On Today's Plate: Circuit Training!

Man, oh man --

Hello, and welcome to another edition of "On Today's Plate"...

That should be the official heading from now on, lol. Today, I had scheduled to do some light cardio, and later some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I started on the stationary bike, a small 7 minute warm-up, just to get going. Then, I moved onto the treadmill, where I usually do intervals. Instead of doing intervals (I usually do 2 minutes on 5.5mph and then a minute of 7.5mph for abour 20 minutes), I went "up-hill" (incline at level 10) for a minute on 4.5mph (light jog), and later flattened it out (incline at level 1) at 6.5mph for 2 minutes. It wasn't easy. I don't have a problem admitting it to the little users that do follow my blog. And it was probably a dumb thing to do, but I wanted to switch things up a bit. I didn't last too long, at around minute 8, I was walking up-hill instead of trotting. At that time, my BJJ trainer signals me over. Since no one else had shown up to the BJJ session, my trainer took it upon himself to give me a hell of a good workout. And he did. I'm still sore, and I can't wait to freakin' fall asleep! No pain, no gain, right?

We did a full body circuit. Started with the core, worked our way into my shoulders and back, did some cardio (stationary bike -- intervals between level 10 and 12...AND I had to keep my RPM over 100), chest, more cardio (elliptical -- intervals), arms, more cardio (treadmill -- intervals, started out at 5mph to 6mph, and finished with 6.5mph to 7mph), and finished with the core again. I wish I new more in detail, but, my mind couldn't keep up with all of the exercises, and their descriptions, that we did!

I do encourage you to do your own circuit! It's all about repetitions and speed. So, good luck!

over and out!

On Today's Plate: Legs!

Working on my seated calf raises at 205 lbs....Look at those legs. I swear, my crap ass camera phone isn't doing much for them. They look better in person ;) Hopefully, someday my legs will look that toned without the need of the leg press :P

On Today's Plate: Upper Body and Core

I totally killed my upper body routine today!! Too bad my shoulder is still sore from my injury. I mean, I've been on a fast track of recovery, but there are still some things I can't fully perform how I used to. For example, I used to be able to bench press with 25lb plates on each side. I had to drop it to 12lb on each side. Everything that I do with the barbell I've had to drop about 10 - 20 lbs off it because of my shoulder.

Here's a glimpse at tonight's routine:
• warm-up: stationary bike
• bent-over barbell row x 3
• lat. pulldown x 3
• inclined dumbbell bench press x 3
• standing overhead dumbbell press x 3
• lat. raise x 3
• alternating dumbbell curls x 3
• one-arm overhead dumbbell extensions x 3

On top of all that, I did my mandatory rotator cuff exercises.

I love the burn I feel when I work on my upper body. I just feel everything shaping up. Overall, I love the burn anytime I work out. I hate it when it lasts more than 2 days, though...lol. Happened last week, when I did my lower body routine O.o

On Today's Plate: 10 Years of Me

2002: how most of my high school friends/classmates remember me like
2004 - 2008: how most of my college friends/classmates remember me like (...I need a reunion, lol)
2011: that's how people know me now-ish!!

In case you haven't figured it out, that's 10 years of me. The first pic dates back to 2002. I was about 17 or 18...definitely college bound. At that time, I thought I was fat. I dieted, exercised, and did just about anything to not be fat. Apparently it didn't work (as in, I wasn't quite as motivated later on) because I shot up to about 220+ lbs. (see 2004 - 2008). I actually stopped weighing myself once I went over 220 lbs because I just didn't want to know anymore. I had given up.

I now weigh 185 lbs. On the most "recent" (the one with the cute dress, was taken in late April) picture of my collage I was at around 180 lbs. I'm hoping to drop back to 155 and be toned (I'm not scared of muscles). I hope to someday fight too (in the 145 lbs category).

The sad thing is that, I still look at myself in the mirror and all I see is fat and grossness. I need to change my perceptions of myself, and boost up my self esteem so that I can work harder at achieving my goals without getting discouraged.

But yea, ten years of me...raging from 150-something lbs all the way up to 220+ (gross! I stopped weighing myself after that), and lost about 50+ lbs.

