You can enjoy the Super Bowl on Sunday and still eat right. Below are some recipes from this week's edition of The Biggest Loser and chef Curtis Stone.
Chicken Breasts with Soy and Honey (serves 6)
* Curtis diced the chicken like Spiedies and skewered them on rosemary stems - after pulling off rosemary leaves.
Ingredients
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
Juice of 3 oranges used 1 ½ cups
used 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Method
· Mix the dijon , honey, garlic, and ginger in a resealable storage bag to blend.
· Add the chicken, seal the bag, and toss to coat with the sauce. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
· In a small sauce pot reduce orange juice slowly over low heat until it hits a thin syrup like consistency.
· Remove from heat and reserve.
· Position your oven rack 8 to 10 inches from the heating source and preheat the broiler. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.
· Transfer the chicken and marinade to the baking sheet and broil for 25 minutes, turning occasionally and watching closely, or until the chicken is cooked through and the marinade glazes the chicken.
· Remove from oven, drizzle with orange syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
· Serve on bed of arugula leaves.
Nutrient Analysis – per serving
Calories 230
Fat calories 40
Total Fat g 4
Sat Fat g 1
Chol mg 0
Sodium mg 200
Total Carb g 21
Fiber g 0
Sugars g 12
Protein g 25
Turkey and Black Bean Chili (serves 16 - yes 16)
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans, soaked in cold water for 24 hours
1 batch homemade vegetable stock, see recipe – recipe not provided; used canned fat free veg broth; used 12 cups for analysis
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small dry chili, ground
4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon safflower oil
2 pounds ground turkey meat used extra lean 1% fat
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 yellow onion, small dice used medium onion
1 bulb of fennel, small dice
2 red bell peppers, small dice
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
4 large vine ripe tomatoes, medium dice
1 large acorn squash (about 2 ¼ pounds, top cut off and seed cavity hollowed out
1 large butternut squash (about 4 ½ pounds), cut in half, seed cavity hollowed out
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
2 orange bell peppers
3 zucchini, split in half lengthwise and hollowed out slightly – used med size
4 portabella mushrooms, stemmed
2 cups cilantro, chopped semi fine
Juice of 1 lime used 2 ½ tablespoons
Method
· Preheat oven to 500F, and grill or indoor grill pan on medium high heat.
· Drain the soaked black beans and rinse with fresh cold water.
· In a large saucepot, add beans and vegetable stock, cover and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until beans are soft and tender.
· Remove from heat and keep covered in a warm place.
· Heat a large sauté pan over high heat.
· Toast all seeds until fragrant and color slightly darkens.
· Remove from heat and in a mortar and pestle, grind spices and dry chili into a fine powder.
· Add paprika to ground spices and mix well.
· Return pan to heat.
· Add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook ½ of the ground turkey
· Season with half the spices and black pepper and stir to break up any extra large chunks.
· Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until turkey turns light golden brown.
· Remove to a mixing bowl, wipe out pan, and repeat with remaining turkey meat and spices.
· Drain off any excess liquid from turkey meat and reserve.
· In a separate large saucepot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.
· Once hot, add onions and sweat for 3 minutes stirring constantly.
· Add fennel and sweat for an additional 3 minutes.
· Add peppers and garlic and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
· Add tomatoes and gently stir to mix.
· Bring to the simmer, add turkey, and reduce heat to low.
· Cook covered on low heat for 10 minutes, after which the tomatoes will begin to release their liquid.
· Drain the beans from their cooking liquid but reserve ½ cup of the bean broth.
· Add beans and broth to the turkey mixture and gently simmer covered for an hour.
· At this point, brush the each squash, the whole Bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms with remaining 1 teaspoon of oil.
· Roast each squash uncovered on a sheet pan for 1 hour or until flesh is just barely soft but not mushy.
· When squash is halfway done, place peppers in the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until skin starts to color and peels away from he flesh.
· Add zucchini to oven when squash and Bell peppers have 10 minutes of cook time left and grill portabellas for 5 minutes on each side.
· Remove all vegetables from oven and grill and reserve.
· Once peppers have cooled slightly, peel skin away from flesh, cut top off pepper and discard seeds.
· Stuff each roasted vegetable with chili and arrange on a platter.
· Garnish with cilantro leaves, squeeze lime juice over chili, and serve.
Nutrient Analysis – per serving
Calories 320
Fat calories 50
Total Fat g 6
Sat Fat g 1
Chol mg 0
Sodium mg 220
Total Carb g 49
Fiber g 14
Sugars g 10
Protein g 23
7 Layer Dip (serves 6)
Ingredients
1/3 pound dried baby lima beans, soaked in water for 24 hours
16 oz homemade vegetable stock (see recipe) no recipe included for this
used canned low sodium veg broth;;
2 large red beets, stems removed
1 teaspoon safflower oil, divided
3 small whole wheat tortillas, cut into thin triangular strips
3 cups cauliflower florets
3 cups nonfat milk
10 shrimp, peeled and deveined used medium
½ cup fat free yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 oz fresh Alaskan King Crab Leg, out of the shell (may substitute with 1 oz fresh cooked shrimp or lobster)
10 to 12 leaves of watercress used 12
Method
· Preheat oven to 400F.
· Place beets in foil and drizzle with half the oil and 1 teaspoon of water.
· Close the foil around the beets and bake on a tray in the oven for 1 hour or until a knife inserts into the center of each beet without resistance.
· Cool in the refrigerator.
· Cook tortilla strips in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until strips have colored slightly and are crispy.
· Remove from oven and cool at room temp.
· After the beets go into the oven, drain off soaking liquid from beans and rinse with cold water.
· In a medium pot, bring vegetable stock and beans to the simmer over medium high heat.
· Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cook gently for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until beans are soft and cooked through.
· Once cooked, drain off liquid and move beans to a blender.
· Reserve cooking liquid.
· With the lid open slightly to release steam, begin pureeing the beans on the lowest speed.
· Slowly drizzle in enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth puree, about 4 to 6 tablespoons.
· If puree is still too thick, add more cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time until puree is smooth.
· Remove from blender and leave covered at room temp.
· While beans are cooking, bring cauliflower and milk up to the simmer in a medium pot over medium high heat.
· Once cauliflower has softened, about 10 to 15 minutes, remove from heat and drain.
· Reserve milk.
· In a blender, puree cauliflower on lowest speed, keeping lid open slightly to allow seam to escape.
· Slowly drizzle in 3 to 5 tablespoons of the milk and puree cauliflower until smooth.
· Strain cauliflower puree through a fine mesh sieve and leave covered at room temp.
· Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat.
· Sauté shrimp in remaining ½ teaspoon of oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp is just barely cooked through and pink in color.
· Remove from heat and allow to rest at room temp.
· Chop all but 2 shrimp into a fine dice.
· Peel skin from cooled beets and cut into a small dice.
· Mix yogurt and chives in a small mixing bowl until well incorporated.
· In a small glass bowl or ramekin, begin layering the dip.
· Start out at the bottom with an even layer of the bean puree.
· To that, add the crab, followed by the yogurt, the beets, cauliflower puree, and the chopped shrimp.
· Place the watercress leaves in the center of the shrimp layer.
· Cross the tails of the 2 remaining shrimp and place on the watercress leaves.
· Serve with whole wheat tortilla chips.
Nutrient Analysis – per serving
Calories 220
Fat calories 15
Total Fat g 2
Sat Fat g 0
Chol mg 20
Sodium mg 257
Total Carb g 39
Fiber g 11
Sugars g 11
Protein g 17
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
GREAT JOB
We couldn't be happier with the way RFC has gone the first two weeks. We are thrilled that everyone is having such a positive experience - everyone has made the effort to stretch themselves in the way they eat, work out and think about things. It really could not have gone any better.
Remember - this is a marathon, not a spring. Keep up the great work and keep plugging away - you will get the results you are looking for!
Remember - this is a marathon, not a spring. Keep up the great work and keep plugging away - you will get the results you are looking for!
Recipe of the Week - Jan. 26
Pan-Seared Salmon Puttanesca with GnocciActive time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings
** Make sure to include a side-salad or steamed vegetables
Recipe can be found by using the following Wegmans link.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Molly's Week
Molly had an outstanding week in Week 1 and we thought it would be good to share her eating and workout schedule.
The most important piece of this comes at the end. Take note of how she describes how she felt and the positive reaction she had to the changes she made.
Thanks Molly!!
Eating Plan:
Breakfast - egg white on wheat toast or Kashi GoLean cereal (7:00 a.m.)
Snack - Apple, banana, grapes or protein bar (10:00 a.m.)
Lunch - small turkey burger with 1 pc. wheat bread & baby spinach (12:30 p.m.) or something with chicken
Snack - handful of almonds, stonyfield farms yobaby yogurt, or carrots (2:30 p.m.)
Dinner - chicken browned in pan with spinach & small salad; turkey burger with avacado slice & salsa on 1 pc. wheat bread w/ side of roasted asparagus; 3 small slices of steak, risotto & asparagus; homemade chili with ground curried turkey (all ground turkey is white meat only). (6:00 p.m.)
Snack - almonds, grapes, apples, carrots, popcorn with very little oil & salt, cottage cheese with sliced carrots & green peppers, etc. (9:00 p.m.)
* we also had an eggwhite omelet with spinach, cottage cheese and sauteed onions. REALLY good!
Working out:
30 minutes of strength/weight training - alternate upper & lower body days 1 - 5.
Upper body includes delts, pecs, bis, tris, lats, traps, back & abs.
Lower body includes quads, hams, abductors, adductors, etc. with some abs.
30 minutes of cardio (warm-up, run 3 miles w/ intervals every other day, cool-down).
I have had a notable improvement in my stamina over the last week. I was unable to do more than 6.5 on the treadmill and I can now easily do 6.9/7.0 - 7.5. Intervals include increasing the speed 0.1 every 30 seconds or 0.5 every minute depending on how I feel that day.
Saturday I did a 60 minute yoga class on Saturday to help out with being sore, as well to let my body slow down and calm my mind.
Stretching - 10 minutes:
I am a firm believer that your breath while stretching is necessary, and really take my time in each stretch. It helps get rid of built up lactic acid.
Etc.:
Milk: Glass within 30 minutes of working out.
Water: I have a 32 oz. nalgene bottle (NO BPAs!!!) that I carry with me everywhere. I drink at least 4 a day, sometimes 5. It's a bit much, but it's so dry right now that I feel like I really need that much.
I've also changed the following:
Smaller portions - meat no bigger than the palm of my hand; veggies with every meal (or fruit in a.m.); complex carbs during the day - avoid as much as possible after dinner. Always combining a carb & protein; limited salt; no sugar; natural, organic PB; no processed foods/prepared foods.
Things I've noticed:
Greatly reduced stress, less dependence on my anxiety medication, sleeping better, flatter stomach, happier, more productive.
The most important piece of this comes at the end. Take note of how she describes how she felt and the positive reaction she had to the changes she made.
Thanks Molly!!
Eating Plan:
Breakfast - egg white on wheat toast or Kashi GoLean cereal (7:00 a.m.)
