Stretch Naked Q&A

Do you have a burning health/fitness question? Or a topic that you would like for me to research and cover? Exercises for a particular muscle group?

Ingredients that you would like for me to create a recipe for? A favorite dish you love that you want me to "makeover"?

Whatever your question or suggestion, post it here.

I'm headed to visit the in-laws and help them move, so need some things to fill my time on a 3+ hour car ride! Thought I could write up a few posts along the way...

What's on your mind???

Sticky Ooey- Gooey Protein Snack

Oh...my...goodness! I am in L-O-V-E with a new protein snack that I found in my Beachbody cookbook. Ok, so I was looking for something sweet and healthy that can help me recover after my crazy Saturday morning class line-up. If I don't get some protein in me as soon as possible after my workout I get light-headed, get weak in the knees, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line, I gotta eat after two hours of intense cardio.

So as a club member of Beachbody I got this great cookbook among all the other perks. Anyway, this recipe is easy and delicious. It was created by P90X guru Tony Horton. After a workout like that you need the protein. And it's way better than a gritty protein powder.

I modified this a little bit to better suit my taste, but here ya go...

Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup peanut butter (natural is best)
1 cup low-fat granola with almonds (or just add a few sliced almonds)

Directions
So incredibly easy. Smash and mash all ingredients together in a bowl, until all mixed. Then place mixture on wax paper and roll hot-dog style. Place in freezer for for two hours. Slice and eat.

You. will. love. it. Guaranteed.

If you are interested in signing up to be a club member of Beachbody, just click here: Meghan's Beachbody site

Stretch Naked & The Naked Chef

So have you heard of Jamie Oliver, the “Naked Chef?” I of course love him, because I like all things naked. Natural fit for Stretch Naked, don't you think?

Well, he is a pretty amazing chef and is trying to get both England and America to eat the healthy way. Ad man and I watched his new show "Jamie Oliver Food Revolution" (ABC) on Friday night. It was eye-opening. According to the show’s site “the impassioned chef is taking on obesity, heart disease and diabetes in the USA, where our nation's children are the first generation NOT expected to live as long as their parents. “ Agh! Scary!

Ok, so Jamie kicks off the show and quest be venturing to Huntington, West Virginia and has vows to revolutionize the way the city eats. Huntington was deemed the unhealthiest city in the U.S. Ouch. Not totally sure what that is based on.

Anyway, Jamie had quite a few antics as he tried to prove his point about eating more healthy, less processed foods - running around in a pea pod costume, hosting a cooking showdown at the local elementary school, opening a free cooking school in the center of town and helping one family cook healthier. All very light-hearted really.

However, there were a few parts of the show that really made me take pause. One part in particular just broke my heart. Jamie went to this family's home to examine their food consumption over the course of one week. It was a family of five, stay-at-home Mom, Dad an on the road trucker. They submitted a list of weekly meals to Jamie and he cooked all of it and essentially laid it all out on a table to show the family the junk they consume in a short period of time. It was enough to make your stomach turn. In fact, I had to stop eating my dinner it was so vile. Piled up in the center of the table, this family of five glared at a pile of garbage. They were regularly consuming homemade fried donuts slathered in chocolate, corn dogs, pizzas, cookies, chicken nuggets, french fries, greasy meats, heavy pastas, nachos...the list goes on and on. All fried or severely processed. When the family saw all that piled up, they did agree it was disgusting.

Then Jamie gave them all the ingredients and recipes to eat healthy for a week or so and left them to it. When he went back a week later, he asked the 4-year-old little girl what her favorite meal of the week was. And she replied "pizza!"

Failure.

The mother had resorted back to serving horribly unhealthy food. Now I don't want to be overly critical because there are many people that cannot afford expensive, fresh, healthy ingredients. But, the mother had the "fry-Daddy" as the main cooking tool in the kitchen. She almost went out of her way to make things even worse for her family. Needless to say they were all obese.

Later in the show, the family went to the doctor to see how their health was faring. They found out that the 12-year-old boy already had Type II Diabetes. I was heart-broken. This mother (and father as a willing participant) was killing her children. It's borderline child abuse in my opinion. Well, they vowed to get healthy as a family. I hope this was the wake-up call they all needed to really make the effort.

So, ok. Sad, right? Well then Jamie went to an elementary school for a food lesson. He held up various vegetables for the kids to identify. And, they couldn't correctly identify any of the veggies. They didn't know what a tomato was, or a potato, or broccoli! But when Jamie wheeled out fries and pizza, they sure knew what it all was. I have tears in my eyes as I type. My heart just breaks for people that really don't understand that a foundation of good nutrition must start at a young age.

So, Jamie did make an amzing break through with a live demo for parents. He laid out a large tarp and poured all the garbage that the elementary school was feeding the kids and then wheeled out a truckload full of fat. I mean ick! It was deplorable that the school was feeding kids that rubbish. I know that sounded very British of me.

All this to say, that I think this show is phenomenal and I hope that it furthers the emphasis on teaching healthy habits at a young age. And perhaps schools will start serving better for you options in schools. Kids cannot make these choices for themselves. When given the choice between grilled chicken and salad and a slice of pizza. They are most likely going to choose the pizza. They must be guided in the right direction.

Poor nutrition and too much fat, sodium and processed food items at a young age can lead to disease later in life. Or in the case of the 12-year-old boy featured, at a young age. There are so many preventable diseases out there. Let's prevent them, for goodness sakes!

What a soap box for a Sunday! I'm climbing down. But check out the show and consider signing the petition to save cooking skills and improve school food.

Jamie would like to take his petition to the White House after the TV series airs, to show The President and First Lady how many people across the country really care about this and ask for their support.

Link to info about the show: abc.go.com
Link to petition: petition

I believe that this country needs to eat less and move more. Rock on Naked Chef! Stretch Naked supports you!

NuVal at Market Street

Ok, so I have to lift my ban on Market Street because they now have NuVal! I posted a month or so ago about this new system called NuVal scoring. It is a score given to all foods based on their nutritional value. The higher the score, the more nutritious the food. For example, a strawberry is 100 points while a potato chip is 20 points. Anyway, Market Street now has this on most food items. The tag that lists the price also has two hexagons with a number 1-100. So great! It takes the guesswork out of finding the most healthy foods.

Wowza, there are some surprising scores. For example, it is more nutritious to eat a oatmeal chocolate chip cookie than a handful of pretzels!

Alright Market Street, you are off the hook...this time. I better not find any thumbprint cookies in my path next time I go grocery shopping.

P.S. thumbprint cookies have a NuVal score of 10. Not good.

A Fit Slice of America: Interview with Amanda

Here’s interview #2. It’s another instructor friend of mine, Amanda. She has made fitness her career because she is so passionate about it. Now, I know the last interview was an instructor, too. I do have a method to my madness. We’re looking at the extreme end first and then scaling down to people that don’t make fitness a huge part of their lives. Check out this interview and see what you have in common with Amanda. I guarantee you will see a little of yourself in her, too.

Stats…

Name: Amanda
Age: Late 20’s
Self classification: Fitness-obsessed
Titles: Mom, Aerobics Instructor
Goal: Maintenance

What motivates you to work out?
Health is 50% of what motivates me to work out. I eat very healthy, and live a bit of an alternative health/food/medicine lifestyle. And of course, appearance is the other 50%. ...It’s the nature of the beast I guess.

What is your ideal workout?
My ideal workout is an hour of super intense cardio (whether it's TurboKick or Zumba) I want to SWEAT and get breathless. That, followed by a mind/body workout, either Pilates, Yoga or Piyo! I have found for me, that is the perfect combination to get the 'appearance' I want, balanced with the 'health' and mindset that I live.

Have you ever struggled with weight?
Yes, yes, and yes. When I was 11 I was anorexic. I struggled with anorexia until the age of 16. Then, as a junior in college, I gained about 25 pounds. I carried the extra weight for about a year and a half before I lost it all...and then got pregnant. I gained 48 pounds during my first pregnancy, but lost it all in the first 6 months after he was born. Then I got pregnant the second time, gained another 48 pounds, and this time, only half came off. So then I recommitted myself to fitness and lost it all...AGAIN. There you have the story of my life in pounds!

Have you ever struggled with lack of motivation?
Always! I have always LOVED working out...the hard part was always just committing to do it! (The motivation factor.)

Describe your earliest fitness memory.
I am from a small town (1,231 people) in the middle of nowhere, and if you didn't play sports, you were considered unfit or not athletic. There was nothing like 'fitness' outside of the mainstream sports. So, as a young child I struggled with the idea of NOT being athletic or fit (even though I was!) simply because I didn't play sports! I danced and that kept me thin, but back then, it was hard to have people look at me the way they did. (Which was lazy and uncoordinated since I didn't play sports!)

