Red in a Sea of Gray

by babykrul

If you look into my closet you'll see a rainbow of colors. If gray, white, black, and brown were the colors of a rainbow.

My favorite color is black and I think it is because I was a tomboy and wanted to rebel against the popular girl color, pink, as a child.

However, I think my reason for black being my favorite color has morphed from rebellion against the color pink into a need to find a color to hide the fat.

I do have a few clothes that are a color other than gray, white, or black but even those are safe colors like purple and blue. I want to stand out.

I want to wear red!

I've never felt sexy enough to wear red. I've been in this rut of hiding from the world because I've gained weight and wearing red.

I've always felt like you have to have a certain attitude to pull it off but it's time for a new look and a new attitude.

I'm adding red to my sea of gray.

What color do you wear to feel sexy?
Are you wearing more colors now that you're losing/lost weight?

Week 13

The color red

Check out Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday or continue below for Fat to Fit posts.

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Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

As you know I'm reading the Flat Belly Diet by Prevention and I've started the four day program and the only use of tomatoes is to eat a pint as part of lunch with a turkey rolls.

Since looking at the pint of tomatoes I have to eat isn't exactly appetizing, I wanted  to share a recipe called Toxic Tomatoes*, a recipe I found on Tablespoon.

Ingredients:

• 24  cherry tomatoes
• Green onion tops, cut into 1 1/4-inch strips
• 1/2  cup chicken salad (from deli)
• 2  tablespoons prepared horseradish

Directions:

1. With sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch off stem side of each tomato and 1/8-inch off bottoms.
   
   
2. Using melon baller or small spoon, remove insides of tomatoes; discard.
 
3. Make cuts in ends of each green onion piece; place in bowl of ice water until curly.
    
4.  In small bowl, mix chicken salad and horseradish. Place 1 teaspoon chicken salad in each tomato.
   
   
5. Place 1 green onion brush in top center of each tomato for stem.

 *reprinted with permission*










New Month New Food is a series that features a new food and a recipe each Tuesday of the month.

This month's featured food is the tomato. Tomatoes can help lower the risk of pancreatic and prostate cancer. Tomatoes are high in vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

Last month's featured food was watermelon. I hope you stocked up on blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries during the lowest prices of the summer season last month, because Berries are August's featured food.

Suggest other foods here.

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Ugh...and Level 2 Update:The 30 Day Shred Challenge

The title says it all. I'm halfway through level two...wait I'm supposed to be halfway through level two.

I'm failing.

I must have been drunk the first time because I don't remember this being so hard or boring. I remember being so excited when I did this last year and since I'm hosting the 30 Day Challenge I feel even worse that I'm not doing well. I'm supposed to inspire you.

I want to do well but repetition is not good for me and ten days on each level isn't working. I'm going to try to continue but I may have to do level two for two days then do level one the next and repeat or something like that. I started on the 22nd and have only done it twice. I'll double up today and hopefully be back on track tomorrow.

Suggestions?

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Pescatarian Living for a Healthy Lifestyle

This week Fit Point asks about alternative diets. Which diet do I follow, the benefits, why I switched and my favorite recipe.

Well, I tried being a vegetarian last year and failed. I even talked about it in my interview on The Reluctant Vegetarian.

by barto

So now I'm mostly pescatarian which means I eat seafood. Last year I tried to use beans and tofu to replace the meat and protein I was used to getting from beef and chicken.

I've learned to love eating beans and liked eating tofu but I couldn't eat it fast enough and was always throwing it away.

Socially, vegetarianism can be hard if you don't live in a big city like Miami or Atlanta. Where I live there aren't many places to go to enjoy a meat free life and not many opportunities to meet similar people.

Hence my switch to pescatarianism. It's always easy to find seafood on a menu. I don't have to feel left out at social engagements anymore or always order an $8.00 salad. Plus I love seafood. It was hard when I stopped eating it. I was craving it like most people crave sweets.

There are days when it's hard to avoid eating meat. It's usually if I'm too lazy to eat. The important thing is not to stress out about it. I can always try again tomorrow.

A few benefits:

• Shrimp is a great source of protein
• Can make social events easier to handle
• Fish is a great Omega 3 source
• It's easy to hid in other dishes. I put some in deviled eggs, soups and dips

My favorite recipe is the Cucumber Pear & Watermelon Salad I made last month.


How to Add Your Fit Point of the Week

1. Write a post relevant to the topic.
2. Use the banner and link back to Fit Blogs.
3. Share the rules on your blog.
4. List yourself at Fit Blogs.
5. Comment on the person (Fangirl) before you in the list.
6. Grab some creativity and free networking!

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What Are You Reading?

by: Mo Riza

Are you doing some health or fitness reading this weekend?