Snack - Apple, banana, grapes or protein bar (10:00 a.m.)
Lunch - small turkey burger with 1 pc. wheat bread & baby spinach (12:30 p.m.) or something with chicken
Snack - handful of almonds, stonyfield farms yobaby yogurt, or carrots (2:30 p.m.)
Dinner - chicken browned in pan with spinach & small salad; turkey burger with avacado slice & salsa on 1 pc. wheat bread w/ side of roasted asparagus; 3 small slices of steak, risotto & asparagus; homemade chili with ground curried turkey (all ground turkey is white meat only). (6:00 p.m.)
Snack - almonds, grapes, apples, carrots, popcorn with very little oil & salt, cottage cheese with sliced carrots & green peppers, etc. (9:00 p.m.)
* we also had an eggwhite omelet with spinach, cottage cheese and sauteed onions. REALLY good!
Working out:
30 minutes of strength/weight training - alternate upper & lower body days 1 - 5.
Upper body includes delts, pecs, bis, tris, lats, traps, back & abs.
Lower body includes quads, hams, abductors, adductors, etc. with some abs.
30 minutes of cardio (warm-up, run 3 miles w/ intervals every other day, cool-down).
I have had a notable improvement in my stamina over the last week. I was unable to do more than 6.5 on the treadmill and I can now easily do 6.9/7.0 - 7.5. Intervals include increasing the speed 0.1 every 30 seconds or 0.5 every minute depending on how I feel that day.
Saturday I did a 60 minute yoga class on Saturday to help out with being sore, as well to let my body slow down and calm my mind.
Stretching - 10 minutes:
I am a firm believer that your breath while stretching is necessary, and really take my time in each stretch. It helps get rid of built up lactic acid.
Etc.:
Milk: Glass within 30 minutes of working out.
Water: I have a 32 oz. nalgene bottle (NO BPAs!!!) that I carry with me everywhere. I drink at least 4 a day, sometimes 5. It's a bit much, but it's so dry right now that I feel like I really need that much.
I've also changed the following:
Smaller portions - meat no bigger than the palm of my hand; veggies with every meal (or fruit in a.m.); complex carbs during the day - avoid as much as possible after dinner. Always combining a carb & protein; limited salt; no sugar; natural, organic PB; no processed foods/prepared foods.
Things I've noticed:
Greatly reduced stress, less dependence on my anxiety medication, sleeping better, flatter stomach, happier, more productive.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Some Tips
As we head into Week 2, we have a few tips to pique your interest and keep you thinking creatively about your eating and workout plans:
* SPICE UP YOUR DINNER
Use ginger, cinnamon, cumin, chili, cayenne pepper, hot mustard or garlic. These spices will heat you up, raising your metabolism - in turn, helping you to burn more calories.
Erin has been making Mexican Hot Chocolate lately. In the microwave, heat Skim or 1 percent milk, chocolate syrup, cayenne pepper and cinnamon.
* AVOID PROCESSED FOODS
A diet that avoids processed foods and white sugar is one of the best ways to maintain consistent energy and avoid fatiugue, says Cheryl Forberg, RD, nurtitionist for The Biggest Loser. "White foods metabolise very quickly, kicking up your blood sugar and then dropping it down," she says.
Clean eating - or smaller, more frequent meals (like we promote at RFC) that are high in lean protein, fiber and heart-healthy fats - acts as a detox, helping your system function more efficiently. "Once you start to experience those even blood sugar levels, you'll notice that you sleep better at night, have more energy and can better focus," Forberg says.
As we progress with RFC, take note of your sleep patterns and your energy levels. As you eat better and workout more often, you should notice positive changes!
-- Some information supplied by Oxygen Magazine
* SPICE UP YOUR DINNER
Use ginger, cinnamon, cumin, chili, cayenne pepper, hot mustard or garlic. These spices will heat you up, raising your metabolism - in turn, helping you to burn more calories.
Erin has been making Mexican Hot Chocolate lately. In the microwave, heat Skim or 1 percent milk, chocolate syrup, cayenne pepper and cinnamon.
* AVOID PROCESSED FOODS
A diet that avoids processed foods and white sugar is one of the best ways to maintain consistent energy and avoid fatiugue, says Cheryl Forberg, RD, nurtitionist for The Biggest Loser. "White foods metabolise very quickly, kicking up your blood sugar and then dropping it down," she says.
Clean eating - or smaller, more frequent meals (like we promote at RFC) that are high in lean protein, fiber and heart-healthy fats - acts as a detox, helping your system function more efficiently. "Once you start to experience those even blood sugar levels, you'll notice that you sleep better at night, have more energy and can better focus," Forberg says.
As we progress with RFC, take note of your sleep patterns and your energy levels. As you eat better and workout more often, you should notice positive changes!
-- Some information supplied by Oxygen Magazine
Monday, January 19, 2009
Recipe of the Week - Jan. 19
Spinach and Cranberry Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ready in 1 hour and 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings
** May substitute brown rice for Quinoa (if desired). Cook rice as desired.
We have made this recipe several times, and enjoy it very much. Quinoa has become a staple for us instead
Quinoa is grain-like and when cooked is fluffy and light. It is the only naturally occurring protein, other than soy. It has all eight essential amino acids and the added fiber helps to curb hunger, so the tendency to over-eat is reduced. It is a great source of protein (as is ricotta cheese), fiber and iron.
For those who question the ricotta - try it. When mixed with the spinach and cranberries, and then cooked, it takes on a whole new texture.
1C Nonfat Ricotta Cheese
2C Chopped Raw Spinach
1 1/3 C Dried Cranberries
Salt to taste
4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts (about 1 1/2lb)
1C Quinoa
1C Water
1C Chicken Broth
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a bowl, combine ricotta, spinach and cranberries, and salt to taste. Using a sharp knife, cut a small slit in each chicken breast, wiggling it around inside to create a pocket that runs much of the length of the breast. Stuff 1/4 of the ricotta mixture into each breast.
3. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, water and broth in a 9" x 13" glass baking dish, then place chicken on top. Bake in oven until chicken is cooked - about 1 hour.
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 380, Total Fats: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 79 mg, Sodium: 460 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 39 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 37 g.
Ready in 1 hour and 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings
** May substitute brown rice for Quinoa (if desired). Cook rice as desired.
We have made this recipe several times, and enjoy it very much. Quinoa has become a staple for us instead
Quinoa is grain-like and when cooked is fluffy and light. It is the only naturally occurring protein, other than soy. It has all eight essential amino acids and the added fiber helps to curb hunger, so the tendency to over-eat is reduced. It is a great source of protein (as is ricotta cheese), fiber and iron.
For those who question the ricotta - try it. When mixed with the spinach and cranberries, and then cooked, it takes on a whole new texture.
1C Nonfat Ricotta Cheese
2C Chopped Raw Spinach
1 1/3 C Dried Cranberries
Salt to taste
4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts (about 1 1/2lb)
1C Quinoa
1C Water
1C Chicken Broth
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a bowl, combine ricotta, spinach and cranberries, and salt to taste. Using a sharp knife, cut a small slit in each chicken breast, wiggling it around inside to create a pocket that runs much of the length of the breast. Stuff 1/4 of the ricotta mixture into each breast.
3. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, water and broth in a 9" x 13" glass baking dish, then place chicken on top. Bake in oven until chicken is cooked - about 1 hour.
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 380, Total Fats: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 79 mg, Sodium: 460 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 39 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 37 g.
Snack Basket / Baggies
This is from Patty and a great idea:
For the extra meals - snacks - I made a basket with Kashi bars, snack ziplocks with almonds, raisins, or sesame sticks. This is on the counter beside the bowl with apples, bananas, and clementines - ready to grab. Today I am making snack bags with celery, carrots, peppers (for Jay). I bought snack cups of pineapple that can be taken with us.
** Having quick, healthy snacks accessible is a great way to help keep your metabolism going throughout the day and to keep yourself focused on eating the right way.
For the extra meals - snacks - I made a basket with Kashi bars, snack ziplocks with almonds, raisins, or sesame sticks. This is on the counter beside the bowl with apples, bananas, and clementines - ready to grab. Today I am making snack bags with celery, carrots, peppers (for Jay). I bought snack cups of pineapple that can be taken with us.
** Having quick, healthy snacks accessible is a great way to help keep your metabolism going throughout the day and to keep yourself focused on eating the right way.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Stretching
One area that we did not address in our original Point System was stretching. Stretching is an important piece of the overall fitness plan and helps
Stretching is important for people of all ages and fitness levels. You are able to increase your range of motion and it aids in recovery from workouts of any length or intensity. The more conditioned your muscles and tendons are, the less likely that they'll become injured.
We are opening a category for Stretching, with the ability to accumulate 1 pt. per day for 10 minutes of stretching.
Stretching is important for people of all ages and fitness levels. You are able to increase your range of motion and it aids in recovery from workouts of any length or intensity. The more conditioned your muscles and tendons are, the less likely that they'll become injured.
We are opening a category for Stretching, with the ability to accumulate 1 pt. per day for 10 minutes of stretching.
Points Calculator
We have a spreadsheet created in Microsoft Excel that will help you to keep track of your daily, weekly and overall point totals. It is very easy to use, and can be opened with Google Documents or Open Office if you do not have Excel on your computer.
There is a Point Calculator section which will help tabulate your points for the week, and then a section below where you transpose your total for the corresponding week. All you need to fill in is your daily totals and the spreadsheet will do the rest - I have protected the formula areas so they can't be deleted by accident.
If you did not get it with the email let me know and I'll resend.
JC
There is a Point Calculator section which will help tabulate your points for the week, and then a section below where you transpose your total for the corresponding week. All you need to fill in is your daily totals and the spreadsheet will do the rest - I have protected the formula areas so they can't be deleted by accident.
If you did not get it with the email let me know and I'll resend.
JC
And We're Off ...
Welcome to the Day 1 of Runyon Fit Club! There is a lot of excitement surrounding our plan and what the next six months hold for all of us.
We have a lot of people rooting for us - even on the outside of our family. Erin and I have told just about everyone we come in contact with and the response had been overwhelmingly positive. So, on a day when you don't feel like eating well or don't feel like working out - remember that you have a lot of people out there watching and taking an interest in your success.
I was thinking this morning about this and realized that we hadn't discusses this topic yet:
PACE.
Pace is important in everything we do as it relates to fitness and diet. Whether it is our walking pace, pace of lifting weights or the pace in which we incorporate an eating plan, pace has an effect on the results of our efforts.
RFC is not a sprint - this is a marathon ... and then some. RFC is six-months long and there will be a lot of ebb and flow to the results which people see. We don't want people to be as concerned with The Contest as much as keeping an eye on the bigger picture. We incorporated The Contest to get everyone's buy-in, really an underhanded way to help change your fitness, eating habits and the way you incorporate both into your daily lives.
A game cannot be won in the first few minutes, innings, holes - though it can be lost in those early stanzas. The Contest is no different, and that is what is most important to remember. Coming out of the gate too quickly here can have as many negative effects as coming out too slowly. Early on, everyone (especially those who are starting from scratch) must find their own pace and stick to it.
