Sunday, August 25, 2013

Planning Your Deficit Part 2: A Week in the Life of Liss



A recent back shot. Take pics often to monitor progress!

Planning Your Deficit Part 2- A Week in the Life of Liss


Since it has been a few months since I last posted what my week of workouts and meals looks like, so I thought I would do an update.

When planning a deficit, what works and does not work often changes. For example, I used to prefer 36 hour fasts, and now I generally prefer 24h fasts. The key to fasting is to go with what feels best and works with your life. In general- the leaner you are, the shorter your fasts should be.

I am doing less cardio and more lifting now as I am not training for the annual half marathon currently. That will pick back up in October.

As you approach your goal metric- the calories should be tapering upward so that you are approaching maintenance calories and you slide right into

Here is the look of my current weekly routine-
  • 8000-9000 calories per week, with 1 day at maintenance calorie levels (My maintenace level is approx 1700-1900 cals a day depending on activity level)
  • 1x24H fast
  • 4-5 Venus Factor workouts (generally an hour each)
  • 1-2 hours of moderate intensity cardio (stadiums, jogging)
  • Average 85g protein daily or more
  • Tend to skip or eat a smallish breakfast to save calories for later in the day when I am hungrier

Monday, August 19, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE & CREAM WITH VITAMINS

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Meal Totals 74 7 3 1 104 1,000 1,667 0 2 16

Lunch HAMBURGER AND VEGGIES WITH CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Ground beef, lean, 3.5 oz 262 21 0 18 0 12 39 0 0 68
Bread, Arnold's 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 1 serving 110 1 20 5 0 0 0 0 3 150
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread (1/16), 1 serving 152 1 32 4 7 2 1 0 2 26
Cucumber (with peel), 0.25 cup slices 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1
Meal Totals 527 22 53 27 8 14 39 0 5 245

Dinner CHICKEN OVER LETTUCE WITH SALSA, GREEK YOGURT AND STRAWBERRY DESSERT

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 1 cup, shredded 8 0 1 1 29 1 0 0 1 4
Strawberries, fresh, 1 cup, halves 46 1 11 1 1 4 0 0 4 2
great value greek nonfat yogurt (plain) - 1 c., 1 serving 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, roasted, 6 ounces 206 5 0 39 1 47 11 0 0 91
Salsa, 0.25 cup 18 0 4 1 8 4 0 0 1 281
Meal Totals 397 5 25 64 38 57 11 0 5 493

Snack PURE PROTEIN CHOCOLATE DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Protein Bar - Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe, 1 serving 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Meal Totals 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Daily Totals 1,179 39 98 112 176 1,091 1,737 0 15 828

Forward day eating wise! After a full day at work, my friend Carrie- a veteran Venus friend from the Venus Index  Community, came to visit from Iowa. We did 55 minutes of VI Phase 3, Week 12, Day 4 with shoulder and leg specializations at my Venus gym class. It was a blast! When I have a busy day, my crockpot is my friend because dinner is ready to go when I get home. I made my Crockpot Tex Mex Shredded Chicken for dinner, I make this about once a week! You are going to notice that I eat Greek yogurt with fruit almost every night for dinner- this is how I make it.
Carrie is far left, I am toward the center
 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Breakfast COFFE & CREAM WITH VITAMINS, PROTEIN PANCAKES WITH PEACHES, TOAST

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Banana, fresh, 0.25 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) 26 0 7 0 0 9 0 0 1 0
Peaches, fresh, 1 medium (2-1/2" dia) (approx 4 per lb) 42 0 11 1 10 1 0 0 2 0
Oat Meal (Quaker Oats - Old Fashioned - dry), 0.25 cup 75 2 14 3 0 0 0 0 2 0
great value greek nonfat yogurt (plain) - 1 c., 0.5 serving 60 0 5 12 0 0 0 0 0 58
Egg whites, Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, 1/4 cup = 2 egg whites, 0.25 cup 30 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 100
Bread, whole wheat (including toast) prepared from recipe, 1 slice 127 3 24 4 0 4 0 0 3 160
Meal Totals 435 11 62 27 115 1,014 1,667 0 10 334

