Wednesday, November 23, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS! Important calorie info...

Hi Fitness Friends!!  This will be a quick blog...I promise!  I first and foremost want to thank my loyal followers that follow my blog and I hope to gain even more followers in the near future.  I am very thankful for you taking the time to read my blog every week and watch my video blogs of Pry'nce and I showing you how FUN fitness can be!

Since tomorrow is a holiday, I thought I'd give you a bit of info on the calories you are about to ENJOY tomorrow and the amount of time you must spend to burn them off.  I know, I know...first I did this to you at Halloween and now Thanksgiving?!  And the answer is, YES!  That's what I'm here for my friends, I'm here to keep it real!

Okay so I'm just going to touch on a few of the popular Thanksgiving items that most of you will be enjoying along with the quality time with your family...here we go!  TURKEY...6 oz serving size is 340 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 35minutes if on elliptical 56minutes, HAM...6 oz serving size is 300 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 31minutes if on elliptical 49minutes, STUFFING...1/2 cup serving size is 180 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 18minutes if on elliptical 39 minutes, MASHED POTATOES...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical 25minutes, DINNER ROLLS...1 roll is 155 calories (with butter), time spent to burn off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical is 24minutes, CRANBERRY SAUCE...1/2 cup serving size is 190 calories time spent to burn off on treadmill is 20minutes if on elliptical is 31minutes, GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 23minutes if on elliptical is 37minutes, GRAVY...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical 25minutes, PUMPKIN PIE...1 piece is 180 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 18 minutes if on elliptical 30minutes, and lastly MY FAVORITE...yes, I do actually have a favorite!  I'm human too people...PECAN PIE...get ready for it...it's pretty bad...1 piece is 525 calories!!!  time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 55min if on elliptical 70minutes.

So there you go my friends!  I know I probably left out more items that some of you may add to the mix, like HOMEMADE MAC N CHEESE, SWEET POTATOES, etc, etc...but I don't want to ruin your Thanksgiving, I just want to give you a heads up!  So now that you know what you will need to do to burn off all of those delicious calories you're going to enjoy tomorrow...enjoy!  Just be sure to get in some time for exercise...rather than sit on the couch and take a nap after consuming all that food, GO FOR A WALK..if it's a beautiful day outside, if not, just know you need to work out the next day.

I hope I didn't freak too many of you out today with these stats, but I just want to do my job as your FIT DIVA and give you the scoop on the calories in vs calories out.  I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy this time with your family and take a moment to be thankful for all the things that matter in life...most importantly your health and fitness.  By staying healthy, you can actually enjoy spending time with your family...and live longer.

No video blog tomorrow due to the holiday, but I will see you next Thursday for a new blog and video!  Please JOIN TODAY as a follower if you haven't done so yet. Thanks for reading and once again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Time for me to go work out so I can burn those calories I'll be consuming tomorrow! ;-)

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

FITNESS IS FUN!! YES, I'M SERIOUS!

Good morning friends!  I hope you're all having an awesome morning so far!  Do I really need to tell you how my day is going?  Well, let's just say...I already had the best workout this morning because FITNESS IS FUN and am now preparing myself to have an even better afternoon bonding with my son.  Life...is...good!

So today's blog is about informing you of WHY I believe that fitness is so fun!  Now, I want you to know something...my household isn't just filled with a bunch of Fitness Freaks.  Granted, my husband used to be a Professional Extreme Athlete (BMX/Downhill Mtn Biking which can be pretty intense, have you ever seen a Downhill race?  Crazy!!) and my son LOVES going into the gym with me and working out along side me.  However, everytime I exclaim how fun fitness is my husband informs me that not everyone believes that the kind of fitness I enjoy is enjoyable to all.  In which I look at him crazy because what in the world is he talking about?!  Well, he's talking about the crazy CORE stuff I like to do in my home gym along with weights and the intense bootcamp stuff I enjoy doing.  Because as much as I LOVE fitness, I don't see how riding a bike for 2-3 hours straight is fun...which is what he enjoys.  So we're even!

What is my point you ask???  Well, my point is fitness can be defined in many different ways.  There aren't any RULES as to what one is allowed to call the "perfect" workout.  It can be dancing around in your living room while you clean...playing catch with your kid(s) outside...running and chasing your kid(s) outside...and the most obvious weight training, cardio machines, etc...  As long as you're MOVING, you are doing something good for your mind and body!

So instead of looking at your watch today and thinking "ugh, I still have to go to the gym today...I'm just way too tired...too busy...too (INSERT YOUR EXCUSE HERE)."  Decide to do something FUN that is going to involve MOVEMENT and calorie BURN...Fitness is Fun when you are doing something enjoyable.  I have heard EVERY excuse in the book from I work full-time to I have kids and need to take them to their afterschool events.  STOP MAKING EXCUSES!  From a Working Mom who is also a very involved parent who's constantly chauffering my son around (and he hasn't even started elementary school yet!) I know how busy life can get with all your different commitments.  But take FIVE to TEN minutes out of your day starting TODAY and do something for your health and fitness....MOVE!!!

Which leads me to today's video...what to do when it's raining outside???  Well, today's video gives you some fun, quick exercises that you can do at home WITH your kid(s) because promoting health and fitness at an early age can keep your child from developing health risks such as CHILDHOOD OBESITY.  I hope you enjoy it!  All you need is a couch and some fun play balls laying around the house...so get your kid(s),  grab a ball, get by the couch and let's work out!



I hope you enjoyed today's video!  Next week I promise to get back to answering questions you may have so send them my way.  FOLLOW my blog today if you haven't joined yet and have yourself an absolutely FABULOUSLY FIT DAY!  Remember...Fitness is Fun!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-) 




Thursday, November 10, 2011

THE "S" WORD...SODIUM!!!!

Greetings friends!  Hope you're all having an absolutely FABULOUS day so far.  I myself am feeling pretty fantastic!  So this week's blog is on a topic that one of my awesome blog followers has asked me to speak on which is SODIUM...the foods highest in it and what you can do to cut your sodium intake, so let's get into it!

Ok, first of all let me tell you what Sodium is exactly:  sodium is a major mineral that your body actually needs to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure.  However, TOO much sodium can actually be linked to High Blood Pressure.  Too much of it can cause major fluid retention and swelling in feet, hands and the area that 99% of my clients always want to trim down...the MID-SECTION.  Here's the deal, HEALTHY adults should only consume 2400mg of sodium a day.  Which is plenty!

The foods containing the highest amounts of sodium are processed and pre-packaged foods (FROZEN MEALS)!!!  Here are foods to avoid:  Processed Meats such as hotdogs (sorry baseball fans!), sausage, bacon, corned beef, salt pork and ham.  Salted Snacks such as chips (but you knew this already, right?!), pretzels, crackers and popcorn...darn movie theaters, moderation my friends, moderation.  Condiments such as soy sauce (get the LITE soy sauce with your sushi), bbq sauce, ketchup, steak sauce and some salad dressings.  Salted Seasonings such as garlic salt, onion salt, and some meat tenderizers.  Canned foods such as soups, tomato sauce, and canned veggies.  Packaged Foods such as flavored or instant rice, TOP RAMEN soup (sorry college students...but seriously, one package contains over 1000mg of sodium), and tv dinners.  Fast Food...ummm, pretty much ALL fast foods serve high sodium foods.  Lastly, most cheese; especially processed cheese spreads are high in sodium.

So now that I've broken down probably almost ALL of your favorite foods that you now realize contain a ton of sodium, you're either A...mad at me for the reality check or B thinking "what am I supposed to eat at the movies now?!"  Well, don't get all bent out of shape my friends, as I say on a daily basis to my clients...all in MODERATION.  I just want you to be made aware of the items that contain the MOST sodium.  Remember you're allotted 2400mg of sodium a day, so be very selective with how you choose to receive that macronutrient.  It's your body...but stay within the 2400mg!

Ok, so I'll give you some quick options of how you can actually LOWER your sodium intake...here are my top 5.  #1. Do not add salt while cooking your food OR at the table once you're about to eat.  #2. Choose frozen and canned foods withOUT added salt.  #3. Choose FRESH (there are lots of fresh, yummy veggies out there...just go to the produce section at your grocery store) unprocessed foods.  #4. LIMIT your trips to the fast food restaurants.  And #5.  Look for "low sodium" or "unsalted" on package labels.

So now you're thinking, "Look Famisha, I'm not trying to eat BLAND tasting food!"  Believe me, I'm not telling you to eat bland food what I'm telling you is be "aware" of how much salt you're putting into your system.  Here are my top 5 ways you can still season your food and have it taste delicious.  #1. Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice (yummy!)  #2.  Use Herbs and Spices.  #3.  Pepper (anyone who eats with me has seen me load my food up on pepper, I love the stuff!!)  #4.  Fresh or Powdered Garlic and Onions.  #5.  Flavored Vinegar.

That's pretty much it on my thoughts regarding sodium....ok, really it's not because I could get into the Diet Sodas that people think are doing them a favor (it's ZERO calories, so it's "healthy"), but really aren't because it actually ADDS to the bloating around the mid-section.  But I will save that for a future blog if my fabulous blog followers would like me to break down why drinking a 6pack of Diet Coke is not the best thing for that six-pack you've been dreaming of all your life...  I hope you've enjoyed today's blog on Sodium and will take the info that I've given you and make healthier and better choices in what you eat today, tomorrow and frankly from now on.  Remember, everything in MODERATION...it's okay to have the occasional popcorn at the movies...hotdog (yuck!  sorry not my personal favorite) but for those of you that enjoy them at the occasional sporting event.  Just watch the rest of your sodium intake for the day!

