Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie
[youtube]https://youtu.be/KHo7ncakm-U[/youtube]
Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
3 frozen bananas
1 cup organic milk
2 cups yogurt
3 tsp vanlla
1 TBS honey
Ice
love 🙂
Put all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust for sweetness. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
612-454-6409
office@altmanfitness.com
The climb back to the top!
Jay and Kelly wanted me to share a bit of my recent journey. I have been hesitant mostly because when I go through something, I like to wait to have all the facts and learn how to overcome before I share anything.
Well, I’m in the process of learning so bear with me.
Over the last 6 months I just have not felt myself. If you were to ask me exactly what was wrong I would probably tell you a bunch of little things that would come and go.
Anything from:
Sleep issues, weight gain, hair loss, resting head tremors, brain fog, extreme fatigue like the kind where you just have to take a nap or the feeling when you wake up you just need to go back to bed. Joint pain, muscle pain, poor thinking like things you would not necessarily think or a way I might act, depression: mostly I attribute this to not knowing what was going on. Bouts of anxiety, light headed, back pain and just in general pain that would creep in different places. I felt inflamed all over my body.
I started noticing more of the physical issues the end of January. I would say things like: I’m just so tired, I don’t feel like workout today but I’m going to anyway. I remember sitting in a movie with Riley and during the previews I started having a sever panic attack for no reason. Never had this happen before.
I eat really very well. The only change I made starting in January was to add in more healthy fats. (I eat fairly low fats due to not having a gall bladder, so when I eat fat…. it runs right through me. Yes, I could take a supplement to help but I chose not to) I eat whole foods, I eat organic for my staple foods, I changed my work load and stress load to a manageable level, I go to bed and sleep 8+ hours a night unfortunately they have become interrupted sleep. Bottom line is I live what I teach. So why the heck do I fell so awful???
Do you know how hard it is to walk into a gym where your picture is displayed very large of how much weight you lost and know that you weigh 20lbs more?
Do you know how hard it is to teach a class and feel really awful.
Do you know how hard it is to sit with someone and lead them on a fat loss journey when you yourself cannot get the weight off.
Do you know how hard it is to be in the fitness industry, face your employers while gaining weight, having a difficult time with exercise, the right mindset and not be able to give them an answer as to “WHY”
Do you know how hard it is to hear your Dr. tell you all your blood work is normal. Maybe it’s your hormones?
Or to feel ” like you are the only one in the world that can lead a healthy life style and still gain weight” and that I “fit no clinical profile of anyone.”
Insert the feeling of Am I really going crazy? Because I think some people around me are thinking I am a bit crazy!
Let me clear things up….
I’m not Crazy. 🙂
I have been diagnosed with Lymes Disease. Not only Lymes but I also have been diagnosed with another tick born illness called anaplasomosis.
Thankfully my Dr. agreed to do the full panel tick tests on me, and they came back 100% Lymes and further indicators,
she is sending me to a disease specialist whom I see later this week.
There are some people that still don’t understand Lymes disease because not many physicians believe in the testing process, they go only by a bullseye rash as an indicator. The reality is in 30-40% of the cases people don’t have the rash, my case in point. This disease can Wreak havoc on your body. I was just with one of my very best friends this week who’s brother in law had Lymes. He nearly died. Thankfully now he is on a regimen and is slowly repairing his health and his life. Years he went without a diagnosis and knew inside he was not going to make it.
I have spoken with 2 others who have had Lymes. This is a bad disease that really can destroy your life if not discovered. It has been helpful for me to learn that the feelings I have had, the physical issues I have had, the abnormal anxiety, depression and that feeling of being crazy is what lots of other people feel and there is reason behind it.
So here I am.
I am going through a regime of antibiotic treatment. I have good days and bad days. But I know what’s wrong and following my current path is going to give me the best chance at getting rid of these nasty bugs. I’m not 100% sure how long it’s going to take to fix it. But I am confident in this…. I WILL.
I will be able to find that place again where I am: confident, strong spiritually, mentally and physically, happy, healthy, able to LIVE without fear of being a fake, being able to live and not hide what I am facing.
This whole process has really taught me a lot. It’s taught me to not give up on myself. Even when everyone else has… don’t give up! You know yourself best, keep searching if you think something is really wrong then keep going and don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way.
I Can and I Will!
Jen Flynn
What is my typical day of eating to lose weight?
I get the question all the time “what do you eat to lose weight??”
Well the answer is not so simple. First of all you have to know that everyone’s body is different. We all lost weight differently and we all lose weight at different rates.
What is the same is the tools on how you figure out how to lose the weight.
- Calories, if your consuming to many…. you won’t lose weight.
- Whole foods, yep this means you have to eat your veggies
- Exercise…. does that mean you have to be a body builder? No.
Let’s look at calories. When I first started if you asked me how many calories I consumed in a day, I would have said: “I’m not sure, but I would guess about 2,500 and I eat pretty healthy” And then I downloaded this free little app called “my net diary”. Guess what? My “I eat pretty healthy and 2,500 calories, well I consumed that by 3:00pm and the bulk of my food was still to come. The worst part, I drank most of my calories. Including milk, pop and caribou coffee. Download the app and start plugging in EVERYTHING you eat. Then just use it as a guideline, letting you know where you are at. For me it was shocking how much sugar I consumed and how little protein I ate.
As a rule: 30% healthy fat, 30% healthy carbs and 40% Protein.
Whole foods, why do we hate our veggies so much? I can tell you… because we don’t know how to prepare them! Go into any fine restaurant and you will eat your veggies right? Those amazing little carrots with the stems still on them, how can they taste so good? and seriously why do Brussel sprouts or green beans always taste so much better when I eat out verses when I make them? Because they know how to cook them! Instead of boiling or stemming the heck out of your veggies, try this next time: Set your oven on 350 degrees. Cut up all your veggies toss them in a zip lock bag, 1 Tbs. of olive oil or better yet coconut oil. a couple of twists of pink Himalayan sea salt. Shake it up and put on a cookie sheet in the oven for 20 min. BAM! you have some amazing veggies!
Exercise: why does everyone think they need to go out and do some crazy hard workout to get results? You don’t. Even a 30 min walk outside will get your metabolism stimulated. Go for a bike ride, swim, have sex (did I just say that) go dancing! Do something that you LOVE. If you want to try a workout class, I highly recommend a HIIT class that is really going to get your body to burn fat off your body.
So there you have it, some general rules on how to start burning fat. Still feel stuck? Then call me and I will help you through it: 612-454-6409
Oh and as promised….. this is my typical day of eating:
Breakfast: 1 cup egg whites cooked over low heat. toss in 2-3 oz of sweet potato that I baked the night before. 1 green drink: 1 cup of bone broth, handful of organic power greens from target, 1 cutie orange, 1/4 green apple, 1/4 avocado, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder. add ice and blend well. 
Mid morning snack post workout: Protein smoothie: 1 cup water, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp pure coco powder, 1 tbl.
PB2, 1/2 frozen banana, ice. blend well and put thermos.
Lunch ( I eat about 1:30) – Grilled chicken tossed in with cauliflower rice (Can buy already made in a bag) shredded carrots, 1 green onion, 1/4 cup peas, I cook all this in a pan in the morning, and then add in 1 tablespoon of coconut tariki sauce. then I bring it to work and eat it cold.
Mid afternoon snack: grilled chicken slices, bubbies sauerkraut. Then go for a walk.
Dinner: Fish tacos (3) or Flank steak and green beans or rotisserie chicken and a bunch of greens.
If I crave something sweet then I will have 1 C. watermelon or 1/2 apple. I also drink 100 oz of water every day.
I want to remind you what I said in the beginning, everyone loses weight differently. Just because you eat like I do does not mean you will lose weight. It’s important to find what works for you!
A Producer, an Actor and 2 Weeks until Filming!!!!
Santhosh, a long time member at Altman Fitness approached one of our fat loss experts with a challenging task….. He needed his actor to drop body fat and drop it fast in time for shooting his next film.
On September 28th Sudhakar arrived in the U.S. from India. Santhosh and Sudhakar immediately met with one of our Fat loss experts. The goal was to get to 12% body fat in 2 weeks, just in time for filming his first boxing scene.
Sudhakar’s starting weight 160.4 and body fat percentage 16.8%
Our Fat loss team got to work right away, with dialing in on his nutrition and training…. 12% body fat was in Sudhakar’s future.
Prior to arriving in the U.S. Sudhakar was training his body and increasing muscle size and strength but was struggling to get his body fat low enough to see his amazing six pack abs.
For the next 2 weeks Sudhakar prepared his meals with precision as directed by staff. He executed his workouts at Altman Fitness with our high intensity Boot Camp classes, peaking his heart rate and increasing his weights to maximize his results.
With the direct guidance of our Fat loss experts here at Altman Fitness and his diligence to stick with the program…. In two weeks Sudhakar went from 16.8% body fat TO 12.6% body fat!
As you can see…. Sudhakar’s results are AMAZING! And the filming went perfectly.
Have a goal and desire like Sudhakar?
Call us for your 3 “Afterburn Workouts” Absolutely FREE – 612-454-6409
Seven Exercises to Get the Most Out of Your 2016 Workout
The new year is right around the corner, and you’re making plans to finally achieve that beach body in 2016. The problem is, you’re kind of at a loss of where to start. There are literally thousands of exercises out there, and while you know eating well will help you, you really want to tone your body and finally get in shape.
If you’re tired of trying to determine what exercises you should do, read through the following seven simple exercises and give them a go!
Walking
You may take it for granted as you get from point A to point B every day, but walking is a complete body workout. In order to walk, your muscles must all work together to propel your body forward. When walking is done in a conscious manner, meaning you’re keeping your speed at a certain level and your form proper, you can burn a lot of calories!
Start your day with a quick 15- to 20-minute walk in the morning in 2016. You’ll feel much more awake and ready to conquer the day! If you can’t do a regular workout routine with weights or at a gym, just take a walk. Something is always better than nothing!
Push-Ups
Push-ups are also a fantastic full-body exercise. Although the main strain is on your chest and abs, if you’re actively engaging your muscles, you’ll feel it in your hip flexers, quads and even your shoulders.
There are a ton of variations of push-ups that will target different muscle groups. If you’re starting out, begin doing push-ups from your knees so you don’t strain your back too much if your core is not strong enough yet. As you progress and the exercise gets easier, begin to change up the type of push-up you do to keep those muscles guessing.
Squats
When in doubt, squat it down! Squats for some folks can be very intimidating, but they don’t have to be. Even if you’re just using your bodyweight, squats can literally transform your body. They activate your abdominals, hip flexers, quads, glutes, hamstrings and many more muscles to burn a ton of calories.
Whether you’re a pro at squats or a newbie, you’ll want to constantly be focused on your form with this exercise. Squats can cause injuries if you’re not careful in your form. Start out with no weight in 2016 if you’re new to them before piling up the 45s on the bar.
