Flatter Tummy 3: Crunch Twist

Do you have a little extra "something" oozing over the tops of your pants??

Try this crunch for a great oblique workout!

STEP 1. Lie on your back on the floor and raise your head and upper shoulders off the mat slightly. Lace your fingers from both hands together behind your inclined head for support while keeping your elbows wide apart. Do NOT bend your head toward your chest, keep it perpendicular to your torso but bend your knees 90 degrees, and raise your feet 1-2 inches off of the floor.

STEP 2. While twisting your torso to the left so that your right elbow moves toward your left knee, contract your stomach muscles. Ensure that you are lifting your left shoulder off the floor. At the height of the movement, pause, then slowly return to your starting position without relaxing your muscles. Alternate between leftward and rightward twists.

Reps: 1 set of 25, 2 sets of 25, 3 sets of 30

For more go to www.fullfitness.net/exercises/abs

Turkey Tenderloin Sandwiches

Turkey Tenderloin Sandwiches
4 Servings Prep: 10 min. + marinating Grill: 10 min.
Ingredients
4 turkey breast tenderloins (4 ounces each)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sherry or chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
1 slice red onion, separated into rings
4 slices tomato
4 lettuce leaves

Directions
Flatten tenderloins to 3/4-in. thickness. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the oil, sherry or broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, onion, ginger and pepper; add the turkey. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning occasionally.

Drain and discard marinade. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill turkey, uncovered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Serve on buns with onion, tomato and lettuce. Yield: 4 servings.



Nutritional Analysis: 1 sandwich equals 281 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 56 mg cholesterol, 421 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 31 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Traffic Light Style Eating

This is a great style of eating that will not only benefit you but is a great way to teach your children how to pick healthy foods.

The Traffic Light eating style encourages healthy eating by guiding you to choose foods that are:

• High in Fiber
• Nutrient Dense
• Low in sugar
• Good sources of Healthy oils
• Low in Saturated fats (hard fats)

Foods are broken into three categories: Green, Yellow and Red foods.

Green foods are foods that should be eaten daily or often. They are low in sugar and saturated fats and high in fiber.

Examples:

• Whole grain bread, Brown Rice
• Regular or Quick Oatmeal
• Corn Tortillas
• Cheerios, Wheat Chex, Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Baked potato in skin
• Frozen fruits without sugar, frozen vegetables
• Nonfat/skim milk, sour cream or cottage cheese
• Low fat string cheese
• Legumes, Tuna canned in water, Veggie burgers
• Leans meats: chicken, turkey, game meats or lean cuts of red meats and/or pork
• Olive oil

Yellow Foods are foods that are weekly foods or sometimes foods. Often made with refined grains, and have a small amount of added sugar and moderate amount of fat.

Examples

• White Bread, rice, tortillas, pancakes, waffles
• Life cereal, Special K
• Bagels
• Dried fruit, Fruits in light syrup
• Avocado's
• Mashed potatoes
• 2% Milk
• Lowfat ice cream or sherbet, sorbet
• Cheddar, swiss, american, etc cheeses
• Extra lean or lean hamburger, lamb, Regular Peanut Butter
• Popsicles, graham crackers, cake

Red foods should be foods that are eaten monthly or rarely. Red foods are generally processed and contain high amounts of sugar and fat and have very little if any fiber.

Examples:

• Donuts, croissants, cheese crackers, Ritz crackers, tortilla chips, Macaroni and Cheese
• Corn Pops, Captain Crunch, Froot Loops, etc
• Fruits in heavy syrup
• Creamed soups
• French fries, Tator Tots, Potato chips, Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Ice cream
• Whole milk, Half and Half, Regular Sour cream
• Bacon, Bologna, Salami, Sausage, Pepperoni
• Mayonnaise
• soda, Kool-aide, Gatorade, Powerade, Energy Drinks

If anybody would like a full list of foods categorized into the green, yellow and red food categories leave a comment with your email address and I will send it to you.

Thanks, Jalaine

Flatter tummy 2: Bicycle Kicks

I LOVE these!

Make sure your back is touching the ground to avoid injuries!

STEP 1. Lie on your back, and bend your knees at 90 degrees so that your thighs are pointing toward the ceiling. Place your hands behind your ears.



STEP 2. Pump your legs back and forth, as if riding a bicycle. Simultaneously, rotate your torso from side to side by moving an armpit, but not elbow, up toward the opposite knee.



Reps: Beginner: 1 set of 20
intermediate: 2 sets of 20
advanced: 3 sets of 30

For more go to www.fullfitness.net/exercises/abs

Healthy and Tasty Ranch Dressing!

Buttermilk Salad Dressing
22 Servings Prep: 10 min. + chilling

Ingredients:
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups (16 ounces) 2% cottage cheese
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
Salad greens and vegetables of your choice

Directions
In a blender, combine the buttermilk, cottage cheese and salad dressing mix; cover and process for 20 seconds or until smooth.
Pour into a small pitcher or bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir before serving with salad. Yield: 2-3/4 cups.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (2 tablespoons dressing) equals 23 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 177 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 3 protein. Diabetic Exchange: 1/2 fat-free milk.

Flatter Tummy: Reverse Crunch

If you hate regular crunches, this one is for YOU!

STEP 1. Lie on your back on the floor and raise your head and upper shoulders off the mat slightly. Lace your fingers from both hands together behind your inclined head for support while keeping your elbows wide apart. Do NOT bend your head toward your chest, keep it perpendicular to your torso but bend your knees 90 degrees, and raise your feet 1-2 inches off of the floor.

STEP 2. Then, lift your knees in a smooth arc toward your head while keeping everything else as still as possible. Once your knees are directly above your upper abdomen, pause, contract the abs, and then lower your feet back down slowly in reverse. Do not let them touch the floor though and ensure you continue to maintain tension in your abdominal muscles.

REPS: beginner: 3 sets of 15, intermediate: 2 sets of 25 advanced: 3 sets of 30

Target: Abs Muscles Worked: Rectus Abdominis, Obliques


Difficulty: Intermediate


check out more at: www.fullfitness.net/exercises/abs

The Top 6 Calorie-Burning Workouts

The Top 6 Calorie-Burning Workouts

1. Kickboxing: 800 calories per hour
Kickboxing offers a great full-body workout because it requires you to use every major muscle group and includes interval training. Your heart rate will soar and stabilize several times throughout the class, which is optimal for weight loss. 24 Hour Fitness clubs report that attendees of their Turbo Kick classes can burn up to 800 calories in one hour-long class.

2. Biking: 700 calories per hour
You can burn up to 700 calories at your average cycling class or take to the road on your own to enjoy fresh air to boot! Just make sure you keep a pace of about 14 to 16 miles per hour to reach the 700-calorie goal

3. Zumba: 500 or more calories per hour
Who knew an hour of dancing could produce such results?! Because this Latin-inspired dance workout uses the principles of interval training and resistance exercise, the workout will boost your metabolism considerably, according to FitnessZumba.com. However, like any fitness regimen, the number of calories burned varies from person to person depending on weight, sex, current fitness level, and how a hard a person works out.

4. Jumping Rope: 780 calories per hour
Only got ten minutes? You can still squeeze in cardio with this highly effective activity, which can have you burning 130 calories every ten minutes (or 780 calories per hour). According to MedicineNet.com, you’d have to run an eight-minute mile to burn as many calories as jumping rope for the same amount of time, making it a good choice for someone who is starting a fitness regime and may not have the endurance to maintain a fast running speed for an extended period of time.

5. Aerobic Step Classes: 600 calories per hour
Aerobic step classes are high-intensity and high-impact, meaning you’ll burn fat and calories. The number of calories burned depends on how high the step is, but using just a six-inch platform can allow you to burn up to 600 calories in one hour-long class.


6. Running: 650 calories per hour
According to WebMD's calorie calculator, a 145-pound person who maintains a 10-minute mile for one hour can burn up to 650 calories. However, running consistently for an hour can be challenging if it isn't a part of your current exercise regimen. You can work up to this goal and increase your cardiovascular fitness by adding walking intervals throughout your workout. For instance, run for three minutes and then walk briskly for one minute. This practice will increase your endurance, lower your heart-rate recovery time, and burn fat.

Taken from:http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-top-6-calorie-burning-workouts-2444723/

Basil Quinoa Salad

Makes: 6 side-dish servings (3/4 cup quinoa mixture and 2/3 cup lettuce)



Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups cooked quinoa*
• 1 -15oz can no salt added red kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 1 3/4 cup cooked red kidney beans
• 1 cup chopped yellow sweet pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 4 cups torn bibb lettuce

Directions: Place basil in a food processor. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and black pepper. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed, set aside. In a medium bowl stir together cooked quinoa, beans, sweet pepper, tomato and green onions. Add basil mixture; stir to coat. Serve quinoa mixture over torn lettuce.

* To make 2 cups cooked quinoa, in a fine strainer rinse 1/2 cup quinoa under cold running water; drain. In a small saucepan combine 1 1/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand to cool slightly. Drain off any remaining liquid.

Nutrition facts: 1 serving = Calories 177

Go Red For Women

Every year on the first Friday of February women all over the world celebrate National Wear Red Day, sponsored by the American Heart Assocation in hopes to educate women on the number one killer of women, heart disease.

In honor of National Wear Red Day, I thought it would be fun to post some ideas on how to get more red foods (specifically fruits and vegetables) into your diet. Why Red foods? Red foods contain a phytochemical called Lycopene. Phytochemicals are substance in foods that have been shown and are believed to have postive health effects on our bodies. Lycopene is one of these phytochemical's that have been shown to have an effect on preventing heart disease and certain types of cancer.

So on National Wear Red Day make every part of your celebration "Red" by enjoying these red foods and drinks too!

• Red Berry Squares: make strawberry flavored gelatin mixed with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Cut into squares before serving.


• Frozen Watermelon bits: Alternate frozen cubes of watermelon and mint leaves on a skewer and serve cold.


• Ravin' Red Smoothie: Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries and 1 frozen banana.


• Red Pasta: Cook whole-wheat spaghettie and top with low sodium marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes


• Bake Red Apple Dessert: Fill 1 whole red apple (cored) with 1/4 cup chopped almonds, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until sugar bubbles.


• Perfect Polenta: Cook polenta and mix with cherry tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes.


• Red Bean Salsa: Combine 2 cups red beans, 1/2 cup diced red onions, 1 cup diced red toamto, 1/4 cup diced jalapeno (remove seeds), 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup corn, 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy your Friday and don't forget to wear RED. (Thanks to the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women campaign for the above Red ideas.