Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Guilt Free Two Ingredient Muffins


Want to make dessert but don't have all of the ingredients? Want to eat some muffins minus the extra added fat that you have to add with oil and eggs?  Try this!  SUPER simple & surprisingly enough, they turn out super moist and you can't tell any ingredients are missing!

Ingredients
1 box of cake mix in any flavor (chocolate, vanilla, lemon, etc)
1 can or 12 oz carbonated beverage (preferably unflavored seltzer water to avoid adding extra sugar or artificial sweeteners)

Directions
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Spray the muffin tin with coconut or olive oil spray.

3.  In a large bowl, mix the cake mix and the carbonated beverage with an electric mixer on low speed while scraping the side of the bowl.

4.  Pour the batter evenly into all of the cups.

5.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven.  Insert a toothpick occasionally and once it comes out clean, they should be ok.  Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove and store in an air tight container.  Frost of desired.

21 Day Fix Breakdown
1 yellow (carbs)
1 purple (sugar)

Thursday, November 24, 2016

10 Tips to a Healthy Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to mean an additional 10 pounds by the next morning.  
Here are 10 tips to avoid overdoing it on Thanksgiving and over the holiday party season in general.

1. If you're going to have dessert, go for pumpkin pie. Healthiest option of all. Avoid pecan. Highest in fat and sugars.

2. Choose the white meat/breast part of the turkey. 

3. If you want gravy, get it on the side and dip your fork in it then grab the turkey. Do the same with salad dressings

3. For alcoholic beverages, try to avoid beer. Best options are red wine or hard liquor with club soda (vodka soda is my fave!) 

4. Don't drink too much because alcohol lowers inhibitions and will cause you to overeat. 

5. Get your food and get away from the food table after you serve yourself. Don't linger or sit next to it to avoid temptation. 

6.  Drink a glass of water before you eat and before you grab any food throughout the day.  

7.  Avoid carbs and sugars at breakfast. Eat a high protein breakfast to help keep you full and satisfied until Thanksgiving dinner.  Save your carbs and sugars for a serving of dessert so you don't overdo it later in the day.

8.  Use a small plate vs a regular size plate. It'll look like you're eating more food than you really are.  

9.  Eat slowly.  It takes your body approximately 20 minutes to register it's full so chew your food and enjoy every bite.

10.  Bring your own dish.  That way you KNOW there will be something healthy for you to fill up on if there are no other healthy options.


Friday, November 18, 2016

Thanksgiving Dinner Revised!

So you’re probably going to eat more than usual on Thanksgiving and I get it. It’s a popular foodie holiday, but you also don’t want to wake up the next morning and feel like you've undone all of your progress. Of course, if you’ve been exercising and eating right, one day won’t undo all the work you’ve done but, as you head into winter, it’s easy to fall off the wagon and struggle to get back on.

So, with that in mind, here are some examples from Autumn Calabrese’s video shoot and the Team Beachbody blog to help you properly plate your Thanksgiving meal.

The Typical Plate 
Honestly, this is what the typical Thanksgiving dinner looks like. So, it looks pretty healthy but a lot is missing. First off, where are the greens? And, secondly, this plate is so high in carbs and sugar, it’s no wonder everyone wants to nap after the typical Thanksgiving dinner.


Registered Dietician, Ani Aratounians weighed in on this typical Thanksgiving plate. “It’s high in carbs and there’s lot of sugar and fat. Especially saturated fat. There’s butter everywhere and hardly any fiber. After eating this plate, you’ll feel stuffed and bloated.” And this doesn’t even take into consideration the pie. Or the wine. Or seconds…or thirds.

The Revised Thanksgiving Plate 
One easy way to totally redo your Thanksgiving plate (and still have all your favorites) is to start with the greens. Put the green beans and the salad on your plate first. Then, add the turkey (aim for the the skinless, breast pieces if you can find them), and then add on your other favorites in small quantities. The calories aren’t exactly low, but they’re much more reasonable than the first plate.



