Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying your day and have fun plans for the weekend!
My heart is actually a little heavy today. We have some loved ones who are going through some very hard things. Their struggles and heartaches have been weighing heavily on my mind. I’ve also been following a heartbreaking story in our local news this past week. Life can be brutal sometimes.
It’s always so hard when people I know and love go through hard things and are suffering. I’m sure you can all relate. It’s even hard for me to watch the news sometimes because of all the hardship and struggles going on in the world. I should probably learn to just “toughen up,” but MAN, I really don’t know how to. My heart just seems to break in two and I always seem to get emotionally caught up in all the stories I hear about and read about.
We’ve definitely gone through a lot of our own trials as well, so unfortunately, I know all too well the feelings of grief, heartache, worry, suffering and fear. I really wish life could just be cushy and easy for all of us, but I really believe that hardships and trials are actually good for us. They definitely teach us soooo much, allow us to help each other, keep us humble and give us opportunities to explore our own faith.
I know this is a health and fitness blog and I really do try to keep it upbeat and positive! I also try to keep my spiritual thoughts and beliefs to a minimum so as not to offend or exclude anyone. Buuuuuuuut, like I said, my heart is heavy and when my heart is heavy….these are the things I think and talk about! Sooo, I apologize for my deep thoughts and ramblings.
I’ve gone through some hard things in my life. The first 29 years or so of my life were actually fairly easy. I’m grateful for that. But, the past 10 or so years of my life have been pretty rough! They’ve been awesome too and I’ve been sooooo blessed, but we’ve definitely had our fair share of crappy stuff! We’ve experienced loss, heartache, health difficulties, financial strains, job loss, marital conflicts, major issues with children and all the other day to day stressors that accompany life!
Some of the trials I’ve gone through were absolutely unbearable at the time. I really didn’t know how I would ever get through them. But, I’ve definitely learned that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was! It’s interesting how hard times really allow us to grow, to gain more confidence, to feel more gratitude, to feel more love and compassion and just become better, stronger people.
It’s also during these times when my faith has been strengthened and I’ve felt the love and guidance of my Savior, Jesus Christ the strongest. I’ve had some pretty miraculous experiences and witnesses in my life. I cherish those experiences and regard them as some of the most sacred and special moments of my life. I know I would never have had those moments, gained such strong faith and felt so grateful for the blessings in my life without going through the struggles I’ve gone through.
I can’t say I’m grateful for some of my trials, but I DO know that I’m a better, more compassionate, deeper, stronger person than I would be if I hadn’t gone through them. My trials have taught me to love the crap outta everyone and not judge anyone because you never know what people are going through and are experiencing.
If any of you guys are struggling or going through hard times….hang in there! Keep your chin up. Be patient and full of faith. Life will get better. You’re stronger than you think you are. Okay, I will end with my deep thoughts….for now!
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I have to say that one of the reasons I love health and fitness so much is that it’s so empowering, uplifting and can be life changing. When life gets tough and feels out of control, it’s nice to take that frustration and stress out in the form of exercise and healthy living!
Although we can’t control our health 100%, there are a lot of things we can control! We can choose to exercise regularly and fill our bodies full of good clean fuel. We can chose to get adequate sleep and surround ourselves with people we love and who lift us up. There is a lot of good in the world and we can choose to be happy!
As far as my macro counting goes….I really love it! I haven’t been perfect at it, but I’m happy with my efforts. I’ve been staying within my 1500-ish calorie range almost every day, but my macro percentages haven’t been completely on. They’ve been close though and I’m okay with that. I’ve definitely made more educated food choices because I’ve been more aware of the macros.
I’ve also decided to kick my exercise up a notch. I’ve told you guys that I scaled down my exercise quite a bit these past couple months because, quite frankly my body and my life required it. I’m feeling stronger now though and am ready to ramp it up! I’ve been running 2-3 times a week and I’ve been loving it. For now, I’ve been keeping my runs to about 3 miles. It’s perfect for me right now. I’ll probably up the mileage in a few weeks, but for now, this is just right.
I went on a run tonight with my sweet baby and I loved it so much!
We’ve had the perfect running weather lately and it’s been fabulous! I’m so happy spring is almost officially here! It felt so good to get out and ruuuuuun!
Since I’ve only been running about 3 miles at a time, I’ve been trying to pick up my pace a bit. When I was done with my run, I was happy to see that my running watch was proud of me! Ha ha.
It’s definitely not the fastest 5k I’ve ever run, but it’s faster than I’ve been lately! I’ll take it! I hope to continue to increase my speed as I get in better running shape and lose a little more weight. Yay.
When I got home from my run, I came home to this….
Dun, dun dun! My daughter made cookies!!! I love cookies! So much!
Thankfully, I’d done very well with my macros and calories for the day….so I decided to fit some cookies in! I had two cookies and a taste of the cookie dough. It was perfect and I was happy I could fit it in. I also know that the perfect time to enjoy sugary/carby stuff is right around a workout! Yay! Perfect timing. The body can utilize sugar and carbs much more efficiently during and right after a workout.
Anyway, because I’d splurged just a little on the cookies, I knew I needed to keep dinner quite tame. I made tacos for the fam and I made a simple taco salad for me!
That picture is kinda blurry, but it’s just romaine lettuce, lean taco meat, a little bit of lite shredded cheese, tomatoes and salsa! I would have loved to have added some sour cream, guac or crunched some chips on top, but I’d already enjoyed some extra fat and carbs in my cookies. That’s what I’ve been loving about macro counting…it’s just a very simple, practical, flexible, accountable way to keep eating on track!
BTW, I’ve been having this for breakfast the past couple mornings and it’s been sooooo good!
I made a triple batch of my Chocolate Protein Pancakes the other day. I actually made them quite thin (not on purpose, I just added too much milk), so I’ve been making them into Protein Pancake Sandwiches! Super YUM! I love to smear a little Jif Whips in the middle and it makes them taste like a treat! I’ve been having them with a side of scrambled egg whites (mixed with green peppers and purple onion) to up the protein content even more!
This breakfast fills me up for hours and tastes so indulgent to me! I calculate it to be right around 377 calories…38 grams of protein (booya!), 32 carbs and 14 grams of fat. The fat’s a little high, but the Jif is worth it!
Oh, and my baby loves Chocolate Protein Pancakes too! He gobbled two of them right up!
Ya know, when my kids are little they always love my weird creations! My young kids and babies love my protein pancakes, salads and protein shakes. It seems like when they get to be about 5 years old or so, they become suspicious of everything I make!!! Sigh.
Whenever I make my protein pancakes, they always smell so good! My kids flock to the kitchen to see what treat I’m making. They’re always so disappointed when I tell them Protein Pancakes!!! So sad. That’s okay though….it just means more Protein Pancakes for ME!
Anyway, I also made my Egg White Muffins in a 9×13 pan the other day….
They worked out really well and were much simpler! However, I’ve noticed this recipe is very moist and all the veggies produce a lot of water….so I’m thinking I may start keeping them in my freezer. They can become moldy in a few days because of how moist they are. I still love them though and they definitely make it easier to get protein in the diet!
I also made an interesting concoction the other day that I’ve been loving!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen this!
Mmmmkay, this creation may sound a little gross, but it’s actually quite good. I have no idea what to call it though. Even though it looks like a yummy brownie or cookie, it doesn’t taste like one. It’s actually just sweetened egg whites with protein powder mixed in! Ewwww, right?
I actually love it! I want to make it very clear, that this does NOT taste like a typical indulgent treat. However, it is 100% guilt free and definitely satisfies the sweet tooth! If you’re counting macros, watching carbs, keeping your calories in check or just trying to eat well….you will love this!
Anyway, here’s the recipe!
Chocolate Protein Egg Whites
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice!)
- 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- a pinch of stevia (I use 100% stevia, but it’s probably equivalent to 2-3 packets of stevia)
- a splash of vanilla extract
Directions:
- In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk.
- Heat a small pan on top of the stove (spray pan with a little cooking spray.)
- Pour mixture into pan and cook a few minutes, until set.
- Flip over and cook on other side until cooked through.
- Top with desired toppings and enjoy!
That’s it! It takes about 3 minutes to make!
I calculated this recipe to be 160 calories, 25 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fat. Awesome. FYI, those calculations don’t include any of the toppings. I also used Orgain Creamy Chocolate Fudge Protein Powder in my calculations.
I LOVE to top mine with a little sugar free pudding and a couple of sprays of whipped topping from a can. I know sugar free pudding and whipped topping aren’t the healthiest things out there (whipped topping in the can is better than Cool Whip though!), but I only use a little bit and it makes it taste sooo good!
I really try to eat as clean as possible, but there are a few small things I like to add from time to time that aren’t exactly 100% healthy. I figure, if it allows me to be a little indulgent, without going completely off track, then it’s worth it to me! I don’t sweat it.
Anyway, with this particular recipe, it tastes much better if you top it with a little something. I think a little lite/sugar free syrup would be great. I’ve also wanted to try some of Walden Farms flavored syrups, but I haven’t been able to find them in the stores. I’ll probably end up ordering some online. I’ve heard good things about them! Oh, and whipped topping is fabulous on top…2 tablespoons is only 15 calories too. It tastes soooo good on there!
