What’s Beautiful 3.0 Challenge – Taking Fitness & Teamwork to Epic New Level

Posted on May 8, 2013 by frogifer

I am so excited to be part of a sponsored campaign for the Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful challenge — together we’re redefining the female athlete by encouraging you all to set fitness goals, reach those goals and then set your sights once unimaginable dreams with all your new found badassery.

Join me in the challenge; you know want this friendly kick in the rear to get your spring and summer fitness journey in gear. It’s easy –just go to the What’s Beautiful challenge page, set a personal goal you can accomplish starting today through the next 10 weeks and then document yourself making it all happen – the sweat, the suffering and the smiles! You’ll be in the running for awesome swag from Under Armor along with a chance end up at a yoga and relaxation retreat in Costa Rica.

If you’re not a one-woman wolf pack (really, who is?), then join or start a team once you’ve registered. The motivation, accountability and empowerment, these are all the benefits of surrounding yourself with the support of a team. I’ve started a team called “Fit, Fearless and Forty-Something” and I’ve seen other teams I might join like “Boston Bound” among others. If you don’t see a team that matches your goals, then go make one!

whats beautiful fit fearles and forty something team under armour

Teams of athletic women will . . . . motivate, inspire and keep you accountable!

My goal is to win my age group (40-49) at the Austin Fit Magazine “FitTest” this summer. That’s right; I’m setting the goal high. I competed last year with a hurt back and placed 7^th, so it’s not unrealistic – but still something to work hard towards. The day-long challenge has 10 events, ranging from a medicine ball throw to a one mile run, plus (new this year) an additional two mystery tests! I’ll update my What’s Beautiful profile page every week with the test element I’ve been working on the most.

Me and the hubby celebrating after last year’s AFM FitTest!

What is your goal going to be? If you don’t have a goal, get a goal! It could be crossing the finish line of a 5k, getting a new PR at the dead lift, or accomplishing a new skill like a back bend or butterfly stroke – or making the roller derby team! If you don’t want to go it alone, make a team goal – walking a combined 1000 miles over the 10 week challenge, logging 10 hours of group planking, or winning the summer softball league championship. I’m just throwing ideas out there!

Soooo . . will you join Under Armour’s What’s Beautiful challenge? #IWILL #WhatsBeautiful

Dinner on My Doorstep! Greek Beef & Kale Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Posted on April 19, 2013 by frogifer

Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has been in Greece. A trip back in 1996 to run the Athens Marathon and explore the area afterward brought back a rush of fond foodie memories so fresh I instinctively want to undo the top button of my jeans. Ahh, seared into my mind forever is the smell of succulent rosemary chicken roasting all day, the drama of feta cheese flambéed tableside, and the never-tiring taste of authentic Greek salads boasting the ripest, most aromatic tomatoes, peppers and olives plucked straight from the country’s sun-kissed groves and gardens.

Unfortunately, I’m not moving to the Greek countryside anytime soon and I just don’t have my act together enough to tend to my never-ending family obligations while taking care of a backyard garden. So, I decided to check out Greenling.com, a home delivery service in Texas that brings the freshest local and sustainably grown produce to my doorstep. With just a few clicks on the computer, I ordered the “Local Box” that features a signature selection of in-season fruits and veggies plucked from the fertile and chemical-free soil of area farmers. The selections change weekly, so it’s always a fun surprise (although you can always see box contents a week ahead of time to start menu planning or cancel).

This week’s local box was bountiful. I received arugula, spring lettuce mix, kale, fennel, oranges, grapefruit, baby carrots, and turnips along with a potted live thyme plant. I have absolutely no idea what to do with turnips (you could say I just fell off the truck). Thankfully, they sent along a sheet of recipe ideas to get me started.

I also ordered a few meal kits that have all the ingredients portioned, prepped and ready to go. What a lifesaver for those super-busy nights when we might be tempted to order a pizza. Last night I used the “Greek Stuffed Portabellas with Greens” kit to make a very easy, healthy and satisfying supper. Of course, if you know me, I don’t like to follow the rules when it comes to cooking and added my own creative touches (mainly beef) to this convenient meal kit. Here’s my version, you can order the kit or start from scratch; either way it’s a delicious meal that be easily kept vegetarian.

If you’d like to try Greenling.com and save 10% in the process, just follow this discount referral link.

Greek Beef & Kale Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Recipe

4 teaspoons olive oil (divided)
1/3 cup diced red onion
½ lb ground sirloin
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped kale
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 large portabella caps, stemmed and washed
Optional: bed of spring mix

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté red onions until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove onions and set aside.

In same skillet, cook ground sirloin over medium heat. Remove from heat and drain off any excess fat and liquid.

Add back in red onions. Add green onions and feta cheese to the meat; stir until combined.

Gently rub olive oil (approximately 1 teaspoon between the two) on the tops of portabella mushroom caps. Place on baking sheet, tops down.

Top mushroom caps with the beef mixture, pressing down slightly.

Bake at 400 F degrees for approximately 15 – 20 minutes, until mushrooms are softening and cheese is browning.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and add garlic, cook for one minute until fragrant.

Add chopped kale to skillet and cook over medium heat until wilted but still green, approximately 5 minutes. Stir frequently. To speed the process, add a tablespoon or two of water and cover skillet with a lid.

Remove mushrooms from oven and top with sautéed kale. Add parmesan cheese over this and return to oven for 5 minutes, until browned.

Heart Disease Doesn’t Discriminate Discovers Marathon Runner, Young Mom & Cardiac Nurse

Posted on February 28, 2013 by frogifer

Yesterday, I was honored to attend the American Heart Association’s “Go Red” for Women Initiative. This eye-opening event was aimed at educating women about heart disease and empowering them to lead healthier lives. Even though I already knew the statistics, the luncheon was a good reminder that cardiovascular disease is the single leading cause of death among American women. This insidious and often silent disease claims about one life every minute – this is a bigger toll that all cancers combined.

Me and friend Hollie learning lots at “Go Red”

Texas Beef Council Ladies who Lunch!

Just like last year, the “survivor” speaker was a vibrant woman in her early thirties, the model of perfect health at first glance. She could have been your sister, daughter or best friend. This particular speaker had never (until her first episode) experienced any symptoms that she could specifically pinpoint to the disease. Heck, she had run a marathon and was a practicing nurse with a cardiovascular specialty. Even with her professional savvy, she wanted to brush off the initial cardiac event experienced while in the hospital delivering her second child. She was young, she was fit; she couldn’t possibly have heart disease. But she did. Today, thankfully because of her intuition and quick action to pursue a follow-up doctor’s appointment right away, this young mom is receiving the treatment needed to live her life to the fullest and enjoy her young boys.

So if a marathon runner can have heart disease, isn’t everyone at risk? Speaking for myself, I’m just going to assume I am at risk and modify my behaviors proactively. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes are all major risk factors for having a heart attack. Being overweight and inactive also increases your odds and, unfortunately, so does your family history and the genes you were born with. However, the good news is that you can improve your heart health and lower your risk as much as 80 percent with lifestyle changes. These heart-healthy lifestyle changes include clean eating (for example reducing bad fats, lowering sodium intake, and eating fruits and vegetables), exercising more, getting regular check-ups and understanding your genetic predisposition, and saying “no” to cigarettes and avoiding second-hand smoke.

So, if the unimaginable ever happened, how would you know if you (or a loved one) was having a heart attack? It’s not just clutching your heart and falling to the floor, like in the movies. Sweating, pressure, nausea and jaw pain are all symptoms of a heart attack in women. They are also symptoms that we women often dismiss as the flu, stress or simply feeling under the weather – being unaware could put your life in jeopardy. Learn more about the symptoms and signs of a heart attack. Women who consider themselves healthy often misdiagnose the symptoms of a heart attack because they don’t think it could happen to them. The take away message here is not “beware” but “be aware”!

A shout out to my favorite peeps at The Texas Beef Council with whom I enjoyed sharing a table and breaking bread. Actually, since everyone at our table passed on the bread basket (many Paleo devotees), I should rephrase “breaking bread” to “slicing steak.” Yes, that’s right; as one of the sponsors of the event, TBC treated all of the attendees to a delicious Flat Iron Steak in Pepper Sauce on a Scallion Potato Pancake. The entrée was a flavorful reminder that incorporating beef into your diet can actually be a good thing! Most people don’t realize that there are 29 cuts of beef that are considered lean, meaning they fall under 200 calories and 10g of fat for a standard 3-ounce serving. Check out the chart of lean beef and start planning dinner tonight!

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Also, did you know that eating lean beef can improve blood cholesterol levels? A 3-ounce serving of lean beef is composed of 50% monounsaturated fats, the same heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Another 20% of the fats in that same 3-ounce serving come from stearic acid, a fatty acid shown to have a neutral response on blood cholesterol. In addition, a study published in the Archives of Medicine found that lean beef is just as effective as skinless chicken and fish at lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Now that’s news I can use!

Sweet endings for the chocolate lovers, a low-fat dark chocolate mousse with berries followed.

So, what have you done to reduce your risk of heart disease? Do you have a favorite heart-healthy recipe, I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

Beef for Breakfast – “Top of the Sirloin” Sweet Potato-Steak-Egg Bake!

Posted on January 23, 2013 by frogifer

I’m excited to say that this delicious recipe of mine, ‘Top O’ the Sirloin’ Morning Sweet Potato-Steak-Egg Bake, is featured as a guest post on Beef Loving Texans. I love this site, it’s packed with cooking tips and creative recipes straight from the kitchens of carnivores right here in the great steak, err, I mean state, of Texas. We’re friendly in here in Texas and like to share, so everyone’s welcome to click on over and surf around for a spell.

I’ll also be presenting this healthy breakfast recipe along other options for lunch and dinner, like the Mojo Beef Kabobs, at the Live Well 2013 event this Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it; It’s going to be a really fun way to share my love of healthy eating and grilling with a big group of folks interested in reaching their health and wellness goals.

My Top Five Gym Bag & Purse Snacks

Posted on January 22, 2013 by frogifer

I don’t leave home without them. No, I’m not talking about my American Express and other credit cards; those are already mainstays in this mama’s purse. But, perhaps more import than having funds on hand for a quick trip to load up at the market or splurge at my favorite running shoe store is keeping a reserve of healthy food rations at my fingertips. Having these nutrition options on-hand when hunger strikes keeps me from grabbing a pack of M&Ms from the vending machine or skipping out on essential post-workout refueling. Oh, and I never forget to hydrate by keeping a bottle of water in my purse too!

Jerky: Packed with protein and trimmed of fat, dried-meat jerkies will keep forever, even if they fall all the way to the bottom of my bag and don’t get discovered until months later! Give or take a little by brand and the type of meat, most jerkies have less than 100 calories per ounce and as much as 13 grams of protein. A favorite brand I’ve recently discovered is Simply Snakin’; it’s made with all-natural ingredients with no preservatives and has been combined with many wholesome fruits and spices to create crazy-delicious flavor profiles. Two of my favorites are Teriyaki Beef Sirloin with Blueberries and Cranberries and Chicken Breast with Black Bean Salsa. Because this brand incorporates fruit into their recipes, the overall calorie and protein grams are lower (about 60 calories and 5g protein) which means I don’t feel guilty about having two at a time!

Fruit Leathers & Dried Fruit: I’m not talking about the jacked-up sugar and fake-colored roll-ups that are marketed to kids on the cereal and granola-bar aisle. Those are nasty and not good for anyone. I like the products from Sun-Rype, they offer a range of 100-perecent fruit snacks with no artificial anything and lots of natural satisfaction for my sweet tooth. For example, the company’s Fruit Source Bars contain two whole servings of fruit, no fat and just 120 calories. Dried fruit (with no sugar added, you have to read the label for that – ahem, Craisins) also makes a great purse snack. Raisins, dried apricots and dried figs, yum! The only caveat is that you have to pre-pack most dried fruit in little individual zip-top bags.

Nuts: Nuts are one of nature’s best snacks; they are high in protein and provide a lot of essential nutrients and healthy fats. That being said, you don’t want to overdo it on nuts because they are higher in calorie, fat and sodium levels (if salted). Keep perfectly portioned by filling up snack-sized bags with ¼ cup of nuts (like almonds, cashews, walnuts or what have you) and stash in your purse for enjoyment later.

Fresh Produce: If I know I will be eating my purse snack by the end of the day, I’ll slip in an apple, baggie of mini carrots or sugar snap peas. You just can’t beat getting your nutrients and fiber straight from the source without a middle man. Many stores now stock individual-sized cups of nut butters, hummus, and low-fat dips that make excellent on-the-go accompaniments to fresh produce. Use a small Tupperware with ice-pack insert if your purse or gym bag will be sitting out for more than a couple hours.

Protein Bars: I admit it; I’m a protein bar junkie and have probably sampled every make and model out there! Some have a funky texture and aftertaste and others have a surprisingly large amount of sugar. Even so, the higher-sugar protein bars are better than a real candy bar in the fact they do at least pack some protein and other added nutrients. But, if you take the time to research what you put into your mouth and experiment with the texture format you like best (like rice crunchy, nougat-based, nutty), you’ll find lots protein-bar options that are great to store in your purse of gym bag. My current favorites are Think Thin Chocolate Fudge (no sugar added at all and 20g protein) and Muscle Milk Lean Protein Bar Chocolate Peanut Carmel (15 grams protein).

What is your favorite purse snack? Share your ideas in the comment section!

TRX Suspension Training, Some Favorite Ab & Upper Body Exercises (Video)

Posted on January 18, 2013 by frogifer

Sure had some fun in the gym today with suspension exercises and I want to show you some of my favorites. Even if you think you have a strong core and decent upper body strength, these babies are going to have you screaming “uncle.” And, yes I am talking about myself; I’m always sore the day after doing this routine. Who knew these innocent-looking, dangling straps could be so vicious? But, the core and upper-body strengthening result is great!

This concept of exercise comes from the Navy SEALs; we all know what tough dudes they are! Suspension training uses your body weight (and gravity) to develop strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously. One of the popular brands out there is the TRX Training; it’s what I have at my gym. Check out the video and then read on below to get the details on all these TRX tricks.

TRX Handstand Push-up

Stand with your back to the TRX straps that have been adjusted with the grips at around waist height. While standing, bend leg and slip foot through grip loop; bend forward at waist and balance with arms straight and hands on the ground. Next, lift unrestrained leg and slip it through the other loop (or you can keep it free if you feel confident). Now, with body weight on your shoulders and arms, walk hands backward until you ideally have feet and core straight over arms. Keeping core engaged, press downward and then up into a handstand push-up. For security, you can add a cushion under your head.

TRX Pike Crunch

Adjust straps so that they are hanging about a 12” to 18” above the floor. With feet in the straps, get in the push-up position with abs lower back flat, and hands straight under shoulders. Engaging abs, pull your body upward thinking of bringing your feet toward your armpits, without bending your knees. Aim to get your core and rear aligned over your shoulders. With full control, lower body to starting position and repeat. Great for lower and upper abs.

TRX Pendulum Crunch (with knee tuck)

Place feet in the TRX straps (12” to 18” off ground) and assume the push-up position. With knees extended, back flat and torso erect, swing legs to one side while rotating from the hip. Halfway through swing, tuck knees as you move towards your shoulder. Keeping control, un-tuck as you move to the start position and repeat on the other side. This move is great for abs, especially obliques, and hip flexors.

Thanks to EC3D Sports for the cute compression outfit.