Co-Op
Since we've all been trying to eat a little healthier... Here's something that's really helped me...
We've been part of a produce co-op for almost a year now. I LOVE it! Every other Monday we get a big laundry basket full of produce for $22. Above is a picture of what we got on Monday. There's a little something different in it each week, but it always has the same staple items. This week we got lettuce, potatoes, asparagus, celery, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, bananas, apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, and green and red grapes. A lot of times we'll get pineapple, onions, green onions, tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, cabbage, squash, strawberries, etc. It just depends on the season and what's cheap that week.
Fresh produce seems so expensive to me at the store. I wouldn't get half this much for $22. And I've found that when I have it at home already, I find ways to use it. I puree a lot of our fresh veggies in our food processor so my kids don't even know they're in our meals (our 2 year old has hit the picky stage). I love to be able to grab a fresh fruit to have with my breakfast and a fresh veggie to have with my lunch. I'm able to freeze most of the items I don't use before the next co-op delivery.
Our co-op doesn't have any openings right now, but Bountiful Baskets at http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/ does if anyone's interested.
Good Protein Foods
Here are some of my fave foods to help us get more protein on workout days...
Protein Crunch plain cereal (1/2 cup) 26 g
Chocolate Milk (8 oz) 4-8 g
Boiled Egg 6.3 g
Cheddar Cheese (1 oz) 7.1 g
Cottage Cheese ( 2% fat, 1/2 cup) 15.5 g
Mozzarella Cheese (part skim, 1 oz) 6.9 g
Swiss Cheese (1 oz) 8.1 g
Milk (skim, 1 cup) 8.4 g
Dannon Flavored Yogurt (8 oz) 11 g
Baked Cod (6 oz) 38.8 g
Baked Halibut (6 oz) 45.4 g
*White Tuna canned in water (6 oz) 40.2 g
Cooked Shrimp (6 oz) 35.6 g
Cooked Beef (6 oz) 33-54 g depending on type
Ham (6 oz) 28.2 g
Pork (6 oz) 37-50 g depending on type
Chicken (6 oz) 41-50 g depending on type
Almonds (whole roasted, 24) 6.1 g
Peanuts (2 T) 7.7 g
Black Beans (1/2 cup) 7.6 g
Canned Chili Con Carne w/Beans (1/2 cup) 11.6 g
*Fresh Market is having a case lot sale this week and you can get tuna for 39 cents a can! A case of 48 is $18.92.
Stretching
I've learned it's best to warm your muscles up for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching before your run so there's more elasticity in them. This can be done by walking or jogging, placing your feet/legs in warm water, or putting a heating pad over your feet/legs. After you're done running and stretching it's a good idea to ice for 5-15 minutes. I've been told to especially concentrate on warming up your muscles in the morning and icing them in the evening.
Happy Running! Go Team!! :)
~Brandy
