BACK TO IT!

Here's the start to a new journey.

I went through all the previous posts and kept those that I thought were beneficial and that didn't contain personal information about anyone. Note that several of the recipes posted are from others. I can't take full credit there! ;)

I will try to post at LEAST weekly some tips regarding information on exercises, fitness, races, recipes, and anything else to improve our lives. Let me know if there is something you have a question about or want more information about too!

Enjoy reading!

PS- The page will be under construction for a little bit as I try to organize everything a little better.

this is one of our very favorite ways to spice up chicken when we get super tired of plain ol chicken...



Pepper Lime Chicken

Boneless Skinless Chicken breast halves, or even cut into slices if you want.
1 teaspoon finely grated lime peel (optional)
1/3 cup lime juice(fresh is better but you can also buy it pretty cheap at the store)
3 tablespoons cooking oil(also optional if you're trying to cut all the calories)
1 teaspoon dried thyme or basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic minced

Place chicken in plastic sealable bag. For marinade, stir together lime peel, lime juice, oil, thyme or basil, pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour over chicken and seal. Marinate for at least 30 mins, but depending on how flavorful you want it to be i've done it for a few hours before.

Preheat broiler. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Place chicken on broiler rack(thats not just the plain oven....had to figure that out the hard way.) Broil chicken for 6 to 8 mins or until lightly brown. Turn chicken and brush lightly with the rest of the remaining marinade. Discard the rest. Broil six to eight mins more or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Smoothies

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 cup pineapple juice
2 frozen bananas
8 large frozen strawberries, slightly thawed

Preparation
Slice frozen bananas into slices and place them in blender.
Add pineapple juice and strawberries and blend all ingredients until smooth.
Makes 4 servings.
110 Calories per serving

Low Fat Orange Dream Cheesecake

I love cheesecake, enough said.

1 HONEY MAID Honey Graham, crushed
2/3 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping

PRINKLE crumbs onto bottom of 8- or 9-inch springform pan sprayed with cooking spray.
ADD boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Cool 5 min.; pour into blender. Add cottage cheese and cream cheese; blend well. Pour into large bowl. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Remove rim of pan before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.



Nutrition Information
Calories
100
Total fat
2 g
Saturated fat
1.5 g
Cholesterol
10 mg
Sodium
330 mg
Carbohydrate
11 g
Dietary fiber
0 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
8 g
Vitamin A
10 %DV
Vitamin C
0 %DV
Calcium
15 %DV
Iron
0 %DV
Healthy Living Information
Good source of calcium
Low fat
Diet Exchange
1/2 Starch + 1 Meat (L)
Nutrition Bonus
You're sure to love the creamy orange flavor of this low-fat cheesecake. As a bonus, the fat free cream cheese is a good source of calcium. Carb Choices: 1

Skillet Chicken and Vegetables Pamesan

I love this meal! It is so easy to make and it is really healthy.

1/4 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 tsp. dried basil leaves, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

MIX dressing and garlic in large skillet. Cook on medium heat 1 min. Add chicken; season with 3/4 tsp. of the basil and the pepper. Cook 4 to 5 min. on each side or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). ADD vegetables to skillet; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. basil. Cook 2 to 3 min. or until vegetables are heated through, stirring occasionally. SPRINKLE with the cheese.

Nutrition Information Calories 200 Total fat 4.5 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Cholesterol 70 mg Sodium 380 mg Carbohydrate 9 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Protein 28 g
Vitamin A 20 %DV Vitamin C 8 %DV Calcium 10 %DV Iron 8 %DV
Healthy Living Information Low fat
Good source of vitamin A or C
Diet Exchange1 Vegetable + 4 Meat (L)
Nutrition Bonus Looking for something that tastes great and is easy to make?
Try this low calorie, low fat flavorful dish that contains vitamin A from the vegetables.
Carb Choices: 1/2

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Tonight I'm making healthy stuffed bell peppers. A friend of mine made these for me for dinner one night and they were really good.

3 bell peppers (red and yellow are the best)
1 cup cooked brown rice (if you boil your rice in chicken broth instead of water it adds more flavor.)
1 Tbs of olive oil
1 zucchini
1 large carrot
1 sweet onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mrs. Dash no salt bled to taste

Cook 1 cup of brown rice, substituting the chicken broth for the water. Cut the bell peppers in half. Saute the onion, zucchini and carrots in the olive oil until tender. Mix in a bowl the sauteed veggies, rice, cheese, and Mrs. Dash no salt blend. Fill the bell peppers with the rice, cheese and veggie mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

This recipe is kind of a guesstimate, so it may need a little adjusting

Hearty Healthy Chicken Soup from Picky Palate

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
½ Cup red bell pepper, finely diced
½ Cup white onion, finely diced
2 Tablespoons jalapeno, minced (seeded and membranes removed)
3 cloves garlic, minced


2 14 oz cans chicken broth
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 can northern beans, undrained (white beans)
1 can drained corn kernels
2 Cups thinly sliced fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix


1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno for 5-8 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes.


2. Stir in remaining ingredients, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Recipe #1 Very yummy!

Bran Muffins

6 c. All Bran cereal
2 c. boiling water
4 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
5 c. flour (3 c. wheat/ 2 c. white)
3 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
4 eggs, beaten
5 tsp. baking soda
2 c. raisins/ choc. chips/ nuts (optional)

Combine 2 c. All Bran with water. Stir well and set until cool. In mixer cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in buttermilk, salt, soda. Fold in remaining All Bran, All Bran mixture and chocolate chips. Drop in muffin tins and bake at 400˚ for 15-20 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen muffins.
Each muffin: 118 calories, 4 g. fat, 19.4 g. carbs

Work-out Idea/Info

High-Intensity Interval Training

I LOVE LOVE LOVE HIIT training! Here is some info on it directly from wikipedia! Such a KILLER workout!

"High-intensity interval training

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) or sprint interval training is an exercise strategy that is intended to improve performance with short training sessions. HIIT is a form of cardio which is beneficial to burning fat in a short and intense workout. Usual HIIT sessions may vary from 15-30 minutes. Most HIIT sessions have a 2:1 ratio in terms of time. For example, for running, a HIIT session may be something as 60 seconds jog, 30 seconds sprint.

Procedure

An example of a HIIT session may be as follows: Use this scale of 1-10 (1 being a casual walk and 10 being sprinting as hard you can) to help clarify the intensity level of the run. For this exercise, it is most efficient if it is done on a track or at least outdoors instead of on a treadmill.
Begin with a five minute warm up jog at about a 4-5 followed by a couple of minutes of stretching.
Then start with a jog at about a 5-6 intensity level for 60 seconds and then sprint at an 8-9 intensity level for 30 seconds.
Repeat this cycle 6-8 times depending on how fit you are (Beginners should limit themselves to 6 cycles and more advanced HIIT users should strive for 8 cycles).

Your HIIT session will look something like this:
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds),
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds),
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds),
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds),
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds),
Jog (level: 5-6, 60 seconds) then Sprint (level: 8-9, 30 seconds).
After you complete your cycle, you should also have a cool down run to help your heart rate return to normal.

A HIIT session involves a warmup period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cool down period. The period of alternating effort and recovery intervals typically lasts a total of 15 minutes. HIIT is an excellent way to maximize your workout if you are limited on time as well. Many fitness experts such as Jeff Halevy, a major proponent of HIIT, have made this methodology a cornerstone of their routines for these reasons.^[1]

Benefits

Studies by Tabata^[2], Tremblay^[3] and others have shown this method to be more effective at burning fat and maintaining, or building, muscle mass than high-volume, lower intensity aerobic work-outs. A study by Gibala et al^[4] demonstrated 2.5 hours of sprint interval training produced similar biochemical muscle changes to 10.5 hours of endurance training and similar endurance performance benefits. According to a study by King ^[5] , HIIT increases the resting metabolic rate (RMR) for the following 24 hours due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, and may improve maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max) more effectively than doing only traditional, long aerobic workouts.^[6][7][8][9] Long aerobic workouts have been promoted as the best method to reduce fat, as fatty acid utilization usually occurs after at least 30 minutes of training. HIIT is somewhat counter intuitive in this regard, but has nonetheless been shown to burn fat more effectively. There may be a number of factors that contribute to this, including an increase in RMR, and possibly other physiological effects.
Recently it has been shown that two weeks of HIIT can substantially improve insulin action in young healthy men. HIIT may therefore represent a viable method for prevention of type-2 diabetes."

