Tip 23/30 Take Nothing For Granted

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 22/30 Take Nothing For Granted. I've said on every post Tomorrow is now. I've said that because tomorrow is not guaranteed whatsoever. We have no idea if we are going to wake up the next morning. That beings said we still for the most part as a whole take each day for granted. If we have the ability to get up and be active then do it. We have vets that come back missing limbs they lost in serving our country and I can guarantee you that would love to just be able to walk again unassisted or to be able to carry something unassisted. Stop taking for granted the abilities that you have because they could be gone prematurely damnit!!! So get up each day and use what abilities that we have been blessed to have on a daily basis. I we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

Tip 22/30 Revisit your Plan

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 22/30 Revisit your plan. Go back and see if you are still staying on plan in terms of your fitness goals. Remember the best laid plans will fail just like a poor plan if they are not followed. A good plan will work if you are consistent with it. So go back and see what you are looking over. It might be just tiny details but over time those tiny details add up and make a big difference. Check your eating habits check your workout habits check everything. If you didn't miss anything then good for you but it should still serve as a reminder of what you are trying to do and will help keep you on track. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it wont be for lack of effort damnit!!!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris

Tip 21/30 Liquid Calories

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 21/30 Liquid Calories. Watch out for Liquid Calories. Most calories you get from liquids such as juice and teas and other liquids are empty calories. Meaning calories that the body will just not use quickly and then gets stored for later. Remember the goal is to burn calories. Everything in moderation but if you can eliminate an unnecessary source of calories then do it. That's it for today. If we can help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now. ....San Antonio Chris

Quick and easy semi-homemade grape and walnut chicken salad

     Hey y'all! Well I'm here today with another recipe that I hope y'all will love and the nice thing about it...you can make it in a cinch! But...before I get straight into this recipe, let me give y'all a bit of personal background about it.  If you read my very first blog, you learned that we are a military family.  Due to that fact, we have traveled to various cities because of my husband's job as a pilot in the USAF.  We are currently living in Las Vegas, but before here we lived in Tucson. While there we discovered AJ's Fine Foods, which we quickly fell in love with.  AJ's is an upscale gourmet supermarket that provides more of a boutique like experience.  They not only provide unique food items and products, but also have an amazing bakery, deli, and hot food area that provide a unique (& delicious I must add!) eating experience.  My favorite choice whenever we ate there was definitely their pizza, but my husband's choice was their grape and walnut chicken salad.  I swear, his mouth could water just thinking about it! The only problem with their chicken salad...as with many types of chicken salad in general...is that it is high in fat....particularly saturated fat. Mayonnaise is notorious for that and, as we all know, mayonnaise is one of the key ingredients in chicken salad.  (Not to mention the fact that at AJ's, the chicken salad was quite pricey!) As soon as we moved to Las Vegas, I sought out to make it (I knew my hubby would miss it!) not only on the healthier side, but also at a better price! I got the idea from AJ's, but put this recipe together myself.
     So there...that brings us back to how I came about this recipe.  The nice thing is that you use a fully cooked rotisserie chicken (the ones that you find freshly cooked at the supermarket...near the deli/meat department).  This really helps to shorten the "cook" (there is really no "cook" time since you use a fully prepared chicken) time for your meal. You can also adjust the amount of the spices, walnuts, grapes, or mayonnaise to your own particular taste : )...so get ready to make a quick and easy delicious and "healthier" semi-homemade chicken salad!

Ingredients

• 1 whole rotisserie fully cooked ready to eat chicken(the have various spices on the chicken...I just choose the original)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use "Best Foods" reduced fat mayonnaise with Olive Oil...has 1/2 the fat and calories of regular mayonnaise...plus it's made with cage free eggs, which is ok with me bc as vegetarian who is one bc of animal rights, those are the only kind of eggs we use on our house!)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup halved red grapes
• seasoned salt
• pepper

    *Optional: Don't dig grapes?...Then you can also use diced up apples...& like I said earlier, you        can play with the amounts of add ins to cater to your particular taste!

