Be Oodisha. Be fit.

Can Inversions reduce cellulite?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:01:35 -0400

Yoga is awesome because every couple of weeks I will be surprised about something else that has improved about my body. Awhile back one of these discoveries took the form of the cellulite on my thighs disappearing.

The science behind it? When your lymphatic system doesn’t drain all of the excess fluids and waste products that it is supposed to, some of them collect in your fat cells that lie just under your skin, which causes them to protrude through the connective tissue between them and your skin, causing the orange peel effect.

How do inversions help? When your legs are above your head, gravity helps lymph flow through more easily to drain the toxins and excess fluids from them. Try adding a shoulder stand to your regular fitness routine, and let me know if you see a difference!

Tilapia, avocado, and cheddar quesadilla with cilantro-garlic...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:28:49 -0400

Tilapia, avocado, and cheddar quesadilla with cilantro-garlic salsa. 360 calories, 35 grams protein, 8 grams fiber.

My fruit bowl was looking very photogenic today

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 22:36:51 -0400

My fruit bowl was looking very photogenic today

Protein Waffles with Almond Butter-Agave Syrup!

Fri, 31 May 2013 18:01:53 -0400

Holy Breakfast!! These waffles are really a treat, but are also really simple and use only clean ingredients. They’re also high protein, with 200 calories and 20 grams of protein in each waffle. Adding 1/4 cup blueberries and the almond butter-agave syrup makes them taste especially indulgent and rounds out the meal nicely, totaling 320 calories and 26 grams of protein. If you have strawberries or raspberries instead of blueberries, I would add a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder to the syrup to make a clean eating version of waffles with nutella and berries. YUM!

Protein Waffles:

Makes three waffles (while I would stick to one as a serving, these work wonderfully for a super fast breakfast if you freeze them and then stick them in the toaster!)

1/4 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup white flour
2 scoops lean protein powder ( or about a half of a cup. I used almond vanilla designer whey)
2 egg whites
1/2 T oil
cup milk of choice
1/2 t salt
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t baking powder
3 T stevia

Just stir together and then stick in your waffle iron and enjoy!

Almond butter-agave syrup:

Makes three servings, 100 calories and 5 grams of protein each. Combine the following:

2 T protein powder
2 T almond butter (PB works fine too!)
1 T agave nectar

add water until you reach your desired thickness.

I actually disagree with the increased metabolism..the book The...

Fri, 31 May 2013 16:42:00 -0400

I actually disagree with the increased metabolism..the book The Science of Yoga explains that the deep oojai breathing actually slows your resting heart rate and metabolism. But that’s a small price to pay for an extended life span. Also people generally end up losing weight through a regular yoga practice anyway, not because of a faster metabolism, but because yoga itself is really good exercise and burns calories, and also because they have a greater awareness of the food they put int their bodies.

FInally got around to making these chipotle black bean and yam...

Fri, 31 May 2013 16:29:15 -0400

FInally got around to making these chipotle black bean and yam collard green wraps. I used chicken instead of tofu and they were SO DELICIOUS! The key is to use large collard greens, try not to overstuff them, and don’t panic if you have a couple of tears in your leafs- it will turn out just fine anyway!

Breakfast this morning: Greek omelet, turkey bacon, cherries and...

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:26:10 -0400

Breakfast this morning: Greek omelet, turkey bacon, cherries and pineapple.

Sauté red pepper, zucchini, mushroom, and tomato, put to the side. Scramble an egg and a 1/2 cup of egg whites, cook in a pan over medium heat until opaque. Add veggies, one artichoke heart, 2 T feta, and 2 T Mozzarella, fold in half and enjoy! The omelet alone is about 250 calories, 25 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber.

I originally came across these cheesecake stuffed strawberries...

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:17:16 -0400

I originally came across these cheesecake stuffed strawberries on Skinny Mom’s blog, but I’m not so into fat free cream cheese or splenda, so I thought I would put my spin on it, and they turned out deliciously!

Here we go with that same cheesecake recipe again…. Makes 16 strawberries. Just cut the tops off of the strawberries, and then cut an x across the top. Place the following ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth:

1 T cottage cheese
3 T neufchatel cheese
1 T plain Greek yogurt
splash of lemon juice or vanilla extract
stevia to taste (probably no more than a packet)

Spoon into strawberries. Top with 1 crushed graham cracker sheet. Yum.

elizabeth-antoinette: Afternoon chips and dip craving became...

