eating healthy – Infinite Life Fitness

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…Fitness Hacks!…

If you are like me, each day can be chaotic and full of activities from the time that I wake up until I jump into bed at nigh. There are always small things that can be done to help our busy lives run a little smoother. This can be more helpful for those who say that “they are too busy” to workout or just have a bad habit of forgetting things that are needed to go workout (leading to another reason why people make excuses to get out of working out).

Throw out junk food

This is something that I help practice with my clients. Is there a need for a jumbo box of Twinkies or king size package of candy bars? Sure, your kids or significant other may enjoy these treats. If there is no reason to have them at your house limit how many of these kinds of food you have around. It will help by not tempting you to want to eat those things. If you do have to have them at home try to keep them in a hard to reach place or have them hidden so you can not find them. Until you can create your own will power to stay away from those things getting help from those around you can help you to become successful with reaching your health goals.

Have a box of food that you are trying to get out of your house? Instead of throwing it away consider donating it to a local school or food bank!

Is your favorite show on tonight? Watch it WHILE you workout

This is a trick that I personally use and I tell ALL of my clients to use. If you have 1-3 shows that you watch each week plan your cardio time DURING those shoes. You can be on the cardio equipment and not miss your favorite episode. It will also allow you to kill two birds with one stone!

Pack a bag

Each night before I go to bed I try to get everything ready for the next day. This includes my workout clothes. Getting them together allows me to double check that I have everything needed so I wont forget anything. I will place my gym bag near the door so I will not forget it when I leave in the morning. I also keep a small “emergency fitness bag” in my trunk. This bag has the following: ear buds (because I am always losing or forgetting mine at home), socks (you never know when you forget to grab some when you wear flip flops or tights to work), sports bra (I bought a spare sports bra and keep it in the bag because sometimes all of my workout clothes are in the washer/dryer and I need one), hair ties, and an empty water bottle. Make sure to add anything that you typically forget.

You can also follow this trip to save you space if you have to pack your gym clothes in a small bag or purse:

rolledup

Plan ahead!

Make sure to PLAN the days you want to workout AND what you want to do on those days. Consider your workout time an important meeting that you have set with yourself. If you have meetings for work or for other hobbies you are doing, do you plan your day/schedule around those meetings so you can attend them? Treat your gym session just as you would treat any other meeting you will schedule.

DRINK MORE WATER!

It is clear that most people are not drinking enough water. You want to make sure that you are allowing your body to get the hydration it needs! Here is a great trick that I teach my clients to use to help them drink more water:

Take time to recover!

Although some people enjoy working out 7 days a week, it is also recommended that you allow your body to have time to recover. This is a great time to stretch and just let your body heal! Ice packs and self heating ointment can be great things to use to help you recover. Here are some at-home remedies that you can try on your own:

Set realistic goals!

This is probably one of the most common mistakes. You have to set a goal that will be reachable in a realistic amount of time. If you set goals that are hard/impossible to obtain this could contribute to you not reaching your goals. Start with a smaller goal and then gradually work towards that (adding other small goals along the way).

October 19, 2016/by admin

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…Meal Prep Crash Course…

MEAL PREP

Two words that can evoke a lot of different emotions.

For a person that is new to meal prep, it can be a scary and overwhelming thing. My words of advice…HAVE A PLAN!

Before you prep I suggest you do the following things:

Create a menu… You will need this so you can create your shopping list. You will need this so you will know how much you will need to cook. You will need this so you will make sure that you will have enough food to get you through so you will not have to steer off of your plan and on a impulse go grab something that is not healthy.
You will need a shopping list…I like a shopping list because it allows me to stay on task when I go to the store. I like to wonder around the store and grab things that look new and delicious. BUT when I have a list I run in, grab what is on the list, and leave.
Have enough containers… This can be Tupperware containers, zip lock bags, or whatever else you would like. You will need these to help you portion out the food that you cook.

So this is what you need to do to get started: create your menu, create your food list, go to the store and purchase the food that you need, and make it home and organize the food that you have purchased to cook.

