A Weekly Food Journal

I have been inspired by something on Pinterest :

"Anyone can work out for an hour a day, what you decide tonyou on your plate for the remaining 23 is the hard part"

Wow.. light bulb right!?!?! Becasue it is 1000000000% TRUE. Your body is 70% what you put in your mouth, 10% genes and 20% exercise and any qualified trainer will tell you that.. some will even bring that number closer to 80 or 90%

Sure, there are many many things that affect what we eat.. work, lifestyle,  schedules, etc etc but all of them can be overcome with proper planning.  So..I will show you what I eat for this entire week. Not only will this help to give you an idea of some clean options and portion sizes but it will also keep me on track as I need to start dialing in my diet if April will be my competition date.

First thing first.. plan it out! Im an old fashioned girl when it comes to that so paper and pencil it is. Close to competition the diet gets quite restricted and a little boring.. yes.. those pictures of row upon row of Tupperware is competition dieting (can you say fish for breakfast ???? ) but that is by far not the norm of my yearly food consumption. Good food is pleasure and giving up sugar and refined carbs does not mean you have to give up flavour.

In all honesty I much prefer going to the grocery store, seeing what is fresh and inspiring and plan in my menu from there. .and I have no issue going every day. I rarely make the same thing twice in 6months and leftovers are for breakfast or lunch..never supper again. I get just as bored with food as I do workouts! 

I will.plan on baking a treat and a healthy snack each week and the rest is made from what I have in the pantry and the fridge.  Here is what im looking at for the week but it could certainly change once I get to the store!

Snacks: protein balls, shakes, raw almonds and pecans, sliced fruit and veges with clean "dips" almond butter, peanut butter, hummus, salsa etc, boiled egg, popcorn

Breakfast: protein pancakes, oatmeal & fruit, greek yoghurt, eggs poached/boiled/scrambled, baked oatmeal/quinoa, guacamole on toast

Lunch: leftovers from clean supper, tortilla wraps with veg and lean meat, salads with protein (chicken/tuna/beans), home.made soup

Supper: shrimp curry, chicken in salsa, roasted salmon and veg, turkey breast mashed cauliflower,  lean meatballs and brown rice,  bbq steak and leeks

Drink: WATER, herbal teas, ginger tea, arbonne fizz tabs, coffee (black)

I will post the weekly pics all together on Sunday night. I hope it helps to inspire you to take a close look at your diet and see if you can make small changes to eat more frequently,  to drink more water, and to choose healthy options when it consents fill in your.plate.

food is fuel.

Xo
KARA

Clean eating chicken balls

I love making recipes CLEAN ..

Basically that means that they have to follow all of the clean eating rules AND still taste great.. because food is fuel ..the better the fuel..the better your body will run...  but it is also one of lifes greatest pleasures..  im not interetsed in eating anything that tastes like cardboard or kleenex..

I am very much a meatetarian ..  meat and veges  is basically what I cook most often for supper. ~ lamb, steak, chicken, salmon, lean pork, lean hamburger,  ground chicken, turkey, tuna as well as any wild meat.. yummmmmm partridge.. and every vegetable under the sun.. also some clean carbs and occasionally pasta.

In all honesty, my cooking is much like my working out (and my life in general) .. I dont really plan what im going to cook and I definitely never cook the same thing in a month.. having Fridays as pizza day, wednesday as pot roast and monday as mac and cheese is not something that appeals to.me.. I also dont do leftovers
.. eat it.once... maaayyybee for mmmmm lunch or breakfast the next day but probably not.  So .. I go to the grocery store..se what looks fresh.. buy it and make supper that night. We keep staples on hand... greek yogurt, fruit, milk, eggs (always!) ans nuts.. small amount of pantry items like.peanut butter, olive oil, herbs & spices, honey, whole wheat bread, brown rice cakes etc etc.

Typically our meat comes froma  local Mennonite butcher. The cuts and quality are better then anyone else.. they make their own breakfast sausage and their bacon barely shribks with littlenamount of grease melting off.... seriously these will be a post all on their own. Today prime ground chicken was on special at the local Independent Grocer and so I went woth that.. got home and decided to make meatballs..... clean meatballs.

Im not a recipe kinda girl but here is approx so you can make them at home.

2lbs ground chicken, 1c ish oatmeal flour (basically throw oatmeal in bullet and shake and grind till four) , 2 eggs, sea salt and ground pepper..mix. I found it a little soft so I added a good handful of whole oatmeal too.

Mix with your hands, pull out balls and fry in a little cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.  use a pan that can go into the oven becasue once you get a nice golden yummy crust throw them into a 350° oven and cook 20ish minutes till no longer pink..this will depend on size of balls..best to check by splitting one open.

I made a sweet & sour sauce for the family but kept mine out ad they were delicious on thier own and I want to start dialing in my diet a little.  I had my sister in law, brother and their kiddos over too so I made some basmati rice, carrots and a salad of spinach, pomegranate (STOKED when these are back in season ..one of my absolute favorite fruits), almond slices, and feta with homemade balsamic dressing.. (please make your own dressing!!!!!) . 

