Wednesday, July 3, 2013

SLAM Bam Thank You Ma'am!

SLAM!


image via Moms with Muscles
Here is a really quick product review for you! 

My 5 am workouts have left me dragging and I have started to feel like I'm just going through the motions of my lift and cardio. Where is the usual pep in my step?! After much deliberation I decided to order some SLAM by Advocare. Honestly I was skeptical, really, I've used the pre work out drinks and powders before and either experience, none of the products promises or the opposite.....I'm bouncing off the walls, banging out my reps all while my heart rate is borderline heart attack high only to be left with a major crash by noon!

So this morning rolled around and I eagerly ripped into my new box of SLAM and chugged it down  before leaving the house for the gym. (empty stomach by the way)  By the time I arrived at the gym (5 mins) I was feeling a lot more awake and energy was beginning to build inside me without causing me to be overly jittery. 

I had a fabulous workout boasting of high energy, superb endurance and fantastic mental focus: 
40 mins resistance training~chest and back
15 mins ABS
60 mins steady state cardio~with average heart rate 135

*I even had enough endurance to knock out extra reps during my weight training.*

SLAM
Liquid Vitamin and Amino Acid Supplement
See ingredients below:


(For maximum effect drink entire bottle, between meals or before workout.)

The product claims to be a high powered energy source, sustained energy without jitters, sharpens mental focus and (yay!) sugar free!



Here is a link if you would like to give this product a try! www.advocare.com/130616454/default.aspx
I will be ordering some additional products from Advocare and sharing more reviews with you! I would love to hear your comments!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Taking Your Libido Sky High


Libido Boosts

Ok, blushing a little. After reading an article on fitness.com I felt it very important and necessary to pass on this interesting information.  

What do Oatmeal, honey, and citrus fruits have in common?

You guessed it!.....Studies show that they can improve your sex drive and boost fertility. 

Oats produce and release a chemical that sends testosterone right into the ole blood stream, this increases orgasm (oh dear) as well as sex drive. 

Honey contains vitamin B  which helps the body to produce estrogen which is an oh so important key for arousal and blood flow.

Citrus Fruits contain vitamin C which increases a man's sperm count. (hmm, ok, not such an important one for us 40 plussers! hehehee)

So there you have it in a nutshell. 

I'm off to go eat some oatmeal smothered in honey.



Sunday, June 16, 2013

BLT Lettuce Wraps~yes please!

image via cepolina.com


And That's a Wrap!

It's  that time again......carb cutting! I love BLT's, but don't want the yummy super delicious toasted  perfectly totally white bread...HAHAHA.....I totally WANT it,  but  refrain...for the  sake of my belly and thighs:)....summer is approaching quick and that means....my husband, kids, friends and I will be poolside....time to get serious about carb cutting. So below is a recipe you must try. I discovered this delish dish on skinnytaste.com.  I made it today for lunch and am so IN LOVE with it!  I'm even making this tonight for my 3 lil  men....who will totally  look at me weird and ask  for the bread....an interesting evening is about to unfold. 

You must GATHER:

3 iceberg or butter lettuce leaves
3 slices turkey bacon (or center cut bacon) cooked and chopped
1 tbls. lite  mayo (i used Helmans Light)
1small tomato diced
1/4 sliced avocado
pepper to taste

Now DO IT:

Take 2 of  the lettuce leaves and put aside.
Chop the 3rd lettuce leaf up and divide equally and place inside each of the 'whole lettuce leaves'.
In a small bowl combine the tomatoes, mayo and pepper.
Divide tomato  mixture evenly between your wraps, sprinkle chopped bacon on top and add avocado.
Wrap and eat!


Learn to Love Ginger!





What Ginger Can Do For YOU!


I've had somewhat of a love affair with Ginger Root for sometime now......I mean really, everyone needs a little bit of spice, right?;) This is an herb that has been around forever and has been used in a plethora of capacities. The more I learn about it, well, the more I love it. So I'll try and break this down for you pretty easy and quick....without my usual banter! 

