It’s library day.

Every other Thursday is library day.  Why every other Thursday?  Because it’s not Ballet Day (Wednesday) or Grocery Shopping Day (Friday) or  Church Day (Sunday) or Stay in Your Workout Clothes And Simply Reapply Deodorant Day (Monday and Tuesday…and often every other day, too).

Library books technically aren’t due until three weeks after we check them out, but after a week and a half, I’ve grown tired of the Junie book of the week, the Fairy book of the week and whatever other books I’ve managed to gather while trying to keep Lulu from actually sticking her hands in the mangy puppets in the “Discovery Room.”  Time hasn’t been kind to those guys.  They make Malibu look like a monk.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of book returning and not sticking our hands in compromising places, it’s rare that I get the chance to check out a book for myself.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t read.  I’m usually in the middle of three books because I have a hard time committing to one thing at time.

Right now I’m in a tizzy trying to decide what to do for our date this weekend to celebrate my birthday.

Ethiopian, trendy vegan or tapas for dinner?

Water for Elephants, Soul Surfer or African Cats for a movie?

How about you tell me where to eat and what to see, and I’ll tell you what I’m reading right now?

That only seems fair.

The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Shuler, Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove.

This is a re-read for me.  I’ve read this twice before and refer back to it often as well for the great nutrition advice and new inspiration for weight training routines.  The gist of it is this: lots of cardio and calorie restriction is NOT the way to your best you. Heavy weightlifting and fueling those workouts with quality calories is the key.  I’d highly suggest this book if you are interested in getting off the treadmill and gaining strength, tone and empowerment.

“

Max on Life, by Max Lucado

I picked up this book on a whim last weekend at Costco and I haven’t been able to put it down since.  If you aren’t familiar with Max Lucado, he’s a best-selling Christian writer and  pastor.  He’s compiled all of the questions he’s been asked over the last thirty years, about God, sex, parenting and death, among dozens of other topics and gives straight-forward, concise answers to those questions.  It’s all in there.  Pretty much everything I’ve always wondered spiritually is there, from “If God loves us why do so many good people suffer?” to “I don’t like the narrow-mindedness of some Christians, where do I fit?” to “How do I stop being so critical of my husband publicly on my food blog*?”

*some embellishment added

The thing I love is that Max answers the questions without judgment, with sincerity and grace.  I’ve already promised to loan this to several of my friends and family members.  It’s phenomenal.

Carrots ‘N’ Cake, by Tina Haupert

You may have heard of her?  I was so excited to get this book as a gift from Tina and her publisher this week.  It’s so unreal to see another food blogger, someone I’ve met and just love, in print!  The book is just like Tina’s blog, full of tidbits from Tina’s life, workouts and recipes, so if you love Carrots ‘N’ Cake the blog, you’ll love Carrots ‘N’ Cake the book.

Since we were on the way to the library and would be gone most of the day, I wanted to take along a snack to munch on between putting our fingerprints on the fish tank and fighting over who gets to push the elevator button.

I had carrot cake on the brain.

And muscles that needed fed.

So the Lord gave me an answer.

Carrot Cake Protein Bars

Inspired by Jamie Eason’s Carrot Cake Protein bars

Print this recipe!

Makes 9 bars

• 1 c. oat flour
• 3/4 c. vanilla protein powder
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ginger
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• stevia to taste (I use about 1/2-1 t. of pure stevia extract)
• 1/2 c. silken tofu
• 1 c. carrot puree (made from 4-5 steamed carrots + 1/2 c. water)
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Possible substitutes:

*Omit the protein powder and use extra oat flour or another flour of your choice

*Use 2 flax eggs in place of the silken tofu (1 T. ground flax + 2 T. water = 1 flax egg)

*Swap the carrot puree with 1 c. of canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine oat flour, protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and stevia.

Peel, slice and steam carrots (using your microwave or steamer), and add to a blender or food processor with water, tofu and vanilla and blend until smooth.

Add the carrot mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Spread batter into an 8×8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lightly spritzed with oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bars are set.  Let cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Amazing stats.  But it’s cake.

Enjoy with a shmear of nut butter or cream cheese (vegan or organic), or just with a good book.

I’m not ashamed to sneak these into the library every other Thursday.

And now you know what that orange smear is on your library books.

Phew.

Now if only I could decide what to do for my birthday…

I didn’t want to do it.  But you gave me no choice.

I mentioned I had a workout routine that was helping me sleep like a baby, and in response, I got over 117 comments, emails and Tweets asking for details on what I’m doing at home to keep in shape, keep my sleep cycles in rhythm and keep men who are addicted to root beer and overpriced resort wear interested.  Okay, I added that last part.  Wishful thinking.

I hesitated to post my workout plans because I’m not a trainer.  I’m not a doctor.  I’m not a fitness model.

