Black Bean Brownie Recipe

I found this recipe for brownies that I am really excited to try. A few months ago on Dr. Oz the did a segment on mystery ingredients & a woman presented a Brownie using Black Beans & Avocado. The woman trying it said that it was even better than regular brownies. How cool is that?!
Black Bean Brownie Recipe

What About Coconut water

One of my favorite drinks is coconut water. I was introduced to it by a friend when I lived in California a few years ago. Since it has become a staple of my fridge. Not only is it extremely refreshing but it is beneficial for your health.

Coconut water is the liquid that is from inside young coconuts before it solidifies to form the flesh of the coconut that we normally eat. Though it is safe to drink it directly from freshly harvested fruit, the coconut water that you find in the grocery store is pasteurized and may have added pulp. Coconut water is naturally low in calories and fat-free. It is a great source of Potassium and has about the same amount as a banana. This is why it is an athlete’s friend. Fruit-flavored coconut water is usually sweetened with juice or cane juice. While it does add a few extra calories, they are from cane juice which is a natural sugar. The added sugar also makes it a great post workout drink. So what are other benefits? For one, is has been shown to help lower high blood pressure. (this does not mean it will cure high blood pressure) So when should you drink coconut water? During and after a workout is a perfect time. It is a superior source of hydration. Instead of reaching for a Gatorade which is loaded with sugar and artificial sweeteners and coloring.

Here’s a fun little article to check out. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1384653/Madonna-swear-benefits-coconut-water.html

Take time for you

I hope you got some rest today. With all the hectiveness (yes I know it’s not a word) in life it is important to take some time for ourselves. This morning I was at a BeachBody conference until 3, after that I laid on the floor with McKalyn for 6 hours straight, well other than dinner. This is the first time I have done that in I don’t know how long. I loved every minute of it. So I didn’t get my workout in today, I didn’t get a single item on my to-do list done. I sat on my butt & enjoyed my daughter. Sometimes we get so caught up in life and forget to stop and lick the tulips as my husband says. Enjoy life!!!

Back Yard workout

As a busy mom I understand that going and spending hours in the gym is not always feasible. Not to mention the time it takes to commute to the gym & back. As a busy mom my workouts either involves my 18 month old daughter or take place during her naps. I need to be efficient and get done what needs to be done because my shower needs to be done before she wakes as well. This is a back yard workout I created that she enjoys to try to do as well.

Set a marker at each end of your yard or about 30 feet apart.

Jog laps around the perimeter for 5 minutes

Stretch major muscle groups 5 min

Circuit 1: Do each exercise the number of reps specified at each end of the yard & sprint to the other side & repeat for the same number of reps.
15 pushups, 15 sit-ups, 15 jump squats
14 pushups, 14 sit ups, 15 jump squats
13…
12…
Repeat down to 5 then go back up increasing by 1.
Rest 2 minutes

Circuit 2: Same idea only this time we are adding a new exercise at each end. Each exercise is for 16 reps. The cardio in the middle will change each time.
Dips/bear crawl/dips
Add reverse lunges& dips/crab walk/add reverse lunges & dips
Add Russian twists/skip/add Russian twists
Add Plank jacks/skip backwards/ add plank jacks
Add alt jump lunges/sprint/add alt jump lunges
So the last pass will look like this dips, reverse lunges, Russian twists, plank jacks, jump lunges, run to the other side & repeat.
Rest 2 minutes & repeat.

Jog 5 minutes

Cool down stretch 10 minutes

Join my Push Team

I want you to join my team!

I am starting a team to participate in a life-changing experience.

In celebration of Chalene Johnson's new book, PUSH: 30 Days to a Turbo-Charged Habits, A Banging Body, and The Life You Deserve, Chalene has created a pre-launch Push Jump Start program. We'll get all the content of the book with the nutrition tips, exercises, and life-changing tips. Plus, she's going to send us a free copy of her book! Chalene links together life-skills with fitness goals and makes it easy to achieve success in all areas of your life.

I'm already signed up, and I really want you to join me.

We start 11/11/11, but sign up now, because space is limited!

Push Jump Start: A revolutionary 30-day system that will allow you to transform your body, your diet and your life!

Our team name is: Kage Fit
I'm listed as team leader: Emily Dunn

I am really excited about this Challenge. I have done Chalene's 30 Day Push twice thourgh now & read her blog for motivation. I am looking forward to what she will be offering. So I hope you will join me.
http://www.chalenejohnson.com/pushjumpstart

Monday Night Football workout

Remember in college how you had drinking games for everything? Well why not make it a workout game. So tonight instead of sitting on the couch while the game is on try this workout instead.
1st down- 10 pushups
2nd down- 15 tricep dip
3rd down- 20 floor jacks
4th down- 20 Russian
Touch-down-15 burpees
Time out home team crunches or Russian twists
Time out away team Hold plank
Commercial-alternate these cardio options; jumping jacks, Jump rope, high knees, butt kickers

Goals Step 5

Step 5-This one is more metaphorical. “The act of carrying…” No one can achieve their goals completely alone. Yes they can pursue them alone, but everyone needs a support system of some kind. A mentor, a teacher, a trainer, a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a child…

It is important to surround ourselves with people who are there to help us up when we call, carry us and sometimes “kick” us to get us to that goal.

There is not of explanation that needs to go into this. Everyone needs a support system. For some this is not easy. Not everyone is blessed with a good support system. I supposed that is why there are so many groups out there for this reason. You can find one on your area or find one on-line. I am excited to announce that I will have my own community on my website that will launch after the New Year. Until then find me on my Facebook Fan page www.facebook.com/emilyfitnesstraining or you can request to be added to my private Facebook Fitness Group as well. https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/giterdunn/

Goals Step 4

Goals should have rewards. Yes just achieving a goal is a reward itself that is true. However, we need motivation to keep us going and we deserve rewards for the little milestones. Think about it. We have Preschool graduation, kindergarten graduation, Junior High graduation, High School graduation then finally college graduation. How long and drawn out would school be without those milestones?

When setting a big goal, it is just as important to break it down into milestones & reward yourself for each one. A reward can be small or big but needs to be there. So say your goal is to lose 30 pounds, then reward yourself every 5, 10 or 15 or any combination of. If your goal is to loose weight I suggest you not reward yourself with food or clothes. Jewelry maybe, but not clothes. They reason being: 1. you are trying to leave your bad eating habits behind & one day of bad eating can completely send you in a tail spin. 2. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose if you go out & buy some nice clothes you will only have to buy new ones later.

Need some ideas? Here is my list:
1. Jewelry
2. Mani/pedi
3. Facial
4. Massage
5. Shoes
6. Makeup
7. New movie (I love movies!)
8. A new book
9. A day off from everything
10. New music (especially workout music)

Need some help breaking your goals down? Post them below or email me at emily@emfitchic.com & I would be glad to help!

Goals Step 3

How do we know we have reached that goal? We have a marker telling us exactly where it is because we can see it.

It is so important to have a very specific measurable goal. Without an end point how will we know we are done? Can you imagine running a race and being told that the finish line is where ever? How would you know you finished the race? What if the next guy thinks the finish-line should be farther ahead that you do? Or even worse what if it was the other direction? Well then you just went 5k in the wrong direction as fast as you could!

Having a direction when you set your goals is just as important as having a pre-determined finish line at the end of a race. It gives you a direction and a purpose. It gives you motivation. When you feel like giving up, if you can look up to see the finish line you know you can push yourself just that much more. When I ran track I used to tell myself just 10 more steps, just 10 more steps. Even if I had 200 more. But breaking it down into 10 steps I was able to complete my race, but that is a whole nother (yes I know that is not a word) blog entry.
Set your goal and give it an end date and also a set finish line. So for instance, I will read 3 books by the end of the year. So I have a choice, I can read them all as fast as I can between now and December 31st, or I can read one a month, or if I am feeling crazy I can exceed my goal and read 5 once I am done with my 3. That goes back to step 2, re-evaluating my goals once I have finished one.

Today sit down make a list of goals you want to accomplish. It can be 5, 10, 100 whatever then give them a finish line and a deadline. What are the top 3 goals you want to accomplish now?

Goals Step 2

When we have reached that goal we are at the ending point, but we are also at the beginning. The ending point has been defined with a finish-line. During a race it is a distance or when setting a goal for achievement it is a date.

It is so important to give your goals an end date! How many times have you said you were going to do something but yet have put it off and put it off so long that there almost seems no point in doing it?
Here is a great example. In July 2009 Quad and I were married. I hired my cousin to take our pictures and she did a wonderful job. She sent me a proof book to choose the pics that I wanted. I went out and bought gorgeous frames to put our pictures in. It is now October 2011 & I still have not ordered my wedding pictures!! The frames are empty in my closet as is the really cool scrap book I started working on while I was pregnant in 2010.

I am the world’s best procrastinator. If I don’t set a deadline or a finish line, I don’t do it. I also need a daily reminder of what I am supposed to be doing. I am going to film a video for you so you can see how ridiculous I am. I have lists and reminders everywhere. I even have lists and reminders for my reminders. You think I am kidding. You just wait.

When setting your goal, no matter what it is, give it a finish-line. When you reach that finish-line, set new goals. To stick with the scrapbook example, I will finish my Wedding scrapbook and get my pictures hung by the end of the week. Next I am going to work on my Hawaii scrapbook from July 2007. Yeah… I know.

Grilled Turkey with Avocado Chili Salsa

I found this recipe that I had cut out of a magazine this summer & thought I would share. I loooove avocado!

Turkey Ingredients:
1 chili pepper chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Zest of 1 lime
8 oz skinless turkey breast

Salsa Ingredients:
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 avocado, diced
2 T finely diced red onion
2 T diced tomato
2 T EVOO
1 T lime juice
Cilantro, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together chili, garlic, & lime zest. Pour mixture over turkey and let marinate in fridge 30 min to overnight.
2. Meanwhile, in another bowl mix together salsa ingredients & set aside.
3. Grill turkey breast over high heat, using BBQ or indoor contact grill, for 4-5 min per side or unil cooked through. Serve with Avocado Salsa.

Serves 2
390 calories, 23g fat, 0 trans fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 12g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 37 g protein

Setting Goals Step 1

1. A goal is the result we are looking to achieve. It tells us what decisions we need to make and what direction we need to go.

It is important to set and define our goals. Goals should be SMART Goals. They need to have a destination, a direction and a time-line; Much like a boat race. If you don’t have a destination in mind or directions on how to get there or a time to get there by you end up floating out in the water which is nice for a while but can get pretty rough.

So what are SMART Goals?

Specific: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Measurable: How much? How often? How many?
Attainable: Achievable & realistic
Relevant: Is this in line with your priorities and your ultimate goal?
Time Base: By when?

Here is an example:

Specific: I (who) will commit to doing yoga (what) 3 times a week before my daughter wakes up (when) at home (where) because I know that the chronic pain in my back can be alleviated by doing yoga consistently.
Measurable: I will practice 3 days a week for an minimum of an hour
Attainable: Yes
Relevant: My heath and my family’s health is in my top 3 life priorities, so yes. Plus, I am being a healthy role model for my daughter.
Time: I will commit to doing this for 90 days then at which time I will re-evaluate my goals.

What are your goals? What would you like to accomplish by the end of 2012? I would love to hear from you. Head on over to my Facebook Page and Share! www.facebook.com/emilyfitnesstraining

This Weeks Challenge Due Saturday October 8th

This week's challenge.
Post an update on your facebook page tagging my Emily's Fitness Training Fan page and mentioning the 90 Day Holiday Challenge a minimum of 3 times between now and Saturday and you will be entered in a drawing for 1 month of my MBB Level one training.

Tabata Workout

What is Tabata? Tabata is a type of High Intensity Interval Training. It involves performing a particular exercise (or exercises) at high intensity for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times for a total training time of 4 minutes.

Here is your Full Body Tabata Training for you to try. Do each exercise for one Tabata round. Take a 1-2 minute reset between each round. This is meant to kick your butt so beware. It should take about 30 minutes.

Start with a 5 minute warm-up with a full-body stretch.
Round 1: Burpees
Round 2: Alternate pushups & situps
Round 3: Jump rope
Round 4: Alternate push-up jacks & Russian twists
Round 5: Mountain climbers on the floor or standing
End with a 5 minutes cooldown & stretch

Round

Setting Goals is as easy as 1-2-3!

What are goals exactly?
This is the definition according to Webster.
goal noun
1. the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.
2.the terminal point in a race.
3. a pole, line, or other marker by which such a point is indicated.
4. an area, basket, cage, or other object or structure toward or into which players of various games attempt to throw, carry, kick, hit, or drive a ball, puck, etc., to score a point or points.
5. the act of throwing, carrying, kicking, driving, etc., a ball or puck into such an area or object.

To be honest I think all 5 are accurate.
Here is my interpretation:
1. A goal is the result we are looking to achieve. It tells us what decisions we need to make and what direction we need to go.
2. When we have reached that goal we are at the ending point, but we are also at the beginning. The ending point has been defined with a finish-line. During a race it is a distance or when setting a goal for achievement it is a date.
3. How do we know we have reached that goal? We have a marker telling us exactly where it is because we can see it.
4. Goals should have rewards. Why else would we stick without plan to reach them? It is important to set milestones and give rewards. Can you imagine if the Major League only had one big game to decide who won the World Series and no season? How much fun would that be? Instead they play a game, they win, they celebrate, they play another they win, they celebrate, they play a game, they lose and they reevaluate so they can improve and win again. Every year they keep trying over and over again.
5. This one is more metaphorical. “The act of carrying…” No one can achieve their goals completely alone. Yes they can pursue them alone, but everyone needs a support system of some kind. A mentor, a teacher, a trainer, a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a child… It is important to surround ourselves with people who are there to help us up when we call, carry us and sometimes “kick” us to get us to that goal.

What I want you to do is think about what you want to achieve. Make a list of everything you want to accomplish in your life.
Then decide what your top 3 goals are. Post them below.
More on Goals tomorrow.

Living Room Cardio Workout.

Don't have time to get to the gym? No problmem! Here a kick butt workout you can do right in your living room.

Warm up 3-5 minutes by running in place or jumping rope
15 pushups
15 situps
1 min cardio option from below.
14 pushups
14 situps
repeat counting down all the way to 5 each then work your way back up to 15 of each.

Cardio options: Juming jacks, burpees, Pushup/floor jacks, mountain climbers, high knee runs or butt kickers.

Brown Rice with Chick Peas and Spinach

In case you haven't noticed I am a big fan of quick and easy meals that are also healthy. As a busy mom I just don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. Whenever possible I try to stick to dishes that take about 30 minutes or so to prepare. I am also a fan of one dish dishes. This is a great for lunch as a side dish with a salad or even better over a bed of fresh spinach. Just prepare the night before and take it with you. The recipe says 4 servings but because the carbohydrates amount is so high I would cut the servings in half. To add extra protein use Non-fat Greek yogurt like Fage.

Ingredients:
2 T EVOO
1 C finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ c red pepper, cored seeded & finely chopped
2 T lemon juice
1 C chopped cooked spinach, squeezed dry
1 T minced fresh mint or 1 t mint flakes
1 t ground cumin
¼ t salt
1/8 t ground red pepper
1 c brown rice
2 c cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)
¾ c raisins
2 ¾ C low sodium chicken stock
1 C plain low-fat yogurt
4 springs parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a 4-quart flameproof casserole, heat oil over moderately high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper; stir to coat with the oil. Stir in lemon juice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 min. or until onion is softened.

2. Add the spinach, mint, cumin, salt, ground red pepper, cracked wheat, chickpeas, raisins, and stock. Raise the heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Cover, transfer the casserole dish to the oven, am bake on high 35 min. or until the mixture has absorbed the liquid. Top each portion with ¼ c yogurt and garnish with parsley if desired.

Serves 4
Per serving: 494 calories; Saturated fat 2g; total fat 12g; Protein 21g; Carbohydrate 85g; Fiber 13g; Sodium 371 mg; Cholesterol 4 mg

I am making this dish for McKalyn and I for lunch. Try it for your family and let me know what you think. Leave your comments below.

Easy Egg Scramble Saves the Day!

So today I lost track of time and before I knew it, it was lunch time and I had one very upset little girl. I put her in her highchair handed her a spoon and a Stonyfield Organic Yogurt. I knew this would not last her long so I had to think fast. I whipped open the fridge realizing that the only leftovers I had was the vegetarian tacos that we had for lunch yesterday. “What else did I have?” A little girl’s voice in the background repeating mom over & over again, made me think fast. I quickly heated up some Smart Balance Butter in a skillet, diced half an onion and a few mushrooms and added them to the skillet. I cooked them until the onions were clear. I added 1 cup of leftover Brown rice and 1 cup of Egg Beaters that Quad brought home from work. A quick scramble and added some Organic shredded cheddar. Voila! Lunch is saved and I have a very happy little girl and a healthy lunch for me too!