A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley

Do You Think That You Can't Afford Personal Training, Think Again!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Image Credits: fitnessconsultant.com.sg

Do yo u think you can't afford training? Why?

At first when the price of training is given, you will think, "Wow, that is too expensive". But is your health only worth the least you pay? Here are some examples how you can save to afford training and better your health at the same time!

1. How many times do you eat fast - food a week?

For some people, that is 3 times a day, 7 days a week. Now let's do some math! The average cost of a fast - food meal is roughly between $6 - $7. Times by 3 servings a day and 7 times a week, it equals $126 - $147.

2. How many times do you go out to eat at a restaurant?
For some people that is 2 times a day, 5 days a week. The average costs for a 2 person meal with desserts is for lunch is $25 - $45 and for dinner is $60 - $80. Now for the math. You can be paying at least $250 - $450 dollars a week for lunch and $600 - $800 dollars a week for dinner.

All together!
If you would cut down on how much you eat out, you can easily afford a month of training, 3 times a week, from $500 - $600 a month. Plus, save a lot of money and cut down on all the calories you are putting in your body, which is making you gain weight. Today with the crazy gas prices and health care prices, by cutting down, you can easily make you path to fitness and health a lot easier!

Having Problems Eating On Time Or Correctly, Pack Your Food!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:35:00 +0000

Image Credits: http://www.walmart.com/

Having Problems Eating on Time Or Correctly, Pack Your Food!

Losing weight and eating right is not easy. The first thing you have to do is de - brainwash yourself from thinking that you can lose 30 pounds in 30 days and you can eat what ever you want. If that were true, you wouldn't be in the predicament you are in now. Here are some tips on how to pack your food!

1. If you don't have enough time to cook your food during the week, cook your meals over the weekend or on Sunday.

*For example: Buy a large package of chicken breast and grill it all. Out of all that cooked chicken breast, you can make soups, salad, sandwiches, or just eat the breast with veggies. It will cut down you cooking time in the kitchen by half.

2. Buy protein bars and powder in bulk.

* To heighten up your metabolism, you need to eat consistently. This means you have to eat 5 - 6 meals every 2 - 3 hours. 2 - 3 of those meals can be replaced by protein bars or shakes.

3. Pack fruits and vegetables.
* Unless you are competing, you don't need to cut out your fruits. Fruits are very important because they suppress the need to over indulge on high fructose products. Plus, they are loaded with Vitamin C and other nutrients needed for the body. In addition, you need to get friendly with your leafy green vegetables. Your are not going to be able to reach your goals if you are only eating potatoes, corn, carrots.

4. Other sources of protein

* Yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, natural peanut or almond butter are perfect examples of other snacks you can add in your cooler.

5. Stay hydrated and pack your water

* Water is very important when it comes to losing weight. I see a lot of people drinking diet sodas, but come on, that is not going to work. Those sodas still are very high in calories and fructose. Water boost your metabolism, contains no calories, and plays a key role in the prevention of disease. You need to drink at least 8 - 10 glasses of water a day!

My Garden! May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sat, 14 May 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Roma Tomatoes

I got the seeds from Roma Tomatoes I bought at the store. I did the same thing with the Bell peppers down below. You don't always have to buy your seeds!

Green Bell Peppers

Broccoli And Swiss Chard In The Raised Garden

The plastic bottle in the picture is a type of irrigation I use when I am not in town for a few days. You can save you milk jugs and poke tiny holes on the sides to make it a time - released watering system. It will work up to 3 - 7 days of watering depending on the size of the jugs. I have four 1/2 gallon jugs in my raised garden. It works up to 3 days.

Cauliflower, Swiss Chard, And Basil

Best Foods To Eat To Burn Fat

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:51:00 +0000

Image Credits: fullissue.com

Best Foods To Eat To Burn Fat

1. Water

* It keeps you body hydrated and work efficiently

* It boosts you metabolism and energy levels

* Moisturizes your skin

2. Protein

* Chicken and turkey breast

* Egg whites

* Fish

* Lean beef or bison

* Pork

* Salmon

* Soy

* Whey protein

3. Spices, Caffeine & Tea

* Black pepper

* Black tea

* Coffee or caffeine pills

* Chili peppers or capsaicin pills

* Ginger

* Green tea

4. Fruits & Vegetables With High Vitamin C Content

* Apples

* Asparagus

* Bananas

* Berries: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, & strawberries

* Broccoli

* Citrus: grapefruits, oranges, lemons, & limes

* Kiwi

* Leafy dark greens: kale, collard greens, salad greens, spinach

* Mangos

* Peaches

* Peppers

* Tomatoes

5. Calcium: Low - Fat Dairy

* Low - fat to fat - free milk

* Low - fat chese: white cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack

* Low - fat yogurt

* Low - fat cottage cheese

* Neufchatel or low - fat cream cheese

6. Healty Fats

* Avocadoes

* Flaxseeds

* Nuts: almonds, peanuts, & walnuts

* Olive or canola oil

Apple Cinnamon Whole Grain Cereal Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Apple Cinnamon Whole Greain Cereal Recipe

Ingredients:

¼ cup of bran flakes

¼ cup of puffed red whole wheat
1 tbsp of unsalted sunflower seeds
1 tbsp of crushed almonds
½ cup of diced apples
1 tbsp of organic sugar
Cinnamon

Directions:
Step 1: Mix together and use low - fat or fat - free milk.

Whole Wheat English Muffin Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sun, 01 May 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Whole Wheat English Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:

¼ cup of warm water

1 package of dry yeast

2 cups of organic whole wheat flour

1 cup of white flour

1 cup of fat – free milk

1 tsp of sea salt

3 tbsp of canola oil

1 tbsp of organic sugar

1/3 cup of egg whites

Cornmeal as needed

Directions:

Step 1: Sprinkle yeast over warm (about 105° F. is ideal) water and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix flour(s) and salt.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix milk, oil and organic sugar. Add egg whites and stir until well blended. Stir in the yeast mixture.

Step 3: Add liquid to about half of the dry ingredients and mix well, with a food processor, stand mixer or by hand. Mix in remaining dry ingredients. Dough will be soft and somewhat sticky.

Step 4: Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead for several minutes. If too sticky to knead, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Step 5: Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Rising time will depend on temperature; allow about 1 hour or 1 hour and a half.

Step 6: Turn risen dough out onto a large flat cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal and pat or roll to about 1/2" thick. Cut into approximately 3 inch rounds with a cookie cutter, tin can, or jar lid. Combine the scraps of dough into more muffins. Cover the muffins with a towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes.

Step 7: Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with corn meal. Cook about 4 – 5 minutes on each side. Outsides should be golden brown and crusty, insides should be soft, but not gooey. Check a muffin or two and see how well they are cooked.

Step 8: Remove to cooling rack as they finish cooking.

* I got this recipe online, but I changed up couple of ingredients to make it more low calorie and organic!

Secrets To Leaning Out Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:20:00 +0000

Secrets To Leaning Out

• Eat whole wheat breads, grains pastas, brown rice and organic sugar instead of refined flour and sugar

• Your caloric intake should be from 1500 - 1200 calories. Eat 10 – 30% of fat in your daily caloric intake

• To diminish cellulite, you must eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to build up your collagen levels. Protein from eggs, nuts and seeds will build up connective tissue.

• Cut back the fat in your cooking by adding 2 cups of vegetables. For example, add green beans to stroganoff or hamburger helper recipes.

• Little to no rest between sets. This can be accomplished by supersets or circuit training.

• Eat clean (stay away from boxed processed foods) and train hard for at least 30 – 60 minutes a day.

• Stay away from high calorie alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Wine can be from 300 – 400 calories a glass. 1 – 2 glasses of red wine is good for the body and is full of antioxidants. Remember, to keep it to the minimum and cut out the sodas. Water, tea, and fresh-squeezed juices are better for you.

