3 tips to start your weekend off right.

Happy Friday everyone! In many people’s minds the weekend is time to party. And that’s ok, you should relax and let loose a little. But if you want to achieve your physical, mental and life goals, you can’t take too long of a break. I know it’s hard to hear but if you are a person that craves a great body, mind, spirit… the work doesn’t stop for very long. I’m in pretty good shape but every day something taps me on the shoulder and says “when are you going to workout?”. I of course take days off, but always have a plan in the back of my mind to get back at it.

Here are my 3 tips for staying on track with your health and wellness goals (or getting on track depending on your circumstances) this weekend.

1. Plan your workouts. It doesn’t have to be a trip to the gym. If it’s family time you crave plan a hike, a bike ride or to play a little football with the kiddos. But start thinking about it now and make a plan to get some good exercise in this weekend.
2. Plan your diet. The weekends are a really tough time to stay on track nutritionally. It’s ok to indulge a little but have a general plan for what you will eat, when and how much. Think lots of vegetables, maybe some fish… if you want some tips email me.
3. Do not drink too much!!! This is where many people fail. I know it’s been a long hard week of work and taking care of family but don’t take it out at the bar room. A drink or two is fine, but you will inevitably fall of the health, wellness and success wagon if you drink too much. Most of us know the consequences of this: extreme fatigue, sickness and eating anything in site to feel better. Anxiety is also a big side effect of boozing. Besides, do you want to be hung over playing with your children on Saturday and Sunday?

What are your tips for a great weekend?

xo,

Hil

My secret to stay in shape.

Staying in optimal shape requires a strict workout regimen. Follow mine at least twice a week and let me know if you start getting the results you’re looking for.

As promised I’m going to share with you the secret to how I manage to stay in shape. Now, everyone is different so how I am able to get and stay in shape may not work for you. You need to be willing to try lots of different diet and exercise techniques to figure out what works for you.

For me it’s simple, and I’ve been preaching this for a long time. Mix up your exercise regiment. First off, you need to combine cardio and weight training exercises to get a svelte, toned look. Second, the muscle you build through target toning will boost your metabolism and keep your body burning calories throughout the day. And finally, it’s the best way to get and stay interested in exercise because you and your muscles won’t get bored.

Here’s the routine I follow about 3 times a week. I exercise almost everyday, whether running, walking or hiking with my kids, I’m always active. This is the routine I do when I can get to the gym and have a little more time and freedom.

Warm up. I always warm up on the elliptical machine for 10-20 minutes.

Strength training (10 minutes). This is always different. I mix in free weight training and body weight training where I target tone my arms, legs, abs, glutes and back.

Examples: Squats, Lunges, calf extensions, walking lunges, step ups…

4 minute Tabata. This is a high intensity interval workout in a 20-10 format that I’ve written about many times on the blog. Perform any exercise of your choosing at high intensity for 20 seconds an take a 10 seconds break for 4 minutes, then rest for a minute.

Example of a tabata HIIT

20 secs running in place, 10 secs break (2X)

20 secs jumping jacks, 10 secs rest (2X)

20 seconds jumping lounges, 10 secs break (2X)

20 secs burpees, 10 secs break (2X)

10 minute strength training. Again, target toning.

Examples: (with 3-10lb free weights) Bicep curls, tricep extensions, military press.

4 minute tabata.

10 minute strength training.

Examples: sit ups, crunches, side crunches, planks, bicycle crunches…

Finally, I run 1 to 2 miles.

This might seem like a lot but once you get going you’ll enjoy it and the time will fly I swear! If you have questions about specific exercise you can do to target tone  or exactly how to perform tabata please email me at hilary@ugobabyfitness.com.

What’s your secret to staying in shape?

xo,

Hilary

3 tips for a fit Holiday Weekend

Holidays are always a tough time to try to stay on track with your diet. Add a “bunny” bringing massive amounts of delicious chocolate and candy to your house and it’s a whole new ball game. I don’t know about you but my sweet tooth is pretty massive.  I already ate a couple Peeps today.

So here we go…

1. Don’t get your kids too much candy! I’m guilty of this and have also been guilty of eating about half of the candy I buy them. So do yourself a favor and buy the requisite candy, just not too much of it. Perhaps add a non traditional gift in the basket like a book or last year I put seeds and some garden equipment in there. I know it sounds lame but it provides them a fun learning experience and God willing, they get the joy out of growing their own plants.
2. Plan to be active as much as possible this weekend. This is always a good idea but especially when you have a party coming where you are likely to indulge. Getting active and therefore feeling healthy will help to curb bad craving and it will encourage you to stay on track. If it’s nice enough, get out and hike or go to the playground and do some HIIT while your kids are on the jungle gym. If not get to the museum, that always provides some good walking and education for you and the kids. Our favorite is the Museum of Science in Boston. If we have time and it’s nice out we walk along the Charles River. What’s your favorite museum?
3. Saturate yourself with nutrient rich foods. I’m not going to deliver the classic advice that you should make nutritious choices in a party environment. First off, that would make me a hypocrite. I follow a pretty “when in Rome” philosophy when it comes to going to celebrations and eating out. However, I do recommend planning ahead of time by eating healthy, nutrient rich foods the rest of the weekend so you’re  less likely not to over do it when you’re around the delicious appetizers, entrees and deserts that are sure to be served up on Easter.

