Healthy Midnight Snack: Yogurt Covered Strawberries

A lot of peoples biggest weakness' is eating to late. When you eat late, you usually sit around or even worse fall right to sleep which leads to food not being burnt or properly digested. So theory's like "no food after 7pm" came around and for some that's hard to stick to. So heres a light and healthy snack you can have at night that won't kill your diet or stomach: Yogurt Covered Strawberries;

Dip some strawberries (halved or whole) in vanilla yogurt (Greek might be best, because it's thicker), then lay them on a wax paper lined pan and freeze Voila: Yogurt-covered strawberries! Depending on the type of yogurt you just made a roughly 90 calorie snack.

Maximize Your Time Workout

Your legs are easily your biggest muscle group yet you rarely ever ask someone how much they squat. Leg routines burn a ton of calories due to the face most leg exercises use other muscle groups (not counting machines). So here's a leg loaded full body workout you can do at home or at the gym. Use weights heavy enough that your arms get a good workout during the upper body and combination exercises while focusing on getting low into the Squats. Also don't forget to sit back during leg exercises with a straight line from knee to ankle and keep your knee behind your toes with your chest out. Do all 3 exercises in the group circuit style for set reps then rest and move to the next group after 30-60 sec.

Group 1) 3 sets of 10
Low Squats, Push Press, Bent Row

Group 2) 3 sets of 15
Squat to High Pull, Front Squat, RDL

Group 3) 3 sets of 10 (10 each Leg/Arm)
Lunge, Push Up, Renegade Row

Group 4) 3 sets of 12
Feet Elevated Hip Bridge, V-Up, Russian Twist

Remember form is key here so focus, activate your glutes and shed some fat

Lemon Cubes: A healthy time saver

By now most people know the benefits of drinking lemon water throughout the day. For those of you who don't know, here's a quick rundown of the benefits;

1. Boosts your immune system: Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds. They’re high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium also helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH: Drink lemon water everyday and you’ll reduce your body’s overall acidity.

3. Helps with weight loss: Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings.

4. Aids digestion: Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials.

5. Is a diuretic: Lemons increase the rate of urination in the body, which helps purify it. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin: The vitamin C component helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. It can actually be applied directly to scars to help reduce them.

7. Freshens breath: Not only this, but it can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis.

8. Relieves respiratory problems: Warm lemon water helps get rid of chest infections and halt those pesky coughs.

9. Keeps you zen: Vitamin C is one of the first things depleted when you subject your mind and body stress.

10. Helps kick the coffee habit: After having a glass of hot lemon water, Most people actually don’t crave coffee in the morning.

Now normally people who do this need big just of water to put the lemons but that can tedious so here's a stylish way you can add for yourself or when you have guests over and it's super easy.

Take a small/average size cupcake pan. Slice up some lemons. I suggest just a wedge or 1/8 of a lemon in each one. Fill each one with water and put the pan in the freezer. Half hour later and tada, trendy lemon cubes that can fit in normal glasses and still look nice. Also this works with cucumbers which if you saw the movie OTHER GUYS “The cucumber accents the water in such a way that..." which also has similar health benefits to lemon water.

Tip: Grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it.

Tip: Warm lemon water has the best effect but cold is still efficient.

Food For Thought: Veggie Chicken Stir Fry

This is a great meal for a busy night--for some added fun, leave the forks in the cabinet and bring out the chopsticks! 148 CALORIES

Veggie Chicken Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS
1 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 t hoisin sauce
1 c warm water
1 T cornstarch
1 t peanut or olive oil
1 t garlic, minced
1 t ginger, minced
1 t Thai hot sauce
2 c mushrooms, sliced
2 c broccoli slaw or chopped broccoli
1 c carrots, shredded
1 red pepper, roasted
2 c chicken breasts, cooked and cubed


DIRECTIONS
Makes 4 servings

1. Combine the soy sauce, hoisin, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl.

2.Stir to combine; set aside.

3.In a flat bottomed pan or wok set to high heat, add the oil, garlic, ginger, and Thai hot sauce.

4.Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the vegetables and chicken.

5. Stir fry, moving all ingredients in the wok quickly for 3-4 minutes. Add prepared sauce and continue to cook until the liquid thickens.

6.Serve with brown rice or rice noodles.

Number of Servings: 4

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
FAT: 2.3g
CHOLESTEROL: 41.0mg
SODIUM: 265.3mg
CARBS: 12.7g
DIETARY FIBER: 2.7g
PROTEIN: 18.9

Know Your Trainer: Buyers Guide to Personal Training

Knowing what your trainer is good at and capable of is almost as important as knowing your own goals. Like my mission statement says, the fitness industry is flooded with a ton of junk. Sadly a lot of that falls onto trainers too. Now everyone and their mother (literally in some cases) think they're trainers almost as much as girls who take pics of themselves on facebook call themselves models. But back to the point, there's ALOT of trainers, and most fall into categories. If your a trainer, read over them and see which one you fall into for giggles and if your a client point out which ones you've seen at your gym. Here we go;

Lose 5lbs of fat at home..

No no, this isn't a call to dump you significant other as my friend assumed when I told her about the workout BUT it may still be more beneficial. As the picture shows, 5lbs of solid fat is not something sexy to look at. Think if you could just take something like that off your body for a little hard work and watch what you eat...would it be worth it?
Below is a workout you can do at home that only takes a half hour and with a healthy diet will get you on your way to that 5lb fat loss. SPOILER alert though; the routine is not for the faint of heart. Like most circuit training the goal is to finish as fast as possible but in a safe manner. Rest period time is up to you but take what you need. Sometimes it will only be long enough to catch your breath, other times it might take a full minute. No matter what push yourself and try to improve the speed you finish with each time even if it's only a minute faster. Without further ado here's the workout;

30 Jumping Jacks
5 Push Ups
25 High Knees in Place
7 Burpees/Thrusters
10 Crunches
7 Squats
5 push Ups
10 Crunches
5 Push Up
7 Squats
30 Jumping Jacks
5 Push Ups
25 High Knees in Place
1 Min Wall Sit

Rest, Repeat 2-5 times (5 is for someone in really good shape so don't fret if you can't do that many circuits right out the door, just keep it as a goal.) Also if any exercise seems to easy, like 5 crunches or 7 Squats just add a little weight. No need to be Ronnie Coleman but a 10lb dumbbell or 2 can really burn you out.

And there you have it. Do this three times a week. Clean up your diet by eating 5-6 healthy small meals throughout the day and make sure to rest. Nothing worthwhile comes easy but it is achievable..

15 ways to burn more fat

1) Stay Hydrated
2) Drink Low-fat Milk
3) Get More Vitamin D
4) Eat Iron Enriched Foods
5) Fight Fat with Fiber
6) Drink Coffee or Tea
7) Eat Breakfast Everyday
8) Eat More Heat (spicy peppers and foods like that speed up metabolism)
9) Drink Cold Water
10) Stand Rather Than Sit
11) Eat Organic
12) Eat More Protein
13) Go To Bed Earlier
14) Don't Starve Yourself, Instead Eat Healthier More Often
15) Take Advantage Of Holidays Like Valentines and Make Sweet Barry White Loving Since Properly Done Sex Burns Around 300 Calories

KettleBell HIIT: Not just for crossfitting

We've all seen kettle bells before, the look like cannon balls with handles. And as trendy as they've become (most spa gyms have a few now) they have actually been around for years. Thanks to things like cross-fit everyone started wanting to use kettle bells because they think it makes them look hardcore only to find out just how great they work. Combine that with some Tabata style 30 second on 10 second off circuits and you have a full blown fat burning workout in a few short minutes.

Change your "Fatty" habits

If your eating when bored or when glued to the type, you're not helping yourself. Here are five ways to control your worst eating habits.

1) LOSING CONTROL WITH FRIENDS: If you're hanging at your house, spread out some baked chips and salsa. If you're a guest, bring some. I personally fall in the habit of buying tons of pizza when my teammates come over. Opt for chicken tenders instead of wings as a side. They've got more protein and hold the barbecue flavor. When you've almost had enough to eat, reach for a piece of gum.

2) LATE NIGHT SNACKING IN FRONT OF THE TV: If you must munch, prepare smaller plates and eat only at the kitchen table, not the couch. (DVR your show.) Also buy individual-size portions of your favorite snack foods and stash them in the back of the cupboard or fridge. The harder it is to get at the food, the less likely you are to inhale it.

3) CRAVING JUNK FOOD AT THE OFFICE: Stay on a regular eating schedule. Bring your own healthy lunch and snacks, like nuts or fruit. For work lunches, set the tone by ordering first, selecting a salad or soup to start followed by a lower calorie entree. And just say no to the bread basket.

4) STUFFING YOURSELF AT FAMILY DINNERS: Break with tradition. Bring a low-cal dish but don't make it too healthy or it will attract unwanted critiques. Pile on your own plate with veggies, then take only small portions that you really love. If your relatives get on your back for not eating as much as you "should" ask for a doggie bag.

5) PIGGING OUT AFTER WORKOUTS: Eat something before hand. A combination of protein and carbs will prevent blood sugar from dipping so low that your tempted to eat more calories than you burned off. A slice of whole-wheat bread with all-natural peanut butter and a banana is one great pre workout option.

Now stop oinking and get training

5 Easy Ways to Drop 5 Pounds for the New Year

I'd like to share five simple strategies with you for shedding five pounds of fat before the holidays.

But first let me clear something up.

Weight loss can be put into two categories.

-The first is a fully concentrated effort. This is where you dedicate yourself to counting every calorie and slaving away in the gym. The pounds come off, but once you relax the regimen your weight goes right back to where it was.

-The second is a combination of simple lifestyle changes. This is where you change a few key factors about what you eat and how you exercise, without making it a fulltime job. This type of weight loss is gradual and permanent, since you are able to maintain it long term.

The five simple strategies below all fall into the lifestyle change category. These strategies may seem ridiculously simple, but do them over an extended period of time and you will see amazing, permanent results.

Strategy #1: Ditch Your Diet Soda

Studies are coming out that link diet soda to weight gain.
Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio concluded that those who drank two or more diet soft drinks a day had the largest waistline increases—about five times more than that of non-drinkers. They stated, "Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised: they may be free of calories, but not of consequences."

Bottom line: Artificial sweeteners are addictive, lead to waistline increases, and cause you to crave sugary foods. By cutting diet soda out of your daily routine, and replacing it with water, you will lose inches and pounds—effortlessly.

Strategy #2: Swap Sandwich Bread for Lettuce
Move over bread, lettuce is better.
It's time to re-define your sandwich. While bread has tradition on its side, lettuce wraps offer you weight loss and increased energy. Try my Tasty Tuna Lettuce Wraps recipe below.

Bottom line: Eating bread and other starchy foods always leads to extra pounds, so change your ways. Swap your sandwich bread for lettuce for 30 days and see how much you will effortlessly lose. I bet you'll feel more energetic after lunch too.
Strategy #3: Trade Slow Cardio for Intense Intervals

Doing slow cardio will not give you results.

In order to really make your workout effective, you need to turn up the intensity. If you love the treadmill, then do a series of sprints throughout your workout. If you're a swimmer, then push yourself extra hard every other lap.

Bottom line: Doing slow, easy cardio will not give you the streamline body you want. Only intense intervals will do that for you. Pepper your workout with bouts of intense cardio and watch as the fat starts to disappear.

Strategy #4: Avoid Sugar 99% Of The Time

Sugar will cause you to gain weight every single time.

There's really no way around that simple truth. Sugar is standing between you and your perfect body. If you're serious about looking and feeling great, then understand that sugar has no place in your diet.

Bottom line: If you avoid sugar 99% of the time, then you will be on your way to a lean and energetic body. If it's your birthday or a special holiday, then partake in a small amount of sugar, but make that the exception and not the rule.

Strategy #5: Exercise With A Professional (ahem ahem)

When I design your workouts, you know it will be good.

People who work with a personal trainer get better results than those who attempt to do it on their own. Just look at my clients and their amazing transformations, and you'll see what I mean. Each workout will push you to your limits, challenge your body and deliver the results you're looking for.
Bottom line: All of my clients expect to get the best workout of their lives each and every time they train with me, and my job is to over-deliver.
Call or email today and I'll get you started on a program that will get you to the body of your dreams.