Fitness Blog

Berry Smoothie - Healthy Eating

2012-04-24T20:14:40Z

This is a meal in a glass smoothie. I love the burst of flavor from the berries and oranges juice. Packed with carbohydrate and powerful antioxidants . Getting plenty of antioxidant-rich foods makes sense for active people, since free radicals are produced any time the body's cells process oxygen.

1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen berries
3/4 cup coconut yogurt or low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 scoop protein powder
1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

From http://lifeplusfitness.blogspot.com

Maybe Tomorrow. . Ideas for Overcoming Workout Procrastination

2012-04-18T21:59:32Z

It’s something that we all struggle with on occasion, or maybe we struggle with it MORE than just on random occasions. All these thoughts run around in our heads feeding us random lines of excuse. Filling our brains with all the reasons we just can’t fit in our workout for the day. Common thoughts are. “I just finished eating”, or “I am so burnt out today”, or “I just don’t have the time to fit it in”. I know these feelings all too well because I deal with my own self destructive patterns when it comes to working out. So in an effort to help us all overcome our workout objections and procrastinations, I have compiled a list of suggestions to help combat workout derailment.

~WORKOUT IN THE MORNING This suggestion is something continually recommended in all the reading I have ever done on getting your workout done for the day. If you would rather get your workout out of the way, and not have to worry about it the rest of the day, this option is most definitely for you. Now, if you are not a morning person like me, this may not work for you. I have tried working out in the morning and most days it just feels like I am dragging, so I work out around two or three. But I know plenty of people who solidly work out in the morning and they love it. They love it because they have accomplished their workout goal early, and they feel great the rest of the day.

I Gave Up Hope - by Mark Carson

2012-04-03T20:00:46Z

Ever since I gave up hope I feel a lot better. I know hope sounds like a good thing to have; an essential for a life of meaning and purpose. But I got tired of hoping and waiting and getting depressed when nothing changed and starting over; so I stopped giving up and gave up hope instead.

Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel perpetually reminding you that you are IN a tunnel. Hope is the idea that there is something better out there, and if the stars align, if you blow on the dice just right, if you get the right cards from the dealer, or the little ball falls in just the right spot, everything will be different...perfect...ideal. Hope tells you that there is something better than where you are, but you don’t have the power to get there. Hope constantly tells you that you are NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE!

That’s depressing.

When you think about it, gambling is nothing but quantified hope. The fine print on a lottery ticket tells you exactly how far to get your hopes up. Las Vegas is a town built on (and bankrolled by) hope, but the most successful people there aren’t the ones winning million dollar jackpots. The people making all the money don’t really gamble, because nobody gambles to win. People gamble to lose. If someone actually does, by freak accident, win that huge wad of cash they were hoping for...the one they thought would solve all of their financial problems... they rush to give it (and more) back to the casino.

How many people do you know who have actually come back from Vegas with more money than they left with?

My point exactly.

You don’t get what you HOPE for, you get what you WORK for. Success never blindsides anyone. Fitness is never shocking. Athletic achievement is rarely a suprise. A 400 lb bench press does not catch an athlete off-guard. Nobody ever got to the end of the Boston Marathon and exclaimed “I just hoped I could finish!” Finishing well is not a miracle; having the courage to make a shaky start toward a goal which is well beyond your current ability IS.

A Skeptic's Guide to Pilates

2012-03-20T19:00:19Z

Think Pilates Isn't for You? Think Again!

-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor

As a fitness instructor, I get a lot of questions about Pilates, from what it is to how it benefits the body. I too was skeptical about how this gentle form of exercise—which, to me, looked a lot like lying on the floor—could boast such big benefits. I like a workout that's challenging and intense—heavy weights, high inclines, fast speeds. Those floor exercises are for beginners who are weak and unfit…or so I thought.

I decided to learn more about Pilates by taking a few instructor workshops and training in "the method" myself. What I discovered surprised me. Pilates, when done correctly, offers major fitness benefits, requires mental focus, connects the mind and body, and truly does sculpt the abs like nothing else I've ever tried. Starting as a skeptic, I became a believer, practitioner and instructor in a matter of months.

For all of you skeptics who think that Pilates has nothing to offer you, think again! Almost one hundred years since Joseph Pilates (1880-1967) created and refined the exercises of his namesake, more and more people continue to practice Pilates around the world. Research has shown that Pilates also improves:

Spinal mobility
Flexibility
Muscular endurance
Posture
Body awareness
Lower back pain
Bone density
One's ability to properly engage the transverse abdominals (the deepest core muscles)

It may sound too good to be true, but let me clarify what Pilates does NOT do (these statements are backed by research conducted by the American Council on Exercise and other organizations):

Washington Apple Salsa & Chicken

2012-03-02T23:00:53Z

WASHINGTON APPLE SALSA CHICKEN

Salsa

2cups apple (Gala or Fuji)

3/4cup Anaheim Chili Peppers seeded and chopped

1/2 cup onion chopped

2 Tablespoons cilantro chopped

Mix and let stand at least 30 minutes

Chicken

2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Mix and marinate at least 20 minutes

After chicken marinates, bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes or grill on barbecue on low heat for 16-20 minutes, turning after 8 minutes. Serve salsa over cooked chicken.

Who Cares?!! - By Mark Carson

2012-02-28T19:22:33Z

Who cares? Does it really matter if I go workout today? Does it really matter if I push away from the table? I’m a little overweight, sure; but I still look good in black, and diabetes is a LONG way off. I may not have a 6-pack, but I’m healthy. Even if I DO workout, it will take 4 weeks before I see any difference, and 8 weeks before anyone else notices. Is one workout really going to make much difference?

The voices inside me all start shouting at once: I don’t feel like it. I don’t want to. Exercise is hard. It’s not normal. Isn’t there an app for that? Running only looks easy until you try it. I have work to do. I have Blogs to write. I have a social network to maintain, texts to answer, e-mails to reply to, websites to “like”, and people to follow on Twitter. Won’t the Internet undergo Spontaneous Massive Existence Failure without me? A new season of Battlestar Gallactica is starting, and I want to see if that chick from the Bachelor is going to be on Dancing with the Stars. Advertisers are counting on me, and TiVo just isn’t the same.

11 Snacks under 250 Calories - Sparkpeople.com

2012-02-23T07:00:00Z

Shake Up Your Snack

Next time afternoon hunger hits, think outside the 100-calorie pouch. Beyond granola bars, apples and vending machine junk food, there's an entire world of satisfying snacks out there.

Beans in a Pod

Boil 1 cup edamame and sprinkle with sea salt.
Eat while still warm (discard the pods).
179 calories, 7.5 g fat

Mini Chicken Fiesta

Fill 1 small corn tortilla with 3 oz chicken. Sprinkle on 2 Tbsp cheddar cheese and top with 2 Tbsp salsa. Warm in microwave if desired.
189 calories, 3 g fat

Better than Wings

Dunk 2 celery stalks in 2 Tbsp light bleu cheese dressing. Drizzle with hot sauce to taste.
90 calories, 6 g fat

Creamy, Crunchy, and Tangy

Toast 1 slice multigrain bread. Spread with 1 Tbsp goat cheese then cover with 1 sliced tomato. Add plenty of black pepper and a pinch of dried thyme.
133 calories, 4 g fat

Being fit will NOT make you happy - By Mark Carson

2012-02-15T18:01:21Z

Being fit will NOT make you happy, but being fat WILL make you miserable. Repeated psychology studies, billions of advertising dollars, the careers of Dr. Phil, Charlie Sheen, most politicians, more professional athletes, and the entire self-help industry all highlight the one simple truth: humans suck at figuring out what makes us happy. Be honest. If I could wave a magic wand to make all of your problems disappear, you would just go get new ones. I know I would. We all did. Think back to your first car. Before you got it, you had a list in mind of all the things it would be. Was it? Mine either. Over the years my list of “must haves” in a car has drastically changed (to the point that I once had a smack-down with a 7th grader over the sex appeal of anyone driving a minivan). How about yours?

What we wanted as a Jr. High-er and what we want NOW are wildly different. And it often changes once we get what we thought we wanted. That is when we raise our sights a little. Sure, some things I want are still the same; 6-pack abs, a ‘62 Corvette convertible, the ability to take a beautiful woman to a restaurant more upscale than the golden arches. But that car isn’t nearly as important as I once thought. We have to ask why we want these things. (Otherwise a guy could end up with a great body and a nice car while he eats dinner alone.)

Recipe Box: Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Lemon

2012-02-12T23:00:59Z

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Meyer Lemon

This heart-healthy recipe not only shows how much you love your Valentine, but that you care about his or her heart, literally and symbolically.

Ingredients

2 - 4 oz. salmon fillets
2 tsp Fresh to Market Extra Virgin olive oil, divided
1 bag (9 oz.) fresh spinach
1 Meyer lemon, zested
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 tbsp minced white onion
1 tbsp shredded fresh basil
¼ cup dry white wine

Preparation

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan; add onion. Saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant (do not brown the garlic, or it will turn bitter). Add spinach, toss, turn off heat and cover to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Add the juice and zest of ½ lemon and set aside.

Meanwhile heat ½ tsp olive oil in an oven-proof skillet until shimmering, but not smoking; season fish with salt and pepper. Sear fish skin side up until golden brown, turn fish over (skin side down) and carefully pour in the white wine. Place pan in a 350°F oven for 5–6 minutes or until done to your liking.

Make a bed of the sauteed spinach, top with one salmon fillet. Finish with ½ tsp olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh shredded basil.

The Voices In My Head - By Mark Carson

2012-02-09T21:01:14Z

I know the voices in my head aren’t real, but at least one of them usually tells me what I want to hear.

You know the anonymous “they” of “They say”? (They say the best way to lose weight is...”) Yeah, “Them”… “They” are all in my head.

I know I need to exercise and eat right to get the body I want; but who do I listen to? Seriously, it is like a presidential election; Lots of different opinions all arguing about the best way to do something. And there is no way for me to tell which ones have a clue and which ones don’t. There is always someone in there who will tell me that it is not my fault. Someone will tell me I’m not that fat. There is always someone in there to tell me there is a secret that will make it fast and easy.

There is always someone in here to give me permission. “The all you can eat buffet is a great deal, right?” (I think that one is Gingrich) “I don’t have to think about what I’m doing until Monday because diets and exercise programs only work when started on magic Mondays, right?” (I could never get the hang of Thursdays)