Today I changed up my workout by doing back and hamstrings. I usually just include hamstrings with my leg day workout, but I really wanted to focus on hamstrings today. Females are naturally quad dominant, meaning that our bodies naturally lean toward are quadriceps being stronger than our hamstrings, which is why so many females suffer from ACL tears as opposed to males. Males also have a quad/hamstring strength imbalance as children, but as they get older this uneven strength in leg muscles begins to even itself out. With females, however, our bodies work the opposite way... As females go through puberty hamstring strength gets worse as quad strength increases, making the imbalance even worse with time. This is why it is really important when you go to the gym, to not forget about the exercises that are SPECIFICALLY geared towards increasing hamstring strength. With all that said, HERE is the workout I did today :)
Romanian Stiff Legged Deadlift
Torture times 5 using lying hamstring curl machine (Ok I made this one up myself, so try to hang with me as I attempt to explain my creative genius/ creative method of hamstring tortue)... Lay flat on your stomach like you normally would on the hamstring curl machine; complete 5 reps of curls at a full range of motion then without taking a break, curl so that your legs are pulled as close to your butt as possible and complete 5 reps in which the range of motion is from your butt to halfway down; after your last rep, lower your legs past the halfway point down to where your legs are almost at the fully extended resting position but not quite because WE AREN'T RESTING YET; from there do 5 reps in which the range of motion is from almost fully extended legs back up to the halfway mark; then do 5 reps with complete range of motion. DONE. now try to walk. and then do the whole thing 3 more times :)
Back Extensions
Lat Pulldown
Cable Kickbacks
Bent Over Barbell Rows
Single Leg Deadlift with dumbbells
Single Arm Dumbbell Rows
There ya have it! A workout guaranteed to make getting out of bed the next day be extremely painful :)
<3 Health and Happiness
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Fuel for Thought
Ok, so Gabe and I made some pretty delicious food earlier today and I just thought I would share (Actually, Gabe was so excited about his food that he told me I needed to put it in my blog :) haha). So here's what we made!
Here we have what Gabe created. A baked sweet potato ("baked" in the microwave) with cinnamon and a quarter cup of sugar free syrup (only 15 calories in 1/4 cup!)... And he also cooked some lean ground turkey meat with fresh salsa, some sautéed spnach, and Mrs. Dash chicken grilling seasoning. It might not look fancy, but it tasted awesome and is a good example of a balanced meal. Here's the numbers breakdown of this meal:
Here we have what Gabe created. A baked sweet potato ("baked" in the microwave) with cinnamon and a quarter cup of sugar free syrup (only 15 calories in 1/4 cup!)... And he also cooked some lean ground turkey meat with fresh salsa, some sautéed spnach, and Mrs. Dash chicken grilling seasoning. It might not look fancy, but it tasted awesome and is a good example of a balanced meal. Here's the numbers breakdown of this meal:
- a little under 600 calories
- 40 grams of protein
- 47 grams of carbs
- 18 grams of fat
And here is my protein pancake! I added a banana to it to get me some extra calories because I had an intense workout ahead of me... This may sound weird to some people, but I have a hard time meeting my calorie goal everyday and most of the time have to force feed myself or Gabe will remind me to eat more. Don't get me wrong, I love food, but eating is just not something that I think about a lot, and I tend to forget to eat lol. One of the things I have really been working hard on is making sure I eat about every 3 hours and get more protein. I aim to eat a gram of protein for every pound of body-weight, so about 150 grams a day for me.
Just mix together a banana (easier if you mash it first), 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup egg whites, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (any flavor will work!), and cinnamon to taste. After I cooked the pancake I put sugar free syrup on it. Numbers breakdown:
- 630 calories
- about 50 grams of protein
- 45 grams of carbs
- 0 grams of fat
Get in the kitchen and make your body some fuel! :)
<3 Health and Happiness
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
What Motivates You???
Motivation. It's just one word, but it carries a lot of weight to it and is fascinating to me because the word motivation means something completely different to every person. I feel like every single person has something that motivates them, whether they admit it or not. There is motivation behind every action we take. Some people had amazing motivation at a point in their life and maybe now that motivation has gotten buried beneath other things, but it's never to late to find that motivation, put it on the front of your mind, and let it lead you through the day. Our motivations may change and evolve over time, but they are always there. I know a lot about motivation, losing it, rebuilding it, questioning it, and being confused by it. When I was about nine years old, I decided that no matter how long it took, I was going to be in the Olympics for Taekwondo one day. I carried that motivation with me everyday. Sometimes it got muddled and faded a little into the background, but it was always there. When I kept training through vomit, tears, and snot bubbles that motivation was there. When I would wake up at 4am during high school to go kick by myself before school started, that motivation was there. When I made national team and won silver at Junior World Championships in Turkey and bronze at the Pan Am Games in Puerto Rico, that motivation was definitely there. Even this past December when I got a concussion in a car accident, less than a month away from the most important step in getting to the 2012 Olympics... my motivation never faded. Although the 2012 Olympics is no longer in my future, it doesn't make me any less motivated to strive to be the absolute best at everything I aim to accomplish.
There are many things that motivate me every morning when I wake up. My amazing mom, who has always been my number one fan and supporter in all my endeavors, motivates me more than she knows. My dad, who has the will power and attitude for life that could throw even Ghandi for a loop, is so motivating to me, and still even 2 years in the running with stage 4 prostate cancer, looks like the picture of perfect health. He is a perfect example of what kind of attitude to have when life doesn't exactly go the way you planned, and reminds me all the time how important it is to just live for each moment. My brother inspires me everyday even though he may not know it, and so does my boyfriend, Gabe. He pushes me to be my best and challenges me in ways that no one else does. A lot of my motivation everyday comes from the people that are most important in my life, but also from within myself. I have a strong desire to make a difference to someone, to even just one person, and to do things that no one else has done before. From a young age I have never been one to settle for mediocrity or follow the crowd... I mean, when I was six I decided I wanted to start kicking girls in the face instead of doing ballet (although, I still made sure my mom put bright bows in my pig tails) haha. I stay humble, work hard, and throw everything I've got at whatever goal I'm striving to achieve. After all, no one can achieve something if they hold back and don't even try. I'm not afraid of failure because I know that with every failure, I will gain an opportunity to learn something and get closer to success the next time. I would rather try and fail a bunch of times, then just sit back in my comfort zone and never fail at anything because I'm too afraid to put myself on the line. I have a lot of goals that I am very passionate about, and I plan on making all of them a reality one day. 100%. No doubt about it. :)
There are many things that motivate me every morning when I wake up. My amazing mom, who has always been my number one fan and supporter in all my endeavors, motivates me more than she knows. My dad, who has the will power and attitude for life that could throw even Ghandi for a loop, is so motivating to me, and still even 2 years in the running with stage 4 prostate cancer, looks like the picture of perfect health. He is a perfect example of what kind of attitude to have when life doesn't exactly go the way you planned, and reminds me all the time how important it is to just live for each moment. My brother inspires me everyday even though he may not know it, and so does my boyfriend, Gabe. He pushes me to be my best and challenges me in ways that no one else does. A lot of my motivation everyday comes from the people that are most important in my life, but also from within myself. I have a strong desire to make a difference to someone, to even just one person, and to do things that no one else has done before. From a young age I have never been one to settle for mediocrity or follow the crowd... I mean, when I was six I decided I wanted to start kicking girls in the face instead of doing ballet (although, I still made sure my mom put bright bows in my pig tails) haha. I stay humble, work hard, and throw everything I've got at whatever goal I'm striving to achieve. After all, no one can achieve something if they hold back and don't even try. I'm not afraid of failure because I know that with every failure, I will gain an opportunity to learn something and get closer to success the next time. I would rather try and fail a bunch of times, then just sit back in my comfort zone and never fail at anything because I'm too afraid to put myself on the line. I have a lot of goals that I am very passionate about, and I plan on making all of them a reality one day. 100%. No doubt about it. :)
TueSDay stands for Total Shoulder Destruction
Here's what my shoulder workout looked like today. I used a combination of isolated and compound exercises.
Seated Shoulder Press... (4 sets)
Incline DB Front Raises... (3 sets)
Standing DB Lateral Raises... (3 sets... hold your arms straight out to your side on the last rep of each set for as long as you can)
Standing BB Rocky Press... (3 sets... using a barbell, alternate bringing the bar up and down to the back of your neck and then up and back over to the front)
Cable Lateral Raises (3 sets)
Assisted Dips on the Parallel Bars (50 reps... take as many breaks or sets as you need to, just reach 50!)
BTW if you want to taste the most amazing protein in the world, try Up Your Mass Fudge Brownie flavor! Best tasting protein I have ever had! Tastes like you are just eating brownie batter! Nom nom :) I'm a bit of a chocoholic, and if I can get it in protein form, it's a win-win situation! I ordered the protein from Bodybuilding.com last night around 8pm and it was on my doorstep by 11am this morning... talk about instant gratification!
<3 Health and Happiness
What's in YOUR shopping cart???
Some people consider going to the grocery store, a tedious chore that they prefer to put off until their fridge is completely bare. I, however, love going to the grocery store! I think of it as an adventure each time I go, excited to see all the good food and discover what new recipe will be inspired by my shopping trip. Unfortunately (and for reasons I cannot even begin to comprehend), buying wholesome, fresh, healthy food is pretty expensive... Don't get me started on how our society can justify an entire meal at McDonald's being cheaper than a pint of blueberries. However, if you budget your money correctly, stay organized, and shop smart, you can make affording healthy food possible. Next time, you are in a store and see a $50 shirt you think you just can't live without, think about all the amazing fuel you could power your body with by using that $50 at the grocery store! Takes some willpower if you are a shopaholic, but your body will thank you! Tonight I went to the grocery store, and here's what was in my cart:
- strawberries
- blueberries
- golden delicious apples
- bananas
- sweet potatoes
- celery
- spring mix salad
- provolone cheese slices
- la tortilla wraps
- plain multigrain rice cakes
- ezekiel bread
- steaks
- turkey bacon
- greek yogurt
- egg whites
- egg substitutes
- skim milk
- sugar free strawberry preserves
- fresh salsa
- kashi dark chocolate and coconut bars (for when that sweet tooth hits me)
- honey bunches of oats with almonds
- flax seed oil
Here's a tip to check how healthy your shopping is! For those who haven't heard this little self-gauging tip before, next time you go to the grocery store, pay attention to where you are in the store. You are most likely going to make healthier choices if you do most of your shopping along the outer edge of the store as opposed to the aisles in the middle. The aisles in the middle are where foods are displayed that do not require any refrigeration, which is mostly processed food; cookies, salty canned soups, candy, chips, cake mixes, etc. If you notice, fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy products, are all going to be found along the outer rim of the store.
<3 Health and Happiness
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday Madness!
Happy Monday! For many people, Monday is an unwelcome visitor and a signal to start counting down the days til it's the weekend again. But hey, when Monday comes it's never a surprise, right? You know that Monday will always come no matter how long you try to make the weekend last or how many times you wish on eyelashes and 11:11 and shooting stars that Mondays will be eradicated... So, do your mind a favor, throw the universe a curve ball, and look forward to Monday! Say bring it on Monday... I will RULE you! Chances are, if you have a kick-ass, "I'm unstoppable" mentality to start off the week, it will carry through the rest of the week, and it will be the weekend before you know it! Your brain is a pretty powerful thing... every thought you have is like a radio wave into the universe, and the signals you send out are the same signals you will get back, so why not send out some good signals?? Start your Monday with a bang and the rest of your week will follow suit.
I always like to make my Monday workout a little different and exciting, so I start my week off motivated and engaged in my workout. It makes me feel excited about my workouts for the rest of the week. Even just adding a new exercise to your routine, a new song to your playlist, changing the order of your routine, doing different variations of supersets or dropsets, or decreasing the waiting time between each set can shake things up and break up the monotony that people feel on Mondays (or any day for that matter!). Just little things can make me more motivated and excited to workout. For example, I just ordered a new flavor of protein powder (Up Your Mass Fudge Brownie), and I know that the day it gets here I am going to be so excited to go workout just so that I can have that new protein in my post-workout shake. My headphones also just broke so I ordered some new ones, and I cannot wait to workout with them!
For today's workout, I am going to be doing biceps and triceps and alternating sets involving weights with sets that just use my body weight to perform them. As soon as I finish my weighted exercise I will immediately begin a set of a body weight exercise (for those who do not know, performing one different exercise after another is called a superset).
Arms:
Alternating Seated Bicep Curls (3 sets with 15 push ups right after each set)
Skull Crushers (3 sets with 12 bench dips right after each set)
21's (3 sets with incline push ups right after each set)
Overhead Cable Extensions (3 sets with assisted parallel bar dips after each set)
[After these exercises, I will do abs. Although there are only 4 weighted exercises, my arms are definitely exhausted because they are supersets.]
Abs:
Hanging Leg Raises (3 sets of 15)
Rainbows (3 sets of 20) (Using a med ball and with your feet together and arms straight the whole time, slam the ball to one side of your body then catch it again (arms still straight), and quickly bring the ball over your head like a rainbow and slam the ball to the other side)
Plank on a bosu ball (3, 1 minute planks) (elbows on the flat side of the bosu ball and feet on the ground)
Cruches on a declined bench with barbell (3 sets of 15) (laying on a decline bench, hold the barbell straight over your head and try to reach straight up with the barbell as high as you can)
I always like to make my Monday workout a little different and exciting, so I start my week off motivated and engaged in my workout. It makes me feel excited about my workouts for the rest of the week. Even just adding a new exercise to your routine, a new song to your playlist, changing the order of your routine, doing different variations of supersets or dropsets, or decreasing the waiting time between each set can shake things up and break up the monotony that people feel on Mondays (or any day for that matter!). Just little things can make me more motivated and excited to workout. For example, I just ordered a new flavor of protein powder (Up Your Mass Fudge Brownie), and I know that the day it gets here I am going to be so excited to go workout just so that I can have that new protein in my post-workout shake. My headphones also just broke so I ordered some new ones, and I cannot wait to workout with them!
For today's workout, I am going to be doing biceps and triceps and alternating sets involving weights with sets that just use my body weight to perform them. As soon as I finish my weighted exercise I will immediately begin a set of a body weight exercise (for those who do not know, performing one different exercise after another is called a superset).
Arms:
Alternating Seated Bicep Curls (3 sets with 15 push ups right after each set)
Skull Crushers (3 sets with 12 bench dips right after each set)
21's (3 sets with incline push ups right after each set)
Overhead Cable Extensions (3 sets with assisted parallel bar dips after each set)
[After these exercises, I will do abs. Although there are only 4 weighted exercises, my arms are definitely exhausted because they are supersets.]
Abs:
Hanging Leg Raises (3 sets of 15)
Rainbows (3 sets of 20) (Using a med ball and with your feet together and arms straight the whole time, slam the ball to one side of your body then catch it again (arms still straight), and quickly bring the ball over your head like a rainbow and slam the ball to the other side)
Plank on a bosu ball (3, 1 minute planks) (elbows on the flat side of the bosu ball and feet on the ground)
Cruches on a declined bench with barbell (3 sets of 15) (laying on a decline bench, hold the barbell straight over your head and try to reach straight up with the barbell as high as you can)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Buns and Thighs!
It's leg day, people! Lift heavy, get a good pump, and never allow yourself to do less than you are capable of. Your mind is so important during every second of your workout; never let your mind leave the gym to start thinking about other things. Our legs are huge muscles, and take a lot of energy to exercise, so let your mind work WITH your body as much as possible.
Enjoy your workout! I hope you won't be able to walk afterwards :)
<3 Health and Happiness
- Leg Press Machine- feet together, 5 partial reps after your reps at a full range of motion at the end of every set
- Wide leg barbell squats super-setted with Jump Squats
- Smith Machine Lunges
- Hip Ad/Abductor Machine- at the end of every set hold for 30 seconds then do 5 partial reps
- Weighted Bench Step-Ups
- Lying Hamstring Curls
Enjoy your workout! I hope you won't be able to walk afterwards :)
<3 Health and Happiness
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Pump Up The Volume!
My music is an absolute necessity when it comes time to hit the gym. I gotta have music blasting in my ears that is fast and upbeat, with a tempo as hyper as my energizer bunny personality. When I have the right song playing, I fill unstoppable in the gym, like there is no wait I can't handle. Here are a few songs that are on my workout playlist... you can click on the song to hear it :)
These are just a few of the songs on my workout playlist, but they are my favorites! Benny Banassi, Calvin Harris, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Kaskade, and Skrillex are all people you can't go wrong with when you wanna get that extra pump in your workout!
<3 Health and Happiness
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Turn It Up Tuesday!
Happy first day of summer! :) I decided to celebrate the official arrival of summer with an early morning scoop of SuperPump Max and an intense 25 minute run through the streets with music blasting in my ears. After finishing my run, I fueled up my body with a cup of egg whites with Mrs. Dash seasoning, Oatmeal with some cinnamon added, an orange, and a big glass of milk. Like the old saying goes, breakfast honestly is the most important meal of the day. Unfortunately, I am not much of a breakfast person, but I know that if I want to build muscle and feel great throughout the day I have to force myself to eat a big breakfast. It is difficult for me to eat a lot in the morning, but on the days where I don't have a big breakfast I can definitely notice a difference in myself; without a big breakfast I find myself more tired during the day and I get much hungrier and just don't feel like my normal bubbly, high energy self. So do yourself a favor and fuel that body as much as you can when you wake up! :)
Later today I am going to lift and my workout is going to be somewhat of a total upper body circuit. I like to alternate doing days of isolated muscle group workouts (i.e. shoulder workout one day and back the next, etc.) with days of multiple muscle group workouts because it keeps my body guessing and keeps my mind interested and engaged. Also, for me personally, my upper body is what I have the most difficulty building up and toning, and I found that my muscles are responding better by keeping my workout routines new and by doing fewer reps with heavier weights. Every person's muscles are going to respond differently to workout routines. What works really well for one person may not be the best option for another. The only way to really find out is by trial and error. It takes time to figure out, but if you love fitness like I do, then figuring out what works best for you will be a fun experience as you learn more about your body and how you can manipulate and change the way it looks. That is what keeps me so intrigued with lifting weights: I am in complete control of how my body looks and I can change the shape of muscles exactly the way I want with time and effort.
Here is how my workout is gonna go today:
Triceps: Skull Crushers
Biceps: 21's
Shoulders: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Back: Romanian Deadlift
----- After Romanian Deadlift I will do 15 minutes of HIIT cardio. I like to split up my workout with cardio in the middle sometimes because my upper body, particularly my arms, are my weak points. By giving them a quick rest and doing cardio, I can finish the second half of my workout with the same intensity and heavy weights as in the first half of my workout. I am also giong to finish my workout with a super set for each body part I am working. A superset is when upon completing one set of an exercise, you immediately begin a set of another exercise. Again, this is just what works for my body, so it may not work for you.-------
Triceps: Bench Dips super-setted with Cable Overhead Extensions
Biceps: Hammer Curls super-setted with Overhead Cable Curl (I will do one arm at a time)
Shoulders: DB Incline Shoulder Raise super-setted with DB Lateral Raise
Back: Lat Pulldown super-setted with Back Extensions
And there you have it! Make every workout count. Your mind is just as important in a workout as your body. If your mind is not 100% focused and engaged, then you will just be going through the motions of your workout and not getting anything out of your workout. Stay enthusiastic and stay engaged! If you find it hard to get pumped up about your workout, switch things up: change your routine, add new music to your workout playlist, change the time of day you workout, or go to the gym with someone you haven't gone with before.
<3 Health and Happiness
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Back and Shoulders
Today I am doing a shoulder and back workout. In my workout I alternate a shoulder exercise with a back exercise. If you click on the name of the exercise I have listed, you will be linked to bodybuilding.com where you can get a full video explanation of the exercise, what kind of equipment to use, and what specific muscle group the exercise targets. Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone on your last set! Even if you can only get two or three reps, going up in weight is what is going to help you get stronger, build muscle, and torch that fat! If you are comfortable during your workout, then you aren't using your full potential! Going to the gym with a friend is a great way to make sure that you always push your limits.... they can spot you so you won't be afraid to lift heavier, and motivate you to do more than you think you are capable of. Happy lifting! :)
Back and Shoulders Workout:
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Seated Dumbbell Press
Barbell T-Bar Row
Front Incline Dumbbell Raise
Back Extensions
Bent Over Cable Lateral Raise
One Arm Dumbbell Rows
At the end of my lifting workout I will do 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training. Many cardio machines offer preset interval programs you can choose from or you can control the intensity yourself. Doing cardio after you lift weights is going to increase the amount of time that your body continues to burn after working, which is always a good thing!
<3 Health and Happiness
Back and Shoulders Workout:
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Seated Dumbbell Press
Barbell T-Bar Row
Front Incline Dumbbell Raise
Back Extensions
Bent Over Cable Lateral Raise
One Arm Dumbbell Rows
At the end of my lifting workout I will do 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training. Many cardio machines offer preset interval programs you can choose from or you can control the intensity yourself. Doing cardio after you lift weights is going to increase the amount of time that your body continues to burn after working, which is always a good thing!
<3 Health and Happiness
Eggs Really Are Incredible!
Before working out I like to eat something that is going to fuel my body for an intense workout. I usually eat about an hour and a half before I hit the weights. Today, I made one of my favorite things to make... an omelette! Eggs are amazing and power-packed with protein. I buy egg whites or egg beaters from the grocery store, so that I can get all the protein that eggs have to offer without the cholesterol. An omelette is a quick and easy way to make something that is filling, healthy, and full of fuel for your body! And... you can put just about anything into an omelette to make it taste exactly the way you want! :)
I put some corn, roasted red peppers, spinach, and Mrs. Dash seasonings together on a medium heat and let them cook together for a few minutes before adding the egg beaters. I like to use Mrs. Dash seasoning in almost every dish I cook because they taste amazing and are salt free. My favorite seasonings that Mrs. Dash offers are Garlic and Herb, Extra Spicy, and the Original.
Next, I pour in the egg beaters. Let the eggs cook until you can lift up the sides and tilt the pan without the eggs running. Flip the omelette once you feel that the consistency is at a point where you can flip it without tearing.
Once I flip my omelette, I added some mozzarella cheese to get some good fats in before I workout.
After the cheese melts a little bit, I fold the omelette in half, let it sit in the pan a little longer and it's done!
SOOOO TASTTYYYY :)
<3 Health and Happiness
I put some corn, roasted red peppers, spinach, and Mrs. Dash seasonings together on a medium heat and let them cook together for a few minutes before adding the egg beaters. I like to use Mrs. Dash seasoning in almost every dish I cook because they taste amazing and are salt free. My favorite seasonings that Mrs. Dash offers are Garlic and Herb, Extra Spicy, and the Original.
Next, I pour in the egg beaters. Let the eggs cook until you can lift up the sides and tilt the pan without the eggs running. Flip the omelette once you feel that the consistency is at a point where you can flip it without tearing.
Once I flip my omelette, I added some mozzarella cheese to get some good fats in before I workout.
After the cheese melts a little bit, I fold the omelette in half, let it sit in the pan a little longer and it's done!
SOOOO TASTTYYYY :)
<3 Health and Happiness
Monday, June 13, 2011
Back On My Blogging Grind.
Hello world of cyberspace! Ok so I know I have been pretty bad on blogging in the last month, but I'm back at it now! Once I got home for a few weeks I just wanted to enjoy being with my friends and family that I only get to see a handful of times throughout the year... O and I got my wisdom teeth out so there wasn't much activity in the nutrition and fitness department to report... A diet of jello, pudding, soup, and no working out didn't exactly give me much to work with in terms of blogging material haha...
Tonight, Gabe and I had some southwestern/tex-mex inspired dishes for dinner. We each made something different but with similar ingredients, and of course the common goal of making something that tastes good and makes our bodies feel good! Gabe made a really awesome wrap, that had so much going on in it, he could barely keep the contents of the wrap tucked neatly inside the quesadilla.
Gabe's Wrap:
Tonight, Gabe and I had some southwestern/tex-mex inspired dishes for dinner. We each made something different but with similar ingredients, and of course the common goal of making something that tastes good and makes our bodies feel good! Gabe made a really awesome wrap, that had so much going on in it, he could barely keep the contents of the wrap tucked neatly inside the quesadilla.
Gabe's Wrap:
- One tortilla (we use the La Tortilla brand... less carbs and calories and more dietary fiber)
- Some salsa
- Chopped Lettuce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Black Beans
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Uncle Ben's microwavable rice
- Mozzarella Cheese (any cheese you like will work)
- Grilled Chicken
- Fiesta Lime flavored Mrs. Dash Seasoning
...He first cooked the chicken (seasoned with the Mrs. Dash), then cooked the rice and mixed the black beans in with the rice... After that he put all the ingredients onto half of the tortilla and then folded the tortilla in half and placed it on the George Forman grill to press the quesadilla, melting the cheese and making the tortilla a little crispy. And there you have it! Easy and inexpensive to make and delicious to eat :)
My Mexican Pizza:
- One 8 inch Bobolli Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
- Salsa
- Cheese
- Spinach
- Garlic
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning
- Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning
...I just made a simple pizza with only a few ingredients, but of course you can be as creative as you want and put just about anything on a pizza! I topped the pizza with the salsa first then added some seasonings, the peppers, spinach, garlic, and topped it with cheese... then I just put it in the oven for about 8 minutes and it was perfect! :) Eating healthy is delicious!
Hope this will inspire some creative dishes of your own... I love experimenting with food and finding new ways to make great tasting foods that are also healthy. I read so many fitness websites, blogs, and magazines where bodybuilders and fitness models talk about what their daily diets are like. Most of them are all very similar and do not stray far from plain grilled chicken, oatmeal, eggwhites, and protein shakes. That's great if you are training or preparing for a specific event when you need to really be strict about your diet, but it is misleading to people who want to be healthy and fit, but still enjoy food. Eating is awesome! Don't be afraid to get in the kitchen, make a mess, and experiment with foods and combinations you have never tried before! :)
<3 Health and Happiness
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