Two Tips For Your Summer Body
Summer Beer
Sipping On Summer
Baseball. Flip flops. Ripe, juicy melons. Just-picked veggies from the garden. Wildflowers. Blue skies. Sunshine. Sitting poolside.
These are just some of the images that come to mind.
Monday marks the longest day of the year and the official start of the summer season here in the northern hemisphere. How ’bout celebrating with a nice tall cool one? How ’bout having over 20 thirst-quenching recipes to choose from?
Meghan Telpner of Making Love In The Kitchen has hit another one out of the ballpark. You may recall my review of her Healing With Everyday Superfoods. The certified nutritionist’s latest offering, Summer Sipping, is a sweet collection of sun-kissed healthy drinks and frozen treats.
- Lemon Gelato
- Orange Sorbet
- Mocha Frappe
- Blueberry Choco Mama
- Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade
- Berry Delicious
- Summer Love Potion
- Cucumber Chiller
- Iced Basil Cooler
- Make your own nut/seed milks
- Power up with herbs
- Primer on coconut water
Happy Solstice readers! Drink smart this summer and feel great from the inside out.
Tell me how you beat the heat. What’s your favorite summer sipper?
Easy Meals For Easy Summer Days
I absolutely love to cook, but with the weather warming up the last thing I need to do is start heating up my kitchen by turning on the oven. Also, who wants to be stuck over a stove when you can be outside!?
This is the time of year when I really start relying more and more on my one-bowl meals. The beauty of these meals is that they can be based on what you have on-hand. I can get through an entire week of never having the same combination, so boredom is never a problem and these meals couldn’t be easier to prepare.
Here’s how it works.
1. Select your serving of lean protein (4 – 6 oz). Good options are cooked salmon, shrimp, white meat chicken or turkey, beans, tofu or eggs.
2. Choose your whole grain (1 cup cooked). Whole-wheat couscous, kasha, quinoa, bulger, brown rice or whole wheat pasta are great choices.
3. Add your veggies (1 – 2 cups). Go crazy; the more the better. You can use broccoli, tomato, cucumber, carrots, celery, snap peas, lettuce, radish, mushrooms and onion. Try to use a rainbow of different color vegetables for maximum antioxidant benefit.
4. Treat yourself to some extras. Fresh fruit, seeds, flaxseed, wheat germ, fresh herbs and nuts can be added, but make certain you pay attention to portions – especially when it comes to nuts and seeds which can pack on the fat.
I top my salad off with a homemade vinaigrette that typically consists a little olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes I find just a splash of good balsamic vinegar will do (depending on the ingredients) and other times I’ll make a dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Again, if you’re using olive oil, just be conscious of the nutrients and work the fat grams into your daily regime.
These one-bowl dishes are loaded with protein, whole grains carbs, anti-oxidants and healthy fats.
Would love to hear about some of the combination’s you come up with! To get you started, here’s one of my faves:
Susan’s One-Bowl Chicken Dish:4 oz grilled, skinless chicken breast
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 scallion, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach
2 raw mushrooms, sliced
6 grape tomatoes, cut in half
If you give these one-bowl meals a shot I would love to hear about the combination’s you come up with. Please share – the more ideas, the better!
Heading out of town for the rest of the week and will probably not have a chance to post again until next Monday.
In the meantime …
Train hard; stay strong.
Peace.
Susan
Here’s To Another Happy, Fit Summer!
For the past two years, to celebrate the unofficial kick-off to summer I provided Catapult Fitness Blog readers with a 4-week workout program to ensure everyone would be on their way to being ripped by July 4th!
With the holiday weekend once again upon us, I thought it appropriate to re-post that workout.
Link To Free 4-Week Bodyweight Turbulence Training Workout
After clicking on the above link, make certain to download the file as a .PDF so you have easy access to it via your own computer!