Have a lovely and safe holiday everyone!

xo,

Hilary

Healthy Muffins

I use Kodiak Cakes waffle mix to make these healthy, filling and delicious muffins. This mix is made from 100% whole grains, contains protein, calcium and is a healthy alternative to white flour.

Ingredients:

2 cups Kodiak Cakes mix

1 cup soy milk

3/4 cups raw honey

1 egg

1/4 cup butter

1 cup applesauce

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups crushed walnuts

Directions: Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 14-18 minutes. Makes about 12 muffins.

 

Easy, healthy quiche recipe…

Quiche is so easy to make and a delicious way to eat vegetables. Here’s a recipe I made recently that me and my family truly loved…

They key to making quiche simple is to buy your crust. The best store bought pie crust that contains no trans fat is from Pillsbury.

Ingredients:

– 5 eggs

– 1/3 cup low fat Miracle Whip.

– 1/3 cup low fat milk

– 1 plum tomato chopped

– 1 cup Feta Cheese

– 1 bag baby spinach

– 1 portabella mushrooms

– 1/2 yellow onion chopped

Directions:

Pre heat oven at 375 degrees. Sautee vegetable in a large skillet over medium heat. Spray 9 inch pan with Pam olive oil, then line with pie crust.

Beat eggs, miracle whip, and milk together and pour in pie crust. When vegetable are soft, place in the eggs and sprinkle the feta cheese on top. Place in oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Please share your recipe with us! Send to: Hilary@ugobabyfitness.com.

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert

Thirsty Thursday!

3 healthy shakes for energy and vitality…

1) Peanut Butter Cup Shake, Source: Health.com

Ingredients

1 cup sliced ripe banana
1 cup 1% chocolate low-fat milk
1/2 cup vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt
2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter
1 (8-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

Directions:

Place banana in freezer; freeze until firm (about an hour). Remove from freezer; let stand 5 minutes. Combine banana and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Serve immediately.

2) Green Tea Smoothie, Source: eatliverun.com

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1/2 large honeydew melon, cut into chunks                                                                                                                                                                                                         3/4 cup strong brewed green tea (use two tea bags and seep for ten minutes)                                                                                                                                                1 tsp honey                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1/4 cup almond milk

Directions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Sip while wearing a bikini for ultimate benefits.

3) Pomegranate Berry Recipe, Source: eatingwell.com

2 cups frozen mixed berries                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 cup pomegranate juice                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 medium banana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1/2 cup water

Directions: Combine mixed berries, pomegranate juice, banana, cottage cheese and water in a blender; blend until smooth. Serve immediately

Share your favorite healthy shake recipe with us!

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert

 

 

8 to Great slim down challenge: Week 4

Spring is finally here! I hope you are starting to see results from the weekly diet and workout challenges I’ve been posting. If you are genuinely following along and doing the workout at least 3 times a week you will see results.

Here’s this weeks challenge:

1) Find a workout buddy. Studies show that people who have friends they workout with are much more likely to get themselves to the gym or go for that jog then those who don’t. I even found a couple of applications that helps you find someone in your area with similar workout interests to partner with.

1) SportPartner.com

2) ExerciseFriends.com

If you use one of these sites or have used them please let me know if you had any success and if you have advice or tips on how to get the most out of using these sites.

2) Bag you snacks. Get a box of zip lock bags and portion out your snacks for the day / week. I suggested planning your meals ahead of time, this is a great way to plan your snacks and make sure you aren’t over doing it and a good way to make sure you’re not buying to many packaged good that are full of preservatives and other junk that isn’t good for you. If you are having trouble thinking of healthy snacks here are 100 ideas I found…

3) Workout. Here’s this weeks challenge. Again, this is an HIIT workout in Tabata format (2o seconds on, 10 seconds rest for for reps each exercise)

Round 1

1)– Squat with medicine ball (if you don’t have a medicine ball substitute with some dumbbells or a few books). For this exercise you are going to squat down as far as you can, holding the medicine ball with both hand in between your legs, arms straight. Come up and swing your arms up over head ball in hands.

2) Plank with leg raise. Get into standard plank position and raise one leg off the ground then switch. If this is too difficult, knees on the floor and raise.

Rest for one minute.

Round 2

1) Box jumps. Modification: Step ups.

2) Planks with side taps. Again, in standard plank position, tap one foot out then switch. Modification: Bring it to your knees.

And relax…

Repeat this series at least once more, maximum 3 reps.

Let me know how you like this weeks workout and if you would like me to include anything for next weeks workout. I’m open to suggestions so please send them in!

Stay motivated, summers almost here!

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert

8 easy ways to cut calories…

Wanna be happier with what you see on the scale and more importantly in the mirror? Here are some easy ways to cut calories out of your daily diet that you may not even notice.

1) Cut out the cream and cut down the sugar in your coffee. The amount of sugar and cream you put in your coffee can make a big difference in your calorie in take for the day. Try using reduced fat milk or skim and less sugar. I don’t recommend using sucralose (Splenda) or sugar substitutes as they have found health risks attached to both and I find that they make me more tired and irritable.

2) Eat more protein earlier in the day. Have an egg, yogurt or peanut butter (Sunbutter if you’re allergic to peanuts) on whole wheat toast at breakfast. Studies show that eating more protein early in the day keeps you more full and energized throughout the day.

3) Stop drinking your calories but don’t switch to diet. There are over 100 calories in your average can of cola and many of us don’t just drink the can anymore with the 20 oz. bottle option that’s supposedly 2 servings. These are empty calories giving you little energy and certainly not giving you the nutrients you need to get through your day. Drink more water. Hydrating has so many benefits including giving you a feeling of being more full so you eat less.

On the diet tip, diet sodas contain sugar substitutes that both drain your energy and have been shown to lead to obesity and heart disease, among other things.

4) Whole wheat pita for lunch. Using whole wheat pita bread for your sandwich instead of regular bread will save you 70 calories.

5)  Use whipped butter instead of stick butter. It contains fewer calories since there is air added to it in the whipping process. Just stick to the same amount you would normally use!

6) Pat away grease from your slice. You’re pretty much alone if you don’t love pizza and it’s incredibly hard to avoid. So when in Rome, no pun intended, pat your pizza with a napkin to rid it of excess grease. This can cut up to 100 calories!

7) Afternoon break. Lot’s of us enjoy a coffee break in the afternoon and end up getting calorie ridden lattes instead of plain old coffee. Try and cut back on those afternoon calories by going for the skinny latte when you can. This will save you about 70 calories.

8) Bag it. Portion out your snacks for the day in zip lock bags so you know exactly how much you are eating. And try to make those snacks fruits and vegetables!

Do you have anything to add?

Thanks for stopping by!! Hope you all are doing well on your 8 to Great challenge this week!!

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert

Diet and Nutrition at U GO Baby Fitness…

I’m happy to announce that I will be partnering with nutrition specialist, Lisa Caldwell, to help give you the best nutrition advice possible during our 8 to Great challenge. She’s here to help answer any questions you have about how you can eat healthier. So please send along any questions you have to Hilary@ugobabyfitness.com or you can of course reach me on Insta, twitter and FB @ugobabyfitness.

Here’s more about Lisa…

Lisa Caldwell has been in love with food, cooking and nutrition since she can remember.

Her desire to perform at an optimum level in all of her athletic endeavors started when she was young, leading her to study food and nutrition on her own. She obtained a B. S. in Human Foods and Nutrition from the University of Maine, Orono, ME.  She explored the culinary world and rose to the rank of Executive Pastry Chef at Resorts and Hotels. Due to these experiences and years spent traveling for the sake of food, she now works as a Healthy Eating Specialist for Whole Foods Market and within the Greater Boston Area.

Her primary objective is Nutrition Education and has partnered with the likes of Massachusetts Hospital Association, Tufts University School of Public Health, Google, Central Rock Gym’s “The Heist” and the Boston Rock Gym “Social Outcast” events. Opportunities such as these have increased the awareness of how food contributes to our athletic performance as well as our overall health.

Lisa can be found training at the Metro Rock Gym, Everett and cooking at Whole Foods Market on River St, Cambridge, MA .

Healthy snack ideas to help you stay on track with your diet…

This is a picture of some healthy snacks I picked up this weekend. I wanted to be sure that I have enough healthy snacks in my house so I don’t either snack too much on unhealthy foods or too little on healthy ones. Over snacking on unhealthy foods is bad for obvious reasons but why is it bad to “under snack”? First, snacking is good because it keeps your metabolism going. Second, if you turn up to a meal “over” hungry you will eat too much. I know because I do it all the time! Part of my battle the next 8 weeks is coming up with snacks that are both satisfying, healthy and easy. I’m constantly on the go, as a mom with 2 kids and multiple activities going at all times, I need some quick and easy options. I’m sure a lot of you can relate even if you don’t have children yet.

Here is a list of easy snacks that are satisfying and healthy…

– Fruit. Pretty obvious, but fruit can be more delicious than candy if you get what’s in season and try to by organic. Ask your local grocer what fruits taste especially good right now and they will tell you.

– Vegetables. I love baby carrots, peppers, broccoli etc. Dip them in a low-calorie dressing and they taste delicious.

– Toast and all natural preserves or peanut butter.

– Greek yogurt. I love Fage for the taste and it has less sugar than most yogurt.

– Almonds mixed with dried cranberries. Great for satisfying that sweet and salty craving.

– Humus and pita.

-Avocado and tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

What other healthy snack ideas can you share with us?

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert