You can almost never go wrong with a perfectly cooked salmon dish (unless your lover is allergic to seafood.. then skip this dish). This flavorful piece of fish is so simple to bake, grill or poach and always makes me look like a great chef!

The following Salmon creation takes minutes to prep and minutes to create.

Ingredients:

• 2 Salmon fillets
• Breadcrumbs
• Garlic powder
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preparation:

• Preheat oven at 400 degrees
• Blend and mix seasoning ingredients: Breadcrumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, lime juice, olive oil and parmesan cheese.
• Rub your mixture on your salmon fillets and set in a baking tray
• Bake for 10-12 minutes
• Take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes

This is a simple, tasty and protein packed dinner for you and your baby. I love serving my salmon on a bed of sauteed spinach with a side of sweet potato.

These are concoctions, so feel free to be more creative by adding more herbs, spices and tasty side dishes.

Are you getting hot in the kitchen yet?

Tune in EVERY Sunday for another fast and easy dish that will melt your lover’s heart!

Love,

Ghada

As you have all read in Saturday’s post, my meathead BFF is selfishly leaving me to take a trip gallivanting across Kuwait and Dubai to visit family and friends in a few short weeks!..

Sob, sob! Leaving me here all alone each a.m in the gym with no one to keep me motivated no one to discuss my meals with and no locker room buddy. I will be missing out on all our online meathead chat we have throughout the day! I will be lost! Lost I tell ya! And all because she wants to spend some quality time with her family!

Now of course I am exaggerating a bit….ok I might be exaggerating a lot! I am of course happy for Ghada and I do hope she has a blast on her trip. We will of course still chat on line and it is only 10 days but I will miss her terribly! She has traveled away from me before on trips for   business but never as long as 10 days so this will be a real test of our friendship for me .Not to say that I will disown her and find my a new meathead BFF and forget all about her but I tend to get over people really fast when they are out of site they tend to be off my mind as well too!

I hope that when she FINALLY does return I remember her(Ghada who?….kidding)and we can pick up where we left off and share many cool stories of her home visit over a nice cold protein shake! 

Yes those few days will be very, very hard for Miss Murder and so sad indeed and I may even need to find myself a temporary meathead BBF just to keep myself motivated while she is away……do you think you can fit the bill? Ghada has some pretty big shoes to fill for such a petite amigo!

So if you think you can help Miss Murder get through the rough times during the 10 day period by offering a few words encouragement or just a simple dropping me a line! I would love to hear from ya!

Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

So, I’m headed out this Sunday evening for my vacation. I’m flying out from the Philly airport, connecting in Dulles Washington and then taking a 12 hour flight direct to Kuwait. I love flying and being 30,000 feet in the air. There’s just something serene about it and puts me in the ultimate state of relaxation. I am one of those last minute packers, so I make sure that a packing list is written out before so that I don’t miss anything.

Here’s what’s in my suitcase for the trip. If I’m missing anything, please help by leaving a comment

Media

• Cell phone. Even though I can’t use my phone overseas, I will still take it with so I can contact people when I arrive.
• Digital camera. I can’t wait to take pics of all the places, friends and family and restaurants. I promise I’ll give you a peek.
• Ipod. I would love to take this with but I recently dropped mine while running on the treadmill and now it’s gone. Sad, but I’ll deal with that when I get back
• Laptop. I’m addicted to my email and researching so this is a must have. I hope to write a few posts while I’m on my trip to keep you posted on what I’m doing. Nutrition
• Low Carb Protein bars. Just because I’m traveling, does not mean I have to ruin my healthy eating plan. Luckily, the Mediterranean foods that I will be eating are healthy anyway full of lean proteins, veggies and lots of olive oil.
• Detox pills. I mentioned in an earlier post that I suffer from constipation when traveling, so to keep my bowels healthy I have to pop my detox pills every night.
• Protein powder. I hope I don’t get stopped for this because right now it looks like a bag of heroine with a scooper. I will be chugging this before I head over to the typical Middle Eastern Feasts that I get invited to. It’s going to be tough to convince the hosts that I can’t eat that much because most of the time, they’re going to be insulted.
• Shaker Cup. Self-explanatory

Money & Documents

• Passport/ Driver’s license. Obviously, I can’t travel without these.
• Business cards. Even when I’m on vacation, I always seem to meet someone that I can network with. You never know who you’ll run in to.

