Is running really worth it? Is it doing anything good for my body?

I’ve never been into running. It has always been really hard for me especially when I was overweight. Eventually I lost 35 pounds by counting calories and working out with a personal trainer. I gained so much insight from that experience. Food became very important to me. I wanted to make sure I was feeding my body properly and keeping healthy. Counting calories just wasn’t cutting it. Yes it is an effective method to lose weight but for long term it is just not reasonable! I wanted to be “normal” and be able to eat what I wanted when I wanted. I learned it was all about portion control. I learned fueling my body for workouts was just as important.

It started in 2009 where I would run a mile here and there. Took me around 15 minutes on a treadmill and mind you I’d stop and walk at least once. I decided in 2010 I would run my first 5k. It came sooner then expected and in February my mom joined me. I never thought my mom would be interested in running but she loved it! This was our first 5k and first time ever running in the rain. It was brutal but felt so amazing at the end. At this time trying to maintain my weight was hard and I realized at this time if I wanted to continue running it wouldn’t be for losing weight, but to make sure I’m fueled properly. I would never be hungry right after a race and then few days later I had the never ending food pipe!

We decided we always wanted to run the 5k for breast cancer and in May we ran the race for Susan G. Komen. Again another amazing feeling and accomplishment. Although I was glad it came to an end. I was at the point of running being my enemy then a friend. I know a 5k isn’t a big deal  but for a new runner like me I wanted to make sure I had training runs in order to prepare myself for the race. I hated running!! I was thinking to myself, “Why am I forcing myself to run?" This should be because I want to, not because I have to.” I took a break for a few months. Right after the summer I started getting that antsy feeling. I found another 5k for the month of September. I told myself I won’t stress over numbers or push myself to hate running. In the end I ran a great race, my time was slower but at least I felt good about during the run. I realized after this race I’m not cut for running. I enjoy doing it once in a while for cardio but to make it a hobby just isn’t my thing.

Is running worth it to me?
My left knee doesn’t feel right when I push myself to run and my feet hurt too. I’ve gone through several pairs of running shoes to find ones that work for me, it is not easy finding a good pair! I know I don’t want any knee problems and running has trigger something in my left knee. I don’t think any injury is worth it from just running. I realize running is just "really” hard on the body and there are better forms of cardio out there.
Is running doing anything good for my body?
My heart rate is always at its maximum and I sweat up a good storm. That always a good thing! I’m able to keep a comfortable, steady pace around 10:30 per mile. I don’t like that my knee bothers me and causes discomfort. I also don’t like that it is not effective in losing body weight/maintaining for me. I find I’m craving more carbohydrates and less protein. I always want something sweet after every meal and running makes it even worse for me to control sweet cravings.
What’s next?
Well recently a friend of mine asked me to come do a Krav Fit class with her daughter. Her daughter is having a hard time finding an after school activity and they refuse to have her just stay at home after school. Her younger sister does a Krav Maga class called Krav Kids and LOVES it. So I gave it a shot and it kicked my ass! The best 1 hour workout I had in a while. The instructor is hardcore and doesn’t make anything easy. The class is a mixture of everything from sprints, kettle bells, squats, lunges, bear crawls, punching/kicking, more sprints, resistance tubes, etc. I was probably complaining the whole time but I actually loved it. No one works out hard enough unless there is someone pushing you to do it and not give up. That is exactly what I need right now. I signed up for 3 months to test out the waters. I went to my first level 1 class the other day and really liked it. I’ve always wanted to learn self defense but I guess you could say I was scared? Well  not anymore! I’ve already met a lot of new people who are really nice and willing to help me get the basics down. That is always a plus. Krav Maga is the official self defense and fighting system used by Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli Police and Security, and numerous U.S. law enforcement agencies.
   

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This is a different post as you can tell. Usually I’m all about the food but fitness is something that is very important to me. I hope you enjoyed this reading and will enjoy future fitness posts!
Always,
Fallon

Green Enchiladas with Beef

Well Monday is here again. I definitely had a crazy weekend and all my plans fell through. Right now work and having a job is pretty important, so sometimes sacrifices have to be made and fun plans have to not happen. Life!

Like I promised, today I'd share with you my beef enchiladas. I pretty much followed the same recipe I used for my chicken enchiladas. This time though I used a London broil, green sauce, and no black beans. Then instead of being deconstructed I decided to make actual enchiladas using corn tortillas, a little Mexican cheese and baked until everything became hot and gooey!

