Healthy Turkey Gyros

I am so pumped to tell you about a new recipe I tried. It wasn't so much a recipe as me throwing a bunch of spices together as our kitchen was rather barren. 

Heavenly!

So here is how it all went down

• Brown 1 lb. ground turkey
• Spread cooked turkey across the pan so it creates a single layer
• Sprinkle with : oregano, salt, onion powder, garlic poweder, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, black pepper, and fresh parsley
• I did not measure out anything, but simply dusted all of the turkey with each of the spices.
• Place on a whole grain pita (mine was a whole grain/flax seed variety)
• Add ingredients of your choice: we chose onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, and a small amount of feta cheese
• The sauce was 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2tsp minced garlic, a sprinkle of garlic powder, and 1/4tsp salt
• The recipe I found called for cucumber, dill, and other ingredients, however I didn't have any of that in my house.

 I'm not sure the exact calorie count of this meal, the only somewhat unhealthy ingredient was the feta, which is completely optional.

This is definitely a meal we will be enjoying again! Mike even raved about the sauce, claiming I would need to make it for various other dishes. Well then, I did something right! ;)

Productive Wednesday

I seriously had the most productive day today! I finally crawled out of bed around 8:45 this morning. Originally, I didn't have to be at work until 1pm, so I allowed myself to catch up on some zzz's. Then, mid-morning, my scheduling coordinator told me we were over-staffed, so I could take today as my day off. Umm heck yes! So here's how my day went:

• Did two Focus T 25 workouts (Speed 2.0 and Upper Focus). Got a great calorie burn and my arms were jello at the end! 



Laughing at myself because I couldn't flex anymore… and being utterly exhausted after 50 minutes of Shaun T kicking my butt!


• Read a couple of chapters from the book "The Compound Effect"  It's discusses how the smallest steps you make now to better your life can greatly impact your future. Pretty interesting read.
• Played tons with my kitties 



Eloise pulled the blanket off the chair to snuggle in it. Kind of wish my life was as awesome as theirs!

• Chased my dog when he got out of our fenced-in yard. Luckily, he has pretty decent recall when a ball is present, so we didn't have any major problems.
• Did some coach work. Yay Team Beachbody!!
• Finished up the laundry. I hate the smell of bleach, so I always avoid whites for as long as I possibly can.

I wanted needed to clean, but instead I spent more time with my pets. Priorities, right?

Their heads are resting against each other. They're like Forrest and Bubba!

For dinner, Mike and I had Mexican Pumpkin Rotini that I had prepared Sunday night. (Meal planning has seriously been a huge blessing for me!) While I was cooking, Mike gave me the suspicious look, questioning all of the ingredients. Turns out he actually liked it. Take that!  I got the recipe from TheGraciousPantry.com She has tons of clean recipes that aren't super complicated. 

Clean Eating Mexican Pumpkin Rotini

(Makes 10 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 small red onion, chopped,
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 lb. frozen, organic corn
• 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
• Salt to taste after cooking but before adding pasta (I used about 1/2 tsp., but do it to your tastes)
• Fresh, chopped cilantro for garnish
• Whole grain Rotini pasta, cooked separately to package directions

Directions:

1. Saute the onions in the coconut oil until they become translucent.
2. Add corn and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the turkey, being sure to stir well so it crumbles well.
4. Stir in the spices.
5. When the turkey is very nearly done, add the chicken broth and the pumpkin. This will create a bit of a sauce.
6. When the meat is done, cool slightly and ladle over pasta. Top with fresh cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Content:
(Data is for 1/2 cup and does not include pasta.)

Calories: 91
Total Fat: 2 gm
Saturated Fats: 1 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 35 mg
Sodium: 42 mg (does not include any you add)
Carbohydrates: 4 gm
Dietary fiber: 1 gm
Sugars: 1 gm
Protein: 15 gm

Read more: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-mexican-pumpkin-rotini/#ixzz2hHRt61X3

Changes to the recipe: I used ground venison instead of turkey because that's what we had in the freezer.  Plain corn from a can was used, as we don't really have many organic options in my area. I made my own broth by using chicken bullion cubes. I used a yellow onion and canola oil (might as well use what we have in the house!). No cilantro was harmed in the making of my dish. I also used the "veggie" rotini, as our grocery store didn't have any whole grain options. The joys of living in a super small rural town! Overall, I'll most likely make this again!

