Laughing Cow™ Light Wedge New Year's Recipes: Petit Hors d’oeuvre Trio gets your body back in shape from the holiday season.
Creamy and Only 35 calories for each wedge !
Recipe for 1 each:
Herbed Stuffing Laughing Cow™ Light Garlic & Herb Cheese
Ingredients:
2 Shitake Mushroom-medium with 1 stem
1 tablespoon of left over herbed stuffing
½ wedge of Laughing Cow Light™ Garlic & Herb
3 asparagus tips
*1 tablespoon of chicken stock
Directions:
Remove stem from mushroom and save
Steam asparagus and mushroom in stock in microwave for 30 sec to a minute-should be firm
Use some of remaining liquid to moisten left over stuffing-stuffing should be on wet side
Place cheese on mushroom caps inner side, top with stuffing and bake for 5 minutes in
a 350’ oven. Use stem to tie asparagus bundle and place on top of stuffing
Roasted Sundbust Laughing Cow™ Light French Onion
Ingredients:
1 Sunburst Squash
1 tablespoon of left over Yukon gold mash (or any plain mash potato)
½ wedge of Laughing Cow Light™ French Onion
2” sliced of beef tenderloin (or any roasted beef, pork)
1 tablespoon of water-slightly salted
Directions:
Cut the Squash long ways in half-reserve the top
Steam squash in salted water-microwave for 40 secs
Gently scoop out center and reserve
Mix cheese, squash with mash potato and heat for 20 secs in microwave-mix well
Refill squash with Laughing Cow Light™ French Onion mash potato
Slice tenderloin and place on top of mash
Replace top of squash-optional
Tenderloin- if not using left over
Cut 2” slice, rub slice with olive oil and salt
Use cracked black pepper or mixed pepper and pepper beef
Spray pam on sauté pan-put on medium high heat
Brown meat on both sides-cook to your liking- medium rare
Crabapple Vanilla and Laughing Cow™ Light Original Swiss Crunch
1 crab apple
½ slice Laughing Cow™ Swiss cheese light wedge
1 tsp of bear naked “fit” almond crunch granola
¼ tsp of molasses
¼ tsp of agave lite
1 dash of cinnamon
Directions:
With a knife, slice line vertical down one side of apple. Do not cut all the way thru.
Place in bowl and microwave for 40 secs.- gently open apple-enough to place cheese inside and sprinkle with cinnamon. Continue microwaving for 20 secs
Mix molasses and agave together.
Top with granola and drizzle with molasses and agave.
FITNESS
Foam Roller
Foam Roller
A foam roller is a long foam cylinder used for myofascial release. Myo means muscle. Fascia is the outer layer of muscle; it provides support. So really myofascial release is a fancy way of saying self massage and stretching. Using your own body weight in different positions you roll the foam roller underneath you. This may feel uncomfortable if you are particularly tight in one area but the reward of relaxation is well worth it. The breakdown of tight fascia will cause increased mobility and blood flow and decreased tension in the area. As an added benefit holding yourself in the necessary positions to roll properly is a great way of burning some additional calories at the end of your workout while gaining strength and toning your muscles.
Foam rollers come in different densities. If you are particularly tight and new to foam rolling you may want a softer foam roller.
If one spot feels particularly painful it is called a trigger point. Try to stay here and release some tension for some extra time.
Roll slowly and only over muscle
Foam rolling can be especially useful for runners who commonly incur tight IT bands.
As always please consult your fitness and medical professional before using this equipment. Individuals with certain heart conditions may be advised to avoid this activity.
Cable Hip Abduction
Cable Hip Abduction
The cable hip abduction exercise is one of my favorites for many reasons. Number one, it works your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus – two very important butt muscles. The second reason I love this exercise is that side to side motion tends to yield results very quickly because it shocks the body. Unless you play a lot of tennis or racquetball it’s unlikely that you shuffle back and forth sideways on a daily basis. Most of the time we are walking forward using the same muscles over and over. Let’s change it up and use those side stabilization muscles that aid in a tough toned lower half.
