I think I just found my dream kitchen

Oh my gosh Better Homes and Gardens. You have swept me off my feet yet again with this amazing kitchen.

I am obsessed with everything. That faux bamboo chandelier is off the hook.

(Except that I'd still like some closed cupboards up top)

 Look at the cabinetry!!!!

And the marble backsplash is to die for. I'm not usually a fan of open shelving because of the clutter factor, but since everything is so subtle and neutral, I totally love this. Just a few fun pops of color

 Love faucets like this. And the sink that is the same material as the countertop so it just flows. So lovely

 And of course, awesome organization!!

Eating out without the guilt

Sorry this is so blurry, but I hope you can make it out, or at least get the gist.

This is from my Shape magazine, and it made me happy.

Let me tell you, eating out can absolutely destroy your healthy eating regimen. I would know because for the next 6 weeks, I am avoiding restaurants.

Their portions are ginormous, and most dishes are laden with enough extra fat, sodium, and calories to last you two days!

I'm so glad to see lots of restaurants catching on to the healthier menus.

Here's Denny's, Applebee's and Boston Market. The differences are astounding!! And honestly some of those "healthier" meals look just as appetizing, and you know you won't leave feeling disgusting.. and guilty.

In case it's unclear:
Denny's All-American slam: 1280 calories, 93 g fat!!
    Fit Slam: 390 calories, 12 g fat
Applebee's Shrimp & Parmesan Sirloin: 1210 calories, 78 g fat
   Under 550 Roasted Garlic Sirloin: 450 calories, 19 g fat
Bostom Market Rotisserie Chicken with Creamed Spinach & Loaded mashed potatoes: 900 calories, 51 g fat
   Skinless Chicken with Garlicky Lemon Spinach and mashed potatoes: 630 calories, 24 g fat

Notice how the newer, healthier plates are just as full; you're getting plenty of food still, but the right kinds.

Make good choices people!

Stuffed Peppers recipe

A couple of my amigas have asked for this so here ya go! My husband and I love it- hopefully you do too. We are used to "diet/healthy" food, so hopefully you think it's as good as we do.. you never know! lol

Clean Eating Stuffed Peppers

Makes 4 large

3/4 cup uncooked Quinoa

Low-sodium fat-free chicken broth (1 cup)

4 large bell peppers

1 onion

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 heaping TBSP smokehouse maple seasoning (McCormick)—this makes it taste like sausage!

½ tsp ground fennel

½ tsp oregano

1 clove garlic

½ cup grated parmesan reggiano

salt & pepper to taste

¼ cup grated reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Start by cooking the quinoa in the chicken broth.. boil, then simmer on low til water is soaked up (about 20 min), fluff with a fork. You could also use brown rice.

Snip the very tips (bottom) of the bell peppers so that they’ll stand. Slice the tops, removing the stem, but keep some of the pepper to chop up. Hollow out the peppers and remove seeds., and place in a baking dish coated with Pam.

Cut up the bits of the top along with the onion.

Saute the ground beef in a pan, and add the smokehouse maple seasoning. 

Although this has a little sugar and salt in it, it’s a great alternative to turkey sausage, which is processed, and has way more sodium.  Add the bell pepper and onion, and sauté for a few minutes.

Add the fennel, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper and stir.

Add the cooked quinoa, and parmesan reggiano.

Stuff the peppers tightly with the mixture and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes, top with mozzarella cheese and bake another 10-15 min, til cheese is melted and slightly browned.

*You could make this vegetarian-style by replacing the ground turkey with mushrooms.

Yummy yum! Here's the nutritional stats per serving (each pepper):

390 calories

10 grams fat

32 grams protein

34 carbs

635 mg sodium

5 grams sugar

for fun

Don't you just love fun shots of beautifully dressed people!?

Monday FitDay

Since it's Monday- the Monday after the Super Bowl no less, I wanted to post some get-you-pumped-up- to-get-in-shape motivation.

