Welcome to my Virtual Fitness and Nutrition Studio – based in the Rio Grande Valley
A site created to educate and share information on Fitness and Nutrition as part of a Healthy Lifestyle. I hope to demonstrate my nutrition and personal fitness training expertise.
Don’t live in RGV, or travel a lot? I’ve got you covered! You can still train with me remotely from anywhere using Skype and FaceTime. All you need is a webcam or an ipad or smart phone.
DON’T USE THE CRISPER: AKA Rest in Peace “rip” drawer!
Don’t use the crisper or vegetable drawer, EVER. Why? How many times have you put produce in there only to find it DOA when you open the drawer. I’m guilty of this myself. It’s that ‘out of sight out of mind’ thing. Keep produce on a visible shelf, not in the rip drawer. Use it instead for cold beverages…. Those greens you find in there are usually two weeks old, right?
Produce Rest in Peace drawer. Don’t use it.
Arms, Legs, Core & Cardio 2 Minute Exercise Video
Tone your arms, legs and core using one set of dumbbells during a 2-minute segment that covers it all. Heart rate raising, too!
Take care,
Margo
No Carb Pasta Dish – Dukan & Any Weight Loss Meal
I had angel hair shiritaki “pasta” and just took what I had in fridge to make a creamy dish:
I tossed slightly nuked cream cheese and soy and balsamic in saucepan and stirred till creamy.
Then tossed in onion and tomato (its what i had in fridge leftover) chicken, rinsed angel hair, let it get hot (took 2 minutes)
Poured in bowl and ate the whole thing. NUM! Pure Proten or Attack Day: REMOVE the tomato!
4 or 5 ounces of fat free cream cheese
1 bag angel hair shiritaki
a few cherry tomatoes
a couple green onions
optional addition: a few piece of leftover HEB precooked bbd chicken
splash of: soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, splash of sugar free maple syrup
For Pure Protein Day, take out tomato. That’s it.
Sauce Pan to Bowl. Five Minutes, tops.
Glute & Thigh Toning – 2 Minute Exercise Video
This segment targets your butt and thighs (and gets your arms too, if you flex them throughout) while posed on all fours.
Take Care,
Margo
Upper Body Mega & Core Workout – 2 Minute Video
This segment will challenge your upper body strength in a big way. It’s a combo of Plank, Pushups, Triceps and Back Rows!
Take care,
Margo
No Carb Pasta Dish
Shiritaki noodles, made of soy are protein, very low calorie, and a healthy alternative to starch pasta. This is perfect for a Dukan Pure Protein dish. Friendly for weight watchers and ANY no or low carb meal. My easy throw together recipe:
Shiritaki Noodles – Angel hair. I find angel the most palatable kind. Picks up flavors easily.
Soy Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Fat Free cream cheese
Fat Free feta cheese
I free hand a few tablespoons of soy and balsamic into saucepan and stir warmed cream cheese (about 6 ounces) into it over medium high heat until creamy. Rinse angel hair, toss it and feta in, and DONE. So thick and creamy and delicious. For more protein and flavor I tossed a piece of salmon right on top of it. I was hungry!
No Starch, No Fat, No Sugar
No Carb Angel Hair Pasta Topped with Salmon
Exercise Video: Awkward Chair + Knee-up
Work your core, legs, shoulders and abs, doing what I call “Awkward Chair + Knee-up”.
Take care,
Margo
Plank for Core/Ab Toning using a Step Riser
Add intensity to plank and really get those side abs (obliques) by using a riser for height. Then bring your right knee UP to your left elbow, and alternate left knee up to your right elbow. You’ll feel your entire core (arms, too).
Add Intensity to Plank/Core work using a step riser
Greek Yogurt Vegetable Dip
Good and Good FOR YOU! Protein, low fat, low sugar. What’s not to love.
Greek Yogurt Dip
Pure Protein Pasta – Shiritaki Noodles – No Carbs
For Dukan, you can have this ANY day of the program, attack, cruise, any day, since they are pure protein. These noodles are a blessing for those who love pasta but not the weight pasta can bring. I have found the angel hair to be the most palatable noodle, since they pick up the flavor of anything you put in pan with them i.e. soy sauce, balsamic, tomato paste,etc. Add some fat free cream cheese and/or sour cream and you have a nice sauce to add chicken or beef, or as a side dish by itself. There are recipes at my blog and pinterest page using these noodles.
Pure Protein pasta – starch substitute!
Tone your Glutes – 2 Minute Video
A client joins me for my famous “butt burners” that really target your tush.. all under 2 minutes. These work!
Take care,
Margo
Exercise Video: 360 Degree Plank
Tone and strengthen your entire core and upper body doing my invention: “360 Degree” Plank.
Take Care,
Margo
Exercise Video: Step Back Lunges
Workout your legs, core and arms by doing my reach-up-step-back lunges. You’ll feel that heart rate going up as well to burn calories while toning.
Take care,
Margo
Dukan Diet – Simple Cruise Meal
Lean 95% lean ground beef with dry seasoning, on the grill. Frozen and nuked Brussel Sprouts with McCormicks Perfect Pinch. done.
Dukan Cruise Dinner
Nutrition & Fitness – go hand in hand
Food for Thought
Nutrition & Weight Loss – Easy Dinner – Cruise phase and beyond
Simple, no fuss. Lean Sirloin on the grill 10 minutes, and microwaved asparagus, 3 minutes.Seasoning and done! I do cut off visible fat from sirloin; otherwise this cut is quite lean.
Exercise Video: “Walk the Plank” for core and abs
Using a stair stepper or any type of riser, totally challenge your core/abs and arms doing my “walking the plank”.
Take care,
Margp
Exercise Video: Core and Thighs – “Chair Pose”
A Yoga spin adds flexibility and core to this segment targeting your thighs. Easy to learn and very effective – you will feel thighs to shoulders.
Take care,
Margo
Nutrition & Weight Loss – A Better Pizza
FINALLY, I mastered the “Cauliflower’ crust pizza. Here is my original recipe post (https://rgvpersonalfitnesstrainer.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-and-nutrition-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes/)
NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION!
1) COOK THE RICED OR GRATED CAULIFLOWER FIRST!! Spread grated/riced cauliflower on cookie sheet; bake 350 for 30 min, store in tupperware in fridge. As I wanted a pizza I use about a cup. A little goes a long way.
2) WHEN MAKING PIZZA..Start with equal amount riced cauliflower and grated cheese AND NUKE CAULIFLOWER+CHEESE MIXTURE FIRST FOR MINUTE SO ITS WARM AND ALMOST STARTING TO MELT. Shape into square or round and squish down with fork 1/4″ or so.
3) Cooked it for 10 minutes 400+ (in my convection,its faster), flip, cook it again, 10 Min..with or w/o toppings. This time I cut up cheery tomatoes, green onion, and a thin spread of low fat pesto and done. LOVED IT. Add heated chicken or beef or have protein as the side dish.
Cauliflower Crust Done Right
10 Minutes, Time to Flip
After Flipped, ready for second 10 min baking
Exercise Video – Inch Worm (Updated)
I’ve updated one of my fav fitness moves “Inch Worm”. Here I get right to it with less instruction. It’s full body strength, core toning, arm toning and flexibility.
Take care,
Margo
Dukan Dish – Creative Casserole
My client invented a casserole from what she had around. We all can relate; check it out!
She subs ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese, depending what’s leftover in fridge.
1 package ground turkey
2 zucchini sliced
1 green bell pepper
Salsa
1 can of roasted tomatoes and garlic
A few spoonfuls of tomato paste
Chicken fajita seasoning
Fat free shredded cheese
Place layers of the ingredients in a glass baking pan starting with ground turkey, seasoning, zucchini, tomatoes and paste, peppers, salsa. Put in 375 degree oven for 45 mins to bake. 10 mins before you pull it out place a few handfuls of cheese on top and cook for the additional 10 minutes.
Hodge Podge Casserole
Nutrition & Weight Loss
Green is good. Even if you’re not a salad person, this looks appealing. Greens, a light vinegarette, small tomatoes. red sweet onion, chunks of fat free feta (and added protein if you’d like to make it a full meal) is an easy, delicious, weight losing and filling dish.
If you feel lazy like I do often, I just buy them already made or bagged and toss on my own dressing. If the protein you toss on is warm? I.E. Salmon or chicken grilled or heated leftover – that warm protein adds a nice touch and also makes the salad ‘softer’ not soggy, just more wet…. the way I prefer it!
Easy salad for a meal or side dish
Nutrition & Weight Loss – Pure Protein Pasta
My creative clients made this dish. She said it tastes way better then it might look!
Pure Protein “pasta”
1. simmer 1/3 cup chicken broth
2. add in 2 tbsp fat free cream cheese and whisk in
3. add a handful or so of chicken
4. add half a pack of the shiritaki (soy) noodles
5. simmer together until sauce is creamy and noodles and chicken are warmed through
Exercise Video: Tricep Pushup Plank – Core and Arms
Super effective core and abs toning and strengthening as well as arms and upper body challenge.
Take care,
Margo
Dukan Cruise Dinner – Weight Watcher Friendly
I make a big batch of my “cauliflower mashed” (recipe here: https://rgvpersonalfitnesstrainer.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-and-nutrition-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes/) and reheat with protein. This is 96% lean hamburger sprinkled with McCormicks “Montreal Steak”, my favorite seasoning. Simple and delicious.
Take care,
Margo
Dukan Meal – Easy and Delicious
Exercise Video – Full Body Workout 2 Minutes
A client joins me in this segment that exercises your legs, core, arms and heart. Two minutes of a Non impact mini full body workout.
Take care,
Margo
Exercise Video: Tone Triceps from your Chair
Tone the back of your arms from the chair you’re sitting in from wherever you are!
Take care,
Margo
Use Water Bottles as Weights!
If you don’t have any small dumbbells to add interest or weights to your workout, or if you are travelling, just pick up a couple bottles of water or whatever is handy!
Dukan & Weight Watchers – Eating at Restaurants
I’m in maintenance but this dinner is Cruise Phase Dukan, and fits most any weight loss program.
Eating out is possible. Restaurants WANT to please you. However, the responsibility lies with YOU… drum roll….
You need to ASK for what you want. I merely requested no added fat, and steamed spinach instead of the loaded baked potato. I could have a loaded potato, I just didn’t want one. I fit right in at the table.
EATING OUT WILL NOT DERAIL YOUR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT!
Exercise Video: Lunge to Military Pushup – full body workout
Harder then it looks, my “runner lunge” to pushup, uses your abs to get into a plank to military pushup and back to lunge. This lunge position tones the thighs and glutes, and the plank to pushup gets your core, arms and upper body.
Take care,
Margo
Nutrition & Weight Loss – Prepare Ahead of Time
So, my spin on surf and turf? Surf and oink.. some thin lean pork chops that cook fast on the grill. I also cooked salmon, so I have lots of leftovers. Time to cook can be an issue so prepare ahead of time cooking larger batches of protein and veggies. This is salmon, pork chop and zucchini. Now I just have to nuke leftovers for meals for a few days.
ORGANIZATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS ON ANY WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM: Have groceries you need for success IN THE HOUSE.
Take care,
Margo
Exercise Video: Tone your Arms!
This segment targets biceps and triceps using a single dumbbell. Engage your abs to feel your entire core. Hits shoulders a bit too!
Enjoy,
Margo
Weight Loss & Nutrition – Protein & Vegetable meals
Pressed for time and hungry? I work late-ish most nights and prefer to reheat and heat. I cook in large batches, doing a pound or two on grill at once of different things and big tupperware bowls of my favorite vegy “cauliflower mashed” (recipe here at pinterest and my blog) and other vegies. I just put together a plate of “surf and turf” with reheated mashed and squash blend. Delicious; weight loss and weight maintenance promoting.
Make large batches of protein & vegies and reheat for perfect meals.
Exercise Video – Bosu Full Body Workout
If you have access to a BOSU this targets your glutes, thighs and abs while giving you a mini endurance workout.
Take care,
Margo
Eating & Nutrition – Whipped Cream
I LOVE whipped cream, and this is my favorite brand. I put this on top of my greek yogurt mixed with oat bran. I put it in my sugar free international foods flavored coffees, sugar free hot cocoa, and on my hot out of the oven Dukan cakes and muffins. This is my fav in texture and flavor by far!!!
Exercise Video – Full Body Segment
Tone your entire core while having fun doing a controlled kickbox-like move for legs and tush, while burning calories. Challenges balance, too.
Take Care,
Margo
Exercise Video: Split Jump – Legs, Calorie Burn, High Impact Interval
This “Split Jump” high impact segment will burn some serious calories, tone your thighs, and challenge your endurance and power. Go for it!
Take care,
Margo
Leg Toning Segment – with Ab Crunch
Stand with a chair for balance so your focus can be on your legs and abs.
To Execute this:
Start with weight on one leg, and step back with other leg, GENTLY touching the floor with back leg toe. You will naturally, as I am here, LEAN forward a bit, sitting back so your front knee does not come forward of your heel. Inhale as you lower down 45 degrees on front leg, THEN
Exhale as you bring your BACK leg up and crunch it to your abs. Bring same leg from crunch back gently to floor behind you doing another 45 degree lunge on front leg. Do 8 repetitions, then repeat 8 reps on other side.
Take care,
Margo
Exercise Video – Back, Biceps and Triceps
This segment tones and strengthens your back muscles, biceps and triceps. Keep core tight, as this engages abs and low back muscles, too.
Take care,
Margo
Weight Loss & Nutrition
My favorite dessert – Dukan or any weight loss program. No added fat or sugar. Oat Bran (which is so good for you) goji berries, yogurt, sugar free syrup, fat and sugar free fudge and caramel. NUM!