Anyway, if you try my creation, don’t think of it as a brownie or cookie, think of it as a creative way to eat eggs that taste like chocolate!
Well, I think that’s all I have to say today! My Elementary school kids are out of school today and since it’s FRIDAY, I want to go Par-Tay Hard-tay with them!!!
Enjoy your weekend!!! xoxo
- Serving size: 1 recipe
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 13.5
- Sugar: .5
- Sodium: 321
- Fiber: 4.5
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 0
- ½ cup egg whites
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice!)
- ½ scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- a pinch of stevia (I use 100% stevia, but it's probably equivalent to 2-3 packets of stevia)
- a splash of vanilla extract
- In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk.
- Heat a small pan on top of the stove (spray pan with a little cooking spray.)
- Pour mixture into pan and cook a few minutes, until set.
- Flip over and cook on other side until cooked through.
- Top with desired toppings and enjoy!
I clicked over and read the news article about Emily and it broke my heart!! Sometimes it’s so hard to remain positive in life with such sadness, tough trials or loneliness, it truly makes me grateful for my knowledge of the Gospel and the afterlife.
I hope you’re well and I love following along your blog. I haven’t tried the macros thing yet, but I have read quite a bit about it and I’d like to give it a try.
Happy Friday!
Thanks so much Christy! Yes, that news story has had in my tears all week. It’s a tough one. I really am so grateful for the Gospel though and really don’t know how I could do life without it! I hope you have a fabulous weekend! <3
I love how your daughter was JUST trying to be NICE but what she did was actually just so “evil”! ha ha ah!!! And um, whattttt – those chocolate eggs, I want in! 😉 I am soooo making them. I have made vanilla eggs before – but now it’s time for the chocolate version!
I know, it’s rough having treat-making teenagers in the house!!! I really love those chocolate eggs. I seem to try to make everything chocolate! I’ll have to try vanilla eggs now too!
Oh man, this week was a bust as far as nutrition and fitness. First, last month, my cousin’s daughter was selling Girl Scout cookies and I wanted to support her troop, so I bought a bunch. Turns out my husband did too, and so did my mom and my in-laws. Then she delivered them all to my house, and my mom and in-laws said “oh, the boys will eat them, we don’t need them.” Well, my husband and I work from home and guess what? Two cases of cookies magically disappeared in a WEEK and I know my kids didn’t eat all of them because I’m up a pound and my husband is up three.
Then, I had a pair of crappy shoes on and was running around the house and tripped down the stairs. I think I have a slight sprain in both my ankles because they’re swollen and sore. No big deal, except I have a half marathon next week…. Gah! So I’ve been trying to think healing thoughts and keep from jarring my ankles too much, and hopefully I’ll be okay by the time the run starts. Fortunately, this is my taper week, and my training was going pretty well up until then.
I’m sorry your friends are going through tough times. My moaning and complaining about little things like too many cookies and bad shoes sounds so trite compared to such tragedy. I know what you mean about hardships underscoring the need to be compassionate and loving the heck out of people. I am grateful for my little trials in a funny way because they’re mine. They build strength for when the really hard stuff hits, which it always does.
Thank you for sharing. Hugs to you, my friend.
I laughed out loud at your comment Beth! I can soooo relate to eating all the cookies in the house! I didn’t buy any Girl Scout cookies this year, but too often I’ll make a treat and it will be almost gone when I realize I’m the only one eating it! I’m sorry to hear about your freak accident too….just before a Half! I hope you heal quickly and do well on your race!
Thanks so much for your kind, wise words too. They are comforting to me!
Sorry to hear about your loved ones going through such trials. Thank goodness they have a supportive friend like you. That news story was just awful. My thoughts are with the family. I’m just like you described. Sensitive and at times too sensitive. I hate to see people suffering or experiencing difficult times, but as you said trials really strengthen faith.
Good luck with your training and glad to hear your macros are going so well for you.
Take care, Melanie!
Thank you so much for your kind words Char. There are so many sad things going on in the world that it can be overwhelming! I do try to focus on the positive and the things I can change, but it’s just so hard to know of others trials. I’m glad to know you’re a sensitive soul like me!
So sorry to hear that your friends and family are having a tough time – they’ll be in my thoughts.
Thanks so much Abby. I surely appreciate it!
Gluten-free meals is very healthy,i also try to eat them, also it is not always possible ))) Thankyou for the recipe of egg whites, luckily I have all the ingredients so today I will spoil myself and my family.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I know it’s a little unorthodox. Hee hee.