I had such a wonderful birthday celebration with my parents. I left work early and caught a matinee showing of End of Watch. It was definitely meant to be because the list that is recited in the movie of the girls Jake Gyllenhaal was sleeping with included MY name–haha, oh boy. After the movie, family friends and I hobbled, ran, stepped, and limped all the way up Koko Head. The view is spectacular and the hike is short and intense.
Obviously had to get a birthday kiss!
Since my birthday needed to be a little extra special…I mean I am 24 and all. We headed to Nordstrom’s Bistro to celebrate with a decked out salad and my “Zucchini” birthday cake–my parents think of everything!
About two weeks ago I did an “Outrigger Canoe Club” Gym photo shoot for the photo contest my mom is entering. It was a high carb day and I was definitely a happy camper. I’ve come a long way since my last competition! I’m already proud of where I have come from 🙂 These will be the last photos I will post before my competition…I already look much different! Tune in for my competition results on October 20, 2012 or better yet, come watch at the Sheraton Waikiki. You can buy tickets at www.paradisecup.com.
So I mentioned in my recent DVD review for the Extreme Burn DVD that I was hoping to start some sort of fitness revolution in the workplace. At the time I was kidding around and figured that it was a long shot…but guess what?! I did! Today began our new (and first) wellness program. I had once heard that our office had put on weight loss programs before, but only could muster a dozen people at a time. So of course I had defy the impossible and I rallied 41 people in our company to take on my fitness challenge–that is close to 50% of our O’ahu office and 31% of the whole company *brushin’ my shoulder off* Who knew I had so much influence! bwahahahah. Most importantly, I am so excited to help these 41 people on their personal journeys towards living a healthier life. Take a sneak peek at the video I made to get people pumped :
This 10-week fit challenge does have a pot of gold at the end with the big reveal happening at our company holiday party, but the goal is to get everyone in the office thinking more about their health than the Leonard’s Malasadas, which are evenly dispersed amongst the desks–ugh. With 41 people comes 41 different goals and body types, so to conquer all the fitness and health confusion I’ve made myself accessible to each person hoping to help target all their specific goals. It’s definitely going to be a busy 10 weeks, but so rewarding. I’ll keep you updated on our company’s progress!
On the note of progress…I am 3.5 weeks out from my competition! I’m feeling great and still in a good mood; the carbs haven’t gotten the best of me yet! I am still having fun in the kitchen and came up with a pumpkin cheesecake ice cream! It was so delicious and filling I made seconds and thirds…well, I did eat them at my designated times. And when I’m not eating ice cream I am practicing my posing and “night walk”.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
(I don’t have a picture…because I ate it that quickly!)
Damages:
150 Calories 22 Carbs 0 Fat 16 Protein 6g Fiber
Ingredients:
.5 Cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese
.5 Cup of Water
3/8 Cup of Pure Pumpkin
1.3 TBSP of Cheesecake Jello Fat Free/Sugar Free mix
1 TSP Guar Gum
5 Ice Cubes
1.5 TSP No Calorie Sweetener
Pumpkin Pie Spice to Taste
Directions:
1. Blend Cottage Cheese and Water together (this helps break down the cottage cheese)
2. Add in Pumpkin, Cheesecake Jello, Guar Gum, sweetener, ice cubes, Pumpkin Pie Spice
3. Blend and freeze
4. If you have an Ice Cream Maker you can let it churn for 20 minutes, or you can put it in the freezer and stir it on occasion to get the consistency that you’d like
So once you’ve made your Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream you have to get your Push Ups in! I’m on Day 14 and wanted to share a video of two of Brendan’s friends who did their push ups!
Keep sending your videos! I love them 😀 You can take them anywhere…my next place will probably be Sam’s Club!
It’s been 8 days since Brendan left for Ranger School and I have been keeping up with my push-ups–We all have! Quickly, I just want to say a quick thank you to all my close family and friends who have been sending me their push up videos. It means so much to me, and I know when he sees all the support he has he’ll be blown away! And for those of you who are waiting until the push ups are at more strenuous numbers, I can’t wait to see the videos.
