Fit Forever with Kathy!

Dessert Recipes

by Kathy Smith

TGIF! After your workout today, kick off your weekend with a sweet treat. These exquisite recipes are inspired by the finest spas and restaurants around the world.

Screen Shot 2015-10-22 at 2.44.34 PM

Mocha Mousse

Total time 10 minutes plus chilling

Ingredients

 

  • 3 Tbsp Kahlúa
  • 4 tsp Instant coffee granules
  • 36 ounces extra-firm silken tofu
  • ¾ cup agave nectar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  •  4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,

 

In saucepan on low, heat 3 tablespoons Kahlúa. Add 4 teaspoons instant-coffee granules; stir to dissolve. In food processor, combine 36 ounces extra-firm silken tofu, ¾ cup agave nectar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and coff’ee mixture.
Process 6 minutes, or until smooth. Spoon into bowls; refrigerate 30 minutes. Garnish with whipped cream, raspberries, and mint leaves, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Screen Shot 2015-10-22 at 2.44.40 PM

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews unsalted raw
  • ½ cup pecan pieces, raw
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ½ cup FruitSweet (or agave syrup, maple syrup or honey)
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ground
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

combine all ingredients in blender; puree on high speed until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture into half cup creme brulee ramekins or into a pastry bag; chill to refrigerator temperature and then enjoy. Garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon and a sprig of mint.

Nutritional Key: Calories/Carbs/Proteins/Fat/Fiber 230.61/23.88g/3.59g/14.71g/2.26g

Servings: 8

Screen Shot 2015-10-22 at 2.44.48 PM

Tofu Ambrosia with Cantaloupe and Honeydew

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups cantaloupe, ¼” diced
  • 2 cups honeydew, ¼” diced
  • 1 cup tofu whipped cream (recipe below)
  • TOFU WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 oz. soft tofu
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. agave syrup
  • 1 tsp. orange peel, grated
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla
  • Dash nutmeg, ground

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all tofu whipped cream ingredients in a food processor or with a mixer.
Toss tofu whipped cream with cantaloupe and honeydew.

Kathy

By Collage Video | | Kathy Smith, Recipe, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

4 Skinny Cocktail Recipes

by Kathy Smith

If you’re downing glasses of eggnog, hot-spiced wine and beer at your New Years Eve party, consider this…An average person guzzles nearly 4,000 alcoholic calories this week! That’s equivalent to approximately 33 glasses of wine! That won’t be you this year.

Instead, toast with one of these four pomegranate cocktails. Pomegranates are claimed to be “one of the most promising health foods,” packed with nearly three dozen antioxidants, and and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. Drink up…

Geisha Highball

Ingredients
4 1/2 oz. POM Pomegranate Honey Green Tea
1 1/2 oz. dry sake
1/2 oz. citrus vodka

Garnish:
2 long slices of English cucumber, cut to look like chopsticks

Preparation
Serve and enjoy!

Pom Cosmo

Ingredients
1-1/3 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice* or POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice or .25 oz. of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
1-3/4 oz. vodka
1/3 oz. orange liqueur
1/3 oz. fresh lime juice

Garnish:
Twist of lime

Preparation
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake sharply and strain into glass. Garnish with a twist of lime. Serve and enjoy!

Tall Redhead

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice* or POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
4 oz. lemon lime soda
Lemon wedge for garnish

Preparation
Build the ingredients in a highball glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Serve and enjoy!

Pom-Tini

Ingredients
1 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice* or POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. sour mix, or 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime
1/2 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar and cold water dissolved together)
Spiraled orange rind for garnish
Ice cubes

Preparation
Assemble all ingredients in bar or mixing glass. Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with spiraled orange rind. Serve and enjoy

Kathy

By Collage Video | | Healthy, holiday, Kathy Smith, Recipe, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Let Your Towel Tone You!

by Kathy Smith

If you’re a girl on the go, then today’s the day to SKIP THE GYM. All you need to do is grab a towel with a high thread count, so it slides easily across an uncarpeted surface. Yes, your towel can become your best toning tool! (A little side-note…paper towels also work!)

When you add a towel to any sliding move, it increases the intensity, and can be a miracle for those hard-to-reach areas, including the inner thighs. Plus, it targets your core and challenges your balance.

So when you’re caught with a hectic holiday schedule and you need to skip the gym, make a b-line to your linen closet. Join me in today’s video, and I’ll show you how to tone your inner thighs and core!

Kathy

By Collage Video | | exercise, fitness, fitness success, goals, Kathy Smith, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Turn Your Stir Fry Into A Soup!

by Kathy Smith

As the holiday party season arrives, lose weight (and warm up) with this healthy recipe…with a twist. Next time you’re left roaming the fridge for a hunger-satisfying meal, but all you find are miscellaneous veggies, it’s the perfect time to pull out the wok.

Once you’ve completed your stir fry (recipes below), add low-sodium chicken broth and additional seasoning to punch up the flavor. This hearty option is packed with protein, fiber and antioxidants and the warming effect will keep you satisfied all winter long.

Spicy Garlic Stir Fry Sauce

Spicy Garlic Sauce Ingredients:
1 t cornstarch
1/2 C low-fat/low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 t chili garlic sauce
1 T ketchup
1 T dry sherry or red wine

Begin the sauce by combining 1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ketchup and dry sherry or red wine. Cook and stir until thickened (3 to 4 minutes). Stir in with your stir-fry. Enjoy!

Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce

Sauce ingredients:
¼ cup black bean garlic sauce
¾ cup low fat/low sodium chicken broth
1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1-tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
¼ cup chopped scallion

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer until thickened (3 – 4 minutes).  Add to completed stir-fry and serve.

Thai Stir Fry

Sauce ingredients:
½ cup low fat/low sodium chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons Thai fish sauce (or low sodium soy sauce, if preferred)
1 Tablespoon honey
½ – 1 Serrano chili, minced
1-teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro and mint, for garnish (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer until thickened (3 – 4 minutes).  Add to completed stir-fry and serve.

Kathy

By Collage Video | | fitness, Kathy Smith, Recipe, tips, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Flat Abs (1 Trick Your Routine Is Missing)

by Kathy Smith

You’ve heard by now that the path to flat abs isn’t through endless crunches. In fact, a study found that classic crunches aren’t even in the top 10 for most effective slim-belly exercises.

The secret fast-track of a flat belly is more simple than you may think. In fact, you can add it to any of the ab moves below to transform your routine. You can even practice this trick at the grocery store, or while you’re cooking. Ready to see what trick you’re missing?

The Trick You’re Missing – House For A Mouse

Screenshot 2014-06-02 14.04.42

  • House For A Mouse:
    • Lying facedown on the floor, arms folded so that your forehead rests lightly on your hands.
    • Pull your navel in so that it rises ever so slightly off the floor…As if you’re making a little “house for a mouse.”
    • As you do this, make sure you keep your pubic bone and your lower ribs anchored on the floor.
    • Beginners: If your abs don’t actually lift high enough to lift your belly up off the floor, that’s okay. You can still activate the muscles by bringing the belly button up and in, no matter how small the movement. You can also rest your upper body on your forearms, if it’s comfortable, so you can lift your belly further away from the floor.
    • Advanced Exercisers: Try adding a hyperextension to the move:
      • Maintaining that house-for-a-mouse core engagement, lift your upper body up just enough so that your legs and pubic bone remain on the floor, but your torso hovers just a teeny bit in the air.
      • Slowly lower back down, keeping the belly button pulled in nice and tight throughout the movement.
      • Now do the same thing with the legs. Keep the torso resting on the floor (still holding that house-for-a-mouse) and lift the lower body slowly up off the floor, and slowly lower back down.
      • Try 8 repetitions with the upper body lift, 8 with the lower body lift, and, if you’re feeling adventurous, try 8 reps lifting the upper and lower body simultaneously.

Add the House For Mouse motion to the three moves below to challenge your core with no equipment needed! 

SIDE SWEEPERS

side-sweepers2

What it does:

  • The Side Sweeper is a cornerstone of midsection stabilization, training you to engage your core muscles in a 360-degree way. This variation adds an additional “tuck” challenge for the core and glutes and can be modified easily for beginners.

How to do it:

  • Begin on your hands and knees. Align your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Distribute your weight evenly across your hands. Reach your pelvis toward the ceiling and draw your sit-bones to the wall behind you.
  • Gently begin to straighten your legs,bringing your body into the shape of an A. Imagine your hips and thighs being pulled toward the back.
  • Lift your right leg leg straight in the air.
  • Slide forward into plank position, with the shoulders over the wrists and with your leg still slightly lifted off the ground. Keep the abdominals drawn in tight toward the spine.
  • Contract your abdominals as you draw the right knee toward the nose into “tuck” position.
  • Return to the starting plank position and repeat on the other side.

Beginners:

  • If a full plank is too challenging, practice the movement on the knees first. Once you build your strength and can do a full plank, you can work toward this exercise.
  • Make sure the shoulders are over the wrist, neck is long, shoulders are down and pulled back. Hips, shoulders and ankles should be in a straight line. As you move through the exercise, don’t let the hips rise to the ceiling, but keep them in that neutral extended position.
  • If you find this too much pressure on your shoulders, press back to downward dog without the leg lift.

Advanced:

  • Instead of alternating knees quickly, try extending the hold when you’re in tuck position for up to 20 seconds.

CANNONBALL

cannonball

What it does:

  • This move is sometimes called the ˙banana,” because of the slightly-curved line your body forms at the start of the exercise. But no matter what you call it, this full-body core-strengthener is a surefire way to fire up the entire abdominal wall.

How to do it:

  • Start lying on your back, with your arms reaching out overhead, legs lifted slightly off the floor, and toes pointed. Even here, at the start of the move, you’re activating core muscles by stretching them out. Keep pressing the lower back into the mat or floor to ensure the back doesn’t arch. If this feels like too much tension on the back, try lifting the legs a little further away from the floor.
  • Imagine that, as you’re stretching the fingers and toes away from each other, the core is a strong magnet working to pull them back in. Using the force of that imaginary magnet, bring the knees in toward the chest. At the same time, reach your arms toward the legs.

Beginners:

  • Start by doing this move just one leg at a time. Resting your left leg on the floor, perform the move as described above using only the right leg. Do 10 repetitions and repeat on the left side.

Advanced:

  • At the top of the move, when you’re in ˙cannonball” position, wrap your arms around the shins. The objective is to find your balance point. To do that, you need to strongly engage your core muscles when you hit the top of the movement. Coordinating the arms and legs to hit that balance point is the challenge.

UP AND DOWN PLANK

side-plank-2

What it does:

  • The side plank exercise takes all of the midsection stabilizing efforts of the traditional plank, with an added emphasis on the obliques for extra muffintop-melting power.

How to do it:

  • Position yourself on your side, feet stacked on top of each other, resting on your right elbow, with your shoulders, hips and ankles in one straight line.
  • Activate your obliques by slowing lifting the hips up off the floor. Your range of motion will depend on your strength. Begin with a small motion and then start to increase your range of motion by concentrating on lifting not just your hips, but your rib cage off the floor.
  • Slowly lower back down.
  • Use your core strength to make sure your body stays in a straight line throughout the move, so your hips never jut forward or drift back. Keep your shoulders depressed, neck long and be sure not to sink into the shoulder as you lift your body.

Beginners:

  • Try keeping your top hand on the floor for extra support.

Advanced:

  • Once you’ve mastered this move on the elbow, you can graduate to an extended arm, resting your bottom hand on the floor and reaching your palm to the ceiling, increasing your range of motion.

Kathy

By Collage Video | | exercise, fitness, Kathy Smith, tips, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Apple Pie Protein Shake Recipe

by Kathy Smith

open-uri20150722-6-7n7dpt

Time for a protein shake! But let’s face it, it’s time to spice up your recipes. With a whopping 36 g of protein and a secret ingredient, this shake will keep your blood sugar under control. Yes, you can have apple pie for breakfast!

Plus, are you ready to shake up your routine with even more recipes? Try the Protein Shake Diet Plan to jumpstart your meals each day! You’ll maximize your metabolism and boost your energy! 

Ingredients:

8 oz unsweetened almond milk
1/2 C. Fat free cottage cheese
1 serving vanilla protein powder
3/4  of an apple, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Caramel extract
1/2 tsp  pumpkin pie spice
Dash Cinnamon
Ice to thicken

Blend together and enjoy! Then, let me know….did you like it?

Kathy

By Collage Video | | fitness, goals, Healthy, Kathy Smith, Recipe, tips, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

The Quick Thanksgiving Workout

by Kathy Smith

If you’re too busy to squeeze in a workout in-between your Thanksgiving preparations, try this 10-min ab-tightening video!

Want to further tighten and tone those abs?

Now you can!

Kathy

By Collage Video | | fitness, goals, Healthy, Kathy Smith, Thanksgiving, tips, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Lose Weight in Less Time with Interval Training!

by Kathy Smith

interval burst training

I spoke to Self Magazine recently for a piece they were doing on anti-aging workouts.  What are the secret moves that keep beauties like Demi Moore looking so young? I’ll tell you, to keep our bodies burning fat, we need to keep it guessing and mix up our routines. One of the best ways to do that is to HIIT train or interval train.

Interval training refers to the bursts of extra energy and intensity we can add to our workouts. For example, if you’re trotting on your treadmill at 4 mph (a nice, law-abiding speed), and then you increase your speed to 8 mph for 30 seconds . . . that’s an interval.  It’s a dig-down-deep exertion that you can only maintain for a short time.

4 Reasons to Start Using Intervals TODAY!

1)  Interval training burns calories faster.  Who doesn’t want to shave off extra fat? As you exercise, your body establishes a certain metabolic rate that matches the workout rate. By adding a surge of high intensity, you can increase that metabolic rate. Your body will burn calories at that higher rate longer even after you’ve returned to “normal” speed.

2) Interval training increases your fitness level.  Without an extra physical push, you will not increase your aerobic speed, muscle, or endurance. When you add intervals to your workout suddenly your all-out-efforts begin to get easier, which means you can push yourself further next time around so you can keep seeing results.

3) Interval training sheds intramuscular fat.  Do you have a zone of stubborn fat on the butt, the gut, or the thighs? Some of these so-called “problem areas” contain fat that is marbled into the muscle, so typical aerobic workouts can’t really tap into them. Interval training, however, can target those body parts and finally reduce the fat.

4) Interval training makes your workout a lot more exciting.  Although it can be challenging, interval training is enjoyable. Not only will it break up the monotony of a clock-watching workout, but those little bursts of energy give you something to look forward to. Plus, interval training causes your body to shoot a burst of feel-good hormones into the blood stream, contributing to what is sometimes referred to as “runner’s high.”

When I think of interval training the word “burst” comes to mind because that’s really what it is – quick bursts of energy to help you breakthrough or “burst” through your fitness barriers to next level. Once you start experiencing the benefits, those little bursts will become your new best friends.

Make it happen!
Kathy Smith

Kathy

By Customer Service | | exercise, fitness, Functional Fitness, Healthy, Kathy Smith, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Gut Health and the Brain

by Kathy Smith

Gut Health and the Brain

Gut Health And The Brain

When you have a “gut feeling” about something, you should probably pay attention. The gut is loaded with nerve tissue and is sometimes called the second brain…it’s why you get butterflies when excited or gastrointestinal distress when you’re emotionally stressed.

Your gut is one of the most important organs for a healthy brain. Scientists are recognizing that digestive issues like constipation, irritable bowel, candida, acid reflux and diarrhea triggers silent inflammation and affects your mood and your brain function…so a balanced gut will help improve brain health.

The billions of microorganisms that are present in the gut are what keep things working. For a healthy gut, it’s important to have more good organisms than bad ones. When the balance shifts, your body fights off the bad bacteria, which leads to inflammation. And chronic inflammation increases your risk for certain diseases like cardiovascular disease and heart disease.

One of the most noticeable reactions to inflammation is a drop in energy. But your gut and your brain are also not working at their highest level when inflammation is present. The greater the level of inflammation in your digestive system, the greater likelihood that your brain will be affected, shifting your moods and making you less focused and foggy.

Studies have shown that specific good bacteria in the gut can short circuit certain hormones. When you’re experiencing stress, your body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Too high a level of these hormones in your body not only increases inflammation, but makes you feel edgy, anxious or even depressed. A healthy balance of a wide variety of good bacteria sends signals to your brain that it’s not necessary to send these hormones out into your body, leading to improved, calmer mood.

The right combination of foods is one of the best ways to balance your gut. Adding probiotics helps reduce inflammation in the gut, which allows the good bacteria to flourish. Probiotics include: Miso, kimchi, live yogurts, kombucha, water kefir, milk kefir, sauerkraut and cabbage. 

Adding probiotics to your meals is easier than you think. I like to add sauerkraut to my salads and probiotics in my protein shakes. Kefir is a great way to start your probiotic adventure because its flavor is similar to yogurt and it has a drinkable consistency. In fact, most kefir is available in bottles and sold as smoothies. Naturally fermented pickles are a crunchy way to balance your gut.

And one of the most surprising, enjoyable and by far easiest ways to improve gut balance doesn’t even involve food. Studies have shown that spending time with your pet increases the good bacteria in your gut. Maybe dog kisses aren’t so bad after all!

Kathy

By Collage Video | | fitness, Kathy Smith, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more

Balance And Brain Health

by Kathy Smith

Scientists and anthropologists believe that a human’s ability to stand on two feet requires a major amount of brainpower. Balance and walking is an “all systems go” accomplishment. As you age, balance becomes more challenging and more important…especially for the health of your brain.

Your eyes, ears, brain and your sense of body position are the three main sensory circuits that work together to keep you in balance. Your eyes analyze ongoing visual cues and send signals to our brain to alert joints and muscles how to move when. At the same time, a tiny, fluid-filled tube in your ear canal sends messages to your central nervous system about the position of your head. All of these elements are controlled by your brain. So, if you’re experiencing loss of motor coordination, such as having a hard time balancing, it could suggest damage in the brain.

Your “spatial navigation” ability – being able to move through your environment – is closely connected to learning and memory. When spatial navigation ability is impaired through lack of balance, brain function can also be impaired.

What if I told you that a simple balance test could help you gage the health of your brain? Here’s a 90-second test that will help you determine if it’s time for a balance tune-up.

Your eyes will be closed during this test, so you’ll need a partner to time you with a stopwatch (or any watch that has a second hand) and to make sure you don’t fall.

1. Stand barefoot on a hard floor and close your eyes.

2. If you’re right-handed, use your right leg as support and bend your left knee and lift the left foot. If you’re left-handed, use your left leg as support and bend your right knee and lift the right foot. You only need to lift your foot about 6 inches. Don’t worry about accuracy – an estimate is fine.

3. Ask your test partner to start timing how long you can hold the foot-lifted position without wobbling or opening your eyes.

4. Repeat the test three times, add up your total of the times you were able to stand still, and divide it by 3 to determine your average balance time. For instance, if your first balance time was 6 seconds, your second balance time was 5 seconds and your third balance time was 7 seconds, 6 + 5 + 7 = 18. Then to find the average. 18/3 = average balance time of 6 seconds.

5. Check the list below to see if you fall in the average zone for your age:

Average time for 50-year olds is 9 seconds
Average time for 60-year olds is 7 seconds
Average time for 70-year olds is 4 seconds

Notice that as you age, your balance ability decreases. As the years go by, eyesight often diminishes, muscles shrink and reaction time gets slower. But balance is something you can improve, no matter what your age.

Kathy

By Collage Video | | forum, goals, Healthy, Kathy Smith, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments | Read more
« Previous 1 10 11 12 13 14 18 Next »

Stay in Touch

Information

210 W. Parkway, Suite 7, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 ● © Collage Video ● Exercise Video Specialists ● Fitness Videos and Workout Videos ● 1-800-819-7111 / 201-464-4921 ● CustomerCare@CollageVideo.com

From Our Blog

  • Collage welcomes instructors Brook Benten & Aimee Nicotera to the shop!

    Exciting news! We're welcoming two highly qualified instructors that will help you crush your fitness goals, shake up your routine, and offer a new source of motivation!   Brook Benten, B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science from Texas State University. Masters of... read more

  • Two More Happy Yoga DVDs Coming to Collage Video

    Happy Yoga from Sarah Starr is designed to bring you the beauty of Mother Nature as you receive yoga's rejuvenating benefits, including flexibility, toning, clarity and balance. Want to learn more about Sarah? Visit her instructor profile here. These titles... read more

  • What is Callanetics? Is it for me?

    Some people swear by it. Some people have never heard of it. It’s Callanetics. Callanetics became a revolutionary method of exercise and gained international recognition for its speedy body-shaping results. Some of the noise behind Callanetics may have softened over... read more