Find Your "Active"

People imagine having to dedicate hours to insane workouts or worse, they might think of extreme sports that they’d hate like, perhaps, skateboarding and skydiving. I think this is because the term ‘active’ can have so many meanings.  We hear the word being used in commercials with a visual of a man diving off a building and the tag line “Active men use this deodorant” and it sets an expectation about what ‘active’ really means.

Some people think you have to be skinny to be active.  Again, this is because the media often uses the term 'active' while showing incredibly toned bodies with 6 pack abs.  Subconsciously, this can make us associate an active lifestyle with too much hard work and dance.  So if you, like so many others, find yourself  saying, "I'm not cut out for this active lifestyle thing" let me try and change your mind.

The perils of our modern lifestyle

The modern world of technology and advanced transport has changed the way we live. We often spend far too much time sitting at a desk staring at a screen. And, it’s a sign of the times that many people go straight from front door, to car, to parking lot.  Then they ride the elevator up to their offices, often with no fresh air in between leaving the house and arriving in the office.

Being active doesn’t take much; adding a walk around the block or even to a colleague’s desk can at least get you up and out of your chair.  I always like see how people mix up their commutes by adding a walk, climbing the stairs or even cycling if they’re feeling courageous.

Talking of bikes, have you seen the ’push bikes’ that now have engines on the back?  Or the little motorized scooters?  I bet that no one dreamed how popular these would become back in the 1990s…

Technology is wonderful but it has made us a little lazy. Just because you can sit on a bike and let it propel you to your destination, it may not be the best choice for your body especially if you want to stay healthy.

Find your own ‘active’

The truth is that if you are not sleeping or sitting still, then you are being active.  Even fidgeting counts as activity and helps you burn calories!

Finding the level of activity that is right for your body is the best piece of advice I can give you.  Increasing your activity level can be as simple as taking a midday stroll or as dramatic as training for a marathon. Once you make a commitment to increasing your activity level, guess what? Every few weeks your body will adapt and you may be inspired to take it to the next level.

In my world the meaning of ‘active’ changes every day.  Some days it’s riding real bikes around with my kids and other days it’s an exceptionally long run … Both are active, both are enjoyable and both are fun!

Getting on the activity ladder is often the biggest step of all, but now that you know that being active does not have to mean skydiving and high intensity workouts, you may be ready to start climbing up your ladder to a more active life.

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Italian Pasta Salad

This isn’t your mama’s pasta salad recipe! Welcome to a whole new pasta salad, one that has ditched the chewy pasta for crisp, fresh veggies, and contains all of the Italian flavors that you love. 

It’s a salad worth getting excited about! It’s hard to argue with fresh ingredients, and this salad is bursting with ‘em!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 12

Here’s what you need

For the Italian Vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon liquid stevia

For the Salad

• 4 zucchini, peeled and cut into thin, 1-inch pieces
• 2 English cucumbers, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup green olives, quartered
• ⅓ cup red onion, finely minced

Instructions

1. Whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. 
2. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette and chill before serving. Keeps in the fridge for several days. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 81 calories, 4g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 504mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 2g protein

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Bat Wing...Flabby Flapper??

Do you know what a ‘bat wing’ is? What about a ‘flabby flapper’? If you have no idea, then you probably don’t have an area of loose musculature at the top of your arms. Plenty of people do however, and it can be a major confidence drain.

Both men and women can have a tendency to store fat on their upper arms and if that applies to you then, don’t worry, we can tackle the issue with some key exercises.  You may also feel that your upper arms are saggy if you’ve lost weight and have excess skin in this area but, again, don’t worry, my advice addresses this too.  Together, we will wave goodbye to arm jiggle and show off our toned and defined biceps and triceps.

Although you can’t command your body to lose fat from a specific area, a variety of weighted toning exercises can help you improve your muscle mass. I recommend combining bursts of general fat burning cardio vascular activity with upper arm focused strength exercises, and you will be showing off your newly sculpted guns and saying goodbye to unsightly bingo wings in no time at all.

It’s easy to add in some upper body exercises throughout the day at home or at work. You don’t even need to use heavy weights; a simple full water bottle or cans from the pantry can be a good starting point. In the workplace, you can try using using paperweights or a ream of photocopy paper.

You might also want to consider investing in small sand bags as these can be great tools to help you start toning up.  I can also recommend resistance bands as these stretchy ribbons are a light weight solution for adding resistance workouts to your day, they are inexpensive and light weight so you can take one almost anywhere and, although it’s a different feeling than weights, the resistance created is just as effective for toning your body.

Focus on toning up and building your strength:
Building strong biceps, triceps and shoulders will give you muscle definition and rid you of an arm that continues to move long after you stopped waving.

Try focusing on movements that mimic everyday tasks. Sculpting your arms can be as simple as placing books on a shelf! Try to do exercises that are consistent with your body’s needs. If your job requires you to lift objects throughout the day, then getting strong through stretching and exercise can make your day easier. Excessive direct overhead movements are often not necessary and can cause stress on your shoulder joints so keep your movements in front of you.

The benefits of gaining a little muscle:

There are several benefits of gaining additional muscle mass.  The most exciting being that your body will naturally burn extra calories all day long in order to sustain your new muscle.  You will also find that the additional strength you will gain from lifting weights can help you with your day-to-day tasks and weight-bearing exercise has been linked to considerable improvement in bone density. Resistance training is recommended by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) as it is especially beneficial for an aging population.

How to do a tricep kickback correctly
   –  Choose some weights that are suitable for your fitness level and hold one in each hand. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees and hinge your back forward slightly so that you are looking at the floor in front of you and your back is at a 45-degree angle.

-  Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, so that your hands are in front of you and keep you arms tightly tucked into your sides.

-  Extend your arms back behind you and slowly straighten your arms; you will start to feel your triceps working as you lift the weight behind you. Hold the lift for two seconds and return to your starting position and repeat.  If you want to intensify the work turn your palms upward.

-  Try to do 10 reps per arm but stop if you feel uncomfortable.

You can do this exercise with both arms at the same time or you can do it firstwith one arm and then the other.   If you prefer to work one arm at a time, be sure to place your dumbbell free hand on your thigh and use a staggered stance to help keep your back in a neutral position.

There are so many health benefits to be gained from a balanced combination of diet and exercise.  I believe that taking a little time each day to focus on yourself is never a bad thing and with a consistent approach, you’ll soon be waving goodbye to sagging arms with an arm wave that stops when you stop.

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Kale

This recipe is a really lightened up replacement for mashed potatoes, with the enhanced flavors of garlic and kale. It’s incredibly quick and simple to throw this side dish together, and there are many ways in which the flavor could be tweaked and adjusted to your liking. 

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 bunch curly kale
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 Tablespoons coconut cream
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• black pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons chives, snipped

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 
2. Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the stem. Stem the kale and chop the leaves. 
3. Add the cauliflower and garlic to the boiling water for 8 minutes. Stir in the kale and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
4. Place the drained cauliflower, kale and garlic in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse until a creamy consistency is reached. Taste for salt and add more as needed. Enjoy

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 76 calories, 5g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 112mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 3g protein.

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Better Booty

What’s the best way to tone up your butt? 

As a trainer I’m often asked: “How do I get a good butt?” and my answer is generally the same every time. I have to be honest and say that genetics play a huge role, however body builders are the living proof that quality exercise and nutrition can enhance any muscle group. A strong ‘gluteus maximus’ and ‘gluteus minimus’ – the training terms for your rear end – can be achieved through a combination of strength training and a good sprint program.

Butt toning tip 1 – Run your way to a great booty

Not surprisingly, I recommend running – it will help burn off excess flab while also building up your muscles.

Sprinting is essentially the weight lifting of running especially when you throw hill running into the mix because your posterior chain muscles – including your calves, hamstrings and glutes – generate a lot of the power that is required when sprinting.

Try adding one or two 30-minute sprinting sessions into your workout week. Sprinting for 20 seconds then resting for 60 seconds is my personal favorite. Remember to build up to it though. You must walk before you can run, so only up your speed as and whenyour body feels ready.

Butt toning tip 2 – Make squats work for you

Squats, squats, squats – you can never do too many squats.

Squats will work your butt muscles and putting the effort into a repetitive squat routine will get your booty in shape in no time.  I recommend variety, so try a combination of squats.  

Options include a basic squat with no weights, then try adding weights, a jump, or speed variations.  You could even work your way up to split squats and one-legged squats.

There are many variations to this amazing exercise so, no matter if you are new to exercising or a seasoned professional, find the types of squat that are most comfortable for your body and add them into your fitness routine three days a week.

***

A great butt is not the be all and end all

By adding these exercises into your weekly routine you’ll be working your glutes and building a firm butt, but don’t forget that burning calories and being active are a great reward too.

When it comes to your body, health and wellness, we have to put jokes, vanity and the media aside. Remember that the visible benefits that come from working out are just an added bonus – it is the internal change and the improvement of your overall wellness that is of ultimate importance.

True beauty always comes from the inside.

ASIAN SHRIMP AND NOODLES

There is no need for take-out with this quick-n-tasty recipe for Asian Shrimp and Noodles! This dish has all of the Asian flavors that you love, with a fraction of the carbs and calories of traditional take-out. 

All of the flavors, none of the guilt! 

This dish is pretty epic: plump shrimp and tender veggies combine with savory sauce and satisfying veggie noodles. Yes, please!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need

For the Coconut Amino Sauce

• ⅓ cup coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon liquid stevia
• 1 Tablespoon chili paste (sambal oelek)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the Noodles

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper

For the Shrimp and Veggies

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• 2 cups (5oz) white cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Instructions

For the Coconut Amino Sauce

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients together. Whisk until fully combined. 

For the Noodles

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Peel the sweet potato and peel and seed the butternut squash and run both through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside. 

For the Shrimp and Veggies 

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 2 Tablespoons of the coconut amino sauce and the shrimp. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until fully cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. 
2. Add the mushroom, bell pepper, zucchini and carrot to the skillet. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. 
3. Add the shrimp, noodles and remaining coconut amino sauce back into the skillet and stir until fully combined. 
4. Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 193 calories, 4g fat, 20g carbohydrate, 6g sugar, 429mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 19g protein.

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Your Lifestyle: Your Diet

The best diet is the one that works best with your lifestyle, your budget, your food preferences and how much effort you're willing to give.

One of the more entertaining aspects of my work is that whenever I meet a new weight loss client, I never know where the conversation will lead.  Usually, I'll start by getting some history - I want to know the most and the least they've ever weight, what motivates them to eat better and get into shape, and also what has worked for them in the past and why hasn't - that sort of thing.  From there, I can start to get a sense for how much effort each particular client is willing to put forth, and what their expectations are.  And then we come up with a plan.  But I can't just tell someone WHAT they need to do - I need to figure out HOW they're going to do it too!  And we work TOGETHER to figure out what is going to work best for THEM.

Does one size fit all?
When it comes down to it, there’s no “one size fits all” dietary plan.  Everyone is different, and I need to take into account not just a person’s food likes and dislikes – I also need to know what their day is like, if they like to cook or not, if the cost of food is an issue, what time they exercise, how often they eat out (and where)  – there are a whole host of factors that I have to consider before I can give someone meaningful advice.

Should you take on a lot at once?
And then I have to consider what my clients want – or think they want.  Some people prefer a fairly strict approach – often, in fact, deciding to tackle a lot at once.  I’ve had plenty of clients who’ve decided to simultaneously attempt to lose weight, start exercising and quit smoking.  It’s a lot to take on, but it can work.  Maybe it’s the idea of  ‘wiping the slate clean’ and making a truly fresh start – sort of a “today is the first day of the rest of your life” attitude.  And sometimes when you’re working on one thing, it can reinforce the other changes you’re trying to make – as in, “if I’m going to exercise, it doesn’t make much sense to keep smoking”.

But when taking on too much doesn’t work, it’s usually because the process becomes overwhelming – there are just too many changes involved and too many adjustments to be made.  And then, people tend to simply give up – and nothing gets accomplished.

Or are you one to take things more slowly?
On the other hand, there are those who take a more cautious approach – they like to dip their toes into the water, and see what feels right.  They might make a few changes to set them on the right course, get those pretty well established into their daily life, and then move on to make a few more.  Slowly, over time, they accumulate a pretty impressive list of diet and lifestyle changes – and since they’ve given themselves a chance to let them settle in, they’re usually in pretty good shape to continue.

Figuring out what works for YOU will help you build a healthy diet and lifestyle plan
The point is this – there are plenty of paths that lead to the same destination.  Some are short and direct, others might meander a bit – and neither one is necessarily better than the other.
Just as I do with my clients, you need to think about what you realistically can do.  If you hate cooking or just don’t have the time, does it make sense to adopt a diet that requires you to home-cook every meal?  If you can’t remember the last time you ate a fruit or a vegetable, is it realistic to think that you’ll suddenly start eating seven servings a day?  Maybe not.


But remember this.  The way you choose to eat, the amount of activity you get, the lifestyle choices you make are yours – you own them.  And you also need to accept that the results you get will be a direct reflection of how much effort you put forth.  The harder you work at it, the better the results.  But that doesn’t mean that slow and steady can’t win the race, too.  Because the best diet isn’t the one someone else tells you to follow – the best diet is the one that works for you.



SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK WRAPS

Slow cooker recipes are a fantastic way to save time and energy while still getting a healthy, fitness-approved meal on the table. This recipe for slow cooker pulled pork wraps takes just a few minutes in the morning, then a few more minutes of prep right before you serve it. No need for carb-filled bread, eat your pulled pork wrapped in lettuce. It tastes awesome and will help you reach your goals faster. Servings: 12 Here's what you need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 (4lb) pork shoulder roast
• 1/2 cup organic chicken broth
• 1 cup organic, sugar-free barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 large organic yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 organic red bell pepper
• 1 organic yellow bell pepper
• 1 large organic yellow onion
• 1 head organic romaine lettuce

1. Place the olive oil in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Add the pork roast and pour the chicken broth over it.
3. In a medium bowl combine the barbeque sauce, vinegar, Dijon, chili powder, onion, garlic and thyme. Pour over the pork.
4. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours and 30 minutes. Once done, remove the pork from the slow cooker, discard the fat and shred the meat with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the juices in the slow cooker, on warm, until ready to serve.
5. Thinly slice the bell peppers and remaining onion. Saute in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Once very tender, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
6. Serve the pork on large romaine lettuce leaves and top with the tender peppers and onions. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 368 calories, 19g fat, 218mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 28g protein 

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Meal Deal??

 

A "meal deal" is no bargain if you're just buying extra fat, sugar, and calories.  There's an old joke that goes something like this: two women are having lunch in a restaurant they haven't been to before.  As they're finishing up their meal, one says to the other, "You know, the food here is really terrible!"  To which her companion snaps back, "I'll say! and such small portions too!"  It's so true, isn't it?  No matter what we're buying, we're always looking for a good value - even if it's food that isn't very good...or very good for you.

Getting more for your money is generally a good thing, and we’ve been conditioned to look for the best value in everything we buy – from laptops to laundry soap.  But if getting more for your money means getting more fat, more sugar and more calories, that can spell trouble for your waistline.

How often have you felt prodded to overeat – swayed by sales pitches that encourage you to buy more and consume more – and, by implication, “save” more?  Order the bigger burger, and there’s a good chance you’ll be offered a meal deal for a discount on your soda and fries, too (after all, you’ll need more liquid to wash it all down).  Order a large pizza, and you also get a sack of free breadsticks delivered to your door (just what you need for dinner… bread, with a side of bread).

Too bad the same doesn’t seem to hold true for healthy food.  Most of the time, when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables, you buy them by the pound – it doesn’t get any cheaper the more you buy.   I’ve been to movie theaters where I’ve been charged for a cup of water (just the cup, mind you – I had to fill it myself with water from the water fountain).  That’s because the cup probably costs the theater a lot more than the soda does – they could practically give it away if they didn’t have to pay for those darn cups.

How can you keep yourself from giving in when you’re feeling outside pressure to overeat?

Focus on getting nutritional value, not just a huge amount of food
Is your goal really to buy “more food for less money”? What you should be thinking about is how to buy the most nutrition you can with your money.  Spend $3 on a fast food meal and you’ll get about 40 grams of fat and a quarter-cup of sugar.  For the same three bucks, you could buy a carrot (all your vitamin A for the day) an orange (all your vitamin C for the day) a banana (a hefty dose of potassium), a bunch of broccoli (nearly all your folic acid for the day) and a can of black beans (22 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber).

Practice saying “no, thanks”
A few weeks ago, my local supermarket was giving away a one-liter bottle of soda with every purchase of $25 or more.  The checker just couldn’t believe that I didn’t want it – “but it’s free!”
So practice saying “no”…“no thanks”… “thanks, but no thanks”…”I’m good”…

You’re the one who determines how much you should be eating
Remember who’s in charge.  Just because a restaurant is willing to throw in an extra helping of food and call it “dinner”, doesn’t mean it’s an appropriate amount of food for you.  You know what how much you should be eating.  Keep a mental image of your portion sizes, and do your best to stick to them. 

Don’t buy it if you don’t want it

Sure, it sounds like a deal if you “buy one and get one free”.  And, if you’re good at taking home the extra for another meal, this might work.  But if you don’t want it – and you know you’ll be tempted to eat it – don’t buy it.  A “good deal” isn’t so good if you’re getting something you really don’t want.

Sesame Chicken Salad

Most sesame salads contain crispy noodles, but I've taken those out of this recipe, making it lower in carbs to help you towards your fitness goal. Servings: 6 

Here's what you need...

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 small organic green cabbage
• 1 cup pea pods, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cup shredded cooked chicken

For the Sesame Dressing:

• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons coconut aminos, or low sodium soy sauce
• 1 packet Stevia
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. In a small skillet place the slivered almonds over medium-low heat. Stir often until golden brown.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Wash the cabbage and cut into long thin strands. Do the same with the pea pods and the red bell peppers - the thinner you slice the better.
4. Mix the cabbage, bell pepper, pea pods, chicken and almond slivers in a large salad bowl.
5. Combine the salad dressing ingredients together.
6. Plate the salads and drizzle with some dressing.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 202 calories, 10g fat, 89mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 17g protein 

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Program starts Monday, March 5th.

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