Fitness Blog

When it comes to exercising like a champion, some key sports always come to mind. Football, Baseball, and Basketball. One of the more demanding sports that people often overlook however, is horse racing and a professional horse racing jockey trains just as hard, if not harder, than everyone else.

While the horse does a lot of the heavy lifting so to say, riding a horse at speeds of around 40 MPH requires the riders to stick to a very strict fitness regimen. Surprisingly, jockeys focus on training their legs, lower body, core, as well as their upper body and they do this daily.

Since balance and overall core strength are essential for these athletes, they typically do body weight squats that are both against a wall and on top of a wobbly cushioned platform, slow rep sit ups, push-pull band exercises, and core strengthening planks.

These exercises are intended as pure strength and balance builders as well as maintenance since weight is a jockey’s secondary focus when training. While most football players wouldn’t mind gaining some extra bulk in the offseason, a jockey needs to maintain their weight to ensure their horse can still run like the wind.

Most jockeys are typically smaller and leaner in stature but each one must work hard so they want to remain this way. In fact, there are weigh-ins before a race (usually conducted by the sponsor) to make sure their race continues to meet this requirement. If a jockey fails to hit their goal, they’ll be forced to “cut” their diets which are a fancy way to say, find some way to lose weight before the race. To this end, their daily meals are meticulously calorie counted to ensure their weight remains consistent with neither any gain or loss as either could mean extra weight on the horse or less balance and control for the rider.

The impact of rider fitness in a horse race is extremely significant as not everyone can magically maintain their weight and still have enough strength to manage the massive animal. However, this is where true all around fitness comes into play.

To achieve this, they not only do the exercises mentioned above but also engage in frequent aerobic exercise to keep their heart pumping and their lungs expanding. Racing a horse is extremely adrenaline filled and increases heart rate and breathing as excitement starts to peak. To combat the fatigue that comes from this, most professional jockeys take part in swimming, jogging, and everything in between to make sure they aren’t short of breath when they need to focus on keeping their horses in order.

Most jockeys concede that the exercises they perform are based on gym exercises with equipment everyone has access to although they tend to be more focused on the stance they will take for maximum performance during the race. In addition to their weighted exercises, they also participate in flexibility programs such as Yoga and Pilates which adds to their muscles’ ability to continue functioning during the continued shock of riding a horse.

It’s no stretch of the imagination to understand exactly how in shape jockeys keep themselves to continue operating at their best. So the next time you hit the gym, why not strive to “train like a jockey”.

Are you interested in learning more about horse racing, jockeys, or looking for where to bet on Grand National? Then we’ve got the perfect place for you. Check out the link below for all that and more!

It’s hard to find a dinner more satisfying than a steaming plate of flavorful pasta, but by now you’re well aware of just how fattening that is. Let’s not give up on our favorite pasta dishes…let’s make these dishes lighter, healthier and just as delicious by using noodles made from vegetables, rather than traditional, carb-laden pasta.

If you’re new to cooking with veggie noodles, have no fear! It’s simple and satisfying to create comforting guilt-free pasta dinners, and I’m going to show you how…

Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #1: Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is the easiest of all the veggie noodles to prepare since the noodles are already formed in nature. Cut a spaghetti squash in half and you’ll find a mess of seeds and stings in the center of thick, firm, yellow flesh. The seeds and strings are discarded, and that thick, firm, yellow flesh is cooked until tender and scraped off the skin, into a neat pile of soft spaghetti-like noodles. Pretty cool, right?!

Make Spaghetti Squash Noodles:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Rub the inside of each spaghetti squash half with coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!

Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #2: Zucchini

Zucchini is such a tender squash that it really doesn’t require cooking, and in fact cooking zucchini noodles quickly turns them to mush. I’ve found that pouring hot spaghetti sauce over a pile of zucchini noodles is all that it needs to heat it up without causing it to get mushy. You’ll need a spiral slicer –a little kitchen contraption that spirals zucchini through grating holes to create long, spaghetti-like noodles.

Make Zucchini Noodles:
Wash the zucchini and remove the green skin with a veggie peeler. Run the peeled zucchini through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.
Top with warm spaghetti sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #3: Butternut Squash

While zucchini and spaghetti squash noodles are light and soft, noodles made from butternut squash are a bit heartier. Not only does this translate into a more filling meal, it also means that need to be cooked on their own, before applying the spaghetti sauce, in order to achieve a tender consistency.

