work/work out balance

I recently started a new job and have found it extremely hard to find time to fit in a work out, two weeks without working out and I feel such a difference! I tried waking up early and working out on the elliptical...it worked about once a week. I tried going after work and as soon as I sat down I was out of luck. I knew I needed a new strategy, especially if I want to fit into my work clothes. After some trial and error and a little tightness in my skirt I made a plan, and it has been working. Instead of going home to change for work I started bring my gym clothes with me. On the way home from work I eat a Kashi bar and am given enough fuel for a good 1.5 hour work out. I come home and although I am tiers I am very very happy and feel so accomplished.

great summer snack

My friend Lauren introduced me to the yummy summer recipe. Peel and cut up a cucumber into slices, soak it in white vinegar and a little bit of sugar and done! It is yummy and refreshing basically instant pickles. NOM NOM NOM.

Cottage Cheese- how I missed you

This is dedicated to John Tang- I hope I can inspire you

A lot of people think Cottage Cheese is gross, and to that I say you have not found your perfect cottage cheese. If you like yogurt you should like cottage cheese. I too was initially scared off a bit by the chunky texture but then I discovered Friendship cottage cheese which is not chunky at all but actually whipped and it has become one of my favorite snacks.

Health Benefits:
Nutrition wise cottage cheese is low in calories and fat and high in protein! Because it is high in protein it makes you feel fuller longer. Because a great snack or way to start off the day :)

How to eat it:
I personally like my cottage cheese with honey, it is also great to add in some raisins/craisins, almonds or even fresh fruit. You can also just add some jam. I also have grown to like the chunkier cottage cheese with chives and onion or pineapple.

I hope you give it a try :)

Lentils-the superfood!

Lentils- the Superfood


Lentils are a greatly under-consumed and valued food at least in my diet and those of my friends. After reading in a health magazine that lentils are a great tummy flattening food I decided to do some research, and this is what I found:

Lentils
-easy to prepare and cheap
-good source of cholesterol lowering fiber
-Low in calories but really fill you up ( 230 calories, .4 grams of fat and 0 cholesterol for a cup of cooked lentils)
-lots of protein!
-greatly reduces risk of heart disease
-good source of calcium, vitamin B and Iron

Basically a super food. Since I did my research I have been trying to incorporate lentils into my daily diet, and it is really easy to do so. You can simply cook lentils themselves and eat them as a soup, throw them into a salad or eat them as a side dish. Usually I feel like I need meat in my meal to feel fully satisfied, but when I eat lentils I get them same feeling of fullness.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

THe magic of Spinning

Since joining the gym in Spain I have gone way out of my comfort zone, aka trying things like step ( when I have zero coordination) and even scarier Spinning. Spinning had always seemed like the other scary very intense universe, and after being a spinner for 3 months I can pretty much say that my first impression was right, but with the addition of it is actually really fun.

Obviously the first class was terrifying, but very quickly you forget the intensity of the class and get lost in the music. Spin classes are known for having super loud popular music ( with a little bit of scary rock mixed in...)which help you to "get in the zone." When my first class was over I was drenched in sweat, and hooked. One by one my gym buddies have braved their first class and just like me become addicted; now our friends alone take up at least one row of bikes at any given class.

What you can expect:
Most classes start with some light stretching on the bike and a warm up with no resistance. The music quickly pics up so do you, as the class goes on you will vary the resistance from none to high and vary your pace of spinning. How many breaks you get depends on the teacher, in some of the classes we have a good 30 seconds between each song while other teachers don't let us stop the entire class. The teacher will instruct you to do a variety of positions from sitting to standing, as well as standing up and being vertical working your abdominal muscles. Not only does the teacher yell out instructions but throughout the class they yell for you to keep going and remind of things such as looking good in a Bikini..it actually makes you work harder. Just when you feel like you are going to pass out the music slows down and you begin the cool down, which is followed by stretching. I promise the hour will fly by and you will feel accomplished and inspired.

Benefits:
Amazing cardio
A one hour class can burn 500+ calories per class
You can control your level of resistance so if your looking for a more intense work out you can increase it or if you are just starting keep it at a low level and no one will judge you
Doesn't do as much damage to your joints as exercise like running

Green Tea!

