fitness tips

Frozen Banana Bites

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Hi Everyone!

Today I was craving the Dark Chocolate Bananas Josh made for me. If you click on that link it will take you to his recipe. I decided to make a quick version of his snack. 

All you need is:
1 Banana (sliced)
About 1 Tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon of dark chocolate chips

I sliced a banana, smeared each slice with some natural peanut butter (I used Smucker’s) and then topped it with dark chocolate chips. I keep the chocolate chips in the freezer, so they look like frozen blueberries in the picture (which I think would be a delicious addition or substitution in this recipe!)

It’s healthy, delicious, and totally satisfied my craving for sweets. After topping the peanut buttered banana slices with dark chocolate chips I placed them in the freezer, on a sheet of waxed paper. 

Once they are frozen you have a delicious, sweet snack! 

Enjoy! 
Melissa

To Quit, or not to Quit…

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To Quit: to abandon, give up, relinquish, forsake, desert. 

Quitting isn’t always a bad thing. Gasp! Can you believe I just said that? There are times in life when you need to quit something. It can be a bad habit, a negative relationship, or even negative thought patterns. Sometimes quitting can make your life better. 

However, if you are quitting something that brings about positive changes in your life you need to stop for a minute and think about why.  

Take a moment and reflect on why you started in the first place. Do you want to be healthier and happier? Do you want to relinquish a bad habit? Or are you about to forsake one of your dreams? 
Taking the time for self reflection can work wonders on your motivation. Today can be the day that you take a deep breath and decide to quit the things that are hurting you. It can be the day that you take another step toward making your dreams come true. 

Your health and happiness is worth working hard for. Why did you start, and will quitting make your life better? Ask yourself this question when things get rough. 

Special thanks to Beef for his help creating the image above. Check out his site: Ask Beef and Jeff Zoet for taking such great photos. You can find his work at: Jeff Zoet Photography

Have a good night,
Melissa

Melissa Bender’s Grocery List

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Hi Everyone,

I was recently asked if I could share my grocery list. I have mentioned before that I try to keep healthy foods on hand at my house, because it makes eating well much easier! As graduate students Jesse and I have also had to keep foods that are both easy/quick to make, and affordable. 

Eating healthy on a budget can be a challenge, but I think Jesse and I manage to do pretty well. Of course I switch things up sometimes, but I am going to share the basic items I try to keep my house stocked with. 

I do want to say that eating organic and fresh is an excellent option, but as of right now that’s not always realistic or affordable for us. I am sharing the foods that have gotten us through school, on a budget. 

I used to have a vegetable garden that I miss dearly (eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelon, fresh deliciousness!) Now that we are finished with grad school I look forward to planting again, and eating more fresh foods (Hello Farmer’s Markets!!!)

Always in Our House:

Fresh Baby Spinach leaves
Small Granny Smith Apples
Red or Purple Grapes
Bananas
Broccoli (fresh or frozen steamable)
Frozen Mixed Veggies (I like the Healthy Colors Market Blend Veggies)
Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts and/or Chicken Tenders
Frozen Salmon (we also get Tilapia sometimes)
Frozen Shrimp
Eggs
Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
Vanilla Soy Milk
Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk (35-40 calories)
Coconut Almond Milk Unsweetened
French Vanilla Coffee Creamer (I know, not the healthiest, but I love it)
0% Plain Greek Yogurt
Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt
Hummus
Tuna Fish (I ussually get the pouches because they are easy to pack/bring along for lunch in a sandwich or salad)
Coffee
Organic Natural Peanut Butter
Organic Almond Butter
Whole Wheat Bread (Loving Ezekial Bread lately!)
Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins
Cereal (Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran, Fiber One cereals, many kinds)
Instant Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Pasta (rotini, penne, and thin spaghetti)
Marinara Sauce or Tomato Basil Sauce
Canned Sliced Mushrooms
Protein Bars (Fit and Active)
Wheat Thins
Oatmeal (Steel Cut, and Quick Cook)
Stevia in the Raw
Various Green Teas
Cocoa Powder
Dark Chocolate Chips
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey
Chicken Broth
Nuts (almond, cashew, peanuts, pistachios)

Frequently In Our House

Fresh and Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Blueberries
Various Fresh Fruits (depending on sales, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, etc)
Avocado
Eggplant
Zuchinni
Squash (various types: acorn, spaghetti, butternut)
Asparagus
Feta Cheese
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Bagel Thins (whole wheat)
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Whole Tomatoes
Baby Carrots
Black Olives
Various Frozen Veggies (brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, mixed veg: good things to keep on hand so you have quick options and don’t have to resort to fast food when you’re in a hurry!)
Cheese (Brie, brick cheese, light spreadable cheese wedges, whipped cream cheese)
Almonds (used to always be in the house, but Jesse got sick after eating too many!)
Quick Cook Meals (IE frozen veggie stir-fries that we can add whatever we want to)
Canned Coconut Milk (I like to make fresh green curry stir-fries with this)
Artichoke Hearts
Whole Grain Tortilla Chips
Whole Wheat Wraps
Salsa
Unsweetened Apple Sauce


We do buy other things, but these are the things that can be found most frequently in my kitchen. I try to keep healthy options on hand. Below are pictures of very typical meals in our home. We also do a lot of snacking. Cereal, peanut butter bread (with a touch of honey if I am craving sweets), and peanut butter greek yogurt (in my recipes section) are typical snacks for me. I do enjoy baking, and I try to make healthier versions of traditional baked goods like Fat Free Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins (made with greek yogurt and applesauce). All of the recipes that I have shared are things we would typically eat at home. 

If you guys have any delicious recipes or ideas that you use at home, please feel free to share!

Melissa

PS I do most of my shopping at Aldi’s because they have really great prices, and lots of options. 

Plain Tuna with Cheese Spread, and fresh Spinach on a Whole Wheat Sandwich Thin with a side of Fresh Pineapple

Balsamic and Honey Grilled Eggplant with fresh Spinach and Hummus on a Whole Wheat Sandwich Thin with Red Grapes

Grilled Chicken with Steamed Broccoli, and homemade green tea with a frozen fresh fruit skewer (pineapple, blueberries, and red grapes)

Grilled or Baked Salmon over fresh Spinach with red Grapes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Fresh Spinach with Market Fresh Steamed Veggies and Sun Dried Tomatos (Listed in my recipes, and super quick/easy)

Grilled Salmon with Mixed Veggies and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Baked Chicken with Steamed Broccoli

Baked Eggplant with fresh Spinach and Tomato Basil Sauce

Salmon with Brie Cheese, fresh Spinach and Green beans (seasoned with some old bay and lemon pepper)

Green Curry Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-fry over Brown Rice

Veggie Stuffed Omelette with 1 egg and 3 egg whites. Stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms, diced Tomatoes, and Veggie Slice Pepper Jack Cheese.

I really LOVE sushi. This is a mixed plate (Salmon, Tuna, Shrimp, California Roll)
Fresh Spinach, avocado, red grapes, sliced chicken. (I didn’t use dressing, but if I did it would be plain balsamic vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon)
Whole Wheat Wrap, Spinach, Feta, and Chicken

Whole Wheat Wrap, Spinach, Chicken, Avocado and Red Grapes

Melissa Bender Diet

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Hi Everyone,


Many people have been asking about my diet. I am going to share some pictures to give you an idea of what I eat, and list some foods that I might have on a typical day. 


Any of the recipes that I share on my blog are things that I would normally eat. 

Breakfast:

A very typical breakfast for me is 1-2 eggs, fresh spinach leaves, and a whole wheat sandwich thin with a little bit of cream cheese. I also have a cup of coffee (a big cup!) with french vanilla creamer. In this picture I had steal cut pumpkin oatmeal. If I am really hungry I might have Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt (but I generally save that for lunch). I also have about 16 ounces of water. 

At lunch I generally have a salad. The one in the picture above is pretty typical, but I might have chicken or tuna instead of salmon. Obviously I really like fresh baby spinach, I put in some red grapes, and sun dried tomatoes. Sometimes I add sliced strawberries, and some sliced almonds or sesame seeds. I also have a small green apple, and a cup of yogurt. Sometimes I have vanilla yogurt with some fresh fruit and granola. Other times I have the Peanut Butter Greek yogurt (1 cup) in the recipe link above. 

I also bring some nuts or a granola bar, and an extra apple or banana with me for a snack. I am usually hungry before lunch, and on my way home from work, so I make sure I have snacks. I also have another 16 ounces of water, and have generally had a bottle of water with lunch, and another throughout the day. If I am still hungry when I get home from work I have a slice of whole wheat bread with some peanut butter, or a small bowl of cereal. 

