There are an endless amount of product and equipment available to use to mix up a workout program. Some are scams, where others really do enhance your health and fitness plan. One of them is the BOSU.

A BOSU ball (acronym for “both sides up”) is an air-filled half moon that is intended to challenge your overall balance, stability, agility, and overall body control and function.  This works because when standing on an uneven, unstable surface like the BOSU, it kicks in more muscles in your entire body compared to when you are just standing on both feet on solid ground.

In this week’s Made Fit TV episode, I merely scratch the surface in showing you some creative moves you can do that target the entire body while only using the BOSU ball!  You can spend your money on gimmicks, or those shoes that claim to firm and tone your legs - OR you can just skip the fake quick fixes and invest in this piece of equipment that is more versatile than your wildest dreams!

Meal preparation is probably the #1 health habit that most people lack in their daily lives.  You struggle to even set aside 30 minutes a day for your workout - which is great!  Nutrition accounts for 80% of your results, so if you’re not eating healthy meals that complement your workout efforts, you could be spinning your wheels and not see any results.

Reaching for processed snacks and high-carb foods that you think are “healthy” based on the packaging and marketing claims could be working against you.  So, how can you have healthy foods readily available for meals and snacks without it eating up more of your time?

In this week’s Made Fit TV episode, I break down 10 Tips for Easy Meal Prep that you can do each week that will not only save you time and money, but speed up and optimize the results you’re getting from your exercise program.  Print off the list below, keep it on your refrigerator or any place you it can serve as a helpful reminder to you!

Top 10 Tips for Easy Meal Prep

10.) Get a Pressure Cooker to cook your food in a fraction of the time of baking

9.) Get a Crock Pot to cook raw and frozen foods while you’re away at work

8.) Make a Menu of what you want to eat through the week and stick to the plan

7.) Make a Date with your Grocery Store each week at the same time and shop off your menu

6.) Buy Frozen vegetables and fruits if you tend to let fresh go bad

5.) Buy Instant foods that are healthy, yet quick, to prepare, such as oats and brown rice

4.) Make a Baking Day once a week for you to bake up easy, healthy snacks for the week

3.) “5 at 9″, or take 5 minutes at 9 o’clock each night to mix your shake, make your lunch, or prepare your breakfast for the following day

2.) Prepare your Carbohydrates for the week, making up a few days worth, plain, so you can quickly mix it into a variety of recipes

1.) Prepare your Protein in bulk so you can quickly add it to salads, sandwiches, pastas, and dinner dishes

Check out the information below, too, for a breakdown of meal and snack portions to guide your meal planning!

Portion Guide

Use this as a guide for your meals and snacks.  On average, you are recommended to eat 3 complete meals and 2 to 3 snack per day. This can vary more or less based on whether you are a man or a woman, your goals, and what your doctor recommends.

Protein

Meal: 3oz - 4oz or 22g - 30g

Snack: up to 2oz or 7g - 15g

Carbohydrates

Meal: 1/2 cup - 1 cup or 25g - 45g

Snack: 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup or 13g - 25g

Fat

Meal: 1/2 tbsp - 1 tbsp or 8g - 16g

Snack: 1 teaspoon - 1/2 tbsp or 5g - 8g

**GYMBOSS INTERVAL TIMER GIVEAWAY!!**

Step 1 - CLICK HERE! to download the “I am Made Fit!” sign.

Step 2 - Then, take it with you to your favorite location where you workout, and get a friend to take a picture of you holding it up or having it in the background while showing us how you are “Made Fit”!

Step 3 - Email the photo to Jenny[at]MadeFitTV[dot com]

Be creative, because the winner will be chosen on April 17, 2010 during our live ustream at 12pm (eastern time zone) and will win a FREE GYMBOSS and Made Fit TV t-shirt!

Tabata Training is a method that is definitely picking up steam across the health and fitness community!  Its popularity is due to the crazy intense rotation of fast-paced exercises with minimal rest and multiple sets.  As I mention from the first Tabata video episode 32 (which you can check out below), the method is a great way to push your body off that plateau by increasing cardiovascular and muscular endurance and strength.

In this week’s Made Fit TV episode, I show you even more movements you can use with the Tabata Training Method.  I also demonstrate how to use a GYMBOSS, a helpful tool that to make your Tabata and interval workouts much more efficient!  Download and print off the PDF below to track your workout.

Download Tabata Training Tracking Chart (PDF - 114Kb)

A special thanks to Danielle Zanzarov-Rodriguez for the great interview on her show “Health & Wellness in No Time Teleseminar Series.”

Okay, let’s just get it out in the open right off the bat… asparagus may make your pee stink, but it certainly doesn’t stink for your health!  Asparagus is one of the best vegetables you can incorporate into your nutrition plan.  It’s high in Vitamin K, Folic Acid, and antioxidants. It’s also great for your digestion, managing menstrual cramps (for the ladies!), and for the anti-aging battle we’re all fighting.

So, in this week’s Made Fit TV episode, I show you how to make my ultimate favorite asparagus recipe that has me eating it up like candy - really!  Check out the video and copy the recipe below for my famous ham-wrapped asparagus.  It’s high in protein, low in calories, and packed with nutrients.

Ham-wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients: one bushel of asparagus, one package of lean low-sodium ham, 1 tsp olive oil, pepper, garlic powder

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with foil sprayed lightly with non-stick spray

2. Rinse the asparagus in cold water, trim the asparagus by holding at both - it will snap naturally; discard the bottom portion and keep the top part

3. Pat the asparagus spears dry, take two spears and wrap with one slice of ham

4. Place each wrapped piece on the foil side-by-side and lightly brush with olive oil

5. Drizzle with pepper and garlic powder to taste, bake at 400 for about 8 minutes, more or less depending on how tender or crispy you prefer the ham

6. Enjoy four pieces as an appetizer or snack, or eat more for easy and quick meal!

Servings: About 4

Serving size: 4

Nutrition Info: 55 calories, 1g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 8g protein

Special thanks to Danielle Zanzarov-Rodriguez, host of the “Health & Wellness in No Time” teleseminar series!  Check out this link to listen to my guest interview on incorporating health and fitness into your life in a simple way.  You can even have a chance at winning some free Made Fit TV gear by entering the contest - just click here!