How about a Milkshake -- For Breakfast?

...and, it's healthy!

Okay, what?  Let's start at the beginning, shall we?  I was blog-hopping the other day, following one link to the next and getting introduced to some pretty fabulous food bloggers.  I landed on Dashing Dish, a blog that offers "healthy alternatives to the food you crave".  {Some examples ~ guacamole, lemondrop cupcakes, loaded pasta salad, and banana bread french toast...hello!}.  Dashing Dish is run by a girl named Katie who could not be any more adorable if she tried; she includes fitness information {and has some religious-based posts too}, but the overwhelming majority of the site is recipes, recipes, recipes!  Katie mentions that she lost 20 pounds and has kept it off for five years, and she is also a nurse, so I feel confident taking some healthy recipe tips from her.

The most divine post I came across on Dashing Dish is her I Can't Believe It's Not a Milkshake protein shakes.  Now, most of us have knocked back a chalky, watery, and/or unnatural-tasting protein shake after a workout at one time or another.  Protein is important, especially when you're working out, but many protein shakes leave much to be desired.  So I was instantly intrigued when I hit upon Dashing Dish's list of delicious sounding shake combinations.  They all start with the same base ~ a mix of lowfat cottage cheese, protein powder, sweetener (like stevia), ice and water.  Then a dash or two of a few extra ingredients transforms this shake into a decadent treat that you can feel good about!  {Don't let the cottage cheese part weird you out ~ I don't like cottage cheese at all, but you don't taste it, it blends right up into the shake with everything else and gives it that milkshake-y texture, and it sneaks some calcium into your diet}.

I upgraded the Cookies and Cream Shake from a breakfast or post-workout shake into more of an indulgence by using two real Oreos {instead of the 100-calorie pack kind} in the shake and a dollop of whipped cream on top.  If you're counting calories or Points, remember that modifications like this will alter the calories or Points a bit.

I gave the Peanut Butter Butterscotch Shake a whirl last Friday ~ and I've had a Dashing Dish Shake every day since then!  Peanut Butter Butterscotch is my favorite so far ~ it tastes so good, you think you're being naughty!  Katie posts the calorie and Weight Watchers PointsPlus information for each shake, though, so you know you're actually not being bad at all!  I've also tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake, the Oatmeal Cookie Shake, a modified Cookies and Cream Shake {see above}, and a taste of the Thin Mint shake I made for my husband.

I usually have my shake for breakfast, which also happens to be a post-workout protein boost for me.  I work out right when I wake up, so these shakes pull double-duty in providing me with a filling meal and delivering some all-important protein to my hard-working muscles.

Here, the recipe for my now-beloved Dashing Dish Peanut Butter Butterscotch Shake! {Click here to access Katie's original I Can't Believe It's Not a Milkshake post, including lots of variations; or click here to scroll through her entire Shakes category, which includes seasonal shakes like Pumpkin Pie and Malted Milk Chocolate}.

Dashing Dish Peanut Butter Butterscotch Shake

1/2 cup    lowfat cottage cheese

1             scoop protein powder  {around 100 calories/scoop...Katie and I both use Designer Whey vanilla}

1-3          packets of low-or-no-calorie sweetener {I use Truvia}

5-10        ice cubes {I use 7 to be able to drink through a straw, or 10 to eat with a spoon}

1/2 cup    to 1 cup water {I use a little more to be able to drink through a straw}

2 Tbsp    sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix {in powder form}

2 Tbsp    peanut flour, or 1 Tbsp peanut butter

              a few drops maple extract {optional}

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Remember to use the "pulse" mode on your blender so that your blenders' motor doesn't burn out from trying to chop up the ice.  Once blended completely, pour into a glass and serve with a straw or a spoon, depending on the consistency.

Enjoy!  {I know you will}

xoxo

Bean

What a Workout!

I may not have tried all the dance workout DVDs out there, but I sure have tried a lot.  Hip Hop Abs has been a long-time favorite {although I have no interest in seeing what I actually look like while doing it ~ I prefer to preserve the picture I've conjured up in my mind of myself looking like a pop star music video goddess};  Dancing with the Stars has a few workout DVDs out, one of which I love {see links below}; and I tried Carmen Electra's Cardio Striptease series when that was at the height of its popularity {for the record, your clothes stay on}.

I've had the two-disc Rockin' Body workout kit for a few years now {led by Shaun T, the trainer featured on both Hip Hop Abs and Insanity}.  There are four workouts ~ Mark, Move & Groove; Disco Groove; Party Express; and Shaun T's Dance Party ~ featured on the "blue" workout disc {although Mark, Move & Groove is really more like a brief instructional piece on several of the key moves featured throughout the other workouts}.  The red workout disc has three segments ~ Rock It Out, Hard-Core Abs and Booty Time.  The great thing about these DVDs is that on the back jackets, they list the length of each workout ~ so you can pick the segment that fits your schedule that day.

