Core Workout Video by Exercise TV

Core workouts are very important, as they do not include only your abs. Core is your entire center including your back! As I suffer with back issues, building a solid core is a must for me. I hope you enjoy this 10 minute workout. Add this to your routine about 2 times per week.

Remember Exercise TV is loaded with free workouts. Take advantage of them if you can't afford a library of DVD's or a gym membership.

Shrimp Stuffed Tomatoes

My hubby made this for a dinner party hosted by my sister. They were not what I expected, they were more. They were yummy and we all could have had more than two. I wanted to share the recipe with all the YHH readers.

Serves 4:

Ingredients:

8 medium tomatoes

1/2 cup mayonnaise (the next time we make these, we are going to substitute greek yogurt for the mayo.)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons dried dill and 1/4 fresh chives (we used fresh cut chives from our own personal garden.)

2 tablespoons lemon juice (again used fresh squeezed)

salt and pepper

1 lb. cook shrimp

2 avocados (for garnish)

1. Begin by cutting 1/8 of an inch off the top of the tomatoes.

2. Use a spoon to scoop out the core and seeds from the tomatoes.

3. Place the tomatoes upside down on a doubled paper towel to drain residual liquid.

4. Rinse the shrimp, pat dry and refrigerate. (We thawed medium sized shrimp and cut into tiny pieces).

5. Mix Mayo (greek yogurt), Dijon mustard, dill, chives, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste (light on the salt). Mix in chopped shrimp.

6. Place tomatoes in a muffin tin to stuff with shrimp mixture. (We laid them out on a glass casserole dish, stuffed them, then covered in foil.)

7. Chill for at least 20 min. (As the party was on the other end of town closer to work, we took them with and put in the fridge all day. We did get some juice on the bottom of the dish. We simply spooned it back on top.)

8. Serve with slices of avocado on the side of the plate and you can lay a few chives also for plating presentation.

This is for sure something we will be making again. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did.

NFPT - Update

So how is school going? Do you want the truth or something sugar coated? It hasn't been smooth the last two or three weeks. It's not the fault of the program, let me say that right off the top. It's me. Doing an online school for sure has it's tough moments for me as I don't have to show up to class with an assignment finished or I get scolded by the teacher. It's all up to me.

Most of us who choose to do an at-home study program, do so because our schedules are so full we can't possibly fit in the actual time of classes. So we opt for something we can fit around our personal lives. But what do you do when your personal life (work, church, family, fitness) keep getting in the way of that moment alone with your workbook? You make a decision to do it anyway.

What's different about NFPT? The fact they care if you succeed or not. I have received emails asking me how things are going. They kindly remind me not to stress and slow down if I have to, to get other things done. Behind NFPT are people who really care.

Organization Tip: Making a list of life's priorities is a good way to stay on top of everyday chores and fitness goals. I have now laid out a plan for which night I study, which night I blog, and a few nights for other things as well. Part of your success is not just to lose the weight, but to stay organized and on top of things before you slip into your old ways of eating fast food on the run.

With each thing you do in life, the ultimate result shows in your physical appearance. Are you taking care of yourself or not? Are you eating properly, sleeping adequate hours, and freeing your mind of stress. Take a moment this weekend to sit with an old fashion pad of paper and pen and re-organize what you are doing. I did and it's already helping.

Don't forget to join Your Happy Hearts.com on Facebook for more interaction and conversation. Come share your story and/or questions. We love to hear from you!

Rotator Cuff Injury to Recovery

This is a picture of my husband last year just playing around. So glad we have a picture to compare his arm size and strength as he presses forward in recovery. This is what his arms looked like cold about a year or so ago. Not all pumped up after a workout, just your every day arms. You will soon become very familiar with his tattoo as we watch his left arm make it's amazing changes through that which is Rotator Cuff Surgery.

My hubsband thought it important to share his story for those of you who lift and want to build size or who may have already injured a shoulder and are thinking of taking on the long recovery of surgery. This is no walk in the park, this is for sure.

So how did this all happen? Let's ask the husband.

YHH: When did you injure your shoulder? David: October of 2000

YHH: What kind of workout program were you involved in at the time and what move actually caused the injury?

David: My friend and I were following a very intense workout program designed to increase your max bench press from 25 to 50 lbs in 7 weeks. It was a great program and we both had results of 25lb increases from the beginning to end. Unfortunately, my shoulder quite literally gave out during the last workout.

YHH: How did you know there was something wrong?

David: Well, the initial pain grew worse overnight. The next 2 weeks my arm basically hung at my side. After the third week, and very little sign of improvement, I had to face the fact something beyond a minor injury was a very real possibility.

YHH: What was your first diagnosis?

David: Well, my initial meeting with a specialist resulted in "Give it time, I don't think it's serious, and you'll be fine". WRONG! I don't know if I could call myself an "athlete" per se, but I was always active enough to know my body and to know the difference between something minor or something major.

YHH: What was your treatment at that time?

David: Actually a period of a few weeks went by, probably 4-6 weeks, and I went and saw the specialist two more times. Finally, after the third time, he sent me to some physical therapy. Looking back, I should have went to see a different Doctor because I didn't feel what I was saying was being heard or taken into account. I was given simple physical tests, like pushing against a wall or the Doctor's hands. That is all well and good, but when you have to pick up your injured arm with your good arm to perform the tests after 2 months, something might just be really wrong. As it turns out, you can't rehab muscles, tendons, or ligaments which need to be REATTACHED. What a concept.

YHH: Why did you decide after all these years to have it checked out for another opinion?

David: Well, honestly, I was angry my input on the injury was not taken into account (most of us know our own bodies well enough), so I didn't go to another ortho surgeon. I went the route of therapeutic massage, chiropractic, and joint manipulation. All of those things helped tremendously to stabilize and strengthen the surrounding areas of the injury. Over time, my "team" of treatment specialists and I decided there was still something seriously wrong and I should go see another doctor and basically demand some sort of MRI. As it turns out, I did see another Doctor, and after explaining the situation and doing some simple tests like I had done before, he immediately stated he had to look deeper and ordered up an MRI. I didn't even have to get pushy or seek out yet a third opinion....wonderful!

YHH: Let me just add for David, during the time span of 10 years, he built up strength in other areas to over compensate for his injury and kept up with rigorous workouts. The new surgeon could not believe his strength test results and said "the diagnosis could have easily been missed all those years ago". David reminded the new Doc he was in no way the same condition then as he was today.

Keep reading to hear the diagnosis of the MRI and David's journey into the surgery room and his long recovery.

Gripad Review and Giveaway

Tired of weight gloves which make your hands sweaty, don't have enough grip, or just aren't that comfortable? I have a great suggestion for you. Try Gripads. They are an inventive twist to your regular workout glove providing your hands breathing space, extra movement and a strong grip. They are 100% Neoprene and come in a wide range of colors.

I was given the opportunity to try a pair. I love how the pad is squishy, if I can use that word, and have much more grip than the average weight glove. It takes a while for your fingers to get used to something wrapped around them and your pinky not being invited to the party. When you are in position to do a bench press, barbell curl, or pull-up they are very comfortable. One thing I didn't care for was the awkwardness of moving from exercise to exercise. I didn't know if I should slip them off and put them back on right before grabbing the weight, or just keeping them on for the duration of my workouts. But I did like them for doing pushups as I felt a little more grounded and stable. I have padded mats in my gym and felt stuck down to them and knew my hands were not coming out from under me.

They work very well with machines, but personally I found them to be difficult to maneuver with my Power Blocks. When choosing a dumbbell from the rack, I can see they would be much easier. But for a Power Block user, when changing your pins, they seem to get in the way.

I gave a pair to a workout friend to see what she thought. Monica had a much better experience with them than I did. She found them to be very comfortable and something she liked using. She agreed there would be no sweating with the gripads like in a normal glove as your hands are much more exposed. She also felt awkward at first with her pinking not being in a ring, but could see how it was beneficial to the way gripad was made to work. She enjoys them and will continue using them in her workouts.

If you would like a chance at trying this new style of glove for yourself, then here's your chance to enter. YHH has three pairs to give away.

#1 - If you are a subscriber to YHH your are automatically entered. If you want a second chance based on your subscription, leave a comment: "I am a subscriber." (Leave an email address for contact or a random address will be chosen from the YHH list.)

#2 - Become a Fan on Your Happy Hearts - Facebook. We will see you have joined for an entry.

#3 - Check out Gripad.com and let them know what you think by leaving us a comment here for your third entry. (Remember again to leave your email address for winner contact)

You may leave a comment each day for even more entries. A winner will be selected after midnight on the 23rd of April. Good luck!

Your Happy Hearts on Face Book.

Your Happy Hearts.com

Promote Your Page Too

YHH has gone FB. We are really excited about the interaction we can now have with all of you. Please join us in discussions on a more one on one basis. Have questions answered from YHH or other readers. Post pics of your fitness journey, competition shots, photo shoots, or just where you are at now and tell us your goals.

As YHH does not claim to know it all, we sure try to find the answer. Maybe YOU have the answer. Share with us on FB what you know. It may be a blessing to someone else. As I have not been a 300 pound man, I can not write about that experience. I can only come from the point of losing 23 pounds. Although my journey was tough (the last 15 is always the hardest), I may not totally relate to someone as you may. Share your inspirational story with others. You might just make a difference in someone else's journey.

We encourage you to be a fan on YHH and use it as your sounding board. A place to come together, all 700 of you and learn from each other.

White Bean Chili Soup

Hearty White Bean Chili from The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno:

1 pound dry great northern beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and picked over

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cups yellow onions, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried ground coriander

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 4 oz. can of chopped chilies

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, grilled and cubed

1 tsp. sea salt

Place beans in soup kettle or dutch oven (I love using a dutch oven, more flavor) Add enough water to cover beans by two inches. Bring to a boil. Let boil for five minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Discard liquid.

Place beans in a slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, onions, garlic and seasonings. Cover and cook on low heat for seven hours or until beans are not quite tender. Add the chilies, chicken and sea salt. Cook for another hour until beans are tender.

442 calories, 50 g protein, 4 g fat, 50 g carbohydrates; per serving.

Enjoy!

Spring Break doesn't mean break.

With spring break almost over, ahhh what a nice break, are you ready for the bikini weather all summer? How have the workouts been going? Are you reaching your goals?

Remember when you are on a break, this does not mean you have to break from good eating habits and workout routines. Most vacation hotels have a gym or you can run on the beach for a change of pace. Working out on vacation can be fun as it brings with it new scenery.

Fancy resorts which have all inclusive restaurants does not mean you have to eat it all. But does give you a chance to try something maybe you haven't. Try different types of fish and chicken dinners on the menu, veggies which may be new to you, and appetizers which you could learn to make at home. You just may find a recipe or a serving style you like and can implement in your healthy diet.

Spring break also brings lot of adult beverages. Watch your consumption and keep it in your calorie intake for the day. The best choice is hard liquor with very little mixer, low calorie beers, or red wines. Don't fret, you can have fun on vacation, just remember what your end goal is and stay on track.

Hope your week has been as relaxing as ours at YHH.

Shaking Things Up

A short while back I had a reader express they like the idea of shakes but get bored by the second tub of chocolate mix. I asked what they were doing to "mix" it up and they said "Milk, powder, and a few ice cubes." Seriously? I would get bored too!

Be creative with your protein drinks. Buy fresh fruits when in season, clean, cut, and freeze in freezer zip-locks. These can be substituted for your ice cubes eliminating the watery down flavor you get from ice. Try strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, banana, and many more.

Go to your local store's baking isle. Look at all the different extracts available. Purchase Mint extract to add to chocolate for a Peppermint Patty. Or try Coconut to vanilla powder with a little orange juice as your mixer. Peanut butter is a good alternative to add with chocolate. Or better yet, in the morning add a scoop of your favorite vanilla powder to your mug 'o coffee. That will get you ready to take on the day. My husband sprinkles protein powder on his oatmeal in the morning and uses it in pancake batter as well. Think outside the box when it comes to protein powders.

Don't have a protein powder you really care for? Whey Sensible is a good choice and is priced comparably to those at your local health food stores. This is from Jen Hendershott's on-line store, who I am an affiliate. I love her products. She has all sorts of goodies. Check out her clothing, other supplements, and register for Phat Camp while your there.

If you have protein drink original recipes you would like to share, email me OR become a FAN on Facebook and leave them on the wall for everyone to see.

(When we hit 200 FANs, someone will be selected from the list to win a prize. It's so good, it's a secret! So become a FAN today!)