100-Calorie Mini Desserts!!

If you're anything like me, that sweet tooth kicks in right after dinner.....no matter what i do...coffee, milk, water, whatever! Its a mad dash to find some chocolatey-ooey-gooey-sweetness! Good thing is, literally, it only takes about 3 bites to satisfy my craving, so I've found several ways for easy-peasy satisfaction that won't ruin the waisline! A few of these are my own twists, some are from online websites/magazines, etc! Give them a try or feel free to try your own!!!


1. SMORES-- um, who doesn't love these? If you say you don't, you're lying. Lets face it. Smores are awesome- both around a campfire and not, who cares! My husband and I have even been known to light our marshmellow on fire over a candle....yep...we're THAT couple.
- 1 large marshmallow, lightly toasted or dark crispy (my choosing)
- 1 fat free graham cracker
- 1 oz sugar free chocolate or hershey chocolate will work
-------------------> only 60 calories! BAM BAM!

2. BANANA SMORE -- twist on a smore! Spread nutella on graham cracker, top with banana slice! YUM
-1 thick slice of banana
-1 tbs of nutella
-1 fat free graham cracker
-------------------> 41 calories! WINNER!

3. Sugared Strawberries & Whip Cream & Chocolate Pieces --- take strawberries, slice them, and sprinkle 1 tbs of sugar (i use Splenda Replacement!) in a bag and shake until coated. Let sit for a couple of minutes until strawberries "sweat" or are coated with a glaze. Add a dollop (love that word!--- "do do a DOLLOP", lol) of fat free whip cream and some shaved chocolate (using a cheese grater just shave some of that chocolate on top-ohhhhhh boy!)
-1 cup sliced strawberries
-1 oz chocolate shaved
-1 tbs splenda sugar
-2 tbs fat free whip
------------------->25 calories!

4. Chocolate Nut bark-- super good crunchy chocolate with pieces of nuts...dang i seriously love these!!! Great to make ahead on a sunday and store in the freezer (love them cold!)
Recipe here

5. Sauteed cinnamon apples with whip & shaved chocolate-- slice, peel, and dice (or cut) an apple (i prefer red Fiji). Sautee in a pan with a LITTLE oilve oil so they dont stick, and coat with cinnamon, nutmeg, and splenda sugar (*note--splenda baking sugar is different from splenda sugar u put in coffee...*). Add 1 tsp of vanilla, and if you are adventurous like me, throw in some diced nuts at the end! Sautee apples until soft, constantly turning until coated. (here is where you throw in nuts). Place in bowl and top with fat free whip or 1/4 c fat free vanilla ice cream!! Shave a little chocolate for crunch on top and yum!
-1 apple
-1/4 c fat free vanilla ice cream or fat free whip
-cinnamon & nutmeg
-splenda baking sugar
-chocolate shavings
---------------------> 94 calories!


6. Apple Empanaditas -- use this recipe but change pineapples to apples (what i prefer!) Really you could use any fruit that will hold its texture in the oven (pears, pineapples, plum, etc..berries maybe, but might end up slushy).
---------------------> 64 calories for 1!

5 Drinks your Swimsuit will hate you for!

"FINALLY!" is what we are all thinking when friday rolls around....ready for the weekend! Well, if you are anything like me and my group of friends, that typically involves & revolves around some sort of booze....lets face it, it does. And that can take a hefty toll on your waistline, overshadowing all that hard working out you did over the week! SO..i've put together a nice little list of drinks to try & avoid...because of their not-so-pretty calories attached to them! Myself, i don't drink beer, and stick mostly to Vodka/Soda (approx 60 calories) or wine (approx 70-90 calories depending on type).

Here's a list of the bad boys that are going to ruin your swimsuit season!

1. 10oz Margarita

(i know, everyone is going to hate me for this one especially since us texans love our mexican food- and what goes better? Margaritas!) BUT...a margartia can contain approx 300-550 calories PER DRINK!!!! Naughty, naughty margarita... ill just have some more queso with that please! =)

2. Long Island Iced Tea
With all that stuff in there mixed together, what do you expect?! No less than 400 (most of the time upwards of 500 calories) per drink! Yes ma'am-- i'll pass!