Directions

1. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands first because you will be handling (literally) the chicken...be ready to get your hands a little messy ; ).  Completely take off all of the chicken from the bone...you can use either a fork or your hands.  I recommend your hands because it is easier and quicker...the meat off of a rotisserie chicken is moist so it comes off very easily.  Place into a large bowl.  Of course, remove the skin and fat and discard. Using two forks, (I do this right in the bowl) shred up the chicken into slightly smaller pieces.
2.  Add the mayo, walnuts, grapes, and seasoned salt/pepper to taste and gently stir together.  Cover and I recommend chilling in the fridge for about 45 minutes to overnight (you can make this one the night before) since it helps the flavors to blend together nicely.
3. Serve as you see fit-on whole wheat bread, whole wheat wraps, on top of a salad...get crazy ; )!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. My husband looks forward to this meal and since I'm a vegetarian, he gets it all to himself and lasts him several days...please comment and let me know how it goes ; )!

Tip 20/30 Everyday is Different

Good morning San Antonio. I apologize for not posting on here the past couple of days but I have been incredibly busy but no excuses. Tip 20/30 is Everyday is Different. Meaning treat each day as its own. Some days you are going to feel great. Great about what you are doing and great with all the changes that you have made to lead a healthier lifestyle. And then some days you are not going to feel up to doing anything. So everyday can be entirely different. Even when you are doing far more right and healthier habits those days will come when you don't feel like doing the right thing or that the workouts are going to seem far to difficult but trudging through will reap great benefits. A great friend and client of mine pointed a quote out to me by Andy Palmer regarding your workouts running in particular but it pertains to all kinds of workouts : "You must be truly able to let go, to become a split personality of sorts. It's not easy, after all, you are striving to do your very best, yet you have to not care about the results. Running the race ( or working out in general) should be the most important thing in your life while you are actually running it, (or working out) yet you can't care how it turns out." in other words just get it done. Some days will be easier and some will be harder but you have to get it done. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!! Tomorrow is now.....San Antonio Chris

Tip 19/30 Why?

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 19/30 WHY? Why are we making efforts to lead a a healthier life? You may be trying to lose weight...gain weight...tone up...but that is what you are trying to do. You need to figure out the WHY!! Once you do that it will be a lot easier to stay focused and get back on track when you do get off track because realistically it will happen and that's totally ok. Let's say you are trying to lose weight. That's good. Now figure out why. Because you will feel better or because you want to be able to play with your children or grandchildren is an appropriate possible answer. A good answer and one that anybody including you will respect and always want to do. Know the WHY!! If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

10 Super Foods!

     Hey y'all! Well I'm here today to sort of take you back to basics in terms of the food we choose to fuel our bodies.  If you read my very first blog post (my introduction), you will remember that I personally do my best to eat natural and simple foods...they are just better for you!  When I eat this way, my body feels "cleaner", my body runs much more smoothly, and my skin even looks and feels much better. 

     With that said, every year Americans spend roughly $42 billion on weight loss foods and services, when in all actuality, many of them will prove to NOT be successful in the long run.  $42 BILLION!!! This is just not necessary. Unfortunately, with so many food choices out there, we often choose convenience over health; however, there is no need for that...we just need to keep it simple! I will give you a list of 10 foods that are not only healthy, but they also help fight hunger and boost your metabolism. When eaten properly and in conjunction with a regular exercise routine, that spells out weight loss! Plus, I will finish with an awesome recipe inspired by some of these foods.

