OrangeTheory Fitness (OTF) and Fitness Favorites

Happy Sunday, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. If you’re like me, you’re probably soaking up those last few hours before the work week begins again. We are in full Back-to-School mode in this house. Even though Ryan and I both work all summer now, the pace seems to change (ahem, speed up) when August arrives.

Time to be honest...I’ve been completely sporadic about my workouts all summer. Trust me, I have all kinds of excuses (and I promise they are legit) but I’m working on getting back into my routine of going to OrangeTheory about 3-4 times a week. I don’t think I have mentioned OrangeTheory Fitness (OTF) on the blog yet, but I have been going for about a year and a half now and I love it. You guys all know that I’ve been a Zumba instructor since 2011 and I still love Dance Fitness. However, a couple of years ago I just really wanted to add something different to my fitness routine. I knew I needed to add in some weights and some cardio that was different from Zumba. Two years ago, I started seeing Orange Bicycles around town and wondered what they were- turns out they were for OTF! I stopped into their temporary location to find out some information and signed up for a membership that same day.

I really liked their concept of cardio mixed with strength training. Going to OTF is a lot like going to a personal trainer because they tell you what to do and how to push yourself during class, plus they will help to make sure you use proper form throughout class. I work out so much harder on the treadmill there than I ever did on my own at the gym. OTF isn’t a traditional gym— you don’t go and just work out on your own. You sign up for classes ahead of time and workout in a group setting. I definitely work harder in a group than on my own, too. One thing you might be wondering is why it’s called OrangeTheory. Well, during class, you wear a heart rate monitor. Everyone’s name is up on a TV screen so you can see what heart rate zone you are in all throughout class. The goal is to get most of your minutes in the Green Zone (a.k.a. Base Pace) but to try and get 12 minutes in the Orange (or Red) Zone. I’m one of those weird people who never ever gets 12 points (minutes) in Orange or Red— and many times I get 0— but today I got 4! That’s major, for me. I think I just have an unusually low heart rate. I don’t worry too much about that— I just go by how I feel.

I tell everyone who asks that even though I have been exercising pretty regularly for years and have even been a fitness instructor for 7 years— I never worked out before like I do at OTF. I’ve learned I can do things that are a lot harder than I ever thought! Like burpees. Although, I swear I will never EVER love burpees. I love the way that every workout is different— you never know what you might do each day. My favorite kinds of workouts are switch workouts where you rotate to different stations or kinds of equipment every few minutes. It makes the classes go by really quickly.

Speaking of fitness, I wanted to share a great fitness apparel find with you. My favorite workout leggings were Under Armour for a long time. However, they were $40 a pop (sometimes more!) and then a few years ago, UA changed the way they were made and they just weren’t as thick as they used to be. Luckily, Amazon to the rescue! I found these great leggings.

I’ve bought 4-5 pairs now and I love them. I especially love that they are high waisted so I don’t find myself pulling them up all the time. And did I mention the awesome price? Most colors are around $19.99 and have free returns, so if you don’t love them, you can always return them.

I also have come to love Beachbody’s Energize for a pre-workout boost.

I used to try and eat some kind of protein bar before class, but I found many of them taste like cardboard. This mix actually tastes good— just like lemonade. I mix it with about 10 oz. of water and drink it about 30-45 minutes before my workout. Since I usually work out at 5:45 p.m., sometimes I need a little something to energize myself before walking in the door at OTF or for a Zumba workout. (FYI— I am not a Beachbody Coach and do not sell this product— this is purely my own opinion based on my own experience.)

And finally, I am never without PanAway!

This is one of my favorite oils. I think everyone has their own trusted brands, but I began using Young Living oils several years ago and I love them. Sometimes if I have missed a week of workouts or if we have a particularly tough workout and I’m pretty sore, this little bottle to the rescue! PanAway has Wintergreen, Helichrysum, Clove, and Peppermint— all great for supporting your fitness routine. Sometimes I add a drop to my lotion or to some coconut oil and I’ll put it on my muscles and joints before OR after exercise. It’s also great mixed into Epsom Salts for tub soak. Trust me on this! You can purchase PanAway through Young Living OR it is also part of the Premium Starter Kit, which contains 10 other oils, a diffuser, and lots of samples of other great products. Plus, you also get a one-year membership and you get discounts on all products. Click here for more information on the Young Living Starter Kit!

