Asian Salmon

Last Fall, I joined a high intensity aerobic class at the gym.  I went to Body Fit twice a week to help kick my fitness routine into high gear.  I definitely felt the benefits of a new program.  (I had sore muscles in places that I didn't even know I HAD muscles.)  It was a great way for me to change up my workout schedule and keep me motivated to workout.

The workouts were exhausting and I was a sweaty mess by the end of every class.  Most of the time, by the time I got home, I would be absolutely STARVING.  I always preach the benefits of eating and drinking within 30 minutes of a hard workout so I followed my own advice.  I would eat granola bars or bananas or trail mix.

The only problem is that almost as soon as I started the class, my jeans started to get tighter.  Coincidence?  At first, I chalked my shrinking pant situation up to increased muscle mass but I knew that there was something else going on.  Why was I working out harder than ever and GAINING weight instead of losing it?

I started to keep an exercise journal and it made me realize that I was drastically overestimating the amount of calories that I was burning.  I was using Body Fit as my "free ticket" to eat whatever I wanted during the day with the thought that I would burn all off the calories off in class. 

Body Fit was an evening class so I had this idea in my head that I needed to consume plenty of fuel throughout the day so I wouldn't lose energy during my workout.  I was eating all day and not really giving much thought to the kinds of foods that would be beneficial to my workout.

Once I started to make and effort to replenish my muscles with smaller amounts of healthy food after a workout, my jeans started to fit better again.  I found that an apple or a yogurt smoothie is a great way to curve my hunger after a hard workout instead of eating everything in sight.

The math is simple really - I was consuming more calories than I was burning - yes, it took me a good month to figure that out.   (Or admit it.)  So now I'm eating healthier both before and after my workouts.  Salmon is one of my favorite pre-workout meals and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare it.  I found this recipe on  juliasalbum.com.

Asian Salmon

Prep time: 40 minutes
Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
a pinch of ginger (powdered)
1 and 1/4 pounds salmon




Combine all ingredients (except salmon) in a glass baking dish.

Add salmon.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.












Pour marinade out of dish and turn fish over so skin side is down.












Bake 15 minutes at 350.












 
Serve with broccoli, rice and bread.

A hard workout requires a lot of energy so I fuel my body with a light dinner of carbohydrates, lean protein and a little fat.    No excuses now - I'm off to workout.

Ciao!