Earn Money While Getting Fit

I am not sure I know a single person right now that wouldn't mind earning a little extra money, especially with the holidays approaching faster than we'd like! We are always watching our budget and trying to figure out how to plan for the holidays without leaving anyone out. Mike and I try not to push the limits, but we love to get gifts for our family! In 2012 (our first year as a married couple), we chose to not purchase gifts for one another so we could use that money on our family. Thanks to lots of hard work, that won't be the case in 2013! This year, we are going to be able to to afford gifts not only for our family but also for one another!

By focusing on helping others and keeping them motivated and accountable during the most tempting holidays (Halloween candy, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, as well as New Years Eve festivities), I am going to be able to help increase our monthly income.

I want to help a small group of exceptionally motivated and driven individuals to do the same. I am taking part in a system that is helping me earn at LEAST $900 towards the holidays this ear! This extra income is made possible through Beachbody Coaching.

This isn't something you will be signed up for and left to figure out on your own. With the help of me and my personal coach, we will help you learn everything (seriously EVERYTHING) you need to know about coaching. By no means do you have to be a health nut or a fitness guru, but you do need to work hard to be a product of the product. This means you are going to be joining in a challenge group along with the individuals you invite. You will need to do a Beachbody workout on a regular basis (I workout 5-6 days a week for less than 30 minutes) and replace at least one meal a day with Shakeology. Leading by example is the best way to get others involved! Another requirement is to be passionate about helping others to succeed! It is so fun to watch people become better versions of themselves :)

If you think you fit this bill, I will include you in a group starting October 14th, where you will receive guidance on a one-on-one basis, as well as in a closed Facebook group. If you are a go-getter that is motivated and determined to succeed, I want you to be a part of my team! Teaching health and fitness tips is a gift that will continue long past the holiday season. Plus, you will be able to continue to grow your business long after the holidays are over. 

The selection process is starting now, and I am only accepting a small group of individuals to join me on this adventure. My coach (who taught me all she knows!) leads the #2 team in the ENTIRE Beachbody company, so she knows what she is talking about! Please send me an e-mail or a message on Facebook to apply :)

k.pivowar@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/simplymotivated

Monday morning I pushed through feeling terrible to get my T25 in, but ended up leaving work around 11am due to feeling so bad. It definitely made me happy I did my work-out prior to getting my day going, otherwise it wouldn't have gotten done. However, yesterday morning it just wasn't going to happen. I suffered through work (my poor colleagues) by only taking on the small dogs and cats. Big shout out to the awesome staff for putting up with me and picking up my slack! I love them! I kept up with eating well, trying to keep things as bland as possible. Lunch was Italian chicken I had baked on Monday night, and Mike steamed fresh broccoli. It kept my energy levels up... all things considered. 

After work, I basically just sat around, being a bump on a log. Sometimes that happens, though. You just have to roll with the punches and take what life throws at you. You're never going to feel in tip top shape 100% of the time. The key is to compensate when you get yourself back on track. For example, since I missed my Tuesday work-out, I'll make up for it Friday, which is my usual rest day. Nothing lost (except inches and pounds)!

Mike and I working together for a yummy lunch.

My typical Wednesday isn't very typical. I work from 1-7pm, so it leaves my mornings free to catch up on housework. And when I say say housework, I mean I sleep until 10am, exercise, take a quick shower, then head off to work. What can I say? You all read my post on how much I love my bed... Today was only slightly different, considering I got out of bed at 9am, made my way to the couch, and slept until 11:45am with all four cats strategically place on/next to me. I really think part of my feeling so horrible was that I needed to catch up on sleep. I also didn't eat anything until 12:30pm (yummy Shakeology), which helped my stomach settle a bit. My caloric needs weren't met today since I started eating so late in the day, which I don't recommend, so tomorrow I'll get back on track! Sleep and fasting were apparently the cures for my nausea and hot/cold flashes. Who knew?

