Baby steps...

Everyday is a new day and a new chance to do better then we did the day before. I'm currently studying for my AFAA personal training certification, I love learning about my health passion.

I read something that really caught my eye..."clients typically can list many negatives involved with exercising (sweat, need to shower, no time, etc.),but the can rarely list more than two benefits." Unfortunately we are all more willing to find an excuse for anything in life that may be able to benefit us, or maybe I just do that ;-).

So my challenge is to drop the negative thoughts and change them to positive ones. Let's see how much more we can accomplish. Things that we may think are difficult, will actually be easier then we think. "I CAN'T," IS A VERY BAD WORD...so erase it from your vocabulary!!

My goal is to stretch and meditate more. I always make the excuse that I don't have time, and I do...I just really choose not to.

What is your goal and motivation going to be???

Grilled Fish Tacos

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cubed

1 avocado, pitted, peeled , and cubed

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and black pepper

Canola Oil

2 large mahimahi fillets (I used talapia instead...its what I had)

1 tsp. each: cumin, paprika, cayenne, oregano, black pepper, & salt

mix it together and rub on the fillets before cooking

8 corn tortillas

2 cups finely shredded red cabbage

How to Make it:

Mix the mango, avocado, onion and lime juice in a bowl. Season with cilantro and salt & pepper.

Heat a grill or stove top grill pan cook the fish until done.

Warm the tortillas.

Break the dish into chunks and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with the cabbage and the mango salsa. Serve with lime wedges

Makes 4 servings/cost per serving: $2.97

380 calories/ 11g fat/ 240 mg sodium

You can substitute the fish for grilled chicken if you would like.

From "Cook This, Not That!"

Circuit training

Here's a workout from "Making the Cut" by Jillian Michaels...it's altered a little, but for the most part she will kick your butt just like she does in the LAST CHANCE Workout on the Biggest Loser Show....my favorite show!!

Here's a workout that hits your chest and triceps as well as lower body circuit
Circuit 1
Dumbbell presses on body ball- perform 20 reps.
Dumbbell flys on Body ball- at the top of the move crunch up with your abs/ perform 15 reps
Squats- (no weight o 50 as fast as you can with correct form or course:)
One minute sprint in place or straddle run on and off the bench

Circuit 2
Plank hold for 10 sec.
Tricep push-ups x 5
Side plank for 10 sec.Plank for 5 sec.
Tricep push-ups x 5
Side plank for 10 sec.
Plank for 5 sec.
Burpies x 10 (you squat down and touch the floor and then jump straight up)
Sumo squats (legs are wide with toes turned out) x 50
One-minute sprint in place or run up and down on the bench

Circuit 3
Frog push-ups x 20 (your legs are out like a frogs legs)
Squat thrust x 20 (you are in push up position and you jump your feet in towards your hands) after you finish hold a squat for 30 seconds.
W Shoulder presses with Leg extensions (you do 10 on each side) You balance on one leg and extend the other one out as you push your arms out wide overhead.
Jump rope for 1 minute

Circuit 4
Bench dips x 20
Rope Tricep presses to muscle failure
Static lunges with Lateral shoulder raises x 10 each side
Mountain Climbers for 1 minute
Boat Pose (hold for 30 sec)

Circuit 5
Jump rope for 1 min
Bicycle Crunches x50 (25 each side)
Extended Plank for 30 sec (push-up position with your hands out slightly in front)

Now go hit some cardio for 20-30 minutes

Banana Protein Muffins

I love making these on the weekends for the whole family to enjoy!! Give them a try.

