SO CLOSE TO SCHOOL

I'm freaking out.  I haven't cleaned my room, packed anything, or really prepared but I DON'T CARE.  Lately I've been going a little crazy but had a great epiphany last night.  Mom and I went to Cheesecake and I got a delicious egg white omelette with spinach, goat cheese, onions, and peppers.  Steamed broccoli on the side along with some tomatoes.  Talk about healthy!  But then I caved for a piece of Reese's cheesecake.  And I'm sorry but it was delicious and hit the spot and will be a great breakfast for me today.  I'm clearly all for healthy, but once in a while when your body craves something (Especially sweets), indulge.  You won't die from eating one slice of cheesecake every once in a while.  Will I make a habit of this and revert back to my old ways of eating brownies as breakfast and fries for dinner? Of course not.  But if I'm craving chocolate will I indulge in something totally decadent and delicious and sugar-y once in a while? Fuck yeah.

Since I've changed my lifestyle I've noticed how important breakfast is.  I NEVER ate breakfast, even when I was competing in track.  If I do eat a huge breakfast, however, I feel really really sick.  I don't know why, but this has happened since I can remember.  Usually for breakfast I have some of the following:

-fruit (apples, bananas, berries, pineapple--really all kinds).
-protein shake (whey shake with either berries or the chocolate peanut butter deliciousness)
-gluten free ezikiel english muffin with peanut butter and/or jelly (PB&J listed below).
-yogurt parfait (non-fat greek style yogurt with berries and sliced almonds)
-EGGS: hard boiled, fried, scrambled, with veggies.  YUM.
-MaCK Muffin (recipe below).
-ME Breakfast cereal (more info to follow).
-Vegan Overnight Oats:
-1/3 cup oats, 1.5 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup almond milk, 1tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder.  Mix these ingredients in a bowl and let sit in fridge for 3 hours or overnight.
-Next day add:
-1/2 apple, chopped
-1/4 cup blueberries
-1/4 cup rasberries
-1 tbsp peanut butter
-drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Yeah. Delish.  Here is another VOO recipe:

Chocolate Protein VOO

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup oats

-1 tbsp chia seeds

-2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder or protein powder

-1 cup unsweetened almond milk

-1 banana.

-Optional toppings: peanut butter or unsweetened coconut.

Directions: Mix the oats, chia seed, and chocolate powder in a small bowl with a whisk. Now pour in milk and whisk until clumps are gone. Place in fridge for 1-2 hours or overnight. Add a chopped banana if preferred.

Nutritional information (without banana): 320 kcals, 12 grams fat (3000 mg Omega-3; 900 mg Omega-6), 11 grams fibre, 14 grams protein, 35 grams carbs.

So that is usually my breakfast menu.  I'm really nervous about finding good breakfast foods at school.  I plan to work out before my morning classes (around 9), and I don't want to skip breakfast, so I'm going to have to always pre-make my breakfasts or just wait until lunch time.  I'm also concerned about the eggs at school--I know this sounds snobby but honestly have you people looked at those eggs????  Definitely questionable.  I possibly might buy my own and microwave scrambled eggs every once in a while to get my protein.  Luckily my mom bought me a toaster oven so I am all set to make great breakfasts!!!

Breakfasts served at the DC's that are NOT healthy:

-Cereal

-Bagels

-Pancakes

-Muffins

-Bacon/Sausage

Since we're all going back to school, I thought it would be a great idea to post some basic health tips:

Meals begin with Smart ingredients

1-Plan balanced meals: Nutritionally balanced meals include a proper balance of healthy protein sources, like lean poultry, carbohydrates from whole grains, plus vitamins and minerals from fresh fruit and vegetables.

2-Choose food high in antioxidants: Foods like spinach and blueberries are bursting with antioxidants.  Blueberries are also high in fiber.

3-High-Quality sources of protein: Protein, a macronutrient, is an essential part of a healthy diet.  Proteins help repair body cells, build and repair muscles, and provide a source of energy.  High-quality protein sources include lean meat, poultry, and fish.

4-Whole Grains and Fiber: Whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice are packed with fiber.  Oatmeal for breakfast helps sustain you throughout the morning, giving you the energy you need until your next meal.

5-Maximize the Nutrients: Cooking to retain vitamins and minerals helps retain flavor. 

Walnuts: A Delicious Powerhouse

A Yale University study found that walnuts might improve blood vessel function and decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes.  And, that’s not all-“Walnuts are very good sources of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and protein, and they’re the only nut that provides a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids,” says Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic.  Stick to a handful a day in order to reap blood-vessel benefits without negating your waist-whittling meal plan.

Nutrient Comparisons

Baked Catish with brown rice

Cals: 228

Fat: 4g

Sat. Fat: 1g

Carbs: 23g

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 23g

Sodium: 57mg

Cholesterol: 81mg

Fish and Chips (breaded and fried catfish with French fries)

Cals: 640

Total Fat: 34g

Sat. Fat: 7g

Carbs: 57g

Fiber: 6g

Protein: 25g

Sodium: 584mg

Cholesterol: 92mg

Next post: What I bought for snacks and what YOU can do with them!  Also, when I go to school I will be posting healthy meal ideas with food from DC's.

