30 Day Challenge: Days 8-10

Well friends, today I completed level one of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred!!!

Man is she tough! Day one was brutal. I thought I might faint, puke, die, or all three! Today, on day 10, my heart rate was up and I was drenched in sweat when I was done but I felt great!

I'm a little nervous about starting level two tomorrow. I know it's going to be much harder but I know my body is ready for it. I'm really hoping to see some great results at the end of these 30 days.

This weekend will prove to be challenging to my lifestyle and routine. We have more family coming into town for my niece's birthday party on Saturday. This means more people in my parent's small apartment which means less time to get in a workout, especially if you don't want an audience while you do it! Trust me. It ain't pretty! :) This also means dealing with a weakness for me...birthday cake! I LOVE birthday cake! The key is moderation. I will be having a cupcake on Saturday! I'll only have one and I'll be sure that I eat well the rest of the time.

I hope you've been being active this week. It can be hard to stay committed when your out of town. The old me would have left my workout clothes at home and made excuses not to do any sort of exercise. The old me would eat whatever my heart desired whether it was good for me or not because, well, "I'm on vacation!" The new me, nearly had to bring an extra bag just for my workout gear! That's cool! I love the new me!

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

30 Day Challenge: Days 3-7

Hi all! I am sorry that I haven't blogged in a while. My computer died recently and I'm currently out of town visiting my family. Both have been factors in my delay in blogging.

I am officially a week into the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and I feel great! Today should have been day 8 but we spent the whole day at church yesterday and I wasn't feeling well most of the day so I skipped my workout. I started back up again today.

The difference in my endurance from day 1 to day 7 is amazing. On day one, I was panting and barely able to complete the modified versions of each exercise. Today, on day 7, I was still breathing hard but I was able to complete the full version of each exercise, except push ups. I still have to do girl ones. Push ups are sooo hard for me! I'm hoping that by the end of this program, I can do real ones! :)

I am spending most of this week and next with my parent's. It's hard being out of your own routine but I am sticking to my plans and goals. My mom is a great motivator and helps keep me in line with my workouts while I'm here. I mean, she gets up at 5 or 5:30 every morning just to be sure she gets in her workout before work. She suffers with fibromyalgia which makes even sleep difficult for her most nights. If she can still get up and workout then I can too! And I don't have to worry about what we are going to be eating while I am here because they eat the same way I do! That is a huge blessing!

It's a new day, a new week. How are you going to be active this week? How are you going to eat healthier? How are you going to change your life? In the end, it's up to you! You can read all about my weight loss success, you can read stories from other blogger's too. You can know all the right things to do but until you DECIDE that YOU want it and YOU are willing to work HARD to get it, nothing is going to change. Take my advice: start TODAY, start SMALL, and stay COMMITTED!

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

30 Day Challenge: Day 2

Yesterday I completed day 2 of the 30 Day Shred.

When I woke up yesterday, my whole body was sore. I knew the workout was intense but I had no idea I would feel like that the next day. I also woke up with a massive headache that didn't help matters. I wondered how in the world I would be able to complete day 2. But when nap time came, I put my daughter to bed and popped in the DVD.

I was surprised. It wasn't easy but I could actually do a few more "pushups" yesterday. I must confess, I have terribly weak arms. I always have. It took me a whole semester in high school to be able to do a few real pushups. I can barely do a girl one. I'm sure if Jillian could actually see me doing the "pushups" she would yell and curse at me, but oh well. I'm still getting a good workout and I'll get there eventually!

At the end of the workout, I was shaky and nauseated just as the day before. Is it weird to say that I actually like that feeling? I mean, I of course don't really like to feel like I need to vomit but feeling that worn out after a workout means that I gave it everything I had.

I remembered to take measurement's yesterday. I'm really excited to see changes take place in my body especially since it will be time to buy a new bathing suit before too long. I most definitely cannot wear the one that I've had for the past couple of years. I can't remember the last time that I was actually a little bit excited about trying on bathing suits. Maybe a new bathing suit will be my reward for completing the challenge.

I think it's a good thing to challenge ourselves, especially when you're trying to lose weight. It's easy to get stuck in a routine and eventually plateau with our weight loss. That's where I was. I did the same workouts pretty much every day, never really making it any harder. Our bodies respond to hard work and a variety of movements. If you are seeing the results that you want, I challenge you to change it up. Try a new class at the gym, get a new workout DVD, push yourself even if you think you can't give anymore. Your body and the scale will thank you!

I'll do day 3 later today. I wonder how long it will take before level one starts to seem easier? I had planned to stay on level one for the whole 30 days and then realized that the program was designed to increase to a different level after 10 days. So, I'll be doing that.

