Fight the Flab

Whenever October and November roll around I put away the bathing suits, bring out the boots, and forget all about those crunches I've been doing all summer. I mean... it's cold outside and I'm constantly wearing layers so what's the point? Today I decided to start working on it again so it wouldn't be as hard when those New Year's resolutions rolled around. Seriously though, you can't be ready for spring break if you start two weeks before hand!

Naturally I went to Pinterest to start looking. Check out my "Circuits" board, it has a ton of good workouts!

These are the two I did today:

Try it out, they're super easy! Another thing I love to do is to go to YouTube and type is "Pilates Abs." So many videos pop up giving you step-by-step instruction. They only last around 10 minutes and then you're done for the day!

Ps. The "Pop and Hip Hop Workout" station on Pandora is amazing! :)

Broccoli and Cheese Chicken Rolls

Another crescent creation was created in my apartment this week. This combination came about when my roommate was trying to fix herself some dinner but didn't have many options. She threw this together and it came out GREAT.

Here's what you need:
1 cup broccoli
1 cup grilled chicken
3/4 cup shredded cheddar (add to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise to make paste

Here's what you do:
1. Preheat over to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Cut up broccoli and chicken after cooking.
2. Mix broccoli, chicken, and cheese in a bowl.

3. Combine with mayonnaise to make a paste.

4. Sprinkle salt and pepper for taste.
5. Spread on crescent rolls and fold ends of crescents up.

6. Bake until crescents are golden brown.

They were delicious!!

Ditch the Soda

Does this shock you? Because this photo sure surprised me when I first saw it!! I look at this and immediately cringe knowing that much sugar is in these drinks. After I thought about it though, these measurements aren't surprising.

Need the caffeine? Try a regular coffee with skim milk and artificial sweetener. It isn't near as much sugar and calories as the Red Bull, Mtn Dew, and Starbucks prepared drinks. I even make my own iced coffee at home if I don't want to drink it hot. The trick is to fill a cup with ice and pour the hot coffee directly into the cup. The ice "shocks" the coffee and doesn't melt as fast as when you put ice into a cup of hot coffee. 

Like the carbonation? Opt for diet sodas instead. I know many people don't think diet sodas taste similar to their regular versions, but consuming this much sugar isn't healthy for anybody.

Need something sweet? Try Crystal Light packets! They're low in calories, taste awesome, and are easy to have on the go.

No matter what though, water is always my go-to drink!!

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Behavior Change Project

For one of my nutrition classes this semester, my class was assigned to do a "behavior change" project. We had to choose a behavior we wanted to change and change this behavior for two weeks, record our progress, and then write a two page paper on it. Doesn't sound that hard, right? I had been thinking about how often I go out to eat and decided to change that behavior. For those two weeks I was only going to go out to eat once a week. ONCE A WEEK.

Let me put this into perspective: I typically eat dinner out around 4-6 days a week. Its embarrassing and costs me a fortune. I never realized how much money I spent eating out until I stopped and counted it up. Our project included a reward of our choice. My reward was to buy decorations for my very bare apartment. After those two weeks I ended up with money for decorations, gas, and the weekend. Cha ching!

Back to the project though: throughout those two weeks I discovered an amazing thing. Tyson Frozen Grilled Chicken strips. It sounds questionable but just about saved my life. Being a nutrition major, I really should cook more but sometimes you just do not have the time (excuses, excuses I know). But this product by Tyson is amazing. I put the chicken strips on salads, in sandwiches, on pizzas, and even just ate them by themselves. Pop a few into the microwave for about 2 minutes and viola! Protein! I knew about frozen chicken fingers but I really did not want a bag of frozen fried chicken in my freezer. This way, I had healthy cooked chicken and it didn't take an hour to prepare. Tyson has a whole line of Grilled & Ready Products, be sure to check them out!

Confession: I went out to eat twice one of those two weeks. Embarrassing.

The Color Run: Birmingham

I AM OFFICIALLY A COLOR RUNNER!!

On Labor Day I did the Color Run in Birmingham and it was a blast! The entire drive from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham my friend Riley and I were doing a bunch of different "anti-rain" things (you know... rain dances, praying to the rain gods, all that). It didn't work so well. That's when we decided to suck it up and have a great time. Despite the rain everyone I saw had a smile on their face and was ready to be doused in color. 

The costumes I saw were so great! Lots of wigs, socks, and tutus. The race was on a race track so you could see all of the other runners getting their color on. There were so many people that we had to start in waves. It was torture!! All I wanted to do was get out there and start my Color Run. Having signed up for the run back in April, the anticipation was getting a little out of hand.

I didn't even care about the fact that I resembled a wet dog because the WaterColor Run (props to Riley for coining such an awesome term) was amazing! I cannot wait to do another one!

Can chicken noodle soup cure a cold?

Waking up for class today was an absolute nightmare. My head hurt, my throat hurt, my nose was stuffy, and I was achy. Class only resumed last week so I do NOT want to already be missing class!! I hate being sick so on my way home from school I Googled the best things to eat while having a cold. I know drinking orange juice to consume Vitamin C, getting lots of rest, and eating chicken noodle soup are essential. It became my mission to find out if chicken noodle soup actually helps cure the common cold. It turns out that the combination of vegetables, broth, and chicken may contribute to the movement of neutrophils, a certain kind of white blood cells! One theory states that the steam coming from the broth is what helps because it helps clear the sinuses. Another says that the hot broth helps move the mucus.

After learning all this I decided to make a stop by Publix. I checked out with cough drops, 2 cans of chicken noodle soup, and a box of saltines. I'm sure the cashier knew exactly how I was feeling. Next time you're feeling a cold coming on be sure to stock up on some chicken noodle, it is starting to sound like more than an old wives tale!

Healthy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cutie Cookies

My dear pal Alana is famous for her healthy cookies. She makes different kinds all the time and they are amazing!! I always beg her to bring me some because I eat a handful and don't feel bad about it. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but they're just too delicious! Her latest concoction are these cutie cookies. Made with apple sauce and molasses instead of sugar, and whole wheat and oat meal flour instead of all-purpose, these cuties are an indulgence that won't make you feel guilty!

Here's what you need:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat meal flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup peanut butter

Here's what you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
3. Cook for 7 minutes or until they look golden brown.
4. These cookies have M&Ms baked on top but anything would taste delicious on these!