"STRENGTH"

I had a great run this morning, I just LOVE when that happens don't you?  

It may have had something to do with my new EndorphinWarrior bracelet that I won from Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness?!  I chose "strength" and as I'd look down throughout my run, it reminded me that I am strong, I can push myself further than I ever thought before!  

If you need that reminder, 

I suggest you check them out here to find the one that is best for you and your journey!  

Hope you had a great workout today too!  Whether it's parking further from the office door at work, taking the stairs, heading to the gym before sunrise or planning on running or hitting the gym this evening!  

Whatever it is, GET AFTER IT!  GET MOVING!

Give it your all and you just might surprise yourself at your own STRENGTH!

I ran 4 miles and then came home and tried out Ali Sweeney's ab workout!  

If you missed it in Prevention magazine's April issue, here ya go! 

 Alison Sweeney’s top three ab-tightening fitness moves that appear in Prevention’s April issue. The Biggest Loser host recently revealed her favorite no-crunch, do-anywhere, core-toning ab moves. Plus, she opens up about she’s made peace with her stomach, flaws and all, and learned to give her belly some much needed love.

3 AB MOVES ALI LOVES:

“Your core is the center of your being and where every motion starts, so it’s important to strengthen all your stomach muscles,” says Sweeney. Get started with her three favorite no crunch, do anywhere ab moves.


1. LEG RAISE 

Lie faceup on mat, arms at sides. Use abs to lift legs straight up (A). (Knees can be bent slightly.) Slowly lower legs until they’re a few inches above mat (B), then raise them back up slowly to complete 1 rep. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 reps.


2. TRIANGLE POSE 

Stand with feet about 4 feet apart. Turn right foot out about 90 degrees and align right heel with arch of left foot. Lift arms to shoulder height, parallel to floor, palms facing down. Reach through fingertips and extend torso over right leg. Slowly lower right arm and rest right hand on shin or ankle (or on mat or a block outside right foot) while extending left arm upward, keeping it in line with right arm. Keep head in neutral position or turn head to gaze at left thumb. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Repeat on opposite side.


3. NAVY SEAL

Start in plank position, wrists under shoulders and palms flat (A). Lower right forearm to mat, then lower left forearm to mat, coming into forearm plank (B), palms flat on mat and elbows bent 90 degrees and under shoulders. Press right palm into mat, then left palm into mat, coming back into plank position. That’s 1 rep. Continue alternating between plank and forearm plank for 10 reps. Do 2 or 3 sets.

The article can also be found online:

http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/alison-sweeneys-belly-confidence-tips 

disclosure: I received the ab moves from Prevention magazine in hopes that I'd share with my readers, no compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine.  
And now for MEAL PREP MONDAY!
I cannot stress the importance of planning!  Planning meals and workouts!  Whether it's the day before or for the entire week, you must have meals on hand to stay focused and resist temptations.  And with workouts-pack your gym clothes in your car, write a note on a post-it and stick it on your dashboard!  That way when you get busy and that ugly voice inside your head tells you that you're tired and will "start tomorrow", you will be instantly reminded that you MUST workout and stay focused with your diet! 
Planning has helped us out tremendously because each time we open the fridge, all of those pre-packaged meals are staring at us, asking us to grab them and fuel our bodies!  
If they weren't there, I'd grab the bag of chips or crackers almost always :(  and those are empty, unwanted and unnecessary calories!  

*When our family arrived at our house for Easter, I saw a cousin I hadn't seen in a while and her first words were, "you're so tiny, look at your legs...you're so LUCKY" 

I'm sure my jaw dropped and at first I said thank you, but then proceeded to say it's NOT luck at all- it's hard work and busting my butt with workouts and eating the right foods 95% of the time!  It felt great to hear such a fabulous compliment from all of my hard work, but honestly I had never heard that before in my life.  

I wouldn't normally say it was luck but it had me thinking...

I am very lucky.  Because of my constant weight struggles, I am lucky to know what pushing myself beyond my limits feels like.  I am lucky to have the support of my husband, family and friends throughout this ongoing & never ending journey, I am lucky to know that it's SO important to take care of our bodies, our heart and to know my own STRENGTH.  I am lucky to have been at the bottom and I fight hard to push toward the top in this weight loss journey and journey to my healthiest life and the lives of my family.  I am lucky to have felt what crossing a half marathon finish line feels like and I'm lucky to know that I am pushing hard to fight my heredity filled with diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

SO, when I look at it like that I guess I am pretty, darn lucky!  

What about you?  Ever received a compliment after your hard work that really makes you feel good?  

Some of the prepping!

Cauliflower mash!  Hope you wrote down my recipe for this...it comes so creamy and delicious!  I promise you, my boys DO NOT KNOW it's cauliflower at ALL!  Not that they mind, it is one of their favorite veggies, but still...

extra lean ground turkey mixed with a little cumin and chili powder and a can of drained black beans!  A great addition to salads, low carb/high fiber tortillas, lettuce wraps, egg white omelettes and great sweet potato toppings too!  My husband brings this to work as a different variety almost daily!  SO many things you can make out of this one, simple, healthy dish!  Try it!!

TURKEY MEATBALLS!  I decided to take my turkey meatloaf recipe and turn it into tiny meatballs!  Change things up and make it fun for the family!  They turned out perfectly and we'll see what the kiddos say tonight!  I did 1 slice whole wheat bread, soaked in splash of skim milk.  Let the bread get really soft, and then combine lean ground turkey with one egg white, sprinkle of LF parmesan cheese, and then add the bread!  Stir to combine but DO NOT over mash!  Just fluff and mix with fork lightly!  Form balls but not tightly, very loose and place on pan.  I topped each meatball with a spoon of no sugar/no salt tomato sauce. I baked at 400 for 30 minutes!  Perfectly cooked and smells delicious!

Still to prepare, I will be making my kids some single-serve homemade pizzas with broccoli and cheese on homemade whole wheat crust....the boys LOVE these!  Then on nights when we're busy, I can pop these in the convection oven and voila! dinner is served!  And I will be roasting eggplant slices and chick peas for snacking!  I add a little lemon pepper or garlic powder to my chick peas for different flavors but a little dry ranch seasoning is yummy too!  If you like variety, split them up when you are draining/rinsing and do a little in each flavor!  YUM!!! *make sure you roast the chick peas long enough to get them crunchy...a mushy, somewhat roasted chick pea can leave a pretty bad taste/texture in your mouth!  I'd know first hand, I used to mess these up each time I tried!  I now crank my oven to 450 for extra CRUNCH!!!