Now there’s a little bit of technique involved with cutting your butternut squash in the best way to run it through a spiral slicer. I’ve found that the narrow part of the squash, that’s completely solid, is the piece that works really well with a spiral slicer. Slice off the skin and then simply run it through the slicer. The part of the squash that’s hollow in the middle is trickier to use with the spiral slicer, since those pieces are pretty thin. A quick option is to simply chop those pieces thinly and use that along with the long noodle strands.

Make Butternut Squash Noodles:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the narrow part of both squash off and peel off the skin. You should have 2 nice solid pieces of squash (no hollow section). Run this through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.
Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread over a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender.
Serve immediately with the spaghetti sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!

Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #4: Asparagus

Talk about truly guilt-free pasta – one made from asparagus spears! Rather than serve this one with traditional spaghetti sauce (although you could) I’ve included a dressing to toss the noodles with and I’d recommend serving it with meatballs for some added protein.

Make Asparagus Noodles:
Wash one bunch of asparagus spears. Resist the urge to chop off the tough stalks, these are your handles! Cut off the asparagus tips and save. Hold onto the tough stalks and use a vegetable peeler to peel long asparagus noodle strands into a large bowl. Mix in a Tablespoon of fresh dill.

In a small bowl combine 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey and a dash of sea salt and black pepper.
Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the asparagus noodles. Sauté for 2 minutes then remove from heat. If you’d like, sauté the asparagus heads by throwing them in the pan after 1 minute. Toss with the dressing.

Serve the noodles warm and garnish with fresh dill. Enjoy!
Eating healthy, low carb meals like these are what it takes to have that lean, sexy body that you want. But don’t forget that a fit body also requires a consistent, challenging exercise program! Call or email me today and get you started on the fitness plan that’s custom designed for you. Let’s do this!

Eat with Purpose
Judge the food that you eat based on how nutritious it is. How full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein is it? Does it contain vital nutrients in each bite? Be picky about what you eat – and avoid those items that aren’t crammed with nutritional purpose. This is another reason that veggie noodles are superior to traditional noodles – simply compare the nutritional content of the two!

Flat Zucchini Noodles with Parm
Here’s another guilt-free pasta recipe for you! You won’t need a spiral slicer for this one, simply use a regular veggie peeler – like the kind you would use to peel the skin from a potato – to create long, flat zucchini noodles.This recipe has a scrumptious, nutty flavor that will make you forget all about traditional noodles.

Feel free to serve with some sliced chicken breast, sliced hard-boiled eggs or steak for added protein. Enjoy!

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon almond flour
4 large zucchinis, peeled with a veggie peeler
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 Tablespoon minced parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about two minutes. Add the coconut oil, and once it’s melted, add the almond flour and a pinch of salt.

2. Stir often with a wooden spoon, until it’s toasty brown, about two minutes. Remove crumbs from the pan and save for garnish.

3. In the same skillet, add the peeled zucchini noodles. Sauté them until just tender, about one to two minutes. Turn heat to low.

4. In a new pan on low heat, combine olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, stirring with a spoon until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

5. Transfer the zucchini noodles to garlic and oil mixture. Toss and stir until they’re coated.

6. Turn off the heat and add parsley, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle with almond flour crumbs before serving. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

One serving equals: 165 calories, 12g fat, 72mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 6g protein

If you’ve ever tasted packaged junk food (and who hasn’t) then you know just how addicting it can be. There’s a reason for this – the food companies actually formulate each bite for maximum craveability. This is done with a special tantalizing balance of sugar, fat and salt.

But while junk food tastes pleasing…it’s detrimental to your fat loss results.

Unclear on what exactly classifies as junk food? You’re not alone, especially these days as many junk foods are being deceptively marketed and packaged as healthy choices.

Here’s the checklist on what classifies something as junk food:
Junk food has little to zero nutritional value
It is processed and packaged
Soda pop, convenience foods, packaged snacks, frozen treats…
Junk food is high in sugar, fat and salt
It is high in calories

4 Steps to Kill Junk Food Cravings

Picture the next 30 days of your life being 100% free of junk food. How would your results improve? How many empty calories would you save yourself from? Now let’s take some action!

Step #1: Clear Out the Junk
Step one is simple: get rid of all the junk food that you currently have in your home, office and car. Go through with a big garbage bag and toss anything that remotely resembles junk food. Remember, junk food is stuff that is high in empty calories.

Step #2: Stock Up on Healthy Snacks
Now you didn’t think I was going to let you starve, did you? Step two is where you go to the store and stock up on delicious, nutritious foods that will take the place of the junk food. Nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, hard boiled eggs, meatballs, and hearty salads or burrito bowls (like the recipe below) are great items to have on hand. You’ll eat less of these healthy snacks, since these aren’t empty calories, but rather nutrient-filled calories that satiate.

