Friday, May 30, 2008

friday 5.30.08 / 3:13pm (boot camp day 12 / LUNCH)

today has been a good day. FULL, but great. im pretty exhausted from a lack of sleep but unfortunately i have quite a bit to do. once i wash my hair i will be able to chill a bit before getting out for the evening. anywho...here's lunch:

LUNCH: almond crusted river trout (leftover from last nights dinner at pappadeaux), steamed broccoli, salad (with brianna's blush wine vinaigrette dressing) with water.

i almost messed up. i was going to take 2 bites of the infamous reese's peanut butter cup cheesecake (also left over from pappadeaux)...BUT i put my willpower to work and REFUSED. i remembered that i have my fat free and no sugar added popsicles in the freezer. YAYYYYYY! so i ate a strawberry popsicle instead. it really took the edge off.

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well thats it for me for now. later!

friday 5.30.08 / 11:30am (boot camp day 12 / breakfast)

today was tough because i didnt get much sleep last night. that made getting up for boot camp difficult...okay IMPOSSIBLE. i didnt get up!! so i tossed and turned and tossed and turned, finally falling asleep. THEN i had a horrible dream which woke me up. so does anyone agree that maybe i wasnt comfortable missing boot camp, even though i was a zombie? uhhh, yea.

thankfully sandi has an 8:30am class at a park even closer to my house...so i went. and i swear she had to be smoking something this morning because that workout was CRAZY!!!!!!!!! oh my god. but the good news is this - i hung in there. i actually saw today that i was able to complete exercises that i was not able to complete when i started. there were certain ab exercises where, in the beginning, i literally could not do ONE. well, today i did many. i was like a kid...inside i was screaming "im doing it mommy!!!" lol. THAT was inspiration in and of itself. and what if i hadnt gotten on up to go, i would have missed learning of my progress and more importantly, being able to use my very own testimony as my motivation to keep going.

afterward i went to wal mart, randalls and the bank...lolligagging as usual. i had to say to myself, "jordyn what are you doing!? you are tired...go home and eat breakfast so you can rest!" so i did...eventually.

BREAKFAST: scrambled eggs with spinach (cooked in olive oil and sea salt), 1/2 whole wheat english muffin, red cherries, pineapples, small bowl of special k cinnamon pecan cereal in silk vanilla soy milk and 4 oz. orange juice

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this breakfast was absolutely YUMMMYYYY! i am quite full. so im off to shower and rest a bit before i do some beuatification for the friday night possibilities ;~)

have a great day!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

thursday 5.29.08 / 10:55pm (dinner)

well it was a good day. i made some good progress on my cleaning/organizing...which is what the month of june is all about. im tired and have boot camp in the morning so ill make this short and sweet...

DINNER: (Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen) almond crusted river trout, green beans, broccoli and water.

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YES!!!!!! once again. BUT...i only ate 4 spoons full. okay so i'll run an extra mile tomorrow afternoon.

GOOD NIGHT!!

thursday 5.29 (lunch)

i have done GREAT with my water today.

LUNCH: salad with brianna's blush wine vinaigrette, shelled edamame (unsalted) and water

i toasted some almonds to top off the salad and what a nice kick of flavor (yum)


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thursday 5.29 (workout)

no boot camp today. still trying to stay on the wagon, which i contemplate jumping off about every 5 minutes. lol.

work out:
3 sets of 10 sit ups, holding at 6 inches for 5 count in between every rep.
3 sets of 20 push ups (struggled like heck on the last set)
run 2 miles straight
brisk walk 2 miles

NO BREAKFAST (woke up late)

PRE-WORKOUT - 1 banana

PRE-LUNCH SNACK - fruit plate (1/2 granny smith apple, orange, fresh pineapple) with water

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wednesday 5.29.08 (lunch / dinner update)

LUNCH: salad and baked potato

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DINNER: okay so get ready for this - COLD STONE ICE CREAM. yes. so i did not eat dinner.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

WEDNESDAY 5.28.08 / 8:05am (update, boot camp day 10 & breakfast)

okay so im behind on the blog. this weekend was not just a holiday, but it was the closing weekend of my show (which means there were 4 shows and the cast party) AND i had a get together to attend for my high school after sunday afternoon's show. yesterday, well come on...it was the holiday!

so im not gonna update my weekend meals in detail but let me say this...i was OFF the wagon. i didnt fall off, i carefully climbed off of it and enjoyed myself - lol. weekend indulgences:

friday - cast party (small portion of spinach pasta and 2 1/2 drinks). friday wasnt so bad because i didnt eat dinner since i knew i was going to the party (which also means i ate well after 10pm because we were not done at the theatre until about 10:30.

saturday - no breakfast because i was worn out from the night before. lunch - lubys. i did well with baked fish, cabbage, pinto beans and a wheat roll. BUTTTT...i had the most scrumptious piece of german chocolate cake. YUMMMMMY! and i had some good ole sweet tea (this is texas, remember?)

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sunday - only a banana for breakfast because i was worn out from the night before (yes seems like i just said that...oh i did, on saturday). no lunch. i had to rush and get ready to go to the get together so i planned to eat there. there i had 12 boiled shrimp and a drink (hurricane). yep, broke my fish diet because there was nothing on the menu for me to order. thats why when eating healthy you have to plan.

monday - cereal (ezekial 4:9 cinnamon raisin). cabbage, green beans, mashed potatoes. okay this is the kicker - hung out with my sis and some friends at chili's - cajun chicken sandwich (only ate 1/4 of it), fries....and dessert - molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. YEAHHHH! i felt yuckie after eating the sandwich...i guess because i was not used to that kind of food anymore. i splurged and was happy to do it. i needed to feel human for a minute - lol. at least i drank water.

so TODAY - let me make a statement here. I AM TIRED OF THIS!!!! anyone who knows me knows i am HONEST, almost to a fault sometimes. i am especially honest about where i am with things, people and situations. im just tired of waking up on m/w/f...im tired of grocery shopping...im tired of eating healthy. i think im just in a general funk because i have so much to do but i needed to get that out.

with that said - i got up at 5:10am and took my pitiful self to boot camp - LOL! it was a little much today because of the long weekend but i hung in there far better than i expected i would. i dont even feel like recalling the exercises. forgive me, but i am doing well just to be back on here. i will do better after today, i promise. ive just got to find my enthusiasm again.

a good friend and i are planning to really go all out the next few weeks. fruit, veggies and water only. i suppose that is somewhat of a cleanse. i will add my veggie caps back into my diet. 3 weeks is a long time so i will rethink that or restructure the diet. i just want to get all i can out of my boot camp experience. i have some physical goals that i would like to reach so i need to get a bit radical. i will update once i decide exactly what the diet will look like.

so i went to the grocery store after boot camp. i notice that i stroll through the store like i have all day. the staff probably think im homeless and i am using the store as my dwelling. so anyway, while there i got a small hint of a second wind on this thing. it felt good to be filtering through produce, picking up the healthy things i like and reading labels. so i just may be able to do this. well i didnt like the whopping $40 i spent but i did get fruit and veggies to last me through the remainder of the week, so thats really not bad.

BREAKFAST - bowl of cereal in vanilla soymilk (special k, cinnamon pecan - and i added some sunmaid raisins) with a banana and water.

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thats it for me. i need to go shower and rest up for my noon bible study. i hope i make it.

enjoy the day...

Friday, May 23, 2008

Day 19 - friday 5.23.08 / 2:10pm (lunch)

just finished lunch. my knee is KILLING me from boot camp. i have had problems with my knee in the past but what i realize NOW is that the pain i had become so accustomed to had subsided (funny, i hadnt even thought about it). HOWEVER, after 15 times up and down that rough, grassy hill today my knee is like "what the *&@?!" one of the coaches says to ice it, but im gonna just ride it out for today. ive got a show and the cast party after so i just dont feel like it.

LUNCH: black bean wrap (mashed black beans, onions, chopped fresh spinach, mashed & seasoned avocado on whole wheat tortilla), bananas drizzled with honey and topped with vanilla almond macaroon granola and gatorade.

this was a quick, effortless and tasty meal. i was out of cilantro :~( ... meat eaters could also add grilled chicken and those free to eat dairy could add cheese. the bananas with honey and granola were a GREAT sweet treat to finish off the meal.


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Day 19 - friday 5.23.08 (boot camp day 9 / breakfast)

well today ends week 3 of boot camp! we are halfway through. and yes, its getting more and more strenuous. today was an okay day...tough...but i made it through.

WORKOUT

WARM UP: stretches - neck, shoulder, upper back, groin, tricep, quadracep

WORK OUT: run to the macgregor bayou, 20 pushups (because people were late), sprint up the hill and back down (3 sets of 5), resistance bands - tricep, bicep, back, diamond push ups, push ups with planks, abs - bicycles and planks, run back to starting point

COOL DOWN: stretches - neck, shoulder, upper back, groin, tricep, quadracep, hamstring, calf

i didnt do so well on the abs :-( ... by then i was just worn out. SO...im going to be sure to get them in before i go to the theatre for tonight's performance.

BREAKFAST: 2 eggs scrambled in butter (w/ sea salt), sauteed baby bella mushrooms (in extra virgin olive oil with tony chachere creole seasoning), 1/2 english muffin (lightly buttered thomas' light english muffin ), 3 slices of avocado and 8 oz odwalla vanilla al'mondo super protein

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this was a great meal. it felt light but was very filling. the mushrooms were wonderful and added a nice taste to the eggs.

well im exhausted so im going to rest. make it a great day!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Day 18 - thursday 5.22.08 (UPDATE)

yes...long time no write! things have been crazy! tuesday was my headshots...which went very well. i loved the make up artist! she was fabulous. the shoot went well. i am now anxiously awaiting my pics to be uploaded to my photographers website so that i can FINALLY take a look at them.

the make up artist did a fabulous job! below is a pic i took of myself when she was done. i hope it translated well to the headshots.

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so on to real business...boot camp wednesday was tough. i also had a show that morning, and the conclusion of a 2-day workshop that evening...all making for a very looong day. thats why i didnt write. i had a show tonight but i just cant let that much time pass.

so i will pick up with today.

i went to the park this morning - ran a mile and walked a 1/2 mile. at home i did pushups (3 sets of 10) and sit ups (3 sets of 15).

BREAKFAST: one whole wheat walnut pancake with honey, 2 eggs scrambled in butter, water.

LUNCH: salad (w/ brianna's blush wine vinaigrette - YUM), black eyed peas, cornbread, vitamin water

(i took the pics with my phone so they are a little dark, but you get the point)

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i fell in LOVE with brianna's blush win vinaigrette while i was on the east coast. you HAVE TO try it. it is amazing.

DINNER: albacore salad in whole wheat tortilla wrap, multi grain tortilla chips

tomorrow is boot camp. i will be back on target then.

GOOD NIGHT!!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Day 15 - monday 5.19 7:56pm (dinner)

i finished dinner early tonight...about 7ish. tomorrow is my photo shoot for my new headshots so i have been preparing for that ALLL day. had some last minute running around to do, had to find another shirt, wash my hair, blah blah blah... so got most of it done.

DINNER: baked tilapia, salad (w/ kraft balsamic vinaigrette dressing), baked sweet potato (w/ a little butter and a dash of brown sugar and cinnamon) and a small glass of cranberry cocktail.

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dinner was easy to prepare. i put a sweet potato in the oven to bake for about 50 minutes. while that was cooking i was washing my hair...the rest was simple. i used the frozen tilapia i mentioned in a previous blog that was on sale at kroger (bag of 6), so it only took about 15-18 minutes to cook (at 375).

the meal was really really good. light but hearty at the same time. i guess the fish was light but the potato was quite filling, not to mention a wonderful sweet flavor for any sweet tooth.

i will not be eating anything else tonight. im sure i will be starving before its over. im going to try to go to bed early so that i am rested up for the shoot. and i must keep the remainder of the evening stress free so that my energy and attitude are in a positive place.

well thats about it. ive got to finish flat ironing my hair and then work on a monologue.

have a great night.

Day 15 - monday 5.19.08 3:28pm (lunch)

LUNCH: almond butter and homemade pineapple/apricot jelly on a whole wheat toasted english muffin, red apple, ezekiel 4:9 cinnamon raisin cereal (for my fiber) topped with vanilla almond macaroon granola in lowfat vanilla almond milk.

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Day 15 - monday 5.19.08 2:04pm (bootcamp / breakfast)

YES!!!! it was tough to get up. not to mention i popped up at 4:40, 30 minutes before my alarm...arrrgh! i tried to recoup the sleep and then when the alarm went off i wanted to scream. so i made it to the park and the workout began.

WARM UP: stretches, one lap around the park (3/4 mile)

WORK OUT: today we did upper body, lower body and abs

legs - jump rope, jumping jacks, lunges, squats w/ 2 hops (repeating each)

arms - resistance bands (biceps, triceps, laterals), push ups

abs - 6 inches/45 degrees / 90 degrees, planks, planks w/ one arm (right and left), leg cross crunches

COOL DOWN - stretches

this one was a tough work out...but we survived.

MEALS

BREAKFAST: salmon & mushroom quiche on a bed of fresh spinach with walnuts, hashbrowns, mandarin oranges and a small glass of orange juice

SNACK: JAMBA JUICE - 16 oz fit and fruitful smoothie (passionfruit-mango juice blend, frozen strawberries, frozen mangos, lemonade, frozen peaches, ice, weight burner boost) with daily vitamin boost and 2.1 oz pkg of bear naked all natural appalachian trail mix

breakfast was very tasty. i used the leftover salmon from dinner last night. last night i wondered if it was possible to get some green in with breakfast, as opposed to just lunch and dinner like we usually do. so hmph...why not find a way to add some spinach. it added an interesting element to the breakfast.

the quiche was great. i have included the recipe just below the picture.

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CRUSTLESS SALMON AND MUSHROOM QUICHE

ingredients:
sliced mushrooms
salmon (pre-cooked and chopped)
onions (chopped)
green onions (chopped)
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
3 eggs
buttermilk (optional)
olive oil
sea salt
tony chachere creole seasoning
pam

cooking instructions:

preheat oven to 400 degress.

heat olive oil in a pan. sautee onions, green onions and garlic. mid-way to softness add mushrooms. add tony chachere creole seasoning. when vegetables are soft add salmon (only to heat through). set mixture to the side.

in a bowl beat 3 eggs and buttermilk (to consistency). add salmon mixture.

spray the desired baking dish with pam. add egg/salmon mixture and bake for approximately 30 minutes. quiche is done when knife goes in and comes out clean.

bon apetit!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Day 14 - sunday 5.18.08 / 9:22pm (lunch / dinner)

after being super tired this morning, today was a great day. the other actors were tired too, so i think its just the toll the work takes.

MEALS

LUNCH: tuna wrap (whole wheat tortilla), multi grain tortilla chips and water

DINNER: PF CHANG'S - wild alaskan sockeye salmon steamed with ginger (served over shiitake mushrooms, bokchoy, tomatoes and asparagus), spinach and hot oolong tea

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i met a good friend for dinner at changs. we parked in one place because we thought we were going to eat one thing, but there was a power outage so we decided on p.f. changs (my fav), which wa down the street. since i knew we would get a hearty meal we decided to walk down to the restaurant (i know...it sounds crazy but hey a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do). not to mention i knew we would need the walk when we finished!

the meal was just OKAY. it sounds better than it really is and took a minute for me to grow to like the taste, but i came around eventually.

afterward it was off to heb, again walking, this was just hilarious. but anyway, as usual, i got all dicombobulated in the store because i wanted everything in the health food and vitamin/skin care depts so it was stressful. i could go broke in those places. i left with a corning bowl to make quiche this week, a small book (yes i am a book fiend), aztec clay (w/ raw apple cider vinegar, for facial/body mask) and black beans for veggie wraps. not too bad i guess.

so now im off to clean a bit and then read my way to bed because there is boot camp tomorrow - yippee! yea right. whatever. i'll let you know how it goes...goodnight!

Day 14 - sunday 5.18.08 / 10:37am (breakfast)

it was a tremendous struggle to wake up this morning for the 7:30am service. i was/am extremely exhausted. the clock went off at 6:50 and i snoozed and reset it until 8:10. determined, i got up, washed up, threw on some jeans and headed to church, where i so despertely needed to be. i got there by 8:30 at which time they were doing altar prayer (yayyy)...following that was the sermon.

todays sermon was entitled, "the force in god's presence" from luke 19:1-9. it was JUST what i needed to hear. now i see why it was so hard for me to get up, because there was a message waiting with my name on it. bottom line, there are things to distract us that keep us from experiencing the fullness, the power, the force of gods presence. the 3 points: 1). people and circumstances distract us from god's presence; 2). god's presence convicts and consoles us; and 3). god's presence affirms and empowers us.

i had been very much in my word and deovtion prior to this week, but over the last 7 days i have slacked a bit. i found myself a bit discouraged about some things...not to mention how my boxes from the move are constantly staring me in the face and i have no energy to begin attacking them, nor do i know where to start. HOWEVER, todays message was god telling me that i have been distracted...this time by circumstance. they appear a bit to great and i am moving slightly away from gods presence in my life. so, with that said, i will make my way back with diligence and steadfastness, so that i can complete my process.

i have one show today, so after i blog i will go relax to get mentally rested and centered.

MEALS

BREAKFAST: homemade wheat vanilla and almond pancake, filled and topped with sliced almonds and 100% pure maple syrup (made with whole wheat graham flour), eggs scrambled in butter (garnished with cilantro), sliced red apples topped with almond butter and vanilla almond macaroon granola (from whole foods), and a small glass of orange juice.

this breakfast was EXTREMELY tasty and very filling.

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well im off to rest. i will check in later to update lunch and dinner. make it a great one!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Day 13 - 11:10pm

another long day..but what a GREAT one. we had two amazing shows (especially the evening show). the 8pm had such a FANTASTIC audience! a great audience is the perfect canvas for an artist. in between shows i went to my sis' house to play wii. she kicked my butt (well not really) in bowling. and then we played air hockey (the best 4 out of 7 and we tied 3/3 then she won by luck!

i'll be short and sweet here...

there was no work out today.

MEALS

BREAKFAST: whole wheat blueberry kashi waffle topped with peach pecan butter, egg scrambled in butter, small bowl of vanilla almond macaroon granola in lowfat vanilla almond milk with small glass of orange juice.

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LUNCH: tuna wrap (whole wheat tortilla), salad (buttermilk ranch dressing), multi grain tortilla chips with hummus, water. this was absolutey YUM!

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i was still hungry after i ate! so i ate a jack in the box acapulco chicken salad (with no chicken). sounds greedy but i guess my metabolism is really moving now.

i did very well with my water. drank plenty and went to the restroom plenty :-/ ... but i guess thats the goal right?

well thats it for today...goodnight!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Day 12 - 11:13pm (dinner)

LOOONG day, whew!

preface - i took half of an english muffin and spread the remaining tuna mixture from wenesday's tuna omelet on it. yum. now i have had many people question the tuna omelet. let me say again - I AM NOT A FAN OF TUNA! i am seeking to "acquire" the taste for it. so when i tasted the omelet and it was really good, i was shocked. trust me, it is really good! i suppose after the tuna is sauteed in olive oil and then mixed with the other veggies, there is no longer any hint of fish taste. try it...the cost, effort and time are all minimal for the dish. and be sure to comment after you have tried it...im interested to know if others like it :-)

so i had the 1/2 toasted english muffin with tuna/spinach/mushroom mixture, granny smith apple, orange and hot tea (tazo, lotus flavor ).

here is a pic of the tuna/spinach/spinach mixture just so you can get an idea. im not sure how clear it is, but here it is anyway:

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then i was bad. i was so hungry when i got done at the theatre that i ate again when i got home. i had a salad and about 5 multi grain tortilla chips. healthy but far past my cut off time. thats the hard thing about working in the theatre...the hours are crazy so it is hard to have a decent cut off time when working late hours. thats why i dont beat myself up. its just like that at times and i have to roll with it. so i did!

well, thats a wrap! good night...tomorrow i have two shows and i am exhausted so off to bed i go.

Day 12 - 4:40pm (evening workout)

well after lunch i had the desire to go running so i suited up and went to the neighborhood park where i ran a total of 1 1/2 miles (maybe a little more) and walked 1 1/2/ miles. at intervals during the run/walk i stopped and did push ups (5 reps total - 2 sets of 10 and 3 sets of 15). when i got home i pulled out the mat and did 4 sets of 10 sit ups.

after work out i drank a bottle of water, a half bottle of gatorade and ate 3/4 of a banana with almond butter (nothing to put a pic of since it was not very appealing to the eye - lol).

im off to the shower and then to the theatre for tonights show.

i will update dinner when i get in tonight. i will probably take the salad i didnt finish last night and a small bowl of the soup left over from last night (although i cant promise that i will eat either).

make it a great evening!

Day 12 - 2:28pm (lunch)

well its lunch time. its been a busy day. looks like working out is giving me the energy i was missing...thank god! so i got my eyebrows threaded, got my car washed, stopped by the bank and then home to prepare lunch.

if anyone is looking for a great eyebrow threader, my lady is AWESOME. her name is nadia and she works at APSARA BEAUTY CENTER:

6375 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77057
713.974.7272
www.apsarausa.com

prices: eyebrows $8 / lip $4

my eyebrows can be difficult in that if someone messes them up, they take FOREVER to grow back. when i moved back to houston at the end of 2006 i had just that - one messed up eyebrow! nadia doctored them over this year and a half and has gotten them to a place i really like. she is committed to creating healthy looking, shapely and attractive brows, which every woman needs ;~)

here is a pic of my brows from today. we still have a little ways to go in filling out the corner on the right brow but soon i will have them just the way i like them.

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so on to business...

MEALS

LUNCH: tuna salad on toasted whole wheat english muffin, multi grain tortilla chips (made with organic corn, KETTLE brand) with hummus (PITA PAL brand, original flavor), red apple slices topped with granola (vanilla almond macaroon from whole foods) and a glass of water.

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my tuna was SCRUMPTIOUS! i guess its growing on me after all. my recipe for tasty tuna:

1 can tuna
red onion (finely chopped)
green bell pepper (finely chopped)
red bell pepper (finely chopped)
red apple (finely chopped)
tony chachere creole seasoning
pepper
mayonnaise (yuck but need it for tuna ;~)
mustard (yum)

once mixed to the consistency i like, which is more chunky than soupy, i sprinkle cilantro over the top. absolute YUM! the apple gives me the crunch i like with the sweetness.

i usually would put a boiled egg (with the yolk) but i was in a rush today and did not have time.

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i need to get more water in, i just hate the frequent visits to the restroom, ESPECIALLY when i have a show. it is such a headache to tangle with costumes. BUT i will do what i must...

ive gotten a couple of comments about the food presentation. thats the fun part for me. working out has always seemed like such a chore for me that i need some part of the process to be more than therapeutic...i need fun. ive always wanted to go to cooking school, which i still may at some point, so this gives me the opportunity to pretend :-) ... and boy am i having a good time trying to figure out different healthy things to eat and attractive ways of presenting them to myself. one thing i have vowed to do is to treat myself special...to reward myself in this way for being committed to the process. it really does make me feel good to sit down to a beautiful plate of food, no matter how simple the dish. i have found that a sprig of parsley to the side, topping food with herbs such as cilantro (one of my favs), a sprinkle of seasoning or a drizzle of something sweet, makes a real difference in how the plate looks. this is my treat to myself and it really does make me feel good i must say...not to mention the challenge of finding ways to boost up everyday, common meals.

well thats it for now...

Day 12 - 9:16am (BOOTCAMP DAY 6 and breakfast)

today was boot camp. yippppeeeeee!!! yea right. well actually maybe a short "yay!" i had the hardest time waking up. my alarm went off at 5am and first i couldnt seem to figure out what that annoying noise was. then once i realized it was the alarm i couldnt for the life of me figure out why my alarm would be going off at night. well thats because it was certainly morning, even though it was dark. i peeled out of bed at 5:12 and prepared to leave.

workout was pretty strenuous today. we did what boot-camp-zilla called "hydrant drills." you dont want to know. okay, since youre here i'll tell you anyway. that is where we run around the neighborhood surrounding the part and at every fire hydrant (for the most part) we stop and do some exercise (15 counts for a certain number of reps, depending on the exercise).

one thing about this particular work out was that it afforded us the opportunity, once again, to tour the ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL macgregor area and look at the tremendously large, amazing homes. the macgregor area is a historic and affluent african american part of houston. the neighborhood has such beautiful scenery, with some of the largest and most attractive trees and lawns. it was sooooooo peaceful and also inspiring to look around and take in the beauty of what my people had accomplished. i loved it. i mean i loved the view and the feel...not the work out ;-)

i will try my best to capture the work out but i am sure i will forget some things.

WARM UP: stretches (neck, hamstring, quadricep, groin, shoulder, back, chest), 20 push ups because people were late

WORK OUT: (i will put "run / the exercise done at the hydrant")

run / curb push ups
run / mountain climbers
run / squats with 2 hops
run / front and back kicks
run / lunges with kicks(each leg)
run / tricep dips on the curb
run / push ups with planks
run / jumping jacks
run back to park

abs - sit ups, curb sit ups and crab sit ups (with partner)

COOL DOWN: stretches

it was a GREAT work out today. the other day i spoke with our male coach who, for now, i will call "sergeant brick" (its an inside joke about the shoe visit we had the other day but we will have him appropriately named by monday)...anyway sergeant brick helped me see that i was not doing my ab work properly. i have had some back injuries so ab work is difficult because my back is not strengthened enough to support me, which means i also have to do extra stretching and exercises at home to build the strength of my back. he showed me how to do them properly so today i accomplished that. before my quads were sore because i was pulling more from my pelvic which uses the quad muscles instead of using the ab muscles. now i partially already knew this, having been a gymnast and cheerleader, but i guess i needed to boost to press past the back strain of doing them right.

i mentioned in wednesdays blog that sis and i stayed after to chat with the coaches and a few classmates. well that may have been a mistake because today when i was inclined to slack a little i would hear, "jordyn whats up!?" or "jordyn tighten it up!" or "youre supposed to be running jordyn!" i finally had to say "STOP STALKING ME SERGEANT BRICK!!!" well neither he nor zilla let up, and im kinda glad they didnt, but dont tell THEM that!

and i must inform you...remember i said they act like they think they are drill sergeants or something? well i told sergeant brick what i said and he kindly informed me that i was using the correct title because he is/was a sergeant in the marines. well &^%$%! no wonder!!!! so now it all makes sense. figure that.

MEALS

BREAKFAST: 1 large brown egg scrambled in butter, 1 homemade 100% whole wheat walnut pancake (topped with banana slices, walnuts and sprinkled with cinnamon) with hot maple syrup, a few banana slices sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with maple syrup and a small glass of orange juice.

this was a GREAT breakfast. i hadnt made homemade pancakes in a while, so i made a batch for my mom and baby brother first (he stayed over last night, and i guess hes not a baby anymore, hes 28, but hes still MY baby). i made theirs the way they like stuff - WHITE...in other words i used white flour, but for mine i used 100% whole wheat. they came out just as great and yummy as ever.

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now i am about to rest a bit after i do a little bible reading. i need to catch up on my journaling which i hope to do later today. i have a photo shoot on tuesday that i need to get ready for so i may run some errands related to that a little later. we shall see. the show tonight is at 8 and i would ordinarily have to be at the theatre at 7 to get ready, but we have rehearsal prior to the performance since the understudy will be performing tonight and we have to be there at 6.

so thats it for me...make it a beautiful day!

Day 11 - a day late :-)

okay so day 11 is a day late. yesterday was a LONG day. i had my colonic at 10, went to walmart to pick up some things, stopped at whole foods for a few grocery items and lunch, headed to the theatre for a pick-up rehearsal, then home to rest before my show. whew!

no workout today as planned because the pick-up rehearsal was unexpected and moved in on my work out territory >-(

and i apologize for slacking on the food pics. my mind has been elsewhere. the past couple of days i seem to only remember once i have taken a bite out of everything, lol. i will do better...

MEALS

NO BREAKFAST: i know...bad me...but i was tired and had the most difficult time getting up.

LUNCH: small piece of grilled salmon, broccoli cheddar cake (both from whole foods) with water. and NO i am not supposed to be eating cheese but i didnt know there was cheese in it! YES cheddar is in the name but it just didnt click until my sister said "that has cheese in it." well of course then it was too late, so forgive me ;-)

DINNER: almost no dinner too! i prepared a salad and 1/2 of an almond butter and pineapple/apricot jelly sandwich but i wasnt hungry when i got to the theatre. while doing hair and make up i did eat the 1/2 sandwich. at intermission i ate about 3 forkfuls of the salad.

now after the show...well thats another story. i was just a tad hungry, so i joined a friend who had attended my show to a restaurant called MAI'S, a vietnamese restaurant that stays open til 3am. it was 10pm so i knew i wouldnt be eating anything heavy, plus i had the worst stomach ache. i had the vegetable soup. and when i say vegetable i mean vegetable! they brought out a plate of veggies (to go in the already overly full bowl of soup) containing fresh mint, cilantro, brussel sprouts and some stuff i had never seen - lol. anyhoo, here is the pic:

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well thats it for day 11. now i need to go post day 10!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Day 10 - meals update 11:18pm

snack: banana

afternoon snack: carribean passion smoothie, blueberry oat cake (jamba juice)

lunch: half of the leftovers from yesterday's dinner...well my friend's leftovers (lol) - grilled tilapia, grilled asparagus, butternut squash

dinner: the other half of the leftovers :-)

i ate dinner late because bible study ran until 10:00! imayis pastors anniversary so a lot going on.

im tired....good night!

