Healthy Holiday Treat

Happy Holidays!!

Just because the holidays are here- does not mean you have to have unhealthy decadent desserts!!! For those of you looking for a healthy holiday treat why not try

BECKY'S DELICIOUS DARK CHOCOLATE BANANA BITES

2 Medium Bananas
1/2 Cup Special Dark Chocolate Pieces (for melting)

Peel bananas and slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Arrange banana slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Meanwhile, in a small heavy sauce pan, melt chocolate over low heat. Place chocolate in resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and snip off corner; drizzle chocolate over banana slices. Cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until frozen. You can divide banana slices into resealable freezer bags and keep frozen for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!!!

Great News!! In late Spring/Summer 2009 I plan on launching my new Healthy Cooking Series!! See you there! Please visit the website for more details!

As always,
Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!
To your Success and Health,
Becky

Fall 2008 Martial Arts Competition!!!

Greetings!

It has been a while since I have posted!! I have missed expressing myself here! This month- in celebration of the upcoming holidays- I will post some of my favorite healthy holiday recipes!!!

So as you know, this year, I set aside my high heels from figure competing to develop my physique a little more, and to work on my martial arts training!!! I am currently a green belt in Tae Kwon Do, awaiting my next belt test for the Green with a Blue Stripe. This next step sets me up for the Blue Belt!!! How exciting!!!

On November 8, 2008, I participated in my second martial arts competition!!! I did not place as well as I would have liked- but it gives me more to work towards for the Spring! I plan on training long and hard for the upcoming spring season of both figure competing and martial arts competitions!!! This past Saturday, I participated in my first full contact competitive sparring match!!! Unfortunately, there are not many women that like to do this- so I was unevenly matched with a woman who was 40 pounds heavier than me!!!! That is why every time she kicked me- I went flying!!! The first round was 3/3, but then she got me on the second round with a score of 1/2 ( I may have had a point deducted for kicking her in the chin by accident!!!)

Enjoy the video!!!





I will write again soon!!

Feel free to contact me about any of my training programs or with any questions or comments! I love to hear your feed back!!!

Weekend at the Parents......

Hi All!!!

So this past weekend- I went to visit my parents. It is always a great trip, I get to relax, sleep, Mom cooks, talks life, brings me back to earth and grounds me when I need it most (I am not referring to punishment - LOL). My Dad listens to me, gives advice on career and business moves and most of all makes me feel like a kid again. I feel like all is right in the world when I am there. Nothing matters- not even who wins the upcoming election......

So- Mom always makes these awesome healthy recipes - as my parents are both health conscious vegetarians. Two of the recipes she made all weekend were so awesome- I asked if I could write a blog dedicated to her and these recipes- so I could memorialize the great weekend we had together as well as some of the awesome meals.......this food was served at breakfast. It satisfied me through a great day of bike riding over 6 miles, hiking 2 miles followed by kayaking!!! They are healthy and filling! Enjoy!

Mom's Magical Fruit and Cheese (Good anytime- but I like for breakfast)

1 Quart Lowfat Ricotta Cheese
3 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all ingredients in a bowl and using an electric mixer, mix the ingredients for about 10 minutes until fluffy creamy texture.

Serve about 1/2 cup with chopped fruit of your choice. Berries, and cantaloupe are what we had this weekend! Enjoy!!!

The Best Ever Bran Flax Muffins - by Mom
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 c Flaxseed meal
3/4 c oat bran
1 c brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 c shredded carrots
2 apples peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional - dates or crasins are good too)
1 c nuts chopped (optional)
3/4 c milk
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in carrots, apples raisins and nuts. Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are moistened - so not over mix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes!! Enjoy!!!

Anyone else have a favorite recipe from Mom that is healthy and must be shared with the world- especially Boot Campers???? Put it up on the blog!!!! www.QueensLongIslandBootCamp.com

Motivating Quote:
“It takes a long time to grow young.” Pablo Picasso

Have you ever thought about getting older as essentially growing young? For most of us this may sound like a foreign concept, but it is one worth thinking about. Consider this: children are not scared to dream, they believe that failure is normal, and they truly think that they can do anything. Don’t adults need some of these behaviors in their everyday life? Think about how much you might be able to accomplish if you were encouraged to dream. What would you be able to do if you thought and believed that you could do anything? How much would your daily life change if you weren’t scared of failure? Obviously, at work we might not be able to act like we are a boundless child, but set some goals that will allow you to remember what it was like to live life without limits.

Make it a great day!!!

Becky

Summer Time Pancakes and Eggs!

Hi All!!! Wow- it has been a while since I posted on the blog! I am sorry!! I have been busy with the Queens / Long Island Boot Camps, launching The Virtual Boot Camp, and trying to enjoy summer...hee hee. So I have slacked on the weekly postings! In return- I will give you two recipes this week as well as a whole load of new info!

First and foremost- I had a Community Blog created where you all can join and post!! Please feel free to comment on your favorite recipes that I have shared with you, your favorite free workouts and more! The blog is www.QueensLongIslandBootCamp.com

Please make use of it and help create a health and wellness community for us all to enjoy! I cannot do this without you! All of my future Adventure Boot Camp blog postings will be there- so be sure to check it out!!!

Yummy Scrambled Eggs:

1 Egg
3 Additional Whites
Dried or Fresh Dill
Dash of skim milk
Salt Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and beat lightly with a fork. Heat pan and coat with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture in pan with the hot, cooking spray. Cook over low heat, stirring gently and more or less constantly with a wooden spoon.

It will take 3 to 4 minutes for the eggs to become just set, but very creamy. If you prefer firmer, dryer scrambled eggs, cook for another 2 minutes.

When the eggs are scrambled to your liking, season with salt and pepper. Scrambled eggs are best served immediately.


Egg White Banana Pancakes:
1-2 bananas
5 Egg Whites
1 Cup of Skim Milk
1 Cup Aunt Jemima Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
1 Tbs Cinn
1Tbs Vanilla


Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over low to medium. Whisk together pancake mix, milk, egg whites, cinn and vanilla. Slice banana cross wise and add to pancake mix. Pour 4 medium-sized pancakes (about 1/4 cup batter each) onto the hot skillet. Cook about 3 minutes; flip and cook about 3 minutes more. Transfer to serving plate and keep warm until all pancakes are prepared. Serve with syrup (and berries, if desired). This recipe can be made with blueberries, strawberries whatever you want!! Enjoy!

Healthy Over Easy Eggs

So I will now share with you one of my favorite healthy morning recipes!!! I usually eat these eggs with some sliced fruit on the side, like berries or peaches, and two Applegate Farms Chicken Sausages.



Healthy Over Easy Eggs
4 Fresh Eggs
Cooking Spray

Heat a large skillet over a low to medium flame; eggs burn quickly so be careful with heat. Spray pan with cooking spray; crack an egg and allow only the white to fall out of the egg directly on the heated pan. Lift the handle about an inch so that the eggs pool in the far corner of the pan. Hold for 30 seconds or until the whites start to set, then lower the handle and give the pan a jiggle just to make sure there's no sticking. Repeat with two more eggs. Take the last egg, crack over the pan and allow the whole egg to drop in the pan, including the yolk- be careful not to break the yolk. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to cook over low heat until the whites become opaque. Jiggle to loosen the eggs, then flip the eggs over by pushing the pan away and snapping upward simultaneously. with either a spatula or by tossing them over in the pan. Once the eggs start their somersault, raise the pan to meet them so that the exposed yolks experience the softest landing possible. The goal of course is to avoid breaking the yolk. If you succeed, count to 10 slowly then slide them onto a plate and serve. If the yolks do break, act like you meant them to, fry for another minute and serve. They'll still taste great. I like to cut my eggs up- and share the one yolk over the three extra whites!!! Serve with Chicken Sausage and fruit and PRESTO! Healthy, clean great way to start the day. Whole project start to finish should take less than 10 minutes to prepare- less than your daily bowl of oatmeal!!!





On June 21, I took a kayaking trip with fellow boot campers and friends! Here is a Pic!!! Remember- fitness does not mean GYM!!!! Enjoy life- don't be afraid to live outside the box!!! Give something new a try! You will love it!!!!!

Adventure Races, Virtual Boot Camps and More!!!

Hello!!!

As many of you may know, on June 14, I ran the NYC high Trek Adventure Race with other boot campers- as Team Adventure Boot Camp / Becky's Fitness Company. We placed # 51 out of 75 teams!! It was a blast!!! Unfortunately our lack of knowledge of Manhattan geography made us run a few extra miles- but it was worth it!! Collectlvely as a team- we raised over $3300 to go straight to the NY Special Olympics!!! The race was a great success! Fun, Fit and giving back to the community! That is what it is all about in my book!!! Please contact me about my next charitable event I will participate in if you want to join my team!!!

Here is a picture of me- in front of Washington Mutual- doing a handstand- to complete one of the many crazy tasks we had to face during the race! Don't be fooled! I had a blast!!!






So it is official!!! The Virtual Boot Camp is now available for anyone interested in the boot camp experience- but that cannot make it to camp each day!

Check out www.TheVirtualBootCamp.com or www.OperationBeachBody.com

I will post a new recipe and workout in the upcoming weeks!!! Check back!

You can always reach me at
info@BeckysFitnessCompany.com

Commitment, Consistency and Control

Greetings!!! Happy Summer! While the OFFICIAL start of summer is not here yet- it sure feels like summer out there! 97 degrees in June! Yikes!

I want to take this opportunity- to chat- about three very important factors in ANY fitness plan- that MUST be present in order for you to be successful. Especially- if you are following the guidelines of fitness and wellness as set forth by myself, and my fitness company, BACK TO BASICS. Without these three elements, success will be short lived.

COMMITMENT: In order to be successful at anything in this world- you must be COMMITTED. You must make a decision on a given day that you are going to change your life, decide how you are going to change your life, understand why you want to embark on this change and go ahead and be committed to the change.

In order to remain committed- on occasion, without reason or rationale- you will have to make decisions- to stay on your life path. This means you will occasionally endure sacrifice that others who are not embarking on your life plan or change will not understand. You must be steadfast in your commitment- and reaffirm the reasons for your commitment. Let others know about your commitment and command respect for yourself by respecting your self and remaining committed. Others will follow and respect your decisions as well once you respect yourself. With out respecting your self and your commitment- others will not have respect for you or your attempts to change your life.

Know and understand that your COMMITMENT to a healthy lifestyle- is 80% MENTAL. While you are changing your body, becoming more fit, exercising, changing the food you eat- KNOW these are all MENTAL changes- as your MIND CONTROLS your BODY. Without MENTAL strength and COMMITMENT- your life change will not last.

In making your commitment- I want you to think of others that are committed to something in their life......use them as an example, as a role model- and know that one day you will be a role model for others. If they can do it- YOU CAN DO IT.

CONSISTENCY: After you have made your commitment to your new life change- the next element that naturally follows is CONSISTENCY. You must be consistent with the changes you make in your life. You MUST BE CONSISTENT with your healthy lifestyle to see and feel improvement. Without CONSISTENCY - you are failing in your COMMITMENT. This means you must follow a healthy lifestyle for a long period of time- even if you are frustrated, tired, cranky whatever. Forge ahead, push on, you will feel better for it soon thereafter.

CONTROL: Finally- know this- without CONTROL you will not be successful in your life change. When I refer to CONTROL - I am talking about CONTROL to ensure you eat good fresh foods, lean proteins, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, and whole grains. When I talk about CONTROL I am talking about the ability to say NO. I am talking about the need to CONTROL the forces in your life to ensure you have time to sleep, rest, exercise and enjoy the basic human rights of eating, resting and exercising. Take CONTROL of yourself, your life and you will be well on your way to a new you!!!

If you have any questions or just want to talk - you can reach me at www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

RECIPE of the WEEK - High PROTEIN FRENCH TOAST

2 Slices of Whole Grain Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Cinn with Raisins Swirl Bread
4 Egg Whites
1 tablespoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Cooking Spray

Beat egg whites with Cinn and Vanilla in small low rectangle container; Lay Bread flat in egg mixture; let soak for 1 hour in the fridge; flip bread and let soak over night covered. In the AM all eggs should be absorbed by bread; warm small pan, coat with cooking spray and cook french toast on low flame in covered frying pan to ensure slow thorough cooking (about 3-4 min each side).

Enjoy French Toast with fresh Cranberry Sauce, Apple Sauce (see recipe below)!!!