Supper took little time, I have salad and chicken balls leftover for lunch, kids love anything that looks like a ball.. and they were easy to make, provided protein, were filling, healthy and low in fat.. perfect!

Take the time to eat at home. Make food. Know what you are adding and eating. Show your kids how to cook. Give your body the very best so it can perform the best.

Enjoy!
Kara

Clean Eats

Clean eating is a term that is thrown around often but what exactly are the rules?

I have included Tosca Reno's rules below..simple it out and carry with you as a reminder. She is the Queen Bee of clean eating and though it has been around a very Lon time, Tosca realky brought it forward to Joe blo Public to grasp and run with.

Here are my top rules, Tosca has a few more below:

1-the produce section is your new BFF. And yes.. not just BF.... but Best Friend FOREVER.. get rid of the nasty "D" work my friends..this is not a diet..this is a lifestyle change you will make from this day forevermore. Vegetables gov you the vitamins, fiber and nutrients your body needs. Adding a greens supplement (yah Arbonne!) Helps to make sure you are getting everything you should be...just make sure you dont take the supplement INSTEAD of eating properly... high quality supplements are made to add and enhance your diet plan... not to be an excuse not to follow it.

2-ditch the sugar. Every product found in thise middle isles of the grocery store contain extra, added, unnecessary sugars. We are so used to consuming incredibky high quantities that this os often the hardest part for people starting to eat clean.... over time, your body will adjust admins not crave that legal cocaine.. shop the perimeter of the grocery store and keep your sugar intake in check.

3- water water water 2-3+ litres a day!

4-balanced meals..no exclusions. Their is nothing in a clean eating diet plan that says to completely eliminate carbs, dairy, fats, gluten, etc etc and any other fad diet elimination diet going.  It is abiut choosing the right ones..plain and simple!  Again,  this is a lifestyle and food is pleasure.. so swap out bleached and refine white flour or oat,  coconut, or brown rice flour.  Swap out the margarine (please please.please do this!!!!! Margarine is closer in composition to plastic then it is to food) for cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or real butter.  Your plate should have protein, complex cards and verges..

**for example lean chicken breast with basil and garlic pesto, quinoa salad, steamed asparagus.

-pass on takeout.  Find the time, make the time to cook and eat at home. Sit with your family, enjoy your meal, eat slowly and stop when full. Looking at that takeout burger, there is nothing of value in it...every part has been made in a lab, with very little standards on ingredients and additives.

If you eat clean 90% of the time your body will flush toxins and fat, you will have more energy and you will lose weight without even seeing the inside of a gym. It is time to stop this obesity epidemic..and we can only control ourselves... it starts right here, right now, with ourselves.

Eat, exercise, inspire,
Xo
Kara

8 glasses.. pfff…. not even close!

WATER

If you get nothing else from this blog, PLEASE , read this one!!

Water makes up 60%+ of our body, EVERY cell in your body needs water to properly function and I know, I know, you have heard it over and over again - drink your water, at least 8 glasses a day. The whole 8 glass rule - 64 ounces - really only replaces the water your body uses to exist and does not take into account temperature, activity level, weight, hight, diet etc.  This is the MINIMUM you need to drink in a day..and we are talking water here - not coffee, not soda pop, not beer :)

Ladies you should be drinking a min of 3 litres up to a max of 5 or 6 litres (men..even more!) - again, depending on water loss and here are the main (not even close to all!!) the reasons why you should:

-Your body functions better.  Bodily fluids are required for all of the body systems - digestion, circulation, transporting nutrients, elimination of toxins and waste. If you are not getting enough water, these systems are compromised and many health concerns stem from that.  Your car won't run without gas right?  How about oil? Coolant?  Nope, nada - and damage happens when these liquids run out…why then do you take care of your car better then you take care of your body?

-You won't retain water.  Our bodies are made to survive and so when we are not getting enough water our bodies store it, unsure when we will get more. Swelling, water retention, bloating can all be reduced when your body starts flushing water, knowing it will be replenished.

-Regular digestion…yep…I'm going there.  Cramps, bloating, constipation - gone when you get enough H2O.  As soon as our bodies don't get the liquids it needs, your brain tells your colon to start pulling water from your stool..ouch...hence the hard time on the potty. "bottom line" ;) he he- more water = regular poops

-Weight loss - guess what!?! - Water has ZERO calories.  even just swapping out your evening soda on ice will make a difference over the course of a year (never mind reducing sugar intake - and this legal cocaine addiction we all have will be a later post)  ALSO if you are drinking your 3+ litres of water daily..you won't feel hungry, you won't want to snack, you will reduce calorie consumption by filling your belly with the good stuff.

