(4/2) Sunday Fitness Challenge

Starting in April I want to post a challenge for you to complete every Sunday! Let's give lazy Sundays a make-over and get our butts moving! These challenges will be quick and well.... not exactly painless, but it will be over before you know it! If you are a mom, these challenges can be done while your kiddos are napping- NO EXCUSES!! Once you complete the challenge workout- leave a comment telling us that you are done (and how long it took you if it is a timed workout). Okay! Are you ready for your first challenge?? LET'S DO THIS!!

What you will need: a watch/stopwatch, and a sturdy chair

 The workout:
Do 2 ROUNDS of the following exercises- as fast as you can:
10 pushups
20 chair dips
30 sit-ups
40 mountain climbers
50 jacks

Have everything you need nearby and go from one exercise to the next doing it as fast as you can. Once you finish one round of all of the exercises listed- then do it again! (Go right into the next round for a total of two). Keep the timer running the entire time and try not to rest in between exercises/rounds. Once you are done, post your time in the comments section.


*Disclaimer: please consult your doctor prior to participating in any fitness routines.

My time: 5:10 (updated/completed on 4/1/12)

Your Time Belongs to YOU!

The number one excuse mothers use to not exercise: Time. We ALL start out with the same 24 hours in a day. It is up to YOU to decide HOW you are going to spend those 24 hours.

Now get to it Mamas :)

Get Some!! Protein that is......

It’s very important to have balanced diet when trying to lose weight. That’s why you need to make sure that at least two of your daily meals contain sufficient amount of protein. Eggs, white meat, fish would be the best natural sources of protein for you. In case you are vegetarian, you might enjoy such foods as tofu, beans, asparagus that also have plenty of protein your body needs to start losing extra weight. *See the list of vegan friendly high protein foods below. Not only protein helps you feel fuller, it also repairs the muscles after your workouts and contributes to the beauty of your skin, nails and hair. Not sure how much protein a day you actually need? Use this online daily protein intake calculator to know exactly how much protein your body needs for a healthy yet fast weight loss.

Protein Content of Selected Vegan Foods
FOOD	AMOUNT	PROTEIN(gm)	PROTEIN(gm/100 cal)
Tempeh	1 cup	41	9.3
Seitan	3 ounces	31	22.1
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	29	9.6
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	18	7.8
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.7
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	13	6.4
Veggie burger	1 patty	13	13.0
Chickpeas, cooked	1 cup	12	4.2
Veggie baked beans	1 cup	12	5.0
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	12	5.7
Black-eyed peas, cooked	1 cup	11	6.2
Tofu, firm	4 ounces	11	11.7
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	10	5.7
Quinoa, cooked	1 cup	9	3.5
Tofu, regular	4 ounces	9	10.6
Bagel	1 med. (3 oz)	9	3.9
Peas, cooked	1 cup	9	6.4
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked	1/2 cup	8	8.4
Peanut butter	2 Tbsp	8	4.3
Veggie dog	1 link	8	13.3
Spaghetti, cooked	1 cup	8	3.7
Almonds	1/4 cup	8	3.7
Soy milk, commercial, plain	1 cup	7	7.0
Soy yogurt, plain	6 ounces	6	4.0
Bulgur, cooked	1 cup	6	3.7
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup	6	3.3
Whole wheat bread	2 slices	5	3.9
Cashews	1/4 cup	5	2.7
Almond butter	2 Tbsp	5	2.4
Brown rice, cooked	1 cup	5	2.1
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	5	13.0
Broccoli, cooked	1 cup	4	6.8
Potato	1 med. (6 oz)	4	2.7
Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and manufacturers' information.

Thursday Truths:

Now get moving & have a great Thursday :)

Skinny is for Models, but Sexy is for Mamas!

Embrace those curves!

'Graham Cracker' Protein Shake

This tastes EXACTLY like a graham cracker! SO GOOD!

 Ingredients
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I prefer Jay Robb whey)
1 tablespoon natural almond butter
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup ice
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Sprinkle of pumpkin spice



 Blend well & enjoy!

Mom & Baby Workout

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Do 15 reps of each exercise for 2 rounds!!

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Lunges

Pushing the stroller or holding your baby securely, take a big step forward and bend your legs to 90 degrees into a lunge position. Because the weight (baby) is in the front, be sure to keep your abs pulled in tight so you don’t hurt your lower back. Watch the front knee so it doesn’t go over the front toes

 Squats

Hold on to your baby as you squat down (optional: squat over a bench and squat down low enough to kiss your tailbone on the bench). Draw the belly in tight as you drive through the heels and stand up.

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Leg Extensions

Sit on a park bench with baby sitting on one shin, or on top of the foot. Holding her hands, lift you leg straight up to work the quad. Bouncy!

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Sit-Ups

Lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Sit your child on your tummy and hold onto her hands. Perform a sit-up, working your abdominal muscles, and give her a kiss at the top of the move!

Abdominal Plank

Hold this position on your forearms and toes, with your body in a straight line. Lay your baby on the ground under you as you nuzzle her neck with your nose.

Push-Ups

Lay the baby on her back and get into the push-up position. Keep your abdominals engaged and your body in one straight line. Each time you lower down for the push-up, give your baby a smooch!

