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May 30, 2009
Miss Fit Chick's Guide to BBQ and Grilling this Season
From my perspective, summer can be the most difficult time to keep good eating habits. Don’t blow all your hard work on a poorly laid plan at your first backyard bar-b-que this summer. Figure out your strategy ahead of time and maintain your fit bod while still enjoying some really delicious food!
In the right column below, you'll find those foods we love at BBQ's that can sabatoge the work you've done. On the left are some healthy and delicious alternatives that your guests and friends will love.
TOTALLY IN | TOTALLY SIN |
Lean bison burgers – with fewer calories and fat than even extra lean ground beef, this burger is the perfect clean eating choice for summer grilling | Angus burgers – read your labels; these guys can pack 28 g of fat per burger! Who needs to work all that off for the next 3 days?! |
Avocado – smear this on your burger for added flavour and healthy fats | Mayo – Just one tablespoon of this tangy spread pounds a whopping 100 calories and 12 grams of fat, not to mention saturated fats and oils too. |
Sweet potato fries – baked or grilled, these little guys pack a punch of beta-carotene in your diet | French fries – fried, white, greasy…need I say more?! |
Salsa fresca – made with fresh tomatoes, salsa is rich in lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B-6 and folate. Tip: spread salsa on your burger and eggs! | Ketchup – loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup ketchup can ruin your clean eating meal in just one tablespoon |
Berries and club soda – muddle together in a tall glass and add ice for a refreshing drink with few calories and no added sugar | Berry daquiri – this frozen concoction might sound good on a hot summer day but alcohol is loaded with sugar and at about 500 calories might also be the hurdle in way to being a fit chick. Also consuming alcohol tends to inhibit you from making other wise and clean eating choices. |
Chicken breast – one of the best lean sources of protein around. | Chicken wings – a source of protein, but not so lean due to the cut on the chicken as well as the fatty skin. |
Baked whole wheat pita chips and salsa fresca | Chips-n-dip – Even the fat free variety should be avoided. These are loaded with sodium to make up for the lack of fat and taste. |
Watermelon wedges – melon is rich in lycopene and vitamin C not to mention water, all of which a hot summer sun can quickly deplete from your system. | Apple pie – one slice has 296 calories, that’s without the slice of cheddar cheese on top or whipped cream, depending on your cultural tradition with this quintessential summer food fare. |
Frozen yogurt cups | Ice cream cones |
Spinach salad – substitute this tasty leafy green in your salads or on your burger and you’ll be trading up for calcium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A and iron | Potato salad – this picnic lunch staple could use a makeover of its own. With mayo, white potatoes, egg yolks and sour cream, this salad will have you either running for the hills or just running hills! |
May 19, 2009
The 5 Best Fit Celebrity Bodies
Sure we put them on a pedestal and focus too much on what they’re wearing and who they’re dating, but in spite of the shallow world of celebrity, there are those that truly seem to live a fit lifestyle.
In the spirit of being shallow (and of course finding great inspiration), here’s our list of the top 5 fit celebrity bodies….
5. Nicole Scherzinger
It looks like the endless dance routines as the leader of the Pussycat Dolls have really paid off for Scherzinger. She has muscle and shape, but not that 'waif' look that's so common in pop music and based on the outfits the group wears, she's not afraid to show it.
4. Halle Berry
Halle recently had her first child and at 42 years young, she still outclasses women half her age when it comes to a fit and toned body. It didn’t take her long to lose that baby weight and there’s no doubt that she would fit well into her outfit for Catwoman 2, if they were dumb enough to make it.
3. Jamie Presley
Her character on ‘My Name is Earl’ doesn’t come across as someone that would be health conscious, but Jamie has a great and toned figure. She’s also a new mom in the last two years and has regained her pre-baby figure that is the envy of many.
2. Kelly Ripa
Ripa has the classic ectomorph body that many women really want, but she works out hard to add what lean muscle she can to give herself a shapely and toned body that makes this mom looks amazing. You can read about her routines in both Shape and Fitness magazines…
1. Jessica Biel
Biel's figure is the popular choice and for good reason. She has the perfect look of lean muscle and a trim figure. Seeing her figure in movies like I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry as well as Blade: Trinity have inspired many women. Below, you'll find a video that shows just how hard she worked to get in shape for her role in Blade: Trinity.
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May 6, 2009
Put the 'work' in work out
You've seen them.
They're at the gym usually on a cardio machine. Chances are, they're reading a novel or the latest people magazine. That's right - reading People magazine.
My question is - how hard do you think they're working out? I can tell you that there are many people at gyms all over the world that spend many hours but don't get the results from the time they put in. The reason is simple - they don't work hard.
Working out means you work hard. To get results, you need to push your muscles and get your heart rate up. This means working close to failure in your weight workouts. It means applying some of the intensity techniques described on this site. It means working hard until you feel you can't work out anymore.
You don't see the ladies walking side by side with their water bottles changing the shapes of their bodies. Don't get me wrong, it's great that they are being active, but to make a real difference, you need to work hard so that you struggle to have any kind of conversation with anyone.
Don't take long breaks between sets. Focus on your workout and pushing your body to get the most return from the time you spend in the gym. The results you see will be worth every bead of sweat.
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