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

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30 Day Challenge: Day 1

I've had a couple of off weeks since the beginning of the year. Last week was a tough week for me. I'm sure you've all heard the expression, "when it rains, it pours." Well, I spent most of the week in a proverbial downpour. Yesterday, was the first day in over a week where I woke up and actually felt good. I had plans to go to the gym for the free body assessment that I had yet to have done since joining the gym over the summer and I wanted to try a Body Pump class. However, due to some car problems and needing to get our taxes done, I wasn't able to go, but I didn't want that to stop me. If I ever want that scale to move again, I need to get my body moving. I also know that just doing cardio isn't going to cut it anymore. I need to add strength training to my workout routine. I had been lifting weights, using the express circuit at the gym last year but I had to quit after I broke my finger and once it was healed enough, I just couldn't get back into the groove. That's the main reason I wanted to try the Body Pump class. It seemed like it would be more fun that just sitting at weight machines counting reps. So, what could I do at home? Then I remembered my copy of Jillian Micheals 30 Day Shred.


So, I'm giving myself a 30 Day Challenge to actually complete the first level of this DVD...

I completed day one, yesterday. I waited until I put my daughter down for a nap. I actually tried day one a few months ago and couldn't even get through the first workout. I ended up sitting down and watching the rest of it. Ha! There were a few times that I wanted to quit yesterday but I persevered, knowing that I will get results if I press on. I did have to catch my breath for a second or two here and there but what matters is that I finished. At the end of the workout I was tired, sweaty, shaky, and even a bit nauseous! I felt a great sense of accomplishment though! I remembered to snap a few before pics. My husband wasn't home so I had to settle for the, pics through a mirror technique. I forgot to take my measurements so I'm going to do that today. I am sore today but it's the good kind of sore, reminding me that I had a great workout yesterday and that my body is responding to it. I ate a healthy lunch today of baked fish, Lima beans, and baked sweet potato. Diet is just as important as exercise!

A friend of mine, Brandi, that I went to college with, decided to take the challenge with me. We are reporting in to each other through Facebook after we've completed each day! I'm looking forward to hearing her results as well. One thing that kept me accountable and pressing onward when I did the C25K training was blogging about it each week. I plan on doing the same for the 30 Day Shred. I may not blog every day since that might get monotonous but I'll at least blog every couple of days on my progress and how I feeling about it.

If you are looking for an intense workout at home, I would suggest this DVD. I'm sure any of Jillian's DVDs will do the trick.

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole

I finally got around to trying a recipe that was given to me back in May of last year. The original recipe comes from Spark People and you can find it here. I gave it a few modifications after my mom tried it and said it was bland. We absolutely loved it, including my four year old!

Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole

Cooked quinoa

1 medium bell pepper chopped, 3 cloves of garlic chopped, dried minced onion and 1/2 packet of taco seasoning.

2 medium/large sweet potatoes shredded

3 cups cooked black beans, 1 cup cooked quinoa, 2 shredded sweet potatoes, sauteed peppers and garlic with minced onion and taco seasoning, and 1/2 cup of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese.

Combine

2 eggs and 1 cup of salsa whisked together.

Pour egg mixture over bean and quinoa mixture.

Pour into a 9x13 greased pan and top with remaining 1/2 -1 cup cheddar.

Fresh out of the oven.

Served and topped with cilantro! YUMMY!

I forgot to take a picture of the black beans by themselves. Sorry that it was missing above! 

Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole

1 cup cooked quinoa

3 cups cooked black beans, drained*

2 large sweet potatoes, shredded

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

Dried minced onion

1/2 packet of taco seasoning

1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper

2 eggs

1 cup salsa

2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x9 (I only had a 9x13) casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Saute bell pepper in a small amount of EVOO. When bell pepper is almost done, add chopped garlic, desired amount of minced onion, and 1/2 packet of taco seasoning. Remove from heat. 

In a large bowl combine quinoa, black beans, sweet potatoes, bell pepper mixture, 1/2 cup cheese and salt and pepper (I actually omitted the salt and pepper). In a small bowl whisk together eggs and salsa. Pour salsa mixture over the bean and quinoa mixture and mix together. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve and garnish with cilantro.

*You can use two cans of black beans. I used dried beans that I had soaked over night and cooked for about 2 hours this morning. I cooked the beans with two chicken bouillon cubes, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. If you use canned beans, you may want to season them up a bit.

Enjoy!

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

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So, I'm an Army Wife...

Now what?

Last Thursday, my husband was officially sworn into the US Army. I am so proud of him!

In the almost nine years that we've been married, we have gone 'round and 'round about Ryan joining the military. I was against it! We argued, I cried, I was angry and mean. It wasn't until recently that I realized that I was holding my husband back. He didn't feel that he had my unequivocal support, no matter what decisions he made. He has wrestled continuously for the last few years about what he needs to be doing but he felt that no matter what decision he came to, that I wouldn't support him and if I did, I would do it begrudgingly.

That's a hard pill to swallow.

