Fitness in Real Life - Health and Fitness Solutions for Real People

A girl named HOPE

healthy lifestyle mindset Nov 15, 2016

A girl named HOPE

(post from Nov 15th 2016!)

Several months ago Jeremy and I were having the conversation of, what would we name our next child? THIS IS NOT IN OUR NEAR FUTURE, so you don’t need to eye my mid-section every time you see me. The name HOPE blurted out of me with gusto. That name, that word resonated deep in my soul. It kind of left me baffled at the intense emotion I had connected to that.

As I thought on it more I realized if you could sum up the last 8 years of my life with ONE word, it would be HOPE!

I had some pretty big battles to fight within me. I knew I was put on the earth to be more than beaten down and hiding from any painful experience using excess food or lack of food.

I had made slight progress before this, but the words of my high school counselor and nutritionist rang in my ears “once and anorexic or bulimic always one”. That statement to me took HOPE of freedom from these crippling issues away. I had interpreted it as, why even try ...

Creamy Chicken with Brussel Sprouts

Uncategorized Nov 14, 2016

Creamy Chicken with Brussel Sprouts

This is a great fall dish and really quick to prepare. Make enough for left overs to take for lunch. This tastes really good cold too! You can add a sweet potato if you have been really active that day.

Ingredients

16 oz. cooked shredded chicken
1 1/2 C brussel sprouts
1 1/2 C baby bella mushrooms (I don’t like mushrooms so I doubled the brussel sprouts)
3 oz. chopped walnuts
3 T olive oil mayo (Yes MAYO..Live a little)
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1⁄2 tsp. t garlic powder
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

~In a medium sized frying pan, sauté your brussel sprouts (halved) on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add in your mushrooms (quartered) and cook for about another 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through. Add in your cooked shredded chicken and chopped walnuts and toss until hot. Take off the heat.

~In a small bowl, whisk together your mayo, vinegar, and the rest of the seasonings until s

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Butternut Squash Soup

recipes Nov 10, 2016

Butternut Squash Soup

This time of year I GO NUTS for butternut squash soup. I LOVE the Panera bread “Autumn Squash Soup” but it does not love me back. My stomach can be a hot mess from the dairy in it. So, I am so excited to have found a recipe that I LOVE just as much and it DOES love me back :)

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed*

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 medium carrots, peeled and cubed

1 apple, cored and cubed (any variety is good)

4 cups vegetable broth (low sodium for those who need to watch)

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 can coconut milk (I prefer the full fat but I am sure lite would be fine too)

1 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Add everything to a crock-pot EXCEPT the coconut milk and cook on low for 4 hours or until all the vegetable are tender. Then puree with an immersion blender or an upright blender. (I LOVE my immersion blender ...

Water Workout!

exercise tips Oct 28, 2016

WORKOUT

Grab a Gallon of water and get ready to SWEAT! This workout is set up to use the gallon of water as your resistance. Then when you are done crack it open and get drinking

Repeat these 3 exercises for 10 minutes (or 5 if you are a beginner)

Squat hold arm out to Left side 10x (keeping arm out the whole time)
Squat with Right arm out Right side 10x V-ups 20x -Lay on your back with your legs up in the air, hold the gallon with both hands and extend arms back towards the floor. Lift them back up towards the ceiling using your abs to do the work.

Shake it up! 20x up and 20x side

(Stand up holding the gallon, keep your abs tight and shake the water up and then side to side)

Rest

Next set of 3 exercises-Repeat for 10 minutes

Lunge Position Back Fly 10x Left- Stand in a lunge position leaning over your knee and using the gallon as a “flying” motion with your arm out the side. Don’t go past the height of your shoulder.
Lunge Position Back Fly 10x Right

Push

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Green Coconut Recovery Smoothie

recipes Oct 27, 2016

I have been in search of the perfect post workout drink for years and I think I have found my favorite.

Ingredients-

2 large handfuls of baby spinach or baby kale*

1 cup of coconut water (not refrigerated, see picture for the one I use)

1 cup of coconut milk (not from a can but the one that IS refrigerated)

½-1 banana (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 tbsp. almond or cashew butter

Throw all into your blender and enjoy! I drink this ALL but you could save half for the next day.

*I like to rotate my greens between the kale and spinach to mix up the nutrients that each offers. Kale has more of a bitter taste, so if you are new to putting greens in your smoothie stick with the baby spinach. (Yes, I want to punch myself for saying I “rotate my greens”. I used to rotate my Ben and Jerry’s...what has this world come too)

Coconut Water is my new obsession…here are some great benefits from it and why I love it post workout!

*The ingredients in coconut water...

Celebrating 10 years in business!

exercise videos Oct 10, 2016

Hey, I almost forgot to tell you about this!

We are celebrating 10 years in business...

We are giving away 10 free 10 minute workout videos over the next week and a half. The first 3 videos have already been posted. You should be able to see them if you click on the images below.

If you share one of these videos on your facebook page and like our business page you will be entered into a drawing for a month of our fitness boot camp program! We are posting 10 videos and each video shared gives you a chance to win a month of boot camp!

The first video will be draw for at noon tomorrow! Share it quick so you have a chance!

More details found in the videos...

10 Minute Stability Ball Workout

Click on the picture to watch and share the video!

10 Minute Kick Boxing Workout

Click on the picture to watch and share the video!

10 Minute Exercise Band Workout

Click on the picture to watch and share the video!

Thank you for helping us celebrate! I'll try to send the next 2 videos b...

I no longer recognized myself!

transformation stories Oct 09, 2016

I just want say Thank you to you and all the staff at Tall Trainer for

all the support and encouragement. You are all so amazing.

Before starting Tall Trainer, I was very depressed and unhappy with myself.

I was the heaviest weight of my life and very out of shape. I no longer even recognized myself in the mirror.

As a nurse working nights my sleeping and eating habits were terrible. I was always tired and had no energy. I skipped meals and lacked proper nutrition.

I finally had enough of feeling so terrible and was ready to make some changes in my life. I saw the Tall Trainer sign on day while driving down Route 332 and I researched their website. I saw all the great results and knew it was worth giving a try.

I needed to find a program that was motivating and would keep me interested. I definitely found all that at Tall Trainer. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive. My experience at Tall Trainer has been life changing. I never thought I would be able to feel...

Roasted Tomato Sauce

recipes Sep 29, 2016

This recipe is from "Christine the Tomato Queen".

If any of you know Christine she ALWAYS has a bounty of fresh vegetables in the summer. Her garden is amazing. I find it very handy to have a friend like this..since my garden...well....lets just say was a LOST cause this summer :)

Easiest recipe ever!!!

9x13 pan, or larger. I prefer lasagna pan-can also use crock pot!

12 cups tomatoes, any kind, cut into chunks

4 cups chopped peppers, I used sweet

2 cups chopped onions

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper
(You can adjust amounts to your preference)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large baking pan(9x13 or larger) layer chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover lightly with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake for an hour. Remove foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Transfer into blender a...

I could hardly walk up a flight of stairs..

transformation stories Sep 22, 2016

Meet the amazing Cindy!!!

Last October I could hardly walk up a flight of stairs without becoming short of breath. I was tired and felt I was losing my edge at work. I tend to eat in response to stress. After back surgery, working full time while getting my masters in nursing, and being the primary caretaker for my mother with Alzheimer’s I had gained a lot of weight –like 80 pounds! As a Nurse practitioner I know too well the pain and suffering caused by inactivity and obesity. I see it every day. I knew how important exercise and weight loss were for my health, but despite my best efforts I was not very successful at losing weight or exercising. Although it was hard for me to admit, I needed help.

In the past (many years ago) I was pretty good at showing up for exercise classes. I was trying to find an exercise class that would fit into my schedule when a newsletter from the Tall Trainer arrived in the mail. I wasn’t sure the fitness classes were for me -boot camp s...

Zucchini Pasta Pesto

recipes Aug 24, 2016

You MUST make this! I seriously can not stop eating it!

When the whole spiralizer, zoodles thing became popular I did a serious eye roll. I don't like extra steps at all. But, I changed my tune!! This stuff is AMAZING and not at all hard to make.

I personally like this spiralizer-
https://www.amazon.com/Spiralizer-Tri-Blade-Vegetable-Strongest---Heaviest/dp/B00GRIR87M/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1469788078&sr=1-1&keywords=spiralizer
You can get less expensive versions but this had great reviews and I agree.

Zucchini Pasta Pesto:
serves 4
4 Large Zucchini
1/2 cup pesto (make your own favorite recipe or buy your own fresh version)
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
Fresh Basil for garnish

Spiralize the zucchini. Lightly salt zoodles in a colander and let sit for 20 minutes (or 4 hours if you forgot about them and left home to run 1 million errands). Remove excess liquid and combine with tomatoes and pesto. Mix up, top with fresh basil and CHOW down.

*sometimes I do a quick roast of...

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