News, Recipes & Workouts — healthy recipes

The Great Diet Debate

The only topic that’s debated more than the current presidential election is weight loss and workouts. It seems everyone has something to say on these topics. Despite there being a diet for every minute of the day and a new workout popping up by the second, Americans are gaining weight and becoming less fit. Have you ever wondered which diet provides the best weight loss, and do they all help you burn off fat?

Most of us get overwhelmed at the mere thought of which one to pick. From Paleo to Pilates, there is misleading information, all of which stops us from losing weight and getting into shape. All the while increasing our stress levels and sending us into a downward spiral, which is never productive when it comes to making the decision to improve our health. How are we supposed to sort through all of this misinformation so we can lose weight and get into shape?

Keep It Simple And Stick To Science

I've been where you are, so I know firsthand how depressing it feels to try every workout and diet you read about, only to end up gaining weight, leaving you feeling even more hopeless after starving yourself and practically living in the gym. I over-exercised, lived in the gym, drank vegan shakes non-stop, yet was 40 pounds overweight.  

My 360° turnaround occurred when I worked at the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) as an apprentice alongside Dr. Fred Hatfield. Dr. Hatfield was doing research to test bodybuilding programs that included diet, exercise, and supplements to see what did and didn't work.

The results were shocking. Most of what I was doing to try to lose weight was all wrong. I worked out way too hard ,and for too long (a CrossFit kind of workout) — yes, that’s possible, and I ate too much healthy food — yes, that's possible as well.

The Top Mistakes I Made

I drank the wrong kind of protein shakes (I used to drink vegan), and like any gym rat, I drank a lot of them. I didn't realize that it wasn’t the right kind of protein for losing weight and boosting my sluggish metabolism. Besides, they tasted disgusting.

Vegan shakes are not a complete protein, meaning they lack the essential amino acids to be called complete and therefore will not have the metabolic boosting benefits of a high-quality Complete Whey Protein.

I lived on cereal bars. Like most moms, I need portable good-for-you food that I can eat on-the-go. What I didn’t realize was how little protein these tiny little bars contained, or how many carbohydrates and sugars they were filled with. To make a long story short, my health habits were killing my weight loss.

Combined with working out too long and too hard, I was ravenously hungry which sent me straight to my health halo foods. They only served to jack-up my sugar and stop my weight loss. In the end, it was an all day struggle with food.

I had my aha moment of what I was doing and got where I was when I was 40 pounds overweight (that’s a lot on my little frame). I needed to start doing things differently if I wanted to transform my body. This was how the Metabolic Boosting Weight Loss System was created. I needed a simple system that helped me to lose weight and develop healthier habits.

Collaboration With Dr. Hatfield

Everything I thought I knew about weight loss was all wrong. As I mentioned earlier, I learned that while working alongside Dr. Hatfield. 

We tested all sorts of programs from the American Heart Association Diet and Exercise Plan to the program the WBF (a division of the WWF called World Body Building Federation) was about to launch that was then called thermogenics. We also tested all of them against each other. Did they cause weight loss the way they said they would?

One of the companies/programs we researched, and I learned a lot about, was called Cybergenics. They explained what to eat and why, and how much and how long to work out. They also provided education on the smart use of safe supplements that helped the bodybuilders muscle up. So I asked myself, "why don’t we have the same type of system to help make losing weight faster and easier?" 

With the aid of Dr. Hatfield, who helped bring these formulas to life with the purest ingredients from the highest quality sources, the LynFit Metabolic Boosting System was born.

Dr. Hatfield was meticulous about combining the right kind of diet, utilizing very specific foods such as lean proteins and fibrous carbohydrates (now called a thermogenic diet) with the smart use of safe supplements to help keep the body properly nourished. More specifically, to help teach the body to burn off stored fat for fuel and to help balance blood sugar levels so hunger cravings wouldn’t overtake the participants while they were trying to lose weight.

Combined with the thermogenic diet were very specific weight lifting circuits, three times weekly (now called metabolic boosting workouts). I was blown away by what I witnessed. In all of my years of working in the gym business, I had never before seen such dramatic results. These were not gym rats. These participants were not fit at all and had no gym or dieting experience. They transformed their bodies, and their lives, in less than a month!

It wasn’t the first time I had seen people achieve results using diet and exercise, but it was the first time I saw people transform their bodies so quickly without living in the gym or adhering to vegan or no-carb diets. And, they did it in less than a month.

While working with Dr. Hatfield, I had the opportunity to rub elbows with some pretty big names in the bodybuilding industry. I made sure I was around them as much as possible, so I could look, listen and learn from them. I can tell you this, the pros work very hard, but interestingly, they spend less time in the gym than amateurs I know who kill their bodies in the gym while paying the physical price of damaged joints and chronic injuries. In the end, they also damage their self-worth and relationships because of their addictive dedication.

I've learned that not all diets and workouts are created equal. It’s just not as simple as calories in and calories out, especially if you have belly fat or you've been overweight. You need to choose your diet based on your goal, not according to which plan allows you to keep eating what you want when you want.

Some workouts and diets work better for weight loss, and others are better for bulk. How do you know? Your results tell all. Success leaves evidence.

How All This Relates To You

Most of us are very emotional when it comes to losing weight and getting fit, and that’s where we fall.

We know that exercise is a must because it strengthens our body, and it’s the best way to reshape, tighten, and tone it. But, it’s your diet that plays the largest role in your weight loss. In fact, 90 percent of your weight loss success comes from what you eat. You can't simply exercise away a bad diet.

Now that we have exercise in proper perspective choose your method of exercise based on science vs. what you want to do for the fastest results.

The good news is that when you see your body transform in front of your eyes and feel the difference, you’ll be hooked immediately. This will make sticking to the plan much easier, and that’s the key to lasting results.

For flexibility — choose Pilates or yoga. or better yet, LynFit Recovery Stretch
For rapid relief from aches and pains — LynFit Recovery Stretch
For sports performance — CrossFit or LynFit Fat Blaster or Metabolic Boosting Workouts
For stubborn weight loss and transformation — When it comes to weight loss, lifting weights is must. But, it's important that you do it in a specific way to elicit metabolic changes vs. bulking up and gaining weight.

NOTE: Weight lifting and certain types of workouts have been proven to make you hungrier and cause stress levels to rise in the body, which makes losing weight impossible. If you're serious about losing weight before Christmas, you'll want to start doing three metabolic boosting workouts weekly. You'll need the right tools, so grab the LynFit Lose 1 Pound Per Day Kit.

Start Here

We all know that dieting stinks, so here is how to do it right. Just about every diet plan agrees with these three simple steps.

• Focus on the power of Complete Protein — Make it your priority
  Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. You also want to choose the complete proteins that have a high PER (protein efficiency ratio). When it comes to losing fat and boosting your metabolism, the kind of protein you choose matters most. Lean Protein will feed the lean muscle tissue and starve the fat, so it leaves. Lean proteins are the best way to build your metabolism and force your body to burn fat. For results you can count on, check out LynFit Complete Whey Protein Shakes and Lean Bars.
  
  
• Track the numbers that matter — Protein and Fibrous Carbs
  Aim for at least one gram per pound of lean body weight per day. Example: If you weigh 150 pounds, but you have 25 pounds of fat, your lean body weight would be 125 pounds. Your goal is to consume 125 grams of lean protein every day. However, you can’t eat it all at once if you’re trying to lose weight and melt fat. You should divide that 125 grams over the span of five meals so you're only consuming the amount of protein that your body can utilize vs. storing it as fat.
  
  Now that you know how much, here is the when. Space meals three hours apart. Begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. You can find a complete guide in the Advanced Metabolic Boosting Meal Plan. The best choices when it comes to weight loss and melting fat are:
  
  Whey protein — It helps reduce abdominal fat better than any other kind of protein source.
  White fish — The lighter and whiter the fish, the better for your metabolism. Fish is lower in calories and fat and contains iodine that fuels thyroid function, which fuels your weight loss. White fish is the lowest in fat.
  *NOTE: Salmon is not white fish
  Turkey Breast — Turkey breast is lower in calories. When it comes to the nitty gritty of weight loss, every gram counts.
  
  NOTE: For more information on how much protein you need, and why fish is better, refer to "The Metabolism Solution".
  
  
• Fill up on Fibrous Carbohydrates
  Fibrous carbs are the only food that can be considered unlimited. They burn more calories than they contain. When it comes to losing weight, it can be next to impossible to find foods that can help keep you on track. There are a few miracle foods however that are purported to be negative in calories. These foods essentially contain more water than they do calories and require more calories to utilize them than they hold. Thus, making these foods essentially calorie-free.
  
  Approximately 75 percent of a celery stick is water. The other 25 percent is fiber and other roughage. As a result, this tasty vegetable provides you with far fewer calories than it will take for your body to digest it. In addition to burning more calories than it contains, celery is an excellent source of fiber that can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, helping you to reduce the urge to snack.
  
  The health benefits of celery don’t end at weight loss. Celery is full of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K. Further, celery has antioxidant properties that may be able to improve cardiovascular health, reducing your chances of developing hardened arteries (and related heart problems like heart attacks and cardiovascular disease). As a bonus, the fiber content promotes regular bowel movements as well as boosting digestive health more generally. There is even some evidence suggesting that a diet high in celery can improve the appearance of your skin.
  
  You can enjoy celery sticks on their own, or try lightly seasoning them with Mrs. Dash® salt-free instead of salt. You can also dip celery in hot sauce to make a spicy snack, or chop it up for a salad.

If you're truly serious about your weight loss, here is my personal Three-Step Plan to losing weight and developing healthier habits:

1. Be brutally honest with yourself and clearly identify your bad or not-so-healthy habits. Then, eliminate those as quickly as you can. Write them down now.
   Here's my example — I needed to stop working out compulsively and learn to feel my feelings instead of turn to food. There I said it; it's not so bad. In fact, it feels good to say it. I also needed to choose the right kinds of food that cause weight loss vs. weight gain.
   
   
2. Find replacements for your not-so-healthy habits and define your new healthier habits. Write them down now. Then, imagine how much better you'll feel. List all the benefits and rewards of adopting these habits to help inspire change.
   Here's my example — I needed a new doable workout that worked for weight loss that didn’t overwork me and jack up my appetite. I needed to grab and apple or a real protein bar that was lower in carbs and sugar instead of handfuls of trail mix or cereal bars that worked against me. I will feel better and learn to like myself more, and I won’t need to overwork in the gym because I’m eating better. 
   
   
3. Create your Weight Loss Action Plan, starting with just one habit (no more than three) that you really want to implement. Write them down now.
   Here's my example — I will work out on an empty stomach for 30 minutes every day before work. I will drink my shake without adding extra calories (no fruit or almond milk), and take my supplements after I work out. I will drink my coffee black from now on. This was simple and doable, and the rest is history!

If you're serious about transforming your body and your life, focus on these three steps and begin to put them into practice. And remember, nothing will change until you do!

We would love to hear your story. What will you be working on to transform your body and your life?

Conquer Your Cravings For Comfort Food

Nothing makes you crave comfort food more than the long, dark, cold days of winter. Combined with stress, all you want to do is put on your warm pajamas and cozy up by the fire with your favorite comfort food in hand. One thing I’ve learned is to be careful, or you’ll quickly pack on the pounds and feel even worse than you did before you started eating.

After I had lost 40 pounds by giving up my favorite foods, I realized that I missed them. I struggled to keep the unwanted pounds off because I couldn’t stay away from my favorites. I wasn’t willing to gain the weight back, so I needed to figure out a way to eat what I loved, and still lose weight. The solution? Follow the Leaner Lifestyle tips and tricks.

Plan for it and expect to indulge; it’s only a matter of time. If you plan ahead, you can offset the “not so good” calories not by starving yourself, which can slow the metabolism, but by boosting your metabolism instead. This simple little trick puts your body in a fat-burning mode so when cave into your cravings you’ll be able to control the food versus it controlling you. Prevention is the cure, and it’s also the best way not to gain weight.

How do you boost your metabolism safely, so you don’t gain weight when you aren’t eating so clean? It can be as easy as drinking a metabolic boosting whey protein shake, which is by far your best option, or having two egg whites for breakfast, so you start your day off on the right foot.

Why is protein so important when it comes to controlling our cravings?

• Protein is the #1 nutrient that women don't eat enough of (it's also why you crave)
• Protein contains essential amino acids that your body requires
• Protein regulates serotonin, so you feel better fast when you drink the protein shake
• Whey protein blocks cortisol (the stress hormone) that makes your cravings so intense that it makes you spiral out of control
• Whey protein boosts metabolism by 25 percent and switches the weight gaining switch off

Now that we have the science of why we crave out of the way, we can talk about controlling what is on the other end of the fork when we do crave. Doing so will allow you to keep off the pounds and get into the best shape of your life. This is the very reason I wrote The Metabolism Solution and filled it with over 100 delicious thermogenic recipes that your family will love.

Every diet book tells you what not to eat, but they never tell you what you can eat—At least not the kind of foods you like. Let’s be honest, no one craves steamed tilapia and Brussel sprouts. But everyone loves meatloaf and potatoes. The good news is you can eat something hot and eat a lot.

THE DINNER TRICK: Make over your comfort food meal using thermogenic foods such as lean ground turkey instead of red meat. Swap out starchy mashed potatoes that spike insulin levels and cause rapid weight gain with mock mashed potatoes made with cauliflower instead. Replacing the usual high fat, high carb ingredients with thermogenic ingredients instead is a sneaky way of tricking your brain into speeding up your metabolism.  

CAN I HAVE DESSERT? Yes! You don't need to give up sweet tooth cravings with a diet. You just need to step outside the box and provide your body with the nutrients it needs (hint: whey protein) to give your metabolism a boost. 

Here is a low-fat, low-calorie apple crisp recipe that's sure to cure your sweet tooth craving.

Replacing the usual high fat, high carb ingredients with thermogenic ingredients saves you hundreds of excess calories, fat, and carbs, so you can cheat more often.

Fast & Easy Weight Loss Slow Cooker Recipes For Super Bowl Sunday

I love Super Bowl Sunday, not because of the game but because of the fun and food. Here are some game day recipes that will fill you up and decrease the odds of your pants being super tight post-game day.

Winter is not only football season; it's comfort food season, and that means it’s time to take out the slow cooker. The low-and-slow cooking method is ideal for so many comforting, cold-weather favorites, including soups, stews, and chili. If you use recipes that only use healthy proteins like lean turkey or chicken loaded with veggies, they can also be good for your weight loss. My whole family loves crock pot meals and of course, I’m a big fan because it's fast, easy, and nutritious. It also keeps dinnertime stress to a minimum, and as Martha Stewart says, "That’s a good thing."

Here are six fast and easy, not to mention great for weight loss recipes from The Metabolism Solution, converted for slow cookers.

Poppa Vinnie’s Thermogenic Turkey Meatballs in Sauce
To save time, don’t bother browning your meatballs. Just plop them right in the sauce and let them simmer to perfection. The ingredient list is short and sweet, and the meatballs are cooked in a simple homemade marinara sauce made with canned crushed tomatoes. I recommend adding a bag of roughly chopped baby spinach to the sauce about 20 minutes before you’re ready to eat for an extra dose of veggies.

Ingredients

• (20 oz) lean ground turkey breast — 97%
• (¼ cup) dry Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• (¼ cup) parsley, finely chopped
• (2) egg whites, beaten
• (1 large) garlic clove, crushed
• (½ tsp) fresh pepper and oregano
• (1 tbsp) fennel seeds — *Optional: this is the secret ingredient that will make these the best tasting meatballs, ever

For the Sauce

• (1 tsp) pure virgin Olive oil
• (4) garlic cloves, crushed
• (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
• (1) bay leaf
• (¼ cup) fresh chopped parsley or basil
• salt and pepper to taste, if needed (and at the end to save on the salt)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg whites, parsley, and garlic. Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about a 1/8th cup each. *The smaller they are, the faster they will cook, and you get to eat more.

Pour the crushed tomatoes into the crockpot with the bay leaf. Add the garlic and oil.

Drop the meatballs into the sauce, cover and set the crockpot to low. Cook for 4–6 hours. When the meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and add fresh chopped basil or parsley. Serve over a chopped salad or Spiralizer (veggie spaghetti).

Melt Fat Minestrone Soup
You can adapt this basic recipe to use any fresh or frozen vegetables you happen to have on hand. There's no need to make an extra trip to the store for carrots or zucchini.

In the slow cooker, mix:

• (6 cups) low-fat, low-sodium, gluten-free chicken broth
• (2 cups) water
• (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, already flavored with garlic, oregano, and basil
• sliced carrots and celery
• (1 medium) diced onion
• (15 oz) can of beans, rinsed and drained
• (1) bay leaf

Cook on low 6–8 hours. About a ½ hour before you’re ready to eat, stir in one diced zucchini, and a few handfuls of roughly chopped baby spinach leaves. Cook until the vegetables are al dente. Top each bowl with grated Parmesan cheese and Mangia! 

Be Lean Barbecue Pulled Chicken (my family's favorite)
This is a crowd pleaser and eating healthier doesn’t get much easier than this 2-ingredient recipe.

Combine 5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with 1½ cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (look for low sugar and salt and fat-free). Add some sliced onions, too, if you like. Cook the chicken on low for 6–8 hours, and then shred the chicken right in the pot. Serve the pulled meat in a lettuce wrap or over a bed of chopped romaine lettuce or pair it with a coleslaw made from bagged shredded cabbage mix, low or no-fat Greek yogurt, and a few dashes of apple cider vinegar.

Whittle Your Waist White Chicken Chili
This is highly addicting, super easy, and only has five ingredients. It's healthy, delicious, and sure to be a dinnertime Godsend.

Fill the crockpot with:

• (6 cups) low-sodium chicken broth (you can use water if you don’t have broth)
• (2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• (2 cups) salsa verde
• (1 can) low-sodium white beans, rinsed and drained
• (2 tsp) ground cumin

Cook on low for 6–8 hours. You can add chopped onion for extra flavor, or Siracha for added kick. Shred the chicken before serving, and dish up this mildly spicy chili with your favorite veggies for a low-carb, low-fat meal.

Chicken Fajita Soup
Here’s another slow cooker soup recipe you can throw together in a flash.

Combine:

• (2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• (3 cups) low-sodium, low-fat, and gluten-free chicken broth
• (1 can) black beans, rinsed and drained
• (1 can) fire-roasted tomatoes
• (1 bag) frozen peppers and onions
• (1 cup) frozen corn kernels

Season with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne (optional), salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Cook on low for 6–8 hours. Shred the meat into the soup and top with a grated Cheddar cheese for a finish. 

Skinny Split Pea Soup
Okay, this one isn’t perfect, but it’s better to eat a cleaner version of something you crave than fall off the wagon completely. We are only human after all. This leaner and lighter version of Split Pea Soup will still stick to your ribs.

Add all the ingredients to the cooker at once:

• (1 lb bag) dried split pea greens
• (1) medium onion, diced
• (3) carrots, diced
• (2 ribs) celery, diced
• (1 tbsp) favorite spice
• (2) bay leaves
• (6 cups) water

Cook the soup on low for 8 hours, then season to taste with iodized table salt (it's better for your thyroid than sea salt) and pepper, if needed. Serve in a fun soup crock and don’t forget to freeze some for those not-so-prepared days when you need something healthy to eat. Don’t forget to add a tossed salad to make sure you reach your daily vegetable quota to keep your metabolism running at optimum speed.

DON'T FORGET:

• Reach for the green if you want to be lean
• Take (2) LynFit Raspberry Ketone Cleanse before you leave to attend your Super Bowl party
• Drink loads of water before, during, and after
• Do your metabolic workout on an empty stomach
• Double up your training day after the Super Bowl and add a Lean Core workout
• Resume your Lose 1 Pound Per Day Plan
• More importantly, have fun. Go Panthers, Go Broncos!