Fit After Forty

Women today have all the advantages that our ancestors only dreamed about. From having the right to vote, to being able to own land and manage our own earnings, modern women have come a long way.

Balsamic Chicken and Strawberry Salad

Chicken is such a versatile meat that you can serve it several times in a week without cooking the same thing over and over. This recipe is great for lunch or dinner. After trying a version of this salad at a restaurant, I went home and created my own low fat version.

Keeping The Motivation For Exercise Through Imagery

If you feel like you just don’t want to exercise maybe you need a boost in your motivation. It helps to try new things when you need to trick your mind to comply. If you’ve never tried imagery to help you get motivated, I’ve outlined the steps to help you get started.

Honey Halibut Steaks

Sweet and delicate, halibut is a flavorful fish that makes this meal heavenly. A white fish, with few bones, halibut steaks are a favorite of mine. Pay careful attention when cooking and don’t overcook.

Expecting to Stay Fit: The Benefits of a Fitness Journal During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a very special time. It is a time of excitement, anticipation and joy. It is also a time during which your body experiences dramatic changes. These changes can be overwhelming and some women feel they have lost control of their body. During this time, it is important to remember that this is a normal, natural part of pregnancy. Additionally, your health has never been more important. A useful tool during pregnancy to help maintain a healthy lifestyle is a fitness journal.

Inspiring Words For Your Diet

It’s not easy to stick to a diet, not in a world of advertisements for food that is not the best for our health. Couple that, with the easiness of fast food, both at drive-through restaurants and convenience stores, it’s no wonder that it’s hard to stay on a diet.

Down Home Chicken Soup Curry

Just like Mama used to make when I was down with the sniffles. This family favorite has the power to cure just about any ailment or at least make you feel better. Depending on the number of people you are feeding, you can add 1/2 cup chicken for each additional person, this recipe serves 4.

Chicken Focaccia Sandwich

Great for a snack or lunch, this chicken sandwich is similar to one I had on vacation a few years ago. I can’t remember the restaurant, but I loved the taste of spinach and basil with the chicken. Since then, I’ve been serving to my family and friends and everyone seems to enjoy it.

Positive Affirmations For Successful Dieting

New diets, old diets or diets in between, anyone courageous enough to commit to a diet program is entitled to a little help now and then. That’s why positive affirmations are so beneficial when you are trying to reach your goal. And you know how I feel about that…the goal to improve your body is as important as any goal on this planet.

Are You Getting An Adequate Amount of Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is very important to our health, but our bodies cannot store this vital nutrient. That’s why it’s important to eat foods rich in Vitamin C every day. There are many misunderstood myths that abound about this magical fruit.

Annas Banana Boat Bliss

A great snack or dessert. This healthy take on a banana split won’t leave you feeling guilty when you reach the end of the dish. Quite satisfying and delightful, this tempting treat is okay to eat.

30 Minutes of Sex Each Day

Are you having as much sex as you wish you were having? If not, what is the reason? Now, I’m not talking about having it around the clock, but I am talking about having sex as often as every day. Now for many people, a healthy sex life means two to three times each week, and that’s great. But the more active you are, you might find that you want to engage in sex even more frequently.

Steak Diane

A superb entree that I dedicate to my niece, this is her favorite. She’s into women’s fitness and loves working out at the gym but she is truly a meat and potatoes girl. This recipe makes 4 servings.

A Back Sprain Is A Real Pain

A back sprain is a ligament injury. The severity of the injury can range from mild to severe.

Sudden movements like a fall or car accident can cause injury to the ligaments because the muscles don’t have time to react. When the muscles don’t have time to react and contract enough to keep the spine within its normal range of motion, it causes the back ligaments to stretch or tear.

Diet Tips To Keep You On Track

Starting a diet isn’t always easy, but there are times when something in our lives propels us forward and we begin a diet program that is fast and effective. However, after a while, our motivation begins to wane causing our resolve to weaken, paving the way for us to fall temptation to some of our old ways of eating. I find when that occurs it always helps to hear some new diet tips. If not new, perhaps a different twist on an old one.

Twice Baked Potatoes

These are great when served with Steak Diane, so creamy…but low in fat! For a successful women’s fitness program, a diet low in fat will bring quicker results. Twice baked potatoes have a way of sounding fattening. But they won’t be if you prepare them with this recipe. Enjoy!

