Mar
19
This recipe serves up a refreshing new twist on chicken. Delicious veggies and chunks of tender chicken are coated in a savory sauce, and served over wild rice. It works great as a weekday meal, since it only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…
- 2 cups wild rice, cooked
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 sweet potato, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mushroom, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon ginger root, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons mirin (rice cooking wine)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 cups green beans, chopped
- 4 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed
- In a large saucepan place the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion, mushroom, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine the mirin, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch and red pepper. Set aside.
- Add the green beans and chicken into the pan and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Pour the soy sauce mixture in and mix until fully incorporated. Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Serve over wild rice.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 299 calories, 8g fat, 23g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 33g protein.
Mar
17
Make exercise a habit
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What do you do every night before getting into bed? You brush your teeth. It doesn’t take much thought since it is such an ingrained habit. Imagine if exercise was as much of an ingrained habit as brushing your teeth. You would quickly achieve your weight loss goal and improve your health.
Here’s how to make exercise a habit: 1) Exercise at the same time each day; 2) Put it on your schedule as a must - not a maybe; 3) Log your workouts in a journal; and 4) The ultimate way to create the habit of exercise is to join one of my programs - talk about guaranteeing your success!
Mar
15
Getting Past Mental Weight Loss Roadblocks
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As the second month of 2010 comes to a close, where do you stand with your resolutions?
Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out?
Most people wait around for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I’ve got news: motivation isn’t something that happens to you - it’s something that you create for yourself.
If you don’t feel motivated to achieve your goals, it is likely due to mental roadblocks that hold you hostage. Read the following 21 Mindset Tips and prepare your mind for success.
- Success comes first in the mind, so visualize yourself accomplishing your goals.
- Remember, you are the only person who can hold you back.
- Forgive yourself and love yourself despite past failures.
- Decide what is important in your life, and focus on that.
- Conquer each negative thought the moment it enters your mind, when it is weakest.
- Give up the idea that things won’t go right unless you worry about them.
- If you bring the body of your dreams to the point of resolve, then you’ll soon be living in it.
- Look towards your future, if you believe the best is yet to come then it will be.
- You become what you think about most.
- The margin between success and failure is very small and easily bridged by determination.
- Start your day by accomplishing your hardest task first.
- Set small attainable goals, rather than one monumental goal.
- Convince yourself that exercise is fun, and it will be.
- Know your big reason why.
- Create a motivating play list of songs to use as the sound track to your workout sessions.
- Every decision you make leads you either closer toward achieving your goal, or farther from it.
- If you think you’re a fat person, then you’ll stay fat. If you think you’re fit, then you soon will be.
- Once you’ve set your goal, your attitude either pushes you toward accomplishment or failure.
- If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, you will likely end up someplace else.
- You can have the body of your dreams, but first you must give up the belief that you can’t.
- You can only have two things in life: excuses or results.
If you’re sick and tired of making excuses, then contact me today to get started on a results-driven fitness program.
Mar
12
Health Recipe for Lime-Spiked Asparagus
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Here’s a real food item for you! If asparagus isn’t a mainstay in your diet, then it’s time you make it one. Asparagus is packed with folic acid, which is necessary for blood cell formation. Fresh squeezed lime makes this dish refreshing and delicious. This recipe only takes 15 minutes, perfect for weekday dinners.
Yield: 2 servings
Here’s what you need…
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Mix in garlic and shallot, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the asparagus spears, cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Squeeze lime juice over asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 80 calories, 2g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 3.5g protein.
Mar
8
How much thought do you put into what you eat?
If you want to get into great shape then you’ll be interested to know that 80% of your fitness results are attributed to your diet.
In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds.
I don’t blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn’t help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss.
The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims.
Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food.
The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.
It’s time to re-examine what you eat.
It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.
I’ve outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:
Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage.
The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:
- Sauces (including ketchup)
- Yogurt
- Energy Bars
- Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
- Processed baked goods
- Cereals
- Crackers
- Ice Cream
- Salad Dressing
- Most packaged snack foods
Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.
Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated’ and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.
Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn’t been proven safe for use as a food additive.
MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.
Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.
Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.
Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don’t need that.
Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you’ll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time.
If you’re serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds.
Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body.
Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.
Mar
5
Open-faced sandwiches are great for cutting out extra calories while trying to lose weight. This recipe calls for sprouted grain bread, which is flourless bread that is densely packed with nutrients. Store your sprouted grain bread in the freezer, since it is made without preservatives or chemicals to promote shelf life.Yield: 2 servings
Here’s what you need:
- 1 sprouted grain bun
- 2 Tablespoons hummus
- 1/2 cup arugula
- Half of an avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 6 oz smoked salmon
- 2 thin slices of onion
- 4 slices of heirloom tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Spread each piece of the bun with 1 Tablespoon of hummus. Top each with half the arugula, avocado, salmon, onions, and tomato.
- Season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 267 calories, 9g fat, 25g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 22g protein.
Mar
3
Do you have a weight loss goal that you’re working toward? Post it on Facebook, and get instant accountability from friends and family. Be specific with your post. Include the exact amount that you aim to lose and the date that you’ll lose it by. You may be surprised how encouraging and supportive your friends will be - it may be exactly the motivating boost that you need to achieve your goal.
Mar
1
In fact, it’s my guess that you’re healthier than most.
You probably exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. You keep up-to-date on the latest health concerns. You don’t binge on sugar.
And you never - ever - eat fast food. Well, almost never.
But you do have a few unhealthy skeletons in your closet -ones that you probably aren’t even aware of.
The following 5 Stupid Things are frequently committed by health conscious people. Once you break these bad habits, you’ll find that achieving your weight loss goals just became a whole lot easier.
1. You’re Dehydrated
- It has been said that 75 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated. Would you disagree? When was the last time that you actually drank 8 glasses of water in a day?
- Dehydration occurs when more fluid leaves your body than is taken in. Symptoms include: fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, rapid heart rate, and, in extreme cases, even death.
- Dehydration also slows your metabolism, which hinders weight loss.
You shouldn’t wait until the feeling of thirst or dry mouth hits you, at that point damage has already been done. Instead, constantly rehydrate throughout your day to avoid dehydration.
The best way to do this is to incorporate water into your daily schedule. Have a water bottle at your desk and train yourself to sip on it often, and get into the habit of drinking a full glass of water with each meal and snack.
2. You Eat Out Too Often
- Research suggests that most people eat out one out of every 4 meals and snacks. That’s an average of once a day.
- Restaurant food is designed to do one thing: to taste good. In order to increase eating pleasure, each item is loaded with fat, salt and sugar. This causes you to eat way more calories than you actually need.
- Even when you order ‘healthy’ items, you’re still taking in more calories and fat grams than you would if you had prepared the item at home. Imagine the last salad you ordered out. Didn’t it come with cream dressing, croutons, cheese sprinkles and a piece of butter laden bread on the side?
The main reason people eat out is for convenience, so with a little organization you’ll find that preparing your own meals takes less time than you thought it would. On the weekend sit down and plan out your meals for the week. Then go to the grocery store and stock up on everything you’ll need for those meals.
Pack your lunch and snacks each night before bed, then grab it on your way out the door in the morning. When you prepare dinner at home, make enough for at least the next day as well. Your efforts will pay off both in terms of weight loss and in money saved.
3. You’re Sleep Deprived
- In Gallup Poll surveys, 56% of the adult population reported that drowsiness is a problem in the daytime. That’s more than half of us that clearly don’t get enough sleep.
- Healthy adults require 7-8 hours of sleep each night. When you fail to meet this need your body goes into sleep debt, which continues to accumulate indefinitely until you catch up.
- A lack of sleep negatively affects your immune system, your nervous system, and interferes with healthy hormone release and cellular repairs.
The best way to combat sleep deprivation is to set a scheduled bedtime. Your body will benefit from a consistent sleeping and waking routine, and you’re sure to get all the rest you need.
If you have trouble falling asleep once you’re in bed, then try these two tips. First, make sure that you don’t drink any caffeinated beverages after lunchtime. Second, don’t eat for three hours before you go to bed. This helps eliminate sleeplessness due to indigestion, and will also turbo-charge your weight loss.
4. You’re Stressed Out
- I don’t have to tell you that we are living in a fast-paced world and that most of us have stress levels that are through the roof. But what you might not realize is that your stress levels are making you fat.
- Stress creates an increase in the hormone cortisol, and chronic stress creates a chronic increase in cortisol. This is a problem because is slows your metabolism, leads to cravings and is linked to greater levels of abdominal fat storage.
- The vicious cycle of stress and weight gain goes around and around. Stress causes you to eat emotionally, and your raised cortisol levels cause that food to be stored as fat.
One of the most effective ways to instantly eliminate stress is to sit down and write out a list of all the things that are bothering you. This should include things that you need to get done, issues that weigh on your mind and anything you believe contributes to your stress level.
Once it’s all down on paper, organize it like a to-do list and start resolving each item. Doing so will get the stress off of your mind and will put your body into the motion of resolving each issue.
5. You’re on Exercise Autopilot
- You do the same thing each and every time you exercise. Same machines, same pace, same duration. While your routine sure feels comfortable, your results have long since halted.
- A plateau occurs when your body adapts to your routine and weight loss stops. It is incredibly frustrating, and totally avoidable.
- You don’t have to increase the amount of time that you spend exercising in order to see quicker, faster results. It’s all about challenging your body.
There are two simple ways to instantly increase the effectiveness of your exercise routine. First, increase your pace. Secondly, increase your intensity. Constantly vary your speed and intensity in order to keep your muscles guessing and adapting.
Another way to break through the exercise plateau is to do something totally new. If you regularly use weight machines then start using free weights. If you normally jog on the treadmill then start using the bike.
Are you ready to break the plateau as you take your routine to the next level?
Would you like to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to lose weight in the coming months?
It’s my goal to see you achieve greatness. I believe that you’ve got what it takes.
It’s so simple. Call or email today to get started on a program that will improve your health and well being, and will get you amazing results.