Myth or Fact?

I been emailed a few questions, and I've had people ask me if this or that is true. So I thought, it'd be nice to start a little mini segment and list out some myths. Maybe trick ya and throw a few facts in there. There is so much information and its hard to know what is true and what is myth. Some people say this is the only way, others say another way is the only way. I like a combination of clean eating and exercise. I'm so against chemicals, its almost hilarious. Although, balance is a good thing and I like to have a little cheesecake or something every now and then. Moderation. Its a good thing.

1. It's expensive to eat healthy. Hmm. Mostly a myth. It can be expensive to eat healthy, depending on where you shop, and what you buy. I've found, I went to the Dr (as did my kids) regularly when we didn't eat healthy, and had more prescriptions. Now we go 1ce a year for well checks. So, that saved a lot. And yes, I do have insurance, but I still had out of pocket expenses. Also, the main bill. The grocery bill. Rice, lentils, and beans are much cheaper than a million boxes of hamburger helper any day and with some garlic (typically 30 cents per head of garlic) and olive oil (12$ for a very big bottle at my local Costco) adds tons of flavor. The trick is to buy in season. Bananas, Apples, Celery, Carrots and Sweet Potatoes, are fairly inexpensive. Less than 1$ per pound. I've learned I need to buy my spinach, kale and lettuce at Costco, only 3$ each and they last me a week for the whole family. Meat was the other expensive part. I found a clean little grocery store close to me. They have their own butcher and it costs between 3-5$ for most packages of meat. And they're good cuts too. I only buy ground beef at Costco. Low fat, No pink slime meat (I did a post about that too, last year, I believe.) All in all, I save drastically more by buying healthy food. If you get crazy and fancy. It can get costly. But, shop smart. Use the recipes I've posted, and if you're in doubt, email me. I've probably got a recipe for that.

2. "20 minutes is all the exercise I need." Nope. This ones a myth. As we age we need even more too. I used to be able to get my workouts done in 30 minutes or less. Not so much anymore. Now, I take an hour, at least, to maintain the same fitness level and shape. It doesn't matter how you break it up either. Do 6 - 5 minute sessions. Do 2- 30 minute sessions. For weight loss, you want to aim for about 250 minutes per week of exercise. That seems to be the "golden number" for whatever reason. You may think you're too tired to work out, do it anyways. (As long as its laziness and not a medical reason, then ignore that last line!) When I start out tired, I feel great when I'm done. I sleep better at night, and have more energy during the day. Just one of the amazing wonders of exercise :)

3. Don't eat after 8pm. I always do. I have to. Otherwise, I'm up at midnight looking for a snack. I have a fast metabolism thanks to all my exercise. My body needs it. You just need to snack smart. I aim for 6 small meals a day. The largest one is breakfast. Its the start of my day, I'm going to be doing a lot. I go for the Steele Oats and berries with some milk poured over it. Recipe is posted. Snack. Usually fruit and Greek yogurt. I recommend nuts, if you re not allergic. I am, so its a no go for me. Lunch, I like to do that Salmon BLT sandwich I posted on our workout foods on our facebook page. I'll get a post going to transfer all that to here too for all of you. Then its my workout, and my next snack, my post workout shake. Then Dinner (half a plate of veggies, quarter of my plate starchy vegetable or carbs like quinoa or rice and quarter of my plate quality protein like salmon or chicken) and lastly my before bed snack. I've been liking berries and kefir lately. Carbs are my energy, without them I'm soooo exhausted. Besides, they're good for brain food. Lets all stay smart :)

So there's our first set of Myth or Fact. Let me know how you liked it. Anything you're curious about and I can do a Part 2.

Top 10 Fat Loss Foods

I did a series on Facebook for the top 10 fat loss foods. There are plenty of good for you foods. Add veggies and cut chemicals, soda etc and you really can't go wrong. But its always hard to know your best options. Which are the best fat loss foods?

1. Avocado. These green beauties are high in monounsaturated fats, which is less likely to be stored as body fat. Avocados have been showed to reduce weight when eaten in place of carbs (do not read this as don't eat carbs please haha).

Try them: Mash them up with a fork, add 1/2 diced tomato, juice of 1/2 a lime, some chopped cilantro. I add a little chopped onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Eat with whole wheat pita chips. (Slice 1/2 whole wheat pita in quarters, separate sides and toast in a toaster oven til crunchy. About 3 minutes). Yum!

2. Chili Peppers. These contain capsaicin. Chili peppers boost your metabolism and your feeling of fullness. Even a little helps and it add delicious flavor. Can add these to anything. Salads, eggs, potatoes, the list could go on forever. Add them in when you saute the veggies in any recipe.

3. Eggs. Studies have shown that those who ate a breakfast that included 2 eggs ate less throughout the day and felt fuller, longer. They're full of vitamins and healthy fats. And yes, I do eat the egg yolk too. Although, on occasion, I've done maybe 2 eggs and an extra egg white or two.
Check out our Frittata recipe for an easy breakfast on a get ready quick morning.

4. Ginger. I love ginger so much, I did a whole post about it. It was actually after I researched for this post. I knew ginger was amazing, but had no idea how amazing until this. But a quick run down. Ginger boosts metabolism in 2 ways. it increases muscle's oxygen consumption helping you burn more calories, and it increases lactic acid production, which in turn, increases the human growth hormone, which THEN increases the amount of fat released from fat stores, burning them as fuel. Yea... go ahead and get some ginger... I'll wait.

5. Grapefruit. 1 study showed those who ate 1/2 a grapefruit daily lost on average 3 1/2 more pounds in 12 weeks. They didn't change anything else about their diets, so that's saying something. There's a compound called narigin and it boasts fat blasting properties. So throw some into a spinach-feta cheese salad. Sounds delicious.

6. Green tea. Contains Epigallocatechin gallate (Say that 10 times fast. We're going to stick with the abbreviation EGCG from here on out, m'kay?) & caffeine. Caffeine is a well known fat burner and EGCG's phytochemicals are also responsible for green tea's myriad of health benefits. Including increasing your metabolic rate and burning fat. For best antioxidants, drink it warm- hot and add some lemon. Or...
Try it: Mix 2 cups iced green tea with 1/2 cup 100% pomegranate juice. Add a splash or two of seltzer water and ice. Delicious.

7. Pomegranate. In one word. Antioxidants.300 times better than other fruits at protecting nitric oxide (aka NO) in the body. NO is associated with fat burning. Try the recipe above or add some to make a perfect pre-work out shake. Although, have you tried pomegranate? A pain to peel but sooooo worth it. Yummy plain or in salads, yogurt. Just plain good.

8. Salmon. You knew this was making the list. Full of omega-3's and those can turn on the genes that increase fat burning and turn the genes off that regulate fat storage. All while keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. For those who don't like the taste of fish. Add some dill, it cuts the fish taste. You can also soak it in milk. But, not for too long, it'll fall apart.
Try this: The SLT. Mash contents of a can of Salmon with 1 T. greek yogurt and juice from 1/2 a lemon. Spread it onto whole wheat toast with 2 slices of crisp cooked turkey bacon. 1 leaf of romaine lettuce and some tomato slices.

9.Tofu. Soy= a powerhouse food. From reducing risk of several cancers to promoting cardiovascular health. This is superfood. It appears to be the main factor responsible for boosting fat burning as it reduces appetite and abdominal fat.
Try it: Chop it and add it to chicken or vegetable broth and add 1 sliced scallion. Mmm. And mushrooms. Mushrooms help relax your muscles.

10. Spinach. The last in our list. 1 cup cooked is only 41 calories. Contains great detoxifying abilities for your body. Spinach adds soluble fiber to your diet which does the job of binding bad cholesterol (LDL) in your digestive system (good riddance fat!) and dragging it out of your body (haha kicking and screaming of course!)
Add it to soups, pastas, eggs, sandwiches or a personal favorite spinach strawberry smoothies!)

My favorite lentil recipe...

 

8 7/8 oz. lentils

1 medium carrot, I make thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Can also be chopped finely. Your choice.

2 garlic cloves, minced ( or more, cause um... garlic is delicious!)

1 bunch parsely (as you can see in pic I omitted this, I was out. Used italian seasoning- best with fresh)

1/4 onion finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Dressing:

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 T. Balsamic Vinegar

2 T. white wine ( or a touch more vinegar)

2 T. Dijon Mustard

1/16 t. cinnamon

1 t sugar

1 t pepper

salt, to taste

Cook the lentils in lightly salted water for 20 minutes or until soft. Strain water out. Set aside. Put all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Heat 1 1/2 tsp EVOO in small saucepan. When warmed add onion, garlic and carrots (if youfinely chopped them. Not necessary if you used a vegetable peeler or grated them). Remove the pan from heat and toss in lentils and chopped parsley. Mix and add to bowl with dressing. Mix again. Can be served warm, cold or room temperature. Always a favorite in my house :)

Makes 4 servings

Air Popped Popcorn recipe

Add about 1/4 cup or so popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag (lunch bag sized). Fold top over (about 1 inch) and place upright in microwave. Microwave for 1-1:30 minutes until popping slows. Remove from microwave and pour into large bowl. Drizzle with about 1 T. Extra virgin olive oil. Mix up. 1 T. Nutritional Yeast, 1 t. Italian seasoning, 1/2 t. Chili powder or cayenne pepper. Mix well and sprinkle with salt to taste. Mix again and enjoy.

Savory Red Pepper Patties

Think pancakes are always sweet? Try these!

Ready in 10 minutes * makes 4 pancakes

1 C Red bell pepper, chopped
4 egg whites
1/4 c unflavored whey protein powder
1/8 c low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 c coconut flour

Topping:
1/4 c tuna
3 T. low-fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (optional)

Blend pancake ingredients together. Heat pan over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

Pour desired amount in pan. Flip when bubbles form in the batter, or when one side is golden. Top each patty with a thin layer of cream cheese, a spoonful of tuna and a sprinkle of garlic salt.

I find I like to go a little crazy with veggies on these and add chopped tomatoes and spinach maybe a few thinly sliced mushrooms (which have been said to relax muscles) and some sliced green onions. Either way- Yum!?!

Berry Cheesecake Pancakes and bonus berry cheesecake protein shake!!

Ready in 10 minutes * Makes 5 pancakes

1/3 c. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 c. low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 c vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 c coconut flour
1/3 c rolled quick oats
2 whole eggs
1/4 c sweetened almond milk

Once batter is blended stir in 1/4 c red raspberries (fresh or frozen) and 1/4 c blueberries (fresh or frozen).

Heat pan over medium heat, then lightly coat with cooking spray. Pour desired amount of batter onto hot pan. Flip when bubbles form in batter, or when one side is golden.

Enjoy.

*another idea! As I was making these I wanted to eat the batter it looked so good! So I made a protein shake with some cottage cheese, milk, protein powder, vanilla Greek yogurt and berries. I'm drinking one now, delicious!!

Want more great tips and motivation?

For daily motivation and great quick tips follow us on Facebook.
Click here.

See you there!!

Quick and Easy breakfast!

The frittata- here is why I love these. I can take 5 minutes to get it going and get ready while its in the oven; and I can throw any veggies I want into it and it always turns out good.

Basic Frittata

Whisk 1 egg and 3 egg whites with dash of sea salt and a dash of pepper. Pour into a skillet over your veggies (I love it with garlic, onion, broccoli and red bell pepper) brown 1-2 minutes. Place in oven (preheated to 375 degrees) for 20 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes and serve with a slice of whole grain toast. 