Day 10 - 9:06am

first let me say that todays boot camp was GREAT!!! now i'll back up to say that i had a HARRRDDDD time getting up this morning. in fact i was SOOO not into it when i got there. in fact i know i had to look like the meanest person there. UNTIL...i began thinking about my conversation with my classmate - lol. then i brought myself out of the funk and kicked it up to another level. funny what a little challenge will do. i realize the value of people who knew you when you were at your best. they see you totally different from how you see yourself after "life" has happened to you. its good to tap into people with a positive frame of reference for you so that you are able to have some positive reinforcement put into your psyche (and lord knows i need it in this area).

the workout has certainly escalated, as boot-camp-zilla said it would. theres no way i can remember counts or reps but i will try to cover what we did in no particular order. today we worked arms and legs. we split into 2 groups and divided up, 1/2 with zilla (legs) and the other half with the trainer we have not named yet ;~) (arms). legs were done on a wall that varies in elevation from the ground, so taller people were at the higher level of the wall while shorter people (like me) were at the lower level. arms were done on the slab of the basketball court. so here goes:

WARM UP: stretches (neck, shoulder, quadracep, straight leg hamstring, upper back, chest, groin), 20 push ups because people were late

WORKOUT:

legs - leg presses (stepping up onto the wall one foot first, with weight on the heel of the foot, bringing the other leg up and then stepping back down), alternating leg presses, wall squats, backward wall squats (back to wall, one leg reaching back placing toe on wall, lunging into squats with front knee behind the toe)

run to bball court for arms

arms - push ups with planks (to work obliques), tricep dips (on bench), uneven arm push ups with hold at 6 inches, incline pushups with hold at 6 inches, diamond push ups with hold at 6 inches

run to wall to repeat leg workout

we did two rounds of each, legs and arms

run back to starting point in park

COOL DOWN: stretches

today was cool because we had the owner of Finish Strong Sports, raymond cooper, come in to talk to us about proper shoe wear, "equipment" as he called it. i never knew there was so much information to be known about sneakers and the purposes they serve in exercising. i mean i knew they were important, but he was talking about things like if your foot rolls when you step you need a stabilizing shoe, and he set up a display table of shoes to show us what that looked like. he was extremely knowledgeable and professional. he has 2 locations in houston. he gave us coupons and zilla is going to schedule a group activity to go to his store to be consulted on our feet and the proper shoes. from my understanding he has a small track in the store that allows him to observe your run so that he can make proper recommendations. isnt that awesome! im so looking forward to that! here is his information:

raymond cooper, owner
finish strong sports
raymond@finishstrongsports.com
www.finishstrongsports.com

6426 washington ave, houston, tx, 77007, 713.861.9779
14620 memorial drive, houston, tx, 77079, 281.497.0600

zilla also mentioned that we will be having a nutritionist come in to do a similar type of demonstration, along with food samples. this is truly a holistic class in terms of making sure we are prepared and equipped to maintain a proper and effective workout. i love it!

arlice (sis) and i stayed after to chat with a few stragglers, mr. cooper and the coaches, which was fun. its nice to get to know the people who are killing you . but seriously it was great convo about dieting and the structure for the remainder of the class. as it turns out, the small bit of mozzarella cheese i have been sneaking in my omelettes must be cut out >~( ... no dairy while trying to achieve my results. well actually in all honesty dairy is not good for acne or eczema...so i shouldnt be risking it anyway right? okay, so bad me again...geez.

so it was a great day on the battlefield!

MEALS:

BREAKFAST: 2 egg omelet with tuna, spinach, mushrooms, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, sea salt, topped with cilantro and red bell pepper (no cheese); 100% multi grain wheat toast (no butter), glass of water.

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i had a conversation with a friend last night where i said i am going to make my diet as strict as possible until i accomplish my personal physical goals. i mentioned that i am going to set out to acquire the taste for tuna (which i eat only occasionally at best)...hence the tuna in the omelet. i wanted to try something new so i made up a recipe. of course i was absolutely terrified to taste it! but i was so surprised and pleased to find that it was ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!!!!!! my mom couldnt believe there was tuna in it. of course i cooked her the same breakfast i had except she got the good stuff - butter on the toast and cheese in and on top of the omelet (chump). because it was so good i want to share the recipe:

TUNA SPINACH AND MUSHROOM OMELET

ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can tuna
red onion
green bell pepper
red bell pepper
1 clove garlic
sliced mushrooms
cilantro
frozen spinach
sea salt
extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

cooking directions:
thaw spinach. chop red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and garlic into really small pieces. set a small amount of the red bell peppers aside to be used for garnish. heat olive oil in pan and sautee all chopped items until mildly tender. add mushrooms. when mushrooms are tender add spinach. set aside in bowl. add a little more olive oil to the pan, heat and then add the tuna. this is to heat the tuna through. while it is heating, use a wooden spoon to separate all the chunks. when done, add the saute veggie mixture to the tuna. allow the flavors to cook through and then turn off heat.

in another pan prepare to cook the eggs using olive oil. once poured into the pan add sea salt. when the egg is ready, place the tuna mixture on half of the egg, leaving room to fold the other half and press the edges. you will have to work to get the hang of how to best do this with your pan. once the egg is ready, fold it over and then cook for 20-30 seconds on each side. remove from heat.

once the omelet is plated, sprinkle some cilantro on top followed by the remaining chopped red bell peppers. enjoy!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Day 9 - 8:54pm

today was a good day. work out? NO. did i plan to? YES...but didnt happen. i did have my second colonic this morning - yay! however this time was more uncomfortable than the last. there was more "release" and with that comes discomfort of a couple of kinds. not painful though, just the discomfort that comes along with getting familiar with the process. i did feel good afterward. i go back for my third, and final one in this particular package, on thursday.

i weighed myself before i had the colonic and found that in the last 7 days i gained 3 pounds. yep, i was a whopping 108.5. dont get me wrong i am not one who is obsessed with the numbers of a scale, its just that i know that my desire to shed the fat and get down to muscle toning would definitely indicate a drop in numbers (since i am not seeking to bulk up with muscle, which would definitely cause an increase). however, i do have to take into consideration that the last time i weighed i had just come off of a cleanse and then a fast, so that was not a "realistic" and "real time" weight. with that in mind i am still below my norm which is 112. thank god...lol. PLUS i knew i would gain weight because i have been eating regular meals with snacks (although i am on fish for 30 days). the good thing this time is that i have been eating nothing but healthy food!

i had dinner with a middle/high school classmate who remembers me from my days of gymnastics, volleyball, cheerleading, band and majorette. he talked badly about my inability to work out like a champ. says i have some major mental blocks. while i did argue with him :) ... he is right... my blocks to abs and commitment ARE major. and because i am super competitive, our little debate has fueled me. im sure i will be hearing his words as i am struggling through tomorrow's workout :~( ... but i will see if it takes me to another level of commitment.

i didnt take pics of any of my meals today. breakfast and lunch were the usual - lol. i FORGOT to take one at dinner and i wish i would have because the presentation of my meal at the restaurant was phenomenal, not to mention it was most pleasing to my palate.