What was your "ah-ha" moment in which you decided that fitness was a part of your lifestyle?
For me, fitness has NEVER been torture. I don't think I had an ah-ha moment! EXCEPT for when I decided to make this my profession, then it was more like DUH! What am I doing NOT getting paid for this!

Meghan’s Analysis
Amanda like so many young girls struggled with a poor self-image and resorted to starvation (anorexia). Ya’ll this is a serious issue that I don’t think can be addressed as a little side note on my blog. But I will say that I have had someone very close to me suffer with an eating disorder and it is a hard thing to overcome. This plight seems to affect women that are just starting their fitness journey. They are becoming a woman and are struggling with the extra weight and body changes that go along with that. It’s scary. I over-analyze every wrinkle on my body and I don’t really think about the ramifications this could have on the self-image of another person, especially a young, impressionable teen. Be careful when you succumb to self-hate.

Ok, enough of that. Argh, serious issue alert.

Yo-Yo-Yo! Amanda had some yo-yo gains and losses. Raise your hand if you are part of that club. Gain 20 pounds, lose 20 pounds, gain, lose, gain, lose…Oprah is your hand raised? The problem with yo-yo dieting/weight loss is a lack of full commitment to a lifestyle. Aside from pregnancy, when weight gain is essential, your weight should not fluctuate more than 5 pounds over the course of a few months if you are at a “happy weight.” If you want to calculate a happy weight for your body, check out this site: http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html

But don’t freak out if you aren’t at that weight. We are all a work-in-progress. Diet and exercise can regulate this and help you find your happy place. Ironically, my happy place is on the beach with a tub of fat-free, calorie-free ice cream…and I’m wearing a thong bikini…

Back to Amanda: she needed a serious commitment to keep herself in check – thus making fitness her career. It’s not for everyone, but man, I never miss a workout because there are people that rely on me. Have you ever thought about adding a level of accountability? A workout buddy? Teaching a class? Taking a class? Volunteering to do something active at the local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club. We all have something to offer. Get accountable. It will help make fitness part of your life. If it’s part of your life, then you will achieve your goal.

I think of fitness like toilet paper. I would never decide, “you know what, I think I’m going to skip buying the TP this month. I don’t really need it…” Think of fitness the same way. Your body needs it, your mind needs, you need it!

Meghan's favorite things...

This is Meghan's favorite healthy grocery things, just like Oprah! Ok, so not really like Oprah's favorite things. Maybe some day I will have a show or could give away free stuff to my readers. Someday...

If you are like me, you are loyal to particular brands of grocery items. I'm uber-loyal to some brands, bread especially. I have been known to not even buy bread if they don't have the kind I like. I thought I would share with you some of the things that I don't leave the store without. All are Stretch Naked approved (in moderation of course)!

1. Skinny cow ice cream sandwiches: I ALWAYS have these on hand for when my sweet tooth strikes!

2. Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat bread: I love fiber. For a lot of reasons...

3. Jif Natural Peanut Butter: I just switched from reduced fat to natural after reading a poignant article. Reduced fat has more sugar and sodium, so it kind of cancels out the reduction in calories and fat. This is good fat that keeps you full.

4. Horizon Organic Milk: Organic is the way to go for dairy in my opinion. Horizon tastes to clean and pure to me. Good for my morning coffee.

5. Starbucks roast coffee (Pike Place Roast): Just joined a buzz campaign and got this for free and I love it. It's strong, so I always add a little sweetness. I like the diet hot choclate packets to make it like a mocha.

6. Archer Farms Tex Mex Beans & Cornbread: This is one of the ready-to-make total meals in a box. I randomly bought it a few weeks ago and Ad man and I are hooked! To keep it calorie conscious, I don't use butter, use skim milk and use egg beaters. It still tastes delish.

7. Krusteaz fat free muffin mix (blueberry...mmm...): I love baked goods. It's no secret. These are so tasty. I like to sprinkle brown sugar - Splenda blend on top before baking for a crispy, sweet layer.