1. Eggs-Awww....the infamous eggs! Many people often stay away from eggs or simply eat only the whites because the yolks are known for their cholesterol, but did you know that by not eating the yolk, you are making the egg an incomplete protein source.  The yolks contain roughly 40% of the protein(protein is crucial for building muscle!) and contains high concentrations of amino acids required for brain function. It is a nutrient power house! Don't be afraid to eat eggs in moderation.
2. Oats-Oatmeal (I'm talking the plain jane stuff...not the kind that comes in packets and that is flavored with a ton of sugar) is low in fat and calories and is a good source of fiber...particularly soluble fiber.  When eaten on a regular basis, it may help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. The soluble fiber absorbs water and slows down your digestive process, thus making you fill full longer.  This can help you control your weight.
3. Whole grains-Whole grains are naturally higher in fiber and help to even out insulin levels and blood sugar which, in turn helps to keep sugar cravings away.  They also help you to have better weight maintenance and healthier blood pressure levels. 
4. Salmon-Including salmon in your diet-just 2-3 servings/week-is great because it contains omega 3 essential fatty acids, which help to prevent high cholesterol and promote eye health. It's low in saturated fat and calories, but high in protein.  
5. Nut butters-Think almond butter and peanut butter...and when possible pass on the commercial nut butters (many contain hydrogenated fats) and choose the natural varieties.  Not only do these nut butters taste delicious, but they are rich in monounsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fats help to reduce levels of cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart ailments. Plus, they help to control blood sugar.
6. Grapefruit-It's phytochemicals reduce insulin levels, which may force your body to convert calories into energy rather than fat. Grapefruits are low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in vitamin C!
7. Turkey-Rich in protein, it contains high levels of the amino acid leucine, which helps to stimulate blood sugar and and insulin levels resulting in weight loss.
8. Avocados-(one of my favs!!!) Although these are known for being high in fat, don't shy away from them. Most of the fat is unsaturated, which can help improve your overall cholesterol levels.  They are also high in fiber, so when combined with the fat, they can improve your feeling of being full and in turn you eat less.
9. Olive Oil-The main type of fat found in olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids.  These are known for helping to lower your risk of heart disease.  Consuming olive oil also helps your body to metabolize fat so that fat doesn't accumulate on the abdomen.
10. Tofu-One serving of tofu packs roughly 18% of an adult's daily requirement for protein.  It is also a good source of calcium, which makes it a great choice for vegans.  By eating tofu, you get the protein benefits of meat while being low in saturated fat.

Here is a recipe for whole wheat peanut butter waffles! They are homemade so you know they contain real ingredients and no preservatives! They contain whole grains and natural peanut butter so you know they are good for you too ; )!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
•  1/2 cup creamy (natural) peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tbs sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp sea salt (regular salt is also fine)
• cooking spray

Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the first 8 ingredients with a mixer.
2. Preheat a waffle iron.  When it is ready, spray it's surface lightly with the cooking spray.
3. Fill a medium size ladle with batter and pour enough batter on the waffle iron. (make sure it is not over flowing bc when you close the waffle iron, it will just continue to flow out of the sides) Cook until the waffle is golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes.  Serve hot with your choice of maple syrup and butter or fresh berries. 

            (optional: throw 1 ripe banana into the batter when mixing)

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please comment about it and tell me what you think!

Tip 18/30 Patience

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 18/30 is Patience. We are definitely a results now...instant satisfaction society. If we are going to do something then we want to see results instantly. Results will come but not all at once. However far you let your body go I guarantee it didn't happen over a short amount of time. So with what logic would you use that could justify you thinking that you would get to where you want to be instantly? So be honest with yourself and be patient. Be patient in your efforts and watch your success daily. It is self rewarding trust me. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now.....San Antonio Chris

Tip 17/30 Make It Fun

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 17/30 is make it fun. Whatever you have to do. Whether you have to start off with Zumba or a dance class do something to get your mentality off of the obligatory platform. Meaning stop looking at working out as a chore as opposed to something that you will honestly learn to enjoy. Get outdoors. Which is something that we as San Antonioans don't do nearly enough. We have the hill country very close and parks located all throughout our city. Get out there and bike....hike....swim. Just start making an active lifestyle part of how you live your life and it will become fun. Make it fun!!! If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnnit!!! Tomorrow is now.....San Antonio Chris

Tip 16/30 Snacks

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 16/30 is Snacks. The foods we eat between our main meals I.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are multiple varieties of snacks that are healthy for us. But why are they important ?.....Metabolism. There is that word again Metabolism. We snack in between main meals to keep that metabolism up and to keep from getting hungry. If our bodies are getting hungry in between our main meals again that means that the metabolism slows down so as to save calories as opposed to burning them. The body goes into to storage mode which is again the complete opposite of what we are trying to do. So are snacks that important?... Damn right they are!!! If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!....Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris

Ice Cream Cake!

