Quick & Simple: Breakfast & Exercise

Happy Sunday and first day of fall, everyone!!

I have come across an amazing recipe for breakfast-overnight oats! I had heard of them before, but I never tried them, until this past week. Oh. My. Gosh. It was so good.  I was surprised at how filling and delicious it was-I was a bit skeptical about it at first. No joke, this kept me full for hours-as in like 7 hours! But maybe that's just me? Well, this is super easy to make the night before you head off to bed and easy to grab-&-go the next day. I highly recommend giving this a try:



This was my very first attempt!!

Overnight Oats

• 1/3 cup dry, rolled oats
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3  cup nonfat milk
• 1-2 tsp. chia seeds (optional)
• cinnamon and honey to taste

1. In a container (with a lid) layer the oats, yogurt, milk, and chia seeds(if using) and stir together until well combined.
2. Mix in the cinnamon and honey.
3. Refrigerate overnight for at least 8 hours.
4. Enjoy the next morning! Feel free to add in whatever toppings you like-granola, nuts, fruit, etc.

This is a really basic recipe, so here are two links for different kinds and flavors of overnight oats.
http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal
http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/overnightoats


Now onto the exercise portion of this post!

Sometimes I'm just crunched for time when it comes to working out. With school and work, I find it hard to fit in time for it, so I created a quick 15 minute treadmill workout that I do on days when I have very little time (aka my 13 hour days!) This will blast fat and burn lots of calories in a short amount of time-give it a try!

15 Minute Cardio Blast

Time (mins)                                     Speed (with incline: 2-4)  
0-1                                                     3 mph (warm up)
1-3                                                     4 mph
3-5                                                     5 mph
5-7                                                     7 mph
7-8                                                     3 mph (recovery)
8-10                                                   4 mph
10-12                                                 5 mph
12-14                                                 7 mph
14-15                                                 3 mph (cool down)

This doesn't involve a ton of running because I can't run for long periods of time. I got nasty shin splints about 4 years ago during track that still bother me when I run for too long or too fast. But this is perfect for me because of the intervals, so hopefully this won't be too bad for any of you!

Oh and P.S...
In March of 2014, I am getting the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey for a week! I am going with just my boyfriend for our spring break. Its going to be a quick trip, but an amazing one at best! I'm so excited-I've never been overseas! And for those you who are thinking "its not safe!", we have done our research and are aware of what is going on over there. So no negative comments, I don't appreciate it.

I hope everyone has a fantastic week ahead of them and gives both the overnight oats and the treadmill workout a try this week!  Stay happy and healthy :)

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Pyramid Workout

Hey Everyone!

It's been awhile since I've last been able to blog (sorry!) due to work and school...ahh! I have found a few new breakfast recipes that I will soon be trying out and taste testing for you guys. Please be patient! I do have a workout I've created for everyone. It's a total body workout-cardio, abs, butt, legs, arms-it will sure get your heart pumping and get you sweaty. It is a burpee challenge, so if you're not sure how to do a proper burpee (or not sure of what it is!), please click here to see a demonstration (note: feel free to skip the pushup part if you're a beginner!).

Pyramid Burpee Workout

1burpee,1sit up

2 burpees, 2 sit ups

3 burpees, 3 sit ups

4  burpees, 4 sit ups

5    burpees, 5    sit ups

6 burpees, 6 sit ups

7    burpees, 7  sit ups

8      burpees, 8    sit ups

9    burpees, 9    sit ups

1 0 b u r p e e s, 1 0 s i t ups

9    burpees, 9   sit ups

8      burpees, 8      sit ups

7     burpees, 7   sit ups

6  burpees, 6 sit ups

5      burpees, 5       sit ups

4    burpees, 4    sit ups

3   burpees, 3 sit ups

2    burpees, 2  sit ups

1 burpee, 1 sit up

 

 

Alright, have fun! If you're a beginner and getting tired, feel free to take anywhere from a 30-60 second break in between each round (1 round=1 level).  Don't take more than a 60 second rest though because you want to keep your heart rate up! Have lots of water near by to rehydrate! Good luck :) 

 

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Food Haul and Raspberry Jam Recipe

Hi Everyone!

Today is a really easy day for me. I got done with classes at 9:40 because my statistics professor cancelled class again! So, I of course, went to Trader Joe's because I haven't been there probably since the end of last semester-that was in May! Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places because I absolutely love to grocery shop. I really only went there to purchase some frozen raspberries, bananas, apples and chia seeds, but I ended up buying a few other goodies, too! Take a look:

I decided I wanted more peanut butter(YUM!) and then I saw there salsa which looked really good(and it is really good) and then I saw the spicy peanut vinaigrette that Cassey Ho had mentioned in one of her videos.  So, of course, I splurged and bought those goodies, too!

Seriously, my favorite peanut butter. Better'n Peanut Butter



Onto the raspberry jam.  I came across a couple different recipes on blogs I like to read on how to make raspberry jam. Each recipe used chia seeds, which I've never used before, but have only heard good things about it.  Why are chia seeds so great for you? Here's why these little guys are a food power house:

Chia Seeds provide

• omega-3 fatty acids
• fiber
• protein
• antioxidants
• minerals
• satiation
• blood glucose regulator
• other benefits

You can read more about there health benefits here.






Now, onto the recipe for the raspberry jam. It literally is the easiest recipe ever! There is only 3 ingredients involved. Ok, here you go.

Raspberry Jam

• 1 10-12oz bag of frozen raspberries, thawed
• 2-3 tbsp. of chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. of your choice of sweetener, if using. (I used honey)

1. Mash and mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Put the mixture into a jar with a lid and put in the refrigerator.
3. Let it chill for at least 6 hours before serving.

 

I hope you guys give this quick and simple recipe a try. Chia seeds are a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way and they go great in lots of things-smoothies, cereal, yogurt, etc. My bag cost $4.29 at Trader Joe's, but I know it will last me awhile. I hope everyone is having an amazing day, eating healthy, and staying active!

Enjoy :)
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School: Getting Started and my new obsession

Good Morning, every one! I get to blog this morning because my one and only class that meets Fridays was cancelled...yay! Anyways. So I've posted about some tips to help stay in shape and keep weight off during the school year and I've also shared a quick and healthy breakfast that's easy on the go. Now, I want to talk to you a little about exercising and where to get started. I don't know who's reading this or what type of living arrangement your in (whether its an apartment, a dorm, or your parents house!), but I wanted to share some of my favorite workout videos that I used to do when I lived in a dorm and that I still do currently once in awhile. I like these ones because you don't need a lot of space and you wont be noisy. These videos are produced by my favorite fitness blogger, Cassey Ho, which I know you have heard me talk about her all the time on here. Seriously, she is my favorite. I love her videos. They're absolutely amazing! So, that's why I want to share some of my favorites with you.

Looking for cardio?

 This one is fabulous for your butt, thighs, and gets your heart rate up!

 

These two will take you through several body weight exercises.
I recommend doing a combination of these videos(and any of her other amazing pop cardio workouts) until you reach 30-60 minutes of cardio.

Looking for strengthening?

 

 

 

These are just a few that I ABSOLUTELY love! These three are featured in her "Pop song challenges". Again, highly recommend doing a combination of these videos until you reach about 30-60 minutes of exercise.

Here is her YouTube channel and her blog.

 

Now, onto my new obsession. So I just got a new phone(finally!) and finally got instagram! I feel like I'm the last one on the planet to get an instagram. I've been uploading pictures all day because its so fun!

 

 I just uploaded this picture after my workout!

 



Check out my instagram, if you'd like to! And I hope you give these videos I posted a try. They're fun, they'll get your heart pumping and get you sweaty!

Have a wonderful day, every one!

Back to School:Breakfast-on-the-go and my first day of classes!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today was the first day of classes for many universities and other public schools. I'm happy I had a very easy day of classes-only two classes! I was done at 11:50. I had my English and sociology classes. My English class is on linguistics , while my sociology class will be based on ethnography, the close up study of everyday life. I'll get to go around to different neighborhoods of Madison and observe people. It was nice being back, I've already met a couple new people! Currently, I'm trying to figure out some program I'm supposed to download for my statistics class...gross! Oh, and I'm also baking oatmeal cups for breakfast. These are super simple to make and are great for mornings when you don't have much time. They contain natural ingredients and do not have any flour, butter, or oil in them.  So, here's the recipe for baked oatmeal cups:

Baked Banana Oatmeal Cups

• 3 mashed, ripened bananas (the riper, the better!)
• 1 cup of nonfat milk + sweetener of your choice (I used 2 tbsp. of packed brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. mini chocolate chips, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients above except for the chocolate chips. Let sit for a  few minutes.
3. Spray a muffin tin (or use liners) with non-stick spray.
4. Stir in chocolate chips, if using, or put on top (like I did), if using.
5. Pour batter among muffin cups, evenly, and almost full. (I like to use my big muffin pan!)
6. Bake 20-30 minutes. Edges will just start to brown and the muffins will be firm to the touch.

 I love to make these when I have too many over ripe bananas. I suggest freezing these muffins, if you're not going to eat them within a couple days, as they tend to start getting kind of weird and moldy after 2 or 3 days just sitting out. Also, freezing them is perfect! You can just pop one or two in the microwave until they're warm, or you can let them thaw out the night before you want to eat them. I made a batch of six large oatmeal cups and these will probably last me 2-3 weeks! These are super fast and simple to make ahead of time and freeze for days to come. I do hope you give this recipe a try. :)

Right out of the oven.



Baked oatmeal cup!