Healthy Glow: Healthy Eating, La Mode & Ramblings
After a long workout all I want to do is eat something cold and creamy and this breakfast hits the spot. I am even having it as a snack right now!
Ingredients:
- 1 6 ounce cup of Brown Cow Yogurt (for breakfast I used the maple flavor. For a snack I used the apricot mango flavor)
- 12 strawberries (hulled and cut in half)
- 1 tbsp of Adams Natural Crunchy peanut butter
- 1 cup of Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal
Directions:
Layer each ingredient in a bowl. One layer of cereal, one layer of strawberries, one layer of yogurt. Then add the peanut butter last. Enjoy!
For Your Health: The Activity Pyramid
Try new physical activity from each tier of the pyramid as much as possible!
(via fitvillains)
I am a certified gym rat. If I could spend all day in the gym lifting weights, taking group fitness classes, and running on the treadmill I probably would. Exercise always lifts my mood and I sincerely enjoy challenging myself during my workouts.
Over the years I have tried a lot of gyms. Some gyms were spectacular and others a complete disaster. From all of my experiences, I suggest that before you join a gym get a tour and ask for a free pass to see what the gym is really like.
I just spotted this free 7 day guest pass for Bally’s Total Fitness. Here is your chance to try a gym! Bally’s is a good start because it is a U.S. gym that is all over the country. Here is your chance to try a gym free, for a week!
Still don’t know what to look for when picking a gym? Read EHow’s article on how to pick the perfect gym.
I know it’s hot out, but it doesn’t mean you have to miss your workout! Go out & hunt for some nice air conditioning and KILL it (or do this workout in the morning)!
You’ll find a video tutorial at the end of this post!
You’ll need…
- A stability ball
- A broomstick
- A weighted sand bag (you can also just hold heavy weight, or use another object)
- Jump Rope
- Interval Timer (use your cell phone)
* Interval Timer Substitute: Use your cell phone timer or www.tabatatimer.com. You can also download an iPhone App.
* Sandbag Substitute? Use a school bag/gym bag with books, weights, or anything else heavy. It just needs to be evenly distributed.
Exercises
- Roll It Hard - Core Exercise - 20 reps
- Sandbag Squat & Jump Tuck - 20 reps
- Broomstick Exercise - 20 reps
- High Knees with Jump Rope - max. effort during each 20 second interval
Thanks fitvillains! I love your blog!
I completed and tracked 3 cardio exercises: 8 minutes Running: 8 min/mile (a personal best), 108 calories burned, 50 minutes Body Combat, 565 calories burned, 50 minutes Zumba (I was able to teach a portion of class again!), 324 calories burned!
What are you going to do to push your workouts to the absolute limit? I encourage you to try stay on the treadmill for 5 additional minutes or stretch for 2 additional minutes! Whatever you do, stay hydrated in this extreme heat!
Weird, I know. Ever since I started reading the blog, Kath Eats Real Food I have been intrigued by her SIAB creation. I wondered to myself, who the heck makes a smoothie, then pours it in a bowl?!
According to Kath, “I never liked smoothies very much until I started serving them in a bowl, soup style! Eating a smoothie with a spoon is so much more fun than drinking it in a glass – when it disappears in 1 minute flat in my house! Additionally, adding toppings, some of which sink to the bottom, make the eating process more exciting. Chewing helps me feel satisfied, so I love adding that dimension to smoothies.” To read more about this interesting “recipe” click here.
My Summertime SIAB
Ingredients:
- 10 strawberries
- 1 large banana (cut into chunks and frozen overnight so I didn’t have to add ice)
- 1/2 scoop of Meijer Whey Protein Powder in Creamy Vanilla
- 1/4 quick oats
- 1 small peach
Directions:
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth. Don’t blend it too long because the smoothie will be too “liquidy”.
1/2 cup of Quaker Oats Raspberry Apple Granola as a topping
Add whatever other toppings you want! You can add more berries, bananas, nut butter, or unsalted nuts!
