A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS

I was talking to one of our clients the other day and she expressed her dislike of whole wheat pasta.  She said it was too chewy and did not taste good.  This reminded me that it took a lot of trial and error to find pasta that I like.  It also reminded me that a lot of healthy things I've bought do not taste great.  I get frustrated when I spend money on something and it goes to waste because no one likes it.  All of this lead me to this post.  The following are a few of my favorite things.  Not all whole wheat pasta tastes good and not all organic peanut butter is delicious, but some of them are.  I hope my experimenting and wasting my money will help you find something delicious for your home - without waste.  This is a small sample of the items in my house right now.

Fage Yogurt and Agave Syrup: 

I love these mixed together with cinnamon.  Great to satisfy a sweets craving and the Fage yogurt is packed with protein. 

Pacific Foods Hemp Milk:

I do not do well with milk so I have to find alternatives to cook with and put in protein shakes.  Hemp milk is great in protein shakes and for baking.  I like original flavor best.   It comes in chocolate and vanilla too.

 MaraNatha Peanut Butter:

I've tried them all and this is the best one.  Crunch and creamy are both delicious.  I use one for toast and the other for protein shakes.  It's worth the extra money.  Look for the large containers at Whole Foods - they are a better deal.  

Alexia Spicy Sweet Potatoes:

These are a great substitute for french fries.  They are delicious and addictive.  I would chose these over regular french fries 100% of the time. 

Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix:

It was incredibly difficult to find a whole grain pancake mix that tasted good and was kid approved.  I mix with hemp milk, eggs, agave syrup, cinnamon, olive oil and vanilla to make pancakes.  They are yummy.  I make extra we eat them with peanut butter.  

  
365 Organic Long Grain Rice:


Rice is another one that I hear people say they cannot find a brown rice that they like.  I always choose long grain.  I just have better luck with texture after cooking it.  I have found a few I like and this is one of them.   I use double water to rice (e.g. 1 C. rice and 2 C. water) a little salt and a splash of olive oil.  I combine everything together, bring to a good boil, stir and cover tightly for 45 minute over low heat.  After 45 minutes, remove from heat, without opening lid, and let sit for 15 minutes.  If you measured carefully, it should come out perfect every time.  You can also add chicken broth to the water for flavor before you cook. 

Classico Tomato & Basil Spaghetti Sauce:

This is a great basic sauce.  I add grilled turkey to it for extra protein.  I use this in lasagna and anything that calls for marinara sauce.  Price is usually best at Costco.

Frontera Enchilada Sauce:

I love enchiladas and this is the best sauce.  It is made with quality ingredients and beats the competition hands down.   Just as an FYI - I tried the Taco packet by same company and was not as impressed.

Annies BBQ Sauce:

Love Annie's stuff and the BBQ sauce is great.  There are three different flavors and they are all delicious.  My favorite is the maple one and I use it for BBQ chicken pizza as well as dipping sauce and marinades.

O Brand Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta (from Von's or Safeway):

I am leery of store brands, but the O line has not disappointed me.  This pasta is the favorite at our house.  I like the rotini best because when cooked a little longer than recommended - it becomes less chewy and more like the pasta that we all grew up with.  I cook it at least 15 minutes in plenty of water with a generous sprinkle of salt.    I've tested it on our neighbor girl who hates all things nutritious and she loves it too. 

Rudy's Honey Wheat Bread (not pictured):

Best whole grain bread I've ever found.  They also have a double fiber bread that is good.  It's worth the extra money.  Delicious!  Keeps well in the freezer too.  

THE SHOPPING CART CURE

I find it amazing that people tolerate what is going on in America.  Supermarkets filled with aisle after aisle of "food" that provides little to no nourishment to our bodies.  WTF?  Can they at least make special aisles where they keep the crap "food" so that people are not confused?  I think if you had to go to aisle 5 and it was labeled "Food that will kill you slowly and make you feel like crap" that less people would shop in aisle 5. Realistically, the average supermarket would need 10 aisles for the crap food and 1 aisle for food that people should actually eat. 

Why is it like this?  I don't know.  I really don't understand why we accept it.  We are killing ourselves and our children.  The increased rate of cancer, diabetes, autism, allergies and a myriad of other ailments is because of the SHIT we put into our bodies and the SHIT we feed our children.

