4 Ingredient Whole30 :: Paleo Caesar Spaghetti Bake.

Remember that time I thought I'd be blogging each week in 2017? Yea, me too...
Welp. We do what we can right? Working on that mentality in 2017. Stay tuned for the hyper-perfectionist, control freak, people-pleaser, yes-girl's outcome to that effort. (insert new, and much needed, eye-roll emoji here).

With the completion of one Whole45 challenge this year, and working through my next Whole30 currently, I've done a lot of cookin this year. It always feels good to be back in my zone. To be prepping, creating, and all around nailing the "clean eating" efforts. Feels good, don't it feel good. A lot of these meals get randomly thrown together and slapped out there on SnappyChat (designerlisa), and a lot of people ask for these recipes but I just keep postponing and looking for the perfect way to post, share, or word these things.

Then suddenly one of your besties makes you a home-cooked, Whole30 approved, meal (because she cares about your goals and lifestyle and SHOWS IT!) and you realize you can S I M P L I F Y.

So here we are. SIMPLIFYING with a SIMPLE meal. Katy shared this gem on Trim Down Tuesday over at her stellar blog, Keeping Up With Katy. You can check out her personality-filled blog and lifestyle musings here!

So what's amazing about this dish, is not only it's simplicity (catching the theme here), but also it's flexibility. Katy made the version she wrote about here from Pinterest for us and it was delicious! I altered a couple things based on what I had in my pantry and fridge and it was also...delicious.

SO Paleo Caesar Spaghetti Bake. (The way I made it this week)

What ya need:

• 1 Spaghetti Squash 
• 3/4 cup of Tessamea's Whole30 Approved Caesar Dressing (Whole Foods or Central Market)
• 2 grass-fed beef sausage links (Costco has some TOP notch beef links yall. Quality meat.)
• Greens...any kind. Whatever you fancy. I used a mix of kale, chard and spinach and about 

Then what happens:

1. Prep your sketti squash. There are many ways to do this! I preheat the oven to 415, slice open the squash, and cut out all the seeds and muck with a small knife. Then brush each half with some oil (avocado is my preferred) and then salt and pepper. And bake until the shell gives a little. This usually takes 30 or so minutes depending on your oven and the size of your squash. You can also microwave so just test out your preferred method!
2. While that's cooking, prep your meat. I used a pan with some avocado oil to pan sear the beef sausage after cutting into small discs. (Katy used a rotisserie chicken which is even easier and still tasty!)
3. Once baked, use a fork to shred the "spaghetti into an 8x8 pyrex pan.
4. Mix in the meat and its juice if there is any! 
5. Then add the greens and that Caesar goodness and mix everything together. 
6. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes to warm everything together to just get that flava flave all set in. 

Serve up OR let sit and divide into containers for the week! I made 4 containers out of mine which was from a small-medium spaghetti squash and let me tell you. It reheats B-E-A-U-tifully.

And that's all for now. 

Happy Simplifying and Finding Fit, 

Lisa

A Lil Nutrition Lesson :: & Cauliflower Hash-browns.

If you've ever gandered down your Facebook feed, then I'd venture to say you've seen those "Tasty" videos by Buzzfeed and the gazillion other types of cooking videos and snippets populating the inter-webs. While I tend to slide on past those because the most enticing ones involve all things sugar, not spice, somebody shared one the other day that totally caught my eye!

Cauliflower is one of those unicorn vegetables...nobody believes the goodness exists in it, but when you truly see the nutritional value and the ease of using it in literally anything, it becomes a treasured kitchen arsenal!
I mean I know the texture seems weird and dealing with it is a little like being covered in chalk powder (hard pass yall.) BUT please look at all the benefits of this super-veggie!

• Fights Cancer (both with cancer cell killing and inhibiting compounds)
• Boosts Heart Health (with better blood pressure and kidney performance)
• It's an Anti-Inflammatory (aint nobody need no inflammation triggered!)
• All da Vitamins and Minerals (Vitamin C, K, protein, thiamin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, B6...JUST to name a few)
• Boosts Brain Health (and ya really can't fix stupid)
• Supports Digestion (yep...the fiber...yep...mass exodus...)
• Antioxidants support Detoxification (say bye to all the toxins...)

So WHY would you not give the lil white-headed step-child a chance?

Sidenote: these same benefits are found in a lot of other cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, arugula, bok choy, collard greens, radishes, kale, and turnips, among others!

But I digress...

That video I saw was for what I've come to call a "Cauliflower Hashbrown" and it was EASY and SO good. 

Here's what I used:

• About half a bag of this pre-riced Organic Cauliflower Rice (I posted a couple weeks ago about making cauli-rice though if you aren't as lazy and convenience driven with your cooking...)
  
• 2 eggs
• FlavorGod Garlic Lovers Seasoning (Any of them would be awesome or some garlic powder, s/p would do alright)
• Some Avocado Oil for cooking
  

Then What Happened: 

1. Mix half the bag of cauli-rice with 2 cracked eggs and coat in seasonings of choice. You want this to be sticky and evenly coated.
   
2. Heat a pan with some avo oil (or EVOO) and add lumps of the mixture like little pancakes
   
3. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes or until brown. If your pan is hot enough, it will brown and crisp up (and painfully splatter you a little) and be easier to flip!
   
4. I added a little extra seasoning before removing from the oil and then let them sit and crisp up a little. 
5. That's it! Now stack with anything and everything! I added a spread of guacamole (I think the video did this) and then 2 fried eggs on top! I mean LOOK at them yolks...
   

These reheated and tasted great (obviously not crispy but still tasty) and they tasted just like a hash brown to me which is fun to get more of the nutritional benefit without the heaviness of potato!

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, ain't no discriminating. Just do it. And fight all the bad things in your body with somethin GOOD. 

Finding Fit, 

Lisa

Whole45 Update :: Seeking my "Differently."

Well into the 4th week of my umpteenth Whole30 style nutrition challenge (Whole45 is what's goin down these days if you missed it!), I get really excited to keep on keeping on. While a lot of Whole30er's are having dreams of that reintroduction phase and how thankful they are the Reese's Valentines hearts are dawning the shelves with such timeliness, I am ready to keep going.

Around this stage I see just what I've been missing all over again, since the last slippery slope off the wagon. I see my body change shape. I see the numbers change. I see my dependency on said numbers change. I see pictures of myself I like. I see my face differently. I see my closet differently. I see myself, my determination, my dedication, and my priorities. Differently.

Let's first get one thing straight...I am human...there are things I want sometimes more than the meat and produce awaiting me in the fridge. There are times a little dessert sounds like it would go a long way. And every once in a while a day when I'd just appreciate a dadgum glass of wine (or 2). BUT (and it's a pretty significant "but") remember those aforementioned things I see differently?? My mental strategy and game is always to call those to mind FIRST.

So as I call those things to mind, it's funny how the Bible reminds us to be on our guard from temporary satisfaction because the enemy is on the prowl. Most people don't think of food or "cheat meals" as an open door for the enemy...mostly because they don't have to. But the more I've stripped down 2017 for my reset and shut as many of those open pathways, the more I've seen that the enemy prowls around my kitchen and my meal times as well. He'd love nothing more than for me to give in, backtrack, get discouraged, self destruct, and withdraw from the Lord and His plan for me...in even this one aspect of my life.

Lately simplifying life (in a lot of aspects) helps to keep me from getting distracted and creating pockets of access points for that prowling lion. I tend to overwhelm myself with a perfect version of the check list and then each task barrels down with an unattainable check mark. While my battle with perfectionism and unrealistic rosy pictures will be coming to a theater near you in the future, I choose to focus today on simplifying, anchoring in truth and just enjoying those "differently"s as the result. 

Today's simple focus looked like this: 

• Get a simple workout in, even while traveling with friends, in the midst of distraction. 
• Arrive home from the airport after a full-heart weekend full of childhood friends and cute baby nuggets in the Little Apple, Manhattan...Kansas. 
• Go straight to the grocery store and only get what supplements things leftover or frozen from the week before. Don't try to reinvent when you've got a good base already!
• Grab a giant ice coffee (black-duh.) and get in the meal prep zone (Too Legit To Quit playlist and all)
• I kept it simple this week with mason jar salads and homemade dressing for lunches and an old favorite, Pizza Spaghetti Pie, for dinners. 
• I ended prep with a tasty but simple dinner that makes me excited for the things I make and the non-boring, non-flavorless food choices I choose. (This is oven baked sweet potato discs, brussels sprouts, 100% grass fed beef Polish links (a favorite Costco discovery) and a drizzle of homemade jalapeno "ranch". Simple. Flavor, Explosion.
  

So yes, we have another 17 days or so in this go round for me (before I give myself a little treat for birthday shenanigans and then rev the engines again for March 1st). But I intend to pursue all the simplifying, Satan thwarting, happy place making decisions I can. Because I can. And because I can't wait to see the next thing...differently. 

Making small check marks and Finding Fit, 

Lisa

Forget Boring :: Chicken "Fried Rice"

With the turning of the new year, there are a LOT of people venturing into Whole30 as I mentioned last week. One of my college friends actually set up an accountability group for friends participating in a Whole30 challenge in January on Facebook; and, it has been a blast to see strangers and friends alike help each other out with tips, tricks, struggles and all the food pics (pretty or not!)

