​With holiday parties and gatherings quickly approaching, most of us are now thinking about looking our best while dressed in our finest. Too bad that losing body fat is a slow and steady process, rather than an instantaneous fix.
However…I do have an extremely effective 2-step method for losing belly fat faster than ever, and I’d like to share it with you today so that you can utilize it to look and feel your best this holiday season.
Look Your Best for the Holidays. This deadly, fat-incinerating method fights fat simultaneously on two separate fronts for maximum effectiveness: your sugar intake and your high intensity workouts.

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First: This step requires zero extra effort on your part! In fact all you have to do is NOT do something that you’re currently doing! You stop consuming refined sugar, in all its forms. This means no sodas, no desserts, no packaged snacks, no candy, no mocha lattes, NO SUGAR AT ALL!
When you stop to evaluate your diet, it may be shocking to find out how much refined sugar has crept in. Nothing will contribute to fat gains as swiftly as consuming sugar, so it makes sense that cutting sugar out is the top must-do for shedding those unwanted pounds.
It’s not necessary, or beneficial, to starve yourself during this time of rapid fat loss – you should fill in your diet with lean meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds as you cut out the refined sugar. Keep your metabolism high by fueling up on high protein, high fiber, low carb, and zero sugar foods whenever hunger strikes.
Second: Here’s the step that requires some effort, but trust me when I say it’s worth it. You crank up the intensity of your workouts to a whole new level.
Most people take exercise on with the slow and steady mentality – moving, pushing and pulling as little as possible while still “getting the job done”. I’ve got some news for you…if you still have belly fat to lose then the job wasn’t getting done.
If you can comfortably hold a conversation, hardly break a sweat, or feel the same when it’s over as you did when it began, then you’re simply not pushing yourself hard enough while you exercise.
Increasing the intensity of your workouts requires focused intent. You must go into the session with the goal of pushing your body to the limit. Remember, it’s a contained timeframe that will be over shortly, so bear down and deal with the discomfort. With practice you will learn to embrace the burn.
The safest and most effective way to crank up the intensity and effectiveness of your exercise time is to work with a qualified fitness professional, such as myself. I would love to hear from you!
Call or email me today and together we will get you started on your fastest fat loss ever now before the holiday season brings on more unwanted pounds.

​Oh yeah! These dark chocolate coconut cups are about to become your new sweet tooth obsession!
These sweet treats are filled with only wholesome, low-sugar ingredients to keep you on track with your fitness goals. Store these tasty treats in your freezer. Enjoy!

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Servings: 15
Here’s what you need
For the Dark Chocolate:

• 1 bag lily’s chocolate chips (stevia sweetened)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the Coconut Filling:

• ½ cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Liquid Stevia to taste

Instructions

1. On a rimmed baking sheet that will fit in your freezer, arrange 15 mini cupcake liners.
2. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler over medium heat. Melt, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat. Carefully spoon a teaspoon of melted chocolate into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
3. Combine the filling ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until creamy and fully combined. Remove the pan from the freezer and place a heaping teaspoon of filling in each liner. Press down to level off the tops.
4. Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the filling, covering all of the white with chocolate. Place the pan back into the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftovers stored in the freezer.

Nutritional Analysis
102 calories, 8g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 0g sugar, 16mg sodium, 3g 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!

​Junk food tastes annoyingly good. There’s a reason for this – the food companies actually formulate each bite for maximum craveability with a specialized balance of sugar, fat and salt.
But while junk food tastes like another…it’s detrimental to your fat loss results.
Wondering what exactly classifies as junk food? You’re in good company, especially these days as many junk foods are being deceptively marketed and packaged as healthy choices.

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Here’s the rundown on what classifies as junk food:

• Junk food has little to zero nutritional value
• Junk food is processed and packaged
• Junk food is high in sugar, fat and salt
• Junk food is high in calories
• Junk food is rarely eaten out of hunger
• Soda pop, convenience foods, packaged snacks, frozen treats…

4 Steps to Quit Junk Food
Imagine being 100% free of junk food for the next 30 days. How would your weight improve? How would you feel? How many empty calories would you save yourself from? Now let’s take some action!
Step #1: Get Rid of It
Step one is simple: get rid of all the junk food that currently resides in your home, office and car. Go through with a big garbage bag and toss anything that remotely resembles junk food. Remember, junk food is stuff that is high in empty calories.
Step #2: Stock Up on the Healthy Stuff
Don’t worry, you aren’t going to starve now that your junk food has been cleared out. Step two is where you go to the store and stock up on delicious, nutritious foods that will take the place of the junk food. Nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, hard boiled eggs, meatballs, and hearty salads or burrito bowls (like the recipe below) are great items to have on hand. You’ll eat less of these healthy snacks, since these aren’t empty calories, but rather nutrient-filled calories that satiate.
Step #3: HALT!
When the next craving strikes you, tell yourself to HALT! This word is actually a handy acronym. Ask yourself, “Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?” If you’re hungry then reach for one of the healthy snacks from step two. If you’re angry, then explore the issue and seek resolution. If you are lonely, then reach out to a friend, instead of reaching for junk food. And if you are tired then make the time to grab a nap or get to bed early to catch up on sleep.
Step #4: Stick With It
The first day that you go without junk food will be the hardest day. The second day will be a smidge easier. The third day will be even easier than the second…and so on.
The fact is that your taste buds adjust to the foods that you exist on. When your diet is filled with junk foods then that is what your taste buds will crave, but as you shift to a diet that is filled with fresh, nutritious foods then your taste buds will forget all about that old junk food. Stick with it, one day at a time, and you will break free from the grip of junk food addiction.

BONUS! Step #5…Join a Challenging Exercise ProgramWhen you include exercise as a routine part of your day, your body shapes up quicker than ever and junk food cravings fade faster. I am the expert in body transformation, and I am here to get you from the body your currently have to the one that you KNOW you deserve.
Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body once and for all!

Have you ever fallen into the droopy-sleepy-yawny-have-no-energy trap? When both the middle of the morning and the middle of the afternoon feel like bedtime? Ugh. I have. Back when my breakfast consisted of mainly grain-based cereals or processed and refined breakfast pas- tries. Add to that a cup or two of sugar-sweetened coffee in the morning and a couple of corn syrup–sweetened caffeinated beverages in the afternoon, and I was left with a roller coaster of inconsistent energy levels.
All of that changes when you started avoiding refined sugars and processed and packaged breakfast foods. Dips in your energy evens out into one steady stream of reliable energy. What a difference a consistent pep in your step makes!
I contemplated naming these “All Day Energy Muffins,” because these moist morsels give you wings—more so than any energy drink I’ve ever tried. Check out the ingredients and you’ll see what I mean: flax, almonds, eggs, banana, apple, pecans—I doubt you could find a muffin recipe with more goodness crammed into it than this.
No really, don’t waste your time looking—just make these and enjoy!

Servings: 12
Here’s what you need

• ⅓ cup flax meal
• ½ cup Almond Meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup apple, finely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 12 apple slices
• 12 whole pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flax meal, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Mix well.
3. In another large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, raw honey, and mashed banana. Mix well until no large lumps of banana remain.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until fully combined. Fold in the chopped apples and pecans.
5. Fill each muffin cup three-fourths full. Top with an apple slice and a pecan. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden and set.
6. Let the pan cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Analysis
145 calories, 10g fat, 11g carbohydrate, 6g sugar, 318mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 4g 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!

We are officially on the verge of holiday season…and with it a myriad of food temptations and weight gain traps. Don’t fret, if you act now there’s still time to tighten up before putting on your holiday finest.

Do these 5 things NOW to quickly shape up…


1. Eat more Veggies: Your mom was right, eating vegetables really is a good idea, especially when aiming to drop pounds. Why? There are a couple of reasons. First, veggies are low in calories and high in fiber, which means that you’re filling up without packing on pounds. Second, the vitamins and minerals in fresh vegetables nourish your body and cut down on cravings.
2. Add five Minutes: Each week, between now New Years, I want you to add 5 minutes to your workouts. Just five more minutes. The slight increase from week to week will hardly be noticeable, but the extra fat burn will pay off nicely. Use these extra five minutes to do intense burst of exercise, such as burpees, squat to presses and walking lunges.
3. Double up on Water: Not only will staying extra hydrated help your skin to have a healthy glow, it will also speed up your fat loss efforts. Most of us are walking around in a state of chronic dehydration, which contributes to fatigue, stubborn weight gain and constipation. By drinking more water throughout the day, and by limiting your intake of caffeinated beverages, you’ll become healthier and more radiant.
4. Eat low Carb (after 4pm): One of the easiest ways to drop a few inches around your waist before the holidays is to eat low carb after 4pm each day. This means eating dinners that are centered around salads and vegetables rather than breads and pastas. If you simply must have your oatmeal or whole grain bread each day, then eat it for breakfast or lunch and give low carb dinners a try – starting with the recipe for Greek Stew below. Don’t forget that sugar counts as carbs, so skip that sugary dessert and try a grapefruit for dessert.
5. Train with Me: If you’re not yet one of my beloved clients, then now is the time. I’d love to get you into phenomenal shape before New Years, and to give you the foundation that will keep you lean and healthy for life.
Call or email today and we will get you started this week on an exercise program that will get you back in control of your body.

Here's a tasty way to serve up roasted chicken breast...
Today's recipe is a hearty ragu filled with roasted, shredded chicken breast. This is a wonderful dinner recipe for those busy weeknights, and it a fantastic method for serving yesterday's cooked chicken in a brand new flavorful fashion.
A ragu is what the Italian's call a meat-based sauce that's simmered with vegetables and wine and served over pasta. I chose to serve my ragu over roasted spaghetti squash, nestled on a bed of fresh arugula. You could do the same, or opt to serve it over zucchini noodles, butternut squash noodles, sweet potato noodles, or simply over some sautéed veggies, cooked quinoa or fresh greens. The key is that you are avoiding those traditional, starchy, grain-based noodles.

Servings: 4
Here’s what you need
For the Spaghetti Squash

• 2 spaghetti squash
• dash of sea salt and black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

For the Ragu

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• ⅓ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• sea salt and black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ⅓ cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• ⅔ cup coconut cream
• 2 cups roasted chicken, shredded
• 2 cups baby arugula

Instructions
For the Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
2. Rub the inside of each spaghetti squash half with coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.

For the Ragu

1. In a large skillet place the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and brown. Add the onions, garlic and thyme. Sauté for 4 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix in the tomato paste and sauté for another 4 minutes.
2. Deglaze the skillet with the Marsala. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and coconut cream. Mix to combine and bring to a simmer. Add in the shredded chicken and continue to simmer for 5 minutes as the sauce thickens. Serve over a bed of arugula and roasted spaghetti squash. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis
348 calories, 9g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 11g sugar, 956mg sodium, 6g fiber, and 25g 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!

Mondays matter more than any other day of the week.

This is because your actions on Monday set the tone for your entire week. Start out on the wrong foot and it could take days to get back on track.

Mondays are like mornings. If you win your mornings, you're usually going to win your day.
Starting out with a healthy, balanced breakfast that avoids sugar and is full of fiber and protein gets you primed to eat healthy again at lunch, and again at dinner.

Likewise, when you exercise on Monday, you're going to set yourself up to have an active and fit week. When you show up prepared and rested on a Monday, the rest of the week flows with successes and wins.

Fact: When you get that Monday workout in, you're 4 times more likely to get in a Tuesday workout... and that Tuesday workout leads to getting workouts in the rest of the week.

On the flip side, when you don't show up on a Monday with your A-game then you're left chasing the rest of the week and playing a game of catch up.

This is true for your fitness, health, mindset and work.

When you choose to skip your workout Monday morning, and eat whatever is quick and available rather than what’s healthy, then you’ve started the week on the wrong foot, and you will spend the next several days backsliding away from your goals.

The fastest way to the top in fitness and health is to show up Mondays rested, prepared, and ready to dominate. Never miss a Monday again. Embrace Monday with enthusiasm and vigor.

Let's make this week count!

Call or email me now to get started with my results-driven fitness program.

The Monday Paradox
Skipping out on exercise on Monday in order to make yourself feel better? Think again.

Research shows that the endorphins (happy hormones!) released during exercise makes you feel better, increases your self-esteem, and reduces anxiety.
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So if you’d like to walk into work on Monday feeling good, with increased self-esteem, and reduced anxiety then grab an early morning workout instead of another hour of sleep.