“Making new friends was great and writing everything down I eat in the online journal really made all the difference.  I will definitely do the next Challenge and lose another 30 or more lbs”

Elaine also did something really smart.  She got her family involved.  She made sure her whole family knew she was doing the Challenge so they could help support her, and they really helped keep her on track.

To help motivate your family to keep you on track promise them a portion of your winnings and you’ll be surprised how much they will help (Great way to get your kids involved!)

Join our next 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge by clicking here

• 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, plain, fat free
• 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 scoop high quality strawberry or vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup fresh berries
• 1 Tablespoon or raw walnut pecan pieces

1. In a small bowl use a whisk to combine the yogurt, cottage cheese and protein powder. Mix until well incorporated.
2. Place half of the yogurt mixture into a clear cup, top with the berries and then the remaining yogurt mixture. Top with pecans.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 260 calories, 6g fat, 307mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 38g protein.

Power Packed Black Bean Brownies 

15 Ounces Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

2 Whole Bananas

1/3 Cup Agave Nectar

¼ Cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

¼ Cup Turbinado Sugar (Raw Sugar)

¼ Cup Instant Oats

½ Mini Chocolate Chips (Optional)

 Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8×8 pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine all ingredients except the oats and the chocolate chips, in a blender and mix until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips. Pour batter in pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool before slicing. 

Note: If brownies are too soft, add instant oats in ¼ Cup increments

Turkey Meatballs 

1lb Ground Turkey Meat

1 slice fresh whole-wheat/grain bread with crust removed, pulsed into crumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup fresh red pepper, finely chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

¼ cup egg subsititue

ground black pepper 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl without overworking. Form into 2½ inch balls.  Preheat sauté pan on low heat with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Place meatballs in sauté pan and brown evenly on all sides. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel to remove excess oil. 

Option 1: Place browned meatballs into prepared sauce and allow them to fully cook through.

Option 2: Pre-heat over to 350. Place meatballs in shallow pan and complete baking until done in oven, about 10-15 minutes. Check often for doneness so that meatballs do not dry out.

Low-Carb Chicken Quesadillas 

2 Low Carb Multigrain Tortilla Shells (Tumero’s is my preferred)

4oz Shredded Low fat or 2% Mild Cheddar

4oz Shredded Low fat or 2% Colby Jack Cheese

1 – Small can Diced tomatoes in water, drained

4-6oz Shredded Chicken breast

Green and red pepper, scallions to taste

Light olive oil

Grease a cookie sheet with regular or butter-flavored cooking spray and a teaspoon of light olive oil

Preheat oven to 350

Place a tortilla shell on the tray and brush top lightly with olive oil

Sprinkle cheese, chicken, tomatoes, peppers and onions over shell

Brush top of second tortilla shell with olive oil and place on top of shell laying on cookie sheet with the oiled side down. Lightly brush top with olive oil.

Cover quesadilla with tin foil and place in oven to bake for about 10 minutes to allow chicken to warm up and cheese to melt

Remove cover and bake for 3-5 minutes to crisp

Remove from over and cut with pizza cutter into wedges

Serve with low or non-fat sour cream

 Note: For the chicken breast, use leftovers or try the pre-cooked grilled chicken strips found in the meat department of most local stores. Perdue offers many options, just be sure to read the ingredients for preservatives and sodium.

Baked Ziti 

2lbs Whole Wheat\Grain Pasta (ziti, rotini, etc)

1 – 29oz can Tomato Sauce (Not spaghetti sauce)

1 – 29oz can Crushed Tomatoes

1 – Small can Diced tomatoes in water drained

1lb Reduced Fat or 2% Mild Cheddar

1lb Reduced Fat or 2% Colby Jack Cheese

Prepare pasta as normal to al dente.  While pasta is cooking, cut cheese into ½ inch cubes.  Drain and rinse pasta.  Pre-heat oven to 400.  Add pasta to large mixing bowl.  Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes to pasta bowl.  Toss pasta with the tomato sauce, crushed and diced tomatoes.  Add the cubed cheese to the pasta and toss as well.  Grease large baking or casserole dish with cooking spray coating bottom and sides Add pasta to greased baking dish and cover with tin foil.  Place in oven and bake covered for 30-40 minutes.  Remove tin foil and allow top to crisp up about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn (unless you like it extra crispy).  

Note: When shopping for tomato products, look for reduced sodium, organic options. Also, watch the sugar content or even search out a low-carb sauce option. Depending on your tastes, you can also substitute the mild cheddar for a sharp or white cheddar.

Pulled Barbecue Chicken

4-6 Pounds Boneless Chicken Breast – Remove any excess fat

12 Ounces of Beer or Apple Juice or water

Poach chicken breast in water, beer or apple juice to taste. About 15-20 minutes. Prepare barbecue sauce while chicken poaches.

Drain chicken and pat dry.

Shred chicken and place in slow cooker.

Stir so that sauce covers all of the chicken.

Turn cooker on low to warm chicken and sauce about 1 hour.

Serve or hoagie roll or make a lettuce wrap with some low-fat cheese. 

Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup low sodium ketchup

3 tablespoons packed dark Splenda brown sugar

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon salt

In a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients and whisk well to dissolve the sugar.

Yield: about 2 cups

Protein Packed Sesame Cashew Noodles

Personal Chef Christina Dimacali packed the house again at Fit-4-Life on Saturday.  Over 30 people braved the ice and snow to watch Christina’s culinary masterpiece. 

Make 4 servings
 
7 ounces Barilla Plus thin spaghetti

1/3 cup salted roasted cashews

1 large garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
2 teaspoons honey or agave
7 ounces lite firm tofu (such as Nayosa)
1 green onion chopped
1 small red pepper minced
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions.
2. In a blender or food processor add cashew nuts.  Coarsely chop, remove and set aside. 
3. To the blender add garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and tofu.  Blend until smooth.
4. When ready to drain pasta, place edamame in a colander.  Pour cooked pasta and water over the edamame and drain well. 
5. In a large bowl toss together pasta, edamame, soy sauce mixture, cashews, green onion, red pepper and cilantro. 
 
Nutritional info: 406 cal, 46.9g carbs, 15.2g fat, 2.4g sat. fat, 19.6g protein, 6.9g fiber, 312 mg sodium

Click Here For Healthy Food Substitutions http://personaltrainerincherryhill.com/weight-loss-workshop/

Recipe courtesy of Chef Christina Dimacali of Clean Your Plate, Philadelphia  www.CYPlate.com

The woman smiles. Yes, vegetables do sound healthy. So she orders the veggie pasta with a side salad and a diet soda, then sits back to enjoy a few slices of bread.

That’s a true story. Not surprisingly the woman was unable to lose weight even though she was exercising regularly.

It is said that 80% of your weight loss results are derived from diet, and the remaining 20% from exercise—so you can see how important it is for you to stick with a healthy eating plan.  We have assembled a menu of all the nutritional breakdowns for all of your favorite fast food restaurants – click here for all the details http://fitlifeinc.com/Fast_Food_Bible.html

Use the following tips as your guide to eating out right:
Appetizers
Appetizers are a great way to start out a leisurely meal, but can also derail your good intentions with a quickness.

Don’t Order

• Anything fried. Fried foods are a favorite, but will do damage that even the most intense workout won’t undo.
• Creamy dips. These are filled with fat and usually come with something fried to dip in it.
• Bread. It comes smothered in cheese or seeped in butter, and even when it’s plain it fills you up with more carbohydrates than your body needs.

Do Order

• Green salad. Ask for very light dressing and no croutons.
• Antipasto. A plate of thinly sliced meats, olives and cheese will start you off with some protein.
• Lettuce wraps. These are delicious, protein-filled and low in carbs.

Beverages
Calories in drinks are sneaky because they don’t fill you up. This means that you end up taking in far more calories than you bargained for.

Don’t Order

• Regular or diet soda. On one hand you’re drinking corn syrup through a straw, on the other you’re drinking chemicals that cause you to crave sweets. It’s a no win situation.
• Sweet cocktails. Many restaurants are advertizing sweet cocktails –resist the urge. Sugar plus alcohol equals loads of unneeded calories.
• Sweetened tea. You may feel righteous for ordering iced tea, but if it’s sweetened then you may as well be drinking fully loaded soda.

Do Order

• Water. Don’t laugh! Water is the best beverage of all.
• Unsweetened iced tea. Don’t ruin it by adding that packet of sugar. Learn to enjoy the natural sweetness to the tea.
• Red wine. Stick to one glass, and drink responsibly.

Entrees
This is where the real damage is done. When you order something carb-loaded you leave the restaurant feeling heavy and lethargic—you may not even realize this until you start eating better and experience the light, energetic way you’ll feel after eating a healthy meal.

Don’t Order

• Pasta. I don’t care if it comes with red sauce or white sauce, meat or veggies. If you’re trying to lose weight and maintain a lean body then never, ever order a plate of pasta.
• Pizza. Another dish that has far more carbohydrates than you need. If you’re craving the pizza toppings then simply order those over a salad.
• Burgers. If you really want a burger then ditch the bun and the fries, and have your patty wrapped in lettuce.

Do Order:

• Lean meat with vegetables. Fish, steak, chicken, take your pick and pair it with green vegetables.
• Salad with protein. Ask for very light dressing and make sure you have a nice piece of protein on it.
• Soup and salad. Stick with broth based soups that contain protein and pass on the breadsticks.

If you want to expedite your results then consider working with me on a fitness plan that will turn you into a fat burning machine.

**New**Dumbbell Strength Workout Routine by Top Voorhees Personal Trainer

Elastic Resistance Strength Workout Routine by Top Voorhees Personal Trainer

While outdoor cookouts are a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends and family, did you know that the average barbecue meal exceeds 1500 calories? That’s almost an entire day’s worth of calories in one meal.

That type of eating will do some serious damage to your waist over the course of the summer.

The good news is that barbecue season doesn’t have to be fattening. In fact, with a few small changes to your barbecue menu, you can turn summer into the perfect opportunity for weight loss.

So before you slather on the sunscreen and fire up your grill, read the following tips to grill your way lean this summer.

On the Grill: Believe it or not, grilling is actually a very healthy way to cook meat. Of course the type of meat that you choose will make all of the difference. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional barbecue meats, but they aren’t the healthiest. Try the following:

Choose lean cuts of beef, pork or poultry
Marinade with low fat dressing
Make hamburgers with extra-lean ground beef
Take the skin off chicken before grilling
Replace beef patties with ground turkey patties
Grill up salmon or cod
Forego the meat and grill veggie burgers
Side Dishes: This is where most people run into trouble. Barbecue side dishes are typically filled with loads of fat. Creamy coleslaw and potato salads can hold as much as 15 grams of fat per serving. Try the following instead:

Make veggie kabobs and grill them
Grill bok choy (see recipe below)
Replace the mayo in your salads with low-fat mayo
Serve fresh salad with light vinaigrette
Try whole-grain macaroni for your pasta salad
Grill up corn on the cob (pass on the butter)
Put out a veggie tray with low fat dip
Drinks: Most people don’t realize that beverages play a big role in summer weight gain. Margaritas, beer, soda pop and punch all contain lots of empty calories. Try the following:

Drink water, it is always your healthiest option
Stick with light beer
If you have to have a soda pop stick with diet
Brew unsweetened ice tea and serve with lemon
Dessert: Yes, there are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while getting lean. Think outside of the box instead of turning to the typical fattening options like ice cream, pie, cake or cookies. Try the following:

Grill mango, banana and pineapple on kabobs
Stick with sorbet instead of ice cream
Replace peach pie with grilled peach halves
Choose light ice cream over regular
Remember, it’s ok to splurge every once in a while. Enjoy yourself. Just keep in mind that by taking a few of the above suggestions you can enjoy great food while getting back into great shape.

Want to shape up even more this summer? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program specifically designed to get you into your best shape ever.

Here’s what you need:

1 Sprouted grain tortilla
1 Tablespoon low fat cream cheese
4 oz Smoked salmon
1/2 cup Arugula
Dash of salt and pepper
Spread the cream cheese evenly over one side of tortilla. Place the salmon in the center of the tortilla. Top with arugula. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
Roll the tortilla and slice in half.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 175 calories, 6g fat, 12.5g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 16.5g protein.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I’m here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people believe. Don’t waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Take diet pills to speed results.
I know it’s so tempting! The ads make compelling claims about the power of popping a pill, but don’t fall for it. There is no ‘magic pill’. Diet pills are more likely to burn through your pocketbook than to slim you down.

Tip: Don’t pop a pill – instead burn calories with intense exercise.
Myth #2: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.
Excessive crunches aren’t the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a toned look you’ll have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your tummy.

Tip: Don’t obsess about crunches – instead focus on fat burning.
Myth #3: Turn to packaged diet products to boost results.
Don’t fall for the foods that are packaged as ‘diet’ or ‘weight loss’ aids. Quite often these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn’t need, and certainly won’t help you attain that tight tummy.

Tip: Don’t eat packaged diet foods – instead stick with nutritious whole foods.
Myth #4: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to achieve tight abs.
Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and should) eat carbs while slimming down. The key is to stick with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugars (see the recipe below for Power Oatmeal).

Tip: Don’t give up all carbohydrates – instead stick with wholesome carbs.
Myth #5: Starve the chub away. Trying to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective it can also be dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you’ll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results.

Tip: Don’t starve yourself – instead eat small wholesome meals throughout the day.
Now that you know what not to do in order to achieve tight abs, it’s time to go over your flat tummy game plan. Here’s what you need to know in 3 simple steps:

Step One: No more junk.
The best way to do this is by purging your kitchen. Throw out the sugary, processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out, don’t buy any more of it. Remember that your beach-ready abs depend on what you eat – don’t eat junk!
Step Two: Eat whole foods.
Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.
Step Three: Come train with me.
This is the most obvious step. You’re ready to get into great shape and I’m in a unique position to make that happen for you. Call or reply to this email to get started on an exercise plan that will get you those amazing abs.

If you use white bread, corn syrup-filled peanut butter and refined sugar-filled jelly, the result would be a sandwich that will skyrocket your blood sugar, promotes fat storage and leaves you feeling hungry a short time later.

However, if you make this recipe, with sprouted grain bread, true peanut butter made from one ingredient: peanuts, and fruit preserves that are naturally sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar, then the result would be a nutritionally dense food that would promote stable blood sugar levels and provide you with hours of sustained energy.

Your kids will love the fun twist of having their sandwich grilled and stuffed with banana slices!

Servings: 1 Here’s what you need:

Sprouted grain bread
1 Tablespoon pure peanut butter (no added sugar or corn syrup)
1 Tablespoon natural fruit spread (no added sugar or corn syrup)
1/2 of a banana, sliced
Spread one piece of bread with peanut butter and the other with fruit spread. Line one side with the sliced bananas and sandwich it.
In a grill pan over medium heat, grill each side until grill marks appear and the sandwich is warmed.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 8.7g fat, 53g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, and 13.2g protein.