3. Pina Colada
There is a trick to this one-- almost any frozen drink is going to be PACKED with calories. Why? They pack those suckers (in a box..remember that post about not eating from pre-packed foods? it applies to drinks too!) with sugar and tons of sodium so it stays preserved...YUCK! I will never have a frozen drink unless i make it myself with fresh ingredients! You're looking at 300-600 calories per drink depending on what they put in it! STAY AWAY from the frozen!!!

4. Mai Tai
Yep, that pretty little layered drink that you are supposed to drink IN a swimsuit! Its like sucking down a bag of sugar...dark rum (sugar), light rum (sugar), orange syrup and/or orange curcaco (sugar), CANNED pineapple juice (sugar)...yikes! Try close to 300-400 calories!

5. Vodka Tonic or other & Tonic
No way! You are probably thinking...WAY! Tonic has approx 160 calories per drink-- its sugar & water silly! Try Vodka & SODA! Guess how many calories in soda water? ZERO!! I'm not saying it tastes as good...but squeeze some fresh lime juice in that baby, and you'll get used to it! For an extra benefit- ask for a large glass, pour your small Vodka & Soda in the tall glass, then top with water! Hydrate + rehydrate at the same time! Welcome, No Hangover!


There ya have it! Next time you're sippin on some sissssssur, try it for some plain & jane. Just think, the more crap thats added into that cocktail shaker, the more calories you are drinking in. Just keep it simple! Plain glass of wine, beer if you must (belly buster!) or vodka soda! OR, don't drink all-together......I'm still waiting on that day........lol!

Sexy & Slim workout!

So i workout 2-3 times per week at an Alpha Boot camp at my gym, and our trainer kicks.my.arse. EVERY time. Each time i keep thinking, "theres no way it can be harder than last time...." and he continues to prove me wrong! We do a TON of intervail workouts, or burst reps, which focus on keeping your cardio & heart rate up while burning fat and building muscle! My favorite workouts! The other 2 days a week i do 1 "steady" cardio- either running outdoors or spin class, and then a full body circuit the other day, so I am hitting each muscle group twice per week!

This morning's workout was rough...i am already dragging my legs and arms....ouch! Give it a go yourself! You can use a weighted plate, a dumbell, a medicine ball, barbell, or the flexbar (the rubber barbell- i think thats the name??). Today i used the flexbar. Softer against your skin and you can "drop" it if needed.


WARM UP:
1/2 mile run on treadmill at 6.8 or higher
40 walking lunges
30 bicycle crunches
20 push ups
10 squats


Here goes-- 15 reps of each circuit- 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off!
-Lunge with flexbar, twist to same side as forward leg, and push flexbar straight outward (you should feel your upper and outer shoulder muscles working here, along with your glutes and thighs). *HINT* use your ab muscles to contract inwards for an added bonus and to help stability! I used 25 lb flexbar

-20 seconds SPRINT run on treadmill (8.0 or higher) with minimum 4.0 incline. On every 5th set, increase speed by .2-.4
-V ups with plate (i used 10 lbs, and around rep 8 i dropped to 5 lbs...this is ok! just make sure you are always maxed out)





And you're done! The whole thing should have taken you about 45-50 minutes or so! I burned a whopping 594 by doing just these three excercises!!! =) Give it a go!

Weekend Warrior Workout!

After a wonderful 4 day workout Mon-Thur this week, and I finally getting a day off! Whew! But back to the grind tomorrow! If you're like me, you probably go to the gym and think, "sooo...what am i going to do today?" and after 5 minutes of thinking about it, you begin to feel stupid standing around so you just hop on one of the cardio machines.....

That was 1 1/2 ago. Now i plan my workouts like I plan my meals & my week! You've got to! It doesn't matter if you are a beginner, an intermediate, or you've already got the banging body (lucky you), its all about consistency!! According to Livstrong.com , you should work out each muscle group twice per work. "DAMN!" you must be thinking...i agreed...once! But if you can pin down your workouts for the week, its actually quite simple. Don't know what to do? Get a trainer, join your local gym's workout classes, look it up online. My all time favorite workout website to get ideas and workouts from is Bodyrock TV . This chick is a badass. Don't be intimidated by her! If you peruse through her website, you will find links from beginners to advanced! Whats even better, is all of her workouts are done at home or outside and NOT at a gym. "Give it a go!"

This will be my workout for tomorrow. I've broken it down into a beginner and an intermediate/advanced workout. Key is to keep moving, no matter what. HIIT intervals (standing for High Intensity Interval Training) burns, by far, the most calories...comparable more so than even running outdoors (for the same amoutn of time). Why?
1. Burn more fat--> HIIT intervals rev your metabolism up so high, that you fat burn for up to twenty four hours after your workout!!! YEA!
2. Lose fat not muscle --> while steady cardio has proven to sometimes encourage muslce loss, short, quick bursts of high cardio promote fat loss instead
3. Less Time --> this definately x-nays the "i dont have time" excuse! You can do these workouts ANYWHERE without ANY equipment!

So give this a shot!!

Using a timer, set it for 50 seconds on and 10 seconds off. Beginners, do 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off! DO THIS WORKOUT THREE TIMES

BEGINNER WEEKEND WARRIOR:
1. Squat Jumps - 40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest
2. Burpee One leg @ a time Knee Abs - (with a flat back in a push up position, bring one knee to your opposite elbow, repeat with other leg, keep it fast!) 40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest
3. Push up with burpee- (if you need to push up on your knees, do so -- one push up, then spring up and burpee, repeat for 40 seconds)
4. Alternating Lunges- 40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest (keep it LOW)
5. Step out Abs- (in a push up position, one leg at a time, step left leg outward, then right leg outward, then left leg back in, then right leg back in- you should feel this in your abs NOT back). 40 seconds on, 10 seconds off
6. Ab-Ups- (laying down with legs straight, do a crunch without bending legs, or slight bend if needed) 40 seconds on, 10 seconds off

(2 min rest before starting again)

INTERMEDIATE WEEKEND WARRIOR:
1. Frog squat with Jump- (standing in a squat position with legs hip width apart, keeping back straight, squat down until hands touch your shoes, then spring straight up into a jump)- 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest
2. Burpee knee tuck abs- (burpee with left knee tuck then right knee tuck, repeat) 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest
3. One leg push up jump over- (find a line in the ground-- do a normal push up with one leg in the air, bolt up and jump, with two feet, over the line, repeat) 50 seconds one, 10 seconds rest
4. Switch Lunges- (In a lunge position, jump to switch legs landing in a lungh for the other leg, repeat quickly) 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest
5. Incline Jump out abs- (in a push up position with hands on a bench, stable ball (bosu works), or other small incline, jump both legs outward then back to center, keeping back straight- you should feel this in your abs, NOT your back)
6. Ab-ups with Weight- (using a sandbag, handweight, or plate, lay on your back with legs straight and crunch up- when you reach the top push weight upward, straightening your back, repeat) 50 seconds on, 10 seconds rest

(2 min rest before starting again)


REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES THROUGH!

Tell me that doesn't feel great after its done! 24 minutes, blast that fat!

Fast Facts: 10 foods to Avoid!

We've all been there, and if you say you haven't, you're lying. Everyone has said they want to lose weight at some point-- trim a little here, cut down a little there, shave off some there.... I get it. At some point you must have also thought, "well why am I not losing those last stubborn pounds?" (I know I have!) Take a look at your daily/weekly eating habits...if any of these are in your diet, I would suggest trying to avoid them! Now of course, we all indulge, DUH! I do, several times a week in fact! They key is to indulge in moderation, and on occasion (along with an active excersie regime and healthy eating habits). So here are 12 foods to try and avoid to help kick off those last few stubborn inches!

1. Dips:
     *Polynesian Sauce (Chick Fil A)-->a WHOPPING 110 calories in that teeny tiny 1oz package....YEP!
     *Ranch (I know I LOVE it too!) --> an avg 2 tbs serving has 88 calories!! (and NO ONE uses just 2 tbs....come on).
     *Teriyaki Sauce --> 69 calories per 2 tbs. Toss it around on your chicken, that's probably at least 200+!

2. Sodas:

If you are a non-soda drinker like me, congrats! I was lucky enough to grow up without sodas in the house, so it was never an issue for me. However, if you are a soda drinker...think again! The average person who drinks 1 soda per day weighs an additional 7-10lbs!!(proven studies). Like crown & coke? or 7 & 7? ah...lets add another 4-5 cans per week! Shame on you!

    

3. Alfredo Sauce:
     Creamy, white, herby, delicious....wait! 240-280 calories in a HALF cup serving of alfredo sauce. Why? Because its made with cream (most of the time). Anything else made with cream, for that matter, should be avoided like cream based soup bisques, mac & cheese, etc!

4. Starbucks or similar high calorie coffees -->
     I'm going to let you just take a minute and pull up the nutritional facts on starbucks coffee yourself here . Ah, ha! Not liking that peppermint hot chocolate so much anymore during Christmas are ya? Well, no fear! Just know how to order it to reduce calories
     *NON FAT-- (means to use fat free or skim milk, now you just cut back 50-70 calories)
     *NO WHIP-- cut another 50-60 calories
     *SUGAR FREE SYRUP (1-2 pumps MAX!! they average 4-5 pumps if you dont tell them)--cut back 80 calories
By doing these three things, you can just about have MOST warm coffees on their menu for under 200 calories. My ordering is always one of the two:
Grande Nonfat Sugar Free Carmel Macchiato, 120 calories
Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte, 90 calories

5. Butter -->
    Oh the joys of butter. Use it to fry, bake, saute, steam, broil, baste..you name it, butter is probably in it. This one is a little harder to kick, but especially when you are cooking on your own at home, I suggest X-Naying it out of your food. As stated in an earlier post, a little harder when baking, because of consistency issues, but most other times there are substitues (oilve oil, chicken broth, fat free milk, etc!)

6. Mayo -->
      This one is super easy! Average serving of mayo has 90 calories per tablespoon. Again, you use more than one! Simple replacements when ordering out on a sandwich opt-out of mayo and use italian dressing, vinagrette, hot sauce, katsup, etc. I promise you won't even know its not on your sandwich, burger, whatever! For cooking, try to use fat free Greek yogurt, fat free sour cream, or none at all!

   
7. Whole Milk -->
       Another easy one! Switch to fat free and you're golden! One cup of whole milk has 140-150 calories, while fat free only boasts around 80 calories!

8. Prepackaged/Processed Foods --->
     DUH! I shouldn't even have to put this one on here. Frozen dinners, canned meals, boxed pastas/dinners is no bueno! They add tons of sodium to preserve the food, even if there may not be many calories-- the sodium is offsetting it! Check out the sodium in a frozen dinner next time you are in the frozen food isle...you'll see =)

9. Simple Carbs -->
      Examples are bagels, breads, and pastas made with white flour, white rice, packaged cereals. They do almost nothing for your body. Instead, try complex carbs like whole grain pasta (if you have to have pasta), quinoa, beans, lentils, buckwheat, oatmeal, and oat bran cereal!

10. Red Meat --> (i know, this is debatable to some!)
     For some, this one will never happen, and I get it! I rarely eat red meat, and I mean rarely. Special occasions call for it, and it has to be perfectly cooked, tender, and a leaner piece of red meat. Why? Look-see:
     -3 oz of top sirlion, 320 calories and 21 g of fat
     -3 oz of chuck beef, 292 calories and 17 g of fat
     -3 oz ground beef, 210 calories and 6 g of fat
Comparable to:
     -3 oz chicken, 100 calories, 3 g of fat
     -3 oz white fish (tilapia, cod), 95 calories, 1 g of fat
Your body will absorb 80% of protein from chicken, and only 64% of most red meat. Chicken will give you 6 times more beneficial proteins & acids than most red meat. Out of the 95 calories you consumed in your fish, 89 of those calories will be directly turned into protein! Of course, red meats have nutritional value as well, I am not knocking the red meat. Simply put, from Livestrong.com red meat has much higher levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, which is harder for the body to break down, than white meats & fish.



See if you can eliminate some of these foods and keep a healthy lifestyle! =)

15 Places to be a foodie in Houston

Foodie: A person devoted to a refined sensuous enjoyment of food; a person who spends a massive amount of attention to food detail, preparation, ingredients, and textures.

 

Are you a foodie? Chances are you love food (who doesn't), but a true foodie is someone who explores, without fear, a true conquest of a variety of foods & techniques. There are SO many places to be a foodie in houston (think gourmet preparation, presentation, detail, and ingredients), that it's challenging to hit them all! I have made a list of my "Top 15" new (i say new, they are new to me) foodie places in Houston. As an avid foodie myself, I pride myself on learning techniques, trying new and interesting foods and new places. It is so much fun to learn about food! I have been to some of these places, and others are still on my list to try! These are in no particular order!

 

1. Tiny Boxwoods- (been here multiple times)- try their reknown brick oven pizza varieties or their rabbit stew (seasonal).

2. Roots Bistro- (been here) try their brunch menu along with $10 pitcher of mimosas! WOWZA
3. Triniti Restaurant & Bar- (been here) try their 5 or 7 course tasting menu! It is PHENOMEONAL. My all time favorite things are tasting menus!!!

4. Oxheart- great, unique selection of food
5. Sparrow Bar & Restaurant- (going here tomorrow for their tasting menu!)
6. Underbelly- try their whole, head on-fish (don't be scared! head on fish preserves the taste of the herbs/oil/and spices they use. SUPER flaky!

7. Uchi- I have not been here yet (going for our monthly formal date night in May), but everyone i know that has been there has said this is BY FAR the best sushi restaurant in Houston. I have tried to go here- twice- on random occasion (once on a wed and once on a thurs) and seating has been over an hour wait!



8.  Benjys- Farm to table cuisine with an american influence.

9. The Bird & The Bear - sister restuarant of Ousie's table (which is also fantastic), I have been wanting to go here. Known for its great french-influenced american cuisine, the menu here looks nothing shy of exceptional!


10. The Pass & Provisions (two restaurants)- This has been at the top of my list for several months now (along with everything else). These two restaurants have your extreme gourmet tasting menus, which i CANNOT wait to try! I drool looking at their pictures of food
11. Roost - been here once, and it was GREAT- try the roasted cauliflower (MUCH more than just cauliflower, ill just give you that hint!)
12. Nosh Bistro- brand new restaurant that looks like it would be great for a pre-ladies night out dinner! Asian influenced fusion style cuisine, ABSOLUTLY! I plan to try the mussels & scallop board!
13. Mockingbird Bistro- another great place to try a tasting menu!
14. Backstreet Cafe - such a cute little place, i've been here twice! Food is exceptional, and the service is nothing short of up to par! GREAT place for brunch, and they have so many different types of brunch drinks (flavored sangrias, mimosas, etc!)
15. Haven - Farm to table restaurant--> one of my FAVORITE types of restaurants. Here you can expect completly fresh prepared foods in a variety of techniques and styles. This restaurant has won a plethora of awards, and is our next formal date night in May!











 

12 Healthier Cooking Substitutions!

I know, we've all been there. Craving mexican food, a sweet tooth, something salty, or in my case, something hot and crunchy (i know, totally weird but true). So to continue to eat all these great foods, I have devised a list using different sources and some are my own trial-by-errors as well that I have found work AND are much lower in calories!! The only real consideration to take in is when baking-- baking is much less forgiving for substitutes because of the consistency usually involved with ingredients. Ex-- you can substitute splenda baking sugar in just about any baking recipe, but you cannot (most of the time) substitute unsalted butter because of the taste it expels when baked. Needless to say, there are lots of variations you can use to lower calories with the same great taste! Try em out!! =)

1. Sugar = sweet & low for taste, or splenda baking sugar for consistency

2. Sour Cream = plain nonfat greek yogurt or fat free cottage cheese
3. Butter = Margarine for consistency, applesauce (or other puree) for taste

4. Salt = no sodium herb blends, lemon juice, OR in my case, how 'bout this--> NO SALT?! YEA!
5. Ground beef = ground turkey, ground pork

6. Heavy Cream (not valid for whipping cream) = Evaporated Skim Milk
7. Regular cheese = reduced fat cheese

8. Seasoning Salt (contains LOTS of sodium) = fresh herbs! Nothing like fresh herbs...mmm...

9. Shortening = Trans-Fat Free Margarine

10. Butter (to coat) = Oilve Oil Cooking Spray

11. Egg = Egg white substitute or egg substitute (much healthier)

12. Whole Milk = Skim Milk

 

 

Try em out and feel free to leave feedback! =)



Easy Peasy Crabby Cakes!

Mmmmmm....nothing quite like a GREAT low fat homemade crab cake!
I made this for a dinner party one night (for 5) and it was delicious!
Super easy to make, low fat, and everyone loved them!

Grocery List (this is for 5-6 servings, cut in 1/2 for 2 ppl):
-2 jars lump crab meat (not legs!)
-1 red bell pepper
-chives
-1/2 grated lemon zest
-1 egg
-panko bread crumbs
-6 oz greek non fat plain yogurt (substitue this for mayo- heeeey low calories!)
-pepper to taste (salt, IF YOU MUST)

 

 

Make sure you get lump crab meat and not crab leg meat!
STEP 1: Very thorougly rinse & drain crab meat. You will have to squish it together in a strainer or with your hands to get as much liquid as possible out. Otherwise your crabby cakes will be soggy and harder to flip in the pan!

 

STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 egg, 2 chopped chives (finely diced), 1/2 of 1 red bell pepper, lemon zest, and greek yogurt.

 

It should look like this before adding the crabmeat!

Step 3: Add in 1/2 box of panko bread crumbs, pepper, and strained crabmeat. Stir until it resembles clumps. If it is too soggy, add more panko. If it is too dry, add an additional EGG WHITE ONLY (not yolk).

STEP 4: Form crabby "dough" into small 1 inch thick patties. **Hint** if you have a circular cookie cutter, usually used for sugar cookies, you can stuff the crabmeat into the cutter and pull off, and whoila! All the same sized crabby cakes** I did not have one of these, so I did it by hand. No more than an inch thick!

STEP 5: Heat a LARGE sautee pan with OILVE OIL until oil reaches 350 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer, it will be when a drop of water onto the oil stays on top of the surface. The first cake you put in may be a tester cake so you can make sure and get the right temp. Once you do, the cakes will cook 2-3 minutes on each side and then FLIP! Don't overcrowd the pan! This is very important as you want them to cook evenly through. When you overcrowd pan, heat resists up and cooks outward instead.

 

STEP 6: Drain on a papertowel & ENJOY! I paired this with my own homemade Chipotle Tartar Sauce

 

 

2 Unique Clothing Websites

I found these two totally awesome & unique clothing websites on WANELO (which i am now addicted to). Wanelo, in case you don't know, is an app that is a combination of pinterest and fashion-- so it just "repins" fashion updates, trends, most popular pins, etc. It allows you to "save" or "buy" the item and go directly to their website which i LOVE!!!

I bought this swimsuit from Amazing Lace

I bought these two dresses from Spool No.72

Aren't they super cute! Return policy is free as well if you ship back within 30 days. =) I love having unique things that others don't have!

Check out these two websites they have so much cute stuff!!

DIY vintage frames

This project was SUPER easy, cheap, and fun!! We are moving, and I wanted to have some different frames for a wall in the living room for our wedding photos. I was going to originally buy some on Etsy, but they were $150!! Crazy! So instead I decide to make some!

I bought 5 different sized frames with texture at Marshall's for approx $30 some odd dollars. One can of primer, one can of spray paint and a piece I sand paper at Michaels for $8.11.

1. Take out all the glass and backings from photos.
2. Spray frames with primer (I choose white) and wait at least 2 hours.
3. Spray with your choice of spray paint color- I choose light champagne and let dry another few hours.

And Done!!! That easy!! They turned out super cute.

To make them vintage-
4. Sand paper edges and areas of the frames and then rub with show polish. Start soft so you can decide how "vintage" you want to go.


I LOVE them!! I am going to make a few more so I can have a whole area of wedding/honeymoon photos!!!

Have fun with it!

Jello arms Workout

Want great sculpted arms? Well, running wont do it for ya ladies! Neither will the treadmill, stairs, or... Um... *cough* sitting on the couch. =)

Here is a great upper body workout for you (warning it is difficult)! If you need instructions/how-to's, just google the name of the excercises and you can find you tube videos!


This is a H.I.I.T workout (high intensity interval training) which means higher weights, lower reps, and increased cardio circuits. Give it a go!

5 rounds of each circuit!

CIRCUIT 1:
-8 front squats with barbell (65-85lbs)
-8 squat thrusts with shoulder press (dumbbells 20lbs ea)
-8 hop overs each leg (use a floor marker, small pole, whatever- just hop from left to right on one leg =1, do it 8 times per leg)

Repeat X 5

CIRCUIT 2:
-8 rope push ups (or body weight incline push up)
-8 tricep pulls (15lb dumbbell- rest same arm on extended leg using opposite arm pull up keeping elbow straight, 8 times ea arm)
-12.5lb dumbbell row twist with push up (16 total, 8 each arm--->these are difficult, take a break if needed but work through them all!) no pain no gain!!

Repet X 5


- at the end, finish with 20 burpees, 50 leg raises, and 25 V ups!


My calorie count was 624 after doing this!!! Whew! Be sure to eat protein within 45 minutes of working out!!!

1 shredded chicken, 10 meals, $35 bucks!

I LOVE chicken. 97% of the time I am only a chicken and fish eater (i eat red meat, maybe 2-3 times a year--why? because i cant digest the fact that I am eating pure fat from another animal...no, it has nothing to do with PETA, although i am a huge supporter of humane animal sustainability...thats another blog). ANYWHO-- so i plan my meals out every single sunday, religiously, to the tee! Yes, i go through my recipes, check my calendar for days when i can cook after work vs days i need a quick snappy meal for late nights, etc. Also on a budget? ALWAYS!

Here are 10 healthy meals you can cook for under $25.00 with 1 chicken (and other ingredients of course!)

INGREDIENTS:
*1 spaghetti squash ($2.97)
*1 whole chicken roasted (large) OR 8-10 chicken breasts ($8.17)
*large can of diced tomatoes, drained ($.54)
*3- 32 oz box of chicken broth ($3.19)
*1 jalepeno ($.42)
*1 onion ($.76)
*1 can white beans ($.97)
*Corn Tortiallas (or white, IF YOU MUST!) ($1.89)
*Lettuce ($1.02)
*Pre-diced Veggie assortment (central market- $2.99 for a large)
*2 packs Mushrooms ($1.86)
*1 large head of broccili ($1.18)
*1 can low sodium cream of chicken soup ($.89)
*1 can storebought pizza crust (use pilsbury or other fresh kind of dough in a can- $1.12)
*Thai peanut sauce ($2.02)
* Carrots ($.88)
*Green onions ($1.02)
*1 red pepper ($.69)
*Celery ($.95)
*2 c of egg noodles ($2.14)