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:16:09 -0400

elizabeth-antoinette:

Afternoon chips and dip craving became oil free spicy baked zucchini “chips” + garlicky avocado mash. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Brilliant! I might eat those zucchini chips with my spinach-feta hummus instead. yum.

I’m going to a studio now where this series is the basis...

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:02:34 -0400

I’m going to a studio now where this series is the basis for one of the classes. Does anyone know what it’s called? does it have a specific name?

forestfeast: Nothing says summer like watermelon! Slice...

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:35:18 -0400

forestfeast:

Nothing says summer like watermelon! Slice watermelon into approx 1 inch rings, then remove the rind from each slice with a small knife. Place one watermelon “round” onto each salad plate, then top with a layer of thinly sliced fresh mozzarella (5 pieces?), followed by a layer of finely chopped mint, basil (approx 1/4 c each) and a sprinkling of nuts (I used almonds and walnuts, but you can use any kind). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sea salt before serving. Enjoy with a fork and knife- a light yet filling salad!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

inlovewithhowyoufeel-fit: Watermelon Tart “Although it looks...

Fri, 24 May 2013 02:16:36 -0400

inlovewithhowyoufeel-fit:

Watermelon Tart

“Although it looks like it’s loaded with calories, this tart is actually made from, well, as the name says … watermelon slices lathered with low-fat vanilla yogurt and berries” (original source: quick-dish.tablespoon.com)

Healthy, Cheesy Greek Pasta Bake

Thu, 23 May 2013 23:55:45 -0400

Having zucchini, red peppers, artichoke hearts, and feta in the house has inspired me to make a lot of Mediterranean dishes lately. This dish incorporates those ingredients into a pile of crispy, cheesy, gooey goodness, but its still packed with veggies, super healthy, and relatively light- 380 calories, 36 grams of protein, and 13 grams of fiber per serving). You can also sub the veggies and cheeses for whatever you have in the house-but I would recommend sticking with the cottage cheese because it bulks it up and adds protein, and neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese) because it makes the dish super creamy.

Serves 3 (I know this is a weird number, but I generally cook to feed myself and my boyfriend, who eats about twice what a normal person does. If you’re not very hungry, 1/4 would probably do just fine)

Ingredients:

8 oz chicken
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 zucchini, diced
1 roma or medium tomato, diced
2 servings whole wheat or “plus” pasta (I used thin spaghetti to get a crispiness, but penne or rottini would work fine too)
1 oz neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
5 oz bag spinach
2 canned artichoke hearts
a couple of fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup feta
cup pasta sauce (look for one with low sugar and salt)
1/4 cup mozzarella
italian spices (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary…whatever you have)

Directions:

preheat your oven to 375. coat a large skillet with nonstick spray and heat to medium
dice up chicken and throw in the skillet with dried spices
wait until golden on one side and flip, add red pepper
wait about 4 minutes and then add zucchini
wait until the zucchini is slightly browned, turn heat to low
add in neufchatel and cottage cheese, and pasta sauce, blend through dish
add garlic, tomato, basil, artichoke hearts, and spinach turn off the burner
transfer to a baking dish and bake on 375 for 15 minutes
sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes. ENJOY!

Pineapple Kale Protein Smoothie!

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:00:00 -0400

I’ll admit, I was skeptical about adding kale to my smoothies, but this smoothie is really delicious- it tastes like green apple candy! And it is super filling with 4 grams of fiber and 26 grams of protein, but only 240 calories. You could also add a tablespoon or two of flax seeds to up the fiber and healthy fat content. I’ve also seen similar smoothie recipes with banana and mango added, which I’m sure would be delicious too!

The recipe I used is super simple:

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks

1 cup chopped kale

1 cup 0% Greek yogurt

a couple of ice cubes

1 t lime juice

stevia, to taste

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cups: clean eating and high protein!

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:53:52 -0400

These are honestly the most delicious clean eating dessert I have concocted to date, and at 185 calories and 11 grams of protein, they’re healthy and portable enough that you could use them as a post workout!! I made them for my friends and they had no idea they were healthy, because they honestly taste like an indulgent dessert.

