LifeStyle Fitness Solutions

If you love eggs but think they have no place in healthy eating then I’m here to tell you that you have been misinformed. In the 80’s they were called cholesterol bombs but later we found out there is good and bad cholesterol and eggs in fact have the good kind. They may be high in fat but your body needs to get 20%-30% of your calories from fat for a healthy metabolism so don’t be scared of eggs!

A quick and easy breakfast can be made with a minute of prep time and about 5 minutes of slaving over your stove. These meals don’t take long but will start your day off right giving you plenty of protein and energy to get you to your mid morning snack or lunch.

Let’s start off with a few essentials to make great egg scrambles. Buy yourself Omega 3 eggs. These chickens are actually fed a diet high in omega 3’s so then they lay Omega 3 eggs. If that’s how it works shouldn’t we be feeding chickens gold? (Has anyone tried)? Each egg has around 200mg of Omega 3’s so I highly suggest you get these for your kitchen. Grab your favorite vegetables. I recommend onions, red and green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. To truly get this done quick you’re also going to need a Slap Chop. You don’t want to spend 10 minutes dicing up vegetables so get it done in 10 seconds instead. Pick out a fat free or low fat shredded cheese that you can keep handy in the fridge also. And last but not least a pan and some non stick cooking spray.

Here’s the list to make it simple

Omega 3 eggs

Vegetables (Red and Green peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, anything)

Fat Free or Low Fat shredded cheese – any flavor will do

A Pan (I’m not leaving anything to chance here, yes a pan, not a pot)

Non stick spray

A Slap Chop – unless you enjoy spending your morning cutting instead of eating

Preheat your pan to medium heat and add the diced vegetables – any combo

Sautee for about 2-3 minutes and while it’s cooking mix 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites into a small bowl. Mix it up with a fork or whisk and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

Once your veggies have cooked to taste add the egg mixture and cook while folding ¼ cup of cheese in. This will only take a couple minutes and it’s done.

Throw this on a plate with a piece of Ezekiel toast and a grapefruit and you are ready to start your day with energy and in fat burning mode! The veggies will add fiber, vitamins, and will slow down the digestion of the food and the gastro emptying rate of the calories. This is a great way to control blood sugar and have steady energy while burning fat. Using these fibrous vegetables will not even add anything significant to the calorie count so add as much as you want. The more the better!

The egg scramble will give you around 300 calories with 28grams of protein. Round it off with a piece of toast and fruit to add more antioxidants and fiber and you won’t be hungry on the way to the office. Enjoy!

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If you have ever had food poisoning or a stomach bug then you know how much pain you have to endure and the unpleasant side effect known as diarrhea.  This can really affect your lifestyle and quickly.  If you are into any fitness regiment the stomach flu puts all this fitness activity on hold. I recently came down with a bad stomach bug and usually they go away in a couple days.  Unfortunately I am now on day 9 and my doctor said they are lasting up to 3 weeks these days.  If you eat the wrong thing you will suffer tremendous pain in you gastrointestinal tract for a few hours as well as succumb to another bout of diarrhea.

Here is the diet that doctors recommend.  It is called BRATT.  It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and tea.  It is very bland and virtually a fat free diet.  I would recommend that you take a good multivitamin / mineral during these days because your diet will be void of many necessary nutrients.  If you don’t have much of an appetite and can drink only liquids you can try boiled starches and cereals (potatoes, noodles, rice, wheat, and oats) with salt are recommended if you have water diarrhea; crackers, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables may also be eaten.

There can sometimes be temporary lactose intolerance after you have these illnesses.  For a couple of weeks following the illness you may have to reduce or avoid lactose containing foods like milk and ice cream or all milk products.  You could temporarily replace them with some of the lactose free products on the market.

You also must drink plenty of fluids to replace the rapid loss of liquids from your stool.  The best choice is a diluted fruit juice with a few saltine crackers.  If your urine is yellow then you need to increase your fluid intake dramatically.

If you want to try an over the counter antidiarrhea medication you can go with either Loperamide (Imodium) or Bismuth (Pepto-Bismol).  These can help coat the stomach and reduce some of the pain associated.  For more information and up to date medical information written by doctors you can visit UpToDate.Com which is referenced by many doctors and a very valuable resource.  There is more in depth information for stomach illnesses and prevention for this.

One final note, make sure to wash your hands a lot as it is the only way to prevent spreading to your family.  Eat BRATT and drink lots of fluids and you will be back to normal within a couple weeks!  You can get back to a your normal lifestyle and fitness programs.

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What’s a lifestyle fitness solution?  It’s simply the answer to the most sought after question of anyone that has ever wanted to get in shape.  It would be a plan that gives you the results you want by taking into account everything about you.  There is a very simple answer as to why many routines and diets simply have not worked for millions of frustrated people out there.  Most of the answers out there forgot the most important part of the equation.  You!  Yes, you.  The one looking in the mirror wishing changes would happen fast.

If you are not part of the equation it is not a lifestyle fitness solution but rather just a generic program that in theory works if executed properly.  You need to be the foundation that a program is built upon.  It needs to take every detail into consideration to ensure long term success.  If you are a super disciplined athlete then there is a chance you can force yourself to stick to many programs and get good results.  What about the average person out there that lacks the discipline and drive of a competitive athlete?  Lack of drive and discipline isn’t the main reason for most of the failed attempts.  A real lifestyle fitness solution has several factors to consider in the equation.  Let’s start by making it look ridiculously complicated just for fun.

U  + G (TA – (MPT – TFER) /(DC) + FP + STW + RA) = TFS

U – You!

G – Goal – be specific (fat loss, muscle gain, increased fitness level)

TA – time available that you will realistically put aside for everything – realistic is key

MPT – meal preparation time, if you don’t have time to cook there are other options

ER – exercise routine time – how many days per week, and how much time do you have?

DC – dynamic adjustments to react to circumstances – eating on the go?  Forgot lunch?

FP – food preferences – create all your meals around what you like to eat

STW – supplements that actually work, there are only a couple so choose wisely

RA – resources available for exercise – you don’t need a gym membership

TFS – Total Fitness Solution – something you enjoy doing and gets you results!

Notice how each variable comes from you and many of these variables can change on any day or week.  This is also why it is so important to plan for dynamic adjustments during your day or week.  Obstacles will get in the way but you can have plans in advance to overcome them all.

The reason most plans are destined to fail has less to do with you and more to do with a faulty equation.  Most plans out there are built with good fundamentals but without you in the equation it could be full of so many obstacles and pitfalls right from the start.

Here is a sample of the generic prescription you get from a magazine or trainer

Exercise Routine + Diet Plan = Goal

This diet plan probably includes things like plain grilled chicken and steamed broccoli.  It’s no secret that eating like this will get you lean but if you can’t stick to this eating plan you will fail within a week and be miserable.

If the exercise plan has a rigid schedule that you cannot stick to and exercises that you hate you might as well quit before you start.  This may sound very negative but I’m being a realist and based on 25 years of watching people start and stop programs (including myself) I have realized that the best prescription is one that takes the client and builds everything else around them.

If you try to mold a client around a routine and diet then the chances of success are marginal.  The client MUST be the foundation and then everything else can be built around them.  We are looking for results here and don’t need to be dogmatic about the way the diets and routines are built.  If a person cannot stick to it then it doesn’t matter how great and well designed the program is.

Do you want a Lifestyle Fitness Solution?  Make sure you are FIRST in the equation.

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There is no reason to give up great foods when training to lose weight or year round maintenance.  With the right Lifestyle Fitness Solution you can still eat all the foods you love.  Sometimes we just need to make a few simple tweaks to make sure the macro-nutrient ratios are perfect for our goals.

If you love chili and want a healthy version that you can whip up quick then keep reading.  This is one of my favorite chili recipes because it gives you just the right amount of nutrients and a jolt of fiber and antioxidants from the beans.  This recipe is perfect for someone that wants to cook several servings at once for immediate use or freezing.  It’s very medium on the glycemic index and load so it will keep your blood sugar stable for hours.  The high fiber and protein will give you a slow steady energy to keep you going until your next meal.  And the best part about it is that this chili only takes 5 minutes to prepare!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 pound of 90% ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 packet of chili spice
• 15 oz. can of pinto beans
• 15 oz. can of red kidney beans
• 15 oz can of black beans
• 1 jar or chunky spaghetti sauce

I highly recommend using sodium free canned beans for this recipe or buy dried beans and soak them.  The sodium content in canned goods can be quite high so if you are watching your blood pressure you will want to use the sodium free variety.