I've tried all the workouts on the blue DVD, and they're a blast.  You may feel a little silly doing some of the "disco moves" in the Disco Groove segment, but who cares?  You're having fun {I've actually laughed out loud at some points} and working up a sweat. 

For some reason I'd never paid much attention to the red DVD, until yesterday.  I wanted to do a half-hour workout, and the Booty Time segment fit the bill.  This workout may be my favorite in the whole series ~ I loved the moves {and actually felt reasonably coordinated doing them}, and today my thighs, quads, hamstrings, calves and booty are burning.  I haven't felt a really good day-after muscle burn from a workout in a while {probably because I do a lot more cardio than strength training}, and I had forgotten how good it felt to feel that good kind of "pain".  I will definitely be adding the Booty Time workout into my regular rotation, and now I'm even more curious to give the 10-minute Hard-Core Abs segment a whirl.

  I have no idea why they show 7 DVDs ~ there are 7 workouts on 2 DVDs

Rockin' Body is produced by Beachbody, the company that also offers Hip Hop Abs, Insanity, P90X, Brazil Butt Lift and more.  I've never tried a Beachbody product that I didn't like, although they can be a little...persistent {especially with Shakeology, the nutrition shake that they offer}.  For links to some of my favorite workout videos, Beachbody or not, see the list below.  {I also included some releases that I haven't tried yet, but sound fantastic}.

 

 

Some of My Faves

Hip Hop Abs  {Shaun T is just too adorable, and nice, which is a switch from the Jillian Michaels'-types of the workout world}

Insanity  {Cardiovascular-wise, I could keep up just fine with this high-intensity workout; the impact is too much, however, for my precarious knees, so I could not stick to the six-day-a-week program they prescribe.  I will probably throw this back into my mix, sporadically, in the near future}

Rodney Yee's Ultimate Power Yoga  {I've said it before and I'll say it again ~ I just love Rodney's style of teaching yoga, and the fact that this this DVD comes broken down into five 20-minute-or-so segments that you can mix and match as you please is just the icing on the cake}

10 Minute Solutions: Pilates  {Another DVD broken down into mix-and-match segments; Pilates is so fantastic for lengthening and strengthening your muscles, especially in your legs and core.  Sometimes I use the last segment on the DVD, Pilates for Flexibility, as my cool-down stretch after a different workout}

 

Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance {This workout DVD is led by Kym, Maks and Ashly, and the jive is my favorite segment.  Some of the other DWTS vids are too hard for me to keep up with ~ literally; my feet don't move that fast! ~ but this one provides a fun, high-cardio workout without leaving me in the dust}

The Biggest Loser: Last Chance Workout  {If you watch Biggest Loser, you know that the Last Chance Workout is the final, give-it-all-you've-got workout done before weighing in for the week.  This Jillian Michaels-led DVD is great for people of all shapes and sizes ~ if you're just starting out with exercise or have limitations, plenty of modifications are given; if you're an old pro, give it your all and you'll get an amazing workout session}

 

 

 

Next On My List

Billy Blanks' Billy's Bootcamp: Cardio Inferno {I've had the original Billy's Bootcamp series for about five years now, and this seems like it will be even more intense!}

 

Bethenny's Skinnygirl Workout  {This is Bethenny's second workout DVD and was just released in December.  Of the ten reviews that have rolled in on Amazon, eight people gave 5-star reviews.  From what I read, these are yoga-based workouts broken up into fairly quick sections}.

Cardio Barre {Ballet workouts are no joke ~ ballerinas are strong, and their muscles are long, lean, and ladylike.}

The Physique 57 Solution {A book, not a DVD, actually.  Physique 57 classes in New York and LA are celeb-frequented, and the company offers both at-home DVDs and this just-released book.  The book offers step-by-step guides to their multi-format workouts, and the handful of Amazon reviews so far are all five-star}

 

 

Have fun workin' on your fitness, ladies!

xoxo

Bean

 

{photo credit:  getmovingcatalog.com}

Looking to Shape Up and Slim Down After the Holidays?

The holidays are officially over {well, unless my upcoming birthday counts as a holiday...which it kinda does}.  If you stayed on track with good eating and exercise habits over the past few months, or if you're part of the New Years' Weight Loss Resolution Gang ~ it's never a bad time to be reminded of smart ways to drop pounds or maintain a healthy weight and body.

People are always looking for a magic pill or latching on to a crazy fad diet {no, you should not eat nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup for a week...at least, not if you like a regularly-functioning metabolism}.  No one wants to believe the plain, simple, scientific truth ~ it all boils down to making smart food choices and carving out time for exercise.  WeightWatchers.com has compiled a four-part list to get you started on your way to a fit and healthy 2012.


