Clean Eating, Mexican Style

I LOVE Mexican food! It is my absolute favorite, but I rarely eat it because it's loaded with fat and sodium. Last time I ate at a Mexican restaraunt, I overindulged just a little, and I certainly paid for it. My stomach hurt for hours, and I got terrible heartburn. I am challenging myself to make a tasty, healthy, Mexican-style dinner.

The process of preparing this meal took a few days. I am only willing to spend a few minutes at a time in the kitchen, so I started planning when I still had food left from my last cooking experience.

One evening I cleaned dried pinto beans, and let them soak overnight. The next morning, I tossed them into my crock pot with the recommended amount of water, and let them simmer throughout the day. That evening I chopped fresh cilantro, onions, and peeled garlic, and put that, along with the cooked pinto beans, in the fridge for the next day.

During my lunch break the following day, I sauteed the veggies, and added chili powder and cumin to the pan. I cut all visible fat from a family size pack of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and placed it in the crock pot. I then added the veggies and seasonings, and turned the crock pot on low to cook while I went back to the gym for my afternoon clients and classes.

When I arrived home, everything was almost done! I decided I would make some corn tortillas from Maseca corn flour, and followed the directions on the bag. They were relatively easy to make, but I didn't have a tortilla press recommended by the instructions, so I made due with a rolling pin. They didn't turn out perfectly circular or consistent throughout, but they tasted fantastic!

I reheated the beans and topped them with a little Mexican crumbling cheese. I added the beans and cheese, chicken, and some all natural prepared pico de gallo to the tortillas, and I have to say, this is the absolute best meal I have ever cooked! I am no chef, but this turned out way better than I expected. I could eat this every day!

There's still room for improvement though. Next time I will season the beans a little more. I didn't put anything in them, so they were a tad bland, but all the other tastes certainly compensated! The best thing about this Mexican style dish is that the only fat comes from a miniscule amount in the cheese, olive oil, and corn flour, and the only salt is from the tiny bit in the prepared pico de gallo.

I just had the tortillas as a treat today. Although delicious, they are also high in calories, most from carbohydrates. I consumed 440 calories worth of just tortillas at one meal, so I shouldn't eat them all the time. They sure were delicious with the rest of the meal, but I am pretty sure I can do without them next time.

Awesome NOLA Zumba® Instructor Teaching in Valdosta Saturday!

This Saturday, March 10, I am hosting a master class with New Orleans' licensed Zumba® jammer Jennifer Rupp. I couldn't be more excited! She will be bringing her Louisiana flavor to Anytime Fitness in the five points shopping center at 11 am Saturday morning.

Jennifer is the owner and manager of NOLA Danze Fusion dance studio in Metairie, Louisiana. She has been a Zumba® jammer since 2010, which means she is licensed to teach choreography jam sessions to other Zumba® instructors. Jennifer has been teaching Zumba® since early 2008, and has been dancing her entire life. She also works in real estate, and is a mother and wife. What a busy woman! I am thrilled that she is taking the time to come to Valdosta to share her amazing talent!

If you are a regular at my Zumba® classes, no doubt you have danced to songs that Jennifer choreographed. She is the genius behind the moves to "Mr. Saxobeat," "Quedate Mas" (I want you back), "Reflejo de la Luna" (the dramatic tango), "Say Na, Say Na" (fun bollywood), and Usher's "More." I can't wait to see what's in store for us Saturday!

If you would like to attend her master class, just show up at Anytime by 11 am, and you may pay the $15 admission fee upon arrival. This is a great deal, and anyone is welcome to attend! You will definitely get your sweat on, and leave with a huge smile. Jennifer is a phenomenal instructor. She is sure to motivate you to move!

She is also instructing a choreography jam session only for licensed Zumba® instructors that are members of the Zumba® Instructor Network later that afternoon. If you are a ZIN member interested in attending, you must contact Jenn directly at jennrupp@gmail.com. Please become a fan of her Facebook page Zumba® New Orleans.

Stir Fry

All the food I cooked Sunday is gone. I polished off the last of it for dinner yesterday, so it's time to hit the kitchen again. My meals are all about convenience and flavor, while keeping them low in fat and sodium and high in protein and fiber.

Today I have a taste for Asian food, but the challenge will be to keep it low sodium. According to WebMD, people living on the northern islands of Japan consume more salt than any other region in the world, and they also have the highest incidence of high blood pressure. I will certainly miss the taste of soy sauce, but I think I can make up for it with other flavors.

I started preparing during my lunch break. I chopped one orange bell pepper, one onion, plus garlic and fresh ginger. I use a lot of dried herbs and spices, but you can't beat fresh ingredients when you have the time to spend chopping it up. I also trimmed the fat off from a family size package of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and placed them on two foil lined cookie sheets. If you aren't able to go home for lunch like I am, it's a lot easier to take a few minutes the night before, or in the morning, to plan your meal, and get started with preparation.

