Hump Day Juice Cleanse and Holiday Workouts

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I'm a day late (but not a dollar short!) with this post. I have been pretty busy lately, for reasons I will share soon, but there are some big changes in the works and some big things brewing! For now, here's a look into some of my crazy habits.

What I Ate Wednesday via Peas & Crayons

This What I Ate Wednesday (and Fitness, too) post includes meals from my impromptu hump day juice cleanse as well as my workouts from the past week. Why do I post this? Because I have gotten questions before about whether I really eat the food I post (sometimes, yes... sometimes, no...) and how often I do the fitness regimens I post (and in what order).

The Food:

I started the day with a green juice, which I had picked up the day before at Loop Juice in the Chicago French Market (LOVE that place). It was a little sweet tasting for my preference, so I added the juice of 1/4 of a lemon. I felt pretty satisfied after this juice, but I probably would have wanted to munch on things if I hadn't been in meetings all morning.

For lunch, I decided to keep things "liquid," but still wanted some protein. I had received this Orgain Chocolate protein shake in a Klutch Box a few months ago, so I drank it for my liquid lunch as I walked to Target. It was pretty good, but definitely tasted like a "healthy" shake. It reminded me of the Ensure drink that Abbot makes.

Around 2:30, I was getting hungry again, and I had a red juice in the fridge from Loop Juice. This. Was. Delicious. It was so tasty and sweet that I was sad when it was gone. As I can remember, it includes pomegranate, beets, apple, carrot, and ginger.

While I started cooking dinner, I was starving. I had planned to do the juice cleanse for most of the day but have solid food for dinner, so I made myself a little appetizer in the microwave of a corn tortilla with some mixed cheese and italian seasoning, topped with sriracha. Great little 100 calorie snack to keep you from going insane while you wait for dinner!

I roasted some shredded brussels sprouts from Meez Meals in olive oil with salt and pepper, and topped it with sriracha.

Meanwhile, I also pan seared some tilapia filets in grapeseed oil and then sprinked them with taco seasoning once the fish was cooked enough that it started breaking apart easily. I heated up some corn tortillas and made some fish tacos for dinner. My husband and I both loved them, and it was a super easy (we're talking <10) minute meal.

The Fitness:

Because last week included Thanksgiving break, my workout schedule was a little wacked.

Wednesday: 45 minute Stairmaster Sprint

Thursday: Skip! Thanksgiving, y'all!

Friday: 45 minute Stairmaster Sprint/2 mile run, 20 minutes weights, 10 minutes abs (I was all over the place trying out a new gym, so I did a little bit of everything)

Saturday: 60 minute run (6 miles)

Sunday: 100 Burpee Challenge, 30 minutes mat work (pilates-ish)

Monday: 45 minute Stairmaster and Treadmill cardio

Tuesday: Body By Science

Wednesday: Skip! I was totally wiped from the past few days of workouts, for some reason!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your go-to "I'm starving and can't wait for dinner" appetizer?
• What is your favorite workout from this past week?

What I Ate Wednesday

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My second What-I-Ate-Wednesday post, and looking back on last week's, I am proud to say that this time consists of much less lazy meals! By that, I mean that I have now graduated to making my own lunch (which I typically do but lately these posts are not showing it!). Success! Cue the graduation song. Thanks, Vitamin C.

What I Ate Wednesday via Peas & Crayons

I woke up at 5:30 am to hit the gym, so my first order of business was to get some motivation in me!  I just can't do coffee at 5:30 am, and I have found that if I drink coffee right before working out, it dries me out and I have an awful, dehydrated, shaky workout. So, I had a splash of Mio in a bottle of water, which I chugged before heading to my the gym for a 40 minute run and 20 minute weight session.

Once I got to work, I had a Quest Bar (cookie dough... yes! don't ever leave me!), a packet of vitamins I DIYed (why is it so hard for me to get these down? sorry for the gagging noises, coworkers), and some chinese herbal tea. The Quest Bar is obviously the star of this show.

When lunch rolled around, I had a cup of 3 bean lean beef chili (YUM! Recipe here), a small salad with spinach, onion, red pepper, and feta, and a skin detox tea. The combination of chili and salad really hit the spot and kept me full for quite a while, and the fruity tea was a good flavor to offset the chili.

By the time I got home for dinner, I was starving. I had been running around all day and was in need of some serious fuel. I was hungry enough that I didn't even feel like I had the energy to cook (read: lazy), so I was easily swayed when my husband suggested that we eat out.

