Work It Out

Lets talk workouts shall we? Today I plan on debunking a famous myth that I love to scoff at. MYTH: When women lift weights, they bulk up. They will get bigger, and look like a gorilla juicehead (Jersey Shore anyone?). Ladies this is FALSE!!! In fact this statement is so wrong, it is laughable. Here is why:

Biologically, it is naturally impossible. Women  lack the hormone necessary to put on muscle the way men do. Women have about 30 times less testosterone than men. Now if you end up using steroids, then sure, you will more than likely put on excessive muscle, so avoid the roids. But in all seriousness, avoiding lifting weights for fear of becoming too muscular is not ok. When you lift weights on a regular basis, you get toned. You get beautiful definition in your body and that is what is going to make you lose inches.

Awkward post workout selfie!

Bam! Toned.

Myth: Muscle weighs more than fat. As nice as this sounds, this is also false. A pound of muscle is equal to a pound of fat; basically a pound equals a pound. See mom, all of that previous biology major business paid off somehow!  When people say that muscle weighs more then fat, what they actually mean to say is that muscle is denser than fat. While you may weigh less by not lifting weights, you might have a larger pant size. I personally could care less about the number on the scale as long as I look and feel good. Letting go of the scale is a hard thing to do. While weighing yourself may be a tool in monitoring your weight loss or gain, it can also become your enemy.  But  will leave this subject for another post!

Lifting is seriously beneficial to your health in so many ways, especially your skeletal system. Strength training helps prevent or delay osteoporosis, which is particularly high in women. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and injuries. Strength training promotes flexibility, better posture, balance, and self-confidence. Because when you feel good, you look good!

Additionally the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn at rest. Muscle is the only metabolically active tissue in your body. Meaning while you sleep, your muscles are burning fat for you, no work required. This is because muscle is constantly burning fat and calories! A single pound of muscle burns approximately 30 calories a day.

Barbell Strength class at LTF

Doesn’t that sound nice? Well then, what are you waiting for? Grab some weights, do some push ups, just do something!

Lifting Tips:

·      Warm Up- this goes for any work out

·      I like to choose a single part of my body or combo to work out for the entire workout: legs, back, chest and arms, back and legs, etc.

·      Take a few stretching breaks in between sets to relieve the tension that may build up in those muscles

·      Aim to do between 6-10 reps and 3-4 sets or circuits: my sweet spot is 8 reps 3 sets

·      Make sure you have proper form, if you are unsure ask a trainer, friend, anyone. Serious injury is not worth a momentary posture mistake.

·      Do not lift for more than 30-45 minutes. Stretch and foam roll after a your workout.

·      Refuel!! Make sure you eat a protein a high protein low-carb snack 30-45 minutes after your work out. Your body will metabolize it quicker in this time frame and convert it immediately to muscle. This is a key role in toning up!! Examples: Protein shake, Greek yogurt with some fruit, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, quinoa, Luna bar, all good stuff.

·      MOST IMPORTANT TIP: Lift heavy!! Do not be afraid to grab those intimidating weights. Your body is built to carry and handle so much more than your mind deems possible. Think about, your legs carry you around all day right? Serious work! Push your body with each workout to see the results you so desperately deserve.

·      Listen to your body. There is a difference between your mind telling you owie and your body telling you owie. Tell your mind to shut up, but be all ears when it comes to your body.
I hope you all have a peaceful Sunday!

Where Have I Been?

Sorry for the ridiculously long absence. It is shameful. Ok not really, but I was really busy.

This year has been a pretty big year for me. I transferred to Baylor University in the fall of 2011 and then transferred to the University of Houston in the spring of 2012. I then changed my major over the summer. As you can see, I have made some pretty drastic changes over the course of this year. So in this whole new healthy lifestyle ordeal, I am also creating a new life for myself in the academic/career sense. As you can imagine, school has kept me quite busy. In fact, I just arrived home from an all day field trip a few hours ago; it is a Saturday mind you. That is right, school not only eats up my weekdays but my weekends as well. It is a good thing I love it! :) Just so you know, I am now an education major, and I couldn’t be happier. This was my original major as a freshmen but I changed it to Biology towards the end of my freshmen year. Biology was fun, for a while. Sadly I got to a point where I no longer looked forward to my courses or the curriculum being taught, hence the change. I am currently enjoying all of my courses and professors this semester, but I am taking on more hours then ever before, so it is has been quite a big transition for me.