GINGER

*Anti cancer
*Motion sickness and nausea remedy 
*Prevents gas and bloating
*Reduce pain and inflammation
*Cold and Flu prevention and treatment
*Migraine relief
*Prevention of diabetic nephropathy
*Anti inflammatory
*Boosts immune system
*Antibiotic
*Heart health

Ok, I have to banter......Ginger root comes in a few different forms, my preference is the raw root. The easiest way for me to get ginger into my diet and my families diet is to cook with it,  AND my absolute favorite way......well peel and cut it up and put it in my water. I have a detox water that I do daily and ginger is one of the beautiful components.  I usually have some ginger proudly sitting at the bottom of my shaker cup during my workout. After I down the water I usually chew on a bit of the water logged ginger. If you can handle the spice...try it!

Here is the link to the water detox that I mentioned. I drink one gallon of this everyday.


Monday, May 27, 2013

Help! I need a BUTT LIFT workout!



THE BUTT LIFT

So, summer. Swimsuits and short shorts. Gravity really has a wicked way of finding those of us who are over 40. I found a nice booty lifting workout one day while wasting time on pintrest, I decided to try it and then, I had to tweak it. So here it is. I've been doing this 2-3 times a week for a few weeks and appreciate the soreness I feel for a few days later. Soreness=progress;). I've been butt focused for over 2 years after I realized that I became so lean during fitness comp training that I started to look like a 13 year old BOY and wanted some healthy womanly curves. So I have added  this program to my already extensive glute/legs training. 

Do this 2-3 times per week!
Add this to your regular cardio and resistance training workout.



BUTT LIFT 

30 Butt Kickers
10 Squats
15 Plie' Squats
(I use a 30lb dumbbell or kettle bell, really focus on squeezing the glutes at the top of the motion!)
20 Donkey Kicks (ea. leg)
10 Fire Hydrants (dirty dogs ea. leg)
10 Squats
15 jump squats
20 Bridges
(focus on really really squeezing at the top)
10 single leg bridges (5 ea. leg)
20 walking lunges ( add barbell if available)
10 squats
10 plie' squats (with dumbbell if available)
10 fire hydrants (ea. leg)
20 donkey kicks (ea. leg)
30 butt kickers

repeat one more time~with minimal rest between exercises to intensify fat burn!

***great form is really important to avoid injuries. A great website to view demonstrations of many exercises is bodybuilding.com.***

Sunday, May 26, 2013

A Salad To Die For!




Mixed Baby Spinach and Kale Strawberry Poppy Salad

This super delicious salad is becoming a house favorite! I found this recipe through skinnytaste.com. It is perfect for the summer months and even beyond! 

Gather:

(dressing)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced shallots
1 1/2 tbsp honey (I go for raw)
1/2 tbsp poppy seeds

(salad)
5oz organic mixed baby spinach and kale (or just baby spinach)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup Gorgonzola 

Now Do It!:

Place all of the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake and throw in the fridge.

In a big ole salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss. Add dressing and toss again.


Servings: 4, WW pts is approx 5, Calories 198, Fat 14 g, carbs 16.5 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 5 g, Sugar 12.5 g, Sodium 144.5 mg, Cholesterol 10 mg

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Time to detox

My All-Time Favorite Water Detox




I have been doing water detoxing for a long time and I'm pretty sure I've tried all of them out there floating around;). This one is my all time favorite, I always go back to it, simply because #1 it tastes good and #2 it actually works for me. After one day of this I feel super duper! It really helps with digestion and the bloating issues I continue to have!  This detox is not a fasting detox, therefore, eat your regular clean meals (I eat 5-6 smaller meals protein focused and low carb), just add this water in place of all other beverages. I will drink almost a gallon and a half daily of this. Sounds like a lot, but if you carry a shaker cup around full of it everywhere you go it's pretty easy to get a gallon in! This is safe to do daily, and I try to always have some ready!

Here's how to do it:

2 L of water
Add 10-15 mint leaves, half of a cucumber and a whole lemon and approx. 2 knuckles of peeled and sliced ginger. 
Let steep in fridge overnight. 
I refill my pitcher one more time before replacing mint, cucumber and lemon.

Give it a try!

Mediterranean Pasta



Mediterranean Pasta
One of our family favorites! Makes 4 servings. 

Get It
2 tbls. olive oil
2 zucchini sliced
10 small sweet bell pepers sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbls. italian herbs
1 tsp. salt
1 15 oz artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cup whole wheat penne pasta
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup black olives halved

Make it!

~Heat olive oil in large skillet on med-high heat.
~Add onions, garlic, zucchini, peppers and cherry tomatoes, saute until tender.
~While vegetables cook, bring pot of water to boil and cook pasta.
~Drain pasta, reserve a little pasta water and set aside.
~Add Italian herbs to vegetables, add artichoke hearts, black olives and sun dried tomatoes.
~Mix well, add balsamic vinegar.
~Allow balsamic vinegar to reduce a little. Mix to coat vegetables well.
~Add the drained pasta, mix well. Add a bit of hot pasta water if needed.
~Top with feta cheese.

Tips: I sometimes add cooked chicken breast for the extra protein benefits.  Add more balsamic vinegar if needed, making sure to reduce it creating a sweet and sticky coating.  I add extra sun dried tomatoes, since we love the texture and taste.  To make it lower in calories I add more veggies and less pasta. It's also great without pasta as a veggie meal.  This makes a perfect weekend lunch. 


Calories: approx. 289, fat 10.7g, sat fat 2.5g, trans fat 0.0g, cholest. 8mg, sodium 760mg, carbs 39.7g, dietary fiber 7.7g, sugars 7.5g, protein 9.2g.



Sunday, February 3, 2013

OH NO! THE FLU!!!!




Yuck! The Flu Has Struck!

The last week we have been fighting the FLU...blah! That sneaky little bug wormed its way into my son then took up residence in the rest of us. When it first hit my oldest guy I decided then and there, it was time for a detox bath. (he loves to soak in a bath when he is feeling under the weather.) Below are  a few of my favorite concoctions for you to create. The bath salts are really easy to make and put in a pretty mason jar and give as gifts;).  I hope you try one of them. Detox baths really do work. I  encourage you to try it, sick or not! 


"Sugar Mamma's Detox Bath Salts"

1 Cup Epsom Salts
1/2 Cup Fresh Ground Ginger Root
1/3 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Lavender Essential Oil

Grab a full glass of cool water with lemon and head for the bathroom. Fill the tub with hot water, as hot as you can take! Add salts and swish around. Sink in and relax for at LEAST 20 mins! Sip your water throughout. Take care getting out of the tub as you may feel a bit light headed;). Continue to hydrate throughout the day. 

FYI: Epsom salts remove toxins from the body. Ginger intensifies the sweat and the baking soda helps neutralize the chlorine in the the water.



"Cold and Flu Remedy"

Add 3 pints HYDROGEN PEROXIDE 3% to a hot bath.
Add 2 ounces of GROUND GINGER

Soak for about 30 minutes. Drink lots of water while soaking.
After about 5 mins of soaking I literally started to sweat! I recommend doing this bath before heading to bed, but not before chugging a few more glasses of water;)!

FYI: The hydrogen peroxide helps purge toxins from the body. It is also antibacterial and antiviral, a bonus! The ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, it will increase blood circulation and help eliminate toxins through sweat. 






Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Let Me Eat Cake!

Let ME Eat Cake!

     Those of you who know me, or are getting to know me, know I adore cake.
  Love it. 
Need it.
Talk about it.
 Crave it. 
Shouldn't have it.

I was skeptical when I came across this 'guilt-free' cake on pinterest, but, I had to give it a whirl. I think after more research this cake was originally a Weight Watchers recipe.  It was the easiest cake I ever made. I actually made cupcakes. (I'm thinking portion control;))  It passed the kids and husband taste test with flying colors, and it passed mine!  I never deprive myself from foods that I really really want, for me that only creates problems, so I slowly enjoyed one cupcake and am now jumping back into the drivers seat of my 'clean eating' band wagon and grilling and prepping some clean protein/veggie rich meals for the next few days. 



What You Need

~1 boxed Strawberry Cake Mix
~12 ounces of DIET Lemon Lime pop
~Lite Cool Whip
~Strawberries & Sprinkles (optional)


Now Make It!

1. Add cake mix to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in 12 ounces of diet pop.
3. Spoon into your cupcake pan.
4. Follow directions on cake box, for temperature and bake time.


Nutrition Facts: Each cupcake is approximately 100 calories, unfrosted. 120 calories if frosted with the light cool whip.