Chicken Vermicelli with Mixed Vegetables

This is a recipe that can be made a various amount of ways. It's a recipe that my baby daughter loves and it blows my mind, since it is half veggies. Let's get started. When I make this dish, I never make it the same way* and never measure my sauces, so these are good estimates.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of cooked chicken (I like to oven bake mine)

- 12-16 oz package of vermicelli

- 1 clove of garlic (diced)

- 1 medium onion (diced)

- 5 or 6 mushrooms (diced)

- 2 cups of Kale (diced)

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

- 1/3 cup of sesame oil

- 1/3 cup of soy sauce

Directions:

- Cook chicken and set aside to cool. Cook vermicelli according to the package. Set vermicelli aside to cool with chicken.

- In a large pan or wok, add vegetable oil, onions and garlic. Cook on medium heat until onions start to caramilize. 

- Add chicken, put half of soy sauce and sesame oil in the pan. Stir for 1 minute.

- Add mushrooms, kale, and vermicelli. Put rest of soy sauce and sesame oil in pan. Stir entire mixture and let cook for 7-10 minutes on medium heat, or until kale has good color and crispness.

*You can substitute kale and mushrooms with any 2 veggies you want. Snap peas, carrots, brocolli, etc.

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Lasagna

It's Friday, we're hungry for dinner already, let's make lasagna. Here is how you do it.

Ingredients: 

• Salt
• 1 pound lasagna noodle
• 1.5 pound of ground beef
• Italian Seasoning
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 Bottles of Italian Tomato Sauce (6 cups)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut crosswise into 1/3 inch thick slices
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and a generous pinch of salt and cook for half as long as the package suggests. Drain and float in cold water. (Skip this step if noodles are precooked.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, fry the sausage links until cooked through, about 10 minutes. With kitchen scissors, cut the sausage into disks in the pan and continue to fry over low heat until the cut surfaces are crispy, about 20 minutes. Drain off the fat.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the egg, ricotta, and 1/2 cup of the pecorino.
• To assemble the lasagna, spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 
• Drain and pat dry the noodles. Overlap one third of the noodles atop the sauce to cover the pan bottom. 
• Spread all the cooked beef over the noodles and spoon over another cup of sauce. Lay down the second third of noodles. 
• Evenly dollop all the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and flatten with the spoon to make an even layer. 
• Top with the remaining noodles to completely cover the cheese. Pour over 1 1/2 to 2 cups sauce to cover. 
• Evenly lay all the mozzarella slices on top. 
• Sprinkle around the remaining 1/4 cup pecorino and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the lasagna is bubbling all over and lightly golden on top. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. 
•  Serve with grated cheese and warmed extra sauce at the table.

It seems like a lot of work, but it's worth the trouble. After you make this a few times it becomes second nature. Enjoy this with the family this weekend and wow them.

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Building Strength

I haven't done a Trendy Tuesday in a while. This is a trend that I am actually following but modified it a little bit to better suit me. The original program is called StrongLifts 5x5. This takes 5 exercises with the barbell, and divides them into 2 routines. You only do 3 exercises per routine. Below is an example of it:

While this workout gets results, I wanted to add more each workout. I do all 5 exercises in one day and do 5 sets of 5 reps for each one, yes even Deadlift. I also throw in a day of isolation exercises for muscles like biceps, triceps, and other smaller muscles. I have done this for a few weeks and can already tell a huge difference in my strength. Here is what my schedule looks like.

Monday - 5 x 5 x 5 (Squats, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Deadlifts, Barbell Rows)
Wednesday - Isolation
Friday - 5 x 5 x 5 (Squats, Deadlifts, Barbell Rows, Overhead Press, Bench Press)

If you have never done lifts before, start your first week off by doing very light weight so that you can practice proper form and avoid injury.

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Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Today I am going to share with you a recipe for homemade chicken enchiladas with green chile sauce and guacamole. Sounds like a lot huh? It's so easy though and so good to eat. This is also a great recipe to do for parties since the original recipe yields you about 8-10 enchiladas. So, let's get started.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1/4 cup flour 
• 2-1/2 cups chicken broth 
• 1 teaspoon dried coriander
• 4 oz of minced green chiles
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
  
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 flour tortillas (8 inches)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Cook chicken first before you start anything else. This will take around 45 minutes. Once chicken is done, cut in cubes and put aside to cool off. 
• Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in coriander and half of the chilies. 
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken, Monterey Jack cheese and remaining chilies.  
• Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Pour sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. 