Moving on to the really big news, I have been working on something for the past few months that I was hesitant to share with all of you for fear of not accomplishing my goal. Which in hindsight is a little ridiculous considering I am a healthy lifestyle blogger and human, therefore if I do not obtain a goal that I set out to accomplish then you should know about it regardless right? Right! So from now on, honesty is the best policy.

Ok, so enough with the preaching already, I will spill the beans. You are now following a healthy lifestyle blogger that is ZUMBA certified!! That’s right ladies and gents; I am now a ZUMBA instructor! I have dreamed of becoming a ZUMBA instructor since I took my first class when I was 16, and I am literally beaming with joy. I could not be happier, and more proud of myself and I am not ashamed to say it! I just love group fitness. I feed off  instructors energy in classes and the other my fellow attendant’s as well and it is a truly amazing feeling. It is a wonderful to be in an environment centered on a common goal of bettering yourself and sharing your spirit with the people around you. Nothing makes me happier. 

Julie Kelley is my idol!!

So that was my first goal, get certified. Second goal, find a job. Guess what? I did that too! I auditioned for two different gyms and was hired at both! I am an employee at LIFETIME Fitness and my very own universities gym. I am excited beyond words. I am just so ready to spread my Zumba fire, and yes I am aware of the fact that this last sentence screams cheesy.

For my third goal, the work in progress, I want my own class. Now that I am an employee, I am starting to sub for the other instructors. As wonderful as that is, I am ready for my own class. At this point, I am trying to prove that I am experienced enough to conduct an amazing class, which I know I can do. Hopefully I will have my own classes sooner rather than later. I promise I will let you all know as soon as I know something! I am sure there are many more adventures to come!

Food Log

When I first started to lose weight, I kept track of my calorie intake via my phone app, my fitness pal. While that helped me learn correct portion sizes, it is definitely not the most accurate of devices. So I stopped using that after sometime and just kept a journal instead. There are many benefits to journaling what you eat in a day. I was able to learn a lot about my eating habits in relation to my emotions.  My stressful points of the day are the days of over snacking, and when I am pooped, I crave some serious sugar. Also, if you keep a food journal you are ultimately more likely to make healthier choices throughout the day. Journaling makes you accountable for you actions, because at the end of the day, you have to write down what you ate and your unhealthy choices stick out like a sore thumb.  Writing down my unhealthy choices felt like getting a sticker ripped off the good job board in the first grade.  All that hard work and dedication thrown out the window because of a single moment of stress, it’s just not worth it.

I have been getting an overwhelming request to talk about what I eat on an average day. Since I am in school, there is no better time to talk about my meals. I am a firm believer in planning my meals ahead of time, that way when hunger strikes I have my handy dandy lunch box to the rescue! Preparing my meals is especially essential this year. Commuting takes me about an hour and a half, on a good day, and from then on I am in school from 8:30AM-4:00PM. Yup. It is a good thing I love school! So the importance of packing when I am constantly surrounded by unhealthy choices really keeps me on track with my healthy habits as well. It is much easier to pass up the campuses waffle bus, really a waffle bus, when I have my hands filled with my lunchy box! While I didn’t photograph a weeks worth of eats for you guys (that would be intense, but maybe another time?), I did write it down in my food journal. So her you guys go!

Monday

B: ½ C greek yogurt, ¼ C Granola, 1 banana, handful of frozen berries, sprinkled flax seed on top

L: 1 C chicken soup, ¼ sweet potato, 1 small salad, ¼ mango

S: mix of carrots and snap peas

D: Kibbeh, ¼ C quinoa, baked veggies, small salad

Tuesday

B: Egg White omelets, side of cucumber and fruit salad

S: ½ apple, 1 T almond butter

L: repeat of Monday’s lunch!

S: cinnamon pecan kind bar

D: 4 oz. baked chicken, quinoa, salad, and then I had a bit of mango after dinner

Wednesday

B: ½ C Old Fashioned oats cooked stovetop with a banana, topped with 1 T sliced almonds and raisins, 1 boiled egg on the side with some tomato slices

L: Black bean burger, salad, and an apple

S: Mixed veggies, 2 T Hummus

D: 4oz. Chicken fajita, 1 T guacamole, small salad, and baked veggies

Dessert: Fruit salad!

