Game Day Drama/ Getting It In On A Budget/ Skinny-Fat

Game Day Drama: Super Bowl Party Makeovers

The moment that you announce you are eating healthy, your Super Bowl menu gets scrutinized.  You don't have to buckle under the pressure, and they don't have to miss out on traditional game day favorites.  Here I've picked 3 Super Bowl party regulars and remade them to be kind to your waistline.

Turkey Chili

1lb ground turkey breast

1 can Northern Neck beans

1 can light kidney beans

1 28oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2- 1 can tomato paste

1/2 of a medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp sugar                                                  

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp canola oil

In a thick-bottomed pan, saute' the onions over medium heat until translucent.  

Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the ground turkey and cook for a few minutes until meat is browned.

Add spices and stir.

Add tomatoes and beans and stir.

Add vinegar and sugar and stir.

Cover and cook on med-low heat for an hour, stirring every fifteen minutes.

Serve!!                                                                           

                                                                  -Unknown Weight Watchers Submitter

Low-fat/ Fat-free Mexican Layer Dip

In order of bottom of dish to top.  If dish is longer than 8x8, double ingredients. 1st layer: fat free Refried beans*, 1 can 2nd layer: Fat Free Chili, 1 can 3rd layer: 1/2 jar- 1 jar salsa 4th layer: 1 container fat free sour cream 5th layer: fat free chedder cheese/taco cheese 6th layer: shredded ice berg lettuce to cover 7th layer: sprinkle diced tomotoes 8th layer: sprinkle diced chiles 9th layer: sprinkle black olives Chill for 2 hour if any ingredients were hot when u put them in.  If not serve and enjoy!

*You can substitute the Refried beans for black beans.

                                          -Submitted by DivineMadness, Sparkpeople.com

Personal Pizzas

1 whole wheat pita bread                                                

2 tbsp pizza sauce

8-10 slices turkey pepperoni

1/2 cp veggies of your choices, such as mushrooms, onions, green pepper, b. olives, tomatoes

2oz low-fat mozzarella cheese

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 until cheese is melted.  Let cool for 1 minute and serve.

                                                  

                            -Submitted by SlimShadee

 

Getting It In On A Budget: Rock Richmond! Line Dancing Class

You don't have to have a gym membership or equipment at home to get a good workout in Richmond.  As I try to keep my routine fresh, I will explore and review some of the free or cheap fitness offerings in the RIC.  The Virginia Department of Health offers a variety of daily classes free and open to the public.  Each class is taught by certified trainers and you are guaranteed an hour long burn. 

 

Since I don't care too much for aerobics, I decided to try their Line Dancing class taught by Tammy at Pine Camp, Saturdays at 11am.  My co-worker had been trying to get me there for months, but I came up with every kind of excuse until I ran out of them.  

So there I was on Saturday, feeling good about actually being awake before noon. The class was filled with a variety of folks, from young to old.  Tammy taught us FIVE dances in one hour!!  Some sat out on a few songs, but that was perfectly okay.  You didn't feel intimidated by your lack of coordination, you laughed with your neighbor, and you tried not to bump into anyone while going the wrong way.  It was definitely a party atmosphere with people staying after class to just dance.  

I file this under: WINNING!  And highly recommend you check it out.  I will see you there next Saturday!

Skinny-Fat: Fat vs. Muscle

Five pounds of fat compared to five pounds of muscle

 After losing 11 pounds and not being able to physically notice it, I really needed a point of reference.  So I lost twice this amount of fat somewhere all over my body and in order to burn more fat, I need to build more muscle.  I have no desire to look like a body builder and was initially afraid to lift weights.  However, I've learned that women don't have enough testosterone to build large muscles.  I can burn calories while I'm at rest which does not happen with cardio only.  

As my body is making the switch, the added muscle can slow down my weight loss, but the final result will be a lean, toned body instead of being skinny-fat.  That is the look you get when you've lost a lot weight but have absolutely no muscle tone.  For more info on the benefits of weight lifting for women, click here- http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/women/a/aa051601a.htm