Thank you for showing up!

Thank You ladies for showing up to our first workout!  I was really pleased with how many were able to come in the end.  Work outs are so much more fun when there are a lot of you there as a motivator to keep exercising and not give up. I don't know about you but my abs feel good just from laughing with you! I am excited to tone our core mucles without tricky dance moves next week using Pilaties exercise. See you all there and Don't forget your mats! :)

10 Creative Ways To Kick Food Cravings!

1. Brush your teeth-I know it sounds funny but you are less likely to go and eat something when you have clean fresh breath. Keeps your teeth healthy too!

2. Eat an apple before you eat anything else. Some people even suggest before larger meals of the day too. The apple will fill you up and give you the sweet craving you are seeking without over indulging on large meals. Good for your health too and gives you a serving of fruit you need for a well balance diet.

3. Drink a glass of water. Chances are you are more dehydrated than anything else when you get sweet or food cravings. So start with a glass of water or flavored sugar free water first. 

4. Put those temptation foods on the highest shelf in your kitchen. If they are out of your sight and too high for you to reach you will be lest tempted to climb up and get them down before you find something healthier to snack on.

5. Eat healthy snacks between larger meal times. Snacks with a little substance and texture to them like vegetables (Carrot sticks, Celery etc.) as well as small portions of protein and complex carbohydrates like nuts, peanut butter, hummus, etc. Avoid  snacks that contain sugar like white bread, white pasta, etc. Proteins and complex carbohydrates will fill you up a bit better and keep your energy going till your next meal.

6. Avoid soft drinks. Not just because they are unhealthy but are loaded with sugar and increase your cravings for simple carbohydrates. Again try water and flavored waters if you can't stand the favor of plain water. They make on the go flavor packets now that you can dump into a water bottle and carry with you while you are on the go.

7. When you crave something sweet, try using alternative flavors (Vanilla, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Anise, Lemon or Spearmint.) These are great sugar substitutes and appetite suppressants that won't raise your blood sugar or store extra fat on you.

8. Don't beat yourself up when you get cravings. When you do treat yourself occasionally to small pieces of Chocolate etc. after dinner, slow down and savor each bite remembering that you just have eaten a healthy meal before it.

9. Reward yourself when you fight unhealthy cravings. If you don't think about the food then the cravings will go away. Take a bubble bath, Phone a friend, go for a nice walk outside, go to the gym, etc.

10. Always have nutritious foods with you in the car, at home or work. Remember to get snacks and foods that are able to adjust to different temperatures.

A Caesar Salad that Rules!

Healthy Chicken Caesar salad and dressing

2 servings

2 Chicken breasts

3 Cups torn romaine lettuce

1/2 red bell pepper strips

Vinaigrette:

1 tbs canola oil

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp sugar or equal

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 garlic clove, crushed(optional)

dash of fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Broil chicken breasts, rubbed with a bit of garlic powder for about 6 min each side. Cut into cubes or shred. Combine chicken, lettuce and bell pepper in large bowl.

Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl, stirring well with a wisk. Pour over salad, and toss well. Sprinke lightly with Parmesan cheese, and toss gently.

Add some melon as a side dish for a complete protein and carb. meal. Great for lunch or dinner! No more plain chicken!!!

Are you a Cheesecake, Cobbler or Chocolate and Fruit kind of girl?

Absolutely Fabulous Cheescake (almost)

1 serving

1 left over baked sweet potato

1/2 c cottage cheese

cinnamon (to taste)

splenda or other no calorie sweetener (to taste)

apple pie spice (to taste)

pinch ginger

Betty Crocker also makes a sugar free graham cracker crust or you can just sprinkle some sugar free graham crackers blended in a blender on top if you love the graham part to a cheese cake and don't want to make the crust with a non-fat butter.

Blend together on high (w/ a hand blender)

Eat, or chill and then eat! This tastes exactly like cheesecake. 

I suppose you could also substitute canned pumpkin for the sweet potato as long as it’s just pumkin and not the pie filling. Also if you can afford the extra carbs (i can’t) you could add raisins! Yummy! 

TIP: Always keep a container of blended cottage cheese on hand. It’s uses are endless. You can use it on a sandwich in leau of mayo or on top of a Whole Wheat tortilla with tomato sauce baked up like a pizza. etc.

Fruity Crunchy Cobbler

1 serving

This can be a snack or a dessert.

3/4 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup granola (I prefer Trader Joe’s Mango Passion flavor)

1 Tblspn. Smucker’s Sugar free jelly ( I prefer strawberry)

Mix it all up and it tastes just like cheesecake, or a fruity cobbler.

Jello Chocolate Fruit Dip

15-20 Servings

1 large container plain fat-free yogurt

2 small boxes jello sugar-free instant pudding (any flavor, I prefer white chocolate or vanilla)

Mix both ingredients together, be sure it mixes well. Serve with bananas, apples, any fruit; it is delicious.

Come Party With Us On Tuesday The 24th at 10:00

Hey Ladies, we will be  kicking off our Slim Sister Program with a Hip Hop Cardio Party this next Tuesday in the Cultural Hall. Our first exercise routine will be to dance off those inches with just ten simple Hip Hop steps that any of us can follow. 

Our dance leader is Jennifer Galardi who has put together some really fun and funky dance moves to help melt away the pounds and tone your abs without having to do those painful crunches. You don't need to bring a Yoga mat this week!

 So get ready to Party with us and loose weight at the same time!    

              

                                                                       

Jack Sprat Could Eat No Fat and His Wife Could Eat No Lean....

After more than two years of marriage, I have realized that I can't eat the same food that my husband does and get away with it. He is 6' 2" Italian stock with a very high metabolism and 4 % body fat. He needs extra carbs and protein to keep his energy going. I on the other hand am on the other side of the spectrum. 5' 2" English stock with a very Low metabolism and can't tell you my body fat % because I lost count. No, really I did!! 

Cooking meals in our home has been a challenge for me and at one point I just gave in and ate what he ate because it was easier. Well, it may have worked if I cut down on the portion size of carbs and lean protein but I didn't! Realizing my folly now I am finding new recipes that both of us can enjoy and give our bodies what we need. This is one of my husband's favorites we tried the other day.   Enjoy!!!

Ben's Favorite Chicken with Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto Dinner

2 boneless chicken breasts

2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves (2 oz)

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

1 to 2 tsp. grated lemon peel1/3 cup plus 2 tsp. olive oil

Salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Heat Grill pan on medium high heat. Lightly oil the grill pan. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 5 min. per side.

In a food processor, combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon peal. Lightly pulse. With the machine running. gradually add 1/3 cup of the oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Add salt and pulse. Put 1/2 the pesto into ice cube trays and store in the freezer for future use.

Transfer the rest of the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the parmesan. Season the pesto with salt an pepper to task and spread the pesto over each piece of chicken and serve.

I love "Weeds" now!

When I refer to "Weeds," I mean salad! Growing up I thought salad was just Iceberg lettuce, slices of tomatoes, and Ranch Dressing. Well, that is what I was fed at each dinner! I came to the realization that I really hated Salad and refused to eat if for several years, insisting that it tasted like weeds. It wasn't until my sister- in- law introduced our family to salad again that I realized that there are Salads other than Iceberg and Ranch Dressing out there and I was missing some wonderful yummy food. 

 My favorite salad at the moment can be found at a restaurant called Buckhorn Grill. The "Crispy Chicken" they call it and it is heavenly goodness, but unfortunately not figure friendly. I do however have a second favorite and this one is just as heavenly and healthy at the same time. You will love it too!

                                                                  Laurie's Healthy Salad

Ingredients for Dressing:

4 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar 

4 Tbls. Splenda Sweetener Substitute-(don't use sugar it is too grainy and Splenda is healthier)

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

*Mix these 3 ingredients together and you are done with the dressing. Make sure you save the extra dressing in an air tight container in the fridge for future salads!

Salad Ingredients:

Gourmet Mixed Salad Greens-(Not Iceberg, thankfully!)

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Craisins-(the dried cranberries that are like raisins)

Pealed and Diced Cucumber

Diced Tomatos

Diced Mandrin Oranges

Pealed and Diced apple

Chopped Nuts: You can use any one of these (Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews or Almonds)

 

Toss these ingredients together in a bowl and lightly drizzle with the dressing. Easy and sooo good! This salad also goes great with grilled chicken or as a side salad for dinner! If you don't like one of the above ingredients, that is fine you can add almost anything to this salad just make sure it is good for you!  Enjoy!!!

Make Sure You Fill Out One Of These To Track Your Progress Each Week!

Welcome To The Confessions Of An Un-Fit Mother!

I want to welcome all of you RS ladies who have made the decision to support me in this health and wellness program for the Pleasant Hill First Ward. After having my little girl (Anadel) who is a year now, it has been quite a struggle for me to get back into shape. I am sure most of you can sympathies with me because you yourself have been there or are there right now! It isn't that I haven't tried! A month after she was born I purchased two Pilaties video's and was determined to loose the "Mommy Fat", but it wasn't that simple. With the demands of my babies' schedule and my husband in school and then working full time, I couldn't find enough ME TIME in order to do this without my little one demanding my full attention. I was also exhausted by the end of the day when she went down at 11 p.m. every night and up at least 4 times during the night. I just didn't have the energy to do it and kept telling myself that I would start as soon as she was on a better schedule! Did I mention she is a year now, so embarrassing that it has taken this long for me to get going!!!

Well, a few weeks ago I remembered that my mother used to have an exercise time with all the Pleasant Hill Ward ladies at the chapel each month when I was a little girl and that is when the light bulb of opportunity went off in my tired mommy brain. I want this program to be fun and inspiring to each of us. I was hoping to turn it into something more than just showing up to exercise on Tuesday mornings as a group. Most of you have heard of the "Biggest Looser" exercise reality show and I was thinking that this could be our own "Slim Sister" program in which we weigh in at the end of the month to track our progress, and motivate each other along the way.  I will have a reward for the sister who has proven herself each month so we can stay motivated.

I plan to use fun up to date workout DVD's that involve great workouts like Cardio's with Hip Hop Dance, Retro Dance Moves (Swing, latin, Disco etc.), Pilaties and Yoga exercises to lengthen and tone our core bodies and for those of us with little babies I have included a Mommy and Baby Yoga workout that I love. Don't worry I won't torture you with the 80's Jane Fonda and tights and leggings video's. This will be hip and energetic for us 2009 girls to relate to! You can still ware the leggings, wrist and head bands if you so choose, I won't stop you! LOL I would like everyone to bring a mat on those days we have Pilaties, Yoga and floor workouts though.  I will have an extra mat with me if one of you should forget, but please try to be prepared. I am hoping that you can use this blog as a reminder as to what we will be doing and also a resource as we do this program.  I will also be including healthy snacks and meal tips as well as highlight those who achieve their goals during this program.

I am so excited and thrilled that so many of you have expressed interest in this program. We will have lots of fun and I am always open to new workouts and healthy meal ideas from anyone. Thanks again Ladies and I will see you at the Ward Building in the Gym at 10 am sharp on Tuesdays starting the 24th! See you all there and come motivated with a smile on your face! :)