A Beginner's Workout Plan

The workout here is designed to introduce you and other beginners, to all aspects of fitness: cardio, strength, and flexibility.

Set a comfortable pace.

If you've been inactive, consult your doctor before beginning, then take it slow and steady. Be sure to pay close attention to how your body feels. Take as much rest as you need between sets when strength training, or slow your pace if you feel discomfort during cardio. Just try to finish-even if it takes longer than you had hoped.

Add cardio.

Walking is the ideal cardiovascular exercise for a beginner. It requires little equipment-just a good pair of walking shoes and proper outerwear-and can be done anywhere, even on a treadmill. Walking helps improve overall fitness by increasing endurance and strength, and will help you burn more calories. The walking routine will allow to set and meet achievable weekly goals. A 20-minute mile is an ideal fitness walking pace.

Choose the right equipment.

The strength workout uses small, pliable 3-t0-5 pound handheld balls or dumbbells. Although balls are a comfortable alternative to dumbbells, while still providing enough resistance to strengthen and tone muscles.

Stay motivated.

As your confidence builds, you can begin setting small measurable goals for your routine; in this case, that means adding challenge moves, increasing the amount of weight you use, or incorporating segments of jogging into your normal walking routine a few days a week. Although it may take 4 to 6 weeks to see significant physical results, you should reap a few rewards within the first week, like boosted confidence, increased energy and a better night's rest.

Training at a Glance:

You'll need: 3-to-5 pound weighted balls or dumbbells, yoga mat, sturdy chair

Weeks 1 and 2:

Monday and Friday: 30-minute walk, plus 2 sets of each strength-training move

Tuesday or Thursday: 30-minute walk

Saturday: 30-minute hill walk

Sunday: Rest

Strength Moves

Sculpt legs and shoulders

*Squat with arm arc

(A) Hold balls, one in each hand, standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Extend hands in front of body at chest level, palms up, while bending knees and sitting back into a squat until thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Keep knees behind toes. (B) Slowly rise back to standing position, and arc arms up, lifting them above and slightly to front of head. Do not arch back; keep abs contracted. Return to starting position. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions per set.

Challenge: To target hips, lift one leg out to the side of your body (about one foot off the ground) as you rise from squat. Alternate legs each set.

Target hips, upper back, and shoulders

*Hip-hinged reverse flies

(A) Hold balls, one in each hand, and lean forward from hips, keeping a soft bend in knees to prevent strain on lower back; arms should hang down toward floor in front of body, palms in. Do not round the back. (B) Slowly lift arms out to side, leading with elbows, to count of three. Then slowly lower arms to start position to count of three. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions per set.

Challenge: From hinged position, extend one leg out and behind your body as you perform flies to engage glute muscles. Alternate legs each set.

Shape legs and front of shoulders

*Lunge with shoulder rotation

Hold balls, one in each hand, and step back with 1 leg into lunge start position. Keep arms together in front of body, bent at elbows, forearms waist high, palms up. Slowly lower body into full lunge position to a count of four while rotating forearms out to side. Keep front knee behind toe and abs contracted. Then slowly rise back to starting position to a count of four. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions, then switch legs for 1 set.

Challenge: Bring back knee toward chest as you rise to standing position from lunge to further target thighs and glutes.

Tone glutes and core

*Kneeling rear leg lifts

(A) Kneel on a mat with arms extended, palms flat on mat, and place a ball behind one knee. (B) Keeping knee bent to hold ball in place, lift weighted leg up and to the rear until even with back. Lift about an inch higher, then another inch higher, then lower back to start. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions, then switch legs for 1 set. Keep weighted knee lifted off the ground throughout entire move; do not rest it on ground between reps.

Challenge: Turn lifting leg out at a 45 degree angle as you lift to work inner and outer thighs.

Work hips, core, and triceps

*Side-lying hip lift

(A) Lie on a mat, on one side, supporting body on forearm with lower leg bent at knee and top leg extended straight, resting on floor. Hold ball in opposite hand in front of chest. (B) Left hips up and extend ball out to side, parallel to extended leg. Hold position for 2 seconds, then lower to starting position. Perform 10 to 12 repetitions, then switch sides for 1 set.

Challenge: Keep both legs extended instead of bending one for an advanced core move.

Engage core and upper back

*Prone runner

(A) Face seat of a sturdy bench or chair, hold outside edges, and step back into plank position, legs extended, holding weight between arms and toes. (B) Slowly lower one knee toward the ground, without touching, then bring back to plank position and lower other knee. Keep abs contracted and back straight. Continue alternating knees. Perform up to 24 repetitions, 12 on each leg, per set.

Open chest and relax shoulders and back

*Anytime healing stretch

Stand in upright position, and hold one ball behind back in palms with fingertips laced together. Arms should be straight and ball held behind hips. Drop chin, keep shoulders down, and squeeze shoulder blades together. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat as often as needed, with or without the ball.

Kitchen How-to: Clean and freeze Rhubarb

Because of its short growing season (the bulk or the crop arrives in April and May), rhubarb is a much-sought-after spring commodity-so much so, that most Restaurant Kitchens often prep and freeze it for year-round use. When buying, look for deep red, crisp stalks, free of blemishes or cuts, then follow instructions below for prepping and freezing. You'll have plenty of its tart-sweetness on hand for pies, jams, and other desserts year-round.

1) Trim leaves from the top of the stalk, and cut about an inch from the bottom; discard.

2) After rinsing, pat stalks dry with a towel and cut into 1-inch sections. Use now, or read on for freezing directions.

3) Lay cut pieces on a lined baking sheet, and freeze for about an hour (this prevents rhubarb from sticking together).

4) Transfer pieces to a zip-top plastic bag, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator when ready to use.

The Solution for Flank Steak

Steep it in this salty, savory sauce for tenderness with flavor.

Soy, ketchup, and Sesame Marinade.

3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil.

Combine all ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add 1-pound flank steak trimmed of excess fat. Seal bag, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove steak from bag, and discard marinade. Grill steak 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill, and cut diagonally across grain into 1/4-to 1/2inch-thick slices. *Serves 4*

Kitchen Tip: Punch

Keep punch cold by creating a decorative ice punch ring. Line a Bundt pan with plastic wrap, pour in a portion of your mixture, and freeze it. The plastic wrap makes it easy to remove the frozen ring from the pan. Before serving, ease the ring into the bowl. "It will stay frozen for hours and keep your punch chilled without diluting it."

Back-to-Basics Move: Dumbbell Shoulder Press

*Strengthen arms and shoulders with this time-tested technique.

Shoulder presses not only sculpt the muscles around your shoulders but also target the bicep and tricep muscles. Using dumbbells for this exercise allows more freedom of movment and makes it harder to chear. Also, "using both sides of your body at once also makes this exercise efficient."

You'll need: 1 pair of 3-to-10 pound dumbbells.

Learn it: (A) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding dumbbells by your sides, one in each hand, palms facing in. Lift arms up to shoulder level and bend elbows so palms face forward. (B) Press dumbbells toward ceiling, allowing them to arc toward each other, then return to starting position and repeat.

Do it: Perform once or twice a week, starting with 2 sets of 10 reps.

Step it up: As you get stronger, work up to 3 sets. Use heavier dumbbells to increase intensity, or perform the move slowly for a challenge.

Switch it up: You can add shoulder presses to several exercises, like squats or lunges, to work your whole body at once and burn extra calories. Simply perform the shoulder press at the top of the squat or lunge.

Additional tips: Keep shoulders down during exercise.
Look straight ahead to help maintain balance.
Bring elbows straight down when returning to start. Don't let them dip forward or backward.
Maintain a straight back throughout movement.
Contract abs to help support your back and stabilize your body.

Take Two: Wild Salmon & Yellowfin Tuna

You can't go wrong choosing between seasonal fresh fish, like Yellowfin Tuna an Wild Salmon. Both contain the same number of calories, but Yellowfin Tuna (sometimes referred to as "ahi") is less fatty, offers 8 more grams of protein than wild salmon, and is prized for its mild but not fishy flavor. Although wild salmon contains more fat, it also has more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Yellowfin Tuna
(4 1/2 ounces cooked)
177 calories
1.6 grams total fat
0.35 grams omega-3s
38 grams protein

Wild Salmon
(4 1/2 ounces cooked)
177 calories
5.5 grams total fat
1.35 grams omega-3s
30 grams protein

Choice Ingredient: Asparagus

About: Like other members of the lily family, to which it blongs, asparagus grows from an undergrund rhizome; it can produce new spears for 10 to 20 years. The more mature the plant, the thicker the asparagus spear. And thanks to the global-economy, you can now find this vegetable in markets year-round, though it's commonly thought of as a spring delicacy. The first crops appear as early as February in California, while the growing season generally lasts until as late asJuly in the Midwest states.

Purchase: Look for firm asparagus with bright green stalks and green or purplish closed heads. Choose spears of a similar size o they'll cook evenly, and make sure cut nds do not appear too dry. Thinner spears-think pencil size-yield more tender asparagus.

Storing: Although best cooked on the day of purchase, asparagus will keep, if tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, for up to 3 or 4 days.

Use: Thoroughly rinse spears and tips, which can trap dirt, in cool water. Snip the woody end of stalks before cooking. Asparagus can be blanched, roasted, steamed, or grilled and cooks fairly quickly.

Small Changes, Big Rewards

Live a more healthful life with these tips in just minutes each day.

1) Pop a multivitamin
The jury may still be out on many dietary supplements, but there's no debating most women don't get enough iron, folic acid, and calcium from food alone to meet their daily requirements. Taking a multivitamin that provides 100% of your daily required intake is a good insurance policy to help you meet your needs.

2) Remember to floss
while brushing your teeth helps remove plaque and tartar from the tooth surface, flossing once a day helps remove bacteria that can accumulate between teeth. What's more, evidence suggests an important link between oral and heart health. Thin floss is best if your teeth have tight contacts, while thicker floss is best when you have more open contacts between teeth.

3) Rinse fruits and vegetables
Washing fruits and vegetables before eating or prepping can help prevent illness from E. coli and other foodborne backteria. For smooth-skinned fruits and vegetables, such as apples, rubbing under running water for 5 second and drying with a clean towl can reduce microbes by 99.9%. When rubbing isn't practical-like with brocolli or raspberries-rinse under running water immediatelybefore use.

4) Prepare a salad
Salads offer an easy way to meet your daily fruit and vegetable recommendations. A simple side salad, such as 1 1/2 cups of green and 1/4 cup of copped tomatoes, provides at least 2 servings of the daily USDA guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake, and a meal-sized salad, such as 3 cups of greens, 1/2 cup of kidney beans, 1/4 cup chopped broccoli, and 1/4 cup sliced onions, could provide 5 servings.

5) Change into something comfortable
People who wear casual clothing to work instead of business attire take an average of 491 more steps and burn about 25 more calories per day-enough to prevent an annual weight gain of almost 2 pounds. Even if you must dress up, wearing comfortable, less constrictive garments or simply switching from heels to flats can help you feel more comfortable and increase the likelihood of adding movement to your day.

6) Wash your hands
Proper hand washing is the most effective way to help prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses, as well as foodborne illness. The idea is to get rid of anything that can be transferred from hands to mouth and eyes. Plain soap does the job, the critical part is the combination of friction, water and soap. Soap loosens the germs, friction helps remove them, and water rinses them away.

Hello Blogger World.

So this is obviously the first post of this blog and I'm going to start off with a small introduction.

Sana and I created this post to express our interests in cooking (Sana) and fitness (myself).

We both come from a life that involves eating right, working out and exercising regularly by routines and we've come to notice that the small things do make a difference, and we want to share that with you now.

We're not saying you need to follow our daily guidelines or live life as we say so but we're just here to help out a bit with eating healthy, staying fit and of course living happy.