Remembering my First Half Marathon

This morning a friend of mine commented on a picture I posted when I completed my first Half Marathon in October 26^th and asked me to do it again.  I was immediately flooded with fantastic memories of the anticipation, the training it took to get there but most importantly that feeling of accomplishment I had when I finished. 

I am not planning on doing another Half Marathon but I won’t say it will not happen.  I will however, always continue to fight obesity and Diabetes with all I have and I will never give up.

What this Half Marathon signifies to me is not related to how fast or slow I finished or who I was ahead of but rather to the fact that I accomplished something that I never in my wildest dreams thought I could do.  I set a goal, I trained hard and I killed it!

I know you may be sitting there thinking how you could never even do a 5K let alone a Half Marathon but the truth of the matter is that you can do so much more than that liar in your head tells you.  I encourage you to begin by setting small fitness goals, crushing them and moving on to the next one.  This is what keeps you going, what keeps you healthy and most importantly what gives you your life back.  Remember, fitness is not a temporary fix, it is a permanent change that affects every aspect of your life for the better; your mood, your stamina, your energy levels and your health in general. 

I have set a new goal to do a 15K in September, which means I have to train for it and that is what keeps me healthy.  Set a goal, kill it then set another goal and repeat, your life is worth it.

Let’s go!!

So You Don’t Have Diabetes Anymore?

Hello my friends, as you all should know by now I am a diabetic and was diagnosed about 4 years ago.  This diagnosis changed my life in so many ways and although I dislike the fact that I have it, I take a lot of pride in saying that I am not dependent on medicine or insulin to control it.  

Now lets get down to the title of this post, the famous question “So you don’t have Diabetes anymore?”.  The first time I heard the question a while back, I immediately responded with “there is no cure for Diabetes”.  However, after that immediate response I began to question myself as to the accuracy of my answer so I went to my friend Google and typed in “Is there a cure for Diabetes?”.  After reviewing a few websites I was confident that my response was accurate.  

Fast forward to last Friday when the question was asked again by a coworker who is a diabetic.  He proceeded to tell me that he was not told by his doctor that there was no cure and he nonchalantly explained that he just doesn’t take his medication and does not really eat healthy.  At that moment I pictured myself walking over to this man, shaking him and telling to snap out of it and yelling at him but of course I could not do that.  I felt so sad for him and thought of the consequences of his actions.  

I invited him to workout with The Dukes, the group I workout with but he politely declined.  You have no idea just how dumbfounded I was to hear this.  My doctor was very clear with me when he gave me my diagnosis, in fact his delivery was short of a slap in the face.  My doctor told me that if I wasn’t as fat as I was I could have delayed my diagnosis and now I have this disease for the rest of my life.  And yes he really did say that and although rude, I could not find it in me to be angry at him because he was right.  I was unable to counter on that statement because it was the plain and very ugly truth.

This question got me to thinking just how many people actually believe that there is a cure for Diabetes and don’t truly understand the severity of the disease.  Therefore, I am writing this post to shed some light on the subject in case you are also mistaken.

Let me briefly go over Type 1 Diabetes first which was formerly called Juvenile Diabetes and it occurs when your immune system destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin.  Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar into your body so that it can be used for energy.  Without this your body is not able to function the way it is designed so people with this type of diabetes are insulin dependent. This type mostly starts before the age of 20 but it can also start at any age.

Type 2 Diabetes, the type I unfortunately have is the body’s inability produce enough insulin or is unable to use it as it should.  The glucose then builds up in the blood and it in turn causes other complications in your body.  There are many risks associated with the effects of Diabetes such as stroke, kidney disease, high blood pressure and many more.  

With a healthy lifestyle, you are able to prolong the effects that this terrible disease has on your body without the need for medication.  However, please always consult your doctor before you stop using any medications because every situation is different.  

So to answer that question, no Diabetes does not just go away even if you live a healthy lifestyle.  However, a healthy lifestyle enables you to live a somewhat normal life while suffering from Diabetes.  I encourage you to get moving and pay attention to what you eat if you are a diabetic and if you are not then start now so that you don’t have to suffer later.  

In my opinion, the best way to deal with diabetes is by putting your gloves on and fighting it by educating yourself in how it affects your body.

How do you fight Diabetes?

Pesto Tilapia

Hi guys, I want to apologize for my lack of posts lately, I have been really busy and trying to do too much without a schedule resulting in total chaos.  I am working on scheduling myself a bit better beginning next week so that I can resume posting at least twice a week.

So this recipe came out of desperation because I did not know what to make for dinner.  I normally like to cook colorful foods in order to attract the eyes to healthy goodness however, this dish looks pretty dull with all the green so I would suggest sauteed carrots instead for a pop of color.  However, having said that this fish is delicious, I could not get enough of it. 

The recipe is very simple and you are done in less than an hour.  

3 tablespoon of pesto
3 tsp of lemon juice
3 tsp light mayo or olive oil
3 tilapia filets
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Pump that oven on to 350 degrees and spray a baking pan with non stick spray.  Whisk together the pesto, lemon juice and mayo or olive oil.  Season the fish with salt and pepper and coat the fish with marinade on both sides and bake for 20 minutes, turn and bake for additional 10 minutes and devour.  That is all! I know, I told you it was simple now go make it!

Sausage and Peppers

I have made this recipe several times before with pork sausage and my very picky husband does not like it. I decided to try it out one more time with my fingers crossed to see if he would like it and voila, it was a hit! 

Sausage and Peppers

6 Sweet Italian Turkey Sausages

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

½ of a Hillshire Farms smoked Turkey Sausage sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

½ of a medium size red onion

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 large red bell pepper, sliced 

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

½ jar of Bertolli tomato and basil sauce 

2 cups of baby spinach 

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausages and brown on all sides, remove and slice them.  

In the same pan heat the remaining 2 tbs. of olive oil.  Add the yellow onion, red onion, red bell pepper, dried oregano, dried basil and the smoked turkey sausages and  cook, stirring, until slightly softened.  Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for about one minute.   

Add the sausages back in along with the tomato sauce.  Reduce heat to medium and add the spinach; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.  

Enjoy in a sandwich or as a main dish and please share if you make it. 

Working Out Gives Me Superpowers

Hello my friends, I am sorry that I have been MIA for the past few days, I am on a new schedule and need to figure out a way to squeeze in my blog posts.  There are so many topics that flood my mind at times that I want to share with you all because I think they can be helpful to at least one of you.  One specific topic came to mind when a friend commented on a 5 mile run I had done, she said she is exhausted after 3 miles so she must be doing something wrong.  I encouraged her and explained to her that she should be out of breath and exhausted in my opinion and she is doing it right.

This comment just made me want to clarify this myth that some believes to be true about people who work out.  There are many who believe that working out on a regular basis makes you a superhero or that it even gives you supernatural powers.  Stay with me here, I know you think this is silly but it is true and seldom conveyed by asking the famous question “but don’t you work out (pause) ALL the time? Ah, I hate that question, not because I feel offended by it but rather because I know it is being asked out of lack of knowledge of how the process works. 

I was asked this question by my husband the other day while we were playing tag with the kids, I was out of breath about to pass out and he looked at me, shook his head and asked “the question” and even added, “Aren’t you a Duke?” followed by “Don’t you flip tires?”

The beauty that I find about a healthy lifestyle is that in order to live it you have to continue to challenge yourself, to get faster, stronger, more confident.  Even if you have run a full marathon you can still challenge yourself by improving your time and 5k’s are still very challenging.  The process does not get easier you just get better with consistency but it will always be challenging. 

I would hate to discourage someone starting to exercise by making them feel like I have it all together and I am an exercise guru because I am far from it.  I do admit to learning a great deal but there is always something new awaiting when it comes to fitness.  I do want to encourage you to see past the appearances and understand that working out is just as difficult for seasoned veterans as it is for beginners, we just do it at a different levels.  Therefore, I encourage you to forget about how confident anyone looks doing a certain exercise and just go for it, dive in head first and do the work because the rewards are uniform for us all. 

Now go, get moving!

