Yogurt Marinated Chicken

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Give your traditional old chicken dinner some spunk with this exciting new marinade. Your taste buds will celebrate over the tender taste of yogurt and garlic with a hint of spice.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 6 bone-in skinless breast halves (6 ounces each)

Instructions

  1. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the first nine ingredients; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill for indirect heat. Drain and discard marinade.
  3. Grill chicken, covered, bone side down over indirect medium heat for 20 minutes. Turn; grill 20 – 30 minutes longer or until juices run clear.
  4. This dish can also be baked in the oven. Place the chicken in a 9×13 pan. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 35 minutes or until juices run clear.

What’s The Big Deal About Exercise Anyway?

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So you’ve slacked off a bit and avoided exercise.

Maybe your job demands too much of your time or you simply fell out of the routine. I have good news for you. Whether you’ve taken off one year, ten years or haven’t exercised a day in your life – it’s never too late to start.

You see there are problems with living a life devoid of exercise.

Big problems.

Your weight rises along with your blood pressure and cholesterol. Your muscles and joints degenerate at an astounding rate leaving you with daily aches and pains. Your body becomes weak, making you susceptible to all kinds of medical issues.

Why Should I Start Now? You’ve heard about the benefits that consistent exercise bring, but what if you haven’t been consistent? Should you even start at all?

This has been the subject of many medical studies and the results are unanimous:  Exercise helps improve your quality of life even if you start late.

Researchers are constantly finding new benefits to consistent exercise. It’s no wonder that Dr. Robert Butler, of the National Institute on Aging, once said “If exercise could be put into a pill, it would be the single most prescribed medicine in the world.” Imagine if a pill could offer all of these benefits (without harmful side effects):

  • Substantially reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis
  • Decreases the risk for stroke, colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure
  • Helps to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
  • Contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints
  • Helps relieve anxiety and depression
  • Promotes well-being and reduces stress
  • Is associated with fewer doctor visits, hospitalizations and medications
  • Helps prevent and treat chronic medical conditions associated with old age
  • Increases energy levels and promotes sound sleep
  • Strengthens immune system

I know that I would take that pill – wouldn’t you? Exercise may not be something that you can gulp down with a glass of water, but it will offer you all of the above benefits that can greatly enhance your quality of life. Excuses, excuses, excuses… I know what you are thinking. Those benefits sound great, but I can’t exercise because:

  • Exercise is painful. Not if you do the type most suitable for you.
  • Exercise is boring. Most people who exercise find it to be quite enjoyable.
  • Exercise takes too long. It only takes 30-60 minutes a day.
  • Exercise is confusing. Not when you work with a trained professional (me).
  • Exercise is for young people. Studies have shown that exercise benefits people of all ages.

Get Started the Right Way. Many people have started an exercise program only to quit days later. Now that you have decided that exercise may be worth your time after all, ensure your success with the following tips:

  • Make a Commitment

You know the meaning and value of a solid commitment. It’s in your blood. So don’t view exercise as something you will merely try. You will only reap the true benefits of exercise when you stick with it. A great way to reinforce your commitment is to solicit the support of your friends and family. Tell them how you plan to improve your health and quality of life through exercise – who knows, they may join you.

  • Set Reachable Goals

This is an immensely important ingredient to your success. Don’t start your exercise program with unreasonable expectations. If you expect to lose all of your unwanted pounds, drop your blood pressure and cure your joint pain all in one week then you will be sorely disappointed.

Remember that it took years for your body to fall out of shape so it makes sense that it will take some time to regain it. The key to unlocking all of the benefits of exercise lies in one word: consistency. Only then will your body be transformed.

  • Rearrange Your Schedule

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This may be because his schedule simply didn’t allow for it. The truth is that as we age there is a tendency to become ‘stuck in our ways.’ The thought of rearranging your schedule may leave you a bit squeamish. Remind yourself that exercise is worth your time and then think long and hard about your daily schedule. The fact is that you do have time to lend toward exercise – you simply need to find it. Your class time at bootcamp is an appointment- keep your appointments.

