Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

I know this sounds crazy, the last thing you want to do when you are depressed is exercise but I am a living testament of how it really helps. If you ask my family I am a happier easier to live with me when I exercise regularly. Take a look at the great info in this article maybe SHARE it with a friend or family member and if you want to give it and try and aren't sure where to start just message me I would LOVE to help!

Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

By Contributor on July 20, 2015

Depression and anxiety symptoms often improve with exercise. When you have anxiety or depression, exercise often seems like the last thing you want to do, but once you get motivated, exercise can make a big difference. So, how do you Exercise for Depression and Anxiety?

First you need to have a greater understanding on how exercise can make a difference in depression and anxiety symptoms. The links between anxiety, depression and exercise are not entirely clear, but working out and other forms of physical activity have shown that it can definitely ease symptoms of anxiety or depression and make you feel better. Exercise has also been shown to help keep anxiety and depression from coming back once you are feeling better and symptoms have subsided.

How does exercise help depression and anxiety?

Regular exercise for depression and anxiety may help ease symptoms in a number of ways, which may include:

• Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters, endorphins and endocannabinoids)
• Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression
• Increasing body temperature, which may have calming effects

Regular exercise has many other psychological and emotional benefits, as well. It can help you:

• Gain confidence. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.
• Take your mind off worries. Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
• Cope in a healthy way. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on its own can lead to worsening symptoms.

Now that you have an understanding of how it can help, what can you do to Exercise for Depression and Anxiety? Research has shown that physical activity such as regular walking, gardening or other forms of physical activity may help improve mood. Keep in mind that Physical activity and exercise are not the same thing, but both are beneficial to your health. The same research has shown that those who used exercise that incorporated progressive resistance training, and cardiovascular training showed a greater improvement and maintenance of depression and anxiety.

Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

With that said, many people don’t seek out exercise because they don’t want to go to a gym or fitness facility due to their depression and anxiety. So what is the answer?

The answer is to utilize at-home fitness and exercise programs such as Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix, P90X, TurboFire, Insanity, and others that provide resistance and cardiovascular training in a planned and structured format. This progressive exercise combined with a structured plan, and where you don’t have to leave your home is great way to create that improvement or maintain that Exercise for Depression and Anxiety can bring to a person.

One of the other things that many people don’t have with going to the gym to exercise for depression and anxiety is support. With a Beachbody Club Membership, each person gets a FREE Coach to support him or her. This can be a great benefit to those who have to exercise for depression and anxiety. If you start with a Beachbody Premium Membership, you’re first 30 days is FREE, and it gives you access to Beachbody On-Demand, an amazing meal planner, and much more! After your free trial ends, you’ll continue to stream world-class programs, such as P90X®, P90X2®, P90X3®, INSANITY®, and more from our massive Beachbody Member Library.

So take advantage of exercise to provide benefits to your overall health, and to improve or manage depression and anxiety.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/exercise-for-depression-and-anxiety/#!236

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

Interesting, I had no idea how much protein I should be consuming. Too little or too much can be harmful to your health. Do you know how much protein you should be consuming? I will be making some changes for sure! Great article to SHARE.

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

By Contributor on July 22, 2015

What are the Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women? The average man in the United States consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, while the average woman takes in approximately 70 grams, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The amount of protein you need daily really is dependent on your gender and activity level, as well as your goals because this determines your total caloric intake which has an effect on the amount of protein you need to consume.

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

The Institute of Health and Nutrition finding is that for general health, men should get around 56 grams of protein per day and that women should get around 46 grams. It is also important to know that the human body cannot properly utilize more than 20 grams of protein in one consumption. Therefore the grams should be spread out throughout the day in smaller doses. When consuming protein it needs to be of higher quality to ensure that you are getting the nine essential amino acids that are needed but your body cannot produce on its own. Meat, fish and poultry provide all of the amino acids, but if you are a vegetarian, you can combine foods, such as rice and beans, or whole-grain bread and peanut butter, to get a complete array of amino acids.Shakeology which is a total nutrition shake, will also provide all the nutrients you need from the protein to the amino acids. Including this shake in your daily nutrition will help you reach your protein needs without overloading the body with hard to digest animal proteins.

