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Peanut butter protein oatmeal recipe

2/12/2015

Cold weather always makes me crave comfort foods, and for me oatmeal is a HUGE comfort food! Try this peanut butter protein oatmeal for a warm treat on a cold day! It's packed with nutrition and 17 grams of protein!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 tbsp PB2
honey to taste

Heat almond milk to a boil. Stir in oats and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Mix in PB2 and add honey to taste (I like just a drizzle).

Nutritional info (with 1/2 tbsp honey):
257 calories. 6.5g fat. 41g carbohydrates. 17g protein.

What's your favorite cold-weather comfort food?

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Three ingredient chia seed pudding recipe

9/3/2014

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A while ago, a friend of mine introduced me to chia seeds. Check out all of the health benefits of chia seeds! I loved the texture when you would let them sit overnight in something like iced tea or yogurt, but after the first time, the novelty wore off. I came across the chia seeds in my pantry the other day, and decided to try something new. I threw together just three ingredients to make a chia seed pudding that was delicious!

Chia seed pudding

Combine:

1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/8 cup honey*

Mix well and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours (makes about 3 servings at 140 calories and 5 grams of protein per serving). Mix well after one hour.

*You can add more or less honey depending on how sweet you want it. You can also substitute preserves (such as Polaner all-fruit) or cocoa powder with stevia to taste.

FitYaf's three ingredient chia seed pudding recipe

What's your favorite way to eat chia seeds?

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FitYaf's food hacks that will help you stay healthy

8/14/2014

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We're about 10 days into our August Challenge Group over here at FitYaf, and everyone is doing AMAZING! People are losing weight, losing inches but most importantly, FEELING BETTER. The other day, we were talking about substitutions you can make in your kitchen to help keep your nutrition in check, and everyone had such GREAT ideas! I couldn't wait to share them with all of you!

FitYaf's food hacks that will help you stay healthy

Not only for guacamole, avocado works great as a replacement for butter in baked goods such as muffins and breads without altering the flavor. Use the same amount of pureed avocado as you would butter, and you’ll save about 80 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 7 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. Make the same one-to-one swap for mayo in dressing and sandwiches like tuna fish to eliminate about 70 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 1 gram of saturated per tablespoon.

The mashed cauliflower low-carb fanatics eat instead of mashed potatoes can also be used to make vegan-friendly creamy soups. Add extra of whatever veggie you will be using in the soup at the beginning, then remove some once it’s cooked, puree until smooth, and return it to the pot, adding a cup at a time until the soup thickens. Cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, potatoes and white beans all work well. You can even sub the pureed veggies for cream, but be sure to get them to a very smooth consistency by blending with some broth or milk.

More amazing things to do with cauliflower:
Green Saffron Cauliflower “Risotto” with Roasted Vegetables
Not-So-Fried Rice

An alternate sauce thickener:
How to make cream sauce without cream

When making a veggie dip or even making your guacamole creamer, use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It gives the same consistency and taste without the added calories and fat - even adds protein. You can also use it instead of mayonnaise when making chicken or tuna salad!

Flaxseed can be added to baked products as a whole seed, imparting a healthy appearance and increased texture quality. However, flaxseed must be ground (milled) prior to consumption to obtain the potential health benefits from the Omega-3 fatty acids and lignans.

Take any recipe that calls for pasta and substitute with veggie "noodles", cut using a spiralizer. My challengers love using zucchini!

PB2 is powdered protein from peanut butter - all of the great peanut taste, without any of the fat. It's great to add to smoothies (I add it to my chocolate shakeology EVERY DAY) or even sauces when making stir fry or pad thai.

What's your favorite food hack?

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Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

7/30/2014

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Did you know July is National Ice Cream Month? Who knew that was even a thing? In honor of this fabulous month, I'm sharing with you a Beachbody recipe for Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream. Who knew eating healthy could taste THIS GOOD?!

Total Time: 4 hrs. 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 5 servings, about ½ cup each

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
2 scoops Vanilla Shakeology (or whey protein powder)
2 medium frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
2 Tbsp. all-natural smooth peanut butter (or make peanut butter using PB2 and water or almond milk)

Vanilla Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Preparation:
1. Place milk, Shakeology, bananas, and peanut butter in high-powered blender (such as a Vita-Mix); cover.
2. Blend on low for 5 seconds; increase power to high and continue blending for 30 seconds until smooth.
3. Pour mixture in a large glass bowl; cover.
4. Freeze for 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, before serving.

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Why Do You Gain Weight When You Start a New Fitness Program?

7/24/2014

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Why Do You Gain Weight When You Start a New Fitness Program?

The Short Answer

Not everyone will gain weight as a result of starting a new fitness program, but it does happen and it can be discouraging. If you do happen to gain a few pounds when starting a new program, the chances are really good that it’s not fat, but rather temporary water weight due to inflammation. Give your new program at least three weeks to really get a feel for how it's working for you.

The Long Answer

The most likely reason your scale crept up is inflammation and water retention. When you work out (especially when you're starting a new program and working muscles that you haven't worked in a while or at all), it causes little tears in your muscle fibers. This microtrauma is why you feel sore after a workout. Your body naturally heals these little tears, making the fibers tougher than they originally were - and that's how you get stronger and fitter!

To make these repairs, your body initiates its standard healing process, including the inflammation phase. This is why I usually discourage anti-inflammatory medication like Advil to help sore muscle from exercise, because you WANT your body to go through this process. This involves recruitment of white blood cells and opening up blood vessels to flush out debris and toxins. There’s so much going on that the area swells up and retains water. The fluid required for inflammatory response obviously weighs something—and that might be reflected in the number on the scale. But don't worry - this type of inflammation is healthy and temporary!

A less-likely reason you’re gaining weight is that you’re building muscle faster than you're losing fat, and muscle is denser than fat. If this happens, you'll likely notice it over a few weeks and you can tell by tracking your measurements and how your clothes fit. The trick is patience. Once you lose the fat, which you will if you keep at it, you'll love your new body!

But what if something actually is going wrong?

There are a couple situations in which you might actually be gaining weight that isn't muscle. The first one would be that you’re not following a proper diet. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard this, but you can't out-exercise a bad diet! Yes, exercise burns calories, but it also increases release of ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger, so you have to make sure you're balancing your calories burned with calories consumed properly. The best way to do this is to keep a food diary.

Furthermore, even if you are eating the right amount of calories, poor food choices can cause all kinds of issues, causing your body to hold onto fat. Check out these tips for making the most of your calories in FitYaf's "healthy eating" commandments.

Remember, it took time for you to put on the weight, so it's going to take time to lose it too. Making sure you're getting enough sleep too! Don’t give up! Give your unexpected added pounds a couple of weeks to work themselves out. If they don’t, step back and see if there’s any other aspect of your life that needs fine-tuning.

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FitYaf's tips on how to stock your pantry

7/17/2014

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In my challenge groups, the #1 reason for abandoning a health/fitness plan is time. If you get home late from work and you're hungry, you're probably tempted to order take-out. Meal prepping is best, but if you stock your pantry with healthy staples to back up fresh fruits, veggies, and protein, you'll be able to make healthy meals and snacks in a short amount of time! Check out these ingredients you can keep on hand, and try out some of the suggested uses.

FitYaf's tips on how to stock your pantry

Canned beans. Kidney, black, garbanzo, navy—canned beans are a quick way to sneak more fiber and protein into any meal. Look for BPA-free cans and choose no- or low-sodium brands when possible. (Or at least rinse well before eating.)

Raw almonds. Packed with healthy fats - these nuts contain 129 calories per ounce. They make perfect on-the-go snacks you can keep in your purse, work bag, gym bag, car, etc (AND your pantry).

Dried fruit. Toss dried plums, apricots, and raisins into oatmeal, rice pilafs, and on salads for a dose of filling fiber and antioxidants. Be careful - dried fruit takes up less space than fresh fruit, so pay attention to the serving size. Also, make sure to avoid dried fruits with added sugar.

Easy-to-cook grains. Precooked brown rice needs only a minute in the microwave and quinoa cooks in 15 minutes. Swapping traditional refined grains for these whole grains can help you lead a healthier life!

Nut butter. For the most wholesome option, look for almond, cashew or peanut butter made with only nuts and maybe salt (added sugar and oil isn't necessary for taste or texture). Blend into smoothies, oatmeal, and sauces.

Spaghetti sauce. Bursting with nutrients, use tomato sauce in a pinch to simmer with chicken and mix with whole grains. Be sure to look for no-sugar-added varieties.

Salsa. Spooned over fish, chicken, eggs or steamed veggies, salsa is a less processed alternative to jarred pasta sauce that supplies a ton of flavor for few calories.

Reduced-sodium broth. Whether chicken, vegetable or beef, broth adds loads of flavor for few calories. One tip: cut nearly 120 calories by sautéing veggies in two tablespoons of broth versus one tablespoon of oil.

Spices. Flavor your food for zero calories! Among others, black pepper, turmeric and cinnamon all have fat-blocking potential.

Lentils. With fiber and protein, legumes digest slowly—so you'll stay fuller, longer and won't fall victim to blood sugar spikes and dips that drive hunger. Buy precooked lentils to toss with salads, rice pilafs and soups.

Hot sauce. A low-calorie way to add a hit of spice to dishes. Hot peppers can also temporarily raise your metabolism so you can burn a few extra calories at dinner.

Sea salt. With minimal processing, sea salt packs trace minerals and a crunchier texture. Though both sea salt and table salt contain about the same amount of sodium, when used in moderation (a sprinkle is all you really need) sea salt can punch up the flavor of foods.

What is your go-to quick meal when you're pressed for time?

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The benefits of staying hydrated and a Nalgene product review

7/11/2014

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One of my biggest pieces of advice to anyone who is looking to improve their health and nutrition is to DRINK MORE WATER. Water does amazing things for your body! Sometimes we even confuse thirst for hunger and many people are dehydrated without knowing it. If you feel thirsty at all, you're already pretty dehydrated. To estimate how much water you should be getting, divide your weight in pounds by 2 and drink that many ounces (more if you're working out)! Thank you Taralynn McNitt at Undressed Skeleton for this great post of how to mark your water bottle so that you can check in throughout the day and make sure you’re getting it all in! If you want to add a little flavor to you water, try a squirt of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a few sprigs of fresh mint or a cucumber or orange slice. You can even add a few berries or watermelon. What ever gets you to drink it up!

The benefits of staying hydrated and a Nalgene product reivew

The benefits of staying hydrated - 10 reasons to DRINK MORE WATER!

I like to carry a water bottle around with me, so I always have water on hand - that's why I was so excited when Nalgene reached out to me to try their products.

Nalgene has come a long way since their original shatter proof water bottle. They are now ALL BPA-free and leak proof (and still SUPER durable)! They are dishwasher safe and some are even graduated (so you wouldn't even need to mark your bottle as pictured above - it's already marked for you! They come in a variety of sizes as well as cap shapes, so great for sippers and chuggers! There are even sizes specifically to fit in cup holders and bike cages, so it really doesn't get much more convenient than that! They also have food storage containers (pictured on the far left). They've really thought of it all!

My personal preference is the "on-the-fly" style (pink bottle pictured above) because of it's easy flip-open design. It's great for carrying around and doesn't spill in my gym bag. Take a look a the variety of bottles they have and try one out for yourself! You'll love all the water you're drinking and how you'll feel afterwards!

What's your favorite water bottle?

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FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

6/5/2014

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With summer coming up and some AMAZING deals on Beachbody workout programs, I'm so excited to announce my upcoming Fitness Challenge Group, starting JUNE 23! This Challenge Group is specifically for anyone who wants to start a Shaun T fitness program or add Shaun T workouts to their current routine. If you already own one of Shaun's programs, you can dust that one off and use it, or if you're looking for something new, you can get a brand new program from Beachbody's June promotions or SUMMER SALE (this includes discounts on Insanity, Asylum, Hip Hop Abs and Rockin' Body).

FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

How long is the fitness challenge?

The fitness challenge will last for 21 days, as it takes about this amount of time to form a new habit.

What will participating mean for me?

The challenge will take place in a private Facebook group, where you'll check in daily and post updates about your goals. You can participate by following one of Shaun T's exercise programs or incorporating some of his workouts into your own workout routine.

What will the workouts be like?

The workouts will be at your own pace - even if you're a beginner doing Insanity, you will approach each workout from you own fitness level. I will help anyone come up with modifications, such as low-impact options if necessary.

What sort of nutrition program will I be following?

This group will focus on cleaner eating - we will share recipes and tips for helping you meat your health and fitness goals. You will also have the chance to buy discounted Shakeology for the 21 days (purchase of Shakeology NOT necessary to participate).

How do I sign up?

You can email me with any questions or if you're interested in signing up, OR you can head on over to my Facebook page and send me a message there!

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No-bake oatmeal bars for "on-the-go"

4/22/2014

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One of the biggest life-savers when it comes to sticking with my eating plan is keeping healthy snacks with me at all times. I am often found with pistachios in my purse or cashews in my desk drawer at work. If you always have something with you, you never have to worry about what happens when you get stuck in traffic, get stuck late at work, etc.

Today, I'm sharing with you a recipe for Gooey Shakeology Oatmeal Bars that you can make with Shakeology or whatever protein powder you have in your pantry! These are great to keep for those "on-the-go" moments!

Makes 12 servings in 3 hours, 10 minutes

4 scoops Chocolate Shakeology
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 dash ground cinnamon
1 cup nonfat milk (or milk substitute)
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray

Combine Shakeology, oats, cocoa powder and cinnamon in a large bowl, and mix well. Add milk, peanut butter and vanilla extract, and mix well with a spatula or by hand. Place in an 8x8 inch pan that is coated with spray. Cover with plastic wrap and press down to flatten in pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Cut into 12 bars.

Try to switch it up by using different flavors of protein powder and adding dried fruit, nuts or unsweetened coconut flakes.

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Pistachio crusted halibut

2/26/2014

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One of the reasons I love my TeamBeachbody account is the great recipes they provide. This one sounds so delicious, I just HAD to share it here. ENJOY!

Total Time: 20 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 10 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
1 dash sea salt
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
4 (4-oz.) raw halibut fillets
¼ cup raw, unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. corn meal
1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Combine mustard, lemon peel, salt, and pepper (if desired) in a small bowl; mix well.
Spread mustard mixture evenly on top side of each halibut fillet. Set aside.
Combine pistachios, corn meal, and parsley in a medium bowl; mix well.
Press pistachio mixture evenly into top side of each halibut fillet.
Place halibut in baking dish, pistachio side up. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until halibut flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 158
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 56 mg
Sodium: 329 mg
Carbohydrate: 5 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 23 g

P90X/P90X2 Portions (per serving)
½ carbohydrate/grain
1 dairy
1 vegetable

P90X3 Portions (per serving)
1½ carbohydrate
½ protein
2 fats

Body Beast Portions (per serving)
1 starch
2 vegetables
2 fats
1 protein