I also like to guacamole on top of it to add some greens and nutrition to it. Here is my recipe for Guac.

• Take 3 large avocados and peel the skin off and throw seed away (Yes, I know I am very white for doing that.)
• Add 2 minced tomatoes, and 1/2 of a minced onion.
• Add a good amount of garlic salt. I never measured, but it's around a tablespoon.
• Add lemon juice.
• Add a little bit of minced cilantro.
• Mix up all up until there are no chunks and it is creamy.

I was very vague because everyone varies in what they think is perfect guacamole. So I will usually make it according to everyone's preference. This recipe should help you make an awesome bowl of guacamole. Put a big spoonful on one of the enchiladas and you are good to go! Tex Mex.

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Pasta Carbonara

Today I will show you how to make my popular Pasta Carbonara. It's a big hit with people of all ages and is pretty easy to make. Let's get started.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked penne
• 8-10 bacon strips, diced
• 5 oz fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup half-and-half cream 
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed 
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
• 6 to 8 drops hot pepper sauce 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions 

Directions:

• Put penne in boiling water with tablespoon of salt for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Brown mushrooms in drippings; remove to paper towels. Drain drippings from pan into a container that can handle hot temperature. Put the grease in the fridge for an hour before discarding.
• Add the cream, butter, parsley, garlic, pepper sauce and salt to the skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Drain penne; add to cream mixture. Stir in the bacon, mushrooms and cheese; heat through. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with green onions. Done

This takes about 30 minutes to do and is great for families of 4. Enjoy.

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Natural Painkillers

 

Here is another picture from the great people at PositiveMed.com. It's good to be knowledgeable on herbs, spices, and foods that can help heal you in some way. Personally I hate going to the doctor and taking prescriptions. I always find a way to natural heal myself. The only time it becomes dire is if my life is on the line, then I might consider man-made medication.

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Correct Way to Peel a Banana

Here is my first video! I didn't want to do anything too long or complicated since it's my first one. They will get more involved and detailed over time. Enjoy!

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Full Body Workout Routine

I have been waiting to share this workout with you for a while now. I started it a few weeks ago and have had amazing success in fat loss and muscle gain. The last few months I have been doing the Push/Pull/Leg method and there is nothing wrong with it. I lost a lot of weight, got stronger, and became more lean. So why did I change it up? It's good to confuse your muscles and introduce new exercises to them every now and then. Doing this regimen also causes you to workout your muscles 3 times a week instead of only once. Let's take a look at my new workout.

Full Body Workout - Day 1 - Monday

1. Dumbbell Bench Press (Chest)
2. Lat Pull Down (Back)
3. Shoulder Press (Shoulders)
4. Standing Bicep Curls (Biceps)
5. Tricep Dips (Triceps)
6. Barbell Squats (Quads, Hamstrings, Butt)
7. Standing Calf Raises (Calves)
8. Vertical Leg Hip Raise (Abs)

Full Body Workout - Day 2 - Wednesday

1. Leg Press (Quads, Butt)
2. Standing Calf Raises (Calves)
3. Ab Twist Machine (Abs)
4. Seated Incline Bicep Curls (Biceps)
5. Tricep Extensions Laying Down (Triceps)
6. Upright Row Barbell (Shoulders)
7. Seated Row (Back)
8. Standing Fly with Cable (Chest)

Full Body Workout - Day 3 - Friday

1. Close Grip Bench Press (Triceps)
2. Barbell Squats (Quads, Hamstrings, Butt)
3. Vertical Leg Hip Raise (Abs)
4. Incline Bench Press (Chest)
5. Standing Calf Raises (Calves)
6. Dumbbell Shrugs (Shoulders)
7. Lat Pulldown (Back)
8. Bicep Curls with Cable (Biceps)

Each exercise I do 4 sets of 10 reps. I also only allow 30 seconds between rest times. This seems pretty hardcore but it will make you see results almost twice as fast. The first day I did this, I worked so hard I puked. Not saying I encourage that but it just shows you how much harder it is than the previous regimen I was doing. Also, the reason I switch up the exercises is so that all muscles get a time to be your first exercise (when we are at our strongest). You don't want to do squats last every day because you will deprive them of heavier weight. On your days off it's a good idea to do some cardio or just stay as active as you can. During the weekends are my days off from the gym so this workout works perfectly.

