Chia balls....

I like that title.  Reminds me of this.  And it's so appropriate because it's a Christmas segment.  Right?  I made some raw chia seed balls today but first...the workout.

I started off with a Jillian Michael's workout from her book "Making The Cut."

Wide grip lat pulldowns-15
Medium underhand lat pulldowns-15
Jumping Lunges-20
Hill sprint-1 minute

Terry pulls-20, 12, 10 (upping weight with every set)
Standing lat pulldowns-20
Back kicks with shoulder press-10 each leg
Hill sprint-1 minute

Seated cable rows-20
Step ups-20 each leg
Butt kicks-1 minute

Incline bicep curls-20
Pike crunches-20
Hamstring curls on ball-15
Butt kicks-1 minute

Supermans-20 then hold 30 seconds
Boat pose-30 sec
Reverse Plank- 1 minute
*Basically just speed through the workout as fast as possible.


Then I did a little more back/biceps:

Bar curls on pulley-15
Standing lat pulldowns-15
*repeat three times

Reverse fly on incline bench-15
Incline bicep curls-15
*repeat three times

Did stairs for 15 minutes and a sprint workout on the treadmill for twenty minutes.  One minute on one minute off.

Breakfast was oatmeal with a few banana slices and a protein drink in the form of hot cocoa.

I snacked on a string cheese and pirate booty while we were out and about.  Nice.  Lunch was a chicken sandwich with goat cheese and spinach on a sandwich thin.

This was soooooooo good.  I devoured it.

After lunch I whipped up some new balls.  I wanted to use chia seeds in them.  Chia seeds are a great source of energy and I usually take them in the morning.  Put a tablespoon in a cup of water and let it sit fifteen minutes.  The seeds form a gel around them so it has kind of a really thin tapioca pudding texture. I just down it real quick.  The taste isn't bad at all.  Here are some facts about chia seeds:


1.  Helps stabilize blood sugar
2.  Promotes energy and sustains energy
3.  Good for your heart, lowers cholesterol
4.  Maintains hydration
5.  Helps build lean muscle mass
6.  Fiber for digestive health
7.  Builds strong bones
8.  Excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids
9.  Loaded with antioxidants
10. Gluten free
11. Good source of protein
12. Packed with vitamins and minerals

After reading all of those plus more that are not listed.....who wouldn't want to eat/drink chia seeds.  I think these seeds are especially important for athletes.  If i can get all that nutrition with the added energy and protein I am all for it.  Now for the balls:

Mix all together:

1/4 cup chia seeds
2 cups raw old fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup almond butter
2-3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons truvia
1/4 coconut (I didn't have any unsweetened so I threw in the sweetened kind.  If you have unsweetened...go with that).
2 tablespoons raisins
10 prunes chopped
* I didn't add protein powder because I didn't think about it...but next time I will add a scoop.

Form into balls.  You can refrigerate these or freeze them.  Great for a long run or an endurance workout.

I'm all done Christmas shopping.  Anyone else?

I love to bake....and it's bad

Yesterday morning started out really well.  I slept in.  I usually always find a lame excuse to sleep in on Mondays.  I got up at about 7:15 because I had to be to the dentist by eight.  When I came home I made myself a healthy smoothie.  This one had spinach, strawberries, guava, plain greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder, and water.  It was a good way to get my fruits and veggies in early in the day.

Then because I am so productive everyday of my life I put together a really hard dinner in the crock pot.  This is my most favorite taco meat and it is so easy.  When people ask what is in it they don't believe me when I tell them.  All it is is chicken tenders and a can of green chilies.  Nothing else.  Nothing!  And it is really yummy on tacos.

Just put it in and your set.  Easiest dinner ever.

I snacked on rice cakes and a Kashi cookie before fitting in my workout.  I did the gpp workout of the day.  This is one of my favorite workouts to do.

STABL = (shoulders,triceps, abs, biceps and legs)

Class does reps in unison on trainers count:

Shoulder Medley - 3 rounds

           20 front raises 15/20
           20 upright row 15/20
           20 OH press 15/20

Triceps Medley - 3 rounds

            10 narrow push-ups  BW
            20 skull crushers 15/20         
            20 OH French press 15/20

Ab Medley - 3 rounds

            20 situps 
            20 R side ups
            20 L side ups          
            20 Superman back ext's 

Biceps 21’s - 3 rounds   (see demo)      

            7 bottom to half 15/20
            7 half to full 15/20
            7 full 15/20

Legs Medley -3 rounds

            20 BTB squats 
            20 alternating lunge switches
            20 single leg DL 15/20

*Try not to rest during the three exercises at all.  Rest at the end of the triple.

I fit in a pretty healthy lunch after.  A spinach salad with chicken and a couple kashi crackers.  I put too much dressing on which turned out OK because Ollie ate half of it.  :)

Then my day got so much better and so much worse.  I made this stuff.  It's HORRIBLE for you.  I mean, just awful.  But I had to make it to take to my parents and so I ate it for afternoon snack and dinner.  Sweet.  At least it tasted yummy.

I went to bed feeling gross.  Today has been much better.  After a day like that I don't even have to try to eat good.  I just want too.  I skipped spin this morning because I am going to go tonight with my sister.  So I got to the gym at six and my workout was really random:

TRX push-up-15
TRX tricep dip-15 (hands on bench, feet in the TRX)
Woodchoppers-15 each side
*repeat three times

DB chest press-15
DB fly-15
*repeat three times

DB decline chest press-15
Pike push-ups-15
*repeat three times

After that my friend shows up and is doing the gpp workout of the day.  I couldn't not do it with her.

Perform 4 sets of each of the following:

10 BB biceps curls AHAP
20 DB presses strict 15/25
30 KB swings 35/53
40 crunches

Those KB swings were so hard the third and fourth rounds!  Then we hit up the treadmill together for a quick cardio session.  We did a hill workout that looked like this:

Minutes 1-20....9.0 incline, walk one minute, sprint up that hill one minute for twenty minutes

Minutes 20-30...11.0 incline same thing.  Sprint on and off.

I was a sweaty nast.

Breakfast was 1 whole egg + 3 egg whites with a half of a sandwich thin toasted.

Snack was a protein bar while I was out running around.  I just finished lunch which was a salad.  Spinach, chicken, carrots, broccoli, a little feta, and one bacon strip.  I was in a salty mood which is why I added the bacon.  I NEVER add bacon to my salads.  Now I know why....it was totally grossing me out while I was eating my salad.  I'm a sausage kind of girl and even that's rare.  I gagged this salad down.  Really.  It was not good to me.

The rest of the afternoon will be spent trying to avoid the couch or my bed and to get something done.  Anything.  Ya right...gotta save my energy for spin tonight.  Right?

Where is the motivation?

I don't know what it is lately but my motivation is lacking in all departments.  I have worked out at the same gym regularly since I was fifteen.  I have never had a problem being motivated to work out.  I have always had a problem being motivated to eat better.  :)  But lately I feel like my motivation for working out is slipping and it's freaking me out!  I think it is a combo of waking up before five when I am not at all a morning person, and the fact that it is cold and dark outside my covers.  I think my body wants to gain the extra five pounds of winter blubber to keep me warm.  I guess I just have to be OK with that.  I know it will come off next summer right?  I still get to the gym about five days a week but it just seems harder lately.  I need more sleep people!!!

I did really good the end of this week with the workouts.  But I have eaten lots of treats.  At least I got a few semi healthy snacks/meals in over the weekend.

Protein shakes of course.  They are a staple around here.

I made some healthy cinnamon almonds the other day.  I snacked on them when my pms-ey sugar attack came on.  

Salmon burgers for the busy losers we were this week with no time for making decent meals.  I should have been more prepared I guess.

We love rice cakes around here.  They are made with brown rice so if you need a snack/treat these are a great low calorie option.

Oatmeal with bananas, plain greek yogurt, and a little agave.

These have been good to my sugar craving these past few days too.  Almond butter and jelly rice cakes.  Yes, still sugar but at least its not chocolate cake people.

Speaking of chocolate cake, I made a really good on tonight and ate too much of it.  I haven't eaten a ton of sugar lately so when I do binge on one thing it makes me a little ill.  But still yummy.

So I need to go in search of my motivation.  I hope my future posts are not as boring as this one was.  On a happier note, Neil at GPPfit.com sent me a bumper sticker today.  Whoo whoo!  I will be putting it on my car asap.  Thanks Neil!