Food for thought: HEALTH... and fitness

The most popular benefit of a clean diet and vigorous exercise is a leaner, meaner physique.  Everyone loves a "before and after" shot of a former fatty standing next to a new, stronger, slimmer version of themselves wearing fabulous clothes and having the time of their lives. But what seems to get lost in the shuffle are all of the health benefits that you can't see in pictures or fit into a little black dress.  These benefits come a lot sooner, and for many of us, are what keep us going strong when numbers on the scale won't budge or we still can't button those smaller jeans.

I've been suffering from many health problems since my mid-twenties that improved drastically within weeks of eating clean and training mean. For me, these benefits far outweigh (cheesy pun intended) the idea of a goal dress any day.

Here are a some of physical ailments that I suffered from on a regular basis that have improved considerably since I started my new lifestyle less than three months ago:

Chronic Insomnia
Depression
Anxiety
Nausea
Constipation
Endometriosis/Dysmenorrhea
Rapid heartbeat
Occasional Migraines
Fatigue

Can you imagine my surprise and relief when I noticed a SIGNIFICANT improvement in all of these within weeks?  Sure, I lost a few inches and a few pounds, but nothing drastic or even too noticeable.  But my quality of life HAS seen a drastic, noticeable change.  Because I treat my body better, I feel better.  And because I feel better, I do a little more, and I do it better than before.

So, even though I love to see the changes in my physique as much as the next person, having a new body pales in comparison to being the new, healthier me I'm starting to be.

What changes have YOU noticed in your health that aren't related to fitness and physique since starting a healthier way of life? How do these changes effect you on YOUR journey to better health?

Just a little food for thought...

XO,
Fresh Foodie

freshfoodiefitness on youtube
gozosa1980 on instagram and twitter

- Eat Clean Meals
- Eat Clean Grocery Hauls
- Eat Clean, Vegetarian Recipes
- Crossfit WODs
- Crossfit 101: Terminology for Newbies
- Monthly Challenges (current challenge: #plankadayseptember)
... and more!

Fresh Foodie's Kitchen: Kale and Goat Cheese Omelette

I am a Clean-Eating Vegetarian and I eat every 3 to 4 hours.  So I really make an effort to buy things that I can mix and match, grab and go.  But even when I do have time to prepare a meal in the kitchen, I want something that's fast and easy.  An omelette is a great source of protein, and it is so versatile and easy to make, I thought I'd share with you guys one of my favorite omelette recipes.

When it comes to eggs, I only eat the whites, so this is a egg white omelette, but you are welcome to make yours using the whole egg.

Ingredients:

- Oil of choice (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

- Kale (Rainbow Kale is shown in the pictures, but I have used "regular" kale and it's delicious, too!)

- Egg whites (I use 3 whites, but you can adjust if you prefer to use whole eggs)

- Seasonings of choice ( I used Adobo and Pepper)

Step One:

Remove stems from kale and break into small pieces.

Saute in oil on medium heat.

Season with salt or adobo.

Step Two:

When Kale has reduced and turned a rich green, add egg whites in a circular motion to evenly cover the kale.

Step Three:

Add goat cheese and pepper.

Flip when egg is cooked to your tastes.  I like mine "Overhard".

Step Four:

Serve and enjoy!

Prep time:

approx. 7 min

Serves: 1

This is my favorite omelette.  What's yours? Leave me a comment below and tell me what ingredients you like to use to make your omelette your "signature" omelette!

XO,

Fresh Foodie

Freshfoodiefitness on YouTube

gozosa1980 on Twitter and Instagram

- Eat-Clean Grocery Hauls

- Eat-Clean Meals and snacks

- Crossfit WODs

- Monthly Challenges

- Progress Pictures

- Cheat Meals 

and more!

August Challenge Results and #PlankADaySeptember

August was a crazy month for me.  I caught the worst summer chest cold I've had and it had the nerve to last over 2 weeks!  In the words of Sweet Brown: "Bronchitis. Ain't nobody got time fo'dat!"  In addition to being sick for half the month, I had way more cheat meals than I should have, I went on a weekend roadtrip to New York City and struggled with consistency and intensity in my workouts ALL MONTH LONG... But I did it.  I actually managed to eat clean (mostly), watch my portion sizes, get all my workouts in and see some results for my efforts.

My WODs.  I met my goal of 16 WODs for August.

Photos and Measurements

I did not weigh or measure for the entire month of August.  I like to focus on things I can control, like diet, exercise, rest, water intake, etc.  Your body composition changes so much; muscle, fat, and water percentages can make the scale do crazy things, so I try not to stress out too much about the scale.  But periodic weigh-ins, measurements and photos can help you see the progress that you don't notice day-to-day.  This month was a perfect example of that.  I thought for sure I had maintained this month and wouldn't see much of a difference. But I'm happy to say that the scale, the measuring tape and these photos have proved me wrong!

The change is subtle, but I see a difference!

Results from my September 1 weigh and measure:

(Since the end of the July Challenge)

Pounds lost: 5.6

Inches lost in each thigh: 0.5

Inches lost in hips: 1

Inches lost in bust: 1.5

Waist and Arm Measurements remained the same.

Totals so far:

(Since I started eating clean and doing CrossFit at the end of June)

Pounds lost: 10.2

Inches lost in right thigh: 1.5

Inches lost in left thigh: 2

Inches lost in hips: 1

Inches lost in bust: 1.5

Inches lost in waist: 1

Arm measurements remained the same.

3 Rep Push Press PR

I even ended the month on a great note! I had a new PR (personal record) for a 3-rep Push Press Max weight: 100 pounds!! (CLICK HERE FOR A 3-REP PUSH PRESS DEMONSTRATION)

My 100lb Push Press PR!

September Challenge: #PlankADaySeptember

This month I am adding a daily challenge to my basic clean eating and CrossFitting goals.  I have decided to try and improve my core strength by doing the "Plank-A-Day" Challenge.  I will be alternating between two types of planks: Straight-arm and Bent-arm.  I find the straight arm plank to be easier for me to hold.  The photos below show my starting points for each.  Check back in for my September results post to see how I have improved!  Everyone is invited to join in at any point and do any type of plank.  I will not be posting plank pictures every day to twitter and instagram, but when I do, I will hashtag them #PlankADaySeptember.  Do the same, so we can encourage and remind each other!

Bent-Arm Plank

Straight-Arm Plank

The fall weather is coming soon!  Great time to take your workout outdoors before the winter cold and early dark sets in. Try new foods, join a challenge, work toward a goal- do whatever it takes to keep it fresh!

XO,

Fresh Foodie

freshfoodiefitness on youtube

gozosa1980 on twitter and instagram