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

3/4 cup cottage cheese
2/3 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 T flour
1/4 cup agave nectar (you can sub in stevia here to save 20 calories per serving)
scoop (or about 1/4 cup) protein powder ( I used almond flavored designer whey, but vanilla or chocolate would probably work fine too!)
pinch salt
2 eggs
1 oz semisweet chocolate

Crust:

1/2 cup cashews
6 dates
scoop protein
2 T agave nectar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease a muffin pan
combine crust ingredients in food processor until sticky. Press into the bottom of a muffin pan
combine all filling ingredients EXCEPT FOR EGGS in the food processor and blend until smooth.
now add the eggs and give it a few pulses
pour filling evenly into muffin pan
use a cheese grater to grate the dark chocolate and distribute evenly over the cheesecakes.
bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden, but the middle is still wobbly. Let set in the freezer for at least 1 hour, and then refrigerate.

Photo

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:34:21 -0500

fit4twenty: 10 things to check on the nutrition...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:31:02 -0500

fit4twenty:

10 things to check on the nutrition label.

1. First thing to check should be the serving size. A lot of people go straight to calories but that’s not any good if your serving is a teaspoon.

2. Now that you know how big the portion is, check if the calories are relevant.

3. If you’re on a diet, this is what you’re targeting. Check how much fat you’re putting into your body. Anything more than 5 should be avoided if you’re looking to lose weight.

4. Trans fat are the enemy of any body, diet or not. These fats do not get burned off. They stay stored and accumulate, eventually blocking your arteries. You can find many food items with 0 grams but you’ll occasionally have to settle to 0.1 or 0.2. Anything higher than that should be left on the shelf.

5. Sodium is your salt intake. Salt will retain your water instead of letting it flush out of your system. The lower the number, the better.

6. Carbs are the first to burn up. If you’re looking to trim down, you’ll want to keep that number low so you can target burning your fat.

7. Fiber is good to flush your system but it’s easy to overdo your intake since it’s found in so many different foods. Don’t put all your fiber in the same meal.

8. Any diet knows that sugar doesn’t help losing weight. Keep that number low.

9. Protein is the second thing to be burned up. However, it’s important to keep protein coming into your body with every meal. Just don’t overdue your daily value.

10. It’s good to keep an eye on how much calories are considered in calculating the daily values. Someone on a diet will obviously not be consuming 2000 calories so keep a calculator close to do the math depending on your calorie intake on your personal diet.

Well I agree that understanding nutrition labels is important, I do disagree with a few of these things. Don’t be scared off by numbers. There are some REALLY healthy fats out there, that your body wants! Nuts, avocados, olives, tofu, seeds, etc. all have fat! That doesn’t mean they aren’t good for you! Eat those over a non-fat processed “100-calorie” snack bag.

Same thing goes with sugar. Clearly sugar in soda or candy is BAD but fruit is LOADED with sugar. But that’s okay! Balancing all of these things is the key to having a healthy and fulfilling diet!

THE BEST healthy cheesecake recipe- 150 calories, 9 grams protein

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:18:06 -0500

After many attempts at striking an Oodisha balance between delicious and healthy cheesecake, I’ve finally concocted the perfect recipe! It is absolutely delicious to the point where my boyfriend devours them, but also very healthy, using only “clean ingredients” with 9 grams of protein and 150 calories each! It’s also gluten free as long as you use protein powder without gluten. You have to try it!

INGREDIENTS

filling:

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
6 oz light cream cheese/ neufchatel cheese
2 T sugar (or truvia if you want to lighten it up)
1 scoop EAS vanilla protein powder (or about 1/2 of a serving of whatever brand you use)
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs (or 4 egg whites to cut down on fat- I can’t guarantee it will taste as good though!)
1/2 cup berries of your choice

crust:

½ cup cashews
7 medjool dates (pitted)
1 scoop EAS vanilla protein powder (see above)
1 T nonfat greek yogurt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
blend crust ingredients in a food processor until they make a crumbly mixture- try not to overblend!
Press crust ingredients into a pie tin, or cupcake tin to make mini cheesecakes (makes 12 mini cheesecakes)
blend filling ingredients except eggs and berries in food processor until smooth. Add the eggs and pulse a few times- do not overblend!
pour filling on top of crust
drop berries on top of filling
bake for 20-25 minutes (the fork test does not work here! don’t overbake them…the filling should still be mushy)
refrigerate for a couple of hours or enjoy right away!

I hate to be alarmist, but I have to reblog this.

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:03:37 -0500

I hate to be alarmist, but I have to reblog this.

Photo

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:57:56 -0500