<![CDATA[TA FITNESS - Fitness Blog]]>

<![CDATA[TA FITNESS - Fitness Blog]]>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:20:18 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Homemade falafel]]>Sun, 16 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/homemade-falafel

I've recently become obsessed with falafel. The only problem is buying it premade at Whole Foods can get expensive- so, I decided to attempt my own and was very surprised at how easy and quick it was.
So, here's the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 15-oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
8 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons cashews
3/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-6 tablespoons flour
3-4 tablespoons oil for cooking, optional

Instructions
1. If you're going to bake them, set your oven at 350. If you're pan frying, no need to set the oven.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry with a towel and set aside.
3. Add the garlic and cashews to the food processor and pulse just a few times to chop them up. Add the chickpeas, parsley, cumin and salt and pulse. Make sure to scrape the sides and don't blend until smooth, it should just be crumbly.
4. Add in the flour to the mixture to form dough. If it's too sticky, add in another tablespoon.
5. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons (I used an ice cream scoop) to form a ball, squish down into a disc and cook as you'd like.
6. If you're baking them- cook at 350 for 10 minutes on each side. If pan frying, cook at medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.

Nutrition:
Per falafel
Calories: 99
Protein: 5
Fat: 3
Carbs: 15
Sodium: 103
Fiber: 3

]]><![CDATA[3 easy toast ideas for any time of day]]>Sun, 08 Nov 2020 00:32:28 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/3-easy-toast-ideas-for-any-time-of-day

There are many, many times during the day that toast can be a great option.

My go-to bread option has been David's Killer Bread recently. Maybe it's because of the story of "David," maybe it's because most of their products are vegan, or maybe it's just because it's delicious. But, whatever your choice of bread, here are some ideas to put that bread to good use!

Peanut butter banana

Peanut butter and bananas just go well together, don't they? This has a few extras as well:
1 piece of toast
1 TBS peanut butter (or almond butter, sun butter, cashew butter)
1/4 banana sliced
A pinch of cinnamon
1 TSP of hemp seeds
Small drizzle of agave

tomato Avocado

1 piece of toast
1/2 avocado sliced or spread
3-5 cherry tomatoes sliced
Salt to taste
Extras:
Fresh basil
Drizzle of balsamic or olive oil

Hazelnut yumminess

1 piece of toast
1 TBS hazelnut spread
Small handful of blueberries OR 3-5 sliced strawberries
1/4 c slivered almonds
Extras:
Agave

Give one a try and let us know what you think!

]]><![CDATA[Running into Fall]]>Fri, 02 Oct 2020 18:20:43 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/running-into-fall

After a Summer of running in humidity and heat, the cooler weather of Fall is a welcome feeling. Fall is also the time where people feel like they want to go more distance, or bring their speed up since they aren't weighed down by the humidity.
I always like to take this time to remind everyone of a few things:
1. Watch your mileage increase! Running injuries can happen all the time, but if you can prevent it, then why not? When you've ran or power walked consistently for a few weeks and you feel ready to increase your mileage- remember the rule of thumb is an increase of 10% of your last weeks miles. So if you did 30 miles the week before, an increase of 3 miles is a safe bet. I know it doesn't seem like much, but sticking to that 10% rule has kept A LOT of people safe and able to continue getting out there.
2. Check the weather reports. I don't have to tell you twice- New England weather is insane. In the Summer months not planning properly means you might get wet in a rain shower or resort to taking a layer off but in the cooler months it is very important to see what you'll come across while out there. Low temperatures and a sudden downpour while improperly dressed can lead to big problems. It's easy just like stretching (we'll get to that) and starting your activity on your phone or watch is something you don't even have to think about doing anymore, make checking the weather just as important. I'm not saying don't run if it's going to rain, I'm saying to dress for the occasion.
3. That stretching thing. Ask any runner if they have a stretching routine for before and after a run- the answer should ALWAYS be "yes" but more often than not I hear the opposite. Remember in the Fall people like to add on mileage and speed workouts? Yea.. get that stretching routine down.
4. Stay safe in the dark. Depending on the time you can get out, remember the sun rises later and falls earlier. You may have to adjust your running time if you don't like running in the dark or get some reflective/night gear. For me- I enjoy running right before sunrise. I guess it's years of running overnight races but I find it so energizing to run with the rising sun. I'll wear my headlamp and plenty of reflective pieces on the shirt, shoes and pack. You don't need anything fancy- there's $2 reflective tape at Walmart that does the trick.

Those are my Fall tips. Remember, you don't have to run or even jog for a good cardio workout. Power walking is a bit less impactful on your joints but still great for your body and mind. If you can't or don't like to run.. don't. Hike, power walk, bike, even rollerblade. Just remember to dress appropriately, increase duration/intensity slowly, and stretch!

]]><![CDATA[tofu scramble fried rice]]>Mon, 28 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/tofu-scramble-fried-rice

Fried rice is something I gave up a long time ago when I was overweight and knew I needed to ditch some foods to be healthier.
I think it gets a bad name because typically when ordered from a restaurant it's saturated in oils and made with fatty pork pieces and few veggies that are nutrient rich.
I also think it's frowned upon because it is usually a side dish, and a large one at that- the containers restaurants use are 2-3 servings worth.

When I started eating cleaner and thinking of recipes I could make clean and continue eating, fried rice was one of them. I thought how can I put the right portion of carbs, protein and fat in a yummy dish that is filling enough to be a main course, but not too high in carbs or calories?

So, I started playing around with recipes and entering them into My Fitness Pal to see what the macros were. This is the recipe I came up with, and Dave and I have enjoyed ever since.
Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onions or scallions
1/3 cup peas
2-3 carrots, pealed and chopped
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
6 ounces firm tofu
1 TSP oil
1/2 TSP turmeric (or to taste)
1/2 TSP salt (or to taste)
1/2 TSP garlic powder (or to taste)

Instructions:

Heat up a large skillet to medium heat , add oil and crumbled tofu
Stir the tofu until slightly browned, should take about 10 minutes
Add the seasonings and let cook for another few minutes. If tofu is starting to dry out, add a tad of water. Set aside
For the fried rice- In a large saute pan add peas, carrots and broccoli to 1/2 cup of water.
Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes of veggies are soft
Add rice, onions/scallions, and tofu mixture. If you'd like a sweeter fried rice adding a TBS of maple syrup
ENJOY! Or keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutrition: -Makes 2 servings
Per serving:

Calories: 273
Fat: 6
Carbs: 45
Protein: 13
Fiber: 6
Sugar: 11

]]><![CDATA[Change your mind about exercise]]>Mon, 21 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/change-your-mind-about-exercise

There's never a bad workout. We all exercise for our own reasons; some exercise for health reasons, some to feel more confident, and some, a very small few workout because they enjoy it. Most people have multiple reasons, which- the more motivation the better!

There's many.

If I don't exercise first thing in the morning I most likely won't be able to. I got into this field and opened my own gym to change people's opinions of working out. A lot of people see exercise as something the have to do, I see it as something I am able to do, and something I love and look forward to doing.

How can you change your mind about exercise? First, let's explore your why. Are you exercising because you think you have to or because of the joy you get from it.
If the answer was "because someone told me to" might be working for now. The drive you feel from being told those words, for whatever reason, will stick with you for a while. But what happens if and when adversity strikes? Will that drive continue when there are other factors pulling you in 10 different directions? Right now you might say yes, and I applaud you for that but very rarely in my 8 years of personal training have I seen someone pull through.

If your answer was "because I get joy from it" I am happy for you. It's not easy searching deep within and finding reason you truly enjoy working out.

But back to you- everyone who was told to exercise. Here are some tips I often tell people in your situation.
1. If you still don't enjoy working out.. then maybe you're doing something you just don't like. Think of coffee- if there's a brand you like you'll most likely keep buying it, right? Why is exercise any different? I can't tell you how many people run because they think they have to to be fit. NO. You don't have to run. Try hiking, try power walking, try cycling. There are other cardio exercises to do that you might actually like.

2. You're not tuning into yourself. Because you are just doing what you're told- you aren't thinking of the mental and physical benefits. The next few workouts, jot down in your phone how to feel after. Yes, you'll be sore. Think of other things- is your head more clear? If you were feeling tired before, are you more energetic? If you were stressed about something, did some of that stress go away knowing you did something for yourself? If you were feeling bad about your self image or worth- do you feel empowered that you were able to lift x weight? I know we don't have all the time in the world so if you're someone that literally has only 60 minutes to exercise. Take 5 of those minutes to self reflect after. I promise, it is worth it.

My goal is not to overwhelm you. Even those two tips can greatly impact how you think about exercise and in the long run-if you can truly enjoy spending time to yourself to get your heart rate up, you'll stick to it even when times are rough.

I hope these tips help. If they did, I'd love to hear from you. Keep being strong.

]]><![CDATA[Warm ups; Do I have to?]]>Fri, 15 May 2020 11:26:09 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/warm-ups-do-i-have-toI bet you're thinking you don't need to do a warmup because you are just going for a run, right? Wrong. If you're going from a sedentary state (sitting at your desk, driving, riding the T) to an active state, then you need to warm up. I'm here to tell you a little about it.

Well, what is a warm up?
A warm-up is one of the important elements of an exercise program. It safely prepares your body for the increased demands of the workout. Meaning, it gets your cardiovascular system ready to work, it lets your muscles know they're about to take on some load and it even sends signals to your brain so you can mentally prepare for the next 30-90 minutes.
Having a "good" warm up routine is important to prevent injuries and when you're physically and mentally ready- you'll perform better as well.

Ok, so what do I do?
Keep in mind that every body is different. As a trainer, it is my duty to create a different warm up for each of my clients because some people take longer to warm up, some have different muscle tightness, etc. But, I'll explain some rule-of-thumbs that I use so you can make a routine for your own.

-Make sure to incorporate the entire body, usually starting from either the feet or head and working your way up or down, respectively.

-Each exercise should take about 30-60 seconds, and the whole routine could take 10-15 minutes (On Dave's very tough workout days, he takes about 25 minutes to warm up!)

-Dynamic stretches are the way to go before a workout. Dynamic just means the exercises you're doing are functional and mimic the moves you'll do in the workout. They tend to get your muscles ready for the specific movements they're about to do and get your heart rate up a bit more to prepare it for the workout.

-Never forget to warm up the parts of your body that give you trouble i.e. lower backs, hamstrings, even ankles!

Here are some of my favorite exercises I incorporate into my workouts (from the toes up)

Ankle circles- These are great for before running, hiking, or if you plan to do any jumping. Spend at least :30 each way per foot.

Frankenstein kicks-
This is a good one to actively warm up your hamstrings, core, shoulders and hip flexors. I'll typically walk the length of the gym 2-4 times (50ft x4).

Hip Circles-
I like this one to actively warm up and wake up the lower back muscles as well as the muscles of the hips. Make sure to make as big of circles as you can!

Walking Lunge Twist-
This one is great to get some blood movin' in your legs and also warm up your core a tad more. This one can be the same distance as the frankensteins.

Inchworm-
This is a great one to warm up the whole body. If there are pushups in your workout, you can add the pushup part but you don't need to.

Arm Circle
This one is for shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest and upper traps. Make sure to go both ways- forward and back!

Neck Circles-
I think the most forgotten about part of the body. Most people don't think they need to warm it up because they aren't using it, but it's used more than you think!

Remember, there are so so many dynamic moves to use for your warm ups. A few other ones I like to use are:
-Runners lunge stretches
-Glute bridges
-Supermans
-Bear crawls
-Low squats
-Calf raises

]]><![CDATA[Coconut Chocolate Squares]]>Wed, 06 May 2020 10:58:31 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/coconut-chocolate-squares

If you've ever been to a TA party, you've had these delicious squares. This recipe is a member sent in one from Paul. This would be great as desert, a snack or even a little pick me up during a long walk or hike.
Give it a try!

If you like the pairing of chocolate and coconut, you will love these. They can easily be converted to a dairy free bar by substituting Earth Balance or margarine for butter. You can even make it vegan by using vegan Graham Crackers and butter alternative.

Ingredients:
One 14 oz Can Coconut Milk
⅔ Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs- 7-8 ounces of graham cracker
1 Stick Melted Butter- or Earth Balance or Margarine
2 Tablespoons Sugar- or substitute Coconut Sugar
1 ½ Cup Chocolate Chips
2 Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut

In a medium saucepan, add the coconut and brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally for 10-15 minutes. The coconut milk may look clumpy. That’s ok, it will smooth out as it simmers. If a skin forms on the surface, stir it back into the liquid. Prepare the crust while this simmers.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13”x9” baking pan with parchment paper. You do not need to spray or grease it.
Make your graham cracker crumbs by putting whole graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until no large chunks remain. Add your sugar and melted butter and process until well combined.
If you don’t have a food processor, do the old graham cracker into a ziplock bag trick and run a rolling pin back and forth until they are crumbs. Then transfer to a bowl and add the butter and sugar and combine well.
Firmly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of your lined 11”x9” pan and make sure it is evenly distributed and cover the entire bottom.
After the coconut milk has simmered for 10-15 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. It doesn’t have to be cooled completely. You just don’t want to pour the scalding milk into the pan.
Once cooled slightly, pour the milk over the crumb crust. Once the liquid has seeked its own level, scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Then scatter the coconut flakes evenly over the chocolate.
Bake for 15 minutes, rotate pan, and bake for another 15 minutes. You want the coconut to have a nice golden brown color. Be careful though, coconut gets dark fast!!!
Once it is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. I would recommend refrigerating it overnight and cutting it when it’s cold. Don’t even let it come to room temperature. The colder the better to cut these.
Once it is cold, place a large cutting board on top of the bars and flip over so that it lands upside down on the cutting board (only do this when it has sat overnight. If you try this warm it will be disastrous). Remove the parchment paper and flip back over.
I usually square the bar off by cutting all 4 edges first, then cutting those into small bite sized pieces. Those pieces are the ones I keep in the fridge to snack on because their shapes are imperfect.
Once you have a nice square piece, cut them to the size you want. I tend to make smaller sized bars, so I cut them the long way 9 times. Then the shorter way I cut 7 times giving me 63 bite sized pieces.

]]><![CDATA[2 ingredient Homemade Nutella]]>Sun, 05 Apr 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/2-ingredient-homemade-nutella

2 Ingredient homemade nutella

I know.. it's not the absolute healthiest thing, but it's better than the stuff at the store and everyone needs a treat every now and then. Right? It's also not the cheapest. The recipe calls for 8oz of hazelnuts and some dark chocolate. At my store (Stop N Shop) an 8oz container of hazelnuts is about $7 soooo this is more expensive than the Nutella you can buy. This is why you can make it and use it just every now and then, instead of buying a jar and devouring the whole thing in one night (I've been there too).
Here's the recipe, enjoy on toast, banana, apple or on a spoon :)

Ingredients:
8oz hazelnuts (raw or roasted)
1-2oz your favorite dark chocolate (for vegan we use Endangered Species 3oz bar and use 4 squares)

Directions:
1. If you go with the raw hazelnuts, you'll have to roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes first.

2.Place hazelnuts into a high power blender or food processor and pulse for a total of approximately 4-5 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds or so to scrape down the sides.

3. Once hazelnuts have formed hazelnut butter, pour into a bowl and stir in chocolate. Hazelnut butter should be warm from being blended for so long, so the chocolate should melt with consistent stirring.

4. If chocolate doesn't melt, place mixture in a saucepan over the stove and stir until melted.

5. Enjoy!

]]><![CDATA[Buddah Bowls: Our favorite recipes]]>Mon, 30 Dec 2019 16:35:27 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/buddah-bowls-our-favorite-recipes

Sweet potato chickpea bowl

1 extra-large sweet potato, peeled and diced small
one 15-ounce can low-sodium chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
about 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 small/medium red onion, peeled and sliced into small chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 avocado
1 t your favorite dressing (I use Annie's Green Goddess)
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
minced garlic, optional and to taste
about 4 cups kale, divided (4 big handfuls, or more if desired)
Your favorite protein; tofu, seitan, tempeh, chicken, eggs, etc (we usually use tempeh)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line tray with foil and cover with sweet potato, chickpeas, broccoli and onion. Drizzle olive oil and add to taste; salt, pepper, tumeric, garlic, or any other seasoning you like.
3. The veggies will take about 20-25 minutes to cook. Toss at least once, and check sweet potatoes for tenderness to ensure they're cooked fully.
3. Once your veggies are done, set aside to let them cool while you build the rest of your bowl.
4. Cook your chosen protein. We use tempeh or tofu which we cook in a bit of olive oil on a pan for 5-10 minutes.
5. Kale; some people like theirs crispy and some like theirs slightly sauteed. I prefer mine slightly sauteed which is just adding a bit of water and kale to a pan and cooking on light heat for a few minutes. If you prefer yours the way it is, then go ahead and just add a cup to each bowl.
6. Once the kale is added and veggies are cooled a bit, add the veggies to the bowl with 1/4 avocado in each bowl with your favorite dressing.
7. Enjoy right away or store in the fridge in airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition: Per serving
Calories: 315
Protein: 11-25g (depends on the protein you choose)
Fat: 16.8g
Carbs: 32g
Sodium: 274g
Fiber: 10g

]]><![CDATA[Buddah Bowls: WHat you need to know]]>Mon, 30 Dec 2019 15:39:35 GMThttp://teamawesomefit.com/fitness-blog/buddah-bowls-what-you-need-to-know

Buddah Bowls aka hippie bowls, grain bowls, nourish bowls were a huge hit in 2019 and no doubt they'll be a huge hit in 2020 too.
What are they made of?
The great thing is they don't have an exact recipe, buddah bowls can all be quite different but they are typically made of various greens, raw or roasted veggies, beans, and a healthy grain like quinoa or brown rice. Sometimes they also include toppings like nuts, seeds and dressings for added texture and flavor.
If you're meal prepping for the week as long as the dressing is on the side these bowls would be a great option!
They pack a good amount of healthy calories in a little bowl but can also be expensive and add extra calories if you're eating out.

We found a few examples from restaurants to compare:
Panera Bread offers a few types of grain bowls. This bowl is their most popular
Mediterranean Bowl
Calories: 740
Fat: 35g
Sodium:1340
Carbs: 82g
Fiber: 13g
Protein: 31g

Chipotle also got on the band wagon and offers a burrito bowl:
Calories: 660
Fat: 23g
Sodium: 1845g
Carbs: 68g
Fiber: 18.5g
Protein: 51g

Sweet Green has some great options, but they're also on the more expensive side. Here is their popular Harvest Bowl:
Calories: 705
FatL 38g
Sodium:905g
Carbs: 57g
Fiber: 9g
Protein: 39g

So... how do you put one of these together?
We found this to be very helpful. It can be very easy to overfill your bowl, especially if you're a big fan of fats or carbs. Don't worry about being too exact on the percentages. This picture just gives good ideas of about how much and also offers a few options in each category.

We've made a few recipes that you can find at the bottom of the page.

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