I had steak tacos (above) with avocado, black beans, lettuce, and tomatoes, on a corn tortilla. I also had a glass of vodka soda with 3 lemon wedges. Probably not the wisest (or healthiest) decision, but it hit the spot!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What decisions do you sometimes make that are not wise or healthy?
• Do you always have coffee in the morning? How do you perk up for an early workout?

Why You Need More Fiber In Your Diet

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Let's talk about fiber, okay, class? Yes, let us discuss (or, as I like to say, "lettuce").

Who Needs Fiber?
Are you...

1. trying to lose weight?
2. trying to maintain your current weight?
3. trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
4. trying to reduce your risk of disease?
5. trying to keep your blood sugar stable?

If you said yes to any of those things, then YOU need fiber in your diet! If you didn't say yes to any of those things, then you're trying to gain weight, are unconcerned with health or disease, and have no interest in living a healthy lifestyle, so... why are you reading this blog, again?

Fiber can help you lose weight or maintain your current weight by keeping you... ehem... "regular" and improving your metabolism while also helping you feel FULL!

Fiber is also known to decrease risk of disease, help you steady your blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol! So, why not add some to your diet? What have you got to lose? :)

There are two types of fiber: Soluble and Insoluble. Each type has its own benefits to your system!

Soluble v. Insoluble: A Tale of Two Fibers...

Soluble Fibers:
The soluble fibers dissolve in water (pretty easy to remember if you can remember back to your high school science classes). Soluble fibers are great for lowering cholesterol and thereby lowering your risk of heart disease. Yay!

You've probably seen the Cheerio boxes (and other cereals high in soluble fibers) boasting of "Heart Healthy" ingredients. That's the soluble fiber they're talking about!

Soluble fiber is found in beans, peas, lentils, oatmeal, oat bran, nuts, seeds, psyllium, apples, pears, strawberries, and blueberries.*

Insoluble Fibers:
And then, my friends, there is insoluble fiber. As you may have guessed, based on the description of soluble fibers as fiber that dissolves in water, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Now, the tale of two fibers is not akin to the tale of two carbs (you know how there are "good" carbs and "bad" carbs?). Instead, they're both good. Great, actually. For different reasons.

Foods that are high in insoluble fiber aid in digestion. It gets you moving. Darn it, it makes you poop. Yes. I did just say poop on my blog. Get over it. Pooping is good for you! Err. I mean insoluble fiber. It keeps your metabolism moving and can save you from colon cancer.

Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, wheat bran, nuts, seeds, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts, grapes, and tomatoes.*

Both kinds of fiber are great for keeping you full for longer than other foods, which helps curb your appetite and dissuade you from over-eating.

How much do you need?

Women need 25 Grams. Men need 38.*

How do you get it?

Naturally:
Beans, grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables!
Your best bets: lettuce, dark leafy greens, broccoli, okra, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, corn, snap beans, asparagus, cabbage, whole wheat pasta, popcorn, nuts, raisins, pears, strawberries, oranges, bananas, blueberries, mangoes, and apples.*

Dietary Adjustments: 
Some of us are avoiding a few of the best "high-fiber) foods... for example, because I follow a revised paleolithic nutrition plan, I'm trying to avoid most grains, which knocks out cereals and grains as a means by which to ingest fiber (though some Fiber One cereals contain at least half of the daily dose of fiber in one serving!). As a result, I've turned to black beans, chia seeds and flax seeds, and a never ending supply of berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries) and seeds like Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds.

Additions and Supplements:
Metamucil - no, it's not just for your grandparents. Metamucil is a fiber supplement that can be stirred into water. I generally buy the orange-flavored kind and drink a glass 3 times a day, which can knock out about 35-40% of your daily fiber needs.

Flaxseed Meal - throw it into batter for cupcakes, pancakes, cookies, etc... or add it to protein shakes.

Chia Seeds - similar to flaxseed, chia seeds are easily added to baking batter and protein shakes. They are also delicious in pudding!


High-fiber recipes:


Whole Wheat Flax Waffles or Pancakes

91 Calorie Berry Protein Muffins

Protein Fiber Meal Cookies

Banana Nut Muffins

 

Curried Lentil Soup

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Insalata Mista

Enjoy!

Credits:
Fitness Breakout
*Web MD: How Much Fiber
FitWatch