Looking  at the picture below – Caroline is getting ready to ride in  “The Vow of  Silence Ride”  which is a ride in honor of those who have been killed in road biking accidents where the victims have lost their lives.  Caroline is so fortunate to be  a survivor and looks forward to helping others overcome this kind of devastation and  move forward with their lives.

2 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil

3 Cups Broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper chopped

6 green onions thinly sliced

3 Cups low sodium vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp. saffron threads

1 Cup short grain white rice, such as Valencia

1 Cup fresh or frozen baby peas

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

12 pitted green olives, halved

12 pitted black olives, halved

1 lemon cut into wedges

1/4 Cup fresh parsley chopped

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add broccoli, bell pepper and green onions. Cook 5 min. Stir in broth, garlic, and saffron; bring to a boil. Sprinkle rice over ingredients, reduce heat to medium – low and simmer, covered 10 minutes.

2. Sprinkle peas, tomatoes, and olives over rice. Cover and  cook paella 8 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Remove from heat, and let rest, covered, 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, spoon paella into 6 bowls, and  garnish each with  lemon wedges and parsley.

Per 1/2 Cup Serving:

100 Calories, 2.5 Protein, 1.5 Fat, 20 Carbohydrate, 85 Sodium

1.   Think of  yourself as you want to be – imagine you are that fit person that you want to be already- and  start adopting those habits. The mind is a  powerful tool,  visualize yourself completing  the workout, staying  on your diet and being successful – it works.

 
2.   Educate yourself! Keep fitness mags handy! They are full of training tips, nutrition advice and great pictures! People are visual – find a pic of someone with a similar body type that you would like to look like – use that as inspiration and motivation.

 
3.   Surround yourself with positive people! Get your loved ones on board! Spouses who support each other in their fitness goals and  living a healthy lifestyle are 85 – 100% more successful than  doing it alone.  If you can’t get your family on board to support you – find friends!  Sometimes a good cheerleader and a “you can do it” is all you need to keep going.

 
4.   Be accountable!  If not to yourself than hire a trainer!  Making sure you get your workouts in is up to you – if you lack the willpower to stick with it, a trainer will make you accountable.  If you don’t have the knowledge or are unsure that what you are  doing is right a trainer can help.  A good trainer is knowledgeable about workouts and  fitness, but should also be savvy with nutrition and supplementation to help you reach your goals the safest and  healthiest way for your body type.

 
5.   Write down your workouts, goals, and  what you eat.  I know it may sound old school but a paper and a pen work better than an app any day.  When you write things down you are reinforcing your knowledge on that subject, meaning the more you intimately know how many calories and fat is in the foods you eat – the  healthier choices you will make.  Because most people when given the same information will come to the same reasonable conclusion.

Start to Finish in 30 Minutes!

• 1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shells
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 3 oranges
• Orange juice (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or salad oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions

• Directions

  Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact if desired. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to boiling. Add shrimp; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Drain in colander. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Transfer shrimp to a bowl. Add orange peel and the 2 tablespoons orange juice; toss gently to coat.

  In a covered medium saucepan, cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water for 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain in colander. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

  Peel oranges. Working over a bowl, cut oranges into sections; reserve 1/3 cup of the juice. (If necessary, add additional orange juice to make 1/3 cup.) In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup orange juice, the oil, vinegar, garlic, tarragon, salt, and pepper.

  In a large bowl, combine shrimp, asparagus, orange sections, greens, and green onions. Pour dressing over all; toss gently to coat.

• Nutrition Facts

  Nutrition facts per serving:

  • Servings Per Recipe 4
  • Calories 233
  • Protein(gm)26
  • Carbohydrate(gm)18
  • Fat, total(gm)6
  • Cholesterol(mg)172
  • Saturated fat(gm)1
  • Dietary Fiber, total(gm)4
  • Sodium(mg)165

  *Percent Daily Values are base on a 2,000 calorie diet

February is National Heart Health Awareness month and when it comes to the health of our hearts we need to start paying attention – Heart Disease doesn’t just affect grown ups  anymore.

2,200 Americans die of  cardiovascular disease every day, an average of one  death every 39 seconds. Heart Disease is the number one killer of men, women and children in America today.  In fact this is the first generation of children that researchers predict won’t outlive their parents.  Children at the young ages of 8-12 are being shown to have the beginning stages of hardening of the arteries and high cholesterol according to researchers.  I don’t know about you but that makes me look twice at what I’m putting in my daughters lunch box!  The sad thing is that almost all of these diseases are preventable!  With simple changes like eating a whole foods based diet of  fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources.  Avoiding  saturated fats and processed foods that are overflowing with MSG (monosodium gutamate),Hydrogenated Oil and other preservatives our bodies were not meant to process.

Tips on cutting Hydrogenated oils from your diet:

1.  Look below the label at the ingredient list

2. Most semi solid fat sources like Crisco and Peanut Butter contain hydrogenated  and or partially hydrogenated oils.  You are better off going with Real Butter and changing out your  peanut butter with a”Natural” version.

3. Try to reduce the amount of foods consumed from boxes and or packages.  Most packaged,boxed foods contain hidden hydrogenated oil, and other preservatives.  Fresh produce is cheaper than the boxes!

4. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store-  this is where your healthy items are!  Produce, Meats and Dairy.

5. Get creative with your cooking!  Have fun make a wacky fruit salad with lots of color your kids will love! Try a Meatless Monday and see what local produce is in season and on sale for inspiration!

YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HEART WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!

Cosmopink Style Personal Training has been leading boot camps in the local Lodi area for  the past six years and we just recently opened our own Training Studio!  Our boot camps are indoor and  outdoor and we hold classes year round. 

Our classes are designed to teach proper technique, challenge, motivate and literally kick your butt.   We work with beginners to advanced fitness levels and  everyone is guaranteed a great workout!  If you’ve been curious about boot camp come in and check it out - we’ll let you  try your first class free.

The end of the year is a time when a lot of us tend to take stock on the past year, its ups and downs and how we can resolve to change the things we don’t like and make them better.  Somehow on December 31st we decide to put to rest the last chapter in our book for the year -even though  the majority of us do this  not by resting and taking care, but by celebrating  until the very last minute! Go figure!

The point is, is that for many we use the time between Christmas and New Years to reflect on our life’s journey, not only where we have been and are now; but where we will go from here.  Without Faith its hard to imagine the possibility of change, without Hope, the courage to stick with  it when it’s tough, and without Love, the strength to get us through.

The question I have for you is why wait?  Life doesn’t really stop and start over just because the date changes -its an ever changing ongoing process!  If you are like many of us – we are all striving to learn and grow and be better people, to nurture ourselves and others….. Why wait until January 1st to do it!  Start today, right now!  If there is something you want to change, learn, develop, love……..then be like Nike and JUST DO IT!