Meal Plan – Spicy Stir-Fried Mushroom

Meal Plan – Spicy Stir-Fried Mushroom Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chile
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups quartered mushrooms
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed tomato
7 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/8 teaspoon Garam Masala
8 (1-ounce) slices country bread, toasted

Preparation

1. Heat first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sauté 1 minute or until cumin begins to darken. Add ginger to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add red onion and fenugreek; sauté 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Add salt and jalapeño; saute 2 minutes or until onion softens and begins to brown. Add coriander, red pepper, and minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in tomato, tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and Garam Masala; bring to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve with slices of country bread.

Suvir Saran, Cooking Light

Insanity Program – Max Cardio Intervals and Swim

Last night was fantastic, the four kids received a ton of candy! To much to be honest! End of the day the kids had fun with their friends. It was a cold night with now and a bad wind chill. The kids braved it out for a good 2 hours.

Once we put them to bed I had a late night workout. I am starting the 2 month of my hybrid Les Mills Pump and Insanity workout. Tonight was Insanity program, Max Cardio Intervals! It kicked my ass and then some! Even though I was tired and cold from walking around, I pushed through. The last 10 minutes was a struggle, I intend to be at a point physically where I will keep up by the end of this month. The energy and endurance formula helped as it does give you more energy through out the workout. I would recommend this supplement for the insanity program. My diet was not the best for supper, as I eat 1 and 1/2 hot dogs. The whole work out, I was burping. That did not help! I did take my P90X Recovery drink afterwards! Tasty stuff!

Today I went swimming with Shellie for the first time in a week. It was a great swim, I have noticed that my endurance has increased! As I am not resting at all for the first 20 to 30 minutes into the swim. That was not possible even 2 weeks ago. This hybrid has helped my cardiovascular endurance! We swam for 40 minutes and felt strong the complete time in the pool!

Back to Les Mills Pump tomorrow! New pictures to come soon!

Yesterdays Work Out – Insanity – Core Cardio and Balance

The work out went extremely well! I find it difficult to understand Shaun T as he says this is your recovery week, lets take it a bit easier. Yet at the end I am gasping for air! LOL

The pulses at the end working the entire core – hits me hard. Only on real strong days can I keep each leg up for the complete time. I find it frustrating that I can not seem to improve this track! Then comes the low squat and shoulder in and outs and circles. I did the complete track with out lowering my arms! It is true what they say, once you starting to improve your conditioning you push yourself harder and faster. This what I am finding, so matter what the result, I know that its improving my overall fitness!

Today we are doing Les Mill Pump – Pump and Shed! This is going to be a great workout. I had a very good sleep last night and had oatmeal this morning. I will start the workout in about 45 minutes – going to make my P90X energy and endurance drink and I am eating an apple with nuts!

Make your day great one! Get fit and stay fit!

Tragic Store – End the Obsiety Trend

This article is from Carl Daikeler, CEO, of Team Beach Body. A story that everyone needs to read!

I received this note this morning from Beachbody Coach Dave Ward.

Good morning Carl,

I have a story to share, that isn’t very happy I’m afraid. The reminders of who we are, what we do and the urgency of the task at hand are often harsh. In June, a man name Adriel Barrera gave us one of those. He had about 100 pounds to lose and was working with one of our Coaches (Ryan Chapman who has himself lost over 100 pounds) and they became very close over about a two year period. Adriel actually decided to become a Coach and became very passionate about our cause, because he saw it as a way to help himself, while helping others. He accepted responsibility for what he had done to his body and then accepted responsibility for changing it. He also had a big WHY: “I am interested in staying alive for my 7 year old daughter and wife”. He was on that path. Unfortunately, Adriel fell victim to a massive heart attack that took his life. He leaves behind a wife and daughter that will undoubtedly miss him very much.

His wife logged into his Facebook account yesterday to give us a message of love and hope, explain the circumstances surrounding his death and to thank Ryan for doing what he did to try and save Adriel’s life. The harsh reality is that we didn’t get to help Adriel quick enough. That hurts quite a lot, as I’m sure you can imagine. Ryan rallied and did what he could to help the family (more on that here), but reality is reality and Adriel Barrera doesn’t get a second chance.

