11-26-13

My oh my was I busy yesterday! But it seemed I got nothing done.  Ever have those kind of days? I feel like sometimes all I ever do I rush around staying busy and never accomplishing anything at all! Today it's time to head to Publix and get everything I need to make my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner.  So far my contributions are sausage stuffing/dressing, fresh green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, chocolate shortbread pecan squares and a gingerbread pumpkin trifle.  YUM!

I haven't managed to get any more exercise in since Friday.  I am hoping to at least use the elliptical for 25 minutes today and do some back and core strengthening exercises.  My back is bothering me again :( I think the pain from the herniated disks presents itself as tightness in my low back and when I continue to persist and do too much then it turns into actual pain.  I guess I wasn't paying enough attention to my body before and that's why I ended up causing so much damage.  How do you keep being active and exercising when you aren't really sure what causes the pain?? I don't seem to experience any pain within 24 hours of exercising but it seems if I exercise 2 times in a week within 2-3 days I seem to feel some discomfort.  So frustrating! I feel like I will never get back to my routine at the CrossFit box.

I guess I better get to the store so I can start cooking! I will share some recipes as I make them later. I know I haven't been prepared to assist you with your Thanksgiving plans, but maybe you can get a jump start on Christmas!

Collette

A BREAK? AND an AHI TUNA RECIPE

11-22-13 I promise I am almost caught up!! Sorry to put up posts late- I wanted to try it as a journal to see if I could actually do this!! 

A whole week with no posts and no exercise!!  Now I remember why I use to go to the CF box EVERY single MWF- because I won’t do anything on my own.  What happened to the adage that it takes 3 weeks to make a habit?? Even after working out faithfully for 10 months, and seeing progress, which of course should help to enforce the behavior, I get injured and BAM! There goes my commitment to working out.  Now I understand that when I was in so much pain, well, really who wants to work out?? But strangely that is when I was still checking the website to see what the WOD (workout of the day) was and lamenting that I had to be stupid and get hurt, now all my time, effort and hard work was going to disappear- as in - I’m going to put weight back on and have to start from SQUARE ONE.  I was not a happy camper.  Somehow as I started getting more relief I stopped checking the WOD every. single. day.  I was also extremely busy as my daughter was getting married in less than 2 months and I was more panicked at not being able to do anything at her wedding.  Now as I am healing more and more and am starting to feel the need to work out again I have begun checking the website to see what I would be doing if I could.  I thought that was a great sign! Well apparently not! After not exercising at all for 3 months my cardio level has plummeted, I’m sure I have lost strength and I know I am not healed enough for full on CF workouts.  I thought the smart thing would be to start doing some training on my own.  I have my trusty journal of all my previous workouts complete with times and weights, I can use that, not to mention the plethora of workouts you can find online.  So armed with more workouts than I could possibly ever do, well… really ever would do.  I think I am about to start on my road to recovery and getting back to the box.  And I only do 2 workouts then skip a whole flippin’ week! What is up with that??? So today I MADE myself do a mini CF workout, and I am soooo disappointed in myself.  But I am trying to be positive, (which I don’t seem to be doing a good job of) because at least I did something.  Right??

So here it is, as pathetic as it is:

Run 400 yards

5 burpees

10 push ups

20 squats

10 triceps dips

30 sec side plank on each side

Repeat.

My goal was to do 3 sets of this, but I only managed 2. I know I should be proud that I at least DID something.  But it is so pathetic and that should encourage me to keep it up to get stronger.  But it really just makes me want chocolate.  Sad, but true.  

At least I can still cook!

Last night’s dinner was so freaking good! Sesame seed encrusted Ahi Tuna steaks with a ginger teriyaki glaze and wasabi mayo with wasabi smashed potatoes and edamame.  So good- but the boys worked LATE last night and dinner didn’t happen until 9:00.  And there was NO WAY  I could wait that long so I had a glass of chocolate  milk and some pretzels.  When they got home I felt bloated and did not want to eat anything.  So it was lunch for me today and dinner for them last night.   Sorry I didn’t take a picture, it was awesome ! But… I think I can manage to write up the recipe.  I am horrible at actual recipes.  I grew up with a grandmother who rarely used a recipe and rarely measured things.  And today I am the same way- only I think I am even worse than her.  I NEVER measure, unless I am baking.  I just kinda know how much to put in..  I know I‘m crazy.  It frustrates my daughters and friends when I give them recipes with no amounts.  I have struggled over the years to try to correct this faulty gene I have inherited so that my daughters can learn to cook.  My oldest seems to have the gene too. L But she is a great cook! My younger daughter, well, she just doesn’t really care about cooking.  It’s just not her thing.  So, anywho , onto the recipe.

I found this awesome spice from Victora Gourmet at TJMaxx and Marshalls, and every time I would see it I would buy it.  But sadly it ran out and I can’t find it anymore.  So what is a girl to do when that is such a huge part of my ahi tuna recipe?? First I panicked, looked everywhere, and almost ordered it online. But I didn’t want to pay the $10 plus shipping.  So I just didn’t make tuna.  Well I can go a LONG time without making the same recipe again, but tuna steaks are kinda a big favorite around here and it is healthy.  So I made my own! And it was AWESOME!!! (Cue angels singing!)

So I made a big batch and put it in an airtight container and now I have it whenever I need it and even better, I made it for a fraction of what I used to spend on it- even at TJ Maxx!!  And I know there are NO preservatives or MSG in it, WIN!

Here are my approximate measurements, no way to mess it up, adjust to your taste!

½ c white sesame seeds

½ c black sesame seeds

2 T powdered ginger

1T powdered garlic

1 t powdered onion

1 t red chili pepper flakes

½ t salt

½ t black pepper

¼ t cayenne pepper – this is where you need to be careful!! This has quite a bit of a bite to it.  A little truly does go a long way, you can always add more! But you can’t take it out!

Mix all together.  I put mine in a dry skillet on low heat to toast the sesame seeds and bring the flavors all together.  I’m thinking you could skip it- but really it doesn’t take much time, so just do it!  Store in an airtight container.

For the tuna, pour a small amount of the sesame ginger seasoning onto a plate and gently place tuna into seasonings to completely cover, flip it over and make sure both sides are completely covered.  I even cover my sides most of the time.  

I ALWAYS use my cast iron skillet for this recipe since it gets screaming hot! Place enough butter (depends on how much tuna and how large your skillet is, about 1 T per tuna steak) into the skillet on high heat.  




When it is melted place tuna into melted butter and cook for 1-3 minutes, flip and cook another 1-3 minutes.  You time will vary depending on the thickness of your tuna.  The steaks I usually buy are about ¾ of an inch thick and I cook mine about 3 minutes the first side and 2 minutes the second side.  You can watch the sides of the steak and as the outside is starting to cook the sides start to turn a gray/brown instead of the beautiful red/pink they were when you placed them  in the skillet.  When I have a few millimeters of the cooked color show I flip them.  I pull them out when the second side shows the same amount of doneness.  Make sense?? I hope so!

Remember tuna is best rare! Please don’t cook them well done. YUCK! These are ahi tuna steaks; that means they are sushi grade and can be eaten raw.  That is how they are best- I promise!! Next I put a few spoonfuls of teriyaki sauce on top and did a quick drizzle of wasabi mayo on top.  They were the best I have ever made! Sorry- I forgot to take a picture of the wasabi mayo drizzle, the pic below is just standard wasabi on the side.

For the teriyaki, I prefer to use Very Very Teriyaki by Soy Vay (and they have no idea who I even am! I just prefer it and always buy it because I think it’s the best!) Now when I am in a hurry and just want dinner on the table I just use it straight from the bottle, yes, it is that good! But when I am not rushed I add my own stuff to make it even better!

