Cinnamon Chicken Waldorf Salad

This is a recipe I pulled off of Bonnie Pfiester's site, pFIT.  I have adapted her version to better fit me and my taste buds and posted a picture yesterday on fb.  So for those of you looking to change up your chicken yet again, here ya go:
Sprinkle a healthy coating of cinnamon on 6-8 chicken breasts and bake
In one bowl dice up 2 medium apples
and pour 2 tbs of lemon juice over them
Once chicken is done, cut it into cubes and add in the 2 diced apples, along with 1/3 cup of craisins, 1/2 cup of diced onions (I have used and not used onions, this recipe is great either way, I do suggest purple onions though), and 1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used cashews on this last batch and they were a great surprise in taste).
In another bowl mix together 1/2 cup of low fat Hellman's Mayo, 1/2 cup Chobani greek yogurt, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbs stevia, salt to taste.
Once you have the last mixture a creamy texture, poor over chicken combo and mix together well.

DE-Lish!  Lots of flavor!

OK so I have been seeing a Chiro and PT for a month now and there have been some improvements, but not enough yet.  During this month, I have not touched a DB or BB nor done ANY upper body workouts what-so-ever.  I decided I wanted to give my body time to heal, (2 bulging disks in my neck + other spinal issues) so I have pounded lower body in any fashion I possibly could.  All that changes starting today (see you can make changes during the week, not everything has to wait for Monday-today is the day) I have been given the go ahead to do Deads, rows, and arm work.  Oh Geez, I am so excited to get in the gym this evening!!!  Still no shoulder work, no chest, and no lat pulldowns or any movement there in like, but that is cool.  I have enough to play with, I will be content for a while longer.  :)

Here is a pic I shot of my back this morning.  I wanted to document where I am starting again.

I can not wait!! 

Life is good!  Take care and have a great weekend you guys!

Crystal

 



I know, I know, Charles Poliquin that is...

I am a horrible blogger and fully expect to have my wrist popped (later that is).  Things are just very hectic right now; Chiro and PT apts (2-3 of each a week), a daughter who is a senior and all that entails, work, workouts, being a mom, etc...
The reason I am jumping on here today is to share a website I stumbled across that I think you might enjoy too.
www.charlespoliquin.com

Go under the Blog tab to read some of the articles I did.  I haven't found one yet that bored me.  :)  Much to pick up and learn. 

Enjoy!

Brief catch up in pics

I have two bulging disks in my neck.  No worries, both PT and Chiro say no weights, but I refuse to stop.  I told them both to fix me so I can get back to what I love, so for now, no upper body weights for 2 weeks.  Then I will decide from there.  Hey my legs need all the work they can get!  :)

My oldest baby is finishing up her last ball season.  :(  I thought I would be happy about this after all the years of so many games, but the closer it gets the sadder I get about it.

Also, with her last ball season comes senior pics, which this is one.  Guys, this is not even one of her best ones.  I had the pleasure of taking her pics and we had so much fun with it.  Editing made me finally realize what everyone has always said, she looks so much like me.  I don't see it in her features so much as in her essence if there is such a thing.  The way she holds herself, walks, tilts her head, etc...  Ok enough before I start crying.

This weekend is Prom....

My Birthday was yesterday (I am 37 before anyone asks) and my sister showed up at my office today with this.  Guys, I can never explain to you how much my sister means to me, there just aren't words.  She has always been everything for me.  Anyway, gosh I am so sentimental today, she got this beautiful necklace for me.  I LOVE IT!  It was the absolute perfect gift for me.  All the charms mean something to me as she picked the perfect ones.  The 2 little girls for my babies, the cross for my faith, the flip flop for my beach summer love affair, Love tag doesn't need to explained, but guys the 45 lb plate!  It has to be my favorite.  It is so unexpected, perfect.

This is something I wanted to share because it has stuck with me over the last week or so:

"Life always gives us

exactly the teacher we need

at every moment.

This includes every mosquito,

every misfortune,

every red light,

every traffic jam,

every obnoxious supervisor

(or employee)

every illness, every loss,

every moment of joy or depression,

every addiction,

every piece of garbage,

every breath.

Every moment is the guru."

~Charlotte Joko Beck~

I promise I will be posting updated pics soon.  Hopefully of my beautifully toned legs after all this leg work I am about to go though.  Heehe.  Well see. 

Oh and before I forget, a friend of mine tagged this on my FB page.  I thought many of you would enjoy:

Umm hummm that's right!

Beast Mode

I saw this and knew immediately, I was gonna HAVE to steal it!  I do not lift the 1st weight without plugging in my earphones.  No I am not snobby, No I am not anti-social....when my feet hit the gym floor I am there for one thing!

This is for all the rest of you who are exactly the same!  

Beast Mode Baby! 

More Calories, Yes Please!

For the longest I was hung up on "eating clean" about 70-80% of the time with the occasional BLT (Bite, Lick, or Taste) here or there.  Last week I decided to increase my calories, mostly carbs and a little more fat, because I was worried my metabolism was slowing down.  I lost about a half inch in my hips.  This week, I am increasing my calories again, already noticing my metabolism picking up the pace.  When you are sluggish, try adding in more calories.  Give your body more fuel to burn!
Yes, I will take a cup of brown rice with that chicken breast please!  :)

Just a Question...

It's a pretty simple question, "Is that all you've got?".

Source of HApPiNesS

Quick update then down to the matter at hand.....I am finally getting over the sickies enough to really get into my workouts again.  Guys, this CRAP has held on going on 3 weeks.  I HAVE NEVER BEEN SICK LIKE THIS EVER!  Diet is coming back around too.  I actually ordered one of Pauline Nordine"s Fighter books, which I am waiting very impatiently to get (been a week and still have not gotten it yet)  In this world of Amazon I guess I have gotten spoiled to next day delivery on everything.  So, long and short of it is, I need to shed some excess weight in order to be a happier person in my clothes and I guess eventually I will settle back down and get it done.

Enough of that already!  Today I want to RaNT a little bit about something that has been on my mind.  HaPpINesS!!  So few people seem to have it anymore.  No one is happy with their life, their job, their family, their path, etc...  It seems like Negative Nellys are running rampant lately.  The bad part is they try to spread their ugliness to everyone they come in contact with and it makes me want to scream.  For those of you who don't know, I am a fixer.  Simply, if you tell me a problem, I want to fix it.  Some say that is wrong, but I always think of how I feel.  If I come to you with a problem, I want you to try to help me fix it.  I do not understand fussing about something with no intention to fix it or try to make the situation better in some way. 

Here is what I have realized very late in life, 36 years old.  You need a hobby, a passion, something that you enjoy doing above all else.  You need to find time to do that whatever that is.  The majority of us are not wealthy enough to just say "screw it" to our jobs, so those are a must.  I know everyone reading this is going to think my life's passion is working out.....Well here is how I view that; working out is a MUST for me.  Gosh, that does not sound strong enough.  Working out is not an option.  It has to be done in my mind.  A hobby or a passion is something you can opt to do or not to do and working out does not fit into that category. 

No, for me, my passion is gardening and refinishing furniture.  These two I could get through life never ever doing again, but my life would seem bland and boring.  I would not have that giddy excitement I feel when thinking of my next project or the pride I feel getting it done.  I would become a Negative Nelly or an old bitter woman. 

Guys, life is what you make it.  Get out and find what excites you.  Then go do it!  Don't wait for life to happen to you.  You control your HaPpiNeSS!  Stop letting others rob you of your most precious commodity, TIME!  Stop letting them take that from you by rubbing their life resentment on you and you dwelling on that for the next couple of hours or worse days.  Decide today you are going to make you the best you you can be.  Life really is WAY to short for any of our time to be wasted on anything other than what makes us happy, passionate, and on fire!