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
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. Â 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 FREEÂ – 612-454-6409
White Bean Hummus Recipe
Use this white bean hummus instead of creamy dressings or cheese in your sandwich. The hummus is filled with protein and fiber – both important for building your best body.
Servings: 8
Here’s what you need:
- 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (or gluten free)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- dash of salt
- Throw everything into the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Spread onto bread or use as a dip for cut veggies.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 124 calories, 1.6g fat, 20g carbohydrate, 5.5g fiber, and 7g protein.
Mean & Clean Burrito
Here’s a healthy burrito recipe to sink your teeth into. Whole grains, lean protein and crunchy veggies make this a recipe that you’ll come back to time and again. Serve with a side of your favorite salsa.
Servings: 1
Here’s what you need…
- 1 sprouted grain, flourless tortilla
- 1 Tablespoon hummus
- 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup cooked black beans
- 1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh corn kernels
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup shredded arugula
- 3 cherry tomatoes, chopped
- Warm the tortilla in a dry skillet. Spread the hummus evenly over the tortilla.
- Top the tortilla with rice, beans, chicken and veggies.
- Fold the two sides of the tortilla in over the filling, then flip up the bottom edge and roll tightly.
Nutritional Analysis:Â One serving equals: 380 calories, 7.8g fat, 45g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 31g protein.
The Top 5 Ways You Eat Too Much
According to Wansink, overeating can be greatly reduced simply by removing the cues in your environment that cause you to overeat. He goes on to explain the top 5 Diet Danger Zones and the solutions for each:
1. The Meal Stuffer: At mealtime you really stuff yourself. You clean everything off your plate, eat quickly and often go back for seconds. You consider yourself to have a “healthy appetite” and often feel uncomfortably full after eating.
- Use the Half-Plate Rule: fill half of your plate with vegetables and the other half with protein and starch.
- Use smaller plates and wait 20 minutes before deciding if you want seconds.
- Eat slower so your appetite can catch up with what you’ve already eaten.
- Don’t place serving dishes on the table. Pre-plate your food and then put the rest out of reach.
2. The Snack Grazer: You eat whatever food is within reach, and snack at least three times throughout the day. You can’t walk past a candy dish without dipping in. Your snacking is rarely done out of hunger.
- Chew gum throughout your day to avoid mindless munching.
- Keep tempting snack foods out of sight and out of mind.
- Never eat directly from a package. Portion out your snack into a dish.
- Don’t purchase tempting snack foods for future snacking. Keep a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on hand instead.
3. The Party Binger: Whenever you attend a social event where the main attraction is food, you eat without stopping. With all the distraction you quickly lose track of how much you’ve consumed and often stop only when it’s time to leave.
- Stay more than an arm’s length away from the buffet or snack bowls.
- Put only two food items on your plate during each trip to the table.
- Make yourself feel full by eating the big healthy stuff first, like broccoli and carrots.
- Remind yourself why you are at the party: first to socialize or to conduct business and secondarily to eat.
4. The Restaurant Indulger: You eat out at least three times a week and enjoy every minute of it. You love appetizers, large entrees and rich desserts. When you leave the table you are always stuffed.
- Ask your waiter to remove the bread basket from the table.
- Before you eat, ask your waiter to box half of your entrée to take home.
- Decide to either share an appetizer or a dessert, never have both.
- Skip the appetizer menu and instead start your meal with a side salad.
5. The Desktop (or Dashboard) Diner: You like to multi-task by eating at your desk or on the go. Your lightning-quick meals are grabbed on-the-go from fast food joints, vending machines and convenience stores. You don’t plan your meals ahead of time and end up eating whatever you can quickly find.
- Pack a healthy lunch and bring it with you.
- Stock your work area with healthy protein-filled snacks.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Turn off the computer or pull your car over while you eat.
By making these healthy changes when it comes to your food decisions you will put yourself back on course and moving in the direction of healthy weight loss.
Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body.
Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.
To start on our proven eating plan that will literally melt fat off your body and will keep you filled up go to https://altmanfitness.com/28dayfatlossformulanow to try it risk free.
If you’re ready for an exercise plan that blasts fat off your body in the shortest amount of workout time then you owe it to yourself to try us out for 3 FREE “afterburn” workouts. Â Simply email us at office@altmanfitness.com and we’ll get you all set up, ok.
Your Fitness and Fat Loss Guy,
Jay Altman
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! Â 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!Â
Ambitious
I’m glad your all excited about the 12 crockpot meals that are coming out this week!  Last night I brought my mom the Sesame chicken one and she …… well lets just say you can see from the picture her plate was clean 🙂
I wanted to share a little bit with you how these meals came about. Â School is coming and I know how busy it is so I wanted to get prepared! I also know there are a lot of people that just struggle with “what to make” for dinner. Â DeeAnn and I were discussing this at the office the other day. I had brought in some meals and she said “your so good at this stuff” I said what do you mean “good at this stuff, it’s some meals in a bag” Â she said “but you think of these things, I don’t”
What I said to her  “You know, I have a lot of ambition. If I see something that could be of help to others and I grow in the process…. then I put a lot of attention to it”. DeeAnn and I have been talking about this cooking thing for the last 2 months. She struggles because she doesn’t know what to make and sometimes how to make it. I know that feeling, I had the same feeling a while back.
Pastor Rob Ketterling said the other day “If your going to remain wise, then you must remain teachable.”  I LOVE IT!!!! Which is why I put together this video. I want to make sure that anyone, I mean ANYONE that really wants to learn how to eat healthy… Can!
[youtube]https://youtu.be/AJGwp0qksR8[/youtube]
I want you to know you’re not alone. Everyone has a budget. Everyone leads a busy life. Everyone has picky eaters. Most of us are not really sure what to cook or how to cook and feel stuck! Well, hopefully it starts here with a little help from us at Altman Fitness.
Can I take a minute to share with you the philosophy behind Altman Fitness….. It’s not about memberships it’s about members. It’s not about failure, it’s about results. It’s not about taking a class, it’s about showing up, hard work and learning how to take care of this absolute gift of a life.
I know for me I want to go through this life feeling good.
Headaches are not normal. Feeling tired and sluggish is not normal. Chronic diarrhea or constipation is not normal. Achy joints, abdominal pain, loss of hair, snoring, poor sleep, mood swings, depression, anxiety is NOT normal! Â Don’t kid yourself. Don’t except it. Realize what it is and then decide if you want to change it. If you do…. we are about educating you so please ask us: office@altmanfitness.com
This Wednesday I am going to post how I made these 12 meals. How much I spent and you all know how much time…. just 90 min! Your also going to have the opportunity to get these recipes and the grocery list that you can take with you and yep all for FREE, Why? because we LOVE YOU!
Stay tuned!
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: Â https://altmanfitness-old.com/end-food-temptation/
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! Â If you have any further questions about nutrition or what to eat, contact us at 612-454-6409
The End of Food Temptation
You start each morning with the promise to be “good” today.
You’ll refuse the baked goods at the office. You’ll speed past that fast food place at lunch. You’ll turn a blind eye to the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you’ll pass on the ice cream after dinner.
But… you hadn’t counted on the fact that a box of your favorite donuts would be sitting in the break room. Or that co-workers would invite you to join them for fast food place at lunch. Or that Girl Scouts would come through the office after school with boxes of thin mints. Or that your special someone would come home with a pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch.
And as you get into bed each night you tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.
Tomorrow you will conquer temptation.
But tomorrow comes with its own set of special circumstances and temptation gets the best of you once again.
Why Does Temptation Always Win?
We live in society where food temptations are everywhere.
- Walk through a store and you’ll see the unhealthy food items displayed front and center.
- Turn on the TV and you’ll be assaulted with commercials for fattening foods.
- Open a magazine and you’ll notice glossy pin-ups of sugary snacks.
- Go down the street and you’ll have restaurant signs clamoring for your attention.
In addition to the abundance of tempting edibles, you also have deeply ingrained positive associations with indulging.
- You treat tempting food as a reward.
- You turn to tempting food for comfort.
- You rely on tempting food as stress relief.
- You allow tempting food to become a habit.
It’s Your Turn to Win
Temptation doesn’t need to have the upper hand on you anymore. It’s time to fight back using your most powerful asset: your brain.
Your mind is an amazing thing. Once it is made up about something it is nearly impossible to change it.
A Matter of Perspective
Imagine for a moment that you’re peacefully floating down a river in an inner tube. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and you are having a wonderful time. You feel great about the river because it is making you feel good.
Now imagine that you are in a plane flying over the river. Your eye is immediately drawn to an enormous rocky waterfall. You look up the river and just around the bend is a person floating in an inner tube, having a wonderful time, headed straight for the treacherous falls.
Do you think that after your plane ride you’d be happy to get an inner tube and float down the river? Of course you wouldn’t. You’ve seen that the river spells disaster.
You now have a negative association (watery death) with the river rather than your initial positive association (relaxing fun).
Overcoming temptation is all about building negative associations in place of existing positive ones. Use the 2 steps below to harness the power of your mind to become stronger than any temptation.
Step One: Create a Strong Negative Association with all the BAD STUFF
- If cookies and chips and burgers are put on a pedestal in your mind as your favorite things to eat, then you will always eat unhealthy and will continue to gain weight.
- What do you dislike about tempting food?
- It makes you unhealthy.
- It causes weight gain.
- It drains your energy.
- It kills your confidence.
- It degrades your quality of life.
- It hurts your love life.
- Every time that you encounter tempting food items focus on your list of negatives. It’s time to kick those cookies off the pedestal and to put something healthy in its place.
Step Two: Create a Strong Positive Association with all the GOOD STUFF
- Now that your mental pedestal has been cleared, put healthy food items on it. Juicy fresh fruit, crispy vegetables and savory lean meats are a great place to start.
- What do you love about healthy food?
- It makes you healthy.
- It causes weight loss.
- It boosts your energy.
- It builds your confidence.
- It improves your quality of life.
- It enhances your love life.
- Immerse yourself into the world of healthy food. Browse the aisles of a natural food store. Walk through a farmer’s market. Bring healthy snacks to work. Clear your kitchen of anything unhealthy.
Using the technique above, you will soon find that healthy food is your favorite food.
And temptation will become a thing of your past.
If you want a done for you eating system so you can finally look and feel how you want to then sign up for the 28 Day Fat Loss Formula right now.
The 28 Day Fat Loss Formula diet is completely rooted in time tested science and has a set of rules that must be followed to give you the results that you want. Rule 1: Know how many calories you need. As part of the 28 Day Fat Loss Formula you will learn this number. Rule 2: Follow the menu plan that is laid out for you in the plan. Rule 3: Eat every 3-4 hours (no exeptions) Rule 4: No Processed Foods Rules 5, 6, and 7 are secret and you will learn them when you buy the 28 Fat Loss Formula.
Eating this diet will regulate your blood sugar, balance your hormones and maximize your energy to produce big time fat burning and help you to build muscle so you look amazing.
Go here to sign up now: Â https://altmanfitness.com/28-day-fat-loss-formula/
Your Fitness and Fat Loss Guy
Jay
Quinoa Breakfast Bowl (Try this tomorrow morning)
You’ve probably heard of quinoa – it is hailed by some as the new super food. It’s high in protein (12%-18%) and contains a balanced set of essential amino acids – this means it’s a surprisingly complete protein. It’s also high in fiber and iron. And, as if the edible seeds didn’t have enough going for them, NASA is thinking about growing it in space.
Quinoa is quite possibly the perfect thing to have for breakfast to start your day off on the right foot.
Servings: 1
Here’s what you need:
- 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked in water according to instructions on package
- 1 Tablespoon golden raisins
- 1 Tablespoon date pieces, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon pecan pieces, chopped
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Drizzle of pure maple syrup
1. Top cooked quinoa with raisins, date pieces, pecan pieces, cinnamon, nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 344 calories, 5g fat, 59g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 12g protein.
Forward this to your friends, they’ll thank you later.