Miscellaneous/Extras

• Anti-bacterial wipes. Millions of people in and out of the airport, I make sure to carry these around.
• Sunglasses: OMG! I got these hot pair of shades and I can’t wait to rock them out. But honestly, I get shy wearing them sometimes because I don’t want people thinking that I’m hot stuff. When I get overly confident, I bring myself back down to earth and become simple Gandhi.

Women’s Clothing and Accessories

• Bras. Since my boobies are tiny, I have packed the ultimate pushup water bra! Oh yeah! I have a few sports bras too so I can workout.
• Undies. I packed some bikini briefs, sporty boy shorts and a few thongs if I wear some tight dress pants. Visible panty lines are not cute.
• Jewelry: Earrings, necklaces and bracelets. I love accessorizing my simple outfits with jewelry or a nice simple handbag
• Dress and skirts. Events like this give me an excuse to doll up since I don’t do it much in my daily routine.
• Shoes. I love stilettos! Hot boots of course and my Nike “bust a sweat” sneakers.
• Shirts & Sweaters. It’s actually a little chilly in the Middle East right now, so I’ll take one or two to keep me cozy
• PJ’s. I packed a cute coral sweat suit to sleep in with a few wife beater tanks. Plus, it’s cute to lounge in as well.
• Socks. I packed some dress socks, hose and workout booties.
• Workout gear: Just ’cause I’m on vacation, does not mean that I will be lazy. I’m planning on doing plyometrics, abs, pushups and runs on the beach.

Sundries

• Face care: Cleanser, toner, acne medication. Keeping my skin so fresh and so clean is very important so I never leave my home without these
• MEG 21. This is my all-in-one moisturizer that I swear by!!! It works to  target the harmful effects of glycation to improve my moisture, texture and firmness.
• Baby wipes. Always stay fresh and clean (if you know what I mean)
• Hair products. Anti-frizz, shampoo, conditioner and lots of hair spray!
• Make up. I can never leave the house without my mask supplies. I always stock up on my mineral makeup, mascaras and bronzers.
• Dental care. My toothbrush, floss and mouth wash is always in my bag. I like to brush in between meals to avoid overeating and snacking. I like to take my teeth whitener to maintain my bright whites!
• Deodorant. Yeah… stinking like an onion is not cute..
• Tweezers. Instead of spending money on waxing, I’d rather clean it up myself for free.

Am I missing anything? Please help!

Love,

Ghada

Poor Daisy Duke.. She has been the talk of every gossip show this week as they focus on her shocking weight gain.

28 year old Jessica Simpson recently performed at a “Chili Cook-Off” concert in Florida and witnesses could not stop talking about the singer’s weight increase. Simpson wore high-waist size 8 jeans with a thick leopard belt that drew extra attention to her new curves.

If Jessica was the average woman walking down the street, I’m sure most people would label her as an attractive curvy female. But after rocking a size 2, hard body in the Dukes of Hazard, the media is not going to let her slide.

What is the point of exposing this story?

No.. I am not trying to poke fun of Jessica Simpson. I am trying to expose the reality of extreme celebrity diets. Yes, they are amazing at whipping a body in to shape, but the maintenance is unrealistic (unless that’s your job).

Many reasons may have led Jessica to weight gain. Maybe she’s so in love with her Cowboy honey Tony Romo and they’ve been dining out a lot. Maybe she’s dealing with a stressful situation due to her quiet career. Who knows and really, who cares?

We all go through it, and there is nothing wrong with it as long as you acknowledge the situation for what it is and get back on track.

Just looking at Jessica’s body, I can tell that her genetic makeup was not meant to be rock solid. But I can also tell that her eating habits have taken a back seat to her current life situation.

So ladies, stop looking up to the Jessica Simpsons, Janet Jacksons and Oprahs of the world. Extreme and Yo yo dieting will eventually lead to failure.

No more extreme cleanses, extreme calorie restrictions and other crazy diets! Find a well-balanced plan that incorporates moderate exercise and nutritious foods that you can follow for LIFE.

Keep a slow and steady pace, and you will win the race while maintaining a beautiful body and most importantly, a healthy heart.

I cannot be upset at celebrities for the crazy things they do to achieve a hard rock body, because they’re constantly under pressure to look their best at all times. But, I can be upset at the average Jane who seeks fad diets for quick weight loss results that may backfire and lead to more complications.

Put yourself and health first and do it for YOU. You’ll love yourself more. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Love,

Ghada

I had avoided taking Creatine in the beginning of my training thinking that it would only make me big, bloated and bulky.

But I was WRONG on all counts!

After confirming the facts and benefits that creatine offered, I decided to try it out. If you have read my previous posts, I mentioned that I had stomach issues and I have to be careful about what I take. I eventually found the perfect blend that was quite gentle to my stomach and did not cause me to bloat.

Following the directions, I started my creatine while supplementing to increase my strength. My results were better then I expected both physically and mentally. I had never experienced such great results from my workouts. I had more energy, more muscle stamina, more intense muscle contraction, a great “pump”, better muscle recovery, increased strength gains and I was emotionally excited to do my workout! All that without any stomach upset.

Within a few weeks, I was sold on Creatine supplementation and it will always be part of my training routine.

Creatine is a proven, safe and very powerful sports supplement that should be used by individuals who seek a buff body!

You’re probably wondering what exactly does creatine do?

Good question! In a nutshell, creatine helps supply energy to your muscles and nerve cells while aiding in shuttling the nutrients you need to perform, recover and grow.

Why is it important for women supplement with creatine?

If you want to be Buff, you need to strengthen the muscles in your body so that you are a fat burning machine! Creatine will help you get lean! It will make you feel stronger by increasing the blood flow to your muscles causing greater, more effective contractions during your weight lifting.

Creatine will also help you recover from your lifting, and help your muscles have a continuous supply of the nutrients they need to become lean and dense!

How much should I take?

I recommend taking two to three 3g-5g doses daily in a punch form. ( i.e. I take Universal Storm which does not need to be combined with a carb which is usually suggested. It is also quick absorbing and great tasting!) Most creatines on the market today are made so that there is no need to “LOAD”. The best time of day to take it is the morning 30 minutes prior to your workout and then again right after. You should start to feel the effects within a week.

What about the bloating?

The biggest side effect women have to overcome when taking supplements such as Creatine is bloating. The bloating is an overall body bloat. It’s not like your typical “monthly bloat”. You will carry the water weight in your muscles, so the more muscle you have the more you will notice the water weight.

When I am on Creatine I carry about 3-5 pounds of extra water weight. The good news is that once you stop taking it, you lose the water weight  immediately. [Note: I typically cycle off for the week of my menstrual and then restart the  week following to elevate the extra bloat during that time of the month.]

How long should I take it? 

If you want the best results you must take creatine while following a good weight training program and healthy diet. I would recommend starting a creatine cycle for a period of 6-9 weeks and then going off of it for about 2-3 weeks to check your progress. Then start a new cycle after your time off depending on your strength training goals. Gradually increase your cycle time to fit you, but remember to increase your time off in junction as well!

Now Go Get Buff!

Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

I love make-up! I’m always flipping through fashion mags to check out the new hot shades and styles the celebs are wearing and trying to duplicate them on my own mug! However, it never comes out the same, and often when I’m playing with bright colors I end up looking like a drag queen. The key with make up application is you want to choose shades and colors that blend and enhance your natural beauty. With the exception of a night time eye look, it is important to find the best colors and textures for you skin type and tone.

After reading books on make-up application and looking up tips and tricks provided by celebrity make-up artist, I am beginning to become a little more make-up savvy, and, thank goodness, it shows! Hopefully the below tips will benefit you and help you feel like your most beautiful self!

STEP ONE: BASE

Let’s start first with foundation. Finding a foundation that has a texture that is compatible with your skin is just is important as matching the color. First step to choosing the right foundation is deciding what type of skin you have.

DRY SKIN- feels dry, rarely breaks out and usually small pores. Find products that showcase moisturizing capabilities. Best texture for you would be a tinted moisturizer or a liquid or mousse foundation.

NORMAL-neither too oily nor dry, little to no breakouts, medium pores. Best textures for you would be cream to powder foundations, tinted, liquid, cream or mousse. If you have normal skin you are definitely a lucky one. Depending on what kind of finish you like; matte, satin, dewy, etc., you can pretty much use any texture of foundation you’d like.

OILY-(my skin type) large pores, gets shiny fast, prone to blackheads, breaks out often. Definitely find products that are oil-free, non-comedogenic, and water based. Use textures like cream to powder, liquid, or mousse. I like to use mousse because it feels very light and you can build up from light to heavy coverage.

SENSITIVE-burns easily, sensitive to many products, blotchy and dry patches. Products that are fragrance-free and hypoallergenic are best. Try water-based liquid and mousse foundations.

To choose the proper shade, blend three colors right at your jaw line and neck and pick that one that is closest to your natural tone.

STEP TWO: LIPS

  First and foremost, if you are wearing a very dark shade on you lips, go lighter on the eyes, and vise versa. Also, consider the time of day when deciding on your lip shade. In most cases, save your dark, deep colors for evening and nighttime events. Also, if you have thin lips, opt for light shades and glosses. Too dark of a color will make thin lips look even smaller.

FAIR SKIN-opt for shades in light peach, honey, or beige. Glossy transparent picks will flatter your smackers as well.

MEDIUM- try medium pinks, light mocha, caramel, delicate reds, medium apricots and tangy peaches.

OLIVE-strong red, deep rose, berry, toffee, mahogany, dark apricots, brown reds.

EBONY-deep brownish red, deep berry, deep fuchsia, golden beige.

STEP 3: CHEEKS

The best way to know your blush shade is to take a quick jog and see what color your cheeks naturally blush.

FAIR to NORMAL- pick a blush with pink undertones. If you are more mature in age, pink can often appear to be ashy on the skin as it ages, so maybe try more of a peachy glow.

OLIVE-try shades like cinnamon or colors with a copper tone..

EBONY-use a blush with warm undertones, like apricot or paprika. This skin tone also has the luxury of using more dramatic shades such as brick red or reddish brown undertones, without looking draggy.

STEP 4: EYES

Like lip color, eye make-up and the shades you choose should be appropriate to the time of day. Save ultra bright and smoky eyes for the evening.

BLUE EYES- use warm taupe liners. Best shadow shades are warm browns and peaches as well as soft speeches.

GREEN EYES-use red-brown, taupe, or purple liners. Pick shadows in golden browns, warm taupe’s, deep purples, soft peaches and violets.

BROWN EYES-if your are a brown eyed girl like me, then you get the best of it all. Brown eyes look great with pretty much any shade or color. Pick liners in browns, charcoal, taupe, and purple. Eye shadows in browns, blues, greens, light mahogany, charcoal, and purples will complement you eye color best.

GREY EYES- select liners and shadows in charcoal and brown, and also try purple over your lids.

Well, as for the basics, that’s it!

I’m a fair skin, brown eyed gal, and using the suggested colors for my face and make-up applications really made a positive difference. Let me know if you agree on the color choices provided or if you have found an amazing combo that isn’t listed. And remember, you don’t have to follow the rules when it comes to make-up. Don’t be afraid to keep it funky and incorporate your own personal style. Plus, we all know the best accessory is your smile anyway, so work it with confidence!

Jennifer AKA Miss Divine

Not many individuals can confess to getting an annoying painful cold    sore, so I will sacrifice myself, take the bullet and admit that I have gotten them in my life. Yes, the thought of it is gross and we’ve been taught that it’s in the “Ewwwww” category.

So why am I confessing this embarrassing story? Because I have found something that really works to put a halt to a cold sore before it flares up and gives you Angelina Jolie-like lips.

So here’s what happened to me.. I rarely get cold sores. I would say that I might get one every few years. A fever or extreme stress is usually the cause of a flare up. The last few months have been jam packed with family, friends, events, work, more work and exhaustion. It finally caught up to me last week and I felt my body overheating and a possible fever starting. To top it off.. my lips were feeling tingly and irritated.

Ruh Roh!!!! Nooooooo…. Not a cold sore! Stress can cause it to flare up more but I couldn’t help but stress about not stressing. I quickly remembered that a friend of mine suffered from frequent cold sores, so I picked up the phone and began my interrogation. She prompted me to take 4000 mg of Lysine for the next few days. After some extensive online research, I also took some aspirin, iced my lips to calm any inflammation and avoided nuts and chocolate because they may increase the flare up due to their high arginine content. 

The next morning, I woke up and still felt a little discomfort but nothing was visible. Once again, I popped 4000 mg of Lysine. By the end of the day…. it was gone! What the hell is this stuff? Honestly, the Lysine somehow halted the flare up and disappeared.

It has been over 4 days now, and still nothing! And that is why I’m sharing this with you. If I can help just a few people avoid the discomfort, then my embarrassment is totally worth it.

If you want to learn more about cold sores and how to prevent them, feel free to continue and read more…

What is a cold sore?

Cold sores are usually caused by herpes virus, which can lay dormant in the body and becomes active later when something triggers it. There is no cure for cold sores, but there are remedies you can use that will reduce the severity and frequency of them. Cold sores may appear after colds, fevers, exposure to the sun, stress, during menstruation, or for no apparent reason. Generally it is felt that anything that compromises the immune system may trigger the cold sores, such as infection, cancer or any illness.

What can I do when I feel a cold sore starting?

The sooner you catch it, the better. As soon as you feel one coming along, you should start your prevention treatment.

Here are a few helpful suggestions:

• AVOID Arginine-filled foods like peanuts, chocolate, wheat, oats and peas. Arginine is an essential amino acid that feeds the virus causing more of a flare up. It’s like feeding a fire.
• DO Eat Lysine-filled foods like yogurt, turkey and fish. Lysine is another essential amino acid that smothers arginine, making it less available to cause a flare up. So fill up on Arginine!
• Do take a B complex. England researchers found that most people that suffered from cold sores were low in B-12.
• Do take an aspirin or pain killer for relief
• Do apply ice directly on your lips. Fever blisters hate ice.
• Do apply an OTC topical treatment if the flare up begins
• Do apply sunscreen on your lips because the sun may cause it to worsen
• Do meditate and avoid stressful situations.

There is no cure for a fever blister, but here are ways to keep it at bay and lessen the traumatic event.

Many sites have written against the efficacy of Lysine and its lack of scientific data to back it, but from experience I am a true believer. Lysine is very safe, so why not try it anyway?

If you have any other suggestions, we would love to hear from you!

Love,

Ghada

So I’m sure almost all my ladies were dragged into watching the championship football game where the Eagles lost to the Cardinals. I was also invited to a football party, but I actually enjoyed it. Why? Because it was an excuse to pull out my secret lamb recipe… And yes, everyone was drueling! Yay! Isn’t it so fulfilling when people enjoy your cooking?

Let’s get in the kitchen!

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb
• 1 Garlic Bulb
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Salt n Peppa
• 1/4 cup of Za’atar: thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame seeds, salt, cumin, coriander, fennel seed. You can get this at an international market or order it online. It comes blended, but if you can’t find it then try to get the herbs separate.
• Oven bag (usually made for roasting chickens)

Preparation:

• Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
• Clean your lamb and trim some of the fat off. I like to keep most of it on for flavor but I’ll avoid eating it after it’s done. Don’t worry about the fat going to waste, because the guys seem to love the fatty part.
• Chop up your fresh garlic and insert them into your leg of lamb. I like to poke them everywhere. You can never have too much garlic!
• Rub down the lamb with the Olive oil.
• Season the lamb with Za’atar, cinnamon, Salt n Peppa.
• Place the leg in the oven bag and place in the oven to start roasting.
• After 30 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another hour and a half for a “medium to well” lamb.
• I like to shorten the time by 15 minutes to get a more medium, to medium rare leg of lamb.
• Remove the roast and let it sit for 15 minutes so the juices will settle and keep cooking the meat.

Your house will have the most amazing aroma floating around and your sweetheart will hover over the leg of lamb impatiently until you serve him.

