FitSugar

Who's More Into Fitness: You or Your Mom?

FitSugar — Sun, 10 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Since it's Mother's Day today, I was wondering about your mom's healthy habits when it comes to exercise. My mother happens to be really big into staying active. She's not a marathoner by any means, but she walks every day. Even though she's into staying fit, I'm definitely more into working out than she is. What about you and your mom?

Source

Healthy Recipe: Blueberry Coffee Cake

FitSugar — Sat, 09 May 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Sunday being Mother's Day (a perfect breakfast in bed opportunity), I wanted to share the recipe for this tasty blueberry coffeecake.

I took my own advice and replaced sour cream with nonfat yogurt, and the cake was wonderfully moist while still low in fat. Baked with blueberries both inside and topping the cake, the flavor of the berries shines. The streusel topping, featuring cinnamon and cardamom, dresses up the cake. Serve this cake with scrambled eggs and slices of cantaloupe and you have a tasty brunch and a well-balanced meal.

To see the recipe, read more.

Blueberry Coffee Cake
Whole Foods Market

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, divided
1/4 cup light brown sugar or sucanat
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups fresh or frozen, thawed and drained blueberries, divided
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Put 2 tablespoons of the whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and cardamom in a small bowl and mix together with a fork or your fingers until well combined and mixture is in large clumps; set streusel aside.
Put remaining 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, vanilla and eggs then pour into bowl with dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Gently fold in 1 cup of the blueberries.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and sprinkle reserved streusel over the top. Scatter remaining 1 cup blueberries over the streusel then top with almonds.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Once cooled, loosen edges of cake and transfer to a plate. Cut into slices and serve.

Serves 12
Per serving (about 3oz/81g-wt.): 150 calories (40 from fat), 4 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 23 g total carbohydrate (3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar), 5 g protein

I think this cake really makes 8 to 10 servings, which increases the caloric load per slice.

Print recipe with images | without images

Speak Up: Like Mother, Like Daughter?

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:47:00 -0700

Mother's Day may be about bouquets and Hallmark cards, but this year the holiday inspired some thoughts about mothering, the things I learned from my mom, and what I hope to teach my two girls.

My love of baking comes directly from my mother. It is this love of baking that partially inspires me into motion: running, biking, swimming. When my girls were both small, I decided I wanted to teach them by example how to lead a healthy life. That fruits and veggies are delicious. We snap beans and peel veggies together. When they ask, “What fruit is for dessert” my health-conscious heart just melts. I want my daughters to see that working out is not a chore or a luxury, just a part of life. I love answering, “yes” when my little one finds me stretching postrun in the early morning and asks, “You run, mommy?" Then she helps me with what she calls “stretch-ups.” We play yoga studio together, and my eldest has mastered full lotus, an accomplishment beyond the ability of my knees. They have cheered me on at every race and I can’t wait to return the favor.

Tell me what healthy habits did you learn from your mom? What healthy habits are you trying to teach your kids?

8 Healthy Gift Ideas For Mom

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

This Sunday is Mother's Day, so why not get the person who has cared for and nurtured you your whole life a present that does the same for her? Here are some healthy gift ideas.

Source

View Slideshow ›

Run Like a Mother

FitSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Mother's Day doesn't have to be about heavy brunches and lovely bouquets. Although those gifts are nice, you could celebrate the day with a run.

Run with your mom. Run for your mom. Run pushing your jogging stroller. There are runs all over the country celebrating Mother's Day, from the Mominator 5k in Colorado Springs, CO to the Moms on the Run 5k in Dover, NH, with many races in between. Many of these fun runs are family affairs, and kids as well as fathers are encouraged to join in the fun. Check out this list of featured races on Active.com. Will you be running like a mother this Sunday?

Source

How'd These Celebs Lose Their Baby Weight?

FitSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:30:00 -0700

It amazes me how celebrity moms have not only lost all their baby weight and look as amazing as they did pre-pregnancy, but they do it in a few months or less. Part of the reason is the enormous professional pressures they must feel to look good, but they also have access to the best trainers and personal chefs, and time to work out. Many celeb moms have also attributed the loss of baby weight to breastfeeding. For most women, breastfeeding alone isn't some easy fix - losing the 40 to 60 pounds gained while pregnant is a combination of breastfeeding, a healthy diet, and regular exercise. Take this little quiz to see how these celeb moms slimmed down after baby.

Question 1 of 8

Can you guess which celeb lost 60 pounds after having twins, without exercise?

Make It: Meringue Torte

FitSugar — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:00:00 -0700

Baking is one of my favorite pasttimes, and I just entered the realm of meringues.

With meringue, you either love it or leave it and my girls love it. I tried this simple dessert recently and was quite pleased with the results. It was interesting to see which dinner guests ate the sorbet and which ate the meringue; my family certainly ate both. After taking a vote, I decided to only cover half the torte with almonds and this decision pleased the five and under set. This is a wonderfully light dessert. You might just want to make it for your mother for her big day.

To see the recipe just read more.

Meringue Torte
Everyday Food

Ingredients

3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint sorbet (softened)
toasted sliced almonds, or fresh fruit

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. With an electric mixer beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
With mixer running, add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
In a small bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the corn starch; beat into egg-white mixture. Beat in vinegar and vanilla.
Drop dollops of mixture ina line down center of prepared baking sheet.

With a flexible spatula or a wet spoon, spread into a 6 by 14 inch rectangle. Make a 1 inch deep well down the center, leaving a 1 inch thick boarder around edges.
Bake 2 hours; turn off oven, and let stand (in oven) for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Fill with sorbet (I used raspberry); top with peaches or almonds if desired. Cut into pieces with a serrated knife.

Serves 6 to 8.

Without almonds, this dessert has zero grams of fat. Each serving is around 200 calories.

Print recipe with images | without images

Try it and let me know what you think.

Does Your Mother Exercise?

FitSugar — Sun, 11 May 2008 01:30:00 -0700

It is Mother's Day and here at FitSugar we want to know if fitness for you is a family past time with a matrilineal leaning. My mom is into walking and swimming, and she's even a Jazzercise regular. She inspires me, just as I hope to inspire my girls.

So I was wondering . . .

Source

Healthy Gift Ideas: Mother's Day

FitSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Mother's Day is only a few days away and there are plenty of healthy ways to show your mom you love her, aside from the traditional breakfast in bed or brunch out on the town. Show your mom you love her in ways that help her take care of herself, heaven knows moms generally put themselves on the bottom of the totem pole. Here are a few ideas to inspire a healthy lifestyle, so you can share many more Mother's Days together.

Gift certificate for a massage
A few sessions with a personal trainer
Gift card to a local gear store so she can pick up some new sneakers or yoga capris
Plan a hike or bike ride together - get her a lumbar pack and fill it with healthy snacks
A subscription to a food, health, or fitness magazine
Some home fitness equipment like a gym ball, resistance band or tube, dumbbells, or a weighted hula hoop - get her a DVD to go along with it
Sign the two of you up for a fitness or wellness retreat

What else? To find out read more.

Go to a yoga, Pilates, step aerobics, or other fitness class together
Spend the morning at a farmers' market and then make lunch together
Send her some organic flowers or a potted houseplant
Make her a mix of your favorite workout or relaxation music
Have her over for a healthy homemade dinner.

Do you have any other ideas? Share them in the comment section below.

Source

See Mommy Run: Mother's Day Runs!

FitSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Before you sit down to your Mother's Day brunch, go for a run with your children or mother. A mimosa tastes much better after running a 5k. I think it is important to run intergenerationally so your kids can see that you are physically active and strong. These fun runs are a great way to introduce your sedentary mother to walking/jogging/running. If you have a wee one, strap him or her into your jog stroller and hit the road.

Active.com has a great listing of Mother's Day races, making it easy to find a race or fun run near you. Join the fun and see mommy run!