Here is my current playlist for when I hit the gym. Nothing like some fun and upbeat music to motivate me to hop on the eliptical and work it out. This list is pretty contemporary, but has a good variety of music. Hope you like it!!!
1. Dangerous: Akon
2. Dirty Little Secret: All American Rejects
3. Crazy in Love: Beyonce
4. Womanizer: Britney Spears
5. Last Name: Carrie Underwood
6: Dirrty: Christina Aguilera
7. Let's Get Loud: Jennifer Lopez
8. Rock Your Body: Justin Timberlake
9. Let it Rock: Kevin Rudolph
10. Just Dance: Lady Gaga
11. Shake It: Metro Station
12. Please Don't Stop the Music: Rihanna
13. SOS: Rihanna
14: Motivation: Sum 41
15. Ocean Avenue: Yellowcard
Monday, February 23, 2009
Meal Ideas: Breakfast on the Go
It sometimes gets a little difficult to eat a healthy and fulfilling breakfast when on the go. Between work, school, and taking care of my little man I sometimes find it hard to get in breakfast. When I do get around to eating it, I find that I tend to eat food items that aren't good for the diet, nor are they good at holding off my appetite until lunch. Throughout my diet experiences I have stumbled across a few items that taste good and help to suppress my hunger until its time to eat again.
1. Fiber One bars: oats and chocolate. At 140 calories a pop these bars are super yummy and super convenient. I throw one in my purse and eat it on my way to class in the morning and it tides me over until I get home and can eat lunch. With 9 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein these little treats help me to feel full longer.
2. Kashi Go Lean Bars: crunchy chocolate caramel. These little goodies are packed with 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber for a breakfast that will certainly take you all the way to lunch and longer. At only 150 calories per serving, these breakfast bars will give you the energy you need to kickstart your morning without sacrificing your diet for the day.
3. Special K waffles: red berries. Generally waffles are seen as a sit down breakfast, but throw in a waffle or two, wrap in a napkin, and go for a breakfast that can be eaten on the fly. These waffles run at 80 calories a piece and are good for the tummy as well as the diet.
4. Dunkin Donuts Egg-White Flatbreads: turkey sausage or veggie. Nothing like a warm and filling breakfast sandwich to get the day going, especially when it is tasty AND good for you. Under 300 calories a sandwich, these little guys are sure to satisfy your appetite.
1. Fiber One bars: oats and chocolate. At 140 calories a pop these bars are super yummy and super convenient. I throw one in my purse and eat it on my way to class in the morning and it tides me over until I get home and can eat lunch. With 9 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein these little treats help me to feel full longer.
2. Kashi Go Lean Bars: crunchy chocolate caramel. These little goodies are packed with 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber for a breakfast that will certainly take you all the way to lunch and longer. At only 150 calories per serving, these breakfast bars will give you the energy you need to kickstart your morning without sacrificing your diet for the day.
3. Special K waffles: red berries. Generally waffles are seen as a sit down breakfast, but throw in a waffle or two, wrap in a napkin, and go for a breakfast that can be eaten on the fly. These waffles run at 80 calories a piece and are good for the tummy as well as the diet.
4. Dunkin Donuts Egg-White Flatbreads: turkey sausage or veggie. Nothing like a warm and filling breakfast sandwich to get the day going, especially when it is tasty AND good for you. Under 300 calories a sandwich, these little guys are sure to satisfy your appetite.
Eating Out: Panera Bread
Eating out can be difficult to do when trying to stick to a diet regimen. While many places are trying to incorporate more diet friendly foods into their menus, it can still be tricky sifting through the nutritional information. One of my favorite places to dine out is Panera Bread, whether it be for lunch or dinner, I am always down for a lunch date at Panera. I love Panera's food because it is yummy, but it also fulfills my appetite. Here are a few of my fail-safe menu suggestions that are tasty, satisfying, and more importantly, diet-approved!
1. You Pick Two: Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and French Onion Soup. Total calories = 400-460. *
2. Chicken Tortilla soup with a whole-grain baguette. Total calories = 360.
3. You Pick Two: Smoked Turkey and Garden Vegetable soup. Total calories = 400.
4. Vegetarian Option: Classic Garden Salad and Tomato soup. Total calories = 460.
You can also add the whole grain baguette to your meal for an additional 140 calories per 2 ounce piece.
*1/2 of the Fuji apple chicken salad is 260 calories, but I found that if your Panera uses those little kidney bean shaped plates they tend to run at around 200 calories. I have weighed the salad before and after and it comes out to less than what is considered to be half of the salad. The french onion soup is 200 calories for the you pick two.