     I've never been a big cake person, but when you put ice cream in to the mix...well it just takes on a whole other level for me. What can I say...I love ice cream! A special treat and splurge that I always look forward to on my birthday for many years now is an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery, but not going to lie...those cakes from there do not come cheap in price or in calories.  I don't mind the splurge on my birthday or on my kids birthday, but I wanted to find a way to be able to enjoy an ice cream cake any time of the year without spending $35-$45 each time.  Two years ago, around Valentine's Day to be exact, I decided to learn to make one on my own and has been a tradition for Valentine's Day since.  My daughter loves it...and what can I say, mommy loves the fact that I can make it "healthier" and at a fraction of the price that I would if I bought it from Cold Stone. The satisfaction I get from making it homemade is pretty darn cool too ; )!

     With that said, this cake obviously is a great recipe to make on Valentine's Day (or any special occasion) that you can get the kids involved with too.  My cake may not come out looking like a pro decorated it, but the smile I see on my daughter's face that she gets when helping me to decorate it is priceless! Before getting your ingredients, you want to decide on what combination of cake and ice cream that you want...a classic of course is your chocolate cake with mint ice cream.  I make this cake for Valentine's Day so I end up choosing chocolate cake (chocolate on Valentine's Day is a must! )and a "red" colored ice cream...this year I went with Bryer's reduced fat strawberry cheesecake ice cream (plus it was at a reduced price since they were trying to get rid of  them at the grocery store...this cake was an especially good price this year!). You'll want to have 3 round cake pans (I like the 9 in size)...2 for baking the cake and 1 to make a mold for the ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon carton of ice cream
• 1 pint heavy whipping  cream
• few tbs of sugar or sugar substitute (I used 4 packets of Pure Via...a NATURAL calorie free sweetener)
• 1-2 tbs of vanilla
• wax paper
• aluminum foil or plastic wrap (whatever you have on hand)
• cake mix or cake ingredients (I used Betty Crocker's supermoist dark chocolate cake mix...plus I got it for practically free with a coupon!)

Instructions

1. First create a mold for the ice cream. Let the ice cream thaw a bit. Line one of the round cake pans with wax paper. Once the ice cream has thawed enough to handle, fill the round cake pan with ice cream. Cover it with foil or plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least a few hours (This can even be done a few days in advance.)
2. Prepare the cake according to mix or recipe directions.Mix the ingredients together then place them in the 2 remaining round pans. Bake the cake until it is done (you should be able to insert a toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean). When it is done remove it from the oven and cool on wire racks. 
3. Cakes naturally rise because of the baking powder in the mix; however, when assembling the cake it is easier if the bottom layer has a flat top so that ice cream mold sits nicely on it.  Take one of the cake layers and (very carefully) with a knife slice a very thin layer off the top so that it "flattens out" and makes a nice base.
4. Prepare the whipped cream. Put the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and sugar/sugar substitute in a bowl. You can adjust the amounts of vanila and sugar/sugar substitute to your taste preference. (If you prefer to not make your own whipped cream, you can easily by store bought whipped cream. I just like to make it myself because it's "healthier"...when using heavy whipped cream and a sugar substitute, it comes out with zero sugar and plus, I know that it's all natural ingredients...no preservatives at all. Also, if you want to make the whipped cream a certain color or theme, you can easily use a few drops of food coloring.) Use an electric mixer and make the whipped cream...it will take a good 5 minutes of so of mixing. Once you are done let the mix chill in the fridge for a bit.
5. Assemble the cake. Place one of the cakes (the one with the flattened top) on a platter. Take the ice cream out of the round pans and put on the cake. Put the last piece of cake on the ice cream. Ice the cake with the whipped cream.  
6. You can now decorate the cake however you want...be creative! Store in freezer until ready to serve...enjoy!

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe! 