If you are reading this, don’t wait…don’t hesitate…don’t over-think it…stop planning…stop procrastinating…stop trying to figure out the perfect system, and just do it. People that need help are everywhere around you. Find one. Even one can make a huge difference. The life you save may be your own, or it may be someone else’s. That’s who we are and what we do. – Dave Ward.

No one ever enjoys reading these kinds of stories. But worse would be to know of it and not share it in order to avoid a similar outcome for anyone else we can reach sooner than later. For that, I commend Dave for putting this out there.

Adriel’s story is further proof that the consequences of ignoring lifestyle issues are very real, and very painful. Not just painful for the person who’s life is limited or cut short, but for everyone around them who aches. Adriel will be missed, but his example will hopefully help us turn this tragic story into a story of hope for the others we can reach out to…

And we have to do it TODAY. Not tomorrow. Not after the holidays. TODAY. This is our work.

Get started now! End the trend! Here is your first step! Let me help guide you!

Chile Chicken Wraps – Nutrients per serv

Chile Chicken Wraps – Nutrients per serving (1 tortilla, 3 oz chicken, 3 tbsp Avocado Sour Cream, 1 cup vegetables): Calories: 368, Total Fat: 13 g, Sat. Fat: 2.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 34 g, Fiber: 8 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein:26g

Insanity – Core Cardio & Balance

Off to go work out – Insanity – Core Cardio and Balance – I am looking forward to this workout today. It is challenging! Now for my P90X Energy and Endurance Formula!
Be Better Every Day! Will follow up how the work out goes on my blog!

Insanity – Pure Cardio

Good Day everyone! The workout from yesterday had an affect on my body as my muscles (not sore) but for sure fatigued! My body and mind were not 100% this morning. It was also my fourth day straight this week with a 7 AM ice session. Fridays are always the toughest days for me.

Having said all this I still do my workouts on Friday. I usually will not miss a Friday workout. Why? These are the days you need to do your workouts and show commitment to your goals. I believe you need to face the adversity, show some mental toughness and over come the excuses we make not to do something. So down I went and did Insanity Pure Cardio, one of the toughest workouts Shaun T puts you through.

The start was very rough, very slow but the form was executed well. By the third round into warmup I started feeling more energized. The Energy and Endurance formula I took 5 minutes prior helped. By the end of the stretch I was feeling much more alert and the body was awake! Thru the next 15 minutes I push hard with no hint of any tiredness. The ‘frog leaps’ track is the one that you feel the effects of doing an exercise for one minute! It was better today then in the past. I usually stop 2 times for small 5 second break but today I only stopped once!

Overall this workout was excellent, and in most cases these are the days you will have the best workouts. The days were you commit to being better! Remember if you are starting your fitness from scratch, you dont have to start your fitness journey doing Insanity workouts. I have been working out since 2009, in 3 years you will advance you fitness to this level as well. Start with Slim in 6 or P90, great workouts to increase your foundation to being able to handle Insanity or P90X!

I hope your exercise went as well as mine did today!

Pump & Shred Workout – Les Mills Pump

This work out is my favorite Les Mills Pump workout! When your done your complete body feels spent! I wish it did have an arm track in the work out but with the pushups and rows they do get a decent pump.

Squat track – Have to keep my weight on the heals, I have tendency to move my weigh to mid foot. Overall felt strong and legs were shaking at the end.

Chest track – Best track of the night! Had my back on the bench for 98% of the track. Had huge pump by the end.

Back track – My deadlifts have improved a great deal but still fight to find that perfect form on every rep. At times I think I focus to much and it throws me off. The lifts through out are strong. I must stop arching my back at times, poor technique as I am lifting that heavy of a weight! More focus is required!

Lunge track – I burn out way to quick on lunges. I had to take a 5 second rest on both legs. I had better balance then in the past and I had heavier weight. This is the track I must be better each day I do this workout. Its my weakness.

Shoulder track – My shoulders are stronger and my technique is much improved! Still lowering the weight as I go through the track from 10 to 8 to 5 pounds.

Abs track – burnt out by the end but pushed through, my hoovers are stronger every week!

Overall very impressed with the workout. I have not done this track in over a month. Tomorrow Insanity – will keep you updated! Now to take my results and recovery P90X formula!