Protein-Packed Breakfast Parfait -Cali 10/27/10

This works for breakfast or dessert! On the days you just can't eat one more bite of oatmeal try switching it up a bit. Change is good!

Makes 2 servings

1 1/2 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt, divided
1 1/2 cup sliced strawberries, divided (or berries of your choice)
3 TBSP low-fat granola, divided (or any low-sugar crunchy breakfast cereal)
1 1/2 TBSP maple syrup, divided
3 TBSP toasted walnut halves, divided
1 tsp cinnamon, divided

Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt into 2 individual parfait glasses. Top each with 1/4 cup berries, 1/2 tbsp granola, 1/4 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tbsp walnuts and a shake of cinnamon. Repeat the layers 2 times. Serve immediately.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories 245, Total Fats 8g Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 8 mg, Sodium 165mg, Carbs 29g, Fiber 4g, Sugars 19g, Protein 15g, Iron 2mg

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies -Cali 10/27/10

I found this yummy recipe in the November issue of Oxygen. There are so many more great ones in this issue, perfect to get ready for the holidays. I also got the "Off the Couch" collector's issue from Oxygen and it also has a lot of new recipes. I really can't live without my Oxygen! That's how it all started. If you've never bought one please mark my word, you won't regret it! Happy cookies girls!

Makes 24 cookies

1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well
3/4 cup Sucanat
1 large egg
1/2 baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), broken into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, stir together first five ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate.

2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets for five minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 15 more minutes.

Nutrients per cookie:
Calories 110, Total Fat; 8g, Sat Fat 1.5g, Carbs 10g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 3g, Protein 2g, Sodium 55mg, Cholesterol 10mg

Herb-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin -CALI 10/6/10

My families exact words when I cooked this, "Please make this everyday!" It had so much flavor and was so juicy. It is a perfect fall dinner. Try this and you won't be sorry. Another clean, easy, tasty recipe from Oxygen!
Serves 4

14 oz pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/4 tsp sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 sprigs rosemary (1 tbsp) I used dry rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Trim any fat from pork. Using a sharp knife, cut meat in half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, to the other side. Spread the meat flat. Place tenderloin between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic, spinach, salt and pepper. Stir until spinach is wilted. Remove and roughly chop.

3. In a bowl, mic together vinegar, Dijon and Rosemary. Spread mixture evenly over tenderloin. Spoon spinach evenly along the long, inner edge of the pork.

4. Roll up tenderloin, starting at the spinach end. Tie meat with string, first at center, then at 1 inch intervals.

5. Bake at 425 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 160F. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove strings, cut pork into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve.

Nutrients per 3 1/2 oz serving:

Calories 200, Total Fat 8g, Sat Fat 2.5g, Monounsaturated Fat 4g, Polyunsaturated fat 1g, Carbs 5g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 1g, Protein 26g, Sodium 370g, Cholesterol 80mg

Chicken Parmigiana ~Martha 9.28.10

I found this recipe from Oxygen Magazine. It's a healthier version of your typical "Shake N' Bake" Chicken. I thought it was really easy to make and pretty yummy too! Here it is...

Chicken Parmigiana

1 egg
3/4 C Wheat Germ
3/4 - 1/2 C Olive Oil
4 Chicken Breasts (I used Chicken Tenderloins)
6 Tomatoes, Chopped
1 (28oz) Can Tomato Puree
1/2 C shredded part-skim Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven 350. Beat egg in a wide-mouth bowl and set aside

2. Pour wheat germ onto a plate and heat olive oil in a large skillet over med/high heat. Dip each chicken breast in egg, then coat with weat germ before placing in skillet. Cook until browned on one side (about 5min), then flip and repeat.

3. In the meantime, combine tomatoes and tomato puree and pour a little into a 9"x13" pan.

4. Remove chicken from oil, shaking slightly to drain and place on top of tomato mixture in the pan. Cover with remaining tomato mixture and bake 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven, sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.

ENJOY!

Nutrition:
Calories: 340, Fats: 12g, Sat Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 225mg, Carbs: 27g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 15g, Protein: 39g, Iron: 4mg

Bok Choy Wraps ~Martha 9.27.10

I found these wraps to be so quick and easy! I threw some together as I was heading out the door in about 5minutes. So if you need a quick lunch, I found one for you!

Bok Choy Wraps:

2 Bok Choy Leaves, washed
1/2 TBS Olive Oil
1/2 C Low-fat Cottage Cheese (I personally skip this, only because I am trying to stay away from dairy)
1/2 C Salsa (I mix my own veggies together....tomato, avocado, green onion, peppers, onion)
3oz Cooked Chicken Breast, shredded
Pinch of sea salt and pepper, to taste

1) Lay out Bok Choy Leaves.

2) Spread Cottage Cheese and Salsa mix (if mixing veggies yourself, add olive oil to it) on leaves

3) Add Cold Cooked Chicken and season with salt, pepper to taste. Wrap up and enjoy!

Nutrition:
Calories: 280, Fats: 10g, Sat. Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 170mg, Carbs: 11g, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 37g, Iron: 2mg

3-Bean Chipotle Chili ~Martha 9.27.10

This is a recipe my Mom recently gave me to try out. Totally fits in with my clean eating and if you love chili, you will LOVE this recipe. It will be great for your Halloween Parties coming up!

3-Bean Chipotle Chili

1lb Ground Turkey
1C Onion, Chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2TBS Chili Powder
1tsp Ground Cumin
1 (15oz) Can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 TBS Canned chipotle peppers or Jalapeno peppers to taste, chopped
1 (15oz) Can Black Beans, drained
1 (15oz) Can Kidney Beans, drained
2 (15oz) Cans White Beans, drained
Cilantro, Avocado (optional)

1) Cook meat, onion and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat until browned. Drain.

2) Add chili powder, cumin, tomatoes and chipotle peppers. Cook 10min or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

3) Add beans. Cook 5 min. Serve with cilantro and avocado (optional)

Hope you like it! I'll get a picture of it the next time I make it.

Chicken Florentine -CALI 9-26-10

Love, Love, Love this! I really wish I would have taken a picture of this yummy dish but I guess you'll just have to take my word for it. It hit the spot for us! If you love Italian food, try this!

Ready in 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1 tsp olive oil
4-4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 Tbsp fresh basil
10 oz fresh spinach
2 tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and cook chicken until lightly browned on each side, approximately six minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; place spinach on top of the chicken and cover tightly.

3. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, approximately 15 more minutes. Serve topped with a little Parmesan cheese.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 186, Total Fats 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 67mg, Sodium 336mg, Carbs, 9g Fiber, 2g Sugars 0g Protein 30g, Iron 3mg

You can add some more carbs to the dish to make it complete. Try quinoa, brown rice, side of veggies, 100% whole wheat baguette - the possibilities are endless. This dish is super easy too! I love anything that has to simmer for a period of time so I don't feel like I'm slaving making dinner. Enjoy and let me know what you think. Happy cooking & eating!

Ginger Chicken -CALI 9-15-10

Makes 4 - Ready in 25 minutes

12oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tsp arrowroot powder (it's like cornstarch)
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups brown rice, cooked

1. Slice chicken into strips. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and saute about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Add garlic, ginger, onion, pepper, broccoli and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Saute for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir arrowroot powder into the remaining chicken broth and add soy sauce.

3. Return chicken to pan, add soy sauce mixture and bring to boil. Stir until sauce thickens slightly. Cook 1 minute longer.

4. Serve with brown rice.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 261 Total fat 4g Saturated fat 1g Cholesterol 49 mg Sodium 408 Total Carbohydrates 32g Dietary fiber 3g Sugars 3g Protein 24g Iron 2mg

I love this ginger chicken! I love to cook with fresh garlic and ginger and this was a great clean dish. The whole family ate it up! My husband did say it would be good with some pineapple chunks to give it a little kick but either way it is a keeper in my recipe collection.
You can also use it as leftovers in a whole wheat wrap. Delicious! Hope you try it and tell me how you liked it. Happy eating! -Cali

French Toast 9.10.10 -Martha

Who says when you're eating clean you have to deprive yourself of all your favorite foods? Well, here is a quick easy recipe that is really similar to the old way we used to eat french toast.

French Toast:

2 slices of 100% whole wheat grain bread
3-4 Egg whites
Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste

1) Place egg whites in a bowl, sprinkle Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste and wisk with a fork.

2) Place bread in bowl and cover the bread with your egg mixture on both sides of the bread.

3) Place on a skillet and cook both sides. Drizzle Agave Nector over the toast and enjoy the deliciousness!

Whipped this up this morning and forgot to take a picture!

Whole-grain Zucchini Apple Bread -CALI

Serves 10

Olive oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 apple, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup raw honey

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mist an 8x4 inch or 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. (I used a muffin tin for more accurate portion size and lined with wax paper)

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together apple, zucchini, egg, yogurt and honey.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
If you use the muffin tin cook for 20-23 minutes.
(I'll leave a few out and freeze the rest. They seriously taste just as good once they are unthawed.)

Nutrients per 1/4 inch slice or 1 muffin: Calories 113, Total Fat 1g, Sat Fat 0.25g, Carbs 24g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 9g, Protein 4g, Sodium 124mg, Cholesterol 21mg

These are yummy home-baked goodies that are healthy for you! I love them and hope you do too! Happy baking!-CALI

Progress can happen for anyone!!!

I've been working this Angie for 5 months now! She hasn't met her goal yet but she HAS been able to lose 42 pounds! You can see the improvement and joy in her face. She's worked really hard, been dedicated and has the mindset of "never give up!" So when you think all hope is lost know that if you set your mind to something, anything is possible! Congratulations Angie!!

-Martha

What's for dinner?.....Chicken Marrakesh! -Cali

(Slow cooker recipe)

Ready in 4 hours
Makes 6 servings

1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15-oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, chopped into 2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 cinnamon
1/2 tsp black ground pepper
14 1/2 oz can chopped tomatoes

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a slow cooker
2. In a small bowl, mix together spices. Sprinkle over the food in the slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir carefully.
3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

-When I made this dish it was on a Sunday so I was gone for the whole 4 hours. The chicken was a little dry so I wish I could have add some water or maybe even more tomato juice half way through. Next time I'll definitely add extra liquid. It was delicious and tastes like a foreign dish. I loved it. It has your carbs, protein, fiber, veggies all in one. Enjoy. -CALI

Nutrients per serving: Calories 421g, Total fat 15g, Sat fat 3g, Trans fat 0g, Cholesterol 123mg, Sodium 384, Carbs 36g, Fiber 8g, Sugars 8g, Protein 37g, Iron 4mg

Eat Clean Fajitas ~Martha 8.30.10

These Chicken Fajitas will keep you coming back for more.....and I mean it!

Eat Clean Fajitas

2lb Chicken Breasts
juice of 2 limes
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
4TBS pineapple juice
5TBS Extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 C purple onion, cut into thin slices
1 each, red and green bell pepper, cut into thin slices
pinch of black pepper
whole-grain tortillas

Combine all juices in medium mixing bowl. Add 1 TBS olive oil, garlic, pinch of sea salt and black pepper, chili powder and mix well. Preheat over 200 degrees. wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven while you prepare the meat.

Prepare meat by placing it in a ziploc bag and rolling it with a rolling pin. Meat should be about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips.

Place meat in half the marinade and let stand for 30min. Reserve remaining marinade for the onions and peppers.

Meanwhile, prepare the onions and peppers. Place these veggies in a mixing bowl and toss gently with reserved marinade.

Place 2 TBS olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium/high heat. Saute meat the place on a platter and place it in the oven to keep warm.

Add the rest of the olive oil to the skillet and saute the veggies. Place veggies on top of the meat in the oven.

When all is done, place items on table and serve with guacamole (homemade) and black beans.

This will be the best thing that ever touched your lips! Enjoy!
~Martha

Cereal Bars ~Martha 8.30.10

I've told a few of you about this recipe. It reminds me of a healthy version of rice crispies. You must keep these frozen because once they reach room temperature, they begin to fall apart.

Cereal Bars

2 C puffed wheat or rice
1/3 C ground almonds or walnuts
2 TBS ground flaxseed
1C vanilla whey protein powder
1/3 C dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries or raisins)
1/3 C pure maple syrup
1 TBS coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS Naturally More Peanut Butter

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a pot, combine syrup and coconut oil. Heat to a simmer only. Add vanilla extract and peanut butter and remove from heat. Stir with a fork to blend ingredients.

Add liquid mixture to cereal mixture and mix with a spoon.

Press evenly into an oiled 8x8 pan. Let cool in the fridge until solid. Cut into 8 squares. Wrap individually and keep frozen for best results.

Nutrition:
1 square = 1 serving
Calories: 200, total fats: 7g, saturated fat: 2g, trans fat: 0g, cholesterol: 0mg, sodium: 2mg, total carbs: 19g, dietary fiber: 2g, sugars: 14g, protein: 15g, iron: 2mg

Tuna Melt...YUUUM! ~Martha 8.30.10

Need something fast and packed with protein that tastes delish? Here it is!

Tuna Melt

1 Can of tuna (in water)
dash of salt and pepper
lemon juice to taste
pinch of mozzarella cheese
1 100% whole wheat sandwich thin

Toast your sandwich thin.
While toasting, mix all other ingredients together and saute on a skillet or place in the oven until cheese melts and it is heated through.
Put on sandwich thin and enjoy!
~Martha

Cocoa Muffins...you can thank me later! -Cali

OK, so it's the weekend and our schedules are a little more relaxed therefore sometimes our eating becomes too relaxed and all our hard work all week can fly out of the window. I thought I'd be prepared to have a healthy treat for the up coming couple of days. Just think, a muffin that won't give you a muffin top! Love it!

Ready in 30 minutes Makes 12 muffins

Nonstick oil spray
1 1/4 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp whey protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
1 tsp baking soda
1 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup low-fat milk + 1/2 tsp white vinegar)
3 tbsp agave syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly pray a 12-cup muffin pan with oil and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and the nest five ingredients.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg, applesauce, buttermilk, syrup and oil
4. Make a well in the enter of the dry ingredients and pour in egg mixture. Stir just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in raisins.
5. Portion batter evenly in to the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool muffins on a wire rack.

Enjoy! I did and loved them! My husband loved them too and he is super picky when it comes to me making "clean desserts." Try freezing them so they don't go bad, then pull them out when needed. You can use them for a preworkout, for breakfast, snack or for that all to common sweet tooth that haunts us all.
I will be trying lots of new clean recipes in the coming weeks and I'll share the good ones with you. Happy Muffin eating!

Nutrients per muffin: Calories 182, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 122mg, Total Carbs 30g, Fiber 4g, Sugar 9g, Protein 8g, Iron 2g

Yummy Sweet & Sour Chicken! -Cali

I got this recipe out of Clean Eating Magazine by Oxygen. It is simple, flavorful, clean, and my kids even loved it. You can eat eat it over rice or my favorite, quinoa, or throw it in a wrap or just plain. It is a keeper in our house. Here it goes....

Serves: 6

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp raw honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4) chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut the same as red pepper
1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 3/4 cup)
12 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

One: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Place chicken in a large shallow dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over chicken, tossing gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Two: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade ad saute for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender. Add pineapple and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately over rice for a complete meal.

I hope you all try this because I promise you will love it! I am in the process of making some Cocoa Muffins right now so keep watch and I'll post them soon with a pic. They smell delicous and they are clean too! Thanks!

Protein Shake You Can Try 8.21.10

This is one of my favorite protein shakes that I have a few times a week. Here is the recipe...

Peanut Butter Banana Shake

1 banana
2 TBS Naturally More Peanut Butter
1/4 C Oats (uncooked)
6 Ice Cubes
1 1/2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder

Put in blender until ice cubes are crushed finely.
This will make a tall glass, the photo is a short glass because I forgot to take a picture until I was almost done with it! Sorry!
~Martha

Oat Pizza 8.20.10

I had this pizza for lunch today and it took me all of about 15min from start to finish. Here is the recipe...

Oat Pizza

Preheat oven 350 degrees
1/2 C Oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground flaxseed
4 oz extra-lean ground turkey

Mix these ingredients with your hands until wet.
Flatten this oatmeal dough into a disc shape onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5minutes, flip over and bake for 5 more minutes.

While baking...Combine in a bowl:
1 C chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/4 C unsalted tomato paste
1/4 C low-fat cottage cheese (I used feta cheese since I was out of the other kind)
2 TBS onion, chopped (I may have done a little more)
2 TBS chopped pepper (any color)
1/4 C sliced mushrooms (I used canned ones)

Spread this mixture on top of the oatmeal cake. Bake until cheese melts.

How easy is that? SO yummy too!

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 360, Total Fats: 5g, Sat Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 450mg, Total Carbs: 47g, Dietary Fiber: 8g, Sugars: 13g, Protein: 45g, Iron: 4mg

Enjoy!
~Martha

Workouts In a Little More Detail...

Alright, so here is a general breakdown of my Plyometric workouts.

It will generally look something like this:

3-5min warmup on a bike
I will then do circuit training of about 2-3 exercises per circuit. I will always do my circuits 3 times through.
So say one circuit is:
11 Box Jumps
50 quick step ups
75-100 Air Squats
I will do this 3 times with very little breaks. I generally only break to catch my breath and get a drink so I don't pass out...LOL I am trying to keep my heartrate up the entire hour to one and a half hours.

Another circuit could be:
16 Plie Lunges with a Hop
13 Burpees
9 Rollups with a Hop
I'll do this 3x's as well.

Notice how my reps are always an inconsistent number? That creates muscle confusion and I LOVE it! You can get a deck of face cards and create your own reps that way. What you would do is flip over 3 cards and add up the numbers. That will be the amount you will have to crank out for that particular exercise. For example if I was doing squats and flipped over a King, a 2 of Hearts and a Jack, that would mean I am doing 22reps of Squats (Because a King and Jack are each worth 10 and 2 of Hearts is worth it's face value...make sense?).

I will post photos on this entry tomorrow as I have time. Maybe that can give you a better idea of what some of these exercises look like.
Feel free to try it out and let me know what you think! It's pretty intense, I'm not gonna lie. An hour and a half of plyometrics is pretty insane....but so am I so I really enjoy it! :) Happy Sweating!
~Martha

Fat-Burning Cookies 8.18.10

I found these in Oxygen from this month's issue and decided they are WAY better for you than my recipe I tried to revise a little while back. Try them and let me know if thy taste just as good too!


Fat-Burning Cookies

1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 C whey protein powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 C low-fat small-curd cottage cheese
1/2 C honey
1/4 C canola oil
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C rolled oats
1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven 350degress
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and blend with a fork.
In a separate bowl, combine next 5 ingredients and whisk together with a fork, or use an electric mixer or food processor.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix with a fork. Mix in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an oiled or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes until the cookies are slightly brown on top.

Nutrients per serving (2 cookies):
Calories: 99, Total Fats: 3g, Sat Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 72mg, Total Carbs: 11g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 7g, Iron: 0mg

Hope you love'm!
~Martha

My New Training Schedule

As a lot of you know, I have decided to compete again in another figure competition. So my workouts have changed a smidge and I am LOVING it! I was just starting to feel like my workouts needed a change anyway, so this was perfect timing for me! Here is what I look at every morning to tell me what to focus on for the day.

Monday:
Plyo-Metrics

Tues:
Full Upper Body

Wed:
Plyo-Metrics

Thurs:
Full Lower Body

Fri:
Plyo-Metrics

Sat:
Full Body Workout

Now if you are trying to lose some poundage, it is wise to do cardio within 8-10 hours of your heavy lifting days. I will probably do this 2 days a week for a few weeks and see if it is really necessary. My body-type might be fine with just sticking with the schedule I have written out above. Tweeking things is always a good idea until you find what works best for your body-type. Anyway, that's my plan for the next 2 months! Wish me luck!
~Martha

Boosting Your Metabolism and Losing Weight 8.11.10

So I've been learning a lot about certain foods and spices and how they help aid our bodies in increased metabolism (how fast you digest foods) and fat-loss. I thought you all might be interested in some of the things I've learned. I'll try to keep it short and sweet, but I'll warn you that I get really excited about stuff like this and it's hard to sum up! So bare with me.

Did you know that spices like cayenne, dried mustard, and ginger can accelerate your metabolism? And that dill, garlic, anise and fennel will assist you with digestion? Also, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and coriander will improve your insulin and glucose levels (that's for you ANGIE!). Parsley, cilantro, fennel, anise and apple cider vinegar will remove water weight and we all HATE excess water weight, right? I use apple cider vinegar all the time as my dressing on my salads and it's so delicious! Parsley and cilantro are so easy to grow in your very own gardens. I have some in mine this year and they make the perfect spice for my chicken wraps or tomato toasts or my homemade salsa. Something to be aware of is that hot spices can trigger water retention, so be careful of the chili peppers (note, cayenne is not a chili pepper).

If you are really trying to lose weight, you will want to stay away from dairy products of all kinds (with the exception of whey). Don't worry, you will still get your calcium from your greens like kale, collards, escarole, watercress, broccoli, and mustard and turnip greens.

I've always been a fan of protein because of the building and repairing factor after my intense workouts. I also learned that protein will raise your metabolism by 25% and will help aid the liver in activating it's detoxifying enzymes!

There is much more I would like to share, but I will stop here and post more as I have time. It's amazing what God has provided for us to keep our bodies functioning at their very best levels! It's always been right there in front of us and we can grow most of it right in our backyards! So the next time I'm looking for something to eat, I think I'll be choosing something God has provided us.....not man.
-Martha

Toasted Snack 8.10.10

Oh my! I found such a tasty quick snack that my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Here it is. I will post a picture of it tomorrow when I'm not so tired :)

Tomato Toasted Snack

1 sandwich thin
diced tomato
diced onion

Toast the sandwich thin. While it is toasting, dice the tomato and onion. Place them in a bowl with a tsp or so of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and fresh basil.

When toast comes out, mince a garlic clove and smear on the toast. Place the tomato mixture on top and enjoy! This is packed with flavor and has all the spices and veggies you need to boost your fat-burning cells! Great to have between lunch and dinner as a snack!

Hope you like it!
Martha

Tofu Recipe for You Vegetarians Out There!

I found this yummy-looking recipe made out of Tofu and Couscous in the Oxygen Magazine I received a few days ago. Haven't tried it yet, but I have not tried anything out of Oxygen that I haven't liked yet. So I'm sure it will be a hit!

Here it is...

Tofu Delight

1/2 C Whole-Grain Couscous
4 oz Cubed Tofu
1/2 C Broccoli
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

Cook/Steam all ingredients, combine and enjoy!
-Martha

Some Carbs You Might Enjoy 7.15.10

These are some of my carbs I enjoy when I don't have time to prepare oatmeal, sweet potatoes or other things like that. I'm not 100% positive there isn't another whole wheat tortilla out there that isn't better than these Mission Brand ones. I just quickly grabbed the first ones that didn't have anything processed in them. You would be surprised at some of the ingredients in these foods they advertise as "healthy" if you take the time to look! Next is my sandwich thins. There are several types you can buy, like multi-grain, honey wheat, etc. But I believe the 100% whole wheat ones are the best for you after you compare the ingredients. Next I have 2 types of Wasa Crackers. Some are more crunchy than others, but I love them all! You can have them with cottage cheese, peanut butter, bananas, etc to make a healthy snack! Lastly is a random item I decided to add. It's your green tea. Green Tea has been proven to have lots of healthy benefits and is a great antioxidant.

I hope everyone knows I didn't switch to all these new foods right away. I started small, a little here, a little there. As I got more and more used to different foods, I would try something else new. I don't like everything, but these are some of the things I do enjoy. I hope you are able to use this a guide to get you started in the right direction and give yourself time to try some a little at a time. Until next time ladies!
-Martha

Random Kitchen Items....7.15.10

Here are some random items I keep in my kitchen at all times. I can't remember what order I put them in, so here is a run down in no particular order. I have posted a recipe for Protein Pancakes, I believe it was our very first post actually. They are really good with honey or Agave Nector. You can find this ANYWHERE really. Next is your whole wheat flour. The brand doesn't matter, you just want it to be 100% whole wheat. I also posted Adam's Peanut Butter, most everyone has heard of this. I use Naturally More now (posted a photo of it on Cali's entry when she was talking about it). Both peanut butters you can find at Wal-Mart. It is good when you see the oil at the top of the jar because that means there are no hydrogenated oils in it. These oils are very bad for you, but manufacturers put it in to keep the ingredients from separating (mostly because we are too lazy to take the time to stir). The trick is to stir it when you open it, then place it in your fridge. It won't separate if it stays cold. Lastly is my organic yogurt. My favorite is Greek Yogurt (it's the best for you anyway), but I had ran out of that and this is what I got instead. Both kinds of yogurts you can find at Wal-Mart. I hope this is helping you all get a visual of what is out there that you can choose from as a healthy alternative to what you are currently spending your money on. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Sugar Alternatives by Martha 7.15.10

These are the sugars I use now in place of the refined sugars that we are all used to. I have found they work great and taste delicious too! They are a little more expensive than your normal sugars, but when it comes to taking care of my body (and my family's bodies!) I only want the best anyway! I found the last one - your "white sugar" at Costco for a really good deal. The "brown sugar and powder sugar" I found at Harmons I believe.

Martha's More Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies 7.15.10

I modified my old recipe for chocolate chip cookies to try and make it a bit more healthy. I put it to the test by having my daughters and husband (he's the biggest critic of all) try the cookies. Needless to say, they all loved it! I didn't modify the entire recipe, but only what I could. So here it is...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C part-butter Shortening
2/3 C Organic Brown Sugar
2/3 C Organic White Sugar
2 Eggs
Mix these ingredients together in a mixer.

Add:
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 C Chocolate Chips (can use dark choc if you like)

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 min. Don't over cook. I take them out before I see them turning brown.
The Organic Sugars and Flour I will post a photo of what I use and you can find something similar if you like.
Enjoy!

A Few Photos of My Favorite Foods 7.15.10

I've decided I need to post more pictures. I get comments at my bootcamp class that they are scared to buy these new types of foods because they have no idea what they are, what they look like, how to find it, or how to use it. So I have a list of my favorite foods here that will really help boost your metabolism and get your body working for you instead of against you! A lot of these foods have been talked about in our previous entries, so at least now you know what they look like!
This is Quinoa (Keen-Wa). It is a carb that you can use in place of white rice. It is better for you than brown rice and tastes better too! I found this at Costco, but Harmons and Wal-Mart and health food grocers sell it too. Sometimes it comes in a box. Be careful with prices though. I found the natural grocer and Costco were the cheapest.
This popcorn is a great replacement of your Movie Theatre Extra Butter Popcorn you USED to buy! My kids love it better than the old stuff and my father-in-law, who is a HUGE popcorn fan, has also switched after trying this out.... It makes a great snack when you have the munchies. I get this at Wal-Mart.
This is Quinoa I found in the form of spagetti noodles! My daughter says it tastes better than regular noodles, now that should tell you something! I will cook up a box of this, make some spagetti sauce and add my turkey muffins to the sauce for a great source of protein without my kids knowing it's good for you! I buy this at Harmons. You can check the health food grocer, I just haven't checked there yet.

I have to run, but I have a lot more to share. I will post more as I have time!!!
Martha

Cashew Chicken with Vegetables -Cali

I love this recipe. I made it for the first time a couple nights ago and I was shocked how yummy it was. You could taste the yummy ginger and broth along with the tender chicken then to top it off with a few chopped cashews. It was heaven! I hope you think so too!

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breasts), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil cooking spray
2 carrots (8 to 9 inches each), shredded (2 cups)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews, toasted and chopped
cooked brown rice or quinoa (serve chicken over)

One: Combine chicken, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a large shallow dish; cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

Two: Mist a large wok or skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade and saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Three: Add carrots, broccoli, and onion to same skillet and saute for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Move chicken back to pan, then add broth. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over brown rice or quinoa. Sprinkle cashews on as needed on each plate. (If keeping for left overs, don't mix in all the cashews at once, they tend to be soggy the next day.)

Nutrient per 1 1/2 cup serving: Calories: 330, total fat: 9g, Sat fat: 1.25g, Monounsaturated fat 3.5g, polyunsaturated fat 1.5g, Carbs: 31g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 3g, Protein: 32g, Sodium 396 mg, Cholesterol 58mg

Love it!!! Even better the next day, enjoy!

Martha's Favorite Protein Shake 6.25.10

So I'm sitting here drinking my protein shake as usual after my workout. Then I thought, I need to share this with everyone because as my daughter says, "it tastes like candy"! So here it is:

Spinach and Fruit Protein Shake:

1 1/2 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder (I avoid protein powders with "Casein" in it because it is slow-digesting and makes my stomach bloat and gives me discomfort and cramps)
1 Large handful of fresh Spinach Leaves
1 Banana
3-4 Strawberries
About a 1/4C (or less) Vanilla Almond Milk
6 Ice Cubes

Put in blender and mix!

Makes one tall class....ENJOY!

EGG Bites! -Cali

500 ml container of egg whites (not sure how many actual eggs that is)
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp chili flakes

Pour into mini muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray(should make 2 dozen)
Cut up 1 cup of any vegetable that you like to have with eggs(mushrooms, red peepers, onion, spinach) and add this mixture to the mini muffins.
Bake 400 Degrees for 35 minutes.

Yummy! Like little quiches! Goes great with your morning oatmeal or perfect for on- the-go snack!

-Cali

Martha's Turkey Burgers

This has got to be the best hamburger (turkey burger) recipe I have ever found! It's perfect for summer and is packed with flavor! I think I have had it at least 5 times in one week! The best thing about it is it's super quick and super easy! Here it is...

Turkey Burgers:

Ground Turkey (enough for one patty)
Salsa (about 1 TBS)
Chopped onion
Chopped green pepper
Chopped green onion

Mix ingredients with hands until evenly distributed. Form into a patty and place on a frying pan with Olive Oil Spray. I put the heat just above medium. Cook 4 min on one side and flip over. Cook other side until meat is no longer pink inside.

Toast a Sandwich Thin and place burger on bread. Add 1-2 slices of tomato and 1/2 avocado. You could also add some spinach leaves if you have some handy.

This stays in the range of a 300 calorie/per meal plan. 27g protein and about 40g carbs.

So juicy, full of flavor...MY FAVORITE!

-Martha

Martha's Bootcamp 6.11.10

Some of you know that I do my own bootcamp at the college football stadium here in St. George. I thought it might be fun to post a few of my routines on here for those of you that can't join us! Yesterday was fun, so I think I will start there. If there are exercises in here you aren't sure of, I recommend going to youtube and see if they have a demo of it. I need to make videos for you guys...workin' on it!

Martha's Bootcamp:

Started with some Power Sun Salutations to warm up our quads and glutes.

Every exercise in these circuits (with the "helified lunges" as the exception) had a certain amount of reps to go with them. That was determined by flipping 3 face cards over and adding up the numbers. Ace was worth 11. King, Queen, Jacks were worth 10 each.

Do each exercise 1 at a time, then repeat 1-3 times (depending on how much strength you have left!)

Circuit 1:
1) Helified Lunges - This consists of doing a 12 walking lunges with a double bounce, then 12 more walking lunges in singles this time, then go straight into 12 sumo squats
2) Jack Knife Abs
3) Jump Squats up the stadium stairs


Circuit 2:
1) Jump Squats
2) Plie Lunges on a step
3) Push ups

Circuit 3:
1) Chattarungas
2) Full Sit Ups
3) High Knees (2 legs is worth 1 rep)

Circuit 4:
1) Butt Kicks (2 legs is worth 1 rep)
2) Stationary lunge into a leap (so you go into lunge position, then take your back leg and swing it up to your chest while you leap off the ground with your opposite leg)
3) Abs - any kind

Then we cranked out 300 abs without stopping.
Stretch and call it a day!

Hope you like it!!!

Martha's Homemade Hummus 6.11.10

Hello everyone! I whipped up some hummus for lunch today and instantly knew I had to post this recipe. It only takes as long as it takes to make your protein shake after your workout!

Hummus:

2 Cups canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 Cup olive oil
1TBS lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until almost smooth.

You can add salt, paprika, cumin, dried tomatoes for varied flavors if you want. I eat mine with Blue Chips. YUMMY!

Feed Your Muscles! Recipe for Egg White Pizza!! -Cali

Non stick olive oil spray
5 large egg whites
ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup no-salt tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Spray frying pan. Whisk egg whites, pepper, water and pour into pan over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, mix tomato sauce, basil, and oregano.

3. When egg whites are set, gently flip them over.

4. Cover with tomato sauce mixture, ricotta cheese(little spoonfuls), green peppers, and mushrooms. Top with Parmesan cheese. Cover pan, reduce heat to low until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

I got this recipe out of Oxygen Magazine. I like to use spinach too. If you don't have the suggested veggies just improvise. Anything will be yummy. Goes nicely with 100% whole wheat toast. Enjoy!
-Cali

Recipe's by Martha 5.16.10

So I've been promising these recipes for a while now. I have about 3 so get ready for some yummy, easy things to make in your kitchen this week!



First one is Carrot Cake Protein Bars:
Spray 8x8 pan
1C oat flour
2 Scoops Protein Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 egg whites
3/4 C natural sugar
(mix egg whites and sugar together first until foamy)
1/2 C ricotta cheese
2 jars baby food carrots (get low sugar)

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix. Pour into pan. Cook at 350 for 22-28 min. I do 25min. Cut into 16 squares. 2 = 1 serving


Next is the Meatloaf Muffins:
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme crushed
2 tsp dried mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice (I use Ms. Dash)
1 tsp salt
1 C oats
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (or bell peppers)
3or4 egg whites
1 1/2 - 2 lbs ground chicken breast or turkey

Mix dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mash with your hands. Spray a muffin tin w/ olive oil spray. Make racquetball size balls and place in tins. Heat oven 375 and bake for 40min
Yields: 18 muffins
Nutrition = 1 muffin
78 cal
2g fat
4g carbs
11g protein
Servings: 2 for women and 4 for men


Last one...Cocoa Muffins:
Nonstick spray
1 1/4 C oats
1 C whole wheat flour
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBS whey protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C low-fat milk
3 TBS agave syrup
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 C raisens
Preheat oven 350. Lightly spray muffin pan (regular or mini size) with oil and set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine oats and the next five ingredients. In another mixing bowl, whisk together egg, applesauce, milk, syrup, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir just until moist. Stir in raisens. Portion batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake for 20 min (if mini cups...I did 12 min) or until tops spring back when lightly touched. You can double this and freeze some for later!

Hope you like them!!!
-Martha

Martha's Food For The Day 5.6.10

Well, today was crazy. Worked out at 6am this morning, worked all day at the dental office, then did a training session at the football field today for some ladies that want a little extra push. And for those of you that were there, I think you would all agree you may have gotten a little more than a push! I like to get people to their limits, then go a little beyond what they think they are capable of. I feel like it empowers them and they see results a lot faster if they are dedicated and stick with the routines. This will be a great summer for those of you that stick with this! Great job to all of you....Jamie, Angie, Regan, Joelle, Renae, and Corrine are officially women of STEAL! Can't wait to see you again on the fields on Tuesday!

So here is the food I had today. Most of it was prepared the night before because of my crazy morning schedule with working out and needing to get to work right after my workout.
Breakfast: green pepper, mozzarella cheese omlette with 5 egg whites and 2 slices of turkey bacon
Snack: Green apple with 1TBS Simply More Peanut Butter
Lunch: Shrimp Tacos
Snack: Rice cake and 12 almonds with protein shake
Ate something an hour before my Boot Camp Class which was an almond butter and honey sandwich on "sandwich thins" bread. Had some NO Shotgun just before the class.
Dinner: Peppered Steak strips with mozzarella and 1/4 C Quinoa in a "FlatOut" tortilla wrap.
Desert: 2 Strawberries with 1 square of dark chocolate...YUMMY!
1 Gallon of water finished by bedtime

Alright ladies...I know you can do this! Buy the right foods and get serious about this cause Summertime is knockin' at your door! :) Hope these ideas help with what you should eat! Enjoy!
-Martha

Rindy's Breakthrough! 5.5.10

This is for Rindy who regrettably, I'm sure, asked me while I was working out what were some good shoulder exercises she could do. I just had her jump in on my workout (I think I may have scared her a little with what I had in store for her). She starts by telling me she can't do one pull-up on her own. Ya right, she did about 8 on her own and I helped her finish to 10. Then she went on to complete 2 more sets of pull-ups! Ladies, I'm not talking about using the assistance machine either. This was all on her own (with a little coaching from me). This just goes to show that we all have what it takes inside of us, we just all too often sell ourselves short. We are strong women, we just let our minds get in the way of accomplishing our goals. With a little focus, motivation and will-power, we call ALL be unstoppable! Unfortunately, Rindy told me a few days later that after we were done working out, she had to run to the bathroom to vomit. For that, I apologize! It was so much fun though and Rindy says she loved it despite the throwing up. You are my hero, Rindy! Now go kick some more butt!
-Martha

Martha's Insane Plyo/Back/Abs Workout 5.5.10

This workout I did is pretty intense. Feel free to modify where necessary (not so much weight I think for most of you). Remember, form is KEY! If you have bad form, you need to modify the weight or just don't do the exercise until you know you have good form. You can always ask a trainer at the gym if they think what you are doing is with good form. That is FREE. Alright ladies...here we go!
Warm up on bike for 10min (had it at level 8 and would pedal to the beat on my ipod. Every chorus I double-timed my pedaling)
Circuit 1 (3x)
pullups (10,10, and then 5 cuz it was the round the clock one)
Circuit 2 (3x)
Seated bent over flys (used a free weight machine and had 5lbs on each side) - 15 reps
Used a half ball and did the biggest loser move from last night. If you saw it, you know what I mean...so you have your feet on the outsides of the ball, then jump onto the ball then jump off so feet are back on the outsides of the ball and sit into a squat. Repeat 20x.
Abs on a mat - different each time for a set of 40.
Circuit 3 (3x)
Cable rows with a knee up. Used 15lbs w/ a set of 10 on each arm.
Abs using one hanging abs strap. Put my feet into it and attached it to a cable. Sat on a bench and did 15 crunches with 15lbs weight.
Hands on a bench and jumped (2 feet at the same time) from one side to the other for 20 (10 each side)
Circuit 4 (3x)
Another biggest loser move from last night. Jumped OVER 2 boxes then jumped ONTO last box which was higher than the other 2 boxes. Jump off the last box and go straight into a squat hovering over the last box for 20 sec. Repeat 5x.
Dead lifts with 90lbs
Decline bench oblique twists holding 25lbs
Circuit 5 (3x)
Hanging abs (10-15 each set)
Wide leg squat, jump up and clap your feet together without letting them hit the ground, then fly straight into the squat again (10-15x)
Seated cable rows at 70 and 85lbs (12reps)

I'm wondering if you want me to post some photos of a few of these exercises each time I post a workout. Would that be helpful for form (and to get what I'm talking about)? Let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Happy workout!

Shrimp Tacos Anyone? by Martha 4.28.10

I know it's not time for recipe of the week, but this has to be one of my family's favorite recipes. I just had to share it now! If you like fish (or not, cause you can't really taste the shrimp) then you will definitely LOVE these!

Shrimp Tacos

2TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2C precooked shrimp (I buy the mini frozen shrimp bags)
2C black beans (rinsed/drained)
1C salsa
Feta cheese
8 Corn taco shells

Place olive oil in large skillet over med/high heat. Add precooked shrimp and heat until thoroughly warmed through. Add black beans and salsa. Continue to heat, mixing thoroughly. Cool mixture slightly and add feta cheese (I just placed mine on tope of my taco after everything was added) Spoon mixture into tacos and enjoy! YUMMY! So fast, so easy, and perfect for summer! Hope you like'm!

Cali's crazy day! Chest/Triceps 4.27.10

If you know me at all, you know I love a routine life. But as we all know that some days are just plain crazy! Today was one of those days but I tried my best to keep it together. I couldn't make my regular morning workout so I went later that night. I have a hard time with this because my body wants to wind down and relax after 6pm not get all energized up. It took some great self talk and a fabulous preworkout supplement. Here it goes! Hint: Take it up a notch and try doing it faster than before. I know you can do it! Get that heart rate up and down and you'll feel the difference. Make yourself sweat!

Warm up: Elliptical 10 minutes/setting 15

Do each circuit 3 times!
Circuit 1:
flat bench press 10's on each side 20 reps
tricep dips 20 reps
jumping lunges 30 total
wide leg squats w/40lb bar across upper back
crunches on bench-40 reps
standing calve raises until failure

Circuit 2:
Leg extensions (machine) 50lbs 20 reps then down 30lbs for 10-15 reps
tricep push ups 15 reps (keep your elbows in)
wide push ups (chest) 15 reps
one-legged lunge on bench (no weight) 20 each leg
run in place for 1 minute (last 20 seconds, high knees)
kick outs for abs (on bench, sit on edge and kick legs out and hold in core) 30 reps

Circuit 3:
fly machine 50 lbs 15 reps
triceps pull downs on cables (depends on what one your using for lbs) heavy enough to struggle but light enough to keep form 20 reps
jumping squats 30 reps (jump as high as you can then get as low as you can)
holding 10's in each hand, do oblique crunches, standing, side to side
one legged calve raises, until failure each leg

If this isn't enough get on the bike and crank up the tension to the point your legs are moving slow but your heart rate is sky high! I love this!
Remember: Always, always, always have a water bottle with you when you work out! Replenish your body with fluids is key! Happy sweating!

My new favorite clean eating food: Quinoa (keen-wa) Love it! It is a great carb and has protein to boot! You can substitute it for your morning oatmeal if you are choking down oatmeal...Jaime :) Try it please! You can get a big bag at Costco or at any health food store! 1 cup dry makes 4 cups prepared! Yummy! My kiddies love it too! I'll post some recipes I've used with it this week. Hope you all are doing great!

Recipe of the Week by Martha 4.26.10

Now that the competition is over, I like to throw in a few carbs that I didn't eat while I was in training. This recipe I think is great because it's quick and easy while not going overboard. It reminds me of Subway...and I LOVE Subway!

Chicken Wraps:
1 FlatOut Flatbread Wrap
4oz cold chicken (you should have some pre-made in your fridge by this point) :)
pinch of mozzarella cheese
dash salt & pepper
brussel sprouts
thinly sliced red onion
1 - 2 slices of cooked turkey bacon

Add all ingredients to your wrap. Roll up and placed on a skillet with 1- 2 TBS of extra virgin olive oil. Heat through until wrap is slightly brown, then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat and add:

diced fresh tomatoes
spinach leaves
cucumber
1/2 avocado

Slice in half and enjoy! I use toothpicks to keep this massive wrap from coming apart. The nice thing is, you don't have to use all the ingredients, just use what you have around the house. You can't go wrong with a heated wrap and a few cold ingredients. YUMMY!

One other thing I've been enjoying is Kashi "Go Lean" cereal. It has 14 grams of Protein! I take 3/4C of that with almond milk and some strawberries before I start my day. So good during the hot summer mornings!

Happy Clean Eating!

Martha

Cali's yummy food 4.20.10

I took my own advice and made the "recipe of the week" tonight for dinner and it was delicious!I love Turkey Muffins! Hope you all try it soon. Here what today looked like for me....

Meal 1: 1/2 cup oatmeal w/cinnamon & 1 TBSP flax seed
Meal 2: preworkout-NO SHOTGUN
Meal 3: protein pancakes smeared w/ 1 TBSP Naturally More peanut butter
Meal 4: protein shake w/ red pepper
Meal 5: 3 turkey muffins with spinach salad & balsamic vinaigrette
Meal 6: 2 wasa crackers w/ 1 TBSP Naturally More peanut butter
Treat: handful of dark chocolate chips (if you know me, you'll know I have to have a treat almost everyday :)

My sister found the BEST peanut butter and shared it with me. Thanks Quincey, I love it! It's called, Naturally More. And oh is it ever! It contains: roasted peanuts, wheat germ, flax seed, cane sugar, egg whites, honey, & flax seed oil. Nutrition Facts: 2 TBSP Calories: 169 Fat: 11g Carbs: 8g Fiber: 4g Sugars: 2g Protein 10g! It also contains Omega-3 & 6. Above all it tasted divine! She got it at Walmart in Las Vegas. I haven't looked here but if I find it I'll let you know and you do the same. Thanks for listening!
Food for Thought: If you don't get enough fat, you'll crave carbs because the body turns carbs into fat." (Aim for 20%-35% of daily calories from fat)

Cali's Monday workout & diet 4.19.10

Today was a tough day to "get back to it." Monday workouts can be a bit hard when you've fallen "off the wagon" like I did. We've all done it. Too much sugar! But the past is the past and it's time to buckle down and eat clean and workout hard.

Remember...water, water, water! If your hungry all the time, try drinking a full glass of water and waiting 10 minutes and see how you feel.

Meal 1: 1/2 oatmeal with 1 TBSP flax seed
Meal 2: preworkout; NO SHOTGUN
Meal 3: chocolate protein shake (mixed w/water) 1 apple
Meal 4: Tuna Sandwich:
1 can light tuna mixed w/ 2 TBSP Greek Yogurt & pinch of Chile pepper
100% whole wheat Sandwich Thins (by Oroweat)
with spinach, tomato, pepper
Meal 5: 1 cup Greek Yogurt w/ handful of sliced strawberries & 1 TBSP flax seed
Meal 6: Turkey burger wrapped in lettuce w/ tomato & spicy mustard
Treat...Family Night! Ice cream with the kids :) Yummy!

I worked my shoulder this morning along with some glutes and quads.

Warm up on elliptical for 10 min. (Love watching Live w/ Regis & Kelly:)
These circuits should be done 3 times each and with speed but still using perfect form. I rest in between only long enough to lower my heart rate.

Circuit 1:one-legged dead lift on smith machine (squat rack where the bar is attached and slides up and down)
side lateral raises 10 lbs - 15 reps
over head press 10 lbs - 15 reps
bent over flys 10 lbs - 15 reps
jumping squats 30 reps
standing calf raises until failure

Circuit 2:
up right row 30lbs - 15 reps
standing lunges 30 lbs - 10 each leg
jumping lunges 30
forward raises 10lbs - 10 each arm
push ups 20
run in place 60 seconds
crunches on ball 40

Circuit 3:
later bench jumps 30
push up (concentrate on shoulders, on toes!) 20
one legged lunge (back foot rests on bench) 15 each leg
bicycle crunch on bench 40
lateral flys with machine (as heavy as you can go)
jumping jacks 50 (I do these as fast as I can only moving my arms like a lateral fly, not over head)
calve raises with toes out, ballet style, until failure

I finished this workout with 15 minutes on the staionary bike with the medium to high tension. Happy workout! Let me know if there you have questions. Thanks for reading!

Recipe of the Week 4.19.10 Cali's Turkey Muffins

I love turkey muffins because they are so simple and pre-portioned for you. Not to mention they taste fabulous and they're packed with protein and carbohydrates. They are great for on the go or for a nice meal with the family. My girls love them!

Preheat oven 350 degree
Combine in large bowl:
1 package (raw) Jeanie O. 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey (I think it's 1-1.5lbs)
1 cup old fashion oats
15oz can diced tomatoes (I like the roasted garlic or cilantro flavored tomatoes)
1 zucchini grated (I've used squash too and it works)
2 egg whites
season with whatever you like (I use Mrs. Dash-I love all the flavors)
(You can get creative with these, add whatever veggies you like)

Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Spoon meat mixture in 12 muffins evenly. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy! 3 muffins makes a serving. When I serve this we usually just have veggies drizzled with Olive Oil or a nice colorful salad. I've even eaten them cold on the go and they're great! I hope you like them. Happy cooking and eating!

Rindy Shout Out!

We want to congratulate Rindy our sweet friend who has been following our blog. She announced she is expecting her 3rd baby! You should see her ladies...she is an animal in the gym and looks amazing! You can do it too, no matter how many children you have! Great job Rindy! We love you! Keep up the good work!

Your Basic Nutrition Needs 4.15.10

I've gotten a lot of questions on what type of foods you should be consuming if you are trying to be more healthy. I understand it can feel a bit overwhelming if you've never really known what's considered truly healthy or not. Like we've said before, this is a PROCESS. It's definitely not a lifestyle either of us obtained overnight. So I am going to give you the basics and you can make this your first step in educating yourself and get moving in the right direction! Yay! Are you feeling fit and healthier already? I am!

So lets get started.... 1st of all I would like you to understand that it's important to eat 6 times a day. 3 meals and 3 snacks. Trying to eat every 2-3 hours is a great place to start. I found that if I stick to this, I am not as hungry (or EVER hungry) and so that makes it easier to refuse the bad foods.

Now the next thing to think about is WHAT you are going to feed yourself at meal/snack time. I've learned that at meals you want to eat a protein, carb, and a fat. For snack-time you want to consume a carb and a fat OR a carb and a protein. This will feed your muscles and keep you feeling fuller longer. Just what we want, right? Right!