Thursday

B: greek yogurt berry parfait

S: 1 C fruit salad

L: 4 oz. chicken kabobs, small salad, 1 whole corn on the cob, 1 T hummus

S: ¼ C almond and raisin mix

D: small square of  eggplant Parmesan, spinach with chicken, ¼ C pasta salad

Friday

Family friends wedding this evening!

B: egg white omelets, fruit salad

S: mix of carrots and snap peas

L: Same as Wednesdays lunch!

S: ¼ C greek yogurt, ¼ C fruit, ¼ granola, 1 T flax seed

D: 4 oz. breaded chicken, small salad,

Dessert: 2 bites of a chocolate bar consumed before and after dinner, 2 bite sized cakes, chocolate covered strawberries and pineapple. I was at a wedding and they had a chocolate fountain! Sooo Yummy! I am still 7 and find chocolate fountains mesmerizing.

Saturday

My oldest BFF’s Grad Party!

B: Same as yesterday

S: apple with AB(stands for almond butter)

L: Same as Yesterday except I made it a side avocado salad to go with it

D: Barbeque chicken, green beans, ¼ c potato salad, small salad

Desert: small slice of Graduation cake

Sunday

B: egg omelets with pineapple cut into super cute shapes!

L: chicken fajita, 2 T Guacamole, 1 small salad

S: coconut carob bites from the tone it up nutrition plan here is the link for the recipe http://toneitup.com/blog.php?Have-a-Ball-trade-KRAZY-KOCONUT-KAROB-SNACK-BALLS-Raw-Vegan-Gluten-Free-1717

D: 2 skewers of grilled veggies, 3 oz. chicken kabob, small salad, 1/3 corn on the cob, 2 T hummus

So as you can see I have some staples in my diet that will always be there such as fruit, veggies, nuts, eggs, greek yogurt, chicken, oatmeal, and chocolate.

Tips:

• I always try to prepare my meals in advance.  So every night before school I make sure that I have my lunch and two snacks packed and ready to be tossed into my lunch box. I also like to prepare my b-fast ahead of time if I plan on sleeping in a little.

• I also keep a food journal which helps me track when and how much I eat. By doing this I can see what part of the day I start to crave sugar, or salt and learn what I should eat to keep my energy up. For example, around 3:30 I usually hit a slump in Geology, so I make sure I have an apple, grapes, a banana(yes I eat bananas in the middle of class and I am not ashamed) to keep me energized so I can plow through class.
• Special Occasions are hard sometimes because there is no guarantee that there will be a healthy option. So one option is to eat a light dinner before and just enjoy desert or you can do what I do. Even if the food is not the healthiest, I eat what I want, YOLO! But I make sure I do not over eat…that way I can indulge in the chocolates and cakes later to come without feeling like a bloated balloon.

I hope this post has helped everyone is some way. If you have any questions or special requests please feel free to leave a comment, I love hearing from you guys!

Carrots and Hummus sprinkled with spanish paprika :)

Oats with a T AB and a side of fruit and a boiled egg white

Oats with banana, raisins, and AB! Sprinkled with cinnamon of course

My go to snack

Question of the day: What are some of your favorite snacks to pack? Do you go for more of the sweet or salty snacks?

Labor Day Shenanigans

Hello Everyone!

As promised, here is a compilation of my day yesterday, well most of my day anyways :) I had a really relaxing and fun day. It is always nice to hang out with old friends, oh the memories.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday as well.

Labor Day Overload

Who is super excited to celebrate Labor Day! I am I am! Swimming, barbeque, family and friends, all of my favorite goodies wrapped in one day, oh joy! However when you are trying to slim down and tone up, the holidays can be kind of scary. There is always a huge amount of delicious food that is almost impossible to turn down. So I will share my tips on how to eat healthy and in moderation so you can avoid the Labor Day Overload.

After I head over to the gym  actually headed over to one of my oldest friends house with my family and we plan on spending our Labor Day with them and let me tell you, my friends momma makes the best potato salad EVER. I can garuntee you that there will be some there and I will be the first one to dig into to it! I will be sure to post pics of my day later but for now you can enjoy what I made for lunch yesterday!

