Fatigue

Though fatigue is usually the result of a common problem such as anemia or depression, it can also be the result of a variety of other serious conditions, including the following:

• arthritis
• diabetes
• infections
• kidney or liver disease
• lupus

If you can't figure out what's causing your fatigue and fear it may be one of these conditions, talk with your physician as soon as possible.

Treating these conditions properly is essential not only for overcoming fatigue, but for having the quality of life you desire.

Summer Grilling Safety Tips

• Marinate foods in the refrigerator rather than the counter or outdoors.
• Keep your grill away from brush, foliage, and trees that can easily catch fire.
• Grill at least four feet away from any structure.
• Keep a spray or squirt bottle full of water nearby to extinguish flare-ups from dripping fat.
• Use utensils designed for grilling, which often have longer reaches and heat-safe handles.
• Wear an apron to protect your clothing from grease spatters. An apron also adds another layer of protection against burns.  
• Use oven mitts with caution. The newer design of high-heat silicon mitts are a better option than cloth mitts, which are more likely to catch fire if a stray flame shoots up.
• Make sure children and pets stay a safe distance away from a hot grill.

Above all, have fun!

Brain Food

If you're ready to beef up your brain, eating the right foods is essential. By including the proper foods in your diet, you enable yourself to learn better and enjoy better memory.

Foods that boost your brain's potential include the following:

• salmon
• walnuts
• kiwi
• blueberries
• spinach
• orange juice
• strawberries
• other foods with omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and vitamin B

In addition to helping your brainpower today, researchers have found that eating the right foods can also help you ward off many frightening conditions, including dementia, schizophrenia, depression, and mood disorders. Don't eat these foods, and you could actually be increasing your risk for these conditions and others. For the most effective brain-boosting diet, try eating smaller food portions at each meal, even if that means you have to consume more meals than the usual three a day.

Fed up with not being able to lose weight?

Find out why being overweight is not entirely your fault. Click here.  

Apple Muffins

A delicious low-fat muffin. Children love them. If desired, add a few raisins and/or some chopped nuts.

Here's What You Need

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup chopped apples

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease one 12-cup muffin tin.
3. Lightly beat egg whites.
4. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients thoroughly.
5. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients.
6. Gently fold in egg white.
7. Add to the dry ingredients.
8. Stir until barely moistened.
9. Batter will be lumpy.
10. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.
11. Bake about 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 12, Calories: 145, Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 237mg,

Carbohydrate: 23.2g, Protein: 3.9g

Top 7 Strategies to Stop Overeating

1. Learn what a healthy portion size is and stick to it. Americans have gotten used to "super" sizes, but we don't really need to eat that much. In fact, a healthy portion is much smaller.
2. Divide your plate into sections. Don't deprive yourself from sampling your favorite foods. Instead of taking a big portion of lasagna to fill your plate, take a small portion and fill the rest of the plate with healthy vegetables or salad to help fill you.
3. Drink water during a meal or when you are tempted to eat outside of a meal to create a feeling of being. You may be mistaking hunger for being dehydrated.
4. Eat fiber rich foods. Fiber absorbs water and expands in the stomach, creating a feeling of being full.
5. Don't "taste-test" your food while cooking. There are calories in those little spoonfuls you're taking during meal preparation. You may be testing so much that you've had half a meal before you even sit down at the dinner table.
6. Eat healthy fruit desserts. Instead of chocolate cake, try a bowl of fruit salad. It'll satisfy your sweet-tooth, while give you a feeling of indulgence.
7. Keep a journal. Write down every single bit of food you put in your mouth. It will be eye opening at first. After a while, your habits will change and you won't need the journal anymore.

Salmon for the BBQ

It's barbeque season, and what better to throw on the grill than a tender fillet of salmon? Salmon is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. In addition to the health benefits, this salmon recipe packs a sweet and tangy flavor that is sure to please. 

Servings: 2

Here's what you need:

• 1 fillet of fresh Salmon
• 1 cup Lite Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced Ginger
• 1/2 cup Agave Nectar (or Honey)

1. Combine the Soy Sauce, Ginger and Agave nectar. Place the Salmon in a pan and cover with the Soy marinade for 1 hour in the fridge.
2. Prepare your grill. If desired, soak a cedar plank to barbecue the Salmon on.
3. Grill over medium heat until cooked through and flaky.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 300 calories, 12g fat, 8g carbohydrate, .5g fiber, and 40g protein.

What's up with Childhood Obesity?

It's obvious, childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions with far-reaching consequences. From diabetes to future heart disease, childhood obesity puts children in harm's way on a daily basis.

With the right tools, parents can give their children the upper hand against this big issue. Here are a few items to put in your health toolbox.

Tool #1: Understanding

No, childhood obesity isn't about kids walking around with leftover baby fat. It's not about toddlers with those wonderfully cute, chunky legs. Rather, childhood obesity is when a child is greatly overweight for his or her age. The causes of obesity in children are the same as in adults. Most children who battle obesity live in an environment where overeating is made easy and exercise is rarely encouraged.

Tool #2: Perspective

Believe it or not, today's kid's meal was at one point an adult portion. That means when you stop at a fast food restaurant, your child is being served an adult-sized meal. With this in mind, it's no wonder our children are growing larger than ever before.

What has happened over the years to bring about this change? There are as many theories as there are fast food restaurants, but it's likely due to people simply wanting more. Americans have ready access to foods of all sorts and have grown accustomed to thinking more is better. With this mentality, many feel there is no reason to not eat as much as you can. Unfortunately, many children are learning the hard way that there are a number of reasons to not eat as much as possible, as they suffer from diseases once confined to adults.

Tool #3: Sweat

Only two decades ago, seeing children play outside was the norm. It didn't matter if it was hot, cold, rainy, or snowy, kids were outside playing. They rode their bikes, played tag, and sprinted through the sprinklers. When kids played, they weren't out to exercise. They just wanted to have fun! Being able to stay fit and thin was an added perk that most kids didn't even acknowledge.

Today's parents can learn a lot from the days of old by building a barrier against obesity with a solid wall of fun and sweat. Parents should also remember that exercise for kids doesn't mean going to the gym. It's unstructured play, and it's something most kids love when given the opportunity.

Tool #4: Family Focus

Have a child on the verge of obesity? Putting your child on a special diet and forcing him or her to perform activities no one else in the family has to do is an exercise in futility. If you want to see change in one member of the family, the entire family has to be involved. That means from dietary changes to regular exercise, mom, dad, sisters, and brothers should all be involved.

Tool #5: Perseverance

There is no quick-fix to being obese. Losing weight requires patience, dedication, and being content with small changes over a long period of time. Parents should note and celebrate small victories in their children to encourage them to continue newly established healthy lifestyles.

Once it's time to celebrate, choose wisely. While you may want to indulge your child with a three-scoop sundae, shoot for something a little more moderate, like a single-scoop cone. It'll be more than enough to fulfill your child's sweet tooth without leading down the path to overeating.

Juicy, High Fiber Veggie Burger Recipe

Use soy. No, use beans. No, use oats. No, use rice. Hey, why not use them all? This veggie burger is an alternative to eating its beefy cousin (and can be used together). It's high in fiber and as a stand alone patty, actually tastes pretty good. Once you layer the ketchup, the mustard, pickles, etc. you won't be able to tell the difference. 

