HUMPDAY HEALTHY EATS; FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS

We’re always looking for ways to make our favorite recipes healthier without sacrificing any flavor.  Just because we eat healthy doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be able to enjoy our foods and what we are eating.  With some substitutions you can reduce the fat, sugar, and calorie count of many of your favorite meals.  Below are ten suggestions for substitutions that we guarantee will make your next meal delicious and healthier.  

1. Unsweetened applesauce for sugar:  you can substitute in a 1:1 ratio, but for every cup of applesauce you use reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup.

2. Unsweetened applesauce for oil or butter:  1 cup of oil would be replaced with ½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce.

3. Chia seeds for butter:  combine 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 9 tbsps of water, let sit for 15 minutes creates a consistency to stand in for fat in baking recipes.  Substitute ½ the butter in a recipe with this mixture.

4. Mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes: doesn’t need the milk or butter to get that creamy consistency.  Add some fresh herbs.

5. Rolled oats for bread crumbs

6. Spaghetti Squash for pasta (see a previous post for recipes using spaghetti squash)

7. Non fat plain Greek Yogurt for sour cream or mayonnaise

8. Replace heavy cream with 2 Tbsp of flour whisked into 2 cups f non-fat milk

9. Ground chicken or turkey for beef

10. Black beans for flour:  drained and rinsed beans can be used in place of flour in recipes for baked goods.  Substitute 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of black bean puree.

  There are lots of ways of replacing ingredients with healthier options.  Play around with your measurements and don’t be afraid to try something new.  You may discover that you even enjoy your meals more.

DO A FITNESS SHOW, YOU MIGHT LIKE IT

There are more and more fitness shows popping up everywhere, mainly due to the amount of people wanting to compete. Whether it’s men’s/woman’s Bodybuilding, fitness,  bikini, men’s/woman’s physique or figure there is a division for just about anyone.

HOW TO GET STARTED

I would imagine you already have a solid gym routine in place, and a pretty good idea about nutrition. The next step is to decide what category you want to compete in. Guys have really only two categories bodybuilding and the now popular men’s physique. Unless you are trying to be a model then there are a few other shows based on just that. If you hold a lot of muscle and train to be as big and strong as you can BB is a good choice for you. If you are more interested in being big but leaner than a BB, great abs and a awesome fake smile men’s physique is taylor made for you. Either way you must train like a beast and diet like a pro. Find a show 10 mo away to give yourself time to bulk up and diet down. With a little room for trial&error. Its a proccess not a destination.

THE LADIES

For you ladies there is a wealth of categories you can pick from. Bikini; very fit and lean but not showing too much muscle striation. Figure; a step up from bikini, very fit, show some muscle size, depth and striations.  Physique; is more toward BB but not as big but the same conditioning. Symmetry like men’s physique is the name of the game, unlike men, legs are a big part due to the suit worn. And of course BB where size matters, thick muscle, balance, striation and fully developed legs.

FITNESS IS FOR EVERYONE

Anyone who has ever stepped on a stage had doubts if they belong there, they just pushed fears aside and did it anyway. People only see the best of the best in magazines and media. Let me tell you on an amateur level you will see all shapes and sizes. Some striving to get to the pro level, some just to cross it off on thier bucket list. Either way its a great experience for anyone willing to try. I’ve done a show and I will do plenty more. The environment is addicting, the stage is fantastic and the networks you build are  amazing. People have a vision of meat heads in a room half naked and chewing weights. Its not like that at all. Everyone is nervous, everyone is pleasant and everyone is there for the same reason, to walk on that stage and be a part of something bigger than yourself. The first show isn’t about winning (if you do that’s awesome) it’s about going outside your comfort zone and pushing past your limits.

HUMP DAY HEALTHY EATS; Sensational Smoothies

Fruit smoothies can be an easy way to nourish your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Making smoothies yourself is always a better choice because then you know exactly what’s in them.  Making your own smoothies can also help prevent fruit from going to waste.  Because they are not necessarily low in calories, they should be used to replace a meal, not in addition to a meal, if you are trying to lose or maintain weight.   First, choose a smoothie base.  You can add water, milk, soy milk, almond milk, or yogurt. The healthier options would include water, low fat milk or low fat yogurt.     Second, choose your fruit or fruits.

 In general, citrus fruits, apples, and pears contain vitamin C and potassium.  Tropical fruits contain those and folate and manganese, which keeps your bones, blood sugar, and thyroid healthy.  Berries contain particular antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and help fight disease.     Third, add some protein to give some extra nutritional benefit.  There are lots of different kinds and flavors.   Here are some of my favorites, but don’t be afraid to experiment.  

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 banana
½ cup pumpkin
¾ cup vanilla almond milk
¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp vanilla protein powder
1 – 2 handfuls of ice Blend all ingredients.  

Flat-Belly Smoothie

½ cup frozen blueberries
1 cup kale
½ cup frozen pineapple
1 Tbsp almond butter
3 oz vanilla nonfat greek yogurt
¾ cup water
Blend all ingredients  

Banana Split Protein Smoothie
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 cup strawberries
½ banana
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1-2 handfuls of ice

FITNESS ON THE FLY

 

We all issues or events that make it challenging to to stay on track. Maybe you’ll be traveling this weekend ,Maybe you have to travel a lot for your job.  Whatever the reason you may be on the road or in the air, travel can interrupt your normal routines; including your fitness and nutrition.  But it doesn’t have to.  When you travel you can still stick to your fitness routine you may just need to improvise.  Here are some tips to keeps to maintain your fitness program.

