Megan Henrie Personal Trainer

Exercises to help with hip and back pain during pregnancy

2012-01-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

This is great if done as a circuit, but can also be done one exercise at a time. Make sure you grab a chair or stand next to a counter if you feel like you might need something to hold onto during any of the exercises.

Alternating Leg Lifts-
Start standing with feet hips width apart. Lift your right knee straight up. Lower back to the floor and repeat on the other side. Keep alternating legs for 30-60seconds.

Side Leg Lifts-
Start with feet together and lift leg straight to the side. Repeat on one side 20 times, then switch to the other leg.

Squats-
Start in the standing position with feet hips width apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor, making sure to keep your knees behind your toes. Either hold for 30-60 seconds, or do 20 repetitions.

Advanced Warrior-
Starting in standing position, with feet hip distance apart, or closer. Bend forward at the hip extending one leg back and your arms straight in front of you. Come back to standing position and repeat 15-20 times.

Donkey Kicks-
Start with knees under your hips and arms under your shoulders. Pull one knee forward flexing your abdominal muscles, then kick back flexing buttocks and low back. Repeat 20 times on both sides.

Flexing Transverse Abdominis-
Start standing or sitting, whichever is most comfortable. Relax your abdomen completely before pulling your belly button back towards your spine. Make sure to support your belly with your hands to support your muscles. You should feel a deep flex in your entire core including your transverse abdominis, obliques and abdominis recti. Make sure you keep breathing, keeping breath in your chest. Hold for as long as you can, and repeat 15-20 times.

Stretches for hip and back pain associated with pregnancy

2012-01-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Forward Bend-
Hold for 30 seconds, and roll your spine back into standing position one vertabrae at a time. Repeat as many times as you would like.

Low Lunge Stretch-
Make sure when you are in this position that your knee stays in alignment with your ankle. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Repeat on both sides as many times as you like.

Pigeon Pose-
To get into this position, lunge forward and lower your rear knee to the floor. Next, lower your front knee to the floor keeping your foot to the inside and your shin forward. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on other side. Repeat as many times as you like.

Butterfly Pose.
Sit on the ground, put your feet together in front of you and pull them into your body. Push your knees down if you are not feeling enough of a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat as many times as you like.

Cow Pose-
Start with your knees directly under your hips, and your arms directly under your shoulders. Extend your stomach towards the floor. Hold breifly, and move into the next pose.

Cat Pose-
From Cow Pose roll your spine up towards the ceiling, tightening your abdominal muscles. Hold breifly and repeat the two poses for about one minute.

Burn the FAT, not the MUSCLE!

2011-02-25T22:14:00.000-08:00

There are many things that can help you lose weight, but have you ever thought about what you’re losing? Many people don’t realize that weight is not equal to fat. Many diet and exercise fads make you lose muscle mass and water weight, as well as body fat. Let’s identify the types of things that WILL burn FAT and stop you from losing muscle mass; building muscle, cardiovascular exercise, and healthy eating habits.

Building muscle is essential for burning fat. One pound of muscle burns 60 calories a day. Imagine if you gained 5lbs of muscle, that’s 300 extra calories burned each day. That is an extra pound of fat burned about every 10 days! Some great ways to build muscle are weight lifting, bodyweight exercise (calisthenics), muscle recovery, and eating enough protein to support your gains. All of these things will help you build muscle, which in turn will help you burn body fat.

Cardiovascular exercise is also necessary for burning fat. For optimal results you want to keep your heart rate in what is called the Fat Burning Zone. The fat burning zone is 220-(your age) x (.75). For example, a 25 year old would take 220-25= 195 x .75= 146. You can have a variance of about 10bmp in either direction and still be in the zone. This means a 25 year old would want to keep their heart rate between 136bpm and 156bpm. Some ways to incorporate cardio into your workouts would be walking, running, biking, swimming, jump rope, kickboxing, high intensity interval training, along with many others. Committing to doing cardiovascular exercise and keeping your heart rate in the fat burning zone will be beneficial to anyone on a quest to burn fat and keep muscle.

