I Survived....

Paramedic Refresher is complete, I made it though ha-ha!  It isn't anything rigorous, just a lot of information coming in.  Much of which is in the lecture format.  We had some phenomenal speakers this year, I can't boast enough about how awesome the training center is with variety of speakers and content offered.

My favorite part of the two weeks was a hand to hand/self defense tactics session.  It was super fun and informative.  We were taught different ways to not only defend ourselves, but how to gain the upper hand of the situation to put ourselves out of harm and in control.  I was paired with some tough guys, and was able to break free and gain control.  It's amazing what a little pressure in the right place can do.  The hour session was presented by my medical director, it was memorable and exciting.

In other news, I put on 2 pounds during these 2 weeks.  I'm not freaking out about this.  I have been working a ton and with refresher going on, I haven't been working out as much. Yes, you have to workout to lose weight.  I have also had some increase stress but it will all even out.  Some extra workouts this weekend and some "Me Time" is what I need!  I'll do my best to get back here on Sunday to display some of the meals I'm making and what my weekly meal prepping looks like.  My kitchen is usually a disaster during this time with containers everywhere, but once you do it a few times, its really not that bad.  Until next time, keep it Healthy readers!

Tomato Tuesday

Hey all, so some of you may have heard of 'Meatless Mondays' I've stated previously that meat is not bad, I love it, but don't need to eat it at every meal!  Well I decided how about a Tomato Tuesday!  My lunch showcased tomatoes in a simple caprese salad I did myself, its super easy, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella (the good stuff), some fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  It was light, but filling and the tomato was a star on the plate.

For dinner I decided to do the same.....showcase the tomato.  In a recipe I snagged from Allrecipes.com, and a minor swap in the bread, I got a bright, beautiful plate packed with tons of flavor.  The ingredients list is pretty short, and is as follows:

• 6-8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced         
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil            
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese        
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  (I used one big one)    
• 1 tablespoon reduced balsamic vinegar       
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced

I tossed everything in a bowl; tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. I placed about 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a pan and reduced it down, put it to the side to cool.  Drizzle olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper, toss. Serve on toasted bread slices, and top with the now cooled sticky syrupy goodness that is reduces balsamic vinegar.

Not the prettiest plating, but you get the idea.  Is yummy, colorful, a punch of flavor....What's not to love?!  Now I told you I made some minor changes.  I bought some garlicky toasts from my local supermarket, and I reduced the balsamic to be a sauce and less of a dressing.  The original recipe is HERE

You can also find it on the Recipe page of this blog in the Appetizers section.  Hope you enjoy it!

                              

Training like a Boss

Last night I participated in a mandatory live fire training.  We are implementing an new offensive strategy for fighting fire with a safe, but direct approach.  I was stoked with the group I was in, and felt our strengths complimented each other well.  The training is very physical, we were pulling and packing hose lines all night and being in gear and packed up adds about 60-70 lbs. My tool of choice was the axe, I didn't have to worry about breeching doors.  I like the axe, there is the work end to chop and break things, but the handle is a less abrasive tool when doing search and rescue.  It also fits nicely in my belt for ease of carrying, frees up my hands to pull hose.  After 2.5 hours I was done and had to cut out of training a little early, circled back to drop my gear before heading home. 

Today I'm sore, not horrible, but that achy feeling you get when you know you put in work. Yea I got that! It's how I know I trained like a boss! Depending on the weather conditions I might do the training again on Wednesday, though it's not mandatory, I think its great to keep skill levels up. 

 

Needless to say, I have one of the best jobs in the world!  I also work with some of the finest men and women, who I'm quite proud to call my brothers and sisters.  This is another reason for why I'm so motivated to succeed in my weight loss.  These men and women are counting on me too.  I need to be strong and healthy so that I can have their back, just as much as they have mine. It's a goal of mine not only to lose this excessive amount of fat, but also to build muscle and strength so that I can be the best I can, for me and my family!