Stripper heels again? Not for now...

I had such a fun time this past weekend supporting a friend who competed in her first fitness competition. I must say, going as a spectator was definitely a different experience. I could appreciate all the hard work everyone had dedicated to the last 3 months of their lives, the angry looks and dodgy stares coming from carb depleted bodies, and of course the fear of being Hulk smashed if I mistakenly uttered the words "bread", or god forbid, "pasta". And who can forget the lovely smell of spray tan (sans the deodorant of course, that will make the tan run). It was nice to be able to actually sample the samples (because you know what, that minuscule portion of a protein bar will not derail all your hard work). It was fun, but I have already crossed that off my bucket list, and when asked a few times on Saturday if I had a desire to do it again, I was glad to politely decline the thought (my 3-a-days in the gym are over for now!).

What I do miss however is having a goal to work towards. That sense of accomplishment is very addicting and empowering. I need to create that again, without the endless cardio and insanely restricted diet. This time around I would like to be involved in something that, in my opinion, deserves to be called a "competition".

(side note: I find it hard to grasp these "fitness competitions" on a certain level. What are we actually competing against? An often political and biased placing based on the judges idea of "physiques"? Too lean? Not lean enough... but that's another blog entry)

Perhaps joining a crossfit gym, and working towards entering my first crossfit games? Something where the amount of pull-ups (even if not in perfect form!), or the amount of box jumps will dictate my placings. Something, that while in the moment, will cause me to dig deep and push harder. You don't really get that opportunity in the fitness competition world. You work so hard for months, yet on game day, you are left with nothing. There is nothing you can do to really gain advantage. Maybe stick your butt out a little farther? Add a little glitter to your tan? No. Your fate is left to the judges.

Anyways, I don't want to discourage anyone who is considering doing a fitness competition. I still think it is such a great goal for many. I will say however, for me, I am going to redirect my fitness goals to hulk smashing my competitors with extra stamina and strength, not spray tans and stripper heels!

Just a little love

2013 

I have been somewhat absent from Weights and Cakes recently, but this is due mostly to new life changes in the past year. When I started W&C, I was at a moment in my life where my focus was solely on my fitness journey, and I had all the time in the world to dedicate to that lifestyle at that moment. In the last year, I have moved to California, started my own business, took on a great new job, moved into my own place and just now, after 1 year of being here, do I feel like I am finally settling in nicely. 

I still live passionately through clean eating and training hard in the gym, but without a deadline, I am able to have a more relaxed approach. 

Anyways, this is my first post of 2013, and I wanted to dedicate it to love, passion and happiness. Nothing more. Thats all we need. Lets wake up each morning with the thought that something wonderful is going to happen. Mindsets create paved roads for our desires to become reality. Do more of what makes you happy. Be a person that makes YOU happy. Strive to impress yourself first. No one else's opinions matter. Only yours 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Pinterest attacks again!

Just as I was planning on having a low key dinner (veggie omelet), Pinterest did it again. Coming at me with vivacious and mouthwatering pictures to sway my mind, one recipe in particular jumped out at me - a PF Chang mock chicken wrap (not as damaging as PF Chang's, but still not on my diet plan), so I got inventive, and the result was phenomenal!

W&C Chicken Wrap

1 Serving

-1 red Pepper, diced
-1/4 onion, diced
-handful of diced mushrooms
-1 pc cooked chicken breast
-1/4 cup cooked brown rice
-1 egg
-1 tbs sriracha
-1 tbs peanut butter
-1 tbs olive oil
-soy sauce
-romaine lettuce leafs

Sautee pepper, onion and mushrooms in a pan (with cooking spray). Reheat cooked rice in the microwave with 1 egg. I did about a minute and mixed the egg after and it cooked immediately. In another sautee pan, mix the sriracha, peanut butter, olive oil and soy sauce. I think a seasame oil would have been nice instead of olive oil, but I did not have any on hand. Once the sauce is mixed, add the veggies and rice mixture. Add diced chicken breast and mix until combined.

I used Romain lettuce leafs.



Enjoy!

6 Week Healthy Challenge

So I posted yesterday on my page that I was doing a 6 week health challenge, and I had a few of you msg me saying you wanted to join me! That is fantastic. We can do this together!

I wish I had the time to individually speak with each of you and come up with a personal plan, but I simply don't have the time at the moment. Instead, I will include a few of the things that I am doing in the next 6 weeks, and hopefully you all can incorporate some of the same changes etc in your training/dieting. KEEP IN MIND though, we are all different, with different schedules, diet restrictions etc, so make adjustments according to your lifestyle! My way is NOT the only way! 

This is what my 6 week challenge looks like: 

Train 6 days/week. My split looks like this

Day 1 - Legs (Hamstring/Glutes)

Day 2 - Back and Bi's

Day 3 - Chest and Tri's

Day 4 - Shoulders and Abs

Day 5 - Legs (Quads and Pylos)

Day 6 - Cardio only

On Days 1-5 I will be doing 30-45 mins of cardio beforehand. And starting next week (5 weeks from my goal date) I will be adding in a few extra night cardio sessions a week. 

My diet will be quit repetitious and boring. This is what works best for me. I have such a love of food, that if I get all inventive at this stage and try to incorporate fancy recipes, I get side tracked. Even if they are super clean. I need to think of food as "fuel" for the next 6 weeks. That being said, this is what a sample day looks like for me:

6:00 am coffee (if I am hungry I will have a banana)

Train

9:00 1 egg, 3 egg whites, salsa. 1/3 cup of oatmeal with almond milk and a little vanilla protein powder for taste. 

12:00 Whole wheat wrap, 1 tbs hummus, 3 egg whites (scrambled), lettuce, diced cucumber and 3 oz of chicken

3:00 5 oz of chicken and 1/2 sweet potato

6:00 Large salad with chicken or Veggie omelet with a pc of Fish (Cod or Salmon) 

8:00 Tea - if I need it to curb my sweet tooth. Bengal Spice is amazing!

Its pretty simple and quite a lot like what 6 weeks of my competition training looked like. I am aiming for 8-10 lbs in 6 weeks. Thats 1-2 lbs a week. Dosnt sound like a lot, but it is! And, its no easy feat! I will weigh myself once a week to keep a record, but also know not to get to caught up on the number on the scale as there are many reasons it can fluctuate. 

Hope this helps whoever would like to join me! I will keep you guys posted weekly on how it is going, as YOU guys are holding me accountable! He he he....

Happy training! 

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Cups

Inspired by a Pinterest/Fitness Mag rampage, I have come up with my take of one of my favorite breakfast meals - French Toast. (W & C healthy style of course!)


Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Cups
- 1 pc of Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread
- 1 egg
- 1 packet of Stevia
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
- 1 tbs Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
- 1 tbs Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- 1 tbs Non Fat Greek Yogurt
- 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon

Heat oven to 350.
Mix egg with 1 packet of Stevia and Vanilla Extract. Soak the bread in mixture for a few minutes.
Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray, and fold in the piece of bread to form a cup. Bake for appx 10-15 mins

Meanwhile, mix the Ricotta, Cottage Cheese and Greek yogurt with the protein powder and cinnamon.

Once the french toast cup is baked, removed and fill with the protein mixture! Top with fresh fruit and 1 tsp of maple syrup!

Enjoy!

I'm new to cooking with Ricotta Cheese, but was floored to see how healthy it is! For 1/4 Cup (and I used only 1 tbs) its 50 Cal, 0 Fat, 2 g Carbs, and 10 g of Protein! We all know the health benefits of Cottage Cheese and Greek yogurt, but excited to have a new product in the fridge! 

Vanilla Waffles

This morning I used my new waffle maker. I normally crave a pancake over a waffle but this version may give my trusty old protein pancake a run for it's money! Because I do not use flour, my pancakes tend to be a little more dense, but as a waffle, the same pancake recipe is much lighter!

Vanilla Protein Waffle
- 1/3 Cup of ground Oats (grind until flour-like consistency in grinder)
- 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 packet of Stevia
- 1/2 Cup Egg Whites
- Splash of Almond Milk
(you want the consistency to be pancake-like)

Combine all ingredients and pour into waffle maker.

Top with 1 Tbs (yes, only 1) of Natural Maple Syrup.

Enjoy :)

Soup, Sunshine & Sprinkles

Lazy mornings and leisured afternoons are synonymous with summer.  The Californian laid-back culture is more evident this time of year and I dig it. Being indolent comes with the season, so what’s more suiting than a super quick and healthy soup? It’s a one-stop meal that embodies all the easygoing aspects of summer.

I had all intention of eating the soup hot, but got side tracked and ended up having it cold for dinner. Thankfully I did, as I preferred it cold. It was the perfect accompliment to my evening patio setting. And did I mention it is extremely healthy?

Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 pound bag of baby carrots
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion until softened. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches.

Calories 146

Fat 2.3g

Sodium 73mg

Carbohydrate 28.4g

Protein 2.9g

Its great to find such a delicious soup with low sodium. Your typical can of soup can run anywhere from 300mg-1000mg of sodium (not baiting suit friendly). And because it is so thick, it fills you up.

June is also Tuna’s birthday month and what a celebration! With two birthday cakes, gifts and party hats, Tuna had a great birthday. Being it was our first year in California celebrating Tuna’s birthday, Sprinkles had to supply one of his cakes. Mini Doggie Cupcakes from Sprinkles may have made my day more than his, but I can assure you he and his guests were much appreciative!

Side note: while I was picking up Tuna’s cupcakes I popped my head into the new Sprinkles Ice Cream Parlor next door. Thankfully the long line was the deterrent I was looking for (gotta keep on the healthy eating train), but heck, I can promise you that you will find me in there on my next cheat day!