Middle Eastern cuisine has become more and more popular due to it’s healthy ingredients and nutritional benefits.  Not only is the food good for you, but it’s also beyond flavorful and delicious.

I am so lucky to have a mom that cooks so well. She still makes me fresh homemade hummus dip and hot fluffy falafels to eat it with. Wrap it in a pita and you have a well-balanced meal full of protein, carbs and fat.

Falafel pitas are very healthy to begin with, but I altered a few things in my mom’s recipe to cater to my diet a little better. Instead of frying the falafel balls, we’re going to bake them! And instead of white pita, we’re going to use whole wheat!

Are you ready to make some scrumptious falafels? Great! Let’s do it!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chickpeas (not canned)
• 1.5 cups cilantro
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Preparation:

Soak the chickpeas for 4 to 5 hours to soften it up.

Preheat the oven to 350

Using a food processor, grind up the cilantro, garlic, onions, cumin and salt together.

After mixture is blended well, slowly begin to add the chickpeas in and grind them also. When all ingredients are grinded down, then add your baking soda to the mix. The baking soda will create the puffiness in the falafels.

Spray your cupcake tray so the mixture will not stick during baking.

Fill the cupcake compartments generously with your falafel mix.

Bake for 20 minutes.

If you want them extra crispy, spray the tops after 20 minutes. Turn up the heat to 500 and place them under for a minute or two.

Your falafels are done! Yay!

Spread some hummus on your whole wheat pita, chop some tomatoes and cucumber and place your hot falafels in there.

Sahteen! (Sah-teyn) arabic word meaning “with good health”. You can say this when you serve your man or guest their plate. It can be said before they eat and/or after they compliment your dish.

Love,

Ghada

Why are the shoulders and back muscles the most neglected body parts  on a woman’s body?

We will spend hours and hours in the gym doing cardio to achieve that slimmer physique, crunch away to a tight tummy, endure painful sets of lunges to build shapely legs, but we somehow seem to neglect other areas such as our shoulders and back muscles.

Shoulder and back muscles are very sexy and noticeable, but I guess most women don’t think about those body parts since they’re almost always covered by a blouse and dresses stuffed with over sized shoulder pads.

Not only are shoulders an interesting muscle group, but they’re also functional and useful in our everyday motions. We use them throughout the day from stretching upon awakening in the morning, to lifting laundry and carrying groceries, to pulling the covers over our heads prior to sleep. Strong and developed shoulders will also help prevent injuries when engaging in active sports like tennis, golf, swimming or skiing. 

An example of a woman with well-developed shoulders is actress Linda Hamilton in her role in The Terminator. Paired with a lean physique, and sexy shoulders motivated women to the gym in droves to achieve a similar look.

Here are some tips that will help you achieve sexier shoulder:

For one, work on your posture and practice keeping your shoulders high and back. A complete shoulder routine should include working all three major muscles of the deltoids: the anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (rear) deltoid muscles. The anterior portion of the deltoid raises the arm to the front and rotates the arm inward, while the lateral head raises the arm out to the side. The posterior head pulls the arm toward the rear and rotates the arm outward. Using this information as a guide, the most productive exercises for toning and firming or even building these important muscles are:

Trapezius

Shrugs - Working the trapezius muscle with shrugs is an important part of maintaining a youthful and attractive posture. Shrugs executed with impeccable form will be critical for baby boomers seeking injury free training. Some rotator cuff issues arise due to poor posturing, so avoid injury to this delicate area and add shrugs into your routine.

Anterior deltoids

Front raises -. Grab a weight in each hand, standing with knees slightly bent with hands on your thighs and raise each weight to the front up to eye level and lower back to thighs while keeping your arms slightly bent at the elbows.

Pushups: – This old standard free-hand exercise works many muscles of the body: triceps, pectorals, anterior deltoids, lower back, and tibialis anterior, among others. By putting your arms next to your body and pressing off the floor (from your knees for women and feet for men) and concentrating on the anterior deltoids as you press up, you can effectively work these frontal deltoid muscles.

Lateral deltoids

Lateral raises –Grab a weight in each hand and place your arms at your side.Raise the weights to eye level and then lower back to your sides while keeping your arms slightly bent at the elbows.

Posterior deltoids

Bent over raise – Grab a weight in  each hand, bend over either standing with knees slightly bent or sitting in a chair and raise and lower the weights with your arms slightly bent at the elbows.

Here are 6 major keys to avoid injury:

• Proper performance of any exercise is key to avoiding injury. Follow the directions explicitly for any movement, especially in resistance training.
• Warm-up properly.
• Add rotator cuff exercises into your routine! (keep tuning in to our column for an article on the importance of rotator cuff exercises for the prevention and rehabilitation of shoulder injuries)
• Don’t hold your breath, but breathe out at the hardest part of the exercise so you won’t get dizzy.
• Get that adequate recovery through days off from the gym and plenty of sleep.
• Concentrate on isolating and flexing the shoulders!

Well, there you have it!

Follow these simple tips choosing three exercises (one for each head of the deltoids) and working up to 3 sets each for two workout sessions per week, and you too will soon be singing…….”I’m bringing sexy back …Yeah!”

Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

Thanksgiving was great! I’m sure we all had an amazing time stuffing our faces with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet yams, pumpkin pie and a little bitty bite of green beans. Not to mention a few sips of wine were also part of the menu. All the tryptophan you ate, induced the best sleep ever!

But, you woke up this morning and started calorie calculating what you ate and drank. No excuses can even come close to justifying what you consumed. You are filled with guilt, freaking out and feeling fatter than ever.

It’s ok… I need you to breathe and Relax… Take this negative event and transform it in to a positive one. Acknowledge your actions and take charge so you can avoid this scenario at the upcoming Christmas feast.

Now, let’s get you back on your fitness track!

Relax. The more stress you inflict upon yourself, the more cortisol your body will produce. As we all know, high levels of cortisol in the body can cause weight gain. Stress can also lead to overeating so chill out! Try some yoga poses and release your stress. Click here and view relaxing yoga poses that you can do at the comfort of your own home.

Get a journal. If you haven’t been keeping track of your food and fitness activities, then this is the time to start. Click here and read how keeping a journal can double your weight loss.

Set a goal. Write down your goals. Are you looking to slim down, tone or bulk up muscle? Write down what you need to do to achieve your desired goals..

Plan your meals. Figure out your caloric needs and fill your menu with healthy foods such as fibrous veggies, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. Plan to eat 5-6 small meals instead of what you ate for Thanksgiving. Click here for more examples.

Burn some calories. It’s time to re-evaluate your fitness routine and start tweeking it. If you need to lose a few pounds then add more cardio to your routine and if you need to bulk up, then start pumping iron.

Stay motivated. If you don’t have a gym buddy, go scout one. If you haven’t cut out a picture of your goal, then get a fitness magazine and choose a realistic one to keep in your journal. If you haven’t used your FREE consultation at the gym, it’s finally time to have a little talk with a personal trainer. You can always leave a comment here and Miss Murder, Miss Divine and myself will be more than happy to reply with motivational suggestions.

Whenever you take a wrong turn in your fitness track, acknowledge what happened and take action to get back on the wagon.

WARNING Christmas dinner is right around the corner, and that New Year’s Eve drinking bash is a week after. Plan and prepare so you can avoid the guilt and freaking out!

Love,

Ghada

If you’re not on the Whole grain band wagon yet, then you need to get on!

Whole grains are essential and necessary to a well-balanced diet. Unlike refined grains like white rice and flour where the bran and germ is removed through milling, whole grains are more nutritious and SUPERIOR.

Whole grains are considered complex carbs that are slowly digested in the body making them low gycemic and diabetic friendly. The superior grains are low in fat and contain nutritional benefits from antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, fiber, selenium, potassium, magnesium and more.

