Thanksgiving Dos and Don'ts

Well we are getting to that time of the year where most of us look forward to spending time with our families and friends and of course plenty of FOOD! You've spent the year completing your fitness program and following the meal plans to the "T". I have some helpful dos and don'ts that will help guide you through without feeling guilty. This article and many more are always available on your Team Beachbody account. If you don't have one please feel free to fill out the free fitness assessment form and I will get you set up!

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Dos and Don’ts for Filling Your Plate

I know you’re probably going to eat more on Thanksgiving than you would on most Thursdays. And, I understand. It’s one of my favorite holidays too! I want to eat all my favorites (stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie…), but I also don’t want to wake up the next morning and feel like I’ve undone my progress. Of course, if you’ve been exercising and eating right, one day won’t undo all the work you’ve done. But, as we head into winter, it’s easy to fall off the horse and really struggle to get back on. So, with that in mind, I snapped these photos during Autumn Calabrese’s most recent video shoot to help you plate your Thanksgiving meal.

The Typical Plate
Honestly, this is kind of what it looks like when I usually eat Thanksgiving dinner. But, after watching Autumn’s video, I learned where I was going all kinds of wrong. First off, where are the greens? And, secondly, this plate is filled with so high in carbs and sugar, it’s no wonder I always want to nap after dinner.

Approximate Nutritional Information for the typical plate:

Our Registered Dietician, Ani Aratounians weighed in on my typical Thanksgiving plate. “It’s high in carbs and there’s lot of sugar and fat. Especially saturated fat. There’s butter everywhere and hardly any fiber. After eating this plate, you’ll feel stuffed and bloated.” And this doesn’t even take into consideration the pie. Or the wine. Or seconds…or thirds.

The Revised Thanksgiving Plate

One easy way to totally redo your Thanksgiving plate (and still have all your favorites) is to start with the green veggies. Put the green beans and the salad on your plate first. Then, add the turkey (aim for the the skinless pieces if you can find them), and then add on your other favorites.

Approximate Nutritional Information for the revised plate:

The calories aren’t low, but they’re much more reasonable than the first plate. Aratounians’s thoughts on this plate were much more positive. “This is much higher in vitamin and mineral content, and antioxidants. Overall, this is much more balanced for your blood sugar with the protein and fiber balancing out sugar content. And, I can’t help but notice that it’s a much prettier plate!” She recommends, if you are going to go for seconds (and really, who isn’t), go for the greens and protein (again, ideally, without skin).

I hope that this comparison will help you come Thanksgiving! Let me know, will you consider trying the “revised plate” approach?

Inflatable 5 K

I had found an advertisement on facebook for one of the Insane Inflatable 5 K races and decided to sign up for it. To my amazement I had a fantastic time! The Insane Inflatable 5K -- a new dynamic and extreme obstacle race, made up solely of inflatable obstacles -- will challenge you, surprise you, and leave you bouncing back for more! We didn’t just throw together a couple slides and bounce houses – we took imagination, creativity, and a collection of notes on bar napkins, and went to the leading manufacturer of custom inflatables. We told them, "Throw out the rulebook, we want to go extreme and INSANE!” This race was so much fun that I can't wait for the next event in my area. Here is a few pictures of some obstacles that we had to complete.

We ended up finishing 3rd place and 4th place overall in the first wave! I talked with quite a few participants afterwards and we all agreed at how much fun and the uniqueness of the obstacles. If your interested in running one of these races with our team message me and I will add you to my group and keep you posted when the schedule is released. 

Glazed Yams

Check out this healthier version of glazed yams!

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Glazed Yams with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

By making a few substitutions to this classic fall side dish, we’ve made it healthier without sacrificing the flavor.

Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 60 min.
Yield: 12 servings, 2/3 cup each

Ingredients:
2½ lbs. medium yams, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1 tsp. sea salt, divided use
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 Tbsp. 100% orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Arrange yams in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt. Set aside.
3. Combine orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice, butter, and honey in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
4. Pour orange juice mixture over yams; toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ¾ tsp. salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
6. Bake yams, stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender.

Dragon Boat With 352!

I must say when I decided to become a beachbody coach 2 years ago I really didn't know what was in store for me. Since that time I have become an avid obstacle course racer, started my own 352 Fit Club, and have been building a team of coaches under me with the same goals and visions as myself. Together this team is accomplishing amazing things and this Saturday was no different. We had been looking for something a little different to test our skills and endurance and decided to enter the Lake Hernando Dragon Boat event in our local area. Two reasons for this choice one, we have never done anything like it and two the proceeds go to our local food bank. Now for the details!! We did a practice session Wednesday evening and it turns out we weren't half bad! We picked up on the commands pretty quick and we did an actual practice run with a professional coach and steerperson. On to race day and our first heat. We were in the mixed (men and women) 10 person open division and there were 5 boats. We were a little slow off the start as none of us heard the horn. We ended up finishing second place at 1:54. We were happy but felt we could do better. The next heat we were pitted against some better competition and we stepped it up finishing 3rd at 1:46. We knocked 10 seconds off of our first run and were excited! Could this be a Cinderella story in the making? On to the 3rd heat we go and let me tell you we left nothing on the table everyone giving 100%. We finished 4th place at 1:47 but earned a lot of respect for our determination and endurance. I am so proud of my 352 Fit Club group as not only are they committed to ending the trend of obesity but are leaders and role models for others. We hold free classes every Tuesday evening at 7PM and offer live Insanity classes on Wednesday and Saturday. If you need a free Team Beachbody account fill out my fitness assessment or message me and I will get you started. Join our team of dedicated fitness enthusiast and be part of something special!

Organic Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes!

Organic Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes Recipe

For those of you who are constantly craving something sweet and “pancaky” in the morning, here’s a super delicious pancake recipe. Not only it tastes wonderful but it’s full of protein, is gluten-free and grain-free. An awesome recipe that your kids will love.

Photo from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition

You’ll need:

• 1 Cup of Organic Almond, Peanut or any other Nut Butter
• 4 Organic Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup of Organic Greek Yogurt
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Organic Strawberry Jam
• Organic Agave Syrup
• Organic Coconut Oil

Directions:

1. Mix the eggs, almond/peanut butter, greek yogurt, vanilla extract and the strawberry jam in a small bowl.
2. Blend everything together using a whisk.
3. Preheat a skillet to 350º F.
4. When the skillet is hot, add some coconut oil to lightly cover the bottom of skillet.
5. Pour batter into skillet and cook on both sides until lightly golden brown.
6. If needed, add agave syrup or more strawberry jam on top

 This along with my Shakeology is the perfect way to start off your day especially if you have a long run planned. I have found that it really keeps me fueled during my run which is important. For a free team beach body account fill out my free fitness assessment form and I will get you started right away!