Cookie Dough Porridge

I am always interested in new foods, so life doesn't get boring. You will never read any recipe here that I haven't personally made and tested, I usually make my family taste them too and will report back what they had to say.

I read about a dish that Monica Brant supposedly eats every single morning, 365 days a year. Man, I would get so sick of the same thing.

It sounded interesting so I made it. I made some changes though. First, she uses some specific brand items, and I am always a little leery about recipes that have brand name products, so I looked up the ingredients and substituted. The first change was the protein powder. Monica recommended Proto Whey protein powder. I just wrote down the macro nutrients (carbs, protein, fat) and calories and used a protein powder that had the same ratios.

Next was a product called Myofiber. I researched that and it has ingredients in it that I already take (CLA and Flax) along with Psyilium  husk. It is a proprietary blend, which means they have to tell you the ingredients, but not how much of any one thing. Proprietary blends are usually really expensive too.

Myofiber is basically a filler/fiber to make sure you have regular bowel movements (that's the psyllium husk) and I eat so many vegetables that I really don't feel the need to add more fiber, so I decided to leave this one ingredient out altogether.



Here is the recipe as she provided it in oxygen magazine.

Cookie-Dough Porridge


Ready in 5 minutes •


Makes 1 serving


1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup egg whites

1 scoop Proto Whey protein powder

1 scoop Myofiber

Stevia or natural sweetener of your choice, to taste

In a glass bowl, microwave old-fashioned oats with 1 teaspoon water for 1 minute.


Add egg whites, protein powder, Myofiber and sweetener. Stir.


Refrigerate and let cool.


So, what did I think? I thought it look horrendous when I made it. Raw runny egg whites, uncooked oats. I actually let it sit overnight. The egg whites are from a carton, so they are pasteurized, no need to worry about salmonella.

It turned out the oats soaked up a lot of the liquid, but not all. I think that if I had used the Myofiber, it may have been a thicker consistency. I would use some oat fiber I think, maybe try some of the stuff that Pauline Nordin sells on her Fighter Diet site.

Was it good? Actually yes! It was a creamy, sweet, chewy desserty flavor, I made Chocolate Peanut Butter (that's what the protein powder was).

What did David think? He thought it looked and sounded disgusting, and there was no way he would even come near it, in fact, our friend Virginia came by when I was out and he thought it was so disgusting he told her about it and I believe he even pulled it out of the refrigerator to show her. Next time I saw her she commented on it, saying it was probably one of the most disgusting sounding and looking things I have ever made.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

I LOVE buffalo chicken wings! I rarely eat them though, I understand that there really isn't much worse than that for a lean, healthy body (unless you eat a meal at the Cheesecake Factory)

What exactly do I like so much about it? The chicken and the hot sauce and blue cheese. So the other day I read this recipe from Jenny Grothe of Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding (but anyone can use her recipes). I follow her on facebook, she always has interesting sounding recipes, some are winners, some are not.

She recently posted the following recipe for Buffalo Chicken Salad. I will give you her recipe, then explain how  I altered it for my delicious lunch!

Easy Hot Buffalo Chicken Salad

by Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding

 Makes 1 salad

 Ingredients:

• 3 tbs VOSKOS nonfat Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbs Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 10 sprays Ranch Salad Spritzer or 1/2 tsp ranch dip mix
• 3 oz cooked and sliced chicken breast
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup sliced baby carrots
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced romaine

Directions:

Combine spray, wing sauce, and Greek yogurt. Add in remaining ingredients and toss. Serve!

Nutrition:

• Calories 181
• Calories from Fat 20.6
• Total Fat 2.29g
• Cholesterol 55.95mg
• Sodium 635.1mg
• Total Carbohydrate 14.73g
• Dietary Fiber 3.76g
• Sugars 8.49g
• Protein 27.29g

So, what did I change? I had no carrots so I used more celery. I don't care for ranch, I like blue cheese, so I used 1 Tbsp of Marie's Lite Chunky Blue Cheese. It added some calories, but this meal is so low, I can afford it.

1 Tbsp of the dressing has the following:
35 calories
3.5 grams fat
145 mg sodium
.5 gram carbs
.5 gram protein

I also doubled the Franks Hot Sauce...I like it hot!

For a meal with additional carbs add 1/2 cup kidney beans, they will be great!

Strong Mind Stronger Body

I like to read T-Nation. They bill themselves as Testoterone Nation: The intelligent and relentless pursuit of muscle.

I also like a style of training that most women do not enjoy. I like loud rock and roll, very loud. I like big warehouse style gyms, where there is a lot of iron, iron that needs to be pushed, lifted, pulled or somehow moved by a person, in other words, not machines. I like chalk (I sneak in my own, the gym doesn't allow it)

Give me prowlers, ropes, free weights, chin up bars, leather slam balls, kettlebells and I am happy. When I am happy I am productive.

Happy in the gym = success in the gym

I was happiest training with SC in his facility just like this, but we can't do that any longer. My gym is about as far away from this style as it could be, but it is very convenient, has everything I need and I am kind of entrenched there now. It does have areas like this though, so I stick to those areas and avoid all of the socializing on the weight machines and cardio areas.

I just read an article called Strong Mind, Stronger Body: Lessons from a Warehouse Gym by Joe DeFranco

It discusses how your mind effects your training, I say that all the time. Here is a piece of that article, and it sums it all up for me.

Coach Yourself


How do you make these mental strategies work for you? Simple:

Find music that motivates you. Crank it up.

Don't adopt a training program you don't believe in or you'll half-ass it, even if it's a good plan. Find a program that gets you excited and you'll put out the effort that it takes to get results.

Set the stage for the zone state. You do this through practice and preparation for your sport, be it football, powerlifting, or bodybuilding.


Mental toughness is born from facing tough situations or environments and surviving them. Don't baby yourself. Don't coddle yourself. Stop being such a prima donna.

Realize that sometimes the thing that motivated you to train hard yesterday won't be the same thing you need today to optimize your mental state. Be "bi-polar." Be versatile. Flip the switch and adjust. Do what works for you that day.


You can read the entire article here.

Cooking

Me in my kitchen, I love to cook. This is my winter chef's jacket, it's thick and gets hot. My summer and spring jacket is black with short sleeves. I like them because I don't ruin my clothes with splatters.

I know, you are thinking, "she cooks? right, she's always on a diet!"

I understand why you think that, even a fellow at work the other day said to me "you don't eat cheesecake right? You don't even eat anything humans do"

I think he was trying to be funny, but I wasn't laughing, in fact, I found it a bit sad.

I enjoy what I eat, I feel better eating healthy and I shall probably live to have a better quality of life because if it. I also love to eat some "human" food too, I just don't do it all the time.

There are so many wonderful foods that can be eaten, and can be delicious yet not be full of sugar and fat and thousands of calories.

If you make healthy foods the main part of your diet, and allow yourself to eat some of the other foods, you won't feel so cheated.

So exactly what is a healthy diet? It's not rocket science and it's not difficult. Now to diet down to lose all excess bodyfat, that is a science, but we won't be talking about that today.

Eat several small meals a day: This can range from 4 to 6 depending on your activity level. The goal is to never get to a state of ravenous hunger, and to keep your body fueled and blood sugar level. A meal for someone who isn't very active can be an apple and 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter. And then someone like me, who is fairly active and who eats 6 meals of almost all the same size, eats two lunches consisting of 4 ounces protein, 4 ounces starch and a cup of vegetables in each lunch (one at 12:00 and one at 3:30)

Eat what "humans" do: Natural, unprocessed foods. Lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains. Stay away from packaged foods which will not do you ANY good.

Drink lots of water:Your body needs water to function. Water allows your body to maintain it's temperature; it flushes waste; it keeps skin moist; it cushions your joints, it protects your nervous system.

Eat slowly and enjoy the meal: If you rush through your meal you are likely to keep eating even after you are full. You will eat faster than your body can signal your brain that you are full, and then you will over eat.

Eat the right portions: Protein source should be the size of you open palm (not hand, the palm only!). Starches should be the size of your closed fist, no more! Vegetables should cover most of your plate.

Experiment and be open: I try different vegetables and combination all the time. You don't need to eat "breakfast" foods in the morning and "dinner" foods at night. Let your imagination run wild!

Festival Of Sleep Day

I love reading and always seem to come across some interesting little tidbits related to health and fitness and I like to pass on the ones I think have some merit.

This is Thor, my son's cat, asleep on a down comforter...guess he got tired playing with the pink lacrosse ball!

I understand today (January 3) is Festival of Sleep Day !

All joking aside, sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy body weight, and to  build lean mass, in addition to proper functioning of every cell in your body.

I am miserable when I haven't had my sleep. I cannot think, I don't make sense, I am not productive at work and worst of all, I cannot lift heavy weights when I haven't had a good, long sleep! I need more than I get, but as it is, I go to bed by 9:00 pm usually, it would be really hard for me to fit in anything after work if I went to bed much earlier.

Scientist now know that sleep is essential to memory- your brain uses those hours to arrange memories so you can better recall key emotional moments. (To me, this is almost like running a de-frag on my computer!)

Other good reasons to put in the pillow time: People who skimp on sleep show elevated levels of inflammation (a risk factor for heart disease and stroke) and crave higher-calorie foods because of hormone imbalances.

"Good sleep equals good health" says Dr. Stuart Quan of Harvard Medical School's Division of Sleep Medicine.

So stop watching TV, have a hot cup of chamomile tea, some ZMA to help promote natural growth hormone and go to bed early!

New Year's Eve Dinner

We stayed home, too many drunks out there on New Year's, and you know what they say : "Amateur night".

I made a lovely French meal from a book David bought called The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris, Everyday Recipes from the Real Paris by Daniel Young.

The meal was light, satisfying, healthy and so delicious.

We love France; the food, the people, the country and traditions are so much as we like to live.

To start we had Steamed Whole Artichokes with Poached Egg and Vinaigrette.

This is a cooked large artichoke, that has had the center leaves and choke removed after cooking, then a poached egg is placed in the center. The yolk is warm and runny.

You pull off the artichoke leaves from the center, which have the warm yolk clinging to them, and dip them in the herb vinaigrette.


Then once you have eaten all the leaves, you have the white of the egg resting on the heart of the artichoke, with some yolk still there. I loved it!

While the vinaigrette has olive oil in it, which is a fat and thus has more calories than a protein or carbohydrate, it is a monounsaturated fat, and it is important to include some in your diet everyday.

Then we had Garlic Soup with Mussels.

You saute garlic in olive oil and the cook mussels in water and white wine. Once the mussels open, the cooking liquid is added to the olive oil/garlic mixture then simmered. Although this soup appears to be creamy, there is no cream. One egg yolk (for 4 servings) is whisked into the soup at the last minute to add richness.

The mussels are removed from their shells. Small toasted rounds of baguette are placed in a shallow bowl, some Gruyere cheese, the mussels and then topped with the hot soup and a sprinkle of Piment d' Espelette, a mild pepper from the Basque region of France.

A wonderful bistro meal, with a little sparkling wine and then a glass of Chateau La Canorgue. If you ever saw the movie "A Good Year" with Russel Crowe, it is the property that he "inherits".

We visited the winery a few years ago, I highly recommend it if you are in that area of France!

I digress. The meal was delicious, healthy and perfectly acceptable for any dietary goals (OK, not if you are prepping for a competition, but then you cannot eat anything!)

Remember, meals can be delicious and healthy, there is no need to suffer just to maintain a healthy body weight and low body fat. 

I went to bed at 8:45 (always thinking about the next day) and was set for a long sleep, the gym didn't open until 7:00 am!  The wind and the cat woke me at 5:30, I was full of energy and feeling good.

