Ninja Niblets: January 19, 2012

A few quick niblets and tidbits to get you going this week.

Awesome Workout Songs To Add To Your Playlist

What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) by Kelly Clarkson – I’m seriously obsessed with this one, it is so motivational and really gets me pumped!

International Love by Pitbull

Good Feeling by Flo Rida featuring Sia

Super Bass by Nicki Minaj

Mr. Know It All by Kelly Clarkson

Fitness Magazine: Calorie Cheat Sheet

Do you really know how many calories you’re eating? Or what you think is only 100 calories is probably much more than that. This quick cheat sheet from Fitness Magazine divides up some popular foods into categories of 100, 250 and 400 calories. You’d be surprised at how quickly things add up.

Shape Magazine: 8 Reasons to Lift Heavier Weights

Lifting weights is an essential part of working out and just as beneficial and sometimes more so than cardio work. Women especially veer away from weights thinking they’re going to bulk up and look like a guy. Not so. Our muscles can only get so big since we don’t have testosterone, so don’t worry about looking like the hulk. Instead, weightlifting will give more benefit to your cardio workout. If you have good, strong muscles, you will burn up to 100 calories more in the next 24 hours after a cardio workout. It also helps prevent injury and osteoporosis. Grab a dumbbell and get curling!

Fitsugar: Motivational Quotes

Feeling the blahs today? Don’t feel like getting your workout in? Try flipping through this photo gallery of motivational quotes. I bet by the end, you’ll be out the door running to your kickboxing class!

 

Quick Links: Working Out in the Heat

I know I’m not the only one having a hard time working out in the scorching summer weather. I used to be able to run at 8:00 in the morning, and now I’m getting up at 5:00am to get my run in. One thing I find very valuable, besides getting up extremely early, is soaking a bandana in water and then wrapping ice cubes inside it to wear around my neck. As the cubes melt, you get a nice trickle of cold water down your neck and back.

Here are a few links to summer workout tips…
ABC News: Summer Workout Tips
Runner\'s World: Beat the Heat

Ninja Niblets: May 17

A few Ninja Niblets for the week…

Current Workout Music Obsessions
–Friday by the Glee Cast
–On the Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
–Dirty Dancing by Enrique Iglesias

New Healthy Recipe: Grilled Veggies
I got a grill basket for my grill so I could cook veggies. Yesterday I chopped up red and green peppers, onions and mushrooms and then sprayed them with butter flavored cooking spray and a sprinkle of garlic powder. I put them in the basket and on the grill for about 3 – 4 minutes and enjoyed. Completely fat free food and extremely delicious. It makes a great side dish to any entree or even a quick snack.

Ninja Nibbles: Quick Tips

So there are a few things lately that I’ve been obsessed with in terms of my workouts and diet that I thought I’d share. I ate my bodyweight in chocolate eggs and bunnies on Easter, but I’m back on the straight and narrow now. As I make little discoveries about good, new snacks or a great workout song or a new tip, I plan to share them!

• Workout songs: “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” by Scissor Sisters and “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine
Those songs seriously get me pumped and make me take off running like no other. Great, great stuff!

• Snacks: Yogurt covered raisins, Craisins Cherries
They both have a lot of sugar in them, but they are great for a pre-workout snack for a quick burst of energy or to use while on a long run for refueling. They do have fiber and other good nutrition in them, so it’s a good snack. I mix them with unsalted peanuts to get in a bit of protein for my long runs.

• Breakfast Booster: Greek Yogurt Smoothie
Mix: non-fat milk, Greek Yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries with a dash of Agave Nectar (for sweetening) and blend. This makes a great smoothie filled with tons of protein, fiber and vitamins to get you going in the day. I drink one for breakfast every morning in addition to eating a slice of toast with peanut butter on it. This combination keeps me full a really long time