Wherever you look there are green tea products, and for years we have heard that there are many benefits to drinking Green tea, so I decided to do a little research and create a summary about this delicious and nutricious drink :)


Health Benefits:

-These three cups can help you burn upto 100 calories daily and increaes your metabolic rate by 4%
-Can help reduce your appetite
-Great way to cut down on coffee calories
-Helps prevent fat absorbtion
-Green tea has been found to reduce many types of cancer including: breast, lung, and colon as well as prevent the creationg of LDL ( bad choloesterol) and increase HDL ( good choloesterol

How to Prepare:
-3 cups of green tea is the average you need to consume to recieve the benefits, if you really don't like the taste there are green tea extract pills that have most of the same benefits
-You should let it steep for 3-5 minutes before you drink it
-You should drink it freshley brewed to get the benefits, none of that bottled stuff
-I recommend it iced with lemon :)

Sources: Harvard Health Publications, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: http://www.colonhealth.net/weight_loss/Green_Tea_Increases_Metabolic_Weight_Loss.html

the magic of a sweatband

Although sweatbands are usually associated with basketball players or 80's work out instructors I have to admit that I bought one, and I LOVE IT. Our gym here in Spain is not too keen on AC, entonces it is very very hot in our classes and we sweat a lot. Sweating is great, you feel like you accomplished something, but having to wipe your face every 2 seconds is not only gross but annoying.

Alex and I had been talking about purchasing sweatbands for a while, half as a joke and half seriously, but last weekend at the mall we decided to take the plunge. We were going to get matching ones but decided to cool it and got differenct colors.

Conclusion of the story, yes I do look like an 80's work out instructor, my bright blue pants and off the sholder work out shirt don't help that situation, but not having to wipe sweat off my face every two seconds has been an amazing experience I would recommend to everyone.

Body Combat- My New Favorite Class

It took me a while to get the guts to try combat,probably since everytime I walked by the class there was angry rock music and lots of angry punching, but once my favorite instructor told me that you burned up to 1200 calories in an hour I decided to give it a try. Combat has quickly become my favorite gym class. It is a combination of a variety of matial arts put to music, (only the last song was scary rock the rest are technoish). After a month of doing combat I really feel a difference in my level of cario, while at first I was dying inbetween each routine, now I am dying a little less :)

Here is a video clip that gives you a little glance into the life of a combat class goer, (clearly I am not that coordinated)

really yummy snack idea/sandwhich alternative

I was just reminded of a really good snack and thought I would share. As a an alternative to a sandwhich you can make a lettuce wrap...trust me it is a lot better than it sounds!

All you have to do is get romain lettuce, laughing cow light cheese, and whatever low fat deli meat you like (I personally like it best with turkey). Spread the cheese, add the meat and tadaa! You still have a nice crunch factor from the lettuce ( which at least for me tends to be a key for satisfaction), it is delicious and very good for you.

I'm going to make it tonight and will post a picture, if anyone else gives it a try please let me know what you think :)

The Buddy System

I once read an article that said your friends can make you fat, which is true, if your friends are ordering a burger and fries, you start thinking well if they are having one I guess I can have one too...What I have recently realized is that your friends can also make you skinny! Having friends who are also fitness oriented is really inspiring, not only does it make working out more fun and even a social experience, but it also makes you watch what you eat.

Since I signed up for the gym in Jan. five of my friends have joined me and it has made working out a much better experience. If there is a class you are afraid to try because you are affraid you are way too uncoordinated and will look dumb ( STEP), bring a friend and at least you can be silly together. In addition, having a work out buddy pushes you to work out more, if your friend is going to the gym and you don't there is an automatic sense of guilt..if she is going I should go too.

In terms of eating, having healthy meals with my amigos has been a big part of my social life. Everyone brings some ingredients and we make a delicious and nutricious meal that we can be proud of ourselves for eating.

One additional fun activity to do with a buddy was recently suggested to me by my friend Alex, to send a picture of someone you want to look like to your buddy everyday. Not only does it inspire you but it is fun too.

Intro!

Operacion Verano aka getting into amazing shape for the summer (and the rest of the year as well). The last 8 months of my life have been spent as a teacher in southern Spain, amazing yes, helpful for staying in shape definitely not! With tapa bars on every corner, one euro bottles of delicious wine, my waist line has suffered, but now I am on a mission. This blog is meant for me to share my personal experiences about getting in shape, from classes at the gym, to great recipees. I hope that this information will be helpful and hopefully inspire some people to participate in operacion verano.