I've added to my workout graveyard and purchased another weight loss book.

I'm reading the Flat Belly Diet from Prevention magazine. It encourages eating unlike several other books I read that seem to discourage it. Or at least greatly reduce the amount of food you eat.

The 1600 calorie meal plans are based around eating a MUFA(monounsaturated fatty acids) at each meal. MUFAs (are olives, dark chocolate, avocado, oils, and nuts. These are considered good fats that target burning belly fat.

It says on the cover that you can lose up to 15 lbs in 32 days. I think you have to weigh a lot to begin with to pull that off.

I'll talked about it more next week but wanted to know what health/fitness book you're reading?  Or what magazine are you reading?
What do you think about it so far?

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Starting Level 2: 30 Day Shred

Jillian Michaels
30 Day Shred

Today was a day I've been dreading. It's time to go to level 2 in the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels.

Here's a quick recap of level one:

Level one starts with push ups.. I could only do 4 girlie push-ups but at least I tried.

After that set is done you go straight to shoulder presses while squatting just to go back to push ups. At least that's what you're suppose to be doing. I could only do two before I fell to the floor.

The rest of level one consists of crunches, back rows, jumping jacks, chest flys, and a little boxing.

My knees aren't the greatest due so the jumping jacks and the squats cause slight knee pain. I jogged in place during the jumping jacks. The hardest part was going from the floor exercises to the standing exercises. I had to get up in stages. I felt that the cardio wasn't long enough but I bought this for the strength training and will do cardio on my own.

I started the tape being able to do 4 girlie push-ups and finished being able to do 10 and I went from having to take a break after 6 minutes to making it to 13 minutes before I had to take a break.

What's in Level 2
Level two is all about the shoulders and plank positions. It starts the same way level one does with arm exercises then floor exercises only to get back up to do more arm exercises.

I'm still having problems getting up and down on the floor and I'd to modify several moves because they were hard on my knees.

The plank moves were the hardest. You're on the floor like you're going to do a pushup except your hands are stationery and your legs move forward and backwards or in and out depending on the circuit.

If you posted about it, copy the new button and you'll be able to link to your post underneath the button.

Find the <a href=""> towards the bottom of the code. That's where you put the link to your post/category and change "Name of your link" to the post title or category title.

<center><a href="http://www.theskinnyfight.com/search/label/30%20Day%20Shred%20Challenge"><img src="http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mimprov/30daydate-1.png" width="125" height="125" border="0"readonly alt="The Skinny Fight-health.fitness.living." /></a></center><div align="center"><a href="">Name of your link</a></div>

<center><a href="http://www.theskinnyfight.com/search/label/30%20Day%20Shred%20Challenge"><img src="http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mimprov/30daydate-1.png" width="150" height="150" border="0"readonly alt="The Skinny Fight-health.fitness.living." /></a></center><div align="center"><a href="">Name of your link</a></div>

How's the challenge going?
Have you started level 2?

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Arugula Pasta & Homemade Tomato Sauce

Another Tuesday another a recipe featuring tomatoes for the New Month New Food series.

So far I've made a 7 Layer Dip Cup and Jalapeño Red Bean Salsa.

This week's recipe involves pasta. I made it healthier by using whole wheat pasta and I made my own tomato sauce.

This is my first time adding greens to pasta but it won't be my last.

Arugula Pasta & Homemade Tomato Sauce - makes 2 servings

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/3 cup dry pasta
• 1/4 cup basil
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
• red pepper/cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 cups of arugula (I used a arugula spring mix)
• salt/pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package.
2. Mix tomatoes, red pepper, basil, sugar, salt, pepper,garlic, red wine, and onion in small bowl
3. Puree half of the mixture
4. Add pureed mixture and the other half of mixture in a sauce pan and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes
5. Add mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes
6. Mix pasta and arugula together and divide into two bowls
7. Add sauce

Have you made your own tomato sauce?


New Month New Food is a series that features a new food and a recipe each Tuesday of the month.

This month's featured food is the tomato. Tomatoes can help lower the risk of pancreatic and prostate cancer. Tomatoes are high in vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

Last month's featured food was watermelon. Suggest other foods here.

Read more >>

The 30 Day Shred Week 1 and Jiggling is Only Fun to Men

I have a confession to make. I didn't do the tape every day but I did do it seven times. Wednesday was a busy day and being the procrastinator I am I hit the snooze button that morning instead of getting up and doing the tape. I doubled up on Saturday.

I declared my independence from the word diet and one of my declarations was to use clothing as a measuring tool instead of weighing myself 20 times a day. This is the first time I've done this and I'm a little nervous.

I feel like I need the scale to measure success.

