Muncher Cruncher Mix for March

I have had a bunch of people ask me for some new music suggestions to amp up their workouts! Here are a few of my favorites for the month…

  • Glory and Gore – Lorde
  • Wings – Birdy
  • Need Your Love feat. Ray Dalton – Sol
  • Story of My Life – One Direction
  • Of the Night – Bastille
  • Towers – Little Mix
  • Drunk in Love feat. Jay-Z – Beyonce
  • Show Me feat Chris Brown – Kid Ink
  • Turn Down for What – T-Wayne
  • The Man – Alec Blacc
  • Team – Lorde
  • Valentine – Kina Grannis
  • I Lived – OneRepublic
  • Pompeii – Bastille
  • This is Gospel – Panic at the Disco
  • Can’t Remember to Forget You feat. Rihanna – Shakira
  • XO – Beyonce
  • All of Me – John Legend (cool down)

Now get moving! 🙂 xoxoxo

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Muncher Cruncher Monday Max Out Circuit

Oh Monday. Sometimes you can be rough. However, I always love a fresh start to the workout week. Sunday is always my rest day, so it feels good to get moving again. For those of you who are looking for a way to mix up the workout routine, this max out workout will do just that! Screen Shot 2014-02-24 at 1.59.11 PMWith this workout, you want to perform each exercise to failure. Remember that failure doesn’t just mean until it’s hard, it means until you can’t do another rep. By alternating plyometric exercises with some isometric  and strengthening exercises you will be getting your heart rate up, and burning a ton of calories. Time yourself and keep track of how many reps you can do of each, and then come back to it in the future to test yourself again!

  • Jump Squats: Squat down in place spring up in the air, and land down in a squat again. Repeat.
  • Pushups: These are just regular pushups. Start on your toes, drop down to your knees when you need to.
  • Plyometric lunges: These are jumping lunges, switching leg positioning in the air and landing back in a lunge.
  • Plank: This is a regular plank, holding for as long as possible.
  • Burpees: Hands on the ground, feet jump back, chest touches the ground, feet jump back in, jump up. Repeat.
  • Wall Sit: These are just like the ones you did in Jr. High. Find a wall. Flatten your back against it and slide down into a squat, so that your legs are at a ninety degree angle (or a little bit lower.) Hold that position for as long as you can.
  • Triceps Pushups: These are done in the same way as a regular pushup, but your hands and elbows are directly at your sides, making for a more narrow pushup. Start on the toes, drop to the knees.
  • Full Situps: Start lying down, hands above your head and go shoulders to shoelaces. Sit all the way up and touch your feet.

Happy Sweating!

 

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Product Review: Riceworks Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps

I am always on the lookout for healthier snack options for my clients. I have a few clients who have to follow a gluten free diet, and finding healthier snacks that fit within their dietary needs can be even more difficult. While I am not usually one that seeks after processed foods, I think there are some healthy options out there that are made from highly nutritional sources. The people from Riceworks sent me these delicious brown rice crisps to try, and they definitely won me over! IMG_7362These tasty crisps are made from all natural ingredients, contain no preservatives or artificial flavors, are low in saturated fat, and are certified gluten free.IMG_7364The two flavors that were sent to me were the Sweet Chili and Sea Salt flavors. Both kinds were delicious on their own, but I also think the Sea Salt flavor is perfect to serve with my homemade hummus, fresh homemade salsa, or guacamole.  IMG_7365I would definitely recommend these brown rice crisps to anyone! They are the perfect healthy option to add to any get together family dinner, backyard BBQ, or pool party! Thanks to the people at Riceworks for letting me snack on this deliciousness!   IMG_7366 For those of you who have more in-depth questions about this product, click HERE to visit the Riceworks website.

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The Legs are feeling it.

I have this weird love/hate relationship with leg workouts. I really like them, but for the most part they are HARD. Today’s definitely fit that description. I always know I’ve done some good lunges when my knees are black from touching the ground. Processed with VSCOcam with x1 presetI don’t think this pic even does the black knees justice. Anyways…the workout went a lil’ something like this.