But it’s Wacky Wednesday, and rather then return 117 emails, I decided to go ahead and post the details here.  And for those of you who could care less how I sweat on my living room floor, I promise I’ll have an amazing dinner recipe tomorrow you’ll want to come back for.

Please note: the information on this website and in the training program are my opinions and are not a replacement for medical advice. You should consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program. If you choose to follow this workout program without consulting your physician, you are doing so at your own risk. We claim no responsibility for any injuries you might sustain.

I formulated this workout based on workouts I’ve found in Oxygen magazine and fitness books and DVDs I enjoy.

As far as equipment goes for my “home gym,” I have:

• A watch with a timer to set for intervals (I have a Nike Triax)
• Dumbbells with adjustable plates (though SelectTech adjustable dumbbells are on my wish list)
• An iPod with headphones
• My favorite weight workout DVDs (Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD or Chris’ Freytag’s 10 Pound Slim Down DVD)
• A stability ball
• My DVR, packed with Bethenny Ever After and other shows that no one else will watch with me
• A six-year old Epic treadmill from Costco that is crammed between my car, tricycles and Christmas decorations

This is where the magic happens.  Pea Daddy is cringing that I’m showing you our garage right now.

At first glance, the workout plan looks like a lot, but really, each daily workout takes about an hour, so it’s only around 6 hours a week.

Here’s what I’m doing:

Day 1: HIIT (20 min.) + full body/moderate weight (I’m using this day to do the total body workout on my Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD)

Day 2: Steady state cardio (I’m running at ~6.0 mph/0 incline for 30 minutes, then walking at 3.5 mph/10.0 incline for 30 minutes) + ab work (10 min.)

Day 3: HIIT (20 min.) + heavy lower body weights (30 min.) + ab work (10 min.)

Day 4: Steady state cardio (30 min. either running or incline walk) + light upper body weights (30 min.) + ab work (10 min.)

Day 5: HIIT (20-30 min.) + light lower body weights (30 min.) + ab work (10 min.)

Day 6: Steady state cardio (30 min. either running or incline walk) + heavy upper body weights (30 min.) + ab work (10 min.)

Day 7:  Rest

Here are the weight routines I’m using on days 2-6.  On the heavy days, I do 3 sets of 8-10, as heavy as I can go to failure.  You can determine your own weights used on your personal fitness, but don’t be afraid to go heavy!  On the light days, I do 3 sets of 12-15 with lighter weights for sculpting or else I do either the upper or lower body weight workouts, respectively,  from the Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD or Chris’ Freytag’s 10 Pound Slim Down DVD.

Lower body:

Squats (wide stance)

Deadlifts

Lunges

Squats (narrow stance)

Ham curls on stability ball

Single leg squats

Upper body:

Bicep curls

Dumbbell bench press

Lying tricep extensions

Hammer curls

Shoulder press

Concentrated preacher curls

Ab work:

1) 40 straight leg crunches

40 raised legs crunches

40 overhead crunches

+ 1 final superset of 20 each

2) 40 reverse crunches

40 tummy tucks (hands by your side, crunch in and out with legs in and out)

40 gorilla swings

+ 1 final superset of each

For cardio, as I mentioned, I like to do High Intensity Interval Training workouts three days a week. HIIT means doing a number of short bursts of intense exercise with short recovery breaks in between.  Not only are the workouts efficient for those of you who have to make Second Breakfast for the kids, but they are also proven to be more effective at burning calories and fat.

There are several different types of HIIT workouts you can do on the treadmill, ranging from walking on an incline to sprints.  Here are three of my favorites.

The Body for Life HIIT is based on the Rate of Perceived Exertion, in other words how hard you feel you are working.  For me, a “5” is a light jog and a “10” is a full-on sprint.  But you could technically do this entire workout walking.

This workout is from my friend Brittany and was featured on FitSugar. I like it because it incorporates walking and running and switches it up frequently.

This sprinting/jogging workout is probably my favorite and the one I did this morning.  You can adjust the speeds as your fitness level improves.

That’s it!  I’ve been using these workouts for about a month and have noticed a big difference in my moods, sleep behaviors and muscle tone.  It’s key to make sure you are getting enough calories and protein when taking on a new exercise program, especially one as weights focused as this one.  I aim to get between .8 – 1 gram of protein of body weight per day and I always fuel properly before and after my workouts.  (For ideas on balanced meal plans, you can check out the Pealightful Plans.)

Wacky, eh?

And as promised, I’ll be back tomorrow with a dinner recipe that you’ll love, (that happens to be high in protein)!  You may want to press your tofu tonight in preparation…

The problem with being a person who jokes around a lot is that people never quite know when to take you seriously.  People like to flatter me and ask, “How in the world do you get everything done in a day?!”

And I like to answer, “I don’t sleep.”  And they laugh and say, “You are so funny!”

But I’m dead serious.  And dead tired.

The truth is, I’m a lifelong insomniac.  Until now.

If you suffer from insomnia, I’m sure you can relate to the pressure of needing to go to sleep,  The watching of the blaring red digits on the clock, taunting you.  The inner dialogue of, “If I go to sleep now, I can get six hours…” only to be followed a few long hours later by “If I go to sleep now, I can get three hours…” only to be followed a few short minutes later by, “Why should I even bother going to sleep now?!”

I have tried everything to prevent the inevitable viewing of Family Matters at 4 a.m.  If you thought that show was bad in the late 80s, you haven’t spent quality time with Steve Urkel lately.  Trust me, I have.  And that show hasn’t aged well.

I needed help.

What I’ve tried:

Sleep Meds

When I was in college, I would get so worked up the night before a basketball game that I wouldn’t sleep a wink.  I’d put so much pressure on myself to win the game, score in double digits, or get my shade of lipstick to match my jersey just right, that I would like awake all night with knots in my stomach.  Eventually, I went to the Campus Health Center and was prescribed some mild sleep medication.  It got the job done, though I would wake the next morning with a headache and feeling groggy.  Still, by game time I was ready to go.

Not an ideal situation for a mom, though, who has to be at the top of her game to make Second Breakfast at 7:30 a.m.  And though until recently I would take a Tylenol PM if necessary, I still felt pretty nasty the next morning.  Since some sleep medications can be habit forming, this wasn’t a practical long-term solution for me.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a naturally occurring supplement that our body already produces in small amounts.  It is considered safe in small doses and for short term use.

I started using melatonin early last fall and would use it maybe once a week or so, in 1 mg doses.  It made me very relaxed, and very tired, and only knocked me clean out a time or two.  Like the sleep medications, I would never wake up feeling fully refreshed, and our mornings suffered because of it.  Second Breakfast was never served with a smile.

I don’t have a problem with using melatonin occasionally, but again, it isn’t a great solution for me for nightly insomnia.

Herbal Teas

Both chamomile and valerian root have been rumored to induce sleep in some individuals.  Though a nice cup of chamomile is soothing, it has never really made me go to sleep.  And while the Tazo tea isn’t totally awful, I actually didn’t like the way it made me feel.  I felt agitated and even had a few heart palpitations after drinking the tea.  Who wants the rest of the box?

Some of you may have noticed that I said I was an insomniac “until now.”   Or you’ve just been missing my Tweets at 12:30 a.m.  Very perceptive!  (Congratulations–you win fourteen bags of Tazo Rest tea!)

But I am happy to say that I have been sleeping better the last month than I have virtually my entire life.  I didn’t come to the solution deliberately, and it wasn’t until after a few weeks of announcing, “I’m going to bed!” around 10 p.m. and Pea Daddy nearly spitting his root beer in disbelief that I even noticed.

What works:

No Caffeine or Alcohol

It’s been five months since I had my last cup of coffee, and though I still miss the ritual of my daily cup (or eight), my life is much better without it.

As for alcohol, I haven’t had a drink since our date night over a month ago, in part because I had a sinus infection, but then because I gave it up for Lent.  I really didn’t expect it to have much of an impact on my sleep, since alcohol is a depressant and often makes me sleepy.  But alcohol has been shown to interfere with normal sleep cycles, and I’ve been resting much easier without it.   I’ll drink to that.  Or not.

Intense Workouts

While initially I was loving my yoga-only workouts I started at the beginning of the year, after about two totally zen months, I realized I just wasn’t getting the intensity level of workouts I crave.  I’m not putting down yoga at all, I just don’t feel that that is my best way for me to get my sweat on all of the time.

Obviously, due to my long-term back issues, high impact, steady state cardio (i.e. long distance running) isn’t an option for me.  So for the past month, I’ve been doing High Intensity Interval Training (3x per week) combined with heavy weight training (4x per week).  And I’m not talking about doing bicep curls with soup cans.  I’m talking grunting, sweating, throwing-down-the-dumbbells-when-I-can’t-do-another-single-rep heavy weight training.  And since I workout at home, I can do that while wearing cutoffs and flip-flops, if I choose.

Not only can I see my abs again, but I would almost single-handedly credit these intense workouts for why I’m falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

Clean, High Protein Eats

While I generally think as Americans we overemphasize the amount of protein we need in our diets, vegan or not, if you are going to be tearing down your muscle fibers that frequently, you’ve got to replenish it.  With protein. (“Hi again, Mom!”)

And that’s why you’ve noticed more high-protein recipes lately, like Protein Donuts and Protein Truffles.

There’s more where that came from.

Creamy Protein Porridge

Print this recipe!

