Weekend Challenge

Burpee Breakdown

10 leap frogs
10 inch worms
10 push ups
10 burpees

repeat 3x

How Your Appetite Affects Your Decisions

by Adam Dachis from lifehacker.com  

 You may consider yourself a measured and rational person, but your appetite can have a surprising affect on your decision-making process. Here's why.

You can only put so much energy towards making a choice, and when you don't eat you have a lot less to work with. Ed Yong, writing for the Discover Magazine Blog, examined studies that looked at how taking a food break swayed the decisions of judges. If you ever wanted science to back up regular breaks during your work day, here it is:

All repetitive decision-making tasks drain our mental resources. We start suffering from "choice overload" and we start opting for the easiest choice. For example, shoppers who have already made several decisions are more likely to go for the default offer, whether they're buying a suit or a car. And when it comes to parole hearings, the default choice is to deny the prisoner's request. The more decisions a judge has made, the more drained they are, and the more likely they are to make the default choice. Taking a break replenishes them.

That and you need to eat in order to have enough energy to function well. Yong goes into much more specific detail, so the full article is very much worth a read. While you may not be a court judge, you still have daily tasks to perform and suffer from the same problems when you don't take a break. Personally, I can vouch for the difference between "Regular Me" and "Hungry Me." If I eat well and on time, I'm generally very happy. If I don't, I have no patience for anybody or anything and get angry about absolutely nothing. The longer I put off a meal, the worse I get. So take breaks. Eat when you're hungry, and eat well. Your appetite really does affect the choices you make.  

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook.  If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.

Tomatillo Saffron Shrimp

This dish is Mexican inspired, so clean, so fresh tasting a perfect meal after a long hard day with plenty of protein and fabulous saucy veggies.  Feeds 3.

What you’ll need:

• 2 lbs of 31 count shrimp
• 6 tomatillos, finely chopped
• 2 red jalapenos, sliced
• 3/4 tbsp coconut oil
• pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 4 shallots, finely sliced
• 4 zucchini
• 1 tsp of Mexican saffron
• 1 tbsp of rice vinegar

Grab a wok, heat oil, shallots and peppers and cook until glossy; With a mandolin, slice in zucchini on the thickest slicer; Cook on medium – high add rice vinegar,tomatillos, salt, pepper and saffron, stir and make sure to stir often to ensure even cooking of all veggies. Once all are beautifully glossy and almost ready, add your shrimp. If you are using pre-cooked, steam for another 5 minutes to make sure that they are warm all the way through, if you are peeling them, add another 2 minutes or until all grey is gone and they are a beautiful white/pink.

Serve and enjoy.  

from nuttykitchen.com 

Weekend Challenge

Bun Sculpting Continues!

20 Seconds of abdominal bridge (lie on your back feet flat on the ground,

hips lifted towards the sky - squeeze knees together and gluts tight)
20 Super Man's Lower Body Lifts only
20 Fire Hydants right side, left arm in the air balancing
20 Fire Hydrants left side, right arm in the air balancing
20 Glut Lifts (Sit on the ground legs straight in front of you.  Squeeze
gluts together to lift you up)
Repeat series 2x

5 things I'm loving right now - JoJo, Atlanta Instrucor

1.  The weather getting warmer! 

  Ah, Spring!  At least it is here in Atlanta.  The birds are chirping waking me up for boot camp and the sun is rising just as our camp is finishing up.  Nothing like starting the day stretching in a sunrise. 
2.  My water bottle the "adult sippy cup"
  I love water, but I didn't always.  My mom used to beg me to drink water.  It wasn't until I started boot camp 5 years ago (!) that I became a fan.  As much as I love it, I don't get enough of it if I don't have a water bottle with a straw.  I like this one because it holds a lot of water, fits in my cup holder and has a straw.  
3.  Lululemon in stride jacket
  This is my first jump into Lululemon clothing.  Everyone I know that has shopped there raves about it.  My grandmother gifted me this one and I have to say, I get it.  It fits well, is flattering, functional, and a great color.  Plus it has those thumb holes I love.  Perfect for Spring. 
4.  Festival Season
  The awesome weather brings FESTIVALS!  I love going to the park, strolling the booths and meeting up with friends to listen to music.  Plus, most festivals have an accompanying 5k.  
5.  The Hover
  This is my favorite move to do at boot camp right now.  It's challenging but when I do it it makes me feel so strong!

Spinach Meatloaf Recipe

Adapted from "The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century" by Amanda Hesser

Total: 1 hr, plus about 1 hr 30 mins cooking and cooling time
Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Game plan: To make the fresh breadcrumbs, cut or tear the bread into rough 1-inch pieces. Place them in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process to the desired texture, about 1 minute.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh bunched spinach, tough stems removed, or 1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• 1 1/4 pounds ground veal, pork, or beef, or a combination of all three
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from a 1- to 2-inch-thick slice of Italian batard, crust removed)
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup small-dice celery (from about 2 medium stalks)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 bacon slices
• Tomato sauce, warmed, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Rinse the spinach well in cold water and drain. Place in a large frying pan, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. (It is not necessary to add liquid; the spinach will cook in the water clinging to the leaves.)
3. Transfer the spinach to a colander and douse with cold water to chill. Drain and press with your hands to extract most of the moisture. Coarsely chop the spinach.
4. Place the meat in a large bowl, followed by the chopped spinach, breadcrumbs, garlic, measured salt and pepper, and nutmeg (no need to mix yet); set aside.
5. Place the celery, parsley, and milk in a blender and blend until puréed. Add to the meat mixture.
6. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add to the meat mixture.
7. Add the eggs to the meat mixture and, using clean hands, mix everything until evenly combined (don’t squeeze or overwork the mixture). If desired, test for seasoning by forming a small patty and cooking it in the small skillet over medium heat until no longer pink inside. Taste the patty and add more salt and pepper to the meat mixture as needed. Repeat the seasoning test as needed.
8. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, spread to the edges, and smooth out the top. Cover the meatloaf with the bacon slices, laying them lengthwise and side by side.
9. Bake in the oven until just cooked through, turning the pan 180 degrees halfway through, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Pour off the excess fat and let the meatloaf stand for 20 minutes before slicing. If you choose, serve with tomato sauce.

Weekend Challenge

This weekend is all about sculpting the buns!

20 Fire Hydrants on each side
20 seconds of plank - Squeeze those buns
20 Fire Hydrants on each side
20 Push- ups - squeeze those buns
20 Fire Hydrants on each side

Before and After: Jessica Reyes

San Jose, CA boot camper Jessica Reyes went from a size 18 to a size 12 and now proudly enjoys running as her favorite healthy habit.  Read about her Operation Boot Camp journey below.  

what brought you to boot camp?

Growing up I was always playing sports from softball to soccer and once I finished playing sports in college I found myself eating the same and not exercising.  I gained a bunch of weight!  I wanted to find something that would give me that team feeling, motivate me, and that would push me further than I could push myself

how long have you been doing it?
I started at the San Jose, CA bootcamp in November 2010 and am still doing it to this day.  I don't know a better way to start my day than with my OBC family.

what were your goals?  have you achieved them?  what are they now?

Looking back in my logbooks I found that my goals were such things as 'lose 10 pounds' in one month's time.  I was able to achieve 9 pounds that month but i found that the scale was not showing all the hardwork and dedication that I putting in.  I started bootcamp at 216 pounds and I am now 174 pounds.  My goals now are to complete a half marathon in June and a full marathon in October.  I am well on my way, training during the week by myself and on the weekends with some of the OBC ladies.

what are your results?

I've gone from a size 18 to a size 12 and I've lost up-to-date, 42 pounds since November and it is now April.  I've found that I LOVE running, it has become my healthy habit.

what were you expecting? 

I was expecting SO much in my first month of bootcamp.  I was nervous that I would hurt my back, as I have previous back injury. The instructors were so helpful in helping me do modified versions of exercises that I was unable to do.  I had so much support from instructors and also other campers.  I was holding myself back and now I have developed my own motivation to push myself.  My back is no longer an issue due to my weight loss and I am even asked to do extra exercises by the instructors.  It feels awesome!

what would you tell someone who was nervous about joining?

Just try it! Do it for one month! I guarantee that if you push yourself and really stick to your goals that you will achieve them.  You aren't alone and not everyone is super fit.  I felt like I would be the only BIG girl out there but guess what?  I wasn't.  Everyone has to start somewhere and everyone pushes you to be better than you are.  I guarantee you will see results!

what has been the most surprising?

The most surprising thing happened to me during my end of the month physical fitness test.  I was shooting for a 8:10 minute mile when I surpassed that by getting a 7:43 minute mile.  I could not believe what I heard when I crossed the end of the mile and our instructor Ronny yelled out my time.  I was so happy inside that I felt like crying because it was an accomplishment that I did not even feel ready for.  Now my fellow OBC campers tell me that I'm in the 7-Club.  7 minute mile club!  I am definitely okay with that.

how have the instructors helped you?

Where do I begin?  I am always being pushed by the instructors everyday.  When they see me master an exercise they always have a way to make it more challenging for me.  They encourage me to go faster, push harder, and set better goals for myself.  They also remind me to take care of myself and know when to rest.  Our trainers remind us that we need to eat 'clean' and it will make all the difference with our fitness.. and it has.  At times they have reminded me of where I used to be and how far I've come and they are truly proud of me.  It makes me feel good to show up and work hard and have the instructors notice the results.

how has it impacted your life?

Operation Bootcamp has change my life completely.  I can not stress this enough.  The support, motivation, and great workouts give me a jumpstart every morning.  I have a better attitude and am happier more than I was before.  With the weight loss, I am more confident and I look better.  Bootcamp has improved every part of my life from my personal relationships to walking up the stairs.  I've gained lasting friendships and of course MUSCLE!  When I am running I constantly think to myself how lucky I am.  I never thought I would have come this far with my fitness and I am proud of myself.  I feel like I can do anything.

what's been the most challenging?

Eating.  Eating has been the most challenging thing for me.  Let me just say this.  My favorite food is spaghetti.  I used to eat bowls of spaghetti for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I was working out to maintain my high weight.  I enjoy carbs and sugars.  With constant guidance I have changed my entire eating habits.  I no longer have to worry about making bad choices, I make knowledgeable ones that are smart and clean for my body.

what's your favorite workout?

This is an easy one! Tabata.  I found out the hard way that I was doing squats the wrong way this whole time until I did tabata workout.  I was cheating myself out of my squats.  Now, I get low. Now, my rear thanks me.

Energizing Protein Power Salad

Energizing Protein Power Salad

Endlessly adaptable, this salad could work with many items in your pantry! The original recipe called for quinoa, but I had Buckwheat and spelt berries on hand, so I used those. I also added in red kidney beans for extra protein. You can experiment with this salad, changing in any veggies, nuts, or grains you desire. It makes a great packable lunch.

Adapted from Have Cake Will Travel.

Yield: ~6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked spelt berries (or wheatberries)
• 1 cup Raw Buckwheat groats (or grain like quinoa)
• 3/4 cup uncooked Red Kidney beans (or other bean like chickpeas, black beans)
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red onion (or other onion)
• 1 large yellow, orange, or red pepper (I used mix of yellow and red)
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Dressing: (see note below)

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder, to taste
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste (less if you don’t like spicy foods!)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cumin, to taste
• 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste (I used 3/4 tsp)
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook your desired grains and beans according to package directions. You can cook everything the night before so save time. Place in large bowl while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

2. In a large skillet, add 2 tsp of EVOO and your 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook on low for a couple minutes being sure not to burn. Now add in the chopped onion and cook for another 6-8 minutes until translucent.

3. Add in the chopped pepper, raisins, and almonds and cook for another 5 minutes on low-medium heat. Stir as needed. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing in a small bowl using a whisk to mix. Pour all the dressing into the skillet and stir well.

4. Pour the veggie and dressing mixture into the bowl with the beans and grains. Stir well and serve. Makes about 6 cups. The flavour will develop nicely after about 1 hour, but it can be enjoyed immediately too. Store leftovers in containers in the fridge for quick lunches.

Note: The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of oil. I tried to reduce this while still maintaining a nice dressing flavour, however the lemon was quite pronounced in this dressing. If you would like less lemon, you can reduce it and then sub in more olive oil until you achieve the flavour you prefer.

Weekend Challenge

Get those Triceps talkin!

5 Tricep focused Push-ups
20 Seconds of Plank (focus on engaging the biceps)
10 Tricep Dips (Shoulders back and away from the ears)
5 Sets of the Hundred (pumping the arms vigorously and focusing on keeping
the shoulder blades off the ground)

Repeat a total of 4x.

Spoiled Rotten - How to Store Fruits and Vegetables

I can sometimes be at a loss-what goes in the fridge, what should be on the counter, what should be in the cabinet.  Use this article from vegtariantimes.com to help you save money and treat your fruits and veggies right.  

Perhaps you do it once a week. Perhaps only when you trace those sulfurous odors to your refrigerator's crisper drawers. But eventually, you toss out spoiled fruits and vegetables. Lots of them. Researchers at the University of Arizona recently spent a year tracking families' food-use habits. Working with the United States Department of Agriculture, they interviewed the families about their eating habits, collected their grocery receipts, watched them prepare meals, and then sifted through every last discarded lettuce leaf, slice of bread, burger and bean. The results, reported in 2002, were pretty shocking. The families tossed out an average of 470 pounds of food per year—about 14 percent of all food brought into the home—at an annual cost of $600. Every day, they discarded more than half a pound of fruits and veggies. In total, Americans chuck a fourth of all the produce they buy, mostly because it's gone bad, says Timothy Jones, PhD, contemporary archaeologist at the University of Arizona. Nationally, we dump $43 billion worth of food every year. Wasting produce is, well, a waste—bad for our wallets and bad for the environment. Plus, who wants to make a salad when confronted with a bin of rotting sludge? All this led us to ask: How can we keep produce fresh longer? If your produce rots after just a few days, you might be storing incompatible fruits and veggies together. Those that give off high levels of ethylene gas—a ripening agent—will speed the decay of ethylene-sensitive foods. Keep the two separate. Use trapped ethylene to your advantage: To speed-ripen a peach, put it in a closed paper bag with a ripe banana. One bad apple really can spoil the whole bunch. Mold proliferates rapidly and contaminates everything nearby, so toss any spoiled produce immediately. For longer life, keep your produce whole—don't even rip the stem out of an apple until you eat it. "As soon as you start pulling fruits and vegetables apart," says Barry Swanson, a food scientist at Washington State University, "you've broken cells, and microorganisms start to grow." Cold-sensitive fruits and veggies lose flavor and moisture at low temperatures. Store them on the counter, not in the fridge. Once they're fully ripe, you can refrigerate them to help them last, but for best flavor, return them to room temp. Never refrigerate potatoes, onions, winter squash or garlic. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry cabinet, and they can last up to a month or more. But separate them so their flavors and smells don't migrate.  The ABCs of Fresh "The main way to lengthen shelf life is by using cold temperatures to slow food's respiration, or 'breathing' process," explains Marita Cantwell, PhD, a postharvest specialist at the University of California, Davis. In general, the warmer the temperature, the faster the rate of respiration, which is why refrigeration is critical for most produce. But while you want to slow it down, you don't want to stop the breathing altogether. "The worst thing to do is seal fruits and vegetables in an airtight bag," says Barry Swanson, a food scientist at Washington State University. "You'll suffocate them and speed up decay." Some fruits emit ethylene, an odorless, colorless gas that speeds ripening and can lead to the premature decay of nearby ethylene-sensitive vegetables. Put spinach or kale in the same bin as peaches or apples, and the greens will turn yellow and limp in just a couple of days. So the first trick is to separate produce that emits ethylene from produce that's sensitive to it. (See "Gas Wars" sidebar.) REFRIGERATE THESE GAS RELEASERS Apples Apricots Cantaloupe Figs Honeydew DON'T REFRIGERATE THESE GAS RELEASERS Avocados Bananas, unripe Nectarines Peaches Pears Plums Tomatoes KEEP THESE AWAY FROM ALL GAS RELEASERS Bananas, ripe Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Cucumbers Eggplant Lettuce and other leafy greens Parsley Peas Peppers Squash Sweet potatoes Watermelon  There are also some innovations to help extend the life of your fruits and veggies. Some products actually absorb ethylene and can be dropped into a crisper, such as the E.G.G. (for ethylene gas guardian), which is shaped like, you guessed it, an egg (see photo), and ExtraLife, a hockey puckÐlike disk. A variety of produce bags are also on the market, such as those by Evert-Fresh and BioFresh, which both absorb ethylene and create an atmosphere that inhibits respiration. At least as important as how you store produce is when you buy it. Do all your other shopping first so that your berries and broccoli don't get warm—and respire rapidly—while you're picking up nonperishable items. Get the produce home and into the fridge as soon as possible. If you'll be making several stops between the market and kitchen, put a cooler in the car. Shop farmers' markets soon after they open: Just-harvested greens wilt rapidly once they've been in the sun for a few hours. Even under optimal conditions, fragile raspberries will never last as long as thick-skinned oranges. Eat more perishable items first (see "Fastest to Slowest Spoilers" sidebar). And if you still find yourself with a bushel of ripe produce—and a business trip around the bend—improvise. Make a fruit pie, a potful of soup or a great big vat of tomato sauce, and throw it in the freezer. You'll relish your foresight when you get home.

Fastest to Slowest Spoilers: What to Eat First You can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables with just a single weekly trip to the supermarket, with proper storage and a little planning. The key is eating the more perishable produce early on. Use this guide, right—created with the help of Marita Cantwell, PhD, postharvest specialist at the University of California, Davis—based on a Sunday shopping trip. The timing suggestions are for ready-to-eat produce, so allow extra days for ripening if you're buying, say, green bananas or not-quite-ripe pears.     And remember, looks count. Appearance—vivid green spinach; smooth, unbruised peaches; plump oranges—is the best clue to whether fruits and veggies are fresh to begin with.
Eat First: Sunday to Tuesday Artichokes Asparagus Avocados Bananas Basil Broccoli Cherries Corn Dill Green beans Mushrooms Mustard greens Strawberries Watercress	Eat Next: Wednesday to Friday Arugula Cucumbers Eggplant Grapes Lettuce Lime Mesclun Pineapple Zucchini	Eat Last: Weekend Apricots Bell peppers Blueberries Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Grapefruit Leeks Lemons Mint Oranges Oregano Parsley Peaches Pears Plums Spinach Tomatoes Watermelon	And Beyond Apples Beets Cabbage Carrots Celery Garlic Onions Potatoes Winter squash

Cauliflower, Carrot & Parsnips Puree

Here's a great substitute for mash potatoes those who are carb sensitive or just want a new way to prepare these veggies from the beautiful food website Nom Nom Paleo.  

Here’s what I gathered to make enough mash for 6 people:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 lb parsnips, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 lb carrots, coarsely chopped (slightly smaller than parsnips)
• 1 1/2 lb cauliflower florets, coarsely chopped
• 4 green garlic stalks, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup organic chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

I melted three tablespoons of butter in a large stock pot over medium heat and chopped up my veggies…

…and alliums.

I dumped the veggies, broth, and water into the pot and waited until it came to a boil.

I lowered the heat and simmered the covered pot for 25-30 minutes until the vegetables were mushy. I added salt, pepper, and the last tablespoon of butter and I pureed everything with my immersion blender.

Weekend Challenge

This weekend's challenge is all about your GUNS!!!


10 Tricep Dips
10 Push-ups
10 Mountain Climbers
10 seconds of Plank

Repeat 3x