One of the recipes I shared in that group, from the archives, was this "Fried Rice", inspired from Livin Paleo. I used to make it a regular in the rotation and have just forgotten that I enjoy it so much! It seemed to be a hit with those who tried it and I decided to whip some up for my lunches this week, in my meal-prep last night. Man, were my taste-buds happy at lunch today! (not to mention full and satisfied!)

What I used...

• Avocado oil for pan frying everything (1-2 tablespoons total)
• 1 head cauliflower (chopped and then pulsed in the food processor to a rice like consistency-i did this in about 4 parts)
• Chicken breasts, chopped and cooked (I made 6 meals out of mine so I used 6 chicken breasts, any sort of meat will work - pork, beef...)
• About 1.5-2 cups of chopped carrots
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Snow Peas (I chopped and added them because they sounded good-any veggie could work in this!)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4-1/2 cup Coconut Aminos (this is an excellent replacement for Soy Sauce!)
• Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• Green onions to top

Then What Had Happened Was...

1. In one pan, cook up your meat! I just coated in garlic powder and added a little salt and pepper then set aside. (Steamy. I know....I mean we are talkin chicken breast here...)
   
2. In another pan, saute the onion in oil (EVOO or Avocado oil are fine!) Then add in your carrots and cover to steam.
3. Add in the snap peas. These need less time to cook, depending on how textured you want your veggies. Add some garlic powder and s/p in this mix as well so it soaks in some flavor as it cooks!
   
4. Set these aside and pan fry the riced cauliflower. I added a little oil and then some garlic here and just sauteed enough for flavor but not to mush...
   
5. Mix the meet, veggies, and "rice" in one large skillet and then pour in the Coconut Aminos.
   
6. Whisk the egg separately and then dump over the entire pan, incorporating the egg and allowing it to cook all around the mixture. Stir for a couple minutes until cooked. 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add some chopped green onions on top for look and added flavor.
   

This reheats great and is an easy and tasty way to get in lots of veggies and your protein. Who says you can't have some fun with cultural inspiration on your Whole30?!

Working on the egg roll solution...

and Finding Fit, 

Lisa

2017 Reset :: My Whole 45.

Oh hey 2017. Didn't see you there!

While I join the rest of the world in the natural mixed sentiments: "where did 2016 go?", "bye Felicia to 2016", "what am I doing with my life?"...ya know the usual New Year revelations and year turning mental crises, I also rejoin the blogging world. Said Finding Fit revival to include, though not limited to, all things health, cooking, working out, blatant truth about progress (and sometimes lack there of) and, naturally, occasional Friends references.

Rather than focus on the sad truth of a measly 6 posts that squeaked out in early 2016, I'm diving right in with the here and now!

Though I'm not one for the trendy "Resolution" thing, as expressed back in 2015 here, I am a fan of a mental reset. Any of my Facebook friends or Instagram followers know that I lead a fun life. Seriously. I am young and single; and, Lord willing, that won't be the case forever, so I embrace it! However, that fun life has sneakily become more of a priority than a lot of things the Lord has gifted me passion and drive towards (see my original story shared here), so it's time to RESET the priorities...

RESET time habits

RESET budget habits

RESET sleep habits

RESET eating habits

RESET Jesus habits.

For me, this starts back at home base...the kitchen. SO I have started Whole30 again, as of...hmm...today. Because, I'm just not good at that whole 80/20 lifestyle, and I much prefer the way I feel while pursuing smart and healthy foods. After mentioning a Whole30 to my trainer/bestie/ex-roomie, #CoachBecca, she sort of gave me that "annnnd what else?..." sort of look, nudging me to realize 30 days is a good start, but I can do more. I've done 101 days straight and lived to tell about it. So with my birthday February 17th and maybe a little celebration desired at that point, I decided a Whole45 would suffice in getting back on track for now. 

I thrive on the community of people interested in this lifestyle change and sharing recipes, techniques and research, so here we go!

Monday being a holiday provided a perfect chance to dive into shopping and cooking...or as some may say "being right back in my element". And let me tell you, I was JUST THAT. Snacks, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners all prepped and ready to take on the week, in true Whole30 lifestyle! (And yes I'll divulge some details on these later this week). 

Plus this perfectionist's heart skips a beat at the idea of THIS image going into the week..,,

My goal is to share recipes and experiences here in my corner of the world wide web once a week for the entirety of my Whole45 so here we go....Reset is in place...and Team Monica always wins.

Still Finding Fit in 2017, 

Lisa

The Joy of Jogging :: Challenge Time.

If you've been following this blog for a while, you probably know two things:
A. I'm really good at gettin crazy busy and falling off the left phalange of the blogosphere (I'M SORRY!) and TWO, I live for a good fitness challenge.

