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....:-)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Protein Bar Storage
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.
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
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 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!!
Monday, January 30, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Eggs are what's for breakfast!!!!!
These are the Spelt Tortillas. Whole Foods has them for $4.99. LOVE these things~
Monday, January 23, 2012
Almond Butter & Ricotta Bagel Thins
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
You have been WARNED~ Hope you love it as much as I do.....xoxo
Ezekiel Toast & Eggs
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
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.
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
- heat olive oil in pan over med heat.
- add mushrooms and bell pepper and saute 7-10 minutes.
- stir in port wine and cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.
- Wisk together milk,eggs, ricotta and next 5 ingredients in large bowl.
- Stir in mushrooms,spinach, and parm. .
- Pour into pie crust. (It will seem quite thick with ingredients, but that is okay.)
- Bake on lowest rack at 400 for 40 minutes or until set.....knife inserted into center comes out clean.
- 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.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
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
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
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
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.
Friday, January 13, 2012
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....:-)
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....:-)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
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!!
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!!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Surviving the weekends~
Ahhh~it's Monday. It's the beginning of the week and time to get back to work. Today is the day where you look back at your weekend and either you stuck to your plan or you didn't. It's a struggle for even the most health conscious people and has been one my biggest struggles personally. That ONE cheat meal that we allow ourselves to have often leads to a cheat day which turns into a cheat weekend. The weekend for most is Friday night dinner out, that get together on Saturdays, and most likely family Sunday dinner too.
I had a dear friend ask me recently while we were sharing our goals for the coming year if it really is a huge deal to cheat on the weekends considering my size and activity level. My answer was of course, Yes. I know without a doubt that my weekend habits play a major role in reaching my personal fitness goals. I feel like most of my HARD work through the week is definitely derailed by the weekend. That was confirmed when I read an article yesterday (Thanks Kim Dolan Leto) that was a serious eye opener.
There are 365 days per year with 104 weekends. That's 261 workout days (IF you are consistent) and 104 cheat days (you will be consistent) which break down to be 1/3 of the time you are cheating. No doubt your results will suffer greatly if you cheat the weekend. Now that's a game changer for sure!!
I'm not suggesting that we never have those little indulgences that we love but I am warning you that it's a slippery slope. I do believe having a cheat meal is just as important as sticking to the plan. No one can be perfect all of the time~we are all humans and it's a learning process. The most important thing to remember is that if you do stay consistent, results will be greater, and I can tell you from personal experience that there is no better motivator than RESULTS!
Food for thought:
Whether you pat yourself on the back for a job well done or slap yourself on the wrist for falling off the wagon, don't give up! This is a process! Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are healthy habits and strong bodies! You've got what it takes~BELIEVE in yourself and NEVER give up! Remember~ success isn't measured by how many times you fail~it's getting right back up that counts!
Stay tuned for the other half of my "weekend" post!
Jess
I had a dear friend ask me recently while we were sharing our goals for the coming year if it really is a huge deal to cheat on the weekends considering my size and activity level. My answer was of course, Yes. I know without a doubt that my weekend habits play a major role in reaching my personal fitness goals. I feel like most of my HARD work through the week is definitely derailed by the weekend. That was confirmed when I read an article yesterday (Thanks Kim Dolan Leto) that was a serious eye opener.
There are 365 days per year with 104 weekends. That's 261 workout days (IF you are consistent) and 104 cheat days (you will be consistent) which break down to be 1/3 of the time you are cheating. No doubt your results will suffer greatly if you cheat the weekend. Now that's a game changer for sure!!
I'm not suggesting that we never have those little indulgences that we love but I am warning you that it's a slippery slope. I do believe having a cheat meal is just as important as sticking to the plan. No one can be perfect all of the time~we are all humans and it's a learning process. The most important thing to remember is that if you do stay consistent, results will be greater, and I can tell you from personal experience that there is no better motivator than RESULTS!
Food for thought:
Whether you pat yourself on the back for a job well done or slap yourself on the wrist for falling off the wagon, don't give up! This is a process! Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are healthy habits and strong bodies! You've got what it takes~BELIEVE in yourself and NEVER give up! Remember~ success isn't measured by how many times you fail~it's getting right back up that counts!
Stay tuned for the other half of my "weekend" post!
Jess
Thursday, January 5, 2012
What IS Clean Eating??
I've been reading fitness magazines for years and admiring all of the women's physiques which is definitely motivation, folks. Obviously they worked out and so do I but I kept asking myself what is the missing link here. I knew it was diet (how they ate...not these fads everywhere) but I wasn't sure exactly what that meant for a fitness buff. I did notice however, that they all kept throwing out the phrase....Eat Clean. "I work out and eat clean." Hmmm, what exactly does Eat Clean mean? I figured they ate really healthy but I still wasn't exactly clear on how to Eat Clean. Those of you who know me well know that I'm a researcher by nature so I began my quest to find out exactly how to Eat Clean. I discovered Tosca's book Clean Eating and quickly ran out to pick up a copy. Prior to this I had read the ABS Diet for women and discovered the 12 Super Foods and those were what I ate primarily. It made sense and we will get into those later. They are fantastic and should be incorporated into everyone's diet. I was eating "clean" mostly and didn't even know it!!
The principles of Eating Clean are really very simple:
~Eat foods whole in their most natural state ie: foods with the least amount of processing possible
~Eat frequently (every 2-3 hours)
~Portion Control
In a nutshell~Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Avoid processed, chemically laden, refined foods. If boxed, canned foods are a necessity, and sometime they are, pick the ones with the LEAST amount of ingredients as possible. You should be able to pronounce what is in your food otherwise, it has preservatives and chemicals (the bad stuff). I personally, prefer to "make my own" whatever it is I need if possible, i.e. pasta sauce, beans, etc. They can always be frozen.
It sounds a bit scary at first but once your body is off the garbage they fill our foods with you actually crave fresh, whole foods. Fruits, veggies, dairy, nuts, whole grains, lean meat, fish, and WATER!!! Lots & lots of water. My pantry has very few items in there now. It actually looks a little bare. I grocery shop every Monday for the items I need for the week and occasionally need to make a quick stop by the store late week to make it through the weekend but It's to worth it. I have felt better in the last year than I've felt my whole life. When you think of your body as a car and your food as fuel it gives you a whole new perspective on what you put in your mouth. Cars are replaceable but we only have 1 body!
I just passed my book on to a friend and wish I could give EVERYONE their very own copy. I gave my sister in law a 2 year subscription to the magazine for Christmas~that's how much I believe in it.
This is just the beginning of a wonderful journey to becoming the healthiest we can be!
We will get more into foods, food prep, and planning ahead next time! Yes, we have to PLAN!!
Food for thought: Most people do more research on what electronics they will purchase and don't give the foods we put into our bodies a second thought.Food is the largest expense second to our mortgages and we don't even blink about filling our carts and spending our hard earned money on chemically engineered foods. Open up your pantries and freezers and look at the ingredients labels on your "boxes". I bet ya you can't pronounce half of the 10+ ingredients listed...:-)
Until next time~
Jess
The principles of Eating Clean are really very simple:
~Eat foods whole in their most natural state ie: foods with the least amount of processing possible
~Eat frequently (every 2-3 hours)
~Portion Control
In a nutshell~Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Avoid processed, chemically laden, refined foods. If boxed, canned foods are a necessity, and sometime they are, pick the ones with the LEAST amount of ingredients as possible. You should be able to pronounce what is in your food otherwise, it has preservatives and chemicals (the bad stuff). I personally, prefer to "make my own" whatever it is I need if possible, i.e. pasta sauce, beans, etc. They can always be frozen.
It sounds a bit scary at first but once your body is off the garbage they fill our foods with you actually crave fresh, whole foods. Fruits, veggies, dairy, nuts, whole grains, lean meat, fish, and WATER!!! Lots & lots of water. My pantry has very few items in there now. It actually looks a little bare. I grocery shop every Monday for the items I need for the week and occasionally need to make a quick stop by the store late week to make it through the weekend but It's to worth it. I have felt better in the last year than I've felt my whole life. When you think of your body as a car and your food as fuel it gives you a whole new perspective on what you put in your mouth. Cars are replaceable but we only have 1 body!
I just passed my book on to a friend and wish I could give EVERYONE their very own copy. I gave my sister in law a 2 year subscription to the magazine for Christmas~that's how much I believe in it.
This is just the beginning of a wonderful journey to becoming the healthiest we can be!
We will get more into foods, food prep, and planning ahead next time! Yes, we have to PLAN!!
Food for thought: Most people do more research on what electronics they will purchase and don't give the foods we put into our bodies a second thought.Food is the largest expense second to our mortgages and we don't even blink about filling our carts and spending our hard earned money on chemically engineered foods. Open up your pantries and freezers and look at the ingredients labels on your "boxes". I bet ya you can't pronounce half of the 10+ ingredients listed...:-)
Until next time~
Jess
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Dreaded "D" word No More
Happy New Year, everyone!
Looking forward to what 2012 has in store. I am so excited to finally have this blog up and running. It's something I've been wanting to put into place for quite a while now, so this is the perfect time for me to do so!!
It's the time of year when we all reflect on the year that's passed and plan for the year ahead. Every one of us have things we wish to do a little differently so we create our list of resolutions. The number one resolution that I hear from everyone is to loose weight, workout more, and get back on or start a DIET! Yep, the dreaded "D" word.