Try serving this with some whole grain couscous, chickpeas and spinach… or whatever you desire! It doesn’t matter because all you will want to eat is that lamb.

 Love,

Ghada

“Burn fat while you sleep! Eat whatever you want and still lose weight! Don’t suffer through hours of grueling exercise to burn fat!”

You’ve probably heard all these promises, so are there any weight loss supplements that really work?

Do fat burners containing ephedrine deliver what they really claim?

Let’s look into it…

The primary ingredient in fat burners is the herb ephedra, also known as ma huang, or it’s manufactured version ephedrine. It has been used in Chinese herbal medicine quite safely and effectively for thousands of years. It is often combined with synthetic or herbal versions of caffeine  (e.g. guarana, yerba mate or kola nut) and aspirin (e.g. white willow bark).

So, does it work?

The answer to that question is YES. Ephedrine does effectively help the body to burn fat for energy. But, according to medical studies, there can be side effects, some of which are quite serious.

Its chemical makeup increases the breakdown of fatty tissue for fuel. Its stimulatory properties help to increase resting metabolism. This process is known as thermogenesis, which is essentially excess heat production. You body burns more calories simply by producing more body heat. When ephedrine is combined with caffeine and aspirin, it may have appetite suppressant effects. The nervous system stimulation you get can help you maintain your energy levels, which can aid you in your exercise program. When used according to instructions and in moderate doses, studies suggest that fat-burning formulas containing ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin can be safely and effectively used to SUPPLEMENT a good fat-burning program.

Fat burners should never be used as the sole means to achieve fat loss. A good fat loss program must also address diet and exercise, contrary to the hype you see on television and in print. Anyone who relies solely on pills to lose fat is usually doomed to regain the lost weight and potentially quite rapidly after they stop taking the pills.

There is a reason for this weight gain. These pills are effective, therefore the person does not necessarily have to change the habits that made them overweight in the first place. When a person discontinues use of ephedrine without changing those habits, almost inevitably the weight will come back.

Some of these side effects may include: jitteriness, sleeplessness, increased heart rate and blood pressure, anxiety, skin flushing or tingling and nausea.

People who should not take ephedrine include those suffering from heart disease, anxiety attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, adrenal disease, thyroid disease or prostate disorders. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure or are taking antidepressants or MAO inhibitors, you should stay away from ephedrine. Also, it is not recommended for pregnant women to use this herb.

Now that you know some of the pros and cons of taking ephedrine supplements you can use this information to help decide whether or not ephedrine is right for you.

Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

I’m a huge fan of The Soup with Joel McHale because he keeps me posted on all the crazy TV shows and news reports. Just the other night, he showed a clip from an abc news interview that featured a crazy couple that were discussing the wife’s “orgasmic” childbirth experience. What! I had to watch this..
I’ve been having the baby blues and I look forward to giving birth, but I’ve never heard of any woman enjoying the pushing and ripping experience.
But, I’m open minded… so I’m all ears… 
Here’s the abc interview. Take a few minutes to watch it and then we’ll discuss.
VIEWER DISCRESTION IS ADVISED

OK.. Let’s talk!
So what did you think of Amber Hartland?
To me, she already exuded the characteristics of a nutty flower child. Not that I know first hand, but she also seemed like she was popping some psychedelic substances like mushrooms and opium… she weirded me out.. lol.. I was still fascinated though
What did you think of the whole interview?
I thought that it was a little disturbing but I don’t doubt that orgasms can be experienced during childbirth if we mentally prepare ourselves. Our mind is powerful enough to control pain and other emotions so why not orgasms.
Have you experienced an orgasmic childbirth?
They say 20 % of women experience an orgasmic childbirth. So, if you are one of them then I would love to hear your testimony.
Would you go see the movie “Orgasmic Childbirth”?
Yes, I would. I think I might get nauseous, but I would definitely support it.
Do I think I’ll experience an ecstasy-like childbirth?
I really do think that my childbirth will be less painful than the average woman’s. I’ve always had a relaxed attitude towards pain. I have proven it to myself through many doctor visits. I truly understand how my mind can magnify pain if you’re negatively perceiving it, so I always meditate and breathe before and during my visits.

What a funny world! What do you think?

Love,

Ghada