Step #3: HALT!
When the next craving strikes you, tell yourself to HALT! This word is actually a handy acronym. Ask yourself, “Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?” If you’re hungry then reach for one of the healthy snacks from step two. Do you feel angry? Then explore the issue and seek resolution. If you are lonely, then reach out to a friend, instead of reaching for junk food. What if you feel tired? Then make the time to grab a nap or get to bed early to catch up on sleep.

Step #4: Stick With It
The first day that you go without junk food will be the hardest day. On the second day will be a smidge easier. The third day will be a smidge easier than the second…and so on. The fact is that your taste buds adjust to the foods that you exist on. When your diet is filled with junk foods then that is what your taste buds will crave, but as you shift to a diet that is filled with fresh, nutritious foods then your taste buds will forget all about that old junk food. Stick with it, one day at a time, and you will break free from the grip of junk food addiction.

BONUS! Step #5…Join a Challenging Exercise Program
When you include exercise as a routine part of your day, your body shapes up quicker than ever and junk food cravings fade faster. I am the expert in body transformation, and I am here to get you from the body your currently have to the one that you KNOW you deserve. Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body once and for all!

Fiesta Bowl with BBQ Tofu

When it comes to your diet, small and steady changes made in the long term will make the biggest impact on your fat loss goals. Take this fiesta bowl, for example. We’ve taken a traditional burrito bowl and have lightened it up by using quinoa instead of rice. Feel free to top this flavorful bowl with chicken or steak, if you’d prefer rather than tofu. Enjoy!

Servings: 12

Here’s what you need…
1 (14oz) extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced
One-fourth cup BBQ sauce
2 cups red quinoa, cooked
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
A teaspoon olive oil
A teaspoon fresh lime juice
sea salt and black pepper to taste
One half cup canned corn
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole pan with olive oil. Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer in the pan and bake for 30 minutes, flipping each slice halfway through. Cover the tofu with the BBQ sauce, turning each slice to coat each side. Bake for 15 more minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine all of the remaining ingredients, and top with slices of the BBQ tofu. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

One serving equals: 266 calories, 4g fat, 67mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, and 15g protein

Have you ever stopped to wonder what would happen to your body if you stopped eating refined carbs?

It’s no secret that refined and processed carbs contribute to weight gain, and so reducing the amount of these in your diet would logically lead to a leaner, fitter you.

But is it true, or is it hype? And is it really worth giving up your carboholic ways?

Here’s what really goes down when you give up refined carbs…

Body Change #1: You BURN FAT

First of all, when you stop eating simple carbs your body no longer has readily available calories to burn, and so it clicks over into burning stored fat as energy. This means that your pants will start feeling looser around your waist and thighs.

Body Change #2: You FEEL LESS HUNGRY

Another is that, fat burns longer and slower than simple carbs and so your energy stores will take longer to deplete. This means that you’ll find yourself skipping that afternoon pick-me-up snack and powering through until mealtime without hunger pains. You’ll also notice that it takes longer to feel hunger in the mornings after waking up, once you’ve cut the simple carbohydrates and refined sugars out of your diet.

Low Carb Body Change #3: You HAVE MORE ENERGY

Living on a diet of simple sugars and refined carbohydrates puts your body in a continual energy roller coaster. Right after you eat your energy is high and then, whoosh, an hour later your energy levels crash. All of that changes once you cut out those simple carbs. The low carb meals that you switch to are full of nutrient dense foods that sustain your energy levels for hours at a time, saving you from that frustrating roller coaster.

Low Carb Body Change #4: Your STOMACH GETS FLATTER

Probably the most coveted of the low carb body changes…once you’ve been off of simple carbs for a few weeks your stomach will visibly become flatter. It’s a well-deserved reward and one that will motivate you to continue your healthier eating habits.

While eating healthy, nutritious meals is awesome, don’t forget that exercise is half of the battle when it comes to getting and staying fit. Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body once and for all!

The BEST Carbs

Before you decide to go carb-free, it’s important to know that there is a big difference between simple, refined carbs (which cause rapid fat storage) and complex carbs (which are necessary and healthy). By switching from simple carbs to more complex carbs like fruits and vegetables, sprouted grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa and other whole-grain options—you’ll reap the fat loss benefits and will have a steady flow of energy while you avoid the ups and downs that simple carbs cause.

Quick Pumpkin Soup

Craving pumpkin yet this season? Well rather than falling into a major calorie trap by getting your pumpkin fix in a sugary coffee drink or baked goods, give this simple and quick pumpkin soup recipe a try. Made from canned, pureed pumpkin, this soup comes together in minutes and brings out the most comforting flavor of the season in a healthy, satisfying way. Enjoy!

Servings: 8

Here’s what you need…
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
One teaspoon garlic, minced
2 (15oz) cans pureed pumpkin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 Tablespoon coconut palm sugar
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper
1 (14oz) can coconut milk

**To garnish: pepitas and sour cream

Instructions:

Place the coconut oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, coconut palm sugar, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Return the soup to a simmer and add in the coconut milk.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Garnish with pepitas and sour cream. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

One serving equals: 175 calories, 13g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 3g protein.

You’ve heard that managing your weight is all about the lifestyle, and not the quick fix, so today I’d like to give you 7 habits that fit people have. These following seven habits are held by successfully fit people…wonder if you could apply a few to your own life.

1. Approach Each Day with Perspective

Fail to meet your fitness goals today? Move on. Tomorrow is another day to make smarter decisions. When you wake up, rededicate yourself to your fitness goals without beating yourself about whatever mistakes you made in the past. After all, you can’t change what you did yesterday. All you can control is right now. So get to it!

2. Know Your Body

When you finish a workout, you should feel good. If you don’t, then something needs to change. Either your diet or routine is throwing you off. Fit people know how everything they do affects their body and they take steps to avoid those things that make them not feel and perform their best. Learn how your body responds and care for it accordingly.

3. Find Ways Around Excuses

If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t quite get fit, it may be your proclivity for caving to pressure. And that pressure may be self-induced. Fit people do not give into excuses for why they shouldn’t exercise. Quite the contrary. They are continually finding reasons why they should hit the gym and find pockets of time to do it—even if the trip to the gym is shorter than usual.

4. Eat and Sleep Well

Study after study has shown the benefit of eating whole, unprocessed foods. It provides energy and strength, helps you feel full throughout the day, and makes your time in the gym as fruitful as possible. Getting good sleep is equally as important, as it keeps all your bodily systems in rhythm. Put these two fit activities together and you’re well on your way to optimal fitness.

5. Track Your Progress

For some, keeping tabs on health progress is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Once you get into the routine, however, you will become a believer in the power of tracking your progress. Tracking serves to both reward and motivate you, as you see that the countless hours in the gym and smart food choices lead to a healthier weight and greater strength—a.k.a. better overall fitness and health.

6. Think While You Exercise

It can be easy to mindlessly run on a treadmill at the gym if you’re not careful. Just remember that fit people don’t do such a thing. They’re very intentional about everything they do at the gym. This means if you want to be fit, you should put some brainpower into what you include in your workout and how you perform each repetition. This allows you to get maximum benefit from your gym time and reduces the risk of injury.

7. Lean On Your Trainer

The final thing fit people do is rely on someone with lots of knowhow in the realm of fitness. This is why my clients have such a high success rate in achieving their goals – because I make sure that they stick with it! I have a sincere interest in your overall health and well-being and know how to help you reach the goals that can seem so far away when you’re trying to achieve it on your own.

Call or email today and let’s get started on your fitness journey!

Are You Even Hungry?

When you find yourself reaching for a snack—WAIT! Are you really even hungry? Or are you simply eating out of habit? Next time you find yourself gravitating toward a junk food fix do a short burst of physical activity instead. A dozen jumping jacks, 15 crunches, a walk around the block… you get the idea! By the time your heart rate returns to normal you will find that your craving has passed—and not only did you save yourself from empty calories, you burned extra calories as well!

Smoked Salmon Mini Frittatas

Mini frittatas are a fantastic, high protein meal that is quick to whip up and throw into the oven. This recipe calls for smoked salmon to be whisked into the egg mixture, however feel free to use any cooked meat that you have on hand, as well as any chopped veggies you might have on hand. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup diced shallots
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛teaspoon black pepper
4 oz smoked salmon, cut into ¼ inch pieces
6 eggs
8 egg whites
¼ cup coconut cream or Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons minced chives, divided

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease 6 (8oz) ramekins with olive oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a medium skillet add the olive oil, shallots, sea salt and black pepper over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the smoked salmon and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Divide the salmon mixture between the 6 ramekins.
4. In a large bowl combine the eggs, egg whites, coconut cream and half of the chives. Whisk until fully blended. Divide the egg mixture between the 6 ramekins.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until fully set. Garnish with the remaining chives. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 156 calories, 10g fat, 642mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 15g protein