The Fitness Freak

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Pasta with Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnips

2012-01-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

Kale is one of my favorite veggies! I eat it most everyday and I often have it in my green juice. Here is a great recipe that makes working kale into your diet possible : ) Enjoy!

Ingredients

    •    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    •    3 cups diagonally, thinly cut(about 1/4") parsnip (about 1 pound)
    •    2 1/2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large)
    •    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    •    4 garlic cloves, chopped
    •    1/2 cup dry white wine
    •    8 cups trimmed and chopped lacinato/ dinosaur kale (about 3 bunches)
    •    1/2 cup organic low-sodium vegetable broth
    •    8 ounces uncooked whole grain penne pasta
    •    1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
    •    1/2 teaspoon salt
    •    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add parsnip to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl; keep warm.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in kale and broth; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Uncover; cook 4 minutes or until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Add drained pasta to kale mixture. Stir in parsnips, 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid if needed to moisten. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Serves 6

Nicole

Organizing. Half the Battle.

2012-01-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

I know that New Year's is a time for resolutions and I'm all for them. Eat better. Sleep more. Yell less. Laugh more. Exercise regularly. Find out how to add more time to the clock. Okay, maybe that last one is a stretch but I'm still working on it.

If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it's that being unorganized can stop me from accomplishing many of my goals. Yes, being more organized IS one of my goals but that one goal can be the key to unlocking so many of your other goals.

I, in the pursuit of being organized once and for all am tackling a book by Tsh Oxenreider called "One Bite at a Time". Tsh makes becoming more organized and setting goals just a bit easier.

This is a great e-book and I am happily working on Week 1. This week is all about "Eating the Frog". You know how it goes, you procrastinate doing that one thing you hate. It may be laundry for some, it may be washing your weeks produce or even washing the car. Whatever it is your goal in week 1 is to make it a habit to do the worst chore first. This way the rest of your to-do list seems easy. For me it was trimming and separating about 10 lbs. of chicken. I hate doing it! I tell you, I am so glad it's done and not lurking in the fridge waiting for me to deal with.

I am benefiting from this book and I want you to as well. Tsh is offering the e-book for only $4! Just use the code HAPPYNEWYEAR when you checkout. I hope this book sets you on the path to being more organized so that you can accomplish all of the goals you have set for yourself. Happy New Year everyone!! Now go Eat Your Frog : )

Nicole

New Year, New You

2011-12-29T22:57:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. you've overindulged and about now you are swearing to never eat sugar again! Oh how I remember those days! I have family and friends asking me left and right what to do to detox their bodies. It is really hard to find a plan that works for everyone and that's because the same thing doesn't work for everyone...... most of the time! The good news is that if you reduce your intake of acid forming foods you'll have a better chance at winning the battle. The good, good news is that alkalizing foods are the same for all people. I thought I would give you a cheat sheet of alkalizing foods and acid forming foods. If you stick to the alkalizing foods you will reduce inflammation and be that much closer to more energy, less bloating and maybe we'll drop those darn holiday pounds : )

Your goal should be to have 80% of your diet alkalizing and 20% acidic. Top choices are marked with a *.

ALKALINE FOODS

VEGETABLES

Alfalfa*
Barley Grass*
Beet Greens
Beets, red*
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery*
Chard Greens
Chlorella*
Collard Greens
Cucumber*
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic*
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale*
Kohlrabi
Lettuce*
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes*
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies*
Spinach, green*
Spirulina*
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes*
Veggie Juices
Watercress
Wheat Grass*
Wild Greens*

ASIAN VEGETABLES

Daikon
Dandelion Root
Kombu
Maitake
Nori
Reishi
Shitake
Umeboshi
Wakame

FRUITS

Apple
Apricot
Avocado*
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour*
Coconut, fresh*
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried and raw*
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon*
Lime*
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Raisins
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato*
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

GRAINS and LEGUMES

Buckwheat*
Chickpeas
Kamut, sparingly
Lima Beans
Lentils
Spelt

PROTEIN

Flax Seeds
Squash Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Millet
Sprouted Seeds
Pine Nuts
Almonds
Chestnuts
Eggs
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Rice Protein Powder( I use Vanilla Protein Energizer from Rainbow Light)
Vega Protein Supplements ( Personal addition here. They have great alkalizing products.)
Yogurt, plain, sparingly
Cottage Cheese, sparingly
Pumpkin Seeds, sparingly
Sunflower Seeds, sparingly

SWEETENERS

Stevia

SPICES and SEASONINGS

Caraway Seeds*
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Cumin Seeds*
Curry
Fennel Seeds*
Ginger
Herbs (all)
Miso
Mustard
Sea Salt (or himalayan salt)
Tamari ( or Bragg's Liquid Aminos)

OILS and FATS

Coconut Oil (raw)*
Flaxseed Oil*
Olive Oil (Cold-pressed)
Almond Butter, raw

OTHER

Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Apple Cider Vinegar*
Baking Soda*
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules
Mineral Water
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures( Xymogen ProbioMax is my top choice)
Soured Dairy Products

Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalizing effect in the system.

For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Meat leaves a very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.

ACID FORMING FOODS

ANIMAL PROTEIN

Bacon
Beef
Carp
Chicken
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Prawn
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shark fin
Shellfish
Shrimp
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison

GRAINS (People respond to grains differently so I would eliminate them to begin with and add the whole grains* back in slowly and see how your body reacts to them.)

Barley*
Bran, oat and wheat*
Bread, white or wholemeal
Corn
Cornstarch
Crackers, soda
Flour, wheat* and white
Hemp Seed Flour
Macaroni
Noodles
Oatmeal
Oats (rolled)*
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spaghetti
Wheat Germ
Whole Wheat*

DAIRY

Butter
Cheese
Ice Cream
Ice Milk
Margarine
Milk (especially processed milk)
Yogurt, sweetened

OTHER FOODS

Catsup
Cocoa
Coffee, whaaa
Corn Syrup
Mustard
Soft Drinks
Sugar, White or Brown
Vinegar, white
Wine, sorry : (

This is a general guideline and you alone will be able to gauge which foods make you feel and perform best. I would eat as many of the vegetables in their raw form as you can but feel free to cook them if that's easiest for you. I hope this gives you the jump start you need to start your New Year right!!

Nicole

The above comments were written from my personal opinion and should not be in any way considered medical advise. I urge you to discuss these ideas with your physician and make sure they are beneficial for your own personal situation. Thank you!

Another Year, Another Round of P90X

2011-12-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's P90X time again! It's been quite a while since my last round and I'm anxious to start up. I've decided to do the Classic Rotation because I have an issue with Core Synergistics sometimes in the Lean Rotation. This time around I am also mixing up my cardio because it can get a bit monotonous doing the same cardio over and over. I will mix Kenpo, Plyo and CardioX in here and there though.

I'm excited to Bring It! Anyone else out there starting a round?

Here's my schedule:

12/26 Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

12/27 Hiking

12/28 Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

12/29 Hiking

12/30 Yoga X

12/31 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

1/2 Slide & Glide Workout + Ab Ripper X

1/3 Chest & Back

1/4 Athletic Training Workout + Ab Ripper X

1/5 Shoulders & Arms

1/6 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

1/7 Yoga X

1/9 Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

1/10 KenpoX

1/11 Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

1/12 HiiT 30/30

1/13 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

1/14 Yoga X

1/16 Yoga X

1/17 Core Synergistics

1/18 Cardio

1/19 X Stretch

1/20 Core Synergistics

1/21 Yoga X

1/23 Kenpo Cardio Plus

1/24 Back & Biceps + Ab RipperX

1/25 HiiT

1/26 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

1/27 Legs & Back + Ab RipperX

1/28 YogaX

1/30     Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X
1/31     After Burn
2/1       Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X
2/2       Kenpo Cardio Plus
2/3       Yoga X
2/4       Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

2/6 6-mile Walk

2/7 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

2/8 HiiT

2/9 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

2/10 Yoga X

2/11 Back & Biceps

2/13 Yoga X
2/14 Core Synergistics

2/15     Cardio
2/16     X Stretch
2/17     Core Synergistics
2/18     Yoga X

2/20 Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X
2/21 Cardio
2/22 Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

2/23 Cardio

2/24 Yoga X

2/25 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

2/27 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

2/28 Cardio
2/29 Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X
3/1 Cardio
3/2 Yoga X
3/3 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

3/5 Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

3/6 Cardio

3/7 Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

3/8 Cardio

3/9 Yoga X

3/10 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

3/12 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

3/13 Cardio
3/14 Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X
3/15 Cardio
3/16 Yoga X
3/17 Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

3/19 Yoga X

3/20 Core Synergistics

3/21 Cardio

3/22 X Stretch

3/23 Core Synergistics

3/24 Yoga X

Wish me luck! I'll let you all know how it goes and I will update the calendar as I choose the cardio workouts.

Need worksheets? Click Here

Need the workout? Click Here

What are your workout goals/plans for 2012?

Nicole

Great Post about Sugar and our Bodies

2011-12-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

A blog I follow wrote a great post about the effects of sugar and I just wanted to share it with you. Click on the link below:

Why Christmas Makes You Fat

Workouts in Review: Total Body Turnaround w/ Kathy Smith

2011-10-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Kathy Smith's Total Body Turnaround is one of the latest workouts from Acacia Fitness. When I saw this workout I knew I wanted to try it. Now mind you it's shorter than my usual workouts and a much lower intensity, but I like to try workouts that may fill a niche. I have done all three workouts and have come up with so many scenarios of uses for this.

For the beginner:

This is a great option for those of you just getting into fitness! The combination of cardio, weights, balance and stretching is perfect balance for someone new to working out. Kathy gives options to make it easier and more difficult so you can grow with it.

For women 40, 50 and beyond:

Losing balance and bone density are big issuse as you get older. The combination of weights and an entire 20-minute balance workout are sure to keep you fit for years to come. I love that Kathy has made this workout to include so many different aspects of fitness!

This workout or nothing:

So many times we find ourselves in a hurry and you feel if you can't get in an hour why bother. I'll tell you right now, this workout is a quick, in and out workout and it would be far better than nothing at all. I like that you can get cardio and total body weights in a 25- minute workout. The other bonus is that there is also a balance workout and the total energy workout that can be done as a bonus on days when you just need a good workout to refresh you.

During a rest week:

I'm sure you all know that I stress often about the importance of a rest week. Now I don't mean sit on your derriere and eat potato chips, I mean you do a workout that gets your blood pumping but is not too difficult. I often do workouts like this on my rest weeks because I know I am still keeping my muscles active without putting too much strain on them. I usually do light cardio, maybe some light weights and lots of yoga. I really enjoyed this workout specifically for my rest weeks. I just use lighter weights during the weight section and split up the other 2 workouts during the week. This will be a keeper for sure!

For my Mother:

Yep, I covered that in the second section but I just wanted to throw this out there for my Mom : ) I have been bugging her for years to make fitness a part of her life. Recently she had some tests come back that showed her heart wasn't pumping blood properly. After my Dad's quadruple bypass in February I am not about to have two parents with heart issues. Now mind you, neither of my parents are by any means heavy so this all was quite a shock. It just goes to show you it's not all about your size, it's about how well you eat and how active you are. Looks like I'll be bringing this up to her and helping her get started with a regular workout program!

I hope this workout helps you fill a niche of your own!

Workout Breakdown:

Total Circuit      25 minutes
Total Balance    20 minutes
Total Energy     20 minutes

You will need a mat and various hand weights for this workout. I would say if you had 3, 5 and 8 lb. weights you would be good. I used 10 and 15 lb. dumbbells for some sections but that was just to make it more intense.

Total Circuit is a great mix of simple yet energetic cardio and several weight moves. You will work all of your muscles with this workout including your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back and lower body. There are lots of ways to make this easier as well as more difficult so it's very versatile.

Total Balance is exactly that, a balance workout. I think this is a fantastic addition to any program. Balance is so important especially as you age and yet we fail to work on it. This workout is done without shoes which I like, less to do to get to working out : )

Total Energy is a mix of some light cardio, balance and stretching. There is very little cardio but enough to get your muscles a bit more pliable in order to stretch them. This is a different workout with moves I haven't done much of but I enjoyed them.

Throughout the workouts Kathy is very energetic and sometimes quirky but don't let it distract you from the great workout this is. I just smile when she whoops and know that I want to be that energetic when I'm almost 60.

This DVD will be released on November 15th and is available for pre-order on Amazon or you can buy it now on Acacia!

A special thank you to Alyssa for sending this to me. It found a niche here : )

Nicole

My Daily Nutrition Must-Haves

2011-09-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

I know this is a fitness blog but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't mention the importance of your diet. Diet does about 80% of the work and workouts have a 20% impact on your physique. I learned that long ago from Tosca Reno and I know from experience that it's true. I can gain weight easily, even when I'm working out 6 days a week if my diet isn't spot on.

Everyday I have my staple foods that are always found in my kitchen and they make keeping my eating on track so much easier. I know I've told you in the past about my food choices but I haven't updated you all in a while. I am still a Vegan but have added a few bread products into my diet that don't seem to bother my finicky digestion. I do not eat gluten so you may be surprised to here me say that bread is on the menu. The two products I added are sprouted and do not have wheat gluten added like most sprouted bread products. For those of you who don't have Trader Joe's I apologize in advance...

Must Have #1: TJ's Organic Flourless Sprouted Bread

I love this bread toasted with some almond butter and all-fruit jam. Yum!

Must Have #2: Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin Flourless Sprouted English Muffins

A little Earth Balance on one of these and I'm a happy camper!

Must Have #3, 4 & 5:TJ's Almond Milk, Rainbow Light Vanilla Protein Energizer & Green Juice

Every morning I wake up and have my green juice straight away. I use a large bunch of parsley, a few stalks of celery and a couple carrots so I can get it down. This is a non-negotiable habit! I wait about 20-60 minutes, I workout and then I have my yummy protein drink. I really don't get too frilly with it, just the almond milk and protein powder in the blender, whirl and drink. Anyone can do that : ) The best part is that I buy it through Amazon with Subscribe & Save and it is really inexpensive.

Must Have #6: Goddess Dressing:

I am a huge salad fan during the summer! I chop up some lettuce, add every vegetable I have along with a pile of black beans and top it with a little Goddess Dressing. Delicious!

So, those are a few of my must-haves, I hope you can enjoy some of them where you are! Do you have any "must-haves"? If you have any of the ones I mentioned let me know what you think.

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Zucchini, Tomato & Basil Pasta

2011-09-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

My garden has a ton of tomatoes, zucchini and basil so I came up with this quick, yummy meal to use it up. It is so fresh tasting and my whole family loves it!

Ingredients

10 oz whole-wheat or brown rice pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced or 1 small sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 zucchini (preferably 1 green and 1 gold) halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 lb tomatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
³⁄₄ tsp fine sea salt
¹⁄₃ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a large skillet or sauté pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Turn heat down to medium, add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in basil.

Divide pasta among 4 serving bowls. Top with sauce, dividing evenly, and serve.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole

Turbo Fire Week 2 & A Little Comic-Con Fun

2011-07-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

So sorry I didn't get a chance to post this weekend but it was my birthday on Saturday!! It was a gorgeous day outside, 75 and breezy, and I was happy that I was able to get out and enjoy it. I purchased Comic-Con tickets for my son back in December for Christmas and the big day finally came! Yep, I spent my birthday in downtown San Diego staying close to the convention center in case he needed me. It was a memorable day to say the least! There are some crazy costumes at the Con! Here's one of them:

And just a small sample of the crazy crowds:

My son had a blast and got the much desired autograph from Jim Lee. It was worth the long day in the middle of the craziness to see him smiling that much : )

Okay, so back to Turbo Fire, Week 2!

Week 2 schedule + a little of Week 3:

Friday: HiiT 20 & Yoga
Saturday: Fire 45 & Stretch 10
Sunday: Rest
Monday: HiiT 15 & Sculpt 30
Tuesday: Fire 55EZ
Wednesday: Core 20 & Stretch 40
Thursday: Fire 45 & Stretch 10
Friday: HiiT 25 & Yoga
Saturday: Fire 45 EZ & Stretch 10

Here are breakdowns of the new classes I had this week:

Sculpt 30. This workout has you doing upper and lower body exercises in one move. For example, squats with bicep curls and a bowler's lunge with an overhead press. The first 20-minutes are standing then the rest of class is done sitting. Don't think that just because you're sitting it gets easier! You really work your core on the floor moves. The only equipment you'll need for this one is your resistance tubing and a mat.

HiiT 25. Do you like jumping? I hope so because you'll be doing a lot of it in this workout! Think, air jacks, tuck jumps, squat jumps, sumo burpees and more! There are 4 drills and you do each of them twice, that's 8 drills! Each drill is a little over a minute and then you get to rest for 40 seconds or so. Each drill is broken down before you do it full on. I absolutely love HiiT so I love this workout : )

Fire 45 EZ. This is one of my favorite workouts in the series. It's an intense but fun kickboxing routine. A few of the moves are upper cuts, running man, front and back kicks, speedbag and her twist move that was made famous in the Turbo jam series. This is a great endurance workout! I find the first 10-minutes go by kind of slow but faster that, you blink and it's over. Get ready for kickbox heaven!

Tone 30. I did this workout today. It is similar to Sculpt 30 in that it has you doing upper and lower body moves at the same time. The standing moves are also the first 20-minutes and the last 10 are floor exercises. The moves are not all the same as the sculpt workout so that you work different body parts in different ways. I especially love the plank/ tricep move and the core/ lat pull move. You will need your resistance tubing as well as your lower body band(resistance band) for this workout.

I'm noticing more definition in my arms and legs so I'm happy with the results so far. I just love Chalene and it's her motivating, energetic personality that gets me through every workout. I am such a fan of kickboxing because you get a great workout and have a blast at the same time so the time flies. I am so glad to have these workouts in my library and I know I will be doing them for a long time!

There will be no new workouts until I start the advanced workouts in October. Perfect timing too since it will be a little cooler: ) I will keep you updated on any progress or any fun tips I come across. If there's anything you want to ask me about or do a post about let me know! thefitnessfreak@cox.net

What workouts are you doing this week? Anything exciting going on?

Nicole

Turbo Fire Breakdown for Week 1

2011-07-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

I realized after I posted my last mega-post that I forgot to give at least a little bit of an idea of what the Turbo Fire workouts are like. What a silly girl I am! Well, let me just breakdown this weeks workouts which will help you decide if Turbo Fire is your kind of workout.

