Walking in My Shoes

Carrot Cake

2009-09-09T20:57:00.002-04:00

Well anyone who knows me, also knows that I have a LOVE for cooking/baking. Especially if I can take a plain ole recipe and make it "healthy" which I often times do, since my family is primarily who I bake for and I like to keep them as healthy as possible. This is one I've made a couple times for birthdays, since its a favorite around here so I thought I would share it!!

LOW FAT CARROT CAKE

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c splenda
3/4 c prune puree (or applesauce or LF yogurt)
4 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ c whole wheat flour
2 tsp each: baking soda, cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 c grated carrots
1 c raisins
2-8 oz pkgs ff cream cheese or cottage cheese

Beat sugar, puree, egg whites, and vanilla.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add to wet mixture, blending well.
Stir in carrots and raisins.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes

Frosting: beat together cream/cottage cheese with 1-1.5 c powdered sugar and 1tsp vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy!! :)

Years recap thus far...

2009-09-05T21:34:00.003-04:00

So after starting this blog late last year, I actually thought that I would do a much, much better job at keeping up with it. The past year since then though has pretty much been a whirlwind. After my move to Massachusetts, I quickly got settled in and found myself really enjoying the change of pace. After losing my gramps in February though, I really had to keep my focus on the positive things in life and realize that he was in a better place, as to not get discouraged and depressed. Getting in the gym each and everyday and pounding out my workouts, really helped me to do just that too. Then came March, and that meant the start of dieting since my original intention was to compete at Jr. Nationals in June. Well after not progressing at all like I should have (I was stalled out for a few weeks on end, although I was still giving 100% effort to both my weight workouts and cardio) I became pretty sick for a good week or two. It was then that I decided the prep needed to come to a stop, I needed to worry about my health and feeling better as opposed to any show, since there would always be more shows. So after kicking the sickness, taking a couple weeks off dieting (still eating clean just at a maintenance) upping my calories and taking time off from the gym until I was back to 100% I was ready to go at it again. Needless to say, after a few weeks I was again hitting a plateau. Which brought me to a crossroads again, meaning I could either make some drastic changes in order to drop weight quick (surely NOT the healthiest option) and do the show I had in mind, or pick a different show and go from there. Well obviously I again knew the answer, and that was to stay healthy and if I had to diet longer then so be it. Surprisingly after making my decision, and changing up a few things, I am again back to making some nice progress. During all of this time, I have really tried to even decide if wanting to do a show was in my goals for the year or not. I mean its not like I've gotta stand on a stage somewhere just to see how much progress I have made in the past year, seeing as how all that can be shown in pictures and measurements too. Besides that, I have several other goals in mind such as doing another sprint distance triathlon, or possibly a half marathon relay with a good friend of mine. All of that being said, I am gonna be better at keeping up with this blog and trying to keep things interesting... so besides the diet and training stuff, the daily stuff that life throws my way, I will also be sure to include several HEALTHY recipes, as I cook each and everyday and find it to be a very enjoyable hobby. I love being able to come up with new ideas, or just altering some of my families beloved recipes out of Grandma's cookbooks, so you can be looking for several of those along the way too! Thanks for following along.

Hardest blog I've ever written

2009-02-23T12:51:00.001-05:00

Well little did I know, when I came to Massachusetts for a vacation/visit with my family in October and left with my Gramps not eating much or feeling well that the worst news was still yet to come. I sure didn't expect the reply I got when I sent a Happy Birthday text a couple weeks later either, only to hear back that he was diagnosed with lung cancer, so large, surgery was not possible. He went into the hospital, had 6 radiation treatments, and came home in rough shape. When I showed up for Thanksgiving, which was about a week after him coming home he was in a bed ridden state and I witnessed him not eating or drinking much, but boy did that make the smiles he'd show when he'd be awake and I'd go and say hi to him mean all the world more. I tried to help out as much as possible, and at least give my mom support on the night shift as she was in need of some rest herself. The day after Thanksgiving though we were able to start getting him up, he was asking for food again and even sitting at the table and playing cards. Needless to say, because of all the above when it came time for my trip to end and I was supposed to be leaving for the airport there was just NO way I could do it. I knew where my place was, and it was here with my family. I will say now that it wasn't an easy task for sure, and I probably saw my Gramps laugh and cry more times in these last few months then I ever recall growing up. He slowly started a downward spiral these last couple weeks though to the point where he couldn't feed himself anymore, walk, or even move his feet and bend his legs. The last day he was up and about was Wednesday morning, he woke us at 5:30 a.m. and when I first walked in the room he was crying and he looked at me and said "Why can't I just go to the light" I gotta admit that killed me and I was starting to cry, so luckily my mom came right in at that time and was able to get him up and feed him and take care of him as she did everyday for the last 3 months. That night he had asked me if I could wake him back up before bed time (he would sleep in his chair til then most days) and make him an ice cream sundae little did I know it would be the last thing that he ate. He no longer wanted to get out of bed, he no longer wanted to eat, and he no longer wanted to even drink. I always slept with a baby monitor in my room and Friday night he was gurgling every breath he took. Saturday morning I left and went to the gym, came home and took one look at him and realized this was the end. The gurgling noise had also not stopped and seemed to be even more pronounced, and I will say now that this is the WORST sound I've ever heard in my life. All I could do is pray that God would just take him home, and this had been my prayer the last few weeks as I couldn't stand to see him suffer. My uncle Bumpy and aunt Jodi came to spend time with us all at the house on Saturday too, and around 8:00 p.m. the gurgling was starting to cease. So me, my mom, and Jodi all went in there by his bedside and there we stayed just watching his breaths get fewer and further between. I finally reached out and touched his shoulder and said "Grampy you know we all love you" and then Randy (my dad) and uncle Bumpy came in to be by his side too and I think he took 2-3 more breaths, the last one being at 8:23 p.m. I sure do miss him, and the house just doesn't seem the same already, but in all of this I was able to realize the importance of family and being surrounded by those you love.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

