40 Fun Ways to Burn 100 Calories + #SpecialKSnackBars

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

As soon as the holidays wind down, I know we’ll all be looking for ways to snack healthier – no more gingerbread, egg nog, sugar cookies or candy canes until next year. However, I personally hate to feel deprived — I want to munch on something that tastes indulgent but doesn’t negate the benefits of my workout for the day. That’s why I was excited to find out about Kellogg’s new product coming to a supermarket near you in January 2014 — Special K Snack Bars.

These convenient snack bars are the ideal pairing of taste and nutrition that provide a satisfyingly scrumptious snack any time of the day — after a workout, a mid-morning break, or to sooth the afternoon “hangries.” There are four delicious flavors – Berry Medley, Blueberry Bliss, Salted Caramel Chocolate and Salted Pretzel Chocolate – and each only has 100 calories per bar. It’s amazing how decadent and delicious these bars taste for a mere 100 calories. The product size is just right too – not too big as to ruin your appetite for a full meal later, but so small that your tummy is still growling. After much taste-testing, I think my favorite flavor is the Salted Pretzel Chocolate, but they are all yummy!

Visit www.specialk.com for more information on the new Special K® Chewy Snack Bars, available January 2015 at grocery and mass retail stores nationwide. You can also find out more by joining the chatter on Kellogg’s Facebook (SpecialKUS) and Twitter (@SpecialKUS).

Now, if you want to add a little extra exercise to your day, I’ve rounded up 40 activities that burn 100 calories in 30 minutes or less. The calculations are based on a 150 pound person. Have fun, get moving!

Fitness Fun: 10 – 12 minutes of cartwheeling and handstand practice burns 100 calories!

40 Ways to Burn 100 Calories in 30 Minutes or Less

6 minutes running up stairs
6 minutes burpees
7 minutes high intensity spin
8 minutes rock wall climbing
9 minutes competitive soccer
9 minutes moderate jump rope
9 minutes running (~1 mile)
10 minutes box jumping
10 minutes cartwheeling
10 minutes downhill skiing
10 minutes pushups
11 minutes walking up stairs
11 minutes water jogging
12 minutes handstand walking
12 minutes non-stop sit ups
12 minutes farmer’s walk
13 minutes flag football
13 minutes row machine
13 minute barbell bench press
14 minutes skate boarding
15 minutes water skiing
15 minutes hiking
15 minutes moderate biking
15 minutes moderate swimming
15 minutes furniture rearranging
16 minutes ballroom dancing
17 minutes push ups
18 minutes garden work
20 minutes of yoga
20 minutes casual walking
20 minutes paddle boarding
20 minutes hula hooping
20 minutes vacuuming
22 minutes drum playing
23 minutes raking leaves
25 minutes trampoline jumping
28 minutes weight lifting
29 minutes pecan picking
29 minutes bowling
30 minutes mini golfing

So, what is your favorite on this list?

What flavor of #SpecialKSnackBars appeals to you most?

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Special K Snack Bars.

Sweaty with Chance of Meatball (& Wilted Greens) Stew + Tabata WOD

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Yes, I realize that I’m opening every blog post this month with “it’s still hot in Austin.” Even as a huge fan of warm weather, I’m starting to get sick of it too. So, what do I do? I make soup and stew! Nothing like slurping up a piping hot bowl of my Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew after a run in near 90 degrees or a no air-conditioning CrossFit WOD. I’m not being snarky, I’m being serious – I’m not going to let Mother Nature infringe on the length of my soup season. And, good news, the weathermen are predicting a cold front . . . . we’ll be dipping down into the upper 70s for the high this weekend. HA!

Looking forward to Austin’s upcoming “cold front” !!

While my Chipotle Squash & Chickpea Soup is always yummy, the soup in my pot this week is a delicious, easy and super healthy Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew that I first created for Litehouse Foods. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever winter greens you have on hand like spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens or Swiss chard – use a mixture, that’s even better. It’s always sad to say my temporary goodbyes to vine-ripe tomatoes and zucchini as the sun fades out on summer, but the farmer’s market will be brimming with all of these vitamin-packed, nutritious winter greens. According to the USDA, dark leafy vegetables are plentiful in potassium, manganese and iron. Not to mention, they are all a good source for vitamins A, C, K and E as well as calcium, folic acid and fiber. So eat up!

Wilted Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Soup Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped carrot
8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
6 cups beef broth
1 15-oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Garlic (or fresh chopped)
1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Parsley(or fresh chopped)
1 tablespoons Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Chives (or fresh chopped)
1 ½ teaspoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Thyme (or fresh chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Parmesan rind (dry end from wedge optional)
8 cups of coarsely chopped mixed winter greens (spinach kale collards chard)
24 pre-cooked “mini” or “party size” lean beef meatballs
Garnish: shaved Parmesan cheese if desired

In 6-quart Dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and mushroom and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened and lightly caramelized.
Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add beans, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, pepper, and parmesan rind. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add one half of mixed winter greens to pot; stir for 2 to 3 minutes to allow leaves to “wilt” down thus providing room for remaining greens. Add remaining greens and continue to stir and cook down for approximately 2 minutes.
Cover pot with lid and keep heat on low. Reheat meatballs according to manufacturer’s instructions in microwave or oven. When reheated, drain on paper towels, if needed, and add to stew. Use a spoon to remove any remnant of the parmesan rind.
To serve, ladle among four bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese if desired.
Serves 4

Please visit the Living Litehouse blog for lots more yummy and convenient recipes that will work with your healthy lifestyle.

To help you work up a sweat, I’ve got a Tabata workout that will definitely make you earn that piece of cornbread with your soup. If you’re not familiar with the Tabata concept, it’s basically 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest and then repeat, repeat, repeat for four minutes. Tabata workouts are meant to increase the capacity of both your aerobic and anaerobic systems – do a couple per week and you’ll be a machine! However (disclaimer), my Tabata workout kicks it up from 4 minutes to 15 minutes – I must really like to suffer. If it’s too much for you, please stop and catch your breath with extra rest in between exercises.

Tabata #WOD + Recovery Wilted Greens & Meatball Stew #Recipe #EAT #Fitfluential

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So, would you rather drink a smoothie on a cold day or have soup on a hot day? What is your favorite soup?

Fit Family | Workouts & Getting Saturday Strong On!

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Flexing as we leave the gym (okay, the boys took a shower and I didn’t — something’s wrong here)!

School’s out and that means I’ve got my kids back into the gym routine – on Saturdays, the whole family heads up to the gym to exercise, stay fit and have some family bonding time. Then it’s out to lunch, but we earned it! This is the third summer that we’ve been able to take the kids with us to the gym (they are now 11, 14 and 17) and I it’s cool to see how much more confident they’ve become in the setting. No longer intimidated by the equipment, my guys know what to do and enjoy the challenge (okay, they do sometimes complain). My husband and I keep adding new skills to their base and teach them how to perform every move safely – oh, and also proper gym etiquette!

Our gym has all sorts of equipment – my family’s favorite may just be the gymnastic rings. At first the kids were drawn to the rings because they could swing around like monkeys circus stars, but now they know quite a few moves that engage the upper body and / or core – pull ups (the youngest can knock out 8), dips, rows, toes-to-rings and fun tricks like “Skin the Cat.” If you like working out on the rings, this “Ring of Fire” workout I made for CorePower.com will have you burning in a hurts-so-good way. Guys, if the WOD is too easy (ha!) put on a weight vest!

Look at all the goodies in my Summer POPSUGAR Must Have Box!

In addition to a good workout, I love good mail days – those days when the box is filled up with NO bills, my favorite magazines, event invitations, paychecks and new samples to try. This should be the only kind of mail allowed! What an unexpected treat to find a POPSUGAR Must Have Box waiting for me at the door yesterday. With the holding-breath kind of anticipation, I opened the package to find my surprise treats – a new novel (perfect for beach reading), citrus body lotion, a beautiful and light beach towel that doubles as a wrap, lemon wet wipes (refreshing!), fancy hair ties (that make really neat bracelets), Hawaiian bbq potato chips (take me away!) and a $15 gift card to an online site peddling geek gadgetry (my boys are fighting over this).

