4/27/11

Congratulate yourself after a tough workout with these low calorie cocktails!

Pure alcohol, whether it's in beer, wine or liquor, contains seven calories per gram. And we've all heard the usual advice: Enjoy antioxidant-rich red wine; skip the fat-laden spiked eggnog. But not all drinks between those bookends are equally good choices, so herewith, our guide to the sauce!


DRINK: BLOODY MARY This classic vodka mixture gets a thumbs-up for tomato juice, which packs in vitamins A, C and B6, and has only one-third the calories of orange or pineapple juice, making Mary quite svelte at 120 calories for a regular five-ounce cocktail.
SKIP: SEX ON THE BEACH There are endless varieties of this vodka mixer. Not only does it include other calorie-rich booze like schnapps and rum, but sometimes fat- and cholesterol-laden heavy cream is also used. Count on a minimum of 300 calories for a four-ounce cocktail, and likely a lot more.



DRINK: TOM COLLINS Gin, club soda, lemon juice and a pinch of sugar rack up only 120 calories for a half pint (eight ounces). The ally for such drinks is sparkling water, which you can add to taste without offending the drink--make a tall glass for long, slow sipping.
SKIP: MARGARITA Often delivered in supersized portions with three drinks' worth of alcohol, some of the 12-ounce vats served at restaurants tally more than 700 calories. We're not sure what the nutritional value of the tequila worm is, but we doubt it's good.


DRINK: GUINNESS DRAUGHT It's surprising but true: The stout variety--not the extra stout--of this classic, dark Irish brew packs only 125 calories for 12 ounces. That's barely more than pale, flavorless 100-calorie light beers. Despite the name, Guinness Draught is available in bottles and cans, which include a little widget that bangs around inside and adds taplike fizz when the container is opened.
SKIP: MOLSON XXX At 7.3 percent alcohol, a 12-ounce bottle packs 213 calories. With weak, bland malts and hops, it's little more than a conduit for delivering a buzz. 


If these are still too high in calories, 
a nice shot glass and a lime works too!
Enjoy- you deserve it!







4/23/11

Last Week For April Absurdity Challenge!!

Remember, this is your last week to get 4 classes in before we choose a winner for this month's challenge! You could win a FREE MONTH 
as well as an Xtend Barre goodie bag full of fun prizes... 
so get your booty to the barre!

4/18/11

The Truth About Hydration

We all know that when we work out, we need plenty of liquids. But beyond that basic tenet, things get murky fast—how do we know what, when and how much to drink?
 Sports nutrition expert Monique Ryan, RD, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, separates the facts from the hype:

Hype: REPLACE EVERY LOST OUNCE The truth is, your body can't absorb fluids as fast as it loses them, and not every ounce of weight is lost through sweat anyway.

Truth: KEEP UP WITH SWEAT LOSS—MOSTLY Replace about 75 percent of lost sweat during your workout. "To do that, you need to know your sweat rate," says Ryan, who recently coached a heavy-sweating triathlete who routinely lost 40 ounces of fluid an hour. To determine your sweat rate, weigh yourself before and after a short workout.

Hype: OVERFLOW BEFOREHAND Guzzling gallons of fluids before you workout will do little more than send you searching for the restroom!

Truth: TOP OFF AS YOU GO Take in about six to eight ounces (two to three gulps) every 15 to 20 minutes while you workout.

Hype: CAFFEINE WILL DEHYDRATE YOU Caffeine has long been demonized as a diuretic. On paper, that means it should lead to dehydration and heat stress, especially when you consider that it also raises your heart rate and increases your metabolism.

Truth: CAFFEINE IMPROVES CARB BURNING A review of ongoing research recently revealed that caffeinated drinks don't make you pee that much more than equal amounts of beverages without the buzz. The stimulant also doesn't worsen the effects of summertime heat. In fact, caffeine makes you feel better. Numerous studies have shown that it lowers your rate of perceived exertion while improving your strength, endurance and mental performance. Even better, researchers from the University of Birmingham, in England, found that athletes who drank a caffeinated sports beverage burned the drink's carbs 26 percent faster than those who consumed a noncaffeinated sports drink, likely because caffeine speeds glucose absorption in the intestine.

Hype: HYDRATION DURING EXERCISE IS THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL Big beverage companies would have you grabbing your sports drink during every workout, no matter how long or short the effort, lest you suffer the ill effects of dehydration.

Truth: DRINKING EVERY DAY IS ESSENTIAL "Your first priority should be staying on top of your daily hydration," says Ryan. Research on gym-goers found that nearly half began their workouts in a dehydrated state. "Many people don't consume enough fluids during the day," Ryan says. "If you hydrate properly on a regular basis, you won't need to worry as much about getting dehydrated during a typical moderate workout." The old eight-glasses-a-day dictum is a good guidepost.


4/12/11

4/9/11

Biggest Loser Dessert!

Here's the perfect dessert when you're in a hurry and don't want to get fancy. Or serve it in a trifle dish to give your banana split a unique spin. Either way, it's delicious, easy, and slimming! 




1 firm small (about 6 inches) banana, peeled and halved lengthwise
1/3 cup Tart Honey Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped kiwi
1 tablespoon Chocolate "Fudge" Sauce (recipe below)
Whipped topping (optional)


Cut the banana halves in half crosswise, creating 4 banana pieces. Stand the banana pieces, cut sides facing inward, around the edges of a miniature trifle dish or small, decorative bowl or glass, spacing them evenly. Scoop the frozen yogurt in the center of the dish (in the middle of the banana slices). Sprinkle the strawberry and kiwi pieces over the yogurt. Drizzle the chocolate sauce evenly over top. Top with whipped topping, if using. Serve immediately.

MAKES 1 SERVING
207 calories, 7 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates (33 g sugar), < 1 g fat, trace saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 27 mg sodium



Chocolate "Fudge" Sauce
Mix up a batch of this sauce and store it in a resealable plastic container in the fridge so you always have your own natural, homemade chocolate sauce on hand. It’s so simple to whip together, and it lasts for weeks. Add the agave and cocoa powder to a medium resealable container. Using a sturdy whisk, mix until well combined

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder


Makes 12 tablespoons
Per serving (1 tablespoon): 47 calories, trace protein, 12 g carbohydrates (11 g sugar), trace fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, trace fiber, 0 mg sodium

4/7/11

Remember our 90 Minute Boot Camp is THIS Saturday!!

Don't forget... our Barre Boot Camp is This Saturday! 
Sign up today!!
 Our 90 minute intensive course will feature advanced moves and lots of new choreography! 
Two instructors will be teaching this course for lots of hand on instruction, guidance and motivation! 
Come feel the burn at the barre before spring break takes over! April 9 from 11am- 12:30pm. 
Sign up online or give us a call! (760) 436-4700 
$10 for current unlimited class members, $20 for non-members.
Meet you at the barre!


4/5/11

Food Labels You Can Trust

ALL NATURAL. NO HORMONES. FREE-RANGE. 
These claims that are proudly plastered on food packages make health-conscious consumers feel good about what they're putting into their bodies. But what do these labels really mean? After all, food marketers make their living by separating you from your money, not by improving your health. Here are some eco-labels you can trust. 
The rest are on our "Bullsheet," below.

FOOD ALLIANCE CERTIFIED The Food Alliance (FA) is a nonprofit certifier of sustainable foods. Its logo indicates that farmers, ranchers, food processors, packers and distributors work under safe and fair conditions; animals are treated humanely; and there is no use of hormones, nontherapeutic antibiotics or genetically modified organisms. Farms and ranches must use integrated pest management (an environmentally sensitive and commonsense approach to pest control) to conserve soil and water, and protect wildlife. Food processors must also reduce waste, avoid artificial ingredients, and ensure quality control and safe food handling.


ORGANIC USDA-regulated, this term means that the food is produced without the use of most conventional synthetic pesticides (there are a few exceptions) and no petroleum- or sewage-sludge-based fertilizers, genetic modification or ionizing radiation. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products must come from animals fed 100 percent organic feed containing no animal byproducts, antibiotics or growth hormones. 
Some variations: 
* 100 percent organic: Contains 100 percent organically produced ingredients. 
* Organic: Contains at least 95 percent organic ingredients. 
* Made with organic ingredients: Contains at least 70 percent organic ingredients.



DEMETER CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC Farming biodynamically means viewing the farm as an ecosystem and contributing to natural resources instead of depleting them. Like organic products, certified (with the Demeter certification mark only) biodynamic foods are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, genetic modification and animal byproducts (which makes biodynamic beef less likely to carry mad cow disease, too). Biodynamic crops are grown with specific organic fertilizers in areas without strong electromagnetic fields (manmade frequencies that can interfere with the body's natural rhythms). Biodynamic farmers often go so far as to time the sun and moon phases to grow crops in soil that is as fertile as possible.





MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (MSC) SUSTAINABLE The MSC supports sustainable fisheries or management systems that "ensure that the catch of marine resources are at a level compatible with long-term sustainable yield, while maintaining the marine environment's biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes." Fish is the number one protein food consumed worldwide. If you care about the health of our oceans, the MSC label ensures you're making a wise choice.


Smart Tip 
Most small growers at local farmers' markets can't afford the process of becoming certified organic. But conscientious growers are still worth buying from. They may even use production methods that go beyond organic criteria for improving soil quality, water quality and biodiversity. Curious? Ask them how they grow their food.

The Bullsheet 
BE WARY WHEN YOU SEE THE FOLLOWING WORDS ON FOOD LABELS—THEY HAVE EITHER NO LEGAL DEFINITION OR NO THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION SYSTEM: 
NATURAL, FREE-RANGE, CAGE-FREE, ANTIBIOTIC-FREE, CHEMICAL-FREE HORMONE-FREE, RBGH-FREE, ECO-SAFE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND GREEN. 
READ THE LABEL!!!

4/4/11

Congratulations to our March Madness Winner!

Congratulations to Jean Serbin, our March Madness winner!
You are a joy to have at the barre :)



Xtend Barre Encinitas is continuing March Madness in April! 

April Absurdity! 
Take 4 classes in one week and enter your name in our drawing to win a MONTH FREE as well as an Xtend Barre swag bag full of goodies!! 
You've got nothing to loose (except calories).
Meet you at the Barre.


4/2/11

Yummy Sandwich, perfect for a hot afternoon!


avacado-sandwich_300.jpg

Ingredients
  • 2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 slices multigrain bread
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cucumber, preferably hothouse (seedless), thinly sliced (peeled, if desired)
  • 1 4- to 5-ounce container sprouts (such as alfalfa, radish, broccoli, or a combination)
  • 2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, oil, salt, and pepper. Roughly mash the mixture with the back of a fork.
(optional: substitute your favorite hummus)
2. Place 8 of the bread slices on a work surface. Divide the mashed beans among them. Top with the onion, cucumber, sprouts, and avocado.
3. Stack the open-faced sandwiches on top of one another, avocado-side up, to make 4 double-decker sandwiches. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. 
(optional- I just make a single sandwich)
4. Slice each sandwich in half, if desired, and serve.
Tip
For extra flavor, mix some fresh lemon juice and chopped garlic into the bean mixture.


Found at http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/index.html