My friends know that lately I've been searching to rediscover my love for working out. While boxing has been a great and fun adventure, I've found that it doesn't hold my attention, drive, and determination like Crossfit did. Even the weekly morning workout routine fizzled out. Being almost 6 months post-surgery, I am finally starting to evaluate what exercise regimen works for me and how to take the weight loss to the next level.
Coming to terms with the fact that the community, encouragement, accountability, and constantly varied programming of Crossfit is my heart's one true fitness love...I plan to return to the Crossfit world in July. Yes, in the heat of the summer. But hey, that's when I started almost 5 years ago and it lasted almost 4 years, so BRING ON THE HEAT!

In the meantime, I've been soaking up my last couple weeks in my apartment complex, surrounded by a beautiful park and trails. Which got me to thinking...maybe it's time to revisit "running". I use air quotes, not in the way Joey does "not usin em right", but because running is to be read as "jogging" or "fast paced walking-ish" activity.

Several years ago I did some 5K Training classes with RunOn and loved it! But when I joined my second session, I experienced numbness and crazy pain in my feet no matter what shoes I wore and what pace I kept. After seeing such progress in working towards "running", I was devastated to have to stop due to Plantar Fasciitis in both my feet and bone spurs in both my heels. Yes, that's as painful as it sounds.

Sitting at my lowest weight as an adult (so far) right now, I figured I may as well see how some light jogging fares with my feet (and with my Vionic orthodic tennis shoes...no seriously...I swear by their shoe support). I took to the park to see if I could just get some short little jogs in, maybe 100-200 meters at a time. And ya know what. I did. Before I noticed, I was doing 400 and even an 800 at a time on my first venture. And it felt good. Like the good that Phoebe feels when she runs. I may have even released a little Phoebe run in the back lot of the park...

A friend of mine mentioned that I should look into a jogging challenge of sorts...and you guessed it...I've jumped at that idea.

SO I set out this week to add jogging in 3 times a week. My first venture out, I just jogged to see how long I could go, and before I knew it, I was aiming to get a mile in without walking. AND I DID IT. Even when taking the running classes, there was always intermittent walking and running so this was literally the first time I had run a mile straight with no walking.
YALL.
It was slow.
It felt long.
13 minutes to be exact.
But by the end, I felt like I could keep going.
And then yes, I took a sweaty selfie. A swealfie.

With the encouragement of some fit friends and their running expertise, I've decided to delve into what I'm labeling The Joy of Jogging Challenge. Putting my favorite word right there in the title can only mean good things right?

Here's the challenge: 
Weeks 1-3, Jog 1 mile straight 3 days a week. 
Weeks 4-5, jog 1 mile 2 days a week, and 2 miles 1 day a week
Weeks 6-8, jog 1 mile 3 days a week, and 2 miles 1 day a week 

Tonight, I had my second jog and my mile was 13:22. A little longer, a little hotter, a little different than the first. BUT I did it. With no walking.

I share this, like everything else I share here, to seek accountability, to encourage others to participate or get after their own challenges, and to have a place to remain open and honest about my progress with "running" and all things fit.

I'm determined to choose COURAGE to do something I wouldn't venture into for fear of failure OVER COMPLACENCY of letting the potential to do something great pass by. 

 

 So get to jogging and if you see me, ask me how it's goin. You're the best.

Finding the Joy in Jogging and
Finding Fit,
Lisa

So Fresh and So Clean Clean :: Shaved Cauliflower Salad.

A couple weeks ago the girls took to a fantastic dinner spot for birthday celebrations. Americano sits in the heart of downtown, adjacent to the stunning Joule hotel. And while in all honesty, our shared second courses mostly consisted of brick oven pizzas (no regrets, yall), the FIRST course was one to talk about. "Shaved Cauliflower Salad" was SO fresh, delicious and clean that I know I had to recreate this one myself.

I finally made it happen!

Now before I go any further, lemme get real with you. I hardly EVER buy cauliflower heads because I HATE cutting it. I may have mentioned this before...I know. I know. It's not difficult. And it's not. HOWEVER, my OCD, clean freak, texture paranoid self is on steroids around the vegetable. It taunts me with gritty, piece-y, crumbling mess that sticks to any and every surface. SO I stick to pre-chopped.
All that vulnerable honesty to tell you this salad was THAT good that I put aside my personal preferences to buy heads of cauliflower...to chop myself.

So here's what I used:

• Cauliflower (I used white and yellow but would have added purple if they had it...for looks. duh)
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 4 Table spoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Pistachios (shelled, unsalted)
• 1/4 Cup Golden Raisins
• Chives for garnish
  

(And yes, that's bottled lemon juice because I forgot to buy lemons!)