It is also recommended that 10 to 30 percent of your total calories comes from protein. This guideline is general and is dependent on goals. Example: 1,800 calories per day, 180 to 540 of those calories should be from protein. Each gram of protein is 4 calories. This would put your consumption at 45 to 135 grams of protein. This proves why it is dependent on gender, activity level, and personal goals.

Most People Get Too Much Protein
To avoid weight gain, water retention and extra wear and tear on your digestive system, do not take in more protein than recommended. Your body will only use the protein it needs and can process at one time. If you are consuming more than your body needs you will either store it as excess fat or eliminate it. Therefore consuming too much at one time is bad for your body and a waste of money.

Eating large amounts of meat and animal protein each day can be especially unhealthy and hard on the body. Animal products should be eaten in moderation. Plant-based proteins, such as beans, whole grains and legumes are choices that keep the protein levels where you want them and provide a lot of other nutrients. Of course eating a variety of protein sources ensures your body balanced nutrition with all the essential amino acids and prevents it from being bogged down when there is too much of one food item.

Best Result with Your Protein Consumption
Most people don’t realize this, but the muscle gains and recovery do not come from just protein. You need to have a balanced proportion of proteins with complex carbohydrates for your body to actually assimilate the protein for muscle gains and recovery. Therefore you need to consume protein in small amounts, keeping the total grams in one sitting to no more than 20, and include carbohydrates that will optimize protein utilization. This is why we mention plant-based protein sources, as they provide both protein and carbohydrates.

If you are looking at supplements for help getting good protein and carbohydrates you want to use something that is natural and does not have additives or artificial sugars and ingredients. Two of the best sources of high quality supplements are the superfood shake Shakeology, and Beachbody’s Recharge and Recover Protein from their Performance Nutrition Line. These products are clean, high quality protein sources that are perfectly balanced with carbohydrates for optimal assimilation of the protein and super nutrient dense carbohydrates to aid in the process of muscle gain and recovery. When you are providing your body the proper macronutrient quantities, you will get the greatest results. Too much or too little will keep you from having the gains and results you are looking to obtain.

With the knowledge of protein requirements and overall balanced nutrition, great things will happen for you.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/daily-protein-requirements-for-men-and-women/#!236

 

Health Effects of Caffeine

How many of us drink caffeine first thing in the morning? I know I do and my choice was not a good one. This article was very informative on the good and bad of caffeine and how to make adjustments to your caffeine intake. Please SHARE this article and your thoughts!

Health Effects of Caffeine

By Contributor on July 23, 2015

Caffeine has its perks, but it can pose problems as well. The best thing you can do is to find out how much is too much for you, as well as the overall health effects of caffeine. Once you know the health effects of caffeine you can properly determine whether you need to curb your consumption.
Do you rely on caffeine to wake you up and keep you going? Well you aren’t alone. Caffeine is used by millions of people every day to increase wakefulness, alleviate fatigue, and improve concentration and focus. This can be a problem.
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant, and it can be used to improve physical strength and endurance if used properly, but it can also have some very bad side effects on your health if over used and over consumed.

Where can caffeine be found and is there a difference?

 Caffeine is found in Coffee, Green Teas, Energy Drinks, soda, and in a pill form. Caffeine that you find in soda, pill form, or in the majority of energy drinks are synthetic versions of caffeine which is not a form of caffeine you want to be consuming. Then add the sugar levels that are in soda and most energy drinks, and you are on the road to weight gain and an unhealthy body. If you are going to consume caffeine it should only come from coffee, green tea, or if you are using an energy drink you need to verify that it is coming from green tea or other natural herbs that have been found safe for consumption. The cleanest most natural energy drink on the market is Energize by Beachbody. This product can found in their top selling Performance Nutrition Line.

How much is too much and what are the health effects of caffeine?