8. Wholly Guacamole 100-calorie pack guacamole: I put this on everything - sandwiches, pitas, veggies, tacos, etc.

9. Horizon organic vanilla, fat-free yogurt: Great with fruit and granola

10. Archer Farms Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti granola: I think I have talked about this before, but I am totally in love with this. It is my dessert at least one a week. It has a great sweet flavor and some lovely fiber. Did I mention I love fiber?

11. Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers: Whenever I am pressed for time, these are the best. They taste fresh, have no preservatives and yummy. Chicken Margherita is my fave. To keep myself full even longer, I try and have a side salad with these.

12. Any brand of local honey: I like honey on toast or as a sweetener in tea or even on my blueberry muffins.

13.Driscoll's raspberries: They are the sweetest

14. Hendrickson's Salad Dressing: This is the BEST dressing. It is fat-free and tangy-sweet. I use it on salads and as a marinade for chicken. I can always find it at Market Street or Kroger. Although I am boycotting Market Street because of their reckless overuse of thumbprint cookies. See earlier post.

15. Yellow Tail wine: I like pretty much all flavors. You never know when you need to cook with wine or have a swig depending on the severity of your mood. Kidding. I really only have one glass of wine a week. Seriously. I do. Babies will do that to you. You'd think you would drink more...but then you are way too tired to take care of them.

Well those are some of my faves. Please share what you love...

Sometimes a girl's gotta drink...

I'm Irish. Not in the, "yay it's St. Paddy's Day, everyone's Irish kinda way." I'm seriously Irish. My Mom's maiden name is Roddy. Her Mom's maiden name was Martin. My great grandfather and grandmother came over from Ireland and I think we even have some outlaw relatives that blew up a train or something in Belfast many years ago.

Want more Irish proof? My Grandad lived with us for a few years when I was little and he would make us go to Irish pubs all the time. Whenever we were out of town, if there was a pub, we went. Even in San Antonio. Did you know there is a place called "Durty Nellie's" on the Riverwalk? It's dark and you throw peanut shells on the floor. A little sketchy, but my VERY Irish Grandfather loved it. Now we go back just to remember him. My Uncle Dennis named his four kids the most Irish of names - Liam, Gavin, Seamus, Mairead. Yep.

Ok, so I celebrate St. Paddy's Day. I'm legit. But, I certainly don't want to drink cheap green beer. I prefer other green libations, like margaritas. But the calorie count on those suckers is ridiculous. A frozen margarita has 180 calories (all carbs) for a 4 oz serving. Considering the average margarita glass holds 12 oz you're looking at 540 calories. I don't know about you, but I would much rather spend those calories on actual food!

So, I make a little version of my fave frozen drink with half the calories. Here's my recipe.

3 oz. fresh lime juice
4 oz. white wine
Splash of lemon juice
1/2 cup Splenda or Truvia
Ice
Lime wedges for garnish

In a blender, combine white wine, lime juice, Splenda/Truvia, and ice. Blend until ice is just crushed and mixture well blended (do not allow the ice to become a puree).

Serve in Margarita Glasses garnished with a lime wedge. Makes 2 to 3 servings. only 120 calories per serving.

I avoid adding salt because of all the sodium. These are pretty tart, so experiment with adding more sugar substitute. Also, you are probably wondering about the wine instead of tequila. Here's why: I have a hard time with liquor. It totally dehydrates me and I just feel like it's so strong and damaging to the body. No science behind that, just my gut instinct.

So there you have it! Drink up, it's St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday. And only have one, maybe two. Don't rack up the calories on something that doesn't fuel your body.

Slainte! [That's "Cheers" to those of you that just pretend to be Irish].

A Fit Slice of America: Interview with Hope

So I posted a message on Facebook asking for all types of people and their relationship with fitness. I had a great response, thanks ya’ll. I am going to do a series of posts over the next few days sharing my interviews and then an analysis of their fitness program, their hurdles, their triumphs and goals. Certainly not scientific research, but I think that all my Stretch Naked readers can find that they have a lot in common with the people I interviewed. I doubt you will find anyone in America that doesn’t think about health/fitness/nutrition at least once per day. Most of those people are working towards a goal, or know that they should be. We are one big family in this quest towards fitness. Wow that sounded very “Circle of Life” from Lion King. But whatever, it’s true.

