4 great meals under 400 calories!

Hi everyone,

I often get asked for ideas for quick meals under 400 calories so here are a few I think you will enjoy. I will soon blog some great ideas for salads that you can pack for lunch and take to work. Planning ahead and having control over what you eat can save you many un-wanted calories and a lot of pennies!

Spicy Tomato Clams (serves 4)

1 tbs of olive oil, 1/2 cup each of chopped onion, green pepper and celery, 1 crushed clove of garlic. Saute all these ingredients together in a pan until they start to soften. Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of w1 tbs olive white wine and 1 finely chopped green chillie. Cook for about 5 mins and then add 1kg of clams in their shells. Place a lid on the pan and allow to cook for a further 8 mins or until the shells have opened. Serve with a portion of Spaghetti.

Calories: 89 , Fat; 3.8 g, Carbs; 6.2 g, Protein; 5.4g (without spaghetti portion)

Turkey Burger (Makes 2 Burgers)

6 oz ground turkey , 1 egg white, 2 tbs oats, 1/4 cup of finely, diced onion, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili pepper,1 clove of crushed garlic. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and dig in your hands! Really squeeze all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed. Divide into 2 patties and cook in a pan with a touch of coconut oil. Serve wrapped up in a crisp lettuce leaf with additional chopped onion and tomatoe if desired. Yum!

Calories per serving; 345 , Fat; 15.5 g, Carbs; 16g, Protein; 35 g

Chicken Pizza with Red Pesto

1 Wholemeal Tortilla wrap, 6 oz of grilled chicken, 3 tbs of red pesto, 1/4 cup of chopped sundried tomatoes and 1/2 cup of grated mozarella.....Spread the torilla with the pesto, chop the chicken and spread evenly over the pesto, followed by the sundried tomatoes and cheese. Place in a hot oven for about 10 minutes! Easy!

Calories per 1/2 Pizza; 329, Fat; 10g, Carbs; 25 g, Protein; 33 g

Quinoa, walnut, apple and Turkey salad (serves 2)

1/4 cup of quinoa, 1/2 cup water, 6 oz of chopped cooked turkey, 1 cup of chopped green apple, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 3 cups of mixed salad leaves. Cook the quinoa in the cup of water for about 10 minutes. Put aside and leave to cool. Place the chopped turkey, apple and walnut in a bowl and mix together. Add the quinoa and salad leaves plus a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinaigrette* Mix everything together and serve!

Calories per serving; 365, Fat; 18g, Carbs; 30g, Protein; 19g

p.s Season your dishes according to taste, salt and pepper and or other herbs that you like!

* Apple cider vinaigrette: 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of Sunflower oil, 1/2 cup of Walnut oil, 1 tsp of stevia (sweetner), 1 tbs of french mustard, 1 tsp of finely grated lemon zest (optional) Place in a blender and wiz together. Keep in a closed jar in the fridge and use as required.

BON APPETIT

Supa Shake Day!

Supa Shake Day!

Mixed Berry and Coconut Shake

1 cup of Coconut milk

1 cup of crushed ice or cold water

1 scoop of Protein powder

1 tsn of ground flaxseed

2/3 cup frozen berries

Put everything in the blender and wiz!

Apple, yoghurt and cinnamon Shake

1 cup of plain yoghurt

1 scoop of protein powder

1 cup of crushed ice or cold water

1 peeled and chopped apple (something with a sharp taste)

1 tsp of ground flaxseed

sprinkling of cinnamon

In it goes and wiz on high!

Have a great week everyone!

In health ,
Tamara

6 store cupboard essentials.

We all have those essential food items that we use every day in every way and the following 6 may well be in your cupboards already. However, here are my 6 essentials that I have at home at all times and I also pack them with me when I have to go away.