Serves 1

• 1/4 c. steel cut oats (ground into Scottish oats) or Scottish oats
• 1/2 c. non-dairy milk
• 1 c. water + 1/4 c. more during cooking
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• stevia to taste
• 1 scoop protein powder of your choice (my current favorite is a 50/50 pea, brown rice blend from True Protein…put in my empty container)
• nut butter, dried fruit, etc. for topping (optional)

To make your own Scottish oats (thanks for the tip, Ashley), you can grind steel cut oats in your food processor or high speed blender.  The more you blend, the creamier your porridge will become.  I like mine ground into dust.

Transfer oats to a medium saucepan and add milk and water.  Whisk until there aren’t any lumps.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Lower heat and simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring ever few minutes.

If the porridge gets too thick, you can add a little more water while cooking and whisk it in completely.

At the end of the cooking time, you can add your protein powder, stevia and spices and whisk well to remove any lumps.

Transfer porridge to a bowl, or eat it straight from the pot,

and top it with whatever nut butter or dried fruit you like.

Most days I’m a purist and go for a simple spoonful of almond butter melted over the top.

But sometimes, I like to jazz it up a bit.

And if all else fails, though I haven’t had to rely on this yet, I have a secret weapon.

Another bowl of porridge before bed, served up with…

Stories From Pea Daddy’s Fantasy Baseball League

I’ll sleep like a baby, I tell you.

I used to belong to a gym.

A gym that wasn’t in my living room

Where I lifted weights that were not shades of purple or pink (those dumbbells, for the record, aren’t mine.  Or Pea Daddy’s).

Where children did not fight over hula hoops,  red crayons or who got the grape gummy vitamin.

Where the only grunting that went on took place during a squat that didn’t require my help wiping afterwards.

Where people only got in my personal space to ask if I needed a spot, not to ask if they could have a pickle.

Where I could take a shower with a middle-aged lady in a shower cap, not when I was the middle-aged lady in a shower cap, in the shower with two very loud girls.  And a Barbie.

Where I’d grab a homemade protein bar in the “locker room,” not a dough ball.  Or a donut.  Or a pickle.

I miss the gym.  And visible abs.

Plus we were out of pickles.

Protein Truffles

Makes 10 servings

Print this recipe!

• 1/2 c. oat flour
• 1/3 c. protein powder (I use a mix of pea protein and rice protein powders)
• 1/3 c. ground flaxseed
• 3 T. cocoa powder
• 1/4 c. almond butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
• 1/4-1/2 c. water
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• stevia to taste

Grind old-fashioned oats into a flour using a blender or food processor.

In a large bowl, combine oat flour, ground flaxseed, protein powder and cocoa powder.

Add almond butter, water and vanilla and stir to combine.  Add salt and adjust stevia to taste.

Using a large spoon, scoop dough into ping-pong sized balls.

Roll until smooth.

Chill for 30 minutes to allow truffles to set.

You can work out in the meantime.  Or get your “spotter” some breakfast that doesn’t involve dill and brine.

Though I find them delicious, no one is going to confuse these with actual truffles.

Then again, no one is going to confuse the sweating and moaning that went on in my living room this morning with a legitimate workout.  And that was just Lulu.

Pass the truffles.

During the morning workout:

Gigi: “You want your abs to burn like a fire!” She’s right.  Someone should card her for that six pack.

When I discovered that someone had unfurled an entire roll of toilet paper and asked who did it:

Lulu: “I did it!  But the lady comes to clean our house…” Oooh, why I oughta….

After I asked Gigi why she had the DVD player remote outside:

Gigi: “Mother!  I have some very important calls to make.” I hope she’s calling someone to come put the toilet paper back on the roll.

After putting on our swimsuits to play in the pool:

Lulu: “But someone torn my swimsuit in two!” You can see her training with Gigi is paying off.

When I asked the girls what we should have for a snack:

Gigi: “Let’s make granilla!” Granilla it is.

Multigrain Pomegranate Granilla

• 2 1/2 c. mulitgrain hot cereal (rye, barley, oats, wheat) or rolled oats
• 1/2 c. chopped almonds
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/3 c. dried pomegranate seeds (can sub cranberries, raisins or dried fruit of your choice)
• 1/3 c. apple juice
• 1/3 c. maple syrup
• 1/4 c. organic brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine cereal, almonds, cinnamon, salt and pomegranate seeds.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine apple juice, syrup, brown sugar and vanilla and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Pour wet ingredients over the cereal mixture and stir until combined.

Spread granola on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.

We ate our granola in parfaits, layered with vanilla soy yogurt and strawberries.

“Yum!”

And then last night after the girls went to bed:

Pea Daddy: “Want to watch Hot Tub Time Machine?”

Some things are better left unsaid.  And unwatched.  Pea Daddy is banned from picking movies for at least a month.  You can quote me on that.

I’m able to keep all the balls I’m juggling in the air because they really do entertain themselves quite well while I cook, use my PedEgg, write stories and find LOST characters’ muppet counterparts.