¾ c Very Very Teriyaki

2 T grated fresh ginger (I keep mine in the freezer and zest it right into the pot!)

1 medium size garlic clove, grated

2 T brown sugar

1 T oyster sauce

1 T OJ or pineapple juice (either is fine, whatever you have opened)

Bring to a boil then simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Will thicken as it cools, if you prefer it a little thicker add a little cornstarch (maybe ½ teaspoon).  This is also great with some chopped green onions.  If I have them I use them, if not… oh well!

Wasabi mayo- just mix to your taste.  I used about  4 parts mayo to 1 part wasabi.  It was spicy! Hubby kept trying to add extra wasabi to his tuna since that is how he always eats it, but I have never made wasabi mayo before and he kept getting that wasabi burn with almost every bite! He never thought to try it with just the wasabi mayo.  I put the wasabi mayo  into a zip lock bag and cut off the corner and you can drizzle the wasabi mayo on all fancy, it makes a great presentation.

Well happy Friday everyone! I am going to try to exercise over the weekend and try to make healthy foods.  I will make sure to share!

C

KEEP WORKING

11-14-13 

I’m sore today! But in a good way! My hamstrings are tender and my chest is sore.  I guess from the squats and the few pushups I did?? Possibly that pillow slam, but man- that’s pretty wimpy and hard to admit to?!? :~} BUT!! My back isn’t sore at all! YAY! So that’s great news! I feel like I should do something again today, but honestly I have never done well at exercising EVERY SINGLE day.  I am more a 3 times a week gal.  I wish I could somehow motivate myself to WANT to do something every day, I guess that will have to be a goal for later on.  Perhaps getting back to 3 times a week and a healthy back should be my goal for now.  I also desperately need to get my eating back under control.  For me controlling what goes into my mouth is SOOOOOOO much easier when I am working out.  Almost everyone I have ever met tells me that the more they exercise the hungrier they are.  But for me it’s the opposite.  The more I exercise the less I eat.  I’m sure it is some psychological thing where if I am putting the effort into making my body healthier I need to be more aware of what I put into my body as well.  

Speaking of which, I suppose my choice for dinner tonight is not really all that healthy.  But my boys are sure excited about dinner tonight.  Chili and corn bread last night, and hubby actually called me yesterday afternoon to make sure I was still making chili?? WHAT? He NEVER does that.  He said he had been thinking of chili all day and didn’t want to be disappointed.  I only make chili after Halloween and only when it’s cool or rainy.  Can’t help it.  Soups, stews and chilis are just cool weather food in my book.  The boys certainly wish I would make them all year long, but I just can’t! 

So tonight is chicken and dumplings.  Another exciting meal! YUM! After years of playing around with recipes and making it way harder on myself I finally found this recipe on Pinterest. Now- not all my pinned recipes have been a success, but this was delicious! So simple and easy! Tastes like you have been cooking all day! And with the help of a rotisserie chicken, dinner in no time!!

Here’s the link to my pinterest board:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/277252920780651779/

this recipe is super quick and easy, thanks so much to Tasty Kitchen Member Tiffany from Eat At Home! Love your recipe!!

Maybe by next week I can get a little closer to healthier meals??  So how do you like your dumplins?? More like noodles or more like biscuits?? I’m more a noodle girl myself.