I grew up in the same town that my parent's grew up in. Until I was 18, I had only known one little corner of south Georgia. Both sets of my grandparent's lived there as well. We were next door neighbors with my dad parent's and I saw them daily. We spent majority of the weekend's with my mom's parent's. I love my grandparent's deeply. I am beyond thankful that I had the opportunity to grow up near them and to feel their love and support throughout my childhood and teen years. They still support me now, I just don't live close enough to visit them often. I have countless memories with all four of them that I will cherish forever. I want that for Abigail.

I'm extremely close to my parent's and it was hard enough to leave them behind when Ryan and I moved after we graduated from college. But once I had Abigail, living far away from my parent's became one of the hardest things. I want so much for Abigail to be able to say, "can I spend the night with Nana and Papa?" and for me to not have to save money for gas, pack our bags, drive four hours, and live out of a suitcase for several days. I want her to have what I had with my grandparent's. But living four hours away is doable. We get to see them every couple of months and usually for a week at a time. She has a great relationship with my parent's and I know that will never change no matter where we live.

So, when it came to my husband pursuing his dreams, I held back because I was afraid. Afraid that his dream might take me too far from my parent's and Abigail too far from her grandparent's. I wasn't willing to risk that. So I fought and I fought hard. I was stubborn, rude, and all together difficult. Now, I am ashamed. I am ashamed that I have not been the help-meet to him that he deserves. I am ashamed that I did not offer him my total support. I am ashamed that he has been stressed because of me. And I am sorry. I love my husband deeply and it hurts me to know that I haven't been there for him the way I should have been.

I am still afraid. What military spouse/family isn't? Some of you out there are seasoned veterans in this military life. Mine is just starting out. I have no idea what to expect. I've only seen Army Wives, the TV show. But while I am afraid, I have peace. Does that sound weird? To be peaceful about something in which you are afraid? I am also excited. Excited for my husband to fulfill his dream, to do what he has felt the need to do for so long. I am excited about new adventures. I am still worried that we will end up somewhere so far away from my parent's that I won't get to see them nearly as much as I do now. I'm afraid that my daughter's relationship with my parent's will consist mainly of phone calls, letters, and Skype conversations and that we'll only get to visit with them once or twice a year.

I also recognize that this will be a growing, stretching, and learning time for me. I pray that God will do a great work in my life and heart throughout all of this. Realizing that I wasn't being the wife my husband deserved is only the starting place.

Pray for us.

Ryan leaves for basic two days before our 9th wedding anniversary. Just typing that brings tears to my eyes. How are we going to explain daddy's absence to a four year old? How am I going to explain to her why he will miss her birthday party this year? Because he'll go on to training for his job as an Army Medic after basic. How will I raise our daughter alone during the time that he is gone and be responsible for all the things that he takes care of here? It seems like such a huge task. I'd appreciate any advice and information from you Army wives out there? PLEASE leave me comments and help me along on this journey!

No matter where we end up when he is through with all his training, I know this...I support my husband, I am proud of him and his willingness to sacrifice for his country, and I know that God is able and in control!

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica

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Spicy Baked Chickpeas

A can of chickpeas in our house usually means a batch of hummus. I have a serious addiction to hummus. It's a good think it's healthy for you. I'd been wanting to try something else with chickpeas for a while. I just couldn't bring myself to do it because of my deep, deep love for hummus. Did I mention I LOVE hummus, yet? Ha ha! 

Today I finally got up the courage to make something other than hummus with the chickpeas in the cabinets. Enter my new love...spicy baked chickpeas! Oh my goodness! They are so tasty and good for you too! I can already tell that this will be a staple snack in our house. Chickpeas are full of protein and fiber. Just be sure not to eat the whole bowl in one sitting! 

Chickpeas, EVOO, Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, and Salt.

Drain the chickpeas.

Rinse chickpeas and drain well.

In a small bowl combine EVOO, Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, and Salt.

Whisk to combine.

Once you've drained the chickpeas, pour them out over a paper towel.

Use another paper towel over the top and gently roll over the chickpeas to dry them off.

Chickpeas have a skin, some of this will be removed while drying. You can just throw  the skin away.

Pour chickpeas in the bowl with the EVOO mixture.

Stir to coat the chickpeas.

Pour chickpeas onto a baking sheet. I lined mine with foil.

Spread chickpeas out over pan.
 

Place in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Chickpeas will be golden and crunchy. Be sure to pay close attention to them near the end of cooking time to make sure they don't burn.

Voila! A healthy snack!

Don't they look yummy?!

Spicy Baked Chickpeas

Serves 3

1 can of chickpeas

1 tbs EVOO

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas well. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients, whisk. Pour chickpeas onto paper towel. Using another paper towel, gently roll or pat the chickpeas to dry. Remove any skin. Place chickpeas in bowl with EVOO mixture and stir to combine. Pour chickpeas onto a baking sheet and spread out. Place in oven for 35 minutes until golden and crispy. Be sure to pay attention to the chickpeas near the end of the cooking time to make sure they don't burn. Enjoy!

They're delightfully crunchy!

I can't wait to make these again and experiment with different seasonings! You may as well go ahead and make a double batch because they'll be gone in no time! :)

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica