Sync Fitness

Nutrition

What?! Fire your diet??

I want you to check out this great blog post by Jill Bruyere (yes, co-boot camp butt kicker extraordinaire!) She wrote this post about why you should fire your diet. I love it and it is very consistent with everything I preach in relation to “dieting” vs. moderation. I found it very eye opening when I spoke to my recent 6 Week Total Body Transformation clients about dieting. Many of them had been dieting on and off for years without losing any weight. Then within the 6 week of our program they dropped 10+ pounds. I wish I could grab Seattle dieters by the belly and tell them to STOP WITH THE DIETS ALREADY!

PS – Jill has a great blog: www.RunWithJill.com. You should definitely subscribe to it!

Sync Fitness “Bean Fries”


If you love salty snacks like I do, check out my alternative to french fries. These are the healthiest fries you’ll find and they have the perfect bit of crunch to them. A little like a fry, a little like a chip, a little like perfection!

Travel Snacks: Sync Fitness Travel Mix


Let’s be honest, traveling is the perfect, easiest way to talk yourself out of healthy eating. Airport food is not the greatest and when we’re heading out of town for business or pleasure, it’s easy to just throw in the towel, promising, “I’ll just start fresh with healthy eating when I get home.” TRAVEL DOES NOT HAVE TO DERAIL YOUR DIET! The few pounds you gain over a few days of travel can take weeks to take back off. If you travel frequently these pounds REALLY ADD UP!! So here are some suggestions on what to take with you to the airport. Yes, all these items are legal to take through security!

Additionally, I’ve had a few of my 6 Week Total Body Transformation participants ask me for help with their commuting diet. People who are on the road for work, driving between appointments all day, really struggle to make healthy food choices. So, use the suggestions below to pack a little cooler or soft sided cooler bag in the morning.

Check out the video above to see how I make my “Travel Mix”. This stuff has lasted me through trips to Asia, South America, the Caribbean and all over the US. I make a big bag and munch on it my entire trip. This way I never have to resort to french fries. Let me tell you, EVERYWHERE I have traveled internationally has french fries as one of their staples. I think other countries think Americans live on them. It’s a little disheartening.

SNACKS THAT WILL LAST YOUR ENTIRE TRIP:
Sync Travel Mix
Snack Bars (Zing Bars, LaraBars, Pure Organic Bars)
Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pepitas)
Dries Fruits (apricots, prunes, dates, cranberries, raisins, cherries)
Protein Powder (Especially ones you can mix with water. Pack a shaker cup too!)

SNACKS FOR FIRST DAY OF TRAVEL:
Sandwiches (place a leaf of lettuce between soggy materials and bread)
String Cheese
Yogurt
Hard Boiled Eggs
Veggies (carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, snap peas)
Fruits (apples, oranges, cherries, grapes)

Do you have favorite travel snacks?? Leave your comments below!

My Favorite Quinoa Recipe!

I eat quinoa almost everyday. I mean, why wouldn’t I?? This “supergrain” is among the healthiest of all grains and among the easiest to make. Quinoa is LOADED with protein (10 grams in a 1/2 cup) and fiber (6 grams in a 1/2 cup), making is very filling. I learned about quinoa about a year ago when I went to my amazing nutritionist, Mary Purdy of Nourishing Balance, after learning I needed to eliminate dairy, eggs, say and gluten from my diet. This is the quinoa recipe Mary gave me at our first appointment and I’m still eating this pretty much every day for lunch! Read the rest of this entry…

Trader Joe’s Treasures


Come into my kitchen to see what I stock up on when I hit up Trader Joe’s.  This is the best place in town to get affordable organic foods.  It is so important to eat organic as much as you can.  Eating high quality food is an invaluable part of your health.  But eating organic can be really expensive, depending on where you live and where you shop.  We are lucky to have multiple Trader Joe’s locations in Seattle.  As a personal trainer in Seattle, I always start my weekly shopping at TJ’s, knowing that’s where I’ll get the best deals on organic foods.  That said, there are some items I can’t get at TJ’s, so from there I make lists of the other stores I need to hit.  Yes, grocery shopping is a multi-store event in our house, as I’m cheap and I’m picky!  So you can find me in four different stores to complete one week’s worth of shopping.  Check out this video to see where my shopping begins…

Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

I have another favorite Sync Fitness recipe for you!  My fave Seattle nutritionist, Mary Purdy of Nourishing Balance, gave me this recipe and it is excellent.  This is the perfect hearty winter meal, especially for vegetarians.  Lentils are high in protein and fiber, making them perfect for filling your belly on a cold day.

Preparation time: 25 minutes preparation. Cook time: 50 minutes cooking time (majority of cooking time requires minimal monitoring).

Serves four as a main dish.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 large red onions, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (to save time, you can use minced garlic in a jar)
  • 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 10 cups vegetable stock (to save time, use vegetarian bouillon cubes to make vegetable stock; omit salt if you use bouillon)
  • 1¼ cups green, brown, or red lentils
  • 2 stalks of celery, sliced
  • ½ cup minced fresh parsley, divided
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt (omit salt if you use bouillon instead of fresh vegetable stock)
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • In a large pot, warm the olive and sesame oils over medium-high heat. Add onion. Sauté while stirring lightly until onions are soft (5-7 minutes).
  • Add garlic and thyme. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook garlic. If garlic starts to brown, turn down the heat.
  • Raise the heat to high. Stir in stock, lentils, celery, and ¼ cup of the parsley.
  • Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  • Add the sweet potatoes and cook 20 more minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. (I found that I had to bring the broth back to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes.)
  • Remove 2 cups of the soup and place in a blender. Carefully blend until thick and smooth. CAUTION: Be very careful when blending, letting steam and heat escape every few seconds by lifting blender lid slowly throughout blending. If steam and heat build up, the lid can blow off the blender (skip the blender step if thinner soup is desired).
  • Return the blended soup to the pot with the remaining ¼ cup parsley. Stir and cook 1 more minute to blend.
  • Add fresh ground pepper to taste.
  • Serve and enjoy!

**I also stirred in some spinach (more vitamins!) and sprinkled some crumbled goat cheese on top of each serving.  DELISH!**

Per serving: 380 calories; 45 grams of carbohydrates; 18.5 grams of protein; 14 grams of fat; 15 grams of fiber

Sync Recipe: Fastest Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe comes from my September 15, 2009 newsletter. It’s a healthy, fast stir fry made so simple. This is perfect for a rainy Seattle night. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

Here’s what you need…

* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
* 1 cup asparagus, cut into 2 inch segments
* 1 (16 oz) package pre-chopped stir fry vegetables
* 1 (10 oz) package shredded cabbage
* 1 cup chopped pineapple
* 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
* 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the garlic. When the garlic is browned add the asparagus. Stir fry for 5 minutes or until the asparagus turns bright green.
2. Add the chopped stir fry vegetables, cabbage, and pineapple. Stir fry for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the cooked chicken pieces and mix in the teriyaki sauce. Stir fry for another minute, until the sauce is evenly distributed.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 117 calories, 1.8g fat, 15.8g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 10.7g protein.

Sync Recipe: Fresh Veggie Tacos

This recipe comes from my September 1, 2009 newsletter.

There is no question that these veggie stuffed tacos are both healthy and delicious. Fresh asparagus, sweet peppers, corn, onion, pinto beans and cilantro create a tasty blend of flavors. To increase your protein intake feel free to throw in strips of lean chicken breast. Serve with sliced avocado and a side of salsa. Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cups asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup sweet peppers, chopped (red, yellow, orange or all three!)
  • 3 ears of corn, kernels shaved off
  • 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 chopped cilantro
  • 6 whole wheat tortillas
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • Salsa
  1. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about three minutes or until the onions begin to soften.
  2. Add the asparagus and continue to sauté , stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the peppers and continue to sauté , stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the corn, beans and cilantro and sauté for 5 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. *Note: Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables. You want them to be tender but not too soft.*
  5. Remove from heat. Place a scoop of the veggie mixture in each tortilla and top with sliced avocado. Serve with your favorite salsa.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 308 calories, 8g fat, 46g carbohydrate, 13g fiber, and 12g protein.

New Classes: Indoor Boot Camp Meets Circuit Training!

Hello Sync Friends!

Sync Fitness Outdoor Boot Camp is all wrapped up. We had a ton of fun getting stronger and faster and more fit this summer. Starting September 15 Sync Fitness classes will move back indoors to Seattle’s best training studio, The Fitness Lab. I am so excited to announce my new class schedule! With the new and improved Fitness Lab location in Fremont/Wallingford I will be able to offer more classes to more people. I am thrilled to be able to reach more of you! Please read through the info below to see if my new classes fit your fitness needs.

CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Sync Fitness’s new classes will be a combination of Indoor Boot Camp and Circuit Classes many of you have taken before. Because we will have much more space than we’ve had in the past, we will be movin’ and shakin’ and sweatin’ quite a bit. As always, I will be able to modify class activities to accommodate many fitness levels. If you’re just getting back into exercise I will be able to help you find the best ways to break a sweat without breaking a leg. If you’ve been training with me all summer and you’re ready to step it up a notch, I’m ready to bring it on!

DAYS/TIMES:
Tuesdays and Thursdays starting September 15th
6:00 – 6:50 AM
6:00 – 6:50 PM

There is no end date for classes. I will offer these classes on an ongoing basis from here on out – yippee!

LOCATION:
The Fitness Lab
3410 Stone Way North
Seattle, WA 98103

Our new location is 6 blocks south of the old location. We share The Kite Shop/Subway Sandwich parking lot. There are 4 marked parking spots in front of the studio. In addition, there is street parking and a pay lot, as a last resort.

PAYMENT:
$165 per month ($160 per month if you register by September 8)
$20 set up fee (waived if you register by September 8)

Because classes are now being offered on an ongoing basis, this is a monthly fee rather than an upfront payment for an 8 week series, as in the past. This means less money up front. When you register for class you will be billed monthly, via electronic payments. You can pay by credit or debit card, as many of you have been requesting for some time – woo hoo! Your registration is ongoing until you decide to cancel it. You are not obligated to any length of time.

**Your monthly payment allows you to attend any or all Sync Fitness classes each week. Feel free to attend all 4 every week!**

REGISTRATION: Contact me at Sara@SyncFitness.com or 206.354.7480 to register. Remember, if you register by September 8, your monthly cost will be $160 AND your set up fee will be waived. That’s a potential savings of $80!

Sync Fitness Recipe: Summer Time Gazpacho

This recipe comes from the August 15, 2009 Sync Fitness Newsletter.

Gazpacho is a tomato based, raw vegetable soup that is served cold. This recipe makes a light and refreshing summer meal, and is quick and easy to make. Feel free to simply chop the ingredients for a thicker soup if you’d rather not use a blender.
Yield: 4 servings

Here’s what you need…

  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups cucumber chunks, peeled and seeded
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon light honey
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • * Optional * Cayenne pepper to taste
  1. Core the tomatoes, and cut into large chunks.
  2. Place all ingredients, except cayenne, into a blender. Puree until smooth.
  3. Transfer to a container, add cayenne. Cover and chill.
  4. Serve cold.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 71 calories, 4g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 4g protein.

 

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