Please Check Back

Hello All! I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Ha ha... I have been pretty busy with school lately. After tomorrow, I promise to back posting a good bit. Please continue to visit my blog!

~Edna~

A Bathing Suit's Worst Nightmare-Cellulite

Sorry guys, this post is more for the women =) . With Summer approaching fast, most of us dread putting on a bathing suit. I have realized that even women that are very thin can sometimes have an awful thing called cellulite. Women tend to have cellulite more than men because women don't have as much muscle mass in their legs. Sadly, cellulite isn't the easiest thing to rid of on your body. It's simply the result of subcutaneous fatty tissue pressing upward through the connective tissue of the dermis. More than 90% of women develop some cellulite after puberty. We all can minimize the appearance of this cottage cheese mess on our bodies with consistent exercise, avoiding processed foods, drinking lots of water to eliminate toxins, and also reducing salt intake. Also, the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest, and the more subcutaneous fat you'll use as fuel. Isn't it great news to hear we CAN minimize the appearance of this nasty stuff that makes us look lumpy. Click on this link to watch a great workout to help tighten up your butt and legs to create more lean muscle mass on your bottom side! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0N9hBu5FIM&feature=player_embedded#at=47

Fear Lifting Weights?

Here is an article I came across from Women's Health Magazine called "Lose Your Fear of Lifting":http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/WH/lose-your-fear-of-lifting . There's great information at this website even if you already lift weights. This article list all of the reason's one should hit up the weight room at the gym, even if you aren't wanting to bulk up. We all want some Kelly Ripa arms rights? Look at this website! You'll be glad you did.

Tosca Reno-An Inspiration

I can honestly say that I have never read a health book that has inspired me to be a healthy person more than Tosca Reno's book, The Eat Clean Diet. I first learned about her when my Mom picked up an issue of a women's fitness magazine called Oxygen. Tosca was featured in the magazine and she explained how she's been overweight almost all of her life. Her husband even said that her butt had no shape and was flat... ha! After getting tired of feeling awful and being overweight, Tosca started eating the clean way. I wanna make this very clear... her books are NOT about a diet, but a way of eating that anyone can do forever. With her simple eating clean techniques, one can feel great and lose weight. She also gives many tips about exercising and working out. Tosca has written many books, but the ones that I recommend are:

1. The Eat Clean Diet-Recharged

2. Your Best Body Now

3. The Eat Clean Diet Stripped

4. The Eat Clean Diet for Men

The Eat Clean Diet Recharged is the one I'd get first if you are wanting to learn about how to live the eating clean lifestyle. This book is great for the beginners and also for people who want to know the basics of what Tosca teaches. I would recommend Your Best Body Now for individuals who are 30 years old and up. This book is focused on men and women wanting to look great at any age. Her most recent book, ECD Stripped is for people who want to lose their last 10 pounds. Lastly, the ECD for Men is written by Tosca and her husband that focuses on the eating clean lifestyle made for men's body types. Pick up your issue today! I promise these books will not let you down... All of them are FULL of so much information that will inspire anyone who reads them.

Juke Joints, The Blues, and a 5K or 8K Run

Interested in running a 5k (3.1 miles) or an 8k (4.97 miles)? My hometown, Clarksdale, will be having an annual blues festival the third weekend in April. Juke Joint Festival is a fun time to relax and walk around with your friends in downtown Clarksdale while listening to bands on street corners play blues music. One thing that I look forward to the most during the weekend of events is the run. I plan to do the 8k and many of my friends from Mississippi State are coming to run this race as well. After running in races, I find myself more motivated to run because I surround myself with other fit individuals. I encourage you to come join us in the Juke Joint Run! Copy and paste this link in your browser for more details and if you want to sign up for the run http://www.jukejointfestival.com/5k_form.pdf . This race is a great new goal to work towards during the next few weeks. A list of all the events that will take place during the weekend can be found here http://www.jukejointfestival.com/fest_events.php . Hope to see you there!

Muscle Makeover

Many people have told me they are intimidated to do weight training. For those of you who already lift weights, sometimes it's hard to know what muscle groups to work together on certain days or how often you should lift weights. To create best results for a muscle makeover, train three body parts in at least 30 minutes. Follow this simple plan below taking on two days of training and one day of rest. I can guarantee noticeable results if you use the plan below four to five times a week!

I will post some nifty workout moves soon to help make your workouts fun and effective! Have questions for me? Comment! I fixed the comment box below. Sorry if you tried to comment before today and it wouldn't work. Hope this helps you have a better workout schedule with weights to get your perfect muscle makeover.

Enjoy!

Day 1: Calves, shoulders, upper back and abdominals.

Day 2: Biceps and triceps

Day 3: Rest Day

Day 4: Back and chest

Day 5: Glutes, abs and shoulders

Day 6: Rest day

Day 7: Upper and lower legs plus bonus round of glutes or abs

Post Workout Snack

Happy Friday Everyone! Today I'm going to share a sweet treat that I've made before that's a delicious and healthy snack. I found this recipe in a women's fitness magazine called Oxygen a few months back. If any of you are like me, I have a sweet tooth but have a hard time finding sweet and filling snacks that have any nutritional value. Hope some of you try to make this recipe!

1. Lean Cereal Bars- $1.05 per serving.

-Nutrition-

Cereal has been shown to be a great for fat loss and protein synthesis after exercise. These bars maximize both goals. Generic puffed cereal elicits weight loss by filling your tummy with air; whey protein powder satiates and adds muscle-building power; natural peanut butter supplies boron-a trace mineral that boosts the immune system: and flaxseeds and cranberries provide anti-inflammatory compounds.

BEST EATEN: POST WORKOUT

Ready in 30 minutes

2 cups puffed wheat

1/4 cup ground almonds or walnuts

2 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 cup vanilla whey protein power ( I used vanilla soy protein power when i made it so that's fine too)

1/3 cup dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, or raisins)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp natural peanut butter

1. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a pot, combine syrup and coconut oil. Heat to a simmer. Add vanilla extract and peanut butter and remove from heat. Stir with a fork to blend ingredients.

3. Add liquid mixture to cereal mixture and mix with a spoon.

4. Press evenly into an oiled 8-by 8-inch pan. Let cool in the refrigerator until solid. Cut into 8 squares. Wrap individually and keep frozen for best results.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 200, Total Fats: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 2 mg, Total Carbs: 19 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 14 g, Protein: 15 g, Iron: 2 mg.

Hope you enjoy! Comment below by pushing the word "comment" to let me know who made these cereal bars or plan on making them. I would love to hear your feedback.

~Edna~