Fitness Tip: Stop being comfortable
I had a great day as a trainer today. One of my clients decided to up her ante and do something different for her cardio. She went out of her comfort zone and tried something different. That is the key to real success in weight loss. You must step out of your comfort zone. You must up the ante. Why? Because that which has made you comfortable has made you miserable and is the reason why you do not like what you see in front of you. Comfort is not the desirable option, conquering fear is. Fear is the emotion that holds you back. Comfort is the feeling that is derived form avoiding fear. Comfort is manifests in just taking a walk, eating a bowl of ice cream, and staying bed. Fear is the best feeling because once you face it, it is over. So face it!
Food Tip: Comfort Food
Comfort food does not need to be bad for you. I love the feeling that comfort food gives me, I love a meat that makes me feel like I am back in the wound. Besides, if you know my mother, I refer to here as the butcher of Justice, Illinois. So here is comfort food that is not bad for you and will still give you that nice warm hug you are seeking.
Healthy Meat Loaf Recipe
Ingredients:
1lb ground beef, extra lean
4 oz tomato paste
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup green peppers, chopped
1 tsp mustard
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup bread crumbs, (toast a piece of whole grain bread, and run thru blender)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Place in 1-pound loaf pan and bake covered at 350 °F for 50 minutes. Use a pan with a drip rack and you will not have to deal with grease. Uncover pan and continue baking for 10 minutes. That’s it. Chopping veggies is the hardest work. Prep is less than ten minutes!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Blog Entry 9.29
Fitness Tip: Posture counts.
One of the greatest assets to working out is a sense of confidence. After I workout, I can usually say I walk with a sense of pride, a puffed-out chest and a feeling that I accomplished something. All of that gets wasted with bad posture. So check your posture out. And do it periodically through the day. Stand against a wall and rest the back of your head and the back of your feet against wall while keeping chin up. Slowly walk away from wall. If you remember that pose, you are in good posture. Keeping your abs tight will help you remember this position. Keeping a good sense of posture is paramount in noticing the results in the gym. It also will prevent looking hunched when you get older. No one wants to look like they should be ringing a bell at Norte Dame.
Beef of the Day: Eye of Round
Yes, it is beef week. So all of you haters get over it! Vegans, you will have your week next week, so keep your panties on.
I chose eye of round because it is an inexpensive piece of meat. Also, it is very low in fat. In fact, rarely are there specks of fat contained in the eye of round. This makes it very tricky to cook because it is very tough. Fat does tend to make things taste better doesn’t it? Eye of round is a nice alternative to roast. In fact, it can be very versatile. It is the meat used in Carpaccio. It can make great roast beef sandwiches and has enough flavor to stand alone.
Here is the way to cook it
Eye of round roast (about 3lbs)
¼ cup fresh rosemary
1 oz balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Poke holes in roast and place on baking sheet with rosemary on bottom. Cover with balsamic vinegar so that it pours into holes of roast. Preheat oven at 475. Leave uncovered and place roast in oven. Cook for 7 minutes a pound, so twenty-one minutes. Then, turn off oven and let sit in closed oven for 2 hours. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. This seems unusually but it works. Let rest 5 minutes and slice thin. I am telling you, this works!
One of the greatest assets to working out is a sense of confidence. After I workout, I can usually say I walk with a sense of pride, a puffed-out chest and a feeling that I accomplished something. All of that gets wasted with bad posture. So check your posture out. And do it periodically through the day. Stand against a wall and rest the back of your head and the back of your feet against wall while keeping chin up. Slowly walk away from wall. If you remember that pose, you are in good posture. Keeping your abs tight will help you remember this position. Keeping a good sense of posture is paramount in noticing the results in the gym. It also will prevent looking hunched when you get older. No one wants to look like they should be ringing a bell at Norte Dame.
Beef of the Day: Eye of Round
Yes, it is beef week. So all of you haters get over it! Vegans, you will have your week next week, so keep your panties on.
I chose eye of round because it is an inexpensive piece of meat. Also, it is very low in fat. In fact, rarely are there specks of fat contained in the eye of round. This makes it very tricky to cook because it is very tough. Fat does tend to make things taste better doesn’t it? Eye of round is a nice alternative to roast. In fact, it can be very versatile. It is the meat used in Carpaccio. It can make great roast beef sandwiches and has enough flavor to stand alone.
Here is the way to cook it
Eye of round roast (about 3lbs)
¼ cup fresh rosemary
1 oz balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Poke holes in roast and place on baking sheet with rosemary on bottom. Cover with balsamic vinegar so that it pours into holes of roast. Preheat oven at 475. Leave uncovered and place roast in oven. Cook for 7 minutes a pound, so twenty-one minutes. Then, turn off oven and let sit in closed oven for 2 hours. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. This seems unusually but it works. Let rest 5 minutes and slice thin. I am telling you, this works!
Monday, September 28, 2009
This is what's for dinner
People crave things. Whether it be a salty pretzel after downing some draft beer. Or a chocolate morsel after a long day of hearing people’s problems. Or maybe a stuffed pizza when you are feeling completely inadequate and are questioning your placement on earth. I am not into those things. My craving is a tad more perverse. I think about it nightly. I sometimes find myself drifting into its spell. My drug of choice is of the animal kind. I crave beef.
Beef and its sanguine glory. It’s flesh that only a true man can understand. It is epitome of carnage. A vestige of veracity. It’s sublime savory sensation makes me salivate while I drown in anticipation of my next bite. The dripping juice is the liquid that sustains life. It is the pinnacle protein. And I cannot believe why people opt not to eat it.
In all seriousness, beef is a great option for dinner. It is high and protein. There are also very lean cuts of beef. Sirloins, filet and roasts are options to have beef without the fatty gristle that one might think when say you order a rib eye. Beef is not some less healthy option. It is not the evil meat. So skip the chicken one night and go hog wild. (no pun, obviously)
Another benefit of beef is that it is high in creatine. Creatine is necessary component in building muscle. So when you are trying to lose weight and gain muscle, beef is an easy way to make it happen. Not that I am against fish and chicken, but if you are looking for pure muscle growth, beef is the right animal (This time pun intended).
Lastly, beef can actually speed up your metabolism. Beef is a very dense protein and it takes time and effort for your body to process it. The amount of energy that your body expends in breaking down beef actually burns calories because it takes a longer endothermic process to break it down. The heightened endothermic process burns calories. Just like whole fruits and fibrous greens, beef speeds up your metabolism and can make you shed some extra pounds without much effort. It won’t help if you cover the beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. But if you eat steak with say an avocado, and a spinach salad, you are going to do some great things to beef up your metabolism.
So next time you say, “I try not to eat red meat”; think about this post and say, on second thought I’ll have the fillet. And welcome to beef week….Tuesday thru Friday are recipes dedicated to the bovine beauty.
Beef and its sanguine glory. It’s flesh that only a true man can understand. It is epitome of carnage. A vestige of veracity. It’s sublime savory sensation makes me salivate while I drown in anticipation of my next bite. The dripping juice is the liquid that sustains life. It is the pinnacle protein. And I cannot believe why people opt not to eat it.
In all seriousness, beef is a great option for dinner. It is high and protein. There are also very lean cuts of beef. Sirloins, filet and roasts are options to have beef without the fatty gristle that one might think when say you order a rib eye. Beef is not some less healthy option. It is not the evil meat. So skip the chicken one night and go hog wild. (no pun, obviously)
Another benefit of beef is that it is high in creatine. Creatine is necessary component in building muscle. So when you are trying to lose weight and gain muscle, beef is an easy way to make it happen. Not that I am against fish and chicken, but if you are looking for pure muscle growth, beef is the right animal (This time pun intended).
Lastly, beef can actually speed up your metabolism. Beef is a very dense protein and it takes time and effort for your body to process it. The amount of energy that your body expends in breaking down beef actually burns calories because it takes a longer endothermic process to break it down. The heightened endothermic process burns calories. Just like whole fruits and fibrous greens, beef speeds up your metabolism and can make you shed some extra pounds without much effort. It won’t help if you cover the beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. But if you eat steak with say an avocado, and a spinach salad, you are going to do some great things to beef up your metabolism.
So next time you say, “I try not to eat red meat”; think about this post and say, on second thought I’ll have the fillet. And welcome to beef week….Tuesday thru Friday are recipes dedicated to the bovine beauty.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Blog Entry 9.25
Fitness Tip: Don’t buy home equipment
Here is my thing- do not but exercise equipment at your house because you just won’t use it. People spend thousands of dollars to have elliptical machines, weight benches and ab rockets. Most of you use this equipment for a week and then it becomes a very expensive drying reach for your laundry And there is a reason. You must have a dedicated area to work out in. A gym requires you to dedicate your time to working out. If you go, you will work out. If you are home, you will be distracted. Someone will call you, you will see that your floor needs vacuuming or that I really like my comfy bed and would rather be on it. So skip the equipment. Pay your monthly membership in a gym. It is worth it in the long run.
Food Tip: Spicy before salt
It is a little known fact that adding some heat makes the craving salt a little less. It makes sense. Salt is a flavor enzyme and makes flavors more alive. Spice makes taste buds wake up So instead of adding salt, which cause water retention and bloating, add some chili flakes.
Recipe: Asparagus & Parmesan Frittata
8 large egg whites
¼ cup green onions
1 cup frozen asparagus, diced
1/2 cup Non-Fat Swiss cheese
¼ cup Parmesan
1 tsp flour
1 tblsp olive oil1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except for Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Heat olive oil in a thick 8 inch pan, making sure sides are well-coated at a medium heat. Add egg mixture and heat til settled completely. Place in oven with a broiler on. Sprinkle Parmesan and broil til golden. It is easy and it is a low-carb, crustless quiche!
Here is my thing- do not but exercise equipment at your house because you just won’t use it. People spend thousands of dollars to have elliptical machines, weight benches and ab rockets. Most of you use this equipment for a week and then it becomes a very expensive drying reach for your laundry And there is a reason. You must have a dedicated area to work out in. A gym requires you to dedicate your time to working out. If you go, you will work out. If you are home, you will be distracted. Someone will call you, you will see that your floor needs vacuuming or that I really like my comfy bed and would rather be on it. So skip the equipment. Pay your monthly membership in a gym. It is worth it in the long run.
Food Tip: Spicy before salt
It is a little known fact that adding some heat makes the craving salt a little less. It makes sense. Salt is a flavor enzyme and makes flavors more alive. Spice makes taste buds wake up So instead of adding salt, which cause water retention and bloating, add some chili flakes.
Recipe: Asparagus & Parmesan Frittata
8 large egg whites
¼ cup green onions
1 cup frozen asparagus, diced
1/2 cup Non-Fat Swiss cheese
¼ cup Parmesan
1 tsp flour
1 tblsp olive oil1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except for Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Heat olive oil in a thick 8 inch pan, making sure sides are well-coated at a medium heat. Add egg mixture and heat til settled completely. Place in oven with a broiler on. Sprinkle Parmesan and broil til golden. It is easy and it is a low-carb, crustless quiche!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
sept 23rd
Fitness Tip: Use your noggin.
Whether you want to loose weight or gain strength, it is important to journal. Here is why. Writing it down and getting out your feelings will allow you to recognize the source of the problem. You are not merely barbecue you eat to much (who said that?). You are fat because something inside you makes you eat too much. Weight gain and stagnation is just self-sabotage. Why do we get there? I cannot answer it. It may be guilt, shame or depression. Chances are your depression is not the cause but a result of something deeper. Find it. And when you find it you will feel free. Writing it down will help you find your way.
Food Tip: Check out Your Box
Look at the label people. I cannot tell you how many times people don’t realize how many calories they are consuming because they don’t read the label. Just because a can of soup for instance, looks like one serving, does not mean that it is. Make sure that you do not just read the numbers on the back and count the calories accordingly. Look at the serving size. It can be deceptive. Sometimes there are two serving when you think there is only one. It’s a mass conspiracy. I swear.
Mid-East Chicken Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil1.5 pound on skinless chicken breastsfreshly ground black pepper1 cup chopped green onion2 cloves garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp chili flakes
3 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of celery1 cup chicken broth1 cup chopped cilantro
1 can of diced tomatoes
Here is the easy, breezy way of making this. Take the chicken and brown it a pan with oil. After it is in the pan for a minute, add carrots, celery. Let these sweat for a few minutes then dump the pan in a crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and let cook on low for four hours.
Whether you want to loose weight or gain strength, it is important to journal. Here is why. Writing it down and getting out your feelings will allow you to recognize the source of the problem. You are not merely barbecue you eat to much (who said that?). You are fat because something inside you makes you eat too much. Weight gain and stagnation is just self-sabotage. Why do we get there? I cannot answer it. It may be guilt, shame or depression. Chances are your depression is not the cause but a result of something deeper. Find it. And when you find it you will feel free. Writing it down will help you find your way.
Food Tip: Check out Your Box
Look at the label people. I cannot tell you how many times people don’t realize how many calories they are consuming because they don’t read the label. Just because a can of soup for instance, looks like one serving, does not mean that it is. Make sure that you do not just read the numbers on the back and count the calories accordingly. Look at the serving size. It can be deceptive. Sometimes there are two serving when you think there is only one. It’s a mass conspiracy. I swear.
Mid-East Chicken Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil1.5 pound on skinless chicken breastsfreshly ground black pepper1 cup chopped green onion2 cloves garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp chili flakes
3 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of celery1 cup chicken broth1 cup chopped cilantro
1 can of diced tomatoes
Here is the easy, breezy way of making this. Take the chicken and brown it a pan with oil. After it is in the pan for a minute, add carrots, celery. Let these sweat for a few minutes then dump the pan in a crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and let cook on low for four hours.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday Sept 22
Fitness Tip: Work on you!
Having a healthy self esteem is essential if we are to achieve your fitness goals. It is difficult to have a good sense of self esteem at gym when all you see are annoyingly in shape guys and girls. I know that very well. It is important for you to make some steps to making building your self esteem, It is just as important as building your biceps! Do not judge yourself based on other people. Some of these people that go to the gym have all of their life. Do not compare your successes to what come naturally for them.
Take baby steps. Plan a small challenge each day to build your confidence. Even if it is to put the incline higher than the last time your ran. That is enough. And reward yourself. Think of ways to reward yourself that does not include food, wine or dessert! Get a massage!
Food tip: Get a scale
You can’t really make that many fitness gains if you are constantly guessing what you are eating. Eyeballing only works for Rachael Ray. It is important to weigh your portions. This does not take long. It also provides you to be more consistent in creating recipes on your own. A scale is your best friend in the kitchen- even if it is a nemesis in the bathroom! Weight your portions so you know exactly what you are eating.
Vietnamese inspired Chicken Breast in Lettuce Cups
1 cup brown rice
1 pound chicken breasts, diced
1 tablespoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
3 clove(s) garlic
2 bunches of broccoli, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can bamboo shoots
1 cup carrots
1 tsp olive oil
2 teaspoon powder ginger
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh mint leaves
12 Boston lettuce leaves
Directions
Prepare rice as label directs.
In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and spices. Then add chicken for 2 or 3 minutes until brown. Remove skillet from heat; stir in half of cilantro and mint.
Divide rice among lettuce leaves; with chicken and vegetables along with rest of the herbs, Fold over leaves and pop in your mouth!
Having a healthy self esteem is essential if we are to achieve your fitness goals. It is difficult to have a good sense of self esteem at gym when all you see are annoyingly in shape guys and girls. I know that very well. It is important for you to make some steps to making building your self esteem, It is just as important as building your biceps! Do not judge yourself based on other people. Some of these people that go to the gym have all of their life. Do not compare your successes to what come naturally for them.
Take baby steps. Plan a small challenge each day to build your confidence. Even if it is to put the incline higher than the last time your ran. That is enough. And reward yourself. Think of ways to reward yourself that does not include food, wine or dessert! Get a massage!
Food tip: Get a scale
You can’t really make that many fitness gains if you are constantly guessing what you are eating. Eyeballing only works for Rachael Ray. It is important to weigh your portions. This does not take long. It also provides you to be more consistent in creating recipes on your own. A scale is your best friend in the kitchen- even if it is a nemesis in the bathroom! Weight your portions so you know exactly what you are eating.
Vietnamese inspired Chicken Breast in Lettuce Cups
1 cup brown rice
1 pound chicken breasts, diced
1 tablespoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
3 clove(s) garlic
2 bunches of broccoli, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can bamboo shoots
1 cup carrots
1 tsp olive oil
2 teaspoon powder ginger
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh mint leaves
12 Boston lettuce leaves
Directions
Prepare rice as label directs.
In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and spices. Then add chicken for 2 or 3 minutes until brown. Remove skillet from heat; stir in half of cilantro and mint.
Divide rice among lettuce leaves; with chicken and vegetables along with rest of the herbs, Fold over leaves and pop in your mouth!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Sunday, Sept 20
Food Tip: Eat Breakfast
This is being written because of a conversation I had with someone last week. It is really important to have breakfast when trying to lose weight. More importantly, your breakfast should be over 300 calories. Here is why. A full breakfast eliminates the need for those afternoon munchies. Let’s face it, it is the afternoon where we make the worst choices. Eating a big breakfast also speeds up your metabolism. Eating creates an endothermic reaction causes heat which makes metabolism burn and rev up. So eat and it will fire up your sagging metabolism.
Fitness Tip: Mix it up
Ever sit at a machine and wait for a minute so that your muscles recover to do another set? Well don’t. here is an idea, do some jumping jacks, some easy squats or run in place. This will fire up you metabolism so that you burn more calories. As long as you are resting the muscles that are required by the machine, you are still recovering. But might as well move around, I mean you are at a gym, not library.
General Food Tip: Apple Sauce
I baked yesterday. I do not bake - mainly because I am a trainer. If you look at the ingredients in a cake mix, it calls for more oil than a Greek barber shop. So instead of oil, I used applesauce. The cake was moist, delicious and worked well. So, try apple sauce as an alternative to antiquated vegetable oil (lol).
This is being written because of a conversation I had with someone last week. It is really important to have breakfast when trying to lose weight. More importantly, your breakfast should be over 300 calories. Here is why. A full breakfast eliminates the need for those afternoon munchies. Let’s face it, it is the afternoon where we make the worst choices. Eating a big breakfast also speeds up your metabolism. Eating creates an endothermic reaction causes heat which makes metabolism burn and rev up. So eat and it will fire up your sagging metabolism.
Fitness Tip: Mix it up
Ever sit at a machine and wait for a minute so that your muscles recover to do another set? Well don’t. here is an idea, do some jumping jacks, some easy squats or run in place. This will fire up you metabolism so that you burn more calories. As long as you are resting the muscles that are required by the machine, you are still recovering. But might as well move around, I mean you are at a gym, not library.
General Food Tip: Apple Sauce
I baked yesterday. I do not bake - mainly because I am a trainer. If you look at the ingredients in a cake mix, it calls for more oil than a Greek barber shop. So instead of oil, I used applesauce. The cake was moist, delicious and worked well. So, try apple sauce as an alternative to antiquated vegetable oil (lol).
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I am better, amen
I am sorry for not blogging. I had a bad cold and last night was the first night that I ate solid foods! Therefore, blogging about food did not make sense. But, I am back and all is well.
Fitness Tip: Negatives
To add some diversity to your workout, one way to mix it up is to do negatives. No, I don’t mean saying “No, I won’t work out, “ I suck” “ or “My arm hurts I can’t”. Negatives are when you do the exercises super-slowly, up and down. This creates an isometric exercise while moving, It makes you use sabilizer muscles that normally do not get targeted. Negatives fatigue your muscle quickly, but make you work harder and more effectively. Take about 60% of the weight you would normally use and perform counting three seconds in the pulling or pushing in, and three second pulling or pushing out. This will shake up your workout and your muscles!
Food Tip: Omega-3
You must eat oil. Oil is good for your skin and joints. Think Tin Man. It is important to have a good variety of fatty acids. Salmon and avocados are natural foods that contain fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are great for you heart. They also help in your mood. I mean it won’t replace a Prozac, but it could help you when you are feeling as moody as Kayne West. What is wrong with him anyway? So either take Omega-3 as a natural food source (salmon, almonds, olive oil, or avocado), or take as a supplement, such as fish oil or flax seed oil tablets.
Fitness Tip: Negatives
To add some diversity to your workout, one way to mix it up is to do negatives. No, I don’t mean saying “No, I won’t work out, “ I suck” “ or “My arm hurts I can’t”. Negatives are when you do the exercises super-slowly, up and down. This creates an isometric exercise while moving, It makes you use sabilizer muscles that normally do not get targeted. Negatives fatigue your muscle quickly, but make you work harder and more effectively. Take about 60% of the weight you would normally use and perform counting three seconds in the pulling or pushing in, and three second pulling or pushing out. This will shake up your workout and your muscles!
Food Tip: Omega-3
You must eat oil. Oil is good for your skin and joints. Think Tin Man. It is important to have a good variety of fatty acids. Salmon and avocados are natural foods that contain fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are great for you heart. They also help in your mood. I mean it won’t replace a Prozac, but it could help you when you are feeling as moody as Kayne West. What is wrong with him anyway? So either take Omega-3 as a natural food source (salmon, almonds, olive oil, or avocado), or take as a supplement, such as fish oil or flax seed oil tablets.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Fitness Tip: Buy some cables
If I hear one more time that I am traveling so I can’t workout, Ill seriously crush my skull with a dumbbell. By no means do I think that working out on the road is easy - but it can happen.
Here are two ways.
1. Get a cable
Resistance cables are light, easy to pack and perfect way to add resistance. Plus, if you don’t know how to use them, most come with an instructional video. So use it, and the cost is usually less that twenty dollars. If you don’t know how to use them, again, hire me.
2. Body-weight exercises.
You can do a great deal of exercises with just your body weight. You can do squats, lunges, planks and push-ups. That’s all you really need. Your best piece of equipment is you! If you need to review, check out
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/basictraining.htm
Recipe Pesto for breakfast!
I loved green eggs in ham. In fact, I love Dr. Seuss. So here is my spin on green eggs and ham.
Serves 4, or two of me
8 eggs
4 tsps reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced green pepper
1 teaspoons prepared pesto sauce
4 slices turkey bacon
1 avocado chopped
4 10-inch flour tortilla
1. Fry bacon and drain according to directions. Set aside.
2. Combine eggs, onions, green peppers, and pesto and make a scramble.
3. Take eggs and bacon and even portion out into tortillas. You may want them warm so nuke them in microwave for about ten seconds. Then add avocado, cheese, tomato and sour cream. Wrap and enjoy.
If I hear one more time that I am traveling so I can’t workout, Ill seriously crush my skull with a dumbbell. By no means do I think that working out on the road is easy - but it can happen.
Here are two ways.
1. Get a cable
Resistance cables are light, easy to pack and perfect way to add resistance. Plus, if you don’t know how to use them, most come with an instructional video. So use it, and the cost is usually less that twenty dollars. If you don’t know how to use them, again, hire me.
2. Body-weight exercises.
You can do a great deal of exercises with just your body weight. You can do squats, lunges, planks and push-ups. That’s all you really need. Your best piece of equipment is you! If you need to review, check out
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/basictraining.htm
Recipe Pesto for breakfast!
I loved green eggs in ham. In fact, I love Dr. Seuss. So here is my spin on green eggs and ham.
Serves 4, or two of me
8 eggs
4 tsps reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced green pepper
1 teaspoons prepared pesto sauce
4 slices turkey bacon
1 avocado chopped
4 10-inch flour tortilla
1. Fry bacon and drain according to directions. Set aside.
2. Combine eggs, onions, green peppers, and pesto and make a scramble.
3. Take eggs and bacon and even portion out into tortillas. You may want them warm so nuke them in microwave for about ten seconds. Then add avocado, cheese, tomato and sour cream. Wrap and enjoy.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Blog, Sept 15
Fitness Tips: Get inspired!
It is difficult to go to the gym without inspiration. A lot of people that are fit go to the gym because it is their drug. For me, the gym is a few minutes of clarity that I need. To drone out the voices in my head. Heck, vanity is also the driving force, I’ll admit it. But you need to find the voice that is inside of you. Why? Are you at the gym? Why is it a struggle? What will inspire you? Maybe you need a short-term goal. Maybe you need to avoid your spouse. Think of the gym as “you” time. Get an Ipod and jam out with your clam out! The feeling music and sweat can give you is better than that glass of wine or cigarette.
PS Biggest Loser starts tonight. If you need inspiration, this is an source of mine! It makes me want to be a better trainer and person!
Food Tip: Find ways to reduce carbs
Pasta, bad. Whole-wheat pasta, better. Potatoes, not so great. Polenta, pretty awesome. White rice, just stupid. Brown rice and quinoa, just smart. You get it?
Pizza (it is not the devil if you make it yourself)
Pesto pizza for the protein lover!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 whole-wheat tortillas (12- inches in diameter) (only 90 calories!)
2 chicken breasts cubed and grilled
4 tbsp pesto from night before!
¼ cup fat-free mozzarella
½ cup spinach, pre-washed and torn
½ lemon sliced in thinly
Sprinkle Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
(for more veggies add some (1.2 cup) it tastes fantastic roasted
1 tomato sliced thin (drain the seeds or it will become watery)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Put the tortillas onto a baking sheet and top each with pesto Arrange all other ingredients finishing with sliced lemon on top. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of each pizza and bake for 10 minutes. Make sure all ingredients are reduced of water. These pizzas are thin so water can be a problem!
Monday, September 14, 2009
I am back, September 14th
Food Tip: Find something great you can use all week. I love to have a week that we have a theme. This week’s theme is pesto at our house! It can give you a lot of creativity. I love taking one ingredient and seeing how far I can go with it!
Fitness Tip: Avoid crunches.
You can do crunches all day, but if you have a tummy it does no good. All you end up doing is making your stomach stick out more. Save your time. Do some Pilates (and if you don’t know how, see me) Additionally, running and cardio can work your core if you concentrate on contracting and twisting those stomach muscles. Twisting is key to working those abs.
Presto It’s Pesto
This is the time of the year that basil comes out of my garden like weeds in the Sanford and Son house down the street. In fact, its like a Tuscan tundra out there. Pesto is a wonderful garnish on most dishes. Everyone needs oil for heart health and for joint lubrication. Oil is also a fatty acid which is the primary fuel in cardiovascular exercise. This week is devoted to pesto. Why? I love it ever so. Plus, I totally need to unload some. Today, I am going to teach you how to make the pesto. The rest of the week, I can going to show you how to use it. Pesto is wonderful because it freezes perfectly. Get an ice cube tray, freeze some pesto cubes, and you will have a perfect amount of pesto anytime! I am a genius, I know.
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup green pistachios
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1 sprig of thyme
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup parsley leaves
½ of a lemon (zested) you will not need the juice, so save juice for something else
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ part-skim parmesan cheese
Directions
Place pistachios, salt, peppers, garlic, thyme, basil, lemon zest, and parsley in to a blender or food processor. Turn the blender on, and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing until a soft paste has formed. Do not dump in cheese, rather fold it into pesto. This is key, or else you will have Elmer’s glue!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9/9/9
Food Tip: Say no to TV
Are you kidding me? If it were not for reality television competition shows I would not have friends, nor a social life. I go out about as much as Anne Frank did. (lighten up!) I love to unwind in front of my TV. But it is so bad to eat in front of the TV. Studies (and not, we have WMD’s studies) have shown that people eat more when they are watching television. Therefore, eat at the dining room table. You will talk more and eat less. I mean really, it just makes sense.
Fitness Tip; Jump Rope
People ask me what the best cardio exercise is all of the time. The best one is jumping rope. It burns the most calories in the shortest amount of time. Additionally, it activates both fast and slow-twitch muscle fibers. Why do you think boxers are so ripped? it’s the jumping rope. Its probably all the hormones too….but stick with the rope.
Alcohol
I promised you some alcohol tips….
Here are a few
Beer: Skip the light stuff and drink the regular. I have an unproven but logical theory; if you drink the regular beer, you will be more satisfied and full. If you drink the light beer, you will drink more to satisfy you. Therefore, drink the regular stuff. let’s face it, it tastes better and it is more filling.
Booze: The alcohol is not where the calories are hidden. Calories are in the mixers with the alcohol. In fact, alcohol is processed by the liver and not the stomach. Therefore, weight gain based on alcohol is not the issue.- but the sugars are! Drink no-sugar mixers like soda water. Avoid juice, tonic, and regular sodas. If you are going to purge, drink a dry martini.
Wine: Skip it. It is sugar and its detrimental to your diet. Don’t even start with the antioxidant thing. One glass is ok. But do you ever have one glass of wine? I mean it goes bad. If you can’t save it properly, it is not worth opening.
Are you kidding me? If it were not for reality television competition shows I would not have friends, nor a social life. I go out about as much as Anne Frank did. (lighten up!) I love to unwind in front of my TV. But it is so bad to eat in front of the TV. Studies (and not, we have WMD’s studies) have shown that people eat more when they are watching television. Therefore, eat at the dining room table. You will talk more and eat less. I mean really, it just makes sense.
Fitness Tip; Jump Rope
People ask me what the best cardio exercise is all of the time. The best one is jumping rope. It burns the most calories in the shortest amount of time. Additionally, it activates both fast and slow-twitch muscle fibers. Why do you think boxers are so ripped? it’s the jumping rope. Its probably all the hormones too….but stick with the rope.
Alcohol
I promised you some alcohol tips….
Here are a few
Beer: Skip the light stuff and drink the regular. I have an unproven but logical theory; if you drink the regular beer, you will be more satisfied and full. If you drink the light beer, you will drink more to satisfy you. Therefore, drink the regular stuff. let’s face it, it tastes better and it is more filling.
Booze: The alcohol is not where the calories are hidden. Calories are in the mixers with the alcohol. In fact, alcohol is processed by the liver and not the stomach. Therefore, weight gain based on alcohol is not the issue.- but the sugars are! Drink no-sugar mixers like soda water. Avoid juice, tonic, and regular sodas. If you are going to purge, drink a dry martini.
Wine: Skip it. It is sugar and its detrimental to your diet. Don’t even start with the antioxidant thing. One glass is ok. But do you ever have one glass of wine? I mean it goes bad. If you can’t save it properly, it is not worth opening.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Blog Entry Labor Day
Sorry for the delay, but its labor day and I have chosen not to labor!
Food Tip: Balance the meal
I know that a lot of the people that read this blog do not cook. I hope that at least you are thinking about cooking. Therefore, I want you to envision a good meal. Think of chinette paper plate with those little dividers. Think of a meal in three sections: protein, vegetable and starch. Now if you are trying to loose weight, the starch should include either rice, or another leafy green. A good rule of thumb is think of your protein first, then fill up with veggies and carbs. If you think of the carb as the basis for your meal, you are setting yourself up for failure!
Fitness Tip: Check your heart rate.
Knowing your heart rate is key in cardio exercise. If you don’t get your cardio to a level that is desired, you are just spinning your wheels (literally if you are on a bike). Therefore, check your heart rate in your exercise. A good website for more information is
http://www.heartmonitors.com/exercisetips/heart_rate_basics.htm
Recipe: Egg Muffinski’s (they are just like Egg McMuffins but for made by Polish people)
Serves 4
4 whole wheat English muffins (toasted)
6 eggs
½ ground turkey
1 tsp grape jelly
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 apple diced
1 tbsp oatmeal
Toast the muffins and place on side. Scramble the eggs and divide into 4 servings using the top of the muffin as a guide of size and shape. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Make into four patties using the top of the muffin as a guide for size and shape. Take patties and grill.(perfect for a George Foreman, if I had one) Drain grease and stack on muffins with eggs. Add cheese if desired. The apples give it the twist it needs!
Food Tip: Balance the meal
I know that a lot of the people that read this blog do not cook. I hope that at least you are thinking about cooking. Therefore, I want you to envision a good meal. Think of chinette paper plate with those little dividers. Think of a meal in three sections: protein, vegetable and starch. Now if you are trying to loose weight, the starch should include either rice, or another leafy green. A good rule of thumb is think of your protein first, then fill up with veggies and carbs. If you think of the carb as the basis for your meal, you are setting yourself up for failure!
Fitness Tip: Check your heart rate.
Knowing your heart rate is key in cardio exercise. If you don’t get your cardio to a level that is desired, you are just spinning your wheels (literally if you are on a bike). Therefore, check your heart rate in your exercise. A good website for more information is
http://www.heartmonitors.com/exercisetips/heart_rate_basics.htm
Recipe: Egg Muffinski’s (they are just like Egg McMuffins but for made by Polish people)
Serves 4
4 whole wheat English muffins (toasted)
6 eggs
½ ground turkey
1 tsp grape jelly
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 apple diced
1 tbsp oatmeal
Toast the muffins and place on side. Scramble the eggs and divide into 4 servings using the top of the muffin as a guide of size and shape. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Make into four patties using the top of the muffin as a guide for size and shape. Take patties and grill.(perfect for a George Foreman, if I had one) Drain grease and stack on muffins with eggs. Add cheese if desired. The apples give it the twist it needs!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Blog 9.5- Home Sweet Buttery Home
It is difficult to write about cooking when you have been kicked out your own kitchen. My mother is here. My father is too (but he does not cook-and if he did, he would be thrown out of the kitchen as quickly as Hitler would be kicked out of a Woody Allen movie).
I am forced into exile of the culinary kind, akin to that of Moses- but instead of the land of milk and honey, it’s the land of butter and cow intestine. If it is not cased within the stomach of another animal, it is not edible in my mother’s eyes. It not kosher. Sacrifice is not in my family’s vocabulary.
I know that my business alias is Will Power. I believe I have it in me to limit my consumption of these delectable goodies. We have pierogis, which are meat dumplings. We have sauerkraut, which is flavored by the drippings of meat. We have roasts, ribs, shoulders, blades, butts and every undesirable fatty part of an animal. What people pay me to alter, I see sitting in my refrigerator. It is not unlike a plastic surgeons office. And I salivate at the sight of a slow-cooked meat glistening in the juices of its rendering.
But this visit has shown me something as a trainer. I know what every client goes through. I understand when you say I can’t possibly lose weight this weekend or be good on my diet because I am going home. I understand what you are saying. But its simply not true. You can still be good and here is how.
First of all, limit yourself. Take a plate of the food and say that is it. Enjoy it, savor it, and say that is all. That’s the Will Power approach. (Get your superhero cape ready!)
Here is another way…avoid the starch. If you eat the meat, fill up on veggies and avoid the starch. You may not loose any weight but you certainly won’t gain as much. This sounds a lot like Atkin’s. Yeah I know. I am not embracing it as a lifestyle choice, but it does the pinch in a stressful home-invasion scenario.
Also, continue to exercise. So if you are visiting your parents or whomever, bring you running shoes. Walk it off! Run it off, Bring an exercise band! Do something when you wake up. If you burn the calories, then eat, you wont gain weight. You won’t lose, but not gaining is victory I and of itself.
But here is the best way. Intervene!
We all know that food is an expression of love. My mother cooks for me because that is her way to show she loves me. She does it in excess because its her way of saying, you are my son and I will always take care of you. I get it. So tell them you get it! Tell them that you do not need to tell me you love me based on food. Food is nutrition, not love. Tell them that showing you love me at this time in my life would be for me to make my own choices. I am telling you this…if you can do this , you will make the biggest breakthrough.
So I am off to enjoy so encased meat. I mean, who does not love the idea of a meat juices grease sliding down your face along with the inaugural games of football. I am in heaven, but I have it under control. You can too. So don’t give up.
I am forced into exile of the culinary kind, akin to that of Moses- but instead of the land of milk and honey, it’s the land of butter and cow intestine. If it is not cased within the stomach of another animal, it is not edible in my mother’s eyes. It not kosher. Sacrifice is not in my family’s vocabulary.
I know that my business alias is Will Power. I believe I have it in me to limit my consumption of these delectable goodies. We have pierogis, which are meat dumplings. We have sauerkraut, which is flavored by the drippings of meat. We have roasts, ribs, shoulders, blades, butts and every undesirable fatty part of an animal. What people pay me to alter, I see sitting in my refrigerator. It is not unlike a plastic surgeons office. And I salivate at the sight of a slow-cooked meat glistening in the juices of its rendering.
But this visit has shown me something as a trainer. I know what every client goes through. I understand when you say I can’t possibly lose weight this weekend or be good on my diet because I am going home. I understand what you are saying. But its simply not true. You can still be good and here is how.
First of all, limit yourself. Take a plate of the food and say that is it. Enjoy it, savor it, and say that is all. That’s the Will Power approach. (Get your superhero cape ready!)
Here is another way…avoid the starch. If you eat the meat, fill up on veggies and avoid the starch. You may not loose any weight but you certainly won’t gain as much. This sounds a lot like Atkin’s. Yeah I know. I am not embracing it as a lifestyle choice, but it does the pinch in a stressful home-invasion scenario.
Also, continue to exercise. So if you are visiting your parents or whomever, bring you running shoes. Walk it off! Run it off, Bring an exercise band! Do something when you wake up. If you burn the calories, then eat, you wont gain weight. You won’t lose, but not gaining is victory I and of itself.
But here is the best way. Intervene!
We all know that food is an expression of love. My mother cooks for me because that is her way to show she loves me. She does it in excess because its her way of saying, you are my son and I will always take care of you. I get it. So tell them you get it! Tell them that you do not need to tell me you love me based on food. Food is nutrition, not love. Tell them that showing you love me at this time in my life would be for me to make my own choices. I am telling you this…if you can do this , you will make the biggest breakthrough.
So I am off to enjoy so encased meat. I mean, who does not love the idea of a meat juices grease sliding down your face along with the inaugural games of football. I am in heaven, but I have it under control. You can too. So don’t give up.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Blog Entry 9.3
Food Tip: Make an omelet
Making an omelet takes no more time than making some scrambled eggs in the morning. I guarantee you that if you make an omelet you will not have the craving of starches like buttery bread, etc. Stick some veggies in an omelet and call it day. It is a better way to introduce carbs and protein in your meal.
Fitness Tip: Take a class
Seriously, this is great for people who do not workout. See if your gym has classes. If they have a class, it is a great way to bring diversity to your workout. Also, classes start and have an end time. Therefore, you are obligated to stay. This may force you to stay longer than usual - which let's face it, isn't that bad. I mean its not waterboarding- yo know when it will be over.
Recipe: Skillet Sensation
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 box of Spanish rice mix
2 chicken breast, cubed or diced raw
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp garlic
This is my go to when I'm not feeling it!
Follow the directions on box of rice. When boiling water, add veggies and chicken. When skillte boils, add rice and if there is a seasoning packet, add it. Add my ingredients, bring to a boil and cover. it's so easy but sometimes, it's the best meal.
Here is the point, don't think the recipe on the box limits you! Take some chances and play with ingredients. It's just food. No one knows how good things can possibly get if you just follow the directions.
Making an omelet takes no more time than making some scrambled eggs in the morning. I guarantee you that if you make an omelet you will not have the craving of starches like buttery bread, etc. Stick some veggies in an omelet and call it day. It is a better way to introduce carbs and protein in your meal.
Fitness Tip: Take a class
Seriously, this is great for people who do not workout. See if your gym has classes. If they have a class, it is a great way to bring diversity to your workout. Also, classes start and have an end time. Therefore, you are obligated to stay. This may force you to stay longer than usual - which let's face it, isn't that bad. I mean its not waterboarding- yo know when it will be over.
Recipe: Skillet Sensation
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 box of Spanish rice mix
2 chicken breast, cubed or diced raw
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp garlic
This is my go to when I'm not feeling it!
Follow the directions on box of rice. When boiling water, add veggies and chicken. When skillte boils, add rice and if there is a seasoning packet, add it. Add my ingredients, bring to a boil and cover. it's so easy but sometimes, it's the best meal.
Here is the point, don't think the recipe on the box limits you! Take some chances and play with ingredients. It's just food. No one knows how good things can possibly get if you just follow the directions.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Blog Entry 9.2
Dear Followers.
I lost a very good friend today. Last night, I did not take the news very well. I felt that today I would give my pal the best tribute that I could.
My George Foreman Grilling Machine broke. It was on it's last leg - but I did not want to part. I always thought he would flourish once more. Alas, he is gone.
I must say he has been a good friend. I remember all of the chicken that he cooked so evenly. I loved how he made grilled cheese sandwhich without any added butter. And the quesadillas. Those were days. He made me find healthy alternatives to cooking. He practically started a revolution.
George, you never let me down. You never overcooked my meals. You never gave me something difficult to clean. I remember the days when I could just wipe you clean with a paper towel.
I weep thinking of you. I miss how you dripped the excess fat out of my burgers. I miss how your light would shut off when you said the food is done. Now your light is off for good.
Your timing could not be worse. My BBQ grill ran out of gas. But there is never a good time to loose a friend. the friend with whom I discovered the world of paninis.
You were a great pal. Mom and Dad, when you visit tomorrow,we must dispose of my dear friend - then go to Target to buy his cousin.
I lost a very good friend today. Last night, I did not take the news very well. I felt that today I would give my pal the best tribute that I could.
My George Foreman Grilling Machine broke. It was on it's last leg - but I did not want to part. I always thought he would flourish once more. Alas, he is gone.
I must say he has been a good friend. I remember all of the chicken that he cooked so evenly. I loved how he made grilled cheese sandwhich without any added butter. And the quesadillas. Those were days. He made me find healthy alternatives to cooking. He practically started a revolution.
George, you never let me down. You never overcooked my meals. You never gave me something difficult to clean. I remember the days when I could just wipe you clean with a paper towel.
I weep thinking of you. I miss how you dripped the excess fat out of my burgers. I miss how your light would shut off when you said the food is done. Now your light is off for good.
Your timing could not be worse. My BBQ grill ran out of gas. But there is never a good time to loose a friend. the friend with whom I discovered the world of paninis.
You were a great pal. Mom and Dad, when you visit tomorrow,we must dispose of my dear friend - then go to Target to buy his cousin.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Blog entry 9.1
Food tip: Buy in season.
I think we all have our favorite foods. Sometimes we just have to adapt. When it comes to vegetables ,the best advice that I can give you is to buy in season. Not only will it taste better, but the prices are lower when in season. This may force you try something else. I remember when my other half hated Brussel sprouts. But now in the winter, he can’t get enough!
Fitness tip: Supersets
Ok, so sometimes we fatigue. Let’s face it, the gym can get boring. That is unless you have me as your trainer. Here is a bit of advice - the superset. Pick two opposing muscle groups, like biceps and triceps, and rotate one exercise from each muscle group back to back without break. This will cut the rest time significantly and keep you fresh from over-thinking in the gym. Plus it will get your heart-rate going too!
Recipe: My Famous Meatballs
2 lbs ground turkey
2 pieces of stale bread (or not so stale)
1 oz milk
1 tbsp garlic powder,
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp of fennel seed
1 tbsp minced onion (dried is great)
1tsp oregano
Take bread and saturate in milk for a few minutes. Then ring it out. This makes really moist balls! Yes I said it. Place in mixing bowl. Combine last 5 ingredients in a coffee grinder and blend. Add to a mixing bowl with bread and turkey. Mix until even. Roll into quarter -sized balls. Place on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Place in some store- bought marinara or whatever and enjoy pasta or some polenta!
I think we all have our favorite foods. Sometimes we just have to adapt. When it comes to vegetables ,the best advice that I can give you is to buy in season. Not only will it taste better, but the prices are lower when in season. This may force you try something else. I remember when my other half hated Brussel sprouts. But now in the winter, he can’t get enough!
Fitness tip: Supersets
Ok, so sometimes we fatigue. Let’s face it, the gym can get boring. That is unless you have me as your trainer. Here is a bit of advice - the superset. Pick two opposing muscle groups, like biceps and triceps, and rotate one exercise from each muscle group back to back without break. This will cut the rest time significantly and keep you fresh from over-thinking in the gym. Plus it will get your heart-rate going too!
Recipe: My Famous Meatballs
2 lbs ground turkey
2 pieces of stale bread (or not so stale)
1 oz milk
1 tbsp garlic powder,
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp of fennel seed
1 tbsp minced onion (dried is great)
1tsp oregano
Take bread and saturate in milk for a few minutes. Then ring it out. This makes really moist balls! Yes I said it. Place in mixing bowl. Combine last 5 ingredients in a coffee grinder and blend. Add to a mixing bowl with bread and turkey. Mix until even. Roll into quarter -sized balls. Place on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Place in some store- bought marinara or whatever and enjoy pasta or some polenta!
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