In conclusion, I love this regimen because it is fresh, difficult, and has shown me results in only 2 weeks. I feel stronger, more in shape, and am cutting fat much faster than before. Try it out next week and let me know what you think.

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Natural Foods to Cleanse the Colon

I'm sorry I have to do this, but this post is about your colon. Gross or not, this is a very important thing to think about, especially as we get older. I found this on a website called PositiveMed.com. I love this website because it shares a lot of natural ways to heal your body. Check their website out daily for new tips. If you are having problems reading this picture, click on it and it will open up a window with a larger size or click on the source link below to go directly to their website.

Source: http://positivemed.com/2013/04/09/natural-foods-to-cleanse-the-colon/

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Flat Belly Workout

We have all seen the pictures online. Workout routines that promise to shape you up in one area. Legs, abs, and arms. While these may seem silly and useless, they are actually pretty helpful and I know people that have seen results in a quick time from doing them. Today I am going to share the Flat Belly Workout. Try this once a day for a week and I bet you will notice a difference.

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The Working Person's Lunch

I work a day job at an IT company 5 days a week from 8:30am to 5:30pm. Most of my life is spent there. I have been working there for the last 6 years and every day I come across the same problem. What's for lunch? I'm sure a lot of you feel the same way with your job. Sometimes it can really be a burden when trying to stay on budget and healthy. Let me share my experiences with you and see if it helps you out this week.

The hardest thing to avoid during lunch is fast food. It's fast, it's cheap, and you have a fairly wide selection to choose from (especially me being near Westheimer). I could just go to McDonald's or Taco Bell and get a few small items low in calories and I should be good. Well, I eat lunch at noon and if I was to only eat a few small calorie items, I would be starving by the time I got home at 6:30pm and would eat a feast for dinner. The other option is to go to a restaurant and get something a little more fresh, but a lot more money plus tip. It seems that the food industry is making us fat by offering these horrible choices, knowing that most of us sit at our desk for 8 hours a day and can't afford to eat high fat and calories.

Here are a few things that I have learned to do. The best option is to make a dinner the night before, and make enough so you have leftovers for lunch. No matter what you cook for dinner, it is most likely healthier for you than fast food or restaurants, and it cost a whole lot less. I also might bring a fruit with me for when 4pm hits and my tummy rumbles a little bit. You don't want to get home and be starving so that you eat your face off for dinner.

Another option is to research all the restaurants and fast food around you and figure out what has the best bang for your buck. I go to a place called Shawarma King when I don't have leftovers. There I get a chicken sandwich that is made fresh daily and much more healthy than any hamburger or taco place. It has about 500 calories, 30g of protein, and maybe about 30g of carbs from the pita. Fat content is low and sodium level is acceptable. It is also only $5 and is enough food to hold me over. When you find a meal that works, it can really save you. I try to find 3 or 4 places that I can go and eat a good lunch for a low price and won't make me bloat up.

Don't make the mistake some people do, and not eat lunch. Doing this is just wrong. You can't go a full 8 hours working with no fuel for your body. At the very least, eat a fruit bowl from the grocery store or small salad. You also don't want to overeat because you will head back to work wanting to take a nap. A good rule I follow is don't go over 500 calories for lunch. This leaves you enough to have a good breakfast, dinner, and snacks in between.

In conclusion, eating lunch during the work week is something that is tricky to do when staying healthy, but it is far from impossible. Research, cook your own meals, or go light and you will have more energy the rest of the day and will stay on track with your diet.

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Frontier Potato Salad

TGIF! I decided this week that I was going to share my potato salad recipe that I created for my Mom's restaurant. When making this, I had certain requests I needed to follow. The first, was no egg. Whoa, potato salad with no eggs? OK. Also they wanted to use red potatoes instead of Yukon, which is no big deal really. They also weren't really a fan of traditional potato salad, so I needed to spice it up some, literally. It turned out great and they loved it. They eventually added bacon to it, but I think that's up to you. I'm going to share the non-bacon recipe but you can add bacon if you want. So here you go, try it out next time you BBQ.

