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Transformation Fitness & Wellness

Meal Planning Made Easy – for the Busy Person

Let’s make eating well – for you and your family – as easy as possible. Simplify, simplify…

You probably already know the best things to do in order to make eating right as easy as possible:

● Shop on the edges of the grocery store, where all the one-ingredient foods are (not the center aisles with the pre-packaged, ingredients-you-can-hardly-pronounce foods)

● Eat mostly real food, less processed if at all possible

● Don’t keep foods in the house that are generally less healthy for you (eg, potato chips, candy, etc.)

● DO keep easy-to-grab healthy snacks in the refrigerator

● Buy pre-cut fruits and veggies if you know that’s the only way you’ll find/make time to prepare them

● Keep your “healthy staple foods” fully stocked like: quinoa, brown rice, frozen vegetables, healthy meats and eggs, olive oil, tasty spices, apples, lemons, whole wheat wraps…

● Prepare extra portions of healthy meals, so they are easy to grab-and-go on busy days

Now here are a few simple recipes you can try to simplify even more. They are great for either lunch or dinner on the go.

Burrito bowl

Set out at least 4 lunch containers and put the following in each:

● Brown and season turkey taco meat

● Add some chopped onion

● Add salsa and sliced cherry tomatoes

● Add a couple spoonfuls of corn

Set aside a separate container for guacamole if you can bring it fresh each day

DIY Pizza Lunchables 

Set out at least 4 lunch containers and put the following in each:

● Slice up whole wheat pita into smaller hand-held pieces.

● Put small containers of margherita sauce in each lunch container

● Include a small container of low-fat mozzarella cheese

● Slice up your favorite pizza toppers – like onions or mushrooms – and include those in the container

Just sprinkle the cheese and toppers into the margherita sauce, then dip the pita in to scoop it out. Include some easy fruit like grapes or cherries, and maybe a handful of almonds for a balanced meal.

Overnight Oatmeal

This is becoming more popular for a quick breakfast. You may need to adjust the ingredients so you get the texture you prefer. Put the ingredients inside a mason jar – or something similar – shake it up, and screw on the top. The oats should be ready for you the next morning!

● ⅔ cup of quick cooking steel-cut oats

● ⅔ cup of 2% cottage cheese

● 1 cup of low-fat milk or almond milk

● 1 T chia seeds

● ¼ t vanilla extract

● Pinch of salt

You can also experiment with other optional additions: mashed banana; a little cocoa powder; peanut or almond butter; blueberries; etc.

Quiche bites 

These little “muffins” don’t take long to prepare, but are full of protein and very tasty!

● Preheat oven to 350

● Crack 6 eggs into a bowl and beat till mixed (you can substitute 3 egg whites instead, if you prefer)

● Dice your favorite veggies into a small bowl – carrots, peppers, broccoli, etc. – and mix into the beaten eggs

● Add 2 T of almond milk

● Spray muffin tins (either mini muffins, or big muffins)

● Ladle the mix into the cups and bake for 10-12 minutes.

● If you want a little added crunch, put whole-grain cereal on top – like Chex or Cheerios – or cut up Ezekiel bread – and bake for another 2 minutes

I’m sure you can come up with some tasty, easy recipes like this that you and your kids will love, and that will provide you with meals-to-go that are healthy.

Of course, eating right is just 1 part of what makes for a healthy lifestyle. I’d love to have the chance to speak with you about what you’re already doing well – to encourage you and help you keep it up – and see if there are some other simple ways to improve your health and fitness.

Please shoot me a quick message to set up a time to speak with me. I look forward to talking!

Arin

Grilled Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Thighs and Grilled Okra, Zucchini, and Tomatoes


Prep 15m Cook 30m Total 45m

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 lb bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • ¾ lb okra
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
  • ½ pint grape tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Combine rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Squeeze juice from lemon over chicken; sprinkle with rosemary mixture. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill chicken on a grill rack rubbed with oil, covered, 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally. Note: You can bake the chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done.   

Soak bamboo skewers in water 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Toss together okra, zucchini, tomatoes, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Thread okra and zucchini onto double skewers, and tomatoes on single skewers. Grill, covered, 3 minutes per side or until vegetables are tender. Remove vegetables from skewers. Toss together vegetables and basil in a bowl.


Another Fantastic Transformation Challenge is in the Books!

A huge congrats goes out to our 18 participants in our last Transformation Challenge. Everyone did a fantastic job and the group lost over 100 lbs of FAT! Simply amazing!

We do this challenge two times per year and it is hand down one of my favorite things we do.

The challengers were focused for 6-weeks.

In those six weeks they scheduled workouts, planned meals, worked around kids’ schedules, spouse schedules and so much more.

They had life happen in the middle of those six weeks, yet they still persevered.

For most participants it was putting all the things together they knew they needed to do.

Eat Better – having a plan and a backup plan (for most it was eating more of the right things! Or tweaking food just a little as we went along, this is why tracking is so IMPORTANT. We made small adjustments when we did not see results.)

Scheduling workouts – strength and cardio, then giving those workouts a little more effort

Showing up – even when you don’t want to or rescheduling a workout because of a conflict.

Saying they are important and that they deserve this.

Eating better and working out is reasonably the “easy” part (I say this in quotes, its not easy, but for most they know what to do it’s doing it week after week and having some guidance.)

The part that was hard was showing up when you are tired, work deadlines, family obligations. Things will always get in the way, that’s life. If you wait for the perfect time you will never do it. Trust me.

Then deserving the time, the money, the results. If you don’t take care of you, how can you care for others.

Please help me congratulate all of our participants! Everyone did a fantastic job! I would also like to highlight our top three participants who saw the most change relative to their body:

3rd Place received a 60 Minute Massage – Stephanie Lowe (lost 7lbs)

2nd Place received a custom Supplement Package ($200) – Ryan Powell (lost 11lbs)

1st Place received a YEAR Membership of unlimited workouts at TFW – MARLA MOSES (lost 11lbs)

We are very proud of all our participants, you made changes, you were consistent and you all look fabulous! Keep up the awesome work, we are proud of you!

Next Challenge starts in July!

Arin