Sugar, Sugar~

Good Morning~Hope you are having a good week so far. I'm amazed at how quickly time is flying. For almost 2 weeks (already) I've been using the FitnessPal app and I absolutely love it. I used one last year and the food database was terrible so logging was a pain in the rear. I was very resistant to start this time but I'm sure glad I did~they even have specific recipes that I've gotten from my Clean Eating Magazine already in there....how awesome is that?

One of the main reasons I wanted to begin logging my food is to try and see exactly what my macros are so I can get a clear picture of what I need to tweak.  I mentioned macros before ~they are the ratio of fat/carbs/protein and for me SUGAR! This is the calculator I use http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutrients_calculator.htm. There is a link at the bottom of my blog also as this is one of my go to sites for info.

These days the calories aren't quite as important since my weight goal has been achieved. I'm more concerned about fat loss & gaining more muscle (which may even lead me to consume more calories).  This is where the macros come into play and most importantly for me~the SUGAR! I can't begin to tell ya what an eye opener the journaling has been. If you ask me I will flat tell you that I avoid sugar and don't consume very much~well, boy was I WRONG!! I cannot believe how much sugar I am still consuming and I'm trying to avoid it like the plague~YIKES! Imagine people who don't even pay attention to their sugar consumption....they are probably eating cups per day! It's scary, scary, scary! I can't even begin to imagine how much sugar my husband consumes as he puts sugar on Raisin Bran and it almost gives me a heart attack, sigh. That's one for another day....:-(

If you haven't already~find the ABS expert on Facebook and friend him~he has all sorts of tips and he said something the other day that really struck a cord with me~if you want to see your abs you need to get your sugar consumption down to 18 grams per day!!!!! Ha~I'm not even close. Even the veggies that I juice have some sugar in there~I mean, red cabbage, which is one of my favorites to juice has quite a bit of sugar in it~who knew!

I know a lot of us (including my hubby) who watched the Dateline or 20/20 special about Sugar being poison a few weeks back and I tell ya~I do believe it! One of the leading causes of the onset  of Type 2 Diabetes in adulthood is sugar and white carbohydrate consumption since our bodies convert that to sugar also~and it's in everything!! Always read your labels, try to stay below 5 grams of sugar, and try to get sugar from natural sources~fruits and veggies. Even staying below the 5 grams on packaged items (we do have to consume some unfortunately), the 2 grams here~1 gram there adds up over the course of the day! Now, the guideline for 18 grams or less is to see abs but for most of us on a normal basis~it's virtually impossible to stay below that amount~even if you just eat two pieces of fruit per day, early in the day, we are going to be over that! So that's just something I threw out there and not a realistic number to follow~interesting stuff though!

My point is this~sugar, in any form other than natural, is bad, bad, bad. It's highly addictive~when you go without sweets for some time, the craving for them goes away, and as soon as you eat something sweet, what happens~you start wanting it again!! Happens to me too! Read your labels~ if ends in "ose" or syrup~it's sugar!!! If you don't have your settings on your FitnessPal calculating your sugar consumption~set it up to see what you are consuming! It's a big part of the process especially in loosing belly fat and a real eye opener!! Don't give up the fruit though~just don't eat it like candy either!! I'll definitely have to watch it since berry season is upon us and I love my berries!!! Have a great weekend!!

Food for thought:
Drinking sugar is the easiest form of sabotage!! Be careful especially with the fruit juices. Eat your fruit~don't drink it! Believe it or not, it took an entire bag of apples, juiced, to make 2 cups~now that is scary! Would you eat an entire bag of apples?

Accountability with Food Journaling

Hope you had a wonderful Easter. It's so hard to believe we are already almost half way through April....yikes. Seems like this year is flying by and has been busier than usual, hence not enough time for blogging. I'm still here so stay with me...:-)

As we round the corner of Spring, bikini season is on our heels and I'm not quite where I need to be~how about you? Those weekends, holidays, and the upcoming cookouts are definitely recipes for disaster if we don't tread lightly. I know I completely blew it for Easter so now is the time to buckle down and tighten up the  "cheat" eating~there's still time. We do deserve to enjoy our holiday meals and our weekend cheat meal but those are supposed to be just one meal, not an entire weekend. We all know the saying~give and inch, take a mile....LOL. As I've said before~it is a slippery slope.  I am just as guilty  especially if my mother ~in~ law's chocolate creme pie is around....:-) The best way to really be held accountable and honest about everything we eat is to do a food journal. I logged my food last year and quickly realized I wasn't eating enough food. This is an excellent way to see a complete blueprint especially for those of us concerned about macronutrients (the ratio of carbs, protein, & fat). Sometimes it isn't just the calories but the carb to protein ratio could be slightly out of balance, or it could be the sneaky sugar in unsuspecting foods. Manipulating the breakdown can make a huge difference in the long run of results.

Our smartphones are an invaluable tool to use in tracking food. It's convenient and hey~who leaves home without it!! I've tried a few different apps over the years for logging food and it seems that www.myfitnesspal.com is the best out there. Thanks to all of my friends who are using it and have recommended it to me. This one even allows you to calculate the calorie content of your personal recipes which is huge.  It definitely takes a little extra work every day to log your food but it is worth it. Sometimes just knowing you have to put it on paper enough to keep us on track. None of us are perfect and as we know~the weekends can totally kill all the hard work we put in during the week if we aren't careful.

For those of you already using the fitness pal app~look me up.....I'm Jessboisvert . Let's keep one another accountable~I love seeing all the hard work you guys are putting in. So incredibly inspiring. Keep it up ladies~

Love

Jess

SMOOTHIE SEASON~MY FAVORITE!!

