Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Trainer Tuesdays: What is a Healthy Snack that I can Bring to the Super Bowl Party?

Trainer Tuesdays

Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of our great staff. Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each of the trainers at Fitness Together Brecksville.

What is a Healthy Snack that I can Bring to the Super Bowl Party?

Justin Traft: A very healthy option that everyone is sure to love is chicken wings. But not any chicken wings but lemon drop chicken wings. Since you want to enjoy yourself and not feel the guilt afterwards and try to eat somewhat healthy while enjoying the game and getting a great dose of protein in the process. These are the chicken wings that can do the trick. All you need is lemon juice, stevia, olive oil, pepper and chicken wings. In a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag, combine, lemon juice, stevia, olive oil and pepper. Stir to dissolve stevia. Add the chicken wings and mix to coat. Cover bowl or seal bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with two layers of foil. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all. Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Enjoy.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Click to see savings

3 tablespoons stevia

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon of sea salt (Optional)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, tips trimmed off

Http://fitnesstogether.com/brecksville/nutritionist

Jessie Regula: One of my favorite snacks to have while watching the game is guacamole. I don't have exact measurements for anything, I just mash some avocados, cilantro, red onion, garlic salt, lime juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper until they're combined and at the consistency you desire. I like to serve mine with carrot sticks, cucumbers, and celery (and sometimes blue corn chips!) Avocado is high in healthy fats and served with the veggies, this snack is packed with fiber, so you'll feel full faster and won't overeat throughout the game, which is a huge win for you!

Adam Teplitz: There are plenty of healthy options when it comes to snacks for the Super Bowl.
A popular option is a spinach and artichoke dip. It's a low calorie way to enjoy iron rich spinach and beans. Another option is mini turkey burgers with Gorgonzola. It's the perfect protein packed finger food. To top off the list, garlic crab stuffed mushrooms with Greek yogurt and low fat string cheese is another delicious , healthy alternative. Easy fixes can be made to trim calories and bad fats. These healthy options will allow you to enjoy the game guilt free.

Bronson Rotaru: Fresh veggie tray. Or homemade salsa!

Lisa Clark: The Super Bowl is one of the biggest calorie fests of the year for many Americans. The average football fan eats about a day's worth of calories during the game, and the U.S. Calorie Control Council estimates that Americans pack away 11 million pounds of chips on Super Bowl Sunday. One way to make healthier choices during these types of situations is to eat some fruit before going to the party and always have a drink of water in your hand. It limits the need to have food in your hands as well as helping to keep you feeling satisfied. Also bringing healthier snacks ensures you have something that you feel good about eating. One of the go-to recipes I use at times when I need something crispy and salty is to make my own baked pita chips. Take fresh salsa such as a black bean and corn salsa to dip it in and you have a low calorie/ low fat snack idea that will provide you with a healthy amount of vegetables and whole grains!

Garlic and Herb Pita Chips:

4 6-inch whole-wheat pitas
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Position oven racks in middle and lower third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut pitas into 8 wedges each and separate each wedge at the fold. Place the pita wedges, rough-side up, in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Bake the pita wedges, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until golden and crispy, 6 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness).

http://www.fitnesstogether.com/brecksville/nutrition

Monika Cotter: The Super Bowl is always a fun time to hang out with friends and family and enjoy some football, but it can also be hard not to over indulge in all of the unhealthy snacks and cookies that are associated with Super Bowl parties. If you want to make a healthy contribution to the party without bringing just a veggie tray, here us a recipe that most people would enjoy:

5-7 mashed bananas

½ cup dark chocolate chips or raisins

¼ cup coconut flakes

1 cup oatmeal

Mash up the bananas and oatmeal, then add in the dark chocolate (or raisins) and coconut flakes. Blend it all together. Make into little balls and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. I love these cookies. They are healthy and delicious. I hope you like them too and everyone has a happy, healthy Super Bowl Sunday!

Steven Madden: Well, the Super Bowl is almost upon us. A time where we will eat about as much food, or even more, as we do on Thanksgiving, but without some of those healthy options. I mean, who brings sweet potatoes to a football party? If you’re looking for a healthy food option, but one that doesn't clash with the traditional feel of a Super Bowl party, may I suggest the Öat-burger (note: spelling is my own). I got this from an issue of Men's Health over seven years ago, and I love it. Take a pound of lean ground beef (92% is what I use) or even ground bison. And 1/2 cup of regular oats, 1/3 of a cup of finely chopped spinach, an egg for thickness and onion flakes to taste. Mix this all together and form into patties. Grill like normal, and add them to a whole wheat bun. These are great, especially right off the grill or out of the broiler. I like mine plain, but be light on condiments or you may add more sugar, fat and calories in general than you want. It's a great way to add vegetables to the party without a veggie tray that will only be picked at with a high fat dressing. Oh and may I add, go Seahawks!

Kerry Fairchild: My favorite party treat to make at home or take on-the-go is shrimp. Minus the breading, coconut and deep-frying, this low-calorie, high-protein food has all the markings of a healthy and filling meal or snack. My favorite recipe involves marinating the shrimp with chili flakes, garlic and olive oil. Once marinated, the shrimp are then seared at a high temperature on both sides in a sauté pan. Serve with a low-sugar apricot dipping sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro and your done! (4 extra-large shrimp 80 calories, 4g carbohydrate, 13g protein, 0g saturated fat). Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Kelly Bailey: I don't follow football much, and if it weren't for "deflate-gate", I wouldn't even know who was playing in the superbowl. So it goes without saying that I haven't attended many superbowl parties. However, I have heard many stories about epic superbowl feasts. In order to not have a superbowl around your waist, try bringing something on the lighter side. My party favorites are hummus with veggies, ceviche with homemade baked whole wheat pita chips, and/or fresh fruit with honey-sweetened Greek yogurt dip.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

New Group Nutrition Classes at Fitness Together Brecksville with Dietitian Kerry Fairchild

We're now offering bi-weekly group nutrition classes starting this week!

New Group Nutrition Classes

With Fitness Together's Dietitian Kerry Fairchild at Heinen's

Dear Valued Clients,

We're always thinking of ways that we can add value to your experience with us and at the same time help to maximize your results. Many of you have achieved great success with the 6 week Nutrition Together program with Kerry, and we want to provide a way for you to continue learning from her long term. Or, perhaps you have not been through any of the one-on-one nutrition sessions...that's okay too, we still invite you to these exciting new group classes! Whether you're a current client or not, please feel free to drop in.

We're proud to team up with our neighbors from the wellness department at Heinen's in Brecksville; These classes will be conducted in the Heinen's cafeteria on a bi-weekly basis. Each class will have a healthy nutrition topic that Kerry will educate us on. Other segments of the class will include a healthy recipe related to the topic, some discussion with your input on any nutrition struggles or questions that you may have, sharing client success stories from this month and finally Heather Lentz, Heinen's Wellness Consultant will show us some of their products that are related to the topic and where you can find them in the store, including some samples! **Clients who want to weigh-in and review their journals with Kerry may come to Fitness Together between 9:45 and 10:05. Class at Heinen's will begin at 10:15

This Week's Topic:
Eat More Fresh Fruit-A Healthy Way to Start the New Year Off Right!

I heard there's too much sugar in fruit?
Juicing vs. the whole fruit
Tips to fit more fruit into a busy schedule
Strategies for restaurant eating
And much more!

When: This Saturday, January 24th
Where: Heinen's Cafeteria in Brecksville
Time: 10:15am-11:15am (come to FT between 9:45 and 10:05 for a private weigh-in)
Price: $10 cash per person
Recipe: Buckwheat Banana Pancakes
Upcoming Dates: February 7th & February 21st

Please share this message with friends and family. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon for this fruitful event!

To Your Health,

Sean

Copyright © 2015 Fitness Together, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
8251 Chippewa Rd.
Brecksville, Ohio 44141

Why Aren't You Losing Weight? Fitness Together's Nutrition Together program compliments their one-on-one personal training. As seen in Mimi Vanderhaven Magazine

Why Aren’t You Losing Weight?

Article as seen in Mimi Vanderhaven

Published: 01/19/2015
by Ken McEntee

Brecksville Fitness Together's Dietitian Kerry Fairchild working with a client

Nutrition is as important to getting fit as exercise is, suggests Kerry Fairchild, a licensed dietitian at Fitness Together, in Brecksville.

“Nutrition is definitely a too-often-overlooked part of fitness,” Kerry says. “I hear people all the time complaining that they are working out, but they aren’t losing weight. That’s probably because they haven’t addressed the diet part of a healthy lifestyle.”

That’s why Sean Sullivan, owner of the personal training facility, brought Kerry on board to oversee Fitness Together’s proprietary nutrition program, Nutrition Together. The six week, one-on-one program covers topics ranging from how to eat light—and enjoy it—to grocery shopping, dining out, and changing unhealthy eating behaviors.

“We have been offering this program since we opened almost seven years ago, but bringing in a licensed dietitian to work with our clients takes it to a higher level,” Sean says. “Kerry is able to supplement what’s already in the program with her expertise in diet and nutrition.”

Kerry, who consults with residents of Brecksville, Broadview Heights, and Seven Hills through their local community centers, previously spent 12 years helping hospital patients to eat healthier diets.

“When I read through the Nutrition Together program I was impressed,” Kerry says. “It is very well designed and beautifully guided. I am excited to be a part of it.”


Fitness Together owner and personal trainer Sean Sullivan

“The program,” Sean says, “was designed specially for Fitness Together by Dr. Janet Brill, a nationally recognized expert in the field of health, wellness and cardiovascular disease prevention.”

“The program isn’t about dieting,” Kerry says. “It’s about giving you the knowledge to change how you eat.”

The program consists of six private one-on-one sessions with Kerry, each covering a variety of topics. An accountability journal, food, and exercise journals and a general guidebook are included in the course, along with access to a website with weekly tips and recipes.

After completing the program, your personal trainer will offer continual tracking of your progress by following up with regular weekly discussions about your accountability journal and other lessons you will have learned, Sean explains.

“Joining Fitness Together was one of the best things I have done for myself in a long time,” says Lisa Wascak, who was the first member to take the Nutrition Together program since Kerry joined the team. “Kerry has quickly become one of my best friends.”

Lisa admittedly became a “couch potato” after going through a variety of medical conditions, including a kidney transplant.

“They told me I would gain weight after the transplant, and, boy, did I,” she recalls. “I had high cholesterol and my other numbers were getting really bad. Finally I decided that enough was enough and I decided that I had to do something. That’s when I joined Fitness Together.”

Lisa began working with her personal trainer three days a week—two days at 6:15 in the morning before work. She later added the Nutrition Together program.

Since then, she says, she has seen a dramatic drop in her LDL cholesterol level while losing weight.

“Starting the nutrition program really woke me up about how I was eating and the way I need to eat to regain and maintain my health,” Lisa says. “I feel better, my clothes are fitting better, and I’m no longer afraid of falling down, because now I know that I’m strong enough to get up. The support you get when you come into Fitness Together is amazing.”

Proper diet, Kerry says, can help to reduce—or even eliminate—the need for medications to control conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Fitness Together supplements its one-on-one personal training and Nutrition Together sessions with optional group classes.

“When you add smart nutrition to regular workouts, you have an unbeatable program for meeting your fitness goals,” Sean says.

*Group Nutrition Together sessions are conducted on a bi-weekly basis at the Heinen's Fine Foods Grocery Store on Saturday mornings at 10:15am. There is a $10 cash drop in charge for these sessions that cover a wide range of important nutrition topics.

http://www.fitnesstogether.com/nutrition

Fitness Together is located at 8251 Chippewa Road, in Brecksville. You can call them at 440-550-4862 and find more information by visiting FitnessTogether.com/Brecksville or their Facebook page. Gift cards are available.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Trainer Tuesdays: In Honor of Fitness Legend Greg Plitt's Tragic Passing Over the Weekend, Who is Your Most Inspirational Celebrity Personal Trainer and Why?

Trainer Tuesdays

In Honor of Fitness Legend Greg Plitt’s Tragic Passing Over the Weekend, Who is Your Most Inspirational Celebrity Personal Trainer and Why?

R.I.P. Greg Plitt and thank you for your contributions to the fitness industry. Your legacy and inspiration lives on

Justin's choice, Chris Powell

Justin Traft: One of my favorite celebrity trainers beside Greg Plitt. Which is one that has influenced my life and weight loss journey when I lost weight. Chris Powell broke on scene back in 2011 recognized for Extreme weight lose the television show. He attended Arizona State University and received a degree in Exercise Science, with concentrations in biomechanics and physiology. He has a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification. But before In 2008 Powell helped David Smith lose 400 pounds and together they co-founded the web-based weight-loss program ReshapeTheNation.com. He is one of my favorites because his approach is very different than most trainers. He is motivational when need be but he also pours his heart into each and every client to make sure then reach their goals. He doesn't scream or yell at them. But is very real with them. He has helped hundreds and thousands of people help reach their lifelong goals in fitness. A stand up individual. I like him because he takes a different approach to help make everyone he's trained know it possible with hard work to get what you want. He's emotional sometimes when clients tell him stories of how they got to where they are now but doesn't make him a wimp by any means. It shows he has passion and every client means something to him. That is why I respect him and his mission to help even more people realize there weight lose dreams.

Monika's choice, Denise Austin

Monika Cotter: When I was pregnant I gained a lot of weight. 100 lbs to be exact. When I had my daughter I was so happy to finally meet her but I was also very unhappy with the way my body looked. I thought when I finally had her I would in the blink of an eye go back to my pre pregnancy weight. When that didn’t happen I realized that while it was fun putting the weight on it was going to be a tough road ahead getting the weight off. I didn’t know anything about fitness or working out. Then my mom suggested renting a Denise Austin DVD-Shrink Your Female Fat Zones. The first time I did the video I almost didn’t finish it. The more I did it though the easier it became. I loved that her workouts were effective and could be done while my new born baby was napping. I started checking out more and more of her DVDs and the different venues of exercise. I love how Denise is always so positive and geared her workouts towards women. Over the years I have continually followed her and her latest DVDs. She is still an inspiration and even now I still pull out some of her dvds and “work on my fitness” with her.

Adam's choice, Gunnar Peterson

Adam Teplitz: There's countless celebrity trainers out there. If I had to choose one, it would be Gunnar Peterson. He has trained a great amount of celebrities and professional athletes. He's an author, speaker, creator of major fitness programs and a developer of fitness equipment with a focus on functional trainer. His no nonsense attitude leads to him being an ideal trainer to look up to. The fact that he struggled with his weight as a kid contributes to his passion for helping others.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie.htm

Jessie's choice, Jamie Eason

Jessie Regula: One of my most inspirational trainers is Jamie Eason. Eason didn't begin leading a healthy lifestyle until she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 22. Being 22 years old, I cannot imagine the strength and courage it took to turn her life around and to fight to overcome cancer. After her scare, she became an advocate for strong and healthy women, encouraging self-esteem and building muscle. One of her strongest desires is to show women that muscle is not unfeminine and that women can be just as strong as men. She is currently sponsored on bodybuilding.com, creating fitness and meal plans for women to gain lean body mass. I like that she leads a normal lifestyle, out of the spotlight, with faith being her main focus, and I especially like that she targets women. I think it is so important to have female fitness role models to demonstrate to society, and especially adolescent girls, that women don't need to be super skinny to be healthy.

Bronson Rotaru: I don't really have any favorite celebrity trainers. However I read lots of material from Ben Bruno, Lee Boyce, Jen Sinkler and coaches like that. I follow these individuals because they are widely respected in the business, they have great credentials any put out fact based articles/reviews. You will not find any nonsense or filler from pro's like this. Check out their websites, blogs and even podcast

Kelly Bailey: Honestly, I don't follow any fitness celebrities, so I can't think of a single (famous) person that really inspires me. I am however often inspired by the many nameless people with stories of success against the odds. Many fitness professionals and celebrities have never struggled with weight and fitness, and many of them have teams of people dedicated to helping them stay fit. It's the people that struggle every day and overcome major obstacles to maintain their health that really inspire me!

Steven's choice, David Belle

Steven Madden: A fitness inspiration to me is a man by the name David Belle. Not a trainer per say, but certainly an athlete. Belle is credited as the founder of Parkour, a movement discipline and art. In interviews and articles Belle has passed on his philosophy of strength being a form of function, rather than strength just being a goal itself. He is also acutely aware of his status as a leader in a physical community. In one noted clip of Belle in action, he misses a rather simple vault, falling into a wall and then to the ground. Belle springs to his feet to immediately attempt again, but tells the camera man to make sure the clip ends up on-line. He understood that it was important for beginners to see that even Davis Belle fails sometimes.

Kerry's choice, Paula Newby-Fraser

Kerry Fairchild: If I had to choose a trainer/athlete that has inspired me the most, it would be Paula Newby-Fraser. Paula is the most decorated Ironman Triathlete in the history of the event. She has won 21 Ironman Triathlon titles and eight Ironman World Championships. With her retirement from the sport, came the opportunity to provide both training and mentoring to those aspiring to finish their own Ironman events. Most recently, Super Bowl champion Hines Ward and Olympian Apolo Ohno have sought her guidance, insight and inspiration.

For me, it is her unwavering fortitude, her sheer perseverance and unequivocal motivational drive that push me to reach beyond my own perceived limits. This absolute tenacity can best be viewed in the awe-inspiring video clip of her 1995 Hawaii Ironman, where she "hit the wall." Fighting dehydration and confusion, Paula stumbled to stop just 400 yards before the finish. Gathering her strength, rehydrating and drawing on her reserves, Paula refuses to give up. As some of the other athletes pass her, she can be heard telling the crowd that is pressuring her to quit, "I have all day, just give me some space." Nearly 20 minutes after coming to a complete stop, Paula Newby-Frazier picks up her shoes and crosses the finish line. Barefoot. And takes fourth place. Amazing.