Coconut Chicken Recipe: Great for Dairy Intolerance

This recipe was created out of a need to make some substitutions for a client: She loves cream based sauces however upon a elimination diet by her doctor she found that dairy upset her stomach. She graciously shared this recipe with me. Lucky for me I had a few can left over from my sons birthday cake!

This recipe uses coconut milk instead of dairy. While it's not a foolproof substitution, it is quite delicious. Plus the saturated fats in the coconut milk are healthy, energy delivering medium-chain triglycerides, which are also incredibly valuable to the immune system.


Creamy Dreamy Coconut Chicken

3 good-sized chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
2 tsp. coconut oil
1 small apple, peeled and diced
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated or chopped fine
1 can organic coconut milk
1 tsp. ground sage
Unrefined sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add in one teaspoon of coconut oil and let it melt. Season chicken pieces with unrefined salt and pepper. Add to skillet allowing pieces to brown on each side. Once chicken pieces have browned, set aside in a bowl. Return skillet to heat.

Add second teaspoon of coconut oil and allow to melt. Add in diced onion and stir frequently, allowing onion to brown some. Season with some unrefined sea salt. When onion pieces have gone translucent and begun to brown on some of the edges, add garlic, apple and ginger. Stir well.

Turn heat down to medium and continue to cook ingredients for another minute or so. (Optional addition - here, you could deglaze the pan with a half cup or so of organic white wine and allow it to reduce for a couple of minutes before adding the coconut oil. This will make for a richer flavour to the sauce. If you don't have wine, you could also juice half a lemon). Add in coconut milk and stir until the sauce has an even consistency. Once sauce has come to a boil, add back chicken pieces and stir well.

Turn heat down to medium-low and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes; until chicken has cooked through.

Spoon chicken with sauce over rice, rice pasta, quinoa or other grain.

Variation: Instead of adding sage, use curry powder and use this as a base for a delicious coconut curry.

Elimination Diet: Substitute citrus and vinegar with vegetable or chicken stock

Why Women Need to Lift Weights

Ladies – I hear all the time how afraid you are of gaining muscle and looking like the She-He below.   I'm hear to tell you need to lift weights (heavy ones too when your ready). There is no need to be afraid of lifting weights - let me explain:

For too long there has only been a few of us lone females in the gym in the free weight section.  Most of the women in the gym spend the hour they have to work out on the elliptical or treadmill – making sure to burn the exact amount of calories they consumed for the day.  Maybe one or two trickle into the weight room, but for the most part it’s become the 'stinky guys room.'

Simply: Gaining muscle BURNS FAT!


In order to get rid of our fear of lifting weights, we must look at why we are scared of lifting weights.

Reason  #1 – You think that lifting weights will make you look like a man.
I agree -  I don’t want to look like a man either! Currently I lift weights 4 days a week, and cross train on the others, and I don’t look like a man.

This can no longer be your excuse. To achieve the results like the picture below you would need high levels of testosterone in your body to bulk up like our male counterparts. Our levels of testosterone are nowhere near the level to bulk up like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It takes time and years of dedication of body building ... and the possibility of other substances to reach the muscle levels such as this female.

Reason #2 – You don’t know what to do and you don’t want to make a fool of yourself by doing the wrong thing.

Seriously? There are PLENTY of people in the gym who are unsure of what they are doing - male and female. This why trainers exist. It is our job to pass on our knowledge. If you are unsure ask a co-worker at your gym or myself. I am happy to escort you threw the weight room ;-D

There are so many opportunities for you to find out and learn what exercises you can do with weights in the gym that you don’t need to be nervous. You can check out the exercises on many YouTube channels, you can read workout magazines to see what other women are doing, or you can search the internet.

If you are really nervous and don’t feel comfortable just going out on your own then set up a session with a trainer at your gym.  They’ll be more than happy to show you what exercises to do, show you how to do them properly, and to give you a routine to start off with. There are so many ways for you to find WHAT to do.

Reason #3 – You’re scared you are going to hurt yourself.

This is a very understandable concern. However, like I mentioned above – ask someone, research the proper form and technique and if you’ve never lifted weights before, don’t start with the heaviest weight possible. Start off light and let yourself get stronger.

Also, lifting weights properly will help you prevent injuries- now and later in life.  Research has shown that lifting weights increases bone density, therefore decreasing the risk of osteoporosis in women.  They have also found that lifting weights helps to strengthen the connective tissue between your joints, making them stronger.  When the connective tissue becomes stronger, it adds support to your joints, preventing injury. Plus, we all know that when we exercise, we are lowering our levels or body fat, therefore lowering our cholesterol and risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Are you still scared?  There is no need to be – I know you can do it and you know you can. There are no more excuses for you to not lose body fat and get stronger – lifting weights will only help you.

However, if you are still worried about lifting weights – leave a comment below or  email me – kimk@cardiocorebootcamp.com and let me know what is preventing you from adding weight lifting to your workout routines and together we can come up with a plan to get you started lifting weights and losing fat faster!

Complete Protein: Quinoa with Sweet Potato

As a foodie and a personal trainer, I have recommended this amazing and versatile grain in place of rice (or couscous, pasta ...even some desserts!). Quinoa as it's one of the most energizing foods that is also completely vegetarian, but contains all the essential amino acids to make it a complete protein. In short, this means that quinoa can easily replace the meat portion of your meal without sacrificing the very important protein component of a healthy balanced meal.

Quinoa with Sweet Potato

Ingredients
1/2 cup organic white quinoa (rinse before cooking or let soak overnight to release the saponins)
1 cup of filtered water
2 tbsp of grated organic orange rind
3 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp of grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 sweet potato, cooked and cut up into chunks *
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 generous cups of spinach

Method
Bring quinoa to a boil and then let simmer for 12-15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and let cool only slightly. 

Place into a medium size bowl and add orange rind, juice, ginger, almonds, sweet potato, spinach and olive oil. Mix all the ingredients together.

* Sweet potato: You can bake it for 35-40 minutes at 350F or boil it for 10-15 minutes until fork tender.

Great anytime: tabuleh, tabouleh, tabouli

 Whatever way you spell it, this Middle Eastern dish is an all-in-one vegetarian meal full of freshness from the star ingredient, parsley.

Parsley is an unappreciated herb as it's usually just relegated to that of a garnish for fish, but as the Healthy Foodie recently pointed out, it's packed with nutrition benefits and it's high time we gave this herb the love and respect it deserves.



Parsley factoids:

• It's a relative of the celery family, a source of vitamin A, C, K, folate and iron.
• Contains the volatile oil myristicin, which has been shown to inhibit lung tumour formation in animal studies.
• It activates the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione (incredible antioxidant) to free radicals that would otherwise damage the body.
• The flavonoids in parsley called luteolin, have been shown to function as an antioxidant that combines with highly reactive oxygen-containing free radical molecules.
• It's a diuretic: Studies prove it's an effective natural way to reduce water retention, especially if you have swollen feet when pregnant or get bloated during certain times of the month (this is my personal health secret for combating bloating)

Fresh Tabuleh

Ingredients:
2 cups cracked wheat (bulgur)
2 cups very hot water
1 red pepper, chopped
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, (8) sliced
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint
2 cups fresh chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced

Dressing:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Soak the cracked wheat in the hot water until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. For a gluten-free option use quinoa instead, follow these recipe instructions for quinoa preparation. When it's ready, drain any excess water. Prepare the vegetables for the salad and mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside. Add to the wheat bulgur, toss altogether in a medium bowl.

Serve chilled. Makes about eight cups or 12 to 16 servings.

Recipe Makeover: Almond Butter Rice Crisps

We all have fond memories of Rice Krispie Treats as children - the sweet, gooey marshmallow mixed with crunchy rice cereal - how can you not love them?

As adults, and in some cases also parents ourselves, we want to share those wonderful memories that we associate with these yummy treats. However, older and wiser, we know that the sugar content is rediculously high and not so wonderful on our bodies and teeth.

THE SOLUTION?

Replace the marshmallow with Almond Butter!


Think of this as a healthy version of Rice Krispie squares that actually tastes better. Really!
Did I mention they are gluten-free too?

I can't promise you won't want to eat more than one because they taste so good (some self control is needed!), but I can assure you that you won't eat the whole batch because the protein and good fat from the almond butter will leave you feeling satisfied and keep cravings away. One of the reasons for this is that protein and fat take much longer to digest than carbohydrates.

Almond Butter Rice Crisps

Ingredients:

6 cups brown rice crisps (you can use cereal for this)
2/3 cup raw honey
2/3 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

Line a 11 x 7 inch pan with parchment.

Slowly heat the honey, nut butter, vanilla and cinnamon over low heat, stirring constantly, until blended.

Immediately (while the mixture is still warm) toss the rice cereal with the nut butter mixture in a large bowl until very well coated. Pour the cereal into your prepared pan and press into all the corners.

Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. When cool and firm, lift out of the pan by the parchment and slice to your desired size.

Don't buy into the Fast Food hype

6 solid reasons why we think you should stay well clear of the marketing hype... Fast food is highly processed and generally contains these pretty unpleasant things that you should avoid :

1. Trans Fats - The hidden killer & the real cause of heart disease and high cholesterol.
2. Artificial additives - Sweeteners & flavor enhancers have been linked to certain cancers. These are found in drinks, sauces & toppings.
3. Reconstituted meat - 100% meat does not mean the best lean cuts of meat. More often the high fat waste cuts that are pulped to make your burgers
4. Processed carbohydrates - Fries, white breads and baked goods use highly refined flours with added fat, salt & sugar that have little or no nutritional value
5. Processed sugars - High levels are found in milk shakes, sodas and baked goods. These have little or no nutritional value
6. Calories - The overwhelming cause of obesity is consuming more calories than you burn over an extended period of time. Fast foods are some of the most high-calorie foods out there, so if you want to lose weight, stay away!

Cucumber Avocado Soup

After Mondays post on the benefits of eating avocado...I hunted for more recipes to use this delicious fruit. If you love gazpacho, then you'll love this recipe. If you have any in your recipe box please share in the comments or email me!!!

The ingredients are reminiscent of a spa treatment – cucumber, avocado and yogurt... if you have extra why not use some for a facial?

By request of my doctor (due to several cluster migraines and painful acid reflux in the last few months) that I do an elimination diet to see if it is something in my diet that is triggering my migraines. This is one of many I will posted during the next few weeks as I embark on this new adventure. To learn more about the elimination diet refer to my previous post

Both cucumbers and avocado are health promoting foods. Avocados in particular are a source of good monounsaturated fat that's proven to help lower cholesterol. Adding healthy fat to a meal is essential to feeling satiated. I eat cucumbers for three skin-loving reasons: vitamin C, high water content and silica.

Cucumber Avocado Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups of cucumber, peeled and seeds removed and cut into small chunks
2-3 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
2/3 cup organic plain yogurt (non-fat is fine, but it will be much more delicious with full-fat)
Juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
1 clove of minced garlic

Method:

Place the cucumbers in a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth. Add the avocados, yogurt, lime juice, garlic and blend until smooth. Place in fridge until completely cooled, season to your taste. Serve with a drizzle of EVOO.

ENJOY on a hot summer day!

Moroccan Chicken

Moroccan Chicken

Full of flavor this hearty meal will leave you satisfied! 

A tasty recipe that is Elimination Diet friendly.

 

 

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
• salt to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• fresh oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• oil (optional)
• chickpeas

Instructions: 

1) Season chicken with salt and brown in large sauce pan. Set aside.
2) Saute onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in the same pan for about 5 minutes or until they become tender.
3) Stir in spices and herbs. Stir fry for 1 minute, then add in broth and tomatoes.
4) Add chicken back in. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
5) Add chickpeas and zucchini to pan. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in lemon. Serve.

Todays Workout - Tabata

Push Ups
Squat Press
Jumping Jacks
In & Outs
Tricep Dip
Step Ups (alternate legs)
Bent over Row
Mountain Climbers

Perform each exercise for 8 rounds (sets) for 20 seconds (duration) of work and 10 seconds of rest. Repeat. Each exercise should take 4 minutes to complete all 8 rounds

In between each exercise do touchdown sprints.

