We're back!

Summertime is winding down, and that means that our break is over and we're back to blogging! We had a super fun summer filled with friends, family and FUN! Here are a few snapshots:

When Labor Day weekend rolls around each year it signals a time for transition.  For those of us with kids it means back to school.  For others it may mean vacations, bbq's, or fun on the water are coming to an end for another year.  Whatever your transition is, the upcoming Fall season tends to funnel us into a lifestyle based more on routine than the care free summer days. 

For many of us, the same mentality applies to our health, and Fall can become a complex and emotional fork in the road.  Many people work their tails off all spring to get their summer beach body, and then spend the fall and winter resigned to the idea that its now okay to let down their guard and add a "winter layer".  Others will spend the entire summer just trying to maintain their health through camping trips, bbq's, ball games and other great summer activities and view this time of year as a time to "get the diet in check" and get down to business.  

Whatever your specific issues are, Ryan and I are here to help you create LASTING health for a lifetime.  We will help you remove the ups and downs of seasonal dieting from the equation and empower you to set yourself on the path to optimal health.  Together we can make healthy living your new routine! :) 

And now for a Delicious lean and green/healthy living recipe-

Crockpot Salsa Sour Cream Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 6oz each)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup salsa
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions:
Put chicken in crockpot, sprinkle with taco seasoning and top with salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken. Place the cornstarch in a small amount of water and stir well. Add cornstarch to chicken mixture and then stir in sour cream.

Serve on a bed of lettuce with olives and tomatoes for people on Program...make pulled chicken sandwiches or tacos too!

Serves 4

Really yummy, and fast to prepare. Try it tonight!

We hope you all have a safe and Fun Labor day weekend!

Ryan and Ashley
www.fitforgood.tsfl.com

Weel 17

Happy first day of Summer! We hope you all had a wonderful fathers day! Here is a picture of my 2 favorite boys. I'm so glad that Gunnar has a father that can instill healthy habits into his life at a young age, and walk along side me on this journey to optimal health. We love you!

We've finally been able to get out and BBQ, which really expands our Lean and green options! We've got some tasty recipes for you down below that we hope you enjoy.

Ryan and Thea took sometime this week to have a healthy habits webinar, and if you haven't listened in on one of these yet, now is the time! If you already have heard one of these, listen again. It's a good tool to keep you motivated and on purpose. Or if someone you love needs health in their life,  listen with them, or send them the link. We would love to help those that you love get healthy and happy! =)
Click on this link below:
http://anymeeting.com/fitforgood/E151D78784

OK, on to some recipes.

We did Chicken kabobs, with veggies that were really tasty, and easy! I found a Walden farms sugar free BBQ sauce that tastes good, and used that in place of regular.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
•  small mushrooms, cut into wedges
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• skewers

Directions

1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. Thread the chicken, green bell pepper, mushrooms, and red bell pepper pieces onto skewers alternately.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place kabobs on the prepared grill, and brush with barbecue sauce. Cook, turning and brushing with barbecue sauce frequently, for 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

I had a simple salad on the side, and it was a nice dinner ( and easy clean up!)

Meal replacement:

Raspberry Cream Shake-

1 packet vanilla shake
6-8 ounces of cold water
3-4 ice cubes
1/2 tsp Raspberry crystal light (dry powder mix)

Blend for 15-20 seconds, or until all ice is crushed and enjoy!

Have a good week!

Week 16

Well, these last few weeks have been crazy busy, but we are finally moved in and unpacked! For the most part we have been sticking to the basics, lean and green wise, but I do have a yummy portabello mushroom recipe that you have to try- its to die for!

Summer finally graced us with its presence this weekend and it was wonderful. Many of our clients have been telling us how happy they are to be wearing swimsuits and shorts insted of feeling self concious about how they look. We love hearing things like this from our clients. Ryan and I are committed to helping people achieve the trilogy of health: healthy body-healthy mind-healthy finances. We have such a great tool to help create health for those that desire it- lets us know if you want to hear more about it.

On to some recipes-

For these, I bought the portobello mushroom caps that are already cut out and ready to be filled at safeway. If you can't find those, just de-stem and you are good to go. I also added in some minced spinach leaves into mine.
These were delish with a side salad. Give them a try!

Spicy Turkey Sausage 1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey Breast
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon Sage
1/2 Tablespoon Thyme
1/4 Tablespoon Allspice
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper (less if you don't like hot and spicy)
1/2 Tablespoon Black Pepper


For the mushrooms:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using your hands, lightly rub each portabello mushroom with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and set on a cookie sheet. Spoon in the spicy sausage and bake until golden brown on top and the mushrooms are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Makes 2 lean and greens. (make sure to add in a side salad for the rest of your "green" portion)

Meal replacement of the week-


Rasberry Chocolatechip bread.

1 packet Chocolate Chip Pancakes
1 TB Sugar Free Raspberry Syrup
3 TB Water
2 TB Egg Beaters
1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Preheat your sandwich maker. Mix together all the ingredients. Spray Sandwich Maker with Pam. Pour in mix and cook for 3 minutes.  Enjoy :)

This counts as 1 Medifast meal, and 1/16 lean.

Have a good week everyone!

Week 15

No blog this week due to our move :( But this means that next weeks will be extra good!

Week 14

Wow- Week 14 is here, and we are still going strong. We've been sticking to our workouts at the gym, and have decided that soon we are going to start the insanity workout (wish us luck!) Ryan and I are in the middle of a move, so we have been eating lean and greens that are fast and easy. My favorite one from this week is a delsih Teriyaki chicken dinner that you can make ahead and throw on the grill!

Our clients have had some awesome successes these last few weeks, and we are so happy that we get to help them along on their journey to optimal health! It's never to late to make that decision to get healthy. Maybe you don't even need to lose weight, but want to feel better, have more energy, or just learn better eating habits. We would love to help you along the way! Just take a few minutes and fill this out : http://fitforgood.tsfl.com/?page=client-profile . You wont regret it!

Ok and now on to the good stuff =)


Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Ingredients
2- 6 oz. chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup cauliflower
1 1/2 cup broccoli
Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Blend the marinade. Cut chicken breasts into bite sized chucks. Marinade chicken  at least 4 hours, or overnight. skewer and grill the chicken and steam veggies until desired softness.
Makes 2 full lean and greens!

This is a great article that I took from www.tsflsupportinmotion.com . *side note* This is a awesome website that you can use to track your meals water intake. You don't have to be on program to use it- Check it out.
A lot of people ask me about Medifast, if it is healthy, and how it stacks up against eating organic. This article explains it well! It's a little lengthy but definitely worth reading.



Medifast & Organic

If you’ve been reading and hearing a lot about organic foods, you may be wondering where Medifast Meals fit in with your healthy eating plan. Medifast Meals are not organic - does that mean they’re not healthy? Will eating organic make you lose more weight? Read on for some clarity on the issue. First things first Compared to the health risks of eating non-organic foods, the risks of obesity are far more serious. Going organic is a great way to fine-tune your meal plan once you’re at a healthy weight, but getting to that healthy weight should be your priority. Plus, if you’re eating organic food while you’re still overweight you may be wasting your money: If you are obese, the metabolic and oxidative stress on your body is likely to counteract any benefit you’ll get from eating organic foods. Healthy Medifast Meals Although Medifast Meals are not organic, the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan is the perfect prescription for safe weight loss. And the fast results mean that you will spend less time and money reaching your weight-loss goal. A lot of the "processing" that goes into Medifast Meals is to your advantage. Fortifying them with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber is what makes them so nutritious and so filling, and ensures that you get the same “nutritional footprint” in every Medifast Meal, whatever form or flavor you choose. Medifast Meals are manufactured to save you hours in the kitchen preparing and packaging healthy meals in appropriate portions. And, of course, while you’re on the 5 & 1 Plan, you’re retraining your body and your appetite to crave healthy fuel in normal portions. You can always look for and choose organic produce and lean proteins for your Lean & Green Meal. What a doctor says Mark Nelson, M.D., a New York cardiologist and Take Shape For Life Certified Health Coach, has this to say about Medifast Meals: "These are the healthiest meal replacements in the United States. There is simply no question about that. They are balanced carbohydrate and soy [protein], and soy is one of the healthiest proteins there is. "[They are] anti-inflammatory. There are enough vitamins and minerals for everyone. They are portion-controlled; they are pharmaceutical grade. These meals are not made by food giants; they are made by an independent manufacturing facility - the Medifast facility - that is FDA-inspected." It’s helpful to remember that being overweight or obese is a medical issue that can become serious if left unmanaged. Medifast is the perfect nutritional prescription for fast weight loss. Because Medifast works so quickly, you can reach your goal faster than you can with other weight-loss plans. Once you reach your healthy weight goal and resume eating a wider selection of vegetables, fruits, dairy, and whole grains, you can benefit from organic choices as part of your ongoing healthy meal plan.

Have a good week everyone!!

Week 13

Well, Its mid-May already and summer is really knockin' at our door now! This week we've got a great fajita lean and green recipe that we had for dinner last night and it was fantastic!

If you're new to the blog, or have been reading for a while you know my husband Ryan and I are trying to get America healthy one person at a time.  Maybe you're happy with your current weight, but you know your eating habits aren't great.  Perhaps you need to lose 100 lbs or more.  It really doesn't matter where you are now.  All that matters is where you would like to be.  When you make the choice to bring health into your life, our job is to help you make it happen safely and effectively.  If you've thought about getting more info on what we do but haven't pulled the trigger yet, go here: http://fitforgood.tsfl.com/?page=client-profile and answer a few questions.  You will thank yourself for taking the first step toward optimal health! 

Now on to this week's recipe....


Turkey Fajitas

Ingredients

• 6 oz cooked, lean ground turkey
• 3 slices green pepper
• 3 slices yellow pepper
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
• Three large leaves of lettuce
• 1 tsp low calorie salad dressing spray

 

Brown the ground turkey, and saute peppers. Place the three large leaves of lettuce onto a cutting board. Put 1/3 of the ingredients onto each lettuce leaf. Spray with dressing. Wrap lettuce around the ingredients and eat like a burrito!
Makes one Lean and Green serving :)

(This is Ryans serving = no mushrooms :)

Enjoy the sunshine this week!! :)

Week 12

First off- Happy Mothers day to all you other moms out there!! Us moms do so much, its nice to have a day that is just about us- we deserve it! And of course, here is a flash back of my pride and joy :)

Ok- Now to get to the good stuff!! We are 12 weeks in..  And it's flown by! We are one week down on our "blitz" as i've been calling it, and seeing our hard week pay off!  It's been an awesome few weeks for all of our clients as well. We love nothing more than hearing " The weight is just falling off" or " I feel better than I have in years!" We know personally how this program can change lives, and it is so fullfilling knowing that we are hepling others realize it as well. I've had to rack my brain on some new and fresh Lean and Green recipies, and decided to try one that i've heard about, but been scared to try :) So here it is...

Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce~

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground turkey (at least 93% Lean)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp fennel seeds

Mrs. Dash italian seasoning to taste

1/2 cup Walden Farms Marinara Sauce

3 cups or cooked spaghetti squash

Directions:

Combine ground turkey & spices in a medium skillet. Brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once browned, drain the fat and return the cook meat mixture back to skillet. Add the marinara sauce and stir until well. Serve over spaghetti squash.

Servings: 2 Complete Lean and Green Meals with 3 condiments.

If you were like me and had no idea how to cook spaghetti squash- Here is a crash course.

Start off by poking 8 to 10 holes on each side (front and back) of the spaghetti squash. (I found that the easiest way to do this is by using a metal skewer and just jabbing that thing in there.)  Place the squash on a mico safe plate and micowave on high for 4 minutes.Turn squash over and microwave for another 4 minutes. If needed, turn the squash over and cook for 4 more minutes.  A large squash will take about 12 to 14 min to cook while a small squash will take about 8 to 10 min. It is done when you can stick  a fork in it. It should be tender and not mushy. Slice that thing in half and scoop out the seeds and middle strands out with a fork. Next, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork all the way to the skin. Get all that good stuff out of there. Serve with your Meat sauce on top, and enjoy!

Okay.. Im so excited about this meal replacement!! I can't believe that I have been missing out on these little nuggets this whole time!!

Tomato soup sandwiches

First off- If you don't have one, go to target and pick up this sandwich maker- Its 10 bucks and you will thank me later.

You will need..
1 packet medifast tomato soup
2tbs of salsa (low carb, low sodium)
1/4 C egg beaters

Mix it all up in a bowl it will be slightly thick.
Pam your sandwich maker and pour the soup mixture in.
Let sit for 3-5 minutes.. Unitll it is slightly brown.
Half once slice of low fat, low carb cheese and put on 2 of the 4 pieces of "bread"
Put the top half of the sandwich on and cook untill the cheese is melted
Enjoy!

This counts as one meal replacement, and 1/8 of your lean and green :)
Last but not least, make sure to come out to our healthy habits night on Saturday, May 14th at 6:00.  The event will be at the Tigard Marketplace Starbucks at 13560 sw Pacific hwy in Tigard (in the Bi-mart parking lot).  If you've had questions about the program you've wanted answered, this will be a great opportunity to learn how to begin your own weight loss journey.  If you are already on program, you'll walk away from the event re-energized and happy you came.  For more info, don't hesiate to call 971-340-8348 or email me ashley.ballard27@gmail.com  We hope to see you there!