Fire 30. Fire 30 is a kick boxers dream! Lots of punching combos with some kicks thrown in for good measure. There are 3 routines that you do two times each. There are also 2 Fire Drills that are 60 seconds long. If you are new to class there is an option to have each routine broken down so you can get the choreography. By doing the "New to Class" version the workout will be about 12 minutes longer. You should only have to do the "New to Class" once. The moves throughout the program have some similarities so you'll get used to the way Chalene calls out them out which will help you kick it up a notch after you have them down pat. This class, although it is short, is intense! You will feel this one the next day in your core!

HiiT 15. In this class you are jumping, jumping, jumping! If you are familiar with other HiiT workouts you'll know that's a given. Get ready for Squat Jumps, Air Jacks, Split Lunges and more! There are 3 drills that you repeat 3 times each. That's a total of 9 drills with a 30-second rest between each drill. I love this workout because I can do 30-40 minutes of yoga when I'm done and still get a workout in less than an hour! The best thing about HiiT is that your body is still ramped up even hours later.

Fire 55 EZ. This workout is more of an endurance routine as well as a core strengthener. Your arms will get an awesome workout with this one! I was curious if a 55 minute class would get repetitious but I was happy to say that it didn't. It was a great change from the high intensity HiiT. I know once I get the moves down I can really put a lot of energy into it! In case my saying that concerns some of you, don't worry there is no fancy, dancy choreography in this one it just has some new moves I hadn't done before. If you pick the "New to Class" option on this one, you add about 18-minutes onto your workout so make sure you have the proper amount of time allotted for that addition.

Stretch 10. I really love this stretch! I have decided, like I stated before, that I would be doing 30-40 minutes of yoga in place of this stretch when the workout itself is 30-minutes or less. That is not because I don't enjoy this stretch, it is just a way that I can add a bit more effort on those days that have shorter workouts. Chalene is great about stretching the specific parts of your body that need stretching from these workouts. She hits the rotator cuff really well which is an extremely important muscle to stretch when doing a lot of punching. This stretch feels really good!

Core 20. This is a great workout! The first half of class is standing core work which you do using the resistance tubing. I love these moves! Next you're on the floor doing some more cool moves using the resistance bands. Chalene ends the workout with plank exercises and then finally push-ups, a favorite of mine.

Stretch 40. Wow, this is a great stretch! It's very yoga inspired moves. I would say 95% of the moves are yoga which of course I loved. The great part of this program is the opportunity to stay flexible. I have a tendency to start feeling my back and knee if I get tight and that is why I focus on staying limber. The first half of class is standing yoga poses which are great for both strength and flexibility. The second half of class is done on the floor and she ends class with a 3-minute corpse pose(savasana). I felt great at the end and it was a truly needed stretch after all of the kicking and punching.

Fire 45. Whoops, I forgot to preview this one first! No worries, I made it through without incident : ) This is another fun Fire workout. Lots of kicking which is awesome for the butt! Roundhouse Kicks, Tuck jumps, Sump Squats, Air Jacks and more fun moves are found in this one. She throws 3- 60 second fire drills in there for good measure. This one is great for your core and your endurance. Chalene always makes the routines fun and that keeps me going for the full 45-minutes. The first 10 are always the hardest to get through but once you do that the rest is a breeze!

HiiT 20. Burpees, Quick-Feet, High Knees and Squat Jumps are just a few of the moves you'll be doing in this HiiT workout! The drills are 45-seconds each but guess what? They repeat! The first two you'll do 2 times through and the last one you will be doing 3 times through. Yep, that's 7- 45 second drills! Don't worry you get a 45-second break between each one. I follow this workout up with 30-40 minutes of yoga and it feels so good!

If you have ever done Turbo Jam you will not have a problem with the moves in this first part of the program. There are some similarities but not enough that I would say they are exactly the same. Picking up the moves will be a lot easier for you though if you have some knowledge of the Turbo Jam workouts.

I have really enjoyed this first week! I know, it's not over yet but remember I started the program on a Friday. I hope this gives you a btter idea of what the workout is all about. If you still have questions about the workouts that I've reviewed, feel free to e-mail me: thefitnessfreak@cox.net

Workout reviews coming up next: Sculpt 30, HiiT 25, Fire 45 EZ

What workouts did you all do this week? Are you following a rotation of some sort or are you doing what you feel like that day? Let me know!

Nicole

Turbo Fire and......

2011-07-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

I'm Baaack!!!!!

How have you all been? I've missed you!!!

Life has been crazy busy lately. As the mother of three young boys I think that will be my story for awhile! We also celebrated my Grandma's 90th birthday with a huge family reunion which including all 6 of my brothers and sisters and their families, the last of which just left Thursday.

As hectic as my life may be I always fit my workouts in. I even had my sister working out with me while she was here. It was great to have a workout partner, the motivation in that is awesome!

Before summer break I was a regular in the gym. Seriously, I almost changed my address! It was a great change of pace to my normal at-home workouts but by the end of the school year I was longing for them once again. Summer Break has come and that means I need a kick butt rotation!

Turbo Fire to the rescue!!! Can I just say, I love Chalene! She is such an awesome, upbeat, motivational woman. When I grow up I want to be just like her ;o)

I'll give you an overall breakdown today then give you a bunch of detailed workout reviews as I continue the program. This is a doozy of a post so be prepared!!

Buying Turbo Fire. Turbo Fire is 12-week program if you have the basic package and a 20-week program if you buy the advanced DVD's. My tip of the day, buy the program through a Beachbody coach instead of the Beachbody website, you will save quite a bit of money on shipping if you do. Here are a couple of the Beachbody coaches I know: Tricia Smith, Kelly Holton and Lizette Reyes. I purchased the basic program for $119.70 and added the Advanced DVD's for an additional $59.70. with shipping it cost me $209.25. If I had purchased the Advanced Program as a whole it would have cost me $279.23(all prices as of 07/11). The products you WON'T get if you order it this way are: the lower body band(resistance band), Results and Recovery Formula and the resistance tubing. I don't use the R&R drink and I already have all of the bands and tubing but for a savings of 70 bucks I won't be crying over the loss. Look into it for yourself and see which works best for your needs.

I did quite a few of the workouts prior to starting the program just to get a feel for it. I absolutely fell in love with them! The variety is great! I know I will use these DVD's for a very long time. I found that I got bored with Insanity after awhile and really had to push through to finish the last 3 weeks or so.

Starting the Program. One of the advantages to purchasing the Advanced DVD's is that they throw in the TurboTracker journal. This is a nifty little book that helps you keep track of your measurements, before & after photos, food intake and workouts. Make sure to take note of your measurements and then take your picture! I did this when I was doing P90X and I was so glad I did. It's very motivating! There is also a 5-day Inferno Plan in there which will help kick start you results. The foods they suggest look quite easy to prepare and budget friendly, both of which are a plus in my book.

How I'm Tweaking the Program. I am pretty much following the program as is but slightly tweaking the first month. If the workout is 30 minutes or less, in lieu of the Stretch 10 I will be doing 30-40 minutes of yoga. My muscles are nice and warm so the yoga is a great way to stretch and it has the added bonus of recruiting some muscles for strength. Love it! Chalene has your rest day on Wednesday but I started on a Friday so that Sunday could be my rest day because that works better for me.

Here is what my tweaked first month looks like:

Day 1: Fire 30 & Yoga
Day 2: HiiT 15 & Yoga
Day 3: Rest ( I know, but it's on the schedule)
Day 4: Fire 30 & Yoga
Day 5: Fire 55 EZ
Day 6: Fire 30 & Yoga
Day 7: Core 20 & Stretch 40 (I can't wait to try these for the first time!)
Day 8: Fire 45 & Stretch 10
Day 9: HiiT 20 & Yoga
Day 10: Rest
Day 11: HiiT 15 & Sculpt 30
Day 12: Fire 55 EZ
Day 13: Core 20 & Stretch 40
Day 14: Fire 45 & Stetch 10
Day 15: Fire 45 EZ & Stretch 10
Day 16: HiiT 25 & Yoga
Day 17: Rest
Day 18: HiiT 15 & Tone 30
Day 19: Fire 45 EZ & Stretch 10
Day 20: Core 20 & Stretch 40
Day 21: Fire 55 EZ
Day 22: Fire 45 & Stretch 10
Day 23: HiiT 20 & Yoga
Day 24: Rest Day
Day 25: HiiT 20 & Sculpt 30
Day 26: Fire 55 EZ
Day 27: Core 20 & Stretch 40
Day 28: Fire 45 & Stretch 10
Day 29: Fire 55 EZ
Day 30: Fire 30 & Sculpt 30

My Goals. I am always working toward improving some aspect of my fitness. Whether it's my endurance, my strength, body fat percentage or my overall fitness, there is always room for improvement. If we don't have goals, we lose motivation and momentum. That being said, I have come to the realization that for me, my goals have to be realistic. If I make them unattainable I become discouraged and that is not beneficial. My dreams of having a body like Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 are not realistic! Darn it! If only I could have her shoulders!;o)

Your Thoughts. I would love to hear from you! Have you done Turbo Fire? Are you thinking about doing it? Did you love it? Tell me, tell me! I love hearing about other peoples experiences!

Stay Tuned. At the end of every week I will update you on the workouts. My thoughts, ideas, etc. I'll break them down as well as I can and give you my oh so honest opinion.

See you next Saturday! Or maybe before then....

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: On-the-Go Muffins

2011-04-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law called me the other day and asked for this recipe. I told her it was on my blog and then looked and realized it wasn't! I wanted to make sure I shared it with all of you. Enjoy!!

These are great, high protein muffins!

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar or sucanat
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar
3/4 cup chopped ham, preferably a brand such as Natural Choice
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp applesauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place paper cups in muffin tin.
In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in cheddar and ham.
In a separate small bowl combine egg, milk and applesauce, mix well.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry and stir until moistened. Pour batter into muffin cups to the top.
Bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin pan right away and cool on a wire rack.

Servings:12

Calories:125
Fat: 3
Protein: 8

I am still finding myself too busy to blog on a regular basis right now. I miss you all and hope you are doing well!! Hopefully I'll have more time this summer : )

Nicole

Oatmeal: On the Go!

2010-12-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

I have been enjoying my new gym schedule but there has been one thing lacking, food! I am at the gym so long and I find I am going far too long without food. I decided to try taking oatmeal in a thermos to fill in the gap. At first I would pop into Starbucks and request hot water but found I was still waiting too long to eat. I then decided I would take the oats and put them in the thermos with boiling water before I left in the morning. Guess what? It worked! I have even done it with steel cut oats and they work even better!

Here's how I do it:

Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup oats(regular or steel cut) in a 16-oz. Thermos. The amount of oats you use depends on how thick you like your oatmeal. I like mine pretty thick!

Pour boiling water over oats. Add a pinch of salt and some agave(if desired).

Place lid on tightly and shake well. Let sit for 30 minutes for regular oats and 60 minutes for steel cut oats. Remove lid and enjoy! You can leave it sitting for up to 3 hours and it is still hot. Love it!

I find myself grabbing this often as I run out the door. It's a great way to get a healthy meal in anywhere!

Nicole

Long Time No See

2010-11-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I know, it's been a long time since my last post. What have I been doing you ask? Well,

I've been watching my boys play sports:

Playing with our new puppy Bandit:

Decorating for Christmas:

And of course, working out:

I do 90% of my workouts at the gym now. I go in the morning while my son is in half-day kindergarten. It is great because it forces me to workout for 2-3 hours a day and I was noticing my body change, yeah!

Just when I thought I had conquered the beast, my body revolted and started holding on to weight. I talked to one of the trainers and she agreed that I was over-training(ya think?). My hubby was on vacation so I spent a week working out with less intensity at home and it felt so good! It reminded me that changing things up is always a good idea, just like taking a rest week. The funny thing is that when I worked out at home I took regular rest weeks every 5 weeks. I don't know why it slipped my mind but I won't be doing that again!

Because I have become so used to lifting weights at home, I forgot how to lift free weights at the gym :( It confines me to classes for now but I am working on a routine to lift free weights before January. I have a feeling my beloved classes are going to be packed come January 1st! My new home:

Here is my routine each week:

Monday:

Elliptical- 30 minutes
Zumba- 30 minutes
Body Pump (total body weights)- 60 minutes
Yoga- 70 minutes

Tuesday:

Elliptical- 20 minutes
Spin Class- 60 minutes
Total Core Training (core work)- 60 minutes

Wednesday:

Hiking or Walking- 70-90 minutes
Abs- 20 minutes
Yoga- 70 minutes

Thursday:

Elliptical- 20 minutes
Spin Class- 60 minutes
Total Core Training- 60 minutes

Friday:

Elliptical- 30 minutes
Bootcamp- 30 minutes
Body Pump- 60 minutes
Yoga- 70 minutes

Saturday:

Yoga- 60 minutes

Some Tuesdays and Thursdays I only do Spin Class and that's my day for appointments or errands. Yes, it's a lot and it was tough at first but my body adjusted. I try and mix it up and workout at home here and there just so my body doesn't adapt. Most of the Core classes are actually a lot of cardio so I don't think it's too repetitious. Believe it or not, I have not lost any weight. I even had a dream about talking to the Starbuck's barista about my workouts and the fact that I didn't lose any weight : ) How do you know you're over-training? You workout excessively and you don't lose weight! I know, I know, I'm working on it : )

I miss posting everyday but at the same time it's nice to know I can pop in and visit any time and chat. I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas time is my favorite time of year and I'm happily soaking it all in.

If you have any questions just e-mail me: thefitnessfreak@cox.net.

Take care,

Nicole

Great New Site and a Coupon Code: SOAP.com

2010-10-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

I received a postcard for a new site and went to check it out. They have so much stuff! I even found my Raw Vitamins and vegan probiotics on there for less than Amazon. Thanks to Groupon I saved $10 on my first order. Go check it out and use the code NICX495120 to get 15% off. Enjoy!!

Workouts in Review: Keeping Fit with Andrea Metcalf

2010-10-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

Andrea Metcalf has been sharing her love of health and fitness for almost thirty years. She is an energetic trainer who loves what she does and it shows! What I love about Andrea is that she has stellar form which is so important for building your muscles properly. She has been featured on Good Morning America as well as The Today Show and is also a contributor to Oprah's website. Her book Naked Fitness, a 28-Day Weight Loss program, is due out this winter.

Andrea's latest workout series, Keeping Fit, includes three workouts: Strength, Cardio and Pilates. It is being released today, yeah! Today I will review the Strength DVD.

Strength is 50-minutes in length and is a total body workout. Andrea incorporates upper and lower body moves together which also uses your core. Yep, you get to work your whole body in one well-balanced routine!

Here's the breakdown:

Warm-up (6 min.)
Squats w/ biceps curls
Squats w/ overhead press
Side Lunge w/ single arm row
Biceps Curls
Repeat
Narow Stance Front Squat plus Rear Lunge w/ double arm row and overhead press
Shoulder Circles
Curtsy w/ side lateral raise and biceps curl
Curtsy w/ one arm row
Biceps Curls
Repeat
Side Lateral Raise
Shoulder Press
Front Angle Raise
Wide Shoulder Press
Rear Flys
Repeat
Biceps Curls
Moving Tree Pose
Front Leg Extension
Rear Leg Raise
Rotating Shoulder Raise
Warrior 3 into shoulder raise
Inner/ Outer Thigh Strengthener w/ shoulder rotations
Repeat
Calf Raises
Plie Squats w/ shoulder circles
Plie Squats w/ rotator cuff work
Repeat 2x on each side
Plank Work w/ one arm row
Side Plank w/ triceps extension and side raise
Plank w/ knee-in
Child's Pose
Repeat 2x on each side
Bridge Glute Work
One Leg Bridge Glute Work
Cool Down and Stretch

Whew, that was a lot of moves! I really enjoyed doing this workout! My heart rate went up, I broke a sweat and I felt the burn in my muscles, all good things : ) I really enjoyed the shoulder work because it incorporates quite a few rotator cuff exercises. Rotator cuffs are a must to keep strong, especially as we age, and this routine will definitely help with that. This workout is tabbed for those exercisers in their 40's, 50's and beyond but seriously, it's great for everyone. I let my mother-in-law borrow the series and she really enjoyed it. She is in her late 50's and exercises regularly so this was right up her alley. I would recommend it to those of you who workout regularly as it is fast paced in some areas. Andrea does give some modifications but not enough that I think this workout is for a beginner.

Hop on over to Acacia and pick up a copy for yourself!

I will be reviewing the Pilates and Cardio workouts over the next few days so stay tuned!!

Nicole

The Times, They Are a Changin'

2010-09-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I have been MIA lately but let me explain, kind of. It's hard to put my thoughts into words lately and I had some really good ones as I was driving around today and now they are gone, darn it! Anyways, I find I am so crazy busy at this point in my life. I take the kids to school, go to the gym, run errands, pick the kids up, clean the house somewhere in the middle of it all and make dinner, lunches, etc. I am spread so thin! I feel I am coming into a new chapter in my life, a chapter of balance, a chapter of renewal.

Between my blogging, facebook, e-mail, twitter, I am just beyond distracted from my real job, being the best wife and mom I can be. I have loved every minute of blogging up to this point but find that now it is time for me to focus on my immediate family and the life that is passing me by instead.

I appreciate all of my readers and hope that I have inspired you and made you look at fitness differently, not as a chore but something that can be fun, exciting and wonderful! I will continue to workout and share a post here and there if something really inspires me or if there is something that I think will encourage all of you. I will also post two more DVD reviews as I promised so keep an eye out for those.

So yes, the times are changing and this chapter in my life is closing but I will still be around if you need me. E-mail me anytime and I will be happy to reply. You have all inspired me over the years as well so I hope I hear from you!! thefitnessfreak@cox.net

Nicole

Insanity: Was It Worth It? The Results

2010-09-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

The answer is a resounding, YES! I am telling you Insanity was not a cake walk though! I had my ups and downs throughout the Insanity program but now that it's all said and done, I am so glad I did it. Let me give you a Month 2 breakdown:

I started out Month 2, scared and a little leery of jumping around as intensely as Month 1 but for 60 minutes as opposed to the 45 minutes I was used to. I was feeling so good though physically, that I was ready for it. I started to feel bloated around week 2 and it was discouraging. I felt really strong and tight but bloated none the less. According to Alicia Marie (Oxygen Mag), many bodybuilders avoid intense cardio before a show because it makes you bloat. I was glad I read that or I would have freaked out. By the end of the program the bloat was gone and the scale went back down.

