This past weekend I attended my good friend’s graduation. I realized that he is more awesome than I originally thought. He received a Master’s degree as well as his JD while picking up several awards along the way. I traveled back home feeling inspired. I am inspired to devote the same amount of passion towards my goals as he has in his. People always say to surround yourself with people that force you to be better. Since undergrad I have been blessed to see my friends graduate from Pharmacy school, Nursing school, Medical School, Law school and Master’s programs. I am looking forward to seeing friends graduate with their MBA and PhD. I would say that my friends have inspired me to never settle. If there is something you want in life, go for it and be willing to devote your all to it. Dedication and hard work are the keys to success. To all my friends reading this, you have all inspired me to reach higher heights. Now enough with the mushy stuff…..
I said all that to get you thinking. Who has been an
inspiration to you? What inspired you to make changes in your life?
Challenge: Take
time this week to think about who/what has made the biggest influence in your
life. If you are able to contact that person, call/text/email/fb and let them know
just how much you appreciate them.
Status Update:
I have had quite a bit going on this month. Good stuff
- I finished my first semester of grad
school with a B, I was able to spend the past weekend with friends that I have
not seen in a while, and I will be spending next weekend with a good friend for
her bday. Bad Stuff- I have encountered multiple setbacks in my exercise
programs. I think the good stuff pretty much speaks for itself, but I will
elaborate on the bad stuff for a second.
I have been going about the same routine for quite a while
now. I workout 4-5 days a week, and I continue to eat clean although I have had
more cheat days than usual. That’s mostly due to the cake binge I have been on.
For some reason, the month of May brought a “let them eat cake” bug with it.
Carrot cake, Red Velvet Cake, German Chocolate Cake…you name it, I have either
had it or thought about devouring it. My usual dependable self control has apparently
taken a vacation and the backup has stepped in.
The backup’s sole purpose in life is to not screw up. My backup is
apparently like the Chicago Bears O-line….the sugar cravings are rushing and my
self control just gave it a clear lane to attack. To give it a little credit, I
haven’t gained any weight this month so I guess it did serve its “don’t screw
up” purpose but I think that is due to my defense (cardio) stepping up. My
sugar craving did not cause me to gain weight, but it didn’t do anything to
help me reach my goal of having abs this summer.
I have read several articles in magazines from fitness
competitors and models saying how their family and friends were not always
supportive of their goals. I always wondered how that was possible. I thought
those close to you would be your cheerleading section at the competition or
photo shoot. I thought they would be the first to offer support when you think
you have eaten all the tilapia your body could stand or when you didn’t feel
like getting up for that workout. I get a lot of people telling me how great I
look or that they are proud of what I have accomplished. I also received the
best compliment ever this past weekend. A couple people told me I look like a
track athlete. That put a smile on my face. I patted myself on the back, and
then ate some Bundt cake. There are also the ones that let me know that I am
getting too skinny. I have been accused of not eating, been called bulimic, and
told no man is going to want me being this thin (cause if baby ain’t got back
then baby ain’t got a man I guess). I told myself I needed to start eating
more. I said I needed to stop doing cardio, and I told myself I needed more
carbs. These were all the ideas I had for gaining weight so that I could get
some of my thickness back.
Then I had a little me time on the plane…well, me and Jesus
time. I remembered that I liked the way I looked. I was proud of myself for
what I had accomplished and where I was going. I didn’t want to be a product of
opinions. I refused to let negative comments force me to be someone I didn’t
want to be. I told myself there will always be someone people think is sexier.
There will always be someone people think is more cut. There will always be someone
people think has more potential, but as long as I am happy with myself nothing
those people think or say will faze me. Build yourself up so that no one can
tear you down! Understand that throughout your transformation not all the
feedback will be positive. Don’t let the negativity discourage you from
reaching your goals.
Now let’s eat….
It has been a while since I had a post and I have tried a
lot of different recipes. From homemade breads and tomato sauce to mashed
cauliflower and roasted Brussels sprouts. I am going to take a few of those recipes and
create a meal for you.
Baked Chicken in tomato
sauce with Roasted Brussels sprouts
What you will need:
3 Chicken Breasts
3 Roma Tomatoes
Tomato Paste with Basil, Oregano and Garlic
Parmesan or Mozzarella Cheese
Brussels sprouts
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Whole wheat pasta, cooked
Tomato Sauce:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut Roma tomatoes in half and
place in a baking dish. Rub with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Basil. Place
tomatoes in oven and allow to cook until soft. Remove from oven and place in a
hand blender. Blend tomatoes until smooth and place in a small pot. Mix blended
tomatoes with a small amount of tomato paste. Add more paste if the sauce is not thick
enough. Simmer for about 8 minutes. You may add more seasoning (salt, garlic,
etc) until you are satisfied with the taste. Remove from heat
Chicken:
Line baking dish with foil. Place chicken breast in baking
dish and season with a little salt and pepper. Pour tomato sauce over chicken
breast and close foil to form. Allow to cook until chicken is done. Remove from
oven and sprinkle with cheese. Place chicken over whole wheat pasta.
Brussels sprouts:
As much as I hate to admit it, I have southern roots….when
it comes to cooking. My way of cooking every vegetable was to place in a pot
with broth and let simmer. One of my neighbors suggested a different way of
cooking Brussels sprouts. Here is a very easy way to change up your usual side
dishes:
Place fresh or thawed (and drained) Brussels sprouts in a
baking dish. Coat with Olive Oil and balsamic vinegar, and allow to cook until
soft.
Give this meal a try when you have a little time on your
hands and let me know what you think.