Some science says that up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults. The key word here is “Appears”. The newest science has shown that low doses of caffeine may have beneficial effects on the body, were high doses can hinder how the body operates.
Caffeine dosages really should be tailored to each individual. If you are new to caffeine or supplement that contain caffeine, keeping consumption at 100 mg or lower per dose would be a good idea. Typically, 200 mg or less of caffeine has shown to have fat-burning and performance improvement properties. Heavy caffeine use can cause unpleasant side effects, and caffeine may not be a good choice for people who are highly sensitive to its effects or who take certain medications.
Heavy daily caffeine use that is more than 400 mg a day may cause side effects such as: Insomnia, Nervousness, Restlessness, Irritability, Digestion issues and Bloating, Fast Heart Rate, Muscle Tremors, and Weight gain just to name a few.
High doses have been found to not improve performance or aid in fat burning because it causes sedation and relaxation effects by triggering those receptors in the brain. It also creates an inhibition of serotonin levels, acetylcholine, and your adrenaline system. When this happens to these systems you will see slowing in performance, and fat burning abilities.
Of course you only want the health effects of caffeine that are good. So you may need to take a look at your consumption and see how you can curb your caffeine habit to bring your consumption to the levels that will have a positive benefit.
Depending on your consumption, cutting back on caffeine can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. Fortunately, these symptoms are usually mild and resolve after a few days.
To have health effects of caffeine that will benefit you, try these tips to get your consumption in line:

• Keep tabs. Start paying attention to how much caffeine you’re getting from foods and beverages. It may be more than you think. Read labels carefully. Even then, your estimate may be a little low because not all foods or drinks list caffeine.
• Cut back. Remember to do it gradually. Decrease the amount by a few ounces each day. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and lessen potential withdrawal effects.
• Go decaf. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same as their caffeinated counterparts.
• Shorten the brew time or go herbal. When making tea, brew it for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Choose herbal teas that don’t have caffeine.
• Check the bottle. Some over-the-counter pain relievers contain caffeine, and can be as much as 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Look for caffeine-free pain relievers instead.

The bottom line is that caffeine can be a part of your daily routine if consumed at doses that benefit your health versus hinder it. When done this way, most of the time it doesn’t pose a health problem. Be mindful of those situations in which you need to curtail your caffeine habit. If you plan on using nutritional supplements that have caffeine make sure that is a high quality product that uses naturaly low doses of caffeine, such as the Energize from the Beachbody Performance Line. Also keep in mind that when consuming these products you may have to keep your other caffeine beverages to lower levels.
When taking these things into consideration it will provide you the positive health effects of caffeine versus negative effects.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/health-effects-of-caffeine/#!236

What Is a Balanced Diet? Here’s Your Sign!

Eat a balanced diet. Whenever I hear that, I think RIGHT I know but where do I start? This article has some great info on some easy steps you can take to get started right! I love the 90/10 concept. What steps could you take to start?

Everyone knows that you and your kids are supposed to be eating a “healthy balanced diet”. That’s great, but “What Is A Balanced Diet?” How exactly is a healthy balanced diet different from what most people eat? While you ultimately have to decide what the best nutrition is for you based on your lifestyle, goals, and choices, but there are several things that hold true.
A healthy balanced diet is filled with as many “real foods” as possible. That means foods that haven’t been filled with chemicals, including artificial colors and flavorings. If it comes in a box, no matter how “all natural” it is, you’re probably better off not buying it.

Choosing the path of a healthy balanced diet is a lifestyle change, and can take some practice. Here are some great suggestions to get you started on your path to a healthy balanced diet.
A good way to start is to slowly eliminate packaged food to foods and meals that you create. There are a number of recipes available that will allow you to make your own foods and meals that only take few minutes up front. Another idea to keep in mind is “mason jar” recipes. These recipes allow you to prepare your meals ahead for maximum convenience while still staying on your healthy balanced diet. These recipes include salads, oatmeal’s, and more. There are plenty of other options that will allow you to put together your favorite foods once and enjoy them for up to a week without any further effort.

