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Phasing off Ideal Protein

My Beautiful Ideal still exists, I promise! There's just been a lot going on around here...like me Phasing off Ideal Protein. Come read all about whats been going on!

So, the day has come and I am in the process of phasing off of the Ideal Protein diet. A lot of factors went into my decision:

I have been on the diet for a while now…over 3 years.

The cost associated with it wasn’t fitting into my budget (hello new HVAC system.)

I need a minute to reflect back on what I have learned and how my life has changed.

Because of all of this I have decided that stepping…

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Cucumber, Radish, Tomato, and Celery Salad

Cucumber, Radish, Tomato, and Celery Salad!

I really enjoy my subscription to Eating Well. They always provide great recipes to try out. This month’s issue was no different. They shared a recipe for Creamy Cucumber, Radish & Tomato Chopped Salad and I had to give it a go!

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Let's Get Active: Frederick Half Marathon

Guys...I did it! First half marathon is complete!

First of all, I want to apologize…your girl has been busy! Work, life, volunteering, and running has taken. So, the blog posts have been few and far between. Instead of weekly posts, I have barely been able to squeak out something every two weeks. If for some reason you have really been missing my blog posts know that I am working on it. Hopefully, once May and June wrap up I should have some…

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Lately, my running has been more of a stressor than an enjoyable experience for me. I have a half marathon coming up in 10 days…and I have a hip/SI joint who are not team players.

Every time I run my hip and back hurt and I need to take 2-3 days to recover from it before I am able to train again. So, needless to say, my training schedule is basically not happening. I am lucky if I run twice a week.

It is definitely a morale killer when something like this happens. Here is what I have been doing to help with this injury and hopefully (fingers crossed) get this half marathon done.

Before we get into the list of things that I have done to help with my injury…let me give you a little background.

This past summer I injured my back. I have a history of back issues, but this one took the cake for being the worst! If you follow my Instagram you probably saw these pictures.

I was super broke…and spent most of the week in a recliner trying to avoid my back from spasming. And when I finally could walk around comfortably, I still had a lean. Luckily, I was able to bounce back from it pretty quickly – I would say it took about 2 weeks.

After that, I slowly got back into running. I did the Across the Bay 10K and everything was fine.

I did the Turkey Trot 5K and everything was fine.

Then, I started to get serious about training for the 10-miler and half marathon. This is where everything changed. I think between the longer and more frequent runs my back injury from the summer decided to pop up again. Every time I run there is some kind of pain. That 10-miler = pain, especially toward the end. And every training run since that = some sort of pain.

So, to help alleviate that pain and not hurt myself any further, here is what I have been doing to help my back and make it to this half marathon.

1- Going to the chiropractor. Some people like them, some people don’t. I am a huge proponent of this alternative therapy. It has always helped me with my back pain in the past and I have been able to avoid pain killers and muscle relaxers.

2- Going to the acupuncturist. This was recommended to me by my chiropractor over the summer. The needle thing freaked me out at first, but I was in so much pain I would have done anything. Acupuncture really seemed to help and I still go occasionally.

3 – Sports massage. I just added this in recently and it has helped a lot! Come to find out my hips are really, really tight and this is causing the majority of my issues. No matter how much stretching I do on my own I can never quite get in there to get the muscle to relax…however, the massage therapist definitely can! This is 100% a hurts so good situation.

4 – Stretching, rolling, and yoga. Both stretching and yoga are great ways to cross-train while you run. I go to yoga 1-2 times per week and stretch at home all the time. Stretching and watching TV is a great combo 🙂 Also, using a foam roller has helped too.

5- Epsom Salt Baths. This is some hardcore self-care right here. I find taking baths hard because you just have to sit there. I could be doing so many things during that 20-30 minutes. But, I have had to step back and just accept that my body needs that time. I usually listen to an audiobook or put on some YouTube videos to pass the time. Ultimately, this practice has really helped.

6- Heat. I put heat on my back and hip as often as possible. I have a heating pad at my desk, I put the heated seats on in my car, I have another heating pad on when I am sitting on my couch. The heat keeps everything loose and the massage therapist highly recommended I keep this up.

