Shannan’s Journey

Is this a cake we can all dig into?? (I think not).. 

It sounds pretty gross actually- 

I am a pretty true low carber… My life is generally proteins and veggies and moderate amounts of fats with the occasional carb meal 1 to 2 times a week only when I am in contest prep or if I am trying to lean out for something.   Otherwise I eat no more than 35 grams of carbs a day in the form of veggies.  I eat this way honestly because it keeps my weight down, my leanness stable during the year, and I don’t go through the YO-YO dieting that most of us have all been through. 

I do a type of cycling of carbs because I found that eating carbs everyday just made me hungrier for them, it made me want more carbohydrates throughout the day, and I gained weight from them especially if my activity level was lower.  I learned that I just can’t eat the same if my workouts aren’t hardcore and I’m not doing cardio every day.  So I learned to cycle those darn carbs  

Now you can cycle carbs in a host of ways…  I do it like this:  Most of the time I eat carbs only when I feel I need them, as in my performance in the gym or other activities that I do is lacking some energy.  I can go about 1 1/2 weeks before I really need them.  When I am trying to lean out more I do many more activities so I tend to need the carbs for energy a little more often so, I have them every 3rd day. 

You can cycle carbs in numerous ways… every other day, every 2 days, every 3 days etc… and so on.  Or you can do things like starting with day one at 0 carbs for the day, then having day 2 be a low carb day of 30-50 grams of carbs total, and then the 3rd day is a moderate day of carbs, 75-100 grams, and then the 4rd day you can have 150-200 and then you bring it all the way back down to 0 carbs for the 4th day… and so on. This is also known as a Zig-Zag diet.

** Carb cycling allows you to drop fat, build muscle, increase energy and sex drive, and even improve your skin – by eating carbs the right way.

Do you ever wish you had the vitality of a teenager or the muscles of a star athlete? Well, you can’t turn back the hands of time or suddenly morph into a superhero, but you can lose weight, gain energy, and reach your fitness goals by jumpstarting your anabolic hormones. It’s not complicated and it doesn’t require you to buy any special equipment. You just need to learn how to cut through popular diet trends and misinformation and understand which foods truly benefit your body the most.

The truth about losing weight is simple. The only way to shed fat is to eat less calories than your body needs to maintain your current weigh. Yet, losing weight alone will not give you the healthy glow or energy so many of us crave.  As you drop pounds, you need to increase your body’s natural production of anti-aging anabolic hormones.

Throughout life, there are two important bodily processes that determine how you look and feel - anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism is the process fueled by anabolic hormones that allows your body to build muscle. As younger people, we produced a lot of important anabolic growth and sex hormones. As we age, our bodies produce less of these hormones, which leads to weight gain and health problems. Catabolism is the process by which your body burns fat. Many plans focus only on changing your catabolism. Therefore, they do not help you build muscle or help your body produce more anabolic hormones.

People have been able to get the lean, strong bodies they have always wanted. They also enjoy the luxury of eating the foods they love, as long as they eat them at the right time. It takes a little discipline at first, but it is far easier and healthier than low-carb, restriction diets.

 Keep in mind that you should focus on eating unrefined carbs from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These carbs are packed with healthy compounds that help ward off disease and keep your body young. Limit refined carbs from sugar and processed white flour.  This includes white bread, crackers, and all processed junk food. Remember, all carbs are not created equally!

The small extra effort it takes to carb cycle can bring a huge payoff.  If you combine carb cycling with exercise, you will protect yourself from countless age-related illnesses, such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, and even form of cancer. You’ll also look and feel great.

Best of luck to you all-

Shannan 

Got some more recipes for all who diet a lot, for those who like to eat and for anyone who enjoys them…

BAKED CHICKEN STUFFED EGGPLANT-

12 6-by-2 inch eggplants
1/4 c. avocado, flax or olive oil (approximately)
1 lg. red or sweet onion, finely chopped
1 c. green onions, finely chopped
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb. lean ground Chicken (or turkey)
1 med. tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 sm. green pepper, seeded, deribbed, and finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lg. clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 c. water or no sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice

Remove the stems and hulls from the eggplants and discard. Peel each eggplant lengthwise in 1/2-inch strips, leaving 1/2-inch strips of skin between, making a striped design.
In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the eggplants and saute until soft on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow flameproof or ovenproof pan.

Add pam to the skillet and heat. Add the onion and saute until soft but not browned, stirring frequently. Add the chicken or turkey and cook until lightly browned, breaking it up with the back of a spoon or fork. Stir in the other veggies (mushrooms, tomato, onions) and cook 5 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper, garlic.

Transfer each eggplant to a plate. Slit lengthwise to within 1 inch of both ends on one side only. Stuff the pocket with several spoonfuls of the meat mixture. Return the eggplants to the pan, arranging them next to one another, slashed sides up. Place the tomato over the eggplants, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, and pour in the water. Cover and simmer gently 40 minutes or bake in a preheated 350 F. oven 40 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook 10 minutes or until the eggplants are tender.

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Vinaigrette for Asparagus Salad-

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of salt, or to desired taste
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

Directions: For vinaigrette, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the first seven ingredients; shake well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. In a large skillet, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Place in a serving bowl; cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, shake vinaigrette and drizzle over asparagus.

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Stir-fried Asparagus 

1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional) it’s just for thickening the broth so if you have dietary restrictions, just omit this.
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into julienned strips
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon mac nut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch (optional), broth and soy sauce until smooth; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry the asparagus, green pepper, onions and garlic in hot oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms; stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add water chestnuts; stir-fry 1-2 minutes longer. Stir broth mixture; add to the vegetables. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 3 servings.
Noodleless Lasagna-

FOR THE SQUASH:

1 lb. yellow summer squash
1 lb. zucchini
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed

FOR THE FILLING:

1 (16 oz.) container low-fat or non-fat cottage cheese
1 cup fresh basil
2 egg yolks (you can try egg whites or egg beaters but has a different flavor)
1/3 cup non fat (if you can find it) or low fat Parmesan cheese, divided use
TO ASSEMBLE:
2/3 cup seasoned ezekiel bread crumbs or ground oats, divided use
2 cups mozzarella, part-skim

Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). Coat two baking pans with nonstick cooking spray.

TO PREPARE THE SQUASH:
Cut all squash and zucchini lengthwise in half. Then, cut each half lengthwise into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Spread squash and zucchini on pans in single layer and season with Italian seasoning and black pepper.

Bake for 25 minutes, turning over once halfway through baking. Remove from oven and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:
In a large skillet, heat pasta sauce over medium-high heat. Mix trimmed spinach into the pasta sauce.

TO PREPARE THE FILLIING:
In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, basil, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Blend until all ingredients are combined and smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs over the bottom of a 13×9x 2 inch baking pan. Cover the bottom of the dish with half of the zucchini and squash slices. Next, spread cottage cheese mixture over the squash and zucchini slices. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Top with remaining zucchini slices. Sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Pour pasta sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for approximately 35 minutes. Cheese should be browned and bubbling. Let stand for 10 to 25 minutes before serving.

Servings: 10

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WEEKEND EVERYONE !!!!!

SHANNAN

Dean Karnazes is an ultramarathoner whose most recent exploit was to run 50 marathons in 50 consecutive states in 50 consecutive days.  Not a bad feat.  His endurance seems almost superhuman, and, based on what I’ve read about him, I suspect it is.  A recent article in the magazine Wired explained how he got started running 14 years ago.

DEAN KARNAZES WAS SLOBBERING DRUNK. IT WAS HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY, and he’d started with beer and moved on to tequila shots at a bar near his home in San Francisco. Now, after midnight, an attractive young woman – not his wife – was hitting on him. This was not the life he’d imagined for himself. He was a corporate hack desperately running the rat race. The company had just bought him a new Lexus. He wanted to vomit. Karnazes resisted the urge and, instead, slipped out the bar’s back door and walked the few blocks to his house. On the back porch, he found an old pair of sneakers. He stripped down to his T-shirt and underwear, laced up the shoes, and started running. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

He sobered up in Daly City, about 15 miles south. It was nearly four in the morning. The air was cool, slightly damp from the fog, and Karnazes was in a residential neighborhood, burping tequila, with no pants on. He felt ridiculous, but it brought a smile to his face. He hadn’t had this much fun in a long time. So he decided to keep running.

When the sun came up, Karnazes was trotting south along Route 1, heading toward Santa Cruz. He had covered 30 miles. In the process, he’d had a blinding realization: There were untapped reservoirs within him. It was like a religious conversion. He had been born again as a long-distance runner. More than anything else now, he wanted to find out how far he could go. But at that exact moment, what he really needed to do was stop. He called his wife from a pay phone, and an hour later she found him in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven. He passed out in the car on the way home.

Now (or even when I was 25 years old) I couldn’t simply throw on an old pair of sneakers, head out the door, and run 30 miles.  Drunk or sober… I would have to be worse than slobbering drunk to even consider it.  I’m not sure I could throw on a pair of sneakers any time in my life and even walk 30 miles, much less run them.  Not without training for it, and the article implies that he was not previously a runner. This is obviously a guy who is just put together right for the sport of running.  I don’t know what the ultimate effect will be on his knees and hips, but for now, he seems to be doing okay.  As I say, he’s put together right for it.

EAT JUNK – LOTS OF IT
You wouldn’t believe the stuff Karnazes consumes on a run. He carries a cell phone and regularly orders an extra-large Hawaiian pizza. The delivery car waits for him at an intersection, and when he gets there he grabs the pie and rams the whole thing down his gullet on the go. The trick: Roll it up for easy scarfing. He’ll chase the pizza with cheesecake, cinnamon buns, chocolate éclairs, and all-natural cookies. The high-fat pig-out fuels Karnazes’ long jaunts, which can burn more than 9,000 calories a day. What he needs is massive amounts of energy, and fat contains roughly twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates. Hence, pizza and éclairs…

I’ve received numerous emails and comments about the high-calorie, high-carb diet that Michael Phelps consumed on his way to eight Olympic gold medals.   What I tried to tell all those who communicated with me about it is that it is possible to eat this way if a) you’re young, and b) if you’re burning a zillion calories in intense physical activity.  As Mr. Phelps ages, he won’t be able to keep up the same intensity of activity.  If he continues to eat the way he does now, he will not be the better for it.  I would predict that he would become overweight.  And it’s not just Mr. Phelps to whom this happens.  It’s called the ex-jock syndrome.  Many professional athletes struggle with obesity when their playing days are over.  There activity level falls but their food intake doesn’t.  And they pay the price.

But what about Dean Karnazes?  He is 44 years old, way beyond the age of most professional athletes who have retired and gotten fat.  Why has he escaped while eating the enormous amounts of high-carb foods he does.  A couple of reasons.  First, he is still active as evidenced by the 50 marathons in 50 days.  And, second, he doesn’t eat all the high-carb foods all the time. (I suspect that Michael Phelps doesn’t either.)  I intentionally left off the last part of his recommendation to eat lots of junk.  Here it is:

When he’s not in the midst of some record-breaking exploit, Dean Karnazes maintains a monkish diet, eating grilled salmon five nights a week. He strictly avoids processed sugars and fried foods – no cookies or doughnuts. He even tries to steer clear of too much fruit because it contains a lot of sugar. He believes this approach – which nutritionists call a slow-carb diet – has reshaped him, lowering his body fat and building lean muscle. It also makes him look forward to running a race, because he can eat whatever he wants.

Apparently Mr. Karnazes is as smart as he is fit.  He eats everything that’s not red hot or nailed down while he’s running, but he eats what sounds a lot like a low-carb diet when he isn’t.  Which makes a lot of sense.  When you are burning the calories that he does on his long runs, the body will use up most anything you put into it.  And it doesn’t matter what it is.  I’m sure that due to his conditioning Mr. Karnazes is highly insulin sensitive and has low circulating insulin levels.  If you want to eat like he does, it’s a simple matter: run like he does.  Otherwise, you’re better off eating like he does when he’s laying around the house.

Another thing for the rest of us to contemplate ;) 

Have a fantastic night and dream big!! 

Shannan

According to a recent NBC Sports article, Olympic gymnasts have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon. 

And they do it because they need plenty of quick energy for the intense activities they perform.
With rock-hard biceps and abs that would make a bodybuilder jealous, gymnasts don’t need to lose weight. Yet count them in as devotees of the increasingly popular low-carbohydrate diet.

A 2000 U.S. Olympian trying to make it back to the Games this year, McCain (a gymnast) started doing the high-protein, low-carb thing well before it became the biggest diet fad in the country.  "I used to think it was all about carbs, carbs, carbs to get the energy," he said. "But over time, I realized I performed better when I kept that stuff in check."

That’s because gymnastics, unlike swimming or long-distance running, is considered an "anaerobic" sport, one in which short, intense bursts of power are much more important than endurance.  "Over the span of a three-hour workout, we’re probably only up on the equipment for 15 minutes," McCain said. The longest routine for a man or woman is the floor exercise, which lasts between 60 and 90 seconds.  Thus, having lots of complex sugars stored up — the kind produced by carbohydrates — does not help a gymnast that much.  Those energy spurts are best provided by a diet high in protein. Most gymnasts try to get between 60 percent and 70 percent of their calories from proteins (like meats and cheeses) and the rest, 15-20% from carbs (like whole-grain pasta, fruits, vegetables) and fats 15-20% (like oils from peanuts and or nut butters). 

And, as has been proven by all the Atkins, South Beach and Zone diets so popular these days, all these high-protein regimens help gymnasts keep their weight down in general and fat weight off. 

Look at all gymnasts, they are always lean and muscular.

Something to think about when reaching for those all those carbs to eat that you just may not even need that meal, that day or even that week.  That brings me to another topic… carb cycling.  I’ll get to that later

Shannan

We all love food..  but we don’t love diet food all the time so, what do we do..??

