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It’s Friday It’s Friday It’s Friday!!!

Weekends, the most glorious time of the week. Let’s get things started off right with some of my favorite things this week!

Staying Productive During the School Week

I have knocked out some serious school work this week, enabling me to have a weekend to really enjoy. Putting things off until the weekend is not how I like to roll. How are you supposed to look forward to the weekend when you know you’re going to be faced with a giant heap of work? No thanks! Keeping that in mind each time I get a new assignment is great motivation to keep it both with asap and resist the urge to put it off until later.

Blogger Love

Tara nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. How sweet! I am thankful for my blog and all that has come along because of it. It feels great to be acknowledged for my work. Thank you Tara!!!

Motivational Booty Kicking Workout Music

Tina posted about Pandora’s workout stations and I thought that was such a great idea! I never know what songs to put together for exercise playlists. So many choices makes me completely indecisive. Pandora to the rescue! This solves the problem in a snap.

New Variations of an Old Favorite

I love cottage cheese and have been particularly eating it a lot lately. Protein packed, a good source of calcium and vitamin D, thick and creamy. You just can’t go wrong. I recently found a bodybuilding.com link with 8 fun cottage cheese recipes that all sound awesome. Think cheesy pasta, cheesecake, pancakes and more. Mmm! Check it out HERE if you’re needing some new ideas.

Here are two of my favorite ways, but I will definitely be trying out some of BB’s ideas soon!

savory cottage bowl with Mrs Dash fiesta lime seasoning and 34 degree cracker crisps

sweet combo with an orange (or other fruit)

Healthy On The Go Bars

I was sent some Vixi Bars to try out and have to say I am pretty impressed. They of course are the perfect convenient snack for me when I’m out and about on campus. Totally better than hitting up the vending machine.

The Goods:

• made with all natural hormone-free protein powder, each bar has 12 grams
• sweetened naturally with dates
• healthy fats from nuts
• very minimal, unprocessed ingredient list
• a variety of great flavors

The only negative I thought of was that I wished they were a little bigger…but only because they are so delicious! They did a perfectly fine job of satisfying my hunger and sweet tooth. I tried the following flavors:

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Peanut Butter Cup

Apple Crisp

Coconut Bliss

They were all amazing. They have many other flavors as well.  Now I REALLY want to try the pumpkin pie, cherry brownie, and peanut butter banana ones! Thanks to the great company behind Vixi Bars for letting me try them!

What are you loving this week?

Cheers to a successful week and a fun weekend ahead! Plans for me? Nothing much in particular…and i’m stoked. Sometimes those turn out to be the very best!

Whatever your plans are, don’t forget to have a little fun.

Kristi

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I’m waking up to a snow-capped Wednesday this morning. Hopefully this will be the last one and now some nice Spring sunshine will come our way!

But no snow will get in the way of the WIAW festivities. The show will go on…thanks Jenn! <3

What I Ate (tuesday)

For breakfast I went a little more on the classic side~ 2 scrambled eggs, whole grain toast with Trader Joe’s crunchy peanut butter, and a big juicy orange.

Hawaiian Hazelnut was the k-cup of choice. A new favorite for sure! If you are a hazelnut lover, this one will not disappoint. I will buy this one again!

more baked chicken nuggets, mini pizzas, and roasted green bean fries

For the pizzas, I used a whole grain sandwich thin and spread it with tomato paste, then topped with mushrooms, babybel cheese, and italian seasonings. Stick it under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the edges are nice and crispy. Love those crispy parts!

I recently stocked up on oranges at Sam’s Club, so another one made an appearance for snack time along with some cottage cheese.

zucchini cake protein bake with peanut butter

one of the last servings of monster meatloaf (need to make some more, this was good!), sauteed kale (with white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper), and roasted CHEETAHS.

It’s been all about kabocha lately, but I decided to give the good ol’ sweet potato some attention, too.

night time sweet of cottage cheese, chocolate casein protein, carob powder, almond milk—>blended together with my stick blender. Topped with sunflower seed butter.

If you haven’t tried carob powder and sunflower seed butter, you should. The flavor combo is deeeeelish!

So food has been lots of repeats, but I guess that’s busy college life for you. At least it’s all things that I love and that is what counts.

