As Long As I Can Hit My Notes

Welcome to another entry in my blog! This one has a lot of little things. To start with, I am excited to say that the Warrior Dash went as planned and felt amazing. It was filled with more obstacles than the Dirty 30, but it was less muddy (so I guess the Dirty 30 is aptly named). It was incredibly crowded there with nearly 6000 participants so I am looking forward for the professional pic to be posted (here on the 29th). It was amazing temperatures and even when I finished I felt I could run an additional 5k. For some reason that is what my body has felt with. Literally Wednesday I had the same experience when I was pushing myself and I ended up doing ~3mi at my fastest pace ever and plenty of energy left in the tank. Usually I find that my best times are reserved for races rather than training so it was encouraging and repeated over the weekend. Hopefully that feeling will not go away because I love it!!! Here I am post-race and post-shower (the kiddo loves the hat)

Additionally I finally decided to purchase a camera that  has what they call 'gourmet' which is supposed to be for taking food pictures. I am hoping I can use it as soon as I get it and show off my healthy pesto recipe! The colors of a fresh pesto are the most vibrant you can get and only a decent camera will show it off so it will be a true test!

There was some tragedy mixed in with this happy event for me. My girlfriend and I were all set to go to the Atmosphere concert this weekend and she had her deluxe edition photo book (1 of 1500 copies) ready for autographs and it made its way on the roof of the car and was not seen again until we were down the street and heard it fly off the car. The spine was broke in half and the cover torn to shreds. She was devastated and I genuinely felt just as depressed because I saw how excited she had been. This story has a magnificent ending, though. When we got to the concert, we were both a little depressed and headed towards the merchandise booth. The great thing about the rhymesayers label (maybe others as well, but I do not do too many concerts) is that the artists are usually promoting there own stuff and readily available for autographs so we approached hopting to get something they could sign. Lo-and-behold, there was a single copy of the limited edition book they were selling and we managed to get it, and had the entire group of Atmosphere (Slug, Ant, Nate and Erick) add a very personalized autographs to her book.

On that same note of high and lows, I would like to say that there WILL be lows along your path to a healthier you and they may even seem disproportionate to the highs that you achieve but trust me, you will see positive results. Remember, Rome was not built in a day, and I am sure not every step along the way was met with 100% perfection. Even a perfect 5 star chef has dishes that do not have that appeal that they aspire by so do not be concerned about hitting a low or maybe not making a goal along the way. Look back at what you were doing and adjust and learn. If you are hitting a plateau, then it may be time to re-adjust your intake or switch up your workout routine. I believe this Atmosphere piece demonstrates the resolve you must have to conquer those tough moments.

Fishing For a New Recipe?

I do not cook alot of fish, mainly because I just have never cooked alot of fish, but I was experimenting with some from the local Sunflower Market last night when I found some fish called 'basa.' I do not know my fish types or what the best way to bring their natural flavors out but I figured better late than never so I experimented with a cooking technique called 'en papillote' meaning 'in parchment.' It is basically just steaming the fish when it is wrapped inside of foil or parchment paper. The first night I tried, I am pretty sure I undercooked it but last night I made some adjustments and it turned out DELICIOUS! So without further ado, I introduce you to a new culinary delight.

Fish En Papillote
2 fish fillets (~8oz each), sliced very thin
2 purple or red potatoes (~6oz each), sliced very thin
1 medium yellow squash, sliced very thin
2 baby bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Season the fish to taste with your favorite seasoning (lemon pepper was pretty good)
2. While oven is heating, layer the potatoes and squash like dominoes slightly overlapping, one after the other on the parchment paper or foil.
3. Place the fish on top.
4. Cover fish with peppers, and cover that with the lemon slices.
5. Place the tomatoes along the side of the fish.
6. Fold the parchment/foil so the fish is completely encased. First fold it long ways and then fold the flaps under the bottom (here is another method). Place the fish packet on a baking sheet and insert in oven.
7. Plan on cooking for about 18mins before you need to start checking for doneness.
8. Once cooked to completion, gently slide the contents to a plate, cut each fillet in half, and serve with a side of steamed rice.

Yields: 4 servings (pictured is 2 servings)
Cals: 220; Fat: 1.5; Carbs: 22; Protein: 29

*Note on cooking fish: there are several ways to tell when a fish is ready to be pulled out  of the oven 1) the fish is flaky and easily pulls apart, 2) the outside of the fish is opaque and the center is very close to it, 3) the inner temperature reaches ~140. Remember that food continues to cook for about 5min after they are removed from heat so use this in your estimate to avoid drying the fish out.

I Got a New Way To Walk (Walk, Walk)

Welcome one and all to another update made possible by my keyboard ;) I am an quite a jovial mood currently, in fact I am border line giddy because my girlfriend participated in her first 1 mile walk this weekend with our 3yo and had a good time. On top of that, I have an amazing challenge ahead of me this weekend with the Warrior Dash! Unlike a normal 5k where my mindset is to break a 30 min 5k, these types of obstacle courses are about finishing. I have done one other obstacle course like this before with The Dirty 30 and I gotta say, if you are looking for a challenge and are not afraid of getting a little dirty, then you should definitely locate one of these or other similar events. Below is a picture of the Dirty 30 with my good friend Ethan.

I am a little down though, because I let fear get the better part of me this weekend when we attended the state fair and I tried riding some rides. I have a bad fear of heights but I did well on one ride and even admitted to have fun, but I just could not push myself a second time even knowing that the fear was undeserved. Below is a picture (not mine) of the ride I did do.

For some reason starting a few years back I got a terrible fear of heights, which is ironic because I love the mountains but honestly driving up the mountains I get a bit of vertigo and get quite panicked. Well the same thing happened when I tried to go on rides. The first one I just felt trapped in, and beyond that I had trouble getting near any of them. The odd thing is its not a fear of death, dismemberment or maiming, but a fear nonetheless. It seems to be just a fear of feeling a level of discomfort. It is the oddest thing to think about but that is what it boils down to. I am afraid of having to deal with a worse fear than I am prepared for. I have the same feeling in regards to surgery: I would prefer to be knifed in the street by a masked figure than sit there and watch a surgeon cut into me for a procedure.


One reason I got as big as I did was because I would buy food en mass because I feared being hungry. "Small pizza might not be enough, and what if it is not? Might as well make it an extra large that way I shall be covered." It seems like an odd thing to be afraid of, but it was an anticipation of something undesired and ergo a fear.

Do you have any fears that hold you back, either rational or not? It can be a fear of judgment at the gym, a fear of making a fool of yourself in a given situation, not being able to finish a simple walk, rejection or even a fear of Friday the 13th - remember, we do not judge in here! Identifying a fear is not a sign of weakness, but rather it can make you stronger by helping you gain valuable insight. And facing ones fear does not necessarily mean you will be completely frightless or love that thing, but it may take the edge off things and allow you to move forward.

The Rythm of Your Life

Today on my way to work I put my iPhone on shuffle and began listening to a song I have had for quite a while. I was grooving to the beat, and suddenly realized how true it was. So, allow me to plug for one of my favorite underground groups Atmosphere and reflect on how true it is in your day to day life.

The Things That Hate Us - Atmosphere (Lyrics)

I know too many that have succumbed to poor dietary habits. Do you know possess any unhealthy habits that you just cannot seem to let go of? Feel free to share and let us help support our fellow man or woman! I know I for one still cannot keep myself from cleaning my plate off which is why I try to make all my own meals.

Shrink Your Waist By Expanding Your Horizons

It is amazing the change from when I was a youth until now not just because I lost so much weight but also in what I enjoy eating and even the activities and hobbies I have adopted. I can still remember fondly meals of Macaroni and Cheese Thursdays and Little Ceasars Saturdays growing up. Another favorite of mine was eating Stove Top stuffing as a meal itself. In particular I remember an instance (there were many I am sure) where we were at Pizza Inn and I wanted a salad. This salad consisted of not a single bit of green but it did have heaping portions of bacon bits, ranch, croutons and cheese. Not a bit of green could get past these lips. I tried a few times to eat some lettuce and a gag reflex would kick in. Now, there is not a meal I prepare that does not have some veggies (usually piles of them).

Another oddity of then versus now is my physical activity level. In middle school everyone remembers doing the fitness tests? I hated them probably more than most. The last fitness test of my 6th grade year I did not even come in for the mile because P.E. class had to get on to other things. It was pretty embarrassing. Now I actually enjoy running and physical activity.




Today I challenge you to try something new, preferably something healthy. It can be taking the stairs instead of the elevator, choosing an apple over french fries, parking further away from wherever your destination may be, or just purchasing a new fruit or vegetable you have never had. Have you ever had a passion fruit or a fresh pineapple? If you already exercise then try a new route outdoors, try a new exercise or a new grip to an existing exercise. Try something new today and share it with the rest of us. Who knows, maybe whatever you tried will inspire somebody else and will create an outbreak of the healthies!

The best part of waking up!

It is another glorious day. We had some 90s weather over the last few days but today is going to get quite a bit cooler. To start off this wonderful day I ate a wonderful breakfast scramble with a bowl of cereal (Kashi GoLean + SoDelicious Vanilla Coconut Milk)



Scott's Breakfast Scramble
1/4 cup mushrooms
1/2 small bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup liquid egg whites.
1 egg
1 tsp mustard (I used jalapeno mustard)

1. Spray a small skillet with some cooking spray and cook the mushrooms and pepper for a few minutes until the peppers are soft and the mushrooms are becoming a a bit translucent around the edges.
2. While cooking the veggies, whisk the egg whites, the whole egg, and the mustard in a bowl
3. Add the egg mixture to the pan and once they just begin to set, begin to stir with a wooden spoon moving the more solid portion to the center and tilt the pan to let the remaining runny parts distribute.
4. Serve to a plate and enjoy!

Servings: 1, Cals: 153, Fat: 7, Carbs: 4, Protein: 19

What do you eat for your breakfast to kick off the day right?