We're having a pot luck here at the box tonight, so I thought I'd share my recipe for those who might be interested. I made a very easy, low-key, delicious and Paleo treat, Chocolate Coconut Balls. They look very similar to truffles, but are obviously much healthier for you! Many of our athletes, including superstars Kelly (of "Kelly and Eman") and Erin are huge fans.
Chocolate Coconut Balls*
2 C nuts of your choice (I use almond flour, pecans and walnuts)
1 T cocoa
1 T raw or agave honey
1 T coconut oil
1/4 C unsweetened coconut flakes
Extra coconut flakes (about 1 C)
*Ingredients above make about 10 balls.
**You can also add protein powder to the mixture so that it's not just carbs and healthy fats, but I'm not 100% sure what the amount would be. Maybe cut back on the nut flour??
Put nuts into food processor or blender, process/blend until it's fine, like flour. Note that the mixture will be kind of sticky and moist, but you don't want any big chunks of nuts in there! Put nut "flour" into a bowl. Mix in cocoa, honey, coconut oil and 1/4 C coconut flakes. You'll probably have to mix with your hands, as the coconut oil and honey don't mix well with a spoon. I usually mix for a good minute or two til I don't have honey stuck on my fingers!
Once the mixture is well blended, roll into truffle-sized balls (mine fit perfectly in mini muffin tins). They don't exactly roll easily, so you'll have to put them in your fist and ball them up that way. Once they're nice and round, roll balls in excess coconut flakes to coat their surface. When done, put them in the fridge to set.
I always get lots of compliments on this recipe, but I am sure it could be tweaked to change the flavor a bit. Enjoy!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
What New Year's Resolution?
It's almost February, and I haven't made any progress on my New Year's Resolutions, which are 1) eat less candy, 2) read more books and 3) be more positive. I really would like to accomplish at least two of these things, but like 99% of the world, I'm having a hard time keeping them top of mind.
According to surveys, only 8% of Americans successfully achieve their New Yearʼs resolutions. Why is it so hard to stick to our guns and actually follow through? Same reason that you canʼt get to an unknown destination without a map: you have to have a plan. This plan, along with willpower, is the only thing that insures success and a feeling of triumph by the time 2012 rolls around. Here are a few tips that will help with that plan and lead to resolution success.
1. Set realistic and appropriate resolutions. If youʼve never run a mile in your life, running your first marathon in 2011 will seem excruciatingly daunting. Instead, set a goal to run once a week, then three times, building up to a 5 or 10K. This will keep you from feeling like gigantic failure when you head out for your first long run on a Saturday morning and wonder how youʼre going to make it through the next 10 weeks of training (and if that $110 entry fee is
refundable).
2. Be accountable. Donʼt just think about your resolutions, write them down. Then theyʼre there, as a contract and agreement with yourself. Post them on the fridge, an even better idea if you have a weight-related resolution! Use friends and family for accountability as well. Come February or March, check in on each other to see how your resolutions are coming along.
3. Have a plan of attack. If youʼre resolving to quit smoking, youʼre going to run into severe temptation when youʼre out with friends who smoke. Choose to hang out with them at non-smoking establishments (aka - the entire city of Chicago), or have your response planned when they offer you a cigarette. And remember, your friends should want to support you.
4. Track your progress. Set certain benchmarks that will help you measure how far youʼve come since January 1st. Continual improvement is more probable when you can see the progress youʼve made and the difference between your old and new habits. Wanting to become less of a pack rat? Clean out your dresser first, then move on to the bathroom, then finally, the closet. Youʼll feel more and more organized and streamlined with each task you check off the
list.
5. Reward yourself. When your resolution becomes a reality, itʼs time to celebrate! Treat yourself at a restaurant youʼve been dying to visit with the money you saved by only going to Starbuckʼs 2 times a week instead of 5. After all, resolutions are never easy. And big accomplishments deserve a prize!
Donʼt be like many people and not set a resolution because youʼre afraid of failure. I think weʼve all learned that weʼre capable of doing things we thought were impossible for us. So decide on your resolution. Set a goal. Make a plan. And celebrate your accomplishments next December 31st. I will be celebrating by eating some candy as a reward. :)
According to surveys, only 8% of Americans successfully achieve their New Yearʼs resolutions. Why is it so hard to stick to our guns and actually follow through? Same reason that you canʼt get to an unknown destination without a map: you have to have a plan. This plan, along with willpower, is the only thing that insures success and a feeling of triumph by the time 2012 rolls around. Here are a few tips that will help with that plan and lead to resolution success.
1. Set realistic and appropriate resolutions. If youʼve never run a mile in your life, running your first marathon in 2011 will seem excruciatingly daunting. Instead, set a goal to run once a week, then three times, building up to a 5 or 10K. This will keep you from feeling like gigantic failure when you head out for your first long run on a Saturday morning and wonder how youʼre going to make it through the next 10 weeks of training (and if that $110 entry fee is
refundable).
