Fitness Challenge of the Month – Plank Challenge!

Last month we did a squat challenge – I know it was super tough! I was right there with you. I had a hard time and even had to take more rest days than it asked for – but that’s okay! You can still be a part of the challenge, even if you need to rest more than the calendar allows. I would not want you to hurt yourself doing our challenge. I want you to succeed!

Now, if this seems tough, don’t worry. You will become stronger and you will be able to do at least a minute plank by the end of the month if you stick with it and push yourself. You will be surprised at how strong you will get and it will amaze you. You can do this!
plank
You could do them anywhere. On the grass or on your [...]

Read more

Flat Belly Diet

Find out how the Flat Belly Diet can help you lose 15 pounds in 32 days and learn lifetime healthy habits.
fbn
BASICS
The basics of the diet are eating three meals and one snack a day each totaling 400 calories. You will eat 1600 calories daily with a Mediterranean-style eating plan and places an emphasis on eating real foods and avoiding processed ones. The key to the diet is eating a MUFA every meal. MUFA’s are monounsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, flax, avocado, and oils. In the Flat Belly Diet! book Coauthor and Registered Dietician Cynthia Sass explains, “research shows that MUFAs have health benefits and target belly fat. They also help control satiety, so by adding in one MUFA at [...]

Read more

Spectacular Spinach

spinach

 
Popeye ate this leafy green to get big and strong: find out how it will make you strong, lean, and healthy.

Cancer Fighter: Spinach contains 13 different flavonoids which have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach and skin cancer cells. Read more about cancer fighting foods in this book, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen.
Anti-Inflammatory: The neoxanthia and violaxnthin present in spinach play an important role in the regulation of inflammation.
Antioxidant Packed: Spinach contains high amounts of vitamin C and E, manganese, and zinc. 1 cup of spinach contains 80% of the RDV of manganese which is vital to skin, bones, the menstrual cycle, and in cholesterol metabolism.
Better Vision: The plentiful lutein protects eyes from cataracts.
Vitamin A Okay: 2 cups of spinach contains over 100% of the RDV for Vitamin A. [...]

Read more

No Gym Required

boost

Read more

Eat Colorfully

strawberries

Last night I went to farmers market and picked up these strawberries. They are so good! Strawberry season is just hitting us here in California, and I can’t get enough. I made a smoothie this morning with strawberries, kiwis, mandarins and spinach! I cannot stress enough the importance of eating colorfully! What I mean by this is you should choose a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and add them to your daily diet. Here is a little explanation of colors and how they benefit us:

RED - Strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers and watermelon. These foods contain a phytochemical called Lycopene which helps eliminate free radicals in our bodies and fight some cancers!  

ORANGE - Oranges, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and mango. These foods contain beta-carotene which our bodies convert into Vitamin A. This  benefits our eyes, bone growth and health of the immune system. It [...]

Read more

Eat Clean Tortilla Chicken Soup

This recipe is the perfect companion to any diet. It is a giant pot of protein and filling vegetables. The best part of this dish: it is made in the slow cooker.

photo (4)

 
Recipe:

5 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless 
2 Jars of Salsa
1 Packet Reduced-Sodium Taco Seasoning (or 2 TBSP)
1 Onion
2 Peppers (Red, yellow, or green)
1 Bag Sliced Mushrooms
Juice from 1 Lime
1 Can (6oz) of Green Chillies
Chicken Broth (optional)

Directions:

Line your slow cooker with a Slow Cooker Liner to make clean up a breeze
Put the chicken in the slow cooker and squeeze the lime over the chicken
Add the packet of taco seasoning
Chop the onions, peppers, and mushrooms, throw on top of chicken
Empty the chillies and salsa on top
Cook on low for 6 hours
Remove Chicken and shred, return to slow cooker

Notes:

Add the chicken broth to thin the soup.
Top with whatever you please or what your diet allows. [...]

Read more

17 is the Magic Number

Many of our readers are fans of the 17 Day Diet, or they’re considering it, or just curious about it. The 17 Day Diet is a healthy life changing diet… actually I don’t even like to call it a diet because it’s pretty much a lifestyle change. It helps you form good eating habits and they’re so easy to follow you’ll keep them for life – all the while you’ll lose weight and begin to feel like the woman you’ve wanted to be!

While on this diet you’re supposed to do at least 17 minutes of exercise a day. That’s right! 17 minutes! Not bad right… especially for those with a busy schedule. Anyone can fit in 17 minutes. My favorite way to fit it in is to set my alarm about 20 minutes before I normally get up and do it first thing in the morning and I’m done for [...]

Read more

Upper Body Blast

upper body

This is a the perfect cardio and strength workout when you are crunched for time. You can do it at home or in the gym all you need is a timer and weights. I use “Interval Timer” on the iphone. It is a free app that allows you to completely customize your fitness routine. You can set the length or your warm up, intervals, and cool down.

Directions:

1. Do each exercise for one minute. You will rotate between strength and cardio moves.

2. Start each exercise in full effort. If you tire before the minute is up, modify until you build your cardio and strength. Example: if you tire while doing curls using your heaviest weight before the minute is up, move to a lighter weight and finish the minute. Same with push ups, start on your feet and more to your knees [...]

Read more

Roasted Veggie Salad, under 400 calories!

Two of my favorite foods are roasted vegetables and hummus! This salad combines it all! First I roast the veggies then I add them to a bed of chopped romaine lettuce mixed with hummus and Voila! I have a healthy salad under 400 calories. This 400 calories even includes some high protein tofu from Trader Joe’s so you’re getting your protein as well. I love making this recipe in my Oster Digital Toaster Oven. It makes it so much easier, saves more energy in my home and doesn’t heat up my kitchen like it would in the regular oven. Try cooking more stuff in your toaster oven. Check out this cool cookbook The Gourmet Toaster Oven.
roasted veggie salad

Roasted [...]

Read more

April Squat Challenge! Let’s do this!

squat challenge

I was having a little chat with my sister today and she mentioned she’s doing a squat challenge this month. So, what did I do? I said, “I’m in!”

Everyday all you have to do is look at the calendar and do the required amount of squats. You can break them up throughout the day if needed. I know I’m going to need to! Especially when we get in the 100′s-200′s! WOW! That’s a lot of squatting! But, its going to be worth it in the end!

If you don’t know how to do a correct squat, watch this video on YouTube on how to do a proper squat.
Benefits of squats:
1. Builds muscle! They tone the legs and lift the butt! Now, who wouldn’t want that?!!

2. Burns fat! The more muscle you gain, the more you body burns fat. It’s a fact!

3. Strength and [...]

Read more
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...