Raspberry Banana Oat Bake

In honor of reaching 600 "likes" of my Facebook page (and because I am finally getting around to it) here is the recipe for the Raspberry Banana Oat Bake I posted a pic of the other day.

I don't know about you, but I am all about meals that save time and are quick and easy to make. This is my carb with my eggs in the morning for 6 days! That's right, 6! I think that is pretty great. I also love this recipe because it is a really easy way to use an overly ripe banana. You know the kind that is really brown and practically non-edible...well, I hate wasting food (especially bananas) so I always try to bake with them when they are almost to that point of being no good.

Raspberry Oat Bake:

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups of oats
2. Pinch of sea salt
3. 2 tsp baking powder
4. 2 tsp cinnamon (or however much you want I am kind of a cinnamon whore lover)
5. 3 packets stevia
6. 1 overly ripe banana
7. 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
8. Swirl of sugar free maple syrup
9. 2 eggs
10. 2 tsp banana extract (not necessary if you have more than 1 banana, I just wanted more of the banana flavor)
11. 1/2 cup raspberries

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the over to 350
2. Add into a medium sized mixing bowl all the dry ingredients
3. In a separate bowl add the almond milk and eggs
4. Lightly beat the eggs
5. Add the remainder of wet ingredients to the same bowl
6. Add the "wet" ingredients to the bowl with the dry mixture including the raspberries and thoroughly mix until the oats are covered
7. Spray a baking pan with a non stick spray of your choice
8. Smash the banana into the bottom of the pan
9. Add the oat mixture to the pan and evenly smoosh it down 
10. Bake for 30 min or edges are golden brown

I just pop a square into the microwave with my eggs in the morning to warm it up. I think it is delicious this way but if you prefer you can warm it with milk to get more of an oat meal texture.

Thank you all for the continued support! I hope my page continues to grow in the future!

I am off to do Wednesday night cardio with the hubby. The Get In Shape Girl 12 Week Guide has some killer cardio in it. I can already tell my legs are leaning out! Whoo hoo :)

Have a great rest of your week!

XOXO,

E

Week 1 done & 11 more to go!

Yesterday I completed week 1 of The Get In Shape Girl's 12 Week Bikini Guide. The guide has you working out 6 days a week and is very circuit based. This is great for me because my body responds quickest to circuit based work-outs. When I was training with Rachael before the wedding, I came down the quickest when we trained HIIT/circuit style. After the wedding, I continued to train but it consisted of weight training and then up to 30 min cardio after. Even though I occasionally broke a sweat during the weight training my heart was not elevated enough.

On the 1st day of the work-out guide I left the gym feeling very accomplished because I was sweating the whole way through and then the cardio at the end was just the icing on my work-out cake.

I love this guide for many reasons. One is because I have a plan. Each day I look up what my work-out consists of and I write it down to bring to the gym. I do not go wondering what machines will be available for whatever body part I am working that day. I also pre-plan what area of the gym will give me the most space for the circuits. Going into the gym with a plan is a sure way to be successful.

I also love this guide because I no longer skip days at the gym. With my new schedule and days that I am just lacking that pep in my step I would skip days or have too many "rest" days. Now that I have a plan I no longer skip even if I want to because I know there is a reason for the way the work-outs are laid out and a reason why Sunday is my rest day.

Reason number 3 is that I am eating great! I have it in my head to not have too many cheats because I am only cheating myself. On days that I would "rest" or skip the gym I had no reason to eat well because in my mind I had already messed up (my mind is much too hard on itself) so why not have a little extra of this or that. The other night my 2 year old niece, Marlie, came over right when I was supposed to be leaving for the gym. I really wanted to stay and play with her and fulfill my craving for ice cream. Plus what a perfect excuse, I would totally be the favorite Auntie if I bought her ice cream! Well, I got pushed out the door to the gym by my lovely husband and after I ran over 2 miles of HIIT cardio followed by an additional 30 min of cardio I no longer wanted the ice cream because why would I just reverse all the hard work?! I felt once again so accomplished and proud of what my body and mind could do if I just did it!  

Today was rest day and it was muuuch needed! My muscles were so happy to rest and I got to sleep in a little since today is my Saturday. In honor of the weekend/no school/rest day Robbie made us an amazing breakfast! He made sweet potato hash cooked with chopped onion, chicken sausage and 2 over easy eggs on top. It reminded me of a healthier version of a skillet. Then we of course had to have my fav blueberry pancakes on the side. This meal was a great reward meal and it was super cheap. We always want to go out for breakfast but it's expensive and hard to eat healthy.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

XOXO,

E 

P.S. do you all have instagram? Follow me @determined2bfit

Day 1

Today was day 1 of my new work-out plan! I am so excited to have something that will keep me motivated and on track for the next 12 weeks in the gym. As I mentioned in my last post, I have a new schedule that has made it difficult to be as dedicated to my fitness goals. I am hoping that this will get me the results I am looking for and get me ready for my birthday and Halloween.

Now, I am sure you are all wondering, "What the heck is the new plan?!"

Well, I have been following Ms.Kyra or as known on Facebook, The Get In Shape Girl for a while. She is an awesome person to follow and I encourage you all to do so! She really brings home the message of how important a clean diet and training plan is for your health and goals, but she also conveys how important balance is. Let's get real, we are all humans who can't be perfect all the time.

Progress Not Perfection People!!!

I love that she is like that! There are so many fitness models on the internet who convey a completely perfect diet, work-outs, no cheat meals ever etc. which I don't know about you, makes me feel more guilty vs. inspired. The Get In Shape Girl works so hard to help her followers but also shows a great balance in her life!

She recently created a 12-week bikini work-out guide for her followers to purchase and who doesn't want a bikini body, fit body, look great in a dress body, (insert whatever your goal is here body...), etc?! . It is a complete guide full of strength and cardio work-outs. It literally takes ALL the guess work out of working-out. This is a great perk for someone like me who is super busy. I don't have to wonder what I am going to work-out that day or write myself new work-outs.

I have been wanting to try it for a while, but I am sometimes intimidated to try new things or honestly, feel uncomfortable. After some recent correspondence with Kyra, we decided it was time for me to do the work-out guide! I needed to switch it up in the gym. I know how to work-out in the gym but sometimes it gets monotonous and boring doing the same work-outs all the time. Even though many of Kyra's work-outs are things I have done in the past or things I am familiar with it is simply changing around the order I do them and switching days I work certain body parts that will shock my body. Then there is of course, many NEW things I have never done before that catch me off guard and that will definitely be shocking my body!

I am so happy I went for it. I finished day 1 today a sweaty mess and I honestly haven't felt like that during/after a work-out since before the wedding when I was training with Rachael. I am super pumped about creating new changes for my body and bringing my fitness levels up to where I want them to be. I was also challenged and brought outside my comfort zone throughout the whole work-out.
One of my major goals is to get out there more in the fitness world and I NEED to go outside my comfort zone doing this. Apparently doing burpees in public does the trick and makes me feel like I can do anything! haha.

I will continue to keep you all posted on my progress and how the 12 weeks goes!
For any of you interested in trying the guide out with me I will have access to the link most likely tomorrow.
It would be awesome to do this together and keep one another accountable!

I hope you all had a fabulous Make It Happen Monday!!
XOXO,
E

New Schedule

Hello! Happy Sunday :)

Today is actually my "Saturday" because I now go to school Tuesday thru Saturday.
School has been tough to say the least. I was not expecting how mentally draining the long days would be (8:30am-4pm) and how much homework would be involved. My new schedule involves me waking up between 4:30am and 5 in order to get in some AM cardio consisting of running or a circuit work-out. I then eat my breakfast and get ready in order to be out the door and at my sister's house by 7:10.

My sister and I on our 1st day of school! The dress code is ALL black. Not my style but I am getting used to it.

All I can say is thank goodness for the carpool lane, because it takes us about an hour to get to school but only because we can use the carpool lane. I usually eat my 2nd meal in the car on our way and my 3rd meal on our first 10 min break around 10:00am. Lunch is at noon and my second break is at 2:00 pm. This has been nice because I have been packing all my food and get in all my meals at school. Sometimes I drink a protein shake on our way home if I am starving.

This is mannequine 3 of 4, Shakira! haha yes they're all named.

Robbie has been really great about having dinner ready to eat either before or after the gym depending on when we decide to work-out. Fitting in a PM work-out is def the toughest part about my new schedule because I am so exhausted after school. If I wait till after 6:30pm to get to the gym there is a slim to none chance that I won't go but we have been trying really hard to go between 5-6pm. I usually eat dinner and get ready for bed by 8pm and I am asleep no later than 9pm.

The good news is my diet has been pretty on point because I am way too busy to mess it up! I can't afford to eat out or to forget my food so I make sure I pack enough food for the day. By the time I get home, study or do homework, and work-out it is time for bed so I don't get too many cravings before I am passed out.

The bad news, I am so busy that it has been tough getting to the gym and being as dedicated to my blog/fitness page as I used to be. However, starting this week I plan on rededicating myself. I will try to blog at least twice a week to keep all of you updated on school, life, recipes and work-outs. I will also be starting a NEW 12 week work-out program that I am super excited about! I need something to keep me dedicated and motivated in the gym and I think this will def do the trick. Plus my birthday and Halloween are almost here and I want to be looking my best for both.

Sometimes you start new things that interfere with other areas or passions in your life. If they are really passions you will re-evaluate your schedule and make time for my what you love. I love my fitness page and blog and I am going to do my best to continue making it grow even in this year that I will have a crazy schedule with school. I hope you all continue to support my goals!

Have a wonderful Sunday!!
XOXO,
E