Who is the F.I.T.T.E.S.T. of us all? Recently Men’s Fitness released their annual list of the top 10 fittest and fattest cities in the country – did you see it? I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to point out the factors that go into making a city fit or fat, and how this filters down to our own lives and individual fitness levels.

But first, let’s take a look at the list…

Top 10 Fittest Cities
1. Albuquerque, N.M.
2. Seattle
3. Colorado Springs
4. Minneapolis
5. Tucson, AZ
6. Denver
7. San Francisco
8. Baltimore
9. Portland, OR
10. Honolulu

Top 10 Fattest Cities
1. Las Vegas, NV
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Miami
4. Mesa, AZ
5. Los Angeles
6. Houston
7. Dallas
8. El Paso, TX
9. Detroit
10. San Jose, CA

So what makes a city fit or fat? According to Neal Boulton, editor of Men’s Fitness, the survey examines lifestyle factors in each city such as number of fast food restaurants and the average amount of television each household watches. All of these lifestyle factors were tallied to rank each city as either fit or fat.

We will touch more on lifestyle factors later…

You may be wondering, as I was, what motivated Boulton to create such a list. His answer, “to motivate folks to look at simple things in their lives they can do to be healthy.” He is concerned that America is always going to be a fast-food nation where people have long commutes and busy lives. But instead of a soft drink during the commute, he suggests, they can choose water; instead of a fast-food snack, they can eat almonds.

Another reason he publishes the list is to grab the attention of mayors and governors – after all, what mayor wants their city to be named the fattest in the nation?

“There’s a consciousness among mayors that they can motivate the population and go beyond the PR.,” said Boulton. “It’s more than just having a mayor run the marathon. That doesn’t motivate people. What motivates people is starting a Fit City program. … It takes action.”

Let’s look at the top 4 lifestyle factors that were used to compare cities, and examine how each one has a hand in your own fitness level:

Number of Gyms: While you don’t control the number of gyms in your city, you do have control over your own workout schedule. Take the time to exercise, preferably 3-5 times per week, and watch you personal fitness factor skyrocket.

Nutrition: This is broken down into the percentage of people in the city that eat 5 or more servings of fruits and veggies each day. What a great goal to have for yourself – imagine actually eating 5 or more servings of fresh fruits and veggies every day. It is a simple goal, but one that will dramatically increase your energy level.

Exercise/Sports: This is calculated by the number of city residents who are involved in fitness-related activities. Here is a simple way to join in this number: get started on a fitness program today – simply call me and together we will create a program that is designed around your goals.

Junk Food: Surveyors looked at the total number of fast-food places, pizza parlors, ice cream and doughnut shops in each city. Again, you don’t have control over the number of fast-food joints in your city, but you do control the frequency in which you partake in less-than-fit-fare. Enjoy in moderation.

Frankly it doesn’t matter what city made the fit or fat list. The fact of the matter is that you and I have full control of our lifestyle and eating habits. And best of all I’m here to help guide you to your fitness goals. Now all you have to do is reply to this email or call me at the number above and we can get your journey to fitness started!

The Triple Threat

There are three main components to quick and healthy weight loss. These are
1) A balanced, calorie specific meal plan;
2) A consistent aerobic routine; and
3) Regular resistance training. Be sure to include each component into your weight loss plan for exciting results!

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

Give your traditional old chicken dinner some spunk with this exciting new marinade. Your taste buds will celebrate over the tender taste of yogurt and garlic with a hint of spice. Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 bone-in skinless breast halves (6 ounces each)

Instructions

Nutritional Analysis: One chicken breast half equals 149 calories, 4g fat, 2g carbohydrate, and 25g protein.

So you want to narrow your waist, flatten your abs and become the envy of all your friends, right? Of course you do – who doesn’t?

Well, here is yet another reason to get flat abs: recent studies suggest that an excess of fat deposits around the abdominal region significantly contributes to the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.

Whether your motivation for attaining great abs is rooted in the health benefits or, more likely, in looking phenomenal then this is one newsletter you simply must read all the way through.

Why is it that so many people wish they had great abs, but never attain it?

Contrary to popular belief, doing millions of crunches will not sculpt your abs. While there is a time and a place to use the beloved crunch in your waist slimming effort, this alone will not create the body of your dreams. The key to creating an enviable midsection lies in your ability to effectively challenge your abdominal muscles.

The “crunch” movement only targets your upper abdominal muscles, the ones found between your rib cage and belly button. Imagine you are doing a crunch – better yet, get down and do one – notice where you feel the burn. Those are your upper abs.

To effectively sculpt your waist, focus on strengthening your upper, lower and side abdominal muscles. In order to achieve an overall look of symmetry your flat abs routine should consist of at least one exercise for each portion of your midsection.

A surefire way to kick up the intensity, and thus the results, of your abdominal workout is to add resistance training. By working your midsection against resistance you open up the possibility for greater muscle stimulation which equals greater results. You can do this by using a medicine ball, cable machine, elastic band or dumbbell.

Oh yeah, just one more thing…in order to show off your breathtaking abs they need to come out of hiding.

This means burning off the layer of fat. (No matter how big or small it may be.) The following two pronged approach works every time:

First, consistent cardiovascular exercise is needed to burn off stored energy. Follow these three tips to ensure your success:

• Choose an aerobic exercise that uses major muscle groups such as walking, jogging, swimming, or biking.
• Find an exercise that you enjoy. This will make it easy for you to stick with it.
• Make sure that you are exercising aerobically for at least 30-60 minutes three times a week. However, feel free to do it longer and more frequently.

Second, to uncover your abdominal muscles we have to discuss….your eating habits. I’m sorry to say it, but the food that you put in your mouth will surely have an effect on the size and shape of your waist. Use these three pointers to slash fat:

• Eat small meals frequently throughout the day and avoid overeating.
• Processed foods should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely.
• Load up on vegetables and lean meat before partaking in grains or starches.

There you have it – your plan for awesome abs. Do you have questions about the information presented in this newsletter? Or how would you like to slim down just in time for the holidays?

I am here to help. My passion is coaching people just like you to achieve their goals.

Contact me today – simply reply to this email or call my number. I look forward to hearing from you.

No Yoking Around

Did you know that most of the calories and cholesterol found in an egg resides in the yolk? Egg whites, on the other hand, are low in calories, contain no fat, no cholesterol and are packed with protein! Instead of making your omelet with whole eggs, make it with egg whites for a healthier, tastier meal!

Multigrain Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Looking for a healthy dinner that satisfies? This recipe for stuffed peppers mixes healthy grains and lean ground turkey in a dish that is high in fiber and bursting with flavor. Got leftovers? Pack them for the perfect balanced lunch. Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet red peppers
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 3 sliced green onions
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 26 oz meatless spaghetti sauce, divided
• 1/2 frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup cooked medium pearl barley
• 1/4 cup cooked bulgur
• 1/4 cup cooked lentils
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove stems and seeds. Cook the peppers in a large kettle of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain, set aside.
2. In a saucepan, cook turkey, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in two cups spaghetti sauce, corn, currants, broth, barley, bulgur, lentils, brown sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Spoon a heaping 1/2 cup into each pepper half.
3. Place filled peppers in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Top each pepper with remaining spaghetti sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until peppers are tender and filling is heated through. Enjoy!

Have you ever started a workout with the intent of stretching—but you never seem to actually get around to it? This brings up an interesting topic, and a certain question that I am asked often.

Should you really stretch?

The single most overlooked component to any fitness program may very well be flexibility. Let’s face it, there’s nothing glamorous about stretching and frankly it’s pretty boring too.

But did you know that your sore back, stiff neck, and tight joints may be a result of tight or unbalanced muscles in those regions?

Stretching does more than just increase flexibility – it actually helps reduce tension. Stretching helps prevent injury, alleviates tight joins, and helps you gain more from your day-to-day exercise program.

For example, did you know that your sore muscles and tendons can actually heal quicker if you incorporate stretching into your fitness routine? And some studies suggest that you may be able to recruit more muscle fibers during your workouts through stretching as well.

But you should know that all stretching exercises are not created equally. Basically there are two categories for stretching: ballistic and static.

Ballistic stretching is just that – ballistic (ouch). Think back to the early days of black and white television where the fitness gurus of that era would demonstrate flexibility exercises in a bouncing, jerky kind of way. While ballistic stretching is still used in some circles today, the average person can do without it as it does increase the likelihood of an injury.

Static stretching is the safest way to increase the flexibility of a joint. In a nutshell, static stretching is where you hold yourself in a “stretched” position for a 30 second count or so and then relax before repeating the same stretch over again.

Best of all the results from a proper and balanced stretching program come quickly. Typically you could see greater range of motion in a joint that very day, and after only a few days of stretching many people begin to feel the pain-reversing benefits in their back, neck, and joints.

Can stretching really help you?
Yes, if you want to relieve muscle tension, to keep your muscles flexible—which helps with your posture and balance, and to help prevent muscle and joint injury. And the best way to start your flexibility program is to contact me today!
Set Reasonable Goals
So you have 30 pounds that you want to lose? Don’t intimidate yourself with a goal of that enormity. Rather, find smaller, time sensitive goals to guide you to your ultimate, large goal. So instead of focusing on the 30 pounds, focus on the 1 pound that you want to lose this week!

Guiltless Veggie Patch Pizza

Who says you can’t enjoy a slice of pizza without being plagued with guilt? This delicious vegetarian pizza combines zucchini, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes for a surprisingly enjoyable taste. Garlic and basil blend into a tantalizing flavor that will leave you wondering how you could ever go back to greasy store-bought pizza! Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 Boboli Pizza Crust
• 1Boboli Pizza Sauce Packet
• ½ Yellow Onion sliced
• 2 Medium Zucchini sliced
• 1 Cup Cauliflower, in bite-size pieces
• 2 Teaspoons dried Basil
• 2 Garlic cloves crushed
• ½ Cup Shredded LowFat Cheese
• 15 Calamata olives chopped
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes halved
• *Optional* Grilled Chicken Breast chopped

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400. Place onion, zucchini, cauliflower, basil and garlic in medium saucepan coated in cooking spray. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
Place Boboli crust on pan, spread sauce evenly over crust. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the olives. Spread cooked veggies over crust, sprinkle with remaining cheese, remaining olives and top with the tomatoes *and add chicken*.
Bake for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

We have been told time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet nearly one-fifth of all adults choose to pass on the Wheaties. What is the big deal about breakfast? Can a solid breakfast really make or break your fitness goals? Read on as I answer your most pressing questions on this popular subject…

Why eat Breakfast?
Let’s dissect the word ‘breakfast’. When you take it apart you find two words with an all-important hidden message. Break – Fast. I can hear your wheels spinning on this one! That’s right, breakfast is the meal that breaks the fast that your body goes into each and every night when you sleep.

When breakfast is skipped, your body continues to fast until you eat later in the day.

This is a problem for two reasons.

Problem #1: Your brain needs fuel to function at its peak. This fuel comes in the form of glucose derived from food and is needed to walk, talk and perform all other activities. When you skip breakfast your brain is forced to work extra hard in breaking down stored carbohydrates or to turn fats and proteins into usable forms of glucose. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, increase your problem solving capabilities, enhance overall mental performance and even boosts your memory and mood.

Problem #2: Your metabolism will go into ‘famine’ mode. Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

What about the cut calories?
“Skipping breakfast is how I cut calories out of my diet.” I can’t tell you how often I hear this response when I encourage people to eat breakfast. What these “calorie cutters” don’t realize is that they are the ones who turn to snacking later in the day in an attempt to ward off low energy levels. Allowing your body to become over-hungry leads to distorted satiety signals, and leaves the door wide open for overeating later in the day.

Start your day with breakfast and then continue to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day for optimal calorie burning.

What’s for Breakfast?
Now that you are convinced that breakfast is worth your time, it’s time to decide what to have! A recent study done by FoodWatch, a Minnesota-based consulting firm that watches food trends, revealed that most people are basically eating dessert for breakfast, due to the high quantities of on-the-go breakfast foods that are processed, packaged and pumped full of refined carbohydrates. Another study recently proved that high fiber, low fat breakfasts promote healthy weight control much more effectively than highly refined breakfast foods.

Try the following On-The-Go Breakfast Selections for a blend of hearty carbohydrates, protein and fat and experience optimal morning energy.

• Low Fat Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese and a Cherry Oatmeal Muffin (see recipe below)
• Hard Boiled Egg and Whole Wheat Toast
• Scrambled Egg White on Half a Wheat Bagel
• Whole Wheat Tortilla rolled with Scrambled Egg Beaters and Salsa
• Skim Milk with Whole Grain Cereal and Fresh Fruit

Sleep It Off

Did you know that sleep is a vital component for weight loss? A study done at the University of Chicago concluded that people who got less than four hours of sleep actually had increased levels of the hormone cortisol and insulin—which are linked to a difficulty in processing carbohydrates. Tonight go to bed early, aim for 8 hours of sleep, and wake up fitter.

Cherry Oatmeal Muffins

Every bite of this hearty muffin is packed with pure energy! Oatmeal and dried cherries blend with fresh oranges for a low-fat, low-sugar breakfast taste that is far from ordinary. Yield 12 tasty muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quick Cooking rolled oats
• 3/4 cup All-Purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 grated rind of a Whole Orange
• 1/2 cup Dried Cherries chopped
• 1/3 cup Low-fat Milk
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 1/4 cup Light Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Light Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup Juice of one Orange

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 muffin liners in a muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened—Be careful to not over-mix.
3. Fill each muffin tin ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy.

Most people have only one thing on their mind when they join a gym or approach a personal trainer…fat-loss. With more than half of the adult population registering as overweight it is no wonder that fat loss is such a hot topic.

It’s simple, really. We used to think that cardiovascular training was the quickest and most effective way to shed unwanted pounds. Aerobics, jogging, swimming and biking were the activities to turn to when we wanted to slim down.

Boy, were we misled.

The idea was that when you perform low level aerobic exercise your body relied on calories from fat. Sounds good, right? Well, there were a couple of major limitations with this method…

First of all you only burn fat calories while the aerobics are performed. If you do twenty minutes, then you only burn for twenty minutes; if you do two hours, then you only burn for two hours.

Secondly, if you are overzealous with aerobics your body actually eats away at lean tissue, leaving you with lowered calorie requirements. Ever wonder why you eat the same amount but still put on pounds? A loss in lean tissue will do that to you every time.

So where does this leave you?

Lucky for us, we live in a time of great scientific discovery with tools and statistics that give us the cutting edge in our quest for a slimmer, sexier body. And science has given us the solution for optimal F.A.T. B.U.R.N.

The Solution: Resistance Training

You have probably heard about the many benefits of resistance training. Here are just a few:

1. Increase in muscle strength
2. Injury prevention
3. Improved bone density

But what about F.A.T. B.U.R.N.? Here are the two reasons that resistance training is the most effective way to B.U.R.N. F.A.T.

Now I know debt isn’t usually a word that we enjoy…but in this case I’m sure you will agree that it’s a great thing. Resistance training puts your body into oxygen debt which means you will B.U.R.N. F.A.T. as you recover from your workout. And this effect can last quite awhile – studies have shown an increase in calorie burning for up to three days following a resistance training workout.

The other way that F.A.T. B.U.R.N. is accomplished with resistance training is through an increase in your resting metabolism. You see, lean tissue (muscle) requires many more calories each day than fatty tissue. In fact, one pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories each day at rest – compared to a measly 9 calories per pound of fat.

When you perform resistance training exercises your body composition will change to contain more lean tissue, thus resulting in extra calories burned while you sleep. What could be better than that?

Resistance training is truly worth your time – talk about an exercise that keeps on giving.

Wouldn’t you love to reap the rewards of a solid resistance training program by waking up slimmer every morning? I love nothing more than to see my clients achieve awesome results – clients just like you, who decided to change their shape forever by giving me a call.

Do something nice for yourself – contact me today – together we will turn you into a F.A.T.B.U.R.N.I.N.G. machine.
Restaurant Rating
Not all restaurants are created equal! Buffet style restaurants, for example, encourage overeating and typically do not offer healthy choices. When you are planning to eat out make sure that you choose a restaurant that supports your healthy lifestyle.

Raspberry Chicken Salad

This chicken salad really packs a punch. The dressing is a bit tangy, and the tender chicken slices have a fruity flavor. All in all this meal is a winner for lunch or dinner. Best of all it is ready in a snap. Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup 100% raspberry spreadable fruit
• 1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced
• 24 fresh raspberries

Instructions

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (2 cups greens with 1 chicken breast half and 3 tablespoons dressing) equals 320 calories, 3g fat, 48g carbohydrate, and 25g protein.

You may have heard the buzz lately about Girl Scout cookies. It is that time of year again – when millions of Girl Scout cookies infiltrate homes all around the globe – but this year there has been a widely publicized change in the beloved cookies.

The trans fats have been removed.

That’s right, each shiny box of Thin Mints, Carmel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties will be stamped with a “Zero Trans” label. And just like that, the Girl Scouts get major press on how “health conscious” they are…just like the pastries at a certain coffee chain and even a major US city (New York).

So let’s address the real issue at hand: Does the removal of trans fats make food
healthy?

Here’s the short answer: No

Sorry to burst your bubble there, but you deserve to know the truth. Yes, trans fats are unhealthy. Yes, trans fats have been proven to be of no use or benefit to your body. Yes, trans fats have been linked to an increase in heart disease.

Bottom line: trans fats are bad.

But simply removing trans fats from an unhealthy food item doesn’t magically make that item healthy. A cookie is a cookie is a cookie. It is still loaded with sugar and saturated fat with the main ingredient being empty calories.

I’m not telling you this to discourage you from supporting the Girl Scouts. I’m telling you this to keep you from the disillusion that the media tries so hard to harness you with.

Eating Thin Mints won’t make you thin – not even “Zero-Trans” Thin Mints.

So where does this leave you? My desire is that you will approach the “news” abouttrans fats and other “health” developments with a discerning eye. Yes, it would be great if scientists created a junk food that really was good for our health and made us thin – but we would be foolish to believe it.

There is only one way to a healthy and fit body, and that is through proper eating and regular exercise. It isn’t a trendy solution or a ‘news worthy’ discovery, but the fact is that it works every time.

Wouldn’t you like to take control of your body once and for all? I have a secret for you…it isn’t going to be as hard as you think. Good habits are just as addictive as bad ones. Once you begin your journey towards a fitter, healthier, sexier you, nothing will stop you from achieving your goal.
Contact me today to schedule your fitness consultation. It’s the fastest way to getting the results you want.

Take Baby Steps!

When it comes to weight loss, baby steps are better than quantum leaps! Don’t force yourself to give up all fats or all carbs, and don’t chain yourself to a treadmill for hours on end. Take care to move towards your fitness and weight loss goals with moderation and you will arrive safer and healthier for it!

Great Grain Burger

If you have gone out for a burger lately then you may have noticed a healthy new trend that’s not just for vegetarians anymore. It’s the meatless burger. These days you can order a meatless burger almost anywhere, but beware that not all healthy patties are created equal. The best ones are made from scratch from fresh ingredients, like the recipe below.
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur (Look for bulgur in the cereal, rice or organic food aisle of your grocery store)
• 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning blend
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 cups

water 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese 1/4 cup egg substitute 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon celery seed 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided 12 whole wheat sandwich rolls Lettuce leaves and tomato
Instructions
In a sauce pan, combine the first five ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat;
cool completely. Refrigerate.   In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, oats, mozzarella cheese and onion. In a blender or food processor, process cottage cheese and egg substitute until smooth. Add mushroom mixture. Stir in the parsley, salt, basil, celery seed and chilled rice mixture.   Shape 1/2 cupfuls into patties. In a nonstick skillet, cook four patties in 1 teaspoon of oil for 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and crisp. Repeat with remaining patties and oil. Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato if desired.
Nutritional Analysis: One cooked patty equals 126 calories, 4g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 7g protein.

The Holidays are in full swing. If you are like most people then the Holidays bring about a sense of wonder, an atmosphere of good will and….a huge plate of food followed by tons of Christmas cookies!

More than 50 percent of adults gain weight during this magical time of year but you don’t have to be one of them! In this issue I am going to bring you four tips that will help keep the pounds from finding their way to your waist.

It’s said that the average person gains between 2 and 6 pounds between now and January 1st. For some this can mean struggling for months just to get back to their pre-Holiday weight.

Our goal for you is to not put the pounds on in the first place. Sounds good, right?

Before we dive into the tips let’s take a moment to set you up for success.

This may seem silly or trivial, but bear with me as this will likely be the catalyst for your success.

Close your eyes and picture yourself standing in front of your bathroom scale. The calendar on the wall says January 2nd 2007. The Holidays are over and you are now forced to reckon with reality. You step onto the scale and peer down at the reading. What does it say? Did the numbers go down? Did they stay the same? Are you up 5 pounds?

Scary thought, isn’t it? The ominous first week of January beckons decorations to come down and the New Year’s resolution of losing weight to be made out of desperation. But I have some powerful news for you.

You have a choice to make.

Right now you can decide what your scale will say on January 2nd 2007. Close your eyes again and picture yourself stepping onto that scale. Now decide what you want that number to be. Got a picture of it in your mind’s eye? Good. This is your goal. Now read on for the tips that will see you through your goal.

Holiday Tip #1: Maximize the Burn

We all know that the month of December is a busy one. There are parties and dinners; shopping and decorating. You have cooking and cleaning to do before your guests arrive and gift wrapping to do after the kids are in bed. So where do your workouts fit in? You probably have a regular schedule for your workouts (if you don’t then schedule your first appointment with me ASAP) and this schedule will likely be modified for the Holidays. And less exercise means more weight gain, especially when it is coupled with an increase in food consumption.

Does this mean you have to stick to your guns and never miss a workout? While that would be ideal, it just isn’t practical. Instead of rearranging your Holiday schedule to revolve around your workouts focus on maximizing each workout that you do get in.

In other words, kick up your intensity when you do find the time to exercise.

A great way to do this is to do complex movements, such as a squat and press rather than a simple squat. Another way to burn more calories is to utilize your core throughout your workout. This can be done by challenging yourself with an unstable surface-use a stability ball for your crunches and try standing on one leg while performing bicep curls.

Holiday Tip #2: Don’t Go Hungry

“I’m saving my appetite for the party tonight….” Have you ever uttered those words? The thought is tempting, right? You know that a Holiday party or dinner means an abundance of great food, and what better condition to arrive in than famished? The hungrier you are the more good food you will have room for.

This plan has two major problems.

First, when you go for hours without food your metabolism crashes. This means that when you do get around to eating-like when you arrive at the buffet-your body will be eager to store all the yummy calories as fat. Not good.

The second problem is the most obvious. The more food you eat at that Holiday party the more likely your scale will display a ridiculously high number on January 2nd. Again, not good.

Instead of saving your appetite for a big meal, maintain a healthy metabolism by eating small meals every few hours. Always eat a well balanced breakfast and never arrive at a party with a growling stomach.

Holiday Tip #3: Be Inefficient

I know, I know. You are constantly bombarded by information on how to be more efficient and here I go telling you to be inefficient. But hear me out.

Be inefficient in how you expend energy.

In other words, expend as much energy as you can on an activity even if this means doing things in a more challenging way. After all, the more energy you expend the more calories you burn.

Here are some ideas: Instead of rallying for the closest parking spot at the mall choose the farthest spot you can find. The extra walking burns calories. Always opt for the stairs instead of an elevator. If you have the option of sitting or standing, work your legs and stand. Have to sit at work? Try sitting on a stability ball-you will burn calories and work your core without having to think about it.

Be on the lookout for more fun ways to expend energy this Holiday season. Remember that the number on your scale will be the result of each individual calorie that you consume versus each individual calorie that you expend.

Holiday Tip #4: Watch Out for the Eggnog

Who doesn’t love eggnog? It is sweet, spiced and oh so creamy-yum. However, did you know that 8oz of eggnog with rum contains 450 calories?

Numbers like that add up quickly-indulge in just 8 glasses and the number on your scale will creep up a digit.

Don’t be fooled. Eggnog is not the only high-calorie beverage that threatens your waistline. Champagne, wine, hot cocoa, spiced cider and spirits are all filled with one deadly thing:

Empty calories.

Stay away from beverages that are high in empty calories. Instead drink as much water as you can and stick to limiting your high-calorie drinks.

Did you know that the solution to your fitness goal is right before your eyes? Contact me, your local fitness expert and get started on your own plan for fitness today. It’s a great feeling seeing the pounds melt off week after week!

Something Is Better Than Nothing

Did you know that sitting in front of the T.V. only burns about 1 or 2 calories per minute? Get up! Do crunches through one commercial break and then jumping jacks through the next. Studies have shown that as little as 10-minutes of exercise each day can improve your health and contribute to weight loss. (Want more fun tips like this one? Hit the reply button and ask me for more!)

Asparagus Avocado Medley

This colorful salad is the perfect side to your Holiday meal. It is filled with crisp asparagus and creamy avocado and coated in a tantalizing dressing. Take this along to your next Holiday get together and expect rave reviews.
Yields 7 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 8 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. Place asparagus and two tablespoons water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 – 6 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once; drain and cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, zucchini, tomato and onion; toss gently.
3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 cup) equals 122 calories, 9g fat, 11g carbohydrate, 4g protein.

Don’t be a Victim of Portion Distortion
It’s no secret that people are larger today than ever before. Waistlines have expanded over the last twenty years and studies show that potion sizes have grown as well.

Researchers from New York University found that average portion sizes started to grow in the 1970′s, rising quickly in the 1980′s – and this phenomenon hasn’t shown signs of slowing. A “large” order of fries from McDonalds:

weighs the same as 1998′s “Supersize” fries. And it doesn’t stop there. Check out these eye-opening figures, provided by theNational Institutes of Health:

• Today’s 6-inch bagel has 350 calories. This is 210 more calories than a 3-inch bagel 20 years ago.
• Today’s 5 ounce muffin has 500 calories. This is 310 calories more than muffin 20 years ago.
• Today, a large cookie has about 275 calories. This is 220 more calories more than a cookie 20 years ago.
• Today, a 3 cup chicken Caesar salad has 790 calories. This is 400 more calories more than Caesar salads 20 years ago.

Keep in mind that the health experts all agree on one thing: Obesity is on the rise because people eat too many calories and do not exercise enough. Portion control is a very important factor for losing-weight, but to attain a fit and healthy physique exercise is also a must.

Since I am the local fitness expert, look no further than me to get you started on an exercise program that will change your life and shape forever. Now, back to our discussion on portion distortion…

Now that you know portion sizes today are far larger than you really need, what are you going to do the next time you go out to eat? Try the following 3 tips and watch as your waist begins to slim and your confidence soars.

Trim-Down Tip #1: Re-program Your Mind
I’m sure your mother did a great job when she taught you to “clean your plate.” The problem now lies in the fact that your plate is usually loaded with more than 3 times the calories that you really need. So what’s the solution?

Realize that it is O.K. to leave food on your plate. Eating everything on the plate is probably a habit now, but it is one that you can break. Focus on how you feel halfway through your meal. Are you full? If you are beginning to feel full then stop eating. Don’t worry – your mom won’t send you to your room!

Trim-Down Tip #2: Slow Down
I know that this is a tough one – so bear with me. These days we are in such a hurry, we rush to work, rush to lunch, rush through errands and then rush home. So it is no wonder that food consumption is no exception. Most meals are devoured before your stomach has the chance to let you know that it is full.

Eat your next meal slower than usual. Chew each bite thoroughly, engage in conversation and pay attention for signs that you may be getting full. Once you realize that you are full, stop eating. Congratulations – you just tailored your portion down to its proper size.

Trim-Down Tip #3: Go Halfsies
I understand that it may be very difficult for you to leave food on your plate, even though your mother isn’t looking over your shoulder, and even if you eat slowly. No problem – you just need to do some strategic planning. The next time you go out to eat do one of the following two options.

1) Share an entrée with a friend and order salad or soup to start your meal. This will cut your calories down dramatically, while still giving you the satisfaction of clearing your plate.

2) If sharing isn’t an option then ask your waiter to bring a to-go box along with your order. As soon as the food is placed in front of you put half of it into the to-go box. You are now left with a reasonable portion and even have your next meal taken care of.

Helping you achieve your fitness goals is my passion – it’s a job that I don’t take lightly. Allow me to get you fit and strong the safe, healthy way. Call or email today to set up our first appointment.

You’re In Charge

There may be certain aspects of life that you do not have direct control over, but what ends up in your mouth is not one of them! You control what you eat. When faced with extra large portions exercise your right to chose wisely and your body and waistline will thank you for it. Couple this with a regular fitness routine and you will find that reaching and maintaining your goal weight is easier than ever.

Chicken and Apricot Bagel Sandwich

You can enjoy this delicious chicken salad in many different ways. Put it on a fresh bagel, spread it over wheat bread or eat it right off the plate – it’s your choice. Apricots and sunflower seeds supply a flavor boost that won’t go unnoticed.
Yield: 4 servings

• 1 (5-oz.) can chunk white chicken breast in water, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons shelled sunflower seeds
• Dash pepper
• 1/4 cup veganaise or salad dressing
• 4 whole wheat bagels. halved

1) In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except bagels; mix well.
2) Fill each bagel with 1/3 cup chicken mixture.  Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 sandwich) equals 290 calories, 3g fat, 47g carbohydrates and 18g protein.

If you are like most people, then the fad diets and trendy exercises that are splashed across popular magazine covers probably leave you more confused than ever about how to meet your fitness goals. It seems like every week there is a new technique for melting pounds or sculpting muscles.

That is probably why so many of my clients approach me with the age-old question: “Which should I focus on to quickly meet my goals—exercise or nutrition?”

This is a great question…and the answer to it may very well be the catalyst that transforms your physique in a way that you never thought possible.

But before I answer the question, let’s back up for a moment and clearly define the healthy eating habits and exercise fundamentals that successful fitness programs are made of.

There are three must-have habits for healthy eating…

Healthy Habit #1: Eating a well-balanced diet. In practical terms this means including plenty of veggies, whole grains and lean meats in your daily meals. It also means staying within a reasonable number of total calories for the day.

Healthy Habit #2: Avoid junk food. While this may seem obvious, your definition of “junk food” may need an alteration. Refined sugar is one of the biggest culprits in the junk food world—this includes soft drinks, blended coffee drinks, cookies, cakes, packaged snacks, and other sinfully sweet treats. Processed fat is another monster. As a rule of thumb you can safely view all processed or refined items as less healthy than their unprocessed counterparts.

Healthy Habit #3: Eat small meals frequently. The key here is to never let your metabolism “crash” by going hours without eating. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to skip breakfast—as this is the meal that ‘breaks the fast’ that your body goes into each night. Stick with eating small meals every few hours and avoid stuffing yourself at any given sitting.

There are three fundamentals for results-driven exercise…

Exercise Fundamental #1: Safety first. I’m not just talking about the usual “consult with a physician before starting an exercise program”—though you always should. The key to successful exercise, that avoids injury while promoting results, begins with the proper use of equipment and correct body alignment.

Exercise Fundamental #2: Consistency counts. The truth is out—if you want amazing results then you have to exercise with amazing consistency. There is just no way around it! Make exercise a habitual part of your daily life and be prepared to feel healthier, more energetic and younger than ever.

Exercise Fundamental #3: Challenge yourself. Your body is such an advanced organism that it quickly adapts to physical demands. This means that the exercise routine that you have been doing for the past six months no longer results in noticeable results. Use your body’s unique ability of adaptation to your advantage by constantly challenging yourself with new and exciting exercise routines.

Now back to your question…“Which should I focus on to quickly meet my goals—exercise or nutrition?”

The bottom line is that exercise and nutrition work hand-in-hand to produce the results that you are after. Results won’t come as a result of intense exercise coupled with a poor diet. And likewise a healthy eater has no way to sculpt their body without the use of exercise! For the fastest most permanent results, eat a healthy diet and exercise consistently.

Want more detailed information on this subject? Contact me now to take control of your health and begin meeting your fitness goals today!

Break It Down

Want to lose a pound? It helps to know what you are up against—a pound is made up of 3,500 calories. In order to lose a pound a week you simply need to eliminate 500 calories a day from your diet! The best way I have found to to this is to eliminate the obvious culprit: animal fat.

Lemon and Dill Shrimp Dinner

Looking for a delicious dish that is quick to fix? Look no further than this colorful and refreshing delight! Shrimp and snow peas combine with the savory compliment of dill and lemon. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups sliced celery
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 ounces snow peas
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine pepper, salt, lemon rind, cornstarch, sugar, chicken bouillon and dill. Mix in water and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Set aside.
2. Using a large nonstick wok, stir-fry the shrimp, mushrooms, celery, yellow pepper and onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the peas and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes longer, until crisp-tender.
3. Stir the bouillon mixture and add to the wok. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Serve with the rice. Enjoy!

Know anyone who could use these valuable tips and ideas? Do them a favor and use the link below to forward this newsletter along.

Take your cardio workout to a new level with HIIT
Can you think of anything more torturous than spending an hour pedaling away on a bike or plodding along on the treadmill? You’re not alone. Most exercise enthusiasts dread conventional cardio – why?

Because it’s b-o-r-i-n-g.

So why do it at all? The goal of a cardio workout is to lose the unwanted inches and to develop the efficiency of your heart and lungs. But new studies are out that show our slow-go cardio sessions may not be as effective for burning off that holiday bulge as we thought.

When you plod along on the treadmill at an even pace, your body enters what is called a steady state. This means that your body has adjusted to the pace and is now trying to conserve energy.

Conserve energy? But I thought the point was to burn energy?

And so your dilemma goes: You can’t stand the monotony of traditional cardio and it leaves you with less than satisfactory results. So what should you do?

The answer is HIIT, a new training technique that blasts both boredom and fat.

Check out what experts are saying:

“In research, HIIT has been shown to burn adipose (fat) tissue more effectively than low-intensity exercise – up to 50% more efficiently.”

“HIIT speeds up your metabolism and keeps it revved up for some time after your workout. The bottom line is that HIIT training burns a greater number of total calories than low-intensity training, and more calories burned equals less fat on your body.”

What is HIIT?

High-Intensity Interval Training: is an exercise strategy that improves performance with short training sessions. These sessions involve a warm up period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts that are separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cool down period.

In other words, your 60 minutes of low-intensity cardio is replaced with more effective, High Intensity Interval Training for as little as 15 minutes. The addition of explosions of speed into your comfortable pace will increase your power, muscle tone, speed, strength, endurance and best of all will melt the inches off.

Here is an example of a HIIT program – this can be done on any form of cardio equipment or even jogging outside or swimming laps:

• Start with an easy 4 minute warm up, casually increasing your pace to the one that you usually maintain for your workout.
• Once you are sufficiently warm, sky rocket your intensity for 30 seconds.
• Return to your normal pace for the next 30 seconds and then sky rocket again.
• Repeat this 30-30 interval for 6 minutes and then gradually decrease your intensity as you enter a cooling off pace.

After your HIIT session you can expect to burn more calories due to an increase in your metabolism – sounds good, right? If you aren’t ready to jump into a full-fledged HIIT session, try on of the following modified HIIT workouts:

Modified HIIT 1:

• Start with at least a 5 minute warm up, casually increasing your pace to the one that you usually maintain for your workout.
• Once you are sufficiently warm, increase your intensity for a full minute.
• Return to your normal pace and remain here until you have recovered enough to go again.
• Repeat this 1 minute interval with full recovery time between each one for the full extent of your workout and then gradually decrease your intensity as you enter a cooling off pace.

Modified HIIT 2:

• Start with at least a 5 minute warm up, casually increasing your pace to the one that you usually maintain for your workout.
• Once you are sufficiently warm, change your speed and intensity for 2 minutes.
• Return to your normal pace for 2 minutes and then change your intensity and speed again. The key is to keep your body guessing – you aren’t doing full intensity work, but you also aren’t staying at the same pace for the entire length of the workout.
• Repeat this 2 minute interval for the full extent of your workout and then gradually decrease your intensity as you enter a cooling off pace.

There you have it – all you need to take your cardio workout to the next level. Do you have questions about the information presented in this newsletter? Or how would you like to slim down just in time for the holidays? I can help. And best of all I have many more strategies and techniques to help you achieve maximum results in minimum time.

I want to meet with you, one-on-one, to design an exercise program that will fit your unique goals. Call or come in today to get started!

Fiber Fills

Foods that are rich in fiber fill you up without fattening you up! Take time this holiday season to enjoy whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Enjoy fibrous food as a nutritious and beneficial snack!

Pumpkin Caramel Flan

The holidays are here – and that means rich deserts galore. Try this Pumpkin Carmel Flan as a lighter alternative. You probably know that most of the fat in pies is found in the crust – well this delicious dish gives you all of the pumpkin taste that you love without the guilt-ridden crust. Yields 10 servings.

Ingredients:

Carmel:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

Flan:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
• 3/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the sugar and water in a heavy-gauged saucepan over medium heat. Stir while sugar melts. Let mixture boil without stirring for at least 5 minutes or until the liquid turns golden brown. Immediately pour into a 9” baking dish.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl – set aside. Mix the pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg substitute and vanilla in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and blend well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Place the dish in a larger pan and pour hot water into the larger pan until the water comes halfway up the edge of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour or until flan is set.

Cool at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day before serving. Before serving run a sharp knife around the edge of the flan and invert onto a platter, making sure that the caramel runs down the top and sides. Garnish with sprinkled cinnamon and chopped nuts. Enjoy.

Nutrition facts: Here by popular demand, I will now be displaying the nutritional facts for the healthy recipes included in each newsletter. Check out how our Pumpkin Carmel Flan measures up against Traditional Pumpkin Pie – 120 fewer calories and 16 grams less fat.

Pumpkin Carmel Flan
Calories: 200
Total fat: 1g
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrate: 43g

Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Calories: 320
Total fat: 17g
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrate: 47g