Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday....

No....I haven't forgotten about all of my bloggers...I've just been super busy lately! I will try to do better about posting, though (even though I say this every time-I really mean it!)

~Eats~
A few eats from the past weeks!

 2 slices of ezekiel bread, tuna mixed with plain yogurt (about 2-3 Tbsp), with cucumber and swiss cheese

1/2 c old-fashioned oats cooked in skim milk, 1/2 banana, almond butter, raspberry jelly-soo good!

 Joseph's oat bran and flax pita bread, brown rice, tomatoes, provolone cheese, salsa, a few carrots--mexican pizza!! YUM!

 Sweet potato with cinnamon, asparagus spears, salmon, sandwich thin spread with a thick layer of garlic hummus

 Irish oats cooked in skim, banana, cherries, cashew butter with cinnamon + ginger...oh. yes. :)

 2 toasted ezekiels, 1/4 avocado, tomatoes, pepperjack cheese + grapefruit

 1/2 c Irish oats cooked in skim milk, 1/2 banana, kiwi, almonds

 2 scrambled eggs with pepperjack cheese, whole wheat english muffin, with broccoli

 2 ezekiels with hummus, cucumber, goat cheese + kiwi

 Oatbran (my new FAV!), banana, almond butter, cinnamon--BEST EVER COMBO!

 Wwheat pita crisped burned in broiler oven topped with EVOO and garlic marinara sauce, provolone cheese, goat cheese + pear

 An INTENSE yogurt mess with greek yogurt, berries, cherries, 2 T wheat germ, almonds...mmm :)

Oatbran, sliced kiwi, pear, almonds, a few chopped dried figs ;)

~Fitness Is Fun!~ 

Top 7 most effective exercises list...here we go people...

1. Walking-burning an amazing 100 calories per hour, walking is a great way to get in some cardio if you are just recovering from any lower-body injury

2. Interval Training-This is proven to burn fat and SHRED you. Seriously. Interval training is no joke. There are tons of amazing interval workout out there (online too)--check them out and FEEL THE BURN...literally.

3. Squats-Talk about a move that targets hips, butt, legs AND abs...squats are your best bet. To prevent hurting the knees, either do a wall squat or repetitive (not squat and hold without leaning against something) squats.

4. Lunges-Lunges are very versatile. They can be be as hard as you make them to be...your basic lunge, walking lunges, walking lunges with arm variations...anything!

5. Pushups-also very versatile, pushups are an oldie but a goodie. A great all-over strength move, pushups are also very versatile. A walking pushup, traveling pushup, planks, lots of ways to make these tougher...if they're not hard-core enough as they are :)

6. Abdominal Curnches-So many crunches, so little time! My number one favorite ab crunch is the bicycle crunch...works internal and external obliques, transverse abs, upper AND lower...in one move!

7. Bent-over (Dumbbell) Row-SO great for those shoulders. And abs. Works best with a 3-5 lb. weight.

~Healthy All Around!~

Cinnamon: talk about antioxidants! Cinnamon is at the top of the charts for those babies along with the added benefit that it is proven to lower blood-glucose levels...not to mention the delicious, spicy flavor!

Pecans: These nuts have been significantly shown to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and raise good (HDL). They also lower the risk of Type II diabetes in women.

Pomegranate Juice: Also very high in antioxidants, pomegranate juice is also shown to hep lower the risk of the arteries hardening or atherosclerosis.

Red Delicious Apples: Now these are one of my favorites on the list. These are the bomb-dot-com, baby! Also high in antioxidants, these little (or big in some cases) guys are also rich in pectin, a form of soluble fiber proven to help lower cholesterol. 

Red or Kidney Dried Beans: Overflowing with protein, antioxidants, potassium, folic acid, dietary fiber and complex carbs, beans are dense and widely versatile. 

Cabbage: As far as Cancer-fighting superfoods, cabbage is viewed from most eyes as number one. Cabbage holds phytochemicals, including sulforaphane, which is said to protect the body against cancer-causing free radicals. It's also rich in vitamins K, and C, and a wonderful source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, folate, manganese, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Cabbage is most commonly used in coleslaw...but as I am not a fan of this dish...AT ALL, I prefer to throw some in a pot of soup or boil it plain. YUM!

 So long for now, folks. Talk to you later! Enjoy the remains of your Tuesday! 

Stay happy and healthy. 

:D

Jumping Bean

Hey guys! Hope this post is finding everyone well :) This week is FLYING by as of today...almost Wednesday?! So my Physical Therapist gave me breaking news about a week ago...IM ALLOWED TO JUMP!!! AND do ANYTHING as long as it doesn't hurt :) This made for one super happy camper (moi!) ;D And...to make me EVEN happier--I am D-O-N-E with PT! I'm "Free Willy"!! hahah ;)


~Eats~
so...just randos again...

 plain yogurt, organic natures path smartbran cereal, 1/2 banana, frozen (thawed) mango, frozen berries, wheat germ

SOOO good! One of my fav yogurt messes!! 

Old-fashioned oats, 1/2 apple, berries, raisins, almonds, 1/2 c 2% milk (cooked in)

 

 A Super delish post-workout combo: sweet potato with cinnamon, a morningstar veggie burger and a side of corn

Oats, 1/2 c. POM juice, berries, coconut, sunflower seeds--put oats in bowl and pour pom over. Microwave for about 30-45 seconds and top with goodies!

 

A sammie combo from a fellow blogger: Ezekiel bread, pbutter, all-fruit raspberry jelly, and 1/2 banana with a side of an unpictured apple

oats, 1/2 c skim cooked in, 1/2 naner, wheat germ, 1/2 c berries, dash of vanilla extract cooked in, blob of pbutter

 

ezekiel sammie with garlic hummus, tomato, baby carrots, lettuce, and a slice of swiss cheese with a side of a grapefruit

 yogurt mess with organic smartbran cereal, 1/2 naner, berries, and mango

 on the go lunch: ezekiel, hummus, swiss, lettuce, baby carrots and an apple

 1/2 c oats, 1/2 naner, berries, a chopped date, ezekiel cereal, cashew butter

 ezekiel, hummus, swiss, cucumber, tomato, and an apple

 yogurt mess with a kiwi, berries, almonds, and a bit of ezekiel cereal to top it off

 brown rice, cucumber slices, tomato, baby carrots, blob of hummus, and tuna

 

1/2 c oats, cooked in 1 c skim milk, wheat germ cooked in, 1/2 naner, cashew butter as a topper

 

~Fitness Is Fun!~

Since I am now FREE to workout, :D I've been THOROUGHLY enjoying power skating, kickboxing, LOADS of yoga, pilates, running/power walking, anything you can think of, basically!

Just a few healthy living/exercise/wellness tips to hold you guys over till my next post!! 

~Healthy Life, Healthy YOU!~ 

Tip 1. New fad: BLACK RICE. It's packed with iron and complex carbs. It gets it's dark coloring from anthocyanins (just like pomegranates). These help reduce muscle soreness-PERFECT for post-workout meals/munchies!

Tip 2. Eggs are an amazing source of protein and choline-found in few foods but oh-so vital for healthy brain cell development and memory.

Tip 3. Kefir is basically drinkable yogurt. It contains bacteria that is shown to strengthen your immune system. It is available in flavored and plain. 

Tip 4. White Tea, in comparison to green and black teas, packs more theanine, an amino acid which reduces blood pressure and anxiety levels...and it tastes good! Even better :)

Tip 4. Nauseous? Try sipping ginger tea (or in us health bloggers case, throw some in your daily bowl of oats!). It contains anit-inflammatory and analgesic compounds that mimic NSAIDS. Studies show that popping a ginger pill or sipping some ginger tea relieves pain just as effectively as the leading pain killer ibuprofen!

Tip 5. Bad bruise? Rub a topical vitamin K cream on the booboo daily for two weeks. This vitamin improves your bod's ability to form blood clots in damaged areas--therefore stopping bruising and bleeding under the skin.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week. Until then! 

Stay healthy. Stay happy.

Also--PLEASE comment on my post below and tell me how I can incorporate stuff that you all would like more into each of my posts! Every word is much appreciated! 

:D

 

The start of a new...Decade?!

Here we are in the year 2011. Which means--we are in a whole new DECADE, along with year! Happy New Decade, everyone!
Yesterday me and my sis saw "Gulliver's Travels" with my little cousin and my two aunts. It was surprisingly good! I usually am not a huge fan of Jack Black, but it turned out to be a pretty good movie.
Yesterday's eats were a bit on the dull side...oats for breakfast, pb sammie for lunch, numerous munchies throughout the day, etc...But ere are a few notable ones from the past week:
~Eats~
So...a few this and that's from a while ago that I haven't posted...

 Raw oats (with skim milk over top) 1/2 fresh pomegranate seeds, unsweetened coconut, maranatha crunchy almond butter

Warm old fashioned oats with a banana sliced on top, berries, and almonds

A pasta mess with 100% whole wheat rotini, green beans, tomato sauce (with olive oil and garlic), and salmon...mmmm :) 

Almond Fro-Yo Oats...a take off on Jamie's Cashew Fro-Yo Oats :) Frozen banana, almond butter (I used crunchy, for extra texture), mashed with 2 T skim milk and smashed atop oats and cinnamon

Brown Rice, Broccoli, acorn squash (I threw mine in the microwave for about 8.5 minutes after piercing it with a fork all over) and cinnamon...this turned out to be a bit bland so for lunch the following day I had this with a touch of honey...MUCH better ;)

Multi Grain oats, berries, banana slices, and almond butter

Raw oats, berries, almonds, most of a sliced gala apple, with skim milk poured over top


~Fitness is Fun!~
To make normal wall squats more challenging, try lifting one heel and balancing on your toe...ouch...;) 

Off to church and then skating!! 
Chao :)