Friday, February 20, 2009

Need a Dinner Idea?

I love to cook... especially when it is cold outside and I have a good recipe for something warm! A few weeks ago Jake and I were looking for something to make that would provide him with leftovers. I remembered a recipe that was suggested by a client of mine who is also a cooking enthusiast (we always spend some portion of our session talking about good recipes or places to eat - I love it!). This was a chili recipe that she had found in the newspaper, I went and tore it out after she informed me that it had sweet potatoes in it - I am obsessed with sweet potatoes... I could eat them for every meal. Even better - the date of the newspaper was Jake's birthday - it was a sign! So, we made it, fell in love with a new chili recipe and I wanted to share it with all of you. The prep takes a bit of time but I had everything cut and in the pot in 45 minutes. You can soak your own beans, but who has time for that?! So I am giving you the simplified version. Jake and I also added chicken to it (sausage would be good too) but this is the original version - no meat...

Sweet Potato, Mushroom, and Black Bean Chili

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 red bell peppers, cut into medium dice
1 pound mixed chopped mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portobello, anything!)
1 Tbs ancho chile powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsps ground cumin
1 1/2 tsps dried oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, chopped, with half of the cans liquid
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
3 14.5-oz cans of black beans + the liquid from 1 can (drain and rinse the other two)
1 cup of veggie broth (more if you want more liquid)
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans + their liquid
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Chopped red onions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish

Heat oil in LARGE Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until onions have softened slightly. Add jalepano and red pepeprs, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Add mushrooms, and saute until mushrooms have softened and released soem of their juices, another 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder through the black pepper, and stir until the seasonings are incorporated into the mixture. Add the tomatoes and liquid, sweet potatoes, black beans and liquid and veggie broth. Stir well to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 hour or more, until the swett potatoes are soft but still retain their shape, liquid has thikcened, and beans are cooked through.
Add pinto beans plus their liquid in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with more pepper, salt, and chili powder. Serve with garnishes as desired. Yummy!!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Putting the "I" in F.I.T.

Three years ago I started my business... LifestyleF.I.T., some of you may not know that F.I.T. stands for "Fitness Integration Training". To me, the biggest part of this phrase is the "I" for integration. One of the most difficult parts of maintaining consistent physical activity is finding a way to make it "work" for you. Not everyone is attracted to the same type of exercise, and not everyone is capable of doing the same workouts. So, I have made it my personal goal to help my clients (and anyone else who asks) learn how to incorporate health and fitness into their life in a way that successfully works for them. It is an on-going process, and as we all know when it comes to exercise, there is no magic bullet. However, I feel like I am blessed with having a great intuition, and I am finally learning to trust myself and listen to it! I love being able to talk with my clients, listen (LISTEN) to what they are telling me, and then assess their individual situation. I feel that part of what has helped me in my success as a trainer is being flexible with schedules and types of workouts, focusing on the individual, and encouraging them to pursue fitness options that work for them - not everyone is going to go out for a run!
So, as I ramble on, all I am trying to say is - focus on the "I", on the "you" part of the equation. What do you love to do? What kind of exercise do you think is fun? What time of day are you most awake or have a break in your schedule where you can realistically fit in a workout? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Maybe you love music and it motivates you - find a dance based fitness class to take (Jazzercise, hip-hop cardio, a jazz or tap class). Or, pick an activity where you can crank up your ipod - cardio machine, out for a run/walk. Turn on the tunes and dance around your bedroom!

2. If you like being at home - find some great workout videos, buy some light weights, or a jump rope and go to town in your living room. Or, look on craigslist for an inexpensive treadmill or elliptical and bring it home (some of them even fold up for better storage). If you don't like going out to the gym - YOU WONT GO! Bring the gym to you.

3. Do you like your exercise to be relaxing - take a few yoga classes each week, make a mellow play list on your ipod and plan a few long walks each week. Or, do what I do - play mellow music on your ipod while you do your cardio, it motivates me and gives me mental down time.

4. Need extra motivation or social support - find a group fitness class to go to on a regular basis. You will make new friends and fitness buddies before you know it! Or, ask a friend to become your buddy and keep each other motivated.

Let me know what you find motivating, how are you integrating exercise into your schedule, how do you make exercise a personal experience? Just something to think about...

Friday, February 6, 2009

How many minutes do I have to workout?

Last week ACSM (The American College of Sports Medicine aka my certification program) published their latest position statement on physical activity and weight Loss. This means, they decided on how much physical activity is needed to (A) promote weight loss (B) prevent weight gain and (C) prevent weight re-gain (yo yo diet anyone?).

Bottom line:

Excerpt from ACSM position stand

- Weight management is an urgent public health issue, with more than 66 percent of U.S. adults either overweight or obese. Health improvements in chronic disease risk factors can be realized with as little as a 2- to 3-percent reduction in excess body weight.


Amen!

- Greater amounts of physical activity are likely to be needed to achieve weight loss and prevent weight regain in adults. The panel recognized the amounts in these categories:

Prevent weight gain

150-250 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity is associated with prevention of weight gain

This means AT LEAST 30 minutes, 5 days a week to PREVENT weight gain. Moderate-intensity meaning: "heart rate is elevated, this is challenging but I can do it" (my definition).

More than 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity is associated with modest weight loss.

This means, more than 30 minutes, 5 days per week is needed to lose weight. Now don't get discouraged... we can do 30 minutes 6 days a week, or 45 minutes 4 to 5 days per week, right!?

Weight loss

150-250 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity provides only modest weight loss. Greater amounts (ie. >250) provide clinically significant weight loss.

Ok, this is 50 minutes or more, 5 days per week. Now, keep in mind, depending on how much weight you need to lose, you can do more or less activity...

For weight maintenance after weight loss

There is some evidence that >250 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity will prevent weight re-gain.

I would hope so... we may kill ourselves at the gym if not! Stay tuned, there's more:

- Energy/diet restriction combined with physical activity will increase weight loss as compared to diet alone.

So, we also need to eat well!

My clients ask me all the time, "how often do I need to workout to lose weight, get in shape, get rid of my muffin top. etc." So here you go:

1. Decide how many days per week you can realistically fit in a workout.
2. Calculate how many minutes you will need to exercise to reach 150-250+ minutes per week.
3. If you are thinking, "yeah right, 75 minutes... I'll die" re-evaluate your schedule to add more days for a shorter workout.
4. Don't forget that the little things add up - 20 minute walk, 1 Jillian Michaels workout...
5. We all just need to aim for health, you aren't trying to be a super model here! Something is ALWAYS better than nothing.
6. Make a commitment to yourself to improve your health.

We can all be successful, do your math, and let me know if you need help. That's my job!

Happy calculating and happy weekend! And as I always say, "life is a gift, keep it fit".

If you would like to read the full position stand you can see more at this link: ACSM

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Best Workout DVD Ever


Thanks to Bethany and Nicole (thanks ladies!) my eyes have been opened to the latest and greatest workout DVD - Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I know what you're thinking. "the crazy trainer from Biggest Loser?" Correct, BUT, this is NOT a crazy impossible workout. The DVD has three 20 minutes workouts (beginning, intermediate, and advanced). Each workout contains a warm-up and three 5 minute circuits (3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs). The strength section is very similar to my training exercises (lunge + bicep curl, rows, etc.) - so I know my clients (and you) can more than handle it - the cardio is basic but gets the job done, 30 second intervals, and can be modified (jumping jacks, fake jump rope) - the the ab sections target all of your abdominal groups - great for the low back and the tummy. You can do the 20 min. beginning workout as long as you want and then work your way up, or combine two workouts for a longer session and double the fun. The advanced workout, although challenging I am sure (haven't gotten there yet) is still only 20 minutes, and still to the point and easy to follow - you can do it!!! No fancy dancing, always modifications, always easy to follow! She gives form corrections the whole time so you can be confident you are doing the moves correctly. Thank you Jillian!!!! Finally, a DVD I can recommend to my clients and friends without worrying they will dislocate their knees...

Bottom line:
DVD at amazon.com - $8.50
Pair of 3 or 5lb free weights - $6.00 (or soup cans are free!)
A good jog bra to keep the girls in place - $20.00
An achievable workout that you can do at home, in 20 minutes, with your roommate or by yourself, that will help boost your strength, endurance, and confidence - PRICELESS

Enough, go buy it already! Even Jake is going to get a copy, it's that good!

If you still aren't convinced, here is a YouTube video about it: