Hump Day Workout

1 Mile Sprint:

walk for 1 minute to warm up

sprint for 2-3 minutes

walk for 40 seconds

sprint 2-3 minutes

walk for 30

run for 5

walk for 1 minute

sprint at max speed for 1 minute

cool down

Stretch (It is always important to stretch before and after you do any sort of cardio.)

Leg Press:

               3 sets of 10

Squat Rack:

               2 sets of 10 – with 10-20 pounds on each side

               2 sets of 12 – with no added weight

Machine Kickbacks:

               4 sets of 10-12 (per side)

Walking Lunges:

               4 sets using 10-20 pound dumbbells

Cross-Behind Lunges:

               3 sets of 8

Adult Lunchables

Growing up, every kid I knew (including myself), LOVED taking lunchables to school for lunch.  Unfortunately, I was one of those kids that had to have some of a friends lunchable or eat it at someone’s house since my mom refused to buy them. Today, I appreciate her for not sending me off with that junk (even though I would totally go to 711 or the grocery store to buy a pizza lunchable right now).

Nowadays, since us adults are trying to watch our weight and figures, we are limited to healthy, yet affordable meals to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What I’ve been bringing for lunch some days are what I like to call “adult lunchables.” I have a bunch of meal portion containers that I use to bring my lunches, which are great for my lunchables. I will usually pack turkey and cheese roll ups, and then in the smaller sections add some fruits and veggies for my snack. It is super easy, does not take up time to put together, and it’s a healthy and nutritious lunch! Sometimes I will make lettuce wraps so that I have some green in my system. If I am in the mood for some more carbs, I add some Wasa bread with my turkey and cheese, and make little sandwiches for myself as well.

What’s on your menu?

Good Fats vs Bad Fats

Not all fats are bad for you. If you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier foods, here is a list of the good fats you should think about adding to your diet.

• Peanut butter or almond butter (in moderation)

• Nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts)

• Avocado

• Soy beans

• Vegetable oils (canola, peanut, olive, grapeseed, avocado)

• Salmon

• Dark chocolate (in moderation)

Foods you should stay away from:

• Fried foods

• Processed snacks

• Shortening

• Baked goods (no shot for me, but trying to cut it down)

• High-fat dairy foods such as ice cream, whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream

Recipe of the Day

I decided to whip together an easy lunch for the next 2 days. It is super healthy and easy! Pretty similar to what my other lunches/dinners have consisted of.

I decided to whip together some quinoa, shaved brussel sprouts and shrimp. I found the shaved brussel sprouts at Trader Joes, and sautéed them in a pan with some grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, garlic, until they started to get a little crispy. I then sautéed my shrimp the same exact way, and voila! An easy, simple and hearty meal for you to enjoy.

Happy Monday everyone!

It's Smoothie Time!

Smoothies are the easiest things to make when you are in a hurry and on the go. They are full of nutritious fruits, veggies, vitamins, and minerals as well!

If you don’t have a blender or a nutribullet, I suggest you invest in one now! The nutribullet is super easy to clean, which is why I like to use it more, but as long as you have one of the two, you are good to go! I don’t like to add too much to my smoothies, only because I don’t like my smoothie’s super sweet (very hard to believe, I know).

Some of my favorite smoothie recipes include:

Banana and organic peanut butter (water-based)

Strawberries, blueberries, spinach, kale (water-based)

Blueberries, apple, spinach, kale (water-based)

Banana, kiwi, mango, spinach (water-based)

You can also add some milk into your smoothies if you are looking for more of a dairy taste.

Smoothies are usually pretty filling and give you all of the right nutrients you need to get your day started! They are also great for when it starts getting warmer out =0.

It's All About Moderation

So Last week was the first week that I completely cut out sweets, and I must say, it wasn’t as painful as I thought it was going to be! It was still a bit rough though. I realized this weekend that it is OK to treat myself with sweets here and there. I am not going to make myself totally miserable by cutting out the things that I love most. I just have to remember to eat everything in moderation. I also know that I can make up for it during the week for the most part.

Teaching yourself self-control is the KEY to maintaining and sticking to a healthy diet, while also being able to reward yourself once or twice a week. I have noticed that I felt so much better without the sweets during the week. I didn’t feel heavy, I felt more energized, and I also wasn’t in a bad mood and kicking myself for eating something I knew I shouldn’t have eaten =p.

In terms of no alcohol, I don’t usually drink during the week anyway, but I decided that if I am going to drink during the week or on a weekend, I am limiting myself to 1-2 drinks, and that’s it. As I am getting older, I have started to hate the feeling of drinking and getting belligerent, and on top of it all, waking up with a severe hangover. I like to enjoy my days, and if I am in bed and hungover, I feel like I have wasted an entire day for no reason. 

I have already noticed that the little pooch I had in my stomach is now dwindling away from just a few minor changes in my diet. So just know that it is OK to treat yourself once a week. Would you rather be happy, and control your food intake, or be miserable by not treating yourself to that slice of pizza or cake?