Having healthy eating habits is key to building muscle, burning fat, and keeping your body healthy. Eating on a regular schedule throughout the day is very important to increase, and keep your metabolism high. Muscle is fueled by protein. Therefore you should eat enough protein to not only keep the muscle you have now, but fuel the new muscle growth. Unlike carbohydrates and fats, your body is unable to store proteins it does not utilize, so you should increase your protein intake as your muscle mass increases. Great protein sources are poultry, fish, beef, eggs, nuts, beans, and of course protein shakes. You do need more than just protein of course. Carbohydrates are a very important part of your diet. Things such as vegetables, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grains, pasta, sweet potatoes, legumes, etc are staples for many meals. Fruits are a great carbohydrate to eat as a snack between meals. You should also make sure to incorporate some healthy fats, in moderation, into your diet. Healthy fats are necessary for your brain and body to function correctly. Olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds/flax seed oil, nuts, peanut butter, and avocados are easy to add into your diet, and you can even find fish oil and flax seed oils in capsules, which makes it a no brainer way to get your healthy fats. As you can see healthy eating is a big part of building muscle and burning fat and keeping your body healthy overall.

Hopefully you gained some knowledge by reading this article, and are able to incorporate this information into your fat burning regimen.

Fitness guru Jack LaLanne, 96, dies at Calif. home

2011-01-24T01:21:00.000-08:00

Fitness guru Jack LaLanne, 96, dies at Calif. home

RIP Jack Lalanne... The world will miss you!

Bumper Stickers and Window Clings!

2011-01-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

Newly arrived are my bumper stickers and window clings that http://www.buildasign.com/ was generous enough to give to me! I absolutely LOVE the way the bumper stickers came out! They look exactly how I had imagined them. The window clings are great also, though I will probably get them in a bigger size if I decide to get more. Megan from http://www.buildasign.com/ was a pleasure to work with, and was very helpful when I had questions. Thank you so much everyone from http://www.buildasign.com/! You all rock!

Resolution to get healthy the right way!

2011-01-03T23:49:00.000-08:00

There are so many people out there that are making resolutions to be healthy and get in shape. I love all the enthusiasm that everyone feels at the beginning of the year, but why does it die down after just a few months of working out and eating healthy? I know it can be hard to get on a program and stick to it, especially if you're doing it all at once. It can be hard to focus on the end result when you hit a plateau or maybe don't see the results you expected.
That is why its so important to sit down, and really think about what your goals are, and plan out how you are going to take the steps to make it a long lasting life change. You can go cold turkey and stop eating poorly, but taking away all the foods you enjoy at one time can be detrimental to your new diet. Instead, start out by taking 1 or 2 things out of your diet each week and replacing them with something healthier, which has a similar texture or taste. Examples of this might be, replacing pudding with yogurt, crackers/chips for crunchy veggies, and using almond/rice cheese instead of regular cheese. Also, try eating more regularly throughout the day. If you normally eat 3 times a day, try eating 4 times a day for a week, and work your way up to 5 or 6 small, healthy meals a day. This makes the transition so much easier and helps you develop a healthy habit, instead of setting yourself up for failure.
As far as working out goes, don't rush into an exercise routine that is going to exhaust you and make you dread going to the gym. Set a schedule for which days you will be working out, and decide what body parts you will be doing on what day. Depending on what your goals are, you will want to learn multiple exercises for each body part. A personal trainer is a great resource to learn exercises on how to build and tone the body of your dreams, though there are some great sources online as well. Start out with weights that you are comfortable doing 10-12 reps with, for 3-5 sets so you can get your form perfected before moving on to heavier weights. Calisthenics are also a great way to introduce your body to exercise since you are using your own body weight. It is very important to warm up with cardio for 5-10 minutes before the workout, and cool down with light stretching after the workout.
I know you can achieve your dreams as long as you are willing to stick to them and make being healthy a lifestyle, not a chore! The best of luck to everyone on their journey!!