Aratounians’s thoughts on this plate were much more positive. “This is much higher in vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. Overall, this is much more balanced for your blood sugar with the protein and fiber in the veggies balancing out sugar content. And it’s a much prettier plate too!” She recommends, if you are going to go for seconds (and really, who isn’t), go for the greens and protein (again, ideally, without skin).

I hope this comparison helps you come Thursday! What do you plan to eat on Thanksgiving? Try to plan ahead, serve your food when you're there and walk AWAY from the food table! And watch your alcohol calories too!

A portion of this post was taken from the Team Beachbody blog

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

5 Exercises to Help You Burn Fat

When it comes to dropping pounds, most people go about it precisely the wrong way: They underestimate the importance of diet, and overestimate the power of cardio. Jogging, bike riding (not to be confused with cycling), and other low intensity exercises can benefit your heart, lungs, and mood, but they’re the scenic routes to a smaller waist. Reams of studies agree: The cardio-emperor has no clothes (and frankly, he’s looking a little chubby.)
To burn fat, you need a smart, nutrient-dense diet and a workout program that’s packed with exercises that target as many muscle groups as possible. You’ll find five of those exercises—picked by a handful of the nation’s top trainers—on this page. So step away from the treadmill, weave these metabolic super-moves to your workout rotation, and watch the fat melt away.
5 Moves for Burning Fat Squat Press
Metabolic Super Move #1: Squat to Press
“Squatting and pressing are both moves that belong in everyone’s workout,” says Rachel Cosgrove, 2012 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year and author of The Female Body Breakthrough. The squat to press combines them into a single move, hammering your legs, shoulders, and every muscle in between.
Directions: Hold a pair of dumbbells next to your shoulders and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat, push your hips back and squat down until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heels as you stand up and press the weights straight above your shoulders. Lower the weights to return to the starting position. Do three to four sets of eight to 12 reps.

5 Moves for Burning Fat Sit Through
Metabolic Super Move #2: Sit-Through
“Don’t underestimate the value of moving around on the floor for burning fat,” says powerlifter David Dellanave, owner of The Movement Minneapolis, in the Twin Cities. “The sit-through is surprisingly taxing—you’re supporting your entire bodyweight on all-fours and then moving through a wide range of motion while synchronizing the actions of multiple limbs and muscles.” In short, it taxes your body and challenges every aspect of athleticism: Mobility, strength, power, and coordination.
Directions: Assume a bear crawl position with your back flat and the balls of your feet and palms of your hands on the floor. In one movement, pivot your right foot, reach your right arm above your head, rotate your chest toward the ceiling, and slide your left foot underneath your body until it’s flat on the floor. You should now be sitting with your left leg extended and your right leg bent. Raise your hips, and reverse the movement to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Repeat to your other side. Continue to alternate sides with each rep. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

5 Moves for Burning Fat Goblet Squats
Metabolic Super Move #3: Goblet Shooter Squat
This innovative squat-lunge hybrid combines one of the best lower-body moves you can do, the squat, with a rotational element that nails your core. “It’s a killer exercise,” says Dellanave. “You get tremendous time under tension, a huge range of motion, and some good mobility work—especially in your hips.” says Dellanave. “It’s a killer exercise.” And its fat loss dividends are worth every drop of sweat equity.
Directions: Grab a dumbbell and hold it vertically in front of your chest, cupping the top end with both hands (imagine it’s a heavy goblet). Set your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat, push your hips back and lower your body until your hips drop below knee-level. Rotate to your right, dropping your left knee to the floor, and then stand up. Reverse the move, lowering your body, rotating back to center, and then standing up. That’s one rep. Repeat the entire sequence, this time rotating to your left and dropping your right knee to the floor. Continue alternating sides. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

5 Moves for Burning Fat Deadlift
Metabolic Super Move #4: Deadlift
“In the hierarchy of fat loss, resistance training comes right after nutrition, as it has the largest impact on metabolism,” says Craig Rasmussen, C.S.C.S., a trainer at Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. And no exercise works more “metabolically active tissue” (AKA muscle) than the deadlift, which targets your glutes, hamstrings, quads, core, back, and shoulders. “It’s a true total body exercise, which is exactly what you need when training for fat loss,” says Rasmussen.
Directions: Load a barbell with moderately-heavy to heavy weights and roll it against your shins. Keeping your back flat, push your hips backward, bend your knees slightly, and grab the bar using an overhand grip with your hands just beyond shoulder-width. Drive through your heels, pulling your torso back and up and thrusting your hips forward as you stand up with the bar. Pause, and then slowly lower the bar back to the floor, keeping it as close to your body as you can. Do three sets of 8 to 10 reps.

5 Moves for Burning Fat Sprint Intervals
Metabolic Super Move #5: Sprint Intervals
“It’s easy to spot a sprinter,” says Angelo Poli, ISSA, owner of Whole Body Fitness in Chico, California. “Even compared to other athletes, they look muscular and lean.” Since you’re working your largest muscle groups (the quads, glutes, and hamstrings) at a near-maximal intensity through a large range of motion, sprinting challenges your fast-twitch muscle fibers like few other exercises. “That’s good news,” says Poli. “Fast twitchers are the fibers with the most potential for both growth and serious fat-burning.”
Directions: Head to the track at your local high school or university. If you’re already fit, run 400 meters (one lap) as fast as you can, and then walk 200 meters. If you’re just starting out, run 200 meters (half a lap) as fast as you can, and then walk 200 meters. Either way, that’s one interval. Do four to eight. Don’t have access to a track? No worries—perform the workout on a smooth even trail, sidewalk, or beach, and measure each interval by time instead of distance. Sprint for 20 to 60 seconds (depending on our fitness level), and then walk for an equal amount of time to complete one interval.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Mizuno Running Shoes? Heck yeah!


If you know me, you know I'm an avid runner! Borderline addicted to it and it's most definitely my preferred form of therapy!  With that said, I go through running shoes QUICKLY and have tried pretty much every shoe out there in the last 10 years since I've been running.

This month I was finally able to try out a pair of Mizunos again!  I've had friends that swear by them but, for some reason, I hadn't tried another pair of Mizuno Wave Riders since the Wave Rider 16! I've received running shoes for birthdays and holidays and just settled for whatever others chose for me!

Well to my surprise, I think I have a new favorite...again! I remember loving my Wave Rider 16s but this latest model is AWESOME!!  I've worn my Mizuno Wave Rider 20 running shoes A LOT in the past two weeks and was able to use them on all different types of terrain.  I ran trails, streets, sidewalks, the beach and even on rocks for part of the way while running a trail/beach combo.



I'm happy to say the shoe gave me tons of support and stability and I didn't even have to wear the insoles that I've had to wear in the past with other running shoes that didn't seem to offer as much support as I needed.  The Wave Rider 20 is definitely more responsive and much smoother than the first pair I had years ago.  They're

The Mizuno Wave Rider 20 is lightweight, super flexible and fits perfectly around my foot.  I've had an Achilles tendon surgery in the past so some shoes just do not work with the way the scar tissue from that surgery formed afterwards but these fit just right.  They weren't too high on the back but and were just right when it came to hugging your heel and fitting snug.  The triple layer of mesh was great too, especially since many of my runs were on hot afternoons.

Mizuno outdid themselves by improving this shoe so much! If you're an avid runner that has yet to give Mizuno a shot, I'd highly suggest you try out the new Wave Rider 20s.  Worth every penny and you'll be pleasantly surprised! To check them out and get yourself a pair in any of the 3 color combos available head over to Mizuno's website!

This is a sponsored post. I received a free pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 20 in exchange for this blog post. Although it is sponsored, the opinions reflected here are my own.