So Close to School!

I'll be moving in at Umass in two weeks from today EXACTLY!  I'm really excited to see everyone and to start a new year, but I'm really going to miss the ability to cook my own, healthy food.  So this post is going to be about some quick meals you can make in the next two weeks before you go back.  Most are super easy and don't require too many ingredients, and with all of the plans I have to see my friends before I go back, I need some quick and easy meals.  I also need some quick (but not easy) workouts because I won't be able to go to the gym as much due to my plans.  So included are some nice quick workout ideas :).

First, the sauteed veggies came out amazing except I added a little too much olive oil.  Other than that it was great!!

Second, I made home-made chocolate for my mom and sister when they get back.  I tested some out on Ethan and Michelle and they both liked it.  The recipe isn't finalized yet but I will post it when it is.  The basic ingredients are dark chocolate cocoa powder, coconut oil, and agave.  Then you can add what you wish--I made some with almonds, walnuts, coconut, and soy butter.  They are amazing.  Definitely making them for friends when I get back to school because it's so easy and quick.

Quick meals!
Breakfast:
1-MaCK Muffin (recipe below)

2-Parfait Delight (me and mom's creation)
-blueberries
-strawberries
-rasberries
-pineapple
-Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt
-1/2 cup sliced almonds
Mix together and enjoy.  It's great

3-Strawberry Millet Porridge (Gluten free)-from Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients
-pinch sea salt
-1 cup dry millet [not millet flour]
-1 cup strawberries, quartered
-4 tsp pure maple syrup
-2-3 tsp pure vanilla extract
-unsweetened almond milk as desired

1-in a pot, bring 3 cups water and salt to a boil
2-stir in millet and reduce heat to low, maintaining a low simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  About 5 minutes before millet is finished cooking, stir in strawberries so they can stew and release their juices into the porridge.
3-When water has been absorbed and porridge is thick, remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and vanilla.  If porridge is still ticker than you'd prefer, add a splash of almond milk to reach your desired consistency.

Note: Make sure to wait until porridge is quite thick before stirring in maple syrup and vanilla.  If not, the mixture will thin out.  Only then add milk if desired.

Substitutions:  Try apples and cinnamon in place of strawberries and vanilla extract.


Lunch Ideas

Asian Style Veggie Rolls-from Cooking Light Magazine
-8 8 inch round sheets rice paper
-2 cups thinly sliced Bibb lettuce leaves (about 4 large)
-2 cups cooked bean threads (cellophane noodles)
-1 cup fresh bean sprouts
-1 cup shredded carrot [about 1 large)
-1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
-1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
-1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1-to prepare rolls, add hot water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch.  place 1 rice paper sheet in dish and let stand for 30 seconds or just until soft.  Place sheet on a flat surface.  Arrange 1/4 cup lettuce over half of sheet, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Top with 1/4 cup bean threads, 2 tbsps sprouts, 2 tbsps carrot, 1 tbsp mint, 1 tbsp cilantro, and 1 1/2 tsp green onions.  Folding sides of sheet over filling and starting with filled side, roll up jelly-roll fashion.  Gently press seam to seal.  Place roll, seam side down, on a serving platter.  Repeat procedure with remaining roll ingredients.
2-you can also add peanut sauce to these to make them super amazing.

Grilled Peppers and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
-1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
-1 green bell pepper
-1 yellow bell pepper
-cooking spray
-1 1/8 tsp sea salt
-1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1 1/2 cups dried lentils (about 3/4 pound)
-1 small onion, peeled and halved
-1 bay leaf
-2/3 cup chopped plum tomato
-1/2 cup chopped green onions
-1/2 cup cilantro leaves
-1/3 cup fresh lime juice
-1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 tsp fennel pollen

1-preheat grill to high heat.
2-lightly coat bell pepper pieces with cooking spray.  place bell pepper pieces, skin side down, on grill rack.  grill 12 minutes or until skins are blackened.  Place bell pepper pieces in a zip top plastic bag, seal. Let stand 15 minutes, peel and chop bell peppers.  Discard skins, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Place bell peppers in a large bowl
3-Rinse and drain lentils.  place in a large saucepan.  Cover with water to 3 inches above lentils; add onion and bay leaf to pan.  Bring to a  boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are just tender.  Drain lentils.  Discard onion halves and bay leaf.  Add remaining 5/8 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper, tomato, and remaining ingredients to lentil mixture; stir well.  Yield: 6 servings (serving size=1 1/3 cups.)

Apple Slaw-Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients
-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1 1/2 small cabbages, shredded [7 cups]
-3 large carrots, shredded [1 cup]
-1 granny smith apple, unpeeled and cut into thin strips
-1 braeburn apple, unpeeled and cut into thin strips
-1/4 cup fresh italian parsley, chopped
-2 tbsp unsalted walnuts, chopped [optional]

1-In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, dijon, oil, salt, and pepper.
2-In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, apples and parsley; toss with dressing to coat.  Top with walnuts, if desired.  Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Dinner
from Cooking Light Magazine
Cobb Salad Pizza
Ingredients
-1 1 ounce can refrigerated thin crust pizza dough (I recommend wheat or gluten free dough)
-cooking spray, or you could make a super low cal version of this pizza with the tortillas mentioned in the post below.
-1/4 cup [1 ounce] crumbled blue cheese, divided
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp white wine vinegar
-1/2 tsp dijon mustard
-2 slices applewood smoked bacon
-8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
-1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
-2 tbsp chopped red onion
-2 cups lightly packed mixed baby greens
-1/2 cup diced peeled avocado.