Never deprive yourself of any food group. This doesn’t mean that you should be chowing down on unhealthy snacks and high-fat foods. It does mean that you shouldn’t limit yourself to fruits, vegetables, and lean meats all the time, either. It is okay to have a splurge item every once in a while. Rule of thumb eat balanced 90% of the time and you will be on the right track. Focus on eating a wide variety of foods so your body gets all of the nutrients it needs and that you are not depriving yourself of something that you really need in order to function at your optimal level.
Foods that you should be limiting are refined grains and added sugar. Added sugar, in particular, can be hard to catch! Many foods that you buy prepackaged or at restaurants contain added sugar content to help them taste better or to cover up the taste of other additives, which is one of the reasons why it’s often better to cook your own when possible. Refined grains process through your body very quickly and are turned into sugar. Whole grains, on the other hand, will keep the nutritional content of the wheat intact.
Eat the rainbow. No, not that popular candy that comes complete with a week’s supply of sugar and enough artificial colors to take you to the moon and back. Rather, eat a “rainbow” of fruits and vegetables. Different colors tend to indicate that the fruits or vegetables have similar nutrients in them. That means that you should fill your plate with all sorts of different tones. Not only is it pretty (which, according to research, will make you enjoy eating it even more), it also contains a variety of different nutrients.
Control your portion sizes. A good rule of thumb is to start by dividing the portion you would normally eat in half. To help control your portions, pay attention when you’re eating. Don’t plop down in front of your television or computer screen; instead, concentrate on the process of eating. Enjoy the flavor and texture of your foods instead of mindlessly shoveling your meal down before going back for more. Also, use this old trick: use a smaller plate to help your portions seem larger.
Try not to drink your calories with soda and other similar drinks. You often don’t realize how many calories there really are in your favorite coffee drink or that soda that you drink by the bottle, but it can pack on the pounds fast. When possible, drink water–and lots of it! Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your body. The only caloric drink that would be highly recommended is a total nutrition shake. These can be used for a healthy snack or meal replacement when used with a recipe.
Implement these suggestions and you will be on your way to creating a healthy balanced diet that fits your lifestyle.

 http://www.gettingfittogether.com/what-is-a-balanced-diet-heres-your-sign/#!236

How Often Should I Eat?

Awesome article, I know it sounds crazy but people who eat more often maintain a healthier weight. I know I need to get more consistent with this. I would love for you to SHARE your thoughts!

How Often Should I Eat? Let’s face it, since the dawn of man the rule for consumption of food was simply to eat to survive. Well our modern society and lifestyle has changed and flipped that simple process.

Obesity rates continue to grow and will be affecting more than two-thirds of Americans in the next 5-10 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So you can see the simple rule has flipped and it appears that humans survive so they can eat.

Through the years we have seen nutrition and diet science, and programs change their design about what foods best suit our needs as a society, but you don’t hear about when to eat. The question that seem to arise most often is “How Often Should I Eat?”

The most popular approach to the question of How Often Should I Eat for general health and weight maintenance has been to spread calories throughout the day by consuming 5-6 smaller meals. The concept of doing this method is that you are most likely to feel less hungry at any particular time, and in turn you will not be apt to over indulge or eat in excess.

A study found in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shows data on this approach. It states that people who were of their ideal weight and able to maintain their weight reported eating more often than individuals who were overweight and obese.

How Often Should I Eat?

The overall hypothesis is eat small meals and snacks spread out every 3- 3 ½ hours from the time of breakfast. This proves to keep you sustained which avoids greater levels of hunger, and will limit overeating. Therefore control of caloric intake and, ultimately control of body weight.

Though we know that eating throughout the day with 5-6 smaller meals can benefit for weight maintenance, how does is measure up for weight loss.

According to a study done by Circadian Biologist Ph.D. Amandine Chaix, consuming meals 5-6 times throughout the day can aid in weight loss, but it needs to be meals that are healthy and portioned appropriately. It was found that if the foods were high-fat, sugar or highly processed that the individuals still became obese. The complete findings found that those fed in the 9-12 hour window with 5-6 smaller meals that were portioned and low in processed, high fat, and high sugar were leaner. “So, already being obese and switching to time-restricted feeding with healthier foods and portions, does create weight loss. That is powerful.” Chaix said.

