WIAW - Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Alright people, finally after a rejuvenating long weekend, I have hit the training reset button.

I feel like I have saying over, and over, and over again how I have been longing to be back on track.

I am not going to lie, I probably spent the majority of May trying to will my body back into a routine that it really wasn't quite ready for. I am not always the most patient girl in the world - and least of all with myself. Convalescing is not exactly my forte. And I will be the first to admit that I don't always do a very good job taking care of myself the way I should. In other words; my mind was ready, but my body was not.

It has taken a lot longer than I anticipated to really feel like myself again, but this weekend I feel like I turned the corner. My energy levels are back. Running is not as horrible as it was a couple weeks ago. And I finally feel like I am really ready to tackle my training routine full on. YAY!

And proper training requires proper nutrition, so I wanted to share my tasty new Chipotle Shrimp Taco Recipe. This is a super quick, super easy dish - total time necessary 15-20 minutes.

I LOVE Mexican dishes and their big flavors, but they also tend to be heavy on the sauces and the cheese. Alas! Making them delicious, but less than healthy. So I have cut the cheese and come up with lighter version of an old favourite. It is tasty and the avocados, like olive oil, are high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer in numerous studies. Not to mention the vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione in avocado are also great for your heart. Woohoo Win-Win for this Darwinian Fail!

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

*Note: This recipe makes enough for 2 hungry adults, but feel free to double the recipe to suit a larger family

Ingredients:

15-20 Shrimp - raw and cleaned

4 canned Chipotle Peppers diced

1 tbsp Chilli Powder

1 tbsp Lime Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Avocados

1/2 Spanish Onion finely chopped

2 Roma Tomatoes finely chopped

1 Jalapeno finely chopped (*optional*)

2 Limes - juiced

2 tbsp of fresh cilantro

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Small Pre-Packaged Corn Tortilla Shells

Spinach  

1. Warm Tortilla in the oven for approx 10 minutes at 250
2. Mix and Mash the Avocados, Onions, Tomatoes, Lime juice, Cilantro, Jalapeno (*optional - only add if you like heat) garlic, salt and pepper - until you have created a rich creamy guacamole. Set aside.
3. Marinate the Shrimp with the diced Chipotle Peppers, Chilli Powder, Lime Juice, Salt, and Pepper for 5-10 minutes and then cook until translucent (approx 2-4 minutes per side) on skillet or grill at medium heat.
4. Construct your individual tortillas - I added some raw spinach to mine for some extra crunch and a vitamin boost!

And that's that! Easy-Peasy! Hope you guys enjoy!
Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

Motivation Monday - Getting Hot and Sweaty

So long, long, LONG ago, when I started to get back into embracing a healthy lifestyle I signed up for a Bikram Hot Yoga class that literally changed my life.

Getting Centered at Home

After 2 years of being sedentary and packing on an uncomfortable 50 lbs - the wheels in my head started turning. I wanted to change. I wanted to get my body back. I wanted to get my health back. I wanted to be active again. But I had little to no idea how I should go about doing that.

So on a whim - after a couple of my much fitter and cuter girlfriends raved about this intense new "Hot" yoga studio - I decided to give it a try. I had never done yoga before, and it had literally been years since I broke a serious sweat. But the girls walking around campus in their lululemons looked pretty rockin', so maybe if I did this class I could too!

So there I was - a little chubby yoga virgin - walking into Tanya Harrington's Thursday night Karma class at the Feel Yoga Studio. The first shock was that the class was 90 minutes. The second shock was the room was actually HOT - like sauna-style hot. And the third, that we could not leave the class part way through. If we signed up, we were committed to 90 sweaty minutes. It was terrifying!

I am not going to lie to you, that first class was INTENSE. It was a huge shock to the system. I was hot. I was nauseous. I was trying to bend my pudgy body into positions I did not think were possible for me anymore. But when I lay down on my mat for my final shavasana I was in LOVE.

Shavasana

I remembered what it was like to love the sweat. I remembered what it was like to feel the burn and like it. And I remembered that feeling of accomplishment you get when you finished a good workout. Those 90 minutes woke sometime inside me that I thought I had lost years ago - a drive and a desire for a healthy body.

So this week, after struggling with my inner demons and fears about my upcoming race, I went back to my first love - Hot Yoga. I got hot. I got sweaty. And most importantly, I got a much needed wake-up call.
After a year spent battling my genetic shortcomings and my less than cooperative body, I had forgotten what it was like to love my body and have it love me back.

Sweaty, Happy Glow Post-Yoga

What a novel concept?!

I have 12 days until Met Con Blue, a race that is going mark exactly 12 weeks post-op for me. So this run isn't going to be about PR-ing or even running well. This race is going to be about LOVING my body, CELEBRATING this crazy journey, and EMBRACING finally being healthy!

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

Collingwood and Crossfit

I have returned, from my brief but lovely, journey up to Collingwood and my impromptu MetCon Blu training session. And I have to admit, it was a pretty awesome way to kick off my week.

The amazing and always delightful Allie picked me up shortly after 3. And after a MUST-HAVE Starbucks stop - we hit the old dusty trail. Our little journey took slightly longer than expected, because of this city's horrible rush-hour traffic and a few slightly meandering turns on our part. 

On our Way!!

So needless to say, we ended up scrapping our grand plan to run the hill and opted for a night of fun with Allie's super fabulous sister and brother-in-law - Sarah and Bill. Not only are they both member's of our badass MetCon Blu team "Insane Pain", but they also happen to be two very knowledgeable fitness enthusiasts. So it was great to spend the evening chit-chatting over a patio dinner - discussing all things race, run, crossfit, and paleo related.

We did hit the hay early though, because we were all up bright and early and heading to our 6:00 AM Crossfit class over at Indestri this morning. Now I was aware that this class was pretty likely to kick my ass, and was slightly panicked about it. Not only am I just barely 10 weeks post-op, but I am also right in the mists of battling a nagging cold. So I wasn't exactly bringing my A-game to this morning's Crossfit adventure. But I am definitely glad I went.

Getting SERIOUS about our WOD

Our coach ended up being Scott Thornton, which was pretty intimidating way to start the class. Not only has he made a serious name for himself over his 20 year NHL career, but he also happens to a hard-core CrossFit-er, and part-owner of Indestri. So it was somewhat nerve racking as we warmed up with our kettle bells and lined up to hear the WOD (workout of the day).

Today's WOD was...

1000 metre row (sprint)

50 thrusters

30 pull-ups

That was a lot of upper body action for this gal. But everyone was very supportive and understanding about my *ahem* limitations, so it just ended up being a great workout. I definitely worked some areas that have not seen much action in a while, and it was nice to feel like I was back into training mode (at least sort of).

Post WOD - Bill, Me, Allie, and Scott

Modification were definitely made. My weight was limited, I only managed to do 10 pull-ups with the help of the beginner green band, and I opted to run rather than row during the second timed run through. But all the supportive talks with my new Collingwood crew reminded me that I have to stop being so hard on myself and accept the healing process a little bit more.

I am slowly but surely returning to my training regime. But the strength and endurance I lost during recovery is not going to magically come back over night. I had to work to get it, so I am going have to work to get it all back. And that is just going to take time and commitment.

So that is what to today's workout was all about - accepting where I am today and taking my training one day at a time.

Thanks for the AWESOME (and much needed) reminder guys! And Fantastic Workout!

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

Motivation Monday - PANIC

Okay...my first race post-op is fast approaching. MetCon Blu is 3 short weeks away, and I am officially PANICING! OH DEAR GOD! I don't know if I am going to be ready.

I was feeling pretty good about my recovery -was being the operative word here. All my doctors have been showering me with praise and raving about my speedy rehabilitation, so I was developing a false sense of confidence. I have a few runs under my belt, and my energy levels was generally improving.

Happy to be running again...but training is a work in progress

But this weekend, while celebrating Mother's Day with my family, I found myself chit-chatting with my younger sister about her new intense soccer training regime. And I recommended she start incorporating some yoga into her weekly routine to help increase her flexibility. Naturally, I thought it would be a good idea to demonstrate a standard Sun-Salutation series, and thus received a rude awakening about the true state of my recovery.
 
I could not do a chaturanga push up to save my life. My chest muscles are horribly weak, and definitely still healing. This little chaturanga (or lack there of) sent my mind reeling. The truth is...I have done some running, but I am still no where near a consistent routine. I am still only averaging 2ish workouts a week. And all of my efforts are labored. Running is not the blissful, relaxing, activity it once was. It is hard! My endurance is still craptastic. My muscles are pitiful and weak. And I only have 3 short weeks to correct all of this.

AHHH! What was I thinking? Why did I sign up to do a race exactly 12 weeks post-op? What the heck am I going do?

Truthfully, I really have no idea. But I may as well give it a shot, right?!

So I am brushing up on tips from my Runner's World Trail edition. And I am packing my sneakers and heading up to Collingwood tonight with the lovely Allie for trial run and a Crossfit class.

I am hoping this little adventure to the mountain will help calm my nerves, and give me a good butt-kick. But it may just end up showing me how much work I really have to do in the coming weeks. Wish me luck!

Have you ever felt unprepared for a race? Any thoughts, tips, or training tricks I should use to help come back quickly?

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

Thankful Thursday - Mantra

No that's not me...yet!

Today I am THANKFUL for all the lessons my genetic journey has taught me.

Limits are something only you can imposed on yourself. 2012 is about breaking through this self-imposed boundaries -with hard work, determination, and dedication to see what I am really made of. Genetics have played a huge part in who I am, but they do not define me. Adaptability, perseverance, and strength – is my new definition. I run this body.

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

WIAW - Priorities

I mentioned in my last post that nutrition-wise this past weekend was less than stellar for me. (*sigh*) I won't get into the tawdry details of it all. Or come up with some lame excuse for why this weekend was justified. But I will say that Sunday's date with my hubby read a little bit like the menus featured on an episode of Paula Deen. It was a lesson in excess and my tummy paid the price for it later.

The thing that gets me...is that I know how to make a healthy meal plan. I know how to make smart choices when I eat out. I know what is fuel and what is fun. But just because I know how do those things, does not mean that I want to them. Sometimes what I should eat and what I want to eat do not align. It is something I am still working on.

And after Sunday's indulgences, my tummy is screaming at me to do the right thing this week. So I am making nutrition a priority and eating balanced meals to fuel this weeks training. This week is all about Doing after all!

So here's What I Ate Wednesday (re: technically Monday)

Breakfast

Breakfast:

• 2 eggs scrambled (note my attempt to increase my daily protein intake)
• my Vitamins
• and a cup of Fantasy Island Tea courtesy of Davids Tea (which I have become borderline obsessed with! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!)

Lunch

Lunchtime Snack

Lunch:

• A giant Cranberry and Candied Almond Salad with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Lots of melon 
• Additional Snacks Not Pictured - Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks for a PM pick-me-up and Taste of Nature Organic Cranberry Bar

Dinner:

• Organic Chicken Pot Pie. This was a quick and easy pre-packaged organic pie from the Farmer's Market company. They make some great pies and quiche - I highly recommend if you are looking for a quick fix, but without a lot of the extras (sodium, fat, chemicals).

I did some serious menu planning and grocery shopping this week. So this week's goal - Train and Fuel like the athlete that you want to be!

Let's do this!
Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,
Krysten

It feels like a FRESH start

I've been talking a lot about planning lately - my plans for a healthy May,  my plan to go back to school, all my BIG race plans - just plans, plans, plans... I have set all kinds of great intentions and grand goals. But all of that means very little until I actually start doing all the things I planned to do.

So this week is about just that - Doing!

This week all my plans are coming to fruition. Its the first week of school. I am finally getting back into serious training mode. And after a not-so-hot nutrition-wise weekend - I am starting to create a viable menu plan chalk full of nourishment and whole foods. It is time make this happen!

Yesterday I finally got a glimpse of what this shiny new life of mine is going to be like, and I loved every second of it! I started classes and smiled like a dweeb through my entire 3 hour lecture. It felt amazing to finally be dedicating myself to this goal and actively working towards it.

(<----see photo to your left for proof).

 It feels like a FRESH start!

And I could not be more excited to see where this journey will take me and what I can truly accomplish with a little hard work and determination.

But I had better get back to work. These plans aren't going to execute themselves.

Love Your Favourite Darwinian Fail,

Krysten