2 1/4 cup plain oats
11 egg whites
1/2-cup fat free cottage cheese
4 TB cyto sport vanilla protein powder
1-1/2Medium bananas
1 cap full of vanilla
1/2 cap full of banana extract (optional)
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 TB cinnamon
4-5 full droppers vanilla stevia (or to taste)
SERVING SIZE TOTALS (Divide muffins by 7. This generally makes 2-3 muffins, depending on size of muffin tin)


BANANA: Tastes best if you use ripened banana. If you do not have a ripened banana, take ripe banana and mash up in bowl. Microwave 1 min. (This will release extra banana flavor).
OATS: Blend well creating oat flour.
SWEETENER: If you do not have vanilla stevia, you can use Splenda (1 1/2 cup baking Splenda).
Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Blend all dry ingredients together. Add in mashed banana, cottage cheese, and other wet ingredients using pulse option on blender. Blend approximately 1 min or to a thick batter. Pour in to well sprayed muffin tins. Bake 30-40 min or until edges of muffins are slightly crisped. Remove from oven, take knife and carefully cut around edges muffin tin to help remove when cooled. Recipe is designed for 7 days. (Ex if you got 14 muffins out of batter, you would have 2 muffins for your serving size).
TIPS: These are great to freeze and reheat in microwave or in frying pan sprayed with Pam, cut down the center. Also tastes great if consumed frozen. Finish this meal by adding sliced raw veggies such as cucumbers, celery, and bell peppers. This is a great meal to take on the road. Store muffins in fridge or freezer. These are a great way to get protein in to your kids without them knowing. You can even add shredded zucchini. As long as you have vanilla stevia, you can blend in anything. For children, add fat free cool whip, butter, and cinnamon on top!

Cal 170 Car 125 Fat 2 Pro 13 Fiber 7

This is another yummy recipe from Live The Life check out their website on the side bar!

Chocolate Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

1/2 c. low fat cottage cheese
1 TBS. Skim milk
1 TBS. vanilla protein powder (optional)
1 TBS. baking cocoa powder
2 TBS. chocolate chips
1/4 of banana
couple drops of vanilla stevia
blend in a magic bullet or blending device
put in freezer for 10-15 min and top with some cool whip

Roasted Eggplant Pizza with Goat Cheese

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (I bought mine from Fresh N' Easy)

Topped with:
Caribbean Sauce
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1/4 Cup water
1/4 Cup ketchup
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
1/4 Cup minced white onion
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon minced garlic
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 Teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 Teaspoon ground allspice
-Roasted Egg Plant
-Sauteed Red Peppers and Red Onions
-and sprinkled with Goat Cheese

I got this recipe off my friend's blog A Lemon a day (check the side bar). It was a hit! I served it with a nice green salad. Perfect food for spring weather.

Time to step outside of the box....

WHAT IS YOGA? The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit."Definition by Ann Pizer from http://www.yoga.about.com/.

How many of us like to work it hard day in and day out, without really stretching and relaxing the body?? I'm guilty of it 90% of the time. So my goal is to incorporate more yoga into my life regularly. So here is a routine for mixed level yoga class. Try it and enjoy the mind, body, and spirit connection.

Sun salutations A & B
Chair Chair with prayer twist
Chair with Extended Twist Forward Fold
Vinyasa Flow
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Reverse Warrior
Warrior 2
Warrior 1
warrior w/ forward flexion
Warrior 3
Forward fold
Vinyasa Flow and repeat other side

Downward facing Dog
triangle
reverse triangle
split stance (option 2. half moon)
Back to Downward facing dog
Repeat other side
Child's pose
Downward facing dog to 1 leg
downward facing dog to pigeon(options 1. stay lifted on arms. 2. bring the body down to the mat 3. come into full royal pigeon)
push back into downward facing dog and repeat other side

Forward fold
Mountain pose
Balance:Tree Pose(options 1. Keep a hold of the foot 2. bring hands to prayer w/ small knee bend 3. deepen knee bend)
Dancer (option lengthen the pose) bring it down to the floor for abs and stretching onto all fours w/ spinal balance or 1/2 bow (option 1. extend r leg outward 2. with r leg extended, reach outward with the L arm. 3. reach the L arm back and grab the R ankle in a 1/2 kneeling bow.)Child's pose
repeat other side
Cat/ Cow stretch
Boat pose
Seated Forward fold
one leg straddle stretch (R & L)
Seated straddle stretch
Cobblers pose
Happy Baby pose
Corpes Pose (Savasana)

If you have any questions let me know....I will be happy to answer your questions