Categorized as: Health Tips

5 Meals Ready in 5 Minutes

Most of us want to eat healthy – we really do – but a single detrimental factor gets in our way…we simply don’t have the time.

I get it, we all lead busy lives that leave very little extra time for healthy meal prep, but the alternative of fast food meals, frozen dinners and restaurant fare is making us lose in the battle of the bulge.

All too often I see people exercise hard everyday, and then flush their results away with irresponsible eating. Don’t let this be you!

To get you on the fast track to quick, healthy eating here are 5 healthy meals that take only 5 minutes to prepare:

Fast Meal #1: Traditional pancakes are filled with carbs, grains and a plethora of simple sugars – not something you’d consider healthy. In fact, eat pancakes regularly and you’ll find your fitness results quickly disappear. However, this simple, wholesome, 3-ingredient pancake recipe is the exception. It’s a pancake that you’re able to enjoy without guilt.

3-Ingredient Pancakes
Here’s what you need:

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons almond butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or ground cinnamon *optional
  1. Mash the bananas in a bowl (or blend in a food processor). Add the eggs, almond butter and flavor additions. Mix until smooth.
  2. Preheat a griddle or skillet. Lightly grease with coconut oil. Pour the batter in ¼ cup scoops.
  3. Once you see bubbles form, flip and cook the other side until golden.
  4. Serve with fresh fruit.

Fast Meal #2: Tuna is a wonderful fish that’s packed with muscle-building protein. However, most tuna salad recipes drowned out the benefits with a boatload of calorie-packed mayonnaise. Here’s a refreshing tuna salad recipe that, in addition to being quick to prepare, avoids the trap of high-calorie dressing.

Quick Tuna Salad
Here’s what you need:

  • 1 green apple, chopped
  • 2 green onions, tops only, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cans albacore tuna, in drained
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ¼ cup red grapes, halved
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. I like to serve this salad in large butter lettuce leaves, or scooped onto avocado halves.

Fast Meal #3: Yogurt has often been advertized as a healthy, guilt-free snack or meal replacement. This always bothers me because I know just how many simple carbs and sugars most flavored yogurts contain. Many people are deceived into thinking that the creamy, fruit flavored snack will help them lose fat, while it does just the opposite. Here’s a recipe for a creamy, fruit flavored snack that is actually packed with protein and free of fattening sugars.

Creamy Protein Mousse
Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup chopped fruit
  • 1 (13.5oz) can coconut milk, full fat (chilled in the fridge overnight)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 frozen bananas, peeled
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup stevia-sweetened vanilla protein powder

1) Chill the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Do NOT shake the can up at all! Carefully turn the can over and open from the bottom. Drain out the liquid and scoop the white cream into a food processor. Discard the liquid.

2) Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend on high until creamy. Enjoy chilled.

Fast Meal #4: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and not only because it’s the meal that breaks your overnight fast. What you decide to eat for breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your food decisions for the day. A donut or breakfast sandwich grabbed from a drive thru will set you up to eat junk for the rest of the day. On the other hand, a wholesome, nutritious breakfast will get you geared up to eat good-for-you foods all day long. This quick breakfast recipe is packed with amazing, natural flavor as well as protein-filled eggs to power your day.

Zucchini Egg Scramble
Here’s what you need:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons green onion, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons chives, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
  • 2 organic eggs
  1. In a small skillet place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini, green onion, chives and rosemary. Cook until the zucchini is lightly browned on both sides.
  2. Crack the eggs into the skillet and continue to cook, mixing, until the eggs are set. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately.

Fast Meal #5: I’ve saved the best for last, in this list of 5 Fast Meals. There was a time when most people would turn their nose up at the idea of a salad being a meal, but times are changing, and we are now more aware than ever how traditional meals are too heavy and lead to obesity. I’d like you to consider a ‘Everything Salad’ to be the perfect, quick and guilt-free meal. Sure, there are plenty of ways to take a salad and make it fattening, but that’s not what we want to do. By taking a big bowl of fresh greens and topping it with lean protein, colorful veggies and a light, homemade dressing – you’ve got yourself the perfect meal!

Everything Salad
Here’s what you need:

  • Dark leafy greens (spinach, arugula, kale)
  • Lean protein (chicken, turkey, lamb, hard boiled egg)
  • Colorful veggies, chopped (bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini)
  • Fresh Herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, mint)
  • Homemade dressing (see recipe below)
  1. Raid your fridge for fresh, organic produce and lean, cooked protein. Add in some fresh veggies and chopped herbs and mix together with a simple, homemade dressing. There you have it, the perfect meal!

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!

30 Days to a NEW YOU

The summer will gone before ya know it and then holidays are on the horizon, and a few straight months of eating too much, sweet indulgences, and missed workouts.

Then 2018 will begin with you 5-10 pounds heavier than you are today.

Ugh. No thanks.

What if you spent the next 30 days dropping excess pounds and getting into better shape? Then you could ride out autumn and  the holiday months fitter than ever and more likely to eat healthier, indulge less and stick with your workout schedule.

You’d welcome the New Year feeling fabulously fit and confident.

Sounds good, right?

I’ve got just the plan to get you there. Follow these 5 steps to transform your body over the next 30 days…

1) Go Bread Free: Going bread-free for 30 days is such a simple way to accelerate fat loss. Just think of all the extra carbs and calories that you’ll be saving yourself from. And it’s not so bad, once you get used to it. Wrap sandwiches and burgers in lettuce or on top of a pile of greens.

2) Workout 5x’s Each Week: Take the next 30 days to really focus your efforts in the gym. Train as if you were preparing yourself for an athletic event, with the mindset that each and every workout is important in seeing you through your goal. Make a log of each time that you exercise, noting the duration, intensity and activity.

3) Go Sugar Free: Sugar is the biggest thing holding you back when it comes to dropping fat and getting lean. And not just refined sugar. I’m talking about all sugars. Take the next 30 days to cut out all sweeteners and limit your intake of sweet fruits. This will be hard at first, especially if you have a sweet tooth, but the rapid change in you body is fantastic incentive to keep going.

4) Focus on Protein and Veggies: Enough about all the things you can’t eat, let’s talk about what you can eat. Your meals should be a variety of protein and veggies. For protein stick with organic, hormone-free meat that has been roasted, baked or grilled. For veggies, avoid starchy veggies like potatoes, and instead stick with an assortment of colorful, fiber-filled veggies.

5) Commit to be Fit: The quickest way to get your body into tip-top shape is to join one of my fitness programs. I’m here to get you into the best shape of your life, with my proven, effective system. Make the commitment now, and together we can make the body of your dreams a reality.

So there you have it, 5 simple steps to transforming your body before the holidays even begin.

Remember, the next 30 days are going to pass whether you jump on board with a fitness plan or not. So you’re going to spend the next 30 days simply getting older and more out-of-shape OR you could buckle down and finally make your amazing transformation.

The choice is yours.

I’m here to see you through it all. Call or email now and we will get started.

19 Awesome Reasons to Exercise Today

I know it’s summer and you have exciting places to go and things to do. But wait! Did you forget about your workout? Again?

Lots of people fall off the exercise wagon during summer months due to vacations, taking care of kids home for the summer months, and other warm weather distractions. I get it, I really do, but what about all the amazing perks that you’re missing out on?

Just in case you needed a little reminder that will motivate you to lace those shoes back up and get your workout back on, here are 19 Awesome Reasons to Exercise Today!

  1. Exercise makes your clothes fit better: Consistent exercise will tone and tighten your body, and this means that your clothes will not only fit better they will also look nicer. But don’t get too attached to your current clothes. Exercise ensures that soon you’ll be trading those current clothes in for smaller sizes.
  2. Exercise reduces your stress: Let’s face it, you have enough stress in your life—so take a break. A challenging workout invigorates your muscles and leaves you relaxed and less stressed.
  3. Exercise boosts your energy: Research routinely concludes that exercise increases energy levels in sedentary people. So when you’re feeling fatigued, fight it with the most powerful tool available: exercise.
  4. Exercise makes you stronger: Who doesn’t want to be stronger? You rely on your body’s muscle strength and endurance throughout each day. With consistent, challenging exercise, your body will naturally become stronger.
  5. Exercise burns calories: Extra calories end up stored on your body as fat. Fight back by eliminating loads of calories with fat-blasting workouts.
  6. Exercise gives you confidence: Healthy confidence is a wonderful thing to have. By exercising consistently you’re able to increase your natural confidence.
  7. Exercise can be fun: Don’t laugh, I’m serious on this one. Whether you believe it or not, exercise can be really enjoyable. Remember how fun it was to run and jump as a child? Tap into your inner child as you find enjoyment in moving your body through exercise.
  8. Exercise reduces your blood pressure: Exercise is so powerful that it has been proven more effective than medication in reducing high blood pressure. A single workout has even been shown to reduce blood pressure for the day, and consistent exercise reduces overall blood pressure.
  9. Exercise tightens your problem areas: With exercise you can reduce flab on your arms, legs and waistline. So wave goodbye to the jiggles with a consistent, challenging exercise program.
  10. Exercise increases your insulin sensitivity: Research continues to prove that exercise dramatically improves insulin sensitivity. Peak after-meal insulin levels have been shown to drop by more than 20 percent after as little as 3 weeks of consistent exercise.
  11. Exercise improves your sleep: Exercise is your most powerful sleep aid. Tired muscles encourage your body to quickly fall asleep in order to get overnight repair work done.
  12. Exercise lowers your risk of heart disease: Exercise strengthens your heart and protects it against disease. A non-active lifestyle is a huge risk factor for heart disease, so use consistent exercise as your ally against disease.
  13. Exercise makes you feel amazing: Challenging exercise releases natural endorphins (happy hormones) into your bloodstream that dissolve pain and anxiety. You’ve probably heard of the ‘runner’s high’, this can be achieved by any great workout.
  14. Exercise lowers your risk of diabetes: Research has shown that exercising as little as half an hour each day can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes. If you are at risk of diabetes, or already have diabetes, use regular exercise as treatment for reversing the disease.
  15. Exercise is an opportunity to meet new people: Gyms, bootcamps, workout centers and even jogging trails are all great places to connect with fun new friends. So lace up and put your self out there!
  16. Exercise improves your BMI: Maintaining a healthy BMI is key in disease prevention, and exercise is the best way to keep your BMI under control.
  17. Exercise increases your endurance: Don’t ever get out of breath from walking up stairs or through the mall again. Your regular exercise builds up endurance for everyday activities.
  18. Exercise improves your overall health: Does your doctor give you the lecture about losing weight and exercising more? Once you start exercising regularly you and your MD will see an overall improvement in your health.
  19. Exercise makes you look amazing: Are you excited about the current shape and size of your body? If not, no worries. Regular, challenging exercise will work wonders on your physique. Within just a few weeks you’ll start to see shape and tone in all the right places.

I hope it goes without saying that I am your go-to point for all things exercise. It’s my passion to see each and every one of my clients reach their fitness goals and improve the quality of their lives.

Please call or email today to come in for your free consultation. Together let’s turn this summer into your time of transformation. Just think of how amazing you could be looking after working with me!

No more excuses this summer. You have 19 great reasons for getting back to your workouts. I’d like nothing more than to see you attain all of the above 19 benefits of exercise!

Call or email today – let’s get started!

5 Flat Tummy Myths (and 3 Steps to Tight Abs)

Most people want to slim down before baring it all, so I’m here to warn you of the 5 Flat Tummy Myths that could waste your time:

Myth #1: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.

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

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

Myth #2: Take diet pills to speed results.

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

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

Myth #3: Turn to packaged diet products to boost results.

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

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

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

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

Myth #5: Starve the chub away.

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

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

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

Step One: No more junk.
The best way to do this is by purging your kitchen. Throw out the sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out, don’t buy any more of it. Remember that your beach-ready abs depend on what you eat – don’t eat junk!

Step Two: Eat whole foods.
Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.

Step Three: Come train with me.
This is the most obvious step. You’re ready to get into great shape and I’m in a unique position to make that happen for you. Call or fill out the contact form to get started on an exercise plan that will get you those amazing abs.

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