Locke: Cookie Monster
Driven by a singular purpose (we prefer Cookie’s to Locke’s) and sometimes so cryptic as to be incomprehensible.

Source

Not that I don’t spend the majority of my day molding my young brood.

That’s the closest thing I’ve had to a facial in four years.

I’m so proud.

I’m cannot wait to put together their wedding reception slide shows in twenty thirty-five years.

Yet today, Lulu’s sidekick was feeling a bit under-the-weather.

This meant that while I was checking off my to-do list, Lulu was left to her own devices.

This is NEVER a good thing.

“All by myself….don’t want to be, all by myself…”

I’m not even showing you the dozens of crayon wrapper shreds I picked out of the carpet.  She’s a peeler.

“The Arteest” moved onto a new medium whilst I finished things up in the kitchen.

Here We Go Looby-Lou decided to take the lids off of about twenty markers and mix them up.

That was a fun one to put away.

I finally got her entertained with a game while I made some Vegan Protein Pancakes (for one).

I like this recipe for a post-weights workout because it is high in protein with some fast digesting carbs to carry the nutrients to my muscles.

• 1 1/2 scoops Sun Warrior Vanilla Rice protein (can use about a 30 g scoop of whatever protein powder you like)
• 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
• 1/2 of a small banana
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1-2 T. non-dairy milk
• 1 packet of stevia
• few drops of vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Pour batter into a preheated skillet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium high heat.

Flip very carefully after a few minutes, and cook on the other side.

I enjoyed mine with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup, and the sounds of Lulu making a killing at solitary BINGO.

It’s pretty sad when she needs a bra more than I do.

Here’s to hoping Gigi feels better tomorrow…and that I get a facial, or at least some Biore Clear Pore Strips, for Mother’s Day.

I woke up this morning and spent time with this lovely lady and her six-pack.

The Body for Life weight workout can be found here. While it’s a great workout for use at the gym, I’m currently shying away from doing it at home because it is based on increasing/decreasing your weight with each set.  I only have your basic dumbbells with plates and with six sets for five exercises, I’d be unscrewing those little sprocket doohickeys thirty times per workout on each dumbbell.  I’d get carpal tunnel and miss the girls’ high school graduation.  So until I get a set of Bowflex Select Tech weights,

I’m afraid I’m going to have to improvise at home.   Go ahead, call me a cheater.

I feel like I need some antibiotics just looking at those two.

I really pushed myself with Jackie’s Total Body Workout, which I find to be more challenging than anything Jillian’s ever thrown at me, but rather than using the 5 lb. dumbbells that I usually use, I upped my weight to 7.5s.  I killed it, and needed some serious muscle repair afterwards.

Meal #1

• 1 c. almond milk
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 1/2 c. frozen strawberries
• ice
• 2 c. spinach
• 1.5 scoops vanilla Spirutein protein powder (pea/rice/soy blend)

(254 calories, 25 g. protein, 34 g. carbs, 3 g. fat) –I’m providing this today, per a reader’s request, the numbers may not be entirely exact because I did better on the writing portion of the SATs than the math

Meanwhile, Gigi took on a new adventure, spurred by our viewing of Jamie Oliver’s genius, yet heartbreaking Food Revolution, last night.

Perhaps she could use that fork to pick out her ‘fro as well.

She’s never been more excited to eat a Kashi waffle in her life.

This is a lesson he was born to teach.  She was a quick learner.

That bite may have been a little large.  She also may have asked to use a knife and fork while consuming a smoothie, banana and sandwich later today.  At least it wasn’t a Snickers.

After our manes had been tamed, our tutus had been donned and our little sisters had been stabbed multiple times, we were all ready for lunch.  I had plans to meet some bloggers at 1:30 in Portland at the Lucky Labrador Brewing Company, and I knew I’d be hungry before then (and would want to avoid beer and pizza consumption midday), so I had lunch before I left and stuck to iced tea at the Brewery.

Meal #2

I had an open faced sandwich of sorts.

• 1/2 of a sprouted grain Food for Life English muffin
• 1 T. Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
• cucumber slices
• cracked black
• pickles
• red pepper
• spinach

I also had a stirfry that was neither stirred, nor fried.

• broccoli
• carrots
• Trader Joe’s organic teriyaki tofu
• almonds
• sauce made from 1 T. nutritional yeast, Bragg’s amino acids, lime juice and stevia

(370 calories, 25 g. protein, 38 g. carbs, 13 g. fat)

The meetup was a lot of fun, and while I have known Kalin for awhile, and Susan for forever, I really enjoyed meeting Tiff too.

Meanwhile, Pea Daddy was keeping the girls entertained in the greater Portland area.

What?! I’m gone for an hour and this?

I calmed myself with  2/3 of a Clif Mojo bar that was in my purse.