2008-11-20T00:14:00.001-05:00

Seeing as how the holiday season is upon us, I thought I would share a recipe that everyone could enjoy!
I know I am sure loving my pumpkin mixed with my oats everymorning, so hopefully you will enjoy these muffins just the same! Not only are they tasty but they are a great grab and go meal for those of you that always seem like you are on the run!! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or regular raisins), chopped
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the oats and the whole wheat flour (can use all oats if you would like), splenda, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. So basically all the dry ingredients with the exception of the craisins.

In a medium bowl mix the pumpkin, egg substitute and vanilla extract. Then add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.

Slowly sprinkle craisins (or raisins if you prefer) into the batter making sure that they don't all stick together and trying to evenly distribute them throughout.

Then distibute the batter into 8 muffin cup pan sprayed first with Pam or a non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Serving size: (1 muffin)
Calories: 143
Fat: 0.5g
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 4.5g
Protein: 5g

A little 411 about me!

2008-11-14T16:05:00.000-05:00

A Little About Myself

I'm a 26 year old personal trainer/spin instructor and I love my job and being able to help and make an impact on so many peoples lives! Nothing makes my day more then a call/text/email from a client saying how much they are loving seeing their results!! Not only that but it lets me follow my passion and do what I love, and it keeps me active withing the industry too! In my spare time when I'm not at the gym I like to bake or cook, read, travel, go to coffee shops, and walk around parks.

Okay so moving on... I will try to make this as short and sweet as possible I was little fatty growing up, I mean we are talking about 170 lbs and a size 13/14 YES in womens from 8th grade until about my sophomore year in college. Believe it or not I was highly active and ate somewhat healthy but had LARGE portions, LOVED my soda and bread!! I knew it was time for a change so thats just what I did! Started small with just my eating habits, then joined a gym but that only lasted all of a month before I got bored with it. After that I started studying nutrition though because it really intrigued me and I continued losing weight. It was around that same time that I got engaged (yes can you say young and DUMB) so I was even more focused on losing weight. But took it to the extreme of turning into being skinny fat. It wasn't long before that didn't last and I wanted to really start fresh, so I joined a gym and got really into it! At that time though I did ONLY machines and cardio of course (yes I was one of those cardio bunnies lol) until a trainer finally told me I had a great athletic physique and I needed to build a bit and pointed to the free weights, I said "oh no, that is the guys side of the gym" HA!! Around that same time though I joined Elite Fitness and started some great friendships and also was the time I went to my first figure show. At that show was when I decided I did need some muscle lol! About a month or two I decided to pack up and move to Michigan, and that is when I began my first off-season. Which just consisted of some VERY HEAVY lifting, lots of free weights and no cardio. I did my first figure show in the late summer of 2007 and from the moment I stepped on stage and got that feeling that comes over you I was hooked!! Forward to 2008...From there I started up an off-season again, this time training with Shelby/Troponin Nutrition as I had been selected for what turned out to be a BOGUS sponsorship. Needless to say my calories were WAY low, as he had me at 1400-1500 right up through February 2008. Then in March of 2008 I decided to give DC training a grow, and KNEW that I needed more food! So I took control of my diet and upped my calories to about 1800 and kept them there for a month or two before it was time to start cutting for my show. After switching nutritionists still within Troponin I was getting no where... I mean I was seeing results but it was me doing my own thing as they were paying no attention to me. After talking things over with team Total Package I decided that they were a much better fit for me and worked with them for the last 8 weeks of prep! They did a fantastic job, but I had a horrendous and very stressful last few weeks where my body just hit a sticking point but I still did the show none the less, I just felt like had the events the final weeks had NOT occurred that I would have looked MUCH better. I still took third but felt I could have done better! Needless to say I took some time off (just about a week or so) kept on plugging away after that for another show, as I wanted to re-deem myself on the bodybuilding stage and I did just that by winning my class and the overall at the Southeastern USA's at the beginning of this month, which ended my season on a VERY positive note!! And helped me to be 100% that bodybuilding is where I need to stay!!!