Holiday down time

 

Down time? During the holidays? Never…

I mean down time at the gym. I think everyone and their dog are busy with holiday parties this week because there was hardly anyone at the gym tonight. I guess I should enjoy it because once January hit its going to be a mad house! Got to love those new years resolutions!

Workout: GPP, Body pump, 1 mile run.

Yes. 1 freaking mile. And it was hard. I purposely planned on just 1 mile so in my head that’s all I had to get through, but I will admit it felt like the never-ending mile! Why is that? I think my body has gone into hibernation for the holidays and is just wanting a little R&R. Guess what? I’m going to listen to it. There are only a few weeks left of the “off season” before race training commences and I’m going to take these next few weeks a little lighter then hit it hard. (By hard, I mean stick to my training plan). Every body needs to rest and your body is smart and knows when it needs a break. It will tell you when, you just have to learn to listen.

This is hard for me to do because I am go-go-go all the time then all of sudden I feel weak, fatigued, NO energy or motivation to run/swim/bike. It lasts about 2 weeks before I feel that drive that energizes me through my workouts comes back. Does this happen to you? I bet it does. Take a break! You don’t have to stop working out completely but just take it easier- lift lighter, run a little slower etc.  Enjoy this holiday down time. I know I am.

This morning I actual was one to embrace that holiday down time, by sleeping in! Hence the reason I was up waaaaaay to late wrapping presents!

I believe wrapping presents is the WORST part of this whole Santa gig, and or gift giving thing. I don’t mind shopping (by myself) or spending our life savings on presents but wrapping… I think it might just be worst then putting away laundry. And I hate spending money on wrapping paper.. kind of like how you hate paying for quality T.P.. But its sort of a necessary thing.

Anyway, This morning I got to sleep in a little (ahem, 7:30am) I woke up and just couldn’t do egg whites and veggies. I wanted something warm, topped with syrup and bananas.

Pancakes

These pancakes with a few alterations.

{Protein Pancakes}

• 1.5 scoops of vanilla protein
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 C. almond milk
• 2 TBSP of coconut flour (I have used oat flour before as well)
• 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
• 1/2 TBSP of Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin
• 1 TBSP of agave nectar

I mixed all the ingredients and poured onto hot skillet, covered with a lid on med/low heat and let it cook for about 2 minutes before flipping.

Did you spy our holiday card in one of those pictures???

Merry Christmas!! From my family to yours!

I have a few more presents to wrap so I’m off! Except, I left it out last night and the twins got to it before I did.. now I need to go get more.. Would it be okay if I just used T.P?

Q. What is the one thing you dread about the holidays?

Don’t say your MIL. That’s just rude. jk. I have to say wrapping presents and or family parties (although they are wonderful, they can just be stressful)

Q. When can you tell your body needs a break? Either mentally or physically?

White chocolate-Cranberry Cookies

It wouldn’t be the holidays without cookies right?!

Lots of cookies.

These little gems are whole-grain and low fat. So healthy you can have two.

White Chocolate-Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 C. All purpose flour
• 1/2 C. Whole Wheat flour
• 2/3 C. whole Wheat flour
• 2 Tbs. Wheat Germ
• 2/3 C. Old fashioned Oats
• 1/4 C. Shredded coconut (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2/3 C. Applesauce (unsweetened)
• 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
• 1/4 C. Agave Nectar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• 2/3 C. Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 C. White Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Mix the first 9 ingredients together in a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl beat with electric beaters the remaining ingredients
4. Combine and using Tablespoon to transfer balls to greased cookie sheet
5. Bake for 12 minutes.

 

Cookies are easy, affordable, delicious and make great neighbor gifts!

Q. What is your favorite holiday cookie?

holiday weekend recap

On Saturday my family had the annual Hale Christmas party. I love my family and I’m very close to all my cousins, aunts and uncles. I love that we do this every year. And it is getting bigger and bigger every year!
My family always knows how to have a good time.
We started with dinner before breaking out the festivities.

I filled my plate with turkey, veggies, variety of different salads, orange roll and a white roll with raspberry butter. –>homemade rolls are amazing! B helped eat my plate so you know I went back for seconds! After our bellies were full, it was time for entertainment.
Courtesy of buddy the elf.

aka. My dad!!!!
He stayed in character the entire time. It was hilarious.
We played a few minute to win it games.
Hanging ornaments


With your partner or significant other you had to hang 3 ornaments on string without using your hands.
The 2nd game you had to hold a string in you mouth with a red puff ball on the end, put Vaseline on your nose and you have to flip the red puff up to stick to your nose without using your hands.