Meal #3

(120 calories, 8 g. protein, 14 g. carbs, 4 g. fat)

When I got the text that Gigi was asking, “Can we leave the boring old man store now?” I knew just where to find them.

Didn’t see that one coming.

Since Pea Daddy had an important meeting (ahem, Fantasy Baseball Draft), I took Balloon Boy and the Biker Babe home for a quick dinner.

Gardein sent me a coupon for some free products, and seeing that the girls love the Morningstar nuggets, I thought we’d give these a try.  I definitely preferred Gardein’s ingredient list.

The nutritional statistics were impressive as well.

I’m actually quite amazed I was able to stomach anything in nugget form after Jamie Oliver’s experiment last night.

But oh my peas, these were so delicious!  The girls and I loved them and no nugget went uneaten.  They are about $2 more per package than Morningstar, but I think they are definitely worth it both from a nutrition and a taste standpoint.

I also had a nice salad.

Meal #4

• spinach
• broccoli
• carrots
• red pepper
• almonds
• Nooch dressing (see lunch)

(350 calories, 26 g. protein, 47 g. carbs, 7 g. fat)

After a pillow fight and some pajama time, I finally got the girls to bed.

If only it were their beds.

Meal #5

• 1/2 block silken tofu
• 1/2 scoop Jay Robb chocolate rice protein powder
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• stevia
• ice
• 1/2 c. almond milk
• 1/2 t. xanthan gum
• 12 almonds
• ~3 T. TruWhip

(320 calories, 21 g. protein, 23 g. carbs, 12 g. fat)

I’m now saying hello to some man I live with.  Thank goodness he’s wearing a Tommy Bahama shirt or I might not even recognize him.

He’s dreamy. And in third grade.

Thanks for everyone’s supportive comments on the new road I’m heading down. Very few of you voted for a one liner about potty training and a vegan cookie recipe, though you’ll probably get that tomorrow anyway, so put on your plastic pants and preheat your oven. As for how this will play out blog-wise, I may return to the food diary format on some days and on others just have a recipe post. Some may be BFL friendly and some will be Gigi and Lulu friendly. I’ll definitely keep you up-to-date on my progress. Thanks to Pea Daddy’s mad photography skills on the beaches of Kona, I’ve got some great “Before” shots. The joker that he is was actually building a Shutterfly scrapbook and included the least flattering bikini shot I have ever seen to be memorialized for all of time. Not cool. Justin Beiber would never do that to his grandma me.

For today’s post, though, I thought I’d show you how I’ve managed to get my protein in the past few days and eat vegan BFL-approved meals. Yesterday was a weights day, so after a cup of coffee, I spent 45 minutes with my bench and dumbbells. The general consensus among sports nutrition experts is that after lifting hard, for maximum muscle repair and growth, you should consume protein replacement with some simple carbs within 30-45 minutes of your workout, so I did just that, having a protein shake around 9 a.m.

Meal #1:

• 1 c. unsweetened almond milk
• 1 full scoop vanilla Spirutein (pea/rice/soy blend protein powder)
• 4 large frozen strawberries
• 1/4 c. frozen pineapple
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• ice

To tell you how tasty it was, there was a little leftover in the bottom of the blender, which Gigi happily sucked down like she was a Survivor contestant eating a hot dog.

When lunch rolled around, I utilized some organic tofu that I’d picked up at Trader Joe’s.

Few things in my life are ever “ready” (“…for bed,” “…to leave for school,” “…to say your sorry for pretending your hummus was face cream), so “ready to eat” is right up my alley. I chopped up a 1/4 of the package and put it on a responsibly sized salad.

Meal #2:

• spinach
• broccoli
• carrots
• 1 -2 oz. tofu
• 6 almonds
• 1/2 of an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla
• Nutritional yeast dressing (1 1/2 /T. nutritional yeast, 1 T. Bragg’s amino acids, squeeze of lemon juice, water)

I’d like to introduce you one of my vegan protein powerhouses:

Really, how much protein can yeast have?

Wha-bamm! Eight grams of protein in my salad dressing?! Plus, it has more vitamin B 12 than most multivitamins. I’ll give you that the taste takes a little getting used to (it’s kind of a sharp, nutty flavor), but I’m there.

I’ve immediately notice how satiated I am after a lunch that incorporates protein and whole grains. In fact, while I generally go back for a cup of tea, some carrots, some more broccoli, I am completely full and happy after this meal.

At least somebody was happy.

Sissy took the marker she wanted when we were making get well cards for my mom. She had rotator cuff surgery Thursday morning and she is now hanging out with my old friend Vike. I seem to remember writing some inspired posts, maybe a guest post is in order?

After our cards were done, we put some cookies in the oven and had a snack.

Meal #3:

• ~ 1 c. Kashi Go Lean
• 6 chopped almonds
• 2 T. raisins

Alas, BFL doesn’t encourage sampling Earth Balance and coconut laden vegan cookies, so those will have to wait for Free Day (which I will probably do, but in a very moderate way).

