Have you ever just known something? You don’t know how or why you know it, but you’re convinced it’s the right thing. At first you don’t question it, you just do your thing according to your belief. But somewhere along the line, outside influences have you question your basic foundations, so you try something new just because it’s new and there may be a shred of truth in the new thing. In the end, it reconfirms what you once knew intuitively and you come full circle back to where you started.

I went through this cycle recently. At AlaskaFit, my entire staff and I are constantly experimenting, investigating and making sure you are getting the best information we can share with you. We rarely take something at face value and we’re kind of geeky with our fitness and nutrition. We love peer-reviewed articles, books and quality internet-based websites that also test, question and tease out the best answers.

About two years ago I started setting some fitness goals. With the opening of AlaskaFit in its current location at the end of 2011 and all of the trials and tribulations of being a business owner, I had let my personal fitness and nutrition goals slip. I wasn’t feeling great, had gained some body fat, lost muscle and overall felt weak and crappy. Just like you, I let life get in my way and had missed more than my share of workouts.

It was time to get back on it. I contacted a friend of mine to ask for his help coaching me to achieve my Strong First Level 1 Kettlebell Instructor certification. He agreed and I started down a fun and interesting path. I achieved my certification in February of 2015.

Around the same time I was planning a trip to Hawaii and he asked me if I wanted to “lean out” to get ready for my trip. Just like you, I wanted to look great for my trip. So I said “Sure,” having no idea what he meant by the proposition.  The first text I received was a little scary. He was putting me on a low-carb, protein-rich diet.

“Well,” I thought, “this will be interesting. What the heck, I’ll give it a shot. My clients are always asking me about low-carb options and I can try this out for a few weeks, see how it goes and then give them even stronger reasons why I don’t think low carb is a good idea for long-term health and wellness.”

But then it happened…the euphoria of quick weight-loss. I dropped 10 pounds in 12 days. I was ecstatic…and confused and tired and dreaming of pineapple and other fresh fruits and veggies I’d have on my vacation.

I didn’t think too much about it and off I went. No, I didn’t exercise much (other than snorkeling) and I didn’t think at all about what I was eating.

When I returned, I was up 5 of the 10 pounds I had lost.

But that’s not all. More tomorrow.

Emmer is a type of farro (an ancient hulled wheat) that dates back to early civilization. Ethnographic evidence from Turkey and other emmer-growing areas suggests that emmer makes good bread (judged by the taste and texture standards of traditional bread), and this is supported by evidence of its widespread consumption as bread in ancient Egypt. Emmer bread is available in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In Italy, whole emmer grains can be easily found in most supermarkets and groceries, emmer bread (pane di farro) can be found in bakeries in some areas, and emmer has traditionally been consumed in Tuscany as whole grain in soup. Higher in fiber than common wheat, emmer’s use for making pasta is a recent response to the health food market; some consumers, however, judge that emmer pasta has an unattractive texture. Emmer has also been used in beer production.
As with all varieties and hybrids of wheat, emmer is unsuitable for people with gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy sufferers, among others.
Rich in fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamins, Emmer also becomes a complete protein source when combined with legumes, making Emmer grains and pastas ideal for vegetarians, or for anyone simply looking for a plant-based high-protein food source. It is prepared like brown rice and cooks in 50-60 minutes (or can be soaked overnight to reduce the cooking time). It makes a fabulous pilaf, grain salad, risotto, addition to soup, or sprouted for breads and salads. When cooked, its dark, plump berries add sweet,full-bodied flavor,chewy texture, and high nutritional value (over 16% protein) to every meal. Emmer is a lovely, versatile grain and can be used in sweet or savory dishes.

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Red Onions, and Brie

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups farro
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
• ¾ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp minced fresh sage
• 1¼ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 10 oz brie, cut into ½-inch dice

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 450F.
2. In a large pot, bring the water and farro to a boil. Add in a pinch of salt and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 25 minutes, or until farro is tender. Drain any excess water and put farro in a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, red onion, and carrots. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.
4. When the vegetables are cooked, toss them with the farro, parsley, sage, and brie. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Breaking up a bad relationship is never easy. When that relationship is dominating your life and making you miserable daily, it’s also very difficult to terminate that relationship. Today, I want to tell you about one of our AlaskaFit family members who recently ended a terrible relationship and inspire you to do the same.

“Amie” (not her real name) came to see us about 6 months ago because she was feeling awful. The scale was creeping up, she had no energy and overall just felt flabby and old.

She started in our Fit program and began meeting regularly with our Nutrition Coaches. It was in these meetings that she revealed her painful relationship.

The relationship wasn’t with a person. Amie’s relationship with her scale was dominating and terrorizing her life. She would wake up in the morning, feel great, step on the scale and when it didn’t say what she thought it should she would fall apart. There would be tears, name-calling, berating herself for not being where she thought she should be. It was truly awful.

The worst part is she thought this was “normal.” Don’t all women torture themselves because of the scale?

The answer is no…they don’t. Many of us do, but the scale should not control your moods, thoughts and your self-worth.

Through her nutrition coaching meetings she learned that the scale is not the judge of who she is as a person. The scale cannot pronounce her a failure and it was in her power to ditch this stress from her life entirely. She learned the strategies to propel her to successfully achieving her goals. She learned new ways to measure success.

