"Healthy" Fast Food?

I hear comments all of the time about how people don't have time to make lunch and take it with them, or how they are always on the go and don't have time to eat healthy.
To that, I say: Get up a little earlier and make yourself lunch, or make it the night before. It really only takes a few minutes, and when you make it, you control what goes into your food.
But, for all of you die-hards that feel you can't give up fast food-guess what? There are actually some healthier choices for you.............So, if the drive-thru is calling to you, go for one of the following:


KFC Small Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

120 calories
4.5g fat, 1g saturated fat
Even when made with milk and butter (some KFCs use these ingredients; others don't), mashed is always better than fried. Don't worry about the gravy; it adds only a few calories and just half a gram of fat.

KFC Original Recipe Drumstick

140 calories

8g fat, 2g saturated fat
Order one regular drumstick (avoid the Extra Crispy, which is just fast-food speak for "extra high in saturated and trans fats"), and fill up on the chain's better-for-you sides, such as baked beans, or a small helping of the next two choices on the list.

KFC Small Potato Salad

180 calories
9g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
Made with red bell peppers, onions, celery, and about a tablespoon of mayo, this is a tasty, trans-fat-free alternative to the deep-fried Potato Wedges.

KFC Small Cole Slaw

190 calories
11g fat, 2g saturated fat
Cole slaw's two main ingredients have a lot going for them: Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber; carrots are chock-full of vitamins A, K, and C and potassium.

KFC Honey BBQ Sandwich

300 calories

6g fat, 1.5g saturated fat

This Southern specialty is actually the lowest-calorie full-size sandwich on the menu.

Taco Bell Fresco Style Crunchy Taco

150 calories
7g fat, 2.5g saturated fat
When you ask for your meal Fresco Style, you get fresh salsa (packed with cancer-fighting lycopene) instead of fatty cheese and sauce. Pair your taco with a safe but filling side (like beans or rice), so you won't be hungry again before you leave the parking lot.

Taco Bell Fresco Style Grilled Steak Soft Taco

170 calories
5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
Although red meat does deliver a little fat, it also adds protein, zinc, iron, and vitamin B12.

Taco Bell Fresco Style Tostada

200 calories
6g fat, 1g saturated fat

Makes a healthy taco alternative.

Pizza Hut 12" Fit 'N Delicious Pizza with Diced Chicken, Red Onion, and Green Pepper

2 slices, 340 calories
9g fat, 4g saturated fat
A  thin crust, lean chicken, and vegetable toppings, plus half the cheese of the regular Thin 'N Crispy Pizza.

Pizza Hut 12" Veggie Lover's Hand-Tossed Pizza

1 slice, 220 calories
6g fat, 3g saturated fat
One slice is sometimes just as satisfying as more, as long as it has a thick crust and a full allotment of cheese. Though not quite as light as the Fit 'N Delicious, the Hand-Tossed pies are still lower in calories than its deep-dish pan pizzas.

Wendy's Jr. Hamburger

280 calories
9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat

Skip the side of fries and have a Low-Fat Strawberry Flavored Yogurt with Granola Topping (250 calories) for dessert.

Wendy's Large Chili

330 calories
9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat
Packed with folate-, iron- and fiber-rich beans, the 12-ounce serving will fill you up. Round out your meal with a Mandarin Orange Cup (80 calories).

Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill

360 calories
7g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
It has half the fat of Wendy's other non-burger sandwiches, thanks to Honey Mustard Sauce instead of mayo and grilling instead of deep-frying.

Unhealthiest Fast Foods:
In reality, fast food isn't really all that healthy. Most of the food is packed with calories, fat and sodium. The above are the healthiest and best choices. The following are the worst and most unhealthy choices you could put into your body. The foods to avoid are:

Quizno's Tuna Melt Combo-1,900 calories
Wendy's Triple Baconator Value Meal-1,850 calories
Burger King's Triple Whopper w/Cheese Value Meal-1,800 calories
McDonald's Big Breakfast Platter-1,370 calories, 65 grams of fat

You don't have to stop eating fast food, just make smarter choices when ordering. Instead of fries, get a side salad or fruit. Instead of the triple burger, get a junior burger with a side of yogurt or fruit. Instead of the large or extra large drink, go for a small-or, drink water. By making smarter choices, you eliminate most of the calories and fat, and you walk away without feeling like there's a lead ball in your stomach. Your body will thank you.

My Sister, My Inspiration

I would like to introduce you to my kid sister, Stacy. She is two years younger than me, and we are very close. She is one of my best friends, and she has always inspired me to be better in everything I do.
 Although we are similar in many ways, we differ in quite a few. Up until now, one of those differences has been sports. She was the soccer and softball player; I ran track. I fell in love with running, Stacy did not.

This is at the Pink 5K in Alpine, Utah. The all-women's race was this last Saturday, and guess what? My sister ran it! This was her first race ever, and she did fantastic! She has been training so hard over the past two months- she ran in rain, snow, wind and sun. She toughed it out through her shin splints and the mental wall that told her she couldn't do it. She didn't quit, even when she wanted to the most. She made it through the sore muscles and joints, and she completed the mileage three times before the actual race. Then, on race day-she pushed herself even further and improved her fastest time by eight minutes!
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, STACY! :D
Stacy proved to herself that she could do it. She made a commitment, set a goal, and didn't quit until that goal was accomplished. She even told me that she will make this an annual thing for her to get out of her winter slump. (That's how it starts, Stacy)
I'm not the only one working on Stacy. She actually talked two of her friends into running the 5K with her, and the funny thing is they have both found they enjoy running, while Stacy still claims she is not a fan. We are all trying to talk her into running the Pink 10K in Logan this August. We'll see........ :) There is PLENTY of time to train for it.............
I love my sister and I really am proud of all she has accomplished. Once again she has shown me that when I am ready to pack it all up and give in, that I can push myself a little further and a little more, and that I can find it within myself to do whatever I put my mind to. Thank you Stacy for being my inspiration and example!

Much To Talk About

I have so many things I want to share with you, and I have started at least a dozen posts so I don't forget..........
However, it's going to be a few more days before I can get to any of them. Between kids, finals, training and tying up all the loose ends before the race this weekend (who knew that there are so many little details to take care of), I have barely had time to breathe-let alone blog. :)
I will give you a few clues as to what's coming up over the next few weeks:

*Healthy Fast Food (yes, it's possible)
* Race stories & pictures
*Trials & Triumphs
*New Favorite Recipes
*Inspiration & Motivation
*Fun Workout Playlists
*Workout must-haves
*Getting Ready for your best summer yet
*Think Outside the Box
*The Latest & Best workout gear

Anyway, don't go far- new posts will begin SOON.....and I can't wait! :)

Fear

Fear.

It's a double-edged sword. Your senses reach a heightened state. It makes your heart pound so hard it feels like it's going to burst out of your chest. Your palms get cold and clammy. Your stomach starts turning into knots. The "Fight or Flight" mode kicks in, and sometimes it just completely paralyzes you. There are times you feel like you can't breath and you're going to die. At times, it turns out to be nothing at all. Other times, it saves your life. 

Everyone is afraid of something, whether they want to admit it or not. They usually aren't major fears, and to some those fears just become more like annoyances. A lot of people are able to overcome their fear, and hats off to them for doing so.

Me-well, I have TWO fears, and I can only wish they were as minor as an annoyance. However, my fears are actual phobias and I have tried to overcome them. 

My first fear- Snakes. 

Just typing the word sends chills down my spine. I have had this phobia since I was a toddler, and yes- I have touched and held snakes before, and yes, that has only intensified my fear. Now, minoring in psychology, I know it's all in my head. Believe me, I have psycho-analyzed myself inside and out over every aspect of my life. I have looked high and low for ways to overcome my phobias. No luck.

Just to prove that I have tried to overcome my fear of snakes, I will provide you with a picture. Last year for my son's 5th birthday, I had a company called Scales-N-Tales come to our house for his party. Now, spiders, lizards and turtles don't bother me-it's the legless scaly things that fill me with fear. 

Anyway, there were kids everywhere, and they were loving the animals. Shane, the owner was great. He was very interactive with the kids and the animals, and unfortunately, me. As the birthday boy's mom, I had the "privilege" of helping Alex hold the animals. First, there was the 6 inch snake......gulp.........next, there was the 3 ft.  snake..........as it wrapped it's tail around my arm, I jumped and let out a yelp. The kids laughed-I wanted to cry. Next.........the 6 ft. snake. The kids oohed and aahed; I was shaking and trying not to throw up. And, finally............"Oh, Brandy I am going to need your help with this. Just hold the middle as I get the head"........What?!

 Oh yeah, I had a 15 ft. python in my hands, and just the part I was holding felt like it weighed almost as much as I did. We carried this thing over to a line of children whose arms were outstretched and waiting to each hold a portion of the giant snake. I have photos of me with tears going down my face. I was shaking, my stomach was in knots-I wanted to die!!!! But, I lived through it. I won't do it again. Even my 60 lb. dog ran for cover when she saw it. To make matters worse, my daughter had the freaking snake wrapped around her, with it's head next to her face like she was cuddling with a puppy. That thing was big enough to eat her for lunch........GROSS!!!! 

My second fear: Water. 

OK, more like a specific creature in the water. I have one word for you: JAWS.

Again, for most normal people, it was a scary movie but they got over it and moved on. Not me. I was nine years old when I saw it, and to this day I am terrified of sharks. If I can't see or touch the bottom of the water, then good luck getting me in. Yes, I have tried to overcome that fear (I also have pictures of this), and yes, I still have that fear. I went swimming with dolphins while I was in the Bahamas, and I was in water that I could not see or touch the bottom of. Swimming with dolphins has always been something I've wanted to do. It was an exciting and terrifying 30 minutes for me. Although I loved this experience, there was fear lurking in the back of my mind. I just had to keep myself preoccupied with the dolphins........

I have also touched a shark (although it was only about 2 ft. long). That was a huge deal for me. Freaked me out.

My whole point to this is...........I have several friends who are trying to get me to commit to a triathlon. Just like my marathon story (which I will share with you soon), it has never been a dream of mine to compete in a triathlon-Until last September. I had just started working for a local running & triathlon magazine, and my friend/boss was competing in the Kokopelli Triathlon, in Southern Utah. It was the first triathlon I had ever seen, and it was amazing. I was so caught up in the moment that I found myself committing to do one. I figured that if 12 year-old kids were doing it, and people of all sizes and ages were doing it, then I had no excuse. 

Well, here we are, seven months later...............and my friends want me to commit to the Echo Tri in July. My hang up? The water, of course. I can do the cycling and running part. It's the freaking water that I can't get past! My friend Kyle, who is an awesome triathlete and a fantastic swimmer, has agreed to coach me. But first, I have to learn how to swim-and overcome my fear. Oh, I can kind of swim, but if my kids were to drown there would be no way I could save them. I'm pathetic, I know. 

I really want to do this, but just thinking about getting into open water with hundreds of other swimmers and all sorts of chaos, freaks me out. My stomach is turning just trying to tell you about this.

I have two questions for you:

1- Is there a fear (minor or major) that you haven't conquered?

2-Do you have any suggestions on how I can overcome this fear? I really am asking for help. I refuse to let my fear win. 

*Just a side-note: I am well aware that there are no sharks lurking in any of the lakes or pools in Utah. :)
However, just knowing that I can't see or touch the bottom......well, my imagination still manages to get the best of me, and I panic. 

Let's Talk Food.......

Does what you eat really affect the way you feel? 
Oh, you bet it does!!!!!
 I know this not only from hours and hours of research and studying, but from
personal experience as well.
Case-in-point: I decided to "let my guard down" and enjoy a weekend of movies and junk with my kids.
Just so you all know, this is a rare thing for me to do. Not the enjoying the weekend with my kids-the junk food part. It wasn't always that way. There was a time when I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and I didn't care or pay attention to what the consequences were. Then I learned to care.
Anyway, back to this past weekend. I actually broke down and drank a carbonated, caffeinated beverage-and felt sick to my stomach for hours afterward.
I ate pizza, chocolate, licorice, Swedish fish-pretty much anything that was in my face. Within an hour, I was feeling sick to my stomach. My body was on such a sugar high that it didn't know what to do. Then, it happened.......I came off that sugar high, and my body crashed. For the remainder of the weekend, I felt sluggish and tired. My joints felt stiff, my stomach hurt and I was irritable. I had no motivation to do anything other than be lazy. Not only that, but my clothes fit tighter than usual, which didn't help with my irritable mood.
Then, I really paid the price for it this morning, when I went to work with my trainer. From the get-go I had almost no strength or energy for the workout my body was being put through. I seriously struggled both physically and mentally. Before the workout was even half over, I vowed to never again eat junk. I promised to be good forever. I don't ever want to experience that Hell again.

So, back to food. I can promise you this: by eliminating carbonation, cutting back on high-sugar, high-fat, high-sodium and processed foods, and replacing them with more fruit, vegetables and lean meats such as chicken (white meat) and turkey- all with portion control, and drinking plenty of water, not only will you most likely lose weight, but your body will begin to have more energy for longer periods of time. You won't  go through the energy yo-yo that sugar puts you through. Your joints and your stomach will function better than they do now.

If you find that you can't do all of it at once, start with eliminating the carbonation. (What? No more Diet Coke?! Oh, No!) Yes. Plain and simple-carbonation is bad for you. I don't care if it's diet or not, it's bad. It's not good for your joints or your digestive system. Plus, did you know that the average person drinks enough soda throughout the year that it can make as much as a 15 lb. difference in their weight? Yeah, it needs to go.

If you can't stand drinking plain water, then add the Special K Protein Drink Mix (I like the Pink Lemonade flavor) or some Crystal Light. When you feel your sweet tooth coming on, reach for some fruit instead of those cookies, brownies or pop tarts. I have found that I eat what is readily available in my house- if fruit is available, I eat it. If cookies are available, I eat it. So, I don't keep the fattening sweets available. I have a bowl of apples, oranges, bananas and kiwi on my table at all times. I have also found that what I eat, my kids eat. They eat healthier when I do, and so I try to lead by example.

Next, cut back on red meat and eat more lean white meat. It is easier for your body to digest and it's healthier for your heart. Now for grains: start by replacing the white bread with whole wheat, and eventually to whole grain bread. Replace white rice with brown rice. Regular pasta with whole wheat or whole grain pasta.
Yes, it may take some getting used to-that's why I said do it gradually. It was an adjustment for my family, but within a few weeks, they were used to it and now, love all of it.

Just by doing these simple things, you are more likely to lose weight, have more energy, and decrease your risks for diseases like Heart Disease, Type II Diabetes and certain types of Cancer and Stroke, just to name a few. Yes, food does make a difference in how you feel and how you perform. Food also makes a difference in the quality of life you want to have. It's not too late to start making those changes in your life.

What's Your Motivation?

*I want to look great in a bikini this summer

*I want to fit in skinny jeans

*I want to be able to take my shirt off and not feel self conscious

*I want to have enough energy to keep up with my kids

*I want to run RAGNAR 

*I want to feel better about myself

*I am sick of feeling like crap

*I am tired of not being able to do the things I used to do

These are some of the replies I hear from people when I ask them what's motivating them to become healthier.

The reasons are different and very personal, for everyone. In all honesty, it doesn't matter what your motivation is-it can be anything. What matters is that you find what motivates you and you act on it. You may even find that what motivates you in the beginning may be something different than what will motivate you later on. 

For me; well my motivation changes from time to time. My initial motivation came from two friends of mine who talked me into running my first marathon. This is a story for another time, but long-story-short; it was a disaster. I couldn't bend my knee for a week, nor could I run for a month afterwards. It was a bittersweet time: I was crushed because of how horrible it went, yet proud of myself for even finishing. Within 1 hour after crossing the finish line, I announced that I was going to run marathon #2 the following year-that was my new motivation. I was determined to make it the best experience that I could. That was almost four years ago, and I continue to find new motivation and make new goals all the time. My key motivator in everything? My kids.   

What is your motivation? Really, what is it that will get you to take that leap?

 Are you tired of feeling exhausted all of the time? Are you just looking to tighten up those "soft spots"? Are you looking to get out of a rut? Or, is it something else?
I encourage you to take a few minutes and think about the things that are most important to you, and you'll find your motivation hiding in there somewhere. 

Once you find that motivation, write it down and place it where you can see it every day. Then, make an action plan and place it next to your motivation. The next step: get going. Why wait? Your health is worth working on now. 

Shedding the Winter Blahs

I don't know about anyone else, but I am so ready for the cold weather to be gone. This week has been heaven-the weather, perfect. I have been able to break free from the indoor track and take my feet and mind to the great outdoors. There is a sense of freedom that comes with running outside, and I LOVE IT!
If you are anything like me, you tend to hibernate once the weather gets below 60, ok maybe 70 degrees. The colder the weather gets, the faster your motivation to stay active, disappears. Why exercise when you can stay in a nice, warm bed and cuddle up to some hot chocolate and a good book?!
Well, that time has ended. YAY! Don't get me wrong, I like hot chocolate and a good book, but I am a very active person and after awhile I go stir crazy if I can't be out in the sun. (Don't ask why I live in Utah, then. Love it here for many reasons, but the snow is not one of them).
I have to admit, I struggle to stay motivated during the winter. I have to constantly remind myself how hard I've worked throughout the rest of the year, and that stopping  for 4 months will only throw me backwards. I get tempted to eat unhealthy because of my lack of motivation, but then I feel worse if I cave into the junk food. Trust me, it is much easier to maintain than it is to stop and start over again. However, it is better to stop and start again, than to never start up at all. I look forward to spring because it is much easier to find my motivation and stay in "my happy place".
So, people- do you find that you get stuck with the winter blahs? If so, now is the time to get out of hibernation, shed those blahs, find your motivation and get moving again. SPRING IS HERE-Enjoy it! :-)