Pack for fitness If you’ll be staying at a hotel, find out if they have a gym or look for nearby facilities that may be in the area.  Make sure to bring your athletic shoes, exercise clothing, and headphones.  Jump ropes, TRX and resistance tubing are lightweight and compact enough to travel and can give you a complete workout, right in your hotel room, if there is no gym to utilize. Workouts Can Take Many Forms You may not have the normal equipment you use but this shouldn’t stop you.  You can try something new, like swimming in the hotel pool, renting a bike, or incorporate moves you can do in any space.  Here are two different routines you can incorporate in any space; if you have resistance tubing you can add them to squats, lunges, calf raises, bicep curls, etc.

FABtastic Workout

1 minute plank
15 bicycle crunches
30 second side plank (right side)
15 bicycle crunches
30 seconds side plank (left side)
15 reverse crunches
15 hips up
1 minute v-sit Repeat 2-3 times  

Full Body Pump

100 jumping jacks
20 squats
30 lunges (each leg)
40 calf raises
30 sec burpees
50 sec wall sit
40 sumo squats
30 triceps dips
30 sec mountain climbers
30 leg raises
20 squats
30 pushups Repeat 2-3 times  

Myths about Gym Rats, Meatheads & Fit Chics

I am a definitely a “Gym rat” or in some senses of the word a “Meathead”. I go to the gym everyday, I train with an intensity that is nothing short of grueling. I train with others that have the same philosophy,  train as often and as hard as you possibly can. Not to pat myself on the back but I have built a body many will never have. I’ve put more hours in the gym than some have spent at their jobs. I train with woman that make some guys seem like sissies. And it never fails people look at us like we are out of our freakin minds….

THE STEREOTYPES

We’ve all been in the gym, new, not sure what to do or how to do it. Looking around intimidated by the people in the gym that have built a fit, strong body. Looking at them like they are from another planet. Not in all cases but more times than not stereotyping people without ever saying a word to them. There is a huge misconception people have of people in better than average shape. Meatheads are airheads, gym rats are one dimensional and fit chics….well, are stuck up bitches. Excuse my language, just shooting from the hip here. Not only is it awful to think this of anyone, its a huge loss on your part not becoming friendly if the chance arose.

THE RIGHT THING

Now I am not saying there aren’t idiots out there self absorbed and shallow, but for the most part many are just really into fitness or bodybuilding.  Most of the people I know (and I know a lot) that are serious about fitness are the smartest most educated people I know. The science, time and dedication it takes to achieve optimal fitness levels is nothing short of genius. This is no longer a game for idiots who like to pick things up and put them down. This is a game for people who understand physiology, basic chemistry,  nutrition,  biology, and proper body mechanics.  Not sure about you that doesn’t sound unintelligent to me at all. And if thats not enough, personality is a main ingredient for anyone trying to reach the upper echelon of fitness.

MY SUGGESTION

Respect people on any level. More so the ones that are doing or have done what you want to do. Im not saying walk up to someone at the gym like a crazy person and befriend them. I am saying don’t judge, observe and introduce yourself. I am confident whoever it is will be more than happy to casually say hello, answer questions or point you in the right direction.(as long as you don’t become a pain in the butt) I know everyone at the gym I go to, I answer questions if need be and I dont act like Im better in anyway. Why? Cause I’m not judging you for being overweight, skinny, exercising wrong or any other reason. We are all in the trenches together for 1-2 hours a day, lets all just get along and get it done together, making the gym a positve, productive place.

Thick or Thin; You can’t lose with a Six Pack

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how often to work your abs.  Should you do them every day or just once a week?  The arguments for both are plentiful if you search on bodybuilding forums.  The answer is it depends on your goals.   There are 2 different schools of thought: Train abs the way you would any body part; once a week with a hardcore grueling workout vs. A quick ab workout every day or every other day.   Both of these will provide you with the core strength you need in order to prevent injury and be active.  To determine which way you should train your abs, you need to decide what you want the end result to look like.  Do you want small tight abs or do you want big muscular abs with deep ridges like a bodybuilder?    

Just like any other muscle group, if you put your abs through long grueling workouts the results will be bigger stronger abs providing you eat properly.   In order to increase the size of your abs you need to damage the muscle.  Muscles grow larger in response to the repair process that occurs when muscle is damaged.  When you feel that burn in your muscles, you are experiencing microtears in the muscle fibers.  This triggers the repair process which rebuilds your muscles making them bigger.  Most of the process takes place 24 to 48 hours after you exercise, which is why you should leave a couple days between repeating the same body part.

 Overworking them will not lead to a six pack.  If you constantly pound on them, your muscles will never have time to repair.   If your goal is a smaller tighter waist and abs then a lighter ab workout every other day is really what you need.  If you are going to do abs every day then to give your muscles time to repair and recover, perform different exercises for your core each day.  This will also help prevent repetitive stress injuries.  Varying your workouts can help increase the benefit from daily ab workouts by changing how you use your muscles.     Remember, no matter what your goal, overtraining any muscle group has the opposite effect of what you’re looking for.  Be smart about it.

 Like Rome, you can’t build a six pack in a day.   Tip:  The best way to build muscle with core exercises is to do them slowly with resistance.  If you are trying to burn calories while doing core exercises, perform them quicker and with less intensity so you can exercise longer and create a greater calorie burn.