Increasing flexiblity

Stretching is a huge problem for me.  In that, I don't usually do it unless I'm injured.  I 100% believe in it's benefits, especially for runners and really, all athletes should be doing some sort of mobility as they seek to get stronger, fitter, faster, etc.  But, I get bored.  Maybe I'm not doing it right..oh well.  Here's a few that I try to incorporate that are more about mobility than anything else because that's what I need to focus on.  Hope they help you!

1.  Runners lunge
2.  Pigeon
3.Cat/camel
4. Bird dog
**Repeat on both sides of body for 30 seconds each. Go through cycle 2-3x

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

I love getting bang for your buck with meals, especially for my son. He loves pancakes but I needed a way to make them "healthier". Although these aren't perfect, they are better than nothing!

Directions:

Spray pan with coconut oil

Combine the following ingredients to make pancakes:

1 ½ cups Gluten free pancake mix (or use 1 cup mix, ½ cup almond meal or coconut flour)

1 large free-range egg

¾ cup almond milk (or cow’s milk)

*Mix before added below dry ingredients

½ scoop of chocolate protein powder ( I like Shakeology)

1 handful of Enjoy Life Vegan Chocolate chips -

1 tsp vanilla

*Mix and create the right consistency by adding either more milk or water.  I had to add about ½ cup-1 cup more of water

I make smaller mounds and flatten them out in the pan as they cook b/c, otherwise, they are crusty on the outside and gummy on the inside.  They have a consistency of a cornmeal pancake if you are using coconut flour.  You could just use almond flour but then would need to add some baking powder/soda.

Fast Dinner Fix - Sweet Potato in the Microwave!

I teach a workout class until 6 two nights a week.  Last week, I got home, threw some turkey sausage and frozen veggies on the stove but I didn't have rice or quinoa and didn't want to eat it over spinach.  But I had sweet potatoes!  Except, they take like 45 minutes in the oven.  No good.  I looked at various Pinterest posts on how to best cook it in the microwave this way worked pretty well!

1.  Scrub one sweet potato under water.  Yes, my sink is full of dirty dishes.  Every day...

2.  Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork

3.  Next, wrap the potato in a wet paper towel.  I ran the paper towel under water, rung it out, then wrapped the potato like a mummy.  This helps keep the moisture in.

4. Cook the sweet potato for 2-3 minutes in your microwave, flip it over and cook another 2 minutes.  The cooking time will depend on the power of your micro.  I wouldn't go more than 6 or 7 minutes max.  Mine was actually a little tough to cut in certain areas but overall it was delicious and ready to eat in minutes!

Surrenders

The Lord calls us to lay it all down for him.  I know a lot of people who don't want to do this because they believe they will miss out on "all the fun."  But through Christ, as our body dies, our spirit lives!  And living in the spirit is FREEDOM!  Surrender to yourself today.  What's on His agenda for you?  Live free with renewed spirit!

Try this workout move:  Surrenders.  Start with arms holding light weights straight overhead.  Step back with your right leg into a lunge, pause, lower right knee to the ground, bring left knee to ground, then the right leg back up in a lunge and finish in a standing position.  Complete 10 on each leg.

Dish towel workout!

I traveled to my moms for this week and didn't take any equipment. No problem! Here's what I did with only 2 dish towels:

1 min cardio warmup - mix of jumping jacks, butt kicks, high knees

25 alt. reverse lunges - feet on towels

20 mt climbers- feet on towels 

1 min mix cardio

25 side lunges- feet on towels

15 pike ups - feet on towels- plank position lifting hips straight into air

1 min mix cardio

10 hamstring pulls- feet on towels pulling heels to butt

10 sliding push-ups - hands on towels; slide one towel out while lowering into push-up and repeat on other side

1 min mix cardio

Repeat for 25-35 min! 

**I did 3 rounds in 25 min

**I started doing all my reps for the lunges on one leg and then go to the other to really burn it out! 

Got a great workout in while watching an episode of Blue Bloods 👍🏻

Egg Casserole Bake!

I'm in a Paleo/Whole 30 group and one girl posted a variation of this. Perfect for a week of healthy breakfasts with your fam.

Egg casserole bake:

Spray pan with olive oil and put potatoes in bottom (either Hashbrowns or cubed sweet potatoes) and bake on 400 until they are crispy and brown. 

Brown some sausage. Either breakfast or Italian sausage links. Sprinkle over the crispy potatoes. 

Lower oven temp to 350.

Whisk 6-8 eggs and pour over top. I mixed in some chopped up spinach for added veggies! 

Bake at 350 until eggs are firm and slightly brown. I think about 20-25 min. 

**optional- top with cheese. 

**I baked mine in a 9x13 so I ended up using 8-9 eggs. This fed us for a week! Plus we had sausage left over!

A different story...

Last week, I traveled back to my hometown for our annual golf outing in memory of my dad which raises money for two scholarships we give away at the school he taught at and the school he went to high school at and then later was an administrator at (they are 10 miles apart).  While I was starting my run, early in the morning with the humidity already unbearable, I nearly broke down crying. Sometimes grief just hits you.

I shouldn't be here for this outing.  This outing shouldn't even exist.  I love that we can help people but sometimes I wish and dream for a different story.  A story where my dad would be retired and enjoying every minute of it.  Those days when I need a babysitter, I know I could have called dad and he would drive the hour and half to watch Liam for just 3 hours.  Just like that movie, Sliding Doors, I imagine the other life.  The life where dad walked me down the aisle and cried at my wedding.  I can see him teaching Liam how to throw a ball and play football in the kitchen.  I can only imagine what dad's opinion of the current state of education in Illinois would be.  He would have an opinion for sure but would advise me to "stay the course."  This "different story" that could have easily been my real story.  My real memories.  Instead, they are dreams and wishful hopes that always disappoint.

But alas, in the middle of these thoughts and my grieving moments, I am reminded that I have a choice.  A choice to let my grief define me like a badge and to live in constant misery of "what could have been."  Or I can choose hope. I can hope in the One who was with dad when he breathed his last.  The choice to see good and not the evil from sickness, injury, and pain that sin brings.  I hope not in the "what could have been" but for the day when we are reunited without fault, sin, or illness.  I am constantly reminded that this life will always let me down, but Christ will not.

I would love to play the victim and feel sorry for myself, but the truth is, everyone has a story to tell and everyone has a different story they'd like to tell. I wish a lot of my students had different stories to tell.   My story is not what I had envisioned as a young girl, but it is MY story.  Losing my dad is just a piece of it.  And that piece has carved and molded me into something positive.  My story allows me to look at my circumstances and CHOOSE hope, love, peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness.  It's not an easy choice and it's one I have to make daily.  But I'd rather live in hope than in fear.

Thank you for reading a piece of my story.