Fitness Fun - the Great Falls

So, with weather promising to be uncharacteristically nice for January, one of my friends and I decided to trek up the VA side of Great Falls for hike. The experience did not disappoint. We found ourselves giggling our way through our hike, impressed by the creepy fog rolling in over the water, and both resolved in our New Year's plans for the first time that we can remember.

One of my favorite things about hiking is that you are working out without even realizing that your body is "working".  The terrain is constantly changing, depending on the trail you take and it keeps your muscles guessing what they will have to do next to keep you up.  I was even surprisingly sore the next day from our journey,  I guess its been a little while since I have used some of those muscles.

A 150 lb person can burn up to 440 calories an hour hiking. However, the benefits last way beyond that because not only is this an aerobic activity, but you are also doing a lot for stability and building more muscle, so your metabolism will stay revved way beyond the work out as you recover.  And, most hikes last more than an hour so just multiple the amount of time you are out there by calories burned - you can use calorie counters for exercise like these: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc.

Another great benefit of hiking in the mental clarity it provides.  You get to look at pretty landscapes, try and avoid misplaced rocks/ roots, and take a breath of fresh air - pardon the pun in that corny line.  But seriously, hiking is a great way to get lost in thought or the pretty picture of nature set out in front or behind you and leave feeling just relaxed.

I cannot wait for spring time and nicer weather to be able to take more advantage of some of the hiking that the DMV has to offer.

FitGirlDC's Healthy/ Delicious Mac & Cheese Recipe

So, I wasn't feeling great this weekend and realized that all I wanted to make me feel better was some comfort food.  I couldn't think of any comfort food better than mac and cheese, but with my new year’s resolution to eat healthier in general, I couldn't possibly think of a way to make this classic comfort dish any healthier.  So I hit the pinterest boards for some (p)inspiration and inspiration and recipe ideas are what I found.

I used the following three recipes to combine into one of my own:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/09/skinny-baked-broccoli-macaroni-and.html
http://www.emilybites.com/2011/04/mac-cheese-muffins.html
http://simplynutricising.com/2012/11/29/week-7-crockpot-meal-a-healthier-spin-on-macncheese/

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As you will see in my recipe - which follows below I took some different components from each of the above recipes to make my own healthy version of mach and cheese. 

Although this mac and cheese was more of a mac and cheese + veggie casserole, it was super delicious and hit the spot. This would be a great meal anytime and freezes/ reheats really well.

The recipe is very healthy and makes approximately 6 servings or only around 350 calories a serving!!

Ingredients:

-          Healthy pasta (any kind really works well like barilla plus, or whole grain shells, I used Quinoa Shells)

-          2 cups skim milk

-          1 tbs butter

-          Approx. 1 cup chicken stock

-          Some spray butter

-          3 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

-          3 oz. shredded gruyere

-          Head of cauliflower

-          Chopped onion & garlic

-          Chopped red pepper

-          Frozen package of spinach

-          Chopped broccoli

-          ¼ cup of four

-          Dash of salt/ pepper/ paprika/ nutmeg

-          Some breadcrumbs

Directions:

Boil water for pasta and cook the pasta, strain and set aside

Steam cook the cauliflower ( I chop it as small as I can and put in a large microwave safe bowl, the cook for 2 ½ min intervals until the cauliflower is soft and fully steamed.  Put the cauliflower in a blender with ½ cup of the milk and about a tsp. of spray butter and some salt and pepper.  Blend until the mixture is smooth and almost liquefied.

Stir fry the onions and garlic in butter until almost cooked, add some chicken stock, when that reduces add peppers and broccoli and stir fry another minute adding the rest of the chicken stock.  Add the flour and milk to start creating the roux.  Add salt/ pepper/ paprika/ nutmeg to your taste.  Add the defrosted frozen spinach and mix.  Add in the cheese slowly and stirring continuously so that the mixture can melt the cheese evenly.

Finally, add in the pasta and stir again until all the pasta is covered and mixed into the sauce.

Transfer the mixture from the pan to a pre-sprayed cooking dish.  Put the bread crumbs – mixed with some parmesan cheese if you like on top (you will notice I tried to put some string cheeses on the top – I wouldn't recommend so I haven’t added to the recipe, it didn't melt as well as I had hoped into the top).  Cook in the oven at 350 for approximately 20 minutes and VOILA – healthy yummie veggie mac and cheese casserole.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments on the recipe at: fitgirldcblog@gmail.com

Prepping for the Party

While we are all in the midst of last minute planning, obsessing, and sorting out everything for the big night out that somehow new years has become synonymous with, we can't forget that the next day often results in the aftermath: the inevitable hangover.

To learn how to start this New Year right while still having fun boozing and not being left feeling hung over the next day, then first we have to understand what a hangover is, and not the movie.  A hangover is the result of alcohol consumption in excess of what the body can properly metabolize.  It can result from a number of reasons including dehydration, the liver’s inability to rid itself of the poisons in alcohol, too much sugar when drinking, and if you don't have the enzyme to metabolize alcohol. 

Your hangover may resemble the feeling you imagine of what its like to be hit by a bus.  Maybe you have a headache that is pounding so hard you think your head might implode, or your stomach feels like it has been replaced by an active volcano, or any thought makes you so sad you can't understand or explain it.  All of these things clearly are not a desirable way to feel - and with that, let’s move on to my healthy suggestions of how to avoid these terrible symptoms or how to cure them if they do occur:

How to AVOID the hangover:

 - Drink water before, during, and after you are done drinking alcohol (keeps you properly hydrated)

 - Eat a hearty, well balanced meal prior to drinking, interestingly enough I just learned a meal that includes asparagus of all things (thanks E! Entertainment for that tidbit) is a great addition to your meal.  Other recommended dishes might include pizza, pasta, subs and other well balanced dishes of grains, vegetables, and protein.

 - Don’t mix too many different forms of alcohol, and when in doubt, choose clear alcohols over darker colored ones.

How to CURE the hangover:

 - Surprise, surprise --> drink more water

 - Drink a glass of juice, the fructose in fruit juices helps yours body rid itself of the excess alcohol toxins it's fighting.

 - As simple as it may sound, sleep and a showers can really help as well

 - Often drinking a bloody mary will help because the spicy combo of  new alcohol for your body to play with and vegetable juice with antioxidants and vitamins help replenish your system

 - Eat protein and vitamin rich foods - sorry everyone (including myself) that wants to reach for yummie greasy fries and food, but this can actually worsen your hangover, especially if you have the volcanic stomach kind.

I hope these simple suggestions help you all enjoy your best new year of partying yet! :)  CHEERS!!

It's Time

I finally am going to rededicate myself back to this blog.  The stress of a full time job, full time school, marathon training, and the holidays is now finally at a standstill.  

Over the December holiday's, unlike most of you who celebrate with your family, I usually take the time to be solo and do as little as possible.  This year was not any different, except my mom came to interrupt for a few days. 

One of my nothing activities includes reading the abundance of magazines I subscribe to that I don't have time the rest of the year to read.  As I was going through each health and fitness magazine, I couldn't help but recognize a trend for "how to indulge without the bulge this year". These are all articles where they tell you how to make things "lower-fat" (aka... tasteless in my opinion) or the ridiculously small morsel size you can eat of that stuffing or pie you really want this holiday season.  I mean really, how realistic is that? 

I can't tell you how much these articles frustrate me.  I have always lived my mantra of "balance" and in no way do these articles help you achieve that.  If anything they make you deprive yourself of the special holiday indulgence you really want and then the next day/days you over eat it or something else because your so upset when everyone else was eating it and telling you how amazing it was.

My thought, take one helping always of your favorite dish you look forward to every year around the holidays.  Do not fret over it and realize it’s the one thing of food that is special to you on that day and it's ok to eat it.  Tomorrow you won't have it again until the next year and poof - full proof holiday-ing in effect.

Now, I do recognize on these holiday meals you may eat more than your typical day, its ok and it is even ok when you feel disgusting the next day because in all reality you are not going to keep eating like this up for weeks.  I sure as heck know I do not hold back on my thanksgiving plate (point in case pictured below). Just keep in mind, one meal will not make you gain weight - its eating excess calories compared to the amount that you burn over a sustained period of time that will make you gain weight. 

So with that I say, “Cheers, Happy Holidays!” and here's to finding your own balance.

The Best me I can be...

I have been a bad FitGirlDC recently and not been as diligent with my posting even though there is still so much I want to say.  To let you all know, I work full time, go to grad school full time and have been training for the Marine Corps Marathon. All of these activities have left me with not enough time to dedicate to my blog. Like most of you all, hectic does not even begin to describe how I live my life…

However, my marathon will be done after this weekend and I have been thinking a lot about what this commitment has taught me. Through my training, I have had some time to really collect my thoughts and work on my mental health at the same time as my physical health. I mean what else is there to do when you are running hours on end?  Like any girl, I over analyze everything and at the end of the run usually find some clarity.

Simultaneously, in my classes we have been doing a lot of talking about mental health.  It is a really interesting topic to consider how your mental health affects your physical health.  Your state of mind can affect your appetite, immune system, and productivity.  Usually when your mind is happy, your body follows suit.

Finding mental health isn’t always easy, especially when as I previously mentioned we all live such hectic lifestyles.  “Balance” is the motto I preach as the way to manage your mental health, since I doubt any of us are going to have any less hectic lives in the near future. Balance is all about organizing all your activities and figuring out how to make them fit. Unfortunately, I can’t always do everything I want and something may need to wait on the bench until I have the time to enjoy them again.  In my case, sharing recipes/ fitness/ health on my blog for a little while had to sit it out.

Soon I can shift my balance from marathoning to blogging.  Finding balance can be hard.  It’s hard to realize we can’t always do everything when we want, no matter how much we want to throw tantrums about it.  But knowing that things always have a way of working themselves out and if there is something you really want you will find a way to balance it into your life and accomplish it.

I have come to the realizations that there is no use trying to be perfect, but just trying to be the best me I can be...

If you want to follow me run the marathon this weekend go to http://www.xacte.com/templates/mcm/supporter.html and type in my name J

GoodBye Summer, Hello Fitgirl Inspirations...

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, and the summer swimsuit season is technically over (if you live north of the Mason- Dixon Line), begs the question: what will keep you motivated to stay in shape through to Memorial Day next year?

Below are my top suggestions for staying motivated to keep in shape:

-      -  Find your favorite picture of yourself, where you feel your most beautiful and sassy, put it somewhere like your fridge or bathroom that you will look at regularly for a constant reminder of that feeling.  Visual stimulants are a great way to trigger your memory of feeling good and when you feel good about yourself and your body you are less likely to overindulge in an unhealthy manner:

-     -  Create a fitness goal: sign up for a springtime race, have a weight lifting goal by February / another arbitrary date, or sign up for a new sports team, whatever suits your fancy.  Your goal should be a personal accomplishment that you strive towards. The best way to stay on track for your goal and keep yourself accountable is also to track your progress.

-          - When you get bored create your own quick circuit workout plan you can do while watching TV.  It can be something you do just one time or repeat 3 – 5 doesn’t matter as long as if gets you moving and up off the couch. The quick adrenaline burst can help keep you going and not deviating from your work out plans, especially on the days you wanna start to slump. 

-     - Find a partner in crime.  You can rely on the other person for motivation as well as to chat about food, working out and other ideas you might want to bounce off each other.  You can encourage and push each other and bitch about something the other person can relate to.

-    -   Create a schedule. Work into your schedule when you want to eat what, when you are going to work out, and your social life to help maintain balance.  It’s great to make the schedule, but following it is even more important and will help you build a foundation.  Another benefit is that it can help keep unhealthy habits from sneaking up on you. 

And most importantly find and follow your own inspiration…. 

Pinterest Inspired, FitGirl Approved

A rainy Sunday combined with my newfound obsession of Pinterest pins of health, fitness, food, fashion, etc. inspirations led me to put my fascination into action.  Although I have had a pinterest account for a while, only recently have I been using it for some real inspiration.  I guess I got bored with the mundane food regiment I have become accustomed to and since I had the time today, I pinned a few others to try this week as well.

I selected a rather easy inspiration for my first attempt; roasted parmesan zucchini.  These are delicious and nutritious.  They are super easy (as promised by the creator) and would make a great side to any protein dish.  I made some slight improvisations in the recipe- per my taste, but that’s the fun of cooking – putting your own flair on the foods that inspire you. 

This recipe (my improvised one below) gets the fitgirl stamp of approval and will be made again – thank you Pinterest and rainy Sunday!

Ingredients:
Zucchini
cooking oil spray
salt/ pepper
garlic powder
basil/ oregano
whole foods 3 cheese grated blend

Directions:
put oven to 400 degrees – cooking time approx. 15 min or until cheese crisps
spray pan with cooking oil spray
Slice zucchini and place into large ziploc bag with more spray oil and all the spices & shake, shake, shake
place zucchini on baking sheet and sprinkle top with some of the grated cheese and voila

Bon Appetite!!

Original pin/ recipe: http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/parmesan-roasted-zucchini-recipe/