  • Increase the Challenge

You should start your exercise program with the thought of easing into it. Since you haven’t exercised in awhile your body will need to build up strength and endurance. Consider a car that has been sitting in your garage for years. You wouldn’t turn it on and instantly slam down on the gas would you? You need to warm it up. However, this warm up period should not last forever. Your body has an amazing ability to adapt to new challenges and will grow complacent when asked to do the same exercises over and over. When your routine begins to feel easy take that as a hint to increase the challenge.

I want to help you achieve all of the benefits that consistent exercise can bring you.

To your best Health,

Coach Nancy

Keep The Pies Off The Thighs…Thanksgiving 2010

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We had 46 incredible bootcampers getting trained by your 3 favorite trainers :) at our annual post-Thanksgiving “Keep the Pies off the Thighs” workout!

Thanks to everyone who made it out this morning, and I trust all our bootcamp family will have a great weekend!

Make It Happen!!!

Dean, Nancy, and CJ


Help Me, I’m Frustrated!

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Often times I’m approached by a frustrated person who can’t seem to drop the weight they need to. They tell me that they exercise, they eat healthy, and they drink plenty of water.

“So why can’t  I lose weight?”, they ask.

Not only are they frustrated, but they are getting close to losing hope that they will ever lose the stubborn pounds that plague them.

Do you want to know what I ask them? It is a simple question that usually reveals the problem behind their inability to lose weight.

How often do you eat each day?

The most frequent answer that I get is 2-3 times each day.  Most of us are fooled into thinking that in order to lose weight we should eat as little as possible, this is simply not true.

The problem with going for an extended period without eating is simple: your body thinks you are starving. As a result your metabolism slows to conserve energy and when you do eat usually your portions are larger (because you are hungry for crying out loud!), above your energy requirements. Your body shuttles the excess energy (calories) into storage  - also known as fat.

Want to lose fat? This strategy is a winner!

Eat 4 to 6 small meals a day to easily kick your metabolism into high gear.

Eating smaller meals throughout the day forces your body to burn calories all day long and the results are amazing. When you begin to eat in a “grazing” fashion your body will respond by dropping unwanted pounds.

This is probably not the first time that you have heard this tip – but, if you are like most unsatisfied fitness enthusiasts, then you simply don’t do it.  Why not? As far as weight loss tips go, this is about as easy at they get, so why the resistance? Here are the top 3 excuses reasons that I hear:

1. I don’t have the time

Now you and I both know that, no matter how stressful or demanding your job is, you can still find 5 minutes every few hours for a snack. The issue here is not that you don’t have the time  - it is that you just aren’t making the time. Sure, old habits are hard to break and maybe you have a set time that you like to eat everyday. That is fine – don’t change the usual mealtimes, just add a couple of snacks throughout the day to keep from going hours on end without food, and then eat a little less at your regularly scheduled meals.

2. I tried it and it didn’t work

I simply don’t believe it. While it is in the realm of possibility, it’s not very probable that you followed it consistently (90% of the time) for long enough (at least 2 weeks) to measure results.  The formula is simple: small meals every 4-6 hours. Emphasis on the word small. These aren’t three-course meals.

3. I forget to eat

When you first start eating 4-6 small meals instead of 2-3 there will be a bit of an adjustment time. If your body is used to going hours on end without food, then you may not feel hungry when it is time for your next small meal. The key here is to be as organized as possible. Think ahead and pack small meals so that they are ready to go. With a little effort you will be eating every few hours like clockwork.

Your Fool-Proof Plan:

• Eat small nutritious meals every 3 hours throughout the day. Eat your first meal within 30 minutes of waking.

• Make sure that each meal contains quality protein, fresh colorful produce and water

• Your goal is to eat more often, not more calories each day.

