A Healthier Version of ME and YOU: Workout Day 12, Rest Day, Workout Days 13 & 14 of "Build Your Best Body"

I am still here and still getting my workouts in. It was a busy weekend and by the end of the day, all I wanted to do was relax with my family.

So here is my recap...

Saturday - Workout Day 12 of Build Your Best Body”…didn’t happen in the morning as I planned for it to happen. We went out early in the day as I had to go shopping for a Bridal Shower gift, and I didn’t get my workout done until around dinner time Saturday night. But the IMPORTANT thing is…I GOT IT DONE!

Here is me and my daughter doing Wall Squats together…

You can't tell from the picture, but she is eating a piece of chocolate while working out.

LOL

While I was out shopping I found this Quinoa cereal…

My kids loved it!

I still had some of my CLEANED UP Marshmallow packed in an air tight container, SO I thought I will make up some Quinoa Squares. The recipe for my CLEANED UP Marshmallow is on my "Cook With Me" page.

These were very good.

I also mixed some of the cereal with pomegranate for a snack...

Yummy, yummy, yummy!

Sunday - Rest Day = Making some Sweet Potato Brownies + Attending a Bridal Shower

This morning I made up a batch of Paleo Sweet Potato Brownies a friend of mine had posted on her blog the other day. Check out www.treadmillrunway.com

I used 1 BIG sweet potato instead of the 2 medium, and I think I may have had just a little too much. I hesitated about taking them to the bridal shower, but I took them anyway. People thought they were interesting some had tried them (not sure if they really liked them or not), but my friend sent me a text today (Tuesday) and told me that she and her husband LOVED them. They definitely tasted better once they were chilled. It seemed to set them up a bit more, they weren’t as mushy.

Everybody liked the Quinoa Squares. I will definitely be making these again soon.

Monday - Workout Day 13 of “Build Your Best Body”

The Start of Week 4 – Month 1 of Build Your Best Body workout & 4 Weeks to a Leaner You Meal Plan.

Week 4 = 6 days of workouts + back to week 2 of the meal plan

Well the first part is right but the second is well so, so. Since I know how to eat CLEAN, I have been mixing up the meals and snacks today and well, probably for the rest of this week as well.

My workout again did not get done in the AM. I decided to sleep in, thinking I could do my workout in the afternoon during daycare nap time. THINK again. After waking up, I got a text from my husband, telling me that the school buses had been cancelled due to icy road conditions. This meant my kids would be home, plus two other children, all of whom DO NOT take naps in the afternoon. SO…my workout got done in the evening yet again.

Tuesday – Workout Day 14 of “Build Your Best Body”

I was up this morning at 5:45am and got my workout completed before I had to wake up my son for school.

My Wall Squat and Plank times are all increasing, as well as my rep numbers for the other exercises. My first week, I really didn’t like doing the Bicycle Crunches. Even though I have done them many times before with Jillian’s workouts, I was not enjoying them. I would be lucky if I got 10 reps done on some days. Now…I am up to 32 reps.

Today’s food…

Breakfast: Rolled Oats with Egg Whites, Blueberries & Walnuts

I think the first time I had this I used almonds instead of walnuts.

I really enjoyed it today with the walnuts.

Snack: Cottage Cheese and Strawberries

Here is a change up…I changed the grapefruit to strawberries.

Just as nice.

Lunch:

Turkey

Sandwich

Snack: Sweet Potato Brownies

I made some more brownies today, but I changed the recipe.

Instead of the honey liked I used the other day, I used Agave Syrup. And I used egg whites instead of whole eggs.

PLUS…Oh yes you know me, ALWAYS changing things.

I melted the chocolate before I put it in the bowl of brownie batter. This way they appear to be more chocolaty. By using egg whites, it makes the brownie much fluffier and lighter. But I guess brownies are supposed to be heavy and dense. Oh well, my recipe is an option for those who do not eat egg yolks.

NO...I didn't eat half of them.

I gave them to the daycare kids at second snack today. They LOVED them!

Of course I didn't tell them what they were made of. The remainder went in the fridge for another day.

Healthy Kids = Happy Parents

Dinner: Broiled Tilapia with Sautéed Kale & Onions served with Quinoa

This was another change up by the way.

But it was FANTASTIC! All CLEAN. All good!

Tonight I was cooking up my Quinoa for dinner and I decided to cook up some more for my breakfast in the morning. The reason I cooked up two different batches, is because I cooked my dinner quinoa in vegetable broth (picture #1) and the other was cooked using just plain water (picture #2).

Picture #1 Picture #2

With the dinner quinoa, there is enough for my lunch prep for tomorrow too. Tomorrow’s lunch…Salmon Avocado Sushi…YUM, YUM! Last time I made this, I just used regular quinoa and what I mean by “regular” is that I cooked it in water. So this week’s Sushi should taste slightly different…slightly better.

Tomorrow takes me to the mid way point of my week 4. I am definitely looking forward to changing up my workout next week. It’s not that I am getting tired of this one, it’s just I want to challenge my muscles with some other exercises.

The food for tomorrow’s meals, are all my favourites...