Fitness & Wellness

5 Signs Your Diet Is a Fail

5 Signs Your Diet Is a Fail

dietYou’ve considered it for weeks, months, years even. And now is the time that you’ve decided to make a change and go on that diet. But don’t just dive in feet first. First, take a long, hard look at the diet you’re considering and answer five questions before proceeding.

Only then can you be sure your diet is not going to land you in the land of diet failure.

Question 1: Does it make you hungry all day every day?

When you’re on a diet, it’s normal to feel the occasional tinge of hunger. Much of those light hunger pangs, however, should be done away with by drinking a glass of water. And if you stay busy enough with life in general, you ought to be able to ignore some other hunger. But if your diet has you feeling hungry at all times, you’re not going to last long.

To avoid falling into the pit of hungry despair, go with a diet that lets you eat protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Also, as stated above, drink plenty of water to avoid confusing hunger with thirst.

Question 2: Does it force you to drop food groups?

A healthy diet is one that incorporates appropriate amounts of food from each food group. When a diet cuts an entire food group from your eating options, you’re going to have a hard time surviving your diet for longer than a week or two.

One of the most popular food groups to cut is carbohydrates. While not eating carbs will indeed help you lose weight, carbs are what make it possible to store energy to make it through the day. No carbs, no energy, no willpower to maintain your diet.

Question 3: Is your mood suddenly unpredictable?

dietEveryone gets metabolic every once in a while, but if your diet is too restrictive, you may find your mood swings coming with greater regularity and severity. This happens because excessive caloric restrictions messes with the chemicals in your brain. When this occurs, there is no telling what direction your mood will go.

Before letting your diet ruin your relationships and put your job at risk, reconsider your diet and find one that helps you be cool, calm, and collect.

Question 4: Does it insist there is no need to exercise?

There are some diet plans that promise plenty of lost pounds without the addition of exercise.

If this is the type of diet you’re considering or are in the midst of, beware! Exercise comes with countless health benefits that will make your weight loss all the more beneficial. From preventing chronic pain to improving your energy level and sleeping better, exercise is a vital component to any diet.

Question 5: Do you still weigh the same?

It is true that the best way to lose weight is slowly—approximately one or two pounds per week. But take note that slowly doesn’t mean not at all.

In the event you’ve been on a diet for a few weeks without any results to speak of, then your diet is a flop. Drop it immediately and find something that will help you lose pounds. Otherwise, you’ll get discouraged with your diet and swap it for the old habits that got you where you are now.

Remember that a true body transformation comes only from a combination of diet and exercise. Call or email me today to get started on the only fitness program that you’ll ever need!

Don’t Ever Give Up!

I’m not going to sugar coat it. The truth is that lifestyle changes aren’t easy to make and that change won’t happen overnight. There’s a good chance that you’ll have occasional setbacks. But don’t even think of giving up!

If you never give up then you won’t fail.

Each day is a new chance to start over. Begin each day with the resolve to make your new healthy lifestyle a priority. Results will soon follow.

PB&J Makeover

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.

Servings: 1

Here’s what you need…
dietSprouted grain bread
1 Tablespoon pure peanut butter (no added sugar or corn syrup)
1 Tablespoon natural fruit spread (no added sugar or corn syrup)
½ of a banana, sliced

Spread one piece of bread with peanut butter and the other with fruit spread. Line one side with the sliced bananas and sandwich it.

In a grill pan over medium heat, grill each side until grill marks appear and the sandwich is warmed.


Watch out for this snack trap


Watch out for this snack trap


We’ve all heard that snacking is great for the metabolism…but have you taken it too far?

In other words, your excessive snacking may be killing your fat loss results.

losing weightLet’s face it, there are only so many extra calories that the body can take before it adds those on as unwanted fat.

Even if you’re eating perfectly healthy meals and putting in your time at the gym, if your snacking is out of control then your results will be disappointing.

Here’s what you need to know to avoid The Snack Trap:

1. Calories Count. Even when you’re snacking on “healthy” food, you’ve got to keep track of how many calories that you’re taking in. Almonds are healthy, but if you down 800 extra calories in them you’ll quickly gain weight.

2. Fill Up on Protein & Fat. A lot of well-meaning people are still afraid of fat. They think that if their snack is high in fat then it will end up on their body as fat. This is simply not true. Healthy fat, such as avocado or almonds, is a wonderful thing to snack on as it fills you up and keeps you full longer.

3. Avoid Sugar Calories. Sugar is an awful thing to snack on when weight loss is your goal. Refined sugar is a catalyst for fat storage, so avoid any snack that contains sugar. Remember that eating sugar will satiate your hunger for a very short period of time, and then you’ll quickly be hungry again.

4. Don’t Be Fooled By 100-Calorie Packs. A popular marketing technique is to package junk food into 100-calorie packs. These could be crackers, cookies, chips…basically any guilty snack food you could think of. The premise is that since you’re only eating 100 calories, the snack is healthy. I’m sorry, folks, but eating 100 calories of junk food is not a healthy snack. You are better off avoiding the junk completely and eating something wholesome.

5. Use The ‘Is It Real’ Test. As a rule of thumb, you should use the “Is it real?” test when deciding if a snack is worth eating. The test goes like this: If your snack can go bad, then it’s good for you. If your snack can’t go bad, then it’s bad for you. The idea is to eat fresh, real foods that are unprocessed and wholesome. These real foods are naturally filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and will assist you in achieving your fitness goals.

6. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates. Processed and refined carbohydrates make up the bulk of popular snack foods. Take a look around the snack aisle at the grocery store and you will see that most packaged snacks are made with grains. When your goal is to lose weight and increase lean muscle then eating refined grains will work against you. If you only take one tip away from this article, let it be to remove grain-based snacks from your life. This single change could very well recharge your weight loss.

Now you know how to snack in a healthy way that will not derail your fitness goals.

Remember that exercise plays a huge part in getting in shape and losing weight.

Call or email me today to get started on a results-driven exercise program! I look forward to hearing from you!

5 Fitness Snacks
Hard Boiled Egg and Sliced Veggies.
Sliced Apple and Almond Butter.
Natural, Low Sodium Jerky.
Seasonal Berries with &fraq14; cup of Almonds.
A scoop of Creamy Egg Salad. See recipe below.

Creamy Egg Salad

Most recipes for egg salad call for fat-filled mayonnaise, but this recipe uses fat free Greek yogurt instead. You get all the creaminess without added calories to set back your results.

Servings: 3

Here’s what you need…
losing weight8 organic, free range eggs
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 Tablespoons onion greens, chopped
¼ cup non fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons champagne mustard
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon
dash of salt and pepper

To boil the perfect egg: place eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water by half an inch. Heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Wait exactly 7 minutes, and then place the eggs in a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes.

Peel and chop hard boiled eggs, discarding 4 yolks. Place in a large bowl. Add celery, onion greens, yogurt, mustard, lemon, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Chill and then serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 148 calories, 7 fat, 212mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 16g protein.


Why You’re Gaining Weight

Why You’re Gaining Weight

Tired of gaining weight? Of course you are – none of us enjoy it when the number on our scale begins to climb. So why are you gaining that extra weight now?

That is a valid and frustrating question. And the answer is often found in recent changes in your life.

weight gainAccording to Edward Abramson, Ph.D. the author of Emotional Eating, “Any change in your life circumstances can produce changes in eating and exercise, which leads to weight gain.”

So let’s dive into the major changes in your life that have caused that annoying weight gain…

Life’s Fat Traps: We all gain weight for different reasons. You often hear about one-size-fits-all weight loss solutions that take little or no consideration of how the extra weight piled up in the first place. To experience true weight loss it is important to understand why you gained it in the first place.

Think back to the time in your life when your weight was just right. Were you in your teens? Your twenties? Or maybe your thirties? Picture yourself as you were at your ideal weight. Now when did things change? Was it a gradual addition of pounds that accumulated over a span of multiple years? Or did you gain it all at once?

Check out the following weight gain triggers and determine which one is responsible for your plight.

College: The college years are some of the easiest for gaining weight. In fact, a recent study by Cornell University found that on average, college freshman gain about 0.5 pounds a week – almost 11 times more than the average weight gain among 17-and 18-year olds and almost 20 times more than the average weight gain among American adults.

Marriage: There’s nothing like holy matrimony to encourage a barrage of calories to overtake your diet. Late night comfort snacks are always more enjoyable when you have someone to share them with—and who better than the person who pledged to stick by your side through sickness and health?

Pregnancy: Talk about a great time to gain weight! And we’re not just talking about women here—most men admit that they gained ‘sympathy’ pounds right along with their wife. Hormonal changes along with strong encouragement from everyone you know to indulge in anything their heart desires leave most pregnant women with a feeling of entitlement when it comes to food.

Career: Though you may not realize it, your career choice plays a major hand in your weight. Those who go from an active lifestyle to spending 8 hours a day behind a desk and another 2 hours commuting almost universally gain weight. Conversely, people who spend their 8 hours in constant motion find weight loss a natural byproduct of the job.

New Habits: Close your eyes and go back to the fat trap that triggered your weight gain. What changed in your lifestyle? To help sort things out, I’ve broken things down into two specific behavioral categories.

Eating Habits: Did your eating pattern change at this time in your life? If your weight gain occurred in college then maybe you went from eating 3 square meals to an all-you-can-eat buffet style cafeteria. Or if marriage was your weight gain trigger, then maybe you went from eating small meals to fattening comfort food. Pregnancy brings on the perfect environment for a change in eating habits. You go from eating normally, to eating ‘for two’, to munching on your baby’s snacks right along with him! Your job can also dictate your eating schedule. Long hours and early meetings may cause you to grab a donut or chips from the vending machine.

Activity Level: The second category that leads to weight gain is your activity level. Simply put, what kind of exercise were you doing before your life changing event and how does it compare to your current exercise regime? Chances are good that you were doing more exercise before your weight gain began—which means that you are doing less exercise today! Go ahead, think back to the exercises or physical activities that you used to do and compare them to your schedule today.

Your Transformation: You’ve figured out which fat trap in your life led to weight gain, and then narrowed down the exact behaviors that changed as a result, so this naturally leads us to a solution.