Leg Workout

2010-12-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

Leg Workout

Box Squats- 8-12 reps for 5 sets
D-bell Walking Lunges- Up and down long hallway 4 times
Leg Press SUPERSET with Leg Extensions- 8-12 reps for 5 sets
Stiff Leg Deadlifts- 8-12 reps for 5 sets
D-Bell Leg Curls- 12-20 reps for 4 sets
Fitball Lying Leg Curls- 12-20 for 4 sets

Cardio Circut

2010-12-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

Lets Do Some Cardio!

Be Intense About It!

Step Ups- 1 Minute
Jumping Jacks- 30 Seconds
Get Ups with no weight- 1 Minute
High Knees- 30 Seconds
Burpees- 1 Minute
Run in Place- 30 Seconds

Repeat 4 times. Double the time and repeat twice more

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.

Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 96 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 118 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv)

Lower Body Workout

2010-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

Lower Body Workout

Chose two exercises for each set, and super set them.

Walking Lunges- pick a long hallway and go up and down it 4 times
High Knees- 30 seconds for 4 sets
Body Weight Squats- 20 reps for 4 sets
Single Leg Deadlifts with D-bells- 15 reps for 5 sets
Around the World Step Ups- 4 times around the bench for 5 sets
Barbell Lunges- 20 reps for 4 sets
Sumo Stance Calf Raises- 20 reps for 4 sets
Standing Calf Raises- 20 reps for 4 sets
Donkey Kickbacks- 25 reps for 4 sets
Side Leg Lifts with Fitball- 20 reps for 4 sets
Wall Sits as the last exercise- Hold until failure

Arm Workout

2010-11-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

ARM WORKOUT

BICEPS

Standing Barbell Curl- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
Alternating Incline D-Bell Curl- 12-8 reps for 4 sets
Alternating D-Bell Preacher Curls- 12-8 reps for 4 sets
Cable Curls- 15-12 reps for 5 sets

TRICEPS

Overhead Extensions- 15-12 reps for 4 sets
Skull Crushers- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
Tricep Pushdowns- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
Tricep Kickbacks- 12-8 reps for 4 sets

FOREARMS

Reverse Curls- 20-15 reps for 5 sets
Barbell Wrist Curls- 20-15 reps for 5 sets
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curls- 20-15 for 5 sets

Lower Body Workout

2010-11-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

LOWER BODY WORKOUT

25 Body Weight Squats
3 Total Minutes of Jumping Jacks
Step Ups with Calf Raises SUPER SET Lunges with Rear Foot on Bench- 20 each side for 3 sets
Straight Leg Deadlifts SUPER SET Close Stance Squats- 20 each side for 3 sets
Close Stance Squat Pulses SUPER SET Donkey Kickbacks- 20 each side for 3 sets
Fire Hydrant Lifts SUPER SET Lying Adductor Lifts- 20 each side for 3 sets

Chest workout

2010-11-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

Lets do some chest today why don't we :)

Flat barbell bench- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
Incline d-bell press SUPERSET with Flat bench flies- 12-8 reps for 4 sets
Chest dips- 50 total reps
Decline d-bell press- 12-8reps for 5 sets
Push-ups- 75 total

USATF - News- Congrats Shalane Flanagan!

2010-11-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

USATF - News

Flanagan places 2nd in NYC, wins USA title in marathon debut
11-07-2010

NEW YORK - In her highly anticipated debut over 26.2 miles, Shalane Flanagan on Sunday turned in the highest place finish by an American woman at the ING New York City Marathon in 20 years, placing second in 2:28:40 and winning the 2010 USA Women's Marathon Championship.
In a race in which competition took precedence over time trials, Flanagan found a race that suited her. The Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist and American record holder at that distance ran with a huge women's lead pack through most of the race, as the average mile pace hovered close to 6:00 for the first 5 km (18:40).
The size of the lead pack, no fewer than 18 women strong when the half marathon was passed in 1:15:52, reflected the wide-open nature of the field. Without the long shadow of world record holder Paula Radcliffe looming over the starting line, athletes such as Flanagan, world half marathon champion Mary Keitany of Kenya, 2010 road racing "it" girl Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, defending champion Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia and '09 runner-up Ludmila Petrova of Russia all were ready to take their shot at the winner's podium.
The race started to shape up at around the 30k mark as the pace began to quicken, with a split of 1:14:12. Approximately 2 hours into the race, 13 women still remained in the lead pack, but Flanagan and Keitany at that point assumed positions at the front of the group.
Shortly past the 35km marker, at a water stop approximately 2:07 into the race, Flanagan, Keitany and Kiplagat separated themselves from the pack, and at that point the race was on. Flanagan led the three women into Central Park, with Keitany and Kiplagat both looking great on her heels. A 23rd mile passed in 4:58 proved this was no longer a tactical race.
As they approached mile 25, Kiplagat, the 2010 Honda Los Angeles Marathon winner, pulled away with long strides. By the 25th mile she had a 5-second lead over Keitany as Flanagan fell back to third. The American moved into second along Central Park South but Kiplagat extended her lead, crossing the finish line in 2:28:20, 20 seconds up on Flanagan. Keitany, who like Flanagan was making her marathon debut, finished third in 2:29:01, with Inga Abitova of Russia fourth in 2:29:17 and New Zealand's Kim Smith fifth in 2:29:28.
Kiplagat took home $135,000 for the win and $5,000 for breaking 2:29, while Flanagan won $110,000 in prize money: $65,000 as overall runner-up, an additional $40,000 for winning the USA women's title and a $5,000 time bonus for breaking 2:29. Flanagan's performance was the best placing by an American at this race since Kim Jones finished second in 1990 in 2:30:50.
"My team really prepared me for this moment and this stage to seize and opportunity that was out there," Flanagan said. "I stayed calm and collected. I tried to stay with the women for as long as I could. It came down to who had the legs and the heart. I couldn't be more pleased in my first marathon, really.
"Having a win is the ultimate goal. As soon as I finished second, I thought about what I could have done to finish first ... My passion for the marathon is very strong after today."
American Katie McGregor was with the women's lead pack until almost 25 km. The 2010 USA 10-mile and 15 mile champion, she crossed the finish line as the second American, 11th overall in 2:31:01 to place second in the USA Championships and set a personal record. Kathy Newberry was third American and 17th overall in 2:35:23. With her performance, McGregor finished off the 2010 USARC winning the women's overall standings. Antonio Vega won the men's overall standings.
For more information on the USA Running Circuit, visit http://www.usarunningcircuit.com/
Gebrmariam makes it look easy; Haile bows out
The men's field featured perhaps some of the deepest talent of any ever to toe the line in New York and like the women's race featured a tactical, cautious beginning. World record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia was the man to watch, making his first appearance in New York despite a bothersome right knee.
Running as a group, it seemed every runner kept an eye on Haile. A pack of 15 men led the field through the half-way point in 1:05:19 as defending champion Meb Keflezighi led the wear in his USA jersey. The lead pack also contained Americans Dathan Ritzenhein, Jorge Torres and Tim Nelson along with world cross country champion Gebre Gebrmariam in his marathon debut; 2010 Virgin London Marathon runner-up Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya; and two-time NYC champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil.
At roughly 16 miles, Gebrselassie abruptly stopped, limping markedly on the Queensboro Bridge. The sudden change in the field's dynamics made for a more intriguing than usual sprint up 1st Avenue.
Normally a time when adrenaline-prone runners surge and patient champions wait, the 1st Avenue stretch in 2010 proved the decisive moment in the race. Mutai, Kwambai and Gebrmariam seized the moment, dropping a 4:26 miles to immediately leave the rest of the field behind, including Keflezighi and Ritzenhein.
Kwambai took over leading duties with Gebrmariam, Mutai and Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco in tow, hitting 17 miles in 1:24:08. By 20 miles, it was Mutai and Gebrmariam clocking 1:38:06, and a two-man race was on. Although both had been striding easily throughout the race, the tall and lanky Ethiopian looked as though he were on a leisurely Sunday stroll through Central Park. When he broke away from Mutai, it was no surprise.
Gebremariam kept on striding to the finish in 2:08:14, followed by Mutai in 2:09:17 and Moses Kipkosgei in 2:10:39. Goumri finished fourth in 2:10:51, while Kwambai fell to fifth in 2:11:31. Keflezighi was top American in 2:11:38, with Ritzenhein eighth in 2:12:33 and Torres 11th in 2:14:57.
"The make-or-break decision was on 1st Avenue," Keflezighi said, "but the gap was so big, that was it for me. I ran a lot of people down. I gave it a shot.
"For the first 15 miles, it (the race) was fine. I felt very comfortable. When Haile, we didn't see him, some guys made a huge move. That was the difference - they wanted to get away from Haile."
In his post-race press conference, Gebrselassie said he was retiring from running. "I never think about retiring," he said. "But for the first time, this is the day. Let me stop and do other work after this. Let me stop and give a chance for the youngsters."
For more on the ING New York City Marathon, visit http://www.nyrr.org/

