More Muddy Metabolic Warrior Fun

A few action photos and a finish line pose...

All that Metabolic Training sure paid off...  up and over...  piece of cake!

Ready...  sit back into that squat

We are thinking there are about 50 Warriors who would have loved to push us down this slide

A successful day of mud and fun

Avocado-Lime Sauce Vierge

Sauces are beautiful because they deliver a divergence of flavor from our everyday mode of cooking. The variety of ways in which a sauce can be used also makes it fun to use. So don't be afraid...add this to a sandwich,  a soup, or top your favorite grilled lean protein with it. I tried it on cabbage coleslaw mix and loved it.

Both bright from the fresh limes and buttery from the diced avocados, this sauce adds color and flavor to broiled fish, roast chicken, or huevos rancheros. For more heat, leave in the jalapeño seeds.

Makes1 1/2 cups

Recipe by Soa Davies

Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium avocado, pitted, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot

2 limes, halved

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine oil, avocado, jalapeño, garlic, and shallot in a medium bowl. Squeeze limes into avocado mixture. Using a spoon, scrape pulp out of limes into mixture. Stir to combine. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 4 days ahead. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of sauce. Cover and chill. Bring sauce to room temperature before continuing.

Stir basil and cilantro into sauce just before serving. Season with salt and pepper.

Sedona Fitness Trainers take TRX on the road

We had a weekend away that included a Mud Run and lots of fun, but as usual it's not complete without more fitness fun!  TRX once again shows its adaptability to be used almost anywhere.  There was new construction going up just across the street so we decided to test it out!

Hmmm...  Could be the perfect fitness studio

Emily & Stacey test out the ceiling

Katie preferred her own private workout room

No workokut is complete without a little fun

Aaaah... The sun is up and we've had the perfect start to the day!

Sedona Metabolic Warriors take on the mud at Lozilu!

Katie, Stacey, Emily & Sherry faced the mud and obstacles at the Lozilu Mud Run.  It was a 5k course filled with mud, hills, obstacles, and fun.  The event was a fundraiser for children with cancer and was an opportunity to challenge ourselves in a non-competitive environment.  The Lozilu Mud Runs are women-only, non-competitive events where the focus is on fun and teamwork. 



Looking just a little too clean



Sedona's finest Metabolic Mudders



We put on our Big Girl Panties and Dealt With It!



Still smiling with mud on our faces

And ready to take it on again next year!

                                                    

Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew

Eating-Well

Here's a dinnertime warmer with a hint of spring's sweetness. Easy to make earlier in day so that when you come home your home is full of the tantalizing goodness of dinner ready to go. Very comforting on a cool day without being heavy.I seared the skin side of the thighs to brown them before putting them into the crockpot. Also, make sure you use sweet potatoes, they texturally hold up better cooking for a longer amount of time whereas yams get mushy. I served it with a green salad. It got two thumbs up!

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 320 min.

Ingredients:

6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed of fat

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into spears

1/2 pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 large shallots, peeled and halved

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

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Directions:

Place chicken, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, wine, rosemary, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on low until the potatoes are tender, about 5 hours. Before serving, remove bones from the chicken, if desired, and stir in vinegar

Nutrition Info

Serving: Per serving

Calories: 285

Carbohydrates: 35g

Fat: 6g

Protein: 17g

Dietary Fiber: 5g

Saturated Fat: 2g

Monounsaturated Fat: 2g

Cholesterol: 50mg

Potassium: 866mg

Sodium: 519mg

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

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Stress and Cortisol... AGAIN!

Here we go again, stressing stress reduction.  We have heard positive comments from many of you about ways you have reduced stress in your lives, but we also know it is an ongoing battle so we are going to revisit it. 

You will recall that when we experience stress, our bodies respond by producing adrenal hormones.  One of those hormones is cortisol which plays an important role in our "fight or flight" response.  However, when cortisol is secreted continually, day after day, in response to ongoing stress, it has toxic effects on our bodies.  Excess cortisol has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and memory loss and has been shown to suppress our immune systems and accelerate aging. 