To start stand in front of a low cable facing one side. Attach a cable cuff to the ankle furthest from the pulley. Shifting your weight onto only the foot closer to the pulley, move your cuffed ankle in front of the weighted foot and kick laterally away from you and the machine. Slowly lower. Repeat 10-20x.
If no cable is available a rubber resistance band or tubing can be used
A good thing to have checked in the balance between your hip abductors and adductors. They are very important stabilizers.
Sliding Lateral Lunge
The lateral lunge is a great exercise for the advanced individual. It utilizes some of your bodies largest muscles including the gluts which leads to a large calorie burn. In addition, since lateral movement is uncommon in day to day life, adding lateral motion to your workouts can help to overcome plateaus. The sliding lateral lunge increases the use of stabilizer muscles and hip adductor (inner thigh) muscles as you come back up. Add weight only if you can accomplish 12 repetitions on each side with great form.
Stand on a hard wood floor.
Place a towel under your left foot
Keep your weight in your right leg as you push your butt back bending your right knee (as you would in a squat) while your left leg stays straight – make sure your right knee is behind your right toes
Push back up to center pulling your left leg inward
Repeat on other side
The Heart Rate Monitor
A heart rate monitor is used during a workout to gauge intensity. Most models go beyond just noting the current heart rate. Common information includes workout time, training zone, calories burned, and percent fat burned. In my favorite model the polar F7 (http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/get_active/fitness_crosstraining/F7) at the end of the week an envelope pops up on your watch. When you click the envelope it shows you a graph of your week – how many calories were burned – how many exercise sessions you participated in – how much time you spend exercising. It keeps these weekly charts for you so you can review how this week compared to other weeks.
I have found the heart rate monitor helps to avoid the plateau effect. The idea of training is progressive overload. Once the body adapts to an imposed demand there must be an increase in demand in order to achieve additional improvements – otherwise you will stay the same. If someone using a heart rate monitor does the exact same exercise over and over without increasing the difficulty they will notice a much lower heart rate than they originally noticed. It will beep at you and tell you to get your heart rate up. This forces you to be aware of improvements and push yourself a little bit harder.
It creates a greater awareness of how hard your body is working during any activity. It is a tool I would recommend to everyone.
Abdominal Bicycle Crunch
Favorite Exercise--Abdominal Bicycle Crunch
Swimsuit season is right around the corner but you’ve still got time to get bathing suit ready. In addition to your new Reunion Diet and exercise routine you’ll want to throw in some extra core toning exercises. Unfortunately, the regular crunch isn’t going to cut it; studies have shown the crunch exercise is actually one of the least effective abdominal exercises. (http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/BestWorstAbExercises.pdf)
Instead, try the abdominal bicycle crunch which has been shown to produce the most activity in both the rectus abdominus and the obliques. To start, lye on your back with your hands behind your head. Your knees should be bent to ninety degrees and legs lifted off the ground. Tuck your chin down and twist your right elbow to your left knee, alternate so that your left elbow touches your right knee in a bicycle like motion. Repeat as many times as possible. The abdominal muscles are an endurance muscle so as you build resistance you’ll need to add time and repetitions to continue to challenge yourself. Both twisting exercises like the roman twist and isometric contraction exercises like the plank are effective core toners. The abdominal bicycle crunch combines the motions of both making it my all time favorite abdominal exercise.
The Women’s National Running Series™ is a series that was developed as a celebration of Womanhood. You know who you are: you are beautiful, strong, inspiring, and you can do anything you set your mind to do. So let us pamper you in this half marathon series which honors and celebrates WOMEN. This is a running weekend for mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, friends and the men who love them too.
Alexander Pope wrote, “She moves like a goddess and looks like a queen”. These words embody and depict the feel and spirit of the running series and each individual running event associated with the running series. The Women’s National Running Series™ will launch with the Diva's Half Marathon at Long Island and will soon add an additional 2 unique events in sophisticated and exotic locations: the Wahine Half Marathon at Honolulu and the Mujer Half Marathon in Puerto Rico.
So challenge yourself like a diva, run in this very unique event, and celebrate the power of being a woman with another 5,000 strong and beautiful ladies . After the run, receive an incredible blinged out finisher medal at the Jewelry Store in the finish line, dress up during the run at the feather boa station and the tiara stop, receive a rose from a handsome firefighter at the finish line, toast your accomplishment with champagne and dance the afternoon away at the Post Race Celebration
Runners travel from all over the world to run for a medal. Get ready to receive the most incredible medal in the industry. We have created the ultimate DIVA medal. It is shiny, it spins and it even has room to put your very own picture finishing the race. This is definitely DIVA BLING. Get ready for the unveiling on March 15.
The yoga block is an extremely versatile piece of exercise equipment. It can be used to make almost any exercise easier or harder; it all depends on what you do with it.
One of my favorite uses of the yoga block is to place it between your feet during almost any abdominal exercise. This will increase core strength while simultaneously working the inner thighs.
It can also be used to intensify the push-up (one of my favorite full body exercises). Holding a yoga block between your legs while doing a push-up will force your body into proper alignment and give your core the workout it deserves. Another way to use a yoga block, for the advanced individual, is to place the yoga block on the floor and do push-ups with one hand on the yoga block. If you are ready to progress, after each push up move to the other side so that the opposite hand is on the yoga block. Repeat. You can also try push-ups with both feet on the yoga block. To progress from this, place one foot on the yoga block and one in the air. Engage your core so that you body is still positioned in a perfectly straight line as though your foot were on another block.
The block can also be used for balance, stretching, and meditational exercises. I love the yoga block because it's not only one of the most versatile pieces of equipment, it's also both portable and inexpensive. Add a yoga block to your workout if you are looking for a solid core this month.
*The yoga block is extremely beneficial when used properly. If you are unsure of how to utilize the yoga block please seek the advice of a local professional to ensure proper alignment.
The Medicine Ball
The medicine ball is my favorite piece of exercise equipment.
This ball can be used as an added challenge for stability exercises such as doing a push up with one foot on a medicine ball. A medicine ball can be used for many great abdominal exercises such as Russian twists or throwing the ball to a partner as you both twist. Soon you can check out the website's workout section for some great interval training workouts using just you and medicine ball!
The Lunge
My all time favorite exercise is hands down the walking lunge. It's not for everyone, so seek the advice of an expert before trying on your own!
This exercise gets your heart rate up and really works all areas of the butt and legs. If done properly the core should also be engaged. The great thing about the walking lunge is how easy it is to spice it up with some added challenges. To build leg strength hold dumbbells or put a barbell over your shoulders. To work the shoulders grab some lighter dumbbells and try doing a lateral raise each time you lunge. If you are pretty advanced grab a medicine ball and twist your torso toward the direction of your front leg each time you get to the bottom of the lunge.
FASHION
Fun Rain Boot
Tunics!
A dress that can be worn as a tunic with leggings or a great dress. Accesorize it with color!
For a more reasonable version, try H&M’s Blues Campaign at: http://www.hm.com/us/#/theblues/ where you will find some amazing shirts. Add a crew neck sweater over your untucked, loosely buttoned blouse with khakis for a great new spring look.
Skinny Legging Jean
The super skinny legging jean is the best most flattering fitting legging jean on the market! Not only does it fit all body types, it makes you look super skinny, enjoy!
As the temperatures heat up, so does our grills with excited anticipation of the beginning of this years summer barbeques. Nothings better than the smell of charcoal and your favorite marinated carnage floating thru the air.
The problem is, most grilled meals are high in fat and calories. The traditional fare consisting of heavy meat, creamy pasta or potato salad, chips, soda and beer.
No worries, you don't have to miss out on the party because you have committed to a healthier lifestyle.
Bring Out the legs for Summer!
Get ready for short shorts with this fast muscle toning, fat burning, and leg shaping routine. This workout combines strength training with intervals of high intensity cardiovascular training to give you the maximum calorie burn during and after your workout.
Do this full lower body workout 2-3x/week.
Raining on Your Fshion Parade
You are all dressed an ready to go to your reunion, family gathering or any other party. You look in the mirror and you are glowing. you love your outfit, the shoes were a perfect match and all your hairs seam to be working with you today, even though it is rain day. You know once you open that door all your hairs will go frizz and array, your perfect shoes will get weathered and your cloths will get that pucker moist look to them.