Ingredients:

• 8 medium red potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups of real mayo
• 2-3 tablespoons regular mustard (depends if you want less mustard or not)
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 green onions (3 bulbs)
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/2 of a large onion
• 2 teaspoons of dill weed
• 1 teaspoon salt (kosher if you have it)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes into quarters, leave skin on.
2. Boil water and cook potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until skin starts to peel a little. Leave skin on though!
3. Chop green onions into small pieces.
4. Chop up dill weed, if needed.
5. Mince onions, use food processor if you need to get it that small.
6. Cut jalapeno open and de-seed it. Chop into small pieces, but not too small.
7. Get your 1.5 cups of mayo and 3 tablespoons of mustard ready
8. When potatoes are done, place in a big bowl.
9. Slightly mash up potatoes so there are no large chunks, but not so much that it turns into mashed potatoes.
10. Throw in mustard, mayo, green onions, onions, and jalapeno.
11. Add the salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dill weed.
12. Slowly and carefully start to mix up everything, don't let it get too mashed potato like.
13. Add paprika and dijon mustard.
14. Mix one more time very gently.
15. Throw one teaspoon of dill on top to garnish.

And there you have it! A unique and yummy recipe that I created on my own. Make this at your next party and I'm sure people will love it. For my vegan friends, substitute the mayo with vegan mayo and you should be good to go.

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Weight Training Burns More Fat Than Cardio

This post is all about what the title says, weight training burns more fat than cardio. Now I could just stop there and hope you believe me, but let me tell you why and what exactly it means. Cardio is by no means bad or a waste of time, but when it comes to getting lean and losing fat, weight training is your best option for better and faster results.

Let's take a look at cardio. Usually this is done on a treadmill, track, elliptical, bike, or running outside. Big benefits from cardio are it helps your heart, builds your endurance, and can help with weight loss. Although it has some benefits, there are some reasons why it is not the best option for cutting fat. First, it is boring for the most part. Treadmills have to be the most boring piece of equipment and same goes with the elliptical. Beginners and people taking it easy usually use this equipment because it is safe to use and doesn't take a lot of thinking to do it. Although it does work your heart out, it doesn't ever stress the heart to deal with sudden changes, which is something your muscles needs to grow stronger. When you are doing the cardio workout, your body is working, but when you stop, your body stops working quickly after you are done. This means that you don't get the benefit of your body burning extra calories. The last thing that makes cardio undesirable is that you have to do it for hours to get the results of just 30-45 of weight training.

So let's talk about weight training and why it is better for losing fat. When you weight train you are stressing your body more by adding weight to range of motion movements. Doing this causes your metabolism to boost and burn lots of calories. Because you are stressing your body and making your heart work harder, your body continues to burn calories even after your workout is done. The term associated with this is called Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). This alone is why weight training burns fat better than cardio. Weight training also builds your muscle that replaces the fat in your body. Now you are losing fat and gaining muscle, which is something cardio cannot do.

Now I am not saying to stop doing cardio. It still burns calories, some people find it fun, and it can improve your stamina if you are into sports. Personally I don't do cardio on gym days because I would rather weight train my full body. Once a week I will have a cardio day to build stamina and improve my running and swimming. If your only goal is to lose fat though, I would highly consider switching to weight training primarily for best results.

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Natural Cures

I found this poster on a Facebook page and thought it was something everyone should know. We don't always need medicine from the doctor to heal ourselves. Mother Nature made it to where we can heal ourselves with items grown from the soil. Taking care of our bodies should be the number one thing we do in our life.