i did not nearly come close to having enough water today (bad me). and then i had sweet tea for dinner. and no there is nothing wrong with splurging every now and then but come on yall im so new on the boat that i dont have the right to s-p-l-u-r-g-e! once i achieve my results, splurgeville here i come ;~) but until then its called STRICT DIET. i could even be a little more strict until i see some cuts in the abs or that my arms look like the arms i knew most of my life. i'll see about that on tomorrow when i take a look at the meals i have planned for the rest of the week. i will scrutinize it and make the adjustments. what fun >-(

MEALS:

BREAKFAST: kashi blueberry waffle w honey and a banana

LUNCH: salad w balsamic vinaigrette dressing, water

SNACK: banana

DINNER: pappadeaux - almond crusted trout (topped with tomato and crab in a little brown sauce), butternut squash, fresh green beans and sweet tea (after all this is TEXAS)

i also attempted to make some zucchini bread this afternoon. didnt come out totally right...was not as firm as i wanted...not as cake-like." when i went back to see what i could have done wrong i realized where the recipe called for 1c of crushed pineapple, i used 1 can! thats the difference between 8 oz and 20 oz!!!!!!!!!!! uhh yea that would certainly make it more "liquidy" than normal!!!! BUT it tastes GREAT. just a little more bread pudding like if you will. and has more pineapple taste that it ordinarily would. normally you would not taste the pineapple while they would add a certain consistency and hint of flavor to the bread.

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anyhoo, i will try again tomorrow. and yes that means i am going to ahev a ton of zucchini bread. but hey thats what the freezer is for! well thats it for today. good night!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Day 8 - final update 7:21pm

so all in all today was a good day. i planned on going back to the track and to do abs before calling it a night, but i decided to go to my storage instead. ive been so busy that i still have not unpacked since returning to houston, so a lot of what i need is still boxed up :-/ ... my mom was a trooper and helped out so it wasnt so bad. i got my juicer, steamer and some other items i need to mix things up a bit. im really looking forward to juicing...i havent used the ole juicer in quite some time.

okay so meals to wrap up the day:

SNACK: sandwich - almond butter and pineapple/apricot jam on toasted whole grain bread and water. i have to tell you...this homemade jam is tha bomb!!! this sandwich was absolutely yummie. the recipe for the jam is below dinner.

DINNER: baked flounder over tabouli salad, steamed veggies (squash, zucchini, broccoli), baked potato (w/ butter, salt and pepper) and gatorade.

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dinner was great. this was my first time trying tabouli. it was "different." i cant say that i loved, or even liked it really, but it was nice to try something new. the bad part is that the small box made a humongous bowl of it! lol. well it only cost me 2 tomatoes and 1/2 a cucumber so not so bad :~).

PINEAPPLE AND APRICOT JAM

1 - 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
1 pound dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

i substituted brown sugar for the white sugar. i also divided the recipe in half and it made quite a bit, 24 ounces. i also added one packet of unflavored gelatin to have it in more of a molded, firmly set form.

combine ingredients in pot and stir until sugar dissolves. bring to a consistent boil for a while and then turn down to simmer.

the cooking instructions are for the air core self cooking pots i have, therefore i am not sure of the length of time to cook using traditional methods. with air core once it is turned down to simmer, it self cooks for another 1 1/2 hours. so i would say monitor, conducting taste tests to determine when it reaches the consistency you prefer.

happy eating!!

Day 8 - 1:51pm

just finished lunch. i went back to sleep after breakfast and realized i am EXHAUSTED. i have quite a bit of organizing to do so i feel a little discouraged about that. HOWEVER, this is the time god has given me to begin approaching the things that have fallen by the wayside so i know the energy will come.

so for lunch - salad (w/ ranch dressing), mixed veggies, bananas with almond butter and water. simple right?

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well im off to see how much i can get done today. healthy heights!

Day 8 - 8:35am

boy was it ever hard to get up and go to boot camp today. it wasnt so much that i couldnt get up when the alarm went off at 5, it was simply that i DID NOT want to go. i text my sis to tell her just that...but i did not hesitate, i asked god for strength to stick to it and to move past my lack of desire. what i realized today was that it is completely UNREASONABLE to expect that i will consistently have even the slightest desire to go. but here is where the lesson comes in...I MUST GO IN SPITE OF HOW I FEEL. thats whats been the problem in the past, when i didnt feel like it...when i felt i just couldnt muster up the energy to go...i didnt. well this time has to be different. in order to make it through the boot camp process, or even the process of becoming healthier and more fit, i will have to completely disregard my own feelings and follow through.

sis didnt make it today, but the other 2 untouchables were there. i was especially glad i pushed through because we did the pt test that will serve as our benchmark throughout the class. so the workout was simple today, this is what it looked like:

WARMUP: stretches

WORKOUT (PT TEST): partner up to count how many push ups and sit ups we could do in 2 minutes and then time our 2 mile run. my results were as follows:

push ups - 40
sit ups - 40
2 mile run - 23 minutes

our goal will be to increase in these areas. i assume we will be performing more pt tests at certain intervals to note progress.

COOL DOWN: stretches

afterward i went to my new home, the grocery store - lol. i realized i was out of salad items. i also saw some other things i needed or wanted to try. its amazing what you do not pay attention to when you are accustomed to certain other things. for example, when i was not trying to be healthy and needed lasagna noodles i never noticed that whole wheat lasagna noodles existed. but today when i went to the store there were so many whole wheat pastas to choose from. i was like "who knew!?" thats really scary...i can only imagine how much we miss out on in life because we do not see outside of what is familiar, healthy or not. hmmmmmm.... i guess another exercise i will be incorporating into my boot camp is to broaden my view :-) ... god knows i certainly dont want to miss anything valuable.

MEALS:

BREAKFAST: shredded baked potatoes topped with fried egg (w/ sea salt and cilantro), toasted english muffin with homemade pinapple/apricot jam, mandarin oranges, blackberries and organic strawberry lemonade.

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the shredded baked potatoes were more like MUSH thanks to the new food processor i am trying to learn how to use. somehow "shred" turned into "liquify" - lol. no stopping me, i went ahead and mixed in some chopped onion and spread the mixture in the pan to bake at 375. it smelled far better than it tasted. it was also a little dry. it didnt at all turn out like i envisioned. i will try this again tomorrow or thursday. coupled with the egg it wasnt that bad though...just not what i had in mind.

now the homemade pineapple/apricot jam i made las night was a WINNER!!!!! yummie!! it turned out really great. i was a little worried because the recipe did not call for gelatin, but i wanted mine to be somewhat of a mold so i added one pkg of unflavored gelatin and it came out fine. because i used the food processor to grind up the mixture after cooking, it is smooth, which is fine, but next time i am going to try to leave it a little chunky.

by golly i am determined to learn how to use this food processor and these self-cooking pots :~/

well thats it for now...i will update meals as the day progresses.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Day 7 - 9:51pm

today was a pretty good day. only one show today which went pretty well. boot camp tomorrow so i am preparing to make it an early night :~).

im trying a new recipe right now...pineapple & apricot jam. my brother gave me some aircore self cooking pots which i have not learned to use yet. the jam recipe is one from the booklet that came with it. we will see how it goes.

MEALS

BREAKFAST: 1 scrambled egg (topped with cilantro), kashi blueberry waffle (topped with fresh blueberries), watermelong, mandarin oranges and organic strawberry lemonade.

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LUNCH: albacore salad on toasted whole wheat english muffin, kashi vegetable crackers, mandarin oranges, fresh blackberries, water.

DINNER: veggie soup, baked potato (butter, salt and pepper) and water...WITH A SLICE OF CAKE! yes a slice of cake. my brother made it for my mom for mothers day, so i just HAD to share in the celebration ;~)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Day 6 - 11:06pm

okay so weekend posts are going to be challenging sine the play will be running. on saturdays i have 2 shows, so updating the blog...well...lets just say its not as exciting as it is during the week ;~) ... so this will be brief.

i did not wake up early because i needed a break. i also had to be at the theatre for 1pm ready to rock and roll so i decided to REST. since i had cooked so much during the week this was a LEFTOVER day (yipppeee)!

MEALS

BREAKFAST: bowl of raisin bran

LUNCH 1: 1 slice of fish pizza, mandarin oranges and fresh blackberries, water

SNACK (eaten in the car after 1st show): 1 slice of fish pizza

LUNCH 2: albacore salad on multi grain toast, boiled egg white, organic strawberry lemonade

DINNER: 6 oz. tilapia fillet (baked) over whole wheat pasta topped with spinach alfredo sauce, water

POST-SHOW SNACK: bowl of raisin bran, 1 slice of multi grain toast with almond butter

GOOD NIGHT!!!!!

Day 5 - updated meals

day 5 dinner - small baked potato, homeamade veggie soup and a salad with water.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Day 5 - 1:59pm

just finished lunch and it was great! wednesday night i baked 2 tilapia fillets thinking i would eat them on thursday...NOT. so theyve been in the fridge since. i needed to do something with them really soon. i had the idea to make a fish pizza. yep, a fish pizza. so thats what i did and it was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!! it was wonderful to indulge, and i do mean indulge, in such a simple, quickly prepared, unique tasting pizza...YUM!

LUNCH: 2 slices of fish pizza, salad (w/ kraft balsamic vinaigrette) and 1/2 banana and fresh blackberries drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon (for the sweet tooth, yum! great dessert alternative, a tiny scoop of non-fat blue bell vanilla would have put it over the top ;~).

below is the recipe and how to for the pizza and following are the pics. bon apetit!

pkg of 2 whole wheat pizza crusts from whole foods
jar of paul newmans own mushroom marinara sauce (or any marinara of choice, you can even use pesto)
1 seasoned and baked tilapia fillet (or any fish of choice) - chopped fine
small pkg of fresh mushrooms (thinly sliced)
small red onion (thinly sliced)
small green bell pepper (thinly sliced)
mozzarella cheese
extra virgin olive oil

preheat oven to 375. brush the crust with olive oil then add a layer of marinara. top with mozzarella, tilapia, green bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, more mozarella. place in the oven and cook for 13-15 minutes. voila!

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Day 5 - 10:11am

boot camp was tough today. we did quite a bit and my body was already sore so it was a BIGGG push. and then...AND THENNNN...coach let us know openly that this week was play time and that next week we will be going to a "whole other level." okay so should i bail on the $175 i coughed up or what? well probably not seeing as though i DO want to experience the results ;~) ... okay so im going to hang in there. the good news is that week 1 is finally behind me. no! that is GREAT news! it is unbelievable how much anticipation i had about this class, but i am finding that when you just push through it, knowing it is something that you MUST DO it takes on a totally different frame. thank god! ebony was out of town today so she wasnt there. mekinah, well she was just MIA. but coach certainly noticed and asked about them as sis and i were leaving. hmmmm... well anyway, here goes:

WARM UP - stretches, once again, people were late so we started by "dropping and giving 20" - push ups that is, followed by 1 lap around the park (approx 3/4 mile)

WORK OUT - we did drills where we went to 6 different stations and did timed exercises, alternating between two different exercises at each station for 15 counts each at a time (now remember most of these are not just 1,2,3,4,5,etc., they are 1,2,3,1; 1,2,3,2; 1,2,3,3 and so on...so there is more work involved). we did the exercises until she blew the whistle, which seemed to be after about a minute or a minute and a half.

station 1: knee high running in place at the fence, curb push ups

station 2: jump rope then running-rope to next cone where we repeated the exercise, returning to the first cone to start over

station 3: squats with 2 hops, walking lunges to next cone where we repeated the exercise, returning to the first cone to start over

station 4: mountain climbers, front and back kicks

station 5: ski jumpers, alternating lunges

station 6: bends and thrusts, tricep dips on the curb

we finished with indian sprints, where we line up in a single file line and run around the park again (3/4/ mile), but there is a continuous rotation of the last runner in line sprinting past the group and accelerating to the front of the line. this was repeated until our final destination was reached.

COOL DOWN - stretches

when i returned home, i got my mom up for her walk, so i accompanied her to the park where i walked 1 1/2 miles around the track with her. i intended to do sit ups when i got home but i forgot. how convenient, right? no but seriously i hit the showers after spending my morning sweating like a pig, and it did not cross my mind until then that i reneged on the abs. no worries, i vow to hit them up before the end of the day.

MEALS

PRE-WORKOUT BREAKFAST - small bowl of organic 4 grain plus flax hot cereal (arrowhead mills) and a slice of multi grain toast with all natural peach pecan butter (fredericksburg farms)

POST-WORKOUT BREAKFAST - 2 egg omelette (spinach, mushrooms, cilantro, mozzarella), 1/2 slice whole wheat english muffin with butter, a few mandarin oranges and a small glass of orange juice.

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it is only 10:34am and it seems like a full day. i already have my homemade veggie soup cooking so all i have to do later is hook up a salad to go with it for dinner. im not sure about lunch yet...i will play it by ear.

i was telling a friend this morning that this whole thing has just taken over my life. i dont think i have ever spent so much time in the kitchen preparing food and washing dishes! the saving grace is that i absolutely love to cook, so experimenting and finding new recipes or healthy ways to cook old ones is quite intriguing. with that said i certainly see the fun in it all. i wonder how long i will be able to keep this blog up. my goal is to do it for the 6 weeks of boot camp and thats it. we will see how it goes.

oh and p.s. late comers need to get with the program. im tired of being early and then having to do push ups because others are late >-(

well my friends, make it a great day...

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Day 4 - 4:22pm

i woke up this morning at 6am to read my bible and pray. i went back to bed at about 7:15 and got back up at 9:15. my mother and i went to the park where she walked a couple of laps and i ran one mile and walked 1/2 mile then i came home and did 4 sets of 10 sit ups.

any african american woman knows that hair is a major concern when it comes to working out. not to mention my hair is natural, so ive got double issues when it comes to this situation! since i just got my hair done yesterday i was inclined not to go running. BUT this is a commitment remember? as inconvenient as it may be, i am committed. i put a stocking cap on underneath my bandana and was glad to find that my hair had not lost its form in the slightest (well except for in the back just a tad, where the stocking cap was not tight - but that can be handled so all is well).

when i got in from working out i ate my post workout breakfast, fixed my albacore for lunch and stashed it in the fridge so it would be ready for me when i got back, showered and headed to meet my friend and former business partner, cheryl, for lunch.

as i said before trying to eat right is taking up quite a bit of time in terms of preparation. i knew i didnt want to eat out because there was a higher risk of doing the WRONG thing...so i prepared half of my meal before i left and vowed that i would only have tea while i was out. BUT when i got there they had a tomato and basil soup that i wanted to give a shot, and thankfully it was right up my health food alley! my pre-lunch meal was light and healthy.

its been a great day. i have a performance tonight. im an actor by the way. so my planning today puts me in good shape for this evening. my body is fully ready to go. now i will probably get a little sleepy by intermission, but hey...that is only temporary. oh - i was actually sleep by 11pm last night!!! that is unheard of for me! so i am hoping to see more of this kind of benefit as i go forward.

anyhoo, thats a wrap. i am taking my dinner with me to the theatre to eat before the show goes up at 7:30. that will be a salad, some fruit and some water; just something to take the edge off as i am sure i won't be starving since i ate a late lunch.

i hope the other untouchables are having a wonderful day. i spoke to my sis earlier and she is well. ebony and mekinah - stay true to our cause so that we can be too sexy for those pants - lol.

MEALS

PRE-WORKOUT BREAKFAST - bowl of raisin bran with organic rice milk (made w/ brown rice)and a glass of orange juice.

POST-WORKOUT BREAKFAST - kashi whole grain blueberry waffle topped with fresh blackberries, a banana (with waffle and banana drizzled with honey) and water.

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PRE-LUNCH - cup of tomato basil soup (at andre's with my friend and former business partner) and 2 tall glasses of iced tea with no sugar (yippee - a way to get more water in).

LUNCH - albacore salad (canned albacore made with onions, carrots, cilantro, red peppers, red apple, boiled egg, mayonnaise, mustard and seafood seasoning) on multi grain bread, potato wedges (seasoned and baked at 400) and a glass of organic strawberry lemonade.

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DINNER - salad (w/ butter lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, red peppers, shredded carrots, raisins, avocados, kraft balsamic vinaigrette dressing), watermelon and fresh blueberries, and water.

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i wound up only eating about 4 fork-fulls of the salad because i was not hungry from eating lunch so late. once my performance started that threw things off. by the time the show was over i was starving! i was up until 2am (yes i know i have boot camp tomorrow but i just cant help myself)...so by the time i went to bed my stomach was in PAIN and i almost violated my 8pm cutoff to bring myself some relief. BUT...i was a good girl. i simply went to bed hungry with my mind set on my early morning cereal :-).

make it a fantastic day!!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Day 3 - 6:33pm

LUNCH - baked tilapia in a whole wheat tortilla with butter lettuce, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, cucumber and ranch dressing.

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DINNER - whole wheat pasta topped with baked tilapia and a spinach, mushroom alfredo sauce with a salad (kraft balsamic vinaigrette dressing) and a glass of santa cruz organic strawberry lemonade.

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i will probably have a snack at around 8pm (my eating cut off time) of watermelon and mango.

i knew today was going to be a hectic day so i had to really plan ahead last night in order to make sure i was able to eat healthy all day. since i would be on the go i didnt want to risk opting for junk food out of convenience. the great thing was that kroger had bags of 6 individually wrapped tilapia fillets on sale for $3.49 on yesterday. so last night when i got in, i seasoned 2 of them and put them in the oven to bake on 425. it took them all of 15 minutes to cook (if that). i stored them in the fridge to use for lunch and dinner today.

i went to boot camp for 5:45am and then returned home, cooked breakfast, ate, showered and took a nap. i woke up in time to wash and blow dry my hair (because i had an appointment today to get a cut) and make it to noon bible study right on time. after bible study i had just enough time to heat my fish, throw my wrap together, eat, press & flat iron my hair, cook my wheat pasta and place it in a storage container, and then head to the salon.

after the salon, i swung by walmart to get my special breakfast and dinner plates and bowls and got home just in time not to die of starvation. luckily the fish was ready so all i had to do was throw together the salad and whip up the sauce. i sauteed fresh mushrooms in butter and then added frozen spinach. once ready, i added ragu light alfredo sauce in a jar and a little salt. i heated the pasta and my tilapia fillet in the microwave. once my salad was done i placed the pasta on the plate, put the fish on top and then added the alfredo sauce. talk about YUMMY! this recipe was delish and only took about 12 minutes to have everything done and my plate ready to go.

this really is a lifestyle change. i see that it is going to take careful consideration of the next days activities in order to stay on top of eating right. im sure one day i will get used to it but right now it is taking a lot of time. i am having fun finding recipes that are quick, easy and tasty. this change is also taking a toll on the bank account, but it is certainly well worth it. if im honest, the money would ordinarily be used for some other seemingly important items, or something not important at all, but right now, for the shift i am trying to make in my life and my health, i cant think of a better way to spend than to invest in bettering myself...so im happy.

oh and i like my haircut. traditional bob. i wanted it shorter in the back but i have to let the sides grow out some first. i havent drank enough water today so i must get on the ball for the rest of the evening.

thats it for today...healthy heights!

Day 3 - 7:35am

was it me who said that i was looking forward to boot camp today? uh yea, well slap me. okay so today was actually pretty cool. the team represented. oh and we thought of a name - THE UNTOUCHABLES. so the untouchables represented. pretty crucial workout today, but absolutely GREAT! things i wish i could have recorded today - arlice calling on jesus, my feet stuck to the ground when they were supposed to be doing 6 inches, mekinah being an overachiever with the walking lunges, ebony reminiscing about her 24 hour "cuss fest" from being so sore from the last workout.

WORKOUT:

WARM UP: 20 push ups because people were late, stretches, 1 lap around the park (approx. 3/4 mile)

WORKOUT: drills - (1) jumping jacks, squats w/ 2 hops, sprint, 15 sit ups; (2) sprint, 15 sit ups; (3) 10 push ups, ???, sprint, 15 sit ups; (4) push ups w/ side planks, sprint, 15 sit ups; (5) walking lunges, 15 ski hops, 15 mountain climbers. abs - standing obliques, 6 inches with foot flurries, planks. can you say OUCH!!!!

** keep in mind that most of these numbers represent the old "one two three, one!" so we are really doing 2 per count (except for push ups and sit ups).

COOL DOWN: stretches

we each thought we saw jesus at various points today. we thought he was coming to carry us HOME!!!!! as it turned out, after our vision cleared, we realized it was just one another...and a few more push ups ;~(

and to all late comers - BE ON TIME!!!!! OR ELSE THE UNTOUCHABLES GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU!

well thats about it for the workout. it was a GREAT morning. it is so wonderful to have a team of women supporting and encouraging one another as we get slaughtered. that makes it so much easier. and it also gives us a level of accountability. i think i just might be able to DO THIS!!! 8-)

and untouchables i know you are reading this - LETS BE SURE TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER TODAY!

oh! and p.s. - remember i mentioned arlice's hair last time? well there it was again today!!! and here it is for you to see.

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MEALS:

BREAKFAST

pre-workout - bowk of ezekiel 4:9 golden flax cereal with banana.

post-workout - scrambled egg with spinach (w/ sea salt) on a toasted and buttered whole wheat english muffin (topped with a little mozzarella cheese - low moisture, part skim), a couple of teaspoons of muesli with 1/2 of a chopped date (fresh from whole foods, great source of fiber) soaked in vanilla rice milk, and a cup of orange juice. 2 CKLS veggie caps (to aid in digestion and elimination of waste - purchased through www.vegiheal.com from which i bought the items necessary to do my 7 day cleanse about a month ago, that was fabulous by the way).

the scrambled eggs with spinach was ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS!!

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oh and arlice sent me her post-workout breakfast pic in a text message. she had - 2 whole grain blueberry waffles, a granny smith apple and a glass of superfood by odwalla. looks yummy sis!! but how much syrup did you use - LOL!!!

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untouchables...MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. ebony, travel safely! arlice and mekinah - see ya at the slaughter house on friday :-(