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan on medium heat.  Drain all the liquid once the meat is cooked.  Now add the chili spice, all three cans of beans, and the spaghetti sauce and stir it up well.  Once it comes to a bubble put a lid on it, reduce the heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.

That’s it!  It’s done.  You now have 6 servings of protein packed chili to enjoy.  If you are counting meals and calories then divide it up into 6 Tupperware containers for individual servings.  This recipe keeps great in the freezer so if you don’t feel like eating 6 servings of chili in a week you can freeze as many as you want.  Grab one out of the freezer on the way to work and throw in the microwave for a few minutes for a satisfying lunch.

This will make 6 servings.

• Calories per serving 408.
• Fat per serving 11g.
• Carbs per serving 47g.
• Fiber 15g.
• Protein 30g.

For simple changes you can also substitute the meat for 1 pound of chicken.  I used this same recipe but instead of beef I cut up a pound of chicken breast and sautéed in the sauce pan until thoroughly cooked.  Then add the rest of the ingredients like before.  You can also replace a can of beans with any frozen vegetable.  Substitute a can of beans for 2 cups of frozen corn or even broccoli.  You can reduce the carb content even further by reducing to1 can of beans and adding another vegetable.  Create endless possibilities in minutes.

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Power Yogurts for Simple Meals and Snacks While Dieting

Do you love yogurt but you are you looking for a powerful tasty snack that is low GI/GL and you know the typical yogurt has too many flaws?  I have a few solutions to help you out.  I call them power yogurts.  The main problem with yogurt is they are loaded with sugar.  The problem with the low sugar yogurts are they are loaded with artificial sweeteners.

There is a simple fix for this but it will take you 5 minutes of prep time.  These recipes are so versatile and easy you can customize them to fit your tastes.  They are chock full of protein, fiber, and phytonutrients.  I’ll start off with my favorite.  This one is a Blueberry Power Supreme.  Once you have the template you can customize them to your own personal tastes.

Here’s what you will need to make 4 servings:

1. 32oz plain low fat or fat free yogurt
2. 6 TBS milled flax seed
3. 4 Scoops of plain or vanilla protein powder (I prefer a blend of whey and casein)
4. 1 cup of frozen blueberries
5. ¼ cup crushed almonds, pecans, or walnuts

Now the easy part.  Throw everything into one large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
The end result is a complete snack that will keep you satisfied and your blood sugar stable for a few hours until your next meal.  Here is the calorie breakdown for 1 serving.

• Calories 316
• Fat 8g        24% of the calories
• Carbohydrate 27g      35% of the calories
• Fiber 4.5g
• Protein 32.5g   42% of the calories

You can mix this up several ways.  If you are allergic to nuts or don’t want them you can add a couple more tablespoons of flax to the recipe.  The flax is loaded with Omega 3’s, lignans and other helpful phytonutrients.  The blueberries add some additional fiber and antioxidant power.  Use any fruit and add up to 2 cups instead of 1 cup to add more carbs.  If you are looking to reduce the protein/carb ratio you can simply add only 2 scoops of protein powder instead of 4.  The recipe is outstanding for people training with weights if they are looking for something with muscle building power.

If you are a chocolate lover use your favorite chocolate whey powder and mix some raspberries in there.  Add 4 tablespoons of cacao nibs instead of nuts for an extra antioxidant chocolate punch

Other fruits that work great are any berry such as strawberries or raspberries.  I have used cut up banana as well as apple to give it texture and any mix as well.  The fruit will give the plain yogurt all the flavor you need.  This makes 4 servings but it can easily be divided into 6-8 smaller servings depending on your own dietary needs.   Mix it up in a single container or buy several single serving containers to scoop it out into for a quick pre-measured snack.

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In case you have not seen or heard about the new Cash for Clunkers plan past by Washington and signed by the President, which pays you up to $4,500 if you trade in your old gas-guzzler for a new more fuel efficient vehicle go to CashforClunkersBlog.

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The Power of Antioxidants for Staying Young

Everyone wants to grow old gracefully.  Some go under the knife to get that youthful look while others opt for a more natural way to maintain that healthful glow.  The way to make peace with age can be found in the types of foods that we eat and the miracle ingredient they contain.

This hidden “miracle” is called antioxidants.  They have graced the pages of magazines, medical journals and every product from hand cream to supplement pills.  But what are antioxidants and what can they do to keep you looking your best?

Antioxidants are substances that fight the aging process that goes on in your body.  They are not produced by the body so to get the benefit of these power-packed substances you must ingest them.  A variety of foods contain antioxidants.

Let’s go back to the beginning.  The body continually replenishes its cells.  Through a process called cellular metabolism, the body produces energy, more cells and repairs any damage.  One by-product of cellular metabolism is unstable molecules called free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules that damage your body.  They are unstable because they are missing an electron.  To get another one and become stable, free radicals will steal electrons from cells.  That theft damages the cells in a variety of ways.

The results are visible and invisible changes to our bodies.  The development of diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and neurological deficiencies may begin to affect you as you age.  Also, thinner skin wrinkles and brittle bones are a problem.  Free radicals enter our body from outside sources as well: cigarette smoke, radiation and the sun’s UV rays.  The more free radicals we encounter, the greater the damage that can be done.

Antioxidants have been shown to be of great help in the free radical problem.  Antioxidant substances combine with free radicals and neutralize them.  Once they are neutralized, they can no longer do any damage.  Scientists don’t have any idea of a recommended daily dose of antioxidants to correct free radical damage and the diseases that come with age, but they do know that eating foods rich in antioxidants makes a huge difference in how we live.

Where do you find antioxidants?  They are all around us.  Look no further than your local farmer’s market or produce aisle in the grocery store.  Fruits and vegetables contain the principle sources of antioxidants.

Examples of antioxidants include:
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin A
* Vitamin E
* Lutein
* Lycopene
* Beta-carotene

Certain minerals like zinc and selenium also function in the body.  They are not antioxidants but they boost the immune system to fight against free radical damage.

Antioxidants are also found in nuts, legumes, cold water fish, seafood and red meat.  So, eating a varied diet of fruits, vegetables and the foods just named will increase the amount of antioxidants in your system and help reduce the incidence of disease.  Eating fruits and vegetables in their natural form instead of juices brings the benefit of other nutrients found in the foods.  Juices also contain a lot of sugar that is not needed by your body.

Food does more than stave off hunger.  Natural substances found there can cause us to live longer and stay free of disease as we age.

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Five Easy Toning Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Exercise is an important part of our lives.  Staying in shape is one way to increase your life expectancy.  Weight bearing exercises are important also for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age.

Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising.  The problem is where and when to get the job done.  With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.

Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders.  As you age, especially once you hit the age of forty, you begin to lose muscle mass.  For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem.  When the body is in need of calcium it can rob it from your bones.  Building muscle not only increases their mass but your strength.

Here are five easy toning exercises that can be done anywhere and whenever you have time.  At home, at the office, or on vacation, you can do these easy yet extremely effective exercises.

1. The Bridge Butt Lift – Sounds like a plastic surgery technique but it is an easy way to tone your buttocks.  Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart.  Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body.  Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor.  Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

2. Squats – Squats work the butt, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps.  If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair.  Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted.  Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair.  Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight.  Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release.  At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

3. Reverse Lunges – Lunges work the quadriceps muscles.  They can be hard for people with knee problems.  A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee.  Stand with feet together and arms at your sides.  Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot.  From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor.  Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

4. Pushups – This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles.  If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees.  Be sure your arms are tucked into the body and your back straight as you lower and lift your body.

5. Crunches – Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone.  Lying on the floor in sit up position, lace your fingers behind your head.  Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor.  Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position.

These five exercise moves can be done whenever you have time.  The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative.  Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage.

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