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! 

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!

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!)

My Kitchen Workout

I am used to sweating it up in the gym, but today I put a workout in the kitchen!  

My usual fish, chicken, veggies, and sweet or white potato cooking is not a big deal for me. I can whip up these things while I am getting ready for work.

For Shay Shay, this is routine and easy.

But oh today! Today, I tried something new.  While in Augusta, my Teammate B brought salmon cakes he made. He was very generous to share (and later you'll learn just how generous), and while they looked delicious, I did not partake. 

He shared with me his recipe, but the main thing that intrigued me was that he used the sockeye salmon trimmings (what's left after they filet) from the Dekalb Farmers Market. He said that the trimmings are so cheap and perfect for making cakes.

Being Shay Shay, of course I picked up some trimmings while at the market this week.  They looked a little intimidating, but I do okay in the kitchen. I knew I could handle it! And at  $0.49/pound, how could I not at least try!

WELL LET ME TELL YOU!  I see exactly why the trimmings are so darn cheap! Who would charge you for something that takes so much work (oh, wait-personal trainers. LOL!).

I got the trimmings, my gloves, some newspapers, plastic bags, a bowl, and fork and started to picking.  Thankfully, the bones are HUGE so that does help maneuver around them to get the meat. 

Helps, but still a monumental task (I was SWEATING) until I remembered this (ah, Shay Shay next time ask B what HE used to get the meat off the bones/skin):

This little FREE from the grocery store knife SAVED my salmon cake experience!  This little baby made it very simple to just scrape the salmon off the bones and skin.  It also made it easier to make the cakes because the scraping pretty much minced the meat for me!  

This wonderful little knife (the rep at the grocery store was RIGHT ON when she called it the same thing) took my salmon trimmings from this:

to this:

Look at how pretty they are! 

Oh, and they taste great too! 

And YES, all that work for 3 cakes! Thankfully, my plan only allows me to eat one cake. So, I can freeze and enjoy two more times later!

I am glad to have learned about the salmon trimmings from my teammate. And after all that work, he was indeed SUPER GENEROUS to share his cakes. 

At first I was like: I will NEVER do this again. But I just may. You can't beat $0.49/pound. They were delicious, and once I got my handy knife it wasn't that bad.  I will just have to reserve such a task for a day like today when I don't have running around to do and can just chill at the house, cook, watch tennis, eat, cook, watch tennis . . . 

More Pictures Shay Shay!

My Sweetie informed me that his brother says, "if there are no pictures, then it didn't happen."

I do okay with the writing, but I am horrible with posting pictures of my journey.

I am going to do better.

Starting now!

I am working hard, staying on plan, getting lean, and popping out muscle!

This is MY bicep!

Muscle definition may not tickle your fancy, but I think muscles are beautiful when sculpted properly.

As I type I hear the voices:  "I don't like that! That arm looks like a dude!"

Good thing it is my arm and not the arm of those voices!

I am looking forward to seeing where I can take this physique of mine!

I am a LADY who loves HIGH HEELS and short skirts (I'll show my legs later) but also doesn't mind SWEATING, GETTING DIRTY, and GETTING RIPPED!

Following Trainer's Orders

Shay Shay has been one busy lady the last couple weeks!

On top of my usual busy, my Mixed Doubles team and I competed this past weekend at the USTA Georgia State Championships in Augusta.

We were a wildcard team (i.e. we didn't advance to the City Finals; fell short at the semi-finals).  We had a relatively small roster.  We are not spring chickens (LOL! no offense team--just saying).  YET, we are some pretty darn good players, with LOTS OF FIGHT and SPIRIT!

We had 5 round robin matches and went UNDEFEATED in our group!  We sealed our way to the play-offs and had to play 3 matches in ONE DAY (including one against our fellow tennis center and division mates) to get us to the Semi-finals.  We gave it our ALL and LEFT IT ALL ON THE COURTS, but fell short to the team that took it all and won the Championship.

All of that meant that Shay Shay played 6 matches in 4 days!  Did I handle it, endure and perform well? Of course. I am in the best shape of my life for goodness sake!

Well, not matter how in shape I am in, the body still gets tired and worn without adequate rest.  I am there!

Lisa has ordered that I REST for two whole days--no cardio, no weights, no tennis! REST REST REST!

With my Women's team playing in the Semi-finals Sunday (yes, my teams are on a roll!) and physique goals still to accomplish, I am going to follow Lisa's orders.

Without adequate rest, Shay Shay can't maximize performance.

I'm listening Lisa! I'm listening--not just this week but I will practice RESTING every week!

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Journey: 5 years, 2 months

Pounds Lost: 70

Former Body Fat %: 35%+

Current Body Fat %: 21%

Former Dress/Jeans Size: 14/16

Current Dress/Jeans Size: 4


and the journey continues . . .