For the full list of menu items and their nutritional values visit Panera's website. http://www.panerabread.com/menu/
1. You Pick Two: Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and French Onion Soup. Total calories = 400-460. *
2. Chicken Tortilla soup with a whole-grain baguette. Total calories = 360.
3. You Pick Two: Smoked Turkey and Garden Vegetable soup. Total calories = 400.
4. Vegetarian Option: Classic Garden Salad and Tomato soup. Total calories = 460.
You can also add the whole grain baguette to your meal for an additional 140 calories per 2 ounce piece.
*1/2 of the Fuji apple chicken salad is 260 calories, but I found that if your Panera uses those little kidney bean shaped plates they tend to run at around 200 calories. I have weighed the salad before and after and it comes out to less than what is considered to be half of the salad. The french onion soup is 200 calories for the you pick two.
For the full list of menu items and their nutritional values visit Panera's website. http://www.panerabread.com/menu/
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Tip of the Week
Brush your teeth after eating. Not only is it good for your peridontal health, but it also helps you to keep from over-eating or snacking after meals. Nothing tastes worse than when you eat after brushing your teeth. For example, minty fresh breath = good. On the other hand, minty fresh breath + doritos = yucky! I think you get the idea!
Recipe of the Week - Feta Chicken Mini Pizzas
Here is my recipe of the week, each pizza has 300 calories.
1 whole wheat pita
2-3 Tbs tomato sauce (enough to cover top)
1/4 c 2% shredded italian blend cheese
1 oz cooked chicken chopped
2 Tbs feta cheese
8-10 baby spinach leaves torn with stems pulled off
Set oven to broil. Cover top of pita with pasta sauce. Add both cheeses, chicken, and spinach. Spray top with a little pam to keep spinach from burning and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil until the cheese melts.
1 whole wheat pita2-3 Tbs tomato sauce (enough to cover top)
1/4 c 2% shredded italian blend cheese
1 oz cooked chicken chopped
2 Tbs feta cheese
8-10 baby spinach leaves torn with stems pulled off
Set oven to broil. Cover top of pita with pasta sauce. Add both cheeses, chicken, and spinach. Spray top with a little pam to keep spinach from burning and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil until the cheese melts.
10 x 10 exercise
The idea of this is to do 10 repetitions of each exercise, doing 10 per side on the exercises that work the obliques (such as the bicycles) This exercise works a combination of the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.
1. Regular crunch. Hands behind head crunch straight up.
2. Side crunch. Lay on side with knees bent, laying on top of each other. Rotate upper torso so that back is flat on the ground while the legs are to the side. Crunch up straight.
3. Side crunch, on other side. Repeat with legs facing other direction. x10
4. Bicycle crunchs. Lying on back with legs extended, pull in one knee while crunching up and touching with opposite elbow, repeat on other side. This is a continous movement.
5. Leg lifts. While lying on back with hands under bottom and legs extended, lift legs until they are at a 90 degree angle with your body. Keep your legs straight while you lift.
6. Pendulum. This is similar to the leg lifts but you are lifting your legs from side to side instead.
7. Reverse Crunch. With legs straight up in 90 degree angle lift bottom off the floor using abdominals. The motion is like you are trying to touch the ceiling with your toes.
8. Toe touch. With your legs straight up as in the reverse crunch reach up and try to touch your toes.
9. Reachs: With your legs straight up still, reach your hands, alternating sides towards the wall. This is a horizontal reach, not vertical.
10. Twists. See demo, I don't use a medicine ball though.
1. Regular crunch. Hands behind head crunch straight up.
2. Side crunch. Lay on side with knees bent, laying on top of each other. Rotate upper torso so that back is flat on the ground while the legs are to the side. Crunch up straight.
3. Side crunch, on other side. Repeat with legs facing other direction. x10
4. Bicycle crunchs. Lying on back with legs extended, pull in one knee while crunching up and touching with opposite elbow, repeat on other side. This is a continous movement.
5. Leg lifts. While lying on back with hands under bottom and legs extended, lift legs until they are at a 90 degree angle with your body. Keep your legs straight while you lift.
6. Pendulum. This is similar to the leg lifts but you are lifting your legs from side to side instead.
7. Reverse Crunch. With legs straight up in 90 degree angle lift bottom off the floor using abdominals. The motion is like you are trying to touch the ceiling with your toes.
8. Toe touch. With your legs straight up as in the reverse crunch reach up and try to touch your toes.
9. Reachs: With your legs straight up still, reach your hands, alternating sides towards the wall. This is a horizontal reach, not vertical.
10. Twists. See demo, I don't use a medicine ball though.
My weight loss journey
I figured that I would share my weight loss journey, so here goes.