           XOXO Christina

Our Valentine's Day 2012 ice cream cake

Italian Made Easy: pasta quattro formaggi

Hey y'all! Well I'm here today with another great recipe...and as an added bonus, it's a great option for a Valentine's Day Dinner! Nothing says romantic like Italian ; )! Before getting straight into this recipe, I want to give a bit of a personal story about it. I moved to Italy straight out of high school and lived there for roughly 3 years.  While pizza by far is my food of choice...always has been since I was a little girl, my favorite pasta dish that I had while living there was definitely pasta quattro formaggi...aka 4 cheese pasta.   The four very distinct cheeses absolutely melt to a perfection that is so desirable my taste buds! I didn't eat it that often and til this day, still only have it occasionally.  I absolutely love, love, love cheese, but try to eat it in moderation since, as we know, it can be high in fat; however, with that said, I make it on special occasions, such as Valentine's Day. Remember...we like to push MODERATION! This recipe will look like you made a complicated dish....but will be so simple and so delish!
When making this dish, you can choose any pasta really, but the most authentic way to eat it is with rigatoni.  In Italian, rigatoni means "large grooved." Rigatoni has ridges along the pasta that make it great for holding thicker sauces, such a cream, cheese, or meat sauces.  You can also you any four cheeses, but traditionally fontina, mozzarella, gruyere, and parmesan are used...all white to off white in color.  This dish can easily be made as a vegetarian or non vegetarian meal.  If you want to add meat, simply grill some chicken breast with a little bit of olive oil and Italian spices, slice, and top onto the pasta.  I sometimes will also add either some steamed broccoli or steamed spinach into the sauce with the pasta so that I know my family is getting some veggies too : )!

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni
• salt
•  6 Tbs. butter, melted (I use the Land 'o Lakes light butter...less fat and it's real ingredients vs. margarine)
• 1/2 C. shredded fontina cheese
• 1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese (look for 2% reduced fat mozzarella)
• 1/2 C. shredded gruyere cheese
• 3/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
• pepper

Directions

Bring 4 qts. water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 Tbs. salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta. In a large heated serving bowl, toss the pasta with butter. Add the cheeses. Toss until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.

I hope you find this recipe to be as delicious as my husband and kids do...please comment and let me know how it goes.  Be on the lookout sometime this weekend for an easy dessert idea for Valentine's Day as well!

Pasta Quattro Formaggi with spinach

Tip 15/30 Breakfast

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 15/30 BREAKFAST. Breakfast gets the metabolism started in the day. Why is that important? The longer that our metabolism runs at its optimum rate then that means the more calories that we burn throughout the day and the more fat we burn. The longer we wait to eat breakfast if you even eat breakfast at all then the longer the body goes stays in desperation mode. In desperation mode the body turns to storage mode and that is the opposite of what we are trying to do. I mean really....who wants to store fat. We are trying to get rid of fat not keep it or add more to our body. So eat breakfast please please please damnit!!!!! Breakfast and water intake are two big secret weapons that are severely under utilized. So just do it already. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now. .....San Antonio Chris

Tip 14/30 Rest

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 14/30 is REST. We definitely want to workout hard and put in the work to lead a healthy lifestyle. But we do need rest. You need to rest so that the body can recover and repair. When you workout you are tearing and rebuilding the muscle. The body needs rest so that it can be ready to put in the work again Now rest does not mean take a week off. It means take that day of rest and then get ready to get back to work. Short and simple. A reminder that if you have questions please feel free to post them here or you can email me at koenigfitness@gmail.com. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now. ......San Antonio Chris

Breakfast Study with Metabolism

Check this out www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1262453/High-fat-bacon-eggs-breakfast-healthiest-start-day.html

Tip 13/30 Consistency

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 13/30 is consistency. I'm sure you hear all of the latests pitches out there from programs like P90X and Insanity(60) and 30lbs in 30 days.....what is the key factor in all of them? It's CONSISTENCY! If you CONSISTENTLY do something for 90...60...30 days (I.e. P90X ...Insanity60 ...30 Lbs 30 days respectively)then of course you are going to see results. But the key is CONSISTENCY. You can have the best laid out plan in existence but if you don't follow it and are not CONSISTENT with it then it's not gonna work...not gonna happen. So real simple today...CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!! If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow in now...San Antonio Chris.

