Real Food Fast

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Jenna-Marie

Working in the Fitness field, I am always bombarded with constant complaints about how hard it is to eat healthy on the go.

While I understand that it takes time to make a bunch of chicken breasts, cook up some Quinoa, roast sweet potatoes and chop veggies for the week, some things are just worth taking the time to do. And if you truly want to see results, this is one of those tasks that you must be willing to take on for the sake of your health, and all of your hard work in the gym.

However, for clients of mine who just can’t seem to find the motivation to do this (shame on you) I offer some helpful alternatives that make eating healthy seem a bit easier.

Wherever your day may lead, these are all great choices to take on the go. So grab a lunch box, shopping bag or purse, and pack it with these nutritious and filling foods that will keep your diet clean, lean, and on the right track.

Fruit: Bananas, Apples, Kiwi, and Citrus fruits..anything with Skin. You can also pack a small Tupperware container with Berries, Pineapple, Watermelon, etc.

Veggies: Celery sticks, Carrot Sticks, Sliced Bell Peppers, Grape Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Snap Peas, Asparagus Spears, Ziploc bags of Baby Spinach as a base for a salad, or Collard Greens used as a wrap.

Complex Carbs: Individual cups of Brown Rice. Rolled Oats. Whole Grain Wraps for a sandwich, Brown Rice Cakes, Microwave ready Sweet Potatoes

Protein: Can or Packet of Tuna/Salmon. Low Sodium Sliced Turkey Breast, Beans, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Hard boiled eggs, Whey/Brown Rice Protein Powder.

Healthy Fats and Energy Boosting Snacks: Natural Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Hemp/Flax/Chia/Sunflower seeds, Nut Butters, Hummus, Avocado, Coconut Oil/Flakes.

Combine a few to make a delicious Trail Mix that wards off afternoon hunger!

Bars: Lara Bar, Kind Bar, Think Thin Bar, Luna Bar

Hydration: Water, Green Tea, Seltzer Water.

Add Lemon, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, or frozen fruit for a natural sweetener throughout the day.

Instead of filling your fridge, pantry, and body with empty calories, choose nutrient packed foods that will keep you feeling fuller, longer!

“Grab and Go” does not have to mean fast food. It can mean healthy food…fast!

Eating {Lately}

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jenna-Marie

It’s been a while since I’ve done a post about my recent meals, so what better day than What I Ate Wednesday to write one!

Since my schedule has gotten much more busy, and only getting busier, you can always follow my Instagram @JENAMAR1E to view my photos of food, fitness, and whatever else I am up to daily.

OK..ready, set, eat!

egg white oats with chia seeds, cinnamon, and blueberries

cooked and cooled oats, chia seeds, strawberries and cinnamon topped with plain Greek yogurt.

sliced apples and raw almond butter

pre-halved avocados. love this

chicken breast with Mr. Dash seasonings

Green Juice from Starbucks. Perfect grab and go snack.

egg whites, kale and ground cauliflower

plenty of veggies. All varieties.

Dandelion Root Tea. Will be posting about this soon.

and unsweetened passion tea. My go to warm weather beverage.

{What} on Wednesday

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Jenna-Marie

What’s for breakfast?

Egg white oats with cinnamon, chia seeds, and blueberries

What’s to drink?

Water and Coffee….

Decaf Tea…

Greenberry Shakology

What’s crushing my cravings?

Chimes Ginger Chews

Juicy grapefruits…

Greek yogurt, almond butter and blueberries

What I’m thankful for.

Seaweed Snacks sent to me by the awesome people at Annie Chun’s!

(The wasabi flavor is awesome)

What’s a staple in my diet?

colorful, veggie packed salads

What I’m building?

Upper body strength and total body flexibility.

What I’m looking forward to

Spring!

I can feel it in the air.

What’s on tomorrow morning’s playlist for Spinning?

Ending with some Dropkick Murphy’s before St. Patty’s day weekend

So…What’s up with you?

Summer News and Winter Woes

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

I don’t even care that it snowed yesterday.

Because in my mind, I am already here!!

It’s going to be such an amazing show!

Camping, country music, tailgating…

I can’t wait!!

———————————————————————

aaaand we’re back to reality… On a cold November day.

I’m overdosing on tea with agave, in hopes that this cold will set up camp somewhere other than my head.

My soup has definitely helped, and a hot breakfast was just what I needed to get the day started

oatmeal, chia seeds, vanilla Sunwarrior, and a chopped honey crisp apple

It’s another rest day for me, but I don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you guys Smile

Here’s a workout for all of you healthy readers to tackle at the gym, or in the living room. All you need a pair of dumbbells, body bands, or heavy cans of soup.

anything with volume will work. be creative.

Enjoy yourselves Smile

Food and Foliage

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

Hi!

Yes, I’m still alive. I’ve just been busy working, living, and enjoying the colorful month of October.

And then creating Fall foliage inspired dishes Smile

As previously mentioned, I have been adding more plant based protein into my diet, and so far it’s going really well.

nuts&seeds, nutritional yeast, beans, edamame, broccoli, kale, peanut flour, oats, quinoa, Sunwarrior protein powder…just to name a few lol

And as for my animal based proteins…

wild caught salmon

egg whites, peanut flour, rice cake. Try it.

And this delicious concoction

Italian Turkey Chili.

1lb 99% Lean Ground Turkey, browned in a skillet with black pepper before adding to crock pot
1 can white beans (I used cannellini)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
1/2 red, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, sliced
1 bag frozen brown rice (I used steam fresh)
2 cups frozen spinach

to taste…

oregano
red pepper flakes
minced garlic
cayenne pepper
dash of ground cinnamon

cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours.

I love when my meals look like a rainbow Smile

The next time you make prepare a meal, make sure to add some color to your plate.

Color=Nutrient variety= Boatload of benefits!

What colors are you eating today?

What I’m Loving Wednesday (Plant Protein)

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

Shape Magazine’s recognition of heart healthy seeds has made me so happy.

We should all be aware of the benefits behind these seeds, and start adding them into our diets daily.

Chia info
Hemp info

Speaking of incredible super foods, Kasey and Heather have put together an amazing challenge for the month of October called #plantPOWER, which is based around the benefits of eating a plant based diet.

follow both their blogs and instagrams for inspiration and ideas on how to create a meal using plant proteins, healthy fats and energizing carbs.

While I don’t plan on going 100% plant based, I am making an effort to eat at least one meal a day that does not contain any animal proteins,(meat, eggs, dairy). It’s just another way to incorporate a variety of nutrients into my diet, and I’m loving it so far.

Hemp seeds and Nutritional yeast in my salads and soup

Peanut Flour mixed with Sunwarrior (plant based protein), as a dip for fruit, or spread onto a rice cake

toasted pumpkin seeds, tofu teriyaki, avocado spread onto Ezekiel bread with tomato, and sweet potato topped with coconut oil…

The options are endless, colorful, flavorful, and filling. Not to mention packed with energy, vitamins and minerals.

Chia and Flaxseeds have been part of my diet for quite a while now, and they have no plans of leaving any time soon.

What is leaving however, is Kashi GOLEAN cereal.

As you can see, it’s my favorite crunchy topping to add to my smoothies, yogurt and cottage cheese, but I just don’t need it anymore.

Remember this news?

It’s an unnecessary and processed staple in my diet that I can definitely do without.

Plus, nothing a crunchy honey crisp apple can’t fix Smile

or a refreshing bag of berries

Follow my instagram to see how I am incorporating more plant based proteins into my diet, and join me in the #plantPOWER challenge to add a plethora of benefits to your plate.

Abby Cadabby

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

Is anyone else as obsessed as I am about the fact that MTV has been replaying episodes of The Hills and Laguna Beach?

It’s okay, I hated to admit it myself.

Oh Heidi…

Anyway.. after a 20 minute run in with the Stair Mill at level 8 to get the juices flowin’, my workout this morning was all about shoulders and abs.

Shaky Shoulders

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4×15 reps
Upright row: 3×15
Front Raise: 3×12
Lateral Raise: 3×12
V-Push Ups: 3×10

I followed with this AB routine that I made up a few days ago, and it’s definitely a killer.

But it works! Smile .

Post Workout Egg white Chia Oats

soak 1/3 cup raw oats, 1 tsp cinnamon, water and 1 Tbsp chia seeds for 15 minutes so the chia seeds can gel.
microwave the mixture for 1 minute before adding 3/4 cup egg whites and 1/2 thinly sliced banana.
Heat again for 2-3 minutes and top with more cinnamon and blueberries

Yum.

Well…I’m off to spend the day with the birthday girl

Happy Birthday, Mumma!

Enjoy your Friday xoxo

Own Your Appetite

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

My crumbled blueberry muffin has been my go-to breakfast as of late, and I think I’ve finally found the perfect morning meal for myself.

1.5-2 Tbsp Organic Coconut Flour
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3/4 cup Liquid AllWhites
1/2 sliced banana
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup water

Microwave for 5 minutes and top with raw almond butter and more cinnamon.

Naturally, you can use any type of fruit and toppings that you like, so be don’t be afraid to get creative and make something delicious!

I used to eat Greek yogurt for breakfast every morning with Kashi GoLean! and fruit. However, I’ve switched my Fage or Chobani to a mid day snack instead, and it seems to be working out better for my appetite.

I love to eat my yogurt as a dip for sliced cucumbers, baby carrots, grape tomatoes and celery sticks; also adding in a fat such as flaxseeds or Sunbutter.

Remember when I didn’t like Sunbutter?

It’s still not my favorite, but I’ve definitely grown to love its unique taste.

Workout Pause!

3 mile run on the elliptical at level 7, followed by a Yoga class at my gym.

I sipped on a bottle of water with 1 tsp chia seeds and a packet of True Lemon during my workout.

The chia seeds gave me that little extra push that I needed, while keeping my body energized and hydrated

Post workout

Unsalted rice cake
1.5 scoops of Sunwarrior protein mixed with cinnamon and water
handful of blueberries

I tend to graze and eat a bunch of small meals throughout the day to keep myself energized. It’s what works for me, my schedule and my body.

Some of my other go- to “mini meals” consist of;

Green Smoothies
Boars Head low salt turkey slices, with homemade sweet potato medallions dipped in ketchup
oatmeal with protein powder and walnuts
cottage cheese, almonds and apple slices
healthy chicken tenders (chicken rolled in almond meal and baked) with heated cinnamon sprinkled baby carrots
Veggies and hummus on a bed of spinach with 1/2 pita pocket
Can of tuna with Balsamic Vinegar, sliced Kumato tomatoes, avocado and mixed greens.
Boca Burger on toasted Ezekiel with Dijon mustard and cucumber slices

Quick and portable is what I’m all about.

This motto flows into dinner time as well.

One of my favorite quick and easy dinners consists of a mixed greens salad with sweet potato, asparagus, and one can of low salt albacore mixed with 2 Tbsp tabouleh and balsamic vinegar.

Such a winning combination.

It’s important to find what works for your body, your schedule and your appetite.

Plan ahead and pack enough food so that you have a healthy option at all times. It will keep you away from the vending machine, take-out menu at the office, and moments of mindless eating.

Plus, you will know exactly what your food is made of because YOU made it!

Be proud of what you put into your body, and when you are able to do so, feed it as naturally as possible.

FULL time Trainer

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

I am a Personal trainer who cannot say “no” to the smell of a burger, or desserts that look like this.

Who could say no to that!?

Not me Smile

If you workout regularly and eat healthy 90% of the time like I do, then you shouldn’t feel guilty when you’ve eaten too much, or “cheated” on your diet.

What’s done is done, don’t dwell on it. Today is a new day to start fresh.

Get yourself back on track by eating clean, and making it a priority to get your workout in. By the end of the day, you will forget all about that oh so delicious slice of pie Smile .

Unless it’s still in your fridge, and in that case, throw it away immediately!

