What's Your Number?

First, I must apologize for not posting as much as I would have liked to in the past week, but I have recently become very interested in gaining more muscle, and the gym has become my second home. (Not that I am complaining about it.)

This past weekend, I went to Barnes and Noble (a bookstore, incase anyone was not aware) in order to find new ways to kick my workouts into high gear. Rather than finding a new book on the latest tips and tricks...I found something more useful- a workout tracker/daily journal! It is the best buy that I have made in awhile and I highly suggest it for any of you whom are not only trying to POUND off those extra, stubborn pounds, but for those who want to add on some lean muscle as well. In the journal it tracks: 

- BMI (body mass index- depending on height and weight)

- Blood pressure

-Body fat content (which is measured with a special instrument and not just a chart)

-Weight

-Water intake (IMPORTANT!)

-Body measurements (my favorite)

The reason the measurements are my favorite is because that is where I will see if my workouts and diet are adding and taking away the inches in the proper places. Personally, I like to measure my neck, biceps, chest, hips, waist, and thighs. Below is a diagram on where exactly to measure:

I hope this helps!

Keeping track will motivate you each time that you track your numbers. So...what's your number?

Creamy cravings be gone!

Creamy wheat pasta with lima beans and shrimp

Have you ever craved something but knew that you shouldn't eat it?  For those of you who are shaking your head 'no', you are lying! 

For dinner tonight I wanted something creamy and that meant something with too many calories. So, I threw together this pasta dish and it was DE-LISH! 

GATHER:

1/2 avocado

1 tablespoon of cottage cheese (I use 0%)

2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (0% once again)

10 frozen shrimp

1/2 cup frozen lima beans 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder 

1/2 cup wheat pasta 

BLEND:

Put the avocado, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt in a bowl until smooth, and set aside. 

DEFROST:

Toss the shrimp and lima beans into a strainer under hot water until soft. 

HEAT: 

Add the shrimp, lima beans, and garlic powder into a pan at medium heat with cooking spray until the shrimp begin to brown. While the shrimp cook, begin to boil water for the pasta. 

COOK:

After the pasta is just about cooked, toss all ingredients (shrimp, avocado sauce, and pasta) back into the pan until the ingredients are evenly mixed. 

Not only will this recipe knock your cravings for that creamy Alfredo at your favorite Italian restaurant, but it will also keep you full for a long time because of the wheat pasta and good fat in the avocado. 

Tell me what you think!

Pancakes & Pizza? Don't mind if I do!

Vanilla protein pancakes with cooked bananas and sugar-free syrup

Makes 2 pancakes (1 serving).

BLEND: 

1/2 scoop of your choice of protein powder (I use Vanilla whey)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

3 egg whites

1.5 tablespoons of greek yogurt (I use 0% Fage)

POUR:

Pour half of the mix into a pan that is lightly greased with cooking spray and let each side of the pancake cook for about 2 minutes. Then, remove pancake and cook the other one. 

FOR THE BANANAS: 

Cut a whole banana into half inch pieces and sprinkle some cinnamon and a taste of honey on top and place them into the microwave for about 30 seconds. 

Enjoy with a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk on the side :)

Flat bread barbecue and margarita pizza 

Makes one serving.

HEAT:
Place your flat bread in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until warm.

TOP:
                 For my toppings I chose the following:
2 tablespoons of Hunt's tomato sauce
1/2 cup of fat free mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of Trader Joe's canned chicken
1 teaspoon of barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon of Weight Watcher's cream cheese (similar to ricotta cheese)
1/2 of one sliced tomato

COOK:
Place the pizza back in the oven on a baking sheet until the cheese is melted and the bread is browning on the edges.

My inspiration for this was the barbecue pizza at California Pizza Kitchen!

New recipes & upcoming photos!

In order to push the pounds, and POUND IT together, I figured I must begin to share my favorite recipes and photos of each of them.

These are the recipes that I will share during the week along with photos of how delicious they will look: 

1. flat bread "pizza" with your choice of toppings. 
2. mayo-free "chicken salad" with Greek yogurt.
3. protein "pancakes"with vanilla whey protein powder.
4. "Mexican omelet" with fat free cheddar and egg whites. 

Do you have any fun & healthy recipes that you would like to share with us?

MONDAY MOTIVATION

Do you ever see someone or something and say "That is exactly why I am doing this."? Well, I had that  moment yesterday. While shopping for some healthy goods after work yesterday, at the checkout line, I noticed American Idol Singer, Jordin Sparks was on the cover of Shape magazine because she had lost 50 pounds! Yes, that's right...FIFTY POUNDS! Talk about motivation, eh?

Well, after buying the magazine (how could I not!?) and bringing home my healthy goodies, i.e.: unsweetened almond milk, granola, Chobani yogurt, 70% Ghiradelli chocolate, and Lite syrup for my protein pancakes, I felt more motivated than I have in a pretty long time, and it was an amazing feeling. Later that night I went out to a Mexican restaurant with my two girlfriends and all I ordered was a Diet Coke. (Although, I do not suggest drinking that, it is a better choice than 99% of the choices on the menu).

What motivates you?

Cooking light, going to the gym, or maybe just hearing other motivational stories.  

What you will need in order to "POUND IT"

Breakfast materials:

• Pam, or any type of low fat cooking spray
• eggs, or egg beaters (egg white beaters are healthier, and egg beaters are a much cheaper choice)
• Thomas bagel thins
• Weight Watcher's cream cheese, or Philadelphia's low fat cream cheese
• bananas and berries
• fat free milk/almond milk/soy milk
• whole grain cereal (Kashi's heart to heart or Fiber One 80 calorie cereals)
• fat free American cheese slices
• Fage fat free greek yogurt

Lunch & Dinner materials:

• avocados, green veggies, or just your favorite types of veggies
• salmon, tilapia, tuna in water, sardines in olive oil or water, shrimp
• turkey, chicken cutlets, lean ground beef, Trader Joe's chicken sausages
• wheat pasta, sweet potatoes

Snack materials:

• ricecakes
• all natural peanut butter
• 99% fat free kettle corn
• Skinny Cow ice creams
• raisins
• fruits & veggies*
• pretzels
• JELL-O fat free, sugar free instant pudding
• fat free Cool Whip

Condiments/spices:

• cinnamon
• pepper
• crushed red pepper
• ketchup (my addiction)
• fat free dressings
• salsa
• tomato sauce

Drinks:

• seltzer, seltzer, & more seltzer (keeps you full, tasty, and soda-like)
• 5 calorie iced tea mix
• WATER
• coffee
• fat free milk

The beginning.

I will start off by saying welcome to my blog! I am a first timer and I am just getting used to how this all works. However, one thing I am experienced in, is losing weight, helping others lose weight, and of course sometimes gaining the pounds back.

That is where POUND IT! comes into play...

I am tired of the yo-yo diets. Whether it be myself, friends, families, or people at the gym with a Diet Coke and cookies with them on the treadmill, (yes, that happens).

So, I feel as if it is my duty, with my passion in nutrition, and my wanting to help others, that I begin right here, right now.

Not only will I be giving advice, recipes, and tips, but I will also be following them myself- hey, it's only fair, right?

My goal : 10 pounds in 2 months. What's yours?