Meal #4

Dinner also took advantage of alternative protein sources and the fact that anyone will eat pizza for dinner no matter what.

• 1/2 an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla
• ~2 T. organic tomato basil marinara
• Mae’s pizza cheese (1 T. hummus stirred with 1 1/2 T. nutritional yeast, splash of lemon juice and water to thin)
• broccoli
• fresh basil

I ate it with a salad, dressed with lemon juice, sea salt and stevia, as well as a few chopped almonds.

After dinner, the best dad in the world did a little reading with the local petting zoo.

Once the animals were sedated for the night, Pea Daddy and I settled in for a little TV, including what is quickly becoming my new favorite show, Parks & Rec.

Dare I say it is funnier than The Office and 30 Rock? Yes, I dare. Of course, I needed a snack.

Meal #5

• 1/2 pkg. silken tofu (I froze this for about an hour or two)
• 1/2 scoop Jay Robb brown rice chocolate protein powder
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• stevia
• 1/2 c. almond milk
• 1/2 t. xanthan gum
• chopped almonds

While the silken tofu made this a little chalkier than my usual protein ice cream, it also boosted the protein content. I went to bed with a full stomach. Macro speaking, I ended up with ~109 grams of protein and a 42/26/32 macro nutrient breakdown, not textbook BFL by any means, but definitely a step in the right direction. As I progress, I plan to try to become less dependent on soy protein (I’m using what I have before I buy anything else) and I’d like my day to most likely include one more meal.

And more Justin Bieber.

I wasn’t looking to lose weight at the time, I’d already lost all my baby weight and then some, through skipping meals and acting as a personal all-you-can-eat buffet to a nursing baby. I had no balance in my life, and was basically at a colicky infant’s beck and call, so discovering this way of eating (and exercising in the accompanying book, Body for Life) was a godsend for me.

The general premise of the plan is shorter, more intense workouts (high intensity interval training three times a week and strenuous weights three times a week), coupled with a nutrition plan comprised of six mini meals, each containing a balance of good carbs, protein and fat (you can read more about the benefits/details of the plan with Janetha‘s great description here).

While the plan is generally a weight loss plan, and boasts some Biggest Loser worthy transformations in twelve week challenges,

I actually had a different, yet wonderful, effect of gaining some weight and specifically lean mass.

Great, right? The problem is, my typical day of eating, while balanced on a macro nutrient level, included several chicken breasts, a couple cups of cottage cheese, and many scoops of whey protein. I feel the mucous creeping into my throat right now. I also wasn’t eating many green vegetables and my “free days” were spent with a Burgerville bacon cheeseburger and chocolate hazelnut shake. I was very committed to the lifestyle, though, and I even started my own small business out of my home preparing BFL friendly meals and helping several people lose a lot of weight.

At some point, though, I got away from balanced eating again. I suspect it had something to do with feeling insecure about my more muscular physique.

Who’d win at an arm wrestle there? I’m just not sure.

I lived in dietary limbo for awhile, had another baby, as you all know, and then I found food blogs. After reading Skinny Bitch and Diet for a New America, I became vegan.

While I’ve experienced some great health effects of veganism, including better energy overall and increased immunity to colds and flu, I’ve also experienced loss of muscle tone and an increase in yeast and bladder infections, becoming more of a “Fluffy, Antibiotic Dependent Bitch.” I don’t fault veganism, per se for this problem, but more specifically the way I’ve been doing veganism: lots of fruits (fresh and dried), moderate amounts of nuts, minimal grains and legumes, abundant vegetables, yet insignificant amounts of protein. While I do feel a high amount of protein is not essential to good health in general, for the type of workouts I do and my natural build, I think it is beneficial.

Mmm…sugary.

I also feel I’ve become a little out of whack with that “balance” aspect with both my workouts and meal timing. My weight workouts have become less productive, my cardio has become for a longer duration and less intense, and my eating has become nearly constant, which I believe is my body’s way of trying to capture the nutrients it’s been lacking. I’ve felt a bit weighed down physically from the constant digestion, because while breaking down meat and dairy is more taxing, breaking down two pounds of carrots and a pound of broccoli each day is also work.

So where does that leave me? I find myself being drawn to the Body for Life workouts, the balanced eating and meal timing, but in no way do I want to start consuming meat or animal products again. Though many people have found success with BFL with a vegetarian diet, aside from specifically vegan body builders and triathletes, I have yet to find an example of someone achieving great results in everyday life with a vegan diet. I’d like to try.

