Sunday, May 29, 2011
Beach Legs
So I have this awesome picture in my Oxygen magazine that makes me REALLY want to get my legs toned up. Craig can always think of a good workout when I need one, so he gave me "The Kill" to do on Saturday morning (invented by an Vietnam veteran name Bernie). My friend Lynndsey Miller (awesome workout partner BTW) braved it with me, and I have been having trouble walking up stairs ever since. I can't wait to do it again next week!:)"The Kill"
Horizontal Leg Press (15reps x 5sets) I did about 75lbs on each side.
-20 seconds in-between each set
-The weight should start feeling heavy mid-way through the second set
-it should be REALLY heavy for sets 4 and 5
-This should be FULL extension, and bring the weight down until your knees almost touch your chest
---60 seconds Rest---(use this time to set up the squat rack)
Squats (12reps x 3 sets) I did about 45lbs on each side to begin with.
-This should be VERY heavy on the first set
-Drop weight by 5-10lbs each set
-20 seconds in-between each set
---60 seconds Rest---
Repeat Squats (Try to use the same amount of weight)
Laying Hamstring Curls (12reps x 3 sets) I did about 70-80lbs to start
-This should be VERY heavy on the first set
-Drop weight by 5-10lbs each set
-20 seconds in-between each set
---60 seconds Rest---
Repeat Hamstring Curls (Try to use the same amount of weight)
Give me some love on my blog, and let me know what you think of this workout!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Mini Turkey Meatloaf
One of my favorite fitness models Jamie Eason posted some of her recipes on BodyBuilding.com, and of course I had to try them! I made these turkey meatloaves and put them in plastic baggies so I have protein options for the week. They are REALLY good, and so convenient for lunches! Let me know how you like them! :)
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
Calories: 80
Fats: 2 grams
Carbs: 4 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dry yellow mustard
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.
3. Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
4. Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin pan. Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.
5. Bake for 40 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.
Serving Size:
Women: 2 muffins
Men: 4 muffins
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tighten up those glutes!
Two rounds through (with a minute rest in-between)
- 15 in and out squats 45lb bar, with 25lbs on each side (one squat with legs narrower than shoulder-width, one squat with legs outside of shoulder width.)
- 12 Dead lifts 45lb bar, with 25lbs on each side (hands outside of knees, squat low and lift weight up to hip height, repeat)
- 15 hip extensions (I held onto the bar, and brought one leg straight back until i could feel my glutes tighten, did 15, and then switched the other leg)
- 12 single leg body squats ( i put the bar about hip height, and hung onto it as I lowered one leg into a squat, keeping the other leg straight out in front of me. Go as low as possible, then stand up straight, and repeat 12 on each leg, then switch legs)
- 15 Bulgarian split squats 30lb bar, can use body weight though. (this is basically a lunge, with the bar on your shoulders and your back leg behind you so your foot is resting on a bench. Make sure your squatting knee stays straight above your foot when you squat down. Do 15 on each leg, then switch).
- REPEAT!!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Thoughts today-my simple plan for body success.
When I wake up in the morning and tell myself I WILL be successful that day, it makes life so much easier. I don't set myself up for failure by telling my self i can't say no. etc. I visualize myself being healthy, and making healthy choices, take it one day at a time, and it becomes more possible.
Since being healthy, and fit is something that we are always working on and trying to be better in, it helps to get all of the advice we can! A few things that I focus on daily that help me see the biggest results.
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night (this is PROVEN to help us lose fat! For more details on how important sleep is for our body's fat loss see here.)
- Combine protein and complex carbohydrates for every meal (this slows down the digestion process and keeps our blood sugar levels low-hence, less fat storage!)
- Have two servings of whole grains per day (ex. oats, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato etc. Stay away from any white breads!)
- Eat 5-6 meals per day (small meals and eating often make it easier for your body to digest what you eat, and keep your hormones/blood sugar levels low, which makes it easier for your body to burn fat).
- No food after 8pm!-Unless it is protein. (You don't need energy from carbohydrates before bed, so what you eat just goes to fat storage. Since your body synthesizes protein while you sleep, it can be beneficial to eat protein before bed as it will aide your body's muscle recovery).
Chicken rollup with spinach alla parmigiana
Recipe of courtesy of skinnytaste.com
Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings:
8 •
Serving Size:1 stuffed breast •
Calories:
194.7 •
Fat:7 g •
Protein:24.2 g •
Carb:7.2 g •
Fiber:1.5 g
- 8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
- 1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
- 5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
- 6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
- 6 oz part skim mozzarella (I used Polly-O)
- olive oil non-stick spray (I use my Misto
)
- 1 cup pomodoro sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Wash
and
drycutlets, season with salt and pepper.
Preheatoven to 450°. Lightly
spraya baking dish with non-stick spray.
Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.
Shred
or
finely chop1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and
combinewith remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.
Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.
Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray
Bake
25 minutes.
Removefrom oven,
topwith sauce then cheese.
Bake
until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes.
Servewith additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Bikini Bod Ready-WOD
Four Rounds through:
The point of this workout is to do it as fast as you can so you not only get a great muscle burn, but a good cardiovascular workout as well. Good luck, go burn some calories!
**For the 10, 8, 6, 4 rep exercises try to increase your weight every time. If weight isnt listed, it is body weight only. Feel free to post any questions you have and I'll answer them!
- Single leg squats 10, 8, 6, 4 (if you can't do single leg squats, you can substitute them for Bulgarian split squats. see example here)
- Push ups to failure
- Dead lifts 10, 8, 6, 4 (see example here) (about 115-160lbs)
- Dumbbell curls to failure
- Pull ups 10, 8, 6, 4 (You can use the assisted machine, but decrease the assistance for each set)
- Decline bench situps to failure
- Skull crushers 10, 8, 6, 4 immediately followed by:
- Narrow dumbbell triceps press to failure (10-20lb dumbbells)
- Row machine 200m (or some form of cardio for 200m)
Thai Chicken Satays with Killer Peanut Sauce
Okay, these might have been my best creation of the week. This recipe is DEFINITELY worth trying, and was actually pretty easy to make! I found this really awesome recipe on thaifood.about.com, and changed-up the ingredients so it was "clean eating approved" :) ENJOY!
Thai Chicken Satay:
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: SERVES 2-4 as a Main Entree
Ingredients:
- 5 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
- 1 package wooden skewers (or metal ones if you are dedicated to the trade :) )
- SATAY MARINADE:
- 1/4 cup minced lemongrass , fresh or frozen (if you dont have this, just use a little lime and lemon juice)
- 2 shallots OR 1 small onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-2 fresh red chilies, sliced, OR 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. minced fresh turmeric OR 1/2 tsp. dried turmeric
- 2 Tbsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 3 Tbsp. dark soy sauce (i just used regular low-sodium tamari soy sauce)
- 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 5-6 Tbsp. agave nectar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Dipping Sauce: see My peanut sauce below
Preparation:
- Soak wooden skewers
- Cut chicken into thin strips and place in a bowl.
- Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor or chopper. Process well.
- Pour the marinade over the meat and stir well to combine. Allow at least 1 hour for marinating, or longer (up to 24 hours).
- When ready to cook, thread meat onto the top 3/4 of the skewers.
- Grill the satay on your BBQ, OR on an indoor grill, basting the first time you time it with a little of the leftover marinade from the bottom of the bowl. OR you can broil in the oven on a broiling pan or baking sheet with the oven set to "broil" Place satay close beneath the heating element and turn the meat every 5 minutes until cooked (be sure to soak your wooden satay sticks in water before skewering). Depending on how thin your meat is, the satay should cook in 10 to 20 minutes.
- Serve with brown rice and this awesome Peanut sauce recipe below!
1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I used brown rice vinegar)
1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium)
1/4 cup unsweetened lite coconut milk
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Chopped peanuts (optional)
Directions:
1. In a bowl stir together peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, coconut milk, garlic, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper. Stir in green onion.
2. To use, brush meat or poultry with sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Heat remaining sauce until bubbly, stirring occasionally, and pass warmed sauce with meat or poultry. If desired, garnish sauce with a few chopped peanuts. Makes about 1 cup.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Shish Kabob night!
I have to say, shish kabobs are my FAVORITE meal. I'm so happy we just got a new grill! I can cook these things whenever i desire. :) (you'll be seeing many more shish-kabob marinade recipes in the future). I was keeping things pretty simple last night.
I was craving pork, and I had to have my regular steak and chicken kabobs. So i just got small packages of pork tenderloins, chicken tenderloins, and 2 sirloin steaks. I made these three marinades, cut up the meat and let them sit while i did the veggies. (letting the meat marinade over night would be ideal, so if you are a planner, go ahead and do the meat preparation the night before!). The nice thing about kabobs is you can make a lot, and they taste really good the next day as leftover! So don't be afraid to do it big. :)
Beef Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stemmed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb of chicken tenderloins
Pork Marinade:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dry sherry (I used white cooking wine)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 lb of pork tenderloin
- pineapple (fresh is always best)
- red potatoes
- jalapenos (without the seeds)
- red, yellow, green bell peppers
- mushrooms (keep them whole)
- tomatoes (cherry tomatoes work great)
- turkey bacon (this would be delicious )
- yellow squash
- zucchini
- If you have wood sticks, be sure to soak them in warm water for about 10-20min
- Make meat marinades, cut up meat into bite size pieces, and let marinade
- Cut up all veggies/other items
- Set up an assembly line and stack everything on your kabob!
- ENJOY!!
For the asparagus in this picture i just drizzled on olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Workout of the Day
I'm going to be posting really fun workouts and really yummy, clean recipes. Please let me know what you think of everything!
WOD (workout of the day):
Five times through (as fast as you can of course) :)
10 reps of each exercise
- Overhead squats w/bar only
- Push up rows 10lb dumbbells (one push up, one row per arm=one rep)
- Kettle bell swings 30lb kettle bell (dumbbell if you dont have one)
- Dips (on assisted pull up machine preferably)
- Single dumbbell snatch 15-25lb dumbbell (one arm at a time).
- Squat jumps
- Knees to elbows (hang on pull-up bar and bring your knees to your elbows)
Good luck!
-mic
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