Tag Archive for: atlanta weight loss

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Work Toward Your Goals Together | Atlanta Personal Trainer

5 Reasons Couples Should Work Toward Their Goals Together

best personal trainers in Atlanta Brad Kolowich Jr Personal Training

Just a few months ago on New Year’s Day, we resolved to actually keep our resolutions…for real this time. We all do this. We start strong out the gate, but then willpower withers as we approach the late winter months and nearing of spring.

Why is this?

Is it because those ubiquitous and delicious Cadbury Eggs are just too tempting? Maybe.

But more likely it’s because we try to reach our goals alone, when really we should be recruiting our significant others to join us on our journey towards health and wellness!

Emotional support is vital for reaching your goals.

One of the keys to long-term behavior change is making your goals as attainable as possible, so having the support of your significant other is an important factor in successfully reaching those goals. It’s no surprise that couples who commit to changing together are oftentimes more successful than those who don’t work towards goals together.

Here are five reasons you and your partner should go for your goals together:

1. Partnership – By working together as a team to reach a common goal, your relationship is instantly strengthened. Stronger teamwork = stronger foundation.

2. Support – Committing to change of any kind includes both struggles and obstacles. Having a partner to help you face and overcome each challenge is a huge advantage.

3. Soundboard – As you embark on this journey together, you will continue to learn together. Sharing ideas and tips for what works and what doesn’t will help you stimulate each other’s minds.

4. Accountability – Having someone in your corner will hold you responsible for staying on track. They’ll also have your back, which is simply the best feeling there is.

5. Celebration – You know what’s better than celebrating your accomplishments? Both of you celebrating both of your accomplishments—together!

*There is no better person to coach you through this than one of Atlanta’s Top Personal Trainers at Brad Kolowich Jr. Personal Training!  If you don’t have a significant other to join in your mission, find a colleague, relative or close friend to recruit and get started!  Brad and his team of trainers will guide you on this journey and help you see the results you’ve been desiring.

 

 

Adapted from:  http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5291/5-reasons-couples-should-work-toward-their/

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Atlanta Personal Trainer | 5 Simple Ways to Take Temptation Out of The Kitchen

blog-fitlife-021615 Atlanta Personal Trainers Health Coach

Eating healthier can be tough, but that task becomes extremely difficult when temptations from within the kitchen seem to beckon you. Squash those diet-breakers with these five strategies recommended by top personal trainers and health coaches to help you stay focused on your goals ahead.

1. Begin at the Grocery Store

Your grocery cart is the first point of entrance for tempting foods to reach your home. If these foods don’t make it into your kitchen, they’ll have a much more difficult time tempting you. So before shopping, it’s best to create a listof all the items you’ll need including snacks. This requires a few minutes of planning each week; however, the amount of time you invest now will save you the effort and disappointment in the long run with having to re-start another program. Keep in mind that your list is only effective if you stick to it. Unplanned purchases can prove disastrous, so minimize them by buying only what is on your list and making sure that you don’t shop while hungry.

2. Put Your Pantry on the Program

Troublesome foods exert much less temptation power when they aren’t within your immediate reach. Remember the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”? Give away or discard all the foods that will make it more difficult for you to stick to your plan. If you have to go to the store to buy a tempting food, you will have extra time to consciously think about whether this is something that’s really important to you or just a momentary whim. Once the tempting foods are out of your pantry, you’ll have an opportunity to reorganize items in a way that puts the healthy stuff up front, visible and within easy reach.

3. Shrink Your Dishes

Oversized glasses, bowls and plates tend to make us feel like we need to fill up the entire space with food or drink. This translates into consuming much more than we originally planned. We often eat first with our eyes, so to speak, and then with our stomachs—meaning that if a meal appears small at first glance because it’s served in a larger plate, chances are we’ll likely eat more to feel satisfied. By choosing smaller-sized dishes, your meals will naturally appear larger and you won’t feel slighted in portion size.

4. Plan It Out

Planning is key to making many healthy changes. Whether it’s creating a grocery list, organizing your pantry or having dishes that make your meal look satisfying, planning helps you prepare in advance to be successful in your endeavors. A great way to plan ahead is to have healthy snacks ready to go. Whether its individual containers of light yogurt, cut up fruits and veggies, or snack-sized bags filled with pre-measured amounts of nuts or whole-wheat pretzels, prepared snacks can serve as important tools to helping you stay on track between meals. They are easily portable and may be brought to work as a great alternative to mid-day vending machine options.