There you go!! No excuses :)

Rainy Day Workout 2

STAY HIGH INTENSITY THE ENTIRE WORKOUT!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Rainy Day Workout

YOU GOT THIS!!! :)

TRY ME! Clean Eating Pizza/Crust Recipe

CLEAN EATING CRUST INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup dry oats
• 1 TBS ground flax seed
• 1 egg

“SUPER HEALTHY & CLEAN” TOPPINGS

• 4 TBS marinara or spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup nonfat/lowfat cottage cheese
• sprinkles of frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• several pieces of jalapeno
• any other veggie or lean protein you want to add – mushrooms, onions, olives and chicken breast are all great choices

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a tin pan, mix up the oats, egg, and flax seed until it covers the bottom of a tin pan. I used a pie tin pan. No oil required! Place in oven at 350F for about 15-20 min until firm.
2. In the mean time, microwave the frozen spinach. Once thawed, pour out excess water and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Also, squeeze the cottage cheese curds with a cheese cloth or a few layers of paper towel. You want to get all of the water out so that it doesn’t make you pizza soggy.
4. Chop your desired veggies.
5. Once crust is firm, take the crust out of the oven. Slather with tomato sauce.
6. Then pile on the cottage cheese and veggies!
7. Place back in oven for about 15-20 min keeping temp at 350F. You can do 375F if you like your crust crispy.
8. Once your ticker dings, take out, slice and enjoy. YOU CAN DEFINITELY EAT THE WHOLE THING :)


About 300 calories for you own whole pizza pie…nearly 30g of protein and 8g of fiber. WOW!! You need to try this! ENJOY~

Clean Eating Alfredo Sauce

Question is- who doesn't love alfredo sauce??  Now, there’s a clean eating (dairy free) alternative that uses awesome whole, natural ingredients! No soy, either, if you’re wondering. Win win!! & Yum yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup cooked white beans
• 1 large shallot
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• red pepper flakes (optional)

Add cauliflower to pot of boiling water and boil until tender (a few mins).
Add 1 tbsp olive oil, sliced shallot and chopped garlic cloves to a pan. Heat until tender.
Add almond milk, beans, cauliflower, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to blender. Blend until smooth.
Taste, add salt & pepper as needed, & blend again. I had to add a good amount of salt and pepper to get it to my liking. Be your own judge.
Pour over your favorite whole grain pasta, protein or veggies! Top with red pepper flakes, if desired.
Enjoy!

Cardio/Strength Workout

Did you miss class today? Or just looking for a great workout? Try this!
Don't be scared- Go ahead & get your sweat on :)

Think Outside the Bun

 Recipe modified from: 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Insalata-Caprese-II/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• fine sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. On a large platter, alternate and overlap the tomato slices, mozzarella cheese slices, and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.

ENJOY!!!!

Peanut Butter-Honey Granola

Adapted from: Jif Peanut Butter Granola


Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds (or any type of nut)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the oats and the almonds. Set aside. In a small, microwavable dish heat the peanut butter so it becomes easy to stir (around 30 seconds). Stir in the honey, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over oats and almonds - toss to coat. 


Place onto a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes - stirring every 10 minutes. *DO NOT pre-heat the oven. After 25 minutes, turn the oven OFF and let it rest in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Store in an air-tight container for up to one week. 
Enjoy!

 

It's Not Just About Looking Good

Who doesn't want to look totally hot? If you asked 100 people who were starting to exercise for the first time (or returning to regular workouts after a long time off) what their main motivation was, the majority of them would say something like, "I want to look good," or "I want to fit into a size __ again." And hey, whatever gets you on track initially is good enough for me. But when that scale hasn't budged in a few weeks, it's time to remind yourself that there are lots of other reasons to make exercise a habit.

Research has clearly linked coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer to lifestyle. Apart from aiding in weight loss, physical activity offers a positive, healthy way to release anxieties and alleviate tension, which can help reduce your risk of many lifestyle-related diseases. Exercise also supports mental well-being: Physical activity actually changes your brain chemistry, which directly influences your mood and frame of mind for the better. Among other things, physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, which act on the brain as natural tranquilizers.

In addition, exercise will boost your confidence. As you start working out and getting stronger, your sense of strength in other aspects of your life will naturally flourish. Bottom line: The more physically fit you are, the longer you'll live and the better your quality of life will be.

Dinner at My House: Coconut Shrimp & Sweet Potato Spears

Let me start by saying: I love coconut shrimp! Let me also add that it is difficult to find a healthy/clean version that still tastes yummy since coconut shrimp is normally deep fried. Red Lobster's Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp contains 880 calories, 60 grams of fat and 1,860mg of sodium (daily recommended sodium intake is only 1,500mg). Yikes!! Needless to say I would not be eating Red Lobster's shrimp or any other deep fried shrimp- so I have been on a mission/recipe search for the past few months. And then just last night I finally found the coconut shrimp recipe of my dreams. I whipped up the shrimp and some sweet potato spears on the side. Dinner was amazing (and gluten free). Check it out!

(Before they went in the oven)

Shrimp Loves Coconut
1 lb large shrimp, tail on peeled and deveined (I used med. size)
1/3 cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 egg whites
2 cups coconut flakes
Pre heat oven to 400. In a mixing bowl, stir together the coconut flour, salt, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.  In another bowl, pour the coconut flakes.  Taking one shrimp at a time, dry well with a paper towel and dredge each shrimp in the coconut flour mixture, dip into the egg whites and then roll into the coconut flakes.  Bake on a lightly greased (with coconut oil) baking sheet for 12- 15 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and the coconut flakes start to brown.

(sweet potato spears)

Sweet Potato Spears
 2-3 sweet potatoes cut like french fries
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp paprika
black pepper to taste
sprinkle of sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk all spices together with the olive oil and then toss the sweet potato spears in the olive oil mixture until all the spears are coated.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and evenly spread the potato spears on the foil.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the spears over half way through the cooking time.

Yum!

ENJOY!!!