Lunch JASON'S DELI SALAD BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Jason's Deli Chocolate Mousse (4 oz), 0.5 serving 198 20 9 1 12 0 0 0 1 46
Black Olives, 8 jumbo 54 5 4 1 5 0 0 0 2 596
Egg, fresh, whole, raw, 2 large 144 10 1 13 12 8 16 0 0 142
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 1 cup, shredded 8 0 1 1 29 1 0 0 1 4
Veggie Platter (fresh vegetables - 1 serving = 1 cup mixed of cucumber, carrots, cauliflower, & broc, 0.25 serving 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
kraft light ranch low fat dressing 2tbsp., 1 serving 80 6 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 440
*Jello Instant Banana Cream Pudding 1/2 Cup, 0.2 cup 60 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 144
Meal Totals 548 48 31 15 58 10 16 0 3 1,373

Dinner ROASTED CHICKEN W/ BEANS, CHOCO CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD, YOGURT & BERRIES

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread (1/16), 1 serving 152 1 32 4 7 2 1 0 2 26
great value greek nonfat yogurt (plain) - 1 c., 1 serving 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, roasted, 8 ounces 275 6 0 51 1 63 14 0 0 121
Strawberries, fresh, 0.5 cup, halves 23 0 5 0 0 2 0 0 2 1
Beans, pinto, 0.2 cup 47 0 9 3 0 3 0 0 3 81
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips, 1 tbsp 70 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 5
Meal Totals 686 12 64 82 8 69 15 0 8 349

Snack PURE PROTEIN CHOCOLATE DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Protein Bar - Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe, 1 serving 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Meal Totals 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Daily Totals 1,849 75 174 143 206 1,113 1,718 0 23 2,130

This was a scheduled maintenance day, and it worked out that I had a lunch date scheduled with an old friend. This is how I make my protein pancakes, they freeze well too. I chose to do an hour of Venus Circuits for cardio- these are high rep low weight circuits that are intense! It was too hot to go outside and run or do stadiums, and I generally hate getting on the dreadmill! Circuits are great alternate form of cardio.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE WITH CREAM & VITAMINS

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Meal Totals 74 7 3 1 104 1,000 1,667 0 2 16

Lunch WATERMELON AND PURE PROTEIN CHOCOLATE DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Watermelon, 1 cup, balls 49 1 11 1 11 11 0 0 1 3
Pure Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter (50g), 1 serving 200 6 16 20 25 25 25 0 1 190
Meal Totals 249 7 27 21 36 36 25 0 2 193

Dinner WATERMELON

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Watermelon, 1 cup, balls 49 1 11 1 11 11 0 0 1 3
Meal Totals 49 1 11 1 11 11 0 0 1 3

Snack

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
None
Daily Totals 373 14 41 23 152 1,047 1,692 0 5 212

So this is my normal 24H fast day, as I take metrics every Thursday morning to judge progress. I have been doing breakfast to breakfast fasts generally, but this turned into a lunch to lunch fast. For a "perfect" fast, I should have not had any watermelon at dinner. But I was getting close to breaking my fast, and instead of ending it early, I have learned to eat something high in volume but low in calories to keep with it (apple, cucumbers, watermelon are my go-to's)... so not perfect, but better than ending it early. Still get desired VERY forward day. That is the point. In Venus class, we started an Adonis Index 12 week program- Adonis Triple Stack. It is going to be a great change to focus on more upper body work!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE WITH CREAM & VITAMINS

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Meal Totals 74 7 3 1 104 1,000 1,667 0 2 16

Lunch OLIVE GARDEN- SALAD, BREADSTICK, LASAGNA, PURE PROTEN CHOCO DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Bread - Breadstick - Olive Garden 1 stick, 1 serving 140 2 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 270
Lasagna: Meat Lasagna (Kirkland) 1cup(226g), 175 gram(s) 263 13 18 17 15 0 0 0 2 480
italian salad dressing (olive garden), 1.5 tbsp 60 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 383
Pure Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter (50g), 1 serving 200 6 16 20 25 25 25 0 1 190
Meal Totals 663 27 61 42 40 25 25 0 3 1,323

Dinner ON THE BORDER CHICKEN FAJITAS (NO TORTILLAS, SUB LETTUCE)

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Chevy's Sizzling Chicken Fajitas (No tortillas, tamalito, rice, sour cream or guacamole), 1 serving 566 13 49 62 0 0 0 0 15 1,734
Meal Totals 566 13 49 62 0 0 0 0 15 1,734

Snack

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
None
Daily Totals 1,303 46 113 105 145 1,025 1,692 0 20 3,072

I ate out TWICE this day and still managed to have a forward day- so it CAN be done. Actually, lunch was not even "eating out" it was catered in so that was ALL I had to choose from. Notice that I ate my normal protein bar snack with lunch? I did so because they were serving dessert and it averted me from blowing my day by visiting the desserts but still getting something sweet. My fajita dinner is my go-to eating out at mexican food restaurants. Why not just get the fajita salad? There is less meat and onion/bell pepper. I pour the lettuce and salsa served at the table on top of the sizzling platter- it is delicious. No workout this day, we were house hunting all afternoon after work! It would have normally been a cardio day- but I am flexible. Still hate missing a workout!

Friday, August 23, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE WITH CREAM, VITAMINS, GREEN MONSTER PROTEIN SHAKE

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Banana, fresh, 0.5 small (6" to 6-7/8" long) 45 0 12 1 1 15 0 0 1 1
Spinach, fresh, 1 cup 7 0 1 1 56 3 0 0 1 24
Almond Breeze Almond Milk, Unsweetened Original Almond Drink, 4 oz 15 1 1 1 10 0 25 0 0 50
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein - Chocolate Peanut Butter(1HeapingScoop-33g), 33 gram 120 1 3 24 0 0 0 0 1 220
PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter)- Bell Plantation, 0.5 serving 23 1 3 3 0 0 0 0 1 47
Meal Totals 284 10 22 29 171 1,018 1,692 0 7 357

Lunch SHARKY'S BURRITO- CHICKEN TACO SALAD (NO SHELL)

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Beans, black, 0.25 cup 57 0 10 4 0 1 0 0 4 0
Tortilla Chips, 1 oz 142 7 18 2 1 4 0 0 2 150
black olive (sliced), 3 tbsp 38 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cheddar or Colby Cheese, Low Fat, 1 oz 49 2 1 7 1 1 2 0 0 174
Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, roasted, 3 ounces 103 2 0 19 0 23 5 0 0 45
Salsa, 0.1 cup 7 0 2 0 3 2 0 0 0 112
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 1.5 cup, shredded 12 0 2 1 44 2 0 0 1 7
Onions, raw, 0.25 cup, sliced 11 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 1
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.25 cup, strips 9 0 2 0 2 4 0 0 0 1
Don Pablos Pico de Gallo, 1 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 75
Meal Totals 436 16 40 35 52 39 8 0 9 565

Dinner CHICKEN FAJITA SALAD WITH YOGURT/BERRIES DESSERT

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Yellow Peppers (bell peppers), 1 pepper, large (3-3/4" long, 3" dia) 50 0 12 2 7 16 0 0 2 4
Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, roasted, 6 ounces 206 5 0 39 1 47 11 0 0 91
Salsa, 0.25 cup 18 0 4 1 8 4 0 0 1 281
Strawberries, fresh, 1 cup, halves 46 1 11 1 1 4 0 0 4 2
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 1 cup, shredded 8 0 1 1 29 1 0 0 1 4
Onions, raw, 1 small 27 0 6 1 0 4 0 0 1 2
great value greek nonfat yogurt (plain) - 1 c., 1 serving 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Meal Totals 474 6 43 67 46 76 11 0 8 499

Snack PURE PROTEIN CHOCOLATE DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Protein Bar - Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe, 1 serving 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Meal Totals 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 75
Daily Totals 1,374 36 122 151 294 1,153 1,731 0 26 1,496

