Hominy and Jalapeno Chicken Soup
2 T EVOO
1 onion chopped
2 jalapeno's stemmed seeded and sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 T chili powder, or to taste
2 quarts chicken broth
1 roast chicken, meat removed
1 can hominy drained, or cooked brown rice
1 bunch of cilantro
1 lime cut into wedges
sour cream
Saute onion and half the jalapeno and garlic in the EVOO. Mix in the chili powder, add chicken, broth, and hominy or rice. Simmer to blend flavors. Serve with cilantro, jalapenos and sour cream.
Also good with fresh spinach added to soup.
From the kitchen of Dana Lowe
Welcome to 2013! It’s a new year and for many, a chance to turn over a new leaf. Resolutions abound–what are yours? If weight loss happens to be on your radar, I’ve got a great series of posts coming your way in 2013. Stay tuned for delicious (and waistline-friendly) recipes, weight loss tips, and strategies for dealing with those ever present obstacles we all face.
Speaking of which, let’s begin with a common obstacle that hits many hopefuls right out of the gates…
You want to change, but you’re overwhelmed by how long it will take to reach your goal.
If you find yourself needing to lose more than 5 or 10 pounds, it can be a bit daunting to embark on what is sure to be a challenging journey. No doubt, this will be an endurance event. The question is, can you stick with it long enough to reach your goal? One helpful trick for dealing with long-term goals is to set smaller, easier to attain goals along the way. Not only will this meet your need for a bit of quick gratification, but it will also give you the opportunity (excuse) to reward yourself. For example, if you have 30 pounds to lose, set 5-pound milestones. Each time you lose a fiver, treat yourself with something that will enhance your continued weight loss efforts, like some new music, or that Vino and Vinyasa class you’ve been dying to try.
The changes you choose to make will also determine how easy or arduous the journey is. Yeah, you could live off broiled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli for the next 6 months, but what sort of life is that? And how will you maintain those painfully-earned results? There is a reason most people can only last for a few weeks on these extremely restrictive plans. If you’re truly in this for the long haul–that is, you really want to change your life–you need to make changes you can live with. In fact, a good test for any change you’re considering is to ask whether you’re doing it just to lose weight or if this is a change worth making permanently. Make a list of such worthy changes and, one by one, begin incorporating them into your lifestyle. As the weeks and months go by, you’ll not only lose the pounds but you’ll also be creating a new way of living that supports your new physique.
Finally, as you get started with your goal, it’s always helpful to get some perspective. As you sit there wondering whether you have what it takes to go the distance, ask yourself one simple question: If you knew that one year from now–after all the work and diligence and perseverance–you’d have reached your goal, would it all be worth it? For some, this question becomes a transformative mantra because they know that one year is a small price to pay for shedding the weight and changing their lives. One year is a small investment compared to how you will feel at the finish line.
Lifestyle change is never easy, but if the change is worth making, the rewards will be sweet! Best wishes in 2013!
Maureen Boswell - Maureen Fraîche
You might not use the terms "pizza box" and "serving dish" interchangeably, but if you're like most guys, you probably could. That's because 64 percent of men spend little or no time on meal planning . Their excuse? Time and money constraints. Unfortunately -- and perhaps not coincidentally -- that number parallels the 64 percent who are overweight. It's no wonder: The inexpensive, time-saving foods that guys choose most often are also the ones that are the highest in sugar, fat, and calories, according to a recent study from the University of Washington.
Thankfully, we have a culinary solution that'll perfectly fit your budget, schedule, and diet. The plan: Set aside 20 minutes on Sunday to fulfill our 16-item shopping list, then forget about your wallet -- and collection of takeout menus -- for the rest of the workweek. By following our 5-day meal plan, you'll have the precise number of ingredients to create 10 fast, flavorful meals, all of which are designed to help you build muscle and melt fat while saving you money. (The average price of 10 meals eaten out: $85; the total price of our meals: $47.96.) Each night, you'll simply prepare a quick and easy dinner, and then creatively use the leftovers to assemble the next day's lunch. Call it the mixologist's guide to eating. The best part? While the other guys are stuck on hold in drive-thrus, you'll be rolling through the express line with your next 10 meals in tow.
Okay, I pulled this from my facebook page and I love it! Exercise can be so many things. Healthy, therapeutic, relaxing, fun, energizing, exhausting, you pick.
So for whatever the reason(s) you have for exercising hold on to it, and make sure it's something that matters to you! THIS IS YOUR LIFE, YOUR HEALTH! Now get to the gym, and have a good sweat! And I hope you leave with a smaile on your face!
Am I hearing that right? I just want to make sure I understand the reasoning here; So, just to recap...
- Spending $2200 per year for health insurance is a budget line item but laying out $800 a year for a gym membership is too much?
- $120 a month for insulin is standard but paying $100 a month for small group training is outlandish?
- $50 a session for a Chiropractor is a necessity but $40 a session for Personal Trainer is too expensive?
- $75 for a tank of gas is just part of owning a car but $750 for a bicycle is laughable?
- $4.50 for a mocha is about right but $3.99 for a salad is absurd?
- 3 hours a day of television is average but running 30 minutes a day is obsessive?
- 4 weekend hours cursing a golf ball is a good career move but 2 hours running a 10K is too much like real work?
- Chronic low back pain from weak muscles is inevitable but the temporary pain of sore muscles to prevent it is too much?
- Being covered in clothes at the beach is fine but being covered in sweat at the gym is gross?
- It's ok to shop for clothes in sizes with multiple X’s but I should be mortified about how I look doing Zumba?
- Injecting neurotoxins into her face makes a woman beautiful but weight training makes her too masculine?
- Drinking a 6-pack makes a man one of the guys but 6-pack abs makes him a ‘roid freak?
- Being known by name at the brewery means I’m sociable but being well known at the gym makes me weird?
- Gastric Bypass surgery is reasonable but losing weight with effort and portion control is extreme?
- Getting fat is typical but doing something about it is...what? too hard? too expensive? too embarassing? too different?
How is that working out for you?
We are here to help, but we can’t do it for you.
This is a meal in a glass smoothie. I love the burst of flavor from the berries and oranges juice. Packed with carbohydrate and powerful antioxidants . Getting plenty of antioxidant-rich foods makes sense for active people, since free radicals are produced any time the body's cells process oxygen.
1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen berries
3/4 cup coconut yogurt or low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 scoop protein powder
1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
From http://lifeplusfitness.blogspot.com
It’s something that we all struggle with on occasion, or maybe we struggle with it MORE than just on random occasions. All these thoughts run around in our heads feeding us random lines of excuse. Filling our brains with all the reasons we just can’t fit in our workout for the day. Common thoughts are. “I just finished eating”, or “I am so burnt out today”, or “I just don’t have the time to fit it in”. I know these feelings all too well because I deal with my own self destructive patterns when it comes to working out. So in an effort to help us all overcome our workout objections and procrastinations, I have compiled a list of suggestions to help combat workout derailment.
~WORKOUT IN THE MORNING This suggestion is something continually recommended in all the reading I have ever done on getting your workout done for the day. If you would rather get your workout out of the way, and not have to worry about it the rest of the day, this option is most definitely for you. Now, if you are not a morning person like me, this may not work for you. I have tried working out in the morning and most days it just feels like I am dragging, so I work out around two or three. But I know plenty of people who solidly work out in the morning and they love it. They love it because they have accomplished their workout goal early, and they feel great the rest of the day.
~SLEEP IN YOUR WORKOUT CLOTHES A tip I actually got from someone I met on twitter, her name currently escapes me. She says the best thing to do is sleep in your workout clothes (clean ones of course, lol). Then you will be all ready for your workout, all you have to do then is just slip on a pair of shoes. It makes things a lot easier if your objection is I just don’t feel like getting my workout clothes on.
~SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUT TIME AND STICK TO IT I think one of the best things you can, do whether you are a morning workout person or night workout person, is to schedule out a time during the day that you know you will set aside for your workout. The time you set aside will have to be a time that you know you will make yourself a priority, and at a time that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt you will stay true to. If you let everyone around you know that you have set aside this time for your health and wellness, and that excluding any emergencies that time is set aside for you and is not to be compromised, people will then get the idea that you are not to be bothered and will respect your workout time.
~MAKE SURE YOUR WORKOUT PROGRAM IS FULL OF VARIETY It is is very important to use variety in your workout. Getting bored with your workout is very common and something that can deter your workout commitment in a big way. Not only do your muscles become used to the workout you are doing therefore seeing less of a challenge. Your mind gets used to the same old thing day in day out too! Mix it up for variety it’s the spice of life.
~SET REALISTIC GOALS FOR WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE Setting unrealistic goals for yourself is a big way to derail your motivation and inclination to stick to your workouts. First of all realize that if you have a lot of weight to lose it most likely didn’t get there over night. Therefore it is unrealistic to expect that the weight will come off more quickly then you put it on. Set realistic goals for yourself. While you’re major goal may be to lose 50 pounds total, split your big goal in to mini goals. Take it 10 pounds at a time and then reward yourself with something you want each time you hit a new milestone. It feels a whole lot less overwhelming this way.
~PLAN OUT YOUR WORKOUTS Planning out your workout is a great thing to do to keep you on track. This way all you will have to focus on is doing the workout. Personally I am currently doing the Turbo Fire workout and am following the standard schedule included with the program, but have also added to the schedule using Chalean Extreme (made my own hybrid schedule) since I prefer to use my Bowflex weights instead of bands. When I go to do my workouts for the day I already know what will have to be done, no extra thought necessary. My only focus needs to be on getting through the workout and doing the best I can. Planning your workouts will help you to do that.
~REMEMBER YOU ARE THE GREATEST OBSTICLE TO YOUR SUCCESS It is as simple as this. Your mind is the greatest obstacle to your personal success. If your focus on fitness has mentally gotten off track, take a step back and re-motivate yourself mentally. Be sure to remind yourself of all the reasons why it is important to stay fit, happy and healthy. Rededicate yourself to the most important asset and cause that you have, YOURSELF! --
Christina Lynn Myers Hearts A-Flutter Enterprises, LLC. http://www.heartsaflutter.net
Ever since I gave up hope I feel a lot better. I know hope sounds like a good thing to have; an essential for a life of meaning and purpose. But I got tired of hoping and waiting and getting depressed when nothing changed and starting over; so I stopped giving up and gave up hope instead.
Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel perpetually reminding you that you are IN a tunnel. Hope is the idea that there is something better out there, and if the stars align, if you blow on the dice just right, if you get the right cards from the dealer, or the little ball falls in just the right spot, everything will be different...perfect...ideal. Hope tells you that there is something better than where you are, but you don’t have the power to get there. Hope constantly tells you that you are NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE!
That’s depressing.
When you think about it, gambling is nothing but quantified hope. The fine print on a lottery ticket tells you exactly how far to get your hopes up. Las Vegas is a town built on (and bankrolled by) hope, but the most successful people there aren’t the ones winning million dollar jackpots. The people making all the money don’t really gamble, because nobody gambles to win. People gamble to lose. If someone actually does, by freak accident, win that huge wad of cash they were hoping for...the one they thought would solve all of their financial problems... they rush to give it (and more) back to the casino.
How many people do you know who have actually come back from Vegas with more money than they left with?
My point exactly.
You don’t get what you HOPE for, you get what you WORK for. Success never blindsides anyone. Fitness is never shocking. Athletic achievement is rarely a suprise. A 400 lb bench press does not catch an athlete off-guard. Nobody ever got to the end of the Boston Marathon and exclaimed “I just hoped I could finish!” Finishing well is not a miracle; having the courage to make a shaky start toward a goal which is well beyond your current ability IS.
We all CAN, but CAN and DO are very different things.
I will not lie. It will take LOTS of work; there is no telling how many miles you will run when you chase your dreams. It will take discipline to remember what you want, but if you never go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you never ask, the answer will always be no. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place. Are you waiting, hoping, for someone to give you a chance, or are you going to take one?
There WILL be mountains and hills along the way, but no tunnel for there to be a light at the end of. Well-meaning friends and family will tell you that you can avoid the hills, but what is so good about the flat? Flat tires, flat-lining, flat soda, and flat hair? LIFE happens in the hills. Mountains are opportunities to prove yourself that you are stronger than you ever imagined. There is also some pretty amazing scenery along the way.
Your friends at the gym are here to guide you to (and through) the rare air at the peak, but you can only get there by working. Wishing, waiting, wanting, and hoping won’t do it.
Stop hoping for a better tomorrow; it keeps you from enjoying today.
-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor
As a fitness instructor, I get a lot of questions about Pilates, from what it is to how it benefits the body. I too was skeptical about how this gentle form of exercise—which, to me, looked a lot like lying on the floor—could boast such big benefits. I like a workout that's challenging and intense—heavy weights, high inclines, fast speeds. Those floor exercises are for beginners who are weak and unfit…or so I thought.
I decided to learn more about Pilates by taking a few instructor workshops and training in "the method" myself. What I discovered surprised me. Pilates, when done correctly, offers major fitness benefits, requires mental focus, connects the mind and body, and truly does sculpt the abs like nothing else I've ever tried. Starting as a skeptic, I became a believer, practitioner and instructor in a matter of months.
For all of you skeptics who think that Pilates has nothing to offer you, think again! Almost one hundred years since Joseph Pilates (1880-1967) created and refined the exercises of his namesake, more and more people continue to practice Pilates around the world. Research has shown that Pilates also improves:
It may sound too good to be true, but let me clarify what Pilates does NOT do (these statements are backed by research conducted by the American Council on Exercise and other organizations):
Therefore, Pilates should be an additional component to a well-rounded fitness program that includes cardio, strength training and flexibility. Pilates alone cannot be all of these things for you. It’s in a league all its own. So if you still have to do all those exercises on top of Pilates, what’s the point? This simple example will help you better understand one way that Pilates offers benefits that other exercises can’t.
Sit upright in your chair in a comfortable position. Place one or both palms on your abdomen. Now cough a few times. You should have felt your abdominal muscles tighten. Now, keeping your hands there, take a deep inhale through the nose. On your exhale, open your lips slightly and push all of that air out of your mouth as forcefully and slowly as possible, making your exhale audible (like a “whoooooo” or “seeeeeeee” sound). You should have felt the same muscles tighten as when you coughed. These are your deep, transverse abdominis muscle, which act as your body’s corset. When these muscles strengthen, your belly pulls in tighter and flatter. The deep, audible breathing that people do during Pilates (which you just tried a moment ago) helps hone in on the transverse abs in a way that no other exercise can. Pilates focuses on these deep muscles in each and every move you make, which is just one reason why they are so effective at strengthening the core.
When done correctly and with proper focus, Pilates is not easy—no matter how fit you are. If you tried Pilates once or twice but weren't impressed, you probably weren't doing it correctly. And that's not your fault if your instructor (in class or on video) didn't explain it properly. When performing every single Pilates exercise you should also:
1. Breathe correctly. Joseph Pilates used to say, “Even if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly.” Use deep breathing (described above) to target and tone your deep transverse abs. Your inhale should expand the ribcage (diaphragm) but not the belly, which should be tight and flat as if you are wearing a corset. This helps you keep your core muscles engaged.
2. Concentrate on pulling your shoulders away from your ears and retracting your shoulder blades toward the center of your spine.
3. Properly align the spine. Your head and neck should follow the natural line of your spine at all times.
4. Focus on every movement as if it comes from the center of the body (your core).
5. Practice control. Don't use momentum to help you move. Movements should be done in a slow and controlled manner at all times.
6. Keep your body grounded and stable. If you're really focusing on the core, your body should be square on the mat and you should not rock or slide in any direction during exercises that involve lying, sitting, or kneeling. (This is one of the most common mistakes I see as an instructor.)
7. Work in an appropriate range of motion. Fitness enthusiasts tend to try the hardest options, even when they haven't truly mastered the basics with proper form. Similarly, wanting to work harder, many people will work in larger ranges of motion, but aren't able to stay grounded (point #6 above) when doing so. Only work to a level that allows you to maintain all of the points above.
The great thing about Pilates is that it offers something for everyone, no matter what your fitness level. If you started as a skeptic, consider revisiting Pilates by taking a class in your area or trying a fitness DVD. When you do, incorporate the points above and you will feel and see the difference. As Joseph Pilates himself said, "You will feel better in ten sessions, look better in twenty sessions, and have a completely new body in thirty sessions."
Who cares? Does it really matter if I go workout today? Does it really matter if I push away from the table? I’m a little overweight, sure; but I still look good in black, and diabetes is a LONG way off. I may not have a 6-pack, but I’m healthy. Even if I DO workout, it will take 4 weeks before I see any difference, and 8 weeks before anyone else notices. Is one workout really going to make much difference?
The voices inside me all start shouting at once: I don’t feel like it. I don’t want to. Exercise is hard. It’s not normal. Isn’t there an app for that? Running only looks easy until you try it. I have work to do. I have Blogs to write. I have a social network to maintain, texts to answer, e-mails to reply to, websites to “like”, and people to follow on Twitter. Won’t the Internet undergo Spontaneous Massive Existence Failure without me? A new season of Battlestar Gallactica is starting, and I want to see if that chick from the Bachelor is going to be on Dancing with the Stars. Advertisers are counting on me, and TiVo just isn’t the same.
The thought that there must be something holding me back keeps holding me back; if I could just remember what it is. I don’t have a fancy watch to tell me how many miles I’ve put in. I don’t have stylish, color-coordinated clothes to sweat in. If I run, it won’t be fast, and my buns-of-steel might clang together like cymbals. Do they make dumbbells in my size?
I already did it once. I lost 100 lbs. Granted 30 of them have come back, but I did it...once upon a time. I ran a marathon. I took great pleasure in doing something everyone said was impossible. I put more miles on my running shoes than I did on my car. I ran faster than everyone on the couch. It is an accomplishment no one can ever take from me. I did it once.
Today the running pattern on my shoes indicates I spend too much time on the couch. Yesterday I said “tomorrow” and here it is. Exercise is just a giant question mark asking “will you suck it up, or suck it in today?” Will you participate in our own life? Will you make an excuse, or an effort? Normal is just another word for ordinary, and it will keep you from being extraordinary. Yes, dumbbells ARE heavy; that’s why they are called “weights”. There is no magic wand. It will take effort, that’s why it’s called a “workout” not an “easy-out”. No one will ever know how hard you work except you. We ARE what we repeatedly DO.
I only HAVE time when I TAKE time, and I always return with a feeling I couldn’t get from a fancy coffee, 2 flirty e-mails, and 3 stars on Angry Birds (and the Internet seems to do just fine without me). Sweat cleanses from the inside out. My friends at the gym are believers, dreamers, doers. There are plenty of people ready to tell me what I cannot do, but I never see those people at the gym (perhaps they dislike being interrupted by people actually DOING it) And no one at the gym has ever criticised the clothes I chose to sweat in.
Today, I chose to take the time; to take a chance. Today I chose to ask for help and guidance rather than permission. I chose to make progress rather than excuses ESPECIALLY if no one else knows, because when I ask myself “who cares if I exercise today?”, a fragile voice from the recesses of my soul timidly whispers, “I do...”
Monday - Friday
5:00am-10:00pm
Saturday - Sunday
7:00am-7:00pm
