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Showing posts from July, 2011


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xoxo, Kerri O.


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Sunday Quote

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
~Winston Churchill
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Week 1 Paleo Menu Plan and Grocery List

I'm really looking forward to this little Paleo experiment! Today I am happily meal planning and grocery list making.
I generally just plan dinners M-F in my meal planning. Weekends are usually leftovers or something on the grill. Breakfast and lunches the kids and I just wing it. I am trying to be more creative with those meals too. I think that's the main reason I'm so excited for this. Getting creative with our meals again. We've definitely been in a big rut this summer.


Monday Pecan-Crusted Chicken and a green salad. Tuesday Rockin' Moroccan Chicken (without the green olives or raisins it calls for) Wednesday Everyday Meatloaf and green beans. Thursday Hasta La Vista pasta Lasagna Friday "Breaded" Baked Chicken with green salad
Shopping List (This is everything I need for this week, all meals. I already had over half in my cupboards, so I don't have to go out and buy all of this.)
Berries
Apples
Avacadoes
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Various peppers
Green beans
Red and white on…
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Hype or Help: Paleo for Weight Loss

Paleo eating has a huge buzz around it lately. There's a whole community of blogs/social media surrounding it. Many believe it to be the healthiest way to eat. The way we were meant to eat. It's become a movement!

But, how is the paleo diet for weight loss? I tried paleo briefly a while ago, but didn't stick to it. I did feel fabulous on it though, so I'm going to give it another go. I feel better on a diet with lower carbs, so I'm excited to see how I feel after a month of paleo eating. I also really want to see what my weight loss results will be from eating this way. Enter another hype or help experiment!
August will be my paleo month. I am committed to making it the entire month. I've armed myself with some paleo cookbooks (like the ones pictured above) and some good paleo recipe blogs. I am hoping this will help me to avoid the monotony that sunk my efforts the last time I tried this. I've also filled my cupboards and refrigerator with lots of variety o…
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Review: The Situation Workout

I'm a big fan of Jersey Shore...if by big fan you mean I watch it and am more then mildly embarrassed to admit that. So obviously when I heard that 'The Situation' Mike Sorrentino had a workout DVD...well, I just had to review it. 


Before I get into my opinions of it, how about a brief description of what the workout includes? The workout is set up in 5- 15 minute segments: Ripped Upper Body, Juiced Glutes and Legs, Killer Arms, Awesome Abs, and Insane Abs. Each segment goes in the same pattern: 3 different strength moves followed by 30 seconds of a cardio move. Then you do the same pattern with new moves, then you will repeat the entire circuit, and end in a 'situation superset'. For instance in juiced glutes & legs you do: squats with dumbbells, then squats with no dumbbells, then jump squats, then a boxing shuffle for your 'active recovery'. Then forward lunges with dumbbells, forward lunges without weights, jump lunges, and boxing shuffle for active …
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Running a Faster 5k

As I mentioned in this post I am shooting for a PR on my next 5k race. So, how do I plan to run a faster 5k? Speedwork! I'm no professional, but this is what I do for speed work:



Intervals at the track. There is a high school track very close to my house (lucky me). I generally get up uber early and head down there before it's hot. After a short warm up I do either a full lap (400 meters) or a half lap (200 meters) at a hard pace. Then walk to recover, then go again. I generally try to cut my time a few seconds each lap if I can. Racing against myself makes it more fun for me. I'll start with maybe 8 speed intervals and then add an interval each week. I would generally only do this type of workout once a week.Hill running. Hills are great for increasing speed. My parents have the perfect hill in their driveway. Once I've warmed up, I run top speed up the hill, then slow jog back down to recover. Like track intervals I'll try to beat my time and race myself each uphi…
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Awesome By August Twitter Chat!

Join us this Wednesday July 27th at 8 PM Eastern Time for our first Awesome by August Twitter chat! 

Follow along by using the hashtag #awesomebyaugust (we realize that is a long hashtag, but we kind of like long hashtags). If you go to tweetchat.com and enter that hashtag it makes it easier to follow along with the chat. Plus, it will automatically add the hashtag to your tweets.


We'll be chatting about fitness, weight loss, healthy living, and all around awesomeness! Unless a company pipes up before Wednesday there will be no prizes during the chat. Just some awesome conversation with people who understand where you are and what you're going through!! I hope you can come and offer some support and encouragement to your fellow challengers...or if you need some encouragement!