Tilapia And Tomato With Noodle Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Tilapia And Tomato With Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
6 tilapia fillets
2 cups of cooked whole wheat noodles
3 celery stalks, sliced
8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
¼ of a cabbage, sliced
1 ½ cup of whole kernel corn, frozen
1 ½ cup of green beans, frozen
½ of an onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon of cumin
olive oil spray bottle
cracked black pepper

Directions:

Step 1: Put a large pot on the stove with medium heat and allow it to get hot. Spray some olive oil in the pot and add the onions and celery. Sauté the vegetables for about two minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for another minute. Then, add the cabbage, cumin and pepper and sauté for 2 more minutes. Next, add the water and chicken bouillon and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Once the water is at a boil, add the tomatoes, corn, green beans, tilapia fillets, and the noodles. Cook for 15 – 25 minutes.

New Year's Resolution Workout Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:37:00 +0000

Image Credits: iloveindia.com

Workout guidelines

Workout at least 3 – 5 times a week and 30 minutes to an hour of cardio each day you are at the gym. Make sure to change up your cardio by using different machines or different types of cardio classes. In addition, change up your workouts at least every 2 – 3 weeks. If you keep on doing the same routine, you will end up hitting a plateau. Your body gets adjusted to the same workout after 3 – 4 weeks. After that, you will not see the same fast results.

If you are only working out 3 times a week, break up your body parts like so:

• 1st day: Biceps, triceps, abdominals & elliptical machine

• 2nd day: Legs, shoulders and stepper machine

• 3rd day: Chest, back, abdominals and treadmill machine.

o Pick at least 3 exercises for each body part except the legs. They need at least 5 - 7 exercises (depending if you are a man or woman). For example: Quad, Hams, Glutes, Hips, & Calves

o Do from 3 – 4 sets of each exercise. 12, 15, to 25 reps for long and lean muscles. 8 – 10 reps for muscle mass.

You can train your abdominals up to 3 – 4 times a week, every other day. Muscles need at least 24 hours to heal. So, if your workout days are from back to back, then do your routine like above. If each workout day has a rest day after it, then add abdominal exercises in the 2nd day of this sample routine.

Also, start yourself a journal. Write down the food you eat, exercises you are going to do for the day, and how you felt after each workout. This will help you change how you eat and make developing your own workouts easier. For women, do not be scared of adding more weight. You will not get big because women are not designed to be massive like men.

What To Do To Get A Smaller Waist

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:22:00 +0000

Image Credits: Vanessa Runs

What To Do To Get A Smaller Waist

First, you have to understand that what “core training” means. Your core is not just your abdominal area, it also includes you middle and lower back. So, if you want a smaller waist, you need to do exercises for the upper and lower abs, obliques, middle and lower back.

Your abdominals can be done every other day because you need to allow you muscles to rest at least 24 hours. This means you can do you abs 3 – 4 times a week. The middle and lower back exercises can be done 1 – 2 times a week with the chest and legs. For example, on a legs day and to work out your lower back you can do stiff-leg deadlifts. This is a great exercise for the lower back, glutes, and hamstring area. When exercising your chest, you can superset with lat pulldown. This exercise works out the biceps, shoulders, and the lats (sides of the middle back area).

Second, you need to know what and how to eat. You need to incorporate protein, carbs, veggies, and supplementation. The type of protein you need to stick with is chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy. Daily protein intake should be at least 30% of you caloric needs for the day if you are active to highly active individual. Complex and simple carbohydrates are very important as well. Eating whole grains will help diminish body fat in the abdominal area and keep you heart healthy. Fruits are essential because of the fiber and high antioxidants. Fiber will keep you system regular and antioxidants keep you skin firm. Vegetables, especially beans, regulate digestion, build muscles, and burns fat. Beans are loaded with folate, fiber, protein, and iron. Daily carbohydrate intake should be from 50 – 70% of you daily caloric needs. Great supplements for a taunt abdominal area are green tea and caffeine. Green tea helps boost your metabolism and burn belly fat. Caffeine improves strength potential for resistance training and helps breakdown fat through the release of fatty acids when you are active. This is just as simple as drinking green tea and coffee!

Abdominal Exercises
Plank: 3 sets/ 30 seconds – 1 minute
Ball Russian twist: 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps Long and Lean Muscles/ 0 – 20 lbs.
Hanging or lying leg lifts: 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps LLM

Middle and Lower Back Exercises
Lat pulldown: 3 sets/ 12 -15 reps LLM
Assisted or Regular Lat pull-ups: 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps LLM
Seated row: 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps LLM
Ball back extension: 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps LLM

Bicep And Tricep Workout

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:16:00 +0000

Image Credits: Melinda's Fitness Blog

Bicep And Tricep Workout

Supersets
Barbell curls: 2 - 3 sets/12 - 15 reps for long and lean muscles /or 8 – 10 reps to build muscle size
Tricep barbell overhead extension: 2 – 3 sets/12 – 15 reps LLM/ 8 – 10 reps BMS

Dumbbell curls: 2 – 3 sets/ 12 – 15 reps LLM/8 – 10 reps BMS
Tricep kickbacks: 2 – 3 sets/12 – 15 reps LLM/ 8 – 10 reps BMS

Preacher curls: 2 – 3 sets/12 – 15 reps LLM/ 8 – 10 reps BMS
Tricep rope pulldown: 2 – 3 sets/12 -15 reps LLM/ 8 – 10 reps BMS

Oatmeal With Grapes And Dates Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:46:00 +0000

Image Credits: The Flowering Garden

Oatmeal With Grapes And Dates Recipe

Ingredients:
½ cup of rolled oats
¼ cup of dried golden grapes
¼ cup of dried dates
1 tablespoon of honey
1 cup of water

Directions:
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the oats and water together. Then, microwave for 2 minutes. Add the honey and dried fruit.

It is just that easy to make a healthy breakfast. Try different combinations of fruit!

The Benefits Of Fish Oil, Other Omega-3, And Omega-6 Fats

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:18:00 +0000

Image credits: Billy Bear's Playground

The Benefits Of Fish Oil, Other Omega-3, And Omega-6 Fats

• It reduces inflammation in the body and skin

• Helps prevent blood platelets from forming blood clots

• Lowers high blood pressure

• Keeps triglyceride levels in check

• Slows down the thickening of the artery walls or artheroclerosis

• Helps keeps your heart beating at a steady rhythm

• Much safer and cheaper to take. High dosages will led to diarrhea, upset stomach, and acid. Not for those taking blood thinners.

• Has eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid DHA, vital nutrients in developing a fetus or child

• Helps skin keep beautiful, smooth, and elastic texture

• May help reduce blood sugar levels of diabetics

• May help counteract immune suppression due to UV radiation

What Foods To Eat When You Have The Flu

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Image Credits: Lincoln County Public Health

What Foods To Eat When You Have The Flu

Carbohydrates, Protein, Fruits, Vegetables and Liquids

• Citrus fruits have bioflaveniods –anti- inflammatory chemicals that can help reduce the severity of colds

• Fruits and veggies high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and E can reduce the cell damage caused by cold viruses

• Foods high in zinc like in oysters help maintain the production and activity level of the white blood cells we need to kill viruses.

• Spicy foods open up sinuses and reduce congestion

• Eat fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs for energy

• Drink plenty of liquids to keep yourself hydrated

Different Signs That You Have A Bad Trainer

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:21:00 +0000

Image Credits: http://www.clipartheaven.com/

Different Signs That You Have A Bad Trainer

Your trainer is not certified or is not certified from a reputable personal training program.

• Do not ever buy training with a person who presents themselves as a trainer and they are not certified.

• Make sure they certified in CPR, first-aid, and/or AED.

• If your trainer says he/she is certified through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), do not be afraid to ask them for their certificate number. They should not have a problem giving you it if they are really certified with these personal training programs.