  • Revolving stair circuit: 5 min warm up on level 10, 20 minutes of intervals 2 minutes on level 17, 1 minute recovery on level 12. 5-10 minute cool down.
  • Leg Press (250 lbs) 3 sets of 12 – alternating with – 12 front raises with 25 lb plate
  •  Squat to shoulder press w/40 lb bar 3 sets of 12 – alternating with 40 lb DB squats
  • 24 walking lunges with 20 lb DB’s -alternating with – dead lift upright row w/45 lb bar

My legs were feeling it at the end of this!! Hopefully yours will be too! xoxoxo

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Muncher Cruncher Weightless 20’s Workout

People are always asking me for workouts that they can do at home. Well, here is a fantastic way to get a killer full body workout without any weights at all. You can do this absolutely anywhere! Repeat the following sequence of exercise four times through, with twenty reps of each exercise. Good luck! Screen Shot 2014-02-11 at 5.21.40 PM

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Product Review: popchips

Let me just start by saying you HAVE to try these. You just have to. IMG_7112My guess is that you have seen these around. They are starting to POP up everywhere…no pun intended…kind of.  Next time you see them, you should absolutely grab a bag. Let me start by saying that I have never been a potato chips girl. Don’t get me wrong…I know there are plenty of tasty options of chips that are out there. However, for whatever reason, I’ve just never been one to buy a bag of chips to snack on. IMG_7115It isn’t because I don’t like them. It is because I know myself far too well. an open, portionless bag of chips is a bottomless pit of scary in my eyes. I am not good at determining how many chips I’ve had…or when enough is enough. SO, I just stay away. It’s better that way. However, the fabulous people over at popchips have changed my mind. What is a popchip you may ask? I certainly did. It is just that. A chip that is popped instead of fried. This is a quote straight from their site that helps give a bit more info, “popping is a way of making our naturally delicious chips. we start with the finest ingredients, add a little heat and pressure, and pop! it’s a chip. all that’s added is a flavorful blend of seasonings to create taste-bud popping flavors.”IMG_7118The nutrition stats on these tasty lil’ snacks are awesome. For 1 oz (about 23 chips) you are looking at about 120 calories, 4g of fat, 18g carbs, 1g fiber, and 2g of protein. These chips are not greasy. They are light, crispy, and full of flavor! I tried a variety of flavors from Thai Sweet Chili to Barbecue to Cheddar…just to name a few, and they were all SO good! I think the winner in my book is the Thai Sweet Chili. It is absolutely bursting with a unique flavor that I LOVE. IMG_7120 These are a great health snack option for everyone! Kids and adults alike will be in love with them. I even tried them out on my dad, who is a LOVER of chips. They passed with flying colors. In fact, I think he was surprised at how much he loved them. 😉

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Chicken Marinara Spaghetti Squash Boats

I had some awesome spaghetti squash at a restaurant called Le Grande Orange when I was in Arizona over Christmas break, and ever since then I’ve been wanting to cook some. I looked all over for a good recipe this week, and settled on my own adaptation of a recipe I found on Skinnytaste I think they turned out pretty dang awesome. IMG_7099Chicken Marinara Spaghetti Squash Boats: Serves 2

Ingredients: 1 medium spaghetti squash, 6 oz of grilled chicken, 1 cup marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

Directions: You can cook your spaghetti squash in the oven if you’d like, but I cooked mine in the microwave. To cook it in the microwave, stab it with a fork 8-10 times. Place it in a microwave safe dish for 10-12 minutes. Let it sit for 5-7 more minutes before you touch it, so it can continue steaming and cool down a bit. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, cut your chicken into bite size pieces and grill it or cook it up in a skillet with oregano and garlic powder. (I would say about 1/4-1/2 tsp of each) When your squash is down, cut it in half length-wise. Use a fork to remove seeds, and to fluff the squash into spaghetti strands. Season the squash with salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400. Put 1/4 cup of marinara over each half the squash. Put 3 oz of the cooked chicken on each squash half. Cover with 1/4 cup of marinara on each half. Cover each squash with 1/4 cup of cheese. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is brown, bubbly, and melted.