1-preheat oven to 425
2-unroll dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat dough into a 14x12 inch rectangle.  lightly coat dough with cooking spray.  bake at 425 for 8 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle evenly with 2 tbsp cheese.  Set aside.
3-combine oil, vinegar, mustard, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
4-cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan; crumble bacon into oil mixture.  Wipe pan clean with paper towels.  Heat pan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/8 tsp pepper.  Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan; chop into 1/2 inch pieces.
5-Add chicken, tomatoes, and onion to oil mixture; toss gently to combine.  Add greens mixture, avocado, and remaining 2 tbsp cheese.  Cut into 8 pieces.

Serv size=2 pieces. Cals 377, fat 13.9g, protein 21.8g, carb 40.3g, fiber 2.6g, iron 29mg, sodium 731 mg, calc 57mg.

Quick Plyo/Butt Workout

-Warm up for 10 minutes [light jog].  Repeat 4 to 5 times per workout.
1-Jumping lunge [30 seconds]
2-squat jumps [30 seconds]
3-Bounding [1 minute]--Jump with two feet forward as far as possible.
4-One legged hop [skating style] -1 minute

Healthy Snacks for School!!

Just wanted to post today before my exciting plans begin.  So my mom got a bunch of awesome snacks for the week and most of them can be used in the dorm so I thought I'd share.  I've tried some and the snacks I've tried are AMAZING and clean-tasting!!

1-Real Foods: CORN THINS, Multi-grain.
    Pros: GMO Free, Fat Free, 22 cals/slice, 10% Dietary Fiber, Gluten Free.  Only 8g carbs, 0g sugars, 1g protein!
    Goes great with: cream cheese, hummus, salsa, guac, roast veggie mix, cheese, peanut butter and jelly.
    Found at: Whole Foods

2-Sesmark Gluten Free Rice Thins (Sesame)
      Pros: Gluten Free, 3g protein per serving, 130 cals per serving (serving=16 crackers), 1g dietary fiber, low salt.
      Goes great with: hummus, cheese spreads, things you put on crackers...
     Found at: Whole Foods

3-Scandinavian All-Natural Bran Crispbread
     Pros: Gluten Free, Low GI, 50% Dietary fiber, 2g net carbs/slice, 12 cals/slice, No Fat, 1g, 30mg sodium/slice, 1g protein/slice.  I really don't know how you can go wrong with these.
     Goes great with: hummus, turkey/cold cuts, peanut butter and jelly, cheese spreads.
     Found at: Whole Foods

4-Smart Delicious Tortillas
     Pros: Low carb/high fiber, original whole wheat, 3 net carbs, great taste, low fat, 50 cals/1 tortilla (and they are big), 28% of recommended daily value fiber, 95% fat free, 0g trans fat per tortilla, good source of protein [5g/tortilla!].
     Goes great with: sandwich things, low cal pizza, pB&J, Taboule and hummus, wraps.
    Found at: None other than Whole Foods.

Recommended Spreads

BEST JAM/JELLY
5-Crofter's Organic Superfruit Spread: Rasberries and Yumberries blended with morello Cherries and Red Grapes
     Pros: DELICIOUS, 30 cal/serving (1 tbsp), non fat, 5mg sodium, 8g carb, low in sugar.  Considering jam/jelly is LOADED with sugar and other shit, this is the best jelly I've come by thus far.
    Goes great with: corn thins, sandwiches, other fruit, crackers.
    Found at: Guess.

BEST PEANUT-LIKE BUTTER.
6-I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy Soynut Butter
     Pros: Perfect for those with nut allergies. Net 1 carb, Peanut free, unsweetened, Made from Non-GMO Roasted Soybeans, No Added Sugar, No Trans Fats, No Refridge, Cholesterol Free, Dairy and Gluten Free, 2G SATURATED FAT, low in sodium, 6g carb, 5g dietary fiber, 1g sugar, 9G PROTEIN.  Seriously.
      Goes great with: everything?
      Found at: Whole Foods.

BEST KETCHUP
365 Organic Ketchup.  It's DELICIOUS, like really it's the best ketchup in THE WORLD.
Best Dressing: OrganicVille Gluten Free Olive Oil and Balsamic (1 net carb/serving).

Other Recommended Dips:
-Hummus: Joseph's
-Cream Cheese: Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
-Mayo: Smart Balance with Omega 3's

BEST TO GO SNACKS
So obviously we all love quick snacks at school, so here are some ideas for on the go snackies:

BEST BARS
1-ThinkThin Protein Bar
These can be used as a meal replacement as well.  They're incredibly filling and great for pre-exercise/post exercise.
     Pros: 0G SUGAR, 20G PROTEIN, gluten free, DELICIOUS, 200cals/bar, low carb, low sodium, low fat, contains many necessary vitamins and minerals.  They also come in the full bar form and "bites" which are only 100 calories.  Lots of tasty flavors to chose from.  Since they don't have any sugar you won't crash later like you would on normal protein bars.
     Found at: Whole Foods, cheaper at Trader Joes.