What I Worked:

Ironically, I did the same workout I posted for last WIAW. I really like Fitnessista’s week 2 workout. It fits perfectly in my allotted early morning workout time before class. I have not yet tried the new week 3 workout but will have to so soon!

Have a great day everyone!

Kristi

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Welcome to a new week!

I started mine off on the right foot with a fun and energizing workout…first thing upon waking up! Doing this sets the tone for the whole day…I feel great and so accomplished before my day even begins. I’m definitely on the early morning workout bandwagon right now. I popped in my Turbo Jam Cardio Party DVD and got my kickboxing going on. That’s another thing I’m into lately; workout dvds. They are so convenient to do in my apartment, anywhere anytime. I love Chalene Johnson, creator of the Turbo Jam series. Her newer series of dvds is Turbo Fire…which I was able to score! I should have it later this week and can’t wait to give it a go!

Breakfast was overnight pumpkin egg white oatbran with peanut flour frosting

the night before: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oatbran, 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1/2 cup liquid egg whites, cinnamon, baking powder—>in the microwave. Just stick it in the fridge overnight and give a quick stir in the morning before putting on toppings.

The frosting is just peanut flour + sea salt + almond milk. I LOVE Byrd Mill Peanut flour. I get the 12% dark roast and it is fantastic, thick and creamy. A nice protein punch to add to a meal.

Lunch was just eaten after my morning classes:

red pepper sausage egg muffins (recipe soon!), roasted kabocha squash in coconut oil, veggies with a guacamole packet

I can’t get enough kabocha. It is heavenly.

Okay, now onto something that has been on mind…

Lately I have been in a bit of funk. I  have felt rather tired and have just been dragging a lot. My pep just hasn’t been there like it should be. After some thought and experimenting I came to some important realizations and ah-ha moments as to why I have been so tired.

1. I need a solid night’s sleep. I am notorious for going to sleep, waking up, going to sleep, going to the bathroom, going to sleep….on and on throughout the night. Well obviously to fix the bathroom problem I need to stop drinking so much liquid before bed. But In order to help me actually stay asleep, I have been taking a 5-HTP tablet right before my head hits the pillow. Such a great help! I order mine from Swanson’s Vitamins as it is far cheaper than any other place I’ve seen it at. 5-HTP is an all-natural supplement that also supports good mood. I really do feel better after taking it. Going to sleep and STAYING asleep makes a huuuuge difference in how well I feel during the day.

2. I have an increased nutritional need. I am back in school, constantly walking around my huge college campus several times a day. Just a month ago, I was on Winter Break and although I worked out, I was otherwise pretty lazy. Now my daily life is the complete opposite and I’m on my feet moving around much more. My activity has increased significantly, but my food intake has stayed the same. Problem. So now, although I already eat a ton (truth, haha), I am making a conscious effort to eat more in order to account for the additional exercise I’m getting.

3. I need to drink sufficient amounts of H20. I’ll be honest; I’ve been on a coffee kick. You guys know how much I love my Keurig. It is hard work to pass by the kitchen and not grab a mug of happiness each and every time. I mean, it stares right at me! I do not in any way think coffee is bad for you…as long as it does not replace your water intake. Even just a tiny bit of dehydration leads straight to fatigue…tiredness…grumpy…mood swings. Now I’m enjoying my fun drinks, but I make sure to down 1 or 2 glasses beforehand and as much as I can throughout the day. I also chug my 24 oz reusable water bottle first thing in the morning. It wakes me right up and I’m ready to start my day!

3 easy fixes and i’m back to booty kicking. Winning.

How do you combat tiredness? What gives you energy?

Kristi

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Sunday is here and it is time to travel back and be in my comfy little home. <3 I feel much better after some good weekend productivity.

tooth problem fixed.

My grill wasn’t looking too hot after the whole fork fight…let’s just say things got ugly. I <3 my dentist, he made my pearly whites beautiful again. Lesson learned: Definitely DON’T mess with the fork.

apartment decor bought.

*will take more apartment pics soon!*

papers written.

family time and puppy loving. done and definitely done.

good food eaten.

pumpkin coconut oat pancakes with protein frosting (1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 cup liquid eggwhites, pinch of cinnamon and baking powder. protein frosting = sunwarrior vanilla + almond milk)

Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise Cereal with greek yogurt and stevia + expresso crystal sprinklings

sunflower seed butter+ strawberry jam on a whole grain pita + omelette with mozzarella, cottage cheese, laughing cow wedge, and garlic gold nuggets

olive oil and balsamic massaged kale with PF Changs copycat thai peanut ground chicken and goat cheese

baked chicken nuggets = diced chicken breast coated in a bit of egg beaters, then tossed in a mixture of: wheat bran, ground flax, parmesan, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, italian seasonings, black pepper. Baked at 375 for 20 minutes.

cottage cheese blended with chocolate casein protein, carob powder, almond milk, toppings of cream cheese and sunflower seed butter

body worked.

Indoor wet-weather workout: 30 Minute Calorie Blasting Walk. Fun, but ^^^ that would have been funner.

Now let’s see how long this whole Football thing lasts…good day my friends!

Kristi

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HAPPY WEEKEND!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I started the weekend early, foregoing my Friday classes and traveling back home…the reason? An emergency dentist visit. You see, my front tooth and a fork got into a bit of a tiff...and the fork won. After I finished out a severe dramatic meltdown, I went to work on figuring out the soonest time I could get home to get the problem fixed. A quick in-out appointment and now all is right in Toothland again and I can now promptly enjoy the weekend! Oh but this definitely a lesson learned…I will now be the world’s most careful, attentive, SLOW eater. I try to do this anyways because I hate it when I rush through a meal and don’t fully get to enjoy it. Well now I have much more motivation to slooooow doooown.

Plans this weekend include some apartment decor shopping, 2 papers to write (really?), and spending some time with la familia! Then when I get back on Sunday, it will be meal prep time, my favorite! Oh, and it is Super Bowl weekend, I was recently informed. Obviously, I am big into football. HA. We’ll see if any plans come about for that. I may not understand whats going on in the game, but I could be happy with some half-time show and commercial watching.

Before I go, I wanted to announce the winner of the Home Workout Giveaway Challenge…

Mitra!

Please email me so you can get rocking with the challenge. Good luck!

***

Will YOU be watching the Super Bowl? If not, what are your weekend plans?

Kristi

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Hi guys! I actually remembered to take part in WIAW this week. That’s saying a lot as my brain is pretty mushy with all the school work I’ve been having to tackle lately. So let’s get to the goods!

egg white pumpkin oats with crumbled zucchini bar (recipe further down)

Keurig Flavor of the Day: Donut House Chocolate Glazed Donut.

Do I even need to say any more? How could you possibly lose with a name like that? This is a nice light flavored roast and is great with a splash of milk and some sweetener. I am glad I now have a full box to enjoy. It’s dessert in a mug!

Vixi Bar, peanut butter and jelly flavor. I really like these bars! Tasty, all natural, and a good amount of protein to keep me going through the afternoon. It was more peanut butter than jelly but definitely good nonetheless.

classic lunch break consisting of a salad and sandwich combo: salsa, balsamic, olive salad and a turkey, cheese, mustard, spinach sandwich. Followed later on by…

Smoothie of the Day: Cran-Strawberry Protein Smoothie~ 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup frozen cranberries, 1/2 serving vanilla protein powder, 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, ice.

greek yogurt mixed with coconut flour, vanilla stevia, and coconut extract, mixed in some goji berries, too.

Pre-Dinner:

Monster Meatloaf….

Post-Cooking:

I’ve seen many people trying out this recipe and I couldn’t resist to try it out as well. It did not disappoint! And I love that fact that it makes a lot, so I have plenty to eat off of throughout the week. Perfect for my busy schedule!

zucchini bars for the win!

I LOVE this recipe! I use Trutein’s cinnabon protein powder in them and add in some almond milk and cinnamon and they taste like a zucchini cinnamon roll. I should frost the top…hmmmm.

the obligatory night time favorite: Sludge Bowl <3 This one had chocolate casein protein, blended cottage cheese, almond milk, carob powder, and Barney Butter almond butter

Just a few eats! And for my workout today, I followed a workout by my favorite new-momma, Fitnessista! I did the Winter Shape Up, Week Three and really liked it! It was based on supersets which are such an effective way to switch things up with strength training. This workout didn’t take very long either, so I could easily fit it in first thing in the morning before my classes. There is nothing like knocking out a good workout before the sun even comes up. I love starting my day off with that little bit of ME time. It paves the way for a positive, productive day.