The research of meal timing shows further benefits in addition to those who want to lose weight and maintain their weight, especially as it relates to the consumption of protein.

When spreading the protein consumption throughout the day in smaller doses the body is able to assimilate and use the protein for greater gains and recovery of the muscle tissue. This can help maintain muscle loss during weight loss, and through the aging process.

How Often Should I Eat?

The answer is 5-6 smaller meals per day. Spaced out every 3-3 ½ hours after the consumption of breakfast. Though you must also keep in mind that for weight loss and maintenance the number of calories at each meal and throughout the day still plays a very large role in this process.

If you are trying to lose weight, you need to consume smaller meals spread throughout the day, create a calorie deficit through portioned meals, and exercising appropriately 5-6 times per week. If you need assistance in implementing a meal plan and exercise regimen that will keep you eating throughout the day and exercising appropriately, Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix combines all of this in one package and you get a FREE Coach to help keep you on track and motivated.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/how-often-should-i-eat-food/#!236

3 Day Detox Cleanse: A Healthy One

3 Day Detox Cleanse: A Healthy One

This article has some great information on a healthy way to cleanse or jump start your nutrition after a holiday weekend or summer parties. This is such a healthy option with great results! I would love to hear your thoughts!


A 3 Day Detox Cleanse is the latest hype for kicking off a healthy lifestyle. The question is…are they really good and are they healthy.

Everyone wants to see results fast! Kick starting the weight loss process can help you feel better about yourself and where the process is going go. Unfortunately, many so-called cleanses are not that healthy and leave you feeling sluggish, slow, and deprived. Juice fasts and liquid cleanses tax your body. They’re hard on your organs and create a rebound effect when you return to normal eating. In general, the weight lost from these types of cleanses are really just water weight. Sure, it works to get you into a special dress for a party or your skinny jeans for a special date, but you want long-term results that will keep your body healthy and make you look and feel better than ever.

Well you no longer have to feel that way or have those issues when doing a detox cleanse. The 3 Day Refresh is a healthy cleanse that may help flatten your belly and fit into your clothes better while still giving your body the vital nutrients it needs in order to function.

Here’s how it works:

The 3 Day Refresh is simple. You start off your day with a serving of Shakeology and a fruit for breakfast. Shakeology comes in six different flavors, so not only will you be able to find one that you’ll love, there are over 101 recipes that you can create!. Mid-morning you will use the Fiber Sweep Drink. No worries, it is not one of those run to the bathroom drinks. Then for lunch you will enjoy a variety of vegetables, a healthy fat, a fruit and drink the Vanilla Fresh Protein Shake which is packed full of nutrients and protein that your body needs. In the afternoon you will have an afternoon snack of vegetables and a choice off the healthy fats list. You will then finish out the day with dinner. Dinner will include a selection from one of the many amazing meal recipes and a second Vanilla Fresh shake. This program is designed to help naturally remove waste and toxins from your body. You feel full, satisfied, and ready to take on your day with more energy and enthusiasm than ever before.

Can it be done more than once?

The 3 Day Refresh is a fantastic program that is designed to rid your body of impurities. It’s not designed as a long-term solution, and therefore should not be repeated over and over again. Though you may do the 3 Day Refresh quarterly or even on a monthly basis to kick off each month. It has been reported that people who have used it more than once find themselves losing more weight and finding more energy each time.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/3-day-detox-cleanse-a-healthy-one/#!236

Healthy Dinner Ideas: Easy Peasy!

Do you struggle with healthy dinner ideas? I KNOW I DO. This is a great SHARE with 7 days of healthy dinners. My favorite is the taco salad only difference is we have themes at our house. So Monday is meatless Monday and Tuesday is taco Tuesday. I could eat the taco salad several times a week. What recipe looks delicious to you?

