I just ate about 10 lbs of tofu

So I have this unhealthy obsession with the tiny little triangle pieces of tofu at Whole Foods. Thank GOD whole foods is a good 20 minutes away from us otherwise I'd be ordering $10.50 salads every night. Today, I wasn't feeling myself and was craving those tiny little pieces of goodness so I subtly let the troops know and as soon as I got home from work we jumped in the car and headed over.

(Side note: I didn't even take a picture of it for this blog because I inhaled it so fast.)

But if you're familiar with the Whole Foods Salad Bar, you know what I'm talking about. That and a little cabbage crunch and it's heaven in a little cardboard container. But I seriously think I put in about 10 lbs of tofu and proceeded to each every. single. piece.

In the back of my head I was thinking, well it's a rest day, I'll just walk it off on the treadmill, no jumping around with Les Mills Combat tonight. WRONG. I misread the schedule and I have to somehow jump around and kick with what feels like a rock of tofu in my stomach doing 30 minute combat. Thank god it's only 30 minutes. If I saw a "6-0" I might've thrown in the towel. So, instead, I'm procrastinating writing this blog.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July. I stayed right on track with my diet, bringing my own food to a bbq on Saturday and making sure I got that dreaded 60 minute combat workout in before the party. I did have a half of glass of sangria at the party but that's all I needed! I even drove my family home. Can't remember the last time someone wasn't carting my ass home from a party like that. Things have changed. For the better.

Gearing up for another party on Saturday-my "baby's" 4 year old birthday. FOUR. I can't even believe it. Crazy how much time flies. Feels like four years ago when it was this day and I was a week late ready to pop and have my sweet pea already! And now here it is, FOUR years later and he's getting ready to go to pre-k in the fall. Unreal.



It's also a year that I herniated my disc so bad I was out of work, working from home for 3 months on my back on the couch.



The disc was so herniated, oozing out and pressing on the nerve I couldn't walk - every time I tried I would collapse in pain. After months of trying "conservative" methods including PT, pain meds, an inversion table, acupuncture, I opted to go under the knife and wouldn't you know it, I walked right out of the hospital. Rothman Institute was a godsend and gave me my life back. It was such a hard time in my life. I couldn't play with my son, I couldn't do normal things like getting dressed and walking downstairs, I couldn't do anything at all. Taking a shower made me want to give up on life and there were times I wondered if my life would ever be the same. I was in a dark, dark, dark, dark place. I can't emphasize dark enough.

And here I am almost a year to the day, kicking ass and taking names with Les Mills Combat. So if you have what I had, don't give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel however dim it may be now! I remember crying practically every day from the pain and the situation and yet, still somehow I was able to work as if I was in the office (much to my mother's dismay!) But I was able to still rock it even with all the pressure of getting stuff done for the sales conference and now here I am a year later, getting ready for it now and can't wait for a much different experience this time. What a difference a year makes! I have more pics I need to track down from that unbelievable experience but I think it was on a computer that crashed...I'll have to see what I can track down.



OH and to update you on the actual weight loss/inches lost: I lost an inch and a half off of my waist so far in 2 weeks - down 5 lbs! 20 more to go! I got this!

I guess I should go throw some workout clothes and get it over with. Although once that music starts pumping and they start motivating me I know I'll put my all into it!



Until tomorrow!

xoxo,
Court

Burpees? Ain't nobody got time for that...

There's that saying...where there's a will, there's a way. At 7pm, I felt so incredibly drained I went upstairs to get changed and at 7:30 I had Steve and Parker looking for me because I never came back down. Where was I? Passed out on my bed, still in my clothes, and somehow I got under the blankets.



I don't know what happened. It's like it all just caught up to me and I was completely exhausted. I've been pretty tired lately. The days have been rough. I feel like I am juggling 30 balls in the air sometimes and it gets so overwhelming my body just shuts down. Frustrating for me because I want that energy, I want to feel good, I want to put my all in my workout. I keep thinking maybe I should get some bloodwork done to check for some kind of underlying autoimmune disease, or RA which they think I have due to this nodule that keeps popping up on my shoulder. I should probably do that huh?
Any doctors reading this blog?

Check it out-any ideas as to what this is welcome. It's painful, it hurts all the time and probably the reason why I'm so miserable and a bitch all the time. Or according to Steve I guess... The way I look at it is (and I'm trying to be more positive.) With my back going out almost a year to the day and being in pain from that to this shoulder issue immediately after that it's been 365 days of me being in some type of constant pain. You try and be f'n pleasant.



Anyway, I digress. So I got up at 7:30, got dressed, put Parker to bed and came downstairs. Looked at my Les Mills Combat schedule and almost cried. I could SWEAR today was 30 minute combat NOT high intensity shock plyo. I mean. Are you kidding me?? For 30 minutes straight I had to dig deep and jump around like a crazy person. Oh and did I mention burpees?



Apparently we had time for that. Lots and lots of time. Lots and lots of burpees. Lots and lots of lunges and squats and ski jumps. I'm dead to the world. But was it worth it? Of course it was worth it. Another workout in the books, almost 2 weeks down for Les Mills Combat and I'm feeling great (minus the whole second head on my shoulder and being tired and all. ha)

4 day weekend ahead with the fam, lots of fun stuff scheduled. Can't wait to relax, workout and eat my veggie burger on the 4th of July! Oh does anyone have any paleo alcoholic drink recipes? Clean eating libations? Let me know! :)

Til tomorrow!



xoxo,
Court

"Do you eat sugar snap peas whole?

Just googled that. I have a nice fresh bag of sugar snap peas but I couldn't remember for the life of me if I needed to de-pod them or not. Then I found this gem of a recipe thanks to "The Arugula Files."

To make these, start by washing the pod and then cut the tips of each end. Toss in olive oil. In either in a grill basket or on a piece of foil, place on a hot grill. Grill for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly charred and tender.

Toss with a little sea salt and serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

Sriracha mayo is easy to make. Just combine store bought mayo with one or two tablespoons of Sriracha. Make it as spicy as you like.



Doesn't that sound AND LOOK amazing? I may have to try and grill these one day!

But I digress. I just got done with my "rest" day which for me is some quick cardio on the treadmill while the hubs was doing P90x3 on the TV. Have you seen his transformation? Crazy what he's done in only 60 days.

Kind of motivated me to start moving. I had started eating healthy, drinking Shakeology, every morning (which helped me to initially lose some weight just by replacing my breakfast with it every day!) and decided to try out Les Mills Combat WHICH. I. LOVE. I get bored with working out easy which is why I have never really stuck with anything. Initially in 1999 I lost a bunch of weight doing tae-bo - loved the whole kickboxing aspect of it. It really worked for me and my body type. So after Steve became a Beachbody coach I was looking at the products and decided to try out Les Mills. I'm a week in and I LOVE IT. Even after long days I get motivated by the coaches and by the music and the fact that I feel like a Mortal Combat warrior.
Yes, I just spent 15 minutes doing this.



Annyway, I'll be raiding my parents photo bin tomorrow so I can start to craft my story of going from a cute 3 year old to a chubbo young girl to struggling with my weight in high school, finally getting it together while in college only to go through a bad breakup and gain it all back and then I've been yo-yo-ing ever since. (PLUS, I had a baby in 2009 and gained a bunch of weight prior and had trouble losing it after and then I had back surgery last September 2013.)

I feel like I'm finally in a good enough place to talk about it without having to then shell out a $35 co-pay at my therapists's office anymore. My love hate relationship with food I THINK and I HOPE is finally under control.

I'll start diving in tomorrow and hoping that others can relate and be inspired with my story. Not many people know what I've gone through in my life. Thank god I'm still alive and here to talk about it today... I just hope that I can inspire others to find the peace within themselves to finally hold themselves accountable for their choices in life, to make good ones now in the present and even better ones in the future!

xoxo,
Court


Oh oh oh, before I forget. I'd love for you to signup and be on my team! It's free and I'll be sending out healthy recipes, motivational emails, workouts you can do, etc. Would love for you to sign up! Join now - it's fast and easy! Let's do this together!

PPS: Weigh in tomorrow. Eek.