Healthy Chicken Salad

February 15, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Featured, Nutrition, Recipes

Healthy Chicken Salad

Grapes, apples, and walnuts make this healthy chicken salad delicious and good for you.

Servings: 2, Prep Time: 5 minutes

  • 4.5 ounces cooked skinless lean chicken breast, chopped
  • 1/3 cup red seedless graphes, halved
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup chopped apples
  • 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
  • 2 tbsp of reduced fat mayo
  • 2 no-calorie sweetener packets
  • 1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
  • salt to taste
  1. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, sweetener, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed well.
  2. Add chicken and stir until chicken is full coated in mixture.
  3. Add walnuts, grapes, celery, and apples.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy this healthy chicken salad!

Per Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 185, Fat: 4.5g, Carbs: 14g, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 9g, Protein: 23g

Choosing the Right Fitness Wear

February 10, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Featured, Fitness

choosing the right fitness wearChoosing the Right Fitness Wear

By Sandy Wiedmeyer
Iron Diva Fitness

When choosing the fitness wear that is right for you there are many things to consider. Durability, functionality, style, and comfort should be considered. If you are like me, you spend a lot of time at the gym and in your fitness wear. So why wear something that you don’t feel good in. I also like my fitness wear to be comfortable and I use my fitness wear way too much to have it fall apart, fade, pill, or shrink.

This is where high-quality Brazilian Supplex comes in. Brazilian Supplex fits firm, it flatters and “pulls” you in. It flatters all shapes and sizes. It is known for its durability. It does not fade, pill, shrink, or lose its shape. It is also a fully breathable material and dries faster than cotton. It stretches up to 40% and then goes right back to its original shape, can’t say that about cotton! It gives the clean look of cotton, but performs much better than cotton!

At Iron Diva Fitness we offer functional designs in high-quality Brazilian Supplex. The FeD designs are unique to Iron Diva Fitness. They are stylish and wash/wear well. You will feel good about yourself and confident while you work out. Check out our Interchangeable Belted Pants which offer two belts for two different looks. Get more looks out of one piece by simply changing out the belt! Iron Diva Fitness offers both classic looks and funky looks for those who want a look no one else has!

While on the Iron Diva Fitness site, you will also find unique fitness jewelry, casual wear, fitness wear, and a full selection of competition heels. We are so excited to work with you all and offer even more options in the future!

For all friends and fans of Brooke Griffin, when you visit Iron Diva Fitness, please use code Brooke to receive 10% off your total purchase*!

www.IronDivaFitness.com

*Expires March 31,2010

Milk and Weight Loss

February 8, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Featured, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Drink more milk to increase weight loss.

Milk does a body good and your waistline?  According to a new study out of the Journal Nutrition and Metabolism, people were separated into two groups, those who followed a diet that included one serving of dairy and the other group followed a diet that included the recommended three servings of dairy each day.  Those in the group who at the recommended three servings of dairy ate 13% more calories a day on average but maintained their weight as well or better as those who ate less.
The study proves that having the recommended three servings of dairy a day may let you eat more without gaining more weight and their is a correlation between milk and weight loss.  Credit the findings to the combo of calcium and leucine, an amino acid that promotes fat burning, according to study author Michael B. Zemel, PH.D., of the University of Tennessee.
Get your full three dairy servings a day in with these yummy calcium packed suggestions:
  • 1 glass sugar-free chocolate skim milk
  • 1 reduced-sugar yogurt
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
  • 1 serving reduced-fat pepper jack cheese
  • 1 mozzarella string cheese stick
  • 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt

Fitness Model Brooke Griffin in Status Magazine

February 5, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Events, Featured

Brooke Griffin, fitness expert, fitness model, and author appears in the new issue of Status Magazine.  Brooke worked with renown photographer David Ford at the November Fitness America Show in Las Vegas.  In addition to appearing in the new issue of Status, Brooke is also a contributer to the new Status Fitness Magazine website.  You can check out Brooke’s blog posts at www.statusfitnessmagazine.com

About Status Fitness Magazine
Status Fitness Magazine has become a household name in the health and fitness industry which is evident as Status attends UFC and physique events around North America. Now in nearly 50 states in the USA and in all 13 provinces and territories in Canada, Status Fitness leads the way with passionate expert writers who live and breathe the fitness lifestyle and only the very best photographers that create magic through their vision. Every exciting issue delivers accurate, cutting edge information that synergistically interests both genders from every fitness background appealing to the largest market possible.
For more information about Status Fitness Magazine visit www.statusfitnessmagazine.com

Buff Bride Featured in the Knot Wedding Magazine

February 3, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Buff Brides, Featured, Fitness

Brooke Griffin, reigning Fitness Universe Champion and author of the “Fit and Fabulous” Bridal Guide is featured in the Spring/Summer Issue of the Knot Wedding Magazine.
Brooke who wed Chris Griffin on January 17, 2009, says “Having my nuptials featured in the magazine was a huge surprise and I am so excited!”  ”More than anything I am excited to share all of my amazing vendors as these were the people who worked hard to make my special day perfect.”
The magazine features the buff bride and her husband by sharing their story of how they met and all of the details of their special day including pictures by Kortnee Kate.  The article also mentions that Brooke is an author as she has been busy promoting her “Fit and Fabulous” Bridal Guide to other brides wanting to tone up and slim down before saying “I Do”.
For the full story and to see all of the pictures of the buff bride’s nuptials, pick up a copy of the Spring/Summer issue of the Knot Wedding Magazine now on stands.

The Skinny on Sports Drinks

February 3, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Featured, Nutrition

Many beverages promise to enhance your athletic performance, but they may be working against your workout

It is not uncommon to see dedicated gym- goers covered in sweat, completing challenging exercise regimens in order to shed unwanted pounds. As they run mile after mile on the treadmill, they rehydrate with brightly colored sports drinks, unaware that they are drinking as many calories as they are burning and ruining the effects of their workouts. Sports drinks are one of the most misused products by recreational exercisers, who buy into the common misconception that the vitamins and minerals lost during a workout must be replaced through the consumption of enhanced sport beverages.
Many avid exercisers believe that these products will help them reach optimal athletic performance, and help them reach their fitness and weight loss goals. What many don’t realize is that sports drinks were not designed with a typical workout in mind and may actually be counterproductive to achieving weight loss goals.
“Anyone doing low levels of exercise, or looking to control their weight, may be better to stick with water,” suggests sports nutritionist, Dr. Fiona Pelly in the article “A Run on Sports Drinks,” in The Courier Mail. Commercial sports drinks typically contain high fructose corn syrup, which is high in calories, low in nutritional value and is associated with high blood pressure.  Products containing HFCS are not typically designed with weight control in mind but are great products for professional level athletes and those who perform long (4+ hours), strenuous workouts—yes, even longer than your typical sweat-filled spinning class.
The majority of those with typical workout patterns are still able to reach optimal performance by consuming water. Recreational exercise typically doesn’t require a sports drink to replenish nutrients on an immediate basis, explains research scientist Dr. Jolie Bookspan in Health & Fitness in Plain English. Simply put, sports drinks can be counterproductive to weight loss, so stick with water to stay hydrated during and after a workout.  Whatever your exercise beverage of choice, be certain to maintain adequate hydration while exercising.  And of course, strive to maintain a healthy daily diet and drink between 8-10 cups of water daily—the more the better!
Dana Leigh SmithStory By: Dana Leigh Smith

Wedding Fitness

February 2, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Buff Brides, Featured, Fitness

From mackieshilstone.com

Getting married is one of the most exciting events of your life.   Learn how to look and feel great in the months leading up to your wedding by incorporating a wedding fitness program…

Your wedding should be one of the happiest days of your life and of course you want to be in the best shape for your life.   Unfortunately, the months, weeks, and days leading up to your big day can be stressful with all of the appointments, planning, and fittings making it that much harder to stay on a wedding fitness program or wedding diet.

Taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally, along with following a wedding fitness program is key. Here are a few tips to choosing the best wedding fitness and wedding diet program that is right for you.

  • Look for a program that you can start immediately.  Of course you want to look your absolute best on your big day.  For this reason it is important to start a fitness program as soon as possible to achieve your fitness goals in time for your big day.  Look for downloadable programs that you can do at home or start a program at your gym as soon as you can.
  • Look for a program that combines both nutrition and fitness as you will need to not only start exercising but make changes in your pre-wedding diet to achieve maximum results.  A good wedding fitness program will combine both exercise and nutrition as part of the program, steer clear of any program that does not as you must not only start exercising but also change your diet to take the weight off and keep it off.
  • Look for a bridal fitness program that will help you know how to work-out, when to work-out, along with what you should be eating and when you should be eating.  Following a specific program several weeks or months before your wedding will help guarantee that you not only look good on your big day but feel good as well.  In addition to looking great on your wedding day, the stress-busting endorphins generated by vigorous physical activity are a great side benefit as your wedding draws near and last-minute details start to pile up. “Exercise is a great stress reliever.
  • Find a program that is affordable for you.  Planning a wedding is expensive, for this reason make sure to find a wedding fitness program that you can afford.  There are several bridal fitness programs that are less than $50 and many of them have been shown to work for hundreds of brides just like you.  Don’t feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars on getting in shape for your big day.

Healthy 7 Layer Mexican Dip

February 1, 2010 by Brooke Griffin  
Filed under Featured, Nutrition, Recipes

Healthy 7 Layer Mexican Dip Recipe perfect for entertaining guests this Superbowl Weekend!  Healthy 7 Layer Mexican Dip

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Makes 8-10 servings

  • 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup refried beans, heated if desired
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup diced onions
  • 1 cup canned black beans, heated if desired
  • 6 ounces  lean ground beef
  • 4 ounces roasted red peppers (not packed in oil) chopped
  • 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
  • 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheese
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix, dry
  • salt, black pepper, lim juice to taste
  1. Combine half of the tomatoes with all of the onions.  Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and lime juice.  Set aside.
  2. Place lean ground beef in a non-stick skillet sprayed with non-stick spray and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Drain  meat and place back in the pan.  Add remaining tomatoes taco seasoning and 2 tbsp. of water and cook over medium heat while stirring until mixed and heated.
  3. In a large dish, layer ingredients in this order: lettuce, refried beans, tomato/onion mix, sour cream, black beans, “meat” mixture, shredded cheese, and red peppers.

Per Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 125, Fat: 1g, Carbs: 19g, Fiber: 8g, Sugars: 3g, Protein: 12g

For more healthy recipes like this healthy 7 layer Mexican dip, check out www.brookegriffin.com