Then what happened:

1. Wash heads of Cauliflower
2. Cut out leaves and stem (be prepared for aforementioned crumblies...not to be confused with crummies...) 
3. In sections, slice the cauliflower into thinly sliced "shavings". I ended up using about 1/3 of each head for the proportions of everything else here. 
4. Mix the oil and lemon juice together and then dump over the cauliflower
    
   
5. Add in the pistachios, raisins, and chives...annnnd mix.
6. Yep that easy. Serve on the side of any protein...but know that it will be difficult to not just eat the whole bowl of this!
     
   
   
   While most my life is chop, chop, chop, saute, saute, saute....this chop, chop, mix was quite a welcomed and easy change of pace. 
   
   
   And hey what a way to welcome Spring/Summer or whatever season your corner of this moodswingin-weathered-earth is currently experiencing. 
   
   
   (Posted while golf-ball hail is pelting my windows. Thanks Texas weather)
   
   
   Finding Fit and Conquering Cauliflower Chopping, 
   Lisa

Breakfast Gathering :: The Ziploc Omelets.

A couple weeks ago, our Home Group (Bible study, small group, church gals, Pilgrims & Victors...) took to horse country for our annual retreat weekend. With a slew of ladies and their eating preferences, keepin it clean and "paleo" has generally been our safest bet. Our own Erin steer-headed the planning and grocery shopping and she sure did knock it out of the park!

Saturday morning, after gettin up to see the sunrise...which was so bashfully hidden behind a draping of clouds and overcast morning dew EVEN though we got up at the buttcrack of dawn to see its colors...we took to the kitchen to prep: The Omelet Bar.

While this looks like a simple matter of eggs and veggies for days (in a flawlessly rustic Anthro-esque stylized pic), I have come to share exactly HOW this omelet bar happened...because that's the real blog-worthy moment.

Erin's mom had tried this method for preparing omelets in a group setting and raved about it, so she decided we should try it for our group. Let me tell you. I was SKEP.TI.CAL.

Here's what we used:

• Eggs
• Coconut milk (or other milk of choice)
• all the veggies...
• Bell peppers
• Zucchini 
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Brocolli
• Tomatos
• whatever suits your fancy but that's what we have here. 
• Salt and Pepper
• Ziploc baggies...no really.

Here's what we did:

1. Boil a big ole pot of water
2. Grab a Ziploc quart freezer baggie and put your name on it in sharpie
3. Crack two eggs (or however many you fancy in your omelet) into your baggie...SO strange. And may require a friend.
   
4. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of coconut milk
5. Throw in any and all veggies desired
6. Add some salt and pepper to your baggie
7. Close the baggie and squish it all together so it's all nice and mixed like this...
   
8. Drop the bags in the boiling water and let them sit in it for about 15 minutes. No, I'm still not kidding. We did groupings of 4-5 baggies at a time but multiple pots could up the multi-tasking ante.
    
   9. You'll be able to tell that everything is cooked, once the substance is sort of solid...Here's what mine looked like when it was done:
   
    
   10. Slip it on out of the bag and enjoy!
   
   
   I mean, I could only eat about half of what's on my plate here on account of my surgery, but it was still seriously delicious and so easy!
   For anyone looking to mass produce a healthy and still personalized breakfast for your next gathering, THIS is your solution! So get to makin some Ziploc Omelets! And I leave you with a fresh make-up-less faced pic of the ladies who got their rise and shine on to prep for everyone! You're welcome!
   
   

Finding Fit, 

Lisa

Bubblin Over :: Paleo Pizza Spaghetti Pie

If you happen to follow me on good ole SnappyChat (designerlisa), you may have seen some bubbling goodness last night.

Well that goodness has become a staple for me in the past few years, especially when it comes to meal prep. It's easy to prepare while prepping other dishes, and it reheats like a dream!

This Paleo Pizza Spaghetti Pie is full of flavor, yummy ingredients, and feels decadent when squeaky clean!

The original recipe came from one of my favorite blogs, PaleOMG, and I've just adapted to how my taste buds crave this concoction. 

What I use:

• one spaghetti squash
• one pound ground meat (grassfed beef or buffalo is my favorite, but turkey works great too)
• one full jar marinara or pizza sauce (be sure to pick a compliant sauce. Trader Joe's and Sprouts have great tomato basil sauces with no sugar)
• one package or jar of sun dried tomatoes
• 3 eggs
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil to flavor
• you can play with other veggies or "pizza" ingredients to add into the mixture as well!

