Dreams Work

No dream or goal is beyond reach that you are willing to work to achieve! Don't stop at dreaming...take it to the next step and make them reality!

Cucumber Slaw

This cucumber dish is so delicious and has almost NO CALORIES! It has 16 to be exact! I used my new slicer to cut the cucumber into slices, although they weren't very pretty, it was soooo good.

Ingredients:

1 mini seedless cucumber sliced thinly
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 packet truvia
Freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn medley to taste

How to Save Your Bananas

What do you do when your bananas go bad? Did you know you can freeze them? I peel them all, cut them in half and then place them all in a large freezer sized bag. Then I use them for my breakfast smoothies and they add the perfect sweetness, not to mention powerful post-workout potassium!

Any Way You Slice It

Yams are one of my favorite foods. After eating Gluten-Free for 7 years, I had to get really creative with the type of starchy carbs I ate. Yams quickly became one of my favorites. They are a complex carbohydrate, this means they are filled with fiber, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable which helps with fat loss. They are also a good source of potassium and B6 and other vitamins. There are several ways to cook them, but my personal favorite is to roast them. Peel, slice, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary and you've got a delicious side dish! Sometimes I cube them when I roast them or slice them into fries. You can also bake them like a regular potato or have mashed sweet potatoes. Any way you cook them, I promise they'll become one of your favorites as well!

How to Enjoy Fast Food Without Ruining Your Diet

After reading my blog for a while, you probably already know that I do not think that eating fast food is good for you. I have a whole blog entry regarding the foods I recommend instead. As far as your health is concerned, eating fast food can be very detrimental when eaten on a regular basis. Fast food is filled with trans fats, artificial fillers and chemicals. It is highly processed food and about as far from it's natural state as it gets.

I do however live in the real world. I understand that sometimes you have to grab food on the run. I, myself, will eat fast food from time to time. Remember our 80/20 rule? If you eat nutritious foods 80% of the time and the other 20% is less than optimal, you will still see results! Isn't that amazing!? There are a few keys to including fast food in your diet without sabotaging your results:

• Remember fast food should only be eaten occasionally
• If you are going out for a special occasion (like your Birthday once a year) then don't worry about the calories, just savor and enjoy it! 
• Just because you are eating out, doesn't mean you have to go all OUT. Make good choices while you are there like: 

1. Always ask for NO MAYO, NO CHEESES, NO DRESSINGS
2. Skip the sides-NO FRIES, sodas, or desserts, (if you need a side, opt for a small green salad with no dressing)
3. Have water or zero-calorie drink choices
4. Keep the total calorie content of the meal under 300 calories
5. Opt for half-sized meals, children's meals and other smaller portions

• Do not do what I call "death-bed cardio" to make up for a 1,000 calorie meal (that would take over 2 hours of running at an 8:00 minute per mile pace, in other words, 30 minutes on the elliptical isn't going to get the job done. It's much easier to PREVENT damage than to UNDO it.)
• Don't go to fast food restaurants when you are ravenously hungry. You will set yourself up for failure that way. Keep snack foods (like nuts and granola, cottage cheese packs, etc.) in ziplock bags in your car or purse.  

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of over 15 choices from Wendy's and McDonald's that are under 300 calories (keep in mind that these foods are still to be eaten only occasionally):

McDonald's

• Hamburger
• Cheeseburger
• Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich (no mayo)
• Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap Grilled
• Honey Mustard Snack Wrap Grilled
• Ranch Snack Wrap Grilled
• 6 piece Chicken Nuggets
• Premium Bacon Ranch Salad w/ Grilled Chicken (no dressing)
• Premium Caesar Salad w/ Grilled Chicken (no dressing)
• Premium Southwest Salad w/ Grilled Chicken (no dressing)

 Wendy's

• Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe (no cheese, no mayo)
• Spicy Chicken Go Wrap (no ranch)
• Homestyle Chicken Go Wrap (no ranch)
• Grilled Chicken Go Wrap
• BLT Cobb Salad Half-size (no dressing)
• Apple Pecan Chicken Salad Half-size (no pecans)
• Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad Half-size (no dressing, no croutons)

On a final note, I have one more thing to add. McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King are probably the worst offenders when it comes to calorie dense nutrient poor foods filled with trans fats and chemicals. There are other, far superior restaurants you can pick from. You don't have to go to a burger joint when eating out. I enjoy going to local soup & sandwich place where I know the ingredients are fresh and they will custom make my order. You can't really go wrong with a fresh turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread (minus the dressings of course.)

Locally, here in Utah, Kneaders is a great place to go. I used to work there (and they don't pay me to say this) but I've been behind the counter and I can attest to the fact that their ingredients are fresh and minimally processed. But even with healthy restaurant choices like Kneaders, you still have to beware of the little calories killers I mentioned above (dressings, cheese, nuts, oils, sauces, large portions etc.) Kneaders also sells delicious pastries, cookies, etc. so you'll still have to be cautious while making your choices. In other words, don't go there when you are starving!


Bottom-line, no matter where you go to eat out, you can make healthy choices. You are on your way to becoming a healthy person, let your choices reflect that!

Rachael's Transformation Story

Rachael

Her story
Rachael is one of the toughest clients I have trained (when I say tough I mean, tenacious and unyielding and that she is incredibly strong.) When she started my program, she was already in excellent cardiovascular condition and worked out regularly. She had completed a triathlon and enjoyed working out. But her workouts were ineffective for two reasons. She neglected to weight train and her diet was not in check. After learning how to incorporate fat burning foods into her diet and staying in "fat burning mode" through fat-blasting, metabolically stimulating workouts, she was finally able to break through a plateau and see real results for the first time in a long time. Incorporating the weight training helped to sculpt her body, and she put on 3lbs of muscle while dieting!

Rachael was not without obstacles along her transformation journey. She had to juggle being a mother to 3 young children, several responsibilities in her church and all this took place over the spring and summer when she had multiple vacations and trips! The odds were against her and she had several reasons to give up, but she never did. She was dedicated and willing to put in the work.

Because of her great commitment, she lost 16 lbs. of fat while simultaneously putting on shaping muscle. She finally looks like the athlete that she is! Completing such a challenging program has given her new confidence and a glow about her that just radiates. She plans to continue working with me, working towards her goal weight, but her transformation at the end of the 12 week program is amazing! With her focus and determination, I am sure she will achieve whatever goals she sets for herself!

What's For Dinner: Meatless Meals

Why should families limit animal consumption?
Let me start by saying, I am not a vegetarian. I have many friends that are, and I admire their commitment to eating and adapting their diet and lifestyle in such a way that they do not need to consume any animal products. I don't think that you need to be vegetarian to achieve optimal health, (and I certainly don't teach my clients that) but I do think that limiting animal products consumption is a good idea.

Meatless Meals
About twice a week, I try to make a dinner without any meat. (They aren't vegan meals, I still use chicken broth, eggs and dairy products, etc.) I do this for a couple of reasons.

• First of all, vegetarian sources of protein are usually cheaper (beans versus chicken.) This helps cut my grocery costs.
• I like the fact that most plant based protein is full of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that are so important to your health.
• When you limit animal consumption, you limit the amount of saturated fat in your diet. A diet high saturated fats contributes to heart disease and obesity.
• Personally, I don't have a moral problem with eating meat, but I do have a problem with eating it in excess and not being prudent and moderate with animal consumption. There are lots of reasons for this other than the ethical, moral reasons, but I will save you the politics and just say that this is my very small way of contributing and limiting our family's animal consumption. 
• Another reason I like vegetarian dishes is that many of them are simple and easy to prepare. Opening a can of beans is so much faster than cooking chicken for a dish. 
• It forces us to try many new and diverse recipes. Our family really enjoys Mexican food, which is by far the easiest to adapt to a meatless dish. But there are many other ethnic dishes that are vegetarian to choose from! 
• Last of all, from a fat loss point of view, plant based proteins have less fat and fewer calories than their animal based counterparts! 

Here's what we are having for dinner tonight!
(Recipe found at Vegetarian Times)

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The distinctive flavor of this soup comes from a sofrito, a puréed mix of onions, garlic, and bell peppers.

Directions

1. Sauté onion, bell peppers, and garlic in saucepan with a little water or vegetable broth over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables soften. Transfer to blender, and purée until smooth. Add 3 cups beans and 6 to 7 cups water; purée until mixture is consistency of thick soup.

2. Return mixture to saucepan, and add remaining beans, potatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf. Garnish each serving with diced red onion and green bell pepper.

Ingredient list

Serves 6

• 1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 6 cups cooked black beans, divided
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (2 1/2 cups)
• 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Diced red onion and green bell pepper for garnish

Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving:

Calories	321
Protein	18g
Total Fat	1g
Saturated Fat	<1g
Carbs	62g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	610mg
Fiber	18g
Sugar	4g

How can my family start doing the same thing?
Getting started is easier than you think. You don't have to eat tofu and hemp to start having vegetarian meals. What non-animal protein sources are available, and what are some good substitutions for meat in your family's favorite meals? Here is a wonderful, informative list that I found at Vegetarian Times to give you some ideas:

MAKE IT MEATLESS Ingredient Substitute Meat Beans, cheese, seitan (wheat meat), tempeh (cultured soybeans), textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu Meat/seafood stocks Vegetable stock, water in which beans, pasta, or vegetables have been cooked, vegetable bouillon cubes, miso (fermented soybean paste) diluted with water Seasoned or smoked meats Flavored soy meat substitutes, crumbled tofu seasoned with fennel, parsley, and garlic, canned chipotle chiles, roasted vegetables, toasted nuts, smoked tofu, smoked cheeses Gelatin  Agar-agar (powder or flakes), arrowroot (powder), guar gum (made from seeds), xanthan gum (made from corn), kudzu powder

MAKE IT VEGAN Ingredient Substitute Buttermilk Clabbered soymilk (1 cup soymilk mixed with 2 tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar) Cheese Soy- and nut-based cheeses Cheese or ricotta cheese Crumbled tofu Eggs Ener-G Egg Replacer, 1 mashed banana or 1/4 cup applesauce per egg (best for baked goods); 1 Tbs. agar flakes whisked into 1 Tbs. water and chilled for 5 minutes (for an egg white substitute), 1 Tbs. ground flaxseeds simmered in 3 Tbs. boiling water for 2 minutes Mayonnaise Soy-based mayonnaise Milk Nut milk, rice milk, soymilk

MAKE IT LOW-FAT Ingredient Substitute Creamy soups and sauces Nonfat strained yogurt, soymilk, puréed roasted vegetables, cooking rice in soup then puréeing it Oil in baked goods Applesauce, puréed bananas, puréed cooked prunes Oil for sautéing Vegetable stock, wine, vinegar Salad dressing Vinegar or citrus juice thickened with puréed roasted red peppers, carrots, onions, or garlic Sour cream Strained nonfat yogurt White sauce Puréed white beans

MAKE IT ALLERGEN-FREE Ingredient Substitute Butter Clarified butter (milk solids have been removed), olive oil, sesame oil Chocolate Carob Cows’ milk Goats’ milk, soymilk, rice milk, nut milk Cows’ milk cheese Goat cheese, sheep cheese, soy cheese, nut cheese Eggs Ener-G Egg Replacer, 1 mashed banana or 1/4 cup applesauce per egg (best for baked goods); 1 Tbs. agar flakes whisked into 1 Tbs. water and chilled for 5 minutes (for an egg white substitute), 1 Tbs. ground flaxseeds simmered in 3 Tbs. boiling water for 2 minutes Peanuts Almonds Wheat flour (for baking) Flours made from barley, buckwheat, corn, kamut, oats, rice, rye, spelt Wheat pasta Pasta made from corn, spelt, kamut, quinoa, rice

MAKE IT ETHNIC Origin Ingredient Substitute Americas Cactus pads (nopales) Green beans, okra Chayote squash  Yellow or green pattypan squash or zucchini Poblano or Anaheim chiles  Minced jalapeño chiles and green bell pepper Posole (dried hominy)  Canned white hominy Asian Bok choy (Chinese white cabbage) Beet greens, kale, Swiss chard Chinese cooking wine Dry sherry Chinese five-spice powder Mixture of anise seed or star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and cloves Galangal (Thai ginger) Fresh ginger Lemongrass Lemon zest Lotus root Jicama or water chestnuts Mirin (Japanese rice wine) Sweet white wine Nam pla (Thai fish sauce) Soy sauce and lime juice Rice wine vinegar Cider vinegar, white wine vinegar Sesame oil 1 Tbs. sesame seeds fried in 1/2 cup vegetable oil Thai basil Italian basil Water chestnuts Jicama Indian Atta (chapati flour) 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour plus 1/2 cup sifted whole-wheat flour Chana dal Split yellow peas Curry powder Mixture of ground ginger, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric and fennel Garam masala Mixture of 1 tsp. cardamom seeds, 1 Tbs. cumin seed, 1 Tbs. coriander seed, 2 tsp. black peppercorns, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. cloves, and 1 tsp. nutmeg Jaggery (coarse palm sugar) Date sugar or brown sugar Toor dal, urad dal, mung dal Red lentils Mediterranean Broccoli rabe Broccoli plus arugula or dandelion greens Cannellini beans Great Northern beans, navy beans, red kidney beans Fava beans Lima beans or butter beans Fennel Celery plus some fennel or anise seeds Parmesan cheese Any hard, aged grating cheese such as Asiago, Romano or aged Monterey Jack Pine nuts Walnuts or a mixture of walnuts and almonds

MAKE IT ALCOHOL-FREE Ingredient Substitute Red wine Pomegranate juice or 1/2 cup water with 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar White wine Vegetable stock, apple juice, carrot juice Wine or beer Non-alcoholic wine or beer