Category: Blog

Microgreens are tiny leafed vegetables that are harvested when less than two inches tall. They have remarkably intense flavor and high levels of vitamins and minerals. Pair this salad with a piece of lean meat for an excellent, light meal.
Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

• 3 cups organic microgreens
• 1 cup sliced strawberry
• strawberry dressing (6 strawberries, 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon agave nectar, 1 teaspoon olive oil, dash of salt and pepper – blended)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Toss the microgreens with strawberries and dressing. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 124 calories, 6g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 2g protein.

Does your upcoming vacation have you worried about your waistline? You should be.

The average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation.

But that doesn’t have to be you. Most of the time extra pounds sneak up on you when you least expect it, so decide right here and now that your vacation will leave you slimmer than when you left.

All you have to do is have a plan.

As you embark on your next vacation adventure, use these 7 tips to come home fitter than when you left.

Trick #1: Cut Your Carbs
Vacation days are notorious for carbohydrate rich meals, and it’s a well-known fact that too many carbohydrates will quickly add up to unwanted pounds. Combat this fat-trap by choosing one meal per day to go carb-less.

• Breakfast: This may be the most effective meal to use the carb-less trick, since breakfast often involves breads, pastries or pancakes. Skip the toast and fill up on egg whites and lean breakfast meats.
• Lunch: A great carb-less lunch is a salad with lean meat. It’s so filling and satisfying that you won’t even miss the bread.
• Dinner: Since you’re on vacation, you don’t want to feel deprived, so dinner is the hardest meal to go carb-less. But if you’ve indulged at breakfast and lunch then make it a point to cut the carbs at dinner. Stick with veggies and lean meats.

Trick #2: Be Active
If your travels keep you too busy for a workout, or if your hotel does not have an exercise room, make a conscious effort to be active everyday. Go on a brisk walk after your day’s activities. This is a great way to see a new city, and also a great way to burn off extra calories. Take the stairs instead of elevator in your hotel and any other buildings you visit. Go on a short jog in the mornings or evenings of your stay. If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each morning or evening.

Trick #3: Indulge with Control
Eating out is a must while on vacation. Whether you’re visiting 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you are faced with the same problem: large portions. While the easiest thing to do with a large portioned meal is to simply eat it all – you are on vacation after all…right? – that isn’t the best for your waist.

When you order your meal ask the waiter or waitress to bring you a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it safely into the box before you even begin to eat. This gives you no choice but to eat a healthy portion. If you would rather not carry around a to-go box then ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime ask for the lunch-sized entrée.

Trick #4: Don’t Eat Late
One of the easiest tricks for preventing weight loss is to simply stop eating 3 hours before you go to bed. This is especially effective while on vacation. So skip that late night indulgence and wake up looking and feeling great.

Trick #5: Snack Healthy
Have you ever noticed how travel days create the perfect opportunity for snacking? A coffee and muffin before your flight, a snack on the plane and then before you know it – it’s lunch time! Taking a road trip? This opens up even more opportunities for regrettable snacking…rest stop vending machines, gas station quickie marts and of course the never ending string of fast food restaurants along the highway.

This summer cut unhealthy snacking off at the pass by brining along your own healthy options. Dried or fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, health bars, cut veggies and low fat crackers are a good start. By filling up on these healthy snacks between meals you will end up eating less when presented with a less-than-healthy meal.

Trick #6: Avoid Fried Foods
While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, this convenience is not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: avoid fried foods. While this is always good advice to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

While vacationing you will likely burn fewer calories each day than you would burn at home, and you are consuming more calories due to your schedule of eating out. You are walking a fine line, and eating fried foods would throw you right over the edge. A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry – so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

If I still haven’t convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are never fun…especially while on vacation!

Trick #7: Team up with a Pro – Yours Truly!
Well, fitness is my specialty…and since you are serious about creating a healthy and fit physique – guarantee your results by teaming up with me.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals – something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.

Call or email today to get started.

Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure?

Did you know that by dropping as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight these problems can be greatly alleviated?

Just think how great you will feel after losing excess weight and improving your health!

Ready to grill? Throw some bok choy on the BBQ! Bok choy is packed with vitamins A, C and K, as well as beta carotene. This grilled bok choy has tender stems and crispy leaf edges.
Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…

• 2 lbs bok choy
• 1 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Preheat grill and lightly oil the grate.
2. In a small bowl combine the oil and seasonings. Mix well.
3. Slice the bottom off the head of bok choy, and wash each stem.
4. Lay bok choy on prepared grill. Brush with the seasoned oil mixture. Cover grill and cook until stems show grill marks, about 4 minutes. Turn the bok choy, brush with more seasoned oil mixture and grill the other side.
5. Transfer to platter and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 36.5 calories, 2.6g fat, 3g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 2g protein.

Grilling is the most popular pastime of summer.

While outdoor cookouts are a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends and family, did you know that the average barbecue meal exceeds 1500 calories? That’s almost an entire day’s worth of calories in one meal.

That type of eating will do some serious damage to your waist over the course of the summer.

The good news is that barbecue season doesn’t have to be fattening. In fact, with a few small changes to your barbecue menu, you can turn summer into the perfect opportunity for weight loss.

So before you slather on the sunscreen and fire up your grill, read the following tips to grill your way lean this summer.

On the Grill: Believe it or not, grilling is actually a very healthy way to cook meat. Of course the type of meat that you choose will make all of the difference. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional barbecue meats, but they aren’t the healthiest. Try the following:

• Choose lean cuts of beef, pork or poultry
• Marinade with low fat dressing
• Make hamburgers with extra-lean ground beef
• Take the skin off chicken before grilling
• Replace beef patties with ground turkey patties
• Grill up salmon or cod
• Forego the meat and grill veggie burgers

Side Dishes: This is where most people run into trouble. Barbecue side dishes are typically filled with loads of fat. Creamy coleslaw and potato salads can hold as much as 15 grams of fat per serving. Try the following instead:

• Make veggie kabobs and grill them
• Grill bok choy (see recipe below)
• Replace the mayo in your salads with low-fat mayo
• Serve fresh salad with light vinaigrette
• Try whole-grain macaroni for your pasta salad
• Grill up corn on the cob (pass on the butter)
• Put out a veggie tray with low fat dip

Drinks: Most people don’t realize that beverages play a big role in summer weight gain. Margaritas, beer, soda pop and punch all contain lots of empty calories. Try the following:

• Drink water, it is always your healthiest option
• Stick with light beer
• If you have to have a soda pop stick with diet
• Brew unsweetened ice tea and serve with lemon

Dessert: Yes, there are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while getting lean. Think outside of the box instead of turning to the typical fattening options like ice cream, pie, cake or cookies. Try the following:

• Grill mango, banana and pineapple on kabobs
• Stick with sorbet instead of ice cream
• Replace peach pie with grilled peach halves
• Choose light ice cream over regular

Remember, it’s ok to splurge every once in a while. Enjoy yourself. Just keep in mind that by taking a few of the above suggestions you can enjoy great food while getting back into great shape.

Want to shape up even more this summer? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program specifically designed to get you into your best shape ever.

I hate to break it to you, but there’s no such thing as magic weight loss pills.

Don’t fall for the latest diet pill craze. Have you ever noticed that every weight loss pill specifically states that it works when combined with proper diet and exercise?

Well, they are right—proper diet and exercise will cause you to lose weight—without costly bogus pills.

Salmon is a rich source of omega 3 as well as protein. Couple that with sprouted grain tortilla and fresh arugula and you’ve got yourself a healthy, balanced meal that’s ready in only 5 minutes.
Servings: 2

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Sprouted grain tortilla
• 1 Tablespoon low fat cream cheese
• 4 oz Smoked salmon
• 1/2 cup Arugula
• Dash of salt and pepper

1. Spread the cream cheese evenly over one side of tortilla. Place the salmon in the center of the tortilla. Top with arugula. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
2. Roll the tortilla and slice in half.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 175 calories, 6g fat, 12.5g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 16.5g protein.

Have you ever considered running a 5K? The benefits may surprise you.

A 5K race is 3.1 miles, the perfect distance for beginning runners. It’s a realistic, attainable goal that’s fun and satisfying to achieve.

Here are 5 rewards you will reap:

1) Tone Your Legs: Runners have awesome legs. Muscular, toned and tan. Training for a 5K will get you on pace for your own set of lean limbs.

• Calves: Not the easiest muscle to tone in the gym, but these lanky muscles are quickly toned by running. A proper runner’s stride has your foot landing in a rolling motion, heel to toe. As you push off with your toe, feel a firm contraction in your calves. Push your calves to the limit by running in sand or gravel. No Thumping! You know your stride is stiff when you hear a thumping sound with each step. When you lightly roll your foot from heel to toe, you take pressure off of your lower back. Remember, thumping feet lead to a sore back.
• Glutes: Running is a great way to firm up your glutes. To really raise your glutes take your training to the hills or do bleacher runs.
• Thighs: Who doesn’t want slimmer thighs? Running does wonders for shaping and slimming your thighs, right where it counts.

2) Support A Cause

By participating in a 5K you get in shape while supporting a cause. Most 5K races are put on by charities or non-profit organizations. Many times you have the opportunity to raise funds and community awareness through your involvement.

3) Flatten Your Abs

Running burns a massive amount of calories. This means you’ll find your body quickly morphing into that of a lean athlete. Don’t over-compensate the extra calories burned by eating too many carbs. Manage your portions to reap the most belly shrinking benefits.

While running is an amazing way to transform your body, running alone won’t deliver complete results. Resistance training is an equally important part of the equation. With resistance training you get:

• Raised Metabolism: Resistance training raises your metabolism for an extended period of time, even after the workout is finished. This means more calories burned. Also resistance training adds muscle to your body, which raises your resting metabolism to burn even more calories when you aren’t exercising.
• Upper Body Muscle Tone: While running is great for adding lower body muscle tone, it won’t do much for your upper body. With resistance training you target the muscles of your upper body to create a symmetric physique.
• Muscle Confusion: With resistance training there are endless variations of movements you can do in order to keep your muscles guessing. Never allow your routine to grow stale by doing the same motions over and over again.

4) Make New Friends

Athletic endeavors are a relaxed way to make new friends and form connections within your community. Join a local running group to assist your training or start your own group of 5K hopefuls in your neighborhood. Your group could run the 5K together for support. Who knows, you may make new friends for life.

5) Start A Habit

Although you may find it hard to believe, especially if you haven’t yet run your first 5K, racing is addicting. The satisfaction of accomplishing your goal, along with the exciting changes in your body, will likely lead you to another race. It’s not farfetched that you’ll build your training up to run a marathon.

Running is great, but as we touched on above, resistance training is essential for achieving outstanding results. The best way to get into amazing shape is with a challenging and dynamic exercise routine.

Call or email today to get started on your own exercise program that will lead to more rewards than you ever dreamed of.

Here are 3 tips to ensure that your 5K goes great.

1. Consult your Doctor. You should always check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine, and training for a 5K is no exception. Once your doctor gives you the green light then jump in with your training.
2. Train Smart. Gradually increase your mileage over a few weeks or months. Start by running for 10 to 15 minutes and then slowly increase to a full 5K.
3. Stay Hydrated. It’s always important to keep your body properly hydrated, especially when your activity level has increased. Drink water before and after reach run, and throughout your day.

This oatmeal is packing a powerful ingredient – protein. Mix a scoop of your favorite protein powder into your oatmeal to transform it into a quick and healthy breakfast.
Servings: 1

Here’s what you need…

• 1/2 cup whole grain oats
• 1 cup water
• dash of salt
• 1 scoop high quality protein
• 1 tablespoon chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 tablespoon golden raisins

1. Mix the oats, water and salt together in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Stir in protein, top with nuts and raisins.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 325 calories, 7g fat, 41.7g carbohydrate, 10.2g fiber, and 25.7g protein.

It’s bathing suit season and you want flat abs to flaunt.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I’m here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people believe. Don’t waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Take diet pills to speed results.
I know it’s so tempting! The ads make compelling claims about the power of popping a pill, but don’t fall for it. There is no ‘magic pill’. Diet pills are more likely to burn through your pocketbook than to slim you down.

• Tip: Don’t pop a pill – instead burn calories with intense exercise.

Myth #2: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.
Excessive crunches aren’t the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a toned look you’ll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your tummy.

• Tip: Don’t obsess about crunches – instead focus on fat burning.

Myth #3: Turn to packaged diet products to boost results.
Don’t fall for the foods that are packaged as ‘diet’ or ‘weight loss’ aids. Quite often these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn’t need, and certainly won’t help you attain that tight tummy.

• Tip: Don’t eat packaged diet foods – instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth #4: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to achieve tight abs.
Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and should) eat carbs while slimming down. The key is to stick with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugars (see the recipe below for Power Oatmeal).

• Tip: Don’t give up all carbohydrates – instead stick with wholesome carbs.

Myth #5: Starve the chub away. Trying to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective it can also be dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you’ll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.

• Tip: Don’t starve yourself – instead eat small wholesome meals throughout the day.

Now that you know what not to do in order to achieve tight abs, it’s time to go over your flat tummy game plan. Here’s what you need to know in 3 simple steps:

• Step One: No more junk.
  The best way to do this is by purging your kitchen. Throw out the sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out, don’t buy any more of it. Remember that your beach-ready abs depend on what you eat – don’t eat junk!
• Step Two: Eat whole foods.
  Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.
• Step Three: Come train with me.
  This is the most obvious step. You’re ready to get into great shape and I’m in a unique position to make that happen for you. Call or reply to this email to get started on an exercise plan that will get you those amazing abs.

Sleep matters when it comes to losing weight.

Your body requires a certain number of hours for rest and recovery, especially when attempting to slim down. 7 to 8 hrs per night seems to be the right amount.

A study that followed nearly 70,000 women for 16 years showed that those sleeping less than 5 hrs per night weighed more than those sleeping 7 to 8 hrs per night.

Not all PB&J sandwiches were created nutritionally equal. It all depends on the quality of the ingredients that you use.

If you use white bread, corn syrup-filled peanut butter and refined sugar-filled jelly, the result would be a sandwich that will skyrocket your blood sugar, promotes fat storage and leaves you feeling hungry a short time later.

However, if you make this recipe, with sprouted grain bread, true peanut butter made from one ingredient: peanuts, and fruit preserves that are naturally sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar, then the result would be a nutritionally dense food that would promote stable blood sugar levels and provide you with hours of sustained energy.

Your kids will love the fun twist of having their sandwich grilled and stuffed with banana slices!

Servings: 1 Here’s what you need:

• Sprouted grain bread
• 1 Tablespoon pure peanut butter (no added sugar or corn syrup)
• 1 Tablespoon natural fruit spread (no added sugar or corn syrup)
• 1/2 of a banana, sliced

1. Spread one piece of bread with peanut butter and the other with fruit spread. Line one side with the sliced bananas and sandwich it.
2. In a grill pan over medium heat, grill each side until grill marks appear and the sandwich is warmed.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 8.7g fat, 53g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, and 13.2g protein.