It sure would be great if any time spent in the gym delivered results, but the truth is that all workouts were not created equally. There are techniques for getting the most out of each exercise and by utilizing these techniques you’ll achieve quicker and more noticeable results. Check out the following 5 Smart Workout Tips to avoid danger and to get fit fast: Smart Workout Tip 1: Use Challenging Resistance In order to get the most from each rep it’s important to challenge your muscles, and not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren’t able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy. The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions but won’t force you to sacrifice form. Smart Workout Tip 2: Change Up Your Routine You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you’ve been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember—if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it, right? The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks. Smart Workout Tip 3: Always Warm Up Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time—they’d rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don’t realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results. The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes. Smart Workout Tip 4: Use Proper Form Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren’t concentrating on the exercise, or you’re trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury. Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you’ll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise. Smart Workout Tip 5: Never Workout Alone People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster. The best way to avoid injury and to see results is to work with me. I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results by working out smart and without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes. Don’t know where to start when it comes to exercise? Let me help you!
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 It’s important to start your day off right, and to do so you’ll need to steer clear of traditional breakfasts.
Most popular breakfast foods are filled with grains and sugar. Think about it, there’s cereal, donuts, pastries, pancakes, waffles, and the list goes on. These breakfast foods are a fast-track to weight gain. Instead of a breakfast that’s high in sugar, I’d like to see you fill up on protein and veggies in the morning. Yes, protein and veggies are wonderful for breakfast! Eating like this will help you achieve your fitness goals quicker and will give you loads of natural energy to carry you through your day. This breakfast skillet has chorizo, eggs and arugula – but feel free to also experiment with other combinations of protein and veggies in your breakfast skillet. Enjoy! What You Need Serves 4 2 links chorizo, casing removed ½ yellow onion, chopped 15-oz can diced tomatoes 12 cherry tomatoes, halved 4 large eggs 1 cup arugula sea salt black pepper Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 2. Place the chorizo links in a medium, oven-proof, skillet over low heat. Cook until all sides of the chorizo are browned. Periodically deglaze the pan with water. Allow the chorizo to cool, remove it from the skillet, and then slice each link into 10 pieces. 3. Sauté the onion in the leftover chorizo fat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes to the skillet. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and slices of chorizo around the edge of the skillet. Use a spoon to create four 2-inch wells in the tomato and egg mixture. Crack each egg into a ramekin and gently pour one egg into each well. 4. Place the skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are set. Top with fresh arugula and season with sea salt and black pepper. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals 289 calories, 20g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 17g protein. I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever!  Sometimes I feel like a broken record.
You’re constantly hearing from me how important exercise is to your health and how so many of your health problems will improve or even disappear as the result of a consistent exercise program. Why do I continue to give you the same lecture? Because I’ve seen exercise change lives. I’ve even seen exercise save lives. Here are the Top 4 Health Improvement Factors that come as a result of challenging, consistent exercise: 1. Your energy levels boost and you feel great. I have noticed that most people don’t realize how bad they feel. They get used to feeling bad. Then when they start exercising they feel so much better. Your energy levels soar and you feel excited about life again. 2. Your muscles and joints feel better than ever. You’ll notice a reduction in aches and pains once you’ve been sticking with an exercise program for a few weeks. That chronic muscle and joint pain that you’ve lived with for years may begin to fade. For some, joint replacement surgery is postponed. For others, arthritis pain is reduced. 3. Your risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced. I like to remind my clients of this one, since it’s not something they can physically feel, but it’s the one that saves lives! Exercise has the power to remove two of the major risk factors that lead to heart disease: 1) physical inactivity and 2) obesity. Exercise also increases your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers your blood pressure. 4. Your blood sugar levels are better controlled. Clients of mine with type 2 diabetes see substantial benefits from exercise. Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. For many, exercise becomes the natural, permanent antidote to their type 2 diabetes. There are SO MANY benefits to exercise, why would anyone avoid doing it?! Typically it comes down to excuses.
It’s time you start enjoying all the benefits of exercise. Let’s do this!  Quinoa in pancakes? Yes, why not!
Adding cooked quinoa to this gluten-free batter creates a pancake that’s both thin and hearty at the same time. It’s a fun departure from traditional pancakes that boosts both the flavor and the nutritional content of each bite. These pancakes are more fitness friendly than traditional pancakes made from a batter mix. Quinoa is a complete protein and a great source of complex carbohydrates. Be sure to use pure maple syrup sparingly as a topping, as to not add too much sugar. These pancakes would also be delicious used in a savory dish, like rolled up with a ground meat filling. Enjoy! What You Need Serves 15 1 cup cooked quinoa 1 cup blanched almond flour ¼ cup arrowroot starch 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 (13.66 oz) can coconut milk, canned and full-fat 1 tablespoon coconut sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Instructions 1. Preheat your pancake griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder and sea salt. 3. In another medium bowl combine the eggs, coconut milk, coconut sugar and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix until fully incorporated. Let the batter sit for 10–15 minutes, if you can muster the patience, to help your pancakes bind together. 4. Use a paper towel to carefully rub coconut oil on your preheated griddle or skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a 1⁄4 cup to scoop the batter onto the griddle in nice big circles. When bubbles form, flip the pancakes to cook on the other side. Serve with fresh fruit, toasted pecans and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals 158 calories, 10g fat, 78mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 5g protein. I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever!  An authentic surge of motivation will change your life immediately.
The best part of my day is seeing clients just like you achieve amazing results. Whether you drop a few sizes, lose the baby weight, get off your blood pressure meds, or shrink your waist, the excitement is always contagious. It’s hard to describe that euphoria that settles in once you’ve achieved your fitness goal. It’s one of those things that you have to experience to understand. Every single one of my clients who have achieved massive results have ONE THING IN COMMON… They are all highly motivated. I am in a unique position. I know how to get you (or anyone else who walks through my door) into great shape. I can coach you through a 50-pound weight loss. I can guide you to a healthier body. I can even train you into a toned athlete. But there is one catch. You’ll need to be motivated. Just saying, or even just thinking, that you want to get into great shape isn’t enough. You need motivation—and that’s just half of the equation. The other part (and the most important) is ACTION. Nothing happens until you take action. You can want it, think about it, mull it over, ponder it, plan it, and then re-plan it. But nothing happens until you take action. While I may not know your story—it’s probably safe to assume that you want to drop fat and tone up. You want to look better, to have more energy, to experience fewer aches and pains, and to enjoy sweet satisfaction as you achieve your goals once and for all. I know that all of my successful clients were once in your shoes. They wanted to change their bodies. They felt urgency. And then they did what most fail to do. They took action and contacted me. But there is more to it than that. They then committed to a program, put in the exercise, stuck to their diet and met their goals. There’s nothing more gratifying than getting back into those jeans that now sit in the back of your closet. People who take massive action get massive rewards. And those that simply talk about losing weight will continue to put weight on, pound after pound. I hate to put it that way, but it’s the truth. So what do you want?
The rewards are great IF you do. Your first step is to call or email me now to get started! Let’s do this.  Dinner is the meal that can get out of hand with extra calories and fattening sides. Do yourself a favor by making dinner at home as often as you can. This simple move, from eating out to eating at home, is half of the battle when it comes to keeping your calories reeled in during the evening hours.
Now, while making dinner at home it’s easy to fall into a boring routine, so have fun with this Southwest Chicken recipe! It’s full of robust flavors meant to wake up your taste buds and to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Serve this flavorful Southwest Chicken with a heaping side of dark leafy greens. This is the epitome of a meal focused on protein and fiber. It’s meals like this that will melt off body fat and improve your health and fitness. Enjoy! What You Need Serves 6 2 lbs organic chicken breast Dash of sea salt and black pepper 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 tomato, seeded and diced 2 Tablespoon chili in adobo sauce 1 Tablespoon chili powder 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Instructions 1. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Butterfly cut the chicken, opening each breast up like a book. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a baking pan and set aside in the fridge as you prepare the sauce. 2. Place the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Use a hand blender to puree the sauce until smooth. 3. Coat the chicken with half of the sauce and marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 4. Cover the chicken with foil and bake chicken for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve warm with a spoonful of the reserved sauce. Enjoy! Nutrition One muffin equals 304 calories, 17g fat, 336mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 18g protein. I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever!  Do you keep up with new trends in the world of fitness? There always seems to be a headline proclaiming the latest and greatest trend, each promising to be the solution that you’ve always needed.
Of course, these trends pass with the seasons, quickly being replaced with something newer and more popular. Today I’d like you to consider the only trend that really matters to your health and fitness progress: the trend of your own behavior. Here’s what I mean: Have you ever noticed how easy it is to do the same thing today as you did yesterday? This applies to both your activity level and your diet.
The longer you can maintain a healthy fitness trend in your own behavior, the easier it will become to maintain that trend. Isn’t that great?! This simple concept, of maintaining your own daily fitness trend, is the way to continue towards your goal, to avoid setbacks, and to maintain your forward momentum. So the next time that you see a flashy headline about the latest fitness trend, simply smile to yourself and focus on keeping your own daily fitness progress on track. Want accountability? I’d love to help you! Give me a call or shoot me an email and let’s get you on track to shed some major fat before summer! Let’s do this together. The People You Surround Yourself With You can improve your ability to maintain your own healthy fitness trend by surrounding yourself with likeminded people. The people with whom you surround yourself have a huge impact on how you take care of yourself through fitness and healthy eating. Let’s face it, you want to bond with and fit in with the important people in your life. This means sharing similar behavior patterns, such as what you eat and how active you are. Build healthy habits into your important relationships by sharing fitness meals and workouts together.  Breakfast is the most influential meal of the day. If you start your day with sugary pastries or a greasy breakfast sandwich, the rest of your food choices will follow suit.
However, when you start your morning with a wholesome and nutritious meal you’ll be more likely to continue with good choices throughout the day. Enjoy this recipe for Pumpkin & Zucchini Muffin is a nutritious start to your day. Don’t let the rich flavor and mouthwatering moistness of these muffins fool you. You’ll have a hard time convincing anyone, but this recipe was modified to include less fat and sugar than the original. What You Need Serves 40 3 eggs, lightly beaten ⅔ cup raw honey 1 cup canned pumpkin ½ cup coconut oil, melted 7 oz applesauce 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 cups almond flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup shredded zucchini ¼ cup chopped walnuts Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a mini muffin pan with paper baking cups, or use non-stick cooking spray. 2. In a mixing bowl combine eggs and honey. Add pumpkin, melted coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla. 3. In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in the zucchini. 4. Pour into muffin tins, sprinkle the tops with chopped walnuts. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until you can poke a toothpick in a muffin and it comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Enjoy! Nutrition One muffin equals 92 calories, 3g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, and 2g protein. I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever!  There is one reason why most people haven’t yet reached their goals, and it’s a simple one. It’s something that I’ve struggled in the past, and it just may be the one thing that’s holding you back from your big breakthrough. That one thing is consistency. Think about it. The difference that separates a fitness star from a couch potato is the consistency with which the former applies to their diet and exercise routine. That’s it! Look, I know you can exercise and eat right. You’ve done it before! But a fitness plan only works when you consistently stay with it. You start, stop, start again, take a few days off, then get back on track. This haphazard effort will never lead to a dramatic body transformation! What if I told you that you’re 5 feet from gold? That if you simply dug in a little deeper, and stuck with the program with consistency, you’d finally achieve the big results that you’ve been hoping for all along. You are 5 feet from gold; don’t stop now! The fact is that anyone can stick with a fitness and diet plan for a little while. Anyone can complete a challenge. Anyone can finish a 30-day program. Anyone can put in 2 weeks of solid effort. It’s those who click into consistency that see the big changes and experience the joy and triumph of real accomplishment. I want this for you. I know that you see how valuable consistency is, and you want to do it, BUT you get off track time and time again. How do you tap into the consistency you need to make a real improvement in your life? Use these three steps… See it: Define exactly what it is you want to be consistent on. For example instead of saying that “I’ll start exercising,” say that, “I’ll do the 5am session on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.” And instead of, “I’ll start eating healthy,” say that, “I’ll eat XX number of calories per day divided into 5 small meals.” The more specific the better! Keep in mind that you are defining your actions – not your outcome. Don’t use this step to determine what size jeans you want to fit into. That outcome is a byproduct of you consistently doing the actions. Just clearly define the actions that you need to be consistent on. Feel it: Now that you’ve determined the actions needed, let’s think about that outcome and clearly define it. Be specific! What will you look like? What will that new body feel like? How will your friends and family respond to the new you? It’s time to get your emotions all tied up in your quest. Daydream about getting to that outcome, feel it, emotionally take ownership of the idea of owning it. Do it: You’re clear about what you want. You feel invested in getting the results. Now go about the business of taking consistent action toward your goal. Yes, this sounds simple, and it is simple. Be consistent and you’ll soon strike gold. Want accountability? I’d love to help you! Give me a call or shoot me an email and let’s get you on track to shed some major fat before summer! Let’s do this together. Don’t forget to FEEL it Your emotions play a huge part in determining your actions, so don’t skim over the step where I told you to become emotionally invested in achieving your goal. The best way to do this is to spend time daydreaming about what life will be like once your goal has been accomplished. Let the image of the new you, in your newly improved body, play out in your mind over and over. Feel it at your core.  Here’s a light and refreshing salad that’s filled with healthy fiber. Getting enough fiber is an important part of being healthy and fit. Fresh tarragon, fennel and lemon juice lend vibrant flavors, eliminating the need for fattening, store bought salad dressing. Enjoy this Fennel, Celery and Green Apple Slaw Serve alongside a portion of lean protein for the perfect, fitness approved meal. What You Need Serves 2 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced 1 teaspoon lemon juice zest from 1 lemon 2 celery sticks plus the leaves 1 fennel bulb, plus the fronds 1 green apple dash of salt and pepper Instructions 1. In a small bowl combine the oil, vinegar, tarragon, lemon juice and zest. Set aside. 2. Using a mandoline slicer on the thinnest setting, thinly slice the celery, fennel bulb and green apple. Place in a medium bowl. Chop the celery leaves and fennel fronds and add to the bowl. 3. Toss the salad with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals 219 calories, 14g fat, 192mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 3g protein I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever! |
David CorderOwner and Lead Personal Trainer at Perfect Fit Wellness Center. Archives
April 2019
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