So here is the first interview. Stats…

Name: Hope
Age: Early 30’s
Self classification: Fitness-obsessed
Titles: New Mom, Aerobics Instructor
Goal: Weight loss

What motivates you to work out?
When I was much younger, it was all about appearance. Wanting to look good when I went out or looking good when I worked out. But now that I have a 9 month old and am getting closer to my mid-30's, it's also about the health benefits. I know more and more people close to my age who are suffering from Type II diabetes and hypertension – two very avoidable illnesses through diet and exercise – and I don't want to be in that boat. Ever.

What is your ideal workout?
My ideal workout consists of kickboxing for cardio and heavy strength training for the overall body. Honestly I like to punish my body and push it to limits that I thought I could never do. My favorite day of the week to work out is Saturday. I teach Turbo Kick in the morning (cardio), come straight home and do P90X. I love doing pushups, lunges, squats and chair dips – you know the typical "man" exercises.

Have you ever struggled with weight?
YES!!! I have never been slender; I'm what you call "thick". To be honest, I became obsessed with my weight when I was 13 years old when a doctor told me that I was "a little heavy" at 128 pounds. When I got into college, I dated a guy who was a workout junkie so I started working out. I was able to keep the Freshman 15 off and I was able to keep my weight under control through fitness until last year after I gave birth to my daughter. She was born via C-section and I couldn't work out for a little over 3 months. I also developed a nasty habit for fast food and sweets during that time. So a lot of the baby weight stuck. My back hurt all the time because of all the extra weight I was carrying. My low point was back in December when I realized I couldn't wear a stitch of clothing in my closet and I became so depressed. Right then I decided to seriously do something about it. So this year I have been focused on losing the weight and I've lost 11 pounds so far!

Have you ever struggled with lack of motivation?
I really struggled with motivation after I had my baby. After caring for a newborn all day, then add maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a day, it's hard to get excited about working out. I never ever had this problem before then. I used to get up at 4 am and run 20 miles whether it was 20 degrees or 80 degrees back in my marathon training days. I would teach 3 hours worth of classes at the gym and would still have energy left over. I taught my last Indoor Spin class 6 days before I gave birth to my daughter. Now with my renewed focus on my health, I work out at least 2 hours a day 3 days a week – and I do those workouts at night and look forward to doing them.

Describe your earliest fitness memory.
My very first memory of doing something active was the day I turned 3 years old. My mom enrolled me in ballet and tap classes. Even with my "unballetic" body type, I was very good at dance. I quit when I was 12 because I wanted to take Karate (I never did) and picked it back up at SMU as an elective my Junior and Senior years.

What was your "ah-ha" moment in which you decided that fitness was a part of your lifestyle?
My ah-ha moment happened after I left college. I joined The Q (now 24 Hour Fitness) and I remember them showing me the Group X classes. One of them was Reebok Core and I remember myself being in the back of that class working out. I loved that class so much that I went to every club in driving distance to get a group X schedule so that I could find every Reebok Core class. I would go to EVERY one and then I realized that I was at the gym every day – and I loved being there!

Meghan’s Analysis:

Hope has likely always been conscious of her weight because of the comment the doctor made when she was a pre-teen. I think that we aren’t always self-aware until someone brings a weakness to our attention; and then we are acutely aware of that trait at all times.

For me, I thought I could have a career as a super model (ha) until in 6th grade when an 8th grade boy called me “Big Nose Girl.” I was shocked; I mean I didn’t have a big nose. Did I? I raced to the mirror, and what do you know? It is big. I have been self-conscious since that day. And P.S. that boy asked me out on a date when I was in high school. I, of course, turned him down. Ha! Take that!

Anyway, it is good to be aware of these things, but not to obsess. Because here is what happens… It’s like the Atkins diet, you can go a period of time without eating carbs and you lose weight and are off to buy new clothes. Then you reintroduce the carbs and you are back where you started. Obsession with anything is short-lived. Balance, like Hope has found with her 3 days a week workout regimen, is where you see the big results. You know that term, “slow and steady wins the race.” True with a capital “T.” She has a healthy approach and rockin' routine. And I bet that 11 pound weight loss will turn into 20 before she knows it. Sticking with a routine is a way to achieve your goals.

I also want to point out that so many women find that the first time they are dealing with a real weight loss challenge is after having a baby. Sure was for me, too. You are busy, sleep-deprived, scared to leave their side, still recovering physically and emotionally and workouts seem to fall at the bottom of the list. I have been there! The last thing you want to do is stretch naked! Seriously naked is a scary thing for a while! And, you might have over-indulged a little (or a lot) on your favorite treats while pregnant. Poor eating habits are hard to break.

For those that are struggling with finding time to exercise I have some simple tips:
1) Give your hub or partner the time they need with the baby – I had such a hard time leaving the baby with Ad man at first. I was nervous he’d do something wrong, or the baby would get hungry, or something. I had to convince myself that everything would be ok and that Ad man needed that time with Baby Elvis. I sure as heck needed some “me” time. May as well make it the gym!
2) Workout DVDs – This is how I started getting back in shape after baby. I would pop in a DVD whenever Baby Elvis fell asleep. Sometimes I would get through a whole workout; sometimes it was only 15 minutes. But it was exercise and it did wonders for my outlook, too. Some of the ones that I love area Turbo Jam, Slim in 6, Chalean Extreme and P90X – all through a company called Beachbody. I loved these all so much I actually started selling Beachbody products. If you’d like any of these DVDs, let me know. I can hook you up! [Sorry for the shameless self-promotion – I gotta make money to stay home with Baby Elvis, for heaven’s sake. But the products are AMAZING. I completely back all of them 100%].
3) Take every opportunity to move – Put the baby in a sling, a Baby Bjorn or in the stroller and walk! Even if it’s just around your house! There were some days when Baby Elvis was super tiny and I would just do laps around the house.

The last thing I will address about Hope's interview is about exercising for health. We all know someone that suffers for health issues at their own hand – whether it’s Type II Diabetes, Hypertension or high cholesterol. These are preventable. Take strides to living a healthier lifestyle.

Thanks for the interview, Hope! Stay tuned for another interview in the next day or so!

Dear Market Street...

Dear Market Street,
Please, oh please stop making those little butter, thumbprint cookies. I'm going to have to stop shopping at your store if you don't. See the thing is I'm obsessed with those damn cookies. I give myself a pep talk before entering your store every time - "Meghan you don't need any cookies. They are terrible for you and you can't stop eating them. Just say no." I pack up my cart with all kinds of healthy and fresh items and then manage to make my way to the bakery to grab a 12-pack of cookies on my way out.

The worst part is that I eat all 12 cookies in two days. I can't pace myself. Do you put crack in them? Is that why I'm addicted? And, why do you have the strawberry flavor? Those are the best! They are all sweet, yet, buttery...please STOP!

You are way more expensive than other grocery stores in my area and I pay a good $10-$20 per week at your store just because I can get the cookies. And the worst part, on the rare instances in which I avoid getting the cookies, you have them out to sample. You bait me in with the sugary goodness and then I'm practically forced to toss them into the cart.

Market Street, you leave me no choice. I'm breaking up with you. I can no longer shop at your store. You see, I must avoid those terrible temptations in which I cannot control. Thumbprint cookies are just that type of temptation for me. So, we're done.

It's me, not you...

Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Meghan

A rockin' interval workout

I taught Boot Camp this morning at 5:45 am. I had a full room of early-risers, which I love. There is just something wonderful about a morning person...

Anyway, I did a little section that I haven't done in a while and I had forgotten just how intense it is. It's intervals where you do 2 minutes of strength and 1 minute of cardio. For example, you do squats with a resistance bar for two minutes (singles, slow, pulses, whatever) and then you run up and down the step for one minute. Rotate this for at least 30 minutes, alternating different strength exercises and cardio). You would be shocked how much you sweat! I had my own little pool of sweat working.

The beauty of this workout is that you don't need to be at the gym to do it! So if you travel or want to work it in between picking up the kids from school and laundry, you can grab hand weight and head outside. Try doing bicep curls for 2 minutes, then jog down your street, sprint-style for one minute. Whew! It's a monster, but SO incredible.

Just make sure the weights are heavy enough to provide a challenge.

Here are some ideas for each interval:

Strength
Squats
Lunges
Chest Press
Bicep Curls
Tricep kickbacks
Upright Rows
Clean & Press
Dead Lifts

Cardio
Run
Jumping jacks
Jump rope
Push-ups
Run and down a step (if you have one)
Football runs

The thirty minutes will fly by and you will be a good 300+ calories lighter. Love it!

Chicken Salad Makeover

I hosted my first playdate!

When Ad Man Hub and I were taking lamaze classes before Baby E was born, we met this fun couple that was like our mirror image. The Mommy-to-be was adorable and chatty, like me, and the Daddy-to-be was a nice, good-looking, sporty guy like Ad man. (Yes, I called myself adorable). We all hit it off immediately. The mommies talked about aches and pains and the dads talked about their pains - their wives. Ha!

Ok, so our new friends had a little girl (we'll call her the Miss) the day before Baby Elvis was born.

Ok, so there is your background. Me + Baby E + other new Mommy + the Miss = playdate.

Well, I had to be all fancy of course, so I planned a fun and healthy menu for the moms and laid out a spread of toys for the little ones. I gotta tell you, I love chicken salad, but HATE mayo. It's on my list of "do-not-eats." But, I whipped up a little number for us and had to share. Try it with or without a playdate.

Playdate Chicken Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts baked, cubed (just season with a little salt and pepper)
2 TBS of light sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free mayo
1/4 cup craisins
fresh basil, finely chopped (to taste)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Hello! So easy! Just mix it all up and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve on romaine lettuce.

I served the chicken salad/romaine with fruit salad (garnished with lemon juice and some chopped basil) and mini blueberry muffins.

Playdate was a success! Kids played, minimal tears, Baby E ripped the bow out of the Miss's hair, lunch was delish, Moms dished.

And my Aunt will ask about nutrition content for the chik salad [sigh] so here 'tis...

Calories: 275
Fat: 3 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

It's AMAZING outside

Well the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful...wait...scratch that. The weather outside is DELIGHTFUL!

Hello Dallas-ites! Did you poke your head outside today? It is absolutely AMAZING outside. Do you know what my first thought was when I saw the temp hit 72-degrees today? I though "I need to find a patio and a bottle of wine and soak in the early Spring."

But, then I came to my naked stretching senses and decided that I needed to enjoy the outdoors in a more productive and healthy manner. I went on two walks with Baby Elvis and then sat in my driveway in a lawn chair and played with the baby. I didn't drink too much wine, I didn't order something too fattening and I certainly did not sit on my butt - well except for when I sat in the driveway...

Anyway, I enjoyed the day in an active way! Do it! This weekend the beautiful weather continues. Go on a walk. Play catch with the kids. Have a picnic in the park (with fruit, veggies+hummus and a a whole wheat pita), then walk around, swing on the swing set...

Get active with your family this weekend!

The Skinny Mom: Tip #2 - Eat Like Baby Eats

I recently introduced solids to Baby Elvis and it has been pretty fun to see him react to certain tastes and textures. Here’s the scorecard of favorites…

Momma give me that spoon, I can do it myself, this is delicious…
Pears
Prunes
Applesauce
Bananas
Sweet potatoes
Squash

Momma are you feeding me poison?
Sweet peas
Green beans
Rice cereal

His faces are priceless, by the way!

Anyway, as I am explore this world, I've become obsessed with ensuring he gets the right mix of milk, cereal, fruits and veggies. We haven't ventured into the world of meats yet, but when we do I think he will jump for joy (if he's anything like his Daddy and steak!) As I was frantically digging in the pantry for pears because I had to get him his daily fruit intake, I paused to think if I had had any fruit today? Hmmm…toast, coffee, salad, yogurt, Luna bar…nope no fruit.

I think we as Moms become so enthralled with our child’s nutrition that we neglect our own and grab whatever is convenient, which generally happens to be pre-packaged processed foods. While it is commendable that we are teaching our children healthy eating habits, they learn more by our actions than we can even imagine, it is a bit hypocritical. If Mommy doesn’t eat an apple or a cup of strawberries, why would Baby Elvis do so? If Mommy isn’t eating nasty sweet peas, then why should he?

My Skinny Mom tip is to eat what baby eats!

As a general rule, we limit the amount of sugar and fat that we give our child. Why don’t we limit ourselves? They are the ones that are growing for heaven’s sake. We certainly shouldn’t be growing, unless we are pregnant.

We ensure that baby eats from all food groups on the pyramid, so why does Mom skip the most crucial ones? Think about it.

Next time you are balancing the jars of baby food (or other foods), try and balance your diet the same way.

So, you know what I did? I gave Baby Elvis a jar of organic pears and then Mommy ate a jar of organic pears. Gotta tell ya, they were pretty darn good.

I think I’m going to go on the baby food diet…