Fun Things to do on a Budget

Have you ever gone through financial difficulties that hold you back you from doing fun activities with your kids? No? well lucky you! I have had plenty of those, we became experts at gathering all the change we can find, going to the Coin Star Machine and getting enough for gas to go somewhere.

We all go through these times but if we play our cards right as parents we can make things work out for our family.  I am a firm believer that your kids will not remember that expensive game you bought them but will always cherish the times you spent together. 

The majority of Americans live check by check leaving very little room to enjoy life.  The bills need to be paid before we can do anything else so prioritizing fun activities becomes difficult when you live on a limited income.

I would like to share some of the activities my husband and I do with the kids when money is tight:    

A picnic at a local park - this may sound simple but it is always memorable.  Make the packaging look pretty and give it a fancy look and you turn an ordinary dinner into a great bonding time with your family with no distractions.

Drive to the beach at night - This is one of our favorite things to do, we go to the beach and bring flashlights and just walk as far as we want.  We take pictures, laugh, get our feet wet and just enjoy each other’s company.

Hide and go seek in the dark - We turn off all the lights in the house so its pitch dark and we play hide and go seek.  The kids love it so much and we have such a great time doing it.

Get a movie from the library - Our local library allows us to borrow movies free of charge with our library card so we watch family movies together.

Watch funny YouTube videos together - This is so much fun to do because we laugh so much while we watch people doing silly things.

Ice cream run - Who doesn’t love an ice cream run right? we sit together and enjoy the ice cream or frozen yogurt together and just enjoy each other’s company.

Go for a long bike ride - We love doing this, we make sure to bring snacks and drinks and just enjoy a morning or afternoon riding our bikes.  My daughter is the photographer so she takes lots of pictures.

These are great ways to not only do things on a budget but also to spend quality time with the ones you love and I am confident they are the ones they will remember the most.  Please share your ideas with me so that I can incorporate them into my budget friendly activities.

What do you do on a budget?

Sauteed Tofu

Today's dinner was delicious, I have been wanting to make tofu for a while and I finally did, this one was sauteed with some red peppers and spinach.  I loved it! it was very filling and delicious I could not stop eating it.  This is a perfect example of how healthy eating does not have to be boring.  My new go to recipe!

Intredients

14 oz pack of extra firm tofu patted dry with paper towel
1/2 of a red pepper sliced
2 garlic cloves diced
1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
3 tbs. Olive oil
1/2 tsp each of 
tumeric
onion powder
garlic powder
paprika
corriander
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs of Olive oil (for marinade) 

Nasoya Tofu

Directions: 

Cut the tofu into small cubes and add all spices and the 2 tbs. of olive oil set aside. 

Sautee sweet peppers and onions in the olive oil until translucent and then add garlic for about 2 minutes.

Add Tofu and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat until all flavors are well combined and voila! you are done, enjoy with your favorite sides and please feel free to change to spices to whatever you like.  Don't forget to share if you make it.   

Running for a Cause

This weekend was a fabulous and very busy weekend, my daughter graduated from High School on Saturday, yikes! And yes I am feeling old, but other than old I am feeling extremely proud of her accomplishment.  I was very busy getting everything ready for her and as always those last minute tweaks always needed as you are trying to walk out the door to make it on time.  We had a good time, went to dinner after and just smiled and enjoyed each other’s company as we celebrated this milestone. 

For those of you who don’t know, I work out with a group called The Dukes based out of Deltona, we exercise around the city in various parks and trails and it is a free.  Aside from exercising together, we also try to assist the community whenever possible.  The latest project was a 5K race scheduled for this past Sunday to raise funds for one of our team member’s mom who was recently diagnosed  with Stage 4 Bladder Cancer and is in need for funds for medication.

Although excited, I was also a bit anxious and unsure of what the turnout was going to be.  There was rumbling of thunder as well but I said a little prayer and requested God to please move them out of our way.   When I arrived, my friend Trish and I went to the trail to place some signs we had prepared to encourage the participants in their run/walk.  By the time we got back to the parking lot, the place was full of people, more people than I would have expected.  

The sky cleared up and the weather was perfect, we began the race with a prayer and some words of encouragement to the family accompanied by some tears and off we went.  This race had nothing to do with personal records, being faster than the next guy or winning first place, it was a group of people coming together for a good cause.  We encouraged each other, high fived each other and smiled all the way to the finish line.  This was my 8 year old son’s first 5K and he was very excited to do it, my husband and daughter also participated making it the perfect race to date for me.  

We managed to raise $2,000 for our friend a number that just baffled me because I was not expecting it to be that much.  This goes to show the power of a few people coming together to help others.  Humanity showing their love and doing their part to help others is an amazing site to see and an overwhelming feeling to have. 

I encourage you to give your part to give to others, take some time from your busy schedules and give, whether it is your time or a little bit of money the feeling will fill you with joy.  Today I feel full of happiness for being able to help even just a little bit with the burdens that come along with this disease.  I am thankful that I serve a God who makes this possible.  

I Can't Workout Because...

This very famous phrase followed by that list of valid excuses as to why I was unable to workout in the past.  The excuses were so good and the points so valid that after uttering them I nodded my head eyes wide open as if to say “there, that’s the real reason why I don’t workout” and truly believed it.  

I always try to teach my kids that in life they will encounter difficult situations but it is how they handle them that will shape their destiny.  I tell them that they can choose to curl up in a ball and cry about it or they can grab it by the horns and tackle it down, their choice.  Life is difficult as it is so when we are faced with challenges, difficulties or a variety of scenarios it is up to us to handle them the best way possible. 

The list of reasons why I could not workout was very long and I had some valid points.  I I will share my top 3 excuses and how I managed to overcome them.  

Excuse #1:      I don’t have time, I work full time, have two kids and a husband (ok 3 kids), cook, clean, do groceries, well you get the picture.

Solution:    I still have 2 kids or 3, still cook, clean, do groceries and everything else I did when I came up with that excuse.  However, the difference is that I now MAKE the time to workout because it is a priority in my life.  I was working out evenings and weekend mornings but that was taking too much time away from my kids so I changed to mornings at 6 am.  I just did it like the Nike Commercial says and made it happen and so can you, yes there is time, yes you can do it so just start!

Excuse #2:      I don’t know what healthy foods to eat.

Solution:    I myself did not know what to eat but I used my common sense and did some research.  There are so many resources out there with so much information as to what is good to feed your body and lets face it, you know deep down that eating that mac and cheese is perhaps not the best choice you can make. The bottom line is that it will take time and effort on your part but it will be worth it in the end.   

Excuse #3:  I feel intimidated going to the gym

Solution:  I was very intimidated going to the gym, so much so that I even wrote a post about it.  I was scared and embarrassed of looking silly but I kept reminding myself that they all must have started somewhere and I was determined to learn.  I am very comfortable when I go to the gym now not because I know it all but because I know that it is a constant learning experience.  I ask a lot of questions, ask advise, it is amazing how others are eager and willing to help you out.  The bottom line is if you don’t start, you will never learn so take that leap and join you will be a pro before you know it.

I know that living a healthy lifestyle is difficult at times, but the outcome supersedes all the hard work, the rewards that you reap will alter your life for the better.  Start slow, but start.

Now go, get moving!    

What's for Dinner?

That infamous question that when asked plagues my mind with a million possibilities while other times leaving me staring into the abyss like a deer with headlights.  I have found that there are weeks when I can come up with dinner ideas on the fly and chef it up like a pro.  However, there are those days when somehow my mind just draws a blank and I just can’t come up with anything to make, I can’t think of one dish to cook, kind of like the famous “I don’t have anything to wear” line with a closet busting out the doors with clothes.  Am I alone on this one or has it happened to you as well?

I often find myself asking my 17 year old daughter what she thinks I should make and her answer is always “lemon chicken”, because it’s her favorite or she has often replied with a simple “food”.  That latter reply draws dirty looks, eye rolling finished with a frustrated groan on my part.  I don’t really have an explanation as to why this happens, perhaps the weeks when I draw a blank I have too much on my plate and my brain has reached its maximum capacity for the week aka brain overload.

