Sushi Bowls

A few years ago I lived in California for a little over 6 months and my sushi obsession began. You could get all you can eat sushi in just about every city and I used to grubbbb. Now, living in Oklahoma, I crave it often but cannot get all you can eat (meaning the sushi in Oklahoma is basically not worth my time or money..haha just kidding but to be fair it’s just not the same) so I make it at home. Although I love to make it, It can be very time-consuming to roll sushi for just myself. (Ryan is the pickiest eater EVER-won’t even look at it. LOL) The last time I was craving sushi I had every intention to make a few rolls until I realized I didn’t have any saran wrap and well… throwing everything in a bowl was easier.

It’s my new go-to and definitely saves me lots of time!

• Sushi rice
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Wasabi paste
• Soy sauce
• Sriracha
• Mayo

Sunday’s Spent Making Macramé’s

Y’all. I have gone crazy with DIY projects lately. I’m obsessed and can’t stop, won’t stop!! I have even created a DIY section on my blog.

My latest obsession is all things macramé’s. I think they are so beautiful and add such a boho feel to a room.

Yesterday I made two macrame plant holders and love the way they turned out. I am in search of all white glass pots to fill these with a viney plant or even some succulents (preferably low maintenance since I have struggled in the past to keep them alive).

Anyways, enjoy and let me know if a tutorial would be useful!

 

 

Counting Macros Day One & Two. DID I FAIL? Fourth Of July Shenanigans

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty (anyone play HQ trivia??) If you download it use my code lexrussell5 to give ya girl a free life.

 

Day One of counting macros was a toughy. Just because I am used to eating whatever I want, with caution. So I would reach for something but my discipline would shake its pointer finger at me similar to what I do to my puppy when she is trying to hide her bone in my clean laundry.

 I tracked all of my food using #MyfitnessPal which makes it easy to input exactly what I am eating.

 

Day One: 

Breakfast: Lots of fruit (Watermelon and Strawberries) Not weighed but used my best judgment. One cup of each. With black coffee.

Lunch: Baked salmon and quinoa. 90 Grams of each

 

Snack:  Watermelon and #Quaker ranch rice crisps.

 

Dinner: Taco Mayo. JUDGE ME haha. Just kidding but I actually do think I still hit or stayed under my macros for the day. I had a cilantro rice bowl and chicken and a chicken /rice burrito. 😛

 

Woke up weighting 130lbs. One pound lighter than the previous day. I was soon hungry but I felt good!

Day Two: Fourth of July!!!

Breakfast: Sausage and bacon breakfast tacos made with lots of #Velveeta cheese and a flour tortilla. ***The take away here is I only ate one taco when honestly I could have eaten 12 AND I’m not perfect. This should give you validation that if you want the damn taco EAT THE DAMN TACO!!!

Lunch: McAlister’s in OKC. I had half a salad with ranch and half a sandwich.

Snack: Ranch dip with ruffles and like 10 hot cheetos. (Could have eaten the whole bag but selffffff control, rightttt?)

Dinner: Pork loin with BBQ sauce and a few potatoes from a bag of precooked microwavable …you know…they sucked so I only had a few.

Woke up weighing 131lbs. Grubbed yesterday so it makes sense and I am not upset about it at all!

**A few notes: 

1. If you are eating something “unhealthy” the fact that you realize it is AWESOME. Which means you probably understand that YES you can have it and you SHOULD but you also need to keep in mind how important portion control is. 
2. You are not perfect nor should you act like it. Enjoy time with your family. Eat the hotdog, drink the margarita. One bad meal isn’t going to make you fat like one healthy meal won’t make you skinny. It’s a process.
3. Don’t quit! Even if the scale hasn’t moved, that doesn’t mean you’re not making progress. Take some progress pictures, choose healthy options day by day, and don’t be so hard on yourself! 

Thursday 7/5/2018: I am eating lots of watermelon, drinking lots of water, and chugging coffee like it’s going out of style this morning.

 

 

AND JUST LIKE THAT: I’m Counting My Macros

‘Ello, Hi, Hey, What’s up you guys!! – Yesterday I posted a long blog post about my experience with counting macros. You can read it here!

WELLLLLL. . . . . Actual crickets……

I have decided to count my macros for 2-3 weeks and blog though the entire process! It can be tough and really overwhelming to count your macros so I wanted to make a guide and explain everything while I do it! Also,,,, I may have something really exciting coming up that I want to lose a little bit of weight for.

I have been making a conscious effort to eat WAY more veggies and fruits and stray away from meats apart from fish. That is not to say I am not eating meats, just not as much of it.

Each day for 2-3 weeks I’ll post:

• What I am eating/drinking
• How much I am eating
• What I use to keep myself on track
• Cardio/Workouts
• How I am feeling each day
• Pictures/ weight each day

I am so excited, Y’all! It has been what feels like sooooo long since I’ve counted my macros and stuck to it. I’m excited to have a different experience than my last and I am eager to add a little more disciple into my diet and share it with you all while prepping for something exciting! EKKK!

