New Year New Plan!

It's almost Christmas.  Usually this is the time of year when my choice making skills take a dive.  This year is no different.  I've been traveling and having a wonderful time eating, drinking, and making merry with so many wonderful friends and family.  Unfortunately this also means I get further from my goals and start feeling a poorly about myself.

I'm trying something new this year.  I'm allowing myself to eat and enjoy with my friends and family knowing that I have a workable strong plan that I will return too.  I may not be making all the right choices this week, but all year long I've been making good choices for me and it's paid off!  I feel good, I feel good about how I look, and I know I'm closer to my personal best than I was last year at this time.

This year has been about making good choices over and over.  It's been about regular workouts, positive attitude, and healthy whole foods.  This year it's been all about slow and steady wins the race.

No pills, no powders, no short cuts, and no false promises.  I just worked hard.  I entered my 35th year stronger than I've ever been and knowing more about my body than I ever have.  I'm proud of all I've accomplished this year.

Of course, I still have goals for next year!  Weight loss isn't magic.  It's science.  There is a reason bodies react the way they do to food, exercise, sleep, and positive attitude.  I have a strong plan to go into 2013 and I hope you'll go with me.  The hardest part is making a commitment to yourself and being strong enough to make a plan you CAN follow. 

To often we try to make huge changes that aren't sustainable.  Very few people can do "two-a-days" at the gym or eat only 1200 calories a day.  It's very very hard to enjoy life or be enjoyable when that is the plan.  

I have decided to break 2013 into 4 pieces.  I'll make a 12 week plan that is manageable and maintainable.  At the end of each 12 week period I'll look back, see what worked, what didn't, and be willing to tweek my program and my plan to help me reach my goals.  My overall goal is to be confident in pictures!  No number chasing this year for me.  This year it's all about a feeling.  I hope you'll join me.

Jen Cherry 

Boot Camp Homecoming!

I just want to take a moment and say thank you to everyone who has welcomed me home to Tucson.  I've  enjoyed so many laughs, hugs, and conversations with friends.  I'm always so grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life.  

I had an opportunity to workout with Cooper Boot Camp today.  This is the program that changed my life.  I lost 40 lbs and gained incredible friends, confidence, and a new passion; fitness.  It was so much fun to be outside and huffing and puffing with a group.  I can't wait to make MY Boot Campers do 4 minutes of 1 leg deadlifts!

Alternating 1 leg deadlifts are a great exercise to focus on lower body while still engaging your core AND improving balance.  You can do them with no weights at all.  To advance the exercise add weights in one hand to increase the balance challenge. 

From standing position hinge at your waist bringing one leg off the ground behind you slowly and evenly.  Keep your core engaged with a neutral back. Allow your arms to move comfortably.  Complete 30 seconds on each leg, 4 reps!

Jen Cherry & Kirsten Cooper 

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Shake

Pumpkin in the winter makes me happy!  This is another great breakfast solution; quick and easy to eat on the go.  I usually make an entire batch and keep it in the refrigerator to grab in the morning   I use one of the shaker bottles and add about 4 oz of fat free milk to my serving of the shake.  That way I don't have to dirty my blender everyday! It's a delicious way to start my day and I don't even have to feel guilty. I hope you enjoy.   I generally eat this shake as my morning meal.  It has enough calories to keep me going through a tough workout. To make this a recovery shake you can add your protein supplement (vanilla works best).  If you want the benefits of added protein without adding a supplement substitute the fat free milk for low fat natural Greek yogurt and add water or milk to thin to the desired consistency.  Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Shake Servings: 4 • Size: 1/4th of recipe Calories: 160.7 • Fat: 2.2g • Protein: 5.8 g • Carb: 34 g • Fiber: 6.6 g Ingredients: 1/2 cup quick oats  2 cups water  1 cup fat free milk  1 cup ice  1/2 cup pumpkin puree  3 tbsp brown sugar  1-2 tsp cinnamon  pumpkin pie spice to taste Directions: Cook oats and water in a small pot for about a minute or two, stirring often until it becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and let it cool a few minutes. In a blender add milk, pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice. Add oats and ice. Blend on high until very smooth. Chill in refrigerator or pour in a glass over ice. Enjoy!!  recipe from skinnytaste.com

Be Nice!

I've always been an extrovert.  That is, I gain my energy from outside sources rather than an introvert who finds energy within.  As I have had the opportunity to be 'home' for a few days in Tucson AZ, I've been seeing those that mean the most to me.  I've been surrounded by thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent, people.  I've laughed, shed some tears, and received lots of hugs.

I like nice people who do nice things, and I want to make a commitment to be a nicer person... and do nicer things!  I want to actively create stronger relationships with my clients and friends back in Germany.  I've been very lucky that I get to follow my dreams and build a business that reflects my passions and beliefs.  I'm so grateful to everyone that supports me.

I'm thinking about how I can make not only myself but also Cherry Wellness and 360 Fit better.  I hope to express in this blog my personal as well as my professional journey to wellness.  Not every day is easy, but I'm going to try to reflect the best of me.  

Breakfast!

Ever since I found canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) at the commissary I've been obsessed with pumpkin!  You can find the pumpkin puree in the baking aisle.  Just be careful to pick up pumpkin puree and NOT the pie filling.  Pumpkin is low calorie, fiber rich, and delicious in so many different imaginations.  I shared a pumpkin smoothie recipe with my clients a few weeks ago and thought folks might like this too! 