Forward day! My friends and I eat out at this burrito joint every Friday. I LOVE their taco salad, just without the giant calorie bomb shells. I made my Texas Oven Fajitas for dinner for the fam, we eat this almost weekly! Fridays are my normal rest day.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE WITH CREAM, VITAMINS

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Meal Totals 74 7 3 1 104 1,000 1,667 0 2 16

Lunch PROTEIN PANCAKES WITH GREEK YOGURT AND BERRIES

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Banana, fresh, 0.5 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) 53 0 13 1 1 17 0 0 2 1
Strawberries, fresh, 1 cup, halves 46 1 11 1 1 4 0 0 4 2
great value greek nonfat yogurt (plain) - 1 c., 1 serving 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Egg whites, Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, 1/4 cup = 2 egg whites, 0.5 cup 60 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 200
Oat Meal (Quaker Oats Old Fashioned - dry), 0.5 cup 150 3 27 5 0 0 0 0 4 0
Meal Totals 428 4 60 44 2 22 0 0 9 317

Dinner CROCKPOT MARINARA AND MEATBALLS W/ ZUCCHINI PASTA, WINE, YOGURT & BERRIES

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Pasta Sauce, Newman's Own Marinara Sauce, 1/2 cup, 0.5 cup 70 2 12 2 30 0 0 0 1 510
Oreo Cookies (3 cookies), 0.33 serving 53 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 53
Raspberries, 0.33 cup 20 0 5 0 1 1 0 0 3 0
Rose Wine, 2.5 fl oz 52 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 4
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 1 cup (8 fl oz) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Bread, whole wheat (including toast) prepared from recipe, 1 oz 86 2 16 3 0 3 0 0 2 108
Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced 29 0 7 1 40 7 0 0 3 5
Ground beef, lean, 3 oz 225 18 0 15 0 11 33 0 0 59
Great Value Greek Plain Nonfat yogurt 1cup/227g=1 serv, 1 cup 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Meal Totals 656 24 58 45 71 23 33 0 9 859

Snack PURE PROTEIN CHOCO DELUXE BAR, LUNCHMEAT

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Protein, Pure Protein Bar Chocolate Deluxe 1 Bar (50g), 1 serving 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 70
Turkey lunch meat, Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Mesquite turkey breast(6 slices), 2 serving 100 2 4 16 0 0 0 0 0 880
Meal Totals 280 7 21 36 25 20 20 0 2 950
Daily Totals 1,439 41 142 125 202 1,065 1,721 0 22 2,142

I love weekends, lots of extra time to cook! I usually reserve alcohol for weekends only, and only sparingly at that. It uses too many calories up and tends to urge me to make poor food choices in general, This is how I cut the amount of wine I drink. Slightly forward day. We did the second day of Adonis Triple Stack at the gym in Venus Class.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Breakfast COFFEE WITH CREAM, VITAMINS, LEFTOVER ZUCCHINI AND MEATBALLS

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp 52 6 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6
Regular Coffee, brewed from grounds, 2 cup (8 fl oz) 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10
Fish Oil, Spring Valley, 1000 mg Fish Oil, 180 mg EPA, 120 mg DHA, 1 capsule, 1 serving 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Creatine Monohydrate, 1 serving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fiber capsules, 0.52 g Psyllium husk, 6 capsules, 0.83 serving 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
ON Opti-Women Supplement (2 capsules), 1 serving 0 0 0 0 100 1,000 1,667 0 0 0
Zucchini, 0.25 cup, sliced 7 0 2 0 10 2 0 0 1 1
Beef- 80%-20% lean ground beef, 3 oz 218 17 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 53
Pasta Sauce (Hunt's Thick & Rich Roasted Garlic & Herb Tomato Sauce), 0.25 cup 35 0 7 1 5 0 0 0 2 215
Meal Totals 334 24 12 17 119 1,002 1,667 0 5 285

Lunch FAJITA SALAD

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 1 cup, shredded 8 0 1 1 29 1 0 0 1 4
Onions, raw, 0.5 cup, sliced 22 0 5 1 0 3 0 0 1 2
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.5 cup, strips 19 0 5 1 4 8 0 0 1 1
Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, roasted, 3 ounces 103 2 0 19 0 23 5 0 0 45
Meal Totals 152 3 11 21 33 36 5 0 3 53