Ella is the queen of over eating, yet she remains confident, even after she splurges on table food

Gorgeous

We headed over to the lake in Wakefield yesterday evening to walk around, listen to music and watch the fireworks. .

They ended just as a thunderstorm began to roll in at a rapid pace. It was cool to watch a battle unfold between the colorful explosions and crazy zig-zaging lightning in the sky.

Unsafe..but cool

Matt and I were on his motorcycle, and I luckily only got pelted in the face with a few quarter sized rain drops on the way home.

No biggie Smile

This morning’s breakfast was similar to yesterday’s “Crumbled blueberry muffin”, however this time I decided to scramble it at the end to make the consistency a bit more “oatmeal-ish”

1.5 Tbsp organic coconut flour
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
1/4 cup water
1/2 sliced banana
blueberries
cinnamon and a few drops of liquid Stevia

cooked for 5 minutes in the microwave and scrambled with a spoon at the end.

It was good!, and kept me full all morning.

I just finished my pre-workout snack of Greek yogurt, chia seeds, raw almond butter and blueberries, and will soon be on my way to the gym for a workout.

Today’s routine:

Cardio: 10 minute Incline walk. 20 minute Stair Mill. 20 Minute Elliptical.

Abs:

10 stability ball rollouts.
10 plank knee twists (per side).
10 mountain climbers.
10 second plank with right leg lifted.
10 second plank with left leg lifted.
10 second plank.

repeat 3-5x

Tomorrow is already Friday, and it looks like another HOT weekend ahead!

Let’s see what you’ve got, July!

i <3 iHerb

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Jenna-Marie

Thank you, iHerb, for selling some of my favorite products for such low prices

You’re a life saver. Smile

I put my chia seeds to use in this morning’s protein packed yogurt bowl.

Fage 0%
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 sliced banana
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 cup Kashi GoLean!

I’m starting to add grains back into my diet, and I’ve noticed that my stomach issues are much more subtle when I do not eat them everyday. A few times a week, yes, but with a break in between. And those healthy fats are still present in every meal!

Pre-workout Rice Cake

1 unsalted, gluten free rice cake
1 scoop vanilla Sunwarrior protein mixed with water
1/2 T raw almond butter
sliced banana

I’ve had to take a break from INSANITY due to my feet and ankles becoming increasingly sore and cramping.

It’s not as a result of an unstable surface, bad posture or poor sneaker choice, but rather from repetitive pounding of my joints. Even at rest, I am experiencing pain that I did not have before, and it is starting to interfere with my day.

I have come across other INSANITY participants who have complained of the same issues as well, and it is just not worth it to me. So for now, I am going to let my lower half rest, and revisit some of my old routines at the gym!

Complete Set 1, then Set 2, and then break for 1 minute before starting again.

Set 1: 15 Push Ups
Set 2: 15 Bent Over Dumbbell Row

repeat 3x

Set 1: 12 Front Raise
Set 2: 12 Lateral Raise

repeat 3x

Set 1: 12 Alternating Bicep Curl
Set 2: 12 Tricep Kickbacks

repeat 3x

30 minute Elliptical

5 minutes forwards at a moderate pace
1 minute reverse at a fast pace.

Stretch

Post Workout spinach and coconut egg white scramble

I placed 4 egg whites, a handful of spinach, 1 Tbsp oat bran and 1Tbsp coconut flour in a bowl with water. I microwaved it until the eggs fully cooked, and then scrambled the mixture with my spoon.

Deeeelicious

So after hearing some great reviews about this book, I’ve finally decided to read it.

It’s comparable to The Hunger Games, very different from Fifty Shades of Grey, and I am loving it so far!

The second book just came out as well, and I’m hearing a movie may also be in the making.

Read about the story line here

Well I’m off to figure out my plans for the 4th!

Rain? No rain? Land or Sea?…Who knows!

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Tag Archives: Chia Seeds

Real Food Fast

Eating {Lately}

{What} on Wednesday

Summer News and Winter Woes

Food and Foliage

What I’m Loving Wednesday (Plant Protein)

Abby Cadabby

Own Your Appetite

FULL time Trainer

i <3 iHerb

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