Friend vs. Foe, Couscous Cakes over Tomato-Olive Salad, Plank Up/Downs

OK people! I've neglected my blog, and I have no real excuse. I'm still passionate about fitness and nutrition, and have been making excuses to not post. So, I apologize, but I'm not going to linger on it or I'll just feel worse. I'll be posting weekly (I'll try for 2x a week and any more will be a bonus!). Thanks for all of you who read this blog, I'll get my act together, promise!

Tip: Friend vs. Foe

Make friends with your scale. This is one tip that I need to take my own advice from. I weigh in weekly, but it freaks me out getting my scale out. It should not be this way, but I know a lot of people who would agree with me. So, make your scale your friend, not your foe! Weigh in daily (I know alot of people don't recommend this, but it will help you get to know your body a lot better.) If you don't want to do it daily, do it at lease weekly so you know where your body is at. Do it in the early morning, right as you wake up, after you pee, and before you get dressed for the day. If you want to, you can plug in your weight on an online chart (try livestrong.com-there are many others though) and track your weight loss/weight maintenance. If you're trying to lose weight, seeing the numbers go down on the chart will motivate you like non other!

Healthy Recipe: Cous Cous Cakes over Tomato-Olive Salad

Cakes:
1/3 cup uncooked whole-wheat couscous

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tbs egg substitute

2 tbs finely chopped green onions

1/8 tsp ground pepper

2 tsp olive oil

cooking spray

Salad:

2/3 cup chopped seeded tomato

2 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp ground pepper

3 cups gourmet salad greens

1. To prepare cakes, place couscous in a medium bowl; sitr in 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff w/ a fork. Cook slightly. Add cheese and the enxt 3 ingredients (through pepper). Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet coated w/ cooking spray over med-high heat. Spoon about 1/3 cup couscous mixture into 4 mounds in pan. Lightly press w/ a spatula to flatten to 1/2 inch. Cook 1 minutes or until lightly browned. Coat tops of cakes w/ cooking spray. Carfully turn cakes over; cook 2 minutes or until heated.

2. To prepare salad, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through pepper). Arrange 1 1/2 cups greens on each of 2 plates. Top each serving w/ 1/2 cup tomato mixture; arrange 2 cakes over tomoato mixture.

This meal is soo good. It's pretty light, so it's perfect for a lunch! This makes 2 servings at 289 calories a serving.

Exercise: Plank Up/Downs

This is a great exercise to get your heart rate going! It's a core and an arm workout all in one. Add this to your workout routine, I would say you won't be sorry you did, but if you do this exercise right, you will be!

Get in prone plank position (push up position w/ elbow/forearms on the ground) Leaning on your right elbow, push your self up w/ your left arm, followed by your right arm until your in pushup position. Then get yourself back down to plank, left arm first. Do 20 like this, and then repeat, doing another 20 w/ your right arm. Do 3 sets.

Jean Measurement, Cranberry-Almond Granola, Sexy Arms

Tip of the Day: Jean Measurement

Instead of getting on the scale in the morning, try on your favorite pair of jeans. Either the pair you wear now, or the pair you want to get into. Have that be your way of measuring your weight loss. That way you'll be focusing on the actual fat loss of your body, and you'll get to feel your body change as it gets easier and easier to fit into that smaller size (or your current jeans get bigger and bigger!)

Healthy Recipe: Cranberry-Almond Granola

A lot of the time, store bought granola can be disguised as this healthy thing, when it is really packed with sugar and chemicals. Making your own granola is a great way of knowing exactly what you're putting into your body. It'll taste so fresh and flavorful compared to the store bought brands!

• 2/3 cup frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup almond oil, or canola oil
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 5 cups rolled oats, (not quick-cooking)
• 1 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped (4 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (2 ounces)
• 1 cup dried cranberries, divided

1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with sides with cooking spray.
2. Whisk apple juice concentrate, maple syrup, oil and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cinnamon and salt.
3. Mix oats, wheat germ, almonds and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Stir in the juice mixture; toss to coat. Spread the granola evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake the granola for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Reverse sheets top to bottom and back to front. Continue baking until lightly browned and aromatic, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes more. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks; stir 1/2 cup dried cranberries into the granola on each sheet. Let cool completely.

This batch makes up 19 servings (at 262 calories each serving).
Bonus: You can store this granola in air tight containers for up to 2 months!!

Exercise: Sexy Arms
Get sexy arms for the summer w/ this workout!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/arm-workout-0

Anouncement

So, clearly, if you've been following this blog, you've noticed I've been slacking every so often on my "daily" posts. I just landed a new personal training job which I have to work at along with my current job until I can start building up my clientele. It's been busy and exhausting, especially paired with having to take care of a 4 month old baby. So, I hopefully won't regret doing this, but I'm going to have to cut my posts down to once or twice a week (more if I'm able to of course). Thanks so much to all my followers who read all the time! Sorry if I'm letting anyone down, I eventually want to go back to daily posts as soon as I can get down to only one job! Thanks again, and enjoy! Ashley

Smart Drinking, Savory Beef Stew, Frog Push

Tip of the Day: Smart Drinking

I've said it in the past; that you should kick your soda addiction. Quit drinking that sugar filled juice drink and that giant mug of creamer with a little coffee in it. For some it's easier said than done! Just think, it's adding up to 450 calories of consumption to your day. Start your own water schedule to get you through the day. It'll help you not crave those sugary beverages. Drink a glass of water when you wake up in the morning, one midmorning, one before you eat lunch, one afternoon, one before dinner, and one at night between 8-9 pm. If you do start to crave any of your past addictions, swap it with coffee w/ skim milk, iced tea (unsweetened), or flavored seltzer water. Of course, make sure the drink you're swapping doesn't contain high amounts of sugar, artificial sweetener, or high fructose corn syrup. You'll kick that old habit in no time.

Healthy Recipe: Savory Beef Stew

• 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 8 ounces bottom-round beef, trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1/3 cup dried cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shallot to the pan; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Stir in thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds. Return the beef to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring often, until the flour browns, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth; scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in squash.
4. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Stir in cherries, cover and continue baking until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes more. Makes 2 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.

405 calories a serving! (This makes 4)
Exercise: Frog Push

Exercising with bands is so awesome, because you get great affects on your muscles, and it's so easy to adjust the weight. Just grab closer to the middle of the band for a heavier weight!

Lie faceup, bend your hips and knees 90 degrees, and loop the band around your feet, crossing the band to create an X. Hold an end in each hand just above your shoulders or hips. From this position, brace your core and slowly extend your legs into the air straight in front of you. Pause, then return to start. That's one rep. Do 10 to 12.

Sleep More Lose More, Fish and Chips, Plateau Bust

Tip of the Day: Sleep More, Lose More

There have been multiple studies showing that if you get less than 7 and 1/2 hours of sleep at night, you have a better chance of gaining weight and increasing your BMI. So, make sure you go to sleep early! Your body will thank you!


Healthy Recipe: Fish and Chips

This week is going to be themed on pub favorites from one of my favorite websites Eating Well. I'll post healthy versions of pub recipes you'll be craving!

• Canola or olive oil cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning, divided
• 2 cups cornflakes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites, beaten
• 1 pound Pacific cod , (Overfishing and trawling have drastically reduced the number of cod in the Atlantic Ocean and destroyed its sea floor. A better choice is Pacific cod (a.k.a. Alaska cod); it is more sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp)) or haddock, cut into 4 portions

1. Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set a wire rack on another large baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.
2. Place potatoes in a colander. Thoroughly rinse with cold water, then pat dry completely with paper towels. Toss the potatoes, oil and 3/4 teaspoon Cajun (or Creole) seasoning in a large bowl. Spread on the baking sheet without the rack. Bake on the lower oven rack, turning every 10 minutes, until tender and golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, coarsely grind cornflakes in a food processor or blender or crush in a sealable plastic bag. Transfer to a shallow dish. Place flour, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon Cajun (or Creole) seasoning and salt in another shallow dish and egg whites in a third shallow dish. Dredge fish in the flour mixture, dip it in egg white and then coat all sides with the ground cornflakes. Place on the prepared wire rack. Coat both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray.
4. Bake the fish on the upper oven rack until opaque in the center and the breading is golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes.

Exercise: Plateau Bust

This is an awesome workout to bust your plateau and keep your fat burning going! Read the whole article-you'll learn something!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/plateau-busting-workout

Green Tea, Banana Berry Smoothie, Swing

Tip of the Day: Green Tea

Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever, says that green tea "is the closest thing to a metabolism potion". Drinking 2-4 cups a day can actually help burn an extra 50 calories! It contains a compound called ECGC that helps burn fat. Get the full effects and let your tea steep for 3 minutes before drinking it hot. I've also read that there was a 12 week study where everyone drank 3-5 cups of green tea a day and lowered their body fat percentage by 4.6%!


Healthy Recipe: Banana Berry Smoothie

135 calories and this makes 3 servings. This is a great breakfast, but can be a great dessert also!

• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 1 ripe medium banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup frozen blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 2 ice cubes, crushed (see Tip)
• 1 tablespoon sugar, (optional)

Combine orange juice, banana, berries, tofu and crushed ice in a blender; cover and blend until smooth and frothy. Sweeten with sugar, if desired. Serve immediately.

Exercise: Swing

Grab a kettlebell with both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Then immediately stand back up, swinging the kettlebell out and up until it's at shoulder height. As the kettlebell begins to arc back down, bend your knees and squat, swinging the kettlebell between your legs. That's 1 rep; continue swinging for 10. (use a 6-10 pound kettle bell)

Fruit Snacking, Power Smoothie, Lunge w/ Kettle Bell

Tip of the Day: Fruit Snacking

We all know we should be eating fruit everyday, especially from all those studies out there saying that fruit promotes weight loss, and prevents weight gain. A good idea to switch up eating fruit is to dress it up. Eat an apple with a little peanut butter, or add chopped walnuts and a little maple syrup to an apple. Those are both additives that will help your health! Another thing you can do to make fruit more interesting to eat is to freeze it. Freeze some grapes or cherries and munch on them during the day.


Healthy Recipe: Power Smoothie

This makes one serving and is 440 calories. It sounds a lot, but make this your dinner after an intense workout. It'll keep you full all night, and really aid to your muscles.

1 cup 1 percent milk
2 tablespoons low-fat vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup instant oatmeal (nuked in water)
2 teaspoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons whey chocolate powder
6 ice cubes, crushed

Mix all ingredients together in a blender.

Exercise: Lunge w/ Kettle Bell

In lunge position w/ right leg forward, holding a 10-15 pound kettle bell in your left hand, lunge down so both your legs are about 90 degrees. Do 20 on each side.