Monday Nutrition Tip of the Week: There's never a bad time to fix chili

It will be 100 degrees in  my neck of the Texas woods today, and probably tomorrow, too. My plants are shriveling up, and my dog's shed hair is collecting like tumbleweeds in the corner of the yard. So what did I fix for dinner last week?

Chili, of course!

I stumbled upon this recipe on a new website I found while searching for a salmon filet marinade. It's Santa Fe Chicken Chili from Fried Eggs and Toast, a blog that is "Part Nutrition, Part Education, Part Policy. Combine."

This is actually a great summertime chili (if there is such a thing) because it's sweet and spicy, and uses chicken instead of beef. It's great with heaping pile of cilantro and fresh lime. We really liked it! Here's the recipe...try it out soon.

Santa Fe Chicken Chili: (Serves 4-6)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cayenne or chipotle pepper, to taste
1 sweet medium sweet potato, peeled, diced
2 15-oz. cans pinto or white beans, rinsed, drained
1 28-oz. can Fire Roasted Tomatoes, with juice
8-oz. (1 cup) chopped roasted green chilies- mild or hot
2 cups chicken broth, more if needed
1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
A small drizzle of agave
2 heaping cups cooked chicken pieces- hand torn looks nice
1 juice of lime or lime to taste

In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook chopped onions until they are soft and translucent.  This step should take 3-5 minutes depending on stove.  Once onions are translucent add your tablespoon of cumin, cayenne pepper, and minced garlic.  Stir to combine and cook for an additional minute.  Add chopped sweet potato, pinto or white beans, green chiles, chicken or vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon of balsamic or apple cider vinegar and a drizzle of agave.  Stir gently to combine.  Bring to a simmer then lower heat, cover pot with lid and cook for 30 minutes or until your sweet potato is soft.  After 30 minutes or so add cooked chunks of chicken and lime juice.  Continue warming pot without lid and add any additional spices, agave, or lime juice and voila you are done.

Photo from Fried Eggs and Ham website.

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Workout of the Day

Insanity: The Asylum: Back to Core

Group workout today with our Asylum buddies! Asylum is a 30-day program, and our goal is to work out once a week with the people who are going through the program with us. We are trying to do a different workout each time we meet, and that meant that we needed to meet on the 4th of July this week. Were there any complainers about meeting on a holiday? NOPE! It's awesome to hang out with such dedicated people.

A Major Pizza Announcement

Ya'll, I ate pizza last night. I bet you thought I couldn't have pizza since I'm on that pesky break with dairy, right? Well Shaun T wouldn't leave me stranded without pizza for 30 days.

Behold, the "Tofu Ricotta Cheese Veggie Pizza":

Veggie on the right, regular old mozz on the left for the kids. I didn't eat any cheese, I promise!

Now before I'm struck upside the head with a projectile thrown by a Pizza Purist, just give me a chance to explain.

In the Asylum Get Shredded Meal Plan, there is a recipe for Chicken Pita Pizza that shows you how to make "Ricotta Cheese" out of tofu. I like tofu and am willing to experiment with it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

It was really simple. All you do is take 4 tablespoons of firm tofu and smash it with a fork. Then you add a dash of garlic powder, pinch of dried oregano, a pinch of dried basil, dash of salt, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. You mix it all up, and low and behold you've got a ricotta-looking substance. And it tasted like ricotta, too!

Before you turn your nose up, let's compare the nutrition info between a half cup of tofu and a half cup of mozzarella cheese:

Tofu
Calories: 88
Fat: 5 grams (1 gram saturated)
Sodium: 15 grams
Protein: 10 grams

Mozzarella Cheese (shredded, part skim, low moisture)
Calories: 170
Fat: 12 grams (9 gram saturated)
Sodium: 298 grams
Protein: 14 grams

So tofu has half the calories, less than half the fat (especially the saturated kind, which is the bad stuff), virtually no sodium, and some good protein (although less than the cheese).

Now, did this taste like Pizza Hut pizza? No. Did the grease pool in the middle of the pie? No. And were there strings of cheesy goodness stretching between the pan and my plate? No and no. But this was good pizza.

