Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2015

New Journey Starts Today

Its Monday! Its a brand new week and great day to start a NEW program. I have done a lot of Beachbody Programs and since finishing the Ultimate Reset I have been debating on what to do, so I was just doing PiYo for a week since that is the program my husband is doing during the Football Season.

Well this weekend after long debate, I chose to start P90X!! Yes that is right I am taking on Tony Horton's first program and the one that I have seen so many people get amazing results from AND hear that they LOVE it!

 
 
So what is P90X?
 
P90X’s core training technique relies on “muscle confusion,”.

 Muscle confusion is a variety of exercises. Typically a lot of programs focus purely on stationary yoga, Pilates, weight training or cardiovascular — P90X has all those things. The main purpose is to avoid the three things that cause most people to stop exercising: boredom, injuries and plateaus. In P90X, there’s variety in fitness with muscle confusion, and the goal is for people to get through the whole 90 days so they have real success and real results.

Who gets the most out of P90X?

 When P90X was created, it was made for two categories of people. This program was  geared towards people who weren’t getting results at the Gym. However, this program has turned into a workout for ANYONE, including the Military and A LOT of clinically obese have and still use this program. One of the reasons this works is that there are dozens of modifications other programs don’t have.

What can users expect during the 90-day regimen?

 It’s broken up into cycles. Each month there is a different sequence of exercises [each laid out in the DVDs]. The first three weeks you do the basic exercises, and then you have one recovery week. The second month you get a whole new bunch of routines done in different sequences and the recovery week again. Remember recovery doesn’t mean you don’t do anything; recovery means you are still working hard. [That is, you’re still working out, but not quite as rigorously as during the first three weeks of the month.] In the final month, you do a combination of what you did in the first and second month, which is an extension of muscle confusion.

What equipment is needed besides the DVDs?

 In a majority of the exercises the only thing required is the human body, Mother Earth and Sir Isaac Newton’s law of gravity. But having a pull-up bar helps. You don’t need it, but it certainly enhances the program, as well as dumbbells and bands. Some people just use resistance bands, but some men who want more size will go out and get dumbbells.

What if I don’t want bulging muscles like the buff people?

 There are three ways you can go through the program. There’s the classic version, which is the basic way we designed it. But we also created a lean version, which focuses more on flexibility, range of motion and cardiovascular fitness. There’s another version for athletes called doubles, which they’re doing twice a day. … You can customize the 90 days based on what you need. I am doing the LEAN version.

How important is diet when you’re on the P90X system?

DIET is crucial! We all know that. You CAN'T outwork a bad diet. So yes, It’s about the food as well. Often the reason so many people in this country struggle is because they are putting the wrong things in their mouths. There’s too much fat, sugar, salt and chemicals coming out of plastic bags and cans. Eat [foods] that when you look down at your plate, you can pronounce them. I am going Vegetarian / Vegan after the Ultimate Reset which means a PLANT Based diet.


Is P90X doable with an already packed schedule?

 It’s an hour a day. A lot of people would say no. … BUT people find time to fit it in because they see that it works.

A lot of people have friends and family and coworkers and neighbors that look different, that act different, that feel different, that have more energy, that sleep better, that are off their meds because of P90X AND shakeology. I bet you know someone your life that has done P90X and they rave about it and the results they got from it.  

So I am taking the journey! I am going to find out what the Rave is all about! And today was day 1. I did Core Synergistics and let me tell you, I am SORE!!! It was  a great workout that was NOT high impact, but it was HIGH intensity! You do the moves slow but concentrated and precisely. The workout was an hour long which I hated but I have the time and I want to check this program off my bucket list! ;)

 

Friday, August 28, 2015

Health and Fitness Tip #41 - How to Aovid Movie Theatre Temptations

I don't know about you but I like to go to the movies in the fall / winter when I have time and its not nice out! In the summer, its just too nice out and the nights are longer to go sit in a movie theatre. However, fall and especially winter are great times to go because you DON'T want to be outside IF you live in the North where it snows a lot.

However, you CAN'T go to the movie theatre without at least being TEMPTED by the smell of the buttery popcorn!! And you just can't watch a movie without munching and slurping on something!! Right?!?

Sadly, many of the concessions sold at movie theaters are nutrition bombs that can seriously derail your weight management plan. Besides the fact that almost all the foods and beverages offered are calorie-rich and nutrient-poor, portions are gargantuan. For example, a large popcorn can contain over 1200 calories and over a day's worth of saturated fat! YIKES!!!

The smallest soda is 32 fluid ounces, the equivalent of 4 cups. It has 26 teaspoons of sugar! That's as much sugar as in 4 Snickers bars! It's the same as filling half a cup with granulated sugar, adding water and drinking it!

Watching the movie with food in your hands and nowhere to go, you are assured to finish off whatever you bought, to the detriment of your waistline.

Here are some strategies to fight back:
  1. If you're doing dinner and a movie, eat first. In fact, always come to the movies after eating. It will substantially decrease your temptation to buy anything besides tickets.
  2. BYO (bring your own) snacks. If the theater won't serve sliced fruit, nuts, or trail mix, why not bring your own? Note that some theaters do not allow you to bring your own food. It's relatively easy to sneak things in, but there are ethical and moral ramifications here. Movie theaters rarely make money from selling tickets. It's the ads and the concessions that keep them in business.
  3. Chew gum. A cheap and compact solution to keep your mouth busy for just 5 calories.
  4. Opt for the least unhealthy snacks. Most movie theaters today offer bottled water and some variation of a granola bar. There are some juice options too.
  5. If despite all the above you still intend to purchase the classic cola-popcorn combo, choose the smallest portion available.
  6. If you are just doing a movie and not dinner, then have a Shakeology Shake before you go! This will hold you over, help you fight temptation, and give you the energy to stay awake and watch the entire movie!
 Moral of the Story....      
Movie theaters can seriously harm your diet. Prepare in advance to avoid real-time temptations and next day regrets.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

NEW Recipe - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowl

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls

2-3 servings

A delicious, filling, meatless meal that will please both vegetarians and meat lovers!

Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potato:
1 large sweet potato, peel and diced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

Quinoa:
3/4 cup red quinoa
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Cilantro Cream Drizzle:
1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of salt, garlic powder, and chili powder

Other Ingredients:
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

Roasted Sweet Potato:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.

Toss the diced sweet potato in the olive oil and spices and lay it out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Roast the sweet potato for 12-15 minutes or until it is fork tender.

Quinoa:
Rinse and drain the red quinoa then put it in a medium sized sauce pan with the water and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Bring the quinoa to a boil, then cover it with a lid and lower the heat to medium low.

Cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat and season the quinoa with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, and cilantro.

Cilantro Cream Drizzle:

In a blender add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Assembling the Bowls:
In 2 or 3 serving bowls divide the quinoa mixture.

Top the quinoa with the black beans and roasted sweet potato.

Drizzle the cilantro cream on top with a spoon.

Top with more cilantro if desired.