Vino and carne
Can we just take a moment here?
Two of my favorite things EVER (chocolate and vino) had a lovechild. And it is a delicious lovechild.
To be honest, it was a little on the sweet side, but it didn’t stop me from having a hefty glass with the fam. Think of it like wine Bailey’s. A very, very good thing, indeed.
My night also involved a little more chocolate:
(madre brought over gluten-free and regular brownies)
and meat. Lots and lots o’ meat.
Kyle and Uncle E took over the kitchen again, and it was ridiculously amazing, as expected.
Legend right here:
The entire time he’s cooking, he’s throwing out tips for Kyle and myself. “Hey Gina, come over here and see this” and then goes on to tell me something that makes my brain explode with a giant nugget of culinary knowledge.
Kyle and Uncle made his famous ribs (marinated overnight, roasted then grilled),
Steak, chicken, lobsta
sweet potatoes and broccoli. No words.
Once again, the entire fam came over, so the house was full, and some of us ate outside on the patio. Best ever.
Before dinner was an awesome 4-miler with the Pilot and my aunt. My aunt is a fellow fitness instructor (she also runs marathons) and the Pilot is the kinda guy who might not run for a while, and then bust out higher mileage like it’s nothing. He works a ton, so if he doesn’t get a chance to hit the gym for a while, he still maxes out his PT tests. It astounds me. Anyway, I’m very lucky to have people join me for my training runs- conversation makes it fly by.
We hit up Sabino Canyon, and it’s funny because I’m always DYING on the way up, feel great coming back, and then *almost* like I could do it all over again afterwards. The first half is what kills me. Yesterday, I had to push myself for the first half and then coming back was NBD. I definitely attribute 99% of that to the conversation -we talked the entire time- and the gorgeous weather (it had just rained and was cool and cloudy) and the last little bit to the fact that I had a great lunch about an hour and a half before we left.
Pre-workout fuel can be a tricky decision. I want it to be energizing but not too heavy, and make sure it’s type of food my body will be able to best utilize for a good workout. It also depends on whether I’m doing cardio or strength (or both), if I’m hungry, what time it is, and if we’ll be eating another meal (like dinner) sometime soon. When I first started teaching and taking classes in the evenings, I wanted to have a good snack before my workout and also enjoy dinner with the Pilot when it was over.
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I love PB banana smoothies two hours before big workouts – easy to digest with a good mix of carbs and protein.
When I work out during lunch breaks, I usually end up with something simpler, like carrots and cheese.
Yum! I’ve had that wine before and it was so good! All the food looks amazing.
Thanks for the pre-workout food tips. I’m never quite sure exactly what to eat before and after…all I’ve mostly heard was protein…but your suggestions look easy and delicious.
I prefer to work out in the am or early afternoon, but there is a killer kickboxing class I love that is in the evening a few times a week.
I usually workout first thing in the morning, and generally skip a pre-workout snack. If I wake up and I’m hungry or feeling lethargic, I’ll grab a few slices of apple or half of a banana before I head to the gym or start my run. Post-workout fuel is usually breakfast with a lot of protein!
Usually a banana and peanut butter, if its a longer run toast with pb and a banana. During the week we always workout after work about 5:30pm, I would rather workout around 8am every day but that pesky thing called work gets in the way!
I usually work out first thing, so I go for half of a small protein bar, a small handful of trail mix, or almonds and berries. Then breakfast the second I get home from the gym.
I will usually eat some toast and peanut butter before a workout. On days I have off of work, I try to get my workouts done in the morning. On work days it’s definitely done AFTER work since I start at 6am 🙂 I love that you have such a large family!! This reminds me of the summer we went down to visit grandparents in Arkansas and my grandpa’s family from Mexico also came to visit at the same time. Our nights were filled with tons of food followed by Mexican music on the guitar and accordion 🙂
First, I now have a huge craving for lobster. The picture makes my mouth water.
I workout in the morning, so right when I wake up I have a tall glass of water w/ 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, along with a small piece of sprouted grain toast w/ a dab of PB and jelly. Just enough to hold me over. Then I’ll eat a bigger breakfast on my way to work (oat bran, chia seeds, egg whites, and fruit, topped with almond butter).
Conversation always makes running more enjoyable! Great pre-workout fuel suggestions. I usually like to eat at least an hour prior, and generally stick to carbs in the form of fruit, cereal, or a piece of a protein bar. It took me a while to get the quantities down and to figure out what would ‘sit well’ in my stomach, but now my runs feel so much stronger! 🙂
Love the food in those pictures! Cooking ‘live’ lobster is one item on my summer bucket list that I have yet to do!
Gina- how much do you plan to run during the week? And PS- how the HECK do you get nice lean, toned arms? What are your fav exercises? I’m weird and feel self conscious of my arms even though people think I’m crazy- but still I feel they can look ‘thick’ or just not as toned as the rest of my body.
i’m only going to run once each week, on sunday. any more than that and i’m worried i’ll be overtraining. as far as the arm thing goes, for me, eating and cardio has more to do with it than strength training. clean eats and interval training on top of a good strength routine should do the trick!
Thanks for taking the time to reply… as always!!! 🙂 The next 4 weeks I’m ‘re-winding’ and I’ll be going back to the SSU that we did last month. I found it kept me inspired and had good variety. Hopefully I’ll start to see some lean arms!
I usually workout it in the evening, after dinner. It’s been kinda helpful because I try not to eat fats and really heavy items since I’ll be at the gym later and don’t want to feel it there!
I’m *trying* to switch to working out first thing in the morning, so no food beforehand for me, or a couple bites of banana or bread. I have a sort of finicky stomach, so if I work out later, I try to eat more like 90 minutes or so beforehand and keep it mostly carbs – again banana is good, crackers. If I feel like I really need something right before hand, I’ll eat a small handful of chocolate chips or something else that is mostly sugar. I know it sounds bad, but it works pretty well for me!
Oh–and I forgot that I also have an Americano (espresso in hot water), too. Gotta have that bit of caffeine. 🙂
me too! that little jolt makes morning workouts so much better 😉
I tend to run in the morning after breakfast, leaving myself with about an hour to digest. I’ve never had digestive issues, so I can polish off breakfast and be out on the road within 5 minutes if need be.
My breakfast is tried and true – oatmeal with almond butter and a litre of black tea with plenty of milk. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…
amen to that! once you find something that works, stick with that
looks like family dinners at my house 🙂 i need that vino in my lifeee [and those brownies bc ive been craving them like crazy]
I have always worked out after work, but on weekends I prefer to do it in the AM. My pre-workout fuel always changes – typically fruit and yogurt, crackers and cheese or milk and a granola bar. I use to have a really sensitive stomach, but it seems to have toughened up a bit, so I can eat pretty much anything before a workout.
I teach at my gym in the evenings, so I try to have something a little carb-y about an hour or two before and then come home and eat dinner right after. I’ve always wondered about working out after dinner though – usually once I have dinner I feel like my workout window is over for the day! Just curious, do you eat something after you work out at night?
usually, it depends on what kind of workout it is and if i’m hungry or not. if anything, i’ll have an egg or a little protein shake
My favorite pre-workout meal is lowfat yogurt with banana slices and topped with oats/granola. yummm!:)
your fam seriously knows how to eat! what a delicious feast…& that chocovine…ohhh my…what a nice little invention. i’ll be trying to hunt some down very soon!
LOVE that chocolate wine!! It is sweet, but it is also the perfect treat every once in a while 🙂
And running buddies are the best! I run farther and faster when I’m with a friends!
My favorite pre-workout snack – usually nothing since I go first thing when I wake up. If it’s a race or something, though, I usually munch on a banana. My stomach is so sensitive, I really have to watch it – so I stick to what I know. Best advice!
I really like a little piece of cheese (goat now!) and some baby carrots before a workout. It keeps me from feeling grumbly and icky, but it’s not too heavy. I guess I should look at adding some carbs in there though!
That meal looks epic!! And you should totally pass along your uncle’s amazing knowledge:)
My tried and true workout meal is a pb and j sandwich on whole wheat eaten exactly a half hour before I work out! Its the perfect combo for me:) Though when I workout first thing in the morning I can’t eat anything before except for a sip of juice and a couple almonds!
Great tips! I like to eat something like 1/2 a sweet potato and some cottage cheese pre workout and post workout, I pretty much always have a green smoothie with protein powder. I take it in thermos, so that it is still slushy and ready right when I get to my car. That chocolate vino looks like heaven! 😉
I love, love, LOVE Sabino Canyon!!! My husband’s family lives in Tucson. I always want to go to Sabino Canyon but for our last few visits, it was waaaaaay too hot. We’re also a military family – my husband just retired. I’m working on getting fit for the first time ever. So glad I found your blog!!! 🙂
thank you so much for checking it out! 🙂
This post made me laugh because my husband is the same way. He eats crap, drinks beer, NEVER works out works constantly and always aces his PT test. Blows my mind. Male magic.
i just don’t understand.
My pre workout snack is a wheaty bread with pb and banana. It doesn’t hurt my belly and keeps me full enough but not too full. I ALWAYS work out in the am otherwsise I’ll get lazy by the end of the day and just skip it – plus, its a great way to start the day!
My preworkout snack is almost always half (sometimes a whole) piece of fruit (apple, banana, pear) and almond butter, or a little Greek yogurt with granola. The almond butter keeps me going a little longer.
what a great looking spread and how nice of your mama to make regular and GF brownies so everyone could partake!
she is a brownie angel 🙂
I usually eat greek yogurt or a Luna bar an hour before working out, simple. I have a friend who will seriously eat a full breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, fruit before a race, and it doesn’t bother her one bit. It’s funny how everyone is different with their digestive systems.
I am a total lunchtime workout junkie. It’s the only time I ever workout unless I am training for something that needs more time (ie long runs for my half marathon). I always have sometime of fruit about an hour before my workout and eat lunch afterwards. If I eat more than that, it always makes me feel awful and my workout suffers.
I started running early in the morning a few months ago to maximize my time and avoid the heat. Which means I get up, get ready and get going. When I get home I give my dog fresh water (she runs with me), I drink a glass of water, shower and make breakfast. Lately it’s been an egg burrito with salsa, goat cheese and some fruit on the side, or if I remember to prep it at night – your breakfast cookie. I’ve learned that I can run 4 miles on an empty stomach – anything above that becomes a struggle. Once it gets cooler out and I increase my mileage I’ll snack on half a protein bar, banana and PB, or have a small smoothie with fruit and protein powder about an hour before running. Chocolate milk is hands-down my favorite post-workout snack!
I typically workout first thing in the morning (around 6), so before I head out for a run or go to the gym I always snack on something so that I have at least a little energy (fruit, half a slice of bread with almond butter, half or whole larabar, etc.) and then refuel with a protein-rich breakfast after…It took some playing around/trying different foods to figure out what works for me though!
I usually have a big lunch, it’s my main meal of the day at about half 1 or 2 and then I hit the gym at half 4 or 5. I might snack on a piece of fruit in between if I have any room. Straight after I opt for protein whether it’s a tofu or legume based meal or a Sunwarrior Smoothie! 🙂
Great tips! I definitely rely on a carb-heavy pre-workout snack, and usually a black coffee if it’s an early morning session. If I can’t have food because it’s an early workout, I usually go for a water/juice/pinch of salt mixture during my workout.
Uhhh helloo the wine looks amazing! I’ve seen this in stores but haven’t bought it yet… hmmm
As your fellow Zumba instructor, I agree with what you said. I can’t eat too much or too little before I teach.. it has to somehow be the right amount. I’ve had times where I’ve eaten too much PB on a slice of toast before teaching my Saturday morning Zoom (aka Zumba, haha.. my boyfriend calls it Zoom), and honestly thought I was going to barf in the middle of class. Lately before my Sat AM classes, I eat chobani with some cereal and blueberries and a little pb mixed in. This has been working perfectly. On my night classes after work, I load up on oatmeal before hand… I’ve found it’s the only thing that holds me over until I get home after class to eat “dinner”, which is usually more carbs like cereal and almonds with almond milk. I don’t know what it is with me and Zoom, but my body functions best on carbs before and carbs after with some protein, but predominantly carbs. Bodies sure are interesting.
what a delicious meal! oh my gosh those lobster tails! yum! and i’ve had that wine before! SO fabulous:)
The time I work out totally changes depending on the day! Lately this summer I’ve been working out after breakfast, so I like to have oatmeal, banana and soy nut butter beforehand. Sometimes I’ll exercise after work around 3 pm, so then I’ll have a homemade granola bar beforehand.
amazing food pics!
i just have tea w/ milk about 7am, usually workout about 8-9ish.
but i don’t end up eating breakfast till about 11 -yogurt & fruit.
i have a light lunch around 1 –
i ‘ve read so much about how important it is to eat breakfast –
is it still breakfast if it’s @ 11?
i do end up snacking after dinner – that’s probably b/c i’m not getting an early morning meal right?
well, it’s also probably also b/c i like dessert……..
I like to work out in the mornings before work. I’m usually not hungry, but I’ve found that my workouts are better if I eat a little something, like half a banana or some dry cereal on my way to the gym. I can definitely feel the boost of energy near the end.
And yes, the Chocowine is sooo good. It’s super sweet, but works well when you’re in the mood for it.
I workout first thing in the morning so I skip the pre-workout snack. I usually make a big green smoothie after my AM workouts. I don’t like to workout after I eat, especially cardio. It just messes with my stomach. I will eat dates with almond butter on my long bicycle rides. When I go to Bikram I will have a bowl of oatmeal with fruit 2 hours or more before class.
Love the tips Gina! My favorite pre workout meal is Greek yogurt with flax seeds in the morning! I definitely stick with what I know and have it all the time! For a nighttime workout usually just an apple or banana will keep me going through my workout!
WOW! All that food looks amazing! Where can I buy the Chocovino?
It all looks so good! I think your uncle, your mom, your nana, Kyle and any other cooking gurus in your family need to start cooking/baking blogs or do some guest posts on here with their tips and recipes. I see a Fitnessista & Familia cookbook in your future. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a multiple family members, multigenerational cookbook before. It could be multi-ethnic too-Indian Food, Italian, Mexican, etc… :).
The pre-workout snacks are great. I eat the egg, egg whites and brown rice together often and sometimes throw in some vegtables. Organic vanilla yogurt mixed with berries and ground flaxseed is another go to for me.
Love your huge family feasts 🙂 So much fun and yumminess!
If I’m going to be doing cardio that’s under an hour and I do it within an hour of waking up, usually it’s just coffee and a little cream or almond milk, but with strength training, I’ll usually make a shake with a carb to protein ratio of about 2:1.
Your posts always make me so hungry! My workout time varies, but it’s usually between the late morning or early afternoon. Most of the time I work out about an hour after breakfast (which is usually oatmeal with some kind of fruit, and a nut butter or flax seed meal). If I wait a little longer to work out, I will usually eat a protein bar or a larabar beforehand. I just finished a larabar and an iced coffee, preparing for my work out soon! 🙂
I’ve had that chocolate wine before! Love me some world market…did you know they have coffee & raspberry (both still chocolate) flavors as well? I highly recommend making some chocolate wine sangria: aka drop fresh pitted cherries in your glass and when the wine is gone you have a delicious treat at the bottom! 🙂 Not a recommendation for pre workout fuel though… I work early in the morning so my workouts are usually in the afternoon. A couple of hours after lunch I usually have some fruit with almond butter and/or TJ’s crackers.
I definitely have a hard time pre-fuelling before a workout. I love your suggestions.
I always workout first thing in the morning before breakfast and never eat before, although I probably should. Its just something I’ve never been able to stomach
i just had a biiiig internet issue and i’m so happy it’s fixed now because i can read all the post i missed 😀 😀 gonna do your bedtime ab burner tonight, can’t wait! xxx
I am so jealous you can go for a run mid-day. I’m tired of the hot weather 🙁
Thanks for posting about pre workout food, it’s something I am constantly wondering about. I never know what will maximize my effort!
I love red wine with a hint of chocolate. My fave is Red Decadence. You taste the red wine then get a nice taste of chocolate afterwards. Yumm!
Wow all this food looks amazing!!! And chocolate wine sounds like heaven in a glass, need to try asap!