It had great flavor (part of which was due to my new homemade sauce, which I'll share below), and good texture. It kept me in line with my 30-day non-dairy goal, while still allowing me to have some pizza. It was worth the effort, and I would fix it again. I would even suggest using the tofu ricotta in a lasagna, but probably as a way to reduce the amount of total cheese that you use, not as a complete replacement. (A lasagna's got to have cheese!)

The other great new thing about this pizza was the fresh tomato sauce that I made in about 3.5 minutes. I found the recipe in this month's Southern Living, and it could not be any easier or more delicious. All you do is get a 14-oz. can of Italian stewed or diced tomatoes and mix it in a blender or food processor with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. It tasted so fresh and tangy! It was one thousand times better than Ragu. Seriously.

It's Friday! Make some tofu ricotta cheese pizza for me. And also, have a great 4th of July, everyone!

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Workout of the Day

Asylum: Relief

Nearly a week of Asylum in the books, and Zach and I are loving this workout. Vertical Plyo yesterday was some crazy jumping, and I was drenched in sweat at the end. Usually Zach's the only one standing in a pool at the end of the workout, but I had my own little pool yesterday, too. I even saw some drip off the end of my hair. Crazy!

Is Beachbody Coaching For Real?

When I signed up to be a Beachbody Coach nine months ago, I figured that if I could take advantage of the 25% discount and manage to cover the cost of our Shakeology, I'd be happy.

Since we're six months into the year, I decided to take a hard look at the goals I set for my Beachbody business back in January. One of those goals was to pull in around $500 a month with my business. Life-changing? No. Would that cover Shakeology and buy a few extra groceries? Yes.

As coaches, Zach and I buy Shakeology for $89.96, plus we have a $14.95 fee for our business websites...so that comes to $104.91 each, or $209.92 total.

We are both "Emerald" coaches, so that means that we qualify to receive customer leads from Beachbody. If someone orders from the Beachbody corporate website, they assign that customer to a coach, and they become your customer. You receive commission on anything they order in the future. Since Beachbody spends about $100 million per year on advertising (that's not an exaggeration; it really does spend $100 million), they pull in quite a few customers.

In the past six months Zach and I have built a customer base of 164 people made up of both people that we know and customer leads from Beachbody.

Since the proof is in the pudding, as they say, here is a breakdown of our earnings for the past six months:

January: $362.22
February: $377.30
March: $462.41
April: $403.39
May: $401.99
June (to date): $406.06

I haven't reached the $500 per month level yet, but I have something to work toward and nowhere to go but up. Beachbody has great tools and resources to help me build the business as much as I'd like.

This coaching stuff has become about a lot more than money, though.

For one, it's given us an avenue to meet other people who are interested in health and fitness. People who challenge us to be better both physically and mentally. Secondly, it allows us to support other people who are just starting to work toward a healthier lifestyle.

Every time we get an email from a customer asking for advice, we are so excited to help them. Whether they need recipes, or advice on what to do if they've skipped a workout, whatever -- we want to be a part of ending the trend of obesity in this country...and other countries, for that matter. Just yesterday I ordered P90X bars for a customer in the U.K. who can't place an order internationally.

Last Saturday Zach and I attended Team Beachbody's Super Saturday event in Dallas. Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler spoke at the event, and as always, I was really impressed with his vision for the company and the country: to help people achieve their goals and lead healthy, fulfilling lives; and to end the trend of obesity.

"This isn't easy," Carl said. "Know that you're going to get criticism, and deal with it..." But nothing worth accomplishing is ever easy, is it?

As I sat in the audience with 360 other coaches and prospective coaches, I was proud to be a part of Team Beachbody. This company has attracted some highly motivated, positive people who think big, and if any group has a chance to end the trend of obesity -- or at least make a pretty big dent in it -- this is it.

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Workout of the Day
Asylum: Back to Core

As Tony Horton would say, "Oh, Mommy." I've never done a workout quite like this. It certainly wasn't high-impact and I wasn't huffing and puffing, but this was about as tough a core workout as I've ever done. And P90X Core Synergistics is tough. It's been an hour and my shoulders are still burning.

The great thing about Asylum is how quickly the workouts seem to go by. Today I looked up and saw 31 minutes left on the screen...and was a little dejected. Then the next thing I knew it was cool-down time! Ask me about this again in a few weeks when I'm familiar with the workouts and we'll see if I say the same thing... 

Get Shredded with Shaun T

One of the main reasons I like Beachbody fitness programs so much is because they always include a meal plan. The nutrition aspect of fitness is so critical, and often it's the part that people don't get quite right. I estimate that the food you eat will account for about 80% of the success you do -- or don't -- have with a workout program.

Insanity: The Asylum's nutrition plan is called "Get Shredded: Shaun T's 14-day plan for getting ripped." It's a small booklet jam-packed with great recipes and tips.

Here are the 10 tips Shaun T lives by when it comes to nutrition (paraphrased, then my comments in italics): 

1. Eat Frequently
   At least 5 to 6 smaller meals per day. Check! I'm already doing that.
   
2. Go Light at Night
   Shaun recommends having your largest meal in the morning, with each meal after that progressively smaller. Your last meal of the day is the lightest and smallest.  Oops. I generally have a pretty large (albeit healthy) dinner. Maybe I could count my handful of cereal or almonds after dinner as my smallest meal of the day? Fat chance.
   
3. Limit Your Portions
   If you're eating 5 meals per day, you must watch your portion size. These aren't 5 "all you can eat" meals we're talking about. With the exception of dinner, I think I do well with portion size.
   
   
4. Eat Lean
   Eat foods that are full of lean protein, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. They're so tasty, you won't believe how good they are for you. I'm a believer! In the past six months or so we've gathered a bunch of recipes that incorporate tons of veggies and lean protein. I'm enjoying eating more than I ever have. Seriously!
   
5. Carbs are Cool
   Shaun could never get through workouts without carbs. But to get shredded, he recommends eating carbs and starches earlier in the day, rather than your last two meals. He also suggests choosing whole grains instead of white carbs. I'm no carb Nazi. I eat them early and often, even for dinner. I may need to take a look at this rule to see if I can incorporate it into our routine.
   
6. Avoid Dairy
   
   
   
   
   Shaun T chooses to avoid cheese and dairy. If you can't live without it, at least try eliminating it for 14 days. Shaun thinks you might never go back. I have never been against dairy, and think that there are a lot of benefits to be had from cottage cheese and yogurt. However, I'm willing to have a trial separation with dairy to see if I can indeed live without it. I have not had milk or cheese in 9 days, and while I have not really missed it, I can't say that I'm gaining much by NOT having it, either. I plan to go at least 30 days without dairy and then re-assess the situation. I am certainly benefiting from the lack of saturated fat from the cheese slices I like to steal from the kids.
   
   
7. Hydrate!
   Drink water! A no-brainer. I could still do better with my water consumption.
   
8. Limit Alcohol
   Shaun occasionally has a glass of red wine with dinner, but he limits his consumption and never imbibes before a shoot. That's an easy one -- I never want to face Shaun T with a hangover.
   
9. Don't Fear Fat!
   Obviously, avoid butter and cheese, as they are high in saturated fat. However, there are lots of foods that are high in fat but very good for you, like avocado. You betcha! I eat an avocado more days of the week than not. 
   
10. Supplements
    Shaun's customers love Results & Recovery Formula and claim its critical to their success. Drink it immediately after the workout to refuel. I agree; recovery formula helps put back the glycogen stores that you lost during an intense workout. This will help you recover quicker and reduce soreness. We also use whey protein powder and Shakeology to supplement our nutrition. 

Zach and I are really trying to follow a strict nutrition plan for the 30 days of Asylum to see if we can get the best results possible. It will be difficult considering the 4th of July barbecues that we are scheduled to attend, but if that means we plan our own meals, then we plan our own meals. I think it will be worth it to see how far we've come in one month's time.

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Workout of the Day
Asylum: Strength

I am loving this program so far. While we never completed the first Insanity program, we did do a few of the DVDs. I remember thinking, "Geez, I hate this and would not want to do it for 60 days" the entire time. Some people are hard-core cardio lovers -- I am not one of them. I am a firm believer that muscle burns fat, so I'd much rather be doing some curls or shoulder presses than running myself into the ground. So far Asylum is a perfect blend of cardio, strength, and plyometrics. 

Insanity: The Asylum, Day One

I'm interrupting my regularly scheduled Monday Nutrition Tip of the Week because this is a very big day around here, fitness-wise. It's the first day of our new Insanity: The Asylum program!

For our first official workout we will meet our small group of crazies who volunteered to do this program with us up at the high school. It's going to be great!

Saturday morning Zach and I did the nine-move, 25-minute Sports Performance Assessment included with the program. I was pretty nervous about the test, but we both did fine. For the most part we were in line with the participants on the screen. Here are Zach's and my pre-test results. All exercises were performed for one minute, and the numbers represent reps completed: (Zach's numbers are first, mine are second.)

Agility Heisman     10/7
In and Out Ab Progression     50/37
Pull Ups     15/10
Mountain Climber Switch Kicks     74/60
Agility Shoulder Taps     6/5
X Jumps     40/35
Moving Push Ups     DNC*/3
Agility Lateral Shuffle      15/13
Agility Bear Crawl     13/8

* DNC: Did Not Complete. Zach pulled a chest muscle a few weeks ago and is nursing it back to health. There have been a couple of set-backs where he thought it was ready to go -- it was not. He'll be sitting out of the Asylum exercises that use the chest muscle for several more weeks.

I'll be sure to post our test results at the end of the 30-day program.

In the meantime, here's a look at what we'll be doing today during the Speed & Agility workout.

Asylum uses a jump rope and an agility ladder (and weights in other workouts). Each person needs a ladder, but the program only comes with one. So Zach built another ladder last weekend out of motorcycle straps held together with rivets. It works great!

Only three hours to go till I enter the Asylum. I hope I make it out of there alive...

Exercise on Vacation? Yup.

If Zach and I went to the trouble to pack vegetables and hummus for our excursion to Austin last week, you know we weren't about to forget about our exercise schedule. The valedictorian of fitness (Zach) has compiled an extensive workout notebook that lists the exercises of virtually every DVD we have. In spreadsheet form, of course.

Austin is a very exercise-friendly city. Our hotel was literally steps from the running/biking trail on Town Lake, a beautiful and well-kept path that is more than 10 miles long.

Our first morning we were on the trail by 6am...and we were far from alone. We did a four-mile jog up one side of the lake and down the other. On the way we saw several boot camps taking place in the parks that line the lake.

That run on Town Lake did more than meet my cardiovascular requirements for the day. It also renewed my faith that people do care about being fit and healthy. Sometimes the view from my particular corner of Texas can get pretty bleak when it comes to caring about fitness. Everywhere I turn it's fast food joints and a great amount of people who only run to the kitchen to grab a snack before American Idol (or as Tony Horton would say, American Idle). So all those joggers and bikers did my heart good.

On Wednesday I went with a friend to Pure Austin, a great gym for people who already looked pretty dang fit.

The "Spinning" Area in Pure Austin

We did a "TNT" (Tighten and Tone) class, which was led by an unbelievably fit woman who I am guessing was in her late 50s. After the class we did a few weights, and then I climbed a rope -- just like elementary school.

Thursday morning Zach and I took advantage of the hotel gym to do the One on One: Shoulders and Arms MC:2 workout. It was cramped and busy in the mini-gym, but we made it work.

Leaving town doesn't mean your workouts have to take a vacation. Use the opportunity of being in a new setting to shake things up and explore the city by foot. If gyms are your thing, many of them will let you buy a temporary pass, or tag along with a friend like I did.

Thanks to our daily workouts, Zach and I didn't lose any ground as we build up to the new workout we're taking on just 5 days from now:

More info on that to come.

Workout of the Day:
P90X Plus: Total Body Plus

P90X2 Preview: Talk about a butt kickin'

P90X2 is scheduled to make its debut in Fall 2011. Here is what I know so far:

• Yoga is one hour and five minutes long. (This is key for many P90Xers.)
• The meal plan will provide options for vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters.
• The schedule is only 5 days a week, and will include three phases: Foundation, Strength, and Performance.
• The workouts are created with the help of Dr. Marcus Elliot, one of the most sought-out trainers in the sports world.

I am very excited about this new program! Get on a list to receive an email about when P90X2 comes out by clicking here. But when you're ready to order, make sure you do it through my website! www.beachbodycoach.com/CoachSusanH

Here's a preview video.

Workout of the Day
P90X Plus: Intervals Plus