SELF WORKOUT IN THE PARK

Hello Ladies!!!

One of the first posts on this blog was about the SELF workout in the park in New York City. My sisters, mom, and I have been going for the past several years. It is a blast! I just purchased our tickets for this year. Check out the website for more information.

www.selfworkoutinthepark.com

This year it is Saturday May 8 in New York City, Central Park. Cost of tickets is $20. The person who purchases the tickets gets a freee year subscription to SELF magazine.

LEAN CHICKEN BITES

A healthy version of the ever so famous chicken fingers! Enjoy! (Liz)

INGREDIENTS:

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup instant oats
1/4 cup slice almonds, crushed
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut chicken into strips. Pour egg whites over chicken strips to coat.

2. In blender, combine oats, almonds, and seasonings. Place chicken strips in a large ziplock bag with oat mixture and shake.

3. Remove chicken from bag and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

SKINNY DIP FOR CHICKEN

2 tbsp each Greek yogurt, low fat Ranch dressing and hot taco sauce. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together and serve.

PROTEIN PACKED SALSA CHICKEN

Hey Ladies! Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather! Below is a very simple recipe for your slow cooker. Now you can go outside and bike ride, run, etc. and come home to a delicious healthy meal. Enjoy! (Liz)

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 oz salsa
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tbsp of taco seasoning
1 avocado, sliced

1. Place chicken breasts, salsa, beans, and taco seasoning into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours.

2. Serve with a slice of avocado.

Fitsugar

Hey Ladies!

I came across this website while reading March's issue of REAL Simple. You can find free workouts and stretching videos. The videos are available 24/7 and are already loaded to the website. In addition there is so much info on anything and everything you could think of. My favorite sections are under the Features and Health tabs. Definitely add this website to your bookmark tab... Enjoy!

Suzanne

http://www.fitsugar.com

Theme Music (March)

Ladies! Ladies!

Here is a playlist that I just made for myself, and I wanted to share it with you all. It's a banger for weight training days!! Enjoy:)

~Dena

LLYOD BANKS ft. JUELZ SANTAN -Beamer, Benz, Bentley

CHRIS BROWN ft EVA SIMONS - Pass Out

FAT JOE ft YOUNG JEEZY - Ha Ha (Slow Down Son Ya Killn em)

KANYE WEST - It Is

CHRIS BROWN-Transform Ya

RIHANNA ft CASSIDY & JAG - Rude Boy Remix

SHAWNA ft T PAIN - NAPPY BOYS

LUDACRIS, JAY-Z, SNOOP DOGG-Wanna Rock (The Kings G Remix)

OMARION ft LIL WAYNE, GUCCI MANE, Get It In (Remix)

DJ KHALED ft LUDACRIS, RICK ROSS, T-PAIN, SNOOP DOGG-All We Do Is Win

EMILIO ROJA ft STYLES P & ASHER ROTH- Bold and Arrogant

LUDACRIS ft NICKY MINAJ - My Chick Bad

LUDACRIS ft CIARA and PIT BULL How Low (Remix)

USHER- Dont Know

CHRIS BROWN-Work Wit It

USHER-Rock Band

DJ KHALED ft NAS & JOHN LEGEND-Victory

RICK ROSS ft LIL WAYNE & BIRDMAN-Veteran's Day

LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING

Hello ladies! I don't know about you but I am so looking forward to spring. The snow this winter was beautiful but now its time for it to melt so we can welcome spring. I wanted to post some photos of my sisters and I bike riding in New York City this summer. I remember it being so hot that day but the breeze on the West Side from the Hudson River was amazing! I cannot wait until we can bike ride again. I am sure that you are all looking forward to spring so we can enjoy the beautiful weather and exercise outside- Bike riding, running, swimming, hiking and all of the wonders of the beautiful warm weather! :-)

HERB AND GARLIC INFUSED OLIVE OIL

Ingredients:

I- 32 oz bottle of extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of fresh herbs (basic, bay, chives, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme
8 cloves garlic peeled
1 cup sundried tomatoes (optional)

DAY ONE:

Pour olive oil into saucepan and heat over low heat. You want the oil to be warm.
Select a variety of fresh herbs to use for your infusion. Use any combination you like. Wash and dry the herbs.
Stuff the herbs, garlic, (and sundried tomatoes) into empty bottle. Use enough to fill the bottom quarter of the bottle.
Use a funnel, pour the warm oil into the bottle over your ingredients.
Store your olive oil in the fridge (since you are using perishable ingredients such as garlic)

DAY THREE

Check on the flavor of the olive oil. Garlic can overpower the other ingredients. If its just right you can remove the garlic cloves using a strainer. Be sure to put the other ingredients back in the bottle and store oil in the fridge.

DAY SEVEN

Strain the herbs, (sundried tomatoes), and garlic out of the olive oil. Store the oil creation in a cool, dark place.
If you choose to leave the ingredients in the oil, you must keep it stored in the fridge. Use within a couple of months.

**NOTE** don't be concerned if oil appears congealed. This happens because of the cool fridge temperature. The oil will liquefy at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Partner Interval Workout

One of the greatest motivators for me is working out with a partner. I love this workout. Lynn and I just did it yesterday and burned 610 calories in 1 hour.

Warm- up on the treadmill for 10 minutes.

When you are ready to begin fit chick #1 starts on the treadmill running at a 2.0 incline at approximately 6.0 - 6.5. Fit chick #2 is doing the first set of exercises. When fit chick #2 finishes the first set she switches with fit chick #1 and jumps on the treadmill while fit chick #1 goes through the first set of exercises. The fit chicks continue to switch throughout the entire workout - no resting - you are either running or lifting. HAVE FUN!!!

Set 1:
-chest press 20 reps
-one legged lunge - one foot on bench 15 left 15 right 10 left 10 right - ewwww feel the burn - that is a total of 25 on each leg
- abs - crunch on the ball - 25 reps

Set 2:
- lay across a bench with the middle of your back supported. Holding 2 dumbells above your head then slowly lower them keeping your arms straight - do not bend - 20 reps
- abs- place your toes on a workout ball and stretch out into a push-up position - do a push-up and then bring the ball to your chest (tuck in) and then back to the starting position and repeat - 12 reps
- stand on one leg- the other is bent and raised to your belly button (balancing helps to focus on muscle area you are working) bicep curl to arnold press (raise the weights about your shoulders) 15 -10 = 25 total

Set 3:
- chest flies - 15
- hamstring curls - 25 ( get on all fours and place the weight in the crack behind your knee and lift
-abs - ball between legs - side to side - 20 reps

Set 4:
- wall squat (butt down) with bicep curl - 20 reps
-one legged (one leg down, one lifted to belly button) overhead tricep extension - 25 reps
- hanging abs - 20 reps

Set 5:
- 25 push ups - wide - incline (hands on an aerobic bench works)
- shoulder raises - side then front - 15 and 15
- abs - bicycle

TOTAL BODY BURN :) xoxo TARA

Weather Workout

After skiing and cycling this week, I just had the best workout yet - shoveling snow! Liz you would be so proud. I was sweating like a mutha!!!

Seriously, my top three workouts in the snow so far...

1. Shoveling snow (arms, shoulders, lower back, quads, hamstrings - basically full body) CAUTION: Stretch beforehand!
2. Skiing (glutes, quads, hamstrings)
3. Sled Riding (quads, abs)

I may have a new one after tomorrow's snow day!

Becca

Radical Repair Protein Shake

Found a good protein shake recipe in the Oxygen magazine. Good way to prevent muscle soreness with whey protein and antioxidants.

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
2 ripe kiwi, peeled and quartered
1 cup low fat milk
2 scoops vanilla or plain whey protein powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp honey (optional)

*Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

(Liz)

CIRCUIT #1

1. Plank row on bench with dumbbell rows (15 reps)
   

**Squat taps with medicine ball- low to high taps (30 seconds)

2. Bench push ups (15 reps)

** Side lunge taps with medicine ball (30 seconds)

3. Sumo squats on bench with leg raise (12 reps each leg)

** Side jumpover taps on bench (30 seconds)

4. Plank and rotate side to side (12 reps each side)

** leap frog on edge of bench (30 seconds)

5. Clean and jerk on bench with dumbbells (15 reps)

** jumping jacks (30 seconds)

6. Walking lunges (15 reps-both legs)

** high knees (30 seconds)

(Liz)

Last year I was in a rut with my workouts and needed a change. I decided to hire a personal trainer to help me take my workouts to a new level and challenge my body to something new. My trainer introduced me to doing circuits which included cardio and strength training. Doing the circuits helped me tremendously. The best part is you can do it all within 45-60 min. The circuits consist of 6-8 strength training exercises with 30 second cardio sprints in between each. You follow the circuit through completely. Then repeat 2 more times. There should be limited rest in between the strength training and cardio intervals. I am going to post some of these workouts for all to try. You will need some space and limited items (mat, bench, medicine ball, dumbbells, etc.) Have fun!

Note: Determine your weight for dumbbells and medicine ball. You are basically doing high reps for each exercise.

(Liz)

SELF WORKOUT IN THE PARK 2010

The last two years, my sisters and I attended the Self magazine workout in the park in New York City. It was a blast! Last year, we invited our mom, and our friends Dena, Debbie, and Brittany. This year it is being held Saturday May 8 in New York City's Central Park. If you are able to go, you definitely should!! I know we will all be there! Check out the website for more details...

http://www.selfworkoutinthepark.com/info.asp

(Liz)

WELCOME!!!!

Hello ladies! As a result of being snowed in from the Blizzard of 2010, I have decided to create a blog so we can all share our healthly lifestyle ideas (fitness, workouts, recipes, goals, success stories, etc.) I love how my group of friends are all into making healthly choices in life. Since we are all spread out in different locations, this will be a great way to share our ideas. Hope you enjoy!


"Exhale: Courage is very important. Like a muscle it is strengthened by use."-Oxygen magazine

(Liz)