Make sure you do a long warm up and stretch at the end.

ENJOY :-D

Green Apple Salad with Dressing

 I made this for dinner a few nights ago and drizzled it over mixed organic greens, sliced avocado, roasted chicken and toasted pumpkin seeds. You can add more other toppings such as Strawberries or in place of Chicken, try Salmon!

This is appropriate for those of you trying the elimination diet, just refer to the Food Chart when selecting toppings.

Enjoy!

Salad Dressing Recipe


1 green apple, cored (Granny Smith)

1/2 cup filtered water

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 to 4 cloves garlic

1 to 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

Sea salt, to taste

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until very smooth and creamy. 

Add salt to taste and blend again.

Some interesting info. I recently read from a Cardio-Core colleague in Ontario regarding the benefits to eating avocado... not that I need an excuse to enjoy this creamy green fruit

--> Check out her blog http://allysonangus.blogspot.com/ for more interesting info.

As noted food writer Gaylor Hauser once said of it; "In this single delectable fruit are combined the protein of meat, the fat of butter (but much more wholesome!), the vitamins & minerals of green vegetables, the flavor of nuts... a six course meal!"

A creamy rich avocado is considered the world's healthiest fruit because of nutrient contents such as vitamin K, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C & copper. I start my day with a protein shake that includes 1 FULL avocado. I LOVE my morning shake! When I get the night time munchies I go to bed so my shake will come quicker. I'm not looking forward to the day the avocado is taken out of my diet (which is coming soon, I'm sure) but for now, I will enjoy!

Avocados are a WHOLE FOOD! They have more potassium than a banana, provide all 18 amino acids & 7 essential fatty acids including Omega 3 & 6. An avocado has more protein cow's milk & more usable protein than a large steak (cooked = denatured).

Avocados are a natural FAT BURNER! Containing monosaturated fat which speeds up the basil metabolic rate. Its high fat content gives a quicker feeling of satiation (fullness) which is also very beneficial and nice first thing in the morning, right before my training.

A note on potassium (which avocados are full of!). Potassium is critical to our cardiovascular and nerve functioning, regulating the transfer of nutrients into cells and facilitating muscle energy. Potassium enhances muscle control plus the growth and health of cells particularly through its importance in waste product removal**

3 things to bring health into your home

Here are 3 simple things you can do to bring health in to your home.

1) Get your family involved in planning and cooking meals from the earliest age possible. Have healthy recipe books (preferably with pictures) where your kids can help select the meals.

2) Pick one day per week (or month if you have to) that is a family fitness day. If you have babies, that may be a family stroller walk. With older kids, get out and play soccer or a game of tag. Enjoy nature and go for a hike. Create new family traditions where health is the focus.

3) Kids love to be in charge of something. Give them the honor of being the Green Police. They are in charge of making sure that your family is recycling, turning lights off and using less water.

Pepper Lemon Salmon

Pepper Lemon Salmon

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 8 lemon slices (about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
• 4 teaspoons capers
• 4 pieces of aluminum foil

Directions

Brush top and bottom of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the each piece of salmon with 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of wine, and 1 teaspoon of capers. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon. Serve in the foil packets.

Chronically Sick? Try the Elimination Diet to rid your body of illness

Are you plagued with fatigue, headaches and colds? It could be something in your diet that is the culprit. 

Try this elimination diet, from Naturopathic Doctor Lindsay Martens, to pin-point if there is something in your diet that may be hindering your well-being. 

If you DO NOT suffer chronically from two or more of the symptoms listed below, you most likely do not need to go through the exhaustive list of food elimination. Rather cut out sugary drinks, foods out of a bag, can, microwave or drive threw for a week. The first few days won't be pretty but I promise after a week your energy, mood and concentration will be much better!


What is an elimination diet?
As the name implies, this diet is designed to temporarily avoid certain foods for 2 weeks (this is called the elimination phase), followed by a period of systematic reintroduction of certain food groups. This latter phase is called the reintroduction phase and may last several weeks (many doctors suggest up to 9) as you keep a food diary.

What is this diet used for?
The purpose of this dietary protocol is to identify possible food sensitivities. Such sensitivities may range from mild or hardly noticeable reactions to severe generalized allergic responses. Food sensitivities/intolerance's contribute to many health concerns and impact our ability to achieve optimum health.

Is all this REALLY necessary?
According to current research, food sensitivities can cause or contribute to a vast array of problems including: fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, food cravings, obesity, recurrent colds and other infections, chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drip, fluid in the ears, Meniere’s syndrome, irritable bowl syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, angina, acne, eczema, psoriasis, canker sores, hives, muscle aches, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and other headaches, numbness, asthma, frequent urination, teeth grinding, bed wetting, and infantile colic.

Most of the above disorders have more than one cause, but food sensitivity is relatively common and a frequently overlooked cause.

Often this sort of exercise helps one get out of “food ruts”. This plan hopefully encourages you to try new foods. Daily repetition of the same foods is thought to be a major contributor to the development of food sensitivities. Also, a diverse diet is typically healthier because you are more likely to get a comprehensive intake of valuable nutrients.

General Instruction: 
•    Create a daily food journal to record any changes

•    This program provides all the nutrition that you will need while your body cleanses and heals itself.
•    Eat until you are full, but not engorged. It is better to eat several small meals throughout the day rather than 3 large ones

•    Do not drink with your meals, as this dilutes the enzymes in the stomach needed to properly digest the food eaten. Drink liquids 1⁄2 hour before or 1 hour after eating

•    Continue to take nutritional supplements and herbal medicines unless otherwise directed

•    You may initially (1-5 days) experience cleansing symptoms which could include: headache, fatigue, increased food cravings, irritability, or an aggravation of a symptom you already have

This is a period of 2 weeks during which certain food groups will be eliminated from your diet. At a minimum, you should completely avoid dairy products, red meat, and eggs. These foods are involved in more than 80% of all food sensitivities.

For the next 9 weeks, food groups that have been eliminated will be progressively added to your daily diet. This systematic reintroduction of potentially allergenic foods will allow for the identification of any hypersensitivity you may have. In general, first reintroductions should be in small portions so as not to induce non-specific responses. Please follow the reintroduction protocol. Document any observations in your journal.

Rebuilding
There are times when the digestive tract has been severely impaired due to chronic disease or severe exposure to food allergies/intolerance's. As part of the elimination diet program it is necessary to rebuild and heal the digestive tract. Consult with your doctor to identify what additional steps need to be taken

Quinoa Greek Salad

Quinoa Greek Salad
 Serves 4

1 cup quinoa
1 1⁄4 cups water
3 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1 small cucumber, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1⁄2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Rinse quinoa well under cold water. Bring 1 1⁄4 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa with remaining ingredients. Toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yummy How-To Recipe: Grilled Balsamic Basil Flank Steak

Craftzine.com blog : Recipe: Grilled Balsamic Basil Flank Steak

Eat-Clean Egg Salad

Eat-Clean Egg Salad
From: www.eatcleandiet.com

SERVINGS: 1 cup of egg salad

Details

Egg Salad is the perfect school lunch! It’s hearty, tasty and takes no time at all to prepare. Trade the fatty, mayonnaise-laden version for this Eat-Clean recipe from my latest book, The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids! Make sure to pack it in a cooler.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup / 60 ml fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml skim milk
• 1 tsp / 5 ml mustard
• 4 hardboiled egg whites, diced
• 1 hardboiled yolk
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped celery
• Dash curry powder
• 1/4 tsp / 1 ml sea salt

Preparation

1. Whip cottage cheese and milk until smooth in medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Blend remaining ingredients except egg whites with cottage cheese mixture.
3. Add diced egg whites to cottage cheese mixture. Mix well.

Do you have a Recipe you’d like to share with us?
Send us your recipe here!




Nutrients Per Serving

Calories: 170
Calories from Fat: 30
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
Sodium: 528mg
Cholesterol: 106mg

Feeling a bit bloated? Try these tips

4 Quick “Beat the Bloat” Tips:


1. Slow It Down
We are so BUSY and tend to eat our meals WAY too fast. This only causes you to swallow too much air. Take your time, chew your food, enjoy your food and allow your body to digest your food. Food that is well chewed, with your mouth closed, is more easily digested and more easily utilized and passed through your body. The more digested your food = the less you bloat.

2. Avoid the Carbonated Drinks
Plain and simple…Bubbles = Bloat

3. Avoid Wheat
Actually it is the gluten that is is found in wheat (as well as rye, oats and barley) which makes up the majority of the Breads, Cereals, Cracker, etc. many of us eat a LOT of. Gluten is sticky substance with a consistency like glue. It’s difficult to digest and can have a disruptive effect on the digestive system, producing toxins, gas and bloating. Take a second look at the ingredients list of the wheat based foods you are eating.

Substitute with gluten free grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, spelt, rolled oats, Ezekiel breads are great too. Or better yet allow the majority of your meal to be fresh produce!

4. Drink More Water
Sure many flat tummy foods are high in fiber however this fiber can act like cement in your belly if you are not drinking enough water to help FLUSH it OUT! Make an effort to drink at about 64 oz a day. Easy to do when a bottle of water is about 17 oz. Just have one with each meal and/or snack.


Already Feeling a Bit Bloated?

You Can Get Relief!

Sip on some peppermint tea!

Peppermint relieves bloating by relaxing your digestive muscles – plus peppermint is refreshing, fights bad breath and satisfies a sweet tooth!

7 day menu - 1800 calories

Women who are regularly active - physical activity for 30-60 minutes per day, who range between 120lbs-150lbs - should aim for 1800 calories per day to fuel your body with the right nutrients.

NEVER go below 1250 calories - this is your basal metabolic rate - the absolute minimum amount of calories just to survive without activity.

Once you add exercise to the mix you are burning more calories which will require a bit more food to give you the energy to safely workout and lose weight...keep in mind bootcamp will burn between 500-700 calories but this is not a license to eat whatever.

Our bodies are like high performance cars, if you put cheap gas (high fat/low nutritious food)
into your vehicle it will not run as smoothly as the premium brand and may cause other parts of the car to wear down over time.

Here a few ideas to choose from when putting together meals that will make up 1800 calories

DAY 1

Breakfast 1 cup Go Lean Kashi Cereal ½ cup skim milk or fortified soy milk ½ cup blueberries

Snack 1 cup yogurt or soy-based yogurt ½ cup Strawberries

Lunch Tuna Pocket Salad 1 cup skim milk or fortified soy milk

Snack 1 orange

Dinner Sesame-meatball stir-fry 1 cup cooked linguine or fettuccine pasta 1 cup watermelon chunks

DAY 2

Breakfast 2 rice cakes 2 Tbsp almond butter 1 cup orange juice 1 cup milk or fortified soy milk

Snack 1 banana 1 cup yogurt or soy-based yogurt

Lunch Left over Meatball stir fry

Snack 10 baby carrots 1 cup milk or soy milk

Dinner Chicken Veggie Rice bowl

DAY 3

Breakfast 1 cup puffed rice cereal ½ cup strawberries, sliced ½ cup milk or fortified soy milk

Snack ½ bagel 2 Tbsp peanut butter

Lunch Leftover Chicken Veggie bowl 1 cup basmati rice

Snack 1 orange ¼ cup almonds

Dinner Asian Wraps

DAY 4

Breakfast 1 Protein smoothie 1 cup milk or fortified soy milk 1 banana handful of berries 1 scoop protein powder

Snack Cheese and crackers 4 whole grain crackers 1 string cheese

Lunch Leftover Asian wrap 1 apple

Snack 1 cup yogurt or soy-based yogurt

Dinner Zucchini Pasta and Turkey

DAY 5

Breakfast Bowl of Go Lean Kashi Cereal 1 cup orange juice

Snack ¼ cup roasted almonds 1 cup yogurt

Lunch Sliced turkey sandwich 2 pieces of rye bread 2 oz. lean sliced turkey 1 tsp mustard ½ cup cut carrots ½ cup cut celery stalks

Snack 1 peach String cheese

Dinner Tilipia Tacos

DAY 6

Breakfast 1 cup oatmeal ½ cup skim milk or fortified soy milk ½ cup blueberries 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp sliced almonds

Snack 1 cup yogurt or soy-based yogurt ½ cup Strawberries

Lunch 1 egg-salad pita wrap 1 whole wheat pita bread 1 cup baby spinach 1 hard boiled egg, sliced ½ cup red pepper, sliced ½ cup mushrooms, sliced 1 cup skim milk or fortified soy milk

Snack 1 apple String cheese

Dinner Bengali Squash and Chickpeas 1 cup rice

DAY 7

Breakfast 1 cup puffed rice cereal ½ cup blueberries ½ cup milk or fortified soy milk

Snack 1 apple

Lunch Leftover Squash and Chickpeas

Snack 1 Kashi granola bar 1 cup milk or fortified soy milk

Dinner Cashew Curry Burgers 1 Skinny cow ice cream sandwich

Quick No-Equipment Workout

QUICK WEEKEND OR HOLIDAY WORKOUT

Hop and Pops or Burpee's — Perform five jumping jacks and then drop to the floor and immediately do five pushups. Right back up to your feet for five jumping jacks, down for five pushups. There is no rest between jumping jacks and pushups. Perform a total of 20 repetitions for each. It’s OK if you need to perform a modified pushup (knees on floor). This exercise is not as easy as it sounds so if you need to do fewer reps to start that’s OK. You’ll curse me after 20 reps and it’s only the first exercise.



Running in Place — 2 brisk minutes

Wide hand position push ups (Challenge: with feet on chair) — Position yourself on the floor to perform push-ups but place your feet on a chair directly behind you. Place your hands approximately 2 inches wider than shoulder width and perform 12 push ups. If you can’t do these then perform modified push ups with your knees on the floor.

High March — March in place but raise your legs as high as you can. Perform 15 reps each side.

Ski Moguels – Stand with your feet together and keep your knees slightly bent. Jump to the right several feet and then jump a few feet to the left. Make sure to keep the knees and legs together and knees slightly bent. Alternatively you can challenge yourself by jumping over a rolled towel or cone. Perform 20 total reps

Alternate Side Lunge with Toe Touch — Stand with hands extended out to the sides. Then bring your right hand down in the direction of your let foot. Return to the starting position and perform the same movement on the other side (left hand towards right foot). To challenge yourself try a set of dumbells for more resistance. Perform 20 repetitions on each side.

Lunges — Stand straight with your feet together. Place your hands on your hips. Step forward with the right leg and lower the left leg until the knee almost touches the floor. Contracting the quadriceps muscles, push off your right foot slowly returning to the starting position. Alternate the motion with the left leg to complete the set. The step should be long enough so that your left leg is nearly straight. Do not let your knee touch the floor and make sure your head is up and your back is straight. Your right knee should not pass your right foot. You should be able to see your toes at all times. Perform 15 reps on each side.

Double Crunch — Lie on your back on a mat. Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45 degree angle with both feet on the floor. Your back should be comfortably relaxed on the floor. Place hands behind head or over your chest for more resistance. Contracting your abdominals, raise your head and legs off the floor toward one another. Return to the starting position stopping just short of your shoulders and feet touching the floor. Perform as many reps as possible until you can’t perform another.

Flutter Kicks -- Lie on your back with your hands under your hips and chin tucked down on your chest. Raise your legs 6 inches off the floor and then alternately move them up and down in short flutter motions (make sure your legs are fully extended). Perform the exercise for 45 seconds.

Plank – Lie face down on the floor. Make sure your body is fully extended. Bring your arms to the sides of your body and rise up on the elbows (arms bent and fists clenched). At the same time make sure you’re supporting your lower body by resting on your toes. This is a static exercise. Hold the position for 45 to 60 seconds. This is an excellent exercise for upper and lower body strength, and it’s great for the abs. Just make sure your body remains rigid in the air while supporting yourself on your elbows and toes.

Bicycle — Lie on your back and cycle both legs as fast as possible as if riding a bike. Perform the movement for 60 seconds. Believe me it will feel like an eternity.

Skipping in Place – 3 brisk minutes

Have a great weekend!

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