It was leg day, but I tweaked my right spinal erector on Friday and it was still a little tight, so I changed it to shoulder day. I had a fantastic workout! Heavy sets, jump rope in between each set, for an hour and 45 minutes. A great long steam and off to tackle the day.

New Year's Resolutions

This picture was taken in June, 2003, 7 1/2 years ago. This is my friend Baz, we had a party to celebrate David earning his Master's degree. He thought that my hair would look good on him, so we draped it over his head for the photo.



And here I am now!

My point is that I think I look amazingly close to what I looked like way back when....Actually, I think I am aging backward.

I have been devoted to a lifestyle of hard exercise, clean eating and health for quite some time now, and it didn't start with a New Year's Resolution.


Most resolutions are health related, lose weight, get in shape, stop eating candy, stop drinking alcohol, etc.


Over half the people who make a resolution will have abandoned it by February.

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions, never have.

It is the type of person I am, I think if something is important to you, and you are serious, you take action now, not in a week, not in a in a few days, not in some specified date in the future.

There was a time I smoked, yes me. 16 years, two packs a day. I decided to quit one day so I did. June 27, 1991. Not January 1, but the day I decided I needed to make a change. I have never had a cigarette since.

I am opinionated, stubborn, tough and I get what I want, no matter how hard I have to work for it. My husband likes to say that one of my favorite sayings is:

"It's my way or the highway"

I think he is being a little hard on me, but he must know, he has lived with me for 31 years. (No, this is not a typo, it has been 31 years...)

I know that probably 99% of the people reading this have made a New Year's Resolution, and I am not trying to discourage you at all, I am trying to make you think.

I believe that I have learned a great deal about goals and goal setting. It is imperative to stick to your goals when competing; to succeed, you cannot deviate. Your lack of adherence will show in your physique, every time.

I think one of the most difficult resolutions will be totally giving up something, anything.  You may want to consider just partaking of this "thing" less, you may find that you are better able to stick to it. Don't set yourself up to fail.


If you are one of the "resolution makers", consider some things to help make you more successful.

From Mahalo.com:

Step 1: Set a Goal

• Whether or not you keep your resolution all depends on what your resolution is. You don't need to aim low, but the rules of time, space and physical reality should come into play. Don't expect to scale Everest by May if you haven't been off the couch in a decade.

1. Make One Resolution: Dr. Richard Wiseman of Hertfordshire University recommends that you make only one resolution. Your chances of success increase if you focus your attention on one issue at a time.
2. Choose a Goal That's Important to You: Without a strong, internal motivation, your resolution is meaningless. Choose a goal that you truly want for yourself not one dictated by family, friends or society.
3. Be Realistic: Don't set yourself up to fail by setting an unrealistic goal. You're not going to earn a black belt in a year if you haven't been physically active since the Nixon administration, but you can start attending martial arts classes on a regular basis.
4. Be Specific: Being specific about your goals is, in part, tied to being realistic. Break down a larger goal like "losing weight" into manageable, specific baby steps. Losing 1-2 pounds a week until you reach a goal weight set by a doctor is a healthier and more achievable goal than committing to losing 50 pounds without any kind of plan in place.
5. Avoid Previous Resolutions: Dr. Wiseman recommends not using resolutions you've made and failed to stick with in the past. If you want to fall back on an old resolution, come at it at a different angle. If you resolved and failed to "lose 50 pounds," commit to starting a regular fitness regimen or eating more healthfully instead.
6. Don't Wait Until the Last Minute: A study conducted by the University of Washington found that most resolutions lead to failure when the they were made at the last minute. Your resolution requires a sober-headed plan, not one fueled by the emotion of the New Year.
7. Don't Use Absolutes: Another finding of the study conducted by the University of Washington was that resolutions fail when they are framed as, "I will never do X again." Absolutes aren't helpful; they are recipes for failure and disappointment. It's better to make a commitment to a smoking cessation program with practical steps then it is to say, "I will never smoke again."

There are more steps to this process, visit the Mahalo.com website for the complete list.

Happy New Year, I wish you will power and happiness. See you in the gym!