{California Recap}

Hello cupcakes!

It's finally starting to get nice here in Indiana. I know this is a little delayed, but I wanted to share my California pictures with you! This summer is going to be pretty crazy, so hang in there with me. After June 17th I will have more free time to start blogging again. 

When I first arrived in Cali, my boyfriend took me to Coronado Beach. The sand had little gold sparkles in it. I was so amazed. We took the Frisbee with us. We weren't there very long before I realized how hungry I was, so Cory took me to get some food.

More pictures of Coronado Beach...

One place Cory took me was called Roberto's and let me tell you what, this place has my heart! This was a chicken taco. I only got one taco and it was $3.50. It filled me up. It was a corn tortilla with chicken breast pieces, homemade guac, & homemade pico. I think I am still having dreams about this taco. 

When Cory lived in Charlotte, I bought us a doughnut pan. I didn't really get a whole lot of use out of it, so this in Cali it was my goal to make a bomb protein doughnut. I think I finally succeeded. These were amazing and boyfriend approved. 

One of the days, after Cory got off work, we went hiking. This place was beautiful. I can't wait to hike more mountains out there. 

There was a reservoir and dam off in the distance. 

Here was up close to the reservoir. This was half way into our hike (well I should say the half way point meaning we made it to the top). 

I think I had a fingerprint on my phone camera because these two pictures turned out a little blurry. I also did not bring my actual camera to California this time because I will be living out there soon enough... yay!!!

If you follow me on snap chat or Instagram, you know I am on a huge salad kick. One night I made homemade Chiptole Bowls. They turned out amazing. I used lettuce, corn, salsa verde, chicken breast, homemade guac, and sauteed peppers and onions. 

I also made some chicken, sweet potato fries, and vegetables for another dinner on a different night.

One thing I was sooooo excited for... trying out my future gym. This is called Worlds Gym and it's by the same people as Golds Gym. I love how it looks industrial. There is something about a new gym that gets me so motivated. 

I also recently bought a nice waffle maker and had it shipped to Cory in California. I made so many protein waffles while I was visiting. If you want to follow my instagram it is: @toriswholelife . This waffle combo was 1/2  a waffle, protein dip, and 1 T of almond butter. The recipe is posted on my Instagram. 

Here was a salad I made: lean ground turkey, salsa verde, cucumbers, snap peas, crushed up rice cake, lettuce, and Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing. 

I spent a few hours at the pool every other day to get a little tan and relax. 

Friday night for dinner we went to Oceanside Beach and ate at Hello Betty's. I got the Mahi Mahi tacos. 

My breakfast before the zoo was a breakfast casserole I made, a protein doughnut, strawberries, and a few slices of bacon. 

Now here are my zoo pictures from the San Diego Zoo...

Look at his tongue haha!

Cory and I were so confused while looking at this thing...

We took Quest Bars to snack on while we walked around the zoo. 

We spent about 4 hours walking around the whole zoo! It was a blast. I am so glad we went. If you visit San Diego and want something to do, go check out the zoo! After the zoo we were both pretty hungry. We went to Carnitas Snack Shack. Let me tell you what, they have some bomb dot com food. I got the carnitas tacos. 

That wraps up my Cali pictures, but here are some pictures from the past week. 

I am a little obsessed with Artic Zero right now. For anyone that has a lactose intolerance or wants a healthier version of ice cream, check this stuff out. I like to microwave mine for about 30 seconds so that it gets softer and creamier. 

I grilled up some turkey burgers and asparagus to eat this weekend. 

I also snacked on some cucumbers. I love how light and fresh they are in the summer. 

I hope you enjoyed my never ending recap. I can't wait to blog again.

Later Taters

"It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away." 

{Rootz Nutrition}

Hello again Cupcakes!

I'm here to share with you some new Paleo Products. It is so hard to find products in the fitness and nutrition world that are Paleo, but {Rootz Nutrition} is one of them!

They have two products: Pre-workout & Post-workout supplements. 

Paleo Energizing-Superfood

Raspberry Lemonade

"Our Paleo Energizing-Superfood is a blend of natural superfoods, plants, and herbs that aims to provide sustained energy and the proper nutrients for high intensity exercise. This product is loaded with vitamins and minerals, and contains plant-based energy enhancers that will provide an extremely powerful boost for an amazing workout, and a sense of well-being that will continue well after taking this product."

The only down side of this pre-workout is the mix settles at the bottom of your cup. Make sure you shake or mix well before taking a gulp! The flavor of this pre-workout was good. I wouldn't say it tasted amazing, but I could tell that there were no artificial ingredients or sweeteners. Most artificial ingredients have a weird after taste, but this pre-workout did not have that! I drank this pre-workout before doing cardio and I did not get as tired. 

Here is the link if you would like to purchase or read about the ingredients of this product: {Pre-workout}

Paleo Protein Superfood

Chocolate Banana Nut

"Our Paleo Protein-Superfood contains egg white protein, hemp protein, and sacha inchi protein, combined with a blend of all natural superfoods to provide delicious post-workout nutrition that promotes the growth of lean muscle mass and overall health. This product contains only the cleanest ingredients available, and can be consumed as a post-workout protein shake or as a complete low calorie meal replacement at any time during the day. The Paleo Protein-Superfood contains a full spectrum of nutrients that will rejuvenate your body and get you ready for your next workout."

I like that this is dairy free! Many of you know I cannot have lactose and it can be hard to find a variety of protein powders that are dairy free. One thing I really like about this powder is the amount of fiber. Most other protein powders have no fiber. The macros are also really good!

Here is the link if you would like to purchase this product or read the ingredients: {Post-workout}

Harrison is the creator of Rootz Nutrition. To read more about his inspiring story, follow this link: {Harrison & Rootz Nutrition}

Enjoy your day!

Later Taters

"It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away." 

*This is not a paid post, rather I am hoping to show my readers that eating healthy and clean does not have to be boring. I like to be real and honest with you, so I will only share products I have personally tried & ones that meet my expectations* 

{Motivational Monday}

Hello cupcakes!

I am trying to keep myself awake here at work. Yesterday I flew back from California & it was also daylight savings time. I lost 4 hours... it was sad. I am okay with it though! It was totally worth it. I can't wait to share all of my pictures with you! Today I am linking up with a my friend Maddie Butterfield for another edition of Motivational Monday.

Maddie shared an awesome post that explained her Get Fit Goals. I thought it would be fun to go with the theme. Maddie made this wonderful sheet:

My motivation is:

1. Increasing my self-esteem and self-confidence

2. Building strength back into my left leg, foot, and ankle since I had surgery

3. Exercise makes me happy and I want to be happy for my boyfriend, friends, and family

My goals this month are:

1. Finish BBG Pre-training (Bikini Body Guide)

2. Get in 3 LISS days a week (Low Intensity Steady State Cardio)

3. Foam roll at least 2 times a week

4. Stretch after each workout

5. Follow and track my Macros 

I also wanted to mention my meal prep at the end of this post. Last night when I got back to my apartment, I knew I had to meal prep fast so that I could get to bed at a decent time. I prepped chicken , lean ground turkey, sweet potatoes, quinoa, oatmeal, eggs, green beans, broccoli, and zucchini. 

I have gone back and forth with macro tracking, but I want to try it out again! Here is what my meals look like today:

7am- Post workout: 8oz unsweetened almond milk with 2 scoops of Nuzest Protein Powder ("ToriF" for 15% off)

9am- Breakfast: 1/2 t coconut oil, 1 egg, 100 g egg whites, 1/2 c gluten free rolled oats

12pm- Lunch: 3 oz. lean ground turkey, 150 g zucchini, 1/2 c quinoa

3pm- Snack: 16 g almond butter, 145 g banana

6pm- Dinner: 3 oz chicken breast, 4 oz sweet potato, 150 g green beans

Totals:

1192 calories 

34 g fat

106 g carbs

114 g protein

My goal is to hit these macros:

1447 Calories

48 g fat

145 g carbs

110 g protein

As you can see, I will need to eat some more carbs throughout the day to meet my macros. My hope is that by counting these macros I can stick to a plan Post Whole30. I also want to provide my body with the proper nutrition since I am starting BBG back up. Some of my fellow BBG girls have started macro tracking, so it also helps keep me motivated. 