For my awesomely international readers: that's ranging from about 68 kilos up to 99+ kilos and lost about 22+ kilos

Hello! It's been a while...

wow!! Five months have passed by, and I haven't posted anything. sheesh!! Well, let me give you a quick update on what has been going on, and why I haven't really updated...

About a month after my last post (give or take, maybe a couple of weeks), I hurt my back doing BJJ. So I took a break. After my break, I went back to the gym. It felt like starting from square one. It's amazing what a couple of weeks of not working out can do to you. Shortly after getting back on track, I messed up my shoulder sparring with a girl at my gym. DAMN THE FRUSTRATION!! But I said to myself "hey, at least I can do cardio this time. I just don't be able to lift".

Since my last recorded weigh-in, I've gained 5 lbs. eeesh! I feel like crap, but, I have two options: give up, or work harder. Guess which one I'm going to pick ;)

So, what am I going to do to work harder??

For my diet plan, I've decided to do the Fighter Diet: FDX3. Since I'm going to be following that diet plan, I won't be posting my meal plan. Hey! Pauline has put a lot of work and effort into making the e-book. BUT, if I do come up with my own meals (NOT diet plan), I'll see what I can do ;) I hate the word "diet" -- it has such negative connotations for me, but, after talking around with different people on the Fighter Diet Facebook, they treat it as a "lifestyle" and not a "diet". I can do that, hehe. I'll also increase my workout...perhaps sessions in the AM and the PM, on top of my BJJ. I'll post my workouts at least.

Why the FDX3?

I need to challenge my body. I've been on a 2 year stint, where I've been fluctuating between 180 - 185 lbs. I even balloon up to 190 lbs when I'm on my period or retaining water. I have specific weight, and toning goals. You have to work hard to get the body you want. A magic pill won't do it...

I "discovered" www.fighterdiet.com/ back in 2009, a couple of months after  I started training at LA Boxing. By then, I had done BJJ for a couple of months, and I had started attending some MMA classes and training sessions with a friend. I made it a goal that I wanted to fight. If I want to fight, I need to train, eat, drink, and sleep like a fighter. So I Googled like a mad-woman diets for female MMA fighters. ...and nothing came up. I searched for "fighter diets" and I came across two links that caught my attention: www.fighterdiet.com/ and graciediet.com/. I browsed through the two, and I later decided on neither, lol. I didn't think the Fighter Diet was for me. I tried doing my own thing, but trying to keep everything low-everything. I didn't completely disregard the Fighter Diet, though. I kept going back to the site, reading her old blog posts, and joined the Fighter Diet Facebook. I kept following her blog and Facebook because she has muscles! I always find it inspiring when women aren't afraid to have muscles.

After a couple of years of reading her blog, and reading about her clients results (pictures and testimonials), I decided to join the bandwagon! I understand that it will take time, dedication, and many days of frustration, but, I am confident that I can reach my goals.

Stop making excuses, and go for it! What's your plan?

On Today's Plate: No-Flour Vegetarian Pizza

Hooooly crap! I just discovered how great zucchini is!! 

yum! I never knew how good zucchini really is!

I was really craving some pizza...really, really, bad...but I didn't want to deal with the bread, dough, and all the extra grease on it. So I took matters into my own hands. I googled like a lean mean googling machine (hey Google...I just said your name 3 times, I should get money for that :P lol) to alternatives to pizza dough. I came acrossa zucchini crust recipe, which I altered a bit. The one I found used 2 eggs. I think 1 is plenty, if not, it was gonna get too omelette/frittata-ish. I also added cheese and herbs to the crust mix.


And now without further ado.....This dish serves 1 or 2 (depends, really). I made it on a 9" springfrom pan.

No-Flour Vegetarian Pizza:

Crust:

1 whole zucchini (grated)

1 egg

1/4 c of grated mozzarella cheese (I wanted to use real mozzarella, but I'm kinda broke so I went with Sargento)

herbs/seasoning of choice (I used dried basil, powdered oregano, and dried parsley)

Pre-heat oven at 400°F. After you grate the zucchini, pat it dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and set to the side. On a separate dish, beat the egg, and add your seasonings. Mix in the egg with the grated zucchini and add your mozzarella cheese. Put a little cooking spray on your pan, and press your zucchini mix onto the pan. When the bottom of the dish is fully covered, you can add more of your herbs to it. Once you're done, pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Pressed zucchini "crust" mix, before going into the oven.

After: what it kinda looks like after 10 minutes in the oven

Pizza:

cubes veggies -- of your choice. I used the following:

1 1/2 tomatoes

1/2 eggplant (I bought a tiny eggplant)

chopped spinach (I didn't really measure it)

3 tbsp chopped black olives

1/4 mozzarella cheese

herbs/seasoning of choice (again, I used dried parsley, dried basil, and powdered oregano)

virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

Cube/dice/hack all of your veggies. Since I don't like pizza sauce, I laid down the tomatoes first, but, hey, if you like your pizza/spaghetti sauce, use it. I bet this would taste really really really good with some pesto sauce....After I layered the tomatoes, I randomly tossed the veggies onto my pizza, drizzled a little bit of the virgin olive oil over the veggies and sprinkled some herbs over the veggies. Top it off with the mozzarella cheese. Pop it back into the oven again for 25 minutes (still at 400°F). While it's cooking, enjoy the smell of the vegetables and herbs coming together......

Topped pizza before going into the oven...

Pizza's ready!! Fresh and hot off the oven!

And here's another picture of the end result...

Yum!

Enjoy! 

On Today's Plate: Getting personal....

lol...ok, so that sounds a little bit dramatic, but I bet it caught your attention! It almost seems like I've abandoned the blog, but I haven't. I still cook and eat healthy, and I'm always thinking about things to write about. I just haven't been feeling confident in myself, and if I really can't stay positive to myself, how can I inspire others?

I've always been self-conscious about my weight. Funny thing is that, as a kid and through my teens, I wasn't a fat kid. But I always saw myself as fat person. When I was 18, I weighed about 150lbs (I'm 5'9"), and I played a lot of sports too. Like I mentioned before, my weight plummeted during college, and by the time I was 23, I weighed about 220-something lbs. Even though I've lost most of the weight I gained during college, when I look in the mirror, I still see my 220+lbs self. I don't feel comfortable in my one piece swimsuit, I don't feel comfortable in my clothes....sometimes don't even feel comfortable working out at the gym sometimes, or grappling with my (well) grappling buddies...I feel like I'm the fat chick trying to appear as if I'm working hard at lifting weights and running...I dunno....

I'm working to improve that. Above losing weight, and eating healthy, what I really want to change the most is how I see myself.

On Today's Plate: Goals Revisited

Hello everybody!! I know I haven't been updated because I've been a little bit busy...but not busy enough to stop with my daily exercise routine! Or to prepare savory healthy meals, which I will post soon :)

So March snuck up on me (hello),  and it's time to take a look at the goals I set for February...and you should do the same.

In case you forgot, or just don't want to scroll down, here are my goals:

- Drink more water: check! I carry my water with me at all times and refill it 

- Lose 5lbs by March: check! To my surprise, I actually lost 6.5 lbs!

- Study hard and train harder at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: I started to train at the club that I used to train in last year again. It's been going rather well. 

- Sketch every day. no check :( I've kinda been slacking on this one. I did only one sketch for fun, the rest were for work purposes.

- Improve my posture. I think I've been improving it. I have a book on exercises to do in order to improve that posture! ...so check!

I think I managed to fulfill most of my goals, and I couldn't be happier! Especially that unexpected 6.5lb loss. Now would be a good time to set new goals. But, I think I'll post those tomorrow. 

Good night everybody (or good morning...it's morning somewhere!)

On Today's Plate: Oatmeal Pancakes

I woke up craving some pancakes. So....I made some :P

I eyeballed some of the ingredients, realizing later that it was a mistake...haha, but, they still came out tasting delicious!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oatmeal (I used rolled oats) <-- eyeballed
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 to 1 cup of milk (I used skim milk)
1 capful of vanilla extract
cinnamon (its up to you how much you want to use. I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
fruits (also up to you. I used an apple, but these would go great with berries)

Directions:
1. Since I didn't use any flour, I decided to grind the oats (in my Magic Bullet). Thus, the oats became my "flour". So yeah...step 1, grind the rolled oats.
2. Add the egg and beat with a fork.
3. Pour the milk 1/4 cup at the time, or until you reach your desired consistency. I used a little bit over 3/4 cups (but not the whole cup).
4. Pour the vanilla extract. You could use sugar, Sugar on Raw, brown sugar, or one of those new fancy substitutes (Spenda, Truvia, Stevia). But, since I didn't use any sugar, I wouldn't know how much to actually add. haha!
5. Add the cinnamon.
6. Mix all of your ingredients.
7. Turn on your stove top (medium heat), spray some vegetable non-stick spray on your skillet, and make like normal pancakes.
8. Once they're done, it's time to garnish! I just added some apple wedges, and violá! You can garnish it any way you like. Pour honey or pancake syrup over them, powdered sugar, more fruits. I was going to add cranberries to the actual mix, but I had apparently ran out....damn.

Some variations include adding baking powder, vegetable oil, buttermilk (I guess to replace the milk?), pumpkin puree, etc.

These are a great healthy alternative! And, honestly, the difference is not that noticible. These are approximately 227 calories, 3g of fat, 32g of carbs, 17g of protein, and make 3 pancakes.

On Today's Plate: 4 Miles With A Side of An Awesome Core Workout

Double whammy! Posting twice today!

Today's workout consisted of running 4.5 miles and working on my core. For those who are new to fitness, this fitness blog explains in great detail (and really well) what the core is, and the muscles targeted when working it out.

I started out by running 3.25 miles (including a 2 minute warm up) at 6.0 mph on at an incline (I am not familiar with the incline percentiles, but...it was up 1.0). After running, I did 3 sets of 25 reps of the following exercises: crunches on an exercise ball, oblique crunches (on each side -- also on an exercise ball), cable crunches (with 75 lbs of resistance), and kick-out crunches. To do a proper kick-out, you should lie on the floor, face up, with your knees and hips bent at 90°. Extend (or "kick-out"...ha!) your legs out to about a 45° angle, keep it for a couple of seconds, and retract. Your hands should be placed to your side. After working on my core, I finished off with a 1.5 mile run (including a 2 minute cool-down) at 6.0 mph, also on an incline.

Remember, keep in mind your form when performing any type of exercise. Also remember to stretch before AND after your routine. And finally, if you have any questions, remember to ask a professional!

On Today's Plate: Fish and Chips

Ok, so maybe not, since nothing here is deep fried, or beer battered, but it's so much better than calling it "steamed tilapia and potato sticks"

"Fish and Chips"...sort of...because I say it is! :-P

Ingredients:

1 tilapia fillet

1 potato

ground pepper

paprika

garlic (minced)

parsley (flakes)

oregano (flakes or powdered)

1 lemon

Directions:

Chips:

1. Slice the potatoes (with a mandolin, vegetable slicer, or by hand...like I did), Julienne cut or wedges. Once you're done, soak in a large bowl of water for approximately 30 minutes.

2. Heat up a large skillet (medium to high heat) and spray some vegetable non-stick spray.

3. Place the potatoes on the skilled, and turn them until they are golden brown and look crunchy.

4. Once they're done, turn off the stove, and place on a plate. The potatoes are not done yet...stick them in the microwave for approximately 3 to 5 minutes (remember not all microwaves work the same). You don't want to leave them in for too long, though, cause then they'll just get soggy.

5. Ding fries are done  -- time to season the fries. I used pepper and paprika. I like it spicy ;)

note: It's easier to do the chips in the oven, but, my oven was occupied at the time :-P

Fish:

1. Place fish in a steamer, that is, if you have one of those fancy steamer...steaming...thingies. But, if you are old school like me: fill a casserole with water, and set aside to boil. Once it's boiling, place the steamer lid over it. Spray some vegetable non-stick spray and place the fish on the steamer lid. 