Committed to your fitness and fat loss success,
Jay
Healthy May Recipes
Quinoa Fruit
This refreshing summer salad is made with quinoa. Quinoa is a gluten-free, protein- packed seed. It’s a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. Add a side of lean protein to your salad and you’ve got a highly nutritious, balanced meal. Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…
3/4 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons lime juice, divided
1-15 fresh mint leaves, minced
2 cups cooked quinoa
optional dash of salt and pepper
1 cup blueberries
1 cup green grapes, halved
1/2 cup raspberries
1 teaspoon agave nectar
In a small bowl combine the yogurt, 1 tablespoon lime juice and the mint. Pour over the cooked quinoa and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
In another bowl combine the fruit, agave nectar and remaining lime juice.
Cover and refrigerate each bowl for 2 hours, to allow the flavors to emerge, then combine the fruit with the quinoa and serve.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 114 calories, 1 fat, 13mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 2.5g fiber, and 6g protein.
Savory Broccoli Rabe
Here’s a delicious way to dress up broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is a non-heading type of broccoli with long thin leafy stalks that’s topped with small florets. It’s packed with vitamins A, C and K in addition to potassium, iron and calcium. It also contains phytochemicals that fight cancer and improve your overall health. Servings: 6
Here’s what you need:
3 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
dash of freshly ground sea salt
Juice from 1 small lemon
Place a steamer basket over a 3 quart pot, filled with water up to the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil, add the broccoli, cover and steam for 3 minutes. Immediately drop the broccoli into a bowl of ice water. After a few minutes drain the broccoli and set aside.
In a large skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until golden. Add the broccoli, olives and salt. Saute for another 5 minutes until tender. Remove from heat, place in a serving dish, sprinkle with pine nuts and toss with lemon juice.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 58 calories, 4.4g fat, 3g carbohydrate, 7.1g fiber, and over 2.5g protein.
PB&J Makeover
Not all PB&J sandwiches were created nutritionally equal. It all depends on the quality of the ingredients that you use.
If you use white bread, corn syrup-filled peanut butter and refined sugar-filled jelly, the result would be a sandwich that will skyrocket your blood sugar, promotes fat storage and leaves you feeling hungry a short time later.
However, if you make this recipe, with sprouted grain bread, true peanut butter made from one ingredient: peanuts, and fruit preserves that are naturally sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar, then the result would be a nutritionally dense food that would promote stable blood sugar levels and provide you with hours of sustained energy.
Your kids will love the fun twist of having their sandwich grilled and stuffed with banana slices!
Servings: 1
Here’s what you need:
Sprouted grain bread
1 Tablespoon pure peanut butter (no added sugar or corn syrup)
1 Tablespoon natural fruit spread (no added sugar or corn syrup)
1/2 of a banana, sliced
Spread one piece of bread with peanut butter and the other with fruit spread. Line one side with the sliced bananas and sandwich it.
In a grill pan over medium heat, grill each side until grill marks appear and the sandwich is warmed.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 380 calories, 8.7g fat, 53g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, and 13.2g protein.
Give your taste buds an early summer vacation with this tantalizing combination of parsley, lemon peel, garlic and white wine. Make sure to trim your steak of all visible fat before grilling to enjoy the leanest cut possible. Add a side of steamed veggies and brown rice for a healthy, tasty meal.Yield: 4 servingsÂ
Here’s what you need…
- 1 lb. boneless beef top round steak, 3/4 inch thick, trimmed of fat
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Heat grill. Lightly sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. When ready to grill, place steak on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 8 to 11 minutes until desired doneness, turning once.
- Meanwhile, on rimmed platter or in shallow baking dish, combine remaining ingredients; mix well.
- Place hot grilled steak in sauce mixture. Cut steak diagonally across grain into slices. Coat each slice with sauce mixture before placing on individual plates. Spoon any remaining sauce over steak slices.
Nutritional Analysis:Â One serving equals 150 calories, 4g fat, 2g carbohydrates and 24g protein.
Do This to End Food Temptation Now
You start each morning with the promise to be “good” today.
You’ll refuse the baked goods at the office. You’ll speed past that fast food place at lunch. You’ll turn a blind eye to the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you’ll pass on the ice cream after dinner.
But… you hadn’t counted on the fact that a box of your favorite donuts would be sitting in the break room. Or that co-workers would invite you to join them for fast food place at lunch. Or that Girl Scouts would come through the office after school with boxes of thin mints. Or that your special someone would come home with a pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch.
