Strengthen Your Core and Elevate Your Heart Rate With This Cable Back Workout!

Back Workout

Lat Pulldown

The lat pulldown is a multi-joint exercise that involves main mover the latissimus dorsi, the largest back muscle, which extends down each side of your spine. The biceps, rear delts, rhomboids and traps are also syngistically during the pulldown exercise.

Close Grip Pulldown

Great exercise to target the primarily lats, the traps (middle and lower) and the biceps. Secondary, it uses the teres major, posterior deltoid and the pectoralis major. Many women are afraid to lift heavy for their upper body. However, developing your back create a v-taper making your waist appear smaller. It also increase your strength to later take on pull-ups and lift things easier around the house.

Squat Row

A compound total body exercise that trains the mid and lower back, legs and glutes while elevating the heart rate. Make sure to use your legs as you stand up with the close grip handle in front of your body with arms extended. Execute the exercise by squating down while keeping the arms extended, use you legs to stand up while bring the close grip handle close to your belly button. Squat back down with the arms extended to complete one rep and repeat!

Swimmers

Swimmers are a different variation to the Lying Back Extension (Superman). This exercise strengthens the core and stretches the lower back. Adding movement to it elevates the heart rate. This exercise can be done in repetitions or timed.

To build muscle: increase weight and lower reps to 8-10.

To tone up: lower weight and increase reps to 12-15.

EZ Bar Curls

The angle of the EZ curl bar allows your wrists, forearms and elbows in a more comfortable, natural and safe position, as a result reducing the risk of common injuries that many people develop over time from curling with a straight bar This will be your starting position: Stand up straight while holding an EZ curl bar at the wide outer handle. Keep your elbows close to your torso. Keep your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights upward while contracting the biceps. Raise the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the top contracted position for a moment and squeeze the biceps. Then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

The Benefits of Eating Squash

Benefits of Eating Squash

• Full of vitamin C, magnesium, and other antioxidant compounds

• It helps to neutralize free radicals throughout the body. Free radicals have been connected with a wide spread of illnesses, including cancer, heart diseases, and premature aging.

• Contains high levels of vitamin A, including carotenoid phytonutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. These help the body boost its immune response and defend against foreign substances

• Great source of B-complex vitamins which helps boost metabolism,. Certain types of squash contain good amounts of dietary fiber and pectin. Pectin regulates blood sugar  throughout the body, making sure that the insulin and glucose activities within the body remain constant and smooth. 

• Due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene,and polysaccharides called homogalacturonan squash gives out anti-inflammatory properties to help heal the body. Anti-inflammatory effects can extend to arthritis and gout. Studies on squash have linked it to reducing gastric and duodenal ulcer reduction, and general anti-inflammation of the cardiovascular system. Inflammation in the body is closely linked to type-2 diabetes.

• The seeds of squash can also be eaten or chewed to get a number of health benefits. These seeds have been directly connected to antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic activity within the body, protecting us from a wide variety of diseases, including tapeworms and other intestinal parasites.

• Having magnesium and potassium present in squash forms a very effective defense line against cardiovascular issues. Potassium is a vasodilator, which means that it relaxes the tension of blood vessels and arteries, thereby increasing blood flow, oxygenation and reducing the stress on the heart. The fiber found in squash is very good at scraping excess cholesterol from the walls of arteries, thereby reducing the chances of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. The high levels of folate in squash neutralize harmful levels of homocysteine that builds up in the body. Homocysteine has been linked to increased chances of developing cardiovascular diseases

• High levels of essential vitamins found in squash is very important part of developing bone matter and bone mineral density. Squash is a valuable source of calcium, manganese, zing and other very important trace elements. This helps reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis as you age and ensure the strength and durability of your bones.

Healthy Migas Recipe

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

3 corn tortillas cut into pieces

olive oil

cracked pepper

Directions:

Step 1: Add some olive oil to a pan and heat on medium. Cook the cut up tortillas until semi-hard. Add the egg whites and scramble until done.

