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Sweet Treats

2010-06-21T11:07:00.000-05:00

I am still perfecting my low carb/low fat chocolate…but stay tuned you will love it! In the mean time here a few tasty treats for your sweet tooth. Thanks to the Clean Eating Website! Enjoy your summer!

Melt 80% cocoa and drizzle it over clusters of chopped almonds and dried cranberries, bananans, or strawberries and freeze them till they are hard!

Sliced apple or banana with natural or almond peanut butter

Grilled pineapple, peaches and plums. Great dessert! And they caramelize so nicely on the grill!

A serving of Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries (or your favorite berries) and Peak Protein granola. It’s sweet, cold and crunchy all in one!

Cottage cheese with peach slices!

Apple Pie Snack or Dessert Recipe

2010-06-18T12:16:00.005-05:00

Okay so I am so sorry it has been so long since I posted anything. I had to take a break to move back to Arizona! Anyway, we are home and I will try and post a couple times a week! So I made up this new little sweet for after I eat and it is DELICIOUS!

NEED: (1 Serving)
1 Apple (your favorite color)
Ground Cinnamon (to dust the apple)
1 to 2 Splenda or Stevia (to dust apple)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Slice or dice apples. Dust with Cinnamon and 1/2 Sweetener and microwave for 2 minutes. Then use the rest of sweetener on the apples. IF you are at your target weight and want to splurge a little, add some low carb or low/fat free frozen yogurt to the tasty dish! If you are still losing weight don't worry about the frozen yogurt it is still OH SO YUMMY!!! Try it and let me know your thoughts!

ENJOY!!!

Stay posted I found an AMAZING low carb chocolate recipe that I am trying to perfect! It is good now but I think it can be better!!!

Fish Tacos Recipe

2010-05-05T12:05:00.003-05:00

I know some of you are so weird about Fish Tacos!!! Well get over it! These are SO SO great and they are good for you! I hope you try out this recipe and leave me a post! Have fun and enjoy.

Salsa

- 2 chopped Tomatoes

- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

- 1/4 onion (red preferred, any onion OK)

- juice of 1 lime, zest of 1/2 lime

- handful chopped cilantro

- 1 chopped Avocado

- mix ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate

Zesty, Creamy Topping

Skip the sour cream and use this instead!

- 1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt, strained (Place a paper towel in a strainer and add the yogurt. This helps give the yogurt a thicker consistency like soft cheese. It needs about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator and you can skip this step if you don’t have the time)

- 1/2 tsp chili powder, taco seasoning, or fajita seasoning

- stir and refrigerate

Fish

- about 2-3 pounds white fish (we used tilapia)

- season with salt and pepper

- squeeze juice from 1/2 lime over fish

- broil or grill on low to medium heat for 6-8 minutes (don’t over do it or your fish will be tough)

Spicy Black Beans

- one 14 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained, and placed in a saucepan

- 1/2 onion, diced and 2-4 cloves garlic, diced (saute both in 1 tsp olive oil and add to bean)

- 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp chili powder

- mix together and heat on low for about 8 minutes (I did this when the fish was cooking)

You will also need…

- store bought tortillas (we used a low carb, high fiber tortilla with about 100 calories and 10g fiber per serving)

- 1 cup cabbage, shredded (green or purple – whatever looks good)

Making the Taco

Heat the tortilla in a toaster oven, microwave or dry pan for a few seconds until warm. (You’ve come this far, why not?) Place about 2-3 ounces of fish in the middle of the taco. Top with 2 tablespoons salsa, 2 tablespoons black beans, small handful of cabbage (cabbage is healthy and low calorie so use as much or as little to your liking), and 1 tablespoon of the creamy topping.

DELICIOUS!!! Happy Cinco!

Bob's Red Mill BULGUR Recipe

2010-04-27T11:13:00.004-05:00

So I have been reading up on Bulgur and wanted to try it out! I picked up some Bob Red Mill's Bulgur and made a delicious Pilaf! My mother in law and I loved it so much we had to make sure we did not eat the whole casserole! It is healthy and has tons of great nutrients in it but MODERATION is still key! We made it with grilled Flank Steak and sauteed green beans with garlic and almonds!

Bulgar Pilaf

1 cup of Bulgar
4 chopped green onions
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped orange pepper
3-4 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 package of mushrooms or baby Bella's (I used baby Bella's)
1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cavendars (or your favorite spice...Cumin would be good too!)

*optional
1 Chopped Jalapeno

Saute veggies in olive oil until Brown. Add Bulgur and stir in for about a minute. Add water and transfer to a casserole and cover. Put in oven for about 25 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees. YUMMY! I added a dash of Tabasco to mine...imagine that!

Nutrient Facts
Serving Size: 1/4 cup(40g)
Servings Per Container: 19.00
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Calories 140
Calories from Fat 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total Fat 0.50 g 1 %
Saturated Fat 0.00 g 0 %
Trans Fat 0.00 g 0 %
Cholesterol 0.00 mg 0 %
Sodium 5.00 mg 0 %
Total Carbohydrate 30.00 g 10 %
Dietary Fiber 7.00 g 28 %
Sugars 0.00 g 0 %
Protein 5.00 g 10 %

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vitamin A 0.00 %
Vitamin C 0.00 %
Calcium 2.00 %
Iron 6.00 %

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients: toasted cracked wheat

Lighter Queso Recipe

2010-04-20T07:41:00.004-05:00

I received this email from Hungry Girl this morning...yummy! I like thigs spicy so I added a few things! Hope you enjoy it!

Beso Mi Queso!
That means, "Kiss my cheese!" And while we don't really recommend getting all smoochy with a bowl of steaming cheese dip, don't be surprised if someone lays one on YOU after you serve our Gooey-Good Queso Dip. Get your dunk on!

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles (like the kind by Boca or Morningstar Farms)
3/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix, divided
3/4 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1/3 cup light plain soymilk
2/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 tsp. chili powder, or more to taste

My optional items:
1 can ROTEL
1 TBSP Chopped onion
1 chopped jalapeno or for a chipotle flavor add 1 chipotle pepper (THEY ARE HOT)

30 (about 1 2/3 oz.) Guiltless Gourmet All Natural Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips (or another brand of low-fat baked tortilla chips)

Or make your own with a low carb tortilla, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil and bake them!

Directions:
Bring a small pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add frozen crumbles and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning and 1/4 tsp. cumin. Cook for about 4 minutes, mixing occasionally, until thawed and hot. Remove seasoned crumbles and set aside. Remove pot from heat and let cool slightly.

To the pot, add soymilk, all three cheeses, chili powder, remaining 1/4 tsp. taco seasoning, and remaining 1/2 tsp. cumin. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to medium-low heat. Stirring frequently, heat until cheeses have melted and mixture has a smooth, sauce-like consistency.

Add seasoned crumbles to the pot, and continue to cook and stir until hot. If you like, warm chips in the microwave. Place dip in a fun bowl, and serve with chips!

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/3rd of recipe (about 1/3 cup dip and 10 chips)
Calories: 186
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 821mg
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 1.5g
Protein: 19g

POINTS® value 3*

THANKS Hungrt Girl (http://bl137w.blu137.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=compose)

Healthy Recipes for Seasonal Spring Foods

2010-04-19T15:21:00.000-05:00

Healthy Recipes for Seasonal Spring Foods

B.I.F. is going to AZ but "Group" B.I.F. is staying in SD!

2010-04-16T10:56:00.007-05:00

Hello Friends!

It has been a great year for Bruning Intense Fitness and I am sad and happy to say we are heading back to Arizona! I have seen some great weight loss success here and made some life long friends. I hope my impact on your lives is as great as the impact you have had on mine! I have learned a lot through teaching and training you! I am sad to say goodbye to you but am excited about our new venture with the Group! I will still be a part of your life...I just won't be there to say "if you like the way your bellies look, leave your feet down!" That was a good one! Lets keep B.I.F. going and keep losing weight and staying healthy! Love you all!

If you are interested in joining B.I.F. in Arizona please email me at bruningintensefitness@live.com!

If you are interested in joining "Group" B.I.F. in South Dakota please email me at groupbif@live.com!

Have a GREAT day!

Drinks on Us: Easy, Low-Calorie Cocktail Recipes

2010-03-25T15:39:00.000-05:00

Drinks on Us: Easy, Low-Calorie Cocktail Recipes

OKAY so I normally would not post about cocktails...but some do sound really tasty! Drink in moderation and just know the more the drink...the harder it is to lose weight! It can stop you weightloss for up to 5 days! It is crazy I know! But go ahead a try one of these yummy drinks...just not 10 of them! Have fun!

Desserts Under 250 Calories

2010-03-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

Desserts Under 250 Calories

SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND MODERATION! Enjoy!

15 Steps to Healthy Eating

2010-03-24T10:57:00.000-05:00

15 Steps to Healthy Eating

Happy St. Patricks Day Recipe

2010-03-17T08:46:00.005-05:00

Happy St. Patricks day! I hope all of you are wearing your green! Anyway, as much as I love corned beef...beware of how fatty it is! 1 oz = 5 fat grams! If you are going to eat it, try and find Light corned beef...maybe ask the butcher. At least light will have 1 fat gram per 1 oz of meat! Skip the potatoes and just have the cabbage! OR have a healthy meal all together...Healthy Shepherd's Pie! This is one of my all time favorites! Try it and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
2 tbsp of light sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 3/4 lb Lean ground beef or Ground Turkey
fresh, frozen, or canned mixed veggies
1 onion
1 packet of beef stew seasoning packet
2 tsp of Worcestershire
optional 2 tbsp of fresh parsley
shredded 2% cheese (enough to cover casserole)
season all or cavender's to taste
DIRECTIONS

Boil or steam cauliflower until soft(should be able to stab with fork easily). Put soft cauliflower in large mixing bowl and add salt, pepper, and other seasonings you like. Add the sour cream and if you want you can add a touch of light butter for a buttery taste. Mash up with potato masher and set aside.
Brown meat with chopped onions and seasoning (cavender's or season all). When cooked drain fat if any. Put back in pan and add seasoning packet with a 1/2 cup water and let simmer. Add veggies to meat to heat up. Add Worcestershire and a dash of Tabasco it you like a little kick. I do!

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a square or rectangular casserole with meat and veggie mix--spread evenly. Spoon cauliflower mash over meat evenly sprinkle 2% cheese over cauliflower mash ( I like to cover the cauliflower with the cheese--do it how you like it!). Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until cheese and cauliflower are evenly browned. I really like when when my cheese is nice and brown! Top casserole with chopped parsley and serve.

ENJOY!!!

Angel Hair With Spicy Shrimp Recipe

2010-03-17T08:27:00.004-05:00

If you need a little spice in your life...try this great dish! It is Super Yummy! Remember moderation and watch your portion size, maybe make it for you and friends and have a big tasty salad before hand! Enjoy!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 of a box uncooked Dreamfields Angel Hair
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (28 ounces) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped basil (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 3 to 5 minutes, until cooked through. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook until garlic is tender, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. (Do not let garlic burn.) Remove shrimp from skillet; set aside.

Stir tomatoes, wine, parsley and basil into skillet. Continue cooking until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and pasta to skillet. Continue cooking just to heat through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and additional chopped basil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Nutrition information (1/4 of recipe): 461 calories; 33 g protein;
18 g digestible carbohydrates*; 13 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 225 mg cholesterol;
776 mg sodium; 6 g total dietary fiber.

*If traditional pasta is used in this recipe there is a total of 48 g carbohydrate. For more information go to www.DreamfieldsFoods.com.

The Double Edged Sword of "Healthy" Fast Food

2010-03-16T07:53:00.004-05:00

This article was in my mailbox this morning and I thought I would share it with you fast food eaters...Really read what is all in that chicken wrap! WOW!!! It definitly makes you think twice about fast food...or it should!

Tom Venuto http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2010/03/healthy_fast_food.php

What’s on the menu at fast food restaurants lately? Ironically enough, the answer increasingly is… “health food!” Even more incongruous, many fast food joints are advertising their food for weight loss. Healthy weight loss food at Taco Bell and McDonalds? Is this a positive move to be applauded, is it a big corporate money grab or is it a double edged sword? Here’s my two cents:
Almost everyone remembers the Jared weight loss campaign for Subway. He was the guy who lost 245 pounds during which time he ate at Subway regularly. He simply picked the lower calorie items on the menu. Jared later became a spokesperson for Subway in their nationwide advertising campaigns which became known as the Subway Diet.

During that campaign, Subway sales doubled to 8.2 billion. How much the increase came from the weight loss ads is unknown, but there’s little doubt that using weight loss as a marketing platform was a boon for Subway.

Subway has since moved on to $5 footlong subs, which worked wonders for their bottom line in the recent recession. But other fast food chains picked up the weight loss torch where subway left off.

The most recent talk of the blogosphere this year is the Taco Bell drive through diet. With its own dedicated website and advertising campaign, the drive through diet flaunts their own “Jared”: Christine!

The restaurant seems to be walking on FTC-strewn egg… er… taco shells, being very conservative with their claims. They say Christine’s results aren’t typical, she lost the weight (54 lbs) over 2 years by reducing her calories to 1250 a day, and part of her success was simply from choosing Taco Bell’s new lower calorie “Fresco” items.
These include “7 diet items with 150 to 240 calories and under 9 grams of fat.” For example, there’s a chicken soft taco with only 170 calories, 4 grams of fat, 22 grams of carbs and 12 grams of protein.

By swapping some of these items with their regular (and higher calorie) menu items, you’d take in fewer calories and less fat. If all else remained equal, this could help you lose weight. For people who refuse to give up eating at fast food restaurants, this is arguably a positive thing.
Take my brother for example, He’s not a total junk food junkie, thanks partly to my influence and the influence of our parents. I have vague memories of my health-nut mom feeding us wheat germ and cod liver oil (by the spoonful) when we were candy-munching kids in California. She once tried to feed us eggplant pizza as a sneaky way to get us to eat vegetables. That ploy didn’t work – we were young but we weren’t stupid – we knew it wasn’t Pizza Hut! (I hate eggplant to this day).

Many years ago, I even managed to get my brother going to the gym and whaddya know, he’s been going ever since. But despite the positive role models he has, left to his own devices, he WILL make a beeline to Taco Bell and McDonalds and so will the friends he hangs out with.
I went to McDonalds with him a few months ago (I was trapped in the car with no choice), and he was about to order a bacon cheeseburger. I glanced at the menu and said, “That’s 790 calories!” I glanced down at his belly, then continued, “Look, they have chicken wraps. Why don’t you have one of those?” Without questioning me he said, “Ok,” apparently happy just to get any McDonalds fix. I couldn’t talk him out of the soda, but I’m working on it okay? At least I got him to stop getting refills.

Right there at the counter they had the nutrition information sheets:
McDonald’s honey mustard grilled chicken wrap: 260 calories, 9 grams fat, 27 grams of carbs, 18 grams of protein.

That saved him 530 calories. Am I happy there is something with 260 calories on the menu and not just 700 calories across the board? Absolutely. And DO I applaud the fast food restaurants for offering lower calorie choices? You bet, although I’d like to see more one-ingredient choices like baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes and whole fruit…plus some decent salads).
The big mistake almost everyone is making, even fitness and nutrition professionals who have been blogging about this lately, is that while they are agreeing that it’s nice to have low calorie items on the menu (especially with calories posted), they are calling these low calorie fast food items “healthy choices.”

Some journalists and bloggers have jumped into the fray and cleverly countered…
“These new fast food menu items are NOT healthy, they’re only ‘healthi-ER.’”

I think they are both mistaken.
This food is not healthy nor is it healthier. It’s only lower in calories.
The only way you could say these lower calorie fast food items are healthier choices is in the sense that they can help to reduce total daily caloric intake, if all else remains equal. That could help people lose weight and if they lose weight the weight loss could improve their health. Eating smaller portions of refined carbohydrates or sugars might also be healthier, from a glycemic point of view.

But what if your definition of healthy food is dependent on nutrition, nutrient density and absence of artificial ingredients?

Let’s take a look at that very low calorie chicken wrap. Do you really think it’s healthier just because it’s got 1/3 the calories of a bacon cheeseburger?

Here’s the ingredients straight from McDonald’s website:
McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Breast Filet (wrap): Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). (and don’t forget the 800 mg of sodium).

HOLY CRAP! Shouldn’t chicken breast be just one ingredient… chicken breast?! Isn’t that generally what healthy, whole food is – one ingredient?

This is not food. It’s more like what Michael Pollan would call an “edible food-like substance.”
What about the honey mustard sauce? First ingredient after water is… SUGAR!
The flour tortilla ingredients? Enriched bleached wheat flour, also made with vegetable shortening (may contain one or more of the following: hydrogenated soybean oil, soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil with mono- and diglycerides added), contains 2% or less of the following: sugar, leavening (sodium aluminum sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium phosphate, baking soda, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), salt, wheat gluten, dough conditioners, sodium metabisulfite, distilled monoglycerides.
Trans fats? Sugar? Aluminum? Stuff you can’t pronounce and have to look up to find out it’s preservatives and disinfectants?

Don’t confuse the issues: weight loss and health…. Calories and nutrition. There IS a difference!
This my friends, makes “healthy” fast food a double edged sword.
There are people I care about, not just my clients, but my own family, and I want the best for them all. But my brother, and many other people, aren’t going to completely give up fast food. If I can get him to make better bad choices that could help him keep his weight under control. If that works, then I’m pleased that the fast food restaurants have such choices to offer.
But if you wanted to make a good choice - a healthy choice - you’d forget about “driving through” anywhere on a daily basis, and you’d save the junk for your planned cheat meals (although, frankly, I can think of far better ways to spend my “free” calories).
The Subway diet, the Drive Through diet, The Cookie Diet, Kentucky grilled chicken or the Weight Watchers approved McDonalds menu (yes its true, what a pair that is!) Don’t kid yourself - it’s not only not healthy, it’s not healthier – it’s lower calorie junk food.

No matter what the serving size, crap is still crap.”

Chicken Piccata with Capers and Mushrooms Recipe

2010-03-14T08:31:00.007-05:00

We made this for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS...I thought about it last night and could not wait to have it for my first meal of the day! I got the original recipe from eating well. but changed a few things to make it a little healthier! You must try this tonight...you will love it!

Ingredients:

6 ounces whole-dream fields pasta
5 teaspoons all-purpose flour,
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 chicken cutlets (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced (I used baby portobella)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice (I just used the juice from 1 whole lemon)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I did not use and was still GREAT)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 teaspoons butter

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour and broth in a small bowl until smooth. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, capers, butter and the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

6 Simple Steps to lose weight!

2010-03-12T09:31:00.004-06:00

Losing weight does not happen over night and can be very frustrating! But if you are dedicated and REALLY READY then weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight.

I have talked to some of you about your diet and you have said my diet is too hard for you…well if mine does not work you HAVE to find something that does because to lose weight food and exercise goes hand in hand!

Try this:

1) Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. That's right, wake up, and eat like you would normally eat and count the calories in everything you eat and everything you drink and keep track of it on a piece of paper or on the computer somewhere. You might be thinking to yourself, "yeah right, I'm not going to sit around counting calories all day." Well, if you're thinking that, then you're obviously not dedicated enough to losing weight. If this is the case, then feel free to go waste your money on the newest useless weight loss pill. But, if you are dedicated enough to take 10 minutes out of your day and count the calories, then keep on reading.

2) At the end of that day, add up the number of calories you ate/drank. Be as exact as possible. Once you add it all up, you now have the total number of calories you consume daily. Also, weigh yourself.

3) Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories LESS then you normally do. So, lets pretend that the day you counted calories you counted 2000. For the rest of the week, you would eat 1500 calories a day. Understand? All you have to do is subtract 500 from the total number of calories you consume in a normal day, and eat this new number of calories every day for the next 7 days.

4) Instead of eating 3 big meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), or eating all day all the time, spread those calories out over 5 smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 and a half to 3 hours. Doing this will speed up your metabolism.

5) Cardio and strength training. Both are an important part of weight loss. If you're serious about losing weight, but don't want to do the workouts, then you are requiring your diet to do all of the work…sorry not going to happen!!! Jog, walk, swim, jump rope, ride a bike, SHOW UP TO MY CLASS, whatever... exercise + proper diet = better than just doing one of the two. All it takes is 30 minutes a day, 3 - 5 days a week. I say 3-5 days a week because I don't know if you have 5 pounds to lose, or if you have 50 pounds to lose. So, depending on how much your looking to lose, figure it out. 3 times a week is good starting point though.

6) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice a difference just after one week! Now, don't expect to see a 20 pound difference. Losing anymore then 2 pounds a week is unhealthy. So look for a 2 pound weight loss at the end of the week.

Hope this works for you! Remember to lose weight and keep it off you have to find something that works FOR YOU!!! Good luck!

Flat Abs Diet: 7 Low-Fat Dinner Recipes

2010-03-11T11:32:00.000-06:00

For those of you looking for some great recipes check these out! If you are watching your carb intake:

Sub
Veggies for brown rice
Dreamfields Pasta for whole wheat pasta
Low Carb Torillas for whole wheat tortillas

Flat Abs Diet: 7 Low-Fat Dinner Recipes

ENJOY!!!

Fat Burning Foods that Speed Up Metabolism

2010-03-11T09:07:00.000-06:00

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/fat-burning-foods-that-speed-up-metabolism.html

Fastest Way to Burn FAT!

2010-03-11T09:02:00.001-06:00

They have some great tips similar to mine plus some! Good day and lets burn some FAT!!!
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/fastest-way-to-burn-fat.html

Fat vs Muscle

2010-03-11T08:08:00.004-06:00

As you can see, the 5 lbs of fat is much bulkier that 5 lbs of muscle, but five pounds is still five pounds. Muscle does not weigh more than fat.

Fat is bulky, lumpy, and is not to pretty to look at! If you carry an extra 5+ pounds of fat, you'll be lumpier than if you had an extra 5+ pounds of muscle. A five pound pile of fat will take up more space (volume) than a five pound pile of muscle. Five pounds is five pounds...and if we have more fat than muscle we want rid of it! Muscle is heavier by volume than fat and if you have more fat than muscle then you will be running into some health problem sooner or later!

Example...A woman weighing 150 pounds with 19% fat will look much smaller and and be much healthier than a woman at 150 pounds with 35% fat. They weigh the same, yet the composition is different. Because muscle is more dense than fat the person with less fat and more muscle will look smaller.

I want that scale to move DOWN...but don't get obsessed with the body weight. Take it day by day and start paying attention to your body composition, the way it looks and feels in your favorite clothes! Remember if you want that scale to move...you not only have to workout but you MUST focus on what your eating! IF my meal plan does not work for you...find one that does!!!

Many people want to lose weight and everyone has different goals, maybe you want the scale to move, tone up, look better in close, feel better in close, get healthy, get off medications, live longer, play with your own children and I am sure many more. Make sure your goals are realistic and focus on how good it will feel to make your goal! In the end you want to lose the fat and gain more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn...you have heard me say...you will be a burning furnace!

I hope this helps a little! Have a great day!

Some Information from weightloss.com

10 Diet Foods That Make You Fat

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

10 Diet Foods That Make You Fat

The FITNESS Guide to Healthy Snacking

2010-03-10T08:51:00.000-06:00

The FITNESS Guide to Healthy Snacking

10 Ways to Add More Veggies to Your Diet

2010-03-10T08:48:00.000-06:00

10 Ways to Add More Veggies to Your Diet

OUTSIDE

2010-03-05T15:50:00.004-06:00

Snow Snow Go Away!!! I am praying that is does NOT snow again! I am excited and ready to go outside! It has been a long cold winter! Lose that winter weight and tone up...spring is around the summer!

So come on Brandon and Sioux Falls give me some feed back...

When we go outside what times would work best? Have a great night!

The 48-Hour Weight-Loss Jump Start

2010-03-05T15:49:00.000-06:00

Some of you have been wanting new ideas so read this...maybe you can get motivated again! HAve a great day!

The 48-Hour Weight-Loss Jump Start

Calorie Bargain: Kashi All-Natural Frozen Pizzas

2010-02-17T16:47:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite clients told me about these great pizza's so I thought I would give them a try...yummy!

Again think "moderation"! If you think this is a small pizza (your correct) and you should eat it for yourself (you shouldn't)! It is a smaller pizza so make a salad to eat before hand or maybe grill or bake some chicken breasts and toss with some wing sauce for a little pizza and wing craving! Anyway, let me know if you like them! Enjoy!

Calorie Bargain: Kashi All-Natural Frozen Pizzas

The Real Reason You Can't Lose Weight

2010-02-17T16:35:00.000-06:00

The Real Reason You Can't Lose Weight

Churrasco Steak Salad Recipe

2010-02-16T07:31:00.000-06:00

Okay...so I am a little burnt out on chicken this week and found this great recipe! Hope you enjoy it!

Churrasco Steak Salad Recipe

Marissa Orr's Success Story...She is not done yet!

2010-02-15T09:47:00.006-06:00

I have so many GREAT clients and I want to start blogging about them (if they let me!). I hope you enjoy this success story and the many more to come

The client I am going to talk about today was one of my heaviest clients to date. I always say anyone can do this workout with a little modification here and there. This client has showed me and many others that ANYONE with dedication and heart can do what we do!

I am proud to announce Marissa Orr as my super star client this week! Marissa started in October and is still going strong today! She lives out of town and drives to SF 4 days a week at 6 AM and never misses! In the beginning she struggled but she has stuck with it and has lost 50.8lbs and is still losing. She is so amazing, she works hard in class, eats healthy at home and at work, she is always positive, and her will to succeed is outstanding. There were many moves she could not do in the beginning and because she never gives up, she is stronger and able to do what she thought she never could (or would)! We motivate and push her but she does the hard work and through her hard work and results she motivates and inspires us right back! We are so proud of her! Marissa is very lucky she has family, coworkers, and friends who are also very proud and very supportive! Keep up the great work and you will hit your personal goal soon!

Name: Marissa Orr

Weight Today: 262

B.I.F. Success: 50.8 lbs lost and 11+ inches

Goal Weight:180lbs is my ultimate goal that I would love to reach but I don't like to set goals with the fear that I will fail. My goal is to see that scale keep moving down from week to week.

What made you join B.I.F.? One of my high school friends is a member and I saw her before and after pictures on facebook. I also knew I had to do something to lose weight and get healthier. I was miserable at the weight I was at.

Why has it worked for you? I finally found something that works and that I wholeheartedly believe in. Jeff and Siobhan are GREAT, they motivate and push you to work harder. They are there to help you every step of the way. Also, the classes are all so different you never get bored.

What is your exercise routine? I work out 4 days a week and do what Jeff and Siobhan tell me to do. I am planning on also joining the Lennox gym to use the elliptical and treadmill to help me reach my goal. Before this I never exercised!

What was your motivation? I had actually let my self get to 300lbs and was so unhealthy and none of my clothes fit. My motivation now that I am actually in class is that every time week I weigh in I have lost weight. Some weeks are better than others but it has never stayed the same or gone up! I feel better than I have in years and I love hearing everyone say I am looking better everyday! Also none of my "big" clothes fit anymore...they fall off me!

How has this experience changed you or your life? I didn't think I could do it. I was so afraid to start this program with the fear of not being able to do it because I was so big. Now that I have done it and have lost 50lbs I know I can do anything!

Any Advise for future B.I.F. members? Even if you think you can't do it, you can!!! This program is FUN and CHALLENGING and you will LOVE it!

Thanks so much Marissa! We love how hard you work and are proud to help you with your body and life transformation!

***Feel free to leave a post for Marissa to read!

2010-02-12T09:21:00.002-06:00

So sometimes you just need a little treat! I made these this morning and it was just what I needed! I of course made them the low fat, no cholesterol way and they were just as GREAT! Follow the directions on the box except sub unsweetened apple sauce INSTEAD of the oil. Use 2 egg whites INSTEAD of the whole egg. The low fat recipe is actually on the side of the box...I can't take credit for that one. When ever you are baking-sub apple sauce for oil and egg white for whole eggs and you will cut a lot of fat and cholesterol!!!

Now I can take credit for this little add on...chocolate chips--use 2 to 5 oz and just add to the mix. I recommend using Ghiradeli (60% or higher cacao) DARK chocolate chips or bittersweet chips). However, I did not use the chocolate chips this morning because I am on a 12 week plan and those chips are not worth all those burpees and star burpees I did this morning!

If you plan on making these muffins please remember MODERATION...just because they are lower in fat DOES NOT mean sit and eat all of them! Have one, wrap them up and put them away. They should last about a week wrapped up. If you want you can freeze them, then they will last about 3 months! I hope you enjoy these yummy muffins! Have a great day!

Hand Guide to Portion Control

2010-02-11T09:40:00.000-06:00

Hand Guide to Portion Control

30 Easy Ways to Cut Calories

2010-02-11T09:24:00.000-06:00

30 Easy Ways to Cut Calories

BLT Salad recipe

2010-02-11T08:51:00.003-06:00

So I came across this recipe and I love BLT sandwiches so I am sure I will love this salad! I changed a few things to make it healthier. We might as well cut the fat when we can! If anyone makes it before me let me know what you think!

BLT Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

6 cups of raw spinach leaves (torn into bite size pieces)

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/2 cup cubes low fat mozzarella

8 slices of Turkey bacon (soy bacon for you vegetarians)

1/2 red onion, chopped (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 cup fat free or low fat yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1 - 2 chopped garlic cloves, chopped finely

Cook bacon according to package directions and chop. Whisk in a bowl, yogurt, milk, and garlic to form dressing. In a large bowl toss spinach, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, and bacon. Toss with dressing or just drizzle on...what ever you prefer! Sounds delicious...doesn't it?! I hope you like it!

5 Ways to Make Your Super Bowl Party Diet-Friendly

2010-02-04T13:29:00.000-06:00

5 Ways to Make Your Super Bowl Party Diet-Friendly

11 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks - Health.com

2010-02-04T13:06:00.000-06:00

11 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks - Health.com

How to Eat Smarter!

2010-02-02T16:58:00.002-06:00

For those of you that need a little help or a reminder...

Build meals around fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and lean protein.
Choose Whole grains or legumes for your daily carb choices.
Choose low fat or no fat milk and cheese.
Choose monounsaturated rather than saturated fats.
Eat with in a half hour to an hour after waking up.
Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day.
Eat a healthy meal with protein after your workout.
Do not eat a FULL meal right before bed...a small meal or snack will be fine.
Make sure you have a fruit or vegetable with EACH meal--you need fiber!
Water, water, and more water.
Exercise at least 3 times a week...more would be great!
Just because you are working out does not mean you can eat what you want--exspecially if you are trying to lose weight!
If you NEED to splurge on something not so good for you...have a little slice, bite, dollop, or whatever it might be!
Find a meal plan you like and that works with your life style...ours, weight watchers, nutria-system, the zone, or any other HEALTHY eating plan. If you don't like it...your not going to stick with it...and you won't lose weight!
Know that you are NOT going to lose weight unless you are eating healthy and working out!

I hope these little tips help you with your weight loss! Sometimes you just need a little reminder and a kick in the butt! See you in class!

Best Choice/ Fair Choice

2010-02-01T12:25:00.004-06:00

So I have been talking to some of you about making better choices when it comes to food! Below I am going to give you a list of foods that are better for you and some you should eat in MODERATION! I hope this helps!

Proteins

Best Choice

Chicken breast deli meat
Skinless chicken breast
Turkey breast deli
Skinless turkey breast
Veal
ALL fish

Fair Choice

Lean cut beef
Lean ground beef
Canadian bacon
Corn beef
Ham deli
Lean ham
Lean Pork
Lean Lamb
Pork Chop
Turkey Bacon
Turkey Pepperoni

Poor Choices

Bacon
Fatty beef
Ground beef (more than 10% fat)
Kielbasa
Pepperoni
Salami

Eggs Best Choice

Egg whites
Egg substitutes
Egg/egg white combo

Poor Choice

Whole eggs

Dairy Best Choice

Fat free cheese
cottage cheese low fat and no fat

Fair Choice

Reduced fat cheese
mozzarella cheese
Skim ricotta

Poor Choice

Hard cheese

FRUITS AND VEGTABLES are GREAT but some are better than others! I will post the ones you should eat ONLY in moderation. If your favorite is not on the list then eat them up!

Acorn Squash
Baked Beans
Beets
Butternut squash
Carrots
Corn
Lima beans
Parsnips
Peas
Potato
Sweet Potato
Bananas
Cranberries
Dates
Figs
Prunes

FATS

Best Choice

Almond butter
slivered almonds
Avacado
Canola oil
Olive oil
Olives
Natural Peanut butter
Peanuts
Macadamian nuts

Fair Choices

Light Mayonaise
Sesamie Oil
Wallnuts

Poor Choices

Butter
Cream
Cream Cheese
Sour Cream

Have a great day and eat healthy! You will feel SO MUCH better about yourself!

The No-Hunger Way to Cut 100s of Calories

2010-01-25T11:31:00.000-06:00

The No-Hunger Way to Cut 100s of Calories

From Non-Runner to Marathon Runner

2010-01-25T11:30:00.000-06:00

Some of you have been talking about running a 5K to a running a marathon and thought you might like this article!

From Non-Runner to Marathon Runner

The Laughing Cow - Celery Celebration Recipe

2010-01-15T12:07:00.000-06:00

This is another one of my favorites! I also like to substitute pomegranate seeds instead of the cranberries! Light and Tasty!

The Laughing Cow - Celery Celebration

The Laughing Cow - Bundled Bacon & Broccoli Recipe

2010-01-15T12:05:00.000-06:00

Try this for a fun party appetizer! Delicious!!!

The Laughing Cow - Bundled Bacon & Broccoli

The Laughing Cow - The Red Pepper Big Dipper Recipe

2010-01-15T12:00:00.001-06:00

Laughing cow is a HEALTHY and TASTY snack! If you go to the laughing cow website you can find many yummy recipes! Click on the link below for a great vegetable dip! I like to just eat it plain but you can do so much with it!

The Laughing Cow - The Red Pepper Big Dipper

Mommy and Me and Mom to be...

2010-01-13T17:48:00.002-06:00

We are not moving in to our new building just yet...however we would like to start the Mommy and Me and Moms to be class! We are trying to figure out what times and days would work best for you! The only time slots we have is Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM. If you or anyone you know is interested in this class-please post below or shoot us an email! Please let me know what times and days work best for you! Thanks for your help! Have a great day!

Following Kay...

2010-01-05T09:26:00.004-06:00

Kay Beginning of July 2009

Kay End of December 2009

For those of you that don't know Kay. She joined Bruning Intense Fitness in July and is still with us today! She started at 207 lbs and is now at a 156 lb. Her waist went from a 39 1/2 inch to a 29 inch...WOW! The pictures say it all. She followed the meal plan, gives 110% in class, and comes 4 to 6 days a week. She has had her ups and downs and has needed an extra push here and there. We gave her the motivation and tools and she used them. We are so very proud of her and are proud to say she is our shining star! Thanks Kay for all your hard work and your body looks amazing! If you look us close...she totally has a 6 pack!!! Keep it up!

"Getting Healthy for Good" Journal...

2010-01-04T12:51:00.005-06:00

Get out a pen and paper and write a "getting healthy for good" journal...

Why do you REALLY want to be healthy? Why do you really want to lose weight?

How or why did you become unhealthy? ...I eat when I'm stressed.

What can you do to change how and why you got unhealthy? ...call a friend, workout, get up and dance!

What are your short term and long term (realistic) goal? ... Short term- do 10 burpees. Long term-lose 20lbs by March or get off a certain medication.

What can you do in your day to make you healthier? ...schedule workouts and go...no excuses!

What have you done positive today to make you healthier? ...rowed with my feet up for 30 seconds, planked for 1 minute, did 1 push up with out my knees, did all my push ups with out my knees.

What can you reward yourself with when you make your goals? ...NOT food and alcohol!

Who can you tell your goals too, who will support and motivate you? friend, spouse, family member, trainer. Tell them when you make your goals, have them come watch how HARD you work.

Write down your weight with your goal weight next to it.

Write down your measurements with your goals next to it.

Write down what you eat and how it makes you feel.

Write down what you did for a workout and how you felt afterwards!

Write down what ever you think will help you to obtain your goals, write what ever down that will help you stick with your program, write down what ever you think will help you make a life long commitment!

Read and Write in your journal Daily!

Believe in yourself! You can only change the behaviors if you really believe in yourself!

Make the lifelong commitment to change your lifestyle for the better.

You can do it!

Holiday Party Guide: Eat, Drink, and Still Be Slim

2009-12-30T10:14:00.000-06:00

Holiday Party Guide: Eat, Drink, and Still Be Slim

Weight-loss is Like Farming

2009-12-30T07:14:00.008-06:00

I received an email from Mike Boyle, a well known trainer from the East Coast, that talks about training being like farming and it was great, so I thought I would share it will you...

He said the process of exercise is much like farming or planting flowers. There are no immediate results from exercise and no immediate results from farming or gardening!

First, you must plant the seed (have a goal). Then fertilizer (nutrition) and water must be applied constently. Too much food can be bad for both! Only the correct amount will causes proper growth. Overfeeding and underfeeding can cause problems. As you sit and wait to see results, nothing happens. You get frustrated and think "All this work and --NOTHING!"

Before you get frustrated...Are you thinking about that goal daily? did you REALLY give it the proper amounts of food and water? If you are not 100% you did, then you should write it down!

They key is NOT to quit! If this is what you really want...give it your all-110%! Have faith is the process. Continue to add water and wait. Farming and exercising are so similar. Continue to exercise and eat good and it will happen!

We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes. An exercise program must be approached over a period of weeks and moths, NOT days. Like I always say there is no quick fix, magic pill, or secret formula (believe me I have looked!). If you are consistent with BOTH exercise and food you will eventually see results.

Plant the seed. Feed and water properly. Write it down. DO NOT Quit. Wait for results; they will not happen over night--but they will happen and You will be happier and healthier!

Happy New Year!

It Is Time to Lose the Weight for Good!

2009-12-28T10:08:00.004-06:00

The turkey has been carved, presents have been un-wrapped and the cheesecake and pumpkin pie has had plenty of time to firm on your outer thighs. In addition to the holiday dinners, from the first fun size chocolate bar eaten on Halloween to the last slice of pie you ate last night, holiday weight continues to inch it way on the scale and eventually forcing you out of your favorite jeans.

The uncomfortable guilty feelings of over eating and not exercising, the tighter clothes, the sluggish or tired feelings...These are the signs that the holidays are over and it is the beginning of the new year. It is also the time when most people feel the need for change and join a weight loss program.

I have been saying all along...don't wait till January start a program now! I know it is easier said then done sometimes. So it is almost the New Year and why not REALLY do something about your weight! The holidays are over and it is time! Lets make this year the time for change! Lets make this the year the year you lose the unwanted weight, tone up, and love yourself! Lets make this the year the year you feel comfortable in your own skin! Lets make this the year the year you can shop and love everything you put on! This is THE year and only you can do it. We will be there for you...we will give you the tools and motivation all you have to do is show up to class and give it 110% and eat healthy. You are worth it and we are excited to help!

10 Healthy Holiday Superfoods

2009-12-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

10 Healthy Holiday Superfoods

What to Eat for Breakfast

2009-12-18T09:47:00.003-06:00

It is important to eat breakfast! It will REALLY help with your weight loss and give you the energy you need to workout! Try and eat an hour or so before hand if possible! Some of you wondering what to eat for breakfast that is good, quick, and will give you that energy you need to get you through your workouts. I have posted a few recipes in the past, look in the archives under eggs or smoothies and you will find some great recipes! I have also posted a few below. I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Chocolate Mocha Protein shake (use light chocolate, vanilla, or capp soy milk, a teaspoon of instant decaf, and ice)

Oatmeal with berries (I love raspberries and blueberries -fresh or frozen)

Oatmeal made with a light chocolate soy milk

Laughing Cow Cheesy Egg (stove or microwave)

Stove-add a little olive oil (EVOO), beat egg in bowl with a little pepper and shredded 2 % cheese, pour in warm pan let bottom cook and flip, break up laughing cow and put chunks in egg (I LOVE the garlic flavor) and fold over like an omelet. If you have time add fresh spinach and tomatoes (salsa, jalapenos, and onion are great too!)

Easier and quicker Microwave- Spray some Olive Oil Pam in a small bowl, beat egg in bowl, add the shredded cheese, and chunks of laughing cow, cover with napkin, and microwave for a minute. Be careful they can explode in the microwave!

Fruit Parfait
8oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup uncooked ready to eat oatmeal
2 tbsp of ground flax seed
1/4 cup strawberries and blueberries (or favorite berries)

Layer all ingredients in tall glass and ENJOY! for a mini treat cut ingredients in half!

Oxygen also has some great recipes! Below is one that I found the other day and it sounds great! Let me know if you like it! Also, please post below if you have others we can try! Thanks!
Robert Kennedy's Oxygen Women's Fitness

Control Your Portions!

2009-12-16T07:58:00.006-06:00

One of the BEST ways to help with weight loss is portion control. It helps reduce calories and is a major component in losing weight. You have control over what goes in your mouth. If your one who eats out all the time you might have a little bit of a problem here unless you follow my tips...the portion sizes are way to big at restaurants and fast food places (of course if your trying to lose weight you should not be spending that much time eating fast food). You have the best tool to watch portion sizes...your hands! When I say you should be getting 3 servings 5 to 6 times a day - one serving should fit in your cupped hand. Yes it is small but that is all you NEED!

Other ways of developing and maintaining good portion control include:

HOME

Use smaller plates for meals.

Eat appropriate servings and don't go back for seconds.

Drink a glass of water before meals.

Put left over away as soon as you serve the meal (freeze them for another tine).
Never eat out of the bag or carton.

Don't keep platters on the table, it is so much harder to resists seconds!

OUT TO EAT

Split meals with a friend.

Have a salad before your meal and load up the the veggies.

Ask for half the portion.

Ask for a to go box right away and when the food gets there put half of it away.

If you have to have dessert, split it among the table.

Ask weight staff to keep the bread and chips and salsa in the back.

This may be hard to do at first but you can do this and if you do you will be results! Good luck and have a great day!

Do you REALLY want to lose weight and tone up?

2009-12-15T08:05:00.007-06:00

To lose weight you have to have some discipline and some dedication! You are the only one that can do it and YOU CAN! Really do it for 4 weeks and you WILL see a difference and you will keep going. Once you see results (I am talking not only inches but the scale moving...DOWN) you will want to keep up with the plan!

Here are the rules to follow:

1. Eat a protein rich breakfast daily to SPARK that metabolism and fill you up.

2. Work out at least 4 times a week (3 to maintain and 4+ to lose the weight).

3. Eat 5 to 6 small and healthy meals a day. 3 servings in each meal (lean protein, fruit, and or veggie [1 serving should fit in the palm of your hand])

4. Replace bad or fast absorbing carbs (cakes, cookies, white bread, pasta, and rice) with good carbs (fruit, veggies, and whole grains).

5. Sorry...no alcohol for 4 weeks to turbo charge the weight loss. Drink half your body weight in water!

6. Replace any meals with a meal replacement shake (protein shake) when ever needed!

I promise you if you follow these rules for just 4 weeks YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE! It is up to you...how bad do you want to lose the weight? Think about what you want, set a goal, and do it! Don't wait till January, it is only going to be harder! Plus we want to look good for the new year!

DECIDE*COMMIT*SUCCEED!

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2009-12-14T20:34:00.006-06:00

It is so easy to put on the pounds over the holidays! Here a few tips to help keep you slim!

1. Schedule and show up to your workout! Treat your workout like your job, yes I am not paying you with cash...but I am paying you by giving you motivation, energy, and a healthier life!

2. Don't let the holidays stress you out! If it does, I know a great stress reliever...our class! Get enough sleep and workout it will definitely take your stress away! Stress can really help put on the pounds (emotional eating) and also help you to NOT lose any weight! So avoid it!

3. Avoid empty calories! Yes, alcohol. If you really want that scale to move I would avoid it or drink in moderation! Drink sparkling water with frozen raspberries or frozen lime slices! It's good and refreshing!

4. Don't go to the parties hungry! Eat a little something before you go and think moderation. Okay it is the holiday season and you really want that slice of pie...take a small slice and cut it in half, eat half and throw the other half out or save it! Have some self control!

5. Burn some extra calories! Dance whenever you can! Go to that party, have fun, and dance! Or stay home, turn on some tunes, and dance with your kids...they will love it!

6. When going out dress for success! Wear something a little snug that will help with how much food you really eat! Come on think about it...have you ever worn something loose so you could eat as much as you wanted and no one would see your busting belly and you would be more comfortable after the feast? I will admit, A few years ago that is what I would do!

7. Have self control and eat smaller portions! This is hard...but you can do it!

8. Drink a glass of water before each meal, it will help you feel full!

Hope this helps! Have a great holiday season. Love yourself enough to keep losing the weight and keep the weight off! You are working out and getting healthy don't ruin it with the crazy holidays!

E-mealz - a meal planning resource for busy moms and frugal family cooks.

2009-12-04T11:38:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends,
One of our GREAT clients told me about this wonderful website! It is for busy parents that want to spend less money at the grocery store, eat healthy, and spend more time with their family! It is call E- mealz and you can pick what menu you want (weight watchers, low carb, vegetarian...) and they will email you a plan! I have heard great things about it. I am going to sign up for it and will let you know more! If you have any comments about this, tryed it, love it, questions, just post us! Click on the link down below to find out more! Thanks Bev your the best.

E-mealz - a meal planning resource for busy moms and frugal family cooks.

New Shoes

2009-12-04T10:43:00.004-06:00

Okay so bring one bring all! We are off to the Runners Block on Monday December 14th. I don't have a set time but it will be probably be around 7:30 PM. They will close the store and open it just for us so we can get their full attention! Don't forget to mention ANY ailments you have in you legs, knees, ankles, or feet. Also if you have any old ailments; for instance I have a plate and screws in my ankle and when I told them-it changed everything. Shoes are so important when working out so come join us! Remember the discount is only for BICT members but they have said we could buy for our family members also! So if you have anyone that needs a new pair of shoes for Christmas bring them with! We have a sign up in class or just post and let me know. Have a great day!

Dreamfields Pasta recently featured on Rachael Ray

2009-12-04T05:35:00.001-06:00

Dreamfields Pasta recently featured on Rachael Ray

Posted using ShareThis

Welcome to BICT!!!

2009-12-03T09:57:00.005-06:00

Welcome to Bruning Intense Circuit Training! We are so excited to be a part of your total body transformation! If you really want to see results you will follow the meal plan and workout at least 4 times a week! I promise if you REALLY commit yourself for 8 weeks or whatever program you are doing you will reach your goals! It does not happen over night and you have to be ready for the change. I am sure you have heard "Rome was not built in a day and either is your body". It is true as much as I would love to say workout and you will have the best body over night! It is the intense workouts PLUS the healthy eating. It takes dedication and will power and you can do it! Think about what your goal is, lose weight, tone up, do 5 push ups, hold a plank for 45 seconds, run a marathon, or the most important get healthy and live healthy and post is some where you can read it daily! It works!

If you have any questions please feel free to ask us or check out the old archives! There is a lot of good info for healthy snacks,recipes, home workouts, and soreness! Just type what you are looking for in the search box. If you can not find it there feel free to write me a comment or ask me in class and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Like I said earlier we are both excited about helping you reach your fitness goals and hope you enjoy the program! Have a great day and keep up the good work!!!

Holiday Weight Gain

2009-12-01T08:38:00.005-06:00

The craziness of the holiday season concerns me with many ditching their workouts for shopping and parties. I get concerned because I was that girl! I was the one to ditch all workout for the shopping and definitely the parties! Every year I would put on and extra 10 -20 pounds and fight to get it off in January! Some of you may think "no way can a person put on that many pounds over the holidays!" It is true and I did it! There are SO many temptations this time of year...we have holiday shopping and quick eats. We have the fun parties with family and great friends, add on the cocktails, all those fun desserts and appetizers, and then the delicious main meals! The biggest temptation of all is making excuses on why you cannot work out! Don't fall in to the easily tempted...or go ahead and say hello to those unwanted pounds!

You'll be able to manage your weight better if you start an exercise routine NOW or continue doing the one your already in! No wants to carry around an extra 10-15lbs. That is the average weight gain over the holidays! Remember that is an average you CAN gain more. I have seen people gain up to 30lbs from October through December! It is really scary and so bad for your body!

Exercise is not only good to help you keep your weight down, and your body healthy, but it is a great stress reliever too! The holidays can be stressful, whether it is dealing with the crazy holiday drivers and shoppers to maybe dealing with your crazy family--exercise with keep your mind off things and you will feel so much better! It surprises me when so many people wake up at 4AM to shop but refuse to set the alarm to do something REALLY good for them-workout! The exercise with not only relieve some stress but will give you the extra energy boost you will need to to multitask and get through that crazy "to do list".

Don't gain that extra holiday weight this year! Even if you just maintain your weight over the holidays you will be in a better place! Working out through the season will help you FEEL and LOOK so much better bringing in the New Year! It will feel so much better bringing in the New year with a new you! You are the only one that can do it! We will give you the tools and help you if you need it but you have to show up for class, workout, have fun, and eat better! Lets make this holiday season be the best one ever! Have a great day!

New Shoes Anyone?

2009-11-23T16:08:00.002-06:00

Shoes are SO important when you are working out! If you have the wrong shoes you may get one of the many ankle, knee, foot, and leg injuries. We have a great deal with Runners Block, they give us 15% off of anything in the store (shoes and clothes)! They also have a great sale rack that is usually 50% off! Anyway, if you or anyone in your family needs a new pair of shoes or workout clothes let me know. Christmas present maybe??? I would love to set up a time so they can close the store and give us their full attention! Please post below if you are interested! This is for new and old clients! Let me know! Have a great day!

Pomegranates...Good and Good for You!

2009-11-23T10:10:00.010-06:00

If you have not tried a Pomegranate yet...what are you waiting for? They are not only a yummy snack but they are so good for you!!!

Pom is a high fiber fruit full of Vitamin C and Potassium, they are also high in polyphenosis, a type of antioxidant that is GREAT for you!

To cut them...cut the top off of the Pomegranate-about a 1/2 inch from the crown then cut into sections. Put sections in water and roll out the arils (yummy seeds). Last, strain water, then eat the yummy seeds! Be careful this yummy fruit will stain! FYI...OXI is great for removing the pomegranate stains!

There are so many things you can do with Pomegranates! I like to just eat them as a snack! But you can do some research and find many great recipes online!

I have told you before that I do not recommend drinking alcohol when trying to lose weight but if you are going to have one-try a Pomtini! This Pomtini is also great without the Stoli!

Holiday Pomtini

3/4 0z freshly squeezed pomegranate juice

1 0z Stoli Orange

squeeze of lime juice

lime twist to garnish

Mocktini (no alcohol)

Pom Princess

3/8 cup fresh pomegranate juice

3/8 lemon Crystal lite

1 1/2 oz sparkling water

Mint sprig and lemon to garnish

If you need a healthy and easy appitizer to take to a party...This is one of my favorite Apps!

Goat Cheese and Pomegranate stuffed Celery

1/2 cup pom arils (fruit/seeds from Pom)

6 large celery stalks

4 oz goat cheese (room temperature)

4 teaspoons of green onion (shoots only)

capers (optional)

Directions:

Mix Cheese, capers, and green onions together, spread on celery, and sprinkle Pom seeds on cheese mix. Serve cold! Soooo refreshing, light, and tasty!

So try a pomegranate today--you'll love it!

FYI...They are only around until the end of January. Enjoy!

If you have any other fun and easy Pom recipes...feel free to post them!

No Excuses!

2009-11-18T15:03:00.005-06:00

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. -Franklin

I was reading some different fitness blogs and I found this article about no excuses! Good to read!

Where there is a will there is a way. When you truly desire something there is nothing that you are incapable of doing. Whether it is fighting an illness, losing weight, or improving overall health, we are capable of doing these things and so much more. Yet we often feel like victims of our circumstances and stay stuck in our ruts. It is easy to give “reasons” for being overweight, unhappy, unhealthy, and trapped.

In my experience it has been the people who have quit making excuses, and changed their habits that are successful in achieving what they are determined to accomplish. The ones who do not take responsibility and make a conscious effort to improve their situation do not experience the same positive change in their lives or their bodies. For these individuals fitness and nutrition continues to be a frustrating experience.

You have to really want it, or you won’t do it. Decide what is it that you want and then feel a burning desire to have it. Focus your attention and excitement on this thing. When a healthy body and a happy life become your main focus your actions will change to reflect this new focus. When your actions change, your body and your life will begin to change. But, this will not occur until you stop making excuses and solve any problems that are holding you back for living a healthy life. Time is usually scarce so think of creative ways to fit in small amounts of exercise into your daily activities.

For every problem, there is a solution when you take the time to find one. If you find yourself blaming something or someone else for not living healthy, stop yourself and think of what you could do differently. Make health a priority and the excuses will go away.

Thanks Total Mommy Fitness for this great article!

Make the Change Today!

2009-11-17T07:55:00.006-06:00

With the holidays around the corner, I thought I’d blog about some serious food for thought…the prevalence of health related problems from American women being overweight. Here are some truly terrifying facts.

* Twenty years ago the average woman was 5′ 3″ and weighed about 122 lbs. Today the average woman is about 5′ 4″ and weighs 142 lbs
* The average woman is eating over 300 more calories per day than she did 20 years ago
* 60% of women in the US are overweight - that’s a majority, Ladies!!!
* One in three women is obese
* There has been a 15% increase in obesity in women in the last 10 years
* There has been a 32% increase in diabetes in women in the last 10 years
* In the 5 years after menopause the average sedentary woman will gain 1.2 lbs per year — mostly in the abdominal area
* Being overweight is associated with a host of problems (fitting into a bikini being by far the least of them), including:

Heart disease
Stroke
Arthritis
High blood pressure
Gallbladder disease
Infertility
Some kinds of cancer

If you or someone you love is significantly overweight, please view it as the health problem that it is and take steps to lose weight and get healthy. Even slight reductions in body weight can reduce your risk of developing these life threatening conditions.

Start TODAY, our clients have made incredible strides and lost a great amount of pounds. Certainly you can do it — just one healthier choice at a time…eating lean protein, veggies, and fruit with each meal, stopping before your feel stuffed, reducing junk food and empty calories, cutting back on alcohol and soda, drinking lots of water, walking for at least 20 min…working out with us (CARDIO AND STRENGTH TRAINING)...whatever you can do.

It is scary... We are slowly and steadily losing an entire generation of women to illnesses that we are causing ourselves. We are the only ones that can change this! Do this for yourself, your children, and our future as strong healthy women! Make the change!

DECIDE*COMMIT*SUCCEED!

I hope this made you think and want to make that change! We are here to help you with that change! Let us know if you need anything! Have a great day and think "I am going to live healthy today!" See you in class!

Holidays and Fitness

2009-11-17T07:16:00.006-06:00

With the holidays just around the corner, it is more important than ever to be extra diligent regarding your fitness routine. It is so easy to overeat and slack off during this time of the year.
With all of the scrumptious foods and chaos that the holidays entail we find it too easy to overeat and not find time to exercise. Cooking, baking, shopping and holiday gatherings take up a great deal of our time that some people tend to put exercise on the back burner. It is a busy time and important to spend time with the people that you care for, but letting your regular exercise
regimen slide will put on added pounds and decrease your flexibility.

Stick with us through the holidays and beyond! You will see results and feel so much better about yourself! If you need any tips on healthier food for the holidays please post...I will be more than happy to help you! Have a great day!

Weight Lifting Mistakes...

2009-11-17T05:49:00.006-06:00

So in our class we use 10lb + and want to make sure everyone is on the same page! As I spoke in an older blog weights are not going to bulk you up...they are going to make you stronger, tone up, and help burn more fat (which I know is want we all want)! But we can easily sabotage our efforts by making some common mistakes. These mistakes can slow you down on making your goal —and could lead to injury (we don't want that!).

Watch out for these slip-ups the next time you lift weights:

1) Not using enough weight.
A 2004 study found that beginners often lift too little weight to reap the benefits of strength training. Experts advise selecting a weight that is 60-70% of the most weight you could lift in a single repetition. At 60%, you should be able to 15-25 reps before fatigue sets in or your form breaks down.

2) Neglecting your legs. (This is a common mistake...but not in our class! We don't neglect the legs!
A lot of people think running and biking with strengthen their legs. According to Runner’s World, it’s “precisely because you use your legs so much that you need to strengthen them.” You can strengthen them with squats, squat jumps, lunges, and using free weights--again which we do in class!

3) Failing to maintain a stable core when working free weights.
It is important to have a engaged core when lifting weights! Good posture is key to maintaining a stable core and proper form. Improper form not only undermines the goal of the exercise, it can also cause injury. If you use your back to swing the weight during a bicep curl, for example, you won’t stimulate the bicep and you could strain your back. Remember strong belly means strong back...and visa versa!

4) Doing your repetitions too quickly, with too much momentum.
When you swing the weights too fast, you create momentum and decrease the load on the muscle. The goal is to overload the muscle so that the fibers break down. “That’s what causes the muscle to repair itself, leading to increased muscle mass, a higher metabolism and decreased body fat,” a fitness instructor told the LA Times.

5) Limiting your range of motion.
Use the full range of motion in each move. If you don’t bend your knees deeply enough in a squat, for example, you won’t get the full toning benefits in the thighs and butt. So squat nice and deep!

6) Sticking with the machines. (we don't have to worry about this one...unless you are another gym member...We love free weights!)
Machines are great for focusing on isolated muscles, but free weights work more of your body (and burn more calories). A weight machine usually provides some, if not all, of the necessary stability for a move. Free weights require you to stabilize yourself—that strengthens your core and improves your balance.

We are always watching you to make sure you are doing the right moves and pushing to lift heavier weights and now you know why...it works!! We will push you to your limit because we want you to get the full benefit...not because we want you to be sore (even though we love that "Good Sore" feeling and so do you!).

Watch for these mistakes, listen to your body, and push yourself and you will see results from all your hard work! We are proud of all our clients and think you rock! We are always here to help! Have a great day and we will see you in class!

Mexican White Turkey Chili Recipe -YUMMY!

2009-11-15T16:07:00.006-06:00

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 pound hot and spicy pork sausage
3 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
ground cayenne pepper to taste
ground white or black pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
1 (15 ounce) great northern beans
2 (15 ounce) white hominy
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
*queso fresca cojita cheese (crumble up for a topping)
*1 bunch cilantro -chopped
*sour cream
*olive oil
* low carb tortilla or corn tortilla
*1 1/2 chopped jalapeno

*Optional --but in my opinion..MAKES it!!!

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onions, sausage, garlic, jalapeno, and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is well browned. Add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano,, cayenne pepper to taste and white pepper to taste and saute for 5 more minutes.
Add all beans (except one cannellini) and hominy and the chicken broth to the pot. Take the last can of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add this to the pot along with the cheese. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt.

Saute sliced up tortilla in olive oil and salt to taste

Top with chopped cilantro, queso fresca cojita cheese, dollop of sour cream and sauteed tortillas

This is so delicious and only takes like 20 minutes to cut, cook, and enjoy!!!

Times and Turkey Day

2009-11-13T11:28:00.004-06:00

We need your help...If you could pick your ideal times to workout, what would they be? We are very close to getting the Stewart building down town Sioux Falls and want to provide the best times for our clients!
What would be the best time for:
Circuit Training Program?
Mommy & Me & Mom to be?
B.E.A.S.T. (high school and...... college co-ed athletes)

If you know anyone that would be interested in any of these programs please help us get the word out!

Circuit Training (hr long intense and fun workout)
Mommy & Me & Mom to be (hr long speaks for it self)
B.E.A.S.T. (hr long intense circuit for high school and college athletes)

Thanks so much for your help and your input!!!

www.http://bictsiouxfalls.com

ALSO...

Who wants to work out Thanksgiving morning at 8AM in Sioux Falls (Brandon friends...come and join us too!)? We are thinking we will have workouts M - Th that week and take off Friday and Saturday! Who is in? Please post and let us know if you will join us in working out before the feast! Have a great day and we will see you in class.

Women...Your Not going to Bulk Up!

2009-11-04T17:36:00.008-06:00

Some of you have voiced your concerns that you think you may look like a body builder after 8 weeks of our class....I am here to tell you YOUR NOT! In fact lifting weights will only benefit you and here is how:

Lifting weights will make you physically stronger. This has benefits that go beyond the obvious, such as carrying in the groceries or wrestling with a tight jar lid – and means that you will be less dependent upon others in your daily living. (It also makes it easier to wrestle with that crazy toddler – but don’t tell them that!)

Lifting weights will help you lose body fat. The average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3-5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. That’s a win for me!

Lifting weights won’t cause you to bulk up. Women have less of the hormones that cause muscle bulk, so lifting will help the muscles to define and this helps your clothes both fit and look better.

Lifting will decrease your risk of osteoporosis. Research has found that weight training can increase bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with taking your daily calcium, means less bone fractures later in life.

Lifting weights helps improve your attitude and mood. Women who strength train feel more confident and capable, both of which are important factors in fighting depression.

So if you are gaining weight take a look at what your eating. Use your food log or use thedailyplate.com to log your food (and print it out). Do it for a week and keep working out as hard as you are! Then after a week show me your log and I can help more! This is a no fail plan so let us know if you need anything...we are here to help!

Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe- YUMMY!

2009-11-04T10:11:00.006-06:00

Dana sent us a great recipe and it is delicious! If you are in the mood for a tasty chicken dish...try this tonight! Quick, easy, HEALTHY, Oh my...so YUMMY! ~Thanks Dana!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2 (4-5 oz) chicken breasts
1 Laughing cow light cheese wedge (we used original, but french onion would be great as well!)
Sun Dried Tomatoes, packed in oil, rinsed
Fresh Rosemary
Garlic (we use the preminced kind for time, but fresh is just as good, if not better)
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Dried Garlic, basil, parsley (basically whatever Italian seasonings you like!)
Cooking Spray

Turn oven on to 425*. Spray a glass baking dish with non stick spray. Take your chicken breasts and lay them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a heavy skillet to flatten. Spread half of the laughing cow cheese wedge on each, followed by the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and rosemary (we used about 6 or so leaves from a sprig on each). Season generously with salt and pepper and roll up. Place seam side down in baking dish and spray the top with a small amount of cooking spray. Season with your choice of Italian seasonings. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until nice and browned on top.

This was a super delicious recipe and extremely quick and easy! Great for entertaining as well-you could serve as a plated entree to your guests or slice and put a toothpick in and serve as an appetizer! Use the seasonings, garlic, etc. to suite you tastes-I did not use any measurements.

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

2009-11-03T07:24:00.006-06:00

If your in the mood for something DELICIOUS--try these stuffed peppers. If your watching your carbs-omit the rice, try adding a small can of mushrooms!

Ingredients:

Stuffed Peppers
4 large green peppers
1lb ground turkey
2-3 T chopped onion
*1 Cup cooked rice(optional) -Stacey uses Uncle Bens Long Grain & Wild Rice Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil-made with olive oil not butter!

*1 Cup Brown Rice (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1 Can RO-TEL tomatoes & green chilli's -give it that spice!

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2-1C shredded 2% cheese or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cut peppers in half the long way, remove guts and rinse
Cook turkey and onion in skillet.
Stir in Rice, salt, garlic salt, RO-TEL, 1 cup spaghetti sauce, and simmer
Place peppers in shallow baking dish, stuff with turkey and rice mixture.
sprinkle with cheese if desired, pour spaghetti sauce over peppers.
Bake in oven covered for 45 minutes, uncovered 15

(Stacey likes her peppers more firm but if you prefer you can boil the peppers 5 minutes before stuffing to make them softer)

Thanks Stacey for the great recipes...keep them coming!

LOSE weight BEORE the holidays and KEEP it off!

2009-11-03T05:45:00.007-06:00

There are a couple items I want to really drill into your subconscious with this newsletter.

One is a misconception you need to understand regarding cardio. The other contains five fundamental, yet very critical points to adhere to in order for you to achieve maximum fat loss results. If you've ever wondered why you can't drop weight even though you do cardio all the time...you're in for some intriguing info.

A lot of women have succumbed to the practice of doing more cardio, more cardio and even more cardio. All without the correlating fat loss they were hoping for. There's a reason their fat loss wasn't proportionate to the exercise duration. It has to do with three main contributors that involve calories. Here's why long steady state aerobic activity is inferior to an interval based approach.

1) Calories burned during exercise.

You'll simply burn more calories from performing at a higher exertion level. Intervals typically incorporate an effort level above 80% with a recovery period below 30%. Basically, work at 80% or more of your effort level for a particular exercise, then back it off to around 30%. Keep alternating high/low.

This approach to cardio was promoted heavily in the Body For Life program and for good reason, it flat out works.You're probably saying...ok, burn more calories by working harder. That's pretty obvious. BUT....This is the not so obvious part.

2) Calories burned after exercise.

An interval approach to cardio has been shown to increase post exercise caloric expenditure for up to 24-48 hours. Long duration hasn't.How would you like to burn more calories over the next 24 hrs just by changing the type of cardio you perform? Your arm should now be raised above your head :-)and

3) Long duration cardio decreases muscle mass.

When that happens, you burn fewer calories all day long. The less muscle you have the fewer calories you burn. The more you have, the faster your metabolism becomes. Shorter intervals of cardio actually promote lean muscle mass whereas long duration produces hormones that tear down your muscle tissue...again, not a favorable action if fat loss is your goal.

Now don't take this the wrong way and think you're going to get "Schwarzenegger" muscles. Won't happen! By putting your body in the most optimal situation to lose fat, you're actually promoting an environment for your body to preserve and potentially build lean muscle mass. Which is a good thing!

Ok, enough about cardio. Let's talk about five fundamentals you need to adhere to in order to realize your fat loss goals. Contributing to these five are some world renown fitness and nutrition experts by the names of John Berardi, Alwyn Cosgrove and Craig Ballantyne. These guys are major players in the world of fat loss.

Here we go with our five "must do" fundamentals.....

1) You fail to consider the consequences of your actions!

Either your food and exercise choices get you one step closer to your fat loss goals or they don't. You need to place either a positive or negative action on your choices. Once you get this down, you'll be heading in the right direction at record pace.

2) Control your blood sugar levels.

High blood sugar levels trigger your body to store fat! Plain as day. To keep them under control,eat every 2-4 hours, limit starchy carbs like potato,oatmeal, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta to only the 2-3 hours after you exercise. At this time, you're body needs sugar to restore and recover from your exercise program. Other times,they're really not needed.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables!

As Americans, we eat very few. Some studies show less than 1% of us gets 5 servings per day. WOW!Low sugar fruits like berries, oranges, apples and plums eaten in moderation are important. Forget the people who say fruit is bad. Anything consumed over and above what is necessary isn't good. So eat a small piece of fruit with some of your daily meals....preferably early in the day as fruit does contain natural sugars. I could go on and on about the benefits of vegetables, so I'll save it and just tell you to get some with every meal. They balance your bodies acidity level, increase your metabolism and provide lots of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fiber, photochemicals, and other micro-nutrients. Enough said.

4) Exercise with some intensity.

A Harvard study showed that intense exercise reduced death rates whereas low intensity exercise had little to no effect. Although your probably not directly concerned with that right now, the results you'll achieve from upping up your exercise intensity will be profound. Stop counting crossword puzzles as your daily exercise and exert yourself. :-)You just might be surprised how much you like the results!

5) Cover your nutritional bases.

Your fat loss efforts may be affected by your nutritional inadequacies. In order to maximize your efforts, make sure those nutritional gaps are filled. Take a multi vitamin/mineral once or twice day. Water soluble vitamins are flushed out of your system if not utilized so take one in the morning and again later in the day. Nothing mega dosage level...just normal RDA amounts.

Essential fats. It's estimated that over 80% of Americans are deficient. A study done in Ontario, Canada concluded that by supplementing with essential fats, individuals can raise their metabolism by up to 400 additional calories burned per day!! There are many benefits to taking essential fats. You can do your research, but not taking them will have a negative impact on your fat loss.

Protein. If you can't get the optimal levels in each day, then use a quality protein blend. Use it in shakes or in your oatmeal. Either way, you need to get a good portion at each meal.It not only helps stabilize your blood sugar, but assists in repairing your bodies many tissues in addition to the many other important hormonal roles it plays.

There's a couple others, but these are the "players". Here's what I want you to take from this article.....

1) Exercise Intensely with Weights

2) Perform cardio intervals equally as much as your longer cardio days.

3) Eat every 2-4 hours

4) Up your fruits and vegetables

5) Limit "starchy" carbs to the 2-3 hours after exercise only. Limit them in the evening, even if it's after exercise.

6) Implement consequences for your poor actions and reinforcing ones for your positive actions. Build that connection.

7) Cover your nutritional bases with just a few supplements

These are core to any successful fat loss program. Do these 90% of the time or more and you'll accomplish your fat loss goals!

~Thanks Eric for explaining in such great detail why we Should use the meal plan and work out the way we do! It really work...do BOTH and you will see results! For those of you that don't know, Eric is a GREAT and SUCCESSFUL trainer in AZ that I love to get his newsletters because he is always right on!

Candy Lovers' Calorie Blast

2009-10-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

Candy Lovers' Calorie Blast

"I Did It!" Before and After Weight-Loss Success!

2009-10-30T18:50:00.009-05:00

Beginning

After 8 Weeks

After 16 Weeks

Kay is our Highlight of the Month (and our day!) She has shaped up, slimmed down, and found weight-loss success. Here, see her before and after photos, and find out how she reached her diet and weight goals, and what kept her motivated!

Kay--you are amazing and an inspiration to all of us! Keep up the GREAT work and know that we are so proud of you!

Name: Kay Thomas

Age: 39

Weight: 169.4

B.I.C.T Success: I have lost 38 pounds so far and a lot of inches

What made you join B.I.C.T? Wanting to lose weight, tone up and get some self esteem.

Why has it worked for you? I think it has worked for me because of Siobhan and Jeff for the most part not giving up on me or anyone else in the class. Them giving us the tools to use if we so choose and just sticking with it and seeing the changes that it has made in myself.

What was your motivation? To be around for my boys and the rest of my family for a very long time to come.

How if any has this experience changed you or your life? It has definitely changed my outlook on life. I know now that I can do whatever I set my mind to and I CAN accomplish it.

Any Comments? I just can't thank Jeff and Siobhan for bringing this program to Brandon and being so inspiring and encouraging. If you are having a bad day and want to go to Casey's for a donut and slice of breakfast pizza all you have to do is call or email and they will help you through it. It is all about choices we make in life and what you want your life to turn out to be. Ultimately you have to do it for yourself and no one else because no one else is going to do the workout and the eating habits for you, sure they can encourage you but you are the one that has to want to do it. And I am HAPPY to say that I have done it and will continue to do it. I have made some great friends in class and if they are not there you get worried about them. It is like an extended family to me. Thank you Jeff and Siobhan for everything you do and keep up the good work. ( Siobhan do not get all teary eyed by reading this, I am getting teary eyed by writing it but you both have been and will continue to be a great influence in my life. Thanks.)

Any Advice for future B.I.C.T. members? If you want to change your life this is the time to start and stick with it even if you do not lose any pounds for a couple of weeks stick with it and it will happen, I promise you it will happen. You just have to be willing to stick it out and work hard and eat right and you will definitely see results in a short period of time. The hardest part for me was changing my eating habits it does not happen overnight but it can be done. Your family will not even realize that you have changed how they are eating healthier as long as you approach in a positive manner and do it gradually. Your family will not even notice the difference in the eating habits. And you will have slip ups but do not beat yourself over them just chalk it up to a mistake and move on. None of us are perfect if we were we would not have to endure the warm ups, the circuits and the core day after day. But you do really feel good when you walk out of the class every time you do it.

Holiday Meals and Calories

2009-10-28T13:13:00.013-05:00

The holidays are a scary time when trying to lose weight! A lot of people gain around 20 + pound from October through January! I wanted to give you some food for thought...

You're with friends and family that you haven't seen in some time. If it is anything like my family,the focal point of the gathering is the meal and drinks. Think a little healthier this year and don't ruin what you have started!

Well, what does the meal add up to in calories and how much exercise do you have to do to burn those calories? Here's some numbers to think about:

ITEM AMOUNT CALORIES
red wine --3.5 oz --75
white wine --3.5 ounces --80
regular beer --12 ounces --160
light beer --12 ounces --95 or 64
80 proof alcohol --1.5 ounces --95
90 proof alcohol --1.5 ounces --110
egg nog --8 ounces --340
canned cranberry sauce --1 cup --420
bread stuffing --1 cup --420
mashed potatoes --1 cup --225
sweet potatoes --1 cup --115 -260
white meat turkey --3 ounces, (2 slices, 1/4") --135
dark meat turkey --3 ounces --160
roast beef --3 ounces,(1/4" thick) --315
gravy-- 1 cup --190
cheese cake --1 slice-- 280
apple pie --1 slice(1/6 9" pie) --405
pumpkin pie --1 slice --320
choc. chip cookies --4 21/2" diameter --180
sugar cookies --4 --235
oatmeal cookies --4-- 245
shortbread cookies --4 --155

Now if you add up that holiday meal, along with the drinks, and deserts - and this doesn't even include those yummy high calorie called appetizers (which is, I admit, another favorite of mine)- a realistic intake is over 2000 calories at a single sitting. That's right, 2000 calories. Then who gets second, thirds, or who eats all day?

If this is normally you-- you might consider taking a walk/run the morning of. Or maybe make up your own little circuit and do it first thing in the morning. I have a sample circuit in the old archives to help you out! I know it is hard to do it on your own, so maybe try and get a family member or friend to do it with you! It will help burn all those calories you are about to eat!

Here are some other numbers to look at -these approximations are on a 150 pound woman in better than average condition and will vary from one individual to another, but you'll get the point.

EXERCISE TIME CALORIES
B.I.C.T --60 min --300-700

walk, 15 minutes/mile --30 minutes --200
golf, walking --270 minutes --600
jogging10 minutes/mile --30 minutes --330
stationary cycling-- 45 minutes --450
weight lifting-- 60 minutes --350
stair climber --30 minutes --300
raking leaves --120 minutes --400
snow shoveling --30 minutes --350

Conclusions: Don't eat over the holidays!!! JUST KIDDING! Just know what your putting into your body and eat your favorites in moderation! I am NOT trying to ruin your holiday dinner because you know that is my favorite dinner-but I just want you to be a little healthier this year and don't ruin what you have done up to this point! It can take you up to a week to burn one holiday meal! You can still eat your favorite foods just be careful!

If you have a favorite holiday recipe that you what me to make healthier--please let me know I would love to help any way I can! Have a great night!

Devilish Eggs Recipe

2009-10-28T10:52:00.009-05:00

It seems like every holiday party you go to has deviled eggs! Well I received this great recipe this morning from Hungry Girl! They sounds great and healthier-I will make them and let you know! If you make them first, please let us know!!!

Devilish Eggs

PER SERVING (4 pieces): 79 calories, 1.75g fat, 403mg sodium, 6.25g carbs, 1g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 9.5g protein -- POINTS® value 2*Deviled eggs are no longer a fatty no-no. This recipe will have you churning out creamy, delicious eggs in no time.

Ingredients:

2 cups roughly chopped orange cauliflower (or alternative below)

1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise

3 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature1 tbsp.

sweet relish, patted dry to remove moisture

2 tsp. minced shallots

1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard Salt and black pepper, to taste

10 hard-boiled eggs, chilled

Optional topping: paprika

Directions: Place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1/3 cup water. Cover and microwave for 6 - 8 minutes, until cauliflower is soft. Once bowl is cool enough to handle, drain any excess water from cauliflower. Lightly mash cauliflower, and then place in a blender. Add mayo and puree until just blended, not smooth. Do not over-blend.In a mixing bowl, combine cauliflower mixture with cheese wedges, relish, shallots, and mustard. Stir until smooth. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Evenly distribute cauliflower mixture among egg white halves and, if you like, top with paprika. Eat up and enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

HG Alternative! This recipe calls for orange cauliflower. If you can't find it, use regular cauliflower. But add a drop of yellow food coloring to the mixture if you want your Devilish Eggs to look like the real thing.

Boca Burgers--Delicious!!!

2009-10-23T12:36:00.015-05:00

When I was teaching I ate BOCA Products all the time because they were fast, easy and delicious! Well, I kind of forgot about them and I recently bought the All American Flame Grilled BOCA burgers and fell back in love with them!

They take a minute in the microwave and then top with your favorite topping and pair with your favorite veggie or fruit and just like that--you have a tasty and healthy lunch! I usually either eat in on a low carb wrap with lettuce tomato, and mustard, lettuce leave, or plain. I have also eaten it with a slice of 2% cheese and grilled onions and jalapenos. Today I tried the Bruschetta veggie burger over fresh arugula with the new tomato basil cream cheese and I can not wait to eat another!!! If you have not tried them- it is a must! They are healthy, quick to make, and they really taste good!

Boca has some great recipes on there website!

http://www.bocaburger.com/our-products.aspx Check it out!

I have two favorites...

Blue Cheese Burger! (OMG-so delicious)

1 frozen BOCA Meatless Original Burger
1 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup shredded lettuce or fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped tomato
Dash of fresh ground black pepper

*Optional-Dash or two Franks Red Hot

COOK burger in skillet or microwave as directed on pkg., topping with cheese and covering skillet for the last min. of the cooking time to melt cheese. COVER small serving plate with lettuce or fresh spinach; top with burger and tomato. Sprinkle with pepper and a couple splashes of Franks.

BOCA-Stuffed Baked Poblanos

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen BOCA Ground Crumbles
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
2 cans (11 oz. each) reduced-sodium corn, drained
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided
8 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

**Optional fresh chopped jalapenos (I like things spicy as you can see!)

HEAT oven to 350°F. Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in crumbles, tomatoes, corn, bay leaf, cumin and black pepper; cook 10 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese and add fresh jalapenos. SPOON into chiles; place, filled-sides up, in single layer in greased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. BAKE 15 min. or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Have a great day!

Healthy Thanksgiving

2009-10-22T18:28:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving is one one my favorite holidays--why? I love family, friends, and Thanksgiving dinner! I look forward to this dinner ALL YEAR! Some of you have requested some healthier options for Thanksgiving dinner so over the next few weeks I will send over some healthier recipes for you to maybe try. If you know of any healthier recipes feel free to post under "comments"! I have found many healthy recipes through the Mayoclinic.com --I have not tryed them all but the ones I have tried are good!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thanksgiving-recipes/NU00643

I am a huge fan of green been casserole! Try this recipe-it is tasty!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/green_bean_casserole.html_0

I was in my 8 week program during Thanksgiving and believe it or not- I did still lose a pound! Yes only one pound-but it was Thanksgiving and I was still happy about that one pound! Have a great night!

Weight Gain and Menopause

2009-10-22T18:20:00.003-05:00

If you are going through menopause and find it more difficult to lose weight --read this article I found at the Mayoclinic.com

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause-weight-gain/HQ01076

You will read if you are working out, eating healthy you will lose! It just takes a little longer now! Hang in there and don't give up, you are doing great!

Flax Oil

2009-10-21T13:58:00.009-05:00

Some of you have been asking me about Flax Seed Oil and I am here to say I take it daily and have been for about two and a half years. I have a capsule in the morning before breakfast and one again before dinner. I also have the ground flax that I use while cooking. Again, I am not a dietitian. I am only telling you my opinion and what I have researched! My old dietitian told me about it and then later my trainer said it helped with all sorts of things--including weight loss (It helps make things flow easier)! Talk to your doctor and do your own research and then decide if you want to take it daily.

It has been nicknamed as the healing oil, flax oil is one of the healthiest types of oil available. It contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in relation to omega-6 fatty acids. It has many health benefits, such as...

Weight loss

This is not speculation, but researched fact. A diet higher in Omega-3 fatty acids of which High Lignan Flax Oil is the richest source, will have more lean muscle, lower bodyfat, and better health. In fact, the Omega-3's are so important, that they have been found to be all of the following:

Cholesterol reducing (the perfect fat to include in a high protein diet)
Anti-lipogenic (they block fat storage)
Anti-catabolic (they prevent muscle breakdown)
Increase lipolysis and beta oxidation (Fat burning - even the brown fat cells in the love handles)
Improve insulin sensitivity (Keeping blood sugar levels down and metabolism high)
Increase thermogenesis (Slightly elevated body temperature promotes faster fat burning

In researching exactly what this "Great Oil" does I found that adding flax seed oil to your foods, or taken with a meal, creates a feeling of satiation (feeling of fullness and satisfaction following a meal). The essential fats in flax seed oil cause the stomach to retain food for a longer period of time as compared to no-fat or low-fat foods. The addition of Flax seed Oil to food results in a gradual release of nutrients into the small intestine. The physiological effect is a slow, sustained rise in blood sugar, then a prolonged plateau of blood sugar. Ultimately, the blood sugar undergoes a slow and gradual drop.

Heart
Flax oil is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. More than half of the oils found in the flax seed come in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega-3 fatty acids help to create flexible membranes in the cell walls and produce a substance that helps prevent blood clotting. Thus, flax oil can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and strokes. Also, those who regularly take flax oil have lower blood pressure than those who do not.

Menopause
Flax oil contains 10 times the amount of lignans found in other typical sources such as sesame and rye. Lignans are polyphenolic antioxidants that can interfere with the negative effects that estrogen hormones have on the body's metabolism. Results from a study reported in the American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter in 1998 found that taking flax oil daily reduced the size of tumors in some patients with postmenopausal breast cancer. In addition to this, the lignans found in the flax oil can help with the alleviation of osteoporosis, which can appear after menopause.

Bones
The omega-3 fatty acids in flax oil can lead the body to create series 1 and 3 prostaglandins, which are anti-inflammatory molecules. These substances can be quite effective in the reduction of inflammation in the cells. This can help alleviate medical conditions such as arthritis and migraines. In addition to this, the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax oil can promote bone health by preventing excessive bone loss.

Anti-Aging
Manganese is one of the minerals that is abundantly found in flax oil. It functions to help in the formation of connective tissue and bones. In addition to these benefits, manganese is necessary for the brain and nerves to function normally. Furthermore, it is necessary in order to produce manganese superoxide dismutase, which is a kind of antioxidant that can remove free radicals. Free radicals damage the membranes in cells, leading to aging and possibly diseases such as cancer.

Pregnancy
Flax oil is a rich source of folate, which acts as a co-enzyme for many of the body's functions. Folate helps in the production of new cells and the formation of DNA. Flax oil is beneficial for pregnant women because it can help keep the fetus healthy by prevention of defects in the neural tube. The folate found in flax oil can also prevent the formation of problems in the heart, nerves and limbs of the fetus.

Always looking for little tips for you! Have a great day!

**Info from WebMD

Write a Food Journal!

2009-10-20T07:45:00.007-05:00

Writing down the foods you eat during the day is a proven method to promote weight loss and to help keep the weight off. It is one of my least favorite things to do but--It is a simple procedure that can help you understand your eating habits and target problem areas you may have. It is important to be honest with yourself when recording food items and amounts. The food journal can act like a mirror by revealing to you what goes into your body.

It can be a very useful tool if done properly. If you are not writing a food log- chances are you are not seeing the scale move either! Challenge yourself, make that your goal for the next 2 weeks. It really does help--try it for a week or two! Remember we can give you the tools to lose weight, it is up to you what you do with them! For those of you that don't want to write a journal maybe try an online journal like http://www.thedailyplate.com/ . I love the daily plate and It is fun once you get started. It tracks everything, food, nutrition values, exercise, and even how much water you drink! You can even do a print out to show us what your eating! Don't lie to yourself or guess what your eating! Really help yourself reach your goals to be healthy and happy!!! Have a great day!!!

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wraps Recipe

2009-10-19T13:41:00.005-05:00

I love Franks Red Hot!!! I use it will everything! If you have not tried the buffalo chicken linguine in the book--it is a must!!! Here is another recipe I love! If you like and crave buffalo wings try this recipe!

Ingredients:
2- 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken breast (grilled, baked, or sauteed then slice up)
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 8-inch whole-wheat or low carb tortillas tortillas( I just wrap mine in big lettuce leaves!)
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced celery
1 large tomato, diced

Preparation:
Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Cook and slice chicken; Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.

To assemble wraps:

Lay a tortilla or your large lettuce leaf on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. YUMMY!!! Hope you like it!

Jerk Chicken Wraps Recipe

2009-10-15T15:52:00.005-05:00

Another GREAT Recipe from our friend Stacey...

Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 med-lg Chicken breast – grilled (or stir fried in pan with a little olive oil) and seasoned with Jerk seasoning and diced in small pieces
1 can water chestnuts – drained and diced
1 can bamboo shoots – drained and diced
1 bunch green onions diced
3 lg portabella mushrooms (I use any mushroom if ports are too spendy) – diced
1 bag or so of sliced carrots
(I have also used edamame, shredded cabbage, sprouts, peppers, celery etc)
Red pepper flakes - optional
Stir fry all this and set aside till ready to eat.

1 jar Bangkok Peanut sauce (at Hyvee) (there are actually lots of different sauces this one is really good but you could change it up and use any of them!)
When ready to eat, reheat veggies and add the peanut sauce – cook till hot.

1 bag Romaine Lettuce heads or bib lettuce- Ends cut off and pulled apart
Sesame Seeds and/or
Diced peanuts
Spoon chicken mixture in to lettuce leaves and garnish with any of the toppings.

**I have also done this and just added it to chopped romaine or lettuce to make it a salad and I did it once instead of making it a lettuce wrap I cooked spaghetti noodles (use Dream Fields) and stir fried them with the veggies to make like a lo mein type dish…**

Thanks Stacey for the great recipes!

How Much Protein and Carbs Per Day?

2009-10-15T14:36:00.017-05:00

Many of you have been asking me how much protein and carbs should you have stay healthy, maintain weight, and lose weight. Let me start be saying I am not a nutritionist so I can not give you a number of what you should and should not eat. Now, I will be getting certified, but until then I can only give you my opinion and you decide what you want to do.

The meal plans I have given you are not based on numbers. They have been tried and work if you really want to lose weight. My friends at CATZ and I put the first meal plan together and it has worked for me and many others. The second meal plan is a plan I put together to help maintain the weight. IF you NEED to lose the weight, you will lose weight if you do the second meal plan, just a little slower than the first. Also remember whatever meal plan you choose it has to fit into your lifestyle to work for you!

If you follow the rules and journal EVERYTHING you will lose weight and or tone up!

For some of you that are already at an ideal weight for your body type stop focusing on the scale. Focus on how you feel, how you look in your clothes, how you sleep at night, how strong you feel in and outside of class, and think about your body getting healthy and tone!

Anyway, if you need some numbers...

PROTEIN

1) Intake should be around 15-35 grams per meal and/or snack depending on your body weight.

2) Drink 20-25 grams of whey protein immediately after working out. Follow that up with a small piece of fruit or another small amount of carbohydrates. Doing this will help jump start your recovery and keep your metabolism firing on all cylinders for faster fat loss results.

3) Make your last meal high in protein and lower in carbohydrates. Try to get your starchy carbs earlier in the day (brown rice, Dream Fields pasta,oatmeal, etc) and rely on fibrous based vegetables in the evening.Things like salads, broccoli, asparagus,cauliflower, green veggies of all sorts, etc.Limiting your carbohydrate sources late in the day will keep your blood sugar levels stable.In turn, you'll be less likely to store those calories by keeping your insulin levels at bay.

4) Stay away from higher saturated fat sources of protein and eat sources like lean red meats, eggs, fish, turkey breast, chicken breast, jerky, almonds, low fat cottage cheese and protein powders. Getting a lean source of protein at each meal and snack will keep insulin levels lower (think fat storage hormone) and keep that metabolic fire burning quickly.

CARBS per day:

**below information is from about.com-nutrition

If you ARE trying to lose weight, 20 - 60 grams are recommended depending on your level of activity.

If you are NOT trying to lose weight, 180 - 230 grams are sometimes recommended. However, for health there is no minimum daily requirement of carbohydrate.

There isn't a raw number of carbohydrates to intake because the amount of exercise a person does depends essentially how much aerobic activity is done. For athletes and very active people, the most important carbohydrate is the complex ones (glycogen) such as oats, fruits, vegetables... But you have to watch out, carbohydrates are easily over-consumed.

The important thing is what KIND of carbs.

If you are trying to lose weight then stay away from refined (processed) carbohydrates. Do not eat white bread, white pasta, white potatoes or white rice. These foods are VERY high glycemic and will spike your blood sugar which will make you hungry again much quicker.

Tip: Add fiber to your diet (which you will automatically do if you switch to whole grain carbs) and eat 5-6 small "meals" during the day instead of 3 big meals. You will never be hungry and will shed pounds like mad.

Lastly, remember to write it all down each day. If you're guessing, you're results will suffer..I promise. Hold yourself accountable and get a designated notebook to plan your daily meal schedule out. Jot down everything you eat with the times you’re eating it. This will give you a reference point. If you're not making progress, then you can see why and make adjustments. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy --Don't blow this off...

I really hope this has helped! Let us know if you have any more questions! Have a GREAT weekend!

Do Your Own Circuit at Home!

2009-10-15T11:22:00.007-05:00

Some of you were wondering where the 10 - 30 minute workout article was so I am making it easy and posting it again. While I am out of town try doing your own little circuit for 10 - 30 minutes. Below I have put one together for you.

10- 30- 60 minute workout you can do anywhere:

Choose 3 -5 exercises and do each for 1 minute, then depending on how long you want to workout repeat it one, two, three, maybe even four times. Maybe do it with a friend or family member so you can push yourself a little more! If they don't want to do it just have them time you!

Here are some you can choose from:

Cardio:
high knees
jog in place
run up and down stairs
step up alternating legs (on a step or bench (the higher the better))
jumping jacks
mountain climbers
jump rope

burpees

squat and twist

For a strength-focused workout:
push ups
partner push ups (with a high 5 in between)

uneven pushup (on ball or something stable)
squats

squat and hold
clock lunge
dips (using a stable bench)
dumb bells- rows, biceps curls, triceps, shoulder press, punch outs, Y with a squat
step up (use some step and alternate legs)

Use bands or a medicine ball IF you have one

Core Workout:
plank (try and hold for 1 minute), side plank, rolling plank, reverse plank...
partner up and do 5-10-15-10-5 (5 sit ups, 5 squats, and 5 push ups then 10 then 15 and so on)
5-10-15-10-5 by your self (slide your feet under a couch for some stability)
15 crunches, 15 bicycles, 15 rows, 15 side to sides and repeat 2 times each
Go on VACATION: row, swim, canoe, bicycle, and rope climb 30 seconds each 2 or 3 times around

I hope this help! Have a great Weekend!!!

13 Healthy Snacking Strategies

2009-10-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

13 Healthy Snacking Strategies

Shared via AddThis

Emotional Eating...

2009-10-13T07:19:00.008-05:00

Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your weakest point emotionally.

Many people turn to food for comfort — consciously or subconsciously — when they're facing a difficult problem or looking to keep themselves occupied. But emotional eating — eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and loneliness — can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet, salty and fatty foods.

I was that emotional eater! I would go to food when I was happy, bored, anxious, sad, well you name the emotion, I was eating. I realized I was an emotional eater when my Dad was sick with cancer (he is a survivor:)). I ate and ate and ate some more! It felt good to eat and it took my mind off my Dad. I put on like 20lbs and then I lost it with some quick fad diet. A few years later one of my best friends died in a car accident and again I went to the fridge for comfort! Or should I say I went to Godiva Chocolate Truffle ice cream with raspberries and chocolate chunks!!! It felt good to get my mind of of the situation even if it was just for a minutes while I finished the tub of yummyness! But again I added another 20+ lbs to my body! That is when I knew I needed to find another way to deal with my emotions. Food was and is not my friend and I needed to stop going to it for comfort!

Well, yesterday, it was snowy and icy and I lost control of my car and wrecked it! Besides my eyes being swollen from crying all day,and my car being undrivable, I am fine. Normally in a situation like this I would have gone straight home to the fridge! Instead, I went to my 9:15 am class and worked out. Tears and all I worked out with so much adrenaline and it felt great! It was a great stress reliever, It took my mind off of the situation, and being around others made me feel so much better! I am so excited-- I now know that I can control my emotional eating and the exercise made me feel so much better than that tub of ice cream because their was not any guilt behind it!

So if you're prone to emotional eating, you can help yourself and take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.

To help stop emotional eating, try these suggestions:

* Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just an hour ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass.

* Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.

* Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, come work out with me, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.

* Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your decisions at the store.

* Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.

* Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more likely to feel fuller, longer.

* Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's fit and well rested.

If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health trigger emotions that lead to overeating.

Five Myths About Exercise

2009-10-09T14:58:00.006-05:00

We all know that exercising regularly is good for you. It’s good for the heart, it helps us lose weight, maintain a healthy weight and it is excellent at relieving stress. But there are many exercise myths that are presented as facts, either by those who are trying to sell us something or by those who mean well but haven’t got their facts straight. Here are five myths about physical fitness that you might be surprised to learn about:

Myth #1: You can reduce fat in specific areas of the body by doing exercises that target those areas.
It seems to make sense, but trying to burn fat in the precise spot where you want to lose it simply doesn’t work. The only way to burn fat is through aerobic exercises that get your heart pumping. And those exercises burn fat gradually and from all over the body, not just around the muscles you’re using. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t work the areas where you have extra fat. Doing so will build muscle there and that will give you a more toned look when the fat over the muscle is reduced.

Myth #2: You must exercise a lot and regularly in order for it to be of benefit.
There’s no doubt about it, getting fit takes many weeks of hard work. This leads many of us to believe that if we can’t or don’t have the willpower to exercise several times every week, there’s no point in it. But any amount of exercise is good for you. Even if you only take a walk every now and then, it can help lower your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. It probably won’t cause you to lose weight or build muscle, but it’s certainly worthwhile. And sometimes when we start exercising every now and then, we realize that it’s not so hard to make time for it and start doing so on a regular basis.

Myth #3: Strength training will make you too muscular.
Some people lift weights to develop large muscles. Others would like to do so in order to build strength and muscle tone, but they do not want to bulk up. If you follow a sensible strength-training regimen, you won’t end up looking like a bodybuilder. Most bodybuilders use supplements and special diets in their quest to build muscle and they spend hours each day at the gym. If you’re looking to tone up and build strength, doing strength-training exercises that target a variety of muscles a couple of times a week will not create bulk.

Myth #4: When you stop working out, muscle turns into fat.
Muscle cannot magically transform into fat. So you don’t have to worry about your six-pack abs turning into Jell-O if your exercise routine is disrupted. Muscles will shrink when they’re not worked regularly however, and this can create a flabby look if you discontinue your exercise routine. The missed exercise and reduced muscle will also cause reduced metabolism, making it easier for you to gain fat.

Myth #5: I’m too old to start exercising.
As we age, we often develop health problems. This leads many of us to believe that if we haven’t been exercising since we were young, starting now will be bad for us. Nothing could be further from the truth. Exercise can help manage many health problems common among the middle-aged and elderly. It’s always important to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, but there are few people who shouldn’t exercise at all.

Exercise myths can hinder our efforts to stay fit. Knowing the truth behind them makes it easier to pursue a healthy lifestyle the right way.

Have a GREAT weekend and we will see you when we get back!

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

2009-10-09T14:37:00.006-05:00

I have been telling some of you about the wonderful things you can do with Spaghetti Squash so I wanted to share this wonderful website...

http://www.healthy-recipes-for-kids.com/spaghetti-squash-recipes.html

It tells you what it should look like, how you should cook it, and gives some basic recipes even your kids will eat! Get creative with this- the sky's the limit when it comes to cooking! Have fun!

Cheesecake Bars Recipe

2009-10-09T13:53:00.014-05:00

OKAY so I have some Cheesecake lovers out there that needed a healthier recipe! Well, another wonderful client of ours sent this one over and it sounds great! I have also added a recipe from one of my favorite blogs...Hungry Girl! I love Hungry Girl Recipes! Remember these are not going to help you lose weight! These are to help you through the holidays IF you need (want)something sweet and healthier! ENJOY!

Squash Cheesecake Bars

Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com
Pureed winter squash gives most of the body to these leaner cheesecake bars.

Prep Time: 20 min / Cook Time: 3 hr 40 min / Level: Easy / Serves: 18 bars

Ingredients:

9 low-fat graham crackers (4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup splenda, divided
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided (try almond flour)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
8 ounces nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
1/2 cup squash puree OR pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon sugar free-vanilla extract (regular if you can't find it)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray
Process graham crackers, oats, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Add milk; pulse until completely moistened. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in squash/pumpkin puree until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust. Bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

To make your own squash puree, halve and seed one medium acorn or butternut squash. Place, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until soft, about 50 minutes. Cool, then scrape out the flesh with a fork. Or simply use frozen (thawed) or canned squash puree. Find frozen squash puree near other vegetables in the freezer section and canned squash near the canned pumpkin.

OR try the Hungry Girl recipe! (Upside down Chocolate PB cheesecake)

http://www.hungry-girl.com/thursdaypreview.php?newsletterid=1882

Get it FRESH at the Farmers Market!

2009-10-08T14:13:00.007-05:00

Why should you make the weekly trek to your local farmers' market instead of to the nearest mega-grocer? It starts with quality. The ingredients from your farmers' market will always be in season, meaning they were grown and harvested during peak conditions. The farmers' market also brings you food from right outside your front door. The fresher your food, the longer it will last and the better it will taste. I believe we only have about a month left here-let me know if I am wrong! I hear Falls Park Farmers Market is open till the end of the month.

Arguably fall's favorite (and most prevalent) vegetable, winter squash can be seen on seasonal menus across the country. Whether simply roasted with butter and sage. Winter squash is an ideal vegetable side dish, tossed with a bit of melted butter, a dash of salt and a quick grinding of nutmeg. Cubes of squash can be tossed with butter or olive oil and lots of garlic slivers and baked as a gratin. If your squash is a bit stringy, it's a candidate for mashing. Winter squash can be the basis for a rich and filling soup. When making soup you may bake the squash, then mash or puree and add this to the simmering broth, or you can peel, dice and cook the squash directly in the broth. Roasting produces a deeper flavor. For added sweetness some cooks like to add a bit of chopped apple or pear when sautéing the onions for the soup. Impress your guests by serving your soup from a hollowed-out pumpkin.

Spaghetti Squash is my FAVORITE!!! Use it in place of your pasta is has a great flavor and is good for you. Spaghetti squash is unique in that when it is cooked its flesh can be pulled into long strands that resemble spaghetti. Remember to puncture the spaghetti squash before baking or it may explode in the oven or microwave.

Long a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, the pomegranate has recently become popular because of its intense health benefits. Available from September through January, the pomegranate has almost 20% of the daily required vitamin C for adults, and its juice is packed with healthy antioxidants. Mix the seeds into whole wheat couscous or sprinkle them over a green salad with orange segments for a Mediterranean-inspired meal.

Glucosamine Helps With Sore Muscles!

2009-10-08T07:56:00.004-05:00

Glucosamine is a key supplement that is used by many athletes and active people. It is a great supplement that helps to rebuild joint cartilage and reduce leg and joint pain. If you need immediate pain relief, glucosamine can be taken daily with aspirin or ibuprofen.

I bought some at Hy-Vee in the vitamin section. You can also by it at any grocery store, vitamin store, or GNC. I'm not an expert but with all my research, training, and personal working out injuries it has really helped me! Since I have started taking glucosamine daily my muscles are not as sore. I have a lot of friends in the industry and they have reported the same. Try it and decide for yourself. Naturally, your doctor should be aware so she or he can offer additional advice and counsel.

Hope this helps with those sore muscles! Have a great day!

EDAMAMIE

2009-10-07T16:36:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I went to Hy-Vee on Minnesota today to buy more Edamamie and they had 4 different kinds! They had Organic, shelled, and pods! I was so excited because I love when they are already out of the shell and I can just pop them in my mouth! Instead of making a bad of popcorn or opening that bag of chips, throw some edamamie in the microwave, add some sea salt, and eat them cold or hot! If you are looking for them they are in the frozen food section- near the health food and the frozen veggies. One of the bags just says soy beans! Get a bag today- they are so yummy and so good for you!

Healthy Turkey Chili Recipe

2009-10-07T16:27:00.004-05:00

It is getting cold outside and you may need some good comfort food...One are my great clients sent this wonderful turkey chili recipe over and said be careful it is SO YUMMY that you may want to eat the entire pot!!! Think moderation! Enjoy and let us know how you liked it! I think I will also add some chopped jalapenos to make it a little spicy!!!

Feel free to send me over any recipies you might want me to add to the blog!

Stacey’s Turkey Chili

1lb lean ground turkey
3T chili powder -I use hot
1C Chopped Onion
½ C Chopped Celery
1sm can or fresh chopped mushrooms
1sm can corn
1 lg (28oz) can diced tomatoes
I can Ro-Tel tomatoes with chili's
2 cans of beans your choice – I used 1 no salt added black beans, rinsed, 1 can chili beans. (Could also use kidney, navy, butter, etc)

in a large pot spray with a little pam, brown turkey over med heat-high heat, add 1 T of the chili powder when about half done. push to one side of pan add onion & celery sauté about 3 minutes or until softened. Mix together and add all other ingredients, (I also added about ½ can water)
Simmer on med to low heat stirring freq for about 30 minutes

Makes 6-7 good size servings
Fat:5.8 grams
Carbs: 30.9
Calories: 249.5
Protien: 23.2

Pumpkin Pie Lovers...Recipe

2009-10-07T12:57:00.010-05:00

I love Pumpkin Pie! Exspecially my Sister in laws but I had to find a healthier one so I can enjoy my pie over the holidays! A of client of ours sent this over and says it is to die for! I also put a link at the bottom for the Hungry Girl Recipe! It is GREAT!!!

65 calories a servings, low in carbs, and a good amount of fiber! AGAIN MODERATION-not the entire pie!!!!

Ingredients:

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Place mixture in a baking dish (8" X 8" works well) sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. (It will remain a little soft, like pie filling.)
Once ready to serve (it's delicious eaten hot or cold), cut into 9 pieces.
Serve and enjoy! Add a spoon full of lite Cool Whip!

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

OR try Hungry Girl Recipe! It is delicious! Click on the link below..it will show you the pretty and not so pretty truth on pumpkin pie! Enjoy the Holidays--just find a better and healthier way to eat!!! Don't put on another 20lbs and think "I can lose it again after the Holiday!" Be smart eat better and exercise now!!

http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=1261

Get into the Fitness"Groove" Before the Holidays!!!

2009-10-06T13:28:00.009-05:00

The Holidays are around the corner and you don't want to ruin what you have done so far nor do you want to gain more weight and make it harder to lose!!!

I received this email this morning from a an old trainer from AZ and thought you might be interested in reading it...

Hey Siobhan,

I hope you're having a great week so far. I wanted to pass this on to you and your clients. To lose weight you have to work out at least 5 hours a week! In the past, I've made reference to a study that was conducted which tracked 200 women over a 24 month period. Bottom line....the ones who exercised a minimum of five weekly hours were able to MAINTAIN their weight and or KEPT LOSING. The others GAINED weight!! Exspecially over the Holidays!

Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. If you're eating isn't up to par, then you've got some work to do. If your only exercise is 3 x week, it's simply not enough unless you're absolutely spot on with your nutrition. If you really want to lose the maximum fat loss you have to eat healthy and workout at least 5 times a week. ~Eric

So...If you have just signed up for the Circuit Training or you have been in it for a while and just have not got the nutrition part down...use those sample meal plans as your guide you will lose weight! If you don't want to follow that samples at least follow the RULES!

Here are 3 Keys to Getting Leaner from author Mike Geary of TruthAboutAbs.com...

1. Focus at least 90% of your workout time on high intensity combinations of full body multi-joint exercises such as variations of dead lifts, squats, lunges, clean & presses, pull ups, push ups, dips, bench presses, overhead presses, and upper body rows and pulls. The other 10% or LESS of your workout time can be directed towards some abs training.

2. Focus your "cardio" efforts on shorter duration variable intensity interval training, wind sprints, hill sprints, stair sprints, jump rope, and other higher intensity (and variable intensity) forms of training instead of relying on long duration, steady-pace boring traditional cardio.

3. With your diet, don't try to be too restrictive on certain macronutrients or go too low on overall calories as this can lead to muscle loss and reduced metabolic rate. Instead, feed your body what it needs to perform optimally and build/maintain lean muscle mass...lots of whole unprocessed foods such as nuts, fruits, veggies, seeds, eggs, organic meats, etc. Try to maintain a reasonable balance of protein, carbs, and fat instead of trying to go too low or high on any one macronutrient. Some of the most important aspects of a diet that creates a lean body are getting enough quality fiber, protein, and healthy fat intake at most of your meals, and limiting foods such as refined starches, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and excessive alcohol.

GREAT! It sounds like the program you are already in (BICT) or thinking about joining (we are full for October but we are taking new clients for November/December)! Now you have to commit to doing this and you will see maximum results! Holiday season is right around the corner! Don't wait until after the holiday to get healthy! Do it now--holiday pounds are going to start to creeping up on you and it will be even harder to lose come January! So take a proactive approach and get into your fitness "groove" before the holiday fat cells start getting out of hand!

Portion Control

2009-10-06T11:58:00.005-05:00

Sure, everyone knows that portion control is a major factor in weight loss. It can sometimes be a hard habit to break-ex specially when it is your favorite food! Try this little trick to fool yourself into eating less... Downsize your food plates, you’ll be on your way to downsizing yourself too. If you are out to eat...ask for a box with your meal and put half of it away for later! Try it today!

Football Food

2009-10-03T07:23:00.012-05:00

I over heard some of you talking about "game day" food! Here a few to try! IF anyone else has any great ideas post under comments below! ENJOY! I'm not foolish enough to suggest you prepare dainty little roll ups and pass around the sparkling water. It is Football Sunday after all. You can still serve a hearty chili, burgers, chicken wings, and have plenty of tasty snacks on hand. With a little planning and some nifty ingredient substitutions, the lighter fare will taste just as good. So here are some low-fat tips, followed by some terrific recipes, to make your low-fat Super Bowl party a success.

Take chili, for instance: all those beans and tomatoes that form the base of this versatile dish are wonderfully nutritious by themselves. So choose extra-lean beef or turkey to accompany them, or forgo meat altogether and add an extra can or two of reduced-sodium beans instead. Provide reduced-fat cheese to sprinkle on the chili, and reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream for garnish. You can even add a scoop to a low carb tortilla with a sprinkle of cheese and some light sour cream--do good!

Load your potato skins(scrape MOST of the potato out) with salsa or just a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese and fat-free sour cream. Add some paprika or even some cayenne pepper to spice them up a bit.

Bake or Saute some skinless chicken pieces dipped in egg white, or buttermilk, and roll in crushed cornflakes. Either serve tossed in wing sauce or serve your favorite sauce on the side.

If you must have regular old wings--buy your own and bake them!

Turkey Meatballs-marinara or even buffalo hot wing flavor--yummy!!!

Shish kabobs-chicken, beef, shrimp, veggie!

Serve home-made baked or sauteed lo carb tortilla, pita crisps, or sliced jicama and serve them with low-fat dips that use fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream, yogurt or cream cheese as their base. Make fresh salsa.

Have a large plate of cut veggies to go with the dips, too: include different colored sweet peppers and jicama, as well the usual carrots and celery.

Serve a big salad platter featuring groups of black beans, sweet corn, chopped red onion or scallions, chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts, diced avocado, chopped green pepper and shredded reduced-fat Jack cheese. Make a lime-based vinaigrette to go with it.

Make a flat bread low carb pizza! Everyone will love them get creative and make all different ones! I have a recipe in the old archives!

Instead of buying one of those huge over-filled subs, have your guests make their own lower-fat sandwiches. Provide a variety of lean (and low-sodium) meats and reduced-fat cheeses, a variety of 100% whole-wheat breads and low carb wraps plus some fat-free or low-fat mayos and dressings. Have pickles, sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots, salad leaves, roasted red peppers, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes, all of which can help make a satisfying sandwich. Make tuna or chicken salad with fat-free mayo or low-fat plain yogurt. Use herbs and black pepper for seasoning, and omit the salt.
Make your own platter with dried fruit, unsalted nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Don't eat too much! It's all very well cutting fat here and there, but if you pile your plate high with party food, you won't be doing yourself any favors. Have fun and have a great Football Sunday! Go Vikings!!!

The 48-Hour Healthy Eating Jump Start

2009-10-03T07:13:00.002-05:00

I was reading this article and thought of some of you! You have got to be ready and really want it to change those eating habits and lose the weight for good!!! Have a great weekend!

The 48-Hour Healthy Eating Jump Start

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Edamame- BEST SNACK!

2009-10-01T18:42:00.007-05:00

If you have never tried this delicious snack--it is a must! They taste so great and they are great for you!

I first tried them in AZ- they're a snack one of my favorite Japanese restaurants served! Now they are my favorite snack anytime of the day!

Say what you will about the debate over the health benefits of soy: any way you slice it, the edamame is a star legume! Just 1/2 cup of them a day really punches up the fiber, protein and vitamin/mineral content of your diet.

Here's what you'll find in a half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods):
120 calories
9 grams fiber
2.5 grams fat
1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
11 grams protein
13 grams carbohydrate
15 mg sodium
10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
10% Daily Value for iron
8% Daily Value for vitamin A
4% Daily Value for calcium

As you can see, that little serving of edamame gives you a bunch of fiber: 9 grams, about the same amount you'll find in 4 slices of whole-wheat bread or 4 cups of steamed zucchini. It has almost as much protein as it does carbohydrate. It contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A. And for a plant food, it's quite high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast.

How Do You Buy It?
In my supermarket, you can find two types of edamame in the frozen vegetable section: shelled or with the pods. Both are already cooked and ready to be thawed and eaten.

I keep a bag of each in my freezer. I like the edamame in pods as a snack -- you have to work harder to get to each soybean this way. And I use the shelled edamame in cooking (casseroles, soups/stews, noodle or rice dishes, etc.). I have only found it in the pods here- so let me know if you find it shelled! FYI: Do not eat the shell! Heat them in the microwave or boil them, add a little Sea salt and eat them! Put the pod in your mouth and slide your teeth over the pod, the beans will just pop out! You may already know this but I have had two people eat the entire pod so I thought I would warn you.

At the very least, you can keep a bag of edamame in pods around for a low-maintenance finger food. Just thaw it and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick snack. It's perfect for when you (or a family member) are hungry but it's still an hour or more until dinner. For only 120 calories, 1 1/8 cup of the edamame in pods is very satisfying, thanks to its protein, fiber, and a touch of smart fat.

Edamame are more than just a GREAT snack -- they make a great ingredient in recipes. If you would like some recipies let me know! ENJOY!

Are You a Planner?

2009-10-01T14:03:00.011-05:00

This morning I received this email from a trainer I knew in AZ and thought I would pass it on to you! Have a great day!

Hi Siobhan,

I have been going back and forth on the idea of coming out with a fat loss solution that would rock the world. What we decided on is going to allow those that follow it an unbelievable amount of energy, fat loss and health. My solution is going public and I've decided to give all me readers first glance at the bullet points of the amazing fat loss system.

Are you ready?

~ Written Goals (Where do you want to be?)

~ Written Plan (How are you going to get there?)

~ Daily exercise (including resistance training)

~ Supportive Nutrition (proteins, healthy fats, fibrous carbs)

~ Water (80oz+ of filtered water each day)(1/2 body weight in oz)

Remember, this will guarantee unstoppable results! Know what would happen? Most people wouldn't follow it.

Why? Because over the years we have become so incredibly ingrained in our eating habits and lifestyle schedules that it not only takes an incredible desire to change this path, but a specific, daily, concrete plan of action. It's easy to start, most will do that. BUT it always, always, always happens... life gets in the way, things get tough, the challenge becomes too overwhelming and we just take the easy way out and QUIT. Why would we do that if we knew this was exactly the plan we needed to follow to get the lasting fat loss results we wanted?

Our HABITS! Those routine activities that have become so ingrained in us that we're almost on a daily auto pilot. If we don't have an immense desire to change, a defined course of action to take, a plan detailing each day's successful steps....we'll fall right back into that lazy boy chair of life because it's EASY!

It's about making lifestyle changes, not just eating better. We all know what foods to avoid, what foods we should eat more of, the need for exercise, etc. Let me just say.......It's not about the food!! It's about our LIFESTYLE!!! What happens when it's time for your next meal but you're caught in traffic on your way to a meeting?

Ahhhh, the pied piper of instant gratification now summons you to the Golden Arches!

Knowing what to eat is only part of the process... ...Planning ahead for the unknown is equally important. Let's say you have a couple of bad eating days per week. That doesn't sound so bad, right? On the surface it doesn't, but let's take a look at how many days that really is over the course of a year.

104 OFF DAYS!!! That comes out to over three months, 25% or 1/4 of your entire years worth of eating. That's a lot of "cheat" days. AND I can guarantee you that you'll make little to NO progress with that type of nutritional approach. Plan ahead for the unplanned OR you'll be dealt a hand of body fat and dwindling health.

Life will throw you a curve ball (we all get them), so be prepared for it. That way instead of striking out, you'll slap it out of the park with a smile on your face knowing you had planned ahead.

Alright, let's tackle a couple of eating strategies.

Eating Strategy #1.....PREPAREDNESS
I like planning on Sunday whereas some of our clients prefer to do it each morning.Sit down and come up with your meal plan for the week or day. Here's the deal...you have to and I mean have to plan out your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. That accounts for 7 breakfast, lunches and dinners and 14 weekly snacks. Does that sound difficult? Bear with me here!Remember things can be made in bulk quantities or eaten as leftovers, so think about what meals are your favorites (healthy ones).It's estimated that we only eat about 8-10 different meals per week, so it's really not all that daunting of a task. If some meals aren't exactly the healthiest, think of ways to increase the nutritional value and cut out the saturated fat and sugar while increasing the protein. Eat the leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day...that just cut out seven lunches that you have to plan. If it's more convenient, consume meal replacement shakes for your snacks. They're quick and convenient...that just got rid of planning 1/2 of your snacks....Presto!

Eating Strategy #2....."BREAK-FAST"
Eat Breakfast....no matter what!! And make sure it's more than just a piece of toast. Studies have shown that those who eat breakfast have higher resting metabolic rates and eat less calories at the end of the day.Rather than preparing all your food for the week on Sunday, you may prefer to do a little food preparation each day. This is actually how I prefer to do it, as I don't mind getting up early enough to do it...I love having my morning quiet time :-) This strategy calls for you to cook all your food for the day in the morning, pack it up and go. It may be that this is simply your lunch, as you probably have time in the evening to prepare dinner. But don't forget...plan for the unplanned.What if you have to stay late at work? Then what? You better have some healthy food ready or a meal replacement shake on hand.

Our most successful clients will admit that this was their #1 reason for success. Planning ahead and preparing for the unknown! Plan for the unplanned, get the proper foods, and then eat them! Prepare to be blown away by the effectiveness of your workouts once you dial in your "planned" nutritional strategy! Don't underestimate your nutritional PLAN...and never underestimate the "art" and "skill" of planning ahead.

Hope this letter help you. It should be great for you planners! Try it today. Thanks Eric!

First Week Soreness!

2009-10-01T10:32:00.008-05:00

We started a new month today and we had a great first class! Great job on your first class you really worked hard! We hope you enjoyed it and hope to see you again!

Starting a workout program can be challenging. Making the time to exercise, creating a balanced routine, and setting goals are hard enough, but add to that the muscle soreness that comes with adapting to that program, and it may be difficult to stay on track. But you can do it!

Chances are, you won't be leaping out of bed to get to come to class when it hurts to hold your arm up to brush your teeth. Fight through it and I promise you will feel better.

After participating in some kind of strenuous physical activity (first week in our class), particularly something new to your body, it is common to experience muscle soreness!
Muscles go through quite a bit of physical stress when we exercise and mild soreness is just a natural outcome of any kind of physical activity,and they're most prevalent in beginning stages of any program.

Ease Those Aching Muscles

So what can you do to help the pain?

Several remedies such as ice, rest, compression, elevate, anti-inflammatory medication, massage, heat, and stretch have been reported as helpful in the process of recovery.

People don't stretch enough, stretching after class helps break the cycle, which goes from soreness to muscle spasm to contraction and tightness.

Come to class and do what you can ! You can take it easy for a few days while your body adapts, but then you will get sore again. Trying to work the muscle out will help relieve some of the toxins. We can modify your workout to help you during class! If you feel you just can't come to class then try some light exercise such as walking or swimming. Keeping the muscle in motion will provide some relief.

In a nutshell, don't beat yourself up. Just take it easy but KEEP moving.

It is important to distinguish the difference between moderate muscle soreness induced by exercise and muscle overuse or injury.
If soreness prevents you from performing daily activities associated with living and work, then that is too much soreness. If is hurting your range of motion then that muscle may need rest! But if it is the "good" pain then just keep on moving.

Don't let that moderate muscle pain keep you away! Believe it or not soon you will want to feel some muscle soreness to let you know you are doing something great! Later soreness may even serve as encouragement because you get that immediate results--you never know!

See you in class!

Rustic Sausage Pasta Recipe

2009-09-30T15:35:00.004-05:00

Dreamfields Pasta now has Angel Hair pasta! Here is a great recipe for those who like a little spice in their life! I like to add some sauteed onion, garlic, and jalapeno to mine! Remember even though this pasta is lower in carbs- eat in MODERATION!!! I hope you enjoy it--it is delicious!

Rustic Sausage & Angel Hair : Healthy Pasta Recipes

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