Let’s do this!!

Getting Real About Counting Macros

MACRONUTRIENTS, Macros, tracking your food, #myfitnesspal, SO many different names..one meaning. If you don’t know what counting macronutrients is, here is an article that explains it. In Alexis’ terms it’s tracking the fats, carbs and proteins you are putting into your body every, single day. Monitoring this helps you from over-eating, KNOWING what you are eating and how much you should be eating, to hit your goals!

 A few years ago, when I was overly OBSESSIVE about what I put into my mouth, I hired a coach to help me adjust my macros daily to reach my goals. I wanted to learn about counting macros for my specific body so that in the future I could do it on my own.

 

Basically I paid him $100 every month for seven months and he told me exactly how many grams of fats, carbs, and protein I could have in a day. From there I would weigh my foods each day to make sure I hit my numbers as closely as possible. (Hannah, if you’re reading this- God Bless your family for dealing with me doing this every meal) He adjusted my numbers, as needed, depending on my report for the day. (How I was feeling, if I was lifting, doing cardio, hungry, not hungry, etc.)  When I was lean enough (I think my weight was 124) then I “reverse dieted”. (The main reason started to reverse diet was because I was literally miserable. Had zero energy, eating very little, so I said F*** this and told him I was ready to reverse it- AKA start eating more)

 

YES, I hit my goals. NO, it was not worth it. Still to this day I am ALWAYS thinking about food. Healthy foods, poor choices of foods, snacks, what/when I will eat next, the macros in every single thing I eat, etc. I turned even more obsessive and it was exhausting!

 

*The coach I was working with had me dieting for almost 18 weeks so I believe that is what went wrong.*

 

The only way I would ever count my macros again or recommend someone else count their macros is if:

• I was trying to stay on track with my eating for a short period of time. Tops 4-5 weeks. For example- If I was going to be beach in a month and wanted to lose a little bit of weight.

OR

 

• You are new to working out and eating healthy and you need to learn the macros of foods you are putting in your body and how much you can have of those foods to still hit your goals.

Just like anything else on my page I encourage you to do your research! You don’t have to count your macros to lose weight. Take a step back, analyze what foods you are putting into your body on a daily basis and make adjustments as needed. Focus on whole foods full of nutrients!

x

 

 

26 Minute Workouts- No Gym Needed

5 minute warm up-
 30 second jog in place
25 second jump rope in place
30 second jump with both feet together over imaginary line
Stretch any muscles that you feel need to be stretched
Glute activation using resistance band

Monday – 3 Rounds
1 minute squat jumps into sumo squat jumps 
10 each leg Chair/bench step ups 
30 Seconds full sit ups
20 Walking lunges Holding 10 lbs above head  
25 10 lb squat thrusts
25 10 lb RDL

Tuesday- 3 Rounds
30 seconds high knees in place
10 lateral raises/10 front raises  
30 seconds 2 feet hop over imaginary line
30 Mountain climbers
20 Chair dips
30 frog pumps

Wednesday- 3 rounds
1 minute 10 lb front squat- slow and controlled 
20 10 lb sumo deadlifts
25 jump lunges or in place lunges
30 chair squats
35 Body squats

Thursday – 3 rounds
30 second squat thrusts 
30 seconds high knees into 30 second butt kicks- no rest
30 sit ups
30 toe touches (legs up in the air)
30 frog pumps
30 second imaginary jump rope

Friday- 3 Rounds
20 jump squats
1 minute sumo dead lifts with 10lb weights
10 push ups- fall to knees if necessary 
15 10lb squat thrusts
20 10lb RDL

Saturday
8 Burpees
30 10lb DB dead lifts
10 squat thrusts- holding weight  
8 Burpees
25 10lb DB deadlifts
10 squat thrusts- holding weight
8 Burpees
15 10lb DB deadlifts

 

Sunday
Rest/stretch/ go for a long walk/run
Questions? Send me an email: lexrussellblog@gmail.com

26 Minutes A Day Workouts

M – 3 Rounds

30 Band pumps leaned back/ 30 upright/ 30 leaned forward

30 Squats with resistance band on- Push knees out

1 Minute plank

30 Frog pumps

10 Each leg Reverse curtsy lunge

 

 T- 3 Rounds

10 Push ups- fall to your knees if needed

15 Lateral raises /15 front raises

10 Each leg reverse lunge- Body Weight

25 Jump squats

 

6 Burpees

 

W- 4 rounds

45 Second 10 lb front squat

15 10 lb Sumo deadlifts

12 10 lb Front squat

30 Second frog pumps

15 Body squats  

 

T – 4 rounds

30 Band pumps leaned back/ 30 upright/ 30 leaned forward

1 Minute wall sit

30 Jump squats

30 Seconds jumping jacks

30 Toe touches (legs up in the air)

1 Minute plank

 

 F- 4 Rounds

30 second high knees

10 Push ups- Fall to knees if needed

12 10lb Front Squat 

8 Each leg Chair step ups

15 10lb RDL

10 Each leg Reverse curtsy lunge

 

S

6 Burpees

16 10lb DB dead lifts

6 Burpees

15 10lb DB deadlifts

6 Burpees

14 10lb DB deadlifts

6 Burpees

 

Su

Rest/stretch/ go for a long walk/run

 

 

 

 

 

BBQ Pulled Pork And Fresh Pineapple Pico De Gallo

The easiest BBQ pulled pork comin’ at ya with fresh pineapple Pico De Gallo!