Then when I finally figure out what I want to make, I find out I don’t have all the ingredients so I have to do a supermarket run after work, waste time, get home tired and frustrated.  The adventures of a supermom but I would not change it for the world.

The solution for me came to me by chance one day as I was having one of the deer in headlight dinner moments.  I began to ask myself why I was having such a hard time if I cook 6 days a week, why can’t I think of what to make.  This series of questions led me to a very simple answer, are you ready? (drum roll please), MAKE A LIST! Wow, what a brilliantly simple solution to such a nerve wrecking problem.  Yes a list!  Why didn’t I think of this before?

I decided to make a list of dishes that I normally prepare, I did a main dish list along with a side dish so when I’m having a brain fart I go to this list and it really has helped me a tremendously.  I often find myself looking at the list and remembering recipes that I have not made in a while.  

I really hope I’m not alone in this so please let me know if you suffer from Lack of Dinner Idea-tis (Get it? No?) like I do, it would most certainly make me feel a bit more rational in my seemingly very chaotic world.

In an effort to help you guys out I have created a printable list so that you can get your family menu started.  It is the little things like this that make our world that much better. 

Please click here to print your menu and enjoy!  Dinner planning will never be the same.    

WOD

I love to share my WOD (Workout Of The Day) with you guys in hopes to inspire you but it also keeps me motivated and accountable.  I will post them every day so that you can get ideas and please feel free to ask questions.  Please consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout regimen, I am not a personal trainer or a nutritionist, the information I post here is based on my personal experience.

Please visit http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/ if you are not familiar with any of the exercises I post.  This website in general is a wealth of information with several plans you can follow along with meal plans to help you reach your goals.  I think it is very useful especially if you are just starting because it shows you how to properly perform exercises and also tells you what body part your are working on.  

One very important thing to remember when working out is proper form which basically means proper way of performing the exercise.  I shared this website with you so that you can familiarize yourself with doing these exercises properly in order to avoid injury while maximizing results.  Please feel free to share any websites you may find helpful yourself.  

I try to change my workouts as much as possible to keep from getting bored and to confuse my body as well so I look for workouts online, run with friends, play tennis, play basketball, do crossfit, ride my bike and whatever keeps my heartrate going.  Staying active is key to balancing sugar levels and living a healthy lifestyle.   

Tabata Workout and Firefighters

Last week a coworker invited me to workout at one of our local fire stations so I happily said yes, I mean how can I say no to working out with firefighters right?.  When I first got there I didn’t know what I was getting myself into so I showed up with my favorite workout clothes and my matching Polar watch ready to go.  

The workout began with a warm-up run and then we jumped right into the workout which is called a Tabata workout which is a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout.  Basically in this type of wokout you do high intensity movements with very little time to rest in between.  This gets your heart rate going, helps to burn more calories even after you completed the workout.  Here is an article in www.bodybuilding.com for a more detailed explanation of this workout.

Here is how it went down:

1 minute per exercise with 15 seconds of rest in between for a total of 6 minutes and then repeat 3 times

Air Squats

Burpees

Flutter Kicks

Bear Crawl

Push-Ups

Yikes! I know this may not seem like a lot but trust me it was brutal, and I loved every minute of it although I almost passed out mid way through the workout.  By the time I got home my Polar watch read 1,204 calories burned, now that is a winner workout if you ask me.

I like this workout because it is short, efficient, no equipment needed and you can do it in your living room.  Also, please feel free to change the exercises to change it up like sit ups, planks, jumping jacks, the possibilities are endless.  

I hope you try it out and as always please let me know if you do.  Now go, get moving!

Grilled Salmom Recipe

6 (4oz) Salmon Filets with skin

1 lemon Juiced

4 cloves of garlic

2 tbs. olive oil

Salt/Pepper/Dry Dill to taste

1 lemon cut into 6 slices

Directions

In a food processor pulse the lemon, garlic and olive oil until a paste is formed.   Season both sides with salt, pepper and dill to taste, spread the garlic paste on the salmon and place it on the grill skin side down.

Cook until salmon is easily flaked with a fork (about 6 - 10 minutes) Don’t overcook or it will be tough.  This was so good! enjoy!