January 8, 2007 by erin.

This exercise is is truly a total body toner. It’s a mean calorie burner, recruiting many muscle groups including core, shoulders, quads, hams and glutes. It’s also a great balance challenge. Throw these Stationary Lunges with Oblique Medicine Ball “Drops” into your program and boost your fitness to the next level. Here’s how…

• Pick your poison: choose a medicine ball. I recommend at least 6lbs.
• Kneel on the ground so that both of your legs are bent at 90 degrees and your body is completely centered between your legs. Start with your right leg forward. Stand up, keeping your body centered between your legs.
• Hold medicine ball in both hands and extend your arms in front of your body at shoulder height. This is your starting and ending position.
• Draw your abs in, keep your upper body upright and kneel down until your back knee is almost touching the ground while simultaneously “dropping” the ball to your right side keeping your arms straight. At the “bottom” of the lunge, the ball should be lower than your right knee and you should feel a “crunch” in your obliques.
• Return to starting position with arms fully extended in front of your body at shoulder height while simultaneously squeezing your quads and glutes.
• Six Training Tips: 1. Remember to draw your abs in and hold them tight. Imagine pulling your belly button towards your spine. 2. Throughout the entire exercise, keep your upper body upright. Imagine an elevator going up and down and resist the urge to lean forward. 3. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. 4. Keep your mind on your muscles and mindfully contract them. 5. Push up through your front heel and back toe with equal force. 6. Don’t go too fast, count to three on the way down. Pause. Count to three on the way up. Make those muscles do the work. It should burn.

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January 2, 2007 by erin.

This was a great accident. One night, I was thinking about how great my grandmother’s casseroles are, and I suddenly had a major craving for one. Knowing well that a rich and cheesy casserole in NOT on my diet, I began to immediately think about how I could make a healthy version. This is what I came up with. It was a total experiment and, I have to say, a total success.

INGREDIENTS:

8oz grilled chicken
1 cup whole wheat elbow pasta (dry measure)
6oz broccoli florettes, rough chopped
100g chopped sweet onion
50g sliced mushrooms
6oz 50% light Velveta cheese, cubed
½ cup 1% fat buttermilk
3 piece light whole wheat bread (40cal/ slice)
½ cup egg substitute
½ cup low sodium chicken stock
4tbsp zero calorie buttery spray

Seasoning: 2tbsp garlic powder, 1tbsp ground pepper, 1tbsp onion powder, 1tbsp chili powder, 1tsp crushed rosemary, 1/2tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray a 2.2 quart casserole dish with fat free cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions until aldente. Drain and set aside. Chop grilled chicken into bite sized pieces, set aside. Toast bread, spray with zero calorie cooking spray and garlic powder, then place bread in microwave and cook on high heat for one to one and a half minutes or until moisture is cooked out. Put dry toast into a bag and crush into crumbs, set aside. Place onion and broccoli in a microwave safe bowl, then cover and cook for three minutes or until broccoli is bright green and slightly crisp. Using the pot you cooked the pasta in, combine pasta, Velveta cheese, buttermilk, egg substitute, chicken stock, buttery spray, and seasonings. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted, then stir in remaining ingredients (except bread crumbs) until well combined. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and spread evenly. Coat the top of the casserole with bread crumbs and bake in a 450 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are browned and casserole is bubbling. Remove and cool for ten minutes before serving. Serves 3. Serving size: 1/3 casserole dish.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING: 441 calories; 45 carbs; 7g fat

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January 1, 2007 by erin.

GET FIT IN 2007

Everyone seems to start the year off strong with their new year’s resolution of losing weight. They join the gym and hit it hard for the first month going 5 – 7 days a week… not as hard the second month, maybe 3 days a week… by March, you might see them once a week and by April they forget how to get to the gym. Does this sound familiar? Has this happened to someone you know, or are you the guilty party? Don’t be discouraged, the past does not equal the future. I am here to share with you how to stay on track with your goals and make 2007 you’re healthiest year yet!

1. So you indulged through the holidays and now find yourself holding on to a few extra pounds. The first thing to do is forgive yourself. You can’t change what you have already done, but you can do something about it starting today. Make a commitment to start making healthier choices right now. What are you going to do today to take the first step to a healthier, happier you?

2. Set SMART goals: Specific; Measurable; Action oriented; Realistic; Timely. Example: instead of saying I want to lose weight, redefine your goal in terms of specific elements that will help you achieve your desired weight loss. A. I will reduce my intake of dietary fat by 135 calories per day within the first two weeks of my new lifestyle. B. I will commit to aerobic exercise for a minimum of twenty minutes, three days per week, for the next three months. C. I will commit to sticking with my strength training routine for at least two days per week for the next three months.

3. Break larger, long term goals into smaller, thirty day goals. Your ultimate goal may be to lose 100lbs, but if after two months of hard work you measure 12lbs of weight loss, you might get discouraged to think that you still have 88lbs to go. Instead, set yourself up for success by breaking it down into smaller, thirty day goals. It takes 3500 calories to gain or lose one pound; and, a healthy rate of weight loss is 1 – 2 lbs per week. Setting a goal to lose 4lbs in one month is very attainable; and, if you actually lose six or eight, you will feel great and be highly motivated to continue with your plan.

4. The key to successfully adopting healthy habits is to start by making small lifestyle changes. The more drastic the change, the less likely you will be to adhere to your plan. Start slow; especially if you are a beginning exerciser. As you become more comfortable with exercise, you can increase intensity and duration. They same applies to nutrition. Start by making small changes to positively impact your nutrition. As these small changes become habit, make additional changes. Before you know it, people will be calling you a health nut! And don’t get discouraged; it takes most people six months to adopt new habits.

5. Consult with a fitness professional to help design your plan of action. Working with a trainer has many benefits. A personal trainer wears numerous hats when training clients – educator, motivator, confidence builder, role model, comedian and, most importantly, unique repetition counter. A qualified trainer can help you set realistic goals and can also be a great source of accountability. Other benefits of working with a trainer include ongoing fitness evaluations, a personalized, balanced, progressive program tailored to your specific needs, insurance that you are performing exercises with proper form, tempo, and intensity, and a flexibility program to target any posture deviations and tight muscles you may have.

Follow these tips and get started on the right track in 2007. With patience, persistence, and a little hard work, you can achieve your goals. To jump start your success, Erin Graham Fitness is offering a free fitness consultation. Find out your starting statistics, define your SMART goals, and put a plan in action with the help of Erin Graham, certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. To contact Erin Graham Fitness Click Here. Call today to make your appointment!!