Archive for May, 2010

Memorial Day is the official kick off of the Summer outdoor grilling and picnic season! But that doesn't mean you have to throw your fat loss plans out of the window.  In fact, with the your garden in bloom you can enjoy more fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal!   Your grill is a great way to add flavor to every food and (depending on what you put on it) cut back on fat as well!

Here are some fabulous low fat Summer recipes for your picnic basket and your table.  Summer is for celebrating family and friends!  bon Appetit!

COLD SUMMER SLAW  from Weight Watchers

Rather than a creamy dressing, this slaw uses a cumin-laced vinaigrette. It's a fresh, flavorful side dish just in time for grilling season.

Ingredients

4 cup(s) green cabbage, Napa, shredded*

1 1/2 cup(s) jicama, peeled and shredded**

1 cup(s) radishes, shredded**

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp table salt

Instructions

* Toss the cabbage, jicama and radishes in a salad bowl.

* Add the lime juice, vinegar, sesame oil, cumin and salt. Toss well to serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes

* *To shred the cabbage, slice it lengthwise through the root; place it cut-side down on a cutting board, slice off the root and discard it, and continue to thinly slice the cabbage, separating the strips as you go.

**To shred the jicama and radishes, pass them through the large holes of a box grater.

**If making this recipe in advance, store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, omitting the salt; add it just before serving.

TOMATO - HERB MARINATED FLANK STEAK from Eating Well Magazine

In this recipe, you have a dual-purpose sauce from garden-fresh tomatoes, shallot, marjoram and rosemary. You will use half the sauce to marinate the steak and use the other half as a basting sauce. Pasture-raised, grass-fed beef is gentler on the environment, free from growth-promoting hormones and typically lower in fat and calories than grain-fed beef. Marinating grass-fed beef for a full day help tenderize it.

Ingredients

* 1 medium tomato, chopped

* 1 shallot, peeled and quartered

* 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

* 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, preferably grass-fed, trimmed

Preparation

1. Puree tomato, shallot, vinegar, marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper in a blender until smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup, covered, in the refrigerator. Scrape the remaining puree into a large, sealable plastic bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high. Remove the steak from the marinade (discard the marinade). Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the steak 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare or 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium, turning once and brushing the cooked side with some of the reserved sauce. When the steak is cooked, turn it over again and brush with more sauce. Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak crosswise and serve with any remaining sauce spooned on top.

Notes

** Make Ahead Tip: Marinate steak for up to 24 hours.

** Kitchen Tip: To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Marinated Salmon with Mango-Kiwi Relish from Cooking Light Magazine

Serve over mixed greens, steamed couscous, or on toasted sourdough bread for a fish sandwich.

Ingredients

* Salmon:

* 1 tablespoon honey

* 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

* 1 teaspoon olive oil

* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

* Cooking spray

Relish:

* 1/2 cup diced peeled mango

* 1/2 cup cubed peeled kiwifruit

* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

* 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Preparation

To prepare salmon, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Marinate 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

While fish marinates, heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from bag, discarding marinade. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish cooks, prepare the relish. Combine mango and the remaining ingredients. Serve over fish.

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Pecorino, Lemon, and Olive Oil from Myrecipes.com

Classic spring flavors of asparagus, egg, and lemon combine in this salad from Dinners at the Farm. You can use Parmesan cheese in place of pecorino, if you prefer.

Ingredients

* 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

* 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

* 6 cups torn Boston lettuce (about 2 small heads)

* 2 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 6 slices

* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Place asparagus on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss well. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on pan. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender, tossing once. Cool slightly.

3. Arrange lettuce on a large platter. Top with asparagus and egg slices. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over asparagus and lettuce. Top with cheese. Serve immediately.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls from Cooking Light Magazine

This refreshing no-cook summer roll recipe offers menu flexibility: Serving two rolls constitutes an entrée, or you can serve one as an appetizer. Either way, the zesty, delicious dipping sauce is a must.

Ingredients

* Rolls:

* 1 cup thinly sliced Bibb lettuce

* 1/2 cup bean sprouts

* 1/2 cup cooked bean threads (cellophane noodles, about 1 ounce uncooked)

* 1/2 cup shredded carrot

* 1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2)

* 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

* 1/4 cup chopped mint

* 6 ounces cooked peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped

* 8 (8-inch) round sheets rice paper

Dipping sauce:

* 1 tablespoon sugar

* 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

* 1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)

* 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

Preparation

1. To prepare the rolls, combine the first 8 ingredients.

2. Add hot water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper sheet in dish; let stand 30 seconds or just until soft. Place sheet on a flat surface. Arrange 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over half of sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Folding sides of sheet over filling and starting with filled side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Gently press seam to seal. Place roll, seam side down, on a serving platter (cover to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp mixture and rice paper sheets.

3. To prepare dipping sauce, combine sugar and remaining ingredients; stir with a whisk. Serve with summer rolls.

How about you?  If you have recipes to share, please leave your replies at the bottom of this post.   Or better yet, become of fan of Pilates1901 on our facebook page and post your favorite healthy Summer recipe.  The season is just beginning!    Let's have fun with it!

Satisfy Your Hunger

Want to stick to your diet? Start snacking. It helps control hunger and rein in portion sizes at meals. And don't worry, it's supposed to feel indulgent. If a snack isn't satisfying, you'll go in search of something that is.

For help choosing smart snack options at the grocery store, we turned to Tara Gidus, R.D., of the American Dietetic Association. "A snack should fill you up, be reasonably nutritious, and be in the 100- to 200-calorie range," Gidus says.

Enjoy this post from WOMEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE...

Kashi Chewy Granola Bars

These are the chewiest bars going (don't confuse them with other types of Kashi bars — look for "chewy" on the label). They have 130 to 140 calories each, 4 grams of fiber, 5 g of protein, and they're made with real nuts and whole grains. And they actually taste good.

"You've got chewy, you've got sweet, and you've got a bar," Gidus says. "That's got a real snacky feel to it. The calorie range is right, and the fiber is high."

Frozen Peas And Corn

Ditching the celery sticks doesn't mean abandoning the whole food group. Frozen vegetables often taste better because they're not turning into starch, like their produce-aisle counterparts. Freezing vegetables seals in their naturally sweet flavor.

Half of a cup of peas has 55 calories and 3 g of fiber; the same amount of corn contains 72 calories with 2 g of fiber. The high-fiber and low-calorie-density combination means they're filling and satisfying, and the frozen part makes them interesting. They're firm, but not rock hard, and they melt in your mouth.

"You can use the same trick with fruit," Gidus says. "Freeze grapes or cherries, and it's a whole different experience."

Total Yogurt

Skip the usual fruit-on-the-bottom suspects — high in sugar, ho-hum in texture. Try Fage Total Greek Yogurt instead. This imported greek yogurt is strained, which makes it fluffy. It'll fool you into thinking it's fat-filled, but the "0%" on its label tells you how much fat it really contains.

The 80 calories per serving give you room to maneuver, so sweeten the pot with chopped apricots or dates. "There's evidence that dairy calcium helps you lose weight, and this also adds protein and fiber," Gidus says.

A Dressed-Up Apple

A 2003 Brazilian study found that three apples a day can keep weight gain at bay — and can even help you lose. "There's no magic compound," according to Rui Hai Liu, Ph.D., an apple researcher at Cornell University.

"The best way to lose weight is to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. That increases volume and decreases calorie density." If you've got 5 minutes and a knife, cut your apple up and mix it with some chopped walnuts and a teaspoon or two of maple syrup. Or eat it with a tablespoon of peanut butter to add about 100 calories' worth of the satiating power of nuts.

Quaker Express Oatmeal

If you think the microwave's only contribution to snack time is popcorn, you have to try Quaker Express. Office-friendly, it's packaged in an individual cup. Just add water and microwave for about a minute, and you're set to snack.

"Studies have found that oatmeal is more filling than dry cereal with the same calories and fiber content," Gidus says. The Baked Apple flavor has a slight fiber edge (1 g) over the other flavors. Best of all, it won't stink up the office.

Soy Chips

If edamame had a tryst with orange-dusted nachos, the result would look a lot like soy chips — a high-fiber, low-fat snack that's a significant source of soy protein. And soy protein, according to a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity, not only helps facilitate weight loss, but also helps ensure that the weight lost is fat rather than muscle. The isoflavones in soy act like estrogen and inhibit the enzyme that facilitates fat deposits, according to Paul Cooke, Ph.D., a soy researcher at the University of Illinois.

A pack of soy chips racks up as many as 7 g of soy protein in about 100 calories, which leaves room for a 1/4 cup of Guiltless Gourmet bean dip. The dip adds 60 calories and another 4 g each of fiber and protein.

Frozen Juice Bars

Unwrap a frozen juice bar and you can practically hear the ice cream truck rounding the corner of your cul-de-sac. "They're sweet and tangy, and anything frozen takes longer to eat," Gidus says. "They're just a few calories, and they've even got some vitamins."

Our favorite: Edy's Tangerine, with flavor as bright as its color — and a mere 80 calories.

Barbara's Cinnamon Puffins

You know fiber promotes weight loss; you know that high-fiber cereal is an easy way to it; and you know that cereal isn't just for breakfast. But you'd be happier eating this magazine than a bowl of All-Bran.

Enter Barbara, with her Cinnamon Puffins. They're crunchy, puffy, and very, very cinnamony. A 3/4-cup serving has 100 calories and 6 g of fiber. "It looks like a lot," Gidus says, "so your eyes see a substantial snack. It's a lot more impressive than 10 little walnuts." Add low-fat milk if you want, but Puffins can stand alone.

Licorice

We're not done chewing yet. Licorice, which has an active ingredient called glycyrrhetinic acid, has been shown to help reduce body fat mass. (The good news is you don't have to be able to pronounce the acid to reap its benefits.)

Decio Armanini, M.D., who did the research at Italy's University of Padua, explains that there are two ways licorice works. The first is complicated and involves blocking an enzyme that plays a role in fat accumulation. The second is simpler. "Licorice can reduce appetite," he says. "The effect is probably related to the agreeable taste of licorice, and for that reason people do not need to eat more."

We're not talking Twizzlers here; go for the real thing, preferably with licorice extract high on its ingredient list. (Look for it in grocery stores, not convenience stores.) A handful is about 150 calories and will keep you busy chewing something sweet, flavorful, and satisfying for twice the time it takes to down a bag of M&Ms.

Gum

Before you reach for a snack — even one on this list — ask yourself if you're really hungry. If you're not or you're not sure, reach for a stick of gum.

James Levine, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic has measured the energy burned by chewing and found that just moving your jaw up and down can burn some 11 extra calories per hour, which is a boost of about 19 percent over your just-sitting-there level. Now, 11 calories may not sound like much, but that's about a pound a year for every hour per day that you chew. And that doesn't count the calorie savings from the snacks you're not eating.

So have your snacks and eat them too!  At Pilates1901 we believe in real life programs to get real people real results!  If you're ready to start losing fat, feeling good and looking the best you have in years, call 913 499 7510 to get started today!

Curried Scallop-Apple Salad

Curry complements seared scallops, tart apples and sweet dried cranberries while toasted almonds add crunch in this quick fall dinner salad. Serve with toasted whole-wheat baguette and a glass of sauvignon blanc.

4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot
• 3/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 pound dry sea scallops, (see Shopping Tip), tough muscle removed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, diced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and curry powder and cook, stirring, until the shallot is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add cider and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 4 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and whisk in 2 teaspoons oil and vinegar. Reserve 1/4 cup dressing in a small bowl. Wipe out the pan.
2. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan and heat over medium-high. Add the scallops and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add salad greens, apple, cranberries and almonds to the large bowl; toss to coat. Top with the scallops and drizzle with the reserved 1/4 cup dressing.

Nutrition

Per serving : 291 Calories; 11 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 37 mg Cholesterol; 28 g Carbohydrates; 21 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 483 mg Sodium; 612 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Tips & Notes

• Shopping tip: Be sure to buy “dry” sea scallops. “Wet” scallops, which have been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), are not only mushy and less flavorful, but will not brown properly.
• Tip: Place sliced almonds in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens, diced tomatoes and white beans with gnocchi and top it all with gooey mozzarella. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.

6 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi, (see Tip)
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 325 Calories; 7 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 8 mg Cholesterol; 55 g Carbohydrates; 14 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 616 mg Sodium; 360 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

 

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta in the Italian section of most supermarkets.

Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing

This exceptional sandwich originated at Penny Cluse Cafe in Burlington, Vermont. The spinach, mushroom and onion filling is so satisfying, you won't even miss the corned beef.

2 servings | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Russian dressing

• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons chopped capers
• 1 teaspoon chopped pickle, or relish

Sandwiches

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 5 cups baby spinach
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 slices rye bread
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, such as Jarlsberg Lite or Alpine Lace (2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup sauerkraut

Preparation

1. Prepare Russian dressing: Whisk mayonnaise and ketchup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in capers and pickle (or relish).
2. To prepare sandwiches: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until it has wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
3. Coat the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and return to medium heat. Add the bread; divide cheese equally among the slices. Divide sauerkraut between 2 slices and divide the spinach mixture between the other 2 slices; cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer sandwich halves to a cutting board. Divide the dressing between the spinach halves. Carefully place the sauerkraut halves on top. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving : 380 Calories; 16 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 15 mg Cholesterol; 44 g Carbohydrates; 16 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 931 mg Sodium; 364 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

Edamame Succotash with Shrimp

We give succotash—traditionally a Southern dish made with corn, lima beans and peppers—an update using edamame instead of limas and turn it into a main dish by adding shrimp. To get it on the table even faster, purchase peeled, deveined shrimp from the fish counter instead of doing it yourself. Make it a meal: All you need is a warm piece of cornbread to go with this complete meal.

4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced, or 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 10-ounce package frozen shelled edamame, (see Tip), thawed
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn, (about 2 cups), thawed
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound raw shrimp, (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Leaving the drippings in the pan, use tongs to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; let cool.
2. Add oil to the pan. Add scallions (or onion), bell pepper, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in edamame, corn, broth, vinegar and salt. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle shrimp on both sides with lemon pepper. Scatter the shrimp on top of the vegetables, cover and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it on top.

Nutrition

Per serving : 307 Calories; 9 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 172 mg Cholesterol; 26 g Carbohydrates; 30 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 491 mg Sodium; 476 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Edamame are found in the natural-foods freezer section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores, sold both in and out of the “pods.” For this recipe, you'll need the shelled edamame. One 10-ounce bag contains about 2 cups of shelled beans.

 

PILATES 1901 wants you to submit your favorite recipes to share with other members!  If we publish yours in an upcoming eblast, you could win a FREE WEEK OF CARDIO TRAMP CLASSES! 

Write them in the post section below!

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Other special offers include discounts on botox services, facials and massages!  Bring a friend who also receives treatment and you'll take home a $50 gift certificate as well!

The Hudson Med Spa is located one block south of the Plaza on 49th street between Wornall and Main.

Call 815 561 7100 and make sure you tell them you are a Pilates1901 client! It's so nice to have friends!!!

Upload a printable offer from the Hudson...

How is your BOTTOM LINE?  We're mixing it up at Pilates1901 this Summer to give you the most innovative Pilates programs in the city!

We've been working on our new TARGET TRAINING workshops to give our clients the edge on being their most fit and fun this SUMMER!

Whether you want to take your training to the NEXT LEVEL,  LEARN TO RUN Pilates style, Target your BOTTOM LINE or go back in time with our OLD SCHOOL PILATES program, you'll be wonderfully challenged and suprised by these new takes on core and strength training.

Listen to what your coaches have to say!

WORKSHOPS ARE FILLING QUICKLY.  PLEASE CALL 913 499 7510 TODAY!

You know the commonly understood formula for weight loss. What is it? Eat less + increase activity=weight loss.  This is not true.

Why?

Here is the answer: Your body is not a calorie checkbook!  When you cut calories and up cardio to get into that little black dress, 3 things are sure to happen:

• Over exercising can lead to weight loss: but the bad kind!  Muscle wasting and dehydration!

• Spending hours on the treadmill may result in some initial fat loss, but you can expect a weight loss plateau after 2-3 weeks due to your body developing a tolerance to what you are doing.

• You get frustrated, bored and gain all the weight back plus more once you quit due to a depressed metabolism.

This is the typical outcome of any calorie restriction diet and cardio scenario.   Why and what else can we do to look good, feel fabulous and spend less  not more time working on it!?

Your body has a fat burning engine that we can compare to a campfire. To turn the engine on you will need the proper mix of wood (nutrition) and air (exercise) to keep the flames (metabolism) burning fat.  The hormones of your body ignites the flames of your fat burning engine.

As most women are keenly aware, hormone levels fluctuate over time so the ideal timing and ratio of wood and air to keep the fire burning does vary over the day, the week, or the month. To avoid weight loss plateaus, we need to account for this. Weight loss plateaus are the body's hormonal (and enzymatic) tolerance to what you are doing.

So what happens when we chose to cardio ourselves to death for 1 hour or more a day while cutting our food intake in half? Well let's compare it to the campfire scenario. What happens to the flames of the campfire when you take half the wood out and point a strong gust of wind at the campfire? That's right you got it. Without fuel to sustain the fire, and a strong wind blowing on the flames, the fire will burn out. Bye bye, fat burn, hello slow metabolism.

Excessive cardio, like a hurricane wind, blows out the fat burning flame because it causes the body's hormones to "bottom out."  This response is even more severe if you "go on a diet" and the same time. Some exercise (air) is necessary to burn fat; that's why we recommend weight training accompanied by cardio to accomplish this. Most people fail because they focus on burning calories. Who cares about burning calories? We want to burn fat, not just calories.

This preoccupation with the calorie checkbook idea and endless cardio + hardly eating to "bring down the balance" continues to be accepted despite the fact it fails miserably to deliver.  All too often we keep exercising despite feeling feel tired- despite the fact that we're not getting anywhere. We intensify your workouts or add more days to our routine chasing these promised results and what happens?   We still feel tired, or worse, we get injured. Instead of doing more of the same when we reach a plateau we need to mix up our routine to move to the next level....

"Rest" is not a dirty word! Take a complete day off once a week. And remember to take a vacation, sleep late once in a while, walk on the beach, or go out shopping for a day instead of doing time on the StairMaster. Anything to break the cycle. It will recharge you and get you back in the swing of things.

Your bodily reserves are just like the batteries in your Walkman - after continued use, they are going to run out and you have to replace or recharge them if you want to keep hearing your favorite song.

The bottom line:  eat a balance of protein and carbohydrates to feul your weight and cardio workouts.  Balance is the key- not over training and over attention to calories.   Listen to your body... it may want a glass of water and a day off.