15-Minute Body-Weight HIIT Workout

Try this quick and effective body-weight high-intensity interval training routine whenever you are short on time but want a great workout with no equipment needed. Dynamic body-weight exercises (think: pull-ups, push-ups, lunges) help develop functional strength and recruit more muscles to perform the movement compared with an exercise like a bicep curl. This is a great way to gain incredible health benefits in a short period of time.

Note: This exercise routine is challenging. Those brand-new to higher-intensity exercise should consult with their doctors before beginning this type of program.

Start by warming up with rehearsal moves that mimic your workout. Try 5–8 reps of each of the following: squats, lateral lunges, reverse lunges, torso rotations and arm circles.

Set an interval timer (I use the Tabata Pro app) for 15 seconds of work and 15 seconds of recovery. After you’re warmed up, start with one set of each of the exercises listed below, then work your way up to completing 3–4 rounds of the entire sequence. Complete each interval at your intensity, pace and best effort. High intensity does not need to be high-impact, so always listen to your body, and do the best workout for you.

Body-Weight HIIT Routine

1. Jog/Sprints or High Knees
2. Jumping Jacks
3. Speed Skaters
4. Jump Squats
5. Scissor Feet/Split Lunge
6. Quick Feet
7. Burpees

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Cauliflower Mac N Cheese

This cauliflower “mac” n cheese by Love and Zest is made with tiny pillows of chewy gnocchi, a potato-based dumpling, instead of macaroni. Baked to perfection in its cheesy goodness, have a bowl of “mac” n cheese, and eat your veggies, too!

Cauliflower Mac N Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 3 cups)
• 16 ounces mini gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add cauliflower, then gnocchi. Cook until gnocchi float to the top.

Drain cauliflower and gnocchi in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter and stir in garlic. Cook until aromatic.

Whisk in flour, then slowly whisk in the milk. Bring sauce to a low boil to thicken.

Stir in cheddar cheese until melted, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place gnocchi and cauliflower in a baking dish, and coat with cheese mixture.

Top with breadcrumbs, and drizzle or mist with olive oil or cooking spray.

Bake 20 minutes, or until mac and cheese is bubbly and topping is browned.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6 |  Serving Size: 1/6 recipe

Per serving: Calories: 287; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 35mg; Sodium: 474mg; Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 12g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 99mg; Iron: 3%; Vitamin A: 10%; Vitamin C: 101%; Calcium: 31% 

Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN is a sports dietitian in Orlando, FL and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. She writes the food and nutrition blog, Love & Zest, where she shares recipes, life, and nutrition. Connect with her outside of the blog on Pinterest,  Twitter and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Kristina LaRue. Original recipe published on Love & Zest.

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MFP Users Reveal the 1 Simple Thing That’s Helped Them Lose Weight

We asked MyFitnessPal users to share the most valuable lesson (or lessons) they’ve learned after losing weight successfully. Not surprisingly, counting calories and exercising were common responses because, well, they work. But, the way in which some of our users accomplished this was a bit surprising and completely awesome. Stop going to the gym after 19 years and still lose almost 20 pounds, anyone?

“I started drinking only water and unsweetened iced tea, and I walk for an hour to an hour and a half each night. I have lost 70 pounds in 15 months.”
—LeLani A.

“No bread, pasta, rice or wine. Protein, fruits and veggies. FitBit and MyFitnessPal food diary and of course exercise. Took up Pilates. 55 pounds lost since Feb 23, 2015. Still 30 to go!”
—Jo C.

“More exercise, less food! Couldn’t do it without keeping track.”
—Mark B.

“Getting off my butt and exercising instead of eating chips and feeling sorry for myself. I have lost 72 pounds in 5 months.”
—Teresa C.

“Portion control, using stevia instead of sugar, wearing my FitBit and making sure I get my 10,0000 steps per day.”
—Shannon P.

“Counting calories, not eating past 6p.m. and not buying any junk food.”
—Tabatha B.