Green sauce is my favorite! I had a hard time deciding what brand to choose. I find lots of store bought enchilada sauces have some funky ingredients. I managed to find one I could understand with 5-6 ingredients. I'll pick it up again because it was so good. I should see if Wholefoods carries enchilada sauce! What brand do you use? Do you make your own sauce?

The meat was tender, juicy and full of flavor. The slow cooker does wonders. The best kitchen appliance ever. As for putting the enchiladas together the task is very simple. Since I used corn tortillas I simply preheated a pan to warm them up and make them more pliable for rolling. I added cheese to the beef filling to act as glue when rolling them up. Then I topped with green sauce and more cheese. Baked in a preheated oven over 350 degrees until everything was warmed through and the cheese melted!

Tender beef

 

Served on top of steamed broccoli. I

always feel better when I have

some vegetable ;)

Check out my Deconstructed Chicken Enchiladas to find the recipe I used.

Enjoy!!

Fallon

PS: This is my first post using Windows Live Writer and so far I'm happy with the results. Way easier and no bugs so far. Yay!! I still have a "few" issues but they will get worked out.

Deconstructed Chicken Enchiladas

It is here again, a Mexican food craving that is. With my recent trip to El Paso to visit my boyfriend I realized we had zero Mexican food. I was having withdrawals after this realization and I got into this kick for enchiladas. I don't even order enchiladas when I go out but I wanted them! I actually had this recipe bookmarked for Hearty Chicken Enchiladas. This recipe is great because it uses a slow cooker to cook the chicken. The chicken breast was literally falling apart as I kept trying to remove it from the slow cooker. I basically followed the recipe minus making actual enchiladas. I just wanted the meat and sauce. I topped it on a delicious salad and called it a Deconstructed Chicken Enchilada. Instead of having flour tortillas on hand I picked up corn tortillas and made home made chips instead.

Not my favorite enchilada sauce, but I have to try everything at least once.

Kept falling apart as I tried to remove it from the slow cooker to shred.

Spinach, romaine, avocado, salsa, plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and chicken enchilada mixture.

Homemade baked tortilla chips are the best!

Click HERE to get the recipe I followed to cook the meat for Hearty Chicken Enchiladas. This couldn't be easier to follow and it will make a lot. This lasted me for a few days. Of course it only my mother and I eating this. ;) Come back on Monday to see my beef enchiladas! I told you I have a bad craving for Mexican food! Fallon PS: I’m having a difficult time formatting my posts with blogger. I recently downloaded Windows Live Writer and I hope this will make it easier for me. I’m constantly fighting with blogger and it is so stressful lately. I want my blog to look nice, not like I put it together in less than 5 minutes. So please bare with me, while I get over this bump! Thanks.

Run For Your L.I.F.E 5k Race and 1 Mile Fun Run

This past weekend I completed my 3rd 5k race with my mom! Run For Your L.I.F.E (Leadership. Integrity. Fitness. Education.) 5k Race. I was a bit worried about this race because I tried a new workout that required us to do A LOT of squats this past week. My legs were gone, so sore and fatigued. Well after this new "exercise" which I will tell you about another day, the next day I decided I needed to warm my legs up with a light jog. I didn't struggle and completed my jog. Then it all went down hill. My legs were killing me!! I felt old LOL. I stretched and stretched. I couldn't wait for my favorite yoga class and even yoga didn't help my legs. I always take the day off before a race from working out. I was hoping that on race day I would be GOOD! Well I woke up, not as sore as I once was but still sore. I stretched before heading out to the race.

I did something different this time around, that I didn't do with the last 5k runs. This time I didn't stress myself out to get in some practice runs. I did what I did. I didn't stress myself out with trying to set a goal. My goal was to just to complete the race regardless of time. Lastly, I ate very lightly before the run. Half a Clif bar it was. Usually I have toast with PB and banana but I decided to change that. With these 3 changes, this was my BEST race yet! Even though I felt this was my best race, my time was a few seconds slower but I felt great.

Getting my game face on!