Exercise Tips To Keep You Healthy And Fit

You’ve finally begun an exercise program and you’ve been working really hard at it. You want to make sure you are getting the best results for all of your hard work but you aren’t really sure if it will pay off or not. What you need are some exercise tips. Sometimes, just reading tips that others use will increase your focus on your fitness goals. Try them and see—they just may work for you too.

Caesar Salad Dressing

This is my favorite! You know, the usual Caesar salad can be extremely high in calories and fat. But you can always find a healthy version of most all of your favorite foods. That’s what a healthy lifestyle and women’s fitness is all about. Enjoying a healthier life without having to sacrifice all the foods you love.

Catching “Fitness Fever”—You’ve Never Felt So Good

Some people admit to me that they would rather do anything than workout. They wonder how I stay motivated. Well the truth is, I enjoy it so much that I can’t imagine what it would be like without it. Sure, I didn’t always exercise so regularly, there was a time when I rarely exercised. I knew if I could tell you some of the things that worked for me, then maybe when you felt the need for a little motivation, these ideas might help you too. So I went back to my archives and dug up some of the tips that helped me catch “fitness fever.”

Staying Fit: A Family Affair

Face it, we are all busy. Those of us trying to juggle a family and our countless other responsibilities may feel pulled in many directions. With such time constraints it is often easy to put ourselves and our individual needs last.

Unfortunately this attitude can take a toll on not only our fitness but also our health. Do you feel like you don’t have time to work out? No time to prepare a healthy meal? You are not alone. With some planning and by incorporating a family fitness journal into your life you can make your health and the health of your family a priority.

Sweet Potato Fries

A great alternative to regular white potato French fries, these sweet treats are so good they are addictive. The chili powder, garlic powder and parmesan cheese toppings add sophisticated flavor to these tasty taters.

If You Need Inspiration, Start With Some Perspiration

Need a little inspiration to begin a fitness program? You know what they say about inspiration, it’s 99% perspiration! And that’s never truer than when you are talking about exercising. Seeing the results that exercise provides is usually all the inspiration that’s required to get motivated. Results like a stronger physique and beautiful six-pack abs.

Baked Chicken Cutlets

You’ll never feel like you are on a calorie-restrictive diet with this entree. It’s so delicious, you’ll feel like you are cheating. Serve with twice baked potatoes, sweet potato fries or whole wheat pasta.

Say Yes to Sex!

There is something very sexy about a woman who cares for her body. It’s true for men, too. Perhaps, it’s because pampered, physically fit bodies represent health and beauty and that’s very sexy, indeed.

ActiveWrap

I always recommend stretching and warming the muscles before exertion in order to avoid injuries. However, sometimes during exercise, sports or even everyday tasks, muscles can become overstressed and injuries may occur. The discomfort from the injury can get in the way of a successful fitness program. That’s when it helps to have some hot and cold therapy to relieve the pain.

Positive Affirmations For Fitness

When you feel your motivation start to suffer from a slump, you might try positive affirmations to get you back on track. Many people find that affirmations are the fuel to get them going each and every day. I believe in these and begin each day by saying my own. Positive self-talk is vital to a healthy mind and body. To get you started, I’ve gathered 35 affirmations geared for fitness. Stand in front of a mirror and repeat any number of these affirmations to your self to give you the charge you need to get going.

Ficarelli Favorite Baked Ziti

This recipe is a Ficarelli family favorite. You know no matter what diet you or your family members are loyal to, old family recipes need to be revisited. There are many options you can take to your recipes to make them lower in fat and calories. But keeping everyone in the family happy with meal choices is important too.

10 Essential Vitamins Every Woman Needs

As women, our bodies need vitamins and minerals that are different than a man’s. Ideally, we would get these essential vitamins through the food that we consume on a daily basis. However, in this fast-paced world and the modern woman’s schedule, we’re lucky if we eat at all, never mind making sure our body is getting what it needs to function.

Roasted Chicken

This reminds me of Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house. No matter what we were having, seemed like there was always a roasted chicken on the table. Not only is it a nourishing main dish, it’s great for making sandwiches the next day and when it’s down to the bone, toss in a pot, add some veggies and rice and enjoy the comfort of homemade chicken soup.

When Sex Hurts—6 Steps to Avoid Vaginal Dryness

A recent survey indicates that the majority of women over 50 who experience vaginal dryness are embarrassed to their doctors about it. Nearly 40 percent of post-menopausal women experience dryness and pain but that 70% of them won’t seek any advice from a gynecologist or family doctor.