 Then What:

1.  Cook the spaghetti squash...there are a lot of methods for this but here's what I did this time:
1. Microwave the whole squash for about 4-5 minutes to get some give from the skin to make slicing open easier. Slice length-wise
2. Scoop out all seeds from each long half. I generally use a paring knife along the edges then a spoon to dig it all out.
3. Microwave each half turned upside down in half inch of water for about 8-9 minutes depending on the size of your squash...until the skin has some give. The other option would be to bake the two halves open side down for about 25 minutes at 415*
4. Use a fork to shred out all the "noodles" from the squash halves.
2. While the squash is prepping, brown the meat in a fry pan and coat with garlic powder and some dried basil as it cooks
3. Once browned, throw in the sun-dried tomatoes, and whole jar of sauce. 
4. In a 9x13 pyrex, mix the noodles and meat sauce mixture all together. 
5. Whisk the 3 eggs and pour into your spaghetti mixture and integrate completely using a fork. (the eggs serve as a cheese-like bonding agent)
6. Add some salt and pepper and more basil, then bake in the oven at 415* for about 25 minutes
7. I like to broil for about 5-7 minutes at the end to get the top nice, crispy, and bubbly.
8. Let sit and then divvy up for the week or enjoy hot!

The number of servings depends on the size of your squash...and the appetite...

When prepping for guys, this stretched about 4 meals, while when serving females, it goes at least 6 servings. And, of course, now that my stomach has a much smaller storage space, I got about 9 containers worth out of it....sooo this week is pretty much covered...

I love serving this up for meal preps or when having people over. The ingredients are simple and clean, but the flavor is good and dirty. 

 

Bon-Ape-Pizza-Pie-Tite!

Finding Fit, 

Lisa

Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercut :: Hitting the Bag...and the Floor.

Tonight we tried something totally new. Boxing!

Sitting at just over 6 weeks post-op here (if you missed my big ole 2016 announcement on that surgery...snuggle in here), I am DYING to get back into working out. I still have a good 3-4 weeks (give or take) until I'm cleared to do pretty much any exercise my body, specifically my abdomen, can take. But I am SO ready to get into some routine again, so I have waited, with baited breath, for 6 weeks to pass to be able to dive into something.

I'm not cleared to use weights or do any core specific workouts yet, so my brain kept going back to boxing!
While I know there are tons of great ways to get workouts in at home, or the athletic club or what not, I've realized the community and the consistency of showing up somewhere are best...err necessary...for me. So since boxing kept coming to mind, Becca and I decided to take on a lil free trial and see what it's all about!

We got all mummified up the arms with our wraps...seriously they are like 3 miles long.

Mummy hands in our fancy new wraps!

Then jumped into the "15 minute warm-up". Let me tell you. This was NOT just a warm up. My arms and legs were already giving out mid warm-up to the point of me laughing hysterically at myself.
Picture it. Get down for a burpee. Go to scale it by walking yourself up. Can't even use arms to push chest off ground. I. Am. Stuck. And I'm supposed to do another one.

As we tried to catch on to each set and combo, when to jab, when to hook and when to duck, I noticed the room around us. Everyone was in their own punching bag world. Doing their own version. Pushing however they could. Yet, we were still doing it all together. Not the same, but a taste of my beloved Crossfit world. PLUS there were some excellent jams that I did NOT mind doing high knees and upper cuts to. Let's be honest.

While there were a lot of things I couldn't quite do yet, and a lot of things that my scaling looked more like...me laying on the floor... I could feel the rush of endorphins and soreness rush over my body all at once. And, MAN, did I miss that feeling.
We had "15 minute Core" time at the end...which again...looked more like me on the floor hugging a medicine ball. But laying there, I just knew this could be good for me.  

Drenched in sweat but we look GOOD in giant boxing gloves!

Also. An excellent release of tension...if you ever have any...

Becca and I left agreeing that this is a wise next step for me and something I can stick to in order to see the next results on this crazy ride!
Now don't you fret my Crossfit fam, you can't keep me out much longer. I hope to be cleared and back at it in a few months because my heart longs for it, and my dead lift and push press PR's have probably halved themselves at this point. But I digress...

I'm one happy girl to have tried something new, mostly sucked at it, and be ready to go back for more. Now excuse my t-rex arms for the next few days...

Finding Fit,
Lisa

All The Things :: Making 2016 My Own.

August 3rd. That's the last time I shared anything here about my journey to Finding Fit. I'm constantly reminded that when I visit the blog of one of my besties and see the link to my "Boat Season" post still hangin out there all sad and abandoned...

That's a big long time people and it is certainly not boating weather anymore. 

As we've just welcomed 2016, I have to admit, I'm excited to put 2015 in the books and keep movin forward. But I want my community to take those steps forward with me.

