Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Healthy Shopping Checklist

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Eating healthy is easier when you have the right foods on hand for snacking and preparing meals. This includes ready-to-eat meals, fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh meat. If possible, purchase meat fresh and cook it right away or freeze it for a meal later in the week. While meat that has been breaded and deep frozen may be convenient, fresh cooked meat tastes much better and is more satisfying.

Planning your meals ahead takes time and patience but it will ensure you have all the ingredients you need for healthy eating. Look through your cookbooks and check online for new recipes of old favorites. Find healthier ways to prepare some the foods you love.

When planning your healthy shopping checklist, you will want to add some herbs and spices to season your foods. Keeping these on-hand will help to enhance many dishes and make cooking and eating much more enjoyable. There are many other foods that you can stock as staples for several dishes you like to prepare. You’ll enjoy your meals so much more when you have everything you need to prepare them right.

Even if you don’t cook every night, planning a shopping list will help you to select healthy snacks and quick fix dinners that won’t have you standing over the stove for an hour. Adding a variety of these kinds of foods will give you a healthy alternative to stopping by a fast food restaurant on your way home from work.

If you take your lunch to work, you will definitely want to add your lunch items to your healthy shopping checklist. Be sure to get plenty of food, so you don’t run out before your next trip to the supermarket. Sticking to your managed diet is easy when you have everything you need to make a healthy, well-balanced meal.

A few healthy items to consider adding to your weekly list:

Cinnamon
Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Ginger
Pepper
Seasonal Fruit
Bananas
Strawberries
Watermelons
Peaches
Mango
Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Colorful Vegetables
Squash
Broccoli
Sweet Peppers
Leafy Vegetables
Spinach
Cabbage
Kale
Root Vegetables
Beets
Sweet Potatoes
Onions
Coconut Milk
Granola
Oatmeal
Quinoa
English Muffins
Eggs
Meat
Poultry
Fresh Fish
Seafood
Olive Oil
Ezekiel Bread
Flax Seed
Walnuts
Almonds
Greek Yogurt
Tofu

Pearly White Pita Pizza

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This pizza is quick and simple to make. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for that afternoon lull when you need a snack or you can enjoy it for breakfast or lunch. Kids love it because it’s pizza and the crust comes out perfect every time.

2 whole wheat pitas, split in 2 round halves, not into pockets
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbsp Le Grand Garden Pesto Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray baking sheet with PAM cooking spray.
Place pita halves on prepared baking sheet.
Bake 4 minutes, careful not to overbake.
Let cool for 4 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and garlic.
Spread 1/4 of mixture onto each pita pizza.
Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sodium, low in sugar and low in calories, these pizzas are a good source of protein, calcium, iron and potassium.

Slim For Life

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You can be slim for the rest of your life when you make fitness a top priority. Imagine never having to worry about your weight, never having to feel awkward about your size. If you have been struggling with your weight and searching for a solution to slimming down, I have good news for you. Fitness will keep you slim for the rest of your life.

If you burn more calories than you eat, then you will lose weight. If exercise is a regular part of your schedule and fitness has a firm footing in your life, then you will never have to worry about gaining weight again.

Most women, if they were active when they were young, weren’t plagued by sudden weight gain. But as we grow older, we become less active and as a result our bodies burn fewer calories. Our metabolism slows and it becomes harder to lose the weight once we gain it. However, we can turn back the clock and train our bodies to start burning calories again. Exercise is the key.

A combination of resistance and cardio exercises is a must for any fitness program. Resistance exercises build muscle, increase flexibility and burn calories. Keeping your body in shape with resistance exercises will probably mean less chance of injury when you perform a task that your body isn’t accustomed to. Staying agile through exercises such as yoga or Pilates is also a great way to keep your body long and lean. Each exercise works various muscle groups, to lengthen and strengthen your muscles, organs and improve your health to make you healthier mentally, physically and spiritually.

Cardio exercises burn even more calories and improve heart functions as well as building stamina. Your heart is strengthened through cardiovascular exercise and these exercises also burn calories to help you lose weight. Building your cardiovascular strength means it will be much easier to complete every day tasks without fatigue as well as those unusual times when you may need extra strength to accomplish a new challenge.

Confusing your muscle groups is a great way to build strength and tone your muscles too. Keeping your muscles confused will help them to work harder. Between sets of your resistance exercises, take a minute and run in place, do jumping jacks, jump rope or hop on a treadmill or an elliptical machine. Reversing exercises, walking backwards, running backwards, working your biceps and your triceps are all great ways to train opposite areas of your muscles to keep you slim for life.

Broccoli Breakfast Frittata

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Start the day with this healthy frittata and get the power you need to propel you through your work-out. It’s also great if you suffer from PMS or other monthly woes. Broccoli and eggs have been found to reduce symptoms such as crabbiness during that special time.

1 small onion
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1 egg
6 egg whites
1/2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 Roma tomato

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler and move rack to 4 inches from burner.
2. Spray PAM lightly onto one side of an ovenproof skillet.
3. In a small bowl whisk egg and egg whites.
4. Add cheese, onion and broccoli.
5. Pour mixture into skillet.
6. Cook on stovetop for 3 to 4 minutes, should be partially set but still wiggly in the middle.
7. Place skillet in oven to finish, about 3 minutes.
8. Divide into two dishes, top with chopped tomato or tomato slices.

Health Benefits:
Broccoli contains one of the most easily absorbed forms of calcium, which means your body gets more for less. Eggs are one of the best sources for Vitamin D, which helps to curb cramping and discomfort during a woman’s menstrual cycle. This healthy breakfast or snack is low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sugar, low in sodium and of course, low in calories.

Look Younger, Feel Fabulous

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Who doesn’t want to look younger and feel fabulous? It’s easier than you think and it’s never too late to begin. Look younger and feel fabulous with food, fun and relaxation. Sounds simple, right? The truth is, with the right kinds of food, an active lifestyle and adequate rest; you can look younger and feel absolutely fabulous.

Diet has much to do with the way that you feel. Now when I say diet, I am talking about a way of life, a long term plan, not just a temporary “diet” that helps you to lose weight. Your diet has to sustain you for life. Learning to prepare and eat foods that give more than they take will keep you looking younger for a long time.

Before you begin your diet, make a list of all the foods you enjoy. Then go through your list and see if you can make a few adjustments to some dishes that will decrease the amount of fat and calories. If you like tacos, try substituting low fat cheese, low fat sour cream, and perhaps fish or a lean turkey meat instead of beef.

Spend some time in the produce department of your grocery store. Are there fruits or vegetables that you really enjoy? These make great substitutes for chips or sweets. Eating a handful of raspberries or blueberries can be just as satisfying as eating candy, minus the guilt you feel after you gorged on gummy worms. Keep these around at all times in plain sight. Don’t hide them in a drawer where you can forget about them. It helps to always keep a fruit bowl handy where you can quickly grab an apple or a peach when you feel the urge to snack.

Always include one serving of protein at every meal, but choose lean sources that are low in saturated fat. Protein makes you feel fabulous and is the building block for all the cells in your body. Be sure to include fruits and vegetables from your visit to the produce aisle to give you all your needed nutrients and to help break down the proteins and aid in digestion.

Get daily exercise. Go for a walk, swim, run or play. Just get moving. A sedentary lifestyle is a major killer for women. If you really want to look younger and feel fabulous, you must start moving that body. Find every opportunity to get up and go.