Something to think about...

For the past few weeks, Chris has been urging so many to really take a stand and choose to start living healthier lives.  Really making that effort to eat healthy and start an exercise plan benefits in so many ways...we feel better, boost our confidence, maybe shed some unnecessary pounds, and just overall improve our quality of life.
Well, I was reading the January 2012 Max Sports and Fitness magazine recently and came across a short excerpt that I found to be very interesting...especially with it being that time of year when flu/cold season is around.  I don't know about you, but I get my flu shot annually.  Honestly, I've never really given it much thought before...I get my shot and get on with life.  After coming across this short article though, I now have given it much more thought.  Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that your flu shot may provide better protection to you if you maintain a normal weight... definitely another reason to stick with that healthy eating and exercise plan!

(actual piece from the excerpt) "The findings, published recently in the International Journal of Obesity, explain why obese people were most susceptible to developing influenza during the H1N1 pandemic compared to their normal weight counterparts.  According to the researchers, influenza vaccine antibody levels decline more rapidly in people who are overweight than in those of normal weight.  Added to this, heavier people's CD8+ T cells (a white blood cell that helps to fight infection) are less responsive than those who are not as heavy-making them less able to fight off the flu bug.  Researchers predict that as the obesity epidemic grows, the number of fatalities from the flu could rise sharply."

Those finding are just outright disturbing! But the truth is, we can EASILY do something to change that and to prevent that last statistic from happening! Take a stand...not down the road...but today! Make that choice to make your health a priority and realize that it will be a choice you will never regret!

Tip 12/30 Accountability

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 12/30 is Accountability. We have to have something or someone that keeps you accountable in life. In your Job you have your boss and certain Tasks that need to be achieved in order to keep your job. In life, if you are a Christian, you have your religious values that hold you accountable in your decisions. And in leading a healthy lifestyle the same need for accountability exists as well. Try writing down your goals that way they are now visual goals that you have seen as opposed to just having them jumbled around in your head. Try getting a workout partner. Try finding a personal trainer and preferably one that can be referred by someone you know. The more you have something that will hold you to creating good habits instead of being surrounded by people who are constantly trying to prevent you from creating good habits then the better your chances for success. "The person saying that something can't or shouldn't be done should stay out of the way of the one who is doing (or attempting to do) it." if we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least if wont be for lack of effort damnit !!!! Tomorrow is now ......San Antonio Chris

Tip 11/30 Be Selfish

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 11/30 Be Selfish. This saying was not originated by me but I completely agree with it. All the time I hear that "I don't have enough time because I have to take care of everybody and give them what my kids and spouse needs.". I'm telling you right now the best thing you can do for your family s to be selfish. And what I mean by being selfish is taking the time to create those good habits we have been talking about. All of the habits take time to create but they are well worth it. All of the good habits you create for yourself will be absorbed by your family and you will help them lead a healthy lifestyle. One of the main reasons child obesity is extremely high in America overall but in San Antonio Specificaly is because our kids our absorbing the habits that they observe from us as parents. So I challenge you to be selfish and take that time to create those good habits and not only you will benefit but it will be one of the greatest offerings that you can give your family. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is Now.....San Antonio Chris

Tip 10/30 Self Respect

Good evening San Antonio. Sorry so late buts it's been a long day.Thursday is my favorite day in terms of working with clients. But a long day no less. Tip 10/30 is not so much a tip but a reminder that we only get one body in this lifetime. One body to treat it right and respect it. Hence please don't disrespect your body with crap and junk and completely unhealthy food every single day. Seriously come on people. A lot of people that I see today it really takes effort to look as bad and unhealthy as they do. And they would be lying if they said that they feel good or feel healthy doing even the most basic daily routines. Respect your body and create good habits. Please be aware of what you are doing. ....just a little bit of self respect for yourself plzzzzzzzz. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!!! Tomorrow is now. San Antonio Chris

Recipe Idea #2 for phyllo dough

Hey everyone! Well...as I promised, I am here today to give y'all another recipe that will help you use up the remaining of the phyllo dough...and as an added bonus, this is another great option for Super Bowl.  I'm not here trying to convince you that this recipe is your top choice for "healthy" food, but it's definitely a healthier option in comparison to your traditional football weekend fare...& like Chris said in an earlier post, treats in moderation are ok.  We all know that super bowl weekend is often packed with not your healthiest of foods...think fried chicken wings, fat laden nachos, french fries...just to name a few.