Lower Body Workout

2010-11-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Lower Body

Walking Lunges- 50
Weighted Squats SUPERSET with Single Leg Deadlifts- 20 reps for 3 sets
High Knees 30seconds for 2 sets SUPERSET with Single Leg Calf Raises 20 reps for 2 sets
Sumo Squats- 20 reps for 3 sets
Lower Half Lunges- 20 reps for 3 sets
Lying Hamstring Curls with Fitball- 20 reps for 4 sets

Upper Body Workout with Core

2010-11-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Upper Body Workout

Triple Bicep Curl*- 15-12 reps for 4 sets
2 Bent Over Rows with 1 Tricep Kickback- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
Bent Over Reverse Flies- 20-15 reps for 4 sets
Upright Rows- 12-8 reps for 5 sets
D-bell Press Superset with Chest Flies on Fitball- 15-12 reps for 4 sets

*Triple Bicep Curl--- Hammer Curl, Regular Curl, Crossover Curl

Core Circut

3 sets to Failure

Reverse crunches
Romanian twist with bicycle leg
V-sits
Superman/Wonderwoman

Shoulder Workout

2010-11-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Shoulders are my favorite body parts to workout, Here are some of the things I do to get them sore!

Seated d-bell shoulder press- 12-8 reps for 5 sets

Upright rows superset with Side lateral raises- 12-8 reps for 4 sets

Bent over reverse flies- 15-12 reps for 5 sets

Very high rows, wide grip on high cable- 20-15 reps for 4 sets

Sweet Potato, Red Onion & Fontina Tart | Eating Well

2010-10-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato, Red Onion & Fontina Tart Eating Well

Crust
3/4 cup walnuts
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1 cup shredded fontina or Cheddar cheese
1 large egg white mixed with 1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To prepare crust: Pulse walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Combine in a large bowl with whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons thyme and/or rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Make a well in the center and add 1/2 cup oil and water. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a soft dough (it will seem wetter than other types of pastry dough). Knead in the bowl just until the dough comes together. Pat it into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 days.
To prepare filling: Combine sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Spread on three-fourths of a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss onion in the bowl with 1 teaspoon oil. Spread evenly on the remaining one-fourth of the baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce temperature to 375°.
Line a work surface with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, lightly dust with flour and dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a rustic 15-inch circle, adding more flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Transfer the crust to a baking sheet with the parchment or baking mat in place.
Leaving a 2-inch border, sprinkle cheese evenly over the crust. Make an overlapping ring of the larger sweet potato slices over the cheese, leaving the 2-inch border. Spread the onion slices in another ring closer to the center. Using the rest of the sweet potato slices, make an overlapping circle in the center of the crust (the pattern will look like a bull’s-eye). Pick up the edges of the crust using a spatula and fold over the filling, making pleats in the dough as necessary (it’s okay if the dough cracks a little as you fold it); the filling will not be completely covered. Brush the crust with the egg-white wash. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon thyme and/or rosemary.
Bake the tart until lightly browned on the edges, about 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 2), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Cool, cover and refrigerate the baked tart for up to 1 day. Reheat at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour has less gluten-forming potential than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure tender baked goods. Find it in the baking section of the supermarket or online at bobsredmill.com and kingarthurflour.com.
Nutrition
Per serving: 309 calories; 18 g fat (4 g sat, 10 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 332 mg sodium; 177 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 starch, 3 1/2 fat
Nutrition Note: Vitamin A (140% daily value).

