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!

Week 11

We are 11 weeks into our program and still going strong! Ryan & I have made the decision to kick it up a notch and get back into a good 4&2 routine (4 meal replacements/2 lean & greens) for 2 weeks, and really get after it! Side note- If you are hesitant about getting on program because you don't want to give up your workouts, 4&2 is always an option.  This is an example of how together, we can come up with a program that works for you!
 As we mentioned before, we were in transition- But we're going to hit the gym hard, and do what we do to get maximum results! :) Since we are going back into strict lean and green mode, im going to share what we plan on having this coming week, rather than what we had.



Portabella Mushroom And Buffalo Steak Stir-fry

1C  Portabella mushrooms chopped into bite sized pieces
1C Broccoli crowns cut up into small chunks
1C Red or green bell pepper cut into strips
14 oz (1lb) Buffalo steak cut into strips about a quarter inch thick
Hot sauce to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Two teaspoons of olive oil
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the broccoli crowns first until tender, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium high heat while constantly stirring. Cook until the meat is done to your liking.
Add more hot sauce to your taste. Makes 2 full lean and green meals.

This sounds so good!! You can add any kind of veg you like-these are just my favorites!

Meal replacement

I don't think that I have shared this one yet, but this is one of my favorites =)

Rootbeer Float

1 packet Medifast French Vanilla shake

1/2 cup diet root beer soda

1/2 cup ice

Pour ingredients in blender and mix until smooth.


Let this weekend's sunshine serve as a reminder, summer is just around the corner.  If your health is not where you would have liked it to be at this point in the year, remember, there is time to make significant strides in lowering your body weight before the summer months arrive.  Take control of your health today and get in touch with Ryan or myself! Enjoy your week :)