4 Must-Haves In Every Meal

This may be the most important message regarding your eating plan.

If you use these 4 strategies with every meal, you will be well on your way to an amazing physical transformation.

1) Pay attention to the cooking method

The way a meal is cooked determines how many calories, how much added fat, and the number of nutrients that survive. This simple factor will make or break your weight loss goal.

Avoid foods prepared like this:

•              Fried and battered

•              Processed and packaged

•              Doused with cream sauce

•              Sauteed

Choose foods that are prepared like this:

•              Grilled

•              Baked

•              Broiled

•              Steamed

            

2) Your meal should be mostly protein

The bulk of your calories should be coming from a quality source of protein. With the first guideline in mind, these will be high quality and healthfully prepared.

Good choices of protein include:

•              Fish

•              Quinoa

•              Green peas

•              Beans

•              Chickpeas

3) Include lots of fiber

Fiber is a huge part of eating healthy and being lean. Fibrous foods will fill you up while delivering vitamins and nutrient in low-calorie packages. Fill at least two thirds of your plate with fibrous vegetables.

Try these forms of fiber:

•              Salad

•              Seasonal vegetables

•              Fruit

•              Legumes

              

4) Lay off the starches

Here's where many well-meaning dieters lose it. The facts are simple, in order to maintain the low-carb, high protein diet required for healthy weight loss, there is no room for starchy foods.

Starches to Avoid:

•              Potatoes

•              Pasta

•              Rice and cereal

•              Bread and crackers

For faster results, pair your clean eating with a challenging exercise routine.

If you're serious about transforming your body then call or email today to set up a consultation with us. Together we will create the perfect program that will quickly get you into the body that you deserve.

Don't wait! Let's get started today...

The 80-20 Rule

In order to achieve the amazing fitness result of a lean and toned body you'll have to workout hard and eat right...at least 80% of the time.

Don't fall into the trap of feeling like you have to eat perfectly and exercise hard every single day. Then if (when) you fail to meet that unreasonable expectation, you fall off the fitness wagon.

You can't win by having a '100% or nothing' attitude towards fitness. You're human, you're going to have a bad day, a sick day or just an off day. Allow yourself 20% of grace and be sure to workout hard and eat like a champion the other 80% of the time.

Chinese Zucchini Noodle Bowls with Pork Meatballs

Using a spiral slicer to turn zucchini into long, noodle strands is a fantastic way to enjoy comfort food without guilt. These Chinese Noodle bowls are filled with flavor, fiber and lots of tasty protein. Meals like this are exactly what you need to reach your fitness goals. Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…

For the MeatBalls

•              1 lb ground pork

•              1 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice powder

•              Sea salt and black pepper

•              1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

•              1 clove garlic, minced

•              1/4 cup almond flour

•              2 green onions, minced

•              2 teaspoons sesame oil

For the Noodle Bowls

•              1 Tablespoon sesame oil

•              1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

•              2 cloves garlic, minced

•              4 green onions, thinly sliced

•              1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

•              4 baby bok choy, thinly sliced

•              8 cups vegetable broth

•              2 Tablespoons coconut aminos

•              5 organic zucchini, peeled and run through a spiral slicer

For the MeatBalls

1              Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

2              In a medium bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients. Mix well with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly combined. Form golf ball sized balls and place on the wire rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until fully cooked.

For the Noodle Bowls

1              In a large soup pot, place the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, onions, and bell pepper. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the broth and coconut aminos. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

2              Use a vegetable peeler to remove all of the green skin from the zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half, width-wise, and use a spiral slicer to create long, angel-hair noodles. Add the noodles and the cooked meatballs to the soup pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, drizzled with sesame oil and sprinkled with minced green onion. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 199 calories, 18g fat, 170mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 18g protein.

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Phone: (219) 548-3480

E-mail: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Website: pumpsfitnessinc.com

Why Are You Eating That?

Has the thrill of the New Year disappeared yet? You know what I'm talking about—that feeling of excitement in your gut as the New Year greeted you with the promise that you can turn things around...that you can shake off past mistakes...that you can become better. As the first quarter of the year is almost over, is the thrill gone?

The New Year renews hope for your dreams. And if you are like most people then your dream for the New Year has something to do with losing weight. By now unfortunately, over 80% of us have abandoned our New Year’s resolutions and have fallen back into our old habits. One of which is over eating. Let’s get your resolution back on track by talking about food.

To help get you refocused I'd like to share with you some food for thought:

Why do you eat?

Now I know at first glance the answer to that question seems painfully obvious—but I want you to dig deeper. You're probably thinking that you eat when your body is hungry to get the energy you need to sustain life. And you're partially right. But that's not the only reason that you eat.

The truth is that you (along with almost everyone you know) eat too much. Your body simply doesn't need all of the calories that you consume, and it shows in a physique that is less than svelte. If we only ate to fuel our bodies then we'd all have washboard abs. And that's clearly not the case, right?

So what drives you to eat when you shouldn't?

Here are the four basic reasons that you eat:

1. Because you're hungry. This one is obvious. You eat when your body tells you that it's hungry and in need of fuel. Just like your car lets you know when it's time to head over to the gas station for a fill up, your body is great at letting you know that energy stores are low.

Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full is a healthy thing. Too bad this isn't the only reason that you eat...

2. Because you're emotional. ...but the truth is that you also eat when you are emotional. Think back—can you remember a time when you turned to food after a stressful confrontation? Or how about when you've soothed the blues away by treating your sweet tooth? And it's not just negative emotions that lead to emotional eating—most of us reward happiness with unnecessary calories as well.

Emotional eating adds an untold number of calories to your diet—all calories that are unnecessary and turn into fatty deposits on your body.

3. Because you're social. Come on, don't just sit there, have a slice of pizza with us. No one likes to eat alone, and so you feel obligated to eat with others. How many times have you filled up a plate just because everyone else was eating?

When eating becomes a social activity with no thought to the calories that are being consumed, only one thing will result: weight gain.

4. Because you're habitual. At the end of each day you relax in front of the television with a snack, and I'm willing to bet that it isn't because you're hungry. You simply associate sitting down to watch television with eating something. Or maybe you always visit the vending machine on your break whether you're hungry or not—it's just become a habit.

As humans we love to form habits, and when your habits involve eating extra calories then your waistline suffers for it.

Here is my challenge to you: Take the time to examine why you are eating, and choose to only eat when you're truly hungry.

This small action has the potential to dramatically improve your physique in the coming months.

Remember that improving your diet is only half of the equation when it comes to reshaping your body. The quickest and most permanent results are achieved when good eating habits are accompanied by challenging exercise.

At Pumps Fitness we can help you transform your body- simply call or email today and we will get started!

Reduce Your Stress

It's well known that stress contributes to fat storage. You don't need that. It's important to take a break from the daily grind to enjoy meditation and relaxation. Schedule a Reiki session or come to our Stretch and Meditation class to help ease tension and release tight muscles. Want to know another great way to relieve stress? You guessed it: Exercise.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Here's a simple, delicious dinner that your whole family will love. Simply throw the chicken ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, and come home to a healthy, flavorful meal. Servings: 8

Here's what you need...

•              2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

•              3 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced

•              1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

•              1 (4oz) can green chiles, chopped (I use mild!)

•              1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes

•              1 (16oz) jar green salsa

•              4 cloves garlic, minced

•              1/4 cup cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish

•              1 Tablespoon ground cumin

•              1 Tablespoon chili powder

•              1 Tablespoon fajita seasoning

•              2 teaspoon sea salt

•              1/2 teaspoon black pepper

•              Large lettuce leaves

•              Avocado, sliced

1              Combine all of the ingredients, except the lettuce leaves and avocado, in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

2              Remove the chicken thighs, shred with a fork, and mix back in. Serve, using a slotted spoon, on the lettuce leaves. Garnish with sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of fajita seasoning. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 202 calories, 6g fat, 589mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 20g protein.

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Phone: (219) 548-3480

E-mail: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Website: pumpsfitnessinc.com

5 Reasons To Motivate You!

Look, I get it. It's been cold, you're busy and you haven’t kept up with your New Year’s resolution and exercise is low man on the totem pole of your the “to do” list.

I'm here to remind you of just how important exercise is and how great it makes you feel. Let’s get you back on the track and get you re-motivated to achieve those goals you set back in January.

These 5 Reasons to Motivate You will help you to stick with your exercise routine so that you'll enter spring feeling energized and excited.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for motivation, since different things motivate different people, so explore all 5 motivators below…

Motivator #1: Health

Have you looked at the long list of health benefits that exercise delivers? Pretty impressive. Not only does exercise help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it also helps lower bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, while improving the amount of good cholesterol in your body.

Additionally, exercise strengthens your bones and muscles, lowers your risk of cancer, decreases stress, helps you battle depression, and even improves your sex life.

Motivator #2: Enjoyment

If exercise hasn't been enjoyable for you, it's time to find a way to make it fun. Everyone likes doing things they enjoy. You might hate running but enjoy swimming or riding a bike. Perhaps you don't like being alone and would rather be social. Try group exercise. Or maybe you don't like the idea of exercising with a group, schedule some time with one of our personal trainers who will keep your training fresh and fun. Do what's most fun for you and you'll be less likely to stop.

Motivator #3: Increased Confidence

If you're out of shape or overweight, it can take a lot of courage to start an exercise routine. Remember to be confident in who you are, no matter what size or shape. Don't compare yourself to the skinny, toned figure strutting her stuff through the gym. Keep your eyes on your goal and don't expect perfection after just a week of exercise. Strive to have your best body—not someone else's.

Motivator #4: Goal Achievement

If you're just getting started in the world of exercise, or if you've simply gotten stale, a good place to start is by setting goals. How much weight would you like to lose? How far would you like to run? Working towards a goal is a great motivator. However, don't set up for failure by striving after unrealistic goals. Do this and you'll soon feel overwhelmed and give up altogether. To avoid this, set realistic milestones. When you reach them, enjoy your accomplishment and then set new goals to take your good health even further. Hook up with our Health Coach to help you set realistic goals and get you started on a program to improve your heath.

Motivator #5: Rewards

Rewards are a great motivator. In fact, much of what you do in life is motivated by a reward of some kind, whether intrinsic or extrinsic. When it comes to exercise, a good reward probably shouldn't be an ice cream sundae, but it may be that swim suit you've been eyeing, or perhaps a night out with friends. Maybe for you, weight loss and lowered blood pressure are reward enough. Just know that your hard work is paying off and deserves to be rewarded.

We would love to help you find the motivation to create a healthier life for yourself and your family. Call or email today and we’ll show you how simple it is to get started.

Together we will figure out exactly what motivates you!

Only The Back Label Counts

Never, ever trust the claims on the front of a food package. Claims like: heart healthy, whole grains, or fiber-filled are often smoke and mirrors to prevent you from reading the actual ingredient list.

The real truth about a packaged food item is hidden in the ingredient list on the BACK label, not in the bold claims on the front.

Scan that ingredient list for high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils – if the food contains these items then put it back and choose something healthier.

Chili Spiced Nuts

A bowl of these chili spiced nuts make a fantastic appetizer or snack to serve at your Easter function. The spice combo is so good, try not to eat them all before your guests arrive! A jar of these would also make a wonderful hostess gift, free of preservatives or harmful ingredients. Servings: 20

Here's what you need…

•              1 cup raw pecan halves

•              1 cup raw pepitas

•              1 cup shelled pistachios

•              1 cup raw almonds

•              3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

•              3 Tablespoons coconut sugar

•              1 teaspoon sea salt

•              1 teaspoon smoked paprika

•              1 teaspoon ground cumin

•              1 teaspoon chili powder

•              1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

•              1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1              Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with coconut oil.

2              In a large bowl combine all of the nuts with the coconut oil. Toss to coat.

3              In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Mix well and then sprinkle over the nuts, mixing until fully combined.

4              Spread the nuts over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stir, and then bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and toasty.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 168 calories, 14 fat, 78mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 5g protein.

Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment 

Phone: (219) 548-3480

E-mail: pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Website: pumpsfitnessinc.com