Let's take a look at two people taking an opposite approach to their fitness plan the first few weeks:
Person A: Feels comfortable and walks 20 minutes a day for the first week. They have built up a base and are now ready to add to their workout. In Week 2, they may add a bit of time, pick up the pace or add a few hills. In Week 3 they are ready to add another 10 minutes and one more hill. Each workout has been a success, each week has been an improvement on the previous.
Person B: They are READY to get after it. They come out in Week 1 and walk 60 minutes the first two days. As a result, they become overly sore and miss days 3-4-5. Person B is discouraged and is questioning whether they can really do this.
In a short three-week span, Person A has set themselves up for small victories - adding hills, picking up the pace, extending their workout a bit. They weren't worried about June 24 or collecting points. The points will come as you go along - nobody is going to win the game in one week or even 10 weeks.
Person B has had no small victories and set themselves up for failure before even really taking part.
It is important to set yourself up for small victories on a daily basis. Those victories - adding a few minutes to a cardio workout, beating a personal-best time on a walk or making the decision to have blueberry chicken instead of chicken wings - are rewards for your hard work and help to build confidence.
Believe me when I tell you - that confidence is a reservoir that will be tapped into. It will be there to help you push yourself at times when you don't feel like it. Or it will help push you just a bit further on those days when you are feeling great.
The bottom line is to have fun with this. Let's have fun working out together, finding new recipes and setting ourselves up for success.
JC
We have a lot of people rooting for us - even on the outside of our family. Erin and I have told just about everyone we come in contact with and the response had been overwhelmingly positive. So, on a day when you don't feel like eating well or don't feel like working out - remember that you have a lot of people out there watching and taking an interest in your success.
I was thinking this morning about this and realized that we hadn't discusses this topic yet:
PACE.
Pace is important in everything we do as it relates to fitness and diet. Whether it is our walking pace, pace of lifting weights or the pace in which we incorporate an eating plan, pace has an effect on the results of our efforts.
RFC is not a sprint - this is a marathon ... and then some. RFC is six-months long and there will be a lot of ebb and flow to the results which people see. We don't want people to be as concerned with The Contest as much as keeping an eye on the bigger picture. We incorporated The Contest to get everyone's buy-in, really an underhanded way to help change your fitness, eating habits and the way you incorporate both into your daily lives.
A game cannot be won in the first few minutes, innings, holes - though it can be lost in those early stanzas. The Contest is no different, and that is what is most important to remember. Coming out of the gate too quickly here can have as many negative effects as coming out too slowly. Early on, everyone (especially those who are starting from scratch) must find their own pace and stick to it.
Let's take a look at two people taking an opposite approach to their fitness plan the first few weeks:
Person A: Feels comfortable and walks 20 minutes a day for the first week. They have built up a base and are now ready to add to their workout. In Week 2, they may add a bit of time, pick up the pace or add a few hills. In Week 3 they are ready to add another 10 minutes and one more hill. Each workout has been a success, each week has been an improvement on the previous.
Person B: They are READY to get after it. They come out in Week 1 and walk 60 minutes the first two days. As a result, they become overly sore and miss days 3-4-5. Person B is discouraged and is questioning whether they can really do this.
In a short three-week span, Person A has set themselves up for small victories - adding hills, picking up the pace, extending their workout a bit. They weren't worried about June 24 or collecting points. The points will come as you go along - nobody is going to win the game in one week or even 10 weeks.
Person B has had no small victories and set themselves up for failure before even really taking part.
It is important to set yourself up for small victories on a daily basis. Those victories - adding a few minutes to a cardio workout, beating a personal-best time on a walk or making the decision to have blueberry chicken instead of chicken wings - are rewards for your hard work and help to build confidence.
Believe me when I tell you - that confidence is a reservoir that will be tapped into. It will be there to help you push yourself at times when you don't feel like it. Or it will help push you just a bit further on those days when you are feeling great.
The bottom line is to have fun with this. Let's have fun working out together, finding new recipes and setting ourselves up for success.
JC
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Documentation
We have been thinking about this a bit and think it would be a great idea for everyone to track their progress in ways other than the point system associated with The Contest.
We'd like everyone to take a full body photo (in shorts and a t-shirt) and send it along to J.C. (jcwhip@gmail.com). We can do this again at the mid-way point and yet again at the finale.
Also, Molly and I have some ideas on how to document this entire process (to be revealed another time) and we'd like everyone to consider keeping a journal of their experience. It doesn't have to be a novel - just quick snippets of your excitement, fears, wins, losses - whatever you are feeling. Also, keep track of any meds you are on, your BP (if you know it), resting pulse, etc. We are confident that people are going to see some fantastic changes in these area.
If you want, keep a running journal in Microsoft Word (or other software). Keep things associated to dates or the number of the week in The Contest. At the end we'll ask you to pass it along and we can sift through things a little easier.
We'd love to have everyone keep a journal, but we know time may be an issue. Ultimately what we're looking for is a cross representation of our group - age, new mothers, current athletes, athletes that never were, etc.
We'd like everyone to take a full body photo (in shorts and a t-shirt) and send it along to J.C. (jcwhip@gmail.com). We can do this again at the mid-way point and yet again at the finale.
Also, Molly and I have some ideas on how to document this entire process (to be revealed another time) and we'd like everyone to consider keeping a journal of their experience. It doesn't have to be a novel - just quick snippets of your excitement, fears, wins, losses - whatever you are feeling. Also, keep track of any meds you are on, your BP (if you know it), resting pulse, etc. We are confident that people are going to see some fantastic changes in these area.
If you want, keep a running journal in Microsoft Word (or other software). Keep things associated to dates or the number of the week in The Contest. At the end we'll ask you to pass it along and we can sift through things a little easier.
We'd love to have everyone keep a journal, but we know time may be an issue. Ultimately what we're looking for is a cross representation of our group - age, new mothers, current athletes, athletes that never were, etc.
From Patty
Patty sent this along from Joy's Life Diet. There are some pretty good tips, including #7!
1. Start dinner with a first course - a salad or bowl of soup contain water and will cause you to eat less.
2. unlimited snack foods = peppers, carrrots, celery, cucumbers, etc.
3. walk off cravings...15 minute walk will stop the craving and be better for you
4. get rid of trigger foods - things you can't stop eating once you start
5. commit completely - success comes when you know you are "going to do it this time"
6. double up on the good stuff - eliminating 1 cup of starch every night and doubling up on nonstarchy veggies will save more than 80,000 calories and drop almost 23 pounds in 1 year
7. cut out the sweets - artificial sweeteners keep sweetness on our taste buds and minds
1. Start dinner with a first course - a salad or bowl of soup contain water and will cause you to eat less.
2. unlimited snack foods = peppers, carrrots, celery, cucumbers, etc.
3. walk off cravings...15 minute walk will stop the craving and be better for you
4. get rid of trigger foods - things you can't stop eating once you start
5. commit completely - success comes when you know you are "going to do it this time"
6. double up on the good stuff - eliminating 1 cup of starch every night and doubling up on nonstarchy veggies will save more than 80,000 calories and drop almost 23 pounds in 1 year
7. cut out the sweets - artificial sweeteners keep sweetness on our taste buds and minds
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Recipe of the Week - Jan. 12
We have enjoyed this recipe many times - we hope everyone likes it.
Pan-Roasted Pork w/ Berry Sauce; Baked Sweet Potatoes
Total Pork Time: 15 mins.
Bake Sweet Potatoes as desired
Serve w/ Greens and Lite Dressing
Saute in 2T Olive Oil; Add:
Boneless pork chops or Sliced pork loin (1" thick medallions)
Season pork w/ salt & pepper
1T Shallots, minced
Deglaze with; Stir In:
1/4C Dry Red Wine
1C Fresh or Frozen Blueberries (frozen work great)
1/2 C Beef Broth
1T Balsamic Vinegar
1T Brown Sugar
1T Butter
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Saute pork chops in oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for two (2) minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate and keep warm; return pan to burner. Add shallots and saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in blueberries, broth, vinegar and brown sugar; bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and simmer until blueberries begin to burst and sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
Off heat, stir in butter and season w/ salt & pepper. To serve, spoon a pool of sauce on plate, place chop or loin on top. Add baked sweet potato.
** Recipe courtesy of Cuisine at Home (Weeknight Menus)
Pan-Roasted Pork w/ Berry Sauce; Baked Sweet PotatoesTotal Pork Time: 15 mins.
Bake Sweet Potatoes as desired
Serve w/ Greens and Lite Dressing
Saute in 2T Olive Oil; Add:
Boneless pork chops or Sliced pork loin (1" thick medallions)
Season pork w/ salt & pepper
1T Shallots, minced
Deglaze with; Stir In:
1/4C Dry Red Wine
1C Fresh or Frozen Blueberries (frozen work great)
1/2 C Beef Broth
1T Balsamic Vinegar
1T Brown Sugar
1T Butter
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Saute pork chops in oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat for two (2) minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate and keep warm; return pan to burner. Add shallots and saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in blueberries, broth, vinegar and brown sugar; bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and simmer until blueberries begin to burst and sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
Off heat, stir in butter and season w/ salt & pepper. To serve, spoon a pool of sauce on plate, place chop or loin on top. Add baked sweet potato.
** Recipe courtesy of Cuisine at Home (Weeknight Menus)
Eating / Recipes
As most everyone knows, diet is instrumental to losing weight and getting more fit. You will notice in the RFC Facts to the right that unless you consume the required amount of calories per day, your body cannot perform the task of shedding weight.
Erin and I have changed our style of eating (and to some degree what we consume) over the past year-and-a-half and have had a good amount of success.
We tweaked a plan called Body For Life. In a nutshell, it promotes eating combinations of lean protein and healthy carbohydrates every few hours throughout the day to speed up fat loss and maintain stable energy levels. The plan says for best results, to each six times per day.
You can check out sample meal plans from past champions on the Body for Life site. The changes we made seem to work better in our daily lives - instead of eating whey protein at 10:30am, we have an apple; instead of a shake at 2:30, we have a Kashi granola bar; etc.
One thing to consider before looking at a sample of a menu for one day, is when you workout. That will change at least one meal. It is now being promoted to eat a small meal (can be a Power Bar / Clif Bar / even a glass of chocolate milk*) within 30 mins. of completing a workout. This is important so your body can put proteins back in your system to continue building LEAN muscle.
J.C. Sample Menu
7:30a - Breakfast (Cereal or Two egg whites and wheat toast)
10:00a - Morning Snack (Apple - add PB if you want)
12:00p - Lunch (Chicken sandwich w/ Arugla, Smart Puffs, Lite Yogurt)
2:30p - Snack (Baby Carrots - add Hummus if you want)
4:30p - Snack (Kashi Granola Bar)
7:00p - Dinner (Porkloin, Sweet Potato, Salad w/ Oil & Balsamic)
If you crave a dessert, have a Skinny Cow bar. They taste fantastic and are made from soy (you wouldn't be able to tell the difference).
