Monday, February 24, 2020

Blueberry Muffin Make-Over

I made these delicious, anything-but-dry, gluten/dairy-free muffins this weekend and they were a hit. With a cup of coffee, yummy perfection.

As with lots of things, you can do tons of subs if you don't have some of the ingredients. For example, you can sub out any of the "flours" for other flours, sub out the oil for applesauce, the coconut sugar for honey, etc.

E. H. Fitness Blueberry Muffin Make-Over
What you need: 
  • Muffin liners (or spray for the muffin tin)
  • 1 cup dry old fashion oats made into flour 
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (pure)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 6 oz fresh blueberries
What you do:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line or spray muffin tin
  3. Put oats and coconut sugar in blender and blend on high for 30 seconds (this is a two for one deal...you make oat flours and make the coconut sugar less grainy)
  4. If you are concerned the blueberries will sink to the bottom of the muffins while baking, simple toss a bit of the oat/coconut sugar mix on them and toss.
  5. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl
  6. Mix all wet ingredients together in a larger bowl
  7. Lightly mix the dry ingredients into the dry ingredients
  8. Gently fold in the blueberries
  9. Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each muffin liner
  10. Bake for about 23 minutes
Cool...and enjoy!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

A Gentle and Flexible Challenge to decrease inflammation, increase energy and help you feel your best!


It's here! A brand new E. H. Fitness 21 Day Challenge. This one is special because we will be easing ourselves into intermittent fasting...it's a bit more flexible than the challenges that have preceded it. So if you've been wanting to try IF but have been nervous about taking the plunge, this gentle introduction to IF is for you! We will be learning all the ways that IF can benefit our bodies and minds...it's going to be a great time!

So if you're ready to:
  • Get sugar cravings under control
  • Sleep better
  • Build strength without having to step into a gym
  • Eat real food to fuel your body
  • Decrease body fat
  • Reduce inflammation

...join me for E.H. Fitness' newest 21 day challenge...and go into spring feeling your best!

There are NO supplements, pre-packaged foods to buy or long hours in the gym. Just real food and quick workouts to help increase energy, promote better sleep, decrease anxiety and maybe even shed some body fat.

Here's what you can expect when you sign up:

  • Membership to a private Facebook group with daily encouragement, workouts and tips
  • Suggested food guide and recipes
  • Sample Grocery list
  • Workouts
  • A private online forum (via FB page) where you can post questions, celebrate your successes (and challenges) as well as get encouragement from a group of people doing the same work.
  • Access to an ACE certified personal trainer and wellness coach with over 10 years of experience
  • NO supplements or gimmicks...just food...the kind you eat out, cook at home or pick up on the go.
  • All for $29 payable via PayPal* or Venmo*
Are you in? Ready to choose to feel better and ditch some unhealthy habits? Ya know...when you feel better you look better...so what's there to lose?

E-mail me @ erin@ehfitness.com me that you are IN.

*as soon as the PayPal or Venmo invoice/request is paid, you will be added to the private Facebook group! :)

Monday, February 17, 2020

Feeling Blue This Winter? These 3 Things Can Help!



We’ve survived the holidays, cheers our way through football season (CHIEFS!) and now we are really into winter. And with winter's short days, cloudy skies and freezing temperatures comes the winter blues. You might start feel sad, low energy, sleepy and just plain not-yourself around this time of year. You can help yourself get through the winter-funk with a (genuine) smile on your face by eating certain foods, exercising and getting it on between the sheets.



Foods that make us happy:

Nourish the happy part of the brain by eating these foods often. Studies suggests that what we eat matters and, in fact, some foods can act like antidepressants!

Chocolate: It’s not your imagination; chocolate makes us feel good. Eating chocolate triggers the release of the feel-good hormone serotonin as well as endorphins which give us a feeling of euphoria. So slowly enjoy about 100 calories of chocolate (darker the better) if you need a pick-me-up without having to worry about your waist-line.

Green Leafy Greens: Spinach and Kale contain a B-vitamin called folate which maintains normal levels of serotonin. People that get the recommended dietary allowance of 400 micrograms of folate a day, also show a decreased risk of depression.

Walnuts and Salmon: The Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like walnuts and salmon have been shown to decrease depression symptoms. 

Healthy Carbs: Carbohydrates make us feel good. They enable us to release tryptophan which is converted into that feel good hormone serotonin. So be sure to eat plenty of whole grain carbs such as oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and brown rice.

A couple foods that will make your crash and burn…

Alcohol: Your wine, beer or cocktails might make you feel good in the short term, but alcohol is a depressant, so if you’re feeling down in the dumps, skip the adult beverage and opt sparkling water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.

Sugary food: You just read that carbs boost mood, but not all carbs are created equal. Things like cookies, cake and white bread are made of high-glycemic ingredients that cause the “sugar crash.” So avoid them to get rid of the blues.

Move and improve your mood

Perhaps a reason that many of us feel so down and out during the dead of winter is that we are less active. Exercise is good for a ton of things like maintaining a healthy weight, decreasing the risk of heart disease and cancer, and relieving the symptoms of arthritis. It also helps relieve depression.

Get high (on exercise).Ever heard of a runners high? That’s not just a made up thing that runners tell you about to get your butt up and out running with them. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins and neurotransmitters which are feel good chemicals in the brain.

Turn the heat up. Exercise increases body temperature which has a relaxing effect on the body…so in the winter it’s waaaay good!

Zone out. Doing exercise can take your mind off of whatever is getting to you, whether it is the weather outside or the let down after the holidays, going to your favorite exercise class or lifting weights can help you focus on something good you’re doing for your body.

Make new friends and keep the old. Being around people is an instant pick me up, so grab a friend, bundle up and go for a walk together or join a gym where you know people that will become your workout buddies.

Get happy between the sheets.

Sex, like exercise, is good for the heart, immune system and mood. The act of sex releases endorphins which act the same as morphine…they mellow you out as well as block pain and give you a sense of euphoria. So even though the blues can decrease your sex drive, just do it and to reap the benefits of a healthy sex life.

SAD? Seek help…

There is a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. If you experience the following symptoms particularly during the cold, cloudy winter months, talk to a healthcare professional.

  • Hopelessness
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of energy
  • Social withdrawal
  • Weight gain
  • Over sleeping
SAD is real and treatable. To find out more, click here

Double Chocolate Raspberry Muffins


My house if full of 3rd graders (we are in the middle of another 4-day-weekend...whoop). So I decided to create a chocolaty, raspberry muffin...and they are too good. They are dairy, gluten and soy free and you can't even tell. This is a great recipe because you can sub so much of it out. Don't have avocado oil? No problem, use coconut or olive oil. Don't have coconut sugar? No problem, use maple syrup. Don't have coconut flour? No problem, just use more oatmeal!

Let me know what you think and how you changed it up!





E. H. Fitness Double Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

What you need:
  • 1 cup dry old fashioned oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour 
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dairy free semi-sweet chocolate chips                                                                      (Trader Joe's regular chocolate chips are dairy-free!)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 5 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 room temp eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup raspberries (fresh or thawed from frozen)
What you do:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Line muffin tins with liners (or grease them)
  3. Put oats and sugar into a blender or food processor for 30 seconds (to make oat flour and grind the course sugar a bit for texture sake)
  4. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, add chocolate chips
  5. Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl (make sure to whisk eggs)
  6. Add raspberries to the wet ingredients and smash a bit with a fork
  7.  Mix wet and dry ingredients together 
  8. Put about 1/4 cup mixture into each liner
  9. Bake for 20-23 minutes.
  10. Cool before diving in!
Enjoy!

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Crazy-Busy-Sunday Workout

Crazy Busy Day Workout
(Full body in less than 20 minutes!)

Start with

🔥100 Walking Lunges
🔥100 Jumping Jacks
🔥100 Second Plank

Go through the following sequence 3 times as fast as possible (with good form).

🔥12 Butt Kicks and 12 Jump Squats
🔥12 Push Ups
🔥12 Butt Kicks and 12 Jump Squats
🔥12 single leg bridges (each side)
🔥12 Butt Kicks and 12 Jump Squats
🔥50 Bicycle Crunches (each side)

Stretch!