Ok so going away has been a good things as Melbourne has a great variety of food compared to Tassie! While we were away Ryan and I fell in love with BOOST juices. So much so that I have come home and started to pick up my game on ideas for my breakfast shake. And here is one I came up with:
250ml light milk
1 banana
1 ice cream scoop of muesli (yes fruit and all)
1 scoop of frozen mango yogurt
ice cubes
2 scoop of a good vanilla protein powder
Place all the items into a ice crushing blender and pulse until smooth!
Tastes yummy and will keep you full for a very long time!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Hardcore Workout!!!!
Ok so I was looking over facebook today and found this post from the guy at career fitness and thought oh dear!!!!! If anyone is keen maybe we should give it a go, definately HARDCORE!
If anyone is time challenged but still looking for a hardcore workout then how about trying this little beauty courtsey of Crossfit. You do as many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of the following circuit. 5 x Deadlifts (weight = your bodyweight), 5 Chin Ups, 5 Squat Thrusters (Men 60kg/Women 40kg), 5 Kettlebell Swings (Men 32kg/Women 24kg), 5 Burpees. The Australain Record for this is 11 rounds in 25 minutes
The thing I think is that I don't think I could even get the weight on bar to cover my body weight for the deadlift!!!!!!!! Good luck to the person who holds the record of doing 11 in 25 minutes they are some champion in the fitness world!!!!!!
If anyone is time challenged but still looking for a hardcore workout then how about trying this little beauty courtsey of Crossfit. You do as many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of the following circuit. 5 x Deadlifts (weight = your bodyweight), 5 Chin Ups, 5 Squat Thrusters (Men 60kg/Women 40kg), 5 Kettlebell Swings (Men 32kg/Women 24kg), 5 Burpees. The Australain Record for this is 11 rounds in 25 minutes
The thing I think is that I don't think I could even get the weight on bar to cover my body weight for the deadlift!!!!!!!! Good luck to the person who holds the record of doing 11 in 25 minutes they are some champion in the fitness world!!!!!!
Chicken Salad Recipe
Well after a lovely break away I am back to add more things on the food and living blog!
Last night we had the best chicken salad ever!
You will need:
2 small chicken thighs
1 small chicken breast
1 avocado
lettuce
carrot
Parmesan cheese
red capsicum
spring onions
1 onion or 2 small ones
about 6 mushrooms
Ok so first off you cut the chicken into cubes and add a good amount of cracked pepper and salt, and cook in a lightly sprayed pan until browned. Next you add the onion then once soft and slightly coloured add the mushrooms then cook until mushrooms are soft.
While the chicken is cooking shred a iceberg lettuce and grate finely carrot and Parmesan over the top of it. Add small diced pieces of red capsicum and spring onions over it. Once the chicken mix is cooked add it to the salad then add small pieces of diced avocado over the top. If you wish you can add a teaspoon of Aaoli but it will add more calories to the dish. Serve straight away!
The thing I like about this is that I don't need to add any other spice apart from salt and pepper to get a great flavour from the chicken and the chicken thighs actually make the chicken stay moist as chicken breast can sometimes be a little dry.
Last night we had the best chicken salad ever!
You will need:
2 small chicken thighs
1 small chicken breast
1 avocado
lettuce
carrot
Parmesan cheese
red capsicum
spring onions
1 onion or 2 small ones
about 6 mushrooms
Ok so first off you cut the chicken into cubes and add a good amount of cracked pepper and salt, and cook in a lightly sprayed pan until browned. Next you add the onion then once soft and slightly coloured add the mushrooms then cook until mushrooms are soft.
While the chicken is cooking shred a iceberg lettuce and grate finely carrot and Parmesan over the top of it. Add small diced pieces of red capsicum and spring onions over it. Once the chicken mix is cooked add it to the salad then add small pieces of diced avocado over the top. If you wish you can add a teaspoon of Aaoli but it will add more calories to the dish. Serve straight away!
The thing I like about this is that I don't need to add any other spice apart from salt and pepper to get a great flavour from the chicken and the chicken thighs actually make the chicken stay moist as chicken breast can sometimes be a little dry.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
So you thing you don't have time to get fit?
