Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Cooking in Salt

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First, I have to say that I did deliver on my promise to complete the Whittle My Middle every other day.  Yesterday I was a little slow, but got it done.  I was so sore from boot camp.  Here are the numbers I put up:

  • Front plank: 60 secs
  • Side plank:  60 secs each side
  • Torso twists: 25 reps
  • Plank ups: 10 reps
  • Boat pose: 20 reps
  • Bicycle: 2 sets of 30 reps
  • Side plank w/ twists:  10 reps each side

Last night I had a really cool meal prepared by a friend.  I know its odd to describe a meal as “cool,” but I had never seen this method in action before: Beef in a Salt Crust.

This isn’t the actual beef but I think she made it based on an Alton Brown recipe, so the pic is from his recipe.  Basically, you beat egg white until they are frothy, add some herbs (fresh from her garden!), and a TON of kosher salt.

It looks crazy to dump all of that salt on a perfectly good piece of meat!  After it bakes for ~20 mins, the salt hardens into a crust.  When it’s done, the salt breaks away and you are left with your beef.  It was soooo cool to see and the taste was delish.  Not too salty!

Boot camp #2 tonight.  I may have to break out the running pants for the first time this season – it is finally feeling more like fall outside today!

Protein Powder #2 + Asian Tofu

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Powder #2

This morning I made hot oatmeal with the chocolate Vega powder.  (I know it technically is not just a protein powder, but neither is my current Juice Plus.)  It wasn’t my favorite.

In the oats:

90% of my breakfast decision was influenced by the fact that I still have these giant blueberries.  I love blueberries in hot oatmeal because they get all melty and juicy from the oatmeal heat.  YUM.

In addition to the berries, I used 1/2 the packet of Vega.  Half a serving gave me 5.5g protein, 0g sugar, and 55 cals.  I took a taste and promptly added a generous pile couple ‘o shakes of cinnamon.

I’ve made chocolate oats before… but these looked a bit… green.

Color, I can get over.  But they also tasted a little off.  You know when stuff tastes healthy?  My oatmeal tasted too healthy.  (Not that this prevented me from eating it.)

I’m still going to eat the other half, but this may be better in a fruit-filled smoothie.

New Challenge today – I started my first boot camp!  It was definitely a challenge.  We started with 5 mins of stairs.  One guy puked.  I did not.  Lots of boot camp-ish stuff (marching bands, planks, push ups, dips, etc.).  Then sprints.  Lots and lots of sprints (maybe this will help my 5K time?!).  The workout was rounded out with ab work.  I’m already sore.

Two things I’m really proud of:

  1. I stayed up with the “in shape” guys the whole time
  2. I ran to the boot camp and home after.

After that craziness I was starving.

Thankfully, dinner was less… green… than lunch.  I diced some extra-firm tofu and tossed it in an Asian-style marinade before boot camp.

When I got home, I put the mixture in a grill pan on medium heat.

Meanwhile, I sautéed some red onion and asparagus with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

 

Then I tossed all of that with arugula, carrots, celery, and cucumbers.

I couldn’t get this on the table fast enough!

Asian-Marinated Tofu

  • 2/5 block Extra-firm Tofu, cubed1T Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1T Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 tsp Red Curry Paste
  • 1/2 tsp Thai Chile Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced (about 1 small clove)

Whisk marinade in medium bowl and toss with tofu cubes.  Marinate ~1 hour. 

Grill on stove top over medium heat until browned (about 4-5 mins on each side).  Remove from heat and enjoy!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5077127060_93cc39ddbe.jpg

Intervals, Abs, and Monsters… Oh My!

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I’m a little behind due to all of the weekend’s festivities!  I tried a new workout this weekend and LOVED it.  Intervals that weren’t boring, killer biceps/back moves, followed by a core routine from Oh She Glows.  All topped off with a Green Monster smoothie, inspired by the Green Monster Movement and fueled with protein powder from my Mission: Protein Powder exploration.

The interval workout is based on one from Fitness Magazine.  It incorporates the stationary bike, elliptical, and treadmill and take 30 minutes total.  Those 30 minutes flew by – I swear. (Note: RPE refers to your “rate of perceived exertion”)

The break down:

Bike

  • Minutes 0-5 @ level 1-3 (about 3 RPE)
  • Minutes 5-7 @ level 5-7 (about 7 RPE*)
  • Minutes 7-8 @ level 6-8 (about 8 RPE*)
  • Minutes 8-9 @ level 8-9 (about 9 RPE*)
  • Minutes 9-10 @ level 9-10 (about 10 RPE*)

Elliptical

  • Minutes 10-11 @ level 3-4 (about 3 RPE)
  • Minutes 11-13 @ level 7-9 (about 6 RPE*)
  • Minutes 13-15 @ level 9-12 (about 8 RPE*)
  • Minutes 15-18 @ level 12+ (about 9 RPE*)
  • Minutes 18-20 @ level 9-12 (about 8 RPE*)

Treadmill

  • Minutes 20-24 @ level 3.5-4.2 (about 3 RPE)
  • Minutes 24-25 @ level 5.2-6.5 (about 7 RPE*)
  • Minutes 25-27 @ level 4-4.5 (about 3 RPE*)
  • Minutes 27-29 @ level 7 (about 8 RPE*)
  • Minutes 29-30 @ level 3 (about 2 RPE*)

Then is was time for 30 mins in the weight room working on back and biceps.

All of this was topped off with the Whittle My Middle 30-Day Challenge #2 completed by Angela at Oh She Glows back in January.  My goal is to do this daily for the next month.  Results to be posted here.  Anyone else in???

My starting points:

  • Front plank: 90 secs
  • Side plank:  60 secs each side
  • Torso twists: 20 reps
  • Plank ups: 12 reps
  • Boat pose: 20 reps
  • Bicycle: 3 sets of 30 reps
  • Side plank w/ twists:  12 reps each side

How do you follow up a killer workout like that?

… 

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Workout Fuel + Almond Cocoa “Laura” Bites

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This may sound bizarre, but I look forward to using hotel gyms. 

They provide a good change of pace to a workout routine – the good ones have different machines and the bad ones force creativity.  The one I visited this week was one of the good ones.

The Weight Room

I did a 1 mile warm up jog on the treadmill before heading to the weight room for a 50 minute bicep/back workout.  All of this was rounded out with a quick core workout:

  • 100 sit-ups on the ball
  • 30 v-ups
  • 60 baby crunches
  • 60 toe touchers
  • 60 second plank
  • 60 second side plank on each side

Thanks to the cardio at the beginning, my heart rate stayed up the entire time and made the workout a bit more intense

Following the advice of the nutritionist I saw, I followed up my workout with a grilled chicken salad.  Apparently you need at least 20g of protein within 30mins of completing a workout.  Who knew? It is amazing what happens when you add more protein to your diet – in just a couple of weeks of aiming for 80-100g a day I have noticed a change in muscle.

First thing’s last: the fuel.  I made my own version of Lara Bars.  Lara Bars are date and nut bars that typically include some sort of fruit (creating flavors like “Apple Pie” and “Peanut Butter & Jelly”).  They are yummy, but expensive.  Half of one works well as a pre-workout pick-me-up.  Why not make my own?  They give you the ingredients on the package: dates and nuts.  I already have basically the same name.  Behold, Laura Bites.  (Yes, I am that creative corny.)

It is that easy.  You can play with the flavors – add some dry fruit, different nut varieties, coconut… anything you have in your pantry.  Just be sure not to over-mix the nuts, as it will make the “batter” too greasy.  These are approx. 100 calories per serving.

Almond Cocoa Laura Bites

  • 2/3 C Dates
  • 1/4 C Almonds
  • 2 tsp Cocoa
  • Cinnamon (optional)

Place dates in food processor and blend until chopped.  

Add nuts and cocoa and blend until mixed.  It will look like a gooey ball – don’t worry. 

Using your (clean) hands, form into 4 “bites.”  I sprinkled my formed bites with cinnamon. 

Cover tightly and store in cool place. 

Makes 4 bites.

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