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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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The BRAND NEW P90 - the "gateway to fitness"

9/15/2014

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It's HERE - get the P90 Challenge Pack for $160 until November 3rd!

Have you ever done P90X??? It is hard!!! Have you ever tried P90X and failed?!?! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Do you want to do P90X but you don't feel like you are at that fitness level just yet? Do you want a stepping stone to build a base level of fitness so that you can tackle something like P90X?

Well, Tony saw the need for a program that was the foundational skills to advancing to a more extreme workout and he created P90! He created it for people who want to be in the best shape of our lives, but need to start at the beginning and build core strength, stability and have correct form! It's about creating a safe and effective starting point for people to introduce fitness into their lives. It's also a great way for people to conquer their fears of strength training and working out.

Who would this program be perfect for?

You don't want a hardcore workout but you want to lose weight.
You want to get back some of the muscle tone you have lost over the years.
You want to just get out of bed in the morning without a backache.
If you are just someone who wants to be in good health, get regular exercise and feel strong then this could be the workout for you.

So what is this program all about?
It's not high intensity, its not pounding your joints. It's literally simple cardio, simple workouts, 25 minutes a day for 90 days to totally and completely transform your body and your life. It's more than just a workout, it comes with a simple nutrition guide that is going to help you clean up your daily food intake and focus on the right foods to fuel your body for health! The moves are modified right from day 1 so that everyone can do the workouts.

So when will it be available?
The expected release date is September 23rd, 2014 through a Team Beachbody coach which is ME!

Who should do P90?
I believe that if you want to change your body, you want to start creating a healthy exercise routine then this is going to be the best way to do it. Tony Horton is an amazing trainer with an entire team behind his workout philosophy that is tried, tested and true. I know he presents amazing fitness programs: P90X, P90X2 and P90X3 and there is nothing short of amazing results from them all!

I know for a fact that this is truly going to be a spectacular workout. There is something out there for everyone! Sometimes we just need a little motivation in order to make it happen!

How Do I Make Sure I Am THE FIRST TO GET IT?!?!
I want to make sure that this doesn't become another fitness program that you invest in that sits on your shelf and collects dust. I want to make sure that when you get the program in the mail, you bust it out, you make a plan and you SUCCEED! My job as a coach is to be your support system, to help you to decipher the meal plan and put a list of foods in place. CLICK HERE to sign up to get more information!

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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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Runtastic Orbit Review - the activity tracker that will get you moving!

8/26/2014

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This Runtastic Orbit review is sponsored by Runtastic and Sweat Pink; I received an Orbit in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

I often get asked from my Challenge Group members, class participants or readers - which fitness tracker is the best? Unfortunately, up until a few weeks ago, I never owned/used a fitness tracker, so I wasn't even sure what they did, let alone which was best. I know that when I set myself a big health and fitness goal, I have to start tracking my workouts and nutrition, but as far as my movement - I never took the plunge. I was always a little curious, especially when it came to tracking my sleep, which was why I was so excited to receive he BRAND NEW Runtastic Orbit to try out!

Runtastic Orbit Review - the activity tracker that will get you moving!

The Runtastic Orbit is a wearable activity, fitness and sleep tracker that can be worn on your wrist like a watch, or as a clip. It tracks movement, sleep and mood (double tap the button when you're happy). It also has a screen where you can view your daily progress and is waterproof up to 100 meters! It displays the time and also will tell you when you're 50% towards your goal, when you haven't been active in 60 minutes and when you've reached your goal. The first time I wore the Orbit, I wore it in the shower because - why not? - it's waterproof! I also hit 50% of my step goal, which causes the device to vibrate, right as the water turned on. For a split second I thought I was getting electrocuted, but rest assured, the Orbit is indeed waterproof! The information collected on the Orbit will sync with the new Runtastic Me app, which you can download to your smartphone.

BUT, perhaps one of the coolest features is that the activity tracker also syncs with all of the other runtastic apps (run, bike, swim, etc.), so it will combine your data into one place. Unfortunately, I am not running or biking right now and never was a swimmer, so I didn't get to use this feature, but how awesome is that?

I decided to wear the Orbit for a week on the wristband and a week on the clip. My weeks are pretty routine, so I thought it would be a good way to compare the two options. On my first day I wore the Orbit, I was happy to see that I was taking well over 10,000 steps without even trying. Just my normal Tuesday routine (walking to and from the train station, to and from the gym and teaching my Bodypump class) clocked in at just over 15,000 steps! On Thursday, when I teach step aerobics, I almost reached 20,000 steps! I think there may have been some over-counting, but it was really exciting to be able to see my daily movement over the week.

Tuesday

Thursday

When it came to looking at my sleep, there were some good days and some bad days. The green represents "deep sleep", the yellow is "light sleep" and the red is "awake". At some point while testing out the Orbit, I started sleeping with a body pillow (hello 30-week baby bump), which restricted my movement while sleeping more, but didn't really facilitate more sleeping, so I think that affected the tracking. I'm not sure exactly how it judges the "efficiency" of your sleep, but I typically fell between 95% and 98%.

When I switched over to the clip, I did notice that it seemed to be more accurately counting steps, but the problem with the clip is I would constantly forget it. I would leave it on the t-shirt I slept in or the pants I wore to work and would miss entire days of tracking. It also once fell off my clothing, hit the floor and reset the device, so I lost all of the data since the last sync. So while wearing the clip might be more accurate for measuring, it wasn't the best wear-method for me.

It was fun for me to track my movement and sleep, and while I don't have any other wearable fitness tracker to compare it to, I was satisfied with the Runtastic Orbit. I can't wait to use it once I start running again! The Runtastic Orbit is available for $120, which is comparable to most wearables on the market and includes 2 color band options (black and blue) along with an easy-to-use USB connection to charge it. Additional color options for the wristband are sold separately: orange/yellow/red and green/white/steel.

Do you currently use a wearable or track your daily fitness?

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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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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 1 Year Blogiversary

6/20/2014

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Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, which is also my 1-year Blogiversary (check out my first blog post ever)! Although my blogging has been a little sporadic lately, I thought I'd update you all on how things are going over here at FitYaf! I first started this blog after running a "100 days till summer" Challenge Group. There were so many great things that came out of the challenge - I wanted a place to share it beyond my group.

What has my fitness been like lately?

When 2014 rolled around, I set myself some fitness goals for the year. I was very happy with everything I achieved in 2013, and was looking forward to what 2014 had in store. I also had some personal (non fitness related goals), and if you follow be on Instagram or Twitter, you might already know that my husband and I are expecting our first child in October of this year! While I planned to be (and to this day still am) very active throughout my whole pregnancy, I quickly decided that maybe this year was not the year for these goals. After talking to my doctor, I got the go ahead to continue exercising (and teaching fitness classes), but as far as pushing myself beyond my current fitness level - I just didn't feel comfortable doing that. I did manage to hit one of those goals about a week before I got pregnant, so I can check off "run a 5k in under 25 minutes".

Once I found out I was pregnant, I was a little scared to keep up with my workouts, specifically running. My running workouts were typically completed in the early hours of the morning, and while I was very lucky in the "morning sickness" department, I still didn't feel great in the mornings. At first I did try to keep up with my "1000 miles in 2014" goal, running 91 miles in January, 84 miles in February and 74 miles in March, but tracking the miles was putting a lot of pressure on me, so I decided to save this goal for 2015. As it turns out, at around 14 weeks, I developed some pelvic pain that has pretty much stopped all running for the time being. I was able to run the Philly Love Run in March, and although I didn't train to hit my "under 1 hour and 50 minutes" goal, I finished the race (came in at about 2 hours and 10 minutes) and felt AMAZING!

Not running has given me more time to try out other workouts, or spend more time doing the workouts I was already doing. I'm spending more time with Insanity (about 2 times/week) and Melissa Bender workouts (about once/week). I've also been able to continue teaching 3 classes/week (boot camp, Bodypump and step aerobics). Sometimes it takes a little extra creativity to motivate the class when my own energy is dragging, but I'm up for the challenge. I'm also BEYOND excited to start Chalene Johnson's BRAND NEW AT HOME PiYo workout program. I just ordered mine yesterday, and I think it's going to be a great way to add some variety to my fitness. PiYo is an amazing workout that previously was only available in select gyms, but now you can order your own at a HUGE discount (while supplies last). This program is a mix between Pilates and Yoga and helps build lean muscle! Think - fast hot yoga but with the air conditioning on and awesome music playing!

So for now, I'm still working out about 6 times/week and loving this whole pregnancy journey. I'm taking it day by day without any expectations. I'm trying my best not to worry about every workout or every pound gained, and I look forward to revisiting my 2014 goals next year!

What have I been blogging about?

Over the past year, my blog posts have covered topics from recipes to healthy habits to workouts and more! Below are my top 5 blog posts:

My readers come from all over the world, but here are the top 5 cities where people love FitYaf:

Philadelphia
New York
Chicago
Minneapolis
Los Angeles

And finally, here are the top 5 blog posts that people find through searching on Google:

What is coming in the future?

In the immediate future, I have two Challenge Groups starting soon: a Shaun T boot camp and a PiYo boot camp. You can email me if you have any questions or if you're interested in joining on of these.

I do have some exciting product reviews, giveaways and recipes, coming your way this summer, and I'm going to be posting some more Fitness Friday Workouts. I'm not signed up for any races, and I don't plan to race again until next year. I look forward to the second half of my pregnancy and of course meeting my baby fitness guru in October!

What do you want to see more of on FitYaf.com? Have you had experience working out through a pregnancy?

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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).