Take Vacation

Good afternoon San Antonio. Take Vacation. Leading any kind of life.....healthy or unhealthy  but hopefully a healthy life....will take its toll on you. This is your reminder to take a vacation. Take a week or a weekend and do what you want to do. Everybody needs to unwind and decompress from the pressures of life. Dont get so caught up trying to make a living that you forget to have a life. 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

Momentum

Good morning San Antonio. Momentum. You surely have heard that the first 30 days of a fitness program are extremely important. That it takes 30 days to reset your body and other theories. In my opinion the best way to look at the first 30 days is as a chance to build the momentum you need as you change your lifestyle. Think of it as a chance to gain so much momentum going downhill that after your 30 days if you hit a hurdle in the road it will be analogous to hitting a bug n the windshield. Meaning that the hurdle is not going to derail your efforts and rather you will stay on track. Build that momentum. Create as many good habits in those first 30 days so that life can't get in the way. 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

Olympic Residual

Good morning San Antonio. Olympic Residual. The Olympics are still fresh on most of our country's minds and rightfully so. America had a successful performance by all accounts in most events. And hopefully seeing our country's representatives encouraged most of us to either keep active or become active and try to reach our maximum health and fitness condition. Olympic athletes are few so I don't expect people to reach that level but I do hope that seeing our athletes can serve as some kind of spark for us. The same way the we rooted for our athletes I encourage everybody to encourage and root for anybody that they see trying to work towards their highest quality of life. Root for your fellow neighbor or stranger that you see working hard. 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

Interval Training

Good morning San Antonio. Interval Training. If you feel like your workouts are becoming redundant and mundane then try interval training. For example instead of carrying the same tempo of the exercise for a matter of time instead do shorter intervals of time at a much faster pace. You can do do the intervals at a minimum of 75% of your max up to 100% of your max. This will help give you some variety in your workout and get you out of any funk that you may have been. Variety is key to keep the body guessing and to yield success. 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

Summer Recipes

Good afternoon San Antonio. Summer recipes. Just like you need to change up your workouts to give yourself some variety , the same applies to your diet. Try some summer recipes to give you some variety in your diet. There are some recipes posted on this blog and there is an abundant amount of recipes to be found on the Internet. So try some summer or seasonal recipes to help keep you leading your healthy lifestyle. 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

Shoe Check

Good morning San Antonio. Shoe Check. If we have gone from last summer to this summer 2012 in the same pair of kicks then it is time for some new ones. Signs you need new shoes are discomfort in the feet, knees, back, neck,etc. To get the best workout and be able to recover properly then we need the right gear. It'll be hard but you have to part ways with your "workout partners" who have been there literally every step of the way. The new shoes could also be just what you need to reignite that motivational fire within. 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

Vary The Workout

Good afternoon San Antonio. Vary The Workout. Most people have a common complaint that their workouts get boring and are no longer engaging enough for them to stay consistent with the regimen. So...vary the workout. Research the Internet for something you would like to try or hire a personal trainer to get some new and fresh ideas for workouts. As with anything that you are successful at it takes effort and commitment. The same applies to finding or developing a new workout. 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

Mid-year Status Check

Good morning San Antonio. Mid-year Status Check. We are a little over half way through 2012. Where are you at in terms of goals you may have set at the beginning of the year ? If your are right on or are even ahead then I commend you--king is to you just don't get complacent . If we are behind that's not a problem either. All we have to do is get back on. Remember the posts that have been mentioned here on the blog. If you can't remember them then go back and look. Be honest with yourself when you do this assessment. Remember this isn't a 6 month or even a 12 month trial. This is your life and you only get one so make the most of it everyday. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody then at least it won't be for lack effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris.

Remember The Why

Good morning San Antonio. Remember The Why. Remember why you started in the first place to try to lead a healthier life. Whether you did it for yourself ....your kids...for whatever. Often times when we get off track it is because we lost focus in terms of what we were doing this for. If you feel like you have gotten off course then take a moment and write down The Why. Hold it up so that now it is a tangible reminder of what and why we choose to lead a healthier lifestyle. 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.

One Body

Good morning San Antonio. One Body. We only get One Body to manage in our lifetime. There are no dress rehearsals...no rough drafts. We only get one time around in life. That is why it irks me to know end when people disrespect their bodies completely. Now trust me I believe in having a good time and I/we have vices but most of us (probably the greater majority) do not take care of their bodies. Please lead a healthy lifestyle for yourselves and for your families. Get up and just be active. As kids almost all of us were like the energizer bunny. Our parents couldn't keep us still. Obviously as we get older things change but it still comes down simply to the choice. The choice to lead a healthy lifestyle. Just choose to do it. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody then at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now... San Antonio Chris

Protein rich banana nut bread!

     Hey there everyone! I'm here today with your next recipe...a flour-less, no sugar added, protein packed banana nut bread! Yes, you read that right ; )...and with this version, you can eat a slice (or two) without any guilt what-so-ever ; )!  This bread has a decent amount of protein in it due to the fact that it is made with almond flour versus regular flour and as an added bonus, it is a good banana nut bread alternative for those on a low gluten/no gluten diet.  Do keep in mind, though, that because it is made with a different type of flour, it will have a slightly different texture then your typical banana nut bread....but still delicious nonetheless ; ). I find this bread (with it's decent amount of protein) to be a great post workout snack as well!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup almond flour (I buy mine at Whole Foods in the bins where you buy items by weight)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (Whole Foods is the only place I have been able to find the unsweetened kind)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 ripe bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. In one bowl, combine the dry ingredients. (the first 6 ingredients listed)
3. In another bowl, mash the bananas and then mix in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Combine dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until there are no lumps.  Pour into the greased pan.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
6. Cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy ; )

Let me know how it goes and leave me a comment telling me what you think ; )!

~Christina

Get Back In It

Good evening San Antonio. Get Back In It. For several San Antonioans the heat becomes a major deterrent for people in terms of working out. Just an FYI update but there are also several gym in San Antonio that offer indoor training in an air controlled environment. Yes that was sarcasm. Come on people!! I know it's hot but most of us are not going to be working outside anyways. Most of us were not doing our workouts outside before the heat arrived so that's enough with that cop out. Get your butts up and stop making excuses. Get back in the healthy lifestyle pattern and make it happen. 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

Consistency Damnit

Good evening San Antonio. Consistency Damnit!! Great workouts and great nutritional days are only great if we do them consistently. A client of mine is struggling to get his off day Workouts done in the morning , but he is getting them done on his lunch break which is totally awesome. He knows that the times we meet are great workouts but they become even better when he can make his off day workouts consistent.Consistency is everything people. Stay consistent. Get that workout in consistently and eat right consistently and the results you earn will be consistent with what you want. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

Quick (& easy) Cucumber & Avocado Salsa

     Hey there y'all! I'm here today with your next recipe! This one is not necessarily a meal in it's own, but is a great condiment to throw on some tacos or to just enjoy with some fresh tortilla chips (& maybe a cerveza ...or two!)...& heck, if you want to eat it straight out of the bowl then that's fine too...it really is that good ; )! 

     Well, I don't know about you, but with the mercury rising these days to some crazy temps (especially here in Vegas), our go to foods are often much "cooler" and more refreshing foods! I'm talking about fresh and raw veggies and fruits. No, I'm not telling you to go on this raw diet and forgo cooked foods ; ), but adding in more of the fresh stuff can help bring down those temps maybe a tad or two ; )!  Today's recipe is a cucumber and avocado salsa...& it is super easy to make...you can't beat it! I made this for my hubby and kids last week and we topped it on "street tacos" (steak for him and veggie ones for the rest of us) and it was a HIT! The nice thing about this recipe is that you can alter the salsa to be mild (which is what I did since my kids were eating it too...I simply omitted the jalapeno) or spicy...whatever you fancy ; )!

Ingredients

• 1 medium English cucumber, seeded & diced (I simply cut in half lengthwise and with a fork gently  ran it up & down the length of it to remove the seeds)
• 2 medium or 3 small ripe (yet firm) avocados, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (I used 2.5 limes to get this amount)
• salt to taste (I prefer sea salt)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded & finely chopped (adjust to your preference or omit for mild salsa)

Directions

Gently combine all the ingredients in a bowl to thoroughly mix. Serve within an hour of preparing...enjoy!

Leave me a comment and let me know how it goes!

~Christina

Summer benchmarks

Good morning San Antonio. Summer benchmarks. Summer is here. A good way to stay motivated especially during the sweltering Texas heat is to set benchmarks during the summer. Whether its a pair of shorts, a certain swimsuit, or a goal weight or body fat%....use that benchmark to keep you on track and at the same time give you a new sense of focus. Once you hit that benchmark set another little benchmark and go from there. Remember...don't forget to celebrate your achievements. 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.

Against The Grain

Good morning San Antonio. Against The Grain. For most of us and on most days it feels as if life gets in the way of living a healthy lifestyle and as if trying to live that healthy lifestyle would be against the grain of what is being dictated. That's why we go to fast food places because it's "convenient".....that's why we skip our workout....that's why veg out on the couch....that's why we skip our workouts. Look don't let life dictate the lifestyle you will lead. There will always be something in your lives that will attempt to get in the way, so to speak, of you leading a healthier lifestyle. The only answer is to take control and make the decision to do it. We preach on this blog all the time that it comes down to making the decision to do so. Trust me we are not trying to be redundant and there is a reason. Simply put...go against the grain if you have to and make the decision. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anyone at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris

Homemade Cilantro & Pineapple Popsicles

Hey there everyone!  How has everyone been since the last time I posted here?  I hope all is well and you are still making your health a priority….because if you don’t, no one will! Well enough of that…let’s get down to business ; )! I don’t know about you, but all of us out here in Las Vegas (& I’m sure out in Texas as well) are doing just about everything to keep ourselves cool from this crazy heat!  I’ve brought to you today a recipe that will sure prove to be a staple for y’all during this spring/summer heat not only this year, but hopefully for many years to come ; )  We all know that popsicles (a classic hot weather favorite) help to quench your thirst and sweet tooth all while helping to keep you cool; however, so many brands of popsicles are lacking in any kind of nutritional value whatsoever! So, why not make your own?! Also, surprisingly to some, they are super easy to make and well, if I must say, they taste a whole lot better too and are a healthier alternative to buying the prepackaged kind…it’s a win, win!
I’m here today with your next recipe…homemade cilantro & pineapple popsicles! I know, you’re thinking…cilantro, in a dessert?! That sounds just a bit “off’ and I admit that at first I was a bit skeptical, but seriously, don’t knock it until you try it ; )…it will completely surprise you! Pineapple is naturally quite pulpy and gives these a nice “bite” when eating them….while the cilantro gives them this nice "herby" and fresh taste! They do require a bit of a sweetener, but keep in mind that you don’t only have to use sugar…you can substitute stevia extract or even honey.   Also, besides the ingredients, you also need a a popsicle mold…I got kind of lucky because last summer I found one on clearance at Target; however, this one was for only making 4 pops and I needed a mold for more like 8-10 popsicles with this recipe.  I found an 8 popsicle mold (for $2.50!!!) at Target a few days ago in the dollar section near the entrance of the store…I’m not making any promises, but if you’re lucky you may still find one there because you can’t really beat that price! So….here goes…

Ingredients
-1 ripe pineapple, cut into small chunks
-Handful of fresh cilantro leaves
-1/3  cup sugar (like I said, you can substitute honey as well, I would keep the honey to more like ¼ cup since it is sweeter tasting, but if you really like that honey flavor go ahead and still use 1/3 cup and if you want to substitute stevia extract for the sugar, keep in mind that stevia is 25-30 times sweeter then sugar so a little goes a long way so roughly 2 to 2 1/2 tsp should be sufficient)
-Juice of ½ a lime
-Pinch of salt

Optional: add 2 tbs of milled flax seed to get an additional nutritional boost!

Directions
1. Put pineapple, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds…most have the sticks along with the molds, but if yours doesn’t simply add your own popsicle sticks…you can get them at craft stores
2. Freeze for at least 4 hrs or until frozen.  Dip molds in tepid water to help remove the popsicles…enjoy!

I hope y’all enjoy these as much as we did! Let me know how it goes!

~Christina

Know Your Body

Good morning San Antonio. Know Your Body. We definitely want to work hard at staying healthy and continuing to make progress. But at the same time listen to your body when it says to stop. There are good pains that the body needs to feel in order to make progress and there are also a few pains that are detrimental to our success. You know your body better than anyone....Even better than your trainer. When you get a feeling that feels different than just pushing yourself to the limit then please stop. Putting yourself out of commission is worse than quitting because now you don't get to chose whether you workout or not. Know your body and listen to your body please. 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

Good Quote

Good afternoon San Antonio. Here is a quote shared with me by a friend and I'm passing it on. "Do you know what faith and fear have and common?! What they have in common is a future that hasn't happened yet. Fear believes In a negative future, faith in a positive one. So, if neither have happened yet, why not believe in positive...that great things are coming?!". Great quote.

Carpe Diem --"Sieze the Day"

Good morning San Antonio. Carpe Diem means Sieze the Day. So many people either waste the day or don't appreciate their privilege of being able to be self sufficient and physically independent. The number of people who have no appreciation increases every day and even more alarming is the fact that the average age of those people decreases every day as well. Every opportunity I get to try to motivate people I try to maximize it. I also ask my clients to do the same on a daily basis. The more people we get to motivate others then we can help remedy this epidemic of laziness/unappreciation. So please go out there and try to promote people to Sieze the Day and make the most of it because tomorrow is never guaranteed. 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

Remember The Why

Good morning San Antonio. Remember The Why. You know what your are trying to do. Getting healthy. But just as important you need to remember why you are doing it. I personally believe the why is more important. You are clearly doing this to better yourself but you are also doing this to better all those you care about that are around you. Your family and all of your friends that you care about will also be better for it. Don't lose track of your vision... of your scope. Remember The Why! If we help 1 person then awesome and if we dont help anybody at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris

Getting "Lifed"

Godd afternoon San Antonio. Getting "Lifed". It's guaranteed to happen. Without doubt without warning without escaping, you will get "Lifed". My friend used this phrase with me a couple of years back. All it means is that life in general will try to get in the way of what you are trying to do. Whether you are trying to do something for your career or your personal life something will happen undoubtedly. Some people call it Murphy's Law. Whatever you want to call the phenomenon is irrelevant. When life tries to get in the way you simply need to stare right back and say Thank You...and then get right back to what you were doing before. Don't life get in the way of what you are accomplishing as we speak. 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

Your Body Wants To Be Healthy

Good afternoon San Antonio. Your Body Wants To Be Healthy. Your body feels better and performs better in every aspect of your life (personal...professional...intimate...) when it is healthier. And your body wants to be healthier. Do you honestly think that your body likes being exhausted after performing a simple activity or after not doing anything at all? NO!!! In case you actually thought that was a legitimate question the answer is no. Let's go San Antonio improve your life now. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we dont help anybody then at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

Go Get It

Good morning San Antonio. Go Get It. If becoming healthy and improving your overall quality of life then go out and get it. No one can get it done for you but yourself. Set your goals and always keep that in sight. Every decision you make should be with your main goal in mind. Having your goal weigh in on your decisions will be the best way to keep you on track with what your are trying to do. Again if you have questions email me at koenigfitness@gmail.com. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't help anybody then at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

Reduced Carb Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

     Hey y'all! Well I'm here today to give y'all your next recipe and let me tell you...this one was a hit with my family! My 3 year old (who is quite picky at times) even gobbled these up! About two weeks ago, I had some ricotta in my fridge that needed to be used soon or else it would go to waste.  I looked in my freezer to get an idea of what I had lying around and saw some frozen blueberries and thought...hmmmm, let's see what I can do with this. I started researching online and came up with so many recipes that involved using ricotta and blueberries in pancakes.  I know that most people don't think of ricotta when they think about pancakes, but the nice thing about ricotta is that it naturally has a somewhat bland taste and therefore can be used in so many dishes! However, while looking at all the recipes, I didn't see one that just caught my eye to the point that I wanted to use it....so, I decided that I would (with the help of looking at several of the recipes to get me started) devise my own from the ones that I saw online.  Yes, I knew that this was going to be a kind of a risk since I was in a way, putting it together myself, and had no idea of how it was going to turn out, but I figured I didn't have much to lose...except a few ingredients...so I proceeded ; )! Obviously, they came out great or otherwise I wouldn't be sharing this recipe ; )!
     If you haven't learned this so far about me, I am constantly looking for ways to alter recipes so they are healthier, but are not sacrificing taste.  With this recipe, I was able to make it a reduced carb (note: not low carb) version from how they would be made originally...and they still tasted fantastic! I substituted 25% of the flour with almond flour (1/4 cup of regular white flour has 23 grams of carbohydrates and less then 1 gram of fiber vs 1/4 cup of almond flour that has 6 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber....almond flour does have more fat; however keep in mind that almonds are full of healthy fats) and instead of using milk or buttermilk, I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk (1 cup of 2% milk has 12 grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of fiber vs 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk that has 2 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber). Plus, I added 2 tbs of milled flax seed which gave it an additional nutritional boost!

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup finely ground almond flour (I found mine at Whole Foods)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs baking soda
• 4 tbs packed brown sugar
• 4 tbs yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbs milled flax seed
• 3 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 2 cups part skim ricotta (well drained)
• 2 2/3 cups frozen wild blueberries (I used organic...do not thaw!)

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and using a wish attachment on your blender, whisk together to break up the chunks of brown sugar and to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
2. Add almond milk and eggs and with blender attachments, mix until blended. The mix should not be completely smooth...a lump here or there is desirable in pancake mix : )
3. Quickly add the ricotta and stir in briefly. Do not completely mix to the point it is smooth...you want to be able to see my pieces of ricotta in the final product.
4. Gently fold in the blueberries til they are distributed throughout the batter.
5. On a thick oiled (either with cooking oil or nonstick spray) non stick griddle heated to medium high, (I put batter in a measuring cup with a spout to pour the batter out of) pour some batter out on pan (these pancakes are denser due to the ricotta and will spread so be sure not to overcrowd them)
6. Flip the pancakes over when bubbles begin to rise  to the surface. These pancakes will take a bit longer then traditional pancakes to cook due to the ricotta in them (you want the ricotta to be heated too) so be sure to give them enough time to cook through once flipped over. The edges will be lightly browned and toasted.
7. Serve however you deem necessary  ( :  (we use a bit of sugar free syrup or simply by themselves as is!)

Hope y'all enjoy these as much as my family & I did! Let me know how it goes!!!

One Day At A Time

Good afternoon San Antonio. One Day At A Time. I tell all my clients to take the approach in their health and fitness goals by taking one day at a time or each day for what it is. I myself use this approach. There are going to be days where everything seems like its going south and then there are going to be those days when it seems like everything is going perfectly. Whatever the circumstances are, still just take one day at a time and that will definitely help you increase your chances of success and the degree of success that you have. 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

Rest

Good morning San Antonio. Rest. If the body doesn't rest you will not reach the success you are trying to attain. I'm proud of all that my clients do but rest is also needed. Now keep in mind I'm talking about taking a day or two off of rest not taking a month or two off. Keep your workouts at an intense level but do not skip out on your scheduled rest days. Your body needs them. Your muscle needs them to recover. 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.

Try the Recipes

Good morning San Antonio. Try the recipes. Christina has been posting some great recipes on the blog. But you wouldn't know unless you tried them. The recipes are complete with ingredient list and how to prepare and cook. Please try them. Remember knowledge is power only if you utilize it. The recipes are nutritious without sacrificing quality and taste so there is no excuse not to try them. If we help 1 person then awesome and fine don't help anybody then at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!!! Tomorrow is now...San Antonio Chris

Rigatoni with roasted cherry tomatoes & fennel seeds

     Hey y'all! I hope all is well with each & every one of you! So...I must ask...are you taking the time to workout and truly make your health a priority? I sure hope so! Remember, staying on top of your health is not being selfish! For me personally, I know that when I take care of myself and not slack in that department, I am a better wife and mother....& I am also setting a good example for my children. It's a win, win! So now...what y'all have all been waiting for...the next recipe!
     I'm here with another yummy...& easy, must I add : )...recipe! This one is a vegetarian option, but my carnivore husband ; ) gobbled it up without any hesitation! If you so desire a meat option with it, you can easily throw in some diced grilled chicken into the mix ; ). With this meal, we will be making home roasted tomatoes seasoned with fennel and garlic...my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Seriously, my house was taken over with this magnificent scent of garlic and olive oil that just brought me back to my days of the time that I lived in Italy and could go to an authentic trattoria.  These home roasted tomatoes will have the concentrated flavor of sun dried tomatoes, but because they are only half dried, they will still have enough moisture to create a simple pasta sauce with a quick and stern stir. This is not only a tasty dinner option, but is very healthy and light...with all the fat(aside from the light topping of parmesan) coming from heart healthy extra virgin olive oil. An added bonus with this recipe...tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene...so eat up ; )!!!

Ingredients

• 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbs fennel seeds
• 1 box rigatoni noodles
• sea salt to taste
• freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the tomatoes (cut side up) in a single layer in a roasting pan lined with wax paper. In a separate container (preferably one with a spout, such as a measuring cup) mix the oil, garlic, and fennel seeds.  Drizzle the tomato halves with the oil mixture.  Season lightly with sea salt and cook in oven for 1 hour.
2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.  Reserve a ladleful of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pan.
3. Add the roasted tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add the reserved water and stir until the pasta is well coated in the "sauce." (The reserved pasta water contains some of the starches from the pasta so it helps to bind the "sauce" to the pasta) Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and top with your desired amount of shredded parmesan cheese!

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!! Let me know how it goes in the comments below!!!

Pass it Forward

Good morning San Antonio. Pass it forward. The best way to learn and stay accountable for yourself is to help motivate someone to create their own good habits. Im proud to say that I had a couple of clients grab friends/coworkers and take them to a fun run/walk. That is freaking awesome. But honestly it's the best way to also keep you on track. So grab somebody who has expressed their desire to help themselves and give the that little push that they may need. 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

Ask Questions

Good afternoon San Antonio. Ask questions. People if you need help or don't know how to do something or don't know how to get started then ASK QUESTIONS!!! I see it everyday people want to ask but they don't for their own personal reasons. All I can say is get over it. Get over the pride or the embarrassment or whatever it is. Most people will be willing to help you get started. Ask me if you have questions. 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

Snacks

Good afternoon San Antonio. Snacks. Proper snacking is essential in optimizing our metabolism. Snacks help keep the fire burning so to speak. But poor snacking is often one of the main causes to slowing down your metabolism so decision making is key here. When right snack decisions are made your Meatbolism continues to function at an optimal level. Good choices such as jerky,almonds, string cheese etc. are great choices but always remember that moderation is always 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 is now....San Antonio Chris

Multivitamin Reminder

Good morning San Antonio. Today is a reminder about taking your daily multivitamin. As perfect as I know that we all eat (that was sarcasm ...obviously) we are still not getting all of our essential vitamins from our diets. And sometimes that little amount of some of the vitamins that we are lacking can stunt our progress in terms of getting healthier. We could be doing almost everything right, but that small absence of a vitamin can sometimes be a limiting factor. So take your multivitamin damnit!!! 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 30/30 Execution

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 30/30 Execution. We have gone over 29 different tips so far, but those tips mean nothing if you don't execute them. You can have the best plan ever but if you don't follow it then don't expect for you to be successful. Execute on at least half of what we have posted and you will have success. Execute on everything and you will have almost completed a full lifestyle change. If any questions please post them and if you feel more comfortable email me at koenigfitness@gmail.com. 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

Spanish Mac 'n Cheese

      Hey y'all! I know it's been some time...bout a month actually...since I've posted, but it has been a crazy/rough/busy month for me and my family.  This year's cold season has been a rough one with my kids...thank God the past week or so has been a bit better...so between that, my hubby's crazy schedule (gotta love being a pilot in the military), and training for my most recent half marathon, I apologize for the delay ; ); but seriously, with all excuses to the side, here is our next recipe: an (easy) Spanish Man 'n Cheese!
     Honestly, who doesn't love mac 'n cheese?! I don't think I've ever met another person who doesn't like it and the nice thing about mac 'n cheese is that it is so versatile...there are really so many different ways to put it together! I know, I know...you're thinking, "Mac 'n Cheese...isn't that also a "dangerous" comfort food?" Well....yeah, it can be...but with a few adjustments, it doesn't have to be so bad.  Like I always say, a treat now & then is okay and when you make it rather then going out, you know it will be healthier because you are in control of what and what doesn't go in there.
     Traditionally, cured chorizo is commonly used in many Spanish meals, but it is also not the healthiest of meats...it is very high in saturated fat and also in sodium.  This is where I made one of major adjustments for this recipe...I used "soyrizo", which is a vegetarian substitute for chorizo (this can be found at many health food stores...think Whole Foods, Sunharvest, Trader Joe's, etc.).  This is a much healthier way to get that very similar taste of chorizo. You're probably thinking that just sounds plain wrong, but seriously, don't knock it until you try it ; ). The first time I got my husband (a true carnivore) to try it, he was pleasantly surprised and now will gladly eat "soyrizo" whenever I use it in my cooking in place of chorizo. With all that said, if you would prefer to go the traditional route and use the real stuff then by all means, do!

Ingredients

• 1 lb whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 package of "soyrizo"   or 4 ounces (roughly 1 cup) cured chorizo, casing removed & diced
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded & diced (if you prefer less spice then omit this since the "soyrizo"/chorizo is already spicy as is
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbs light butter (I  use the Land o Lakes light butter)
• 2 tbs all purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% milk (the original recipe called for whole milk...this was another ingredient that I altered)
• 8 ounces Manchego cheese, grated (not all places carry this cheese, so Pecorino Romano can also be substituted)
• optional: 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed sliced green olives

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Add macaroni and cook as package directions call for; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-low heat. Add "soyrizo"/chorizo and cook roughly 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add pepper; saute for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add butter to saucepan; when melted, sprinkle in flour, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour in milk, whisking until the liquid comes to a boil. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Mix until smooth. Stir into cooked macaroni with olives.

     I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know how it goes!

Much Love,

 Christina

Tip 29/30 Environmental Factors

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 29/30 Environmental Factors. Ideally we would love to be surrounded with nothing but positive factors that would help us form nothing but good habits. Realistically though that is typically not the case. But even though we are surrounded by negative factors that shouldn't stop us. A quote I've always adhered to is " don't let people who say it can't be done get in the way of you actually doing it. " Sometimes these people are family and friends but you must politely disregard them and carry on. You will undoubtedly be better for it and so will they when they see that you just did "what couldn't be 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 28/30 Don't Let Weather Dictate

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 28/30 Don't Let Weather Dictate your life. If you ask any personal trainer or any fitness facility employee and they will undoubtedly tell you that when it rains people don't show up. For the life of me I cannot figure this phenomenon out. And it is a phenomenon because as long as I've been doing this that stupid phenomenon holds true. Why? People the point of the fitness facility is that you get to work out indoors out of the elements. Don't be a statistic. Get your butts in the gym damnit. If we help 1 person then awesome and if we don't at least it won't be for lack of effort damnit!!! Tomorrow is now....San Antonio Chris

Tip 27/30 Stretching

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 27/30 is Stretching. Basic stretching will help especially if you can do it daily. Your will see your range of motion increase in all of your daily activities once you start stretching. If the simplest of tasks are difficult already then that should be your cue to start stretching regardless of your age. Stretching will increase flexibility and will improve your blood circulation as well. 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 26/30 Remember to Celebrate (In Moderation)

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 26/30 Remember to Celebrate but in Moderation. By now if we have been following all of the tips posted on here we have made significant progress and need to take time to celebrate. Go out and enjoy the outdoors. Soak up some sun. We have created enough good habits now to the point where we are able to celebrate in a way that is healthy but also be able to let go as well when we want to. Have fun you have definitely earned it. For most of our city this week is spring break so enjoy it and be safe. 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 25/30 Know Yourself

Good morning San Antonio. Tip 25/30 Know Yourself. Most times people are successful because they place themselves in situations that increase their chances of success. That's the smart and logical thing to do. It also works on the flip side. Meaning don't knowingly place yourself in situations where your chances of success are slim to none. If you know your will is weak when it comes to sweets well then don't place yourself in situations where sweets are prevalent. Know yourself!! 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 24/30 "Texts and Balances"

Good afternoon San Antonio. Tip 24/30 "Text and Balances". Meaning a little text on a daily or bi-weekly basis can help tremendously. Find somebody that is also trying to change their life for the better and develop a texting system where you guys keep each other in check with something similar to:"being good today.......stay on top of it.....get that workout in". Such a little phrase that can help you get over that sometimes daily thought in your head to skip the workout or to make bad choices that throw you off. 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 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

Tip 8/30 On and Off the Wagon

Good evening San Antonio. Tip 8/30 is getting back on the wagon once we have fallen off. Whether it was because the holidays. Or because it was the weekend. Or here in San Antonio it was Fiesta Week. We have to be able to possess that discipline to get back on the wagon once we have fallen off. Once we are aware of our decisions and have created more good habits this becomes easier. I said easier not easy because most times it will never be easy. We need to be aware to the point that we can tell ourselves that " ok it's a party this weekend , but once it's over I'm back on track because my body honestly feels better when I'm living that healthier lifestyle. " Awareness and good habits are key. Follow all of the tips posted on here and it will lead to success. 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

Healthy Habits are for Everyone!

When deciding on what health habits or fitness advice to follow I sometimes feel overwhelmed. It can be tasking at times and definitely takes will and determination. Even if you feel you know completely nothing about health habits or you know so little that you should buy the "Fitness for Dummies" book(a real book... lol), you need to start somewhere!

Being a mother of two girls (3 years and 17 months) it is so hard to allocate time to get my fitness on! So here are some helpful habits to acquire that I found on one of my favorite craft blogs @ Ohmyhandmade.com. Yes, a CRAFT blog!!

...ANYONE can learn to burn the calories! :)

5 Healthy Habits and 5 Ways to Stick to ‘em!

For those of you who hate to click links here is part of the FUN!

Here are some ways to increase your health and the health of your business:

1. Eat well and regularly. If you’re someone prone to skipping meals when you get busy, pre-make some meals or have simple, nutritious snacks on hand: nuts, trail mix, fruit, crackers, veggies, cheese. You’ll feel better and get more done if you give your mind and body the good food energy it needs. Fuel yourself to do your best work- you can’t run on empty!
2. Drink enough water. When you’re dehydrated you can feel weak, head-achy and hungry. The more you satiate your need for water the more easily you’ll be able to concentrate on your work. Try drinking water first thing upon waking to jump-start your nervous system and rehydrate yourself after sleep. Keep water by your side as you work and aim to drink at least 64oz a day.
3. Exercise regularly. Yeah, we don’t much like it either, but we all know we need exercise to keep our minds and bodies strong, and to help keep us energized enough to take on the day. Not only that, exercise can make you feel happier and less stressed. It’s a practice in focus, in pushing ourselves, in conquering fear- all of which are skills you can turn around and put right back into your business!
4. Downtime. It’s easy to fill up all the hours in the day with so much work and responsibility that there’s no time left for you. Schedule in downtime. Schedule a vacation. Find 10 minutes of quiet and take a breath. Make it happen for yourself. You’ll have so much more to give to your business and to your relationships, if you give to yourself often and regularly.
5. Routinize. The more ways you can find ways to routinize self-care into your day, the more time you’ll have to focus on your work and other daily responsibilities. Begin a morning routine to start everyday off on the right foot, or schedule breaks into your day specifically to eat, take a walk, take care of yourself. Incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine will help you feel calmer, clearer and more prepared to take-on whatever the day brings.

You can start bringing healthier habits into your life and you can stick with ‘em too! Here’s how:

1. Have a strong why. Why do you want to develop this new habit? What benefits will it bring to your life? If you can connect your why to a reason you feel strongly about- if your habit will affect your health, relationships, business, life in general in a positive way- it will help keep you motivated, dedicated and give you the willpower juice you need to create some real change.
2. Tackle each habit one at a time. So, you want to start eating healthier and exercising more, drawing, meditating and going on date nights regularly- if you attempt to make all those changes all at once, you’re going to fizzle out- sho’nuf. Choose one new habit to start with and focus on that until it becomes a regular part of your day, and then tackle the next one.
3. Stick with it for 30 days. Once you stick to something for 30 days, you’ll realize, you can stick to something for 30 days! And that will help keep your motivation chugging right along. The 30-60 day range is the crucial time in which true habits are created, so stick. with. it. It can also take that much for the benefits of your new healthy ways to start sinking in, but once they do, you’ll want to stick with your new habit because you’ll want to keep feeling this darn good!
4. Share the experience. Habits like accountability- tell your family, tell your friends, shout about it on facebook, write a blog post about it- if you say you’re gonna do something for reallike that, then you kinda want to actually do it. For real. Habits also like buddies. Find a friend to exercise with, try healthy recipes with your hubby, make green smoothies for your kids- the more people you get in on it, the better!
5. Stay positive. When you fail one day, do better the next day. When your mind says “I want to quit!” tell it to hush-up and focus on the benefits this new habit will bring to you. When you get frustrated, have patience with yourself, and patience with the process. Keep track of how you’re doing in your planner or on a computer calendar- it’s motivating to watch your progress and see how far you’ve come!

Another suggesstion I would like to add is to surround yourself with others who want to do the same and/or support you with your health goals. This is so important. I know plenty of people who have the will and determination but lack the support from their family members or spouses. PLEASE, just ask for their help and support. You would be suprised how many will jump on board to achieve their own goals. They just needed someone (YOU) to be that one change or inspiration in their goals.

As my coach would say in high school "Make it Happen".