Fiesta Bean Salad

As I was browsing through SkinnyTaste.com, I came across a dish that I have tried before; however, I loved it. I am a huge fan of Bean Salad and Beans are one of the most important foods that boosts your metabolism. You can eat it alone as part of a meatless lunch or a side dish. Here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp Cumin
Pinch of Crush Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp of Salt
15 oz Can of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
1 Cup of Canned Chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
1/4 Cup of minced Red Onion (finely diced)
1/4 Cup Cilantro (chopped)
1 Medium Avocado (diced)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the Garlic, Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Cumin, Crushed Red Pepper and Salt. Add the Black Beans, Chickpeas, Tomato, Onion and Cilantro; mix well. When ready to eat, mix in Avocado and eat right away. Makes 4  1/3 Cups

-Markesha xoxo

Lemon and Lime Water

Water is such an important part of our every day lives; but did you know that adding Lemon or Limes to your water aids in weight loss? After doing some further research, adding lemons and limes not only helps you lose weight, it gives your body natual electrolytes. It is a great source of Vitamin C and antioxidents which helps maintain your body's energy while on a diet and working out. It also gives your skin a natural glow.

You can also add a few leaves of Mint or Cucumbers to your water to give it flavor. We all know drinking water every single day can be a little boring as it has no taste. Now you can enjoy a flavored beverage that gives you positive results.

When adding lemon, limes, mint leaves or cucumbers to your water, leave them inside the water for an hour for more flavor. PLEASE NOTE: Do not replace the lemon and lime cleanse instead of eating other foods as it could lead to muscle breakdown and nutrient deficiencies. Drink up!

-Markesha xoxo

My Fitness Pal

Hey everybody!

I've been using this app for a year and a half and I find it to be very helpful when keeping track of my calorie count. It's called My Fitness Pal. It's a free app that you can use to keep track of your daily calorie count and it has the largest food database. Whatever you eat, I bet My Fitness Pal can locate the brand then apply it to your daily count.

Your calorie count is determined by your weight and age. My Fitness Pal gave me 1200 calories to have per day. Whatever I eat, I add it to my diary and the calories I ate gets deducted from the total I was given. The app also tells you if you have went way over or under your calorie count and what could happen if that continues. When you work out, you can add it to your diary and that tells you how many calories you have burned and also gives you more calories to your total of the day. Thousands of people have joined My Fitness Pal so you can add friends to your page for encouragement and to read their fitness diaries. The app also keeps track of your weight and will compare your weight from the past few months to see if their has been some progress.

I have lost a lot of weight thanks to My Fitness Pal. If you need help trying to lose weight, I highly suggest that you get this app. It's for iPhone and Android users. Don't want to use the app? Don't worry, My Fitness Pal has a website www.myfitnesspal.com.

Share your experience with me. Let me know how you liked or disliked My Fitness Pal. I have spoken to a few people and so far, I have not heard any complaints :-)

-Markesha xoxo

30 Day Abs Challenge

As I was surfing through the Internet looking for some fitness ideas, I came across an article called the 30 Day Abs Challenge. As the weather gets warmer, the less clothes some of us tend to wear and a lot of us want to look good as we roll through Spring and eventually get to summer. Here is a challenge that I think we all should try to get fit. Please consult a doctor first before trying any of these moves. While you are doing the challenge, make sure you are eating clean and doing the following:

• Drink 2.5 Liters of water a day
• Give up ALL sodas, fast food and junk food (Yes, even diet soda)
• Eat clean by eating whole foods instead of processed foods
• Toss the refined sugar or try to avoid any added sugar or sweeteners for the next 30 days
• Eat Smaller Portions (I prefer to eat from saucer plates)

Here is a routine that I found from http://skinnyms.com/fabulous-abs-in-30-days-challenge/ . You can work on your abs any way you want to, but for those who do not know what to do, here are some ideas:

Perform 4 circuits of the following routine; rest 15 seconds between exercises; rest 15 seconds after each circuit is completed. If you don't know what any of these routines are, please visit YouTube or the link above for instructions.

Leg Lifts – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds
Scissors Kicks – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds
Plank – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds
Flutter Kicks – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds
Reverse Crunches – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds
Mason Twist – 20 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds

If you have any questions in regards to this challenge, please feel free to leave your question or comment in the comment section below. I will be posting before and after pictures ;-). Good luck!!

-Markesha xoxo