Don't Complicate Things

Don't Complicate Things

The main reason that you're not happy with your weight is because of what you eat.

It's hardly your fault.

Have you ever stopped to notice how many times you're bombarded by food marketing each day?

Ads come at you from magazine pages, T.V. commercials, on websites and billboards, each boasting of cheap, convenient and tasty ways to cure your hunger.

The question "What's for dinner?" has never been more complex than now.

Extensive menu options and large entrees have distorted your concept of a proper meal, and before you know it you've fallen into the trap of the chain restaurant, the drive thru, and the take-out line.

But wait – truly healthy eating is simple.

First you need to block out the blizzard of food marketing around you.

Remember that advertisers want your money, and they don't stop to consider if the food they promote will expand your waist – that's your job.

It's safe to say that, with few exceptions, any food that you see marketed should be avoided. When was the last time you saw an ad for grilled white fish, steamed broccoli and a side of brown rice?

So what does truly healthy eating look like?

A healthy meal contains lean protein, fresh vegetables and a modest serving of whole grains.

Just as importantly, a healthy meal does NOT contain:

Refined sugar / corn syrup
Fried / fatty food
Full fat dairy food
Processed food with chemical additives
Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you decide to eat when you first wake up will set the tone for the rest of your meals that day. Try these healthy options:

Scrambled egg whites, sliced tomato and whole grain toast
Whole grain oatmeal, sliced fruit and a protein shake
Homemade breakfast sandwich: Multi-grain English muffin with lean turkey slices and egg
Healthy Lunch

It is important to plan your lunch ahead of time in order to avoid turning to a fast food joint or vending machine. Pack your lunch the night before and carry it with you. Try these healthy options:

Dark baby greens topped with chopped chicken breast and diced tomatoes
Albacore tuna (packed in water), mixed with finely chopped cucumber over brown rice
Homemade sandwich: Sprouted grain bread with lean turkey slices, lettuce, tomato and mustard
Healthy Dinner

Dinner is the meal where most people splurge and eat far more calories than they should. Eating at home is the first step in reducing your dinnertime calories. Try these healthy options:

Grilled white fish, sautéed spinach and whole wheat couscous
Baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli and brown rice
Try the recipe for Chicken Quinoa Stir Fry below
While healthy eating is a huge factor in achieving your ideal weight, exercise is the other half of the equation.

Your exercise routine should be challenging and should be done on a regular basis.

I know that you have more than enough in your life to think about without having to plan your own exercise routine. Leave that job to me—call or email today to get started on a personalized fitness program that will leave your body no choice but to shed those unwanted pounds.

Quinoa, Aragula and Roasted Veggie Salad

Quinoa, Arugula and Roasted Veggie Salad

This healthy salad that starts with dark flavorful greens, then adds cooked veggies, creamy goat cheese, some tender quinoa. No dressing required, since all the ingredients pack so much flavor. Next time that you are wondering what to make for dinner, try this Arugula, Quinoa and Warm Vegetable Salad. Feel free to add a side of grilled or baked chicken breast. Servings: 4

Here's what you need...

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4 cups organic, baby arugula
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
Place the quinoa and chicken broth in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff.
In a large skillet, place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Add the asparagus and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green and the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add sun dried tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
In a large salad bowl, combine the arugula, quinoa, warm veggies and sprinkle with the goat cheese.
Serve with a side of grilled or baked chicken breast, or other lean protein.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 137 calories, 6g fat, 323mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 7g protein

Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! Share this information with them.

Don't Miss Out On These

don’t miss out on these frown emoticon

Are chronic excuses keeping you from the rewards of a regular, challenging exercise routine? If so then you’re missing out on much more than you realize.

Here are the Top 7 Reasons to Exercise…don’t miss out on these frown emoticon

Reason #1: To Melt Fat Away

The most coveted side effect of exercise is, of course, fat burn. The combination of a challenging exercise routine and a balanced meal plan is the best known way to lose fat. Here’s what losing fat feels like:
Your pants become loose
People around you begin to say that you look great
A glance at yourself in the mirror makes you smile
Your energy levels soar
You feel amazing
Reason #2: To Alleviate Pain

Regular exercise is a great way to alleviate chronic muscle and joint pain. Persistent back pain can be lessened by strengthening your core, and you’ll protect yourself against injury. It amazes people when the chronic pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade after starting a regular exercise program.

Reason #3: To Increase Lean Tissue

More muscle is good for many reasons. You see, muscle uses many more calories each day than fatty tissue. In fact, one pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories each day at rest—compared to a measly 9 calories per pound of fat.

When you exercise your body composition will change to contain more lean tissue, thus resulting in extra calories burned while you sleep. What could be better than that?

Reason #4: To Stay Young

Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London, led a study on the effects of exercise on aging. The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.

Here’s the study in a nutshell:
Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.
Once a telomere gets too short, that cell can no longer divide.
Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed mental functioning.
The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.
It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin’s activity level. "There was a gradient," Spector said. "As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased."
People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.
People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.
Reason #5: To Prevent or Control Type 2 Diabetes

Regular exercise helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. This is something that people with type 2 diabetes, or at risk for type 2 diabetes, gain substantial benefits from. Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to follow guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.

Reason #6: To Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels

Exercise has shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels for these two reasons:
Weak Heart Muscles pump little blood with lots of effort. By exercising you strengthen your heart muscles and train them to pump more blood with less effort. The stronger your heart is the less pressure will be exerted on your arteries.
Exercise Increases HDL levels in some people—this means a decrease in your risk for heart disease. Other heart disease risk factors such as weight, diabetes and high blood pressure all show improvement with regular exercise.
Reason #7: To Feel Great

The first thing that clients tell me after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. Most didn’t even realize how bad they felt. It is easy to get used to feeling sluggish, achy and unmotivated. Exercise boosts your energy levels and makes you feel amazing.

The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you’ll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional. You’ll be held accountable with your workouts and you’ll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results.

Call or email today to get started on a program that will take the guesswork out of fitness and to set your results on fire.

What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving!

Don't Believe The Muffin Top Myth

Don’t Believe The Muffin Top Myth

If there's one thing that really irks me, it's seeing people led astray by the Muffin Top Myth.

These well-meaning folks devote time and effort under a faulty premise that gets them zero results.

And I get fired up!

I know that when you put your valuable time and energy into a fitness program, you deserve to see nothing less than amazing results. That's my commitment to all of my clients, and is something that I am truly passionate about.

You can see why I'd get so upset when I see people working hard without getting results.

So what's this Muffin Top Myth?

The belief that doing a magical ab exercise will shrink and flatten your waist, and will rid you of a muffin top.

Sorry, there's no such magical ab exercise.

In fact, all of the magical ab exercises in the world won't make a dent in your muffin top, as long as you continue with your current, unhealthy lifestyle.

The true belly-shrinking magic is found in improving your diet and exercise routine to promote fat loss from your entire body, including—but not limited to—your midsection.

Here's how to really get rid of that muffin top:

Shrink Your Belly Tip #1: Stop Eating Processed Foods

Everyone loves a good shortcut, right? Depends on where that shortcut takes you.

From now on I want you to think of processed foods as a shortcut to belly fat.

I wouldn't be surprised if future studies prove that the over-processing, chemical additives and high fructose corn syrup that are pumped into processed foods specifically adds fat around your belly.

If you want to shrink your belly then stay away from sugars, sodas, chemically altered fats, processed, packaged, fried and preserved foods.

Shrink Your Belly Tip #2: Eat Fresh, Whole Foods

Once you've cut the processed foods out of your diet, fill in the void with lots of fresh foods like:

Green vegetables
Whole, organic, seasonal fruits
Lean, hormone-free, high quality meats
Colorful organic veggies
Nuts and seeds
I know this list of foods may seem boring at first, but if you stick with it long enough, you'll grow to love the tantalizing flavors of real food.

When your diet is filled with the foods listed above, your body will quickly shed pounds and lean out.

Shrink Your Belly Tip #3: Do Challenging Exercise

The absolute best way to lose your muffin top forever is with a consistent, progressive exercise program.

Consistent: You should be exercising 3-5 times each week.
Progressive: For truly awesome results, keep your body guessing with new exercises and increasing intensity.
My exercise programs are specifically crafted to get you into the best shape of your life, and I'm fanatically passionate about seeing you meet your goal.

I'd love to hear from you! Call or email today to get started.

Quinoa and Winter Squash Salad

Quinoa and Winter Squash Salad

This recipe is another great way to enjoy protein-filled quinoa. Winter squash combined with celery, onion and parsley makes a healthy and comforting side dish. Servings: 10

Here's what you need:

2 yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 cups diced squash, butternut or any other fall or winter squash
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon brown rice syrup
dash of freshly ground sea salt
zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 cups filtered water
1 cup quinoa
4 sprigs of parsley, finely minced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the onions, celery, carrots and squash in a large bowl. Mix in the oil and syrup, then sprinkle the salt and lemon zest. Mix until well combined and then place on a shallow baking dish. Cover the dish and bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes remove cover and cook for another 15 minutes.
While the vegetables are in the oven, put the quinoa and water in a saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for about 25 minutes over low heat, until the water is absorbed.
Combine the vegetables and cooked quinoa together with the lemon juice and parsley. Serve warm or chilled.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 95 calories, 1g fat, 19g carbohydrate, 2.5g fiber, and 4g protein.

Spread the word. Health is much better with friends.

Do-It-Yourself Kitchen Raid

Do-It-Yourself Kitchen Raid

Want faster weight loss?

Then do a self-guided kitchen raid.

If your kitchen is stocked with the makings for healthy meals and snacks you'll easily stay on track, even when those late-night cravings strike.

So what should you keep on hand and what should be banned?

Use this self-guided kitchen raid to help you sort out the good from the fattening.

Go ahead, grab a big box, print out the list below, and then head to the kitchen. When you're done, take that box straight to the nearest food bank.

Your Refrigerator
Let's start with the fridge, which is essentially the heart of your kitchen. If you find something in your fridge that is on the "Donate this" list, then you know what you have to do. Get that box ready.

Donate this: Beverages with high fructose corn syrup or sugar. Drinking calories is one of the quickest ways to gain weight, so quickly rid your fridge of any beverage that lists HFCS or sugar on the ingredient list.

Replace with: Water. It is a well-known fact that most people are partially dehydrated, a condition that is harmful to your health and wreaks havoc on your weight loss efforts. Keep plenty of cold water on hand for proper hydration.
Donate this: Fatty meats. It is important that you be selective about the meats that you eat. I may tell you that chicken is a great source of protein, but if you take that as a license to eat fried chicken everyday then the benefit of the protein will be lost in all the extra fat calories.

Replace with: Lean meats. Skinless chicken breast, lean ground turkey, white fish – there are numerous choices when it comes to lean meats.
Donate this: Fruit-flavored yogurt. I hate to break this to you, but that cute individually packaged yogurt is going to do more harm to your waistline than you think. More than 50% of the calories in fruit-flavored yogurt come from sugar. Check out the ingredient list and you likely find both high fructose corn syrup AND sugar.

Replace with: Plain low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, or low-fat cottage cheese. If you love yogurt, then get the low-fat plain version. You can even chop up some fresh fruit and stir it in. Another option is to have a scoop of low-fat cottage cheese with chopped fruit on top.
Your Pantry
This may be the most painful part of your kitchen raid, since most junk food ends up here. So take a moment to give yourself a pep talk before grabbing that garbage bag and opening your pantry.

Donate this: Sugar-filled cereal. If sugar or high fructose corn syrup are listed as ingredients on your cereal box, it's got to go. Sugar-filled cereal is basically another form of junk food, and will only add inches to your waist.

Replace with: Whole Grain Oatmeal. There is a huge difference between instant, sugar-filled oatmeal and whole grain oatmeal.
Donate this: Chips/Crackers. While refined chips and crackers are fun to munch on, the extra calories will quickly add up. Do yourself a favor by not allowing these into your pantry.

Replace with: Almonds. The key to making this snack a winner is to practice portion control. Place a handful of almonds into individual bags for pre-portioned snacks.
Donate this: Packaged Sweets. I don't really have to explain this one, do I? Cookies and cakes and candies shouldn't be a regular part of your diet, so keep them out of your house. It's one thing to enjoy a dessert once in a while, it is quite another to routinely eat processed sweets at home.

Replace with: Dried Fruit. When you want to munch on something sweet, turn to a bag of dried fruit. Make sure that you purchase dried fruit that does not contained added sugars.
Now march that box of off-limit foods to your nearest food bank and don't look back.

It's a great idea to raid your kitchen every couple of months as a way of keeping yourself on track.

Open up dialogue with your family members about the healthy changes that you're making, and get everyone in on it.

The quickest and most permanent weight loss comes as a result of healthy eating and consistent, challenging workouts.

I'm here to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will get you on the fast track to your best body ever.

Quick Chickpea Salad

Quick Chickpea Salad

Preparing healthy, fresh meals doesn't have to take hours of your day. This tasty salad is filled with protein, fiber and nutritious veggies. Prepares in 10 minutes.
Servings: 4 Here's what you need…

1 (15oz) can chickpeas
1 zucchini
2 tomatoes
For the dressing:

2 Tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
Drain the chickpeas, but do not rinse. Place in a medium sized bowl.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise, rotate and slice lengthwise again to form 4 long pieces. Chop into small slices and add to the bowl.
Cut the tomato into 4 pieces. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Chop into small pieces and add to the bowl.
In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over the chickpea mixture and mix well.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 138 calories, 2.5g fat, 188mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 6g protein.

Motivate your friends, family and co-workers!