Vacation getaway!

Hello B-Fitters! B-FIT4U is taking a SPRING BREAK...just for this week, so don't worry! We will see you next monday with all new recipes, workouts and tips to B-FIT4U! AND this will give you time to look back on some of our older posts you missed and continue to work on your fitness and health with tips and tricks from our blog.  And US TOO! Wellness, focusing on the positive, working out and eating right will be our priority this week on our mini vacation! SO ENJOY YOUR WEEK, keep yourself in mind when it comes to your health and wellness and remember to
ALWAYS B-FIT4U!! ~FoodieGIRL

One thing to remember this WEEKEND

If there is one thing you can do this weekend to stay on track, it is to WATCH YOUR SUGAR! It likes to hide in just about everything, so be mindful where you are getting it from, (it loves to hide in all those fancy greek yogurts for instance) The weekend doesn't have to be completely focused around food, BUT friends, family and YOU! Happy Friday B-Fitters!

What we're eating NOW!

I absolutely have to have my snacks! That is I keep a little cooler of snacks in my car at all times for emergency purposes because hey, you never know when hunger might strike, you don't want to fall prey to a burger and fries at the drive thru, AND snacking sensibly throughout the day keeps you energized and your metabolism going! SOOOOO snacks are important!! So what am I eating lately?? Well beside my arsenal of fruits, veggies and multigrain crackers, I LOVE a hearty granola for my sweet tooth! It always fills me up, without weighing me down, AND a little goes a long way! Not to mention, it's just sweet enough to keep that ice cream princess from screaming inside my head...(yes she is there, and she really likes ice cream and if I fed her the amount that she whines for, well let's just say I shut her up, alot!) So here's a great homemade granola bar recipe (great for portion control) and also a store-bought one I LOVE, too!! SO ENJOY AND ALWAYS B-FIT4U~~FoodieGIRL

Homemade Granola Bars (courtesy of Ina Garten)

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

 

BEAR NAKED GRANOLA

a fantastic store-bought granola with all natural ingredients and tons of flavor combos! Definately buy some today!

Check out all the Bear Naked products!
http://www.bearnaked.com/en_US/home.html 

Set yourself up for SUCCESS!

In order to choose healthy, you have to SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS! That is, be prepared when it comes to your freezer, fridge and pantry. You must keep things at the ready to grab for your meal times, otherwise that bag of chips is going to look a whole lot easier to get to! Great snacks in the pantry that are wonderful to grab are nuts, dried fruits, raisins, trail mix, whole grain crackers, multigrain cereals, and trail mix. On the weekends (or whenever is your best free day) make a big batch of soup and freeze in individual containers for a quick zap in the microwave from the freezer. Whole wheat pastas freeze well, too! And of course in your fridge, have fruits and veggies cut and ready to grab as soon as you come home from the grocery store for easy access. Grill or broil chicken for the week and have in a tupperware chopped, to quickly add to salads, canned soups, or pasta. Hard boiled eggs at the ready are another quick add on to your favorite meals, and of course cooking a big batch of brown rice or quinoa is an additional quick way to grab and go and make a meal fast! Sooooo what have we learned here? BE PREPARED/Set yourself up for SUCCESS!

5 lbs!!!

Ok, so this is the deal....you have 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or more pounds to lose and you're overwhelmed by the prospect of giving up your favorite foods. Listen, you don't have to give it all up! YOU DO have to cut back though, and choose the good for you healthy foods first, before the treats you sometimes desire. Losing weight is a MIND GAME!!

 A POSITIVE MIND will SUCCEED!!

So start with these 3 basics as you begin your JOURNEY.....

1. THINK OF ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN EAT!! (Not the things you can't) There are TONS of beautiful foods out there, redo's on your favorite recipes to make them healthier. No longer is "dieting" a steamed breast of chicken with a side of broccoli! EXPLORE, DEVOUR and ENJOY the bounty of good for you foods that the grocery store has to offer, and get to cooking easy, simple, good for you meals.

2. Think FIBER and PROTEIN FIRST! Make up your meal plates with first a protein choice and then fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains) These things will fill you up AND are GOOD FOR YOU!

