happy 4th + 19 weeks

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bell pepper baby status!

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 1 week away from being halfway there!? man. seems like after the 1st tri passed time really took off.  i have SO much i want to get done and now that i feel like going hard again (k, not too hard!) and accomplishing some long-term goals with Fit Foodie Le, LLC that's what's on my agenda.

* HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! *

 i got up early before the house woke up to get in some cardio and yoga, but the yoga class started later than i expected, dang.  i can't walk past a dumbbell without picking it up sooooo,

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i did a few moves from my prenatal workout plans including this one that targets your glutes, one at a time.  it also challenges your balance, which works your core!  try it with or without a dumbbell and remember:

  • keep your knee behind your toes at all times.

  • sink down into the heel of the leg you're working to really activate your glute and hamstring. 

  • keep a flat back during the entire move.  workout how you'd like to look. nobody wants to walk around with terrible posture, right!?  that always reminds me to fix my form. 

current 2nd tri woes:

numbness! 

most times i wake up these days, my hands, wrists, or even my entire arm(s) are numb and tingling and i have to lay there and wiggle my fingers like a mad woman until it goes away.  so annoying!  ever since Father's Day, i've felt way more fetal movement, my tummy is popping out a lil' bit more, my breasts are sore/swollen more often, and my areola have darkened.  growth spurt!  i read that the numbness has to do carpal tunnel syndrome from the swelling that compresses the nerves in my wrists.  it tends to get worse as the pregnancy progresses. great! lol.  i could probably cut back on my salt and up my water a bit more to help fight the swelling and that's what i plan to do.


DSC_0659-01for the 4th, i baked up some lemon pepper, Weber Garlic Sriracha, and BBQ sockeye salmon,DSC_0658-01and grilled up some colossal BBQ shrimp.

 we hit up HEB after church the day before and it was a maaad house!  sample stations every couple of feet and people everywhere getting ready to party.   both the salmon and shrimp were on sale for 7 bucks and some change per lb; what a sale!

Chiso and i had a lil' too much fun on snap chat during our samples shopping trip (add us! fitfoodiele):PhotoGrid_1467675345275my bump gets me extra samples, weeeeee20160703170204745that ice cream concluded our sample fest!  DSC_0687-01i also grilled up some corn and lean, ranch turkey sliders with homemade guac cause Chiso requested burgers with his fireworks!  i really wanted some baked beans but by the time i finished all that i was TOAST and ready to sit down.  in addition to meal prepping for our 6 Pack USA clients and my postpartum moms, i am learning how to seriously get IN and OUT of the kitchen quicker by the day.  shortcuts are everything when it comes to meal prep! else you could spend way more time than you need in the kitchen and i don't have any to spare.  don't give up on meal prep and stay consistent. it will soon become second nature to you. DSC_0698-01our brothers and sisters came over with their kids and all the little cousins had a blast eating brownies and dodging watching fireworks. good times! 

Q:  what was the highlight of your 4th of  july?

K E E P   U P   W I T H   U S !

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when you're pooped and can't poop #PreggoProbs

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i sat here and laughed at my post title for waaaay too long. but uhhh, fit friends, there is absolutely nothing funny about constipation, preggo or not.  it can be incredibly painful, draining, and helloooo hemorrhoids :( .  if you're pregnant and experiencing sickness on top of that, double whammy, right!?  what's going on? your pregnancy hormones (progesterone) weaken your bowel muscles making them sluggish and slow to do their job, and your expanding uterus is taking up the room your bowel would normally use to do its thing. it's a lot going on in there! what makes this process easier on you?  start with adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet, something you can totally control.  you don't want to go from 0 - 100 though as that could bring on bloating and gas;  you've got to pace yourself with fiber.  you can do it!  you need 25-35 grams of fiber daily, so quick, read these examples and tips of what you can eat to get you there.

  • 1 cup of raspberries = 8 g fiber

  • 1 cup split peas = 16g fiber

  • 1/2 cup lentils = 8g fiber

  • 1/2 cup black beans = 8g fiber 

  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato = 6g fiber

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats = 5g fiber

  • 1 medium artichoke = 10g fiber

  • 10oz of spinach = 8g fiber

  • 1 medium pear = 6g fiber

  • 1 cup sweet corn = 4g fiber

  • 1/2 cup shredded wheat cereal = 6 grams fiber

  • 3/4 cup bran flakes = 5g fiber

  • 1/2 cup of edamame = 9g fiber & 11g protein!

  • half an avocado = 5g fiber

  • 1 cup cooked broccoli = 5g fiber

  • 5 prunes = 3g fiber 

  • 1 medium apple = 4g fiber

DSC_0101-01 here's a fiber rich snack i've been enjoying lately!  i don't even want to chance belly bloat by eating dairy, so unsweetened cultured coconut milk has been my go-to instead of plain, greek yogurt. i top it with fresh, sweet summer berries and *bran flakes.  it's a plus that the berries are on sale around this time of year, and the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants present are wonderful for baby and i.DSC_0104-01there is always a hungry visitor lurking around my food shoots...always!DSC_0107-01no kisses, no fruit!! :)

4 more ways to keep things moving along:20160614_160133hydration. keep chugging water and don't let up.  it's no secret that i've never been great in this area but this pregnancy has given me no choice but to keep water bottles everywhere!  i wake up in the middle of the night sometimes craaaaazy thirsty. i fill up my tumbler above before heading to workout and i've started adding fruit to my sparkling water again; it helps.  upping my water keeps me running to the bathroom twice as much, but it's worth the sacrifice.  whatever i can do to escape constipation, i will.  down 8 full glasses per day, and more if needed if you're active and moving.  also, a little 100% prune juice in your sparkling water works as a great, mild laxative, as well as real prunes. IMG_20160614_074232keep moving.  regular exercise encourages regular bowel movements.  even a 10 minute walk counts; just do something, mamas.  prenatal yoga, step aerobics, water aerobics, zumba, spinning...just go!  if you're not moving around, chances are your system ain't either!  i'm currently 15 weeks and counting and feeling GREAT again, thank God.DSC_0871-01keep it clean.  your diet of course!  now, my 1st tri definitely wasn't the cleanest. most days started with a breakfast of eggs and toast, but everything after that? crackers, sparkling water, and a 5pm bed time.  i was just trying to get through the day without making my evening sickness worse or come faster and literally nothing sounded or looked appealing.  except Mexican food, haha.  do your best and realize the cleaner (low-no process foods) you eat though, the smoother your system will run. it's that simple. your 'plumbing' is already being reworked to house your baby; don't make it have to work so much harder.DSC_1155-01pace yourself.  not only should you eat slower, you should also eat more frequently.  at one point in my first trimester if i ate too little, i made myself sicker.  if i ate too much, i was completely miserable. you gotta get it just right but one thing you do not want to do is overeat.  as i stated above, the pregnancy hormones slow our digestive systems way down so it takes even longer for our food to travel on through.  i repeat, do not overeat!  overloading your system is not cool at a time like this! plus, if you're ingesting a ton of highly processed food at that? trust me on this one.  don't do it.  5 to 6 meals a day with plenty of water in between is your best bet, not 2 or 3 large ones.  remember, this too shall pass. :)  


 thank you for weighing in on some of your favorite Trader Joe's finds via Instagram recently! i find a new, cool, must have item every single time i go.  this mini haul we got:20160613_220012Tandoori Naan - i pay upwards of 3 dollars for 2 pieces of naan elsewhere but found 4 in a pack for 1.99 at TJ's! super STOKED about that!  my boys love them with cheese and turkey pepperoni on top. cooks right up in 8 minutes under the broiler (these come frozen so thaw them first).

Cookie Butter Ice Cream - this was aaaaaall Chiso (5) yall, lol!  instead of stopping by Chick-Fil-a like i planned for a single serving, a pint seemed like a better idea.  i told him to pick out a flavor and this is what he chose. that's my boy, hahahaha

Sunflower Seed Butter - ever tried it?  if your kids have nut allergies, then this, my friends, is their 'peanut' butter right here!  it's simply roasted sunflower seeds blended up until super smooth and creamy.  we are allergy free over here; we just love this stuff though. 

*Bran Flakes - i go to TJ's JUST for this cereal!  inside is exactly what you expect-- bran flakes. nothing more, nothing less. no bells or whistles needed. it has a pinch of sweetness and the crunchiness of the flakes paired with some cold, unsweetened vanilla almond milk? a 1st trimester woman's dream breakfast, lol. i used to eat it dry after first waking up to keep sickness at bay for a while and it helped a ton. 5g of fiber per 3/4 cup serving, remember!

Mac and Cheese - guys, i picked up the wrong box of mac and cheese!!! i meant to get their Reduced Guilt Mac and Cheese instead, whoops. next time, next time. anyway, Dego and i still killed this entire box in one sitting.  

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk - a dairy-free staple in our home.  i enjoy this variety and Silk the most. 

Roasted Plantain Chips - what can i say... Grazers R US :P 

Q: keep it going! what other TJ's items are so awesome you have to tell somebody else about them?? i overheard a woman basically command and shout at her friend to, 'get the orange chicken!!!' while in the frozen foods aisle, ha.  it must be that good; have you tried it?

K E E P   U P   W I T H   U S !

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NASOYA (Vegan Goodies!!!) GIVEAWAY + Farfalle w/ Pesto, Kale & Garlic 'Parmesan' Crusted Tofu

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 so.... after having a bad experience with tofu a few years back, i haven't touched the stuff (other than in desserts, pumpkin pie specifically) since then.  yikes!  this dish...... has rekindled my tofu flame.  i KNOW it will either ignite yours or make it burn even brighter! trust fit foodie le on this one, friends. 2016-03-11 19.23.53-01-01you'll need your food processor for sure; here's the affordable, user-friendly one i rock with. 20160311_194051-01homemade pesto always tastes amazing cause it's so fresh!   2016-03-11 07.48.12-01-01clearly i've been missing out.   i used Barilla High Protein Farfalle and i chose Nasoya's Organic Extra Firm Tofu Plus which has been fortified with vitamins B2, B6, B12, D, and Calcium.  it's spectacular for peeps on a no/low meat diet.

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a few more key FAQs:

  • non-GMO project verified

  • USDA organic

  • good source of protein

  • cholesterol free food

  • low in saturated fat

  • gluten-free

  • no preservatives

2016-03-11 07.49.14-01that moment... before i combined the powers that be.  i snapped a little bit of the cooking process of this dish; did you catch it!? add me (fitfoodiele)  and let me know what your snap chat is so i can follow your story too!  i have truly enjoyed commenting and connecting on there. 2016-03-11 07.59.39-01-02holy cannoli.  i mean, i was blown away and impressed after one forkful.  i don't care what anybody says- vegans eat DARN GOOD.  you can find the recipe for this vegan masterpiece right here on Nasoya's website! 2016-03-11 07.59.53-01-01 i have been encouraged to add more tofu to our weekly menu and give more vegan recipes a chance whirl.  eating healthy does NOT meal sacrificing flavor; this recipe proves that to be true!  TofuPlus not only reduces fat and cholesterol levels (when substituted with meat of course) but it will make both your body and your taste buds happy indeed.2016-03-11 08.00.48-01-01look at this guy!  i could not keep him away from this stuff during shooting.  he was eating the tofu chunks too! now.. where is my nail clipper? sheeshFacetune-20160312526417167 i know why you're here. lol! time to find two winners! YOU both can have any of the Nasoya items up there on that coupon for FREE-NINTEY NINE should you win!  then you can go make any of the healthy dishes i've featured previously using Nasoya's products like:Chicken CRUNCHYhow do you enter?

follow me, follow nasoya, and tag two vegan recipe loving friends on IG in the comments of the post to be entered.

das it!  minimal hoops to jump through, right? that's how i do eeeeet. i'll pick a random winner 1st thing monday morning, march 14th.

good luck! 

K E E P   U P   W I T H   U S !

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#FitFoodieLife VLOG: Lemon & Dill Salmon w/ Rainbow Quinoa

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first off, *NEW VLOG ALERT!*

check it out and SUBSCRIBE for mo'.

eeeeerrrrrrmyGOSH, the recipe for this plate of deliciousness can be found in the VLOG above, so hurry, click it! 

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 if you've never made salmon before you will be straight amazed at how easy it is to prepare, seriously.  i guarantee it.  this was last nights dinner and we have been enjoying it all day long today too.    and as always, this a fantastic meal prep recipe cause it's basically effortless. 

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i can't cook rice on the stove top for jack, so i threw the quinoa into my rice cooker which worked puuuuurfectly.  the hard part was sauteing the veggies.... and that ain't hard, yall! 

enjoy this combo and give our vid a thumbs up while you're over in YouTube land!  a comment would be awesome too ;)

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    excited to train with this beast of a 2 months postpartum mom again tomorrow! she is killin' it and getting her core and entire body back to where she's happiest.  she is doing GREAT and looks even better! yes, i work with preggo ladies AND postpartum moms, one on one!  email me for details, or send a preggo/postpartum mama you know my way.

le@fitfoodiele.com

happy thursday, fit friends!

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