-there are so many more benefits - better sleep, more energy, firmer skin, less acne, lower muscle fatigue, balance of acidity/alkaline interior health, i could go on and on….basically, if i haven't sold you yet on the benefits of Water, search it on the old inter web and there won't be one credible study telling you otherwise.

Here is my own Water schedule:

Wake up - drink a glass (at least 8 ounces) right off the hop.  Your body has been without water take for 7 or 8ish hours..you NEED water when you wake up and it gets your metabolism off to a good start.

Then, on my (1 litre) water bottle I label the times 10, 1, 4, 7   I want to drink a liter of water by each of those times. having it written is just a little mental reminder and i tend to get it done when i see it every time i take a swig.

Glass of ice cold water at supper

Herbal tea at night

REPEAT day in and day out :)

Let me just touch on one of the biggest complaints I hear about drinking a lot of water, and I must say I can't help but chuckle when I hear it..even writing it now..  :D

"But i have to go to the bathroom all the time"

SERIOUSLY…. wow..K, here's the thing - first and foremost - urination is a GOOD THING.  Every time you go pee you are ridding your body of toxins and cellular waste - our bodies are made to do this!!!  Urine should be light in colour and have no or little smell . Concentration, when is comes to urination is not a good thing. Your kidneys do an excellent job of elimination when they have sufficient  fluid to do so.

Secondly, your body will adjust. Give it some time and you won't be going as often.

Before I say goodbye I would like to offer a few ways of making it easier to get in your 3 litres. I mentioned my system, and to add to that - I always keep it with me…when you have your water bottle in front of you, you will grab it without even thinking.

Maybe you need to bribe yourself?  Print up a card, have it on the fridge, and every time you get in your litre, mark it off. after a week/month whatever treat yourself to a fitness magazine or new sports bra or something.

Set your phone to remind you or i'm sure, like everything else -  there is probably an app for that :)

Make today the day you start to get your water consumption up to where it needs to be, you can do it, and your body will thank you for it!

Here's to living your best life!!
XO Kara

Walking the Stage

Welcome!!!!  Thank you for taking the time to read my Blog.  This is my first endeavour into this form of social media (yes..i'm a late bloomer) so bare with me as i learn the ropes!


My name is Kara and I have started this blog because I have had a lot of friends asking about fitness/figure competitions and how to get started; what i did and do to stay healthy, and how to manage all of the aspects of life successfully and with excitement and passion and proudly Walk the Stage of life.

This is the Goal!! I am a long way from it but i know with your help and support I will get there and hopefully inspire you to give it a shot as well. I definitely don't claim to be an expert on any of the above, but will offer my humble opinion from life experiences. I look forward to learning and listening from you as well so please drop me a line!

Starting the first week of Septemeber I will be gearing up to begin my figure competition training and want to provide a platform for anyone who has questions about this form of sport.  this will really be geared for beginners as I am starting from "scratch" in terms of exercise and diet.  For the past 8 months i have been out of commission post a patella tendon tear and surgery. It has been a long recovery and still will take another 2 years before i am back 100% and free of pain.

Lovely railroad tracks :/

 I am cleared for returning to sports as long as i am careful and so all exercise plans will be easy on the knees :) .  I have noticed a lot of muscle loss, a lot of fat gain :(, a change in my metabolism (feeling cold all of the time - which was NEVER an issue) and a lack of cardiovascular endurance.  My cloths have never been tighter (thats what 4 months of sitting in a llazy boy will get you :/ ) , I have never had less energy, and I have never questioned my choices more then in this past year which also shows you how much my own mental health is directly linked to my physical health.  Exercise is one of the best de-stressers out there!  I have never owned a scale or worried about calories or BMI when i have made exercise a daily endeavour. Before I hurt myself I LOVED going to the gym!!!  If this seems like a stretch for you- you're thinking- she is crazy!! - I can guarantee you - You do it daily - you will miss it when it when you can't!!  Those little endorphins can be pretty powerful and adrenalin can be your best friend :)  I want that back!!!  I don't care if it will take me 6 weeks, 6 months, or 6 years, that is a non-negotiable in my books - that feeling of energy, health, craving the burning lungs and the sore muscles, not worrying about what bathing suit I'm wearing, throwing out the spanx, and being happy in my own skin

If you are also looking for these things, we can do it together!  I will be blogging my exercise plans, my food/recipies/diet, beauty routine, even my (i can't believe I'm doing this) measurements.  I will blog about the lead up to competition, the post competition, if and how it affects my family and work, how i fit it into other sports and everything in between.

I want to be honest with you - this is not easy…far from it!  I have played many sports at many levels of competition and I can say that this is one of the hardest.  It takes more commitment then probably anything you have ever done. It is also the most rewarding and affects every aspect of your life, including something that i think is the MOST important…. it shows you that YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ANYTHING. YOU ARE IN CONTROL, and that By YOUR OWN WILL, Your LIFE CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE!!!    Join me, keep me accountable, design your life how you want it to be, share and learn, surround yourself with positive energy and be a light in this world for others.

In health & happiness

XO Kara