Cardio/ Strength Training Facts & Ideas

Fast Food Calories Per Dollar

More....

More water.
More air.
More friends.
More greens.
More hugs.
More sweating.
More creativity.
More sun.
More self-love.
More quiet time.
More pictures.
More books.
More nature.
More studying.
More tea.
More yoga.
More happy quotes.
More clean food.
More candles.
More smiling.
More order.
More faith.
More lucky charms.
More exercising,
More relaxation.
More planning.
More positivity.
More meditation.
More ice.
More stretching.
More joy.
More fruit.
More walking.
More motivation.
More experiencing.
More listening.
More patience.
More laughing.
More trees.
More floss.
More breathing.
More sunblock.
More adventures.
More nuts.
More sleep.
More acceptation.
More you being the best that you can be.

For those of you who have been struggling for years, for those of you who just begun, for those of you who don’t lose, for those of you who lose too much,
For all of us who try and try;
Better times are coming our way, keep your head held high and just breathe.
We are in this together. Never hesitate to reach out if you need someone.

Homemade Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Bars

• 2 cups Uncooked Old Fashioned/Quick Oats
• 1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter
• 4 Scoops Protein Powder (I used ON Whey Vanilla Ice Cream)
• 4 tbls Milled Flax Seed
• 1/2 cup water

I warmed up my PB in the microwave for a few seconds to get it loose but other than that just combine everything in a bowl and mix well.
Then press it into a baking pan or other square dish and put in the fridge or freezer for about a half hour. You can put a little water on your fingers before pressing so it doesn’t stick to you. Take the pan out of the freezer, cut the mixture into 8 or more bars, and wrap each individually or put in snack bags. Done!
I’m leaving mine in the freezer since they were still a little sticky but the fridge is fine as well.
Next time I may add some dried fruit to change it up some.
This recipe makes about 8 bars
192 Cal | 16g Carbs| 8g Fat| 15g Protein| 3g Fiber

think Fruity...

Dear Followers...

OM..

Remember...

10 weeks preggy new photos

Mistakes...

“I make mistakes. A lot. Sometimes, I make the same mistake more than once, but I think maybe that’s the point of life. To not get it right the first time, or even the second… to keep going with the flow and changing and doing what you feel is best in the moment. That’s really all I think you can do.”

love the expression

Simple Steps to make homemade Banana Ice Cream

Step-by-step Instructions for One-Ingredient Ice Cream. (http://www.thekitchn.com)
1) Pick a couple of ripe bananas. They should be sweet and soft but not too mushy.
2) Peel the bananas and cut them into coins
3) Freeze the banana pieces for at least an hour or two.
4) Put the pieces into a food processor or blender.
5) Blend on high. Initially they will look crumbly and piecemeal. The mixture will probably get stuck a lot. Keep scraping down the bowl. Suddenly, as you keep blending, you will see a change.
6) The bananas turn creamy!
7) (Optional) Now is the time to add a scoop of peanut butter, honey, or anything else you care to mix in.
8) The ice cream will be the texture of soft-serve, but if you freeze again in an airtight container, it will get harder and more like regular ice cream.
this sounds excellent!

Makes soft serve ice cream

10 Weeks... Belly Shot :)

My hubs and I goofing around!!!

Our baby is the size of a prune this week!!!

My 10 week Preggy Belly

Pregnancy Rants... Things I want to say while Pregger!

I came across this hilarous blog called "Rants from Mommy Land"  and I wanted to repost some of this - some of these things have already begun happening to me.
 1. "My cervix is none of your damn business, fat man in the elevator. Stop thinking about my junk, or I will kick you in yours."
2. "Thank you. I'm glowing because I just violently vomited in your bathroom."
3."I can see that you're wondering if I'm fat or pregnant. Well, I'm not going to tell you because you did such a bad job hiding the confused look on your face, jackhole."--- this one hits home - I remember telling someone I was pregnant then they asked me " how many months I was" when I responded 9 weeks they said oh we thought 5 months! (SMH! People if you dont have anything nice to say don't say it at all.
4. "I am allowed to have 250 mg of caffeine per day. If you give me one more dirty look for buying this latte, skinny whore in the black skirt, I will karate punch you in your damn neck."
5. "I see you over there, trying to get next to me so you can put your hands on my enormous stomach. If you touch my belly I will start screaming so loud that you will fall down and dogs from all over down will come running to your prone form. And I will bray with laughter as they pee on you."
 6. "I'm so glad you felt you wanted to share your labor story with me. But I'm trying to eat breakfast so could we please discus your mucous plug a little later?"

7. "Am I pregnant with twins? No. I'm so huge? Am I really? Is this you being nice? Because I can be nice, too. I hate your ass face." --- Another one I can relate too! LOL
8. "You know what, older-lady-at-the-grocery-store, I am not having this baby any minute now. I am having this baby in 8 weeks. OK? You smell like Vicks Vapo-Rub and cats, and I want to move away from you before I throw up on your padded nylon ankle boots."

9. "You know what? I'm growing a person. If I want to eat this Big Mac and then eat another you will have nothing to say about it. As a matter of fact, if you try and keep and keep me from my Big Mac and his step-brother, the refreshing and delicious fountain Coke, I will turn into the Incredible Hulk except with pregnancy hormones, and I will rip off the arms you used to steal my cheeseburger."
10. "What. Did. You. Just. Say. To. Me? That you can barely tell that I'm pregnant? What the HELL does that even mean?"
11."I could understand if you couldn't take your eyes off my belly, but the jugs you're staring at aren't even mine anymore. They're like two ginormous, bloated, scalding hot water bottles that cause me constant back pain. How's that for sexy?"
 I just had to share these- utterly hilarous!!!

Thanks for following and supporting!!
Ashley M.

Can't wait for the 2nd trimester to begin- 3 more weeks!

:)

50 things you must give up today!

Give up trying to be perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.

1. Give up comparing yourself to others. – The only person you are competing against is yourself.
2. Give up dwelling on the past or worrying too much about the future. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Don’t miss it.
3. Give up complaining. – Do something about it.
4. Give up holding grudges. – Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness.
5. Give up waiting. – What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow. Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.
6. Give up lying. – In the long-run the truth always reveals itself. Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.
7. Give up trying to avoid mistakes. – The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
8. Give up saying, “I can’t.” – As Henry Ford put it, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
9. Give up trying to be everything to everyone. – Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now.
10. Give up thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
11. Give up setting small goals for yourself. – Many people set small goals because they’re afraid to fail. Ironically, setting these small goals is what makes them fail.
12. Give up trying to do everything by yourself. – You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with. If you work together, you will be far more capable and powerful than you ever could have been alone.
13. Give up buying things you don’t need. – Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects.
14. Give up blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can live your dream life depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
15. Give up making mountains out of molehills. – One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years? If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
16. Give up trying to live up to the expectations of others. – Work on it for real and exceed your own expectations. Everything else will fall into place.
17. Give up the ‘easy street’ mentality. – There is too much emphasis on finding a ‘quick fix’ in today’s society. For example taking diet pills to lose weight instead of exercising and eating well. No amount of magic fairy dust replaces diligent, focused, hard work.
18. Give up making promises you can’t keep. – Don’t over-promise. Over-deliver on everything you do.
19. Give up letting your thoughts and feelings bottle up inside. – People are not mind readers. They will never know how you feel unless you tell them.
20. Give up beating around the bush. – Say what you mean and mean what you say. Communicate effectively.
21. Give up avoiding change. – However good or bad a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing you can count on. So embrace change and realize that change happens for a reason. It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.
22. Give up your sense of entitlement. – Nobody is entitled to anything in this world. We are all equal. We breathe the same air. We get what we give. We get what we earn.
23. Give up waiting until the last minute. – Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
24. Give up being dramatic. – Stay out of other people’s drama and don’t needlessly create your own.
25. Give up being anti-athletic. – Get your body moving! Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program like the P90X workout.
26. Give up junk food. – You are what you eat.
27. Give up eating as a means of entertainment. – Don’t eat when you’re bored. Eat when you’re hungry.
28. Give up foolish habits that you know are foolish. – Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t smoke. Etc.
29. Give up relationships with people who bring you down. – Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.
30. Give up being shy. – Network with people. Meet new people. Ask questions. Introduce yourself.
31. Give up worrying about what others think of you. – Unless you’re trying to make a great first impression (job interview, first date, etc.), don’t let the opinions of others stand in your way. What they think and say about you isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
32. Give up trying to control everything. – Life is an unpredictable phenomenon. No matter how good or bad things seem right now, we can never be 100% certain what will happen next. So do you best with what’s in front of you and leave the rest to the powers above you.
33. Give up doing the same thing over and over again. – In order to grow, you must expand your horizons and break free of your comfort zone. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
34. Give up following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t find the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
35. Give up persistent multi-tasking. – Do one thing at a time and do it right.
36. Give up thinking others are luckier than you. – The harder you work, the luckier you will become.
37. Give up filling every waking moment with commitments and activities. – It’s okay to be alone. It’s okay to do nothing sometimes. Think. Relax. Breathe. Be.
38. Give up making emotional decisions. – Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence. Slow down and think things through before you make any life-changing decisions.
39. Give up doing the wrong things just because you can get away with it. – Just because you can get away with something doesn’t mean you should do it. Think bigger. Keep the end in mind. Do what you know in your heart is right.
40. Give up focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
41. Give up taking yourself so seriously. – Few others do anyway. So enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can.
42. Give up spending your life working in a career field you’re not passionate about. – Life is too short for such nonsense. The right career choice is based on one key point: Finding hard work you love doing. So if you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop. You’re on to something big. Because hard work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
43. Give up thinking about the things you don’t have. – Appreciate everything you do have. Many people aren’t so lucky.
44. Give up doubting others. – People who are determined do remarkable things. Remember, the one who says it can’t be done should never interrupt the one doing it.
45. Give up fussing with every beauty product on the market. – Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart. Be proud to be you. That’s when you’re beautiful.
46. Give up trying to fit in. – Don’t mold yourself into someone you’re not. Be yourself. Oftentimes, the only reason they want you to fit in is that once you do they can ignore you and go about their business.
47. Give up trying to be different for the sake of being different. – Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity is conformity. When people try too hard to be different, they usually end up being just like everyone else who is trying to be different. Once again, be yourself.
48. Give up trying to avoid risk. – There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’ Everything you do or don’t do has an inherent risk.
49. Give up putting your own needs on the back burner. – Yes, help others, but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

And remember, mistakes make us human, failures help us grow, hope keeps us going and love is the reason we’re alive. So keep learning, loving and living. Never give up on yourself.

All things butterflies....

“Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well.”

National Eating Disorder Awareness Feb 26-March 3

Post Work Out Meal Ideas

Post-Workout Snacks
1. Forget the protein bar, reach for whole foods
-Try these healthy protein bar alternatives that are approximately 150 calories per snack: 2 dried plums plus 30 pistachios; half of a whole grain English muffin with 2 tablespoons hummus; 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup berries; or low-fat string cheese and a piece of fruit

2. Say no to sports drinks and stick with water
or try lime-water, coconut-water

3. Pick cereal-nut mix over trail mix Mix one serving of your favorite whole grain cereal, like Cheerios, Kashi Go Lean, or bran flakes, with 3 teaspoons slivered nuts or blend 1/2 cup cereal with 1 tablespoon slivered nuts and 1 tablespoon raisins.
4. Eat TWO mini-meals rather than a HUGE breakfast, or HUGE post-workout dinnerYou’ll likely be ravenous when you wrap up your workout and could end up overeating at dinner.
Enjoy a snack, like egg whites and a banana, before your morning workout, and when you are done, eat a moderately-sized breakfast. Evening exercisers should eat a snack 30 to 45 minutes prior to exercising and enjoy a moderately-sized post-workout dinner

Battling Self Esteem Issue- While Pregnant

Hello Friends and Followers:

Well its back- yup the negative self talk! Since finding out I was pregnant it has been difficult working out because of nausea and fatigue but now that I am almost in my 10th week I am finding my energy is returning but so is my low self esteem. This past weekend I noticed that my stomach is starting to " pooch" out and its making me feel really self conscience. I also was told by my OBGYN to stop taking my blood pressure/water pill which in return is making me retain my water again. I have been waking up with swollen hands which is a sign that my body is retaining water and my BP may be getting higher.
I realized this morning that I need to try and control this negative self talk about weight and looks and realize that there is something I can do and that is to get back out and do some light execrsise because at least I will be doing something. My husband and family have been supportive with my low self esteem rants and they understand how difficult this may be for me espically after losing close to 50 pounds. The trick for me is to stay active for at least 30 minutes a day.

Prenatal Walking::
My doctor reccommended walking right away because it can help with many different things in pregnancy espically labor.
Warm-UpBefore each walk, take 2 minutes to warm up with these moves:
ANKLE CIRCLES Stand on one foot, holding a wall or rail for balance. Flex your ankle and slowly draw big circles with your toes, completing 6-8 circles in each direction. Switch feet and repeat.
LEG SWINGS Stand on one foot, holding a wall or rail for balance. Swing your free leg forward and back from your hip in a relaxed motion. Repeat 10-20 times; switch legs and repeat.
ARM CIRCLES Stand while holding arms straight out to the sides. Circle arms backward 10 times; repeat in opposite direction.

COOL-DOWN When you finish your walk, take 5 minutes to stretch your back, shoulders, hips, hamstrings, thighs and calves. You can do this while standing--essential as your pregnancy progresses..The fitter you were before you became pregnant, the sooner you can ramp up to 5 or 6 walk days per week.
• Start by walking 4 days a week, adding a fifth day after 4 or 5 weeks. Begin with 15-minute walks. Then gradually increase the time, adding a few minutes every other day so that walks are 20 and then 30 minutes. By week 10, here's what a typical week might look like:

Monday - walk 25 minutes
Tuesday - walk 35 minutes, or take 2 walks: 15 & 20 minutes
Wednesday - walk 20 minutes
Thursday - walk 30 minutes
Friday - off
Saturday - walk 30 minutes
Sunday - walk 40 minutes

I have looked into prenatal yoga- the findings were impressive and there is a yoga studio by my house that holds these classes on Saturday mornings.

Prenatal Yoga::

Prenatal Yoga is a safe and gentle class for women to attend throughout their pregnancy. Women will learn specific yoga poses, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques designed to relieve the physical and emotional discomforts that occur during pregnancy, and to prepare them, body, mind, and spirit, to give birth. Prenatal Yoga will benefit you through all stages of your pregnancy.
The program, conducted in a calm, peaceful environment will help strengthen the uterus and pelvic muscles, improve circulation, aid in digestion, exercise the spine and increase overall comfort. Yoga can also alleviate many of the discomforts of pregnancy such as nausea, constipation, varicose veins, swelling, back pain and sciatica. A safe, open community allows you to freely discuss any issues, from discomforts and concerns, to the wonderful new changes your body and baby are experiencing.

Prenatal Swimming is another great execrsise:
Exercising in water is ideal for pregnant women because the water's buoyancy requires you to support only 50 percent of your body weight, it reduces the risk of stress-related injuries, and the compression of the water is soothing on joints and muscles that are stressed by the added bulk of your pregnancy. The water's temperature also keeps you from overheating during your workout.

You don't need to be able to swim to participate in water workouts - many moves are performed in waist or chest-high water, and you don't even need to join a special organized class; simply swimming laps, or walking, jogging, or running in water will strengthen your core trunk muscles, legs and hips, and increase your cardio-respiratory fitness. While water workouts don't require any special equipment, there are flippers, foam tubes, webbed gloves, and water weights available that can enhance the moves.

Water workouts generally fall into two categories: aqua aerobics and aqua exercise. Aqua aerobics has most of the fat-burning and endurance-building qualities of land-based aerobics, without the high-impact pounding that can be dangerous while pregnant. Aqua exercise focuses on improving muscle tone, strength and mobility. Water naturally lends itself to strength training, as it provides resistance in all directions, as opposed to land exercises which can be limited by gravity. If you aren't sure which type of class is right for you, ask your gym or community pool if you can watch a class first.

For a great 30-minute workout, alternate aerobic activity with strengthening moves. Warm up for five minutes or so by swimming a few laps or walking back and forth across the pool. Then alternate high-intensity walking or jogging with low-intensity recovery periods. The length of each interval will depend on your fitness level - start with 15 seconds and see how you feel. Repeat this high-low interval for 3 minutes, then perform one of the following strengthening moves. Follow this with another aerobic set and then another strengthening move, continuing this way for 30 minutes. Cool down for five minutes by swimming some laps or walking around the pool, and be sure to do some gentle stretching.

Thanks for following and supporting!!!!

Ashley M.

9.5 Weeks Pregnant

Snackie Ideas

Workout and Eat Healthy!!!

02/13/12

Yay for Adele

Did Adele look fabulous or what at the Grammy’s? GODDESS. And I am happy for her for losing weight for her health! Don’t be fooled though— this woman wouldn’t change for ANYBODY but her self.

10 FOODS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GREAT

10 FOODS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GREAT. 

• BLUEBERRIES The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.
• BROCCOLI Guards against cancer and is rich in a wide range of anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, folate and iron.
• CARROTS High in carotenes, known to boost the immune system.
• LETTUCE AND SALAD GREENS Tangy varieties, such as chicory and endive, stimulate the liver, making them great detoxifiers. Most lettuces contain valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
• BEETROOT Bursting with minerals and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting and detoxifying properties.
• BRAZIL NUTS You only need to eat two or three a day to benefit from their great combination of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin E, selenium and B vitamins.
• GRAPEFRUIT Has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.
• GARLIC Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.
• CRANBERRIES Best known for helping to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, especially cystitis, in women. They have both anti-fungal and antiviral properties.
• GINGER Stimulates the immune system and circulation.

Green Pizza

 Green Pizza

    1 pound prepared pizza dough, preferably whole-wheat
    2 cups chopped broccoli florets
    1/4 cup water
    5 ounces arugula ,any tough stems removed, chopped (about 6 cups)
    Pinch of salt
    Freshly ground pepper to taste
    1/2 cup prepared pesto
    1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Position oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
  
Meanwhile, cook broccoli and water in a large skillet over medium heat, covered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
   
Spread pesto evenly over the crust, top with the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 323 calories; 13 g fat ( 4 g sat , 7 g mono ); 19 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein; 3 g fiber; 511 mg sodium; 241 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (45% daily value), Calcium (34% dv), Vitamin A (31% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 medium fat meat, 1 1/2 fat