The pair of pants I want to fit into are a size 12 but I'm not so sure if it's a true 12. I have a pair of size 10 pants that fit much better.

Anyway,the pants underneath are a size 14.


Things I learned while doing the 30 Day Shred:

July 12

• After 7 days, I still have to do girlie push-ups
• I felt like an 80 year old with all the difficulty I had getting up and down off the floor
• 20 minutes is a long time.
• Always wear two sports bras. Jiggling is only fun to men
• I hope I never get into a fight. My arm strength sadly rivals that of a third grader
• 20 minutes is a long time
• Always eat before
• Jumping jacks are not my thing. 
• I am really out of shape.

I'm waiting until day 11 (Thurs) to try on the pants since that's the day I'm going to level 2.

If I can shave 1 minute of the dance I had to do to get into the jeans I'll consider level one a success.

If you're participating I want to hear about it.
If you posted about it, copy the new button and you'll be able to add your link underneath the button.

Find the <a href=""> towards the bottom of the code. That's where you put the link to your post/category and change "Name of your link" to the post title or category title.

<center><a href="http://www.theskinnyfight.com/search/label/30%20Day%20Shred%20Challenge"><img src="http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mimprov/30daydate-1.png" width="125" height="125" border="0"readonly alt="The Skinny Fight-health.fitness.living." /></a></center><div align="center"><a href="">Name of your link</a></div>

<center><a href="http://www.theskinnyfight.com/search/label/30%20Day%20Shred%20Challenge"><img src="http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mimprov/30daydate-1.png" width="150" height="150" border="0"readonly alt="The Skinny Fight-health.fitness.living." /></a></center><div align="center"><a href="">Name of your link</a></div>

It will look like this:


My 30 Day Shred Challenge

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Strawberry & Peach Raw Ice Cream and Happy National Ice Cream Day

Today's National Ice Cream Day and since I celebrated early by eating yummy butter pecan ice cream Friday I felt it was best that I eat a healthier version today.

Making raw ice cream is simple.

All you need is frozen fruit and milk or water. Some blenders can handle just the fruit buy my old blender needs liquid help.

Start with 1/4 cup of milk for each cup of fruit and blend and add more milk until it's the consistency that you like.

However, I added a few more ingredients.

Strawberry & Peach Raw Ice Cream

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of frozen peaches
• 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 cup water or milk (I used water)
• vanilla extract/honey for extra sweetness

Directions:

1. Blend first 4 ingredients and 1/2 cup of water together at highest speed. More water may be needed depending on your blender.Add vanilla or honey if extra sweetness is desired. The mixture should be creamy
2. You can eat it now or freeze it for more thickness
3. Freeze for 2 hours in small bowl
4. You should be able to use a spoon to stir it. 
5. Serve

makes 2 servings 

Tips:

• Fruit must be frozen. This is what makes the mixture thicken
• Add water slowly. Too much will make it runny and you'll have to add more fruit.

 
If you want something quicker then try this banana ice cream recipe my mom gave me.


Banana Raw Ice Cream

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Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas. Peel before freezing
• 1 fresh banana

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients.
2. Use spoon or spatula to scrape around blender
3. Add milk if needed. I have an older blender that needs liquid

Tips:

• Try adding walnuts or cocoa powder

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4 Ways I Beat the Heat and My Love of Fans

Josef F. Stuefer

How do I beat the heat?

By staying out of it.*rimshot*

As a black woman, I'm sensitive and careful and always aware of my hair. How could I not be?

It takes up to three hours to get it done. It's not an experience that's easily forgettable. I try not to sweat as much as possible since moisture is a very bad thing for us black women and our hair.

I really should go natural.

Anyway, as you can tell summer is my least favorite time of year. Especially, since I live the south where it feels like summer nine months a year.

Someone buy me a water mist fan.

Fit Blogs asks, "How do you beat the heat?" Well, here goes:

• Workout to DVDs. There's nothing like working out with a fan pointed at you and the ceiling fan blowing down on you.
• Go to the gym early or late so I can point the fan at me.
• Participate in low intensity activities
• Participate in outdoors activities early in the morning or late evening

I'm such a lazy exerciser. Sigh...

How to Add Your Fit Point of the Week

1. Write a post relevant to the topic.
2. Use the banner and link back to Fit Blogs.
3. Share the rules on your blog.
4. List yourself at Fit Blogs.
5. Comment on the person (Less of a Man) before you in the list.
6. Grab some creativity and free networking!

*If you haven't taken survey on the sidebar, please do. I'm using a program that tracks results better than the survey in the previous post. I want to know what you want from this blog.
*Don't forget the first 30 Day Shred Challenge update is July 19th. It's never too late to join.

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