This is the hardest part….cooking and preparing the food.

HAVE A PLAN! Figure out what you can cook simultaneously so you can use your time efficiently. I always start with the things that take the most time. I will cook the meat in the oven or on the grill and then come back and cook the other items while the meat is cooking. You have to be efficient with your time to ensure that your meal prep time is used in a productive way.

Once you have everything cooked you will want to go ahead and portion those foods out! You will want to make sure that you have them ready and available for you to grab when you need them. I usually cook enough food for me to have for about a month. I will put 3/4 of the meals in my deep freezer and put the other 1/4 in the fridge. This will allow me to use the meals that are needed and freeze/store the other meals so they do not go bad.

You can get creative and cook a ton of chicken BUT use them for different things such as:

chicken fajitas
chicken salad
chicken veggie stir fry
chicken bbq sandwich
chicken breakfast burrito
chicken soup

The goal is to make the staple products (such as the meat) so you will have it when it is time to eat. You can then get creative and use the meat however you would like to create meals.

It is all about planning! That is the hardest part BUT it is the necessary part.

With snacks and any other store bought things I also suggest to go ahead and portion those out and have them in your fridge/pantry so you can have them when you need them. This will help you to limit over eating and you will have it if you are busy and you need to grab something.

Question? Comments? Concerns? LET ME KNOW!

I am here to help!

ALSO feel free to check out THIS POST to get more information on meal prep AND how to meal prep on a budget!

March 14, 2016/by admin

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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Chobani Greek Yogurt Turkey Wraps & Chocolate Pudding…

Greek yogurt:

The product that you can find sandwiched between “regular” yogurt, , sour cream, and cottage cheese that you can find stocked at your local grocery store. Greek yogurt tends to be thicker and creamier (some companies have come out with the whipped and lighter versions of Greek yogurt). There are 100’s of flavors and combinations of Greek yogurt for you to choose from. Why is Greek yogurt becoming such a popular health food?

It can help with your digestive system: Greek yogurt contains probiotics which is a healthy form of bacteria that can help to regulate your digestive tract. Consuming Greek yogurt gives your body an extra amount of good bacteria so that it can aid in food digestion and food waste regulation.

It contains nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and a good dose of protein! The additional protein helps to encourage cell growth, and assist with helping to build/repair the muscles and tissues that you may use and abuse when you workout.

It is a food that contains a small amount of lactose so it is a friendly food for those that may be lactose intolerant.

Greek yogurt is a food that would be a great addition to your diet.

Today I created two foods (that you can enjoy TOGETHER) that pack a lot of protein, that are very filling, and they are extremely delicious!

I also wanted to create something that can utilize food you may already have in your fridge. As Thanksgiving is quickly approaching we all know that there is usually left over turkey and cranberry sauce. I created this finger licking meal/appetizer option for you to enjoy:

Turkey Cranberry Wraps

Ingredients:

1 large Tortilla (whole wheat is preferred but you can use other variations)

Lettuce (about a handful…enough to create a base layer on the tortilla)

2-3 oz of Turkey (you can also use chicken or another lean meat)

2 tbsp Cranberry Sauce

1 cup Greek Yogurt (fat-free)

Optional: Nuts, cheese, sliced veggies, ect.

Directions:

Lay out tortilla on cutting board or plate
In a bowl mix together Greek yogurt, cranberry sauce (and any other optional things you would like to add such as chopped nuts, who dried cranberries, etc.)
On the tortilla make a small base layer of the Greek yogurt mixture (I made a layer that was about 3 inches in width and it extended the full length of the tortilla)
Once the Greek yogurt layer is added and smooth, place a layer of lettuce on top of the Greek yogurt. You can also add sliced veggie or any other additional items you would like
Carefully fold the top and bottom OVER the food that you placed in the middle of the tortilla and roll it
You can serve it as one big wrap or cut it into smaller pieces.
Watch the following video to get some idea of what I did…

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek yogurt (fat-free)

