How to indulge without ruining your diet!

An occasional indulgence isn’t really cheating – especially if you’ve planned for it.

Cheating – on your taxes, on a test, on your partner – is just plain wrong.  And chances are, even if you were to consider cheating, you probably wouldn’t ask for permission from your accountant or your teacher…or your partner.  So why are people always asking if it’s “okay to cheat” on their diet?  Does it feel “good” to be “bad”? Do they want to place the blame on their trainers shoulders if their cheating doesn’t lead to weight loss?  Or are they simply saying, “I just can’t be this strict with myself every single day – I need a break!”

Let me start by saying that – at least when it comes to eating healthy -  I don’t like to use the word ‘”cheat”.  And here’s why.  Most of us don’t cheat on our taxes, on tests or on our partners – because we know it’s wrong.  And so, if we did cheat, we’d feel really bad about it.  Following the same logic, if you “cheat” on your diet, it must be wrong – and you’re going to feel bad for having done it.  So let’s just dispense with the word “cheat” right off the bat.

Cheat or treat?
Since “cheat” sounds so negative, let’s call it something more positive instead – I think “treat” sounds a lot better.  There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while (80/20 rule you’ve heard me talk about before), especially if you’ve banked some calories in advance for your indulgence.  If you’ve saved up some calories all week so you have a few extra to spend on the weekend, is that “cheating”? Sounds more like  “good planning” to me.

Why do you feel the need to cheat ….I mean treat? J
Before you start planning, you might want to think about why you feel the need to “cheat” in the first place.  Are you being too strict with your eating and cutting back too far? Are your regular meals not satisfying or enjoyable? Are “cheating” and “being bad” your reward for being good all week?  One way to stop the need to stray from your eating plan is to get to the root of the problem.

Trying to adhere to an overly strict diet is probably one of the most common triggers for “cheating”.  Maybe you manage to hold things together pretty well all week, so you figure you deserve to cut loose and enjoy yourself on the weekend.

But if you’re eating yourself into a stupor every weekend because you “deserve it”, not only are you likely to undo any progress you made during the week, you’re also rewarding your good behavior with high calorie food.  Over time, you associate your healthy weekday foods with penalty, and your high calorie weekend indulgences with reward – which isn’t likely to foster lifelong healthy eating habits.

The other problem is that if you haven’t figured out the number of extra calories you can safely spend on the weekend, it’s too easy to tell yourself that you’ve been “so good” all week that you can’t possibly overdo it. Trust me – you can.

Planning your pleasure
So there’s a fine line to making this work, and it all depends on proper planning – which involves banking some calories and spending them wisely.
I’m more inclined to advise people to limit their “treat” to one meal rather than taking the whole day off.  There’s a big difference between eating something special that isn’t on your usual meal plan and taking the entire day off to eat whatever you want.  For some people, a whole day without dietary restrictions can be like a train without brakes – and can cause nearly as much damage.
But planning ahead for a “treat meal” is a lot easier to control.  First, consider your allotted calorie intake for the whole week.  Then, determine how many calories you can set aside each day to accumulate what you’ll need to spend on your splurge.  It also helps to be as specific as you can when you plan when, where and how you’re going to spend your calories.  Telling yourself, “I’ve been good all week so I can have a nice steak dinner” may not work as well as, “I’m saving up 400 calories this week because I’m going to my favorite restaurant on Saturday night and they make the best apple pie.”

Treating Isn’t cheating

If you feel that your “cheating” is the result of a too-strict diet, consider this.  Those who naturally maintain their weight manage to have treats from time to time.  It’s part of life – and an important skill to learn.  Eating perfectly all the time probably isn’t reasonable.  But if you eat three regular meals a day with healthy snacks in between and have a “treat” meal once a week, you’re being “good” at least 80% of the time.  And when you’ve planned and saved for your splurge, you can enjoy it guilt-free.  So make it special – put it on a plate, eat it slowly, savor it and enjoy it.  You earned it.

Cranberry Quinoa Mini Muffins

Here is a muffin that is truly packed with fiber. Whole wheat flour and wholesome cooked quinoa combine with almonds and cranberries for a moist and delicious treat. Cooked quinoa can be used in place of some of the flour in almost any recipe to increase protein and fiber.
Servings: 36 

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup unsweetened rice milk 
• 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds 
• 1/4 cup safflower oil 
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 
• zest from 1 small lemon 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/2 cup ground almonds 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 1 1/4 cups cooked quinoa 
• 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries 
• 1/4 cup organic turbinado raw cane sugar

1. Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Place 12 muffins liners in muffin pan and set aside. 
2. In a medium sized bowl combine the rice milk, flaxseed, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, almond and lemon zest. 
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, ground almond, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ones and fold in the cooked quinoa and chopped cranberries. 
4. Use an ice cream scooper to fill each muffin liner 3/4 full. Sprinkle the turbinado raw cane sugar on top of each muffin. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. 

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 55 calories, 2.5g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 1g 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. Register before January 1st and save $100! Forget about New Year's resolutions and get ready for the REVOLUTION. Just click here and get registered now.

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A Year Full Of Client Spotlights

We are so grateful to be able to serve our community and help our clients live healthier happier lives. Here are the success stories of some of our clients from this year. We are looking forward to helping more of our community members achieve and maintain their fitness goals in 2018!

January-  http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/01/client-spotlight.html

February- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/01/monthly-client-spotlight.html

April- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/04/client-spotlightapril-2017.html

May- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/05/monthly-client-spotlight.html

June- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/06/monthly-client-spotlight.html

July- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/07/july-client-spotlight.html

Sept-  http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/08/spotlight-on-bill-bernacky-september.html

Nov- http://pumpsvalpo.blogspot.com/2017/11/monthly-client-spotlight.html

Call For Your Free Body Transformation Analysis (219)-548-3480

Pumpstrainigandpilates@gmail.com

Pumpsfitnessinc.com  

Grilled Fruit Recipe

We are entering the holiday season, a time when sugar-and-fat laden desserts will materialize wherever you go. Wait! Before you forego your fitness goals for another piece of pie, try this simple recipe.

Fruit is nature's candy - it's sweet, delicate and delicious. Grilling fruit extracts the natural sugar, making it a warm, tasty treat. Serve seasonal grilled fruit for dessert this holiday season - you'll lose weight without depriving your taste buds.

Yield: 2 servings

Here's what you need:

• 1 mango (or apple, pear, melon, pineapple) 
• 1 banana (or fig, apricot, papaya, peach, nectarine) 
• Dash of cinnamon *optional* 
• Grill pan 
• Non-stick cooking spray 
• Wooden skewers

1. Submerge wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes. Cut fruit into chunks, thread onto skewers.
2. Lightly spray a grill pan over medium heat. Place the fruit skewers in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. 
3. Grill for 5 minutes, or until dark grill lines appear. Flip the fruit over and grill the other side.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 120 calories, .5g fat, 31g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 1g protein. 

How to take control of your body size

Do you find your body size fluctuates?  Sometimes it’s going up … and sometimes your body size is going down? 

Many people find that their body size is usually pretty steady but a long vacation, a period of intense exercise or a major life event can sometimes result in weight loss or gain.  When this happens it can lead you to feel out of control. In fact, I have a client whose body size changed a lot recently.  She is an active person  and is training to put on muscle. On top of working and her usual exercise routine, she also spends her time running around after her four lively kids! So, when she recently went on an extended vacation, she didn’t think twice about the extra exercising: her family was running around sight seeing and being active (hiking, biking etc.)…. having fun each day.  She didn’t pair the extra exercise with extra calories and her body weight dropped by about 7lbs. You may think this is wonderful news but she’s petite and losing that weight wasn’t something she was trying to do. Her body shape changed and her clothes didn’t fit properly. What she should have done was pair my calories in with her calories out.  In the back of her mind she knew this but she didn’t equally prioritize eating properly. And her sudden weight loss was accompanied with a lack of energy – the last thing she wanted!

Here are some tips to help you maintain your weight and avoid body size fluctuations – whatever is happening in your life. After all, you’ve worked hard to make sure your body is the right size for you – let’s make sure you keep the shape you want.

Plan for success

Know what you are going to do and when you are going to do it. This is important for both eating and exercising and will help you stay in control of your body size.

·      I make time for balanced meals and always keep a few healthy snacks on hand to make sure I have something nutritionally beneficial within reach – this is especially helpful when I’m rushing around.

·      I  try to make sure my minimum exercise level is set at 30 minutes a day.

With these two things I know that I can balance my calories in with my calories out. If I find myself exercising more then I can add an extra snack when I think about it – I don’t give myself a chance to forget and that means my body size will stay just right.

Be consistent

Whether you want to maintain, lose or gain weight then you need to be consistent with your eating and exercise routines. I feel like our attention spans are getting shorter but we have to give routines time to work. It’s no use doing something for a day or a week and then giving up.

At the same time, we know that a life that is the same every day would be boring. That means that if you have an extra portion of dessert one day then, no, you don’t need to jump up and start exercising to balance the calories.  You just need to say no to extra dessert the next day.

(Too often I hear people say they’re planning to miss a meal because they ate too much the day before.  It’s important to understand that even if you do slip up on your calories, you still need to consume calories later because your body needs consistent amounts of fuel. In the same way, follow a day of intense exercise with a different activity not complete laziness. For instance, the day after an endurance run consider a gentle swim.)

Balance

Don’t let changes in your life be an excuse to let your body size become something beyond your control.

I want to make it clear that you must not create a habit of thinking “I ate a donut = I must run for an hour right now” because this could create an unhealthy pattern of extremes. Exercise is not a substitute for poor nutrition and good nutrition is not a good excuse to skip your workout. These two important parts of our life work best when combined in a perfect balance. Strive to find the balance that is right for you.

Balancing your nutrition and activity level consistently will help you stay in control of your body size. And, when we feel in control, we feel happier!

Cauliflower, Kale and Chicken Sausage Bake

Here's a recipe that tastes like comfort food, but without the guilt. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, filled with calcium, and numerous vitamins and minerals. Servings: 6 

Here's what you need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• dash of salt and pepper
• Pinch of each, dried: thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and parsley
• 4 links nitrate-free, chicken sausage, sliced into half moons
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole dish with olive oil. Place a large pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, dried herbs and chicken sausage. Mix well, and then add kale. Cover for about 3 minutes, until kale gets bright green and wilted, then remove cover. Sauté for an additional 3 minutes until everything is tender. Set aside.
3. Place the cauliflower florets in the pot of boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, drain, and return cauliflower to pot.
4. Add the kale mixture to the pot as well as the chicken broth, lemon juice, ricotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Mix will over medium heat until all has been incorporated.
5. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 238 calories, 10g fat, 584mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 18g protein 

CALL FOR YOUR FREE FITNESS CONSULTATION

219-548-3480
Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

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4 Simple Ways To Eat Clean

By now you are probably aware that the term, eat clean, has nothing to do with washing your food and has everything to do with eating in a way that promotes fat loss. 

While it may sound simple enough, it's pretty challenging to stick with a clean eating plan. I suppose if it were easy then everyone would be lean and confident about their body. 

So what's the secret to long-term, clean eating success? Here it is... 

How-To-Eat-Clean Secret #1: Keep It Balanced So many fat loss strategies out there encourage eating only from one category of food: soup, grapefruit, salad, chicken breast...While these foods may promote fat loss and reduce overall calorie intake, this way of eating sets you up for a fall. 

No one sticks with highly restrictive, one-food-only diets for very long, and you're no exception. To make your clean eating plan last, keep your diet balanced with a range of healthy, real foods. 

How-To-Eat-Clean Secret #2: Don't Put a Label On It How many times have you uttered the words I'm on a diet? Ugh, just saying that puts one in the mood to cheat on said diet. 

If eating clean means you're on a diet, then you're not committed enough to make this a way of life. True fat loss success comes when clean eating is second nature, and not a temporarily imposed sentence. 

How-To-Eat-Clean Secret #3: Have Patience Wouldn't it be great if a week of clean eating could erase a decade worth of indulgences? But, alas, you didn't gain that fat in a week, and you won't lose it in a week either. 

Look for, and acknowledge, each and every small victory along the way to your long-term goal. Notice each pound, each inch and each pant size. These accomplishments build on one another until you reach your ultimate goal. Just remember that big changes take consistent, long-term effort. Be patient. 

How-To-Eat-Clean Secret #4: Have a Plan This is the most important step in your clean eating quest, without it you'll flounder around without direction and will likely find yourself staring into the bottom of a bowl of ice cream. Spend time writing out your do's and don't's for your clean eating plan—and please feel free to reach out to me to help you with this step. Make a list of foods that your diet should mainly consist of and then make another list of completely off-limits foods. 

Use these 4 steps as a guide to make clean eating a way of life. Click reply or call to get started on one of my fitness programs that will transform your body – once and for all. 

Breakfast Protein Parfait

Here's a great recipe to make the night before for an easy grab-n-go breakfast straight out of the fridge. It's packed with protein, vitamins and minerals for sustained energy all morning long. And it tastes great too.
Servings: 1 

Here's what you need...

• 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, plain, fat free
• 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 scoop high quality strawberry or vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup fresh berries
• 1 Tablespoon pecan pieces, toasted

1. In a small bowl use a whisk to combine the yogurt, cottage cheese and protein powder. Mix until well incorporated.
2. Place half of the yogurt mixture into a clear cup, top with the berries and then the remaining yogurt mixture. Top with pecans.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 260 calories, 6g fat, 307mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 38g protein. 

CALL FOR YOUR FREE FITNESS CONSULTATION

219-548-3480

Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Pumpsfitnessinc.com

Your Holly Jolly Workout

Shopping, pageants, parties, family gatherings, and food, food, food. The holiday season is filled with good things, making it the holly-est, jolly-est time of year. And it's easy to get caught up in the tinsel, lights, eggnog, and chocolate and forget about barbells and running shoes. This is why people gain an average of one pound (overweight folks gain even more) during the winter holiday months. You may not think a pound is that big of a deal, but pack them on year after year and they add up. 

While a pound is the average, who wants to be average? Beat the statistics and avoid holiday weight gain by fitting in exercise this year. Here’s how.

A New Tradition

Along with stockings, trees, and carols, why not create new family traditions that include exercise? After your big family meals, plan to take a walk, go on a hike, or go sledding together to burn off the extra calories. Spending time outdoors beats sitting around on the couch and you won't regret it. 

Shed the Stress

In case you’ve not heard, stress can be a major contributing factor to overeating. For many, the holidays can bring on all sorts of stress. The good news is that you don’t have to hang onto that stress and use it as an excuse to overeat. When going into a situation that you anticipate will be stressful, gear up beforehand with a run or quick trip to the gym. The good vibes coursing through your veins afterward should help ward off negative stress and help you make better dinnertime decisions. 

Lose Your Tunnel Vision

Ideally, you will be able to get in for a workout four to five times each week. However, the holidays often make this impossible. Not only are you on the road part of the time, you also have parties to prepare for and presents to wrap. Don’t let this cause you to fall into complacency. Wherever you are, you’re able to exercise. Remember: jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, chin-ups, and running requires no special equipment. Just will power.

Shop Healthily

In today’s world, many people prefer to sit in their pajamas and do all their holiday shopping online. Don’t be one of them. Appealing as it may be to shop online, you can burn off a few more calories if you’re willing to shop at stores. Sure, there will be loonies out who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the last toy or sweater available, but shopping at actual stores forces you to walk and get rid of calories while you’re doing one of your favorite things.

Be Useful

Across the world, the holidays are pictured as times of fun and relaxation. While they should be both, that doesn’t mean you should sit around doing nothing. No matter where you’re spending your holidays, someone still has to work to make sure everything goes off as planned. Have family coming over? Better grab a shovel and clear the snow off the sidewalk and driveway. Your mom cooking up her famous recipes in the kitchen? Get in there and help by cleaning the dishes! It’ll give you a chance to burn a handful of calories, while spending quality time with your loved ones. After all, that’s what makes these days so holly jolly.

A Gift For YOU

This is the time of year that you focus in on getting something special for all the important people in your life. You put time and thought into finding that perfect gift that will make them feel loved. 

But what about you? 

With all that you do for others, it’s time to do something just for you. 

How about the gift of a totally reshaped body in 2017? You and I both know that you deserve it. It’s your time…embrace it. 

Let me be the one to make it happen. Call or email now and we’ll get started.

South-Of-The-Border Chicken & Rice Soup

A bowl of this homemade soup is a wonderful meal to enjoy during the holidays. It’s low carb and filled with protein and veggies to power your day and curb your cravings. Best of all it’s made in the slow cooker, so preparation is quick and easy. 

Servings: 8 

Here's what you need:

• 2 organic, free range chicken breasts

• 1 (28oz) can diced, fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 (4oz) can green chiles, chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 head cauliflower, shredded

• 32 oz organic, free range chicken broth

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• dash of sea salt and pepper

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 avocados

• Tajin seasoning for garnish

1 Combine all of the ingredients, except the cilantro, avocado and tajin, in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

2 Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker. Shred with a fork and then return to the slow cooker.

3 Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of cilantro, a few slices of avocado and a dash of tajin. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 178 calories, 11g fat, 414mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 25g protein. 

Call today for a free body consultation!

Email: Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Phone: 219-548-3480

Web: Pumpsfitnessinc.com

New prescription for you…

Dr. Joseph Mercola, a well-known health advocate, has an interesting take on exercise.

He believes that it should be prescribed, like any other medication, in daily doses.

“The simple act of writing out a prescription for exercise is an excellent approach to being proactive in regard to your health. It's also far more logical, inexpensive and actually radically reduces your risk of most every chronic disease known to man. A daily exercise routine is one of the main factors in achieving optimal wellness.”

Whether you think about it or not, each day you are faced with the option to get your daily does of exercise or not.

Will you find the time to hit the gym today, or will the business of the day leave you exhausted on the couch? Quite frankly, you don’t have reasons to not do it—you only have excuses.

If you are like most then exercise isn’t at the top of your list of favorite things. You’d rather be immersed in a bowl of ice cream, enjoying their favorite TV show or dining out with friends instead of sweating in the gym.

But the fact is that your favorite things add inches to your waist, and you know that a larger waist equals an increase in health problems, not to mention an overall decrease in your quality of life.

It’s time to get serious about exercise.

You could start by changing your attitude toward exercise. If you go into it with a bad attitude, chances are you won’t enjoy it. It’s time to accept the fact that you can enjoy exercise.

Consider the following:

•              Have you written off exercise based on a particular type of routine – maybe you would enjoy something different. The truth is that no one can deny how great it feels to accomplish a challenging workout. It’s rewarding, invigorating and feels great. You simply need to find the right form of exercise for you.

•              Try to pinpoint the main reason that you dislike exercise. Is it the uncomfortable workout clothes that you own? Maybe it is time for a new style. Is it trying to decide what machine to use at the gym? Maybe it is time for a personal trainer (more on that later). Is it the pain that you feel in your shoulder when swimming? Maybe it is time to find a new form of cardiovascular exercise—one that won’t aggravate your injury. Or maybe it is time to be RESET to correct the pain from that injury.

See, the truth of the matter is that there are many different forms of exercises that will give you the results that you want. Don’t like the gym? There’s a program for you. Don’t like running? There is an alternative. Don’t have the time? There are time friendly exercise routines that will give you incredible results in under an hour.

Like I said, when it comes to exercise you have tons of options. But it all starts with ditching the excuses and asking a qualified fitness expert like me for the right program for you.

Is it really that easy? Yes.

So where do you begin? Just pick up the phone and give me a call or simply shoot me an email and let me know that you’re ready to get in the best shape of your life.

Exercise is your new prescription medication -- don’t forget to take your daily dose!

Find Your Motivation

Motivation comes from having a goal. What is your goal? Why do you want to get into great shape?

Take a minute to really uncover the reason that you want to lose the weight. Don’t say something vague like you want to ‘Be thinner’ or ‘Look more attractive.’ Dig deeper – there is a very specific motivator in your life, you simply need to uncover it.

Here are some possible motivators…

•              I want to have more energy to keep up with the kids.

•              I want to improve my health through weight loss to extend and improve my life.

•              I want to lose 15 pounds before my vacation.

•              I want to restore my confidence to wear sleeveless shirts.

•              I want to regain my figure to impress and attract my significant other.

On-The-Go Ham Cups

Here’s a recipe for the perfect on-the-go energy food. Ham, broccoli and an egg combine for a tasty snack that’s packed with protein and fiber. Make a dozen and enjoy throughout your week.

Servings: 12

Here’s what you need…

•              1 teaspoon olive oil

•              1 clove garlic, minced

•              ½ yellow onion, chopped

•              12 slices of nitrate free ham

•              1 cup broccoli, steamed and chopped

•              ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

•              dash of salt and pepper

•              12 eggs

1              Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2              In a medium sized skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Cook until tender.

3              Add the steamed broccoli, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined. Remove from heat.

4              Using kitchen scissors, make a slice to the center of each piece of ham, then fold into a cone shape in each muffin cup. Fill halfway with the broccoli mixture.

5              Crack an egg into each ham cup. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until the edges of the ham are crispy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 135 calories, 8g fat, 437mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 12g protein.

Call today for a consultation and assessment!

Email: Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

Phone: 219-548-3480

Web: Pumpsfitnessinc.com