Aside from all that hard work, I’ve been happily slaving away in my kitchenette testing out a few different concoctions. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the screw ups, but I couldn’t help but get into the spirit of Fall by putting a bit of pumpkin into every recipe I made. From pancakes to pumpkin cheesecake, and then a pumpkin milkshake–I have definitely been enjoying myself!
Now I’ve been asked my some how I continue to stay on track when there is all this fabulous food around. To be honest, at one point I couldn’t. Well I did, but I was miserable. My first competition diet was strict and I only ate 1200 calories–you don’t have to tell me, I know, that is so little. (FYI, I didn’t count my veggies.) Nevertheless this time around I have made my diet a lifestyle. I have kept in gluten, dairy, and whenever I want something I make a healthier version calculating my macro nutrients carefully so that everything is accounted for. It isn’t easy, but I’ve had such a great time coming up with recipes that my whole family can enjoy. Making my diet enjoyable (and eating quite a bit more) has left mind at ease and keeps me constant…and most importantly (to me) I’m keeping that hard earned muscle on me! Although my diet is stricter than most, I do have some rules I live by in the off-season:
1) Every meal should contain protein: turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, steak (only twice a week), 2 protein powder scoops
2) Eat fibrous carbs whenever you like!: Carrots, squash, spinach, green, yellow and red peppers, kale, broccoli, green beans, and mushrooms
3) Eat healthy fats 3x a day: 1 tsp of flaxseed oil, .5 avocado, nuts, edamame
4) Eat Starchy carbs with every meal (if you’d like–you don’t have to) except after 6/7pm: Sweet potato, brown rice, oatmeal, Ezekiel Bread
5) Eat fruit only in the morning, before and/or after workout.
6) Avoid processed foods, sugar, and sweets…and make your own variations of whatever “junk” food you crave
7) Drain fat from meat when cooked
8) Drink a gallon of water each day!
There are many more basic rules that I try to live by, but these are a few to get started in the right direction. It’s amazing when you just make a few changes to your diet how much more your body can grow. I recently gave these rules to a friend of mine and in a matter for a few weeks he had dropped 6lbs! Very proud of him!
I hope you’re having a wonderful week! It has been another crazy week and a half since visiting Brendan in Columbus, Georgia, and saying good-bye to him yesterday morning was so hard! (Keep that positive energy flowing his way!) Yesterday began my 61-days of push ups and my arms are twitching to keep going. When I was in Georgia I came upon a recipe (thank you Toni Cisnero) that literally made me scream with excitement–PIZZA! Yes–the beautiful food that combines, cheese, bread, and meat! Now before you start your up-and-down spasms, one of that trio is actually not included in this recipe dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn–bread. Before you start to fret, thinking…”well I’ll never make this then” take a glance below and try it. Remember what your friends said, “Don’t knock it ’til you try it!”–pizza that is.
CLEAN PIZZA (using meat as the crust)
Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 20-ounce package 99% Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 Cup of oats
2 Egg whites
Basil, Oregano, Garlic
1 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Pizza Sauce
Any of your favorite toppings
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees
2. Mix together in a large bowl the ground turkey, oats, egg whites, and seasonings
3. Lay out foil on cookie sheet and spray with Pam
4. Take meat mixture and spread it out flat on the cookie sheet in the shape of a pizza…or whatever shape you’d like.
5. Cook for 20-25 minutes
6. Once complete spread pizza sauce and cottage cheese on the “crust”…add whatever your favorite toppings are!
7. Cook until the cheese is melted the way you like!
Cut into 6 slices!
Damages:
Calories: 181 Fat: 3g Carbs: 9g Protein: 32g
Come on…look at those stats! I’d say it’s atleast worth giving a try! How bad could it be?? 🙂
5.5 Weeks out! Getting my bodyfat tested tomorrow…I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Good Evening Fit Junkies (and people I love, oh so much!)
It has been a hectic few weeks and I was surprised to see that I was already 7.5 weeks out! (If someone could figure out how to make time stand still, please let me know!) It’s been a month of change and all sorts of excitement for the Guss Family, and with everyone dispersing at the end of the summer I am saddened that our time together is coming to an end. My mom, who decided to finally pursue her dream of getting a degree, went back for her third year at Windward Community College, Madison has declared a major in Graphic Design while she continues her jewelry and design business (if you need a gift for a friend or yourself, she has beautiful work—I’m her walking mannequin), Zachary has just moved to Japan for his fall semester in Tokyo, and my dad lucked out having me as his right wing (wo)man at his company. It’s like bring your child to work day…but EVERY day! It’s been great to spend one-on-one time together, and nothing beats morning car rides talking about life.
With everyone getting down to business, I have been keeping up with my 4:30AM lifting regimen and lunchtime cardio. Last week, I had quite the scare as every time I stood up I would start to black out. This wasn’t while I was lifting, but once I started to get into my day I couldn’t stand up without holding on to a piece of furniture. Trying to figure out what I was missing in my diet, I came to trace it back to an iron deficiency. During my last competition prep I ate red meat at least once a week, and since moving home (where I cook whatever everyone else will eat) I completely cut out any sort of red meat from my diet. Since I do eat very clean and get all my vitamins and minerals in daily, I was surprised to have such a drastic change in my body. I put my iron hypothesis to the test and went out to have a steak…my mouth still waters at the thought. Ever since then I haven’t had any blackouts and my energy level is back up to normal. Thank goodness!
Over the weekend I finally started baking again (which is very hard to do while your house in under construction) and came up with my scrumptious Cinnamon Protein Bread. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome, and also since receiving my NEW dehydrator in the mail, I’ll be in our semi-functional kitchen making cinnamon jerky and cinnamon bread at all hours of the day.
I’d give up sleep to be hanging out with my dehydrator—that is how excited I am! Anywhoooo, the recipe for the Cinnamon Protein Bread:
Cinnamon Protein Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4C of Oat Flour (Can be made by grinding up oats)
4 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 Cup of Truvia
1 TSP of Baking Powder
1 TBSP of Cinnamon- I love cinnamon in everything I eat!
1/2 Cup of Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt
3 Egg Whites
You’ll need Non-stick spray and 8×8 pan.
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Mix dry ingredients (Oat Flour, Protein Powder, Truvia, Baking Powder, Cinnamon) in a large bowl. Stir!
3. Slowly add in Greek Yogurt then Egg Whites. Mix well.
4. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into pan, then put into oven for 12 minutes.
5. When cooled, split the pan of Cinnamon Bread into 8 pieces. (Yes, you’re portion is going to be huge!)
Aside from the cooking and cutting (diet), I am heading back to Georgia to say good-bye to Brendan one last time before he heads to Ranger School. He will be graduating from IBOLC (training) next Thursday, and has been working hard to physically and mentally prepare for the next 61 days of his life (xx crossing my fingers xx).
Brendan is on the right!
Since I know some of you don’t know what Ranger School entails, it is an intense 61-day combat leadership course, which has been called the “toughest combat course in the world.” There are three phases (of hell), which include food and sleep deprivation and an average of 20-30lbs lost. If you’ve ever met Brendan, you’d know that he doesn’t have even 5 lbs to lose! The graduation rate is about 50%, including the cadets which recycle and go through each or one of the phases again. To make matters worse (for me!), we won’t be talking except for the 8 hour break he gets between phases. AHHHHH, I couldn’t hate the situation more, but I’ve been staying positive and strong for the both of us. Due to all his hard work and perseverance through school, I have decided to commit myself to 61 days of push ups. For each day he is in the field I will match him with push ups. For example, on day 44 I’ll do 44 push ups (on top of all my training). I am not sure if I will take a break during my reps, but I will do my best to complete each daily set without stopping. By the end of the 61 days, we will both be stronger physically and mentally, and ready to take on our next adventure. If you’d like to join me for my 61-days of push ups or even commit to another exercise that challenges you, we start on September 10th!
Last Friday I flew to Columbus, Georgia to visit my boyfriend Brendan while he attends IBOLC (Officer Training)–I’m so proud of him! It’s been about two months since he began (and since I dropped him off), and although I’m so excited to see him, traveling is can be one of the easiest ways to derail your goals. There are mounds of restaurants to try, social events, and catching up with friends, which is ultimately a date with my fork and knife. To make matters more EXCITING this trip isn’t only a week, it’s a month long! Once I leave Georgia I’ll be heading to Colorado for my girlfriend’s wedding (which I’m a bridesmaid–sparkly stilettos here I come) then I’ll drive up to a lake in Wyoming for a family camping trip…but that’s not all, I just received a call from my sister screaming: We are headed on a cruise to Mexico to celebrate her 21st birthday–Can I have a margarita on the rocks? And hold the salt, please. Anyone worried? Exhausted just thinking about it? NOT ME! I’m totally stoked. Most of you know that to succeed in our goals we need to make them a habit. The easiest way to accomplish this is to set a mundane routine, but since that isn’t an option–Constant change will be the core to my success. So with less than 14 week on the clock I’m going to embrace the challenge and get creative. Below contains my last few days of workouts, and remember you can always see what’s on my plate and in my tummy at My Fitness Pal:
(PROMISE, the Chocolate is coming!)
Saturday: I joined the local gym, Max Fitness, down the street for a week. Lifted Arms with Brendan…guess who is stronger? 😉
Sunday: Went for a 15 minute run through a national park with Brendan and Koa (the pup!) Got the heart rate racing and Koa took a disgusting swim in a pond. Headed to the gym to work on my HUGE shoulders haha.
Monday: 5AM Leg workout then 1.6 mile interval sprints home. (Only ran fast because I kept replaying every horror movie in my head when the girl is abducted…makes a girl SPRINT)
Tuesday: Figured out I have Tendinitis in my forearm…no lifting for Moi (trying to rest it)–but have to review the Brazil Butt Lift Workout DVD set for Fit Bottomed Girls. Did the Bum Bum workout…crazy to think that dance moves (which probably came from the movie Rio–yes the bird movie) could make a girl sweat! Became an overachiever an hour later and walked at 15% incline for 45 minutes, while reading Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken. That book is a MUST read! Finished off my gym stint with 20 minutes of posing…love the new transitions I was taught…and some random dancing. (That’s just what I do!)
Wednesday: Jogged 1.6 miles to the gym for a warm-up, then lifted Back–forearm still had some numbing pain. Exhausted and hungry–ate a homemade Apple protein cake (perfected recipe will be coming soon) and ran home in Georgia’s blazing sun.
Okay, OKAY! CHOCOLATE…and BROWNIES…
So lately I’ve been helping my whole family tighten up their “healthy” lifestyles and switch it up a bit. My parents are almost on board with a diet transformation (they are going to start to eat like me, YIPEE!), and have agreed to go full throttle ahead once we get home from our vacation. My mom’s major concern: “I need to have something sweet with my afternoon tea.” So taking on the challenge…and since most of the protein packed brownie recipes don’t have the macronutrient ratio I like, I created my own!
Ingredients:
1 Cup of Oat Flour (Can be made by grinding up oats)
3 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder
3 TBSP of Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 Cup of Truvia
1 TSP of Baking Powder
Optional: 1 TSP of Cinnamon- I love cinnamon in everything I eat!
1 Cup of Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt
3 Egg Whites
You’ll need Non-stick spray and 8×8 pan.
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Mix dry ingredients (Oat Flour, Protein Powder, Cocoa, Truvia, Baking Powder, Cinnamon) in a large bowl. Stir!
3. Slowly add in Greek Yogurt then Egg Whites. Mix well.
4. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into pan, then put into oven for 25 minutes. Watch carefully–Everyone likes a different consistency, and I like when my brownies are still pretty gooey!
5. When cooled, split the pan of brownies into 8 pieces. (Yes, you’re portion is going to be huge!)
I’m not sure if all of you know, but I’ve been a contributing writer for Fit Bottomed Girls for almost a year now. I write reviews on fitness classes, products, and clothing lines, and have even covered the NYC Marathon, while hanging out with runner Ryan Hall and yogi Tara Stiles.
My most recent article is a review on Jari Love’s Get Extremely Ripped! 1000 DVD. Take a look–Would you want to try it?
Figure-ly Fit 