It's All About the Workout!!

Spring is in the air and I am lovin' it.  It's been very warm out the past few days so, naturally, of couse I'm going to take full advantage of it!  I've noticed how I have not posted nearly enough information on the benefits working out and staying fit.  No worries though, I am dedicating these next few posts to EVERYTHING fitness that will, along with clean eating, help you achieve optimum health!

So with that being said and spring in the air,  it only makes sense to take your workout outside!  I want to share with you all a track workout I did yesterday.  It was awesome.  Only 35 minutes, short and sweet, and you will sweat. Guaranteed.  

This type of workout is called HIIT, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training.  HIIT is essentially a short period of intense cardio, followed by a short recovery period.  This cycle is repeated over and over in intervals, hence the name Interval Training.  HIIT cardio is really the only form of cardio I do.  I mean who really wants to spend 45-50 minutes on an elliptical or treadmill?  Thats extremely boring and significantly less effective (unless your doing HIIT that is).  

With HIIT cardio, 30 minutes will burn more fat and calories then a long, steady 45 minute jog.  Hands down.  Its proven science people so as I've said before, RESEARCH!  The key secret to HIIT cardio's fat burning abilities is the fact that during the short, high intensity periods, your heart rate increases.  Then, you follow high intensity periods with low intensity ones, allowing your heart rate to decrease again.  This is the recipe for fat burn, as well as building up endurance and improving overall performance!  What's even better is that HIIT cardio preserves hard earned muscle, vs. long endurance cardio (such as running 4 miles), which actually causes muscle catabolism (breakdown of muscle tissue).  Why is this important?  Well, in short, the more muscle you have, the more calories/fat you burn while active and even at rest.  In conclusion, kick you metabolic rate into high gear and do HIIT cardio.  You will see results quicker then ever before when combined with clean eating and strength training.

HIIT Track Workout

Warm up jog - 2 laps + stretch

High Knees - 2x 100m

Butt Kicks - 2x 100m 

100m sprint, 100m walk back - 5x

Stairs - slow, skip every other step

400m jog

10 jump squats, 100m run - 2x

Push ups - 1x failure

2 lap cooldown + stretch

That's it!  Feel free to add in or substitue any other sort of moves you like!  Also, if your just starting out, make sure you ease your way into HIIT.  The goal is to increase your metabolic rate while still keeping your heart rate at a safe level.  Just like with any workout,  if you preform HIIT and are completely out of breath and can't possibly push any harder grab some water and take a break.  You are working out but you also want to be safe.

  Cardio does NOT have to be boring so play around at make it fun using HIIT :)

Post Vacation Update!

Hey guys! I am officially back from my spring break vacation to Miami, Florida and let me just say that it was an absolute blast!  I've never had so much fun in my life and I cannot wait to go back.  In this post today I just want to take a little time to discuss my eating/working out habits while on vacation.  I had a little bit of anxiety at first of just going completely crazy with eating anything and everything and not having enough time to workout frequently.  But then I remembered, eating healthy is a lifestyle for me, not a "diet".  I love to eat healthy and that is exactly what I did.  However, if i wanted and ice cream cone, nachos, or a piece of pizza, you bet I got it!  This trip taught me the importance of the often used phrase "everything in moderation."  I was so pleased and was truly relaxed and comfortable with my eating habits.  As for working out, I was only in the gym twice out of the ten days I was there.  I stayed active by walking on the beach as well as walking around at night it wedges, believe it or not.  SUCH a great workout ladies, sorry guys you might get judged for wearing wedges in public ;)!

The lesson to be learned here is it is SO important to remember to take time to just appreciate and embrace being able to spend quality time with good friends and family, because at the end of the day that is what is most important.  Not worry about eating 100% clean and getting to the gym five days a week.  Just taking some time off is so crucial, and your body will thank you.  It needs a rest every once and a while.  And to tell you the truth, I didn't feel like I went overboard at all.  Even though I don't believe in using a scale to judge progress, just out of curiosity I weighed myself pre and post vacation and there was no weight gain and no weight lost.  So there you have it people!  Proof that time off will NOT ruin a healthy lifestyle.  Not one bit.  It really is all about balance.  It is so easy to get caught up in work, school, social activities, sports etc. but relax and always remember what is truly important to you!