Dinner TURKEY BURGER WITH RAW VEGGIES, YOGURT AND BERRIES FOR DESSERT

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Blueberries, fresh, 0.25 cup 20 0 5 0 1 1 0 0 1 2
Veggie Platter (fresh vegetables - 1 serving = 1 cup mixed of cucumber, carrots, cauliflower, & broc, 1 serving 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bread Arnold Select Sandwich Thins Multi Grain 1 Sandwich thin, 1 serving 100 1 22 4 0 0 0 0 5 230
Great Value Greek Plain Nonfat yogurt 1cup/227g=1 serv, 1 cup 120 0 9 23 0 0 0 0 0 115
Raspberries, 0.25 cup 15 0 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 0
Turkey, Jennie O Lean Turkey Burger Patties, 1.05 serving 179 8 0 22 2 0 0 0 0 105
Meal Totals 454 10 40 50 4 2 0 0 8 452

Snack GREEN MONSTER PROTEIN SHAKE, PURE PROTEIN CHOCO DELUXE BAR

Calories Fat Carbohydrates Protein Vitamin A, IU Vitamin B-6 Vitamin B-12 Sucrose Fiber, total dietary Sodium, Na
Spinach, fresh, 0.5 cup 3 0 1 0 28 1 0 0 0 12
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein - Chocolate Peanut Butter(1HeapingScoop-33g), 33 gram 120 1 3 24 0 0 0 0 1 220
Banana, fresh, 0.5 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) 53 0 13 1 1 17 0 0 2 1
Almond Breeze Almond Milk (original unsweetened), 1 cup 40 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 180
Protein, Pure Protein Bar Chocolate Deluxe 1 Bar (50g), 1 serving 180 5 17 20 25 20 20 0 2 70
Meal Totals 396 9 36 46 54 39 20 0 6 483
Daily Totals 1,335 45 98 134 211 1,078 1,693 0 21 1,272

Forward day, again lots of time to cook and prep food since I am at home on the weekends! So is it weird I was craving my leftover Roasted Vegetable Marina and Meatballs for breakfast? We did the third day of Adonis Triple Stack at Venus class at the gym. Loving it!

Weekly Totals

 Weekly Total Calories AVG Daily  Calories AVG daily Fat AVG Daily Carbohydrates AVG Daily Protein
8852 1265 42 113 113

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Friday, August 9, 2013

Roasted Veggie Marinara and Meatballs in the Crockpot


What do you do when you have a garden and fridge full of vegetables that need using ASAP?! You throw them into every recipe you can think of! (Sneaky, sneaky... I know.) So this recipe was born out of necessity. And it far exceeded my expectations! It is delicous. The veggie hating husband (I do not know what the heck is wrong with him!) had no idea and scarfed it up as did the littles. The roasted vegetables lend the marinara a complex flavor that I loved. But you could certainly save a little time on the prep and skip that step too!





And then there is the meatballs. I, for one, hate standing over a hot pan and getting splattered with grease just to have my meatballs disintegrate! Grrr. So I thought I would just plop the meaty balls of goodness into the marinara in a crockpot and see what happens. They were perfection! I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.  But I contained my joy, so I shall share it here with you.

Roasted Veggie Marinara and Meatballs in the Crockpot

 

The stuff-


  • 1 large can of tomato sauce
  • 1 cup of sliced or baby bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup sliced or baby carrots
  • 1/2 cup broccoli and cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup sliced or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp onion powder- separated
  • 2 tbsp basil, shredded (fresh or dried)- separated
  • 1 lbs lean ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced- separated
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley (fresh or dried)
  • 1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
  • 3/4 cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 box whole wheat thin spaghetti
and/or
  • 1 large zucchini





What you do-

Turn your oven on broil. Lay vegetables in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray, and salt. Toss to coat. Place on top rack under broiler for 10 minutes. Turn vegetables, and put them back under the broiler for 5 minutes until charred.



