Monday, March 30, 2015

How to Fight 'Puter Booty in 5 Easy Steps

How to Fight 'Puter Booty in 5 Easy Steps



A new work week is upon us, and for those of us with office jobs, this might mean staring at a computer all day. Having a stagnant office job can be tough when you're trying to stay fit. Sitting all day is bad for your posture, calorie burn, circulation and a host of other issues.

These 5 simple exercises do not take the place of your daily workout, but they can certainly enhance your exercise program. Do the following 5-minute routine 6 times throughout your day for a total half an hour of exercise. Perform each exercise sitting up straight for 1 minute. It's helpful to set a timer or stopwatch. I use the Interval Timer app on my phone. If you're feeling extra strong and have the time, add the two BONUS exercises listed below for a 7-minute routine.

Another benefit of this easy routine is that even if you have a cubicle instead of a private office, these exercises are subtle and can pretty much be done undetected.

1) Quad Lift
Flex your quads to bring your legs parallel with the floor. If this is enough, hold here for 5 seconds, release, and repeat for 1 minute. For a bit more strengthening, flex your heels and lift your legs slightly (for most people this movement is very small, maybe an inch). Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

2) Calf LiftWith your feet flat on the floor, lift your heels and flex your calves so that you're on the ball of your feet. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute. For a bit more of a challenge, add resistance by gently pressing the quads or placing a full water bottle on your quads, right above the knee.

3) Shoulder Clench
Push your shoulders back while pulling your shoulder blades together. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

4) Glute Clench
Contract your Glute (butt) muscles. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

5) Ab Clench
Contract your Glute (butt) muscles. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

Bonus exercises to add to this routine:

6) Tricep Clench
Place your arms stiffly at your sides and lift them behind you to a comfortable angle (a subtle 20 degree angle or so should be fine). Clench your triceps. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

7) Bicep Clench
Bend your arms and hold them do that your elbows fit snugly at your waist. Clench your biceps. Hold for 5 seconds, release and repeat for 1 minute.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Cobweb Pizza Recipe

Motivate your Bat Self-Cobweb Pizza
Vegan, 250 Calories or Under!

The weekend is here! Pizza on a friday or Saturday is a staple in many American homes, including mine. Luckily, I have found a way to have my slice and eat it too, without undoing all of the good I have done for my body during the week! I have this pizza every single Friday, changing up the toppings depending on my mood.

This week I made it with crumbled tempeh, so that will be the basis of this recipe. Of course, the calorie count will vary depending on the exact cheese and topping you use, but it's really easy to keep the calorie count down because of the awesome crust that is used.

This pizza is the perfect portion for one person! Feel free to pair it with a piece of fruit or a side salad (just watch the calories in your dressing). for an EASY, filling meal.

Serves: 1
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes



Ingredients:

  • 1/8 block of Teese vegan cheese (Teese tends to be lower in calories than most vegan cheeses) or 1 slice of vegan cheese slices of your choice
  • 1/4 cup crumbled tempeh
  • 1 tbs pizza sauce or pasta sauce
  • 1 Joseph's pita bread, the Flax Oatbran Whole Wheat variety
  • Italian spices, to taste
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbs water
Method:
  • In a small bowl or cup, mix soy sauce, water and a bit of Italian seasoning taste. Add crumbled tempeh and mix well. 
  • On a lightly greased pan, broil tempeh for 5 minutes, or before it starts to burn. Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Slice your vegan cheese into thin, 1/8" strips.
  • Add pizza or pasta sauce to crust (Joseph's pita).
  • Add your toppings, in this case the tempeh. Spread evenly and flatten a bit with a spatula.
  • Add your cheese, making a cobweb formation.
Your creation should now look something like this. I decided at the last minute that I wanted "bugs" in my cobweb, so I aded some sliced black olives. Isn't it cute?

Bake on a lightly greased pan for approximately 15 minutes, checking on it periodically to make sure it does not burn.

That's it! Now let cool, and nom nom away, completely guilt free..



The Batty Breakdown:
Approximate Calories: 215
Fat: 8.5 grams
Carbs: 25.4
Protein: 14.7


 

Friday, March 27, 2015

Welcome to the Bats and Dumbells

Welcome to the Bat Cave!

Welcome to my little corner of the fitness world! My "About Me" section goes into more detail as to why this blog exists, but I am really looking forward to sharing my ideas, tips and my personal journey with you!

Please follow me for some great recipes and tips, to be posted throughout the weekend as a part of my "Motivate Your Bat Self" series. It's so hard to stay on track on the weekends, and very easy to lose focus of your fitness goals. I have just a hard a time as anyone else with this, which is why I feel like we could all maybe use a bit of motivation on the weekends to help keep us moving in the right direction...even on a Sunday. Tomorrow I will be posting a recipe for a Cobweb Pizza that is so easy and healthy that it must be magical. I mean, under 250 calories kind of magic! Stay tuned for that, but first I just want to post my first log, or diary.


March 27th 2015
While this certainly is not the start of my fitness journey (I've been involved in fitness and exercise since I was a teenager), it is the start of a new chapter in my journey. Around 3 months ago  I started to focus on bodybuilding. I got to my heaviest weight in December. I am 5'6" and weighed in at 160 pounds. Sure, a lot of that is muscle from years of regular exercise, but some of it is surely fat. I developed some poor eating habits, combined with a stagnant desk job, and a slowing metabolism which all contributed to my weight peak. I don't lose weight nearly as quickly as I used to, in fact, I have been seriously trying to lose weight for over a year with no avail.

With all of this being said, I needed to make a change. I had been lean and toned my whole life, and this new-found muffin top is not my friend. Weight-lifting is by far my FAVORITE form of exercise. I love the feeling of physical and mental strength. Although I am aware that bodybuilding is not the quickest way to lose weight, I want that muscular, strong, lean body and the strong mind that comes from that hard work. Since starting bodybuilding in December,  I had gained a lot of muscle but wasn't really seeing any fat loss, or weight loss, until two weeks ago. What did I start doing two weeks ago that was different? Fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Also, eating 1-2 raw meals per day. In two weeks, I have lost 3 pounds and am starting to feel like less of a stuffed sausage in my clothing due to my gain in muscle tone. This is where I am today, at 157 pounds. I still have 22 pounds to reach my goal weight, but this is my reality at the moment.

I will try to post weekly photo updates of my progress. I am also keeping track of my Daily Stats on the sidebar on the right hand side of this page. Thank you for following my journey! I would love to hear about your own fitness goals and ideas that have worked for you. Until next time, Batlings...

~Pixy