Way back in February, before I started Clean Eating, I was gaining more confidence at my gym. I was very still very overweight and not fuelling my body with the proper food so I could workout to my potential, but despite this, my body was growing muscles under that layer of fat. I remember one particular class so vividly. It was a cold Friday night in January. Every time someone opened the door of the studio, a cold fog would creep in. It was such a cold night but it was a rocking class! I was working out beside my friend Carina- I have known her for a really long time so we always have a ton of fun in class together. I also love working out on nights that she is in class because I find that she pushes me to try a heavier weight or workout harder. This particular night, Sarah was demonstrating a push-up. Then she said “If you want to be a rockstar try doing a Spider-Man Push-up”. Carina and I looked at each other and simultaneously said “We want to be rock stars!”. So a Spider-man push-up is a regular push-up but on your way down, you bring your knee to your elbow. We tried it…. We rocked it… We were ROCK STARS!
Do you want to be a rock star too? Try a Spider-Man push-up right now. Get in a full arm plank, widen your hands, keeping your body in plank the entire way down, bring your right knee to your right elbow, then push up and back into your feet. Do it again with your left. Did you do it? Do you feel like a rock star? Well, I did that night after my first Spider-Man push-up! I went home and showed my husband and then the next day I did one for my kids. I even showed my mom! I know- so dorky! But, trying something new can make you feel pretty good- so good in fact- that you become a big dork!

Before February I thought I didn’t like lentils (although I actually never tried them- they just looked gross). My first meal plan had Curried Lentils on it. Eek! I was nervous about this meal.
I made the lentils, tasted the lentils, LOVED the lentils!
Since then, lentils have become the rock stars of my kitchen! They are pretty easy to prepare and high in fibre and protein. Here is a link to Sarah’s website where you can find the recipe for the Curried Lentils I make every few weeks. It’s great on its own or over rice and it also makes a great dip. www.innerathletes.net/recipes.html

I also found this amazing soup recipe on Pinterest. It’s Creamy Red Lentil and Kale Soup from http://thehealthyfamilyandhome.com/creamy-red-lentil-and-kale-soup/
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup red lentils (uncooked)
2 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 ounce can)
3 Small roma tomatoes (diced)
1/2 Large onion (diced)
1 cup kale (chopped)
2 tablespoons organic tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 – 2 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Bring all ingredients to a boil except coconut milk and kale in a large pot on the stove. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes (until the lentils are soft). Take the soup off the heat and add the coconut milk and kale. Stir and enjoy.

I think my clean eating is more about the foods I have added to my life than about the food I have taken out of my life. I can honestly say that I enjoy these new foods so much that I really don’t miss the old food I don’t eat anymore. This food makes me happy.

Choose happy 🙂