Here’s How to Snack Smart

Steve McKinney December 27 2011 - No Comment

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

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.

Email me today – I look forward to hearing from you.

Recipe of the Week

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.

Fitness Tip of the Week

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.

Weight Gain Season Begins

Steve McKinney November 01 2011 - No Comment

It’s here—whether you’re ready or not. Just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers like to call it ‘holiday season’ but let’s be more accurate.

Weight Gain season begins now and runs straight through New Year’s.

The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours.

Why discuss it now and not mid way through December? Because now is your opportunity to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the craziness begins, you’ll be too busy to put a plan into action.

So let’s take this moment of clarity, this calm before the storm, to outline a two-part plan that will save your waist from unwanted holiday inches.

1) Part One: Your Exercise Plan. Exercise is the first thing people cut when they get busy, and the holiday season is notorious for empty gyms. This year do something different—obligate yourself to exercise. Promising to yourself won’t do it, you need to promise to others so that you won’t drop the ball.

• Sign up to work with a fitness expert – This is the perfect solution for consistent, challenging and effective workouts. I’ll give you the attention and assistance that you need to power through the holidays in better shape than ever – talk about motivating!
• Join a class – You won’t be as effective exercising on your own during the busy holiday season, so join a class for accountability. Find something challenging that gets your heart rate elevated and uses strength training.
• Get a serious exercise buddy – Some friends can be an awesome help while others end up pulling you down. When looking for an exercise buddy consider the following questions:
  - Do they share your fitness goals?
  - Are they fairly encouraging?
  - Do they give up easily?
  - Are they at your fitness level?

2) Part Two: Your Diet Plan.The holidays offer ample opportunities to indulge, so you need to hammer down some guidelines before hitting that buffet line. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t indulge in any seasonal treats, but use moderation. Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to eat until the point of being uncomfortable – will you really miss that bloated feeling? Decide which treats to cut out this year.

• Don’t bring edible treats to the office or to parties. You know that the leftovers will come home and you’ll end up eating far more than your share. This year do everyone a favor by not gifting fattening treats.
• When faced with a buffet line, load your plate first with greens, vegetables and lean meats before breads and heavier foods. Also drink water with your meal and keep alcoholic beverages to a 2-drink maximum.
• Beware of holiday drinks – most are brimming with calories. Hot drinks from coffee shops, cocktails at parties and creamy eggnog are all very enjoyable and all filled with empty calories. Stick with hot tea or unsweetened coffee.
• Everywhere you go during the holiday season brings you face-to-face with a plate of sweets. To avoid being a bore but without adding inches to your waist, try the one treat rule. Each time you’re in a social situation that involves sweets just eat one, and enjoy your treat slowly.

You don’t have to gain weight this holiday season. The key is your mindset.

If you approach the holidays with the mindset of, ‘I deserve to indulge and I shouldn’t have to exercise’ then you’ll enter 2012 a few pounds heavier, a little less healthy, and with lower energy than ever before.

I believe that you deserve better. I believe that you should enter 2012 in better shape than you are today, healthier than you’ve been in a long time, and with more energy than you thought possible.

I’m here to help – email me to set up a fitness consultation. I’d love to show you how to transform your body over the weeks to come.

Recipe of the Week

Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins

Here’s a muffin that isn’t sugary, starchy and devoid of nutrients – like the muffins at your favorite coffee shop. These muffins are rich in beta-carotene and contain half an egg’s worth of high quality protein. The delicately sweet flavor will satisfy and have you coming back for more.

Servings: 12

Here’s what you need…

• 1/2 cup coconut flour (find at natural foods store)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canned pureed pumpkin
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 3 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 pecans for topping



1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil muffin pans.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, place the pumpkin puree then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add melted coconut, honey and vanilla and mix until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, blend with a whisk until most lumps have disappeared.
5. Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
6. Place on wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Analysis:One serving equals: 127 calories, 7g fat, 230mg sodium, 11.7g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 5g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

Burn The Most

Activities that require the coordination of your entire body, such as jogging, swimming, and the elliptical trainer, burn more calories than stabilized activities, such as a stationary bike. For maximal calorie burning, choose cardiovascular exercises that use your entire body.

