Monday, December 23, 2013
Banana Blueberry Superfood Smoothie
Chocolate Egg-White Oats
Chocolate for breakfast? Hell yes! After an intense workout, it is vital to have a protein packed clean breakfast! I eat oats every day, and these chocolate oats are simple and delicious!
THE STUFF:
1/2 cup (1 serving) of old fashioned oats
1 cup water
1 TBS chia seeds
1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
3 TBS liquid egg whites or 1 egg white
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
6-8 raspberries
1 TBS goji berries
THE METHOD:
1. Follow instructions for the oats and choose method: stovetop or microwave. I make 1 serving on the stovetop. Bring water to a boil and once boiling, add oats, egg whites, cocoa powder, and chia seeds.
2. Reduce to med-low heat and cook for 5 minutes or according to instructions/desired consistency. (For microwave you can throw it all in a bowl and cook on high for a few minutes stirring occasionally, but be careful of overflow.)
3. Top with Greek yogurt, bananas, fresh berries and goji berries.
You can top with any fruits you like! I don't like very sweet meals but you can sprinkle in a bit of natural sugar, like coconut sugar, if you prefer!! Enjoy!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Dedicated in December Week 4
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The Power of Hemp
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Dedicated in December Week 3
Friday, December 13, 2013
Brussels Sprouts
Radicchio
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Extra Skin
Many of you have asked if I have excess skin, and I absolutely do. When you lose as much weight as an average NFL linebacker, you will have excess skin guaranteed. My obese body stretched my skin so much, so excess skin was inevitable for me. I would never try and deceive anyone by saying I don't have excess skin; if you lost over 100 lbs, you will have some, HOWEVER, my advice is this:
1. Don't let the fear of excess skin hold you back from being a fit person! The skin can be rough, but no where near as rough as being unhealthy.
2. Lift weights to shape your body as much as possible. You will be surprised how much you can transform yourself. My tummy still has a lot of excess, but I am shaping my arms so much. It's crazy how you can transform yourself.
3. Work with doctors and insurance to fight for removal. It isn't easy, but if you lost a significant amount of weight (100 lbs or more) I recommend fighting for removal, but work on shaping yourself.
Like I said, you can shape yourself SO much with working out. I have posted lots of progress photos and my arms have changed dramatically with heavy lifting. Don't be afraid of skin; it's a small price to pay and being healthy is a much better alternative! Most importantly LOVE YOURSELF!!! Your body is your temple and you must cherish it always
Changes
Many people ask how I did it. How I changed. How I stay motivated. Well I did not change overnight, and I have changed in many ways over the years, slowly trying to better myself. You have to get out of the mindset that change is easy and will be quick; that is simply not the case. All good things in life take time, work, and effort. If you love and believe in yourself, if you are dedicated, if you are consistent, if you are determined and focused, you WILL change. You WILL succeed. Most importantly: Be patient!!! I promise it will be worth it.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Don't throw out your almost empty container of nut butter! Make overnight oats right in the jar! This is a super easy clean eats recipe!
THE STUFF:
1 almost-empty jar of nut butter. You can use any kind you like: peanut, almond, sunflower seed, just as long as it's natural with no additives!
1/2 cup (1 serving) of your favorite style oats
1 cup of water
1 TBS chia seeds
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
6-8 raspberries
1 TBS hemp seeds
THE METHOD:
1. Throw oats, water, and chia seeds in almost empty nut butter jar (this was peanut butter), close lid, and leave in the fridge overnight.
2. By the next day the oats and seeds absorb the water. Scrape the peanut butter remains from the jar and stir everything together.
3. This step is totally optional, but I prefer my oats warm! Empty contents of jar in a small pan and cook on low heat for a few minutes until warm. (You can also warm in the microwave (throw it all in a bowl and cook for a few minutes), but be careful of overflow!
4. Pour oat mixture in a bowl and top with Greek yogurt, bananas, berries and hemp seeds.
You can top with any fruit you like! I don't like very sweet meals but you can sprinkle in a bit of natural sugar, like coconut sugar, if you prefer!!
Enjoy
Alton Brown's "Food of Four Lists"
I read an article yesterday about Alton Brown and his "Plan of Four Lists", and I thought it was really genius. He's awesome, so it was to be expected.
Anyway, he eats certain foods daily (fruits, whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, carrots, green tea), certain foods 3x a week (Oily fish [wild salmon, sardines, etc], yogurt, broccoli, sweet potatoes, avocado), and certain foods 1x a week (pasta, one alcoholic drink, red meat, dessert).
Then there are foods which he completely omits. Those "foods" are: fast food, soda, processed meals, canned soups, "diet" anything (no artificial sweeteners). This is a really smart guideline for those looking for help on what to eat and when.
Pan-seared Scallops with Whole Grain Rosemary Lemon-Spinach "Risotto" and Steamed Corn
Monday, December 9, 2013
Ditch The Scale!!
Here is a little Monday motivation for you. If this isn't enough proof for you to ditch the scale, than I don't know what would be! As you can see, this transformation is a ZERO POUND/KILO WEIGHT DIFFERENCE. For years I would get myself so upset over normal weight fluctuations. Over time, I realized that I should be focused more on how my clothes fit and who I see in the mirror. I am focused on reducing body fat percentage and increasing muscle. I really started to see myself transform when I incorporated heavy weights and body weight strength training. Don't be afraid to lift heavy. Be sure to keep your diet clean as possible and drink plenty of water. Believe in yourself, keep going, and never give up. Slow progress is still progress!! This is only just the beginning!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Clean Eating
Egg White Oats
After an intense workout, you need to properly refuel and nourish your body with good, clean food! Oatmeal is my favorite and I eat oats every morning! This simple recipe is as follows:
THE STUFF:
1/2 cup (1 serving) of old fashioned oats
1 cup water
3 egg whites
1 banana, sliced
1 TBS Peanut Butter and Company Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice!)
THE METHOD:
1. Follow instructions for the oats and choose method: stovetop or microwave. I make 1 serving on the stovetop. Bring water to a boil and once boiling, add oats and egg whites.
2. Reduce to med-low heat and cook for 5 minutes or according to instructions/desired consistency. (For microwave you can throw it all in a bowl and cook on high for a few minutes stirring occasionally, but be careful of overflow.)
3. Top with banana and peanut butter.
You can top with any fruits you like! The PB makes this pretty sweet and I don't like very sweet meals, but you can sprinkle in a bit of natural sugar, like coconut sugar, if you prefer more sweetness!! Enjoy!
Dedicated in December Week 2
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Dedicated in December Week 1
Green Smootie
Look at the pretty Christmas colors!! We totally eat with our eyes. Last night I was in the mood for something sweet after dinner (as usual lol), so I wanted to whip up a green smoothie for my last snack of the day, the best snack: Dessert! Recpie is as follows:
THE STUFF:
1 banana
1 cup/8 oz. of coconut water
1 scoop of Amazing Meal Vanilla Chai Infusion vegetarian protein powder
(If you don't have this, substitute with 1-2 cups of greens, like spinach or kale)
1 TBS natural unsalted peanut butter
TBS chia seeds, plus more for sprinkling
1-2 cups of ice, depending on consistency preferred
1 TBS goji berries
THE METHOD:
Throw all the goodness in a blender, except goji berries, and blend away. Sprinkle goji berries and extra chia seeds on top.
Enjoy!