Operation #ButtonMyPants

Yup this was my face last Sunday..... With a friends wedding coming up I decided to try on my suits to make sure I had something to wear. Surely there would be no problems... Even though I have been out of the gym for several months with injury. I mean, who would even notice the 20+ pounds that I've put on?

You know who noticed? My pants that's who!! 

Seriously I'm talking a full 1" away from buttoning 1 suit. The other one I could button..... Barely..... With A LOT of effort. There was no wearing this for 5 hours and not running the risk of a renegade button popping off and injuring someone.

This is where operation #ButtonMyPants comes in. Sure the wedding has come and gone. I took more than my share of pics that showed exactly where every calorie and morsel of food attached itself to.

 The good part about pictures. they don't lie. We can tell ourselves the camera adds 10 lbs....... or we can be honest and know  that maybe that 10lbs should come off :)

3 Day Refresh Review

This is what my summer looked like: Fun, Food and Drink!

I lived every day with no regrets......Until my pants were getting way to snug for comfort! Thanks to nagging injuries and questionable nutrition, last years abs gave way to a fluffier version of me.

September came it it was time to jump start my nutrition and clean out the "Sins of Summer"!

Enter the 3 Day Refresh! I have heard about this for quite some time, yet I was always to stubborn to give up certain foods to give it a go.

The program is really quite simple:

Shakeology for Breakfast

Fiber Sweep Mid morning

Vanilla Fresh Shake with approved foods for lunch

Healthy Snack

Vanilla Fresh Shake and a choice off the dinner menu 

Here was my experience:

Day 1

The worst part of this program for me is giving up coffee. On an given day I normally drink 3-5 cups. My way to eliminate the dreaded caffeine withdrawal..... I mixed my morning Chocolate Vegan Shakeology with cold coffee and 1/2 a banana.

Snack and lunch went fine, but by 2pm I was exhausted and the dull headache started. This continued through dinner and until I went to bed.

Day 2

I kept my foods exactly the same for all 3 days. It seemed to make it easier knowing that everything was prepped and ready to go. Day 2 I noticed that my energy levels were up, my headache went away and I felt lighter. Here is what my typical days food looked like (add coconut veggies in organic vegetable broth for dinner)

Day 3

By far the easiest day! This way of eating felt great. Whole, non-processed food does the body good. My energy levels were high and amazingly enough I was not starving or craving crap foods.

The end results for me were amazing! I lost 10lbs and 2" in my waist and hips!

I would strongly recommend this program to anyone that either wants to jump start their nutrition to get back on track or someone that wants to feel amazing before attending a function or event.

For more info on the 3 Day Refresh click here

Twix Shakeology

I know, I know, that title really sounds like an oxymoron. Twix is the yummy, crunchy and gooey chocolate/caramel treat. Shakeology, on the other hand is the healthiest meal of the day. Let's face it, some times you just want to be bad!

This recipe is not 100% clean or even 21 Day Fix approved (All the Fixers out there know what I mean!) There are times when you want a yummy treat and you want it now! This is now my go to wake n shake as well as the treat I mix up when I wanna feel like I'm being bad :)

Try it for yourselves and let me know what you think!

Twix Shakeology

1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
3 Sugar Free Shortbread Cookies

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for 30-45 seconds. Add ice to taste (I prefer mine to be thicker) and blend. Pour and enjoy!

Who said "Fried" rice can't be healthy? *Spoiler Alert* (Not this guy)

My wife and I are currently doing a program called the 21 Day Fix. This program has a great concept of 30 minute workouts and a container system for "perfect" portion measurements. The nutrition guide is super easy to follow and there is some wiggle room for treats.

Not nearly enough wiggle room for when you get that weekend craving for Chinese take out!

Insert Cauliflower fried rice!

I know I know....... That just does not sound like an appealing combo! Trust me when I tell you that it was just as good at take out, without the inevitable food coma and MSG hangover.

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!

Cauliflower fried rice (serves 2)

2 eggs beaten
1 head of cauliflower
1 cup frozen carrots and peas (fresh is always better, I had frozen on hand)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
4 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoon oyster sauce

Heat a frying pan and lightly scramble the beaten eggs. Remove from heat and set aside

In a small bowl mix the soy sauce and oyster sauce and set aside

Using a food processor chop the cauliflower down to the consistency and size of rice or couscous. Be careful not to chop too much or it will turn to mush!

Heat sesame oil in frying pan over med to med-high heat. Add garlic and frozen veggies.

Once veggies are heated through, add the cauliflower and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft

Add the sauce mixture and stir.

Chop the scrambled eggs and stir into the rice mixture

Top with chopped green onions if desired

Serve along side some teriyaki steak or chicken and I dare you to find a healthier option in any take out joint

Comment below with some of your favorite healthy recipes

Beef Barley Soup

Living in New England has its ups and downs. As the seasons change you can't help but admire the beauty of where we live. Enter the Blizzard of 2015......

24" of snow is great to look at until it needs to be moved. 

After 4-5 hours of snow removal, you need something to warm you up. Funny enough I did not do what most people do before a storm, which is stand in line for groceries you will never use, just because there is a storm coming. Luckily for me I made the best out of some staples I had in the house. Here is the recipe for a super simple Beef Barley Soup I made to warm my insides.

Beef Barley Soup

1 lbs of 93% lean ground beef

2 Containers of low sodium beef broth (32 oz each)

2 Cups of cooked barley

1 Medium onion

1 Cup of frozen carrots

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Heat oil in frying pan over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain all the fat and add beef mixture to a large pot. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. 

Add salt and pepper to taste

Leave a comment below if you try this recipe or let me know your favorites soup recipes!

Not All Calories Are Created Equal?!?

      Not all calories are created equal. Or are they? By definition a calorie is the energy needed to raise a gram of water 1 degree C or a quantity of food capable of producing such an amount of energy. That being said, a calorie is a calorie right? WRONG!

     Let's take a look at the difference. Below is roughly 250 calories worth of food. Everything is equal right?

 

                                                                             VS.

 

 

     Because not everything is equal, I wanted to share some insight on the world of Macronutrients, or macro tracking. Tracking just calories alone is sometimes not enough to get help you achieve your goals. But tracking macros can be the missing piece of the puzzle in you road to being fit.

 

     What exactly is a macro? Quite simply it is the protein, carbs and fats in every food. This is what you will be looking for on any food labels for tracking.

 

     I am not going to attempt to tell anyone just how many calories they need daily. Everyone's needs are different based on how active they are, how much they weigh and what type of exercise they perform. There are plenty of online calculator out there or if you are using a Beachbody product, there are clear nutrition guidelines included as well.



    Once you know your caloric need, we can break it down to macro percentages to help you achieve your specific goals. Based on the type of training you do, your breakdown will be different. Allow me to share a few examples:

If you are a weightlifter trying to bulk up you may have 25% Protein 50% Carb and 25% Fats

A weightlifter trying to cut body fat may have 50% Protein 40%Carb and 10% Fats

A person doing an at home program trying to shed fat may have 45% Protein 35% Carb and 25% Fats

     To go further we are going to perform some math, not my favorite subject, but necessary for accurate tracking. We will base it off a 2000 calorie diet with a 50/40/10 split. For this we need to know one more thing.....

50% Protein or 1000 calories divided by 4 grams = 250 Grams protein per day

40% Carbs or 800 calories divided by 4 grams = 200 Grams carbs per day

10% Fats or 200 calories divided by 9 = 21 Grams fat per day

(Keep in mind this example if for cutting or fat loss)

     If you consistently go over in a certain category you may hurt your chances of achieving your goals. Eating unhealthy carb like white sugars and breads as opposed to complex carbs like whole grains and sweet potatoes or unhealthy fats compared to nuts, olive oils or avocado will also make a difference.

    As you can see, all calories ARE NOT created equal. Choose wisely to achieve your goals. If you need help figuring out your calorie/macro goal, I would be happy to help. Email me at sbelangerfitness@gmail.com or Like our Facebook page here. I'm always happy to help someone start their journey or achieve their goals.

Protein Pancakes

Sunday is the kids favorite day in my house. For the past 4 years running, Sunday is known as "Pancake Day". There is no shortage of different creations that we make on Pancake Day. From standard buttermilk, to Cinnabon style and every concoction in between, but that is a blog for another day.

Sunday is the toughest day to stay on the healthy path, especially when the kitchen smells like carbs and syrup!! That is why I am sharing my Protein Pancake recipe today. This is the closest I could get to pancakes with out blowing all my hard work for the week. As they say the hardest work is in the kitchen, not the gym.


Protein Pancakes (Base)

1/2 cup of oats or oat flour, I grind quick oats into flour.
1 TBS Coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 packet of sweetener (I use Truvia or Sweet n Low)
1/4 cup blueberries
Dash of salt

Directions

1. Put egg whites, oats, baking powder, almond milk, salt and sweetener in blender
2. Blend for 30 seconds on med-high speed.
3. Spray a pan or griddle with non-stick cooking spray, pour batter on pan into 4-5" pancakes and divide blueberries evenly among pancakes.
4. Cook like a regular pancake
5. Top with your favorite sugar free or natural maple syrup

Nutrition Facts
Makes 1 serving
Calories: 326
Protein : 26g
Carbs: 35g
Fat: 6g

Optional variations (instead of blueberries):

1/4 cup raspberries & 1 TBS white chocolate chips

1/2 Banana & 1 TBS dark chocolate chips

1 TBS Almond Butter and 2 slices cooked and crumbled turkey bacon (I call this the Elvis)

Comment below if you have any other flavor ideas

Turkey Chili

September in New England means colder weather, Patriots football, apple picking and fall foods. One of my all time favorite healthy fall foods is Turkey Chili. My recipe is easy to follow and only 8 ingredients.

Turkey Chili (5 Serving) 

275 Calories per serving

Macros P24/C31/F6

1 LBS ground turkey

1-14.5 oz can black beans

44oz of diced tomatoes, I use 1-14.5oz and 1-28oz can

1 TBS chili powder

1 1/2 TBS cumin

1 large green pepper (chopped)

1 small onion (chopped)

1 TBS olive oil

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over med/high heat. Add onions and peppers and cook 1-2 minutes until onions are translucent. Add peppers and cook 2 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Add spices (add more or less to taste), black beans, and tomatoes and stir well. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook 1-2 hours. 

Serve with a pinch of fat free cheese or sour cream if desired. Or add your favorite hot sauce to kick it up a notch

Stuffed Brownie

How many times have you started to eat clean and then it hits you........ The chocolate cravings!

Well this is my situation today. Luckily I am armed with some healthy versions of popular treats to curb my cravings without any of the guilt.

I present to you my Stuffed Brownie, a twist on the popular "Slutty Brownie" recipe. Instead of being stuffed with a whole Oreo, my version is cookie base with an almond butter center. They are also gluten free (and pretty darn tasty)

Here is my recipe:

Makes 4 Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 F

Ingredients:

Cookie Base:
1/4 cup almond meal
1 TBS melted coconut oil
1 TBS honey
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
12 chocolate chips (Carob chips may be used as well)

Filling:
mix 1 tsp coconut flour with 1 TBS melted almond butter

Brownie Topper:
1 TBS almond flour
1 TBS cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBS warm honey
2 TBS canned pumpkin
pinch of salt

Mix each batter well in 3 separate bowls.

 

Place 4 paper cupcake wrappers in a muffin/cupcake pan.

Evenly distribute the cookie base in each and press into the base

 

 

Add 3 chocolate chips to each

 

 

Top with almond butter filling, evenly distributed in each

 

 

Place equal amounts of brownie batter on top and press down

 

 

Bake for 16-19 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

 

 

Enjoy!!!

 

Total calories per serving 141

Macros: P3/C12/F9