psytrak

I know that my stats say one thing, but those are off. I started those stats about three weeks or so after I started cutting weight. Before I started the weight cut I was walking around at 180-185. I cannot say 100% which of the two I was at when I started wanting to lose weight to compete, but I was heavier, and eating everything & anything I wanted at whatever time I wanted to. I would eat lunch, then not eat again for almost 10 to 12 hrs later, wow! I knew I was hungry, but I didn’t think it was as unhealthy as I’ve learned it is.

I think that if I can ever point to one moment in my life and clearly say, that is the moment that’s changed my life, getting ready for that competition is one of them. Without knowing about clean eating I started basically eating like a vegetarian, and eating when I felt hungry; oddly enough that was about 4-6 times a day. The energy went through the roof until the protein needs started eating away at the muscle, but up till that point I was good. It was that point when I started reading more. One of my teammates sent me an article on the need to rest–because I wasn’t. That’s how I found bodyspace.

I caught the be healthy bug, and loved it! It didn’t help that I’m very passionate about health, and Jiu-Jitsu. Once I read some blogs I joined, and started reading article after article about eating clean. Not to mention the montra in here, "Diet is 80% of your physical fitness." That made me really think. How the hell is could that be?. Thinking lead to reading, and reading lead to knowing, which then lead applying, and here I am, 10-15lbs lighter.

I stepped on the scale this morning and took the first readout as wrong, 171…. yeah right, after the third time on and still 171.0 I was shocked. Wow, I’m making it, the stomach is flatter, and the abs are starting to show with just with breathing. This can, no will happen! Six pack by June! Now I just have to start working them more then twice a week…

So, I’m at least 10lbs richer, because that 10lbs came with a lot of learning, a lot of eating, and so much more healthy energy it’s hard to put it in perspective. The arrogant person in me wants to say I have no one to thank, but that’s such a lie! I have a lot of people to thank, first off my teammate for sending my that article, then all of you. Thanks! You’ve given my great insight on how to calculate the portions (still learning more about that) crossfit, and how to target. More then that you’ve showed me through how you make your body, so it’s not just words, it’s what work, and peer pressure… Thanks for keeping the e-contact, and making it an exciting thing to get on here and talk about progress!

Ok, I don’t really, but, I hate the jar that I have now. I left it sitting for a while, and it settled on the bottom, so the jar of peanut butter was part oil, part brick style peanut…. Well after almost a whole day of stabbing twisting, turning, and internal yelling, I’ve got the brick to be the same consistency of the oil….. AKA I’ve gotten no where! No I’ve got a jacked up hand, and I can’t get the smell of peanut off of it…. Thought that I’d share that, seeing as how that was a major part of todays snacks…. So I’ll be using the less bricky version on my rice cake… lame! It’s supposed to be Smooooooooooooooooth… puhhhhhhhh

I know that this is something that a lot of us don’t think about, but, it’s a great way to save money! Not to mention you know what’s in it. So here we go!

Ingredients:

Dry Soy beans

Water

Tools:

Pot

Blender/food processor/masticating juicer (Not masturbating)

CLEAN!!! T-shirt, or better yet cheese cloth.

Spoon with a long handle or spatula

Jug large enough to hold several quarts of liquid

Very big rubber band / cord / belt
Prep:

take your CLEAN T-shirt/cheese cloth and secure it over the opening on your jug with your rubber band/cord/belt.

Soak one cup of soy beans over night in about four cups of water.

After the beans have soaked remove them from the water, but don’t throw the water away. Take the water, put it in a large pot, and bring to a boil. With your beans separated, put them in your, blender/food processor/masticating juicer, and turn them into a pulp.

Cook:

Take the bean pulp add some hot water from the sink to give it some flow–you don’t want clumps of bean pulp splashing into the hot water. There is also the possibility of having that drop to the bottom of the pot, getting stuck and burning. once you have all the pulp in the water let it cook for about 7 minutes. Make sure that you are stirring the mash the whole time. After seven minutes take the pot off the heat and stir for another three minutes.

Slowly poor the soy bean milk into your jug–make sure your straining cloth is on there. As soon as the mash is cool enough for you to handle squeeze it as dry as you can. Do this by turning your cloth tight making a ball and twisting the excess cloth. At this point you can add any sweetener you want–honey doesn’t take to this too well, I tried. You can also leave it alone and have pure soy milk. Oh almost forgot you want the soy to be the same consistency of milk, or thinner, but that’s the great part of this; you can make it as thick or as watery as you like it. Throw the pulp away and enjoy the milk. All and all one cup of dry soy bean makes abut 3/4 a gallon of milk, translate that into your savings!

Hope you enjoy!

This is my recipe for Salmon and leaks with cabbage

Ingredients:
To taste / water needs.
Fresh cracked sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

1tbs olive oil

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock–not veggy soup broth

1 leak

1 cabbage portioned to equal the weight/volume of your leak

2 gloves of garlic

1/4 cup mushroom (I used shitaki-more full body flavor and less earthy-dirt tasting)

1 lemon

8-10oz salmon

—————-Prep—————-
Salmon:
Salt, pepper, lemon now, so it has a little time to marinate. I like to use the zest–or peal of the lemon as well as the juice. So you can even out the seasoning hold and sprinkle everything at eye to nose level while you move your hand the length of the fish. Season both sides.

Leaks:
Gee wiz:
the only part on the leak that is going to be used is the white to yellowish green stalk. The thick green leafy parts are cut off, thrown away, or frozen until you have enough scrap veggies to make a stock. To get to most out of your leak when you cut the leafs pull them away from the stalk, when you get to the point that the leaf is starting to tear, place your knife in line, with the stalk and slice leaving a V shape on the leak, repeat until all dark green is removed.

Cleaning:
Cut the leak in half leaving the root on. Without this the leak will fall apart when you wash it. There is going to be a fare amount of dirt in the layers of the leak so clean it good under running cold water. give it a strong shake out, and check for any left over dirt.

Cutting:
Lay the flat of the leak on your cutting board and slice as thick as a piece of linguine. When the leak gets hard to hold place the side that’s contacting the blade on the cutting board and continue. Once your done with your leaks match that pile with some cabbage.

Garlic–If you have a press, then use it if not then chop the garlic into little pieces.

Mushrooms–I used dried pre-sliced shitaki mushrooms. If you don’t have any just slice your favorite ones to a bite size.

————Time to cook———–
Use a medium size saute / frying pan, place over high heat and add your 1tbs of olive oil.

As soon as you do that add your garlic. Once the garlic is almost golden add your vegetable stock, lower to medium high heat.

when this starts to boil add your cabbage. cabbage takes longer to cook so in order to match the textures we start it first.

Once the color on your cabbage has changed add your leaks. Let that simmer for about 1-2minutes. If your stock is reducing too much add a little more, if not place your salmon on top of your veggies, cover lower heat to medium. Let cook for 10 minutes, checking from time to time on stock level.

The fish is cooked when you can push with your finger on the thickest part and feel a firm yet soft push back. You’ll also notice that the flesh is moist but flaky and will separate when you do this. If it’s not darker on the inside then the outside you’re good. Just don’t over cook it or it will be tough and dry, like canned tuna fish.

last thing is for show, but it’s also very tasty, take a cheese grader, use the second smallest slicer and run the outside of the lemon over it. Take those shavings and sprinkle over everything.

I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think of if when you’re done eating.

Edit:

I forgot to add that when this dish is done there will be very little if any stock remaining.