What to Eat After a Workout

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But, when most people think they just grab a greasy burger after an all-out, intense workout, they better think again!! This is a big no-no. When you workout, your body is burning fuel from your pre-workout meal. Glycogen stored in muscles begins to breakdown and an hour after your workout, your muscles begin to break down. Right after a workout, your body is the most receptive to absorbing carbohydrates and protein.

Strengthen Your Knees to Prevent Injury

Did you that women are up to eight times more likely to suffer a severe knee injury than men?? Researchers believe a woman's wider hips place the thighbone at a more extreme angle where it meets the knee, putting strain on the ACL. Female hormones that keep connective tissue flexible may also weaken the knee.

Plank Vs. Crunch: Which Should you be Doing?

 

Let me first start this post off by saying...if you do only ab workouts, you will NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT, have that flat tummy you see in the magazines. Like all other areas of the body, if you want to blast fat, you need to add some cardio to your life and watch those pesky things called calories. Now, what an ab workout will do it help tone those muscles that you may end up seeing if you add all three components together (ab routine, cardio, and nutrition). Otherwise, you're only building muscle on top of existing fat. 

Don't Let Snacking Get the Best of You!

Ok, so I've been in a little bit of rough patch lately. I'm human too! This is a common issue for dieters, which makes dieting so damn difficult. I thought I was doing well with my exercises and my meals. So I decided to go the old-school way and write down everything I was eating. I wasn't doing too well tracking in my app and looking back on past calories consumed. 

Fitness Friday Recipe: Healthy Snacks

#TGIF #FitFam! Just because the weekend is almost here, don't forget all of your hard work this week to accomplish your fitness goals! While the weekends typically mean more going out, more snacking, and overall more calories, don't let it get the best of you. Here are a couple really easy, really quick, and really cheap snack ideas to help you stay on track the next couple of days. These are personally my favorite #CleanEating snacks. 

Love ice cream but don't indulge because the calories and fat just aren't worth it? Here's a healthy alternative... Frozen Nutty Banana Nibblers. This delicious-tasting treat is just over 160 calories per serving and offers 4.1 grams of fiber and 3.7 grams of protein, so you can feel good reaching for an extra nibbler or two. For an added bonus, they are a cinch to whip up, and since you can store them in the freezer, you'll have a go-to healthy dessert whenever your sweet cravings kick into high gear. 

Ingredients:

5 medium ripe bananas

1 tbsp. all natural creamy peanut butter

2 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

1) Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt.

2) Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices.

3) Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mixture on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches.

4) Place on a wooden cutting board or a plate and freeze for at least two hours.

These Apple Sandwiches may look like a kid's treat, but trust me, adults will love it too! Especially if you are dieting and want to eat items that are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and good fats. Now don't get me wrong, if your kids love this snack then that's great too! Much better alternative to those french fries at McDonald's!

Ingredients:

1 apple-sliced into thin rounds

1-2 tbsp all natural peanut butter or almond butter

Handful of raisins

Drizzle of honey

Chopped walnuts or almonds

Cinnamon

1) Thinly slice the apple into 8 rounds.

2) Top 4 apple rounds with peanut butter, raisins, nuts and drizzle with a little honey.

3) Top each round with the other 4 apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Fitness Humor on Hump Day

Well it's HUMP DAY! For those working professionals that means your half way through your work week, but yet the weekend seems so far away! I thought I make a quick blog post to bring you some fitness humor to brighten your week. And, since the work day is winding down and about to come to a close, this means you are probably only a few hours away from hitting the gym and getting your much needed stress reliever on, your workout! You can find more humorous health and fitness posts and images at Facebook.com/FitFadFan and @FitFadFan. So please, take a moment to laugh and read these: 

Get Your Best Butt

Want more fitness and nutrition tips? Visit Facebook or @FitFadFan

It's Monday and the beginning of the week is never easy. Some of us are going back to our regular routine while others are starting their routine over again. Whichever best describes you and your fitness motivation today, I'm here to help get you through it! So if you're looking for an easier routine to get you started this week, then this is the post for you. 

Just How Healthy Are Sweet Potatoes

For more diet & nutrition tips, visit Facebook or Twitter @FitFadFan

I look around my office filled with competitors, bodybuilders, weekend warriors, and your plain ol' average joes and I notice at lunch time, about 90% of the people are eating sweet potatoes. When you work in a health conscious environment, you start noticing the gym routines, the eating habits, and the little tips and tricks others use to live healthier. And then you find yourself adapting these new habits.