We make yummy healthy diet food instead.  A liitle more time involved yes, but soooo worth it-

TURKEY MEATBALLS:

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey  (you can also use extra lean ground chicken)

1/2 c. yellow or sweet onion, finely chopped

1/3 c. red or green bell pepper, or a bit of both

1/4 water

1 teaspoon dried celery flakes

1.2 tsp. sage, ground

1/4 tsp. majoram, ground

1/4 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 egg white

Make a bunch of these aheadof time and you have quick little snacks in the fridge that are healthy and all protein. Plus you can easily pack them up in a tupperware container and take them with you anyplace.

Enjoy-

Shannan 

Hi guys and gals…

I have some good for ya foods again… recipes that will help you attain your goals   These are great because you can eat them morning, noon, and night and you can take them on the go in a tupperware container.

Everyone eats eggs when dieting and even when we are not dieting, but we all get bored of them because well, they are just sort of a taste-less item on the breakfast menu, and unless you get somewhat creative with them they will always just be bland eggs. 

Here are a couple things to try and you can also make extra and keep it in the fridge for later or the next day.

Egg White Frittatas:

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets

1/2 c scallion

1/2 c tomatos, any kind you like, chopped (preferably seeded and drained)

1/2 red and yellow peppers

Nonstick cooking spray, like Pam

5 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cilantro or basil, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

salt & pepper to taste

** Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute all chopped veggies in a pan with the cooking spray. Spray a deep glass pie plate with cooking spray. Next place all veggies in the pie plate.  In a mixing bowl mix together herbs, garlic and egg whites. Pour over the veggies in pie plate and bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until eggs are set.  Remove and cut into wedges and serve, hot or cold.

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Egg White Bites:

6-12 egg whites only, no yolks

2-3 plum tomatos or any kind you like, chopped, seeded and drained

** you may add 1/2 c. spinach, 1/2 onion chopped, or even mushrooms for variety

dried basil

cooking spray

** Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cooking spray. Drop an egg white or two into each of the wells of the muffin tin. Toss a little of each veggie you want on top of the eggs in each well. Place in oven center rack and bake for 6-9 minutes or until desired doneness.  Serve it up!!!

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Enjoy all my protein loving friends- 

Shannan

QUADS, HAMS, CALVES: 

Free Standing Squats:  3 x 20, 15, 15

Hack Squats:  3 x 15, 12, 10

Leg press:  4 x 15, 10, 10   And…

superset it with-

Good Mornings, alternate close & wide stance:  4 x 8-12 
Bench Step Ups or, Lunges w/ DB:  4 x 20, 15, 10, 10

Seated Leg Curl or, Hamtractor:  4-5 x 20, 12, 10, 10, 15   And…

superset it with-

Leg extension:  4-5 x 8, 8, 12, 15, 30  lower/lighten the weight by about 10 lbs. each set

THIS WILL BE MY WORKOUT FOR FRIDAY… I HAVEN’T HAD A REAL GOOD LEG WORKOUT IN A WHILE, BEEN DOING MOSTLY PLYOMETRICS FOR LEGS TO TRY AND MELLOW OUT THEIR SIZE SOME SO I SHOULD BE SORE AFTER THIS ONE.

IF ANYONE EVER TRIES MY WORKOUTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF IT AND IF YOU LIKED IT OR NOT.  I LOVE FEEDBACK

ALL MY BEST TO YOU-

SHANNAN

BACK, BI’s & Rear Delts: 
Pull-ups (weighted):  5 x 20, 12, 8, 8, 15+15 (on last set, drop weight enough to get another 15 reps).

superset with-

Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Pull:  5 x 10-12 
Straight Barbell Curls: 4 x 12, 8, 6, 6 
Machine Seated Row, alternate wide grip & narrow grip:  6 x 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, 6 
Single Arm Preacher Dumbbell Curls:  4 x 12, 8, 6, 6 
2-Arm Seated Incline DB Curls:  5 x 20, 12, 12, 8 
Hammer Rope Curls w/ a twist at the top:  4 x 12, 8, 8, 6 
Cable Seated High Row, (to collar bone):  4 x 15, 12, 8, 8

DB Bent-over Rear Delt Raise: 4 x 25, 20, 15, 15 (squeeze them out)-

Here was today’s workout… I got to do a morning training session which isn’t my normal weight training time and I felt gooood!!!  Normally I do cardio in the mornings so, this was a nice change for me

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Boy do I love this workout… it’s a good one and one I am glad I came back to.  This was todays workout and the rest of the week will be just as delishious   Yes, my workouts are delishious.  So good for me I want more.  For those of you who try this one, please let me know if you liked it.