burn almost 400 calories in 20 minutes with these intense moves.

Stay Motivated

Taken from this month's "Women's Health" magazine, these quotes help women around the country stay motivated during particularly difficult workouts.

"OK, it's not always your brain's fault that you find yourself back in the locker room before you've completed your planned workout. Sometimes you just wuss out. We polled 100 women to find out the sweet nothings they whisper to themselves when they want to quit but know there's still gas in the tank. Add them to your mental arsenal during your next strength or cardio session

"I never regret it when I do it, but I always regret it when I don't."
-- Devin McDonald Vinson, 37, Portland, OR

"Don't judge it, just do it."
-- Kathleen Johnston, 48, Nashville, TN

"Kill…Kill…Kill. The. Hill." (You say the words to match your feet hitting the ground, and it creates a rhythm for you to fall into. A little violent, but hey, it works.)
-- Rita Buscher, 21, Boston, MA

"KMF: Keep Moving Forward"
-- Laura Staub, 34, San Francisco, CA

"This run (or hill or these bicep curls) is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!"
-- Sarah McDougal, 31, Denver, CO (to the tune of "Hollaback Girl," by Gwen Stefani)

"If you don't focus on your ass, no one else will."
-- Cristina Goyanes, 27, Women's Health associate editor, New York City

"A strong outside strengthens the inside."
-- Selene Yeager, 38, Emmaus, PA

"Push the stress out!"
-- Samantha Denny, 37, Jackson Hole, WY

"What's for dinner: something warm and cheesy?"
-- Sue Piccone, 38, Salt Lake City, UT

"Beat, beat, beat, beat, fast little feet feet."
-- Marit Fischer, 36, Salt Lake City, UT

"Grab it! It's yours!" -
- Nona Jordon, 37, Rome, Italy

"This is not the hardest thing I've ever done."
-- Amanda Ryan, 32, Portland, OR

"Thin, strong, lean, long…thin, strong, lean, long…"
-- Kristen Lowery, 35, Colorado Springs, CO (used in yoga class)

"Can I get some fries with that shake-shake booty? If looks could kill you would be an Uzi."
-- Leslie Goldman, 31, Chicago, IL (lyrics from "Shoop," by Salt-N-Pepa, which she sings to herself)

"I am strong beyond belief. I am powerful beyond measure."
-- Abby Ruby, 28, Boston, MA

A fresh take on the chicken sammy

I got this recipe from Megan Rau, a girl I teach pilates with at the rec. Though I am a vegetarian, I must admit this recipe looks delicious. If you can't find truffle-infused parm, go ahead and try the regular kind. Also, you can always sub any kind of green veggie if you don't care for asparagus, I think this would be just as delicious with spinach or zucchini!

Looking for a healthy and easy dinner? Take a look at this chicken sandwich recipe...

INGREDIENTS
1/2 bunch fresh asparagus
4 slices of wheat bread
1/4 lb. thin-sliced cold-cut roasted chicken
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 very thin slices of truffle-infused Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Makes 2 sandwiches.

1.Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. After washing the asparagus, trim the thicker, rough ends and discard. Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet and coat lightly with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.

3.In a small saucepan over very low heat, slowly heat the balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced by about two-thirds. Set aside and let cool.

4. Coat one side of each slice of bread with the balsamic reduction sauce, spreading just enough to cover the surface of the bread.

5.On each of the two bottom slices, divide the chicken and lay the slices flat over the balsamic spread.
6. Evenly divide the asparagus between the two sandwiches and lay the spears side by side atop the chicken.
7.Gently lay the thin slices of cheese on top of the asparagus, and cover each sandwich with the remaining two slices of bread, vinegar side down.

8. Place in a panini press and cook for about five minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned. (If you don't own a panini maker, you can place the sandwiches on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven, and cover with a cast-iron skillet to press. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.)

Kombucha

I often go through phases where I obsessively eat, drink, watch, listen, wear, etc. the same thing over and over again. It has happened with S'mores pop tarts, orange juice, Grey's Anatomy DVDs, Wilco albums, and my poor threadbare black zip-hoody from H&M. What recently began as a simple phase however, has snowballed itself into a full-on infatuation. Me and kombucha, sitting in a tree...

Kombucha, pronounce KUM-BOO-CHA, is a health beverage essentially made of fermented mushrooms. Yummy. In reality, however, most of the mass-produced Kombucha drinks (particularly GT's "Synergy" brand pictured to above) have been naturally flavored so they taste much better than the raw kombucha itself.

My roommate works at Clover's Natural Market here in Columbia, so I am no stranger to odd health foods and homeopathic remedies; in fact, the better that something is for me, and the worse something tastes, the more I like it. One day while grocery shopping at Clover's I grabbed one of GT's Synergy Kombuchas. Laura, my roomie, yelled from across the store "NO, NOT THAT. YOU'LL HATE THAT!" I was so confused, why would the employees of this store be convincing someone NOT to buy something? Naturally, I had to get it.

One of the general managers explained that because it is made of fermented shrooms (unfortunately not the psychedelic kind) Kombucha tastes acidic, almost like vinegar or a wine-cooler. Upon first swig, I realized that although it was not easy to drink, it wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made it out to be.

I then learned that Kombucha has gained such recent popularity because of the plethora of health benefits that go along with consumption. Drinking Kombucha aids with digestion, metabolism, immune system, appetite control, weight control, liver function, body alkalinity, anti-aging, cell integrity, and healthy skin and nails. The creator of one of the most popular bottled brands, GT, "began bottling Kombucha in 1995 after his mother's success from drinking it during her battle with breast cancer." I figure, I am idiot not to drink this stuff.

One of the best parts about the drink, however, is not the numerous health benefits it may support, but just the way it makes you feel. KOMBUCHA GIVES YOU A NATURAL HIGH. The first time I drank it, I was driving on Highway WW. I have driven this road probably at least 100 times. Half a bottle and a multi-vitamin later, I felt like I was seeing the road for the first time. and the trees. and, oh my god, there's a lake and a deer! Everything looked brighter and sharper, I had more energy, and I was jolly. JOLLY. Granted, Kombucha has TRACE amounts of alcohol, but I know that this .05% did not contribute to my altered consciousness that day, Kombucha has the power to simply make you feel amazing.

Kombucha isn't available everywhere. The only places in CoMO I have found Kombucha thus far are both Clover's Natural Markets, the Peace Nook downtown, and the natural area of the Broadway Hy-Vee store. Make sure to drink it cold, and GENTLY shake (there are chunks of the fermentation on the bottom of the bottle, these are called "strands" and they are coveted.)

Some people bottle their own Kombucha. These people are crazy and I admire their passion. However, I think I will continue to pay $3.50 per bottle. I whole heartedly believe it is worth every penny.

ps: I have tried every flavor of GT's Kombucha (thanks, Jack, for getting me a cooler full of different bottles!) and I recommend the "Strawberry Serenity" or "Divine Grape" for newbies.

Puffins Cereal

No, sillies. Not the birds, the cereal.

These delicious puffs of peanut butter delight are truly addictive. And, at $4.50 a box they BETTER be.

Barbara's Bakery is an organic company that has produced cereals, cookies, granola bars, etc. for the past 36 years. Barbara's does not use refined white sugar, hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives...aka it is delicious and goooood for you.

Which is good news for me, because I literally eat this stuff all day long. It's the perfect cereal to put in a baggie and take around campus with you because it tastes just as good dry as it does with milk. Think peanut butter Captain Crunch, but a little puffier and more peanut buttery.

I have yet to try the cinnamon, original or honey rice flavors because I'm afraid they will be a disappointment, but take my word for it...the PB ones are phenom. If I do eat them with milk, I definitely recommend using regular milk and not soy. The puffs are sweet and substantial enough that the soymilk makes them almost too rich.

Available at Hy-vee's natural organic section, Clover's natural market (try the Forum one, the Broadway one is usually sold-out of peanut butter flavor.)