All items in a POPSUGAR Must Have Box are typically themed (mine was the Summer Box) and include items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness and food that have been hand-selected by editors in the know. If you are interested in, you can save $10 on a 3 month subscription by using the code JUNESELECT10 at checkout (ends June 30, 2014).

POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Kebabs at the Lake & Obstacle Course WOD

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Ready to make 200+ Beef Kebabs!

Wow, I had a busy weekend – how about you?! Friday and Saturday were spent shopping, prepping and putting on a cooking demonstration for a fundraiser ultimately benefiting the Flatwater Foundation, an important organization providing families with access to mental health support while dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

The final event takes place on June 9th, when a group of stand-up paddlers will complete a 21-mile course during an all-day event called “Tyler’s Dam that Cancer” – every SUP-er raises funds as part of their participation, so I was so happy to help friends with this event so close to their hearts. I’m hoping next year I can join them out on the lake!

Thankful for my hunky hubby who did all the hard work!

The friend who hosted this party had such an awesome backyard on the lake, it was a little hard to keep my mind on the “lean beef is good for you” message I was giving on behalf of the Texas Beef Council with all the boats and beverages floating around! Usually, I just do the “show and tell,” while a grill-master experienced in feeding a crowd does the heavy cooking – however this time, everyone was booked and it was just me! Wow, putting together over 200 kebabs is a lot harder than I thought and thank goodness I recruited my husband to do all the grilling while I entertained the crowd with my fit foodie antics.

The recipe chosen for this evening is one of my favorites for the grill – Mojo Beef Kebabs. Check it out, I even have a video.

Sunday was busy getting the kids ready for a week of end-of-school events – concerts, finals, SATs, field trips and more. Amazingly I did find a bit of time to experiment on another grilling recipe I’ve developed for Hamilton Beach and their really cool Searing Grill. I can’t divulge the recipe now, but stay tuned. The post will run in mid-June and I will also be giving away one of the grills – whoohooo!

All this running around makes me feel like I’m navigating a never-ending obstacle course, I’m sure you’ve felt like this too?! So, to stay in shape for all of life’s crazy ups and downs and detours, try this Obstacle Course Workout I created for Core Power.

You know I love my Core Power – it is such a convenient way to take in quality protein after a hard workout at the gym. You don’t want to waste that 30 minute window to refuel with protein and carbs to help muscles recover. Check out the Summer Sale – when you take advantage of Subscribe & Save for home delivery, you’ll get $5 off your favorite @CorePower shakes http://bit.ly/CPSaleAmazon.

Answer me this – What did you do this weekend? What is your favorite meat to eat on a stick? Have you ever done an obstacle race and if so, would you do another?

Black Bean, Avocado & Corn Salad + Stability Ball WOD

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

We had a busy but wonderful family weekend, so I’m going to keep it short and sweet! Saturday we celebrated my oldest son’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor – whew, he made it!

The Family — Yup, I’m a Boy mom times three!

And, Sunday, we got together with my mom (and dad) to revel in Mother’s Day. While you might think your mother is “best,” mine really takes the cake – and the corn salad! And, with that corniness out of the way, I’m excited to be sharing her family-famous Black Bean, Avocado & Corn Salad recipe. Yeah, yeah – your mom makes something like this . . . but my mom makes it better!

Black Bean, Avocado & Corn Salad Recipe

2 cups frozen sweet corn
6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 to 2 jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded
2 (15.5-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped*
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Place frozen corn on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir to coat and then spread out in single layer. Roast under broiler for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring once, until starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

In large bowl, place beans, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, quartered grape tomatoes, minced jalapeno, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro and cooled corn. Add remaining olive oil (1/4 cup), lime juice, vinegar, chile powder and cumin; stir until all ingredients are coated.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Use as a side dish, topping on salad or relish for chips and tacos. Serves 12.

*Recipe can be made ahead, even overnight. However, for best results, do not peel and chop and mix in avocado until ready to serve.

If you need a quick workout for this Monday morning, check out the Stability Ball WOD I created for CorePower.com. I often use the stability ball to make basic exercises like push-ups, crunches, and squats exponentially more challenging. Because the ball is never completely still, I have to work my muscles much harder to find the balance. If you need further instructions for each specific move above, head over to Core Power to read my blow by blow.

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