          

2-Go Free Protein Bars
    Pros: Gluten Free and Soy and Dairy Free, made with REAL dark chocolate, 9g protein, 100% natural, vegan, 150 cal/bar, low fat.
   Cons: high in carbs, sugar (Watch this while looking for protein bars).
   Found at: Whole Foods.

BEST FRUIT TO GO
3-kaia Foods Fruit Leather
     Pros: SO GOOD, Gluten free and raw, organic, 30 cals/piece, non fat, super low in sugar, .5g protein, vitamin C.  These are the best fruit strips I've come across. Be careful because most (and many dried fruit packets) are loaded with sugar!
Whole Foods.

Get your greens Shake!!
You can make this at night and grab it on your way to class (blender required).

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, rice milk or hemp milk 
1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach 
1 1/2 cups frozen cherries or berries

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 10oz/293g-wt.): 110 calories (20 from fat), 2.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 3g protein

Other Ideas for Dorm Snacks:

-Raw Nut Assortments

-Graham Crackers

-String Cheese

-Organic Easy Mac (found at Whole Foods, very tasty)

-All Natural Popcorn (no salt or butter), add nutritional yeast

-Greek Yogurt

-Certain Tortilla Chips: Whole Foods Home-made, chips with all natural ingredients (the fewer the better!), there is a really great brand but I forget the name-i'll post when I remember.

-Salsa: Trader Joes has great salsa.

-Terra Chips

Dorm Snacks that appear to be healthy but are not:

-Wheat Thins (even reduced fat)

-most fruit leathers and dried fruit

-100 calorie packs (yeah they're 100 calories but does anyone ever just eat one pack)

-Microwaveable popcorn (with butter and salt)

-Chips

-not all-natural peanut butter

-Kashi

-most cereals

-most oatmeals

-most fruit and nut bars

-drinks that are not water

-cookies

-most yogurt

PARENTS GONE

So my mom and sister are leaving for ORLANDO FL to shoot for FAMILY FEUD!!!  Unfortunately I was too introverted to make the team but I wish my family the best!!  Hopefully they have a blast down in FL.  I can't afford to go down with them.  So instead I'll be hanging out at home, working out, seeing friends, and above all, EATING.  And I have some pretty interesting and EASY recipes to try out!!  Most of these will be SUPER easy to make and when I go off to school I can make them at home and then bring them for healthy alternatives.

Dish #1: SAUTEED VEGGIES (yumz)
So honestly how difficult is it to make veggies?  Not difficult, but somehow the DC's seem to mess it up by adding too much oil or too much garlic.
Ingredients:
-Broccoli
-Red Pepper
-Garlic cloves (not powder)
-Sea salt
-fresh ground pepper
-Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
(even more veggies if you want: cauliflower, green peppers, onions, scallions, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, and celery are also great for saute-ing).

1-Wash veggies, cut everything up.
2-Select a suitable pan--I use a non-stick large frying pan.  You don't want to overcrowd your pan.
3-You might want to steam your broccoli/cauliflower/carrots before sauteing.
4-Heat oil on high.
5-Add garlic.  Saute for a little bit before adding veggies.
6-Start off sauteing the hardest vegetable.
7-Add other veggies.
8-Saute until veggies are tender, slightly brown, and smell yummy :)
9-Add spices

You can serve the veggies with rice or noodles too!  And you can add meat and tofu.

Recipe #2: Home-made PROTEIN DARK CHOCOLATE.
This is going to be a treat for my mom and sister when they get home (hush!).  If you can make home-made chocolate why not go healthy and add some protein as well?

Ingredients
1 TBS Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 TBS Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
Sprinkle of Xylitol or another all natural sweetener
2 tsp agave or honey
1/2 scoop whey protein powder
Add ins: all natural peanut butter, walnuts and almonds, coconut

1-Microwave coconut oil until melted.
2-Stir in cocoa powder, xylitol, and agave/honey.
3-Add protein powder and stir.
4-Put into small cupcake holders.  Add extras if desired.
5-Leave in fridge for a couple hours until hardened and then ENJOY.

RECIPE #3: Smashed Chickpea Salad (CAN MAKE THIS AT DC'S!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup canned chickpeas

 a little under 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (about 100g) OR crushed tomatoes

sea salt, if desied

Combine and smash with a fork.  So easy!!

Saturday I'll be at a family reunion (we'll see what happens with food there!) and I'll be grabbing so to go salads/sandwiches at Whole Foods here and there as well, but I'll definitely make these 3 recipes over the weekend and update with photos and reviews.

Healthy Hostess!

