What Do I Do At the Gym?

Now that I am FINALLY able to run again, I am on a mission to reach my goals before summer 2017! I thought it was going to be much harder to get back into my old routine, but I feel like I never stopped! I don’t know about you, but I am not a fan of running for long periods of time, which is why I like my interval exercises.

My interval exercises consist of running for 5 minutes at a regular speed, then walk for 1-2 minutes, then run at a high speed for 3-4 minutes at a time, with a 1-2 minute break in between. I usually run on a high speed for about 4-5 reps, and then I walk on an incline for the last 10-15 minutes. Once I have finished my incline walk, and the treadmill has stopped, I run as fast as I can, holding onto the front handle bars (with the treadmill turned off), while the incline is still where I left it. I do this for about 2 minutes straight (this is great for your glutes by the way).

I have limited my cardio to about 30 minutes a day, so that I do not start losing the muscle I have gained from lifting weights.

I try to split up my cardio and weights 50/50 during my gym time.

When it comes to lifting weights, I try to dedicate one day to certain parts of my arms, one day to legs, one day to abs. Sometimes I mix a few different body parts into one workout.

Quinoa Bowls are GRRRRRREAT!

Today I decided I wanted to order a quinoa bowl for lunch, and I forgot how good they are! I got mine with turkey meatballs, corn, carrots, and broccoli. It came with a low-fat, tex-mex sauce on the side, which complimented the dish very well.

Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber than other grains. It is a great source of protein. You will also find that quinoa contains iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and a couple of other nutritious contents. For all of you people who are allergic to gluten, or just prefer to eat gluten-free foods, quinoa has you covered in that department too!

Quinoa is also super easy to make. You can create your own dishes with it right at home! Peep my lunch below…. I’m sure it will make you hungry/interested in trying =).

For All You Mac and Cheese Lovers Out There!

A healthier alternative to mac and cheese, AND you can’t even taste the difference! Mac and cheese is one of my all-time faves, as I bet it is many of yours too! It is just a great comfort food to have in the house for a night in or a quick dinner, but as many of you know, it is not the healthiest meal to eat.

I recently came across chickpea mac and cheese (well actually one of my co-workers told me she tried a sample at Fairway). Now, obviously if you make it from scratch, I am sure it is even healthier than buying it in a box, but it’s still chickpea mac and cheese! None of those high carbohydrates from pasta! Chickpeas are low in carbs, a rich source of fiber, and a quality plant protein… I’d say that is a win/win situation!

So who makes this chickpea pasta I speak of? The name is Banza. They also sell other types of chickpea pasta as well, so that you can create your own healthy dishes with different sauces, meat, veggies etc.

ENJOY!

The Paleo Diet

So I’ve been hearing about this diet for a few years now, and have yet to try it! After doing some research, it seems like a great and easy diet to stick to…. if you compare it to some of the others that are out there.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet is a diet that consists of fruits, veggies, grass-fed meat, nuts, and seafood. It is a very clean way to diet, AND you are still getting all of the proper nutrients your body needs on a daily basis. The only thing you cannot eat on this diet, which your body needs for fuel, is carbs.

What you can’t eat on the paleo diet:

• Dairy products
• Starchy veggies
• Grains
• Sugars
• Processed foods
• High-fat meats
• Salty foods
• Legumes/beans

What you can eat on the paleo diet:

• Grass-fed meats such as turkey, bison, chicken, lean beef, pork
• Seafood
• Fish
• Fresh fruits
• Veggies that are non-starchy, such as cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, green beans, asparagus, lettuce
• Nuts, such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios
• Eggs
• Plant-based oils

Another thing you should be aware of while on the paleo diet, is the fact that YOU must control your own portions. If you are consuming large portions, it will not help you lose weight, and pretty much defeats the entire purpose.

Again, this diet is not for everyone, and there are some disadvantages, but it is up to you at the end of the day!

What Liquor to Avoid this Holiday Season

The holidays are a time where family and friends get together and enjoy lots of great food and drinks. BUT if you are trying to avoid those extra pounds, what should you be staying away from in terms of alcohol?

Definitely stay away from those dark liquors such as rum, whiskey, and scotch. If you are into gin, then I would suggest drinking gin and club soda, or of course my go-to drink, vodka soda with lemon. If you usually drink those sweet drinks, and need to add a little flavor to your vodka soda, add a splash of cranberry or grapefruit juice. Tequila and soda with a splash or pineapple juice is also a healthier, yet refreshing drink to sip on at your holiday party.

Here are some drinks you should try this holiday season that won't make you feel so guilty the day after!

Vodka and club soda with lemon or lime
Vodka and club soda with a splash of cranberry juice or grapefruit juice
Gin and seltzer 
Tequila and seltzer
Tequila and seltzer with a splash of pineapple juice
Red or white wine (red tends to add more nutritional value to our lives)
White sangria with tons of cut up fresh fruit, and seltzer... take out the sugary stuff
A light margarita, which consists of tequila and lime juice 
Guinness beer (shocking... I know!). Guinness actually contains less than 10 carbs, and has fewer calories than a Heineken and Budweiser! 

Happy Holidays, and enjoy them as much as possible!!

It’s Turkey Time!

It’s that time of year again, where the holidays are creeping up on all of us! This is the time to indulge in all of our favorite foods, and not feel guilty about it! 

BUTTTTTT

For those of you who are still trying to be good during the holidays, there are plenty of healthy and delicious dishes you can bring to the table as well. I found a recipe online for a sweet potato and spinach mac and cheese, which I will be making this year for Thanksgiving. No, it is not the healthiest, but it is definitely a healthier alternative to mac and cheese.

All you need is elbow pasta, 1 ¾ cups of unsweetened original almond milk, 1 ½ tbsp. of butter, 1 medium sweet potato (peeled and chopped), 2 cups spinach, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 cup grated jarlsberg cheese, 2 tbsp. of flour, salt/pepper, 1 large clove of garlic (minced), ½ tsp. of red pepper flakes. Below are directions on how to make it =)

1.       Place the potatoes in a small sauce pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, place the potatoes in a food processor with 1/4 cup of the almond milk and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2.       Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

3.       Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.

4.       Meanwhile, over medium heat, melt the butter with the garlic and red pepper flakes in another large pot.

5.       Once melted, add the flour, stir and cook for about 1 minute.

6.       Add the remaining almond milk and whisk continuously until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

7.       Add the sweet potato puree to the milk and stir until combined.

8.       Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

9.       Stir in the cheese and spinach until the cheese melts and the spinach wilts.

10.   Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pot with the cheese mixture. Stir until fully coated and serve immediately.

I also found a healthy stuffing recipe that looks pretty damn good…. Herb and apple stuffing!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herb-and-apple-stuffing-recipe.html

Interval Exercises for Quick Weight Loss

Many of us love it and many of us hate, but I personally have found that interval exercises are the most effective. Not only does interval training cut your time at the gym, but you also burn more calories and fat in a shorter amount of time. Below are a couple of interval training's you should try at the gym, and see which works best for you.

Treadmill/Track Interval Training:

Jog for about 5-6 minutes

Run on high speed for about 5-7 minutes

Sprint 30 seconds

Walk on an incline for a minute and a half

Run on high speed for 4 minutes

Sprint 30 seconds

Walk for 1 minute

Run on high speed for another 1-2 minutes

Cool down, walk for 10 minutes

Lunge and Sprint Combos:

Do a total of 30 lunges, 15 with dumbbells

Immediately followed by a 30 second hill sprint on the treadmill

Take about a 30-60 minute break

Complete around 3-5 reps of this

Stationary Bike Intervals:

Start biking as fast as you can for 3 minutes straight.

Bike at a normal or slower speed for another 3 minutes

Take a 2 minute break

Start biking fast again for another 3 minutes.

Bike at a normal speed to cool down for about 10 minutes

Do about 4-5 reps of this exercise.