wienervention - the cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten

another early gym date accomplished this morning and officially 1 month postpartum! i expect to get a lot done today. 

i had my usual preworkout snack, some hot, magical coffee, and headed out for an hour of treadmill intervals. i alternated btw:

5 incline @ 4 mph - 5 minutes

15 incline @ 3 mph - 5 minutes 

walking IS boring but there are ways you can rev it up.  i always swing my arms vigorously, walk heel-to-toe with a wide stride, and i never hold the side rails either. that's cheatiiiiing ;)

can i do a blog #throwbackthursday? i'm doin' it anyway!

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while we were headed home from the hospital last month with our brand new baby boy, something beat us there- my Wienervention Kit from Applegate!!!

that nostalgic red and white pattern always reminds you of what? a summer picnic, yep.

however, the Houston heat was too much and i just wanted to lay down somewhere and stuff my face in the AC.  i'd like to give a gigantic high-five and thank you to one of my favorite natural and organic brands, Applegate, for the goods. i knew the kit was on the way, but it slipped my mind after giving birth and all.  my mom and aunt were at our house tidying up and waiting to help out with our new family member, so unbeknownst to Sonny & i, they went ahead and cracked the kit open and prepared a welcome home lunch for us! perfect timing, right?

i actually used to avoid hot dog wieners for this very reason...  i've always thought of them as the wack parts of meat that didn't make the cut all blended up together with fat and other UFOs.  i would only have them every blue moon, like july 4th or memorial day at somebody's BBQ. at home? not so much.  also, reading 'mechanically separated turkey, chicken, or beef' in the ingredients list is not very appetizing. thank God we have many healthier options to choose from these days; these Applegate wieners are in a league of their own! a wienerventioW was overdue.

rest assured these top-notch dogs are:

• all natural
• contain no antibiotics
• humanely raised beef fed vegetarian/grain diet
• gluten-free
• casein-free
• contain no fillers
• contain recognizable ingredients! every single one.
• really, really tasty.

nailed that presentation.

they also sent along condiments, cause you can't build a stellar dog without them.

• Annie's Organic All Natural Ketchup (her salad dressings are crazy good, especially the artichoke parmesan, trust)
• Rick's Picks Zesty Dill Relish - (which tasted like a combo of sweet & dill relish! i've always topped my dog with one or the other..not both. i bet it would be amazing in potato salad as well.)
• Annie's Organic Yellow Mustard

 for the buns, we had a choice of Rudi's Organic Bakery Multigrain or White hot dog buns!  i loved them both and you can snag a coupon for a bag of your choice right on their website. from the bun, to the condiments, to the wiener, this is THE cleanest hot dog i've ever eaten.

time to change the meat you eat and give Applegate a try.

in newborn news, 

i think he'll be tall.

more tummy time, aka, push up practice!

le

3 SPOTS LEFT - HOMEMADE PIZZA COOKING CLASS!!!

it's finally time... TO MAKE PIZZA!!!!!

only 3 spots left for THIS coming Tuesday's class (March 25th) so sign up right here!  remember, there are now 3 options to choose from.  bring a buddy and save.

be prepared to WOW your little ones, significant others, look, your ENTIRE family will be happy you came ;)

email me directly with any questions whatsoever at:

le@fitfoodiele.com

happy sunday to you and yours!

le

more fun with kettle bells + say cheese

i had serious business to handle this morning at the gym!!! i downed my hot cup of  coffee + stevia + unsweetened vanilla almond milk, looked over my class notes and hit the road.

'it never gets easier, you just get better.'

i have some awesome veteran gym members that have been with me from the  jump!  they attended my very first class at Lifetime and have stuck with me ever since. i adore and admire their dedication to their health and waking up at the crack of dark with me every single week.  i present a new routine each class cause i like to keep things new and exciting, and never predictable. however.... because these members have been with me for  so long, they know some of my moves, which means they know which weight is the 'safest' for a particular exercise. mmhmm, and they also know which weight will really make them WORK hard, struggle, and sweat.  i know you see it coming already!  in order to change our current situation and get those results we so desire and pray for, we must sometimes get uncomfortable (e.g. pick up that heavier weight) so that we can GROW.

 had i not been given the opportunity to teach in the early mornings, i would have never attempted it on my own. i know the word 'never' is taboo, but i know me!!! never, ever considered AM workouts.  had no desire to do them whatsoever. waking up and doing anything, especially working out, before i go to work? HECK NO.  so when i was called upon to do so, my mind literally screamed  'why me?! it's because i'm a newbie, huh!!' but i kept a straight face with my manager of course.  what... a.... blessing in disguise.  sometimes doing something out of your ordinary or something you fear (public speaking, running your first 5k, cooking your first holiday meal for your entire family)  can help you break away from those chains and overcome those fears completely and present new opportunities.  don't let those 'what if?' feelings haunt or consume you. challenge yourself.  every day you wake up...and that's IF you wake up...you have another chance to make your dreams and goals happen.  do not fear stepping out of your warm, safe comfort zone.  keep fighting it, resisting, and staying in one spot, and you'll never know or experience the opportunities that lie ahead!!!

smile! why so serious? :lol: i don't usually get that long-winded.  time to talk about working out and food and stuff. i have some more kettle bell exercises for ya.

1. half get up:

a. lie face up on the floor and keep your legs straight. hold the kettlebell in your left hand straight above your left shoulder.

  b. engage your core first, bend your left knee, place your foot on the floor, and prop yourself up on your left arm. keep the weight directly in line with your shoulder and sit up until your back is straight. reverse the movement to return to start. that's one! 3-4 sets of 10 using a weight that's heavy for YOU.

what it works:

• arms
• core
• shoulders

what it's for:

• flexibility
• core strength

2. kettle bell sumo squat to upright row:

* start standing with your feet out slightly wider than shoulder width and your toes pointed at a 45 degree angle*

a. sit down into a plie squat:

• core tight, shoulders back and down, back flat, chest up
• tuck your glutes under and pull your belly button into your spine
• knees and toes pointed outward in the same direction (about a 45 degree angle)
• at the lowest point of your squat, your knees should stay inside your toes
• lift your toes inside your shoes to ensure your weight is concentrated in your heels

b. straighten your legs and return to standing.

*at the same time*

• draw the kettle bell to your body
• SQUEEZE YOUR GLUTES
• pull your elbows into a V and keep them higher than your wrists
• let your arms extend back to starting position

repeat, 4 x 15.

side view- straight up and down, back flat, abs in.

what does it work?

• hamstrings
• glutes
• back
• shoulders

back view.  squeeeeeeeeze those glutes the entire time! don't let'em go!

3. kb swings 

*stand straight with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart*

a. lean forward (bending at the waist) and slightly and bend your knees for a semi-squat position. keep your back flat and head up.

b.  let your arms hang loosely but keep a firm grip on the handle. raise the weight with both hands up towards your head as you inhale. swing the weight with both hands back down in between your legs as you exhale, but remain in control!  use your hips, thighs, and lower back to thrust the weight back up.

do'em! then tell me aaaaall about it!

aaaaagh, breakfast.  had the same thing as yesterday- scrambled egg whites with papaya-lime salsa, a dollop of 0% greek yogurt, and some no-salt  Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning!

 

this was right before i submerged them in low sugar ketchup.

so, what was in that big box that arrived on my doorstep last week?

 

Fiber Gourmet graciously sent me a ton of their new high fiber crackers!!! i opened that box like 'whoooooa!' they've got wheat, cheese, nacho cheese, everything, and cinnamon flavors.  i've been a long time fan of their high fiber pastas and did a few posts on them, like this one.  now, they are taking over the cracker game!  i'm not doing them all in one night lol, so Chiso and i started with the cheese Thinables.

they compare their crackers to Nabicso right there on the box, so i did a side by side showdown comparison too.

why you should try them:

• 25 cheese-its vs 37 Thinables for less than half the calories
• fiber goes up, calories go down
• low sodium
• low-fat
• no artificial anything!

yall know i'm all about more food for less stats and those stats are killer!  if you're a cracker fan or have kids that love to snack,  give these a try.  Check out their site and try their huge variety of pastas as well.  THANK YOU, Fiber Gourmet!

remember our family trip to Star Pizza this past sunday?  see below!!!

didn't see that coming, but ummmmm, we'll be there with bells on!

what is your favorite kettle bell exercise? 

le