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Saturday, September 4, 2010

building strength

Some people don't know how easy it can be to build strength. No, I'm not talking about massive muscle for showing off, I mean REAL strength, defined muscle.

How would one go about this? Well, It's pretty simple. Eat lots of protein, and lots of carbs. Stuff you want to eat more of is lean meats (Chicken, Turkey both skinless) Quaker oats, nuts, rice, lots of vegetables (raw, steamed), wheat bread, and eggs.
The best way to prepare meals is either grilling, steaming, or broiling. No oils, no skins, just lean and mean meats and other high protein foods.

Now, you wanna get some defined muscle eh? Good. Start by getting some weights..simple 5, 10,15 pound hand weights, and a weight bench with a bar and the same type..5, 10, 15 pound weights.

Start off with good stretching and warm ups, this will help your effectiveness.

Look around for proper form in lifting weights, you can hurt yourself if you don't! Now, start off easy. Take a 5 pound weight, and do some lifting for as many repetitions as you can. I started off with 5 pound weights, doing about 75 curls each arm. Once you feel the burn, thats good, go till you literally can't lift any more. That's your goal now, once you find the amount that you can do till you cant anymore, round it off to the nearest even number..and do that every day for a week. Once you get to around 200 reps, switch to a higher weight, following the same process.

What kind of lifting should you look into? Bench Press, Military Press, Arm Curls, Leg Curls, weighted sit ups. These basic lifting processes should focus on each muscle group. Also; running for as long as you can really helps out those legs and the rest of the body! All you gotta do is get some running shoes ($15.00 on amazon) some comfortable clothes..go out, and run for as long as you can! Doesn't matter if its a few seconds or a few minutes..just run till you can't..walk for a minute..then run again!

I hope this covers most of how to build REAL strength. No one is gonna go from flab to body-builder without some serious weight lifting and steroids, you wanna become strong, not sculpted.

As with everything involving your body, please check with your doctor first. If it seems too tough for you at first, just lower the weight and build at it over time, your body will get used to it over time


Disclaimer: When using this or any guide, you take full responsibility of your actions. I cannot stress enough checking with your doctor first before doing anything

Friday, September 3, 2010

Here's a little quick work out that I do, loses weight very quick and efficient!

Up early at 4am, I start my morning off with 2 things
1. Black cup of coffee
2. 2 oz of apple cider vinegar mixed with water
Then, I go out for a nice walk along the beach wall. about 1.3miles round trip. - takes about a half hour of walking slowly


This boosts your metabolism all day, basically making you lose weight slowly at all times.

I come back, and make myself a simple breakfast
1. 2 fried eggs on a non-stick frying pan no oil or anything, just eggs.
2. 2 pieces of 100% wheat bread toast, very light margarine.

Now, we got a healthy breakfast at around 6am filled with carbs and protein. The reason why I have this AFTER my walk is because it's never good to eat an exercise at the same time or near the same time. Always better to wait 2 hours after eating to workout

So, for my next workout I do weights. I've found a low weight, and lots of reps to be the best. So I put on 50 pounds, and do about 2 sets, 40 reps each on bench press, military press, and double arm curls. After that,  about 40 sit ups, 40 reverse sit ups, and 30 crunches.

About right after the workout, I have a ton of water, and an apple. this is a small snack, good for you, and bids you off till lunch time! I have this around 10am

Time for lunch!

I usually make myself the same thing for lunch and dinner..steak and rice!

What you will need
Non stick frying pan
Big enough pan with a cover/cap, a plate can work too, if needed.
Rice
1/3rd steak per meal
olive oil
garlic powder

I take 1 cup of white rice, 2 cups of water, little bit of olive oil, and a little garlic powder (to keep the water from over-frothing)  put it in the pan, turn it on low heat..leave it alone for 20 minutes, then, after those 20 minutes I open it up, leave it open and on low heat for another 5, perfect steamed white rice

about 10 minutes into the rice cooking, I prepare my steak by cutting it into little pieces, and moving it around in a nice bowl with a little soy sauce, making sure its all covered with it! From there, I put on the frying pan high heat, no oil, and throw all the steak into it at once, and basically stir-fry it..draining the juices into the sink after they're all cooked, and putting it on high heat again, to give it a little more crispy-fried taste to it.

From there, it's up to you..mix it all together and have wonderful steak and rice, I would suggest adding more soy sauce to the rice if this what you wanna do, or just serve separately as is.

This is a great meal and is filled with carbs and protein, and it fills you up great! It can be done with pork (fat cut out) or skinless chicken breast as well. I try to have this around 12-1pm.


Time for another walk! same way, another 1.3mile. I do this around 3-4 pm only takes 30-45minutes

Dinner! I usually have the same thing as lunch, so there we go..I eat around 5-6,  and nothing else after that except for water/diet soda.

and there we go, a very simple plan to lose weight! You can substitute anything into that that is high in protein and carbs, low in fat. I suggest taking a multi vitamin as it helps cover all around your bodies needs. I did this the entire week, and lost 10 pounds off the bat..no starving, still eating delicious, and spacing out my eating with workouts and small snacks to maintain my metabolism!

Good luck out there.

Banana bread recipe - may need to right click, and select View Image.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Grilled Caribbean Chicken

Grilled Caribbean Chicken:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons mango chutney
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon minced oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a non-porous glass dish or bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, chutney, ginger, oil, pepper sauce, oregano and garlic. Mix all together and add chicken. Toss to coat, cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate 6 hours or overnight. Preheat grill to medium-high heat or set oven to broil. Remove chicken from dish, (dispose of remaining marinade) and grill or broil chicken 6 inches from heat source till cooked through (juices run clear). Makes 6 servings.

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD WITH ROSEMARY, LEMON AND CAPERS

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD WITH ROSEMARY, LEMON AND CAPERS

2 1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
6 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
8 tablespoons sliced green onions

Cook potato rounds in pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Cool potatoes slightly.
Whisk oil, lemon juice, capers, rosemary and garlic in medium bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Layer 1/4 of potatoes in bottom of medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons green onions over, then drizzle with 3 tablespoons dressing. Repeat layering 3 more times with remaining potatoes, salt and pepper, green onions and dressing. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.) Serves 6.

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Grilled Pita

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Grilled Pita:

¼ cup olive oil
1 yellow onioin, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh red or green chili pepper of you choice
¼ cup molassas
6 roasted red bell peppers
¾ cup olive oil
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 package Pitas

In a large saute pan, heat the ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cumin, garlic and chili pepper; continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender, add all the remaining ingredients except salt and pepper, and puree until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cut pita rounds into quarters or eighths, brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil, and grill over low fire until well browned and a bit crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Or, you can put the cut, oiled pitas on a baking sheet in a 450 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Marinated Chicken Thighs

Marinated Chicken Thighs:

12 skinless chicken thighs
¾ cup salsa (mild, medium or hot)
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger root
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer in a 13X9 baking dish. Mix together all ingredients, except the cornstarch. Pour over chicken, and turn to coat both sides. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight. Bake the chicken in the sauce at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover with a towel or lid to keep warm. Pour sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth and add to the sauce. Stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Pour thickened sauce over chicken and serve.

Glazed Flank Steak

Glazed Flank Steak:

1 beef flank steak (approx. 1 ½ to 2 pounds)
Marinade:
1 cup prepared teriyaki marinade
½ cup chopped onion
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Pepper

In a medium shallow dish, combine marinade ingredients, adding pepper as desired. Whisk until blended. Remove and reserve ¾ cup for basting. With a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of the beef steak in a crisscross pattern. Place steak in remaining marinade in dish, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 17 to 21 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, basting occasionally with reserved ¾ cup marinade and turning once. Place remaining basting marinade in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Meanwhile, carve steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices; arrange on platter. Spoon hot marinade over beef, as desired. *To broil in oven: Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 13 to 18 minutes, basting occasionally with reserved ¾ cup marinade and turning once.

