April 16, 2013

fit eggplant parm

April 16, 2013/ leah.egwuatu@6packusa.com

same concept when you apply it to your body, aka, your temple. put great stuff in, get great results right on out!

yesterday i had vanilla oat bran with banana slices, Walden Farms syrup, and Trader Joes cinnamon sugar,

and this morning it was rolled oats cooked in unsweetened vanilla almond milk, pure vanilla extract, and some cinnamon and granulated stevia stirred in. some days i flip a coin! they are both great starts to the day. this bowl was sooooo creamy. i topped it with one strawberry cause that's all i needed since they are so dang GIANT this season. and a small tsp of Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter. so, so good.

today's eggs weren't pretty at ALL so i didn't take a pic. these were from yesterday and were topped with some alfalfa sprouts and pineapple salsa from Sprouts. i love getting a little bit of charr mixed in with my eggs from the skillet- gives them extra flavor.

who's got some core exercises for you? I DO! did'em this morning after teaching my total conditioning class!

i'm sure you're familiar with the basic high plank on your palms and toes. right? yeah you can do that one in your sleep.

but when you mount up on a medicine ball (any solid ball will work really) then you really put that core to work. this is one of those exercises that looks uuuuber easy until you do it yourself. so, grab yoself a medicine ball and do these semi-advanced core exercises that promote core strength and stability!

★1st things 1st- engage your core by sucking your belly button to your spine, but DON'T hold your breath!★

high plank (top pic) - start on your knees. grip the ball on either side and press your palms into it as you elevate your body up into a straight high plank balancing on your toes. maintain a neutral spine while keeping your head and chest lifted. even if you don't add the variations, you are still working to balance yourself without even moving! you'll see! hold for 30-60 secs or for as long as you can take it. ***you can also go down a level and perform this on your knees keeping your body flat and pushing your hips and glutes towards the floor***

****

high plank + leg lift (bottom pic) - keep your hips square, squeeze the heck outta your glute, and lift that leg up off the ground and hold it for 30-60 secs. repeat on the opp side.

****

high plank + pendulum leg lifts - while that one leg is in the air, take it out to the side from right to left in a controlled swinging motion going no wider than shoulder width. repeat on either side for 30-60 seconds or until burnout.

what a :shock: BURN :shock: !

this exercise works glutes, core, and your shoulders & back definitely feel the wrath of supporting your bodyweight the entire time. try'em at the gym or at home during commercial breaks.

well hello there, fit eggplant parm. i whipped up a crazy good fit chicken parm that will be going into the you-know-what! for now, enjoy this healthier classic, fit foodie le style.

fit egg plant parm

the stuff:

1 large raw eggplant, sliced into 1/2 in rounds (you can peel them if you'd like- i kept the skin on)
2 egg whites
3 tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1 cup Lissanati almond cheese, shredded
3/4 - 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs*
28 oz Sprouts all natural low sodium crushed tomatoes with basil & garlic
1 tsp basil, dried
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp thyme, dried
1/2 tsp parsely
1/2 tsp black pepper
olive oil cooking spray
5 baby portabella mushrooms (optional!)
fresh basil leaves for garnish

*homemade breadcrumbs: toast 4 slices of Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful Whole Wheat with Honey bread until crispy, and toss them in your food processor. pulse until breadcrumb-like consistency.*

do this: * important S/N* this can totally be dairy-free if you use only almond cheese, (or rice cheese, or your fave vegan cheese) throughout the recipe. but then you'd have to call it fit eggplant almond. or whatever. you know me- i needed some nutty, creamy parmesan in my dish cause cheese is my thing, so i added it. just a little. and you can too. if you want. also if you don't have the same brands i'm using and naming, no big deal!

1. lay the eggplant slices flat in a shallow baking dish and pour the liquid aminos all over them. let it soak in real good, about 10-15 minutes or so.

2. in a shallow dish, combine the egg whites and unsweetened almond milk; mix.

3. grab another shallow dish and pour in your breadcrumbs. add: the finely grated parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley; mix.

4. dip each eggplant slice into your egg mixture with one hand, then immediately drop it into your breadcrumb mixture. i only coated one side with breadcrumbs cause i was lazy and didn't want to have to flip them halfway through. lol. spray a flat baking pan with the olive oil spray and bake your slices for about 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

5. when the eggplant is almost done, go ahead and start the first layer of the dish by spooning some of the crushed tomatoes in the bottom of your olive oil coated baking pan. eyeball it.

6. when the eggplant is ready and cool enough to handle (surprise, i didn't wait), create the second layer. i know mushrooms are untraditional in this recipe, but so am i! and come on- melted cheese and mushrooms just go together. so i added a few sliced baby bellas for the 3rd layer,

7. top with 1/4 of the almond cheese. or more. way more.

8. and finally, top that with more sauce and repeat until you run outta ingredients. the last layer should be CHEESE! and lots of it. now don't put those fresh basil leaves on there yet cause you will torch them in the oven. i put them there cause it looked pretty.

9. back into the oven on 400 degrees for about 20 more minutes, or until the cheese is nice and melty and brown and stuff.

this made about 6 servings; stats are for 1:

we killed the pan but there are certainly a couple things i'll be doing differently from here on: take note!

NOT burning the breadcrumbs in the toaster smh - it made the eggplant darker and harder on the eyes. i didn't want to waste it and used it anyway
using the small side of the grater for the parmesan cheese cause the large shreds don't stick to the eggplant as easily
pan frying the egg plant instead of baking (however i'm not sure the cheese in the breadcrumb mixture would hold up in the hot skillet...i'll just have to see)
OR, roast the eggplant solo first, assemble the dish, and save the breadcrumb mixture for the topping only. <------i really like that idea!!!!! if you try it this way, upload a pic to the Fan Page or tag me on IG (#fitfoodiele #fitclean2013). i'd LOVE to see your creations.

cooking is ALL about having fun and trial & error for me. get in there and make your own masterpiece!

i'd like to give a big THANK YOU to Bragg for sending me a few samples of their seasonings recently! i'll be testing the nutritional yeast, the sea kelp delight seasoning, and the 24 herbs and spices seasoning this week.

ooooh the joys, blessings, and lessons of good ol' parenthood :lol: it was just one of those days.

thank God for electronic devices!!!!!

p.s., if you haven't entered to win some FREE FOOD, then click there and go see what's up! contest ends this saturday.

July 23, 2012

core work - part I

July 23, 2012/ leah.egwuatu@6packusa.com

because breaking the post up into parts means NO, i am totally not done!!

i had no idea how popular TRX was/is. your gym may or may not have it, no biggie. there are two main pieces of equipment:

the suspension belt:

and it's connected to this contraption:

i'm just now catching up with it, and you guessed it, i hate it :lol: i had my first taste of TRX about 3 weeks ago while working out with a competitor friend of mine at 24 hour fitness. it's hardcore suspension training using your own body weight. just after 3 sets of 10 'pushups/peaks/tucks' (that's what i'll call it for now), i felt soreness in my entire torso for the rest of the week. every laugh, cough, twist and turn was a swift reminder of my 1st TRX date.

try them:

facing downward, put your feet in the straps and get into a pushup position.

complete the pushup, (both arms come to a 90 deg angle) and go immediately into a 'peak' by lifting your glutes into the air and keeping your legs straight and your back as flat as possible.

then, go right back to starting/plank position by lowering your glutes and complete the 'tuck' by pulling your knees super close to your chest. keep your knees and feet close together.

that's one! do 10 in a row for starters, and add on the stronger you become. you will get stronger... just keep doing them, i promise.

don't have one of these fancy contraptions at home? me neither!

use a yoga ball.

here are a couple exercises i have added to my routine recently to get this 6 pack going!

peaks and tucks w/ the ball:

(start in a high plank)

you don't have to do the pushup if ya don't want to, IMO. i'm such a slacker.

peak (remember, keep your back flat, not rounded- clearly i need to work on that)

aaaand tuck. 3 sets of 10

twist ups:

( yoga ball or a medicine ball will do.) start out with your body flat, legs out into a V, and the ball overhead btw your hands.

engage your core and sit up nice and tall keep the ball directly in front of you.

keep sucking it in!! now, twist the ball to the left or right,

then back to the center, and back to starting position. repeat, and hit up the other side.

make sure you get a nice, deep, significant twist.

v sit ups w/ yoga ball:

start on your back and stretch your arms over head while clutching the yoga ball in btw your feet/ankles.

form the 'v' by bringing your limbs up toward the ceiling, and passing the ball to your hands from your feet. pull your bellybutton into your spine and keep your limbs straight the entire time.

take the ball in your hands and extend your body back to the starting position. on the next one, pass the ball back to your feet and repeat.

elbow rolls:

up on your toes, elbows on ball, plank position.

extend your elbows out as far as possible- this IS a tough one, it's not just you!! then, using your core, pull the ball back to you and keep that nice solid plank. i fell multiple times- you gotta fight to keep your balance.

i promise i moved!!! doesn't take much to feel those AT ALL. 3 sets of 10

incorporate some of these moves for a stronger core and chiseled mid-section.

heading to bed- super early AM workout tomorrow, as usual!

March 06, 2012

abs abs abs abs abs!!!!!

March 06, 2012/ leah.egwuatu@6packusa.com

Q: screw a 6 pack, i just want my abs to be flat!!! help...

A: this is definitely THE number one question i get asked about. before i show you what i do to get them, there are some things you MUST do and consider before you can ever achieve them yourself.

what you eat affects your tummy. and no, im not talking about just eating too much. i could eat 3 broccoli stalks and blow up like a hot air balloon. i mean really, of all things, broccoli. a number of other healthy foods can cause gas, tummy discomfort, and bloating...see what some of them are, here. even having to 'go' can create a significant bulge in your tummy. i can't do anything about that lol, but you must learn pay attention to how your body reacts to different types of foods. it can honestly take some time, but it's worth it to figure out what your trigger foods are. i now know what NOT to eat before slipping into a fitted dress or my skinny jeans.

maintain a healthy, balanced, portion controlled diet. seems like the older i get, the ratio of working out vs. eating gets a little more lopsided. i thought it was the combo of having a baby and turning 30, but who really knows! either way, i just can't eat like i used to. it used to be 50% exercise, 50% diet. now, it's more like 75% diet in order to maintain my current size and shape. portion size never meant so much to me as it does now. overdoing it can literally ruin a hard workout in seconds. too much sodium makes my tummy poofy, and too much sugar makes it mushy. not saying you can't have either- just remain active and have everything in moderation. overall, stick to fresh, natural foods and cut out the processed, sugary junk.

you won't ever (you hear me? everrrrr!!!!) get that defined, chiseled mid-section until you burn off that layer of fat on top of them. e.g. CARDIO exercise...and on a regular basis at that. now, having a 6 pack requires a very low body fat percentage. unless i'm gonna compete in a fitness competition or something, it's just not that big a deal to me. some type of cardio is definitely needed to keep them toned and flat though. what kind of cardio? sprinting/running, spinning, kickboxing, elliptical/treadmill, athletic training boot camps, etc. take your pick and do at least 45 min to 1hr. of cardio at a time, 3x's a week, minimum. as always, your intensity determines overall calorie burn and results.

do core/ab exercises CORRECTLY. sigh. as an instructor, i see faulty exercise posture every. single. day. if you aren't using your abs/core to begin with, don't expect to see significant changes in them since you are getting help from other body parts! are you pulling on/with your neck? are you abusing momentum (rocking back/forth)? are you just mimicking the instructor and not focusing on YOUR abs? don't just go through the motions. listen to the instructor's cues (if you are taking a class) and focus on feeling your own abs being worked for maximum results.

vary your exercises. look how many muscles make up your core! tons. aim to work your upper abs, lower abs, and right/left obliques. do a combo of different ab exercises to work your entire mid-section.

water water water. water reduces bloating, aides in digestion after your meal, and flushes out those bad toxins. plus, you stay hydrated which is good for your skin and hair anyway. stop it with that sugary soda and juice and replace it with water. you can even do tea and use a natural sweetener if you just have to have a drink other than water with your meal.

6-8 hrs. of rest (preferably 8) every night. ever eaten a meal, gone to sleep, woke up, and could still feel it sitting in your tummy? such a yucky , not so great feeling. after having my little boy and enduring the every 2-3 hour breastfeeding schedule, i immediately noticed the effects it had on my body, physically. (not even gonna expand on the mental damage, lol). anyway, because i wasn't able to sleep for a period of 8 or more hours at a time for a good while, my body never really got the chance to recover fully, which means my food wasn't digesting properly. i had already lost the initial preggo fluid/water weight easily, but my weight loss came to a halt and started to creep back up again as lack of sleep also stimulates hunger. it was a vicious cycle. people are always surprised at sleep being criteria for flat abs..it's that serious. not enough rest can lead to unhealthy eating habits, less exercise, and eventually obesity.