• Keep a food log – write down what you eat when you eat it and take time to review your progress. Fitgoal (click here for an overview) is a tool we have purchased for each Get Fit NH Bootcamp client to use. You have your own account, Use it.

• What should you eat? Fresh fruits, lean protein and bright colorful veggies.

I encourage you to use this powerful weight loss strategy in your own quest for a fit and healthy lifestyle. Better yet, contact me and together we will create a specialized plan for your success. As a Personal Trainer I have been educated and trained specifically in assisting my clients in meeting their fitness and weight loss goals. When you are sick you go to the doctor – so when you have a fitness and weight loss goal you need to visit me – your Personal Trainer. It’s the easiest way to get maximum results in minimum time.

To your best health,

Coach Nancy

Autumn Apple Shake

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I love the tastes of autumn – who can resist a crisp apple eaten right off the tree?

Here’s a great way to enjoy a power packed protein shake with all the flavors of apple pie!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 scoop UMP Vanilla Protein Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons dry oatmeal
  • 1 Tablespoon flax seed
  • 3 Tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons mixed nuts
  • 1 apple cored and sliced
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Add all ingredients in order to a blender. Blend until smooth. You can also add two-five ice cubes after initially blending shake. Blend again for 30 seconds for an ice cold shake.

Pan-Seared Salmon

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Ingredients:
Two 8-ounce salmon fillets, without skin
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

Pat the salmon fillet dry with a paper towel, and then season both sides of each fillet with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add fillets to the skillet and cook until edges are opaque and bottoms are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets. Gently flip the fillets with a spatula and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is firm yet tender and moist, and the flesh has become opaque with a slight translucence. Serve immediately garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serves two.

Tip: When is salmon cooked just right?

Cooking your salmon until it’s ‘flaky’, as commonly suggested, can result in overcooking. Here’s how to cook it just right: use a paring knife to peek inside the middle of the fillet. If the flesh is translucent, it is undercooked. If it is opaque and slightly flaky but still juicy, it is ready to serve. It is overcooked when the flesh falls apart and looks dry.

Are You Chicken?

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I love to watch chickens peck and scratch. For some reason it is relaxing, unless of course they are scratching in our mulch and scattering it across the driveway.

The labels on chickens and eggs at the grocery store reveals a need to write a book to decipher them for us to sort through. Chickens, like many other protein sources, should come with a dictionary to explain the terms used on each different label.

Since I’ve never seen a government regulation book at the store (not that I want to) we need to study in advance. Otherwise, we are left to the advertising departments pretty pictures of chickens roaming freely to entice us to buy “healthy”.

And while the label makes it difficult, so do the array of commonly accepted words used by the media. “Free range”, “Grass – Fed”, “Pastured Poultry”, all can be found on chicken labels in the meat department. Lets explore what each of these means.

The term grass-fed poultry is a very broad term. It is so broad that “Free Range and Pastured Poultry” can fit under this term. Grass-fed poultry means birds that are allowed to forage on as much living grasses as they desire. Using our chickens in Epsom as an example, they used to be allowed to roam free from morning to night. The only time they were confined to their coop was at night to keep them safe from predators.  All day you’d find them in the front yard, hiding in the weeds, and up near the road.  That is what most consumers envision when they hear or read the term ‘grass fed’. We did supplement our chickens diet with a grain based feed mix. Chickens unlike cows are adept to eating corn. Only a very few chickens are truly grass fed. Unless you can interview the farmer when it comes to “grass fed” and chickens, assume they have access to grain feed as well.

“Free range,” as used commercially today, simply indicates chickens that are not in cages and do not have a physical barrier between them and the outside of their building. That sounds wonderful but without knowing the farm where your chicken grew up, it could mean the outdoor space is bare dirt. “Free range” conjures up picture of chickens running around a healthy, bustling farmhouse, eating grass and other things to their hearts’ content. It is the term of choice. The term sells chickens at a high price but doesn’t necessitate that the bird was given all the grass and other goodies it naturally eats. The chickens we keep at the house would be termed free range. If you come to Epsom you will find our chickens confined to a small pen with an attached coop.

