clean eating

Super Bowl Clean Eats

02.01.2013

Happy almost Super Bowl Sunday!!! The 49’rs are in it to win it! Woohoo! Luckily, a friend of ours is having a party with tons of delicious food. But what is there for me and other healthy eaters to feast on? I’m sure it won’t be healthy in the least bit, so I compiled some clean eating appetizer recipes to accompany a Niners win. 😉 (Hopefully I didn’t jinx it!!)

For more wonderfully clean recipes visit my friends at:

1. Chips and Guacamole 2. Baked Turkey Burgers 3. Baked Kale Chips 4. Spinach Dip 5. Spicy Buffalo Wings 6. (not pictured) but another fave Skinny Layered Pizza Dip

xo,Jenna

all cuisines gone clean

01.29.2013

As much as I love my PAC (plain ass chicken), brown rice and greens, I am in need of a little variation! As I have said before, it is easy to eat clean when eating the same meals on a weekly basis. Especially if you are food prepping and cook one day a week for the meals the rest of the week. This is usually my lunch routine, but for dinner I love experimenting with different cuisines!

I also love going out to eat on the weekends, and that seems to be when I struggle the most with a healthy diet. Weekends are hard and there are so many temptations! Of course, while looking at a menu full of yummy goodness, you may want to go the opposite direction, but don’t be fooled! There ARE healthy things on the menu, we just need to become aware of what to swap out.

We recently had a sushi and movie date night this weekend, and I refused to go out on a limb and settle for white rice, tons of sauce or fried tempura. I LOVE sushi, but instead of the usual we can always opt for grilled salmon, brown rice, veggies or sashimi (raw fish). That is exactly what I did, and I left not regretting my meal.

Here are some clean eating thoughts for a sushi night out:

skip the white rice (head straight for brown rice)
go sauce-less (sauce is high in sugar and calories!)
say no to tempura (fried…enough said)
avoid the sake and go for water or tea (alcohol slows your metabolism and promotes fat storage!)
go raw! (fish are packed with nutrients and Omega 3s)

Sushi dates are do-able while eating clean as long as you make healthy swaps and take the time to think about what you are ordering!

Speaking of food, another cuisine that is one of my favs… Mexican! Who would have thought that you can actually eat a healthy burrito or taco. Here are some ideas to help guide you:

~~Tortilla~~ Wheat tortilla or wrap in lettuce
~~sour cream~~ non-fat greek yogurt (I swear it tastes the same)
~~salsa~~ chopped tomatoes
~~guacamole~~ avocado slices
~~taco meat~~ lean ground turkey

There are SO many variations to eating healthy, and you can still enjoy different cuisines. No need to avoid restaurants as long as you make the swaps, and maybe you’ll be fine with the occasional treat now and then!

What is your favorite cuisine to order out?

Did I mention that I am doing a GIVEAWAY as we speak?! Yup, I’m giving away a $25 Lululemon gift card to one very lucky winner. To enter:

REQUIREMENTS:

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Giveaway will run through 2/1 and Winner will be announced 2/2. Good luck!!

Fit Gal: Brittany!

01.15.2013

I have been DYING to introduce you to this amazing woman and fitness guru! She has come a long way and I am so impressed with her dedication and committment to fitness. So here she is…

Fit Gal: Brittany!

1. Tell us about yourself and your fitness lifestyle.

Hi! my name is Brittany and I am a 23-year-old student studying Business Administration. I made my lifestyle change almost 3 years ago now. I had a free membership to the gym on campus and decided to take advantage of it. Starting out, I had no idea what I was doing. I would follow my boyfriend around in the gym and watch what he did. I was very self-conscious because I had no clue what to do with any of the equipment – I felt like everyone was staring at me. I started to follow fitness pages on Facebook and read up on some articles online to get the basics. One day I picked up a copy of Oxygen Magazine at the grocery store while I was waiting in line and thought wow, this girl looks amazing! I bought it, read it cover to cover and felt more motivated than ever. Not long after I was giving my boyfriend tips in the gym! It’s been a great journey so far and I’m so proud of myself for making this lifestyle change. I am continuously learning and loving every minute of it!

2) What are your goals and how are you working towards them?

My original goal was to lose some weight and tone up. In the beginning I did lose weight – but I pretty much gained it all back in MUSCLE. This was kind of discouraging at first but looking back at where I was and to now, I definitely look and feel smaller, more toned, fit and have a lot more shape. I think it’s important for women to realize that they shouldn’t be scared of lifting weights because all the muscle you build burns more calories and keeps your metabolism revved!! My goal recently was to compete in a fitness competition. I am excited to say that I will be doing that in April 2013!! I joined a local team that does coaching for athletes and fitness competitors and am so excited and proud at the progress I’ve been making so far.

3) Do you “eat clean”?

Yes! I believe it’s impossible to make progress in the gym if you do not eat clean. I did pretty well at eating clean before I joined my team but obviously still enjoyed treats..I have a terrible sweet tooth 🙂 Now that I have a deadline I’m kicking my butt into gear! Lots of protein – chicken, lean beef, salmon, haddock tuna etc, good nutritious veggies like kale, swiss chard, broccoli and good sources of carbs – sweet potato, oats, quinoa, & brown rice. I still have an occasional treat but keep it small in moderation.

4) In what ways do you stay active?

I am in the gym 3 days on, one day off then repeat. I work all muscle groups twice a week. Right now I am doing little cardio as I’m in the muscle building phase of my prep. I’m also doing some group yoga classes when I can.

5) What inspires you to live this lifestyle?

Those moments when your mind is telling you to stop because it hurts but you keep going and push past that weakness..those are the most important moments because it means growth. Seeing changes in myself no matter how small they may be makes the difference and keeps me inspired to work hard and stay motivated!

Lots of love!
Brittany
“Fit Brit”

Thank you so much Brittany for joining the Fitness and the City fam as a Fit Gal! You are so inspirational and I personally cannot wait to follow your journey to your first fitness competition!! Good luck girl!

Oh and by the way, she has an awesome fitness Facebook page as well, so be sure to go check it out!

—> www.facebook.com/fit.brit08

Protein Pancake Recipe

01.13.2013

I’m sure you have heard this a million times before, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I find myself eating a lot of the same meals, especially during a busy work week. My go-to is a non fat greek yogurt and berry mixture. Sometimes I will add some honey or a taste of natural nut butter. I work for Diamond Foods, so this Kettle Nut Butter is my fav, they also have cashew butter, salted or unsalted. Click here to go to the Diamond Foods Website.

On the weekends, I really enjoy making a yummy breakfast to go along with my nice big cup of coffee. I love making different scrambles and getting creative with all sorts ingredients. An egg white scramble with avocado and smoked salmon on the side has been popular in my house lately. Breakfast is an absolute must for me! If I skip breakfast, I will be dragging and energy less all day long. Be sure to fuel your body with a protein filled power breakfast to give you tons of energy throughout the day!

I have been experimenting with different protein pancake recipes a lot lately. Some miserably failed and some were quite successful. This was the definite winner in my book! A delicious and healthy way to start your day and power you with the fuel you need.

Protein Pancake Recipe

1 scoop Whey Protein (vanilla or chocolate)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup oats
1/2 large banana (you can also substitute with non-fat greek yogurt or pumpkin puree)
1TB Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/8 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl or blender. Allow the mix to sit for a few minutes. Heat up a skillet and spray with non stick cooking spray. Pour batter onto the skillet and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Should make 2-3 pancakes.

Get creative! Top with cinnamon, berries, honey or a natural nut butter.

Enjoy, and don’t forget to eat your breakfast! =)

Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving

11.20.2012

Ok, so this seems to be the topic of the season, right? Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, and it seems to be on trend to splurge during the Holidays. But why do we feel the need to gain weight and eat more than needed? Why can’t we make it a healthier holiday while still giving thanks and enjoying the company of friends and family? Lets try to be guilt free as much as possible! Exercise more than usual, put your mind to it and enjoy the season free of guilt.

Here are some tips that have come to mind as we approach Thanksgiving:

1. Get active! There are tons of organized runs going on during this time of year. Get registered to run or walk a 5k even if you are not a runner. Burn off those extra calories, both before and after meals. Take a walk, increase your steps, lengthen your fitness routine the weeks ahead and also the day of the feast. Make fitness a family adventure which you can all enjoy together.

2. Eat breakfast the day of. While it may make sense to save calories for the big meal, eating a small meal in the morning gives you more control over your appetite later in the day.

3. Lighten up the feast, with less fat, sugar and calories. This is easier if you are the one in the kitchen, but fat-free chicken broth, sugar substitutes, and less butter are just a few ways to make the meal a little less indulging.

4. Portions, portions, portions! Use portion control people! “If you’re hoping to keep this Thanksgiving from turning into another gut-busting affair, that’s what your plate should look like: a serving of turkey no larger than a deck of playing cards and half a cup each of two starches. (A half-cup is about the size of a computer mouse.) And that’s being generous…But Americans generally are clueless when it comes to proper portions, and on Thursday most will belly up instead to platters piled high with more calories and fat than an average person should eat all day.” Did you know that Americans are eating about 200 more calories per day than they did during the 1970s? Visualize your stomach; it’s about the size of two fists. If the food on your plate wont fit, cut back. To read more about portion control, click here.

5. Slow your roll and eat early. Enjoy your meal by eating it slower, which also gives you more time to digest and realize how full you actually are. Also, eat your meal on the early side, so you have time to digest before bed, or maybe even take a walk afterwards to get that metabolism moving.

Thanksgiving is a time to focus on family and friends, socializing and spending quality time together. It’s not all about the food! Although, it sure is delicious don’t focus on the meal, rather focus on those wonderful people you are surrounded by. Oh and one last very important thing, be realistic. Shift from a focus of weight loss to weight maintenance. You will be ahead of the game with a heavy mindset and can ultimately avoid gaining weight over the holidays if you put your mind to it!

How are you planning to practice these tips this coming season?

Enjoy the season and stay fit,

Jenna

{Sources: MSNBC.com, WebMD.com}

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