Get to your goals faster and get a FREE gym membership

Buy any personal training package (30 minute or 60 minute sessions) in the month of January, and get a FREE gym membership!

Why hire a persona trainer? So many reasons! But my favorites are right here:

• A personal trainer will motivate you
• A personal trainer holds you accountable to making good health choices
• A personal trainer will help prevent injury while exercising
• A personal trainer can teach you how to be the in the best physical shape for your body and goals so that you can train yourself in the future

What is included in personal training packages:

• One-on-one training with a fitness professional
• Full body assessment, including body fat and fitness measurements
• Nutrition consultation
• Goal setting
• Individualized fitness plans

Interested? E-mail Erin at erin@ehftness.com for more information or to sign up today!

*Gym membership is valid for the duration of the personal training package. The gym is located at 95th and Mission and can be accessed at any time the space is open to members.

Start burning off that holiday blubber TODAY!

If you took the 2 week Work Up to 2014 Fitness Challenge, then this workout should be familiar. If not, it will be a new challenge. Move from one exercise to the next as quickly as possible with little rest in between. Repeat the whole thing and you've got yourself a tough, full body workout that you can do in your home or at the gym.

• 100 Jumping Jacks
• 12 Push Ups
• 3 Burpees
• 14 Tricep Dips
• 15 Jump Squats
• 60 lunges (30 each side)
• 70 second plank
• 80 hip ups (40 each leg)
• 90 seconds of bicycle crunches
• 100 second wall sit
• 11 Divebomb Pushups
• 12 Plank Switches (12 each side)
• 13 Squats
• 14 Burpees

Enjoy!

Make a commitment to your health in 2014...and SUCCEED!

Let’s face it, New Year’s Resolutions aren’t that hard to make, they’re hard to keep. In fact, about 40% of Americans make NYRs and 92% of them fail according to Forbes. If you’re not a numbers genius, that means that only 8% of people who make a resolution at the beginning of the year will succeed…it’s depressing. But you don’t have to throw your hands in the air and give up. YOU, my friend, can be one of the 8%! Follow these 7 steps to ensure a successful healthy goal.

1. Set a goal. According to Psychology Today, if you make a specific resolution, you are 10 times more likely to succeed the desired outcome. So write your resolution down in detailed terms. (ex: I will lose 15 pounds by June 1st. I will quit smoking using the patch by March 15th, I will eat two fruits and four servings of vegetables every day.) 

2. Be reasonable. Just as important as setting your goal is making sure that your goal possible and something that you want to achieve. If eating more fruits and veggies does not appeal to you on any level do not make it your resolution to eat more fruits and veggies just because you know it’s good for you. If you want to lose weight, remember that you can only safely lose 1-2 pounds per week, so don’t make your goal to lose 100 pounds by February 2014. Setting unrealistic goals like this will just ensure another failed NYR. Find something you can be passionate about and stick to and go for it. 

3. Have a game plan. Sure, you have your ultimate end-game goal, but knowing how you’re going to get there is super important. Think baby steps. If your resolution is to lose those extra 30 pounds, aim for 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week until you reach your goal. Or if you want to get 8 hours of sleep a night, you could back up your bed time by 10 minutes every couple of days until you are snoozing for 8 hours.

4. Tell the world. This is an important step in the road to NYR victory. Tell your friends, co-workers, family, even the cashier at the grocery store that you are vowing to quit smoking, lose 10 pounds, or get to the gym 4 days a week. When your will wanes, the peer pressure that you’ve created for yourself will help you keep on track.

5. Be positive. Ever heard of the Little Engine that Could? With her mantra of “I think I can, I think I can I think I can..” she accomplished her goals. Even though the mountain was steep and took a lot of hard work, she kept positive with her eye on the prize. 

6. Become a journalist. No, not the kind that goes out and gets “the scoop,” but the kind that writes everything about your progress in a journal or on your phone or wherever. Studies show that people who keep a running tab on their progress are 50% more likely to succeed at their goal than those who do not. It doesn’t have to take much time…just a sentence or two each day (that’s like 15 seconds of your time). For example: I went to the gym today, lifted weights for 25 minutes and ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill. Weight today: 175…I’ve lost 2 more pounds!

7. Don’t be your own worst enemy. Many times, people fall off the NYR bandwagon because they experience a setback. Maybe they missed a session with their trainer, had a cigarette at a party or ate half a pan of brownies. No matter what your goal is, you will experience a relapse from time to time. Write it down in your journal and then move on. No beating yourself up…just get back on track.

Remember, your NYR should be flexible. If you start working on a goal and find that there might be a better goal or better way to achieve your goal, don’t quit, just change it. 

Happy resolution making!

Leftover Candy Canes = 9 calorie cookies!

Whatcha going to do with all of those pesky leftover
candycanes? Why not turn them into a low calorie, low fat cookie? The deliciously
light Candy Cane Meringue Cookie recipe below will make 36 cookies and have
less than 10 calories each…WHAT?! 

Seriously. Check it out.

What you need:

• 2 Candy Canes


• 1/3 cup sugar


• 2 egg whites from large eggs (at room temp is best)


• 1/8 tsp lemon juice


• Pinch Cream of Tarter


• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees


2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper


3. Place candy canes in a plastic bag and crush them into a
   fine-ish powder.


4. Beat egg whites, lemon juice, cream of tarter and salt until
   soft peaks are formed.


5. While beating, slowly add in sugar and continue beating
   until firm peaks are formed.


6. Either pipe (from plastic bag or piping bag) or drop by the
   spoonful onto the parchment paper.


7. Cook in pre-heated oven for 90 minutes


8. Turn oven off, crack oven door and let cool in oven


9. Store in sealed containers.

Enjoy!

Work Up to 2014 Fitness Challenge

‘Twas one week before Christmas and all over the place were candies and cookies and treats by the case. “They’re so hard to resist,” I said to myself, “I must pump up my workouts before becoming a chubby ol’ elf.”

Sound familiar? Well, never fear, I have just the thing to burn some extra calories so that you start 2014 off right!

Here’s the challenge: Each day, between now and January 1^st, add the following moves to your current routine (or if you don’t have a routine, use this one to jump start your fitness goals). It’s a take on “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Do exercise #1 on Day 1 (tomorrow…or today if you can’t wait to get started), and then exercise #1 and #2 on day two and then exercise #1, #2 and #3 on day three…you get the point. So by New Year’s Day, you will celebrate the beginning of 2014 by doing all 14 exercises (approximately 15 with minimal rest). 

Hurray!

Day #1. 100 Jumping Jacks

Day #2. 12 Push Ups

Day #3. 3 Burpees

Day #4. 14 Tricep Dips

Day #5. 15 Jump Squats

Day #6. 60 lunges (30 each side)

Day #7. 70 second plank

Day #8. 80 hip ups (40 each leg)

Day #9. 90 seconds of bicycle crunches

Day #10. 100 second wall sit

Day #11. 11 Divebomb Pushups

Day #12.  12 Plank Switches (12 each side)

Day #13. 13 Squats

Day #14. 14 Burpees

Want a little reminder in your inbox each morning of the challenge with your workout for the day?  Simply e-mail erin@ehfitness.com and put "Sign me up" in the subject line.  

Enjoy! 

Monday night dinner

This is a quick, super healthy staple in our house. Everything can be cooked and plated in 30 minutes.

Baked chicken breast with sea salt and pepper (bake for 25 minutes at 375).

Blasted broccoli and cauliflower (bake same as chicken)

Roasted sweat potatoes with sea salt and pepper (bake same as veggies and chicken)

So simple and delicious! And you can have 4 oz of chicken, 1 small sweet potato (skinned) and 2 cups of broccoli and cauliflower all for 300 calories, 34 grams carbs, 4 grams fat and 32 grams protein...perfect!

Enjoy!

Holiday Party Survival Guide (for your waist)

Welcome to December, or as I lovingly call it, The Weight Gain Month. We just made it through candy-filled Halloween and the feast we call Thanksgiving and are looking forward to Hanukah, Christmas, New Years and so on which are all also accompanied by excessive amounts of food. The holiday parties that consume the last part of December can cause some of the biggest diet traps of the season. But not to worry, you don’t have to finish out 2012 with a belly Santa of which would be proud. Here’s the holiday party diet survival plan:

1. Don’t go hungry. A great tactic to ensure that you won’t over eat parties is to not go to them hungry. Eat a light but satisfying snack before you go. A half turkey sandwich on whole grain bread, veggies and hummus or a protein shake should do the trick.
2. Bring the veggies. Make sure that there is something at the party to fill up your plate that is filling and calorie-safe. If you are hosting or helping fill out a spread at a gathering, fill it with veggies and hummus. That way, you can fill up on peppers/carrots/zucchini/etc. so you don’t go overboard on the cookies and such.
3. Take a step back. You see that delicious food on the seasonally decorated table and want to make a bee line for the buffet. Go for it, but once you’ve gone through the line once, plant yourself out of arms reach of the goodies and better yet, keep your back to the food table. With this little trick, you are less likely to snack absent-mindedly.
4. Exercise portion control. Holiday parties should not be viewed as all you can eat binges. Fill up on fresh veggies, fruits and a small amount your other favorite treats…”favorite” being the key word here. Don’t waste precious calories on food that you don’t love. Pick out your favorites and savor slowly.
5. Drink and be Merry. If you decide to have a cocktail or two at your next holiday bash, choose champagne (120 calories in a 7 oz flute) or wine (100 calories for a 4 oz glass) over chocolate martinis (315 calories for a 7 oz drink) and eggnog (343 calories in 8 oz). Click here for more info on the best drink options for your waist.
6. Skip the hangover. Schedule a sweat session with a friend (who you know wont bail on you) for early the morning after parties. This is make you think about how much you are drinking, plus you are burning calories from your “favorite” treats that you indulged in AND zapping fatigue and holiday stress all at once.

Armed with these tips, you are ready to go to holiday parties, family get togethers, cookie exchanges and wherever else the next few weeks take you. Remember, it’s okay to indulge every once in a while, just don’t make it a habit.

Work off those holiday eats and drinks

Did you eat or drink too much at that last holiday party or friendly get together at your favorite bar? No problem. Get to the gym and get back on track with your healthy eating. Too busy to go to the gym? Again, no problem, there are ways to burn extra calories during holiday and New Year’s celebrating. Check out how many calories you can burn doing the following typical holiday activities for 60 minutes*:

• Dancing the night away: 300 calories


• Cleaning house before guests arrive: 205 calories


• Shoveling snow off your driveway/sidewalk or raking leftover leaves: 409 calories


• Shopping for the perfect gifts: 175 calories


• Ice Skating: 477 calories


• Helping kiddos play with their new toys: 225 calories

All of these activities are great because they work the entire body AND are things you might have been planning to do anyway! So lend a hand doing the dishes, helping with a neighbor's yard or  playing with your nieces and nephews and become healthier and happier as a result!

*calorie burn is based on a 150 lb person

Stay warm with this super simple tortilla soup

I love this soup for so many reasons, but the main one is that it's perfect for people counting calories (130 calories per cup!), for those on a slow-carb diet* and even for vegetarians and even vegans! Also, it's super filling and great for cold nights. Check it out! 

What to put in it: 

• One chopped onion
• Cooking spray
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• Dash of oregano
• Cumin to taste (1 tsp recommended)
• Chili powder to taste (1 tsp is great)
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed
• 1 32 oz can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 15 oz can of corn, rinsed 
• 2 cans rotel
• 1 15.5 oz can diced tomatoes

How to make it:

1. Spray large stock pot with cooking spray and sauté onions over medium high heat until they start to soften...about 3 minutes or so

2. Add seasonings to onions and mix well

3. Pour in broth and all canned stuff

4. Let simmer for about 30 minutes for all the flavor to come out

5. Enjoy!

This recipe makes 12-one cup servings...And when measuring a serving, don't count the broth-bonus! 

*If you're doing slow carb, eliminate the corn.

Cheers...to your health!

With the holidays in full swing, we often find ourselves surrounded by not only tasty food choices but fun drink options. It’s a fantastic time of year, right? But all the eggnog and chocolate martinis can undo weeks and even months of eating salads, veggies, lean protein and hard work at the gym. So here’s a list of some of the most calorie-laden drinks and, of course, some good options if you plan to toast the night away. Please note that the drinks listed are frequently served at a higher volume than the suggested servings, so watch your portion size.

Sip this…Champagne (100 calories per 5 oz)
Spit out that…Eggnog (214 calories per 5 oz)

Sip this…Bloody Mary (125 calories per 5 oz)
Spit out that…Martini (306 calories per 5 oz)

Sip on this…Kailua and coffee (150 calories per 5 oz)
Spit out that…Chocolate Martini (376 calories per 5 oz)

Sip on this…Light beer (56-100 calories per 12 oz)
Spit out that…regular beer (150-200 calories per 12 oz)

Sip on this…wine (100 calories per 5 oz)
Spit out that…amaretto sour (350 calories per 5 oz)

And what about mixers? Well here’s the deal: a mixer can double (or triple) your calories pretty darn fast. A 1.5 oz shot (jigger) of distilled liquor such as vodka, gin or rum contains about 100 calories. Add that to 12 oz of your favorite soda and you’ve just make that little shot into a 250 calorie drink. Think tonic water and juice is safe? Think again; 124 calories per 12 oz of tonic water and about 200 per 12 oz pour for your favorite juice. Yikes! So what’s a party person to do? Use diet sodas, diet tonic water and club soda as mixers.

Other sneaky ways to have a good time without breaking the calorie bank with beverages:

• Start with two large glasses of water before you sip even one alcoholic drink. This will cause you to drink slowly since you are no longer thirsty and your stomach is fuller


• Drink one-on-one: before you grab another glass of wine, drink a glass of water. Keep alternating your favorite drink with water and you will drink less and stay hydrated


• Give your friends a ride. Offer to drive friends to and from the party...sober. How easy is that…no calories from alcohol! Just be careful not to drink other calorie heavy drinks. Stick to diet soda and water.