Interval Training
So you like to walk, but it gets kind of boring if you’re not in a scenic location. The good news is you can get your heart rate up just by doing some simple exercises. Interval Training focuses on doing two or more exercises which will require you to vary speeds.
An example would be doing 20 squats and then moving into 20 jumping jacks. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is not for beginners, but with a few adjustments, you can do intervals at your level. Our staff at Altman Fitness is well-versed in interval training, so get in touch today!
Hip Extensions or Glute Bridges
If you’re looking for a great exercise for your glutes, hip flexers and back, the hip extension (or glute bridge) is the one you’re waiting for. When lying on the floor or with your upper back only on a bench and your feet firmly planted on the ground, you’ll engage your core, legs and glutes to force your feet into the floor, which lifts your butt off of the floor.
This exercise is great for anyone with lower back pain or for someone who wants to tone their glutes and thighs.
Superman
A sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on your back. Reverse the pain with a simple exercise you can do while lying down!
The superman exercise move is easy and can be modified for your skill level. Lie flat on your stomach and outstretch your arms above your head. Pretend someone is grabbing your arms and legs, pulling them away from one another, elongating your body.
When you’re ready, you can either lift your arms and chest, your feet and legs, or both up off of the ground. Hold for 10-20 seconds, and then release. Your goal should be to get your limbs as high up off the ground as you can. This exercise is perfect for your abs and back!
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are no easy exercise, but they are so worth it! They’re a great upper body workout because they engage every muscle group above your waist.
If you’re not at the point where you can do a pull-up, that’s okay! Use resistance bands for assistance, or perform negative pull-ups or jump pull-ups. Just be careful how many you do when you’re first starting out! You can and will be very sore from these exercises.
If you’d like some guidance on what other exercises to try or if have any questions about form, give us a call at Altman Fitness! Our phone number is 612-454-6409. We can help change your life and body from the inside out for your 2016 New Years resolution!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Meet Christy
Breast cancer is personal, yet it doesn’t have to be something you go through alone. – Firefly Sisterhood
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer and live in Minnesota, Firefly Sisterhood exists for you. Their mission is to connect you with a woman who has been through what you’re going through, a Guide who can help light your path from diagnosis to healing.
Let me tell you a little about a local woman named Christy Lund. I’ve known Christy for several years now because I am her mother’s personal trainer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I asked Christy if I could share her story with you for a couple of reasons. 1. She has lived through breast cancer and her story in an inspiration. 2. She is now working for Firefly Sisterhood, the non-profit that I referenced above.
Without further ado,
Meet Christy – from her own words,
In January of 2014, at the age of 42, I received the shock of my life when my internist told me the results of a breast biopsy: I had breast cancer. What??? I had spent the past decade emphasizing clean eating, engaging in very regular exercise, and strengthening my emotional health.
Besides the shock of the diagnosis being nearly overwhelming, foremost in my mind was the question of how I would care for my then 17 month old daughter. I was raising my amazing Grace as a single mother by choice, not having had the right man in my life at a time when I knew I wanted to make my dream to become a mother come true.
Being a single mother is a unique challenge, but it had allowed me to work hard to create a very strong village to support our family. Once I was diagnosed with breast cancer, it didn’t take me long to learn even more ways to ask for help and to expand our growing village. And oh, what support we received!
Throughout my long and arduous treatment, I was very fortunate to be able to take advantage of many integrative practices, including acupuncture, massage, yoga, counseling, and mindfulness training. In addition, I was able to spend a great deal of time as I gained strength and energy engaging in various forms of exercise: walking; jogging; strength training; and more yoga.
I know, without a doubt, that I came through my recovery as well as I did as a result of being physically strong and active prior to my diagnosis, throughout my treatment, and beyond.
Ok, I’m back. Isn’t her story an inspiration? Listen, I know that many if not all of us know somebody that has been affected by breast cancer and before you exit this page I’m asking for your help. I want you to do three things:
- Send this blog to anyone you know who can benefit from it.
- Visit Firefly Sisterhood to learn more about them. ==> https://www.fireflysisterhood.org/ <==
- Take advantage of my 14 Day Fat Furnace Plan so you can lose weight and get fit AND I can donate 100% of the money you pay for the Plan to Firefly Sisterhood.
Below is the information about my 14 Day Fat Furnace Plan:
(I wrote this to my email list) 🙂
I need your help, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
This was something I was only doing with my clients and their friends… but so many people loved the idea that I decided to open this up to everyone on my email list.
Not sure if you know this or not, but October is breast cancer awareness month.
If you’re like me, then you may know someone who’s been affected by breast cancer.
Maybe it’s even very close to home for you like it did for one of my private clients. Her daughter, Christy, a single mother of a just turned 3 year old was given a breast cancer diagnosis just over a year ago. You can read Christy’s inspiring story above.
With October being the month to raise awareness, I thought we should do our part here at Altman Fitness to raise even more awareness!
So I came up with a plan to raise awareness and (more importantly) to raise money to help fund a local non-profit organization that Christy now works for called Firefly Sisterhood.
But I need your help…
During the month of October I’m offering our popular 14-Day Fat Furnace program for only $25 for to folks in our community. Normally this program costs $67, but I wanted to cut the price to less than half so more people can get on board and so we can help raise more money…
Yes! I’m donating 100% of the money we get from these 14-Day Fat Furnace Programs to the Firefly Sisterhood. The Firefly Sisterhood is a local non-profit organization that pairs women who have had breast cancer to women who are recently diagnosed. Firefly Sisterhood is located in St. Louis Park and all the money we raise stays local and helps women who live right here in our community. To find out more about Firefly Sisterhood go here: https://www.fireflysisterhood.org/
The special program is only for the month of October so this is the ONLY time where you’ll get my most popular program for only $25.
- 14 days of workouts here at Altman Fitness for Fit Body Boot Camp or Power 45 (Low Impact).
- A fat loss meal plan to help you lose even more fat.
- And all the motivation and accountability you need to get it amazing shape.
All you have to do is reply to this email or call me at 612-454-6409 and let me know that you want to jump on board with this special “Breast Cancer Awareness” program and you’re in!
Now, I should warn you and let you know that this IS my most popular program and it fills up every time. And since I’ve cut the price for it so low, it’s going to fill up even faster.
So it’s first come, first serve.
Like I said, I’m donating 100% of the money you pay for the 14-Day Fat Furnace to the Firefly Sisterhood and they are LOCAL!
So together we’re doing something really awesome to help out such a great cause… plus you’ll get an amazing workout, you’ll get into shape, and you’ll feel way better because Altman Fitness workouts just do that to people 😉
You may even want to buy this program for a friend, neighbor or co-worker and bring them along to.
It’s a total win/win/win deal!
Pretty sweet, right?
By the way, you should tell all of your Facebook friends too by posting this up on your Facebook wall:
Altman Fitness is offering their popular 14-Day Fat Furnace workout program and eating plan for weight-loss for only $25 and they’re donating 100% of the money to Firefly Sisterhood, a local nonprofit that pairs women who have had breast cancer to women who are recently diagnosed for support. I’m doing it! It’s an awesome workout, and a great cause to support considering it’s breast cancer awareness month. You can reach Altman Fitness by emailing them at office@altmanfitness.com or call them at 612-454-6409
So be sure to get on board with the 14-Day Fat Furnace program now for only $25 and help us with this great cause.
Thank you for your help with this! Together we can make a REAL difference for REAL women right here in our community,
Jay
P.S. Remember, you can call 612-454-6409 or reply to this email and let us know you’re ready and we’ll get you right in this week!
Healthy Crockpot meals!
HERE IT IS!!!!
School is around the corner and I don’t know about you but I often find myself short on time at the end of the night.
So why not plan ahead? If there is one thing (and lets be honest there has been MANY things) I learned on this weight loss journey it’s to PLAN AHEAD. Let me repeat that….. PLLLAAAANNN Ahead! That way you have zero excuses not to have a healthy meal prepared…. unless your power goes out, or your roof caves in from the weight of the snow, or you’ve lost your house keys and your husband had installed break proof windows and doors and you simply cannot get into your house. But even then, lets hope that one of these 12 meals you stored at your neighbors house so you can invite yourself over for dinner!
Riley and I spent 90 min prepping and making these 12 meals. The day before my husband and I had date night at Costco… seriously if you have never had date night at costco, welcome to fun zone 🙂 We got everything on the list and we chose to buy mostly organic…. yes even the honey, we spent $120.00 for 12 meals. And we have left over onion, carrots, honey and more. Each bag fits in a large size crockpot and is enough to feed a family of 4.
Not bad, $10.00 per meal and super fresh, healthy and EASY!!!
We chose to eat the Turkey Chili the first night and it was a HIT! Loved it!! I even had a little left over for lunch the next day! Recipe is listed below. I will eventually be posting ALL the recipes, but not right away, as I have 2 kiddos starting school and a busy rest of summer so they will filtered in here and there.
BUT
If you want ALL the recipies AND the grocery shopping list that you can take with you to Costco and make it so so easy! Then you just have to shoot me an email titled I want the recipes! office@altmanfitness.com and we will get that PDF over to you within 24 hours!!!
For your enjoyment on how we did all 12 meals……
[youtube]https://youtu.be/AJGwp0qksR8[/youtube]
Crockpot Turkey and Black Bean Chili
Yields: One bag of Turkey and Black Bean Chili with six servings (I tripled this recipe and made three bags)
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground turkey
- 28oz can of tomato sauce
- 2 cans of black beans (15oz each), drained and rinsed
- 25 cups frozen corn (I split a one pound bag between the 3 bags)
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (I used jarred minced garlic, but you can sub
2 minced fresh cloves or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 5 teaspoons ground oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
MATERIALS
? 1 gallon-sized plastic freezer bag PREP
- Label your freezer bag.
- To your freezer bag, add all ingredients. (Add the turkey to the bag last, so it’s the first ingredient poured into your crockpot.)
- Remove as much air from the freezer bag as possible, seal, and lay flat in your freezer.
COOK
- The night before cooking, move frozen bag to your refrigerator to thaw.
- The morning of cooking, pour contents of freezer bag into your crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
- Break apart ground turkey and serve!
Note: These recipes were adapted from multiple websites and adjusted to fit our family needs. Here is how I see it. If this is your recipe… Thank you! I love it! In fact I love it so much I want to share it. For years I was a photographer and I would see my pictures being used all over and I would get mad, but then I decided this is the information age, your stuff is EVERYWHERE. Pictures, recipes thoughts, ideas you name it someone has thought it, copied it and shared it… so feel good inside that you had a great idea!
5 Foods to NEVER Eat
(…and 5 Healthy Substitutes)
The world of fitness and weight loss is often confusing, with contradictory information swirling about. I’m going to cut through the confusion and make things really simple for you.
Below is a list of 5 foods that you should never eat.
These foods will derail your fitness and weight loss efforts every single time.
In addition, I will suggest a healthy substitute for each of these off-limits foods.
By simply swapping out the items below you will quickly and effortlessly become healthier, leaner and fitter than you are today.
Do-Not-Eat #1: Anything Fried
Fried food is loaded with fat and calories while offering zero nutritional value. It’s a lose-lose! Sure, fries and chips TASTE good, but healthier items also taste good. Just say no to the deep fried items on your menu. You’ll be thinner, healthier and won’t have greasy fingers.
Try This #1: Broiled
If you simply must have a French fry, then make them at home in your oven. Use sweet potatoes, as these are a more complex carbohydrate. Cut into matchsticks, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil along with a dash of salt, then place in your oven on broil. Mix every 5 minutes until the fries are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Do-Not-Eat #2: White Bread
White bread products have zero nutritional value and are quickly converted by your body into sugar. So you may as well eat a cupcake. Even breads that are technically wheat, but are as soft and smooth as white bread, should be avoided. Don’t be afraid to discard the bread from your sandwich or to push away that bread basket. Your waist will shrink and you’ll lose that bloated feeling that high carbohydrate meals give you.
Try This #2: Sprouted Grain Bread
If you must have bread, then stick with sprouted. Sprouted grain bread is a lot easier on your digestion and is packed full of nutrients. Two delicious brands are Food For Life’s Ezekiel bread, and Manna Organics. Sprouted grain breads are often kept in the freezer section since they don’t contain preservatives to prolong shelf life.
Do-Not-Eat #3: Creamy Salad Dressing
You were so good to order a salad, but then you ruined it by drenching the salad in fattening creamy dressing. Just a few tablespoons of creamy dressing contain more than 20 grams of fat and hundreds of calories.
Try This #3: Vinegar Dressing
Salad dressing is meant to lend flavor to the salad, not fat and calories. Vinegar-based dressings pack amazing flavor in with minimal fat and calories. You can even mix your own dressing at home. Take high quality vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, your choice of dried herbs, and a bit of olive oil.
Do-Not-Eat #4: White Rice
I’m sure by now you’ve heard that white rice is not a healthy choice. Just like white bread, white rice has zero nutritional value – other than calories. Fiber and vitamins have been removed and the glycemic load will quickly prime your body for storing fat.
Try This #4: Brown Rice
Brown rice has three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, won’t sky rocket your blood, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. That should be enough to convince you to swap your large pile of white rice out for a small pile of brown rice.
Do-Not-Eat #5: White Sugar
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the epitome of anti-fitness food. Nothing will destroy your progress, expand your waist and plummet your energy levels like sugar will. If you only take away one do-not-eat food from this article please let it be sugar.
Try This #5: Fruit
Don’t turn to artificial sweeteners to get your sweet fix, instead turn to nature’s wholesome source of sugar: fruit. Eat organic fruit that is seasonal and locally grown. Stay away from dried fruit and fruit juices, as these are high in simple calories.
Eating right, along with challenging exercise, is the formula for a toned, lean body. Stay healthy. 🙂
If you like this then you should check this out: https://altmanfitness-old.com/end-food-temptation/
……..a defining moment
This past weekend I took a trip down memory lane…
(It’s Jen here posting on behalf of Altman Fitness. For those of you that don’t know me I have been a member at Altman Fitness 3.5 years and have gone through weight loss and lets just say all over transformation.)
I was looking at some old pictures and videos and I came across an early video that I wanted to share with all of you. You will see it in a minute but I first want to preface it by giving you a little background.
In January of 2012 I started with Altman Fitness on a Groupon…. you gotta love groupon:) After 1 month I was hooked, like wear do I sign I don’t care what it costs “I will give up every material thing I own because I am seeing results” kind of hooked!
I got to know Jay a little better after that first month and began to trust him. He had confidence in his program and ability. He showed sincerity and passion for fitness and fat loss. He was the first trainer I met that made eye contact with me and saw me for who I was on the inside.
I will admit, I didn’t like eye contact. I was ashamed of who I was, who I had become. Theses next words will seem harsh, but at the time it was true, I was: Fat, unhealthy, depressed, very unhappy, mean, judgmental, short tempered and insecure.
In addition to boot camp I began private training with Jay and one day he sent me this video. It’s amazing what one little girl can do to touch a persons soul.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/dJsnldZnJ9I[/youtube]
Amazing right? She will probably never really realize the impact she had on me that day. Because she was just being who she was: Confident, happy, carefree, secure, joyful ……..beautiful.
I remember watching and listening to her confident voice on my little screen that day thinking…. I am in my 30’s, I have been through a lot of life and I don’t have an ounce of what she possesses. I want that! I want to be like that! I don’t want to be trapped in this fat, unhealthy, unhappy body any longer! I WANT THAT!
Well, I can tell you today…. I have that. I am thin, I am healthy, I am happy, I don’t judge anyone, I am secure in the situation I am in right now and what I want changed, I am changing.
I hope you find inspiration in this video like I did.
Miss Haley Altman You continue to amaze and inspire me daily, you are a blessing.
Blueberry Protein Power Muffin
I am not a baker…. reason being if it’s in the house, I will eat it! So sometimes its just better not to have baked goods in the house. But it’s back to school time and we have been trying to figure out what to have as a quick easy snack between school and activities. My kids get tired of smoothies, bars, apples and cheese sticks so we have been on the hunt for a great snack. I think we found a WINNER! (and I don’t have to feel like I have to have mega amounts of will power to stay away from this one because it fits right in with my plan as well!)
I will often go on Pinterest or head to some of my favorite cook books and then tweak them a bit to fit our eating style… usually Gluten Free and lower in sugar. When we started putting this one together I wasn’t quite so sure if the kids were going to like it, after all it has…… Chickpeas, yes I said Chickpeas as one of the main ingredients in it. Don’t tell your kids, they will NEVER know!
We all really like the taste and texture of these muffins but I will say…. don’t eat them warm out of the oven. Let them cool and store in a container and place in the fridge. Enjoy them when they are cold. YUMMM!
I plugged the ingredients into: sparkpeople.com And this is what it came up with per muffin….
Calories: 109 – Fiber: 3.2 g – Sugar: 8.2 – Protein: 7.6
Blueberry protein power muffin
2/3 Cup Chickpeas, Rinsed and drained
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1.5 Cups GF flour ( I use bob’s red mill but you could use any)
1/2 cup vanilla Paleo protein powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 egg whites
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup organic blueberries fresh or frozen.
For crumble topping:
2 TBL GF flour
2 TBL butter
2bTBL coconut sugar
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin cups with nonstick spray, I use coconut oil spray.
To make the muffins: Combine the chickpeas, greek yogurt, and honey in a large measuring cup. Use a food processor or good blender to puree until smooth.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and baking soda and whisk to combine. Add the blended chickpea mixture, almond milk, egg whites, vanilla, and sugar and stir to combine.
Fold in the blueberries.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, divide evenly among 12 cups.
Topping: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. crumble the mixture with your fingers and sprinkle on top of each muffin batter.
Bake for 25 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins!
We enjoy these muffins cold!
Is it better to eat before or after a workout?
We asked a few of our members at Altman Fitness this very question, here is what they had to say……..
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The correct answer is, Both!
Here’s what I like to do: have my breakfast at 9 a.m., work out from 10:30 to 12, and eat by 1 p.m.
Here’s why: Back in the old days, people thought they should train on an empty stomach in order to burn more fat, but that has turned out to be FALSE. In fact, your body needs some glucose (blood sugar) for fuel in addition to what it can use from fat stores when you’re working out. If you don’t have any blood sugar available, your body will eat the muscles’ glycogen, or stored glucose. Low blood sugar will also make you tired and sluggish during your training session. For these reasons, I suggest you eat something 45 minutes to an hour before training — you’ll have more energy and endurance to work harder, burn more calories, and improve your muscle tone. After training, during a period known as the golden hour (45 to 60 minutes after a workout), muscles absorb the most nutrients, and glycogen is replaced the most efficiently. You don’t have to have a huge meal — just a little something that contains both protein and carbs will give the best results.
Here is my favorite post workout shake: Chocolate peanut butter power
1 cup water
1 scoop vanilla Paleo protein powder
1 tsp pure coco powder
1 tbsp of PB2
1 frozen banana
ice
Blend on high until smooth, drink and enjoy good health!
Is there anything I can do to get rid of cellulite?
No — and that hurts me to say just as much as it hurts you to hear. Cellulite is a matter of age and genetics. It has everything to do with how your skin lies over the layer of adipose fat underneath it — so our best bet for reducing the appearance of cellulite is simply to lower our overall body fat with proper diet and exercise. In addition to reducing body fat, toning the muscles in your problem areas can help a bit by creating a firmer surface for the fat to rest on. And at the end of the day, remember that nobody’s perfect. Even the hottest Hollywood starlet has a little cellulite (at least that’s what I read in the tabloids — and those girls still look hot in a bikini). Do what you can to improve how you look, but don’t beat yourself up over things you can’t control. What’s a few dimples, anyway?
Courtesy of Jillian Michaels
Looking for a healthy recipe or a way to drop that body fat percentage? Our Altman Fitness website is filled with tons of information so that you can get the results you want. We just ask that you not be information gatherers… be an action takers! How do you do that?
Step 1: Put your name and email address in Here, so that you receive our updated recipes and blog posts.
Step 2: If you are local, come on in and try us for 1 week absolutely free!
Step 3: If you are not local, follow the Altman fitness blog page for weekly challenges and workouts.
Step 4: USE and SHARE our recipes on our Blog 🙂 write down the list of ingredients, go to the store and come home and make it! Then let us know on here how it was!!!
Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1-2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup diced green onions
- ½ cup raw cashew halves or peanuts
- Optional: 1 cup edamame or chickpeas
- Fresh lime, for a bit of tang
- For the dressing:
- ¼ cup all natural peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if desired
- 1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Water to thin, if necessary.
To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.
Recipe courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen
Bring on the SUN!
I don’t know about you but I love the sun… When you live in Minnesota you have a very small window of opportunity to really take in the sun for all it’s worth.
When I started my weight loss journey I had some blood work done. One of the test discovered that my Vitamin D level was low, very low. So how the heck to you get vitamin D? For the very best source…. The SUN!
For years, I’ve heard that sunbathing is bad for you and that you should avoid it at all costs. That is, unless you have to be out for some reason in the noonday sun, and then – you better use some ultra-high SPF sunscreen and wear a hat. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for developing the most deadly form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma. Why, even the name sends shivers down your spine.
While doing some research on how to improve my vitamin D level I found some interesting things.
Believe it or not, the sun can actually be good for you. U.S. scientist Richard Setlow, who initially warned of the dangers of sun exposure and increased risk of skin cancer now says, “Not so fast!” It appears that the benefits of moderate sun exposure may actually outweigh some of the risks. The key word here is “moderate.”
Our bodies NEED Vitamin D and sunlight provides a natural source of it. Vitamin D protects against deadly forms of internal cancer, including those of the breast, lung, colon and prostate. It also is a key vitamin in the prevention of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis and a fundamental ingredient for bone health.
So, how do you minimize the risks of external malignant melanoma, while soaking in enough Vitamin D to minimize the risks of developing these other serious internal conditions?
Moderation is the key. Spend 20 minutes in the sun, with your hands, arms and face exposed, to get the necessary daily dose of Vitamin D. If you remain any longer, wear a hat and apply high SPF sunscreen frequently. During the cooler months of the year, increase your Vitamin D intake with supplements and foods, such as fish and liver.
Scientists are also being challenged to create better sunscreens that continue to filter out the damaging radiation (UVA rays), while allowing more Vitamin D-stimulating radiation (UVB rays) to soak through the skin. Until then…….moderation is the key.
Here is fun fact for you to learn when the best time to get vitamin D in your area:
I checked Eden Prairie, Minnesota. In the year 2015 the earliest that you can get Vitamin D from the sun is April 1st. The last day is September 9.
April 1st 12:00-12:30 (1st day you can get Vitamin D from the sun)
- May 1st 10:00AM- 2:10PM
- June 1st 9:30AM-2:50PM
- July 1st 9:40AM-3:00PM
- Aug 1st 10:00AM-2:40-PM
- Sept1 11:10AM-1:20PM
- Sept 9 11:50AM-12:30PM (last day)
You can click here: https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php
or google USNO sun azimuth table and go on the website to plug in any date and city to find out what time of day you can get Vitamin D from the sun. The sun has to be at 50 degrees in altitude for you skin to produce Vitamin D.
Remember, your skin will produce 10,000 I.U. of Vitamin of in just 15 minutes of peak sun exposure!
So bring on the sunshine!!!!!
Watermelon does WHAT????
Watermelon Has More Lycopene Than Raw Tomatoes
Watermelon contains more Lycopene (which is a powerful carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables it’s pink or red color).
Compared to a large fresh tomato, one cup of watermelon has 1.5 times the lycopene (6 milligrams (mg) in watermelon compared to 4 mg in a tomato)
Watermelon Juice Can Relieve Muscle Soreness
Contains a little over one gram of l-citrulline, an amino acid that seems to protect against muscle pain.
Watermelon Is a Fruit and a Vegetable
It is related to cucumbers, pumpkin, and squash family which makes it a vegetable but it is a sweet, seed-producing plant which makes it a fruit too!
You Can Eat Watermelon Rind and Seeds
Put it in a blender with some lime for a healthy refreshing treat. The rind actually contains more of the amino acid citrulline than the pink watermelons.
Watermelon is 91% water and will help keep you hydrated!
Watermelon is low in sugar….. 1 cup of watermelon has 9 grams of sugar.
The next time you are wondering what to have as a snack, reach for some watermelon and enjoy! If you have any further questions about nutrition or what to eat, contact us at 612-454-6409
Is Laughter really medicine?
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Ever notice how when others start laughing… you start laughing?
That’s because the premotor cortical region of your brain is triggered by the sounds of laughter, which causes movement of your facial muscles to respond with sound and prepare you to join in. Basically when something is funny… your facial muscles go into uncontrollable spasm. Being surrounded by others is the main trigger for laughter, not a joke or a funny movie like you would think. Studies show that social laughter occurs 30 times more frequently than solitary laughter. So next time your in a large group, start a little laugh and see what happens!
Laughing Burns Calories…. yep you heard me right!
Laughing can raises your energy and heart rate approximately 10% to 20%. Which means you could burn around 10-40 calories by laughing for 10 to 15 minutes. However, you would have to laugh for a solid hour or more for calorie burning to be effective. Just don’t laugh so hard you pee your pants!
Laughing could be Good for Your Relationship!
Couples who laugh and smile together while discussing touchy subjects have a higher success rate and are more satisfied in their relationship. Next time you and your loved one have a little spat, try a little haha, hahahaha, hahahahahahahahah. Maybe it will lighten the mood 🙂
Want to be attractive???
Looking for Mr. or Mrs. right? When looking for a mate, studies show that 62% of women mention laughter as an important trait that they are looking for in a man. And men tend to use humor to be attracted too! Who new all we had to do was just laugh, skip the flowers and chocolate and just give a belly laugh, may just save you some money!
……..So there you have it, some days laughing can be just the right medicine for you!
Did you know this about hugging???
Did you know?…..
Why hugging is healthy for you
Your body produces ample amounts of oxytocin during physical touch such as hugging. The neuropeptide oxytocin, decreases the level of stress hormone is, released by your pituitary gland, is a naturally occurring hormone in your body with incredibly powerful, health-giving properties. Oxytocin quite likely plays a role in why pet owners heal more quickly from illness, why couples live longer than singles, and why support groups work for people with addictions and chronic diseases.
A 10-second hug a day can reduce stress, lower risk of heart disease, boost your immune system, fight infections, fight fatigue and ease depression. This biochemical and physiological reaction in your body can significantly improve your health.
Hugging is an incredible way to not only bond with others but also boost your physical, and emotional, health. Even cuddling with your trusted pet may offer significant benefits to your heart and overall health.
Fun Facts about hugging:
- On average, people spend an hour a month hugging!
- A full-body hug stimulates your nervous system while decreasing feelings of loneliness, combating fear, increasing self-esteem, defusing tension, and showing appreciation.
- A quick hug has a near-immediate impact on health, lowering your heart rate and inducing a calming effect while also leading to a more upbeat mood!
- It’s a universal language!
- Human touch alone can reveal emotions including anger, fear, disgust, love, gratitude, and sympathy, with accuracy rates of up to 83 percent.
What are you waiting for…. go give a hug!
And if your not sure where to get one, we give out lots of hugs at Altman Fitness. Just give us a call to set up your 1 week of absolutely FREE classes 612-454-6409…. free hug included 🙂
Wake up and make your dream abs a reality!
Attaining a trim and toned midsection is by far the number one fitness goal held by most people. Your dreams of a flawless stomach and flat abs can now come true because I am about to unveil the 5 most sought after ab exercises, which I like to refer to as the 5 Golden Ab Exercises.
Go ahead and pinch yourself.
Before we jump right into the 5 Golden Exercises, there are a few things you need to know that will make or break your tummy tightening dreams. Ab exercises are great for strengthening and toning your abdominal muscles, but solely doing these exercises will not make your abs flat. Achieving that perfect midsection is a process that takes more than a little time sweating in the gym. It takes hard work, and a full-body game plan.
Or in this case, a dream guide:
The only way to washboard abs is to lose the body fat that is currently residing in that area. The only way to lose body fat is to:
- Participate in regular cardiovascular exercise.
- Maintain a full body strength training routine.
- Eat a nutritious, calorie specific, healthy diet.
The key here is to change your lifestyle to one that promotes weight loss rather than fat storage. Now, how about those 5 golden exercises?
The secret that makes these exercises golden is the fact that, when done together, they use all of the muscles in your abdominal region.
There are four basic types of abdominal exercises, each focusing on a specific area of your body:
- Upper abs
- Lower abs
- Obliques (sides)
- Core
If you want to get rid of fat storage nightmares once and for all it is very important that you do at least one of each exercise type every time that you workout. Here’s a program we suggest:
Exercise #1 (upper abs): The Crunch
Lie on your back on the mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Support your head by placing your hands behind it, and keep your eyes turned towards the ceiling throughout the entire movement. Raise your upper body a few inches off of the mat by contracting your abs. Hold yourself in this contracted position for a moment before slowly lowering yourself back down to the starting position.
Exercise #2 (obliques): The Oblique Crunch
Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and hands behind your head. Lift your leg so that your knee is at a 90-degree angle, and the lower part of your leg is parallel with the floor. Exhale as you bring your right elbow in towards your left knee, while squeezing your abs. Inhale as you slowly extend your leg back out to the starting position.
Exercise #3 (entire core): The Exercise Ball Crunch
Lie with your upper back on the exercise ball and your feet flat on the ground in front of you. Support your head by placing your hands behind it, and keep your eyes turned up towards the ceiling throughout the entire movement. Exhale as you raise your upper body up a few inches off of the ball by contracting your abs. Hold yourself in this contracted position for a moment before slowly lowering yourself back down to the starting position.
Exercise #4 (upper abs): The Toe Touch
Lie down flat on your back with your legs up in the air and your arms outstretched above your head. Raise your arms up and reach your toes. Hold yourself in this contractive position for a moment, and then inhale as you slowly lower your arms back down until they touch the mat. Repeat your required repetitions before allowing your legs to touch back down onto the mat.
Exercise #5 (lower abs): The Hanging Leg Raise
Position yourself in the roman chair by gripping the handles and placing your elbows against the pads, or grip overhead handles and allow yourself to hang. Exhale as you raise your knees up towards your chest. Remember to keep your back flat against the back pad, or if hanging, try to keep yourself from swinging. Hold yourself in this contracted position for a moment, and then inhale as you slowly return your legs back down to the starting position.
Keep up the hard work and make your dream abs into reality!
Enough is Enough! This is Mike’s Story…
Mike Dewberry decided enough is enough……. he found himself in his early forties gaining weight year after year and just wasn’t happy about himself.
As a child Mike was always overweight, the heaviest one in his family. Although his Mom cooked homemade meals he was often left alone. Out of pure boredom he reached for chips and cookies to pass the time. He participated in swimming and water polo in high school but most of his time was spent pretty sedentary.
Mike tried a high-end local gym for a while but it wasn’t doing enough to make a difference. Mike states, “I don’t have a problem getting to the gym…. It’s exercising at the right intensity to get results that I struggle with”
In 3 short months since starting with Altman Fitness Mike has lost 20lbs, two pants sizes and a total of 7 inches. A combination of 45minute boot camp classes 3x per week and the 28 day fat loss formula has delivered results. “What keeps me going is the results in my body, I’m also noticing that I come home feeling good. I now have energy, where I use to come home after work feeling tired and grumpy”
Mike recently tried the 28 day fat loss formula at Altman Fitness and received amazing results. “I’ve tried other diets before, the 28 day is the first diet that I’m not hungry on”
Mikes vision for the future is to lose 15-20 more pounds. Mike feels he can accomplish this through Altman Fitness and programs offered like the 28day fat loss program.
If your ready to lose weight and inches like Mike has then I encourage you to take a step and contact us here at Altman Fitness:
612-454-6409 office@altmanfitness.com or go to www.altmanfitness.com for your 1 week FREE trial!
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