I also found this helpful link for meal prep: {Bodybuilding Meal Prep}

If you would like to find out your macros, follow these links: 

1) BMR calculator

2) Protein Calculator

3) Other fun calculators

Everyone's Macros are going to look different. This time I am trying a 40% carbs, 30% protein, & 30% fat ratio for my macros. It's all trial and error to see how your body responds. For more information on macros, follow this link: Macro Information

Later Taters

"It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away." 

Road to Recovery Post Surgery

Hello cupcakes,

Today I want to share my road to recovery after my foot surgery. I know others may be going through the same thing whether that is from an injury, surgery, etc. I personally know it can be tough to deal with, so I want to share my experience with you.

I had surgery on my left foot about a year and a half ago to remove an extra bone from the inside of my foot. I was born with an accessory navicular bone which is on top of the bone everyone else has called the navicular bone. The extra bone caused pain and hurt worse due to my activity level. Fast forward to December 2015... I had surgery to remove the extra bone in my right foot. I knew going into this surgery that I was going to have a long recovery ahead of me (7 weeks in a cast and on crutches followed by a walking boot and physical therapy). My goals of going into this surgery was to continue to lift weights focusing more on my triceps, biceps, shoulder, back, and abs.

The first week post surgery is always rough. The picture below was taken a week post surgery. 

This was two weeks post surgery when I was having my stitches taken out.

 The stitches are out... the swelling was worse this week & I barley had an ankle.

This was the day I got my cast off. Don't mind the hairy leg haha!

Here is a comparison of my two legs. You can see the muscle loss on my right leg.

So one of the hardest things for me about the recovery process was being okay with my body. The picture below was taken four weeks into the BBG guides. I was in great shape and I had some definition in my abs. While I was recovering, I was not able to workout to the extent I was before surgery. I was getting so down on myself because my abs were disappearing. My self-esteem, self-confidence, and self love should not be based on the appearance of my abs. One of my best friends told me something that stands out to me now. She said, "You should be proud of yourself. You are doing way more than most people would be doing post surgery." Looking back now, she was so right. Most people would probably not even workout while they are on crutches, but I continued to go to the gym and do the most I could. What I am trying to say is that I was being so negative, shaming myself, and feeling guilty for losing my fitness level. I should have been celebrating for overcoming challenges. 

I also managed to keep more muscle in my leg than I did during the previous surgery. The picture on the left was taken when I got the cast off my left leg/foot. The right picture was the most recent surgery. 

This week was my first week of pre-BBG workouts. If you have never experienced death by kayla, you won't understand how sore my legs were the day after leg day! 

Basically what I want you all to take away from this blog post is to appreciate the body you are given. When I was getting sad about not being able to workout to the extent I wanted to, I was being selfish. Some people cannot workout. Some people have to deal with these types of things on a daily basis. I should have been thankful that I could still workout. I should have been proud of myself for going to the gym and lifting weights while I was on crutches or in my walking boot. All of those things helped me progress through physical therapy super fast! The physical therapist was blown away by my progress each time. I actually got released two weeks early! 

The picture above is my right foot today, about 3 months post surgery. The picture below is my left foot about a year and a half post surgery on that foot. The scar on my left foot is barely noticeable. 

Some tips if you have an injury or surgery:

1. Find 1-3 positive things about yourself each morning

2. Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do

3. Don't be so hard on yourself

4. Follow the doctor of physical therapist orders

5. Surround yourself with positive and uplifting people

6. Work on increasing strength in other body areas besides the recovering spot on your body

7. Learn to let your body heal and recover

8. Learn to listen to your body

9. Continue to eat healthy foods, this could also help you heal faster

10. Be patient

Right now my plans are to continue BBG pre-training for the full four weeks and then start the BBG and complete that in 12 weeks! I cannot wait to push and challenge myself along the way. It is truly amazing what our bodies are capable of :)

And to share a tid bit of my California Adventures this week...

This was one of my breakfasts I made. This is gluten free oats, 1 whole egg, and 3 egg whites cooked in coconut oil.

This is an awesome spot called Torrey Pines. 

I will share more pictures once I get back to Indiana. I have so many beautiful pictures on my camera. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, and comment below if you would like me to explain anything further.

Has anyone ever experiences an injury or surgery? 

Later Taters

"It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away."

{Paleo Powder} & Fast Meal Prep

Hello beautiful cupcakes!

I had a goal for meal prep this week and that was to see if I could meal prep in an hour. I have never timed myself before, and many people have been asking how long it takes me to meal prep. 

Here was the goal for meal prep:

1) Cook chicken in the oven

2) Cut & cook potatoes in the oven

3) Cook asparagus in the oven

4) Cook turkey burgers in the oven

5) Cook lean ground turkey on the stove

6) Spiralize zucchini and cook on the stove

7) Cook eggs to go with my Paleo Spinach Tortillas

All in under an hour...

To cook the chicken: 

Pour some oil of choice onto a baking pan. Add Paleo Powder Pink to the top of the chicken and cook at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 

To cook the asparagus:

Chop the end of the asparagus off. Drizzle oil of choice onto baking sheet. Top with Paleo Powder Original. Cook in the oven (400 degrees) for 15 minutes or until tender.

To cook the ground turkey:

In a pan, add the ground turkey and top with Paleo Powder Salt Free. Cook over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and is cooked through. 

So at this point in my meal prep, I stopped taking pictures because I realized this was taking up time in my under an hour meal prep. 

To cook the potatoes: 

As a tip, I would start with the potatoes because they will probably take the longest to cook next to the chicken. So, chop up the potatoes how you like them. Add them to a pan that has been drizzled with the oil of your choice. Top with Paleo Powder Pink and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then flip and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Cook until the potatoes are tender. 

To cook the 2 turkey burgers:

Drizzle oil of choice onto a small baking pan. Place the turkey burgers onto the pan and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the burgers are completely cooked through. *You always want to make sure you cook chicken and turkey fully to prevent you from getting sick*

To cook the zucchini: 

Wash the zucchini and cut both the ends off. I used 6 zucchinis. Next, use a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a drizzle of oil (your choice). Cook the noodles in three batches. Cook just until the noodles start to get tender. I don't like to overcook mine or else they will be mushy. 

To cook the eggs: 

In a pan over the stove, add a drizzle of oil. Next, add 2 eggs and scramble. Cook until the eggs are cooked through. Repeat this step until you have 5-7 days worth of eggs. 

Now the fun part... adding everything together into containers. 

Here is the layout of my meals:

Breakfast: Paleo Spinach Tortilla with 2 eggs and left over onion sautee. 

Lunch: Chicken with potatoes and asparagus

Dinner: Zucchini noodles with lean ground turkey or a turkey burger

I will also have 1-2 snacks during the day & LOTS of water.

Just another tip for you guys... I started to take L-Carnitine when I wake up in the morning on an empty stomach. This is to help drop some body fat to help make my abs more visible.  My goal for the next couple months is to be able to get back to my normal workout routine since I am now released from my walking boot (may or may not have done a small party/victory dance for myself). If anyone knows me personally, they know how much eating clean and working out means to me. The past couple months have really tested me, but I am so eager to get back into my routine and make more progress!

Okay.. rant over and back to meal prep.

Well, it was not quite an hour meal prep, but I managed to do all my dishes and clean up in this time as well. Total meal prep time: 1 hour 24 minutes. Not bad!

You may have noticed the new seasonings I was using for meal prep. I am in love with these! This was actually my first time using these Paleo Seasonings and I could not believe how much flavor they gave to my food. Paleo Powder is Paleo Certified and Whole30 approved. It is created in Austin, Texas by Dustin. Dustin truly cares about making clean seasonings & he personally eats Paleo and lost over 50 lbs! 

Paleo Powder is an all purpose seasoning with no MSG and no gluten.

If you would like to purchase some for yourself, follow this link: Paleo Powder Shop.

There are four flavors to chose from:

1) Paleo Powder Pink- made with Himalayan pink salt

2) Paleo Powder Original

3) Paleo Powder Salt Free

4) Paleo Powder Herbed 

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Comment below and let me know what you think! 

Here are some more questions for you:

1) What is your overall fitness and nutrition goal for the next two months?

2) What is your favorite exercise?

Later Taters

"It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away."