Sweat it Out Saturday – new class

Hey guys! We’re sweating a little late today because I’ve been in Chicago all morning. I will be doing a presentation at a conference this Thursday so excuse me if I’m a little MIA this week.

I’ll be practicing, rehearsing, and practicing some more.

Okay, let’s get to it!

Everything has to make you sweat, motivate you to sweat, or accompany you in your sweatiness.

Weekly Workouts

Sunday – 3 mile run

Monday – 1 mile warm-up + arms/shoulders/abs

Tuesday – back-to-back classes (Zumba + Turbokick)

Wednesday – REST

Thursday – 3 mile run

Friday – REST (total lazy day)

Saturday – Turbofire later!

New Class <3

On Tuesday I tried out a new-to-me class called Turbokick. I’ve been wanting to try it for quite some time but it’s never worked with my schedule. Well, Tuesday was the night.

So how was the class? In a word: AH-mazing. I was a sweaty, tingly mess afterward. The moves were very similar to Turbofire, so I was able to keep up without a problem.

Basically, it’s a bunch of punching, kicking, and twisting with FIRE intervals interspersed throughout the workout. For the FIRE intervals, you go as hard as possible for a few minutes and then you get a short break afterward.

It was fun and challenging workout. So of course, I can’t wait to go again!

Tune of the Week [Dev & Enrique Iglesias – Naked]

 

Get your sweat on with the awesome arms and abs workout.

This is the perfect short and easy workout to do while watching your favorite shows.

All you need is a pair of dumbbells and some energy. Quick, dirty, and easy to do in the comfort of your own home.

I usually do this after a cardio session to get some strength in.

Grab the button and link up!

Share it! How did you get your sweat on this week?

Google Tags: health and fitness, workout motivation, sweat it out saturday link up, motivation to work out, arms and abs workout, awesome arms and abs workout, quick and easy arm ab workout, workout your arms, get your workout on, exercise, motivation

U.S. Fitness Statistics {infographic}

Have you guys noticed the increase in infographics on the web as of late?

According to my good friend Wiki, infographics are short for information graphics. In other words, they are visual representations of data and/or knowledge.

In my opinion, they are a great way to represent a large (and possibly boring) set of data.

However, this set of data is anything but boring. In fact, it is quite eye-opening.

Take a look.

A few things to note:

“School and worksite interventions have been shown to be successful in increasing physical activity levels.”

That’s promising.

“One quarter of U.S. children spend 4 hours or more watching television daily.”

Ah, that’s downright scary. Children should be engaging in active play. I am all for modern technology, but it may be having more of a negative impact on todays youth.

“Children with obesity, ages 10-13, are reported to have a 70% likelihood of obesity persisting into adult years.”

Unfortunately, many of these U.S. statistics are not surprising. We have fast food restaurants on every corner. Children have televisions, game systems, iPods, and everything in between. Many adults sit at desks/computers for the majority of the workday.

This is exactly why I want to help create and implement health and wellness programs for adults in sedentary jobs.

I believe that we need to start with the parents. The goal is to help parents create healthy habits. Then they will bring those newly acquired healthy habits home to their children. The children will notice the positive effects of a healthy lifestyle and thus they will begin to adopt healthy habits themselves. 

I have seen this in action in my own life. When I overhauled my lifestyle and slowly began to incorporate healthier foods and more activity, my son noticed. He began to show an interest in his own health. I became a vegetarian. Shortly thereafter, he did as well. I started walking/running. He started to join me. He even reads food labels to make certain he’s not eating chemicals and he rarely forgets to take his morning vitamin.

I’m not saying that vegetarianism and vitamins are the key to being healthy. But the fact that he started making changes after I did is a testament to the fact that children are aware. If you make healthy changes, they will not go unnoticed.

In my opinion, setting a good example of a healthy lifestyle is the best way for children to adopt and appreciate health themselves.

It’s the practice what you preach philosophy.

Thoughts?

Google Tags: practice what you preach, the state of US fitness, obesity rates in the US, children obesity, healthy habits for you and your children, US fitness infographic, information on state of health in US, US obesity rates, show your kids healthy habits, adopt healthy habits, set an example for your children

Thanks to Craig for supplying this infographic.

Veggie Burger Challenge – barbecue tofu burgers

I have been stuffed up for the past few weeks. I haven't had any other symptoms. Only a super-irritating head cold. Normally when this happens, I just go about my merry life and do my best to ignore the nagging headache. I also make certain to stock up on tissues. But that's another story.

