Tag: eat clean

Sweet Potato Sliders

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This is a perfect week night meal – quick, easy, healthy AND delicious!

These sliders are very easy and you can adjust the ingredients to your liking!

What I did used:
1 pound of lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 big fat sweet potato  (or 2 smaller ones)

Procedure:
○Preheat oven to 450
○Make slider patties, season meat as you like – I used salt and pepper, red pepper flakes
○Clean and peel the sweet potato then slice it about 1/2 inch thick
○Place sweet potatoes and patties on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
○Add whatever toppings you like, I used cheese and avocado.

Enjoy!

This recipe can be modified to your tastes! Try it and tag #maketimeforfit so I can see your results! 

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**inspired from @atrain_100 on instagram

Sweat it out

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If you’re like me nothing sounds better after a good workout than to sweat it out and relax in the sauna – but do you know what you are sweating out??

The answer is toxins! Sitting in a sauna and sweating helps your body rid itself of many toxins that have built up from processed food, alcohol, chemical and pesticides from the air! Regardless of how perfect your diet is there are tons of chemicals in your body simply from living and being around other people (don’t get too grossed out!).

Here’s where a sauna comes in. On an average day, your eccrine glands put out about a quart of sweat. But when you hang out in a sauna, they pump out that much in 15 minutes.

But the benefits of the sauna don’t stop there! It also helps your heart! A post-workout sauna session helps improve blood flow!

Japanese researchers have found that sitting in a sauna is particularly helpful for congestive heart failure. After taking daily saunas for four weeks, 13 of 15 patients with serious heart failure had significant decreases in blood pressure and improvements in ejection fraction (a measure of the heart’s pumping ability), exercise tolerance and oxygen uptake.

Sauna sessions can help with –

  • Improved blood circulation: The sauna increases and improves the rate of blood circulation and breathing.
  • Weight loss: Sauna is similar to mild exercise, it burns about 300 calories per average session. Regular sauna treatments combined with a healthy diet and moderate exercise will help you lose weight and stay fit and healthy.
  • Skin cleansing: A profuse sauna-induced sweat followed by a shower cleanses your skin far more thoroughly than just taking a shower. It makes it soft and healthy with immediately noticeable effects.
  • Body relaxation: Stress build-up creates tension in the body manifesting in various aches and pains. The heat and humidity of the sauna diffuses the pain and relaxes tired muscles. A sauna in the evening will leave tense muscles and sore limbs totally relaxed. Sauna also temporarily relieves arthritic pain.
  • Mind relaxation: The sauna is essentially a place to relax. Regular sauna adepts all agree that it effectively helps relieve physical and mental fatigue and stress.

And most of all it just feels great to sweat it out! After your workout – go for a sit in the sauna and reap all the benefits!

***Try this: When you sit in the sauna, brush, lightly scratch, or tap the skin on your arms, legs, belly, and back. This will stimulate your pores to open more while you’re in the sauna, and boost the circulation at the surface of your body. Immediately after you leave the sauna you have to immerse yourself in cold water! This will close your pores back up, pull the blood back to your core organs, and reinforce your natural defenses. This means that you will actually lose less heat when you are out of the sauna, boost your circulation, stay warmer longer, and keep your vital organs happy and functioning at the same time.***Reference 3


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Teach kids the importance of exercise!

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Did you know that children spend more than 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen – TV/Video/Computer.

The majority of kids are not active and not getting enough physical activity. Take your kids on a walk, work out with them, teach them HOW and WHY it is important to exercise daily! Plus teach them the impact food (good and bad) has on moods, headaches and overall well-being. They will follow whatever example you set – so be an example of what you want them to be.

Teaching your kids healthy habits such as daily exercise will help them stay healthy and help keep you accountable! Don’t forget they are always watching!

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Why wait until January 1st?

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Go to the gym.

Go for a walk.

Skip dessert.

Grab an apple instead of party mix.

A  recent poll showed that only 59% of people stick to their health and fitness goals! Start incorporating simple steps into your daily routine RIGHT NOW!  A healthy lifestyle is an on-going progress – start with easy things and then keep working to add more things into your routine. Goals don’t have to start on a certain date or time – why wait? START NOW!

 

 
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Fight the holiday bulge!

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Happy December! It’s that time of year where cookies, cakes, pies and any and everything you could ever want is available. It is the most tempting time of the year that can result in a weight gain, on average, of 8-10 pounds.

With the holidays come parties, cocktails and family commitments that prevent you from sticking to your gym schedule and your daily eating routine. Here are  a few tips to help keep you from adding to your waist line during the holidays!

  • Avoid mindless snacking
    • It is SO easy to stand by the appetizers table and eat more than a meal BEFORE the meal! So be aware of what you are eating – put food on your plate and walk away
  • Don’t skip the gym
    • It’s important to keep your physical activity up! It’s easy with office parties and relatives visiting to decide to skip — try to keep a routine the best you can – this is the time when you need it the most!
    • Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean it’s cold in the gym! Battle the cold and you won’t have to battle your jeans!
  • You don’t need dessert
    • Woof – I know this one sucks – but it’s true. If you are full and think I can’t eat another bite – don’t change when it’s time for dessert. And if you feel obligated to have something (which you shouldn’t because it’s your choice what goes in your body) have one dessert, not all of them. You also don’t have to eat the whole thing. Split the dessert or just politely discard whatever is left.
  • First bite is best
    • If there that pecan pie your aunt makes or the cookies your grandmother makes just for Christmas – I’m not saying deprive yourself – just remember the first bite is the best. Don’t go back for bites 5 and 6.
    • Eat slowly and enjoy – you are less likely to feel the urge for another and you can completely enjoy whatever you have without feeling the need to over-indulge.

Good luck this holiday season! Remember your summer-time body is made in the winter! You can make it through the holidays without any set backs as long as you stick to your plans and keep moving!
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Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day

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No matter how many times it’s proven that breakfast is important to a healthy lifestyle, people still continually skip it.

If the choice to have breakfast or not the answer is ALWAYS have breakfast.

Now WHAT to have can be up for debate. It is very beneficial for your body, mind and muscles to start off the day with protein. Whether you exercise regularly or just with getting older protein is so important for building muscles and for older folks maintain muscle mass in general! Plus it helps you feel fuller longer and gives you the fuel boost to start the day!

Studies have shown that high protein breakfasts can be linked to weight-loss since you feel fuller long you have less desire to eat carelessly throughout the day.

Here are some high protein breakfast ideas:

  • Two slices of whole-wheat bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on each, topped with sliced banana. One cup of skim milk to drink. Total: 22 grams of protein.
  • Strawberry Smoothie: Blend together 1/2 cup of strawberries, 6 ounces Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of uncooked oatmeal, a drizzle of honey (as needed) and 1/2 cup of skim milk or soy milk. Total: 21 grams of protein.
  • Mediterranean Sandwich: Whole-wheat pita with 4 tablespoons of hummus, tomato slices, 1 ounce of goat cheese and 1/4 cup of sliced almonds. Have a café latte to drink, made with 1/2 cup of steamed skim milk. Total: 22 grams of protein.
  • Cottage cheese
  • Greek Yogurt with fruit and honey
  • Breakfast Burrito: Corn tortilla filled with two scrambled eggs, sautéed onions, 1/4 cup of black beans and pico de gallo. Total: 25 grams of protein.
  • Apple Walnut Oatmeal: Cook 3/4 cups of dry oatmeal with 1 and 1/4 cup of skim milk, and add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, plus 1 chopped apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with honey. Total: 24 grams of protein.

 
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Get fit while watching your favorite sports!

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With the NFL in full swing and MLB playoffs heating up don’t forget about your health! Watch all the games you want but get fit while doing it! 👊💪

So put the pizza and beers down 🍕🍕 🍻🍻 and do these workouts with friends, family and kids!

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There’s always time to make to for fit!

Go O’s and Redskins!

Depressed? Go Exercise!

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There are many studies showing a direct correlation between happiness and physical activity.  Here are some facts about physical activity.

  • Releases endorphins
    • Endorphins are those “feel good” chemicals that are produced from cardiovascular exercise. The body has positive reaction to exercise naturally so that feeling after you get through a tough workout out–yeah those are endorphins!
  • Increases serotonin levels
    • Having low levels of serotonin has been connected to depression, but guess what naturally increases serotonin levels….yep-EXERCISE! Serotonin affects your mood, ability to sleep and your appetite. So get moving and release those  good natural chemicals!
  • Improves sleep
    • Lack of sleep, restless nights and insomnia are effects of depression. Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin chemicals for “feel good” result and sleep aid but also your body will need rest with the increase activity level you are physically and mentally spent which will allow you to relax and get quality shut eye!
  • Distraction
    • Now that you are feeling good (endorphins) and sleeping well (serotonin) you are able to focus on you and the natural positive chemicals being released in your body preventing negative or discouraging thoughts that are common with depression.

Exercise has many many positive side effects  – do yourself a favor and get moving!

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Dessert: Skinny Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

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NEWS FLASH: It’s OK to indulge! Have dessert – just not all of the dessert!

When you make any meal yourself, you can be sure of the ingredients that you are putting into your body, same goes for dessert!

I made these brownies and they were super easy and delicious!

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Remember living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to boring and plain!  Learn to make your food and desserts! Now just dont go and eat the entire pan!

For this recipe click here and follow @sallysbakeblog on instagram for lots of recipes and tips!

Weight loss vs Fat loss

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This question is tossed around all the time. Often times you here females say they want to lose weight but are scared to lift weights because they fear they will get “too big.”

Females don’t produce the same testosterone levels as men so you can lift and lift but it’s damn near impossible for you to bulk up like a huge bodybuilder. So from now on don’t even allow yourself to think that!

Plain and simple: the more muscle you have the faster your metabolism works in a resting state.

Therefore the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn in a day at a resting heart rate.

Example: Man A and Man B  weigh 175. Man A has 10% body fat, Man B 30% body fat. Man A has less body fat (more muscle) will burn more calories naturally in a resting state than Man B with more body fat (less muscle). Dont worry about the number on the scale – worry about your body fat and lean muscle mass.

Ok–youre not feeling it… here’s another example

Take a look at this picture:

fat-loss-vs-weight-loss

A pound of muscle is a lot smaller than a pound of fat – even if you aren’t losing “weight” you can (and will) change  your body through gaining muscle!

Focus on FAT LOSS and not weight loss.  You may or may not lose a few pounds,  but gaining lean muscle and losing body fat will definitely result in you liking what you see in the mirror!

Keep your head up 🙆☝and stop looking👀👀 down at the scale!

Look in the mirror and see how your clothes fit :):)💪👊