A Fit Tip: Best DVD’s for a REAL Home Workout
PIN IT!This site isn’t all about delicious food! I’ve been posting a lot of food recipes lately because I’ve been cooking a lot! However, this site isn’t just recipes, so I want to bring ya’ll something other than delicious meals to drool over!
I used to be a certified gym rat. I’d go every morning before class when I was in school. I was in fabulous shape and had more energy than I knew what to do with. [Not on finals week, of course]. However, after I graduated and immediately started a 9-5er, it became nearly impossible to work out at a gym, morning or night. It’s not that it’s impossible, I’ve tried the 5:30 am treadmill run and the 8 pm elliptical. It’s just treacherous. When I work out, I want to do it 100%, give it all I got. And, dare I say, have a little bit of fun with it. This is why I’ve decided to quit the gym, for now, and start working out at home with fun fitness DVD’s. Not all at home dvd’s can be created equal. I tried out a few and found the top 3 tapes that leave me sweating and EXTREMELY sore the next day. And yes, one of them is Jillian! The last one is a workout game for the Xbox Kinect and is a great interactive tool if you are looking for at truly personalized workout.
1. Jillian Michael’s- 6 Week 6 Pack
Where to buy: Amazon, $10
If I told you I still wasn’t sore from my stab at this early this week, I’d be lying. If I was Pinocchio, my nose would be clear into NYC. This video works you to the core. I began at Level 1, which is the beginnings mode. I thought, hey, this will be challenging but not too crazy since it’s for beginners. Um, LIES! This 30 minute workout KICKED MY ARSE. For starters, Jillian jumps right in and doesn’t rest throughout the entire video. I prefer not taking any breaks because it keeps my heart rate going and keeps my motivated, however, a few moments to stop and stand in place would have been nice! Truthfully, this is the best home work out DVD I’ve ever tried. It’s jam packed with core shaping exercises in 30 minutes, which is perfect for people who don’t have much time. You do ab exercises that work your entire abdomen, like the plank and side crunch, while also doing exercises that work your arms, glutes and legs, like the spider. The next day, I felt sore EVERYWHERE, not just my abs. If you are looking for a DVD that will work your whole body, this is one you should consider. And it’s less than $10 at Amazon. A win!
2. Dance with Julianne: Just Dance!
Where to buy: Amazon, $15
I have no skills when it comes to dancing, it’s almost embarrassing actually. My dancing skills have been compared to those of Elaine from Seinfeld. Except worse. Safe to say, I did this tape when Elliot was at his bachelor party and continue to do it when he’s not home. As horrible as I am at dancing, this was an incredibly fun workout to do. There were no overly complicated moves and Julianne is a really motivating and fun person to work out to. It’s like when you go to a dance class and you know the ex instructor was a cheerleader? Very peppy which kept me going. She also has a step by step individual dance class that teaches you the moves before you do them together with her and the group. This was perfect for me because I’m incredibly uncoordinated. Each dance combination is 12 minutes and the total duration of the tape is 45 minutes. I didn’t feel as sore as I did after Jillian’s the next day, but my abs and thighs definitely had a post workout burn!
3. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for the Xbox Kinect
Where to Buy: Amazon, $48
As I mentioned above, this is a workout game for the Xbox Kinect. If you don’t know what the Kinect is, it’s that weird little motion sensor that allows you to work out and play games without a remote! It’s like a smart little robot! Anyway, I bought this DVD for my handsome hunk for Christmas and kind of use it more than he does. He likes it but he’s more of an outdoor running type. This game is amazing and is an excellent tool for beginners to experts. It also offers a great bit of versatility so you can pick and chose what workouts you want to do. Since the game was made in partnership with Men and Women’s health, you get the same great workouts you see on the website and magazines, except now they are made for your body, weight and workout level! That way, you are getting a customized workout that works for you and your strength levels! My favorite is the Skinny Jeans workout. It’s a great mix of toning and cardio, so you are building muscle while losing weight! You can also play games that help your posture and agility! The game also tracks your calories so you can see exactly how much you are burning in any given game. Not only this, but the game tracks your progress so you can see how well you are progressing through the workouts.
Workouts are no longer just confined to the 4 walls of a gym. Get the same great results with these DVD’s and introduce fun back into your exercising!
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Oven Fried Chicken
Who doesn’t love some finger lickin’ fried chicken? The crispy skin is my favorite part. I know, gross right? The skin is the fattiest part, but I can’t help it. I just love the flavor! Well, since just one piece of regular, deep friend Southern chicken has as many calories as a meal, I had to find an alternate method to enjoy this comfort food favorite.
The answer is easy, instead of fry, bake! I know what you’re thinking, the reason fried chicken is so good is due to the fact that it’s fried. I’m here to squash that myth. Oven fried chicken, if prepared correctly, can be just as crispy and delicious, with half of the fat and calories. Don’t believe me? Need another photo?
I would have taken a photo of Elliot eating it to further prove my point, but that boy ate his serving in about 2 seconds. Literally. What makes this recipe so good is the breading. I used Panko, which is a Japanese bread crumb that results in the extra crispy exterior. You can certainly use a standard bread crumb, but you’ll get a better turnout with Panko. To keep the dinner healthy and low in calories, I paired it with goat cheese mashed cauliflower. A perfectly healthy and satisfying “picnic” dinner!
Oven Fried Chicken
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup of flavored Panko
- 5 drumsticks, defrosted
- 1/4 cup of buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
How to Make It:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Pour breadcrumbs onto a tray or a plate.