Are you IN?
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Awesome by August Week 2 Prize

Hooray! We've made it through week 2. How is everyone doing with reaching their goals?? Things are a little slower going for me than I'd hope, but that's OK. Slow and steady wins the race and all that...


Don't forget to weigh in on the facebook status by midnight tonight to be eligible to win:

A month's supply of Popchips!
I am madly in love with Popchips. Seriously, I would propose marriage to the BBQ...you know, if that wasn't weird ;). Good luck to all the Awesome by August participants! I will use random.org to choose a winner and announce it tomorrow.


FTC Disclaimer: Popchips is supplying this prize. It will ship directly to winner. I receive no compensation for this post.
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Sunday Quote

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Speed Work Anyone?

For quite some time I have had no races on my calendar. None, zip, nada. 
Originally I had planned to do the Denver Rock n Roll Half. BUT...I didn't get registered before the price increase...AND I'm cheap...SO I doubt I'll do that one. Which leaves me with no races planned. Nothing to train for. 


I find that I just do better when I have a race planned. Something to train for, something to focus my training, something to spark that drive. It just makes a difference to me.


WELL, the other day I got a card in the mail that our local 5k will be September 10th. HOORAY! Just what I needed. This race was the first 5k I ever ran. It's right here where I live. It's perfect.


My goal is to set a PR (yes, I love goals). So far my fastest 5k was 32:50. I feel like I've gotten faster. I WANT to get faster. Enter: more speed work into my running routine!


Once a week I will be adding speed work at the track into my running/workout routine. I am also focused on getting a few pounds…
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Awesome By August Week 1 Prize

Week 1 DONE! How did you do?? Awesome By August participants don't forget to weigh in by midnight tonight to be eligible to win our week 1 prize package...


Sponsored by Fitbook! Which I'm so excited about, because I LOVE Fitbook. If you don't know what fitbook is: it is an awesome tracking journal to track your eating, fitness, etc. It is one of my favorite tracking tools. This weeks random drawing prize will be:

To be entered you must have weighed in before the deadline for the initial weigh in AND before the deadline for the week 1 weigh in. Tomorrow in the AM I will choose 1 person (excluding myself) via random.org to receive this awesome prize package.


You can find fitbook at getfitbook.com Follow them on twitter: twitter.com/fitbook and like them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fitbookbyfitlosophy


Seriously, I'm drooling over this prize package. Good luck!


FTC Disclaimer: fitlosophy is sponsoring this giveaway, prizes go directly to winner. I receive no compensati…
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Sunday Quote

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Adventures in Coffee--Keurig Special Edition B60 Review

Today I'm going to talk about one of my loves in life: Coffee. If you follow me on twitter I'm sure you're well aware of this passion. In fact, when Klout listed Coffee as one of my influential topics I was just plain happy. For my birthday I finally took the leap and bought what I've been drooling over for quite some time now... What I ordered: Keurig Special Edition B60 Coffee People Dark Roast Variety Pack included Wake-Up Call, Black Tiger, Jet Fuel, and Coffee People Organic. These were the teen's fav. Green Mountain Extra Bold Sumatran Reserve Organic Green Mountain Extra Bold Sampler which included Kenyan AA Extra Bold, Double Black Diamond Extra Bold, Dark Magic Extra Bold, Fair Trade Organic Espresso Blend (one of my favs). Emeril's Big Easy Bold (also in my favs) And that....is what I got for my 35th birthday. Spoiled. LOL. Some might think it's weird that I ordered my own birthday present, but it sure takes a load of stress off hubby.
Why I love my K…
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Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 Week 2 Results

After much deliberation I have decided to put my Hype or Help experiment of Jillian's Ripped in 30 on hold for now. 


I am beginning my Awesome by August challenge and want to give it my all. Locked into this program I don't feel I can do that. Having done the program for 2 weeks I feel like I know it well enough to review it however. That review will be coming up soon. I may re-do this experiment in the future, or I may just abandon it altogether. Either way, here are my week 2 results:



Beginning Stats
Weight 179.5
BF% 32.8
Waist 34.5
Right Thigh 22
Right Calf 14.75
Hips 42.5
Right Arm 12 Week 1 Stats Weight 178 BF% 32.5 Waist 34.25 Right Thigh 21.5 Right Calf 14.75 Right Arm 12 Week 2 Stats Weight 176.5 BF% 32.3% Waist 34.25 Right Thigh 21.5 Right Calf 14.75 Right Arm 11.75
As I said, there won't be a week 3 or week 4 update as I'm wanting to give Awesome by August my all. I want to do what I feel I need to as far as workouts and eating choices. Not feel tied to this plan. I also don&…
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It Begins...

