The downtown winter market is right around the corner, November 19th and 20th! Sadly, we don't have a booth and will not be there as vendors. However, if any of you are going to be there and need an Iowa Fit Chicks fix, send us an email, and let us know what you'd like. We'll meet you at the market!

We need your orders by Wednesday, November 17th. Send us an email and we'll coordinate a meeting time!

Hope to see you soon!

-Michelle

Turn up the Intensity

I don't know about you guys, but I have been letting my workouts slide a little. I started out the summer strong, but as it started getting a little colder, I noticed that I haven't been working out quite as hard as I should.

So this week I started to try making my workouts more intense. It's been great! I've actually been slightly sore after working out, and I really feel like I have been getting better workouts. Here are a few things I have tried:

• Using a heart rate monitor. Do you have one of these? They are key to keeping in your target range. I LOVE working out with a heart rate monitor. It makes it so much easier for me to push myself if I can actually see a number going up.
• Interval training. I started adding a few more sprint intervals to my cardio workouts. It's fun pushing myself through those intense minutes. I can already feel a difference in my fitness level!
• Adding extra minutes. I have tried to extend my workouts for a few minutes each day. Those extra reps and extra calories burned all add up, and can mean faster and more intense results.

What do you do to keep your workouts intense?

xoLaura

Eat your veggies!

Getting enough veggies in my diet has always been a challenge for me.

I've been on a mission to find new ways to incorporate veggies into my daily menu. I found a great website with some helpful ideas. See if any might work for you:

1. Make vegetable noodles. I think this is a super idea. You’ll need a mandolin slicer or a spiral slicer to create your vegetable noodles, zucchini and eggplant are good vegetable choices.Or, if you want to try spaghetti squash, boil or bake until tender, then pull a fork through the squash to tear out spaghetti-like shreds.

2. Drink a smoothie. Smoothies are a brilliant option, especially when you’re lacking in time. I throw some spinach in my fruit/protein smoothies and can't even taste it!

3. Make some soup. Try making chunky vegetable soup with wholegrain pasta added, or put your favorite vegetables into a blender with some spices or fresh ginger for something a little different.

4. Eat with the seasons. It’s so easy to pick the same vegetables over and over again, and therefore limit your diet and your tastebuds. Instead find out what’s in season and go for that instead. Don’t be put off if you’re unsure how to cook a particular veg. If you’re like most people, you’ll have a sack of unused cookbooks taking up room on your bookshelf. So, dust them off, and take your taste buds to another level!

5. Get marinating. We normally associate marinating with meats, but vegetables also taste great with this extra bit of care. Mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and string beans take to marinating particularly well. A tasty choice for marinating is a mix of olive oil, crushed garlic, grated fresh ginger and some soy sauce.

6. Make a veggie sauce. If you usually buy ready-made pasta sauce, instead blend a selection of your favorite fresh vegetables to make a healthier option.

7. Munch on raw vegetables. Try dipping raw veggies into hummus. Celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, and carrots are some of my favorites.

8. Wrap them up. Whether as an entree or main dish, wraps and veggies make a delicious option. You could choose wholegrain tortilla wraps, or a cabbage or lettuce leaf, then simply heap in the vegetables (raw or cooked), roll up and enjoy!


How do you make sure you’re eating enough vegetables each day?

-Michelle

End of a season!

Can you believe it? November is here! The 2010 Farmers' Market season has come to an end! We are really going to miss seeing all of our "regulars" as well as meeting new friends! If you're worried about getting your IFC fix :-), don't despair... our special orders are in full swing! If you live in the Des Moines area, we will bring our products to you (right now we're only making local deliveries). If you're interested in pricing information, please email us: iowafitchicks@gmail.com. Also, be sure to check the blog; we'll be posting fit tips and healthy recipes. We'd love to hear your ideas on staying fit, or try your favorite recipes... pass them along in a comment or drop us an email.


Thanks again for your support! We LOVE baking healthy snacks for you!

Additional Market Date

We have added one more Market date to our 2010 schedule. Find us at the Market October 23. That means there are two Market dates left to stock up on all your IFC favorites. Stop by October 23rd and 30th... and cross your fingers for good weather! See you then!

We're back!

We are so excited to be back at the Market this Saturday!!! Come over and grab a few snacks for your Labor Day Weekend!

This week's fit tip: Sign up for a class, team or league. Karate? Zumba? Jazzercise? Kickboxing? Volleyball? Softball? Water aerobics? A new class or sport is a great way to spice up your workout. I love the accountability of registering for something. It's fun to meet new people with a similar passion for healthy living. Fall is a great time for getting back into a good routine. Make a new class or sport part of schedule!

What are you signed up for?

See you Saturday!

-Michelle

Find IFC on Saturday

We are REALLY excited about our location this week. We'll be on the 300 block of Court Avenue right across the street from Dos Rios. We can't wait to see all of you.

xoLaura