The Future

Having a vision of the future affects your behavior now. The key is to let your daily actions be governed by your game plan for a new you. Keep that game plan in the forefront of your mind when thinking and writing about that future, so you can let it become real. Just commit to the process and take it day by day.

Small Victories

It's no secret that losing weight can be tough, and sometimes just thinking about it can be overwhelming. The key is attacking your issues mentally, not just physically. Whether you have 20 or 200 pounds to lose, setting small, measurable goals will help you achieve a healthy body. Additionally, small victories will give you the motivation and confidence to keep going. If you've never exercised before, keep slow and steady, but always challenge yourself to conquer new goals every few weeks. Then your weight-loss efforts will be much less daunting.

The Post Workout Meal Pt. 5

Before you leave for the gym, you can purchase one of the shake we have in our frig. It takes about 5 seconds to open and start drinking. It is simple and extremely convenient for your post workout meal. The whole process takes less than a minute and the whole "meal" is finished in a matter of minutes. There you have it quick, easy, convenient and contains the best sources of everything my body requires post workout.

Roasted Striped Bass with Warm Lentil Salad
Serves 4


1 cup small French green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
1/4 cup caramelized onions
1/2 cup canned roasted red peppers, cut into strips
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4    boned, skinned striped bass or other firm-fleshed white fish fillets (about 6 ounces each)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
lemon wedges

1.    Preheat oven to 400° F.
2.    In a 4-to-5-quart pan over high heat, bring lentils and 1 quart water to a boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and
return to pan. Stir in caramelized onions, red peppers, vinegar, parsley, cumin,
and cayenne pepper.
3.    Meanwhile rinse fish and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly all over with black pepper.
Arrange pieces slightly apart in a foil-lined 12 x 15-inch baking pan. Bake until
opaque but still moist-looking in the center of the thickest part (cut to test),
about 6 minutes.
4.    Mound lentil salad equally on four dinner plates. Using a wide spatula, top
each mound with a piece of fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

The Post Workout Meal Pt. 4

2 - How many carbs should I eat? 
Post Workout Carbs

First of all, carbs are not all bad. Secondly, after your workout they are actually an extremely important part of your post workout nutrition. Carbs will be used by your body to restore muscle glycogen. If your post workout meal doesn't contain carbs, your body may actually break down muscle tissue for this same purpose. That would be a bad thing. Carbs also create an insulin spike which helps to move nutrients into your muscle tissue quicker.

So, what kind do you need? Well, you know all about good carbs and bad carbs by now, right? Funny enough, this is actually the only time when "good carbs" and "bad carbs" switch roles. This doesn't mean start eating cookies, this just means that typical good carbs (whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc) contain fiber, and fiber slows down their digestion. This is actually what makes them "good" any other time of the day. But by now you know the post workout meal is all about speed. And when it comes to speed, simple carbs beat complex carbs.

A food like a baked potato is an okay choice for a carb source after a workout. However, just like protein, whole foods in general aren't really the most ideal choice at this time. This is where a little something called dextrose comes in. Dextrose is not a supplement... it's actually just a type of sugar.

Along with whey protein, dextrose has also become almost an official choice for a post workout carb. You should shoot for 50- 60 grams of carbs at this time from dextrose.

The Post Workout Meal Pt. 3

2 - How much protein should I eat? 

Post Workout Protein

Now that you know that time is of the essence when it comes to your post workout meal, this part is going to make a whole lot of sense. See, eating this meal soon after a workout is important, but just because you are putting the food into your body quickly doesn't actually mean the food is being digested and used by your body equally as quick. Egg whites, chicken and tuna fish are fine sources of protein, but they aren't the ideal type of protein for the meal after your workout.

Whole foods, digest pretty slowly. You may have eaten a high protein food in your post workout meal, but by the time the protein is digested and finally ready to be used by your body, a whole lot of time would have passed. This is why the ideal source of protein to eat after your workout is a protein powder mixed with some type of liquid thus creating a protein shake.

A protein shake will be digested by your body much quicker than a whole food because it will be a liquid. This is what makes whey protein pretty much the official choice of most people as their post workout meal protein source. I'd say 20 – 30grams is probably a good number to shoot for.

The Post Workout Meal Pt. 2

1 - How soon should I eat it?

Soon, really soon. As soon as you can. I don't mean put-down-the-dumbbells-and-start-eating. It doesn't need to be quite that soon. However, there is a” window of time" that exists after your workout during which it would be the most beneficial for your body to receive it's post workout nutrition. Typically you'd want to try to get this meal into your body within a 1 hour. If would be best if it is within 30 minutes after working out.

The Post Workout Meal

The post workout meal (the meal you eat after a workout) is probably the most important meal of the day for anyone who is into nutrition and fitness. The truth is, once you understand the basics of what nutrients your body needs and doesn't need after your workout, and what the best sources are to get this nutrition from, the post workout meal will probably become the most simple and quick meal of your day.

 

Aside from water your post workout meal needs to contain 2 things. You should be eating protein and carbs.

At this point you should really have just 3 questions about your post workout meal:

1 - How soon should I eat it? 
2 - How much protein and how many carbs should I eat? 
3 - What foods should the protein and carbs be coming from?

Hey, what a coincidence, we will chat about those answers this week.

Plan It to Get It Done Pt. 3

While setting and reaching a goal in itself is rewarding, sometimes a little external motivation is needed. So, as you write down short-term goals think of incentives to keep you going and list them right next to each goal.

Peruvian Beef  Kebabs
Serves 6 (serving size is 1 skewer)
Beef
1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground hot paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Fiery rub
1 teaspoon ground hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3    tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
cooking spray (olive or canola oil preferred)

1.    To prepare the beef, combine all beef ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.
Cover and chill 3 hours.
2.    To prepare fiery rub, combine paprika, pepper, turmeric, and parsley.
3.    Preheat grill to 425° F.
4.    Remove beef from bowl, discarding marinade. Thread beef onto 6 10-inch
skewers. Press fiery rub onto beef. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Let cool and serve. 

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 188     FAT 7 g     PROTEIN 26.3g     CALCIUM 23mg     SODIUM 109mg    CARBOHYDRATE 3.4 g

There are only 4 t-shirts left so hurry and get yours, they are only $20.

Plan It to Get It Done Pt. 2

Do this right now! Identify and write down small goals to achieve on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis that will help you meet your long- term goal. Examples include preparing healthy snacks to take to work each day, working out five - six times a week, and learning five new healthy recipes a month.

 

Plan It to Get It Done

You want to lose 50 pounds. You can even envision your inner self wearing new clothes. Yet, year after year, the pounds stick around. What's going to be different this time? You're going to have a plan! Without a plan, reaching long-term goals may seem overwhelming or too distant. Setting smaller short-term goals will help you stay on track.

Trouble Keeping Track of What's Motivating You?

Start reminding yourself, every day. If your number one reason for getting healthy is that you want to be around to watch your kids graduate from college, put a photo of them on the treadmill. If your goal is fitting into a size 8, cut out the picture of a dress or a skirt from a catalog and keep the clipping on your fridge. Write yourself notes and stick them in your car, on your computer monitor, or by the television. Whatever it takes to keep your goal in sight.

Eyes on the Prize Pt. 2

Make a list. If you want to wear skinny jeans, run a 5K, lower your body fat %, get off medications, wear that outfit you saw at the mall, whatever it is, you should write all of them down. When you need a boost, look at the list and remember why you are doing what you are doing. Don't believe because you lose 20 pounds everything in your life will be magically perfect. It won't be. Believe that you can live the healthiest life you can and you will.

Eyes on the Prize

What's your motivation? If you're struggling through your workouts, and calorie counting has got you down, try to stay focused on your primary motivators. What's pushing you to lose weight? Is it the thought of wearing a smaller size? Do you want to pass the stress test next time you see your doctor? You have to keep focused. So get out some paper and write down why you want to be healthy and lose weight. 

Catching a Break

Once you reach your ideal weight, your exercise and diet regimes can come down a notch in intensity. Weight maintenance, not loss, is the goal.

stay the Course Pt. 4

The good news is that your hard work will get easier. You'll get accustomed to how awesome it feels to treat yourself well, not to mention how awesome you look every time you catch your reflection in a store window or look in the mirror. Eventually, behaviors and choices you've had to think through will become gut instinct.

You can do this.

Stay the Course Pt. 3

All that soul-searching and honest examination has to continue. All those behavior modifications and healthy, life-affirming habits you learned have to stay in place every day for the rest of your life.

Garlic Salmon and Grilled Fennel

Serves 4 (serving size is 1/2 fillet)

 2 (8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

11/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided¹/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided

1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely chopped prosciutto

1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds

1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

2 garlic cloves, minced

cooking spray

2 fennel bulbs

4 lemon wedges

 

1.      Prepare grill by heating to 400° F.

2.      Brush fish evenly with 1 teaspoon olive oil; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon black pep­per.

Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Set aside.

3.      Combine 1/8 teaspoon pepper, prosciutto, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, and garlic,
stirring well. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan
with cooking spray. Sauté prosciutto mixture for 3 minutes or until prosciutto
is crisp.

4.  Cut fennel bulbs vertically in half. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
Cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices. Keep warm.

5.      Place fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 5 minutes on each side
or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of
doneness, basting top of fish occasionally with juice mixture.

6.      Transfer fish to a serving platter; sprinkle fish evenly with remaining pepper.
Top with prosciutto mixture, and drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Serve im­
mediately with grilled fennel and lemon wedges.

 

NUTRITION PER SERVING

CALORIES 176      FAT 6.6 g       PROTEIN 19.1 g      SODIUM 451 mg      FIBER 4g      CARBOHYDRATE 11.7 g

Stay the Course Pt. 2

The bottom line is: You can never go back to your old way of life if you want to maintain your new physique. You're on the wagon. As with any kind of recovery, just because you're rehabilitated doesn't mean you can't relapse.

Stay the Course

So you're well on your way to achieving your weight-loss goals. And it feels good. Those changes you're implementing in your life, they've got to be PERMANENT. But that doesn't mean you can cheat, get lazy, or stop counting your calories.

Keep in mind, all this work, mental and physical is helping you look at your life in new ways, with deeper insight and understanding. 

It's Not What's in Your Stomach Pt. 2

Finding nonfood ways to fulfill yourself will pay off for your body, but it will also help you relax and become a happier human being. When you take the time to look after yourself, you tell the world that you're worth it, and that you deserve the best life has to offer. Once you project this kind of attitude, you can't help turning it into reality.

 

It's Not What's in Your Stomach

When you are fulfilled, say you have a productive job, joyful activities, and healthy relationships you're much less likely to mindlessly eat. If you start taking charge of the external things in your life, it will be easier to take charge of the internal ones.