BFit BFree: New Website!!

Hi everyone!
If you are seeing this post- then first I want to thank you for visiting my blog :) I have recently moved everything to my awesome new website where you will be able to find everything you need in one place!!! So please go there now & read on!!! The new website features my blog, a class schedule, class info, photo galleries, virtual fitness and the ability to search for old blog posts and recipes/workouts that were formally listed here. Be sure to head on over & check it out!

www.bfit-bfree.com

Bikini Boot Camp Challenge Details

 Okay ladies! Here's the skinny on the 'Start Fresh Bikini Boot Camp' Challenge:

This will be a 21 day challenge starting July 1st and ending July 21st. The focus of this challenge will be to learn new ways to clean up your diet & slim down by eating superfoods and additional greens! You will receive fresh/new weekly recipes, cooking tips, & info on a 3-day detox (the detox is not required to participate). You get to choose how hardcore you want to be with the detox part of it! The challenge will also include a mini workout video each week (bikini body focused) and a calendar to track your progress! And now for the super FUN part: there will be one (sometimes even two) bonus challenges each week. These will be fun exercise/food challenges that each participant will complete for a chance to win prizes!

The 'Start Fresh Bikini Boot Camp' Challenge is perfect for you if you are.....

- A Body Back Alumni Mama who needs a fresh start and/or a kick in the pants
- Looking to lose those last few pesky pounds
- Super busy, a traveler, or have a hard time getting to the gym
- Just looking for a fun way to get a rockin' bikini body

Are you already a clean eater? Perhaps even a Body Back graduate? I guarantee you will learn new things during this challenge & take your clean eating to the next level!!

This is a virtual challenge so ladies everywhere & anywhere can participate so tell your friends/sisters/mom/aunts/cousins! The only requirement is that participants must have internet & a Facebook page. All challenge participants will be communicating in a private Facebook forum.

PRICE: $30

Okay, Okay, I know by now you are saying "Sign me up!!" -so here's how:

TO REGISTER: Go to BFit BFree Facebook page & click 'message'- please include your name and email address in the message OR you can email me your info at bfitbfree@yahoo.com. I will then send you a Paypal invoice for the $30. Once the invoice is paid, you will be added to the Facebook forum & ready to begin the 'Start Fresh Bikini Boot Camp' Challenge on July 1st!! Easy Peasy! (If you are currently taking my classes then just feel free to register with me in class).

**Challenge information will get posted as early as June 27th in order to give you ample time to read/prepare prior to starting- so be sure to sign up soon!

Are you ready for an amazing beach bum? Summer arms? Bikini abs? Sign up NOW!! The challenge kicks off on July 1st!!

*Please consult your doctor before changing your diet and/or participating in a new exercise program.

Green Smoothie Guide

Want to add more greens and good stuff to your diet but don't know where to start? Here is a great GREEN smoothie guide to follow! Let's face it, most of us don't get enough greens in our day and sometimes you are just not in a mood for another salad. Go ahead try one of these smoothies each day for a week and let me know how you feel :)

*You can use raisins or dates to sweeten it up as well!

Enjoy!

Dinner at my House: Cilantro Salmon Burgers

Cilantro Salmon Burgers with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• For the patties–
• 1lb salmon, skin removed
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 3 stalks celery, chopped small (yes, small)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon green onions
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• For the vinaigrette–
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 limes, juices squeezed
• 1/2 lemon, juices squeezed
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Pull out your food processor. If you don’t have one, good luck. Life is just not quite as fun without one. Add all your patty ingredients to the food processor, except for the celery. Once everything is mixed, fold in the chopped celery.
2. Make patties however big you want.
3. Place on hot, greased skillet and cook on both sides for about 3-5 minutes or until cooked through.
4. While the salmon burgers are cooking, make the vinaigrette.
5. Add all vinaigrette ingredients to the food processor. Taste to perfect! Add salt if needed.
6. Top burgers off with vinaigrette.

 YUM! Enjoy!! 

FEARLESS FRIDAY TIP

 I had the opportunity to do a fitness photo shoot the other day.
Here is a sneak peak!

 Have a great weekend!!!

TRY IT: Chocolate Strawberries Made Easy!

Fill an ice cube tray with melted chocolate. Put strawberries in the dividers & freeze!

(Use the highest percent of dark chocolate you can find)- YUM!!!

*Toddler tip: use greek yogurt instead of chocolate :)

Junk food is not a reward. It is a punishment.

There are plenty of delicious treat you can eat that's aren't junk. Give you body the respect it deserves, nourish it with food that will make it feel good!

Try this yummy treat:

Clean Eating Chocolate Mug Cake

(Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients
4 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons coconut sugar (or sucanat)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons non-fat milk
1 tablespoon safflower or coconut oil

Directions
TOOLS: A large mug (a small or regular sized mug won’t cut it)


Step 1 – Whisk together the dry ingredients in your mug. Be sure they are well combined.
Step 2 – Add the wet ingredients and mix well again.
Step 3 – Microwave for up to 5 minutes on high. My microwave is older so if you have a newer one, you may only need 3-4 minutes.


Note: The cake will rise up over the mug during cooking. Don’t panic.

Eat and Enjoy!

(4/29) Sunday Fitness Challenge

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 the challenge?? LET'S DO THIS!!

What you will need: a watch/stopwatch and a mat

 The workout: For Time:
10 pushups
20 flutter kicks (see pic below)
10 squats
20 flutter kicks
10 squats
30 jump squats
10 squats
20 flutter kicks
10 pushups


Have everything you need nearby and go from one exercise to the next doing it as fast as you can.  Keep the timer running the entire time and try not to rest in between exercises.

Once you are all done, post your time in the comments section.


*Disclaimer: please consult your doctor prior to participating in any fitness routines and be sure to warm-up before you begin the workout!

(4/22) Sunday Fitness Challenge

 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 the challenge?? LET'S DO THIS!!








What you will need: a watch/stopwatch and a mat

 The workout: 3 Rounds for Time
20 jumping jacks
20 burpees
20 squats


*Bonus: 30 sit-ups

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 (20 jacks, 20 burpees and 20 squats) - then do it again until you have completed 3 rounds total! Keep the timer running the entire time and try not to rest in between exercises/rounds.
*The situps are a bonus exercise so they are optional and do not count into your time (so complete them after you complete the workout and have stopped your timer/recorded your time!)

Once you are all done, post your time in the comments section.


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

GO GO GO!!!!

Dinner at My House: Pineapple Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tsp salt
1 Tbsp cilantro, minced (parsley works here too)
3 chicken breasts
3 cups pineapple, cut into chunks

Preparation:
Combine diced pineapple, olive oil, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl.
Puree mixture in blender or food processor.
Pour back into the small mixing bowl, and stir in the minced cilantro, set aside to use as a glaze during grilling (I decided to leave the cilantro out of the glaze and just use it as a garnish at the end. I also reserved a 1/4 cup from this mixture and set it aside to drizzle on top of the cooked skewers)
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Skewer pieces of chicken and pineapple on metal or pre-soaked bamboo skewers.
Grill skewers for 12-15 minutes, turning every 4-5 minutes. Brush the chicken with the pineapple glaze periodically while grilling.
Garnish skewers with chopped cilantro, and serve (drizzle reserved glaze)

Smoked Salmon Casserole

I am normally not a casserole maker, but decided to take a chance and make one to bring to Easter dinner at a friend's house. I gotta say it turned out pretty yummy (& super healthy of course). It was a perfect holiday casserole, but could also be great breakfast meal!

Ingredients

4 ½ cups small cauliflower florets

1 cup asparagus, finely diced

4 oz smoked salmon, finely diced

10 eggs

¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk

1/3 cup chives, finely diced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely diced

 Lots of freshly ground black pepper

 Directions

Preheat your oven to 350. Steam the cauliflower for 4-6 minutes or until the cauliflower florets are tender but not mushy.  While the cauliflower is steaming, dice the asparagus. Spread the steamed cauliflower on the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish.  Layer on the diced asparagus.  Next layer on the smoked salmon.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, dill, chives and black pepper. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the veggies and salmon and back in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the casserole is done all the way through.  Cut into squares and serve. Serves 6-7.

  

(4/15) Sunday Fitness Challenge

  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 the challenge?? LET'S DO THIS!!

What you will need: a watch/stopwatch, and a paper/pen

 The workout: 10 Rounds for Time
10 jump squats
10 walking lunges (alternating lunges walking forward)
10 pushups

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 (10 jump squats, 10 alternating lunges and 10 pushups) - then do it again until you have completed 10 sets total- AS FAST AS YOU CAN! It helps to have paper and a pen nearby so you can make tick marks/keep track of each round you complete. 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.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

'Try It' Tuesday: Tin Foil Scrubber

So I made a paleo smoked salmon & veggie casserole for Easter dinner (I am so not a casserole maker), but it turned out yummy! I will post the recipe this week. BUT anyway, as you can see I was left with one crusty glass pan! I once read about using tin foil to scrub glass pans- so I tried it today. I gotta say it worked like a charm and wanted to pass it on to everyone on this lovely 'try it Tuesday' :)

Try This Weight Loss Drink- NOW!!!

Did you know that you can lose weight by ditching all sugary drinks and just drinking WATER!!?
 It's that easy, yet people are still drinking loads and loads of sugar instead!

 I know there are people reading this and saying "Well, I drink sugar free drinks- so I'm fine"- WRONG!!! Check the ingredients and you will find some type of artificial sweetener that is even worse for you than sugar!!! Yuck!

 Sugary drinks have absolutely no nutritional value and are a waste of time (and calories for that matter). And please tell me your not giving these drinks to your kids! If so, you might as well just hand them a bag of sugar and start putting money away for their future dental work. Plus when your kiddos stop listening to you and start climbing the walls instead- (this is called a sugar high which is also followed by a sugar crash/meltdown status)-you cannot get angry with them because their poor little bodies certainly cannot control a blood sugar spike of that size!

So come on, just do it! CUT THE SUGAR! Clean eating means cutting all of the added sugars out of your diet and the  best place to start is with your drinks. I bet you will save approximately 500 calories just by switching to drinking water only.

PLUS WATER IS SO DELICIOUS & REFRESHING!!! Now go fill up a reusable water bottle and drink up!! Need some flavor in your water? Add fruit- melons, berries, lemons, limes, and even cucumber adds some great natural flavor.


Yum :)

'Try It' Tuesday: Apple Slices To Go

I don't know about all of you, but there are so many exercises, recipes, projects & tips that I come across and say to myself  "Wow, I  really need to try that."  I thought it would be cool to start sharing these ideas with all of you AND holding myself accountable to try some of these cool things I come across! SO this Tuesday (& every Tuesday there after)- watch for something new to try! Let's start with this nifty little tip I came across:

Genius tip for taking apple slices to work (or anywhere on the go) and avoiding the brown!!!

 

*Bonus tip: always try to pair  a piece of fruit with some protein. Grab a handful of almonds or a spoonful of almond butter to go with your sliced apple- yum!

Now go ahead, TRY IT!!!

(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!