4 tips for Abs

Work

your

ABS

There is no shortcut and you can't spot reduce but here are my 4 tips 
for shrinking and toning your belly.


1. Move it!  I find that performing cardiovascular exercise 30-45 minutes, 4-5 times a week combined with strength training exercise at least 3 times a week is the best combination.
Full body workouts will benefit your midsection due to over all toning and fat loss. 


2. Educate yourself about diet.  Check out my list of clean foods to learn what proteins, carbs, and healthy fats you should be eating. I recommend 5 small meals spread throughout the day that add up to the appropriate amount of calories and nutrients for yourself.


3. Stay hydrated!  Drink 2-3 liters of water a day.  
Stay away from juices and sugary drinks, this even includes diet soda.


4. Stay consistent.  If you do the 3 previous tips consistently, you will see the results you want.

5 great abs exercises to add into your weekly workouts:

Leg Lifts:  Lay on your back with your legs straight out.  Place your hands under your bum to support your back, tighten your abs and lift your legs to 90 degrees. Return your legs back to the starting position. 

Seated Knee Raises:  Sit on a bench, slightly lean back & grasp the back of bench. Raise your knees to your chest and slowly extend your legs straight, repeat.  Make sure to support your body and the movement with your arms. 

Captain's Chair Knee Raises:  Find the vertical chair in your gym.  Start with your legs hanging straight down and slowly raise your knees to your chest.  It is important to make this movement controlled and don't swing.

Plank:  Turn over and get in a push-up position, now take it down to your elbows- this is a plank.  Keep your body in a straight line (don't stick your butt up in air or let your hips sag to the ground).  Tighten your midsection and hold for 30 seconds. 

Double Crunch:  Lay on your back, bend your knees to 90 degrees. Lightly place your hands behind your head and crunch your shoulders up. At the same time lower your shoulders and toes to the ground and back up. Neck position is important, imagine a small orange between your chin and chest at all times. The movement should be in your shoulders, not yanking on your head. Toes just tap the ground.

<3

Missy

Old School Sunday workout

If your taking today as your day 'off'... don't!

   I challenge you to an 'old school' workout that you can do in your living room.

20 jumping jacks

10 shoulder width squats

10 wide stance squat jumps

10 situps 

10 mountain climbers

10 lunges 

5 burpees

Rest 1 minute

Repeat 3 times

Take your time but keep a steady pace.

Watch your form.

Get movin!

Have a great day <3

Food to-do & List

To Do:

Eat REAL foods

Eat smaller meals 5 times a day to keep that metabolism revving

Pick one night a week to have a free meal- BUT don't eat a whole pizza or a 

gallon of Ice Cream please! 

Stay hydrated- aim for 2-3 liters of water a day

Take the processed crap out of your diet

Most important - believe in yourself. 

 It didn't take you week to put on the weight so it's not going to take you a week to lose it.  Transforming your body takes dedication, consistency and hard work.  Once you get in a rhythm of eating clean foods and working hard in the gym, it will become second nature.  I'm not saying there won't be days that you just want to sit on the couch and watch tv all day.  But more than likely there will be that gut feeling telling you that you have to go for a run or to the gym because the goal is to be better tomorrow than you are today. Trust me, there has never been a day that I ate healthy and kicked ass at the gym and felt bad about it while I was falling asleep. There have been days that I gave in or slacked off and regretted it the night of and the next morning. Just do it and believe in yourself.

Plan, prepare and execute...better health and a stronger body will follow. 

LIST

To end my food week I am posting a huge list of CLEAN foods that you can pick and choose from to start your new way of eating.  

I hope this helps and my rule of thumb is to have

 protein, complex carbs, veggies and some healthy fat at every meal.  

PROTEIN:

Almond Milk

Beans

Chicken

Chickpeas

Edamame

Eggs/Egg Whites

Hummus

Lentils

Nonfat/ lowfat Cottage Cheese

 Greek Yogurt

Notfat Ricotta Cheese

Reduced Fat Cheese

Salmon

Scallops

Shrimp

Soymilk

Tempeh

Tilapia

Tofu

Tuna or Tuna Steak

Lean Ground Turkey

PRODUCE: (fresh or frozen with no sugar, salt added or sauces)

Vegetables:

Artichoke

Arugula

Asparagus

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery

Cucumber

Eggplant

Endive

Green Beans

Kale

Mushrooms

Onions

Peas

Peppers

Potatoes

Romaine

Snow Peas

Spinach

Squash

Sugar Snap Peas

Sweet Potato

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Fruits:

Apples

Apricots

Bananas

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cherries

Cranberries

Dates

Figs

Grapefruit

Grapes

Kiwi

Mangos

Melons

Oranges

Papayas

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple

Plums

Prunes

Raspberries

Strawberries

Tangerines

Watermelon

WHOLE GRAINS:

Barley

Brown Rice

Buckwheat

Bulgur

Corn

Kamut

Millet

Oats

Quinoa

Quinoa Pasta 

Rye

Spelt

Wild Rice

Whole Grain Bread

Whole Grain Couscous

Whole Grain English Muffin

Whole Grain Pasta

Whole Grain Pita

Whole Grain Tortilla

Healthy FAT: (All nuts, seeds, & nut butters should be all natural and unsalted)

Almonds

Avocado

Cashews

Chia Seeds

Coconut

Dark 70% Chocolate

Flaxseed

Hazelnuts

Hempseeds

Olives

Olive Oil

Peanuts

Pecans

Pine Nuts

Pistachios

Pumpkin Seeds

Sesame Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Tahini

Walnuts

Print this out and make your meals to fit your lifestyle.

Live, Laugh and Rock it friends

<3

Missy

A little Motivation

Start your day off HEALTHY

Morning!

Coffee- check

Newspaper/TV- check 

Food....hmmm....Now is the time to reach for some healthy foods to start off your day.

A lot of us are running out the door or grabbing something on the way into work not knowing what we are really putting into our bodies.  Here is a break down of some common and 

bad-for-you breakfast quickies;

Bagel & Cream Cheese- this will cost you about 450 calories and about 21 grams of fat.

Blueberry Muffin- A total of 400-500 calories and 15-20 grams of fat in this little sweat treat.

Yogurt, Granola and berries- Seems SO healthy, but is 520 calories and about 13 grams of fat. 

SO WHAT CAN YOU HAVE?

Take a little extra time in the morning to make;

Egg White Omelet- 3 egg whites and spinach and tomatoes will slim your waist with only 

120 calories and 3 grams of fat, not to mention a great dose of protein.  This is great with a little salsa or hot sauce ;-)

Steel Cut Oats and fresh berries- This filling and super healthy breakfast is only 160 calories and 3 grams of fat.

Greek Yogurt Smoothie- Talk about delicious, combine blueberry or peach greek yogurt with a half a banana and 1/4 c of blueberries this morning!  You will drink 200 calories, 14 grams of protein and minimal fat.  It is a little high in sugars, but if you need to satisfy that sweet craving instead of a donut, this is your go-to!

If you want to stay healthy but do find yourself running out the door, you need to prep some food for the quick grab & go morning.

Pressed for time?

Boil a dozen eggs on Sunday for the week ahead

Pre-blend your smoothie the night before and have ready in a sealed to-go cup

Throw a couple oatmeal packs in your bag to microwave when you get to the office

Mix up a strawberry whey protein shake with Almond milk

Hope these numbers open your eyes to the hidden dangers of breakfast foods.  I didn't even get into the sugars (and bad fats) that are in a lot of baked breakfast foods. These sugars leave you energy deprived just a few hours into your work day.  Put a little time into your mornings, your body and mental focus will thank you!

<3

Missy

5 Foods

Here are 5 foods I feel that everyone should have in the their diets at one time or another. 

Blueberries-  They are packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, low in calories and delicious.  If you are looking to add fruit into your diet, berries is where you should start.  1 cup of blueberries has 80 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, 20 carbs and 1 g of protein. 

How to eat?  Throw half a cup of berries in your morning oatmeal, or have them as a quick snack with some protein to satisfy your sweet tooth the healthy way.

Olive Oil-  YES it is a fat and YES you have to have it in moderation, but it's good for you.  It is rich in monounsaturated fat (the good-for-you fat) and antioxidants.  It is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.  

How to eat OO? Drizzle a 1/2 tbsp over your salad with a tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar for a flavorful dressing. But make sure to measure because a tbsp has 120 calories and 

14g of fat.  

Sweet Potato-  I love the sweet potato.  Of all the carbohydrates I've been able to eat during my training, it is the one that saved me from gnawing at my arms from hunger.  This potato is very low in saturated fat and sodium. It's a great source of Vitamin B6, A, C and Potassium...and it tastes great!

How to Eat?  Grill in foil, bake in foil, microwave, slice into round chips and bake or my all-time favorite cut into fries and bake with your OO and some salt & pepper (you don't even need the OO).  To add some flavor while grilling or baking, sprinkle some cinnamon (no sugar) over the potato- delish!

Quinoa- Pronounced Keen-wah, this is a super grain.  Quinoa compared to a lot of other grains has a high protein content. In one cup there is 220 calories, 4 gram of fat, 39 carbs and 8 grams of protein.  It has a light texture and a mild nutty flavor. Once again, this food is packed with antioxidants, high in magnesium and iron, it is considered a complete protein. This is a great source of protein for vegetarians or vegans.

How to Eat? You can have Quinoa for breakfast mixed with honey, berries or almonds. For lunch or dinner, you can get creative by adding chopped up veggies to make your own Qunioa salads.

Last but not least....

Asparagus- Yes it makes your pee smell funny, but it might be one of the best vegetables for you! Those funny looking stems are packing with nutrients including fiber, folate, potassium, Vitamins A, C, E and K.  It's a great side-dish for your lean protein dinners.  For one cup of asparagus you will ingest 40 calories, 0 grams of fat, 8 carbs and 4 grams of protein.

How to Eat?  Always buy asparagus fresh. Cut the ends and spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle with your OO, salt, pepper and bake for 20 minutes @ 350.  You can also grill or steam your asparagus. 

These are all mainly side dishes that I highly recommend you incorporate into your daily meals.  Make sure to pair with lean meats and plenty of water! 

Hope your having a Healthy & Fit day,

<3

Missy 

Healthy Roadwarrior

 A little background: I travel a lot.  Anyone that is a part of my life or follows me on twitter, knows that I am constantly on the go.  I move on average 3-4 times a year and in between moves, I travel at least once a month....I have experience!  Travel is the easiest way to stray off your fit path and also one of the easiest ways to make excuses to have a cheat here and there.  I want to share what I do every time I'm on the go, to make sure that that doesn't happen.

It is all about PREPERATION.  Depending on my travel, the first thing I do is look at how long it is going to take me to get there and my mode of transportation.  

If it is one day of flying, I make my meals the night before and package them in ziplock bags.  I always travel with a cooler, mine is a backpack cooler that I love because it is hands-free.  I pack everything in my cooler the morning of and I'm prepared - ready to go.  It is like any other day, with my meals cooked and ready for me when I'm hungry.  TIP: You are not allowed to travel with cooler packs, so I throw in a couple bags of peas to keep the food chilled.

If it is 2 or more days and I am staying in a hotel, there are a couple more steps to take.  When I book my hotel, I make sure that my hotel has a refrigerator and microwave.  I will not stay in a hotel that doesn't have refrigerators because I eat natural foods that need to be chilled or they will go bad.  The food prep is the same, just a larger quanitity.  The batch of second (or more) day meals, I freeze over night because they will have to last longer.  Same as above, I pack and go.  The first thing I do when I get to the hotel is upack my food and get it into the refrigerator.  TIP:  I freeze the meals that I wont eat that day and every night take them out and put them in the refrigerator to start defrosting.

The last travel senerio: Road Warrior!  This is what my family calls me since I have driven from D.C to Austin, Austin to Clearwater, Clearwater to Allentown, all in the last year- I think it's fitting!  I think driving is the most dangerous mode of transporation for the opportunity to cheat.  You HAVE to stop to get gas, you HAVE to stop to go to the bathroom, so you HAVE to go into the convient stores that have all these yummy, sugar and sodium loaded snacks calling your name.  JUST SAY NO!  If you have your food in your cooler next to you in the car, you don't need anything else.  Stay on your meal plan and if you need an energy boost, don't reach for the gummy bears, do a couple jumping jacks or stretches (you will be happier about 60 minutes later when you're not suffering from a sugar crash). I am a coffee junkie, so I do have a couple black javas on the road, but no snacks, cokes or junk.

Also, for those of you that don't like freezing your food or eating food that has been prepared the day before, there is an option for you.  It is a little more of a hassle, but you can buy a poratable grill (I've seen them at Target) or a George Foreman like contraption and bring it with you.  This means that you need to make sure there is a grocery store close to where you are staying to pick up your food and cook it in your room.  If you are squeemy about food, this is a great option for you. Another FIT TIP:  Prepare healthy snacks, like natrual trail mixes or fruits, to have on hand if the temptation gets too overwhelming.

Don't let traveling be the reason why you can't continue on your healthy and fit journey. Be prepared and you shouldn't have any reasons to stray.
Thank you for reading and please leave feedback or contact me with questions! 
Live, laugh and Rock it friends!!

What is CLEAN

CLEAN   [kleen]  Show IPA adjective, clean·er,clean·est, adverb, clean·er, 

1.

free from dirt; unsoiled; unstained

2.

free from foreign or extraneous matter

3.

free from pollution; unadulterated

4.

habitually free of dirt

5.

characterized by a fresh, wholesome quality

So what is eating clean?  

It is cleaning up your eating habits!  Taking the chemicals (dirt), lab/man-made (foreign matter) and saturated fats out of your foods.  It is making a lifestyle choice of eating  foods close to nature and in turn improving your health and you might even lose a couple pounds.

Overview of Foods

Clean Foods: Vegetables, Fruits, Lean Meats, Complex Carbohydrates, Nuts

Non-clean Foods:  Sugar & Sweets, Processed & Packaged Foods, Fried foods, Alcohol 

Example

Choose this:

NOT this:  

Got it? :)

Beginning to eat like this can be difficult, just like anything new, but it is not impossible. 

Here are some tips to start a clean and healthy life: 

-Reduce the amount of times you go out to eat.  

-  Write out your meals for the week so you have a visual

- Pre-cook your meals for the week or a few days ahead on Sunday

-Rid your pantry and refrigerator of all temptations

- When you reach for that carton of crackers or cookies, remember to check the ingredients- do you know what all of them are??

-Make an effort to eat whole and natural foods.

You don't have to feel deprived, there are a lot of foods that you can make your own 

clean version of....hello Sweet Potato Fries!!

In Summary, eating clean is a practice of eating natural and whole foods such as Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Proteins, Complex Carbohydrates and nuts. I won't forget to add that Greek yogurt, Almond, Coconut, Rice Milk and healthy oils are considered clean. 

Here is a grocery list of typical clean foods:

Proteins:  Chicken Breasts, Salmon or Tilapia, Lean Ground Turkey, Lean Ground beef

Veggies: Romaine Lettuce, Fresh Spinach, Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Onion, Asparagus

Fruits:  Apples, Pineapple, Blueberries, Raspberries and Mango

Complex Carbs:  Quinoa, Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Ezikel Bread, Black Beans

Extras:  Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Almond Milk