It's easy to make up a big batch, and put them in individual containers for a quick zap and then add toppings for a fulfilling quick morning meal.  I usually hold the granola but love to use 100% natural maple syrup for that touch of sweetness!

Enjoy!

Coach Jen 

Pumpkin Oats with Maple Syrup & Granola

Ingredients:

 2/3 cup water

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup quick cook oats

2 teaspoons chia seeds

Dash of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice

 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 mashed banana

1/3 cup pumpkin

2 tablespoons granola

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions

 1. Bring water, milk, oats, chia seeds, spices, and vanilla extract to a boil.

2. Reduce heat, add banana and whip into oats. Cover and simmer on low, about 4-5 minutes. 

3. Stir in pumpkin. Top with granola and maple syrup

Recipe found in Fitness Magazine

Homemade Stock

Welcome back and thank you for taking the time to read this post.

I use homemade stock in many of my recipes.  I use it to make brown rice on a regular basis and in couscous as well as many bean dishes.  I love stock.  It makes everything taste like it’s been simmering all day.  People think stock is hard and time consuming.  They buy canned broth instead which often has added sodium or preservatives and really doesn’t pack the flavor punch to make it worth wile.  I make a big batch of stock weekly and use it throughout the week to add flavor to dishes without added calories, fat, or sodium.

My stock method is super cheap.  A few years ago I had a wonderful roommate who shared my love of cooking and taught me a really neat trick for making homemade stock.  He kept medium sized Tupperware container in the fridge for veggie bits and pieces all week long.  As we chopped the tops off onions and zucchinis and peeled carrots and potatoes we added all these ‘garbage’ pieces to the Tupperware container.  We added the bulbous ends of celery and the stems of herbs.  At the end of the week, we dumped the bits and pieces into a big pot and added water until the bits and pieces were just covered.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  When the water had reduced by about a third, we strained out the veggie bits and pieces and had a gorgeous veggie stock to use all week long. 

My roommate was a vegetarian, and while I appreciate that lifestyle, I will forever be a meat eater.  During the week I save any and all bones that come from my meat, even if they have been cooked.  I just throw it in the freezer and dump whatever bones I’ve saved into the pot, still frozen, with the veggie bits and pieces. Then I make the meat stock using the same techniques as the veggie stock.  I cover the bones and veggies with water bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the water is reduced by about half.

I’ve been experimenting with stock for the past few years and have made it a regular chore in my kitchen.  On Monday mornings, I make a big batch of stock while I’m catching up on e-mail and doing the weekly shopping lists.  I’d urge you to find an hour in your life when you’re in the house but otherwise occupied to create a yummy stock.  There is no prep, no cutting or chopping, and you dirty only one pot and one strainer.

Things I use stock for:

1.       To sauté veggies to create a delicious side dish without oil or fat.

2.       To add flavor to brown rice or beans, use in place of water.

3.       As a base for a quick weekday soup.

4.       As a braising liquid for a low fat chicken or beef dish

5.       To deglaze a pan to create a delicious gravy.

As you can see, I have an opportunity to use stock for almost any meal.  The flavor can really elevate a meal and now stock is staple in my fridge.  If I have left over stock at the end of the week I pour it into ice trays and freeze it to use in the future.  I can pop out as many as I need to add to a recipe.

Good for You Comfort Food

Hello! Welcome back to Cherry Wellness.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading and researching during the gloomy days here in Germany about food.  Right now with the wind whistling, the rain pounding, and the clouds low in the sky I’m craving good old fashioned comfort food.  I want mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and warm brownies!  Doesn’t that sound divine! I can’t fib either; I’ve eaten all of those things over the past month.  However, it’s going to be a long winter in Germany and it’s about balance, so I need to eat what makes me happy and healthy!

I have been working for some time to add beans to my diet.  The benefits of beans as a dietary stable are well known because of their high nutrient content. Consuming beans is recommended for everyone, including people who also eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly.  Beans are unique because while they are considered a vegetable they also have high protein levels.  Beans are also starchy and so feel thick and rich which equals comfort in my brain.

I have a super simple black bean soup recipe that is rich delicious filling and comforting.   All at the same time it is also heart healthy low calorie and low fat.  This one is a winner.  I’m sure there are a million versions of this recipe, and use it as a base soup to play with and customize depending on what’s in your pantry.

Enjoy!

Coach Jen’s Black Bean Soup

3 servings, 25 minutes start to finish

1 can organic black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup organic or homemade stock

½ cup yellow onion minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup roasted green chilies (fresh is best, or canned)

½ cup organic salsa

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot.  Dice onions and sauté until softened, about three minutes.  Add rough chopped green chilies and heat through.  Add black beans, stock, and salsa.  Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Stir occasionally mashing beans against the side of the pot or with a potato masher to thicken consistency of the soup.  I like to add a dash of chipotle pepper for heat while soup simmers.  Serve with avocado for garnish and a green salad.

Nutritional data for soup as estimated by www.myfitnesspal.com

                        Cals        Carb       Fat          Protein

Total:    658         97           18           34          

Per Serving:       219         32           6              11

Nutritional information for beans from www.choosemyplate.gov