5. Get Out of the Kitchen

Finally, one of the best ways to avoid kitchen temptations is to simply engage in an activity that takes you away from that room in the house. A distraction that takes the focus off the kitchen can help minimize unplanned eating. This could mean engaging in a hobby or craft, reading or even scheduling a little time for physical activity. By participating in other enjoyable activities that benefit you mentally and physically, you’ll likely have the motivation to eat healthier and avoid those kitchen temptations.

By Gina Crome
Gina M. Crome, M.S., M.P.H., R.D.

AceFitness.org

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Atlanta Personal Training | Client of the Month | March 2015

LIVE LIFE FIT
CLIENT OF THE MONTH

 Atlanta Personal Trainer

August Hammonds

March 2015

We are proud to introduce you to our March Live Life Fit personal training client of the month; August Hammonds! August, 37, has been on a path to success since the day she walked in the front door for her first session at Brad Kolowich Jr. Fitness Studio. Committed to waking up before the birds for her 6:00am sessions, August has yet to miss a single workout! Since the turn of the year, August has built a tremendous amount of healthy lean muscle by training efficiently and having a ‘can-do’ attitude! Her goal each and every workout is to train harder than her last and expend lots of energy, which she monitors through her Polar heart rate monitor. She has grown substantially stronger by working towards her goals; one of which was to complete a full-push-up. In the month of February alone, August increased her push-up record by 400%! August is also well on her way to achieving her fat loss goals due greatly to her efforts in the kitchen; as she has been eating healthy nutritious foods! She also monitors her daily caloric intake through MyFitnessPal. Great job August! We are extremely proud of your efforts to live life fit!

-Sean Runyan

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Don’t Give Up on Your Goals! | Atlanta Personal Trainer

revive-resolutions-art brad kolowich jr personal trainer

Now that it’s almost March, that shiny New Year’s resolution you so enthusiastically embarked on a couple of months ago might have lost its sparkle. So how do you bring life back into your plan now that the initial thrill has worn off? Instead of letting your good intentions fizzle out again this year, make 2015 the year when you actually follow through with what you’d planned. All it takes is a little bit of self-reflection and a few tweaks to your routine to make a sustainable (and fun!) game plan to help you revive your resolutions and ultimately reach your goals.

Get back to basics.
People often bite off more than they can chew when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. Are you really going to overhaul your diet, start working out for an hour a day, pay off every cent of your debt and learn fluent French this year? Probably not! Pick just a few doable goals and break them up into smaller goals. Small changes can have a bigger impact than you might think, and you can always add more goals later if you master your initial ones early on.

Here are some basic ideas to get you started:
Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days per week
Swap out junk food for healthier snacks a few days per week (fruit, raw veggies with hummus or a Quest Bars are all good options!)
Track your food daily to see how much you’re really eating
Make a point to get to bed by a certain time every night
Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies every day
Re-work your routine.
It’s important to switch up your food and fitness routine every so often to keep your body guessing and your brain interested! Instead of slogging away on a machine at the gym every day, try out a home workout DVD, or plot out a new-to-you running route. You might be surprised at how much small changes like these can re-kindle your motivation to reach your goals.

Grab a buddy (any buddy)!
It’s much easier to justify skipping a workout here and there when you don’t have anyone to hold you accountable. Find a fitness buddy who shares similar goals, and hit the gym together. It’s much harder to push that “snooze” button when you have someone else waiting on you! Just make sure your partner is just as committed—or even more committed–than you are. Fitness buddies can backfire if you enable each other to skimp on your healthy habits.

Update your playlist.
If your workout playlist is feeling stale, it can make it even harder to get through a tough workout. Update your playlist at least once a month with fresh tunes to spark your motivation. You can even structure your playlist to play exactly what you need to hear during certain points of your workout.

Bust your food rut.
Gravitating toward the same few healthy meals can be an easy way to keep things simple and stay on track, but some people need a little more variety to help keep their interest while trying to eat better. Break out of your food rut and treat yourself to a fun new healthy cookbook, or check out one of the recipe collections on SparkRecipes for some fresh ideas.

