Welcome to Cr8 Health & Fitness. If you’re new here, please subscribe to my RSS feed or use the form to your left to sign up for our "Get Fit" newsletter, and receive the latest in health and fitness tips and news. Thanks for visiting!

If you have been reading our newsletters for awhile, you know that part of our nutrition philosophy is to eat lean protein - with EVERY meal.

Not too hard - right?

Some options might include:
2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites prepared as you like (scramled, in an omelet, etc.)
Steak and Eggs
Lean turkey sausage…just to name a few

For me it’s pretty simple. I eat our own free range eggs nearly every day- because I love eggs.

But what if you DON’T like eggs?

Besides the fact that you are weird I mean. (just kidding Danno)

Here is one of my all time favorite breakfast recipes.

It is really, really, really good.

And it’s even easier (really) to make. Takes 5 minutes, tops.

Give it a try and fall in love with breakfast all over again.

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup chocolate 2% “Calorie Countdown” dairy beverage
2 tsp NATURAL peanut butter (take it easy on the peanut butter - 2 teaspoons means 2 teaspoons)

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Stir, then microwave for another minute. Stir it up, and you’re done!

This will provide you with 30 grams of protein, around 60 grams of carbs, and only 5 grams of fat.

This is a GREAT way to start your day.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter for breakfast - Not Bad!

Give it a try and let me know what you think…

If you haven’t checked out our new Boot Camp Site yet, you owe it to yourself to get more info.

Our first camp of the year kicked off Monday, and we are having a great time - working really hard - but still having fun.

Who’s at this camp?

Well, we have both men and women - some fit, some not so fit. The youngest is 20 years old, and the…ahem…most mature is 49.

Some want to lose weight, others want to keep up with their kids, and others are looking for better athletic performance.

What they have in common is the desire to hurt their trainer after each workout. (Not really…I hope)

We split into two teams today and has some friendly competition.

What did we do?

I can’t spill all the beans, but here are a few examples:

• Sled Drag
• Slam Ball
• Sandbag Carry
• Divebombers
• Inchworms
• And a lot more…

Sure beats zoning out on the elliptical, I can tell you that.

The feedback we are getting over the first few days is tremendous…I’ll get some pictures up soon.

So what are you waiting for?

Head over to GetFitNHbootcamp.com and register for our June sessions - we are adding an evening class in order to make sure you can get here.

First come, first serve…and registrations for June are already coming in.

See you there!

Our first 2008 “Get Fit NH” Boot Camp launched this morning, and I am psyched!

Eight brave souls took the challenge, showed up at 5:00am, and got started on the path to more energy, better fitness, and a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness Bootcamp is a great way to get your fitness program jump started, at about 1/6th the rate of personal training.

You can’t beat that.

And group training is a lot of fun.

Everyone has their own strengths, and it’s fun for me to watch each group come together and help each other out.

I have to have a thick skin though; I do tend to get a few dirty looks and choice words thrown my way.

We are signing up for our June classes now, so head on over to http://getfitnhbootcamp.com and sign up today.

It’s time to get off the sidelines and into the game.

I’ll keep you updated on how it’s going.

See you soon.

Have you seen those new “100 Calorie Packs”?

You know, the ones that are designed to help with portion control?

You may have seen them on shows like “The Biggest Loser”.

Now I’m all for portion control, but does eating less garbage change the fact that it is still garbage?

Yeah they taste good, and rally, what’s the harm of such a small amount?

Well for starters, at least if you’re anything like me, what’s the likelihood you can eat only one of these packs at a time?

And will 100 calories of sugar and fat really help your hunger?

So what’s the alternative?

Our friend Jayson Hunter, a registered dietician, has put together a report that offers some healthier choices.

From the Intro:

“We are always looking for that low calorie snack that won’t k*ll our diet or ruin our fat loss goals. Yet, there are so many options out there we get confused and just don’t know what to choose.

First, what is a low calorie snack?

Second, how do I know how many calories a food has in it?

This report is broken down to 0-99 calories snacks/foods and 100-200 calories snacks/foods. The 0-99 foods you would choose if you just needed a quick pick me to get to your next meal that is maybe 1 hour away.

The 100-200 calorie foods is where maybe you have 1-2 hours before you can eat again and need something that will sustain you a little longer and provide more satiety.”

These snacks are perfect not only for those looking to lose weight and eat healthier, but are great choices for our kids as well.

To find out what foods Jayson recommends, read the rest of his “100 Calorie Snack Report” (pdf format), here

I wrote last week about the importance of not only eating breakfast, but gave some specifics on the types of food that are good choices and why. (http://www.cr8health.com/2008/03/31/break-that-fast/)

Now I want to know.

Did you make any changes to the way you prepared that important first meal of the day?

Maybe you already eat a good balanced breakfast, and no changes are necessary. Awesome!

But if you read it and saw some changes would be helpful, did you actually make those changes?

If not, why not?

You must take action if you want to lose those extra pounds.

Being a web warrior and just reading about it never changed anything.

Besides, web surfing doesn’t burn very many calories.

Here’s what I want you to do, today.

Download this handy breakfast planning worksheet and print it out.

(right click link, then choose “save target as…”)

I’ll wait a second.

Got it?

Good!

Now I want you to plan out your breakfast for an entire week. 7 days worth.

Using the guidelines in the last article, write down the food and quantity for your protein, complex carb and vegetable choices.

Now tally it up and make your shopping list.

After you’ve completed your shopping, set aside some time to cook a few days ahead.

It’s an important part of staying on the plan. If you are not prepared, you will grab what’s quick, and usually that’s not the best idea.

If steel cut oats is your choice for complex carbs, you could cook enough for 3 or 4 days. Same thing goes for most veggies.

You’ve probably heard it before - Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Set yourself up to succeed.

You have the tools.

I want to hear how it’s working for you.

Now go do it!

I’ve posted the results of the 30 day challenge at our support site. Pay us a visit and sign up to join us today! 

Read all about it here: 30 Day Challenge Results

———————————————— 

fat loss, health, weight loss, wellness

Most of us know that breakfast really IS the most important meal of the day.

The very name “break-fast” gives us an idea of why we shouldn’t skip this important meal - we are breaking a fast - our body needs nutrients after we sleep and have not eaten for 8-12 hours.

Pretty simple. Or is it?

For years I ate pretty much the same thing for breakfast.

A (BIG) bowl of cereal with milk
A couple slices of toast with butter and/or jelly
A glass of orange juice

Doesn’t sound too bad, right?

First of all, the serving size for cereal is 1 cup. I don’t know of anybody (I’m sure I’ll hear from you) that eats only 1 cup of cereal at a time. So in the interest of being somewhat realistic, my typical breakfast above consists of:

2 cups oat cereal
1 cup 2% milk
2 slices of bread
1 Tablespoon of butter
1 Tablespoon of jelly
1 cup of orange juice

Probably less than many of us can (and do) eat.

Here’s the breakdown:

Total Calories: 748
Fat: 22 grams
Protein: 21 grams

Here’s the real kicker - There are a whopping 124 grams of carbohydrate and only 7 grams of fiber!

Don’t get me wrong, morning is one of the best times to get your carbs, as your body is ready to utilize them. The challenge is keeping our blood sugar in check. This plan ain’t gonna cut it.

Looking back now, I realize the fact that I was hungry an hour or two after breakfast was because my blood sugar was going wild after eating all those simple carbs. So I ate again, and again, and again…well, you get the picture.

So what’s the alternative?

Here is one that I personally enjoy -

Omelette made with:
2 whole extra large eggs
2 extra large egg whites
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 onions
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 cup red pepper

1 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup strawberries

So what’s the breakdown?

Total Calories: 490
Fat: 15 grams
Protein: 30 grams
Carbohydrate: 62 grams with 9 grams of fiber (a much more ideal ratio)

This breakfast meets the criteria we have talked about in the past:

Lean protein with every meal
Vegetables with every meal
Complex carbohydrates at breakfast and workout time

Meal #2 will help you feel full longer because of the blood stabilizing effect of complex carbs combined with higher protein.

This is just one of many simple changes to your nutrition that can make a huge difference in how you look and feel.

A little more work? Absolutely!

Aren’t you worth it?

Cr8Health and Fitness, Dean Carlson, diet, fat loss, health, Nutrition, weight loss, wellness

Due to inconsistent findings from observational studies, there is controversy over the effects of dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) on the risk of certain chronic diseases. A recent meta-analysis showed that diets high in GI and/or GL increase the risk of certain chronic, degenerative diseases.

Meta-analysis of glycemic index and glycemic load effects on chronic disease

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between GI, GL, and chronic disease risk.

A total of 37 prospective cohort studies of GI and GL and chronic disease risk were included. In 4 to 20 years of follow-up across studies, a total of 40,129 incident cases of degenerative diseases were identified. For the comparison between the highest and lowest quantiles of GI and GL, significant positive associations were found for type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, breast cancer, and all diseases combined.

Low-GI and/or low-GL diets are independently associated with a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. Relating to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the protection is similar with that seen in diets high in whole grains and fiber. The findings support the hypothesis that higher GI and GL diets, and their resulting increases in postprandial (after meal) blood glucose levels, increase the risk of several chronic, degenerative diseases.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 3, 627-637, March 2008

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Our friends mean well, they really do.

Most of them respect the fact that we eat try to make healthy food choices, for ourselves and our kids.

We really appreciate it, it is very kind of them.

Last Friday one of Nancy’s good friends was so proud of herself. She brought her kids over for a visit, and as a treat for the kids (we normally only have water and sometimes milk) she brought some ****** **** Berry Punch.

She was so proud of herself for bringing a “healthy” choice.

Nancy didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth.

It was junk, just total garbage.

But is sounded so good.

I mean, look at what it says on the FRONT label:

“All Natural”

“Premium”

It’s go to be good, right!

Not so fast!

I am about to give you the super secret, known only to a few select operatives in the whole world (ok, not really - but you would think so)

You have to look at the label on the BACK!

This is where you have to take some responsibility for what you are eating.

The food companies number one priority is NOT your health - it’s to get you to buy their product.

They will do it by any (legal) means necessary.

Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s moral or ethical - words to live by.

Anyway, let’s look at the BACK label.

Here are the ingredients:

Pure Filtered Water, Sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, sugar), Grape juice from concentrate, less than 1% of: Pear and Strawberry juices from concentrate, Natural flavors, Citric acid (provides tartness)

Remember the FRONT label - “All Natural”

I have been thinking for two days how something with high fructose corn syrup (as the second ingredient no less) is able to be listed as “All Natural”

If I squeeze a kernel of corn, is that what comes out, high fructose corn syrup? I don’t think so, bubba.

The stuff has no reedeming qualities whatsover. I think the evidence shows that is one of the key “bad players” in the obesity epedimic. It is used because it is cheap, bottom line.

Let’s look at the Nutrition Label.

At the very top: 5% Fruit Juice - yep, that’s it. Your “All Natural, Premium” product is 5% juice, 95% garbage.

No Fat

No Protein

A whopping 31 grams of sugar. That’s like shoveling 8 teaspoons of sugar down little Johnny’s throat. In fact it’s more sugar than in a Snickers bar, for crying out loud.

I think Johnny’s going to be bouncing off the walls.

He will drink water, I assure you. It may take time, but it will pay off.

If you want to make a real impact toward better health, you have to take responsibility.

It takes a little longer to read labels, I understand.

But once you get into the habit, it becomes easier and easier.

Don’t be fooled by fancy slogans and pretty words.

Next time you shop, just pick one item that you think is good for you. Turn the box around and take a look at the label.

You might be surprised by what you find.

It WILL be the first step to a lifetime of healthier choices.

It’s up to you.

I have written a lot about accountability over the last few months. About not making excuses and just getting to work.

I need to do the same thing.

Here’s your chance to keep me accountable.

I have a goal to see my lower abs by summer. I am estimating that I will have to get to around 175 pounds for that to happen. I am currently 194 pounds. Those of you who see me on a regular basis know that I am not fat, but at age 41 I would like to see those lower abs just once.

Today is February 25, 2008. At 1-2 pounds a week it will take me 12 weeks to get to 175. That would be May 19, 2008.

So my goal is to lose 19 pounds of bodyfat by May 19, 2008.

How can you keep me accountable?

I’ve started a new support group that all readers of my blog are welcome to join.

The link is here: http://cr8health.ning.com/?xgi=kLAe1u

It’s setup a lot like Facebook, and you can customize to your hearts desire.

But that’s not the best thing. It’s a place where you can ask your questions, meet with other people who have similiar goals, and be held accountable for reaching those goals.

If you are not willing to put yourself out there, to let people know what you want to achieve and hold you to it, I really have to question how serious you are about losing the weight, or getting in great shape.

I put myself on the line.

Who’s next?

Join us now: http://cr8health.ning.com/?xgi=kLAe1u

exercise, health, lose weight, support, weight loss