The course was rough. It had a lot of hills and I'm not use to that terrain. Plus tons of stinky sewage I kept passing through and trying not to breathe in but that was hard! I kept going even if I slowed down. I did stop once, but 15 seconds later I got back to it. My official time was 31:50. Considering I didn't get in as many training runs as I liked and having super sore legs, I did pretty well! My FAVORITE part about this 5k was the free massage I received afterward. It was epic! The weather outside was gorgeous. It was the best 20 minute massage ever. I'm so glad I decided to get the massage because she really loosen up my muscles. The next day I wasn't sore at all! The free massages were sponsored by the Nevada School of Massage Therapy. I found out they give hour massages for $32. I think I'll be getting massages more often now!

My appetite has been pretty non-existent recently after working out. All I want is water and coconut water if available. I was able to kill time with my massage and check out some of the vendors. Eventually I was ready for some coffee and almond butter! I packed up my own snack to bring because it is just easier and cheaper! My mom didn't want a massage (Isn't she crazy??) so we headed to one of our favorite hangouts, Starbucks. She got a hot coffee and I had a nice iced coffee unsweetened, with half and half. I brought the following:

It was delicious and just what my body wanted! We enjoyed the beautiful weather outside before heading home. Sadly my mom had to go to work and I was heading to a friend's house for her daughter's first birthday! Here are some questions that I will answer later. Is running really worth it? Is it doing anything good for my body? Have you completed any races lately? How did it go for you? Do you want to continue to run or are you looking to find a new activity? Here are the official race photos! Should I buy them? They are a bit pricey but I really like the ones where I'm smiling and my hands are "almost" raising the roof! I was smiling because I was .10 from the finish line!

A

B

C

What do you think?

See you soon with... ENCHILADAS!

Fallon

PS: I’m having a difficult time formatting my posts with blogger. I recently downloaded Windows Live Writer and I hope this will make it easier for me. I’m constantly fighting with blogger and it is so stressful. I want my blog to look nice, not like I put it together in less than 5 minutes. So please bare with me, while I get over this bump! Thanks.

White Bean Hummus with Fresh Thyme & Basil

Here is another wonderful recipe from my new favorite cookbook Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. I love hummus. It is so easy to just buy store bought hummus but nothing can compare to hummus made at home. Once you are able to buy typical hummus ingredients like tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garbanzo beans, and garlic you can whip up your own dip in no time. It actually becomes cheaper to make it at home, then buy in the store. Plus you avoid all those "extra" preservatives found in the store-bought hummus.

My mom needed a dish for her monthly bunko group and she mentioned just buying hummus and pita chips. I told her that I have this delicious white bean hummus that I'd love to make. The ending result? Well she came home with a near empty bowl of hummus! The girls loved it. The fresh herbs and the slight red wine tang made this dip very hard to portion control. Good thing it is healthy and has good fats and proteins! I also loved how smooth this dip was. Normally I have to keep adding oil or water for a smoother consistency. Not with this recipe! Luckily I was able to find the recipe online at Dreena's blog and now if you haven't tried it now is your chance! This is a great dish to bring over to a friend's house or serve at your very own party!

White Bean Hummus with Fresh Thyme & Basil By Dreena Burton
Makes 6-7 servings (about 2 1/2 cups) | Wheat-Free

Ingredients
2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
1 medium clove garlic (I used 2-3 tsp of minced garlic)
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I used 1 1/2 tbsp)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp water (to thin dip as desired)- I did not use any water
2 1/2- 3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (not dried)
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn or chopped (not dried)

In a food processor, combine all ingredients expect water, thyme, and basil. Puree until smooth, gradually adding water as desired to thin dip and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add thyme and basil and puree briefly to incorporate ingredients.

 

I like to garnish my dip with a sprig of thyme and sprinkle of basil. I served it with pita chips. Don't forget to add raw vegetables for dipping!

I ran a 5k over the weekend! Stay tune with how it all went and what I have decided about my running future. I think I "found" a new love!

Talk to you soon,
Fallon

"You Got Peanut Butter In My Chocolate" Cookies

I FINALLY got the cookbook I've been wanting for a long time. Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton. By no means am I a full-time vegan. I like to eat all kinds of food including meals with meat and chicken. I've cut back a lot of meat consumption and I'm always looking for tasty alternative meals. I turned to this specific cookbook because it makes vegan cooking fun and a good way to experience vegan meals. What can I say I love my vegetables but I love my steak too!