There were a lot of ups and downs this past year, as I think a lot of us end up feeling at the end of each December.
It's just. This time, 2015 seemed to serve up a giant helping of those downs. Back in May I posted about my PIVOT to adjust my year, my attitude, my approach and my goals. Well, within a few months of that post, right about the time I last shared my kitchen follies, I felt the Lord open doors for a SIGNIFICANT pivot in my life. And I walked right on through that door, yall.

Because a lot of my closest friends are aware of this change, I'm just going cut to the chase. On Tuesday, November 24th, I had a permanent, life-altering surgery. The VSG, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, better known as the Gastric Sleeve. This is a laparoscopic procedure where they permanently remove up to 80% of your stomach, without rerouting any intestines or messing with digestion or nutrient absorption, leaving a small 2-4 ounce pouch or "sleeve" shaped stomach.

So if you've been following my journey or read my story here, you may be asking why? Why now? How did we get here?
Friend, that is a GREAT question.

I've thought for the past month how I wanted to go about sharing this part of my fitness journey, so while not being prepared to share with the interwebs, I started journaling. Yes. Like old school. Pen to Paper. Journaling. Perhaps not-so-ironically, I had this beauty of a journal I'd been waiting for the perfect topic to fill its pages with. And THIS was it. All The Things.

So at the risk of being long-winded, which let's face it, is pretty much always my game, I'm going to share exerts from this journal. The hope is to communicate why and how I got to this point...and also why I'm so excited about moving forward into 2016.
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I guess it all started when my oldest sister, Jen, called me back in August and told me she decided to have gastric sleeve surgery. I was somehow not surprised. She poured over all the details of her research, accumulated documents, her Q&A sessions and the many people she called for reference points. I had no question. This was the right thing for her to do; and, for the first time, I thought it may be the right thing for me. Jen emailed me a bunch of her documents she had organized all her research into. Well, they may as well have been medical research documents. Charts, graphs, comparative data of percentages and complications all leading any reasonable person to the sleeve making the most sense.
Suddenly, I was obsessed with researching all the weight loss surgeries out there and anyone and everyone's results and experiences. It started to consume my thoughts. The idea of something being able to step in and help me for sure actually get to that light at the end of the tunnel I've been chasing for 5 years...errr...27 years. How could that not appeal to me??
Of course, I had thought of surgery options before but was just never at that point...I even had a conversation with the ole roomie at one point. I value her opinion on all of my health journey so much, and at that time, we both knew there was more for me to try do on my own. Becca said "what if you did everything you know to do and can already do for a year straight?" and that seemed ideal to both of us at the time. We both knew that I could take off what I had regained, and break through that stupid plateau. But would it be enough? I mean, I had taken off 130 pounds on my own so why couldn't I do the rest on my own? There was still a genetically slow metabolism and a body carrying a steady number of fat cells guaranteed to fight me and my efforts. So what would it take? Would it take another 5 years?
More than a year after that conversation with Becca, this idea of permanent alteration was coming up again. In the past my pride could only fathom following through with this whole "Finding Fit" on my own. My. Own.
But this time was different.

When I started pouring over all the research and talking more with my sister, I realized I was so exhausted and broken down.
The past 5 years of fighting my weight had been some of the sweetest victories and some of the hardest heart breaks. And I was just tired.

I had been doing what I needed to do. I was seeing results but I was searching for my limit...
And I finally found it.

The research made sense. The push to use this as a TOOL to aid in the healthy lifestyle I was already passionate about started to grow stronger. I finally saw the surgery option as just that. A tool. Not a fix. Not a cure. Not a solution or a cop-out. A tool that my poor struggling body needed, paired with exercise and smart eating, to find consistency in results and finality in these changes and physical victories.

Conversations with a couple close friends, and again with Becca this time, confirmed that I was indeed a great candidate for this! I already love cooking and eating clean, nutritious foods, and I certainly love working out. With this in my arsenal, I could take on all the things I longed to do and achieve physically, growing in Crossfit, becoming a runner (maybe), outdoor adventures and so much more. Having gained the support and encouragement of sweet friends, I knew this was to be my next step and I set out to make it happen.
Of course once I wanted to have the surgery, I wanted it like...yesterday.
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The waiting period for my surgery was drawn out with many-a insurance hoop to jump through. I guess I could only look at it as God refining me and preparing my story for this rather weighty alteration.

Wading through the two week pre-op and the Christmas Eve feeling the night before my 5:00am check-in time, and even through a very difficult recovery after, one Psalm has stood out to me:

|| Psalm 46 ||
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fail; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fail; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I won't pretend this has been an easy process, a simple decision, or a fix-it-all solution. However, the God of Jacob has been my ever present help and reassurance that this was indeed HIS plan for wrapping up my 2015.
Yes, there's so much more to it. Yes, I've had to make a lot of changes. No, I don't won't be drinking for the year. No, I cannot have La Croix (there's already been a mourning period). Yes, my meal is great...but the majority of it will be coming to-go with me...for 8 more meals. Yes, I'm already seeing great results. Yes, I'm so thankful to have my sister 3 months ahead of me, to walk through this together. No, it doesn't bother me to answer questions or talk about it.

