Halloween Party at the T-Tapp Office

Bonjour! Here I am over here to the right... all sleepy, but costumed up and channeling Cleopatra with my Pumpkin Kale green smoothie. Yum!  Today was a great day... dressing up just for fun, Halloween party at the office with delicious eats, it's Friday and fun is plentiful this weekend.

The spread of food for lunch was serious... we sorta went all out for this one. But I was the only one in "costume".  Cleopatra is a recycled toned down version of my costume from two years ago.

I ♥ being Cleo!

We planned to each bring a dish for the office party.  They made burgers and ribs next door and brought them over.

We ate fresh and grilled veggies with ranch and hummus dip, baked beans and deviled eggs.

Here's my mac n cheese... needed to be in the oven for another 20 to get real crispy, but it tasted awesome.

And for dessert... cupcake sized cheese cakes with cherries on top, Halloween cupcakes from Publix and rice crispy treats!

My plate: turkey burger (with cheese, mustard, lettuce, tomato), one rib, roasted veggies and a little mac.  I also ate a deviled egg and rice crispy treat.

 And then a cherry cheesecake and La Croix Lemon for dessert...

Here's Ava dressed up as a Ghost Buster!  Too freakin cute!

After work I recycled a whole car load full of paper, plastics, cardboard and aluminum.  Amazing how all of that stuff really stacks up after a week or two. 

We decided to go to Dominic's for Friday night pizza... it's becoming a weekly ritual.  I got a tall nonfat vanilla latte, Roxy barked her face off, we got a fresh pizza made, picked up the mail and headed home to relax and drink wine.  After this crazy busy week it was nice to have a chill night at home.  I'm listening to Marcel jamming out on the guitar right now...love this life.

And I got into the cupcakes Lolly sent home with me... they're actually really good for store bought cuppy cakes!  I dare not look at the ingredients.

I'm super excited about getting all dolled up tomorrow!!! Day of the Dead makeup + cute outfit + styled hair + party and lots of photos with my friends = FUN!  Halloween rocks.

Au revoir!

P.S. I am SO doing a killer workout tomorrow!

Ezekiel Whole Grain Flourless Tortillas

Have you heard of Ezekiel Whole Grain Flourless Tortillas?  Now you have!  These things are amazing.  They may look like ordinary soft tortilla shells, but are SO much better!!  The nutrition is incredible -- each shell is only 130 calories, but is a complete protein with fiber and no added fat.  Plus since they're flourless AND sprouted, it's like eating a whole food... almost like a veggie!  Ezekiel products can be found in the freezer section, and it's recommended to keep them frozen at home until you're ready to use them too.  The wraps are especially easy and filling, great for any meal!

Inspired by the Holy Scripture verse "Take also unto thee Wheat and Barley and Beans and Lentils and Millet and Spelt and put them in one vessel and make bread of it." - EZEKIEL 4:9

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Sea Salt.

= YUMMY!






Here are a few ways I like to eat Ezekiel Wraps...

Tonight's Giant Turkey Taco.

Breakfast Wrap with Eggs, Bacon, Cheese and Veggies.

Another Giant Turkey Taco.

Quick Boiled Egg, Cheese and Romaine Wrap.

Hummus and Veggie Wrap.

Another Hummus, Cheese and Veggie Wrap.

 

I highly recommend you try these instead of regular tortillas or wraps. They really rock!

As for my eats... a failed green apple smoothie for brekkie (way too tart!), yummy leftover roasted squash soup for lunch, snacked on some raw almonds, a few dried cherries and 3/4 brownie (from T-Tapper Carrie Ann), then made that giant taco for dinner!  Plus I drank 2.5 Lifefactory bottles full of Kangen water 8.5 pH.

Today's T-Tapp exercises:

• Primary Back Stretch and Body Brushing at 7am
• 2 sets of Hoe Downs at 11am
• 2 sets of Hoe Downs at 3pm
• And now I'm going to do the Basic Workout Plus...

Still need to soak my feet in magnesium oil tonight too.  Oh, and I'm going to make some pumpkin puree tonight for my Pumpkin Pie Kale Smoothie in the morning.  And plan on trying out a new recipe for Quinoa Veggie Burgers that don't fall apart for dinner!

Au revoir!

2010 T-Tapp Retreat: Day 4 & Trainer Certification Retreat

Bonjour! I'm still catching up on my posts, as you can see...  Above is another gorgeous sunrise over Tampa Bay I took on 10.10.10. (Just to think the next 10.10.10 will be on October 10th, 2110!)

First thing in the morning Teresa led a final Senior Fit workout and we finished measuring the event attendees shortly after.  Every year I am so amazed at how many inches everyone drops in a matter of one weekend, by pushing maximum form, learning and applying new techniques and tweaks... maybe a massage, reflexology session or steam time in the sauna.  Balancing relaxation and rest, plus hydration and quality eats with all the physical activity is important!

The Retreat workouts count as a Blitz type of Boot Camp; this is where you do 2-4 workouts per day (depending on the individual) for two days in a row and end with 1-2 final workouts on day three. You can choose to do as many or few workouts as you'd like. Sit in the back and take notes... T-Tapp Retreats are all about education!  Knowledge is power and everyone who attends really gets better with the mind to muscle connection (neuro-kinetic flow) and maintaining form too!

Top 5 Inch Loss Winners of the 2010 T-Tapp Retreat:

1. Laurie Brooks - 31.25 inches
2. Dawne Gordon - 22.50 inches
3. Cryssanthe Detroyer - 19.25 inches
4. Claudine Henry - 19 inches
5. Stephanie Robinson - 18 inches

110 combined inches lost for the top 5 winners! Awesome!

In the photo, left to right: Laurie, Cryssanthe, and Claudine...

Congratulations ladies!



The other inch loss winners were not in the room for the announcement.

And I've even seen other Retreat attendees post on Facebook and the T-Tapp Forum about additional inch loss a week after they left Florida.  It's like residual results!

Teresa ended the 2010 T-Tapp Retreat with a Final Straight Through Workout that was a fusion of the other previous workouts done over the weekend.  We all said our goodbyes and parted ways (well, most of us), hoping to meet again soon at another fabulous T-Tapp event...

Our Annual T-Tapp Trainer Certification Retreat started at 4pm on Sunday, with the actual certification classes beginning on Monday morning and stretching through end of day on Tuesday.  During this event we have our trainers and trainers-in-training (TNTs) come in to teach the T-Tapp workout (Total Workout, T-Tapp MORE, Hit the Floor, and/or Ladybug) to be certified by Teresa Tapp to teach that workout in anywhere around the world.


Sunday, October 10th Eats

Brekkie

Starbucks Grande Nonfat Vanilla Latte, Fresh Fruit Cup, KIND Fruit & Nut Bar.

Forget the fruit and get an apple instead...

Lunch

Lauren and I had a window of free time and made it to Val & Matty's Wedding Party!

Asian Pasta, Scallops and Duck Quesadilla.

Plus one Bud Light beer.

I wish we had more time to hang out with our friends at the party, but we headed back to the Spa for the start of our Trainer Certification Retreat.

It was wonderful seeing the trainers again!  We're like one big happy family of sisters.  It's so fun to be with everyone, catch up, workout, learn new form techniques, eat fabulous food and drink!

Dinner

For dinner we headed over to the new pizzeria in town... Dominic's.  This place rocks!  We got a Mother-In-Law Pizza and it was fantastic.

The Mother-In-Law pizza... no sauce, mozzerella, cheddar and feta cheeses, tomato, spinach and garlic. YUM!  My new favorite pizza.

And I drank a Blue Moon when we got back to the spa.

Joan Schrader did another presentation for the trainers on magnesium oil and prill beads.  And a Trainer Only Meeting with Teresa followed that session, we wrapped things up before 11pm.

Trainer workouts started at 7am the following day, Monday the 11th. 

When I locate my green robot flash drive with all my backed up photos I'll be able to finish up Monday, October 11th - Thursday, October 14th.

Au revoir!

2010 T-Tapp Retreat: Day 3

As I mentioned before, I saw the most beautiful sunrises during the Retreat. Each day was breathtaking, made me fully understand why people live near the water.  Here's the view from my hotel room...

Somehow managed to skip all workouts on Saturday... guess I was busy working!  I am so thankful for the T-Tapp Retreat.  I love this time of year, connecting with clients that I work with via phone and email, spending time with T-Tapp Trainers, Forum Users, Challenge Winners, Newbies and Retreat Veterans is so much fun it almost shouldn't be called "work".  (Shh... don't tell the boss!)  I can honestly say that I love my job.  The T-Tappers make it all worth while.  Every year we continue to learn, grow and change for the better, meeting again looking younger, more toned and full of positivity.  I'm even smiling at strangers these days!

Saturday's speakers and some tid-bits I took away from their presentations...

Mary Shomon, Thyroid patient advocate and NY Times best-selling author.  Mary is a T-Tapper and Bichon Frise owner, like Teresa Tapp.  She's a bunch of fun and really knows her stuff when it comes to the thyroid.  Some of the things I learned from Mary at the Retreat are...

• Ask your doctor for the tests you need (thyroid, adrenal, etc) during during your annual physical. They are more likely to order them for you at that time.
• Chronic dieting lowers metabolism, as much as a 60% reduction in basal metabolic rate.
• Calories in, calories out is not true anymore.  Your hormones play a part in weight loss.

Mary recommends:

1. Mindful eating: stop and take the time to eat. Smell, touch, taste and enjoy your food.
2. Stress reduction: stress created cortisol, which leads to belly fat among other things, and could result in a leptin issue (the "full" feeling hormone).
3. Cut sugar and simple carbs: food carries energy, good or bad. Focus on eating whole foods and avoiding sugar when possible.
4. Don't overexercise: gentle, regular, cardio and muscle building exercise is key... like T-Tapp!  Love your workout.

Dr. Rob Carlson a cardio-thoracic surgeon that knows his stuff about hormones and is passionate about the thyroid. He recommended taking vitamin D over the flu vaccine, and I was happy to hear that!  Vitamin D improves immunity, so take yours daily.  Dr. Rob did a demonstration on his Stop-It product, which makes sugar powerless in just one taste.  T-Tappers were literally spitting out chocolate!  Amazing.

Joan Schrader from Health and Wisdom spoke to us about the power of Magnesium Oil.  Basically, you need this stuff!  Our bodies crave magnesium and it's very difficult to get your levels up quickly with supplements.  Magnesium Oil is applied topically anywhere on the body, but most effectively on the feet.  Joan recommends using 2-4 ounces of magnesium oil in a warm foot bath. Delightful!  She also talked to us about Prill Beads and how they make your water hexagonal on a molecular level so your body can absorb it.  Not all water is created equal!

Teresa Tapp did a More Than a Workout Seminar where she discussed how the T-Tapp program is so much more than another workout to get you in a smaller size.  She told us about her health scare last year with tumors in her breast and how she was able to heal naturally using her knowledge of the body.  I'm so thankful to have Teresa Tapp in my life.  I've learned so much from her over the years, and she never ceases to amaze me with the new things she comes up with.  Thanks for another fabulous year, Teresa!


Saturday, October 9th Eats

Brekkie

Starbucks Grande Iced Green Tea and Spinach Wrap.

Lunch

We ate lunch in the Four Springs Ballroom, which has a beautifully painted cathedral ceiling and crystal chandelier lighting.

Salmon Caesar Salad.

Sourdough Bread with 1/2 Butter Ball.

Lobster Bisque... right, Jen?  Too much good food to remember...

Dinner

Before dinner we took a group photo outside by the pool... well, most of us.

I got a Blue Moon at the tiki hut before heading inside for dinner with the Retreat attendees.

We had the Floribbean themed dinner together...

In case you missed it:

Retreat: Day 1
Retreat: Day 2

Retreat: Day 4 / Trainer Certs coming soon...

Au revoir!

Organic Black Beans and Brown Rice

Bonjour! This is last night's post for a snack and dinner... I fell asleep watching Veronica Mars on Netflix.  At the Retreat someone said to turn off the TV and avoid electronics for at least 1 hour before bed.  I am SO bad at that!


Eats

Dinner

Organic Black Beans and Brown Rice.

Beans and rice make a great, nutritious and delicious meal.  Cheap and easy to make too!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of organic black beans (I purchase Organic Black Beans in a can from Publix, the GreenWise brand.)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of dry rice (One of my favorite brands of rice is Lundberg Wild Blend.  It's a little pricey, but the flavor can't be beat. Organic brown rice is a good alternative.)
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• seasonings to taste
• vegetable and cheese toppings of choice

Directions:

• Cook rice according to package directions.
• When rice has about 10-15 minutes left, you can start the beans.  Heat olive oil in pan.  Open the can, do not drain, and empty the contents into a pan.
• Add apple cider vinegar and seasonings.  Cook beans until boiling, reduce to simmer.
• Chop vegetable toppings.  I like to use tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeno, and spinach.
• Shred cheddar cheese and get sour cream or Greek yogurt ready for toppings.
• Serve beans over rice in a bowl and each person can customize their meal with toppings they enjoy.

Snack

Organic Gala Apple with a spoon of PB.

Dessert

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... I did eat a 100 calorie Klondike bar too.  That's probably why I felt so run down this morning, even after almost 8 hours of sleep.  Dessert right before bed is a no no!


Healthy Habits

Body Care
Magnesium Oil: topically

Nourishment
Fruits: 1 servings
Veggies: 2 servings
Water: 1 liter


I did OK on meeting my goals today...

• Wake up a bit early -- done!
• Exercise upon rising -- done!
• Complete healthy habits -- skipped body brushing, oil pulling and a mag soak... will do better tomorrow.
• Make and drink a green smoothie -- done!
• Skip the sweets (including wine) -- messed up and ate dessert when I knew better.
• Bring lunch to the office -- done!
• Experiment with a new butternut squash recipe -- found some great ones today from WFM!
• Try 2/day blog posting (noon and evening) -- Well, it kinda worked
• Use the Rebel for photos -- done!

Au revoir!
 

Pumpkin Green Smoothie

Bonjour! I'm trying to split my day into at least 2 separate posts... we'll see how this goes.

I decided to mix some organic pumpkin puree in with my green smoothie this morning.  It came out creamy and super delish!

Eats

Brekkie

Pumpkin Green Smoothie:

• 1/2 can organic pumpkin
• 2 cups organic baby romaine
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Blend and enjoy!

This smoothie was SO good I'm making it again tomorrow!

Lunch

A simple lunch of randomness...

Leftover rotisserie chicken, romaine leaves and 50% reduced fat cheddar.

I'm going to need a snack later...

Healthy Habits

Body Care
Exercise: Basic Workout Plus, first thing this morning.  Why is exercise so much harder when I first wake up?

Nourishment
Fruits: 0.5 servings
Veggies: 4 servings
Water: 1 liter

Supplements
Alfalfa: 3 caps
B-12 Plus: 4 sprays
Cellfood: 8 drops
Emergen-C: 1 packet
Pyruvyl Glycine: 4 sprays
Vitamin D3: 4 sprays


So far so good on meeting my goals today...

• Wake up a bit early -- done!
• Exercise upon rising -- done!
• Complete healthy habits -- working on it!
• Make and drink a green smoothie -- done!
• Skip the sweets (including wine) -- working on it!
• Bring lunch to the office -- done!
• Experiment with a new butternut squash recipe -- working on it!
• Try 2/day blog posting (noon and evening) -- working on it!
• Use the Rebel for photos -- working on it!

Au revoir!