 Edamame Quinoa Salad

It was pretty fantastic to say the least

Tips

• Make sure you eat throughout the day. Do not try to skimp on your other meals in anticipation of this one because you will end up being ravenous at the end of the day and are more than likely to throughout all good habits in the face of some potato salad and coleslaw.
• Not sure if there will be any healthy options? Bring some! Make some salad, fruit salad, beans, hummus, vegetable plate, or whatever healthy food you love, the more the merrier!
• Fill half of your plate with greens! Salad and veggies all the way Jose!
• Try a smaller plate. It is no surprise that we tend to go overboard with our food consumption lately so to help moderate your portions, grab a desert plate instead of the larger dinner plate. That way your measurements seem more filling as well.
• When it comes to meat, make sure it is no more than the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
• Grains should be the size of your fist.
• There is usually always some sort of physical activity to partake in, if not start one. You are never to old to play tag, frisbee, kickball, football, bike, heck bring a hula hoop. Hula hoops are always a party starter :)
• Put your patty on a bed of greens instead of buns or make it an open-faced burger (one bun) that way you can enjoy the delish deserts afterwards.
• Dessert I would go with fruit in the perfect world but in the real world, I eat cake. So eat what you like, but just don’t go overboard. Get a small slice of pie or small scoop of ice cream and put some fruit on your plate as well instead of making it a humungous slice of pie and 3 scoops of blue bell.

My biggest and most IMPORTANT TIP:

Please do not lose side of what holidays are for. Remember to enjoy not just the food but the people you are spending your holiday with as well. Try not to focus on eating and enjoy chewing. Enjoy the moment. Be grateful for the wonderful things you are blessed with on a daily basis.

Have a wonderful Labor Day everyone!

Almond Butter Banana Crunch Parfait

Hello Everyone!

Before we dig in to the deliciousness that is “Almond Butter Banana Crunch Parfait” (wowza, what a title!), I would like to take a minute to let you all know why I have been so MIA for the past few days. I had LASIK surgery! Yippee! I can see clearly the rain is gone Shalala…

That means my long battle with contacts and glasses has finally ended and my eyeballs have won. Let me tell you, it is such a relief to be able to work out, dance, and be active without the hassle of glasses/contacts. Can I get a hallelujah?

So I have been taking the last few days to rest. My activities were seriously limited after my surgery due to being in recovery. I am making this way more dramatic then need be, but welcome to my life. I also may have been a little over cautious during my recovery phase. I do not believe I removed the safety sun glasses the doctor gave me to wear for the ride home for the rest of the day…and night. And I may or may not still wear them to bed, just in case I turn into a rabid beast in my sleep and decide to bonk my face; those glasses are my only protection! Just so you guys know, I do not sleep like a rabid beast; I sleep like a mummy (seriously, arms crossed and everything).  So that is why my computer and I have been so incognito, staring at a computer screen for too long strains your eyes, hence not so good for my precious pupils.

Surgery went great, although my left eye looks a wee bit disheveled, I am so looking forward to the rest of my life without the burden of contacts and glasses! Today was my first day back into the gym too! Oh it felt oh so good to be home. I decided on taking a ZUMBA class, only the greatest class of all fitness classes! It was a ton of fun, except from the fact that I had to be cautious of sweat trickling into my eyes. I ended up running to the ladies room every 15 minutes to rinse my face, which in itself is a workout let me tell yuh! Ok now I am sure that I have leaded you all to envision me as a sweaty beast,  crazily gyrating along in ZUMBA, this is false. I am not as spastic as I sound. All right I won’t make you wait any longer.

May I introduce the creamy, crunchy, and sweet deliciousness that is, “Almond Butter Banana Crunch Parfait”? Seriously, the name is ridiculous; try saying it five times fast…and GO! 

Oh yahhh

Layers of banana yumness

Homemade AB came to enjoy the party

Heaven

It was scrumptious

I ate this as my mid-morning pre-workout snack. It consists of ½ cup plain non-fat greek yogurt mixed with truvia layered with ½ banana, 2 T vanilla almond crunch granola, 1T raisins, a few slivers of almonds, and topped with my homemade almond butter. I also loving mixing plain yogurt with honey to sweeten it but I sadly didn’t have any on hand.

