Fitness *CHALLENGE*

awesome!! i really need to get on board because i need stamina and do my costume justice for when i play mas in Trinidad in February 2010, and i have been slacking a bit (well, i guess playing tennis religiously since forever isn't slacking). regardless, need to up my game. so, i want to share one of my fav, go-to recipes that i always have on hand. i mentioned this in another thread. its my corn and bean medley salad. i like it because it helps me reach my daily in take of veggie and fiber, easy to make and goes with EVERYTHING. also, i tend to make alot when i prepare food so that it makes it easier to plan my daily menu and thus, easier to maintain my healthy eating habits.

one can of sweet corn
one can of black beans
palmful of chopped onions of your choice
palmful of chopped tomatoes of your choice
tablespoon of any type of mustard (i like it with honey Dijon mustard)
tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons of olive oil
feta cheese, chopped almonds or pecans, salt and pepper are optional

directions:
1) open the cans, and rinse them with water so that all of the sauces are eliminated. i do this especially with the black beans.
2) in a big mixing bowl add the corn, beans, tomatoes, onions, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3) mix well
4) for garnish, you can add the cheese and/or the nuts

i love eating this in whole wheat pita. in the pita i like to have sour cream and some type of meat.

i hope this helps!!

dajewel wrote:awesome!! i really need to get on board because i need stamina and do my costume justice for when i play mas in Trinidad in February 2010, and i have been slacking a bit (well, i guess playing tennis religiously since forever isn't slacking). regardless, need to up my game. so, i want to share one of my fav, go-to recipes that i always have on hand. i mentioned this in another thread. its my corn and bean medley salad. i like it because it helps me reach my daily in take of veggie and fiber, easy to make and goes with EVERYTHING. also, i tend to make alot when i prepare food so that it makes it easier to plan my daily menu and thus, easier to maintain my healthy eating habits.

one can of sweet corn
one can of black beans
palmful of chopped onions of your choice
palmful of chopped tomatoes of your choice
tablespoon of any type of mustard (i like it with honey Dijon mustard)
tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons of olive oil
feta cheese, chopped almonds or pecans, salt and pepper are optional

directions:
1) open the cans, and rinse them with water so that all of the sauces are eliminated. i do this especially with the black beans.
2) in a big mixing bowl add the corn, beans, tomatoes, onions, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3) mix well
4) for garnish, you can add the cheese and/or the nuts

i love eating this in whole wheat pita. in the pita i like to have sour cream and some type of meat.

i hope this helps!!

that recipe sounds awesome (and easy!) I'm going to try that very soon. That would be amazing to bring to lunch! (Canned soup gets REALLY old...)

Breakfast today
- Oatmeal
- Fruit Juice (juiced myself) - apple, orange & ginger

my lunch today
-- Vanilla yogurt (yum!)
-- mixed salad (chopped scallions, cilantro, romaine hearts, mesculun salad, chopped red onions, & tomatoes - no dressing)

Dinner
(in the process of making)
--- Spaghetti and meatballs! yummm

does anyone have specific work out plans? I currently dont have one...i live on the 12th floor though and take the stairs occasionally

looking into incorporating at least 2-3 dance classes a week in my routine...the gym bores me!

thanks, veggiegirl!!! tell me how you like it!!!

cutephantasm, that salad sounds delicious!! but no salad dressing?? i like dressing, but i have to make it myself. and i loveeeeee yogurt!!! my fav is adding fresh apples or frozen fruit. is like nature's candy!!!! yay!!!

dajewel - i dont like dressings...and i like to eat salads with my fingers (i know i know....a bit uncivilized of me lol) if i do add anything to my salad its usually a bit of freshly squeezed lemon

wow, interesting, cutephantasm!!

See...My problem is I LOVE FOOD. I love all types of food. So I've had to find a perfect balance. I commit myself to working out at my gym (Lifetime Fitness...The best gym in the world) at least 5x/week.

On Mondays, I do Cardio Resistance Training (CRT) and Barbell Strength, Tuesdays Total Conditioning (conditions the entire body) and Dance Jam (for cardio), Wed I do a kickboxing class and another CRT class, Thurs (I normally take off), Fri I take a Total conditioning class that is beyond AWESOME and a Kickbox Jam class. And then on Sundays, I take a Kickboxing class with weights.

I make sure to eat a good amount of fruits and veggies and drink lots of water. But I don't skimp when it comes to food. So working out helps me to maintain the best of both worlds (a healthy appetite and a well toned/defined body).

Hi Ladies! I am new to CurlyNikki and this challenge is right up my alley. I need to lose about 45 lbs (for health reasons as well as I want to look and feel great). I am very consistent when it comes to working out but it goes downhill when I eat...LOL.

I am a sweet food addict and I am trying to curb the cravings by juicing fresh veggie juice (mostly leafy green veggies) and eating vegan or vegetarian meals 2-3x per week (I did this about 5 years ago when I wanted to lose weight and the weight melted off but I have had a child since then and it seems like it is much harder).

This is my current workout schedule:

Monday - pilates in the am and walking on the treadmill (on an incline) in the pm
Tuesday - Yoga in the am and Zumba in the pm
Wednesday - same as Monday
Thursday - yago in the am and circuit training in the pm
Friday - Same as Monday and Wednesday

I am soo excited about this journey (loosing weight and transitioning to natural)...so let's get it!!

@ ooop & ashollan

you two sound like you have a great routine down!! I never stick with anything...lol i went to the gym today (YAY) did 30 mins cardio then lower back & abs...

I love food too especially sweets!!

I remembered a trick to work your abs...when you walk, pull your belly button alll the way in (without holding your breath!) and hold it there for as long as possible....this engages the abs (and helps u look slimmer!) after a while u will be doing it all the time without even thinking about it!

dajewel wrote:thanks, veggiegirl!!! tell me how you like it!!!

cutephantasm, that salad sounds delicious!! but no salad dressing?? i like dressing, but i have to make it myself. and i loveeeeee yogurt!!! my fav is adding fresh apples or frozen fruit. is like nature's candy!!!! yay!!!

I love your recipe above!! How do you make your salad dressing??

cutephantasm wrote:Breakfast today
- Oatmeal
- Fruit Juice (juiced myself) - apple, orange & ginger

my lunch today
-- Vanilla yogurt (yum!)
-- mixed salad (chopped scallions, cilantro, romaine hearts, mesculun salad, chopped red onions, & tomatoes - no dressing)

Dinner
(in the process of making)
--- Spaghetti and meatballs! yummm

All I can say is WOW. I'm trying..I really am. I'll do it for a few weeks and then fall off. I love pasta too much..i can eat mac and cheese everyday if Hubby would let me.

I am going to join this challenge as well. I believe if I'm healthy on the inside, it will reflect in my hair!!!!!

ashollan wrote:Hi Ladies! I am new to CurlyNikki and this challenge is right up my alley. I need to lose about 45 lbs (for health reasons as well as I want to look and feel great). I am very consistent when it comes to working out but it goes downhill when I eat...LOL.

I am a sweet food addict and I am trying to curb the cravings by juicing fresh veggie juice (mostly leafy green veggies) and eating vegan or vegetarian meals 2-3x per week (I did this about 5 years ago when I wanted to lose weight and the weight melted off but I have had a child since then and it seems like it is much harder).

This is my current workout schedule:

Monday - pilates in the am and walking on the treadmill (on an incline) in the pm
Tuesday - Yoga in the am and Zumba in the pm
Wednesday - same as Monday
Thursday - yago in the am and circuit training in the pm
Friday - Same as Monday and Wednesday

I am soo excited about this journey (loosing weight and transitioning to natural)...so let's get it!!

Lawd give me that kind of discipline. I'm going to the YMCA TODAY...but I usually go, perhaps, once a week. I need more motivation.

dajewel wrote:thanks, veggiegirl!!! tell me how you like it!!!

cutephantasm, that salad sounds delicious!! but no salad dressing?? i like dressing, but i have to make it myself. and i loveeeeee yogurt!!! my fav is adding fresh apples or frozen fruit. is like nature's candy!!!! yay!!!

I tried your recipe today, and it was DELICIOUS! I can't wait to start bringing this to lunch. :)

CurlySpeechTherapist78 wrote:

dajewel wrote:thanks, veggiegirl!!! tell me how you like it!!!

cutephantasm, that salad sounds delicious!! but no salad dressing?? i like dressing, but i have to make it myself. and i loveeeeee yogurt!!! my fav is adding fresh apples or frozen fruit. is like nature's candy!!!! yay!!!

I love your recipe above!! How do you make your salad dressing??

my dressing is usually very simple. i like to mix olive oil with fresh lemon or lime juice. sometimes, depending on the salad, i will add pecan or walnuts with raisins, cranberries or apples. it hits the spot!!!

veggiegirl314 wrote:

dajewel wrote:thanks, veggiegirl!!! tell me how you like it!!!

cutephantasm, that salad sounds delicious!! but no salad dressing?? i like dressing, but i have to make it myself. and i loveeeeee yogurt!!! my fav is adding fresh apples or frozen fruit. is like nature's candy!!!! yay!!!

I tried your recipe today, and it was DELICIOUS! I can't wait to start bringing this to lunch.

awesome!!!!! am glad you like it!!! i had my beloved corn and bean salad for lunch today in my pita with sour cream, and man, that was on point!!! i mmoultry has a southwestern (but veggie) version that I will be trying out this weekend!!! she posted it on my hair challenge, but i will post in here.

Courtesy of MMOULTRY
"No problemo here it is:

Let me start by telling you on lazy days I use the southwest chicken strips in the pack.. On normal days I season my chicken breast with blackening seasoning for some little added spice and I grill, cut in strips

For lettuce: I used the spring mix and I add some baby spinach leaves

15 cherry tomatoes sliced ( I heart tomatoes)
1/3 cup of drained & rinsed black beans
1/3 cup of drained mexi corn
3 T of chopped purple onion
1 T of mexican blend cheese
2 T of black olives

My dressing variations depending on what I have at home:


Sometimes I will mix salsa with ranch dressing or

Sometimes I use 1 cup of jalapeno ranch dressing with about 2 T BBQ mixed with it

cinnamoncurlz wrote:

All I can say is WOW. I'm trying..I really am. I'll do it for a few weeks and then fall off. I love pasta too much..i can eat mac and cheese everyday if Hubby would let me.

I am going to join this challenge as well. I believe if I'm healthy on the inside, it will reflect in my hair!!!!!

I;m strange...i just dont like pasta/bread that much

My real dilemma is that I don't care to much for meat. Veggies and PASTA/POTATOES and I'm good. I don't eat ENOUGH is what I've been told. I have to get it together. One step at a time. I need to learn how to push myself. I used to run 5 miles or so every morning in. College. So, I know I can do it!!!!!

It's not that you need to eat more meat -- that is just uneducated talkers filling your ear -- you just need to eat the right things.

cinnamoncurlz wrote:My real dilemma is that I don't care to much for meat. Veggies and PASTA/POTATOES and I'm good. I don't eat ENOUGH is what I've been told. I have to get it together. One step at a time. I need to learn how to push myself. I used to run 5 miles or so every morning in. College. So, I know I can do it!!!!!

Lots of small meals is key....most people eat 2-3x what they should portionwise when they do eat....

If you arent motivated with running (i know i sure aint!) then try doing something thats fun...like a dance class, or yoga, or ice skating etc...

cutephantasm wrote:@ ooop & ashollan

you two sound like you have a great routine down!! I never stick with anything...lol i went to the gym today (YAY) did 30 mins cardio then lower back & abs...

I love food too especially sweets!!

I remembered a trick to work your abs...when you walk, pull your belly button alll the way in (without holding your breath!) and hold it there for as long as possible....this engages the abs (and helps u look slimmer!) after a while u will be doing it all the time without even thinking about it!

@ cutephantasm Thanks for the tip! It has been really hard with getting my abs back in shape because I had a c-section when my daughter was born...so I will definitely use this technique when I am walking and running.

cutephantasm wrote:@ ooop & ashollan

you two sound like you have a great routine down!! I never stick with anything...lol i went to the gym today (YAY) did 30 mins cardio then lower back & abs...

I love food too especially sweets!!

I remembered a trick to work your abs...when you walk, pull your belly button alll the way in (without holding your breath!) and hold it there for as long as possible....this engages the abs (and helps u look slimmer!) after a while u will be doing it all the time without even thinking about it!

So true!!! My trainer taught me that and now I even walk with my abs engaged

yw ladies....every little bit helps!! just like you can do kegel exercises at work, you can also flex those cheeks =) helps tone up the tush...

sometimes though you develop the abs but have fat over it so you can't see them...thats why cardio is important...to burn the fat