Snap Kitchen: Restaurant Review

By Zach

In my last post, “Eating on the Go,” I mentioned that I have had great experiences with Snap Kitchen, a nationwide (Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Houson) restaurant that specializes in pre-portioned, grab-and-go food. They cater to people who "don't want to sacrifice convenience, health, or taste." I use Snap Kitchen anytime I am traveling out of town for more than one day.

Traveling and maintaining a healthy diet typically do not go hand in hand. It requires twice as much work to eat healthy when on the road and away from home. It is easy to find yourself eating every meal at a restaurant, or worse getting your calories at the drive thru. In my opinion, the best option is to prepare all your meals at home for your trip. However, for a multi-day trip, this can be a huge burden. Snap Kitchen takes the work out of preparing meals for time away from home.

When you walk into a Snap Kitchen, it's not like a normal restaurant, it's more like a convenience store. All the food is pre-made and pre-portioned, and it is sitting in microwaveable containers along the refrigerated wall units. There is a microwave there in the store and a few tables, but most people are coming in, grabbing their containers, paying, and then hitting the road. It's fast and easy. Well, picking out what you'd like to eat is kind of hard because everything looks so good.

I have tried almost all of Snap Kitchen's dishes and have not been disappointed even once. That's not to say that some dishes are better than others, but that's subjective of course. Even when the dish isn't my "favorite" per se, it was still high-quality food that satisfied my hunger. 

A couple dishes that I have purchased more than once because I enjoyed it so much the first time include: Bison Quinoa Hash, Chicken and Sesame Chopped Salad, and the Crispy Scottish Salmon.

For snacks or additions to a smaller meal, I also recommend the Harvest Kale Snack salad, the Smoked Salmon, and the Kale Caesar Snack salad. I drink Shakeology for breakfast 99 percent of the time, so my testing of the breakfast items has been limited. One I did try is the the Bison Breakfast Bowl. Talk about a great way to start your day off with some healthy protein!

Snap also carries some great snack items. I mentioned the Exo Cricket bars in the last post. I am also a fan of their Caveman Clusters.

While the food is fresh, tasty, and healthy, Snap Kitchen also has great customer service.  I went into the store one morning to stock up for a three-day trip out of town for work. When I got home and started to pack my foods in my travel cooler, I noticed that the receipt had three additional items on it that I did not order. I checked my items four times just to ensure that I did not receive the items. 

Once I was confident that I had paid for three items that I did not receive, I called the store to explain the mistake. The Snap employee remembered me and pulled up my order. She knew exactly what had happened. Someone had phoned in an order right before I checked out. However, the phone order did not get properly completed before my order was entered. It added the two orders together. She requested for me to come back into the store so that she could credit my credit card. I explained that I was on my way out the door for a business trip and did not have time. She offered to just give me a $25 store credit on my account. I looked at the three items and stated that they only added up to about $15. She said that the additional $10 would be for the hassle. I thought this was a very generous gesture that will keep me as a loyal customer.

I definitely recommend Snap Kitchen as a great resource for meals if you're traveling, or even if you don't have time to cook one night. If you go, remember to get a points card to start building up towards free items!

Workout of the Day

Tony Horton Fitness on YouTube: QUADZILLA

See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yVpFV-LT0

Eating On the Go

If I had to choose the most important food philosophy that I follow, it would be to eat whole foods as much as possible. What does that mean exactly? It means eating things that are what they are: eggs, carrots, broccoli. Things that do not have any ingredients on their label. Or better yet, there is no label.

However, I realize that sometimes this is really hard to do. I travel for my job occasionally, and don't always have a refrigerator down the hall to keep my hummus and veggies cool. So how does someone maintain a healthy diet while on the go?

As with most things related to health and fitness, planning is key. You might have to take an extra step or two to stick with the plan, but I think you'll find it's worth it.

When I'm preparing for a trip, I have a handy travel cooler I take with me. I'll pack fresh fresh veggies that will keep for the first day or so, along with fruit that travels well like apples. Not recommended: bananas (they bruise easily and go bad fast with fluctuations in temperature). Nuts such as almonds, cashew, and walnuts are also an easy snack that travel well.

When whole food isn't an option, here are some of my go-to meals and snacks.

Shakeology -

Either in easy travel packets or I'll scoop into containers. If I know I will have access to electricity I pack my Magic Bullet to blend it into a smoothie, but if not I'll just shake it in a shaker cup. Shaking it isn't the best tasting way to fix Shakeology, but it will do in a pinch...and it's still the healthiest meal of the day.

Epic Bars- https://epicbar.com/

These are high-quality jerky bars that are a great protein source. Choose from several interesting flavors. I have had the following:

• Bison Bacon Cranberry
• Lamb Currant Mint
• Beef Habanero Cherry
• Turkey Almond Cranberry

My favorite is probably the beef flavor, and my son likes the lamb. They are all tasty and easy to pack and travel. Available through Amazon.

EXO Bars - https://www.exoprotein.com/

Stick with me, here: these are made with cricket flour. Yes, the black bug kind of crickets. Cricket flour is an emerging trend in America, but other cultures have been using this for decades. I can vouch that these are really delicious,and they have 10 grams of protein per bar.

A friend of ours is studying nutrition at the University of Texas, and she recently posted an article in The Daily Texan about some nutrition students spreading the word about the benefits of cricket protein. Find the article here: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2015/10/26/texas-nutrition-serves-up-crickets-for-annual-food-day

Amazing Grass Greens Powder - http://www.amazinggrass.com/

Amazing Grass has multiple products and flavors. I am a fan the Lemon Lime flavored green superfood powder. Mixed with water, this is a great way to get an infusion of greens into your body when vegetables are scarce. Susan calls it her "swamp water" because of its looks, but the lemon lime flavor is refreshing. Only 30 calories per serving. If you like flavor in your water, this is a good way to get it.

Justin's Nut Butter - http://justins.com/

I buy them in individual packets for the convenience of traveling. They can be eaten alone right out of the packet or as a spread on apples or celery. Very tasty and a great source of healthy fat. I like the honey almond butter.

If you're staying at a hotel, many times breakfast is provided. Here's what to grab and what to leave at the continental breakfast.

Pastries, doughnuts, bagels. LEAVE. You don't need these in your life.

Waffle batter: Nope...skip it.

Scrambled eggs: most likely made with powdered eggs, and taste as such. If you're lucky, they'll have boiled eggs. Take as many of these as you want since they are the real deal.

Yogurt: the reason the yogurt business has ramped up so astronomically in this country is because it's a perceived health food. However, most of the yogurts contain far too much sugar to be healthy. Unless it is plain yogurt with no fruit added, leave the yogurt alone.

Oatmeal: depends! If it's in a pot that has been cooked, it is probably okay. Add some dried fruit and nuts and you're golden. If it's flavored packets to add hot water to, skip it. Too much sugar and artificial flavoring. Although, if your choice is between a pastry and packet oatmeal, choose the oatmeal!

Bacon, biscuits, sausage, hash browns: pass on these. They are probably very poor quality.

Finally, the emergence of prepared meal-to-go restaurants is making it easy to take meals with you. I've had a great experience with SNAP Kitchen in Austin. I'll do a full post with a review of SNAP very soon.

If you plan right, you can come out of a business trip or vacation without losing ground on reaching your goals or gaining any unwanted things (weight, brain fog, sugar cravings). While you might have to carry some extra weight in a bag or cooler for a few days, that's better than carrying it around on your a$# for weeks afterward.

Workout of the Day:

PiYo

High Fat, Low Carb

Posted by Zach

There has been a lot of talk lately about the low carb/high fat (LCHF) diet. The concept can be a little scary and even misleading unless you really dig into the details. I became interested earlier this year and decided to test it out myself.

First, let me clear up some misconceptions. First, fat is not the enemy that we once thought it was. I personally feel that saturated fat from red meat should still be consumed in moderation. However, healthy fats from nuts, oils and other plant-based products can do wonders for your health and weight maintenance. Second, I think the key ingredient to the LCHF diet is not the high fat piece of the pie (so to speak), but the low carb piece. In my opinion, cutting out processed carbohydrates and sugar is the best thing you can do for your health and weight maintenance. The trick is to replace these food items with lots of healthy vegetables and fats while maintaining a moderate protein intake.

There are a ton of resources available on this subject. Just google (low carb high fat diet” and you will get over 5 million results. A good place to start is with one of the following two books written by Jeff Volek.

• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living
• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance

Dr. Volek has conducted some impressive studies on this subject, especially in the areas of endurance performance. The goal is to convert the body to rely on fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates or glucose. More information can be found on his website.

Another great resource is Dr. Phil Maffetone’s website. Maffetone is well-known for his creation of the 180 formula. The 180 formula is used as a heart rate training tool for endurance athletes. What I like about Maffetone is his overall approach to a healthy lifestyle. His two week test is a great way to get you on the path to being a fat-burner and following a low carb, high fat diet.

As I stated above, curiosity on this subject got the best of me earlier this year. I am the type of person that has to test it out myself to be a believer. So, I set in to change my diet. Now, my diet was pretty darn good to begin with. It did not take a ton of changes to convert to a low carb, high fat diet. The major changes made included cutting out my oatmeal that I ate for breakfast a couple of days each week along with the side of toast that I enjoyed with my eggs regularly. I would also skip the bread products or tortillas at any of the meals that included them. For example, if hamburgers are on the menu, mine becomes a hamburger salad.

My diet consists of tons of vegetables, moderate fruit, a lot of healthy fats, and lean protein. I keep my red meat consumption to a minimum. The majority of my protein comes from eggs (we have our own chickens), chicken breast, and fish. My fats consists mainly of avocados (I average about 1 per day), nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, and brazil nuts), seeds (sunflower, hemp, flax, chia), and oils (olive, avocado, coconut).

My typical day looks like this:

Breakfast - Vegetable and fat dense smoothie consisting of: Shakeology (of course), half an avocado, kale or spinach, tablespoon of coconut oil, berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), ginger root, and some nuts and/or seeds. Throw it all in your Vitamix with some ice and water and give it a whirl until smooth and creamy.

Lunch - A huge salad with tons of leafy greens and other vegetables such as: cucumbers, celery, beets, bell peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage. I will usually top with a half an avocado, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some protein (hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast, canned tuna or salmon, or edamame),

Snacks - If I need a snack during the day, it will usually be one of the following: an apple and some almonds, carrots, amazing grass supergreens powder and sunwarrior protein, or chia pudding.

Dinner - Basically, dinner is whatever Susan decides to prepare. The great thing is that I know it will be healthy and meet my goals. Our dinners are typically plant-based with the addition of some meat a few days each week. If I do have some carbs, this is the meal that I indulge. If I do, it is usually something along the lines of sweet potatoes or legumes.

So, what did I notice by this slight change in my diet?

• A decrease in cravings and being hungry every 2-3 hours. I had been eating 5-6 meals per day. Now I eat 3-4. I rarely need a snack, and if I do, it is pretty small. Based on what I have read, this is due to my body learning how to tap into my fat stores for fuel. This is also a benefit for endurance athletes. Less need for fueling during long events.
• An increase in my range on my long runs without the need for fuel. I have completed runs in excess of two hours on nothing more than water with no adverse effects. I can make it through the remainder of the day with regular eating and maintain my energy levels.
• I have seen a slight decrease in my weight (about 5 pounds) and have managed to maintain this over several months. This may not sound like much, but I have stalled in the area for many years.
• I have seen a decrease in my body fat percentage (I currently run about 9-10% bodyfat). I have been this low before, but it entailed some calorie restriction and lack of energy to complete workouts. I have not had to restrict my calories and my energy levels have been great. Even for high intensity efforts.
• I have had a reduction in cravings for sweets. I still indulge on occasion, but the cravings are minor.

Is this diet for everyone? Definitely not. However, if you are carbohydrate intolerant and/or insulin resistant, this diet might be worth testing out. I would also recommend giving it a try if you are an endurance athlete and struggle with fueling/stomach issues during long events.

I must point out that I am not a doctor or nutritionist. I am just sharing my personal experience with a diet that has become quite the hype lately. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor or health-care provider before making any drastic lifestyle changes concerning diet or exercise.

Comment below if you have had any experience with LCHF. I would be interested to hear what others have experienced.

To close on an exercise note, Susan and I have been enjoying the new Beachbody on Demand. We can access hundreds of Beachbody workouts online at anytime. This is a great tool for those that travel for work or pleasure. Your workouts can go with you anywhere.

Workout of the day: 21 Day Fix Extreme - Plyo Fix

Educate Yourself

Subtitled: Don't be a savvy marketer's silly victim

So there is this thing called Cookie Butter. Have you heard of it?

It is awesome the devil. It's crushed up spiced shortbread cookies mixed with oils to create a ridiculously good topping for bread, pretzels, apples, ice cream, your spoon, your finger...pretty much whatever you have nearby. It's sooooo good. But totally, totally unhealthy. It's cookies, sugar, and oil. The End.

The only saving grace of Cookie Butter is that it was safely tucked away on the shelves at Trader Joe's, a store I frequent maybe on a quarterly basis. I'd get a couple jars a year, the kids were happy, all was right with the world.

But then.

Then.

The other day the kids and I were at my local grocery store, and this has happened:

HEB Cookie Butter. Same company makes it. Same deliciousness. How do I know? Ummm...I guess I had to check it out, you know? To see if it tasted the same? To make sure they hadn't gotten anything wrong during the transition over to the new store?

So of course all of central Texas is abuzz with the news about Cookie Butter's debut at HEB. And that is when the following conversation took place.

Location and identities withheld to protect the innocent.

"Hey, check it out! HEB has cookie butter now! It used to just be at Trader Joe's!"
"Wow, that's cool...and delicious too! Is it healthy?"
"No, it's not healthy...it's crushed up cookies."
"Oh. Well maybe you should go get the Trader Joe's version, 'cause it will be healthier!"

AND, curtain falls.

Oh, people. People. Do you not realize that not everything in Trader Joe's is healthy? And I'd venture to say that more than 50% of the items in Trader Joe's are not healthy? It's basically healthier versions of processed food that you would get in any other grocery store. It's still frozen dinners, it's still sugared cereal, it's still crushed up shortbread cookies with oil and sugar.