Sample Snacks
* Almonds
* Clif Bars / Power Bars
* Fruits (Bananas and Apples are fantastic to supplement workouts)
* 1/2 PB sandwich
* Fage Zero Yogurt - its a plain Greek Yogurt (Erin adds honey, fruit, or nuts)
* Lite Yogurt
* Kashi Granola Bars
Protein is a key to supplement your fitness and replenish what you burn off during workouts. It is suggested to eat as much as 1/2 your body weight in protein each day. As stated above, protein helps you to build LEAN muscle - which is what we are all after. **
If you adopt this style of eating (six small meals) and stick to it, you will find after a few weeks (most likely sooner) your body starting to crave eating at your scheduled time. This means you have jumpstarted your metabolism. This of course burns calories and means that your body is burning the food you consume as fuel - and not storing it. Anything that goes in should be looked at like putting gas in a car.
This doesn't mean that things can't taste good, or that we can't treat ourselves one in a while. The nice thing about this plan is that it's not a diet - it becomes the way you eat, a way of life. You can be as creative and adventurous as you want - you can move a lot of different recipes and foods in and out. As long as your mind is set to eating healthier, the sky's the limit (in terms of the quality of what you eat, not the quantity).
One of the most important facets of your eating plan is hydration. You should be consuming as much water as possible / desired throughout the day. If your pee is a clear to a light or very light yellow, you are well hydrated. If not, get drinking the H2O!! One of the best ways to keep hydrated is to buy a reusable water bottle - you can keep it with you all day (work, home, workout, bedside) and fill as needed. You will be surprised how much more water you consume if you keep a bottle close by. And if you have any questions on hydration, ask Grace - she has 8 glasses a day.
As we have said before, these are just suggestions - something that has worked for us. Take a look at how you eat, what your lifestyle is like, and make changes that work for you.
* More on the Chocolate Milk after the workout:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/
** Of course, everyone has different medical backgrounds and needs, so please make sure to consult your physician before making drastic changes to your diet.
Erin and I have changed our style of eating (and to some degree what we consume) over the past year-and-a-half and have had a good amount of success.
We tweaked a plan called Body For Life. In a nutshell, it promotes eating combinations of lean protein and healthy carbohydrates every few hours throughout the day to speed up fat loss and maintain stable energy levels. The plan says for best results, to each six times per day.
You can check out sample meal plans from past champions on the Body for Life site. The changes we made seem to work better in our daily lives - instead of eating whey protein at 10:30am, we have an apple; instead of a shake at 2:30, we have a Kashi granola bar; etc.
One thing to consider before looking at a sample of a menu for one day, is when you workout. That will change at least one meal. It is now being promoted to eat a small meal (can be a Power Bar / Clif Bar / even a glass of chocolate milk*) within 30 mins. of completing a workout. This is important so your body can put proteins back in your system to continue building LEAN muscle.
J.C. Sample Menu
7:30a - Breakfast (Cereal or Two egg whites and wheat toast)
10:00a - Morning Snack (Apple - add PB if you want)
12:00p - Lunch (Chicken sandwich w/ Arugla, Smart Puffs, Lite Yogurt)
2:30p - Snack (Baby Carrots - add Hummus if you want)
4:30p - Snack (Kashi Granola Bar)
7:00p - Dinner (Porkloin, Sweet Potato, Salad w/ Oil & Balsamic)
If you crave a dessert, have a Skinny Cow bar. They taste fantastic and are made from soy (you wouldn't be able to tell the difference).
Sample Snacks
* Almonds
* Clif Bars / Power Bars
* Fruits (Bananas and Apples are fantastic to supplement workouts)
* 1/2 PB sandwich
* Fage Zero Yogurt - its a plain Greek Yogurt (Erin adds honey, fruit, or nuts)
* Lite Yogurt
* Kashi Granola Bars
Protein is a key to supplement your fitness and replenish what you burn off during workouts. It is suggested to eat as much as 1/2 your body weight in protein each day. As stated above, protein helps you to build LEAN muscle - which is what we are all after. **
If you adopt this style of eating (six small meals) and stick to it, you will find after a few weeks (most likely sooner) your body starting to crave eating at your scheduled time. This means you have jumpstarted your metabolism. This of course burns calories and means that your body is burning the food you consume as fuel - and not storing it. Anything that goes in should be looked at like putting gas in a car.
This doesn't mean that things can't taste good, or that we can't treat ourselves one in a while. The nice thing about this plan is that it's not a diet - it becomes the way you eat, a way of life. You can be as creative and adventurous as you want - you can move a lot of different recipes and foods in and out. As long as your mind is set to eating healthier, the sky's the limit (in terms of the quality of what you eat, not the quantity).
One of the most important facets of your eating plan is hydration. You should be consuming as much water as possible / desired throughout the day. If your pee is a clear to a light or very light yellow, you are well hydrated. If not, get drinking the H2O!! One of the best ways to keep hydrated is to buy a reusable water bottle - you can keep it with you all day (work, home, workout, bedside) and fill as needed. You will be surprised how much more water you consume if you keep a bottle close by. And if you have any questions on hydration, ask Grace - she has 8 glasses a day.
As we have said before, these are just suggestions - something that has worked for us. Take a look at how you eat, what your lifestyle is like, and make changes that work for you.
* More on the Chocolate Milk after the workout:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/
** Of course, everyone has different medical backgrounds and needs, so please make sure to consult your physician before making drastic changes to your diet.
Exercises
Here are a few ideas for workouts for those who do not have access to a gym. You do not have to do all of these in one workout - pick and choose what you feel comfortable with.
* You should plan on doing a minimum of 10 repetitions per set / 3 sets per exercise
* 20 min. workout for beginners
* + 10 min w/o for intermediates
Legs / Glutes
* Lunges (walking / alternating lead leg)
* Squats (feet little more than shoulder width / chin and chest up)
* Plie Squat (toes pointed out / feet little more than shoulder width / chin and chest up)
* Bridge
* Donkey Kick (weight on one foot / kick back with opposite leg / 10 per each leg)
Arms
* Push-ups (if you can't do regular push-ups, work from your knees)
* Tricep Dips (use a park bench or coffee table / hands on table / legs out / drop rear-end and push back up)
* Boxing (shadow punches / alternating arms / sets of 20)
* Lift a Baby (if you have one - 3 sets of 15)
Abs
* Plank (chest to floor / resting on toes and forearms / hold self up for 20-60 seconds)
* Side twist (rotate back and forth / imagine rod running through center of body / rotate on axis of rod)
* Crunches
* Side Crunches
* Opposite Toe Touch
* V-ups
* Reverse Crunch
* Core Lift
* Inchworm
Cardio
* Walking (pick a pace that challenges you)
* Steps Ups (use a step box or the first stair on stairway)
* Jumping Jacks
* Split Squats / Jump Lunge
* Mountain Climbers
* Skips
* Jump Rope
* Ski Jump
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The Contest
Runyon Fit Club 1.0 will run from January 12, 2009 to June 24, 2009. This will give us almost exactly six (6) months of competition time, and Abby graduates from FHS on June 25! What a perfect way to celebrate after all the hard work we will put in over the next six months.
WHAT WE WON'T BE DOING
We will not be totaling percentage body weight lost or body fat lost. There are pertinent numbers needed to do so, and those are private.
WHAT WE WILL BE DOING
A point system has been created which places equal value on Diet, Cardio and Strength training. It rewards everyone who takes part. Points will be compiled on a weekly basis. We have taken into account that not everyone can get to a gym - so we will have at-home workouts for you (though you may need to purchase a set of dumbells).
Points will be awarded as follows:
* Small Meal - 1 pt per meal (based on six meals per day)
* Making and Eating Recipe of the Week - 1 pt
* Every 10 mins. of Cardio training - 1 pt
* Every 10 mins. of Strength training - 1 pt
* Pounds Lost - 1 pt per pound
** Weeks run Monday - Sunday
** Recipe of the Week must be completed by Sunday evening of week in play
Point totals will be compiled by participant (honor system) and submitted to J.C. no later than Monday morning each week. Leaders will be announced on a weekly and monthly basis.
At the conclusion of The Contest, the participant with the highest cumulative point total will be declared Champion of Runyon Fit Club 1.0 (prizes TBD).
WHAT WE WON'T BE DOING
We will not be totaling percentage body weight lost or body fat lost. There are pertinent numbers needed to do so, and those are private.
WHAT WE WILL BE DOING
A point system has been created which places equal value on Diet, Cardio and Strength training. It rewards everyone who takes part. Points will be compiled on a weekly basis. We have taken into account that not everyone can get to a gym - so we will have at-home workouts for you (though you may need to purchase a set of dumbells).
Points will be awarded as follows:
* Small Meal - 1 pt per meal (based on six meals per day)
* Making and Eating Recipe of the Week - 1 pt
* Every 10 mins. of Cardio training - 1 pt
* Every 10 mins. of Strength training - 1 pt
* Pounds Lost - 1 pt per pound
** Weeks run Monday - Sunday
** Recipe of the Week must be completed by Sunday evening of week in play
Point totals will be compiled by participant (honor system) and submitted to J.C. no later than Monday morning each week. Leaders will be announced on a weekly and monthly basis.
At the conclusion of The Contest, the participant with the highest cumulative point total will be declared Champion of Runyon Fit Club 1.0 (prizes TBD).
Let's Get it Started!
Welcome to Runyon Fit Club (RFC)! There couldn't be a more exciting or perfect way to start 2009. We hope this becomes a place you visit often, if not daily, for ideas, encouragement and reinforcement.
This website is the genesis of several discussions with members of our family over the past several weeks (and years to be honest). Patty came up with the idea of holding a family contest to eat better, work out and track progress. Many agreed to get in on the fun and we were off an running.
This blog will be the hub of RFC - a place where we can post workouts and recipes. As we go along, we'll add features such as pictures and video for sample workouts. We also will have the Recipe of the Week, which everyone will be encouraged (and rewarded) for trying.
This website is the genesis of several discussions with members of our family over the past several weeks (and years to be honest). Patty came up with the idea of holding a family contest to eat better, work out and track progress. Many agreed to get in on the fun and we were off an running.
This blog will be the hub of RFC - a place where we can post workouts and recipes. As we go along, we'll add features such as pictures and video for sample workouts. We also will have the Recipe of the Week, which everyone will be encouraged (and rewarded) for trying.
You will notice on the right panel of the site that there is a section for RFC Facts (we'll change these often) and links to suggested sites - right now we have Body for Life, Cooking Lite (Recipes) Clean Eating and Kashi (more on these in the Eating / Recipe entry to come later).
It is important to share our successes (the few failures) and ideas. Erin and I will serve as moderators - guiding the weekly workouts, recipes and tracking everyone's progress.
We want to be very clear that this is a group effort. Every person is going to find new ideas, workouts or plans they are excited about or something that works for them - we expect you to share them. If something is not working, we expect you to share that too. This has to be all inclusive - we're all in this together.
With that said, let's get on the contest!
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