For the record:

• I’m not going on a diet and I’m not looking to lose weight. I have no idea what I weigh, nor do I care to know.
• I’m not cutting calories. I’m simply exchanging the macro nutrients of where those calories come from, swapping some fruit and nuts for more grains and lean protein.
• I will be eating more soy, which though controversial, I feel is safe for me. I intend to use soy in its’ least processed forms whenever possible (more organic tofu and tempeh, less Morningstar Chick’n Nuggets), yet look to alternative protein sources as well, like rice, pea and hemp protein, nutritional yeast and sprouted grains (and I’ll be dusting off my copy of Thrive).
• I will be working out less frequently, but with higher intensity, and specifically the HIIT and weights workouts in the book. I’m done grieving the loss of my long distance running days and have accepted that I just physically am unable to do that anymore. I am hoping these shorter workouts will also give me more time to spend with my family and to figure out who these teeny boppers were on American Idol last night.

So what do you think? Have you ever tried the Body for Life approach to fitness and nutrition?

I have Day 1 of this revamped approach to eating under my belt and am ready to share, if you all are interested in a food diary style post. I still intend to have my usual posts of recipes and stories, but if you want to see my own personal changes as well, I can throw those in sporadically too.

This is like those fun Choose Your Own Adventure books from grade school:

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Though Daylight Savings Time wasn’t instituted until WWI, Franklin is credited for having come up with the concept far earlier (that is the most educational information you may ever get out of this blog, so savor it).  Yes, today I’m cursing old Ben for robbing me of an hour of sleep.  You might as well take my Wonderbra, coffeemaker and stroller flask while you’re at it and then send a marching band through the girls’ bedroom right after I’ve finally nodded off.  This comes at a time when I’m already strapped for every spare minute and all the sleep I can get, thanks to our readjustment to our time zone from our Hawaii trip and my ridiculous notion/good fortune to get to move on to Stage Two of this secret project I’ve had in the works for awhile.

You too can blame Ben Franklin for the lack of meaningful message or creative format for this post.  We are going old school food journal style.  VIP, let’s kick it!

I was up until 2 am Saturday working, and while my notions of getting up early for a workout were pure in intent, between emails and staging a Magic Marker lottery (the girls came to blows over the only pink marker henna tattoo making instrument), I didn’t get my workout in until 10.

Breakfast was far later than I’d have liked.

(Green smoothie: almond milk, spinach, frozen peaches, frozen pineapple, stevia)

I had about just enough time to clean up the breakfast dishes, shower and sandblast Magic Marker off the girls before it was time for lunch.

Like everything in my closet, this lunch was neither timely or innovative.

(Hugh Jass salad: spinach, broccoli, carrots, hummus, almonds, meatless meatballs, barbecue sauce)

Lunch dessert arrived right on time.

(Tropical nut oatie)

Pea Daddy took the girls out so I could get some writing done without the necessary interruptions of nose blowing, snack fetching and removing stickers off of the cat.  I sat down with a cup of tea, jazzed up with a fantastic new find.

(Stash organic Earl Grey tea with Silk Almond Milk, which is so thick and wonderful!)

I was busting out page after page while the family visited the carousel, ran errands and again desecrated their bodies.

I did take a brief stop for a late afternoon snack.

(Carrots and peach mango salsa)

Any chance of continuing to write once they got home was dashed, as I had to transition from thoughtful, productive silence to putting Lulu in the Naughty Corner for intentionally flooding the kitchen table with my water glass and proceeding to body surf in it.  It was time to start dinner anyway.

(Burrito bowl: steamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms, carrots and zucchini, black beans, sliced olives and Super Quick Guacamole, served with half of a toasted Ezekiel pita cut into chips)

But there was still time in the day to accomplish more!  I whipped up a recipe for my writing project, which of course had to be sampled.

(PB&J Filled Vegan Cupcakes)

While Pea Daddy delivered the first experimental batch to the neighbors (sorry you got the rejects, Mark), Lulu took the time to finger paint on the kitchen table with the remnants of her sample.  I’m sure Cezanne got his start the same way.  Obviously it was time for me to spend some time with my family put the girls to bed.

Pea Daddy and I settled in with the DVR, where I was immediately brought back to the anxiety of new parenthood by watching Jim and Pam struggle with breastfeeding.

I broke out in a cold sweat and chest pains, and felt like I was suffering from PTSD, as for the entire sixty minutes I kept turning to Pea Daddy and saying, “I can’t take this….it’s too soon!”  (Note: for as difficult as the episode made breastfeeding seem, in my experience, it’s about 50 times harder.  Truly.)

I tried to wash away the memories of another sleep deprived period in my life with a snack.

(Chocolate strawberry “ice cream”: frozen almond milk, frozen strawberries, cocoa powder, stevia, xanthan gum)

It helped a little, but as I went to bed, I promised myself that even if I don’t have time to pee, blowdry my hair or remove cupcakes, markers and the Great Spring Flood from our breakfast nook, I would spend some more time with the family today.

And thanks to Ben Franklin, at least there’s one less hour for maternal guilt.