1 tbsp. coco (I used dark chocolate coco but you can use another version)

1-2 tbsp. Walden’s Farm Syrup (Add syrup to create the level of sweetness you would like! For this mixture I used 1 tbsp. You can also use honey, regular syrup, stevia, or something else. Add sparingly as you mix the ingredients together so you do not over sweeten the product)

2 tbsp. chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chocolate chips but you can use another version)

dash of vanilla extract

Optional: nuts, dried/fresh fruit

Directions

Combine all of the above ingredients into a bowl and mix

Add other garnishments BUT BE CAREFUL as to what you add! The more things you add you can quickly make this healthy dessert option not as healthy.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

November 6, 2015/by admin

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…Traveling: Airport Healthy Food Options…

Traveling is something that a lot of people do regularly. Car rides, truck stops, air port TSA check points, running through airports to catch your flight, getting a seat on the plane that is just not very comfortable… there are a lot of things that people have to worry about when trying to get the desired destination.

As I have traveled quite a bit over the past few years, I have found that there are some things that I have adopted to make things a little easier for me. A few of these things are:

Getting a compact water bottle to travel with (get to the airport with your empty water bottle. Once you get past TSA go to the water fountain and fill it up! It will save you the $5-$10 that you would have to spend on a water bottle at a kiosk or airport convenience store
Get a bag that is durable AND will fit under the seat in front of you/in the over head bin. (This is by far one of the most important! Some airports are relaxed on the size of your bag and other stick to the rules 100%. The worst time to figure this out is when the airport is busy, you stood in the TSA line for almost an hour only to find out that you have to go back to the check in counter to check your bag that is slightly over stuffed and too big “by the regulation standards” to be taken on the plane).
Have plan updates texted to your cellular device (you can also have them emailed. Phone calls are great! But if you are in the middle of trying to call a cab, hotel, family members and the airline is calling it is hard to switch the line get that call.)

You can also check out my other blog post by CLICKING HERE that goes into more details (and money saving tips) on some other traveling tips I have discovered.

I do not know about you, but I do enjoy getting to find some healthy food options when I am traveling. I have seen over the past few years a HUGE shift in the variety of healthy food establishments that are available in different airports. This is actually the reason I am creating this post. To help showcase the different options that I have been able to find throughout different airports.

DFW (Dallas/Ft. Worth)

Terminals: A, B, C, D, E (You can use a shuttle system within the airport to travel between terminals)

Most (if not all) airports have a kiosk or air port convenience store that will offer things such as beef jerky, nuts, protein bars/refrigerated shakes, dried fruit, trail mix, etc. These things are all great to grab and go as you are trying to curb your appetite until you reach your final destination. BUT these are also things you can purchase BEFORE you get to the airport and carry with you in your bag. This will not only save you time (not having to stand in line to pay for the item), it will also save you money!

Healthy food options: Terminal A

Qdoba : The holy grail of making your own salad. You can make your salad unhealthy REALLY quickly if you pile on a lot of the wrong toppings. You can go HERE to Qdoba’s calorie calculator. This can help you to know what the nutritional information will be of the meal you would like to put together. Qdoba offers a variety of things (healthy and unhealthy) so you can for sure find something to please you and your traveling companions taste buds.

Healthy food options: Terminal B

Freshens: Is the mecca of fresh food options when it comes to airport food options. You can CLICK HERE to see the nutritional value of the food that is offered at the fresh food studios that can be found in this airport. Make sure to pay attention to what you are ordering! As with any place, adding more things to your entree can quickly add calories, carbs, fats, and many other things to make the dish not as healthy. Be sure to limit the addition of those types of extras to keep your meal healthy and nutritious.

Healthy food options: Terminal C

Grove Natural Snacks: This snack bar has a ton of nuts, protein trail mix, and many other healthy snack options you can grab. (You can also find a Grove located at gate A, C, D, & E.)