YES, 2016 is going to be a record year for me.

I'm so thankful for the unending support of family and friends who have supported me through making this decision, crazy pre and post-op diets, and walking through recovery, into a whole new life.

Here's to making 2016 my own...and finally revitalizing my little piece of the blogosphere...

More to Come in Finding Fit,
Lisa

Boat Season :: Stuffed Zucchini Boats.

It may be something about summer time that just makes ya wanna be on a boat, by a boat, stuffing a boat...oh wait. Well regardless of your boat desires, I've seen a lot of people creating stuffed zucchini boats lately and I needed to jump on board. This is an easy way to get a good combination of your macros and a quick way to combine whatever produce may be in your fridge. And hey, they're cute!

What I Used:

• 3 Zucchinis
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 cups fresh arugula 
• Homemade jalepeno ranch dressing
• Avocado oil
• FlavorGod Garlic Lovers Seasoning
• Shredded or julienne sweet potato for garnish

Then What Happened:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F
2. Wash and slice zucchinis length wise and hollow out centers. I left the ends on to keep the structure in place. I used my zesting tool to help route out the centers.
   
   
3. On a foil lined pan, I laid out my boats and sprinkled them with avocado oil and my Garlic Lovers. 
   
4. Bake them for about 20 minutes
5. Meanwhile, brown your meet of choice and throw in whatever other veggies you'd like to add in as well as your seasonings
6. I add a layer of the shredded sweet potato to my baking pan for the last 5 minutes to get some crispy boat toppers!
7. Pull the boats out and stuff with the meat mixture.
8. Drizzle some dressing over the boats and top with your crispy's and enjoy!
     
   
   
   This is obviously a utensil situation...BUT that texture and flavor are a GREAT combo!
   So get to boating because it is STILL eight thousand degrees outside.
   
   
   Finding Fit, 
   Lisa

The Do Something Jar :: My WholeLIFE101

Well I posted a teaser on Instagram on Sunday night and have peaked some interest as to what exactly my next adventure is. And I'm here to divulge.
Here's the thing. It's quite simple. Just DO SOMETHING.

I recapped my Whole101 challenge here. And, well, the gist was to make "clean", Whole30 food choices for 101 days without cheating. While it was a great step back in the right direction for me, the next thing missing is my consistency in (or complete lack of) regular exercise. <<To be caught up to speed on why I have had to *temporarily* give up Crossfit, refer to my PIVOT point post.>>

Knowing my challenge-driven-mentality, one of the besties (for the purpose of this challenge, we'll call her CoachBecca) stepped up to push me into my next 101 days. "I challenge you to do at least 10 minutes of working out EVERY day for the next 101 days".
STEP BACK. WE HAVE A WINNER! Let me assure you, I'm aware 10 minutes does not a full work out make. But the name of the game is consistency, people, and CoachBecca knows exactly how to cultivate that challenge for me. ...the Do Something Jar.

This magic jar is stocked full of forty 10-minute workouts designed by Coach Becca, which I can do even with the tear in my rotator cuff. Can't make it to the Addison Athletic Club? Pull a notecard out for a 10-minute workout easily done at my apartment gym or outside. Can't even get down there? Pull a pink card for a 10-minute workout easily completed in my own lil apartment. Here was tonight's little pink card:

Yall. I could not for the life of me, get this picture to rotate...so consider it artsy.

Once a card is completed I toss it in my empty jar and wait to work through all of them, before repeating a round through them all again.

Again, it's artsy.

Lemme cut to the chase. For the next 101 days, I am going to get in at least 10 minutes of working out each and every day. On top of this challenge to actually DO something, I am repeating my Whole101 to be cheat free in my meals again. (A brief stint of vacation and gallivanting proved, once again, that my gut WAY prefers the clean-eatin, paleo life) All these powers combined, create the WholeLIFE101.

I'm hopeful that this will re-spark my love of workouts and craving for activity, while I'm sidelined from Crossfiting with my bum shoulder. Plus who doesn't love this adorable little magic jar full of colorful, life-giving activities, written out with love by CoachBecca??

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in GOOD HEALTH as it goes WELL WITH YOUR SOUL" 3 John 1:2

So here's to good health friends, because I LIKE things that go well with my soul. :)

Venturing through my WholeLIFE101 and

Finding Fit, 

Lisa