Portable Trainer.

If you can't afford a fancy gym membership or an expensive personal trainer itrain may be a perfect solution. Celebrity trainer, Grace Lazenby, created a series of mp3 workouts to get you in shape. She has a team of top notch trainers to help you achieve your fitness goals. Workout programs include cardio (itread, icycle, iclimb, irow), sculpt & strengthen (isculpt traditional, isculpt ballet, istrength) and stretch (yoga, pilates). There is a special section for teens. Also, package deals for people who want to lose weight or prepare for their big wedding day. I plan to try the 6 week body makeover. Slims you down 5-10lbs in 2 weeks. Sounds a little to good to be true. I'll keep you posted.

Website: itrain.com

Hot and Spicy Fish!

Feeling daring tonight? This recipe comes from North Africa and is pronounced "Hraimeh." Guaranteed to command attention and awaken your taste buds. This dish has delicious aromatic flavors and heat that will make you sweat.

Ingredients:

3 tilapia loins

4 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoons of caraway seeds

2 teaspoons of harrisa

3 tablespoons of tomato puree

1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 lemon (squeezed juice)
2 teaspoons of salt


Recipe:
Prepare the tilapia loins by rubbing lemon juice and salt on each piece. Place olive oil and chopped garlic in a pan until lightly browned. Add harrisa, caraway seeds, tomato puree, water, and let simmer. Next, add the tilapia loins and cover with lid for 10 minutes.

Oodles of Noodles.

A friend of mine confessed to having an affair with pasta and I thought she was quite sinful. I asked if she felt guilty after consuming all those carbs. "Absolutely not, I enjoy it!" she said. She later tipped me off to a low carb tofu noodle treasure. It only has 20 calories and 3g of carbs per serving!

"That's Amazing!", I said as I hurried to the market to snag me a few of these fabulous finds. She warned that I must first soak the noodles in water for a few minutes to get rid of the slight stench. Next, heat them up in a microwave or stove top. Then, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. You can choose to have them plain or get a little frisky and have fun with it. Try a stir fry with vegetables and sesame seeds or have an Italian meal with traditional tomato pasta sauce.  

After sharing our secret with a few other girlfriends, I decided that tofu noodles are not for everyone, people either love or hate them. I personally feel like I found a guiltless pleasure. It doesn't taste exactly like the real thing, but it comes pretty close. Have a pasta fling and decide for yourself!

Junk Food Lowers Children's IQ?

 Researchers at Bristol University in Britain have discovered that feeding your children Junk Food can actually lower their IQ. 14,000 children born from 1991 to 1992 in western England were monitored at ages three, four and a half, seven and again at age 8. It was found that a poor diet during the early developmental years could in fact lead to a lower IQ by the age of eight. The children consuming the diet of processed foods scored an average of 101 IQ points; whereas, those consuming the healthier diet of fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice scored an average of 106 IQ points. IQ point scoring fell by 1.67 for each increase on the chart that reflected the amount of processed fat they consumed. (see video)

If I only I knew back then what I know now, I would have nothing to do with Junk Food. Merely hanging out with JF has made me less smart? I could have been a rocket scientist, brain surgeon, or found a cure for cancer. I wonder if Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg ever liked Junk Food when they were kids. We all know about Former President, Clinton's tragic love affair with Junk Food that landed him in the hospital with heart surgery. But what about Oprah? She and Junk Food are on and off all the time, but she remains one of the smartest women on the planet! I am not sure about the accuracy of the study, but I know that getting married to Junk Food was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life.  

Have a Quickie!

Some days I don't have time to workout. I found a series of dvds that help me stay in shape in 10 minutes or less. No excuses! These workouts don't make up for a hardcore cardio session, but you will definately feel it working. I especially love the 08: min core workouts. You can choose to target your personal problem area. There are special sections for abs, arms, buns, and thighs. Quickies can be so much fun!

Stuffed Poppers.

In the mood for a crunchy snack? These mini peppers are so good for popping and much better for you than greasy popcorn, chips, or nachos. It will take you seconds to prepare and is a crowd pleaser if you choose to share.

Wash mini peppers and cut the tops. Remove any seeds from the inside and stuff with low fat cottage cheese. You can add a pinch of Dash if you wish. Eat 'till your heart's content without the guilt.

 

What Happens in Vegas...

I'm on vacation. Beautiful hotels, great shows, and amazing restaurants. Everything is decedant and grandiose. Its no wonder Elvis blew up here. Sin city can be about so many things, but for me its all about the buffet. Junk Food was hanging out there all day long. I decided to munch on fresh fruits from starbucks for a snack and have a nice healthy salad for lunch at a restaurant. Junk Food tried to creep up on me there too, but I was strong. Be careful! What happens in vegas could end up showing up on your hips later on.