Southwestern Salad

So I just made a gigantic salad and was a little too big for me, so I want to share it with you:

3 Cups Mixed Greens (Baby Spinach, Romaine Hearts, Green & Red Leaf Lettuce, Arugula)
1/2 Cup Chopped Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Yellow Peppers, Red Onions, Green Onions
1/8 Cup Corn
1/8 Cup Black Beans
1/8 Cup Shelled Edamame
1/2 Cubed Avacado
5-6 Grape Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Chopped, Fresh Cilantro
1 tsp Lime Juice
1 Boneless, Skinless, Grilled Chicken Breast (Seasoned with Taco Seasoning)

Dressing:  LowFat Ranch with a dash of Taco Seasoning (or for some heat, you can mix with Cayenne Pepper Sauce or Chipotles in Adobo)

This packs a NUTRIENT DENSE punch and is only about 400 Calories!

Healthy Morning Latte

Healthy Latte

10oz coffee

2oz milk, fat free half-n-half, or soy milk

1/2 tsp Agave Nectar

1 rounded scoop Transitions Vanilla Powder

shake or stir, sip, enjoy

An Old Stand-by Shake Recipe

This shake recipe is a classic, but an all-time favorite:

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

6oz skim milk, rice milk, or soy milk
6oz water
3 strawberries
1/2 banana
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1-2 scoop Transitions Vanilla Powder
3 ice cubes
blend, sip, enjoy

Post Workout Favorite Drink

Orange Dreamsicle
8oz Orange Juice (Pulp Free)
2--4oz cold water
2 scoops Torch Vanilla Recovery Powder
5 ice cubes
blend, sip, enjoy

NOTE:  You can only get away with using orange juice instead of water and/or milk if you EXERCISED!  Push yourself beyond your limits and treat yourself to this incredible recovery drink. For best results, use this within 1 hour after exercise.

Variation:  Pineapple and/or mango juice.

Healthy Snacks

I've been able to stay on-track with my nutrition goals easily because I constantly have great, nutritious snacks that not only fill me up, but they are delicious, so I feel like I'm having a treat.

Kiwi-Lime Pie Shake
10 oz. water
1 peeled Kiwi
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lime juice
2 scoops vanilla Transitions Powder
3 ice cubes
blend, sip, enjoy

Chunky Monkey
10 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla Transitions Powder
1 scoop Mochatonix
1 Tbsp All-Natural Peanut Butter
1/2 banana
3 ice cubes
blend, sip, enjoy

Extend Snacks (my FAVORITE bars!)

More to come...

Live happy, live healthy

Trim the Fat w/ TLS

I wanted to share this outstanding post with you:


Trim the Fat with Transitions
http://blog.marketamerica.com/blog/trim-the-fat-with-transitions/

Fitness Starter Routine

Being a former elite gymnast, I am a big proponent of body weight resistance training & flexibility as the fundamental in creating a fitness routine.  As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I also realize the health benefits to this type of training to prepare the body to live an active lifestyle.  Functional training is at the heart of what I teach and train, so that will be my big push in upcoming weeks. Here is my starting routine:

Monday & Friday
Pull-Up Routine:  1 set with 30 second rest between exercises
maximum wide grip pull-ups
maximum close-grip (hammer) 45 degree pull-ups
maximum reverse grip pull-ups

Standing Lungest:  1 set of 20 each leg

Push-Up Routine:  1set with 30 second rest between exercises
20 inverted push-ups (I did handstand pushups against ladder)
20 push-ups with feet horizontal with shoulders (feet on 3rd ladder rung)
20 wide push-ups

Body Weight Deep Squats:  1 set 20 pausing at "bottom" for 3 seconds

20 undergrip pulls (like a bicep curl) & 20 Tricep Presses (like a narrow push-up)

25 Inverted abdominal curls followed by a 60 second plank hold

Tuesday & Thursday
Foam Roll (self-myofacial release technique): Glutes, IT Band, Piriformis, Adductors, Lats
Full body flexibility routine, each held for 45 seconds

Wednesday
3 mile light jog
CORE routine: 
60 second plank holds (front and both sides)
20 Superman lifts
20 abdominal curls on stability ball
20 Twists with resistance tubing band

My Transition Back to Health & Fitness

Well, I've committed to re-establishing my health & fitness by adopting a better lifestyle.  Last week, I cleansed & detoxified my body, and this week I launched my new fitness routinte.  I feel great making myself a priority again.  Like most people, I was allowing "life to get in the way."  I made excuses to why I wasn't exercising and eating properly. 
"I'm too busy. I don't have time."
"I need to focus my time & energy on my family, career, and finances."
"I'm in shape, so I don't have to worry about it."

However, I realized that my health was deterioriating, my stress levels were escalating, my health markers (body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure) were diminishing, and my athletic body was lost.  It was time to TAKE ACTION!