Coconut Oil

This is now considered to be one of the healthiest oils to cook with. It is a superfood rich in the most beneficial type of saturated fat, has ant-bacterial properties, is digested very easily and will also do a great job at boosting your immune system. It has also been known to help with thyroid problems. Coconut oil is often sold in a tub and a small amount goes a long way. Use it instead of olive or sunflower oil when cooking. It is widely used in India and Southern Asia and goes extremely well with fish, meat or vegetable stir fries and curries. However, I use it to cook most things so it is very versatile and does not give a strong coconut flavour to your dishes.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are tiny little seeds that are either dark brown or golden in colour. They are an extremely rich source of Omega-3 and particularly beneficial for us females. They are also high in fibre so if your diet is lacking in that department, these little gems will help you out. I buy mine un-ground and then grind small batches at a time in my coffee grinder and store them in a jar in the fridge. This way they stay fresh and full of nutrients. You can buy them ready ground in the US but I have not seen them here in Switzerland. I sprinkle a tspn or 2 of the seeds on just about everything! Porridge, muesli, yoghurt, salad, stir fries, shakes etc be careful not to over do it though as you may find your stomach blowing up like a balloon!

Fish or Cod Liver Oil

Fish oil is the best source of Omega-3 and far superior than nuts and seeds. It is hard for us to obtain our quota from eating fish alone, as these days it is hard to find fresh fish, it is often expensive and not everyone is happy to eat it. So taking a supplement is your best bet. Invest in a high quality brand that is pure and heavy metal free, once again, check the label and the source. Keep your capsules or liquid oil in the fridge and take them once or twice a day. I tend to take 2 capsules with breakfast and another 2 capsules with dinner. Be careful though, if you are pregnant or on any kind of medication and check with your doctor first to make sure that there will be no complications.

Stevia

This natural sweetener is calorie free and a fantastic alternative to sugar and any other sweetener on the market. You can use it to sweeten just about anything from cooked desserts to cold puddings aswell as your daily dose of java.

Whey Protein Powder

Whey comes from milk and is a powerful source of protein. It is ideal for adding to shakes, smoothies and desserts. Finding the right brand to suit your requirements can be a bit tricky at times, but there are many out there so take a look at your local grocery store and see what they have available. Most people who are lacto-intolerant can actually digest whey protein with no problems. But if this is an issue, look out for pea or egg white protein powder instead. They also come in various flavours and unless you want to taste artificial strawberry or chocolate then I would stick with plain or vanilla.

Nuts

Nuts are wonderful and as i am writing this, I am surrounded by walnut and hazelnut trees which are overflowing with their fruits and almost ready to drop the free offerings on the ground. Perfect, free, organic, nutrient dense foods from the Gods! Well, I know that we are not all so lucky and most of us will have to go to shops to stock up. Nuts should be consumed in their raw state and preferably of organic origin. You can buy nuts in bulk from lots of health food stores but go to one where they replenish their supplies regularly so as to be sure of their freshness. A handful of nuts is my favourite snack and will always help me steer clear of any sugar cravings. Walnuts are high in Omega-3 and Almonds are rich in zinc and Brazil nuts will supply you with all your daily selenium needs, so make sure you consume on a daily basis. They are high in fat but you do not need to go overboard with quantities, they are filling and satisfying and I doubt you will want to have a nut binge in the same way you may want to have a cookie binge!

So there are a few of my favourite things and I hope that you will find them enjoyable too.

In health and happiness,

Tamara

Supa Shake!

There are times during the day/week when solid food just does not appeal to us or maybe we just do not have the time to prepare a well balanced and nutritious meal.

Enter the Super Shake!

Shakes are not new by any means and they have been used for years as meal replacements or supplements for those embarking on weight-loss or weight-gain diets. The shakes that I am going to suggest can either be taken at any time of day or specifically after a heavy workout.

A word on protein powders first. There are many out there and not all are good! I suggest you steer clear of any Soya based ones and choose instead a whey base product. Here in Switzerland you can obtain your supply from health food shops, pharmacies and some Sports shops. Check the ingredient lists on the packaging and opt for the simplest, flavour free varieties, although the vanilla ones are not too bad.