The last week of Insanity was the hardest for me. Mentally I was so ready to be done. It took all I had to put that DVD in and do the workout every day! On the last Thursday of the month I even put Pure Cardio in because I just didn't want to do Max Interval Circuit. You'll be happy to know I started doing Pure Cardio but couldn't go through with it. I put MIC in, sucked it up and finished, yippee!!

After all of that intense cardio and plyo I thought I would lose weight for sure. Guess what? I only lost 2 lbs.! Granted I am not overweight to begin with but I still have an unhealthy obsession with the scale. Thanks to my nutritionist, I am starting to let go of that. She checked my body fat at the beginning and at the end of the program. I gained a total of 5 lbs. of muscle and lost 4% of my body fat. Just goes to show you that the scale is a LIAR! That's right, I just called it a name and it can just live with it! :D

My measurements were better as well. Here are the stats:

Waist: -1/2"
Hips: -3/4"
Thighs: - 1/4"
Chest: 3/4" (sniff, sniff:)

I would encourage anyone doing this program to take your measurements and pictures and if possible, get your BMI done by a professional. I would have been so discouraged had I not done those things. The scale is not accurate, as I have found out personally!

I think the shape of my body is vastly improved over this 67 day program. I actually feel good in a bikini and will proudly say, "Nothing is jiggling here!". Yeah!

I hope you have a chance to try the program out. If you do, let me know what you think, pretty please!

Nicole

And the winner is......

2010-08-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

....... Pam!! Pam, send me your shipping info to thefitnessfreak@cox.net and I will send this out to you. Congratulations!!

P.S. I will be posting my Insanity results Friday so stay tuned! I have a doctors appointment on Thursday to get my fat/ muscle numbers. I wanted to get that done first so I can give you a real result versus a number on the scale.

Nicole

Books in Review: Pick It Kick It, An Interview and a Giveaway!!

2010-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love Clean Eating and I'm sure you have all figured that out by now. Whole food taste so fresh and has far more flavor than it's processed counter part. I get so many e-mails from people wanting to know how to start eating clean. It isn't a surprise that in this fast paced world people are too busy to take the time to learn a new, healthier way of eating. Well, guess what? Diane Hart, executive editor of Oxygen Magazine, has made a book just for you.

Pick It Kick It is a guide to begin your Clean Eating journey. For those of you who need to take this new way of eating step-by-step, here's the book for you! Diane gives you alternate food choices for some of your current, not so clean food choices. I like this concept of picking a better food choice for one that may be less than stellar in the nutritional arena. In this book there are guides to making better choices at fast food places as well as better choices for everyday foods that you may be eating now.

Also included in this guidebook are menu plans, wonderful recipes and helpful tips that will have you eating clean and feeling great in no time!