This change of mindset is a HUGE accomplishment! And it is SO much more important than anything the scale can tell her. We like to call her results “Getting into Life” results.

Through our Fit classes, she is stronger, her “flabby spots” are tightened up, she has more energy and confidence. She now loves her strong, fit body.

What’s your story? What is holding you back from making a change? Are you struggling to reach your fitness and nutrition goals? If you need help moving forward towards a healthier life, schedule a free 15-minute evaluation call. We will talk about where you are now and what your next steps to health are.

Inviting just 20 women to join me at AlaskaFit on Wednesday, June 7 at 7pm. Click here for details.

From our May Moms Every Day episode…Extra Toughs is a program for women who have survived gynecological or breast cancer. Watch the video to find out more.

Oats, oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan. Since 1963, study after study has proven the beneficial effects of this special fiber on cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels correlate with the build-up of plaques in blood vessel walls. If these plaques become damaged or simply grow too large, they can rupture, blocking a blood vessel and causing a heart attack, stroke, or blood clots elsewhere in the body. Lowering high cholesterol levels can therefore significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
-Eating whole grains, such as oats, have been linked to protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and premature death. Whole grains are concentrated sources of fiber, therefore a good choice for your health!
-Antioxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a study conducted at Tufts University and published in The Journal of Nutrition.
-Oats are an excellent source of manganese and molybdenum. They are also a very good source of phosphorus as well as copper, biotin, vitamin B1, magnesium, dietary fiber, chromium, zinc and protein.
-Oats come in many shapes and sizes; oat groats, steel-cut oats, old-fashioned oats, quick cooking oats, instant oatmeal, oat bran and oat flour. If you have a sensitivity or allergy to gluten there is still an oat for you, try gluten free oats.

Raspberry – Almond Overnight Oat

INGREDIENTS ·        ½ cup oats ·        ¼ cup Greek yogurt ·        1 cup milk of choice (or water) ·        2 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional or flax seeds) ·        1 Tbsp. honey ·        ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries (or fruit of choice) ·        1 Tbsp. chopped almonds (or nuts of choice)

Instructions

1. In a pint jar or other re-sealable container, add milk, oats, yogurt, chia seeds and honey.
2. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight and up to 5 days.
3. When ready to eat add raspberries and almonds.

**You may also add your fruit and nuts when mixing all other ingredients, the night before.

http://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/raspberry-almond-overnight-oats/recipe

I am so proud of Karrie’s success. Between her family’s business, a busy teen-aged daughter and life, she felt like she was losing the battle for herself. She joined AlaskaFit and achieved incredible success. She talks about how she did it on Moms Every Day. You can see the rest of Karrie’s success story here. If you’re impressed and want to get started changing your life like Karrie did, click here to schedule some time to chat with me and get you started now!

We all tend to use the same foods over and over, with little to no variation in preparation. There is nothing wrong with this unless you are easily bored, or you lack any variety at all. Getting a wide variety of different foods in the diet can help you obtain a large variety of nutrients. Most people are familiar with oats, rice, pasta, breads, barley, cereal, etc. but when it comes to getting a variety with other whole grains, we don’t tend to branch out. Here is a write up about a readily available whole grain you may or may not have tried before called the Wheat Berry.

Wheat berries resemble other hearty whole grains, such as barley. They are extremely nutritious and offer a crunchy texture. Wheat berries offer all of the nutrients of a whole grain as they contain the germ, endosperm and bran. All wheat products, such as wheat flour, are made from wheat berries. With their exceptional nutrient content and crunchy texture, they are a tasty food choice on their own.

Wheat berries are not all alike and, in fact, there are several types that vary in texture, color and size. They are usually named after their growing season, gluten content and color. They are grown in winter or spring, may be hard versus soft wheat and red or white. Those most readily available in health food stores and some supermarkets include hard red spring and winter wheat berries, which are very chewy, high in protein and brownish-colored.

Wheat berries are high in carbohydrates and dietary fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. Protein content varies somewhat. A normal serving of wheat berries is 1/4 cup dry which, when cooked, yields 1/2-cup serving. A 50 gram serving of hard red wheat berries, or about 1/4 cup uncooked, provides 163.5 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6.5 gram of protein, 35.5 gram of carbohydrates, 6 gram of dietary fiber and 1 milligram of sodium. Wheat berries are rich in vitamins B1 and B3; and the minerals magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese and selenium. B vitamins are important for a healthy nervous system and energy metabolism; magnesium along with phosphorus is essential for regulating blood pressure and building strong, healthy bones. Phosphorus is also needed to form part of DNA and RNA, activate some proteins in the body and store and transport energy. Copper is needed to form connective tissue, blood cells and promote function of the nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems. Manganese aids in bone formation and the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins while selenium supports immune system and thyroid gland function.

Wheat berries, like most whole grains, are an excellent source of dietary fiber — which promotes digestive health; helps lower blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels; aids in weight management and encourages regular bowel movements. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that whole grains, such as wheat berries, contain plant estrogens or phytoestrogens that may reduce your risk of developing certain types of cancers — particularly in conjunction with minerals found in whole wheat — such as magnesium, selenium, copper, and manganese.

Source: livestrong.com