30 Day Burpee Challenge

We began a 30 day burpee challenge on Monday October 21st.  By the end we'll be doing 100 burpees!  Join us...It's a great full body exercise that works the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abs, pectoral muscles, triceps, and deltoids.

Eat Clean and Train Strong

10 Reasons Your Body Isn’t Changing

You’re eating healthy, exercising and watching your diet, with little to no results to show for your effort. Before you throw in the towel and give up on your weight loss goals all together check out these Ten Reasons Why Your Body Isn’t Changing according to A Calorie Counter and Spark People to see how you can get back in the game!

1. Are you eating too much?: Weight loss is a simple equation of eating fewer calories than you burn in a day. If you’re not ending the day with a calorie deficit you won’t be losing weight. Instead you’ll be just maintaining or even gaining weight. Try keeping a thorough food journal with what and how much of everything you eat for a week. You’re probably eating more than you think!

2. Pounds vs Inches: How are you measuring your progress? If your workout routine includes weight training you’re most likely adding muscle mass, and subsequently changing your body composition. With muscle weighing more than fat, relying on the scale alone may not be giving you an accurate reading of your progress. Taking measurements of your arms, thighs, mid-section, and hips on a bi-weekly basis may paint a different picture of your success!

3. Change It Up: “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.” This well known adage is especially true of your fitness routine and diet. If you’ve hit a plateau, you may need to change up your routine and increase the intensity, as well as adjust your daily calorie intake. The less of you there is the fewer calories you need.

4. You’re Only Doing Cardio: 45 minutes on the elliptical may feel like a good workout, but without weight training you’ll never change your body composition by adding more muscle. A greater muscle mass increases your daily calorie burn, leading to a lower body fat percentage and a leaner you. If you love cardio try a Kettle Bell class or circuit training in place of typical weight training.

5. Falling for the Flavor of the Week: Making too many changes too quickly can be just as detrimental as getting stuck in a rut. Ballroom dancing may be the latest fitness craze but it may not be the calorie burn or weight training routine you need. Figure out what works for you rather than everyone else and stick with it.

6. Fact vs. Fiction: Are you doing or trying? You may feel like you’re eating healthy and exercising regularly, but a well kept food and exercise journal may tell a different story. Take a close hard look at your food choices and fitness routine and see what is really going on and where you can make improvements. (photo credit here)

7. You’re Rewarding Yourself with Food: It’s awesome that you just ran three miles, but rewarding yourself with a Starbucks Frappuccino will do nothing but negate all your hard work. Rather than food, try setting a long term goal and reward yourself with a gift when you reach your goal.

8. You’re Not Working Hard Enough: Are you challenging yourself with your workouts? If you’ve found yourself getting through your fitness routine with less or minimal effort it may be time to take it up a notch. Add weight training, High Intensity Interval Training, or a faster pace on the treadmill to keep your workouts challenging and you seeing results.

9. You’re Working Too Hard: As crazy as it sounds, working out too hard can be detrimental to meeting your fitness and weight or body measurement goals. Make sure to take at least one rest day a week, drink plenty of water and eat nutritious foods to replenish your muscles after a hard workout. Remember you want to build muscle, not break it down without recovery.

10. You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep: Few of us can say that we get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. Although it may be hard to forgo productivity for sleep, your efforts for a good night’s sleep will pay off in the long run. Lack of sleep can lead to hormonally charged weight gain and poor workouts due to fatigue and lack of concentration. Set a sleep schedule complete with a bed time and wake time and stick with it.

See what areas you can improve on and start seeing the results you’ve been looking for!

*Courtesy of Skinnymom.com*

 

Skinny Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

Skinny Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

 

 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutesYield: 4-5 servingsServing size: 4.5 oz cooked chicken with 1 tsp honey mustard

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 2 cups pretzels
• 1 cup light honey mustard
• 1/2 cup light honey mustard reserved for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a food processor, pulse pretzels until they are a bread crumb consistency.
4. Add 1 cup honey mustard to a shallow and wide bowl.
5. Add pretzel crumbs to a separate shallow and wide bowl.
6. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip chicken in honey mustard and cover evenly.
7. Immediately dip chicken into pretzel crumbs and cover the chicken completely.
8. Place covered chicken breast onto the cookie sheet.
9. Repeat with remaining chicken.
10. Add leftover pretzel crumbs to chicken on cookie sheet.
11. Bake chicken for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
12. Serve chicken with remaining ½ cup honey mustard dipping sauce.

Nutrition Info and Tips

Per Serving (4.5 oz cooked chicken with 1 tsp honey mustard):Calories: 312Fat: 4.8g
Carbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1.2g Protein: 32.4g Sugars: 1.2g WWP+: 7

*Recipe courtesy of Skinnymom.com*

ACHIEVE!

I saw this quote today and fell in love!  All of us get tired and discouraged, but what a great reminder that you can achieve anything you set out to do!

Fire-Roasted Meatloaf

I purchased a Paleo Slow Cooking book from Barnes & Noble, and let me just say it was worth every penny!  I am so busy during the day, and it is so nice to throw everything into the crock pot and have a yummy, nutritious meal ready to go at dinnertime.  This recipe was a HUGE success with my family!  See recipe below...

Fire-Roasted Meatloaf

1/2 head cauliflower, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound grass-fed ground beef (I buy this at Sprouts.)
1/2 c. of fire roasted salsa
1 small can of fire-roasted diced green chilies
1 egg
1/2 c. almond flour
2 1/2 tsp. of chili powder
3/4 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
5 T. organic tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Using food processor, finely chop the cauliflower, garlic, and onion and set aside.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salsa, chilies, and egg.
3.  Add the cauliflower, garlic, and onion mixture to the beef mixture.
4.  Add the almond flour and spices to the beef mixture.  Using your hands, kneed and mix all the ingredients together.
5.  Shape the beef mixture into a loaf and place it in the slow cooker.
6.  Using a spatula, evenly spread the tomato paste on top of the meatloaf.
7.  Cover and cook on high for four hours or until the internal temp. of the meatloaf has reached 160F.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Motivation

 

ENOUGH SAID!

Juicing

Back to school for my kids means back on track for mom! 

 

I had a great summer!   A staycation here and there with my hubby and kids.  A girls weekend in Vegas with my sisters to see Beyoncé!  And an amazing trip to Hawaii with my cute fam!  But what do these places all have in common...Food!  And whoa am I feeling the effects!

My good friend, Lara, introduced me to juicing a few months ago and I absolutely LOVE it!  It helps me feel energized, (yes, even more than a Diet Coke), and helps clean out and regulate my system.  I've even noticed a change in my complexion!  So, wanted to share a few recipes that I have found and have enjoyed...

 

This first one I call "Lara" since this is what she had me try, and got me hooked!  Super simple, and my kids love it too!

Lara

 

1 apple

1 carrot

Approx. 1 Cup strawberries

(And sometimes when my kids aren't looking, I'll sneak in some kale or spinach.)

 

Citrus Green Juice

 

6 kale leaves

6 Swiss chard leaves

1/2 cucumber

6 clementines

 

Carrot Apple Ginger Juice

 

3 carrots

2 apples

1" Ginger

 

Green Juice

 

1/2 cucumber

3 celery stalks

1-2 apples

6 kale leaves

1/2 lemon

1" ginger

 

And one more that I am going to try later this afternoon...

 

Sunset Blend Juice

 

1 lg. sweet potato

1 med. carrot

1 red bell pepper

2 lg. red beets

2 Golden delicious apples

1 orange (optional)

 

I like to get creative as well, and add pineapple, mango, spinach, kiwi, etc.

 

There are a lot of juicing cleanses out there.  If you choose to do, for example, a 3 day juice cleanse, prepare your body by drinking a lot of water in the days leading up to your cleanse.  Eat clean. No red meat, soda, sugar, dairy, or caffeine.

 

Personally, I love balance.  I eat 3 healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each meal includes a lean protein.  And for snacks I drink my juice along with a handful of almonds, or I'll add a little protein powder to the juice to get my protein intake.

 

Happy juicing!!!

 

(And yes, I'm drinking my juice from a Thor cup...Kind of a crush.) :) 

 

 

Just a Little MOTIVATION!

10 Tummy Tightening Foods

 

Summer is just around the corner and we all want to lose a few pounds to fit into the perfect outfit or swimsuit. I have listed a few foods with magical fat burning properties to help you with this dreaded task of weigh loss. Just remember – not one food alone can do the job. You have to have a plan and a purpose. Make sure you are eating the proper amount of calories for your body.
Here are a few Tummy Tightening Foods to help get you on the right track to a slimmer summer:
1. Oats with Cinnamon- Oats are a great start to your day. They will help keep you full while the cinnamon has natural thermionic properties which may increase your metabolism. (Love this Skinny Slow Cooker Oats recipe)
2. Grapefruit- Grapefruit helps lower insulin levels which promotes weight loss and fast metabolism.
3. Red Peppers- Peppers contain Capsaicin which can help with burning stubborn fat.
4. Almonds- Almonds are a great source of protein to help keep you full and keep your metabolism kicking. (Skinny Almond Trail Mix here)
5. Salmon-Salmon is loaded with Omega 3 Fatty Acids which is beneficial for fat loss. (Check out our Skinny Caribbean Jerk Salmon or Skinny Blackened Salmon)
6. Avocado- While avocados are considered a fat, they are a healthy fat. Your body needs healthy fats to use as energy to promote fat burn.
7. Blueberries- While Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, they are also low in sugar and great for a healthy low calorie snack.
8. Green Tea- Natural caffeine can help speed up the metabolism and keep you energized to burn more calories throughout the day.
9. Chicken- Chicken is a great source of lean protein. By placing more protein in your diet you can lower the amount of carbohydrates you take in while promoting weight loss. (Check out our hundreds of Skinny Chicken Recipes here and on Pinterest.)
10. Sweet Potato- Sweet potatoes are great for keeping your blood sugar levels stable while promoting a better, faster metabolism. (Click here for our Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes)

*Courtesy of Skinnymom.com*

30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge

May 1^st-30^th

Eat 5-6 meals per day containing an item from each category.  (1 protein, serving of fruit and/or veggies, etc.) This will help speed up your metabolism.

Drink water… No soda!

Beware of “hidden calories”!  Ex. Mayo, salad dressing, a few potato chips, etc.

Little to no sugar.

Keep a food journal.  This will help you keep track of what you’re eating, and what you may need to change in the future. (If needed)

One cheat meal per week.  Choose wisely…For ex. Date night!

Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week.  Good Luck!!!

Did You Eat Your Veggies?

 How do you eat more while losing more weight at the same time? One of the best answers is to eat "negative-calorie" foods, meaning that these foods actually take more energy to digest than they deliver to your body. While these foods may be an important source of phytonutrients, they are not sources of fat-packing calories.

Because of their surprising lack of calories, these foods can essentially be consumed in unlimited quantities without you gaining weight (body fat). That works because your stomach senses when it is physically full, and it will trigger your brain to stop eating when you can't handle more food. You know that "I feel stuffed" feeling? That's your stomach (which has its own complex nervous system, by the way), telling your brain to tell you to stop eating.

This is why, believe it or not, the simple act of drinking a glass of water before each meal is a proven weight loss strategy. It fills your belly with water, thereby reducing the amount of space left for other foods. So your stomach gets full more quickly, triggering the "stop eating" signals in your brain.

Eating an apple before each meal also works in much the same way. This is true even though apples are not negative-calorie foods. But they are rich in water, and water takes up space in your stomach.

Below is a list of negative calorie foods...Eat up!!!

Need A Bootylicious Booty Stat!

My sisters and I are going to Vegas in June to see the one and only...Beyonce!!! I couldn't be more excited!  However, I need to get this "jelly" ready to shake at her concert, and thought I would share a fab "bootylicious" workout today!

25 squats (Add weight if you need more of a challenge, and really want to work that booty!)
10 burpees
10 reverse lunges (Per leg)
10 burpees
10 curtsy lunges (Per leg)
10 burpees
20 donkey kicks (Per leg)
Repeat 3 times

If you are a beginner, try doing one round, and then build on that as you get stronger.  Another alternative is to cut down on the reps.  For example, 15 squats, 5 burpees, 5 reverse lunges, and so on.  You can always incorporate weights into your sets too, if you feel like it's too easy.

 Here's a little music/video to have fun and motivate us ladies to get "bootylicious"! :)

Control Blood Sugar...Lose the Weight

A friend of mine shared an article with me about how our blood sugar can effect our weight loss, so I thought I would share!

 When we think about cutting back on what we eat, we tend to cut the calories, and not so much on our sugar intake.  Your blood sugar level has a direct effect on how hungry you are as well as how sluggish you may feel.  More importantly, it determines whether your body is burning fat or storing it.

Whenever you eat, your body converts the carbohydrates in your food to glucose.  The more carbs in your food (particularly refined or simple carbs), the higher your blood sugar levels.  As your blood sugar increases, your pancreas creates insulin that transports the glucose out of your blood into your cells where it will be used for energy.

The problem comes when you eat too many simple carbs.  Simple carbs break down into glucose very rapidly, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar, which triggers a massive release of insulin.  When that much insulin is released, weight loss becomes nearly impossible.  The more insulin your body produces, the more fat is stored in your body.

Your body needs carbs. Natural carbohydrate-rich foods contain important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Carbohydrates are what provide energy for your muscles, making carbs essential to support a healthy exercise routine.  When you eat too few carbs, your blood sugar drops.  As a result, you feel irritable, you crave sweets, and your energy level plummets! 

Here are four ways to help balance your blood sugar...

1)  Eat less, more often
     Eat 5-6 small meals per day.  This allows you to eat something every few hours, which helps normalize blood sugar levels rather than produce 3 large spikes. (From only having 3 meals.)  However, make sure you do not increase your calorie intake.

2)  Drink more water
      Try to drink the number of ounces equal to half of your body weight. (If you're 120 lbs., aim for 60 oz. daily.)

3)  Fill up on fiber
     Fiber helps keep cravings at bay.  Fiber also helps slow down glucose absorption, so you're less likely to have a blood sugar spike and crash.

4)  Exercise
     Exercising 45 minutes a day has been shown to have a significant blood sugar balancing effect.  With continued moderate exercise, your muscles take up glucose at almost 20 times the normal rate and insulin levels drop.

Take the challenge, cut back on your sugar intake, and I promise you'll see results and feel great!!!

No Bake Energy Bites

Great snack when your sweet tooth is kicking in!!!

1 cup oatmeal 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter) 1/3 cup honey 1 cup coconut flakes 1/2 cup ground flaxseed 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 1 tsp vanilla Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Medley

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Medley

 

 

Ingredients:

• 15-ounce can black beans, no salt added, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (according to package directions)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh mango
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
• juice from 1 medium lemon or lime
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Directions:

Mix together the beans, quinoa, corn, bell pepper, mango, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.

Drizzle over the mixture and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

* This was really tastety!  I combined this with some fajitas from the "Shredded Chef" cookbook, and oh my was it good!  Enjoy! 

*Recipe from Skinnytaste.com*

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Crisps

Great recipe to get your sweet fix and protein at once! Try it out... :)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Nature's Path Crispy Rice
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 cup whole oats
• 1/4 cup crushed almonds
• 1/2 cup Xylitol brown sugar
• 3/4 cup smooth unsalted natural peanut butter
• 3 tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Pour the crispy rice, protein powder, whole oats, and crushed almonds into a large bowl and shake gently. Avoid stirring to keep the protein powder from settling on the bottom.
2. In a small glass bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, cocoa, honey, and vanilla extract and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until combined.
3. Add the peanut butter mixture to the crispy rice mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until every piece is coated.
4. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9x13 Pyrex dish or use cookie cutter shapes as molds* and fill with the mixture, pressing firmly into place. Place the 9x13 Pyrex dish in the freezer for at least one hour. Allow the crisp to soften a bit before cutting the squares, or simply break off pieces with your hands.
5. Store in the freezer.

*If using cookie cutters, be sure to remove them before putting the crisp in the freezer.
(Yields 18 servings)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Crisp PDF (79.5 KB)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1/18 mixture)

Amount per serving

Calories 153

Total Fat7g

Total Carb21.5g

Protein5.6g

What You're Really Eating

 I came across this article today from bodybuilder.com and thought I would share... 

6 Dangerous Foods In Disguise: What’s Wrong With Fat- And Sugar-Free Foods?

Don't be deceived by smart marketing techniques. Learn how labels hide the truth and which products to avoid! 

by Shannon Clark Jan 08, 2013

Warning! Food companies are taking advantage of your New Year's resolution to get fit. Good marketing can make products seem fat-loss friendly, but most of the time companies are just trying to make money. They don't actually have your best interests at heart.
Don't be fooled! The following foods are only disguised as healthy—the reality is much different. Just like the end of every Scooby Doo episode, find out what happens when we rip off the mask and show you the truth.

1 /Fat-Free Yogurt

Many new dieters see the words "fat-free" and crowd the dairy aisle hoping to get their hands on some. Fitting yogurt into your diet depends on your goals, but going for the "fat-free" version may actually hinder your progress.
The problem with fat-free yogurt is that it's not sugar-free. Because the fat has been taken out, the yogurt doesn't taste good. A lot of companies load the yogurt with sugar to make up for the lost flavor.
Furthermore, some of these yogurts are made with thickening agents. These unnatural additives are no good.

2 /Diet Soda

Diet soda is calorie-free, so many dieters think it's a go-to beverage when they're in the mood for something sweet. Although there aren't any calories, diet soda is loaded with chemicals that can make you feel bloated, suffer headaches, and may even increase your risk for heart disease and other health problems.

Those who regularly drink diet soda often find that they have stronger cravings for sweet food. If you crave sweet food all day, sticking to your diet is going to be 10 times more difficult.

3 / Fat-Free Potato Chips

Who doesn't miss the crunchy salty taste of chips when they diet? Even if you find the craving overwhelming, opting for fat-free chips is not a good call. Fat-free chips are often made with "fat replacers."
Fat replacers are made by adding carbs (maltodextrin, polydextrose, etc.), chemically altered fatty acids (Olestra), or protein to products instead of fat. These replacements have fewer calories but can still make food taste good and have better texture.
Whether fat replacers are bad for you has not been scientifically proven. However, many people complain of digestive distress after eating food made with fat replacers. It's also been shown that because Olestra is not digested or absorbed, it doesn't release Vitamins A, D, or E. It's possible to have deficiencies in these vitamins if you eat Olestra with any sort of consistency.
It is better to ditch chips altogether. They're simple carbs that will only cause a blood-glucose spike and a then lead to a hunger crash.
If you must have chips, thinly slice a sweet potato and bake the slices to make your own.

4 /Low-Fat Ice Cream

Low-fat ice cream has similar problems to low-fat yogurt. Sure, there's less fat, but usually that means there's more sugar, sometimes in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.
High-fructose corn syrup is one of the leading causes of obesity. Taking steps to omit that ingredient from your diet, forever, will serve you well.

5 /Sugar-Free Chocolate

Sugar-free chocolate seems like guilt-free nutritional nirvana. However, much sugar-free chocolate contain various sugar alcohols. For some people, sugar alcohols can cause digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation.

Just because the chocolate is sugar-free, doesn't mean you should scarf an entire bar. It still contains calories and fat. Don't be misled.

5 /Fruit Drinks

The famous "made with real fruit" slogan is tricky. Sure there might be some fruit in your juice, but if you read the label, you'll find that you're probably drinking sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or flavor-enhancing chemical additives.
Fruit drinks are also notoriously high in calories. Drinking them isn't going to do your low-calorie diet any good. They may give you some vitamin C, but the benefits do not outweigh the negatives.

Good Nutrition Practices...eat the real thing (whole foods!), but eat it in moderation. If you want fruit, don't get juice—eat an apple.
Natural foods are best. If you eat food that's close to its source, you won't have to worry about an influx of harmful chemicals.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to read the ingredient label. If there are one hundred ingredients—many of which you can't pronounce—put it down and run for the produce section!

New Year, New You!

 

Hope you enjoyed the holidays with your family and friends...I know I did!  But to tell you the truth, it feels so great to get back into my routine.  And I have been in an especially good mood today (not because my kids are back in school) because I trained a fabulous group of women this morning, and had a great workout myself!  It feels so good to have goals, take charge, and work for them.  And how can you not be in a good mood when you're doing those things?  Set a goal, make a plan, and know that I would love to support you on your journey!  Please contact me if you have any questions at trainstrongwithtrisha@gmail.com.  TrainStrong 2013!