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken with Pepian Sauce | Eating Well

2010-10-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken with Pepian Sauce Eating Well

4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/4 cup diced onion
4 tablespoons pepitas, (see Tip), divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1Ë1 1/4 pounds), trimmed
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided canola oil, divided

Preparation
Place tomatillos, onion, 3 tablespoons pepitas, 2 tablespoons cilantro, garlic, broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. The mixture will resemble a thick paste. Remove from the heat and stir in sour cream. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place one piece of chicken at a time between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
Whisk egg white and water in a shallow dish until combined. Whisk cornmeal and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in another shallow dish. Dip each chicken breast in egg white, then dredge in cornmeal, turning to coat evenly.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 pieces of the chicken until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan, reduce the heat slightly and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Serve the chicken with the reserved sauce and garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon pepitas and 1 tablespoon cilantro.
Tips & Notes
Tip: Hulled pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are medium-dark green and have a delicate nutty flavor. They are sold salted, roasted and raw, and can be found in the bulk-foods section of natural-foods stores or Mexican groceries.
Nutrition
Per serving: 315 calories; 14 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 31 g protein; 2 g fiber; 468 mg sodium; 439 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (27% daily value), Iron (20% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Oven-Fried Chicken

2010-10-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is something I'll be trying!!

Oven-Fried Chicken Eating Well

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 1/2-3 pounds whole chicken legs, skin removed, trimmed and cut into thighs and drumsticks
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray.
Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Nutrition

Exchanges: 1/3 starch, 4 very lean protein, 1 1/2 fat

Per serving: 226 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 130 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 34 g protein; 1 g fiber; 258 mg sodium; 400 mg potassium.

~Todays Lower Body Workout~

2010-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a great lower body workout that I did with my class today!

Only takes 30 minutes!!

5 Regular Squats then directly go into 10 Jumping Squats. 2 sets

Ski Jacks 30 seconds. 2 sets

Stationary Side Lunges ->Superset<- Stationary Front Lunges, 15 repetitions each leg, 2 sets

Sumo Squat Pulses (Wide legs with toes pointed out) 1 minute lower pulses, 1 minute upper pulses

Close Stance Squats(Feet directly under hips) 25 repetitions, 3 sets

Lying Hamstring Curls with fitball -> Superset<- Lying Leg Extensions with fitball. 15 repetitions, 3 sets

Lying Side Leg Raises with fitball. 20 repetitions, 3 sets

Calf Raises(Forward, Out, In) 30 repetitions each angle

Benefits of Green Living

2010-10-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Green Living is a very important part of your whole body health! Here are some ways to be green:

• Choosing to use natural-based non-toxic consumable products in your home or office provides a healthier environment for you and those around you; and

• choosing concentrated products in recyclable and reusable containers keeps trash out of landfills; and

• supplementing your diet with appropriate, effective and affordable nutritional products to maintain health and balance in the body; and

• leading by example, impacting the health and wellness of those around you now, and in the future.

A Bit About Megan

2010-10-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

AFAA certified
My fitness career started when I was 15 years old, working at the family owned gym as a front desk attendant. I didn't know much about the fitness world besides sports I had played when I was younger, and started learning new things on a daily basis. At 17 my mother suggested I start working with one of the trainers who needed practice working with people, and an assistant kick-boxing instructor. This is what sparked my love for fitness. I studied to become an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America certified personal trainer and after a few months, I took the written and practical exams and got my certification. I began training new gym members, and friends to get experience. About a year after I received my certification, I started teaching weight training classes twice a week for upper and lower body.

I love working with people and helping motivate them. Seeing them accomplishing their goals is inspiring. It makes me want to be better, and to help others become the person they aspire to be. I enjoy working with people of all ages and fitness levels. I have trained people with goals from maintaining their fitness level, to competing in physique shows. The challenge of building a program for each individuals goals is exciting. I am constantly researching new types of exercise and ways to incorporate them into training sessions. My goal is to create the best workout experience I can for my clientele."