Vegetarian Chilli

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Essence, recipe follows, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Essence and green onions and serve.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Vegetarian Life Style Changes

I have truly enjoyed being a vegetarian. I have a moment here or there when I crave a piece of meat but its very far and in between. I will be posting menus for vegetarian and vegan meals very soon.

Note: If you decide to become a vegetarian, you should make an appointment with a registered dietitian (RD), who can create a tailor-made eating plan to meet your important nutritional needs. You can locate an RD in your area by visiting the American Dietetic Association.

I'm Still Here!!

It has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog but my progress towards my goals is still going strong I am finally at 190lbs. I have been hitting the gym at least three times a week and feeling great. I must admit I had a few lapses along the way. I began a vegetarian lifestyle back in January I think, but I slipped up this month a couple times by eating some meat. Needless to say I became ill and realized that I had made the right choice to become a vegi head in the first place. I am back on track with my life style change although I am slowing transitioning into being a vegan. Lets Pray for that one LOL.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9

LIFETIME FITNESS

Working out oh yeah feeling the Burn!!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.9

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY DONT EAT TO MUCH BBQ N CAKES N WINE THINK ABOUT TOMORROW

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Droping Slowly

I have been working out kind of minimal but I can honestly say I have been losing weight. My intentions have been great but my time management ummm not so much. I have finally gotten under the dreaded 200 pounds so at this point I am taking this realitvly slow, but slow and steady wins the race right?? I am not so sure if I will be able to be the Dime Piece I was hopeing to be molded into by the summer but I have learned to look at the weightloss as a whole and so what if I'm not bikini ready by May. I can't miss what I never had LOL! I have been a Thickums for most of my life but I will not live the next 30 years unhappy over the things that I can control.

Plateau breaker #1: Change up your routine.Variety is the key to success in an exercise program, says Cory Bank, Ph.D., a peak performance coach and professor of psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“If you do the same workout at the same time, place and intensity, your body is going to adjust to it,” Bank says. “You’ll still be experiencing benefits and getting fit, but you won’t see the same level of improvement you did in the beginning.”

The burn-out can be psychological too, he says. Not only will you get bored with the same old moves, you’ll experience less of a boost from the “feel-good” chemicals – serotonin and endorphinsIt’s like seeing your favorite movie over and over again,” says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise (ACE). “After a while, it loses its appeal.”

To stay motivated, change your workout routine, the time of day and place you exercise – any variables you can control, suggests Bank.

If you’ve been working out alone, try a class, he suggests. Or find new exercise routines on DVDs or YouTube.


Plateau breaker #2: Move with the seasons.Changing your workout plan according to the weather can help you with getting in shape. It keeps your routine from getting stale and kick-starts your results too.

Alter your program every 8-12 weeks, or when weather conditions change, McCall suggests.

Hike in the spring, bike in the summer, ski in the winter – or find other seasonal activities you enjoy, he says. If you walk or run on a treadmill, go outside and get a whole new workout.

But give your body 2-4 weeks to adapt.

“Running on a treadmill, which absorbs more shock when you land, is vastly different from running on the ground,” McCall says.

To avoid sore or strained muscles when switching gears, start off by doing half your usual workout, and increase reps and times from there.

Plateau breaker #3: Make routines playful.To avoid boredom when getting in shape, try workouts that make you react to other people or objects – like a competitive sport or exercise class, McCall says. They stimulate more motor development than regular exercise.

In tennis, you’re watching the ball so you can return it. And in a group exercise class, you have to react to the instructor’s commands, McCall explains.

If you prefer exercising alone, buy a reaction ball, a lumpy rubber ball designed to bounce in different directions when you drop it. Chasing it around can give you a great, ever-changing workout. (You can find these balls at sporting goods stores and online for under $10.)

Even a full-body video game – such as those for the Wii or Xbox Kinect – can help, although this type of exercise alone won’t take the place of an entire workout program. 

Plateau breaker #4: Add random intervals.Interval training – alternating strenuous exercise with more moderate rest periods – has been shown to burn more fat, build more muscle and boost metabolism more than other types of exercise.

You can get even better results with a method called fartlek training (fartlek is Swedish for “speed play”), in which you vary your walking, running or cycling routine at random.

“If you’re walking by yourself or with a partner, pick out an object like a mailbox and jog or run to it, then return to your regular pace,” McCall suggests. Repeat this by targeting various objects along your route.

When biking or running, race up a hill or sprint to an intersection or stop sign. If you’re with a partner, take turns shouting out the next interval to maintain an element of surprise.

Your body will have a hard time adjusting to the unpredictable activity, so you’ll gain endurance and power more quickly, McCall says.

Plateau breaker #5: Learn a new skill. Local colleges, activity clubs and sporting-goods stores frequently offer instruction on activities you may not have tried, like rock climbing and kayaking. These give you mental stimulation and new goals while getting fit, Taylor says.

Plus, these group activities “offer social interaction and an opportunity to be around other active people,” he adds.

One organization he recommends is Team in Training, where you work toward an athletic event while raising money for cancer causes.

By adding elements of adventure and discovery, you can make exercise about more than just getting in shape, Taylor says.

Plateau breaker #6: Slow down.It may sound counterintuitive, but lowering the intensity of an exercise program can give you a jump-start when results start to slow, Bank says.

If you have an established routine, take a “taper week” – cut the distance or duration of your workout by half, he suggests. “When you return to your full workout, you’ll see results again.”

This works particularly well if you’ve been training too hard, Bank says. “The longer you’ve been working out, the more important the recovery time.”

Plateau breaker #7: Set multiple goals.Create different objectives for each part of your fitness plan to avoid total routine burn-out, Bank says.

In other words, set separate goals for nutrition, diet, flexibility and strength.

Flexibility goals could include stretching for 10 minutes after each workout. Strength goals might mean doing a certain number of push-ups or weight-lifting reps with a certain amount of weight. A dietary goal might be replacing junk food with five servings of fresh veggies or fruits a day.

Even if your progress wanes in one area, your success in others will keep you from getting discouraged by the slowdown, Bank says.But make sure your goals are attainable – or break up your ultimate dream into smaller, more reachable steps. For example, instead of saying, “I’ll run a marathon in six months,” focus on running a few blocks, then a mile, then five miles.

Being able to stick to your objectives keeps you from getting frustrated, a 2005 study by the American College of Sports Medicine found.

Plateau breaker #8: Adjust your thinking.An optimistic attitude toward fitness is just as important as the details of an exercise program, Bank says. “If you feel it’s too inconvenient, expensive or time-consuming, you won’t stick with it.”

Instead, focus on the positive aspects of getting fit – what you want and can reasonably expect to achieve: I want more energy; I want to cut down on my diabetes medication; or I want to look good for bathing-suit season.

“This aligns your attitude and behavior, making it less likely you’ll fall off the wagon,” Bank says.

Plateau breaker #9: Bribe yourself.Eventually, getting in shape will become its own reward – but until then, it may help to treat yourself in other ways, Bank says.

“Motivate yourself with rewards – or have someone else reward you – for good behavior,” he suggests.

You could buy yourself a new book when you lose 5 pounds, or go see a movie when you’ve worked out three times a week for two weeks.

Pretty soon – when you notice new strength and stamina, the pounds start disappearing and you begin to enjoy a more active lifestyle – you’ll have all the benefits you need.

Finally under 200. 190 here I come

Me

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

its a beautiful day

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

OMG

The weirdest thing happened to me the first 2 months of my journey. First I lost a few pounds they I gained like 10. I was eating the 8 small healthy meals and drinking tons more water, I even started drinking fruit smoothies. I realized that I didn't need to eat more, and although the meals were healthy it had the opposite effect on my body. So as unhealthy as this may sound after I cut back I lost the ten and I am right back where I started. This a little discouraging but im not giving up!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

25 Foods That Fight Disease | Lifescript.com

25 Foods That Fight Disease Lifescript.com

This has been Crazy!!!!

I didn't think it would be so hard for me to drop a quick 10 pounds in a 6 week time span.  Ha in my face. I am trying to loose the weight naturally but I am starting to get weak, booddyy nneeddddiinng pheeentramiiinneee lol.  HELP me y'all we suppose to be doing this together where my peeps at lol. 

The Abs Diet for Women | Lifescript.com

The Abs Diet for Women Lifescript.com

The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.
Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Take control of your consistent emotions and begin to consciously and deliberately reshape your daily experience of life.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Aim for 1 Mile

On average, it takes one mile of walking or running to burn 100 calories, says nutritional biochemist and exercise physiologist Shawn M. Talbott, Ph.D. “So the faster you can cover the mile, the faster you can burn off the 100 calories.” A treadmill calculates your distance as your walk or run, while four laps on a running track will constitute a mile. You can also use Google’s pedometer map to plan a mile course around your house or office, or use a traditional pedometer: 2,000 steps equals about one mile.

A healthy yummy smoothy.

This organic agave necter is the best sweetner on the market in my opinion.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT!

     I am so excited about starting this year off on the good foot!! I actually woke up stretching and warming up my muscles for a great workout to begin my day.  I have to admit I started my exercise routine about a week ago so that my working out wouldn't feel so rushed because OMG its January and I have to get in shape LOL! So now that I am already in motion I can more easily jump start my Journey to no Jiggles!  Let's take this Journey together!

Check out the other pages such as LETS WALK  for some healthy tips and view my own plan to work off these Jiggles!