Flavour of the week

Work out : ABS! The "tea-pot" move (as I like to call it) with whatever weight suits you best; I use 25 lbs for a guideline. And combine that with the Plank and your waist will shrink away. The key to remember here is: these exercises do NOT blast the fat off, but instead work to tighten the core so that the muscles hold themselves in more. Thus less relaxed core muscles hanging over your waist-line.

Suggested Workout - 3 sets of 15 "tea-pots" on each side. Rest between sets. Followed by 2 sets of the Plank; hold for minimum of 1 minute, up until as long as you can. Rest = to time in plank position.


Workout/ Health Tip: For Dieters it can often be difficult to remain motivated. My two tips combined into one today are: #1 Write EVERYTHING down. When I say EVERYTHING I mean it! You start allowing yourself to skip writing down the spoonful of ice cream you had, the bite of a cookie you shared with a friend, and in no time you will find yourself eating the entire thing. Now there is nothing "wrong" with cookies per se, but sneaky cookies can add up. As my dear friends at work always joke " A moment on the lips, forever on the hips." (another addition to this tip; if you already have a food journal and you find its getting sloppy, get a new one. Starting fresh you can re-set goals and get back on track if you have strayed... This is what I have found very helpful in the past couple weeks. I mean, who wants to dirty a perfect, crisp, new food journal with sugary treats?)

Tip # 2 MEASURE as often as possible. By counting and measuring your food it is easier to quantify. Keep on track of what you are consuming by being aware of how much a serving of each type of food is. It is all too easy to take more than you actually need.

Recipe: Any type of grilled or pan fried meat/ seafood in lettuce wraps.

Frozen chicken strips/ grilled shrimp/ BBQ pork or beef - grill them up and add some garlic, roasted red peppers, and any poultry seasoning or other seasonings you enjoy. (Just try to stay away from the high calorie rubs). Then wrap the pieces in ice burg lettuce leaves. It is a great crunch and almost as good as a tortilla, but with essentially no calories or carbs. It is a great alternative when you feel like having "mexican-like" dinners.

Snack: Nuts!!!! Add about 15 to 23 almonds (that's 100 to 160 calories) to a mix of splenda and cinnamon. If possible spritz the mixture with about 1 spray of water; if you can't spritz then you can add around 2 to 3 drops of water into a little microwave safe dish. The dish should be tiny. Microwave on high for about a minute and the splenda and cinnamon caramelize on the almonds. SO DELICIOUS.

If you don't have time for all that, plain almonds are great for you too! 15 to 23 is about a serving and acts as a great on-the-go snack.

Power Song: This week I have developed an infatuation with the song " I Love The Bloody Beetroots" by none other than The Bloody Beetroots themselves. I found it super motivational for any hill climbing type workouts.


Again because I have yet to learn to add music directly, I urge you to check it out via YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZDjlcCY90c&feature=related

Focus on the Positive

Getting back on track can be one of the hardest things to do when you find yourself focussing on the bad. My trainer advised me to stop thinking of the things that were bringing me away from my goals and instead focus on what makes me feel good and helps me to reach my goals. Inevitably whatever you find yourself focussing on is what you will steer yourself towards regardless of whether or not you are aware of this.

So stop thinking about that delicious hot chocolate powder ( Seriously, its not THAT good) and start thinking about how good you feel when you treat your body right!

Expensive but pretty cool

Check out this site for some sweet T's:

http://www.edhardyshop.com/Womens-T-Shirts-s/330.htm

They are expensive but really really cool. I haven't seen anything like this around Londontown.

Discussion: BOREDOM

Summer is upon us and with endless possibilities and loads of free time can come indecision and boredom. Routines out the window, I find myself with hours upon hours to myself. And when friends aren't available to chill, passing the time can be quite the challenge. Just check your FaceBook for proof. I guarantee you will find at least one person with a status updated to " SOOO BORED". Well I have come up with a list of suggestions to keep oneself busy during the day/ whenever; based on energy level:

LOW to VERY LOW

1. Tan with ipod (weather permitting) - read a couple magazines/ a book.

2. Movie marathon; pop some light popcorn and prepare yourself for a day of LOTR, Harry Potter or even Disney.

3. Make a summer playlist to enjoy when you are feeling more energetic.

4. Bubble bath, paint toenails

5. VEG... on the computer ( online shop, or even dare to play a computer game)

MODERATE

1. grab that summer playlist and head outside to catch some rays on a walk. (explore a park or head to a coffee shop)

2. Throw on a pilates DVD - why not?

3. Grab basketball and shoot some hoops - when is the last time you have done that? seriously.

4. Schedule or go through with a phone date to a long distance friend you haven't seen in a while.

5. Do housework; it may not seem ideal, but that load of laundry you have been avoiding and those shelves that have to be re-organized will make you feel somewhat useful.

HIGH

1. Hit the gym, Bike around town, Go for a run... burn off some of that excess energy

2. Rainy day? Craft it up; draw, paint, bead, or refurbish some old furniture for your student digs.

3. Go for a lengthy walk to a shopping centre/ downtown. There are tons of cool shops I bet you have never even been in.

4. Say YES to plans you may be avoiding, why stay in? if you have the energy; GO OUT, it could be really good for you.

5. Pretend to be chef Bobbly Flay from the Food Network and cook a meal for your family/ significant other... what have you. Hit up the grocery store and get the fresh ingredients you need. This guarantees up to 3 hours of boredom you will burn right up.

Keeping busy while everyone is gone can be hard. Avoid summer blues by making yourself a TO-DO list that doesnt require a lot of help from outside sources. Use it to feel productive! :)

This week's top picks

Here are some of my best tips/ favourite things this week:

************** **************
Workout – why not kill two birds with one stone ? Next time the sun’s up and you feel like catching some rays get out ur towel and ur dumbbells and head out to pump some iron in your bathing suit. Combine squats and shoulder press for an entire body work out. Try plank and sit ups to get both sides bronzed and target that core.

Weightloss Tip - Get those ZZZ’s. My trainer made the comment that a main reason why people gain weight in university or when they frequently party is that they do not get enough sleep. What does sleep have to do with anything ? Well that is the rest time your body needs to produce GH (growth hormone) and recover. A big part of getting fit is adequate rest, where your body repairs itself by rebuilding muscles and burning that fat.

“Growth hormone (GH), a microscopic protein substance, is produced in the anterior section of the pituitary gland deep in the brain. It is a tissue-building hormone that causes growth, enacts repairs, mobilizes fat stores, and shifts the metabolism into high gear in the presence of amino acids. Chemically, it is somewhat similar to insulin, and is secreted in short pulses during the first hours of sleep and after exercise, but it remains in circulation for only a few minutes. The body binds most of the GH in the liver and converts some of it into another protein hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Although IGF-1 is not insulin, it acts like insulin as it promotes glucose transfer through cell membranes into the cell. More important, IGF-1 elicits most of the effects associated with GH.
GH is responsible for the development of lean body mass, bone density, and an efficient metabolism that diminishes the body's fat-storing capacity. During deep sleep, there is an increased secretion of GH. This is necessary for repairing and rebuilding body tissues such as muscle and bone. It also helps combat the negative effects of cortisol. Losing sleep, especially deep sleep, decreases GH levels. Since GH helps regulate the body's proportions of fat and muscle, less GH reduces our ability to lose fat and develop muscle. Muscle development is important for weight loss in that it is responsible for burning more calories, even at a resting heart rate. (Be aware that if a woman is testosterone-deficient, she will not be able to build muscle mass no matter how much she works out. Testosterone production relies on adequate levels of the hormone progesterone, as well as of cholesterol.)"**

** from: http://www.enotalone.com/article/18630.html

Snack - This week I have been a big fan of berries ; black, raspberries, blueberries… they are a quick low carb/ low cal snack when you are in need of something sweet to kick that craving. I prefer blackberries because they are the sweetest. Also try blending up a berry- protein shake :

Use 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 cup frozen berries, 1/3 cup water, and if you like to add a smoother/ richer flavour add in a 100 g cup of source yogurt and blend. Total calories : 170.

Recipe - Best of the week so far is my morning omelet.
1 cup Egg Sensations cheese and chives egg whites
1/3 cup Kraft Shredded Cheese Mozza-Cheddar
3 slices Pillars lean bacon

Total calories : 260.
The trick is to cook the bacon (which you have to cut up into squares) first, then the cheese till it bubbles. Turn down the heat to med and add in your egg whites. YUM !


Best Song of the Week - by far is Montanita – by Ratatat ; it is excellence and summer wrapped into 5 minutes of awesome.

I don’t know how to add music to the blog as of right now. BUT here is the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DxTtJ0jM5s

I urge you to add it to your summer playlist.