And as you get into bed each night you tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.
Tomorrow you will conquer temptation.
But tomorrow comes with its own set of special circumstances and temptation gets the best of you once again.
Why Does Temptation Always Win?
We live in society where food temptations are everywhere.
- Walk through a store and you’ll see the unhealthy food items displayed front and center.
- Turn on the TV and you’ll be assaulted with commercials for fattening foods.
- Open a magazine and you’ll notice glossy pin-ups of sugary snacks.
- Go down the street and you’ll have restaurant signs clamoring for your attention.
In addition to the abundance of tempting edibles, you also have deeply ingrained positive associations with indulging.
- You treat tempting food as a reward.
- You turn to tempting food for comfort.
- You rely on tempting food as stress relief.
- You allow tempting food to become a habit.
It’s Your Turn to Win
Temptation doesn’t need to have the upper hand on you anymore. It’s time to fight back using your most powerful asset: your brain.
Your mind is an amazing thing. Once it is made up about something it is nearly impossible to change it.
A Matter of Perspective
Imagine for a moment that you’re peacefully floating down a river in an inner tube. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and you are having a wonderful time. You feel great about the river because it is making you feel good.
Now imagine that you are in a plane flying over the river. Your eye is immediately drawn to an enormous rocky waterfall. You look up the river and just around the bend is a person floating in an inner tube, having a wonderful time, headed straight for the treacherous falls.
Do you think that after your plane ride you’d be happy to get an inner tube and float down the river? Of course you wouldn’t. You’ve seen that the river spells disaster.
You now have a negative association (watery death) with the river rather than your initial positive association (relaxing fun).
Overcoming temptation is all about building negative associations in place of existing positive ones. Use the 2 steps below to harness the power of your mind to become stronger than any temptation.
Step One: Create a Strong Negative Association with all the BAD STUFF
- If cookies and chips and burgers are put on a pedestal in your mind as your favorite things to eat, then you will always eat unhealthy and will continue to gain weight.
- What do you dislike about tempting food?
- It makes you unhealthy.
- It causes weight gain.
- It drains your energy.
- It kills your confidence.
- It degrades your quality of life.
- It hurts your love life.
- Every time that you encounter tempting food items focus on your list of negatives. It’s time to kick those cookies off the pedestal and to put something healthy in its place.
Step Two: Create a Strong Positive Association with all the GOOD STUFF
- Now that your mental pedestal has been cleared, put healthy food items on it. Juicy fresh fruit, crispy vegetables and savory lean meats are a great place to start.
- What do you love about healthy food?
- It makes you healthy.
- It causes weight loss.
- It boosts your energy.
- It builds your confidence.
- It improves your quality of life.
- It enhances your love life.
- Immerse yourself into the world of healthy food. Browse the aisles of a natural food store. Walk through a farmer’s market. Bring healthy snacks to work. Clear your kitchen of anything unhealthy.
Using the technique above, you will soon find that healthy food is your favorite food.
And temptation will become a thing of your past.
Your Fitness and Fat Loss Guy
Jay
Banana Carrot Muffins – Gluten Free Recipe
This recipe takes a classic baking favorite and converts into a gluten free, processed sugar free, grain free, dairy free dessert that actually tastes great!
Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 cup pitted dates
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup melted coconut oil
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups almond flour
Âľ cup sliced almonds
Instructions:
In a large food processor or blender, combine eggs, dates and bananas. Blend for a few seconds. Add apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and shredded carrots. Blend a few more seconds. Add cinnamon, sea salt, baking soda and 1 cup of the flour. Blend until smooth. Add 2nd cup of flour and blend once more. Add sliced almonds and stir with a spoon or spatula just until mixed. Spoon into a muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
This makes approximately 14 muffins.
Your Fitness and Fat Loss Guy,
Jay
Pioneer Press featuring Jenny Flynn
You may recognize this picture….. It was posted Sunday April 6th, 2014 in the St. Paul Pioneer press. Our very own Jen Flynn was featured in the “turning point” column of the Pioneer press. Â To see the full article click here:
Pioneer Press Article Featuring our very own Jenny Flynn
As you know Jen has lost all of her 100+ lbs here at Altman Fitness and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She has overcome so many obstacles.  Utilizing the programs available: boot camp classes the 28 day nutrition program, and most recently our Master Mind program, setting specific goals and taking action steps is what has made this transformation a reality.
If you’re searching for a place to get fit and lose weight well then you have found it. I am so confident that myself and my team can get you to your fitness and fat loss goals that I have a 100% guarantee. Yes, that means if you don’t make your goal, I give you your money back!
What are you waiting for…. Like Jen says in the article…..take that next step, pick up your phone now and call 612-454-6409 to come in and see what we are about. Or email us at: office@altmanfitness.com and write in the subject line: I’m taking a step!
Even if you do not live near Edina, Minnesota we can still help you in a big way. Â We work with people all over the United States and have solutions to not only get you started down the path, but more importantly to keep you going. Â After all that’s what it’s all about right?
Come meet myself, Jay Altman, Jen and the rest of our trainers and let us help you get on the path toward success!
Take the first step today. Â You will not regret that and you know it.
Committed to your success,
Jay
Which Type of Bread is Healthiest … and Which is SUPRISINGLY Least Healthy?
We know what you’re thinking.
Everyone knows that whole wheat breads are the best and white bread is the worst. Where’s the news there?
Well, prepare to be surprised.
There’s good news for those who despise wheat bread … sourdough may be better.
A new study set to be published in the British Journal of Nutrition has actually blown the theory that we should all be making our sandwiches and toast out of whole wheat to pieces.
Professor Terry Graham, a carb scientist at the University of Guelph, examined how people respond to different types of bread after eating them for breakfast and lunch. The breads included were:
• White
• Whole wheat
• Whole wheat with barley
• Sourdough white bread
All of the participants in the study were overweight men between 50 and 60 years old. Which bread was most beneficial?
Sourdough.
After eating sourdough bread the men had the most positive body responses, including lower blood sugar levels. The worst bread turned out to be not white, but whole wheat. Whole-wheat bread caused spikes in blood sugar levels that continued until well after lunch. Even the whole wheat plus barley bread was worse than the white.
Why Might Sourdough be Healthier Than Whole Wheat?
Sourdough bread undergoes a fermentation process that may alter its starches, making them healthier. Whole wheat bread, meanwhile, undergoes a similar refining process as white bread. Its healthy components like wheat germ and bran are removed and only partially put back in, making whole-wheat bread far less healthy than most people assume it to be. Â In fact, many whole-wheat breads are still made with mostly white flour.
How to Identify Healthy Breads
Keep in mind that this study did not evaluate any breads made with whole grains, the all-star when it comes to healthy breads. Whole wheat and whole grain are two entirely different things.
Research is revealing that whole grains are the best choice when choosing your bread. To distinguish true whole-grain breads from imposters:
• Read the label. Whole-grain breads will say “100% whole grain.” You can also look for the 100% Whole Grain stamp.
• Pick them up. Bread made from whole grains will feel heavy and dense compared to refined-grain breads, which tend to be light, soft and fluffy.
• Consider grains other than wheat. Spelt, amaranth, rye and others are also used to make whole-grain breads that often have superior health benefits to wheat. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, for instance, found that wheat bread triggers a greater insulin response than rye bread.
With all of the carb-hating going on in recent years, this news will come as a welcome surprise to many Americans; this is one time when you really can have your “bread” and eat it to.
Courtesy of SxWise.com via www.altmanfitness.com
Recipe: Healthy Roasted Beets and Sweets (Potato)
I’m not gonna lie. I am not a wonderful cook and thankfully my husband is! So, most days I leave the cooking up to him but every once and a while it makes me feel good to come up with a healthy recipe that sounds good and that my family will love.
It is a known fact that each of us gets stuck in a rut when it comes to buying food. Most people buy the same 100 or so things at the store over and over again don’t deviate much from their “norm”. We are guilty of it too. But every once and a while I see something in the produce section that I want to buy and then later on figure out how I’m going to use it. Last weekend it was: BEETS! The look a little scary but took on the challenge. I found my recipe inspiration online and then tweaked it with some of my own personal favorite items in my kitchen. And, I must say- it was YUMMY and So easy. I made a small batch since I didn’t know how it would turn out but here is my recipe:
All you need: 1 large sweet potato or yam, 2 medium sized beets, Fresh peeled (fresh, not canned!) 1 tablespoons olive oil, Kirklands amazing NO Salt seasoning, a dash of sea salt and some fresh thyme (only b/c I had it laying around…use any herbs you might have on hand.
-Peel beets (at least the spots where the dirt won’t wash off).
-Keep the skins on the sweet potato, filled with fiber!
–Â Slice beets and yams about 1/4 inch thick and put in a large Ziploc bag.
-Add olive oil, seasonings, herbs and salt to bag and shake
–Â Contents into a baking dish.
-Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes uncovered. Test one beet and one yam for desired softness.
Enjoy!
Why Soda Is Making You Fat!
If you’ve been drinking one or more sodas every day, that aluminum can in your hand is to blame for those extra digits on the scale. We’re not talking a couple pounds either. We’re talking long term weight gain. One can of cola adds more than 100 calories to your daily intake. That’s over 10 lbs of additional body fat every year.
Obesity, type-2 diabetes, and soda addiction have all risen together steadily and scarily over the past decades. Coincidence? Not a chance. Soda is sabotaging your body.
What’s so bad about a little bubbly liquid?
Lots and lots of calories and zero nutritional value. Sugary soft drinks account for almost 10% of the average American’s daily caloric intake. That’s a ton of empty calories that lack any of the nutrients, fiber, or minerals your body needs to function. Because soda’s missing what your body craves, no matter how much you drink you’ll still be left feeling hungry. So, on top of hundreds of empty calories, you pile on additional food that still counts against your ideal daily allotment. Remember, there is one absolute truth: if you take in more calories than you burn you will gain weight.
Your odds of becoming obese increase as much as 1.6 times for every 12 ounces of soda you drink over the course of the day. That’s because one small can of soda holds a whopping 140 calories of added sugar. Reality check: at most fast food restaurants, a 12 ounce serving of soda is considered the kiddie size.
Go directly to fat jail.
All these added sugars are simple sugars, meaning they are readily and easily absorbed. When you take in such a high volume so quickly your insulin spikes. Your body can’t handle the rapid influx, which leads to extra glucose being stored as fat. You don’t get any lasting energy from the liquid carbs; you get that familiar and inevitable crash. Instead of being ready to hit the gym to burn off any extra fat, you’re so exhausted you just hit the couch. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
I’ll just switch to diet soda!
Not so fast. Recent studies show that over time diet sodas still cause weight gain. If you drink 2 or more servings of diet soda a day you are 5 times more likely to increase dangerous visceral fat in your midsection. That extra fat puts you at greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.
Let’s say you only drink a single serving of diet soda a day. Diet soda is still high in sodium. The more sodium in your body, the more water you’ll retain. Which means if you’re trying to lose weight, diet soda can actually make it that much harder move the scale in the right direction. And let’s not forget the artificial sweeteners in diet soda – a BIG no-no!
Instead of sodas, why not reach for healthier and even more refreshing beverages?
If you won’t give up the carbonated bite of soda, mix two parts seltzer water with one part 100% fruit juice – like powerhouse pomegranate or cranberry. You’ll get your pleasant pop and fizz along with rich antioxidants and vitamins. Embrace homemade smoothies made with fresh fruit and almond milk or greek yogurt for added protein.
Maybe it’s time you jump on the green tea train. Even if you sweeten your tea, you’re more likely to check your sugar intake when you’re the one spooning in the sweetener. Or reach for that oldie but goodie, pure H2O.
One thing is for sure: cut out sodas and you’ll start to feel lighter than carbonated air.
My favorite analogy is this: Would you ever think to give your dog a soda? Or Wine? Coffee? Seems pretty silly doesn’t it, yet we as humans sometimes drink more of those beverages than anything else.
Water. We need it, and that is really ALL we need when it comes to beverages so try to drink as much as you can!
Be Healthy!