Serenity

Have you seen HollyAnn's fabulous new kit, Serenity? It is filled with soft colors and beautiful elements.

And don't forget to pick up the add on and alpha to go with it - or get the bundle and save 30%

Here are a few things I have made with this beautiful kit

And a custom background for Twitter ...

All images are clickable

Frozen Strawberry Mockaritas

OK, so I don't usually do this the "mock" way, but now that I'm working on a healthier lifestyle I can really do without the additional calories in the tequila and triple sec, not to mention the adverse effects that alcohol can have on your body - so even if you prefer the real thing, give these a try.

This recipe calls for Truvia - this is the only artificial sweetener that I know of that comes in granular form.
Your ice should be cracked or crushed before blending.

If fresh strawberries are out of season, use frozen. You can also try other fresh or frozen fruit. If you don't have fresh limes, you can use the bottled stuff.


Frozen Strawberry Mockaritas

Ingredients
- 1/4 lime, cut into 2 wedges
- 2 packets of Truvia
- 8 large fresh strawberries, with hull removed
- 1 cup cracked ice
- 1/2 cup Crystal Light lemonade, prepared

Directions
Pour out one of the packets of Truvia onto a saucer.
Take one of the lemon wedges and slide it around the rim of your glass, carefully dip the wet rim into the Truvia on the saucer to coat the rim with the sweetener.
Place the strawberries in a blender, sprinkle with the rest of the Truvia from the saucer plus the second packet. Squeeze the two lime wedges on top, add the ice and lemonade.
Blend on high until the ice and strawberries are all completely blended.
Pour into your prepared glass, garnish with an additional strawberry or lime wedge.Number of

This makes one serving with only 53 calories!

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 52.8
Total Fat: 0.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 2.4 mg
Total Carbs: 12.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.8 g
Protein: 1.1 g

3 Easy steps to customizing your blog

1) - Open the header of your choice in your digital editing software and add your title.
- Add your photo or logo if applicable.
- save your header and background to an image share site that will give you a direct image link, such as photobucket (any site that you can upload and share your images through that will give you a link that looks something like http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m241/yourbucket/image.jpg)

2) HEADER:
- sign in to your blog
{from the dashboard} click 'layout' under the title of the blog you want to add your new blog wear to
{from the blog} click 'customize' in the upper right hand corner click 'page elements'
- click 'edit' On the long rectangle at the top of the layout that has your title in it
- paste the direct link you acquired from your photo sharing site into the 'From the web' slot (you will see your new header apear)
- click 'Instead of title and description'
- click save

3) BACKGROUND:
- click 'pick new template' choose 'minima', which is the first choice in the top left
- click 'Edit HTML' and scroll down until you find the following set of html code:
(they are located in the upper section of the codes, just scroll slowly and you will find them)
body {
background: #ffffff;
margin: 0;

After finding them, change them into these codes:
body {
background:#fff url("direct URL of the image");
background-position: center;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
margin: 0;
(“direct URL of the image”) is what you created earlier when you uploaded your image - the http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m241/yourbucket/image.jpg the link DOES need to be in parentheses and quotation marks as above

Resistance Band GIVEAWAY + Top 3 Leg Strengthening excercises

I just stumbled upon a new giveaway and thought I would share ...

Enter at the parents.com website

Do you have a resistance band? If not, make sure you enter this one, it's as easy as sending an email and they are giving away 100 of them.

I love my band, use it every other day for strength training. The giveaway page talks about using it for your arms, which I occasionally do - but more often I use it for low mount leg exercises.

Try tying one end to something low (I slip the handle onto the bottom of my {heavy} coffee table leg) and the other onto one leg - I go through a series of 3 exercises, 2 sets of 15 reps per leg.

(The following exercises are courtesy of sparkpeople.com)

For video of how to do each exercise, just click the name and it will take you to the SparkPeople demonstration for that one.

1) Low Mount Hip Flexor with Band
Stand with the mount behind you, band attached to right leg, weight on the left leg, knee slightly bent. Place hands on hips or on a chair back or wall for balance if necessary. Flex right foot.

EXHALE: Lift right knee up to at least hip level, keeping knee bent at 90 degrees.

INHALE: Slowly lower to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps

Muscles Worked: Hips, Upper Thigh, Glute

2) Low Mount Abduction with Band
Continuing on the right leg, turn with your left side toward the mount. Shift weight into left foot keeping knee soft and right foot flexed. Allow the resistance to pull your right leg across the center line of your body to start.

EXHALE: Extend your right leg straight out to the right side, leading with your outer thigh towards the ceiling, keeping foot flexed.

INHALE: Slowly lower with control to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps.

Muscles Worked: Outer thigh, Hips, Glutes

3) Low Mount Adduction with Band
Turn around so that your right side is toward the mount. Shift weight into left foot keeping knee soft and left foot flexed. Allow the resistance to pull your right leg out to the left side of your body to start.

EXHALE: Keeping foot flexed, leading with your inner thigh, sweep your right leg across your body towards the left as far as you can. Hold for 1-3 counts.

INHALE: Slowly return to starting position to complete one rep. Finish 12-15 reps.

Muscles Worked: Inner thigh, Quads

Switch the band to your left leg and complete 12-15 reps of each exercise. Complete a second set on each leg.

Modifications:
If any of these is too easy step farther away from the mount; do not let leg rest on ground in between reps; do not hold onto a wall, etc. for balance.

(For added difficulty on the Hip Flexor, you can swing arms forward and back as if running to challenge your balance.)

If any of these are too hard you can move closer to the mount for less tension; rest your foot on the floor between reps; hold on to something (chair back, table, wall) for balance.

Remember: Keep abs tight and upper body stationary. Avoid leaning back or to the sides during the movement. Raise/lower with control-- don't let the band's resistance snap your leg back down to the starting position.

BALANCE TIP!: For help with balance when completing any of these exercises, try holding on to your ears -I know, it sound weird, but I promise, it works!

If you love these exercises and want to see more, click the link below ...


So, leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite exercise is - could be cardio or strength training, with or without a band, yours just may be featured in an upcoming post ;)