7- Walking. Some days I can’t even fathom running…or if I did run I wouldn’t get very far. So, instead, I walk. This allows me to keep moving but at a much lower impact then the run would be. I feel like I will be doing a lot of walking during this half marathon.

So, those are the main things that I am doing to try and deal with this injury. I really just want to get this half marathon done and revel in my accomplishment.

Mentally, this injury has been hard. I have been stress eating (this is something I suggest NOT doing!) I have been really hard on myself. And, I have thought about backing out of this half marathon about a million times. However, the chiropractor and the massage therapist assure me that I will be able to get through it.

I am really trying hard to frame this whole situation in a positive light…I will accomplish what I set out to do…I will achieve the goal I have set for myself…I would have never been able to do this 100 pounds ago…it doesn’t matter how long it takes, I will get that half marathon done.

Things can only go up from here, right?

  How to Deal: Running with an Injury. Here are the steps I have taken to ensure I don't hurt myself any further. Lately, my running has been more of a stressor than an enjoyable experience for me. I have a half marathon coming up in 10 days...and I have a hip/SI joint who are not team players.

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How to Cook for Two, When Only One of you is Low Carb

How to Cook for Two, When Only One of you is Low Carb!

Lately, I have been on a mission to cook food at home instead of going out. It’s cheaper, I really like cooking, and it can be way better for you.

However, going out works better for me and my boyfriend because we have two very different diets. I am on Ideal Protein – a high protein, low carb/fat diet…my boyfriend on the other hands eats all the carbs!

So, when it comes to meal planning for the…

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I love me a good ol’ Sam’s Club shop! I have had a Sam’s Club Membership for as long as I can remember, whether it was my parent’s membership or mine, and I think its 100% worth it.

As long as you have room in your home, I think buying in bulk is the way to go! I save tons of money on many of the items I routinely buy at Sam’s..and for some of these “routinely” means 1-2 per year!

So, I thought I would share with you some of the items I get when I take a trip to Sam’s! That way you can decide for yourself whether membership to a wholesale club is right for you.

While I will be talking about Sam’s Club in this post, I am sure you would have similar experiences at any of the “wholesale clubs.” So, you may want to try whichever one is closest to you!

Food

Food is one of my favorite things to buy at Sam’s. You just have to be careful with anything perishable. Make sure you either plan to meal prep or freeze everything so nothing goes to waste.

Produce

Being on Ideal Protein I go through A LOT of produce every week. So, going to Sam’s for things like lettuce and broccoli is the way to go. I would be paying these same prices for waaaay smaller bags of these items at the regular grocery store.

Frozen Food

Frozen food items are the best. You buy them, you use them as you need them, and they can be stored in your freezer for the long (ish) haul. My two favorite are the peeled raw shrimp and the fully cooked chicken breasts. If I am ever in a rush to cook dinner these can be cooked and ready in under 30 minutes! My protein for the day is set!

Pantry Staples

As far as pantry items I always go to Rotel (I put that stuff in everything!) and salt and pepper. The salt and pepper grinders are one of those items I only buy about 2 times per year because they are so big!

Cleaning Supplies

No matter what the cleaning product is for, I think Sam’s is the best place to get them. I buy these items rather infrequently and never have to worry about running out!

Here are my 1-2 per year purchases – dishwasher tabs, dusters, trash bags, toilet paper, and paper towels.

Here are the items I buy slightly more frequently – laundry beads, laundry detergent, and toilet bowl cleaner. Not shown but I always buy this way is dryer sheets.

Beauty and Wellness

Beauty and wellness items can get expensive! That’s why I am not afraid to buy them in bulk and even try out the Sam’s Club brand. The store brand is just as good as the name brand stuff and is usually a couple bucks cheaper!

And I really like getting any dental hygiene products at Sam’s because they are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than buying them one at a time!

Clothes

For a long time, I sort of bypassed the clothing section in Sam’s Club. The selection is limited and I didn’t think they would have anything I liked…well I was wrong! If you are looking for workout clothes – leggings, shirts, socks – it’s a great place to look for cheap, reliable items.

Miscellaneous

There are also a lot of miscellaneous items that you can get at Sam’s Club that you might not think about:

Gas – if your club has gas pumps the savings is usually pretty good. Sometimes I have seen up to 10 cents cheaper!

Bedding – the bed sheets they sell at Sam’s Club are top notch! And, I love these pillows they sell there – 2 pillows for under $10!

Books and magazines – if you are headed on vacation and need some reading material this is the place to get it!

Photos – every once in a while I will print out photos I have taken (yeah I am old and still like to have hard copies!) Sam’s is a great place to get them printed. You can upload them online and pick them up in store in about an hour!

And that’s it! Clearly, I really enjoy belonging to a wholesale club…and I think the prices show that I do save money shopping this way.

What is your favorite wholesale club? What are your go-to purchases? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Interested in buying items in bulk? Learn what I buy at my wholesale club. Come Shop with Me @ Sam's Club! I love me a good ol' Sam's Club shop! I have had a Sam's Club Membership for as long as I can remember, whether it was my parent's membership or mine, and I think its 100% worth it.

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Let's Get Active: Mission 10 Miler

Guys...I ran 10 miles the other day! Here is what I thought about it!

My running adventures are continuing! They aren’t fast…I wouldn’t even say they are pretty…but I am getting it done! This past Sunday I survived 10 miles and I was able to check another item off my bucket list! 10 MILES COMPLETE! Thank you to the Frederick Rescue Mission for hosting a great event: The Mission 10 Miler.

During my time running 10 miles…I definitely had some thoughts 🙂 …so I thought…

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What's In My Bag: Yoga Edition

Come be nosy...and learn What's In My Bag: Yoga Edition!

I have been doing a lot of yoga lately! Over the past few months, I have found a new love for flow and hot yoga that I never thought I would have! I go to a great studio that is super welcoming, with great instructors – and I think that is half the battle! Thanks, Sol Yoga! 🙂 Also, yoga is a great compliment to the runs I have been training for. I am forced to stretch things out whether I want to…

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I consume so much cauliflower…I think I might become cauliflower one day! It’s just so versatile and when it comes already riced in the frozen food section it saves me time!

So, this time around I decided to make cauliflower burger buns. Not just any burger buns, EVERYTHING buns! The salty bagel deliciousness with a juicy burger is exactly what I was in the mood for this week!

My favorite cauliflower rice is from Aldi! At $1.89/bag you can’t beat it. I always have a stockpile in my freezer just in case I feel like making pizza, tortillas, or burger buns!

You can find premixed Everything Seasoning everywhere these days too. The container I currently have is from Trader Joe’s, but I have also seen it at Walmart.

These burger buns might take a little time to prepare but they are well worth it if you are low carb, keto, on Ideal Protein, or just trying to make healthier choices.

My favorite part is that they are robust enough that you can pick the burger up and eat it just like you would a normal bun – but there is no flour added at all!

Burgers with Everything Cauliflower Buns (No Flour Added!)

Servings: 4 burgers with buns

Time: 90 minutes

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Recipe by: Jamie Boden at My Beautiful Ideal

Ingredients

3-packages frozen riced cauliflower

3-large eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp dried parsley

Everything Bagel Seasoning

4-quarter pound burgers (beef, turkey, veggie – whatever floats your boat – I used beef this time)

Lettuce leaves

Sliced Tomato

Dill pickle chips

Yellow Mustard

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400-degrees and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare cauliflower according to package and allow to cool so that you can handle it.

Use paper towels to wring all the water out of the cauliflower. You can read more about the technique HERE. The more water you get out the better it will turn out!

Mix the wrung out cauliflower, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley in a bowl until combined.

Portion mixture on to prepared baking sheets. You are looking to make 4 sets of buns or 8 bun halves. The buns should be about 4-5 inches wide and about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Make sure to pack the mixture together the best you can and smooth out the edges.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Then, flip buns over and top with everything bagel seasoning. Bake for another 20 minutes.

Flip the buns one more time and top the other side with everything bagel seasoning. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Once the buns are done allow to cool and prepare the burgers. For beef, I like to have them cooked to medium (over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes each side)- but if you are doing a poultry burger make sure to cook it all the through.

Once the protein is cooked, assemble the burgers! Bottom bun, burger, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, mustard, and top bun!

Enjoy!

Tips: If you want to crisp the buns (maybe they have been in the fridge, etc.) toast them in a toaster oven or in a pan on the top of the stove. They will only need about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Serve with rutabaga fries to have the full “burgers and fries” feeling.

Nutrition: Calories 305, Protein 29.4g, Carbohydrate 8.1g, Dietary Fiber 3.4g, Total Sugars 3.3g, Total Fat 17g.

New Recipe!! Burgers with Everything Cauliflower Buns (No Flour Added!) I consume so much cauliflower...I think I might become cauliflower one day! It's just so versatile and when it comes already riced in the frozen food section it saves me time! 571 more words

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Review: Imperfect Produce

Come read my latest review of Imperfect Produce! A great company with a great mission and a great service - fruits and veggies for everyone!

As someone that eats all the veggies, I am always looking for quality produce at reasonable prices. When half your weekly grocery bill goes toward vegetables every little bit helps.

Recently, I was introduced to the company Imperfect Produce. They provide mail order service of produce that doesn’t meet the cosmetic standards of grocery stores. The produce might not be the prettiest around, but…

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Winter Beauty Essentials

How much snow do you have right now? Winter is still going strong, so come learn about my Winter Beauty Essentials!

This winter seems to be neverending. As this post is going live, Western Maryland is getting a lovely 5-8 inches of snow.

In the meantime, I thought I would share some of my favorite winter beauty essentials. The cold, dry air can certainly do a number on anyone’s skin – this is how I deal with it.

Also, if you follow my Instagramyou would have seen that I applied to be a part of the…

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Here is a new recipe to try! If you are a fan of pho give this one a go! You’re making chicken pho, but with zoodles instead of rice noodles.

This recipe is great for the cold weather when you want to warm up or just want some comfort food. It’s easy to make and is perfect for meal prep and packing lunch.

I recommend eating this soup just like you do traditional pho with a soup spoon and chopsticks. Otherwise, the zoodles can be a bit of a pain with just a spoon.

As you can see in the header image, I like to pack the zoodles separate and add them right before I chow down! That way you don’t get soggy zoodles….no one likes a soggy zood! 🙂

Chicken Zoodle Pho

Servings: 5

Time: 30 minutes

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Recipe by: Jamie Boden at My Beautiful Ideal

Ingredients

2 tbsp, olive oil

3/4 cup, celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

Pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

4 cups, chicken broth

4 cups, water

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and diced

4-5 cups, zoodles

Directions

In a large soup pot, over medium-high heat, heat the oil.

Add celery and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add broth and water. Heat to a boil.

Add chicken to the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

At this point, your broth is ready to go. Only add your zoodles when you are ready to eat the pho. Make sure the broth is hot, add the zoodles, and let sit for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tips: Top with Sriracha, jalapeno, cilantro…basically anything (that is on protocol) that you would put on pho!

Nutrition: Calories 273, Protein 31g, Carbohydrate 6.7g, Dietary Fiber 1.6g, Total Sugars 3.4g, Total Fat 13.4g.

New Recipe! Chicken Zoodle Pho! Here is a new recipe to try! If you are a fan of pho give this one a go!

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Thoughts You Have While Running

We've all had it...the internal monologue while we work out. So here are my "Thoughts You Have While Running." Please feel free to laugh along! Enjoy!

Every time I run I wonder if what I am thinking it normal. Do other people think the things I do? Yes, running is a physical thing. But, I feel like that is only 10% of the equation. The other 90% is purely a mental thing.

So, I decided to share my stream of consciousness with you. My brain is an interesting place…you’re welcome! I pretty much have this same conversation with myself every time I…

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This week I made chicken alfredo.

Now you may be wondering…

“But I thought you recommitted to Ideal Protein?”

“How are you eating the #1 artery clogging food ever made?” 🙂

You should all know me better by now…I made cauliflower alfredo sauce!

My “alfredo” sauce turned out really good. Was it like regular alfredo sauce? No – I don’t think anything could ever be that delicious. But, it did a pretty good job as a stand-in!

The process is pretty straight forward – boil the cauliflower, hit it with some Italian spices, and blend it up.