Today's video blog was a fun one to shoot...we take you OUTSIDE and to your local high school stadium.  There's no excuse!  Movement is key and I know my son Pry'nce and I had a really good time shooting this one and even kept "playing" when the camera stopped rolling.  Feel free to post your comments and any questions you may have regarding today's blog and I hope you enjoy the video!  Get outside and MOVE!!

JOIN TODAY as a follower if you haven't done so yet!  Thanks for your support.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, November 3, 2011

What's so GREAT about fruit anyway?!

Good afternoon my friends!  Hope everyone is having as good of a Fabulously Fit Fall Thursday as myself.  How can you not be active with such beautiful weather outside???  Okay, enough about the gorgeous afternoon...let me get right into today's blog.  Well, one of my awesome blog followers asked me to talk about fruit and make suggestions on the ones I enjoy and why...so here you go!

Here are my TOP 15...I promise to be brief because I'm sure you're thinking what's so exciting about fruit and why is Famisha always telling me to get 3 to 5 servings of this stuff a day?  Well, here's the WHAT and the WHY!

Apples, serving size of 1 apple is only 81 calories and is a great anti-oxidant that helps regulate blood sugar, not to mention it's a good carb!  Apricots..yummy!  Serving size of 1 is ONLY 16 calories and is also a powerful anti-oxidant which is packed with lots of Vitamin A.  Banana is my next favorite (any and everyone has seen me eat at least one to two of these a day...I love them!) one banana is 108 calories and what I love about this fruit is it's the BEST source of potassium...the average banana contains 467mg of potassium and ONLY 1mg of sodium plus it's high in fiber and helps prevent high blood pressure!

Okay, so I just gave you my first three fruits that I highly recommend...here are 5 more.  Blueberries are only 81 calories for one cup and have thee HIGHEST anti-oxidant capacity among fruit.  It's also said to improve memory which helps if you tend to be as scatter brained as myself!  Studies also show that blueberries (along with other berries) have favorable impact on blood sugar regulation in people already diagnosed with blood sugar problems.  Cantaloupe is next...1 cup is only 56 calories and it is an excellent source of Vitamin A, please make sure you wash the outside BEFORE cutting it open.  Cranberries are only 46 calories for 1 cup and contain Vitamin C and lots of Fiber...for you women out there, cranberries help protect against those horrible UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections).  Now some of you may think this next fruit is gross, but I love it...Grapefruit!  A half of grapefruit is only 36 calories and it's rich in Vitamin C not to mention it also helps your immune system.  Then there's Grapes (which most people see me snacking on in between clients during the day).  They are only 61 calories for 1 cup and listen up...if you have a trainer like myself telling you to step up your servings of fruit a day, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...are you paying attention???  45 to 60 grapes counts as 3 FRUIT SERVINGS!!!  So go crazy my friends!

Are you starting to understand what's so great about fruit???  I hope so, here are my last 7.  Kiwi is only 46 calories for 1 piece and get this, has MORE Vitamin C than an orange!!!  It's also another great anti-oxidant and is a good source of dietary fiber.  Speaking of Orange, you guessed it...it's next!  As most of you already know, an orange is a great source of Vitamin C not to mentiona good snack and is only 61 calories.  Do I really need to tell you it's a great anti-oxidant and helps the immune system?  If so, I just did.  Papayas are next, now they are 118 calories for 1 piece but get this, they are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A which are 3 very powerful anti-oxidants.  A papaya is also a great source of Fiber which lowers high cholesterol levels.  Pineapples are next (yummy!!)  It's 75 calories for 1 cup and also is a good source of Thiamin and Vitamin B...it's also a great immune support with the Vitamin C it contains.  Raisins are another good HIGH ENERGY low fat snack fruit.  It's 108 calories for /25 cup and is also a good anti-oxidant.  One of my favorites that you hear me talk about alot is Strawberries.  Strawberries are only 43 calories for 1 cup is one of the best fruit sources of Vitamin C as well as an anti-oxidant and inflammatory nutrient.  Lastly is Watermelon, it's only 48 calories for 1 cup and is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Does this make you want to go out to the grocery store and get yourself some fruit?!  I hope so!  These are not only delicious snacks that you can eat throughout the day but extremely healthy as well.  And if you get thirsty, drink some water and squeeze a lemon in it!  Lemons are refreshing and are only 30 calories for 1/2 a cup.  Couldn't help it, had to squeeze one more fruit in!  But you ask and you shall receive, so there's my take on fruit and my top 15 ones, okay 16 to choose from.  Hope this helps!

Now let's get into today's video.  Today we're chillin things out a bit and showing you how to do Yoga with your kids.  This is great for your mind, body and soul.  Plus, your kids will enjoy it too and it strengthens, relaxes and calms you all at the same time!  Enjoy!

Thanks for your support!  If you enjoyed my blog and haven't done so yet, JOIN TODAY as a blog follower!  Enjoy the rest of your week and take some time to do something positive for your health and fitness...NAMASTE.
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)