No excuses, Workout of the week, and CUCU for Coconut Shake!

What's up KRAVERS!

So I have to say HO HO HO! I hope you all had an amazing Xmas holiday and are ready to get back on track! No need to wait till 1/1/12... get ahead of your 2012 Health and Fitness goals! Danny and I played parents for a few hours over Xmas vacation (lol, just a few hours) and what did we do? Took them to a PARK and had fun! The kids LOVED jogging around the lake, then the second round every bench we passed (ended up being 12) we would do either push ups, step ups, jump ups, tricep dips, burpees, sit ups...and had a competition (kids love that!)! We had so much fun, burned some major calories, AND they were tired and LAYED down when we got home! Score! We were told we were the Best Soon to be Parents (some day in the future) ever! What is my point here? That there is NO excuse for health and fitness; especially, when you have a family! YOU are the role model! Kids LOVE to work out because they don't see it as "work" they see it as FUN and so should you! Have a NEW outlook on fitness!!!! Everyone can have an excuse: my body hurts, I'm tired, I have kids, I have laundry to do.... excuses are ALWAYS available for FREE if you want them, but remember those excuses are allowing you to be the way you are...whatever that way is!

Workout of the Week: Push/Pull Total Body:
Perform ALL exercises for 40 seconds, higher rep/lower (should complete between 15/18 reps of each exercise) weight for 2 sets

• High Row Machine superset with DB Stiff leg deadlift + shoulder press *finish with 15 Hop Ups (standing plank then jump up with feet in between arms in football stance, back to standing plank)
• Assisted Chin Ups superset with Single Leg Stand ups (sit on bench, one leg out straight, stand up with other leg, alternate *finish with 15 sets of 2 second Halo Mans (lay on butt, arms and legs out straight, pull up like making a star, release without letting arms/legs touch ground)
• Hammer Strength Shoulder Press superset with DB Stiff leg deadlift + Bicep Curl *finish with 30 hop overs (hands on bench, arms straight, jump side to side)
• Cable Glute Kicks superset with DB Bicep Curl + Shoulder Press *finish with 40 seconds of step ups
• Leg Press Kick Backs superset with DB Tricep Kickbacks *finish with 1 min jump rope

Cardio
Stair Master: Fat Burner program for 20 mins @ level 12

Pointer to NOT be sick!!!!

• Dr Oz: Vitamin D Fights Colds & Flu: Double your vitamin D intake- You would normally take 1000 mg per day, but double that to 2000 mg per day during dark, winter months. Increasing the dosage will help you defend against the common cold and flu

Protein Shake of the Week: Cucu for Coconut!

• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 cup of vanilla flavored almond milk (unsweetened)
• 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 banana
• ice cubes (4/5)

Blend together and ENJOY! Why coconut water?  PLEASE read this article:
http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/demo/article-320.html

ENJOY!!
~Jessica~

Egg Muffins and Healthy Snacks

Here is an awesome article from the Gym 365 with some additions from the coolest/sassiest trainer alive- AKA: ME! :)

**At every snack break, you have a choice to make. Will it be the leftover holiday candy, chips, and soda? Or will it be a nutritious and delicious portion of food to give you the energy, calories, and the goodness you need to make it through your day? Make the right decision and become leaner and healthier. If you continue to eat CRAP it becomes how you feel and look; truthfully, YES! So, get over yourself and wanting to have a natural high metabolism that comes from genetics and EAT right!! **

SNACK SMART!
Everyone loves a good snack. But what defines "good"?
If your stomach starts rumbling and lunch is still two hours away, you're going to need a snack to make it through the day. What you reach for at snack time can make a big difference in your energy level, weight, and overall health. Choose the wrong snack, and you'll feel dragged down and even more tired. Choose wisely, and you'll get the boost you need.

Before your next snack break, think twice about what you are about to eat and remember the following information when you're craving a snack!

Snacking for Energy
If you find yourself fighting sleepiness in the afternoon, what your body needs is a boost of energy. Snacks eaten midday should contain good fats and protein to give and sustain your energy level.

Here are a few good options when you need an energy-boosting snack.

• A small apple or sliced banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. The natural sugars in fruit take longer to metabolize than sugars found in candy, and the peanut butter provides the protein needed for long-lasting energy.
• A quarter cup of nuts and dried fruit. This slow-burning mixture provides protein, good fats (that's right - fats aren't always bad), and plenty of fiber, all wrapped up in a delicious package. Just be careful. Eating too many of these carbohydrates can cause low blood sugar and make you feel even sleepier.
• One tablespoon of hummus spread on four whole-grain crackers. Made from garbanzo beans, hummus is a great energy booster and is also full of fiber. And the whole-grain crackers are made with complex carbohydrates, which help fill you up without dragging you down.
• 1/2c of berries with 12 almonds & 1 scoop of protein powder (in a shaker w/water!)
• 4 whole grain crackers with a few slices of shaved deli turkey meat and 10 almonds
• one of the "home made" protein bars posted earlier!

The options are THERE; it is YOU and YOUR choices that will determine your diet!

Snacking for Weight Management
Many people eliminate snacks when attempting to lose weight. Unfortunately, this is counterproductive, as snacks keep you satisfied between meals. If dinnertime arrives and you're exceptionally hungry, it's easy to overeat. Eating several small snacks throughout the day will help keep your hunger in check. However, you should avoid eating snacks when you're bored, stressed, zoning out in front of the TV, or not paying attention to what you're eating while studying for your next exam.

The key is to choose snacks that fit with your daily calorie and nutrient needs. If your goal is to lose weight, choose low-calorie, nutrient-filled snacks. If you need to gain weight or if you are physically fit and need to replenish energy from a strenuous workout, go for higher calorie, nutritious snacks.

Low-carb snack ideas include vegetables, reduced-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, half of an avocado, and a few deli slices.

Snacks for Healthy Living
What you eat for snacks can help you meet recommended guidelines for the amount of fruits, vegetables, calcium, protein, and whole grains your body needs to stay healthy. Keeping a variety of yummy, ready-to-eat nutritious snacks available for you and your family is important. After all, when healthy food is easily accessible, you won't be tempted to stop at the vending machine or the nearest fast food chain.

In addition to choosing the right foods, include plenty of variety. If you eat too many carbohydrates for breakfast, snack on some protein. If you're eating a steak for dinner, munch on some sliced fruit for an afternoon fill up.

Snacks full of goodness for your body include egg salad for protein, a cheese stick for extra calcium, baby carrots for a serving of veggies, canned tuna, or a handful of almonds.


EASY MADE MUFFINS!
Here is the perfect snack to enjoy guilt-free. Each muffin is packed with protein that will fuel your day and support muscle growth. Make a bunch of these and save them in the fridge for snacks-on-the-go.
Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…

• 12 omega-3, organic, free range eggs (6 full eggs, 6 whites only)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup of organic shredded cheese
• 6 Boca veggie sausage links (or you can do turkey sausage)
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• (by preference only: you can additionally add RINSED black beans, chopped onions, chopped jalepenos)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease lightly.
3. Mix up the eggs, add bell pepper, cheese and seasonings. Fill 6 muffin tins.
4. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the egg is fully set.

Each muffin gives you 20 grams of protein!

ENJOY!
~Jessica~

Salba Fudge Nut Brownies

So, thanks to Kevin, he has once again enlightened me and made me speechless; it's rare!

Salba? What the heck is this, right?? Please read this AWESOME fabulous news on SALBA and ADD to your diet!!!! Here is a reciepe I took from the site and replaced some of the ingredients! Make for the Holidays!

Salba Fudge Nut Brownies

1 lb semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 1/4 cup all almond flour

1 cup organic applesauce (no added sugar)  

4 medium eggs (farm raised, organic, if possible)

1 cup hazelnuts

5 Tbsp Salba Ground Seeds

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup Organic Honey/Agave Nectar

2 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and applesauce.

Add organic honey, salba and salt, and stir until dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes.

Stir in beaten eggs, vanilla extract, flour and nuts.

Pour into a greased, 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted near the corners comes out with moist crumbs.

Let stand 15-20 minutes to cool.

ENJOY!!  

~Jessica~

Workout of the Week & Homemade Protein Bars!!

Workout of the Week: Back & Biceps

All coupled exercises are performed as a super set; perform one then the other, all for:

4 sets of 10 reps (key is to use a heavier weight, your last couple reps should be VERY difficult)!

1. Pull Ups (non assisted: hold yourself for 2 secs, drop, kick foot up on pad to bring yourself back up; repeat)

1. Barbell Curls

**1 min on Stair Master: Level 14**

2. Chin Ups (non assisted: hold yourself for 2 secs, drop, kick foot up on pad to bring yourself back up; repeat)

2. DB Hammer Curls

**1 min on Stair Master: Level 16**

3. High Row Machine

3. DB Figure 8 curls

**1 min on Stair Master: Level 18**

4. Low Back Extension (holding either a 10 or 25lb plate)

4. Cable Bar Curl

**1 min on Stair Master: Level 20**

CARDIO: 40 mins

Treadmill: 20 mins (Incline @ 12)

1 min @ 3.0/ 1 min @5.0/ 1 min @ 5.5/ 1 min @ 7.0 (repeat 5 times)

Treadmill: 20 mins

Jog on incline of 5, speed around 5.0/5.5 (keep it fat burning NOT high intensity)

 ***********************************************************

Save MONEY this holiday season and make your OWN protein bars! J

Ingredients:

2 Cups or 1 (16 oz.) jar - Organic Peanut Butter (love KREMA or Parkers!)

1 ¾ Cups- Organic Honey/Agave Nectar

2 Cups- Chocolate Protein Powder

1/4 Cup- Milled Flaxseed

3 Cups- Uncooked Dry Oatmeal

** Optional: add dried fruits, nuts and/or seeds

*In a microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter and honey, heat in microwave for 70-90 seconds, until it easily stirs.  Add protein powder and oatmeal and mix thoroughly. It will be thick. Press into a 9 by 16 inch pan.  Refrigerate 1 hour, or until solid enough to cut into bars.   Wrap each bar in foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.  You can also take 1 serving and cut it up into protein bar bites and put them in the snack size baggies that you can use throughout the day for a healthy snack.

ENJOY!
~Jessica~

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Grilled Chicken

There was a bitchin' kitchen at our household last night....and here it is to share with you! Now PLEASE step out of your comfort zone people and make THIS! I don't take the time to share to see myself write...I do it to help SPARK your diet! This is great stuff people. I have commited to trying to make something new once a week- minimum!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of oil (I used walnut oil)
• 2 cups of butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes (cub sold mine like this, bonus!)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 sage leaves
• salt and pepper to taste (I used sea salt)
• 1 package of frozen cheese ravioli (I used the organic whole wheat 4 cheese ravioli, protein plus!)
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup whole creamery shredded parmesan cheese
• 4 chicken breasts (season with whatever floats your boat, I chose Cajun Powder, garlic spicy!)

Preheat Oven to 400. Toss squash, onion, and 2 chopped sage leaves in oil salt and pepper in a bowl. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for about 20 minutes, turning once or twice, until tender. Once cooed, keep in warm oven. Turn on the broiler on low and cook your chicken. Once finished, keep in broiler to stay warm. Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Once cooked, remove and drain. Reduce heat to low, add broth and bring to a simmer. Add drained pasta and butternut squash/onion mixture. Let sit for about 3-4 minutes. Serve the chicken on the side of the pasta, sprinkle pasta with shredded parmesan cheese and ENJOY!!!!

~Jessica~

Workout of the Week- Hits the Glutes, Quads, and Hamstrings in a SERIOUS way!!

Leg Workout

(Approximately 60 mins)

Thanks to Bodybuilding.com AND a few of my own favorites; ENJOY!

*Advice: for the Circuit portion, I would gather materials needed and hang out by the Hack Squat machine*

Straight Set Workout- Perform these moves in a traditional three-set format, resting 60-90 seconds between each set. Complete ALL sets for ONE exercise moving on to the next

• Single Leg Smith Machine Box Squats (one leg on a step, other leg dangling, squat down, when you squat back on the leg on the step the other leg goes out straight!)                                                                                                                                                                                     (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Wide Stance (like Sumo) Leg Press                                                                                                                           (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Leg Press Kickbacks (laying stomach down on leg press machine, kick back!)                          (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Unilateral Stiff-Leg Deadlift (holding 25lb DB in one hand)                                                                    (3 sets of 20 reps per leg)
• Single Leg Stability Ball Glute Cable Kickbacks                                                                                                (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Leg Extension- Single leg                                                                                                                                                   (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Leg Curl- Single leg                                                                                                                                                             (3 sets of 18/15/15 reps)
• Calf Raises- Toes Forward/Inward/Outward                                                                                                    (3 sets of 15 each way)

Circuit Workout- perform one set of each exercise followed by one set of the next exercise until you have completed all exercises…do this circuit 3 times, 30 seconds rest in between!

• Lateral Step Up holding 10lb DBs                                                                                                                            (Per leg 25/20/18 reps)
• Split Squat (back leg on bench) holding 10lb DBs                                                                                           (Per leg 25/20/18 reps)
• Side Band Walking                                                                                                                                                             (Per leg 30/25/20) 
• MB Hip Thrusts                                                                                                                                                                       (30 reps)
• Squat Jumps on Hack Squat (25lb plate on each side)                                                                                                                                                                                              (3 sets of 15 jumps)
• Wall squats with Stability Ball                                                                                                                              (25/20/18 reps)
• Walking Lunges- holding 10lb DBs                                                                                                                         (3 sets- 15 lunges down/15 lunges back)

12 Days of Xmas for Abs, Holiday Tips, Food and SO Much More!

Flat Abs for Xmas: Newsletter

*Received from Gym 365; figured you’d enjoy it! I do NOT share this stuff because I’m bored! I share it so you LEARN from it and DO what it takes!

You're wishing for washboard abs—so I've put together "The Twelve Days of Christmas –Washboard Abs Edition" just for you.

On the First Day...Give yourself the gift of Burpees.
Created in the 1930's by psychologist Royal H. Burpee, the burpee is an intense full body exercise that helps burn fat and tone muscles. A burpee is done in the following 5 steps: 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead.

On the Second Day...Give yourself the gift of Fiber.
Stocking up on fiber will do wonders for your abs. High fiber foods are nutrient dense and low in calories. Try these high fiber favorites: raspberries, pear (with skin), artichoke, peas, apples (with skin), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and carrots.

On the Third Day...Give yourself the gift of a Medicine Ball.
The first medicine balls were created in Persia over 3,000 years ago, made with sand filled bladders and used by wrestlers as part of their conditioning. Today you can get the same rippling abs by incorporating medicine balls into your exercise routine. Do a sit-up holding a medicine ball at your chest then throw it to a partner as you raise your chest toward your knees; or hold a medicine ball with arms straight up in the air as you do crunches.

On the Fourth Day...Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt.
Too much salt leads to water retention—and that spells disaster for your six pack. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker.

On the Fifth Day...Give yourself the gift of Oblique V-Sits.
Who really wants a muffin top? You don't, so incorporate Oblique V-Sits into your routine in 3 simple steps. 1) Lie on your side with legs straight and hands behind your head. 2) Raise your arms and legs simultaneously, while exhaling and squeezing your obliques. 3) Repeat on the other side.

On the Sixth Day...Give yourself the gift of Lean Protein.
Along with fiber, your meals should be packed with lean protein. This will help support muscle growth while controlling blood sugar – all important factors when it come to washboard abs.

On the Seventh Day...Give yourself the gift of Sprints.
The days of long slow cardio sessions are long gone. We now know that short intense bursts of cardio is the ideal way to melt fat. Run 60-90 second sprints in between resistance training sets to really kick your fat burning mechanism into high gear.

On the Eighth Day...Give yourself the gift of No Sugar.
Sure, sugar tastes good, but indulging in it causes your body to store layers of fat. Enjoy fresh fruit, rather than refined sugar. If you really want washboard abs, then say no to sugar.

On the Ninth Day...Give yourself the gift of Hanging Leg Raises.
This is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your abdominals. 1) Hang from pull-up bar with legs fully extended. 2) Exhale and drive your knees up toward your chest. 3) Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back down.

On the Tenth Day...Give yourself the gift of No Grain.
If you're serious about that six pack then put down the bread basket. Grains are full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates—the perfect combination for fattening you up. Learn to love grain-free meals that center around lean meats and vegetables.

On the Eleventh Day...Give yourself the gift of Mountain Climbers.
Here's another intense exercise that really targets your abs while also burning fat. 1) Get into push-up position. 2) Exhale as you alternately drive your knees in toward your chest, keeping your back flat.

On the Twelfth Day...Give yourself the gift of Washboard Abs.

TIPS for the Holidays!!

·         Never go to a party with an empty stomach. Fill up on a healthy meal before you ever leave home.

·         Don't skip your workouts, regardless of how busy you are. Make it a priority.

·         Indulge with control. Never participate in mindless munching.

·         Try to do your workout BEFORE you go to a party! Eat like usual AFTER and then go. You will have spiked your metabolism AND filled up on protein prior!

·         Watch how much alcohol you consume! Remember, it’s ALL empty calories!

·         Bring a HEALTHY treat to share with others! Substitute flour with Almond or Coconut flour! Substitute butter with applesauce!

Holiday Egg Nog Shake

2 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder

1 chobani vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon of honey

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

Cranberry Tuna Salad!

·         2 cans wild caught Albacore Tuna, packed in water

·         2 celery stalks, chopped

·         2 Tablespoons low fat mayonnaise

·         1/4 cup dried cranberries

·         1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1.    Drain and flake tuna in a medium bowl.

2.    Add all of the ingredients and mix until well combined.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 195 calories, 9.6g fat, 273mg sodium, 9 carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 17g protein.

 Enjoy!

~Jessica~