Healthy food options: Terminal D

360 Gourmet Burrito: This can be compared closely to Qdoba (or other taco/burrito bars). Make your own burrito (or salad) with all of the things that you like. Best options would be grilled chicken, veggies, and salsa. Limit things such as sour cream and guacamole.

There are also places such as Red Mango, Smoothie King, and Jamba Juice located at DFW. These places are all great options, but like with the other food choices you will want to pay attention to what you are ordering. Some options will pack too much sugar or other macro nutrients which will quickly make the an unhealthy option.

November 3, 2015/1 Comment/by admin

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… Cooking on a Budget:Meal Prep for the Month…

When it comes to eating healthy you do NOT have to break your budget. I have managed to budget my grocery bill to make sure that I have enough food to keep me on track with my health and fitness goals.

Each month I will try to vary my menu so I am not eating the same things over and over again. You have to find affordable ways to stay creative BUT also keep you from going outside of the foods that will keep me on track with my health goals.

For my meal prep, I typically pick one day and set aside a few hours to cook as much food as I can in the time that I have. I live a busy lifestyle. Any chance I have to cook food I will! The plus side to this is that you can freeze anything that you cook and it will last you for weeks!

One thing that I like to do is do a quick browse of the local grocery stores weekly ads. I do not classify myself as an extreme couponer. But, I do consider myself an opportunist to take advantage of any deal that I am able find. Wal-Mart AND Target have a policy to match the price of any competitors within 90 miles (click on HERE or HERE to read their policy). This is good because this allows you to price match fruit, meats, veggies, and other foods. THERE IS ALWAYS A SALE ON THESE ITEMS! You just have to look! Seriously, I do not spend hours doing this. It really takes me about 15-30 minutes. I will make a grocery list and skim through the local ads to see which items on my list are on sale. I will always book mark the ad on my phone or print it off to take with me to the store. Like I said, It takes some planning and very little time.

I will always look at local grocery stores or markets to see what deals that they are having. In Norther Missouri there are stores such as Prenger, Shop-Ko, Country Mart, Safeway, Dahl’s, Fareway Supermarket, Schnucks, Shop-N-Save, Hy-Vee, and many others. These are the main stores that I look at (in Columbia, Missouri there is also Patricia’s, Moser’s, Gerbes, and a few others).

Here is quick example of that my daily menu will look like: (***NOTE this menu varies! This is just an in general example of what I would eat. I do not usually eat all of the same things each day. This was something I created to help give you an idea of how I make my grocery list)

Breakfast:

protein pancakes (Recipe can be found HERE) or some other source of protein (eggs, meat, etc)
Oatmeal
Berries (such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.)

Snack

Protein bar or protein shake (or another source of protein)
Rice cake
Peanut butter

Lunch

Chicken (or turkey)
steamed veggies (or salad)
rice or sweet potato (or whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortilla/pita, or small serving or whole wheat pasta)

Snack

Protein bar or protein shake (or another source of protein)
berries/small fruit (another small source of carbs)

Dinner

Chicken (or turkey) (or another source of protein)
steamed veggies (or salad)
rice or sweet potato (or whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortilla/pita, or small serving or whole wheat pasta)

After I create my menu I will then create my shopping list. So here is an example of my shopping list for the month of March:

Three packs of raw chicken breast
Two packs of lean turkey patties
Two packs of lean turkey tenderloin
Old fashion oats
Green spinach leaves (salad)
Uncle Ben’s brown rice
Quaker Rice Cakes
Natural Peanut Butter
Blueberries and/or Strawberries
Whole wheat bread
Green Giant frozen vegetables
Egg whites
Sweet potatoes

Total Cost of the above grocery list = ABOUT $100.00… Here is how I did that…

Here is a breakdown of the prices associated with my shopping list:

Price matched chicken breast: $0.99/lb = Total price = $15.00 (15 lbs of chicken)

Berries = $0.99 a canister = Total Price = $2.00
Turkey Patties and tenderloin = $3.00 a package = Total Price = $12.00
- *** NOTE: When I find a GOOD sale on items like turkey I will purchase more than I need and freeze them! These kind of things are not on sale often. I did purchase a deep freezer and stock up on things like turkey when I get them on sale!! You can also find them on sale at Sam’s club and Costco. I have found some great deals there on meat.
Old Fashion Oats = $2.48 = Total Cost = $2.48
- ***Note I do not find these on sale often. But, a whole tub will last me LONGER than a month. I eat 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of oats with breakfast so I do not use a lot of it.