THAI STIR-FRIED BEEF WITH MINT

THAI STIR-FRIED BEEF WITH MINT

1 lb Flank steak
2-4 Serrano chillies
- finely chopped
1/4 c Finely chopped garlic
1/2 c Finely chopped yellow onion
1/8 c Vegetable oil -- PLUS:
2 tb Vegetable oil
3 tb Fish sauce
1 tb Granulated sugar
1/2 c Water (more if needed)
1/2 c Mint or basil leaves
- (loosely packed)
Green lettuce leaves

1. Slice the beef across the grain into strips 1/4 inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long. Set aside.
2. Pound or grind the chilies, garlic, and onion to a coarse paste in a mortar or blender. If you use a blender you may need to add the oil to aid in grinding.
3. Heat a wok, add the oil, and swirl it over the surface of the pan. (Do not add more oil if you have ground the chilies, onion, and garlic in oil.) Add the paste from Step 2 and stir-fry until it is light golden.
4. Add the beef and stir-fry until it is a uniform tan color, but do not overcook it.
5. Add the fish sauce, sugar, water, and mint (or basil) leaves. More water may be added if the sauce is too dry. There should be about 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce, depending on how much water you added.
Ahead of time note: The dish may be prepared a day in advance to this point. To do so, proceed through Step 5, omitting the mint or basil leaves. When you are ready to serve, heat the mixture and add the leaves. If the meat has absorbed the liquid, add just enough warm water to bring it back to the original consistency.
6. Arrange a single layer of lettuce leaves in a serving bowl and put the beef mixture over them. Serve the beef immediately or keep it warm while preparing other dishes.
7. Serve with rice.
Beef Satay Skewers:

1 ½ pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 ½ inches thick
5 to 6 green onions, bottoms only, cut into 1 inch pieces
Marinade:
½ cup country Dijon-style mustard
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons bottled minced or fresh crushed garlic
1 tablespoon ground red pepper

In a large shallow bowl, combine marinade ingredients; whisk until blended. Remove and reserve ½ cup for basting. Trim fat from beef steak; cut into 1 ½ inch cubes. Add beef to remaining marinade in bowl; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Alternately thread an equal amount of beef and green onion pieces onto each of four 12-inch skewers. Place skewers on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare to medium done-ness, basting frequently with reserved ½ cup marinade and turning occasionally. Serve immediately. Makes 4 serving. *To broil in oven: Place skewers on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 14 to 16 minutes, basting with reserved ½ cup marinade and turning occasionally.

Quick, easy, delicious. Shouldn't cost more than 10$ to make a good amount of them.

Asian Dumplings in Ginger Broth

Asian Dumplings in Ginger Broth:

½ bunch cilantro
4 and 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced ginger
8 ounces ground turkey
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
20 wonton wrappers

Remove leaves from cilantro and chop them to yield 3 tablespoons; reserve stems. Combine broth, cilantro stems, and 1 tablespoon of the minced ginger in a Dutch oven and simmer 10 minutes; strain and reserve broth. Meanwhile, combine turkey, teriyaki sauce, chopped cilantro leaves, remaining 1 tablespoon of the minced ginger, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper in a large bowl. Place one heaping teaspoon of the turkey mixture on each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water, fold one edge over to form a triangle, and pinch edges together to form a seal. Bring broth to a simmer in a Dutch oven and drop dumplings in, a few at a time. Simmer until dumplings float, about 5 minutes. Remove dumplings from broth and divide evenly among 4 serving bowls. Ladle 1 cup of broth into each bowl. Garnish with whole cilantro leaves. Makes 4 servings.

This recipe is great if you enjoy fine Asian cuisine. It's fairly cheap and simple to make and is good for those who are on a tight budget! All the ingredients shouldn't cost more than 8$ all together, and I'm sure you'll have extras to make something else, or this again for another time!

I don't have the exact calorie information, but broths/soups in general are very good to have when cutting back, they're filling and usually contain a small amount of calories as it's mostly water-based liquids. It has ground turkey which is a great source of protein and has good amount of carbs for energy!

To start off

A little explanation is due. This blog will be for posting workout guides, healthy recipe's (some with picture steps) and for sharing tips. I will start off soon (Once I finish some editing of my current pages).