You can read the original post with all the details here. I hope you'll join us!


If you ARE joining in, please comment below leaving me your blog url if you have one and your twitter and facebook links if you'd like to share them. I will be doing a link-up post listing everyone in the Awesome By August family so we can find each other and offer encouragement and support!


Also, we're still looking for companies to sponsor prizes. Any companies interested can email me at fitviews@gmail.com


Prize sponsors will be reaching a very focused group of peeps interested in health, fitness, and weight loss. Companies will receive a free ad on my blog (which receives 1500+ views a day) for the duration of the challenge as well as multiple mentions on all my social media outlets. 


Whether you're a participant or a company, I'm excited for this next month, lets make it awesome!!!
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Sunday Quote

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
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It's Time For......Awesome By August!!!

YES, I realize that we're all pretty danged awesome already, but Steve, Brooke, and I are just mighty fond of that word. This year Awesome by August will run from July 11th to August 8th.


What is Awesome by August? Well, if you weren't around for it last year it is a weight loss competition. Our focus is healthy weight loss (no crazy unhealthy antics here) with a healthy dose of support and fun too.


This year thanks to Mr. Fancy Pants we have a facebook page! All the news, prize drawings, and weigh ins will be done there. Wait, prize drawings??? Yes, there will be prize drawings! We've changed things a bit from last year, so here's how it will go:



To join like the Facebook page and post your starting weight under Steve's official first weigh in post by Tuesday 10 PM Eastern Time. It'll be easy to spot. Promise. Just comment that you're in and your starting weight. We aren't doing pictures this year, or the option NOT to publicly give your weight. Be honest…
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Quick and Easy Healthy Lunch: Wrap Recipe

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Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 Week 1 Results

This week I'll get right to the numbers:
Beginning Stats
Weight 179.5
BF% 32.8
Waist 34.5
Right Thigh 22
Right Calf 14.75
Hips 42.5
Right Arm 12
Week 1 Stats
Weight 178
BF% 32.5
Waist 34.25
Right Thigh 21.5
Right Calf 14.75
Right Arm 12


That's 1.5 pounds lost as well as 1/4 inch off my waist and (I measured twice on this one because I didn't believe it) 1/2 inch off my thigh. 


All in all not a bad first week. I did expect to see a bigger loss on the scale. Not that it's a bad loss, but I feel like I've lost more. It is that time of the month, so possibly that's why.


What I like so far:
The diet plan. No starving and no ditching entire food groups. It's just a balanced 1400ish calorie plan.The shortness of the workouts.The intensity of the workouts.What I don't like so far: Repeating the exact same workout for 6 days. It gets a little old. although not unbearable by any means. I'm definitely ready to move on to the week 2 workout though. That it's 6 days of s…
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Sunday Quote

It is not whether or not you are afraid. We are all afraid. The questions is, How do you deal with the fear? The courageous person is simply one who goes forward in spite of the fear.~Brian Tracy in GOALS!
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KETO Cocktails: The Lemon Drop

I love a good glass of red wine now and then, I mean it's practically a health food, right? ;) But sometimes I just want a cocktail. I'm all for moderation and having a drink now and then, but I'm just not down with the calorie, carb, and sugar counts of some of my favorites. Seriously, have you ever looked them up? Eek. So, I've set to work at converting my favorite cocktail recipes to be more keto diet friendly!

The first cocktail recipe I'm tackling is the keto lemon drop. I used to love these, but haven't had one in years because of the sugar in them. In my early twenties I had a friend who used to make them for me all the time. We would have a shaker full of these, a good dinner, and a chick flick on a weeknight, it was kind of bliss. Her recipe called for so. much. SUGAR though! Looking back I think she may have used a wee bit more sugar than most, but they were really good.





I think my keto-ized recipe comes pretty dang close to those delicious memories! It…
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Paleo Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer Recipe

It's just not the holidays for me without a Starbucks peppermint mocha (or white chocolate peppermint mocha, mmm). I generally splurge once or twice during the holiday season with the real thing. Since going keto paleo, however, I'm not sure if I will. Sometimes the sugar just isn't worth it!


Problem is I like them, miss them, and would really enjoy them all season long!
So..... I decided I wanted to tackle the peppermint mocha and come up with Paleo-friendly version. With this simple recipe, I can have a peppermint mocha anytime.


Not only is this recipe Paleo, but it's also Whole30, gluten-free, vegan, primal, and 100% junk-free. Paleo Peppermint Mocha RecipeIngredients:
 1 can Organic Canned Coconut Milk(Regular, NOT light. Seriously, ew.)
1/3 cup Organic Cocoa Powder
2 to 3 Tablespoons Organic Grade B Maple Syrup (Optional, leave out for keto or Whole30.)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Organic Peppermint Extract(Depending how pepperminty you like it. I do 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon Organic …
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Jillian Michaels BodyShred Full Review

I have to say my two months of BodyShred flew by! It seems like I just started yesterday. Ah, time flies while you're having fun. Right? OK, in this full review post, I hope to give you a good overview of exactly what the BodyShred program is as well as my thoughts and opinions on the program. So, is Jillian Michaels BodyShred hype or help? Let's chat...



Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED is Jillian's latest total-package fitness program. This set includes:


What's in the box:BodyShred Fitness Guide
BodyShred Meal Plan
BodyShred Rotational Calendar
BodyShred "Let Them See You Sweat" Workout Towel
DVDs-
     8 - Shred Style Circuit Workouts
       1. Launch
       2. Rise
       3. Amplify
       4. Escalate
       5. Conquer
       6. Triumph 
       7. Zenith
       8. Apex
     2 - Straight Cardio Workouts
       1. Fire Up
       2. Ignite
    Plus, bonus workout Opus and a disc on the cast and teaching the moves. So, a total of 12 DVDs are included in this set.


The BodyShred Workouts
…
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30 Easy Prep and Pack Whole30 Lunch Recipes

The Whole30Program is amazing. I highly recommend it. Every time I've done a Whole 30 I have felt AMAZING by the end. It's a very empowering experience. It is not however an easy one. Mostly because the food prep can take much more time if you're used to grab and go options. A little planning ahead and you can definitely make it through the 30 days.

When it comes to Whole30 lunches, 3 things worked best for me:


Quick and easy salads.Prepping food on Sunday.Cooking too much at dinner and eating leftovers for lunch the next day.
I thought I'd share 30 of the awesome Whole30 lunch recipes I've found from my favorite bloggers (and a few from me!). I've included all three options I listed above. Some quick and easy salads, some to prep an entire recipe on the weekend and then portion them for lunches that week, and some to be cooked for dinner and the leftovers packed for lunch the next day. Play around and see what works best for you.

This list of 30 Whole30 Lunch Reci…
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KETO Hot Cocoa Pancakes

OK, I know I've been on quite the low carb pancake tangent lately, but THESE! Seriously, these are yummtastic. Yummazing? Ya, they're really good. They just might be my favorite recipe I've ever done. Ever. OK, that might be my paleo apple crisp recipe, but that's not low carb...ooo, I wonder if I could tweak that low carb...

That would be brilliant!

You know, bloggers area always talking seo this and seo that (seo stands for search engine optimization if you're not a blogger) and I'm just over here yammering. I'm pretty sure when google's spider crawlers (anyone shiver at that word picture? eesh) get to FitViews they just think, "Yeesh, move along. Nothing to see here." Ha ha ha!

Anyway, pancakes. KETO Hot Cocoa Low Carb Pancakes no less. So good. 


As I've mentioned before I'm back to low carb (keto actually) and developing new recipes to make it easier to stick with. I find I just plain feel great when I eat ketogenic, and I definitely h…
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Hype or Help: Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Final Program Review

*This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission if you purchase items by clicking these links. It costs you no more.
Disclaimer: I received Jillian Michaels Body Revolutionfor review purposes. As always opinions are 100% honest and my own.

After three long months of testing this program I'm finally down to the review! I've had so many questions, and I hope to answer them all here.
So, is it hype or help? Have a seat, let's talk about that...

