ROTW - April 6

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Apricot BBQ Sauce
** Serve w/ Sweet Potatoes and/or Salad

SERVES 4 ACTIVE TIME: 50 min TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 min
1-1/2 lb boneless pork tenderloin
2 tsp Wegmans Cracked Pepper Blend
3/4 cup Apricot BBQ Sauce

Preheat grill on HIGH 10 min.

Clean grill with wire brush. Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil.
Season both sides of meat with steak seasoning. Sear until meat has changed color 1/4 way up from bottom, about 2 min. Turn and sear other side.

Turn meat back over; reduce heat to LOW. Close lid.

Grill until just before pork reaches 150 degrees (about 15 min per pound). Lift lid and brush Apricot BBQ Sauce on all sides of meat. Grill until internal temp reaches 150 degrees; check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of meat. Once sauce has been applied, watch carefully; it burns easily.

Remove from grill; let rest 10 min before slicing and serving.
Calories: 380

Nutrition Info: Each serving (4.5 oz pork w/ sauce) contains 380 calories, 32 g carbohydrate, (0 g fiber), 36 g protein, 6 g fat, (2 g saturated fat), 100 mg cholesterol, and 1040 mg sodium.

ROTW - March 30

Seared Scallops w/ Roasted Tomatoes

Serve on fettucine tossed with EVOO and grated lemon rind

3C Grape Tomatoes
Cooking Spray
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbl Olive Oil
1 1/2 lbs Sea Scallops
2 tbl sliced basil

1. Preheat broiler

2. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan; lightly coat tomatoes w/ cooking spray. Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; toss well to coat. Broil 10 minutes or until tomatoes begin to brown, stirring occasionally.

3. While tomatoes cook, heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat scallops dry; sprinkle both sides of scallops with remaining salt and pper. Add scallpos to skillet; cooke 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve scallops with tomatoes; sprikle with basil.

Yield: 4 servings.

Calories: 204
Fat: 5.1g
Protein: 29.6g
Carb: 9.4g
Fiber: 1.4g
Chol: 56mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 519mg
Calc: 49mg

A Drink for a Smaller Waist

A Drink for a Smaller Waist

Here’s an easy way to turn a routine workout into a powerful waist-whittler: Drink green tea. That’s right. Ditch the Gatorade and instead sip several mugs of the green stuff throughout the day. Research shows that the wonder duo of green tea and exercise may target belly fat better, so it shrinks more easily than with exercise alone.

Fat-Busting Brew
In a study, overweight adults who engaged in an exercise program for 12 weeks lost more belly fat if they also drank green tea daily. The green tea seemed to boost overall weight loss and triglyceride control in the study group, too. The magic amount of tea needed for the effect? Enough to get about 625 milligrams of catechins plus a little caffeine every day (roughly 7 cups daily).

The Power of Green
Researchers think that catechins in green tea might blast tummy fat by acting on enzymes that influence the body’s calorie- and fat-burning mechanisms. And catechins and caffeine together may boost the body’s metabolism. Brew up a pot of tea the next time friends visit and you can all enjoy these extra benefits as well:
More energy
Healthier joints
Stronger heart

Recipe of the Week - March 23

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Roasted Vegetables & Garlic

SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 20 min
TOTAL TIME: 50 min

**** Make sure to add a salad. Arugula w/ fresh red peppers, celery, salt, pepper. Dressing: Lemon Juice and Olive oil mixture.


16 oz Whole Wheat Penne Rigate, prepared per pkg directions, keep warm
1 medium eggplant,1-inch dice
1 medium sweet green pepper, 1-inch dice
1 medium sweet red pepper, 1-inch dice
1 medium yellow cooking onion, peeled, 1-inch dice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium zucchini, 1-inch dice
1 medium yellow squash, 1-inch dice
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
5 Tbsp Wegmans Basting Oil
5 Tbsp Wegmans Pure Olive Oil
Sea Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz Fresh Baby Spinach
2 oz roasted red tomatoes, sliced thinly (about 1/3 cup)
4 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (Cheese Shop)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Toss eggplant, green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms with basting oil and olive oil in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread vegetables in a single layer on baking sheet. Roast about 30 min, until softened and lightly browned.

Combine pasta, vegetables, and raw spinach in large bowl. Toss gently until spinach wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes; sprinkle with cheese.

Vegetables: 1 cup(s)
Whole Grains: 2
Calories: 370
Nutrition Info: Each serving (2 1/4 cups pasta and vegetables) contains 370 calories, 49 g carbohydrate, (9 g fiber), 11 g protein, 16 g fat, (2 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, and 80 mg sodium.

Recipe of the Week - March 16

Irish Stew

This satisfying stew is chock-full of potatoes, turnips, carrots and lean beef or lamb. Served with Irish soda bread, it makes a hearty and healthy St. Patrick's Day meal.

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD:
TIME: Prep: 5 min. Cook: 1-3/4 hours

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds lean beef or lamb stew meat
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups water
2 cups sliced peeled potatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup cubed turnip
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each dried marjoram, thyme and rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, optional
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions: In a Dutch oven, brown meat in oil over medium-high heat. Add water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the potatoes, onion, carrot, turnip and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, combine the flour, milk and browning sauce if desired until smooth; stir into stew. Add parsley. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:
(1-1/2 cups)
Calories:
279
Fat:
9 g
Saturated Fat:
3 g
Cholesterol:
92 mg
Sodium:
469 mg
Carbohydrate:
17 g
Fiber:
2 g
Protein:
31 g
Diabetic Exchange:
3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.

Recipe of the Week - March 9

This week, instead of having a Recipe of the Week, we are asking everyone to eat out for dinner (which we would assume you would anyway).

When eating out, you can make choices which fit into the context of your eating plan - and they don't "blow" all of the hard work you have been putting in.

Lean toward grilled chicken (instead of breaded), red marinara sauce (instead of cream) or lighter based dressings (instead of 1000 Island).

Good luck and happy eating. If you decide to stay in this week, choose one of our previous ROTW and get your points that way.

Recipe of the Week - March 2

Almond Stuffed Chicken w/ Rice & Green Beans
Yield: 4 servings
** Add Rice or Quinoa / Green Beans as side
** Cook sides as desired

1/3 C Light garlic and herbs spreadable cheese (such as Boursin light)
1/4 C Slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped and divided
3 tbl Chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 6-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp Butter or Olive Oil

1. Combine spreadable cheese,, 3 tbl almonds and 2 tbl chopped fresh parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 1-1/2 tbl almond mixture into each pocket; secure each pocket with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Heat butter or Olive Oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and let stand 2 minutes. Top chicken with remaining 1 tbl almonds and remaining 1 tbl parsley.

Want to live longer? You need this nutrient

Charlie passed along this link - great article on how a typical American's diet is lacking in important nutrients.

Want to live longer? You need this nutrient

Recipe of the Week - Feb. 23

Sautéed Tilapia with Honey-Scallion Dressing
Active time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings

** Make sure to pair with quinoa / rice and a salad.

We are excited that Emily and Andy sent this recipe along. Our first submission from our participants. Emily said this is a great recipe and that Andy liked it, even though he is not a big fish guy. Enjoy!

The recipe can also be found here.

Ingredients
Dressing:
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Fish:
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups gourmet salad greens

Preparation
To prepare dressing, combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
To prepare fish, heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Arrange 1 cup greens on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fish fillet; drizzle with 2 tablespoons dressing.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 230 (30% from fat)
Fat: 7.7g (sat 1.8g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.4g)
Protein: 34.2g
Carbohydrate: 7.5g
Fiber: 1.4g
Cholesterol: 113mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 485mg
Calcium: 35mg

Recipe of the Week - Feb. 16

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Active time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings


1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 7-oz can diced green chili peppers
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 lb chicken breast
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 14-1/2 oz cans whole tomatoes
1 14-1/2 oz can corn
1 14-1/2 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
Sea salt, to taste (or regular salt)
2 whole wheat tortillas
1 lime, quartered
4 tsp Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, diced


1. Put stockpot over medium heat and add first four ingredients. Let simmer until onion softens.

2. Add chicken (whole pieces), broth, water and tomatoes with liquid. Cover and increase heat until liquid boils, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from pot and, on a plate, use two forks to shred it. Return chicken to pot, chop up tomatoes with a spoon and add corn and beans and continue simmering for another 10 minutes or until chicken is entirely cooked through. Salt to taste.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice tortillas in half and then into strips and place on a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until crisp. Garnish soup with tortilla strips, lime wedge, teaspoon of Greek yogurt and cucumber.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 500, Total Fats 8g, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 100 mg, Sodium 820 mg, Total Carbohydrates 53g, Protein 54g, Dietary Fiber 10g, Sugars 19g, Iron 4mg.

Recipe of the Week - Feb. 9

Fusilli with Artichokes, Shrimp, & Spinach
Active time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings
** We use frozen shrimp from Wegmans for this ($8.99 per bag)

** If you haven't already bought the Artichokes, make sure to get canned - we find they are better than frozen.


1/2 box Fusilli, prepared per pkg directions, keep warm
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves Garlic, minced
8 oz Uncooked Shrimp, thawed
3/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 can Artichoke Heart Halves
1 pkg (6 oz) Baby Spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp grated Pecorino-Romano, divided
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Add oil to large pan on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, about 1 min, until veggies are softened.

Add shrimp, tomatoes, and artichokes. Cook, stirring, about 4 min, until shrimp reaches 120 degrees. (Check by inserting thermometer into thickest part of shrimp.)

Add spinach: season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cooked pasta and 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir well until spinach is wilted.

Drizzle oil and sprinkle with remaining cheese; fold in basil.

Vegetables: 1 cup(s)

Calories: 550

Nutrition Info: Each serving (2 cups) contains 550 calories, 65 g carbohydrate, (11 g fiber), 23 g protein, 21 g fat, (4 g saturated fat), 90 mg cholesterol, and 940 mg sodium.

Recipe can be found by using the following Wegmans link.

Stay Positive!

We're through three weeks of RFC and everyone has done a fabulous job. We're getting into that period (some may be there) where the results may not show on the scale, and that can lead to you questioning yourself.

Why am I putting in all the hard work and not seeing the results?

In fact, you are seeing the results, you have just hit a plateau. Plateaus happen to everyone - from those starting out to elite athletes, and each and every one of us in between. Plateaus are your body's way of protecting you - making sure your system is adjusting systematically and properly to the changes you are making.

The key to getting through a plateau is to keep at it - stay positive, follow your eating plan and make sure to exercise.

One way to jumpstart your body is to change up your exercise routine - it's a way of tricking your body and keeping it from getting complacent. You may alternate days of cardio (walking / running / eliptical) and weight or strength training; or if you go on a walk or run - do one day of a longer distance but a moderate pace, and then the next go a bit of a shorter distance but pick up the pace.

In any event - keep up the great work, and let us know if you have questions.

Recipe of the Week - Feb. 2

Spaghetti Squash w/ Sauce & Side Salad
Active time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings
** Make sure to include a side-salad


1. One large spaghetti squash (halved stem to blossom end and seeded) should feed two people (one half each)

2. Wrap squash half in wet paper towel and place skin side up in microwave. Microwave on HIGH 10-12 min, until tender. Let rest covered a few mins, until cool enough to handle; remove paper towel.

3. Run tines of fork lengthwise over cut surface of squash to loosen spaghetti-like strands all the way down to shell; scoop out strands. Set aside and keep warm.

4. Add favorite spaghetti sauce, cheese, etc.

Recipe using homemade Bolognese Sauce can be found by using the following Wegmans link.

Super Bowl Treats

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

Recipe of the Week - Jan. 26

Pan-Seared Salmon Puttanesca with Gnocci
Active 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.