Food

Chili is delicious… but you may not like THIS recipe.

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Chili is delicious but you may not like this recipe.  You’ll LOVE IT!!

I use my crockpot often and with the temps cooling off, the smell of comfort food cooking all day is calming to me.  I love the aroma from my crockpot!  Whether it be from the Mexican chicken recipe, PB/coconut granola (recipe on this blog site), apple crisp, or this chili recipe…… I love the aroma of home cooked food on a cold day, any day.  Chili can be very healthy and includes a lot of protein & fiber in the meat and beans which will keep you fuller for a longer period of time!

I made this chili this week and the left overs are even better the next day!!  The ingredients are very simple and so is the process.
Chili1
I used:

  • 93% lean ground beef.  (Ground turkey or chicken would work too, but I find that beef absorbs the flavors better).
  • 1 medium green pepper, diced
  • Half of an onion, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons of chili powder
  • Can of diced tomatoes with basil, Garlic, and Oregano seasons
  • Can of light red kidney beans
  • 1 can of mild chili beans
  • 2 cans of tomato sauce
  • 1 box (found at Target) of low sodium organic kidney beans
  • Black pepper and Garlic powder to taste
  • 1 cup of water

I browned the ground beef, diced green pepper and diced onion together in a skillet. While it was cooking I added some black pepper and garlic powder to the mix.

chili2

While that was browning, I put all the beans, tomato sauce, and chili powder together in the crockpot. I rinsed all the beans in cold water except for the mild chili beans because I wanted the flavor of the liquid.  I added a cup of water at this time but it can be added anytime.
chili4 - Copy chili3 - Copy

Then I added the skillet mixture to the crockpot and gently stirred it all together.  Turn the crockpot to low and allow to cook for 5-8 hours.  In my house we all like a little something different to top off the chili.
Some options are: oyster crackers, shredded cheese, or sour cream (healthier version would be plain Greek yogurt).
chili final

Put left overs in the fridge and reheat the next day!  You could put this chili over a baked potato or use it as a dip with low sodium whole grain tortilla chips the next day also!  Enjoy!!!

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Eat to lose, Eat to gain!  www.YourFitness-411.com

Family Meal Planner still in the works! Stay tuned…

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The more thought I put into creating the family meal planner documents that I have been working on,
the more information I want to pass along!  

This project began as a simple way that I can assist families with basic, healthy, meal options.  I have been asked many times over the past 4 years, “What do you feed your family?” and so I felt it was time to create organized information complete with grocery list, recipes, and healthy options for each meals. I do not believe in “you must eat this for lunch” meal plans.  It’s just not practical for family lifestyle, or anyone, honestly.  Friends want to go out for dinner, the chicken gets freezer burn, the veggies grow mold…..things happen & if you only have one option, then you feel stuck.  Unfortunately, much of the dietary advice available today focuses on what you “cannot” or “should not” eat and little information is out there regarding meal plans and the amazing food you SHOULD be eating!  
Food is beautiful & delicious…..even healthy food!
dessert

I am an advocate for fighting childhood obesity.  This kind of fell into my lap to be honest.  A few years ago, I felt I was being called to serve women/families who have had premature infants (my son was born at 32 weeks, weighing less than 4lbs) and I was considering joining forces with the March of Dimes.  I  still support the March of Dimes, but feel I can do more personal assistance with helping parents feed their tiny people.  I am a fitness-focused Mom and became a sport nutritionist so I could not only help my own ageing runner’s body, but feed my family correctly and be a better source for my customers.

Once I became a Mom… I realized how stressful meal times can be!!  Yikes!!  Now I understand the effort that went into the meals my parents made while being working parents!  They did very well based on their job hours, having 3 children involved in sports, and juggling life in general.  I remember sitting at the table as a family, praying, and eating dinner together. The meals were always hearty & relatively healthy…but back then nutrition didn’t get the attention it gets now.  And no….. the food then and the food now are NOT created equal.  Just because you ate it as a child, doesn’t mean your children should too!!!  

This project has really got me thinking.  What started off as a simple list of food options to create a healthy diet….. has evolved into much more. I’m overwhelmed sometimes!  I don’t only want to create meal options, but I want to educate parents/people on WHY they should eat certain foods and WHY it’s important to make healthy options vs. boxed mac & cheese.  (Cheese from a powder form shouldn’t be a dinner staple!)  

salad

Just to clue you in a little on what I am working on…… here are some topics that will be covered.  

  • How to Plan Balanced Meals.
  • Components of meals – what should be included.
  • Why are family meals are important?
  • Childhood Obesity – a growing epidemic.
  • Why children should be involved in meal prep?
  • Restaurant guides & social aspect of eating out. 
  • What food items should be staples in my house?
  • Organized Grocery List
  • Easy recipes including slow cooker recipes (best invention Ever!) 
  • Saving money on your grocery bill.  

People who purchase my documents/packages (whatever I’m going to call it) will also have my personal assistance as needed to answer any questions.  
I’m excited to see this come to fruition, but I have a lot more to do so be patient!  🙂  
Stay tuned………

Follow me on social media!!  I’d love to answer your questions on facebook at YourFitnessInfo !dinners ready

Lisa is a Physical Therapist Assistant x17 years, a Specialist in Sports Nutrition, and owner of YourFitness-411.com

My experience with the *new* 3-Day Refresh program. (I’m a PB addict)

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Okay Okay!!
I’ve had a LOT of questions about the new program from Team Beachbody called the 3-Day Refresh. I HAD to try it because I cannot expect you to spend money on something that I wouldn’t spend my money on! I firmly believe in knowing the products I’m promoting to make sure I feel they are legit, quality, and worthy of being in your home. That’s why I have over 13 home workout programs! Alright…that’s a lie. I have 13 home workout programs because I get bored easily and need a lot of different choices for challenging myself during my basement workouts!! I love it!!

What is the 3-Day Refresh? To put it simply, it is 3-day program of specially formulated shakes, healthy snacks, and easy-to-prepare meals that have been scientifically designed to help you break the cycle of bad eating while improving the way you feel. Chances are… you’ll lose a few pounds/inches too!! This is perfect for those who want to kick bad food habits or lose a few pounds for a special event such as class reunion, wedding, vacation, holiday, or just to feel better.
How is this different than other cleanses? Unlike juice fasts or liquid cleanses that are high in sugar and low in protein (which can leave you feeling weak and sluggish), the 3-Day Refresh is scientifically designed to help support your metabolism while nourishing vital organs. Plus, you actually get to eat delicious, real food during this program. This is NOT a starvation diet and is NOT intended to have you running to the bathroom due to an angry GI tract.

Now, onto my experience. I have ulcerative colitis and fully anticipated a flare up. Other programs/products have caused flare ups (Diarrhea) and cramping. This NEVER caused ANY of those symptoms and to be honest… I was shocked.
Now, I eat fairly well 80% of the time, so healthy eating is not difficult for me. However I did learn that when someone tells me NOT to eat a food item, I focus on it. That’s why I do not tell my clients to throw out all the food in their cupboards and start fresh. That is just not my style because it doesn’t work for me and won’t work for most. That being said….. there is a long list of items you can eat! PB and tuna are NOT on the list…. And I struggled with that. Although, I didn’t cook for myself in 3 days which was awesome!

Details:
Day1:

  • Wake Up and drink 8-12 ounces of water.
  • Breakfast was Shakeology + a fruit.
  • Mid-Morning snack: Fiber drink. (TIP> drink this quickly after making it or else it gets thick. Add a little lemon juice to make it tastier).
  • Lunch: Vanilla Refresh (protein drink) + 1 veggie/1 fruit/1 healthy fat.
  • Snack: an option from the fruit/veggie list.
  • Dinner: Vanilla Refresh (protein drink) + dinner recipe list provided. No worries…they are easy!

You are to drink tea (optional) and plenty of water.
Repeat for 2 more days. 

I was NOT hungry to be honest. The special fiber drink and protein drink kept me full. My problem was the inability to eat PB and tuna (I love canned tuna with relish & mustard) YUM.
Did I cheat? YEP. I have a goal to run 100 miles this month, and I know as a long distance runner that I needed different carbs to fuel that 5 mile run, so I needed to eat a few pretzel crisps with hummus. I will also admit that I had a couple spoonfuls of Peanut Butter. GASP!
Like I said earlier…. I am great at portion control and controlling cravings when I’m allowed to have anything I want. When I’m told “NO”……I focus on it.

So….what were your results??
For me, the point was not to lose weight and to be honest…. Fast weightloss is probably due to decreased water retention and less food intake over 3 days. It’s not healthy to focus on fast weight loss, however, this program creates it naturally.
I lost 2.8 pounds and 3 inches. (1.5/waist, .5/hips, .5/chest, .5/thigh)
However… I FEEL much leaner and have conquered the bad cravings the July 4th holiday created. Holidays get me every time!!!!

Did I think this program was simple?
Yes….The program is super easy to follow.
Was it challenging? Most definitely!
I struggled with cravings sometimes…. And as a runner, I needed the extra carbs for a good run. A good run is crazy important for my brain and self-esteem!!
Was I ever hungry? Day 1……a little but on Day 2 & 3…. nope.
Would I recommend this program? If you need to break bad food habits or looking to lose a few pounds for event…… yes, I recommend it!!

THIS MONTH ONLY (JULY), you can get this program for FREE when you order a month of Shakeology. And, a month of Shakeology is 30-35 meals! This type of order is called a CHALLENGE PACK. When ordering a challenge pack this month, I will send you a FREE gift (value of $25.00). Certain rules apply, so you need to talk to me prior to ordering!! Please email me at Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com

For the updates on monthly deals; I’ll post them on my website each month!
www.YourFitness-411.com

I’ll also tweak any food regimens to help power you through a plateau or change your body for FREE.
Thanks for reading and have a great summer!!
3 day refresh

OBESITY – such an ugly word.

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The term ‘obesity’ is an excess proportion of total body fat.  “Morbid obesity” means that a person is either 50%-100% over normal weight, more than 100 pounds over normal weight, has a BMI of 40 or higher, or is sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with health or normal function.  There are many reasons as to why/how people become obese.  One of the most obvious causes of obesity is simply overeating. When you eat more food than the body requires then the excess is stored as fat. This can occur by eating too much or eating foods that are high in fat and calories. 

Other common causes for a person being obese are age, gender, genetics, environmental factors, physical inactivity, illness, psychological factors, and medications.

When it comes to my scope of practice, environmental factors and physical inactivity play a significant role. Environmental factors include lifestyle behaviors such as what a person eats and how active they are.  Physical activity or inactivity is self-explanatory.  Active individuals require more calories than less active ones to maintain their weight. Additionally, physical activity tends to decrease appetite in obese individuals while increasing the body’s ability to preferentially metabolize fat as an energy source. Much of the increase in obesity in the last 20 years is thought to have resulted from the decreased level of daily physical activity.  For those individuals struggling with these causes of obesity, the treatment I would recommend would be to educate yourself on proper food choices and exercise regimens that suit your lifestyle and personality.  Then, incorporate what you have learned into your daily life.  Some important factors would be proper water intake, carb/protein/fat intake, food proportions, limiting the processed ‘unhealthy’ carbs and replacing them with better choices of foods, knowing the proper caloric intake for your body and activity level, and of course, beginning an exercise program that you can maintain.  Too many individuals find excuses as to why they cannot make healthier choices and stick with them, so I would also recommend an accountability group or workout partner and help to hold one another accountable to a healthier lifestyle. 
For those causes of obesity which are outside of my scope of practice, I would recommend proper treatment by a medical professional.  Some of those treatment options are gastric bypass surgery, stomach size reduction, prescription weight loss medication, and behavioral changes (support groups/counseling).  These options are to be used after a healthy effort has been given to weight loss programs which include diet, exercise, and accountability. 

I am convinced that with better food choices and exercise, other common causes of obesity such as age, genetics, and illness can be controlled too.  Many illnesses such as diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise, and then the person may be able to decrease their medication per physician.  I believe that our food choices can be what make us ill as well as what can heal the body.  The number one way to combat obesity is education.  To educate the individual on obesity, the cause of their obesity, and then to seek the right treatment to help them lose the weight and become a healthy weight. 
If you are ‘obese’ and looking for some personal assistance, contact me.  Even if you have just a few pounds to lose.  Gaining control of your body, your cravings, and your life will create joy, satisfaction, & you will be a role model for others. 
I can’t help if you don’t ask.  I have access to hundreds of home workouts and nutritionals to help you along in your journey.  Simple changes = big results.  *BELIEVE*
Email me at Bashford.lisa@yahoo.com or learn more about me at www.YourFitness-411.com