“Using the food diary. It’s astonishingly easy to rack up calories, and so now, I’m very careful to get more bang for my calorie buck which means nothing out of crinkly wrappers and a lot of fresh produce, lean protein and complex carbs. I have gotten to the point where I can walk past the snack aisle without a second glance.”
—Pat O.

“Cut added sugar. Eating real, whole food and whole fat everything.”
—Katie P.

“Portion control by using a food scale, and I measure in grams. I’ve lost over 75 pounds. I’ve been living a healthy, active lifestyle since 2000. Hallelujah!”
—Julie N.

“I stopped eating back the calories I burned through exercise. The moment I stopped, I started losing weight, whereas before I just stayed the same—even after making healthier choices and exercising!”
—Jordan M.

“Started jogging and cut my total sugar intake to 20 grams per day. I have lost 60 pounds since May.”
—Tony W.

“Stopped going to the gym after 19 years and started walking and doing body-weight exercises at home. I lost almost 20 pounds.”
—Anita R.

“I made the routine attainable 4–5, 1-hour sessions per week, outdoors biking preferably or inside when needed, the five hours I give myself is not too much to ask, it has allowed me to set in place changes to enable 170 pounds lost over 3.5 years.”
—Mark G.

“Don’t drink your calories.”
—Hannah G.

“I cut sugar, white and processed foods, and the weight melted off. I always exercised but until I changed my diet, nothing happened. Cutting sugar was the best thing I could do for myself. I am down 30 pounds and able to maintain my weight and not have sugar cravings tempting me. I am no longer a sugar addict. And that is what worked for me. There’s no magic pills or powder, no powerful exercise routine that will help until the diet changes. So happy I made the change.”
—Lisa M.

“I only do about 5 minutes cardio on the treadmill then I do HIIT workouts with some weights. Doing this, I lost more weight than running on a treadmill for 30 minutes.”
—Mali R.

“Cutting down on the takeaway coffee, reducing the portions of carbs at dinner time and a bigger serve of protein. I was already doing well with exercise and diet but those things have kick started me again after a bit of a plateau.”
—Jane S.

“I am 50 years old. I lost over 50 pounds of excess body fat. NO dieting. NO starving. NO pills. NO drugs. Healthy Weight Loss = Excess Body Fat Loss. Lots of plant-based protein, Meatless Monday, Personalized Meal Plan and 10 minutes of exercise every day.”
—Arleen M.

“Reduced portions by using a small plate & not filling it. No sugar, dairy or wheat (bread). Walking/jogging 5 miles a day/6 days a week. Losing 1 pound per week. Lost 13, goal is 14 more.”
—Wynona H.

“No pop, less snacking, no snacks after 7pm.”
—Sheri M.

“Portion control by using a toddler’s set (bowl and plate), keeping track on MyFitnessPal of the foods using healthier choices, water, no-calorie drinks and excercise. Lost 48 pounds.”
—Karen O.

“I prepare all my foods myself and measure them out for each meal. It has helped me lose 70 pounds in 7 months.”
—Wayne K.

“Nutrition, clean eating, no processed food. Splurging in moderation. Limited sugar, limited bread.”
—Jolene H.

“Drinking 80+ ounces of water a day.”
—Jessica M.

“Lost 32 pounds in 3 months with walking to work.”
—Jen S.

“Using this website. It’s as simple as getting below the calorie deficit you have set for yourself (based on pre-calculations of BMR) and then learning how to keep getting it below that. Honestly you can’t not lose weight if you just follow it.”
—Jacob B.

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The Surprising Habit That Sabotages Your Sleep

Have you ever looked for sleep at the bottom of a wineglass? Sometimes, we’re just so tired and stressed out, minds racing from an endless list of to-do’s, that it seems like a good idea. It may be tempting to knock back a drink (or two or three) to unwind, melt muscle tension and drift to sleepy shores, but, sadly, using alcohol as a sleep aid can really erode sleep quality.

Why We Use Alcohol to Fall Asleep
As a stimulant, alcohol causes the brain to release more dopamine, a neurotransmitter that trips the reward circuitry, making us feel buzzed after taking a swig. However, alcohol is also a sedative, and it’s this quality that we seek when we want to fall asleep. Science is still uncertain about the exact mechanism of how this works, but they think alcohol impairs our brain’s ability to metabolize glucose, the sugar that is usually our brain’s primary fuel. However it works, alcohol is pretty effective at making us nod off quicker.

4 Ways Alcohol Sacrifices Sleep Quality
Just because you can fall asleep faster after a boozy drink or two doesn’t mean you’ll get quality, restorative sleep. When you slumber, your brain and body undergo many important physiological functions such as muscle growth, tissue repair and memory consolidation. Having alcohol in your system can really thwart some of those processes. Here are four ways that alcohol can be just as disruptive to your rest as repeatedly hitting the the snooze button on your alarm clock:

1. You get up to use the bathroom.
Our body meticulously keeps its fluid balanced using a series of hormones, one of which is antidiuretic hormone. ADH is released by the pituitary gland and helps you retain enough water to keep your blood pressure normal. Alcohol blocks ADH’s action; this can result in you waking up midsnooze to bolt to the bathroom.

2. You sweat like mad.
Alcohol is a vasodilator at moderate amounts (Think: 1–2 drinks), meaning it causes your blood vessels to widen, releasing heat. To cool itself, your body starts producing sweat, which can be pretty darn uncomfortable. Night sweats could be another reason why you toss and turn.

3. Your blood sugar takes a nosedive.
Even though you’re sleeping, your body still needs calories to repair cells and maintain normal functions like breathing. During sleep, your body turns to fat to fuel most tissues and to glucose to fuel your brain.

Unfortunately, alcohol hampers the body’s processes for generating adequate amounts of glucose for the brain, which will likely cause you to wake up with major carb cravings in the middle of the night.

4. You get a skimpy amount of REM sleep.
Moderate doses of alcohol have been shown to reduce the amount of time we spend in rapid eye movement sleep. Why is this important? Sleep is divided into REM and non-REM sleep. It’s believed that REM sleep is important for learning, memory consolidation and brain development, which is why infants spend more time in this type of sleep than adults do. One study shows the adverse impact of REM sleep deprivation on learning: Participants who were taught a new skill and deprived of non-REM sleep could recall what they learned after sleeping, but those deprived of REM sleep could not.

The Takeaway
A good night of shut-eye is essential to allowing your brain and body to recharge. It’s important to get a minimum seven hours of sleep per night and to ensure that those hours are as restful as possible. Because alcohol can negatively affect your sleep, try to enjoy it as far from snooze time as possible. If you do want to drink close to bedtime, try to cap your drinking at one nightcap.

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Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

Whether it’s a dinner party appetizer or a side dish, these tasty lettuce wraps are bursting with flavor and super versatile — easily swap in any lean protein (like chicken breast or shrimp) or fresh, crunchy veggie (like zucchini or carrots)! Naturally low in carbs, each wrap contains only 4 grams per serving. Want more crunch? Serve with roughly chopped peanuts.

Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound (450 grams) extra lean ground beef (95% lean)
• 1 medium (120 grams) red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 –3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 2 medium (120 grams) carrots, shredded or julienned
• 2 (25 grams) green onions, light green and white parts, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 8 large (120 grams) iceberg or butter lettuce leaves (see note)

Directions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until crumbled and browned. Add bell pepper and carrot; cook 1 minute.

Combine soy sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in a small bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir into beef; cook 1 minute until heated. Remove from heat, and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate meat mixture until chilled and ready to serve.

Stir in green onions, cilantro and mint. Spoon heaping 1/2 cup beef mixture into center of each lettuce leaf.

Note: If desired, lettuce can be chopped, served in a bowl and ground beef mixture spooned on top.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 2 lettuce leaves and 1 1/4 cups beef mixture

Per serving: Calories: 189; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 80mg; Sodium: 424mg; Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 32g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 614mg; Iron: 18%; Vitamin A: 112%; Vitamin C: 9%; Calcium: 3% 

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5 Minutes to a Stronger Core with Planks

Planks hit more than just your core muscles. A proper plank requires plenty of glute strength, shoulder stability and upper back endurance, so these simple exercises are deceivingly effective at training the entire body.

If you’re short on time and equipment, planks can make for a quick and surprisingly challenging core workout when you pick the right exercises, sets and reps.

Luckily, there are tons of plank variations suitable for all fitness levels. Check out these three plank workouts, separated into beginner, intermediate and advanced categories.

The Workout: Planks for Any Fitness Level

These five-minute workouts combine supine bridge, front plank and side plank variations that can be progressed or regressed based on your fitness level. The basic and intermediate workouts involve isometric holds (i.e., you assume a position and hold it steady for a given amount of time), while the advanced workout adds movement to each exercise to kick things up a notch.

Beginner

Supine Bridge Isometric Hold: 10–30 seconds
Front Plank: 10–30 seconds
Side Plank: 10–30 seconds per side

Repeat for as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes.
Try to increase duration of each exercise during every workout until you can do all three movements for 30 seconds throughout the entire 5 minutes.

Intermediate

1-Leg Supine Bridge Isometric Hold: 10–30 seconds per side
1-Leg Front Plank: 10–30 seconds per side
1-Leg Side Plank: 10–30 seconds per side

Repeat for as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes.
Try to increase duration of each exercise every workout until you can do all three movements for 30 seconds throughout the entire 5 minutes.

Advanced

Supine Bridge March: 8–12 reps per side
Front Plank Arm March: 8–12 reps per side
Side Plank Transitions: 8–12 reps per side

Repeat for as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes.
Start by doing 8 reps of each exercise and slowly increase the number of reps per set each workout. Once you can do 12 reps of everything for 5 minutes, you’re a plank master!

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Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Craving a comforting meal that’s savory, simple and satisfying? Try The Healthy Maven’s pesto spaghetti squash, a great low-carb alternative to pasta. Loaded with spicy roasted chickpeas, fresh basil and crunchy walnuts, this vegetarian dinner is high in fiber and protein — and certainly not lacking in flavor!

Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• 2 (2 1/2–-3-pound) spaghetti squash (see note)
  

For the chickpeas

• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1–2 teaspoons Sriracha (optional)
  

For the pesto

• 1 cup kale, packed
• 1 cup fresh basil, packed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pierce the spaghetti squash several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 75–90 minutes, until tender.

Cut open, and let cool on baking sheet. Scoop out seeds, and run a fork through each half to create noodles.

Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until chickpeas are well-coated.

Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 20–25 mins (in the 400°F oven), or until chickpeas are browned and crispy.

While the squash and chickpeas are baking, prepare the pesto. Combine all pesto ingredients with 1/4 cup water in a blender or food processor. Thin out with additional water if necessary.

Fill each spaghetti squash with a quarter of the pesto and chickpeas.

Serve warm.

Note: There are many methods to cook spaghetti squash, but I prefer mine because it doesn’t require me to have to cut through/manhandle the squash when it’s raw.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1/4 recipe

Per serving: Calories: 460; Total Fat: 24g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 13g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 597mg; Carbohydrate: 60g; Dietary Fiber: 19g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 15g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 327mg; Iron: 21%; Vitamin A: 79%; Vitamin C: 42%; Calcium: 17% 

Davida is a healthy living blogger behind The Healthy Maven, where she writes about healthy food, fitness and her insatiable sweet tooth. She aims to create delicious recipes that are healthy, gluten-free and filled with good-for-you ingredients but still taste as authentic as the originals. It’s not rare that she’ll throw spinach in her brownies! Check out more of her recipes on her blog and follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Davida Kugelmass. Recipe originally posted on The Healthy Maven.

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