Chicken 'Alfredo' with Zoodles

Servings: 5

Time: 30 minutes

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Recipe by: Jamie Boden at My Beautiful Ideal

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth

2 medium heads of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided

8 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano, dried

1 tsp basil, dried

1 tsp thyme, dried

1/2 cup milk

2 pounds of chicken breast, cooked

4 large zucchini, spiralized – or buy it ready to go

Directions

In a large pot bring the vegetable broth to a boil.

Add the cauliflower and boil for 7-8 minutes. (If your chicken isn’t already cooked I would start cooking it now so that it is done by the end of the process.)

Reserve 2 cups of the vegetable broth.

Drain the cauliflower of any remaining vegetable broth. Keep to the side for right now.

In the same pot add oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Add cauliflower, 1 cup of the reserved vegetable broth, and milk. You can use the remaining vegetable broth to adjust the consistency of the sauce if needed.

Blend until smooth with an emersion blender – or regular blender just be careful as it will be hot.

In a large skillet saute zucchini with 1 tsp of oil until warmed through – about 4-5 minutes.

Assemble the meal – zucchini topped with sauce and chicken!

Enjoy!

Tips: Extra “alfredo” sauce can be frozen for later use. When making this recipe I only used about 1/2-3/4 of the sauce and froze the rest.

If you want to, and it fits with your eating plan, add about 1/2 cup of fresh parmesan to the sauce.

Nutrition: Calories 541, Protein 85g, Carbohydrate 16g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Total Sugars 7.2g, Total Fat 13.6g.

New recipe is live! Chicken "Alfredo" with Zoodles! This week I made chicken alfredo. Now you may be wondering... "But I thought you recommitted to Ideal Protein…

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10-Miler/Half Marathon Training Schedule

Come Run with Me! 10-Miler/Half Marathon Training Schedule

I have been on a roll lately with the training for my upcoming 10-miler and half marathon. So, I thought I would share what my training schedule looks like! If you’re interested take a look, print out the calendars, and let’s run together!

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Just when I think there is nothing else I can use cauliflower for…I come up with a new idea – Cauliflower Muffins!

Yep! These babies only have 8 ingredients – none of which are bread or cheese. That means these muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, low-carb, and a whole bunch of other diets friendly!

They are super easy to make and hold up well. You can pick them up and they won’t fall apart. I had these with some zoodles and bolognese sauce and they stood in for garlic bread. I feel like they would also be good for breakfast, to serve with soup, or just as a snack!

Cauliflower and Spinach Muffins

Servings: Yields 12 muffins - 2 per serving

Time: 40 minutes

Print

Recipe by: Jamie Boden at My Beautiful Ideal

Ingredients

2 – 12oz frozen riced cauliflower, prepared according to package and wrung out (to learn more about the wringing out process visit this recipe!)

1 – 9 oz frozen chopped spinach, prepared according to package and wrung out

3 large eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp parsley

Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Spray muffin pan liberally with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix all other ingredients together.

Place mixture into muffin pan, filling them to the edge.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Muffins should easily come out of the pan.

Enjoy!

Tips: You could trade out any of the vegetables in the muffins – riced broccoli for the riced cauliflower or bell pepper for the spinach, for example. You could also add in diced ham or ground beef, turkey, or chicken for added protein.

Nutrition: Calories 62, Protein 5.5g, Carbohydrate 4.5g, Dietary Fiber 2.2g, Total Sugars 1.3g, Total Fat 2.8g.

Cauliflower what now? That's right! Cauliflower and Spinach Muffins! Click through to get the recipe! Just when I think there is nothing else I can use cauliflower for...I come up with a new idea - Cauliflower Muffins!

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New Year's Resolutions: 2019

What are your New Year's Resolutions for 2019? Here are my goals for the coming year! We've got this :)

Happy New Year!!

With a new year there comes new goals and resolutions to make 2019 the best year yet. No matter whether you call them goals, aspirations, or resolutions it doesn’t matter. They allow you to work toward something and (hopefully) feel a sense of achievement this time next year.

I decided to share my resolutions with all of you this year so I have some accountability. I have some…