Eat Well, Live Well….It’s Just That Simple!

If changing eating habits were easy, everyone would be fit and healthy. One key to making lasting improvements is to make changes in stages. Start with something simple and stick to it for a week. After your family has mastered one change, add another.

Some Ideas to Get You Started

• Eat breakfast.

• Substitute water for one sugary drink each day.

• Eat one to two more fruits or vegetables each day.

• Plan a healthy snack for each day of the week. Click here for a quick video tip.

• Switch to a low-fat version of a favorite food.

• Plan three meals and two snacks every day.

• Plan a home-cooked meal, which usually has fewer calories, more reasonable portions and costs less than typical meals eaten at restaurants. 

Set the Example

Parents play a big role in guiding their children’s eating habits by the examples they set, the foods they make available in the home and the mealtime experiences they create for their families.

Offer healthy snacks such as fruit, low-fat cottage cheese or yogurt, frozen juice bars, applesauce, celery or apples and peanut butter, raw vegetables, graham crackers, fig bars or whole wheat crackers and low-fat cheese. Large portions mean too many calories. A snack for a typical adult may be a container of yogurt, but for a preschooler, two or three tablespoons of yogurt is about right.

Make Eating an Enjoyable Activity for the Whole Family

Family meals can be a time to monitor what children are eating and reconnect with each other. Involve children in food preparation and clean-up, and sit down with children when they eat. The idea is to build healthy lifelong eating habits.

Some healthy eating tips include the following:

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – half your plate at each meal should be vegetables or fruit.

• Beware of sweetened drinks – sodas and sports drinks are high in calories. Keep in mind that too much juice can also quickly add calories to a child’s diet.

• Choose food sensibly when eating out.

More Healthy Food Tips When Eating Out

• Ask if you don’t know what is in a dish or the serving size.

• Eat the same portion size you would at home.

• Ask for sauces, gravy and dressings on the side – or avoid them altogether.

• Order foods that are not breaded or fried.

• Order fruit for dessert.

• Ask for substitutions: A vegetable instead of fries, or for the high-fat food to be left off the plate.

• Ask for low-calorie versions of food. Vinegar and oil or a squeeze of lemon is better than high-fat dressings or sauces.

Did You Know...?

Americans eat an average of 4.2 commercially prepared meals each week. Processed foods are likely to be higher in calories, fat, and salt and lower in fiber than meals prepared at home.

Creamy Low Fat Tuna Salad

Most recipes for tuna 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: 5 

Here's what you need...

• 2 (5oz) cans wild albacore tuna, packed in water
• 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons champagne mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, plus more for garnish
• dash of freshly ground pepper
• 1 green apple, shredded
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 4 cups organic mixed greens

1. Drain the tuna and flake in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, mustard, dill and pepper. Mix until creamy and well combined.
2. Add the shredded apple and cabbage. Mix well.
3. Arrange mixed greens on plates, then use an ice cream scooper to place the tuna mixture. Sprinkle with dill weed.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 140 calories, 1 fat, 210mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 20g protein. 

Call For Your Free Body Transformation Analysis 

(219)-548-3480

Pumpstrainigandpilates@gmail.com

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Trainer Spotlight!

SPOTLIGHT ON……  LaDonna Trapp!

February 2018!!

WELCOMING OUR NEWEST TRAINER!

I have been involved in education for most of my life, including acquiring a Bachelors degree majoring in Psychology at Valparaiso University while being a wife, mom and full time employee. My employment has most always revolved around education.

I had always wanted to learn what a Personal Trainer could do for me so when I came to Pumps Fitness and experienced a great work out with enthusiasm and a smile, dropping inches and pounds, I was convinced.  Education in wellness/fitness is the wise choice for me.

 As a Certified Trainer through the National Association of Sports Medicine, also holding an AFAA certificate in Metabolic training, and soon to be earned Certificate in Exercise Design For Seniors, my goal is to help individuals realize they can do it! There is an exercise program for everyone. My desire for my clients, is to give them a place where they can zone into a little “healthy me time” with no distractions and a little specialized attention.  