The 3rd game you tied a tissue box full of ornaments around your waist and you have to shake your booty. First one to empty the box wins!
Shake shake shake!!
The 4th game I didn’t get a picture of but they had to put a gingersnap cookie on their face and get it in their mouth without using your hands.
These games are sure to make you laugh till you cry!!
Then we had a special visitor!
B wouldn’t sit on Santa's lap but after a minute she warmed up to him.


T wasn’t to sure but was happy to get a gift.

We had a good time hanging out with our cousins!

This morning I got a quick 5 mile run in before heading over to GPP to complete this workout. – I love team workouts!

For breakfast I just had some egg scramble with butt load of vegetables.

5 egg whites, some yellow pepper, green pepper, green beans, onion, avocado and tomato.

Perfect start to a Monday!!!
Last night I made some whole grain-
 white chocolate cranberry cookies!
---->Recipe will be up later today!

Q. Do you like team workouts?
Q. What is your favorite “Minute to win it” game?

Tis the Season!

Oh my its been awhile since I have blogged… sorry.
Brent has been super busy with finals and work and I have been playing single mom to the twinners. Kudos to all you single moms out there. It’s tough work. But now FINALS are over and we get to enjoy some quality family time together!

We also have had Christmas parties since Wednesday.. and we have one tonight as well!
I started out today with a mile run before heading into body pump! We taught release 80 today and that lunge track gets me every time. Afterwards, I hopped back on the treadmill and did 5 miles of tabata interval sprints. Got to love speed work! I was sooooo sweaty, feels good to look and smell disgusting. ha!

When I got home I made a quick recovery shake


In the mix:

• 1 1/2 C. Almond breeze Vanilla unsweetened milk
• 5-7 ice cubes
• 1 scoop vanilla elite gourmet protein powder
• 3 squeezes of mio berry, pomegranate flavoring
• handful of spinach hence the lovely green color.

I found mio at the grocery store and was curious to see what it was like. I had a coupon for it so figured this impulse buy was justified

I must admit the mio added quite the berry punch to the shake! I have never used it before . Its advertised to add flavor to your water but I figured it could add a little twist to my shake as well!
I was still hungry after, and hand some leftover pumpkin puree in my fridge that needed to be used so I made some pumpkin oats.


We have so much shopping to do today! I am dreading the stores cause I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who has procrastinating some Christmas shopping!
Have a good day!! 
Worth the read:
Push through your plateau – via oxygen magazine
10 food label lies- via shape
Tips to avoid holiday weight gain-

Let the holiday parties begin!

Oh yes, for some reason this week has been proclaimed as Christmas party week.

Good news? I don’t have to make dinner for the next 4 days!

For lunch today I had my first little holiday shin dig. My Father in-law has a annual daddy-daughter luncheon at the lion house in SLC.

We were served a green salad, famous lion house rolls, Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and green beans! I snuck a quick picture but there were those at our table I did not know and the whole “I take pictures of my food for a blog” explanation wouldn’t be to appropriate during the performance.

It was nice to get together with him and my sister in-laws (missing 2)

Yay.. I got picture with peter

But we enjoyed this tasty meal all while listening to Peter Brienholt sing Christmas songs from his Christmas album. We had great seats! Which made it that more awkward to take a picture of him.. good thing I have some sneaky SIL’s!!

It was a great way to get me in the holiday spirit a little more. He is amazing and I could probably listen to his Christmas CD on repeat all day!

This morning at the gym there was a Pharmanex BioPhontonic Scanner.

I know. WTH. is that?

I was asked if I wanted to be tested and I agreed as long as I didn’t have to pee on a stick. I simply just had to hold my hand on this scanner. No pokes or urine required. Cool.

What the scanner does is measure the overall carotenoid antioxidant activity in your body! In short. How healthy are you really?….

The scanner actually takes about a minute or so to read your palm before it gives you a score 10,000-50,000+

It was fun to see who scored what. Although, you may workout and be within a healthy weight/activity  level, its what you put in your body is a big part of it.

To learn more about it check it out here.

Here is my score.

Score!! Clean diet = healthy body.

Eat your fruit and veggies!

I killed my to-do list today and cleaned and vacuumed my house. Its so clean.. weird? Lets hope it last. Who am I kidding by 9 am tomorrow I will have to start again..

Q. Have you ever been tested by the scanner? Take a check in your diet. Where do you think you would fall on the scale if you were to be tested?

Christmas Sleighs

Happy Monday! I’m happy its almost over.. It was a fun and busy day! Sometimes I wish the holidays were more laid back so we could just sit and enjoy it a little more and I could bottle up my babies energy and inject it into me..I would sell it.. and I would make millions! I also wish I could freeze time because they are so silly and fun right now! And I think the freezing would come in handy when T is about to throw something in the toilet or throw food across the room.. Or stick is PB & J sandwich in his sisters hair.. (all of which happen multiple times throughout the day!)

I started the day early due to my recommitment to fitness and eating healthy. I ‘m pretty sure this happens every Sunday..? But I have 4 holiday parties this week..4!!  And I’m pretty sure I will enjoy them thoroughly!!

source

This morning I woke up early and got a 5 mile run in via treadmill in 43:27. Not to fast but it was Monday and it was 5 am. I kept a good pace and my goal was to have negative splits. Done and Done! Its actually been a while since I had a good “distance” run that didn’t include speed work, intervals or multiple breaks-(its really easy to just step on the side rails to adjust incline/speed..)

I came home and made a egg puff—Running low on veggies in the house so I used 5 egg whites spinach, avocado and broccoli.. If only I had a tomato/red pepper I could claim them as Christmas eggs..? I sprinkled some chia seeds on it and consumed a frozen banana with almond butter while it was cooking.

At GPP we completed this workout. With an additional mile run (outside). Didn’t really go for time just enjoyed the run. 7:30

Came home after a quick grocery run for lunch which went unphotographed.. something to do with scrubbing jam out of B’s hair my grilled chicken, green beans, sweet potato and apple missed their photo sesh.

Then I got called to teach Body Attack so went for it… and you want to know something? I haven’t showered yet.. I’ll spare you a self portrait. – your welcome.

Tonight we made sleighs!

My MIL does it every year with the fam and I’m always really excited to do it because I think it is a fun tradition that she started and I get to hang out with my awesome SIL’s and such. My MIL even took the time to teach me the sleigh ways.. I’m a beginner.. but I’m still pleased with my sleigh! Only thing.. I wish I would of made more trees.. (which is in the back of the sleigh.. (It fell over on the way home) Only because they are made out of Reese's and that is my favorite candy EVER. I’m thinking my sleigh will be going into a forest of reeses next year. Yes?

We had a good time. The babies attention span lasted about 2.2 seconds so they cuddled with dad and watched mickey mouse.

and played with cousins

We had a blast and now I’m more then ready for bed!

Q. Do you make gingerbread houses, sleighs or trains??

I usually make houses but I’m lovin’ the sleigh tradition!

Q. What is your best tip to keep in check this holiday season?

Bring something healthy to the party to share!

Egg Tortilla Burrito

Yesterday, I took the babes up to hang out with their Grandpa and I went shopping with my step-mom and brothers. I must say it was a success and I am about 80% done! We went up to park city to the outlets and hit up Lulu.. but didn’t make it in time.. Lulu closed at 5.. (dang holiday hours!!) So all I have left is Stocking stuffers, Lulu run for me and a few GC to pick up and I’ll be done!! woo-hoo!! I’ve always been the last minute kind of shopper, so it feels good to be on top of the game this year!

We stopped by whole-foods for dinner at the hot bar. We were starving after a whole day of shopping!

I filled up my salad bowl with spinach, romaine, caprese salad, roasted veggies, red peppers, broccoli, onions, chicken and boiled eggs. Along with a little balsamic dressing drizzled over the top.

12 dollars later.. I was full and happy.

Brent was hunting and while I was shopping I received this picture via text.

Success! We have food for the rest of the year. It was the last day of the hunt for him. He drew out for a bow hunt this year so it’s a little a lot more difficult to hunt with a bow. So I am a very proud wifey. My apologies to all who this may offend. We grew up in hunter families and deer multiply like rabbits in Utah.

Moving on.

Breakfast this morning was an egg wrap

Instructions:

I took 3 egg whites and 3 TBS of almond milk-- mixed them vigorously with a fork until combined well.

Poured half onto a small skillet and covered with a lid until done.

Repeat with remaining batter

In a separate skillet whipped up a mixture of veggies and 2 additional egg whites with one yolk

Placed mixture on top of egg “tortilla.”

Wrapped them up

And drizzled with some hot sauce

Breakfast was served! I also had an unpictured grapefruit and half a banana with almond butter while the veggies were cooking! We slept in a little and was pretty un patient for food…

I was surprised with how well my egg “tortilla” turned out! That was one good breakfast burrito!

Off to do the weekly Sunday activities!

• Laundry.. dun dun duuuuunnnnn…
• Church
• Vacuuming
• Baby playing!
• Lots of family time! 

Q. What is on your Sunday Agenda?

Q. Do you pick out and buy your own Christmas gifts from your husband?

Brent and I make a list complete with links with what we want but sometimes I just have to try stuff on to see how it fits clothes, shoes etc. So I end up buying/seeing some stuff!