 This parfait was so filling due to the greek yogurt being so high in protein, and totally hit my sweet tooth with the natural sweetness from the banana and raisins. It definitely powered me through my awesome work out.

Don't forget to follow my blog so you can get all of my favorite recipes and workouts! 

Toodles! 

My new favorite shades, seriously though, you know they're awesome.

What's for Breakfast?

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had an awesome Monday. So now that we are all getting back into the swing of things, getting back to school, work and what not I thought I would stress the importance of eating a healthy breakfast in the morning. Most people associate eating healthy and eating clean as yuck. Which is totally untrue! I must admit it was quite the transition from my morning sugary cereal to a bowl of unsweetened oats but through trial and error I have learned how to replace some of my favorite staples with healthier versions and alternatives. Case in point, frosted mini wheat’s, meet your healthy nemesis, Oatmeal Pancakes. Really, there is no competition. Which would you rather have, a bowl of cereal, or a plate stacked high with steaming hot cakes? My point exactly!

Enter my beautiful plate of pancakes. Now I ask you, isn’t that quite the plate? Ok, maybe my picture taking skills are not up to par quite yet, but the pancakes were delicious. Not only was there a party in my mouth, it is also filling and packed with protein. It is so important that I get enough protein in my breakfast because I really need it to jump start my day. I love this recipe because it is so simple, quick, and delish.

Oatmeal Pancake Recipe

Serves One

·      Prep time: 5 min

·      Cook time: 5 min

Ingredients:

·      ½ cup old fashioned oats or prepackaged oat

·      2 egg whites

·      Cinnamon

·      Sweetener of choice- agave, truvia, honey, ½ mashed banana (my favorite)

·      ½ cup berries

·      2 T fat free greek yogurt 

Directions:

This is how I work with the old fashioned oats

1.     Put oats in mixing bowl mix with mashed up half a banana, egg whites, a sprinkle of cinnamon

2. Mix until it is all mixed in well together

3.     Spray pan with non-stick spray and pour batter over medium heat

4.     Once batter is in pan add your berries! Save a few for garnishing

5.     Once you start to see bubbles form, go ahead and flip that sucker

6.     Continue until both sides are a nice golden color and your pancakes are cook through

If you decide to go with the prepackaged microwavable oats options which I do not recommend, because they tend to be high in sugar and low in protein, then the direction go as follows.

1.     Mix packaged oats with egg whites and pour into medium heat pan

Topping:

If you want a topping a dad bit healthier than maple syrup, I suggest mixing the 2 T of Greek yogurt with some cinnamon and honey or agave

 Now all that is left is to top the pancake with the rest of you banana and berries and enjoy!

When trying to lose weight or get fit, breakfast is essential. First of all eating within the first 30-45 minutes of waking up jumps starts your metabolism and gets it going throughout the day.

Second of all, choosing something healthy and filling will support the rest of your day’s healthy eating habits. Think about it, if you start you day with something healthy, you are more likely to choose a healthier snack or meal the rest of the day and before you know it, eating healthy becomes second nature. As opposed to starting your day with a sugary donut, I can guarantee you that you will feel just as hungry an hour later and reach for that second donut or something equally unhealthy and caloric.

Third making breakfast for me is kind of ritualistic. Whether I start my day with a work out or breakfast I love preparing and eating my food with my family and enjoying new recipes. I used to just grab a cereal bar or pop tarts and run out the door. Now I get up an extra few minutes early to prepare my meals and I always feel accomplished for it. And I ask you, what is better than starting out your day with that accomplished feeling?

Now as far as my work out goes for today, I am staying with my sister so we were planning on hitting up the gym with my niece and nephew. But honestly the workouts we do together vary, whether it is running on the treadmill, or running around the zoo. We are actually training to run our first 5k together! I know for sure that I will be ending my workout with some strength training. I try to alternate my cardio days with strength training and since yesterday was a cardio day, Zumba to be exact, I know I have to fit in some weight lifting one way or another.

 I hope you all try feasting on a healthy breakfast tomorrow and good luck with school kiddos!

I have a question for you guys:

1. What is your favorite way to start your day? 

2.What is your favorite breakfast?