Zesty Salad

I actually made this up, but it was so good I couldn't help but share it. One of the fastest recipes, with a lot of color and very healthy for you!

It's a perfect lunch!

Zesty Salad
2 cups of Whole Wheat Noodles
half of red pepper sliced
handful of cut up mini blocks of cheese
handful of sliced up olives
half a tomato sliced
pinch of pepper
half a bag of Mixed Lettuce
Zesty Italian

*Make noodles, and while they're cooking start cutting like you are making a typical salad. When noodles are done, mix them with all your veggies, and poor over some Zesty Italian.
Again, ALWAYS feel free to use whatever veggies, I'm just giving you an idea of what to mix together:).
Also, I didn't measure anything, so of course go by how much you want to make.

Simple, and delicious. I hope you enjoy!

Our Metabolism

Sometimes we tend to give our Metabolism more credit then it deserves on why we gain weight and others remain a size 2 all there lives.

We may all think it's because of the differences with our Metabolisms.

I found a fantastic article of what exactly our Metabolism is and

why we think to believe it slows down after 30.

Well, it covers the myths, the lies, and the facts about our Metabolism

and what really happens with it through the years.

And not only that, but how to get it back on track to when we were 16.

That's right, it's possible to get our Metabolisms back through some simple steps and feeling like we still have it!

Read about it Here.

Green Delight

Smoothies have never been a big part of my life since the Betes-because the fruits and sugars mix is pretty much asking for no toes. So my post previous asking about new years goals, (which by the way I absolutely loved reading!) there was one goal that I fell in love with,

and I'm blogging about it because I recommend it entirely after trying it.

It's just something I thought sounded good.

Thanks to Teandra for sharing her goals, it's been fantastic trying the smoothie! She recommend smoothies with vegetables mixed with only one fruit and yogurt. I tried made it, loved it, and didn't have spiked blood sugars after-which I think made me fall in love.

The recipe she gave me didn't have a name so I'm going to call it Green Delight (ok, so I have no experience at naming things)

Green Delight

~3/4 c. raw broccoli banana

~1/2 cucumber

~8 oz. Yogurt ( I used the plain LIGHT Activia yogurt)

~1 c. ice

**(She said to always mix in something green, such as kale, spinach, broccoli etc.) and I believe her, green veggies always have the most fiber!

I literally just mixed it all together in the blender and let the blender do the rest.

It surprisingly tasted FANTASTIC! I loved that I couldn't taste the veggies at all, mostly the banana.

Anyways, I would recommend it when you have no time, or all the time in the world-so basically whenever your craving an extremely healthy smoothie:).

Thanks so much Teandra! And by the way, her new years goal was to drink one of these a day to get in all her fruits and veggies for the day.

Brilliant I say.

Lets all try it!

The Ultimate Morning Routine

I always believed that in able to lose inches, cardio was my only option.

Well, I've been learning a lot from reading the textbook for aerobics, and they recommended simple work outs in the morning or at night.

I started one of them and fell in love with not only how I felt, but with the outcome. It only takes about 15-20 minutes, if that, depending on how fast you do them. I have been doing them at nights before I go to bed, and the results actually came faster than I thought. So, go ahead and right them down, stick it to your mirror, and try the workout at least once a day! I promise you, you will feel a difference and see results.

If you don't believe me, there is a testimonial at the bottom of someone who tried it, and got results:)

Good Luck!!

Ultimate Morning Routine:

30 crunches-keep your legs straight and crossed at your ankles and go up and down like your normal crunch. Make sure you can't see your elbows.

**Add 2 more crunches every day.

25 squats-make sure your toes are faced forward, and your core straight. For faster results, add 10 pound weights to each hand.

**Add 1 more squat every day.

25 lunges

**Add 1 lunge every day.

20 criss-cross crunches-bring elbow to opposite knee when you come up, therefore twisting your stomach with each cross.

**Add 2 more criss-cross' every day.

*Do that entire regimen 3 times!

Finish with 5 push-ups if your not used to push ups. If you are used to them, start with 10.

**Add 1 push every Friday.

It will be hard for the first day, but pump that music and get in the habit of doing it right when you crawl out of bed!

TESTIMONIAL:

I was doing some exercises in the morning before I went to work, but nothing structured. I did a few push ups and crunches because I was worried about the 50 year old deterioration of my body which was starting to take effect (actually, I was finding that my belly was not deteriorating, but growing!).

I told Melissa what I was doing and she recommended increasing my crunches 2 each day and she gave me some technique advice so that I was doing them properly and not hurting my back. She also recommended increasing my push ups 1X per week (on Fridays). She threw in another type of crunch that I now do in addition to the basic crunches. I gotta tell you...the additional crunch was brutal! I felt my abs burning when I was done. My wife always wondered why I was moaning and yelling so loud in the mornings.

Melissa also showed me how to do some squats, which I do 50 times a day. Well, I've been doing it now for about 2 months now and I am very happy to report that my previously protruding belly has now shrunk! I can wear my 34 pants a lot easier than I could before. I had to resort to 36" pants for a while...and it was a bummer. I actually like looking in full-body mirrors now because my shirt is flat against a flat stomach. I feel fantastic when I walk out the door to go to work in the mornings. Oh, and by the way, Melissa also gave me some nutritional advice. She recommended I take more fiber. I have begun ingesting about 30 grams per day and my pipes are cleaner than ever! Thanks!

Alan Weidner

Thanks Dad, hehe!
(but all family aside, he really has lost inches that are noticeable! I'm proud of him for sticking to it!!)

A Good Starter

Out of healthy Breakfast ideas?

So you need a good breakfast that will jump-start your day
without taking a lot of your time.

Lately I've been obsessed with your basic Egg White Mix.(that's what i call it.) And when I say mix, I mean all the vegetables you can fit in your pan.

Usually when I make the quick eggs in the morning this is what I include:
4 Egg Whites

cut up Olives
Slices of Peppers, red or green
Mushrooms
Chopped Onions
hand full of Spinach if I have some in the fridge
and Salsa to top it off.


Not much to instructions, just throw it all in there in a pan and mix together. I usually throw some pepper on there too. Extremely healthy and very good in Fiber and nutrients.


I always have energy in the day when I have this, and I feel genuinely good. If you have more veggies that you want to include, ALWAYS feel free to include them. The more veg's the better!

Did You Know?

Did you know that by nibbling on a handful of almonds rids you of a headache??

Well, it's true!

Almonds contain salicylates, the same painkillers found in aspirin, but they don't carry the risk of an upset stomach. Almonds are also high in magnesium, which reduces the muscle tension that can contribute to headaches.

And these are only a few of there incredible benefits.

(After hearing this I tried it the next time I had a headache,

and I promise you it worked!

So count me as proof of this headache solution:))

5 New Health Goals to Start RIGHT NOW!

So, like I said in the last post, it's the New Year!

Second chances. Start overs. New goals. Resolutions.

We all have them. We all want them. We all want to succeed.

The first thing to NOT DO is over load ourselves.

You know what you can do, and you know your body more than anyone.

Something that works for me is to start small, and make it a habit.

Once it's a habit, move on to the next goal.

I have come up with 5 goals that are absolutely, not only achievable, but once you get these down, you can't help but make them into habits for hopefully the rest of your life.

Here we go...

1-Get rid of everything white in your pantry and replace it with WHOLE WHEAT. Can't even begin to tell you the benefits your body will receive, and nutrients.

2-Always, always get in the habit of buying water bottles. Once you buy them, you will never be able to go without. And water is the healthiest thing you can put in your body.

3-Get rid of Butter and get rid of SALT cold turkey. Cut them off. These are the 2 things that catch up with people more than I can ever begin to describe. I promise you, your body will thank you, not just now, but 30 years from now when you don't have to go on medications to fix it.

Use substitutions. Smart Balance is the number one recommended for replacement of Butter, and Salt-well, there are already so many natural Salts in Vegetables you don't even need it. Get your mouth in the habit of tasting things, instead of becoming numb to thinking it needs more taste.

4-Make sure to never ever leave the grocery store without buying 3 kinds of FRUITS and 4 kinds of VEGETABLES.

5-and last but certainly not least.....EAT BREAKFAST EVERY DAY!!!

~and just like Jillian Michael's said herself in an interview on Jay Leno, "exersice is good, but diet and nutrition are essential for maintaining weight and losing weight."

***For some future posts, I want to hear what everyone's New Year's Goals are.

What are you working at? What are you changing? Don't be shy.

Don't keep those incredible goals all to yourself:).

Let's hear what everyone is doing and how so we can all benefit from them!

You can either email me or just leave a comment.