Each week I will supply you with 2 great shakes for you to try, so let me know if you enjoy them!

APRICOT AND YOGHURT SHAKE

1 cup of non-fat youghurt

1 cup of whey protein

10 dried apricots

1tbsp of ground flaxseeds

1 cup of crushed ice

Add all the ingredients to a blender and whiz until smooth and creamy!

Enjoy this shake post workout.

ALMOND BERRY SHAKE

2 cups of Almond milk

1 cup of frozen or fresh berries

2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds

1 cup of protein powder

Throw in the blender and whiz! This is a great one to have as a quick breakfast replacement!

Enjoy and have a great day!

In health,

Tamara

Happy Feet!

How are your feet feeling today? Do you ever wake up in the morning and give thanks for your feet? What?...If you are like me then you might have taken or maybe still take your feet for granted. They are just there at the end of your legs and do their job without you taking much notice. Unless ofcourse, you have pain or an injury or even a broken toe, which will bring your focus very much down to your feet. Every day we tend to squeeze our feet straight into restricting, high or narrow shoes or lace them up in trainers to go pound the pavement, never acknowledging that we may be setting ourselves up for injury and bad posture.

What many people do not realise is that the foot is made up of 26 bones..yes, 26 bones in each foot and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Considering we only have 206 bones in our entire body, 52 bones in our feet is a lot of bones! They are therefore a very important and major part of our framework and should be treated accordingly. In fact the mere act of walking uses around 200 muscles! Wow! No wonder we love having our feet massaged so much. Just think of reflexology and the amazing impact the treatments have on our wellbeing. They are of major importance and should be treated with respect, don't you think?

Now I have to admit, I have a shoe fetish and a wardrobe full of impossibly high shoes, which are all very beautiful to look at but oh so horrible to wear. It takes about 5 minutes of walking before the 52 bones in my feet start screaming blue murder at me. I just don't understand how the likes of Victoria Beckham manage to walk around all day long in those heels! So anyway, back to the feet.

Earlier this year I suffered an overuse back injury which put me out of action for a good 3 months. I have always run and always suffered the consequences of running ie injury, without knowing why, blaming it on intensity or lack of sense! . I always bought the most expensive running shoes believing that they would support my foot, prevent impact and allow me to run pain and injury free. I even had special insoles made by a foot specialist who said that I needed to correct a weakness in my foot which was caused by un-stable ankles.....hmmmm, I now know that by doing all this I was simply making my foot weaker and causing imbalances in my alignment which was leading to these injuries. To cut a long story short, I decided to take the barefoot root. I had heard a lot about this way of running/walking and thought that now would be a good time to wean myself off my high-tech Asics, especially now that I was facing a long break from doing any exercise at all. The first step was to buy some lightweight, barely there trainers and although there are various ones on the market, I chose the Nike Frees. Needless to say I spent the following 3 months simply walking in them as I was un-able to do anything else and was amazed at the difference that I felt in my feet. No more aching ankles, painful toes or sore hips/knees. Once my back pain had subsided I started to run in them. This took some getting used to because you have to tread more carefully and correct your running motion and stride. I felt I wanted to take smaller steps and land more in the middle to front of my foot as opposed to "heel to toe", which takes a toll on muscles, bones and joints. My first few runs were cautious and very short and I felt a bit of pull on my calves, but nothing too dramatic. I gradually built my runs upto an hour without any pain anywhere, and although running is not on the top of my list of activities anymore, it is simply nice to know that my feet are happy to no longer be restricted in ill fitting and overly protective shoes.

During my recent trip to California, I went one step further and purchased a pair of Vibram five fingers, which are the nearest thing you can get to being completely barefoot and although they are not a pretty sight, my feet love them! Going barefoot can have a major positive impact on your overall health and wellbeing and could even change the way you do your workouts by strengthening your alignment and posture. Walking barefoot on a regular basis will stimulate the circulation in your feet and have a beneficial effect on all your organs. So before you take another trip to the chiropractor or osteopaths clinic, think about your footwear and how it may be the cause of many physical issues you may be experiencing. I realise that not everyone is going to dash out and by some ugly frog feet shoes, but do try and walk with no shoes on as much as possible when you are at home and consider donating your high tech running shoes to charity and replace them with some lightweight ones, which are also a whole lot cheaper!

Lastly, I also recommend that you read the book "Born to Run" by Chris McDougall which will inspire you to take the first step on your barefoot journey.

Also check out http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/, http://www.terraplana.com/ and http://www.nike.com/, for your footwear, all of which can be purchased online.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think or let me know about your own experience with barefoot living.

In health,

Tamara

Bodyweight-Based Beach Workout

Hi Fitness Enthusiasts,

How is the week going so far? I hope you are all kicking butt with your health and fitness goals and achieving those things that matter most in your life.

Today we have another Bodyweight Based training video for you with one additional tool besides your bodyweight, bands. Bands are such an effective and travel savvy tool to supplement all of your workouts. You can buy bands in all sorts of locations but some tend to be made of poor quality material. The bands that we are using in the video are from our friends at Perform Better! They provide nothing but quality fitness equipment. If you are interested in buying yourself a great tool to include in your training then bands are a great addition. Click on the following link to get yourself some great bands, mini and super bands, from Perform Better's affiliate in the UK, BANDS GALORE, and here is the link for their offices in the U.S., I LOVE BANDS!

On to the video!

Like with our last Bodyweight Based video be sure to get a good warm up using a jump rope, jumping jacks, high knees, bum kickers, side shuffles and some press ups.

Stick to the same format in terms of the interval training, 50 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest and change exercises. Aim for the 4-5 rounds and no rest between the supersets but if you are just starting out limit your number of rounds and rest 1-2 minutes between each round.

Remember the other option is to perform each exercise for 3 sets of 12 repetitions in a superset format, i.e. complete prescribed repetitions for exercise one and immediately continue to next exercise until all the exercises in superset have been completed, then rest for 60-90 seconds before starting on the next set.

Here is the next in the series of bodyweight based workouts to get you blasting fat and packing on lean muscle. Alternate this workout with Workout A that I posted a couple of weeks ago with a rest day in between the workout or you can use the Cardio Core session as a metabolic booster in between Workouts A and B!

For example, Wk1 Monday-(Workout A), Tuesday - (Cardio Core), Wednesday - (Workout B), Thursday- Rest, Friday - (Workout A), Saturday - (Cardio/Core), Sunday-Rest

On the following week start Monday with Workout B and continue in the same format as above for three weeks.





Enjoy and let us know in the comment section what you think of the workout, preferably after the soreness disappears:)

Achieve It,
Ryan

Going Metabolic with Cardio/Core Workout

Hey Everyone,

I hope you all had a great week and hooray for the weekend!

Tamara and I just got in last night and we are suffering "the jet lag" a little bit:) Wide awake at 2 am isn't the greatest feeling but I thought I would use that time productively and get one of the videos that we filmed for you all ready to go! So our first video of the week is a metabolic workout that involves some core exercises mixed in with some shuttle runs!

The timed intervals that we used in the video, which to save time didn't include the full time, was 30 seconds of a core exercise with 30 seconds of a shuttle run. Perform this interval for each of the plank variations and rest 1-2 minutes after the round is completed and continue for 3-4 rounds depending on your fitness level. For more difficulty you could use the advanced versions of the planks or increase the interval time that you run by 5 to 10 seconds, i.e. 30 second plank 35-40 second shuttle run. For a regression you can replace the shuttle run with a high knee march in place for 30 seconds.

This workout is a bodyweight based supplementary metabolic programme, that will force your body to increase its metabolism post workout. You will continue to burn body fat for hours afterwards aswell as improving and strengthening your core !

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear them! Next week we will have Bodyweight Workout B for you to include in your "Take Anywhere" Training Programme so stay tuned.