Snack Saturday- Pizza Fresco

This recipe comes from one of my followers on Facebook! It's quick, easy, and healthy!

PIZZA FRESCO

Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Thin Rounds whole wheat bread 

Italian herb seasoning

Parmesan Cheese

Set oven to 350

Place rounds on a cookie sheet

Cut up a tomato in several slices, place one slice of tomato on each thin round

Add cheese on top of tomato - it can be grated parma, or any kind of shredded cheese you like.

Add Italian herb seasoning on each thin round

Put in the oven, and leave in there until the cheese melts. About 5 mins or so.

ENJOY!!

Eating before and after a workout

Eating right can give your workout the umph it needs or reach that 100th push-up. Whatever you are doing, eating right affects your performance in that activity.

So, the big question- What should I eat before and after a workout?

Remember that your body is like a car. A car needs gas to work, and just like  a radiator your body needs water to. With that said your body needs lean protein to build and maintain muscle, complex carbohydrates for energy, healthy fats, and fluids.

Below are a few tips to try, and foods to eat before and after your workout.

Morning workout:

After being asleep for 7+ hours, your body needs to feed to jump start the metabolism. Within 30 minutes to an hour of waking up, try having a few handfuls of cereal (I like Oatmeal Squares by Quaker), oatmeal, or a banana.

Post morning workout:

Something with peanut butter, like graham crackers. Also a glass low fat milk- chocolate also is fantastic! I personally like to take peanut butter on a piece of whole grain bread with a little bit of orange blossom honey is great!

Afternoon Workout:

A light snack will help you get through your workout. A piece of fruit like an apple/banana with peanut butter, with an egg.

Post afternoon workout:

A handful of almonds, yogurt, orange, or even bell peppers. I love taking raw bell peppers, cutting them up and eating them. They are full of vitamins and antioxidents. Be careful though, sometimes they can give you heartburn. :)

Evening workout:

You can eat the same as the afternoon workout, and for post workout a smoothie is great, or some plain yogurt with fruit is fantastic.

Everyone is different. These are just some suggestions that have kept me going when I work out at different times. I teach aerobic classes everyday, so I need as much fuel as I can, and it has to be easy for me to prepare.

See what works for you, experiment with your food. I do recommend avoiding foods that are hign in fat or are spicy. You will either get a stomach ache, or just feel like crap after 10 minutes into your workout.

Whatever your choice, make it work for you!

 

Challenge of the month- Squat n Crunch

Crunches

Muscles: core

Lie on mat with lower legs on bench. Place hands behind neck or head.

Flex waist to raise upper torso from mat. Keep low back on mat and raise torso up as high as possible. Return until back of shoulders contact mat. Repeat.

Squats

Muscles: quads, glutes, hamstrings, core

Stand with feet hip distance apart with your toes, knees and hips in a straight line.Pull your belly button towards your spine and contract your abdominal muscles.Slowly lower your body, as though you are sitting in a chair. If you can, go down until your butt is in line with your knees (knees at 90 degree angles). If you can't go down that low, go as low as you can. Repeat

As with all forms of exercise, you should consult with your physician or healthcare professional before undertaking any of the fitness training discussed in this blog. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this blog should be used as a guideline. Always do a proper warm-up, stretch, and cool-down.

AB of the day! The bicycle!

How To Do It: Lie on floor, back pressed into the ground. Place hands behind head ( gentle hold, don't pull on your neck, no clasping of hands) with elbows  out. Lift both shoulders, upper back  off the floor. Bring your right knee in towards chest and twist torso and left elbow towards the right knee, straighten opposite leg. Switch sides, twisting torso and right elbow to bent left knee. Continue to move continuously, as if pedaling a bicycle. Do 3 sets of 20 reps 2-3 times a week.

Motivational Monday- HAVE SOME DAMN PATIENCE

I can't say this enough. Everyday I get at least one person that tells me that they are doing everything they can to lose weight- eating, exercising, drinking water, etc., and the weight is not coming off Ok, I say, well how long have you been on the routine of eating/exercising. Oh, they say, it's been two weeks. 

You have to give it time. You did not put your weight on overnight, thus, you will not get it off overnight. generally, it takes your body, three to five weeks before it becomes accustomed to a new routine. Your body does not want to let go of your fat. So you have got to please be PATIENT, and relax.

Fitness Tips Thursday

yourhealthychicks.com

I CAN"T

STOP SAYING I CAN'T! If you believe you can't and you tell yourself that over and over, it becomes a habit. You are in control, you have the power to make a change. YOU. YOU. YOU. Take a chance on yourself, you deserve it. So take a step forward, climb those mountains, breath deep, and OWN it.