This is a picture of a dinner I had recently. In this picture I am having salmon and mixed vegetables. We also had some egg rolls with dinner this night. Normally I wouldn’t have salmon for both lunch and dinner. One would be chicken. Some type of whole wheat pasta, or brown rice would be typical additions to our evening meal. Another typical dinner would be whole wheat penne with tomato basil sauce, spinach leaves, and mushrooms. I will also have more water with dinner. 

If I am still hungry in the evening I have some more veggies, cereal, yogurt, or frozen banana “ice cream.” I may make that tonight to share some pictures and the recipe. It’s not uncommon for me to snack on some Triscuits or wheat thins at some point during the day. 



That’s a pretty typical day for me. I will try to take some more photos of my meals. I listen to my body, and eat when I am hungry. I eat many times throughout the day, and I drink water all day long. 

Hopefully this gives you an idea of my diet. I try to eat many veggies, and whole foods. I also like to prepare extra salmon, chicken, or pasta (whatever we have for dinner) so I have some to bring with me to work the next day. Eggplant is another common dinner item at my house. 

If you guys have any questions let me know!
Melissa





strong IS the new skinny: normal weight obesity is on the rise

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More and more research supports the fact that skinny and healthy are not necessarily simultaneous occurrences. The term “skinny-fat” is being used to describe people who are within the healthy range for BMI, but actually have an unhealthy body fat to muscle ratio.
Research shows that you can be at a healthy weight and appear thin, while having enough body fat to actually fall into the category of obese. Normal weight obesity is becoming more and more prevalent, and is fed by diets that promote extreme weight loss without exercise or other positive lifestyle changes.
The risks of normal weight obesity are the same as those of obesity as it is traditionally defined: inflammation throughout the body, increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and more. You may look healthy on the outside, and be unhealthy on the inside. 30 Million Americans are in the normal weight obesity category. To see what skinny fat looks like check out this video: Today Show: Skinny Fat In this video they show two women who look fantastic! However, once is obese based on her body fat percentage, and the other is incredibly healthy.
How can you tell if you are “skinny-fat?” The skin fold test is a more accurate measure than BMI calculations. Most gyms can do this test for you. Also, scales that measure your body fat percentage can be useful. There is some margin of error with these devices (sometimes up to 4%), however, the important thing to note is change in that % over time. You can be aware of both increases and decreases in your body fat over time. This can lead to positive changes in your health.
Underwater weighing is one of the best methods of measuring body fat.
Remember, your weight is not an accurate measure of your health! Take into account your physical fitness, the way your clothes fit, your muscle tone, and the way you look naked. Look into getting a body fat measurement.
The last time I went to the doctor he looked at the weight recorded on my chart, did a double take, and asked if I was sure that was right. I told him that I was sure, the nurse had just weighed me, and he said “You look really tiny to weight that much!” My response was a smile and “I’m really muscular.”

Why Pull-ups Are Worth the Effort

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For a very long time I avoided pullups and chinups like the plague. Why? Because they were hard and I couldn’t do them! Once I hit 11 years old they suddenly became impossible for me! I would shake, and try as hard as I could, but nothing happened. Talk about frustrating!
The fact that I could not do a pullup annoyed the heck out of me. However, I haven’t belonged to a gym in years, so it wasn’t like I was around pullup bars all the time.
Last summer my friend’s husband was talking about how much he loves pullups, and I said I couldn’t do it. He told me to try and pointed to his pullup bar, and lo’ and behold I could knock out 5 pullups!
What changed? I started doing high intensity home workouts, along with my yoga and running. All of a sudden I had the strength to do it. I’m not going to pretend they are easy for me. In fact, I don’t do pullups nearly often enough. Maybe it’s time I start.
What are some of the benefits of pullups?
They work your biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats, and traps. They are fantastic for your back, hands, fingers and forearms. They will increase your core strength. They also help prevent muscle imbalances by working the back of your body.
Plus: It will feel great knowing that you can do it! Honestly, that is my favorite part of pullups. It feels like an accompishment, and it’s a benchmark that shows how much I have been able to strengthen my body.
So try it! Keep working at exercises that challenge your whole body, and keep trying those pushups. Even if you move up an inch it’s progress!

Proper Pushup Form and Variations

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Time and time again I have had women tell me that they “can’t” do a pushup. My answer is always the same, “Yes you can! You just have to build up to it!”

The biggest issue I come across is poor form. As you build your strength it is not a problem to start out on your knees. 10 pushups from your knees are doing more for you than 10 pushups with poor form. However, the goal is to start working your way to doing pushups from your toes. If you can even do 1-2 pushups from your toes and the rest from your knees that is fine!

Why do pushups? It is one of the best and most dynamic core exercises out there (think about it, you just made plank even harder, and the whole world has been raving about the benefits of plank pose!) It simultaneously works your chest, shoulders and triceps. Depending on the variation you can also activate different back muscles, and your glutes (pictures below).

Proper Form:

1. Keep your hands in the same plane as your shoulders. They can be out to the side, or directly below your shoulders depending on the variation, but they shouldn’t be above your shoulders.

2. Your back should be straight. Your butt should not lift or drop.

3. Your head should be in the same plane as your body.

4. Lift and lower yourself as far as possible. I ussually go down until my chest or nose touch the ground depending on the variation.

5. Keep a nice even pace. Move slowly if you can. It’s more challenging!

6. The only thing that should be moving is your elbows!

Pushups can be done anywhere, and mixed up to keep them interesting. You will really reap the benefits of doing this exercise correctly!

The picture below is 1 leg pushups. This really activates your glutes, and works your core and upper body a bit differently. If you want to try a harder variation this is one of my favorites. Note that my form stays the same. Only my arms are moving, and I lower until my chest touches the ground before returning to the starting position.

The picture below is a Monkey Pushup. In this exercise your legs remain straight and you bend from the hips. Again, only your arms are moving, and you lower until your nose touches the floor. Don’t be afraid to try new things! If you’re starting out remember to build slowly until you are ready to try the more difficult variations!

How to Get Enough Protein

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Hi Everyone,
Someone posted a very interesting question on my facebook page. What are the best ways to get enough protein as a vegetarian? When many people are trying to put on muscle they eat a lot of chicken breast, and tuna. So what if that’s not an option in your diet?
The good news is you still have a lot of other high protein choices!
According to the CDC women need at least 46 grams of protein and men need at least 56 grams. Generally when you are trying to put on muscle you want about 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal bodyweight. The only known danger of a high protein diet is for those with kidney disease. New evidence is showing that diets that are high in protein may be useful in treating obesity and preventing osteoporosis (Carter, et al. 2006).
So what are some good protein sources? Here are some good options for vegetarians, vegans, and carnivores. This list is not comprehensive, but is meant to give you some ideas.
Vegan:
Tofu: ½ cup has 20 g (Faux Beef Stew Recipe)
Soy Milk: 6-10 g
Beans: 7-10 g per ½ cup
Soy Beans: 14 g per ½ cup
Split Peas: 8 g per ½ cup
Peanut Butter: 8 g per 2 tablespoons (Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe)
Almonds (1/4 cup): 8 g
Peanuts (1/4 cup): 9 g
Cashews( ¼ c): 5 g
Pecans (1/4 c): 2.5 g
Sunflower seeds (1/4 c): 6 g
Pumpkin seeds: 8g
Flax Seed: 8g
Oatmeal (1 c): 6 g
Bagel: 9 g
Broccoli: (1 c) 4 g
Brown Rice: 5 g
Soy Yogurt: 6 g
Veggie Burger: 13 g
Spaghetti: 8 g
Spinach (1 c): 5 g
Lacto-ovo vegetarians: (no meat, fish or poultry, but eggs and dairy are allowed).
Egg (large): 6 grams of protein per egg (Egg “Muffins”)
Milk: 1 cup, 8 g
Cottage Cheese: 15 g
Yogurt: 8-12 g
Cheese: 6-10 g
Carnivores:
Tuna: (6 oz can) 40 g
Most Fish Fillet: (3 ½ ounces) 22 g
Hamburger: (4 oz) 28 g
Steak: 6 oz 42 g
Pork Chop: 22g
Ham (3 oz): 19 g

There are many sources of protein out there. Hopefully this has given you some ideas. This is another great resource: http://www.highproteinfoods.net/
Enjoy, and make sure you get enough protein today!
Melissa

Some Resources:

Carter, J., Vasey, F. Valeriano, J. (2006). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16718399?dopt=Abstract

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/highproteinfood.htm

Cardio Challenge Day

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Hi Everyone,
Today I have an exercise challenge for you. The goal is to spend 30 minutes doing some type of cardiovascular exercise.
Why do cardio? According to www.bodybuilding.com these are some good reasons:
1.       Improve your Heart Health
2.       Increase your Metabolism
3.       Regulate your Hormones
4.       Improve your Recovery Time from other workouts
5.       Help Manage your Blood Sugar/Manage Diabetes
Those sound like good reasons to me! For me cardio (and working out in general) is a natural form of stress relief. It also gives me energy throughout the day. Fat loss and calorie burn weren’t on the list, but they are some additional benefits of cardio.
Today I chose to do a light run outside and enjoy the weather. I ran 3.7 miles (with plenty of hills!) in 32 minutes. It was a nice relaxed pace for me. You can run, jump rope, or do one of my workouts (as long as you move quickly from one exercise to the next you are getting cardio during them!)
I was also happy to see that the workouts I have been sharing here have been keeping me in good shape cardiovascularly. Jesse will be sharing some running tips sometime soon.
Have a great day!
Melissa
PS This picture isn’t from my run today. It’s from me finishing a race while I was on vacation over the summer. I won fourth place. J Jesse won the whole race (he’s a phenomenal runner). We will be filming a yoga stretch series for runners soon. It will be good for anyone, but it’s focused on increasing flexibility and preventing injuries to the knees, IT band, hip flexors, back, and legs.

Don’t have a Fitness Stall!

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Hi Everyone,
I have been thinking a lot about things that derail people from their fitness goals. Maybe it’s the holiday season and all of the rich foods, and obligations that take up free time. Maybe it’s the winter weather. It just seems easier to workout when it’s nice outside. It could be school (finals, papers and presentations are looming for me too!) Kids, work, and life in general takes a lot of time. Sometimes it feels like there’s no time left over for you to do anything, much less make time for a workout.
First of all, fitness is more than just exercise. It’s a way of life. You need to find a balance for all of your occupations (by that I mean anything you occupy your time with). Even if you only have 15 minutes a day to dedicate to exercise it will be to your benefit. It may sound crazy, but you deserve a little bit of that time that you are dedicating to everyone and everything else. The time is yours, so decide to spare a little bit of it for taking care of yourself.
The workouts I share right now are intense, shorter workouts so you don’t have to spend hours in the gym or on a treadmill. They are designed to fit into my own incredibly busy schedule. Investing a little bit of time into your health now can help you have a longer, higher quality of life in the future.
Something that motivates me is going to a 5K race (or even just looking up the results online) and seeing people double to triple my age running the race, sometimes with great times! As I get older I want to have the energy, strength and endurance to keep doing that. So find your motivation and devote some time to your health.
There will be a new workout up tonight.
Melissa
PS I am going to be sharing a sample of a healthy daily diet. The sample I created is being reviewed by a nutritionist right now. I want to make sure I am sharing high quailty (correct!) information with everyone. Be sure to check back!

Health Benefits of Jumping Rope

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If you are going to invest in one piece of equipment for your exercise program I highly recommend getting a jump rope.
Jump roping is a great cardiovascular, strength building exercise. U.S. Olympic Wrestler, Buddy Lee, has cited research saying that 10 minutes of jumping rope can be as effective as 30 minutes of jogging for improving cardiovascular health. It is a wonderful cross-training exercise that can be beneficial in a variety of sports.
It is also versatile. You can do normal jump roping, skipping, high knees, or low jack jump roping.
Jumping rope doesn’t just burn calories and improve the functioning of your cardiovascular system. It also helps with: hand/eye coordination, balance, strength, and bone density. It does all this while working your legs, ankles, calves, glutes, thighs, back, arms, abs, shoulders and chest. 
If you are buying a jump rope you want to measure it by stepping on the center of the rope, and lifting it until the handles reach your shoulders. Also, use proper form when jumping. Your arms should go out from your body at a 45 degree angle, and you should turn the rope with your wrists. Take breaks as needed, and slowly work your way up to longer periods of endurance. 
I think jump roping makes a wonderful warm-up and cool down. It can be done almost anywhere. I like it as an extra cardiovascular activity to add to running. I love that I can do it in my house, so the weather never impacts my decision to workout.  
If you feel inspired you can add some jump roping before or after any of my workouts. So enjoy!
Melissa