Tag Archives: Health & Fitness
{Wordless Wednesday} I’m KIND of Obsessed
Filed under Health & Fitness, House/Fashion/Beauty, Products I've Tried
Kale vs. Spinach: Which Is Healthier?
I’m a fan of both of these leafy greens and tend to interchange them in recipes and smoothies. I mostly lean towards spinach as my go to green, but I’ve always wondered which was actually better for me. I stumbled upon this infographic and thought I would share!
*Infographic courtesy of Prevention.com – Click on the image above to visit the original*
Filed under Health & Fitness
Grilled Ratatouille
The warm weather of spring and summer bring about lots of time spent outdoors. We love to grill in the summer and we also visit farm stands and farmers markets more often. I tend to gravitate towards meals that showcase the great veggies I pick up at these stands or that my neighbors drop off.
I’ve typically always thought of ratatouille as a meal prepared in the oven (as well as a Pixar movie), but I love the spin that this recipe has put on a classic meal.
Grilled Ratatouille
Ingredients:
This photo is from when I prepared it on the stove, but it’s still super tasty!
Salt
- Pepper
- Cajun seasoning, to taste
- 3 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed with press or minced
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 large orange or yellow peppers, quartered
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions:
- Prepare your grill for direct grilling on medium-high.
- In small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, and garlic.
- Cut onion crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Trim your zucchini and eggplant, then cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Brush half of the vinegar mixture on one side of onion, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with cajun seasoning.
- Grill tomatoes 6 minutes, zucchini and eggplant for 10 minutes, and peppers & onion for 12 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and charred, turning over once.
- Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Cool slightly, then cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (I remove the skin from eggplant at this time)
- Toss with vegetables with remaining vinegar mixture, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
You can serve this with pasta (you would toss the pasta along with everything in the last step. Or serve over rice.
I’ve made this on the stove when the weather wasn’t good for grilling and it came out just as good (just a little less char). I also love picking up the pre-marinaded chicken breasts or thighs from Wegman’s to cut up and toss in with this. My current favorite are the Cilantro Lime ones….so yummy!
What is your favorite way to prepare fresh vegetables in the summer months?
Filed under Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes
Brett Hoebel Took My Flywheel Virginity
A few weeks ago when I was at #FitBlogNYC, Brett Hoebel was one of the speakers there. At the end of his lecture, he told us that he would be returning to NYC in early June to teach a Flywheel class, and if we were interested in joining to tweet at him. Of course I tweeted at him despite having no idea what a Flywheel class consisted of. As the days went by, I totally forgot about the class, until I received a tweet from Brett with a link to enter a drawing for the class. I filled out the entry form, said a little prayer that I would be selected and went about my day.
Two days before the class date, I received an e-mail saying that I was selected to attend Brett Hoebel’s inaugural ride at the Flywheel Flatiron location!! I was super excited and then panicked because once again, I was sick. I haven’t had much luck in the health department the past two months, but I was on day three of antibiotics so I responded that I would be there and started looking at which train I would need to catch.
The day of the event, I was very nervous. I had never attended a spin class before and I really didn’t know what to expect. I did a little research on Flywheel the night before so I knew it was stadium seating cycling, I knew that the room is kept dark to help you focus on making the ride your ride and I knew that there would be loud music and that I shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when first setting up my bike. Ok…sounds good to me!
I caught my train into NYC and knew that I would be early so I packed lunch with me and upon arriving in the city, headed over to the Flatiron District. One of the my favorite buildings in NYC is the Flat Iron building so it only made sense to me to walk over there, grab a bench in Madison Square Park and just enjoy the view.
After lunch, I headed over to the Flywheel Flatiron location and signed in. I was given a special pair of spin shoes, shown where the lockers are and I grabbed a bottle of water and a towel.
On my way to the lockers, I saw Brett in the room we would be using talking to a few other people, so I popped my head in, said hello and snagged a picture of the bike set-up.
After stowing my stuff in a locker, I headed up front, said hello to few fellow bloggers and then it was time for class. I felt my nerves kick in as I selected a bike in the back and I was grateful to the gentleman in front of me who taught me how to snap my fancy spin shoes into the pedal. A girl who worked there came around and helped me adjust my bike, only we didn’t adjust it correctly, and I didn’t find that out until the class was already in full swing. Oops!
After Brett explained the bike display to us and how to adjust the torque, the room went dark. Only the instructor stage and bike’s display screen are illuminated so you can focus on the workout, and not everyone else around you, which I really liked. The class is a mix of fast, sprint intervals and slow climbs, which help to build endurance and muscle while burning a ton of calories. There is even an upper body segment to the class which really gets you sweating!
The music playlists for each class are created by the Flywheel instructor themselves, which I think is awesome. Instructors choreograph their own classes, syncing their rides to the beat of their songs ensuring a new experience every time you take a class. I loved Brett’s music selections since I’m a big fan of BPM on Sirius XM radio.
My favorite song from the workout was “Fade Into Darkness” by Avicii:
Brett guided our workout, suggesting resistance levels and RPMs, but ultimately it’s your ride, so you decide the pace of things by spinning the knob for more or less resistance on your bike. I had to dial it back a few times due to my seat issues but I still got breathless and had a crazy sweat going on.
Overall, this was one of my best fitness experiences in a group setting. Brett Hoebel is an amazing instructor. He is truly inspirational and it’s like he’s in your head as you’re doing this workout. Every time I felt like dialing back, slowing down or saying “I can’t do this” he would say something to ignite that spark within myself and I found the strength to keep going.
The class lasted about 45 minutes and we did a light stretch at the end of it, which was much needed.
As everyone was headed out of the studio, I snagged a moment with Brett to say hi again and to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity.
This was honestly the toughest thing I have done since week one of Insanity…although I didn’t curse at Brett like I did at Shaun T! I will definitely need to keep eye out for Brett’s return to NYC and try to catch another class. He truly is a phenomenal trainer!
After changing into dry clothes and collecting my belongings, I enjoyed another stroll through NYC, to catch my train back New Jersey. As I returned home I was filled a feeling of joy and gratefulness. I’ve been given a lot of amazing opportunities the past few weeks and each one has been an amazing experience.
Have you ever taken a Flywheel class? What did you think of it?
Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness
{Semi Wordless Wednesday} Halfway There
Yesterday I hit the halfway mark on my journey to 500 miles. It came a month later than I thought, I almost got hit by a falling tree branch on the trail and I apparently didn’t lace up correctly, because I ended up with a killer blister, but I did it!
Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness, Running
FitBump Almost Makes Me Wish I Was Pregnant
No, no, no…there is no baby on the way here, or in the future. This mama is done with that road in life, but let me tell you… If you are expecting and are into fitness, you have to check out FitBump!
I had the pleasure of meeting the founder of FitBump, Kira Kohrherr, as well as her PR rep Liz Graham a week ago, while attending The Brooklyn Baby Expo. At the time, I didn’t realize that Kira also designed a full line of maternity fitness apparel, but as soon as I saw it, I was in love!
This line, which is due out in July 2013, is full of fun colors and cute prints, plus it sports flattering silhouettes that celebrates the bump, while the active-chic styles easily transition from the gym to everyday wear!
One of the things I hated most while pregnant, was constantly having to buy new clothes to fit my ever growing belly. With FitBump’s revolutionary design you don’t have to, because it expands over nine months and then retracts as your post-baby body gets back into shape. How awesome is that?!
Seeing this line almost made me wish I was pregnant, but then reality hit me, I heard a room full of fussy infants and I remembered how much I love to sleep.
FitBump just launched their new website about two weeks ago, and it was created as a one-stop-shop to help wellness-focused women make mindful, educated decisions throughout their pregnancy and beyond.
Their site offers a community with advice from wellness experts and real moms. There are also categories you can browse including Fitness, Nutrition & Recipes, Mommy & Baby Care, Style, Holistic Health, and Green Living.
FitBump doesn’t stop there! They also offer products to make living a healthy life easy and fun. One of the services they offer is called Thrive Foods, which is a specialty meal delivery service. It provides nutrient-dense dishes for moms-to-be and new moms. This farm-to-table option is delivered in 5 or 7 day meal plans. The plant-based, gluten-free meals are prepared in Oxnard, CA and shipped overnight in sustainable, recyclable packing. Nothing is frozen and an air-lock system keeps food fresh and healthy. Click here for more information on this service.
As you can see, FitBump has a lot offer to mom-to-be, so make sure you visit their site, check out the amazing fitness apparel and maybe even give this Total Body Workout a shot!
If you order something from their maternity fitness line, I would love to hear what you think about it, so be sure to stop back and give me a full report!
Also, a big thank you to Kim and Nicole from A Child Grows and Melissa Chapman for allowing me to be a part of the #BklynBabyExpo!
Filed under Fashion, Health & Fitness, House/Fashion/Beauty
Semi {Wordless Wednesday} National Running Day
Did you get up and go for a run today? If not, there’s still time!
Filed under Health & Fitness, Running
{Recipe} Healthier Baked Ziti
One of my favorite comfort foods has always been Baked Ziti. There is just something about warm, gooey, melted cheese and pasta that makes me happy. Team that up with some fresh baked Italian bread (preferably from Brooklyn) and I’m on cloud nine!
The problem is, that as I have become healthier over the years, but I still crave that type of meal. My body now rejects high fat foods and processed carbs. I end up feeling sluggish and sick after I eat them, so I knew I needed to find a way to lighten it. As you know it that can be tricky to do when messing with cheese, but I think this turned out pretty good. I even added spinach/kale to the recipe for some vitamins and nutrients.
While this recipe is not the picture of health, it is lighter than your typical Baked Ziti and you can play around with ingredients to match your likes and dislikes. If you are a fan of gluten-free pasta, feel free to use it in this dish!
Healthier Baked Ziti
(serves 8)Ingredients:
- 12 oz uncooked ziti or penne (preferably whole-grain)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I used Tuttorosso)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed (I didn’t have spinach the last time I made it so I used Kale and it worked great)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz fat-free ricotta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella
- olive oil cooking spray
Directions:Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
In a large pot, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Make sure you salt the water before adding the pasta! Drain and return to pot.
As the pasta cooks, heat a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic, being careful not to burn it. Add chopped spinach, salt, pepper and crushed tomatoes. Season with basil, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
Add sauce to the pasta and gently toss. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta to the pasta. Carefully mix well, then transfer to your baking pan and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes, then cut it into about 8 equal portions.
*You can make this a day in advance if you need to. Just be sure it’s stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking according to the directions above.
This meal would be perfect with a nice side salad instead of the bread, however it’s one of the few times I look to eat Italian bread and found a delicious 100% Whole Wheat variety that my local grocery store bakes fresh daily.
Do you have a favorite comfort food? Have you ever attempted to lighten it up?
Filed under Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes
Who’s Ready For A June Challenge?
I can’t believe that May is almost over! I swear my birthday was just the other day but that was in the beginning of the month. Wow! 2013 needs to slow down just a little.
With the closing of May, comes the end of the May Challenge that I was doing with Jac from Nora & Jac. The challenge was all about squats and planks and we really held each other accountable all month. Of course as the end of the challenge approached, we began to wonder what we should do for June, so I came up with a challenge that will work our arms as well as our core strength. I’ve really become a fan of the these monthly progressive challenges and I think that doing another one will be perfect during June, which tends to be a crazy and hectic month for me. I like that they are quick yet effective workouts and that I can see results without devoting a ton of time.
Click For Larger Version
I tried to change things up a bit each day, so we wouldn’t get bored. Here are some tips if you are worried about the moves listed above.
- Push-ups can of course be done from your knees if you can’t do a full push-up yet, but really push yourself to reach the goal of doing full push-ups. Even if you can only do one or two before switching to your knees, it’ll help you improve and slowly work your way to doing more full reps.
- Chair Dips can be done in different ways too. Beginners can start with their knees bent to give added support. As your tricep strength increases, try putting your legs out straight in front of you so can get more resistance from your body weight. If that becomes easy, lift one leg or put your legs up on a chair too!
- Military Push-ups are done with your hands lined up directly under your shoulders. As you lower down into the push-up, your elbows stay back and tight to your body. These are still difficult for me, so don’t worry if you can’t go down very far. It’ll come with time!
- Wide Fly Push-ups are exactly what they sound like. You place your arms out in front of you in a wide push-up pose. These tend to be easier, at least for me.
- Mountain Climbers begin in the top of a push-up or full plank. You’ll then alternate pulling in your left and right foot…kinda like running in place. They are fabulous for building core and shoulder strength.
If you are unsure of the other moves listed her, please let me know and I’ll be happy to explain them or provide links to “how-to” videos.
I’m really looking forward to another month of teaming up with Jac and keeping each other accountable. I also just started DDP Yoga (I’ll talk about that soon in a separate post) and I hope to get back into running this month using the technique I posted about on my Facebook page last week.
So who else would like to join us for this challenge? We’d love to have you!
Filed under Health & Fitness, Quick Workouts
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