Our life seems to be over taken with so much that we say that we just can't fit in time to get fit, BUT there are things we do everyday that can help us to get to our goal.
Here is a list of ideas taken from the Weight Watchers web site to help you on your way:
Get off the couch
You've had a long day at work, dinner has been cooked and cleaned up and you've been looking forward to watching your favorite TV show all day. Great! Use this opportunity to do an ad-break workout. Try completing one set of 20 lunges, squats, crunches, arm circles or as many push-ups as you can per break. Repeat this for each ad-break during your show. (Even better if you're watching an hour-long program!)
Brush and squeeze
Use the time that you're brushing your teeth to squeeze your butt muscles. Hold for one count and repeat. Do this trick in the morning and at night.
Use your steps
You probably lug your overstuffed laundry basket to the clothes line in one trip, but you'll burn extra kilojoules by making multiple trips up and down the steps. Instead of emptying contents into one basket, make smaller trips back and fourth.
Squat at every opportunity
Instead of thinking, "I don't feel like picking that up now," view a cluttered floor as a chance to get some leg and butt work in. Bend your knees when putting away clothes, shoes and everything else that isn't where it should be.
Do it yourself
Around the house, try mowing your lawn with an old-fashioned push mower (try Bunnings Warehouse), or take an afternoon to weed the garden or add a fresh coat of paint to a room in the house. In the kitchen, instead buying frozen pre-cut vegies, chop them fresh and mix ingredients with a spoon using elbow grease instead of an electric mixer.
I joined Weight Watchers to help me lose my weight as it was my conscience to weigh in each week! Maybe you can do the same thing at home and do a weekly weigh in, or you may like to get together with a group of people and weigh in together. They say losing weight is easier to do with a person so that you can help motivate each other and stay on track. If you do have a weekly weigh in remember try also to do a monthly measurements as well in case the scales don't change as much as you think they should but your body shape may be changing instead!
Here is a list of ideas taken from the Weight Watchers web site to help you on your way:
Get off the couch
You've had a long day at work, dinner has been cooked and cleaned up and you've been looking forward to watching your favorite TV show all day. Great! Use this opportunity to do an ad-break workout. Try completing one set of 20 lunges, squats, crunches, arm circles or as many push-ups as you can per break. Repeat this for each ad-break during your show. (Even better if you're watching an hour-long program!)
Brush and squeeze
Use the time that you're brushing your teeth to squeeze your butt muscles. Hold for one count and repeat. Do this trick in the morning and at night.
Use your steps
You probably lug your overstuffed laundry basket to the clothes line in one trip, but you'll burn extra kilojoules by making multiple trips up and down the steps. Instead of emptying contents into one basket, make smaller trips back and fourth.
Squat at every opportunity
Instead of thinking, "I don't feel like picking that up now," view a cluttered floor as a chance to get some leg and butt work in. Bend your knees when putting away clothes, shoes and everything else that isn't where it should be.
Do it yourself
Around the house, try mowing your lawn with an old-fashioned push mower (try Bunnings Warehouse), or take an afternoon to weed the garden or add a fresh coat of paint to a room in the house. In the kitchen, instead buying frozen pre-cut vegies, chop them fresh and mix ingredients with a spoon using elbow grease instead of an electric mixer.
I joined Weight Watchers to help me lose my weight as it was my conscience to weigh in each week! Maybe you can do the same thing at home and do a weekly weigh in, or you may like to get together with a group of people and weigh in together. They say losing weight is easier to do with a person so that you can help motivate each other and stay on track. If you do have a weekly weigh in remember try also to do a monthly measurements as well in case the scales don't change as much as you think they should but your body shape may be changing instead!
Quote to keep your mind on the game!
Ok so Ryan was asking me the other day about a quote that we heard to keep us motivated, it was on a Billy Blanks Tae Bo DVD just one of the many I loved to work out to before I started the gym. His quote is:
The key thing to keeping healthy and fit is to have a dream to make a goal and write it down so you know where your going. Keep the dream and goal in your mind so you always remember why your doing what your doing. I find that sometimes there are things that I don't want to do but I remember the bigger picture and talk myself (in my head not out loud or people will think I am crazy) through it. The best thing about this quote is is it relates to all the things we do, not just our health and lifestyle so if things are not going as you want them to go it may be that your mind needs to change the direction! I know that for me if I had kept in my mind to sit on my bum and not get up and do exercise I would not be where I am today and would be still at 110kg and feeling crap and horrible about myself with no self esteem and feeling useless about myself. The scary thing is having kids that I couldn't keep up with and the worry that because I was overweight I may not live as long as I could so who would be around for them! The mind is a powerful weapon in changing ourselves for the better.
"I am where I am today cause my mind put me there, where I am tomorrow is where my mind will put me"
The key thing to keeping healthy and fit is to have a dream to make a goal and write it down so you know where your going. Keep the dream and goal in your mind so you always remember why your doing what your doing. I find that sometimes there are things that I don't want to do but I remember the bigger picture and talk myself (in my head not out loud or people will think I am crazy) through it. The best thing about this quote is is it relates to all the things we do, not just our health and lifestyle so if things are not going as you want them to go it may be that your mind needs to change the direction! I know that for me if I had kept in my mind to sit on my bum and not get up and do exercise I would not be where I am today and would be still at 110kg and feeling crap and horrible about myself with no self esteem and feeling useless about myself. The scary thing is having kids that I couldn't keep up with and the worry that because I was overweight I may not live as long as I could so who would be around for them! The mind is a powerful weapon in changing ourselves for the better.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Lovely Legs!
Ok so if you want to have lovely legs your going to have to do a little work to help get there. One thing you can do is squats!
Squats are one of the best ways to strengthen and condition the lower body.
If your new to squats here a few things to help you set up and execute the squat move:
* Heels start a little wider than your hips and toes are slightly turned out
* The movement is initiated from the hips, with a simultaneous movement at the knee and ankles
* A squat should not go any lower than 90 degrees, so your butt should go no lower than your knees.
* You should keep the abdominal strong so it can support your lower back.
* Keep chest proud and avoid leaning over as squat
* As you lower down into the squat position your knees should stay in line with your toes, and as you raise up you should push up through the heels to help activate the glute.
* The chin should be tucked in slightly as to avoid straining the neck.
* As you push up try to keep the knees soft and avoid locking them out.
* The hips should finish directly under the shoulders
Now if your a first timer to squats you may like to start off a little easy, so if you've never done a squat before, simply sit down on a bench and then stand back up, following the above set up and ways to execute the moves. When your starting out it's best to use just your body weight. As you get a bit more practice you might like to add a weight to hold onto, you do this by either using a weight plate and hugging it to your chest. Again make sure you keep your chest up should blades in at the back, try to avoid leaning forward as you do the squat.
Common faults with squats include:
* looking down and dropping the chest position
* When coming to the stand position pushing the hips forward and doing like a pelvic thrust move
* Butt going lower than 90 degrees
* Not pushing up through the heels, therefore not activating the glute
* Knees not staying in line with the toes as you come down
* Knees and ankles rolling inwards
Ideas on how to use the squat in a workout
warm up- very important you could do this by going for your regular walk and then come back and do a few sets of the following:
* slow down for 4 counts then slow up for 4 counts (2 times)
* A little quicker down, this time 3 down and push up for 1 ( 4 times)
* A little quicker again this time down for 2 counts then up for 2 counts ( 4 times)
* Single up and down ( 8 times)
* Hold down and do 4 little pulses at the bottom then rise ( 4 times)
If your new I suggest you start off doing this set of exercises 3 times using just your body weight. If you have done squats I suggest you try either with hand weights each side of you or a bar on your back positioned on the meaty part of the upper back, away from the neck, starting light with the weights. You can start with doing this routine 3 times and as you get stronger you can increase your weight selection.
Squats are one of the best ways to strengthen and condition the lower body.
If your new to squats here a few things to help you set up and execute the squat move:
* Heels start a little wider than your hips and toes are slightly turned out
* The movement is initiated from the hips, with a simultaneous movement at the knee and ankles
* A squat should not go any lower than 90 degrees, so your butt should go no lower than your knees.
* You should keep the abdominal strong so it can support your lower back.
