Ten Things You Might or Might Not Know About Coach Nancy

(in no particular order of importance or significance)

1. I have three brothers and one older sister. My brothers are to blame for any competitiveness you see in me. They are also the reason for me being on the winning team of anything I play. My siblings and their families all live in or near Indiana, which is where my parents still live. I of course had to make sure I won the “moved farthest from home award”.
2. I stalked Dean for about three weeks before he noticed me. Yes, I was a secret admirer. I wrote him notes and left them around where I knew he would find them. Eventually I fessed up and we’ve been together ever since. And of course, I won the award for “meeting my spouse in the most unusual way”
3. Dean and I will soon celebrate our 28^th anniversary. While I didn’t win the award for being married first in my family. I did win the award for having the most children. Tim, 27, Jeff, 26, Derek, Drew, 10, Karalynn, 9, and Amy, 7. My youngest brother has since tied me with six children but I did it first!
4. While I have worked in many different jobs, the longest was owning my own day care. I had this day care in two different states in three different locations. I operated the day care for almost 17 years. Again, I am the only sibling to own her own business.  I win that category as well
5. When I met Dean my name was Nancy Carlson. Think about that for a minute…… My married name is actually Nancy Carlson Carlson. I just happened to fall in love and coaxed a man with my same last name to marry me. This makes for a very difficult situation when we tried to explain to our kids going to grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. They were almost all Carlson’s. So now I am winning and making unique impressions on more than just my side of the family. I have yet to meet another person who has done the same thing.
6. In high school I played football. Yes, my brothers are responsible for the competitive edge. In fact I am so competitive, in my high school yearbook each senior picture had a list of accomplishments during their school years. I wanted my list to be long so I joined as many different clubs and teams as I could. If being well rounded was an event back then, I would have won. Some of the crazy things I did was be a Pom Pom girl, cross country, swim, French club, football, several plays, and other things that I can’t even remember.
7. I was raised to love my God, my country, and my family. I remember so clearly the celebration of loyalty when our country turned 200 years old. I am still in love with this great nation. I am a patriot through and through. Sure I wish some things were different. There is not a perfect place on this earth.  I have so much joy in traveling around seeing all the great monuments and natural occurrences in the USA. I wish I could say I’ve been to all 50 states but I have not. In fact I have only been west of the Mississippi to travel to Texas, where Dean was stationed and our first son was born. If I could give out an award it would go to the best country ever.
8.  I am a swimmer through and through. I swam competitively from 6 years old to high school. I love being in the water or near it. My parents have a small cabin in Wisconsin. We would stay there all summer as kids. My dad was a firm believer in making sure his two daughters could do everything his sons could do. (maybe that is where I get my competitiveness from). If I went fishing I found all the worms I would need, put the worm on the hook, as well as cleaned the fish too. I enjoy fishing to this day. By the way, I can drive a standard car and change oil because my dad made sure I could if needed.
9. I would follow Dean to the end of the earth. There are quotes from the movie: Show Me the Money, “You had me at Hello” and “You complete Me”. That sums up Dean and I. He has always wanted to own his own gym. It was a no brainer when he suggested Get Fit NH. I was in. I would do whatever I could to make his dream come true. In doing so I have found my love of coaching. I was a shy kid. It would shock most people to know I talk in front of people. The Get Fit NH family has made me break out of my comfort zone in more than just this one way.
10. God is a very important part of my life. I have gone through too much, seen too much in life not to think it was organized and put together by someone greater than myself. All that is good in me, is from God. I trust you see it.

I love my Get Fit NH family. I am so thankful you choose to train with us. The stories you’ve created because of stepping out of your comfort zone inspire me and your Get Fit NH family. Continue to Make It Happen.

Coach Nancy

 

Top 5 Posts of 2013

Just in time for New Years we have compiled the list of your favorite blog posts for 2013. It always interest me what interests you, so it is fun to take a look at what you read the most. There is some gold in here, so grab a cup of some nice hot green tea, cozy up to the fire and get reading!

No big surprise a post about Pizza got your attention. If you haven’t tried these recipes you are missing out!

Leaned toned, or muscle? drops some serious knowledge bombs about attaining that sought after, healthy looking body.

Jill’s Transformation Story is inspiring and amazing!

Eating the right amount of food for you is key to weight control, so make sure you know How much am I supposed to eat?

Success Stories are popular (as they should be) so it’s no surprise that Katie’s shows up at number 5 on our list.

There you go, our Top 5 of the Year.

Do you have a favorite you would like to nominate? Share it in the comments below!

 

Eat Your Way Right Habit 8: Avoid Reading Food Labels

Ok, I guess that is more the result of Habit 8 than the actual habit itself, but still, it is a big time saver!

In my article on Nutrition Labels (click here to read) we deciphered a label section by section and gave some guidelines as far as what we should be looking for when we are choosing what we are going to eat.

But what if we could avoid all that nightmare altogether and eat tasty and healthy foods all at the same time?

That is where Habit 8 comes into play.

EYWR Habit 8: Eat Mostly 1-Ingredient Foods

You see 1-ingredient foods don’t need a label. Another term you could use to describe them is whole foods.

Take a look at the shopping lists from ThePPWKitchen.com

PPW Kitchen Shopping List 1

PPW Kitchen Shopping List 2

What did you notice?

That’s right. These are lists of almost all 1-ingredient foods.

You may also have noticed that most of these are fresh foods. If they are not refrigerated, frozen or eaten within a few days they will spoil.

Those are the nutritious, nutrient packed, and yes, tasty foods you want to fuel your body with.

When you eat Whole Foods – 1 Ingredient foods, you are avoiding a lot of the nasty stuff you just shouldn’t be putting in your gut.

• Added sugars
• Added sodium
• Preservatives
• Artificial sweeteners
• Food dyes
• Chemicals

and who knows what else!

When you start with whole foods YOU are in control. You get to decide what spices, and herbs or garnishes you add. You don’t have to worry about what’s “in there” except what you choose to add.

And no, eating 1-ingredient foods does not have to be boring.

Because you can still combine 1-ingredient foods into a delicious meal. In fact you can get pretty fancy using all 1-ingredient foods. For instance this Beef Fajita recipe from Coach Nancy is super easy to make and uses all 1-ingredient foods (unless you top with salsa):

Beef Fajitas

• 1 ½ pound beef flank steak, cut into 6 even portions
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large green pepper, cut into ½ pieces
• 2 Tablespoon jalapeno peppers, can used canned
• 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 14 ounce can stewed tomatoes, do not drain
• Shredded cheddar cheese optional
• Salsa, optional

Combine steak, onion, pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, and coriander in slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high 4-5. Using a slotted spoon, place on a bed of lettuce and sprinkle with cheese and salsa, if desired.

We are in the home stretch with Eat Your Way Right Through The Holidays 2013, and I am proud of all of you who are taking steps, some small, some bigger, to reach your health and fitness goals and make 2014 your best year ever!

Make It Happen!

Coach Dean

Eat Your Way Right Habit 7: Control Your Calories w/ Zero Sugar Beverages

Hard to believe that we are 3/4 of the way through our end of year challenge!

Are you feeling good?

Are you learning some things about your habits and your body?

Are you starting to see that good choices lead to good outcomes?

Keep it up!

This week we are going to focus on keeping the “sneaky” calories that really add up out our nutrition plan.

Did you know that the typical large coffee has 35 grams of sugar in it? Just one a day is an extra 140 calories. Have one of those every day and that is an extra 980 calories a week, or 50,960 a year.

That’s enough calories to add 15 pounds a year – just from one cup of coffee a day!

Ever taken a look at the nutrition info from a double mocha peppermint latte? Ouch!

And even if you are not a coffee drinker there are plenty of other places where those calories are hiding. Soda, fruit juices, the wide variety of “sports performance drinks” that are supposed to be good for you. All these can add extra pounds and we don’t even think about.

Another downside to sugar in our beverages (even fruit juice) is how quickly it metabolizes and can cause blood sugar swings, which causes us to reach for more food, which adds up to even more calories.

So this week it is time to focus on those labels and see if there any sugar in there. But don’t be fooled by those sneaks, because they don’t all use the word “sugar”. Here’s some other names for sugar you might just see.

Barley malt
Cane juice crystals
Demarara
Dextran
Dextrose
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Ethyl Maltol
Fructose
Fruit juice
Galactose
Glucose
Golden syrup
Lactose
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Malt Syrup
Maple Syrup
Molasses
Muscovado
Panocha
Refiners syrup
Rice syrup
Sorbitol
Sorghum
Sucrose
Treacle
Turbinado

Wow!

I would encourage you to start now to wean yourself off all calorie containing beverages, but start with the sugar. The simplest way to achieve this is to get used to drinking water, green tea, and sticking with black coffee. If you need a little cream that’s fine, but the less calories you drink the more your body will thank-you!

Make It Happen!

Eat Your Way Right Habit 7: Drink only zero sugar beverages

New Recipe Book from Coach Nancy – Fall Favorites

Coach Nancy has generously taken most of the best recipes from her “Favorite Fall Foods” seminar and agreed to make them available to you, her adoring public! 🙂

Seriously though these are some fantastic tasting, easy to make, protein packed “comfort style” foods sure to make those cool fall evening dinners shine.

How do these sound?

• Savory Beef Roast
• Asian Pork
• Herbed Turkey Breast
• Chicken Enchilada Soup

Well there are these and 12 more sure to please fall favorites. Just enter your name and email below and it’s yours for the taking.

EYWR Habit 4: Earn Your “Others”

You are obsessed.

No really, you are.

And it may not entirely be your fault. I mean you get hit over the head with it all the time.

Carb this, Carb that, Carb the other thing.

What is it about Carbohydrates that elicits such an emotional response from the vast majority of us?

I suspect it is because there is so much confusion out there about the subject. Good carbs, bad carbs, sugar vs. agave, whole grains, etc. etc. etc.

I mean you all think I hate carbs, right?

The answer to that is no, because I am not a hater.

But I do approach carbohydrate intake with some caution.

Why?

Because I have been fighting the effects of poor dietary choices for almost 30 years now.

Yes, I wrecked myself with carb excess. Because when it comes down to it that is what Type 2 diabetes is all about. Too much sugar in the system too much of the time. Pancreas poops out. Voila – diabetes.

And yes, I am trying to scare you. There is an epidemic of overweight and obese adults, and even more gut wrenching, overweight and obese children.

Now this is a fairly long post, but you ignore it at your own peril.

You owe it to yourself and your children if you have them to understand carbohydrate metabolism and how you can make it work for you, not against you.

That is what Habit 4 is all about.

Eat Your Way Right Habit 4: Did I eat my “other” carbs only after resistance exercise today?

Let’s briefly talk about the second part, “Resistance Exercise”, first.

By resistance exercise we are talking about barbell weight training, high intensity metabolic resistance training, circuit training with weights or other forms of resistance (bands, kettlebells, suspension trainers, etc.), not traditional cardiovascular exercise modalities such as treadmill, elliptical, running, etc.

Why?

Keep reading.

Carbohydrate Metabolism and Insulin

Carbohydrate is not a dirty word. Your body functions best when you eat carbohydrates, that’s not really the question.

Let’s put it this way. If I ask most people what they think about when they hear the words “Carb” or “Carbohydrate” this is the answers I get:

• Bread
• Muffins
• Cookies
• Doughnuts
• Pasta
• Cake
• Potatoes
• French Fries
• Rolls

and they are right, those all contain a lot of carbohydrate.

But here’s another list:

• Apples
• Oranges
• Kiwi
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Spinach
• Green Beans
• Peppers
• Carrots
• Peas
• Squash
• Cucumber
• Whole Grains (not pretend whole grains, I mean “whole” whole grains) 

These are all carbohydrates too!

The big difference is the way your body handles these carbohydrates.

The first list is made up of simple carbs. Simple carbs are made up of one or two sugar molecules and break down very quickly and easily.

The second list are what we call complex carbs. These are compromised of more than two sugar groups, and these take much longer to break down in your system.

Both of these, simple and complex carbs, are digested into simple sugars before the body uses them.

But there is a big difference in the speed of digestion between a cinnamon roll and a string bean, or even a bowl of oatmeal for that matter.

This speed of digestion is also a factor in how much insulin is released into our bloodstream.

High speed carb, more insulin. Low speed carb, less insulin.

(I am getting to the point, I promise.)

Insulin is a storage hormone, and it has very powerful effects on the body. It is responsible for shuttling nutrients (glucose, amino acids, fats) into our bodies cells. It is necessary for life, which is why type 1 Diabetics need to have insulin shots. Their pancreas isn’t working anymore, so they need outside intervention.

Now I am really going to simplify here, but think about it.

When is the best time to have insulin released? When does our body have the most nutritional requirements, for instance repair and growth? (That was kind of a big hint)

Right after you train!

When you have hit the weights hard and left it all on the floor, this is when your body is ready, willing and able to use those simple sugars and amino acids (broken down protein) and get the repair process started. Insulin is now doing great things, it is shuttling nutrients into willing cells and making you better – sweet!

In fact it is a terrible idea to neglect post-training nutrition. You must provide the body the mortar to build the bricks, and the most convenient way to get that done is a post-training shake (partially pre-digested and fast acting) immediately after training. This is Prime Time. But you also need to follow that up with a meal within a couple hours, and this is where you want to have the majority of your non-fruit and vegetable carbohydrates (other carbs) for the day, even if you train in the afternoon or evening. If you want a few great ideas for post-training carbohydrates,ThePPWKitchen will hook you up.

A look at the other side

Insulin has a “dark side” as well. This important hormone, you remember, is really good at storing things.

Like all those ho-ho’s you ate, right on your hips.

You see when you overload your body with too much food, especially easy to digest food like the simple carbs we talked about, your body needs to do something with it. If it doesn’t need to burn it, it does the next logical thing.

It stores it. (You know, the ho-ho thing)

That is why in general it is best to avoid simple carbohydrates during periods of low activity (like the pint of Ben and Jerry’s right before bed).

The Take Home

Carbs are not your enemy. However we can be smarter about when we eat our simple carbs. It’s not a matter of never eating starch and sugar, just save them for the meal you eat directly after you train.

And that is how you earn your checkbox. On the days you don’t train, keep the carbohydrate sources to veggies and fruits. On the days you do, eat the carbs you like at your next meal (within a couple hours).

And don’t forget the 90% rule. We are not looking for perfection. If you have a special event or party, plan out your strategy. Is this going to be a planned splurge? Then enjoy with some moderation and get back at it your very next meal.

That not restrictive, it’s realistic. If you want to be something different you have to do something different.

Here are two more terrific articles (with picture, charts, animations and everything) to catch you up on all things carbohydrate.

All About Carbohydrates

All About Insulin

Keep this in mind as well. We all handle carbohydrates a little differently. You may get away with a little more “other carbs” than your neighbor. Don’t get cranked up about never eating your favorite foods again. Just embrace the opportunity to discover different foods and different flavors. Nobody said change was easy, but I am proud of anyone who makes an effort.

 

Eat Your Way Right Habit 3: Eat Your Vegetables!

Do you hear that tone, like it was coming from mom?

Unfortunately way too many of us have memories of soggy green beans and, well come to think of it that’s all I really remember. Some sort of soggy vegetable from a can that tasted awful. Many of us are still hanging on to those nasty memories as an excuse to not eat vegetables to this day. Cut it out!

Now I am not blaming mom, because in those days, particularly in cold states like NH, most veggies seemed to come from a can. There wasn’t the plethora of fresh options, most people didn’t have a garden, and farmers markets were nowhere in sight.

We have no such excuses.

In fact even when fresh isn’t available frozen vegetables are extremely high quality, inexpensive and can taste really, really good.  Last night for dinner Nancy made a favorite, and it is super easy. A bag of frozen mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots), a little salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix it all together and roast in a 350 oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The vegetables natural sugars start to caramelize – delicious!

Vegetables and Your Health

“Eating higher levels of veggies and fruits are associated with a lower incidence of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Colon, prostate, cervical, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, and breast cancer
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• and a lot more that aren’t on this list…” – Dr. John Berardi
  

There is no magic pill, potion, or lotion that is going to do all that, PLUS you get to try an amazing variety of incredible tastes from all over the world – right from your very own kitchen!

Did You Know? Vegetables (and fruits) provide an alkaline load to the blood. Both proteins and grains present acid loads. Too much acid can cause loss of bone strength and muscle mass – not cool. Osteoporosis is not just about calcium. Stay balanced by getting enough veggies.

The Habit

Our goal in week 3 is to get at least 2 servings of vegetables every time we eat. 1 counts, but at least 2 is way gooder! 🙂

What’s a serving?

• 1/2 cup raw chopped veggies
• 1 cup raw leafy vegetables

Here’s are some other (non-measuring cup) examples:

• 5 broccoli florets
• 10 baby carrots
• 1 tomato
• 4 slices of onion
• 1 cup of leafy greens (spring mix)
• 15 cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 bell pepper
• 1 cup of spinach

“But” you whine “I don’t like any of those!”

Lucky for you there are hundreds of vegetables in this great big wide world. Check out this list.

A Big Bonus

And there is even more good news.

Filling up on those cancer fighting, free radical busting, vitamin and fiber packed veggies help you stay full longer.

Check this cool PN knowledge bomb out:

Did you catch that?

Eating high calorie foods actually makes you hungrier, sooner. And what do you grab? More high calorie foods. Getting those veggies in helps stop the cravings and the binges. Win-Win!

How to keep your score chart in week 3

Every time you eat a meal that contains a veggie, you get your “x” for Habit 3. Couldn’t be much easier than that.

Let us know if you have any questions, then keep on Making It Happen!

Favorites Fall Foods w/ Coach Nancy

“I’m pouting…… I can’t eat what I want too.”

“Everything is bound to taste like cardboard.”

“I’m going to get bored.”

“Its Fall, and I can’t have my favorite foods”.

Stop your whining already…… Eat Your Way RIGHT through the Holidays doesn’t mean you can’t Eat Your Way RIGHT Through the Holidays without delicious looking and  great tasting foods!

Explore with Coach Nancy how wonderful Fall foods can be and still be RIGHT for you! Recipes will be given to everyone who makes it out. In fact please bring your support staff. Support staff includes anyone who eats with you or near you, or even watches you eat.

Eat Your Way RIGHT (with fantastic FALL foods) through the holidays.

Favorite Fall Foods w/ Coach Nancy

Date: Tuesday November 12, 2013
Time: 6:45pm to 8:00pm
Place: Get Fit NH Concord

 

 

 

Yes, There Were a Few Skeptics!

Skeptics? Yes.  But everyone walked away a fan of at least one Quinoa recipe.

Quinoa? Never heard of it!

Quinoa is a versatile grain (well technically it is a seed) that can be eaten hot or cold, served as a side dish or part of the main course. The crew at 6PM wasn’t sure what they had asked for when they wanted to know if quinoa was good. We had a taste testing after training to let them decide.

Quinoa Chili

• 2 cup uncooked Quinoa, rinsed
• 4 cups of water
• 2 Tablespoon of peanut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tablespoon of chili powder
• 2 Tablespoon of cumin
• 3 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 (15.5 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 jalapeno peppers, diced
• 3 zucchini, chopped
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 4 links of precooked chicken sausage- your favorite flavor

Rinsing the quinoa is key to this dish. If you do not take the time to rinse this grain until the water runs clear, it will taste extremely bitter. Once rinsed, bring the quinoa and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to  medium, simmer until tender about 20 minutes. Set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, peppers, zucchini, oregano, and chicken sausage. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir in the quinoa and corn. Cook to reheat. Garnish with cilantro.

“Thank you Coach Sarah for pointing me to this delicious recipe. Everyone loved it!”

Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 3 Tablespoons of honey
• ½ lemon, zested
• 1 cup blueberries

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve until the water runs clear. Make sure you do not skip this step. You will not be able to eat this if you do not rinse this grain.

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Stir quinoa into the milk. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until much of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the honey and lemon zest. Gently fold in the blueberries. Top with flax seed for added nutrients.

“This is a great dish for right after training.”

Quinoa, Apple, Walnut Salad

• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound of turkey kielbasa
• 2 apples, sliced
• ½ cup walnuts
• 6 cups of fresh spinach

Don’t forget to rinse the quinoa. You’ll be an unhappy camper if you spend time fixing a meal that you can’t eat. Quinoa has a coating that is easily rinsed off right before cooking that taste bitter. Rinse until the water runs clear before going to the stovetop.

Bring water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 12 minutes. Set aside. Cook kielbasa on a grill over medium heat. Set aside to cool. Then slice into ½ moon shapes. Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with your favorite dressing.

“If you have leftover quinoa from another meal, use that in this salad and save yourself the cooking time.”

Everyone at 6pm Epsom now knows what quinoa is, and that they like it! You will never know until you try it.

 

 

The Two Tastes of Fall In A Glass is Just A Taste of What’s To Come

If you come to Coach Nancy’s smoothie workshop that is!

Spots are filling up fast, so don’t delay signing up or you will  miss out, and these things don’t come around every day you know. 🙂

Register for the smoothie workshop here

Just to get those taste buds warmed up at the possibilities. we thought we would give you just a little idea of what’s in store with these two terrific fall-flavored smoothie recipes. These are SOOOOO good!

Pumpkin Pecan Shake

1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 scoop vanilla Ultimate Muscle Protein
1/8 cup pecans
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup of ice
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons ground flax seed

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1/3 cup pure pumpkin, canned
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Stevia
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup water
Ice

Put the ingredients in a blender and blend for one minute. If you like a thinner consistency, feel free to add water a tablespoon at a time. Sprinkle with a dash of pumpkin pie spice for an added garnish. This shake is great anytime during the day for a super quick meal on the go or a great mid day snack.

Enjoy!