This blog isn't just about exercise and what I've done to lose all my weight and my races, etc. I haven't been very good about posting about food, etc. And I feel bad.
But, the other day I found a vegetable lasagna recipe that sounded good, so I made it on Saturday for dinner and it was SOOOOO good!!! It's really healthy too. There's only 380 calories a serving. So...I thought I'd share it with ya. (P.S. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com)
Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles (If you get the "oven ready" noodles, you can skip the step about boiling the noodles)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
24 ounces ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a large caste iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot add broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes; set aside.
Place flour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Reserve 1/2 cup spinach mixture. In a small bowl combine cottage and ricotta cheeses; stir well.
Spread about 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetables, spinach mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ending with noodles. Top with reserved spinach mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A Word for the Wise
Last week I learned a fine tip from my personal trainer.
I had gone running 4 miles on a treadmill and then went straight down to the pool to do swimming with my personal trainer.
That is SO not a good idea!!! I got serious leg cramps about 4 laps in to swimming. I don't know what causes the leg cramps, but my personal trainer was telling me that it happens with him too.
So...just a word for the wise, if you're going to run and then go swim, take a BIG break in between. Spread it out. If I'm going to do this, I will run in the morning and then swim at night.
I had gone running 4 miles on a treadmill and then went straight down to the pool to do swimming with my personal trainer.
That is SO not a good idea!!! I got serious leg cramps about 4 laps in to swimming. I don't know what causes the leg cramps, but my personal trainer was telling me that it happens with him too.
So...just a word for the wise, if you're going to run and then go swim, take a BIG break in between. Spread it out. If I'm going to do this, I will run in the morning and then swim at night.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
From 28 to 24
BJ is now working with me on swimming. He says I'm a good swimmer, I just need to work on being a faster swimmer and not "snake" through the lane.
When I say that I "snake" through the lane, it basically means I don't swim in a straight line and I weave back and forth through the lane.
When I swim, I swim in a 25 yard pool. BJ has me doing some pretty good drills and stuff like that when I meet with him. BJ wants me to get to the point where I can swim 2 laps in 55 seconds and currently, it takes me about 1 min. 05 secs. So, he's working with me to get my time down. BJ also wants me to be able to swim a lap in 18 strokes or less.
When I saw BJ last, every time I was swimming, it would take me 28-30 strokes a lap. I just wasn't getting it. Well, two days later when I was swimming, I was able to get down to 24 strokes a lap!!! I was SO excited!!! There was one lap where I was able to swim the lap in 20 strokes!!!! I was SO stinkin' excited!!! I'm finally making improvements.
My First Week Back
The last week of 2010 and the first week of 2011 was completely crazy at work. Because of the job I have, it's like that every year. But, I worked like 120 hrs in those 2 weeks, so I had NO time whatsoever to work out. I was sad.
This last week is my first week back at the gym. It's been kind of rough, but I did it.
Over the holidays, I gained 14 lbs, but this week, I lost 7.2 lbs!!! I was seriously shocked!!! I worked out every day this last week and if I missed part of my workout, I made up for it another day.
I think the hardest part to get back used to was running. Monday morning I ran 4 miles. It was rough. There were a couple of times where I wanted to stop and walk...but I didn't. Before the 2 week hiatus from working out, I had got to a point where I could run at 6.5 mph, but I'm back down to 6.0 mph.
The swimming wasn't too bad at all. The first time I got back in the pool, I was getting winded pretty easily, but after that, it was no biggie at all.
Biking...I'm not able to use as much tension as I used to, but I hope to up the tension on the bike this next week and get back to normal. I'll keep you updated.
Weights, I can still do the poundage, but I wasn't able to do as many reps.
One thing about being in shape for so long and then not working out for 2 weeks, you get out of shape, but it doesn't take you long to get back in shape and get in to a routine.
This last week is my first week back at the gym. It's been kind of rough, but I did it.
Over the holidays, I gained 14 lbs, but this week, I lost 7.2 lbs!!! I was seriously shocked!!! I worked out every day this last week and if I missed part of my workout, I made up for it another day.
I think the hardest part to get back used to was running. Monday morning I ran 4 miles. It was rough. There were a couple of times where I wanted to stop and walk...but I didn't. Before the 2 week hiatus from working out, I had got to a point where I could run at 6.5 mph, but I'm back down to 6.0 mph.
The swimming wasn't too bad at all. The first time I got back in the pool, I was getting winded pretty easily, but after that, it was no biggie at all.
Biking...I'm not able to use as much tension as I used to, but I hope to up the tension on the bike this next week and get back to normal. I'll keep you updated.
Weights, I can still do the poundage, but I wasn't able to do as many reps.
One thing about being in shape for so long and then not working out for 2 weeks, you get out of shape, but it doesn't take you long to get back in shape and get in to a routine.
My Personal Trainer
I was on Facebook the other day & my personal trainer updated his status as "So out of shape maybe I will remain in the Clydesdale division".
Oh my hell, I about came unglued!!! Seriously!!! This guy is probably 6' 8" and I wouldn't know what to guess what he weighs, but if he's out of shape then I'm obese. Lol.
I wanted to type on his status "Are you freakin' kidding me? At least it doesn't take you 28 laps to swim 25 yds." Maybe I'll still type that.
But even if he is out of shape, it won't take him long to get back in to shape.
Oh my hell, I about came unglued!!! Seriously!!! This guy is probably 6' 8" and I wouldn't know what to guess what he weighs, but if he's out of shape then I'm obese. Lol.
