Dessert/ Dinner/ Exercise/ Fitness

New Favorite

Just when you all thought I suffered a spinning casualty, I return! haha! That’s hysterical! I actually just now got home from spinning and finished dinner and showering. I LOVED SPINNING!!!!! Like, really loved it! I want to go back to another class this week, for sure. It was so great and I loved the atmosphere, the music, the motivation….it was all wonderful and I wonder why it took me so long to find it? Odd. I can’t believe I was always scared of it! It def. wasn’t as “hard” as I imagined…I think that’s because I took it at my own pace and drank tons of water 🙂

Before I went, I had a great snack of peanut butter/jelly toast. About a tbsp or so of peanut butter and a smear of jelly on whole wheat toast. Works every time to give me the energy I need…and I def. needed energy for that class!

When I got home I ate the chili I had made this afternoon! YUM! I used “Eat, Drink and Be Healthy” as a guideline but made some changes to the recipe as well. The recipe was so “Chipotle Chicken Chili” but, in my phase of not really being attracted to meat and my current monetary situation, I decided to leave the chicken out and make a delicious veggie version instead! It turned out wonderful…even rivaling my mom’s chili (that I LOVE) and you can’t beat it for time. The whole chili only took 30 minutes to make. Easy! I posted the exact recipe that I used in the recipe section. I had it with a toasted whole wheat english muffin and topped it with some cheddar cheese. You, of course, don’t need the cheese but I can’t fathom chili without it.

THEN….after I ate dinner and showered I needed something sweet! I made some more hot cocoa with the last of my skim milk (tomorrow we switch to the soy I bought), some cocoa and cane sugar. I had with it 2 small biscotti and I’m stuffed. I’ve drank half of my hot cocoa but don’t think I’ll finish it….too full!

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Snack about 220 calories

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Dinner around 464 calories

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The dessert I can’t finish…..lets just say it was probably about 200 calories because I only drank half of the hot cocoa. Not exactly sure though!

You WILL be seeing this chili again, seeing as I made 4 portions to eat for the remainder of the week. I’m trying to cut down grocery costs by only buying ingredients I need for one “main” meal a week that will yield me leftovers. Sort of boring but just something I have to do right now!

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  • Lynn
    February 5, 2008 at 1:22 am

    Kelly (the trainer kelly, I think there are 2 kellys) I am reposting this in case in got lost in all the comments.

    Thanks so much Kelly! I really appreciate you answering my question! To follow that up, so to help prevent osteoporosis, would you say that although yoga lengthens and stretches muscles it wouldn’t help build bone like weight lifting (although the back of my legs feel so much tighter today!)

    Kelly, if you don’t mind my asking one other question. I am trying to exercise in the early mornings. I am usually hungry first thing, but am trying to avoid having two breakfasts. Do you think a piece of fruit would be enough and then breakfast after, I don’t want low blood sugar either. it hard since I don’t want to eat back all the calories I burn. Thanks again!

    Exercising involves a lot more science than I ever realized until I started reading some articles!

  • Alicia
    February 5, 2008 at 1:37 am

    Maybe I should give spinning a try as well. I have no idea how to adjust those bikes so have not tried spinning. Wouldn’t spinning give you chafed thighs though?

  • Karissa
    February 5, 2008 at 1:47 am

    Glad to hear you enjoyed spin. It is definetly my favorite class at the gym!

  • Brianne
    February 5, 2008 at 1:48 am

    Dinner looks great! I just love that you always finish with a small, simple dessert. It is such a nice way to end the day!

  • Clarissa
    February 5, 2008 at 1:53 am

    I have tried spinning, and yes the group vibe is awesome. However my butt hurt from the seat!!!! I know people have special shoes/seats, but I just don’t want to be all gung-ho about it, haha. Did you find that the seat bothered you at all??

  • jenna
    February 5, 2008 at 1:56 am

    Um yes…sore butt= jenna laying on bed unable to move at the moment. The instructor said at target you could get a cushy thing that fits over the seat for like 8 bucks…might have to get that because I have a bony butt as is! ouch!

  • arimcg
    February 5, 2008 at 2:08 am

    I think the soreness from the seat goes away after the first few times, even without the padded seat cover. Kind of like when you ride a bike after you haven’t ridden in a while.

  • linds
    February 5, 2008 at 2:09 am

    Hey all- has anyone tried the clif kid zbars? Are they like regular clif bars but just a smaller portion?

  • Mallory
    February 5, 2008 at 2:11 am

    I’m doing the exact same thing in terms of groceries. It is rather boring but sure cuts down on the cost!

  • Becky
    February 5, 2008 at 2:23 am

    linds- I love the Clif Kids Bars! They are my go-to for snacks at school. At 120-130 calories, they are about 1/2 the calories of normal Clif Bars, with less fiber and protein as well. However, I definetly prefer them over the larger bars, especially since those make me feel like I’ve drank 17 espressos! The honey graham and the chocolate brownie are my favorites.

  • Charlotte
    February 5, 2008 at 2:41 am

    I can vouch for the $8 Target seat cover — totally saved my butt (ha ha) over these couple of years of spinning. I’ve resisted (i.e. am too cheap for) the shoes and the shorts but the seat cover is a must for me.

    Alicia, the instructor should show you how to adjust the seat– the ones at my gym ask if there are any newbies at the start of each class.

    (Jenna, this is my first time posting…I just want to say I love the blog and your positive attitude– I’m hoping some of it rubs off on me! And that chili sounds amazing)

  • Lynn
    February 5, 2008 at 3:07 am

    Becky do the cliff kidz bars fill you?

  • VeggieGirl
    February 5, 2008 at 3:18 am

    sooo thrilled to read that you enjoyed your spinning class – it’s always fun to try something new, and then end up loving it; and hooray for vegetable chili!!! :0D

  • NCCarter
    February 5, 2008 at 3:31 am

    I got a couple of those Clif ZBars for my 2 1/2 year old daughter yesterday. She had one and loved it. I had a taste, too, and was pretty impressed. My daugther eats so little at meals other than fruit that I’m glad to have found a snack that will keep her little tummy full!

  • ibex hk
    February 5, 2008 at 4:06 am

    I LOVE the clif zbars—the honey graham is my favorite flavor, followed by chocolate peanut butter. I actually do find them filling for their size (35g) and kcal count (130); I would definitely recommend them as a snack…paired with a bit of fruit and you’re good to go!!

  • Amanda
    February 5, 2008 at 10:50 am

    Hi Jenna! Love the FAQ and *LOVE* the website…you have such a balanced, healthy attitude towards food and exercise. Do you recommend the nutrition certification? I would love to get certified or work in some area of nutrition, but to get an RD would require going back to school full-time, and I can’t quite do that!

    Another question: I see you don’t recommend going under 1500 calories a day. I’ve been restricting my calories for about two years; I’m quite petite (5’3″) and feel like my body has adjusted to the low amount of calories. I’m also active–run 28 miles per week, row, Pilates, and kickboxing. I’ve been advised to slowly increase the amount of calories until “maintenance” level, but should I expect a negligible amount of weight gain at any rate?

    My email is timeofbutterflies@yahoo.com for anyone who wants to shoot me an email with further info, btw.

  • Becky
    February 5, 2008 at 11:08 am

    Lynn- The bars hold me over for 2- 3 hours, though it varies between what else I have eaten that day. I really do recommend them!

  • Kath
    February 5, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    Jenna,

    So glad you liked spinning!! After my foot surgery that was all I could do and I must have gone to at least 3 classes a week. It was the only workout I found comparable to running. You won’t need a seat cover after 2-3 classes so I wouldn’t bother. Glad you liked it!! Now you have to get me started on yoga. I’ve been before, but my gym isn’t that glamorous. I want to do yoga in a beautiful studio with zen lighting and all that jazz 😉

    Kath

  • Clarissa
    February 5, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    Ahh interesting about the seat cover! I may just have to try it! I’m just so used to the treadmill with my ipod, ya know??

    I had a wonderful yoga instructor in FL, but since then.. the ones that I’ve tried have been very redundant/boring at my gym! It sucks! And I don’t have the $$ right now to pay for a private studio, boo!!

    Thanks for all your hard work on the blog, Jenna!

  • Clarissa
    February 5, 2008 at 12:22 pm

    Oh yeah, and the clif-z bars are yummy.. I’m impressed they can be filling since there’s not so much protein- but worth a shot!

  • jenna
    February 5, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    Yoga in an actual yoga studio is def. a 360 from yoga at the gym. So totally different and wonderful!

    ps- i ate zbars all throughout college and loved them..ate them too much though I think and got burned out so I havent bought them since. I like them for a light snack

  • jenna
    February 5, 2008 at 12:45 pm

    Amanda,

    Without meeting you it is hard for me to tell you the right answer…and I don’t know how many calories you are currently eating. Yes, eating more calories = gaining weight…but eating “maintenance” calories doesnt always lead to weight gain. If you are so far down there on the calorie spectrum and need to increase your calories, you probably could stand to gain a few healthy pounds. I’m not a doctor though!

  • Kelly
    February 5, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    Lynn- Yes, there are 2 Kelly’s and I’m not the trainer Kelly. 🙂

    Linds- LOVE LOVE LOVE Z Bars. They are great for that sweet tooth fix. They are sort of healthy type cookie/brownie bar. If I just want something swee I’ll have that but if I am needing more of a filling snack I’ll pair it with a banana, apple, grapes, etc. The peanut butter, & chocolate chip cookie are my favorite but the brownie and graham are great too.

    Amanda- If you are eating below 1500 calories and running 28 miles per week PLUS all the other activities you listed, you are definitely eating too little. You need to fuel your body for all you activity. Where you trying to lose weight? Are you at your happy weight now?

  • Elizabeth
    February 5, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    What you need to prevent soreness is a pair of padded bike shorts. They are not cheap, but they really do make all the difference. So glad you liked spin!!

  • Rachel
    February 5, 2008 at 5:15 pm

    That’s so funny, I took my first ever spin class last night too! I told the instructor afterwards that it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be and she was like, ‘Everyone says that!!!’