Your trainer does not have enough experience

• Experience is good, but honestly, it is a tough one. The reason why is, I have seen many trainers with a lot of experience and/or compete and their training is mediocre. Find someone that really cares about helping you through your fitness journey. If you notice from week to week you are doing the same old routine, then your trainer is not really into helping you. They are only interested in helping themselves.

Sexual harassment

• Females, this one is for you! If you have a male trainer and you feel some things he makes you do are inappropriate, it is probably because they are. I have seen a male trainer stand so close behind a female client that it made me feel uncomfortable. I mean, this guy nether region was right on her buttocks and no, this was not his girlfriend or wife. The same guy made a woman with a rather large chest jump from side to side with his crony trainer friends watching. It was funny because he never had his other female clients who were not well-endowed in the chest area and had the athletic potential for plyometrics complete these types of exercises.

• Male trainers also have to be aware of feisty females. A co-worker of mine told me many stories of clients he had to drop because they were giving him advances he did not want.

Your trainer is preoccupied with other things than you

• Have you noticed trainer is always on the phone or texting? Remember people, you paid for 30 minutes or hour of training and your trainer should be paying attention to you during that time. The only time your trainer should use their cell phone is when they are using the timer to assist in isometric exercises and in an event of an emergency.

Your trainer does not know what muscles are being used when doing certain exercises or does not know the difference between training a man from a woman

• Ask your trainer questions when executing exercises. They should know what muscles are being used when you are doing a certain exercise. For example, stiff-leg deadlift exercise works your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It is a great exercise for glutes and the back of the legs.

• I remember talking to a trainer in his 20’s about differences in training a man from a woman. He believed there were no differences between a man’s and a woman’s body and you train women like you would train men. That is true if the woman’s goals are to gain lots of muscle to compete, but most women want to be long and lean. For that to happen, you have to train them with high repetitions from 12 – 15 and add some speed and agility drills. So, make sure your trainer knows how to help you toward your fitness goals. Also, pick up some workout magazines to help further educate yourself in training styles.

Your trainer is not able to tell or show your progress

• I believe it is very important to take notes of your client’s progress. How else are you able to show them that you are worth the money they have spent? How can you make sure they reach their goals just from memory alone? I like showing my clients how much stronger they have become over time and how much fat they have lost. I have a 55 year old female client that used to have a very bad posture. She could not stand up straight. Now, in a matter of 3 months, she is standing perfectly straight, she can do squats and stiff-leg deadlifts with 30 lbs. on the bosu ball, and she can complete walking lunges with 24 lbs. If it wasn’t for me concentrating on her core and leg strength she probably would not have come this far.

Remember, when it comes to getting a personal trainer, do your homework. Watch how they interact with their current clients and watch their progress. Now, a trainer can’t make miracles. You will not lose 30 pounds in 30 days. You have to remember that you need to meet your trainer half way. You have to change your eating habits if you really want to succeed. We can’t hold your hand once we are done with your session. Also, don’t lie to your trainer or to yourself, you are only selling yourself short.

Different Ways To Burn Calories: Hand Wash Your Car!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Image Credits: joe-ks.com

One thing I noticed more than ever is that people are not outside as much as they were when I was a child. We have everything at our beckon call. We do not need to get up for almost anything anymore. That is why the pounds keep on packing on!

A way to get off your feet, burn some calories, and save some money in these economic times is to wash your car. You can do it the "green way" by washing it by hand at your house or go to your nearest self-service car wash location and go at it. Either way, you are off that couch and burning that extra energy you have stored in your fat cells.

The best times in the day to do this is in the morning or late afternoon. If you are outside and there is no shade available, make sure to use some sunblock SPF 30 and above to protect your skin.

Making Soap!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:38:00 +0000

My newest adventure, making soap! This is my second batch of soap during its curing process. The picture to the left is 7 days cured. The one below is 2 weeks cured. This particular soap I created contains natural ingredients. This soap contains lavender, grapefruit extract, rose petals, bran flakes, coconut oil, cinnamin powered milk, vitamin E oil, and lanolin.
I had originally thought my soap would be cured in 2 weeks. However, with all the rich ingredients I added to the soap, they are making the curing process slower. I believe this will take another 2 weeks. I can not wait to try it out!

Making your own soap is not only interesting, but it is also aids in a healthy lifestyle. It helps boost the immune system along with simple natural diet. There are not artificial chemicals in my homemade soap in which is a great step in being chemical-free. Below are the books I used in creating this old-world craft.

Natural Insecticide For Plants Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Image Credits:

dezinerfolio.com

Natural Insecticide for Plants Recipe

Ingredients:

1 quart of warm water

2 tb or organic liquid dish soap

1 large re-used spray bottle

Directions:

1. Warm up a quart of water on the stove or microwave. Pour the warm water inside the spray, then add the organic liquid dish soap. Shake it up and it is ready to use!

I had a big problem with tomato worms attacking my bell pepper plants and I did not want to use any thing harmful to the plant or myself. This homemade insecticide took care of the problem!

Total Body Workout!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:22:00 +0000

Image Credits: through-the-maze.org.uk

Total Body Workout

Step-up, curl and press: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance)/ 8-10 reps (for hypertrophy).
1. Stand in front of a box (6-18 inches high), feet separated and shoulder width apart. Weights hanging on the sides of your body.
2. Step on the box with one leg. Push through your heel and stand up straight bringing the opposite leg up to balance. Curl the dumbbells and lift them up to a shoulder press. Bring the weights down from the press, to the a reverse curl and back to the sides of your body. Bring your balanced leg down and step down with the
standing leg. Repeat.
Stability ball chest press: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance) 8-10 reps for hypertrophy.
1. With the weights, sit on the stability ball. Bring you body forward by rolling with the ball. Stop once you are on your mid-back area and lift the weights parallel to the sides your chest with your palms facing forward. Squeeze and lift your glutes up and tighten your core for stability.
2. Push the weights in upward using your chest muscles to initiate the movement. Then, bring them back down to the sides of the chest. Repeat.
Stability ball back extension: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance) 8-10 reps for hypertrophy.
1. Get on you knees and place the stability ball in front of your body. Put your abdomen on the stability ball
and extend your legs back. Separate the legs to shoulder width apart and tighten them up.
2. Using your core muscles bring your upper torso down and them up to complete one rep. Repeat.
Staggered step tricep kickbacks: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance) 8-10 reps for hypertrophy.
3. Hold the dumbbells to the sides of your body. Bring one leg in front and the opposite leg back. Slightly bend your torso forward with the back in a straightr alignment, keep the dumbbells hanging position.
4. Bring the dumbbells back putting your elbows close to the sides of the waist. Using only your forearms extend them back slowly and return back to starting position. Repeat.
Stiff-legged deadlift: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance) 8-10 reps (for hypertrophy).
1. Stand with feet separated, shoulder width apart with the desired weight hanging in front of your upper
thighs. With legs tight and knees locked, slowly bend over with you hips, lowering the weight down
to the mid-shin area. Allow you back to curve over while executing this movement. Then, slowly bring
the weight back up to starting position. Repeat.
Seated calf raises: 3 sets/ 12-15 reps (for muscular endurance); 8-10 reps (for hypertrophy)
1. Sit down on a seated calf raise machine. Put your thighs underneath the padding. Place you feet on the
metal arc that is provided by the machine. Make sure the balls of your feet and directly below the
metal arc. Lift up by flexing you feet upward to release the lever. Flexing the feet down and up equals one
rep. Repeat.

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Cinnamon And Honey Oatmeal Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:36:00 +0000

Image Credits: freecoconutrecipes.com

Cinnamon and Oatmeal Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of old-fashioned oatmeal

3/4 cup of water

2 tbsp of honey

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Directions:

Step 1: Put the old-fashioned oatmeal in a microwavable bowl and add the water. Microwave for 2 minutes and allow the cool for 2-5 minutes.

Step 2: Sprinkle the cinnamon and drizzle the honey on the cooked oatmeal. Mix thoroughly.

This recipe is a easy and healthy way to start out you morning!

David Zinczenko: Worst Fast-Food Meals In America

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:19:00 +0000

This is to all my friends that can not seem to live with out fast food. David Zinczenko is the author of many famous books called, "Eat This, Not That". He was also a fat kid, like me growing up. Now, he exposes the hidden calories of many fast-food meals people love to order. Click here to read more. Bon appetit!

Image Credits: health.yahoo.net

Garbanzo Bean And Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:35:00 +0000

Garbanzo Bean and Potato Soup
ingredients:
16 oz of Garbanzo (Chickpeas) beans
4 Russet potatoes, diced
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
5 large cubes of vegetable bouillon
10 cups of water
olive oil spray bottle

Directions:
Step 1: Soak the Garbanzo beans in 6-8 cups of water for at least 6-8 hours. Drain out the water and re-rinse the beans and set aside.
Step 2: Place a large pot on the stove on a medium heat temperature and spray the bottom with some olive oil ( I used olive oil infused in jalapeno peppers). Allow the pot to heat up and add the diced onions. Saute the diced onion for 2 minutes and add the minced garlic. Saute the veggies together for another minute.
Step 3: Add the diced potatoes and the garbanzo beans to the veggies and mix together. Add the 10 cups of water or until the water is about 2 inches above the mixture. Then, add the vegetable bouillon cubes. If you do not have cubes, you can substitute the water and bouillon with vegetable broth.
Step 4: Put the heat to medium high to bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes and stir the mixture periodically. Add the diced tomatoes ( I used organic Roma tomatoes grown directly out of my patio garden ) to the mixture and cook for another 30 minutes or until the beans and potatoes are soft.

This is a very tasty vegetarian soup. You should try to incorporate at least 1-2 vegetarian meals a week. Plus, fennel seeds added as seasoning or peppermint tea are great natural ways to suppress gas.

Chest Exercises: For The Gym Or At Home!

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:14:00 +0000

Dumbbell Chest Press

* targets chest and triceps muscles

Directions:

1. Pick out the weight you would like to press.

2. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the floor.

3. Make sure your shoulder blades are touching the bench and you chest is protruding out

4. Keep the dumbbells perpendicular to your body and extend your arms upward.

5. Lower your arms back down to the starting position and repeat

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
* targets upper chest, front shoulders, and triceps
Directions:
1. Pick out desired weight and lie back in an incline position.
2. Lift the dumbbells to shoulder position with palms facing forward.
3. Lower the dumbbells to your side and then push them up to were your arms are extended in a parallel position.
4. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.

Decline Dumbbell Chest Press

* targets upper and lower chest, front shoulders, and triceps

Directions:

1. Pick your desired weight and sit on a decline bench.

2. With you feet secure in a leg brace, lie back and position the dumbbells on the sides of your chest.

3. Push the dumbbells upward with the arms fully extended and parallel.

4. Lower the dumbbells back to starting position and repeat

For muscular endurance and long lean muscles:

*3 sets of each exercise with 12-15 repetitions

For hypertrophy (large muscles):

*3-4 sets of each exercise with 8-10 repetitions

21 Great Ideas From Wise Bread: Living Large On A Budget

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:54:00 +0000

Image Credits: Wisebread.com

I was checking out my mail when I came upon this intriguing article on Yahoo.com about 21 things you should not buy new. This article is very important for those who are living on a tight budget. I for sure

am one of them. It gives you information where to buy used things (ex: Craiglist, Freecycle, & yard sales). You can get awesome deals on used items such as cds, dvds, gardening tools, furniture, cars, house, etc. Check the rest of the helpful things Wise Bread can help you with.

My Garden! At My Grandmother's House: End Of June 2010

noreply@blogger.com (A Raven in the Rio Grande Valley) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:40:00 +0000

Straight Early Yellow Squash
My first baby squash! I am so excited. Finally, I have graduated to growing vegetables in the ground.

Here are some more pictures of my other squash plants!