Create fun incentives.
Many people have trouble sticking to long-term goals because they crave instant gratification. Creating incentives for yourself will help you stick with your healthy lifestyle for the long haul by giving you little rewards along the way to your big end goal. Here are a few incentive ideas to get you started:

  • Every time you overcome a temptation to eat junk food or to skip a workout, put a dollar in a jar. At the end of each month, buy yourself a small (non-food) treat!
  • Keep two jars in a place where you see them every day. Make one of them your “pounds to lose jar” and fill it with small stones, each stone representing one pound that you’d like to lose. Every time you lose a pound, move a stone over to the second “pounds lost” jar. This can be a surprisingly motivating visual!
  • Only allow yourself to watch your favorite television shows as a reward for completing your workout for the day. Alternatively, tell yourself that you can’t watch television unless you’re working out while you’re watching!
  • Create your own reward system. If you like games and/or checking things off a to-do list, a more in-depth, personalized reward system could be just the thing you need to jump-start your motivation.
  • When you tell others about your goals, you are more likely to follow through with them to save face. Make a note to tell your friends and loved ones about the goals you would like to achieve this year. You can do this individually in person, or make announcements on your social media accounts for a broader reach. For some people, having just one person to check in with every day about his or her goal progress is enough to make them think twice before reaching for that extra cookie.
  • Hire a personal trainer, health coach or nutritionist to help you with planning, accountability, motivation and education toward reaching your health related goals.

Lean on technology.
When it comes to reaching your goals, technology is your friend! There are so many apps out there these days to help you set and reach almost any type of goal. From food trackers, to productivity monitors, to GPS-enabled fitness monitors, there is something out there for everyone who has a goal to reach. Explore your phone’s app store for the latest and greatest tools.

Re-evaluate your resolutions.
This one might be the most important strategy of all. Sometimes, we make New Year’s resolutions that just aren’t realistic. Take a step back and look at your resolutions. Are they realistic goals for you at this point in your life? Are you biting off more than you can chew at one time? Are you making these resolutions for yourself, or to please someone else? If you’re starting to have doubts about whether or not your resolutions are a good fit for you, it’s perfectly fine to revise them. You are an ever-changing person, and sometimes, your goals and priorities will change, too. If your resolution is no longer serving you, feel free to scrap it and shift your focus to something else that’s a better fit.

This blog is brought to you by Meta, a SparkPeople sponsor.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=make_over_your_new_years_motivation&utm_source=sparkpeople&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-spark

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4 Green Smoothie Recipes to Kick-start Your Day

breakfast smoothies Atlanta Personal Training

We hear all about the importance of eating fruits and veggies (6-10 servings a day) and for most people the fruit part of it is a no-brainer—it’s the vegetables that are a struggle. But if you throw some veggies into a blender with some fruit (which will mask the taste of the veggie), then getting your daily greens can be downright tasty.

Why does it seem that green leafy veggies are more important than other veggies? Well, they are and they aren’t. All veggies are important, and consuming a wide range of colorful veggies every day will give your body a larger variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Each color group is dominant in a certain type of antioxidants; for example, tomatoes are a great source of lycopene and butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene. Blueberries are full of anthocyanins and greens are good sources of carotenoids and flavonoids. A diet that’s as colorful as the rainbow will help reduce inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of cancer, as well as give you energy and make you more successful at achieving your weight goals.

Green Smoothies 101

We have a pretty simple formula for making green smoothies: leafy greens + liquid base + fruit + superfood. Make sure to blend up the greens with the liquid first and then add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth. If you are looking to make a complete meal in a cup, add a source of protein and a healthy fat (avocado, coconut oil/butter or nut butter).

healthy breakfast ideas Atlanta Personal Trainer

Lean and Green Smoothies

Makes 1 serving

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 cups baby spinach
1 banana, frozen
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
ice
DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Anti-inflammatory Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

6 ounces coconut water
1 cup baby spinach
1 pear
1 apple
1 tsp. fresh ginger
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
ice

DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Hydrating Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

8 ounces coconut water
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup de-stemmed kale
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
Juice of half a lime
1 Tbsp. chia seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients in order listed until smooth.

Energizing Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 frozen banana
15 frozen green grapes
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. matcha (green tea powder)

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients until smooth.

 

Adapted from:

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5235/4-green-smoothie-recipes-to-kick-start-your/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACE-Fit-Life-02-04-2015&utm_content=Consumer+Outreach&spMailingID=22081608&spUserID=Nzc3OTkyMjU3NTcS1&spJobID=500424344&spReportId=NTAwNDI0MzQ0S0

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Weight Loss Plateau – BUSTED

weight-loss-plateau Atlanta Personal Trainer

The end of January is rapidly approaching.  As you continue to implement and hold to your new year resolutions, are you experiencing the success you had anticipated?? OR are you feeling frustrated and like you’ve embarked on yet another roller-coaster ride??  Check out AceFitness.org’s article below to learn some useful strategies in overcoming barriers to weight loss and to set you free from the dreaded roller coaster ride.

