Here’s How to Snack Smart

Everyone loves a good snack. But what defines “good”? :lol:

If your stomach starts rumbling and lunch is still two hours away, you’re going to need a snack to make it through the day. What you reach for at snack time can make a big difference in your energy level, weight, and overall health. Choose the wrong snack, and you’ll feel dragged down and even more tired. Choose wisely, and you’ll get the boost you need.

Before your next snack break, think twice about what you are about to eat and remember the following information when you’re craving a snack!

Snacking for Energy
If you find yourself fighting sleepiness in the afternoon, what your body needs is a boost of energy. Snacks eaten midday should contain good fats and protein to give and sustain your energy level.

Here are a few good options when you need an energy-boosting snack.

  • A small apple or sliced banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. The natural sugars in fruit take longer to metabolize than sugars found in candy, and the peanut butter provides the protein needed for long-lasting energy.
  • A quarter cup of nuts and dried fruit. This slow-burning mixture provides protein, good fats (that’s right – fats aren’t always bad), and plenty of fiber, all wrapped up in a delicious package. Just be careful. Eating too many of these carbohydrates can cause low blood sugar and make you feel even sleepier.
  • One tablespoon of hummus spread on four whole-grain crackers. Made from garbanzo beans, hummus is a great energy booster and is also full of fiber. And the whole-grain crackers are made with complex carbohydrates, which help fill you up without dragging you down.

Snacking for Weight Management
Many people eliminate snacks when attempting to lose weight. Unfortunately, this is counterproductive, as snacks keep you satisfied between meals. If dinnertime arrives and you’re exceptionally hungry, it’s easy to overeat. Eating several small snacks throughout the day will help keep your hunger in check. However, you should avoid eating snacks when you’re bored, stressed, zoning out in front of the TV, or not paying attention to what you’re eating while studying for your next exam.

The key is to choose snacks that fit with your daily calorie and nutrient needs. If your goal is to lose weight, choose low-calorie, nutrient-filled snacks. If you need to gain weight or if you are physically fit and need to replenish energy from a strenuous workout, go for higher calorie, nutritious snacks.

Low-carb snack ideas include vegetables, reduced-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, half of an avocado, and a few deli slices.

Snacks for Healthy Living
What you eat for snacks can help you meet recommended guidelines for the amount of fruits, vegetables, calcium, protein, and whole grains your body needs to stay healthy. Keeping a variety of yummy, ready-to-eat nutritious snacks available for you and your family is important. After all, when healthy food is easily accessible, you won’t be tempted to stop at the vending machine or the nearest fast food chain.

In addition to choosing the right foods, include plenty of variety. If you eat too many carbohydrates for breakfast, snack on some protein. If you’re eating a steak for dinner, munch on some sliced fruit for an afternoon fill up.

Snacks full of goodness for your body include egg salad for protein, a cheese stick for extra calcium, baby carrots for a serving of veggies, canned tuna, or a handful of almonds.

If you want to expedite your results then consider working with me on a fitness plan that will turn you into a fat burning machine.

Call or email today – I look forward to hearing from you.

It’s Your Choice

At every snack break, you have a choice to make. Will it be the leftover holiday candy, chips, and soda? Or will it be a nutritious and delicious portion of food to give you the energy, calories, and the goodness you need to make it through your day? Make the right decision and become leaner and healthier.

Easy Egg Muffins

Here is the perfect snack to enjoy guilt-free. Each muffin is packed with protein that will fuel your day and support muscle growth. Make a bunch of these and save them in the fridge for snacks-on-the-go.
Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…

  • 6 omega-3, organic, free range eggs
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/8 cup of organic shredded cheese
  • sprinkle of salt and pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease lightly.
  3. Mix up the eggs, add bell pepper, cheese and seasonings. Fill 6 muffin tins.
  4. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the egg is fully set.

Nutritional Analysis: One muffin equals: 89 calories, 6g fat, 120mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate, .16g fiber, and 7.5g protein.

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December/ January Specials
***3 Month Special: Purchase 3 months of training in advance and save $90!!!!*** ***Workout with a Friend, Family Member, or Coworker and Receive our Partner Training Rate**** ***Receive $75 off of your first month of Personal Training. When you enroll this month!!*** ” The accountability you need to get the results you want, Guaranteed.”
219 N. Encina St. Visalia, CA 93291
(559)636-3488
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27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips

It’s almost New Year’s Day, and then you will have a clean slate. :-)

I don’t know if you are one to make New Year’s Resolutions or not, but either way you’re probably thinking about how you can become fitter, healthier and happier than you are right now.

These 27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips will get you on the right track for this New Year:

  1. Visualize the accomplishment of your goals each and every day. Experience the taste of success and feel that sweet satisfaction.
  2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don’t kill time, burn calories by maintaining a challenging intensity.
  3. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
  4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off. The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.
  5. Believe in yourself. Know with conviction that you CAN accomplish your goals.
  6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages. This simple action is extremely beneficial.
  7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.
  8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  9. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your cardio workouts by performing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
  10. It’s not about will-power, it’s about want-power. You have to want it.
  11. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
  12. Stop talking about losing weight. Start doing it.
  13. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
  14. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels.
  15. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet work with a personal trainer to guarantee dramatic results.
  16. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and carbohydrates.
  17. Destroy negative self talk.
  18. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.
  19. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times each week.
  20. Expect more of yourself.
  21. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.
  22. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.
  23. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.
  24. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.
  25. Set specific, measurable goals.
  26. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
  27. You deserve better…go get it.

After writing these tips, I realized how powerful and inspiring they are. Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see often – this will keep you motivated and pumped up to accomplish your goals.

If your New Year’s Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn’t?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can guide you to success.

I’d love to team up with you – together we will transform your body in 2010!

Call or email to get started today.

The New Year’s Resolution Trap
Are you making a New Year’s Resolution today? If you do, keep this in mind: It has been reported that 92% of New Year’s Resolutions end in failure. Why? Because most people make resolutions that are simply unrealistic. They quickly get discouraged and then abandon the idea entirely.

To ensure that you accomplish your New Year’s Resolution, stick with a goal that is realistic rather than intimidating. Check out these examples:

  • Instead of resolving to lose 70 pounds by summer, commit to exercise 3-4 times each week.
  • Instead of resolving to give up all carbs, commit to bring healthy lunches to work instead of going through a fast food drive thru.
  • Instead of resolving to drop 3 sizes in 3 months, commit to losing 1 pound each week until you reach your goal weight.
  • Instead of resolving to never eat out again, commit to eating healthy all week and rewarding yourself with one meal out on the weekends.
Healthy Winter Hash
This simple recipe is the perfect meal for a chilly winter day. It is packed with tender vegetables, filled with protein and can be made with chicken or as a vegetarian dish. Serve it with a salad for a quick and healthy meal that the whole family will love.
Yield: 6 servings

Here’s what you need…

  • 2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed (or 1 package firm tofu, drained and cubed)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 can lowfat chili
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl combine all of the vegetables and chicken. Drizzle the olive oil and mix to coat. Add the thyme, salt and garlic powder.
  3. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet, and cover well with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  4. Remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Broil until the vegetables are nicely browned, about 8 minutes.
  5. Top each serving with a scoop of warmed chili.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 230 calories, 4g fat, 28g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 20g protein.

Share this newsletter with your friends. Use the “refer a friend” link below to forward this newsletter to your friends, family and co-workers.

December/ January Specials
***3 Month Special: Purchase 3 months of training in advance and save $90!!!!*** ***Workout with a Friend, Family Member, or Coworker and Receive our Partner Training Rate**** ***Receive $75 off of your first month of Personal Training. When you enroll this month!!*** ” The accountability you need to get the results you want, Guaranteed.”
OR
Call (559)636-3488 To Get Started Today!
Empower Fitness Training
219 N. Encina St. Visalia, CA
(559)636-3488

The Perfect Holiday Dessert!!

I know, I know, I know. The holidays are here and temptation seems to be EVERYWHERE. Now is NOT the time for those with a sweet tooth to fall off the wagon.

So that’s why I’ve got two great Holiday dessert ideas for you that won’t pack on the pounds.

First, is Grilled Banana Splits. Here’s the simple ingredients you’ll need:

Credit: Free images from acobox.com

4 ripe bananas

2 Tbsp chocolate chips

1/2 cup non-fat, frozen vanilla yogurt

4 tsp chopped walnuts

Here are the easy-to-follow directions:

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2- Place each banana on its side on a piece of foil. Cut a slit lengthwise across the top. Leave the skin attached.

3- Push 1/2 Tbsp chocolate chips into the slit of each banana.

4- Wrap the bananas with the foil, leaving the top open. Grill or bake about 15 minutes or until the chocolate melts.

5- Loosen the foil and press the bananas open a little.

6- Top each banana with 2Tbsp of the frozen yogurt and sprinkle with 1tsp walnuts.

That’s it for a nutritious and delicious treat!

Second, if you like your life even easier, and you’re a big fan of Dark Chocolate, you are going to LOVE Prograde Cravers. I seriously cannot even begin to tell you how delicious they taste.

You have to watch this video to see for yourself. You’ll see fitness professionals tasting Prograde Cravers for the very first time. Yes, fitness pros that have tasted every bar on the planet are amazed at how good they taste.

Trust me, you have to see this: http://empower.getprograde.com/cravers

Yours in health,

Andy Salazar

PS – Seriously, Cravers make the PERFECT holiday dessert.  They are less than 200 calories and are made from organic dark chocolate. http://empower.getprograde.com/cravers

PPS – I am a Prograde Nutrition Partner

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