Egg Muffin in Minutes Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

Believe it or not the recipe for the egg muffin above took minutes to make. EatbyColor.com is full of real life recipes. Real life means fast, easy to make. In this case not only is the egg muffin convenient but it is portable.

Ingredients:

1-4 Eggs

1 English Muffin

Cheese (if you are so inclined)

Black Pepper

Scramble the eggs, but before they set quit scrambling the. You want an egg pancake if you will that will sit nicely between the top and bottom of your muffin. Toast your english muffin. Once the eggs are cooked place between the muffin halves, top with your favorite cheese. Boom, wow, done…egg muffin in minutes!

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This article is the courtesy of Raymond M. Binkowski former fat guy, author of “Eat by Color”, personal trainer and owner of FitWorkz. Its intent is to be shared. If sharing the previous following statement MUST be included any time this article is reproduced in part or entirety. So please feel free to share, you just might change a life!

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Carnival Squash Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

This is carnival squash. Probably the coolest looking of the squash….and yes the delicata is probably the best tasting. What do you do with these things though? Same as the rest of the squash. Yes, their seeds are edible as well.

Ingredients:

1 Carnival Squash

1 TBS Butter

1 TBS Olive Oil

Wash the squash. Cut and remove the seeds…save the seeds as you can bake and eat them too. Melt butter in the microwave or better yet as the oven is warming to 350F set the butter in a bowl on top of the oven…it will melt in a hurry. Mix the olive oil and butter. Brush the oil and butter on to the squash. Place the squash face down on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minute or until a fork can easily pierce the squash. Remove from the oven and use a fork and spoon to remove the meat of the squash from the skin. Done. FYI my one year old LOVES this stuff and he ate most of it.

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Delicata Squash Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

This is a great season recipe and is a great way to use seasonal vegetables like Delicata Squash. I have to tell you the delicata squash is by far the best tasting. Plus you can get uber crazy with presentation or what you may call cirucses…it is great tasting and fun.

Check it out…and make sure you pick up some squash before the season is over. Oh and don’t forget about the kick but things you can do with the seeds…seeds from all varieties of squash are edible.

Ingredients:

2-4 Delicata Squash

2 TBS Butter

1 TBS Olive Oil

Coarse Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Wash the squash. Slice into rings. Melt the butter and combine with olive oil. Brush oil and butter or better yet dip the rings into the butter olive oil combo. Put foil on a cookie sheet. Place rings on cookie sheet. Place in over at 350-400F for 15-30 minutes or until soft and can be cut with fork. Remove and dust with salt, pepper, and parmesan.

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Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

You need to go low carb, but are craving the old fashioned meals, especially scratch made mashed potatoes (I can taste my grandma’s scratch made potatoes with small potato lumps and melted butter right now). I saw this recipe and decided to try it, especially because I like cauliflower so much. This is a GREAT alternative to the potato craving you may seek. My husband even likes this; the one who is not all aboard with the “healthy alternatives”. The best part, you only need 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower

1 32oz Chicken Broth (I use low sodium)

2 TBS minced garlic (equal to 4 garlic cloves)

Chives (optional)

Directions:

Separate the cauliflower into smaller pieces. Put in a large stock pot. Add your chicken broth. If the broth does not cover the cauliflower pieces, add enough water to just cover the cauliflower. Next, add in your garlic.

Turn on the stove to high/medium high and cover, letting the pot come to a slow boil. Turn down the heat to medium/low medium, and let the cauliflower simmer for about 12 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. You may need to vent the lid to prevent over-boiling. Drain in a strainer. You may save some of the broth/water/garlic when you’re straining (about 2 TBS), but I’ve found that there’s enough moisture in the cauliflower that you do not need to save any of the liquid.

Let it cool in the strainer a bit. Then put the cauliflower and garlic remains into your food processor. At this time, you may add the liquid you saved.

Lock the lid, and turn your food processor on high for a few minutes. You may need to stop it and swirl it around a bit in order to get it completely processed. If you didn’t add your liquid yet, and you feel it’s too dry, you may add some of it now and mix again.

You may add chives to this if you feel like you need to. Otherwise, enjoy as is! This serves approx. 4-5 people with 1 cup servings.

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Chocolate Protein and Peanut Butter Moose Poop-Eat by Color Style!

Think outside of the protein shake. No one says that you can not make high protein treats that are easy to make and taste great. Take what we affectionately call “Moose Poop.” These Chocolate Protein and Peanut Butter treats taste incredible, and yes resemble moose poop.

Ingredients:

4-5 Scoops of Beverly International UMP Chocolate

1 Cup of Slow Cook Whole Oats

1 Cup of Your Favorite Peanut Butter

1 Dash of Vanilla

1/4 Cookie Dasher (kind of like an old school ice cream scooper used to make cookies found at Bed, Bath and Beyond)

1.5 Cups of Water

Parchment Paper (not an ingredient but you will need it, I did not have any and used foil)

Combine all ingredients in bowl. A Kitchenaid or similar mixer will make this easier. But you can burn some calories and use a whisk and a spoon. Combine until oats are wet out…so no longer dry…. Cover a cookie sheet with the parchment paper, this prevents are pumpkin protein balls from sticking to the cookie sheet. Then use the cookie dasher and scoop balls out onto the parchment paper. Place in the freezer….lick the spoon and mixer beater parts….done.

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Pumpkin Protein Balls-Eat by Color Style!

No one says that you can not make high protein seasonal treats that are easy to make and taste great. Take the Pumpkin Protein Balls-Eat by Color Style! These festive treats are delish and portable.

Ingredients:

4-5 Scoops of Beverly International UMP Vanilla

1-1/4 Cups of Slow Cook Whole Oats

1 Can of Pumpkin (make you get the can with no sugar added)

1 TBS of Heavy Whipping Cream

1/4 Cookie Dasher (kind of like an old school ice cream scooper used to make cookies found at Bed, Bath and Beyond)

Parchment Paper (not an ingredient but you will need it)

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Great Seed Recipe from Squash-Eat by Color Style!

Did you know you can eat the seeds from more than just pumpkin? Well you can. Here is a great seed recipe from squash seeds.

Great source of fiber
Portable Snack
Rich in vitamins and minerals like folate, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamin A
Seasoned with Limitless Spices and Salts

Ingredients:

Squash Seeds (from two or three acorn squash in this case)

Olive Oil

Kosher Coarse Salt

Pepper

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After removing the seeds from the squash, rinse with water, and remove any strings and bits of squash. Pat dry, and place in a small bowl. Stir the olive oil and salt into the seeds until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet before serving. My three year old LOVED these!

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Fall Apple Recipes your Kids will LOVE-Eat by Color Style!

Fall and just about everywhere in the country the apple selection is flat out awesome! Here are two great Fall Apple Recipes-Eat by Color Style your Kids will LOVE! Quick, easy, and great tasting.

Ingredients:

Apples

Cinammon

2-3 TBS Butter

Quick Oats

1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I used a sugar free blend of splenda and brown sugar)

Table Sugar

Recipe 1

This one is fast, easy, and lower on the carbs and sugar side. Wash, peel and core two apples. Quarter and half them. Place on a plate. Then dust with pure, ground cinnamon and sugar (take the carbs down further by using stevia, splenda, etc.)

Recipe 2

Wash, peel, core, and then slice thin two apples. In a cast iron frying pan/skillet (you MUST use an oven safe frying pan/skillet) melt butter. Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss the apples slice in the butter. Then top with the oats, 1 TBS cinnamon, and the brown sugar. Toss and make sure the apples are all coated really well with butter and the spices. Place the cast iron skillet into the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove, toss, and serve.

This recipe is incredible. For those wanting to watch carbs or macros more closely, cut out the oats and make sure to use a sugar free brown sugar (quite the oxymoron I know.)

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Fall Working Out does Not have to be in a Gym!

Johnsonpumpkinsandmaze.com

Fall working out does not have to be in a gym. Grab the family and head to your local pumpkin patch and corn maze. It is a great way to spend a fall day. The kids will burn some energy and definitely be ready for a nap. Heck, if they all nap you might get to as well. As an added bonus hit the farm stand if they have one. Pick up some pumpkins and all varieties of squash. Need some ideas for squash recipes? Click here. Remember parents the best way to teach your kids about health, wellness, and weightloss is to lead by example.

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Acorn Squash Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

The first of a couple seasonal squash recipes. There are a ton of things you can do with squash. Best part, the whole thing is edible…even the seeds (seeds will be in their own post and recipe.) Before we get to the acorn squash recipe. How about taking a look at getting the family out of the house this fall and moving.

This is a great time of the year to get out with the family and have some seasonal fun. Check out Johnson’s farm. Corn maze, pumpkins, animals, gords, local, and affordable. If you have kids, involve them! Kids love being outdoors doing fun fall stuff. Don’t stop there. Get them involved in the kitchen. My daughter helped make the squash in this recipe. She learned how to prep and make the dish…and that food does not have to come out of a box or a bag.

Ingredients:

1-2 Acorn Squash

Olive Oil

Salt (Kosher, course is best)
Black Pepper

Garlic Salt

Parmesan Cheese

Wash the squash. Cut in half length wise. Then use a large spoon to remove the seeds. Remember keep the seeds because you can eat those too.

Preheat oven to 400. Baste top and bottom of the squash with olive oil. I used one of those fancy basting brushes.

Place face down on foil covered cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet into the oven for 25-40 minutes. They are done when soft and a fork or knife can easily push into them.

Remove from the oven. Flip over. Dust with salt, pepper, and parmesan. Even the skin is edible.

The finished product if you will. If you like the skin eat it. If not use your fork or spoon and spoon out the soft inside. Note: Even the one year old enjoyed these at dinner.

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Healthy Protein Waffle Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

Kids love these and so will you. Healthy, protein waffles you can make at home. Why buy them at the store? Store bought are high in carbs, sugar, preservatives and price. Why not teach your kids about healthy eating and get them involved in the kitchen?

Ingredients:

Beverly International UMP

Oatmeal or Pancake Batter

Strawberries

2 Eggs

Combine in a blender bottle….2 scoops of the UMP, 1 cup of the pancake batter (see box for instructions you are going to swap about half of the powder for UMP.) Add water per box instructions. Toss in both eggs. Shake in the blender bottle. You want a thick cake batter or cookie consistently poor into the waffle iron and you are done. It is not uncommon for me to make 30 waffles and freeze most them. Toss in the toaster and your kids have a great breakfast.

Low Carb Sausage, Peppers, Mushrooms and More!-Eat by Color Style!

You know that looks great! Italian sausage, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, mozzarella…big on taste! This low Low Carb Sausage, Peppers, Mushrooms and More!-Eat by Color Style…is fast and easy to prepare. Plus it can be healthy if you use one of the lower fat sausages.

Ingredients:

Italian Sausage

Tomatoes

Onions

Mozzarella Cheese

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Mushrooms

Grill the sausage. Wash the peppers and toss them on the grill too. Grilled peppers are great tasting and easy to prepare.

Slice your mushrooms, peel and slice the onion. Saute the onions and mushrooms.

Remove the peppers from the grill, core, slice and saute.

Slice a second onion to place over the mozzarella with a slice of tomato.

Remove the sausage from the grill, slice, and combine all of the vegetables in one frying or saute pan. Simmer on low heat. Serve, enjoy!

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Low Carb Steak and Sides-Eat by Color Style!

Here is a filling, fast, easy meal. Steak and two sides. Low carb, high fiber, big on taste, and “Eat by Color.”

Ingredients:

Steak (Strips, Filet, etc.0

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Onions

Mozzarella Cheese

Fold It

Parmesan and Romano Cheeses

Oregano

Basil

Kosher Salt

Grill the steaks to your liking. Place foil on the grill and brush on some olive oil. Toast the Fold Its.

Wash the vegetables. Peel the cucumbers and chop both the onions and tomatoes. Put the vegetables in a dish and top with olive oil, vinegar, and dust with spice. If you have a lid cover and shake…if not toss with a salad fork. Place in the fridge.

Slice the mozzarella, another tomato and another peeled onion. Remove the Fold Its from the grill. Top with a slice each of mozzarella, tomato, and onion. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Dust with spices and cheese.

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Make Your Fresh Vegetables Last Longer

Do you find yourself buying fresh vegetables only to have them spoil before you eat them? Here is a neat trick one of my clients shared with me some time back. Put the vegetables in a mason jar. Then put in the refrigerator and watch how much longer they last.

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Margherita Spaghetti Squash

If you are craving pasta or any type of noodle, but need to be eating vegetables, the spaghetti squash is your way of getting 2 in 1! This recipe is a favorite at our house. It’s a good way to feel like an Italian feast at your house. Spaghetti squash is easy to bake so not a lot of ingredients are needed. You can dress it up anyway you’d like. The recipe used here is typical of what we do at our house:

Ingredients:

1 large Spaghetti Squash

1 TBS Olive Oil

1 Tomato, diced

Italian Seasoning

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off of the spaghetti squash.

Then split the squash in half length wise. You’ll need to scoop the seeds out of the squash before baking it.

Once you’ve done that, place in a Pyrex dish, or any other oven safe pan. Drizzle the olive oil inside the spaghetti squash.

Before placing the dish in the oven to bake, you need to flip over the squash, so it’ll cook flat side down.

Set the timer for 40 minutes. After your time is up, take the squash out of the oven. Flip it back over, and with a fork, string apart horizontally the strands of the squash. It should be effortless. If it’s still a little tough, stick it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes depending on toughness. Once the squash has been stringed apart, leave it inside the shell for the next few steps. Add in your diced tomato, Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese. Put the squash back in the oven for another 5 minutes to let the cheese melt and to warm up the tomatoes. When time is up, take it out and let it rest for a few minutes to cool.

Take as much as you’d like for your meal. To complete the meal, I make turkey meatballs so it’s a full on Italian dish that follows Eat by Color. Enjoy!

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Low Carb Your Taco Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

Low carb your taco by ditching the shell and tortilla. How? Replace them

with a pepper. Up the protein of the classic

taco by swapping plain greek yogurt for sour cream. Yes, it just keep getting better with this one.

Ingredients:

2 Lbs of Lean Ground Beef

3-5 Peppers

Plain Greek Yogurt

Cheddar Cheese

Taco Seasoning

Wash the peppers, brown and drain the meat, add the taco seasoning per instructions on packet. Core the peppers. Put cheese in the bottom of the peppers. Fill with ground beef. Top with more cheese and yogurt. Go nuts with salsa, hot sauce, guacamole.…and anything else you can think of!

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Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup-Eat by Color Style!

Tell me that does not look good….heck yeah it does. Here is the best part it is crazy EASY to make. All you need is a crock pot or slow cooker. Crock pot chicken enchilada soup “Eat by Color” style.

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 cups good-quality chicken stock
10-ounce can red enchilada sauce

2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, OK this is OPTIONAL! Want lower carb ditch the beans.
1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn**, drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste

Get Crazy Ingredients:

You can really get nuts here. Go with what you have in the house already; chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips.

Toss everything into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours….or high for half as much time. Top with your favorite get crazy ingredients and boom you are done.

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Rotisserie Chicken Wrap Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

How many times have you walked past one of these at the grocery store? Probably every time at the store. The rotisserie chicken is already cooked and ready to go. You can do any number of things with one of these birds. For the price and convenience they are a great lunch or dinner option…yes lunch! If you work by a grocery store one of these birds can be lunch! For less than a meal at a restaurant and less time too!

Shred the chicken…trim the skin and you will ditch most of the fat. Put some olive oil in a frying pan. Put the chick in the pan. Add some of your favorite vegetables. Saute and you have a meal.

Once the vegetables are starting to soften call it done. This also will make a great wrap. Once again I am in the tank for the Fold It’s!

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Low Carb Chicken Stir Fry of Sorts-Eat by Color Style!

Quick and easy. Peppers, chicken, onions, sour cream.

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Low Carb Wrap-Eat by Color Style

Left overs can get mundane but they do not have to. Sometimes eating the same thing a few days in a row can lead to binging on something you really should not have. Keep it interesting. Here is one way to do that. Turn that left over crock pot/slow cooker shredded chicken into an incredible wrap!

Ingredients:

Shredded Chicken (left over from crock pot meal)

Bag of frozen vegetables (left over as well)

Olive Oil

Combine chicken, veggies, and oil in sauce pan. Saute. Then get your flat out or fold it wrap and wrap it up. Done! Great tasting low carb wrap using left overs in minutes time! Top with some cheese, hot sauce, or even guacamole!

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Peppers, Steak, Onions and Steak-Eat by Color Style!

Steak is always great off the grill and an incredible source of protein rich in B vitamins, zinc and iron…things we do not get from poultry or fish. Peppers, onions, tomatoes, and garlic make a great side. This pairing can be enjoyed all year long and takes a short time to prepare.

Ingredients:

Steak (number of people you are feeding will dictate how much)

3 Green Peppers

1 Sweet Onion

Garlic

Olive Oil

3 Tomatoes

1 TBS Butter

Parmesan Cheese

Wash the vegetables. Core the peppers and get ride of the seeds. Cube or quarter the tomatoes. Peel and chop the onion. Put the steak on the grill and cook to your liking. Mince the garlic and add vegetables, oil, and garlic to frying pan and sautee. Grate some of the parm into a bowl this will be used to top the vegetables right before serving. The butter slice thin and put the steak 2 minutes before taking off the grill….right before taking the steak off the grill dust with some of the parm.

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Homemade Guacamole Recipe-Eat by Color Style!

Guacamole. Most of the time when we hear that we think…chips, salsa, great Mexican food, an ice cold Corona, and maybe a margarita. What we do not think of is a condiment. Guacamole is a great healthy fat replacement for things like mayo. Try it on a sandwich…you already know we are in the bag for flat out and fold its….or a wrap. How about on a burger or chicken breast.

Ingredients:

2 medium-size ripe avocados
2 to 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
3/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground coriander (optional, if you do not have it skip it!)
Pinch ground cumin
3 to 4 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeño (optional not everyone in my house will eat it with this)

Halve the avocados, pit them, and scoop the flesh with a large spoon into a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle the 2 Tbs. lime juice over the avocados, add the salt, coriander, and cumin, and use a wooden spoon to break up the avocados, stirring until they’re coarsely mashed. Stir in 3 Tbs. of the cilantro and the jalapeño. Taste and add more lime juice, cilantro, and salt as needed.

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Low Carb Scrambled Egg Wrap-Eat by Color Style!

Make those scrambled eggs portable using a flat out wrap. Scramble a few eggs (keep the yolks or don’t up to you.) Extras…cheese, salsa, sausage, bacon, peppers, hot sauce…extras are any of the previous or more that you can top your wrap with. I actually quartered the flat out, then toasted two quarters at a time. This makes it more a crunchy sandwich and less a wrap.

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Low Carb and High Protein Fold It Pizza-Eat by Color Style

Low carb. High protein. High fiber. Uses left overs. Fast and easy to make. Kids love them! What more can you ask for?

OK. I have mentioned the past that I love the Flat Out and Fold Its. They rock. High fiber, and they can be used to make just about anything. Today, BBQ chicken pizza.Oh and yes the chicken was already cooked. So great way to use up those leftovers in the oven or the toaster oven.

Ingedients

Chicken (left overs)

BBQ Sauce (get the low carb/sugar if you please)

Shredded Cheddar

Olive Oil

Fold It

Put foil on a cookie sheet, this saves time at clean up. Coat the foil with olive oil. Set oven to 350-375F. Slice the chicken thin. Place the chicken on the Fold It. Spread some BBQ sauce. Top with cheddar. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the Fold It is crispy. Bonus you can control the BBQ sauce or go with low carb and go easy on the cheddar…this will drop the calories, carbs, and fat.

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Low Carb Tomato and Spincah Salad-Eat by Color Style!

So what do you do with all of those tomatoes from the garden? Get creative. Spinach and tomato salad is quick and painless to make. As a bonus you can use up a ton of that fall harvest from the garden.

Ingedients:

Cherry Tomatoes

Spinach

Olive Oil

Wash the tomatoes and spinach. Quarter the tomatoes and combine with spinach in large bowl. Top with olive oil. Optionally top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, garlic, and crushed black pepper. Done!

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Low Carb Cucumber and Onion Side-Eat by Color Style!

Fast, easy. Two words that describe this low carb side. The options to this combo never seem to end. This time…

Ingedients:

Cucumber

Sweet Onion

Olive Oil (try some infused oil from The Olive Oil Experience)

Vinegar (same as above go out on a limb and try something different)

Slice the cucumbers. Wash them first of course. Leave the skin on or peel them, up to you. Slice and chop the onion. Combine bowl. Add oil and vinegar. Dash some salt and a little pepper and you are done. Cover and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

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Low Carb Egg, Vegetable, Chicken, and Sausage Wrap-Eat by Color Style!

Low carb, egg, vegetable, sausage wrap. Here is the best part. I used left overs. Better part this took no time to make AND it is highly portable to so great to eat on the on the go. It is also a great spin on a wrap for lunch.

Ingedients:

Vegetables (left over broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower basically a California blend)

Grilled Sausage (left over)

Rice (quinoa or cous cous will work too and yes this was a leftover)

Grilled Chicken (another left over)

Flat Out Wrap (the flax flavor are my favorite. I can not say enough about these they are high fiber and taste great)

Eggs

Olive Oil

Toss everything except the wrap in to a flying pan with some olive oil. Everything has already been cooked so just warm every thing up in the pan. In a second frying pan scramble some eggs. You can go two to three egg whites to one whole egg to drop the calories or macros if you are so inclined.

Add to a Flat Out.

Top with salsa, hot sauce, or what ever floats your boat. This is a great low carb, high protein, high fiber, vegetable, sausage, and chicken wrap!

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Unboring Low Carb Broccoli-Eat by Color Style!

Broccoli it really does net get any more boring than that. The good news is that broccoli is fast and easy to make. Plus it is EASY to make it unboring.

Ingredients:

Broccoli (fresh or frozen)

Italian Dressing (any brand is fine)

Steam the broccoli. Remove from steamer basket, place in bowl and top with dressing. You do not want to make broccoli soup. Just enough dressing to add some flavor and to unboring the broccoli. This is a great low carb side dish that will pair with almost any entree.

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Low Carb Peppers Side Dish-Eat by Color Style

It is not that hard to drop the carbs from dinner or any meal. It just takes a little creativity. Now I am not saying that carbs are all bad, the fact is they are not. BUT, we need to make sure we do not over eat them.

Ingredients:

Sweet Peppers (One Bag)

1 Sweet Onion

Olive Oil

Black Pepper

Garlic

Wash the peppers, I leave them with the stem and seeds until they are served. Chop the onion and garlic. Sautee everything in olive oil. Dust with black pepper and add some fresh pressed garlic.

Done! Great low carb side dish to about any dinner, any time of year.

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Grilled Italian Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Garlic Eat by Color Style!

This is a great low carb take on Italian. You do not always need pasta. Swap the pasta in this case for the peppers.

Ingredients:

Italian Sausage

Peppers of all Colors

1 Sweet Onion

Garlic

Grill the sausage. Then slice. Sautee the vegetables, garlic, and sausage in olive oil. Remove from heat and top with parmesan cheese. Done!

Feel free to go crazy and top with your favorite marinara sauce! You can also swap chicken breast for the Italian sausage.

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Baked Vegetables-Eat by Color Style!

If you’re looking for a new way to cook vegetables, this method is quick, easy, and DELICIOUS! Baking vegetables in the oven gives them a different taste it seems without adding any seasoning to them. My husband and I have been making this frequently and we go through half the pan in one meal! We pile the veggies high though, so this could serve a family of 4 if you put your portions to 1/2 a cup.

Ingredients:

Vegetables of your liking (Broccoli, cauliflower, and baby carrots are featured in this photo)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Set your oven to 450 degrees. Slice your selected veggies to bite size pieces, and place them on a cookie sheet (you may need to put a non-stick spray on depending on the coating of your cookie sheet). Spread out the vegetables so they’re in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over top of the vegetables (it doesn’t need to be coated). Place in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes.

I like to flip the veggies over half way through the cooking time so they cook more evenly, but it is not necessary. If you want some heat, add a small amount of Red Pepper Flakes after baking.

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Protein Popsicles, Eat by Color Style!

Limits exist only in our mind. The more creative we can get the less there are limits. Not sure there is a place more true than when we look at food and food choices. Sometimes it just takes a little creativity to keep eating healthy from getting boring.

Here is an example of that. Protein popsicles. There is no limit the options with these. Plus…kids LOVE THEM!!! Not only that but kids enjoy getting involved in making them. This is a great way to start teaching kids how to make better food choices and that taste good treats don’t need to come out of a box or bag.

Recipe:

4 Scoops of Beverly International UMP (protein is NOT protein and Beverly is the Rolls Royce of the industry….tastes great….even my kids love it!)

4 TBS Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

Blend in a blender or your favorite shaker cup. Fill the popsycle molds and freeze. Tomorrow you will have a great treat. Each pair of popsycle is going to be around 200 calories and 20 grams of protein and a minimal amount of sugar. Compare this to the fat free, high in sugar store bought popsycles!

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Shish-Ka-Bob, original Dragobobs!

Summer is coming to an end. What better way to end summer than with the season favorite. Shish-kabobs! Better yet, the real-deal, original party in your mouth Dragobobs! Never had them…click the link and get some. They have been a favorite of the Chicago south side Hegewish neighborhood for decades. How did I get them? Well I know a guy…better yet the guy. 🙂

Ka-bobs are a great year round food, as long as you are willing to brave the elements. This example is the original Dragobobs. (You can also get them in chicken breast, if you want the healthiest option.)

Here is the prep…insider secret seek out the bamboo skewers as they do not splinter.

I skewered some vegetables to go with the pork. “My guy” said via text that my meat is too close together…whatever that means…and that it will cook a bit longer. Normal cook time is about 15 minutes on medium or 350-400. Apparently the skewing directions can be found HERE on their facebook page.

After the grill the skewers get dipped in here (a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice…exact ratio I am not sharing), and then ready to eat. The vegetables will also be basted with this before going on the grill.

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Easy Eat by Color Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Easy “Eat by Color” Parmesan crusted red potatoes are a great summer side. These spuds, sausage, and a great side make for a very “Eat by Color” meal, in a short amount of time!

Red Potatos

Thyme

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Salt

Salt

Olive Oil

Wash the potatoes. In the interest of time and feeding an already really hungry framily…I nuked the potatoes for 6 minutes. If time permits they could be cooked on the grill but be prepared to wait, and wait, and wait for them to be done. Took them out, sliced them thin. Put some olive oil in a cast iron frying pan and brought to heat. I added the sliced potatoes, thyme (to taste or what looks like will taste great), dust with garlic salt and salt. Sautee for a few minutes until the potatoes are soft and begin to take the hue of the oil. Remove from heat and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on and toss with serving spoon. Done in less than 15 minutes.

We hit Wiltse’s one of our local farmers markets. They had great red potatoes, sweet corn, and a variety of peppers. The tomatoes are from our garden. We picked up a basket of the potatoes for a few dollars.

Here is what our entire meal looked like.

Mozzarella over tomatoes with oil and vinegar.

Fresh sweet corn, brats, and Italian Sausage.

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Uncle Bud’s Salmon, Sweet Potato, and Cucumber

What is better in the summer than firing up the grill? Grabbing a large bowl, harvesting some vegetables from your own garden and then firing up the grill.

Why Uncle Bud’s? Because Bud turned me on to these great salmon filets. 🙂 This is a great meal that takes a half hour or less to prepare. Grilled salmons and sweet potatoes with sides of cucumber in Greek yogurt, yes yogurt, and cucumber with cherry tomatoes. Plus this is a great “Eat by Color” recipe that anyone can make.

Here is what you need:

2 Individual Marinated Salmon (number based on how man you are feeding)

Cucumbers (fresh from the garden)

Cherry Tomatoes (fresh from the garden)

Plain Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)

Toasted Seasme Oil (I used a great toasted sesame oil from the Olive Oil Experience)

Balsamic Vinegar

Sweet Potato

Let’s start with the sweet potato. I love potatoes off the grill. The problem is it takes FOREVER for them to cook on the grill. So I wash them, then nuke them for 5 minutes. From there into some foil and onto the grill.

Next place the salmon on a sheet of foil and then the foil onto the grill. Note the foil wrapped potato in the back ground. The salmon I used was from one of the warehouse stores. They come pre-marinated and are great because you can pull out how many you need from the freezer, let them thaw and then cook. No need to season or anything. Grill for 20 minutes or until fish will flake with your fork.

Some of the vegetables from the garden today. Notice I did not use all of them that I picked today. They made for a great pic so what the heck.

Wash everything. Slice and peel if you are so inclined the cucumber. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

Combine the cherry tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl. Pour oil and balsamic over, cover with lid and shake. If you do not have a lid mix with a large serving spoon. Refrigerate until food comes off the grill.

Take another cucumber. Slice and put in bowl. Top with 1 cup of Greek, Plain Yogurt. This is a great way to up the protein content of your side. It is a modern, high protein play on the old cucumber and sour cream recipe.

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Zucchini “Eat by Color” Style

What do you do with all of the Zucchini that is ripening in the garden?

Get creative and grill zucchini boats!

Zucchini boats are a great low-carb side. Here they are as a compliment to steak, corn on the cob, and green peppers. All done on the grill.

The Boats

One large Zucchini

Panko (I had this from previous recipes)

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Italian or Greek Seasoning

Cherry Tomatos

Fresh Sliced Parmesan

Olive Oil

Cut the zucchini in half. Use a spoon to core out the center. Mix 1.5 cups of panko, seasoning, cheese. Brush olive oil on the zucchini. Put the zucchini on the grill face down for 8 minutes. I used on vegetable grill basket but this is not necessary. Remove zucchini from grill and fill with the panko mix. Top with slice cherry tomatoes. Slice cheese and put on top. Place back on the grill until the cheese has melted and the zucchini is tender.

What better summer dessert than SMORES! Yes, if you want something have it. Even smores! Plus this is a great way to engage the whole family in some outdoor fun together.

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Spice and Oil for Great Summer Meals

OK, so everyone loves great tasting summer meals. Even better if you can pick from your garden and cook over flames on the grill.

One of the greatest ways to up the taste of with going off the “Eat by Color” meal plan is to use spices, oils, and vinegars. We love The Olive Oil Experience for this. They carry a TON of great options to make great summer “Eat by Color” meals even better.

Here is one of our favorites.

Grilled Turkey Burgers, Grilled Asparagus, Cucumber/Onion, and Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil

So we have a meat, an appetizer, and two sides.

Turkey Burgers

2 lbs Ground Turkey (get the 99% lean, not that I have anything against fat, I don’t but the other ground turkey is the ground leftover everything else they can’t sell, this should be all breast)

1 Egg

Spices from The Olive Oil Experience see pics for what I used but there is nothing sacred about what you use. Pick what satisfies your taste. The great thing about almost all spices is that you can use all you want with not ill effect on weightloss…..

Panko (yes Panko I usually use Oatmeal but had some Panko and went with it)

Combine in large bowl, mix, make patties, and grill.

Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil

2 Tomatos

1 Package of fresh Mozzarella

1 Vidalia Onion

Basil (I was actually out of Basil and did not know until it was to late so I used Oregano)

Olive Oil (Or0 Bailen from The Olive Oil Experience)

Balsamic Vinegar

Wash and slice the tomatoes, slice the mozz, peel and slice the onion, stack on the plate, top with oil, vinegar, and basil (if you are not out like I was doh!)

Cucumber/Onion/Tomato

2 Large Cucucmers

1 Vidalia Onion

2 Tomatoes

Honey Ginger Balsamic (from the Olive Oil Experience)

Persian Lime Oil (from the Olive Oil Experience)

Wash Cucumbers and Tomatoes, peel cucumber, cube/quarter/eighth the tomato, peel/cube/quarter/eighth the onion, combine in bowl. Top with Persian Lime Oil and Honey Ginger Balsamic….then refrigerate. For some reason this tastes best chilled.

Grilled Asparagus

1 lbs of Asparagus (I got some great stuff from Wiltse’s a local farm/market)

Honey Ginger Balsamic (from the Olive Oil Experience)

Persian Lime Oil (from the Olive Oil Experience)

Wash and trim the asparagus. Put asparagus on aluminum foil, top with oil and vinegar, fold and crimp edges of foil, grill for 30 minutes.

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Eat By Color Easy Chicken For The Week!

Summer is a fun, yet busy time of the year. We are constantly on the go which makes grabbing food on the go happen probably more often than we’d like it to! I have found that by making this crock pot chicken on Sunday helps to keep me in check for the entire week! I like to throw lots of veggies to cook with the chicken for a quick, portable, pre-made, take along Eat By Color Meal. The other night I ate my healthy portion and added BBQ sauce to some for sandwiches for the rest of the family before we ran off to baseball. The possibilities are endless……

Staying prepared equates to you staying on track!

Ingredients
4 (4 oz) Chicken breasts
2 cups Chicken stock (or 2 chicken bullion cubes + 2 cups water)
Optional: Salt and pepper to taste, 1 pkt stevia, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, or any other seasoning of choice

Nutrition Breakdown
4 Servings (each serving yeilds 1/2 cup shredded chicken)
184 Calories per Serving
2 g Fat
0 g Carbohydrate
0 g Fiber
0 g Sugar
37 g Protein

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Eat By Color Salsa Chicken

This is one of my absolute favorite meals. Easy to make and so versatile you can use it in a number of different ways all week long!
Here are a few suggestions:
Serve as a wrap
Serve over brown rice
Serve in a salad
Use tortilla chips as a spoon
Just eat it cold and your protein and veggie servings are covered!

If you are doing once/week food prep, I suggest doubling the recipe. Because of the many meal options, this is also a wonderful dish to use at parties in place of the usual italian beef or pizza and so much better for everyone!

Minutes to Prepare: 5
Minutes to Cook: 6-8 hours on low
Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients
2 pounds (32 ounces) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 cup salsa, homemade or purchased
1 cup petite diced canned tomatoes (choose low-sodium)
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 cup onions, diced fine
1/2 cup celery diced fine
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons sour cream, reduced fat

Salsa Chicken is easy to make; just put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let the machine do the work. There are infinite variations, and your family is guaranteed to like each one.
15 minutes to prepare; 6-8 hours of active cooking time
Makes 8 one-cup servings of chicken.

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat then layer the vegetables and salsa on top. Pour a half cup water over the mixture, (do not us too much water! If chicken becomes too runny, place in a strainer for a bit) set on low and cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is cooked when it shreds or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. When ready to serve, break up the chicken with two forks then stir in the sour cream.
Makes eight 1 cup servings.

MAKE YOUR OWN TACO SEASONING:

Makes 2 Tablespoons:
2 tsp hot chilli powder
1.5 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

This article is the courtesy of Raymond M. Binkowski former fat buy, author of “Eat by Color”, personal trainer and owner of FitWorkz. Its intent is to be shared. If sharing the previous following statement MUST be included any time this article is reproduced in part or entirety.

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High Protein Lemon Coleslaw

I know I can’t be the only one who actually feels anxiety over attending events where your meal is out of your control! Many times I bring my own food, but that seems to draw attention to the fact that I am trying to lose weight and quite honestly makes me feel like everyone is now watching anything that I eat. Paranoia? Possibly, but I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences.

I am arming myself with a secret weapon…….The Dish To Pass. Doesn’t matter if it is required or not, don’t even ask….just bring something! Having a healthy side dish that you know fits into your Eat By Color nutritional plan will allow you to enjoy whatever meat is being offered and a side without throwing up the “I’m trying to lose weight” banner, keep you on track and most hosts are usually appreciative of any goodies a guest brings.

The great thing about slaw is that it has cabbage. Cabbage is a super food that none of us get enough us.

Lemon Coleslaw

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Plain Greek Yogurt (this is a great way to up your protein in cole slaw, replacing sour cream in many recipes with greek yogurt is a simple way to up the protein)
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb purple cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips or coarsely grated
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced diagonally (1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Directions

Chop all of the vegetables or use your food processor. Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, zest, lemon juice, sugar, water, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.
Add cabbage, carrots, scallions, and parsley and toss well. Chill, covered, 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper.

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One more craving buster! I whipped these up last night and they went over pretty good with a 6 year old! What an excellent way to get kids to eat veggies! Next round I will definitely add a touch more flavor before baking, but overall I’d say they were a hit!

Guilt-Free Pizza Bites (Cauliflower Pizza Bites)

Prep time: 10 Minutes – Cook time: 25-30 Minutes
Yield: Makes 24 Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Ingredients:
• 2 Cups Grated Cauliflower (washed, dried and grated using a food processor or cheese grater by hand until rice-like or thinner – Note – Approximately one head of cauliflower)
• 1/4 Cup Egg Whites
• 1 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese (drained)
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 2 Tsp Parsley
• 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Optional)
• 1-2 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce (Optional)
Directions:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 F.
2. Using a healthy cooking oil spray your mini muffin tin.
3. In a hot frying pan stir fry the “cauliflower rice” until the cauliflower is slightly translucent (about 6-8 minutes). Place in a bowl and let cool.
4. Place all other ingredients the food processor and blend until smooth.
5. In a bowl combine both the “cauliflower rice” and blended ingredients. Mix completely.
6. Evenly spoon mixture into your muffin tin molds. Press pizza dough down evenly and firmly (*The pressing down firmly is very important to make sure these stick together).
7. Place in your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
8. Remove the pizza bites from the oven and let set until cool (This is also very important – let these pizza bites set in their pan for 5 – 10 minutes before removing – If you take them out while they are too hot they will break).
9. Once cool remove from muffin tin (either by tipping them out OR by running a thin knife down along the side and popping them out).
10. Use organic, natural pizza or pasta sauce for dipping (or make your own sauce)
11. Enjoy!

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Eat By Color Zucchini Chips

Cold, rainy days trigger the worst munchies! Here’s another craving buster! Shoot us some feedback if you try these! This zucchini recipe is fun and makes for a great snack. Pair this with the “Eat by Color” red pepper hummus recipe found here and you have a great snack just in time for the games this fall!

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Zucchini Chips

Cut a zucchini into thin slices and toss in 1 Tbsp olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 450°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Using paprika not only to flavor this healthy snack, but also to boost your metabolism, reduce your appetite, and lower your blood pressure.

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Eat by Color Loaded Cauliflower

We wouldn’t recommend this as an everyday dish, but if you are crazily craving a plate of loaded potato skins, this veggie dish might be just what you need to keep it cleaner and not go on a binge! This is a great lower carb side. Combine with a protein and you have a great Eat by Color meal!

Replacing the sour cream, mayo, bacon and cheese with a lighter version will help keep this under control and still satisfy!

LOADED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

1 large head of Cauliflower cut into bite size pieces (approx 6 cups)
6-8 strips of bacon cooked and crumbled (Cooked in oven at 400° for 20 mins)
6 Tbs chopped Chives
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream (swap Plain Greek Yogurt and drive up the Protein Contest of this dish)
2 cups Colby Jack Cheese ( may use cheddar)
8 oz container sliced mushrooms

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°
In a large pot boil water and cook Cauliflower for 8 – 10 minutes, drain and let cool.
In a large bowl combine sour cream, mayo, 1/2 of crumbled bacon, 3tbs chives, 1 cups of cheese, mushrooms and cauliflower and mix well… place in baking dish and cover with remaining 1 cup of cheese and rest of bacon crumbles. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. top with remaining 3Tbs chives and serve.
ENJOY!!!!

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Eat By Color Red Pepper Hummus

Red Pepper Hummus

A great “snack lunch” alternative! High in vegan protein and very tasty. The hardest part of this recipe was locating Tahini! A fresh, easy treat, so much better tasting and better for you than store bought! No preservatives and no sodium, just yum!

Original recipe makes 2 cups
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

HINT: I am told the secret to a great hummus is to run your food processor after you add each ingredient.

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Eat By Color Egg White Pancakes

Oatmeal & egg white pancakes. They say once you try these, you will never go back. Tastes like French toast! High protein pancakes Eat by Color Style!

Ingredients:
6 egg whites
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Number of Servings: 3

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
181 Calories, 2.7g Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 361mg Sodium, 20g Carbs

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Blackened Chicken Breast Over Cilantro Lime Quinoa with Greek Yogurt Avocado

Blackened Chicken Breast Over Cilantro Lime Quinoa with Greek Yogurt Avocado Puree

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup quinoa
Juice and zest from two limes
Dash of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 avocados
3 oz plain Greek Yogurt

Directions:
Combine all dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix together and season both sides of a chicken breast. Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a large pan or skillet. Heat over medium/high heat. Add chicken, cover with lid, and cook for 7 minutes on each side. Add chicken stock and quinoa to medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes with lid on, until all the stock has been absorbed. Once chicken breasts are finished cooking, allow to cool before slicing. Toss cooked quinoa in lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro. Combine avocado, Greek yogurt, teaspoon of lemon juice, and a little cilantro in a mini-food processor. Add milk to desired consistency.

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Zesty Lime Shrimp And Avocado Salad

Am I the only one craving fresh fruits and veggies right now? Just looking at this yummy dish makes me want to get in the garden! Low carb, high in protein and high in the healthy fats found in avocados. Plus not just another chicken, beef, or fish dinner.

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped*
1 medium tomato, diced
1 hass avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 limes, juice of
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

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Eat By Color Un-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I was somewhat busy trying out new things on the family this weekend. This was a hit, even with a 6 year old who swore he hated cabbage! One bite and he was hooked! Plus this is a great way to cut the carbs at dinner and in their place put some great Eat by Color vegetables!

UN~STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Cabbage is a superfood with lots of nutrients! Among many other health benefits, it is known for healing stomach ulcers and preventing cancer –especially colon cancer. It is a very alkaline forming food. Eat it often!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

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Eat By Color Gluten Free Brownies

Getting chocolate fingerprints on your Mustang steering wheel! Here ya go!

150g raw sweet potatoes
37g Beverly International chocolate Muscle Provider
1 tsp baking powder
2 pkts Stevia in the Raw
1 T Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
15g Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4-1/2c brewed coffee

Spray foil with cooking spray. Seal sweet potatoes & one ice cube in foil packet & bake at 400 degrees for 55 minutes (yes, they’ll burn but that’s ok – you want that caramelization). Leave sweet potatoes sealed in foil pack until they cool (keeping the moisture in the packet will help release the caramelized potatoes from the foil). I’ll prep 4 pkgs of these at a time & keep them in the fridge to make one batch of brownies each day.

Mix together baked sweet potatoes, Muscle Provider, baking powder, stevia, cocoa powder, & vanilla until blended well & no hunks of sweet potato remain. Add in enough coffee to make a pourable batter. Pour mixture into a dish sprayed with cooking oil. Sprinkle chips over the top. Put baking dish in a cold oven & set temperature for 375. Bake for apx 25 minutes.

These Brownies would be a great once a week treat! Decadent, yet not as naughty as a regular brownie!

Macros for the entire recipe:
Carbs 48g
Protein 34g
Fat 7.5g
Calories 355

Oh! Added bonus – it’s gluten free!

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5 Minutes to a GREAT Side Dish, Because YOU Do have 5 Minutes

5 Minutes to “Eat by Color” Side Dish

So a week or so back one of my “Eat by Color” custom nutrition client had mentioned she was eating shredded cabbage as a salad. This is a great way to replace carbs/starches at dinner!

I thought boy it had been a while since I bought cabbage or even shredded lettuce. So I bought some of the weekend.

What do do with it though? Put it in the fridge and wait. Last night I was making dinner and noticed some of the infused olive oil. It got me thinking…maybe I should make a coleslaw out of the cabbage. I needed something fast, easy and that could be put together while watching my little ones. Done.

Ingredients

1 Bag of Cabbage

1/4 Cup Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar

3 TBS Organic Lime Olive Oil

2 TBS Sugar

Dash of Salt

Put the cabbage in a bowl. Add the sugar and the salt, I do this now as the liquids will wash them over the cabbage. Next up the oil and then finally the vinegar. Now here is the best part, involve the kids! My 3 year old helped with everything but measuring the oil as I used an actual spoon. Everything else she did.

Mix. I used a real tupperware bowl with a lid that can be securely put on, then shook vigorously. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes and serve. While it was in the fridge I made the rest of dinner.

This made 5-6 servings.

Fat 5g

Carbs 8g

Protein 1g

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No Need to Skip Breakfast with these 5 Breakfasts in 5 Minutes!

5 Breakfasts in 5 Minutes

I just made breakfast for the entire work week in less than 5 minutes and so can you.

A few weeks ago I saw posts on facebook for cold oatmeal that you made in the fridge over night. This is something I had done years ago as it is a great way to have fast, easy meals ready to go when you get up in the morning. The problem with what I was seeing on facebook is that most of the suggested recipes were overloaded in carbs and sugar.

So I thought why not share some really easy, low sugar and high protein ways to do this.

So here you go.

Here is the recipe:

1/2 Cup of oatmeal, I used the quick oat variety and you can use the steal cut, slow cook but personally I see NO benefit in doing so

2 scoops of protein powder, I like the UMP from Beverly International

Cinnamon, the pure ground not sugar added kind

Mix dry ingredients in your bowls. Now, add water to one of the bowls and place in the fridge. This is your breakfast for tomorrow. Tomorrow night, grab the next bowl, add water…you get the idea.

Calories 370

Carbs about 30 grams

Protein about 40 grams

Fat about 2 grams

Want to get real crazy? Add some fresh berries, nuts, or even flax seed.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Your Podcast on How to Start Losing Weight Now with Eat by Color and NO Cardio

Kathy Hart and Ray Binkowski

I recently spent some time with Kathy Hart from the morning show “Eric and Kathy” on The MIX in Chicago and also “Healthy with Hart.”

Kathy and I discussed “Eat by Color” and recorded it as a podcast. If you are ready to make a change and want a simple long term approach to life long health, wellness, and weight loss check out the Podcast and “Eat by Color!” For a limited time you can get the Kindle version of “Eat by Color” free with the print book!

As I was finishing this blog post I met with a young lady that just has lost 11 pounds….in only a month and it was over the holiday season! She did it with “Eat by Color.” How much can you lose?

Things you will learn in the Podcast:

How to Finally GET STARTED!
What is “Eat by Color”, hint: it has nothing to do with the color of food
How to recognize approaches that REALLY work
Why you Don’t need Cardio to lose fat
Supplements, are they snake oil or the holy grail

If you are ready for a simple way to change your life this may be just what you need to get started.

“Eat by Color” Podcast with Kathy Hart!

Looking for great recipes, success stories, and maybe just some pure motivation?

Check us out on

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Your ONE Must do Thing for 2014!

The first of a new year is upon us and with it a clean slate. So what are you going to do with it? No matter what you want from 2014, you are not going to get it if you do not set a goal. Your ONE Must do thing for 2014 is to set a goal! Then develop a plan. This applies to all areas of your life. No goal, and you are a ship lost a sea.

Given the time of year I thought I would share Chapter 6 from “Eat by Color” as it is appropriate.

*Get the entire book here, plus as an added bonus purchase the print version and get the Kindle version for FREE! *

CHAPTER 6

Your First Step to Losing Weight.

How much Fat do you want to Lose and When?

The first step to success with Eat by Color! is setting a goal. In health and fitness, fat loss and weight gain goals are essential. This is not diﬀerent from any other area of your life. To be successful you have to have a clear vision of what it is you want. Whether in business, family or traveling you must know exactly what it is you want or where you intend to go. In the case of traveling, if you are on the East Coast and want to go to California, simply heading west is not going to get you there.

The same can be said for losing fat and improving health. Simply stating that you want to “lose weight” or “get more toned” will not get the job done. You have to clearly define what “lose weight” or “get more toned” means. This is a very individual thing. What one person may consider success in losing weight or becoming toned another may not.

Determine exactly what it is you want. Write the goal down and tell everyone. Statistics and history demonstrate those who set goals and write them down are most successful in attaining them. Certainly there is one area of your life where you have been successful. In this case it is probable that there was a clearly defined goal, win the little league championship, be promoted, graduate from high school, etc. At some point this goal was written down and people were informed of your intentions. Draw from this experience!

Telling others is extremely important as well. It is often very easy to break promises that have been made to oneself. Procrastination allows us to put things oﬀ and just do it later. However, when that promise is made to others it is much more diﬃcult to stop short. Whether it is fear of ridicule from others for not following through or the sense of letting others down, the bottom line is promises and commitments are much harder to break when made to others. This very fact is often the reason that people are so successful at achieving their goals when working with a personal trainer. Commitments have been made to the trainer, financially and other wise and these commitments serve as an obligation that is often hard to break. The result is attainment of your goal.

Everyone has success in some areas of their life. These successes can serve as a tool in health and fat loss as well. Maybe you are the president of an organization, the best bowler in your league, or you have the cleanest car in town. The bottom line is you are successful at or in something. You weren’t born any of those things. You consistently worked at it. Fat loss is no diﬀerent.

Today we have the ability to shape our lives and most definitely our bodies. If we can influence others to elect us to a position in an organization, control a ball rolling down a bowling alley or keep the car extremely clean regardless of the weather or kids, we can certainly choose the direction of our body. Your body is the one thing that you can really control.

Certainly achievement in other areas of life did not come easy. Nothing does. But at some point you kept getting back up and trying again regardless of the stumbling blocks. Most importantly you probably believed that you could do it. Being healthy and losing weight is no diﬀerent. It is not always going to be easy. Many self help and improvement books recommend finding a mentor, some one already successful at what you want to do and model them. Who better to model than you? Take the area you are already successful in? What did you do to become successful and how can you do those same things to be successful in losing fat?

Successful people share a common trait. They believe in what they are doing and keep trying. Life throws a curve ball and maybe they strike out. But you can bet they are back up at the plate the next inning to take another swing. Successful people are not necessarily born to be good at whatever it is they do. Weight loss and health are no diﬀerent. There are going to be setbacks.

You control you!!

You are no more born to be a great bowler than you are to be fat, skinny or unhealthy. Recognize and have the courage to keep getting back up. As long as you keep trying you will succeed.

Notes:

Fat loss and long term health improvements begin with a goal and a plan.

Being successful in losing fat is no diﬀerent than being successful in other areas of your life.

Model your own behavior in other areas of your life where you have been successful.

Get you copy of “Eat by Color” today!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Use These Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain!

Holiday Survival Guide!

Well it is that time of year again. Time to eat, drink, shop, and be merry. The perfect time to add 5 or 10 pounds more weight to lose for the New Years Resolution. It does not have to be that way. No one should look like they stole the cookies and milk from Santa at every house in their neighborhood come the first of the year. Besides if you share with the big man he just may take care of you.

Here are some tips to survive this holiday season;

1) Eat before you leave. Showing up at a gathering hungry is one of the worst things you can do.

2) Stay hydrated. Do not allow thirst to be confused for hunger.

3) Hit the vegetable tray first and often. Skip the dips.

4) Load up on shrimp and crab legs if your host is a big spender and put them out. Skip the crab dips, it is not really crab anyways.

5) Go easy on the sausages, cheese, and crackers.

6) If there is a meal, follow the rules in the Eat by Color article. If you have not read the article, do so next. There will be a quiz later and those that have not read it will fail.

7) If one must drink, have a glass of water or diet coke for every alcoholic beverage.

8) Desert, have some. Some, not one of every cookie and pie on the table. Eat what is enjoyed or seasonal; not the fruitcake just because it is there and no one is eating it. What is in fruitcake anyways is it even cake?

9) Pass taking left overs home. Eating them will not help the starving of the world.

10) If too many adult beverages are consumed, pass the keys to some one responsible. Drinking and driving is never acceptable. Plus it is the holiday season and the roads are shared with Santa, his elves, and eight reindeer.

“I must have gained 10 pounds on Thanksgiving I ate so much…”

Let’s get something straight. No one is going to get “fat” from eating a bit extra a few times this holiday season. But if one does so every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Year’s all bets are off and Santa may have some competition next year. One pound of fat contains a theoretical 3500 calories. So to gain one pound of fat an extra 3500 calories (that is roughly equivalent to 7 Big Macs!) would need to be consumed. Someone eating normally eating 2000 calories a day that would be 5500 calories or an extra day and a half worth of food. Though possible it is not likely. In fact most weight gained from 1 day (not 1 month) of overeating is water. A person that has been eating healthy and exercising may even see a slight decrease in fat weight days later as a day of over eating can crank up the metabolism.

“I ate enough today for the next week. Looks like I will be skipping a few meals tomorrow…”

Point number two to get straight. Skipping meals is a sure way to tell the body it is starving and to store fat. This is a great way to make sure instead of enjoying an increase in metabolism from eating a bit extra that the metabolism grinds to a halt. The best thing to do after a holiday is to wake up and eat a normal breakfast. Then eat every few hours, don’t skip meals.

“I’m gonna pound out a few extra miles on the treadmill this week to work of this meal…”

Point number three to get straight. Eating 1000 calories and burning 1000 calories does not take net calories to ZERO. In other words, calories burned during exercise will not come from that extra piece of pumpkin pie. The calories burned will come from the pie over-indulged in, muscle (remember more muscle = faster metabolism), and body-fat. So forget pounding out a few extra miles to burn off what you ate a day earlier.

Exercise as a daily activity is the best way to combat holiday weight gain. Cardio can help. Weight training is better. Weight training before a big holiday meal is king for controlling fat gain. Sparing the science, less fat is gained if exercise (remember weight training is King) is done before the meal. So hit the weights, do some cardio, and then feast.

Here is a great approach to cardio:

2-3 times per week do one of the following

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Jog for a two minutes

Sprint for a minute.

Repeat 6 times and cool down for 2 minutes.

Warm up on your favorite piece of cardio equipment for 3-5 minutes.

Go all out for 3 minutes (if adventurous and on a treadmill sprint for a mile)

Cool down for 2 minutes and go home.

Happy Holidays!

Holidays are about time with family and friends. A time to catch up, share a laugh, create a memory, and help those that are less fortunate. If able to do that be grateful. Not everyone will be with loved ones this holiday season. Remember those not here and enjoy yourself. Have a few things you do not normally eat and a few drinks. If gone overboard, get back on track the next day. Save some cookies and milk for Santa and GET “EAT by Color.” to make your resolutions a reality!

Happy Holidays from FitWorkz and “Eat by Color”

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

No Time for Breakfast, Try this!

This took two minutes to make this morning.

1 Scoop of Protein

What was left of the yogurt (about a cup)

Handful of Frozen Blueberries

1 TBS of Flax

4 oz of Water

Mix all of the above. Great way to start the day with protein, anti oxidant and fiber rich blueberries, healthy fat and fiber from the flax, and the good bacteria from the Greek yogurt. Best part since the yogurt was about empty I dirtied a spoon…that was it.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Sinful Apple Pie Alternative!

Apple Pie protein Shake……ULTRA YUM!

Fall is upon us. Why not get “Eat by Color” creative and make healthy alternatives to the usual Fall foods? Here is one….more will follow.

Ingredients:

2 Honey Crisp Apples

12 Oz. Almond Milk, or home made Almond Milk

4 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder (we only use Beverly Internationals products, in this case their UMP Vanilla)

Cinnamon to taste (1tbs.)

Dash of nutmeg

12 Ice Cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender

Blend, enjoy and use your favorite cup, mug, glass make it special because you are worth it.

This made enough for two adults and one two and half year old. All three loved it!!! As good as apple pie with out the guilt, sugar, or empty calories.

A GREAT “Eat by Color” meal or snack!

“Eat by Color” is not a diet but instead teaches people to make better food choices for the rest of their lives! It is as easy to follow and understand as children’s pain by number! In fact if you can paint by number you can “Eat by Color” and lose weight!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Wrap it LOW CARB with Lettuce!

So some of you have asked for recipes for the lettuce wrap picture we posted on Facebook.

Why lettuce wraps? Well lettuce is a great replacement for bread or a higher carb option in what we typically call a sandwich. Lettuce makes it EASY to create Eat by Color meals. Now a little history why the bread/fajita for sandwich/wrap? Most likely because it made food more portable and with the bread providing a vehicle to move typically some type of meat from plate to mouth.

Where does sandwich come from? Click here to find out.

A few options for the lettuce wrap. The first is mine. The second a little more on the racy edgy side as I am including a Rachel Rey recipe. There are no rules. Feel free to make recipes your own using foods and ingredients that you have in your house. Simple means it will fit your lifestyle and you will be successful.

Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 lbs of chicken breast

4 fresh peppers, go with red, yellow, green, and orange

Fresh Portabella Mushrooms

Onion

1 Pack of Fajita Seasoning

Instructions

Grill chicken and peppers. Yes grill the peppers just wash them and put the right on the grill. Once the chicken is done remove along with the peppers. Slice the chicken, onion, and peppers into strips. Combine peppers, chicken, onion, and mushrooms in sauce pan with fajita seasoning (follow fajita instructions) and sauté.

Serve on lettuce instead of tortillas.

Feel free to get crazy. If you have something at home add it. There are no rules! Literally as I write this I have a jar of Jalapeno green salsa and yes this would be going on my fajitas.

This is the one that was not posted on our Facebook page but on a friends.

The Sloppy Joe

Brown lean ground beef

Drain fat, and add your favorite Sloppy Joe mix (be weary as some have a ton of carbs and sugar)

Follow directions on Sloppy Joe mix.

Or you can do the following that is from foodnetwork.com. Personally I am not a fan of recipes like this that require ingredients that I may not always have readily available. Remember, success with health, wellness, and weight loss requires the process to fit YOUR lifestyle….fancy pants ingredients don’t fit mine. Read that again, if you are going to be successful with health, wellness, and weight loss the plan you follow has to be easy and fit your lifestyle.

Here is the recipe as it appears here

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal

Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile Sloppy Joe meat onto lettuce.

Get GREAT tips on eating at Eatbycolor.com or on FACEBOOK and please like our page.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Want to Lose 40 lbs? Bob did, So can YOU!

From a 40 inch waist to a 35 inch waist.

Every great once and a while I get a surprise out of nowhere.

That is what happened with Bob. I know him, his wife, and kids. Have for some time. A post showed up on Facebook from Bob, he was following “Eat by Color” and was killing it losing weight.

I had no idea he was following the “Eat by Color” system from my book!

Here is the post I saw on December 12, 2012 on Bob’s page

“My bathroom scale reads to the 10th and said 201.8 today. That’s -38.2 since Sept.7th. 11.8 more (New Goal) Thanks to EAT BY COLOR. p.s. I was not compensated in any way to say that. A new lifestyle (with certain allowances when I reach 190) Yay me.”

Fast forward to Tuesday of this week. Bob showed up to see me at FitWorkz…I was walking up to the front counter with a client and stated “wow you look like a new person!” when I saw him!

In his words

“I went from a “fooling myself” 38 to a 35 inch waist. Fooling because I really did not fit into the 38’s but if I wore them low enough on my waist I could squeeze in, reality was a size 40 actually fit.”

“As a coach I used to spend a lot of time standing on one place yelling. I now do double sessions and actively participate with the athletes in each activity. It is clear they have a new respect for me as I am asking them to do something that I am alongside them doing.”

“I now look in the mirror and can smile or grunt with a sense of satisfaction, before that was just a depressing start to the day.”

On plans for the future…

“I don’t plan to change much. Just continue to cement my changes into a permanent lifestyle.”

On “Eat by Color”

“Eat by Color” clicked for me. The book didn’t insult my intelligence; it simplified a lot of what I already knew. I particularly liked the restaurant guide. Understanding why diets fail and knowing that I could actually eat and not starve my way to a better body was the sell.

Are you ready to change? Click to get your “Eat by Color” and get started today!

What are you waiting for? It has worked for Bob and others. It will work for you too!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Want to Lose 40 lbs or 6 Dress Sizes?

Check out the CHANGE others are experiencing? Do you want to lose 40lbs or 6 dresses? Are you ready for CHANGE?

January 29

Hi Ray,

First of all, thanks for all the emails…it keeps me motivated.

I have been going to Fitworkz for about a year now. I started with your EBC challenge last February. Amazing and simple! I’ve lost nearly 40 lbs and have gone from size 14 to size 6 or 8. I am a breast cancer survivor and have an under active thyroid…so I’ve got a few meds that I take and this program is really working for me! My husband was inspired last year with my results and now we have the whole family being healthier and we run 5k/10k’s as a family in the warmer months!

How’s that for feedback? I’m not a good “sharer” and I don’t do Facebook.

January 28

Still struggling with your weight doing lots of cardio and counting calories or points? FitWorkz member Larry got off that merry go round check this out***What is best? (1) Being able to buy a Large shirt instead of XL for the first time in years (Larry just did) (2) Having your doc say everything is perfect and you just added years onto your life (Larry’s Doc just told him that) or (3) Approaching they weight you were 38 years ago when you got married like Larry is right now (7 more pounds and you are there Larry!!!)***

January 25

“1 month since I started my crazy journey to loose weight and get in better shape and I am also happy to report that I am down 14.6 pounds so far :D”

January 22

“Hello Ray, Here is my last food log. I should tell you that I wore a dress to Church last Sunday and unless the dry cleaners enlarged it, it was quit big on me. My husband went ahead of me to Church because we had guests at the house and he said when I walked into Church he wasn’t quite sure it was me. I guess we will see if there are any changes for sure on next meeting with you. See you at the gym. ” Nothing short of AWESOME!

January 21

Another “Eat by Color” follower down 16 lbs since the first of the year…and he is NOT counting calories or points eatbycolor.com! Roger has done awesome training with Rose and following Eat by Color!

UPDATE: You are almost correct Ray! But as of this morning it’s 20a lbs! !!! Can’t wait for my next workout with Rose! !!!!!! **One time I LOVE being wrong!**

Are you ready to make a change?

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

AMAZING! Lindsay Lost 61 Pounds and 6 Dress Sizes!

Have you ever tried to lose weight? Did you start with all the best of intentions and motivation only to find after a few months not much had changed? How about things changed but very slowly, in other words you killed yourself for a few months and only lost a few measely pounds and your clothes fit no different?

All too familiar. I have seen that time and time again.

In fact here is a recent story.

I own a health club, FitWorkz. Last January I started to notice a new member in the club on a regular basis. As the owner I am there alot and realized she too was there a lot. It became evident she was there 6 or 7 days a week. I watched few people put as much effort and commitmant in than her.

Unfortunately, I knew she was doing the work but, regardless of goal there was a way to work much much much smarter.

Click here and hear her story in her words.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Holiday Survival Guide

Your Eat by Color Holiday Survival Guide!

Here are some tips to survive this holiday season;

1) Eat before you leave. Showing up at a gathering hungry is one of the worst things you can do.

2) Stay hydrated. Do not allow thirst to be confused for hunger.

3) Hit the vegetable tray first and often. Skip the dips.

4) Load up on shrimp and crab legs if your host is a big spender and put them out. Skip the crab dips, it is not really crab anyways.

5) Go easy on the sausages, cheese, and crackers.

6) If there is a meal, follow the rules in the Eat by Color article. If you have not read the article, do so next. There will be a quiz later and those that have not read it will fail.

7) If one must drink, have a glass of water or diet coke for every alcoholic beverage.

9) Pass taking left overs home. Eating them will not help the starving of the world.

“I must have gained 10 pounds on Thanksgiving I ate so much…”

“I ate enough today for the next week. Looks like I will be skipping a few meals tomorrow…”

“I’m gonna pound out a few extra miles on the treadmill this week to work of this meal…”

Here is a great approach to cardio:

2-3 times per week do one of the following

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Jog for a two minutes

Sprint for a minute.

Repeat 6 times and cool down for 2 minutes.

Warm up on your favorite piece of cardio equipment for 3-5 minutes.

Go all out for 3 minutes (if adventurous and on a treadmill sprint for a mile)

Cool down for 2 minutes and go home.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from “Eat by Color”

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

* Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Fast Food for Fat Loss, His and Hers Chili

It is that time of the year. Fall is here. Leaves are falling the temperature is falling. Football is on. No better weather for Chili.

Here is a quick easy recipe for Chili.

What you need:

Chili Seasoning

Ground Beef and Venison

One Onion

Garlic

Your Favorite Hot Pepper

Salsa

2 Cans of Tomato Sauce

Brown the beef and venison. OK, this is called “His and Hers” chili because I am making some for my wife, beef, some for me, venison.

Drain the grease and put back on the stove.

Something different. Dice, slice, or chop an onion. Brown the onion.

Follow the directions on the chili packet. Add the onions and some garlic too.

As a bonus to the “His” chili one of these screaming hot peppers was washed, cored and added hole to simmer in the pot.

One for her and one for him.

Dinner is served.

Great meal that give left overs for a few days!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Fast Food for Fat Loss

Fast Foods for Fat Loss, with Eat by Color

What you need:

Steak

Sweet Potatoes

Asparagus

Garlic, salt, minced, fresh, make it easy

Butter

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Put your steak in a dish, pour some balsamic vinegar on, dust with whatever garlic you have, slice thin pieces of butter put on stop. Set to the side.

Cook sweet potato. Microwave if you must or bake in the oven or on the grill. Slice thin. Put olive oil in frying pan add sliced potatoes, cover and put over low heat. Turn, flip, mix often.

Wash the asparagus. Trim the end. Put in foil. Drizzle some olive oil over. You can go crazy and add some balsamic vinegar or your favorite seasoning.

The steak and asparagus go on the grill.

In 20 minutes you are done. I did this last weekend watching my 20 month old and two dogs.

Left over thought. Have some left over asparagus and steak? Great! Slice it and make a wrap with one of these for lunch tomorrow!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Fast Food for Fat Loss

What you need

Rotisserie Chicken

Peppers

Onion

Garlic, fresh, minced, salt you pick make it easy

Olive Oil

Flatout Foldit, new discovery, high in fiber (none of us eat enough fiber, “Eat by Color” google it topic from the book)

Shred the chicken. I have found your hands work best. Yes, you are going to have to get dirty with this one.

Dice your vegetables

Add Olive Oil to Skillet and turn on the heat, I also dumped the juice from the chick in as well.

Add your chicken and vegetables

Cook until vegetables are soft. Serve as is OR you can make some cool, high fiber flat bread sandwiches using some of these.

This will produce enough food for two people for two meals or more each!

Fast, easy and “Eat by Color!”

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

I have lost over 40 pounds and gone down 4 dress sizes.

Want to lose 40 pounds and 4 dress sizes?

So did Lauren and she did it! In just a few short months…in her words not mine.

Eat By Color is an amazing read that helped me to understand how the food I eat has a long term affect on my health and body. It teaches you how to structure your meals so that you are able to feel full and still lose weight. Overall, I do not feel sluggish anymore after I eat, I have a lot more energy and find myself feeling a lot healthier than I ever have in the past.

Training
I participated in Group Training sessions which really helped me get out of my cardio slump and taught me how to lift weights. In the two months I worked out with a trainer I noticed a huge difference in my muscle definition and it really boosted my weight loss. Since I started working out at Fitworkz, I have lost over 40 pounds and gone done 4 dress sizes.
I am taking a break from training for work reasons but will be picking it back up because it has definitely helped me with weight loss, feel a lot more confident in my working out abilities and has helped me to maintain working out.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Eating to Lose Weight in Minutes!

Do you want to be successful at losing weight and getting in shape? Good news with a little help and info the steps are the same as they are to be good at anything. Set a goal, plan, prepare and execute your plan. That is all fine and dandy but you are busy like everyone else. Who has the time to set goals and make plans?

Here is a fast on the go recipe.

Left Over Chicken off the grill (click here for another great recipe.)

Cucumber (I got my from the garden)

Plain Greek Yogurt (we like the Chobani, great replacement for sour cream)

Tortillas (truth be told these are regular, white flour and not the best but I worked with what I had)

Plate (you have to put the food on something J )

Slice the chicken

Peel the cucumber and slice

Put both on a tortilla and top with yogurt.

Done in minutes.

***Salsa would have been great on this, but we were out so I hit them with some hot sauce.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Lose Weight with Your Leftovers

A few months ago chicken was getting boring. Boring as in no interest to prepare or eat chicken at home. Funny but ordering chicken at a restaurant was not boring.

Eat enough of the same foods often enough and this will happen. I used to think I was different and this did not apply to me. Then it happened with tuna and now chicken.

The fix, get creative.

To spice things up I started grilling a bunch of chicken, nothing new with the grilling chicken part. Then put it in the fridge overnight. Next day for dinner I slice the chicken thin. Great on sandwiches (better than a high end deli meat…plus next time you are at the deli counter look at the chicken breast and wonder what type of chicken has a perfectly rectangular breast?), in salads, or sautéed in olive oil.

Before we get into the food prep let’s talk leftovers. There are a few benefits to left overs that are easily overlooked.

1) They are fast, you already cooked them.

2) If you eat them you cut back on wasted food.

3) Cheaper than eating out.

4) You can Lose Weight with Your Leftovers.

In summary, your left overs are fast, convenient, can save you money, and can help you lose weight.

Chicken sautéed in olive oil.

What you need

Chicken, grilled the night before or fresh off the grill
Tomatoes, from your garden if you can
Garlic, fresh pressed or take the lazy route from a jar or shaker
Spices, anything interesting from the spice cabinet, get CRAZY with the spices
Olive Oil

Slice the chicken

Add oil to sauce pan and apply heat

Add chicken, sliced tomatoes and spice

In minutes you are done.

I made this for my wife and me last night after a long day. It was about 9 PM and I worked with what we had in the fridge and the garden. Start to dishes in the dish washer took less than 20 minutes. This would have been better with spinach, parmesan cheese, and some fresh mozzarella cheese.

How do you lose weight with leftovers? Use “Eat by Color” as a guide to come up with your leftover food combinations, then get creative. “If you can paint by number you can ‘Eat by Color’ to lose weight!” Get your two free chapters of “Eat by Color” today!~

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

3 Facts about the Health Care Bill Affecting You!

As the owner of a gym, author and personal trainer I have received a few questions in the last week regarding the health care bill. Things like “What does it mean for fitness?” “What does it mean for small business?” “Is there a benefit for the health care industry by way of the government getting people memberships?”

This allowed me to sit back and think. What do I really know about the health care bill? Remove bias and opinion. Try and cut out what the media and pop culture want us to think. What is left? Not much. I realized I really only know three things:

3 Facts about the Health Care Bill and What it Means for You!

1) It is long, and no you probably have not read most, yet alone all of it.

2) There is no way the government, your employer or any insurance company will put your needs before theirs.

3) The only one in direct control of your health care is, YOU!

A cursory Google search for “how many pages in the healthcare bill” reveals that there are over 2,000 pages in the health care bill. Depending on website, you get a varying number of pages. The average seems to hover near 2,000 pages. When was the last time you read 2,000 pages of something you liked yet alone something like the health care bill? You haven’t and neither have I. Worse, how likely is it the politicians have read it?

Government, employers and the insurance companies are just now starting to recognize and agree there is a problem with health care. Great! About time. Now are they concerned for you the citizen or employee or for themselves? Their needs will go before yours and mine.

The buck stops with you. The bottom line is your health is up to you. No one care more about your health than you. The best and least expensive medicine known to man (and ever to be known to man) is preventative medicine. If you live a healthy lifestyle (make better food decisions and exercise) you are less likely to get sick and when you do will recover much faster.

In the end some type of health care reform is going to happen. Maybe it is a bill, law, tax, mandate, gift, or whatever. The shape is yet to be seen. It will be decades before we have a real understanding of its impact.

The GREAT news. We know, today, that a healthy lifestyle works. Be your own best advocate for your health. Invest in your health every day. The decisions to eat right and exercise are FREE! We know they work. Need some free help making that investment in your health? Click Here!

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

6 Foods Sabotaging Your Weightloss!

6 Foods Sabotaging Your Weightloss!

A few things happened last week that made me realize there is still a lot of confusion about food and weight loss. First I had two different personal training clients ask about rice cakes. Forever there has been a belief that rice cakes are a great diet food. Especially among women. Not so. Rice cakes are not alone. There are other foods have been looked at as great for dieters. On the surface these foods appear low fat and low cal. Great for weight loss right, WRONG!

Your list of Foods you Thought were Good for Weight loss

1) Rice Cakes

2) Popcorn

3) Pasta

4) Bread

5) Cereals

6) Pretzels

7) 100 Calorie Snack Packs

OK…so I just added a BONUS #7 to the list. This was not on the original list but I thought adding it after doing a presentation/seminar for a local fire department on health and wellness (ole #7 is actually part of a slide in my presentation.)

These foods are not bad. No they aren’t. In “Eat by Color” I clearly state there are no bad foods and if you really want something, eat it. The problem with the foods on the list is that they are very high in carbs and low in fiber, protein, and fat. Take a look at the nutrition label and check it out for yourself. When you are looking at the label note the amount of sugar AND carbs. They probably are not the same amount. So if there are 5 grams of sugar and 19 grams of carbs, what are the other 14 grams?

Suffice to say difference is not legally defined as sugar….but you can bet your back side the impact on your body is just like eating sugar. Want more info about nutrition labels click here.

Here is a great pic I drew on the wall of my office last week to put it simply. (I used that way cool paint that turns your wall into a dry erase board…so I can do stuff like this. Yes, my penmanship leaves much to be desired.) Eating the stuff on the right is like eating spoonfuls of the stuff on the left, SUGAR! Certainly you would not sit down with the sugar bowl for a snack or meal would you?

There are about 5 grams per 1 teaspoon (the small spoon in your silverware drawer.) So eating one of your foods with 19 grams of carbs per serving above is like having almost 4 teaspoons out of the sugar bowl. You would not sit down and eat 4 teaspoons of sugar would you? Weight loss sabotage. Something to think about.

If you want the nuts and bolts of how to make better food decisions and a simple explanation as to why lots of carbs…or sugar…will not allow you to lose weight, get “Eat by Color!”

Would you like some more fast, easy, side dish Eat by Color Recipes?

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

What “Eat by Color” Challenge Winners and the Author Eat?

What Do You Eat?

Last week I was at the grocery store and bumped into FitWorkz gym member. We exchanged hellos and gym asked so what does the owner of FitWorkz buy and eat?

Sheepishly I spun my cart around to reveal two packs of hot dogs, crescent rolls, and some cheddar cheese. Jim looked a bit surprised. I quickly explained my wife wanted to make pigs in blankets for our daughter and that I had not started shopping for my wife and I yet.

Jim did get me thinking. What do I eat? Better yet what do the some of the winners of our recent Eat by Color Challenge Eat? Read on and see!

Here it is on a typical day

Meal 1

2 Scoops of protein Powder

1 big spoon of Greek yogurt

Meal 2

Handful of Mixed Nuts

Meal 3

2 whole eggs

4 egg whites

Fist size chicken breast

1 grapefruit

Meal 4 usually post workout

2 Scoops of protein powder

Meal 5

2 Fist size chicken or beef

Grilled red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers

Meal 6

2 Scoops of protein Powder

1 big spoon of Greek yogurt

1 TBS peanut butter

Sally Smoltich (First place Eat by Color Challenge winner!)

Click for Her Video

Lost 13lbs and 7% bodyfat in 12 weeks!

“I have seen my body transform more in 3 months than the last three years”

Meal 1

greek yogurt w/granola

Meal 2

lettuce salad, 2 clementines

mini luna bar, 1/4 c nuts

Meal 3

cheese stick

Meal 4

chicken, lettuce, ice cream

Jesse Ratliff (Third place Eat by Color Challenge Winner *there was a three way tie for third)

29 year old father

Lost 17lbs and 4% body fat in 12 weeks. Went from a 38 to a 34 pant size.

“Eat by Color has taught me that proper nutrition coupled with consistent exercise is the only way to make a significant change in the way you look and feel.”

“The color coding of each food group afforded me the opportunity to eat the foods I enjoy was well as maintain a little variety ”

Meal 1

4 eggs: 2 whites 2 whole

whole wheat english muffin

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Spinach

Meal 2

2 light string cheese sticks

Meal 3

Boca Burger

Spinach

Meal 4

Yogurt

Granny smith

Meal 5

Chicken Breast

Green Beans

Spinach

Meal 6

Protein Shake

Kay Flavin (3rd Place Eat by Color Challenge Winner! *there was a three way tie for third)

Lost 11.5 lbs and 4% body fat in 12 weeks. 2 dress sizes

“Eat by Color is not a “diet”, but a way to eat healthy and a great combination with the workout.”

“It’s easy to follow and it works!”

“My Wii no longer calls me obese!!”

Meal 1

egg whites scrambled with tomato and peppers

whole wheat bagle with fat free strawberry preserves

milk

Meal 2

honeydew melon with cottage cheese

Meal 3

hamburger patty with tomato

peppers

Meal 4

ribs, baked potato, salad

milk

Want to see more great testimonials and success stories from the Eat by Color Challenge? Click here and check them out!

“Eat by Color” at work for real people. What are you eating?

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Menopause, Change Management!

Since the first of the year I have had seven women between the ages of 42 and 60 come in to talk to me about struggling to lose weight. Most said they are not sleeping, all said they have about given up on exercise, two said they are depressed, and I can go on and on. If you are over the age of 45 and female you have been or are there.

Let’s talk menopause, shall we?

Is menopause a sentence to misery and weight gain? NO. Is your body going to change? Yes. Are there some things that as some of the women have been told by their docs “deal with it until it passes.” Unfortunately, yes. This does not mean you have to ride quietly through menopause.

One woman stopped in to see me a few weeks back, number six. Number six was frustrated and disappointed. She is following “Eat by Color” almost perfectly and is doing my “Eat by Color” weight loss challenge at FitWorkz. I asked if she had gained weight. She said no, but that she is not losing weight either. Number six is the only one of the seven that has NOT gained weight. Hello, Eureka….she is not losing weight but not gaining either. This in and of itself is a victory. Maybe not the victory she wanted but given the alternative, weight gain not so bad either.

What does someone like me, male, almost 37 know about menopause? Quite a bit. Here are some tips for Change Management:

· The medical community is just now starting to invest more into understanding menopause, answers are coming, hang in there
· Most doctors are male, and no, we males really don’t understand you J
o I am sure you already knew this one
· Food and exercise can go a LONG way to stopping or reducing some of the changes
o “Eat by Color” teaches how to make the right food choices and has three workouts!
· Read and educate yourself
o What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause
· A social network of other women can create the ultimate exchange of what works, what doesn’t, and what you can expect with the change *chances are this social network will offer more info than your doc*
o Your Network
o You are not alone find others in the same boat and row together!
· Supplements can help
o Evening Primrose Oil
o Flax Oil
o Fish Oil
· Change is definite
· There is a light at the end of the tunnel
· You will have to fight your way through the change

Your hormones will eventually settle down, until then do what you can. The more you do now the less weight you will gain and the less miserable the experience. Plus, when you are on the other side you will be in a much better position. You will have the tools and knowledge to change your body the way you want it.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Is your Chicken boring?

In my book “Eat by Color” Chapter 2, Food, What is it and are We What We Eat? We are what we eat. Maybe not literally, but food is 90% of our success. Get food right and you are on the home stretch. Know what to eat is the first thing that needs to be addressed. Next, how do we make the right foods easy to prep, make and eat even on the go? Plus if it goes old and boring you will quit eating it.

I grill year round…it is always a great time to fire up the grill and cook outdoors.

Chicken, The Remake I

Look it can be boring and quickly lead to the ole “chicken again, ugh.” Chicken can be fast, easy and reused.

What you need

Chicken

Mixed pack of peppers

Spices, garlic (if lazy else use fresh), oregano, a mixed grilling spice

Olive Oil

Grill a couple chicken breasts and maybe some peppers. Go ahead and put the peppers right on the grill, wash em first. Covers meal for day one and then day two.

Chicken and peppers on the grill!

Done! Note I steamed some green beans and they are on the plate too!

Re-Using the Remake I

Day three, reinvent the chicken. Slice the chicken, cold out of the fridge. Slice and dice some onions and some of the peppers you did not cook on day one. Put some olive oil in a frying pan. Add the vegetables and sliced chicken.

Sliced chicken, peppers, and spices.

Get crazy with some parmesan or mozzarella.

Boom, done. Chicken Remade.

Chicken the Remake II

What you need

Chicken

Mixed pack of peppers

Spices, garlic (if lazy else use fresh), oregano, a mixed grilling spice

Olive Oil

Italian Salad Dressing

Shish Ka Bob bamboo skewers

Using chef scissors, no idea what they are really called but the usually come with a knife set in a wooden block. Cut and cube the chicken, peppers, and assorted vegetables you may use. Get some bamboo skewers, my brother in law is Dennis Lil’ Drago of the original Chicago Dragobobs and he has made a million shish ka bobs and only uses the bamboo..why they don’t splinter or break!

Skewer the chicken, peppers, and any other vegetables. Go chicken-vegetable back and forth.

Skewer and put on the grill!

Put on the grill, drizzle some olive oil and Italian dressing over them and dust with your favorite spices. Done! Covers meal for day one and then day two.

Ready to come off the grill!

Re-Using the Remake II

Day three. Grab your left overs, if there are any. Strip the chicken and veggies off the skewers with a fork. Slice and dice some onions and some of the peppers you did not cook on day one. Put some olive oil in a frying pan. Add the vegetables and sliced chicken. Boom, done.

Chicken Remade, again.

Cook time is less than a half hour. Plus when I did Remake I was also cooking 2 lbs. of venison chili (see the Eat by Color facebook page for pics of the venison chili) at the same time and boiled 2 dozen eggs. Food for my wife and I for the better part of a work week.

That is it for now. I have to skewer some of the original Dragobobs….then start my grill.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Are you Fooled and Lied to by Ingredient Labels?

No sugar BUT 6 grams of carbs…which are sugar…but does not meet legal definition of sugar. So product is no sugar and it is a matter of semantics.

Way back when I too was trying to lose weight. Lost and overwhelmed by all the info out there I would read the food labels. Low fat was good, no fat must be better or so I thought. No sugar and No fat was the ultimate winner and definitely ended up in my cart. Today I know this was a mistake.

The FDA defines “Sugar” on a nutrition label has having been derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.

So you can have a product that says sugar free on the label…many instant puddings do this…yet there is nothing but sugar in the product. How? Well the other “sugars” are not derived from sugar cane or beets and do not have to be listed as sugar on the label.

Check out this label.

Sugar will be listed as 0 grams. Yet there are 8 or so grams of carbohydrates in a serving (amount will vary depending on flavor you are looking at.) The entire box will have 32 grams of carbs or so yet no sugar. Plus there is no fiber.

Digging deeper maltodextrin is one of the first three ingredients…this is sugar…regardless of what the FDA says. Ingredients are from most to least on the label. So below cornstarch is greatest of the ingredients.

Ingredients: MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, MALTODEXTRIN, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE AND DISODIUM PHOSPHATE (FOR THICKENING), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, CALCIUM SULFATE, XANTHAN GUM, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES (PREVENT FOAMING), ASPARTAME† AND ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (SWEETENERS), TETRAPOTASSIUM PYROPHOSPHATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, BHA (PRESERVATIVE). †PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE. *AMOUNT IN DRY MIX.

Fat Free

Ten out of Ten times fat free means more sugar and remove fat. Instant pudding usually says fat and sugar free. Well there is no fat because the product is mostly corn starch and maltodextrin (sugars though not by definition.) Sugar content is upped to make up for the change in taste due to lack of fat.

Another great example and one we use in our seminars is licorice. One of the most popular brands says right on the label “As always a low fat candy,” no kidding….it is all sugar!

If the label has no sugar yet there are carbs in every serving and little or no fat and protein you can bet there is sugar, just not be definition.

If you are looking to curb that sweet tooth try a protein powder and make pudding. We like the Beverly International Ultimate Muscle Protein for this. Very low carb, sugar, and fat. Yet high in protein. Great in the evening as a snack!

If you are unsure of how to do something in the program below search our youtube channel for a demo video.

Youtube.com/fitworkzdekalb

FitWorkz is the largest 24 hour training facility in DeKalb. FitWorkz offers 15,000 of exercise equipment and space. There is never a wait for equipment and plenty of parking. Being open 24 hours 7 days a week allows members to train when their time allows.

FitWorkz is a hybrid training gym offering cardio, machines, and free weights including 4 sets of dumbells, squat racks and more! Plus there is over 3,000 square feet of functional training space offering bumper plates, Rogue rack, tires, kettlebells, TRX and MORE!

Eat by Color nutrition is not a diet and teaches interested members how to make better food choices. There is no counting calories, points, macros or anything else with Eat by Color. Get your copy of Eat by Color on Amazon Today!

Get access to training and coaching for as little as $8 a workout or less. Many training membership options are available.

Subscribe to this channel and take advantage of the more than 1,500 videos on nutrition, exercise, motivation and more!

#FitWorkzDeKalb #EatbyColor FitWorkz.com EatbyColor.com

Ray Binkowski has lost over 60 pounds and kept if off for over 20 years! He is the Owner of Fitworkz, DeKalb, a 24 hour hybrid fitness training center, author of several fitness and health books and the producer and host of the OCB Midwest States bodybuilding and fitness competition. Most importantly to us, he is an expert on functional fitness that has consulted military, law enforcement, tactical entities, professional athletes and people from all walks of life to optimizing their physical readiness and capabilities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Illinois University and various fitness certifications. He is also a husband, father and loyal dog owner who does not appreciate clowns.

Is this Your Missing Link Holding You Back?

Via technology I got this yesterday from a client that moved out of state. Last fall she lost 10 lbs. and 5% body fat. (read more here.)

“I read “Eat by Color” (I love it!) and used it as I grocery shopped last week. I’ve been running quite a bit and trying to squeeze in two days a week to focus on the exercises you taught Shannon and me. Any suggestions you ever have regarding a fitness plan/keeping myself on track are greatly appreciated” 🙂

I am sharing it as a blog because some of the info may be the Missing Links keeping you from reaching your goals.

Here is my response.

Goal

What do you want to accomplish? Write it down. Chapter 6 of “Eat by Color” has some great info on setting a goal and developing a plan to get you there. Grad the book and flip to Chapter 6. Get a pen and paper, or smart phone and Onenote.

Some tips;

One of the best things I have seen keep people on track is to find some type of event or contest. Doing so means picking an actual date and makes it easy to say “I am going to do ____________ on ________________.”

In the last few months here are some goals my clients came up with OR I helped them develop.

1) Mini triathlon on July ____________2012

2) Be able to wear a bikini for 20^th wedding anniversary on June _________2012

3) 5K on May ___________2012

4) Figure Competition in May ________2012

5) Lose two dress sizes by Mother’s Day 2012

6) Hustle Up the Hancock February _______2012

7) Using a pedometer I am going to take 10,000 or more steps everyday

Setting a goal is by far the best way I know to keep oneself on track. It is also one of the hardes things to do. Do it! Write it down and share it. Share it here.

Plan

Create a plan. This is your instruction for how to reach your goal. You know where you are going; now how are you going to get there? “Eat by Color” provides a complete food plan AND teaches how to make your own plan. Consider the food part done. If you have questions message me.

Prepare

Nothing is easy. If you are prepared things care manageable. Take “Eat by Color” to the grocery store. Awesome idea! Why? There is a grocery list in the book. Buy most of what is on the list and you will be set for a week or two, depends on how many in your household and how much you buy.

Make most of your meals or at least your snacks for the week. Many have found Sunday’s to be a great day to do some meal prep. I just saw a post by a friend on Facebook

“Coffee, preparing meals for the week, and off for a good walk outside 🙂 Have a relaxing, Sunday FB!”

Execute

Time to start working your plan.

Workout/Exercise

There are three great resistance training, cardio, and core programs in the back of “Eat by Color” pick one and do it for a month. Switch every month and you are all set. Since you are in warmer weather now, get a run in three days per week. Two days per week done one of the programs in the back of the book.

Staying on track BONUS!

Find something you used to do and start doing it again. For some reason once we are out of high school or college we stop playing games. We are done with volleyball, basketball, or baseball. Or anything else for that matter. Pick your old sport back up. Join a recreational league at the park. Get in a sand volleyball league at a local bar, hey you can eat healthy at a bar. When we play games and get exercise, they are never considered work, as in working out. How about golf? Racquetball? Tennis (I had a client lose 80 lbs playing tennis!!!)

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Why Your Husband Loses Weight Faster and Easier than You

This scenario happens all too often.

Husband and wife join the gym. I have watched this in my gym FitWorkz. A husband and wife join the gym. It is the first of the year, they decide as a couple working out is something they can do together. Innocent enough of an activity, one that is going to benefit everyone, right?

Unfortunately, this is usually how it goes.

“I hate you. We joined the gym at the end of January it is barely March and look how much weight you have lost. I have not lost a pound. I hate you. ”

Husband, speechless, with a look of bewilderment says nothing. He knows full well no matter what he says….you get the idea.

If I had a dollar for every time I have witnessed this situation from my front counter or club floor. As a spectator, forget trainer or gym owner, it is pretty easy to see what is going on.

The wife scans in, hits the locker room, out of the locker room onto the precor, stairmaster or treadmill. She spends an hour or so on two or three pieces of cardio equipment.

The husband scans in and makes a bee-line to the weight room. He hits the free weights and maybe some hammer strength or similar pieces of equipment.

An hour later they reconvene at the front of the club and out the door they go.

Do you see why they get different results? Look past the guy not hitting the locker room, not sure why but guys are less likely to use the locker room.

Both work hard, the wife may even work harder than the husband. Both are in the gym for the same amount of time. The difference, the wife spends all of her time doing cardio. The husband all resistance training with weights and does no cardio.

After a few months guess who has lost inches? Old hubby has dropped some pounds and inches. Usually a pant size or two. The wife is not so lucky, though it is not for trying.

I recently spoke to the Altrusa Club of DeKalb-Sycamore women’s group and was asked this question. My answer, the difference above was pretty simple.

“Train like your husband, boyfriend, brother or whoever. They are losing weight faster and easier because they are training differently than you are.” One cannot possibly do something different and expect the same results.

Now forget getting big and bulky. I have worked with hundreds over the last decade, including men and women that want to get big and bulky. It is not in the cards for most. I have had one woman that was predisposed to gain a lot of muscle and she still could not get big and bulky. She had the lean, sculpted, and toned look. Guess what she trained like a guy, and looked like a fitness model.

Want to look toned and sculpted?

1) It is 90% food…and Not a diet. Get “Eat by Color.”

2) Do some type of resistance training. “Eat by Color” has three result producing resistance programs with full color pictures and explanations.

That is it. Oh, as an added bonus you are going to give osteoporosis the one, two punch. Resistance training strengthens bones. Now, I am not a doctor and am NOT practicing medicine, but I have had a few women with osteoporosis see their bone density go up after started some basic weight training. In two cases they were on medicine for bone density…never saw the density increase until adding weight training. They saw a drop in dress size too.

Do not begin this or any exercise program with out first checking with your doctor and making sure you are healthy for exercise.

The training program: You need to lift heavy things a few times per week

Deadlift

Squat

Pullup, Assisted if necessary

Dip, Assisted if necessary

DB Shoulder Press

DB Row

Try 3 sets of 8-10 of each exercise. Do this workout three times per week.

Cardio: You do not need it but because most are going to insist they are different and must do it anyways here you go.

Walk for 1 minute

Job for 1 minute

Run for 1 minute

Repeat 6 times, and do this 3 times per week.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

64.8 Big Mac’s Later

64.8 Big Mac’s Later

So I get this question or comment pretty often. How have I gained 10 lbs. I have been watching what I eat and exercising. Suddenly I have gained 10 lbs. in only a week.

Whoa…hold on. You did not gain 10 lbs. Usually the client is convinced and I get a response like this “nope, said so right there on the scale I have gained 10 lbs. And in only a week! This is not working.”

The scale most certainly could have gone up 10 lbs. In fact, it probably did and did so in a week. Let’s dig a little deeper into this though. There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. If you gain 10 lbs. of fat in a week you would need to eat 35,000 calories or an extra 5,000 per day every day for a week to gain 10 lbs. In terms of Big Macs which are 540 calories each you would have to eat 64.8 Big Macs or 9.25 Big Macs per day for a week to gain that much weight. This is in addition to what you normally eat per day.

So it is highly unlikely anyone would gain 10 lbs. in a week. At least, not of fat. It is likely and possible that changes in fluid intake and electrolytes, i.e. water and salt, can cause this much weight gain. This weight gain would be from water and not fat, and it would be temporary.

The scale is just one tool for measuring progress. It certainly has its limits as seen in the above example. Measuring progress is important, as that which is not measured cannot be improved. Chapter 11 of “Eat by Color” talks about the importance of measuring progress along with the best methods to do so.

Let me help you out. Get off the scale! If you cannot help getting on the scale every day I will share a quick fix. Go in the garage, basement, or wherever you may keep your tools. Get the hammer, even better grab a sledge hammer. Set the scale on something solid and give it a few love taps with the hammer or sledge hammer. Throw the pieces in the garbage and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Eat on the Go or the Road

People are dropping pounds with “Eat by Color.” Joe has lost 20 lbs. since just after the New Year. From Elizabeth “Hi Ray, Thank you for checking in! I lost 2 lbs. so far, but 1-1/2″ from my butt and 1” from my waistline.” Sabrina shared she likes the simplicity of the program and meals. Dana asked if “Eat by Color” would help a trucker that is trying to eat right. Heck yeah it will. This reminded me of when I worked for a living. (Join the discussion and share your experience.)

I was an engineer, sales engineer, and sales manager and this required travel to small town USA and as far as China. A few times a month I went to Mississippi. Chicago Midway to Jackson Mississippi, into a rent a car and south from the airport for two hours threw the pine belt to Hattiesburg.

My customer molded plastic for the appliance industry and some of your appliances have parts molded there. I will never forget one of my first trips to Hattiesburg. I was going to be meeting with management; I dressed to impress…suit and wing tips. I arrived and asked for the Operation Manager. He came out, shook my hand, and said “Don’t dress like that. You have everyone in the plant nervous. Plus, its 96 degrees out. Let’s walk the plant, you can meet the folks, and then go to lunch. We got great barbeque down the road.”

I ditched the tie and jacket in his office then walked the plant. We walked the plant, met some of the people, and left for lunch. We headed down the road. In minutes we pulled off at what looked like a gas station. “We’re here. You are going to love the barbeque.” He said.

We went in. There was a giant jar of pickles on a counter and a few tables. Barbeque, hmmm….where are the grills…and where are the menus. Apparently barbeque meant slow cooked/smoked pulled pork. Giant pickles a side. They did have canned pop, no diet. Eerily similar to Belushis bit in the Billy Goat episode of Saturday Night Live..”No fries, chips…NoCoke, Pepsi….” Pickles were on my diet, so I had two. I did not try the pulled pork and most definitely offended the Operations Manager.

That was 12 years ago. Back then I would try and mold, pun intended, life around diet. Today I know that does not work. In “Eat by Color” I wrote “if you really want something have it, life is too short.” Life is too short. Live, experience life, and get back on track the next day or meal.

Dana reminded me what it used to be like on the road. My experience traveling helped me write the sections on portable meals and snacks in “Eat by Color.” Today with a little planning, knowledge, and effort you can make great food choices on the go. Gas station convenience stores have great options, even a Subway connected to them. Every fast food place now offers a grilled chicken salad.

Great choices on the go

Grilled chicken sandwich

Grilled chicken, fish, or steak salad

Mixed nuts

Peanuts

Protein bars

Single serving containers of Greek yogurt

String cheese

Beef or turkey jerky

Protein shakes

Of course pickles

I scored brownie points later at the plant in Hattiesburg. A few workers always called me Yankee. One trip they were eating some type of hog brain meat loaf on white crackers. They wanted to know if Yankee would partake. Why not, I tried it, and was in. Never did try the barbeque, a shame as it probably was incredible.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

13 Year Olds Inspire Parents and Siblings

I own and operate a health club, FitWorkz and also a sports performance training center Athletic Republic. In the two I have had the chance to work with hundreds, possibly thousands. Most have used “Eat by Color” to lose weight or get in better shape. A few dozen are Division One college or professional athletes in need of maximum recovery from workouts use a version of “Eat by Color” to do so.

Then there are the club athletes that travel. These athletes often play more than one sport and are on a travel team for a club. Constantly on the go is the norm for them. I remember the first club athlete I worked with. She played volleyball for her high school and for a traveling club.

I remember the call from her mom.

“Hi I need help my daughter is in high school and is going to play college volleyball. I have no idea what she should be eating.”

I pushed the cynic in me back, and asked mom when they could come in for a meeting. Mom and daughter stopped by a few days later. When they walked in my first thought was yep that girl is going to play college volleyball. She was every bit of 6’4”, only a sophomore.

I taught both how to BE PREPARED regardless of schedule, small meals, snacks, portable meals, and how to eat at any restaurant. Even when her day looked like: workout, school, school practice, then off to club she was prepared to make the best food decisions and had plenty of food and healthy snacks packed for the day. Today this young lady plays Division I volleyball.

Recently I was contacted by some highly motivated parents putting a traveling baseball team together. They asked if we could train the entire team in Athletic Republic and if I could help them with nutrition. Yes and Yes.

The 13U Sycamore Sultans train in Athletic Republic. The entire team. Way cool! More cool, they are not just training but using “Eat by Color” to maximize recovery from their workouts. No dieting just a bunch of 13 year old baseball players making better food decisions. The grind on athletes is brutal; it gets worse when not eating right. These kids are eating right, and the combination of first class Athletic Republic training and “Eat by Color” nutrition will be something to watch on the ball field in the coming months. The Sultans will be the team that does NOT hit the fast food place come tournament time.

Taking things full circle (I take no credit for that line as I stole it from a group of Sultan’s parents), the Sultan’s have inspired their families. Many of the families have joined FitWorkz and are exercising when the team is training. I see the son go and train with his team, mom, dad and sister go exercise in Fitworkz. Going a step further entire families are now making better food decisions with “Eat by Color.”

Sultan’s parents recently shared the following:

“We as a family are now exercising.”

“My kid does not want to eat junk food anymore.”

“Some of us parents car pool to get the kids here. I was shocked to hear the 13 year old boys talking about food and eating better to be a better athlete. A couple of these kids used to be picky eaters.”

If a 13 year old travel baseball team can lead, inspire and set the example for their families, what can you do? When are you going to do it?

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

Be Prepared!

Life changed for me just over a year ago when my wife and I had our first child. As dad, things were easy compared to my wife. She spent the better part of the first ten months up with the baby every night. I spent the first ten months confused in a fog, not sure how to help, and more often than not in the way. Confusion started day one when hours after birth the nurse in the hospital said come change her diaper. Umm, ok but I have never done this, my GI Joes’ clothes were painted on.

I might kind of wake up in the middle of the night but my wife handled the feedings and diapers. My wife and all mothers are saints. Guys can’t hold a candle to what they do. Yes, guys, there is a reason we can’t give birth.

The confusion has cleared and I am growing more and more into being a parent. My wife just went on nights, so I have parent duties overnight. This can’t be that hard, right? How many dads out there have thought that? Compartmentalize with a simple, nightly routine; dinner, play, bath, play, bottle, and bed by eight. Bed for me around ten. Repeat nightly.

Night one

Baby up at midnight, bottle, diaper and back to sleep. Back up around 5am to start the day. Piece of cake, the simple, nightly routine is humming along as planned.

Night two

Little one sleeps through the night. My plan is awesome she is even sleeping all the way through the night.

Night three

I am up at midnight. My daughter is out like a light. Come on please let me fall asleep. I remember seeing the clock around 3 am….before dozing off. Little one up at 3:30 am for a bottle and diaper. I planned to be up at 4:30 am. Kind of hard with only a few hours’ sleep. Up closer to 5:00 am, how many times did I hit snooze? Probably late getting to the sitter. Ooh, the dogs need to be fed and they are probably going to have to go outside before I leave. Looking like I will be late to work too.

Late to sitter, check. Late to work, check. Not sure I let both dogs back in the house? I was so tired my eyes burned all day. Coffee on the way to the sitters plus three Monsters did nothing. Amazing how slow the day went, like waiting for Santa slow. All I wanted was to go to bed.

Life happens. I can finally relate to my clients over the years that had kids. I now know what you meant when you said you had kids and it was hard. J I will not even get into what those of you with twins do on a daily basis, though I am thinking double sainthood for those moms.

This has reminded me of two words every Boy Scout learns, BE PREPARED! BE PREPARED, two words but how powerful are they when put together? If you are serious about losing weight, BE PREPARED. Set a goal, a day to do your grocery shopping (there is a grocery list in “Eat by Color”), a day to cook, prep, and package your meals, and make time to exercise. Life will never be as simple and easy as it was yesterday. BE PREPARED, and life and weight loss will be easier.

FitWorkz.com * Eatbycolor.com * Twitter @eatbycolor * facebook.com/EatbyColor *

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