**Oh, and please make sure your pan has no plastic and is oven safe before you start. :)

I made this today and I had turkey ham, garlic, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, spinach, red bell pepper and mushrooms... yum!!

Basic Protein Pancakes

A basic recipe for protein pancakes for you! I love pancakes but those pre-made ones are usually filled with too many ingredients that I can't pronounce. These are pretty quick and easy. Add berries, apples or mashed bananas to kick up the flavor if you want.

3 egg whites
1 oz. skim milk
dash cinnamon and sea salt, each
1/3 c oat bran
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder ( I like whey protein powder)

Blend ingredients. Heat pan over medium heat and spray with non stick spray. Cook til bubbles form over surface or golden on the other side. Flip. After its finished, top with 2 T. almond butter.

Introducing Breakfast!

Egg Quinoa Parfait

4 scrambled egg whites
3/4 c cooked quinoa (make sure you rinse it before cooking)
1/3 c strawberries, sliced
1/3 c bananas, sliced
1/3 c pineapple, sliced

Layer into a bowl and enjoy!

My son likes a little organic maple syrup in it, but not too much its already a little sweet!

Most Simple Breakfast EVER

I don't know that it gets easier than this. I've never been a big breakfast eater- I have to force myself because I know it's importance. But this easy recipe has me looking forward to breakfast everyday!

1/4 c steel cut oats
3/4 c water
splash of milk
4 oz. sliced strawberries

In a small saucepan bring oats and water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Let sit for 1 minute. Put oats in bowl. Add sliced strawberries and a splash or 2 of milk. (I let my oats thicken up a little extra so its almost the consistency of baked oatmeal, just how I like it) Top with a dash of cinnamon for healthy antioxidants and flavor. If desired add a tsp or so of organic maple syrup or a stevia in the raw packet.

* I was out of strawberries yesterday and chopped up an apple using this same recipe- just as good!

Why you need carbs...

'Quality carbohydrates like whole grains provide energy for our body and fuel for the brain and muscles. It's the processed carbs, like white minute rice and enriched flour that give carbs a bad wrap by causing spikes in our blood sugar, which can contribute to type 2 diabetes and other health risks. When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down to glucose (sugar), causing your blood sugar to rise and releasing the hormone insulin, which tells the body to use glucose for energy. When there is an abundance of glucose, however, insulin stores what isn't needed for energy as fat. But when you combine a quality carbohydrate with protein, it takes longer for the digestive system to break it down into sugar, providing a slower, steady stream of energy and regulating insulin levels. 

THE GIST: Quality carbs provide the body with the energy it needs without sabotaging your fat loss efforts, but rather, boosting their effectiveness. Quinoa's complete protein content and whole-grain status make for one super slow-digesting carb for sustained energy, increased metabolism and appetite satiety.'

I found this article and I don't know that I could've worded it better. It's not safe or smart to cut out a whole food group like that. The trick is to pick smarter like whole grains, brown rice, quinoa and oats, to name a few. 

I'm trying to take the guesswork out of it for you! Check out today's breakfast and keep a look out for other healthy, quick breakfasts I'll be posting this week. I'm thinking next week I may do side dishes or snacks. 

No Weights Workout

Don't have weights but need  workout? Just starting out? Here's a workout I made for a friend in this same situation. This is what I did for her, you can start with less if you need to and work your way up. Some of these may be hard on the knees, which is something else to keep in mind.

Start with a warm up. About 30 seconds- 1 minute each warm up exercise. Or as long as you can. Only do up to 5 seconds of rest in between. Focus on the muscle groups you're working and always practice proper form and breathing.

Marching/High Knee
Jumping Jacks
Arm Circles
Swimming (Move arms like you're swimming)

Next move to core work. Try to do up to a minute if you can. Do 2 sets.

Superman (On stomach, arms out chest lifted, feet/legs also off ground. Support yourself with your core (abs)

Plank

Burpees (15-20 or as many as you can)

Push Ups (20 or as many as you can)

Lower body next. My favorite portion!

Glute Kickbacks (youtube and google both can lead to to some great how to's for these as with any other exercise posted) (20 each side. No rest in between left and right)

Squats (keep feet shoulder width apart, toes straight, chest up, shoulders back) (up to 50. Try for at least 20 if using no weights)

Walking lunges (30)

Wall Sit for as long as you can. Try for at least a minute.

 If you have weights, you can use them in your lunges and squats to up the difficulty level.



Upper Body

Table or Chair Dips (Make sure its a stable surface)

Push Ups- Wide arms and closer together 20 each position

If you have weights, you can add a chest press, shoulder press and butterflyes. Pull Ups are also a favorite if you have a pull up bar.

Please, as always, make sure you're using proper form. Focus on the muscle group you're working and use proper breathing techniques. Only work to what your dr. says you're capable of. You can always message me in the Ask Me section if you have any questions. For other workouts, we have the cardio tab, your best body tab and my latest workout tabs all at the top of the page. Happy Lifting!!

Key Lime Pie Shake

"Healthy fats like the omega-3s in this shake help nourish hair, skin and nails from the inside out. Avocados are one of the richest sources of glutathione- a powerful antioxidant, immunity booster and detoxifier that helps repair cell damage cause by stress and pollution." Added bonus the fiber and healthy fats in this will help you stay full longer!

1/2 avocado
Juice of 1 lime
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 t vanilla extract
1 T unsweetened shredded coconut
1 c plain unsweetened almond milk
1-2 packets stevia in the raw, optional

Place all ingredients in a blender and process thoroughly.

Tip of the Day: Post Baby Belly

If you're looking to drop post baby weight, it's not easy, but it can be done!  Anything worth doing isn't easy.

Quick answer: Salmon, Chicken & Turkey, lots of colorful veggies and healthy fats (avocados, seeds and nuts, etc.)

I'd also start up a weight training schedule as soon as your Dr. gives you the go ahead (my first time asking, I was told I had to wait). Keep your diet balanced and unprocessed and you'll be wearing your skinny jeans in no time!

Verry Cherry Workout Shake

Handful frozen cherries
1 scoop protein powder (optional)
1 T. Natural cocoa powder (optional)
Milk, any kind

Puree cherries up with a splash of water. Add cocoa powder and protein powder. Blend and add milk. Blend more and enjoy!

This picture is taken without using the cocoa powder. My very favorite. Yum.

Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Great with your workout!

1 banana
1-2 T. Peanut butter ( or soy butter)
1 cup milk
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

In blender add banana and peanut butter and splash of water to help blend. Puree til smooth. Add milk and protein powder. Blend. Enjoy.

Add cinnamon for some extra health benefits!

Delicious Green Tea with Pomegranate!

I posted this recipe on the Facebook page, but wanted to have it here for safe keeping too. It's very easy and one of my favorites lately.

1 c. Green tea
1/4 c. Pomegranate juice
Splash of seltzer water to taste

Mix and pour over ice.

How many reps should I be doing?

This is a question I have been asked a lot lately! Ask and you shall receive! Today's tip of the day explains how much we should be doing to meet our goals.

First, we need to figure out your goals. What do you want?
Do you want to be stronger? Do 1-6 reps.
Want to get great big muscles?  (remember women you'll still look feminine!) Do 7-11 reps.
If you want to tone up then do 12-17 reps per set.
Lastly, for endurance- do more than 18- 24 reps.

With all of these, its good to do 2-3 sets. ( For instance, if I'm doing strength, 6 reps x 2 sets= 12 total!)

You'll want the weight heavy enough to challenge you. By the last rep of each set you shouldn't be able to do another one with good form. If its not good form- don't do it. That's how we hurt ourselves. If you can do more- up the weight- if you can't do enough- lower the weight. You can also lower your weights halfway though the set. There's nothing wrong with that.

Personally, I do 6-8 reps of each exercise, and I do 2-3 sets.

Short on Time?

Summer is coming! That always makes me feel like I have less time for my workout. I wanna be playin in the sun with my kids and relaxing in the sun!

So if you only have, say, 30 minutes, what should you do?

My opinion, do resistance training in circuits, Put maybe 4 or 5 or 6 exercises together, take out your rest time. It'll keep your heart rate up (a cardiovascular perk!)

Here's an example:*
Dumbbell Squats, 12 reps
Dumbbell Lunges, 12 reps
Glute Kickbacks, 15 reps
Dumbbell Calf Raises, 12 reps
Deadlifts, 12 reps
Go through that set one after another as your 1 set. Then when you're done with your deadlifts, go back to the beginning and start over for set 2. Don't forget to warm up before, and stretch out after!

*(These all can also be done with bodyweight rather than dumbbells)

Need to tighten your midsection?

If you have loose skin around your midsection, you're not alone. It happens to all of us. Especially with that Twinkies craze! I won't lie, I got a twinkie too. But, now what....

To tighten up loose skin around your waist you need to get some muscle there to fill out the space a little. How do you do that? Weight training & core work.
Also, if you're not already drinking a protein shake, Whey Isolate is a good one for this. If you do that and eat about 3 or 4 servings a day of colorful vegetables and about 2 servings a fruit per day, it'll help build collagen. Goodbye loose skin!

Plateau?

If you've been doing the same routine and eating the same foods for awhile, you'll eventually plateau. (meaning, you won't see any changes and feel stuck where you're at). Not to worry! Your body usually does this after around 30 days of the same thing. So switch it up! Have fun with it! You can change the order you do them in. If its something you stand to do, like curls, challenge your balance and stand on one leg (this is great with the wall sits too!). Try sitting on a stability ball if you like that better.
Also, see if it's time to up your weights slightly. Maybe add in some swimming or zumba, if that's what you like. I like to add in some hiking when the weather gets warmer and the kids love it!

Ginger!

I'm going to spend a little extra time with this one, it is one of my favorites! I personally always buy raw ginger and I always peel my ginger. Ground ginger is used in baking typically, but, has a very different flavor from the whole root. Raw ginger is typically more pungent and has a hotter flavor (until it's cooked). Some great ways to use it, obviously, stir fries and curries. I like to add it to marinades and to broccoli or carrots. If you like to juice your fruits- try juicing it with some apples and carrots! Another delicious way to serve it is in a homemade salad dressing with olive oil and garlic.
Another great thing about ginger- it has a history of being used as a traditional medicine (although, please check with your Dr.!) Here is a list of some of the things ginger can do!

*warming and invigorating effect on your body
* can boost poor circulation
* can relieve arthritic and rheumatic joint pain & sports related muscle pains
* helps cellulite and varicose veins
*ginger tea promotes sweating, can lower a high temp and relieve flu symptoms. Also helps clear congestion and chest infections (like bronchitis)
* has antiseptic properties
* can prevent motion sickness and nausea
* calms digestive system
* can ease toothaches
* speeds digestion
* can thin blood (anti coagulant)
* can be used to lower blood pressure & cholesterol
* contains antioxidants, can help prevent some forms of cancer
* stimulates the lives and helps eliminate harmful toxins

That's a long list!! Do you see why I love it? So, next time you're at the store- here is what you need to know. Choose one that is firm and smooth to the touch. Don't buy one that looks dried out, wilted or cracked. Try not to keep it in the fridge- it makes it mold pretty quickly. I keep mine in a dry place, away from most foods- it can leave its flavor behind.

Guacamole and Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Guacamole

1/2 avocado
1/2 tomato, diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
handful of finely chopped onion (optional)
snipped cilantro, to taste (I like a lot!)
salt and pepper, to taste

Mash up the avocado. Toss in the tomato, onion and cilantro, if using. Add lime juice. Mix well. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Throw in diced chili peppers, if desired.

Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Slice 1/2 whole wheat pita in quarters. Separate sides and toast in toaster oven until crunchy about 3 minutes.