The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Strawberry-Mango Salsa

lisa — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:00:20 +0000

Welcome to today’s Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour! What’s the Sisterhood Bash? Go check it out – we’re raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and there are MANY chances to win fabulous prizes…and cash. Yes, cash.

So every day, we are sharing some awesome recipes with you guys and today, I want to share one that I haven’t tried yet but want to- this sounds so good.

Strawberry-Mango Salsa

(Weight Watchers 20 Minute Recipes)

This colorful salsa scoops up nicely with baked cinnamon-sugar pita chips, but it can also freshen up grilled fish or chicken. A generous 3/4 cup serving has a points value of 1.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 ripe mango, diced and peeled

3/4 cup finely chopped orange, yellow, or red bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon grated fresh orange rind

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving, or cover and chill until ready to serve. Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)

Per Serving: Cal 27; Fat 0.2g; Fib 1g

Further Inspiration!

The Monday Project Link-Up: Mini-Lent

christieo — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:15:23 +0000

This week’s project was a Mini-Lent of sorts, the project: to give up something. To sacrifice.

Of which, I am ashamed to say, failed miserably. I’ll link my own post in the comments below, but I will say that I am going to have to give this one another go. One week of experimentation was not enough. But enough about me, how did you do? What did you give up? Or instead of giving up something, did you change something? Are you going to change back? Add it back in, whatever it was? Did this help you at all?

Link it up on the comments below, go visit everyone to see what they came up with (maybe they’ll give you an idea or two!) and come back Monday for the next round!

Happy Friday everyone! TGI-FITBLOGGIN! Because that’s where I am right now cavorting in real life on a kid-free weekend with Lissa, Christy, April and Thea and a bevy of our other Sisterhood sisters! We’ll be blogging from here, so stay in touch

What to eat before, during and after exercise

lisa — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:21:01 +0000

I am running a lot. That gives me a lot of time to think about things. Lately, my mind has been gravitating towards “food as fuel” or more specifically, “I wonder what I should be eating for breakfast to make sure my morning run is optimal? Do I even need to eat breakfast?”. During and after my run is over, I know that I should be replenishing my body with more fuel and liquids but once again, I am at a loss at to what would be best for me. Water or a sports drink? Eat right away or wait? What should I eat after a run? Is it even possible to lose weight when I am running so much?

I turned to my friend google for some help on this matter and I found a very informative article about these very things. WebMD brought me the most information on “What to eat before, during and after exercise”. My favorite parts of the article follow in their original form……..

What is the best thing to eat before exercising for energy and endurance?

Fueling exercise requires quality carbohydrates, lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and fluids. Your muscles rely on carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables for a quick energy source. Protein is needed to build and maintain muscles and for healthy blood cells. Blood cells deliver nutrients and oxygen to working muscles.

Foods provide the gas to the body’s engine, and fluids provide the water to your body’s radiator. Without these crucial fuels and fluids, your body will have a hard time performing at its best.

Is there an ideal pre-sport or exercise meal?

The ideal pre-sport meal has five characteristics:

1. Low fat

2. Moderate in carbohydrates and protein

3. Low fiber

4. Contains fluids

5. Made up of familiar, well-tolerated foods.

Is it better to stay hydrated with sports drinks or plain water?

Recreational athletes can drink water for hydration. But if you’re exercising for more than 60 minutes in hot, humid conditions, sports drinks provide not only fluid, but carbohydrate and sodium.

Why is it so important to drink plenty of liquids during exercise?

Not only does being well hydrated improve your performance, it can save your life. Water acts as your body’s cooling system; without sufficient water during exercise your body temperature can reach dangerously high levels.

The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids with meals and drink about two cups (16 ounces) of water two hours before exercise. Monitor your hydration status through two simple measures:

Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace lost weight with 2 cups of fluids for each pound lost.

Check the color of your urine. When you’re hydrated, your urine will be a light straw color.

Is it bad to exercise on an empty stomach, especially in the morning?

It really depends on the type of exercise — a brisk walk or light jog on an empty stomach is fine; just drink a glass of water before heading out the door. For more intense exercise, eat some easy-to-digest carbs (a packet of instant grits, a slice of toast, half a plain bagel, a banana, or cup of fruit cocktail washed down with a glass of water) to help provide fuel. After sleeping, the overnight fast can deplete your liver stores of carbohydrate, so a quick boost of carbs before longer exercise is recommended.

Can eating a high-protein diet help bulk up muscles?

The only way to bulk up muscles is to hit the gym and perform progressive resistance exercises. Protein can help provide the raw material to build muscle, but the protein has to be pulled into muscles through exercise. Aim to eat a small amount of protein (10-20 grams, or about 2-3 ounces of lean meat, 2 cups of low-fat milk, or a scoop of most protein powders) after each bout of weight training to give your muscles the needed building blocks.

Why do you need to eat protein or drink protein shakes after exercising?

Muscles need protein for recovery and growth, and the best time to deliver protein appears to be right after exercise. Providing high-quality protein after exercise gives your muscles the fuel and the building blocks needed for both repair and for growth.

Protein shakes and powders carry a certain allure, but your muscles don’t care if the protein comes from a hard-boiled egg, glass of chocolate milk or whey protein shake. Whatever you choose, more isn’t better — only 10 to 20 grams of protein is needed to provide amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to muscles.

What are gels and what role do they play in fitness performance?

Gels are good for endurance athletes but are not needed by the recreational athlete. Gels are concentrated forms of carbohydrate and can help long-distance cyclists and runners get some quick fuel during exercise. Since they are so concentrated, they should be washed down with water to avoid stomach upset.

Are there any benefits to exercising in the morning vs. at night?

The best advice is to just do it. There are no benefits to either time; it’s simply a matter of personal choice. Some people prefer morning exercise and the satisfaction that it is done without worrying that it will be squeezed out by their daily routine. Others prefer to exercise later in the day, when muscles are warmed up, and it helps revive them for the evening. The only caution is not to exercise close to bedtime, as the increase in body temperature and metabolism may interfere with sleep.

Is carbo loading a useful strategy for long-distance athletes?

Carbo loading, or stocking up on carbohydrates before a sporting event, has gone out of favor with most athletes. Eating adequate carbohydrates during training provides muscles with all the glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrate) that they need.

Athletes who exercise for longer than two hours usually consume some form of carbohydrate during exercise (sports drinks, carbohydrate gels, or energy bars) to provide additional fuel. Carbohydrate loading (also called “muscle glycogen supercompensation”) should only be considered for those performing very hard, continuous exercise that lasts for 90 minutes or more, and should be done under the supervision of a sports dietitian.

What changes should you make to your diet if your goal is to lose fat?

If your goal is to lose weight and target fat, you need to follow the same kind of healthy diet as above, but be sure you get enough calories to fuel your physical activity. Cut back on refined, sugar-rich foods and beverages and high-fat and fried foods, and scale back your portions to gradually lose body fat. A combination of exercise and a calorie-controlled diet will be the most effective way to promote fat loss.

Saturday Review & Giveaway: The Gymboss

thea — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:41:48 +0000

I don’t like the treadmill at all. Like, at all. I get really bored and am constantly looking at the clock. When I try to cover up the clock with a towel, it’s not much better. The towel falls off or I have a skewed sense of how much time has passed.

For me, treadmill = BLEH!

That’s why I jumped at the chance to try out the Gymboss Interval Timer.

It’s super small and easy to use. I just set the device to the interval times I wanted (I chose 1 minute and 2 minutes), clipped it onto my waistband and hit start. I set the treadmill for a speed that was fast for me and when the timer went off at 1 minute, I slowed down to a more comfortable pace.

When the timer went off two minutes later, I bumped the treadmill back up to the faster speed. The intervals repeated until I got my full distance in. When you’re done, you just turn it off. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Christy received one, too, and she loves it just as much as I do. It seriously makes treadmill running so much easier, but there are so many uses for this little guy. Running, yoga, biking, weight lifting, jumping rope, plank holds…the possibilities are endless!

Here is some of the other features:

One or two different time intervals from 2 seconds to 99 minutes
Auto mode keeps repeating through intervals
Set up to 99 rounds
Manual mode acts as countdown timer
Stopwatch Function
Alarm by beep, vibration, or both
Alarm duration of 1, 5, or 10 seconds
Size of a small pager
(1 3/4 x 2 1/4 inches)
Water and shock resistant
AAA battery required

Naturally, we have one to give away! Enter for your chance to win a PINK Gymboss Interval Timer! We’ve got four ways to enter:

1. Follow the Sisterhood on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.

2. Become a fan of the Sisterhood on Facebook and tell your friends about this giveaway in your status.

3. Become a fan of Gymboss on Facebook and leave a comment to let us know you did.

4. Follow Gymboss on Twitter and leave another comment.

Please leave a seperate comment for each entry. Giveaway ends on Wednesday March 23rd at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard time.

Full disclosure: The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans received two Gymboss Interval Timers to review. No monetary compensation was provided. Of course, as always, the opinions expressed are our own!

Further Inspiration!

Team Leaderboard – Spring Fling Week 3!

Lissa — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:42:51 +0000

Another week has come and gone and it’s time to see which team kicked their shrinking up a notch! Last week, Team G4 jumped into the lead. Will they remain number one this week or will another team step up and kick them out?

Here are the cumulative results:

G4 2.43%
Weight Loss Warriors 1.97%
Team Incredible 1.86%
Off the Oreos 1.79%
Naughty & Nice 1.71%
Jazzy Janes 1.53%
Hottest Hookers in the Hood 1.38%
Special K 1.34%
Hood Mamas 1.32%
Completely Committed Chicks 1.27% *
The A-Team 1.24%
Divine Divas Downsizing 1.21%
Team Fabulous 1.16%
Pigs Will Fly 0.96%
synErgy .92%
Team Q *

Team G4 is still holding on the #1 spot with an impressive lead! Way to go, Team G4! You’re shrinking away right before our very eyes. The Weight Loss Warriors are still hot on your tail, so be careful! Team Incredible had the biggest loss this week – 12 pounds! Will they steal the #1 spot next week? We shall see.

I am so proud of all of our teams! Look at the wonderful progress you are making! What will Week 4 bring? Keep your focus, make the right choices, and have a fabulous week, everyone!!

If there is an * next to your team, that means we didn’t hear from your team this week. If you have your numbers, please get them to Christy ASAP and she will update the leaderboard (christy@shrinkingjeans.net). Gracias.

Further Inspiration!

Thursday Three!

april — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00:31 +0000

I was sitting here (okay fine, I’m lying on my bed) thinking about how different the Sisterhood is now than it was a year ago. It was only 4 months old. A wee baby, just learning how to spread her wings. Finding her place in the big scary world known as the bloggy world.

She was created by a group of women (and one man). Their goal was to document their weight loss journeys together, and they were inviting you to come along, and not only as a witness but also as a participant. They wanted to you begin and document your journey along with them.

As I was thinking, it hit me just how much our Sisterhood has grown, and there are new faces every week. So, I thought it would be good to play a game in an attempt to get to know each other better. Will you play with me?

Leave a comment saying 3 things about the person who commented above you. Things you can list are good qualities about that person, why you like him or her, something that we may not know about that person. If you don’t know the person above you, find their blog, email, twitter or something, and talk with them a bit!

So, I’ll start. Since there is no one above me, I’ll choose someone and that will get us going.

Lissa

1. Not only is she a blogging queen, but she’s a mom to FOUR kids. Do you know how tired that makes a childless chick, such as myself? And two of those kids are twins! Not only does she find time to take all four kids, to their different activities, but she also makes time to of course blog, and work out. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

2. She is a fantastic photographer. Seriously, her photos have sent chills down my spine at how beautiful they are. She has a way of seeing something, taking that something, and creating an outstanding shot of it. She is a true artist.

3. She can have a blast being goofy and isn’t ashamed to share it. Want proof? Go here. It’s one of my favorite posts!

Note: To keep this fair to all, please comment on the person who commented above you, not the person who replies to comments. Make sense? Also, if you’re new, please leave a link to your blog, so that the person below you can visit you!

That said, let’s play!

Further Inspiration!

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Luck o’ the Irish

heather — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:31 +0000

So, it’s hump day – Wednesday – I am so glad we’re halfway through the week.

AND IT’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY! This calls for a cocktail.

In particular, Irish Coffee. Coffee AND booze? Hooray!

Irish Coffee (photo and recipe courtesy of Cooking Light)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Irish whiskey, divided
1/4 cup sugar, divided
4 cups strong coffee, divided

Preparation

1. Place 1/4 cup whipping cream in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

2. Heat 6 mugs by running under very hot water; dry with paper towels.

3. Pour about 4 teaspoons whiskey into each glass. Add 2 teaspoons sugar to each serving; add 2/3 cup coffee, stirring until sugar dissolves. Top each serving with about 1 1/2 tablespoons whipped cream (do not stir).

Nutritional Information

Calories: 111
Fat: 3.7g (sat 2.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.1g)
Fiber: 0.0g

Hope everyone has a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

Further Inspiration!

Spring Fling Challenge Weigh in #3

christy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:56:35 +0000

HOLY COW! Sorry about that folks. Seems like we fell down on the job this morning and forgot to get the weigh in post up Really we were just giving you a few extra minutes to get your weigh in posts, written!

Go jump on your scales and tell us how you did this week? Are you shrink-shrink-shrinking?! We hope so, but we all know there will be weeks when you don’t. How are you doing with your team? Have you made some awesome new friends? Tell us about it!

ALSO, do no forget to check out the Team Shrinking Jeans Bash! We’re asking for your support as we train and run the San Diego 1/2 Marathon through Team in Training! Rather than just ask you to donate to the team, we gathered together some amazing prizes you can win if you donate! It’s really a win-win situation!

Don’t forget about the Monday Project this week either! We can’t wait to hear about what you gave up for our mini-Lent.

Have an amazing Shrinking week, Sisters and Brothers!!

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Weight Watchers Sweet Corn and Poblano Dip

lisa — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:58:23 +0000

So, um, yeah, Happy Hour is a little late tonight. Well, I know it must be happy hour somewhere in the world.

It’s Tuesday, the second day of our incredible Team Shrinking Jeans Bash to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Have you checked out all the fabulous door prizes we’re giving away? No? GO RIGHT NOW (but please, do come back!).

And now, let m share the “happy” with you, all of my internet peeps, my friends, my sisters. You are going to thank me for this recipe (or not, depending on how you look at it).

I have made this dip twice and both times, it was inhaled by my guests. QUICKLY. Like, gone before the introduction commerical to our show of choice it wasn’t The Bachelor, I promise but then I would be lying because yes, this was during The Bachelor viewing parties I have with my girlfriends on Monday nights.

OK, maybe it took a little longer than that, BUT we all agreed that this dip was our new “go to” dip for social functions. It is so creamy and delicious and your guests would never know that it is a “light” recipe. I cannot wait to make it again, although I will probably make an entire batch just for myself next time!

Sweet Corn and Poblano Dip
(From Weight Watchers 20 Minute Recipes)

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 medium poblano chile, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup frozen chopped onion (I used fresh onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups frozen baby yellow and white corn (I couldn’t find this at my grocery store so I used frozen yellow sweet corn)
1/2 (8 oz) package 1/2-less-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. add chile, onion, and garlic; cook 5 minutes or just until chile begins to brown, stirring often. Add corn; cook 2 minutes or until corn is hot. Remove pan from heat.
While vegetables cook, place cream cheese in a medium bowl; bat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients, beating until smooth.
Add warm vegetables to cream cheese mixture; stir well. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately with baked tortilla scoops, carrot sticks, or celery sticks.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 2 tablespoons) ; 1 pt per serving

Nutritional Facts (per serving): Cal 54; Fat 3.7 g; Pro 1.7 g; Fib 0.4 g

Further Inspiration!

Tuesday = TWORKOUT!

heather — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:47:24 +0000

It’s Tuesday, and that means tonight, during the Biggest Loser – or your Tuesday evening program of choice – the Sisterhood will be tweeting a last chance tworkout via Twitter!

April tweets starting at 8 p.m. CST, and Heather tweets during the West Coast showing of the Biggest Loser – starting at 8 p.m. PST. To join in, make sure you follow us @shrinkingjeans. We bark out exercises over the interweb, and you do them. Simple! And please, if you’re following along, let us know you’re there! We like feedback, not crickets (Bueller? Bueller?).

If you’ve never tried it before – well – what are you waiting for? It’s a fun and challenging workout – a last chance tworkout before tomorrow’s weigh in! LAST CHANCE TWORKOUT!

Oh, you don’t have Twitter? NO WORRIES. Here’s the line-up for tonight, you can easily find a few minutes to squeeze in this workout. So as Jillian would say, ‘Don’t phone it in!’

1) Jump rope without a jump rope entire break (or 3 minutes if you’re not watching TV.)
2) Wall Sit entire break (or 3 minutes!)
3) Crunches – 30 regular & 20 reverse
4) Lunges through entire break (yep, you guessed it 3 minutes.)
5) Push-ups, any style, as many as you can do
6) Stride Jumps through entire break (THREE.MINUTES!)
7) Airplane – lay flat on stomach – arms straight out to side, legs straight out behind out. Then lift up head, arms and legs, balancing on your tummy, and hold as long as you can. (Some people also call this Superman!)

Hope to see you tonight!

The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Strawberry-Mango Salsa

Further Inspiration!

The Monday Project Link-Up: Mini-Lent

Most Commented Posts

What to eat before, during and after exercise

Most Commented Posts

Saturday Review & Giveaway: The Gymboss

Further Inspiration!

Team Leaderboard – Spring Fling Week 3!

Further Inspiration!

Thursday Three!

Further Inspiration!

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Luck o’ the Irish

Further Inspiration!

Spring Fling Challenge Weigh in #3

Most Commented Posts

Sisterhood Bash Happy Hour: Weight Watchers Sweet Corn and Poblano Dip

Further Inspiration!

Tuesday = TWORKOUT!

Most Commented Posts