Nutrition Facts Migas Serving Size 1 meal Amount Per Serving Calories 267.85 Calories from Fat  60 % Daily Value Total Fat 6.94g 11%    Saturated Fat 0.98g 5%    Trans Fat 0g   Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 251.52mg  10% Total Carbohydrate 33.18g 11%    Dietary Fiber 4.56g 18%    Sugars 1.57g   Protein 18.49g  37% Vitamin A (IU) 1.44 0% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 67.56mg 7% Iron 1.04mg 6%

Muscle building Chest and Back Workout

Chest

3 - 4 Sets

Chest press machine

8 - 10 reps (heavy weight)

Incline dumbbell chest press

10 - 12 reps (medium weight)

Fly machine

12 - 15 reps (light - medium weight)

Dips

8 - 12 reps (body weight)

Back

3 - 4 sets

Lat Pulldown
10 - 12 reps

Reverse-grip lat pull up

10 - 12 reps

Bent-over dumbbell row

8 - 10 reps (heavy weight)

Back Extension (Floor)
3 - 4 sets
30 seconds - 1 min.

Bicep, Tricep and Shoulder Workout

Biceps: 3 - 4 sets

Ball preacher curl: 10 reps

Dumbbell bicep curls: 12 reps

21's 
7 lower, 7 complete, 7 upper

Triceps: 3 - 4 sets

Tricep dips with body weight: 10 reps

Tricep kickbacks: 12 reps

Lying lateral tricep extenstions
12 reps

Shoulders: 3 - 4 sets

Standing dumbbell press
10 reps

Dumbbell front raises
10 reps

Dumbbell seated lateral raises
12 reps

Bent-over dumbbell lateral raises
15 reps

Blackened Tilapia

Blackened Tilapia

Ingredients
8 tilapia fillets
3 tbsp. of paprika
1 tbsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. of each oregano, thyme and celery
garlic powder
sea salt and cracked pepper

Directions:

Step 1: Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl or small pan and mix well. Place the fish fillet in the dry rub and make sure enough seasoning sticks to both sides of the fillet. Once you season all the fillets, allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.

Step 2: After the 15 minutes are up, put some olive oil in a pan. Allow the pan to get hot to blacken the fish.

Step 3: Cook each side of the fillet for 3 minutes. Make sure to keep on a medium temperature.

According to the experts, we are should have 2 serving of fish each week. This recipe is great for people who do not like fish unless it is deep fried. My husband did!

Nutrition Facts Blackened Tilapia Serving Size 141 grams
Amount Per Serving
Calories 162.43 Calories from Fat  60
% Daily Value
Total Fat 6.55g	10%
Saturated Fat 1.25g	6%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 55mg	18%
Sodium 184.62mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 3.12g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1.41g	6%
Sugars 0.53g
Protein 21.67g	43%
Vitamin A (IU) 13.14	0%
Vitamin C 1.39mg	2%
Calcium 24.16mg	2%
Iron 1.08mg	6%

Winter Vegetables: Broccoli

Image Credits: drhealthbenefits.com

The Benefits of Broccoli

• A vegetable that is a close relative of cabbage and cauliflower which belongs to the Italica Cultivar group of Brassicaceae family.
•  vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, folate, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and tryptophan. It is a rich source of glucosinolates, flavonoids and phytonutrients.
• Broccoli may prove to be helpful with cancer by removing extra estrogen from the body. With strong anti-carcinogenic compounds like beta-carotene, diindolylmethane, glucoraphanin, selenium and other nutrients like vitamin A, C, and E, potassium, zinc and certain amino acids, which are also anti-cancer agents.
• Broccoli a very good detoxifier with the presence of vitamin-C, sulfur, and certain amino acids. It helps to removes uric acid from the body and other free radicals and toxins,  which it purifies the blood. It also helps with other problems related to toxins such as arthritis, boils, eczema, gout, itches, hardening of the skin, rashes, rheumatism, and renal calculi.
•  It is very rich in fiber or roughage, that can cure almost all stomach disorders by curing constipation. adds to the bulkiness of the food, retains water and forms healthy bowel movements. The magnesium and vitamins can cure acidity, promotes proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food and reduces inflammation.
• It contains significant levels of beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, and other vitamins that help lower bad cholesterol and keep the heart working properly by regulating blood-pressure. Steaming broccoli allows the fiber components join easier with bile, making it much more efficient to excrete. Bile reduction has a strong impact on cholesterol levels, by strengthening your heart health. In addition, potassium found in this vegetable is a vasodilator which can boost blood flow and oxygenation for the body's organs by relaxing stress and tension of veins and blood vessels.
• The green and purple color of broccoli are from vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other vitamins and minerals, selenium, copper, zinc, and phosphorus. These are really great for boosting immune system that protects you from numerous infections.
• Being very rich in calcium and nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus, broccoli beneficial for children, the elderly, pregnant women and lactating mothers. These people most prone to calcium deficiency, osteoporosis,weakening of bones and teeth.

Source: www.organicfacts.net