Dinner Recipes 8/20-8/26

Here is another week of recipes that I will be using for my family dinners. I hope you find at least one that you like. If you ever have any low-calorie recipes that you can recommend then I would love for you to share them with me on my blog or facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ShawnaLemmonPersonalTrainer. ENJOY!!!

Monday - Balsalmic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches (**I will probably use 100-calorie sandwich thins to reduce the carbs and calories that are found in focaccia)

Tuesday - Mediterranean Chicken Couscous from Southern Living; Near East makes the couscous that is called for in this recipe.

Wednesday - Warm-Tortellini Salad and Cherry Tomatoes; I don't use onions but do add asparagus and sometimes red and green peppers. Any veggies you like are great with this recipe!

Thursday - Southwestern Style Shrimp Tacos

Friday - Double Bean Burritos; A great tortilla to get is the low-carb, high fiber tortilla made by LaTortilla Factory. It only has 80 calories per wrap and they are HUGE! I also make this without the bean dip only because its not something I use a lot of so it will usually go bad before I have the chance to use it again.

Saturday - Luscious Lean Burgers; I will end up using the 100-calorie sandwich thins for this also.  My side will be raw veggies or a salad.

Sunday - Shepard's Pie Lightened-up

Dinner Recipes 8/13-8/19

Every weekend I sit down and plan out my dinner recipes for the upcoming week. I wanted to to start to share these just in case any of you are interested in trying them or following my menu. All of my recipes are from low calorie sources so, as long as you are staying within the portion size recommendations, you don't have to worry about ruining your waistline. If any of you have any recipes you would like to share with me then I would love for you to leave a link to that recipe on my blog. I am always open for suggestions and love to try new recipes! I hope you enjoy:)

Monday - Skinny Orange Chicken w/Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli 
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/shine-supper-club-skinny-orange-chicken-151000516.html

Tuesday - Crock Pot 3-Bean Turkey Chili w/Side Salad  
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/01/crock-pot-3-bean-turkey-chili-3125-pts.html

Wednesday - Southwest Chicken Roll-up w/Lemony Sugar Snap Peas
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/01/crock-pot-3-bean-turkey-chili-3125-pts.html
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemony-snap-peas-50400000120690/

Thursday - Skinny Coconut Shrimp w/Side Salad
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/skinny-coconut-shrimp.html

Friday - Low-fat Baked Ziti wSpinach and a Side Salad
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/09/low-fat-baked-ziti-with-spinach.html

Saturday - Hoison Grilled Sirloin w/Brown Rice and Snow Peas
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hoisin-grilled-sirloin-10000000833369/

Sunday - Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks (I won't be using tilapia but will be using trout that my hubby brought home from fishing) w/Raw Veggies and Greek Yogurt Dip
http://www.marthastewart.com/338332/panko-crusted-fish-sticks-with-herb-dipp

Essentials to Successful Weight Loss

Several years ago when I first became a personal trainer, I wasn't really sure what my "knack" would be. Every trainer has a special area in which they focus and then build their clientele around. While I have had clients with a wide variety of goals, the majority of my clients have, and continue to be, in the area of weight loss. With each new weight loss client comes a new learning experience for not only them, but also for me. Even though my approach with each client can be very different, there are a few key elements that I have found work well for everyone.

Food Journaling

This is my very first recommendation to every weight loss client. Research has proven time and time again that people who track their calories lose more weight than those who don't. You can keep a written journal (in a regular notebook or a specialized food journal book) or an online journal (my two favorites are livestrong.com and myfooddiary.com). Whatever route you decide, make sure your journals are as accurate as possible. Studies have shown that people can underestimate their calories by as much as 40 percent when trying to eyeball their portion sizes. Weigh and measure everything! 

Exercise

Everyone knows that exercise is an essential part of weight loss but how much should you do to lose weight?  Personally, I recommend that my clients get at least 2 to 3 days of full body resistance training along with 4 to 6 days of cardiovascular activity. But the bottom line is this, you have to burn as many calories as possible within an exercise session (and throughout the day) to help you lose weight. Keep in mind that you are trying to create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you eat. You have to keep moving during your workouts and try to stay active throughout the entire day so you are constantly using energy, therefore burning calories. If you find that you are sedentary most of the day (i.e. sitting at a desk all day) then you need to find ways to get up and move. Park your car far away, take the steps, or get a pedometer/calorie burning tracker to monitor what you are doing throughout the day.

Preplan Meals

I once heard someone say "fail to plan, plan to fail". If you are going to be away from your home most of the day, then you need to have a plan for your meals. You should pack enough food to eat every 3 to 4 hours so you don't risk becoming over-hungry (which can lead to junk food cravings and overeating). Try to avoid eating out as much as possible. This is important because you don't know how your food is being prepared plus you can't measure it for accuracy. I know that this isn't always possible, so if you are going to eat out then try to preplan by looking up the calories. Sometimes big chain restaurants have the nutritional info of their food menu online. If that's not available, plan what you will eat and then calculate your calories before arriving at the restaurant. 

Stay Consistent

Weight loss isn't a part-time job. To be the most successful at it you have to apply everything that I mentioned EVERY DAY! I see so many clients do well throughout the week and then fall off track on the weekends (only to regain what they had lost the week prior). So you have something to look forward to, allow yourself a cheat meal one day a week. This can consist of about 500 to 800 extra calories and can be whatever you want (i.e. pizza, ice cream, a cocktail). 

Trying to lose weight is one of the hardest things to do. It is an up and down roller coaster of emotions that requires perseverance and dedication. You should plan to have  occasional set backs and weeks where you may not lose anything. If this happens, reevaluate what you have been doing, make changes where you feel it is needed and you should be back on the right track. 

If you need help or guidance with developing a personalized weight loss program then please feel free to contact me at info@centralfloridapersonaltrainers or call (386) 295-3926.  I offer one-on-one personal training services with several personal training package options that can be tailored to your specific goals and needs.