Recipe of the Week – Dark Chocolate Almond Truffles

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Sometimes you just crave something sweet. Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious Dark Chocolate Almond Truffles.

What You Need:

  • 14 Medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (70g) Diamond of California whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup (70g) sunflower seeds (I use salted)
  • optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet or bittersweet quality chocolate

How To Make Them:

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  2. Place pitted dates, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, almonds, sunflower seeds, and salt (if using) into your food processor. Blend/pulse until a moist dough forms, as pictured above. This will take a minute or two of blending. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add 1-2 more soaked dates or even a teaspoon of pure maple syrup.
  3. Once dough is formed, scoop out 1 Tablespoon of dough. Roll into a smooth ball and place onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Set aside as you melt the chocolate in the next step.
  4. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. I like to use a liquid measuring cup. Its depth makes it easy for dipping. Melt in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Let the warm chocolate sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool before dipping.
  5. Dip each ball completely into the chocolate using a dipping tool. When lifting it out of the chocolate, remember to tap the dipping tool gently on the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place each back on the baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 30 minutes.
  6. Make ahead tip: Cover truffles tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can freeze these truffles, too! Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
*Recipe Source: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/02/12/healthy-dark-chocolate-almond-truffles/

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Recipe of the Week – Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters

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Treat your holiday guests to these delicious little chocolate clusters. They’re sure to be the hit of the party!

What You Need:

  • 2 cups (280g) Diamond of California whole almonds
  • 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped1
  • sea salt
  • turbinado sugar (or any coarse/raw sugar)

How To Make Them:

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread almonds out in a single layer and toast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once during that time. Set aside.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or (carefully!) use the microwave. For the microwave, place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can temper the chocolate. If tempering, do not store finished nuts in the refrigerator.
  3. Stir the almonds into the chocolate, making sure to coat each one. Spoon clusters onto a lined baking sheet, as large or small as you’d like. My clusters had about 10-12 almonds each in them. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and turbinado sugar, then allow chocolate to completely set. I placed the baking sheet in the refrigerator to speed it up!
  4. Store chocolate covered almonds in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks
*Recipe Source:https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/03/01/sea-salt-dark-chocolate-almond-clusters/

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Holiday Fitness Survival Tips

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The holiday season is here once again! For many this time of year is full of enjoyment, family get togethers, Christmas Parties, holiday shopping, and yes stress!

This all works to create the perfect storm for the dreaded holiday weight gain. Many will plan to set their New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight and get into shape, but unfortunately many will gain 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year. So when January finally rolls around there are additional pounds to work off.

But, this is doesn’t have to happen to you!

All you have to do is follow our “Holiday Survival” tips and you will start the New Year in the same size pants and your belt in the same hole. Heck, you might even start 2018 in better shape with these tips!

1 . Set a workout goal.

It is easy this time of the year to skip workouts or even stop working out altogether. After all, friends and family are visiting from out of town that you haven’t seen since last year. Somehow you’ve ended up hung-over again from drinking too much at the most recent Christmas Party. All of which makes it easy to miss your regular workouts and just say the heck with it until January.

But, do you really want to have to start all over again in a month? Do you want to be sore after each workout again and lose all that toned muscle that you have worked so hard for to a layer of pudge?

We didn’t think so.

That is why it is important to set a workout goal for the next six weeks.

Maybe you typically get in three to four workouts each week. Awesome! But, it may make sense for you to cut back to two per week until January. So let’s set the goal of getting in eight workouts between now and January 2nd.

Sound doable?

Great!

It doesn’t matter how you get in these eight workouts. It could be two this week, four the following week, and one the week after. You’re still on track, actually one ahead.

Focus on maintaining your fitness over these next four weeks and you’ll survive the holidays without losing all of your hard work.

2. Survive the holiday parties.

Over the next few weeks you will more than likely have your share of Christmas parties to attend. Some you may be looking forward to and catching up with old friends, while others you may be attending more out of obligation.

So how do you keep your nutrition in check and your belt buckle in the same notch?

Simple really. You just need a plan.

Which parties do you want to really indulge at, let your hair down, and just kickback and have a good time?

At those let yourself have a few drinks with your friends. If there are appetizers “to die for”, treat yourself and enjoy them. As for the other obligatory parties sip a scotch or nurse a beer or two through out the night. And then make an early exit.

Never show up hungry to a party. Sure it’s easier to just eat when you get there. But will that be the best and healthiest option? Probably not, and you will end up eating stuff you normally wouldn’t. Eating a healthy meal before will ensure that you don’t gorge yourself on fried and sugary foods along with preventing you from mindlessly munching throughout the night.

Use the smallest plates available. Research has shown that eating a full plate results in a feeling of satisfied hunger, regardless of the size of the plate. So filling a smaller plate will result in eating less, but still experiencing the same satisfaction.

Don’t make it a late night. To prevent weight gain you need to get your sleep. Set a time that you plan to leave and stick to it. This way you won’t wake up the next morning regretting the “just one more beer” that you had three times and only four hours of sleep.

3. Workout effectively.

Time is an issue more than ever during the holidays so you need to get the most bang for your buck when working out.

Research has shown that over a 12-week period weight training resulted in 6 pounds more fat loss that aerobic training. This is due the increased metabolic demand of weight training that keeps you burning calories for hours longer than going for a jog.

So hit the weights for 30-45 minutes 2-3 times a week for the most effective workouts.

4. Start Now.

Stop procrastinating. Stop making excuses. Just get started.

Yes, it is crazy this time of the year. But, you need to take care of yourself. Stop telling yourself that you will get back to the gym in January and that you just have to get through the holidays. All that is going to do is add ten pounds you will need to lose all over again. It only takes exercising 2x per week for 45 minutes per week to maintain your weight when paired with good eating.

If you are planning on starting in January, start now!

Even though you are busy, starting a fitness program now a couple times a week will prevent that extra weight gain. Think about how much better you will feel when you wake up January 1st and have already lost a few pounds because you already started your journey.

It does not take much to keep up with your workouts or get started.

Keep up by making it a priority to get in two workouts each week.

Is that doable?

You bet.

Get started by taking a walk each day and maybe a couple sets of push-ups and squats with bodyweight.

Doable?

Absolutely.

Stop procrastinating and just get started. Stop making excuses about why you can’t workout right now and just commit to a couple short workouts each week.

This is a fun and festive time of the year. Stick to the tips above and you will make it through to January.

Get started TODAY on your fitness journey with a 21-Day Fitness Kick Start for only $67! Click the image below to learn more…

 

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Weekend Warrior Workout #1

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Grab a kettlebell and get after it with this simple workout.

How to do it:

  • Right Arm Farmer’s Walk – 25 yards
  • Kettlebell Swing – 10 reps
  • Left Arm Farmer’s Walk – 25 yards
  • Overhead Press – 10 reps each
  • Right Arm Farmer’s Walk – 25 yards
  • Goblet Squat – 10 reps
  • Left Arm Farmer’s Walk – 25 yards
  • Kettlebell Row – 10 reps each
    • Rest 60-120 seconds and repeat for 4 rounds.

Enjoy!

More Workouts:

Weekend Warrior Workout – November 3rd, 2017

Weekend Warrior Workout – November 10th, 2017

Weekend Warrior Workout – October 27th, 2017

 

Eat Clean 80% Of The Time

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You may not be eating as well as you think.

Sure Monday through Friday you may do well. But, then Friday night hits. You go out for dinner and order the grilled salmon with steamed veggies and skip the bread. But, you have dessert and a bottle of wine.

Or maybe on Saturday you feel that it would be nice to make your kids a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon. You tell yourself it’s okay because “it’s for the kids” and you’ll only have a little.

Then there is that stressful day that just needs unwound with a few drinks or a bowl of ice cream.

These are the small things that by themselves are perfectly fine, but added up can wreck your progress. To get results in the gym it takes eating clean 80% of the time. For most, it ends up only being 60-70% clean.

So what does 80% look like? Or better yet, what does the 20% look like?

To stay at 80% or above means you can have roughly 3-4 cheats per week. Every alcoholic drink that is a cheat. Every dessert that’s a cheat. Every piece of chocolate or candy another cheat. Fried and processed foods, a cheat again. Chips and salsa, you get the point.

Here’s an easy way to determine if you actually ate clean 80% of the time. Take a sheet and paper and make two columns. In column one write down all of your weeks “good” food choices and their calories, then in the second column write down all of your “bad” food choices and their calories. Now total the calories in each column. Then add those two numbers together. Finally divide the bad calories by the total calories of each column. If the number you get is less than 20% you did good if not, then you didn’t adhere to the 80/20 Rule.

Eating clean is the missing link to getting results. And many times what we think is clean eating isn’t clean enough.

Related Articles:

Need help with your nutrition? Schedule an appointment with our Certified Precision Nutrition Coach TODAY!! Click the image below for more details…

 

7 Habits of Clean Eating

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You’ve probably heard before that results start in the kitchen and you will never be able to out exercise bad nutrition. This is true. It is simply too easy to consume calories faster than you can burn them. In order to lose body fat you need to make some changes to your daily nutrition, by incorporating the “7 Habits of Clean Eating”.

Nutrition is easy, everyone knows what he or she should and shouldn’t eat. Applying it is the hard part. 

By incorporating the following ” 7 Habits of Clean Eating” you’ll be on your way to making better nutritional choices and changing your body.

Clean Eating Habit #1 – Reduce Processed Foods

“If it was made to sit on the shelf for years, if will sit on your butt, belly and hips just as long.” Your goal should be to eat as much real, whole, unprocessed food as possible. This means if it’s in a box or a wrapper it’s processed and not the best choice.

Clean Eating Habit #2 – You Can’t Change What You Don’t Track – Keep A Journal!

At PNF we’ve seen repeatedly that those who achieve the best results keep a daily food log. Some prefer paper and pencil; others prefer an app, such as “My Fitness Pal.” What you use doesn’t matter as long as you track it. Simple but effective!!

Clean Eating Habit #3 – Eat More Protein

Eating more protein will result in greater fat loss and muscle gain than a low protein diet. Protein, which is found in red meat, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy, contains essential amino acids that act as the building blocks of muscles. These are needed to rev up your metabolism and help you shed fat. This happens through the process of building muscle tissue, which requires your body to burn more calories. Also, when you have more muscle on your body, it gives you a toned and sculpted looked. Aim to eat about 1 gram for each pound of goal bodyweight.

If you are following a vegetarian diet, your total daily protein will be slightly lower and you should try to eat a variety of nuts, seeds, and beans each day, along with a plant based protein shake after your workouts.

Clean Eating Habit #4 – Eat More Veggies

Not only do vegetables contain numerous vitamins and minerals, as well as high amounts of fiber. They are also very low in calories. Eat as many veggies as you can each day. We also recommend 1-2 servings of fruit each day. This makes a great dessert without all the added sugar.

 Clean Eating Habit #5 – Stop Drinking Calories

The number one way to gain weight is to drink calories. This means no soda, juice (even 100% juice drinks), sports drinks, and coffee drinks. The best options are water, green tea, coffee (no more than 5 cups per day), and other unsweetened teas. If you must have something in your coffee choosing either whole milk or full fat creamer is a healthier choice than skim or reduced calorie creamers. – See Habit #1.

But what about “diet” versions! The artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks trigger some of the same signals in your body as regular sugar and cause you to gain fat. The same can be said for artificial sweeteners such as Stevia, Sweet & Low, and Truvia.

And how about that nightly glass of wine? Wine, beer, liquor are a part of many people’s social lives and we don’t expect you to give them up all together. After all, we’d be hypocrites if we did, being that we are craft beer snobs at PNF. That being said we recommend keeping your total weekly drink to six or less. Now that doesn’t mean you should go out and buy bigger glasses, although we like how you think.

Clean Eating Habit #6 –Stop Eating Sugar

 Pass on desserts, candy, cakes and ice cream. These foods all contain high amounts of sugar and very little nutritional value and are a great way to gain body fat. With that being said, we don’t expect you to never eat anything bad again. Are you going to eat pizza and then follow it with ice cream? Sure you are, you’re human. You just are not going to do this regularly. Instead you will save these things for your splurges, or little indulgences to enjoy the good things in life. All you have to do is keep the splurges to only 20% of your diet. That means that 80% of everything you eat and drink is a healthy choice that will improve your body. The other 20% is where you eat and drink the stuff you know you shouldn’t, but tastes amazing.

 Clean Eating Habit #7 – Supplement for success

At PNF we are not big on supplements, but there are two that we find extremely helpful.

The first is a Post-Workout Recovery Shake. This is a shake that contains roughly 20 grams of protein (preferably whey protein because it is absorbed by the body better) and fruit puree. This natural sugar is beneficial to the body because it will replenish muscle glycogen stores that have been depleted during the workout. Also, post-workout is the one time that we always have control of our nutrition and the ability to get in good quality nutrition, during the rest on the day this is not always the case.

The second is fish oil. Fish Oil has numerous benefits including fighting inflammation and helping improving our body’s fat profiles. Our diets tend to be low in Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA specifically. So we like to supplement with these each day. Our recommended brand is Nordic Naturals as it is one of the highest quality fish oils available on the market.

There you have it 7 Habits of Clean Eating to help you feel better and build a better body.

 

Related Articles:

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Weekend Warrior Workout – November 3rd, 2017

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For this weeks workout all you need is one kettlebell and a little determination to get it done.

How To Do It:

Round #1

10 Kettlebell Goblet Squats

10 Each Single Arm Kettlebell Rows

10 Each Mountain Climbers

Rest 60 Seconds, Repeat 3x

 

Round #2

10 Kettlebell Swings

10 Each Kettlebell Single Arm Push Presses

10 Reverse Crunches

Rest 60 Seconds, Repeat 3x

 

Finisher

Jumping Jacks 30 Seconds On, 30 Seconds Off

 

Enjoy!

 

Weekend Warrior Workout – November 10th, 2017

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Weekend Warrior Workout…

This week we have a quick 20-minute workout for you that starts with a cardio burst and follows with two strength exercises.

What you need:

  • Jump Rope
  • Ultimate Sandbag
  • TRX

Here is how it works:

  • Perform three sets of Round #1 with no breaks.
  • Rest 4 minutes
  • Perform three sets of Round #2 with no breaks.

Enjoy!

 

New “Lifestyle” Shake Line!!

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New Lifestyle Shakes Are Here!!

9 Awesome Flavors – All Low Sugar, Less Calories, and still a minimum of 20 grams of protein.

  • Banilla
  • Chocolate Brownie
  • Peanut Buster
  • Pineapple Shredder
  • Raw Energy
  • Razzle Dazzle
  • Skinny Delight
  • Strawberry Lean
  • The Caffeinator

Try one today!

It’s All About Habits

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Fitness comes down to habits.

Working out and eating clean are habits.

The more you workout and the cleaner you eat the more likely you are to continue to do so.

Now, this won’t happen overnight and you will fall off the wagon from time to time. That is completely normal, just pick yourself back up and start again where you left off.

We recommend only changing one or two habits at a time, rather than making a complete overhaul to your lifestyle. Once you conquer one habit, add another to start working on. Overtime these will all add up and with each one you will make more and more progress.

Fitness is all about habits.

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