10 Little Tricks to Avoid Vacation Weight Gain

1. Share your Meals. 

If you go out to dinner and receive a large portion share the 

meal so you wont be tempted to more than you need.

2. WALK EVERYWHERE.

Go sight seeing. 

Walk the beach.

 Explore your surroundings on foot. 

3. Bring Snacks.

If you go out for the day bring snacks you do not want to be 

starving and surrounded by vacation food. 

4. Plan for Fitness.

You have to plan time for your fitness routine to fit into your fun. 

You ABSOLUTELY do not need to spend all your time in a gym but don't let it go by the wayside either.

5. Avoid Buffets.

Your gonna go out and have dinner while on vacation. Heck I know I am. 

But do your self a favor and avoid places designed for over eating.

6. Visit a Grocery.

Not every meal has to be eatin out. Save yourself a few calories and probably a little money to and make a few nice meals on your own.

7. Alcohol.
If your over 21 chances are your gonna want to unwind with a few drinks.
Here's the thing though, those pretty little umbrella drinks have like a zillion calories. so either plan ahead for them or try drinking a lite beer or even wine as it's the best lower calorie option.

8. Breakfast.
 Breakfast is something that when done right fuels your body and can be so healthy, but often in restaurants breakfast items can have the most calories and sodium.
Take control and make your own.

9. Travel Exercise.
Weather its during a 90 min wait for your flight or 10 mins at a rest stop on the way.
Use your time wisely Stretch, run in place, do some yoga.
Whatever just move every little bit counts!

10. Get your Family Involved.
Go for a hike or a bike ride. Play a sport together. Be active.

Beach Body

Part of staying healthy on vacation is staying active.

I know I will be spending a good portion of  my Beach week 

laying in the sand getting sun.

That being said...

 I still need to put in a good effort on the work out front.

So how can I get the maximum burn for the least amount of time while

 also taking advantage of my beautiful surroundings?

The Five Following Exercises are specifically for the beach and may 

sound super easy but can be very intense.

1. Running/jogging in the soft sand is twice as hard as on concrete 

2.  In and outs are basically just running into the water waist deep

and running out. Sounds easy but the calorie burn is crazy.

3. Sand Lunges same as on land but a little more burn.

4. Planks are great on the beach 

5. Reverse crunches in the sand make it so much easier on your back

If the thought of exercise on vacation freaks you out you can always play in the sand with your family and friends. Just pick an activity and enjoy!

Road Trip

I am going on vacation next week with my Family.
We will be Driving the long 13 hours in takes to get from my
home town of Louisville Kentucky all the way to Ponce Inlet in Florida.

Now vacation normally spells the death of my get healthy efforts
but not this year.

No this year I am not only determined to stay healthy but I want to actually lose weight while still have a good time at the beach!

The first part of executing that is road trip snacking!!!!

Top Ten Healthy Road Trip Snacks.

1. String Cheese

2. Yogurt

3. Fresh Fruit

4. Baby Carrots

5. Proportioned Popcorn

6. Almonds or Mixed Nuts

7. Sun flower Seeds

8. Granola bars

9. Proportioned Baked Chips

10. Hummus and Bell pepper strips

Now for longer road trips you might also want to pack a
few healthy sandwiches or roll ups.

As for the drinks
 buy water bottles and a few different water enhancer's for the kids!

Motivation

Facing the scale 2

It's time for another round of facing the scale!

I am slowly making my way down.



Weight Loss Wednesday

I missed the boat on transformation Tuesday. 

So I am gonna do a Weight Loss Wednesday!

LEFTOVERS!

I love taking leftovers and making them a whole new dish.

Remember that yummy BBQ chicken? 

Well I had so much leftover I thought let's mix it up 

and make another yummy dinner.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

-Ingredients-

Leftover pulled chicken

Shredded Cheese (I used Parmesan)

Tortillas 

Optional  Veggie Toppings

 Jalapenos

Banana pepper rings

Tomato

Onion

-Directions-

1. Heat Skillet to medium heat and lay a tortilla in the center.

2. on half the tortilla lay your cheese, veggie topping and then the chicken,

3. Fold in half to Cover toppings

4. Brown on both sides and serve with a side of veggies!

Each Quesadilla is around 200 to 250 callories

BBQ Chicken

Something I really love is BBQ Chicken.

I could never give it up. So I looked around and found a really great 

way to have BBQ chicken and still be low calorie!

Pulled BBQ Chicken

-Ingredients-

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Bell Pepper

1 Onion

1/2 a cup of Water or Broth 

1/2 a cup of BBQ Sauce

(when choosing a BBQ sauce choose one with less than 80 calories a serving) 

-Directions-

1. Remove all excess fat from Chicken and place in center of crockpot.

2. Add 1/2 a cup of Water or Broth cover and let cook 4-5 hours on low.

3. With two forks shred the chicken.

4. Chop up your Bell Pepper and Onion and add to crockpot

5. Add BBQ sauce recover and cook on high for one more hour.

The best Part is that the whole pot is only 600 calories.

So each serving is around 100 to 150 calories :)

(That's without a Bun)

Make the switch

One of the best weight loss tools out their is Water.

It is free, zero calorie, and taste twice as good after a hard work out.

Replacing one 16oz soda a day with water not only saves you around 70 thousand calories a year but also a good 20lbs.

Still not convinced?

Here are 10 reason why you should Make the Switch

1. Water naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation to give it a glowing appearance.

2. Water helps maintain a healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and regulating appetite.

3. Water aids in digestion and prevents constipation. 

4. Water is so amazing for your kidneys.

5. Water leads to increased energy levels as the most common cause of afternoon fatigue is mild dehydration. 

6. Drinking large amounts of water can decrease the risk of certain types of cancers.

7. Water is the primary mode of transportation for all the nutrients in your body.

8. Water can prevent and alleviate headaches.

9. Water flushes out Toxins and bacteria in the body that can cause disease.

10. Drinking water can significantly reduce joint and back pain.

You don't have to never drink a coke again you just have to be smart, drink more water than sodas. 

(And no switching to diet is not enough but that is another post.)

My mom is a perfect example of having both.

 She primarily drinks water but she likes a soda at diner and I completely get it!

HIIT What is it and Why you should do it!

If your reason for not working out as much is lack of time then this post s for you.

What is the best way to burn the most fat in the least amount of time??? 

High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT! 

HIIT is a training technique in which you go all out in quick intense burst of exercise, followed by short periods of rest. Which gets and keeps your heart rate up allowing you to burn more fat in less time. 

10 Reasons You should add it to your weekly routine.

1. It will help you build a better Heart.

2. It requires no equipment.

3. Supports Fat loss not muscle loss.

4. You can do it Anywhere.

5. A HIIT workout only takes between 10 - 20 mins.

6. You burn more fat because you continue to burn fat long after the workout.

7. You burn more calories in 10 mins doing HIIT then 30 mins on a treadmill.

8. It will increase your metabolism.

9. You will never get bored.

10. It will always be a challenge.

Sample Work outs:

15 rounds - work 30 sec - rest 10 sec 

Run as fast as you can for 30 sec 

rest 10 sec

repeat 15 times

and that's your 10 minute work out

or for Something Harder

3 rounds - work 45 sec - rest 15 sec

Jumping Jacks for 45 sec

rest 15 sec

Push ups for 45 sec

rest 15 sec 

Squats for 45 sec

rest 15 sec 

Butt Kicks for 45 sec

rest 15 sec

Lunges for 45 sec

rest 15 sec

repeat 3 times

and that's a 20 minute work out

Baja Citrus Salmon

I used to get really intimidated when cooking fish.. no one wants to eat gross fish NO ONE! Have no fear because this is a super simple dish to make since its mostly crockpot!

So for this yummy recipe your gonna need 

2-6 salmon fillets

1 cup cut squash

1 cup cut onion

1 cup cut mushrooms

2 cups cut broccoli

2 cups cut green beans

1 cup brown rice or 1 instant package of brown rice

1 cup water or chicken broth

the Baja Citrus sauce 

1 packet of baja citrus marinade from McCormick 

2 table spoons water

2 table spoons oil

2 table spoons white vinegar

Let's do this!!!

1. Pour chicken broth or water into the crockpot making sure it covers the bottom.

2. Place your chopped veggies in the crockpot and place salmon on top.

3. Mix together the baja citrus sauce and Pour on top of the salmon and veggies.

3. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

4. Near the end of cooking time prepare your brown rice.

This Plate is only 395 Calories. 

Oh and pro tip the juice from the veggies is soo good over the rice!

DIY Weights

Here are some really easy ways to make weights at home!

 They work just as good as anything you find in a gym or buy in a store.

I found these awesome Ideas on Wiki how....

Me being me I found a way to make it even cheaper by using Kitty Litter. 

You may think its odd but it works great and can smell pretty good as well!

My Favorite thing about all of these is that you can add and remove weight as needed. It doesn't hurt that they are also dirt cheap.

Fill Gallon Sized jugs With any of the above for heavy hand weights!

For Lighter dumbbells you can use the 32oz water bottles. 

For wrist and ankle weights used different length socks filled with Dry beans, Pebbles or Kitty Litter. Use duck tap to close the open end.

If you want to make a sand bag fill freezer bags with sand, kitty litter, dry beans, or pebbles and fill a gym bag to your desired weight.

*If you use a back pack and go walking with it you will sweat like crazy

and old purses make great kettle bells lol!!!*

Take an old basketball put a hole big enough to fit a small funnel in the middle seam.

Fill the basketball with sand, pebbles, or kitty litter.

Use duck tape to seal.

Now you have your very own Medicine Ball!

Who needs Dumbbells?

It is no secret that with a single income family I like to spend as little money as possible and one way to do that is to train at home vs a gym. 

Now by not going to the gym I am left with no equipment.

Which isn't a problem for cardio

 but for strength training it can be a pain.

What's a broke mom to do??? 

Get creative that's what!!!

This is a list of Amazing strength exercises 

that use your own body weight as the ultimate piece of gym equipment!

Crunches

Chair dips

Push-ups

Wall presses
Planks

Jump Squats
Wall Push-ups

Standing Leg Lifts

Full body weight Squats

Lunges

Standing Calf Raises

Laying Side Leg Lifts

Reverse Crunches

Vertical leg Crunches

Back Extensions

Bird Dogs

Spidermans

Split Leg back Extensions

Roll-ups

Burpees

Step-ups

You don't have to do them all just pick 5 or 6 and do a few reps of each. Once you get comfy add more reps and increase speed.

For those of you that still want to work with weights but don't have the money to go buy them, Tomorrows post is all about how to Make weights at home.  You can even adjust the weight on them yourself as you get stronger!!

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Shredded Chicken Tacos

- Ingredients -

2 small  boneless skinless chicken breast or one large

1 pack of Tortillas/Shells/Lettuce cups

1 Package of taco seasoning

3/4s cup of chicken broth

Optional toppings:

Green pepper

Tomato

Onion

Shredded cheese

Taco sauce

- Directions -

1. Remove excess fat from the chicken. 

Place chicken in boiling water. 

Let boil for 15 - 20 mins. 

2. Remove chicken from pan and let cool for a few mins. 

Place chicken on cutting broad and shred with a fork.

3. Place shredded chicken in a skillet over medium heat. 

Add chicken broth and taco seasoning. 

Let cook for 10 mins stirring occasionally.

4. Fill your tortilla with chicken and toppings!!!

^^^ one taco like this has 185 calories ^^^

Nutrition MYTHS

Top Ten Nutrition Myths

1. Myth - Frozen Produce has Less nutrients than Fresh Produce.

Fact - That is only true is you live on a farm! Produce loses nutritional value everyday after it reaches it's peak. So by the time it has been picked, shipped, stored, bought and placed in our crisper it actually has less then the produce flash frozen in its peak.

2. Myth - Eating late at night will cause you to gain weight!

Fact - Calories are calories no matter what time they are consumed. There is no magical time that calories become more likely to be stored as fat. As long as your not blowing your calorie budget it go for it.

3. Myth - If you are craving it your body needs something from it.

Fact - If that were true then their would be a lot more people craving carrot sticks than chocolate bars. You get cravings for all sorts of reason but actually needing what your craving is a big myth with lots of studies. The bottom line is you have to cut them off  before they attack. Keep safe snacks around for when the cravings come. 

4. Myth - Wheat is better than White.

Fact - Not true at all. Most wheat bread is every bit as bad as the white. You have to read the label. The first ingredient should always be 100% whole wheat. Run from anything that says Enriched wheat flour.

5. Myth - You need eight glasses of water a day.

Fact - While I will always tell you to drink water over anything else because of all the amazing benefits you do not need to actually count your cups. As it turns out All beverages and even food contribute to our fluid intake needs. Let thirst be your guide and always stay hydrated when working out.

6. Myth - Carbs are BAD

Fact - Carbs in and of themselves are not bad and can actually be quite helpful when proving energy. It is only when consumed in excess that they become a problem. 

7. Myth - High Fructose Corn Syrup is Far worse than Table Sugar.

Fact - HFCS and table sugar are very similar from a health prospective. Though HFCS may sometimes contain more fructose the difference is negligible.

8. Myth - Protein is bad for bones and kidneys.

Fact - Protein even in high amounts isn't harmful to your bones or kidneys unless you suffer from a preexisting condition. We actually need protein to build and recover our mussels.

9. Myth - Egg yolks are bad for you.

Fact - eggs are a great source of protein fats and other need nutrients. Their association with bad cholesterol has been severely over blown.

10.  Myth - Supplements are superior to Food.

Fact - Supplements have their use. You can benefit from specific vitamins or minerals, and protein powder can make it easier to increase your daily protein intake. But supplements should complete a healthy diet not replace it.

Keepin Track

If you don't have a fitbit and would love an easy and efficient way to keep track of calories, workouts and weight loss progress then this post is for you.

Here are My top 5 Weight loss and fitness apps.

1. MyFitnessPal -

  Myfitnesspal is owned by under armor and is packed with great content. 

With this app you can easily keep track of all your meals and workouts. 

It provides you with motivation, food knowledge and fitness tips.

My favorite part of course is that it is free!!!!!!

 They offer a premium service at $49.99 a year but I have never found need for it.

2. Lose it -

Lose it though a bit simpler has almost all the same features as myfitnesspal. 

It has a nice clean interface and I love the reminders to move or log info.

Lose it is also a free app with a choice of a premium service offered at $39.99 a year.

Though it doesn't have as much free content offered as Myfitnesspal it is still a really solid app.

3. Noom

Noom has by far coolest app layout and they know their stuff to.

 The Noom app turns your entire phone into a health coach and even offers programs created by doctors and personalized to you. 

The goal of Noom is to help you make new health habits. 

Ready for the catch... 

it is free to download of course and some features are usable but for the most part you have to buy their premium service which runs at $10.99 a month. 

4. Endomondo

This app is one of the first fitness apps. It also happens to be my favorite. 

It tracks all your outdoor workouts from basketball to swimming. It logs details like speed, calorie burn, distance and steps. My favorite part is the feed back on when to up the intensity. This app is free but is only for workouts and not food logging.

5. MapMyWalk

MapMyWalk is very simple easy to use pedometer app with some really cool features.

It uses GPS and input from you to map out paths. Once you set out for your walk it will track speed, distance, and steps. The best part is it provides challenges for you to take on. It also happens to link up with MyFitnessPal since they are made by the same company.

Keep Strollin strollin strollin

Something I really love to do Is go for walks with my son in his stroller. 

He gets to explore the world and I get a work out.

BUT...

After a while of walking the same neighborhood not only did my body get used to the workout but I got bored with it. 

I reached out to my fitbit community asking about a more challenging workout. I needed something that would push me and allow me to still use the stroller because he loves it so much. 

The feedback was all the same join a stroller class.

I looked into it and my final decision was NOOO. 

It cost way to much money for something I could do at home, at my own pace and far more often then just once a week. 

 I wanted to share the awesome stroller circuit I do in case anyone else is struggling with the same issues.

This combines Strength and cardio and all you need is a stroller.

Start with a 1/2 mile walk to warm up your legs and core.

20 Lunges

20 Calf raises

20 Side leg raises

20 Squats

rest

20 Walking Lunges

 20 Reverse Leg Lifts
20 High Knees
3- 30 second planks

End with a 1/2 mile walk to cool down.

Here is a chart I found on fit momma that has the exercises I do as well as extras.

Family Fitness

We all have busy lives and things get in the way of working out. Between work, family, friends, house work, and errands it's like who has the time or even wants to when they are so tired after a long day....

I get it, Trust me. 

I am always saying that there is never enough time in the day. Something I had to learn to do was to prioritize my health. I made it a daily habit and now it's becoming a hobby, something I really look forward to. 

One way that really helps me make sure I have time for a really good amount of exercise, is by combining it with family time. My son and I go out and do activities together which is such a win win. I get to spend time with my sweet boy, be healthy, and teach him how to be healthy as well. 

Here are some great ways you can be active with your family or friends!

Toss a ball

Play tag

Go on a hike
Play Hide an Seek

Roller Blading/Skating
Play Volleyball

Explore a new park

Play Soccer
Make a Scavenger hunt
Play Baseball
Ice Skating
Play Basketball
Ride Bikes
Play Touch Football
Go Bowling
Play Leap Frog
Make an obstacle course
Play Frisbee
Go for an after dinner Walk
Play Charades
Take a class together
Do Yoga Together
Do a Ropes course.

Get up and get moving together!

Just a little heads up for the new moms and grandmas, tomorrows post is a really great mix of Stroller Exercises!! 

Goal GETTER

Losing weight and trying to be fit is hard. 

That doesn't mean it can't be rewarding as well. 

We all know that if we stick to it, the end reward is a better body and better health.

But actually getting to the end is hard as heck, especially if you have a long way to go.

Something you can do to make that end goal more attainable is to set small mile markers through out your journey and reward yourself as you meet each one. 

Now that is not a free pass to run to Wendy's and grab a 4 for 4... 

No you need to think a little more outside the box than that.

You are rewarding yourself for lots of hard work so make it count.

Here is a list full of Big and Little rewards.

Take a Bubble Bath

Get a Massage

Get a Mani/Pedi

Sleep in

Take a Nap

Buy new workout clothes

Go see a Movie

Go Dancing

Have a girls night out (or guys)

Get a new Hair Cut

Take a Cooking Class

Drink some Wine

Get a Tattoo

Dye you Hair

Try a new Nail polish

Buy a lottery Ticket

Go for a Hike

Buy a New Purse

Read a book

Go to the bating cages

Buy a new fragrance 

Date Night

Enjoy some alone time

Go bowling

Buy a new pair of shoes

Go to the batting cages

Put money towards a vacation

Make a staycation

have a spa day

Whatever you really like to do incorporate it into a way that will make you fight for your goals and feel satisfied when you reach them!

Mind Games

Today I was feeling a Major lack of motivation. 

I was sleepy and just didn't feel like doing anything. As I sipped my morning tea, I took to the Internet to find something, anything that would get me going.

I needed to change my mind so I can change my body.

I know I say this a lot but it is so important to get your mind right before you set out for the day, weather it's for work or workouts.

So with that in mind here are some quotes I found to get my mind right.

Hopefully they will help you to.

"If it doesn't Challenge you, it won't change you."

"Your only limit is you."

"When you feel like quiting remember why you started." 

"Why Choose Failure when success is an option."

"It's not about perfect it's about effort."

"It has to be this hard so you will never forget it."

"Pain is weakness leaving the body"

"It may hurt now but if you keep going one day it will be a warm up."

"YOUR health is YOUR responsibility."

"Transformation is not a future event but a present activity."

"Every single day matters."

"Stop wishing. Start doing."

"The Pain you feel today is the strength you will have tomorrow."

"Make healthy a Habit."

I woke up like this.... or not

BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY!!!

Chances are you have heard this one before.

I know I have. 

From my health teacher to my mom it was drilled into me as a kid.

 (Which is probably why I skipped it so much, hard head that I am.)

Well as it turns out our mothers and teachers were right.

Eating a Healthy breakfast is vastly important for many reasons and 

it is double Important when it comes to weight loss.

But why?

1. Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn

 more calories through out the day.

2.  Many studies Link eating breakfast to better memory 

and lower levels of bad cholesterol.

3. Eating breakfast gives you more energy for work outs.

4. It improves both your strength and endurance.

5. A healthy breakfast improves concentration and motivation.

So weather you go all out for breakfast or have a quick protein shake, make sure you grab something as it will set the tone for your day.

A few good men.

Something I am real big on is my promise never to try and sell you guys stuff. 

You won't find me pushing any 'it works' products or Herba life here or anywhere else for that mater.* 

I am 100% dedicated to losing weight the real way, through hard work and building healthy habits.

Now that being said
If I find something that's gonna make it easier for myself and others like say a yummy tea or a low cal treat that wont break the bank you know I gotta share.
That is how our community gets stronger, by giving honest tips and advice.

So with that thought in mind here are a few of my weekly staples that make eating healthy less of a chore.

These little salads are super yummy and so filling. They come with everything you need for a nutritionally balanced meal on the go including the fork. I get them at walmart and they cost around $2.50 a piece. 

People can say what they want about Greek yogurt being soooo healthy but at the end of the day this is the only kind I buy. They taste better to me, they have fewer calories since they are all 70 cal, and did I mention you get them 10 for $4 at Kroger!

Snacking is hard for me since I don't love fruit but with these guys its not so bad. You have fiber one which is awesome as breakfast and even better as a pre workout snack that will keep you full. Then we have Protein crisps which I am truly addicted to. I can eat a ton for under 100 cals and they taste like super awesome BBQ chips. I get both at walmart for $2.98 a piece.

I gave up coffee in the morning for tea, since I can not manage to drink black coffee and sugar free creamer is horrid. These are two teas that taste awesome with and with out honey and both support a healthy life style as well as provide a morning boost.

Both can be found at walmart the celestial tea is $2 and the yogi is $3.

I eat tomato soup for lunch often! It is so low calorie that I can eat a bowl with a wrap and still not break 300 cals. If tomato soup isn't your thing progresso has a ton of flavors for 150 cals or less. Soup is something that can be bought for less than a dollar a can and as long as you watch the sodium it's great for you.

Found both of these amazing guys at walmart for about $2 and can I just say omg they have changed the healthy eating game. The wraps I used to but had 150 cals these have 50 and the buns I couldn't even eat all but these are just 80 cals.

(that's top and bottom for 80) 

Now on to the fun stuff Ice cream!!! There is a lot of arctic zero vs halo top debate and for me I have to say I like Arctic zero the best I have tried a variety of them both but nothing beats brownie blast for me lol. Either way you go they both have yummy flavors and are never more than 320 cals for the whole pint. They can be found at both walmart and Krogers. Arctic zero cost around $4 and Halo top cost about $5.

*I just wanted to say that if you are someone that uses or sells stuff like it works, shakeology, or herba life I have no problem with it. If it works for you that is great and if it pays your bills that's even better. On my personal journey I do not want to take any short cuts because I believe that is the only way to keep the weight off for good. So please know I bare you no ill will.*

Best of Both Worlds

Something people have been asking me a lot is

 why my posted workouts which are geared for beginner Strength Training

 always have cardio follow ups.

Well Time and time again I saw posts, message boards, and even memes dedicated to Strength training vs. Cardio. I have been a big believer in cardio ever since I started getting serious about weight loss. 

I mean hello have you ever seen a fat professional runner? Me either.

Yet it seemed that more and more I had been seeing so many people saying that if you wanna lose the weight cardio just isn't the answer. It's all about strength training now. So being the cardio junkie I am, I scoured the Internet reading study after study trying to disprove that fact. 

First There was Cardio...

Cardio - Anything that gets your heart rate up, makes you sweat, and pumps more oxygen through your blood!

Good examples of cardio are Running, Cycling, Aerobic classes, Swimming and Dancing.

Pros - 

Increases Energy Levels

Improves Sleep

Enhances Circulation

Increases Bone Density

Decreases Depression and Anxiety

Increases Metabolism 

Improves Endurance 

Increases Good Cholesterol

Increases Cardiovascular health

Cons -

Tough on Joints

High risk of injury

Risk of burning muscle

Requires longer work out times

Then there was Strength Training...

Strength Training - Any Exercise that helps the different muscles in your body become stronger and more powerful!

Good examples of Strength Training are - Using Weights, Body weight presses, Squats, and Resistance band work outs.

Pros -

Decreases Body Fat

Tones Entire Body

Improves Mobility

Helps With Coordination

Strengthens Joints and Ligaments

Decreases depression and Anxiety

Shorter work out Times

Cons - 

Easy to over train

Less freedom in the work out

Takes more discipline 

Seeing the results so clear like that I was shocked. I mean how in the world can this be? The better pros are on the strength training side...

 All I could think was that I wanted to lose weight, I didn't Wanna look like She Hulk. Sulking Feeling a little depleted after all my efforts to try and nail cardio, I continued my research. 

What actually has to happen in your body for weight loss to accrue and I found that you really need to A. increase your muscle tissue which is done in strength training and B. increase your metabolic rate which is done in cardio.

So I came to the Conclusion that for the best results, both types of exercise were going to be important. 

When you do both at the same time it is called metabolic conditioning and is a very effective fitness and fat loss tool. The only problem is, it is not for exercise beginners. That is where my previously posted work outs come in, they are to get the body ready for metabolic conditioning. 

Don't just lose weight and be thin, lose weight and be Strong!

  

Super BOWL

Today we are making Cabbage and Sausage Soup. 

I call this the super bowl meal because it is Delicious and packed with nutrients.

It is so low in calorie you can eat two heck 3 bowls if you wanted. This soup is a family favorite at my house and cost less than 7 dollars to make!

(Sorry the chickpeas are already open I almost forgot to take the picture.)

-Ingredients-

3 Cups of Water

1 Box of Chicken Broth

1 Head of Cabbage

1 Ranch packet

1 Can of Chickpeas

1 Package of  Smoked Sausage

1 Bag of Frozen veggies

(I buy the gumbo kind it has corn, red peppers, carrots, onions, celery, and okra.)

-Directions-

1. Cut and wash half of the head of cabbage and add to the crockpot.

2. Add the water, chicken broth, chickpeas, veggies, and ranch packet to the crockpot.

3. Stir and cover cooking 7 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

4. In the last hour cut up your smoked sausage, add to a skillet and cook on medium heat until browned.

5. Once browned add the meat to the crockpot, recover & finish the remaining time.

6. Enjoy!

Each bowl is only 184 Calories