Whole grains are great for everyone but especially important for athletes. Carbs are essential for providing energy to the body, leading to optimum workouts and endurance.  Due to the high fiber content found in whole grain products, they are great for weight loss because they can create a filling feeling for a longer period of time.

Next time you shop for whole grain products, make sure to pay attention to the labels and nutrition facts. In 2005, the WHOLE GRAIN STAMP was introduced. These stamps are helpful in telling you if the product is truly “whole” and how many grams of grains and fiber is in each serving. When choosing a brand, make sure that “whole grains” are at the top of the list and that each serving contains 3 grams or more.

Here are a few of my FAVORITE WHOLE GRAINS!

Old Wessex Ltd. 5 Grain Cereal

You will always find this brand in my pantry. I love using this brand for my protein pie concoction. This 5 Grain Cereal contains interesting textures and flavors of grains like barley, oats and flax.

Ezekiel Sprouted Bread

After doing extensive research the best whole grain breads to add to my diet, I came across this brand that so many spoke highly of. I decided to give it a try and sure enough, it tasted amazing. Not only is this bread low fat and high in fiber, but it also contains high amounts of protein. It’s nutty delicious flavor makes any sandwich scrumptious! I love topping it with some turkey, avocado and tomato.

Wasa Fiber Crackers

35 calories per slice, this cardboard flavored cracker is great for people watching their figure and calories. I like to spread some peanut butter and sugar free jam on it and snack away.

Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice

I think I have most of my friends hooked on this flavorful whole grain rice. It’s flavored with the perfect amount of safflower oil and packs 170 calories per cup. There’s also a $1 OFF coupon inside for the next time you purchase. I love this brand because it’s Ready to Serve so I only need to zap it for a minute and my lunch is ready. My lunch is usually a cup of brown rice, 3oz lean meat and lots of steamed veggies.

Healthy Harvest Pasta

Healthy Harvest has a variety of pastas to choose from. I love making a low fat version of Mac & Cheese with the spirals! Key word is “low fat”. Healthy Harvest brand contains is infused with nutritious B Vitamins, Folic acid and over 10 grams of protein per serving. Some of their brands also contain Omega 3 and Flax.

So the next time you grocery shop, instead of picking up that refined, bright white WONDER BREAD, why not choose a healthier whole grain option instead and do your body and bowels good.

What are some of your other favorite whole grains?

Love,

Ghada.

Everyone at one time or another has to shower and get dressed at the gym. For gym regulars, this isn’t a big deal and considered part of the daily gym ritual. When you become a regular at a gym, a certain unspoken etiquette comes into play when it comes to the rules of the locker room.

You might settle into the same locker every morning without having to worry about someone else taking it. You might also get dressed in the same area, shower at the same time each morning and never run into any snags because of this etiquette. But it seems the one unwritten rule that sometimes occurs in the locker room is what I call the locker room PEEP SHOW. This is when someone or a group of people have become more than comfortable with their body and they don’t mind showing it off…to everyone in the locker room!

Now I am not saying that you shouldn’t be comfortable with your body, and I am not referring to those who use towels and disrobe while in their little dressing area each day. I am referring to the ones who no matter how hot or cold the temperature is, empty or full the locker room is, they just walk around stark naked!

Every locker room has at least one. Now we are all adults or at least 18 so although this may not be someone you really want to see naked each and every morning, remember everyone has their own dressing ritual and they are paying for the use of the locker room just like you.

The best way to deal with a locker room peep show is to simply not look and by all means don’t stare! It might not be your cup of tea to walk around naked in front of tons of strangers but everyone is different and nobody should be made to feel ashamed of who they are especially not at the gym. We are all there working towards some sort of self improvement goal and we should respect each others differences and embrace the over all goal which is to get fit, be healthy and yes to even become comfortable with ourselves naked!

So keep your eyes covered and don’t stare. It’s rude!

Shaneek, AKA Miss Murder

Anyone who knows me also knows I love and enjoy the time I spend at the gym.  Of course its part of my lifestyle and something that I have to do, but I truly look forward to my hour of pumping iron and working up an intense sweat.  However, I want to make sure my time spent is not only enjoyable, but that I’m getting as much benefit from my meathead session as possible!  In previous posts, Ghada and Miss Murder have given you great facts on different things you can do to maximize your workouts.  In case you have forgotten or missed them, I’m going to lay out seven actions to perform to make sure you are getting the “most bang for your buck” when it comes to your time in the gym!

Consume your exercise energy

I think we are all aware of the importance of having something in your belly before a workout.  However, when and what you eat are key elements to how long your gym session will last.  It is extremely important to prepare your body for the lifting and cardio battlefield!  (Ok, a little dramatic I know, but think of yourself as a workout warrior!)  During an intense exercise your body burns stored up energy.  Once the energy is completely burned, your body turns to glycolysis, which comes from carbs, as a secondary source of energy.  If you do not consume some form of complex carb in your pre-workout feeding, you are making yourself extremely susceptible to running on empty before your routine is complete.  In short, carbohydrates are a pre-workout must to keep your engine revved.  Complex carbs digest quickly and become readily available fuel.  Also, any workout warrior knows protein is a necessity in building and rebuilding strong, lean muscle, so as a rule of thumb I always incorporate some form of lean protein to every meal.  Now, keep in mind that you have a 60 to 90 minute window to consume your pre-workout cuisine.  Always include a carbohydrate and protein.  Some suggestions are a protein shake, turkey sandwich, or my favorite, oatmeal and peanut butter.  Delicious! 

Warm up your already hot body!

During and for a short time after your workout your muscles are warm and your blood is flowing.  But for the rest of the time your muscles can be cold with very little blood pumping to them.  Get your heart pumping before hitting the weights by hopping on the treadmill or elliptical for three to five minutes.  This will get more blood circulating through your system and give you more power and energy in your workouts.

Challenge yourself

I will keep this short and sweet, if the weight you are lifting feels to  easy, increase the amount.  If you have been doing the same routine for longer than six weeks and are not seeing any results, switch it up.  Your muscles need to be challenged and torn in order for them to rebuild and become stronger.  If you feel like you can perform never ending reps with a certain weight, it’s a good sign its time for an adjustment. If you would like an elaboration on this topic, please read Miss Murder’s ultra informative post from November 19th. 

Mix it up to maximize cardio

There are two theories to how to burn fat the fastest.  The first is cardio at a moderate pace or intensity for and extended amount of time (30+ minutes).  For this approach to be effective your heart rate has to be at a certain level to hit ideal intensity.  Getting your heart rate to this level could take up to 10 minutes, therefore, the first 10 minutes of your work is not spent burning fat.

The second theory is high intensity cardio for a lesser amount of time (15 to 20 min).

High intensity cardio is much more challenging on the body and gets your heart rate above typical moderate intensity, therefore burning many more calories.  

I love working up a sweat, but to be perfectly honest, cardio is my least favorite part of my warrior routine.  I don’t like spending more than 30 minutes on cardio, but I definitely want all of my minutes to count.  To maximize my 30 minutes, I spend the first 10 doing something high intensity, like running at an alternating six and seven on the treadmill or pushing it really hard on the elliptical, and the remaining 20 minutes I work at moderate intensity on a stair climber or stationary bike.  This way I’m getting the best of both cardio worlds!

Cool down your hot body!

During vigorous workouts your muscles become full of a toxin called lactic  acid.  Walking on the treadmill at a level three or doing any other low intensity cardio as a five minute cool down helps to remove this waste in your muscles.  Cooling down also will help bring your heart rate and breathing back to normal gradually.

Stretch those limbs

Take a little time to give your muscles a little TLC.  Stretching will decrease your level of muscle soreness and also rid them of amino acids that have built up in your cells.  This means less time waddling around like a ducky!

Refuel your machine

Now that you have done an amazing job making sure you are getting the best results for the time you put into your workout, give your body something to work with.  At this point the tears you have created to your muscle fibers will attempt to rebuild themselves.  They need more protein!  You have 90 minutes to consume lean protein and complex carbs to replenish energy and get the building process rockin’ and rollin’.  You have worked so hard the past hour, finish strong with Ghada’s yummy Red Bean and Spinach smoothie or a protein packed grilled chicken breast with brown rice. 

I hope that these simple tips will help you maximize your workouts and aid in achieving your fitness goals faster.  Getting to the gym is half the battle, making sure you are having fun while achieving results and feeling better about yourself is the reward. 

Be proud of yourself and enjoy it!

Jennifer, AKA Miss Divine

Laughter is a very essential part of my lifestyle and well-being. I need it every day whether it comes from my own humor, friends, loved ones or watching comedy specials on TV. A good sense of humor and laughter just makes life much more enjoyable.

Laughter and humor h ave been studied and shown to have many benefits to mental, emotional and physical health. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies suggest that a good sense of humor can counteract the damaging effects of stress, depression and anxiety which were all linked to heart disease.

Other benefits of laughter include strengthening of the immune system to ward off illness, elevation of mood, lowering of blood pressure, boost in brain function, increased relaxation and just feeling great.

I don’t need clinical studies to tell me that I enjoy laughing and having fun in life, but if you suffer from “Debbie Downer” syndrome, then you need to start incorporating more humor to your life.

Here are just a few ways to do that:

Smile & laugh just because. A smile even when not genuine can be so contagious and so can your laughter. I saw a special on a wacky “laughter therapy” specialist who made his class laugh as an exercise. Eventually, their acting translated to true laughter, in turn making me laugh. Ha ha 

Laugh at yourself. Everyone has their own issues, so stop thinking you’re a victim of this life. Learn to laugh at dumb situations you have put yourself in, the dysfunctional family that you are stuck with and your corny characteristics. Ha ha… I can laugh all day long!

Surround yourself with comedians. If you’re not making me laugh, then I have to excuse myself. I need a circus of a life filled with clowns, jugglers and people willing to take risks and jump!

Dress crazy. Stop rocking that boring business casual suit. Add some crazy colors and funk up your hair color or style. Dress less seriously and watch how your attitude changes. I hate dressing up in corporate clothes to head to my cubicle. No way! I make it a point to dress colorful and comfortable because I feel that it projects in my personality, vibe and service. It has been over 2 years and I am still employed. If you are stuck wearing corporate looking outfits, then jazz it up with a crazy tie or sexy heels.

In the words of JAY Z “Brush your shoulders off”. Let things slide and stop taking things so seriously. Brush off any comments or actions that may cause you stress or irritation. At the end of they day, they’re just words and YOU let them effect you.

Another way to add humor to life is by watching comedy specials and stand ups. I am never not in the mood to laugh. I love comedy period!

I love shows like Reno 911, Flight of the Conchords, I love Raymond, Kings of Queen, and one of my ultimate favorites THE CHAPELLE SHOW!

Watch this standup where Chappelle talks about Grape Drink. Ha ha..

Stay positive and keep laughing.

Love,

Ghada

My mommy always hooked up a mean stuffed pepper filled with tons of beef, white rice and spices.

If you’re watching your carb intake like I am, then here’s a similar tasting recipe that you’ll find just as good. Your man won’t even notice it’s the healthier version.

 Ingredients:

• Sweet peppers
• 1lb ground beef
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 2 large tomatoes
• Low sodium chicken broth
• 1 table spoon minced garlic
• 1 table spoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• Salt n Peppa

Preparation:

• Heat the oven. Start the oven and set it on 350 degrees and get it ready for your concoction.
• Prep the peppers. Cut the tops of your peppers and clean them out. Set them aside so they can be ready to be stuffed.
• Prep the rice: In a pot, pour your can of chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Dump your cup of rice and cook it half way, not all the way because you’ll re cook it in the oven again. Put aside.
• Prep the meat mixture: drizzle your olive oil in the wok or frying pan and saute your garlic and onions. Sprinkle in your Salt n Peppa and stir. When you see the onions and garlic turning brown, dump your chopped mushrooms and tomatoes in and cook a little more. When the tomatoes get a little cooked, top it with your ground beef and stir. Brown the meat a little because once again, we’re going to re cook it in the oven.Mix the half cooked rice on top of the beef mixture and blend it well.
• Stuff the peppers. Scoop your meat mixture and fill your peppers full! Organize them in a baking pan and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake the peppers.  Cook the peppers for 45-60 minutes until peppers are soft and juicy.

Use your oven mitts and pull out the baking pan since it’s going to be very hot and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

The stuffed peppers should be a meal on their own but feel free to serve them with a crisp green salad.

Cooking is so much fun! Enjoy it and watch your lover fall in love with you all over again. Send me a thank you note after you make this.

 Love,

Ghada

Women today seem especially obsessed with scale weight. Many women step on the scale almost once or twice a week or even every day to monitor their fluctuating ounces.

But what a lot of people never take into account when weighing themselves is that there are many factors that play major roles in weight fluctuation.  The scale may tip depending on your water consumption, sodium intake or even the type of workout you did that day.

Unless you have one of those fancy do it all high tech scales, most of them simply measure the flat out weight placed upon it. You can be an advent strength trainer or weight lifter carrying around little to no body fat, but may still appear to be overweight when stepping foot on that scale!

The scale is truthful about your actual weight, but it doesn’t reveal the whole truth about your fitness level, muscle mass and fat index.

You may be feeling extra lean, your clothes are feeling loose and your body is looking more defined than ever, but for some reason you still choose to punish yourself by stepping on that scale everyday.

I’m going to tell you the number one reason why your scale keeps lying to you, and that is because you let it! So cut it out!

It’s finally time to break free of your scale’s stronghold on you, and find other ways of measuring your fitness level and body mass so you can truly watch your progress more accurately.

Instead of jumping on the scale, grab a tape measure and jot down your inches. Inches lost is much more impressive than actual weight loss.

Stand in front of the mirror and perform a jiggle test. Take notice to the definition of your body, new muscle growth and areas of you body that have become leaner and more tone.

According to the scale, you may never drop those 10 lbs you set out lose, but according to that measuring tape you may have dropped 2 clothing sizes!

Do not consider the scale as your friend, but more like a passing acquaintance so it should be treated as such. And anyway do you really want a liar of a scale as your closest friend?

Shaneek, AKA Miss Murder

If you’re a healthy individual who is capable of walking to the kitchen fridge and grabbing snacks to stuff your face with, then I don’t wanna hear any excuses of why you can’t fit in a workout today.

If you do not have a gym membership and haven’t purchased any fitness DVD’s yet, then I have the simplest fat blasting workout that you can do in the comfort of your home.

Your homework this week is to incorporate these 4 butt blasting moves in to your busy day. Crank up some music and get working on that JLO butt!

Start with a 2 minute warm up. I love me some jumping jacks or mountain climbers to pump my heart rate.

1. SQUATS: 3 sets of 15 repetitions

2. LUNGES: 3 sets of 15 repetitions

3. KICK BACKS: 3 sets of 15 repetitions

4. BUTT LIFTS: 3 sets of 15 repetitions

Do this workout every other day, and watch your butt and body transform. For a more intense workout, try incorporating weights and more sets.

Body weight exercises are often the unexpected strength training exercises that most times work the best. By improving your physical conditioning with the use of body weight exercises like the ones shown above,you can not only count on adding strength but also having more energy and vitality as well!

Maximize your results by considering to switch to healthier diet.

Click here to view the Love Your Life Program. A healthy eating program made so easy that you can follow it for life!

Love,

Ghada

They used to call me “Ghada Lotta” butt! I still have some junk in the trunk, but with my butt blasting workouts, I can actually say it’s looking nice and round. Watch out JLO!