I was always pretty scrawny, I remember seeing pictures of me as a younger kid and I was long and lean. Then I hit puberty! I didn't get fat or overweight, I just filled out in some places and would say that I was "healthy" looking. I always tried to lose a few pounds and to get that long and lean body that was all over the tv, but lacked the knowledge and motivation to do so.
After graduating highschool my mom told me about counting calories and how it is an easy way to lose weight without completely restricting yourself like you would with South Beach or Atkins. I gave it a go and found that it was pretty easy, but like in highschool, I still lacked the motivation to go through with it.
At 20 I became pregnant and with that came the baby weight. It took me about 8 months to lose all the baby weight and to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 155. I became really motivated and started exercising 5 days a week and was pretty good with my diet. I started to lose more weight and got down to about 150 when I got pregnant, again. I gained 50 pounds with this pregnancy by the time of delivery. At 4 months post partum I lost the baby weight and was back to my 155. I relaxed a little while and was pretty comfortable in my skin. In December I started to plan for a trip to the Virgin Islands and knew I wanted to lose the weight I tried to lose before becoming pregnant.
On January 5th I started my diet, my New Years Resolution was to get down to 135 by my trip. I started exercising when I could, currently 1-2 times a week, and started eating a reduced calorie diet of 2000 calories a day. I would eat less, but seeing as I still breastfeed I decided that the extra calories were essential for my milk supply. I have had a few cheat days along the way to help "shock" my body and am now down to 139, roughly 7 weeks after starting my diet. I have dropped to a size 6 and am starting to find that 6's are getting a little lose. I have lost several inches from my thighs, arms, waist, and hips and am continuing to lose weight and firm up. I have 4 pounds until my goal weight and consider my weight loss to be very successful thus far.
I am sharing this because I want people to know that with discipline and motivation that weight loss is possible and more so, it can be done naturally. I would say that weight loss is 90% mental and going into it with realistic expectations and a strong desire to succeed, it is completely and utterly possible.
I was always pretty scrawny, I remember seeing pictures of me as a younger kid and I was long and lean. Then I hit puberty! I didn't get fat or overweight, I just filled out in some places and would say that I was "healthy" looking. I always tried to lose a few pounds and to get that long and lean body that was all over the tv, but lacked the knowledge and motivation to do so.
After graduating highschool my mom told me about counting calories and how it is an easy way to lose weight without completely restricting yourself like you would with South Beach or Atkins. I gave it a go and found that it was pretty easy, but like in highschool, I still lacked the motivation to go through with it.
At 20 I became pregnant and with that came the baby weight. It took me about 8 months to lose all the baby weight and to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 155. I became really motivated and started exercising 5 days a week and was pretty good with my diet. I started to lose more weight and got down to about 150 when I got pregnant, again. I gained 50 pounds with this pregnancy by the time of delivery. At 4 months post partum I lost the baby weight and was back to my 155. I relaxed a little while and was pretty comfortable in my skin. In December I started to plan for a trip to the Virgin Islands and knew I wanted to lose the weight I tried to lose before becoming pregnant.
On January 5th I started my diet, my New Years Resolution was to get down to 135 by my trip. I started exercising when I could, currently 1-2 times a week, and started eating a reduced calorie diet of 2000 calories a day. I would eat less, but seeing as I still breastfeed I decided that the extra calories were essential for my milk supply. I have had a few cheat days along the way to help "shock" my body and am now down to 139, roughly 7 weeks after starting my diet. I have dropped to a size 6 and am starting to find that 6's are getting a little lose. I have lost several inches from my thighs, arms, waist, and hips and am continuing to lose weight and firm up. I have 4 pounds until my goal weight and consider my weight loss to be very successful thus far.
I am sharing this because I want people to know that with discipline and motivation that weight loss is possible and more so, it can be done naturally. I would say that weight loss is 90% mental and going into it with realistic expectations and a strong desire to succeed, it is completely and utterly possible.
Welcome!!!
Hi,
If you are reading this you are probably looking for some weight loss help or advice to aid in your journey to the new you. I have dieted off and on throughout the years and have picked up a trick or two along the way. This blog is here to offer advice, anecdotes from my personal life, recipe ideas, tricks and tips for eating out, exercise routines and advice, and the list goes on and on. So come on in and welcome!
Also, if you have any recipes, ideas, or suggestions that can serve as advice or motivation for another than feel free to share, every little bit helps!
If you are reading this you are probably looking for some weight loss help or advice to aid in your journey to the new you. I have dieted off and on throughout the years and have picked up a trick or two along the way. This blog is here to offer advice, anecdotes from my personal life, recipe ideas, tricks and tips for eating out, exercise routines and advice, and the list goes on and on. So come on in and welcome!
Also, if you have any recipes, ideas, or suggestions that can serve as advice or motivation for another than feel free to share, every little bit helps!
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