Fitness, What I ate

Run and done(ish)

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The low down:  This week marks week four of my self-proclaimed Kick the Knee Pain running program.  I started off this new program with intervals of 2 minutes walking 1 minute running, and each day I run I bump my run interval time up by 1 minute.  Sunday I completed 3 intervals of 8 minutes running and 1 minute walking.

Status:  Other than some mild tightness in my knees, I haven’t had any knee issues so far!

Contributing “Success” Factors:

  1. Buying new running shoes BEFORE starting to run.
  2. Running primarily on softer surfaces (trails, paths, etc.)
  3. NOT running every day and giving my knees a chance to recuperate
  4. Being conscious of my natural tendency to heel-strike and focusing on NOT
  5. Strength training.  Building up the muscles in my legs and my core supposedly takes stress of the knees.

Conclusion:  Boo ya.

*Note that stretching is not on the list above…  feel free to leave angry comments about the importance of stretching.  Maybe that will get it through my stubborn brain.

Short-Term Goal:  Be at 30-minute running only intervals (i.e., no walking) with no knee pain by August 15th.

And now on to more exciting things… like this lovely tuna wrap I had for dinner Smile

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Isn’t it perdy?  This was a quick hodgpodge I threw together after work and consisted of:

  • 1 can chunk tuna in water, drained
  • 1 tbsp light HELMANS mayo (none of that miracle whip crap Steaming mad)
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 small dill pickle, chopped
  • Handful of romaine lettuce
  • Handful of grape tomatoes
  • S&P
  • Dried Dill
  • 1 light Italian Flat-out wrap

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This made for one gynormous wrap, that I basically inhaled.  Along with some cucumber salad:

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This should be called the Lazy Girl Salad.  It consisted of 1 sliced cucumber, some white vinegar, and some dried dill.  Easy peasy!

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Tomorrow is Wednesday!  And for the 92nd week in a row, I’m going to attempt to NOT forget it’s What-I-Ate-Wednesday.  I even put a reminder in my phone Smile

Question of the evening:  How do we feel about my giant head on the right hand side of the page?

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Recipes

Chicken and Barley Salad

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School is back in session – which means it is officially the end of summer in my book.  In honor of this self-declared change in seasons, I decided to make one last summer salad for dinner Monday night. 

The January 2010 issue of Cooking Light featured a recipe for Greek Chicken and Barley salad which was my inspiration and starting point to my dinner. 

First up, I seasoned a few chicken breasts with McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning and tossed them on to the George Foreman grill.  I only used 4 ounces of chicken in this recipe, but grill once eat thrice I always say. 

When the chicken was done grilling, I roughly shred four ounces of it:

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Meanwhile I brought 1 cup of Nature’s Basket Free Range Chicken Broth (fat-free and low sodium) to a boil, then tossed in 1/2 cup Quaker’s Quick Barley and cooked according to the package instructions. 

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Next I got to choppin the veggies.  For this salad I used:

  • 1 roma tomato
  • 1 large cucumber, seeded
  • 1/2 a yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup of reduced fat Atheno’s feta cheese

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In a small bowl, I mixed together a yummy dressing for the salad:

  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/8 tsp each salt, black pepper, ground thyme
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp dried basil

Once the chicken and barley were cooled off, I added them to my veggies and feta, added the dressing, and tossed to combine. 

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I put the salad in the fridge to let the flavors merry while I cleaned up the inevitable disaster I created in my kitchen.

Dinner time!

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This salad was light and the veggies were so crisp.  I really REALLY like the dressing, and I had forgotten how yummy barley is.  I will miss you summer salads… but I won’t lie.  I’m looking forward to some dinner SOUPS!!

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Chicken & Barley Salad Ingredient List (makes two servings):

  • 4 ounces grilled chicken
  • 1 cup Nature’s Basket Free Range Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup Quaker’s Quick Barley
  • 1 roma tomato
  • 1 large cucumber, seeded (or 1 seedless cucumeber)
  • 1/2 a yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup Athenos reduced fat feta
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/8 tsp each salt, black pepper, ground thyme
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp dried basil

Myfitnesspal stats on one serving:  309 calories, 37g carbs, 5g fat, 26g protein, 6g fiber

 

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