Seeing the Truth About Eye Care

It’s what allows you to appreciate a golden sunset sitting poolside on a warm summer’s day. It captures your children as they take their first hesitant steps on their own. And it let’s you see the world around you in all its perfect splendor.

Roasted Vegetables

Great accompaniment to the Roasted Chicken main dish. Roasted veggies are a great alternative to fried foods but still have that same great taste.

Are You Suffering From Diet Information Overload?

Do you ever feel like no matter where you go, no matter what you see, there seem to be constant messages about dieting and losing weight? You may even feel like you are suffering from so much information that your brain just doesn’t want to even think about dieting, the effects of dieting or how to diet wisely.

Remarkable Red Snapper Oriental

I serve my family fish a couple of times a week, so I’m always searching for healthy and delicious ways to serve it. This variation calls for soy sauce and orange juice which gives the dish a remarkable oriental flavor. Makes 4 servings.

Spinning For A Healthy Body And Mind

World-class cyclist “Jonny G” created the aerobic activity referred to as Spinning. Goldberg as a convenient and quick way to train for races. In 1989, he and John Baudhuin opened the first spinning center in Santa Monica, California and then developed a program to certify other spinning instructors.

Don’t Give Up Before The Harvest Comes

Let us not be weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
GALATIONS 6:9

When we first begin a diet and exercise program we are on fire with enthusiasm and fully believe we will be successful this time.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Pure Protein Soup

This is a great soup to come home to, especially after a long day at work or play. It’s a protein power punch that will help to energize you and give you the pick-up you need.

Your Fitness Journal and Achievable Goals

Sometimes getting fit can seem like an impossible task to achieve. There are so many different obstacles to overcome, so many life changes to be made. Then you’re faced with the big question: where to begin? The most important step in your journey may be starting a fitness journal. In it, you can log your progress and, more importantly, make goals.

Spicy Black Beans

Quick, easy and inexpensive to make, these black beans make a wholesome meal when served over rice. So high in protein, adding meat is purely optional.

Inspirations From the Sea

I was walking on the beach the other day when I spotted an interesting shell. As I bent down to pick it up, a wave pushed in and covered the area with water. My first thought was one of dismay. I knew the wave had washed my shell away and chances of finding it were very slim.

Mango and Pineapple Salsa

I just love the word salsa, it slides off the tongue so well. I also love to eat salsa, especially this recipe with two of my favorite fruits.

Affirmations for Journaling

Affirmations can be used on nearly every part of your life. Positive words of encouragement combined with feelings of gratitude and empowerment help us to break free of old ways of thinking and bad habits and change our patterns of behavior. This is especially true when it comes to losing weight.

Grilled Swordfish with Spicy Chili-Lime Sauce

Grilled swordfish is a real treat at our house. This variation with a spicy chili-lime sauce gives it a southwestern flair that will delight your family and guests. I like to serve it on colorful dishes, for that South of the Border ambience.

9 Simple Rules to Food Shopping on a Diet

It’s one thing to want to lose weight, and it’s another to actually put a plan into motion to lose weight. Dieting can be all well and good, but just one bad trip to your local grocery store can undue your eating habits for the next week or so!

Seven SEX Secrets for a Lasting Loving Liaison

It is important for your health that you have a healthy sex life. Sex is one of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed upon a husband and wife. You should embrace this gift and allow the outpouring of love that comes from a truly healthy sexual relationship.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

You can use store bought sweet and sour sauce or make your own, low calorie version. I’ve included my own favorite sweet and sour sauce recipe here, also. Spoon over rice and serve 6 to 8 hungry guests.

Exposing the Skinny-The Other Side of Weight Problems

When the majority of us think about weight problems in the United States, we immediately think about the huge problem with obesity this country faces. Sure, most of us have waged war with the belt before. And who hasn’t had to try to squeeze themselves into their favorite pair of jeans every now and then?

Marinated Broccoli

A great side dish with a little something added to sweeten the prize. These broccoli bites are served chilled, to bring out the full flavor.

Life Imitates Artichokes

Okay, life imitates art is the correct quote by Oscar Wilde but I thought I’d have a little fun with a great vegetable that’s highly versatile. I’m talking about the artsy looking artichoke.

Boost Your Attitude With A Beautiful Butt

How does your butt look? It’s hard to see it since it’s located on the backside of our bodies but it’s one of the parts of our body that we look at the most. I mean there’s nothing like a great looking butt in a pair of jeans. The way that denim cups the cheeks of a well-toned and formed rear is a sexy image indeed.