Workout Update and Tasty Tuesday

I have been asked to update on my progress for P90X and my 15K training...so here goes :)

This past Saturday marked week 1 down on the P90X calendar. I did every day, Monday - Saturday, without skipping. 1 down, 12 to go. Week 2 isn't starting off so great, but I will explain that in a bit.  So far, I have learned that I am a wimp when it comes to upper body strength, but I have pretty strong legs. Out of the first 6 days of P90X, I think the Plyometrics and the Kenpo are my favorite ones (go figure, the ones with the most cardio...). The "strength" ones, like shoulders, arms, back, etc....not so much my strong points. But hey, that's why I'm doing it right? To improve what is weak. I have been doing all of the "strength" ones with resistance bands and 5 & 8 lb dumbbells. That is working well for me, and I don't think I will ever reach the point where I can do pull-ups with the bar. haha. Not to mention, light(ish) weights with more reps is what is going to help tone me up. I have no desire to look like a muscle woman. Yoga is also not my favorite. It is the longest video (about an hour and a half long), and it is supposed to be "relaxing"...but really, I mostly find it boring. haha. I sometimes think I have ADD or something. Twisting my body in weird formations and focusing on "breathing" for an entire 90 minutes is a chore for me. Maybe as I get better at it, I will come to enjoy it more. I will keep you posted ;)

The running has been going okay. I ran at least two 3-mile runs last week, and last Friday when it was pretty cold outside, we even managed to force ourselves to go to the HPER (the University of Arkansas fitness facility). I was reminded of how much I hate running on a treadmill. There is something to running outside for me. It's freeing, relaxing, scenic, and I feel like I'm actually going somewhere. I also like that I can slow down a bit when I get tired and speed up a bit when I feel more energized (without pushing a button)...rather than on a treadmill that makes me go the same speed the entire time. I manage to pace myself pretty well while running outdoors at around at 9:30-9:45 per mile pace...but for some reason, running constant at 9:40 on the treadmill was a bit more difficult for me. I think it has something to do with the air...it was warmer inside the HPER, and the air just seemed thicker than the fresh, outdoor air. I only managed to do about 2 miles at the 9:30-9:40 pace (I really don't like having to push buttons when I feel the need to slow down or speed up...), then I walked about a quarter of a mile at a brisk pace, and then jogged another half mile as fast I could manage without flying off the treadmill...so I got in about 2.75 miles total for my first treadmill run in a while. I wish I could've gotten farther, but I do feel like I was pushing my cardio out of it's comfort zone, so that's good, right? :)

Anyhow...week one went well. As I mentioned above, week 2 isn't exactly off to a stellar start. Saturday night my older sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew and little sister came to visit from Oklahoma for the weekend. We had these great plans of going to Fast Lane, which is a place about 25 minutes or so from my house that has indoor go-carts, an arcade, laser tag, bowling, etc. The kids were so excited to go, and I think the adults were almost just as excited! We got about two miles away from my house on our way there, and had just stopped at a red light, when out of nowhere we hear a super loud "BANG!" sound. At first, none of us even realized what had just happened, until my 8-year-old nephew shouts, "What was THAT?!" Then our necks started throbbing, and we realized we had just been rear-ended. I have been in my fair share of wrecks, but I have never felt that much of an impact. As we got out of the car, called 911 to send the police and ambulance, and tried to keep the kids calm and make sure everyone was okay, a witness informs my brother-in-law that he was staying to give a statement to the police. Apparently, the woman that hit us (who also had her 3 children in the car...) was going 55+ miles per hour (in a 45mph zone), had just swerved around him and cut him off, and never so much as tapped her brakes before hitting us. There were absolutely no skidmarks, which backed up his claim. 

So...long story short, we got pounded from behind at about 55 miles per hour, spent 4 hours in the emergency room getting checked out, and never made it to Fast Lane to ride go-carts and play some skeeball. Bummer :( But the good news is, other than two (most likely) totaled vehicles, no one was seriously injured. My sister, brother-in-law, Walter and myself have some pretty intense neck/back pain, but other than that, we all walked away mostly unscathed. I am actually quite impressed at my sister's car (a Chrysler Pacifica) and it's ability to withstand an impact like that. It has some pretty severe frame damage, and the back door won't open, but no glass broke, and the 3 kids that were in the back seat closest to the impact were ready to go ride go-carts the next day. Unfortunately the adults couldn't quite handle that kind of activity, so it was a big disappointment for them :( So for now, it's pain meds and muscle relaxers, and not a lot of working out.

I missed my soccer game on Sunday, didn't workout at all yesterday, and just did the P90X Stretch video today in hope that it would loosen me up a bit and get rid of some of the tension. Only time will tell...but hopefully by tomorrow I can at least get out of the house and do something productive.

On a completely different note, it is Tuesday, which means it's time for Tasty Tuesday! I forgot to take a picture of this one, but it is definitely yummy and worth sharing:

French (women don't get fat) Toast

(found in SparkRecipes iPad app)

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup egg beaters (I used egg whites)

1/8 cup skim milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

non-stick cooking spray

2 pieces whole wheat bread (I used Health Nut by Orowheat brand...it was delicious!)

Directions:

1.) Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.

2.) In a shallow bowl/dish, combine the first four ingredients. Mix well.

3.) Dip a piece of bread flat in the bowl, letting it soak up the liquid, but not so much that it falls apart. Do this on both sides.

4.) Put the bread on the skillet, cooking it on both sides until browned. Repeat this process for the next piece of bread.

5.) Put it on a plate and top it with favorite toppings (such as fresh fruit, maple syrup, powdered sugar or whipped cream)! 

I used pure maple syrup. It is a bit more expensive than your typical pancake syrup, but much healthier because it is naturally sweet and does not have any high fructose corn syrup in it :) 

Nutrition Info:

This recipe makes 2 pieces of french toast, or 1 serving

150.2 Calories, 1.6 g of fat, 227.1 mg sodium, 61.7 mg potassium, 21.7 g carbohydrate (4.6 g dietary fiber), and 12.1 g protein per serving (toppings not included in nutrition info).

So there you have it...a very simple and very delicious French Toast recipe. Enjoy!