3. MODERATION IS KEY! Don't "feast or famine", in other words, you are NOT going to be perfect nor should you be when eating. So don't go all healthy, then go crazy for some chocolate and think "you've been bad" then proceed to eat the whole bag of chocolate, Ya dig? Eat all things by the serving, it's on the package soooo no cheating! Eat a variety of foods.

And one more BONUS TIP! 5 pounds increments, what does that mean? If you have alot of weight to lose, start with a goal of "5lbs at a time". Weight loss takes times and YOU ARE WORTH IT! 5 lbs at a time will have you moving and grooving in no time, it will help you to STAY ON TRACK, and NOT GIVE UP!  This doesn't have to be overwhelming! YOU GOT THIS!

Quinoa FUN!!

Haven't mixed it up in your grain world yet with some fabulous quinoa, and want to? Quinoa is an ancient grain full of protein! Yes, protein!! So not only are you getting much needed fiber and grains to your body, but protein to fill you up too! Genius!!! It's not only delicious, but a wonderful diet tool when watching your weight or losing those pounds.  And it's as easy to make as rice, can be found in your regular grocery store, soooooo there's no excuse for you not eating it!!! Oh, confused as to how to serve it? Well, it can be savory or sweet, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and why aren't you writing this down on your grocery list yet? Sooooo to get you started we've rustled up 3 of our favorite FoodNetwork recipes that incorporate quinoa as your main fabulous ingredient because we simply can't keep this diet secret to ourselves, that would not B-FIT4U. ;) enjoy!!

3 EASY QUINOA RECIPES
http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2014/03/21/3-ways-quinoa-is-about-to-blow-your-mind-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner/?soc=healthyeatssocial_20140324_20589824

When you feel like QUITTING.....

Weekends can be tough to stay on track when it comes to eating healthy, BUT that's no excuse!! DID YOU KNOW that if you stayed on track these next 3 days (friday, saturday, sunday) YOU WILL be that much closer to your weight loss goal?? YES!! These 3 days are crucial to you taking the weight off and keeping it off! So don't overdo it on the alcohol, sweets or eating out! And if you do any of these things, choose the one day you are going to have that sweet treat or glass of wine and keep it in moderation....that's one serving, folks. YOU do want to lose that extra winter "fluff" right?! Of course you do!! No one wants to go into bikini season in a panic SOOOOO stay on top of that healthy eating ALWAYS, especially on the WEEKEND!!!

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding!!

Looking for an easy good for you recipe this week for DESSERT?! We got you covered! We've been craving pudding and wondering if there was a better recipe out there that could fit our B-FIT4U lifestyle and here it is!! MANGO Coconut CHIA PUDDING!!

Chia seeds pack a great healthy punch and here's why!


Chia seeds are nutritional dynamite. Self Nutrition Data says that one ounce (28 grams) yields 137 calories, 9 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 5 mg of sodium, 12 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. If you are interested in Omega-3, there are 4915 mg in an ounce and 1620 mg of Omega-6.



Mango-Coconut Chia Pudding (courtesy of Ellie Krieger) 

3 cups mango chunks, thawed if frozen
1 cup light, unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons coconut flakes


Place 1 ½ cups of the mango, the coconut milk, honey and the lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth.


Divide the mixture evenly among four 8-ounce jars or glasses and stir 1 tablespoon of the chia seeds into each. After a few minutes stir again to insure the seeds are evenly dispersed. Cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.


Top each with the remaining mango chunks and sprinkle with coconut flakes.


Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 pudding cup


Calories 271; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 5g, Mono Fat 0.43g, Poly Fat 3.37g); Protein 4g; Carb 47g; Fiber 8g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg


Excellent source of: Vitamin C

Excuses, excuses!

Excuses, I don't want to hear them!

 You have the power of choice, so you have the power to change!! There's are soooooo many ways to lose weight. What worked in the past is not going to work again, as you must keep evolving in your healthy lifestyle change. Just because you lost 10 lbs last year, does not mean that now you can go back to old habits. Old habits, will, we repeat, will make the weight slowly creeeeeep back on. NOT FUN! When you lose weight, you're not "cured" of your vices, you have learned to manage them in a constructive and HEALTHY WAY! You are working out, and still eating ice cream, but that's ok, because you learned to do eat those treats on occasion in moderation. THIS IS A JOURNEY! One step in front of the other towards positive change in your body, mind and overall well being. Don't look to transform, but transcend those cravings, those vices, and look towards an everyday attitude in which you are healthier and happier, one step at a time

.~FoodieGIRL

SUCCESS is YOURS!!

Success is EARNED!! Hard work, a positive mind, and YOU is what you need to SUCCEED in your weight loss. TIME will give you FORTUNE, give it time, weight loss IS a process, an everyday choice to be HEALTHY! You don't have to be perfect...you just have to TRY! Each meal is a time to reflect, be mindful and choose food that will make your body feel great! YOU GOT THIS! Cheering you ON!~FoodieGIRL

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the LUCK of the IRISH be with you this whole HEALTHY year, through! And may you eat your GREENS in creative and delicious ways!! And to counteract all that green beer you drank this weekend, start your week off right with a smoothie detox! Get those good for you nutritious bits into your body with a quick and easy smoothie recipe, sure to be your favorite! ERIN GO BRAGH!

St. Patty's Day GREEN SMOOTHIE

1 cup of raw spinach
1 cup of almond milk
2 tbs honey or agave nectar
1 frozen banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Blend until smooth and feel like a LEPRECHAUN!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!~FoodieGIRL

You are SOOOO MORE than your BODY!

We LOVE this quote, why? Because you're soooo more than your body! You are your mind, your heart, your soul! You are uniquely YOU!! And in all the world, there will be only one you! So don't waste your time being anyone else!! Let the world see you shine in all your GLORY! You are not your gym workout or your healthy food regime, that is just icing on the cupcake of life, tTaking care of your body inside and out is important, BUT it's not who you are........THE TRUE ESSENCE OF YOU IS YOUR HEART! GIVE IT TO THE WORLD TO SEE THE BEAUTY THAT IS YOU! Happy weekend B-Fitters! Now go rock it out!~FoodieGIRL

CHICKEN POT PIE STEW

So I'm making this lovely chicken stew in the crockpot today, BUT it's calling for a can of "condensed cream of chicken soup".....I don't really like....it's gloppy AND not exactly figure friendly, AND YOU KNOW WHAT?? So many recipes call for a can of it....I'm thinking there has to be a better way.....and maybe even a "dairy free" way, for some of the "lactose intolerant"people in my life. And here's what B-FIT4U has come up with.....OH and here's the chicken stew recipe, too! Just substitute the "can of condensed cream of chicken soup" with the second recipe below. ENJOY!!


CHICKEN POT PIE STEW

• 4 breasts halves (skinless boneless chicken, cut into cubes)
• 10 red potato (quartered)
• 8 ozs baby carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 52 ozs cream of chicken soup (condensed)
• 6 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 tsps garlic salt
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper (ground)
• 16 ozs mixed vegetables (frozen)

***serve over lowfat biscuits, whole grain toast, or just in a bowl with a BIG SPOON! :)

1. Combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken soup, chicken bouillon, garlic salt, celery salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker; cook on High for 5 hours.
2. Stir the frozen mixed vegetables into the slow cooker, and cook 1 hour more.

250 calories for a bowl of stew
Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup SUBSTITUTE for the gloppy can!

from the kichn
*makes a little over a cup, equivalent to one can of soup


Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white flour
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper

***** To make this dairy free, substitute butter for smart balance spread, and the milk for almond milk or soy milk*******************

Directions:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then add the flour. Cook, stirring rapidly, until the mixture is thick.

Add the chicken stock and whisk until smooth, then add the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

This will keep for a couple days in the fridge, but it's best to use it the day you make it.

Cut it/ Calorie it/ Do it

Cut those calories by cutting that breakfast in HALF!

Downsize your portions and see those unwanted pounds disappear overtime! Seriously folks, a good breakfast should be 350 calories max, that's actually quite alot of wiggle room for a great meal! And around here sometimes we break that into two 150 calories meals (early risers breakfast and a mid-morning meal) Keep those metabolisms revved with "food exercise"....that is eating every 2/3hrs, small meals.

You got this! You're on the right track, sometimes you just need a reminder :)~FoodieGIRL

Take a look at this great Handy Dandy List of Easy 350 calorie meals by HEALTH MAGAZINE! Breakfast doesn't have to be your only time to cut calories, and don't forget yor 150 calorie snacks throughout the day.
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20366523_2,00.html

The Naked Truth

Seems it's not those brownies, cupcakes and cookies that are keeping you from your skinny jeans dreams....it's SUGAR.