Vegetables = These prices will vary depending on the season. I also try to use the local farmers market which also cuts back TREMENDOUSLY on my fresh produce bill. I can get a huge bag of lettuce for a few dollars. But typically I can get a back for $1.50-$2.00. Total Cost = $1.50
- Some items I will get once a week or when I run out. Fresh items do not last the full month so those are things I will still budget for but will not get them all at once.

Uncle Ben’s Rice = $1.98 = Total Cost = $1.98
- This box will last me a LONG time. I will make a nice size pot of rice and it will last me for a week or so. It just depends on how much I decide to have with my meals. These you can also find on sale but it is not very often. So, if you do find it on sale grab a few boxes!

Frozen Vegetables vs Fresh Vegetables = Total Cost = $16.00 (enough for a few weeks worth of meals)
- I typically will get frozen veggies. They last longer, can be cheaper (depending on the time of year), and take less time when doing meal prep. I will just open up a pack of frozen veggies and separate 1 cup to 1 1/2 cup of veggies into my Tupperware with my meal.
- Some sales I will take advantage of. Like with meat, sometimes there is a GOOD deal on veggies and I will get enough for the month. Typically you can can the small box of steamers for about $1.00 a box/bag. That is when I usually stock up. If not, I will get the bigger bags (which can also be a good deal) and those will separate out to be about two-three meals per bag.

Extra Information:

If I see other items that I like and are on sale I will get them. This is usually more of an impulse if this is fruit and veggies. I do not stock up and hoard products. Like I said, I will get enough to last me the month or possibly the next month.

The things that I will usually buy several units of (when I find them on sale) are things like rice cakes, rice, ingredients to make future recipes for meals (like chili or casserole), oatmeal, protein bars, and meat.

Peanut Butter is another great item you can also sometimes find on sale. I find it best when it is on sale for $2.50 each (or typically 2 for $5). I will usually stock up on peanut butter (purchasing 4 jars) when I do find it on sale.

Like I said, it is very do-able to keep your budget to a minimum when trying to do your monthly shopping. Yes it may take you a second to sit down and actually plan things out BUT it will save you money in the end. I will go to the store when I need more fresh produce. Other than that, I will try not to go because of the temptation to impulse shop. If I find a recipe that I want to cook, I will again create my list and try to price match to help save me money.

Last year I sat down and calculated how much money I saved via price matching…I saved OVER $400 by just planning out my meals and matching prices. Every cent that you save adds up! What would you do with an extra $400 in your pocket?

Here is another good thing to invest in…a good set of Tupperware!

When I cook all of my food the next key step is separating out the correct portions.

I will use two different methods: Tupperware and zip lock baggies (those are easier to travel with. They take up less space in my cooker and I can just throw them away rather than having to hold on to them while traveling).

Depending on your dietary needs you will need to determine how much you should portion out into your containers. It is typically 4-6 oz of protein, one serving of carbs, and one-two servings of vegetables. You have to determine how much you need to eat to help you reach your fitness goals. The key is to make sure that you are eating enough to keep you feeling satisfied and refueled to get you through your day (and your workouts).

Accomplishing this can take sort of planning. Do not over think this, set some time and slowly work on it. If you sit down and take a few minutes this will come more natural and will still save you some money and allow you to stay on track with your healthy eating and your fitness goals.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask! I would love to help guide you in any way. For those who need more guidance I also offer distance/online training. Feel free to email me for more details: [email protected]

March 17, 2015/1 Comment/by admin

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…MORE Healthy Snacks Part 4…

Tired of trying the same quick snacks that you have gotten accustomed to eating? Well no worries! There is a WIDE variety of snacks that you can try that are not expensive, quick to grab, and yummy that will satisfy your cravings until your next meal!

These are some good snacks that you can keep in your purse, desk, or lunchbox that you can snack on to help keep you on track with your healthy eating habits.

1. Watermelon (serving size is about 1 cup cut into cubes or balls that can be created by scooping out with an ice cream scoop)

2. Cubed Apples and Cubed Cheese (suggested serving size is 1 cup)

3. Craisins (suggested serving size 1 cup. Also great to have on a salad or in yogurt!)

4. Goldfish Crackers (suggested serving size about 55 pieces)

5. Roasted Asparagus (you can also try four spears spritzed with olive-oil spray and topped with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°)

6. Turkey Roll-Ups (Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard you can also add low fat swiss cheese to add a little more taste)

7. Strawberry Salad (1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic dressing)

8. Oatmeal (try to stay away from the flavored oatmeal those add a lot of sugar. you can get plain oatmeal and add brown sugar or honey to add some flavor. you can even add fruit or yogurt!)

9. Banana Smoothie (½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth)

10. Lime Sherbet (1/2 cup suggested serving size ) with sliced kiwi or any other fruit

11. Apple Chips (dehydrated apples! My favorite are Fiji apples or honey crisp because those retain the best flavor and sweetness)

12. Black Beans (mix 1/4 cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt for an added twist! Can eat this plan or on ONE piece of whole wheat bread)

13. Lettuce wrap (try two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf)

14. Pecans (try five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon this could also go great on a salad!)

15. Chocolate Covered Strawberries (dip 5 strawberries in 2 squares of dark chocolate)

16. Honeyed Yogurt (½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey)

17. Tropical Juice Smoothie (¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice)

18. Turkey and cheese wrap made with a whole wheat tortilla (Add mustard for flavor and don’t be afraid to add lettuce and other veggies)

19. Fruit and Cheese Kabobs ( You can alternate chunks of fresh fruit and cheese cubes and thread them on a bamboo skewer for a fun and healthy snack)

20. A couple of hard-boiled eggs with carrot, celery sticks, and hummus (roasted red pepper hummus of a low-fat cream cheese or peanut butter)

You can also check out past post for more snack options:

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2011/11/02/healthy-foods-that-are-unhealthy-part-1/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/01/17/more-healthy-snack-ideas/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/02/more-healthy-snacks-part-3/

So there should be No excuse as to why you can not snack on HEALTHY things during the day as opposed to a bag of chips of your favorite candy bar. Those are good to have every once in a while BUT if you want to reach your health and fitness goals you have to dedicate yourself to eating things that are beneficial to your body.

Any day is a great day to start obtaining your own health and fitness goals!!

May 1, 2014/6 Comments/by admin

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…Portion Sizes…

When it comes to starting a new health and fitness routine PORTION SIZES are SO SO SO SO important. You have to be able to know what is the right amount to have with each meal so you are not over eating. Over eating will cancel out the hard workout you have that day! The key to losing those unwanted calories is working off MORE calories than you are consuming.

DO NOT starve yourself! Find healthy LOW CALORIE snacks you can have during the day to help you stop those hunger feelings and to get you to your next meal.

Here is a guide i found online…hope that it is helpful with helping you decide you portion sizes when preparing you meals

The goal to reaching your fitness goals is to set some goals, stick to them, stay focused, and work hard! Hard work will pay off! Passing on that key lime pie you like to have for dessert and having a bowl of fruit will help you to obtain those health and fitness goals you set for yourself. It is OK to treat your some sometimes but not ALL the time. Be mindful of the things you are putting in your body.

You have to make sure that you are eating enough AND also eating the right things throughout the day. Yes you can consume less calories BUT if all of those calories come from poor quality foods it will not allow you to reach your health and fitness goals as quickly as you would like.

March 19, 2014/12 Comments/by admin

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…Give Up Fast Food?…

Over 4 years ago I made a pledge to myself to give up ALL fast food.

This means no McDonald’s, No Burger King, No Taco Bell, No Sonic….No place that was a “fast food” chain. And to this day that had been one of my best choices. I did it for several reasons…

1) To save money! After calculating how much I spent each month on fast food that was DOUBLE my budget for my grocery bill! I learned to plan out my meals, make a menu, and stick to my monthly budget and it has helped me save HUNDREDS of dollars each year.

2)To eat healthier. I am not saying that fast food places do not have healthy options for you. Now they have done a great job at having alternative to offer families instead of the usual menu items. Like offering fruit instead of fries. Or having milk or juice instead of carbonated beverages. They have done a great job over the years to add some healthier options to their menus. But, for me, I felt that the variety of things that the grocery store was better and most cost-effective for me than going to grab something at my local fast food place.

3) To help me learn what I need to eat and to be more mindful of the things that I put in my body. Since then I have gotten leaner and gotten better results physically. Not having the luxury of just driving up someplace and getting food has made me actually think about what I want and what I need to eat on a daily basis. I have adopted a much healthier eating habit not to mention I have saved money!

There are tons of articles and studies on how “healthy” some of the items fast food places sale to you. And yes most of them are true. Hence why it is better to take your own pledge to limit or cut out fast food from your diet.

You do not have to quit cold turkey! And like I said before, they do have some healthier options on the menu. But make sure that the healthy option is not tainted with double ranch dressing or with other things that will help diminish its healthy intentions. You have to learn what is on the menu, how much of it you can have, and what to add/take away to keep that healthy meal within the “healthy meal” range.

One of the most important things about starting on a new health journey is know what is the right and wrong things to eat. And the things in the image above are the WRONG things to consume on a regular basis. I am not going to lie to you and say that I do not enjoy a nice burger. But I enjoy that burger every once in a while. You have to learn what you need on a regular basis and what you can have in moderation.

Each fast food restaurant should have a “Nutritional Facts” guide posted in their store or on their website (and to be honest most regular restaurants are starting to have them as well). It would be smart to look at them before you go to get your food so you can have in mind what are the best things and the worst things they have on their menus.

It is wise to NOT super size/enlarge your meals when asked. Also, limit the kind of condiments that you use on your meal. Even though Buffets are good for your pocket-book it is best to stay away from them! This is just a sure way for you to overeat, or eat several plate full of items that should be eaten in moderation. If you do go to a buffet try not to go up for seconds. Try to know what is a good portion size and make sure to get those portion sizes when you go up for your first entrée. And if you are still hungry, drink some water and wait a bit until you make your second trip. Sometimes it takes a little bit for your brain to realize that you are full so waiting will allow your food/drink to settle and for you to realize if you are truly full or not.

There are some more great tips in THIS article that will help you when making your fast food decisions.

Hope that this was a great tip to get your guys through the weekend! Happy Friday! And do not forget…ANY DAY is a GREAT DAY to start being healthy!

March 11, 2014/2 Comments/by admin

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…When is enough food enough?…

When you go out to eat at almost ANY restaurant, the plate of food that you order is almost ALWAYS more than the suggested serving size. As a culture we are all wanting to get the best and the most we can out of our money. But is that necessarily the healthiest thing for you?

One of the things you can do to help you start learning what is enough is learning what the correct portion sizes are! You can look at my post HERE to get a sense of what is the correct portion size for most meals.

Learning what your body NEEDS and not what you want (or what you are craving) is a hard thing to do! Some people crave food because food can be a comfort for them. Emotional eating is one of the top listed reasons as to why most people gain the unwanted weight that they do. To get over this, it helps to plan out your meals, try to have a variety of items when you do eat meals and snacks, and learn your biological food clock. This “clock” is the indication of when you should eat food to nourish and replenish the body. Not just because it is 3:00 and you want a candy bar.