=$35.67




**Cook chicken on low in large crockpot for 4-5 hours or until shreds apart with a fork. Use an even mixture of water and chicken broth to cook it in. Season with salt & pepper. Store shredded chicken in fridge to use with recipes!**

1. Spaghetti Squash with Chicken alfresca -
     Slice spaghetti squash in half, fill middle with water, place on large tray and microwave until spaghetti squash easily comes out in strands with a fork. Season with salt, pepper, add tomatoes with a little bit of oilve oil and basil, throw in some shredded chicken, whoila! Best part about it, is it tastes just like pasta without all the added carbs & fat! =)
2. White Chicken Chili-
     ((*hint* the key to making chili thick is heating everything through first, and then adding the cornstartch/water mixture 20-30 minutes before serving!). Depending on how spicy you want yours, finely dice 1 jalepeno (optional), 2 cloves garlic, and 1 onion. In a pan with oilve oil, saute garlic, onion, jalepeno and add cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix in 2 c chicken broth, some shredded chicken, and white beans. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk 3-4 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3-4 teaspoons of COLD water. Add to soup mixture, whisking in, and then let simmer for 20-30 mintues or until thick. Serve with cheese or any other garnish!

3. Chicken Quesadillas-
     Lightly spray each side of 2 tortiallas (i prefer corn for its whole-earth heart healthy effects!) and in a saute pan, add chicken and any other toppings on top of quesadilla (i like peppers, jalepenos, beans, tomatoes and a LITTLE bit of cheese to make it all stick together!). Top with other tortialla and mash down sides. Carefully flip over and heat through other side. Slice up and serve!

4. Chicken with Brown Rice Bun Bowl-
     You can use any flavored sauce for this (i make my own, but if you really are in a bind of time you can buy canned teriakyi, sweet n sour, etc sauce..but WATCH FOR SODIUM! sodium plays a huge role in metabolism and weight loss...dont forget that when salting your food next time! haha). Boil rice until cooked. Saute any veggies that you would like to add (i add bok choy, mushrooms, and green bell pepper). Warm shredded chicken. Add all to a bowl, top with bean sprouts (optional) and add a little of whatever flavor sauce you like. I use this home-made sauce here .

5. Shredded chicken wtih BBQ sauce and stuffed mushrooms-
     Easy as it sounds. Heat chicken, and dip in BBQ sauce. For stuffed mushrooms, there are so many variations, here is one I have cooked before Stuffed Mushrooms

6. Good ol Chicken Salad-
     Choose your lettuce base- i use arugula and spinach, top with any of your desired toppings, shredded chicken, and salad dressing (DONT use ranch! Ranch defeats the whole purpose of a salad BTW..(avg 83 calories per 1 TABLESPOON, and no one-ever- uses 1 tablespoon...more like 4 or 5...) I keep an array of salad dressings in my fridge like balsalmic, low calorie asian seasame, raspberry vinegrette, etc!

7. Chicken & Broccoli Casserole-
     The recipe can be found here !
8. Shredded Chicken Fajitas-
     As easy as it sounds! Top those corn tortialla babies off with chicken, low sodium refried beans, and lots of veggies! Pile them on! If you have it handy, throw on a little homemade pico or salsa!

9. Easy Thai Chicken Pizza-
     Unroll crusts and and top with peanut sauce. Cover pizza with a little cheese blend (a LITTLE!), shredded chicken, green onions, sliced red pepper, and shaved carrot pieces. Bake in 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until crust is crispy! Mmmmmmmmmmm SO GOOD!

10. Chicken Noodle Soup-
     In a pot, sautee with oilve oil the finely chopped celery and carrots (about 2 stalks of each). Add 1 diced onion and some mushrooms, until onions are sweating. Add salt & pepper (for a kick, add some cayenne, which is what i do!). Add 2 boxes of broth, and boil. Add egg noodles and cook 8-9 minutes or until done. Add shredded chicken until just hot, continue to season to taste. Serve up & eat!


There ya have it! And of course, almost most of those meals you will have leftovers (these meals are for two! but most make for 3 or 4) so use those for lunches, etc!