Miami Fitness Boot Camp – Weight Loss Training

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7 quick and easy ways to begin your weight loss

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight. You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won’t budge. Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.
Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you’ve always wanted.
Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it.
You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.

Give up the belief that you can’t achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.
Believe that something MUST change. You can’t be wishy-washy about it. You can’t be considering it. You can’t even be pretty sure about it. You’ve got to be rock solid.
Believe that YOU must change it. You can’t pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It’s on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission.
Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn’t matter. When you put your mind to it, you’re able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you’ll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.
Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must.
The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don’t give up until your goal has been achieved.
Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you’ll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule.
If you don’t give up, then you’ll never fail.

Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you’re weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.
Don’t eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat.
Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:
Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough.
Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace.
Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won’t get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.
Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results.
I am passionate about seeing you achieve results—don’t waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes.
When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I’ll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most.
Get serious about your results and begin the last weight loss program that you’ll ever do.

Call or email today to schedule your first workout. You’ll find my contact info in this newsletter.
Write & Review

You could be making a valiant effort to lose weight, but if you eat too much each day then the number on your scale will not budge. Even if you think that you’re limiting calories, you won’t know unless you do a little research.

Get a small notebook to carry with you and jot down everything you eat for an entire week. Be sure to include the exact amount that you eat of each food item. At the end of the week do a tally of each day, and then figure out how many calories you eat on an average day.

Review your daily entries for items that are filled with empty calories – like cookies, candy or soda pop. These should be the first things that you cut out of your diet as you transform your body.

Guilt-Free Kale Chip Snack

Salty, crunchy snack foods are a weakness for most people. Instead of eating chips or popcorn or crackers, which quickly add up in unwanted pounds, make a batch of these delicious, crunchy kale chips. Kale chips are low in carbs and make a delicious crunchy snack.

Servings: 5

Here’s what you need…
1 bunch kale, washed and torn, stems discarded
1 Tablespoon olive oil
dash of salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a large bowl mix the kale pieces with all of the ingredients.
Spread evenly on foil-lined baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes, watching closely that they do not burn. Remove from oven when crispy.
Nutritional Analysis: 51 calories, 3g fat, 68mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein

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02/06/2016
Your snacking may be killing your fat loss results

We’ve all heard that snacking is great for the metabolism…but have you taken it too far? In other words, your excessive snacking may be killing your fat loss results.

Let’s face it, there are only so many extra calories that the body can take before it adds those on as unwanted fat.

Even if you’re eating perfectly healthy meals and putting in your time at the gym, if your snacking is out of control then your results will be disappointing.

Here’s what you need to know to avoid The Snack Trap:

1. Calories Count. Even when you’re snacking on “healthy” food, you’ve got to keep track of how many calories that you’re taking in. Almonds are healthy, but if you down 800 extra calories in them you’ll quickly gain weight.

2. Fill Up on Protein & Fat. A lot of well-meaning people are still afraid of fat. They think that if their snack is high in fat then it will end up on their body as fat. This is simply not true. Healthy fat, such as avocado or almonds, is a wonderful thing to snack on as it fills you up and keeps you full longer.

3. Avoid Sugar Calories. Sugar is an awful thing to snack on when weight loss is your goal. Refined sugar is a catalyst for fat storage, so avoid any snack that contains sugar. Remember that eating sugar will satiate your hunger for a very short period of time, and then you’ll quickly be hungry again.

4. Don’t Be Fooled By 100-Calorie Packs. A popular marketing technique is to package junk food into 100-calorie packs. These could be crackers, cookies, chips…basically any guilty snack food you could think of. The premise is that since you’re only eating 100 calories, the snack is healthy. I’m sorry, folks, but eating 100 calories of junk food is not a healthy snack. You are better off avoiding the junk completely and eating something wholesome.

5. Use The ‘Is It Real’ Test. As a rule of thumb, you should use the “Is it real?” test when deciding if a snack is worth eating. The test goes like this: If your snack can go bad, then it’s good for you. If your snack can’t go bad, then it’s bad for you. The idea is to eat fresh, real foods that are unprocessed and wholesome. These real foods are naturally filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and will assist you in achieving your fitness goals.

6. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates. Processed and refined carbohydrates make up the bulk of popular snack foods. Take a look around the snack aisle at the grocery store and you will see that most packaged snacks are made with grains. When your goal is to lose weight and increase lean muscle then eating refined grains will work against you. If you only take one tip away from this article, let it be to remove grain-based snacks from your life. This single change could very well recharge your weight loss.

Healthy breakfast

Now you know how to snack in a healthy way that will not derail your fitness goals.

Remember that exercise plays a huge part in getting in shape and losing weight.

Call or email me today to get started on a results-driven exercise program! I look forward to hearing from you!
5 Fitness Snacks
Hard Boiled Egg and Sliced Veggies.
Sliced Apple and Almond Butter.
Natural, Low Sodium Jerky.
Seasonal Berries with &fraq14; cup of Almonds.
A scoop of Creamy Egg Salad. See recipe below.
Creamy Egg Salad
Most recipes for egg salad call for fat-filled mayonnaise, but this recipe uses fat free Greek yogurt instead. You get all the creaminess without added calories to set back your results.

Servings: 3

Here’s what you need…
8 organic, free range eggs
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 Tablespoons onion greens, chopped
¼ cup non fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons champagne mustard
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon
dash of salt and pepper
To boil the perfect egg: place eggs in a large pot and cover with cold water by half an inch. Heat the water to a boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Wait exactly 7 minutes, and then place the eggs in a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes.
Peel and chop hard boiled eggs, discarding 4 yolks. Place in a large bowl. Add celery, onion greens, yogurt, mustard, lemon, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Chill and then serve.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 148 calories, 7 fat, 212mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 16g protein.

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02/05/2016
Happy New Year and get all that you want out of 2016

Here’s to a Happy New Year and to getting everything that you want out of 2016.

Today you have a clean slate with a brand new year spread out in front of you, filled with endless possibilities.

How will you harness your potential to create the very best you? I recommend using the teachings of Dr. Maxwell Maltz in his legendary book ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’.

Dr. Maltz created the original science of self improvement and success, so who better to turn to when you’re ready to take your life to another level. His teachings have stood the test of time.

Take the following and get all that you want out of 2016:

1) Use Your Imagination
If you thought that imaginations were only valued in preschool, think again. One of the key points in ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’ is the technique of using your imagination to reprogram and manage your self image.

You may have been exposed to self improvement strategies that tell you to ‘act as if’ or to ‘fake it till you make it.’ Those typically don’t work because your self image is still the same.

According to Dr. Maltz, your self image is the key to changing your actions and habits. If you want to lose 50 pounds, you first have to think of yourself as someone 50 pounds lighter.

Spend time in your imagination. See yourself 50 pounds lighter. Experience a day in your life at this slimmed down size. Imagine everything down to the smallest detail.

According to Dr. Maltz, this imagination time will begin to change your self image to that of a person 50 pounds lighter, and your actions and habits will fall into place.

2) Reject Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts will undoubtedly arise as you use your imagination to see your ideal self. “I’m not really going to lose 50 pounds.” “I’ve tried losing weight before and it never works. I’m always going to be overweight.” “This imagination stuff is bogus. It won’t work for me.”

Dr. Maltz says that the instant you receive a negative thought simply dismiss it. Don’t spend any time on it at all.

The quicker that you dismiss negative thoughts, the less impact they will have on your self image. Also you’ll find that fewer and fewer negative thoughts arise once you get into the habit of dismissal.

3) Be Nostalgic For The Future
It’s so easy to be nostalgic for the past, especially when you only remember the good stuff. But what good does it do for you to wish for things that are long gone?

Dr. Maltz recommends developing nostalgia for the future.

In your imagination you’ve already lost the 50 pounds, so start pining for the future! Your self image will lock onto that picture and your nostalgic feelings will fuel the fire.

4) I’m The Kind Of Person That…
What kind of person are you?

I’m the kind of person that loves sweets.
I’m the kind of person that hates exercise.
I’m the kind of person that can’t lose weight.
OR

I’m the kind of person that eats fresh and healthy food.
I’m the kind of person that keeps fit.
I’m the kind of person that maintains an ideal body weight.
Your self image will fulfill any label that you put on yourself. The power is all in your hands.

What kind of a person do you want to be in 2016?

If losing weight is something you’d like to do this year, then call or email to set up a consultation. I’m the kind of person who LOVES to see clients like you achieve their goals!

Listen and Learn
Download ‘The New Psycho-Cybernetics’ to your phone or ipod and listen as you commute to work or as you take a brisk walk. The more you listen the more you’ll learn.

2016 is about to get a whole lot more exciting.

Sesame Chopped Salad

1 cup cabbage
1 carrot
1 green onion
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds
2 teaspoons sesame low fat dressing
1/2 cup cooked chicken breast
Chop the cabbage, carrot, onion and cilantro into very small pieces. Add the almonds and toss with dressing.
Top with chopped chicken breast.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 276.5 calories, 7.5g fat, 468mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 26g protein.

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01/22/2016
Motivation to your Fitness Boot Camp Workout

If you’re struggling to find motivation to get to your fitness boot camp workout, allow these seven reasons to inspire you to exercising greatness…

Exercise Because —Your Body Works

It may seem like an odd reason to work out, but the fact that you can work out ought to inspire you to do so. After all, there are plenty of folks who have been affected by disease or congenital conditions that make working out impossible. If you are able to exercise, do it! Every movement you make, be grateful and work to learn your body’s limits. In essence, when you do this you’re giving your body a high five!

Exercise Because —Disease Can’t Handle It

True, there are diseases that will attack you regardless of your fitness level. However, exercising regularly (starting today) is one of the best ways to build yourself up against all sorts of ailments and illnesses. From the common cold to heart disease, exercise helps you avoid health issues and live a healthier, longer life.

Exercise Because —You Family Loves You

Because you want to be around for years in the future, you need to exercise. As seen above, exercise is a great way to fend off all sorts of health issues, many of them life-threatening. So if you want to show love to you family members who love you, you’ll need to work out regularly. Afraid your workouts will take away family time? Get up earlier or take your loved ones with you.

Exercise Because —You Beat Goals

Some people meet goals. When you commit to getting in the gym today, you set yourself up to beat goals. Because once you reach your new bench-press or weight-loss goal, you move on to the next. Do this in the gym enough and it will start to happen in the rest of your life. Deadline at work coming up soon? No problem. Wish you could read more books? Consider it done. Ready to quit smoking? You can do it. All because you worked out today.

Exercise Because —Life Will Be Easier

Ever struggled to get out of bed and get on with your day? Exercising today can help that. Wonder why you always feel stressed out? Once you get in the gym this afternoon you’ll be able to shed the stress. Wish you had the sex drive that you seemingly lost a few years ago? Today’s workout will get you on the right track there as well. See a heavy couch that needs lifting? After spending time in the gym today, that couch will be light as a feather tomorrow. In other words, exercise makes everything in life better, easier, and more bearable!

Exercise Because —Your Body Will Surprise You

When you started on your exercise journey, you wanted to change your body. But somewhere along the way you forgot about that swimsuit-ready body you desired so much early on. Well, guess what? It can still be yours! All you’ve got to do is get in the gym today and get back on the road to it. In six months, you’ll be amazed at how much better your body looks and how much more you enjoy being you.

Exercise Because —Your Friends Will Join You

It can be hard to keep working out in the gym every day if your loved ones aren’t into it. However, if you stick with it and trust your trainer, your loved ones may eventually want to join you in your exercise. Once they realize you’re seeing positive results, they won’t want to miss out. So by going to the gym today, you’re helping others be healthy!

Call or email today to get started on my very best exercise program – together we will get you to your goals once and for all! Don’t wait – act now!
786-301-5102

01/11/2016
Time for Workout

The number one reason why you don’t exercise is that you don’t have time for workout, but escape the time crunch excuse in three easy steps:

I know we are all busy. Between getting to and from work, balancing responsibilities and having time for yourself, there’s little left over for workouts.

With summer in full swing your busy schedule is sure to get even busier. There will be vacations, cookouts and family gatherings. It’s no wonder that exercise quickly takes a backseat to summer activities.

You don’t have to succumb to weight gain this summer. Escape the time crunch excuse in three easy steps:

Step One: Schedule Your Workouts: You’ve heard this before, and it makes so much sense. If you treat your exercise time with the importance of a work meeting then you’d never skip a workout and you’d be in amazing shape.

While the scheduling concept is brilliant in its simplicity, you have to put it into practice to reap the benefits. Pull out your calendar and a pen. Don’t laugh, I’m serious! Just do it. If you want to get into shape it starts with committing to a revised schedule with a set exercise time.

Identify three 40-minute time slots and mark them on your calendar. That is when you’ll exercise.

Remember this: if the thought that you should exercise this week is floating around in your head, but you haven’t anchored it down to a specific time and date, then it will quickly disappear.

Step Two: Get the Most from Each Minute: The days of endless, mind numbing cardio are over. A great workout can take place in under an hour, when done correctly. The idea is to burn more calories each minute. This is done through short, intense bursts of exercise.

Use the following three tips to bring your routine up to the next level:

1. Be Unstable: Use your entire body, and target your core, by performing exercises that engage stabilizing muscles. To do this use an exercise ball, a balance board, a balance disk, or you could simply stand on one leg.

2. Add Resistance: The more resistance that you incorporate with your routine translates into higher intensity and more calories burned. Some ideas for adding resistance include: carrying dumbbells while doing lunges, wearing a weighted vest while walking or jogging, or putting a weight between your feet while doing leg raises.

3. Use Intervals: Interval training is an amazing tool for creating short yet effective workouts. Don’t worry, it’s not complicated. Interval training is simply alternating between different short bursts of activity.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you want to focus on your legs and abs and to also get an effective cardiovascular workout. This would be a great interval routine for your goals:
Lunge while curling dumbbells, 15-20 repetitions
30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
Squat while pressing dumbbells overhead, 15-20 repetitions
30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
Crunches on an exercise ball, 15-20 repetitions
30 seconds of intense cardio: sprint, jump rope, or jumping jacks
Leg raises off the end of an exercise bench, 15-20 repetitions
Step Three: Twice the Results in Half the Time: What if I told you that I have a proven way to deliver twice the fitness results in half the time? It’s simple really… When you attempt to lose weight or meet a fitness goal on your own, the odds are stacked against you. Sure, you could do it over time – but it’s a long and lonely road. A road lined with detours that threaten to undermine your progress.

When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. You have me in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement went the going gets tough.

And I’ll be the one congratulating you when your goal is met.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will put exercise firmly on your calendar, and results squarely in your future.

Eating Out Right

Temptations abound when you eat out. There are bread baskets, and chip baskets, and appetizers, and desserts. In order to maintain your healthy diet you’ll have to have a plan in place before arriving at the restaurant.

Here’s how you stay on track while eating out:
Don’t eat extras: Ask for the bread basket or chip basket to be removed from your table and stick to eating only what you ordered.
Don’t drink calories: Stick with water or unsweetened ice tea in order to avoid a few hundred extra calories.
Get it plain: Ask for sauces and dressings on the side to cut down calories.
Get healthier sides: Just because the grilled fish comes with a side of potatoes doesn’t mean you have to get it that way. Ask for a side of steamed veggies instead.

Healthy “Fried” Chicken

By baking the chicken and using low-carb flours, this recipe has half of the calories and 80% less fat than traditional fried chicken. Serve with a side of vegetables and a salad.

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need:
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons fruit-only apricot preserves
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup almond flour
½ cup almond meal
½ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless organic chicken tenders
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13″x9″ baking pan with coconut oil.
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, apricot preserves, mustard, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
In another medium bowl combine the almond flour, almond meal, coconut flour, pepper, thyme, paprika and salt.
Dip each chicken tender in the egg mixture, then dredge through the flour mixture. Place in the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes. Change oven to high broil for 2 minutes, flip each chicken tender and broil the other side for 2 minutes.
Serve with a side of sugar-free BBQ sauce or organic honey mustard.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 256 calories, 6g fat, 376mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 39g protein.

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07/13/2015
Fight your stress and be happy

Stress is an inevitable part of our modern existence. Whether you’re the president of a Fortune 500 company, a Kindergarten teacher or a construction worker, you have stress to deal with, but you don’t have to let it get the best of you.

By battling stress in your day-to-day routine, you can stop pulling your hair out and get back to living a more relaxed life.

How can you turn your stress-filled life on its head?

With one of the best weapons against stress: exercise.

Working Out Works: When stress is getting you down, you need something to kick you out of your funk. You need something that makes you feel good.

Because every time you exercise, you increase your body’s production of endorphins.

In case you didn’t get the memo, endorphins are responsible for those good moods you get in after a race or the euphoria you feel while chomping down on a piece of chocolate.

However, before you grab a piece of chocolate and skip the gym, remember the end result of each and choose which one will help you battle stress in the long run. (Hint: It’s not the chocolate.)

Best Bets: Now that you know exercise reduces stress, you may be wondering which exercises will be most likely to keep you from banging your head against the wall. Ready to learn what exercise you should be performing as you wage war against stress? Here it is: whatever you enjoy doing.

That’s right – any and all exercise you perform helps you fend off the effects of stress. So whether you enjoy jogging, lifting weights, playing basketball, practicing ballet, swimming, yoga, rowing, or boxing, simply getting involved in your exercise of choice is sure to help reduce your stress.

Through the Brick Wall: Working out every day and not getting the stress relief you so eagerly desire? Then it’s time to do things a little different. If all you do is lift weights five days a week, you should add in tennis or racquetball a couple days a week. And if you’re all cardio all the time, it may be time to get off the treadmill and grab a dumbbell or two.

Still not working? Keep a diary of your progression. Write down how long and hard you exercise, the various weights you lift, and the steps you make toward whatever health goal you set for yourself. Take pictures along the way as well. Then look back over your journal on occasion. Seeing the progression when you feel you’re not making progress may give you the confidence you need to put stress in its place and move on.

My mission is to get each and every one of my clients the body that they desire and along with that a low stress lifestyle.

Take the stress out of planning your own workouts by joining one of my high-energy, fat-blasting exercise programs.

Call or email today to get the body and stress level that you deserve.

Even Less Stress

In addition to exercise, get maximum stress reduction by:

Learn what situations cause you to experience unwanted stress, and avoid these situations. Can’t avoid your boss or that awkward business luncheon? Then you’ll need to use some more brainpower. Think back to your last experience with the boss or the business lunch. How bad was it really? You survived it, and it wasn’t really all that bad. Keep that in mind, and you’ll be ready to take on whatever stressful situation comes your way.
Make necessary lifestyle modifications. Did you know you’re more likely to suffer stress when you’re tired? Or did you know that when you don’t feed your body well, your body isn’t ready to handle stress as it would with a healthy diet? By getting plenty of shut-eye and eating healthily, you won’t kiss stress goodbye altogether, but its effects will be diminished greatly.

Lettuce Wrapped Fish Tacos

These tacos are the perfect get-ready-for-beach-season meal. Flaky, protein-filled fish topped with mango salsa and wrapped in a crunchy guilt-free lettuce leaf. It’s flavorful, satisfying and will keep you on track with your fitness goals.
Servings: 8

Here’s what you need…

4 (3.5oz) Cod Fillets
1/2 cup tropical vinaigrette
1 lime
4 large pieces of butter lettuce
4 Tablespoons guacamole
1 cup shredded cabbage
4 Tablespoons mango salsa
Marinate the cod fillets in dressing for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a pan with olive oil.
Place marinated cod in prepared pan, cut lime in half and squeeze juice over cod. Bake for 15 minutes.
While cod is baking, separate leaves from lettuce, being careful to keep them intact. Assemble individual tacos by putting a tablespoon of guacamole on a lettuce leaf, topped with 1/4 cup of cabbage.
Once fish is done, change oven to broil for a few minutes, watching closely until top is browned. Remove from oven.
Top each prepared taco with a piece of fish, a spoonful of salsa, and a slice of the remaining lime half.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 141.5 calories, 2.5 fat, 61mg sodium, 4.8g carbohydrate, 1.2g fiber, and 23g protein.

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05/06/2012
What you eat before and after exercise

You could be doing intense workouts, pushing yourself hard in the gym, but then eating all the wrong foods that keep your body looking the same.

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to put in all that effort in the gym, I certainly don’t want my results hijacked by poor nutrition.

Transforming your body comes down to two simple parts: 1) consistent, challenging exercise and 2) balanced, proper nutrition.

When you skip on the balanced, proper nutrition, you cheat yourself out of the sculpted physique that you should have.

The food you eat prior to and following exercise plays a key role in the overall success of your workout. What you eat and when you eat can either help you burn more calories and build more muscle or it can hinder your weight-loss and muscle-mass goals.

Here’s how it works. Your body gets energy from the carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are converted to glucose, and unused glucose is then converted to glycogen, which is stored in your liver and muscles.

During intense exercise, your body uses up this stored energy. Not having a store of energy, your body can’t function at its potential.

Healthy pre- and post-workout foods provide your body with the glycogen needed to fuel your muscles during aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

Pre-Workout Fuel. Many people find that exercising first thing in the morning works best for their schedule. For some, this means heading to the gym on an empty stomach. Unfortunately, when you exercise with your body’s “gas tank” on empty, your body will start to take the amino acids from your muscles and convert them to the glucose you need for energy.

Therefore, instead of burning fat, you may actually break down your muscle!

This is the opposite of what you want to do.

In order to burn fat, you need to fuel up with something nutritious an hour to an hour and a half before working out. This gives your body enough time to digest the food and make the energy available for exercising.

Good examples of healthy pre-workout meals or snacks to give your body the energy it needs to exercise include high-fiber cereal with skim milk, a two- to three-ounce turkey breast, a low sugar energy bar, banana, poached egg with whole-wheat toast and grapefruit, or a lean turkey burger.

Don’t have time to eat a meal before exercising? You still need to eat something. A quick way to give your body immediate energy is to eat a simple carbohydrate such as fruit or juice in a protein drink or shake 15 to 30 minutes prior to working out. And avoid heavy meals before exercising, as these large meals may slow you down and make you feel sluggish during your routine.

The combination of food to eat before a workout should contain complex and simple carbohydrates, fiber, and low-fat protein to give you energy, keep you feeling full, and help regulate a normal blood sugar level. Try to make sure each pre-workout meal or snack contains this combination of nutrients. Not having the right amount of carbs for energy will hinder your ability to burn calories, build muscle, and exercise to your full potential.

Replenish Post-workout. The goal of post-workout nutrition is to help muscles rebuild and strengthen following the stress and loss of glycogen they experience during exercise. To replenish energy stores, your muscles need protein and carbohydrates within half an hour to an hour and a half following exercise.

Examples of a post-workout snacks and meals include a four- to six-ounce turkey breast and brown rice, a green salad with grilled chicken, or a smoothie with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt.

Feed Your Muscles, Not Your Fat
The next time you head to the gym to lift weights or go to the pool to swim laps, make sure your body is fueled up with the complex carbs, protein, and fiber it needs for energy and stamina. And after your workout, replenish the lost energy.

DO NOT feed your fat by consuming a pre or post workout containing:

Simple carbohydrates
Sugar
Large amounts of fat
Tropical Chicken Salad
This salad is the perfect pre or post workout meal. It has plenty of protein and fiber, vitamins, minerals and lots of delicious flavor.
Servings: 8

Here’s what you need…

1 head cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 mango, chopped
1/2 cup pineapple, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
4 skinless chicken breast, baked and chopped
1/4 cup low calorie mango dressing
Mix all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 200 calories, 3 fat, 144mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 30g protein.

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04/22/2012
5 Simple Steps for Achieving Any Goal

If you’re not happy with your body then your workouts have lost focus.

What is your immediate goal?

If you don’t have a ready answer then chances are good that your motivation is low and it has resulted in a lack of results.

I know from firsthand experience that operating without a goal will get you nowhere. Sure, you may still be exercising regularly and eating mindfully but without that concrete goal your efforts will yield little results.

1. Setting your goal

You want to be in “better shape” but that’s so vague. Dig deeper.

What specifically do you wish you had now that you don’t?

To drop 3 dress sizes.
To lose 2 inches of arm fat jiggle.
To melt 4 inches from your waist.
To be able to run 3 miles without stopping.

2. Define your timeline

Now that you’ve determined exactly what part of your body isn’t up to par, tie that goal in with a specific timeline. When you have a timeline to measure your progress against, you’ll find that achieving your goal becomes an easier process.

To drop 3 dress sizes by August 20th vacation.
To lose 2 inches of arm fat jiggle by October 13th wedding.
To melt 4 inches from your waist by July 7th pool party.
To be able to run 3 miles without stopping by June 16th city 5k.

3. Name your prize

It’s time to take your motivation to the next level. Now that your specific goal is set and your timeline is clearly defined, let’s add a prize that you’ll receive once you’ve accomplished your goal. This prize shouldn’t be anything related to your unhealthy habits – so no junk food or extra large meals. Make the prize an item that will reinforce your slimmer body, like a nice piece of clothing.

A couple new outfits for your August vacation.
A sleeveless dress for the October wedding.
A new swimsuit for your July pool party.
A new pair of running shoes for your June 5k.

4. Picture it

You know what you want, when you want it by, and the reward you’ll get by achieving it. Now spend time picturing your end goal. Find a comfortable, quiet corner, close your eyes and see a mental movie – starring yourself – enjoying your reward with your new and improved body. Play your mental success movie several times throughout the day.

See yourself enjoying an afternoon of your vacation, wearing your new clothes with confidence.
Imagine how you’ll feel walking down the aisle baring your toned arms.
See yourself lounging by the pool in your swimsuit, carefree and happy.
Imagine the feeling of accomplishment you’ll feel as you cross the finish line.

5. Recipe for success

The steps that you’ve taken above have prepared you to mentally take on the challenge of motivating yourself through this transformation process. All that remains is a solid exercise and nutrition plan to push you through to your new body.

This is where I come in.

I’m fanatical about propelling each and every one of my clients through their own personal body transformation.

Call or email today and I’ll get you started on a program that will make your goals a reality.

Super Soup

Soup is a wonderful meal to enjoy when you’re focused on losing weight – with a few guidelines.

Never choose soups that have a cream base. These are filled with more calories and fat than you need.
Avoid soups that have noodles or rice.
Make sure that your soup has a lean source of protein, such as lean turkey or chicken breast. Try the Turkey & Veggie Soup recipe below.

Turkey & Veggie Soup

This soup has everything going for it. The base is broth, not cream. It doesn’t have any added carbohydrates in the form of rice or noodles. And it’s filled with lean ground turkey.

Servings: 12

Here’s what you need…

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch of celery
1 fennel bulb
1.3 lbs lean ground turkey
4 cups veggie broth
1 (14.5oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15oz) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 ears of corn, kernels sliced off
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil
dash of salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add garlic.
Add chopped carrots, cover for 5 minutes.
Add onions, celery and fennel. Sauté until soft.
In another skillet cook the ground turkey over medium heat until fully cooked, stirring often. Drain off excess fat.
Transfer the veggies to large soup pot and add the remaining ingredients, and the cooked turkey. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes. Add extra water as desired.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 119 calories, 1 fat, 336mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 15g protein.

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04/15/2012
The right way to exercise with benefit

There are right ways to exercise and there are wrong ways. In order to get the greatest benefit from your workout and prevent possible injury, you’ve got to do it the right way.

What is the right way? You’re about to find out.

No Pain, No Gain? You’ve heard the phrase “No pain, no gain.” But this isn’t exactly true for exercise. Actually, exercising doesn’t have to cause pain in order to get you in shape.

If you are just beginning to exercise, a little muscle soreness is to be expected. But don’t give up. Work through it, stick with your exercise routine, and in few days the soreness should be gone for good.

If you ever do experience severe pain while exercising, stop until it goes away. If it lasts for more than a few days, see your doctor.

Three Parts. What does a balanced exercise plan look like to you? Is walking 30 minutes four days a week enough? Lifting weights four times a week? In a word, no.

There are actually three components of a balanced workout routine: aerobic, strength-training, and flexibility exercises.

Aerobic or cardio exercises strengthen your lungs and heart. Examples include running, walking, swimming, cycling, and basketball.

Strength or resistance training exercises keep your bones and muscles strong and help with coordination and balance. Strength training refers to weight lifting, weight machines, resistance bands, and body-weight exercises.

The third part of a balanced exercise routine includes flexibility exercises to reduce your risk of injury and improve your body’s range of motion. Examples include stretching, yoga, and tai chi.

It doesn’t matter what order you perform your aerobic and strength-training exercises, unless you have specific goals. Working on endurance? Go cardio first. Trying to get stronger or burn calories? Hit the weights first. Just be sure to incorporate all three types of exercise each week.

Warm Up and Cool Down. If you don’t warm up before or cool down after exercising you could harm your muscles.

The best way to get your muscles ready for exercising is to include a brief time of light aerobics such as brisk walking or steady cycling to get your breathing and heart rate slightly elevated.

To cool down, continue exercising at a slower pace or lower level of intensity for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then end with a few gentle stretches to loosen your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. A cool-down period will help your muscles recover and help prevent injury or soreness.

Target Heart Rate. To get the greatest benefit from your workout, it is important to exercise at your target heart rate zone.

To determine your target heart rate, you must first find your maximum heart rate. To do this, subtract your age from 220. Your target heart rate is 50-85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

For example, if you are 40 years old, your maximum heart rate is 180 and your target heart rate is between 90 and 153 beats per minute.

To measure your pulse, place your fingers on your wrist or the arteries on your neck and count how many beats you feel per minute, or double the number of beats in 30 seconds.

Sports Drink or Water? Your body requires plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise.

Try to drink at least 20 ounces of water several hours before your workout and eight more ounces about a half hour before your workout. Then drink about 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.

During normal everyday exercise, water is usually the best for rehydrating. But when you exercise intensely for more than an hour, sports drinks are as good or
even better. Sports drinks contain a high amount of carbohydrates, which provide energy. They also help to replace the electrolytes lost from sweating.

The easiest and most effective way to ensure that your workout plan is smart is to put it into the hands of a trusted expert—me.
Call or email today to get started on a truly smart exercise plan that will transform your body in
ways that you’ve only dreamed.

Brain Benefit

A growing body of research continues to confirm links between exercise and improved brain function. So in addition to making you stronger, leaner, sexier, and more confident, your time at the gym will actually make you smarter.

Turkey-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring! These turkey-stuffed bell peppers are the perfect meal for those days when you’re bored of eating healthy. Shhhh, your taste buds won’t suspect that this dish is low-carb and protein-filled. Serve over a bed of greens for a complete meal.
Servings: 5

Here’s what you need…

5 organic bell peppers
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced
1 yellow onion, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
dash of salt and pepper
20 oz organic ground turkey, 99% fat free
1 organic tomato, chopped
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a pinch of salt. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Place in the boiling water, using a spoon to keep them submerged for 3 minutes or until the skin is slightly softened. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet heat the oil on medium. Add the garlic, basil, onion, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the ground turkey and continue to heat until the meat is browned. Add the tomato and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Pour the spaghetti sauce into the turkey mixture and mix well. Add the cheese and mix until well combined.
Stuff each prepared bell pepper with the turkey mixture and place on prepared baking sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the bell peppers are tender.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 193 calories, 3 fat, 256mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 28g protein.

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04/08/2012
Eating Healthy While Eating Out

When you eat at home, you know what you’re getting, but head to a restaurant it’s another story.

The ingredients, method of preparation, and portion size can easily add excess calories to your diet.

Restaurant menus have so many choices and are often full of unfamiliar terms. Is a food fried or baked? Does it come with a sauce or dressing? If you’re not careful, you won’t know answers to these questions and more until you ask them.

Before heading out to dinner tonight, here are some tips to enjoy a healthy meal.

So Many Options
When considering what to choose from dozens of options, you can easily become overwhelmed. Just as easy is to be tempted by the unhealthy choices. Thankfully, most restaurants these days include healthy options on their menus and label them accordingly.

For your main course, choose chicken, turkey, ham, or fish over beef. If it comes with a sauce, avoid creamy or cheesy sauces and go with a tomato or vegetable sauce.

Additionally, try to include a salad, fruit, or steamed vegetable, and go sparingly on dressings, cheese, salt, and butter. Instead of chips, fries, or fried rice, choose boiled rice or potatoes.

Need some extra seasoning? Leave the salt and butter alone. Instead, reach for some fresh herbs or lemon. And if the meal comes with bread, choose a whole-grain option and go with a sherbet, sorbet, or fresh fruit if you can’t say no to dessert.

Food Preparation
Menus are often vague when it comes to the way the food is prepared. If you’re not sure or the menu doesn’t say how the food is prepared, be sure to ask.

Remember—restaurant foods are full of fats, as fats help keep the food moist and yummy.

To play it safe and to avoid excess fat, choose foods that are grilled, boiled, steamed, stir-fried, or poached instead of fried, baked, or battered. Also, take control of your food destiny by asking that your meal be prepared with olive oil instead of butter or other fats.

When your salad arrives, opt for oil and vinegar rather than dressing. Or have your dressing on the side so you can limit the amount you use.

Terms to watch for include “lightly breaded,” “wrap,” “baked,” and “viniagrette.” These may all sound healthy but may are deceiving.

Foods that are lightly breaded are often deep-fried. A wrap may sound like a good option, but two slices of bread may have fewer calories than a 10-inch tortilla. Baked sounds better than fried, but it could possibly mean the food is baked deep-dish style and contains high-fat, creamy ingredients. While baked salmon is a good choice, baked lasagna is high in fat. And though vinaigrette dressing sounds healthier than a cream based dressing, it is mostly oil, so order it on the side.

Portion Control
Not only do portions keep getting bigger, so do the plates that hold them! With so much food sitting in front of you, it is sometimes hard to resist the temptation to eat it all—especially when you paid so much for it.

To avoid the temptation to eat unhealthily large portions, split or share the entree, then choose a soup, salad, or extra side. If you know you’ll get too much food, go ahead and ask for a to-go box when you order. That way you can divide the food as soon as you get it, so you won’t have to stare at the extra food as you eat.

Know What to Look For
Knowing what to look for on a menu and what to avoid will help you choose healthier, low-fat options. If you find that your diet is lacking fruits, vegetables, or whole grains when you eat out, make up for it when you eat your other meals at home.

Remember that healthy eating is only half of the battle when it comes to losing weight.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program designed to get you real results.

Adjust Your Mindset

Eating out should be a luxury, not an everyday affair. If you find yourself choosing at restaurants more often than you’d like—especially if you’re eating all the wrong foods, cut back on your eating out ways and watch your calorie intake drop instantly!

Easy Baked Salmon

Salmon is filled with quality protein and omega-3 benefits, making it the perfect center of your healthy dinner. Serve your salmon on a bed of fresh or braised greens.
Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt, fat free
1 lime, juiced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 (3oz) wild caught salmon fillets
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a small bowl combine the yogurt, lime juice, and garlic. Put half of the yogurt mixture aside in the fridge. Coat the salmon with the other half of the yogurt mixture and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Place the salmon on prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Turn on the high broil for an additional 5 minutes until the top of the salmon has browned.
Serve the salmon on a bed of kale with a dollop of the reserved yogurt.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 172 calories, 6.9g fat, 62mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 24.6g protein.

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04/01/2012