I love summertime. I love the hot days and the warm nights. I love tan lines and swimming pools. I love baseball games and evening walks. But most of all I love summertime food. Now that the sun is out, produce is at its peak. The peaches, the strawberries, the watermelon! My mouth is watering thinking about all the incredible food that summertime brings.
The only thing I dread about summer is cooking dinner. The thought of eating soup on a warm night makes me cringe and who wants to heat up the house even more by putting dinner in the oven after a long day of being outside?
There’s no need to fear! The following is one of my favorite recipes that requires no inside baking, is quick and easy, and will sure to be a hit amongst your family!
Marinated Chicken Breasts
Before you leave in the morning place the desired number of chicken breasts in a large Tupperware or Ziploc bag with a generous amount of your favorite salad dressing. (Balsamic vinaigrette or Italian works best). Let the chicken marinate all day, 1-6 hours… the longer the better.
Grill over low to medium heat for fifteen minutes. Turn it once during cooking.
For an extra delicious kick, you can top the grilled chicken with a fresh mango salsa that can be purchased at any local grocery store.
Grilled Parmesan Vegetables
*Your entire meal can be done on the grill! You can buy a vegetable grill basket at any local Target or Walmart. Cut up a variety of vegetables, i.e. peppers, onions, zucchini, tomato, mushrooms, squash, and coat the vegetables in a splash of olive oil. You can then sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Grill over low to medium heat for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
Put the finishing touches on your delicious and healthy meal with a green salad topped with apples, walnuts and bleu cheese, tossed in a simple vinaigrette and for dessert… vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries!
In the last post, I talked about making sure that you reward yourself when you reach your weight loss goals. Since I wrote that last blog post, I’ve been thinking about ways that I could reward myself. You know, trying to practice what I preach. I’ve think I have found the perfect bit-time reward for myself after I reach some of my weight loss and fitness goals. Here’s the plan:
When I reach my ultimate goal of losing these last 20 pounds, I am going to do whatever it takes to find my favorite discontinued china dishes. When I graduated from college, I was given some fantastic china that was passed down. But last Christmas, I accidentally broke two of the dishes. So I need to find some replacements. It will definitely give me something to look forward to and to work towards.
Let’s face it; it is hard work to work out multiple times a week. The motivation alone is hard to get a grasp on–a firm grasp. One reason that people give up with working out and being consistent in the gym is because they forget to reward themselves. Most people wait to reach their ultimate goal before they reap the benefits.
It is really important to make small goals and large goals–and make sure you reward both.
- A day with your friends. This is a great relaxer. You can just go to a movie or make it bigger and go to an amusement park for the day. Heck, even for the weekend.
- Buy some new clothes. Most people will wait until they are completely done with losing weight before they will buy new clothes. But you need to feel great about your progress. Buy clothes for every stage you are at. You’ll be surprised at how great the difference will be when you wear smaller clothes that fit rather than clothes that are too big.
- Take a personal day. Yes, reward yourself with doing something that you absolutely love to do but don’t have lots of time for anymore, ie: reading, sleeping, watching a movie, or going to the spa.
- Weekend getaway. This can be by yourself, with friends, or with a loved one. Whichever you choose, you are sure to enjoy yourself. If you want something incredibly relaxing with the perfect amount of seclusion, try an Arizona bed and breakfast.
Remember, you’ve worked hard and now it is time to reward your efforts. Keep up the great work and reward yourself!
Yes, there is a list of the healthiest cities in the country. Do you live in one? Here are the top three:
- San Jose, California. I wonder if they are so fit because they have to wear their bathing suits in public more than say…Utah. I know that when I have to wear my swimsuit, I work out dang hard!
- Washington, D.C. I wonder why? Maybe because politicians need to look good in the public eye?
- San Francisco, California. They have the best hills for running!
So there are lots of health-conscious people in California; that is for sure. It makes me wonder what their secret is: Akavar? New running shoes? Bathing suit motivation? Whatever it is, I want it!
If you’d like to see the full list, click here.
Ok, I’ve made a list of workout things I can’t live without.
1. My door gym pullup bar. It’s AMAZING. No holes, not permanent, easy on the hands, just requires a normal door with molding.
2. My medium-sized yoga ball. I use this for my ab workouts…they make for great crunches. (I found it through DropshipDesign)
3. My Push Up bars. They make for a larger range of motion.
4. My New Balance running shoes. I love the comfort and durability. And they’re sexy.
Have any essential workout items you’d like to share? Leave them in a comment!
We all know the aggravation that occurs when we have to sit on hold waiting…and waiting…and waiting–just to talk to a real person who will just put us right back on hold. The least the companies could do is have a creative hold message. We spend the whole annoying time thinking of all the things that we could be doing. My mind usually ventures into the “I could be at the gym right now” or “By the time I get off this phone, I could have been half way through my cardio!”. So here are a few exercises/stretches that you can do while on hold. Believe me; they work!
- Stretching: Stretch all your stress away. You can do any type of stretching while on hold. All you have to do is get a headset for your phone or put it on speaker phone.
- Abs: sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts…you name it, you can do it.
- Lunges
- Bicep curls
- Even jump rope!
The list is endless. Just get creative and you will never have to have an unproductive phone call again!
No, I am not referring to drinking alcohol. How about some healthy juice instead? Jus 23 is an antioxidant drink that contains many super-fruits, which are fantastic for your health.
Not only does Jus International provide healthy antioxidant drinks, but if you need a little extra money they can help with that too. Jus Direct Marketing is a great way to support yourself financially and promote a healthier lifestyle.
The presence of what has been deemed “junk food” in public schools across the nation has long been a heated debate…one that seems only to be gaining steam. Is it the job of school administrators to enforce healthy eating habits or is it the inherent responsibility of parents to encourage and condone such actions? It seems parents are consistently failing in that department (just look the child obesity rate in this country), so do schools have a choice?
Note: The Junk Food basket pictured above is an actual gift basket that can be purchased via Adorable Gift Baskets, for the junkie in all of us.
Surfing the net that is. I have a confession to make: I am most certainly and absolutely addicted to the world wide web. {gasp!} Not in that way, you pervert! I happen to think the internet is one of greatest resources we have available; it’s a wealth of knowledge that is still in its infancy and we will most certainly see great things come about from it in the years to come.
So far this morning I have spent one hour online and have accomplished oodles: I was able to make business contacts on LinkedIn.com, found a china replacement piece I have been searching for, ordered my makeup (which I can only get online), found some old high school friends on Facebook, got my daily news fix on FoxNews.com, filed a complaint with the BBB (against a company which shall remain nameless), and did a little “window” shopping at Anthro. All that in under 60 minutes, ladies and gentlemen.
So the point of the post? Well, I suddenly had a brilliant idea this morning in the midst of all my work. I have a large exercise ball that is doing nothing but collecting dust in the basement. “Why not use that while I am on my computer at the desk?” I ask myself. Brilliant, no? Now, lest you have images of the beloved Office character Dwight (you all remember that episode, right??), trust me, I look just as dorky bouncing on it but who cares? It is within the safe confines of my own home with no peering eyes are mocking stares.
A great way to stay in shape and surf the net.
Did you know these days, most catering companies and food services are providing healthy alternatives for clients? One of my fave Utah catering companies (talk about to die for cuisine) told me that many companies are now offering low-fat, low-calorie, and healthy food options which allows them to widen their services and broaden their client base. Next time you are using a caterer or having food brought in for a party or other event, ask what healthy, low-fat options they provide. Often times, the “healthy” food tastes just as delectable and delicious as the calorie-laden stuff. Your guests won’t be able to tell a difference!