Example…here is my biological food clock…

I usually get up around 7AM. When I wake up in the morning I usually eat within 1 hour of waking up. If not, my stomach will be sure to let me know.

I always have a mid morning snack around 10 AM. This snack is a SMALL snack (which is about 300 calories). It is only a filler until lunch time which is around 12:30.

After lunch I usually have a mid afternoon snack around 3. This is an important snack for me because I usually work out around 5 so this snack usually has a few more calories to help me through the day and to help me through my workout.

After my work out I usually have dinner. Depending on how heavy or light my lunch was will depend on how heavy or light my dinner is. When I refer to how “heavy or light” it is I am speaking of if I have a meal with a lot of meat and starches for one meal I will try to refrain from having those things again with the next meal.

Learning your clock will take some time and you will have to learn what it feels like to eat until you are satisfied. If you feel full or over embellished with your meal you have eaten more than you should have.

Another thing to be mindful of is what your body is telling you…not necessarily how full or empty your plate it.

Example:

If I have prepared a meal with correct portion sizes and I get done, I usually have something to drink to make sure that I am satisfied. If I still have an unsatisfying feeling I will add a few more veggies or something not so “heavy” to my plate. I am NOT a big fan or advocate of starving yourself if you have reached your daily calorie intake. But if you do consume those extra calories you have to be mindful to eat healthy things that will not make you regret eating the extra food.

It is also suggested that if you start to get on a regular eating schedule it will be easier for you to know how to handle your cravings and how to consume your meal portions correctly. Also, DRINK WATER!! It may be a form of cheating…but it has also been found that if you consume water regularly through your meal it will help you to realize that your stomach is full and to help limit the probability that you will overeat during your meal.

Here is an important tip for those who go out to eat regularly…when you order your meal, as soon as it comes to the table split the meal in HALF! Only eat HALF of your meal. If it is hard for you to stick with that ask your waiter for a to go box before you start to eat and put half of the meal in the to go box so you do not have to see it on your plate. This will not only help you stick to your portion sizes but it will also help you to have another meal for the next day!

Hope that some of these tips helped you to get a better understanding what kind of eating habits you have. It is about eating food that will satisfy and nourish your body. Consuming excessive amounts of food helps to account for gained weight. Embarking on your own health and fitness journey will take a lot of work until you get use to your body and what you need!

March 8, 2014/by admin

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…healthy “butter”…

Peanut (and other nut) butter is a great food to incorporate into your diet (if you are not allergic to it). When searching for your favorite peanut butter try to find the most natural peanut butter that you possibly can. When you find your peanut butter grab the jar…and turn it around and look at the ingredients label. The only ingredients that should be in the jar should be peanut butter, salt, and possibly oil. NOTHING ELSE. Buying the peanut butter that is “Low in Fat” or has other health phrases on it are usually not the best for you. They usually have MORE ingredients, more calories, more sugar, and are not as healthy for you!

Peanut butter has a good serving of fiber and protein. You will not want to go overboard with the peanut butter seeing as there is 180-200 calories per servings (which is typically 2 tablespoons). Try to stick with the serving size and you will be ok!

Peanut butter has a ton of the “good fats”. These fats are called “monounsaturated fat” and are great to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

There are some companies that have made peanut butter that are nut free (they have the flavor or peanut butter) but they do have a lot of ingredients as well. They also have powdered peanut butter (you simply add water to the mix and stir it up). These versions are lower in calories and fat and are a great options for those who have to watch those macro-nutrients. They have also made some peanut butters that are higher in protein and that come in various flavors (such as dark chocolate, white chocolate, and many other sumptuous flavors.

Spreading peanut butter on vegetables, fruit, crackers, or even a slice of bread can be a great snack or small meal for you and your family. You can also get almond butter, cashew butter, and a variety of nuts made into butter. But also be cautious because those may have higher calorie, fat, and sodium macro-nutrients.

So the next time you head to the head to the grocery store make sure to stop when you are walking down the aisle with the peanut butter and try to find a new treat to add to your menu!

December 7, 2013/by admin