Shaking My Head

If you don’t think this video is absolutely hilarious then something is wrong with you…

 

Healthy and Homemade

Cant wait to try this one soon…

BBQ Chicken Wrapped Asparagus

 

This is a super easy way to get your daily dose of veggies, and it’s easily customizable so you can really make the meal your own. Go seasonal with your farmer’s market faves or put a new spin on flavor by mixing in different spices.

Ingredients

 

• 2, 3 oz thinly cut chicken breasts
• 12 asparagus spears
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce (low sodium, reduced fat)
• Seasonings: cumin, paprika, garlic, pepper
• 1 cup diced bell peppers (optional for brown rice)
• Suggested carbs: 1/2 cup brown rice
  
• Fruit (optional): watermelon pieces

 

Instructions

 

1. Set oven to 405°F.
2. Measure and cut chicken breasts into thin, 2-3 oz pieces. Feel free to further flatten the chicken with a mallet.
3. Season chicken cutlets with 1 tbsp barbecue sauce (for each piece) and your choice of seasonings.
4. Chop the ends off asparagus and wrap the chicken around 6 asparagus spears.
5. Place the chicken on a baking sheet with the open facing down.
6. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.

 

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving:
(without fruit)

Calories – 378

Total Fat – 3 g

Total Carb – 41 g (18 g carbs from rice)

Protein – 46g

Hump Day Motivation

If you’re like me then you may be in need of a little extra motivation to get things done this week.  Here you go, he always helps me to get motivated, too..

Workout of the Week

This week I’m giving you a circuit of 5 exercises.  For each exercise complete 10 reps as quickly as you can and then move on to the next exercise.  Complete the exercises in order.  10 total sets.  100 reps per exercise.

1. Squat Jumps
2. KB/DB Thrusters
3. Pushups OR Dips
4. Burpees
5. V-Ups

Rest a little after each set if you need to.  Complete 10 full circuits.

WORK HARD!!!

Weekend Workout

This week I’m giving you some cardio to do over the weekend.  You guys thought I forgot about the cardio workouts, didn’t you?  Well, fret not my friends.  This week we got incline training!!!  I talked a few weeks ago about the benefits of doing incline sprints.  So, it only makes sense that we now go out and practice what we preach.  So, here you go…

This workout can be done on a treadmill or the hill down the street.  It is a little easier to get the specific numbers and time on a treadmill, but if you can’t get to the gym, that grass hill will work just fine.

• Incline: 10-15%
• Time Interval: Sprint 15 seconds (If on hill, find one that takes 10-15 seconds to get up)
• Rest: At Least 45 seconds to 1 minute
• Speed:  Treadmill – 5-10 mph (Should be winded after each, legs burning) Grass Hill – SPRINT
• Sets: 15-20

I know that 15 or 20 sets sounds like quite a bit, but remember, you’re only running for 15 seconds at a time.  This workout will take about half an hour.  If you work hard and push yourself on each set, that’s all you’ll need.

WORK HARD!!!!

 

Take a look…

A lot of people that I know have a hard time distinguishing between proper serving sizes.  How much is an ounce?  How much is a tablespoon?  It seems basic, but a lot of people simply don’t know unless they have the tools in front of them.  If you’re one of those who does not have any of those tools, fear no more.  This is a very simple, but accurate guide to proper portion sizing in the kitchen.

Shaking My Head

I hate to poke fun at someone in the gym.  Actually, no I don’t.  Nothing wrong with what this guy is doing here, it’s just to good not to post.  Just sit back and enjoy…

It’s Not the Gym…

It’s Not the Gym….

… that puts in the hard work

What does that mean??  Well, basically exactly what it says.  There are gyms and fitness centers out there with reputations for being “badass” or “where everyone is in great shape.”  Then there are places known for a laid back environment or maybe an “easier” workout.  Regardless of the reputation, and even more, regardless of the type of workout, the gym doesn’t do the work for you.  As trainers, we can only do so much.  We yell at you.  Tell you what to do.  Motivate you.  Give you the equipment to use.  Give you the instructions to follow.  BUT, at the end of the day, YOU are the one who is putting in the effort.  YOU are the one who has sweat all those hours.  YOU are the one who has pushed yourself day in and day out.  It’s Not the Gym.  It’s YOU.

So what’s my point with this…  I want you to take a second and give yourself a pat on the back.  All to often I see people getting down on themselves for a bad day or week, or maybe even think that they aren’t in “good enough shape” to go to a specific gym to workout.  Well, I’m sorry but you’re wrong.  So take a second and actually appreciate all the hard work that you have put in.  It hasn’t been easy.  But you know what??  You’ve done it.  Nobody but YOU has been in control of that.  Are you where you want to be??  Have you reached your ultimate goal yet??  Maybe so.  Maybe not.  Either way, if you’ve worked your ass off along the way, you have nothing to be ashamed of.  So next time you’re down on yourself or think you’re not good enough, or just having a bad day, remember….. It’s Not the Gym.  It’s You.

Public Enemy. Part II

Last week I talked about how the real enemy when it comes to your diet is sugar.  Contrary to what has been the popular belief over the last 10-20 years, fat is not detrimental to health.  In fact, just the opposite is true, as fat is VITAL to not only basic living, but performance and health as well.  This week I’m here to talk about another pesky little booger that has blossomed into a very unhealthy aspect of every day life: Artificial Sugars/Sweeteners.

Now, let me start off by making the statement that sugar in and of itself isn’t a black and white subject.  While we know that complex carbohydrates are important for good health and nutrition, simple sugars are a bit more complicated.  There are times, such as during or post-workout, when simple sugars can be beneficial.  On the other hand, however, are the many situations in which they are detrimental to overall health.  Add to that the fact that many of them are artificial, and you’ve got yourself a deadly little cocktail.

Simple sugars themselves, as I mentioned, are not SO bad that they can’t be incorporated into a diet in moderation.  The problem for most people is that they are often times artificial.  So why are these artificial sweeteners and sugars so bad?  Well, the truth really lies in the name, to be honest.  Because they are artificial and not naturally made, your body simply does not recognize them.  Since it does not recognize them as food, it does not know how to digest them.  We run into to main problems with this situation.

First and foremost, we’re always left wanting more to eat.  When we consume artificial sweeteners, our taste buds are left craving more and more foods, usually those similar to what you just ate.  It’s almost like a snowball effect.  Not only to the taste buds crave more of what you’ve just eaten, but since your body doesn’t digest all of these sugars, you don’t get full as quick.  The problem with this, obviously, is that along with these sugars, we get added calories.  Ever wonder why when you eat one piece of candy or cake, you often times immediately want another one???  Yeah, you know you do.  I do it, too.  Makes sense now, doesn’t it??

Here is an article from CNN describing these effects of artificial sugars on the body.  Check it out.

Secondly, and possibly more important, is the effect that artificial sugars can have on the blood vessels throughout the body.  Imagine rubbing a piece of sand paper along the inside of you artery walls.  That is what happens when you consume fake foods.  Once these foods get into your body, they’ve got to go somewhere.  Since they aren’t digested and absorbed, they float around in the blood stream.  When they do this, they get caught on vessel walls.  And THIS, not a cholesterol stemming from high fat diets, is one of the leading cause of a SLEW of heart disease issues.  It is really very simple once you think about it… Imagine that 5 o’clock bottle-necked construction site on your way home from work.  Hard to get through, isn’t it?  Takes a while, doesn’t it??  This is what’s going on inside your body.  The more buildup of unfamiliar, fake foods we have on our arterial walls, the harder it is to move blood to and from the heart.  Once this starts occurring, you’re in big trouble.

Here are 5 of the most common artificial sweeteners on the market today:

• Acesulfame-K (ace-K)
• Aspartame – for all of my diet soda-drinking friends
• Saccharin
• Stevia
• Sucralose

Also, just for kicks and grin, check out this article that shows what “sugar-free” drinks are really loaded with sugars.

So, what’s my point with all of this rambling.  Sugars, particularly simple sugars, just like anything, are actually okay when consumed in MODERATION.  It’s when the abuse occurs that they become seriously harmful.  So, instead of taking the easy way out, try to consume more real, natural foods at each meal.  Eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbs.  Put down the processed foods and focus on whole, natural food products.

 

 

Workout of the Week

This week the only equipment that you will need is your body and a stopwatch of some sort.  You’ve got 3 exercises, and you are going to complete a specific amount of repetitions for each every minute.  Your exercises and reps are, in order:

1. Burpees – 4
2. Pushups – 8
3. Squats – 12

Get your stopwatch out, and at the top of every minute complete these exercises in order.  Your rest time is how much time you have left over until the next minute starts.  So, the quicker you get them done, the more rest time you have.  Complete this circuit for a total of 20 minutes.  If you can only complete 15 minute, increase your reps to 5, 10, and 12 for the exercises listed.

WORK HARD!!!