For some odd reason, this particular cold caused me to lose my appetite. Completely. As in, nothing sounds good. Not even my all-time favorite foods. Not even frozen yogurt, which is something I always have room for no matter how stuffed I may be.

I'm pretty certain that this (also annoying) side effect is caused by my inability to taste and/or smell. The weird thing is that in the past when I’ve had these types of colds, I haven't lost my appetite. Honestly, I never lose my appetite. Ever. When I’m stressed/sick/emotional, I tend to eat more. But I guess I can't say that anymore, eh?

In a quest to reawaken my pesky little taste buds, I jumped back on the veggie burger challenge. I needed something flavorful and delicious enough to spark my appetite.

So what did I come up with? And more importantly, did these burgers fit the bill?

I came up with barbecue tofu burgers. I made a spicy version (hello, cayenne) to wake up my taste buds but if you’re not a fan of spice, then simply leave the cayenne out.

Barbecue Tofu Burgers (vegan)

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 1 T. spicy brown mustard
• 2 T. all natural barbecue sauce
• 1 clove garlic (1 dorot cube)
• 2 t. crushed parsley (2 dorot cubes)
• 1 T. paprika
• 1 t. coriander
• 1/2 t. cayenne (omit if you don’t like it spicy!)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1-2 C. old-fashioned oats (more or less depending on consistency)

This recipe makes 4 large patties or 6 smallish patties.

As with all of my recipes, the directions are simple.

1. Add the first 9 ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and fold in the old-fashioned oats. I recommend you start with half a cup and work your way up until you’ve reached a nice thick consistency.

3. Warm a large frying pan with a bit of olive oil/nonstick spray. Use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop patties into the pan. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

4. Top with your preferred fixings and enjoy.

Crispy and delicious.

I topped my burger with extra barbecue sauce, red cabbage (for crunch), red onion (for flavor), and mustard.

So did the burgers fit the bill? Did they reawaken my senses? Absolutely. In fact, their spiciness helped to clear up some congestion almost immediately.

It’s time to bust out the grill this weekend because these would be perfect for a cook out! All they need is a side of roasted vegetables.

Google Tags: veggie burger challenge, barbecue tofu burgers, how to make tofu burgers, easy vegetarian meals, easy vegetarian cook out meals, meatless burgers, easy meatless burgers, vegan, vegan burgers, vegan tofu burgers, veggie burgers with tofu

Let’s get dirty!

Growing up, I was a bit of a tomboy. I loved playing sports, riding bikes, and just being outside. Barbie wasn’t for me and I’d be surprised if you found me with a doll in my hand.

You would, however, find me at the park, on the basketball court, or playing with my Creepy Crawlies machine.

One thing that I always wanted to do [but didn’t for fear of getting in trouble] was play in the mud. And I’m not talking about a little splashing around. I’m talking all out roll in the mud and get covered from head-to-toe type play.

Imagine my excitement when I heard about the Dirty Girl Mud Run.

What’s even more exciting? The run is coming to Indy on May 12, 2012. I, along with several of my fellow FitFluential Ambassadors, will be heading down to Indy for a fun-filled day of mud and sweat.

Yep, I literally told my family that my childhood dreams were coming true.

I can play in the mud, get some exercise, and raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation all-in-one? Sign me up.

You know what else is awesome? The Dirty Girl Mud Run is a women-only event for ALL LEVELS. Whether you’re new to fitness or a pro athlete – this event is for you.

The Dirty Girl is not a race. In fact, it’s not even timed. The goal is to get out there, get dirty, and have a blast with your friends.

So you’ll be crawling, jumping, and laughing through a 5k course made up of several obstacles—all of which are cleverly named. PMS (pretty muddy stuff), utopian tubes (a tunnel crawl), and the hangover (tires) are just a few.

Sounds like a blast, right?

At the end of the course (after crawling through a 40 foot mud pit), you and your adrenaline rush get a t-shirt, great music, refreshments, and a complimentary adult beverage (if you choose). You can also check out the dirty girl merchandise and the sponsors of the race.

In the words of Dirty Girl, it’s bound to be a delightfully dirty day.

So who wants to be a dirty girl? The race is coming to several cities and one just might be near you! You can sign up here. 

Also, check out #godirtygirl on Twitter and Facebook!

FitFluential LLC compensated me for this campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Google Tags: fitfluential, dirty girl mud run, 5k obstacle course, dirty girl indy, dirty girl mud run indianapolis, fitfluential and dirty girl, let's get dirty at the mud run, 5k mud run

Sweat it Out Saturday – add some extra weight

Today the theme is all about adding a little extra weight to your workouts. Whether you’re walking, running, kickboxing, or dancing – a little extra weight never hurts.

Everything has to make you sweat, motivate you to sweat, or accompany you in your sweatiness.

My Extra Weight Inspiration

These gloves are only 1/2 lb. each, but believe me when I say that they can seriously up the sweat factor.

So far, I’ve worn these walking, running, zumbaing (made up word alert), and piloxing. Basically, I plan on using them whenever my workout permits!

As far as where to get them, I actually bought mine at my Piloxing class. You can get the exact gloves here, but any type of weighted gloves would work.

Weekly Workouts

Sunday – 3 mile run

Monday – REST

Tuesday – 5 mile walk/run (2 miles with the weighted gloves)

Wednesday – REST

Thursday – Piloxing class (50 minutes) + boot camp class (45 minutes)

Friday – 3 mile treadmill run (1 mile with weighted gloves)

Saturday – an outdoor run (weather-permitting) or a Turbokick class

Tune of the Week {Suddenly I see by KT Tunstall}

Words Of Wisdom

Before beginning my weight loss journey, I spent way too much time wishing that I could lose weight, feel better, and look better. I also spent a lot of time thinking about working out or eating healthier. But wishing and thinking didn’t get me anywhere – it is action that creates change.

Just think if I had spent all of that time actually working towards my goal.

Thankfully, I eventually realized this and learned from my mistakes.

But it’s an amazing lesson for all walks of life – STOP WISHING. START DOING.

Get your sweat on by grabbing extra weights!

Whatever workout you do today (or over the next week), grab some extra weights. You can use weighted gloves, small dumbbells (1-2 lbs.) or cans of food – whatever you have access to.

Try doing a few sets of jumping jacks or some incline walking – your arms will be burning in no time.

Join in – grab the button and link up!

Link up to a blog post that you’ve recently written about anything fitness, exercise, or sweat-related. Let’s create a place to help motivate each other and share ideas!

 

Share it: How did you get your sweat on this past week?

<3 Stefanie

Google Tags: sweat it out saturday, sweat it out saturday link up, exercise motivation, exercise widsom, don't think just do, get sweaty, work it out, work out link up, work out ideas, add extra weight, piloxing gloves, weekly workouts

Friday Faves II

It has been a very long, albeit very exciting week over here.

On Wednesday morning, I was taken off the waitlist and offered admission into my top choice PhD program. Let me give you a little background to explain why this is so exciting for me.

The program fully funds each graduate for the first three years. Thus, they only accept the number of student for which they have funding available. This year, that number was three. As you can imagine, the program is quite competitive. Because of this, I did not put all of my eggs in one basket. It was kind of a well, a girl can dream situation.

When I received the email, I literally had a crazy adrenaline rush. I cannot even remember the last time I was so excited and most importantly, so proud of myself. All of my hard work (research, GRE, courses, conferences, etc..) was finally paying off.

My plans for the fall (and the next 4-5 years) are finally cemented. No more wondering, waiting, and guessing. I know exactly where I will be come August and I am incredibly excited to begin my graduate career.

And with that, let’s talk about some of my favorites from the week – eats, products, fashion, and more.

Fave Eats (from the week)

Sautéed spinach, peppers, and tempeh topped with one fried egg with a side of laughing cow light swiss cheese for dipping.

Plus a cara cara orange for a pop of sweetness and a dose of Vitamin C. You know how oranges can be kind of hit or miss? Well, these were a big hit.

Pop Chips!

Thanks to Katie over at She Rocks Fitness, I was able to try all of the new-to-me flavors (sweet potato and chili lime).

Each and ever flavor is delicious in their own right and I am officially hooked.

And finally, something a little sweet to balance out all of these savory eats.

Until now, I’ve been hooked on the deep chocolate vitatops. However, these banana choco chip tops give the deep chocolate a run for their money.

They’re delicious warmed up (45 seconds) and topped with almond butter.

Fave Products (at the moment)

This new candle scent from Bath & Body Works is amazing.

{lemon mint leaf}

Crisp, fresh, and clean. Perfect for those days when you have the windows down and there’s a fresh breeze flowing in.

Are your knees/elbows/knuckles dry from the winter winds? Then this product is for you! Yes, I sound like a commercial, but I’m completely serious.

This lemony butter from Lush is perfect for those areas that need extra moisture. The fact that it smells wonderful is a nice perk as well.

Finally, let’s talk about this loose leaf blackberry mojito green tea from Teavana.

Teavana’s teas are a bit pricey, but they’re worth it. This tea is great warm and even better iced. Perfect for the summer-like days we had this past week.

Fave Pinterest Finds

{How awesome is this veggie cooking cheat sheet? Print and put it on the fridge for easy access.}

{Just love.}

Fave Spring Fashions {light blue/jean shirts!}

And now I need a denim shirt – to pair with black straight legs, khakis, coral colored shirts and fun jewelry.

See you guys tomorrow for Sweat it Out Saturday!

<3 Stefanie

Google Tags: fave friday, friday faves, fashion finds, spring fashion finds, denim shirt, cute denim shirt, pop chips, vitatops, laughing cow cheese, fave meals, fave products, lush usa, lemony butter, banana choco chip vitatop, veggie cooking cheat sheet

Apple Cinnamon Swirl Pie {with chickpea flour}

Back in February (okay, how is it already March?), I made a lemon basil chickpea pie. I don’t know if pie was really the correct term for the dish, but I went with it.

I also declared my love for chickpea flour (that love hasn’t waned) and promised to create a sweet counterpart to the savory dish.

Here it is.

This is super easy to make. It’s basically measure, microwave, mix, bake, and then eat.

Easy, healthy, and delicious. Yes, please.

First, make your cinnamon apples by mixing together 1.5 C. chopped apples, 1 T. cinnamon, and 2 T. sucanat (or sweetener of choice) in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute or until apples are softened.

Note: this apple topping is also delicious over pancakes and Greek yogurt or as a sweet snack.

Preheat the oven to 350 and prep the rest of your ingredients.

Ingredients

• cinnamon apples (see above)
• 1 C. garbanzo bean flour
• 1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 C. egg whites
• 1 t. liquid vanilla stevia
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 C. vanilla coconut milk
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2 T. white chocolate chips

Mix together all of your ingredients (save the cinnamon apples and white chocolate chips).

Then fold in the apples and white chocolate chips. Pour into a greased baking tin (I used coconut oil), top with extra cinnamon, and then bake for about 30 minutes.

I’m not always the most patient person. Especially when it comes to tasting fresh out of the oven baked goods.

So after cooking, I flipped this pie over onto a cutting board without letting it properly cool. This left me with a slightly bumpy, yet still delicious, pie.

This also left me with plenty of leftovers to spoon out of the pan before washing.

So in this case, my impatience turned out to be beneficial after all.

Also, thank you all for the support in regards to all of my exciting news yesterday! Knowing that I have you guys rooting for me just gives me that much more motivation.

<3 Stefanie

Google Tags: apple cinnamon swirl, apple cinnamon, easy cinnamon apples in the microwave, microwaved apples, microwaved cinnamon apples, sweet chickpea bread, chickpea flour in a sweet dish, chickpea flour used for pie, chickpea flour pie

follow your heart

Last night, I made a spur of the moment decision. Well, the final click was spur of the moment, but it’s actually something I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time.

I signed up for a Fitness Instructor class that will prepare me to take the ACE personal  trainer exam! It starts tomorrow [see why it was spur of the moment?].

This is definitely one of those follow your heart situations.

Fitness takes up a huge space in my heart and I really want to share that love with others. Through my blog, I share my passion for healthy living and I’m ready to extend that beyond the web.

These thoughts were finalized when I was “training” my sister at the gym last week. She’s a fitness newbie and I thoroughly enjoyed showing her the ropes at the gym. I also thoroughly enjoying kicking her ass.

The day after our gym session, she called to tell me that she literally could not sit down or lift her arms. For some reason, that gave me a sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t felt before. Of course I feel accomplished when I kick my own booty at the gym, but that sense of satisfaction was taken to a whole new level when it involved helping others achieve their goals.

In addition the fitness training, I just found out that I was accepted to one of the PhD programs to which I applied. I’m also on the waitlist for another. Can you say overflowing plate? But it’s overflowing in so many wonderful ways that I’m honestly bursting at the seams (with excitement, of course).

I have so many wonderful opportunities in the near future but I also have quite a bit to think about. Needless to say, I will be doing a lot of weighing over the next few weeks. Pros and cons. Advantages and disadvantages.

In regards to grad school, I need to make my final decision by April 15th. That seems so close yet so far at the same time. Where do I want to spend the next 5 or so years of my life? That is a tough decision to make.

[Yep, that’s me.]

While on the topic of graduate school, I have something to share with you all.

I recently received an email from Amanda, a PhD candidate at Clark University. She is a clinical psychology doctoral student who is interested in learning more about the experiences of those whose partners interfere with their weight loss.

Since I have lost a significant amount of weight myself, I am very interested in her research. There are definitely times when partners can interfere (not necessarily intentionally) with weight loss efforts. It will be extremely interesting to see what she finds, don’t you think?

The thing is – she needs more data.

Being involved in research myself means that I have a soft spot for my fellow researchers. Research in the field of psychology can be tough. It’s often difficult to recruit subjects which means that it’s also difficult to collect data. Without data, you cannot determine results. And without enough data, you can’t determine whether those results are significant.

Want to help? CLICK HERE to take the survey.

It will take about 30 minutes and it is completely anonymous.

To participate, you should be able to answer yes to these four questions:

1)  Are you at least 18 years of age? 
2)  Have you been participating in a weight loss program for the last 5 consecutive weeks? 
3)  Have you been in a committed, cohabitating relationship for the last two years? 
4)  Do you ever feel like your partner/spouse gets in the way of your weight loss? 

Amanda will also donate $1 for every completed survey to 1 of 5 charities (Playworks, The Carter Center, Teach for America, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, or MAP International). It’s up to you which charity receives the donation.

And of course, she will share her findings with us once everything is said and done.

Well, I’m off. I plan on burying myself in lists of pros and cons.

<3 Stefanie

Google Tags: becoming a trainer, graduate school, follow your heart, follow your heart but take your brain with you, so excited to become a personal trainer, ACE personal trainer certification, becoming an ACE trainer

Something good in every day.

Creating a new veggie burger wasn’t a priority this past week. So the veggie burger challenge will have to be neglected until next week.

Luckily (for the sake of convenience), I still have a few of these babies leftover in the freezer. They just as good (if not better) when warmed up and thrown atop a veggie bowl.

So why was the veggie burger challenge left behind? Well, I was at the University of Chicago Hospital all week long. As you may know, my brother was having surgery. It was the worst and hopefully the last.

While there, I realized something that I consider pretty significant. Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.

Even when you’re having the worst of days, it’s so important to step back and find something good. Yes, the optimistic side in me is showing. But I honestly believe in the importance of positive thinking.

When times are hard, it gets me through. A laugh, a smile, beautiful weather, a tasty treat – no matter what it is that makes you happy – stop and appreciate it.

When the days are great and life is flying by – I often take the little things for granted. They are simply there – just another part of my day.

It’s when times get tough that the little things become so crucial and they’re once again on my radar.

With that, here are some of the goods from the week – whether big or small, they helped me through.

Cupcakes. On a day-to-day basis, I avoid emotional eating. Rather than pick up something sweet, I take a walk or call a friend. But sometimes a cupcake is just what the doctor ordered. And by the doctor, I mean my brain.

Just look at those vanilla bean specks. Yep, that’s just what my brain ordered.

On one particularly difficult day, my Mom and I took a breather to walk around the University of Chicago campus.

It was pretty spectacular on one of the first warm days of the week. Also, just what my brain needed. Fresh air and beautiful surroundings.

After a week of hospital food, this smoothie was heaven.

Spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, vega vanilla protein, and unsweetened almond milk. This was definitely a good. My body was craving something clean and this fit the bill.

On Sunday, I enjoyed a leisurely brunch with my sister and Mom.

My coffee mug was filled no less than 3 times and a huge Greek-style omelet (feta, tomatoes, and spinach) with a side of sweet potato fries graced my plate.

Hit the spot.

And of course, I can’t forget Pinkberry. Deemed the “original tart frozen yogurt,” this place is certainly preceded by its reputation for the best froyo around.

This was my first time having frozen yogurt in a cone (a bowl is not conducive to walking around downtown) and it did not disappoint. In fact, their tart was the best I’ve ever had!

And that’s saying something because I’ve had my fair share of frozen yogurt.

And finally, getting my booty moving by taking a walk around the track with the Chicago skyline in the background.

[Rocking my strong is the new beautiful shirt.]

Not that is a good I’ll take any day.

Google Tags: positive thinking, positive attitude, there's something good in every day, pinkberry, find the good in every day, be positive, be optimistic, it's the little things, the little things make me happy, chicago skyline