The last thing we need to know is "what foods are good proteins, carbs and fats". This took me a long time to figure out actually. My best source of information is not on the front of a food package (like: "fat-free" or "multi-grain" or "no sugar added"). It is in the INGREDIENTS. I ALWAYS check the ingredients on every package I buy...it's habit for me now. The first few ingredients are the most important because that is what is mainly in that particular food. I stay completely away from foods that say "high fructose corn syrup", "enriched flour", "hydrogenated oil", or "sugar". These are red flags that you need to put the package back on the shelf!

Alright, now a list of some foods that will help get you started on your journey to health and wellness. I will put the foods into groups so you can easily pick and choose which foods you want to combine for each of your meals and snacks. These are all just foods that work for me. I'm not saying these are the ONLY foods you can eat, I'm just saying this is what I use and what has worked for me personally. Take what you want from this.

Proteins:
Any type of fish (canned tuna - although high in sodium, tilapia, mahi mahi, salmon, halibut)
Whey Protein Powder (watch out for high sugar content and how many calories are in it. I recommend talking with a health food supplement expert to find out which protein powder will be best for you and your goals)
Egg Whites (eating at least 4 or 5 at a time)
Ground Turkey
Chicken

Carbohydrates:
Sweet Potatoes (I like mine with cinnamon)
Oats (and not the quick oats. I buy Quaker Rolled Oats)
Spinach (frozen or fresh)
Rice Cakes (watch the ingredients when you buy flavored ones. I just buy plain ones and dip them in Peanut Butter or Almond Butter)
Wasa Crackers (in the cracker isle in any grocery store-I dip them in almond butter)
Bananas
Celery (don't go to crazy with the Peanut Butter and/or Almond Butter if you choose to use it as a spread)
Green Apples (Less sugar in the green ones)
Red Peppers
Brown rice
Quinoa
Whole Wheat Bread (if it doesn't say "100% Whole Wheat" on the package, don't eat it)
Whole Wheat Pastas (read the ingredients and make sure it doesn't say any of those red flag words)
Couscous (Reading the ingredients as well to find the healthiest one)
Bran Buds (in the cereal isle. I eat it with applesauce and cinnamon and/or strawberries)

Fats:
Almonds (12 at a time)
Almond Butter (eating no more than 2 TBS at a time)
Adam's Peanut Butter (eating no more than 2 TBS at a time)
Flaxseed (can get at health food stores - must grind it or buy it already ground. Your body won't digest the hard outer shell)
Wheat Germ Oil (health food store also. Taking about 2 TBS / day)
Avocado (eating no more than 1/2 at a time)
Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sugars:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Craisens
Honey
Agava Nector (in the syrup isle)
Applesauce (read your ingredients when choosing the right one)
Dark Chocolate (in moderation!)

Yummy spices I use:
Mrs. Dash (any flavor)
Italian seasoning (not dressing...but the dry packets)
Cinnamon
Salsa
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper (in moderation)
Fish Seasonings
Honey

Sugar-Free Jello is an ok treat as well.

As you can see, there is a lot you can eat and mix and match to make delicious meals. Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook is a great resource for meal ideas as well as Oxygen Magazine's recipe's they feature each month. These are 2 staple books you should have in your home. South Beach Quick and Easy Cookbook is another favorite of mine as well because nothing takes longer than 30min to prepare and with a family to take care of, that is sometimes a life-saver! And my kids LOVE it!

I hope this has been able to help get you started in the right direction. You can now easily choose something from each category and create a meal or a snack with very little effort or thought! I hope this proves to be useful for you!

Thank you,
Martha

NGA Competition Pictures You Asked For...

NGA Competition Pictures

Firm, Hard, Fit Legs Anyone? by: Martha 4.15.10

Did this workout this morning and just knew I would have to share it with you all. One thing I think would be helpful, is if we could have comments on some of the exercises we post that you may not understand how to do. Then we can take some quick photos of them to maybe help a little on the understanding of form.
Ok, you ready! Here we go!
Warm up 10 min.
We will be doing 4 circuits today, so be sure to have your water handy and maybe a towel...because you will be sweaty!

Circuit 1: Repeat 3x.

Run sprints length of bball gym down and back (2x)
Arms over head holding 40lb bar and do wide leg squats 10reps
Box jumps 10 reps

Circuit 2: Repeat 3x.

Squat machine increasing weight each set (12, 10, 8reps)
Hamstring machine increasing weight each set (12, 10, 8reps)
Jumping lunges (20 - 10 each leg)

Circuit 3: Repeat 3x.

Leg extension machine increasing weight each set (12, 10, 8reps)
Hamstring kick-back machine increasing weight each set (12, 10, 8reps)
Jumping squats 20 reps

Circuit 4: Repeat 3x.

Hamstring curl machine increasing weight each set (25lbs, 27.5lbs, 30lbs) 12reps
Seated squat machine (3- 45lb weights on each side is what I used) 10reps
Ice Skater move 26reps

It's GREAT to be sore in those areas we all work so hard to shrink, isn't it? Hope you like this workout! I did!

Martha's Plyo Workout That ROCKED! 4.14.10

Alright everyone! You ready to sweat!? This workout will totally show you what you're made of! I really enjoyed this one. My coach told me if I want to increase lean, cut muscle, workouts like this will really help (along with the right supplements like protein shakes right after your workout). Here we go...4 circuits to get through today ladies!

Circuit 1: Do this 3times
Bar over head (hands very wide, shoulders up into your ears as best you can and arms slightly behind ears) with wide legs (toes turned out at 45 degrees) - 10 squats

Hands on a high bar (toes still able to touch the ground though) then jump your feet up to hit the bar "Toes To Bar" for 10 reps

Box jumps for 10 reps

Circuit 2: Do this 3times
Decline bench full range of motion sit ups. So lay all the way back with arms over head, then come all the way up and touch your toes - 15 fast

One-Legged Bench Step Ups. So one foot is on bench, the foot on the ground will come up (as you push through the foot on the bench) into your chest. Repeat same leg very quickly for 10, 15, 20 reps each leg

Dead lifts (I did 95 lbs) for 10 reps. Form is VERY important on this. Be sure you have a mirror and your back is FLAT FLAT FLAT. Run the bar down your shins and back up. Don't let your knees come over your toes in any exercise you do really.

Circuit 3: Do this 3times
Holding 10lb plate do standing oblique crunches for 15 quick on each side

Lower back pad (don't know what it's called, but your thighs are leaned up against a pad and you do lower back raises on it) for 20 quick

1st set: Jumping lunges for 20 (10 each leg) / 2nd set: Speed-skater Move (should post a pic of this I guess) for 30 / 3rd set: Jumping squat for 25 reps

Circuit 4: do this 3times
Hanging Abs for 15-20 each set

Air Squats for 50 QUICKLY

You should be sweating, heart rate is up (only to come down in between circuits) and you are moving moving moving constantly. Really push yourself and see what you are capable of doing today. Try to surprise yourself with your abilities! Remember, form is KEY. If you don't know, ask a trainer on what proper form is.
Let me know how it goes! Happy workout everyone!