It's that time of year, folks. Whether we are ready or not~it's not too late so don't put off starting just because it's right around the corner. For those of us who have been "started"...it's time to kick it up a notch into HIGH GEAR!! One of my absolute favorite snacks this time of year is smoothies!! There are a gazillion recipes out there for them but I prefer to come up with my own concoctions. There are a few simple rules to follow when making your smoothies in order to make sure you have all the proper nutrients but not too much! The basics are:
* liquid- 1 cup (8 oz) is all you need. It's one serving.
Unsweetened Almond milk, Flax milk, Soy milk, Coconut milk, Fat Free Milk, Coconut water, or even just plain water.
*Carb~ there are a lot of variables here depending on when you are drinking the smoothie but I simply prefer uncooked, raw Oats. 1/4~1/3 cup. If it's after a hard workout or run I'll add a banana.
*healthy fat~almond butter or other natural nut butter 1 tsp., coconut oil 1 tsp., 1/2 avocado
*Whey~I never, ever, ever make a smoothie without Whey protein!!

other additives: flax seeds (ground), kefir (unsweetened, organic, low fat), berries & other fruits (frozen are perfect, Greens (spinach is my favorite)


I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes with you~play around and be creative!!!

YUMMY~

Jess

Chicken Taco Salad

This salad is fantastic!! Enjoy!Who needs Taco Bell...:-)...:-)

 Two Chicken Meat Muffins***
6~7 Romain Hearts cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c. black beans
1/4 fresh avocado chunks
1/4 c. goat cheese
Tiger hot sauce to taste OR salsa


***
~1 lb. ground chicken (organic/free range if possible)
~2 eggwhites
~1/4 c. whole grain breadcrumbs (Ian's)
~1 tsp. each of ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, & smoked paprika.
~1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
~few douses of Tiger hot sauce

Sprinkle tops of muffins with more smoked paprika if desired prior to baking!

Bake 350 for 45 mins. in muffin tins~makes 6!!

Be creative when using the mexican flavored muffins~makes wonderful wraps, salads, pasta salads, etc. Have fun with it!

Broccoli & Eggs~

Eggs with a side of Broccoli or
Broccoli frittata . There are quite a few ways to enjoy this super breakfast. Try it~you won't regret it!! 

Spinach Pasta

Who doesn't love pasta? I certainly do especially with an Italian hubby~So, I cook two different types of pasta so I can enjoy it also. I always cook extra and measure it out in bowls for lunch the next few days. Add leftover sauce or enjoy with tuna or salmon drizzled with lemon juice and a 1/2 tsp. EVOO.....Yummy!

REMEMBER: 1 serving of pasta = 1/2 cup......measure it out until you know what that looks like!!

An Appointment with YOU~

As we move more into fitness, first things first~MAKING TIME for yourself. Everybody says the same thing..."I dont' have time to work out". No one has time~you have to make time. I literally have drawn up a workout calendar that specifies exactly what to do each day. Once that cycle is complete I make a new one and change it up a bit.  It's on my fridge right in front of my face. If I don't put it on the calendar and schedule it like an appointment then it doesn't happen. Also, figure out what time of day is best for you and stick with it. The only part of the day when I have time is very early in the morning. If I don't go then~I won't go. I prefer the hours before the regular day begins, that way I don't feel guilty about taking time away from my other obligations. The hours between 5 am ~ 8 am are MINE!!

Now for those of you with kids~I hear it all the time..."I have kids, I don't have time to workout". Ladies, everyone I know has kids and I can't even imagine how tough it is .  I've got to tell ya~I'm amazed at what some of you are able to accomplish. Most work full time, run businesses, have multiple children, some have multiples, and you still  make time for taking care of yourselves. I'm in awe of your ability to manage it all~sometimes I struggle without having the lil people in my life, so kudos to you. You are MY inspiration and help keep my tail on track....:-)

So, make sure to write it down. Try and stick with somewhat of a schedule to make it easier. Once you have a routine down you'll be more likely to stick with the plan. Remember~failure to plan is planning to fail.

Hugs~

Jess

Food for thought: 

Consistency is key to success. It takes 2-3 weeks to create a habit! Summer is just around the corner so make your habits count...:-)

FINDING YOUR "THING"

Morning everyone~ As I sit here on Sunday morning, awake before the sun comes up, waiting to get out the door to run 12 miles~I can't help but think of a time in my life where I had things I loved to do but not really a thing, MY thing that truly made my soul happy! My husband has always had his thing ~golf, of course, but me? I have many, many hobbies I love and do them often, some seasonal such as gardening or sewing, reading or cooking, but never something that I was so passionate about that it was life changing~I'm so proud to say that, at 35 years old, I finally discovered MY thing~RUNNING. Once you discover your passion, outside of family, work and children (for you moms), something that is all yours, it will change your life and open you up to things you never thought were possible.  I hope to encourage you to look deep inside yourselves or challenge you to try something new, in hopes of discovering yours~everyone needs that something~oddly enough, I discovered mine by trying something new!!

As I'm finishing up the last 2 weeks of my  third half marathon training  program, I am amazed at how far I've come. I've actually become a pretty decent runner and am continuing to grow. I've never felt so proud of anything in all my life. There's something about crossing that finish line that gives me goose bumps and makes my heart sing~and my eyes cry..:-) Yep, to this day, I still cry after every big race!!  There's so much adrenaline and emotion inside my little body and I haven't quite figured out what to do with it or how to process it....LOL. I'm determined this time to cross the finish line with a smile on my face!!

It's funny how everything sort of just falls into place. I have worked out for years but never felt really passionate about it. Two and a half years ago, when I discovered running, that's the point where my life truly changed. Now, it all goes hand in hand. Running has fueled my love affair with health, fitness, and nutrition and it has all come together. My knowledge, self esteem, and  strength (both physically and mentally) have all grown as a result. That's why I feel so inclined to share my experiences~My philosophy is this and I say it often: If I can do this....YOU can do this (or whatever THIS is). I see so many people struggle in many ways and I only hope to encourage you to get up, get out, try something different, challenge yourself to grow~or rediscover something that you once loved but have let fall to the wayside. You deserve to feel great~both inside and out. Watch yourself transform from the outside in....It's truly amazing.

Just a little motivation and inspiration for you today!!! Have a great week ahead!

Jess

Food for thought:
You can achieve anything you put your mind to if you just try. Most people don't even try, not just with fitness, but with life in general. If you feel stagnant~do something, anything to get yourself going~I promise you, It WILL be worth it....xoxo

VEG UP~

Get those veggies in the tasty way!!

1/2 head read cabbage (small)
3 carrots
handful parsley
bunch of asparagus (I reserved the stems after cooking the tips to juice instead of throwing out)
6 kale leaves
1/4" ginger root
1 pear

Serve immediately over ice~makes 1 large glass!!

Enjoy!

REFRESHING~

This is the best drink to date~ Serve over ice!

• 1 med cucumber
• 3 med carrots
• a few sprigs of parsley
• 1 stalk celery 

 ENJOY~

Finally~A JUICER

It's Monday already. With last week officially gone and  the weekend to regroup~I welcome the start of a new week. I was so off track and overwhelmed  last week with my Aunt being hospitalized and  I'm happy to say she should be going home soon. More than ever it has become evident of the importance of taking care of our bodies~both inside and out, which leads us to the topic for today.....Juicing. We've heard about the benefits of juicing and seen all of the TV infomercials for the those super machines so it definitely piqued my interest.

A few years ago at a friend's house, they had the Vitamix juicer that her brother had brought over so his family could juice at the cookout. Seemed a little odd that someone would bring a juicer to a party but I obviously had no idea what the family had been going through. The wife had cancer and juicing was one of the ways they were being proactive in the fight. The family swore by it so my ears were open. I watched as  he chunked in all the leftover fruit and veggies from the party tray~an interesting way to use it all up. The green liquid pouring out of the spout most definitely didn't look appetizing~that's for sure. I was hesitant to try it but what the heck~I gave it a shot. Much to my surprise~it's was actually quite tasty!!

Fast forward a couple of years......my lifestyle has changed drastically health wise and I've been considering  juicing for quite some time now.  I just never took the plunge with the machine because they aren't necessarily cheap and I didn't want to get a machine and have it be a waste of money. With all of the controversy over the orange juice being stored in barrels up to 5 years, arsenic in the apple juice and so forth, it has been on the forefront of my mind more than ever. My husband is a juice drinker and has not drank conventional juice in  several months due to the shocking information that has come to light. So, over the weekend, I got a machine. One of my dear clients had bought the one on TV and never used it, saw that I was hand squeezing lemonade for my husband, and offered to barter with me for the machine~she got her hair cut and I got a juicer~I am THRILLED!!

 You know I ran out to Whole Foods as quickly as possible to get me some foods to juice~I couldn't get there fast enough. I picked up apples, oranges, and lemons for Bob and carrots and ginger for myself. So yesterday evening, I got out that juicer and was ready to go. I was amazed at how easy the juicer was to use and clean. I've also been reading up on it and am amazed at all of the juicing recipes available. What an incredible way to add all of our daily requirements of veggies and some fruits to our diets~raw and in their most beneficial state. The one thing to keep in mind is SUGAR though~don't juice more fruit than you would normally eat in a serving so I would limit it to one type of fruit per serving~I'm mostly interested in the "Green juicing" as it's not possible to eat enough veggies.  My first glass of juice was delish!

3 small carrots with the skin
1 medium sized beet with the skin
1 cup spinach
1 small apple with the skin

This one contained a little more sugar than I would like so I'll have to really pay attention~beets, carrots, and apples are all sugar dense so I would only use this recipe once per week. With beets being a blood builder and detoxifier it's recommended to only use once per week especially in the beginning.

This one I had this morning after my 9 miler. I figured it would be the perfect time to load my system with juice for recovery. The carrots and apple would replenish my glycogen stores and I followed with eggwhites and chicken sausage.


1 cup spinach
1 med zucchini with skin
2 carrots with skin
1" ginger root
1 small apple with skin


This one was more of a "green" juice and was good but different. I really didn't realize how spicy ginger is so be careful~we are juicing veggies so it'll take some getting used to the taste. It wasn't bad at all~just different. 

Thus far, I can tell you that the effects of the juice are definitely cleansing. Isn't that what we are after though~to cleanse the toxins from our bodies and become the healthiest we can be? I will be posting more juicing recipes and their benefits as I try them~


Until next time~


Jess..xoxo

Food for thought:


Many juicing combinations are designed for specific reasons, i.e., blood builders, detoxifiers, cleansers, and energy. Now, I'm not saying to run out and buy a juicer~but do stay tuned...Who knew...:-)





 

Cottage Cheese & Pumpkin

This is one of the easiest snacks and it's packed with power foods. Cottage cheese is a Superb source of protein and you know my love affair with pumpkin. I never thought I would say that cottage cheese is now one a staple in my diet~Wow!!
  

• 1/2 cup canned or fresh pumpkin 
• 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese (I use Nancy's Brand found at WF...it has the least amount of sodium)
• 1/2 tsp. Stevia
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• scant handful of pecans or walnuts 

Tip: Cottage cheese is the best food to have as a late night snack if you find yourself hungry before heading to bed. It has Casein protein which is a slow digesting protein and keeps the muscles from breading down while you sleep.
 

Organic~SchmOrganic! The Great "O" debate!

So, this one is a tough one~I've always laughed at the very few of my friends who ate "organic" and thought they were a tad on the nutty side. Who would spend that much money on food and then turn around and tell you about it~Oh, we eat Organic? Little did I know~I would become "that person"! Yikes! 

There's so much information out there, so many opinions, so I sat down at the computer and did my research on just what this Organic thing is all about. This quest began when my husband, who has been grocery shopping with me a handful of times in 11 years, wanted to try the milk with the cows on it.  Now, me being the shopper of the family, I almost had a heart attack~$4.69 for a HALF gallon of milk? Was HE nutty? I got in trouble for bringing home the Publix brand milk because I couldn't bear the thought of paying 4 bucks for a gallon of Mayfield...LOL! I'm not a milk drinker myself so it really didn't matter one way or the other to me.  Of course, I said "sure" since he rarely  asks for anything specific from the store.  His reaction was~"Don't every buy regular milk again. This tastes just like milk did when I was a kid".....So, little did I know, that expensive milk would change our lives!!

As I have said before~people do more research on electronics and everything in between but then turn around and buy whatever food is on sale because it has a coupon.  Funny thing is, you won't find coupons for the healthy stuff, that's for sure. Trust me,I about drove myself crazy trying to. The first objective I hear is that "we can't afford to eat organic".  Hey, I used to think we couldn't afford to eat organic either but let me tell ya~we can't afford not to. I tell this to my hair clients all of the time~that pair of shoes or purse that you spend a fortune on is an accessory and your hair you wear every single day. Same goes for the food we put into our bodies.  We need the best we can afford.  Besides~Target has CUTE purses for CHEAP!

Now, I am not saying for you to throw out all of your food and hop on the organic train. What I am saying is for you to do your due diligence and at least research it. Especially if you have children. The foods that we eat today is nothing like the food we ate when we were kids.  Everything does not have to be organic and you will eat yourself out of house and home if you even go there.  There are, however, certain foods that you really should buy organic. My rule of thumb is this:
 I follow the Dirty Dozen List, anything that I eat the skin to, and most of my animal products.  Here's the list of foods that are high in Pesticides~SCARY!!

The Dirty Dozen: 

Apples

Celery (who knew)

Strawberries and other berries

Peaches

Spinach, lettuce, Kale, Collards

Nectarines

Grapes

Red/Yellow/Orange Bell Peppers

Potatoes 

Sweet Potatoes (I do only b/c I eat the skin)

Milk

Coffee

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#fbIndex1

Check out the link and it'll will tell you WHY!! I will also have a permanent link to this and some other sites on organic eating on the blog.  We eat organic eggs, chicken (regular chicken makes me gag~it's sooo different), grass fed beef, local pork, milk, all cheese products, jelly (it's made from berries & grapes), and bananas.  Yes, bananas~they just taste better and last longer ~@ .88 per lb. it really isn't a big deal.

So, open your mind and at least look into it. You will be shocked at what happens to our food before we consume it~I was floored. If you stick to the basics then you'll be fine. Now, listen, I"m not trying to sell you on the fact that you must  eat organic in order to be healthy~I'm just saying that from what I've learned~it's worth it in our family. I use coupons on CLOTHES so that we can put our money where it matters.  We really don't spend more on groceries because A) I shop at Whole Foods where organics are their specialty (they are MUCH cheaper, contrary to popular belief) and B) I don't buy the junk food anymore ~so really our bill is about the same. We do spend more money on certain things~I'm not saying it's cheap but when you buy the good stuff and avoid the other stuff, it all balances out!

I hope this at least gets you thinking~I encourage you to go with what you believe is best for your family~This is something that I could go on and on about as I have learned so much  but I don't want to shove my beliefs down your throat~Do your homework. The information that I have found out has been a real eye opener  and believe it or not, the hubby is on board~he thinks it tastes much better also!

Hope you guys are enjoying the recipes & staying on track! I'll have the links up to some of my favorite sites for info just as soon as I can!! 

Until next time~

Jess~

Sweet Potato & Cottage Cheese~

Yep, this is a sweet potato & Cottage cheese sprinkled w/ cinnamon & Stevia!!!!! Don't knock it until you try it. This was one of those things that I discovered by accident b/c I needed protein for my potato and didn't have anything ready to go & I must admit~I was pleasantly surprised...LOL! So yummy!


Now, depending on what you have on hand and available to you quickly, you can either have an entire small potato w/ the cheese OR if you are like me, and need a ton of protein at every meal (snacks are small meals) then you can  enjoy it this way, also!

With one meat muffin~Now, that's Grey Poupon on my meat.....I can't get enough...:-)

Yummo!!

Steel Cut Oats

Steel Cut Oats~Do you know them? If not, do yourself a favor and get to know them!! They are delish, filling, & great for reducing belly fat ladies~ A staple in my breakfast ! 


Here's what you need:

• 1/3~1/2 c. oats 
• water~mix 1:2 1/2 ratio, oats to water, more if you like creamier
• vanilla whey protein powder OR egg whites (gotta have the protein)
• Cinnamon
• Topping of choice ~berries (organic if possible, fruit (organic if you eat the skin) or nuts

Add oats and water to small pot. Bring to a rapid boil and boil 10 minutes. Put a lid on and turn the burner off. Allow to steam cook a remaining 10 minutes. OR Boil for 15 total, stirring often. 


Topping: This time I used apples cut up, sprinkled with cinnamon, covered w/ press n seal, and microwaved 2 minutes. Perfect!!

Add your whey protein powder and mix well~it takes a moment to get it all mixed in!

ENJOY~

What 's for LUNCH?

"What should I eat for lunch? A salad"?  I can't count the number of times I get this question.  I may be the wrong person to talk with about salads. Don't get me wrong, I love salads and eat them from time to time,  but me personally~I need lots of protein. My husband always laughs at me because I'm a MEAT girl...! The biggest misconception is  if you eat a salad then you must have had a healthy lunch, right? Not necessarily. By the time you add all of those little "toppings" and then pour on the dressing, well~you've just bombed your lunch.  Salads are really GOOD choices IF you make wise decisions when making yours~ add lots of protein and have your dressing on the side. Better yet, make your own and then drizzle it on or dip your fork in there before you take each bite~that will l make the biggest difference amongst my salad lovers...:-)

So what do we eat for lunch, then? I am a huge proponent of leftovers. We all need something quick and easy so if we've prepared for the week properly and/or made "extras" at dinner the night before, then lunch will be a snap. I always cook more meat & veggies than we need so I can use it for the next few days in a wrap, mixed in with rice/quinoa  or in a "salad"...see, I do eat them! I'll share with you quite a few of my choices for lunch. The main thing to remember is to have a protein, complex carb  & a healthy fat to fill you up and get you through the next 2-3 hours  until it's time to eat again. Remember, we are eating  5-7 times per day in order to keep our metabolism in HIGH GEAR and our blood sugar regulated.

Protein:

Canned or fresh Tuna (chunk light in water..... my personal favorite is skipjack ~Albacore rarely due to the mercury content)

Canned or fresh Salmon (wild caught when possible) Salmon counts as a protein and healthy fat.

Chicken Breast or Ground chicken breast

Pork tenderloin or loin chops

Lean Steak

Bison

Turkey breast (this is where the meat muffins come in handy)

Lean ground beef (grass fed when possible)

Tofu for my non~meat eaters

*any of the ground meat can be used for taco meat, meat muffins, burgers, etc.  Think of all the yummy foods you would normally eat and go from there.

Complex Carbs:

Sweet potatoes

brown rice

quinoa

Beans, Lentils, & other legumes

whole grain bread (Ezekiel is best)

Arnold Whole Wheat Deli Flats (I call it flatsie bread) are fine also. I like to have a burger from time to time and these are what work best for me.

whole grain wraps

whole grain pastas (spinach pasta is great also)

Most veggies~broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, yams, cauliflower, greens, etc.  

Fruit 

Healthy fats (in moderation, of course)

Natural peanut or almond butter (notice this under the fats category and not the protein category..:-)

Avocado

coconut oil

olive oil (if you make your own dressing w/ vinegar and evoo then you have your "fat")

raw nuts/almonds

**be sure to check your serving sizes on your grains. 1 serving of these. If you are still hungry~fill up on your veggies. If you are lifting weights and working out (which you should be...:-)~a rule of thumb is 1~1 1/2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Calculate how many meals you are eating, realistically, and divide that by the number of grams of protein you should be getting and that will give you a guideline as to  how many grams of protein per meal.

I'm building my lunch, snack, and dinner portfolio and will be posting more about specific meals, recipes, etc.  Please let me know if you have any questions!. I hope this is at least helping you get going in the right direction. I really wish I had a solid week to put everything on here but I don't, unfortunately. My real job is making people look beautiful!!  This is something else that I love and am passionate about. I do promise, it's all coming. Once we get the food basics down, then we can move on to the FITNESS part~my favorite~as I say, it starts in the kitchen, ladies. 80 percent diet....20 percent working out. We don't want all of our hard work in the gym to be wasted if we aren't eating CLEAN!!

Take care, find your motivation & Stay tuned~

Love~

Jess

Protein Bar Storage

Put them into smaller freezer bags first and remove as much air as possible. 

Store them in a "master" freezer bag, in the freezer (again, removing as much air as possible) so that you can grab only what you need for the next couple of days~They won't last more than 2 weeks, I promise....:-)

Pumpkin Protein Bars

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin~I simply can't get enough! One more fantastic way to enjoy getting your  muscle building protein & vitamins A,B, K, & E~Tastes like pumpkin cake...:-)


1/2 C. Sucanat (organic brown sugar cane)
1 - 4 oz. jar baby food applesauce or organic applesauce
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp.  clove
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
1 - 15 oz. can raw pumpkin
2 C Oat flour
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 C almond milk (or any other unsweetened, non~fat milk variety)
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350. 
Spray a 9 X 13 glass baking dish with non-stick spray. 
Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well. 
Add the final 3 ingredients (4, if adding walnuts), and mix until incorporated. Spread batter into the Pyrex dish and bake for 30 min. 
Makes 24 squares.

Lemon Protein Bars

These are my absolute favorite protein bars to date~I double the batch...xoxo

1 cup oat flour
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 qt mix Crystal Light (preferably without aspartame)
4 egg whites
1/2 cup Splenda, Stevia or Ideal
1 c.  baby food applesauce or organic regular applesauce
1/2 c.  water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix oat flour, vanilla whey protein, salt, baking soda and crystal light, in large bowl.
Mix egg whites, Stevia, applesauce and water in a bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
Spray 8x8 glass baking dish with non-stick butter spray. (if doubling, use a 9x13)
Pour ingredients into dish.
Bake 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

 Makes 16 squares, 2 squares per serving. 

Recipe courtesy of Jamie Eason..:-)

**these do not have preservatives and must be refrigerated. Only keep enough in the fridge to last a couple of days and freeze the rest.

Prepared for the week~

So now that we know we need to prep all of our foods for the week~here's what I made on Sunday and Monday in between a busy, busy weekend.

We have Lemon Protein bars on the left and Pumpkin Protein bars on the right. They look a little cracked but I forgot to take a pic before I cut them up..:-) These will be packaged up into several small freezer bags and frozen for use throughout the next 2 weeks or so~can we say DELISH and HEALTHY!!

 Here we have the Meat Muffins that were made on Sunday. While those were baking, I made quinoa (I'll post the recipe), measured into 1/2 c. serving so I can grab and go. Go ahead and make your pre~measured containers~it makes packing your cooler so much easier. Quinoa makes a great base for the muffins, tuna, salmon, chicken, etc. Of course, we have boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, and fresh collard greens. Gotta have our greens, ladies...:-) 


So this will get me through the next few days. The Meat muffins have been individually wrapped and will be frozen so they will remain fresh. I also have cans of wild caught tuna & salmon so I'll have variety. 


I'll have the recipes up for the protein bars and the quinoa here shortly! I hope you all are learning how to prep your own favorite foods....:-)



Love~Jess!!
 

Meatloaf Muffins

Talk about convenience food. These are so easy to make and you have lunch/dinner in a snap. They are  packed full of protein and so yummy. I mean, who doesn't love the comfort of meatloaf that's perfectly portioned?

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs LEAN meat ( grass fed beef, ground turkey breast, ground chicken, bison)

4 egg whites

1 c. Quick oats

1/2 c. fat free milk (flax or unsweetened Almond milk is best~I used flax)

1 shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. dry mustard or Dijon 

2 tsp. celery salt

1/2 Red pepper chopped (optional)

1/2 c. chopped, fresh spinach (optional~used in the turkey ones)

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray 12 cup muffin tin w/ Olive oil spray.  Gather and measure out all ingredients. If you are using 2 different types of meat, halve the ingredients for each bowl of meat mixture. Soak milk and oats while mixing everything else. Saute  shallots, red pepper, & garlic (add last) in 1/2 tsp. Olive oil. Mix meat mixture and everything together and put baseball size amounts into muffin tins. Try and get it as equal as possible. 

 (I used 1 lb. of Bison and 1 lb. of Turkey so I could have something different each time)


 2 lbs. of meat will make 12 muffins. Bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy~

Be creative but make sure if you vary the ingredients, they are not calorie dense foods. I play around with my meats, veggies and spices. Sometimes, I'll add a pinch of feta to the turkey ones or in lieu of Ketchup, I'll add chopped tomatoes before cooking. Keep the basics the same. If freezing, cool completely, wrap each muffin in Press n Seal, and package 2 per freezer bag or put them in an airtight plastic container. That way you can grab only what you need.

Eggs are what's for breakfast!!!!!

EGGS are hands down one of the best foods around for building muscle ladies. Packed with 6 grams of protein, they are protein powerhouses.  I eat so many eggs that I need my own chickens...:-) Play around to find your favorite way to enjoy them~Below is one of mine!!

 Begin with a small omelet pan sprayed with Olive Oil spray.  Add your egg/egg whites (1 yolk/4 whites=30 grams of protein) to the  pan being extra careful not to break the yolk. It's the only one we have...:-)

Cover the eggs and make sure the steam vent on the lid is open. The steam will cook the egg without having to flip and possibly break the yolk.

These are the Spelt Tortillas. Whole Foods has them for $4.99. LOVE these things~

Add 1/2 c. fresh Organic Spinach

 Top w/ a few sprinkles of feta and YUMMO~ Breakfast in about 5 minutes, flat!!

Almond Butter & Ricotta Bagel Thins

 Well, this pretty much speaks for itself. Here's your warning~these are addictive and GOOD for you.....

1 Whole Wheat Bagel thin, slightly toasted~be careful not to toast too much or it'll become crunchy

1 tsp. each half of the bagel ~make it quick so it's melty but it will drip through the whole 

3~4 tsp. of low fat ricotta cheese (I use organic Whole Foods brand)

Fresh berries of your choice~*

Lightly drizzle with Agave nectar or wild honey~both are super rich so you only need a smidge

*I try to buy local, seasonal organic berries due to the pesticide content and the fact that we eat the skin.  If it's not  berry season~grab frozen ones. Nuke them for just a few moments and they are almost as yummy as fresh!!
 
 You have been WARNED~ Hope you love it as much as I do.....xoxo

Ezekiel Toast & Eggs

This is one of the absolute quickest breakfast meals around. It's takes minutes to prepare and let me warn you~it's absolutely delish~yum, yum.

2 slices Ezekiel toast, toasted in toaster or toaster oven
1 tsp. each slice of Almond butter~get it on there while the toast is still hot so it's melty
1 hardboiled egg~already prepared
Garnish with fresh berries of your choice~I love them ALL

Djion Encrusted Salmon

Salmon~I simply can't say enough wonderful things about this nutritional super fish. Packed with all the Omega~3's  you can imagine and the Essential Fatty Acids or EFA's  (good fats) which are a wonderful for heart health, memory, skin, hair, and yep, metabolism and fat loss~So eat up, ladies!

1 lb. salmon or larger~(if larger, double or even triple the recipe )
1 clove minced garlic
1/8 tbsp. crushed red pepper
2 tbsp. dijon mustard (I'm a Grey Poupon snob)
4 tbsp. lemon juice halved (2 for mustard mixture and 2 to be added to white wine
white wine (enough to barely coat bottom of glass baking dish)
1/4 c. Whole grain bread crumbs (Ian's brand are best)
Parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Coat bottom of pan with wine and lemon juice. Be careful not to cover the top of fish. Pat Salmon dry with paper towel so that the mustard mixture will adhere properly. Mix garlic, red pepper, mustard, and 2 tbsp. of lemon juice. Cover the Salmon filet generously.  Top with bread crumbs and garnish with parsley flakes.

Bake 20 minutes or until desired doneness.

This is a larger portion, so I doubled the amount of ingredients, cut it up into serving sized pieces to use for lunch the next 2 days. Cook once, eat 2-3 times~Now that's efficient!!


ENJOY~

Healthy Spinach Mushroom Quiche

The original recipe for this delicious quiche was passed on to me by a client of mine. It contained heavy cream, lots of swiss cheese, real pie crusts and whole eggs. I went on a mission to try and make a healthier version so I could still enjoy one of my favorite, go to quiches~especially when I need to take a dish to a ladies brunch. It's makes a beautiful presentation and has that extra "something". 

• whole wheat frozen pie crust, in tin (whole Foods freezer section)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (original called for butter)
• 1 8 oz. package fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 small red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp. port wine (or apple juice)
• 1 c. lowfat or fat free milk (original called for heavy cream)
• 1 large egg and 4 eggwhites (original called for 3 eggs)
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 c. fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 c. low fat ricotta (original called for a block of shredded swiss)
• 1/4 c. Parmesan

Directions

1. heat olive oil in  pan over med heat.
2. add mushrooms and bell pepper and saute 7-10 minutes.
3. stir in port wine and cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.
4. Wisk together milk,eggs,  ricotta  and next 5 ingredients in large bowl.
5. Stir in mushrooms,spinach, and parm. .
6. Pour into pie crust. (It will seem quite thick with ingredients, but that is okay.)
7. Bake on lowest rack at 400 for 40 minutes or until set.....knife inserted into center comes out clean.
8. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pre~measure all your ingredients before starting. It makes cooking go so much quicker.

Saute  the mushrooms and peppers~don't forget to add the port wine as this is the "extra" something...:-)

The mixture will be thick 

I included the "original" ingredients so you can see why I substituted with the ones I did. The milk is obviously more liquid than the heavy cream, so I added the lowfat ricotta and Parmesan instead to get the same thick consistency  and the not loose the cheese~ricotta added extra protein and Parmesan tastes great w/out the added calories~

ENJOY!!

TIP:  Double the ingredients and make two. You can freeze the quiches for later use but if you do so, freeze BEFORE cooking. Place on a cookie sheet, uncovered and "prefreeze"  just enough so the mixture won't spill. Wrap in press and seal, tightly and then double wrap in heavy duty foil. Can be frozen up to 2 months. Remove from freezer and bake as usual adding 10-15 minutes to cooking time. This one I baked last night while we ate dinner, cooled completely, wrapped in foil and put in the refrigerator. Microwaved a slice this morning for a super quick breakfast. Will last for 2-3 days.

FOODS LIST: Breakfast

It's Thursday and my blogging has been a work in progress. Thank goodness I'm figuring out how to design the page. I'm certainly not a computer genius so I'm very  grateful for youtube. Stay with me ladies,  I'm working on some good stuff.

I want to dig a little more into WHAT foods to eat. I know many of you have asked for specific lists, menus, recipes, etc., So we will begin with the Food List: Breakfast~eat within and hour of waking.

Breakfast~The most important meal of the day. If you don't start off with a well rounded breakfast, then you are setting yourself up on the wrong foot for the rest of the day. There are so many choices for breakfast that take only minutes to prepare:

EGGS~Scrambled, healthy "fried:, boiled, poached (they taste different when prepared differently so you don't feel like you are eating the same thing over and over. I keep 2x 18 count cartons on hand at ALL times.  I only use 1 whole egg and use 4-5 whites which is very filling and high in protein.

WRAPS: Whole grain wraps, tortillas are ideal. Ezekiel makes wraps. Rudi's Organic Spelt wraps are my personal favorite and can be eaten for any meal. The mexican style tortillas are not what you are looking for. They've been overly processed.

BREAD: Ezekiel is best as it is a sprouted grain , won't spike your blood sugar, and has a reasonable amount of calories in there. There are some other brands out there so look around and read your labels.  Never any breads that have "enriched, bleached" on the ingredients label. It's trickery. Whole wheat is ok but whole grain or sprouted grain is BEST.  Look at the calorie count. Usually, what's on the label is for 1 slice of bread...:-)

OATS: Steel cut oats are the best. Don't be intimidated by the cooking time. Here's a little secret: Boil for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and cover w/ a lid. They'll be ready in 10.  If you get regular oats, make sure they aren't the "quick" cook.  You can always microwave to cut down on time.

WHEY: Mix into your oatmeal to make sure you get your protein. Always, always, have a carb AND protein. You need the carb to effectively deliver the protein to the muscles and it will keep you full longer. Make a smoothie~if you are having a smoothie as a meal~put your cooked oatmeal in there to "fill you up"

GREENS: Who says you can't have your veggies for breakfast? I eat them daily with my eggs. Spinach, kale & broccoli are my go to fillers for my breakfast. As Dr. Seuss says, I do like Green Eggs, I do like them, Sam I am!!

FRUIT: While we are trying to be mindful of our sugar content, Fruit is great for you and should be consumed during your early meals. I try not to have fruit the last few meals of the day because sugar is sugar, but we must have our fruit ladies~be creative and try fruits you haven't ever had. Eat seasonal. It's gets us out of our boxes and we actually discover many things we wouldn't have known before.

CEREAL: This is a tough one as most are sugary deserts. Ezekiel, Cascadia Farms, or Kashi would be the only ones I recommend. Be aware of the sugar content. If it has "berries,vanilla flavor, etc" is loaded with sugar. Get the plain ones and add your own berries.

PANCAKES/FRENCH TOAST:  Yep, we can have these yummy foods. Make your own though. I have some wonderful recipes I'll be sharing. The pancakes can be made in batches and frozen, topped with almond butter & berries, and are absolutely delish. The possibilities are endless. Add protein powder during the mixing and poof~everything you need is in there!! French toast with Ezekiel bread is fantastic especially when made with almond or coconut milk.

MILK: Fat Free dairy is ok. Unsweetened almond, Rice, Hemp, Soy, &  Coconut milks are fine. No sweetened versions~they are loaded with sugar.

COFFEE: I don't add creamers b/c of the calorie content. I do not drink my calories. It's a huge no~no. Add Stevia and learn to like it black. It's the best way once you get used to it. I'm fortunate to shop and Whole Foods where the flavored coffee is plentiful so that's where I get my flavor from.

WATER: Down as much as possible first thing. Remember ~2-3 liters a day is a lot so drink up first thing to get started!

Creativity is KEY here folks. I personally, enjoy eggs daily but not everyone loves them as much as I do. I'm always coming up with new ideas to try. . Try new things~I eat things now that I never thought I would even taste.

I will be posting specific recipes along with pics under the Breakfast tabs so stay tuned! Next will be lunch ideas! Have a great day and stay on track!

Food for thought:
Once you know what to eat then you can come up with your own crazy concoctions. Maybe the whole wheat bagel thins, toasted, with a teaspoon of almond butter, cottage or ricotta cheese, berries, and a drizzle of honey. How does that sound

Kale Egg Spelt Wrap

The number one objection that I hear from everyone is "I don't have TIME" to make breakfast. Well, I'm here to show you that you DO have time for Breakfast~The most important meal of the day to Break Your Fast!  This one takes just 5 minutes and provides all the necessary muscle building, satiating components~whole grains, protein, veggies!!

1 hard boiled egg (stocked in the fridge from earlier in the week)
1/2 c. cooked or frozen Kale (zapped in the microwave for 2-3 mins)
1 Spelt tortilla (Rudi's Organic Bakery are best)
1 tbsp. feta
Sprinkle bacon bits(optional)

Roll and enjoy with a side of fruit.