- Mix buttermilk and seasoning together.
- One by one, drench chicken in the buttermilk mixture then cover in bread crumbs. Place in a greased baking/casserole dish.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes at 400 or until chicken is cooked through.
Nutritional information per drumstick: 206 calories, 4 grams of fat, 32 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.
Sweet and Savory Sundays: Mashed Cauliflower
I’m a mashed potato addict, it’s slightly embarrassing. To make matters worse, I perfected my recipe on Valentine’s Day and they are seriously the most delicious and creamy mashed potatoes EVER. I won’t give away my secret, though, so you’ll just have to come over some night to try them for yourself 🙂 Even though my recipe is lighter than the original, it’s still something I should eat sparingly, not every weekend! To satisfy my cravings for this hearty favorite, I decided to try everyone’s recommendations, mashed cauliflower!
They are no mashed potatoes, that’s for sure, but they are absolutely delicious in their own way, especially with the tasty addition to mine! As you all know, I’m currently having a lusty, sexy and darn right ridiculous affair with goat cheese. I would like to say I got my fill on Valentine’s Day, but that would be lying. Instead of just eating a block of it, I decided to ration myself and add just a few tablespoons of this tangy dairy to the mashed cauliflower for added creaminess. I think without the addition of the cheese this dish could be extremely bland. If you’re not a goat cheese person, try adding Parmesan or cream! I added 1/2 tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper for some added seasoning! I made this on Friday for the first time and it was so tasty, I had to make it again on Sunday!
Mashed Cauliflower with Goat Cheese
What You’ll Need:
- 1 medium sized head of cauliflower
- 1/2 cup of goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons of low fat cream
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon of butter
How to Make It:
- Chop cauliflower up, including stems, and put into a microwave safe dish. Heat for 8 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
- Place cauliflower, goat cheese, cream and salt and pepper in a food processor and beat until creamy.
- Garnish with butter and additional salt and pepper and enjoy!
These are creamy and a perfect side dish to oven fried chicken, steak or chicken!
Nutritional Information per 1 cup serving: 135 calories, 8 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Sweet and Savory Sundays: Whole Wheat French Toast
Perfect way to start the day, if you ask me!
Happy Monday! I know, the title says Sunday, but, I have a good excuse. I made two fabulous sweet and savory dishes yesterday with good intentions of posting them once I got home from getting a pedicure and grabbing dinner with a bridesmaid. Well, that didn’t happen. I got home and face planted into bed. Since I have today off work, I’m going to feature both recipes plus workout DVD reviews & a new Focus, Fix and Flaunt! It’s no secret I’m a foodie, but I’m also a fitness and health nut. Alongside my recipes, I’m going to start posting nutrition tips and superfoods again! Stay tuned today for massive updates!
I woke up yesterday, like I do every Sunday, with the urge to make something wonderful. I opened my refrigerator to find 3 eggs, 5 pieces of whole wheat bread, 1 cup of milk and some random produce. Sadly, my pantry wasn’t looking much better. After a failed attempt to make pancakes (rough Saturday), I was also down to 1/2 cup of flour and 1/3 cup of regular sugar. What can one make that is sweet, delicious but still light with the ingredients at hand? Only took a second before French toast came to mind! French toast is delicious, incredibly easy and can be quite healthy, all you have to do is alter how you eat it. Instead of cooking your pieces in oil, try cooking spray. Trade your butter and full-sugar syrup for 1 tsp of powdered sugar and honey. At a mere 140 calories and 5 grams of fat, you can afford to have more than just one piece! Note: If you are a syrup lover, use a low-sugar, low-calorie variety, like Mrs. Butterworth’s sugar-free, low calorie syrup, which has only 35 calories in 1/4 a cup!
Whole Wheat French Toast
What You’ll Need:
- Light Whole Wheat bread
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup of skim or 1% milk
- Cooking spray
- 1 tsp of powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of honey OR sugar free syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make it:
- Spray skillet with cooking spray.
- Mix eggs, milk and vanilla together. Dip bread in the egg mixture and place in pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned. Take off heat, top and enjoy!
The hearty flavor of the bread compliments the sweetness of the honey/syrup and powdered sugar perfectly. A tasty and sweet breakfast treat!
Nutrition Information per Piece: 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber.
Sweet and Savory Recipes: Strawberry Cupcakes with Light Cream Cheese Frosting
Valentine’s Day is one of those holiday’s that lingers for days. If you’re like me, it’s because you still have a fridge full of leftovers from V-DAY dinner/dessert and CVS is still taunting you with 50% off all Valentine’s inspired chocolates. Well, to kick off the third day of Valentine’s [like the 12 days of Christmas, but more mass produced and commercialized], I want to show off the lil’ strawberry cuppie cakes I made on Monday. I found the recipe on Martha Stewart and did my best to lighten it up. I swapped 2% milk for whole and saved 80 calories and 3 grams of fat! I also paired it with my light cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh strawberries for a tasty and light finish! [PS, I also whipped out the new shiny Kitchen Aid mixer I got at my shower!! OMG. LOVE].
Strawberry Cupcakes with Light Cream Cheese Frosting
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup whole fresh strawberries [plus extras for garnish]
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
How to Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners.
- Place strawberries in a food processor and process until pureed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree.
- In a kitchen aid mixer, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture.
- Place in cupcake pans and bake for 22 minutes. Wait to cool then frost!
- Garnish with a fresh strawberry and enjoy!
Nutritional information per cupcake: 280 calories and 10 grams of fat.