I had a chance to interview Diane Hart and I'm so happy I'm able to share it with all of you:

~~~~~~~~~~~

FF: When did your love of fitness and good eating begin?

Diane Hart: There were two key moments in my life when I realized the importance of fitness and good eating - When I was 15, my father died of a massive heart attack and that had a huge impact on me - I vowed to stay in shape and eat well from that moment on. And, then many years later, when I had my two kids, I wanted to get back into shape and decided to start training for triathlons - I've done more than 10 of them and now have a new goal - run a half-marathon.

FF: What is your favorite Clean Eating breakfast?

DH: I absolutely love steel cut oats and every morning mix 'em up in the microwave! It takes only four minutes - I add a little bit of almond butter, some unsweetened apple sauce, some berries and low-fat yogurt and it's quick, easy and delicious!

FF: What is the simplest yet most effective change people can make in their diet?

DH: Buy this book! : ) Be more mindful about the way they eat. (eg. look more closely at nutrition labels, keep an eye on potions - eg eat off a lunch plate at dinner/ eat only half a wrap at lunch and take the rest home) Cutting out soda pop and salt goes a long way too!

FF: I am on the run so often with my 3 boys. What are the easiest, most nutritious food items that are portable for those who are busy like myself?

DH: The bulk of all the salt you eat - almost 80% - comes not from a salt shaker but from processed foods so relying on packaged foods when you're on the run isn't what you want to do. Pairing fruit like an apple with raw almonds or peanut butter or yogurt is a great snack; tuna or hummus wraps stuffed with veggies; low sodium tomato juices are another great way of getting in your veggies on the run; low fat cottage cheese on pita is another great choice.

FF: I love Oxygen Magazine because of the dedicated women you feature in it. Who has inspired you the most out of those women?

DH: I truly think all of us inspire each other and all the women in the magazine have individual stories that motivate each of us. What always has profound impact on me are the "success stories" of everyday women who are like me -busy, on the go and multi-tasking every hour of the day. And yet, they still find the courage to change their lives simply by eating better and getting moving.

FF: What is your number one secret to staying in shape and staying on track?

DH: Consistency. I love to workout and even if I'm traveling, I go for a run or a swim or spend time lifting weights in the gym because I know it's a great stress buster as well as good for my heart and keeps me lean. I also don't beat myself up if I happen to indulge in a treat once in a while - I simply vow to get back to it the next and stay as consistent as possible.

FF: I have so many readers that ask how to stay motivated. How do you stay motivated even when life is moving at such a fast pace?

DH: I realize, again, that exercising regularly, eating well and taking time to myself is the best at reducing stress so it motivates me to keep going! We've just completed our second issue of the new Off the Couch! Motivation for Real Women, an Oxygen special issue magazine devoted to motivation. So keep an eye out for lots of motivating tips and stories - it's on sale October 6!

FF: What is the one food you couldn't live without? What is the one food you would never touch?

DH: Pick it Kick it isn't about denying yourself any food - just eating less of it or switching it out for something better, so it's difficult to choose one food. But I couldn't imagine not having steel cut oats for breakfast - it's just the best to start your day! And the one food I never touch is high sodium deli meat.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you Diane for taking the time to answer questions for my readers! You are such an inspiration to us all : ) Thank you for continuing to put out such wonderful magazines and books to help us all in our journey to optimal health!

Also, a big thank you to Rechelle at Bordeaux for sending me this wonderful book!

I am happy to give away one copy of this great little guidebook to one of my readers! Here are 5 ways you can win:

1. Become a follower of my blog then comment about it.

2. Follow me on twitter then comment back here about it.

3. Tweet about this post and comment about it back here.

4. Link this post on your blog and comment back here with the link.

5. Like me on facebook and comment back here about it.

I will pick the winner on Monday, August 30th, so enter and enter often : ) (Thanks Pam for reminding me to have a drawing date :)

Good luck and thank you for reading my blog!

Nicole

Workouts in Review: Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow

2010-08-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Guess what? Exhale Mind Body Spa has come out with another great workout and it is available for sale today! Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow is the newest release from Acacia. Acacia has done a wonderful job releasing fun, innovative workouts and this one is no exception. I have enjoyed many of the Exhale workouts but I especially like this one as it incorporates traditional yoga moves with some unique Exhale moves.

I received this DVD about a month ago and thought it would be good to add to my Insanity workouts on my rest days. Okay, maybe I was a little wrong. This is a tough workout! I would say if you're looking for a relaxing yoga workout, look elsewhere. This is a high-energy strength, power yoga and the music is very upbeat so if you are expecting a Zen garden sound, so sorry. I was glad for the upbeat music once I figured out the intensity of the workout. My legs, abs and buns were sore the next day which is always a plus as far as I'm concerned. If your goal is to get long, lean muscles I would definitely add this DVD to your collection!

The workout when done in it's entirety is 50-minutes long. It is split up into five 10-minute workouts so you can do as many or as few as you like. The workout options are as follows:

Energy Flow
Sun Salutations Part 1
Sun Salutations Part 2
Chi Gong & Hip Opener Stretches
Core & Gluteal
Bonus: Savasana & Stretches

I was really grateful for the bonus savasana and stretches. Stretching is so important to avoid injury and build lean, toned muscles. Besides, who doesn't want to stretch and relax? I found that when I was short for time I did just a couple of the sections then followed it with the savasana, perfect!

Also included on the DVD is a sample workout from Exhale Lean & Toned as well as a sample of Weight Loss Cardio Sculpt. You can also read the instructors, Fred De Vito and Elisabeth Halfpapp's, biographies. They have so much experience teaching and if that isn't enough evidence of their abilities, just look at their 50+ toned bodies! I sure hope I can look like that when I'm in my fifties : )

I hope you enjoy this workout as much as I did! Remember to vary your workouts and always keep them interesting and fun. I guarantee with that method you will never get bored!

A special thank you to Alyssa at Acacia for allowing me to preview this wonderful workout!

Nicole

Insanity Update: Fit Test #4

2010-08-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

This week marks Week 8 of Insanity. I have to say, it is mentally tough at this point. Physically I am improving with big gains in most of the workouts. Mentally though, I have to talk myself into finishing. I have not stopped early but I won't lie, it has crossed my mind. Believe it or not, the chatter that Shaun T. does to encourage you and keep going, I have all but ignored up to this point. I am now glad for this chatter as it does motivate me to keep going. I have my eye on the prize! I will finish, I won't quit and I'll be happily sweating the whole time!

Now, for Monday's Fit Test results:

Switch Kicks       1: 63/ 126 2: 64/ 128 3: 64/ 128   4: 66/ 132
Power Jacks 1: 50           2: 56          3: 64           4: 65
Power Knees    1: 86           2: 94          3: 96           4: 96
Power Jumps      1: 50    2: 50         3: 56            4: 57
Globe Jumps       1: 11           2: 11         3: 12           4: 12
Suicide Jumps     1: 19   2: 21        3: 22           4: 23
Push-Up Jacks    1: 24 2: 27         3: 32          4: 34
Low Plank Oblique   1: 35/70    2: 52/ 104    3: 47/99 4: 53/ 106

I was really happy with this Fit Test because the last time through I thought there was no way I could get better on any of the moves. Not that I think I'm fantastic by any means, it's just that I felt I was going as fast as I physically could. I guess I was happily mistaken. The improvement on the Switch Kicks I was very excited about and am guessing those improvement comes from the fact that this move is done so much in the Month 2. The Power Knees are at their highest I'm thinking, and I will be interested to see if I can improve further on them come my final Fit Test. Other surprising improvements were the Suicide Jumps, the Push-Up Jacks and the Low Plank Oblique. I think because all of the push-ups this month I shouldn't be surprised at the improvement, but I was.

Well, a little less than two weeks from now I will be taking my final Fit Test and saying goodbye to my morning chats with Shaun T. I will miss him but I am excited to hit the gym once more after a 10 year hiatus. Hmmm, what will I do there? Looks like I'll have to get busy on a gym rotation! Any tips or suggestions?

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 7- Max Cardio Conditioning

2010-08-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today I did Max Cardio Conditioning. I was so happy this was my workout today because it's my favorite workout and it flies by. I was a little under the weather today and was very glad it wasn't the plyo workout. I had to modify a few of the exercises but I was able to make it to the end. I know the next time through this will be much better!

Each exercise in this workout is 1-minute long. I love it because after the 1-minute you will never have to see that move again during the workout. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Here are the moves:

High/ Low Jab w/ Squat
Football Runs w/ Low Plank
Basketball Shots w/ Hop Squats
Right & Left Kicks
Diamond Jumps (A move that needs massive improvement for me)
In & Out Abs w/ Push Up Jacks
Suicide Jumps
High Knees/ Low Sprint/ Plank Runs
Ski Abs
~The following 3 moves are a recovery of sorts~
Kick Step Back ~
Squat w/ Twist~
Over the River Hops~
Attack w/ Jumping Squats
Power Knees
Ski Down w/ Hooks
Belt Kicks
Forward & Back Suicides
Push Up Abs
Plank Punches
8 Jump Ropes/ 8 Hop Squats
Squat w/ Speed Bag

Stretch 4:00

The bonus to this being an endurance workout versus the kick your butt and give you 30-seconds workouts, is that you seem to be not as out of breath. It's really good to mix things up and that's what this workout does. The extra bonus is that it's only 47 minutes long, yeah!!!

I haven't mentioned it in a while but I do ALL of the workouts without the music on. It is so much better! I only used the music on the first workout so I know the difference was enough to never listen to it again. It's better because I can go at my own pace instead of trying to get a beat from the music. Try it for yourself and see what you think.

Thanks for reading! I always love to hear from all of you!!

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 6- Max Interval Plyo, The Breakdown

2010-08-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today I did Max Interval Plyo for the second time and no I didn't have a breakdown silly! It was still tough but not as bad as the first time through. At the end of round 1 I was seriously wondering if I could make it through the rest of the workout. Now you all know I did but I just wanted you to know that this is not a cake walk by any means.

Obviously with a name like Max Interval PLYO, you will be jumping a lot! I have had knee issues in the past but have been pleased that it hasn't talked to me once during Insanity. I have done other plyo workouts before that have bothered my knee but Shaun is so particular about form and I think that is the biggest difference. When you are doing most of the work with your core like he constantly reminds you to, you tend to put less stress on the rest of your joints.

In this workout, Rounds 1 & 2 will be repeated 3x as with most of Shaun's interval workouts. The good news is that you only do Round 3 once, yippee!! I forgot about that until the end of round 2 and I was so excited when he was done after one time through : )

Here is the breakdown:

Round 1

Switch Jumps
Squat Push Ups
Wide In & Out Abs
Power Jumps
Water Break- 30seconds
After the third round, no water break and straight into:
One Leg V-Push Ups
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 2

Pogo Jumps- One Leg
Power Push Ups
Globe Twists
Level 3 Drills (yowza!)
Water Break- 30 seconds
After the third round, no water break and straight into:
Power Lunges/ Hop Squats
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 3 (1 cycle only)

Side Push Ups
Kickstand Touch the Floor Jump
8 Power Knees/ 4 Diamond Jumps
Balance Push Ups

Stretch- 4:30

My favorite move in this workout is the water break! Okay, I'm kidding, I do like the Wide In & Out Abs, I can really feel them in my quads. My moves that needs most improvement, Level 3 Drills and Power Push Ups, ugh! Just when I though I was getting better at push ups Shaun has to knock me down a couple notches by adding more reps! What a brat!

I am so happy that tomorrow is a rest day. I think I will do some yoga because this week was really tough. I may go for a walk because it is so gorgeous outside but taking it easy is my plan.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Any exciting plans?

I will be back on Monday to breakdown Max Cardio Conditioning. This is my favorite workout in Month 2 because of the variety in it.

Talk to you soon,

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 5- Max Interval Circuit, Take Two!

2010-08-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it was the second time through Max Interval Circuit and I do think I did better. I would say the second circuit is my favorite with the High Knees w/twist being my favorite move. The one move I really want to improve on is the Full Body Drills in Round 3.

The entire workout is 60 minutes long. When you take out the time for the warm-up, stretch and cool down, you are left with the body of the workout which lasts 45 minutes. I am finding that it takes quite a bit of endurance to jump around for 45-minutes straight! My favorite part of the workout is the first round of each circuit where he breaks down the moves. It's a nice little break and I encourage him to keep explaining while I catch my breath : )

Here is the breakdown of the body of the workout: (each move is about 45 seconds)

Round 1

Pedal/ Power Lunges
Ski Abs/ Push Up Jacks/ In & Out Abs/ Oblique Knee-In (Yep, all one move!)
Power Strike
Frog Jumps
Water Break- 30 second
Repeat 2 more times
After the 3rd round, no water break and straight to:
Football Runs w/ Cross Jacks
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 2

Hook Jumps
High Knees w/ Twist
High Low Jab w/ Squat
Floor Switch Kicks
After the 3rd round, no water break and straight to:
1-2-3 Jab Across
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 3

Side Suicide Jumps
Squat Hooks
Full Body Drill
Plank Punches (Shoulder burn, big time!)
Water Break- 50 seconds

Stretch 5-minutes

I find that I am more tired after Max Interval Circuit it is just so intense. I will say though that it was nice doing it by itself today versus with the Fit Test like I did on Monday. I know my shoulders will look nice by the time I finish this month. Love it!

Just a side note, I went to the doctor today to get my BMI done. I was so glad I went there one week after I started Insanity because now I can get a true progress report. My doctor uses the machine with the wires that looks like an electrocardiogram machine which they said is very accurate as long as you are properly hydrated. It actually tests your hydration as well and mine was perfect, yeah! I lost 2 lbs. of fat and gained 4 lbs. of muscle since starting Insanity. Yep, I was excited! This month is so much more intense and I can't wait to see the changes at my next appointment.

I want to hear how you are doing with your programs, whatever they are! I love hearing from my readers! Thank you for the comments and e-mails, they mean a lot : )

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 4- Max Recovery

2010-08-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

I was so glad it was a recovery today because my entire core is so sore! Guess what? It wasn't as much of a recovery as I thought. Cardio Recovery was a little tough at first and there were a few moves I wanted to improve upon. As for Max Recovery, I could seriously improve on more things than not. It may be the fact that I didn't get to bed last night until 3:00 a.m. but I this was a really tough workout! Just think planks, push-ups and plies to the nth degree! I know I'll be sore tomorrow. Just so I don't scare you, I will say it was nice to not jump around like an insane person. Other than that, don't let the "recovery" label fool you : )

Shaun T. doesn't label the moves so it was my best guess. Here is a breakdown as well as I could, well, break it down:

Warm-Up

Flat Back Hamstring Stretches
Flat Back Inner Thigh Stretches
Flat Back Hip Flexor Stretches
Upright Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Angle Pose

Workout 1

Hamstring/ Back Stretch
Lower Back Strengthen and Stretch
Plank Contractions
Knee-In Plank Contractions
Chaturanga Push-Ups
Child's Pose
Downward Dog
Split Leg Stretch
Stationary Lunge w/ Leg Lift
Side Angle Pose (crazy long!)
Split Leg Stretch
Repeat last 4 exercises on other side

Workout 2

High Plank
One Arm Balance/ Push-Ups (rotating right to left and repeat 3 times)
Child's Pose (Thank God!)
Low Plank w/ oblique knee-in
Child's Pose
Downward Dog

Workout 3

Plie Squat Series- This 4 minute section is done holding a plie the entire time while bending from right to left. All I can say is, ouch!

Workout 4

High Plank/ Low Plank Walk
Child's Pose
Repeat 5 times

Workout 5

Downward Dog (You won't hear me complaining about starting this series with one:)
Standing Oblique Knee Up
Repeat 6 times
Water Break- 30 seconds
Hammer Abs

Cool Down and Stretch- 2-1/2 minutes

I wish I could narrow it down to a couple of sections that I want to work on but I can't. I would say workouts 3-5 were the toughest. I will be doing this next week on a better night's sleep and I will let you know if that helps my ability to make it through. I have so much room for improvement but I'm excited to see it!

Tomorrow I will be breaking down Max Interval Circuit. Stay tuned!

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 3- Max Cardio Conditioning

2010-08-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

I was lost in chore land yesterday so I didn't get a chance to talk about my workout. It was Day 3 of Insanity which meant Max Cardio Conditioning was the workout of the day. I really enjoyed this workout! As I have said before, I am not a fan of repeating workouts. I prefer every move to be a new move instead of doing the same move a couple of times. I have been glad that although Insanity has repeating circuits, it hasn't bugged me at all.

I have not been sleeping well and it's starting to show in my workouts. The good news is that I'll be showing major improvement by the end of the month if I start getting some good sleep. Note to self and others, GET GOOD SLEEP!

Max Cardio Conditioning is a 48-minute endurance workout. If you are looking for several water breaks during the workout, you're out of luck with this one. There is 28-minutes of pure cardio in this little jewel and I was begging for a break at the end. I made it through though and it felt SO good!

Here is the warm-up breakdown:

Rounds 1 & 2 (4 minutes)

Jog
Straight Arm Jacks
Jump Rope S-S
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Knees
Hit the Floor
S-S Floor Hops

Round 3 (1-1/2 minutes)

Sprint
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
High Knees

The warm-up is followed by a 30-second water break, a 5-minute stretch and another 30-second water break.

Coming up next, Max Recovery, or is it?

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 2- Max Interval Plyo

2010-08-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so last night I was awake several times wondering how I was going to make it through Max Interval Plyo. My usual method is to push really hard one day and do less intensity the next and so on, with Insanity that is NOT possible! I was already sore in the middle of the night because of yesterdays 85 minute workout and I wondered if my body would let me repeat the whole thing again today. Well, it did! Yippee!

The good news is that there is definitely room for improvement on this workout. I hate nailing a workout the first time through because it leaves nothing to be desired and the challenge of beating the darn thing is gone. I will definitely be able to improve on this one and I will have fun doing it. Yes, there are a lot of push ups and yes, it is tough but I know the results will be worth it.

This warm-up is a lot like that of Max Interval Circuit. Rounds 1 & 2 are 4 minutes a piece and Round 3 is a little over 2 minutes for a total of 10 minutes if you like to do math : )

Here is the warm-up broken down:

Jog
Straight Arm Jacks
1-2-3 Heisman
Jump Rope S-S
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Kicks
Hit the Floor
S-S Floor Hops

After round three you get a 30-second water break followed by a 4-1/2 minute stretch and another 30-second water break. The bad news, you have a 45-minute killer workout in front of you. The good news, you're going to look great in 4 more weeks!

Okay, so is it just me or does the words insane and insanity come up a lot when talking to people about this workout? I laugh because I am constantly saying that. Talk about marketing genius!!

The full workout breakdown is coming your way on Friday so stay tuned!!

Nicole

Insanity Month 2, Day 1- Fit Test & Max Interval Circuit

2010-08-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day on my Insanity journey, 85 minutes of Insanity. Do I feel insane yet? Uh, yeah!

I took the Fit Test, ate some breakfast then completed Max Interval Circuit. My Fit Test was a mixed bag, while I improved on most of the moves, I stayed the same on one and I did less reps on one of the moves. Overall I was happy because the improvements I made were improvements I didn't think were possible.

Here are the results:

Switch Kicks       1: 63/ 126 2: 64/ 128 3: 64/ 128
Power Jacks 1: 50           2: 56          3: 64
Power Knees    1: 86           2: 94          3: 96
Power Jumps      1: 50    2: 50         3: 56
Globe Jumps       1: 11           2: 11         3: 12 (Yea!!)
Suicide Jumps     1: 19   2: 21        3: 22
Push-Up Jacks    1: 24 2: 27         3: 32
Low Plank Oblique   1: 35/70    2: 52/ 104    3: 47/99 (Bummer!)

Oh, Max Interval Circuit! This is the longest workout of the Insanity program. This workout runs 60 minutes and it is a sweaty, tough 60 minutes! I enjoyed the workout as long as I ignored how much time I had left ;D

I will break this month's workouts down the same way I broke down Month 1. I will start by breaking down the warm-up of Max Interval Circuit. There are three repeating rounds in the warm-up. The first and second round run 4 minutes long while the third and final round is a little over 2 minutes. By the third time through I was glad that Shaun T. shortened up the time!

Here are the exercises in the warm-up:

Jog
Arms Up Jacks
1-2-3 Heisman
S Jump Rope
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Kicks
Hit the Floor
S Floor Hops

After the third round you get a 30 second water break followed by a 5 minute stretch. The official body of the workout starts when the clock hits 44:00. To be honest, I was already tired by the time the body of the workout started. I think it was the 25-minute Fit Test I had already completed. By Round two of the main workout I hit my second wind and powered through. Tomorrow is Max Interval Plyo which is a bit shorter at 47-minutes in length. I am glad the rotation followed up this doozy of a workout with a nice "short" one! I'll let you know how it turns out.

As always, I would love to hear how you are doing with the program. Also, if you have any questions about the program or other fitness programs just e-mail me: thefitnessfreak@cox.net.

See you tomorrow,

Nicole

Insanity Recovery Week: Core Cardio & Balance

2010-07-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I finished Month 1 of Insanity. I was excited to be done because I was just starting to get burnt out on a workout or two. I previewed Core Cardio & Balance and wondered what kind of a recovery I would get doing the DVD. It has quite a few of the exercises I had been doing up until that point so I was a bit leery. Good news, although a lot of the moves are the same as in the Month 1 workouts, they are far less intense and most have a little twist from the original. It is nice to do the moves and focus more on form and the core area. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results I've seen just in this week.

I think I will have this same recovery week when I am done with the program even though it is not suggested. It is really tightening up my core area and I am loving how my arms look. I am so happy with this program and I am saying that now because I know Month 2 is coming and I may pass out and die before I return to the computer for an update ;D

Here is how the workout breaks down: (all moves are 1 minute)

Switch Heel Kicks
Mummy Kicks
Football Shuffles
Over the Log
8 High Knees/ 8 Power Jacks
8 Fast Feet/ 8 Alternating Hooks
Stretch (4 min)
Moving Ski Hops
Hit the Floor
Level 1 Drills
Heisman
8 Switch Kicks/ 8 Hop Squats
High Jumps
Moving Plank Walk
8 Elbows/ 4 Suicides
4 & 4 Hops
Jab Switch/ Jump Squats
Hip Flexor Burners (3 min)
Water Break (30 sec)
Oblique Knee Lift
Shoulder Burners in Plie (3 min)
Cool Down Stretch (3 min)

The workout runs 37 minutes long and it goes by quickly. I thought I would be annoyed doing the same workout 6 days straight but I've really been trying to focus on my form each day. I still am not able to finish the shoulder series without taking a break but that is my goal for this week. Hopefully by Saturday I will meet that goal and be nice and recovered for the daunting Month 2.

I will be reviewing each workout for Month 2 just as I did in Month 1. I hope you are all enjoying these reviews! If you have any questions about this program or any other fitness questions, don't hesitate to ask me!

It's almost Friday! Any exciting plans this weekend? Are you enjoying beautiful weather where you are? Talk to you soon!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Healthy Protein Pancakes

2010-07-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

5 egg whites or egg whtie substitute
1 scoop natural protein powder (I use brown rice protein powder)
1/2 cup regular oats
1 packet Stevia or 2 tsp. agave
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
1/2 tsp vanilla
Fruit (optional, can be mixed into batter or served on top)

Directions:

Preheat a skillet pan on low/medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until combined.
Pour batter onto skillet to make either one giant pancake or several separate pancakes (better this way).
Cook until golden brown on each side. (2-3 mins/side)
Serve with a little pure maple syrup or fruit on top.

Courtesy of Sara Hedges
Let me know what you think of these. Even my kids ate them this morning : )

Nicole

Insanity Update

2010-07-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

This week I started my final week of Insanity, Month 1. I am so excited that I am on my way to Month 2. Of course I can't move on to Month 2 without my "rest" week. Insanity splits up the two months with a 1 week recovery. During that week you do Core Cardio and Balance. I am anxious to try this workout. It may be that I'm anxious to try it just to do something new : )

I have really noticed an improvement over these last, almost four weeks. When I started the program the Level 1 and Level 2 drills seemed impossible to finish. I am happy to say that I can complete all of the drills. In Plyometric Cardio Circuit there is a series of core work/ shoulder work exercises that I never thought I would be able to complete. This week I have this workout twice and today I almost completed all of the exercises. I hope that by the last time I do this workout on Friday, I can complete it without rests. It's a lofty goal but one I hope to accomplish. The true test will be my Fit Test which I will do in a week and a half.

For those of you wanting to get to brass tax, I have NOT lost any weight. Why? Who knows! I have sweat more in this past month than I have in a long time. I will say that I am a lot more hungry and am eating enough to pick up the deficit that is caused by the intense workouts. Should I make a calorie deficit? Another good question. At this moment in time I am focusing on switching out fat for muscle and less on the number on the scale. I am always struggling with the scale and have decided that as much as I want it to say 130, it may never happen again. 138 may just be my number. I have made it a habit now to write down how I am feeling before I get on the scale and after I get on it. This practice has really helped me differentiate between what my body really feels like and what my brain makes it think it feels like. Try it!

I have an appointment at my doctors office on August 6th. They will take my body mass numbers again and see if my fat to muscle ratio has improved. To me, that is the true test. Stay tuned and see if Insanity has helped those stubborn numbers improve!

I'll be breaking down Core Cardio & Balance next week.

Thanks as always for reading! I want to here your stories too. Share, share!!!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Anna’s Clean Tortillas

2010-07-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Yield: 12-14
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp / 15 ml amaranth flour
1 Tbsp / 15 ml kamut flour
1 Tbsp / 15 ml spelt flour
2 Tbsp / 30 ml wheat germ
2 Tbsp / 30 ml ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp / 15 ml baking powder
1-2 pinches of celtic sea salt
2 1/2 cups / 600 ml whole wheat flour
1/2 cup / 120 ml best quality olive oil
1 cup / 240 ml warm water

Preparation:

1. Add all dry ingredients except the whole wheat flour into a large bowl.

2. Add 2 cups of whole wheat flour to the bowl and set the rest aside. Mix the dry ingredients together well.

3. Slowly pour olive oil into the bowl, using your clean hands to mix it into the dry ingredients.

4. Then slowly add water to the bowl, again using your hands to blend it.

5. Knead the dough until it is smooth and uniform. If your dough sticks to your palms, then you should knead a bit of whole wheat flour into the dough until it stops sticking. If your dough has cracks along the edges, then you should knead a bit of water into the dough until it is smooth.

6. Pull the dough apart into palm-sized pieces and roll these pieces into balls. Place the finished balls into a large bowl and cover them with a damp towel so they do not dry out.

These would be great with this or this, or maybe even this : )

Courtesy of The Eat Clean Diet Blog!

Nicole

Insanity: Fit Test- Take Two!

2010-07-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I was more excited to see my progress this morning or more excited that the workout was just 25 minutes long! I figured I might as well enjoy it because this is the last time I will be doing the Fit Test all on it's own. In Month Two you do both of your Fit Tests with a 60 minute workout. Those are going to be tough ones! Have I scared you yet? Nah, you can do it!

The Fit Test, like the other workouts, has a warm-up and a stretch prior to the body of the workout. This warm-up is short and much less intense than in the other workouts. It consists of 15-20 seconds of these 7 moves:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
123-Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

After you warm-up Shaun goes through a 2-minute stretch then you're onto the body of the workout.

Here's how the workout breaks down and here are the reps I did in the allotted time:

(I'm listing today's numbers vs. last test numbers)

Switch Kicks      64/ 128 vs. 63/ 126
Power Jacks 56 vs. 50
Power Knees 94 vs. 86
Power Jumps     50 vs.   50 (these will be a goal to improve on)
Globe Jumps     11 vs. 11 (also on my needs improvement list)
Suicide Jumps   21   vs. 19
Push-Up Jacks   27 vs. 24
Low Plank Oblique   52/ 104   vs. 35/70 ( I really improved on these which was cool!)

Just to avoid confusion I listed the exercises that switched legs with both the 2 kicks per rep and counting every kick as a rep. My brother gave me crap because he said there was no way I could do that many switch kicks on my first Fit Test so as to avoid confusion, I listed both counts just for him. Of course, even counting them 2 per rep I still kicked his butt!! I told him I have a reputation to keep up and I can't mess around! Hahaha.....

I covered up all of my numbers to see if it would motivate me more. I felt if I knew how many I had to beat I would get lazy at the end and just try to get 1 rep more than the last time versus as many as I could do. It worked fairly well so I may just do that next time as well. Next tests I want to see improvement on the Power Jumps and Globe Jumps more than anything else. Moves like Switch Kicks and Power Knees you can only go so fast with so that may be my limit with those. Time will tell : )

Since I have already done a complete breakdown of each workout this week will be a little quieter on the update home front. I will give you an update at the end of each week just so you know how I'm doing with it. Until then I wanted to throw in a few recipes and such so stay tuned!

See you later on this week!

Nicole

Insanity Day 12: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

2010-07-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again, time for Pure Cardio! I really like this workout because it is non-stop fun! I am not one for repetition so this one holds a special place in my heart. No breaks, no resting, just 16 minutes of pure cardio, nice! I know, you're thinking, 16 minutes? That's it? Yeah, that's it and that's good enough for now, thanks! Try it out, let me know if you wish it was longer. If you do, you're crazy! There's a whole other month for that kind of crazy!!

This was my first time through Cardio Abs but I was excited to give it a try. The two combined made for a 54 minute workout. I have a feeling that Shaun is trying to get me ready for Month 2 : )

I don't know about you, but I have never had my legs get sweaty. After today's workout every square inch of my body was covered in sweat and it felt great! I love feeling like I knocked it out of the park and today, I did : )

Here's how the body of Pure Cardio breaks down: (each exercise lasts 1-minute)

Suicide Drills
Switch Kicks
Wide Football Sprints
Stance Jacks
Pedal Lunges
Hooks and Jump Rope
Power Jacks
Level 2 Drills
Frog Jumps
Power Knees
Mountain Climbers
Ski Down
Scissor Runs
Suicide Jumps
Push-Up Jacks
1-Minute Water Break (Thank the Lord!)

The workout is followed by a 5-minute cool down and stretch which feels SO good!

After I finished Pure Cardio this morning I turned off the receiver, the DVD player and the TV before it hit me, "I didn't do Cardio Abs!" Back on with the TV, receiver and DVD player so I could knock out Cardio Abs!

Cardio Abs starts off with a warm-up, yep a warm-up. I was thinking, "Hey I think I'm warm enough, thanks!" Okay, I did it anyways, it's my OCD, I have issues!

Warm-Up: (all exercises are 30-seconds unless noted otherwise)

Jog
High Knees
Jump Rope
Tuck Jumps
Water Break
Wide Tuck Jumps

Floor Work: (Thank the Lord)

C-Sit Twists
C-Sit Twists w/ knee-in
A-Frame Ab Twists
A-Frame Ab Twists w/ knee-in
Hold C-Sit
Water Break
C-Sit Single Leg Raises
C-Sit Single Leg Raises (other side)
Water Break
C-Sit Double Leg Raises (60 crazy seconds)
High Plank w/ oblique knee-in
High Plank w/ oblique knee-in, faster
Low Plank w/ oblique knee-in
Child's Pose
Low Plank/ High Plank Pulse Tucks
Stretch (2 minutes)

And that was today's workout! Yes it was tough but it was so worth it! That's my last workout breakdown for this month. I will give you an update on my Fit Test on Monday. I wonder if I have improved? When I started Insanity I was coming off a semi-rest week so I had a lot of energy. It will be interesting to see how my body is adapting to the stress of Insanity. I guess we'll see on Monday!!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 11- Cardio Power & Resistance- Full Breakdown

2010-07-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

So, I went over the warm-up with you on this workout, now I'll breakdown the body of the workout. This is one of my favorite workouts in the program. You know I love lifting weights so the chance to tone my muscles through some dips and push-ups is right up my alley! Today I was working at a slight disadvantage because of my hip. The bone is fine but it turns out the deeply bruised muscle does NOT like jumping. I told it to suck it up and get over it in the form of holding it during a few of the moves. I made it though and I did all of the push ups on my toes, yeah!

Here's the breakdown:

Round 1: (starts at time stamp 21:30)

Each exercise is 30 seconds long.

Power Jumps
Belt Kicks
Hit the Floor
V-Push Ups
Water Break (30-seconds)

This round is repeated 3 times but there is no water break after the third time through and you go straight into:

Triceps Dips
Water Break (30-seconds)
Ball Push-Ups
Water Break (30-seconds)

Round 2: (each exercise 30-seconds)

Hurdle Jumps
Globe Jumps
Walking Push-Ups
Floor Sprint
Water Break (30-seconds)

In this round you repeat it 3 times and there is a 15-second water break afetr the third time through then it's onto:

8 Hop Squats/ 8 Push Ups

It's Stretch time!

I would like to say I sweat less this time through but I did NOT! Here's the proof:

I hope these breakdowns are helpful. I know when I was looking into purchasing the Insanity program I really wanted to see a detailed breakdown of the program but nobody had one. I like to make informed purchases and I hope this is helping some of you do just that!

See you tomorrow,

Nicole

Insanity: Day 10- Cardio Recovery

2010-07-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

I was glad that this was in the rotation today because my little fall on the stairs made me a bit leery of jumping. What fall you say? I was carrying a huge bowl of water outside and slipped on my concrete stairs. I would have caught myself had I not had the stupid bowl of water in my hands. Yes, I am a dork! Anyways, I took the brunt of the fall on my left hip and my left foot. I was able to do this workout without incident but tomorrow may be a different story.

This workout is a bit harder to breakdown than the others but I will try. This time through it I was able to do the entire squat and lunge series without stopping, yippee!

The first few minutes of the workout warm you up with a loose interpretation of a sun salutation. During this series he does a side lunge with a contract and relax of your back. I have to put my hands on my knee because this move seems to bother my back.

Next up is Plank Work. Shaun T. does pulsing leg lifts while holding plank position. After that you get a nice downward dog then a hamstring stretch.

Once you get out of the hamstring stretch, it's LUNGE/Squat series time! This is the most challenging section of the workout. There are 16 slow squats followed by a 30 second static hold. Now, at this point you think your legs are going to fall off but you're not done, now you have to pulse 16 times!

Just when the burn is getting better, Shaun starts the static lunges. He does these the same count as the squats. Guess what? You get to do that whole thing over again! Yep, another series of squats followed by the lunges with the other leg leading. Oh my!

Okay, you're legs are already sore at this point but Shaun makes you hold a plie squat while touching the floor to one side. I was thinking, this is a stretch? Hmmm, I may have to let Shaun know what a "stretch" is!

Do you remember donkey kicks from Jane Fonda days? Those are NOT in here! Instead Shaun does this, rear leg lift thing all the while in a table position. Now this would be easy except he has you elevate your knees off the floor while doing the move. This is immediately followed by oblique knee ins in the same position. At this point I was thinking, THIS IS A RECOVERY?!?!

Okay, I will give it to Shaun, he does let you have a more relaxing stretch, IN THE LAST 5-MINUTES!!!!

Okay, I'm teasing, kind of. I do like this workout because there is no jumping. That is one of the best parts for sure! Thanks for not making me sweat like a crazy woman today Mr. T : )

Nicole

Insanity Day 9: Plyometric Cardio Circuit- The Big Breakdown

2010-07-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I don't know if it was my pounding head or this little sniffle, but this workout was not much easier than the first two times I did it. This 42-minute workout is more repetitious than the others so it seems a little longer even though it's not. It consists of two sections of repeating drills. As with the warm-up Shaun T. encourages you to push a little harder with each round.

Each exercise lasts 30-seconds.

Here is the breakdown:

Round 1- Repeats 3x

Suicide Drills
Power Squats
Mountain Climbers
Ski Down
Water Break (at the end of each round)
After the 3rd round you skip the water break and go straight into:

Switch Feet
Football Drills

Round 2- Repeats 3x

Basketball
Level 1 Drills
Ski Abs
In & Out Abs
Water Break (at the end of each round)

After the 3rd round you skip the water break and go straight into:

Jabs
Cross Jacks
Upper Cuts
Attack Jabs

The body of the workout runs about 20 minutes but trust me, it will kick your butt! My main goal with this workout is to be able to do the entire series of Level 1 Drills, Ski Abs and In & Out Abs without taking breaks. This workout is the one that really reveals shoulder weaknesses. I love a good looking shoulder muscle so I am going to work really hard on this!

Tomorrow, Cardio Recovery revealed : )

Nicole

Insanity Day 8: Pure Cardio.......Round Two

2010-07-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Today, Pure Cardio was on tap! It was definitely better the second time through. I felt much stronger and I think this will be one of my favorite Insanity workouts. I like it the most because the exercises don't repeat them selves in this one it just has 15 different exercises that last about 1-minute each. Just my style, varied : )

Here is how one round of the warm-up breaks down:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
123- Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

As with the other workouts, each exercise is performed for 30 seconds and each round is repeated 3 times before the water break and stretch. For those of you who haven't read my suggestion before, try doing the workout without the music. I like it so much better with the music off! Tell me what you think!

Tomorrow, Plyometric Cardio Circuit- The Big Breakdown!

See you soon,

Nicole

Insanity: Day 7- Cardio Power & Resistance

2010-07-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today was the second time through CP&R. I did notice I got through it a bit better than the first time which was cool. As I said, I will do a further breakdown of each workout as I repeat it. The warm-up is 10 minutes long and each cycle repeats itself 3 times before you get a water break. Here's the warm-up cycle breakdown of Cardio Power and Resistance:

Jog
Power Jacks
Log Jumps
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Vertical Jumps

After the third time through you get a 30-second water break and then it's on to the 7-minute stretch. The format for warm-up and stretches in this first month are the same but the moves are varied which is nice. I was wishing that the warm-up and stretch would get longer with Month 2 but I have a feeling I am not going to be so lucky ;D

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Did you do anything fun? Did you make any yummy, clean eating recipes? I made myself some delicious Raw ice cream and had Raw tacos which are delish! I use lettuce as the tortilla and it is SO good!

I can't wait to hear from you!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 6- Plyometric Cardio Circuit.....again

2010-07-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

So, second time through and I felt a little better but my shoulders still did not like the plank drills in section 2. I know they'll get stronger I just hope it's before I move on to Month 2.

Since I already reviewed this workout I thought I would break down one section at a time every time I do the workout. Today I'll break down the warm-up for you. The warm-up consists of 3 repeating rounds with each exercise running about 30 seconds each. As you begin each round again the speed picks up considerably until the 3rd jog is an all out sprint. Here are the exercises:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

After you repeating each round 3 times you get a 30-second water break before the stretch. The 7-minute stretch is very basic but works well as I have not been sore aside from slightly sore calves and shoulders.

I hope to improve more over the next month. This workout appears 7 times this month so I'll have some time to improve : )

I want to hear from all of you, are you enjoying the break-down of the workouts or is just a quick synopsis okay? Are any of you doing Insanity right now? Do any of you want to do Insanity now after the reviews? Let me know!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 5- Pure Cardio

2010-07-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Pure Cardio is right! This workout is 38 minutes of straight cardio with no water breaks after the 9-minute warm-up and 6-minute stretch. The non-stop cardio portion runs 16 minutes long and it will keep your lungs pumping. Here are the drills, each 1-minute in length:

Suicide Drills
Switch Kicks
Wide Football Sprints
Stance Jacks
Pedal Lunges
Hooks and High Jump Rope
Power Jacks
Level 2 Drills
Frog Jumps
Power Knees
Mountain Climbers (standing)
Ski Downs
Scissor Runs
Suicide Jumps
Push-Up Jacks

You get a 1-minute water break at the end of the drills and then a nice 5-minute cool down. I'm trying not to picture Month 2 at this point because I feel my 1st month is in serious need of improvement. My brother actually called me yesterday and said there was no way I did that many reps on my Fit Test, but I did! Maybe I'm not doing as bad as I thought ; )

Tomorrow is a repeat of Plyometric Cardio Circuit so I won't bore you with another review of it. I can't wait to see the progress I have made. The one major thing I notice just within 5 days of doing Insanity is that my core is getting tight, fast! That is a major trouble zone for me so I'm stoked!

Another little side note, I did the first workout with music and have done every one since withOUT! I prefer no music mostly because it helps me concentrate so much more. Try it, see what you think!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 4- Cardio Recovery

2010-07-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Lucky me, today was Cardio Recovery. I had a friend on facebook warn me that it wasn't as easy at it seemed. There were a few parts where I definitely agreed with that! There was an intense squat and lunge section that really burned out my quads. I am a fan of strength work so I worked through it but I have a feeling I'll be feeling it tomorrow.

The workout is yoga based but it's a very athletic yoga. It runs about 32 minutes so it's a quick, to the point workout. Like I said, there is also an intense leg section with some oblique and shoulder work thrown in to boot. This will definitely be a fave of mine after all of the intense cardio. Don't get me wrong, I love cardio but it has been a long time since I have done this much.

Tomorrow I will review Pure Cardio, that is if I don't pass out while doing it! This looks to be the most intense cardio in this first month. I'll let you know!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 3- Cardio Power & Resistance

2010-06-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today's workout was Cardio Power & Resistance. This workout is approximately 40 minutes long and combines strength and cardio moves. I previewed this DVD at the beginning of the week and thought, "This will at least be a bit easier than the first workout". I was wrong! I would like to say it was the lack of food in my stomach at 9:30 in the morning or that I didn't get enough sleep last night, but it was just tough, period. The workout starts off with the usual 10-minute warm-up followed by an 8-minute stretch. The heart of the workout consists of two cardio circuits which are about 6-8 minutes long each followed by various strength moves. Now these strength moves only use your body weight but that was enough for me : ) It ends with a 4-minute stretch and then you are free to pass out on the floor like I did ;D

Tomorrow is the Cardio Recovery, yippee! I let you know how that goes......

Nicole

Insanity: Day 2- Plyometric Cardio Circuit

2010-06-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Today I did Plyometric Cardio Circuit. This workout has a 10 minute cardio warm-up followed by a 7-minute stretch. I really like the focus on stretching. If you get tight, you get hurt! Next up are 2 interval cycles, the first is 9-minutes long and the second cycle is 11-minutes long. The second really works your shoulders, an area I am a bit weaker in than I thought. You finish up with a 3-1/2 minute stretch which is very important! I think I will be sore tomorrow!!

I figured I would give you a post-workout picture every two weeks. I hope it will be proof of my progress. Before and after pictures and measurements are SO important!!!

Stay Tuned!

Nicole

Let the Insanity Begin!

2010-06-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it! I started Insanity. I started today by completing the Fit Test. This test is taken every two weeks in order to gauge your improvement throughout the Insanity program. You count how many reps you can do of each move and write it down so you can see in black and white if your getting any stronger. Here's how it went:

Switch Kicks- 125
Power Jacks-     50
Power Knees-    86
Power Jumps-   50
Globe Jumps-   11
Suicide Jumps- 19
Push-Up Jacks- 24
Low Plank Oblique- 70

I felt a bit lax on the last two moves so I'm anxious to see the improvements over the next 60 days. I also took my measurements and I'll keep you updated on those. I was going to do an Insanity/ P90X rotation but I want to do Insanity on it's own first just to see what a high level of cardio does for me. I have been lifting weights for so long it will be very strange to not lift anything more than my own body weight for the next 60 days. I can't wait to see how the program works! Stay tuned!!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pine Nuts

2010-06-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

This great recipe came to me from Clean Eating Magazine. It's a light, fresh meal with lots of flavor. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz dry whole-wheat spaghetti
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
4 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped (1 tbsp)
1 tbsp unsalted pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp capers, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

ONE: Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

