The Boardwalk Empire Workout

Why not turn your favorite gangster show into an opportunity to kill some fat while the gangsters kill each other?  Get your workout gear on, warm up with the theme song, & get ready to sweat!  Whenever the following happen, do the assigned activity:

The Mad Men Workout

Lime Cilantro Quinoa

Can you tell I like to eat quinoa?  Here is another flexible recipe for a great meal (it’s gluten-free & vegan, too).  If you don’t have the exact vegetables on hand this recipe calls for, use what you have!

Daily HIIT/Bodyrock.tv Catching Fire 30 Day Challenge: The Entire Challenge & My Results

Bodyrock/The Daily HIIT recently made a 30-day real-time challenge of 12 minute daily workouts.  I volunteered to write about each day as a way to stay accountable.  This long post is a summary of my results, a link to the entire challenge, and all of my articles related to the challenge.  My articles detail the workout, but also any modifications I did.  Since I did most of the workouts during my lunch break, I had to convert many exercises to bodyweight-only, or dumbbell-only.  If you are a beginner or don't have the equipment they promote, check out my articles for substitution ideas.  If you are looking for equipment, you can find it here.

11 Ways To Squeeze Activity Into Your Busy Day

We all have days that it seems impossible to do a legitimate workout.  Let’s be honest: after my son was born, I had too many days like that.  I got into the habit of sneaking in little bits of activity so that at the end of the day I felt like I did something good for myself.

SELF-LOATHING IS A LUXURY

I’m sure that title may not sit well with some people.  Stick with me, I don’t intend to be offensive.

I work in radiation oncology.  I have met countless patients in the midst of cancer treatment. While I no longer provide direct patient care, I still hear stories. I see their faces. I will always carry the lessons I have learned from the people I’ve been fortunate to treat. Working in a field where you are surrounded by people fighting for more time and/or less pain has completely changed me. The lens through which I view the world is permanently different. Issues that many people get angry over or fixate on seem trivial to me. Most arguments I see as a waste of time.

No Pants Subway Ride...WHAT??? Thoughts & a Workout

As I’m flying across the country, I am reading the airline’s magazine, Hemispheres. In the January 2014 edition, page 76 lists some off-the-beaten-path activities for the year. First up for January? No Pants Subway Ride in New York City. 

What Defines You?

Too long ago, 16 year old me was showing off my awesome hunter-green satin and velvet prom dress with rhinestone spaghetti straps to my Grandma.  I thought I looked DAMN GOOD.  When I asked what she thought of my dress, she said something complimentary, followed by a line I have grown to love over time:

“We are all young and pretty once.”

Think about that for a moment.  No matter what your age is, you will never be younger than you are now.  You may favorably weather the storm of time, but time will not leave you physically unchanged (even if you have procedures to slow it’s effects).

Summer Body Workout Series: 5 Routines to Get You Ready for the Heat!

Step away from the bike. Put Down the Rice Cake. 11 Health & Fitness Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Sooner

I have loved to do cardio-based workouts since I was a little kid.  As a child I used to hop on my Grandma’s stationary bike & would mimic my Mom doing her Kathy Smith aerobic videos.  In high school I ran around my neighborhood, swam, & did other cardio.  Sometimes I did those things AFTER tennis or swim practice.  If I could step in a time machine & tell young me a few health & fitness related things, this is what they would be:

#SnowDayChallenge: Lower Body Blast

The Daily HIIT challenged us bloggers to come up with quick, body-weight only workouts that can be done at home.  I'm not snowed in, but if you are, or are looking for a great at-home workout, give this a try!

Perfect Herbed Turkey Burgers

This is hands-down my favorite turkey burger recipe.  It's great for parties, family meals, and even the baby likes it.  Please see the original article I wrote for the recipe!

THE BEST CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Here's a link to the original that post I shared over at the Daily HIIT.

I love The New Moosewood Cookbook, although I am not vegetarian.  It has some amazing recipes, & this soup is derived from one of them.  There are many butternut squash soup recipes (I already have another on my blog), but what makes this one different is the technique.  First, you roast the squash, which gives it a depth of flavor lacking in steamed squash.  Second, the recipe doesn't call for curry powder.  Onion & garlic are sautéed with a combination of spices, which gives you control over your curry flavor.  Last, you have the option of having a smooth, pureed soup or retain texture by not pureeing the onion mixture at the end.   This has become my go-to curried butternut squash soup recipe.   It is vegetarian, exploding with beta-carotene, delicious, & of course, healthy.  If you try it, let me know what you think!

How Much do you Know About Diabetes?

How many people do you know who have diabetes?  The chance is that you know at least one person living with the disease.  November is Diabetes Awareness month.  In light of that, here is an infographic to shed light on what it's like to live with diabetes.  

Source: http://www.recallcenter.com/life-diabetes-diabetic-bloggers-want-know/

SMART & SEXY: 8 WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES (from the Daily HIIT)

Check out this roasted vegetable recipe I posted over on the Daily HIIT.  It's easy, cheap, & perfect for special occasions (or just middle of the work-week dinners).

SMART & SEXY: 8 WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

 

1 POT TURKEY, RICE & BROCCOLI FAUX CASSEROLE

Fall = football, colorful leaves, & comfort food, right?  One problem…most comfort food isn't healthy, & involves casseroles, which I don’t make.  Tonight I whipped up a 1-pot rice concoction out of what was in the fridge, & it was a hit with me, my husband, my baby, & even the cat was begging for some.  The picture doesn't do the dish justice.  If you like turkey & rice casserole, give this lighter version a try.  While you won’t find cream-of-anything soup or cheese in it, you will find flavor & a satisfying, healthy, hearty meal.  What’s more comforting than that?

Easy Grilled Squash

Here's a super-easy recipe for grilled squash that I shared over at The Daily HIIT:

Easy Grilled Squash

I made it with my favorite flank steak recipe.  Enjoy!

How Could I Forget Banana "Ice Cream"

Space in my freezer is prime real estate these days.  It's packed full of milk for the baby, homemade baby food, & a little of our food.  I dared to throw over-ripe bananas in last week, which my husband asked me to use today.  I made banana "ice cream" by pureeing the frozen bananas in the food processor.  I forgot how easy & delicious it is!

1 ingredient banana ice cream (mix-ins optional)

Caprese Salad with Israeli Couscous or Quinoa

So I'm blogging about food with my favorite workout source, the Daily HIIT!  

I have alot of tomatoes & basil growing in my yard so I Let me know what you think of this quick & easy summer salad I came up with: 

Caprese Salad with Israeli Couscous or Quinoa

Banana Oat Breakfast Bars

Superman: Kryptonite

Achilles: Heel

Me: Chocolate Chip Cookies