After work, I finished making dinner (chicken and carrots), then plopped my happy butt down for some more R & R. I was somewhat productive and did two days worth of dishes (bless my husband for putting up with me) and knocked out T25 Alpha Total Body. I was dying during the plank work, having to go into downward dog multiple times. I'm chalking that up to still being weak from 1)not feeling well and 2)not eating enough today. 

Love this thought, since I always look gnarly after T25!

Tomorrow is my day off, so I'll kick some butt with Alpha Speed 1.0 and Core Focus. Double days are kind of awesome because it's so cool to see that "Calories Burned" go up past 500. Makes me feel so accomplished! I am also going to take my "Before" photos & measurement for a Fit For Fall Challenge group I will be participating in. Granted, I did all of this four weeks ago when I started T25, but I'm marking my progress and doing things the official way for the group. I'm pretty excited to have a group of individuals in one place who are all working towards the same goals to help keep me on track!

Earn Your Shower

This morning I woke around 5:15am, not feeling the best. I wanted to get in a work-out but was scheduled for Alpha Total Body. In other words, lots of moving around, and that did not sound appealing. So, rather than just go back to sleep, I opted to swap days and knock out Alpha Lower Focus. I'm not sure if it's because I felt like poo or if I just really pushed, but either way, I was dripping sweat by the end of this session! Like, tickling-as-it-slides-down-my-back dripping. I'll take it!

Elliott did not approve of all of the sweat

I was asked on Simply Motivated ( https://www.facebook.com/simplymotivated ) to discuss how I work up the motivation to not hit snooze and actually get up early to exercise.  To be honest, it's not easy. Not easy at all. If I ever had an affair (other than with my cats), it would be with my bed. I love that snuggly place so much! My comforter is super fluffy with a duvet cover imported from Holland. We got an amazing mattress topper for a wedding gift that feels like a cloud. Add in the ceiling fan producing a gentle buzz, no alarm clocks blazing red numbers, and black-out curtains... it's a dream come true. That bed and I are like two peas in a pod. Sleep is amazing and that bed is my oasis. Unfortunately, I have to be a productive member of society and leave it daily. Luckily, it knows I'll return to it every. single. night. What can I say? I'm faithful!

Ok, so I kind of went on there... In all seriousness, though, I exercise first thing in the morning because I know I won't do it if I wait until the end of the day. Plain and simple. With my job, I am on my feet running back and forth, as well as wrestling animals of all shapes and sizes all day long. By the end of the day, I am wiped! If I were to skip my morning work-out, no matter how bad I would want to complete it, I wouldn't do it. How do I know this? I've tested this theory. And what's worse than dragging myself out of bed at 5:30am to do a 30 minute exercise program? Getting up at 5am to do two 30 minute exercise programs because I skipped the day before!

I developed a new motto:   It's been working pretty well for me! A shower is so much more satisfying at 6am when you stink. Yes, I just admitted that I stink after my work-out. That is one method that has seemed to have worked. My co-workers hate when I show up not having showered, so I may has well earn that water bill! 

Another way I get myself up every morning is by setting my alarm 9 minutes before I need to get up. That way, I allow myself to hit snooze once. I am not really sure what it is about hitting the snooze button, but those 9 minutes are pretty much the best sleep ever. So, I build it in to my day! It seems silly, but it makes all the difference for me!

Lastly, I see that my exercise program is actually working. It gives me that much more motivation when I notice the results. I can visibly see my tummy shrinking. I can feel my jeans fitting better. I don't see that muffin top nearly as much! And I get people who haven't seen me in a while telling me I look great. That is the biggest motivator! Insanity about killed me because I pushed myself and didn't see results (diet, Katie, diet!). With Focus T25, I am eating healthy calories and putting in the effort bright and early every single day, and it's paying off! 

The view from my front porch two years ago

Are you interested in waking every day, becoming more and more proud of what you feel/see? Shoot me a line, as I would love to help you see the same results as me!

Want vs. Need

This weekend was definitely a lazy weekend! Last night, I needed to do the dishes, sweep the floor, and catch up on laundry, but I wanted to watch the Purdue vs. Notre Dame game. My want won. Looking back, I wish I would have done what needed to be done, since Purdue was leading most of the game and lost within the last 11 minutes. Bummer.  Today, I needed to exercise and catch up on everything I didn't do yesterday, but I wanted to play with my cats and take the dog for a walk. My want won... again. Granted, my husband and I had a great lunch outside, took the dog on about a mile walk, visited with my grandma and grandpa (his birthday!), then went to dinner with my brother and his family, along with my dad and brother's mother-in-law. Tonight, I really wanted to watch all of the Miss America contest, but I still needed to work out! So, figuring it's only 25 minutes, I sucked it up and missed the first bit of the program to get my Focus T25 Alpha Cardio done... finishing up just in time for the evening wear competition! Perfect! I'll be honest, I'm rooting on Miss Kansas because she seems like a total kick-ass woman! I would love to have her represent as Miss America!

Faye encouraging me during my sweat-fest

I started drinking my Shakeology yesterday and absolutely love it! Saturday, I mixed it with chia seeds and caramel extract. Today, I added chia seeds, natural peanut butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. It was amazing! Drinking this may just be the highlight of my day. These mixtures feel like I'm having something I shouldn't, but it is insanely healthy! 

Discovering different editing programs has been so much fun. This is a great quote that I made into a pretty photo. I find it incredibly fitting to my life right now.

Now to the main point of this post: want vs. need. So many times in life we choose what we want instead of what we really need. Sometimes it's taking the easy way out, other times it is simply indulging. What we really need to do is listen to our brain. Take for instance this afternoon while at my grandma's house, I definitely wanted a piece of her homemade german chocolate cake but totally didn't need it! While I was envious of my husband eating the cake, I felt so happy that I didn't give in. Yes, I did end up having a 70 calorie natural lemon/lime popsicle, but you have to do that to avoid going crazy! 
My message to you is this: next time you are faced with something you really want, ask yourself if it is something you need. Is it going to benefit you overall? How will you feel about your decision 30 minutes down the road? Keep that little voice in the back of your head and always try to focus on how it will benefit you in the long run.

It's Finally Friday!

Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted since Monday... This week has been so busy, as I have been at a continuing education conference since Tuesday evening. The conference was at Purdue, so it was nice to catch up with old friends and former instructors. I missed seeing a lot of those faces. Plus, it was nice to be back at my alma mater. Purdue's campus is beautiful and so full of life!

Fantastic bumper sticker I found (not on a car)

As promised, I will talk about the new headband I purchased to help with fly-aways during my work-out. It is one from Under Armour that had pretty good reviews from people with big heads. I wouldn't say I have a large head, per se, but my hair is so thin and fine, the thin bands I purchased in the past never stayed in place. This one holds pretty well, however it does slip occasionally. If I bring it forward just a bit, it holds pretty well. It is the "Braided Mini," and I ordered it directly from Under Armour's website.

Sweaty in the hotel room!

Despite having a very tiny hotel room, I managed to get my exercising done. The Polar heart rate monitor says 33 minutes due to the fact that I started it before I was completely situated to work-out. Either way, not horrible for an Alpha Cardio day in a hotel room! 

I am super excited to be getting my Team BeachBody business up and running! Not only am I doing it to support others, but I am joining this great team to support myself. I find that their products work amazingly well (12.5 inches lost with Insanity, and +5lbs lost in 3 weeks so far with T25!), so it makes it easy to want to share with others. I am building relationships with individuals who support my goals of becoming a healthier person. Yes, their are financial rewards in this business, but that helps me overall, too. By having two college degrees, I have quite a bit of student loan debt. Yes, so does everyone else Katie. However I have made it a goal to pay off these debts in less time than anticipated (at the rate I'm going 25 years). I don't want this burden hanging over my head the majority of my adult life, so I'm taking action to bring myself out of it! 

So just know, if you choose me as your Team BeachBody coach, you are inspiring me as you make a difference to positively change your own life. Plus, you are also helping me support my goals, for which I can never thank you enough.