Pastured poultry is raised right on top of living grass. This is most commonly done with chicken tractors. “Chicken tractors” are movable pens. They are moved to a new spot of fresh pasture as often as necessary.  Dean and I would love to move our chickens into a “Pastured” system. They’d have access to the outside but would be protected from any animal that loves to eat chickens. (Remember our dog, Annie?)  It is an ideal system.

So what does all that mean when it comes to the chicken on my plate?

Go back to the vision of chickens roaming freely. The closer you can get to chickens raised that way the better the nutritional value. Pastured Poultry has an increased nutritional value compared to chickens raised in cages, confined to eating all processed feed. Essential fatty acids, which control a myriad of bodily functions, fall into two families: the Omega-3′s and the Omega-6′s. The Omega-3 group comes from the leaves of green plants, while the Omega-6 group comes from the seeds (for example, grain used in animal feeds). Animals that eat quantities of green plants have very high levels of Omega-3.

A healthier more naturally raised chicken is higher in Vitamin A, plus their meat has a significant decrease in total fat compared to chickens raised in crowded pens.

The very best, most healthful way to eat is to build a relationship with a local farmer, which allows you to eat as fresh off the farm as possible. There is something in farm-fresh produce of all kinds that imparts health like nothing else can.

Or better yet, don’t be a chicken, and raise your own!

To your best health,
Coach Nancy

Local Concord Area Fitness Professional Earns Prestigious Certification

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Epsom, NH based physical preparation coach Dean Carlson becomes the first person in New Hampshire to achieve the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification.

Get Fit NH Bootcamp is pleased to announce that co-owner and coach Dean Carlson has successfully completed the rigorous requirements for the successful completion of the industry’s premier nutrition designation.

Dr. John Berardi, founder of Precision Nutrition says “The goal is simple: to teach elite fitness professionals how to become elite nutrition coaches.” He further explains “Once you can consistently influence your client’s nutrition, your ability to deliver results increases 3-fold, at least.”

As co-owner of an award winning fitness bootcamp, and a trainer who has helped hundreds of members look and feel great, Coach Carlson knew he could deliver even better results, and be a better coach, by continuing his education. “I am proud of earning my Level 1 certification with Precision Nutrition” he said. “Dr. Berardi’s work was instrumental when I was 80+ pounds overweight, and I knew that further study into cellular biology, digestion and metabolism would help me better understand how to help our clients get even quicker results.”

While thoroughly covering the science of nutrition, the Precision Nutrition Certification ensures its graduates can do something even more important: Teach people at all levels practical and realistic nutrition that gets results.

“All the knowledge in the world is useless unless it can be communicated easily to our members and then implemented” Carlson explains.

To learn more about how Coach Carlson help you get control of your eating and build a lean, healthy body, please email him at dean(at)getfitnh.com or give him a call at 603.344.2651. For a free 2-week trial to his Epsom/Concord bootcamp, please visit http://www.GetFitNHBootcamp.com To learn more about Precision Nutrition, visit http://www.precisionnutrition.com

Dean Carlson is the co-owner of Cr8 Health & Fitness, LLC. Dean is a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Certified Youth Fitness Specialist Level 2, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified. As a “former fat boy”, he understands what it takes to achieve a level of fitness he thought was long gone. Dean  is also a fitness boot camp instructor and runs the highly popular Get Fit NH Bootcamps (www.GetFitNHbootcamp.com) with his wife and co-trainer Nancy in Concord and Epsom, NH.

Are You A Sugar Addict?

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Tired all the time? Grumpy and can’t shake the blahs? Do you have trouble losing weight? Do you walk around in a fog? What about digestive issues? Constantly battling a stuffy nose?

Major health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and auto-immune diseases are dramatic examples of how sugar can wreak havoc in your life. There are less dramatic ways sugar affects our bodies before we experience major problems.

Addictions come in different forms.

  • The Energy Shark feels chronically tired and needs hits of sugar and caffeine.
  • The Feed-Me-Now type have exhausted their adrenal glands.
  • An overgrowth of yeast in the body leads the Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addict hiding to get another hit of sugar.
  • And the Depressed & Craving Carbs type desire for sweets is linked to hormonal shifts.

What type of addict are you?

Do you often feel tired and achy? Do you need coffee to get going in the morning? Does your energy fade by mid-afternoon? Do you get frequent headaches?

You may be an Energy Shark.

Do you find you are often thirsty and need to use the restroom? Do you get recurrent sore throats and swollen glands? Do you sometimes get dizzy when you stand up? Is life a crisis for you?

You may be a Feed-Me-Now type.

Do you have chronic nasal congestion? Do you have irritable bowels? Have you been clinically treated for acne? Do you clear your throat a lot? Often an overgrowth of yeast internally will cause the sugar cravings like those who are

The Sneak-Around-for-Sugar addicts.

Chronically depressed, fatigued, battling insomnia and a loss of libido might have you classified as a Depressed & Craving Carb addict. Your sugar cravings are caused by fluctuating hormones.

No matter what the type you can fight your way out of your sugar addiction. Nutrition is the key to locking up the addict inside you.

  1. Choose high-protein foods such as meat, eggs, and seafood and foods that score low on the glycemic index.
  2. Eat small meals frequently during the day.
  3. Eliminate “energy drinks” loaded with sugar and caffeine.
  4. Exercise for 30 to 60 minutes a day, outside if possible.
  5. Get seven to nine hours of sleep a night
  6. Supplement your diet with a quality vitamin.
  7. Take a fish oil supplement.

Each addiction has its own issues but don’t let your addiction control you. Furthermore don’t let the addiction you have today bring damaging diseases in your future.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Reference – Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now!

The Healthy Kitchen

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It all starts here. Nutrition is not half the battle, it is the battle! What we eat is the single most important factor when it comes to how we look and feel. With today’s busy lifestyles, it is more important than ever that we learn to make the best choices to support our healthy goals.

The choices we make when feeding our bodies have both short and long term consequences. Did you know it’s possible to eat too much food and be undernourished? Not only do we become overweight, but are also more susceptible to disease because we are not receiving the nutrients we need for optimal health. It is important to remember that the primary reason we eat is to give our body what it needs to function optimally. A growing number of studies show that Americans do not receive the nutrients they need from their dietary intake.

There are a number of reasons for this. Our crops themselves are not as nutritious as in the past, probably due to soil depletion and the overuse of fertilizers. Fast food restaurants and prepackage foods in our supermarket shelves make it all too easy to consume a large amount of calories with nearly no nutritive value. While such food choices may be fast and convenient, there is no doubt they contribute to obesity and disease.

Over-consumption of grains, particularly refined wheat (eg. white flour) and corn, has also contributed to our growing problem with obesity. Too many grains and not enough variety of vegetables in our diet leads to excess calories and nutrient deficiencies.

While fruit has many critical nutrients and should be enjoyed, it may be helpful to think of it as “nature’s candy” because of the high sugar content. Refined grains and fruit juices can also make controlling blood sugar difficult.

It does take more work to prepare healthy meals, there is no doubt about it. Doing so is a small price to pay when you consider the negative health consequences of eating poorly. Most people do not think about the future, only the here and now, but the cost is greater to fight disease than to prevent disease. Eating for optimal health is the foundation of living well.

Recently we unveiled Fitgoal. Take advantage of all it offers.

• Daily food log so you know exactly what you are feeding yourself.

• Reports so you can monitor your fitness progress after each “Test Day”

• Visuals like charts and graphs for your food intake

• Write out personal goals so you know where you want to go and how you plan on getting there

• A journaling section to list important factors that give insight into your well being.

• The ability to directly contact your trainer through Fitgoal.

We are here to help you reach your goals,

Coach Nancy

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