…Songs to add to your Work Out Playlist…

I do not know about you…but I HAVE to have my iPod handy when I am working out

I have a special play list with upbeat songs that keep me excited and pumped up through my workout.

If you scroll through my iPod you will be surprised to see all of the different genres that I have

From rock…alternative…reggae…reggaeton…hip hop….R&B…a little bit of techno…and anything else you can think of… I have it!

Here are a few suggestions to add to your workout play list!

Infinite Life Fitness Workout Melodies Volume I:

(Note: You can click on the songs to hear a sample of them!!)

Hope these help keep you moving and grooving during your workouts this week!

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…Fitness Journal!…

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…Do YOU keep a journal?…

I know that I do! And I would be LOST without it!

You can put your recipes, meals, workouts, thoughts, feelings, motivation…ANYTHING in it!

It helps to keep me on track with what goals I want to accomplish!

You can create one online, or you can write on down in a note-book!

I have one online so I can access it at home…at work…at the gym…or just about anywhere! It makes it easier because you do not have to remember to carry it with you all the time!

If you do not keep you…you should consider starting one!

You may be surprised at how helpful it can be to your reaching your goals!

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…Merchandise evaluation: Quest Protein Bars…

 

Quest Bars are a HEALTHIER protein bar option for those of us who like a good LOW CALORIES, LOW CARB, LOW SUGAR, GOOD PROTEIN bar to have in between meals or as a meal replacement.

Quest Bars was kind enough to send me some of their bars to sample and try.  I was VERY  excited to try these bars since I have heard so much about them and since I was looking for a good protein bar to add to my diet while I am training for my next bikini competition.

Overall Comments:

I have honestly tried over a DOZEN different types of protein bars that are available.  I have not enjoyed any other brand as much as I have enjoyed these Quest Bars.  They do indeed have one of the BEST nutritional profiles of any protein bar I have tried and they have the BEST flavors (that actually taste great!)

Unlike other protein bars the taste was not chalky or stale.  Other bars I have tried do not have much of a flavor at all, but every bar I tasted was very enjoyable.  The average carb per bar is around 20 grams, it also have about 20 grams of protein, and the calorie range is from 180- a little over 200 calories.  This is a great nutritional profile for anyone who has a pretty strict diet or who has to monitor their macros.

The best part…place the bar in the microwave for about 30 seconds and you get a warm treat that taste just as good as the real thing!

They did just come out with protein peanut butter cups that I have not gotten to try yet!!! When I order more protein powder I will for sure order a few to try out! So far I have heard great things about them and can not wait to substitute them into my diet as my luxury item for the week.

Price: I have been able to find boxes of the different flavors for about $24.99 (on the Quest Bar website, other online shops and at vitamin shoppee).  Some other online carriers may sale them for a few dollars more so you will just have to shop around for the price that fits you (and some sites give you free shipping when you purchase a certain amount of items).  You will get 12 bars in the box so that makes each bar about $2.08 each.  That is a very reasonable price for the great quality product that you are getting.  You can also get them individually for about $2.39 a bar so you will save a little money by finding a flavor you like and getting a whole box.

Smell: each bar does indeed smell like the indicated flavor. the smell is not strong but they do indeed smell appetizing.  The bars are not super soft and then again they are not very hard.  They have a nice thick consistency to them but when you heat them up they soften a bit.

Taste: I have tried all flavors for these Quest Bars and they all taste great.  They all taste very  much like the indicated flavors and not anything like a protein bar.  They are not chalky or dry in flavor.  The only flavor that i disliked the most was the Coconut Cashew (because I am not a huge fan of coconuts but I tried it out anyway) and the other was the Cinnamon Roll.  With the Cinnamon Roll I was expecting a little more flavor/punch and it was the only bar that was a little bland for my taste.  Don’t get me wrong it was good…it was just my least favorite because it was not as good as I had hoped for.  My favorite flavors are the Chocolate Brownie and the Peanut Butter Supreme.  Both taste great and are packed full of flavor.  They satisfy my “candy bar” cravings (and my random chocolate cravings” and once heated they taste like warm brownies.  They are for sure my favorite!

Be warned the wrappers are slightly noisy.  I tried to open one in class and had to just wait until class was over to open it because in a quiet class room the crackling noise did become a distraction.

Ranking Scale: (on a scale from 1-5)

Price: 4.5

Overall Taste: 5

Quality for Price: 4.5

Overall Ranking: 4.5

**NOTE: Please make sure to note my product review disclaimer that can be found HERE***

 

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…Meatball Monday: Quick Dinner Idea!…

Time is a great issue with everyone!
Time is what allows us to decide if we will be able to work out today…of if you are able to cook the right kind of food.

The key is to MAKE time to fit in your workouts…

MAKE time to create quick and healthy meal options for you (and possibly your family!)

Today I would like to share another quick meal option with you…

Ground Turkey/beef/chicken/Meat Balls

Time: 15-20 Minutes

Oven Temperature: 400 Degrees

What you will need:

  • The meat of your choice (Ground turkey, beef, or chicken.  All should be available at your local grocery store.  The key is to get the LEAN package of meat.  The HIGHER the number is the leaner the meat it.

Example: 94/6 Beef = 94% lean beef 4% fat.  This is the best lean option for beef.  Your store may not have this lean of meat, so try to find the HIGHEST number you can.