I've been wanting Eat, Drink & Be Vegan for a long time. I've skimmed through it at the bookstore and loved a lot of recipes in the book. She has a good selection of recipes that can be used "everyday" like for parties, romantic dinners or a simple weekday meal. I'm always looking for something new to introduce to my tasting palate. Vegan meals can be colorful, flavorful, healthy, and nutrition powerhouses! Dreena Burton does all that and more in her recipes. I've tried two recipes so far and both came together very quickly and tasted fabulous.

The cookie I will share with you today is fudgy, moist, cakey, and peanut buttery goodness! You will have to buy the book to get the actual recipe. I wanted to post it but seeing that no one else has this recipe posted on the Internet I decided to respect that decision. It really is a good book to have in your collection. If you don't tell people it is vegan, they will NEVER know and they will tell  you how much they love the dish you made. I promise.

"You Got Peanut Butter in My Chocolate" Cookies. What a mouthful of a name! This name was inspired by a 1980s Reese's commercial. Dreena loved the suggestion and I can tell why. After trying these cookies you get a good combination of rich chocolate and peanut butter blended in the batter. I actually felt like I was eating a peanut butter cup, but knew this cookie was way better for me. The cookie is wheat free and made with simple ingredients like unrefined sugar, barley or spelt flour, cocoa powder, pure maple syrup, agave nectar, and natural peanut butter.

                                                         

I did make several adjustments to my cookies. Instead of unrefined sugar I subbed in my new favorite item, Stevia. I also didn't have barley or spelt flour, so I just used AP flour, per Dreena recommendation in the book. I must pick up spelt flour soon since many of the recipes use it!

My father and my mom could not believe they were considered vegan. You can tell when I wanted this book they gave me that "eww" face. My new nickname at home is Vegan, well that what my father calls me.

Chocolate balls of goodness. I will admit, I tried the dough raw. SO GOOD!

I also surprised my best friend with a cookie. I told her they were chocolate peanut butter cookies. After she tried it, she said, "That was really good." I then said, "SURPRISE! They are vegan!" LOL. She was somewhat shocked, I told her how I made them and she totally had a change of thought. She really liked it.I believe you should try everything at least once! You just never know what you may actually like. Vegan or not!

A moist and crumbly cookie that is rich and buttery in flavor.

I picked my book up at Borders but you can also order it online at Amazon. No one told me to post links for the book or have this small review about the recipe. I did it for the good of the book because it really is an awesome cookbook!

Enjoy,
Fallon

Overnight Caramel and Raspberry Oats!

Here is another fabulous take on overnight oatmeal. I purchased whole grain rolled oats for a change. When cooked on the stove top they are more creamier compared to regular old fashioned oats. I figured the rolled oats would make for a great overnight oat concoction. I recently won a giveaway that included coupons for free Oikos Greek yogurt on the chocolate and/or caramel variety. I wanted to incorporate the caramel Greek yogurt into my oats for a sweeter and milkier texture. I also decided to add some fresh raspberries to the bunch to meld the flavors together overnight. In the morning my oats were very thick and creamy. I topped it with salted cashews, raw pepita and sunflower seeds, and unsweetened coconut. This was absolutely delicious. I savored this breakfast because I know once the weather starts to cool off, I'll be craving hot oats instead.


Overnight Caramel and Raspberry Oats By Fallon

Ingredients
1/4 cup-1/2 cup whole grain rolled oats (I used Bob's Redmill gluten free variety)
1/2 serving Oikos Greek Yogurt Caramel
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp ground golden flaxseed
1 tsp chia seeds
Pinch of sea salt
Handful of fresh raspberries
Toppings (optional): unsweetened coconut, raw pepita seeds, raw sunflower seeds, and salted cashews

In a bowl or jar combine the yogurt, milk, flaxseed, chia seeds, and salt. Next add in the oats and mix till well combined. Add more liquid if you want it soupier. It will thicken up in the morning. Top with fresh raspberries and set in the fridge overnight.

In the morning add toppings and enjoy!

The salted cashews with the creamy caramel yogurt, YUM!

So easy. This is one of the best breakfasts to have when you can't have any fuss in the morning. It is very healthy and will keep you full for hours. The raspberries and caramel is a good combination. It was sweet, buttery, creamy, salty, crunchy and tart. Plus you can't beat the health benefits from the flaxseed and chia seeds. I almost felt like I was eating dessert for breakfast, but I knew this was a much better option for me!