 

If there is one thing you must know about me it’s that when I’m  in the kitchen, more often than not, I do not measure things. I eyeball just about everything and I’ve done it for years! LOL.  I know what you’re thinking…. Yes, it has gotten me into trouble a few times but no, I have not stopped doing it.

I also adjust all recipes to taste. 

For the pulled pork you will need:

Pork tinderlion

About 2 teaspoons of Paprika

About 1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

About 1 teaspoon Salt/Pepper to taste

About 1/2 Cup Water

For the Pineapple Pico de gallo you will need:

About 1/2  a Pineapple, in small cubes

2 Roma Tomatoes, in small cubes

The juice from half a large lime- to taste

1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

1 Jalapano, rinsed, seeded and minced

Salt/Pepper to taste

Cooking the pulled pork:

Place pork tenderloin, paprika, BBQ Sauce, and Salt/Pepper in crock pot on high for 6 hours.

Reduce heat to low, shred pork, cook on low for 1 more hour.

Whipping together pineapple pico:

Combine pineapple, tomato, jalapeño and garlic. Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste

 

Products I’m Trying And Loving

Coconut oil: Lately I have been working on getting more healthy fats into my diet. I like to add a tablespoon of coconut oil to my smoothie every morning. Handful of frozen fruit, water or almond milk, coconut oil, protein powder, collagen, flax seeds, and spinach. I always reach for cold pressed and unrefined coconut oil. 

Vital Collagen: You guys…this stuff is the real deal. I have noticed lots of new hair growth on my head, my nails grow so fast, my eyebrows are out of control and I have to shave every other day when I used to shave maybe once every two weeks. It’s flavorless so I add it to my shake or orange juice in the mornings.

Reishi Tincture: This stuff is…interesting BUT I really, really like it. It makes you feel very calm. I am all about natural medicine and will basically try anything after doing my research. You can read about some of the benefits here. The Etsy shop is called NorthCoveMushrooms. If you are feeling any kind of imbalance or you need some help sleeping, this stuff if your friend! In fact, I used to take this in the mornings with my smoothie but it was making me feel sleepy so I take it before bed now.

 Coty Airspun  face brightening powder is goooood. I don’t really wear much make up but when I do, I like to brighten my under eyes because I have hereditary dark circles. It’s $6 and you can thank me later ;). You can get it on Amazon but I found it slightly cheaper at my local grocery store. I have the color Translucent.

Flaxseed: Like I mentioned above I love just about all things natural medicine. I truly believe the power of a healthy diet is underestimated and food is medicine. I have been working really hard to filter out about 90% of sugar and processed foods from my diet and when I can include healthier options. Flaxseed in my smoothie is a game changer. At first I wasn’t too sure I’d enjoy the taste, I read about how they have an earthy taste and some people try to mask the flavor but they actually go really well with the other ingredients in my smoothie! I encourage you to research the benefits and try them in your protein shake or smoothie.

What products are you trying and loving??

26 Minute Home Workouts- Week 6

Week 6! You’ve completed 6/8 weeks in the program! I’ve added a few new exercises this week. It is important to make sure your form is perfect and to perform the exercises slow and controlled. If you have any questions please reach out to me. Go kill it this week!

M – 3 Rounds

30 Band pumps leaned back/ 30 upright/ 30 leaned forward

12 Dumbbell swings

8 Each leg Step Ups

15  10 lb Squat thrusts

25 Jumping Jacks 

30 Second High knees in place 

 

T- 3 Rounds

15 Chair dips

30 Second High knees in place

15 Squats to Sumo Squats

12 Overhead Tricep Extensions 

20 Bicep curls 

20 Jumping Jacks

20 Imaginary line jumps

 

 W- 3 rounds

30 Band pumps leaned back/ 30 upright/ 30 leaned forward

10 Overhead press 

10 DB Upright Row

10 Each leg Jump Lunge

10 Each leg RDL

20 Weighted Deadlift

45 Second wall sit

 

Th – 3 rounds

15 Body Squats 

18 Jump squats

15 Bicep Curl to Shoulder Press 

30 Sit ups

20 Second ab flutters 

1 Minute plank

  F- 3 Rounds

30 second high knees in place

15 front squats 

30 mountain climbers

30 second butt kicks in place 

20 10lb RDL

10 Jump squats 

S

5 Burpees

10 Weighted Deadlifts

6 Burpees

10 Weighted Deadlifts 

7 Burpees

10 Weighted Deadlifts 

8 Burpees

10 Weighted Deadlifts 

8 Burpees

10 Weighted Deadlifts 

Su

Rest/stretch/ go for a long walk/run