Super Foods

Most of the time, when we think of eating, we rely on our taste buds and cravings to determine what we shall have for our meal. We eat what we want simply because it's what we like and we are entitled to it, right?. Trust me, I used to be one of the pickiest eaters around and wouldn't even try new things because I didn't like the way  it looked yet, I'd  run off to have fast food sometimes up to 3 times per day. Why? Because I wanted to enjoy my food and really didn't even consider that it just may not be good for my body.

One thing that has changed the most about me is how I think of food.  When you start to think of food in terms of fuel for the body it sheds a whole new light on the subject. We definitely wouldn't even think of putting sub par fuel in our vehicles. If the Mercedes calls for premium, would you dare put anything but? We have to change our mentality in order to change anything else about ourselves. So, let's get down to what we need to eat to properly fuel our bodies, keep our tanks full, & our engines in tip top shape!

Earlier, I mentioned the ABS Diet. The eating plan primarily focuses on what they call the 12 Super Power Foods. I have built and still continue to build a large portion of my meals around these foods. Before I discovered Clean Eating, these were my "go~to" foods. Ironically, they are all clean foods...:-)

12 Super Foods

Almonds & other nuts
Beans & Legumes
Spinach & Other green veggies
Fat Free Milk/Dairy
Oatmeal
Eggs
Lean Meat
Natural Nut Butters
Olive Oil
Whole Grains
Whey Protein Powder
Raspberries & Other berries

Visit the website to see a complete listing as well as their benefits and their imposters~It's good stuff~
 http://www.absdiet.com/uof/absdiet/withemail/power12.html

Ideally, you want to include around 3-4 of these in each of your meals and a couple in your snacks~ Always having a lean protein source with a whole grain. All of these foods are yummy and a lot of them I eat every single day such as eggs, spinach, & whey.

With Clean Eating, you can eat ALL of these foods but I would suggest instead of the instant oats use Steel Cut oats(they are minimally processed). Most often, if it's "quick cooking" it's been processed in order to be that way.  Learn to read your labels~enriched whole wheat is NOT the same as whole grain. The ingredients must read whole grain. Spelt, barley, rye, quinoa (technically a seed), whole grain brown or wild rice are all good clean grains. Do your due diligence and read up on how to eat clean or grab yourself a copy of Tosca's book........http://www.eatcleandiet.com/tosca_reno.aspx.

She also has a magazine that has wonderful recipes: http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/. You can also browse the site for recipes so bookmark it in your toolbar. 

Make sure you are eating small meals spread  equally throughout  the day. At first, this may seem daunting and unnecessary. You may feel like you are forcing yourself to eat when maybe you aren't hungry. Your body will become accustomed to it and you will need it. The idea behind it is that if you eat smaller balanced meals, you  will keep your blood sugar levels regulated, your energy levels will stay more consistent, and your body will be in a constant state of calorie burn working to digest the food. Couple that with exercise and your body will soon become a fat incinerating inferno! That's the goal, sisters!

I will put together some sample food lists and ideas of meals that I have found to be wonderful and we'll get into the "Dirty Dozen"

Jess


Food for thought:

When thinking of food as fuel, only eat enough to get you through to your next meal. We are eating for ENERGY and don't want to become Sloths after our meals. We all know that feeling...LOL. Eat on smaller plates. It's much easier  for portion control and eat slowly~it takes 20 minutes to realize you are full....:-)

Efficient Kitchen~weekends part 2

We left off with how to survive the weekends and stay on track with your health and fitness goals. The other part of "weekends" since most of you work normal schedules consists of prepping your meals for the coming week. My weekends are Sunday and Monday so that's when I get mine done. This step is absolutely a must in order to be prepared for success. If you do not plan, you will not be on the best path for achieving your goals. Failure to plan is planning to fail~plain and simple.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I don't go anywhere without my little blue cooler. Even while shopping and running errands~I have my cooler with the food I'll need while I'm out.  Once your body is accustomed  to eating on a schedule, if you are caught without your food, you will grab whatever you can. I eat 5-7 meals per day and my body is trained to know it's time to eat. It's clockwork, every 2.5~3 hours.  If I am unprepared and I get hungry, I usually turn into "Linda Blair" as my husband calls me, or I grab the bad stuff, which isn't so good either.  This sounds much more difficult than it really is. Once you get in the habit and have the leg work done~it's easy peasy!

I often call my kitchen Jess's Efficient Kitchen. If I am home for any length of time something is cooking. I know the  "bulk" foods I need so I'll boil my eggs for the week, bake my sweet potatoes for the week, cook up my rice or quinoa, make sure I have protein bars made and in the freezer.....you get the picture. I'm always thinking AHEAD. If we are having pork or chicken for dinner, I'll cook enough for leftovers for the next couple days. I'll throw beans in the crockpot, divide them up into single servings, and freeze them. Cooking extra is not any more work than cooking for the meal you are about to consume  When you are preparing for your day, you simply grab enough to satisfy the number of meals you will need while you are away and that's it. It's pretty simple.

Everyone  plans our grocery list already, so take the extra few minutes to  plan all 30 meals for the work week (6 meals per day, 5 days per week)  and you'll be on your way. You will soon have a system down and some "go to" meals/foods that are your favorite which make it even easier.   Imagine how much time, MONEY, and unnecessary calories you'll be saving by eating all of those meals from your very own kitchen. It's amazing how creative you'll become and I promise you~loving your new Clean Eats and maybe even cooking too! You are on your way to having the best body, both inside and out, that you could have ever imagined.

Once I figure out how to upload pics, I'll post some of how to organize your fridge/freezer!



Jess


Food for thought:
Soon you will established the foods you like and have trained yourself to be efficient in your very own kitchen and  you'll never leave home without your cooler. This to me plays one of the biggest roles in really taking control of your health and your body. You are already eating properly at home so now you'll be eating well away from home!!