Have your workouts become monotonous? Do you feel like you're doing the same thing and not seeing results? Well, that's how I've felt for awhile. Lately, I've started adding high intensity intervals (sometimes just intervals minus the high intensity) and it seems to make the workout go by quicker. Also, after the workouts, I feel like I've worked a lot harder than if I was doing my normal 30-60 min run at my turtle-like speed. Seriously ya'll, I think a turtle could beat me! God gave me endurance, but he missed me when he handed out speediness.
High Intensity Interval Workouts (HIIT) make a lot of sense. Think about a car. A car gets better gas mileage when it's on a highway, going at the same speed for a long period of time--meaning it's probably not working as hard if it was in stop-and-go traffic for that amount of time. Now, think about your body. Your body has to work harder, thus burning more calories when it has to work hard, then slow down, then work hard again. Think about your heart rate as you think about the speed of your car. When you speed up your car, it burns more fuel, just as your body burns more calories when it speeds up it's heart rate.
I do most of HIIT training on the treadmill. I like to use the incline to do intervals, as well as doing sprint intervals. This really seems to get my heart rate pumping! WebMD has some great interval workouts that you can check out by clicking this link.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Roasted Squash and Tomatoes
Yellow squash seems to be fervent this summer. After a few trips to mom's house, I had ended up with about 5 small squash. Looking in my fridge I had some grape tomatoes that were on their last leg and a half of an onion. Together with some spices and cheese, I put together a beautiful summer meal! You could use this as a side dish or a main dish, whatever your little squash loving heart desires.
Roasted Squash and Tomatoes
4 small squash (or about 4 cups sliced)
1/2 medium onion
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Lemon Pepper, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Salt, to taste to taste
Old Bay seasoning, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice squash and onion (I like to leave my onion slices in big chunks). Cut grape tomatoes into halves.
In a baking dish or pan, spray cooking spray and layer vegetables. Coat vegetables with cooking spray and sprinkle with a generous amount of seasoning. Shake the vegetables around. Place the pan of vegetables in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Take the pan out, sprinkle cheese on vegetables and cook 3-5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Pinto Corn Chili
It's not soup. It's now stew. It's not really chili. We'll go with chili.
I, being the frugal person that I am, always check out the Manager's Special bin at Kroger. Why not? There's no shame in wanting to save a little cash money. My favorite finds are always the dented canned foods, which reminds me of the movie Big Daddy where Adam Sandler makes his new found son throw cans on the floor to purposely dent them.
You can get good canned items for roughly 50 cents!Somewhere along the way I ended up with a can of Luck's Mixed Beans with Pinto and Great Northern Beans and a can of corn from the Manager's Special bin. Checking out what I had in my pantry and fridge, I came up with the concoction below that turned out to be very delicious and hearty!
Pinto Corn Chili
1 can Luck's Mixed Beans with Pinto and Great Northern
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
2 links Johnsonville Chipotle Monterrey Jack Chicken Sausage
1/2 cup frozen spinach (you can also use fresh)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Red pepper to taste
In a large pot, mix beans, corn, spianch and diced tomatoes. Add spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Slice the the chicken sausage into rounds and add to mixture.
Cover and let simmer for 10-20 minutes.
Serve in bowls with cheese or sour cream...or neither...whatever you like!
Make this dish vegetarian by using Morningstar Sausage links and meat free Pinto Beans.
I, being the frugal person that I am, always check out the Manager's Special bin at Kroger. Why not? There's no shame in wanting to save a little cash money. My favorite finds are always the dented canned foods, which reminds me of the movie Big Daddy where Adam Sandler makes his new found son throw cans on the floor to purposely dent them.
You can get good canned items for roughly 50 cents!Somewhere along the way I ended up with a can of Luck's Mixed Beans with Pinto and Great Northern Beans and a can of corn from the Manager's Special bin. Checking out what I had in my pantry and fridge, I came up with the concoction below that turned out to be very delicious and hearty!
Pinto Corn Chili
1 can Luck's Mixed Beans with Pinto and Great Northern
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
2 links Johnsonville Chipotle Monterrey Jack Chicken Sausage
1/2 cup frozen spinach (you can also use fresh)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Red pepper to taste
In a large pot, mix beans, corn, spianch and diced tomatoes. Add spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Slice the the chicken sausage into rounds and add to mixture.
Cover and let simmer for 10-20 minutes.
Serve in bowls with cheese or sour cream...or neither...whatever you like!
Make this dish vegetarian by using Morningstar Sausage links and meat free Pinto Beans.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
When To Buy Organic
Organic. We hear this word getting thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean? Organic food is food that is produced without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, does not contain genetically modified organisms, and is not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.
These days, the average American can hardly afford to keep food on the table, let alone buy all of their produce from the organic section of the grocery store. While the benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables far outweighs the risk of chemical and pesticide exposure from non-organic produce, there are some produce items that are higher in such chemicals and we are able to determine which ones are worth the little extra cash.
When buying produce, I always stress buying local. Buying from your local Farmer's Market is a win/win for everyone. You benefit from fresh fruits and vegetables. The farmer's benefit from your purchase and the environment benefits from not having the produce shipped thousands of miles across the country. Also, produce is usually cheaper at the Farmer's Market, which is always a plus. You can find your local Farmer's Market at www.localharvest.org.
The following fruits and vegetables have the highest amount of pesticides and are recommended to buy organic:
1) Apples
2) Celery
3) Strawberries
4) Peaches
5) Spinach
6) Nectarines
7) Grapes
8) Sweet bell peppers
9) Potatoes
10) Blueberries
11) Lettuce
12) Kale/collard greens
You can get the full list here.
These days, the average American can hardly afford to keep food on the table, let alone buy all of their produce from the organic section of the grocery store. While the benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables far outweighs the risk of chemical and pesticide exposure from non-organic produce, there are some produce items that are higher in such chemicals and we are able to determine which ones are worth the little extra cash.
When buying produce, I always stress buying local. Buying from your local Farmer's Market is a win/win for everyone. You benefit from fresh fruits and vegetables. The farmer's benefit from your purchase and the environment benefits from not having the produce shipped thousands of miles across the country. Also, produce is usually cheaper at the Farmer's Market, which is always a plus. You can find your local Farmer's Market at www.localharvest.org.
The following fruits and vegetables have the highest amount of pesticides and are recommended to buy organic:
1) Apples2) Celery
3) Strawberries
4) Peaches
5) Spinach
6) Nectarines
7) Grapes
8) Sweet bell peppers
9) Potatoes
10) Blueberries
11) Lettuce
12) Kale/collard greens
You can get the full list here.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Bourbon
A conversation with my good friend Ryan (check out his blog, a Gentleman's Journal) prompted me to write this post. Since living in Kentucky, I've grown to like, ok love, Bourbon. Yes, it should always be capitalized. It's a proper noun.
Mom and me at the Woodford Reserve Distillery
While those native Kentuckians may shoot me down for watering down my Bourbon, I've come to find a way that it goes down smoothly in the form of a nice cocktail without adding any calories to an already low calorie whiskey.
Here's the calorie counts of whiskey, in general:
1 fl oz 86 proof = 69 calories
1 shot 86 proof = 105 calories
1 fl oz 94 proof = 76 calories
1 shot 94 proof = 115 calories
Bourbon Lime Cocktail:
Pour 1 shot (or more) Bourbon over ice, add water and lime juice. Voila!
Essentially a cocktail for 105-115 calories!
How do you like your Bourbon or whiskey?
While those native Kentuckians may shoot me down for watering down my Bourbon, I've come to find a way that it goes down smoothly in the form of a nice cocktail without adding any calories to an already low calorie whiskey.
Here's the calorie counts of whiskey, in general:
1 fl oz 86 proof = 69 calories
1 shot 86 proof = 105 calories
1 fl oz 94 proof = 76 calories
1 shot 94 proof = 115 calories
Bourbon Lime Cocktail:
Pour 1 shot (or more) Bourbon over ice, add water and lime juice. Voila!
Essentially a cocktail for 105-115 calories!
Monday, July 18, 2011
"Everything in the Cabinet" Granola Bars
My good friend Samantha and I went hiking on Saturday and I decided to pack these homemade goodies. They're packed with natural, energy boosting ingredients. I will definitely try these again and make a few adjustments.
Everything in the Cabinet Granola Bars
-2 cups oats
-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1 ripe banana, mashed
-1 tbsp coconut
-1 tbsp chocolate chips
-1 tbsp chopped peanuts
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup honey
-1 egg
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-peanut butter to "ice"
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, coconut, chocolate chips, peanuts, and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, egg, banana, and vanilla; pour into the flour mixture, and mix by hand until the liquid is evenly distributed. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until the edges are golden. Cool completely in pan putting bars on cutting board and cutting into bars. Top with peanut butter before cutting if desired.
Stopping for a snack during our hike. Hiking can burn around 650 calories per 90 minutes.
Everything in the Cabinet Granola Bars
-2 cups oats-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1 ripe banana, mashed
-1 tbsp coconut
-1 tbsp chocolate chips
-1 tbsp chopped peanuts
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup honey
-1 egg
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-peanut butter to "ice"
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, coconut, chocolate chips, peanuts, and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, egg, banana, and vanilla; pour into the flour mixture, and mix by hand until the liquid is evenly distributed. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until the edges are golden. Cool completely in pan putting bars on cutting board and cutting into bars. Top with peanut butter before cutting if desired.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Losing Weight the Old Fashioned Way
My brother - the pastor, the Army National Guard Chaplain, the engineer, the professor, the father of 2, the husband - has somehow made time to lose over 70 lbs. He didn't do it by going on a crazy diet or exercising 3 hours a day. He did it by watching what he ate and fitting in exercise whenever he could.
He had a goal he needed to reach for the National Guard, so he pushed himself to meet that goal. He can now do 36 push-ups in 2 minutes, 42 sit-ups in 2 minutes, and run 2 miles in 17:42.
He didn't strictly count calories, but he was aware of what he was putting in his body. He read labels and kept a "rough" count of how many calories he was eating. When it came to exercise, he fit it in when he could. With so many other commitments on his plate, he had to do what he could. Time is the biggest excuse I hear when it comes to weight loss. You DO have time to walk for 10 minutes and you DO have time to read a label. You WON'T have time to spend in the hospital because your blood sugar is too high or you're having a heart attack. I've had to remind my brother many of times to just take a few minutes for yourself. If you don't then you won't be any good to all of the people who need you.
Happy 32nd Birthday Big Brother!
He had a goal he needed to reach for the National Guard, so he pushed himself to meet that goal. He can now do 36 push-ups in 2 minutes, 42 sit-ups in 2 minutes, and run 2 miles in 17:42.
He didn't strictly count calories, but he was aware of what he was putting in his body. He read labels and kept a "rough" count of how many calories he was eating. When it came to exercise, he fit it in when he could. With so many other commitments on his plate, he had to do what he could. Time is the biggest excuse I hear when it comes to weight loss. You DO have time to walk for 10 minutes and you DO have time to read a label. You WON'T have time to spend in the hospital because your blood sugar is too high or you're having a heart attack. I've had to remind my brother many of times to just take a few minutes for yourself. If you don't then you won't be any good to all of the people who need you.
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