What are some of your favorite workout products?

By the way, I forgot to mention that I am right in the middle of a Whole30! I’ve been reading a great book and will share some details soon! It’s got some great meal ideas. More info to come!

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites

Note: this was supposed to be published on Friday! So, can we all please mentally rewind and pretend it is Friday as you read this?

Happy Friday! TGIF! It actually doesn't feel like a Friday at all. We have been off of work since 1:00 on Tuesday due to snow and ice! I won't lie, a 2 1/2 day work week was pretty nice! We had some time to sled, cook, watch movies, clean the house, and relax!

It doesn't look like much, but our street was a big sheet of ice and beieve it or not, Ryan, Sadie, and I did a lot of sledding on that hill!

I think the thing that is greatest about a snow day is the fact that you don't know it is coming. So when you get it, it is like being given a gift of extra time. Since I expected to be various places (work, teaching Zumba, church) and they were all suddenly canceled, I found myself with 48 hours of free time with my family.

We also got to do some cooking.

We made snow cream! I got the idea to put out a big bowl BEFORE it started snowing so that we could collect snow for snow cream. This way, we would not have to scrape the snow off of the ground or other dirty things.

Recipe:

• 2 cups of snow
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and enjoy! Makes 2-3 small servings.

 

I also had time to create these Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites. I know with the Super Bowl coming up, lots of people are looking for snack ideas. I think these would be a hit, especially if you like spicy chicken wings!

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites

Ingredients:

• 3-4 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup of coconut flour
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 stick butter or ghee
• 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce

 

Preparation:

• You will need two shallow bowls. Place the beaten egg in one bowl. In the other, mix the coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
• Using tongs, dip each chicken "bite" in the beaten egg, and then dredge in the flour mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until all the bites are coated and ready to bake.
• Bake the bites at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. While the bites are baking, mix the 1/2 stick of melted butter with the Frank's.
• Remove the bites and brush one side with the Frank's mixture. Bake 5-6 more minutes. Then turn each bite over and brush the other side with the Frank's mixture. Bake 5 more minutes, or until cooked through.
• Add a cup of homemade ranch dressing and start dipping! Add some celery sticks if you like!

Now, settle in and watch some football. Or a new episode of Downton Abbey. ;)

 

Note: the fancy camera was charging, so the iPhone had to step in for photos.

 

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LizzieBars: the Homemade Alternative to LaraBars :)

Happy Tuesday! Today is totally confusing me. We had yesterday off of work, so all day long I kept thinking it was Monday. Short weeks always feel weird. Our weekend was busy! We celebrated my dad's retirement this weekend in Greenville, SC. It was lots of fun to be with family. We even did a little bowling on Saturday!

 

On Sunday, we headed home to do some painting at the house!

(Family shot on the front porch)

 

We were very lucky that our house was move-in-ready. There wasn't anything we HAD to do before living there. However, there were a few projects we needed to do ASAP. One of the bedrooms was decorated for a little boy- or a paleontologist. :)

As attractive as these dinosaurs are...they are kind of scary for a guest room, right?

If you are wondering how many coats of paint it takes to cover dinosaurs... The answer would be 5: 3 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint. Here's a (sort-of) after shot. We still need to apply a second coat- hence the taped outlets.

 

We were also painting this bedroom over the weekend:

This bedroom has an interesting wall-decor-technique. Those are wooden slats nailed to the wall. That made this paint job pretty tedious. We had to paint the wall color first and then go back and paint all the slats. The husband was ready to call a professional within the first hour, but we finally finished it last night!

After:

I still want to add a little color to this room. But I like the way the blue and white is kind of calm and peaceful.

 

So... on to the food. (I know that's why you stopped by!) Do you have a favorite energy or snack bar? I feel like I have tried them all. I've become really picky about energy/protein/health/snack bars. I've started looking at ingredients and most of them are full of...well...crap. Lots of sugar, lots of preservatives, lots of not-so-good-for-you ingredients. But then I came across LaraBars. Larabars are great.

Their ingredient list is short, they are made from real food, and most of them don't even have added sugar. My favorite flavors are Banana Bread, Cherry Pie, and Apple Pie.

My only complaint about Larabars is the fact that they tend to be a little on the expensive side. I decided to try making my own, just to see if I could.