This recipe today of BAKED phyllo pizza triangles will not only look & taste delicious, but will also look like you spent hours in the kitchen creating them...when in all actuality, they are quite simple to make! Plus, you can make them in so many ways so that you can accommodate both meat eaters and vegetarians...you just can't go wrong with them : )

Ingredients

• 1 package phyllo
• shredded mozzarella cheese  (I recommend three 8 oz packages...you probably won't use all three, but you want to make sure you have enough cheese...also depends on how much cheese you stuff into the triangles...I used slightly just over 2 packages)
• 1 jar pizza sauce (most likely not all will be used)
• other toppings...ex.: pepperoni, canadian bacon, etc.  (honestly this part is up to you..I made half with just pizza sauce & cheese (vegetarian) and half with sauce, cheese, and Italian spiced ground turkey (for my meat eating hubby ; ) )
• extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spread a piece of parchment paper over the surface of a shallow baking tray
2. Remove a  roll of the phyllo (usually there are two in a box) from the box, unwrap it, and unroll it vertically in front of you on a clean surface.  Cut the stack of phyllo once vertically so that you are left with 2 vertical rows. I then place all of the stacks on top of each other to form one vertical column (note: be gentle with these since they are delicate and will break easily.) I then place a clean, damp cloth on the phyllo, while I work with the rest...this helps to keep them from drying out too much.
3. Take one strip of phyllo and brush the surface with olive oil. Next place a second strip on top of the first strip and also brush the surface with olive oil. Next place a third strip on top of the first two and also brush the surface with olive oil. (we are using 3 strips versus 2 in the "Greek Made Easy" recipe since the filling of these is thicker and heartier and we want to make sure that the phyllo is sturdy enough for the filling)
4. Place a heaping spoonful (using the standard spoon you eat your meals with) of cheese on the bottom of the phyllo strip.  Next place a spoonful (also using the standard spoon you eat your meals with) of pizza sauce on top of the cheese.  Place other toppings (if using) on top of the sauce (note: do not over stuff the triangles...the dough is delicate and will not support it if over stuffed...ex.3/4 slices of pepperoni or canadian bacon max).  Last place another spoonful of cheese on top.  
5. Next, fold it up to form a right angle. Continue folding from corner to alternating side...the same way you would form a flag-forming right angles with each new fold.  Place seam down on the sheet pan.  Continue this process until all the phyllo strips are used up.  Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with a little cold water.  Bake the triangles for about 10-12 minutes, until golden.  Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature...whatever your preference!

brushing one of the 3 layers  of phyllo

folding into triangles

placing toppings on phyllo

finished product

I hope you enjoy the final product of this recipe as much as my family did! Be on the look out soon for a couple of great recipe ideas for a valentine's lunch/dinner that not only you will love, but that is also kid friendly! Until then, remember that eating healthy (with yes...your occasional "treat" meals such as this super bowl inspired meal made on the healthier side) doesn't have to mean eating boring...take a stand today and make being healthy a lifetime habit!

Tip 9/30 Cheat Day

Hi San Antonio. So piggy backing off yesterday Tip 9/30 is the Cheat Day. Some people disagree with this but I'm totally for it. You need to have that freedom to do what you want and choose how you want to eat or choose your vices. But like yesterday you have to understand that it is a CHEAT DAY NOT A CHEAT WEEK....MONTH....ETC ETC. So when it's over it's over. ......understand ..comprende????? And honestly when it comes time to have your cheat day you will not be as bad you as think you would be. And if you are extremely bad trust me your body will be extremely upset with you if you have been eating cleaner and healthier...I.e. upset stomach...headaches...etc etc. so have your cheat day just be AWARE that it is A cheat day. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris