Going Grain Free

I made a very major change to my diet this week.

I decided to go grain free because I have been very frustrated with my diet. I have been getting gassed out during my workouts, been grumpy during the day, and have lacked energy. This is not a fun way to be. My husband has been feeling the same way. Now he and I have tried all sorts of diets and have experience success with many of them. Zone, Paleo, Low-Carb, counting calories, counting maco-nutrients...you name it, we've tried it. One night, we were lying in bed and I asked him which diet made him feel the best (romantic, right?). He said he didn't know and then asked me the same question. I said I didn't know. But,we both new and didn't want to admit it.

Paleo.

The concept of paleo is to eat like the original people ate. Meat, fruit, nuts, vegetables and that's it. Right now, we aren't eating super strict. We are allowing some dairy and potatoes and will reevaluate in a couple of weeks.

Honestly, I feel great. I challenge you to go grain free for a week and see how you feel!

Simple Light Chicken Marinade

When you think about eating healthy, boring grilled chicken comes to mind. How much chicken and vegetables can a person eat until he or she goes nuts? Chicken is a great high quality source of protein that is low in fat...as long as you lose the skin. Here is a super quick and easy marinade that jazzed up my chicken tonight.

1/2 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup No Sugar Added Apricot Jam
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

Wisk together all the ingredients until the marinade is smooth. Add 1-2 lbs of chicken to the marinade. Mix it together to cover the chicken. Cover and pop it in the fridge for about an hour.

To save time, I started making some rice, then put the marinade together. Once my rice was done, I did my work out, which gave the chicken time to marinate. When I finished my workout, I cooked the chicken and some veggies.Since I used those small chicken breast tenderloins, I only need ten minutes to finish dinner. The chicken was sweet and tangy! Total prep time for dinner was 20...take that Rachel Ray.

Ready to Go

I am very proud of myself. I have been really dedicated to my lifting for the past month, I really struggled in the fall to stay dedicated. Everything in life seemed more important than getting my workouts in. I really made eating right a priority and I think that this is what has made it possible for me to lift consistently. Instead of coming home drained after work, I've been coming home ready to go. The biggest diet change I have made is to make sure I get fruits and veggies at every meal. Give it a try and see if it helps you keep your energy.

This week I hit 190 for 3 on my dead lift and 183 for 3 for my squat. In both lifts I was definitely left with more gas in the tank. I have some crazy goals for the year, but I think if I stay dedicated and keep eating the right foods I will be able to get there. Here are my goals for the year.


1. Compete in a powerlifting meet
2. 250 lb dead lift
3. 235 lb squat
4. 135 lb bench press
5. 100 lb press