Allow the veggies to cool a bit then place into blender.


Add the tomato sauce and blend in batches until smooth



Place the marinara sauce in a crockpot on low. Top with 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 clove garlic,1 tbsp basil, and salt/pepper to taste. Allow it to cook for a few hours to meld the flavors.



Start on the meatball mixture once the sauce has gotten hot.



In a bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 clove of garlic, water, parsley, and egg. Approx 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper- adjust to your taste.




 I mix it with my hands until it comes together.



Grab little handfuls and form into meatballs. I like mine about ping pong ball size. But whatever floats your boat. Nestle them right into the warm marinara. Cook on low for about 3 hours for ping pong ball size meatballs. Top with 1 tbsp basil ribbons




Substitutions-

Now, I do not like to "waste" all of my calories on pasta. Just how I roll. Feel free to wrap your roasted veggie marinara on some whole wheat thin spaghetti. That is how my fam likes theirs. You could leave out the meatball and this would be an amazing vegetarian dish.

I make myself a plate of zucchini noodles. Love them! Makes the dish gluten-free too if you are watching your gluten intake.

Here is how I make mine. First I slice a big zucchini in half. And grab my vegetable peeler.






Starting on the corner edge, I create ribbons of zucchini. I drop them straight into my skillet that has already been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Word to the wise- the zucchini will shrink up while sauteeing, so make about 1 and a half times the amount you need. Cook over high heat about 8-10 minutes until it is tender.


Top with your roasted veggie marinara and meatballs. Enjoy!

Nutritional Stats:

Per 4 oz meatballs and 1 cup of veggie marinara and 1 cup of zucchini noodles
  • Calories-411kcal
  • Carbs- 21g
  • Fat- 26g
  • Protein-23g

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Friday, August 2, 2013

Growing into Venus- Nutrition

I have a new guest article posted today over at VenusIndex.com :)


Last time, we talked about age and training age- they should guide training and frequency. Today, we will discuss nutrition.

Liss After VI

As a child, I ate until I was satisfied and only what tastes good. The pattern is to continue eating until satiated by feel- it is called eating intuitively. At some point I changed the way I ate in order to change my body. This is when I first dipped my toes into dieting or nutrition.

Eating Less

Most people understand that to lose weight the goal is to eat less calories. So the first step for many is to do just that- so I ate less. It is common to overdo it at first. I pushed too hard and I got burned out quickly. I was miserable, hungry, and ready for something else.

Continue reading
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Monday, July 22, 2013

Cinnamon Protein Crepes with Banana Greek Creme


Ya'll. This is seriously good eats.


 The kids wanted some too...


And they licked their plates clean!


Cinnamon Protein Crepes with Banana Greek Creme

 

For Cinnamon Protein Crepes

Makes 7
The Stuff-
  • 1 cup liquid egg whites
  • 1/2 cup Non-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup Vanilla whey powder
  • 1/2 old fashioned oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
What you do-
  1. Dump it all in the blender and give a whirl to incorpate it all.
  2. Heat a medium nonstick pan over high heat. (I used my 10" Orgreenics pan)
  3. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in 1/2 cup of batter.
  4. As soon as it hits the pan, lift the pan and swirl it to all the sides and turn the heat to medium.
  5. After about 60 seconds, bubbles will form in the center and pop. Loosen the crepe with a spatula and turn it.
  6. Allow the other side to cook for 60 seconds.
  7. As the crepes finish, stack them with towels in between to keep from sticking and keep warm.

 

For Banana Greek Creme

The stuff-
  • 1/2 banana (can be frozen
  • 1/2 cup Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 box Sugar Free Jello Cheesecake Pudding
  • Splash of almond milk if needed

What you do-
  1. Put all the ingredients into the blender, splashing with almond milk to loosen as needed..

I topped my Cinnamon Protein Crepes with Banana Greek Creme with Walden Farms 0 calorie syrup, a few toasted pecans, and a dollop of whip cream. Enjoy! (These will freeze beautifully by the way. Just layer in a bog ziploc with wax paper between the crepes.)

 

Nutritional Stats-

(for 2 Crepes and a quarter of Banana Greek Creme Recipe)
Calories- 193
Carbs- 17 g
Fat- 2 g
Protein- 29 g

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Friday, July 19, 2013

Growing into Venus: Age and Training Age

 
Hey guys, I have an article featured over on the Venus Index today I would like to share!



Upon listening to the recently released Uncensored Podcast- Fitness Trends 2013, I got to thinking about my specific age, training age, and my nutrition age. I have been at this for longer than a decade even though I found Venus a short year ago. Man, I have come a long way in a year.

Today we will discuss age and training age, next week we will look at the evolution of nutrition as you grow in your training.

Age and training age

I just turned 29. I have been weight training on and off since I was 15- making my training age 10 years if I take out the periods that I was not doing anything. My training was certainly never for specific for a look before I found Venus. Continue reading
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Sunday, July 14, 2013

Lower Calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake

My birthday was a few days ago, gaaa... I am getting old! And I wanted CAKE! But wait, most cakes are 500 calories a serving. That takes a big hit out of a girl's daily calorie budget!

So, I made my lower-calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake. People do not believe me that this cake is half the calories of a normal cake with frosting.

My Hawaiian Dream Cake is my go-to recipe when I have to take a dessert to a gathering.

Speaking of... that is one of my tools in my arsenal that I am not sure that I have shared before! I am pretty social. We have work friends and family that require eating at social gatherings at least twice per week, usually more frequently. It would definately throw a wrench in my physique goals if I just threw caution to the wind and ate whatever that frequently.  My tool is to take one or two things to the gathering that I know I can eat and plan them in. Usually one of the items needs to be very filling but lower calorie- so like a vegetable tray with Greek ranch dip or a shredded chicken salad. That way I will not be crazy hungry.

If we are eating out, I find a menu online in advance and pick out my order ahead of time. Family owned restaurants usually have "fall-back" items on the menu depending on what type of food they serve- a lean protein with a vegetable. I find that most protein topped salads do not have enough meat on them, so I usually order a steak or grilled chicken (or fajitas) with a side of lettuce and make my own salad with salsa.

Anyway- I think you are going to love this recipe.

 

Lower Calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake

The Stuff:

  • 1 box (18.5 oz) of white cake mix
  • 1 can (12 oz) Fresca (or Diet 7up or Sprite Zero)
  • 1 can (15 oz) of manderin oranges (in Splenda)
  • 1 box (1 oz) of Sugar Free Jello Banana Cream Pudding Mix
  • 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple (in juice)
  • 8 oz container of sugar free cool whip, thawed
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 12 maraschino cherries

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Mix cake mix and fresca until just blended and pour into 9x13 dish. Cook for apprx 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool on rack. Poke about 10 holes throughout cake with the end of a wooden spoon.

Mix undrained can of oranges and pudding mix. Pour over cake evenly. Drain pineapple, then evenly pour over cake. Top with container of cool whip. Lightly toast coconut and pecans in oven for about 5 minutes. Pour over cake. Decorate with cherries on top and enjoy!



We ate this cake UP!


Nutritional Facts per serving:

  • 12 servings
  • 275 cals
  • 51 g carbs
  • 8 g fat
  • 1.5 g protein

(Compare that to the same portion of a 9x13 carrot cake with frosting at 650 cals, 99.5 carbs, 25 g fat, 9.5 g protein... winning.)


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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

My face in random places

Summer has been crazy, but I have been soaking up family time. I promise to be back soon with some great new low-cal recipes! There is a dessert one that I am perfecting too- sugar free and chocolate! Yes!

Anyway my mug has been popping up in random places lately...

The first one is a feature in the new Venus Factor 12 Week Fat loss System. JB asked me to write a paragraph on the Venus Mindset- what it meant to me.

Here is a screen shot of it-


Venus also released a new promo video for the Venus Factor where my before and after photos are featured. This time fully clothed!

Here is a screen shot of my video debut-


Kind of weird to see yourself in a promo video, but I was glad to help. Love Venus! (Quick shout out!)
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