C

GETTING STARTED

So I am starting a blog to keep myself accountable… and if I can help others along the way, that makes it even better! I am a 44 year old mom of 3 grown (sob! Boo Who!!) children.  My oldest was just married and my youngest is about to leave for college.  After having my last baby, who really shouldn’t be called my baby anymore! I developed hashimoto thyroiditis.  BUT…. It was not diagnosed for 12 years! No wonder I couldn’t take the weight off.  So last year I started CrossFit with a couple friends and found that I LOVED IT!!! I was hooked.  I didn’t lose a ton of weight- only 10-15 lbs.  But I shrank, and I lost flab, and I had more energy. I went from a size 12 getting snug, (and heck no! I wasn’t going up another stinkin’ size) to a very comfortable size 8 and even occasionally, depending on the brand a size 6!! I still had a long way to go until I could truly say I was happy, not completely with my body, but I was happy with my progress.  And hey!?! In my forties, I will take that.  An then on a Saturday evening, with absolutely no fore warning, my back “locked up”, it literally froze in place and I couldn’t move.  I had sat down on a concrete retaining wall at my neighbor’s 50^th birthday party and when I sat down, something just didn’t feel right.  So I thought- hmmm…. That didn’t feel right, but then again I probably shouldn’t be sitting on a concrete retaining wall.  Get up and go get a chair, don’t be lazy! (Yes, I talk to myself with full blown sentences, Sorry, it’s just who I am).  So I carefully stood, turned my full body around and walked with perfect posture to get a chair.  Now at this point my back is already not feeling right- so I take care to grab the chair with both hands and carefully lift this plastic lawn chair, that seems to weigh all of 1.8 pounds, properly right in front of my chest, using both arms and carry it close to my body.  I then place it next to my hubby and carefully lower myself into the chair.  Well not 5 minutes goes by and my low back seems to be having spasms.  So I tell my loving hubby that I am going home to ice my back, only when I carefully try to stand up…  I literally get half way to a standing position and cannot continue to stand straight up. 

So fast forward to today, almost 3 full months later- and I am only in mild discomfort now and still not exercising, my size 6 shorts/jeans now make me look like a not very cute example of the Michelin Man.  And I am between an 8-10 size pants again.  NOT HAPPY!! L  So I know I am not ready to go back to my beloved CrossFit classes, but I have learned that I will never be one who can exercise on their own, I need accountability.  You would think after 10 and half months 3 times a week of religiously going to work out it would have turned into a habit.  Nope.  Not me. 

Long story short? Today is the day! I am going to start exercising at home regularly to strengthen my back and build my pathetic cardio level back up. Even after more than 10 months of CrossFit my cardio was still pretty sad, but now after 3 months of inactivity- I think an 80 year old could beat me around the block. 

Today I stretched out using some of the standard stretches at my CF box:

10 sampson stretches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQhBLId_y6s

10 side lunges

5 inchworms with push ups

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmTEE53zojs

10 iron crosses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKzVVD5PCVQ

Then I did some exercises from an old Shape magazine laying around my house. 

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/stay-fit-fly-12-minute-do-anywhere-workout

I have to admit- I only did the first 3 exercises.  But, hey, I am at least doing something, right?? The 4^th one hurt my back to get into the table position.  So I skipped it.  Jumping??? Not sure my back is ready for jumping yet, and the slide lunges?? Well between the Sampson stretches and the side lunges I figured I was covered.  I can justify anything!!

I really wanted to go for a run and see how that felt, but decided I better stick to the elliptical.  So I jumped on my elliptical and did 18 minutes.  I did a warm up for 5 minutes at a comfortable speed of around 50 rpms and then picked up my speed for 5 minutes to around 70 rpms, then slowed down again for 3 min and then back up to 70 rpms again for 3 minutes, then cooled down again for 3 minutes for a total of 18 minutes.  It sounds pretty boring and lame to me, but the point was I did something again.  My heart rate was up, I even broke a sweat!  Afterwards I did some foam roller stretches, and worked out my glutes and my IT bands.  I also did a 3 cobra stretches, holding each one for 10 seconds, and a minute of cat/camel stretches.  And my PT exercises for my hips.

I’m praying this is a start to getting back to the CrossFit box and continuing on my journey of trying to find a lifelong fitness routine. 

I plan to post what I do every day to keep myself accountable. It’s so hard to know if your herniated disks are healed, the only thing I have to go on is my pain level. And all my research online has said activity and exercise is better than no exercise.  So the activity part started right after the epidural injection.  But that was over 6 weeks ago, and the past 6 weeks of doing the stretches and exercises to strengthen my back aren’t doing a thing!! So I guess it’s time to make up my own routine. 

Have you had an injury that was difficult to recover from? How did you do it??
Have an awesome day!!

C