* Keep chest proud and avoid leaning over as squat
* As you lower down into the squat position your knees should stay in line with your toes, and as you raise up you should push up through the heels to help activate the glute.
* The chin should be tucked in slightly as to avoid straining the neck.
* As you push up try to keep the knees soft and avoid locking them out.
* The hips should finish directly under the shoulders
Now if your a first timer to squats you may like to start off a little easy, so if you've never done a squat before, simply sit down on a bench and then stand back up, following the above set up and ways to execute the moves. When your starting out it's best to use just your body weight. As you get a bit more practice you might like to add a weight to hold onto, you do this by either using a weight plate and hugging it to your chest. Again make sure you keep your chest up should blades in at the back, try to avoid leaning forward as you do the squat.
Common faults with squats include:
* looking down and dropping the chest position
* When coming to the stand position pushing the hips forward and doing like a pelvic thrust move
* Butt going lower than 90 degrees
* Not pushing up through the heels, therefore not activating the glute
* Knees not staying in line with the toes as you come down
* Knees and ankles rolling inwards
Ideas on how to use the squat in a workout
warm up- very important you could do this by going for your regular walk and then come back and do a few sets of the following:
* slow down for 4 counts then slow up for 4 counts (2 times)
* A little quicker down, this time 3 down and push up for 1 ( 4 times)
* A little quicker again this time down for 2 counts then up for 2 counts ( 4 times)
* Single up and down ( 8 times)
* Hold down and do 4 little pulses at the bottom then rise ( 4 times)
If your new I suggest you start off doing this set of exercises 3 times using just your body weight. If you have done squats I suggest you try either with hand weights each side of you or a bar on your back positioned on the meaty part of the upper back, away from the neck, starting light with the weights. You can start with doing this routine 3 times and as you get stronger you can increase your weight selection.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Easy Chicken burgers Serves 2
Ok so I have been trying to some up with a healthy make at home alternative to a chicken burger from Burger Got Soul and I think that I have!
1 chicken breast, sliced in half so it is a little flatter
chicken salt
salt and pepper
2 eggs
onion
2 rolls (wholemeal is the best option as it is low gi)
iceberg lettuce leaves
tomato
slice of pineapple (fresh is best) or a tin if you don't have fresh
1 tsp Aioli
Cut the chicken breast in half to flatten it out apply a good seasoning of the chicken salt, salt and pepper on both sides then cook it in a fry pan with a good spray of olive oil. Cook one side completely before turning and cooking the second side.
Remove the chicken from the pan and leave it to rest. Add another spray to the pan and add the round sliced onions and cook. Then crack an egg and cook to your liking, I always use a non stick fry pan as I don't have to add much oil to cook and it never sticks!
To assemble the burger spread the Aioli onto the top and bottom of the roll, then on the bottom add the lettuce leaves, followed by the chicken breast, pineapple, egg, tomato, and onions.
Sometimes I may add a piece of healthy bacon and a slice of cheese. This is a great dinner that the kids will love and it is guaranteed to keep your tummy from rumbling! I usually only have the burger as a main meal as I am stuffed by the end.
1 chicken breast, sliced in half so it is a little flatter
chicken salt
salt and pepper
2 eggs
onion
2 rolls (wholemeal is the best option as it is low gi)
iceberg lettuce leaves
tomato
slice of pineapple (fresh is best) or a tin if you don't have fresh
1 tsp Aioli
Cut the chicken breast in half to flatten it out apply a good seasoning of the chicken salt, salt and pepper on both sides then cook it in a fry pan with a good spray of olive oil. Cook one side completely before turning and cooking the second side.
Remove the chicken from the pan and leave it to rest. Add another spray to the pan and add the round sliced onions and cook. Then crack an egg and cook to your liking, I always use a non stick fry pan as I don't have to add much oil to cook and it never sticks!
To assemble the burger spread the Aioli onto the top and bottom of the roll, then on the bottom add the lettuce leaves, followed by the chicken breast, pineapple, egg, tomato, and onions.
Sometimes I may add a piece of healthy bacon and a slice of cheese. This is a great dinner that the kids will love and it is guaranteed to keep your tummy from rumbling! I usually only have the burger as a main meal as I am stuffed by the end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)