Today, make a choice to be different.  Buy food that will nourish you.  Fill your cart with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and quality sources of protein.  If you don't know how to do this, then educate yourself or ask for help.  There is too much information available for anyone to claim ignorance.
 
 
 

WHY GREAT TRAINERS ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY

That's me after a year working out with a trainer :)

I'll be honest.  I used to think all trainers were scum bags.  After high school I went to a meat market near my house that operated under the facade that it was a gym. All the trainers seemed much too hands-on for my liking.  I wouldn't even take them up on my "two free sessions".  Fast forward 15 years and many gyms later and I ran into Rob.  I watched him train for months before I asked if he would train me.  His professionalism, kind manner and incredibly cool work outs intrigued me.   I knew I was not getting the results I wanted and I had recently watched a good friend transform herself with a great trainer.  I figured what the heck did I have to lose besides a flat butt and jiggly thighs that would not go away - even though I did everything that I thought I was supposed to be doing. 

That was almost three years ago and I am thankful everyday that I made the choice to workout with Rob.  I am proud of myself that I made the investment in me.  The journey that started with my first training session has completely changed my life and now I feel a passion, unlike anything I have ever felt before, to educate other people on what I have learned in the last three years.

It was tough.  He pushed me to the point that everything in my body screamed, "NO" and then he would say, "give me five more".  There were moments in every single workout where  I wanted to quit because it was just too hard, but I didn't quit.  I never once quit.  I experienced what a heart rate of 180+ feels like and felt my muscles hurt so bad that I wanted to cry.  Sometimes tears came out of my eyes involuntarily  because my body had tried everything else and that was its last resort.  I didn't care.  I was getting amazing results.  I knew that my body was changing and that it was changing because the work outs were harder than anything I'd experienced before.  I loved that power.  I felt strong and healthy.  My back pain was gone.  I looked hot naked.  I was hooked. 

It was expensive.  I wanted to throw up every time I bought another package.  I gave up Starbucks, mani-pedis, getting my hair done every six weeks and modified my Nordstrom's love.  It was absolutely worth it.  I'd do it again in a hot second.

I learned that everything I had learned was CRAP.  CRAP. CRAP.  All the information on diet and exercise that I had been exposed to through magazines, TV, coaches and other women was all CRAP! I learned that the body most women want CANNOT BE FOUND ON ANY CARDIO MACHINE.  I learned that less food means you hold onto more fat.  I learned you can't have a calorie-restricted diet and grow muscles.  I learned that women have to work incredibly hard to grow muscle because we don't have much testosterone.  I learned that I can lift as heavy as I want and I still fit into my clothes.  I learned that I can gain weight (16+ pound) and look hot and be basically the same size because muscles are much smaller and denser than fat.  I learned that I can get rid of the jiggle on my thighs.  I learned that I did not have to have a flat ass for the rest of my life.  I learned how to fuel my body.  I learned what it feels like to be strong and healthy.  I learned that I too can look good in booty shorts. 

Life is so funny how she takes you to just where you need to be so fate can create the moments that keep you on your path.  After a move across the country, I met Jake at the gym.  He is a trainer and he inspired and pushed me to become a certified trainer.  We became business partners.  Now, I do what I love everyday of my life.   I help people find their personal best.  I help redefine healthy.  I work with someone who shares the same ideas and passion that I do.   I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

Jake trains me 2-3 times a week.  Right now I am working on getting my butt bigger.   Yep, I love the way it looks to have a little round butt in my jeans.  Today, Jake pushed me to that point, right before tears and right after intense cursing.  It was fantastic.  Altogether I DEEP  barbell squatted an average of 115  pounds for a total of 72 reps.  That would not have meant anything to me three years ago, but now I know that its a pretty big deal.  I would not have even gone near the squat rack before.  Now, I cannot imagine a leg workout without it.  I still need a trainer to push me to that point.  Even though I know what that point feels like, I still cannot achieve it on my own. 

In my opinion a great trainer is not a luxury, a great trainer is an investment in yourself.  An investment that pays huge returns every day for the rest of your life.  You are worth it.