Kettlebell and dumbbell workout-my favorite!!!

I do this routine a lot with my clients and I do it myself! Very effective and really targets your entire body!!!

3 sets of 15 Kettlebell squat swings-either rows, straight ahead or side to side

2 sets of "Lawnmowers" kettlebell lunges on each side

Plank side pushups-3 sets of 10 to 12

3 sets of 15 on each leg- kickbacks

Shoulder circuit-front, flys, rows and shrugs-3 sets of 12 of each

3 sets of 20 "mountain climbers"

Triceps circuit-extensions, kickbacks and dips on chair or bench-3 sets of 12 of each

Bicep circuit-curls, hammers, overhead curls-3 sets of 12 on each

***All circuits are done with dumbbells all 3 or 4 moves are 12 reps in a row of each then you rest. Use lighter weights because you are doing so many reps at once. Rest for 1 to 2 min between each set-no rest between each move.

Do it then let me know how great you feel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxo-A

Granola: Pumpkin Almond Flax

Good afternoon! It's fall and I have been wanting to make my own granola for a while now so I finally did it and here it is: Pumpkin, almond and flax are the main ingredients! I hope you try it! It is so nutritious and can be made to suit your taste! Add different or multiple types of nuts, different dried fruit or chocolate!

I used:

4 c oats

3/4 c flaxseed

3/4 c crushed almonds

3/4 c sunflower seeds

1/4 c of honey

1/2 c dried cranberries

Ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin and cinnamon spices-about 2  tsp each-4 tsp of the pumpkin

2 small cupfuls of vanilla extract

Cinnamon and sugar grinder  to top it all off-just a dusting

Mix all ingredients except for the dried fruit-add that at the end when you pull it out of the oven to cool.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 min-half way through give it a toss around to be sure you don't burn any of it. Use 2 trays so the granola is thinly and evenly spread...not piled up too much! Let it cool on the pan then seal and store.

White bean, wheat berries, tomato & mozzarella salad

Ingredients:

Mozzarella pearls

Chicken cubed lightly seasoned-salt, pepper, red pepperflakes and parsley

Chopped tomato

Wheat berries

Chopped celery

Chopped onion

Mixed together with olive oil and red wine vinegar

Tips: chill the wheat berries and chicken in the fridge after they cook before adding them to the mixture.

It's even better hours later after all of the flavors have had a chance to marry together!

 

Enjoy-A

 

Santa Fe Chicken Salad

[caption id="attachment_390" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Santa Fe Chicken Salad-loaded with goodies-loaded with flavor-loaded with protein and veggies![/caption]

The other night I made a delicious Santa Fe Chicken Salad! I want to share it with you!

I marinated the chicken in lemon juice, lime juice and salsa just for an hour. Once I put everything together in the giant salad bowl  I baked it for 25 min at 350 degrees turning it at the halfway point- just like this in this pan.

[caption id="attachment_391" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Marination-makes it more moist and delicious![/caption]

Next I chopped up peppers, red onions, asparagus, tomatoes, green onion, lettuce, basil and cubed some cheese-cheddar and mozzarella blend. I let the chicken marinade for a while as I chopped everything up.....



Last, I made my own dressing using the ingredients pictured below.....

[caption id="attachment_393" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Make your own dressing-it is so easy!!![/caption]

The amazing avocado!

AVOCADO!

HOW

AMAZING

ARE

YOU?

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing with you 2 of my favorite ways to eat avocados! On the left- Egg white, mozzarella cheese, salsa and avocado breakfast sammie and on the right- Avocado and orange salad with pinch of sea salt and dash of olive oil!

Health benefits of avocados and other "good" fats:

"Avocados have a mild, nutty taste and creamy texture. This makes them suitable as a substitute for unhealthy fats you might normally add to foods. For example, spreading a bagel with 1 oz. of mashed avocado rather than butter can save 18g of fat and nearly 150 calories."Read more:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/28507-avocado-nutrition/#ixzz26AtcSOBz

http://www.livestrong.com/article/271767-the-calories-nutrients-in-an-avocado/

 

 

 

Breakfast or anytime sandwich made with "Flatout" Foldouts 5 Grain Flax flatbread-I really enjoy these!!! This is what I used in the one pictured.

http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/foldit-artisan-flatbread/5-grain-flax/

 

 Healthy fats: Remember 1 part good fat per meal! Food 101 tips:

http://awesomelikeadrienne.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/foodlifestyle-basics-101/

 

Other "GOOD" FATS and more info:

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm

• Olive oil


• Canola oil


• Sunflower oil


• Peanut oil


• Sesame oil


• Avocados


• Olives


• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)


• Peanut butter

The avocado and orange salad that I will have for a "snack" is drizzled with olive oil-drizzeled not drenched remember.....good fat is still fat.

Later in the afternoon I will have a handful of almonds-so by the time dinner rolls around I will have had 4 servings of "good" fats that are delicious and so good for me!!! My snack this evening will be celery and peanut butter so all in all 5 good fat servings by the time my head hits the pillow tonight. That makes me happy!

 

Hope you realize that there is a better way to eat after reading this post. A better, cleaner, do good for your body way to eat....once you turn the corner you will never look back. Start today my friends!

 

xoxoxo-A

Blueberry Banana Coffee Smoothie

1 c BLUEBERRIES,1 med BANANA, 1 STARBUCKS COLUMBIA INSTANT COFFEE PACK, 3 TSP OATS, 1 TSP GLUTAMINE, 1 TSP FLAXSEED MEAL, 4 ICE CUBES, 1 c ALMOND MILK

We will Win today!

 

What will you win today? What will you imagine and then actually go and do? So many things are under our control if we will just do them! What does it take to win, to have what you want??? It takes work , action, determination, belief, passion and mind control! Think about it on the smallest scale....then turn it around to the biggest of your dreams, the biggest goals your mind can think up, the picture of your body in your head. Think and visualize in great detail what you want to look like, feel like, do, achieve,habits you want to kick, habits you want to form, all of it. It is ALL possible!

 



Use your mind to take over your body and I promise you will achieve what you want. It is all in your mind-winning and doing are all in your mind. Once you can overcome your own mind you will overcome your body. Try a little thing today and build on that. Today I will win by not having sugar in my coffee and not let my mind say just a little. Today I will run the entire time and not let my mind tell me to stop when it gets hard. Today I will take a walk. Today I will do something nice for someone else without expecting something in return. Today I will find happiness in making others happy. There are endless "daily wins" you can achieve and I assure you when they all add up, you use your mind and all of its power, you will win and it will become contagious and addicting. You will continue to win on a daily basis because you know what its like to lose and losing isn't what you want (unless you are losing fat-that is great!)

Your attitude runs your life-if you say you can't then you won't. If you say you can then you will. Expect more for yourself and the best part is you are the only one that can make a change so YOU will only have yourself to thank! Having a sense of pride is crucial to wanting to continue to win. Will your name be up in lights on the big screen for winning today? No, probably not but inside where it counts most to yourself is where you will feel like a superstar! Once you start winning you will know that you deserve to win and winning will become what you do.....Once you win you will want to repeat what made you win the first time. You will change those habits into winning ones with ease after you experience the feeling of winning. It will come natural.

Daily wins=Big life changing wins! 

Go you!

xoxoxo-A