It’s time to make a change.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will make you immune to all of life’s fat traps.

Once you start working with me, those numbers on your scale will quickly change direction. Let’s do this!

Best Ab Exercises
Just because those crunches won’t reduce your body fat, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strengthen your abdominal muscles. Regular ab exercises are an essential part of your strength and conditioning – necessary in order to get that fit physique you want.

Plank: Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Knee Tucks: Start on your back, bend your knees into your chest, point your toes together, and open knees out to the sides, keeping toes touching. Extend both arms overhead on either side of your ears, palms facing up. Lift your hips off the floor and bring your knees up towards your armpits. Slowly lower your hips back down to start position. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

One-Arm Full Sit Ups: Start lying on your back with your right knee bent, foot flat on the floor, and left leg extended straight out on the floor. Extend your right arm to the ceiling and reach your left arm towards your left foot. Sit all the way up, rolling through your back, keeping your right foot on the floor, and your right arm up over your shoulder and your left arm reaching in front of you all the way up. Slowly roll back down to the floor. That’s one rep. Repeat 15 times on one side, 15 times on the other. For an extra challenge hold a dumbbell in your extended arm.

Clean Burrito

Here’s a healthy burrito recipe to sink your teeth into. Whole grains, lean protein and crunchy veggies make this a recipe that you’ll come back to time and again. Serve with a side of your favorite salsa. Servings: 1

Here’s what you need…
weight gain1 sprouted grain, flourless tortilla
1 Tablespoon hummus
1/3 cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup cooked black beans
½ cup cooked chicken, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh corn kernels
2 Tablespoons chopped cucumber
¼ cup shredded arugula
3 cherry tomatoes, chopped

Warm the tortilla in a dry skillet. Spread the hummus evenly over the tortilla.

Top the tortilla with rice, beans, chicken and veggies.

Fold the two sides of the tortilla in over the filling, then flip up the bottom edge and roll tightly.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 7.8g fat, 45g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 31g protein.


Here’s How To Eat Less Sugar

Here’s How To Eat Less Sugar

If you want to quickly pack on a few pounds then eat lots of refined sugar. Oh, wait, why would you want to do that? Let’s eat less sugar, instead, and watch the pounds effortlessly slide off…

We’ve been eating more and more sugar over the past 200 years, which has led to rising obesity numbers. Back in 1822 the average person ate only 6.3 lbs of sugar per year, compared to 130 lbs of sugar in 2012. That’s more than 20 times as much sugar in our modern diet! No wonder we are bigger than ever…

fitness programOne of the reasons that your diet is filled with so much sugar is that some form of refined sugar is included in virtually every single processed food. This is yet another reason that it’s important to cut those processed and packaged convenience foods out of your diet.

Cutting sugar from your diet is easier said than done. Once it is a part of your daily diet, cravings strike, causing you to eat it even more frequently. But there is hope.

Here are 7 Ways To Eat Less of that Sugar that you’re eating that’s killing your results and keeping you from attaining your ideal body:

Eat More Protein
A diet rich in protein keeps you full, satisfied and less likely to crave sweets. A great way to make sure that you are getting enough is to plan each meal and snack around a protein. Plan breakfast around eggs, lunch and dinner around baked chicken breast, and make snacks hardboiled eggs or baked meatballs.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
One of the biggest fitness myths out there is the idea that calorie-free, artificially sweetened beverages don’t impact your fat loss results. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that the diet soda you’re sipping is making it harder for you to reach your goal weight. While the diet soda itself doesn’t contain calories, it has been proven to cause cravings for sugary foods. Put down the diet soda and instead pick up a refreshing bottle of spring water.

Steer Clear Of Saboteurs
The sad truth is that people in your life will try to sabotage your low sugar diet. You’ll run into that pushy person at the office who insists that you eat a donut, the well-meaning family member who dishes you up a bowl of ice cream, and the friend who comes over with a plate of her home-baked cookies. The best avoidance strategy is to sincerely thank the sugar-pusher for their gift, tell them you wish you could eat it, and then blame me – your fitness mentor – as the bad guy who says that you need to cut back on sugar.

Try Dark Chocolate
For those moments when your sweet tooth is relentlessly badgering you for something sweet, ditch the super-sugary candies and stick with a small square of very dark chocolate. Chocolate that is 70% or higher in cocoa content should be the only candy that you keep on hand. The benefit of the cocoa, in addition to the lowered sugar content, makes dark chocolate an occasionally justifiable treat.

Stick With Fruit
What’s sweet, colorful and comes in hundreds of flavors? Organic, seasonal, fresh fruit, of course! As you remove refined sugar from your life, feel free to add in some natural sugar by way of fresh, local fruit. It’s amazing how satisfyingly sweet fruit is – it’s truly nature’s candy.

Change Your Palate
As you begin to limit your intake of refined sugars, you’ll find that your tolerance for sugar decreases. This means that something that didn’t taste sweet before – say a green apple – now has uncanny depths of sweetness. What’s happening is that your sweet receptors are becoming more finely tuned, now that you’re not overwhelming your palate with sickly-sweet refined sugar.

