walk it out

I am a big fan of easing into things. Too much abrupt change and there is the potential I will swirl into a tailspin resulting in white wine and a Real Housewives marathon. So after taking a hiatus from working out, I returned to the world of fitness through walking. Walking is highly underrated and the best part is anyone can do it. Walking is low impact (less chance for injury), simple (you’ve been doing it since you were about 2 years old), and much safer than say, base jumping, pole vaulting or any other form of exercise you were considering. Plus, the health benefits of walking just 30 minutes a day are endless. Not only have studies proven that walking is a great way to lose weight and keep it off by burning fat, it also reduces your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol , improves flexibility, lowers blood pressure, and just puts you in an overall better mood. So grab a friend, grab your dog or just grab an iPod full of podcasts and walk your body right into bikini season.

jaclyn

In case you need a little walking inspiration here is a playlist I put together for a recent walk workout.

Warm up:

Alejandro- Lady GaGa

Sweet Disposition-Temper Trap

Walk fast for 30 sec. and then a 1 min. cool down. Repeat 8-12 times

California Girls- Katy Perry ft Snoop Dogg

O.M.G- Usher ft will I am

Bulletproof- La Roux

Your Love is my Drug- Ke$ha

Break your Heart- Taio Cruz

Can’t Be Tamed- Miley Cyrus

Cool Down:

Airplanes- B.o.B

summertime lunch: lightened up chinese chicken salad

In the quest to find a new healthy, filling and delicious summertime lunch (that is also bikini body friendly), I whipped up this chinese chicken salad. A far cry from your boring turkey sandwich on wheat, this salad is super tasty and you will not even know it has been lightened up. Added bonus: this recipe calls for a good deal of napa cabbage, which has recently begun showing up in my CSA box. If you leave off the dressing and wontons until just before eating, this makes a great lunch to pack for work or school. Enjoy!

jen

Ingredients

Dressing:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad:

1 cup sliced grilled chicken breast
16 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers, shredded
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1/4 cup diagonally cut green onions

Preparation

1. For dressing, whisk together ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Set aside.
2. Grill or broil chicken until cooked, cool and slice.
3. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray, arrange shredded wontons in a single layer and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
4. In a pan, saute almonds over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, wontons, almonds, cabbage, and green onions. Toss with dressing and serve.

Makes 5, 1 cup servings. Nutrition Info: 220 calories per cup.

5 ways to cut 500 calories

Now that the weather is warming and calling for dresses and tees instead of the trusty leggings and sweater, you are probably looking to drop a few of the lb’s you put on to keep warm during the cold winter and spring months.  But if the thought of a diet makes you want to head for the hills don’t fret! You would be surprised at how easy it is to cut out unnecessary calories and get on track to losing a pound a week. One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. So to lose 1 lb a week, you would need to cut out 500 calories from you typical daily diet. Sound like a lot? Think again. Check out the 5 days worth of tips below, for simple ways to cut excess calories from your day.

jen

note: calories savings in (parentheses)

Day 1: Out to eat.

Breakfast: Rather than have 2 eggs, sub in an egg white for one of the whole eggs. (60)

Snack: Choose ½ cup of fresh fruit instead of ½ cup dried fruit. (100)

Out to Chinese: Enjoy a cup of chicken with broccoli rather than 1 cup of Orange chicken. (220) & choose 1/2 cup of steamed rice instead of 1/2 cup fried rice (100).

Day 2: The happiest of hours.

Breakfast: Cook your eggs in a non-stick cooking spray instead of 2 tsp butter. (60)

Snack: Try a Clif Kids Z Bar instead of a regular Clif Bar. (110)

Dinner: Reduce your serving of rice or pasta from 1 ½ cups to 1 cup. (100)

Happy Hour: Enjoy a glass of wine rather than a 20 oz beer (100) and skip the bar mix (120).

Day 3: Get your desert fix.

Breakfast: Sub in 2 slices Canadian bacon for 2 slices regular bacon. (80)

Snack: Order your Grande latte with non-fat milk instead of whole. (90)

Lunch & Dinner: Lose the top ½ the bun on your turkey burger (120) and ditch the cheese (110).

Dessert: Opt for ½ cup of non-fat frozen yogurt instead of ½ cup of ice cream. (80)

Day 4: Makeover your dinner.

Breakfast: Skip the bagel and opt for a Bagel Thin instead. (180)

Snack: Choose 6 oz of low-fat Greek yogurt over 6 oz of sweetened yogurt. (50)

Lunch & Dinner: Remove the skin from your chicken breast (90) & Season your steamed vegetables with lemon juice instead of butter (100).

Happy Hour: Choose diet tonic water or club soda instead regular tonic water in your V&T. (70)

Day 5: Drink your way slim.

Breakfast: Try 1 cup of light orange juice instead of 1 cup regular. (60)

Snack: Skip the extra handful of nuts and opt for a single 1 oz serving instead. (160)

Lunch & Dinner: Make your sandwich between a Sandwich Thin instead of 2 slices of regular bread. (120)

Thirst Quencher: Opt for sparkling water instead of 1 can of soda. (155)

dear bikini, it’s been a while…

Summer is rapidly approaching and along with it so is the much anticipated (and doubly dreaded) start of bikini season. Don’t get me wrong, I love lounging in the sun (with plenty of SPF) just as much as the next girl. I would just like it much more if I could post up beach/poolside in one of those fully skirted one-piece numbers without risking ridicule. Recently, while discussing the many horrors of swimsuit shopping with Jaclyn (unforgiving lighting, stifling hot dressing rooms, horizontal stripes), I tried extolling the virtues of said swimwear. While sympathetic to my plight, she was having none of it. And I hesitantly agreed that, at least for now it seemed the bikini, in its entire flaw bearing glory was here to stay.

Thankfully, after consulting with pretty much every girl we knew, we realized we were not alone in our bikini angst. Which leaves us all with only one option to make the whole experience more bearable, amp up our eating and fitness routines. So over the next four weeks let us help you get over your aversion to all things its bitsy, teeny weenie, yellow and polka dotty with our tips for getting a bikini ready body.

Don’t have a month? No problem! What better way to started than with some tricks for slimming down, without actually dropping a pound.

Water, Water, Water!

When our bodies get dehydrated, we automatically hold onto whatever fluid we take in (which leads to unnecessary puffiness). By making sure you are plenty hydrated, your body will be able to flush out excess fluid, thus beating the bloat and slimming you down. Aim for 6-8 glasses of H2O a day (more if it is really hot or you are very active).

Nix the Soda (and Beer)

Carbonated beverages like soda and beer can cause unnecessary paunchiness in the stomach region. Opt for H2O or Iced Tea on days when your will be baring your mid-drift to avoid this undesirable side effect.

Cash in the Chips

Now I know that chips and other types of processed (and sodium filled foods) are not part of your normal diet, right? But in case you were tempted to indulge, I will remind you that the excess salt added to these foods can cause serious water retention.

The Day Before

Eat 5-6 small meals consisting of fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains if you will be donning a swimsuit the next day. Avoid large meals that are high in refined carbs and fat (like spaghetti and meatballs), they can lead to water retention and leave you feeling weighed down the next day.

jen