Sweatin out the yucky with some kick booty cardio!

First off I want to say, Eating healthy is not cheap! I'm completely aware! I spent $100 on groceries this week! Given, I made this amazing Lentil Chickpea Soup with Coconut Milk (recipe at the end) and had to get some ingredients for the soup that I didn't have on hand. And besides, the soup is going to last me about 2-2 1/2 weeks.  So, it will be worth it by not eating out for lunch for a while! :) 
I have, also, discovered these amazing frozen fudge bars and ice cream sandwiches from So Delicious Coconut Milk.  These are a little smaller but kick my sweet tooth to the curb.  They run 80-100 calories and both are under 9g of sugar! Winners!!! They are, also, amazing if you like that little hint of coconut! I am obsessed, I either eat one with my lunch or one with dinner (sometimes both) and it doesn't derail my diet and I actually enjoy it!

I found some cinnamon protein bars at the store that taste just like frosting cinnamon roll cookies!  I was so excited to find these because I crave cinnamon twist donuts and cinnamon rolls on a regular basis! You all have to try these! No protein nasty flavor just simply delicious! They are a little higher in sugar than I prefer but it kicks my cravings and they are way better than how many grams of sugar that are in donuts and cinnamon rolls!

Try 'em out! You won't regret it!

As you all can tell, my metabolism has been kicking lately! I have been staying hungry! I will eat a meal that is completely balanced and nutritious and I will be hungry an hour later, no matter how big the meal! So I have been keeping mixed nuts on hand (almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and cranberries - from The Fresh Market it's called the Happy Heart Mix), as well as lots of fresh fruit, carrots and Greek yogurt.  These seem to be working as good appetite suppressants until I can eat another meal.  I've done a lot of research on the "eating 5-6 meals a day" and have also tried it.  For my lifestyle and my preference I can't do this.  It has been proven that people that sit down and enjoy their meals and concentrate on every bite do not eat as much.  With my lifestyle if I ate 5-6 meals a day I would have to scarf down at least 3 of those.  Also, I love to cook so I like to sit down and really enjoy three meals and stick with 2 snacks.  I find it's whatever works for you and your metabolism/lifestyle. 
I do feel a lot better now that I am eating clean and working out regularly again! I feel like I have more energy and I am not feeling sleepy 24/7! It's quite nice! Also, update on black powder.  I am doing it one week on and one week off.  I am definitely seeing much improvement in my workouts as far as concentration, an increase in reps/sets, and not yawning so much! So definitely liking it so far besides the taste.  It taste like a few crushed up flinstone vitamins in water.  While flinstone vitamins are good just having one, but drinking 8 oz of flinstone vitamin flavor.  Nope you can keep it! haha

Okay, enough about food, GEEZ! haha I started some pretty hardcore cardio yesterday and I really liked it! My friend Eric just told me about the treadmill interval routine which is 20 minutes. I just added more to it because I wanted to do more. 
So here it is:  1 hour **This is kind of intense for beginners so please don't kill yourself or beat yourself up if you try this and can't do it.  I have been training for over a year so my body can handle a little more than someone else may be capable of.
Bike:  5 minutes (I did an intensity of 10 and rpm from 95-108)
The Arc (special to planet fitness/ similar to the eliptical):  30 minutes (Intensity of 15, burned 420 calories!)
Treadmill Interval Workout:
3 minutes- speed walk (My speed walk is at 4.3-4.5) 0% Incline
5 minutes- Incline of 15% (max) at speed of 3.0-3.3 (I did 3.3)
2 minutes- walk at 0% incline **do not leave this out, can hurt yourself if you don't do this part
10 minutes- Run (I am at 9'18" mile so I did 6.5 the whole time...It needs to be a comfortable run! )
::Cool Down 5 minutes::  **I use the treadmill's cool down method

And booommm! Your done! My stats were 1 hour and I did 5.45 miles! I'll take it! I just watched Restaurant Impossible the whole time and that hour flew by and my clothes were soaked! So this week everyone kick up your workout, clean up that diet and lets bring on the results!

Food Journal for Thursday:
Breakfast- Omelet:  Grilled Onions, Portabello Mushrooms, Lean Ground Meat, Egg Beaters, and a sprinkle of pepperjack cheese)
Iced Coffee with light chocolate syrup and vanilla coconut milk
Snack:  Mixed Nuts from Fresh Market (about 1/4 cup)
Lunch:  Lentil and Chickpea soup with Coconut Milk (about 1 cup) and a So Delicious Coconut Fudge Bar
Snack:  Blood Orange Greek Yogurt
Dinner:  Grilled Italian Marinated Chicken Breast with Roasted Asparagus
Dessert:  1 graham cracker sheet spread with natural almond butter, a drizzle of lite chocolate syrup and 1/4 cup of coconut milk

All in all a pretty good day yesterday!

Recipe of the Week:
Lentil & Chickpea Curry Soup with Coconut Milk

http://www.sweetsugarbean.com/2012/03/lucky-lentil-chickpea-curry-with.html
Obsessed! It is so amazing... I used Olive oil instead of canola oil and used lite coconut milk compared to full fat.  I also left out the cauliflower and added water to give it a more soup like texture! This will be a staple in my diet! If you like Thai flavors you will love this!

Sorry this was kind of long today! I love your faces and please feel free to ask anything! LOVE YOUR FACES!
-Danielle