1.  Don't get discouraged by weight gain.  Even if you overdid it, it won't destroy your health goals.  In fact, you may unconsciously reduce your intake as the holiday season winds down.  "When you don't realize you're eating all those cookies, that's automatic eating,"  says Wendy Wood, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Duke University.  But when those cocktail party invitations stop coming, so do the temptations.

2.  Up your fruit and vegetable intake.  Ideally, you should consume at least five fruit and vegetable servings per day now.  These vitamin-rich foods boost your fiber and antioxidant intake and help you feel full.  A tip:  Replace that mid-afternoon 16-oz cola {200 calories} with an orange {65 calories} as a nutritious snack.

3.  Pre-arrange exercise time.  You'll stick to a regimen if you schedule exercise ahead, says Brad Cardinal, Ph.D., associate professor of sport and exercise psychology at Oregon State University.  Try to get in 30 minutes almost every day.  Wear a low-cost pedometer {it counts footsteps} or sign up for a charity walk/run to stick to a plan.

4.  Resist depriving yourself. Focus on what you're going to eat rather than what you're not.  "It sounds indulgent," says Colleen Thompson, R.D., a nutritionist at the University of Connecticut.  "But concentrate on ways to feed yourself now.  It helps you to stick to healthy eating habits."  For example, don't skip a nutritious, fiber-rich breakfast, like oatmeal or a half of a whole-wheat bagel with peanut butter.  It can help prevent overeating later.


And that's how to lose those pesky second-serving-of-mashed-potatoes-chased-with-a-Santa-shaped-Reese's-cup-washed-down-with-some-spiked-egg-nog pounds...no pills, no gimmicks, and no "drop a dress size in a week" promises; but I can promise you from personal experience that making smart food choices and eating on a regular schedule, mixed with regular exercise and the promise to not beat yourself up over past, present, or future overindulgences {you are human...only human}, plus the allowance to smartly have a reasonable portion of your favorite "treats" once in a while, will have you feeling good, and on your way to a positive, healthy year. 


Happy New Year to you all!

xoxo
Bean



{photo credits:  myhealthyrecipesfordinner.org; dirjournal.com}

Let's Get Crazy!

 ...or maybe Insane!

Side note ~ wow, it's been almost a week since I've posted!  And to think I thought I'd be so on top of things, I'd be posting every day.  Well, it was just one of those weeks ~ working as usual, my best friend visiting from out of town, and lots of going out and fun activities because of that.  But since we've last chatted, something exciting has happened...

It's arrived.

On Friday, my Insanity workout DVD came in the mail.  Have you seen the infomercials for Insanity?  They dub themselves the "hardest workout ever put on DVD", and from reviews I've read, that's quite possibly a fact.  The creator and instructor behind Insanity is Shaun T, who you may also know {and love} from the "Hip-Hop Abs" and "Rockin' Body" workout DVDs.  In those workouts, I've always found Shaun to be an ideal workout instructor ~ he's motivating without being militant, encouraging without being annoying, and he seems to know what he's talking about.  He is also too adorable for words, which helps!

So, it's here ~ a small cardboard box with the word "Insanity" stamped all over the outside {who knows what my mailman now thinks of me}.  Cracking open the box, I find it's chock-full of goodies ~ some to help me, and some to promote other Beachbody products {there is an insert for Shakeology, Beachbody's meal replacement shake product, and several mentions of their Results and Recovery Formula}.  There is also a guide explaining the science behind this workout {max interval training}; a nutrition guide they encourage you to follow while using Insanity {healthy eating without restricting calories or carbohydrates, basically...because your body needs fuel for this type of exercise}; and a calendar that outlines which workouts should be done on which days over the next 9 weeks of your 60-day challenge {a month of workouts, a "recovery" week that still involves working out, and another month of new intense workouts}.  There's also a pamphlet outlining how to get a free t-shirt if you submit your "before" and "after" pictures when you're finished with the challenge ~ who doesn't love "free"?

This little cardboard box is also chock-full of WARNINGS.  I don't believe any other workout video has ever tried so hard to scare potential users away.  In a nutshell ~ "Insanity" is not supposed to be an ironic moniker.  This is designed to be an intense workout, not for the faint of heart or faint of...muscles.  Or joints. They encourage you several times to have your doctor approve you before starting this program, although I doubt many people do.  In any event, Insanity is heavy on the disclaimers.  I have had knee problems for years, but my intent is to modify as much as I can and go at my own pace ~ fingers crossed!