Introducing... LizzieBars!

I decided to try a different flavor so that I wouldn't be comparing it directly to Larabars: Honey Cranberry Almond. I started by throwing some dried cranberries, dates, and into the food processor. I pulsed the mixture until the items were slightly chopped. Then I added about 1/2 teaspoon of honey and a few drops of vanilla, just to boost the flavor. (I know adding honey means adding sweetener, but if think the health benefits of honey outweigh this tiny bit I used.) I continued to blend the items until they were more finely chopped and the mixture started to stick together.

Next, I pressed the mixture into a glass baking dish lined with waxed paper. I put the dish into the fridge for a while to help the bars to "set" and then cut them into bar shapes and bagged them into snack-sized baggies.

I really liked the Honey Cranberry Almond Mixture. I do want to try and attempt a banana bread flavor and maybe a cinnamon apple flavor.

Larabars OR LizzieBars are great for a pre-workout snack or a post-workout snack. They also are great for afternoons when you eat lunch really early and work late and need something to get you through the day. Because these are made with dried ingredients, I would think they would keep at least a week or two in the fridge- but I can't say for sure.

Let me know if you try making your own!

 

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Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Cool Things that happened this week:

*Successfully ate Whole30-compliant foods all week

*Taught a fantastic group of teachers in a writing workshop

*Taught some Zumba

*Had a fun and hilarious dinner with a group of friends

*Went back to yoga after a bit of a (*ahem*) hiatus.

 

Today is actually the last Friday off of the summer. (During summer months, we work 10-hour days and have Fridays off.) I am spending the day catching up on my blogging, possibly going to yoga, getting a massage (holla!) and maybe a little light shopping/errand-running.

 

Note to the husband...if you are reading...I said *LIGHT*. Do not panic.

 

Now that we are all caught up, lets talk about veggies. And bacon.

 

Once upon a time, I thought I hated Brussels Sprouts. Funny thing is...I actually never remember trying them as a kid! So, thirty-ish years later, here I am, not only eating them, but writing about them and taking pictures of them.

 

One of my favorite ways t eat them is halved, tossed in olive oil, and roasted with some salt and pepper. However, last week I thought I would try a new approach.

 

They have bacon. Does that interest you? Who doesn't love bacon?

 

AND there are only a few ingredients!

 

Bacon Brussels Sprouts

 

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Brussels Sprouts (I used about 10)
• 3-4 strips of bacon (I used Earth Fare's Uncured Turkey Bacon)
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste

 

Preparation:

 

Prepare your sprouts. Remove the outer wilted leaves and slice in half. Wash well to remove any grit and then let them dry. Then, shred them by slicing them. (Just place them cut-side down and slice lengthwise until they are thin strips.)

 

Heat 1 Tbsp. EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey bacon. (Note- my uncured turkey bacon produces very little bacon fat. If you use a fattier bacon, you may not need as much oil- or you may not need any.) Cook turkey bacon until browned and crisp and then set aside. Leave any bacon drippings in the pan.

 

Add the Brussels and start to sauté. While the sprouts are cooking, chop the bacon into smaller pieces. Then add the bacon back to the pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the mix and cook until the sprouts are tender. Serve hot!

 

Happy weekending!

 

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CFCP Food Essentials

So, I get this question a lot: what are your pantry/fridge staples? I was thinking I had done a post on this, but i searched and I guess somehow I never have! I always think it is interesting to hear what other people buy at the grocery store, so I thought some of you out there might be interested in knowing MY staples. It's kind of like when you go to someone's house to visit and you peek in their medicine cabinet or bathroom vanity. I'm just kidding. I've never, ever done that. Or maybe I have. You'll never know.

Eggs. I always, always buy eggs. Except for today, when I forgot them. So I have to go back tomorrow. But I eat eggs almost every day. Fried, scrambled, hard-boiled, or added to burgers or patties to hold them together. Hard boiled eggs are my go-to breakfast item when I am in a rush, and they also make a great pre-workout snack.

Everroast Chicken Breast (Boar's Head) from the deli. I get 1.5 lbs every week. Makes great lunches, pre-workout snacks, regular snacks. When I need an easy protein, this is it. Add some almonds and an apple- that's lunch in a pinch.

