Looking for a new twist to roasted chicken?  Just remember make sure you do not eat the skin.  

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 lemons, cut in half

6 large cloves garlic

1 (4 pound) whole chicken

1 1/2 teaspoons cold butter

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Pour the wine into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; set aside.
2. Place the lemon halves and garlic cloves into the cavity of the chicken. Slide half of the butter underneath the skin of each breast. Rub the chicken all over with Dijon mustard, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Place into the cast-iron skillet.
3. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutritional Information:  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 638 | Total Fat: 35.9g | Cholesterol: 198mg

NOTE: Remember to NOT eat the skin – this is what elevates the calorie count. Also, if you measure out 4 oz, you will have a perfect portion.

These five simple strategies below all fall into the lifestyle change category. These strategies may seem ridiculously simple, but do them over an extended period of time and you will see amazing, permanent results.

Strategy #1: Ditch Your Diet Soda
Studies are coming out that link diet soda to weight gain.

Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio concluded that those who drank two or more diet soft drinks a day had the largest waistline increases—about five times more than that of non-drinkers. They stated, “Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised: they may be free of calories, but not of consequences.”

Bottom line: Artificial sweeteners are addictive, lead to waistline increases, and cause you to crave sugary foods. By cutting diet soda out of your daily routine, and replacing it with water, you will lose inches and pounds—effortlessly.

Strategy #2: Swap Sandwich Bread for Lettuce
Move over bread, lettuce is better.

It’s time to re-define your sandwich. While bread has tradition on its side, lettuce wraps offer you weight loss and increased energy. Try my Tasty Tuna Lettuce Wraps recipe below.

Bottom line: Eating bread and other starchy foods always leads to extra pounds, so change your ways. Swap your sandwich bread for lettuce for 30 days and see how much you will effortlessly lose. I bet you’ll feel more energetic after lunch too.

Strategy #3: Trade Slow Cardio for Intense Intervals
Doing slow cardio will not give you results.

In order to really make your workout effective, you need to turn up the intensity. If you love the treadmill, then do a series of sprints throughout your workout. If you’re a swimmer, then push yourself extra hard every other lap.

Bottom line: Doing slow, easy cardio will not give you the streamline body you want. Only intense intervals will do that for you. Pepper your workout with bouts of intense cardio and watch as the fat starts to disappear.

Strategy #4: Avoid Sugar 99% Of The Time
Sugar will cause you to gain weight every single time.

There’s really no way around that simple truth. Sugar is standing between you and your perfect body. If you’re serious about looking and feeling great, then understand that sugar has no place in your diet.

Bottom line: If you avoid sugar 99% of the time, then you will be on your way to a lean and energetic body. If it’s your birthday or a special holiday, then partake in a small amount of sugar, but make that the exception and not the rule.

Strategy #5: Exercise With A Professional
When I design your workouts, you know it will be good.

People who work with a personal trainer get better results than those who attempt to do it on their own. Just look at my clients and their amazing transformations, and you’ll see what I mean. Each workout will push you to your limits, challenge your body and deliver the results you’re looking for.

Bottom line: All of my clients expect to get the best workout of their lives each and every time they train with me, and my job is to over-deliver.

Call or email today and I’ll get you started on a program that will get you to the body of your dreams.

Try these arm exercises anytime:

Around the world delts.  Shoulders are what make the arm, not the arm per se.  Trying to create a well formed well-rounded delt is key.

Do three sets of 8 each in a giant set:

Start with dumbells and lift in a front raise.

Palms facing your legs, lift arms forward until parallel to the ground.

Slowly return to starting position.

Repeat 8 times.

GO right into side raises.

Do not use image as guide

Same starting position but raise arms straight out to side.

Repeat 8 times

Lean over in a position as if you are getting ready to dive into a pool.

Lift heads forward at a 45 degree angle using  your REAR delts.

Repeat 8 times.

The round is 1 SET.

Take a minute break and repeat for two more total sets. This grouping can be performed up to 2 times per week. Always rest your muscles a day or two before working them again

This recipe is sure to please those that love lemon on their chicken! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (3 pound) whole chicken

salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then fry in the hot oil until browned on all sides.
2. Meanwhile, chop one of the lemons into chunks and place into a slow cooker along with the onion, thyme, white wine and garlic. Cut the remaining lemon into quarters and stuff into the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken into the slow cooker breast side down on top of the onion and lemon mixture. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours, or for 3 hours on High. Chicken is done when the legs move easily in their sockets and the internal temperature of the breast has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 295 | Total Fat: 19.3g | Cholesterol: 61mg

Looking for a slow cooker recipe  - well we have one for you!

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, skin removed

1 lemon, cut in half

6 cloves peeled garlic, or more to taste (divided)

3 red potatoes, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1/4 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Rinse the chicken, inside and out. Place one half of the lemon and 3 garlic cloves in cavity of chicken. Reserve other half of lemon.
2. Layer the sliced potatoes and the onions in the crock of a slow cooker. Sprinkle remaining 3 garlic cloves around the inside of the cooker; place chicken onto the vegetables. Pour in the wine and olive oil. Dissolve bouillon in the boiling water, and add to the cooker.
3. Squeeze the juice of remaining lemon half over chicken (strain out seeds); sprinkle with oregano. Season chicken with salt and black pepper.
4. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 8-10 hours, or on High setting 4-6 hours. A meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching a bone, should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 471 | Total Fat: 17.9g | Cholesterol: 96mg

NOTES:  Consider, Not eating the skin! Also, you can substitute sweet potato instead of regular. Add sweet potato with  4 hours left.

Something interesting:

What we love about spinach: This green is so versatile. It has a great, unique flavor and can be, steamed, eaten raw or even thrown into a protein shake. This is something I frequently do as it is so difficult to get the number of servings or greens in a given day.

Meatballs at a Super Bowl party are the best, but these are even better and healthier for you.

Ingredients

1 pound 97% fate free ground beef

1/2 cup oatmeal 1 minute

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 TBSP butter or olive oil

12 fluid ounces tomato-based chili sauce

1  cup sugar free grape jelly

Directions

1.In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper. Mix together, and shape into meatballs.

2.In a large skillet, heat butter (olive oil) over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.

3.Add chili sauce and jelly to skillet; heat, stirring, until jelly is melted. Return meatballs to skillet, and stir until coated. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 400 | Total Fat: 22.8g | Cholesterol: 75mg

To stay on track in your fitness and weight loss – consider taking these 5 foods out of your diet and replace with the suggestions you see below each.

By doing so you will quickly and effortlessly become healthier, leaner and fitter than you are today.

Here they are…..

Do-Not-Eat #1: Anything Fried
Fried foods are loaded with fat and calories while offering zero nutritional value. It’s a lose-lose! Sure, fries and chips TASTE good, but healthier items also taste good. Just say no to the deep fried items on your menu. You’ll be thinner, healthier and won’t have greasy fingers.

Try This #1: Broiled
If you simply must have a French fry, then make them at home in your oven. Use sweet potatoes, as these are a more complex carbohydrate. Cut into matchsticks, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil along with a dash of salt, then place in your oven on broil. Mix every 5 minutes until the fries are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Do-Not-Eat #2: White Bread
White bread products have zero nutritional value and are quickly converted by your body into sugar. So you may as well eat a cupcake. Even breads that are technically wheat, but are as soft and smooth as white bread, should be avoided. Don’t be afraid to discard the bread from your sandwich or to push away that bread basket. Your waist will shrink and you’ll lose that bloated feeling that high carbohydrate meals give you.

Try This #2: Sprouted Grain Bread
If you must have bread, then stick with sprouted. Sprouted grain bread is a lot easier on your digestion and is packed full of nutrients.  Sprouted grain breads are often kept in the freezer section since they don’t contain preservatives to prolong shelf life.

Do-Not-Eat #3: Creamy Salad Dressing
You were so good to order a salad, but then you ruined it by drenching the salad in fattening creamy dressing. Just a few tablespoons of creamy dressing contain more than 20 grams of fat and hundreds of calories.

Try This #3: Vinegar Dressing
Salad dressing is meant to lend flavor to the salad, not fat and calories. Vinegar-based dressings pack amazing flavor in with minimal fat and calories. You can even mix your own dressing at home. Take high quality vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, your choice of dried herbs, and a bit of olive oil.

Do-Not-Eat #4: White Rice
I’m sure by now you’ve heard that white rice is not a healthy choice. Just like white bread, white rice has zero nutritional value – other than calories. Fiber and vitamins have been removed and the glycemic load will quickly prime your body for storing fat.

Try This #4: Brown Rice
Brown rice has three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, won’t sky rocket your blood, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. That should be enough to convince you to swap your large pile of white rice out for a small pile of brown rice.

Do-Not-Eat #5: White Sugar
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the epitome of anti-fitness food. Nothing will destroy your progress, expand your waist and plummet your energy levels like sugar will. If you only take away one do-not-eat food from this article please let it be sugar.

Try This #5: Fruit
Don’t turn to artificial sweeteners to get your sweet fix, instead turn to nature’s wholesome source of sugar: fruit. Eat organic fruit that is seasonal and locally grown. Stay away from dried fruit and fruit juices, as these are high in simple calories.

Eating right, along with challenging exercise, is the formula for a toned, lean body.

By teaming up with us at FitStudio365, we will help you with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals.

Call or email today to get started.

Here is a protein packed snack that the whole family will love. It’s important to enjoy snacks that are low in carbohydrates and sugar, and high in protein in order to shed body fat and develop healthy muscles. This recipe delivers on all fronts, without sacrificing flavor.
Servings: 1

Here’s what you need…

• 6 oz Greek Yogurt, plain, fat free
• 1 scoop high quality chocolate protein powder
• Sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa powder

1. In a small bowl use a whisk to combine the yogurt and protein powder. Mix until all lumps have disappeared.
2. Garnish with a sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 220 calories, 0g fat, 445mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 42g protein.

What beliefs do you have that are sabotaging your goals?  They may be hard to find, and not pleasant when you find them—I did not particularly like this light bulb moment—but until you dig deep and find them your progress will be somewhat stifled. 

My guess is that you can all relate, that when you have a successful experience after multiple failures you are reluctant to change any of the components. (Ever have to change hairstylist, mechanic, or a Dr. that you trusted?)  I know several of you can relate to the issues of changing your trainers.

But in reality, WE are the ones with the power and ability to change.  Others can help but we have to take the responsibility to change, and BELIEVE in ourselves.