When our daughter was just a little girl she asked me, “Mommy, how old will you get to be?”  I told her not to worry, Mommy would live to be 100, and I meant it, to the best of my ability. Currently, the fastest growing age group in America is the 90+ age group. What if you become part of that age group? If so, are you going to get there to the best of your ability?

Will you invest in getting well or in being well? Imagine- being at the best of your abilities, so you can live well.   I choose being well, at the best of my ability.

                                                                                   

La Donna Trapp

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

AFAA Certificate Metabolic Training

Your must-have guide to smart ordering in restaurants.

Keep a few smart ordering ideas in mind when you’re eating out and you’ll stay in control of your calories, your appetite and your waistline! 

Here are some ‘little things’ you can do every time you eat out – and rack up plenty of calorie savings in the process.

Smart ordering tip 1 – spoil your dinner

One frequent problem with restaurant dining is that it takes time to get seated, look over the menu and place your order –  and by the time your meal arrives you’re starving.  That’s why many restaurants pop down a basket of bread and butter or some tortilla chips and salsa to tide you over.  So, spoil your dinner a little bit – have a piece of fruit, a few bites of cottage cheese or yogurt or a small handful of nuts before you go – and turn down the bread and the chips which can add hundreds of calories to your meal before you’ve dug into your first course.

Calories you could save: 150 (1 slice bread + butter) to 500 (basket of chips)

Smart ordering tip 2 – the water’s fine

Cocktails, wine, soda, and sweet beverages like lemonade don’t fill you up, but they can sure fill you out.  And, in the case of soda, free refills are often the norm, and that could mean hundreds of extra calories.  Instead, ask for unsweetened iced tea, plain water or mineral water with a slice of lemon.

Calories you could save: 100 (glass of wine) to 400 (large soda + 1 refill)

Smart ordering tip 3 – skinny dip

Starting your meal with a salad is a great habit to get into – as long as the salad isn’t loaded down with fatty ingredients and heavy dressing.  Opt for plenty of greens with an oil and vinegar dressing – served on the side – and ‘do the dip’.  Dip your fork in the dressing, then pick up some greens with your fork.  You’ll get a little taste of dressing with each bite, but you’ll use far less.

Calories you could save: 200+ (75 calories per tablespoon – most restaurants add about 4 tablespoons of dressing to the typical dinner salad)

Smart ordering tip 4 - go fish

Most of my clients know they should eat more fish, but they don’t cook it at home – either because they don’t know how to cook it properly, or they say it makes the house stink….two good reasons why it’s a good choice when you go out.  There’s another good reason, too.  As long as it’s grilled and broiled – rather than deep fried – fish has a lot fewer calories than an equivalent serving of red meat.

Calories you could save: 200 (4 ounces grilled fish vs. 4 ounces broiled steak)

Smart ordering tip 5 – take the first crack

If you’re dining with a group, try to order before everyone else does.  If you’ve planned ahead, and have a pretty good idea of what you want to eat, it’s a lot easier to stick with your agenda if you place your order first -  before you get swayed by everyone else’s choices.  When dessert time rolls around, you can ask for fresh fruit or coffee before you even peek at the menu – and before everyone else orders pastry.

Calories you could save: 300 (piece of layer cake) to 1000 (piece of cheesecake)

Smart ordering tip 6 – do the splits

It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating – restaurant portions can be huge. Split an entrée with a dining companion and order an extra side of veggies, or have your leftovers packed up as soon as you’ve eaten your portion.  Those in the restaurant business know that customers want value – in other words, they want big portions at a reasonable price.  And since it costs the restaurant much less to buy the food than it does to cook and serve it to you, most places are more than happy to super-size portions.  They may be able to afford to “pile it on” – but can you?

Calories you could save: Hundreds.  Restaurant entrees can easily run 800-1000 calories.  

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…

• 8 organic, free range eggs
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons onion greens, chopped
• 1/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons champagne mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon
• dash of salt and pepper

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Chill and then serve.

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

Call For Your Free Body Transformation Analysis 

(219)-548-3480

Pumpstrainigandpilates@gmail.com

Pumpsfitnessinc.com   

Why Flexibility Is Important

Let’s talk about the dos and don’ts of stretching.  Flexibility is one of the key factors of any good fitness routine. Yet a lot of pepole often misunderstand some key aspects related to correct stretching. 

How to stretch, when to stretch and how long to hold stretches are just a few of the questions that people ask on a regular basis. 

Some people are born to be more flexible than others.  The good news is that whatever level of flexibility you’re born with, correct stretching will help you improve. 

Why is stretching important?

1. Stretching helps you maximize your body’s ability to move freely.

In simple terms that means stretching helps you get out of your own way internally so your body can perform at its best. Tight soft tissue can restrict joint movements and hinder important tendons from effectively doing their job.

2. Stretching helps you avoid injury.

Training with tight muscles can lead to serious injury and muscle tears. With these two reasons in mind, you should never skimp on stretching before and after exercise.

3. How much stretching is enough?

“Fitness is not a one size fits all situation and, because flexibility is a factor of fitness, you must determine what is right for your own body” You should navigate your own personal stretching needs and keep these dos and don’ts in mind.

Correct stretching dos and don’ts

 Do:

• Spend time doing dynamic stretches before exercising.
• Dynamic stretching involves gentle movements to increase your range of movement. It improves blood and oxygen flow to soft tissues prior to exertion and also prepares receptors within the muscle to perform.
• Prepare your body with fluid flowing movements such as arm circles, leg swings, squats and lunges.

Don’t:

• Use jerky bouncing or forced movements to increase your range of motion as this can cause injury.
• This ballistic stretching forces your muscles into an extended range of motion before they are “warmed up” and the risks are not worth the rewards.

Do:

• Dedicate at least 10 minutes after a workout to loosen tight muscles with static stretches that you hold for approximately 30 seconds.

• Stretch to the point of slight discomfort then back off a little and hold. This type of stretching can improve your overall flexibility and may decrease the amount of muscle soreness you experience after exercising.

Don’t:

• Stretch to the point of pain or severe discomfort. You shouldn’t ever hurt your body though exercise and too much flexibility is not good for your body.
• Your joints rely on muscle tension to hold them in the correct position so, if you overstretch or push your body past what is comfortable, you can increase the likelihood of joint and tendon problems.

Find your own perfect flexibility balance

There is an art to finding your body’s balance and the only way to do it is to be aware and conscious of your movements. It’s simple advice but make sure you exercise commonsense at all times when working out! If you listen to your body the chances are that you will achieve results faster and you’ll avoid causing yourself injury.  Part of this commonsense approach to exercising is listening to your body: if you feel any pain or discomfort then stop.

If you are rushed for time then don’t rush your stretching: try to make your main workout more effective instead by using combination exercises.

Your body is exactly that it’s ‘your body’.  Take responsibility for caring for it correctly and never just copy someone else’s routine.  Instead educate yourself and find what works for you. Start at the top of your body, gently working your way down and addressing all major muscle groups.  Stretching and movement is natural, so relax and do what feels right.

Creamy Carrot Soup

Most creamy soups are filled with fat – but not this one. Indulge with this healthy carrot soup. Serve with a side of lean chicken breast or grilled fish and a small salad for a balanced meal. Servings: 2 

Here’s what you need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/2 small onion, diced 
• Dash of sea salt 
• 4 cups carrots, diced 
• 5 cups filtered water 
• 3 Tablespoons White Miso

1. In a soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion with a dash of salt and cook for 4 minutes. Add carrots and stir, cook for another 4 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Use a hand blender to process the soup until smooth.
3. Remove 1 cup of the soup and mix the miso into it until dissolved. Add back into the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 187 calories, 4g fat, 27g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 5g protein. 

 Call For Your Free Body Transformation Analysis 

(219)-548-3480

Pumpstrainigandpilates@gmail.com

Pumpsfitnessinc.com   

Push Back! Your go-to guide to not eating when you’re not hungry.

Everywhere you go, it seems, there’s pressure to eat.  Here’s how to push back.

For most of us, the last thing we need is the pressure to eat more.  But it happens all the time.  A few years back, one of the fast food chains began a push to add a whole extra meal to your day –  “the meal between dinner and breakfast”.  I do understand the desire for an occasional midnight snack – sometimes you eat dinner early, you stay up late and you get hungry. But once that midnight snack morphs into “the fourth meal”, it starts to sound more like an everyday need – which just makes it easier to justify why we cave into the pressure to eat it.

This pressure to eat faces us everywhere we go, and it seems as if we’ve come to expect it – and accept it, too. I’m no longer surprised when I see free donuts at the dry cleaners, or a plate of cookies at the bank.  When I go to a restaurant, I expect that the server will offer to “start me off” with some deep-fried something or other, or ask me if I’ve “saved room for dessert”.  You’ve probably experienced the occasional pressure to eat from friends, family or co-workers.  Even when you shop for groceries, there’s pressure to buy more (“buy two, get one free!”), which just means more food in the house – and increased pressure to eat it.

With this constant pressure to eat, it means that we have to spend a lot of time trying to stop ourselves from giving in.  And that isn’t easy to do, since it’s almost expected that we should be eating more, not less. (When was the last time a server in a restaurant tried to discourage you from ordering appetizers or dessert?)

But you can push back.  Here’s how.

Push back when there’s food where you least expect it.

Like the donuts at the dry cleaners or cookies at the bank, you can probably think of dozens of unlikely places where you’ve encountered food.  This situation is probably the easiest one to deal with, since you really weren’t expecting the food to be there in the first place.  Ask yourself:  “am I hungry?”,  “is this something I want?” and “would I walk across the street right now to get this?”  Pay attention to your answers, which are most likely some combination of “no”, “not really” and “probably not”.

Push back when you’re grocery shopping.

Grocery shopping is a minefield of temptations – there are literally thousands of items there to entice you.  This is why making a list – and sticking to it – is so important, since it will curb your impulse buying.  When you’re faced with ‘value pricing’ – which encourages you to buy more than you need – consider how you’ll deal with the extra.  If it can be stored out of sight, or repackaged into smaller containers, that’s fine.  But if having more around means you’re likely to eat more, that’s a bargain you don’t need.

Push back when restaurants offer you more than you want.

Just like value pricing at the supermarket, restaurants like to offer you value, too.  Free bread or chips doesn’t cost them much, but the cost to you could be a few extra inches on your belly and hips. Instead of those “deep fried something or others” as a starter, just ask for some water with lemon to sip on while you look over the menu.  Turn down the offer of an extra ‘side’ for just pennies more – unless it’s an extra side of veggies.  And when the dessert menu comes around, don’t even open it.  If others at your table are indulging, have order some coffee or tea to sip on while they eat.

Push back when family, friends or coworkers put the pressure on.

You’d think it would be easy to be straightforward with the ones you know best, but eating with those you’re close to is often emotionally charged.  There’s the family member who prepared something nice and high calorie “just for you” – and, since you don’t want to offend them, you feel pressured to eat it.  If you just can’t bring yourself to say no, then ask for a small piece and take just a bite or two…because if you finish it, there’s a good chance you’ll be offered another helping, and you’ll just have to start the process all over again.  And when you’re out with friends or coworkers and you feel the pressure to have something “just this once” or because “everyone else is having some” keep this in mind – being sociable doesn’t require that you have a drink in one hand and an tempting morsel in the other.

Cranberry Tuna Salad

Here's what you need...

• 2 cans wild caught Albacore Tuna, packed in water
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1. Drain and flake tuna in a medium bowl.
2. Add all of the ingredients and mix until well combined.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 195 calories, 9.6g fat, 273mg sodium, 9 carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 17g protein. 

 Make sure you sign up for our New Year's REVOLUTION program! And start 2018 off the right way click here for more info. Forget about a New Year's resolution and get ready for the REVOLUTION. Just click here and get registered now.

 Call For Your Free Body Transformation Analysis 

(219)-548-3480

Pumpstrainigandpilates@gmail.com

Pumpsfitnessinc.com