And THIS poster on hunger cues is awesome. I think the biggest problem with most women and diet has everything to do with just identifying....

calm and collected

Well, the title of the post does not describe my current emotional state in any shape or form. You see, fitness has encompassed me and I'm having some major anxiety and guilt over the overload of sugar I had today! Yeah- I'm supposed to be off that crap til March, and I had a moment several moments of weakness today, so I am anything but calm. It's gonna be a rough workout tomorrow =(

I'm resuming my decorating post today because honestly, I kinda miss it.

I've been loving the look of neutral spaces, that look like they've been collected over time, and not planned out. I think to myself, could I actually do that? I feel like I always want everything picked out and planned just right in a room, but most of the fun of decorating is doing it as you go.

I just love that wooden masculine desk, with the gold tufted chair and touches of glam in the room.

 From what I can remember, this was designed by Jonathan Adler.. love every single thing about it

 Via the decorista blog. Such fun, eclectic pieces in here

 Those chairs look hairy. I kinda dig that. Via decorpad

 I think this bedroom is so awesome for boys. Via decorpad Kristen Buckingham

 So lovely. French settee with cow hide rug and mid-century modern coffee table. It works. Via visual vamp

In action

If you are following blog because of decorating, sorry. Fitness contest prep has consumed my life, and I've learned so much, and have been asked so much, so I love to share.

Someone recently asked me if I take supplements.

The answer is yes and no- yes to some basics, and no to extremes.

First off, I have an awesome sponsor, and friends who have educated me and provided these wonderful supplements, on Mixers Nutrition so if you're in the market, check out their blog, and also their shop!

I have one or two protein shakes a day. And they're usually smoothies blended with fruit cuz that's how I like em.

The vanilla protein powder is awesome with almond butter, or I made a pina colada smoothie the other night that was amazing! These smoothies have kind of become my night time dessert.

I take a women's multivitamin, which is really important if you're trying to lose weight and are eating less/burning more calories. Your immune system is compromised.

I usually throw in a scoop of this ProFiber in my smoothies.. everyone can use the extra fiber =)

Jack3d is my pre-workout, but only on days I feel sluggish. I LOVE this stuff. It gives you a boost without the jitters, but I like I said, I don't want to feel like I need it every day.

I have a "fat burner" called RoxyLean. I think it works really well, but I don't love how I feel when I take it, so I rarely do. Some of you might try it and love it!

*Note about thermogenics/fat burners: they work with proper diet and exercise, which is what it says right on the bottle. But most people are perfectly capable of getting lean and healthy on their own, just FYI.

(I take nothing as far as muscle-building creatine, or any other leaning out substances)

So, I'm not a fitness model, and my husband with his iphone is no photographer. But I wanted to post just a couple of exercises that have been included in my workout.

Low squats

Your glutes are engaged even more when you get lower. My trainer showed me how to use this bench with leg rest to squat over it. It's an unconventional way to use this, and it helps if you're short =) PS I put weights on my shoulders when my grip gets tired.

 Pull-ups

My fav. I used to be a pro at these back in my gymnastics days, but I've had to really work to get them back! Nice lats gives the illusion of a smaller waist. Score. You can build up to this point, by starting with lat pull, or the assisted pull-ups machine.

 Cables

There are a lot of different exercises you can do just by lowering and raising the cable. I like a simple trunk rotation.

 Bicep curls

Instead of lifting one, then the other, keep both arms curled, then lower one at a time. Your biceps are engaged the whole time.

While I'm lifting, I'm rarely resting. I swap between 2 exercises back to back, 3 times.
For example:
Low squats, then bicep curls. Then repeat. Repeat again.
Lunges, then push-ups. Then repeat. Repeat again.
Leg press, then tricep dips. Then repeat. Repeat again

Get it?

I've listed some of my daily foods and workouts on Mixers Nutrition today so check it out for some more tips!