Over the weekend I decided to register with Foodbuzz. I'm taking the next step with my blog and figured Foodbuzz would be a good way to start. Click HERE to add me. Is anyone a publisher for Foodbuzz? If you have any advice or comments for me please share! I'm open-minded to anything.

Enjoy the oats!
Fallon

Harvest Wine Fest 2010

While visiting my boyfriend during Labor Day weekend he mentioned to me that we were going wine tasting in Las Cruces, New Mexico called Harvest Wine Festival. There is usually nothing really "cool" to do near El Paso, so I was really surprised he told me we were going wine tasting. It is only about an hour or so drive to get there. This was my first wine tasting event. It was a lot of fun and even more fun when you are with a GOOD group of people. All the wineries were local from New Mexico. I prefer red wine over white. Well being the event was held outside it was a bit warm, and I decided to switch to white wine for the chill factor. Then it was all about the wine slushes from St. Clair Vineyards. I had found a Pinot Noir I liked from Blue Teal. They were the only ones sampling Pinot Noir. Next I tried sampling Shiraz from a few vendors. They were too spicy for my taste. This is when the heat started getting to me. I sampled a very interesting white wine called Girls Are Meaner from Wines of the San Juan. It was semi-sweet Gewurztraminer (click here to read about Gewurztraminer) with a rose petal spice. Let me just say, I don't care much for white wines, but Girls Are Meaner was REALLY good. My boyfriend SIL couldn't believe how good it was either. After all that, the wine slushes were calling my name. They were a lot of fun but a bit too sweet for my taste. They were good at cooling me off at that point in time! Along with wines, I was able to sample a lot of goodies. Like goat cheese spreads, homemade pastas, dipping oils, honey, and sugar cinnamon almonds/pecans! They had junk food vendors too like cheesecake on a stick, foot-long hot dogs, Mexican specialities, funnel cakes, lemonade stands, etc. I couldn't help myself and bought some amazing pasta and the sugar cinnamon pecans! Of course my boyfriend wanted a foot-long hot dog. ;)

I love nuts!

The best flavored pastas I've ever tried!

I'd love to do this again, it was a blast! It definitely has open up my wine tasting buds and I look forward to finding local events in my area. Love, Fallon PS: I also updated my recipe page over the weekend and it is now all up-to-date!

S'more Cookie Bars

Well I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. I spent my weekend with my boyfriend! It has been about 2 months since I last saw him and Labor Day couldn't be a more better time to visit. We hung out a lot, chilled and made some good at home dinners! His birthday was on the 6th and I wanted to do something cool at home. I talked with his sister-in-law (SIL) on what we should do and we came up with an awesome menu! We wanted to grill steaks, green salad, pasta dish and bread. Simple but very flavorful! As for dessert, we stuck with a simple s'more bar. It is a Hershey's recipe that has been floating around the blog world for a while and been in my bookmarked recipes. Labor day, end of summer, BBQ, s'mores.. it was all just meant to be! Luckily his SIL has a pretty well stocked kitchen and had all the baking supplies I needed. The s'more bars were really easy to do. Took me less then an hour to prep and place in the oven. Glad I had this recipe handy because it turned out really well. We placed a few candles on top and sang happy birthday!

 
S'more Cookie Bars (Adapted From Hershey's Kitchens)  
Ingredients
1/2 cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup Stevia in the Raw (you may use granulated sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 4 (1.55 oz. each) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars
1 jar of marshmallow creme

Heat over to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan or line with foil and grease for easy cutting later on. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough in prepared pan.

Arrange chocolate bars over dough, breaking as needed to fit. Spread with marshmallow creme. Scatter bits of remaining over marshmallow; carefully press to form a layer. (This part was a bit challenging. I used more dough on the bottom layer, so the top layer was more of a crumble.)
  Bake 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. 16 bars. These are best to be eaten after being cooled off and slightly warm and gooey. By the time we had ours, they were more like room temperature, so we nuked them for a few seconds in the microwave. Worked like a charm. ;) Tasted just like a s'mores!

Time to make a wish!
 

You will also notice I didn't use sugar but stevia. His SIL had the brilliant idea to sub that for sugar, since it is cup-to-cup in measurements. I was worried of an aftertaste but with the chocolate and marshmallow it evened out and you would of never known! I bought a bag of the stevia she has and I'm going to start subbing it for sugar in certain recipes. Can't hurt and will save on the calories!

Enjoy,
Fallon