I’m pretty sure the name sums up the deliciousness that can be expected when you make Coconut Oil Oatmeal a breakfast staple. Stir in your protein powder, shake it up on the side, or eat with your egg white allotment and enjoy!
Remember that breakfast should be eaten within 30-45 minutes of waking up and you should have 16 oz of water with it as well!
Combine desired amount of slow cooking oats with water. Cook according to package instructions in microwave or stove-top. Stir in 1/2 – 1 TBSP unrefined coconut oil, cinnamon to taste, and Truvia (or other no calorie sweetener). I also like to cool it down with a bit of cashew milk. Yum Yum!
If you are starting to get bored of CHICKEN, RICE, BROCCOLI AND SWEET POTATO, then mix it up and make some stuffed peppers.
Measure out your meat and rice separately so you stay within your portion control, mix in some onions, tomatoes and seasoning then add it to the peppers. Roast the peppers for about 30 minutes on 375 — yum yum! I was able to squeeze 3.5 ounces of ground turkey and 1/2 cup of rice into each — buy big peppers 😉
I love this protein pancake! It is my go-to for early mornings. I make it the day before (or a few days before) and then microwave for 1 minute and top with 1 TBSP peanut butter and 1.5 TBSP low sugar jam or homemade chia seed strawberry jam.
Pancake:
Whisk together 3/4 cup egg whites with 1 scoop of Super Seed Beyond Fiber. Add in 1 TBSP chia seeds or 1/4 cup oats for additional carb requirements. Heat frying pan over medium heat and coat generously with cooking spray. Pour in batter and wait to flip until mostly set up. Wrap in tinfoil to store in refrigerator or enjoy right away.
Salmon is so wonderful because it’s packed full of omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to help with rheumatoid arthritis, depression, asthma, dementia, and baby development! Here’s an easy preparation:
Combine 2 TBSP dijon mustard, 1 TBSP lemon juice, chopped fresh dill, and fresh ground pepper. Lay salmon filet on tinfoil lined baking sheet and spread the lemon/dill mixture evenly on top. Broil on HIGH for 10-15 minutes and pair with your favorite vegetables and/or rice.
Hello ladies and thanks for checking in to see my latest post. We are all so busy – morning, noon and night! There is never a time of day when I think I wish I had something to do. As a part-time personal trainer and indoor cycle instructor and full-time mommy to Liv and wife to Justin there are countless things that I need to (have to) do everyday. So how to find time for healthy eating and exercise?? Time management of course, and it is a skill I learned in college that should never be underestimated as it truly is the difference between happy Steph and stressed Steph.
Here’s how I start just about every day…thinking about my list of must do’s, should do’s, and it would be nice to do’s! I usually get it written in my notebook by the time I’ve finished my coffee. If it’s not concrete somewhere then it’s hard for me to remember and get it all done. My husband likes to use his phone and that’s great too; me personally.. I need it where I can scratch it off!
Prioritize the important items you must get done and make sure YOUR WORKOUT and healthy food preparation is a priority. Also, work hard to set yourself up for success. While I’d rather relax and play with my family ALL weekend, I take time (time management) on Sunday to prepare food for the beginning of the week and then I do the same thing on Wednesday night to hold us over through the week. You could do it all on Sunday but we like the taste of fresh food so I do it twice a week.
FOOD PREP: On Sunday’s, I go to the stores (Publix and Sam’s Club) in the morning and spend about two hours making enough vegetables, meat, and grains to last through Wednesday. It’s simple cooking that doesn’t take a lot of effort or time but the key is to get it done ahead of time. I also prepare Liv’s food so I can feed her on demand without having to make it each meal. On Wednesday’s I make more meat, veg, and grains to finish out the week. On the weekend’s we enjoy tasty food and reset for the week. That’s all there is to it. Make your grocery list, do the shopping, prepare the food in bulk, and enjoy the healthy eating you deserve. Time Management: When it’s all done ahead of time you don’t have to feel stressed, disappointed, and guilty when you CAN’T eat healthy. You CAN and you deserve to have the great feeling that healthy eating provides!
The other important items you must do need to make it on the list so you can feel good about life. A healthy wife is a happy life so set yourself up right and don’t be afraid to delegate chores to your hubby/kids. They don’t mean to NOT help, they just don’t think of the things that need to get done like you do. You will be so much happier when your house is clean, the dishes done, laundry folded and put away, and healthy food is cooked and ready to be eaten in your refrigerator. Then it seems nothing will be standing in your way of a trip to the gym to get your workout on — and again, another thing that will make you FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOU!
You’re probably noticing the trend, do the things that need to get done so you can be healthy and happiness will be a direct result to that healthiness. Make your lists, check them twice, delegate chores, and you’re on your way to a healthier and happier you!
Hi Ladies! Thanks for laying your eyes on my article series: Healthy Wife…Happy Life. I hope to inspire, educate, entertain, and most of all relate to each of you. I picture an ongoing series of healthful (and helpful) short articles to set you on your way to being the best you. And so you ask, who is this lady and why should I take advice from her? I’m Stephanie Check, a 28 (soon to be 29) year old mother of 5 month old Liv, wife of 28 (soon to be 29) year old Justin, personal trainer, business owner, and above all else a healthy and happy woman.
Justin, Stephanie & Liv Check
How did I reach health and happiness to such a level that I feel compelled to share it with the world? I’d say it’s simple, fast and easy but it’s not really. It’s taken me many years to achieve the level of health and happiness that I have now and I can tell you its mental, physical, spiritual, and difficult – you thought I was going to list some other “al” ending word but I threw in difficult. Why? Because I think we all deserve the right to remind ourselves that wherever we start, in our minds, it may be challenging, hard, impossible to not just dream of the BEST YOU but to actually realize that dream.
In a brief nutshell (which I plan to stretch into several articles with recipes, tips, workouts, advice, etc) a healthy you is a happy you. Why? When you’re healthy, you feel good (inside and out). You don’t dread looking in the mirror, trying on a bathing suit, having your husband undress you with the lights on…nope, you start looking forward to these things. Not to mention when you feel good about the outside a likely coinciding fact has taken place with making your insides healthier too. Yep, you can chase after the kiddos, join your incredibly fit girlfriend for a jog and ACTUALLY be able to keep up, and your sex life – no need to ask – it will be worth it!
So let’s end this first article with a question and because I like to answer questions, a few answers! Q: What do you think about when you are alone with your thoughts? Just thoughts about you, not the kids and husband… Do you think about losing weight, toning up, loving your co-workers but hating your job, what you should have eaten instead of what you ate for breakfast, lunch, etc? A: These are pretty normal thoughts for us gals and I’d challenge you to find anyone of us who hasn’t had everyone of those thoughts sometime in our lives. They are largely NEGS though – negative thoughts about yourself and when you have NEGS often they start to really impact your happiness.
Start paying attention to your thoughts regarding YOU. If you find the NEGS creeping into the majority of your thoughts, stay tuned and come back often. What would tickle me pink is for every woman in this world to find the strength, confidence and happiness that I have and I’d love the chance to share my “carrie-isms” with you — that’s a Sex and The City reference just in case any men ignored the title of this article and are reading along (I’d put a winky face here if that wasn’t bad blogging form)!
Until next time then…FOCUS and figure out what NEGS are ruling your mind so we can start eliminating those nasty pests one by one.
Can’t get enough? Here are my tips for having the healthy and happy life you deserve:
Have you ever heard that your diet determines 80% of your fitness results? Are you busting your butt every week in the gym and not seeing significant changes in your physique? Then you are in need of meal planning! My name is Justin Check, NSCA certified personal trainer and certified fitness nutrition coach. If you’re ready to start eating for function and obtain your best physique possible, then Check Total Health’s meal planning service is your answer!
Our meal plans are custom designed to your body type, schedule, taste preferences, and of course fitness goals. We use these key elements along with the USDA’s recommendations to build a plan for you that balances your calories and macros appropriately throughout the day. Your meal plan package includes a body composition analysis, a macro summary/breakdown for all your meals, numerous macro options with your portion sizes for each meal (so you don’t have to eat the same things over and over again), and a guide sheet on appropriate cooking/prepping options for all your food items…after all, variety is the spice of life!
Meal planning is a process, so plans are typically reviewed and revised every 2-3 weeks depending on results. Weight check-ins are done 2x/week, once on Monday evenings after your final meal of the day (upper range) and once first thing on Friday mornings before you eat or drink anything (lower range). This not only helps to with accountability, but also helps to determine weight fluctuations from your current plan. Nutrition coaching is given throughout the process along with unlimited revisions to your plan until you reach your weight/physique goal.
Have questions about the meal planning process, or are you ready to get started on your new physique? You can email me with your questions or to request a meal plan form and get started! You only get one body…make it a healthy, strong, energetic, fit one!
Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
justin@check-yourself.com - questions? or request meal plan form
www.check-yourself.com
“I want to lose weight by eating nothing but moon pies, which have significantly less gravity than earthier foods such as fruits and vegetables” – Jarod Kintz
“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons” – Alfred Newman
A couple of funny quotes that exemplify very well the general mindset and view most people have of food today. For many, what they’re going to eat on a daily basis is an afterthought or not even a thought at all! The result is 2/3 of adult Americans are overweight, of which over half are obese. Heart disease, COPD, and diabetes are at an all-time high, as well as certain cancers. The solution is very simple people…start eating properly!
The eating habits of most people today have gotten so bad that in many cases they can usually see and feel great results just by changing a few simple things about their eating habits. Here’s the top 3 detrimental eating mistakes you’re probably making that are hindering your potential for fat loss.
Not Balancing Calories Properly- Overeating is obviously the biggest contributor to weight gain. A common mistake people make is thinking that eating 2,000 calories/day over 2-3 meals is the same as eating 2,000 calories/day over 5-6 meals. At the end of the day your net calories are the same; however, the impact on your body is very different. Your body can only metabolize/require so many calories/macros at any given time, so any excess calories/macros taken in at that moment will go straight to fat cells. On top of that, when you go more than 2-3 hours without eating you drastically decrease your metabolism because of the thermic effect of food. The easiest way to avoid this is by balancing your calories evenly across all your meals. First determine how many meals you’re feasibly able to eat in a day and then divide your total calories evenly across them (2,000 calories / 6 meals = 333 calories/meal). This will not only ensure that you’re never overeating and sending calories to fat cells, but also that you’re maximizing the thermic effect of food and keeping your metabolism up throughout the day. Humans are meant to be grazers…after all we used to be hunter/gatherers. Try to eat as many small meals/day as you can (5+ recommended)…I eat 7-8 meals/day!
*Tip: wholesome, non-processed food items are typically much lower in calories per serving than processed food items, so you get to eat a lot more without the calories adding up quickly!
Not Controlling Carbohydrate Intake- Our bodies are programmed to run on carbohydrates, which makes them crucial for proper mental health and physical performance. The more active you are, the more carbohydrates your body will require to perform and recover properly. Unfortunately, carbohydrates can also very easily contribute to fat cell growth if you’re not a physically active person. In general, if you’re the average sedentary American who does not exercise regularly then your carbohydrate requirements will more than likely be very low. The problem is we live in a time where people are not only becoming more sedentary, but also consuming much more higher glycemic food items (sugary beverages, refined grains, candy/sweets/baked goods, etc…). These types of food items are like “high octane” fuel to the body, which would only be beneficial in restricted amounts to high performing athletes. The best thing you can do is to eat lower glycemic carbohydrate sources (whole grains- old fashioned oats, brown rice/quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc…) in moderate amounts when you’re the most active and then restrict or even eliminate carbohydrates all together when you’re not being active/exercising.
*Tip: sugar is the enemy to sedentary/overweight people who want to lose body fat. Watch this documentarysometime to learn why!
Not Keeping a Food Log/Diary- How can you control your food intake if you’re not keeping a food log? I’ve been following various meal plans for a long time and I still to this day track my intake almost every day even though I know exactly what I’m going to eat. There’s something about seeing what you consume every day in plain black and white that not only brings a sense of accountability, but also helps you to make adjustments in the future to get your desired results. My favorite food log to use is called MyFitnessPal. It’s very user friendly, easy to navigate, and best of all it’s free! When you fill out your profile it will roughly determine for you how many calories you should be eating/day to reach your weight/body composition goals. As long as you log everything you eat/drink and stay under your allotted calories for the day you’ll see results. It’s also a great tool for ensuring you’re balancing your calories properly across your meals and controlling your carbohydrate/sugar intake.
*Tip: follow a strict eating plan every week by logging your food, but make sure to allow yourself 1-2 “cheat” meals a week so you don’t get unmotivated or burned out! You’ll find that after eating properly all week you won’t be able to eat a large, unhealthy meal without feeling blah afterwards!
We live in a time where the “high octane” food items are plentiful and shoved in our face everywhere we go. Don’t make the mistake of not putting some thought and effort into what you’re going to be eating throughout the day. There is no secret or magical pill to maintaining a healthy weight and low body fat percentage, but a good start is to follow my recommendations above and not make these common eating mistakes that are detrimental to your results.
Have a question or comment regarding this article? Feel free to contact me directly if you need help with fitness meal planning and nutrition coaching.
Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com
Most people know that processed food items aren’t good for them, yet most American’s diet consists primarily of processed food items. Is it a lack of education or just a lack of concern? For the uneducated, I’m going to go over the 4 most common things found in processed foods that contribute to diabetes and heart disease…both of which are a growing epidemic in our country. I’ll also briefly talk about why you should avoid such foods and what to look for in the list of ingredients and nutrition label to make better food choices.
“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” ~Alfred E. Newman
The 4 Big Offenders to Your Health
Trans Fats– Trans fats are used in processed foods as a cheaper alternative to butter, lard and coconut oil (saturated fats). You’ll find them in most baked goods, crackers, chips, microwave popcorn and fast foods. Trans fats wreak havoc on your arteries by increasing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and decreasing “good” HDL cholesterol levels. And unlike saturated fats, trans fats also increase your levels of artery clogging triglycerides, which are estimated to cause 30,000-100,000 premature heart disease deaths in America every year. Check the ingredients list for “partially, fractionated, or hydrogenated” oil. These are synonyms for trans fat.
Refined Grains – Food items containing refined grains include white bread, dinner rolls, sugary low-fiber cereal, baked goods, and white pasta. Choosing refined grains over whole grains can increase your risk for heart attack by 30% and also increase your risk for developing diabetes and high blood pressure. Check the ingredients list on grain products before making your purchase. Better grain choices will have these ingredients listed first: whole wheat, whole grain, or oats. The fiber content should be at least 3g per serving. Avoid food items that list flour as the dominant ingredient…even if its whole wheat flour. Once the grain has been broken down and processed into flour it has lost the health benefits that fiber offers.
Sodium (Salt) – High amounts of sodium are hidden in most of the processed food items you eat. It’s used to increase shelf life (as it is a natural preservative) and also to enhance flavor. Sodium is essential to the body to maintain and regulate numerous metabolic processes; however, only in very small amounts. The average American consumes 3x the amount of the USDA’s recommended daily intake for sodium of 1,500 milligrams. Look at the nutrition label on food items for the sodium content and check the % of your daily value that it contains. If it’s more than 25%, put it back!
High-Fructose Corn Syrup – Another chemically modified compound created to be used as a cheaper substitution for traditional sweeteners. Not only does it cost less to make than other sweeteners, but it’s also 10x sweeter. It’s used primarily in sweet beverages, but can also be found in many baked goods and frozen foods. Research suggests that this liquid sweetener interferes with numerous normal metabolic processes, and raises your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Look for the words “corn sweetener, corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup.” If it’s listed high up on the ingredients list…put it back!
Make better food choices by reading the nutrition/ingredients label on all the food items you buy and avoid any that contain high amounts of the above mentioned ingredients. By choosing non-processed or minimally processed food items, you can greatly reduce your risk for many of the leading self-inflicted, killer diseases in America and have a much easier time maintaining a healthy weight.
Be sure to check in regularly to the NO B.S. FITNESS blog for free articles on fitness topics that truly make the difference. Feel free to post any questions/comments you have on the blog forum or on my Facebook business page wall- Check Total Health for a discussion.
“ALCOHOL SUPPLIES WHAT NUTRITIONISTS OFTEN REFER TO AS EMPTY CALORIES: CALORIES WITHOUT NUTRITION.”
We’re getting into the holiday season which means more gatherings and more drinking. Drinking alcohol has been a socially accepted recreation and the focus of parties since the paleolithic era (yes- even cave men got drunk.) Drinking is a hot topic up for speculation in the fitness world and a question I get hopefully asked about by my clients all the time…what about alcohol?
I enjoy drinking just as much as the next person, but I can tell you if you’re serious about getting in shape and as fit as possible then there’s no room for alcohol in your meal plan. There’s a long list of it’s negative effects on the body and performance which is why I limit it as much as possible and I suggest you do the same…here’s why.
1. Calories that take priority and offer no nutritional benefits- You have your three main macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats…but there’s technically one more- alcohol. What sets alcohol apart is as soon as you begin to consume alcohol it takes precedence in your body to be metabolized and excreted which means fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism shuts down temporarily. When this happens you can guarantee that any of these macronutrient pools in your body will be considered excess and sent to fat cells. Furthermore, alcohol has 7Kcals/g which is almost double carbohydrates and protein at 4Kcals/g…not to mention the sugary mixers we typically use for our cocktails which is a very bad combination (alcohol + sugar = calories to fat stores.) Bottom line is if you’re trying to lose body fat alcohol will quickly add up unwanted calories that offer you no nutritional benefits and more than likely go to fat cells.
“DRINK ALCOHOL WITH A LOWER CALORIC VALUE, AND A HIGHER ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE (LIKE WINE FOR EXAMPLE). LESS WILL BE CONSUMED, MEANING LOWER OVERALL CALORIE CONSUMPTION.”
2. Alcohol influences the production and effectiveness of certain hormones- Alcohol is one of the few compounds that can easily penetrate cell membrane walls, which is why it’s absorbed almost instantaneously in the stomach. This means that once it’s present in the blood it even penetrates through fat soluble compounds, such as hormones. While the body is trying to metabolize the alcohol present it temporarily must shut down all the major organs/glands of the endocrine system (liver, pancreas, bladder, thyroid, etc…) These organs/glands produce all the good hormones (testosterone, TSH, HGH, etc…) that breakdown fats and carbohydrates and also stimulate protein synthesis for muscle repair and growth.
“LOWERED TESTOSTERONE MEANS FEWER MUSCLE GAINS, AND LESS MUSCLE MEANS A LOWERED METABOLIC RATE.”
3. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and effects performance the next day- I’m not saying that if you drink you’re going to be lazy and make terrible decisions that ruin your life, but people do tend to make terrible eating choices when they’re drinking. Combine the gross feeling of pigging out the night before with the lowered inhibition that comes with the hangover the next day and your workout is certainly going to suffer.
“THOSE DRINKING MIGHT ALSO EAT MORE OF THE WRONG KINDS OF FOOD, WITHOUT THINKING OF THE CONSEQUENCES.”
The conclusion is that there’s no benefits to drinking alcohol, so you must try to limit it as much as possible if you’re trying to get or stay fit and in shape. The key is always moderation and make better choices when you’re drinking by choosing lower calorie alcoholic beverages with 0 calorie mixers. Red wine, light beer, and clear spirits with diet soda or club soda are going to be your better choices. If you follow those guidelines and make good eating choices when you do drink then your physique shouldn’t be to negatively affected.
Have a question or comment regarding this article? Feel free to post your comments/questions on the NO B.S. FITNESS blog forum for a discussion or on my Facebook business page- Check Total Health to get answers to your fitness questions.
