Super Snacks For Super Bowl Sunday

Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the second-biggest food consumption day of the year in the United States?  Fast-food companies are working overtime to make sure you are overindulging on hot wings, pizza, and other high-fat snacks.

Regular consumption of high-fat foods increases the long-term risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. High-fat meals can even raise the risk of a heart attack ON game day.  Many sports fans already face increased risk of heart attack while viewing stressful sporting events, and research has found that a single fatty meal, like pizza or chicken wings, can raise blood pressure, stiffen major arteries, and cause the heart to beat harder. A 2008 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the number of heart attacks in one major city DOUBLED during a big sports event.

BUT you don't have to succumb to fat-laden snacks to enjoy watching some football this weekend.  Try some of these healthier options instead:
 

Eggplant Pizzas

Meat Cookies

Quinoa Bites

Chicken Kabobs

Looking for some additional Game Day options? Check out these 41 Guilt-free Super Bowl Snacks.

If you want some tips, recipes, and support in CLEAN EATING, please join me next week for a 5-day informational group.  Just CLICK HERE to join us.  

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Pantry Purge And Fridge Restock

One of the best ways to get on track and stay on track with your nutrition is to make sure you have the right stuff in your pantry, (and don’t have the wrong stuff)! ;) When was the last time that you cleaned out your fridge and pantry and filled it with food that fits your goals?

I am going to break this into 2 steps, Purge and  Restock.

PURGE:
There are a lot of things you might THINK are healthy that are sabotaging your efforts.  So what do you look for??  First pull out every item of your pantry/fridge that is expired and get rid of it immediately.

Then go through and start reading labels.  There are 2 things you should look for: (1) if sugar (by any name) appears in the top 3 ingredients and (2) if there are a ton of ingredients that you don’t recognize or cannot pronounce.  Get rid of those items too, or donate them if they are unopened.  It is likely that you have quite a bit of space now!  Which means time to restock.



RESTOCK:
I get asked all the time what I eat, so I put together a list of some of my staples.  To be clear, I don’t buy or consume every item on this list every week – this is an overall list of foods that appear frequently in my meal plans.

I also make sure to meal plan on a weekly basis so I know exactly what to buy and how much – this saves me a lot of money!  When I do it right, I have a full fridge at the beginning of the week and a nearly empty one at the end.

I shop almost exclusively at Trader Joes, but also occasionally at Target and Whole Foods. So here is my list broken down into categories.

Proteins:
•    Ground turkey
•    Chicken breasts
•    Fage Greek yogurt
•    Eggs
•    85% OR higher lean ground beef
•    Cottage Cheese
**TIP: Watch for weekly specials then buy and freeze what you won't use for awhile!

Healthy Carbs:
•    Brown rice
•    Sweet potatoes
•    Rolled oats
•    Ezekiel bread or sprouted grain
•    Brown rice/Quinoa pasta

Fruits:
•    Bananas
•    Apples
•    Berries of all varieties
•    Pears
•    Stone fruit of all varieties

Veggies:
•    Mixed greens
•    Spinach to put in my shakes
•    Zucchini
•    Onions
•    Celery
•    Carrots
•    Bell Peppers (I prefer yellow/orange)
•    Spaghetti Squash
•    Tomatoes
**TIP: buy "in-season" and/or farmers market to save money on produce!

Healthy fats:
•    Almonds
•    Pumpkin seeds
•    Sunflower Seeds
•    Cashews
•    Shredded mozzarella

Other items:
•    Organic peanut or almond butter
•    Organic salsa (JUST veggies and spices)
•    Organic marinara sauce  (JUST tomatoes and spices)
•    Organic tomato sauce  (JUST tomatoes and spices)
•    Almond milk
•    Garlic
•    Ginger

Stuff I ALWAYS have on hand but don't need to buy often because it lasts so long:
•    Honey
•    Sweet leaf stevia packets
•    Semi-sweet chocolate
•    Coconut oil
•    Balsamic vinegar
•    Organic Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
•    Spices/herbs  (garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, dill, salt, pepper)
•    Liquid aminos

Snacks to have on hand in case of emergency (all sparingly):
•    Kind bars
•    Quest bars
•    Homemade snack bars
•    Complete cookies

I wash all my fresh food really well, and buy organic when possible.  If you are just starting with organic foods, I recommend following the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen.



I hope this is helpful for you and if you have any questions, of course reach out!

This blog post is part of my weekly series called Trainer Tip Tuesday.  Each Tuesday, I send a "Trainer Tip Tuesday" email, with a great tip/article I've come across recently, a recipe I have tried, or something health/fitness related that I personally experienced.  If you would like to subscribe to the email list and get my Trainer Tip Tuesday posts a week before they are published here, please CLICK HERE

Hearty Vegetable Miso Soup

If you have been following me on Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram, you are probably well aware by now that I am doing a 3-week detox to get my body prepped and ready for an amazing year.  :)  

This week I wanted to share with you one of my favorite recipes from the detox, Hearty Vegetable Miso Soup! Please not that the recipe makes a single serviing however, it does multiply very well so you can make a much bigger pot for leftovers or to be able to freeze some. 

Hearty Vegetable Miso Soup
(courtesy of the Ultimate Reset)

Ingredients:

• 1 t. extra virgin olive oil or safflower oil
• 2 T. finely chopped onion
• 1 t. finely chopped garlic
• 1 small carrot, cut in thin diagonal slices
• 1 small celery stalk, cut in thin diagonal slices
• ½ t. peeled and finely grated ginger
• 2 C. water
• ¼ C. broccoli florets
• 2 T. chopped fresh green beans
• ¼ C. shredded Napa cabbage or bok choy
• 1 T. wakame seaweed (optional)
• ¼ t. sesame oil
• 1 T. sliced green onion
• 1 T. miso paste mixed with 2 T. hot water (I use white miso)

Directions:

1. Heat EVOO or Safflower oil in soup pot on medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, and celery and saute for 5 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add water and simmer on low for 20 minutes until veggies are tender.
4. Add broccoli, beans, cabbage, and seaweed.
5. Stir and simmer until tender but not overcooked; broccoli and beans should remain crisp.
6. Remove from heat and add sesame oil, green onion, and miso mixture.

Tips:
1.  You can add in beans or quinoa for protein.  It is delicious in the soup!
2.  Any/all of the veggies can be susbstituted for some other veggie - these are just what I use.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and please let me know if you try it. 

Trainer Tip Tuesday: We ALL Need A Little Help

On the eve on my one year anniversary as a personal trainer at Equinox, I can't help but reflect back on what lead me to this point, all the decisions I made to get here, all the time and effort, blood, sweat, and tears.

As most of you know, I have been on my weight loss journey for quite some time now - nearly 6 years!  It has been full of ups and downs, quite the roller coaster in fact.

Weight had always been a struggle for me, and believe it or not, I had managed to lose about 50lbs in law school.   After graduating and taking the bar, I was diagnosed with mono and spent the next several months in bed, and quickly gained back everything I had lost.  

When I could finally stay awake for more than 30 minutes at a time, I knew that something had to change.  I knew I had to stop running my body into the ground, stop treating my body like a garbage disposal, and start moving my body more.  What I didn't know is how much help I needed.

I researched the gyms with zero initiation fees and the lowest monthly dues, picked a no frills gym, and went in with a free 1 day pass.  I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and thought I was going to die.  I signed up as a member.

The person working the desk asked me if I wanted to complete my free assessment with a trainer.  My first instinct was to say no - I already knew I was out of shape, overweight, and in desperate need of a health overhaul.  What else could they tell me??

But I knew that having an appointment would get me back in the gym, so I made the appointment.  The next day, I came in and met Adam.  Despite the basic workout he put me through, I spent half the time on the floor, dizzy, light headed, and completely embarrassed.  I was at a cross roads - all in, or all out. 

I bought 8 personal training sessions that day.  I committed to seeing Adam twice a week and coming in to do cardio on the elliptical at least 3 times a week.  I lost 10 lbs in the first month.  

Then it was time to reign in my nutrition.  I started seeing a nutritionist.  We did NOT see eye to eye.  So, I started seeing a health coach who I am now pleased to count among my close friends.

Fast forward 18 months later ... I was still training with Adam twice a week, and seeing my health coach once a month.   I was down over 70lbs.  

Shortly after the 18 month mark, I accepted a job in Southern California, and moved 400 miles away from my support system - my trainer, my health coach, my family, etc.  I went through trainer after trainer and couldn't find one who stuck - too flaky, too immature, didn't know as much as I did, horrible bootcamp style, etc. I hit a plateau and for nearly 2 years didn't lose a pound.  

In 2014, I found out about at-home workouts and online accountability groups from a girlfriend of mine.  Though extremely skeptical, I figured I would give them a shot; it wouldn't hurt.  I committed to 30 days.  I lost 8lbs and a dress size.  The next month I lost 7lbs.  Three months later, I hit the 100bs lost mark!  

Being part of these accountability groups opened my eyes to how much I loved fitness and helping people, and how much knowledge and support I had to share with the world with it came to health and fitness.  I decided to change careers.  

I quit my job as an attorney, moved back to the bay area, and spent a year remotely coaching others while getting certified as a personal trainer.  In December 2015, I took the NASM certification test for Personal Training and passed.  I applied to Equinox, was hired, and started within 3 weeks ... one year ago tomorrow.

If you have been following me on Facebook, you will know 2016 was not the easiest year with all these adjustments.  I am up a few pounds to say the least, but I am still working on ME ... using at-home workouts, training with a trainer, adjusting my nutrition, trying new types of exercise, researching self-care, and taking from all this what I like while discarding the rest.  I AM a personal trainer and a coach, but I also HAVE a personal trainer and a coach.

My biggest takeaway from my first year as a personal trainer is this: If you are stuck in a rut, do something else, but get the guidance and support you need to make the change you want.

Thanks for reading a little bit about me and where I am coming from as a personal trainer and as a coach, and thank you for being on this journey with me.  If there is some way I can support you, don't hesitate to reach out.

This blog post is part of my weekly series called Trainer Tip Tuesday.  Each Tuesday, I send a "Trainer Tip Tuesday" email, with a great tip/article I've come across recently, a recipe I have tried, or something health/fitness related that I personally experienced.  If you would like to subscribe to the email list and get my Trainer Tip Tuesday posts a week before they are published here, please CLICK HERE

Trainer Tip Tuesday: Do NOT Reinvent the Wheel

New Year's is generally a time for new beginnings for most people.  We look at it as a clean slate, a blank canvas, and an opportunity to succeed where we may have fallen short in the past.

However, New Years is also a time when we get sucked into the mindset that we need to do something completely new or different to achieve our goals when in reality, we really just need to be consistent with our efforts.

If you already have workout DVDs, a nutrition plan, etc. and just need help being consistent, join my accountability group starting January 9, 2016 - we are going to use the tools you ALREADY HAVE to get you the results you want!  RSVP HERE

When you search for health and fitness answers today you are likely flooded with information, an overwhelming amount of entirely too much conflicting advice.  To compound the problem, a significant amount of this information comes to you in the form of tantalizing get-fit-quick schemes like fad diets, the latest workout crazes, miracle pills and wraps, and a whole host of other things that promise quick results with little to no effort or investment.

It is only natural, especially if you are a fitness novice or returning after a long hiatus, to be sucked in by the promise that you can quickly and easily obtain the fit body that you want. The truth is, you can obtain that body. The lie is that it will come to you quickly and easily.

Deep down, you and I both know that these quick fixes are anything BUT.  They are not fixes at all.  You KNOW what you need to do, it is now a matter of doing it, and doing it consistently. 

So, as a reminder, what is it that you need to be doing to achieve your health and fitness goals?  

(1) Be Active - a regimen complete with cardio, resistance/weight training, and proper recovery days.

(2) Eat Real Food - stop eating processed junk and instead focus on eating real foods in controlled portions

(3) Drink - no, I'm not talking about alcohol; drink WATER, at least half your body weight in ounces of water on a daily basis

(4) Get Rest - we live in a world where "busy" is the new norm and saying you got 4 hours of sleep is a badge of honor but you NEED sleep to lose weight and build muscle

(5) Be Accountable - most of us think we can do it all ourselves, but truth is, we are so much more successful when we work with others; find a workout buddy, join a community, etc.

(6) Be Consistent - this is the key right here; do all of the above CONSISTENTLY over time to achieve your fitness goals

If you need help with any of these steps - a new workout, a portion controlled nutrition plan, an accountability group, etc. - do not hesitate to reach out!  Again, if you already have workout DVDs, a nutrition plan, etc. and just need help being consistent, RSVP HERE to join my accountability group starting January 9, 2016.

I hope this was helpful and I look forward to working with you consistently to achieve both of our goals!!!

This blog post is part of my weekly series called Trainer Tip Tuesday.  Each Tuesday, I send a "Trainer Tip Tuesday" email, with a great tip/article I've come across recently, a recipe I have tried, or something health/fitness related that I personally experienced.  If you would like to subscribe to the email list and get my Trainer Tip Tuesday posts a week before they are published here, please CLICK HERE

Book of the Month January 2017: The Compound Effect

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