Here's What You Need

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
• 5 tablespoons Korean barbeque sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed garbanzo beans and basil.
2. Mix in the oat bran, quick oats, and rice; the mixture should seem a little dry.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the tofu with your hands, trying to squeeze out as much of the water as possible.
4. Drain of the water, and repeat the process until there is hardly any water worth pouring off.
5. It is not necessary to remove all of the water.
6. Pour the barbeque sauce over the tofu, and stir to coat.
7. Stir the tofu into the garbanzo beans and oats.
8. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage; mix until well blended.
9. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
10. Form patties out of the bean mixture, and fry them in hot oil for about 5 minutes per side.
11. Serve as you would burgers.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 8, Calories: 162, Fat: 4.7g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 340mg,Carbohydrate: 23.8g, Protein: 8.4g

In Denver, options for working out outside are endless

Exercising outside is more than walking, running, or lifting weights at muscle beach. There are actually quite a lot of ways you can get some exercise without driving to the gym, including the following:

• riding a bicycle
• playing tag with your children
• trail running
• playing on an outdoor soccer team
• walking on a trail that includes exercise stations and using the stations
• gardening
• rock climbing
• backpacking

In a town like Denver, there's really no excuse!  

Memorial Day Weekend Coming Soon

Need to get out of town on the quick and only want the essentials for your beach getaway? Here are a few things that you will want with you on every beach vacation:

• swimwear
• sun block
• sunglasses
• sandals
• towels
• book or magazine
• water
• snacks
• beach blanket
• large-brimmed hat

Enjoy!

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

You've probably heard of quinoa - it is hailed by some as the new super food. It's high in protein (12%-18%) and contains a balanced set of essential amino acids - this means it's a surprisingly complete protein. It's also high in fiber and iron. And, as if the edible seeds didn't have enough going for them, NASA is thinking about growing it in space.

Quinoa is quite possibly the perfect thing to have for breakfast to start your day off on the right foot.Servings: 1

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked in water according to instructions on package
• 1 Tablespoon golden raisins
• 1 Tablespoon date pieces, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon pecan pieces, chopped
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• Drizzle of pure maple syrup

1. Top cooked quinoa with raisins, date pieces, pecan pieces, cinnamon, nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 344 calories, 5g fat, 59g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 12g protein.

Homemade Baked Beans

Do you have a favorite healthy recipe to share?  We're collecting recipes, to cook up a Healthy Recipe eBook just for you!   You will receive the credit whether it's your own, Rachel Ray's, Bobby Flay's or Paula Dean's.  Send it to w8trainher@gmail.com. 

Baked beans are filled with healthy protein and fiber. This homemade recipe is quick and easy to make and tastes great. Serve it hot from the oven, or enjoy it chilled – either way it's a crowd pleaser. 
Servings: 12 

Here's what you need...

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup tamari (low sodium soy sauce)
• 4 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon mustard
• 3 (15oz) cans pinto or white beans, drained and rinsed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions until tender.
3. In a large bowl, mix the tomato paste, tamari, maple syrup and mustard until a thick sauce forms. Add the beans and onions and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Spread the beans into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 134 calories, .5g fat, 25g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 8g protein.

Done 4 U: Vacation Workout

Vacation Tip 

If your hotel doesn't have a gym, or if you'd simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:

1. Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
2. Cardio: Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
3. Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
4. Cardio: Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
5. Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
6. Cardio: Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
7. V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.
8. Cardio: Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

STOP doing sit-ups

Still hung up on doing 1000’s of sit-ups and crunches?

Sorry, you are wasting your time and putting yourself at risk of pain or worse yet …. injury at the same time.

Abs are like all other muscles…. They react… they don’t voluntarily contract.

If you really want to get your abs tight, start training them to be reactive and not sit there crunching them to death.

Did you know that since bringing in bands to W8trainHer Boot Camps, we have almost completely eliminated sit-ups and crunches???

 

Yep…

All we do now to get our trunk looking great and strong is:

• Multi-directional total body movements       
• High intensity resistance training intervals 
•  Isometric trunk stabilization   
•  Interval Cardio

And…Ab Reaction training!!

Reactive band trunk training uses momentum created by a “resistance band” to reflexively recruit and train your abs.  For most people, training your abs using sit-ups hurts their back and gets no results.

Training your abs to be reactive doesn’t just get them ripped but will also make them work for you on every movement you train. 

So STOP doing sit-ups and get your trunk reactively ripped!

To learn more about how we use resistance band at our boot camp go to  w8trainher.com and view the video.

Traveling with healthy snacks

Travel days create the perfect opportunity for snacking, especially if you're stuck in an airport after an Iceland volcano eruption. 

A mocha and scone before your flight, a salty snack on the plane and then before you know it - it's lunch time! Road trips open up even more opportunities for regrettable snacking...rest stop vending machines, gas station quickie marts and of course the never ending string of fast food restaurants that line the highway.

This summer avoid unhealthy snacking by packing your own goodies. Try these:

• Dried or fresh fruit
• Unsalted nuts
• Health bars
• Cut veggies
• Low fat crackers or pretzels

Also remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day. It's easy to become dehydrated while traveling, so always carry a water bottle with you.

Lies and Myths of the Weight Loss Industry

I love my partners over at Prograde Nutrition because I truly believe there isn't another supplement company on the planet that tells it like it is.

Seriously, you will NOT believe what they are about to tell you. They literally EXPOSE the biggest weight loss scams out there. They pull back the curtain and reveal the truth about all those BS pills like:

• Hoodia
• Chitosan
• Acai Berry cleanses

If you're ready for a serious wake-up call then you've got to get all over this. You can either listen to the recording OR read the transcript. Whichever you prefer.

And I'm not kidding, you're going to find out exactly how the shady marketers out there prey on your emotions - and your wallet.

Click on the link below RIGHT NOW and become exposed to the truth. Trust me, your body and your bank account will thank you for it!

http://w8trainher.getprograde.com/lies-and-myths.html

Zucchini Pasta with Turkey

Here is a guiltless way to prepare spaghetti that the whole family will love. To create angel hair noodles out of zucchini you simply need a small kitchen gadget called a spiral slicer. This ingenious tool is well worth the small investment – with it you'll quickly and easily make delicious, fiber-filled noodles.

Yield: 4 servings
Here's what you need:

• 4 zucchini, ends trimmed and run through a spiral slicer
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (20oz) package lean ground turkey
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the spiral-sliced zucchini in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium sized skillet heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft.
3. Add the turkey to the skillet and cook until fully browned. Add the spaghetti sauce and mix until fully incorporated. Remove from heat.
4. Mix the sauce with the zucchini noodles in the large bowl and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 292 calories, 8g fat, 26g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 27g protein.

Band training, NOT just for athletes

Bands initially came onto the scene 25 years ago in the athlete market.  It was looked upon as another way to get athletes to run against resistance and help improve speed.

Bands then became very popular in the power-lifting arena which again was a natural   carryover into athletics.

However, performance training and reactive resistance band training isn't just for athletes.

Creating normal movement is all about being balanced and strong which happens to be components of speed and power as well as daily activities.

If you desire an athletic body, the only way to get there is to start training like an athlete.

Hear me out... I am not referring to doing depth jumps or squatting 100’s of pounds.

What I mean is performing movements that reflect what you do during the day.

It’s time to get your butt off the machines and start pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, squatting and lunging. 

Start learning how to twist, move sideways and backwards…NOT just forward!!!

Like all training we teach at W8trainher Fitness Bootcamps it starts with  Control >Rhythm> Strength,  then Power!

Using bands makes movement training really easy for anyone to learn.

Make sure you join us.  You'll be amazed at how quickly you start to move like an athlete.

Yes, a GREEN Smoothie

Yes, it's green!  Green smoothies consist of 3 basic ingredients: greens, fruit and water. Have fun experimenting with a wide range of varieties of both the greens and the fruit in order to reap the most benefit. You may be surprised to find that the simple combination of greens and fruit is quite delicious. 
Servings: 1 

Here's what you need...

• 1 bunch (2 cups) red dandelion greens (feel free to use spinach or any other dark greens)
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1-2 cups filtered water

1. In a high speed blender mix the ingredients until smooth.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 199 calories, 1g fat, 47g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, and 6g protein.