I wanted to type on his status "Are you freakin' kidding me? At least it doesn't take you 28 laps to swim 25 yds." Maybe I'll still type that.
But even if he is out of shape, it won't take him long to get back in to shape.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
This Last Week
This last week has been another crazy week at work and I've eaten WAY too much and I only went to the gym twice and didn't even do my full workout both times...however, there is good news. I thought I would definitely gain probably 5 lbs that's how much I ate, but I only gained 0.4 lbs!!! I was SO excited.
Work is starting to slow down now though, so I'm WAY excited to start going back to the gym tomorrow morning.
This last Friday morning, I got to meet with my personal trainer and he coached me in my swimming. Wow! I didn't realize how much goes in to swimming to make you a faster swimmer. When I think faster swimmer, I think you need to move your arms faster, but that's not necessarily true. He has me doing all these drills in the water (they're kind of hard to explain), and I'm excited to get back in the pool tomorrow morning and do them and start losing this weight that I've gained.
All I have to say is God bless my personal trainer for having patience with me. First off, we haven't met in probably 4 weeks because his work schedule has been crazy and so has mine. Plus, I have not very much coordination so some of the different drills he has me do, I find quite hilarious. I'm surprised he doesn't burst out laughing at me. I wouldn't blame him if he did. I can't wait to start meeting with him on a regular basis now.
The main thing I can't wait for is my first race of the season to see how his coaching helps me in my races!
Work is starting to slow down now though, so I'm WAY excited to start going back to the gym tomorrow morning.
This last Friday morning, I got to meet with my personal trainer and he coached me in my swimming. Wow! I didn't realize how much goes in to swimming to make you a faster swimmer. When I think faster swimmer, I think you need to move your arms faster, but that's not necessarily true. He has me doing all these drills in the water (they're kind of hard to explain), and I'm excited to get back in the pool tomorrow morning and do them and start losing this weight that I've gained.
All I have to say is God bless my personal trainer for having patience with me. First off, we haven't met in probably 4 weeks because his work schedule has been crazy and so has mine. Plus, I have not very much coordination so some of the different drills he has me do, I find quite hilarious. I'm surprised he doesn't burst out laughing at me. I wouldn't blame him if he did. I can't wait to start meeting with him on a regular basis now.
The main thing I can't wait for is my first race of the season to see how his coaching helps me in my races!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
No Self Control
Wow! This week I gained 14 lbs! I don't think I've gained that much weight in a LONG time. I expected it though.
The first 2 weeks after Christmas are EXTREMELY busy at my job. For example, I clocked 61 hours this last week. But because I work such looooooooong days I don't have time to go to the gym at night and I get such little sleep (avg of 4 hours a night, if that) that I'm so thoroughly exhausted in the mornings from working long hours that I can barely get my ass out of bed to get to the gym in the mornings.
To top it all off, during these 2 weeks, my co-workers make it a "treat week" at work where everybody has to bring a treat one day. They've tried to make it healthy so that every day a different person brings either something salty, sweet, or healthy; however, their version of healthy & my version of healthy are 2 different things. Lol. I guess I gotta give them props for trying, right?
But, it seems that when I don't go to the gym, I have a hard time with self control. I really need to work on that. I'm definitely going to be working and focusing on that this year, 'cause this next Christmas, I don't wanna gain 14 lbs in one week.
However, one plus is, even though I've gained 14 lbs, I can still fit in my smallest pair of jeans! Granted, they're a little snug, but I can still zip & button without having to suck in my stomach or lie on the bed! Woot woot!
Another thing that added to the equation of gaining so much weight is I broke up with my boyfriend during the week, which caused major anxiety and depression; therefore I got the munchies SUPER bad.
So, starting tomorrow, it's back to the gym to gain back some muscle and drop these 14 lbs I just gained. No matter how tired I am, I've got to get my butt outta bed at 4:30 a.m. and go workout. No if's, and's or but's about it.
I hope my personal trainer isn't disappointed in me.
The first 2 weeks after Christmas are EXTREMELY busy at my job. For example, I clocked 61 hours this last week. But because I work such looooooooong days I don't have time to go to the gym at night and I get such little sleep (avg of 4 hours a night, if that) that I'm so thoroughly exhausted in the mornings from working long hours that I can barely get my ass out of bed to get to the gym in the mornings.
To top it all off, during these 2 weeks, my co-workers make it a "treat week" at work where everybody has to bring a treat one day. They've tried to make it healthy so that every day a different person brings either something salty, sweet, or healthy; however, their version of healthy & my version of healthy are 2 different things. Lol. I guess I gotta give them props for trying, right?
But, it seems that when I don't go to the gym, I have a hard time with self control. I really need to work on that. I'm definitely going to be working and focusing on that this year, 'cause this next Christmas, I don't wanna gain 14 lbs in one week.
However, one plus is, even though I've gained 14 lbs, I can still fit in my smallest pair of jeans! Granted, they're a little snug, but I can still zip & button without having to suck in my stomach or lie on the bed! Woot woot!
Another thing that added to the equation of gaining so much weight is I broke up with my boyfriend during the week, which caused major anxiety and depression; therefore I got the munchies SUPER bad.
So, starting tomorrow, it's back to the gym to gain back some muscle and drop these 14 lbs I just gained. No matter how tired I am, I've got to get my butt outta bed at 4:30 a.m. and go workout. No if's, and's or but's about it.
I hope my personal trainer isn't disappointed in me.
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