Weight loss-Tipping the scales in the right direction
Do you feel like you are on a roller coaster of losing and gaining those same unwanted pounds over and over? If so, you are not alone. Most people in your situation have lost count of how many diets, pills, shakes, and gadgets they have tried in hopes of finally losing weight for good. It’s time to stop searching for a magic cure and learn what it really takes to lose pounds and keep them off. These 7 steps offer a no-nonsense approach to losing the weight for good:

Understand weight loss. There is no other way around it—in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound per week you need to average a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. Ideally, this is done by increasing physical activity and making some cutbacks in your diet. Realize that the weight will come off more quickly at first, but then slow down.
Calculate your daily caloric requirement. The amount of calories that you need in a day depends on your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the amount of calories your body uses at rest. BMR accounts for roughly 60 to 75% of all the calories you burn in a given day. Calculate your BMR and daily caloric needs.Set a realistic weight loss goal. A goal of losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week is realistic and attainable. Larger, quicker weight loss will most likely be regained.
Determine your strategy. No matter what your weight loss goal is, the best approach is to create a caloric deficit by decreasing your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity. For example, to create a 500 calorie deficit per day, cut back 250 calories from your diet and burn 250 calories doing a physical activity that you enjoy.
Find ways to cut back on calories. Some suggestions include:
-Decrease portion sizes
-Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
-Avoid skipping breakfast
-Don’t drink your calories (i.e. soda, juice, alcohol, coffee with cream)
-Substitute healthy fats for unhealthy saturated and trans fats
-Eat the “My Plate” way-load up on fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and good carbs
-Be consistent throughout the week instead of dieting more strictly on certain days of the week
Burn more calories by getting active. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.  Adding strength training will also elevate your basal metabolic rate, so that you burn more calories even when you are resting. Check with your health care provider if you are not sure if you are healthy enough to begin exercising.

 

 

Source:

http://www.acefitness.org/fitness-fact-article/3588/weight-loss-tipping-the-scales-in/

 

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Post Workout Recovery | Atlanta Personal Trainer

Happy New Year! We welcomed 2015 just a couple of weeks ago, and with the turn of the year, many of us have set new year’s resolutions (many of which probably encompass bettering our health).  If working out or eating better was part of your new year resolution, you’ll want to read Brad’s article featured in Trainer Talk on WellATL.com.  The article (read below) was published January 7, 2015 and explains the best formula for you to follow post-workout to not only ensure you leave your workouts feeling your best but helps you recover quickly so you can hit the gym again ASAP!  And…if that’s not enough to motivate you to read the article, there are some great pictures of Brad (and Rocky, our labradoodle) to browse.

-Mandy

What Should You Eat After a Workout? Trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. Shares His Recovery Formula

Atlanta Personal Trainer - Brad Kolowich Jr

Ever wonder what workouts trainers do when nobody’s looking? What they eat after a tough workout? Or what their favorite exercise is? Wonder no more! WellATL’s new Trainer Talk column will get answers from coaches and trainers around the city. First up, Atlanta native and certified personal trainer Brad Kolowich Jr. shares his post-workout snack.

From his 3,000-square-foot training studio on the Westside, Brad and his team train athletes, celebrities, fitness competitors, and anyone else looking to take their health to the next level. His abs are so legendary they were featured in Exercise & Health magazine and praised by Men’s Workout as an example of “peak physique.” We asked him what he eats to help his renowned body recover after a workout. Here’s his advice:

“The post-workout meal is the most important meal of the day because the body is so depleted. Anything you consume at this time will be quickly absorbed by the body to help in the recovery process. My suggestion is to consume protein powder in a combination of a fast-acting (absorbed quickly by the body) and slow- and medium-acting (absorbed at a slower rate by the body in the sustained release of amino acids in the recovery process). For a fast-acting protein powder, I suggest whey protein. For the slow- and medium-acting protein, I suggest a plant-based protein powder and/or one that contains casein protein (slow-acting) and/or an egg-based powder (medium-acting) and/or soy protein powder (medium-acting). You can find protein powder blends of some or all of the above ingredients, or you can purchase each individually and make your own combination. I’m currently doing a natural whey protein powder which I blend with a plant-based powder. I suggest shooting for 24 to 50 grams of protein post-workout.

In addition to protein following a workout, I suggest adding fast-acting carbohydrates such as dextrose (corn sugar) for best results. If you prefer to add more nutritional value to your post-workout meal, skip the dextrose and go for a faster-acting fruit-based carb source such as a banana, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, or dates (to name a few), which are higher on the glycemic index. Consuming these faster-acting carbs in addition to protein will ensure that the protein is shuttled into the muscles at a quicker rate, speeding recovery and minimizing down time between workouts. A good starting point is about 20 to 30 grams of carbs post-workout, then vary that based on goals and specific individual nutritional requirements (in addition to the above protein recommendations). It’s a good idea to eliminate fats immediately following a workout since fats slow the absorption of nutrients. A good rule of thumb is to consume your post-workout meal within 30 minutes of the workout for the best result.”

JANUARY 7, 2015 /BY KIMBERLY TURNER

EatWellATL.com

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How can I have a healthier Thanksgiving?

healthy living thanksgiving Brad Kolowich Jr Personal training

With Thanksgiving Day right around the corner, you may have begun considering what you’re going to contribute to the feast. As we all know, the day is famous for its indulgences and, for many, an annual ritual to overeat and then lounge lazily for the rest of the day watching football games, napping, and spending time with family and friends.

This holiday is a little bit of a challenge for highly health conscious individuals. After all, if you show up to the feast with a dressing-free salad and whole wheat dry rolls, you might be turned away at the door. And, honestly, a once-per-year day of overeating most likely isn’t going to sabotage your diet plans, though sustaining this eating behavior throughout the holiday season could lead to a few extra unwanted pounds to lose in the New Year.

The good news is that there are some simple changes you can make to your Thanksgiving plans this year that will save you some calories (without sacrificing taste or your reputation) and add some fun to your holiday.

Fit it all on one plate. Prevent over-stuffing yourself by fitting your Thanksgiving feast all on one plate (This works best if you don’t use an oversized plate filled to the brim). Sample small portions and avoid going back for seconds. If you’re tempted to return for more, give yourself 20 minutes (about how long it takes to feel full) first.

Eat slowly. Thanksgiving foods are likely to be richer and more filling than your everyday fare, so eat slowly and savor every bite.

Enjoy the company of family and friends. Socialize during your meal and festivities. You can’t eat and talk at the same time — so the more conversation you enjoy, the less you’ll eat.

Get moving. Sign up for a local Turkey Trot 5K or 10K and spend your Thanksgiving morning getting some exercise. Not only will you burn some calories, but you’ll also enjoy some holiday fun!

Make some easy Turkey day substitutions. For example:
Eat the white meat without the skin instead of the dark meat with skin and shave off 190 calories.

Turkey — white meat, no skin (6oz): 180 calories, 3g fat
Turkey – dark meat, with skin (6oz): 370 calories, 20g fat

Make your own cranberries rather than the jellied stuff and save 120 calories.

Cranberries (boiled in sugar) (1/2 cup): 100 calories, <1g fat
Jellied cranberry sauce (1/2 cup): 220 calories, <1g fat

Cut the marshmallows on your sweet potatoes and instead add a little bit of spice to save 100 calories.

Sweet potatoes, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg (2/3c): 200 calories, 3g fat
Candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows (2/3c): 300 calories, 3g fat

Skip the green bean casserole and instead just steam some green beans and cut 110 calories.

Steamed green beans (1/2C): 20 calories, <1g fat
Green bean casserole (1/2C): 130 calories, 7 g fat

Choose pumpkin pie over the pecan pie for dessert and decrease your caloric intake by 160 calories.

Pumpkin pie (1/8 pie): 340 calories, 15g fat
Pecan pie (1/8 pie): 500 calories, 25g fat

Add it all up and you find that you’ve saved yourself 650 calories.
More Healthy Total: 850 calories, 23g fat
Less Healthy Total: 1500 calories, 56g fat
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, so if you calculate the calorie savings from these substitutions, you will find that you saved yourself nearly ¼ pound weight gain! That’s not including the other four other tips above that will help you eat less and move more and save yourself from holiday weight gain. Try adding a few new traditions to your holiday this year with some healthy Thanksgiving Day recipes.

By Natalie Digate Muth
Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, FAAP

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Hauntingly Healthy Recipes for Halloween

Candy, candy, candy!  Tis the season!  Don’t let Halloween kickoff the holiday season by adding inches to your waistline.  Below are some healthy recipes that will help you feel as though you are cheating but will continue to help you focus on bettering your fitness and health!

Candy Corn Popsicles

candy corn popsicles Atlanta Personal Trainers

 

Turn yogurt and juice into a seasonal treat. Serve these on Halloween morning for a fun & healthy breakfast treat OR eat after your halloween workout!

Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla whey protein mixed with 6 oz water or unsweetened almond milk
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
Popsicle molds

To make these dairy-free, use coconut milk and veggie based protein powder.
If you don’t have popsicle molds, use paper cups and craft sticks.

Carefully pour two tablespoons of protein mix into the bottom of your molds. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Pour the orange juice evenly into all the molds. Freeze for another 20 minutes.
Pour the pineapple juice on top of the orange juice.
Freeze until set.

Serving Size: Makes 6 popsicles
Pumpkin Shaped Vegetable Tray

Atlanta Personal Training

If you’ll be going to a Halloween (or any holiday) gathering, make sure to bring an appetizer or food option that will help encourage you (and others) to fuel up with the healthiest alternatives to typically snacking foods.

 

Ingredients:
large shallow bowl
2 small ramekins
1 cup low-fat ranch dip or dressing (or another variety)
3-4 (1-pound) bags baby carrots
1/2 cup sliced cucumber, each slice cut into triangles
Dip:
16 oz Greek Yogurt
Ranch dressing mix

For garnish:
Pepper strips, olives, nasturtium leaves, etc.

Directions:
Pour the carrots into the dish.
Pour the dressing/dip into the ramekins and nestle them into the carrots where the jack-o-lantern’s “eyes” should go.
Arrange the cucumbers on top of the carrots as “teeth,” and place two pepper strips above the “eyes.”
Add the nasturtium (a type of edible flower) leaves as the pumpkin stem, or use a wedge of cucumber, cut side down.
Just before serving, place half an olive on top of each ramekin of dip.

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon dip, about 1/2 cup carrots

Number of Servings: 20
Banana Yogurt Ghosts

Atlanta Personal Training

These fun frozen bananas are as simple as they are healthy. You’ll need just three ingredients.

Ingredients
1 banana, sliced in half
2 popsicle sticks or wooden skewers
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein OR 1/2 pouch sugar free vanilla pudding mix
4 mini chocolate chips

Tips
Greek yogurt sticks to the bananas better than regular yogurt.

Directions
Carefully poke the banana onto the skewer.
Mix the yogurt and whey protein or vanilla pudding together.
Spread the yogurt mixture over the bananas.
Gently place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
Adorn with two mini chocolate chips as eyes.
Freeze until firm and serve.

Serving Size: 2 banana “ghosts”
Pumpkin Protein Cake Balls

Atlanta Personal Trainers healthy-cake-batter-paleo-dough-balls

Satisfy that chocolate craving with a high-protein, low carb healthy treat.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup protein powder (vanilla)
1/8 cup agave
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup pure pumpkin
1/8 cup almond butter
2 tbsp sugar free vanilla pudding mix
Lily’s chocolate chips sweetened with stevia (or sugar free chocolate)

Mix all ingredients together. Add little bits of water if needed. Dough should be thick like cookie dough. Form 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper. Freeze. Once frozen, melt chocolate chips and coat balls with a thin layer of chocolate. Freeze again and serve frozen or at room temperature. They stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for 5 months.

Tip:  For an even healthier option, roll the cake balls in cocoa powder or cinnamon in lieu of the chocolate coating.

Makes approximately 6-8 balls.

 

Recipes adapted from Spark People

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Atlanta Personal Trainer | Rainy Day Workout

rainy-day-workout

Don’t let the rain ruin your good intentions to workout! When the weather has left you feeling less than motivated to get to the gym, try this workout in the comforts of your living room.

Length: 10-30 minutes

Equipment: chair, mat (optional)

Type of Workout: Full Body Circuit, Muscle Cardio

Muscles Worked: legs, chest, biceps, triceps, core, back

Fitness Level: Beginner to Advanced

Full Body Meltdown:

Do each exercise back to back with as little rest time as possible between each exercise. After completing the circuit one time, rest 1-2 minutes and go through the circuit again. Complete the circuit up to 3-5 times for a 20-30 minute workout.

40 jumping jacks

15 squats

20 alternating reverse lunges

10 mountain climbers

5 burpees

25 bicycles

10 supermans

10 push-ups

40 high knees/run in place

20 vertical leg crunches

:30 second plank

10 tricep chair dips

rest 1-2 minutes and repeat 2-4 more times

-Mandy

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