Fitness Lovers Gift Guide Do you ever have a difficult time finding that perfect gift for the fitness lover in your life? I wanted to simplify your shopping and help you locate the perfect gift for the one you love! BWSS Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Set If you are exercising at home more often, it is helpful to have the exact…

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds & Pepitas Steamed and bland Brussels sprouts are nearly inedible… but balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts topped with fresh pomegranate seeds and pepitas are knock-your-socks-off good! The pomegranate seeds add a little unexpected burst of flavor (and it makes it feel fancy without actually doing much work.) Ingredients 1 ½ pounds of Brussels sprouts, cleaned…

Here is a Little Twist on a Southwest Salad I’m really trying to eat more veggies and especially more leafy greens. While almost all Americans meet our protein requirements, more than half of us (68%) aren’t eating enough vegetables. This salad is fresh, bright, and packed with flavor. Jackfruit is a great substitute for meat because the texture is similar…

Healthy Acai Bowl Have you jumped on the Acaí Bowl train? I’m lactose intolerant and a lot of creamy, thick, smoothie bowls are made with some form of dairy. An Acaí Bowl is a dream food for me! You can make it a million different ways, but I like a simple frozen blended base (Costco actually sells my favorite base…

Let’s talk about wearable technology! There is huge variation in the accuracy of different devices (6-19% in a recent study). Dr. Eddie Jo is the king of infographics and he put together a super clear visual of the results from a study by Bourdreaux, et al., 2018 comparing heart rate accuracy of various popular devices to an EKG. I posted…

Join me for a 30-day movement challenge! As the seasons change, we tend to move less and eat more comfort food. (Am I right?) Through the 30 days in November, let’s move every day ON PURPOSE and build great habits. It isn’t about weight loss, it is about honoring our body and keeping it healthy! What counts? Any purposeful exercise…

If you have a difficult time eating enough leafy greens (spinach and kale are great choices) you are not alone. I really struggle to eat enough green vegetables and so I try to find yummy ways to sneak them in my diet. This lemon, cucumber, and berry smoothie is refreshing and cold! In a blender add: 1 Cup of ice…

“If I have to choose, do I choose sleep or exercise?” If you are not getting the amount of sleep you need for the night, it is unhelpful to regularly fatigue yourself even more by exercising. Choose sleep! (If you had a good night sleep, don’t use this as an excuse to skip your exercise.) WATCH HERE Sleeplessness affects reaction…

This is the perfect meal if you are craving something hearty! Zucchini Noodles, Turkey Meatballs and Tomato sauce, topped with basil and rosemary. The meatballs are a fairly lean protein source and the zucchini noodles are high in fiber and low in calories! You can also make a plant-based lentil meatball that is really tasty. (If you prefer to make…

Pizza is good, but pizza that you can eat an entire half of, and still only eat 460 calories with 24 grams of protein is GREAT! I’ve tasted many types of cauliflower pizza crusts that were soggy, crumbly, or just flat-out icky. My local Costco started carrying this pre-made cauliflower pizza, and I think it tastes incredible. Cauliflower pizza crust…

Grilled Chicken Tacos Who says that you have to celebrate Taco Tuesday on a Tuesday? Tacos are simple to make, easy to assemble, and full of flavor! I love tacos in so many forms: fish tacos, ground turkey tacos, chicken tacos, black bean and sweet potato tacos… they are just so good!   Let’s keep the simple things simple: Cook…

“How often should I eat?” It is totally up to personal preference! Did you know that you don’t “need” to kick-start your metabolism first thing in the morning with food? WATCH VIDEO HERE  Your entire metabolism is ALL the energy that you use to maintain your body throughout the day. You could break this up in to smaller portions: Resting…

“Normal”: Typical state or condition, conforming to what is expected. I have no desire to be normal. WATCH VIDEO HERE  It’s normal to regularly eat fast food and live overweight, but it isn’t healthy.  It’s normal to die of heart disease. It’s normal for moms to have incontinence after giving birth, but that isn’t healthy. It’s normal to sit all…

????The Top 10 Fat Burning Foods!! ????   WATCH THE VIDEO  Is this real life? Almost anything we eat will cause us to use energy to digest it. Some very processed foods or concentrated food like juice, take very little energy and enter our blood stream very quickly. More complex foods or food a with high percentage of protein, take…

Plant based cookie dough!  This is good! Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) serve as the base of this amazing treat!   I loved eating the cookie dough batter when I was little- my mom is an amazing cook and would let me taste the dough before it went in the oven! This is an amazing Salmonella-free option, that includes chickpeas, almond butter,…

Is cardiovascular exercise (also called aerobic exercise) enough to keep us healthy? WATCH THE VIDEO I have so many patients and friends who tell me “oh I do plenty of exercise”… and when we we talk about the specifics of their program we find that they are waking, running, biking, or doing other forms of cardiovascular exercise. Nothing can take…

We are bombarded with ads for every fitness product on the market. Here are a few thoughts to help handle the madness: WATCH THE VIDEO  Fear doesn’t get to decide, and fear doesn’t get to buy.  Gimmicks and false promises take your money, and make you feel worse in the end.  You don’t need supplements or the perfect clothes to…

Cook your favorite vegetables in a hot skillet in 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup of liquid aminos (which tastes like soy sauce) and 2 Tbs of Yoshida’s marinade and cooking sauce, for approximately 6-8 minutes. Stir fry vegetables: You can buy these vegetables pre-packaged (to save time) or buy them individually (to save money.) Approximately ½ cup carrots, handful of…

Strawberry Protein Kodiak Power Waffles    Instructions  Preheat waffle iron Whisk ½ cup of power cakes mix, ½ cup of water, and 1 egg together. Using 1/4 cup, pour batter onto the waffle iron and close lid. Wait for indicator light to indicate that the waffle is fully cooked. Slice strawberries and pour over waffles Pour desired syrup Sprinkle with…

In the month of May, we celebrate Women’s Health. Women embody so many characteristics and traits that are worth celebrating throughout the entire year. Women are compassionate, nurturing, strong, bold, brave, courageous, hard workers, and relationship builders… this list could go on and on. Women are quick to show up and help others. If you find yourself caring and prioritizing…

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Instructions Start with a base of chopped lettuce of your choice (I prefer mixed greens for this salad) Add ¼ sliced red onion Add 6 sliced cherry tomatoes Add a ½ chopped cucumber Add a medium chicken breast or ~4 oz. of shredded chicken (for simplicity, I prefer to use the rotisserie chicken from Costco) Add…

Store Option: Kodiak Cakes: Power Cakes These are my all-time favorite pancakes. The macronutrients are exactly what I want to eat. I could give you a complicated recipe for protein pancakes, but take a run to Costco and pick up a huge box this amazing pancake mix. These protein pancakes are whole grain, incredibly easy, healthy, and an inexpensive option…

Avocado Toast (2 Ways) Traditional:   Place 1 slice of whole wheat bread in toaster until desired level.   Spread toast with ½ of a ripe mashed avocado.   Add salt and pepper if desired. Serve and enjoy! California Style (Add these extra steps):   Spray a small nonstick skillet with olive oil and fry one egg as desired.   Place cooked egg on avocado…

Old Fashioned Oats Oatmeal is perfect if you are looking for something quick and easy! If you are in a rush, this is an amazing option. Oats are a whole grain and it is healthy to get your digestive tract moving in the morning!   Microwave Instructions:   In a microwave-safe bowl combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup rolled oats, a…

Eggs and Whole Wheat Toast Classic. This is one of the simplest breakfast foods to make (and honestly, I even eat this for other meal options too!) Note: If you are trying to lose body fat, keep the toast to 1 slice and skip the butter! If you use the egg yolk on top it helps to provide moisture, and…

Some Simple ThoughtsSome simple thoughts before we all get bombarded with ads for every fitness product on the market: 1️⃣ Fear doesn’t get to decide, and fear doesn’t get to buy. 2️⃣ Gimmicks and false promises take your money and make you feel worse in the end. 3️⃣ You don’t need supplements or the perfect clothes to succeed. 4️⃣ Decide to improve at least…