Month / October 2013

by tessbrennan

60- miles down- A great weekend and memories

Thank you!

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me through these 5 3-day walks. (2004 – Michigan, Tampa – 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013)

Through your support, love, donations, and prayers I have been able to walk 300 miles (plus all the training miles), and raise over $12,000 for breast cancer research and programs to help those who cannot afford treatments or diagnostic testing.

If we add in the others on my teams over the years, KC, Julie, & Kara we are up to 540 miles and over $21,000.

If we then break that down, $5,250 toward diagnostics and treatments and $15,750 toward research and a cure.

I am thankful that Susan G Komen has added programs that include teaching Prevention and how what we eat and surround ourselves with can make a difference and help to prevent this horrible disease.

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, it is the top Cancer killer in women.  When we find the cure for this biggie, the hope is that cures for others will be close behind.

Women, in their 20’s are now being diagnosed in stage 4 breast cancer, more and more often. 

2% of all breast cancer patients are men.

Let’s kick cancer’s butt!  Eat better and live a higher quality of life.

Here are a few snap shots of the weekend!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

~Tess

by tessbrennan

Training for a pain free 60-mile (Event Nutrition)

My event is ten days away and I am so excited to begin packing.  The pool table has been repurposed to my staging area, my nutrition order has arrived, and I am chomping at the bit to get it all ready.

RIBBONSSteinauers

This blog will cover exactly what I will pack and how I will pack it to keep me going strong, rebuild the muscles as I go and provide my body with its nutritional needs throughout and after the 60-miles.

Healthy Knees2012 WALK HealthyGreaseMonkey.com

This blog IS product heavy, it is what I use and TRUST for myself, my family, friends and clients.

Yes, I am picky.  Recently, there has been so much in the news about tainted and scary stuff out there.  (I will post some additional links at the end of this blog that show more of why I am so picky.)

I choose products from a company I have personally vetted. When my health is at stake, I am picky about what I choose and use.  With that being said… ON WITH THE SHOW.

All three days will have the same products used in the same order and for the same reasons…  Although after I finish on day 3, there will most likely be an extra recovery drink beyond what I have had the previous days.

When walking 20 miles a day, for 3 days, CALORIES ARE NO OBJECT! Well, actually, they are a HUGE object and it is important to consume enough to keep your body going – on the same note, those calories should be PACKED WITH NUTRITION to allow the body to recover quicker and easier.

Breakfast

  • 1 Shaklee 180 Vanilla smoothee with an extra serving of Instant Soy Protein 
  • Orange juice
  • Whole banana
  • Scrambled eggs (Day 2 & 3 provided by the 3-day)
  • Hash browns (Day 2 & 3 provided by the 3-day)
  • Any fruit or veggies offered – I will consume.
  • 2 Energy Chews  (these give me B vitamins and energy)

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Snacks

  • Throughout the day, at pit stops I will pick up whatever whole fruits are available to munch on.
  • I carry Apple Fiber Bars (cause it’s no fun to be backed up when walking a long distance)
  • Water, Water, Water, and Performance rehydration (I’ll go through 4-6 servings of Perfomance per day)
  • Shaklee 180 Protein Snack Bars (I’ll usually eat one before lunch and another after lunch)

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Lunch

  • Stretch, stretch, stretch, put on dry socks!
  • 1 Shaklee 180 Meal Bar (packed with protein, fiber and vitamins & minerals)
  • The turkey & cheese off of the sandwich they provide. (I don’t do the bread, it is too refined and hinders my body’s ability to repair itself.)
  • Any whole fruits or veggies offered
  • 2 more Energy Chews
  • NO SODAS! (The high sugar content, as well as from the breads hinders the body’s immune system and I work very hard to keep it built up during this event)

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Return to camp

  • Physique smoothee, preferrably mixed with OJ and an extra shot of Energizing Soy Protein.
  • 2 VitalMag & 2 OmegaGuard
  • Fresh Fruit

Now, stretch, stretch, drink water, shower, and stretch!

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Dinner

  • At dinner I will usually have a second Physique smoothee as it is made to repair damaged muscle tissue and restore nutrients to my body.
  • I will eat whatever they have with protein (I peel all the skin off if it is fried chicken and ask for minimal noodles if it is spaghetti.
  • I will then take a handful of supplements to prevent inflammation & swelling, and to help my muscles keep from cramping.

Before Bed

  • Stretch, stretch, drink water, stretch, pee
  • Sleep tight knowing you are doing something big to make a difference.

HealthyGreaseMonkey 3-Day Nourishment

Links to information on the products I choose to use and represent:

http://athletes.shaklee.com/us/en/

http://landmarkstudy.com

http://physicians.shaklee.com

Links I promised about tainted nutritional products:

by tessbrennan

Zucchini Crust Pizza

This is a deep dish style pizza that I make for my family.  With the recent realization that gluten free is an issue, the zucchini crust is a big plus!  This allows us to have the pizza we miss while eating healthier choices!

ZucchiniCrustPizza by HealthyGreaseMonkey.com

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp Shredded Parmesan cheese (I prefer Parmesan Regganio)
  • 3 oz. shredded mozzerella cheese (I’ve also used shredded mexican blend, cheddar, colby jack, or whatever I have laying around in my cheese drawer.)
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 lb ground beef (can also use ground chicken or turkey)
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 2 oz uncured Canadian Bacon (gluten free) pre-cooked & chopped
  • 2 cups of spaghetti sauce
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • handful of fresh baby bella mushrooms sliced
  • whatever other veggies you like on your pizza
  • 4-8 oz of shredded cheese of your liking (or what you have on hand)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    • Let zucchini drain in a strainer for 30 minutes or squeeze zucchini in a clean dishtowel or paper towel to remove some of the moisture
    • Mix first 7 ingredients (zucchini-3 oz cheese) in a bowl.
    • Grease an 8×11.5 inch, glass, baking dish
    • Press mixture firmly into bottom of dish so it is equally thick throughout.
    • Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees
  • While crust is baking
    • Brown ground beef with the onion, garlic, & pepper
    • Chop the Canadian bacon into bite size pieces
    • Add Canadian bacon & spaghetti sauce to pan and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Remove crust from oven
    • Pour on the sauce, evenly across crust
    • Add mushrooms or other pizza toppings
    • Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, to your liking.
  • Return to the oven to bake for 30 minutes at 400 or until it is heated throughout.  Cheese should be belted and browned to perfection.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 
  • A pizza cutter and spatula work GREAT for serving

We have used pepperoni in the past, but now need to locate a corn free/gluten free option so lil bit can eat too!

by tessbrennan

Nehemiah–An Example of Prayer, Commitment & Action

As the beginning of the Temple Maintenance class draws near, I continue to pray and listen and write out my class outlines.  I have compiled information, questions, statistics, and resources for my students.

The one thing, that every student needs, I cannot provide. This one thing must come from each and every student, from within.  Commitment must come from the individual.

It is one thing to pray for healing when you are sick or tired or just run down.  When we add to that the prayer, the willingness to make a change, to make a different choice to assist in facilitating that improvement.Choosetosoar-net_man_on_cliff

There is a story of a man who is dangling precariously from a cliff who prays to God to have Him save the man.  A scout passes by and offers to help the man up, but the man says, “No, God is going to save me.”  Another passes by and reaches down for him but the man replies, “No, God is going to save me.”  After a third offers and is again sent away the man plummets to his death.  Upon reaching the pearly gates he asks God, “why did you not save me?”  God replies, “I sent 3 people to help you but you wouldn’t reach out your hand”

We have to be willing to reach out and take some action. God put us on this planet to work, not sit around and let him just do everything for us.  He gave us FREE WILL.  We must take the Will to survive, be better, and work toward a better outcome.

My thoughts have again been pulled to Nehemiah as I’ve thought about the role of commitment and action in our daily lives as it has to do with our Human Temple.

My thoughts on Nehemiah as compared to working on ones individual health.

If we purchase a home in disrepair, we work to rebuild it, make it safe, make it strong, make it OUR home.  But the work doesn’t stop once the home is repaired…we must continue to maintain the house.  Clean it to keep out insects and varmints, reroof on occasion to keep rain from entering our home and molding and making us sick, repainting to maintain the integrity of our structure. 

If we don’t maintain our home with the right tools and supplies, it begins to crumble and fall down around us.

Our health is the same way.  If we don’t care for our body and provide it with the proper nutritious supplies.  If we fill it with garbage, sickness and disease can begin to move in and we have no defense.  If God has healed your of a disease or sickness, how long can your body continue to fend off the return of that disease if you don’t feed it and care for it correctly.

My goal is to provide you with tools and resources to rebuild and maintain your Temple… But first, you must bring the ladder of commitment and the hammer of action to get to work and make it happen!

God Bless, and make it a GREAT day!