2. Be accountable. Donʼt just think about your resolutions, write them down. Then theyʼre there, as a contract and agreement with yourself. Post them on the fridge, an even better idea if you have a weight-related resolution! Use friends and family for accountability as well. Come February or March, check in on each other to see how your resolutions are coming along.
3. Have a plan of attack. If youʼre resolving to quit smoking, youʼre going to run into severe temptation when youʼre out with friends who smoke. Choose to hang out with them at non-smoking establishments (aka - the entire city of Chicago), or have your response planned when they offer you a cigarette. And remember, your friends should want to support you.
4. Track your progress. Set certain benchmarks that will help you measure how far youʼve come since January 1st. Continual improvement is more probable when you can see the progress youʼve made and the difference between your old and new habits. Wanting to become less of a pack rat? Clean out your dresser first, then move on to the bathroom, then finally, the closet. Youʼll feel more and more organized and streamlined with each task you check off the
list.
5. Reward yourself. When your resolution becomes a reality, itʼs time to celebrate! Treat yourself at a restaurant youʼve been dying to visit with the money you saved by only going to Starbuckʼs 2 times a week instead of 5. After all, resolutions are never easy. And big accomplishments deserve a prize!
Donʼt be like many people and not set a resolution because youʼre afraid of failure. I think weʼve all learned that weʼre capable of doing things we thought were impossible for us. So decide on your resolution. Set a goal. Make a plan. And celebrate your accomplishments next December 31st. I will be celebrating by eating some candy as a reward. :)
Monday, January 17, 2011
We are the CHAMPIONS!
In case you haven't heard, Auburn won the BCS National Championship last week with a 22-19 victory over the Oregon Ducks! My family and I were lucky enough to be there, and we had an A-MAAAAA-ZING time! Here's a pic of me and two of my siblings, James and Allie, after the game. WAR DAMN EAGLE!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
13-0!
Cam and my Tigers beat South Carolina (56-17) tonight to secure a spot in the BCS National Championship game! I couldn't be more excited.WAR DAMN EAGLE!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Things I Like Thursday
I have no choice but to order these. Want some? They also come in red, and there's so much more Yay Burpees apparel to chose from. I might have ordered a t-shirt too...Monday, November 8, 2010
What happens in Vegas makes me bloated.
I'm back from Vegas! I had an amazing weekend with seven girlfriends as we relaxed, ate fabulous food (maybe it was Zoleo; maybe it wasn't...), laughed a ton and even did a variation of Tabata Something Else in our hallway at Paris. It was such a blast and made me even more thankful for my friends. Special shout-out to my girl Nicole for hooking us up!
After a weekend away, it's sometimes tough to get back into the swing of things, specifically good eating habits. I absolutely love seeing and feeling the benefits of a good Paleo/Zone diet, but I'm also not one to deny myself the culinary treats of a weekend in Vegas. So, I indulged in margaritas from El Segundo Sol where I discovered my new favorite margarita of all time (mango), breakfast and dinner at Mon Ami Gabi and of course, a waffle cone from Ben & Jerry's (not gonna link that one; it will do more harm than good for your appetite!). Of course everything was delicious, but I'd be lying if I sad I was happy about the approx. 2 lbs. of extra weight I'm now carrying around in addition to an overall feeling of puffiness. Blehhh.
Do you ever feel that way after vacation? Do you feel like the indulgence is worth the feeling of "two steps back" you have when you return to your normal routine? I don't... So here are a few tips (to be used on or off vacation) for allowing yourself to indulge without feeling like a total failure.*
Be prepared. Plan the places you'll go and check out the menu in advance. Find items that are good choices so that you aren't forced to make a last-minute, un-researched decision when you place your order at the table.
Limit yourself. One margarita is okay. Five is not. Yes, food is good, but is it that good? We work hard, but hard work can be quickly erased by what we put in our body. Sorry, but I'd rather keep my external obliques and lower back dimples than have another margarita. It's hard to remember that when you have a menu full of mouth-watering food and drinks, but try to ask yourself: "is it worth it?" Usually, the answer is no.
Practice self-control. This one is extremely difficult for me. I can't just have a bite of a piece of cake because I'll want to eat the whole thing (then have a second piece, and a third...). If you know what your triggers are, don't indulge them. For me, it's my sweet tooth. Jen, you remember that time we went to Bull & Bear and I didn't take a bite of the skillet cookie?? This is why.
If you have to cheat, cheat "in the Zone." If you know you're going to want a cupcake from Sweet Mandy B's after having lunch while shopping in Lincoln Park, skip the carbs and fat during lunch and just have protein. I'm not about totally depriving myself of the things I love for the rest of my life, but again, I like my back dimples, so I'm going to be a smart cheater.
Be easy on yourself. So you might have eaten an entire plate of Nutella Crepes at Yolk, plus the blueberry waffles that were meant to be shared by the table. Don't beat yourself up over it and continue to eat poorly throughout the day because you've already screwed up. Get over it, and move on.
Hopefully those help those of you who struggle (like myself) with food temptations! Feel free to comment on other tips that you've found successful.
*Dear Readers: I'm talking to myself here too. By no means am I 100% Zone 100% of the time, but I do try my hardest to be good to my body and not totally wipe out all the work I do in the box by eating like a bottomless pit. I fail too, and I absolutely will tell you about it. I'm all about transparency.
After a weekend away, it's sometimes tough to get back into the swing of things, specifically good eating habits. I absolutely love seeing and feeling the benefits of a good Paleo/Zone diet, but I'm also not one to deny myself the culinary treats of a weekend in Vegas. So, I indulged in margaritas from El Segundo Sol where I discovered my new favorite margarita of all time (mango), breakfast and dinner at Mon Ami Gabi and of course, a waffle cone from Ben & Jerry's (not gonna link that one; it will do more harm than good for your appetite!). Of course everything was delicious, but I'd be lying if I sad I was happy about the approx. 2 lbs. of extra weight I'm now carrying around in addition to an overall feeling of puffiness. Blehhh.
Do you ever feel that way after vacation? Do you feel like the indulgence is worth the feeling of "two steps back" you have when you return to your normal routine? I don't... So here are a few tips (to be used on or off vacation) for allowing yourself to indulge without feeling like a total failure.*
Be prepared. Plan the places you'll go and check out the menu in advance. Find items that are good choices so that you aren't forced to make a last-minute, un-researched decision when you place your order at the table.
Limit yourself. One margarita is okay. Five is not. Yes, food is good, but is it that good? We work hard, but hard work can be quickly erased by what we put in our body. Sorry, but I'd rather keep my external obliques and lower back dimples than have another margarita. It's hard to remember that when you have a menu full of mouth-watering food and drinks, but try to ask yourself: "is it worth it?" Usually, the answer is no.
Practice self-control. This one is extremely difficult for me. I can't just have a bite of a piece of cake because I'll want to eat the whole thing (then have a second piece, and a third...). If you know what your triggers are, don't indulge them. For me, it's my sweet tooth. Jen, you remember that time we went to Bull & Bear and I didn't take a bite of the skillet cookie?? This is why.
If you have to cheat, cheat "in the Zone." If you know you're going to want a cupcake from Sweet Mandy B's after having lunch while shopping in Lincoln Park, skip the carbs and fat during lunch and just have protein. I'm not about totally depriving myself of the things I love for the rest of my life, but again, I like my back dimples, so I'm going to be a smart cheater.
Be easy on yourself. So you might have eaten an entire plate of Nutella Crepes at Yolk, plus the blueberry waffles that were meant to be shared by the table. Don't beat yourself up over it and continue to eat poorly throughout the day because you've already screwed up. Get over it, and move on.
Hopefully those help those of you who struggle (like myself) with food temptations! Feel free to comment on other tips that you've found successful.
*Dear Readers: I'm talking to myself here too. By no means am I 100% Zone 100% of the time, but I do try my hardest to be good to my body and not totally wipe out all the work I do in the box by eating like a bottomless pit. I fail too, and I absolutely will tell you about it. I'm all about transparency.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Encounters with the Rich(??) and Famous
Jeff Samardzija is my neighbor. I live in a three-unit walk-up condo building in the garden and first floors; he's up on the third with his girlfriend and horse-dog that gallops up and down the stairs very loudly. I have had one lovely and friendly encounter with him to date, until this morning...
I had worked out at 5:45am (sidenote: first time doing 75# push presses in a workout and I LIVED!), then gone back home to take a nap. After napping, I went to la-tan toburn bronze up for my upcoming Vegas weekend. When I got back home, I pulled into our parking area only to find J-Sam unloading groceries from his car. Awesome... I'm basically a hot mess. In sweats, a t-shirt and hoodie, no make-up, hair is a disaster, etc. I get out of the car, and J-Sam greets me with a supercool "howya doin?" I'm all, "good, thanks!" {I'm literally a few paces behind him now, as he's got his last batch of groceries and is heading into our communal side door} He then proceeds to enter our building via the side door, and slam and lock the door behind him. I literally stopped in my tracks, about 3 feet from the door to think about what just happened (and I think I might've actually said "really???" out loud). Jeff Samardzija knew I was coming in, and yet closed the door and locked it behind him. Nice one, homeboy.
Then I went inside and into the restroom and saw that I had my tanning goggles draped around my neck. Hotttt.
I had worked out at 5:45am (sidenote: first time doing 75# push presses in a workout and I LIVED!), then gone back home to take a nap. After napping, I went to la-tan to
Then I went inside and into the restroom and saw that I had my tanning goggles draped around my neck. Hotttt.
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