Are you breaking into cold sweats because summer is just around the corner and you are thinking about bikinis and shorts? Well you’re definitely not alone. How about coming up with Healthy Dinner Ideas? Fear not! You haven’t missed the boat yet. You can get your body back into summer shape and you can still do it the good old-fashioned way, with balanced nutrition and exercise. The best part is unlike the old days, you don’t have to spend months and months waiting for results. If you couple these healthy dinner ideas with workouts like The 21 Day Fix Extreme, you’ll be summer-ready in a few weeks.

Check out this seven day healthy dinner idea meal plan:

Monday: Quinoa Salad with Salmon:

•        8-ounce Salmon fillet (skin-on)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cubed cucumber
• 1/2 cup red onion (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cook Quinoa according to box directions. Season salmon, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Cook the salmon skin side down for 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook for 3-4 more minutes until skin is golden. Flip salmon and cook 2 more minutes. Remove salmon from heat, flake apart, and add all ingredients including cooked quinoa to a bowl. Gently stir all ingredients together.

Tuesday: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Lean Turkey Meat Sauce

• 1 lb. lean turkey
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar prepared spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Saute’ onion for five minutes in olive oil, add ingredients through 5, and boil noodles in salted water per box directions. Serve one cup of noodles with one cup of sauce.

Wednesday: Turkey Taco Salad

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 package of Lawry’s Taco Seasoning
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 can vegetarian fat-free refried beans or black beans
• 1 cup low-fat shredded mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup prepared salsa or pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 bag shredded lettuce (lettuce of your choice)

Sauté turkey in olive oil with seasonings until brown. Heat beans. Assemble with lettuce as the base, top with taco meat, beans, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Enjoy!

Thursday: Grilled Pork Loin Medallions with Garlic Lemon-Pepper Asparagus

• 1 pound boneless pork loin cut into 1/4 inch medallions
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 tbsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

Cut and season pork. Heat a grill pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add pork to grill pan and grill for 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the other side. Add asparagus to a large saute pan with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain water, add remaining olive oil, and season with minced garlic and lemon-pepper seasonings. Cook about 2 more minutes or until desired level of doneness.

Friday: Grilled Chicken with broccoli and corn

• 1 cup Lawry’s Herb & Garlic 30 minute marinade
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 ears of corn
• 2 cups of broccoli

Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Shuck corn and lightly coat with olive oil then wrap corn in foil. Add marinated chicken to a hot grill along with foil wrapped corn. Grill chicken until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Corn needs about 15 minutes. Steam broccoli for five minutes while allowing the chicken breasts to rest.

Saturday: Summer Spaghetti with Light Caprice Salad

• 1 lb. angel hair or spaghetti (thin spaghetti) noodles
• sliced summer squash
• sliced zucchini
• 2 carrots (shaved or peeled into thin strips)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 container cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• 1 bunch of basil
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
• 1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Boil salted water. Saute ingredients 2-5 in a tbsp. of olive oil for 6 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and half of the amount of basil for 2 minutes. Add noodles to water, boil no more than 6 minutes. Drain noodles and add to saute pan. Add tbsp. olive oil. Toss to combine.

Cut remaining basil into strips. Slice beefsteak tomatoes, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and basil strips, drizzle with remaining oil, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Sunday: Sirloin Steak Kebabs with Grilled Polenta

• 1 lb. boneless sirloin steak cut into cubes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 zucchini
• 1 squash
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 18 ounce tube prepared polenta

Cut vegetables (other than tomatoes) and meat into even 1 inch pieces to ensure they cook at the same rate. Prepare kebabs alternating with meat and vegetables. Drizzle with 1/8 cup of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cut polenta into 1/4 inch medallions, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook polenta and kebabs on a hot grill. Start polenta first, after about 10 minutes add kebabs. Grill about 5 minutes per side.

Having a Beachbody isn’t out of reach this summer! Try these Healthy Dinner Ideas and you will be energized and be able to conquer any fitness routine and make your goals a reality.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/healthy-dinner-ideas-easy-peasy/#!236