Jenna Pardini

all cuisines gone clean

01.29.2013

As much as I love my PAC (plain ass chicken), brown rice and greens, I am in need of a little variation! As I have said before, it is easy to eat clean when eating the same meals on a weekly basis. Especially if you are food prepping and cook one day a week for the meals the rest of the week. This is usually my lunch routine, but for dinner I love experimenting with different cuisines!

I also love going out to eat on the weekends, and that seems to be when I struggle the most with a healthy diet. Weekends are hard and there are so many temptations! Of course, while looking at a menu full of yummy goodness, you may want to go the opposite direction, but don’t be fooled! There ARE healthy things on the menu, we just need to become aware of what to swap out.

We recently had a sushi and movie date night this weekend, and I refused to go out on a limb and settle for white rice, tons of sauce or fried tempura. I LOVE sushi, but instead of the usual we can always opt for grilled salmon, brown rice, veggies or sashimi (raw fish). That is exactly what I did, and I left not regretting my meal.

Here are some clean eating thoughts for a sushi night out:

skip the white rice (head straight for brown rice)
go sauce-less (sauce is high in sugar and calories!)
say no to tempura (fried…enough said)
avoid the sake and go for water or tea (alcohol slows your metabolism and promotes fat storage!)
go raw! (fish are packed with nutrients and Omega 3s)

Sushi dates are do-able while eating clean as long as you make healthy swaps and take the time to think about what you are ordering!

Speaking of food, another cuisine that is one of my favs… Mexican! Who would have thought that you can actually eat a healthy burrito or taco. Here are some ideas to help guide you:

~~Tortilla~~ Wheat tortilla or wrap in lettuce
~~sour cream~~ non-fat greek yogurt (I swear it tastes the same)
~~salsa~~ chopped tomatoes
~~guacamole~~ avocado slices
~~taco meat~~ lean ground turkey

There are SO many variations to eating healthy, and you can still enjoy different cuisines. No need to avoid restaurants as long as you make the swaps, and maybe you’ll be fine with the occasional treat now and then!

What is your favorite cuisine to order out?

Did I mention that I am doing a GIVEAWAY as we speak?! Yup, I’m giving away a $25 Lululemon gift card to one very lucky winner. To enter:

REQUIREMENTS:

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ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

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Giveaway will run through 2/1 and Winner will be announced 2/2. Good luck!!

Leg Workout

01.17.2013

Ok, my legs are KILLING me today! This was what has brought me to such misery today, but let me tell ya…it is SO worth it. If you are not getting sore, you need to find that fire inside of you. It was not until I started to lift weights that I saw a huge change in a short amount of time. Instead of just going through the motions, I have been increasing the weights and conquering my mind. I am realizing while typing this, that I need to start posting progress photos! (My apologies, I’m not too fond of taking selfies!) I know a lot of women don’t know what to do the second they walk into a gym. I have been there myself, and I’m sure we all have. It can be very intimidating at first! I thought this layout of a workout can help “guide” you through your gym routine. Follow these exercises and you will soon get in the groove and feel your way around. Get inside your head, think positive, keep working hard and be patient. You will get there. I love this saying…”Sweat today, smile tomorrow.”

Try this leg workout and let me know what you think!

1. Lunge with dumbbells

2. Lunge with barbell

3. Squat with barbell

4. Deadlift

5. Seated Leg Extension

6. Laying Leg Curl

7. Leg Press

8. Seated Leg Curl

9. Seated Calf Raise

10.Box Jumps

[Photos compliments of bodybuilding.com]

I am so excited to announce that I am doing a GIVEAWAY on my Facebook page as soon as I hit 800 “likes”! Only a couple more to go. Please help me get there! Share, share, share Fitness and the City on Facebook so we can do this thing! The giveaway just might have something to do with my favorite brand below….!!! Thanks guys, and happy almost weekend! =)

Fit Gal: Brittany!

01.15.2013

I have been DYING to introduce you to this amazing woman and fitness guru! She has come a long way and I am so impressed with her dedication and committment to fitness. So here she is…

Fit Gal: Brittany!

1. Tell us about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.

Hi! my name is Brittany and I am a 23-year-old student studying Business Administration. I made my lifestyle change almost 3 years ago now. I had a free membership to the gym on campus and decided to take advantage of it. Starting out, I had no idea what I was doing. I would follow my boyfriend around in the gym and watch what he did. I was very self-conscious because I had no clue what to do with any of the equipment – I felt like everyone was staring at me. I started to follow fitness pages on Facebook and read up on some articles online to get the basics. One day I picked up a copy of Oxygen Magazine at the grocery store while I was waiting in line and thought wow, this girl looks amazing! I bought it, read it cover to cover and felt more motivated than ever. Not long after I was giving my boyfriend tips in the gym! It’s been a great journey so far and I’m so proud of myself for making this lifestyle change. I am continuously learning and loving every minute of it!

2) What are your goals and how are you working towards them?

My original goal was to lose some weight and tone up. In the beginning I did lose weight – but I pretty much gained it all back in MUSCLE. This was kind of discouraging at first but looking back at where I was and to now, I definitely look and feel smaller, more toned, fit and have a lot more shape. I think it’s important for women to realize that they shouldn’t be scared of lifting weights because all the muscle you build burns more calories and keeps your metabolism revved!! My goal recently was to compete in a fitness competition. I am excited to say that I will be doing that in April 2013!! I joined a local team that does coaching for athletes and fitness competitors and am so excited and proud at the progress I’ve been making so far.

3) Do you “eat clean”?

Yes! I believe it’s impossible to make progress in the gym if you do not eat clean. I did pretty well at eating clean before I joined my team but obviously still enjoyed treats..I have a terrible sweet tooth 🙂 Now that I have a deadline I’m kicking my butt into gear! Lots of protein – chicken, lean beef, salmon, haddock tuna etc, good nutritious veggies like kale, swiss chard, broccoli and good sources of carbs – sweet potato, oats, quinoa, & brown rice. I still have an occasional treat but keep it small in moderation.

4) In what ways do you stay active?

I am in the gym 3 days on, one day off then repeat. I work all muscle groups twice a week. Right now I am doing little cardio as I’m in the muscle building phase of my prep. I’m also doing some group yoga classes when I can.

5) What inspires you to live this lifestyle?

Those moments when your mind is telling you to stop because it hurts but you keep going and push past that weakness..those are the most important moments because it means growth. Seeing changes in myself no matter how small they may be makes the difference and keeps me inspired to work hard and stay motivated!

Lots of love!
Brittany
“Fit Brit”

Thank you so much Brittany for joining the Fitness and the City fam as a Fit Gal! You are so inspirational and I personally cannot wait to follow your journey to your first fitness competition!! Good luck girl!

Oh and by the way, she has an awesome fitness Facebook page as well, so be sure to go check it out!

—> www.facebook.com/fit.brit08

Protein Pancake Recipe

01.13.2013

I’m sure you have heard this a million times before, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I find myself eating a lot of the same meals, especially during a busy work week. My go-to is a non fat greek yogurt and berry mixture. Sometimes I will add some honey or a taste of natural nut butter. I work for Diamond Foods, so this Kettle Nut Butter is my fav, they also have cashew butter, salted or unsalted. Click here to go to the Diamond Foods Website.

On the weekends, I really enjoy making a yummy breakfast to go along with my nice big cup of coffee. I love making different scrambles and getting creative with all sorts ingredients. An egg white scramble with avocado and smoked salmon on the side has been popular in my house lately. Breakfast is an absolute must for me! If I skip breakfast, I will be dragging and energy less all day long. Be sure to fuel your body with a protein filled power breakfast to give you tons of energy throughout the day!

I have been experimenting with different protein pancake recipes a lot lately. Some miserably failed and some were quite successful. This was the definite winner in my book! A delicious and healthy way to start your day and power you with the fuel you need.

Protein Pancake Recipe

1 scoop Whey Protein (vanilla or chocolate)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup oats
1/2 large banana (you can also substitute with non-fat greek yogurt or pumpkin puree)
1TB Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/8 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl or blender. Allow the mix to sit for a few minutes. Heat up a skillet and spray with non stick cooking spray. Pour batter onto the skillet and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Should make 2-3 pancakes.

Get creative! Top with cinnamon, berries, honey or a natural nut butter.

Enjoy, and don’t forget to eat your breakfast! =)

Not Seeing Results?

01.09.2013

Happy Hump day! Is this week over yet? I am SO looking forward to the weekend! I have gotten a ton of questions lately about what to do if you are not seeing results. If you are working out, eating “healthy” and not seeing results, you are doing something incorrectly. This takes a lot of committment, doesn’t happen over night and is a LIFESTYLE. No dieting or just popping in and out of the gym once or twice a week. Are you committed to take the plunge?

Here are some of my thoughts if you are not seeing the results you are looking for:

1. Push harder! Don’t just go through the motions but really push yourself to go hard. Try interval training on the treadmill, you will burn a ton of extra calories while increasing your endurance. Try supersets with weights, or do as many reps as you possibly can with your last set. Go till you can’t go anymore! Don’t leave the gym until you are spent and sweaty! If you are not sore, then try a different exercise, add more weights or do more reps to be sore the next day. Accomplishment to me is being sore the next day.

2. Change your routine! Try different workouts and find whats best for you. If you are doing the same routine your body will get used to that and not change. You need to constantly switch it up. Try only cardio one day, only weights the next, try a spin class, Pilates, yoga, TRX, there is so much out there! I personally LOVE trying new classes and feeling muscles that I havent felt before with my regular workouts. This also keeps it fresh and exciting! Also, create a schedule to look forward to. I plan my workouts, think about it first thing in the morning and look forward to it all day. (call me crazy I know ;))

3. Really watch what you eat. Document and see what a difference eating clean can really make. MyFitnessPal is an app on the iPhone which can track your calories and what you are putting into your body versus what you are sweating out. Documenting will help, I promise! Plan out each meal. Food prep and bring your pre-made meal to work. I ALWAYS bring my lunch that I make on Sundays, breakfast consists of oatmeal or greek yogurt and I also bring a snack to work. You will not see results if you do not eat clean! Trust me, I have gone through this: working out and eating whatever I wanted. But I stayed the same and saw NO changes. It was when I changed my eating habits that I started seeing change. Oh, and the alcohol is no bueno…sad I know, but I am personally loving and taking full advantage of not drinking!

Most of all, think positive and positive things will happen. You will not see results right away so be patient. There is a lot of dedication that needs to be given here, so commit the time and you will be happily surprised. You will get out what you put in.

I am hosting a giveaway today at messydirtyhair.com!! Visit Kelly’s amazing fashion and lifestyle blog to win a $20 Amex gift card compliments of yours truly. =)

—->www.messydirtyhair.com

xo,Jenna

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