Comments Off on Law of Success #1

Law of Success #1

Category : Active Living, Exercise

The Law of OWNERSHIP

 

If it’s going to be it’s up to me!

 
If you are going to achieve results, 
it is going to be up to you.  
 
Your trainer, your spouse and your friends 
can offer encouragement & support, 
but you must be willing to make & stick to 
the healthy lifestyle changes.  

  

Think about it:

Is there one thing that you 
know you should change?  

Can you start today?

Can you do it this week?

If not, why not?

It’s up to you!

 

 

Comments Off on Wait! Don’t buy Halloween candy yet!

Wait! Don’t buy Halloween candy yet!

Category : Healthy Eating

Save your money, save your waist-line…

Karin and Jenny halloween  It’s the first week of October, so of course the stores are well-stocked with trick-or-treat candy, but does that mean you need         to stock your pantry?!? Probably not…be realistic, if you buy Halloween candy now will it actually be around on October 31st         when   the kids come knocking? I doubt it! Instead you or your spouse and/or your kids will have eaten it all up and you will           have to go buy more for the trick-or-treaters. 

  My advice, leave the candy in the store until just a few days before Halloween….otherwise, stepping on the        scale might get a little scary! 

 

Yours in Health & Fitness,

Karin Jennings
XO Fitness
karin@xofitness.com 

Comments Off on Get “Back to Fitness” this Fall

Get “Back to Fitness” this Fall

Category : Active Living, Exercise

by Karin Jennings

The trouble with summer is that people tend to be very inconsistent about exercising.  This happens for a multitude of reasons:  a) it’s hot; b) the kids are home;c) week-long vacations and travel; d) relying on outdoor activities like gardening and walking for exercise.

Now that September  is almost here it is time to get back to fitness!

How to start? ”Back to School” and “Back to Fitness” have a lot of similarities. The “Three R’s” of fitness include: 1) Regular Routine, 2) ‘Rite it down, and 3) ‘Rithmetic.

1)    Regular Routine

Schedule your exercise.Consistency is the key to success.“I am going to get in shape this fall” is far too vague. Instead, say “I am going to exercise for 30 minutes three days a week for the next 4 weeks.” You should consider being even more specific and schedule the days you will exercise on your calendar. Notice how this statement is measurable in couple of ways (minutes of exercise & days per week) it also has a time frame of 4 weeks so when you have successfully exercised through out the month of September you can reward yourself. Then you can set a new goal (maybe 4 days/week) for the month of October!

2)    ‘Rite it down

Three things you should consider writing down:

Your goals. Post them somewhere you can see them regularly and act upon them.  It is important to review your goals daily…for one minute. Spencer Johnson, M.D., in his book The One Minute Mother gives us this motivational quote: “I take a minute, I look at my goals, I look at my behavior, I see if my behavior matches my goals”.

Record your workouts. It may seem silly, but most grown-ups are just as motivated as grade-schoolers by something as simple as a chart on the wall with gold stars. Try this at home: Place a calendar which is dedicated to keeping track of your workouts in a prominent location such as your refrigerator. Everyday you workout give yourself a star on the calendar. You may also want to record your time, distance and/or the activities you completed. How many minutes and/or miles you complete weekly or monthly? This will keep you motivated to keep moving.

Record what you are eating. If one of your goals is to lose weight, a food log is an excellent way to get started. Studies show that writing down everything you eat throughout the day can double your weight loss. This works because it makes you much more aware of what you are putting in your mouth.

3) ‘Rithmetic

A lot of us are motivated by the numbers.

Most people feel they MUST weigh themselves, however don’t measure success by that number alone. Here are some other numbers to consider:

Body composition (the ratio of fat to lean body tissue) is much more important. This can be measured with a skin fold calipers by a fitness professional.

Inches lost. Measure and record the number of inches around your waist, hips, and upper leg with a tape measure. The tricky part is measuring the same spot the next time, so take good notes. For example, when you measure your waist pay attention: did you measure across your belly button or two inches above your belly button? Re-measure in 4 weeks.

Measure your fitness How many push-ups you can do without stopping, how many chair squats you can complete in 30 seconds and how long can you stand on one foot?How long does it takes you to walk/run a specific distance such as one mile (works best on a track)? Re-test every four weeks and you will be impressed with yourself!

Turn over a new leaf…follow the “Three R’s” and get fit this fall.

If you have a health & fitness question or need help with your fall fitness routine contact us info@xofitness.com

Karin Jennings is a certified personal trainer and co-owner of XO Fitness, LLC in De Pere.

