I want what I want, and I want it now

Some days no matter how great my willpower is, my appetite gets the best of me.  And when my cravings hit, be they from a tough workout or just a tough day, they are pretty hard to silence.  So I have learned how to give in to that voice in a controlled way.
I'm constantly tweaking and reworking my favorite recipes in a way that feel indulgent, but are not calorie bombs.
So start the trumpet fan fare, because I am proud to present my Shiritaki Noodle Popeye Approved Fettuccine...
If you've never tried shiritaki noodles and are watching your carbs, forgoing gluten, or whatever dietary restrictions you have imposed, these babies will be your new best friend.
According to the House Foods Tofu Shirataki (my personal favorite brand):
Tofu Shirataki is a great pasta alternative made from blending the root of the Konnyaku - a member of the yam family and tofu. 
It is a healthy, uniquely textured noodle - that pleases people of all ages!
They have 4 different varieties, but for this recipe I like the fettuccine, obviously.

(I'll aadmit I'm no food stylist...but that does look delicious)

2 wedges Laughing Cow Light

1 package of House Foods Tofu Shirataki

2 cups of raw spinach

1 Tbsp Fage 0%

2 tsp pesto (optional)

1 Tbs low fat Parmesan (optional)

• rinse the shirataki noodles to get all the liquid off that it floats around in the bag with
• heat up a pan to high (no cooking spray needed)
• once your pan is hot add in the noodles
• once noodles are in the pan turn down the heat to medium, and add the 2 cups of spinach
• let everything cook in the pan until the water is all the way gone
• throw noodles and spinach in a bowl, add remaining ingredients

It's a super simple recipe.  And once you get comfortable making it, you can switch out the plain Laughing Cow for the garlic kind, or replace the spinach with another green of choice.  My personal vegan fav is to use Daiya cheese instead of Laughing Cow.  The possibilities are endless.

If you try out the recipe I would love to see your version, and to know what you think.

XOXO,

MacKenzie

Keep On Spinning

If you follow my twitter (@MacKenzieAGreen) or my facebook page you know that I'm a spin instructor.

Eventually I will explain how, among the exhaustive amount of plates I'm already juggling, WHY I decided to add spin instructing to the mix.

But for now I will keep this post simple...mainly because I'm slipping on my New Year's intention of posting bi-weekly to my blog.  So I thought I would share a playlist.  I approach my classes the way I would want them taught if I were taking a class, as a (sweaty) party on a bike.

I want to share a short little 30 minute playlist that's fun for spinning on your own, a HIIT workout, or maybe just to keep you moving when the gym or your workout starts to feel old...

Warm-up: No Church in the Wild - Kanye West & Jay-Z
Scream - Usher
Cockiness (Love It) - Rihanna
Let's Go - Travis Barker
Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Hold It Against Me - Britney Spears
Gangnam Style - PSY
Runaway Baby - Bruno Mars

...you can go with whatever you want to cool down, I like a little Hal and Oates to bring my heart rate down :-)

If you're in the DC area or visiting on vacation come down to Off Road Indoor Cycling and drop in to one of my classes, cause I'd love to party with you.

XOXO,
MacKenzie

2013...it's just so Zenon Girl of the 21st Century

It's January 1st at the start of the most futuristic sounding year...2013! You can't tell me that it doesn't make you feel like you're in some kind of sci-fi movie.

I don't like to do New Year's Resolutions, instead I do New Year's Intentions.

I know nothing is a better way of keeping accountability than saying your goals and intentions out loud.  So for the first time EVER, I'm going to share my intentions.

2013 Intentions

• Take the GMAT in June '13
• Apply to the City Fellows
• Exercise for at least 15 minutes everyday
• Try at least 1 new workout a week (I'm relying on dcfitcrasher for help with this one)
• Dedicate at least 7 hours a week to GMAT studying
• Practice the 10 Naturally Thin Rules daily (check this book out if you haven't, it's pretty awesome...and yes I know I'm late to the Bethenny Frankel bandwagon)
• Eat more nutritionally dense food
• Practice yoga at least twice a week
• Learn to play The Firebird Suite and Fantasia on bassoon (I'm going to video tape and post these when it happens, because I'll be that damn proud)
• Read at least one new book a month
• Organize my personal space (I blame Nate Berkus and Dr. Oz for this one...damn the influence that show has on me)
• Develop the leadership academy lesson plan for the NCNW '14 Convention (I'll probably blog about this constantly as it gets closer)
• Complete my Riordan Fellows homework ahead of deadline
• Complete my Business and Finance Certificate from Georgetown University
• Write on my blog at least bi-weekly (see I'm already on my game with this post)
• Develop a daily skin care routine and practice it daily
• Stop biting my nails and cuticles (I'm awful about this)
• Swim at least once a week (I owe it to myself and my sanity to get back in to what I loved doing)
• Qualify for the Boston Marathon by 2018 (This is going to take training and preparation now)
• Quality for the Kona Ironman by 2020

...I know the list is long, but I expect a lot from myself this year.

So I showed you my intentions, now I want to see some of what yours are :-)

Happy New Year everyone!

XOXO,

MacKenzie