Transform from “Before” to “After”

Steve McKinney September 06 2011 - No Comment

Have you ever seen a really impressive “before” and “after” photo on a weight loss product?

Well, there’s something that the diet industry doesn’t want you to know. There is more involved than just the diet product, and it’s the same across the board.

Look into the eyes of any person in their “before” picture and you’ll see that they are deeply disturbed. The body they have is no longer in sync with the body they are able to accept.

They changed the body that they accept, and became disturbed.

Now look into their eyes in the “after” picture – see the sweet satisfaction? They now live in the body that they decided they could accept. What an amazing feeling that is.

Why are you still living life in your “before” body?

Sure, you have obstacles that get in your way – your schedule, your job, your kids, the weather, your knee injury from college…but ultimately you have the body that you accept.

I’m going to repeat that so it will really sink in.

You have the body that you accept.

Transform from “Before” to “After”

You may not realize it, but you already posses everything you need to transform your body, and it all starts with taking responsibility for the body that you have today.

You are in your current shape because, until this moment, you’ve been OK with it.

Oh I know you aren’t thrilled with it, and you even talk about losing weight and getting fit – but you haven’t changed what you’ll accept.

Here’s how to transform your body in 3 steps:

Step One: Feel Disturbed

It has been said that emotion creates motion. This is essential when it comes to personal transformation. Just like those folks in the “before” pictures, to transform your body you must first decide that you can’t live another day in the body you currently have.

Get your emotions stirred up. Make a list of all the reasons that you’re ready to lose weight and get fit. Get disturbed.

Step Two: Decide What You Want

Without clarity you’ll never get where you want to go. Now that you’re disturbed with the body you have, decide what the body you can accept looks like.

Think in concrete and specific terms. Just like the captions under “before” and “after” pictures – “Shannon lost 50 lbs,” “Matt lost 8 inches from his waist,” “Catherine went from a size 20 to a size 4.”

Get a clear picture in your mind of what you’ll look like in your “after” picture and decide what the caption will read.

Step Three: Take Action

The time spent between your inspiration (now) and taking action determines whether you will succeed or fail. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck between inspiration and action – there is always something that you can do immediately.

Take action by emailing me now to set up a fitness consultation.

I am here to take you from your “before” picture to your “after” picture. What will your “after” caption read?

Recipe of the Week

Salmon and Broccoli Scramble

Salmon, broccoli and egg whites combine for the perfect protein-packed breakfast. Add a side of avocado for healthy fats and a serving of fruit for a delicious start to your day.

Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces
• 5 egg whites
• 8oz grilled or smoked salmon, separated into small pieces
• dash of salt and pepper

Nutritional Analysis:One serving equals: 225 calories, 7g fat, 557mg sodium, 6.5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 33g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

Get Disturbed

You have to get disturbed with your current shape before you’ll take the action needed to transform your body. How do you get disturbed? Try these:

• Go shopping for a swim suit
• Try on all of your “skinny” clothes
• Look at old pictures from when you were in better shape
• Go to the doctor for a physical

29 Simple Ways To Be Fit

Steve McKinney May 18 2011 - No Comment

Far too often fitness is presented as complicated and confusing.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Being fit comes from living the following simple everyday practices:

1. Throw out your big dinner plates. Using small plates at home effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
2. Make exercise a regular part of your life. Create a network of accountability with workout partners or by working with me, your local fitness expert.
3. Know what you want to accomplish. Visualize the end result of your hard work.
4. Believe in you. I know that you CAN accomplish your goals.
5. Don’t be a wimp. Keep the intensity high during your workouts. Remember that you don’t want to kill time; you want to burn calories and strengthen your body through intense exercise.
6. Drink water all day long.
7. Know when to ask for help.
8. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your routine by doing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
9. 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.
10. Forget will-power; it’s about WANT-power. How badly do you want it.
11. Never eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
12. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount of it that you eat. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from leafy plants and whole grains.
13. It’s OK to be a skeptic. Watch out for products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels and make your own informed opinion.
14. Talk is cheap. Act now and get the job done.
15. Exercise with people that are in better shape than you. This will encourage you to push your limits.
16. Never indulge in negative self-talk.
17. Don’t drink calories.
18. Pay attention to everything that you eat.
19. Keep consistent. Exercise at least three or four times each week.
20. Expect more from yourself.
21. Never eat High Fructose Corn Syrup. It spikes your blood sugar levels and encourages your body to store fat.
22. Eat plenty of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, great for good health and weight loss.
23. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to encourage 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.
24. Breakfast should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
25. If you know that you deserve better…then go get it.
26. Challenge yourself during each workout. Try something new and exciting.
27. Set specific, measurable goals and track your progress.
28. Even if they are whole grain, eat carbohydrates sparingly. Carbohydrates are quickly stored as fat.
29. Put an end to your struggle to get and stay fit. Email me today to get started on a proven fitness program that will change your life and body forever.

Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see every day.

Recipe of the Week

Favorite Green Beans

Green beans are low in calories and packed with vitamins and healthy fiber. This dish comes together quickly and the flavors are deliciously tangy.

Servings: 2

Here’s what you need:

• 8oz fresh green beans
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons diced yellow onion
• dash of salt and pepper

1. Steam the green beans until soft, yet still with a slight crunch.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the green beans and toss together.
3. Transfer beans to serving dish and enjoy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 94 calories, 4g fat, 9.5g carbohydrate, 3.3g fiber, and 2g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

Not Too Sweet

If want to lose weight, cut the sugar out of your diet. Sugar encourages fat storage by causing your insulin levels to rise. Try natural low-calorie alternatives to sugar, such as stevia.

7 Secrets to Maintain Weight Loss

Steve McKinney March 22 2011 - No Comment

If you’ve ever lost weight, you know how hard it is to keep it off.

Ever wonder why some people are able to keep weight off, while others put it right back on? Read on for the 7 Secrets to Maintain Weight Loss. (And if you still have pounds to lose, these 7 secrets will help you too.)

Secret #1: Keep on Moving

If you’re serious about keeping the weight off, you need to be serious about your workouts. Keep your activity level high, both in and out of the gym. Your workouts should consist of both cardiovascular training and strength training. While out of the gym make an effort to move as much as possible by taking the stairs, going for walks or jogs and participating in recreational activities.

Secret #2: Be a Healthy Eater

Sorry, you can’t go back to eating at the drive through and expect to maintain your weight loss. Focus on these 3 aspects of healthy eating:

1. Keep calories low. Gone are the days of eating mindlessly. Be aware of everything that goes into your mouth, whether by journaling or simply keeping a mental tally.
2. Be careful. Eat small portions, avoid high-calorie foods and check nutrition labels. You don’t have to swear off chocolate forever, just eat it occasionally with portion control.
3. Eat a balanced diet. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.

Secret #3: Turn off the TV

The average person watches a whopping 35 hours of television each week. People who successfully maintain weight loss, on the other hand, watch an average of 7 hours or less. TV watching encourages snacking and puts you in a sedentary position on the couch. Spend less time in front of the TV and enjoy longer lasting weight loss.

Secret #4: Keep it Simple

While it is important to keep a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, your diet should be fairly simple. Create a repertoire of basic whole foods: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, beans and nuts. When you cut down on your options it becomes easier to stick to your plan, making weight loss guaranteed.

Secret #5: Track Yourself

Your biggest fear is gaining back every solitary lost pound, but don’t be afraid of your scale. Weigh yourself at least once each week to monitor any gains. If the numbers begin to climb then reduce calories and increase your exercise.

Secret #6: Eat for the Right Reason

Emotional eating is one of the top reasons that people are overweight. It’s very important that you view food as fuel, not as an answer to deeper emotional needs. When food becomes more than just fuel, the pounds quickly add up. If you want to keep your weight under control, you’re going to have to eliminate emotional eating.

Secret #7: Forget All-Or-Nothing

No one is perfect – not even you! There will be days when you eat more calories than you should have. There will also be days when you miss a workout. Don’t let small slipups send you into a tailspin of all-or-nothing sabotage. Simply get back to your healthy lifestyle rather than letting yourself backslide into your old habits.

Don’t be one of the many who skip these 7 secrets and instead return to life pre-weight loss. You worked hard to be where you are – you deserve to keep it.

I’m always available to help you achieve any fitness or weight loss goal. Email me to get started on a solid exercise program that will change your body and life forever.

Recipe of the Week

Garlic Asparagus

Your diet should be filled with vegetables, with asparagus at the top of the list. This asparagus recipe is easy to make and tastes great. Serve it with a piece of white fish, chicken breast or other lean meat for a healthy meal.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
• dash of salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus.
2. In a casserole dish, combine the asparagus, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
3. Remove from oven and mix in the lemon juice. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 47 calories, 2g fat, 5g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 3g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

Reinvent Yourself

Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have discredited the old saying: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Scientists have discovered that the brain actually has dynamic properties throughout life. This means that your brain is always evolving. Through practice, you are able to change your habits and change yourself.

So go on, reinvent yourself!

5 Obstacles to Fitness Success

Steve McKinney February 23 2011 - No Comment

You want to be fit. You know how much you should weigh. You know your ideal pant size. You can even picture how great those skinny jeans will look.

So why aren’t you living life in your ideal body?

There are many complex reasons that make weight loss a challenge, reasons that go deeper than simply calories-in versus calories-out.

I’m talking about the life issues that get in the way of your success.

Read the following 5 obstacles and the solutions to unlock your best body ever.

1. You don’t want to be bothered.

It’s in your DNA to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. Unfortunately this works against you when trying to get fit. In your mind, it’s painful (or at least uncomfortable) to deny yourself the tasty food that you crave and to exert yourself with exercise.

There’s a simple way to work around this obstacle: Find something painful about being fat to motivate yourself towards healthy eating and exercise. Focus on the negative impact your current weight has on your health, self-esteem and lifestyle. Convince yourself that the pain of being out of shape is much greater than the discomfort of losing weight.

2. You don’t want to wait for the good stuff.

Just as you wish to avoid pain, you are also an expert in seeking out pleasure – namely food. This served the cavemen well, but these days it ends up as extra pounds around your waist and thighs.

There’s good news: extra calories are not your only option to stimulate the pleasure center of your brain. Find an activity or two that make you smile and indulge in those regularly.

• A walk outside
• A good book
• A night out to the movies or theater
• A spa day

You can also retrain your brain to crave the pleasure of exercise-induced endorphins. Talk about weight gain kryptonite!

3. You are crazy busy.

Let’s face it, you work too much, commit yourself to too much and don’t even get enough sleep most of the time. The fast-paced way you live leaves you exhausted, stressed and hungry for comfort food. You even begin to feel too busy to take care of your health.

It’s time to re-prioritize. Let go of your perfectionist standards and remove a few commitments from your schedule so that you are able to cook healthy meals, exercise and get a good night’s sleep. Remind yourself that taking care of your health is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.

4. You don’t deserve it.

I don’t agree with it, but you sure act like you don’t deserve to live the good life in the body of your dreams. Take a moment to think back on all the times you have self-sabotaged your weight loss efforts. If you don’t believe deep down that you are worthy then you’ll never give yourself a chance at a fit body.

I believe that you deserve to have a healthy body – and I urge you to dig deep down to uncover why you don’t. Once you conquer your feelings of unworthiness, getting on an exercise and healthy eating plan will be easy.

Take the time to take care of yourself. You DO deserve it.

5. You are afraid.

You’re afraid to start because you just might fail, and wouldn’t that be embarrassing? You’re also afraid to start because you just might succeed, and change makes you uncomfortable – even if it’s change in the right direction.

When you decide to get fit you will need to go through a bushel of changes:

• New diet
• New exercise routine
• New friends at the gym
• New clothes
• New self-image

Focus on all of the ways that losing weight will make your life better. Envision that better life everyday so that it goes from being new and scary to familiar and comfortable.

I want to personally help overcome every obstacle standing between you and your ideal body. As always, you are welcome to email me with questions or to get started on a program that will change your life and body forever…in a good way

Recipe of the Week

Healthy Chocolate Shake

What is better than a creamy chocolate shake? A creamy chocolate shake without the guilt! You won’t miss the fat and refined sugar as you slurp up this tasty treat.
Servings: 2

Here’s what you need:

• 2 bananas, frozen
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 2 scoops chocolate whey protein
• 2 Tablespoons raw almond butter
• dash of ground cinnamon
• 2 cups ice

Throw everything into a high speed blender, blend until smooth and creamy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 292 calories, 7g fat, 33g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 25g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

Your friend, Regret

Have you ever felt regret the day after you passed on dessert? Of course not! You gave yourself a high-five for dodging the calorie bullet.

When temptation presents itself in the form of fattening foods or sugary desserts, decide how you want to feel the next day. Would you rather be guilt-ridden and bloated OR guilt-free and svelte?

The choice is yours.

Posted in Read, Steve McKinney by: Steve McKinney •

7 Habits of Highly Fit People

Steve McKinney October 18 2010 - 1 Comment

Lots of people ask me how to quickly and easily get fit. While I know they are hoping for a simple answer, the reality is that getting and staying fit is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.

So what do fit people do in their “healthy lifestyle”? Take a peek with the following 7 Habits of Highly Fit People:

Habit #1: They Don’t Buy Junk

Fit people know that if they keep junk food in the house it will land on their waist sooner or later. So they don’t buy any. Even buying junk food for your kids or spouse is not advised since 1) you’ll likely eat some of it eventually, and 2) your loved ones shouldn’t be eating that junk either. It’s called junk for a reason.

Rid your home of chips, cookies, candy, baked goods, pre-packaged snacks and anything else that belongs in a vending machine. Replace the above with fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and other healthy whole foods snacks.

Habit #2: They Have Priorities

Fit people make exercise a priority. Along with keeping a job, paying the bills and going to the doctor, exercise is an important part of their lives. What I’ve found is that fit people put exercise before leisure time. Sure, fit people enjoy leisure, but it is scheduled around their workout time.

Treat exercise time with the same importance that you would a business meeting or trip to the dentist.

Habit #3: They Stop When Full

Fit people stop eating when they feel full. Sound simple? It is, but how many times have you stuffed yourself simply to clear your plate? Or how many times have you eaten another piece of cake despite being stuffed?

The next time you feel full, take it as a sign to stop eating. Yes, even if your plate isn’t empty.

Habit #4: They Push Themselves

Not only do fit people make time to go to the gym, they challenge themselves during each workout. While it is easy to simply go through the motions while exercising, you’re cheating your body out of great results when you don’t push yourself. Exercise should make you sweat, make your muscles burn, and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.

Find ways to make each workout more challenging. For competitive people, the best way to push yourself is to exercise with a friend of similar strength. Another great way to challenge yourself is to set small attainable goals. These goals could be to push heavier weight, to sprint longer, or to do cardio at a higher intensity setting.

Habit #5: They Don’t Eat and Watch

Fit people know that eating in front of the T.V. is mindless eating. When your attention is on your entertainment and not on your food, then you’ll be less tuned in to what and how much ends up in your mouth. Eating in front of the T.V. is also very habit forming. Ever notice how you crave munchies just as a reflex of sitting in front of the T.V.?

Eat before or after your entertainment and pay attention to what and how much goes into your mouth.

Habit #6: They Drink Water

Fit people drink lots of water. And not just in addition to other beverages, but instead of them. Water is their main drink, while other drinks are occasional treats. Calorie-filled drinks are one of the quickest ways to consume excess calories which quickly turn into fat. Consider water your beverage of choice. Drink plenty of it each day and drink other beverages only a few times each week.

Habit #7: They Are Supported

Fit people don’t leave their motivation to chance. They know that if their personal trainer, boot camp instructor or workout partner is waiting for them, then they are less likely to skip a workout. It is so easy to hit snooze or to talk yourself out of the gym as soon as your behind hits the couch after work. Fit people take the option of skipping out of the equation.

Want instant support? Email me today to get started on your own customized fitness plan.

I hope that these habits have inspired you to make a change for the fitter in your own life.

If you already do some of these habits then congratulations – you are on your way to a better body. Make an effort to incorporate the rest of the habits to take your results to the next level.

If none, or very few, of these habits describe your lifestyle, then I’ve got good news – you now have 7 effective new habits to start that will get you some awesome results. Don’t try to tackle all 7 at once – pick one or two to add each week and gradually work up to all 7.

As always, you are welcome to email me with questions or to get started on your own customized fitness plan. I look forward to hearing from you.

Recipe of the Week

Delicious Kale and Pinto Bean Soup

There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of soup on a chilly fall day. This soup contains kale, a superfood that is packed with vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting enzymes. It contains loads of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper and potassium.
Servings: 10

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups filtered water
• 2 bouillon cubes
• dash of freshly ground sea salt
• dash of freshly ground pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
• 5 large carrots, diced
• 2 bunches kale, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the beans and cook for 60-90 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In your soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cooked beans, water, bouillon, salt, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, and carrots. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the kale and cook another 15 minutes or until kale is tender. Add more water if needed.
4. Remove the bay leaves, add more salt and pepper if needed.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 112 calories, 2g fat, 20g carbohydrate, 7.3g fiber, and 6g protein.

Fitness Tip of the Week

3 Anti-Fitness Habits

The following 3 habits will result in weight gain faster than you can say ‘anti-fitness habits.’ Break these habits quickly.

1. Drinking Calories. Soda pop, coffee drinks, smoothies and fruit juices are filled with calories. Since liquids won’t give you a ‘full’ feeling, these drinks slide by without notice of how many extra calories you’re getting. Stick with water to avoid extra calories.
2. Not Exercising. Skipping the gym day after day, week after week, and month after month will lead to muscle loss and a reduced metabolism. Exercise 3-5 days per week to keep your muscles strong and metabolism high.
3. Eating a Heavy Dinner. Eating a large heavy dinner sets you up for weight gain. Instead of eating the majority of your calories late in the day, spread it out over the entire day.

Posted in Read, Steve McKinney by: Steve McKinney •

Drink This Not That

Steve McKinney August 09 2010 - No Comment

Changing what you drink just may be the magic weight loss bullet you’ve been looking for.

David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding sure think so. But then they did write the book on it: Drink This Not That. They’ve even gone so far as to claim that you could lose up to 32 pounds in a year just by changing what you drink.

What most people don’t know is that it’s a lot easier to drink extra calories than to eat it. So you really need to pay attention to what you’re sipping on.

Here is a sampling of what their book has to offer. The following are 5 of the worst things to drink, followed by 5 slimming alternatives. (more…)

The End of Food Temptation

Steve McKinney June 14 2010 - No Comment

You start each morning with the promise to be “good” today.

You’ll refuse the baked goods at the office. You’ll speed past that fast food place at lunch. You’ll turn a blind eye to the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you’ll pass on the ice cream after dinner.

But… you hadn’t counted on the fact that a box of your favorite donuts would be sitting in the break room. Or that co-workers would invite you to join them for fast food place at lunch. Or that Girl Scouts would come through the office after school with boxes of thin mints. Or that your special someone would come home with a pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch.

And as you get into bed each night you tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.

Tomorrow you will conquer temptation.

But tomorrow comes with its own set of special circumstances and temptation gets the best of you once again.

Why Does (more…)

Stop Being Lazy

Steve McKinney April 26 2010 - No Comment

I know a lot of lazy people.

People who would rather spend the day planted on their couch than anywhere else.

People who choose take-out over home cooked, every night of the week.

People who would rather have a root canal than go do a workout.

Sure, I know that we all have our occasional lazy day on the couch, but lately it seems that more and more people are turning laziness into a career.

What about you? Check if the following describe you: (more…)