Savory Sunday #7

Since I've committed to really focusing on food this month (and given the fact that I will be travelling later this week) there is not going to be a savory sweet treat today. Instead, I made a Hello Fresh winter salad. Yes, on Super Bowl Sunday. I'm just not that into the game since the Patriots are not playing.

Back to the food... I've got quite a few Hello Fresh meals stocked up in the fridge this week as I went out with my son who was visiting on Wednesday and again with my mom on Saturday. I made smart restaurant choices each time. And, since we weren't really doing anything special for the Super Bowl game, I just decided to make a regular dinner. I didn't get any complaints. In fact, dinner was complimented several times! Below is the picture of the Roasted Beet and Lentil Salad with Feta Cheese, Arugla, and Walnuts.

Sunday Summary:

I didn't run as much as I would have liked. I wimped out in the cold and windy Florida weather. I ended the week with 6.01 miles. To make up for not getting outside this weekend, I caught up on two episodes of The Biggest Loser and accumulated over 3 hours on the ellipical. I also added in two Beachbody workouts. I did the 21 Day Fix Total Body Cardio on Monday and Yoga today. Not too shabby for a week before the race. 

This week's accomplishments:

1. I finally added in some strength training again.

2. I met my Fitbit goal of 5 days of at least 30 minutes of activity.

3. I cleaned my bathroom!!! (Trust me, this is a big deal!)

The Weather Made Me Wimpy

I wimped out today. I admit it. I have seen posts of people with snow and icicles forming on their eyelashes and in their beards, but I just couldn't do it. No, it didn't snow here in Florida. The weather was actually in the low 50's at 5:00 am this morning, however, the winds were 25-30 mph! Tomorrow is not going to be much better. It's predicted to be in the lower 30's and still a brutal wind. 

Instead, I snuggled in my cozy bed until about 8:00 am. I really didn't think I could sleep that late any more since I am so used to getting up bright and early. The training plan called for 13 miles this morning but I did 2 hours on the elliptical. I know it sounds like the ultimate in boredom, but Chris set me up so that I could watch The Biggest Loser on my iPad and I was off and "running". Thanks to the fitbit, I am able to post the proof. I'm wondering now how it all equates. Regardless, I worked up a good sweat and burned some calories. 

Tonight's dinner was the last of this week's boxes from Hello Fresh. The picture shows the Greek Salad Flatbread with Olives, Artichokes, and Feta. I just turned it into a pizza shape. Hello Fresh truly is a good product. We have been eating at home more often and I am really enjoying making the recipes. Every single item has been delicious! 

Over the Hump

It's Wednesday, and I'm happy to report that I've completed another Jillian Michaels' 30 day Shred workout. According to my Fitbit, I've been pretty consistent. The workout is 26 minutes long and my heartrate has stayed pretty much 70-80% in the fat burning zone. It's not getting any easier yet, but I'm still hoping to see some results especially in my upper body. Let's hope that I'm shredding that back fat!

 

Tonight's dinner was Jamie's Salsa Spaghetti with Black Olives & Fresh Basil. The sauce had a nice flavor with no added sugar. I really enjoyed the fresh basil. I'm finding this experiment with Hello Fresh interesting because the recipes come perfectly portioned for two servings. You would receive four times this much if you ordered it in a restaurant. Speaking of which, this recipe was by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who has recently joined up with the Hello Fresh team to create some special recipes for us at home. 

I mentioned the no added sugar a moment ago because I've been reading Year of No Sugar by Eve O. Schaub. When my daughter first saw the book she asked, "When did you switch to horror?" Typical teenager! Just the first few chapters have made me much more conscious of what is going into these recipes that I've been making. Some of the recipes have been higher in calories, but that has been due to the use of olive oil and the inclusion of healthy fats such as avocado and nuts and seeds. I can't wait to read about the changes this family has experienced throughout their year of no sugar. 

I'm sitting here watching The Biggest Loser and anticipating the big changes coming their way. I really find it inspirational how hard these contestants work. But why does it always make me cry?

Joining the Biggest Loser

I'm not sure how it happened, but it did. I got an email invitation to attend the grand opening of the Biggest Loser Resort on Amelia Island. For Free! As a fan of the show what else could I do? I grabbed my running partner and we drove there for the festivities!

All I can say is thank goodness for Siri. Would you believe that my Garmin GPS, Google Maps and good old Rand McNally all couldn't find our destination? Siri came through with minutes to spare. Once there, we were treated to an opening informational session about the Biggest Loser resorts. It sounds like it would be a great way to kick start improving your health. We then went to some breakout sessions. There were workouts, yoga and nutrition classes.

We chose the workout first. WOW!! I was sore for days after just a 20 minute session. It was a partner workout where we alternated full body exercises: sprints and pushups, slides and situps, frog jumps and squats, and lunges and burpees. Yes, I was shaking and definitely realized how much I need to work some other muscles.

The next session we chose was a nutrition class. It was very informative. Some things I had heard or read before like, eat on a lunch plate instead of a dinner plate and be very aware of portion sizes on containers. Some other advice was new: don't try to do it all at once - make small changes. Aim for good, healthy choices 90% of each week. When ordering at a restaurant it's okay to ask them to mix and match different things on the menu even if it doesn't come as a meal. It's also okay to ask them to pack half before it goes on the plate.

Next, lunch was provided. It was a delicious buffet with grilled chicken or salmon as the protein. There were all the makings of a very healthy salad, along with some grilled flatbread and baked potatoes. We were also given samples of a yellow tomato gazpacho - it was spicy!

After lunch we waited to win our raffle prizes. There were workout DVD's, cookbooks and gift baskets. The two grand prizes were eagerly anticipated: two tickets to The Biggest Loser season finale, and a week's stay at the Amelia Island resort. Alas, we did not win. BUT, get this - a husband and wife each won one of the prizes! Amazing coincidence.

Following the presentation we were able to meet Jessie Pavelka. I think I'd be working hard if he were my trainer!

When were were finished at the convention center, we were able to go tour the facilities. The Biggest Loser Resort is not brand new. Instead, they have taken over a portion of the Omni Hotel's Amelia Island Plantation. Some of the areas were refurbished and they look great. We were some of the first to try out the equipment.

When we got the confirmation, we had the opportunity to stay overnight. Of course, if we were doing this we were doing this all the way. So, we stayed in one of the villas that the participants actually use. They were located nearby the gym and kind of secluded from the main resort. 

We had a great night just wandering around, but splurged on a delicious dinner (and dessert). We were good though, and newly inspired. We woke up early the next morning and completed our scheduled six-mile run on a gorgeous path around the property. We followed it up with a nutritious breakfast with a magnificent view before heading home after our Biggest Loser adventure.