A Week of Workouts Part I- Leg Day

A lot of people have the motivation to sign up and go to the gym but what to do once you get there?? Unless you've had a few sessions with a personal trainer (which I highly recommend!) you can easily feel overwhelmed by all the machines- and what the heck to do with them!? Well- here's your resource to all things gym-scary. This week I will be posting my workouts each day and linking them to instructional videos describing how to do each exercise- SO NO EXCUSES! So get your butt into the gym and walk with confidence now that you know exactly what to do!
Today is leg day- which means holy moly suicide -mama is not going to be able to sit for 48 hours…
It's a killer because your leg muscles are the largest group of muscles you have- so when you work them your heart is racing to keep up with the oxygen demands that your body and muscles need to complete the workout. It's weight training but with a cardio twist- so your behind is burning major calories. 

You're going to be doing 4 sets of each exercise with 8-10 reps per set. Now since you are only doing 8-10 reps per set you need to push yourself and go heavy. Starting out just see where you are with different weights. When in doubt start light- if you can easily crank out 10 reps then it wasn't heavy enough so increase the weight for the next set. Soon enough you'll find out what's comfortable for you- and keep in mind if you are new to weight training the goal for the first few days is to just perfect your form-not go heavy. After you know exactly what you're doing- get heavy girl- push it so that by rep 4-5 you are breathing heavy, heart is racing, and you are feeling the searing burn in those muscles!
Remember- your legs are STRONG- you will be so surprised how heavy you can go!!

Leg Day

Squats- how-to video 
4 sets of 8-10
This video shows a few variations of squats- beginners should stick to just body weight squats, then gradually increase to using dumbbells in each hand, a squat bar is for more advanced lifters. With all squats your knees should never jut out past your toes- you should always be able to see your piggies when doing this exercise correctly.

Leg Press- how-to video 
4 sets of 8-10
beginners should just use this machine with no weights added. Once you get used to the unlocking and locking of the press you can gradually add weight. 

Leg Extensions- how-to video
4 sets of 8-10
Seated Leg Curls- how-to video
4 sets of 8-10
Hyper Extensions- how-to video 
4 sets of 8-10
Standing Leg Curls- With a Machine or  Without a Machine 
4 sets of 8-10

This is a typical workout for me. That being said, I do go to a gym for my workouts. If you aren't quite there yet with the gym membership you can still get amazing legs at home- check out this Hot Legs Workout by Fitness Magazine for easy, at home exercises that will give you a great pair of legs in no time! Bring on the shorty shorts!

Print and Take- here is your Leg Day guide to print out and take to the gym- you can track how many reps and what amount of weight you were able to perform for each exercise. This is a great way to track your progress over the next few weeks! 

A Week of Workouts

Over the next week I will be posting a workout each day to guide you in your journey to fitness. These workouts are the exact ones that I do on a daily basis with a few variations from time to time to keep it interesting. I have found that the best way for me to train is to do one body group each day. For example, one day is dedicated to chest, one day to arms, one day to legs, one to back, etc you get the idea. This way you are completely exhausting that muscle group. By this I mean it will hurt like a mofo to get out of bed in the morning- but you will like it because that means change for your body! Now- this is what works best for me but it may not be best for you or fit into your schedule...These workouts are just a guide to get you comfortable with working out and knowing the who, what, when of an exercise routine. 

Sometimes when time is tight I will do a quick "whole body workout"- this is good for that occasional day when you need to get in and get out but want to work everything- usually I will do this when I've skipped a few workouts and I want to get back into the swing of things. If you are someone who can only give 1, 2, or 3 days a week to exercise then a whole body may be better for you. Hey- whatever you can give is better than nothing at all! If you want to take an exercise from each routine here and make your own whole body workout mix then by all means! 

With each workout I will provide links to a demo video on how to do each exercise listed. First things first, you need to know what you are doing! I will also try to provide a link on how to complete a similar workout at home if you do not belong to a gym. There is NO reason that you cannot get awesome results at home!

The biggest excuse for not exercising that I hear is "I just don't know what to do"- well here it is in black and white. I hope it helps!

Disclaimer: Before initiating any new workout routine it is always best to seek the advice from your medial provider to ensure that you are healthy enough for exercise. Before trying any new exercise it is important to know what muscles you are using, how to safely perform the exercise, & how to safely use the equipment necessary. 

Reducing fear of birth in U.S. culture: Ina May Gaskin

Ina May Gaskin is the GURU…the head hancho...el supremo, or whatever other title you can think of. That is what this woman is to the profession of midwifery….I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago and she is awe inspiring- not just to midwives, but to women everywhere who want and demand a natural approach to labor and childbirth. In this video during a TEDx event she talks about why labor should not be feared in our society the way that it historically has been. My favorite part of this video is when she states.."we are the only species that doubts our ability to give birth"!!! If you are at all interested in learning about natural birth, how birth has evolved in the US, or how fear can impact labor- check this video out you won't be disappointed!

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

I don't know about you but when it's cold and snowy all I crave is a hearty soup. Traditionally, when you think of "healthy" soups you think of stock based soups vs yummy thick ones. That's because most thick soups rely on flour and fats to thicken them. However, this soup does not- it only uses butternut squash. Finally you can enjoy a thick and creamy soup without any guilt! This is probably the best soup I make. I mean I REALLY love it and make it religiously. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

                                                          Thai Butternut Soup

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)

2 ½ tsp red Curry paste

1 ½ tsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp brown sugar or brown sugar splenda

2 (12 oz) packages frozen butternut squash, pureed- (can also use 4 cups of fresh chopped butternut squash)

1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk

1 ½ tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp pepper

½ c chopped unsalted peanuts

¼ c cilantro leaves

Red pepper flakes to taste

Unsweetened coconut flakes to taste

Juice of 1 lime

1. Heat a large saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add curry paste, garlic, ginger and saute for 45 seconds, stirring constantly.

2.     2. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through pepper). Cover and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes (5-10 minutes longer if you are using fresh squash). 

3. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree everything. (If you do not have an immersion blender you can use a potato masher, or wait until the liquid cools and pour into a blender).

4. Pour into bowls and top with peanuts, cilantro, red pepper flakes, coconut flakes, and lime juice.

The original recipe included the following nutritional information. However I added a cup of chicken broth to thin out the recipe a bit, and eliminated added salt so your servings will significantly less sodium and calories per serving.

Calories 302, Fat 15/2g, Protein 9.5g, Carb 40.7, Fiber 4.9g, Chol 0, Iron 2.7mg, Sodium 591 mg, Calcium 81mg

Note: the easiest way I have found to mince garlic and ginger is over a handheld grater- much easier than dicing with a knife. Ginger keeps almost forever if you keep in in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Just use a vegetable peeler to peel off the skin for the section you plan to use.

Oven Fried Chicken Review

Day two of meals this week was a bust.. I made the Oven Fried Chicken recipe from Food Network and it turned out like CRAP..Well it wasn't a complete loss however, the original batch was not a huge success. BUT with a little doctoring I was able to save it and actually turn it into something useful. 

Negatives: I bought a pack of chicken drumsticks to make this recipe with and the meat just didn't have great flavor. Also, I am a chicken breast person. I'm not sure why I deviated on this recipe- I do NOT like to eat meat on a bone but I did for this recipe and bad idea for me...maybe it was a bad batch of chicken or maybe just bad luck…either way big disappointment when you are hungry and sooo looking forward to a tasty treat.... 

Positives: I will say that the marinade had big flavor and I think would be great for summertime grilling of fish, chicken, or shrimp. Also, the breading was yummy but just needed a little something extra...LIKE COCONUT....I had some shrimp in the refrigerator that needed to be used and when I had extra breading left over I decided to coat the shrimp with the mix plus about a half cup of coconut flakes- That turned out AMAZING..Best part of the meal by far. 

The Gist- add some coconut flakes and use shrimp or chicken breast. 

Here's how this hot mess went...

Ingredients
1 lemon
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus 2 whole sprigs
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken legs and thighs
2 slices whole wheat bread, (3-ounces)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Finely grate 1 teaspoon of zest from the lemon; set aside. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk, sugar, and cayenne until the sugar and cayenne are dissolved. Add the sprigs of rosemary and garlic. Pierce each chicken piece several times with a fork, add to the milk mixture, turning to coat well. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lay the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake, turning a few times, until the bread is crisp and dry, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely. Break into large pieces and pulse in the bowl of a food processor until it forms coarse crumbs.

3. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. In a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs with the corn meal, Parmesan (if using), chopped rosemary, reserved 1 teaspoon zest, and season with salt and pepper. 

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack. Coat the rack well with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Press into the bread crumb mixture until the chicken is well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken and crumbs. Mist the chicken with nonstick cooking spray.

5. Bake until the chicken is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F, about 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Copyright 2010 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Nutritional analysis per serving of chicken

Calories 328; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 3g, Mono Fat 3g, Poly Fat 2g) ; Protein 48g;

Carb 10 g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 186mg; Sodium 330mg

New Year's Resolutions

As the New Year begins fitness and weight loss is on every one's mind. It seems like at this time of year everyone is setting a new year's resolution to "lose 10 pounds" or "get skinny once and for all". While New Year's resolutions can be a great way to kick start a new routine, keep in mind that the resolutions that are successful long term are very specific, measurable, and REALISTIC. 

- For example, if you set a goal of losing weight by going on a juice cleanse this week or eating nothing but cabbage leaves for 4 days straight- you are setting yourself up for failure (and probably a great deal of time in the bathroom). BUT if your big picture goal is to lose 20 pounds then set small goals for each week. "I will lose 1 pound this week"- and keep it up! Be specific about what your short term goals are and stick with them day to day. It is so much easier to just think about making healthy choices for your next meal than to think about how you are going to avoid that snack machine for the next 4 months. 

Have a game plan of:
1- Don't be intimidated
         Yes, this is new, yes this is a change, yes this is outside of your comfort zone. BUT over time this will become your new normal. 
Do NOT be intimidated by a gym- it's a building with people- not unlike a Starbucks- get it out of your mind.
Do NOT be intimidated by the weights- start with something small and get comfortable with them. They are not owned by the meat head men. PLEASE get off the cardio machine and USE THEM!!!
Do NOT be intimidated by the people- No one is looking at you or judging you- they are most likely looking at themselves (they are either saying A- "oh god I hope no one is looking at me" or B- "oh look at me I'm so big and strong and fabulous") meat head men as mentioned above
 2- How are you going to achieve this goal?
           Maybe you are going to join a gym, buy a workout DVD, revamp your portions, incorporate more lean meats and vegetables, etc. Whatever your plan is- know exactly how to execute it. If you are joining a gym for example- how many times a week are you going to go? What exercises are you going to do? If you are going to change your eating habits - what recipes are you going to try? Which foods are lower in fat and sugar should you be eating? The point is- know exactly what you are going to do to achieve your goal. 
3- How are you going to measure your success?
           Weigh-ins every week? Rely on how your pants fit? How many healthy meals you chose over unhealthy ones?
4- What is realistic for me?
            Healthy weight loss that STAYS OFF is slow. It didn't arrive overnight- it took many unhealthy choices to add the pounds so it will also take many healthy choices to see the results that you are looking for. THAT IS NORMAL. Cut yourself a break- you are NOT going to wake up the day after joining a gym looking like Heidi Klum- Nope. But the difference between all the people that join a gym on Jan 1 and the people who are still there the following December is motivation and commitment. 
5- Which leads me to my last point- Commitment
         New Year's resolutions are notorious for never becoming reality- mostly due to a lack of perseverance to achieve them. If it was easy to make fitness and healthy eating a priority, everyone would do it. The difference between you and everyone else is that you are committed to a lifestyle change- not a short term weight loss. That means making healthy choices 80-90% of the time and adding some sort of exercise to your routine. Everyone has an excuse- I'm busy, I'm tired, I have no time, etc etc- those excuses are what weed out the weak- you are not one of them- you are strong, committed, and you are going to be successful!

Happy New Years to you and your new goals!

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

So tonight's dinner is Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos. A recipe I found in the "healthy eating" tab on the Food Netowrk site. I am a big fan of tacos- my favorites are chicken, fish, and shrimp but I wanted to change it up a bit so we are trying pork.

Now typically people will say that pork isn't a great option for healthy eating. That's not because pork itself is bad but rather, most pork recipes consist of fried pork chops, honey glazed hams, pork roll, etc..It's all in the preparation to keep your pork healthy. Avoid adding butters or oils, avoid processed pork like sausages/scrapple, and please oh please don't fry it!!

Your leanest cuts of pork are pork loins, chops, loin roasts, and Canadian bacon. In a direct comparison of meats- a serving of pork tenderloin has 120 calories/3g of fat vs. skinless chicken breast with 139 calories /3g of fat, and salmon with 175 calories/11g of fat. So don't be afraid of the pig! To see more comparisons and nutritional information on pork click here.

That being said we are making a pork shoulder- each serving of this recipe has 399 calories, and 15g of fat so I am sticking to one tortilla with a side salad and/or homemade coleslaw.

Click here for the link to the recipe on Food Network or see below....

Ingredients

• 3 whole ancho chiles
• 3 whole pasilla chiles
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 to 3 chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 3 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (untrimmed), cut into chunks
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
• Assorted taco toppings, for garnish

Directions

Put the ancho and pasilla chiles and the garlic in a bowl; add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Microwave on high until soft and pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Stem and seed the chiles; peel the garlic. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender.
Add the chipotles, onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt and the oregano to the blender; puree until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat; add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Pour in the broth and reduce until slightly thickened.
Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a large slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, then pour in the sauce. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours. (Or cook the meat in a large Dutch oven, covered, for 1 hour 45 minutes at 350 degrees; uncover and cook 30 more
minutes.)
Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Shred the pork with 2 forks; season with salt and pepper. Serve the shredded pork in the tortillas, along with toppings.
Per serving (does not include tortillas or garnishes): Calories: 399; Total Fat: 15 grams; Saturated Fat: 4 grams; Protein: 51 grams; Total carbohydrates: 14 grams; Sugar: 5 grams; Fiber: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 147 milligrams; Sodium: 212 milligrams

So here it goes- I put the pork shoulder in the crockpot and sectioned it into three smaller pieces so it would cook faster. I will say that I like crockpot recipes because they are easy..this one was a bit more labor intensive than I would typically like for a weeknight meal because you have to get out the blender and mix the first 9 ingredients- then put it in a saucepan and cook it down for a bit before adding it to the crockpot. BUT I will say that it DID have great flavor so it will definitely be made again- most likely on a weekend. PS- I really like the cinnamon flavor in this- YUM.

So after 4.5 hours it looked done so I pulled it out a shredded it in a bowl and added some juice to keep it moist over the next 24 hours.

Here is the final product: one whole wheat tortilla with the pork topped with lettuce, hot sauce, and pineapple.

This recipe made quite a bit for just Adam and I so I plan to freeze the remaining pork for another day when I don't feel like cooking.