TWO: In a small saucepan, combine broth, lemon juice and tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 more minutes or until mixture reduces to 3/4 cup.

THREE: In a large bowl, combine spaghetti, broth mixture, lemon zest, salt and pepper flakes, tossing well. Top with parsley and pine nuts; serve immediately.

Nutrients per 1-cup serving:
Calories: 264, Total Fat: 6 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 44 g, Fiber: 9 g, Sugars: 7 g,
Protein: 11 g, Sodium: 384 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

Recipe and photo by Alison Lewis

Courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine.

Nicole

I'm Back!!!

2010-06-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

Whew! That was a LONG trip! I was so happy to see the I-35 and 69 Highway signs when I landed. I knew I was in for a great couple of days with my sisters and family : ) I have two sisters that live in Kansas, one of them is single and the other has four kids. I had a wonderful time with my younger sister in Kansas and worked out everyday. I even got some pool time in there to work on my tan : ) My younger sister is very active so I knew I wouldn't have to worry about getting my workouts in while I was in Kansas. I even worked out in the morning and went for a nice brisk walk at night one of the days, it was great! I didn't get to see my older sister as much, sniff, sniff, I guess some of us have to work. Hopefully she'll come for a visit soon.

On Friday my sister Liz, niece Ashlynn and I headed down to Arkansas for day one of my four day trek. I picked up my grandparents in Arkansas and left Saturday morning to start the 3-day journey to San Diego. I wasn't able to get my workout in on Saturday because of the 13 hour car trip but I did laps around the gas stations when we stopped just like I promised and I also worked some squats in there. Yes, people looked at me but I didn't care!

We got to Midland Texas at about 7:00 on Saturday night and I was whooped! I was so grateful for the TV/ DVD player at my cousins house in Texas. It was in my room so I worked out really early Sunday morning before hitting the road again. Just knowing that I would be able to workout in the morning made my sleep much better on Saturday night. I only missed one workout which was good because I was starting to go crazy sitting all of the time.I made a point to get a walk in once we arrived back in San Diego on Monday afternoon. These legs needed a stretch!

I'll spend my workout time this week focusing on my legs and glutes, I feel they suffered greatly from the constant sitting in the car. For those of you who have to sit at a desk all day, I feel for you. Four days in the car and my back is already talking to me, bummer. I will also practice yoga this week so that my back will be in better alignment. Thank goodness for yoga!

Here is how my workouts played out:

Wednesday: Travel Fit plus Walking
Thursday: Tighter Assets Cardio Blast plus Swimming (my fave)
Friday: Yoga Meltdown
Saturday: Laps around the car : )
Sunday: Travel Fit
Monday: Walking
Tuesday: 4DS Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Today: Kick, Punch & Crunch Kicking and Punching Drills plus Leg Work

I lost 1 lb. while I was gone which is much better than the five I would usually gain on a road trip. There was something freeing about not having the option to get junk at every gas station we stopped at. I had all of my food packed in my cooler and that is all I ate the whole trip. When we stopped at my cousins house in Midland, Texas she has a large salad prepared for me and my Aunt and Uncle in Tucson were kind enough to do the same. Here is what was hiding in my cooler and snack bag:

Lots of fresh blueberries
Raw Hummus
My Tahini salad dressing
Raw Bars
A little chocolate ( my special treat :)
Raw crackers
Plenty of water!!!

That's what I lived on and I felt great! I love summer and all of the fresh produce that is available. This is the best time of the year to vamp up your eating and take advantage of all of the delicious varieties of fruits and veggies. Try eating something new this week. Hey, maybe you'll like it and make it a regular part of your diet, yay!

I was so bad at remembering to take pictures. Here are a few though:

This was the Farmer's Market in Overland Park. They had so many yummy looking fruits and veggies. I wish I had more room so I could have taken more home.

This was my grandparents home in Yellville, Arkansas. I know they'll miss it but we are so glad to have them here with us now.

This was in Arkansas heading towards Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Look at how beautiful the clouds were. This was in Texas. It was so nice to see such blue skies!

Abilene, Texas has one of the largest collections in the nation of wind turbines. They went as far as the eye could see. My cousins husband works for the company that is responsible for placing them in various locations. They are quite proud of them : )

I'm so happy to be home! My boys missed me so much and it was nice to be needed when I got home :D My wonderful hubby missed me too which was nice.

I start Insanity on Monday and am so excited about this new challenge! I'll keep you updated.

Nicole

Road Trip!

2010-06-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm off to Kansas folks! No, I'm not going to visit Todo and Dorothy, I'm visiting my sisters and family. I get to stay for a few days and then it's on to Arkansas. What do I have to do in Arkansas you ask? I am driving my grandparents here to San Diego to live with my parents. Exciting stuff!

Needless to say these will be my best friends on the trip:

I will also be bringing my Travel Fit DVD for when I'm at my sisters. Lots of walking and maybe a little running. My knee does not like running but sometimes I just tell it to get over it! I figured I could squeeze a few squats in at the gas pump as well because I have this huge fear of developing a flat butt. I even think about it while on an airplane. I remember an old Buns of Steel video where she talked about squeezing your buns when your sitting, yep that's me : ) So person next to me on the plane, be prepared!

As for my diet while I'm on the trip. I will be going to the Farmer's Market the morning after I arrive to pick up plenty of portable fruits and veggies. I will also be bringing my salad dressing, which I take everywhere, and a few Pure Bars to tide me over. I will eat my veggies whenever I'm at my sisters and grandparents homes and save the bars and fruit for the road. I may be on carb overload my day 3 of the drive. If you live in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma or So Cal and see a crazy girl running circles around her car, don't worry, that's me :D

I'll give you the exact breakdown of my foods and workouts when I get back. I am an OCD planner but because nothing on this trip is 100% planned, yikes, I won't now until I get there.

I'll be back on the 23rd. Talk to you soon!

Nicole

Eat Clean Recipes- Crowd Pleasing Summer Menu by Tosca Reno

2010-06-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

There is no better time than the summer to invite all your friends over and get the barbecue going. Celebrity Food Guru Tosca Reno, creator of the famed Eat-Clean Diet, prepared a complete summer menu from her Eat-Clean Diet Series filled with barbecued shrimp and vegetables, fruit-laden desserts and hydrating beverages that will be sure to please your guests without sacrificing the extra calories. I hope you all enjoy these wonderful recipes! Thank you Tosca for allowing me to share them with my readers :D

Beverage:

Watermelon Sangria

1 small seedless Sugar Baby watermelon, rind removed, cut into 3-inch chunks
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon
3 ½ cups pink wine
6 cups of natural lemonade, chilled
3 fresh oranges (washed and peeled) quartered and sliced
Ice cubes

Place watermelon and citrus juices in the blender and blend until smooth. Strain through mesh strainer into a large bowl.
Add pink wine and lemonade. Stir to combine.
Prepare two large pitchers by filling one-third with ice and layering the orange segments among the ice cubes. Pour sangria mixture into pitchers. Serve cold.

Appetizer:

Bruschetta with Tomatoes

3 large tomatoes, chopped fine
¼ cup arugula, chopped fine
¼ chopped basil, chopped
4 ¼ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, passed through garlic press
½ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1 loaf whole-grain French baguette, sliced into half-inch diagonal slices

Combine all ingredients except bread two hours before serving.
When ready to serve, toast bread in oven, toaster or on the grill.
Spoon tomato mixture on top of toasted baguette slices. Enjoy!

Salad:

Refreshing Salad

3 pickling cucumbers, washed and trimmed, sliced thin
2 small zucchini, washed and trimmed, sliced thin
1 small purple onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup coconut meat chopped into ribbons
1 head romaine lettuce &1 bunch arugula washed and chopped
1 cup unsalted cashews
1 cup broccoli chopped
5 inner stalks of celery (leaves included) chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup sprouts
spritz of pumpkin or avocado oil
white balsamic vinegar

Place all ingredients in a shallow salad bowl and toss until well combined.
Dress with a spritz of pumpkin or olive oil and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. Toss lightly and serve.

Side Dish:

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Couscous

2 purple onions, peeled and cut into chunks
3 yellow baby squash or zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch chunks
3 small leeks, white or tender green insides only, cut in half lengthwise washed well and cut into 2-inch chunks
4 small plum tomatoes
3 or 4 bell peppers in varying colors, seeded, deveined and quartered
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
several garlic cloves, passed through garlic press
1 tbsp dried thyme
5 sprigs rosemary, chopped fine
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Combine all vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, garlic, thyme and chopped rosemary.
Mix well and arrange vegetables on prepared baking sheet. Lay a few sprigs of whole rosemary on top of vegetables and sprinkle salt over the top.
Place in hot oven and roast for 20 minutes. Turn vegetables and continue roasting for 20 minutes until desired tenderness. Do not overcook.
Serve vegetables over couscous on a decorative platter. Drizzle pan juices from vegetables over top.

Couscous

2 ½ cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup whole-grain couscous
1 tsp sea salt
3 scallions trimmed and chopped

Place couscous grains in a heatproof dish.
Bring stock to boil. Remove from heat.
Pour boiling stock over couscous. Cover with a plate. Let stand about 10 minutes to absorb stock.
Fluff with a fork. Add chopped scallions and salt. Toss lightly to combine.

Main Dish: (Recipe requires overnight marinating time)

Grilled Shrimp Kebabs with Avocado & Ginger

Ingredients for Shrimp & marinade

Juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup avocado oil
3 garlic cloves press through garlic press
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp dried marjoram
16 large shrimp peeled and deveined

Place all ingredients but shrimp in a large bowl. Mix well.
Add shrimp and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator overnight.

For Kebabs

1 each red, green, yellow bell pepper, seeded and deveined cut into eighths
8 baby grape tomatoes washed and kept whole
2 small firm green zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
12 button mushrooms, cleaned and left whole
¼ cup avocado oil

Preheat grill.
Remove shrimp from refrigerator.
Using four long metal or soaked bamboo skewers, thread shrimp and vegetables, alternating colors and ingredients.
Brush avocado oil on the kebabs. Place on grill and cook, turning frequently, until done.

Dessert:

Chocolate-Coated Frozen Bananas

4 medium bananas
4 oz. Good-quality chocolate, 70% cocoa or darker
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut butter
2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
1 Tbsp crystallized ginger, finely chopped

8 bamboo skewers

Stir chocolate and coconut butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat just until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes to cool.
Meanwhile, cut bananas in half and place a skewer lengthwise through the middle of each banana.
Dip each banana 1/2 way up into chocolate mixture to coat. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with walnuts and ginger. Chill in freezer until firm. Enjoy!

These light, healthy and delicious menu options are all compliments of Tosca Reno and can all be found in Eat Clean Diet Recharged and Eat Clean Cookbook.

Click HERE for a printer friendly version.

Nicole

Motivation to Workout

2010-05-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

I would have to say the number one question I get asked is, "How do I get motivated to workout?". This is not a cut and dry answer as everyone's lives are different in so many ways. My number one response is make it a PRIORITY!

This may sound absurd or unrealistic to some of you, but working out is second only to God and my family. I schedule appointments around it, I rework my schedule to include it, I get up at the crack of dawn and I sacrifice other things to get it done. If your life depended on it, you'd figure out how to fit it in. For this next week I want you to pretend your life depends on it because in the scheme of things, it does!

Keep pictures up of whatever motivates you around your house. For some of you that could be an outfit, an event or some amazing abs! Whatever it is keep it at the forefront of your mind. If you don't have reminders around you, you may forget and I don't want you to do that! I keep my blood tests and body analysis on the fridge to remind myself of why I workout regularly. That may be very real for a lot of you and is a very serious motivator, trust me.

I have a huge library of workout DVD's. Working out at home is more practical for some of you. Think about it, you're already there and all you have to do is get dressed and pop in the DVD. You don't have to haul all of your stuff to the gym to wait in line for the treadmill, get half of a workout and rush to get showered and off to work or somewhere else. I have so enjoyed my workouts at home for the last 7 years. I have all of my equipment hidden away in my tiny living room. For those of you who think you don't have room for equipment at home, I give you Exhibit #1:

Yep, it's all neatly hidden away yet accessible. Come on, join me in the fun! I'll give you as many tips and suggestions as you want. I think I own or have done about every DVD out there: ) The library also has a ton of DVD's to choose from. Rent it, try it and if you like it, buy it. They even have a ton on Netflix if you want to try some of the newest ones. I purchase a lot of mine from Collage Video and Amazon. If I get sick of a workout I put it on The Video Fitness Exchange. It's so cool, you offer up your DVD's and have a wish list of the workouts you want. Turns out a lot of people have been sick of some of the workouts I want and vice versa. Everyone is happy : )

For those of you who can get to the gym, GO! Yes, you have the time! Skip coffee with the girls or beer with the guys and invest in your health. It will bring you so much more happiness than the latter. Make working out your "me" time. If you don't put your body and your health at the top of your priority list no one will. One of my favorite magazines, Oxygen Magazine, has new workouts every month. You can type out the workouts and take them to the gym with you. It's like having a personal trainer at your fingertips. I am excited to take them with me in the fall when I return to the gym. My youngest will be starting kindergarten so I have decided that I will drop him off, go to the gym and workout then take a shower there and go pick him up. He will only be in half days so it will work out perfectly!

I want to hear from all of you! What do you do to stay motivated? What's your favorite workout? Is exercise a priority for you? E-mail me anytime with questions or motivation. I want you to enjoy working out and forget what life was like without it : )

P.S. Take before photos NOW!! I am so glad I did. You will see so much more change if you have proof of where you were before you started your workout journey.

Nicole

Nutrition and Workout Update

2010-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, my doctor has put me on a 1300 calorie a day diet. I am so not excited about it but am getting more and more used to it every day. In case you are wondering why we have taken such drastic measures, we are trying to find out if my thyroid is acting up again or if it's just a case of my not realizing how much I'm eating. I have Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism) for those of you who do not know my story, you can read all about it HERE. After two weeks at 1300 calories, I have lost a total of 3 lbs. the last I checked. I only weigh myself on Mondays so I won't have an update until then. The goal was to have me lose 6 lbs. by next Tuesday. It will be a big goal but I hope I can do it.

Here is my menu:

7:30 Green Smoothie
9:30 Pure Bar
12:00         Green Smoothie
2:00           Carrots and Raw Hummus
4:00 Chocolate Raw Protein Smoothie
6:00           Salad w/ lots of veggies and my Tahini Dressing

Yep, pretty boring. The doctor wanted me to get more protein in because of all the weight lifting I am doing. I am to drink 3 protein drinks a day. To do this, I added the Raw protein to make a chocolate shake and I add hemp protein to my green smoothies. I am keeping track of my protein intake and I am getting around 70-80 grams a day. This is a far cry from the 130 I used to eat when I was non-vegan and I was averaging about 25 grams on my Raw diet before I added the extra smoothies.

When I go back to see the doctor next Tuesday I'll be able to tell if all of this extra protein was worth it. She will be taking my body fat and cell hydration levels again. She will also check if my basal metabolic rate is up because of the extra protein. I hope it's been worth it. I also hope she lets me add more calories in so I can have some variety. You can only drink so many of your calories before your jaw gets bored and wants to chew something. At this point, I REALLY want to chew something!

The good news is I don't have to put a lot of thought into my meals right now. The bad news is my creativity in the kitchen is yearning to get out again and it can't : ( My beloved kale chips, oh how I miss you, sniff, sniff.......

My workouts this month:

4/26- 4DS Bootcamp
4/27- Yoga
4/28- 4DS Kickbox
4/29- Yoga
4/30- 4DS Lower Impact Step
5/01- 4DS Higher Intensity Step

5/03- Muscle Endurance
5/04- CTX Leaner Legs
5/05- Drill Max
5/06- Walking around Sea World
5/07- Muscle Endurance
5/08- Yoga

5/10- Cardio & Weights
5/11- Yoga (High Intensity)
5/12- Butts & Guts
5/13- Yoga (High Intensity)
5/14- Low Impact Circuit
5/15- Yoga

5/17- Gym Style: Chest & Triceps
5/18- Gym Style: Legs
5/19- Gym Style: Back, Shoulders & Biceps
5/20- Kick Max
5/21- Yoga
5/22- Low Max

Regardless of what the scale says, I do feel much better. That was the goal for this eating plan this month so I'm happy. I am very competitive so I really want to meet the goal the doctor set for me. I only have 10 more lbs. to lose so the road won't be that long. I am losing below my normal weight so I have a cushion of 5 lbs. or so.

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Quinoa Meatballs

2010-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

I make these for my boys often. They love them with spaghetti or barbecue sauce. I also use them to make meatball sandwiches, yum! The added benefit of quinoa makes me happy I'm getting great grains in their diet. Enjoy : )

Makes 18 meatballs. Serving size 2 meatballs.

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
3 tablespoons onion flakes
1/2 pound lean ground beef (93%)
1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 egg
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1-1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl using your hands. Roll into balls and place in greased baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutritional Breakdown (per serving):

Calories 262
Fat 8 grams
Protein 15 grams
Sodium 438mg
Carbohydrates 21 grams
Fiber 8 grams

Nicole

Products in Review: Raw Protein

2010-05-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

When I went to my doctor last week she suggested I make a big change in the amount of protein I was consuming. To do this she said I needed to drink 3 Green Smoothies a day. Now I like my Green Smoothies, but 3 a day? I felt like I was on green overload! I went to Henry's for my spinach in super bulk. As I was perusing the supplement aisle, I noticed Garden of Life's Raw Protein was on sale. Yippee! I grabbed a container of it and brought it home to experiment.

Well, it's fabulous! Here's the scoop on it:

Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
No Soy Allergens
Live Probiotics and Enzymes
Vitamins A, D, E & K
Raw Organic Sprouts
18 Grams of Protein per serving
RAW

This is a very versatile protein because it's taste is very neutral. I would not suggest just mixing it with water or juice, that would be gross. I prefer all of my protein in smoothies and this one works perfectly for that.

Because I am Raw/Vegan I don't get many grains in my diet. I like the fact that this product has 14 different Raw, organic sprouts. The added benefit of the live enzymes and probiotics means it goes through your system quickly. The whole goal of the Raw lifestyle is quick digestion and this meets my needs.

Here are the three of my favorite ways I use it:

Green Smoothie

8 oz. almond milk
4 oz. water
1/3 cup frozen cherries
1 scoop Raw Protein Powder
3 cups spinach
1 Tbsp. Maca (optional)
1 Tbsp. Green Powder (optional)
Ice

Chocolate Protein Shake

12 oz. almond milk
1 Tbsp cacao powder
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 scoop Raw Protein Powder
Ice

Cherry Protein Shake

12 oz. almond milk
3/4 cup frozen cherries
1 scoop Raw Protein Powder
1/2 Tbsp agave
Ice

I usually drink my green smoothie after I workout then I eat either a Raw bar or fruit for a snack about 2 hours later. At lunch I drink another green smoothie then have my chocolate shake about 2 hours after lunch. My dinner as of late has been a salad.

I found it for $29.96 on Amazon with free shipping. It has 28 servings. $1 a day, cheaper than Starbuck's!

Nicole

Me Update

2010-05-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would fill all of you in on what's been going on with me. I have been steadily gaining weight over the last 3 months. Why? I'm not quite sure yet. It could be my nutrition, it could be my stress, it could be my thyroid or a mix of all of these. I have not been too happy about gaining weight because I have worked so hard to lose it. I was so happy to maintain my weight for 6 months because up to that point I had never maintained a steady weight for more than a month. I think the fact that I had kept it steady for so long was what made the gaining of weight so hard for me. It was making me very angry so I went to see my doctor.

My doctor suggested I go on a 1300 calorie diet. Yep, a diet! I am not too excited because I HATE counting calories. My goal is to lose 15 pounds by the end of June. I can do it! My main goal with my diet is to add more protein, reduce my intake of nuts and seeds and increase my vegetable consumption. I eat quite a few veggies and fruits already but I want to be eating more veggies than fruit.

Now for those of you who think I'm crazy to be at 1300 calories a day, the doctor and I are eliminating the reasons for my weight gain. If I reduce my calories to 1300, I will lose weight. However, if I don't we'll know something bigger is going on with my body. She said all of my numbers look fabulous. My B levels are great, my cholesterol is 126, my kidneys, liver and blood all look great. My body fat however, is a whopping 25%. I kid you not I was sick about that. My doctor has me eating 3 green smoothies a day now to up my protein intake. My muscle mass has gone down as well which she thinks is because of the lack of protein.Green smoothies, here I come!

My goal is to have my body fat reduced to under 20%, my muscle mass up 10% and my weight down a total of 15 lbs. Do you think I can do it? I do!

Stay tuned : )

Nicole

How Do I Plan My Rotations?

2010-05-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Megan requested I do a post on how I plan my workout rotations. As I was taking the pictures I thought, either they'll think I'm totally crazy or they will appreciate my creativity. Hmmmm....

First up, my workouts. I have a crazy amount of DVD's that I have collected over the years. These are the half that I use most frequently. I like to have them easily accessible.

This is my workout bible. I keep everything workout related in this binder. I would cry for days if I lost it.

This is my Rotation Planner. I just grab my binder and get comfy then I plan out my workouts. I plan out 5 weeks at a time. 4 weeks of intense workouts and 1 week of less intense recovery workouts. My recovery weeks are made up of lighter cardio and yoga. When I'm really worn out I'll make the whole week just yoga to get myself ready for another round of tough work.

Once I've erased and rearranged to my hearts content, I type out my set rotation. Everyday I just wake up, look at my Rotation and off I go.

I just finished up Cathe's STS program. This is one of the awesome workout cards she provides on her workout planning website. It is a fabulous tool to have. It makes keeping track of what weight you used and how you felt during the workout so much easier.

I also have every workout I own broken down into lengths, premixes, muscle focus, etc. This is a great tool to have when you are planning your workouts. It makes it easier to figure out what workout you need to work your body evenly.

I also have the workouts listed by cardio only, strength only, intervals, upper body only and lower body only.

For each of the strength workouts I have a tab that lists which exercise you do in each workout. This makes it so much easier to know which equipment you'll be using so you don't have to waste time retrieving it in the middle of your workout.

This is also a helpful tool for keeping track of your progress. I know if I need to go up or down in weight the next round by charting it. If you don't write your weight down you will miss out on seeing your improvements in black and white. Knowing you've become stronger is very motivating.

Now for those of you who think I have WAY too much time on my hands, I do..........NOT! This took me a while to make but it was so worth it. I just previewed each workout and broke it down. This was a lot of work initially but it saves me so much time now. Working out is much more efficient when you have a well laid out plan.

Do any of you have a plan when it comes to working out? Do you just pop in whatever fancies you that day? Do you plan your workout based on how you feel?

One of the best things about making my rotation ahead of time is that I HAVE to do the workout that is listed whether I like it or not. I don't want my body unbalanced so I plug away at it and in the end I benefit greatly from it. Before rotation planning I would workout based on my energy level that day. Eventually I was doing shorter and easier workouts. My planning snapped me out of that fast! Try it. See if you like it then let me know : )

Nicole

Brad's Raw Chips: A Review

2010-05-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when my friend Kathy gave Brad's Raw Chips my info so I could try their product. They contacted me and offered me two bags of their fabulous Raw Chips. Well, I got them in the mail Friday and one whole bag was gone by Saturday! What a great product!

I often make Raw chips and crackers at home but the type I make usually have a higher fat contact. My favorite thing about Brad's Raw Chips is that they are lower in fat and higher in fiber than a lot of the chips or crackers I've tried. They also have a decent amount of protein which is an added bonus!

The first bag I popped open was the Red Bell Pepper flavor. These were great on their own and with Raw hummus. They were not spicy at all so for those of you that are looking for a low fat, high fiber, nutritious snack, this is it!

(Note the empty bag. I didn't even get a picture of the bag before I ate them all : )

Love it!

The second bag was the Hot Kale flavor. These puppies are spicy! I easily rectified this by eating them with a little fresh guacamole. Who needs conventional tortilla chips and guacamole when you have these nutritionally dense little gems?! Not me! These are great for when you need a crunchy, spicy snack.

Spicy, yum!

Thanks to Brad for letting me try these fantastic chips! I love trying new products, especially when they taste as good as these do : )

Go check out Brad's site. You can tell he really loves what he's doing and it shows in the quality of the product he has created. Now go get some!

Nicole

Sorry I've Been MIA!

2010-04-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Life is going by at a hundred miles an hour lately! I have had many a post run through my head but have yet to sit down and write them. Three boys and a hard working hubby will do that to you : ) I will be putting the pen to the paper, so to speak, soon! If you have anything you really need info on or if you have favorite subjects you want to hear about, let me know. I miss you all, thanks for reading!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers

2010-04-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

My boys are big fans of finger foods. Lucky for me, there are great Clean Eating finger foods! Here's one of their faves : )

Ingredients

Canola oil cooking spray
1/2 cup sliced almonds or pecan pieces
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large egg whites
1 pound chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into strips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet.Place baking sheet with rack in the oven while it preheats.
Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and coat with cooking spray; place the tenders on the prepared rack and lightly coat tenders with cooking spray, turn and spray the other side.
Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

These are great with Clean Eating Onion Dressing or your favorite clean eating dip! Enjoy!

Nutrition

Per serving (serves 4) :

Calories 174
Fat 4 g
Carbohydrates 4 g
Protein 27 g

Nicole

Mindful Eating 101

2010-04-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Mindful eating is my project of sorts. After talking to my nutrition counselor I realized this mindless overeating has become a serious issue for me as of late. I am glad she brought light to it so that I can really work at correcting this bad behavior before all of my hard work is undone. I am going to make a point to be more mindful when I eat. I have a bad habit of overeating especially when I'm not happy with my body or when I'm stressed.This behavior has to stop. I found a great site, eatingmindfully.com. Dr. Susan Albers had some great insight on Mindful Eating and I wanted to share it with all of you. It's easier to determine if you are a mindful eater if you know what mindful eating is. Here's a great breakdown from Dr. Albers site:

Mindfulness, and more specifically mindful eating, isn't a new concept. In fact, it is centuries old and based on the Eastern concept of mindfulness or “pure awareness.” If you are eating mindfully, you are aware and attentive to all dimensions of eating. It includes mindfulness of the mind, body, thoughts and feelings.

Mindful eating: is about being conscious of why you are eating. Are you hungry? Are you tired? Are you bored?( I've been known to do this a LOT!) There is no menu or recipes to follow. It's about learning HOW and WHY you eat, and less about WHAT you eat. When you are so closely in touch with what is going on inside, you know the exact moment you are satisfied rather than stuffed or starving. To understand the why, what, when and how we eat, we have to be compassionate and nonjudgmental. This allows us to take a closer look at our behavior.

MINDFULNESS of the MIND On a scale of 1-10, how aware am I at this moment? Am I tasting every bite or am I mindlessly chomping away? Observe the taste, texture, smell, and sound of food. This helps you to pay attention to what you are doing. Identify whether you are mindlessly snacking or in touch with every single bite.

MINDFULNESS of the BODY. Listen to your body. Do I pay attention when it says stop? Or, do I ignore my body's feedback. Identify how your body tells you it's hungry and full. Pay attention to hunger pains, a rumbling stomach, your energy level, movement, body posture and muscle tension. If you don't respond, your body could stop giving you important information about how it is doing. Learn to know the difference between emotional hunger (stress eating) and physical hunger.

MINDFULNESS of FEELINGS is noticing feelings that start and stop eating. Anxiety, guilt, stress, comfort, boredom and pleasure are just a few. It's important to get in touch with your emotions. If you don't get a handle on your feelings, Sometimes, coping with your feelings is more important that changing the type of foods you eat.

MINDFULNESS of THOUGHTS. Be mindful of your thoughts. Observe “should” and “should not” thoughts, critical thoughts (I'm so fat!), food rules, "good" and "bad" food categories. Notice how positive and negative thoughts sway your behavior. A thought is just a thought, you don't have to respond to it.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry myth suggests you eat what feels good in-the-moment and use food to de-stress, soothe emotions celebrate. Eating is routine and given little attention.

    •    Multitasking while eating (watch TV, drive, talk & eat) (Didn't we talk about this? :)
    •    “Grazing” on food
    •    Routinely skipping breakfast or meals
    •    Ignoring hunger and body cues (stomach rumbling, low energy)
    •    Continue to eat although full (stuffing rather than satiating) (Guilty!)
    •    Member of the “Clean Plate Club”
    •    Disregarding nutrition needs
    •    Avoiding physical symptoms of over or under eating
    •    “Live to Eat” rather than “Eat to Live” ( I've always wanted to be an Eat to Live girl)
    •    Use “Comfort Foods”
    •    Believe you have little or no control
    •    Shoulds and Shouldn'ts dominate eating

Eat, Drink & Be Mindful is being diligently attentive to your body, mind, thoughts and feelings as you eat. A conscious awareness and attention to food choices, body and nutritional needs. Nonjudgmental, accepting and compassionate toward yourself and others

    •    Nonjudgmental of self and food choices
    •    Fully in-the-moment while eating
    •    Focused attention. Able to bring attention back when it
          wanders
    •    Alert and observant of thoughts.
    •    Able to “let go” of critical thoughts and emotions without
         reacting
    •    Diligently watchful of pre and post eating feelings
    •    Food just is what it is rather than categorized as good and
          bad
    •    Mindful eating is an ongoing journey
    •    Compassionate toward self and others
    •    Acceptance of self and body as you are

I hope this article helps all of you to become mindful eaters. Let me know what you think. After reading this do you think you may be a mindless eater? Have we as a society become too busy to slow down, enjoy our food and become more mindful of our meals? Sometimes I wish we could be more like Italy or other countries that still sit down, relax and savor their meals. Let's try it, together!

Nicole

So Here's What I'm Thinking: P90X/ Insanity Rotation

2010-04-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

I read a post on Rob Humphrey's blog about combining P90X and Insanity. I've heard of quite a few people doing this and wonder what it would be like. I'm always up for a challenge! What do you think? Am I crazy? Here's what the rotation will look like:

Phase 1

Weeks 1-3

P90X Chest & Back / Cardio Abs
Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
P90X Shoulder & Arms / Cardio Abs
Insanity Cardio Recovery
P90X Legs and Back / Cardio Abs
Insanity Pure Cardio P90X
Rest or X Stretch

Week 4

Insanity Core Cardio
P90X Core Synergistics
Insanity Core Cardio & Balance
P90X X Stretch
Insanity Core Cardio
Core Synergistics
Rest or X Stretch

Phase 2

Weeks 5 – 7

P90X Chest Shoulders & Tri’s / Cardio Abs
Insanity Power & Resistance
P90X Back & Biceps / Cardio Abs
Insanity Cardio Recovery
P90X Legs & Back / Cardio Abs
Insanity Pure Cardio
Rest or X Stretch

Week 8

Insanity Core Cardio
P90X Core Synergistics
Insanity Core Cardio & Balance
P90X X Stretch
Insanity Core Cardio
P90X Core Synergistics
Rest or X Stretch

Phase 3

Weeks 9 and 11

P90X Chest & Back / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Interval Plyo
P90X Shoulder & Arms / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Recovery
P90X Legs and Back / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
Rest or X Stretch

Weeks 10 and 12

P90X Chest Shoulders & Triceps / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Interval Circuit
P90X Back & Biceps / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Recovery
P90X Legs & Back / Cardio Abs*
Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
Rest or X Stretch

Final Recovery Week

Insanity Core Cardio
P90X Core Synergistics
Insanity Core Cardio & Balance*
P90X X Stretch
Insanity Core Cardio
P90X Core Synergistics
Rest or X Stretch

*If you have the DELUXE Package of Insanity, you can replace CARDIO ABS with INSANE ABS, and CORE CARDIO & BALANCE with MAX INTERVAL SPORTS TRAINING (Phase 3 only)

Thanks Rob for the idea....... I think : )

Nicole

My Story and My 1-Year Raw Anniversary!

2010-04-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Clean Eating and have been feeding my family that way for quite some time now. I personally, have taken a side road from Clean Eating, a stricter version of the same basic principles. We each have different ways of dealing with our health and our life choices have shaped these decisions. Mine was a very rocky path and I'm glad to say I came out the other side, happy and healthy. Here's my story:

I have been riding the roller coaster of eating disorders since I was 13. By that age I was bigger than any of my sisters or friends. I wanted to be just like them so I started dieting, it went downhill from there. I went on every hair brained diet known to man then eventually ended up both anorexic and bulimic. By 17 I weighed 110 lbs on a 5' 6" body. Mind you people start to bug me about being to thin when I hit about 130 lbs. My dad threatened to put me in the hospital for treatment which led me to pretend I was eating. It was a very lonely struggle which was hard for everyone around me to understand. For once, I was getting the attention and I kind of liked it. When I was 19 I met my now husband, he knew about my eating disorders and really helped me get them under control. All it took was him putting his foot down and telling me I had to stop or he'd leave. Tough love worked!

Eventually I started to become more interested in good nutrition, the kind where your food feeds you health and vitality. I became a walking nutrition dictionary. If you needed to know anything about any health food you just had to ask me. The funny thing is, I wasn't applying all of this wonderful info into my everyday life. I am an all or nothing kind of person, it has to be 100% perfect! Perfectly planned and perfectly executed. This is not always possible.

My first real stab at becoming healthier was when I was 20 or so, I became a vegan and was vegan for two years. As time passed I became what I call, a "french fry" vegan. You know eating food just because it was vegan and not necessarily because it was good for me. I wasn't feeling very good and so I slipped back into the standard American diet.

Over the next 7 years I was busy with the birth of my 3 wonderful boys. I got caught up in their world and started cooking things that were easy and fast. I loved planning meals and cooking but the constant rush got the better of me. I started to cheat here and there and kept "convenience" foods in my home. It's amazing how you can justify keeping junk around. It's cheaper, it's easier, it makes you die younger! Yeah, that's convincing, not!

Fast forward 10 years, I was miserable, irritable, pudgy, and tired. I was still working out everyday but with no results. This made me feel like a hamster on a wheel, spinning around forever and getting no where fast. I figured it must have something to do with my Hashimoto's disease or my missing gallbladder, so off I went to my doctor and than an endocrinologist hoping they could tell me why I was so miserable. Nothing. The endocrinologist all-knowing advice, "Go check out Weight Watchers". Weight Watchers? That was the long awaited answer I had been looking for? I don't think so!

In my desire for an answer I started searching high and low on the internet for answers. The Raw food lifestyle kept coming up in searches but it was not what I wanted to see. With a husband and 3 young boys in tow I knew it wouldn't work. Too much time, too much money and too much structure. I kept searching and searching and Raw just kept popping up. After awhile I started softening to the idea. I wanted to prepare to talk to my husband about it so I sorted all my info and sat down with him. I told him I couldn't live like this anymore, things needed to change. He knew I had been feeling yucky so he promised I could go Raw and he wouldn't hassle me....... too badly:) Now he's not an unreasonable person but he has been with me through many of my eating disorders so I think he was thinking it would be another one of "those". He gave the green light and so my Raw Adventure began.

I would have to say that Day 2 sticks out in my mind as being the hardest. I had an awful headache, I was cranky and I was tired. The funny thing is that on that day my mind was whispering, "You need to eat junk food, this Raw thing is crazy". Of course, when I had these little whisperings, I knew that eating crud was NOT the answer but my mind was wrestling with it big time. Would the coffee and Cadbury chocolate eggs have made my headache go away, probably. Would it have made me feel better physically, uhh no!

Here I am at 33, 1-year into my Raw Adventure and I'm feeling great! The hardest part for me is that I am still surrounded by all of this non-Raw food. My husband and kids are not Raw so I still make them their meals. Granted I don't feed them poorly, they all eat lots of fruits, vegetables, salads and chicken but there are a few indiscretions still lying around. The good thing is that I incorporate healthier foods into their diets so that we can all feel this good together! Because of the profuse amounts of fruits and vegetables I keep around, it is really easy to make my family Clean Eating Meals. Clean Eating works so well for them. I use the same vegetables for my meals as I use for their meals, the only difference is that all of mine stay Raw. I use all of Tosca Reno's cookbooks and magazines and I have to admit that my mouth waters when I look at some of their meals. I do have a ton of Raw and Clean Eating recipes and even started a Raw blog to keep track of the Raw recipes.

I just had a new round of blood work done so I will soon see if my one year Raw has been worth it. Regardless of the blood results, I know with the way I feel, it's been worth it!

Okay, so here is what I have typically been eating:

6:30 a.m.- Water with the juice of one lemon

6:45- Vegetable juice Mostly greens with a few carrots for sweetness

9:30- Smoothie made with berries, greens, almond milk, coconut water and meat, green powder and hemp protein powder.

12:30- Collard Wraps with carrots, sprouts, avocado, spinach and Raw ginger dressing or Raw hummus, yum!

3:30- Pure Bar, fruit with a handful of nuts, flax crackers w/ avocado or another green smoothie

6:30- Kale or lettuce Salad w/ bell pepper, sprouts, carrots, broccoli and a yummy dressing, I also will eat guacamole with my salad if I want a Mexican flare to my meal. I miss Mexican food a lot!

7:00- Sometimes I treat myself to a little Raw chocolate or some berries

I hope you all follow you're own journey to health and well-being, it's a long road but so worth it! Remember, these are my thoughts and conclusions and in no way suggest that anyone else has to come to the same conclusion I have. I hope that in the end we all find our niche' when it comes to living a healthy, happy, full life:)

On April 12th I will celebrate my 1-year Raw anniversary. I am so excited that I have reached this milestone. It is so much more than I thought I could do. I now know I could and will eat this way forever. There are so many people who have been pivotal to my success. Thank you to Kristen from Kristen's Raw for the encouraging words and delicious recipes, Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes for providing such wonderful raw foods so I don't get bored, Averie Sunshine for creating the best, easy, Raw recipes that make it that much easier to keep up this way of eating and for constantly encouraging me, ShannonMarie who also creates amazing Raw foods with flare, Heather Pace who is awesome with Raw recipes and always has fun adventures to share, Liz/Veggie Girl who encourages me to stick with it, and my wonderful family who has supported me 100% even though they think I'm crazy sometimes : )

Nicole

Today's Workout: Shoulders, Biceps & Triceps

2010-04-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

I would LOVE Kelly Ripa's arms!

Today I worked my Biceps, triceps and shoulders. I love working my "beauty" muscles : ) My triceps tend to not burn too bad but when they fatigue they just totally stop working. That almost happened today but I avoided it. I am on day 12 without a rest and it's showing. Tomorrow I have kickboxing on schedule then I get Sunday off, yippee! According to my calorie calculator, I burned 2903 calories this week, just during my workouts. Yeah!

Exercise                                                                  Weight    Reps

Standing Barbell Front Press- warm-up                     27           12
Standing Barbell Front Press - warm-up            36          12
Standing Barbell Front Press                                     45             7
Barbell Curl                                                               35             7
Flat Bench Tricep Extensions (dumbbell)                 16             7
Standing Barbell Front Press                                     45             7
Barbell Curl                                                               35             7
Flat Bench Tricep Extensions (dumbbell)                 16             7
Standing Barbell Front Press                                     45             7
Barbell Curl                                                               35             7
Flat Bench Tricep Extensions (dumbbell)                 16             7
Standing Barbell Front Press                                     45             7
Barbell Curl                                                               35             7
Flat Bench Tricep Extensions (dumbbell)                 16             7
Seated Lateral Raise (dumbbell)                               12              7
Incline Curls on Stablity Ball (dumbbell)                 16              7
Seated Overhead Extensions One Arm (dumbbell)   13             7
Seated Lateral Raise (dumbbell)                                12   7
Incline Curls on Stablity Ball (dumbbell)                  16           7
Seated Overhead Extensions One Arm (dumbbell)   13             7
Seated Lateral Raise (dumbbell)                                12             7
Incline Curls on Stablity Ball (dumbbell)                  16             7
Seated Overhead Extensions One Arm (dumbbell)   13             7
Seated Lateral Raise (dumbbell)                                12 7
Incline Curls on Stablity Ball (dumbbell)                  16             7
Seated Overhead Extensions One Arm (dumbbell)   13             7
Seated Rear Delts (dumbbell)                                    12             7
Seated Concentration Curls (dumbbell)                    16              7
Cross Body Kickbacks (dumbbell)                           12               7
Seated Rear Delts (dumbbell)                                   10               7
Seated Concentration Curls (dumbbell)                    16               7
Cross Body Kickbacks (dumbbell)                           12               7
Seated Rear Delts (dumbbell)                                   10               7
Seated Concentration Curls (dumbbell)                   16                7
Cross Body Kickbacks (dumbbell)                           12               7
Seated Rear Delts (dumbbell)                                   10               7
Seated Concentration Curls (dumbbell)                   16                7
Cross Body Kickbacks (dumbbell)                           12 7

Nicole

Cathe Road Trip 2010

2010-03-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

I had an absolute blast at the Cathe Road Trip this weekend! The energy you feel when you are surrounded by so many people that love fitness is amazing! I met a ton of wonderful people that I can now call friends. If you ever get a chance to go to a weekend like this, do it!

Cathe and I at the Saturday night dinner.

My big win!

This was right before the first class.

I met quite a few women at the registration alone and knew this was going to be so much fun.

My friend Sarah and I with Wendy.

The courtyard where we had many of our meals.

Group photo time!Our fearless leader, Cathe!Here I am having a ton of fun!

Keeping up : )

Getting ready for stretch class, ahhhh....

Our fabulous DJ, Tim.

If you've never stayed at the Loews Coronado Resort, it's fabulous! Everyone said the food was fantastic and it looked great! The views are amazing too. Water views from every room! I am so glad I went and that I went with such a great friend! We definitely needed time away and this was just what the doctor ordered. If Cathe ever comes our way again, I'm there!

Here is a breakdown of the weekend:

Friday

1:00-3:00   Registration
4:00-5:00   First Class w/Cathe (Step)
6:00-8:00   Dinner
8:30-9:30   Second Class w/Cathe (Stretch)
9:30-?:??    Q & A w/ Cathe

Saturday

6:30-7:30   Breakfast
8:30-9:30   Third Class w/Cathe (1/2 step, 1/2 kickbox)
10:00-11:00 Q & A w/ Chris Williams (Cathe's business partner)
11:15-12:15 Fourth Class w/Cathe Legs, youch!
1:00-2:45 Lunch
3:00-4:00 Fifth Class w/Cathe ( Upper Body and Step)
4:00-6:00 Me Time : )
6:00-10:00 Dinner and Dance Party ( I won a yoga mat!)

Sunday

7:00-8:00 Sixth Class w/Cathe (Bootcamp on the beach)
9:00-10:30 Farewell Breakfast

I loved that everything was scheduled so well. You never had to worry about where you should be because the schedule was very detailed. That kind of detail is my comfort zone for sure : )

Cathe, you're welcome here in San Diego anytime!

Nicole

Clean Recipe of the Week: Chicken and Barley Soup

2010-03-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

YIELD: 10 cups
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

I had this great Eat-Clean Diet recipe in my inbox last week. I promptly made it for my family and they loved it! Barley has a wonderful chew to it. You could easily take the chicken out of this recipe, between the texture of the barley and the chunks of potatoes and carrots, you won't even miss it : )

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb), cubed
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch coins
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large tomato, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried celery seed
• 1/2 cup pearled barley
• 2 quarts low-sodium organic chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

Place barley in bowl with just enough water to cover it.
Heat olive oil on medium heat in an 8-quart stockpot.
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the olive oil, cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken to stockpot, along with the salt and black pepper. Brown for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, vegetables, and spices to the pot.
Drain the water from the barley. Add the barley to the soup.
Let the soup boil for 30 minutes on medium heat.

Nutritional Value for One-Cup of Soup:

Calories: 134
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Total Carbohydrates: 14.5 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 11 g
Sodium: 200 mg
Cholesterol: 24 mg

Thanks Tosca for another great recipe!

For a printable version click HERE.

Nicole

Fitness Weekend!

2010-03-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

About 8 years ago I was fat and miserable. I didn't want to go anywhere, I didn't want to see anyone and I was generally unhappy. I was browsing the web(which may have been part of my problem;) and came across the Video Fitness Video Exchange. Their site allows you to exchange workouts you either don't like or just don't want anymore, for videos you may enjoy. I had quite a few workout DVD's collecting dust so I posted them on the exchange. I had a few bites and one of mine I exchanged for Cathe's Cardio Kicks. This is Cathe's original kickbox workout. I didn't have any of her workouts and thought kickboxing would inspire me to get moving. I made the exchange. Well folks as they say, the rest is history! I have since acquired every one of Cathe's workouts and she has changed my view on fitness forever. She's the reason I now call myself The Fitness Freak!

Every year I have watched her Road Trip in New Jersey come and go and every year I have wished I could attend. New Jersey was a bit of a stretch but I thought, maybe. one day. In November, Cathe decided to take her Road Trip "on the road". Her first stop was Daytona, FL. Since she only announces the locations about 3 months prior to the date, I was waiting with bated breath to see if she would come closer to California. Guess what? She is not only coming to CA, she's coming to my town, San Diego! Needless to say I was waiting at the computer the second the registration opened and was 11th in line to register for the weekend. My friend, also a Cathe fan, is going with me. A three day weekend with a great friend, workouts with my favorite instructor, 75 degree weather and alone time? Now that's what I call PRICELESS!!!!

I'm so excited to take pictures and share with all of you the fun I know I will have! Stay tuned!

Nicole

Workout Journal

2010-03-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a rest week again which means I finished another rotation. This last rotation was the 2nd phase of STS mixed with the cardio from Cathe's new Shock Cardio. I had a lot of fun this month and noticed big gains in my strength. So much so that I need to go buy some heavier weights. I have one more month of STS then I'm going to give Insanity a try. All cardio and no weights? Will I go crazy? Will my arms turn into limp noodles? I guess we'll see!

Okay, here's this last months rotation:

February 14-20

Monday: Hiit 30/30 w/ STS Med Ball Abs
Tuesday: STS Disc 13- Chest Shoulders & Triceps
Wednesday: Cardio Core Circuit w/ No Equipment Abs
Thursday: STS Disc 14- Legs
Friday: Step Moves
Saturday: STS Disc 15- Back & Biceps

February 21-27

Monday: Hiit Pyramid w/ Yoga Inspired Abs
Tuesday: STS Disc 16- Chest Shoulders & Triceps
Wednesday: Flu
Thursday: Flu
Friday: STS Legs + MMA Boxing
Saturday: STS Disc 18- Back & Biceps

February 28- March 6

Monday: Hiit 40/20 w/ Weights & Plates Abs
Tuesday: STS Disc 19- Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Wednesday: STS Disc 20- Legs
Thursday: STS Disc 21- Back & Biceps
Friday: MMA Fusion + Circuit Blast (cardio only)
Saturday: MMA Kickbox

March 7-13

Monday: Hiit 30/30 w/ No Equipment Abs
Tuesday: STS Disc 23- Legs + MMA Boxing
Wednesday: STS Disc 22- Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Thursday: Cardio Core Circuit
Friday: Visiting with my sister before she left : (
Saturday: STS Disc 24- Back & Biceps + 20 minutes of Kickboxing

March 14-20 (Rest Week)

Monday: Turbo Jam Kick, Punch and Jam
Tuesday: Yoga (1 hr.)
Wednesday: Turbo Jam Cardio Party 3
Thursday: Yoga (1 hr.)
Friday: Turbo Jam Cardio Party
Saturday: Yoga (1 hr.)

There's another peek into my workout routine. Next weekend is my Cathe Road Trip Weekend, I'm SO excited!!!! I will do my regular rotation so I can get my weight rotation in there but on Saturday and Sunday I will workout with Cathe : )

P.S. I have to take my computer in to check it's power supply so I will be offline from Friday until Tuesday. I think I will go crazy in that short span of time. I check e-mail and blog stuff so often that I will be lost without it!

Do any of you have fun rotations planned for this month?

Nicole

Spring Has Sprung

2010-03-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I look around my house I see signs of spring. I walked around this morning and took these pictures to give you a visual of the beauty in my yard. I hope you all are enjoying beautiful weather too! It would be a great day for a long walk/run. How is it where you are? Go out and look for signs of spring. Take some pictures and post them. It will put a smile on your face : )

Oh, remember it's St. Patty's Day so don't forget to get your green on! My son made this necklace for me. I hope it keeps me from getting pinched ; )

Nicole

New Blog....

2010-03-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

I just compiled all of my favorite Raw recipes on one site. Check it out:

Raw Love

I will be updating it frequently so check it out! And yes, The Fitness Freak is still my #1 blog : ) I just needed an outlet for all of my Raw recipes.

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Chewy Nut Treats

2010-03-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

    •    1/4 cup raw, creamy almond butter
    •    1 tablespoon cacao powder, unsweetened
    •    2 tablespoons honey or agave
    •    1/4 cup raw cashews (chopped)
    •    1/4 cup raw walnuts (chopped)
    •    1/4 cup sunflower seeds
    •    1/4 cup raisins
    •    1 teaspoon sea salt
    •
Stir first three ingredients together and fold in remaining nuts, seeds, raisins and salt. Form into 12 little balls, and place on tin foil sheets in the freezer or refrigerator until firm. I store these in tupperware in the freezer. I have just one a day or every other day. These are not good for you if you eat the entire batch at once : ) They do help with that sweet tooth and chocolate hankering though. Enjoy!

Nicole

Workouts in Review: Cardio Core Circuit

2010-03-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I still haven't finished reviewing all of my new workouts from Cathe! The Shock Cardio Series has 11 awesome workouts so it may take me awhile : ) Cardio Core Circuit is a fun workout and is a great addition to my cardio workout choices. This is the workout I will be reviewing today.

What is it?

CCC is a 51-minute advanced, interval workout. It has a unique blend of cardio, cardio/core and pure core exercises. I love bootcamp style workouts and that's just what this is. The best thing is that the only equipment you'll need is a mat!

Who is it for?

This workout is more advanced but if you have a strong core you could do it without any issues. The choreography is very basic so you won't be tripping over your feet. Each round repeats three exercises so I found it to be easier to concentrate on form. Now that's not to say this workout is easy by any means!

What to expect?

The workout starts with a 5 minute warm-up then there are 5 cardio/core rounds. Each round has a cardio, cardio/core and core only exercise so you get a well-rounded workout. The rounds vary from 6-10 minutes each and the workout ends with a 6-minute stretch. The first time I did this workout I was sore in my core as well as my back. The second time through I really felt my core kick in and noticed very little discomfort in my back. I promise, you will notice a difference in your core if you regularly do this workout. Between the mountain climbers, the squat thrusts and the triangle choke-holds, you will have an awesome core in no time!

Click HERE for a clip.

How many of you workout at home? Do you like to see workout reviews or my weight routines?

I do all of my cardio with DVD workouts as well as my strength program but the strength program is easy to modify for use at the gym.

Let me know!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Banana Coconut Muffin

2010-03-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe is for those of you who want to Eat Clean while avoiding wheat/ gluten at the same time. They are quite tasty and coconut has SO many health benefits!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Coconut Flour
6 eggs
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
4 tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix coconut flour, baking powder and nutmeg. In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs gradually, along with the coconut oil, Sucanat, vanilla and salt. Add the mashed bananas to the egg and oil mixture and mix well. Add in the flour mixture and mix well. When blended, fold in the chopped walnuts (optional). Grease 12 muffin cups with coconut oil and fill the cups with the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.Yum!

Nutrients per serving: Calories 201, Fat 11.4g, Protein 5.4 grams, Sodium 129mg, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fiber 4 grams

Nicole

My New Apron

2010-02-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

With all of the time I spend in the kitchen, my mother decided I needed an appropriate apron. She hit the nail on the head with this one! It's reversible, which means I can use whichever side fits my cooking style that day : ) Thanks mom!

A Peek into My Weight Workouts

2010-02-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading my blog lately, you would know I am in the middle of the STS program. Many of you know of this program while some of you may not. It's like P90X on steroids. It is so much more complex and that is what I love! Cathe really put a lot of work into making a superior strength program for at-home workout enthusiasts. Here is a glimpse into my workout today, I hope it helps you better understand what I'm doing.

Click on Image to Enlarge:

To help you understand the chart a little easier I'll go over the workout sheet column by column.

Column 1: Obviously this is the exercise that is to be completed.

Column 2: This is your goal weight. Before you start the program you do a lot of prep by figuring out your One Rep Max. You then enter that 1RM into the STS system and it calculates your goal weight for each exercise in the STS program. It's a great tool!

Column 3: This is the actual weight you lifted for any given workout. Some days you're stronger, some days, not so much. Like those days you're coming off a flu for instance ; )

Column 4: This is how many reps you need to get in. If you find you can lift more or less than that, you need to adjust your weights. That last rep should always be a struggle.

Column 5: These are the reps you reached. Make sure they match the target reps and that you're struggling to get the last one in.

Column 6: Your one rep max (1RM) is the maximum amount of weight you can lift one time for any exercise. This was calculated at the beginning of the program.

Column 7: The % of 1RM is different for each mesocycle. The 1st Mesocycle you start out at 65% 1RM and end at 70% 1RM. In the 2nd Mesocycle you start out at 70% and work up to 80%. The 3rd Mesocycle you start out at 80% of your 1RM and end the program lifting 90% of your 1 RM for 8 reps. You will be amazed at the strength gains in this program. For an example, the last round I did, I started with 8 lb. dumbbells for my preacher curls and by the time I finished I was using 16 lb. dumbbells. The improvement is what matters, not the actual weight. For many 16 lbs. would be easy to start with but finishing the program lifting double the original weight is the real milestone!

Because I was sick for 2 days this week I had to double up 2 of my workouts to make up the difference. I did that today by also doing MMA: Boxing. I have a feeling my lats will be talking to me tomorrow : )

I hope this helps you better understand the process of STS and how beneficial it is. It is very planned out and detailed and that is the type of program I gravitate towards. I have a hard time just walking into a gym and lifting whatever, whenever. Even if you used the guideline of STS and used it at the gym, it would work wonderfully for you.

What kind of workout type are you? Organized, sporadic, rigid, freestyle, dedicated, etc.

Thanks for reading!

Nicole

Sorry About the Lack of Posting......

2010-02-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

.....but the flu is making it's rounds through our house. First it was my middle son, then my oldest, then my youngest and now me : ( I am very achy right now and have a feeling tomorrow will be worse. I haven't forgotten you, my blogger friends. I hope to be back ASAP with a new, informative, fun post.

Loving Fitness

2010-02-15T22:25:00.001-08:00

I LOVE to workout! Even if I'm having a bad day it becomes brighter when I do my workout. Now I realize many of you may not feel the same way but I really want you to. There are so many different types of exercise and I know you can find the right one for you.

I was watching Biggest Loser last week and really connected with something one of the players said. He said if he didn't find a workout he loved to do he would never stick with it once the show was over. That is so true! For him it may be the show but for others it could be that high school reunion, family reunion, bikini season, etc., that keeps them motivated. What happens when your motivation is gone and the monotony of working out sets in? I'll tell you what, you'll lose interest and momentum. That is NOT good! Today I hope to show you other ways to get your workout in and keep it fun and interesting.

For the Dancers:

Hip Hop Abs- I have done Hip Hop Abs several times and had a lot of fun doing it. Shaun T. can be a little bit much sometimes but you get use to him and his personality. The results are really worth it. If you're unsure check out some clips or get one DVD from eBay and try it out.

Bollywood Booty- This is a fun, belly dance inspired workout. I actually had a good time doing this workout and really felt my core when it was over.

Yoga Dance Fusion- This workout combines endurance, flexibility and strength to give you a fresh perspective on the fusion of yoga and dance. The fluidity and gracefulness of this workout is what I enjoy most.

There are also lots of dance classes available at the gym. I know my local 24 Hour Fitness offers classes from salsa to hip hop and they are always packed so they must be fun : )

For the Outdoor Type:

Take a walk. Yeah, I know it sounds obvious but you can mix it up. Try adding in walking lunges, squats, burpees, push-ups, etc.

Rock Climbing- Even if you don't have an area outdoors to rock climb, there are gyms that have rock climbing walls available. Check online. If you love it and can stick with it, it just may be the workout for you!

Mountain Biking- Mountain biking demands endurance and power in your legs and core. It will also build tremendous upper body strength and power as you become a more advanced rider. Your balance will also be tested in slick, bumpy and/or steep conditions. An hour of riding will burn about 600 calories.

There's a little playground and a softball field near my house. On a nice day, if I decide I just want to get a real quick outdoor workout in, I get over to the field, spend a couple minutes limbering up, and then... depending on how I feel, do about 10-20 minutes of the following exercises with almost no rest in between:

-50, 75, or 100-yard wind sprints

-hill sprints (if you have a hill nearby)

-pushup variations

-walking lunge variations

-bodyweight squat variations

-box jump, squat jump, or lunge jump variations

-pullups on the playground monkey bars

-mountain climbers on ground

Sometimes I'll rotate through all of these exercises and sometimes I'll just pick a couple of them and just keep alternating. Whatever I choose, I keep the rest periods very short (10-30 seconds at most) so that the intensity stays as high as possible. This really maximizes the fat burning hormonal response and metabolism boosting response you get from these workouts, given the brief duration of the workout. Believe me, if you do this at a high speed clip, you'll get a killer workout in as little as 10-20 minutes, and then you can get back home and get on with your life.

For the Martial Arts Enthusiast:

Yep, that would be me! As I stated before, I adore kickboxing workouts. I get so sore every time I do them and I like being sore!

Kickboxing class- Just about any gym you go to will have some sort of martial arts based class. I have been to many and thoroughly enjoy them. Check out your local gym and go to one at a less busy time of day if you're shy. I go to the one in the morning and it is far less busy than the one at night but it may be the opposite at your gym. Go workout and keep an eye on the classes to see which one you would feel most comfortable doing.

Martial Arts Dojo- There are so many martial arts studios! These are far different from the classes you would take at a gym but oh my, you will get a serious workout! HERE is a directory, find one in your area and go check it out.

Kickboxing DVD's- There are so many and I have reviewed several of them. They are a great investment!

For the Hardcore:

STS- Cathe outdid herself again with this amazing shock training system! I am currently doing my 2nd round and am amazed at how much more weight I can lift. It's a very motivating program and I know it would keep you on track with your strength goals. This program requires an aerobic step, a stability ball, a barbell, various dumbbells and a pull-up bar so if you don't have that equipment it may be a large investment.

P90X- This is an awesome system! I have done it twice and had great results both times. Tony has a funny way of making you forget you're working out and that's a good thing sometimes ; ) The great thing is that the only equipment you need are various dumbbells and a pull-up bar. There are even variations in the workouts that allow you to use resistance bands in place of the pull-up bar and dumbbells. I just realized I have never done a review of this awesome system. I'll make a mental note to do that soon!

Insanity- This workout, as stated, is insane! If you are ready for a serious challenge, this is it! The best thing about this workout is that the only equipment you need is yourself. I love that kind of workout!

Chalean Extreme- This is the female version of P90X. Now, that's not to say it's easier, it's not! It just has a woman's touch and that's why I liked it so much. Chalene is such an amazing motivator and that may be just what you need to stick with it.

For the Adventurer:

Surfing- Okay, now I know this isn't as readily available for a lot of you but if you've never thought about it, maybe you should. Go take a few lessons and see if it's something that you could do long term and love. It's a great sport to build core strength and that is so important. It's also great for balance, coordination, muscle tone and endurance.

Train for a Marathon or Triathlon- This is something I've always wanted to do. It is on my list and I hope to do it once my boys are a little older and I can really prepare for it. There's something about the camaraderie that really makes these sports enjoyable.

Stay Limber:

Don't forget to keep yoga and stretching a regular part of any program you choose. Staying limber is the best way to avoid injury! Take a look at my yoga/stretching reviews.

Now go out there and find a workout you love!

What is your favorite workout?

Nicole

Blogcation

2010-02-12T22:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it will be a mini-vacation. My boys are in a basketball tournament all weekend so I am otherwise detained. They are doing great and having a lot of fun winning! I'll see you back here Tuesday with a fun post. Have a wonderful, long weekend!! (For those of you who get president's day off)

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Apple Crumble Cheesecake

2010-02-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

Serves 18
Makes 1 10-inch round cheesecake
Hands-on time 1 hour
Total time 2 hours, plus chilling

CRUST:

• 1/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsalted slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

FILLING:

• 2 packs low-fat cream cheese (250 g or about 1 cup each)
• 1/3 cup raw honey or agave nectar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt, strained, or nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
• 1/2 cup egg whites

TOPPING:

• 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ground, divided
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp spelt flour
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Prepare crust: In a food processor, purée flour, oats and almonds until they become a fine powder. Add apple butter, oil and cinnamon. Pulse until combined and crumbly.

3. Gently press crust evenly into bottom of springform pan. If crust begins to stick to your fingers, dip fingertips in a little cold water, shake off excess water and continue to press crust gently. Using a fork, gently prick holes all over crust. Place pan in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely at room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

4. Prepare topping: In a medium bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon until apples evenly coated. Spread apples in a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. In the same bowl, combine remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon, oats, flour, honey, apple butter, oil and 2 tbsp water; set aside.

5. Prepare filling: Place cream cheese, honey, lemon juice and vanilla into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until smooth and combined. Add yogurt and egg whites and pulse again until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing top of filling with a spatula. Gently tap bottom of pan on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles in the filling.

6. Place both cheesecake and baking sheet with apples into 300°F oven, keeping cheesecake on the bottom half of oven, and bake for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes, remove apples and let cool completely at room temperature. Continue baking cheesecake for an additional 18 to 20 minutes, until very light golden brown at edges and centre still appears a bit undercooked and moist (baking times will vary by oven). Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.

7. Combine apples with oat topping mixture and evenly spread over top of baked cheesecake. Place cheesecake back into oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Remove cheesecake from oven and let cool completely at room temperature. Once cheesecake is cooled, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

8. To serve, fill a pitcher or bowl with warm water. Using a sharp knife, slice cheesecake into 18 servings, dipping knife into water and carefully wiping it clean with a towel after each slice. Serve immediately. Cheesecake will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

NUTRIENTS per serving (1- inch slice):
Calories: 219
Total Fat: 9 g
Sat. Fat: 4 g
Carbs: 28 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 16 g
Protein: 7 g
Sodium: 101 mg
Cholesterol: 15.5 mg

Recipe by Joanne Lusted. Courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine.

Click HERE for a printable version.

This is a great recipe because you can tweak it to fit your eating needs. I could easily make this Raw or Vegan. I'm actually going to try next week. I'll let you know how it turns out : )

Nicole

Raw Recipe of the Week: Nicole's Raw Apple Walnut Bread

2010-02-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

I found a delicious recipe for savory onion bread on Kristen's blog and have since modified it several times for delicious new treats. My current favorite is this delectable Apple Walnut Bread. The best part is that it has SO much added nutrition! I just had to share it with all of you : )

2 lbs. net weight, peeled and cored apples
1 lb. net weight, zucchini
6 oz. grated carrot
3/4 cup walnuts, ground coarsely
1/2 cup hemp protein powder
3/4 cup chia seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup agave nectar or date paste

Process apples and zucchini in food processor until they are medium to finely chopped. They can be fairly fine but you don't want to process them until they are mushy or watery. Place them in a large bowl with remaining ingredients and let stand for 5 minutes so the chia seeds can soak up any of the excess moisture. Spread to about 1/2 inch thick on two dehydrator trays with paraflex sheets. Dehydrate for 1 hr. at 130 degrees. Score into 9-16 pieces per tray then reduce temperature to 105 degrees and dehydrate for another 8 hours Flip bread onto mesh trays then dehydrate for another 6-8 hours depending on how soft you prefer it to be. I like mine softer so I turned the temperature down to a little under 105 and dehydrated it about 8-9 more hours on the last round. I store mine in the freezer and eat it plain or for a special treat I put some lemon cashew cheez on top, yum!

Nutrition facts per serving: (based on 32 pieces)

Calories 70
Fat 3
Protein 2
Fiber 3

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole