Monday, January 16, 2017

3 Tasty Recipes | Ready in 15 Minutes or Less

One of the most common misconceptions about eating healthy is that you must be a great chef to do so. This is just not true! There are always those weeks where life gets the best of you and food prep is not a priority.

Here is how you can make 3 simple lunch meals using ONLY the following ingredients:
- Rotisserie chicken
- Butter lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Nonfat Greek yogurt
- Celery
- Carrots
- Rice cakes
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Sesame seeds
- Rice wine vinegar

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1. Be sure to take the skin off the chicken. Remember you did not cook it yourself which means there is more sodium in this than normal. Taking off the skin helps a TON with this!
2. Measure out how much chicken you want (I like 4.5 ounces of breast meat).
3.Take your butter lettuce leaves (I usually use 3 at a time) and place the chicken right on top.
4. Place sliced tomatoes and slices avocado right on top of the chicken. Use ¼ to ½ depending on the size of the avocado.
5. Roll up the leaves and enjoy! OPTIONAL: add salsa to the wraps or any type of mustard for a different flavor.

Chicken Salad with Rice Cakes
1. Peel the skin off the chicken again and chop the meat into small chunks
2. Mix in a tiny bit of non-fat Greek yogurt—amount to your liking
3. Chop up celery into small pieces and mix in (add pepper if you like here)
4. Mix together in a small bowl
5. Place your chicken salad on top of a whole grain rice cake (2 to 3 depending on the brand of rice cakes)
6. Place sliced avocado on top and enjoy

Healthy Asian Chicken Salad
1. Peel the skin off the chicken and cut into cubes or small pieces to your liking
2. Chop up the romaine lettuce ( I like cut into tiny pieces)
3. Chop up celery (I like mine in small pieces here as well)
4. Dice the carrots
5. Mix all together and sprinkle in some sesame seeds and cashews. You want to measure out both of these ingredients as they do contain a fair amount of fat. Use about a tablespoon of the seeds and ½ ounce of the cashews.
6. Throw in ¼ of an avocado if you like
7. Use a small amount of olive oil (no more than a tablespoon), and the rice wine vinegar as dressing. Get creative with your rice wine vinegar! There are many different flavor options out there that make for great dressings. Be sure to watch the sodium though---some do contain a fair amount.

There you have it! 3 great lunches (or dinners if you like) that require no cooking at all!
All of these can be prepared in about 15 minutes or less too!



Monday, December 12, 2016

Seasonal Recipe | Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

INGREDIENTS:
-Olive oil cooking spray
-2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
-3/4 tsp sea salt
-Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
-1 cup jarred or vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Add Brussels sprouts, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat, spread evenly on sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once.
Remove from oven, add chestnuts and toss to distribute evenly throughout. Return to oven and bake until Brussels sprouts are tender and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrients per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 125, Total Fat: 4 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 20 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 4 g, Sodium: 209 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

Don’t take our word for it…

“The 12 changes lives. It's a cliché thing to say, but it's not cliché when it's true.
We live in an age of conflicting information, and when it comes to health and fitness you can find advice to support almost any diet or fitness theory. The 12 offers a solution to this barrage of over-information, and provides a clear, simple, and massively effective strategy to increase your total well-being. The facility and the trainers are world class individuals, who genuinely care about each and every person who walks in the door. I have never experienced such dedication, attention to detail, and support as I have at the 12. It's way more than just a gym, or a fad diet. It's a collaborative community of dedicated professionals striving to help others achieve the best version of themselves. For every individual that picture looks different, but regardless of age, size, gender, or any other defining attribute, The 12 welcomes everyone with open arms.

When I started working out at The 12 I had very little nutritional knowledge or discipline. I had no idea how to read a food label properly, or how to fuel my system for optimal performance. Over the course of the 12 Week Fitness Challenge I gained a perspective and understanding of nutrition from Josh and Nikki that is worth its weight in gold. I will never think of food in the same way for the rest of my life. I truly understand the saying "you are what you eat," and have an appreciation for how the simple recipe of diet, exercise, and rest is the foundation for good, healthy living. Over 12 weeks I lost 26 pounds of fat and gained 7 pounds of muscle. That feels incredible! I am in the best shape of my life and it's 100% thanks to The 12!”- Mason W.

Dessert Rehab | Protein Peppermint Bark

INGREDIENTS:
VANILLA PROTEIN 1 SCOOP
COCONUT OIL 1 TBSP
PEPPERMINT EXTRACT 1/8 TSP
WATER 1 TBSP

DIRECTIONS:
-Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
-Place a layer of plastic wrap over a plate.
-Pour the mixture onto the plastic wrap in an even later (it doesn't have to be perfect).
-Top with 1/4 of a smashed candy cane (use a hammer) and 1/8 tsp of red and green edible sprinkles.
-Place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until hard.
-Break bark into pieces and serve immediately. Store leftovers in the freezer.

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Engage: Gain votes by sharing your “Progress Story” to the public.

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You Asked | How to Navigate the Holiday Festivities

The holidays can be a crazy time but they don’t have to totally take control over you!
Here a few quick tips that can help you stay on track these next few weeks:

1.Track your food. This is the BEST time to hold yourself accountable. Use a simple app like My Fitness Pal. Sometimes just the thought of having to track what you ate (or plan on eating) is enough to make you think twice about your choices.

2. Never arrive to a party hungry. Don’t “save your calories” for the big party. You will most likely just end up eating more. You can eat lighter but don’t starve yourself.

3.Clear your home of unhealthy snacks and fill them with healthy ones. You will be tempted enough with the holiday parties and festivities. Let’s not make your home a place of temptation too!

4. Stay hydrated! Many have heard this before. Most people mistake hunger for thirst.  Aim to get in at least 64 ounces of water a day. You will need more if you are active (a gallon is best).

5. Watch your sugar intake. This is where tracking comes in handy. Apps like My Fitness Pal can show you how sugar you are eating.  Aim to stay between 40 and 50g (for most people this should be just fine).

6. Keep a glass in your hand at holiday parties. That sounds odd huh? The truth is if we have a glass of something in our hands (alcoholic or not) it keeps our hands busy. It prevents you from mindlessly snacking on foods just because they are there.

7. Have a healthy box of snacks available in your car. This is a BIG one. Grab some healthy snacks and a Tupperware container and keep it in your car. When you are holiday shopping you can grab some of these healthier food choices and put them in your purse---or even go to the car for a break. Either way if you have healthy options available to you—that Godiva chocolate at the checkout counter won’t be calling your name as much.
Here are a few ideas:
a. Small apples
b. Almonds/nuts (Trader Joe’s has small packs available)
c. Healthy protein bars. I like “Go Macro” bars. They have enough carbs in them to digest slowly and keep you energized.
d. Raw veggies. YES they do need to be refrigerated but you can throw in baby carrots and hummus the day of and they will be just fine. You can also grab single serving hummus packs for dipping.

If you can keep these tips in mind for the remainder of the holiday season not only will you keep your waistline in check but you may find that your stress levels drop off a bit as well! Happy Holidays!



Monday, November 14, 2016

How to Prepare for Thanksgiving | …and still stay on track with your nutrition!

Here are some things you can do the week before Thanksgiving that will allow you to enjoy your holiday and still stay on track with your fitness goals.

1. Plan your schedule. Take a look at the calendar and make a mental note that you will need to adjust your diet just a bit exactly one week before Thanksgiving.

2. Make adjustments to your carbs:
a.We slowly want to decrease your carbs leading up to Thanksgiving but not so much that you feel lethargic.
b.7 days out from the big day eliminate the following carbs:
     i.      Crackers, cookies, candy, pastries, pretzels, chips, and any other boxed carb.
     ii.      Have no more than 2 servings of fruit a day
     iii.      Save your healthy starchy carbs and grains for earlier in the day (not at dinner). This includes potatoes, rice, quinoa, oatmeal to name a few.
c.The Tuesday before Thanksgiving only have ONE serving of starchy carbs or grains in your day. You can have unlimited vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc). If you workout use your single starch or grain for your pre-workout meal so you still have energy.
d.The day before Thanksgiving drop your fruit to just one serving. If you are working out keep your one starch or grain in your diet as a pre-workout. If you are not working out eliminate all starches and grains for this day. But all other veggies are great! You can eat them in unlimited amounts!

3. DO NOT eliminate your fat!
a.Because you are decreasing the heartier more filling carbs from your diet this week you want to make sure that you have a healthy fat at every meal. Nuts, avocado, olive oil, nut butters along with fatties protein sources like salmon are great.
b.Saturated fats like coconut oil and cultured butter are ok but avoid fatty cuts of red meat and other processed meats like sausage and salami.

4. Keep your Protein intake high
a.This one is easy! Have protein at every meal and stick to leaner sources like fish, turkey and chicken. Salmon although fattier is also ok.

5. Avoid alcohol the whole week leading up to Thanksgiving. 
a.Alcohol metabolizes like a fat. If you enjoy beverages such as wine or beer---you now have extra carbs that you are consuming too. The whole point of this week is to slowly reduce your carbs. When you drink your liver will first try to filter the alcohol out of your system before it breaks down anything else. This slows down your body’s ability to use the food you eat as energy. Instead you are likely to store what you ate as fat until your body can filter out the toxic alcohol. Save the drinks for the holiday!

6. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY!
a.Ideally you get up and have a great workout here at The 12 and go home to enjoy your family. Allow yourself to cheat on this day. You have used the whole week to prepare for this day so enjoy it.

7. Get up on Friday and workout! 
a.Take advantage of the extra carbs that you ate and use that energy in the gym. Explode is the PERFECT class to use those extra carbs!