Adoration: Oxygen Magazine

Magazines are a favorite of mine. I have never been a big book reader, except for the Fear Street Novels- oh to be in 6th grade again. But I have been reading a lot of the health and fitness magazines lately. I have a subscription to Women's Health and Shape. Women's Health is slowly losing its touch because of the greater focus on more lifestyle type articles and less about fitness. Shape is still a favorite, but I have recently discovered Oxygen. I like this magazine because it has more weight training tips and tricks- the others tend to stick with more resistance training. Also it is less about fashion and hair and more about health and fitness. The exercises are a little more advanced so it may be a good read for those of you who are looking to expand on your gym routine. 

Check out their website here.

© The Simple Wife

Versus: Almonds

Almonds, the secret to a great diet- well, so says just about every fitness magazine or wellness publication on the market now. They are said to be one of the Ab Diet's power foods because they pack a huge punch when it comes to vitamins, nutrients, and fighting off hunger. This is when I add that I really do not like any kind of nuts for snacking except for wonderfully salted and deliciously bad for you peanuts, so I am going to have to force feed these little guys. I tried two different varieties to see which is better.

Blue Diamond Natural, Oven Roasted Almonds with a Vanilla Bean flavor: These little ones are acceptable. The Vanilla flavor is not overbearing which is nice, and they aren't too dry (which is the main reason I don't like almonds- they are very dry), but definitely have a glass of water handy. The best thing about Blue Diamond is that they put serving measurements on the side of the container for perfect portions. 1-10, I would give the Vanilla Bean Almonds a 7.

Emerald Nuts Cocoa Roasted Almonds: I had to try these, being a slave to the chocolate. They too come in a re-sealable plastic container, but not with serving measurements. They actually do have a chocolate like flavoring, but it doesn't last long. Again have a drink with you, but these are a little easier to handle. Again, I am not an almond person, so any kind is hard for me to swallow. 1-10, Cocoa Roasted Almonds get an 8.

My next review: Publix Greenwise Honey Nut Oats v. Publix Honey Nut Oats- non organic.

Go out there and get munchin!

© The Simple Wife

Told You So.

{ Shape.com }

See sometimes I do know what I'm talking about. I told you that Fiber One Yogurt was delicious and good for you and Shape Magazine agrees. They raided the pantry and fridge and gave out their Best Snack Awards and the yogurt landed a spot on the Creamy List. The Mag's snack picks had to meet the following criteria:

• Have 200 calories or less per serving
  
• Contain 0 grams of artery-clogging trans fat and be low in saturated fat
  
• Have no more than 400 milligrams of sodium (we made an exception for the soup, as it could be a mini meal)
  
• Offer nutritional extras, like portion-controlled packs, whole grains, or additional vitamins and minerals.
  

For a full list of the winners 8uin the Sweet, Savory, Creamy, Crunchy, and Salty categories visit Shape here.

© The Simple Wife

Easy Snaking

{ courtesy of sisterskinny.com }

Along with our new workout routine, Mr. Grubbs and I have a new diet too. We are eating 2 meals a day with a protein shake for dinner and lots of good snacks throughout the day. Many people we talk about this with think we are crazy for skipping a "dinner" but it really makes life easier. After the nay-sayers comment about the lack of a dinner they then ask what are shakes are made from. So here is a rough recipe for 2:

1. 4-5 scoops of low fat or fat free frozen yogurt
2. 2-3 cups of skim milk
3. 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder- whey protein is the basic and can be found in the health/diet section of the grocery store, or you can go for the really good stuff that you can find at GNC or store of the kind
4. Spoonful of Reduced Fat or Simply Jif Peanut Butter ( you can skip this and replace with low fat chocolate syrup for a more chocolately shake.
5. Mix until smooth

That's it. We usually drink these after about 1-1/2 hours at the gym. We work our tails off so then after all that sweating you really don't want to load up on a full meal so the shake does the trick.

One of the most important things to remember is that you have to snack. Most healthy diets recommend 5-6 small meals a day ( 200-300 calories ) so if you have good snacks on hand you will be less likely to reach for something not-so good for you. I love these:

• String or Stick Cheese
• Yogurt- Fiber One Strawberry is my favorite!
• Baked Pretzels
• Fiber One Bars in Oats and Chocolate (usually my breakfast with OJ )

Happy Snacking!

© The Simple Wife

Real Simple Workouts

Mr. Grubbs and I are kicking butt on our quest for a more healthy lifestyle. We are averaging 4 workouts days per week, with 2 days of strength training and 2 days of cycling + strength training. Our workouts last anywhere between 1 hr. - 1 1/2 hr. But I know that not everyone is as spoiled as us- living only 5 minutes from our gym, and having the extra time to get some sweating in, so Real Simple is here to help. They have a 5 minute workout routine that uses multi-tasking moves to get you going in 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Perfect for those who don't have a gym membership, or just can't peel themselves away from the day to go and sweat. They use minimal equipment that is easy to find. Try them out:

• 5 minute Workout: 

• 10 Minute Workout:

• 15 Minute Workout:

Even though we have a gym membership, we have also invested in some simple equipment to store at the house for the days we just can't to the gym:

Stability Ball:  Make sure that you get the right size for your body. They have a chart to help you. HINT: When you are seated on the ball, your legs should bend at a 90 degree angle.

{ $19.99 Target }

Resistance Tubes, or Bands: You can usually get these in sets, 1 low, 1 medium, and 1 high resistance so you can increase your resistance as you get stronger.

{ $15.39 Target }

{ $10.29 Target }

8-10 lbs. Dumbells: A good middle of the road weight for just about everyone.

{ $13.99 Target }

A Yoga Mat: I use mine just as a good surface to stand on with a little cushion so I'm not sliding on the hardwood floors.

{ $7.99 TJ Maxx }

I hope that this helps those of you who need an easy step to jump start your healthy life!

Work It, Spin It

On our constant quest for more gym time, Mr. Grubbs and I have taken up a spin class twice a week. It is 45 mins of pedaling my behind and thighs away, followed by lots of sweat, and finally a huge sense of accomplishment for actually surviving the entire class. The only down side is the seats- they are extremely uncomfortable. So one on of my many, many trips to the Holy Land, a.k.a Target, I picked up one of these puppies and my bum is forever grateful.

{Schwinn Gel Seat Cover, $16.99}

Look out thighs, you're on the outs!