FitSugar

Health Confessional: Share It and Move On

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:30:00 -0700

Confessing my health and fitness slip-ups to you makes me feel human again, especially after reading your confessions. I've got a new one to make . . .

There was a little too much ole in my Cinco de Mayo celebration. I got carried away at a Mexican potluck I attended last night and am paying a pretty peso for my dining decisions today. Somehow, a few harmless chips dipped in guacamole turned into more chips and five-layer dip, a couple carnitas tacos dressed with sour cream, two helpings of cheesy Mexican lasagna, and a decadent chile-spiced brownie à la mode for good measure. And, yes, there were margaritas. As you can imagine, I rolled myself home feeling a bit ill.

So there you have it, I've told you mine, now you tell me yours. Got anything you need to get off your chest? Share your health blunders below and I promise you'll feel better. We all are human, and we all make mistakes, and we all move on.

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Healthy Cinco de Mayo Recipe: Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

FitSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Happy Cinco de Mayo! For many of us, the holiday provides a reason to enjoy delicious Mexican food. I'm a sucker for the spicy cuisine, but it's not always the healthiest fare. Ramp up the nutritional content of your dinner by complementing your chips and salsa with a healthier main dish. These filling sweet potato burritos offer a traditional flavor kick with the added benefit of vitamin-rich ingredients.

This recipe is flexible to suit your personal taste preferences. I substituted black beans for the kidney beans in the original recipe, opted for whole wheat tortillas instead of flour ones, used yams instead of sweet potatoes, and went light on the shredded cheese. My burritos were dressed in salsa and avocado with a side of light sour cream, but the options are endless. Make this a vegan dish by withholding the cheese and sour cream.

To get this healthy Cinco de Mayo recipe, read more.

Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos
Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Makes 12 burritos. May be made ahead of time, individually frozen, and heated.

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Make It a Morning Workout on Cinco de Mayo

FitSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

There's nothing quite like lounging with some pals after a long day of work, sipping margaritas and dipping chips in guacamole. It's not healthy to indulge like that every night, but Cinco de Mayo gives me an excuse to put a little ole into my evening. Because I'll be heading from the office to a fiesta, I'm going to set my alarm earlier tomorrow morning to make sure I work out.

It's tempting to adopt an all or nothing attitude whenever there's a holiday that encourages indulgence. Instead of resigning to more unhealthy habits just because you'll be indulging during dinner, use your morning workout to feel better about your splurges. You'll be able to enjoy them more without the added guilt of skipping your workout.

Want to know how much activity you need to burn off a shot of tequila? Just read more.

A 130-pound woman would have to run 6 mph (or 10 min/mi) for 10 minutes to burn 98 calories, the equivalent of a 1.5 ounce shot of tequila. Will you be working out tomorrow morning?

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In Honor of Cinco de Mayo: Margarita vs. Mexican Beer

FitSugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 02:00:00 -0700

Cinco de Mayo is coming up this Monday, so you may be in the mood to celebrate with a cold beverage this weekend. How do you choose between a margarita and a Mexican beer with a squeeze of lime? Quite possibly knowing the caloric content of each drink would help you decide. Take this short quiz to see how these two faves stack up against each other.

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P.L.O.W. - Cinco de Mayo Weekend Mix

FitSugar — Sun, 06 May 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Chances are you did a little something for Cinco de Mayo yesterday, so in an effort to keep the celebration going all weekend long I've created this play list of songs with a Latin flair for your next workout...and yes, I know they are not all songs of Mexican origin but I wanted to have a little fun. Want to hear it? Then press the green play button after the break. read more

Total PLOW = 41:12

I know this play list will get your blood pumping to this booty shaking music, I can't stop moving!

Weekend Well-Being: Make Your Own Guacamole

FitSugar — Sat, 05 May 2007 03:30:00 -0700

We all know how much you love avocados - their creamy texture is like no other, and they're also extremely healthy for you. Plus it's Cinco de Mayo, so why not pick up some of those gems and make some homemade guacamole?

Many of the pre-made guacamoles you find at stores don't even contain actual avocados, like the one made by Kraft. So when you make it yourself, you know exactly what's in it.

Here's my favorite guacamole recipe. Since I'm not a huge fan of raw onions, I use cucumber instead. It adds a nice cool crunch, but without the strong tang of an onion. Let me know what you think or if you have other recipes you adore.

Homemade Guacamole

What you'll need:

3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
salt and pepper

What you do:

Mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork.
Fold in all the other ingredients and mix well.
Add the salt and pepper to taste and that's it!

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Mint Julep vs. Margarita

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Tomorrow, May 5th, is chock full of festivites: The Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo. Both events have drinks associated with them, the Derby drink is the Mint Julep and the Margarita for Cinco de Mayo. Do you know which one has less calories?

Just in Time for Cinco de Mayo: Corazon Chips

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Cinco de Mayo screams chips and salsa. You can still have your chips and still stay healthy with these new chips...

Corazonas Chips are made with whole oats and plant sterols, proven cholesterol-reducing ingredients. Additionally, Corazonas Heart-Healthy Tortilla Chips are a good source of fiber, cholesterol-free, trans fat-free, low in saturated fat, all-natural, and depending on flavor, a low or reduced-sodium snack. Each of the three flavors have 140 calories for one ounce. You can actually buy them online from Amazon.com (packs of 12 and 24). If you want to get them in time for May 5th then visit Corazonas.com to find where you can buy them at a store near you.

Olé!

Fit's Tip: If you're hosting the party, throw out the bags before anyone gets there, they'll never know they're healthy.

Food Review: Nekutli Agave Nectar

FitSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

For Cinco de Mayo, I thought it might be nice to celebrate the sweet side of Mexico with agave nectar and remind you all that the agave plant produces more than just tequila.

The nectar of the agave plant is sweeter than sugar with a lower glycemic index rating as well. It has a caloric load similar to cane sugar – about 20 calories per teaspoon; but since it is sweeter you use less, about 40 percent less. It is great for baking (although you do have to balance out your recipe portions a bit since agave is liquid).

My favorite brand of agave nectar is Nekutli ($5 per 8 ounce bottle), meaning "sacred juice of the agave" in Nahuatl, a language of the Aztecs. I love that Nekutli is organic and that it comes in two versions, light and amber, making the nectar versatile for baking and cooking. The light version is pure sweetness and perfect for adding to tea or salad dressing. The amber is more like honey and can be used as a substitute for brown sugar. Check out this recipe for linzer cookies to see how to bake with this wonderful nectar.

Find retailers here.

Fit for May: FitSugar Must Haves

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Happy May Day! May Day marks the end of the uncomfortable Winter half of the year, which means we're spending a lot more time outdoors. Not only that but many of us take vacations and have a grand ole time Cinco De Mayo as well as on Memorial Day, which falls on the 26th this year. This May use my must haves to enjoy the weather while continuing on your quest for happiness and health.

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