2. Squeeze the lemon over the fish.

3. Season the fish: brush on the minced garlic, sprinkle with some oregano, ground pepper, and parsley flakes.

4. Place the lid over the steamer, and let it steam for 7 - 10 minutes.

And you're done! I think I explained it thoroughly....this is my first food entry, so, take it easy on me.

Goals

It's important to set goals during your journey. Keep in mind that in order to stay motivated, these goals have to be REALISTIC and easily attainable. Many people make the mistake of having unrealistic short-term weight loss goals, and thus, get discouraged easily. Each goal should act as a motivational tool to help you continue on with the journey, and to reach your other goals (whether they are fitness goals or not). You should start by having smaller goals, instead of having a big one such as losing 40 lbs by March (it's Feb. 10, 2011 -- not happening, unless you take an unhealthy route...and we don't want this).

Reward yourself when you reach a goal! So you lost your first 5 lbs! Congratulations! You should go out and celebrate! Reward yourself with a new pair of jeans, go out for a refreshing walk around the park, or the beach (sorry Northern friends and followers, I live in Puerto Rico), buy a book, or cook a succulent healthy meal for your family and/or friends!

Write down your goals. Categorize your goals by type too: weight loss, exercise, drawing, reading, sports, etc. Plan your goals and go through all the details: when to start, when to finish, etc. Track your progress as you go. For every goal you reach, just cross it off the list! Being able to see all the crossed out goals can be a huge motivation. Instead of saying "I am going to do this" it says "I am doing this"!

Plan for setbacks. Shit Setbacks happen! Don't let them discourage you. Instead, just use those as motivation to work harder at your goals. Maybe it's your body's way of telling you that you need to work harder. Or maybe it's your body's way of telling you that maybe you shouldn't have had that extra serving of dessert at last weekend's family reunion (or office party).

Just remember that your goals are to help you stay motivated.

In case you are wondering, here are some of my goals:
- Drink more water. I already drink water as it is. I don't drink soda (never have), I have a glass of milk a day, and sometimes the occasional lemonade. But I still don't drink enough water during the day.
- Lose 5lbs by March. I've already lost 2...come on those extra 3lbs!!
- Study hard and train harder at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I am very close from a belt upgrade. I want to be able to say that I earned this belt!
- Sketch every day. Inspired by the book You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When It Monsoons, I want to be able to keep a sketch-journal (or diary).
- Improve my posture. I used to have good posture, then I got a job that required for me to be on a computer from 9am - 6pm. I need to work on my posture 24-7!

What are some of your goals?

Welcome, Vilkommen, Yokosou, Bienvenidos!

Hello, and welcome to On Today's Plate; a blog dedicated to two of my favorite things (amongst, art, design, and photography): food and exercise. I love to cook! And I love being able to create savory healthy meals. I also love to exercise.

I've been exercising for as long as I remember...kind of. When I was 7, I picked up my first tennis racket and played until I was 14. At 12, I started to play basketball, at 15 softball and volleyball (I wasn't good at volleyball, but it kept me in shape!!), all up to when I was 18. That's when everything changed.

When I went to college, I was expecting I could try out for an intramural team, which didn't go as planned. Since I wasn't in any team, I didn't see the need to go to the gym as often as I used to. I ate a lot (those tricky all-you-can-eat college dining commons), became lazy, and a huge couch potato. Gross. During my years at college, my weight shot up to a bit over 220 lbs.

When I realized how much I had gained, I desperately tried different diet plans and fads. I joined Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Natural Slim, etc. I tried Slim Fast, South Beach, etc. Nothing worked. In a desperate attempt to lose weight, I joined a boxing and MMA gym, and it changed my life. I slimmed down to 170 lbs, I started to gain back some muscles again, and my confidence.

In 2010 I kind of fell off the wagon, and gained a little bit of weight. Thankfully, I didn't gain ALL of it back. I had a stressful job, which left me exhausted at the end of the day and too tired to make an effort to go to the gym. I also stopped eating healthy. I ate fast food for lunch, pigged out on chips for dinner...not a good combination. But you know what, it's a new year, time to get back in track!

Join me on my journey to get fit again! Hopefully I'll inspire a few to do the same!

p.s: Before starting any diet or exercise regime, please consult a professional.