Done preachin' now.  I hope you all can appreciate it :)!  Here was dinner - a spinach salad with summer squash, tomatos, avocado, grilled chicken, pineapple salsa, and a little hot sauce.  Perfect for my first night home!

That's all for now!  I'm working on a couple of new recipes so stay tuned!! 

Lemon "Cheesecake" Bars and Spring Update!

Hello everyone!  I sincerely apologize for being M.I.A. for so long this has been a crazy week and a half with school since I'm leaving for spring break a day and a half early :)  I promise I'll have a lot more posts over my vacation since I will have more free time!

Anyways, I am so excited to share this down right AMAZING recipe with you all because it actually tastes like your eating a rich, decadent dessert.  When my parents tried them, they said these had more of a cheesecake texture.  Who doesn't like cheesecake, I mean really?  Here I give you...

Lemon "Cheesecake" Bars!

and a close up view

Like. YUM.  That looks like cake.  It basically is cake.

These turned out super moist and had a very refreshing lemon flavor which I loved, and I am usually not a fan of lemon flavored things.  And whats best about these is that they are a high protein-low carb treat!  Perfect for late night cravings or a midday pick-me-up.  

My inspiration for this recipe came from a similar recipe I found online for "Lemon Protein Bars" from Jaime Eason.  The exact link here ---->  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/video-jamie-eason-lemon-protein-bars.htm

The only difference really between Jaime Eason's Protein Bars and my Lemon Cheesecake Bars is that I used coconut flour instead of oat flour, in order to reduce the amount of carbs slightly.  Since coconut flour is much more absorbant then other flours, I had to do some research and get the exact conversions from oat flour to coconut flour and they still turned out perfectly!  So here is the recipe everyone :)

Lemon "Cheesecake" Bars

(makes 16 squares)

- 1/3 cup coconut flour

- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

- 1 lemon crystal light mix (2 qt.)

- 5 egg whites (use actual egg whites from an egg)

- 8 oz apple sauce

- 1/2 cup stevia

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and combine well.  Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and add to the dry ingredients.  Stir the mixture together, making sure the protein powder isn't clumpy.  Your batter should be somewhat thick, almost like brownie batter.  If it is too think, add some water to loosen up the coconut flour a bit.  Be careful not to add too much liquid however, because then your bars will be so moist that they will break apart when you hold them! Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes in a 4x4 baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray then check them.  Coconut flour bakes somewhat quicker then regular flour, so just eyeball it.  They should be golden brown along the edges and when you stick a knife in the center it should come out clean!  Also, they should feel slightly firm toward the center.  Let them cool for about 15 minutes and then feel free to dig in!

After they had cooled, I cut them into 16 squares and put them in the fridge.  They were so good cold.  Tasted like straight-up cake.  AND they are 100% clean and healthy.  

One serving is 2 squares, which has exactly 78.8 calories, 1 g of fat, 8.5 g of carbs, 2.7 g of fiber, and a 8.9 g of protein!  If that isn't guilt free, I dont know what is!  I'd recommend crumbling one of these bars in some greek yogurt, and frozen for about 30 minutes, then top it with another crumbled up bar on top!  It takes like the chucks of cake they mix into Coldstone ice cream but 10x better for you!!  

Please give these a try and let me know how you like them! :)  I always appreciate the feedback!  Goodnight everyone!

Healthy Fries? Is it possible?

So, Wednesday March 13th, marked the exact two week countdown til Spring Break!  My friends and I are going to Miami so I'm sure there's going to be alooooot of craziness to come.

To jumpstart my two week countdown, one last cheat was absolutely necessary.  Roosters again.  This time mac and cheese bites.  Died a little.  They were amazing.  Fried mac and cheese basically, cant go wrong there.  I also had some of a quesadilla and a couple wings.  To be honest, didn't really like the wings.  I dont know, not a huge wing fan anymore I guess.  Annnnd finally this beautiful bowl of froyo to end it off.

When I saw they had samoas and tagalongs my heart dropped.  Under all that cookie dough, salted caramel bites, oreos, cookies and pb is hazelnut froyo.  Absolutely more then satisfying.  Life is about balance everyone!  It doesn't hurt one bit to have a treat now and then :)

So the day after all not so healthy eats, I was craving some good clean eats.  Had a random craving for sweet potato so thats what made!  

If you have never tried a sweet potato, you are truly missing out.  They are AMAZING.  Im obsessed.  So much better then regular potatoes and significantly better for you.  Sweet potatoes are a perfect option for complex carbohydrates.  Trust me on this.  Grilled chicken, broccoli, sweet potato = clean eating in its most perfect, simple form.  Sweet potatoes, appropriately named, are significantly sweeter then your average potato, and also packed full of wonderful nutrients, slow digesting carbs and fiber.  Perfect for fueling our bodies.  There are many different ways to prepare a sweet potato and I usually prefect to just buy the little ones pre-wrapped and just steam it in the microwave for about 7-8 minutes, cut it open, sprinkle a little stevia and cinnamon and eat it just like a regular baked potato.  You can also dice up and roast your sweet potato in the oven on 350 for about 40 minutes.  If you dont like sweet, go salty.  Oh yes.  Do you see where I'm going with this?

French fries are made out of potatoes...so here we have Sweet Potato Fries.

Absolutely delicious.  Baked, not fried.  No time for that, you can't even tell the difference.  100% healthy for you.  These are perfect.  Here's what I did (approximately 4 servings) :

2 Large Sweet Potatos

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder and Paprika (to taste)

Put down some aluminum foil on a baking sheet and spray it with some olive oil cooking spray.  Cut your sweet potato in half long ways, then into the shape of french fries.  You could also do wedges if you like those better!  Toss the fries in any seasoning of your choice, put those babies on the baking sheet and pop em' into the oven for about 40 minutes on 350 or until slightly crispy.  That's it. So simply and healthy.  Get some ketchup on the side and you wont even miss your regular, greasy McDonalds fries.  These are perfect for any weeknight meal, backyard barbecues, or just for a small snack and I guarantee little kids will love them too. 

Enjoy! Feel free to share any other sweet potato recipes you may have, I'd love to try them!

-- scrambled egg whites, sugar snap peas, sweet potato fries --

Superfood: KALE

Hello everyone!  I wanted to share a recipe with you all today that I made last night.  Kale Chips!  Yes they make look kind of funky, but I promise you the have such a unique flavor and turn out nice and crispy..and the best part is.. the take literally 5-10 minutes to make!  

-- Kale Chips --

Before I hand out my recipe for Kale chips with you all, some of you may not even know what kale even is!  Let me summarize it for you:

- 1 Cup of Kale contains approximately 36 calories and packed with 5 grams of fiber.  Fiber = GOOD.

- Kale is PACKED with calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, as well as a good source of the minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.  

- Kale is very flexible in the ways it can be cooked.  Roasted, steamed, blending in a smoothie, raw, you name it.  This makes is very easy to add it into your diet. 

So that being said lets all eat more Kale :)  Here's the recipe:

- 2-3 Cups of Kale

- Salt

- Pepper

- Garlic Powder

Yup, thats it.  3 ingredients.  Cover a baking sheet with foil sprayed with olive oil cooking spray and pop them in a 300 degree over for 5-10 minutes.  I like mine slightly roasted, just enough to bring out the deep green tones of the leaf.  That way I'm not roasting away all those lovely nutrients I mentioned earlier.  These are perfect for snacking and a great way to get in a couple servings of your daily vegetables.  Also 1000 times better than resorting to a bag of potato chips.

Hope you all try it and love it!

A Day of Clean Eats

Hi everyone!  Sorry I have been so M.I.A lately, I just got a new babysitting job (yay finally!) and I've been super busy with homework that I haven't gotten to blog much!  No worries, I've still managed to capture all of my good eats lately.

--Here was breakfast--

In this bowl we have egg whites, with cinnamon, blueberries, half a banana and topped with some Walden Farms calorie free pancake syrup.  I make this almost exactly how I make my oats but I just sub in egg whites for oats for a lower carb, higher protein breakfast.

A little tip: On days when I eat less carbs (oats, brown rice, sweet potato, whole grains etc.), I always up the amount of healthy fats I eat that day.  Since you are eating a lower amount of carbs, which is essentially the bodys main fuel source, you need to draw energy from other forms of nutrients.  What I have found, that works for me and my body, is upping the amount of healthy fats I take in, in order to maintain energy throughout the day.  Normally, I get my healthy fats from peanut butter because I AM ADDICTED..but avocado, coconut, extra virgin olive oil, etc. are all good options.  

THAT BEING SAID..... :)

My low-carb-high protein breakfast got topped with two tbs of PB2 and 1-1/2 tbs unsweetened, shredded coconut.  Lovin' my healthy fats, don't fear them people!!

--Lunch--

Kale, spinach, orange and yellow peppers, balsamic mushrooms and grilled chicken breast, topped with a few red pepper flakes for some heat and balsamic vinegar for a light dressing

Had lots to do at school today.  I usually pack my lunch because I know exactly what I'm getting at it saves me TONS of $$$$ :)  So I stayed in during my lunch period and went out to Whole Foods after and got this colorful lunch on the go.

When I come home from school, I usually have a pre-workout snack which is usually some greek yogurt and berries with a rice cake.  Then after, I have a post-workout protein shake.  About an hour and a half later I'll make my dinner.  

--Dinner--

Keepin' it simple and clean.  Grilled chicken breast, roasted red bell peppers and sugar snap peas all over some spinach.  Protein and carb packed and 100% healthy

After dinner, I usually finish up and homework I have left and then relax on the couch and watch my shows.  I literally have to record EVERYTHING because I am so busy!!  About 2 1/2ish hours after dinner I make my version of healthy frozen yogurt.

--Before Bed--

1/2 cup cottage cheese, a couple spoonfuls of vanilla greek yogurt, some stevia, a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk all mixed together and then put in the freezer for about 45 mins.  Topped with 1 tbs melted crunchy peanut butter, 1 tbs PB2, Walden Farms calorie free chocolate syrup and pancake syrup (major sweet tooth over here) and a little bit of organic puffins cereal.  

This is DELISH and keeps me sane :)  It may sound a little weird with the cottage cheese and greek yogurt but I swear you wont even know it tastes perfect.  PLUS its packed with protein and healthy fats before bed.  I eat this and then its lights out for this girl!

And there ya have it!  A typical day of clean, 100% healthy eats.  Remember, this is what works for ME and my goals and my body.  Everyone is different!  Feel free to experiment and see what works for you.  Let me know if you try any of the meals I've posted and tell me what you think :)!

MUG CAKE UPDATE

Literally, you MUST try this.  It actually tastes like you are eating your own personal cake.  No joke, its amazing.  The secret ingredient I have added?  Coconut Flour.

I use Bob's Red Mill Natural Organic Coconut Flour.  I got mine from Fresh Market but I'm sure you can get it at Whole Food's as well.  If not you can always order it online.

BENEFITS OF COCONUT FLOUR:
- Low in carbs (Net carbs = 3g, take total carbs - dietary fiber, so 8 - 5 = 3g net carbs)
- High in fiber, 5g!!
- Gluten Free

Coconut Flour also has a lovely natural sweetness because it comes from dried coconut meat.  Its such a light flour too, only 60 calories per 2 tablespoons.  The is super nice because, when combined with a scoop to half a scoop of protein powder, it ends up making a very generous sized mug cake.


So here is the new Mug Cake Recipe!
**Use 1 tbs for 1/2 scoop protein powder

- 2 tbs coconut flour
- 1 scoop protein powder (flavor of your choice!)
- 6-7 tbs egg whites
- 2 tbs vanilla greek yogurt

Thats basically the base of the Mug Cake! You may want to add more/less egg whites and greek yogurt depended on the thickness of your batter.  It shouldn't look firm like cookie dough, but it shouldn't be real runny either.  Somewhere in that happy middle :)  You can also substitute unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the greek yogurt or even cottage cheese or applesauce, and spice/sweeten things up by adding cinnamon, unsweetened coca powder, stevia, vanilla extract etc. to the batter.  AND the best part is that this mug cake is 100% guilt free.  High in protein + low in carbs = perfect night snack that tastes amazing too!