After arriving home from this evening's Zumba® class, I first got out the pans of chicken breast and added seasonings. I sprinkled them with fresh chopped garlic, ginger, and onion. I then added cilantro, a little brown sugar, sesame seeds, and some Chinese five spice powder to both sides, and put the chicken in the oven.

I definitely want stir fried veggies as a side item. I have some frozen steamable bags of asparagus and snow peas that will work nicely. I also have a bag of chopped broccoli slaw that I am going to try out. I steam the asparagus and snow peas in the microwave while I sautee the onion, pepper, garlic, and ginger I chopped at lunch in a little dark brown sesame oil. Then I add in the steamed veggies and broccoli slaw. I stir fry it over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, then scattered some sesame seeds on top.

The chicken is done by now, and I'm ready to dig in! It's yummy! I was a little skeptical of eating a stir fry with no soy sauce, but ginger, garlic, and sesame add monstrous flavor! I actually put a little too much ginger on the chicken, but the veggies are absolutely perfect.

Hint: when using steamable bags of veggetables, be sure to drain water out before adding to fresh produce in a skillet. If not, veggies will be soggy.

Metro Dash!

My workouts never get too stale because I love to challenge myself by trying new things. The world of fitness is ever changing, and I enjoy keeping up with current trends. Over just the past year, I have competed in both a Warrior Dash and a Tough Mudder race, attended a TRX Suspension Training workshop and HOT HULA® fitness instructor training, as well as attended a myriad Zumba® instructor workshops and master classes. My most recent fascination is the Metro Dash, and I am registered to attempt it March 17th in Atlanta.

The Metro Dash is an obstacle course race created by Navy Seals, and packed into an area the size of a football field. It requires sprinting 600 yards with climbing, crawling, pulling, pushing, and carrying heavy things. It is not an endurance race, but a full on test of strength and power! The average competitor finishes the race in about 15 minutes, and if a participant is unable to complete an obstacle, he or she is penalized with 20 burpees, which must be completed before joining back into the race.



Although I work out regularly, I started training specifically for this competition last week. One day I went to the park and climbed up and down the climbing wall and monkey bars, then flipped heavy tractor tires and jumped hurdles. Another day I pulled and pushed tires with weights in them to simulate a weight sled, and then carried heavy dumbbells around the gym on my shoulders.

Today I went to an old school with lots of monkey bars. I crossed them several times, until the rusty, unmaintained bars pulled a callous from my hand. I don't wear weightlifting gloves because, during my powerlifting days around 10 years ago, we used chalk to help us grip the bar, especially when deadlifting, and I never got into the habit of wearing them. I feel that I get a better grip without them, although they do protect the skin.

Competing in races gives me a goal to accomplish, and makes my workouts seem like they mean more than just a regular routine. I get fired up over new challenges, and I feel like participating in different kinds of workouts improves my overall fitness level. I will be posting lots of pictures after completing the Metro Dash on March 17th so stay tuned!

Plagued by the Silent Killer

Last week I went into a health clinic for a regularly scheduled physical, and came out questioning some of my own eating habits. I got blood work, urinalysis, and all kinds of other tests done that the technicians perform to assess health levels. I consider myself to be in very good physical condition, and I have always had optimal results on these kinds of tests. Not this time.

The nurse practitioner couldn't believe it, and tried again to be sure, but she got the same reading. My blood pressure is high. I scored excellent on all other tests, so it was bit of a shock. My reading isn't considered hypertension, but it's very close. Hypertension, when blood pressure is high enough to require some type of modification, is defined as anything higher than 140/90. Last week, at the clinic, it was 138/90, and I took it again last night and got 138/79. I am actually surprised it was lower yesterday because my son was pitching a fit in the middle of the store while I was taking it.

High blood pressure is nicknamed "The Silent Killer" because it has no signs or symptoms. It is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body, and it also contributes to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, and the development of heart failure.

The nurse practitioner and I discussed my habits. I truly do not think I am mentally stressed, and that is a huge risk factor for high blood pressure. My son frustrates me sometimes, and I stay busy all the time, but I consider myself to be a happy person with a relatively drama free life. I exercise regularly, I'm not overweight, I don't smoke or excessively consume alcohol, so the only other lifestyle factor that could contribute to high blood pressure is my diet.

I don't eat much fried or greasy, fatty foods. I try to choose lean sources of protein, and eat lots of vegetables every day. When I am selecting food at the grocery store, I always check out the calories, protein, and fat, but skip right over the sodium. I honestly thought only older people had to worry about salt content. When I cook, to make up for lack of butter, oil, or fat in recipes, I heavily season almost everything.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I often eat Morningstar Farms, Amy's, or Boca meatless products because they're high in protein, low in fat, and simple to prepare. I also consume several bags of Steamfresh vegetables daily. These foods appear to be healthy, but they are all loaded with sodium. One veggie patty has 20% of the recommended daily allowance for sodium, as does one serving of steamed veggies in seasoned sauce. I usually consume two patties and three servings of veggies at each meal, so that is 100% of what I am supposed to have in one meal, but I usually eat five or six times per day. When I look at the numbers, I can't believe how much salt I take in every day.

Having high blood pressure really bothers me. I am a fitness professional, and I should be setting an example for all those around me. I am way too young to be experiencing heart disease risk factors. I am determined to do everything in my power to bring my blood pressure down. I know that all it will take is a little extra work and preparation. I went to the grocery store last night, and for the first time in my life, I checked the sodium content of every single thing before I put it in my shopping cart.

I selected lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I purchased several giant packs of boneless, skinless chicken breast. I did buy some frozen vegetables, but I made sure they weren't smothered in seasonings. For snacks, I choose Greek yogurt, unsalted nuts, and low sodium granola bars and cereal. I stocked up on sodium-free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash, cilantro, oregano, chives, and other herbs.

I spent my Sunday evening preparing food for the rest of the week. I baked about 10 whole chicken breasts, seasoned with sauteed onions and garlic, Ms. Dash, oregano, and chives. I also cooked some vegetables and prepared a salad. The food was absolutely delicious. I know I can continue to plan my meals ahead of time. My health depends on it.

Zumba® Fundraiser at Leapin' Lizards Party and Fun Zone!

I am so excited to be part of a charity event to benefit the Easter Seals Disability Foundation! We will have a fun Zumba Fitness Master Class Saturday, February 25th, from 9:30 - 11:00 am at Leapin' Lizards Party and Fun Zone at 416 Dale Lane, right off St. Augustine Rd, across from Blanton Commons Apartments. Children are welcome to come and play on the inflatables for regular admission price, with that going to charity as well.

The South Georgia Chapter of Easter Seals does a lot around the community to assist children and adults with special needs and disabilities. Their therapists, teachers, and health professionals help individuals overcome obstacles to reach independence and provide support. Easter Seals provides vocational service programs, community living support, residential services, and much more. I am very confident the funds we raise with our Zumba class will be put to good use right here in South Georgia.

The Master Class will consist of an hour and half of Zumba, led by six different local instructors. Participants will groove to easy-to-follow dance moves set to catchy, upbeat international rhythms. With all the variety of flavor, this will certainly be a fitness party to remember!

The class will begin at 9:30, but we will have some local businesses displaying their goods and services prior to class. If you are interested in becoming a vendor please contact me via email using the tab at the top of the page or by calling 229.415.3782, or call Leapin' Lizards Party and Fun Zone at 229.469.4406.

Leapin' Lizards will open for children to play and bounce at 9:00 am. Cost is $7.50 for ages 4 and up, and $5.50 for ages 1 to 3. All proceeds collected from 9:00 - 11:00 will go to the Easter Seals Disability Foundation. Make this charity event a whole family affair!

Jam Out!

I have been teaching Zumba® for close to four years, and I am nowhere near sick of it. I am always hungry to learn ways to improve my classes. Exercise is my passion, and I love helping other people fall in love with it like I did. Over the weekend, I went to Gainesville, Florida for a Zumba® instructor choreography jam session to learn some new choreography to use in my classes.

Jam sessions are led by licensed Zumba® jammers, and during each three hour session, five songs are broken down by the jammer, and practiced with the partipants. After attending the session, we have new choreography that we can use in our classes right away. For this particular session, participants were lucky enough to have three jammers: Cristiane Machado from Gainesville, Bianca Ayala from South Florida, and Hugo Garrido from Minnesota.

I create most of my own choreography for my Zumba® classes. I've been doing Zumba® for so long, that when I hear a song, I envision dance moves to the rhythm without even thinking. A lot of the moves I come up with are very repetitive. I am always interested in learning new styles, and seeing how other instructors choreograph songs. Every instructor comes from a different background, and it's fun to see how individual instructors put their own dance moves to music. I love to get fresh ideas from other people to help make my classes better.

Bianca broke down a Soca and a Bollywood for us first. They were both super high intensity, and got my heart rate sky high! The choreography was simple to learn, and I am positive I will be using both her songs this week in my classes. I use Soca and Bollywood rhythms often, but Bianca has different signature moves to go with each one, and I'm excited to introduce her style to my classes.

Hugo went next with a beautiful Cumbia and a fun Cha-Cha. The Cumbia I was able to pick up right away, but the Cha-Cha will take a little practice. One of the reasons I love attending choreography jam sessions is that the instructors often use rhthyms that I am not all that comfortable with, and it forces me to learn and practice. I seldom use Cha-Chas in my classes, so I am really looking forward to challenging myself with this one.

Cristiane taught us a Samba last. I already currently use the song we broke down, but we had a mini-Samba lesson, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Samba is one of the hardest rhythms for Americans to catch onto, and most certainly a great work out! I was more than happy to practice and get some pointers for teaching this rhythm to my students. I would love to use more Samba in my classes.

This jam session was the seventh one I have attended. Not only do I get to experience the various styles of choreography the jammers have to offer, I also get to network with other instructors. One of the women I met at the HOT HULA fitness® workshop I attended last month was there, and I was able to practice a little Polynesian dancing on our break. I love going to these jam sessions. I always learn a great deal that helps me improve my instructing skills. I am looking forward to another jam next month!