Comments Off on Friday Foodie: Zucchini Quiche on the Grill

Friday Foodie: Zucchini Quiche on the Grill

Category : Healthy Eating

So it turns out that real men not only eat quiche, they make it on the grill! The idea of baking things in my kitchen while the air conditioning is running is just unthinkable so Iphoto (4) resorted to using the grill as my oven and it worked reasonably well. Previously this summer I’ve baked lasagna and boiled a few dinners. It’s my summer kitchen.

This week’s Friday Foodie is Gini M. who introduced me to the recipe I adapted from Grain-Free Gourmet authors Jodi Bager and Jenny Lass. Thanks also to our business manager, Jennifer, who supplied the monster zucchini and Grandma Zuehlke from whom I inherited the 9×13 aluminum pan that is a prized possession in our kitchen. I doubled the quantities to make a 9×13″ pan to ensure leftovers for lunches.

This is not a ‘low calorie’ nor a ‘low fat’ recipe, however it is extremely satisfying and is a Low Carb Meal for our VEMMA carb-cycling clients .

Zucchini Crusted Quiche (makes 9×13″ pan, cut in half for a 9 or 10″ pie pan)
Crust:
4 cups shredded zucchini patted dry

Zucchini Crust!

Zucchini Crust!


2 eggs
1 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese or Mozzarella cheese

Filling:
8 eggs
2 cups plain yogurt ((I used 50/50 yogurt/cottage cheese)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 10oz chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese (I just used Mozzarella because I had it)
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup parmesan and 1 cup Mozzarella)

1. Preheat your oven to 350′ or turn all burners on your grill to low (obviously not an exact science, but since when has my cooking been scientific?)

Chopped Spinach

Chopped Spinach


2. Grate a Wisconsin-sized zucchini, then use a towel to squeeze all the excess water out of it to get about 4 cups of shredded Zucchini.
3. Mix shredded zucchini with 2 eggs and 1 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese.
4. Press into a lightly greased 9×13″ pan and up the sides a bit to make the ‘crust’
5. Bake the crust for 20-30 minutes until cooked through and the edges are browned.

Meanwhile…
1. Make the batter: Mix together 8 eggs, 2 cups of plain yogurt, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cayenne and black pepper.
2. Distribute the chopped spinach on top of the cooked zucchini crust.
3. Layer the cheeses on top.
4. Pour the batter on top.
5. Turn up the grill to medium high (oven to 450′) and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce the grill to low (oven to 350′) and bake 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove from the grill/oven when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Zucchini Crusted Quiche

Zucchini Crusted Quiche

Nutrition (estimated)
Serving size 1/12 pan (3″x 4″ piece)
Calories: 322
Protein: 27g
Fat: 20g
Carbs: 10g
Sodium: 710mg (fairly high, try omitting salt to drop to 560mg/serving)

Comments Off on ONE WEEK WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

ONE WEEK WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Category : Healthy Eating

STEP ONE: SATURDAY

Attend one of our SMART LOSS programs (10 am on June 8 or 22) OR schedule a one-on-one SMART LOSS session if Saturdays aren’t an option.

Register here…no obligation, just find out more!

STEP TWO: SUNDAY

Weigh-in & record your starting weight

STEP THREE: MONDAY-SATURDAY

Follow the eating plan:

  • Enjoy a Bode Shake for breakfast
  • Eat according to your plan for morning snack & lunch
  • Drink a Bode Burn as part of your afternoon snack
  • Eat a delicious dinner according to your plan
  • (Don’t worry, we’ll give you the plan and the recipes)

STEP FOUR: SUNDAY…Guilt-free day!

Weigh-in & record your weight

Eat the foods you love…it’s your guilt-free day!

Tell us how it went…we’ll be very excited to see how much weight you’ve lost!

 

What happens after the first week?

If you are satisfied with the results we’ll help you plan the next 4, 8 or 12 weeks!

Comments Off on Bike to Work Week: May 13-17

Bike to Work Week: May 13-17

Category : Active Living, Exercise

Check this out! Biking to work is a great strategy for fitting in fitness!

 

Bike to Work Week
Via FitnessforWeightLoss.com

Comments Off on Low-Carb Chicken Parmesan

Low-Carb Chicken Parmesan

Category : Healthy Eating

Trying to lose weight?

We invite you to check out one of our Smart Loss Programs to learn all about Carb-Cycling! The basic idea is that you alternate between high-carb days and low-carb days in order to rev up your metabolism. You will get a link to some great software which will help you plan your meals and incorporates recipes like the one below!

Chicken Parmesan~Serves 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 oz each) 
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 
1 teaspoon oregano 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
1 tablespoon butter 
1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided 
Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 head romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon Caesar dressing, fat free 

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

PREPARE CHICKEN
On a plate, combine cheese, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. 
Lightly brush each chicken breast with a small amount of oil, then dredge chicken into the cheese mixture. In a small frying pan, melt butter and 1 teaspoon of oil together over medium-high heat. Lightly brown chicken on both sides then place in the foil lined baking pan. Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with a side Caesar salad.

MAKE SALAD

Toss Romain lettuce, fat-free Caesar dressing and a little grated parmesan cheese together. Go easy on the dressing! It doesn’t take much!

IF IT’S A HIGH CARB DAY: (or for the people in your house who aren’t carb-cycling) serve 2 whole grain bread sticks with Garlic bread seasoning.

Comments Off on Your Spring Weight-Loss Plan

Your Spring Weight-Loss Plan

Category : Healthy Eating

Spring is just around the corner…many of us are wondering how to drop a few pounds before the warm weather arrives. Do you have a plan in place to help you rev up your metabolism and lose those excess pounds? 

Here’s what you need to know:

  • What to eat
  • When to eat
  • How much to eat

Register for the next Spring Smart Loss Session to learn more, talk with a personal trainer and get a link to our awesome menu-planning software!

What to eat

Chris Powell, author of “Choose to Lose” and the star personal trainer for “ABC’s Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition” suggests Carb-Cycling. Here’s how it works:

Each week, you will have two cycles of two low carb days followed by a high carb day, followed by a guilt-free day on the seventh day of the week. For example, if you want Sunday to be your guilt-free day then Monday & Tuesday would be low-carb, Wednesday would be high-carb, Thursday and Friday would be low-carb and Saturday would be high-carb. Of course, you can decide when you want your guilt-free day and assign the other days accordingly.

Every day for breakfast eat carbohydrates, protein and unlimited veggies regardless of whether it is low-carb or high-carb day. Your carbohydrate can be a piece of fruit or toast/English muffin. Your protein at breakfast could be an egg, however a protein shake, cottage cheese or any left-over protein from last night’s dinner would be great.

On low carb days, the idea is to focus on protein and vegetable consumption and avoid the smart carbs, which include whole grains and fruit (except for breakfast).

On high carb days, all five of your meals will consist of a carbohydrate, protein and veggies. Providing your body with a healthy source of carbohydrates helps replenish glucose stores in the muscle and tissue. High carb days also help prevent your body from going into “starvation mode” (which may lead to a decreased metabolism).

Your guilt-free day each week is the day you are allowed to eat the foods you have been craving all week! It’s ok to splurge a little…I met a person who was very successful on this program while eating pizza and Zesty’s custard once each week!

When to eat

Eat five times each day. Your meals should be spaced about 3 hours apart. This keeps your blood sugar level and keeps you feeling satisfied instead of hungry.

How much to eat

This program is great because you do not have to measure your food or count calories/grams. Instead, just take a look at your hand and remember that a serving of carbohydrate is the size of your fist, a serving of protein is the size of your palm and a serving of fat is the size of your thumb. You can eat as many veggies as you’d like, so you don’t have to measure them at all.

 Which Carbs/Fats/Proteins should I eat?

  • Healthy carbs: fruit, whole grain bread, English muffins & tortillas, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes corn, couscous, long grain brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, whole grain cereals,whole grain pasta,  wild rice, milk (1% or skim), yogurt and legumes including edamame.
  • Healthy fats: low fat cheese, feta cheese, olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, safflower oil, avocado, olives, almond butter (with salt), almonds (raw, whole), peanut butter (natural, with salt), peanuts (raw, chopped), pecans (raw, chopped), pumpkin seeds, sesame butter/tahini, sunflower seeds, soy nuts (roasted, lightly salted), walnuts (raw, chopped)
  • Healthy proteins: chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, lean pork, cottage cheese (low fat), eggs, egg substitutes, Greek yogurt (nonfat plain), yogurt (low carb/high protein) and vegetarian options include  tofu, TVP and tempeh,

The key to success with carb-cycling is to plan ahead and know what you are going to eat at each of your five meals throughout the day. It’s important NOT to skip meals and remember that no one is perfect…if you slip up, don’t beat yourself up, just pick up where you have left off and keeping moving forward.

Contact us for more information on carb-cycling and we can help you plan for  a healthy spring!

Comments Off on Weight Loss “Myths” You Should Avoid

Weight Loss “Myths” You Should Avoid

Category : Healthy Eating

Some “old school” weight loss advice will slow down you metabolism! Be careful not to fall into these traps:

I have to eat less to lose weight. OK, that will work for a while, but eventually one of two things is going to happen: you will feel so deprived that you will binge and give up or your body will become adjusted to the lower calorie diet by slowing down your metabolism which will cause your weight loss to plateau unless you cut back even more on calories.

If I over-do-it at one meal I will skip a meal or two to make up for it. This doesn’t work because it causes big fluctuations in your blood sugar which usually lead to over-eating again. 

Eating fat will make me fat, so I will avoid fats. Your body needs fats. Eating too much of anything can cause you to gain weight. You should avoid unhealthy fats such as saturated fats & trans fats, however there are a lot of healthy fats which you should include such as olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, safflower oil, avocado, olives, almond butter (with salt), almonds (raw, whole), peanut butter (natural, with salt), peanuts (raw, chopped), pecans (raw, chopped), pumpkin seeds, sesame butter/tahini, sunflower seeds, soy nuts (roasted, lightly salted), walnuts (raw, chopped)

Eating Carbohydrates will make me fat, so I will eat a low-carb or no carb diet. Your body needs carbohydrates. Eating low-carb does cause most people to lose weight, however eating low-carb for an extended period of time can mess with your metabolism. Most people do not feel 100% when they eat low-carb complaining of low energy and low carb “fog”. We suggest carb-cycling (two days low-carb followed by one day high-carb) so that you do not slow your metabolism. Healthy carbs include: fruit, whole grain bread, English muffins, pasta, cereal & tortillas, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes corn, couscous, long grain brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa,  wild rice, milk (1% or skim), yogurt and legumes including edamame. 

Comments Off on High-Carb Mushroom Burger (veggie or turkey options)

High-Carb Mushroom Burger (veggie or turkey options)

Category : Healthy Eating

Trying to lose weight?

We invite you to check out one of our Smart Loss Programs to learn all about Carb-Cycling! The basic idea is that you alternate between high-carb days and low-carb days in order to rev up your metabolism. You will get a link to some great software which will help you plan your meals and incorporates recipes like the ones below!

Check out the vegetarian and turkey options!

Mushroom Veggie Burger (HC)

Ingredients

Preparation

Serves 2

2 Morningstar Farms(r) Grillers Prime(r) Veggie Burgers 
2 slices Swiss cheese, thinly sliced 
1 teaspoon olive or safflower oil 
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 
2 thin slices red onion, separated into rings 
2 lettuce leaves 
2 thin slices tomato 
2 whole grain hamburger buns

Split open and toast hamburger buns. 
Cook Morningstar Farms(R) Grillers Prime(R) Veggie Burgers according to package directions. 
Immediately top each patty with cheese. Let stand about 1 minute or until cheese melts. 
In the meantime, in a pan, heat oil over medium heat. 
Add mushrooms and onion to pan. Saute until tender (3-5 minutes), stirring frequently. 
Place a lettuce leaf, tomato and veggie burger on each bun bottom. Top with sauteed mushrooms and onions and finish off with the bun top.

OR

Mushroom Turkey Burger (HC)

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 slices swiss cheese, thinly sliced
  • 2 each turkey, ground patties (4-5 ounces each), cooked
  • 1 each tomato, sliced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 each lettuce leaves
  • 2 each hamburger bun, whole grain
  • 1 small red onion

Preparation

Serves 2

8-12 ounces ground turkey 
2 slices Swiss cheese, thinly sliced 
2 teaspoons olive or safflower oil, divided 
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 
2 thin slices red onion, separated into rings 
2 lettuce leaves 
2 thin slices tomato 
2 whole grain hamburger buns

Split open and toast hamburger buns. 
Form ground turkey into two patties. 
In a pan, over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add turkey patties and cook on both sides until done and juices run clear. 
Immediately top each patty with a cheese slice. Let stand about 1 minute or until cheese melts. 
In the meantime, in another pan, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. 
Add mushrooms and onion to pan. Saute until tender (3-5 minutes), stirring frequently. 
Place a lettuce leaf, tomato and burger on each bun bottom. Top with sauteed mushrooms and onions and finish off with the bun top.