flour + 1 tsp nutritional yeast + 1/2 tsp sriracha).

Meal 4:

Given that I’m supposed to have at least 3 “real” protein source per day, I snacked on tuna salad.  Pre-figure competition training I would have never consider eating tuna in the middle of the afternoon.

This mix of tuna, nooch sauce (nutritional yeast mixed with water and paprika), red pepper, and broccoli slaw was surprisingly good mid-afternoon.

Meal 5:

This was an all-new experience for me – I made salmon cakes!  They were really good!  It turns out that canned salmon taste like chicken tuna.  I want to make it once more to be sure of the measurements, then I’ll share the recipe.

Served with random, yet delicious, sides.  Side #1: sautéed spinach with eggplant, ginger, and thyme.  Side #2: Grated raw golden beet and carrot sprinkled with dulse flakes.  Side #3: Ezekial garlic toast.

Meal 6:

I am powerless over cake batter.  I had some leftover shredded zucchini and carrot from dinner… so I decided to combine my favorite Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread Batters to make one epic Carrot-Zucchini Cake Batter.

Stick a fork in me.  I’m done.

Meal 7:

That batter was filling… I didn’t want meal 7, but I still am not hitting my increased meal requirements.  Never in a million years did I think I’d say this… but it’s hard to eat so much.  *My former fat kid is beating me up and stealing my lunch money right now.

I kept it simple.  Late-night cereal with bananas… and a side of a chocolate protein powder experiment.

The cereal was awesome.  The experiment… needs work.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone invented protein cereal?

PrOATein Pancakes

  • 1/4 C rolled oats
  • 1/4 C egg whites (or flax egg)
  • 1 T vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 7-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia

 Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.  

Place in refrigerator and allow to sit for 15 mins to 1 hour.  Remove from fridge.  Add more liquid if too thick.

Scoop into warm pan, forming 2 pancakes.  Cook ~2-3 mins (do not touch while its cooking) then flip and cook for ~1-2 mins more.

Serve with warm sugar-free maple syrup and fresh fruit.

***

Now I’m hating the accountability since I didn’t eat as much as my revised plan calls for.  I got 170.2g of protein.

Have you ever checked the sodium in your staple foods?  Any surprises?

Do you have a perfect pancake recipe?  Please share!

Tales from the Gym + Caffeinated Giveaway

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There’s one in every crowd.

You  know the one.  The dude that you keep catching staring at you in the gym.  You know it’s just a matter of time before he comes over to chat.  Monday was that day.

First, you have to picture this guy.  Mid-30s, frat boy hair cut, tattoos up on arm… fairly big guy with a little beer belly.   He sauntered up to me while I was adding weight to the seated row machine.

He opened his mouth to reveal one of the most Southern accents I’ve heard in Atlanta.

Frat Man: “I believe that’s more than you weigh.”

Me: “Not quite, but close.”

Frat Man: “I’ve been watching you.  You’re strong.”

Me: “Thank you.”

We went our separate ways, but I notice he’s still glancing over at me.  Later I was doing my calf raises and he asked if he could work in.  I obliged, but before he started, he had to add more commentary.

Frat Man: “I’m sorry I keep staring at you.  I can’t help it – you look just like Tinkerbell.”

Me: “Well… thanks!  I love Tinker.”

Frat Man: “I mean it.  Straight from the TV… how much do you weigh?”

Me: “I’m not really sure.”

Frat Man: “Well, you look good.”

Me: “Thanks.  Have a great workout.”

All of this went down in the least creepy way possible (trust me – I know creepy).  Well, aside from the fact that he said he’s been watching me.  LOL!

Slightly less funny, but still amusing.  This was on the television at the gym yesterday morning:

Daria.

I kind of wanted to stop and watch.

But I mentioned a giveaway, right?

This is one of the more exciting giveaways I’ve done, IMHO.  Reason being is that I LOVE this product.  Often I see giveaways for products that aren’t so great.  Of course, everyone has different tastes… but I do make it a point to try samples before agreeing to a giveaway.  There have been products I’ve turned down – I feel like it reflects badly on me if you are sent something that isn’t that great!

That’s not the case with this giveaway (or with the P28 Bread – I am in LOVE).

Chike contacted me about their coffee protein powder a few weeks ago.  I was hesitant – often I find coffee-flavored stuff to be too fake.  I like the real thing.  The rep assured me the caffeine content was the same as a 2 espresso shots, and it was low sugar/low sodium I knew I had to give it a shot.  Enter: a new addiction.

Who needs Starbucks when you can have a homemade protein mocha frapp with a fraction of the sugar?  If you were to order a Grande (16 oz) Mocha Frappucchino Light at Starbucks, you’d be drinking 130 calories, 28g carbs, 26g sugar, and 4g of protein.  You might as well just swallow 2 tablespoons of sugar.

With 20g of whey protein, 23 vitamins & minerals, and just 2g sugar, this powder makes for a perfect pre-workout shake.  Sunday I was feeling really sluggish after eating too many salty truffle fries on cheat day (I woke up feeling hung over!), but I downed this before meeting my trainer and had a great leg workout.

In my re-creation of the frappuccino, you’ll only have the 2g of sugar from the Chike protein powder and an additional 6-7g from half of a banana.  This is a mocha (any excuse for chocolate in the morning), but you could change up the flavors to recreate your favorite.

Check out this Pumpkin Frapp I did last fall, for example.

You guys know I can’t make a smoothie without adding spinach, so this delicious beverage has a slightly green-ish tint.  The banana added natural sweetness and lent a creamy texture to the drink.

I can never stress enough – use good cocoa!!!  Your drink will be 10x better and 1T of the good stuff won’t break the bank. 🙂

Recipe at bottom.

I’ll get off my sugar-soap box now and tell you how you can get your own Chike High Protein Coffee.

3 winners will be randomly chosen to receive 5 packets of the coffee, and a Chike Blender bottle.  You can never have enough blender bottles.

Receive up to 4 entries:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a blender bottle and sample pack from @iLikeChike with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1rZ  #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow Chike, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What is your go-to caffeinated beverage?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Thursday night,  August 23rd.  The winner will be announced here on Friday, August 24th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, you can order your own on the Chike website.

Mocha Protein Frappuccino

  • 1 serving Chike High Protein Coffee (or 1 scoop protein powder + 1 tsp instant coffee)
  • 1 C spinach (optional)
  • 1/2 medium banana
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • 7-8 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1.8 tsp Guar Gum (optional, acts as a thickener)
  • Ice, to taste

Place all ingredients in blander and mix until smooth.

Top with your favorite add-ins – I used raw oats here – and enjoy!

***

Yesterday we lost one of the most brilliantly funny comedians to walk this earth.  RIP to Phyllis Diller.  I’ll leave you with her wisdom: “Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out.”

What is your funniest gym interaction?

Are you concerned with sugar intake? 

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