 Sugar loves to spike your "blood sugar" levels making you into a human yo-yo with a one ticket train to "Gorge-ville!" YIKES! So next time you want that sweet treat, try to keep it  to 6 grams of fat, 11g sugar so you don't signal your body to binge...OR have a serving, please. Don't deprive, thrive! And remember those portion sizes. :)

 

 

 

Getting your GREEN ON!

Smoothies are a quick way to get your meal on, great nutrition and an easy "fix" to keeping your energy and metabolism revved up throughout the day! And if you aren't a fan of "greens" this is a great way to mask their flavor and still get all their nutritional benefits. So get your GREEN ON!

 Green Monster Smoothie

• 2 cup kale, fresh
• 2 cup water
• 3 bananas
• 1/4 avocado

Instructions

Blend kale and water until smooth. Next add the remaining fruits and blend again. * Use at least one frozen fruit to make the green smoothie cold.

Quick TIP: Don't limit your imagination when it comes to your smoothie making! Use this "base" recipe and add all kinds of extras..... Need protein? Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder, or add flax seed or wheat germ for disease fighting power and digestive fiber. Almond milk instead of water brings a wonderful creaminess, as well! Apples, mangoes, strawberries, carrot juice, whatever you fancy, add it in and enjoy!

3 easy ways to get your HEALTHY ON!

Wondering how to make your snacks and smoothies a little healthier? Try these 3 little tricks to get more bang for your healthy buck!

 (P.S. these things can be found easily in your grocery store, so stock up!)

 

Pumpkin Seeds- need some extra energy? the pumpkin seed is packed with iron and will keep you energized! add to yogurt, baked goods or eat plain, sooooo yum!

 

Flax Seeds- prevent disease. just ground up in your food processor and sprinkle on just about anything, from yogurt to pancakes.

 

Wheat germ-it's got fiber to aid in digestion. Use in your muffin recipes, your pancakes, sprinkle in your smoothie, yogurt, you name it!

 

 

You're not BAD...

Eating badly doesn't make you a bad person!!

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN PRIVY TO A CONVERSATION with your friends, OR MAYBE EVEN YOU SAID IT, "I'M GOING TO BE BAD TODAY" All because you wanted a little treat....

STOP THE INSANITY! You and your friends are not "bad" because you ate something unhealthy. That's just crazy!

 

If you judge yourself in this way, you're only bringing more
 negative thoughts about yourself and your body into your mind. Come on! You're awesome, stop it! And you work hard everyday to be the best version of your healthy self that you can be!

 

NEGATIVITY TOWARDS YOURSELF WILL bring

 more splurge responses. Treat yourself within reason (portion control)

And next time you want to go ape wild on a batch of brownies, stop and see, am I really hungry? Then eat a piece of fruit. THEN have your 1 brownie, or one cookie, or one whatever it is that you are craving.

Sweets

are for pleasure, it's ok to want them, you're not BAD for eating them.

Keeping them completely out of your life is only going to cause you to overeat later. So within reason, have that one cookie

you're NOT BAD!

Easy Recipe to start off your week right!

You've asked for it! More "Keeping it Simple" recipes for your busy lives! This couldn't get more simple...It is one of our favorites
 and is deliciously full of flavor! ENJOY and Happy Monday :)~FoodieGIRL


Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes and Toasted Garlic (courtesy of Ellie Krieger) 

¾ pound whole grain spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, finely sliced
3 cups (1 ½ pounds) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/3 cup fresh, coarsely grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain.

Meanwhile, put the oil and garlic in a large skillet over a medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the tomatoes to the toasted garlic. Turn the heat up to medium-high, cover and cook until the tomatoes are warm and softened but still retain their shape, about 3 minutes.

Add the pasta, ¼ cup basil, ¼ cup of the cheese, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture and toss to combine. Serve garnished with the remaining cheese and basil.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 ½ cups

Per Serving:
Calories 470; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 8 g, Poly Fat 1.5 g) ; Protein 18 g; Carb 72 g; Fiber 12 g; Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 470 mg