Peanut butter obsession

Okay...let's be honest. Any one else ever eat peanut butter like it's ice cream? Well, I have. I love peanut butter! BUT, eating a jar of peanut butter everyday will pack on the pounds faster than you can take the creamy (or chunky) stuff down.

There is a delicious solution: powdered peanut butter! Before you judge, try it. In 2 tablespoons (mixed with 1 tbsp water) it has between 40-50 calories as compared to 200 calories in normal peanut butter! AND you can get it in chocolate! You can find this awesome stuff in the health food section of most grocery stores.

Eat it with a spoon, frost a cupcake with it, or make a 100 calorie snack by putting it on a rice cake (I recommend the caramel kind as a super tarty treat).

Enjoy!

Need a little running/walking motivation?

I don’t know what I would do without my Nike Running App…it tells me how fast I’m going, how far I’ve gone, calculates my calories burned and even gives me a little verbal high five at the end of my run from awesome athletes. Plus, it’s FREE! So I definitely recommend it for anyone who runs or walks for exercise. If you are like me, I tend to overestimate how far a mile, or half a mile or quarter of a mile is, so this app tells me exactly so I am not cheating myself. It also serves to speed me up when I’m dragging and slow me down when I’m a bit over ambitious. Check it out…it’s a great one!

Newest heart thumping playlist

I’m loving it…hope you do too!

· Cups (Pitch Perfect movie…don’t judge)
· Hangover (Taio Cruz)
· Diddy Dum (My Name Is Kay)
· Play Hard (David Guetta)
· A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (Fergie, Q-Tip and GoonRock…from The Great Gatsby movie…didn’t love the movie, but I LOVE the soundtrack)
· Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
· Blurred Lines (Robin Thick…what rhymes with hug? He wants to get mugged? That’s strange.)
· Come Baby Come (K7)
· Da’ Dip (Freak Nasty…taking it back a bit)
· Young and Beautiful (Lana Del Ray…also from Gatsby…for you cool down)

Super BIG breakfast for under 400 calories

This is a STAPLE in my house. In fact, I will somewhat embarrassingly admit that I will sometimes eat this exact meal for breakfast, lunch and then dinner…it’s so good and protein, veggie and whole grain packed I just can’t get over it.
· 2 whole eggs (cooked how you like them…with cooking spray…I love coconut oil spray)
· ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup zucchini, 2 tablespoons onion, 3 medium mushrooms, 1 cup spinach…all sautéed together with cooking spray
· ½ cup dry old fashion oatmeal cooked with 1 cup water
· ½ cup blueberries
This meal rocks my socks off and gets me ready for the day AND helps me recover after my morning workout. It packs 24 grams of protein, 47 good for you carbs, 14 grams of fat to keep you full and only 389 calories. It’s a ton of food…enjoy!

Have a quickie during lunch today!

A 30-minute, do anywhere, quickie WORKOUT! It's Tabata Tuesday, folks, so get ready to burn, sweat and breathe (that IS why we all workout, right?!).

Warm-up (4 minutes of movement)

1. Push ups/Burpees

2. Lunges/Skips

3. Planks (make them interested by adding side planks, knee dips, moving planks, etc.)

4. One leg bridges/Ab bicycles

5. Dips/Mountain climbers

6. One leg squats/jump squats

Since there are mostly two exercises per Tabata, do the first exercise on the first, third, fifth and seventh 20 second work period and the second exercise on the second, fourth, sixth and eighth.

Not familiar with Tabata style workouts? Click here for more information.

And remember to take precautions when working out in the heat (I had the sweatiest run of the year this morning.) Find out how to protect yourself from the heat by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Stay safe while sweating it out this summer

It's June...and it's going to start getting toasty. It's been pretty cool here in the mid-west thus far, but you know how it gets...hot hot hot!

So stay safe while you exercise in the heat:

• CHUG-A-LUG! Down about two cups (16 oz) of water and hour or two before exercise. Drink ½ cup (4 oz or about 2-3 gulps) every 15-20 minutes during exercise. And be sure to continue drinking water even after your workout is complete to ensure that you are properly hydrated.
• TAKE IT OFF: Wear light colored, breathable clothing. If you’re starting your workout in the morning and it is cool out, make sure to wear layers that you can remove as your body heats up.
• SLATHER IT ON: Working out in the sun is a great way to work on your tan, but also an easy way to get too many rays. Don’t forget the water proof sunscreen, hat and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s damaging rays.
• SLOW IT DOWN: Your body may need up to 14 days to acclimate itself to warmer weather, so when you start out, slow down for the first few workouts to see how your body responds to overloading when in the heat. Slowly increase your duration and intensity as your body becomes used to the heat.

The biggest thing when working out in the heat is to stay hydrated. As long as the body is hydrated it can regulate its temperature, but if you aren’t ingesting enough water, your body starts to store heat inside, raising your core temperature which puts your organs and central nervous system at risk…yikes!

So what happens if you get overheated? You can be at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Check out the symptoms of each in case you or someone your know needs help.

Heat Exhaustion:

• Dizziness, fainting, headaches
• Moist skin
• Upset stomach/vomiting
• Weakness

Heat Stroke

• Dry, hot skin (no sweating)
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures

If you or someone your know is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

• Call 911 immediately

While waiting for help:

• Move to a cool, shaded area
• Remove any heavy clothing
• Drink cool water