Planning a Wedding? Don’t Lose Sight of Your Fitness Goals

Your planning a wedding and suddenly you feel like you don’t have the time for anything.  While wedding planning can make anyone’s life a little crazy, it’s important not to lose sight of the importance of your health and fitness goals. I get asked all of the time by brides and grooms how they can lose weight and tone up before the big day and often it is less than a month before their wedding day when they pose the question.  It is important to start a fitness plan as soon as you can to achieve the results that you are looking for and ensure that you have time to drop the pounds and tone up.  You can start with just 20 minutes of activity three times per week and or modify your nutrition by decreasing calorie intake of 100 calories a day.  These are small changes that can make a big difference.  And, don’t feel limited to traditional workouts. You can incorporate your wedding planning and workouts together. For example, enroll your fiancé and yourself in weekly dance lessons. You’ll wow your reception guests with your dance steps plus benefit from the exercise you get during each lesson.  Also be sure to check out  buff wedding featured on Style Me Pretty and Kortnee Kate.  Of course you can always contact Brooke to get started on your personalized wedding fitness program today.

Delicious Chocolate Oat Snack

 

Ready in 20 minutes

Makes 4 servings

 

1 cup of oatmeal

4 TBSP of flaxseeds

2 TBSP of sliced Almonds

2 TBSP of sliced Cashews

3 TBSP of water

3 TSP of Splenda or Stevia

1 TSP of cinnamon

1/2 TSP of unsweetened cocoa powder

20 whole or chopped blackberries

 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  

2. In a bowl, mix oatmeal, flaxseeds, cashews, and almonds.  Add water to moisten.

3. In a separate bowl mix Splenda or Stevia, cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder.  Add oatmeal mix to seasonings.  Mix well and add blackberries.

4. On a foil lined tray, spread evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly crisp.

 

Calories: 155, Total Fat: 5, Total Carbohydrates: 21, Fiber: 7, Protein: 6

Stay Healthy While on Vacation

 

You work hard to live a healthy lifestyle in your day-to-day routine, so it makes sense to create a vacation that enhances, rather than sabotages your fitness efforts.  Here are a few tips for staying healthy while you travel:

1.  Do your homework, check on the Internet and with your hotel concierge to find out what activities, classes, and resources are available at your destination or along the way that incorporate some form of exercise.

2.  Stick with what you enjoy but just change the location, for example swimmers might snorkel in the ocean, dancers might try hula or salsa lessons, and bicyclists might explore new roads and trails…..get outdoors if possible.

3.  Come prepared, pre-pack snacks and water to avoid stopping at fast-food restaurants along the way.

4.  Look forward to dining out, but only once a day.  Limit the number of large meals that you have while on vacation to one a day rather than splurging on all of your meals.  Treat yourself to one big meal and try to healthy throughout the rest of the day.

5.  Get Moving, try walking to and from your hotel to nearby shops, restaurants, and activities as opposed to driving everywhere.

6.  Take advantage of the hotel gym,  most hotels and resorts are investing more money into their onsite gym facilities, no reason not to sneak away for a great 20 minute work-out.

7.  Make it a family activity,  get the entire family moving by choosing activities in which everyone can participate in making it less likely to feel like exercise.

8.  Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water to keep yourself feeling full and energized throughout your vacation.

Spicy Peach and Tomato Salsa Pork Chops

 

Ready in 30 minutes, Makes 4 servings

 

Peach and Tomato Salsa

2 Finely chopped large peaches

2 finely chopped plum tomatoes

1/2 cup of diced red onion

2 tbsp jarred jalepenos

3 tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 tsp ground black pepper

 

Pork Chops

1 lb thin pork chop loins

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp parsley

2 tsp pepper

 

1. In a bowl, combine peaches, tomatoes, red onion, and jalepenos.  Pour lime juice over top.  Add cilantro, salt and pepper.  Stir and refrigerate.

2. Remove all visible fat from pork.  Combine seasonings in a bowl and lightly coat each side of pork with seasonings.  Using high heat place pork on a grill pan, cooking for about 3-5 minutes on each side until no longer pink inside.

3. Serve with 1/4 cup of salsa on bottom of plate, set pork chop on top, top pork with 1/4 cup of salsa.

 

Calories: 250, Total Fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 11g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Protein: 34g

 

Side Suggestion: Grilled Corn on the Cob

Why you should be drinking more H2O

 

 You hear it all the time, “Make sure to drink enough water”, “You need at least 8 full glasses of water a day”, buy you may find yourself asking why all of the water?

Here is the skinny on why drinking water is so important to weight loss and good health.

1.  Initial weight loss is largely due to loss of water, and you need to drink an adequate amount of water in order to avoid dehydration.

2.  The process of burning calories requires an adequate supply of water in order to function efficiently; dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.

3.  Burning calories creates toxins (think of the exhaust coming out of your car), and water plays a vital role in flushing them out of your body.

4.  Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume; a reduction in blood volume causes a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles; and a reduction in the supply of oxygen to your muscles can make you feel tired.

5.  Water helps maintain muscle tone by assisting muscles in their ability to contract, and it lubricates your joints.  Proper hydration can help reduce muscle and joint soreness when exercising.

6.  A healthy (weight loss) diet includes a good amount of fiber.  But while fiber is normally helpful to your digestive system, without adequate fluids it can cause constipation instead of helping to eliminate it.

7.  Drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner and therefore satisfied eating less.

If you find it hard to drink the recommended 8 glasses a day (more if you work-out), here are a few tips to add a little flavor to your next glass of H20.

1. Crystal Light

2. Sugar-free Kool-aid

3. Unsweetened Iced Tea

4. Fresh Squeeze of Lemon or Lime

5. Cut up Fresh Strawberries, Pineapple, Lemons, Limes, Cucumbers, or Oranges and mix with water and refrigerate for a few hours.