Interesting Article from my Momma!

Middle-aged Women Cutting Calories Significantly Cut Weight Gain
Maria Walton - LDS Living
02/24/2009 01:04 PM MST

Eating a whole bag of chips or an entire pint of ice cream may have
done minimal to no damage to your waistline when you were 20, but if
you’re over 40, the aftermath of such indulgences can be significant.

While, culturally, 40 may be the new 30, when it comes to what you
eat, there is a definite distinction, according to a new study from
Brigham Young University researchers.

In the January/February issue of the American Journal of Health
Promotion, Larry A. Tucker, PhD, and Laura Bates, reported the results
of their new study that will put a sour taste in the mouth of
middle-aged women not already monitoring their eating habits.

After following 192 women with an average age of 40 for three years
and tracking information on lifestyle, health and eating habits,
researchers found that the middle-aged women they studied had more
than twice the risk of substantial weight gain if they did not become
more restrained in their eating.

Although the conclusion that women tend to gain weight and body fat as
they age and become less physically active is no surprise, it is
interesting to note that, even with exercise, those who did not become
more restrained in their eating over time gained weight, but those
that did not exercise more and made an effort to eat less were 69
percent less likely to gain more than 2.2 pounds.

Columbia University researcher Lance Davidson, who was not involved
with the analysis, said the findings illustrate an important principle
of weight management.

“Because the body's energy requirements progressively decline with
age, energy intake must mirror that decrease or weight gain occurs,”
Davidson, a research fellow at Columbia’s Obesity Research Center,
said in a BYU news release. “Dr. Tucker's observation that women who
practice eating restraint avoid the significant weight gain commonly
observed in middle age is an important health message.”

But what is restrained eating? Tucker described it as choosing not to
eat certain things or not to eat as much as you'd like.

"We're not saying you need to go around hungry. That won't work. You
need to restrain from unhealthy foods, from high-calorie foods. If you
don't, you will gain weight," he told the Deseret News.

Tucker and Bates also admitted that eating properly is a skill that
needs to be practiced, and as such, they offered some tips for helping
you in your quest to eat better and get trimmer.

Record what you eat and how much. Put less food on your plate, you
don’t have to feel full or stuffed. Eat more fruit and vegetables, and
substitute low-calorie foods for their fatty, calorie-dense
counterparts. Be careful about butter and gravy, and if you have
“problem foods,” don’t keep them around

Quick Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. If you skimp on breakfast, you tend to eat a lot more at lunch just because you're hungrier. Don't skimp out on fueling yourself properly for the day!

Don't know what to eat that's healthy and filling in the morning?

Here are some ideas that I love. Feel free to share any other ideas you have!

* .5 cup (or less) oats w/ a tbs of raisins or chocolate chips
* Egg whites w/ salsa
* Grapefruits (We have a grapefruit tree- fyi!)
* Fat-free yogurt w/ berries or fiber one cereal (low-cal & high in fiber)
* Plain toast and egg whites
* Banana & dry cereal (good for on-the-go)
* Cream of wheat w/ 1tbs chocolate chips

What do you enjoy eating for breakfast?

Cleaning House

To get a good strong start, here are some good pointers/suggestions you can do.

1. Clean out your cabinets/fridge.
Gets rid of all "junk" food in the house. If it isn't there, you won't eat it. If you don't know what to do with it, maybe think of a family who would appreciate it or a food bank.

2. Get yourself a snack stash.
Designate a spot in the fridge and maybe on the counter for health, pre-prepped snacks. Some good ideas are snack baggies or containers of carrot sticks, celery sticks, grapes, orange smiles, pretzels, crackers, etc. Make sure that if you do crackers or pretzels that you measure out one serving in each bag. Your own version of 100-calorie packs for much cheaper. These are also good things to grab when running out the door or keep in the car or purse for a quick fix later versus eating junk.

3. Turn the tv/computer off.
See how much more you get done and how much more active you become without the tv or computer on. Take a walk with the dog, tidy the house, walk to visit a friend. It's much better for your health socially and physically.

Let me know if you want tips on a specific subject.

WELCOME!

Hey friends!


If you have questions about anything- health, posting something, nutrition, exercises, etc., please ask! That's what this is all about.

As a team, we can do this.

Health is a lifestyle choice.

Changes need to be made. We're going to make them!

Let's do this!