Author archive: lauren

Are you ready to shred down this spring? If so, then it’s time to develop these 7 simple habits

I try my best to keep fitness and nutrition simple. If you plan to get shredded this spring, then it’s time to pick up these 7 important habits:

1) Eat 5 times per day, preferably every 3 hours. This should include 3 meals and 2 snacks

2) Include animal-protein in at least 3 meals per day, although including it in up to 5 meals is ideal

3) Include 1 serving of fat in 2-3 meals every day. At least one fat should be rich in Omega-3′s. If you can’t consistently eat Omega-3 fats, then you should be supplementing on Omega-3 vitamins

4) Eat 2-4 servings of veggies at least 3 times per day

5) Exercise a minimum of 5 hours every week. Half of this exercise should be strength-based and the other half, endurance based

6) Do all cardio on an empty stomach or on protein metabolism only

7) Only eat starch on days when you exercise for one hour or more. Starch should be consumed 1-2 hours post-workout only.

How to successfully perform these 7 habits and achieve your spring weight-loss goals:

1) Every time you eat, set an alarm on your phone for 3 hours later

• Prepare your food in advanced to assure you eat proper portions of the right foods
• Pack your food for your busy day
• If you know you will be eating out, then check out the menu online in advanced and find a meal that best suits the guidelines above. Do not look at the menu at the restaurant.

If you are a woman, then your meals portions should look something like this:

• Meal 1: 4 egg white omelette with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 1: 1 oz raw walnuts
• Wait 3 hours
• Meal 2: 4 oz chicken breast with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)
• Wait 3 hours
• Snack 2: 1 Serving of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
• Wait 2-3 hours
• EXERCISE
• Meal 3: 4 oz ground turkey with 1 cup steamed or sauteed veggies (using a fat-free cooking spray)

2) Sources of animal protein include:

• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Filet mignon/skirt steak/lean ground beef/: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Pork Chops/pork shoulder: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• White fish/salmon/shrimp: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

3) 1 serving of fat is about 20 grams of fat (180 calories from fat)

Omega-3 Fats include:

• Food/Calories  per serving/Percentage of daily value
• Ground Flax Seeds/ 75/132.9%
• Walnuts/164/94.5%
• Salmon/245/61.2%
• Sardines/189/55.8%
• Grass-fed Beef/175/45.8%
• Soy beans/298/42.9%
• Halibut/159/25.8%
• Scallops/127/17%
• Shrimp/112/15.4%
• Tofu/86/15%

4) 1 serving of veggies= 1/2 cup, raw, and chopped deeply colored veggies OR 1 cup, raw, nutrient-rich lettuces (kale, spinach, collards)

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner should include 1-2 cups of the following veggies (measure them raw): broccoli, asparagus, zuchini, green beans, eggplant, bell-peppers, bokchoy OR 2-4 cups of the following lettuces: kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens

5) You are better off sceduling 1 activity for each day

• Either stick with 1 hour of weights or 1 hour of cardio
• Alternate days: Monday (weights: lower body?), Tuesday (cardio), Wednesday (weights: chest and back?), Thursday (cardio), Friday (Shoulders, arms, abs?)

6) If you are starving and have to eat prior to cardio, then Stick with your leanest options:

• Chicken breast/lean ground chicken breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Turkey Breast/ lean ground turkey breast: 4 oz for females/ 6 oz for males
• Egg whites, freshly cracked, scrambled in fat-free cooking spray or hard-boiled: 4 for females/6 for males
• Plain, Fat-Free Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt: 1 cup for females or males
• Whey or Cassein mixed with 1 cup of water:  1 serving for females/1.5-2 servings for males (protein: 20-30 grams/serving, carbs: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving, fat: 0 or close to 0 grams/serving)

7) Women may consume 1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch 1-2 hours post 1-hour long workout. Men can consume up to 2 servings, given the same conditions.

1 serving of low glycemic, gluten-free starch includes:

• 1/4 cup quinoa (when dry)
• 1/4 cup brown rice (when dry)
• 4-6 oz sweet potatoes (when cooked)
• 1/2 cup beans or lentils (when cooked)
• 1 slice of brown rice bread, paleo bread, or 1 brown rice tortilla

Stay fit, stay happy, stay healthy, and STAY SHREDDED!

XOXO

Lauren

Spring Cleaning Tips: It’s Time to Take out the Trash!

There is one thing I have learned about having treats in the kitchen: if they are there, then I will eat them! I know my tendencies; when I get stressed, tired, bored, or upset, I turn to foods that hinder my weight loss efforts in order to cope.

As a result of identifying these tendencies, I have learned to trick myself by following one simple rule: If it isn’t in my kitchen, then I can’t eat it….and most of the time I will not make a trip to the grocery store just to satisfy my need to binge.

Our goal this week is to get rid of as many low-quality foods as possible. I try my best to rely the most on foods that perish within one week. This way, when I feel the need to binge, I am stuck with the options of poultry, eggs, veggies, and fruits. I usually get bored of eating these foods and just go to bed. When I do binge-out on them before bed, I rarely feel bloated or guilty the next day.

Get your trash bags ready and begin your spring cleaning by follow these simple tips:

1) Limit your surplus of canned foods to no more than 10 cans.

These items are packed full of preservatives and most items can be purchased fresh. Canned soups contain more sodium than you need in an entire week and consumption most often results in bloating and excess water storage.

Recommendations:

• Replace canned veggies with fresh ones and learn to prepare your own beans
• Tomato sauces are easy to make from scratch using fresh tomatoes and herbs

2) Limit your surplus of salad dressings to 1 bottle and make sure it is low-fat or fat-free.

Recommendation:

• Make your own dressings whenever possible using simple online recipes

3) Ditch the “packaged” snacks.

Granola bars, microwavable popcorn, and fruit roll-ups are not going to help you lose weight.

Recommendations:

• load your pantry with a variety of unsalted nuts, low-sodium jerky, protein powders, oats, rice, and quinoa.
• Load your fridge with plain low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese and yogurt (Greek is best)
• Load your fridge with fresh veggies that taste good raw or cooked: broccoli, zucchini, Brussels, eggplant, asparagus, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, etc
• Purchase one or two low-fat dips for your veggies to make snacking easier. I love dipping raw veggies in hummus or Trader Joe’s Guilt-Free Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip!

4) Check the ingredients of packaged foods and toss anything containing trans-fats or artificial sugars.

Recommendations:

• Replace sweet foods with fresh fruits (I suggest buying 2 servings of fruit for each day of the week)
• use Truvia instead of sugar or fake sweeteners for coffee and tea

5) Throw out any microwavable foods from your freezer.

Recommendations:

• Try to limit freezer items to meats and frozen fruits
• Don’t be afraid to cook something fresh!

Stay fit, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay LEAN!

XOXO

Lauren

Prenatal Nutrition and Supplementation

First of all: If you are expecting, then congratulations!

Now it’s time for you to really get healthy… it’s not just about you anymore! So, where do you start? I suggest that you begin by taking a look at your nutrition and supplementation.

In order to support a growing fetus, mothers-to-be only require an increase of 250-500 calories per day. Typically I recommend 250 additional calories on non-exercises days and closer to 500 additional calories on days when mommies exercise for at least 1 hour. The additional calories will assure that you and baby are meeting your caloric needs while also making sure that Mommy is not putting on excess body fat.

Many foods should be avoided during your prenatal months; some of these foods seem obvious while others, unexpected. Your doctor will provide you with a list of these foods and it should look something like this:

Foods, beverages, and substances to avoid during pregnancy and breast-feeding:

• alcohol and caffeine (no more than 300 mg/day)
• tobacco
• cured/ deli meats, raw eggs, raw seafood
• artificial sweeteners
• no more than 6 oz of fish per week (completely avoid: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish)
• Empty calories: processed foods that do not convert into usable energy sources

You now need more of particular foods in order to enhance your overall health as well as your baby’s health. Your doctor will provide you with a list of these foods and it should look something like this:

Foods to add during pregnancy and breast-feeding:

Vitamin B12:

• important in cell development.
• deficiencies often occur in Vegan and Vegetarian Mommies, making supplementation more important

Folate (Vitamin B9):

• to prevent neural tube defects
• supplementation is most important during the first weeks of pregnancy
• dark leafy greens, legumes (beans and lentils), and fortified breads and cereals are all rich in folate

 Vitamin D:

• Calcium absorption is enhanced when combined with vitamin D
• Vitamin D deficiency can lead to low calcium
• Calcium is crucial for healthy bone development and healthy infant birth weight
• I suggest spending 20-30 days in noon-day sun 2-3 days every week during pregnancy

 Calcium:

• low calcium is a precursor to pre-eclampsia (hypertension) for mommies
• Since calcium needs are increased during pregnancy, vegans should make special efforts to eat extra dark green leafy veggies, bok choy, calcium-set tofu, legumes (beans and lentils), figs, seeds, nuts, fortified milks (non-dairy mils are ok too), and fortified cereals

 Iron:

• Eat more legumes (beans and lentils), dark green veggies, dried fruits, molasses, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and animal foods (especially well-done red meats)
• When eating iron-rich foods, make sure to supplement with vitamin C because this vitamin enhances iron absorption

Zinc:

• Zinc plays an important role in growth and is responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body
• deficiencies can lead to congenial malformations
• foods rich in zinc include: legumes (beans and lentils), nuts, whole grains, cereals, and animal based foods

Protein:

• Daily protein intake should increase by 25 grams/day, especially during the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters
• I recommend either adding an additional 4 oz of meat per day, 5-6 cooked egg whites, or 1-2 servings of an unsweetened pregnancy-safe protein beverage
• This additional protein is necessary for fetal structural development

Fatty Acids:

• Because of environmental pollutants, fish is no longer recommended as a primary source of fatty acids for expecting mothers
• there are plenty of other foods out there that provide omega-3s
• my favorites include: walnuts, flax, hemp, canola oil, herring, algae, green leafy veggies, and seaweed
•  Most doctors will suggest an omega 3 supplement with EPA and DHA
• These fatty acids are crucial for brain development of your child and also reduce the chances of post-partum depression in mothers
• Fish liver oil should be completely avoided

My last tip is not to indulge out of the sake of being pregnant. Don’t use the “baby wants a cookie” excuse to allow yourself to eat more then necessary. Pregnancy is a crucial stage that allows you to pack on additional pounds that can be very tough to remove later. If you were unsatisfied with your weight prior to getting pregnant, then it is optimal to stick to unprocessed foods during your prenatal stage.

Here is an idea of how much you should gain during pregnancy. If you are gaining more than the table indicates you should, then it’s time to re-evaluate your nutrition intake and contact me for more help.

Expected Weight Gain During Pregnancy:

• Underweight women: 25-35lbs
• Overweight women: no more than 15-25 lbs
• Women 5’2 or shorter: 10-25 lbs

Stay fit, stay happy, and stay healthy!

-Lauren Kern

Pre and Post Natal Exercise and Nutrition Specialist

Recipe: Moroccan Tangine Chicken

Prep: 20 Minutes
Marinate: 8 hours
Cook: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lbs chicken breast meat (breasts, thighs, etc)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 1 cup dried apricots, quartered
• 1 cup pitted while dates, quartered
• 3 tbs ground almonds
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 saffron threads
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, diced finely

Method:

1) Place chicken in a large zip-lock bag and set in a shallow dish

• In a medium bowl, combine oil, garlic, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cumin, cardamon, and cayenne pepper. Pour ingredients over chicken, seal the bag, and massage ingredients into the chicken. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours.

2) Transfer chicken to a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Add broth, apricots, dates, ground almonds, tumeric, salt, saffron, and black pepper to chicken in slow cooker.

3) Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

4) Skim fat from cooking liquid. Serve chicken in 4-6 oz portions. Sprinkle chicken with cilantro

Your New Grocery List

I don’t know of very many people who accidentally lose weight.

Success requires planning! If weight loss is your goal, then it is time to plan for success. Let’s start off simple by preparing our grocery list in advanced.

I am all about time-management and I just don’t have time to go to the store more than once/week. I also don’t like food to go to waste (or money for that matter), so I plan my shopping list by getting only what I need for the week and nothing more.

If you stick to your list, then you shouldn’t ever have to worry about binging on unhealthy foods. Chances are, such foods will not be on your list. Most importantly,

don’t ever go to the store on an empty stomach; this can lead to poor decision-making when it comes to food choices.

Shop the perimeter.

Fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, dairy, and superfoods are generally located around the perimeter of the grocery store, while frozen, preservative-filled foods, sweets, and more processed foods are kept in the center isles and in the freezers.

Read Labels.

Avoid products with trans-fats, artificial ingredients, sugar alcohols, sucrose, glucose, sugar, and corn syrup.

My weekly grocery list:

105 oz OR 6.5 lbs of raw assorted veggies.

I need 5 servings of vegetables per day (3 oz or 1 cup= 1 serving)

7-14 servings of fresh fruit

I focus to maintain low sugar levels, so I only allow myself 1 serving of fruit per day.  I usually buy 4 bananas (and eat them first so they don’t spoil) and 12 oz of berries to divide up among the last 3 days of the week. In order to achieve weight loss, I do not recommend having more than 2 servings of fruit/day.

2-3 dozen eggs

I eat 4 egg whites every morning, so I need 28 eggs per week. I usually get a few extra, just in case I make a mistake by adding any yoke.

I eat 4oz of lean meat 2x per day, so I buy 3.5 lbs of lean meat for the week

My favorite meats include chicken breast, turkey breast, 96/4% lean ground beef, 99% lean ground turkey, shrimp, pork-chops, filet mignon or skirt steak, and salmon. (sometimes I use plain frozen chicken so I don’t worry about it spoiling).

I have 1 serving of dairy per day as a protein source, so I usually buy either 2-35 oz tubs of plain, fat-free Fage Greek yogurt or 1-32 oz tub of fat-free cottage cheese for the week.

Nuts are my primary fat source and I try to go for walnuts because they are higher in Omega 3 Fatty Acids than any other nut. I only have to buy 1 bag ever 3-4 weeks in order to snack on 1-2 servings/day

I buy 2-.7 oz containers of hummus because sometimes I prefer dipping my raw veggies in hummus instead of cooking them.  I allow myself 1-2 servings of hummus per day.

I buy 2-4 oz containers of crumbled goats cheese for topping my lean-meat and veggie stir fry dinners. I use one serving per day.

Get Shoulder Caps with Front Delt Raises

To order your exercise band, visit my online store

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken Salad

• Prep Time: 20 Min
• Stand: 1 Hr
• Grill: 12 Min

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
• 4 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs dried dill
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves
• Montreal Steak Seasoning or Kansas City Steak Seasoning
• 12 cups mesclun mix, spring mix, or fresh spinach
• 3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 1/3 cup crumbled chevre goat cheese
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Method:

Vinaigrette:

In a screw-top jar, combine:

• oil
• vinegar
• dill
• garlic
• oregano
• pepper

Cover, shake well, set at room temperature for 1 hour.

Chicken:

• Sprinkle chicken lightly with steak seasoning of your choice
• Charcoal/Gas Grill:  Cook chicken directly over medium heat
• Cook chicken for 12-15 minutes, turning chicken half way through
• Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees
• Cool for 5 minutes before slicing

Mix:

• 3) Using a large bowl, combine:
• lettuce mix, grapes, cheese, pine nuts, chicken, and dressing.

Separate mixture among 4 plates

Nutrition Breakdown:

• 4 servings
• 400 cal
• 23 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat)
• 86 mg cholesterol
• 167 mg sodium
• 12 g carbs
• 2 g fiber
• 38 g protein

Shred your shoulders this spring with military presses

To order your exercise band, visit my online store

The Kitchen Makeover: Plan for Success

We all know that we want to lose weight, but do we have the tools for success? Since nutrition accounts for over 60% of our fitness training results, it is imperative that our kitchens include particular gadgets.

Here is your check-off list. If you don’t have these items, then it is time to get them!

• Pots/pans
• Knives
• Blender
• Tea Pot
• Blender Bottles
• Glass or PBA-Free Tupperware
• Cooler
• Food Weight Scale (to order this product, visit my online store)
• Measuring Cups/Measuring Spoons
• George Forman/Outdoor Grill
• Aluminum Foil/Plastic Wrap/Sandwich and Snack-Sized Zip-lock Baggies