I also wanted to provide CFB readers with two additional workouts – one for beginners and one for those of you who are more advanced Turbulence Training followers:
If you are a beginner, try this:
1) Bodyweight Squat – 30 seconds
2) Kneeling Pushups – 30 seconds
3) Stability Ball Leg Curl – 30 seconds
4) Side Plank – 15 seconds per side
Rest 30 seconds and repeat 1 more time for a 5 minute total body strength circuit.
Craig Ballantyne’s 7-Exercise Sweat Circuit (Advanced):
1) Kettlebell Swings – 30 seconds
2) Pushups – 30 seconds
3) Kettlebell Snatches – 30 seconds per side
4) Jumps – 30 seconds
5) Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds (alternating sides)
6) Run at 8/10 intensity – 60 seconds
7) Plank – 60 seconds
Train hard; stay strong; enjoy the long weekend!
Peace.
Susan
Summer Activities: Time to get ‘outdoorsy’…
Introduction
The beginner's class for Bikram Yoga runs at a temperature of 105 F with a humidity of 40% in which twenty-six postures and two breathing exercises are taught to its students over a period of 90 minutes.
Bikram Chowdhury, has caused a lot of controversy over the years by enforcing copyrights for his form of yoga.
However, one interesting fact that I gleaned from reading about the man from my hometown who has arrived on the global scene after completing his studies from the acclaimed Ghosh's College of Physical Education in Calcutta is the fact that the loosening of muscles due to being in a room with a high temperature of 105 F, makes it so much easier to exercise.
For those who consider exercise a must every week, you should recognize that working out in summer is much easier as this very principle that Bikram has been using to great effect for his yoga classes comes into play because of the increase in temperatures.
Summer Activities
If there's any way to describe the summer, it is a time when everyone gets (or should get) outdoorsy. This works perfectly well for those who would like to get into shape. Much better than if someone tries to workout during winter or months when it is much colder, as the tendency of muscle sprains etc. are likely due to muscles not being loosened by the heat.
So the summer is fantastic for having fun while getting into shape, and here are a few ways by which you can do so:
1) Swimming
Not only will you stay cool but now you can burn up to 360 calories for every half an hour that you swim. If you aren't a swimmer, then trying your hand at surfing, aquaerobics, kickboarding, water skiing, shallow water walking and deep water running of which the first three are just 'cool' things to do while the next two can help you burn calories because of the resistance that water offers.
2) Rollerblading
Go skating either with your friends or solo, and lose about 500-600 calories in 30 minutes. Not only is it inexpensive but all that one needs is a safe path to travel along. And once you've taken care of both these elements, set aside some time everyday for this activity and enjoy the scenery along the way.
3) Cycling
One can lose about 380 calories for every 30 minutes spent cycling and all that one needs is a bicycle (not unless you want to steal a monocycle from the circus) and a pathway to ride on.
4) Play a Sport
There are several sports to play either solo or in a team. All you have to do is find a sport that is appropriate for your level and fitness, and you will see the calories drop.
5) Gardening
Surprisingly, gardening can help you lose 500 calories for every hour that you spend pulling out the weeds, repotting and so on and so forth.
6) Spring Cleaning
Although, this might not be the most fun thing to do, not only will you burn a lot of calories but clean the clutter at your place. You will be glad that you did so.
7) Walk
Try to walk or cycle to wherever it is you want to go. Since bikes are used only for fitness purposes, why not use it to get into shape. Walking is another way to lose those calories and one can get a pedometer to measure the amount of walking done everyday.
In Closing
Just don't stay indoors and miss out all the fun. After all, summer is not only for those with a sunny disposition. So get out there and use any or a combination of these ways by which you can stay in shape during these lovely summer months.
Other Posts You’ll Find Useful:
Can I lose 20 lbs by Summer? Q&A of The Week
Every week I answer a question or questions that are sent in to me regarding fat burning, weight loss, diet, fitness and or the Fat X Program (FX12). Today’s question was emailed in and is in regards to losing a specific amount of weight.
Hi Coach,
Summer Body Time
Summer Body Checklist Tips and Tricks
