kb lunges & crunches + Athleta product review

last night's meal 5.... ain't she fine? i took a roasted baked potato, topped it with crumbled 99% lean ground turkey (seasoned with Mrs. Dash no-salt fiesta lime seasoning, fresh parsley, garlic, and liquid aminos) chopped green onion, fresh tomatoes, and a dollop of 0% greek yogurt. finished it off with a sprinkle of more Mrs. Dash and dried parsley.

 flavor EXPLOSION in ya mouth!

i cooked the potato like i always do- 450 deg for 45 minutes or until oozy.  if you poke holes in it beforehand it won't ooze, but there's no fun in that.

after 42 pics from every angle possible, i gobbled it UP.   yall know i love the versatility of sweet potatoes- try them with your family and see what they think! you can customize your toppings for sure, just like you would on a normal russet potato.  don't let the sweetness throw you off- it will work out, i promise.

so i'm gonna post LEG exercises all this week, and i'll start with these two:

1. side lunge w/ squat

1. start position stand with feet shoulder width or closer apart

2.(lunge) keeping your left leg straight, step out to the side with your right leg, and bend at your right knee.

3. (squat) push your heel firmly into the floor while pushing your glutes back and keeping knees behind your toes.

push-off the right leg through your heel to return to the start position.

repeat; 3 x 12, each leg.

above is just a collage of what the lowest point of your lunge/squat should look like^

• knees behind your toes
• straight opposite leg
• back flat
• chest up
• head up
• weight planted firmly into your heels
• lift your toes in your shoes
• push back up to starting position through your heel, not your toes

Q: can't you do these with a dumbbell? A: this particular exercise, DEFINITELY.  however, the two main differences (ok really the only two in my book) btw kettle bells and dumbbells are the grip/handle and the center of gravity of the weight.

'once the bell is thrown with force, it must be controlled and stopped with an equal amount of force. you are now working twice as hard to move and stop the bell. these actions and reactions require tremendous efforts to stabilize the body. most of these efforts start with your legs and hips and are controlled with your shoulders and trunk or core.'

kinda hard to do that with a dumbbell... and some will argue that you just can't get a GREAT, EFFECTIVE full body workout with a dumbbell alone vs. a kettle bell.

 well, what do you think?

2. knee to elbow standing crunches

these are fun and all about obliques!  they also contribute to balance and core stability.  the kettle bell handle is very useful on this one.

1. engage your core while standing with your feet shoulder width apart.

2. drive your right knee up,  and simultaneously bring your right elbow down to meet it, crunching your right oblique in the process.  same rules apply:

chest up

back straight

core engaged

you can speed it up or take it slower, depending on the weight of your bell.  really engage the obliques though by keeping your movements controlled and with a full range of motion.  keep it even and hit both sides of course til it burns!

*****

being an instructor has its perks- this outfit is a testament to that!  an Athleta (by Gap ) store opened up close to my gym, and they kindly gave the instructors tops and bottoms to model and show off to our members.

 sweet deal.

*warning* i took these  pics after working out and put this fit to the ultimate test!  excuse the sweat stains! among other things ;)

Athleta - Inside Track Knicker 69.00$

• great for running, gym training
• wide waistband streamlines hips
• NeverEnd drawstring means no hunting for ends

• lightweight, sleek, stretchy, comfortable, moveable
• made of recycled polyester/lyrca spandex
• performance fitted, mid-rise, and tight leg

not shorts and not pants- i have always dug the cropped length.

Athleta - Run On Tank 39.00$

• running, gym training
• ultra flattering style lines
• lightweight, silky, breathable, stretchy
• polygiene (ployester/spandex)
• rear zipper pocket (cards, keys, small items, etc.)
• semi-fitted (more 'flowy' than skin tight)
• reflective detail keeps you visible in low light conditions (for my evening runners!)

if you haven't checked out Athleta yet, go for it!

i told ya i don't discriminate- i found the biggest beets i've ever seen at wally world (Walmart) and threw them in my basket without hesitation. @ 1.98 for 3 huge bulbs, they are as big as grapefruits!

however i was looking for eggplant, which i did NOT find and had to go elsewhere to get it.

i found some for a great price at Fiesta! i also copped some papaya since it was on sale. lunch was a plate of grilled chicken breasts seasoned with Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning, grilled egg-plant, roasted sweet potatoes, and papaya salsa!

fresh & fit papaya-lime salsa

• 1/2 diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup diced papaya
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 2 tbsp green onion, chopped
• juice of half a fresh lime

slice and dice that all up, squeeze the lime over it, refrigerate, top on whatever you like, devour.

WHEW! it's a lot goin' on in this post lol! until breakfast, goodnite fit foodies.

le

these crisps were made for snacking

once i hear or read about a product (usually food) multiple times, i must see what all the hype is about for myself!  this was one of those items- Mrs. Dash no-salt fiesta lime seasoning.  i knew it would be the bomb on some seafood, but....

go ahead and add fruit to that list.  where did i get that tip? the back of the bottle!  paired with strawberries, it makes for a sweet, citrusy snack with a kick of lime spiciness.  you've  gotta try it on mango and pineapple too!

i heart sweet potatoes. i can smash an entire package of any kind of crackers in one sitting (especially gold fish), and you already know how i feel about my beloved cheese.

i wanted something different from my nightly roasted sweet potato!  i bought a wedge of fresh parmesan cheese from HEB just for this, and you can get some at any local grocery store.

so when you put those 3 things together, you have one healthy, low-calorie sweet & savory snack cracker chip thing.

baked, not fried....you already know.

baked cheesy sweet potato crisps

the stuff:

2 large raw uncooked sweet potato, shredded

1/2 cup egg whites

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onion

fresh cracked pepper

1 tbsp liquid aminos

1 tsp fresh rosemary (optional)

do this:

preheat your oven to 425, and spray a baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.  shred/grate your sweet potatoes either by hand or by food processor and squeeze all the moisture out.  don't skip that step! also, chop up your green onion.  add this to a mixing bowl and pour in your egg whites, grated parmesan cheese, aminos, and pepper and minced rosemary (any other fresh herb will do). mix! make tablespoon sized mounds all over your baking pan (make sure they aren't touching) until there is no more left.  press down slightly but do not flatten and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are browned, not black :lol:

serving size = i made approx. 20, but it depends on your scoop size.

adapted from here!  and yeah, i left them in for a little too long but i'm a gigantic fan of burnt cheese so it was ALL good.  had i had some greek yogurt at the time, i would have tried the smokey yogurt dip to go along with it.  i mashed up a ripe avocado and sprinkled some salt-free Mrs. Dash fiesta lime seasoning on top and that worked for me! if you have the ingredients though, go for it: 

Smokey Yogurt Dip (via How Sweet It Is)

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

i seriously only check our mailbox for my mags, that's IT.  

was this issue not perfect timing!?

i paid Christine, my posing coach, a visit earlier this week to show some love by purchasing one of these cute, sexy, 'Pose4You' racerback tops of hers!  i'm so proud to be one of her clients!

what is your favorite food and/or fitness mag? 

apple-chicken burgers

 i threw some ground chicken in my grocery basket this week. there's more to life than ground turkey.

i love chicken/apple sausage for breakfast, so that combo would make a darn good burger.  while training for my comp, if my meal plan called for apples that week, i would go get the BIGGEST ones i could find, lol.  i have really grown to love red delicious apples- eat one every day now.

aminos!  low sodium soy sauce alternative i use to marinate my proteins in.

i added the aminos along with my chopped apple, herbs, and seasonings into a mixing bowl with the chicken.

one more time close up.  no reason.

mix it. real good.

then grill'em up.  you can cook them in a flat iron pan too, or even bake them in the oven. i just have a thing for grill marks, that grilled taste, and it's the quickest method.

apple-chicken burgers

serving size: 2 oz patty

the stuff:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 egg white
• half a large apple (approx. 1 cup, diced)
• handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 1 tbsp smokehouse maple or any seasoning of your choice
• 3 tsp Bragg's liquid aminos
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite, you choose)

do this:

mix and grill. 4 min on each side should be perfect. watch them though.

cover the meat and let it rest for a few minutes afterwards.

 i made a sandwich and used Prophet Ezekiel's sprouted grain sesame bread.  sprayed a little 'i can't believe it's not butter' on the slices first, and toasted them.

i like how the sesame seeds get toasted too- gives your sammich so much texture and crunch when you bite into it.

the chicken is lean, but the apple helps keep the patty moist.

add your toppings.  that's almond cheese- yep. this is a GREAT brand i found through an IG buddy, @spoonfulofit.  it's Lissanti and i found it at Whole Foods.  it melts and tastes just like regular dairy cheese, she was right!

topped it with plenty of spicy mustard, and there's some fig butter hiding under the tomatoes ;)

i shoulda let the cheese melt on the patties, what was i thinking? next time.

ok enough sammich pics, go make one.

Prophet's Ezekiel also makes great whole wheat pita pockets.  the stats are better than Trader Joe's by far.  only 100 cals compared to TJ's 160 (same size pita) and has a whopping 7 grams of protein!

have a happy, lean & clean friday in advance,

le

give me CARBS. now.

i put my grill pan to work today.  this morning's breakfast was slow cooked oats over grilled bananas and dusted with cinnamon.  putting heat to a banana always helps it release more of its natural sugars.  i might not ever use brown sugar again! it was so good!  course i had my eggs too with fresh cilantro and some dijon mustard.

 i woke up feeling very loose in my mid-section...definitely not as tight all over as last week.

not being funny or insensitive at all.   as you know, i started carb cycling monday and i'm going to bed tonight like a kid at Christmas cause tomorrow is my HIGH CARB DAAAAAY!!!!! this explains my bloated/loose feeling and why when i used to skip meals in order to fit in a dress (long, long time ago when i didn't know any better), it never really worked for me.  ever.     when your body doesn't know the next time it'll get some food after an extended period of time, it begins to store whatever is left in there as fat.  thus, reversing the very thing you are trying to do!  restricting meals creates slowed metabolism, cravings, and ultimately, weight gain.  just a bad, bad domino effect.  so, when i did finally eat, i was SO HUNGRY and always ended up eating way too much. well, by then my metabolism had crashed and it couldn't work fast enough to burn all the food i just straight stuffed my face with which just makes everything worse. again, sad situation.  don't do that!  OK?

i hit it hard with my trainer this morning with chest and back supersets, then i headed to the gym this evening for some cardio on the elliptical.  this is another reason i love my Polar FT7 so much:

off by more than 100 cals!  my hr watch never tells me such lies, hmph!

per my trainer, by tomorrow, (after adding a higher amount of carbs back into my diet and after my weight workout of course)  my muscles should be popping out and waving HELLO, and i'll appear 'bigger' and more defined.  well we'll just have to see then, won't we.  will post my after pic then to see if we can spot the differences.

i hit up Sams on the way home for some sirloin and they only had the really thick cuts,  so i went with that.  got my grill pan out again for dinner tonight and put the burner on as high as it would go.  meanwhile,

my steaks were marinating in more liquid aminos, green onion, fresh cilantro, and black pepper. i trimmed the fat beforehand.

sprayed my grill pan (found at Walmart for 17 bucks) with Pam first, and cooked it for 7 min on one side,

and 6 mins after flipping.  far from dry!!! are you kidding me?? so much flavor and tenderness just after a few minutes.  key things- HIGH heat, and marinate it for at least 30 min first and you won't go wrong.

Instagram sirloin collage:)

i did some mid-week prepping after dinner tonight and cooked up a vat of brown rice and mixed it with some fresh chopped cilantro and lime juice.

i also baked some chicken breasts with those McCormick seasonings (smokehouse maple, lemon pepper, garlic and herb, and montreal chicken), and some dried parsley.

in conclusion, i should really stop complaining cause my low-carb days could be NO-carb days :lol:  about those- no-carb diets are often associated with lack of focus, low metabolism, uncontrollable cravings, and low energy levels.  carbs are so NOT the enemy when it comes to weight-loss, so bump what you heard!!!  ever wonder WHY you don't have the energy to workout and feel terrible when you try to cut carbs completely?  cause you NEED them. so don't do that either!

heading to bed to dream about CARBS.

le