arlenesway.com.au Loose weight with Arlene Normand

December 29, 2010

Work Out Routines (Q & A)

Filed under: Questions — Arlene @ 10:41 pm

Question

For three months I have been kickboxing four times a week and strength training once a week. I have read that I need to vary my workouts, but I am getting really toned. Should I vary my routine even if it is working?

Answering

You are overdoing the kickboxing. Kickboxing puts a strain on your joints. Your shoulders and elbows really take a beating. Replace one or two of your kickboxing classes with a step aerobic class or a moderate cardio workout. You should not do super high intensity workouts four days a week. You might feel fine now, but the overtraining will catch up with you and you could become injured. At the same time, lifting weights once a week isn’t enough. Though you may see some strength gains initially if you have never lifted before, you will need to add a second day to keep progressing. Make sure to give yourself a day or two of rest between workouts.

December 28, 2010

Chicken Soup With Brown Rice

Filed under: Chicken,Recipes — Arlene @ 10:40 pm

Chicken Soup with Brown Rice
(makes about 4 servings)

5 cups low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth 3 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into pieces 1 sweet potato, cut into pieces
black pepper 2 cups cooked chicken, cut pieces
1 cup cooked brown rice

1. In 2 litre saucepan, combine carrots, celery, sweet potato, broth, and black pepper; heat to boiling over high heat.

2. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Stir in chicken and rice; heat through.

1 serve = 1 protein, 1 carbohydrate

December 23, 2010

Recipe: Noodles Primavera

Filed under: Recipes,Vegetables — Arlene @ 10:19 pm

2 tsps vegetable oil 200g button mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 x 425g can crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

250g packet vermicelli egg noodles

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths

1 cup frozen peas 3 cups small broccoli florets

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Heat oil in a large pan; add mushrooms and garlic, cook, stirring, until mushrooms are soft. Add undrained tomatoes; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, add noodles to a large pan of boiling water; boil, uncovered, until just tender. Add asparagus, peas and broccoli to noodles in pan; boil for 1 minute. Drain noodles and vegetables well. Return to pan.

Add tomato mixture and basil to noodles; toss gently to combine.

Serve primavera topped with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4. 1 serve = 1 protein, 2 carbohydrates

December 22, 2010

Recipe: Christmas Pudding

Filed under: Desserts,Recipes — Arlene @ 10:19 pm

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1 cup stale breadcrumbs 1 cup caster sugar

50g butter 1 cup hot water

2 cups mixed dried fruit 1 cup plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

4 cups fat-free custard to serve

1. Lightly grease a pudding steamer (6-cup capacity).

2. Combine breadcrumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl. Stir in water; stand for 5 minutes, Add mixed fruit; mix well.

3. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl; stir in fruit mixture, mix well.

4. Pour mixture into prepared steamer. Cover with non-stick baking paper; secure with lid. Place steamer in a large boiler with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of steamer. Boil for about 3 hours; replenish boiling water as necessary, during cooking.

5. Loosen edge of pudding very gently, turn onto serving plate.

6. Serve a slice of pudding with ¼ cup low fat custard per person.

Serves 16 (56g pudding per serve)

December 21, 2010

Recipe: Easy Salsa Fish Fillets

Filed under: Fish,Recipes — Arlene @ 10:34 pm

4 whitefish fillets (approx. 600 grams) Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup bottled salsa (mild or medium) ½ cup low-fat grated cheese

Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

Arrange fish in a single layer on a sprayed foil-lined baking pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Top each fillet with 2 tablespoons of salsa; sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for approximately 25 minutes until golden. Fish should flake easily when tested with a fork

Serves 4 1 serve = 1 protein

December 20, 2010

New Year – Time For Resolutions!!

Filed under: Article,Messages — Arlene @ 10:22 pm

NEW YEAR – TIME FOR RESOLUTIONS!

Over eaten during the festive season? Feeling fat and bloated? Gained a few excess kilos? Clothes feeling tight and uncomfortable?

Time for a change of lifestyle – let the slog begin! Set yourself up for a successful year where you feel fit, healthy and oozing with energy.

· Get organised. Plan your meals weekly and do the shopping. You will never make good choices when you are starving. Pack lunches and snacks to take to work so you are not tempted by fatty takeaways. Make meals delicious with a variety of sauces and condiments; make them easy by using the bbq or grill; don’t get bored with your food choices.

· Think small. Keep your portion sizes down. Only cook what you and your family will eat, no second helpings. Prepare salads and vegetables to fill up on, and cold soups are delicious in this hot weather.

· Gradual changes. Do not expect perfection immediately – losing weight and making lifestyle changes is not the same as flipping a light switch. Concentrate on making small daily changes that will help you reach your eventual goal. Complement yourself on any successful change. Aim for one achievable goal a month. Slow weight loss is ideal – ½ kilo per week is a reasonable objective. It takes time to gain the excess, losing it also takes time.

· Don’t confuse lapse with failure. It is normal to have a chocolate, a lolly or a piece of cake. It is even normal to have too much at a meal. However, one lapse must not lead to a cycle of overeating – “if you bad don’t go mad”.

· Move! Any activity is advantageous – walk, swim, surf, cycle, gym. Get out and be active. Walk to work, swim at lunchtime, play soccer with the kids, clean the pool – anything is better than being a coach potato! Burn those excess calories.

· Enlist help if you need it. Support props up many of us – a diet buddy, a walking mate, a support group, Arlene as your monitoring and motivational guide. Recognise if you need assistance, and organise it!

Be prepared for hard work and you will succeed in maintaining a healthy lifestyle forever!

December 19, 2010

Desire For Lollies (Q & A)

Filed under: Questions — Arlene @ 11:44 pm

Question

I have dreadful sweet cravings and wondered if this indicates there is something missing from my diet. I became a vegetarian a year ago, and thought that this could perhaps be causing this desire for lollies, chocolates, cakes and biscuits which I previously never felt like. These cravings are mainly in the latter part of the day.

Answer

It would be necessary for me to analyse your overall diet before I could determine whether your intake is deficient in any of the vitamins or minerals. When the cravings occur later in the day, it is often due to a drop in blood sugar levels, which may be due to not eating sufficient throughout the day. I would suggest you eat six small meals during the day, and try to satisfy the sweet cravings with nutritious foods such as fruit or yoghurt. In addition, when one is tired you experience sweet cravings. Ensure that you are not iron deficient, or perhaps you lack sleep or are doing too much.

December 16, 2010

Recipe: Salmon with Dill & Caper Dressing

Filed under: Fish,Recipes — Arlene @ 10:17 pm

Salmon with Dill and Caper Dressing

2 Tblsp low-fat sour cream 1 Tblsp tiny capers

2 tsp coarsely chopped dill 2 tsp horseradish cream

1 Tblsp lime juice 4 x 150g salmon fillets

Combine sour cream with capers, dill, horseradish and juice in medium bowl.

Heat oiled large pan; cook salmon until browned both sides and cooked as desired. Serve salmon with dill and caper dressing.

Serves 4 1 serve = 1 protein, 2 tsp fat

December 15, 2010

Recipe:Teriyake Chicken With Green Beans

Filed under: Chicken,Recipes,Vegetables — Arlene @ 10:32 pm

TERIYAKE CHICKEN WITH GREEN BEANS

1 teaspoon peanut oil

3 (500grams) chicken breast fillets, sliced

200 grams green beans, halved

½ cup water

2 tablespons black bean sauce

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspons grated fresh ginger

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

400 grams bok choy, sliced

1 ¼ cups bean sprouts

Heat oil in wok or large frying pan; stir fry chicken in batches until browned.

Return chicken to pan with beans, water sauces, garlic, ginger and onion; stir-fry until beans are tender.

Add bok choy and bean sprouts; stir-fry until heated through.

Serves 4

December 14, 2010

Recipe: Couscous & Mushroom Casserole

Filed under: Recipes,Vegetables — Arlene @ 10:33 pm

Couscous and Mushroom Casserole

1 cup couscous 2 cups water or vegetable broth

6 shallots chopped 1 red capsicum chopped

1 green capsicum chopped 2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tsp olive/canola oil 1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup canned chickpeas 1 medium carrot, grated

Salt and papper to taste ½ tsp dried basil

2 Tblsp minced fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)

In a large saucepan sauté shallots, capsicum and garlic in oil until softened. Add mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes longer. Add water or broth and bring to boil. Stir in couscous along with remaining ingredients. Bring back to boil and simmer until all liquid is absorbed (5-10 minutes).

Serves 4 1 serve = 2 carbohydrates

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