So, I plan on updating you regularly over the next few months as I {along with my hubby, who is hoping to gain muscle mass} embark on the "Insanity Challenge".  Yesterday was Day 1, which is not a full workout, but rather the Fit Test.  The Fit Test takes about 25 minutes and is done several times over the course of the challenge.  It involves one-minute bursts of doing as many reps as you can of different exercise moves {power jumps, jumping jacks, plank oblique twists, etc}.  You record how many of each you are able to do, and {hopefully} see your progression as you revisit the Fit Test down the road.  They also warn you that if the Fit Test is too much for you, you should find a different workout.  Now, I'm not sure what "too much for me" is defined as, but I can say that the Fit Test is a challenge.  I started out confidently enough, performing switch kicks with relative ease {pretty much what it sounds like ~ you kick one leg out in front of you, then jump and switch to kicking the other leg out}.  By the time I got to the fourth {globe jumps} and fifth {suicide jumps} out of eight moves, I was definitely feeling a bit weakened, and was not able to rack up the reps as I had with the first few exercises.  But, the hubs and I both completed the Fit Test and will be moving on to the Plyometric Cardio Circuit video today.

So here's my plan ~ complete the 60-day Insanity Challenge and push myself to my limit every step of the way, while still being smart enough to modify when my body needs me to.  I want to see some amazing weight-loss and toning results, and I want to update you all regularly so you can see if it's a workout you're interested in too.  I began on Monday, September 19, 2011, so I should complete the challenge on Sunday, November 27, 2011 ~ three days after Thanksgiving.

I'm ready to get crazy with my workouts ~ are you?

xoxo
Bean


{photo credit: raisethebarfitness.com}

Get a Workout for Your Mind and Body

Do you namaste?  If you don't, you should!  Yoga is not just for hippies anymore, nor is it for pretentious yuppies.  Yoga is a workout that can fit your lifestyle, your schedule, and your fitness level.  It clears your head, relaxes you, challenges you {more than you might think!}, and stretches and tones your muscles for an all-over workout without bulk.

Now, I don't for a second believe models and actresses who claim they stay in silver-screen shape strictly by practicing yoga.  A healthy diet, a healthy dose of cardio, and a healthy serving of amazing genetics are needed for those results.  However, yoga is a legitimate workout, if done correctly.  When I forced my husband to try a yoga class with me, he was surprised at how fatigued his muscles got and how challenging {or impossible, in some cases} it was to hold certain poses.  I don't think yoga ever becomes "easy", because you are constantly challenging yourself to get deeper into poses and hold them for a longer period of time, and using your own body weight as resistance to get stronger.  On the other hand, don't think that you need to wait to be more "in shape" before taking up yoga ~ you can work at your own pace, learning your body's strengths and weaknesses, and slowly transform your body into one that is stronger and more flexible.

There are some truly fantastic yoga studios out there, and it is nice to be in an environment that helps you feel the "Zen" vibe of a yoga workout, as well as to have an instructor to make sure you're doing poses correctly and to modify poses for you when needed.  These days, if you don't have a stand-alone yoga studio near you {and you probably do}, you should be able to find a local gym that offers classes. But workout classes don't always fit the budget or the schedule, do they?  I have a local yoga studio that I love, but at $14 a class, it's hard to swing it sometimes {I snagged a Groupon deal last week though ~ very excited about that!}.  Or, maybe you can handle the cost no problem, or you get free classes at the gym, but the times offered don't fit your work schedule.  Or, you never have time to get to the gym with the kids' school/sports/nap schedules.  None of these should be a deterrent in getting a great yoga session in!  Thanks to the beauty of modern technology, you can practice yoga in the comfort of your living {or office ~ I won't tell!}.

My absolutely favorite DVD yoga instructor is Rodney Yee.  He was recommended to me by a yoga instructor and by a girl in one of my yoga classes ~ I have four of his DVDs (and he has plenty other to choose from}.  My favorites are "Ultimate Power Yoga" and "A.M. Yoga for Your Week" {both pictured below}.  Both these DVDs contain five unique yoga workouts, each lasting about 20 minutes.  You can mix and match different sessions back-to-back, or if you're short on time, just squeeze one in and feel better about yourself because of it.  Rodney guides you through each workout with a steady, soothing voice, and tranquil music in the background.  I've picked up his DVDs at Borders (may you soon rest in peace...) and Target, but you can probably find them just about anywhere you buy workout DVDs. {Here is a  list of his DVDs at Amazon}.

 

So if you haven't tried yoga yet, give it a shot.  It can make you feel stronger and more centered, both physically and mentally.  It's a quick and effective way to get a great workout in.  And, if nothing else, you can justify rocking some cute yoga pants!  

As we acknowledge the events of September 11th, 2001 this weekend, it's important to remember that especially in times of stress and chaos {but really all the time}, we need to take a moment to take care of ourselves.

Coming soon to a downward-facing dog near you....

xoxo

Bean

{photo credits, in order: shaswatpatel.com; bestyogaaccessories.com; collagevideo.com}