Lemons. I buy a bag every week or every other week. I add lemons to regular water, sparkling water, chicken, fish, salad, sliced apples (keeps them from turning brown), and more. Nature's condiment!

Bag of apples and 6 bananas. These two fruits are so portable. You don't need any utensils to eat them, and they don't make a mess. In the fall, I always buy Honey Crisp apples by the 3 lb. bag, and other times I buy Pink Lady or Gala apples. Why 6 bananas? I have no idea. Just seems to be the magic number.

Ground beef- grass fed if they have it where I am shopping. I use ground beef to make hamburger patties, Paleo meatballs, Chili, and more. We eat it every week. If it is on special, I always stock the freezer, too! It's a great price at Trader Joe's, and I just heard that Aldi has it for a great price. I guess I need to learn how to shop Aldi!

Almonds or cashews. I usually buy one or the other every week- because it's a portable yet healthy fat and sometimes you just need something crunchy!

Breakfast sausage. Some people are camp bacon. Some are camp sausage. I am camp sausage. I add it to scrambled eggs, frittatas, sweet potatoes, and more. I am trying a new brand this week: al fresco. I hope I love it! It's got a pretty clean ingredient list!

Sweet potatoes. I used to despise them, but my tastes have really changed! I used to disguise them, but now I even like puréed sweet potatoes!

3 lb. bag of yellow onions. Onions go in almost everything I cook- breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Veggies- tomatoes, zucchini, and frozen green beans. We eat these almost every week because they are so easy to add to any meal. Zoodles, anyone?

So... Those are the staples I buy every week. You all know how I love to order groceries online... And Harris Teeter keeps my frequent purchases on my list from week to week, so I can shop for groceries in a snap! Then I just send the hubby to pick up the order! By the way, our local Harris Teeter is offering free pickup this week! So if you haven't tried this service out... Now is a great time!

So tell me...what are YOUR grocery staples?

In other news... I am heading back to work after 11 days of rest and relaxation. Starbucks, please have my Grande Bold Blend ready. I will be seeing you early in the morning!

 

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Healthier Nachos

My love affair continues.

This hot sauce is good on just about everything I can find in my fridge or pantry. I have put it on sweet potato fries, eggs, veggies, and more.

Click here to read another recent post where I used Frank's.

And another.

And tonight: nachos.

Nachos used to be one of my favorite things to get at the ballpark or as an appetizer. They are a little bit of everything- crunchy, warm, messy... yum. However, I think you will agree with me that nachos don't have much going for them in the way of nutrition. Last week, a friend posted a link to a recipe for Healthier Nachos on Facebook, and the idea stuck with me. I couldn't locate the original recipe, so I made my own version.

The first thing I cut out? The chips. Really, I have found that the chips are just a way of getting the good stuff to my face. They are just a vehicle. The original recipe used bell peppers instead of chips. I liked that idea, so I went with it. Then I cut the cheese. I swapped it for some diced avocado...because really I think that what the cheese does is give you a nice creamy texture. I lightened up the beef topping from the way I imagine it would be made in most concession stands. And then I added hot sauce. Just because it's awesome on everything. Did I mention that before? Overall, I think this was a pretty awesome dinner that I will definitely eat again. (Like tomorrow.)

 

Healthier Nachos (Paleo and Whole30 Friendly!)

Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers sliced up into triangle-style shapes (but really the shape doesn't matter)
• 1 lb. ground beef (very lean)
• 1/2 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• Spices- cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper
• 1/2 avocado, diced

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. When hot, place peppers on a baking sheet and roast about 5-6 minutes on each side, just enough to soften them a little bit and get them nice and hot.
• Brown beef and drain fat. Add spices: 2 tbsp. cumin, 1 tbsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste)
• Stir beef and spices. Add 1/2 can of tomatoes. Allow to simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid evaporates.
• Load up the nachos: peppers, beef mix, and top with avocado. Finish it off with Frank's!

 

Guess what today was? The last day of school. I can't believe it. For teachers and students around here, it's feeling a little like New Year's Eve. This is actually my first year of working all summer. If you have been reading for a while, you know that back in August I started a new job. I am still an educator, but my new position is year-round. It feels a little weird to be gearing up for summer work...but I am looking forward to the workshops for teachers that I will be teaching this summer!

 

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