Have fun! To tell you the truth in the summer all I want is smoothies. I could drink smoothies all day. After a workout nothing satisfies me more. If this isn’t your thing just keep drinking your smoothie out of a cup. I will judge you if you do.
Need a FRIENDLY dose of motivation? :)
Workouts can get stale when you do them on your own for too long (even those of us who prefer going solo can get bored). Working out with a friend can help you bust out of your rut & studies show that we tend to stick to our goals better when we’re working with a bestie. So grab your BFF, print out this list and get sweaty one or two times this weekend!
Other ideas for “friendly” workouts…
- Relay Races (one partner runs a pre-determined area, while the other does jumping jacks, squats, lunges etc.). Choose 5-6 different exercises to do while alternating, complete the circuit & repeat.
- Get sporty! Grab a soccer ball, frisbee, or volleyball and head on out to the park.
- Competition! If you’re working with someone with a similar fitness level, get competitive. Pick a challenge (like the deadman burpee) & try to beat each others scores etc. If not, stick with alternating exercises that are time-based.
- Group classes are great, especially if you’re not on the exact same fitness level. Plus, bringing a friend can help get over that ‘first class’ intimidation. Try to find an activity that’s new to both of you to level the playing field & have fun!
How To Do THIS workout…
Do two sets of exercise 1, resting 60 seconds between sets. Then do moves 2 to 6 as a circuit, completing 12 to 20 reps of each exercise with no rest in between. Rest 60 seconds, then repeat for a total of two to four circuits. Finish your workout with one set of exercise 7.
Ready?
- Increase your energy. No, that five-mile run isn’t going to wear you out. On the contrary, research has shown that the more you exercise, the more energy you have. So if you find yourself feeling sluggish in the heat or can’t keep your eyes open when the afternoon hits, try adding a few exercises to your routine.
- Help prevent disease and illness. Exercise is a cornerstone of any healthy lifestyle, and it can help prevent a wide variety of diseases and illnesses. From cardio for heart health to burning that diabetes-causing internal fat, exercising regularly can keep you on the healthy track.
- Boost your mood. Stressed, annoyed, angry? Go exercise. The endorphins released when you exercise can help put you in a better mood, which can lead to all sorts of happier living moments, from socializing to a better love life (Intrigued? Here are a few specific exercises that’ll help your sex life).
- Sleep better. Even though exercising can rev you up, it’s the perfect remedy for too many restless or sleepless nights. Exercising can help you sleep better so you get a deep sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning.
- Improve thinking. Problem solving, crafting the perfect email, or nailing a presentation can be easier if you’ve exercised beforehand. The endorphins that pep you up also help clear your mind, so you can think better and smarter.
Why do you exercise?
I have noticed that a number of my followers are obsessed with being thin and celebrate disordered eating. My blog is not about that. I eat within my calorie range (1700-2000) and I am still losing weight. I focus on weight training and I enjoy eating pizza from time to time (and don’t feel bad about eating it). If you don’t like eating, you starve yourself, you exercise to a unhealthy degree, you don’t weigh train and you celebrate being thin to unhealthy degree please unfollow me.
If you want want celebrate not starving, maintain a healthy weight and gaining muscle mass then let’s celebrate it together! Happy Friday.
Popcorn! If you like quantity when it comes to your snacks, this is the perfect food for you! Plus, new research shows that popcorn eaters get 250% more whole grains in their diet than people who don’t eat it. And at only 105 calories for three cups of plain popped, you can eat a lot of it! Watch out for butter toppings and artificial flavorings, which can add up fat & calories fast. Make your own instead! —Best Foods
CHEESY POPCORN
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese a sprinkle of cayenne pepper dress up air-popped popcorn.
4 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups hot air-popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Toss popcorn with Parmesan and cayenne to taste.
Nutrition
Per serving: 75 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 1 g fiber; 153 mg sodium; 43 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Calcium, fiber, few calories.
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