So I don't have anything interesting to post today unfortunately.  Just wanted to talk about the great sleepover I had with my BEST FRIEND ALY.  We talked about a lot of health topics including nutrition and exercise (duh).  Aly has gotten into running and tumbling for cheerleading.  When she came over she was starving so I made her a great sandwich:

-2 slices Eziekel bread whole wheat
-1 scoop mayo (Smart Balance with Omega 3's)
-2 slices organic turkey breast
-low fat mozerella cheese
-spinach

All toasted she really enjoyed it!!  She also had a banana.  For dinner I had to take her to Sorrentos to get the full Concord, MA experience.  She got a slice of pepperoni pizza, which isn't too terrible: very think crust and not loaded with cheese.  She also had 1/2 of a kiddie of Bedford Farms tollhouse ice cream, a necessary Concord experience.  Also had to explain why Bedford Farms is not named Concord Farms.

The next morning I made her a protein shake:
-1 scoop whey protein
-1 cup pineapple
-1 cup mango
-8 ounces acai and pomegranate coconut water

She enjoyed it I guess, I would have liked to do pineapple coconut water instead.
She also had blueberries and xlityol, half an apple, and a spoonful of greek yogurt to try which she detested (unfortunate).

For lunch we had the Mack muffin (recipe below).  Instead of poaching the egg I scrambled it with spinach.  So delicious, what a great lunch/breakfast!!  Eating organic meat is SO important, I'm going to be so protein deficient when I go back to school and can't eat eggs or chicken at the dining commons :-/. I guess I'll have Ethan take me out to breakfast and lunch every day heehee :-)

I did my typical Thursday workout today (see below).  For breakfast I had blueberries and half an apple, and then immediately after lifting I had a banana.  Bananas are the best food to eat immediately after a workout.  The carbs in the banana allow for muscle rebuilding.  For lunch I plan to have grilled chicken and hopefully some roasted veggies if there are any veggies in my fridge!  We're low on food right now because I'm going away on vacay this weekend.  I'm also watching Man Vs. Food right now and praying people don't actually eat what this guy eats.

So something I definitely want to address today is choosing only one diet plan/exercise plan compared to researching many sources and finding information on your own.  A couple weeks ago I was only obsessed with the New ME Diet, which is amazing, but I've learned it's important not to just follow one set of advice.  As I became more obsessed with ME, I noticed some inconsitencies between the book and their blog.  For example, in their book they rave about eating fruit and depending on which type of burner you are, you can eat a certain amount of certain fruits.  Yet on their blog, they say to stay away from fruits if you want to optimize fat loss.  Yes, fruits are CARBS, so clearly if you want to lose fat and gain muscle it's best to limit your carb intake, but it just seemed a little too inconsitent for me.  And as my mom says, do you know anyone who's gotten fat while eating fruit?? If you want to check out their post on which foods to avoid while trying to optimize fat loss, here is the link: http://metaboliceffect.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/a-healthy-diet-is-not-a-fat-loss-diet-10-healthy-foods-not-for-fat-loss/

Next post will be about Spark workouts on the road and eating healthy on vacays.

My Week in Workouts

Ok so this is my personal workout schedule.  This is what works for ME! Everyone has different bodies and each different body requires different needs (food-wise and workout-wise!!).  If anyone has any interest in following MY plan then go for it.

Monday
-Light Ab circuit (repeat 3 times)
       -15 sky crunches with 15 pound weight (added in tricep as well)
       - 30 Elbows with 10 pound weight, feet in air
       - 20 scissors
       - 40 bicycle crunches
       -plank with leg lifts (15 on each side)

-1/2 hour-1 hour walk (I see walking as a necessity and not exercise)

-45 minute Cardio Boxing class

Tuesday
-Light Butt circuit (repeat 3 times)
      -30 second Mountain Climbers
      -12 Hip Extension
      -12 Donkey Kicks
     - 12 Hydrants
REPEAT ON OTHER SIDE
       -Swimmer kicks (30 seconds)
       -15 frog kicks

-30 minute Metabolic Effect/Boot Camp Workout with Dumbells. (I use 10lb-15lb depending on which exercise I'm doing because I have strong leg muscles but weak arm muscles).

-5 100m sprints

-45-1 hr walk around the track at night (very relaxing!)

Wednesday
-Light Ab Circuit
-1/2 hour-1 hour walk
-45 minute Cardio Boxing Class

Thursday
-Light butt circuit
-10 minute Upper Body Metabolic Effect workout with dumbbells (10-15 pounds)
-14 minute Lower Body Metabolic Effect workout with dumbbells (15 pounds)
-5 hill sprints
-45min-1hr walk

Friday (Day "OFF"!!)
-Light ab circuit
-45 minute Ashtanga Yoga (P90X video)
-45 minute Bikram Yoga (P90X video)
-1 hr walk

Saturday
-30 minute Interval Weight class (heavy dumbbells only)
-45 minute Cardio Boxing Class

Sunday
-"Pick a workout day".  Usually on Sundays I don't push myself and I let my body tell me which workout would be best for the day.  Sometimes I do boot camp at the gym, a 20 minute easy run with a circuit, interval weights with a light walk, or a hill/stadium workout.

Every day (no matter what) I also do 3 sets of 30 lunges without weights and 3 sets of 12 squats with 25lb dumbbells, along with 3 30 second planks (the planks are because I always sucked at them and I want to be able to do a plank for a minute).

Anyway, you should want to work out because it's fun and because it's beneficial toward your body.  Although you might be in pain after a hard lifting session, your body is actually thanking you for doing what you're meant to be doing.  Certain days I do more strenuous workouts than others, but I try to be active every day.  I know I should probably have a day of complete rest, but with my energy (and lack of  a JOB) it's difficult.  So unless you have nothing else to do in your life (like me) besides concentrate on your body, a 1 or 2 day break from working out is necessary.  That doesn't mean you can't enjoy a nice walk outside!

Also, I have one HUGE pet peeve: people who go on the eliptical for an hour and say they were working out.  Honestly, the eliptical does nothing.  You are way better off walking on a treadmill.  Yes, it's better than sitting on your ass, but I can't stand when people say they had a hard workout on the eliptical.  It's like an oxymoron.  And trust me-I'VE TRIED IT.  I've tried to do eliptical workouts (if they exist) and I don't understand.  Usually the people I see on the elipticals have a book or magazine in hand and they're just bored/looking to move.  BUT WAAHH BOO HOO I HAVE KNEE ISSUES--ok so get on a bike and do a 20 minute uphill resistance biking workout.  Don't bitch out on the eliptical.  Sorry, just a huge pet peeve.  I don't know but if I'm going to walk like a mile to the gym at 8am I want to at least get my time worth.  That means NO eliptical.
  

Shakes @ School

There's nothing better than a nice, filling, tasty, protein shake after a hard workout.  True, Freshens at school does have pretty awesome low-cal shakes available but with a blender and some not so expensive materials you can make your own in your dorm!!  Basically all you have to buy is a cheap blender and certain ingredients that aren't available for stealing at the DC's.  At Freshens I love the Strawberry Oasis shake (at only 89 calories for a medium size!).  The mango shake (~95ish cals) is also pretty good.  Since I didn't consider shakes my meals I usually ate some fruit and eggs after working out so I stayed away from the higher cal shakes last year.  I've heard the chocolate peanut butter shake is great as well.  I also love how there's a variety of "add ins" you can put in your shakes like protein, green tea boosts, and other things that I forget.  I think they use Metrx protein which I hear is decently okay for you, but because of my food allergies I use the Metabolic Effect whey protein that is gluten free and dairy free.  So hopefully I don't get weird looks in the fall when I ask them to add in my protein instead of theirs.  Oh well.  If you need help finding the right protein powder for you, go to Whole Foods.  They're seriously awesome, and everything there is natural and that is important!

Anyway, here are some shake recipes you can make at school!!!  Just buy your own protein powder and a blender to start.  You don't even need a super nice blender because chances are you can't freeze big ice cubes in your fridge so you won't be adding ice to your blender anyway.

Please Note: These recipes make enough for 2 shakes
MY FAVORITE: Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter DELICIOUS-NESS
-8 ounces unsweetened almond milk (obviously not found at DC's, but I've heard it's sold at Stop and Shop now!)
-1 tbs all natural almond butter (or all natural peanut butter) (also not at DC's)
-1 tbs all natural cocoa powder (most likely not at DC's)
-1 scoop protein powder
-1/2 banana (PROBABLY AT DC's)

Honestly if you buy these items (almond milk, almond butter, cocoa powder)--you'll be saving a lot more money than you would buying shakes at Freshens every day.  Also, this shake can serve as a meal.  Whey protein curbs hungers and leaves you feeling full for a couple hours.  This is a GREAT, quick, breakfast choice!!

MY SECOND FAVORITE: BERRY GOOD (from The New ME Diet)
-8 ounces unsweetened almond milk
-1/4 banana
-1/2 cup frozen blueberries, strawberries, and rasberries (Whole foods sells frozen mixed berries).

Usually if you're berries don't stay totally frozen in your fridge it's fine, the bags make enough for 4 or so shakes, as long as they're cold it's fine.

MY THIRD FAVORITE: TROPICAL SENSATION (my own lame name)
-8 ounce coconut water (unflavored or flavored--the acai pomegranate is amazing) (Vita Coco-sold at Whole Foods)
-1 cup frozen mango
-1 cup frozen pineapple (OR PINEAPPLE FROM THE DC!).

So as you can see you can use certain ingredients to make different shakes!!  You can also use these ingredients to make loads of snacks in the dorms:

-Almond Milk: cereal, oatmeal, by itself.
-All Natural Peanut Butter/Almond Butter: rice cakes, wheat toast, sandwiches, with a banana, with an apple, with grapes, crackers.
-Cocoa Powder: you can make your own hot chocolate!  Or freeze it to make PROTEIN CHOCOLATE (recipe to follow), or other tasty sweet treats (recipes to follow).

YUMMY BREAKFAST RECIPE!!! (Healthy, Clean breakfast recipe to leave you full for hours!! and SUPER EASY)

The MaCK Muffin (found in Clean Eating Magazine)
Ingredients
-white vinegar
-1 large organic egg
-olive oil cooking spray
-spinach
-whole wheat English muffin (I love the weight watchers--great source of fiber and only 100 cals/muffin).
-low fat cream cheese (I PREFER TOFUTTI!! non dairy cream cheese made from tofu!! its DELICIOUS).
-tomato slice
-sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1) Poach an egg! If you don't know how to do this it's kind of sad.  Bring saucepan to a boil (5 or 6 cups of water, and then add 1 tsp white vinegar to every cup of water you add).  Low heat to slow simmer, carefully crack the egg into a teacup or ladle.  Lower the teacup or ladle into the saucepan and gently pour out the egg.  Egg white will coagulate into water and turn white.  Cook until egg white is formed and yolk begins to thicken but it's not hard.  (~3-4 minutes).  Remove egg with a slotted spoon or strainer.  Set aside.
2) Heat a medium nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add spinach and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
3) Toast muffin. Spread cream cheese or tofutti on each 1/2 of english muffin.  Then add poached egg and tomato slice.  Season with salt and pepper.

So this is a great breakfast, but at school you can substitute the poached egg for scrambled eggs, a piece of a hard boiled egg, or have the creepy omelet dude make you 1 egg over easy.

EATING OUT AND EATING HEALTHY!!

So let's face it--most food at restaraunts is loaded with salt and other ingredients which we've never heard of.  Did you know that the Cheesecake Factory refuses to reveal their nutrition facts of their meals?  Personally I call the Cheesecake Factory the Bulimic Factory because of their massive portions and poorly-lit bathrooms.  The reps at Cheesecake say that the meals are meant to be shared and it's not their fault that people gorge themselves on the entire plate (true, somewhat).  But you wouldn't buy a meal that you didn't know the price of, would you?  So why buy it without knowing what's in it?  SO, how can you eat healthy at these places? Here are some tips:

Cheesecake Factory:
-Make your own omelet: Egg whites, goat cheese (low in fat), spinach, peppers, as many veggies as you wish (no bacon).  Substitute home fries for grilled tomatoes and bread for steamed spinach or broccoli.
-Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (chicken wrapped in lettuce), but stay away from the mystery sauce.
-Edamame WITHOUT SALT

Coffeehouse like places: Starbucks, Rao's, etc.
-Americano
-Breakfast sandwiches:  Ditch the sausage and cheese and opt for an english muffin instead of croissant or bagel: they're lighter in carbs.  Eggs will be a good source of protein along with some veggies.
-Green tea: high in antioxidants, and 0 calories.  Add skim milk if you want.

STAY AWAY FROM
-Frozen coffee drinks: These range from 400-700 calories per cup, along with way too much sugar and milk.
-Flavored syrup: Made up of mostly high fructose corn syrup. 5g of sugar per pump.
-MUFFINS: They're the unhealthiest food to eat at Dunkins.  A reduced-fat muffin is about 400 calories per muffin.
-Bagels: They actually aren't that great for you, especially with slabs of high fat cream cheese.  Instead go for a whole wheat english muffin and add some Tofutti (cream cheese made from tofu!!!).  It sounds gross but it's DELICIOUS, and it's perfect for people with dairy allergies like me.

THE DINER:
-Steak and eggs: Steak and eggs are great because they're filled with protein, a better alternative to french toast or waffles.
-Egg whites
-Fruit
-Oatmeal: low in fat, filling.

STAY AWAY FROM
-Food high in sugar: french toast, pancakes, waffles, anything that can be loaded with whipped cream and syrup.
-Eggs benedict:  With the hollandaise sauce eggs benedict are very high in fat.  Count on 800 calories for the average serving.
-corned beef hash: 1,000 mg of sodium.

INDIAN FOOD (because all of my friends love indian food)
-Aloo Gobhi: potatoes, coliflower.  Contains a spice called tumeric which has shown to help you fight disease by boosting your liver's ability to detoxify blood.
-Rasam: indian version of tomato soup, made with tomatoes, tamarind, and a variety of spices.  100 cal/bowl.
-Tandoori: Lean meats with healthy spices.
-Palak Paneer: Mild chunks of cheese tossed in a spinach curry sauce.

STAY AWAY FROM
-Deep fried appetizers.
-too much naan.

SUSHI HOUSE
-Ok most sushi houses are mad healthy anyway, but here are some tips to make your dishes even more healthy.

-Miso soup: Some studies show that miso soup prevents your body from overproducing fat cells.
-Edamame: Fresh soybeans!  mix of fiber, omega 3's, and protein.
-Sashimi: Sushi in it's purest form without rice.  No matter what fish you choose you're getting lots of protein with relatively little fat.

STAY AWAY FROM:
-Vegetable tempura: STILL FRIED.  With so many healthy items on the menu, why waste your calories on fat?
-Unagi: Eel has 80% more fat than other raw fish and way less protein.  Go to the salmon and skip the eel.

Cite: www.eatthisnotthat.com

Everyone should check out the Eat This Not That books for interesting finds.

WELCOME!

Okay.  So I wanted to start a blog to help fellow friends who always have issues finding healthy and FILLING food at the school's dining commons.  And then I thought it would be an even BETTER idea to include even more of my rants on healthy and clean living.  So basically this blog is for anyone (college students at Umass Amherst) who wants to better themselves.  Clean eating and healthy living is not just about losing weight and fitting into skinny jeans but also about taking care of the ONE body you have.  Seriously.  You have one body, and you NEED to take care of it.  Some people, especially in college, put better things in their cars than their bodies.  In this blog I'll include healthy and filling meals to find/make at the dining commons, quick and easy snack ideas, healthy dinner recipes for the dorms, exercise routines, meal plan ideas, weight (FAT) loss tips (if that's your goal), and basic health advice I've accumulated from reliable sources over the years (including my super health conscious mother, nutritionists Keoni and Jade Teta who started the entire Metabolic Effect workout and diet plan, and of course none other than my boyfriend Ethan who claims to know everything about everything (in most cases, though, he does know a lot!)).

So taking this step toward a healthier life involves dedication, time, a good mindset, and money.  But honestly, think of what it takes to live an unhealthy live: lazy-ness, time, and money.  You don't just gain 20 pounds in a day.  It takes time to gain weight, just like it takes time to lose weight.  So you have to ask yourselves if the extra dedication, time, and money is worth having a healthier body.  And honestly, I don't understand anyone who would say no.

Yeah, preparing meals, shopping at organic food stores, and exercising all takes dedication.  You REALLY have to care about your body enough to make the extra trip to Whole Foods or Trader Joes than the Franklin convenience store.  You also need to be dedicated to working out at least six times a week (more on what makes a great workout later).

Yeah, preparing meals, shopping at organic food stores, and exercising all takes extra time.  Taking an hour or two out of your day to work out might be hard for some people, but would you rather be active for an hour a day or sit in front of the TV with a bag of cheese fries?  Although most of you might go with the latter, exercising leads to better sleep habits and more energy.  TV leads to lathargic behavior, and cheese fries lead to artery clogs (FUN!).

Yeah, preparing meals, shopping at organic food stores, and exercising all cost money.  $20 for a locker at the rec center.  $70 or so a semester for yoga classes.  And we all know Whole Foods mine as well be re-named Whole Funds.  But I don't know, I'd rather spend the extra two dollars at Whole Foods buying an organic chicken breast than a cheaper chicken at Market Basket with preservatives, nitrates, and added hormones.  When hormones are fed to chickens, and then you eat the chickens, where do you think the hormones go?  If you want to be cheap about your meat, watch Food Inc.  See what they feed the chickens at Perdue.  Then ask yourselves if you would eat that yourself.  If you wouldn't, spend the extra bucks for organic meat.  You have to make the sacrifice to put your money toward your body in different ways than just clothing now.

So if you want to make this step toward a healthier life, this blog will definitely help you do so.  Being at college makes this new lifestyle like 203021930183102 times harder, but it's definitely do-able WITHOUT starving.  Yeah, if you're used to consuming about 3,000 calories a day and burning nothing  then it might be difficult at first because in order to be healthy and lose fat, one must eat a healthy amount of calories a day.  But also, I care more about what I eat and when I eat it than counting calories.

So it's the beginning of August, which means we have one month left before school starts.  I'll start focusing on what to eat at dining commons a week or so before school starts, but as of now, I'll focus more on eating healthy and exercising at home.  So if you're just making the transition, start lightly.  Cut out all artificial sugars.  Cut out all processed foods.  CUT OUT ALCOHOL. Cut out anything that doesn't come from the earth or have eyes.  You'll be shocked at how much fat you'll lose if you just start out this way.  If you're not very active, walk an hour a day for a week.  Also try some yoga, and if you don't know anything about yoga, stretch for 15 minutes every night.  If you're experienced in exercise, you want to do a mix of cardio and weight lifting.  Cardio to burn the fat, and weight lifting to add the muscle.  Don't do more than 20 minutes of cardio a day because if you do more you'll deplete muscle.  Take a cardio kick boxing class, do some sprint intervals, or a 20 minute jog.  Swimming or bicycling is great cardio work too.  Walking up hills for 20 minutes is also great cardio.  If you don't belong to a gym, buy weights ranging from 8-15 pounds.  Then, check out the Metabolic Effect website: http://www.metaboliceffect.com/.  Their workout plan consists of a 20 minute, high-intesity, rest based plan.  It's quick so it's appealing to a lot of people who don't have a ton of time available.  Download some videos and get to work!  You can also buy the book The New ME Diet, which is available at Borders.

Here is a two day plan of my diet and workout schedule for a start:

Monday
Wake up
Breakfast
-1/2 grapefruit
-1 cup blueberries
-2 organic, scrambled eggs

Lunch
-grilled or steamed vegetables (spinach, onions, peppers, broccoli)
-roast chicken breast

Snack
-handful of almonds

Workout
-20 minute weight lifting Metabolic Effect workout
-45 minute Cardio Boxing with ab circuit

Dinner
-grilled salmon with salt and pepper
-brown rice

Snack/Dessert
-small bowl of watermelon

Tuesday
Wake up
Breakfast
-1/2 grapefruit
-1 cup blueberries
-Elvis Shake: 1 banana, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbs all natural peanut butter. (makes enough for 2 shakes, I have one).

CIRCUIT: Ab or Butt
30 Minute Boot Camp/ME workout
5 100m Sprints

Lunch
-spinach salad with goat cheese, grilled chicken, red peppers, walnuts, gluten free balsamic vinagrette
-chick pea salad on side

Snack
-Think Think Protein Bar

-30-60 minute walk

Dinner
-2 egg omelette with spinach, peppers, onions
-side of steamed broccoli with garlic

Dessert
-small bowl of non buttered popcorn with added nutritional yeast

STAY TUNED!