Coach Meagan’s step by step meal prep

Step 1: Make a grocery list from your meal plan and hit the store. Stay out of the junk food aisles- temptation is cruel. Grocery shop on a day where you have some extra time to do some prep!  P.S. Extra credit farmer walk when you bring all your bags in at the same time! 

Step 2: Have your meal plan handy. Unload your bags and leave everything that you can prepare ahead of time on the counter.

Step 3: I like to take out every pot and pan so that I can cook as much as I can as quickly as possible. Mashed cauliflower was on the menu and that is what takes the longest, so I started there so that I could prep some more veggies while that boiled. Multi-tasking is a beautiful thing!

Step 4: Pre-heat the oven for roasted veggies and put those greens on standby until you hear the beautiful beep from the oven!

Step 5: Cauliflower is on the stove- check. Oven is pre-heated for roasted veggies- check. Next on the menu is cabbage noodles with peppers and onions. Chop up some cabbage and get that going on low while chopping up some peppers and onions.

Step 6: Cauliflower is boiling- check. Oven is pre-heated and veggies are in- check. Peppers and onions added to cabbage noodles on low- check. Time to get the protein cookin’.

Step 7: Brown ground bison. Stirring up veggies and meat as needed.

 Step 8: Cabbage noodles. peppers, and onions are done- toss those into a Tupperware and get the ground turkey on the stove. 

Step 9: As Coach Erin would say, “BAM!” There you have it. Easy accessible protein and veggies for the whole week. No excuses. You are prepped and ready tackle a great week.  This all took a tad bit over an  hour. 

Don’t say you don’t have time- you must make time. Results don’t just happen, they are earned with hard work, determination, dedication, and preparation!

So is it worth it? Well, I guess that depends if you want to feel better, look better, build muscle, and lose fat? If those things are on your to-do list then you better fit this piece into your life. You can make it happen, I know it!

-Coach Meagan

The Spotlight is Shining On…..

Cynthia Proulx is a new family member at Get Fit NH but already her presence has made us all turn our heads. Cynthia let us know right away what she felt the first few days at Get Fit NH. “As a new member I’m sure I am not going to answer this as well as other family members. With that said, I like the idea of the family atmosphere, everyone is very friendly, and the nutrition class has really helped me. I have been exercising all my life, dancing, gymnastics, ballet, Gloria Stevens, skiing, running, basketball, gym memberships for the last 30 years. The difference that I feel now: the workouts are much more fun than all the other gyms I’ve been to. The coaching has been huge, I can finally do squats that don’t hurt my knees. I love competition and the workouts help me to be competitive within myself. They are hard for me, but I feel a lot of satisfaction when I complete something well”.

After going to the Whole 9 workshop Cynthia made drastic changes to her nutrition plan. She went – “Whole 9”. She experienced drastic results. This is thrilling to her coach and all the coaches at Get Fit NH. As you read what Cynthia wrote, think about yourself. If you can achieve similar results to Cynthia would it be worth your while to make some changes? Cynthia is discovering that the quality of food is changing how she feels. Her training is changing her physical being and as shaping her mental well – being.

“I would like you and Nancy to know that in a weeks time on the Whole 9 nutrition plan, I feel better than I have in months. I have been to nutritionists over the years and have been on MANY diet plans, We never talked about eliminating certain foods. Taking dairy, gluten, wheat, breads, etc. out of my diet has made a difference. Since last October I have felt sick most everyday, I knew I had an allergy to dairy, but continued to eat and drink some dairy products. I then began to question wheat and gluten.  I started the plan a week ago today, tomorrow will be one week of feeling good everyday and it’s not hard for me to follow. Food preparation takes time, but I have made many of the recipes in the book. The only vice is a little truvia, I’m working to get rid of that as well. I have much more energy than I did and can’t wait for that to increase even more.  I appreciate all Erin is doing as my coach to help me get the most out of my training without pain. She has been fantastic! Thank you for being part of my life, Cynthia

Cynthia has encouraged me, I know she will encourage you as well. I am looking forward to all that Cynthia is going to discover.

30 Challenges in 30 Days – The Finish Line!

Here is your planner for the last 9 days of our challenge – You Got This!

January 22: Eat Veggies at your first meal

January 23: Share your dinner plans on our Facebook Page or email them to your coach

January 24: Eat only raw vegetables today

January 25: No Caffeine today. – (big culprits: coffee and chocolate)

January 26: Eat 2 cups of vegetables at any one meal (salad doesn’t count)

January 27: Replace your bread/pasta/rice with a vegetable at dinner

January 28: Make a salad a main course for lunch or dinner today.

January 29: Eat lean protein and a veggie every time you eat today

January 30: Don’t eat any “sugar added” foods – check EVERY label

One Stop Shopping

The holiday season is creeping up on us. Who is ready for frosty windshields, snow, and slippery roads?

….No? Me either!

Here is what I am ready for, though! Holiday shopping. I love the holiday spirit and all the joy it brings. We want to help you out with your shopping list this year. On Saturday November 8, 2014 we are hosting a Pampered Chef party AND  a 31 party- that’s right- a double party! Men- if you have women  to shop for then you don’t want to miss this event! I can assure you there will be LOTS of ladies here to help you pick out something great for your lady and ladies, do you I even need to tell you that you don’t want to miss this? C’mon, we all know how awesome these products are.

It’s not just great for holiday shopping, it’s great year round. If you do a lot of holiday cooking these Pampered Chef products are going to help you out and 31 is going to make sure you are transporting those delicious dishes in style. The party starts at 5:30 PM in Concord. Our Pampered Chef representative, Sue Moulton, will be preparing a DETOX FRIENDLY meal!  Taste testing is encouraged! Epsom’s one and only Sonia Cormier will show us all of the great products 31 has to offer.

You DO NOT want to miss out on this so mark your calendars now for this Saturday, November 8th at 5:30 PM here in Concord. If you can’t make this event- don’t worry. We’ll keep the catalogs out until November 12th.

We hope to see you there!

Coach Meagan

Gotta Love Me Some Zucchini

I love late August early September. The backyard garden is bulging with produce. One of my favorite growing plants is zucchini. I think it is because they are easy to grow, hard to kill, and produce fruit with little effort. I’m not much of a gardener but I do put get my hands dirty. Donna K. visited the Red Mountain Resort in Utah this summer and brought back this recipe.

Raw Zucchini Alfredo

8 – 1 cup servings

• 1 cup raw unsalted Cashew nuts, chopped
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup Pine nuts
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cloves garlic
• 8 cups zucchini

Blend all ingredients except zucchini in a high power blender until smooth and starts to warm up from blender, about 5 minutes to make the Alfredo sauce.

Cut top and bottom off of zucchini. Using the julienne blade on a mandolin cut zucchini length wise to create noodles. Pour sauce over individual portions.

Since zucchini are prolific I wanted to share this recipe from Paulette W. These are one of our family’s favorites year round.

Zucchini Fritters

• 5 medium zucchini, shredded (4 cups) with box grater or food processor
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 cup coconut flour (I used almond flour)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (but yummy) and 1 teaspoon black pepper
• coconut oil or ghee for cooking

Shred zucchini and put into large bowl. Sprinkle with the sea salt and toss well. Walk away for 10 min. Scoop up a generous handful of zucchini and squeeze the living daylights out of them. You want the zucchini dry – nobody likes soggy fritters. Place in a different bowl. Add flour, egg, pepper, and baking soda. Stir to combine Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Melt a spoonful of oil or ghee in the pan. Pack a 1/4 cup of zucchini mixture out onto the pan and flatten until you get a patty. You can cook 4-5 patties at a time. Cook each side for 3-5 min or until brown. Cool on a cooling rack so they don’t get soggy.

Enjoy!

Coach Nancy

Did YOU S3? Here’s Some Superstars Who Did!

As we wrap up the 2014 Six Week Sprint into Summer (S3) Nutrition Challenge I feel it is absolutely necessary to congratulate some of your fellow teammates on their incredible success.For starters we need to congratulate the following students for faithfully turning in their nutrition card each week throughout the challenge:

• Katie Jordan
• Maura Carroll
• Kate Fox
• Carolyn Amrol
• Donna Weilnau
• Ronald Weilnau
• Kristen Wolfe
• Spencer Wilbur
• Bob Magan
• Sonia Cormier
• Lyn Roberts and
• Sara Withers – awesome job!

I am 100% confident that each of these students would agree that the habits we encourage our students to live by enhance results drastically. I can confidently say that because there is not one student on that list who did not lose multiple pounds. What are my famous words?

That’s right. You cannot and will not out train poor nutrition. Get all your wheels turning the same direction and you are going to be unstoppable.

I would like to take the time to individually recognize each of these champions for their outstanding achievements. These are real life people. Real people who train at the same facility as you. Real people who were provided the same tools as you. Real people who made it happen.

• Kristen Wolfe:  Kristen was prepared for results as soon as the S3 challenge began. She had her body composition test taken right at the beginning of S3 (June 3, 2014 to be exact) and again at the end of S3 (June 30, 2014 to be exact.) During the 6 week challenge Kristen averaged over 90% compliance. She admitted it was not easy, but maintained discipline because results were important to her. Kristen lost 8 pounds on the scale and after taking her body composition test we learned that every single pound lost was excess body fat! This is an incredible win. What do you think Kristen, is having discipline and self-control worth the way you feel today?

• Katie Jordan: This woman has been flying down the road to success since she stepped through our doors. She has soaked in every ounce of knowledge we’ve provided and has attended countless workshops to continue toward her goals (which I’m pretty sure involve Coach Erin being decked out in pink from head to toe, right?) Katie participated in the S3 challenge and lost 15.8 pounds. That is all while maintaining about 90% compliance.

• Carolyn Amrol: Carolyn has such a contagious and encouraging attitude. She averaged about 90% compliance over the past 6 weeks and lost 13.5 pounds. Carolyn works so hard in the gym to continue making great progress.

• Ronald and Donna Weilnau: I have so many positive things to say about this inspirational couple. I remember last September having a conversation with Donna as she took on one of the most elite races in NH, Reach the Beach. I remember her saying that she wished she could get Ronald to join Get Fit NH. I also remember Ronald picking her up from the race and being so proud of her accomplishment. We welcomed Ronald to the Get Fit NH family shortly after Donna’s huge accomplishment and he has made an absolutely remarkable change in his lifestyle. He has accomplished incredible weight loss, screened out of several functional movement screen bands, and has been an absolute inspiration to others. Together I am confident they will continue to make progress toward their goals. With the support of one another they have been unstoppable. Together they lost about 8 pounds during the S3 challenge

• Maura Carroll: Maura made great changes over the past 6 weeks. She has lost 5.8 pounds. Maura has such a positive and inspiring attitude. Her reception to coaching is absolutely admirable. She has been with the Get Fit NH family for 4 years and continues to seek improvement.

• Kate Fox: What can I say about Kate? Who doesn’t know Kate Fox? She is a Get Fit NH celebrity in so many ways. Not only has she referred half of our clientele, but she is also the owner and originator of Fox Fancy Pants. Kate is a huge inspiration to our 5 AM training time. She is dedicated, engaged, and her results have proved that she is dedicated to herself and her health.

• Spencer Wilbur: I was pleased to congratulate Spencer on his great success today and even more pleased to hear about how he was able to fit into his suit from 25 years ago a few weekends ago. Since training with Get Fit NH he has lost about 25 pounds and continued to work toward his goals losing 6 more pounds during our S3 challenge.

• Sara Withers: Sara has been apart of the Get Fit NH family for just over a month. She jumped on board for S3 right away and is already reaping the benefits. She said that she was upset when the scale did not go down as much as she wanted it to, but thanks to our trustee body fat system we learned that she lost 7 pounds in body fat! Which is a great win. Her immediate dedication to herself is inspiring. I see nothing but great success for Sara! She is no doubt a go getter.

• Sonia Cormier is a rock star. She just earned her Hall of Fame red shirt. For the past year Sonia has taken advantage of every challenge. Six Week Sprint to Summer was another focal point Sonia used to make sure she kept making necessary steps to reach her goal. While being faithful to training she also makes appointments to have her body composition tested and takes time to make goals every four months. I applaud her for using the tools Get Fit NH provides to make the most of her nutritional changes. Dedication and Consistency describe Sonia to a “T”. Her team at 6:15, the scale, and her body composition all reflect the hard work Sonia pours into herself.  (Coach Nancy) 

• Bob Magan was a bit hesitant to start the Six Week Sprint to Summer. Coach Sarah and I had to push him a bit but as always he takes the little push and turns it into a chance to shine. The S3 Scorecard from Bob was always waiting for me at 5am for me to review. He used the information on the scorecard to make daily changes. Bob used the high percentages as a pat on the back for work already accomplished while he used the lower percentages as his focus for the next week. I’m proud of Bob for his dedication to himself. He is making the changes one step at a time for himself but for those in his family as well. (Coach Nancy)

• Lyn Roberts stayed true to S3 all six weeks but she isn’t ready to stop yet. Each week Lyn not only turned in her scorecard but also her meal plan. She wanted to have accountability to get that portion done. When I asked Lyn what she was going to do about meal planning for the week now that Six Week Sprint to Summer was over she wrote me to say, “Its easier for me with a plan.  I tend to stay more disciplined with it.  Even though they have been hand-written, it wouldn’t be that hard to  do a computerized version and just fill in the blanks.  Will see what I can come up with.” I’m proud to say Lyn is going to keep on Making It Happen! (Coach Nancy)
  

These results are absolutely amazing. I am so proud of everyone who participated in this challenge. The results speak for themselves. 12 participants and 67.2 pounds lost- fantastic!

But even more important than what was lost is what was gained – new habits which will KEEP us moving toward losing fat, getting lean, and looking and feeling great.

It’s not too late to get your nutrition under control. Your coaches are here to help you anytime, any day. Don’t wait for the next challenge to be a winner!

Make it happen,

Coach Meagan

Coach Meagan’s S3 Tips

Hi all, Coach Meagan here.

As I sit here planning my meals for the Six Week Sprint into Summer (S3) I thought I would share some of my strategies for the upcoming challenge. Many of you know how I am not a huge fan of cooking, but as you can imagine I have big goals that I am working toward- so I’m going to suck it up!

Here are the steps I take to make my nutrition go as planned:

1) Plan my meals for the following week Wednesday morning. From that create my grocery list.

2) Grocery shopping on Sunday- stick to the perimeter of the store to avoid temptation (with the exception of frozen veggies!) and stick to the list!

3) Sunday is my prep day. Remember how I said I don’t like cooking? Half the battle (for me) is prepping. If you don’t have it prepped and planned ahead of time there is a pretty good chance you will forget something or just skip it (like adding those extra veggies, because you didn’t want to cut them up!) “Prep day” entails primarily:

– Cutting up veggies and bagging them for each meal they’re going with.

– Prep meat- whether that means cutting it up or just taking it out of the package, adding the veggies, and sticking it in a freezer bag labeled “Monday Dinner”

You can add these tips to fit your schedule too. By taking the time do this you’re saving precious time during the week and there is no extra thinking involved.

Make sure you take into account days where you might be working late or getting home late. When you plan head you can mark those days down for dinner in the crockpot. That way when you get home your house smells amazing and you are eating your nutritious, planned, and compliant meal.

Here is a quick lunch idea…

On your prep day as you are cutting all of those veggies throw a handful of each into a pot. Cook a couple of pieces of chicken and scramble up some eggs and throw that in the pot with the veggies. Add water and a small amount of chicken broth (check the ingredients on those chicken broths!) and you just made yourself soup for the week for lunch. 🙂

I hope these tips were helpful to you- let’s Make It Happen!
-Coach Meagan

What do you drive?

I want you to take a second and think of your favorite car. It may be a sports car, an antique ride, or maybe it’s a luxury vehicle. Now I want you to think about how you would treat that car if you had it.

• What kind of fuel would you put into this vehicle? The “good stuff” or the “cheap stuff”?

• Would you keep up with the maintenance that goes along with owning an $80,000 machine?

• Would you eat ice cream while driving that car? Or would you fear that you may destroy the interior of your valued possession?

I think you may see where I am going with this metaphor…

Your body is a machine. And I can assure you it is a heck of a lot more valuable then any materialistic possession you’ll ever own. You only get one body and you need to take care of it now, because here is the scary part- ready?

If you don’t take care of your body and give it what it needs you are putting yourself at risk for countless harmful and fatal health risks.

No, not…

• I’ll start on Monday
• I don’t have time
• Well I train 4X per week so I can eat whatever I want.

There is no time for excuses. At best case scenario we see you for 4 hours a week!

Do you know how many hours are in a week? 168.

That means at BEST case scenario there are 164 OTHER hours during the week where you need to be making conscience and smart decisions.

Because guess what?

You cannot out train poor nutrition. Sorry. It just is not possible. Treat your body like a Camaro.

• Fuel it up with the good stuff- Protein, produce, water
• Train at an absolute minimum twice per week (for best results make that four times per week)
• You don’t want to destroy your interior- so just eat clean

Remember training is forever.

I will see you guys two-four hours a week FOREVER! (Lucky me, huh?  …..or lucky you?)

Make it Happen.

Coach Meagan

Do you want to lose body fat?

……is that a silly question?

I am pretty sure most of us are here to lose body fat, build muscle and feel good! Have you set yourself a body composition goal?

If yes, ask yourself these questions:

• How often do I get my body composition tested with one of my coaches? If the answer is not every 4-6 weeks then your behavior goals are not supporting your outcome goal.
• Do I create a weekly meal plan and follow it? If your answer is no- why? Failing to plan is planning to fail. That is so true. It may take time to sit down and make a plan, but it SAVES time when it is time to go grocery shopping, think about what’s for dinner, and certainly saves time meeting your goal!
• Do I recover from training efficiently and effectively? If you’re not getting some protein, produce and water in your body as soon as possible after training you’re not maximizing your potential results.

If you have not set yourself a body composition goal, let me ask you these questions:

• Have you had your body composition taken with one of your coaches? Using the Intelametrix Ultrasound System is easy, discreet and accurate. It is hard to set a goal if you do not know where you are at!
• Did you walk through our doors to become the best version of yourself you could possibly be? Whether that means stronger, leaner, faster, happier, healthier….how do you know you are achieving the best version of yourself if you do not know where you stand?
• Do you fear being held accountable? The body composition test doesn’t lie. If your nutrition “slips up” your body composition goes up. If your nutrition is on point, your body composition is on point.

These are only a few things I challenge you to take in to consideration when setting goals. If your actions don’t support your goals then you’re going to be walking in circles with no results. We are here to help you meet your goals.

As always- be accountable. Take advantage of all that we offer you to succeed.  Schedule a body composition test with your coach today.

Make it Happen,

Coach Meagan

Some Green(s) Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

While these recipes might not be your traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare, they are easy, tasty, and streaked with lots of beautiful green.

Start your own traditions!

Start Your Day Off Green Shake

• 1 scoop of Raw protein powder (UMP or SFH also works great)
• 1 cup kale leaves, center rib removed
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 over ripe banana, frozen & cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 6-8 ounces of water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Divide between glasses and serve immediately.

Green Egg Casserole

• 8 large eggs – beaten
• 1 cup chopped frozen spinach – thawed and drained well
• 2 Tablespoons Jalapeno pepper, chopped
• ½ green pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one large casserole dish or two eight-inch dishes with a light coating of oil. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Pour mixture into casserole dish and cook for 35 minutes or until eggs are fully set.

Crispy Green Beans With Pesto

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup homemade pesto (store-bought is fine but just not as good and healthy as homemade!)
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook garlic on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds, remove from skillet and set aside. Add beans to the same skillet and sauté for about 6 minutes or until beans are cooked but still crispy. Return garlic to the skillet and cook an additional 30 seconds (just enough to quickly reheat garlic). Remove from skillet and cool down a bit. Toss with pesto, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve. This dish is also very good on a salad, in case you have leftovers!

Pesto

• 3 rounded cups fresh basil leaves (about 2 bunches)
• 1/2 medium garlic clove
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• salt, to taste

In food processor (I use a blender, but be careful not to overdo or you’ll end up with green slime instead of pesto), combine basil leaves and pine nuts. Pulse a few seconds. Add garlic and pulse again. Slowly add olive oil while the food processor is on. Stop food processor and scrap down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add a pinch of salt if needed and serve.

Salsa Verda Chicken

A bright, refreshing and spicy green salsa recipe served over grilled chicken.

• 1 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1 cup cilantro, packed
• ½ cup parsley, packed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small shallot ,chopped
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of ½ lime
• 3 Tablespoons orange juice (fresh is best)
• salt & pepper
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• extra virgin olive oil for grilling

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a blender. Blend until puréed. Combine chicken breasts with half the salsa mixture in a large bowl, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to overnight. Heat a stove top grill pan (or outdoor grill if it’s not 8 degrees where you are) to medium heat. Grill chicken breasts for about 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. This will depend on how thick your chicken is. Once cooked through, remove from grill, spoon remaining salsa over the top of each chicken breast. Serve with a lime wedge and garnish with cilantro.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!