Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Fat Girl Pride

So I'm going to take a break from a cooking post and just share something I was thinking about while on the elliptical today...

I am a competitive person. I was never the best swimmer when on the swim team, the most graceful dancer in ballet class or the most athletic cheerleader on my cheer squad. However, I always watched other people and tried my best to keep up or beat them. What I lacked in natural athletic ability, I made up for in heart.

Today at the gym I started letting the negative thoughts creep in my mind. In all my sports and dance experience, I was never a runner. None of them really required me to be able to run a mile consecutively. So now, almost 10 years after high school is done, I'm just now trying to run. Today, I ran a mile in 11:55. And just as I'm walking off my want to throw up after I'm done, I see this girl. She's on an ab machine wearing just her sports bra and spandex pants. I see girls like her all the time and I just get angry. She is sitting there texting and flirting with some guy next to her. I rarely ever see these girls workout. However, I know if she got on the treadmill, she could run that 10 minute mile I'm chasing after. The negative thoughts just came and stole my pride that I cut 8 seconds off my own time.

Then, I really started thinking. This girl is easily 100 lbs less, if not more, than I am. So then I thought, could she do an 11:55 mile wearing a 100 lb backpack? Probably not. Chicka would probably be on the floor crying after 5 minutes at 3.5mph.

So, I share this because I know I'm not the only one who has these feelings of jealousy and anger towards these gorgeous bodied women. Now, when I see her I am going to just think that I am stronger than her, I'm going to keep my head up and keep trying to beat only myself and no one else.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Chicken Salsa Soup




Happy new year everyone!


In 2013, I have decided to commit to "eating clean". My personal trainer let me borrow a book called "The Eat-Clean Diet". The focus of this diet is really just on getting in your protein, fruits and vegetables. It's also got a huge focus on preparing your own meals. So, I declared to myself that I am not a morning person so I have been preparing my food at night.

Tonight, I threw together a really simple soup that I can pack in my thermos for work tomorrow. It is super delicious and filled with loads of vegetables.


1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 pieces of celery, diced (the leaves too!)
1/2 onion, diced
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can of sweet corn, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
2-3 cups shredded chicken, fully cooked
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 chicken bouillon cube


In a large pot, saute diced vegetables in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Stir tomato paste in until evenly distributed. Add in remaining ingredients. Cook on high until boiling. Then, cover and cook on low-medium for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.


I'm sure this one would be great in the crock pot as well! I just happened to go the stove route tonight.

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