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Black Bean Sliders

I think over the weekend I am going to make some black bean sliders in respect to my vegetarian friends. If you're reading this Moe, come over. I got this recipe from a page on Facebook. Check them out... https://www.facebook.com/VegetarianRecipes247

The burgers:

• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp canola oil, divided
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium chipotle pepper, seeded & minced
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp minced cilantro

The sauce: 

• 1 California avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 2 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small chipotle pepper, seeded & minced
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 8 whole wheat dinner rolls, but in half
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Instructions 

The burgers:

• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic, chipotle pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Saute for additional 2 minutes.
• Scrape the mixture into the food processor. Add black beans, brown rice and lime juice. Pulse until the beans are chopped, but not pureed.
• Scrape the black bean mixture into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and the cilantro. Stir the mixture until combined.
• Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/4 cup each) and form into patties. If the mixture is too moist to form patties, add more breadcrumbs.
• Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and cover with additional plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet (preferably not nonstick, so a good crust can form) set over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 minutes per side. If the skillet is not large enough to fit all of the patties, cook them in two batches.

The sauce:

• While the patties are resting in the fridge, make the sauce.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the avocado, cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle pepper and salt. Puree until smooth.

Assembling: 

• Divide the avocado sauce between the rolls (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sauce per roll). Top each with one black bean patty and one slice of tomato. Serve.

Sounds like a lot of work but really it's just a bunch of ingredients to give the burger texture and flavor due to lack of beef. Comment below if you give this a try and I will do the same!

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Why Losing Fat is Important.

Found this picture on Facebook and had to share. This does not mean if you are real skinny that you need to lose more fat. This is for people who are above their BMI and need to lose fat.

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Smoothie's False Identity

We have all had smoothies before. There are several places to go to get them like Smoothie King, Smoothie Factory, and Jamba Juice. They promise good health and the perfect drink before or after a workout. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, smoothies seem to be a very tasty way to stay healthy. Today I am going to tell you why I think smoothies are overrated and why you should be more careful when choosing one to supplement your diet or workout.

I have been a big fan of smoothies for a long time. They taste great and you feel like you are being supercharged. I never would of thought something that seemed so healthy could actually be worse for you than the products they try to replace. For this post, I will use Smoothie Kings drinks for my examples.

Sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. That is what you get when you order almost anything off the menu. Yes, a lot of it does come from real fruit and that is great and all, but the amount of sugar is mind blowing in some of these drinks. They still use syrups and other liquids in these drinks that are not natural fruit. The protein shakes like Gladiator and The Shredder have fairly low amounts of carbs and sugar, so that's good. They also pack a lot of protein so I can safely say they are good for after workouts. Although, when you add the two fruits to it, they do get a little bit of sugar added. The rest of the drinks, start at around 30 grams of sugar for a small drink and can go up to 200 grams for a Hulk large. The Hulk large also has 60 grams of fat. That is like eating 3 hamburgers from McDonalds with 4 large cokes to chug it down with. Granted, the McDonalds meal has tons more sodium than the Hulk large, but I still don't think it's a "healthy" drink.

Another thing I hate about smoothies is that they are so expensive. For a medium, plus the tip they make you feel guilty about, it is around $8-9. Wow! For around that much I could go to Le Peep and have an egg and ham breakfast with fruit and a tall glass of water and it would be miles healthier and delicious. I could think of a dozen more options I could spend that money on that would get me a better meal than a smoothie.

The last thing I will say about smoothies is that you need to make sure you research them before you make it a habit and become overweight all of a sudden by being "healthy". Get a smoothie if it makes sense, otherwise pass and get something better.

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Fitness Apps

If you are reading this blog, then chances are you are technologically aware enough to have a smart phone. Whether it's Droid of iPhone, they both have apps that you can download from their market. Today I am going to share a few of them that I have used before and liked.

Pumping Weight
iOS App
This is real useful when planning out your workout routines and charting your progress through the weeks. It let's you chart how many reps and sets you do for each exercise and categorizes muscle groups. I started using it this week and it helps me log my workouts easily.

iMuscle
iOS App
This is amazing! It starts with a 3D body and when you chose the area you want to work on, it shows you a list of exercises to do that work that specific muscle. You can also log workouts and track your progress. This is a little more detailed than the one above, but I personally will probably start using this one after a while.

MyFitnessPal
iOS and Droid
This allow you to keep track of what you eat through out the day. The database of foods they have is very current and accurate. I used this when I first started dieting and it really helped me control my eating habits. After a while I didn't need it because my habits were gone.

RunKeeper
iOS and Droid
I'm not much of a runner, but this app makes running a little more fun. This is a GPS enabled app that tracks where you run and logs your time and distance. It allows you to set goals and you can even brag about your improvements on Facebook. It's pretty much like the Nike+ but Nike isn't paying me so I am sharing this one haha.

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Diet Trends

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. I'm sure we all pigged out more than we wanted to, and it's OK! Life is about choice and enjoying what the world has to offer. It's OK to eat hamburgers and fries on occasion with a tall glass of vodka and Redbull. As long as you don't let your cheats be a way back into an unhealthy lifestyle, I see no problem with it. Today on Trendy Tuesdays, I want to discuss why I am such a disbeliever in most diet trends.

We have all heard about diet trends that pop up every year or so. One of the most popular I can remember is the Atkins Diet. This was a diet that made you scared of any kind of carbs. It was real popular because people would lose weight by avoiding carbs. Well, what ended up happening is a lot of people got sick or got even fatter once they got off the diet. Another one that I tried before was the Anabolic Diet. This diet was similar to Atkins. It made you not eat carbs for 12 days, then after 12 days you eat carbs for 2 days, then continue a cycle of shocking your body pretty much. I will say, my wife and I lost a lot of weight when we tried this 5 years ago. The problem was that you had to eat all the time. After a couple of weeks I was tired of cooking 4-5 meals a day and really didn't have the time to. Our grocery bill was real high too because of all the meat we had to consume. The most recent one is the Paleo Diet, which I talked about last week. This is again the same ole story about avoiding carbs and eating only meat, veggies, and fruit for the most part. Check out my post from earlier last week to see what I say about the Paleo Diet.

So why the hate? These diets work for some people, I will admit that. For the average person though, I think they are a little too much. I think someone can achieve weight loss and good health by just being smart about what they eat and not over consume. By being on a fad diet, there is a little part of everybody that knows that this may not work, so when crunch time comes, it is easy to just give up. By eating what you want, but being smart about it, you can enjoy life more and not have to be the guy at dinners who refuses to eat a roll or goes for a bunless hamburger.

In conclusion, I will say that some diets are extremely beneficiary to people who have health concerns. If a doctor tells you to stay away from wheat, red meat, or dairy, then I suggest you follow orders. If you got fat because you have gotten lazy and eat way too much fast food, then a fad diet is probably not going to work. You need to get moving, educate yourself on what your body really needs, and watch your calorie intake. We eat more than we do anything, so don't take the fun out of it, just be smart.

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Home Workouts

Do you hate the gym? Does the thought of getting ready to go workout in public make you want to go back to bed? Well you aren't alone, many people feel the same way you do. To say someone can't get in the best shape of their lives by working at home, is wrong. My wife has been doing some variations of workouts at home since she is with the baby most of the day and can't go to the gym really. So far she is down about 5 lbs and said she is feeling great so far. So let me show you a nice 30 minute workout to do everyday from your house.

Stretch - 5 minutes - Although you may feel this is stupid and wastes time, you are doing yourself 2 favors. Loosening up your muscles for the quick workout ahead and actually burning some calories.

Jump Rope - 10 minutes - This may not sound hard, but if you go a good 10 minutes without taking more than a 5 second break here and there, you will be tired. I usually do this in my garage but you can do it on the driveway too. If in an apartment, maybe try finding a spot in the parking lot that is vacant.

Pushups - 50 - If you need start by doing pushups on your knees, that's fine.

Squats - 50 - Make sure to use proper form when doing these to maximize the exercise.

Superman - 5 minutes - If you don't know what this is, it is where you lay down face down, and then raise your arms and legs and pretend you are flying like Superman. Making sure to focus on your core to keep you up. The exercise calls for you to lift up and hold for 5 seconds, then release and repeat. You can sway right to left to if you want to spice it up.

Jumping Jacks - 100 - Just do 100 jumping jacks. Easy.

Pushups - 20 - Last ones for the day.

And there you have a simple workout routine you can do at home with the only equipment needed is a jump rope. If you can't jump rope, substitute it for jumping jacks for 10 minutes. You can also stretch if you want afterwards. You should feel great after doing this. If you are sore the first few days, don't worry, it's normal.

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