 When sticking with a clean diet, as you work toward your fitness goals, it’s a great idea to make healthier versions of your favorite foods, in order to keep your hunger satiated and to prevent falling off the healthy eating wagon.
Today I have a remake of stir-fried rice for you that is made with fiber-filled cauliflower instead of grain-filled rice and has flavor and protein additions galore. This version of cauliflower rice is PACKED with protein! Eggs and albacore tuna make this rice the perfect side to your meal when you’re on a mission to slim down. What you need Servings: 4 1 head cauliflower 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 green onions, chopped ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 can albacore tuna, in water 2 eggs Sea salt and black pepper Instructions 1. Using a food processor with the grating blade, grate all of the cauliflower. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium. Add the onions and bell peppers, sauté for 3 minutes. Add the tuna and eggs, stir to combine. When the eggs have set, add the grated cauliflower and mix to combine. 3. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals: 146 calories, 4g fat, 14g carbohydrate, 0g sugar, 311mg sodium, 7g fiber, and 15g 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!
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 Happy New Year! Before you move forward to set new resolutions for 2021, let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on your results in 2020. Did you accomplish your goals this past year? (YES or NO) If “NO” then answer these 5 Questions for insight into your failure. 1️. Were your goals clearly written down and reviewed regularly? If you’re ambiguous about what you are setting off to achieve then it will never culminate in anything concrete. By writing down your goals in specific, clear terms and reviewing them regularly, you’ll be on track to achieve huge things in 2021. 2. Did you use the SMART System for defining your goals? SMART Is an acronym for setting achievable goals. It stands for SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC and TIME BOUND. Don’t skip over this step – setting SMART goals is the difference between achieving your dreams and having yet another year slide by without any measurable results to show for it. Use the SMART filter for setting goals — and REFLECT on and REVIEW your RESULTS with regularity. 3️. Did your goals align with your values? If your goal was to lose weight and to finally achieve a lean, fit, healthy body then why did you continue to glorify greasy, unhealthy food? Why did you look at exercise as a punishment to be avoided? Your value system must line up with your goals. In fitness this means having a positive attitude about exercise and healthy eating. 4️. Did you create accountability around your goals? Who did you tell about your goal to finally lose the weight and get fit? If you kept it to yourself then you missed out on a huge opportunity for accountability and support. This support is what you lean on through the tough times when jumping off the wagon seems like the only option. Take a moment to reflect on the answers to these questions above BEFORE answering the next question. 5️. What was the root cause of your failure? I don’t know what your specific root cause of failure was, only you do, but I can tell you confidently that if you join my program in 2021 you will blow past your failure to achieve the success that has always alluded you. You get one shot -- one life -- so what are you waiting for? It’s time to expand, grow, seek, achieve. Feel the fire — fall down, get up, shake it off and get back in the game. 2021 has the potential of being the best year yet... but it starts right now. Call or email me now to get started!  Avocado is a super food that’s filled with incredible, healthy fats and nutrients to power your fitness results. This recipe is an easy way to turn avocado into a tasty guacamole to add to your next fitness meal. Have fun playing around with the amount of salsa, salt and lemon that you add to suit your taste. There is really NO WAY to mess this recipe up, it's delicious, simple and sure-fire. Serve this guac up with virtually ANY dinner to spice it up and make it more interesting. It would be AWESOME served over Perfectly Seasoned Oven Baked Chicken Breast. Yummmmm! What you need Serves 2 1 avocado ⅓ cup fresh salsa 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 sprinkle sea salt Instructions 1. Cube and seed the avocado. 2. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mash together. Enjoy immediately! Nutrition One serving equals 217 calories, 15g fat, 325mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 2g sugar, 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!  If you love mashed potatoes then this recipe is for you! It’s got all the flavor and the right consistency without the regrettable carbs and fat that end up around your waist in unwanted pounds. This recipe is a really lightened up replacement for mashed potatoes, with the enhanced flavors of garlic and kale. It’s incredibly quick and simple to throw this side dish together, and there are many ways in which the flavor could be tweaked and adjusted to your liking. What you need Serves 6 1 head cauliflower 1 bunch curly kale 4 cloves garlic, smashed 3 Tablespoons coconut cream 1 Tablespoon coconut oil ¼ teaspoon sea salt black pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons chives, snipped Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 2. Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the stem. Stem the kale and chop the leaves. 3. Add the cauliflower and garlic to the boiling water for 8 minutes. Stir in the kale and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly. 4. Place the drained cauliflower, kale and garlic in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse until a creamy consistency is reached. Taste for salt and add more as needed. Enjoy Nutrition One serving equals 76 calories, 5g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 112mg sodium, 3g 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!  Did you pack on some pounds during quarantine? Have you been emotionally eating and avoiding exercise? I’ve got a step-by-step plan to help you bounce back from those quarantine pounds and get you into your best body ever… Step #1: Program Your Mind Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.
Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your best body efforts will be blocked by self-sabotage. Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.
Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer. Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself. Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal and read them first thing each morning. Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want? Step #4: Strengthen Your Commitment How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight, then your commitment to the process is a must.
If you consistently eat the wrong food, then your weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits. Don’t eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat. Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains. Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats. Step #6: Utilize Your Patience It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:
People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising solo is a recipe for disaster.
Call or email today to get started.  If fat loss is your goal, then it’s important to keep your dinners light. Avoid eating rich, carb-filled foods at night and you’ll make steady progress towards your fitness goal.
Recipes like the one below will help you quickly reach your fat loss goal. The shredded cauliflower, rice and onions in this recipe make an amazing substitution for grain-based pilaf. With the addition of lean, ground turkey and lettuce this comfort-food tasting meal is actually quite lean and green. It's also a fantastic recipe to enjoy for lunch too! What you need Serves 6 12 large Romaine lettuce leaves For the Cinnamon Ground Turkey Rice: 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 carrots, shredded 1/2 yellow onion, minced dash of sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 lb ground, organic turkey 1 head cauliflower, shredded (To shred: cut into florets and run through a food processor with the grating attachment) 1/3 cup golden raisins 1 cup chicken broth dash of freshly ground pepper For the Quick Apple Chutney: 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 1/2 yellow onion, minced 2 green apples, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon coconut crystals 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider sprinkle of sea salt Instructions 1. For the Cinnamon Ground Turkey Rice: In a large skillet place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions, cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add salt, cinnamon and ground turkey. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the head of shredded cauliflower, raisins, broth and pepper. Cook for another 4 minutes, until heated through. 2. For the Quick Apple Chutney: In a medium skillet place the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and apples. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover, add the cinnamon, coconut crystals, apple juice and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for another 4 minutes until apples are tender. 3. Assemble Your Lettuce Wraps: Spread a generous spoonful of the turkey mixture along the center of a Romaine lettuce leaf, top with a spoonful of chutney. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals 248 calories, 9g fat, 156mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate, 5g 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!  Today I have a brand new take on tuna salad for your tasting enjoyment. While most tuna salad recipes use mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt to create the desired creamy consistency, this recipe does something completely different. We are using hummus! And not just any hummus: white bean hummus. Nutritionally these Creamy Tuna Lettuce Boats are exactly the type of meal that you should be eating in order to see noticeable improvements in your shape. Albacore tuna is a lean protein that provides essential macro-nutrients to help your muscles develop and recover from your workouts. To boost the fiber content we are adding some finely chopped celery, red onion and parsley in addition to whole grain mustard. Resist the urge to spread this divine tuna salad over toast and give it a try over crunchy butter lettuce leaves instead. Enjoy! What you need Serves 6 15oz canned albacore tuna, packed in water ½ cup white bean hummus ½ cup celery, finely minced 2 Tablespoons red onion, finely minced 2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced 2 heads butter lettuce Instructions 1. Drain the tuna and flake into a large bowl. Mix in the hummus, celery, onion, mustard and parsley. 2. Serve scoops of the tuna mixture on butter lettuce leaves. Enjoy! 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!  Health has been the world’s focus over the past several weeks.
Staying healthy. Avoiding contamination. Stacking the odds in your favor. This is exciting for me, since I’ve been beating the drum of health and fitness for years – way before we even knew what COVID19 was. That’s right—I’ll never get tired of telling you how important exercise is to your health and maybe now more WILL LISTEN. Did you know that many of your health problems will improve or even disappear as the result of a consistent exercise program? Did you know your controllable risk factors include physical inactivity and obesity? I’ve seen exercise change lives. I’ve even seen exercise save lives. 1. Feel Great: The first thing that clients tell me after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel. 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 boost and you feel great. 2. Pain Be Gone: Next clients notice a reduction in aches and pains. Chronic muscle and joint pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade. For some, joint replacement surgery is postponed. For others, arthritis pain is reduced. Your muscles and joints feel better than ever. 3. Goodbye Coronary Heart Disease: While you can’t feel this healing benefit of exercise, it is the one that saves lives. Exercise removes 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. Your risk of heart attack or stroke is reduced. 4. Goodbye Type 2 Diabetes: Clients with type 2 diabetes gain substantial benefits from exercise. Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course, anyone with type 2 diabetes needs to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program. Your blood sugar levels are better controlled. 5. Goodbye Sleep Apnea: Clients with sleep apnea are often caught in a destructive cycle. Their weight promotes occurrences of apnea then inadequate sleep promotes weight gain. Exercise reduces weight and helps to ease the symptoms of sleep apnea. You sleep better. With all of these benefits it’s hard to see why anyone would avoid exercise. What’s your excuse? I know you’re tired…exercise gives you energy. I know you’re in pain…exercise alleviates your muscle and joint pain. I know you’d rather stay in bed…exercise makes your sleep more restful. I know you’re pressed for time…exercise improves your efficiency and extends your life. I know you don’t know where to start…that’s where I come in. Reply to this email or call me and we’ll schedule a consultation where I can show you the fastest and safest way to reap all of the benefits of exercise. Let’s get and stay healthy for the long haul! And then, if a global pandemic ever strikes again you’ll be healthier than ever to fight infection and stay strong.  Here’s my favorite way to prepare and enjoy fresh trout from the lake! The mango chutney is phenomenal all by itself, with notes of ginger, curry and lime taking center stage. The simple marinade on the trout saturates pleasing flavor into each bite. I knew this one was a winner when my kids ate every bite and then asked for seconds! Don’t limit yourself to just using trout with this recipe. If Mahi Mahi is more readily available to you then go with that. What you need Serves 4 For the Rainbow Trout: 1 lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper dash of Red Pepper Flakes 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced 4 Rainbow Trout Fillets For the Chutney: 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Ginger Root, minced 1 small red onion, chopped 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 small green bell pepper, chopped 3 ripe Mangoes, chopped (don’t worry if your mangoes aren’t very ripe — once cooked it tastes much sweeter) 2 lime juices 1 tablespoon Curry Powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon dash of nutmeg dash of Red Pepper Flakes For the Sautéed Cabbage: 1 small head Green Cabbage 1 tablespoon coconut oil dash of sea salt dash of black pepper Instructions For the Trout: 1. Place all ingredients, except the fish, in a high speed blender. Blend until fully combined. 2. Combine the marinade with fillets in a large ziplock bag. Place in the fridge for 60 minutes. 3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, if fish is frozen; or 375 degrees F, if fish is thawed. 4. Grease a pan and place fish fillets on it. For frozen fish, bake for 12-20 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily. For thawed fish, bake for 6 minutes, then flip and bake for additional 6 minutes. For the Chutney: 1. In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger root and sauté for a minute. 2. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for a few minutes. 3. Add the mango and spices. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until everything has softened. 4. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for another 10 minutes. For the Sautéed Cabbage: 1. Wash cabbage and discard the first few leaves. Slice it thinly. 2. Place a large skillet on medium heat. Add the coconut oil, and once that melts, add the cabbage. 3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. To Serve: 1. Arrange each plate with a bed of cabbage then top with a fillet smothered in chutney. Enjoy! Nutrition One serving equals 364 calories, 13g fat, 45g carbohydrate, 38g sugar, 338mg sodium, 6g fiber, and 20g 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! 
Have you been getting on your scale while stuck at home? Or are you afraid of what it might say? There are different methods to tracking whether or not you’ve gained the quarantine 15 with a simple bathroom scale. Some step on every day, meticulously tracking the ups and downs. Others jump on it once a week. Still others skip the scale altogether and simply focus on how they look and feel. Which method is best for you? Let’s dive in deeper and find out… The Everyday Method: There’s a large school of the thought that says in order to lose the most weight in the shortest amount of time you must get on the scale every day. Weigh yourself at the same time, preferably first thing in the morning, wearing as little as possible. Record the daily number and react accordingly. If your weight has gone up then make modifications to your diet (eat less) and to your workouts (exercise harder). If your weight has lowered then keep on doing what you’re doing because it’s working. Everyday Method Pros: There is research that backs this as a reliable method. In a Journal of Obesity Study researchers at Cornell University found that participants who tracked their weight daily for two years were more successful in both losing weight and keeping it off than participants skipped daily weigh-ins. Everyday Method Cons: Facing the scale daily can be discouraging for some, due to normal fluctuation in water retention, which can take a toll psychologically. Those who get discouraged enough may give up on their transformation quest entirely. Others may get obsessive about their weight causing an unhealthy compulsion to develop. The Never Method: In opposition to the Everyday Method is the Never Method – as in, NEVER get on the scale. This method requires that you rely on natural instincts rather than numbers and that you pay close, intuitive attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit. Never Method Pros: No more feeling terrible when the number on your scale tells you that you’ve gained another 5 pounds! No more obsessing over a number! Your self-esteem will be untouched and you’ll experience a form of freedom. Never Method Cons: If you don’t keep close tabs on how you feel and how your clothes fit then this method easily results in pounds adding up gradually over time. It is very difficult to notice weight gain that takes place at a very gradual rate without the use of a scale. The Once Per Week Method: A once per week weigh-in is the most popular method. Getting on the scale on the same day, at the same time, each week is a compromise between daily and never. It’s the compass method: frequent enough to notice when you begin to drift off track, but infrequent enough to not intrude on your life in a negative way. Once Per Week Method Pros: You only have to endure the scale once per week, which is a blessing if the scale makes you feel demoralized. It’s frequent enough to bring gradual weight gain to your attention before it gets too far out of hand. Once Per Week Method Cons: Getting on the scale once every seven days does allow a handful of pounds to add up before you notice, which simply won’t happen with daily weigh-ins. Weight gained in a single week can take more than another week to lose. The Best Method: The truth is that there’s no universal right way to monitor your fat loss progress in order to stay on track. The method that you choose should be the one that positively supports you towards your goals. Since you know yourself better than anyone, think long and hard about the method that is best for you. If you hate the scale but know that daily weigh-ins are the best way to keep you on track, and avoiding the pandemic pounds, then bite the bullet and do it. Remember, I am here to support and propel you in your fat loss transformation. If you aren’t currently one of my amazing clients then now is the time to call or email to get yourself on the right track. Let’s do this together! |
David CorderOwner and Lead Personal Trainer at Perfect Fit Wellness Center. Archives
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