Workout Like You Mean It
A regular, challenging exercise routine will not only get you into amazing shape, it also reduces your cravings for sugar. The endorphin rush brought on by vigorous exercise is an even more powerful feel-good-feeling than the pleasure gotten by indulging in sugary foods.

Make challenging, consistent exercise a part of your life by signing up for my fitness program. I’d love to get you to your goals using my results-driven method.

Simply call or email me today to set up your first workout.

 

Why Is Sugar So Bad?

Not only does it promote rapid fat storage, here are sugar’s other dirty little secrets:
Sugar Weakens Your Immune System
Sugar Causes Insulin Resistance
Sugar is As Addictive As Hard Drugs
Sugar Speeds Up the Aging Process
Sugar Raises Your Risk of Disease
Sugar Is Empty Calories

Easy Spinach Salad

Here’s a high protein salad that is bursting with flavor and nutrients. Try the simple homemade salad dressing – it’s much healthier than store bought dressings, doesn’t contain refined sugar, and still lends lots of flavor. Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
fitness program6 cups organic baby spinach
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
6 pieces bacon, crumbled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil
Juice from one lime
dash of pepper

Combine the spinach, eggs, bacon and tomatoes in a large bowl.

In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, lime juice and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad, mix and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 170 calories, 10g fat, 337mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 13g protein


It's Only Your Life...

It’s Only Your Life…

Today I’m going to let you in on a little secret…it’s not hard to get and stay fit. And no, it’s not about hard work and deprivation.

It’s all about boundaries. Let me explain…

When you were a child your parents set boundaries around you. They were the authority on what was or wasn’t acceptable behavior. You had to complete your chores before dinner. Then you had to eat all your vegetables before dessert. You had to finish your homework before going out to play.

If you failed to comply with these boundaries then you knew that there would be consequences.

weight lossAs an adult you, and only you, are the authority on what is or isn’t acceptable behavior. You are in the position to set boundaries around yourself. These boundaries serve as a framework of order around you – a rock of support in an otherwise chaotic world.

With self-imposed boundaries you can assure your success in anything…specifically with weight loss.

Your fitness boundaries have to be self-imposed—no one is going to do it for you. Don’t look at this as a bad thing! Self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering. Let’s face it, you’ve been living life without fitness boundaries.

You eat whatever you want, whenever you want it.
And you use any excuse to avoid exercise.
You indulge whenever it feels good.

Your Fitness Boundaries

It’s time to introduce boundaries back into your life. These boundaries are the key to unleashing your ideal fit and healthy body.

Fitness Boundary #1: What you eat

If you were to be perfectly honest with me, you could list off the foods that are unhealthy and fattening. So why are you still eating them? You know that refined, fried, processed and sugary foods are not good for you.

Place boundaries around what you will allow yourself to eat. Acceptable food items include whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.

Fitness Boundary #2: How you exercise

I know that you’re not an Olympic athlete, but that doesn’t mean that you can simply pass on exercise. By now you are well aware of the host of benefits that exercise provides. With regular exercise you’ll look great, feel amazing and have more energy than ever.

Place boundaries around how often you must exercise. Choose exercise that is challenging and fun – don’t be afraid to try new activities that improve your strength and endurance.

Fitness Boundary #3: When you indulge

Let’s face it, we live in a world where indulging has become the norm, rather than the exception. When you live life without fitness boundaries, everyday is an opportunity to indulge. These indulgences all add up quickly, causing your clothes to become tight and your energy levels to drop.

Place boundaries around when you can indulge. You’ll find that by limiting your indulgences you’ll end up enjoying them even more.

Putting It In Action

Sit down and take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. Are you eating as healthy as you could be? Do you exercise 3-5 times each week? Are you indulging too often?

Answer the following questions:
What 3 food items can I eliminate from my daily diet? (These should be nutritionally void items like high-calories beverages, fast food, packaged snacks, high-fat food, candy or desserts.)

When can I schedule exercise into my week? (Pick 3-5 days, and select a specific timeframe. Example: I’m going to exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5am-6am.)

When will I allow myself to indulge? (Don’t go overboard here, especially if you need to lose weight. Enjoy a treat a couple times each month, and do so guilt-free knowing that you’ve maintained healthy food boundaries the rest of the time.

Remember that self-imposed boundaries are self-empowering.

Fitness boundaries put your fitness results on autopilot. If you know what constitutes an acceptable meal, then choosing what to eat just got a whole lot easier. If you’re committed to exercising 3 times a week, soon it becomes second nature.

Need help setting up your fitness boundaries? I am here to help – call or email me now!

Instant Accountability

Do you have a weight loss goal that you’re working toward? Post it on Facebook or Instagram 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.

Gourmet Open-Faced Salmon Sandwich

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. Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…
weight loss1 sprouted grain bun
2 Tablespoons hummus
½ 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.


Top 10 Low Calorie Foods

Top 10 Low Calorie Foods

low calorie foodsSadly, there aren’t actually foods that burn more calories than they contain. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your eyes open for foods that offer very low amounts of calories that will do your diet good. So ready to hunt down some of the best low-calorie foods available? Here are 10 of them.

#1: Black Rice

Everyone loves rice. Most folks are gaga for the white stuff, but many are turning to brown rice. If you want to trim more calories and cram in some more fiber and antioxidants, go even darker. With black rice, your main and side dishes will get a boost in needed nutrients while stripping out calories.

#2: Carrots

There are few foods as dense and filling as carrots that offer so few calories to add to your waistline. How many calories? An entire cup of the orange goodies contain a meager 52 calories! Additional perks include the fact that they’re great cooked or raw and have plenty of vitamin A.

#3: Asparagus

Toss it on a salad, get it fresh off the grill, or steam it up on the stovetop. However you prefer your asparagus, you can take comfort knowing that this filling food comes with just 27 calories per cup. Of course, many prefer their asparagus loaded with salt and butter, and if this is you, be careful! Otherwise you can easily turn a low-calorie stalk of asparagus into an unhealthy addition to your meal.

#4: Arugula

It’s green, has something of a peppery kick, and rings in at 4 calories per cup. Yes, you read right—4 calories. Versatile enough to go wherever green, leafy veggies belong, arugula adds flavor without adding fat, cholesterol, or calories to your salads, soups and beyond!

#5: Broccoli

low calorie foodsWhat is it about green stuff that makes it so low in calories? Whatever it is, broccoli meets the criteria for being one of the top 10 low-calorie foods. Broccoli seems to have some of the greatest benefits of any low-calorie food, as it contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that strengthen and protect your body from a variety of dangerous and deadly diseases.

#6: Lettuce

Weighing in at only 5 calories per cup, lettuce comes with a variety of nutrients, depending on the type you eat. Best choices are those that are dark and rich in color. While you’re not likely to eat a head of lettuce on its own, it provides an exceptional, low-calorie base for all sorts of fantastically delicious and nutritious meals.

#7: Mushrooms

Want to amp up that salad even more? Better grab a handful of mushrooms. Even if you grab a massive handful, you’ll only get 15 calories. And don’t forget that you’ll also get a nice pile of potassium, antioxidants, and various B vitamins. Worn out on salad? Feel free to use mushrooms with other foods and enjoy their versatile abilities.

#8: Tomatoes

Tired of salad talk? Then don’t use that tomato in a salad. Instead, grab a knife, slice up a tomato, and eat it like an apple. When you finish off your medium-sized tomato, it’s okay to feel good about yourself, because you only consumed 22 calories. You also chowed down on vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and an antioxidant called lycopene.

#9: Watermelon

It’s hard to imagine a list of top foods without something to tantalize your sweet tooth. If you’ve ever been at a picnic, you’ve eaten watermelon. Its naturally sweet, has more of those cancer-fighting antioxidants that your body loves, and is exceptionally low in calories. So cut a slice and dig in!

#10: Broth

Rounding out the list of top 10 low-cal foods is good ol’ broth. No matter if you go for chicken, beef, veggie, seafood, or miso broth, it all drops just 10 calories per cup. Chop up some carrots, black rice, broccoli, and mushrooms, and you just made a fantastic soup with just a few more calories than ingredients.

While I fully encourage you to replace the processed, high calorie items in your diet with the 10 foods listed above, all the low calorie foods in the world won’t get you the body that you desire, if you neglect to include a challenging exercise program into your routine. You simply MUST exercise in a way that challenges your muscles to adapt and strengthen in order to be fit and healthy.

I am here to help you do just that: become fit and healthy. Don’t waste another minute of your life wishing that you were healthier and more fit – DO something about it. Call or email me NOW and together we will catapult your results with my proven, results-driven exercise program.

Let’s do this!

Don’t Forget Protein

While it’s great to fill your diet with many high-fiber, low-calorie vegetables, DON’T FORGET THE PROTEIN! Protein, in the form of lean meats, eggs and fish, is a vital part of your diet that allows you to create a lean, strong body. Each of your meals should contain a generous serving of lean protein, in addition to all those tasty veggies!

Chicken & Quinoa Dinner

Here is a simple, wholesome meal that is ready in 30 minutes – perfect for busy weekday dinners. There’s no reason to hit the take-out line when you have this quick and delicious recipe on hand. Eating simple, wholesome meals like this and exercising regularly will get you to your goal weight.

Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…
Low Calorie Foods1 cups cooked quinoa
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels cut from cob
Handful of asparagus stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups baked chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1 can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
splash of lemon juice
splash of lime juice
dash of salt and pepper
splash of soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Cook the quinoa and set aside. Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers, corn and asparagus, cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken and beans, cook for another 10 minutes, adding the rest of the ingredients.

Place a serving of quinoa on each plate and top it with the vegetable mix.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 293 calories, 5g fat, 32g carbohydrate, 4.6g fiber, and 29.4g protein.


Let’s simplify your fat loss

Let’s simplify your fat loss

fat lossThe 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 about 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, so they don’t stop to consider if the food they promote will expand your waist – that’s your job.

So, 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

fat lossBreakfast 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. So 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. So 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. Thus, 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 Rosemary Lamb Chops below
While healthy eating is a huge factor in achieving your ideal weight, exercise is the other half of the equation.

So 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.

Check Your Fiber Score

How much fiber do you eat each day? Grab a pen and paper and tally it up: Beans, one half cup (7); Vegetables, one cup (4); Salad, one cup (2); Fruit, one piece (3); Fruit juice, one cup (1); White bread (1); Whole grain bread (2); White rice, one cup (1); Brown rice, one cup (3); Intact Oatmeal, one cup (4); Meat, poultry or fish (0); Eggs or dairy (0); Sodas or water (0).

If you scored less than 20: You need more fiber in your diet. Boosting your fiber will control your appetite and cut your risk for many other health problems.

If you scored 20-39: You consume more fiber than most people, but adding more fiber to your diet will continue to make foods more satisfying and cut your calorie intake.

If you scored 40 or more: Congratulations, you are getting plenty of healthy fiber in your diet. An added bonus for you is a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and digestive problems.

Rosemary Lamb Chops

This recipe pulls tantalizing flavor from rosemary, garlic and pepper. Broiling is a healthy cooking method since it doesn’t require that you add fat. Remember to trim any visible fat from the meat before cooking.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
fat loss8 (4oz) loin lamb chops, trimmed of fat
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
4 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat broiler. Generously pierce lamb chops with fork and place in shallow dish then add wine. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to marinate.

In a small bowl combine Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and garlic; mix well then set aside.

Remove lamb from marinade; discard marinade. Place lamb on broiler pan then spoon half of sauce mixture evenly over chops; sprinkle generously with pepper. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.

Turn chops. Spoon remaining sauce over lamb and sprinkle with pepper. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or to desired doneness then sprinkle lamb with salt.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 190 calories, 9g fat, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 26g protein.


fat loss

5 Habits for Rapid Fat Loss

fat lossThe best kind of fat loss is steady fat loss. And while a slow-and-steady approach to weight loss will ensure that you keep the weight off for good, I have a few tricks to help you burn fat as fast as possible.

So if you’re ready to speed up your fat loss (and are willing to do the work necessary!) keep reading…

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #1: Bottoms Up!

It’s not always easy to get to the water cooler or the sink. But if you’re going to shred pounds, you’re going to have to keep a tall glass of water nearby. There are many perks to drinking down plenty of water. Doing this helps you feel fuller, which keeps you from overeating or thinking you’re hungry when you’re actually thirsty.

Drinking water instead of other drinks also keeps you from ingesting additional, unnecessary, and worthless calories. And finally, if your body is going to perform at its peak, it needs to be well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water helps all your bodily functions operate well, which prevents you from holding onto water weight and suffering avoid constipation, while also giving you what you need to push through the final stages of a difficult workout.

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #2: Be a Planner

Like flying by the seat of your pants? Then you’re going to struggle to shave off pounds in a fast or even slow manner. Burning fat fast requires you to be disciplined.

The beginning of discipline is a good plan. Know when you’re going to the gym, how many calories you’re going to eat and what foods the calories will come from, and how you are going to avoid giving in to that tempting piece of chocolate cake. Once you have your plan, you’ve got to do the hard part: stick with it. If you’re willing to do this, your fat stores will burn away in no time.

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #3: Get Intense with Your Routine

fat lossMaintaining a steady pace on the treadmill will help you improve your overall health, but it isn’t the best tool for burning fat quickly. To speed up your fat-burning process, you’ll want to add some HIIT into your exercise regimen. During a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout, you mingle bursts of intense exercise with lighter exercise.

This could involve running, cycling, swimming, or other aerobic exercises. Whatever exercise you choose to do, do it hard for 30 seconds, take it easy for 60 to 90 seconds, and then go full force again for 30 seconds, repeating the cycle for 30 minutes. You’ll be exhausted when it’s all said and done, a sure sign that you’re burning fat!

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #4: Lift Weights

Think you can burn fat fast by doing nothing but aerobic exercises? You can. But you can do it faster and better by mixing in some weight-lifting sessions. In fact, if you don’t add weight lifting into your regular routine, you may begin to lose muscle. The scale may go down, but if you’re dropping muscle mass, you’re setting yourself up for disaster.

When shooting to burn off fat, nothing helps more than extra muscle. Added muscle helps you feel better and perform tasks of daily living with greater ease, while improving your metabolism and ultimately helping you burn more of that pesky fat!

Rapid Fat Loss Habit #5: Eat Right

You know that what you put in your mouth is either going to fuel you to get through the day or simply add some pudgy inches to your waistline. So choose wisely! Fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats all give you the upper hand on burning fat.

But it’s not just the foods you eat. It’s how you eat them. Chew slowly, use a smaller plate, and leave the food dishes in the kitchen. When you finished your plate of food, relax and give your brain time to figure out that your stomach is full. Then take the cue and stop eating. These small steps may seem significant, but they will boost your fat-burning potential exponentially.

I’d love to give you more of my expert, fat burning tips – call or email today and let’s get you started on my best exercise program that will get you to your ideal, toned body faster than you thought possible. I look forward to hearing from you!

Laser Focus

Focusing on one goal at a time is the most powerful way to achieve it. Taking on more than one goal at a time spreads your time and energy out, making it difficult to accomplish anything. If you have more than one goal on your mind, write them all down and then go after them one and a time until they are all completed.

Easy Teriyaki Salmon

Salmon is filled with healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein, and vitamin B12. This recipe is quick and tastes amazing. Serve it with a side of brown rice and steamed veggies.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
fat loss1 Tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6oz) salmon steaks

In a large re-sealable plastic bag combine the first six ingredients; mix well.

Set aside 1/2 cup of marinade and refrigerate.

Add salmon to remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade.

Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with remaining marinade.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 392 calories, 19g fat, 2.6g carbohydrate, .2g fiber, and 38g protein. Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! Use the “refer a friend” link below to forward this newsletter and subscribe your friends.


Never crave naughty foods again (here’s how)

Never crave naughty foods again (here’s how)

food cravingsYou wake up each morning with every intention of eating “good” today.

You’ll skip the drive thru line on your way to work then you’ll refuse to get fast food with co-workers at lunch. You’ll boycott the vending machine in the mid-afternoon and you won’t even think about having dessert after dinner.

But then your cravings kick in…

Your friend drops by with a big fluffy muffin and a latte for breakfast. A group of co-workers invite you to that greasy spoon down the street for lunch. Cake is passed around at the mid-afternoon staff meeting. And after dinner your honey surprises you with a bowl of your favorite ice cream.

You tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.

Tomorrow you won’t give in to food cravings.

But then tomorrow comes with its own special circumstances, and cravings get the best of you once again.

Why Do Food Cravings Always Win?

Let’s face it, we live in a world where food temptations are everywhere…which leads to cravings, which leads to eating things that you shouldn’t, until it leads to pounds gained. Again. And again. And again. Until you’re so fed up with your body that you don’t even know where to begin to get yourself back on track.

food cravingsStores display the most tantalizing junk food items right where you could easily reach them. TV commercials for greasy, fattening foods portray them so scrumptiously that you literally salivate. Sugary snack items have full-page, glossy pictures in your favorite magazines. And as if all of these weren’t enough, the people in your daily life are another (constant) source of food temptation.

To make matters worse, you’ve been conditioned since childhood to have a positive association with the act of indulging in your cravings. So you use food as a reward. You use food as a source of emotional comfort. You use food as a way to relieve stress. And quickly these associations and uses of food become habit. Thus, a habit that’s not easily broken.

New Technique to End Food Cravings

Food cravings don’t need to have the upper hand on you anymore. So here’s how you can fight back using your most powerful asset: your brain.

Remember that your mind is an amazing thing. Once your mind is made up about something it’s nearly impossible to change it.

Try This Powerful Mind Exercise: Imagine that you are once peacefully floating down a river on a raft. The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and you are having a fun, relaxing time. You feel wonderful about the river because it’s making you feel happy.

Now change perspectives for a moment. You are now in a plane flying over the river and the raft. Instantly our eye is drawn to an enormous rocky waterfall. Then you look back to the person floating on the raft, having a wonderful time, headed straight for the treacherous falls.

With this new perspective of the river, do you think that you’d agree to get on a raft and take your chances floating toward the falls? Laughable, right? You’ve seen the hidden danger of the river. You know it leads to pain and suffering.

Now your negative association (watery death) with the river has replaced your initial positive association (relaxing fun).

This is the key to overcoming food temptations and putting an end to food cravings: building negative associations in place of existing positive ones. I’ll also break this process down for you in two steps:

Step One: Create a STRONG Negative Association with Unhealthy Food

You may not have realized it, but up until this point you’ve placed unhealthy, fattening foods on a pedestal in your mind. As long as the wrong foods are on that pedestal you’ll continue to give into your cravings and will continue to gain fat.

Take the wrong food off that pedestal by listing off everything negative about them…

These foods make you unhealthy.
These foods cause weight gain.
These foods drain your energy.
These foods kill your confidence.
These foods lessen your quality of life.
These foods damage your love life.

Every time that you feel tempted to eat an unhealthy food, focus on your list of negatives. Kick the junk off the pedestal and put something healthy in its place.

Step Two: Create a STRONG Positive Association with Wholesome Foods

Now that your mental food pedestal has been cleared, put truly wholesome food items on it. Juicy fresh fruit, crispy vegetables and savory lean meats are the place to start.

List off the things that you love about healthy food…
These foods make you healthy.
These foods promote fat loss.
These foods boost your energy.
These foods build your confidence.
These foods improve your quality of life.
These foods enhance your love life.

I encourage you to immerse yourself into the world of healthy, wholesome foods. Browse the aisles of your local natural foods store. Stroll through a farmer’s market. Pack healthy snacks to bring to work. Clear your kitchen of junk.

Use the technique above consistently and you will soon find that healthy, wholesome foods are your favorite. And craving the wrong foods will be a thing of your past.

So call or email me today and I’ll get you started on a fitness program that will change your life and your body forever!

Focus on the New Additions

So you’ve decided to ditch your old eating habits and to embrace a new diet of lean proteins and lots of veggies. You surely know that your new eating strategy will lead to many pounds lost…but you can’t get your old favorite foods out of your mind.

Watch out!

When you spend time dwelling on the burgers and pizzas that you loved, you’re surely setting yourself up for a relapse.

Thus, the best way to stick with your new healthy eating habits is to focus on all the new foods that you now enjoy. And so, get a new cookbook or visit websites that present new and tasty ways for preparing healthy food.

Find new favorite foods to love-foods that are certainly healthy and guilt free.

White Bean Hummus

Use this white bean hummus instead of creamy dressings or cheese in your sandwich. Since hummus is filled with healthy protein and fiber.

Servings: 8

Here’s what you need…
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

food cravings
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
dash of salt

Throw everything into the food processor then blend until smooth and creamy.

Then spread onto bread or use as a dip for cut veggies.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 124 calories, 1.6g fat, 20g carbohydrate, 5.5g fiber, and 7g protein.

Check out this link to find the 2 healthiest sweeteners to replace sugar and aspartame: https://www.healthambition.com/healthiest-sweeteners/


Don't Believe These Three Supplement Myths

Don’t Believe These Three Supplement Myths

If you could live a longer, healthier life by taking a small pill each day, you’d do it wouldn’t you? You’d be crazy not to! So with this fact in mind, the incredible growth of dietary supplements makes sense. An estimate of one out of every three Americans currently takes some sort of nutritional supplement each day. According to government statistics, more than $11 billion is spent each year on vitamins and minerals in the U.S. alone!

health and nutritionThis extreme interest in health and nutrition is, unfortunately, fueled by false advertisement. The Internet, television, and product labels make claims not backed by science, fooling millions and reaping a sizable paycheck. Furthermore, in America, Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements the same way that foods are, not as if they are medications. Thus, supplement manufacturers aren’t required to back their claims by science.

In your quest for fitness, don’t be fooled by these three myths surrounding the use of nutritional supplements.

Myth #1: “More Is Better”

health and nutritionIf vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and herbs are good for you and available over the counter, they must be safe to take in high doses, right? Science has proven otherwise. You feel a cold coming on so you pop the vitamin C pills and lozenges to ward it off, but too much of certain vitamins and minerals can be dangerous. For example, when you overdose on vitamin C, your body loses its ability to absorb copper; too much phosphorous and your body can’t absorb enough calcium; vitamins A, D, and K can build up to toxic levels when large doses are taken; too much vitamin A will put you at risk for osteoporosis; vitamin E may increase your risk of stroke; and iron your risk of heart disease. And you thought those supplements came with no risks.

When choosing a multivitamin and other supplement, look for ones that contain no more than 100 percent of each ingredient and be careful of combining a multivitamin with another vitamin supplement.

Myth #2: “A Supplement Will Make Up for My Unhealthy Diet”

Hate vegetables? Drink too much caffeine? Like to skip breakfast? Well, be wary of relying solely on supplements to make up for your nutritional deficiencies. Your body is better able to absorb nutrients from real food. So supplements should only be taken as icing on your healthy cake. Besides, relying on supplements to fill in nutritional gaps can put you at risk for the overdosing dangers mentioned above.

With a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, you’ve got little room for the need of supplements. Eating a healthy well-rounded diet will also provide millions of phytonutrients unavailable in supplement form. It also helps your supplements be more effective when you do take them, as supplements are made less effective when taken on an empty stomach.

Myth #3: “I Can Trust the Claims of Supplement Labels”

Many supplement containers describe the health benefits their ingredients aim to provide. These range from increased vitality to improved disease immunity. Great as these claims may sound, there are no significant and proper research to back them up. They are, however, great marketing tools that will pull you in and trick you right out of your money.

It isn’t surprising that the claims of supplements aren’t proven by anything other than anecdotal evidence. Recently, independent research found that 30 percent of products labeled as multivitamins do not include the ingredients in the amounts listed on the labels and occasionally contain dangerous ingredients.

If you haven’t yet become one of my valued clients then now is the time! I’d like to show you how a consistent, challenging exercise program will dramatically transform your body – once and for all!

Call or email today to get started!

Reinvent Yourself
Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have discredited the old saying, You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Scientists have discovered that the brain actually has dynamic properties throughout life. This means that your brain is always evolving. Through practice, you are able to change your habits and change yourself.

So go on, reinvent yourself!

Fast & Healthy Fish Tacos
Who said that fish tacos had to be fried? This refreshing recipe uses baked Cod and fresh coleslaw for that fish taco taste that is hard to beat. Need to fix dinner in a hurry? This recipe only takes 20 minutes.

Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…
health and nutrition1 pound Fresh Skinless Cod
1 Tablespoon Coconut oil
¼ teaspoon Cumin
⅛ teaspoon Garlic powder
½ cup Nonfat Plain Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Honey
3 cups Shredded Cabbage Mix
4 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Lime or Lemon to taste

Rinse fish and past dry with paper towels. Cut fish crosswise into ¾ inch slices. Place fish in single layer in greased shallow baking pan. Combine coconut oil, cumin, and garlic powder. Brush over fish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Combine the yogurt, vinegar and honey. Place the cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Combine the yogurt mixture with the cabbage until well blended.

Spoon some of the coleslaw mixture into each tortilla; add fish slices. Squeeze fresh lime or lemon to taste. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 327 calories, 5g fat, 40g carbohydrate, and 26g protein.