Saturday, September 15, 2012

Pure Delight!

For some time now, I have really been watching my sodium intake among other non-herbal additives.  My mantra when I go out to eat (when I am sticking to plan as I should) has been: no butter, no oil, no salt, please. 

While many may think that this would make for really bland meals, I am finding what I am now going to call PURE DELIGHT in the rich, but simple, pretty much, unadulterated flavor of clean food. 

I really have trained my taste buds to uncover this Pure Delight.  If there is even a smidgen of salt, my taste buds (and many times my head--headaches) get overwhelmed.

Finding this Pure Delight makes it super simple to stick to my eat-clean lifestyle AND enjoy my meals! Shay Shay is and has always been (since the days in my grandmother Omia's kitchen) a FOODIE! 

To give you a sense of this Pure Delight let's look at my lunch out with my colleagues yesterday to Miller Union--www.millerunion.com.  I was tempted to pass because I wanted to get back to my tighter clean eating after about 7 days of vacation, but I enjoy getting out of the office with my group.  Passing--especially on a beautiful Friday afternoon was not really going to happen. I had to make it work.

I contemplated eating at my desk prior to leaving and just getting tea--maybe a salad--at Miller Union.

Instead of "being weird" I decided preview the restaurant menu and determine what I could work and then called the restaurant to ask if they would be able to accommodate me.  

Of course they could!  

I chose the trout from on entree, the green beans from another, and the farro (after being told the butternut squash already had been prepped in butter)-- ALL with NO BUTTER, NO OIL, NO SALT!

PURE DELIGHT!


I absolutely enjoyed it AND stayed on plan!  

PURE DELIGHT! 

Friday, September 14, 2012

Back and Back on Track

Oh what a wonderful time I had in the beautiful Coachella Valley this past week!


Beautiful Historic LaQuinta Resort and Club

I am back in ATL and back to my routine of strict clean eating and workouts (although I don't pick up with Lisa at Boutique Body Fitness until next week).

To help me get back on my strict clean eating track, I hit up the Dekalb International Farmer's Market and tried some new things including Monk Fish--baked it and it was yummy, and I spruced up my tuna a bit with some fresh basil, tomatoes, artichokes, dill, celery seed, and champagne vinegar (which is yummy with no calories, no salt--just taste!)



When I get settled in a little more I will be doing a couple posts on my Coachella Valley Adventure, including the food, fitness, and fun!

Stay Tuned!

Until then, Shay Shay will be running the Black Girls Run Drive to End Hunger 5K (looking to get a personal best) and playing my first match of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Season and continuing to work on Getting and Keeping it Tight!



Monday, September 3, 2012

Adventures in Shay Shay Travel: The US Open!

Happy Labor Day!

I just finished watching Serena Williams beat her opponent hands down 6-0, 6-0 and now watching some incredible doubles play by the Bryan Brothers. Oh how I LOVE this GAME!

I had the wonderful fortune to spend time in NYC for the 2012 US Open! I saw so many awesome players do their thing on the court. For me, the US Open was like the Super Bowl, March Madness, the Olympic Games, the World Cup and World Series(and any other major sporting event/series) ALL IN ONE!


If only I had figured out the darn zoom function on my iPhone camera! I could have gotten some awesome shots--like a closer up of the Williams Sisters:


While I've been told that if I don't have pictures on this blog, then it didn't happen, I KNOW I saw:  the Williams Sisters, the  Bryan Brothers, Federer, Murray, Tsonga, Bartoli, Stouser, Sloan Stephens, and Sharapova to just name a few. 

What DID happen is that I was totally prepared to stay on my plan while at the Open. We pretty much stayed ALL DAY and NIGHT and the healthy food choices are limited and EXPENSIVE and not on plan.  



 Here is my cooler. Packed up with enough lean protein, veggies, complex carbs, and sugar-free gum for the ENTIRE trip! Tip: frozen ice packs are totally TSA Security friendly. I only bought one full meal the entire trip! It SAVED me in so many ways!

With storage bags and foil, getting in all my clean meals was virtually hassle free!







    And, of course I got in my workouts!  I even pushed myself harder than I have ever done during my treadmill circuit workout. I am no longer afraid of 7.0 sprints?!?! Not Shay Shay Baaabbbbyyyy! 

Shay Shay is proving that I can vacation, enjoy myself and NOT COMPROMISE my overall healthy, fit lifestyle. This makes me extremely proud and happy.

I look forward to my next adventure.  Until then, here is a picture that I just think is way cool that happened totally by accident. Shay Shay's silhouette against the US Open lighted logo. My last moment on the grounds of Billy Jean King Stadium.



And this is me at the Historic Lenox Lounge in Harlem having a little post-US Open fun!  I got my dance (and extra cardio in for sure!)