This meal was so easy, and so delicious. It is also very easy to portion, just consider 1/2 a squash for each person you are cooking for. This is a great substitution for noodles if you are trying to eat a lower amount of carbohydrates, or if you are in need of gluten-free meals! I paired it with some oven roasted broccoli, and it hit the spot!

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Product Review: KRAVE Jerky

I like to review products that I am really interested in using, and that I would encourage others to use as well. As you very well know, turkey jerky has become a staple in my pantry. I am constantly running all over the place, and protein can be difficult when you are on the go. Grilling up a piece of chicken is not always in the cards as far as time is concerned. Discovering turkey jerky helped me to find something that I could eat on the go that already prepared, and is packed with protein. Because I am so picky about meat, I have tried MANY different kinds of jerky. There are quite a few that have ingredients that I’m not a fan of or that just plain do not taste good…and then there is KRAVE Jerky. The people over at KRAVE were kind enough to send me a variety of their jerky products to review, and I’ll be honest. I’m in love.IMG_7087The variety of all natural flavors that this company offers is just plain awesome. They offer Basil Citrus and lemon Garlic turkey jerky, Black Cherry Barbecue and Grilled Sweet Teriyaki pork jerky, and Chili Lime, Garlic Chili Pepper, Sweet Chipotle, and Pineapple Orange beef jerky. Tell me those flavor combos don’t catch your attention?
IMG_7088The different flavors are as awesome as they sound. I even tried the beef and pork jerky, which I usually don’t eat, and I liked it! The Sweet Chipotle beef jerky has an awesome flavor with a bit of a kick to it. My favorite pork jerky was definitely the Teriyaki. On top of having awesome flavor, all of the jerky is REALLY tender.  IMG_7089The best part? All of these different jerky’s are made with ingredients that I recognize. They are super healthy, super delicious, and make for an awesome snack. There is even a flavor indicator on the back of the package that lets you know if the flavor you are considering is more sweet or more spicy, to allow you to choose a flavor that will suit your taste buds. IMG_7090So, of all of these awesome flavors, which was my favorite? IMG_7091Hands down, the Basil Citrus turkey jerky. It is mind blowing. I really couldn’t believe how much I loved it. It isn’t tough. It hardly tastes like a jerky at all. It is sweet and spicy all at the same time. Try it. I promise you will love it. IMG_7093Another awesome bonus? It is all gluten free. Most jerky’s aren’t. Check out their website to find their products near you. They also have some fun and delicious recipes that incorporate their tasty jerky into some awesome meals. As cheesy as it sounds, I get the name of the product. I’m going to be KRAVING this stuff for SURE. IMG_7095

 

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Healthy Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

I am always looking for new flavors to add to my quick and easy meal routine. Today’s lunch was very simple, filling, and full of flavor.Processed with VSCOcam with t1 preset Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

  • 2 cups broccoli slaw (this stuff is awesome, and is a great way to switch up your salads)
  • 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
  • 1/2 sliced mushrooms
  • 4 oz. sliced grilled chicken breast
  • 2 TBS Litehouse Thai Peanut dressing (I found this dressing at Sprouts, and it is so good!)

That’s it. Tell me this isn’t simple? The nutrition stats for this salad are pretty darn good too. 282 calories, 37.1 g of protein, 19.6 g of carbohydrates, and 7.1 g of fat.

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Muncher Cruncher Minute Max Out

When it comes to working out I KNOW that it takes time, and it requires effort. However, the pay of is one hundred percent worth it. This easy workout can be done ANYWHERE, and it will take you 25 minutes. It is a full body, circuit style workout that will have you sweating AND burning a ton of calories! Screen Shot 2014-01-21 at 10.03.53 PMIt really doesn’t get much easier than that. For the squat and press, use dumbbells. Hold them by your side while you squat, and as you stand press them up overhead in a military press. Return them back by your sides and squat again. With the reverse lunges w/bicep curls, start standing with your dumbbells by your sides. Step back with one foot and lunge. As you return to standing do a bicep curl with both arms. Repeat this action on the other leg, and continue to alternate the entire minute. Happy Sweating!

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