But fancy marketing and the store layout makes us think that Trader Joe's has a gold seal of healthy approval.

You've got to go to the source...the label! Find out what the labels mean. What does 4 grams of sugar equate to? (SPOILER ALERT: 1 teaspoon.) What are all these different oils in the cookie butter jar? Can I pronounce these ingredients? (If not, put it down.)

Become a food detective and take some ownership in what you're putting in your body. If you're okay with eating cookie butter (and in sparing amounts, I AM), then cool! But don't assume that a store and its image is going to take care of making sure you eat healthy food.

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Workout of the Day

21 Day Fix Extreme Plyo

Three kitchen tools that are rocking my world

I purchased an embarrassing amount of "As Seen on TV" products this Christmas.

From the Scrub Daddys I gave out at my "Favorite Things" Party for my boot camp chicks:

The most successful product ever invested in on "Shark Tank," my favorite show EVER.

 To the "Chord Buddy" we bought to go with our family gift, a guitar:

Also seen on "Shark Tank." This fabulous little item has us playing simple tunes mere weeks after Christmas. It's super fun.

 To the "Veggetti" purchased in a whirling, last-minute trip to Bed Bath & Beyond where I finished up the last of my Christmas shopping purchasing fabulous items I never knew I (and my family members) needed.

I'm a sucker for that little red square in the corner. If it's on TV, it's got to be good, right?

You've probably seen the Veggetti or something like it advertised someplace or another. It's the little tool that lets you easily cut zucchini or yellow squash into thin noodle ribbons.

Y'all, pasta is SO 2014. Just look at how you can cut calories and carbs with the Veggetti:

Last year I was working with a client who was doing The 21 Day Fix, and she told me that she fixed pasta one night for dinner, but it didn't turn out to be many noodles in that yellow container. My response: "Why are you eating pasta?" It's not that it isn't allowed on the plan, but why eat pasta when you can have way MORE "noodles" that have less calories and more health benefits. That goes for spaghetti squash, or these fabulous little Veggetti noodles.

This tool is super affordable (about $15) and very easy to use. Just wash your veg, and twist it through the machine by hand. You can eat them raw, or saute them in a pan for a few minutes before you slather your delicious, homemade sauce on top. When we ate these we also had some awesome Body Beast turkey meatballs.

The Veggetti needs to be in your kitchen arsenal!

I don't know if my next item has ever appeared on television or not, but it sure makes my weekend mornings fun. It's the Aerolatte milk frother.

Comes with a convenient carrying case, so if I stay the night at your house I may whip this puppy out and make you a latte.

I've decided that I much prefer our coffee at home to Starbucks (or anywhere else, for that matter). I like my coffee fresh and weak. I also like lattes, so this is fancying up my coffee in a big way. All you do is put a little bit of milk at the bottom of your cup, stick the frother in there and run it for about 20 seconds. Then pour your coffee in and you've got yourself a home made latte. Love it!

And finally, this. The BIG Christmas present:

This.

This is NOT just a blender. If, one day, I go to turn on my car and it will not start, I will hook it to my Vitamix and drive to town.

This is a blender like I've never experienced before. My dream blender (as I've referred to it for the past several years).

Do you know what this thing can do? You can put ingredients for soup into this blender, turn it on high for 5 minutes, and the force of the engine (I guess? Maybe it's centrifugal force? Sounds like a home school research project in the making) makes the soup HOT. It steams out the top! And then you pour it in your bowl and eat it! There are not enough exclamation points to tell you how cool this thing is! ! !

!

So far we've made our Shakeology in it (of course), and it pulverized kale so thoroughly that I couldn't tell it was there. We've made apple sauce, tomato soup, acorn squash soup, smooth roasted red pepper hummus, and chocolate fondue. The fondue was a trip...you put whipping cream and chocolate chips (plus some orange zest and vanilla) into the blender, then whipped it up. When it got hot and pourable, you put it in a bowl and dipped all manner of yummy fruit in it.

And then a special bonus: we didn't eat all the fondue, so I put it in a container in the fridge. The next day it had hardened into a fabulous chocolate mousse-like substance that in my opinion was better than the fondue!

On the Vitamix menu today: peanut butter! I can't wait to make our own peanut butter.

In summation, you need to hit the stores and pick up a Veggetti and a milk frother ASAP. And if you've got some cash on hand, look into a Vitamix (they ain't cheap). At the very least put it on your long-term list of dream items for your kitchen.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Workout of the Day

T25 Beta Core Cardio

We just finished week 3 of Body Beast, and will be posting our thoughts about the program soon. We've been taking weekends off from the Beast for cardio and yoga, and this week will be a recovery week before we get back to Beast mode. 

Programming note: We will be doing another round of the 21 Day Fix starting SOON, so if you're interested in trying this program, please visit www.SmellsLikeFitness.com and look for the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack, which is on sale this month for $140. It gets you the program AND 30 days' worth of Shakeology, which is a stinkin' bargain -- that's like getting the Fix program for 11 bucks!

A Smoothie King in Sheep's Clothing

I walked into the Smoothie King and had to squint my eyes. What a clean, bright establishment! Larger than life photos of happy, healthy people and huge letters encouraging me to "Be Good" to myself wrapped around the store.

But I knew going in that Smoothie King is a sugared-up wolf in sheep's clothing.

I don't normally patronize Smoothie King. But I live in a new town and need to promote my Texas Fit Chicks boot camp, so I visited the establishment in the hopes of dropping off a flier or two and reaching people who have a desire to "be healthy." So my daughter and I decided to throw them some business one Saturday morning.

As per usual when we go out to eat, Zach and I visited the nutrition website to select a healthy smoothie before I was standing at the counter to make a decision.

I was utterly flabbergasted at the nutritional listing of the smoothies. I'd estimate 99% of these things are nothing but sugar bombs. Here are a few of the highlights (review it yourself here). Note that these are for the 20 ounce "small" smoothies:

Remember, to convert grams to teaspoons, divide by 4
- Orange Ka-BAM -- 469 calories, 108 grams of sugar (the equivalent of 27 teaspoons of sugar)
- Lemon Twist Strawberry -- 398 calories, 94 grams of sugar (23 teaspoons)
- Coconut Surprise -- 460 calories, 64 grams of fat, 83 grams of sugar (20 teaspoons)

I could go on and on. And on.

Do you know what sugar is doing to us as a country?
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Impaired immune system
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Leptin resistance (causing an inability to tell when we've had enough food)
- Cancer
- Sugar addiction

And more:

I'd be willing to bet that the average person on the street considers a stop at Smoothie King to be a healthy choice. One that is helping, not hurting, their attempts to live a healthy lifestyle.

And then they order the equivalent of 25 teaspoons of sugar.

As a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, it is so frustrating to see deceptive marketing everywhere you look. Without guidance or a desire to really find out what is healthy and what is not, the average person does not stand a chance in a grocery store or restaurant.

Now Provides Fiber!

Come. On.

From the LiveStrong website:

Sugar is the first ingredient on the list in Kellogg's Froot Loops. Grains include whole-grain corn flour, wheat flour, which is not a whole grain, and whole-grain oat flour. Froot Loops contains oat fiber and soluble corn fiber. This cereal contains hydrogenated vegetable oil, a trans fat. It also contains natural fruit flavors and several dyes and artificial colors. It's fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains BHT, a chemical preservative. A 1-cup serving contains 110 calories, 1 g of fat, 25 g of carbohydrates, including 3 g of fiber and 12 g of sugar, and 1 g of protein.

Sugar is sugar is sugar. Whether it's coming to you in the form of a banana or Froot Loops does not matter. While it's not popular to stand up and say you ought to limit the amount of fruit that you eat, it is true that we need to keep an eye on our fruit intake in addition to watching added sugar. Which is everywhere!

- Yogurt
- Instant oatmeal
- Ketchup
- Peanut butter
- Jarred tomato sauce

It's everywhere.

Here are some of sugar's aliases:

Ugh. My trip to Smoothie King was weeks ago, and I'm still disturbed by it.

By the way, I did find a smoothie with no sugar in it -- the Gladiator. At 180 calories, 45 grams of protein and no added sugar, it was a good choice in a sea of bad choices. The best choice on the kids' menu was the "Choc-A-Laka" with 210 calories, 15 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. It's made of frozen yogurt and cocoa, and contains 255 mg of sodium. Ho hum.

Be careful out there, people.

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Workout of the Day

P90X3 Yoga

Don't Let Restaurants Derail Your Progress!

A few weeks ago our six-year-old daughter requested to go to IHOP for her birthday breakfast. She's super cute, so we were powerless to tell her no...especially on her birthday!

We all know that IHOP has some unhealthy choices (cream cheese stuffed French toast, anyone?), but surely there are some healthy items to choose from too, right? Like an omelette?

As is our custom whenever we go out to eat, our first stop was IHOP's website to choose what we would order. Does that sound weird? Most people sit down at the table, see what looks good, and order it. Not us! A trip to a restaurant requires research.

If we hadn't done our research, we probably would have made some poor assumptions about the calorie levels of what seem to be "healthy" options. An omelette seems like a good choice, right? Some eggs, some sauteed veggies, maybe a bit of cheese.

- Country Omelette: eggs, ham, cheese, onions. 1,220 calories, 2200 mg of sodium
- Spinach and Mushroom Omelette: 1,000 calories, 82 g of fat

WHAT? How did something as simple as eggs, some meat, and some veggies get to be way more than half my day's worth of calories?

If we had not checked the nutrition information before we walked into IHOP, we would have made BAD choices.

Instead, during our research we saw that IHOP's "Simple and Fit" menu items were much more sensible.

- Simple and Fit Vegetable Omelette: 330 calories, 14 grams of fat

It was tasty, filling, and did not blow my entire day's worth of eating.

TIP OF THE DAY:
Before you eat at a restaurant (particularly a chain restaurant), visit the website and see if they post the nutritional information. Sometimes it's hiding (IHOP's is WAY down at the bottom of the web page), but it will open your eyes to the completely ridiculous calorie levels of most restaurant food.

Hopefully this knowledge will turn you so completely OFF that you will not be tempted by the fatty, salty food that wrecks your diet.

Curious about the rest of IHOP's food? Here's a link to their 25-page nutritional document. Check it out and be amazed:

http://www.ihop.com/menus/-/media/ihop/PDFs/nutritionalinformation.ashx

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

If you were to peruse a restaurant's nutritional information, do you have an idea of what might be a proper amount of calories for a meal? When you see 1,000 calories, does that seem like a lot to you, or does it not really ring any bells? 

I'm not going to throw out a hard and fast rule about how many calories per meal you should be eating, because everyone is different. But personally, I eat three meals and two snacks a day. My calorie target for the whole day is around 1400, give or take a few hundred based on my activity level for the day. Therefore I shoot for 300-400 calories per meal, and 100-200 calories for my snacks. 

I will go out on a limb and tell you that I don't know ANYONE who ought to be eating 1,220 calories for their breakfast. If you're not sure how many calories you should be eating, send me a message. I have a formula to help you figure that out. I also have a whole bunch of resources to help you with healthy eating and exercise!

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Workout of the Day

P90X3 The Challenge

Does The 21 Day Fix Work?

Back in February, Beachbody came out with a new workout called The 21 Day Fix, billed as "THE program to help you lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days."

That's your host, trainer/bikini competitor Autumn Calabrese.

The 21 Day Fix comes with seven 30-minute workouts (eight, if you order through a coach like me! www.SmellsLikeFitness.com), and a set of containers designed to help teach you about portion control.

These colorful little containers are what really set this program apart...but more about that later.

Since I had no idea just how popular this program would turn out to be, I took my sweet time in ordering it. Turned out that sucker flew off the shelves, and I wasn't able to get my hands on it until almost April. Sheesh! My bad.

Nonetheless, it actually workout out really well, as Zach and I were just wrapping up the last month of P90X3 workouts, and we wanted to tighten up our nutrition to get some kicking "after" pics for P90X3. We planned to use the meal plan and try out the Fix workouts later.

Immediately upon opening our package, Zach had the laptop out creating a tracking spreadsheet. I mean...within minutes he had a rough spreadsheet up and running with formulas that made a "DONE" pop up in the field when we had eaten our allotted containers for the day. That dude is amazing!

So, here are some of my observations and experiences about the Fix program to help you decide whether it's something you want to do or not. (And if you don't feel like reading all this, here's the skinny: you DO want to do this! It's awesome!)

- Honestly, the Fix is a little overwhelming at first. You figure out your calorie goal through a helpful little chart. CHECK. Then you have all these little containers. CHECK. Then you're supposed to eat so many containers per day. HUH? That's where Zach's spreadsheet really drove things home for me and made it easier to understand. (And that's why I provide it to all my customers who are using the Fix.)

I was in the 1,200-1,499 calorie group. At that level I was able to have 3 greens (veggies), 2 purples (fruits), 4 reds (protein), 2 yellows (carb), 1 blue (fats), 1 orange (nuts/seeds/dressing), and 2 teaspoons (for things like nut butter, oils, etc.).

The Fix guide gives you examples of foods that would be allowed for each color container, and if it fits in the container, you can eat it. No calorie counting! (And thank goodness, because I don't think calorie counting is fun.)

- This is a flexible, doable plan. I loved it because I was eating my regular food, just in the portions the Fix suggests. (Note that this was true because I already eat a pretty healthy diet. If someone is accustomed to Big Macs several times a week, there would be some major changes here. In a good way! You'd be one who would lose the 15 pounds as advertised.)

- I was pleasantly surprised by the portions allowed. When you look at the teeny tiny carb container, you freak out a bit. But once you see it on the plate it doesn't look so bad at all!

- Here is a sample day of eating that I had while on the Fix:
     - 2 poached eggs, 1 slice Ezekiel toast, one pear, 1/4 avocado
        (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 purple, 1 blue)
     - Shakeology with 1/2 banana
        (1 red, 1 purple)
     - Green salad with mixed veggies and dressing
        (2 greens, 2 teaspoons)
     - Cottage cheese with sunflower seeds
        (1 red, 1 orange)
     - Stir fry with chicken and veggies, brown rice
        (1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow)

A perfectly filling, very clean Fix day!

Here's a pretty picture of another day's worth of Fix meals I ate while on the plan:

These are the 3 squares...snacks not shown. 

- The Fix plan is low carb, high protein. I realized that my body works very, very well on this plan! I was not bloated, not hungry, had plenty of energy, and here's the completely weird thing: my cravings for sugar went away!

That was totally unexpected, and totally unlike me. I eat a healthy diet 90% of the time, but you know what my other 10 percent usually consists of? Candy. Chocolate candy from the kids' candy basket on the fridge. During the Fix I lost my urge to eat candy! Instead I started craving fats like sunflower seeds. And it turns out this phenomenon isn't unique to me; Zach experienced the same thing, and so have several friends who have gone through the Fix. I'm planning in the next six months to get a nutrition certification to add to my personal trainer certification, and the first thing I want to know is why a diet higher in carbs causes someone to want sugar, sugar, sugar. Weird stuff! I'll let you know what I find out.

- We went out to eat several times while on the Fix, and managed not to blow the plan. It's pretty simple really: all you have to do is plan. We were going to Outback one night, so I saved myself a protein, veg, and a carb ('cause I wanted some of that yummy bread).

- I've heard people wonder how you use the containers. Here's how it looks when I do a stir fry meal: I cook the rice, then take the yellow container and fill it up, then pour it out onto my plate. Then I take the green container, fill it with the stir fried veggies, and pour it on the plate. Then I do the same with my red for the chicken or tofu I fix with the stir fry. I think it's important to serve on a plate because then your eye gets trained to what a good portion size is on a regular basis.

- Sometimes I went "over" on a category. Guess what? Wasn't the end of the world, particularly if it was in the veggie category. I have a hard time denying myself raw veggies, so I would say that my lunch salads are definitely a little bigger than they ought to be. Now if you're going over in the carb or fat category too many times, that might impact your results. Veggies? Not so much.

- Note on my caption under Autumn's picture that she is a bikini competitor. So, that's your warning that this chick's boobs are, like, ALWAYS on display. If it's not the boobs then her butt cheeks are dangerously close to falling out of her very short shorts. Consider yourself warned! Beachbody Coach and super-nice lady Traci Morrow cracked me up when she posted a picture of how she made the Fix materials "family friendly" with the use of colored Sharpies:

- So Autumn has a pretty unattainable body, which might turn some people off. However, it is awesome that the Fix cast also features Kat the modifier, who is much closer to how most women look when they are starting their fitness journey. She is working hard at the front of the screen, and she'll show you how to modify the moves to make them doable for anyone.

- Our final results? Pretty darn good, in my opinion! I lost eight pounds, plus two inches off my waist (the bloat went away!). Zach lost three pounds. Since then I've gone into "maintenance" mode on the Fix that allows 1 more carb and one more fruit. And also cake. Kidding! The Fix plan doesn't allow cake, but I do allow myself cake once in awhile.

- Once we completed P90X3 (another AWESOME program that you should try), we did a full week of the Fix workouts. These are no joke! Very solid routines with classic moves that will push you whether you're a beginner or a seasoned fitness veteran (particularly that plyo workout. Tough!). Zach and I are now into a hybrid program using P90X, X2, and X3, but we work in the Fix Pilates and yoga routines because they are very, very good.

The Fix has now hit the infomercial airways, and I expect it to be super, super popular. The results photos coming in are fantastic, and here's the thing: if you follow the plan...IT WORKS. You invest 30 minutes every day in exercise, and use the containers for your food. It just works! Thankful for another Beachbody program that hits it out of the park!

If you need help figuring out the Fix, Zach and I will be happy to help! Get your program at www.SmellsLikeFitness.com, then send us a message. We'll send you our spreadsheet to help you track and give you some tips on how to tackle the program.

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UPDATE:

My Mom has lost 33 pounds and counting with the 21 Day Fix. Read about her results here:

http://smellslikefitness.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-mom-and-fix.html

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Workout of the Day

P90X2 Total Body

Selfishness: The Greatest Gift

“You take care of you for me and I’ll take care of me for you.” - Jim Rohn

Lately the reality of my age is setting in. Not that I am feeling old, mind you...I turn 36 next week and feel stronger and younger than ever. In fact, a few months ago when my niece was preparing to go to college and I was thinking about a gift to get her, my exact thought was: "I will come up with the perfect gift because I JUST LEFT college...uh...13 years ago." Wha? When did that happen?

I guess what I mean by age setting in is that I see things happening around me in friends and family that show that we are aging. That the seeds that we have sown are coming to fruition (how about those $5 English major words?). Some marriages are striving, others are failing. Some have successful careers, others are searching for new ones. Some are vigorous and healthy, others are succumbing to illness or disease. Many friends are having to take care of their aging, ailing parents.

Zach and I spend a lot of time and money on "self care." We work out every day. I spend many hours per week planning, preparing, and cooking our family's meals. We get out of bed before dawn and head to sleep before 10pm most nights. I bet people think we are missing out on a lot of stuff. 

But here is the deal: taking care of yourself and your health is the absolute best gift you can give your spouse, your kids, and your extended family. 

These people love you. They are invested in you. When something happens to you, they are grieved and stressed. They put their lives aside so that they can care for you.

In theory, eating crappy food and sitting on your duff is a victimless crime. You're the one who gains weight, develops Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Combine those lifestyle diseases with aging and stress, and the next thing you know you are in the hospital because a wound won't heal. Or you have a heart attack. Then it's not so "victimless" anymore. Your family, friends, and co-workers are not only worried and scared, they also have to cover for you. Someone has to pay the bills. Someone has to meet with the client and deliver the report.

When people think about trying to lose weight, it's a trap to think that it's just about how you look. "I want to look good in those jeans," or "I want my spouse to think I'm attractive." Sure, those are nice byproducts of a healthy lifestyle. But investing time and money in your health is ultimately about living in a way that gives your loved ones the gift of YOU for as long as possible. 

I don't want to spend the last 15 years of our marriage managing a chronic disease. I don't want to have to say no to a retirement trip because I'm in no shape to walk or haul bags to the airplane. I understand that there are no guarantees, and no amount of exercise and carrot eating will ensure that something bad doesn't happen to one of us. But if there is any way I can tip the scale in my favor, you know I'm going to do it. 

You take care of YOU for ME, and I'll take care of ME for YOU. Sounds like a good plan.

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Workout of the Day

P90X3 - The Challenge

Shakeology of the Day

Pumpkin Pie:

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology

1/2 a banana

2 TB canned pumpkin

dash of cinnamon

ice

water

Life Hack: Natural Peanut Butter

Did you guys used to watch "Everybody Loves Raymond"?

Remember that episode where Ray and Deborah refused to acknowledge the suitcase on the stairs because neither one wanted to take it upstairs, and it became a battle of wills?

Here, refresh your memory:



That, my friends, is how Zach and I deal with natural peanut butter in our house.

OK, so maybe there isn't any actual wrestling going on, but it is a battle of wills to determine who will get stuck with the crappy job of stirring the oil into the peanut-flavored cement sludge that is the hallmark of natural peanut butter. I'll forgo the peanut butter in favor of PB2 for a day or so....he'll dip celery into hummus instead of peanut butter...then finally I give in and mix up the dang peanut butter.

I guess I should back up a bit. You ARE eating natural peanut butter, right? Right?
So many of us grew up on the JIF and the Skippy, but it turns out that that stuff is chalk-full of things that are unnecessary in peanut butter, like hydrogenated (a word to avoid like the plague when you are looking at labels) oils, sugar, and extra salt.

Natural peanut butter contains (drum roll, please): peanuts! Peanuts ground up into a paste, and that's it. The main differences you'll notice when you switch from processed to natural peanut butter are that it's not as sweet or as smooth. At first I missed the sweetness, but after awhile I came to like the natural peanut butter even more than the processed.

So, back to the oil issue.

When you buy natural peanut butter, the first thing you'll notice is the accumulation of oil on the top of the jar.

Pop open the lid and start trying to stir that oil into the peanut butter and what you get is a grade "A" mess. Oil running down the side of the jar, a knife or spoon that is just covered in gooey peanut butter...yuck. It takes a strong forearm and about 10 minutes of stirring to get it incorporated well, and even then if you don't get the oil mixed in at the bottom, when the jar is almost empty you have unspreadable peanut butter that is more like fudge that butter (which, now that I think about it, ain't half bad...).

Before you throw in the towel completely and start welcoming the hydrogenated, non-stir peanut butter back into your house, I've found a handy way around the stirring conundrum. Here's what you do:

When you buy natural peanut butter, turn it upside down as soon as you get home. Let it sit there for several hours, or until all that oil rises to the top...er...the bottom, which is the new top.

Here is how it looks once the oil has settled to the bottom and you open up the jar:

And after a mere minute of stirring:

It's ready to go, and my arm doesn't feel like it wants to fall off or anything! Smear some on some celery and top it with raisins, and then stick the jar of peanut butter in the fridge (where natural peanut butter should be stored).

This topsy turvy trick also works for Tahini, which is made of ground up sesame seeds and is a crucial ingredient in my hummus.

Try it and let me know what you think!

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Workout of the Day

P90X3 - Total Synergistics

Week one of P90X3 is in the books, and I am AMAZED at how sore we are from 30-minute workouts. Tony has put together a hum-dinger of a program (that's a technical term), and I am excited to see what three months of this is going to do! Hear our reviews and keep up with our P90X3 journey on our YouTube channel.

Want to join us? We've got a great accountability group going on Facebook, and it's not too late to join. The P90X3 Challenge Pack is on sale until the end of January -- get yours and let me know when you plan to start. I'll add you to the group!