Even though my schedule is very busy right now, I know that making time for exercise is still a top priority. It is my stress relief and helps me to *deal* with things so much better. Something about those endorphins!

Also, don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to to participate in February’s Home Workout Challenge!

And with that, it’s time to go relax for a bit.

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Happy Weekend!

Green breakfast to start the day off with the lots of energy!

1 cup almond milk, 1 baked sweet potato, 1 serving Cinnabon Trutein protein powder, 2 handfuls spinach, pinches of xanthan and guar gums, cinnamon, ice. Topped and mixed with raw oats and coconut flour sprinklings

This was made in my new Blend Tec blender which has definitely become one of my favorite kitchen items. It’s a tie between it and my Keurig. Speaking of which, the Fed Ex man made one girl especially happy yesterday…

Keurig.com order is in, hallelujah! How could I pass up a buy 2 get 1 free deal? I couldn’t…and then some. I really like that their website has the 5-pack sampler option so if I’m interested in a new flavor, I can inexpensively try out a few before committing to a full box. I will be testing out the following:

• Green Mountain Iced Coffee
• Green Mountain Wild Mountain Blueberry
• Donut House Chocolate Glazed Donut
• Wolfgang Puck Hawaiian Hazelnut
• Bigelow Green Tea
• Folgers Vanilla Biscotti
• Newman’s Own Extra Bold Organics
• Revv Pulse

Buzzzzz.

My day so far has been a cross between lazy and productive. Let’s take a look:

Lazy:

• Real Housewives episode viewings
• blog reading
• ebay browsing
• new couch lounging (woohoo!!!)

Productive:

• completed homework assignment
• begun reviewing for Monday’s biology exam
• emails replied to
• apartment cleaning
• load of laundry

Can’t complain! Next on the agenda is a workout with a friend. We were hoping for a run outside but it is so darn windy that we may head to the gym after all. But first…

Anyone interested in a 30 Day Home Workout Challenge?

The kind people at The Home Workout Challenge are offering one Sweetly Fit reader the opportunity to participate in February’s Challenge, free of charge. You might recall that I participated in December’s home workout challenge and really enjoyed it. The workouts are quick and effective and require no equipment. It is the perfect no-excuse, do anywhere fitness plan.

To Enter:

Go to their Facebook Page and “like it”. Leave a comment on this post stating that you did.

That’s it! I will pick a winner on next Saturday, February 4th. February’s challenge starts on Monday the 6th!

Talk soon! <3

Kristi

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Thanks to everyone who entered the Yufit Giveaway! The winners have been picked…

comment #29: Lindsey!

and…

comment #31: Dani from Chocolate Covered Sneakers!

Congrats ladies! Please send me an email so you can receive your fitness trial codes!

***

In other news, I officially have the first week of Spring semester under my belt. Whew! It’s been a crazy one and I’m now very happy to be enjoying some quality weekend time. My classes seem to be enjoyable so far…well, as enjoyable as a college class can be. The only thing that’s made it not-so-pleasant would be the long distance between said classes. The highs have been around 20 degrees here lately, with gusty winds—>not a happy camper.

Not to worry though, I’ve been warming up with my favorite kitchen bestie:

The snowman mug is definitely still being used, and rightfully so!

Behold, the drawer devoted exclusively to K-cups:

New favorite flavor: Raspberry Chocolate Truffle. mmmmm! This makes my kitchen smell so. good. Not only do I love drinking my k-cups straight up, but I’ve also been making oats and shakes with them. Buffer Toffee oatmeal for breakfast, anyone? Tasty! When i got my keurig and registered it online, I was sent a coupon code for buy 2 boxes, get 2 free. Why, don’t mind if I do! After contemplating for-ev-er, I finally put in my order today and can’t wait to try them out! The UPS guy will be getting a big hug when that delivery comes!

Recent Eats

I declared this morning a pancake morning after a week of “get up and eat the fastest thing possible before rushing out the door” breakfasts.

simple oatmeal pancake: 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup liquid egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, blueberries. Topped with sun warrior protein frosting (protein + almond milk) and maple syrup for dipping

overnight pumpkin oats: 1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup p