Health Habits Defined

Check out this health habits blog, specifically this link to find a great resource for weight lifting/resistance training exercises. Doug has set up a 20 week workout schedule that includes videos for exercises and different plans depending on your goals. I am excited to look through what he has outlined and liven up my workout regimen, as it needs some variety!

Also, results from last weeks survey will be posted soon. If you haven't had a chance to complete the survey, you can find the link here.

Do you have Netflix?

If you do, there are lots of great "Sports and Fitness" workout videos that stream instantly to your computer, including pilates, yoga, abdominal workouts, and even martial arts and kickboxing workouts! These are perfect for those rainy days (like those we have been experiencing this week) when you don't feel up to running outside in the torrential downpour or making it to the gym.

This afternoon, I completed a pilates video and might do another one later tonight. It was a nice change up from the weight lifting and running that has identified as my workout lately.

Don't have Netflix? Exercisetv has tons of online workout videos  you can do in your basement (and unlike Netflix, you don't need a subscription). It takes a bit of time to dig through all the options to find something that works for you. But, for the chance to workout for free, without having to brave the elements, makes it totally worth it!

How do you like to workout?

My favorite place to workout is at the gym. Something about trying to run faster than the person next to me or learning new exercises from others fuels my motivation throughout my workout. I made up a quick survey about where and how others like to workout. It will only take 1 minute and as soon as I receive enough responses I will post the results!

Click here to take the survey.

Tilapia

Growing up, I was never one to order fish but more recently (maybe since I discovered the health benefits) I have begun to enjoy fish every now and then. Last night was one of those times. I made pan fried blackened Tilapia with a lime mayonnaise dressing and it was delicious.

Fish is a low fat  high protein food that provides us Omega-3 and Omega- 6 fatty acids, both of which our body cannot produce on its own, as well as a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Tilapia is a mild fish, lacking the fishy flavor that turns many off from enjoying fish.

We were in a hurry to eat yesterday and this dinner took 15 minutes to make, perfect for weeknight cooking. I started off rubbing blackening seasoning on Tilapia filets and then pan frying them in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, about 3-4 minutes per side on medium high heat.

Meanwhile, I mixed up a simple light sauce for the fish. Mayonnaise (at our house we use Veganaise, a vegan's substitute for mayonnaise that actually tastes quite good) lime juice, and fresh cilantro.

I also steamed some fresh green beans to serve with the fish. A small dollop of the mayonnaise sauce evened out the spicy Cajun flavor of the blackened seasoning and provided a well balanced healthy meal, fast!

Try making fish at your house some night this upcoming week!

Green Tea

It has been well researched that drinking green tea is beneficial for burning body fat, but you can get even better fat burning results from taking green-tea extract supplements. Green-tea extract (in the form of supplements) is easier to measure and regulate than drinking the tea itself. But if you are craving a hot beverage, opt for green tea instead of chai tea or coffee to reap the benefits of green tea.

Green tea is made using the leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are either steamed or dry cooked shortly after picking to minimize oxidation, which gives the tea the benefits it is credited with.

The active ingredient in green tea is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory, cholesterol reducing benefits that is responsible for boosting your metabolic rate!


Take 200 to 500 milligrams of green-tea extract (50% EGCG) three times per day or enjoy a cup of steaming green tea multiple times a day!

Check this out!

I follow a multitude of blogs covering a variety of my interests. One of them, This is Why You're Thin!, is a great resource for delicious recipes! The author of this blog commits to eating healthier and moving more. She has posted some great recipes from her own cookbook collections and contributions from favorite readers. I cannot wait to try out this summer meal!

Check it out for yourself!

Body Weight Leg Matrix

Over the past year I have been gradually incorporating more weight lifting into my workouts. I stuck to a regimen throughout the year and during this time I learned about a fat burning workout called a leg matrix. This is a great way to end a workout, leaving your body exhausted and legs burning! This matrix is easy to do at home because all you need is your own body weight. It is highly effective for both fat loss, and cardiovascular conditioning. Here is how the matrix works...

Perform all four exercises without resting between exercises.

24 squats; place your hands behind your head and squat until your knees make a 90 degree angle, return to starting position and repeat
24 squat jumps; squat, leap as high as you can and repeat, while maintaining good form
12 lunges (each leg); alternate your legs, moving slowly and fluidly
12 lunge jumps (each leg); lunge, leap as high as you can switching your leg positioning, landing in a new lunge position, and repeat

For all these exercises, ensure that your knees do not extend past your toes. Also keep your back straight and your core tight.

Rest after one circuit for twice as long as it took you to complete the circuit and repeat 2 or 3 times. Do this circuit 2 times a week at the end of your workout to add some variety and metabolism boosting exercises to your workout!

Hash browns for Dinner?

Who doesn't love breakfast food, especially hash browns? Last night I made something that closely resembled hash browns, but for dinner! It was called Vegetable Rosti with Tomato-Corn Relish and was delicious! Check out the recipe here from Vegetarian Times. This was simple (and exciting) to make. It was loaded with vegetables including zucchini and organic carrots making this the perfect wholesome meal!

I served watermelon with this dish and between the bright pink of the melon and the yellow and red of the relish, a bright summer meal was created!

Next time I am going to try making these with sweet potatoes for some added flavor and a different texture or top with sauteed mushrooms instead of the relish! Make sure you use fresh herbs to enhance the flavor of the vegetables and feel free to try out different combinations of vegetables! Happy healthy cooking!

Traverse City Bayshore Marathon Results

If you remember from last week's post, my mom ran the Traverse City Bayshore Marathon on Saturday. It was her first marathon and although she doesn't exactly enjoy running she has it in her head that she wants to complete an Ironman Triathlon. For her to work towards that goal she needed to see if she could even run the distance required for an Ironman and she did! She has been competing in triathlons for several years now along with my brother. He has competed in three Ironmen including the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii! Hello, excuse for a vacation!

Alright, back to my mom and her marathon on Saturday. She finished! I ran the last five miles with her while my brother rode his bike. She was tired and hurting when we joined her and we did everything imaginable to distract her, including singing songs, telling jokes, and reciting the story of the Little Engine that Could, to push her through those last miles. She crossed the finish line a bit behind her goal time of four hours and fifteen minutes. Her time was 4:22:33 and was fourth in her age group out of fifteen. (I say its not to shabby for an old lady...)  Check out the results here.

We made 'fun' signs to hold out to all the runners, hoping it would distract them for a few moments. We received a few priceless reactions. Some people had blank stares (maybe they were to tired to understand or read), while others couldn't stop laughing as they ran by. Either way, it was entertaining for us to hold them and cheer on the marathoners. Congrats to everyone who ran... or walked!

It was inspiring witnessing everyone crossing the finish line. I now want to run a marathon and would like to start training and hopefully compete next spring!