Shrimp & Mango Tacos!

The perfect recipe for a light summer Mexican Night Dinner!!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 Serrano or bird chilies, or 1 large jalapeño, minced

1 large mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn tortillas

1. Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp, salt to taste and the garlic. Sauté, stirring or shaking the pan, until the shrimp begins to color, about two minutes. Add the cumin, and continue to cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about three minutes. Add the chilies, mango and cilantro, and stir together for one minute. Stir in the lime juice, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

2. Wrap the tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover the pot, and steam for one minute. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes without uncovering. Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a towel, and heat in the microwave for one minute.

Warm the shrimp briefly in the pan. Place 2 tortillas on each plate, top with the shrimp, fold over the tortillas and serve with rice.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: This is best served right after you cook the shrimp and mango.

5 Weeks to a 5K

Running Plans that you can stick to! 
Whether training for your first 5K or just trying to beat your own personal record, we have the training plan for you. If you ever start to doubt yourself, remember: You're stronger than you think! 26.2 miles might sound like an eternity, but your body can get to the point where running becomes second nature. So what are you waiting for? 

Lets Start with the basics..Here is the perfect 5 Week plan to prepare for your 5K!

Here is an awesome link to upcoming races in Birmingham, AL. BUT you can use this website to find races of any length in any state! http://www.runningintheusa.com/race/List.aspx?Rank=Upcoming&State=AL&Page=1

Quick & Easy Changes to Tone-Up Quick!

The Better Way to Try Quick Weight-Loss Strategies

Here are some great tips on easy quick changes in your diet and lifestyle that will show you fast results! The beach is just around the corner! Loose those last few lbs fast and keep them off with these tip! Plus the beach just is just around the corner and we all love to feel confident in our bikini!

Click here to get the all the tips!   http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/better-way-try-quick-weight-loss-strategies

Hidden Benefits or Excerise

Power Surge: The Hidden Benefits of Exercise

Exercise does your body good almost instantly, research shows. Here's mega motivation to get slimmer, stronger, healthier -- fast!

By Alyssa Shaffer

Instant Benefits of Exercise

We've got some happy news that will rev up your workout routine: The moment you head out on your run, launch into your Spinning class, or start your Pilates session, the benefits of exercise kick in. "We see changes in the body within seconds," says FITNESS advisory board member Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. Your heart rate increases, and blood is delivered to your muscles. You start burning calories for fuel. And you get an almost immediate mood boost.
As little as 30 minutes of cardio three to five days a week will add six years to your life, according to research at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Do that plus a couple of days of resistance training and you'll not only live longer but also look younger, feel happier, have more energy, and stay slim. Ready for some inspiration for getting your move on? Keep reading for our timeline on the quick and long-lasting benefits of regular exercise.

As You Work Out...

Your lungs are getting stronger. When you do cardio, your brain sends signals to them to help you breathe faster and deeper, delivering extra oxygen to your muscles.
Your motivation is at its peak. Thanks to a flood of endorphins, which trigger the classic runner's high, you feel psyched and energized.
You're fighting flab. "During typical cardio exercise, your body taps mainly fat for fuel," Olson says.
FIT TIP: Push yourself to go harder. The more intensely you do aerobic activity and the longer you do it, the more efficiently your body uses oxygen, and this boosts its fat-blasting power throughout your workout, Olson says.

Within One Hour of Exercise...

You're protecting yourself against colds, flu, you name it. Exercise elevates your level of immunoglobulins, which are proteins that help bolster your immune system and ward off infection. "Every sweat session you do can help strengthen your immune function for about 24 hours," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise.
You're feeling zen. Mood-enhancing chemicals, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, flood your brain for a couple of hours post-exercise and for up to a day if you've competed in an endurance event, like a marathon. Stress? What stress?
FIT TIP: Do intervals, on the elliptical or the treadmill or while running outdoors, and you may feel even happier. Women who did interval training in a recent study by Olson had a bigger boost in mood immediately following their workout than those who worked out at a steady pace.
You're blasting calories, even at rest. "For every 100 calories you burn during your workout, you can expect to burn 15 calories after," Bryant says. If you went on a three-mile run, you would torch about 300 calories, which could mean zapping an extra 45 later.
FIT TIP: To turbo-charge your calorie-incinerating quotient, strength-train at least twice a week. It will charge your metabolism so that you'll continue to burn calories for up to 38 hours, according to a study from Ohio University in Athens.
You're hungry. Now that you've burned through your energy stores, your blood sugar levels are dropping. Just how low they go depends on how much you ate or drank before your workout and how long and intensely you exercised, says Kristine Clark, PhD, RD, director of sports nutrition at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.
FIT TIP: If you exercised on an empty or almost-empty stomach, you're probably feeling light-headed or even nauseated or headachy. Your immediate food fix: A high-carb nosh, like a banana or half a bagel, will refuel you and kick-start your recovery. And don't forget to drink plenty of water with your snack. Intense or long workouts can leave you dehydrated.

Post-Workout Benefits

Within One Day of Exercise...

You're adding lean muscle. If you did a strength-training routine, your muscles are now starting to rebuild themselves and repair the microscopic tears that come with lifting weights, says Paul Gordon, PhD, director of the Laboratory for Physical Activity at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor. Preliminary research shows that women respond to and recover from resistance training faster than men.
Your heart is healthier. One sweat session lowers your blood pressure for up to 16 hours.
FIT TIP: A vigorous workout is especially heart smart. Go for a run, hop on the elliptical, or take a dance class and your LDL levels will be lower than if you went for a brisk walk, according to research from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
You're a quick study. You're super alert and focused post-exercise. That's because a good workout increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain, says Henriette van Praag, PhD, a researcher at the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore.
FIT TIP: After a workout is the perfect time to memorize a speech or tackle a tough project. Your brain is operating on all cylinders then, studies show.

Within One Week of Regular Exercise...

Your risk of diabetes goes down. The more you work out, the greater your sensitivity to insulin. That, in turn, lowers your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Your VO2 max, a measure of your endurance and aerobic fitness, has already increased by about 5 percent, according to Olson. Translation: You can go a little harder and longer than you could before.
FIT TIP: Step up your routine and your results will be even better. People in a Canadian study who did six workouts of four to seven 30-second sprints followed by four-minute periods of recovery doubled their endurance within two weeks. Plus, you can burn more belly fat by doing intervals rather than keeping a steady pace, other research shows.
You're slimmer. Cutting 500 calories a day through exercise and diet will help you drop one pound a week.
FIT TIP: We'll help you boost your weight loss with an easy, customized workout and eating plan. Want to trim your lower body, lose 10 pounds, or flatten your abs?

Pick your program and get started here! >>

Long-Term Benefits of Exercise

You're getting stronger. Those eight-pound weights don't feel quite as heavy, because your muscular endurance is starting to increase, Bryant says. Ten reps is no longer a struggle; you can now do 12 or 13.
FIT TIP: Once you can do 15 reps a set, switch to a weight that's two pounds heavier and go back to 10 reps (the last two should feel hard). Work your way up to 15 again and then repeat the process. By increasing the number of pounds you lift, you'll sculpt and strengthen better and faster.
You're blasting belly fat. After four weeks of regular workouts, your body is ditching flab and gaining muscle. Overweight people who took part in a four-week program of moderate aerobic exercise in an Australian study reduced ab fat by 12 percent.
FIT TIP: To trim your tummy, do fewer crunches and more planks: Begin on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, then lower forearms to floor and extend legs straight behind you, balancing on toes. Keeping abs engaged and back flat, hold for 30 seconds; do 10 reps three or four times a week. Limit crunches to no more than three sets of 15 at a time. Anything beyond that isn't doing you much good, experts say.
You've got more brainpower. Working out activates growth-stimulating proteins in the brain that may help form new cells there.
FIT TIP: The more challenging your workout, the stronger your mental muscle. Aim for 30 minutes of vigorous cardio at least three days a week.

Within One Year of Regular Exercise...

Working out is way easier. "Your endurance and aerobic fitness can increase by up to 25 percent after eight to 12 weeks of regular training," Gordon says. "In a year your endurance can more than double."
Your heart rate is lower. Thanks to regular workouts, your heart is pumping more efficiently. For instance, if your initial resting heart rate was 80 beats a minute, it will have dropped to 70 or lower. The less work your heart has to do, the healthier you'll be.
You're a fat-melting machine. Your cells are now superefficient at breaking down fat and using it as fuel, Olson says. That means you're zapping more flab 24-7.
FIT TIP: To keep your metabolism stoked, turn up the intensity of your workouts to burn more fat and calories. Raise the incline on the treadmill, run up stairs or hills, crank the resistance on the stationary bike.
You've cut your cancer risk. In a study of more than 14,800 women, those who had the highest levels of aerobic fitness were 55 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than those who were sedentary. Women considered moderately fit had about a 33 percent lower risk of developing the disease. Exercise may also help protect against endometrial, lung, and ovarian cancer, researchers say.
You're adding years to your life.
Fitness buffs have better telomeres, the DNA that bookends our chromosomes and protects them from damage, which can slow the aging process, studies show.
You feel fantastic. Just four months of exercise is as good as prescription meds at boosting mood and reducing depression, according to a study at Duke University. Keep it up and not only will your life be longer, it will be happier, too!

10 Foods For Glowing Skin

Get Glowing with Chocolate

Cocoa hydrates your skin, making it firmer and more supple, Dr. Bank says. "And dark chocolate contains high levels of flavonols, a potent type of antioxidant," adds Nicholas Perricone, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. For maximum flavonol content, eat chocolate that's at least 70 percent cacao. A couple of squares a day should be enough to improve luminosity. "When applied topically, the caffeine in chocolate may temporarily reduce skin puffiness," says Jessica Wu, MD, a dermatologist in Los Angeles and the author of Feed Your Face. Try cocoa-rich 100% Pure Cocoa Kona Coffee Body Cream ($15, 100percentpure.com).

Prevent Wrinkles with Yogurt

The protein you get from eating dairy helps skin become firmer, so it's more resistant to lines, Dr. Wu says. Greek yogurt is especially beneficial. "The protein content is often double that of regular yogurt," Dr. Perricone adds. Eat a single serving daily to make your complexion smoother, and apply Korres Yoghurt Instant Soothing Gel ($38, sephora.com) to calm irritated, dry, or sensitive skin.

Protect with Pomegranates

They're packed with polyphenol antioxidants, Dr. Perricone says. Polyphenols fight free radicals and regulate skin's blood flow, giving it rosiness. One pomegranate or a few glasses of juice daily should do the trick. When applied to skin, the fruits' antioxidants help smooth lines and moisturize, Dr. Bank says. Reduce wrinkles with Grassroots Research Labs Pomegranate Super Anti-Oxidant Cream ($35, kohls.com).

Soften Skin with Walnuts

"Walnuts contain omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can improve skin's elasticity," Dr. Bank says. The nuts are also loaded with copper, a mineral that boosts collagen production. Snack on a handful of walnuts each day to improve your complexion's texture, and slough tough calluses with True Blue Spa Smoothing Foot Scrub Toe the Line ($15, bathandbodyworks.com). The ground walnut it contains acts as an exfoliant.

Fight Crow's-Feet with Peppers

"Women who eat green and yellow vegetables regularly tend to have fewer wrinkles, especially around the eyes," Dr. Wu says. Also, studies found that carotenoids -- the antioxidants in yellow and orange veggies -- can decrease skin's sensitivity to the sun, Dr. Bank says. Aim for about two cups of peppers daily.

Brighten Up with Sunflower Seeds

Loaded with vitamin E, sunflower seeds keep your skin supple by protecting its top layers from the sun. Eat a handful daily. A high essential-fatty-acid content makes sunflower seed oil a treat for parched body parts, such as lips and heels, when topically applied, Dr. Bank says. Fight flakes with Dr. Brandt Lineless Lines No More for Lips ($30, drbrandtskincare.com).

Zap Zits with Kidney Beans

They're high in zinc, and studies indicate a correlation between blemishes and low zinc levels, Dr. Wu explains. "That may be because of zinc's healing properties." Have a four-ounce serving of kidney beans to help you stay in the clear. In addition, studies show topical zinc to be as effective against acne as antibiotics are. Body lotions with zinc, like Dial NutriSkin Replenishing Lotion with BioNutrients Soothing ($7, drugstores), may kill blemish-causing bacteria.

Even Out Your Skin Tone with Soy

Drink a latte with soy milk or eat edamame and you may get a clearer complexion. "Soy contains minerals and proteins that have been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation," Dr. Bank says. One cup a day should yield results. Or smooth on soy-infused Elizabeth Arden Prevage Clarity Targeted Skin Tone Corrector ($125, elizabetharden.com) to help prevent sun spots.

Look Younger with Oatmeal

Steel-cut oatmeal is less processed than other varieties, so it retains more vitamins. "Plus, it takes longer to break down in your body, which helps keep your blood sugar stable," Dr. Wu says. "This is important because studies found that spiked blood sugar elevates your body's level of androgens, hormones that can contribute to wrinkles." Oats are also exceptionally skin healing. Lessen irritation with St. Ives Naturally Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Lotion ($5, drugstores).

Calm Redness with Green Tea

"It's very high in antioxidants, particularly one named EGCG, which is proved to reduce redness," says Jeffrey Morrison, MD, nutrition consultant for Equinox Sports Clubs in New York City. "Studies have also demonstrated that green tea helps fight inflammation," Dr. Bank says. Sip at least one cup of green tea a day, and fight redness with Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins The Way of the Bath Matcha Tea Body Soak ($45, Origins stores).

7 Great Organic Foods

Complete list of 7 Organic Foods to add to your shopping list!!

Top 5 Belly Flattening Foods

1. Almond and Other Nuts
All nuts are high in protein and monounsaturated fat. But almonds are the king of nuts. A handful of almonds provide half the amount of vitamin E you need in a day and 8 percent of the calcium. They also contain 19 percent of your daily requirement of magnesium—a key component for muscle building.
2. Beans and Legumes
Black, lima, pinto, garbanzo—you pick the bean (as long as it's not refried—refried beans are loaded with fat). Beans are a low-calorie food packed with protein, fiber, and iron—ingredients crucial for building muscle and losing weight.
3. Spinach and Other Green Vegetables
You know vegetables are packed with important nutrients, but they're also a critical part of your body-changing diet. For instance, one serving of spinach supplies nearly a full day's worth of vitamin A and half of your vitamin C.
4. Dairy (Fat-Free or Low-Fat Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, and Cottage Cheese)
A University of Texas study found that dieters who consumed between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day lost nearly twice as much weight as dieters getting less calcium. Get your daily fix by drinking a glass of milk sprinkled with chocolate protein powder!
5. Instant Oatmeal (Unsweetened, Unflavored)
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, meaning that it attracts fluid and stays in your stomach longer than insoluble fiber (like vegetables). A Penn State study also showed that oatmeal sustains blood sugar levels longer than many other foods, which keeps insulin levels stable and ensures you won't be ravenous for the few hours that follow.
If you want to get more flat belly foods, abs workouts, and recipes, check out The NEW Abs Diet for Women! It's an easy-to-follow, life-changing tool that will help you achieve a fitter, healthier, happier you.

Clean Eating 101

Complete Clean Eating Essentials