"This and That" "Fitness and Health"

Today is Friday, and with that comes Fitness Friday! Sandy at God Speaks Today is opening up the meme for those who want to post about fitness. I am so excited because this way we can all get so many new ideas, meet each other and encourage each other to stay healthy and fit! She has posted some guidelines if you are interested in joining in.

Well, I don´t have any great fitness break throughs to write about, and I don´t have any great healthy natural food advice, I just want to write a little "this and that" about health and fitness.

This:

click on image to view or print recipe.

This is a great healthy recipe! I use to make it a lot and had forgotten about it. It has lots of veggies! I also add chicken for my non vegetarian husband. He has to have meat at every meal.

I made it today and was so pleased with its light and yet filling content!

To make it even healthier, you can use whole wheat pasta. Here in Spain, whole wheat anything is almost twice as expensive, so plain pasta for my men and I just eat less pasta and more veggies.

When trying to lose weight and get into shape, eating more vegetables has been a must. In fact I love having a salad for supper. I add some of my favorite cheese and my favorite Balsamic Vinegar and I am one happy bunny rabbit!

Do you have any healthy, recipes you like preparing? Maybe you could post it for Fitness Friday.

So "this" was a Pasta Delight ...

And "THAT" is:

Well, actually better said "these" are

Resistance Bands.

I have just started a new phase in my work outs! I am so excited about Resistance Bands! I thought they were a little silly, but that was before I met Sarah @All Pain and No Gain. She explained how you can use them in your home and get a full work out.

I thought, "I can do that."

So I went out and bought me some.

Then I made my own work out routine.

"Can you do that?" you ask.

Why, yes! There is so much at our finger tips now days.

I went immediately to Google! When I googled it, I didn´t want just any exercise, what I need is an intense concentration on certain areas, ehhhem... the hind quarters.

Here is what I have put together. Maybe it will be a help to you as well.

I will be doing a Cardio workout (usually stationary bike) before these exercises.

2 sets of 10 reps, is a good beginning.

Squats - Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart, keeping tension on the band by holding a half-bicep curl. Lower into a squat, keeping knees behind toes, and pulling on the band to add tension. Return to start and repeat.

Lunges - Stand with right leg forward, left leg back and band positioned under right leg. Keeping tension on the band by bending elbows, lower into a lunge until both knees are at 90 degrees, front knee behind the toe. Return to start and repeat.

Side Steps - Tie resistance band around the ankles (make sure you're wearing socks) so that there are a few inches of band when you stand at hip-distance apart. Take 8 steps to the right, contracting the glute and outer thigh. Repeat on the other side.

Butt Blaster - Get on your hands and knees and wrap a resistance band around the right foot. Hold the handles in each hand and begin the move with the right knee bent and flex the foot while extending the right leg straight back, squeezing the glutes.

My hubby said this last one sounds like a villain in a movie!

For further resistance band exercises and photos on how to do them you can go to this tutorial.

Oh, and stay tuned till Monday for the winners of this great fitness challenge.

@

All Pain and No Gain.

Happy workout!