I remember the days when I tried every diet out there and it didn't take me long to realize I was starving myself, my energy plummeted and I was loosing muscle that I worked hard to build. I lost weight but not the healthy way. Soon, I was OFF my diet and continuing the "yo-yo" cycle that we all get caught up in. No wonder people never reach their goals. There are a million different promises out there, many different paths down "Easy Street" and it's all so confusing. Eat this not that, do this not that and they all contradict one another. It's Easier to just give up thinking this is just too much WORK! I don't have time and I haven't even made it to the gym yet. Yes, a healthy lifestyle is BOTH nutrition and fitness. The two go hand in hand.
The one thing (secret) that I have discovered along this journey to become the healthiest person I can be, and the ONE thing I want to share with you all is really simple. Health isn't obtained through a DIET, it's obtained through a complete LIFESTYLE change ~ Eating Clean and Exercise. Diets have a start/stop~on/off mentality. We are either on a diet or we are not on a diet or we are about to go on a diet which never happens. People think of dieting as deprivation. Most people associate diets with horrible tasting meal replacement shakes or frozen, prepackaged meals that God knows what kind of bad stuff they are made from. No one looks forward to "getting healthy" and who can blame us~life seems so bleak once we think we have to start dieting again. Well, I've got something to tell ya~
When you change your lifestyle...that's it. It becomes a way of life. When we look around at the foods that we CAN eat and not the foods that we CAN'T eat it's amazing at how much we have to choose from. I love, love what I eat and I now understand why people call food beautiful. We tend to make things much more difficult than they have to be because that's what's been driven into our heads about health and fitness. That was until I discovered Clean Eating. Once I figured it out it really became that simple.
I will get into the basics of Clean Eating by Tosca Reno next time. This book really solidified the change I needed to make. I have so much to share with you. I want to pass along to you what I have learned over the years and simplify it a little for ya!! I want you to start looking at your life with a "I CAN and I WILL" attitude.
Food for thought: I want you to really open your minds and start thinking more in terms of Diet vs. Lifestyle change and totally open yourself up to a new approach. I truly believe this is the key to success.
Looking forward to what 2012 has in store. I am so excited to finally have this blog up and running. It's something I've been wanting to put into place for quite a while now, so this is the perfect time for me to do so!!
It's the time of year when we all reflect on the year that's passed and plan for the year ahead. Every one of us have things we wish to do a little differently so we create our list of resolutions. The number one resolution that I hear from everyone is to loose weight, workout more, and get back on or start a DIET! Yep, the dreaded "D" word.
I remember the days when I tried every diet out there and it didn't take me long to realize I was starving myself, my energy plummeted and I was loosing muscle that I worked hard to build. I lost weight but not the healthy way. Soon, I was OFF my diet and continuing the "yo-yo" cycle that we all get caught up in. No wonder people never reach their goals. There are a million different promises out there, many different paths down "Easy Street" and it's all so confusing. Eat this not that, do this not that and they all contradict one another. It's Easier to just give up thinking this is just too much WORK! I don't have time and I haven't even made it to the gym yet. Yes, a healthy lifestyle is BOTH nutrition and fitness. The two go hand in hand.
The one thing (secret) that I have discovered along this journey to become the healthiest person I can be, and the ONE thing I want to share with you all is really simple. Health isn't obtained through a DIET, it's obtained through a complete LIFESTYLE change ~ Eating Clean and Exercise. Diets have a start/stop~on/off mentality. We are either on a diet or we are not on a diet or we are about to go on a diet which never happens. People think of dieting as deprivation. Most people associate diets with horrible tasting meal replacement shakes or frozen, prepackaged meals that God knows what kind of bad stuff they are made from. No one looks forward to "getting healthy" and who can blame us~life seems so bleak once we think we have to start dieting again. Well, I've got something to tell ya~
When you change your lifestyle...that's it. It becomes a way of life. When we look around at the foods that we CAN eat and not the foods that we CAN'T eat it's amazing at how much we have to choose from. I love, love what I eat and I now understand why people call food beautiful. We tend to make things much more difficult than they have to be because that's what's been driven into our heads about health and fitness. That was until I discovered Clean Eating. Once I figured it out it really became that simple.
I will get into the basics of Clean Eating by Tosca Reno next time. This book really solidified the change I needed to make. I have so much to share with you. I want to pass along to you what I have learned over the years and simplify it a little for ya!! I want you to start looking at your life with a "I CAN and I WILL" attitude.
Food for thought: I want you to really open your minds and start thinking more in terms of Diet vs. Lifestyle change and totally open yourself up to a new approach. I truly believe this is the key to success.
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