What you will need for these workouts:
A set of light, medium, and heavy hand weights to suit your ability level.


What's Included with Jillian Michaels Body Revolution: 15 Workout DVDsResistance CableFitness Guide BookFat Burning Meal Plan7 Day Kick-Start Your Metabolism Plan90 Day JournalBookmark
What's in the box? My unboxing video if you want to see it all:
The Body Revolution Diet Plan I've had a lot of questions on what exactly the diet plan for Body Revolution is. Let me break it down... The diet for this program…
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KETO Paleo Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer Recipe

It's that time of year again. Pumpkin-time that is! Yes, yes, I want all. Things. Pumpkin. Right now. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spiced everyyyyythingggg.

Sorry, not sorry.

However, I'm currently doing pretty strict Keto Paleo (more on that in another post). So no PSL's for me. Dangit.

Unless....


Paleo Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Ingredients1 can Organic Classic Coconut Milk - If you do dairy you can use 2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream here instead. 
1 Tablespoon Organic Pumpkin (YES, it has real pumpkin it it. Seriously, they all should...)
2 teaspoons Organic Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Organic Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Organic Cloves
1/8 teaspoon Organic Ginger
2 Tablespoons Grade B Organic Maple Syrup (completely optional- leave out for a sweetener-free, strict Paleo, 21 Day Sugar Detox, KETO, low carb, and Whole30 friendly coffee creamer. Or swap for Truvia or Monk Fruit.)


Directions
Add all ingredients into your blender and blend well (about a minute). Store in your refrigerator…
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Easy Paleo Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Growing up the only encounter I had with sweet potatoes was at Thanksgiving dinner. I hesitate to even call them sweet potatoes though. They were more like sugar coated sugar, with a side of sugar. Seriously!
The recipe was to coat a baking dish in margarine, add diced sweet potatoes, top with more margarine and a healthy heaping of brown sugar. Bake. And then? At the end you top the whole thing with a bag of marshmallows and bake again.
Blech! Needless to say I was never fond of sweet potatoes.
When I first went paleo I decided to reacquaint myself with sweet potatoes. They’re a great paleo-friendly carb source. I must confess the thought made me shudder, but I persevered. I tried them simple. Baked. I was so shocked. They're so good!
Now, I love sweet potatoes. They’re a go-to side dish for family dinners. Not only are they delicious, but they’re good for us and easy to make. The funny thing about sweet potatoes is they taste amazing all on their own. When it comes to sweet potato r…
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KETO Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Pancakes

I have gone back and forth with low carb since I was 24. I feel better when eating keto and I definitely have good progress with weight loss when I eat that way, but it can be a challenge to stick with. As I get older I find that the feeling better part of being low carb has become my driving motivation for sticking to it. I'm completely committed to keto now and that has me finding new ways to stick with it!

Ways such as keto pancakes. Say what-what? Yes. Low carb pumpkin pancakes no less. And? They're pretty darned yummy...

Whether you're seriously bored with your egg fast or just a low carb or keto style eater these Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Pancakes are for you! With only 5 grams of carbs for the ENTIRE RECIPE they'll fit nicely into your plan. They're a quick and super easy breakfast option. Plus, yes, they're delicious! And oh so appropriate for pumpkin spice season. Oh, who am I kidding, I eat them year-round.

This recipe makes 3 or 4 decent sized pancakes a…
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5 Egg Fast Pancake Recipes

I'm completely obsessed with keto egg fast pancakes lately. I've been cycling on and off an egg fast to try and get some traction again with my weight loss and we all know egg fasts can get pretty boring!

I thought I'd compile all of my egg fast pancake recipes into one easy post for my egg fasting brothers and sisters...

5 Keto Egg Fast Pancake Recipes1. First up, these Sweet Cinnamon Egg Fast Pancakes are completely delicious. They're an amazing option if you're tired of traditional low carb ways to have eggs. In describing all of my egg fast pancakes, I'd say they're maybe a tad bit crepe-like in consistency, more eggy. Definitely not the consistency of a traditional wheat flour pancake, but an amazing treat when you're egg-fasting! These Sweet Cinnamon KETO Pancakes are a seriously tasty addition. With only 4 grams of total carbs for the ENTIRE RECIPE, they'll fit nicely into your plan.

This recipe makes 3 or 4 decent sized pancakes and comes in at…
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