Tag Archives: healthy recipes

Blake Dykes, Columns

Motivational Monday: Workout playlist and almond butter muffin recipe

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By Blake Dykes

Well, one more weekend has come and went. Hopefully you were able to successfully complete your weekend challenge. As you improve your health it should be easier for you to turn down the foods that we know are bad for us, and your workouts become increasingly easier.

First thing I want to talk about is having a workout playlist. If you workout without music you are doing it wrong. Running or lifting to a good song will increase your productivity. Not to mention when you are running that last mile, a pump-up song will drive you to the finish line that much easier and faster. But it’s all about having the right type of music. As much as I love country music, running to “Boy’s Round Here” isn’t very motivational. Here’s a sample of some of my favorite songs to workout to:

  1. “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

  2. “‘Till I Collapse” by Eminem

  3. “Berzerk” by Eminem

  4. “Lose Yourself” by Eminen

  5. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk

Those are just a few of my favorites, I will try and post some other good recommendations soon. But as you can tell Eminem is one of my favorite artists, if you don’t listen to at least one of his songs while you’re working out you’re doing it wrong.

Now time for a little recipe. This weekend I was really craving some muffins, so I made up this creation.

Pumpkin Almond Butter Muffins

– one cup whole wheat flour

– ½ cup white flour

– one tsp baking powder

– ¼ tsp baking soda

– ½ tsp salt

-one tbsp cinnamon

– ¼ tbsp nutmeg

-¼ tbsp

– one cup pumpkin puree

– ⅓ cup almond butter

– two eggs

– 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey

Bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees. This batch made about 14.

Your workout assignment of the day: Take 10 pieces of scrap paper and write down a different cardio/ strength training exercise on each sheet. Fold it and put it in a jar. Randomly draw the paper and do you exercise for one minute, then draw again. Do this until you have been through each exercise three times for an intense 30- minute cardio workout.

Examples may include burpees, jumping jacks, plank, mountain climbers, frog jumps, high knees, wall sit, push ups, sit ups, russian twists.

Blake Dykes, Columns, Forum

Fitness Friday: peanut butter yogurt balls and hummus flat bread recipe

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By Blake Dykes

Another week gone, which means you are one week closer to achieving your goal. Now maybe you’re completely satisfied with your health, and you only want to eat better and exercise more, that’s fine as well.

I know for me, I get sucked into eating the same things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and that’s a really bland diet. Having a bland diet is dangerous in the way that you’ll get bored sooner or later, and then end up just eating a gallon of ice cream, desperate for flavor. So I want  to give you a few recipes to spice things up every now and then.

Keep in mind, these recipes are all my own creations, so what taste good to me may not taste good to you. Also, you can modify the recipe to your own liking.

Peanut butter- yogurt balls

Creative name I know. I got a small Yoplait blueberry Greek yogurt parfait. Then I got my peanut butter out of the fridge (this only works with cold peanut butter). Take around ½ tsp of peanut butter and roll into a ball. Then, dip the peanut butter in the yogurt and roll it around in the granola that comes with the parfait. Place the balls on a pan with wax paper. Place in the freezer until frozen. Once they are frozen you can eat them or store them in a gallon bag in the freezer. Don’t just leave the balls on the pan because they will pick up the flavors of everything in the freezer.

Those personally are one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast or just as a post-workout snack. This next recipe is something I always turn to for a quick and easy meal when I don’t like what my mom makes for dinner.

Flatbread hummus

Take a piece of whole wheat flat bread, spread some hummus on there (red pepper is my favorite), then put some feta cheese on top with roasted pecans. Then, I just toast it in the oven for around five minutes on 350 degrees. If you only want your bread toasted, and don’t want warm humus, then you can toast the bread then put on the secondary ingredients. Fresh basil also taste very good sprinkled over the top.

All those recipes are really great to incorporate into your diet for some life and flavor, but let’s not forget this weekend’s challenge.

Weekend Challenge:  Don’t eat out. I know how tempting it is to go by the drive thru on Friday nights after a football game, or going out with your friends. But let’s face it, not many of us can say “no” to that buttery loaded baked potato. Or that Caesar salad loaded with croutons and bacon. So make it easier on yourself and forget dining out and make something much more cheaper, and something that your body will thank you for. Also, remember, each weekend try to build on the previous weekend’s challenge, don’t just forget about the one prior. This should be building on your overall wellness and health.

Now I don’t have a workout for you this weekend. That’s not because you get a free day, though — that’s because I want you to do what you want to do, without being told. You know what works best for you, no one can tell you what workout or running route challenges you more. But, I am going to give you a quote to ponder over the weekend.

“Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the yard line.” – Ross Perot.

Blake Dykes, Forum

Fitness Friday: Healthy recipes and work-outs

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By Blake Dykes

When it comes to being fit, many people often think, “I’m going to workout 24/7 and get in the best shape of my life.” But they don’t realize becoming healthy is 20 percent working out and 80 percent eating right.

With this being said, what is eating right? Living off salads, rice cakes, and fish? Wrong. Eating right is a combination having a variety of foods throughout the day, in moderation. Start by eating some of the foods listed below.

  1. Greek yogurt: I prefer Chobani. There are no added sugars,  it is made with real fruits, and extremely lean. Greek yogurt is a great idea for breakfast or a snack. It helps your metabolism get started and burns fat. Make sure that when you look for some you read all the ingredients. Just because it looks healthy doesn’t mean that it is, most yogurt can have up to 28 grams of sugar! You want to buy yogurt sweetened with natural sugars such as cane juice.

  2. Homemade Oatmeal: Sounds complicated but it takes about two minutes to make. Combine ½ to ¾ cup of plain oats, one small packet of Stevia (natural zero calorie sweetener), two tablespoons of  PB2, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ¼ cup of almond milk. Cook for two minutes, and add milk as needed. Normal oatmeal is always one of those things that people get tricked into thinking are healthy. Unfortunately, it is just another one of those foods that gets packed with sugar. By making your own you are cutting out all of the sugar by replacing it with zero calorie Stevia and cinnamon to add to the taste. PB2 is peanut butter powder, which is plain peanuts crushed up without the added oils. So instead of peanut butter’s 180 calories for two Tbsp, PB2 has 45 calories.  Almond milk is always a better alternative than 2% milk because it is much lower in fat. Instead of ⅓ cup for 130 calories, you can have one cup of almond milk for 60. Plus, it tastes much better.

  3. Humus with crackers/carrots: Hummus’s simple ingredients consisting of chickpeas, sesame butter, lemon juice, salt, and garlic or peppers makes it an excellent idea for lunch. Enjoy it with some whole wheat crackers of your choice. If you’re trying to cut out the carbs carrots are also an excellent choice. You can also use humus on your sandwich instead of the other high fat condiments.

  4. Fruit trays:  The more you load on your plate, the more satisfied you’re going to be. So instead of bingeing on a bag of Lay’s, get a good-sized plate and fill it with fruit of your choice. My favorite combination is strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineapple. Add ¼ cup of feta cheese (surprisingly excellent with fruit), ¼ cup of raw almonds, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts, then drizzle one Tbs of honey over the tray and enjoy!

  5. Toasted pecans: This is my favorite snack of all times. So maybe raw nuts aren’t really your thing. Which is totally fine, I’m not the biggest fan myself, but, roasting them can give them a whole new taste. Buy a bag of raw nuts (you can find them in the fruit section;however, sometimes those are very expensive, so for a smaller bag you can go in the baking aisle and buy a bag). NOT CANNED. Canned have tons of unhealthy oils that your body doesn’t need. NEVER buy canned nuts, when in doubt buy bags, or just make sure the only ingredient is the nut. Once you have purchased your nuts, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the whole bag onto a pan, coat the pan in a tiny bit of olive oil. I usually just pour some in a napkin and wipe the pan down. Then, sprinkle with salt. Bake them anywhere from 8-15 minutes. It all depends on how you like them, the more you cook them, the darker they become. When they are really dark they taste like popcorn, if you cook them for around eight minutes you can still identify the nut, it just has a marvelous toasted taste. I really like both.

Those are just a few ideas that you can begin to incorporate into your diet.

But don’t get off the computer just yet, you still have some working out to do.

Inner thigh slimmer/glute toner:

  • 20 squats*

  • 40 calf raises

  • 1-minute wall sit

  • 2-minute step ups (you can use a folding chair)

  • 25 plank jacks

  • 15 side lunges (each leg)

  • 15 reverse lunges (each side)*

  • 20 pile squats*

  • 20 donkey kicks (each side)

  • 45 hip lifts

Tips:

  • Using 10-15 pound weights with exercises with the * next to will help maximize your results.

  • Repeat circuit 1-3 times.

  • If you are unfamiliar with a workout you can type in the name on YouTube for the demonstration.

  • Stretch before each workout.


Comment with any questions regarding the workouts or recipes. If you would like to see a workout for a specific muscle, or if you would like to see a certain recipe comment as well.