Turkey:  99% lean is the best (and the same goes for chicken as well)

Yes it may be a little more expensive BUT these are the healthiest options.  You can even consider the less lean meats but try not to get the most fatty meat)

  • Chopped up veggies (like onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.  You want to make sure that they are chopped into small cubes and that the pieces will fit nicely in the muffin pan holes.

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Instructions: 

***These instructions are made to follow if you use ONE pound of meat.  If you use two I would just double the recipe****

Set your oven to 400 Degrees

First get your package(s) of meat and put them in a big mixing bowl 

Add whatever seasonings you would like to the meat 

Add your chopped up veggies(I usually put onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms on my meatballs.  I will put 1/2 cup of each veggie in a bowl with 1 pound of meat)

Add 1/2 egg whites OR 2 full eggs(I found that this helps to keep the meat ball together so it does not fall apart)

Add 1/2 cup Quaker plain oats(you can also use bread crumbs or any other kind of bread product.  I use this because it adds to the meatball allowing it to stick together as well as adding to the taste of the meatballs) **You can also skip this step. You do not have to add a bread product if you like***

Make Sure to mix all of the contents in the bowl very well to allow for the best distribution of the veggies, spices, and anything else that you put in the bowl

Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray

use 1/4 or 1/3 measuring cup (depending on how much meat/veggie mix will fit in each muffin tin hole)

Measure your meat into the 1/4 cup or 1/3 measuring cups and fill each muffin tin hole

Once all holes are filled

Place muffin tin in the oven

It will take 15-20 minutes for them to cook.

Just watch them and allow them to somewhat harden and turn brown on the outside.

You can break open one meatball to ensure it is all the way cooked before you completely take them out of the oven.

Allow to cool…serve…and ENJOY!

 

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These are great because you can make a batch and keep them in the fridge and grab them when you are in a hurry! You can eat these with pasta, veggie mix, or with anything else you like!

These also allow you to eat the right portion size!
I usually will have two meatballs, a side of veggies, and something else small (like pasta or rice) with this meatball meal.

Hope that you try these out sometime!

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…Merchandise evaluation: Muscle Milk Red Velvet When Protein…

I personally purchased this Muscle Milk: Red Velvet from www.vitaminshoppe.com

I was lucky and got it on sale (which was about $5 cheaper than I have seen it any where else online and I got free shipping because I purchased a few other items.)

NOTE: This is an exclusive flavor that can currently only be found at Vitamin Shoppe (online or in the stores)

Overall Comments:

When I hear they made this flavor I IMMEDIATELY bought it.  I LOVE RED VELVET CAKE.  That is my “go-to” junk food when I allow myself to have it.

My Number 1 pet peeve with protein powders when you first get it…..fishing for that stupid scoop that has settled in the bottom of the canister :-/

Price: I got the 2.47 pound canister of powder for around $24.  This is actually a pretty good price if you ask me.  I am on a budget so I did not mind the price at all.  BUT BE WARNED!! Other stores (like GNC, wal-mart, and other grocery stores) may carry Muscle Milk products but they cost $10-$20 MORE in the store!  I know this because I did some research.  When I was out shopping I would make sure to compare prices and I have found that Vitamin Shoppe currently has the best price on their items.

Smell:  To my surprise it smelled JUST LIKE red velvet cake.  I honestly did not know what to expect. I have tried some pretty crappy protein powders so when I ordered and got this powder I did not want to have high hopes for it.

Taste: The taste was OK.  It tasted like the cheap pre-made red velvet cakes you can get at the supermarket freezer section.  It was not very flavorful and the powder was thick! which made the shake somewhat chalky (More than I Like).  So one day I had a bright idea…I had some chocolate  whey protein left over from another favorite protein powder that I use so I mixed 1/2 scoop of chocolate and 1/2 scoop of red velvet….IT WAS HEAVEN IN A GLASS!!! It was the taste I was looking for.  Mixing it with the other powder I had cut down on how chalky it was and enhanced the flavor so much more! I also tried it with 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey and 1/2 scoop of red velvet and it also tasted VERY good.  Mixing it with the chocolate whey was my favorite!

I do NOT take all 3 scoops that is suggested on the back of the label.  I train for bikini competitions so my calorie and carb intake have to stay low.  So with ALL of my whey proteins that I take I only take ONE scoop in a glass of water.  When I am in off season I will use milk but I am more partial to almond milk because it has less calories but still give me the “milky” consistency that i like.  If I make a protein shake I will use almond milk and water.

But overall the product alone was too chalky for me.  I am use to thinner protein powders.  The calorie intake was a little too high for my preference but I will for sure mix the 1/2 scoop chocolate protein with the 1/2 scoop red velvet to help me control that.  It did not have a very strong taste.  Not as strong as I was expecting hence why I tried the 1/2 scoop mixture which seems to work very well for my preference and I will do that anytime I use this protein powder.  It was for a very reasonable price.  I have not tried to cook with this protein powder (as I have made protein pancakes and muffins with my other protein powders).  I may try to cook with it in the near future if I can find a recipe that will be suiting for this flavor.

Ranking Scale: (on a scale from 1-5)

Price: 4.5 

Overall Taste: 3

Quality for Price: 4

Overall Ranking: 3

**NOTE: Please make sure to note my product review disclaimer that can be found HERE***

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