Jump Rope For HIT Training

Maximal Intensity Exercise (HIT) builds extremely high levels of fitness within a short span of time.  You will increase muscle oxidative capacity, muscle glycogen, and endurance capacity.  30 second-long intervals of high intesity rope jumping during your regular rope session will get you amazing results fast.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Get out that speed rope and jump for joy.  At the end of every 5 min session (for the beginners), jump at high speed for 30 seconds.  Rest for one minute, then it's...
'ding,ding' - round two.  Do the same routine 5 times.  For the fighters and 'wanna be' out there, jump for at least 15 to 20 minutes straight, then do double jumps for 30 seconds.  Take a minute to shake it out, then go for it 4 to 5 more rounds.  Alternate rounds between your speed rope and your heavy rope.  At the end of this cardio, you'll be ready for anything and it sure won't be 'lights out' for you!
I'm off for the long weekend.  Be safe, be cool, and whatever you do....have fun!

French Lentils Delicious and Simple To Prepare

Cooking at home can sometimes be boring when you go through the same list of ingredients over and over.  I recently made a simple to prepare, delicious and lowfat meal that I'm going to share with you today. 
French Lentils with Andouille Sausage and StirFry Green Vegetables
Ingredients:
For the Lentils:
1 cup french lentils rinsed
1 cup water
1 cup low sodium beef stock
2 shallots coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Mrs Dash
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon canola oil
Heat the oil in a pan. Add shallots, Mrs Dash.  Cover and cook until the shallots are soft.  Add the lentils, water and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, stir in the tomato past.  Cook until fluids are cooked into the lentils (approximately 20 minutes.  Yields 4 servings).

For The StirFry:
I purchased a container of green strifry vegetables from Whole Foods.  It contains, kale, chards, spinach, collards, you name it!  Prepare the greens 10 minutes before the lentils are completely cooked.
4 cups stirfry mix
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup low sodium beef stock
Heat oil in a pan.  Add greens and stock.  Cover and cook over medium heat until al dente.

For The Sausage:
I just love that George Foreman grill!!! Throw that sausage onto the grill 3 minutes before serving.  Arrange the lentils center on the plate.  arrange the sausage in top and the greens to the side.  Yummy!

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Make this meal EXTRAORDINARY and add a tablespoon of your favorite chutney on the plate to counteract the spicyness of the sausage.  Bon Appetit!  This one's a reall winner and only takes 30minutes total time to prepare and cook.

Cauliflower Can Be Delicious As Well As Fat Free!

Did you know that cauliflower is regarded as a 'free food'?  It's one of the few foods that can be eaten in unlimited quantities when you're trying to lose weight or feel full.  Cauliflower is not starchy and contains the phytonutrient  sulforaphane (a cancer fighter!), folate and Vitamin C.  Most folks think of cauliflower raw with dip or steamed or just baked with cheese.  But there are so many other ways to have your cauliflower and like it too!  Here's how....

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day: 
Creamed Cauliflower with Grilled Chilean Sea Bass and Spicy French Beans
Ingredients:
1 small head cauliflower.  Remove stem and chop roughly.
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning for cauliflower
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning for fish
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon red pepper powder
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon French sweet butter or Italian sheep's butter
Dash of seasalt to taste
Chilean Sea Bass fillet (8oz).  This will give 2 portions.
8 oz or more of French green beans (another 'free' food!).

Directions:
Steam boil or microwave cauliflower until soft.  Drain.  Add Mrs. Dash, nutmeg, red pepper powder, milk, butter into a blender or hand mash until soft and creamy.  Keep warm.
Spray both sides of fish. Either grill in a pan, in the oven or in your George Foreman grill until cooked to your liking.  While  the fish is grilling, spray a little Pam to coat a frying pan.  Toss mesquite rub powder in with beans and quickly toss in pan until tender.

Presentation:
Spoon out a 1/2 cup worth of the cauliflower in the center of the plate.  Gently lay a 4oz portion of the fish on top of the caulflower.  Add the spicy beans to the plate.  Not only does this dish taste delicious; it's low cal, low fat and looks like it's coming from the kitchen of a 5 start restaurant!
Bon Appetit!

A Storm's A Brewin'

Drats and double drats!!!  Just when I was looking forward to a long holiday weekend of swimming, tennis, golf, motorcycling and anything else I could do outside...Hurricaine Earl seems to be on his way to spoil the party!!  Time for Plan B....WHAT plan B???????

I just finished the book I was reading, there's nothing in the movies I'm interested in seeing and shopping just isn't going to cut it for me right now....what's a doggie to do?????

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  ok...the holiday might be a washout, but it doesn't have to drown your fun!  Got a George Foreman grill???  Have a bbq indoors!  Set out a blanket, some candles, great tunes and invite some friends over for a party of Mai Tais and grilled goodies!  Invite some friends as guests to your gym and workout together and plan lunch or any other activity to follow.  Order now from Netflix and snuggle with your honey while watching a classic.  Whatever it is, start thinking about Plan B now, just in case our holiday weekend gets doused!  But, let's keep our fingers and toes crossed that Earl decides there's a much better party further out to sea!