orange is the new fit

It’s time to get out the crockpot!  People always forget about the crockpot but it’s so great for so many reasons.  One, it’s pretty hard to screw up a crockpot recipe.  Two, there’s usually minimal prep involved.  And three, it’s a great way to cook meat in bulk if you want to have leftovers.  We should all know by know that I love having leftovers in the fridge because I often dine solo or need stuff that I can grab and take when I’m on the go.  I usually lean toward chicken crockpot dishes because they tend to be a little more versatile when it comes to repurposing leftovers, however, once in a while I want a slow-cooked steak dish to top over a big bowl of veggies and cauliflower rice. Continue reading →

I’ve been trying to get this recipe up for weeks.  I suck.  I don’t know where my time goes, but it sure hasn’t gone to my blog!  With the “holiday season” starting, things have gotten a little hectic and it’s so easy to get side tracked.  We tend to focus more on parties and presents rather than our daily routine, me included.  I’m completely guilty of indulging in every sense of the word when it comes to the holiday season…any holiday for that matter.  I love giving presents and baking and making people feel good and loved.  It makes me beyond happy.  BUT, even though it is the holiday season, we shouldn’t lose sight of our personal goals of fitness and health.  Believe me, I’m going to have my fair share of treats and cheats over this holiday season, but when I do, it will make sure whatever I’m cheating with is worth it and I will feel damn good about doing it because I have stuck to my nutrition and training goals up to that point.  Over the years I’ve learned that you can afford to give yourself a day off here and there and it’s not going to kill your overall fitness, however, allowing yourself to eat like shit for a whole “season” is a different story.  It goes without saying that there are consequences to derailing your nutrition.  Eat shit = feel and look like shit.  Bottom line.  Taking a month or two off from clean eating because it’s the holiday season just doesn’t cut it anymore.  It’s not worth having to start over from square one.  I’ve put a lot of time and energy into my body and health and really have no desire to undo all of that progress.  So for me, it’s about finding balance and clean eating options that are so good that you won’t miss the unhealthy ones.  Again, I’m not going to turn down a nice big piece of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving or clam chowder in a bread bowl on Christmas Eve, however, in between I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing so that my general well-being doesn’t suffer.  My point here is, stick to your nutrition goals despite the craziness.  Keep cooking clean eats.  And plan ahead!  Making healthy food in bulk allows you to have great options ready to go in the fridge when you’re feeling too busy to cook.  And make something that you can eat as is or modify it as the week goes on. Continue reading →