Excess cortisol production can be caused by mental or emotional stressors such as our jobs, the death of a loved one, or too many demands on our time.  Physical stressors such as lack of sleep, dieting, and poor nutrition also cause excess cortisol secretion.  For some of the things that cause stress in our lives, we have no control over the event occurring, and the best we can do is manage how we deal with that stress.  But there are some factors that we can control and one of those is our food choices. We are going to look at some ways we can help reduce the stress response and cortisol levels in our bodies through our diets. 

Drops and spikes in our blood sugar level have a negative impact on our stress level and hormone production.  When we go too long between meals, our blood sugar drops and our mental, physical and emotional energy decrease and our stress increases.  We can prevent this by eating smaller meals more often.  Typically, blood sugar levels stay stable for about 4 hours after a meal but as we have emphasized many times, we are all individuals and if you find your levels start to drop sooner then plan your meals accordingly.

Processed carbohydrates are considered stress-inducing foods.  Foods such as sugar, pastries, bread, pasta, and white rice cause a blood sugar spike which in turn causes our bodies to overproduce insulin.  This excess insulin then causes more cortisol to be released.  By eliminating or minimizing processed carbs from our diets, we will help stabilize our blood sugar levels and protect ourselves from excess insulin and cortisol levels.

Certain foods are considered to be stress-reducing foods because they fill us up, keep our blood sugar stable, and therefore, reduce cortisol production.  Lean, complete proteins are considered some of the best stress-reducing foods.  Some good examples would be whey protein, salmon, tuna, white fish, egg whites, chicken breast, and turkey.  Furthermore, when lean protein is combined with good fats, they slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose which keeps our blood sugar stable. 

Some additional foods that have been found to lower cortisol levels are dark chocolate, black tea, white beans, citrus fruits, and liver.  No, it is no coincidence that I listed dark chocolate first, and liver last.  Yes, my mother made liver and onions when I was growing up and it had a lasting impression!  So, even if you choose not to include liver and onions in your diet, there are many choices that you can make that will have a positive impact on your stress levels and health.

Washboard Abs

Washboard Abs! Did you have something else in mind?

Not long ago we asked our Metabolic Warriors what their goals for 2013 were.  The top two were to lose fat and to see abdominal muscles! Not surprising since we have stressed over and over how strong your core muscles are getting as we see you belt out full length pushups! So what does it take to see them?

Let us start with what is hiding under the skin. When you look at the diagram below the most recognizable muscle will be the rectus abdominis. Perhaps you first noticed them on…Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Gossling, or Sherry Christoff… just to name a few. This same muscle is what we commonly refer to as the “6 pack”, but is it really a 6 pack? From a genetic standpoint this muscle is not the same for all of us. Yes, we all have the same muscle, but look again at the diagram.  See those little white areas that separate the rectus abdominis muscle? Those are genetically different from person to person which is why you will sometimes see a 6 pack, sometimes a 4 pack, and sometimes a different sort of pack. Whew!  Glad we cleared that one up! 

Are you still wondering how to see your abdominal muscles? I am getting there, but first remember that the abdominal muscles actually serve a more useful purpose than to be a head turner. They protect our organs, they contribute to our posture, they assist with movement and act as stabilizers, and they also help us breathe! In Metabolic training we stress functional movements that constantly require core stabilization and through that you are continually recruiting them, to the point that it becomes second nature. Amazing! And that is just the tip of the iceberg on ab muscles!

So how can you see yours?  Two things are needed. Good, consistent nutritional habits along with consistent strength/aerobic workout programs. These together contribute to fat loss which will uncover those beautiful muscles! Aerobic (cardio training: vigorous walking, biking, running, swimming, elliptical…) benefits for fat loss can only be realized when you are pushing outside of your comfort zone into a breathless state. Not an easy place to push yourself. So what do you do? Metabolic Training! Twice a week you join up with a group of addicted Metabolic Warriors and you push your body past its limits into that anaerobic state of training that burns fat! We have heard many times from you, our participants, the great results you are seeing such as….my pants are falling off because my body has changed, I can feel my waist, my friends say my face looks slimmer, I have more energy, I am stronger than I have ever been, I can do a full length pushup, and after a few months of metabolic we frequently hear I lost weight!

For personal assistance in reaching your fat loss goals, see your personal trainers at Metabolic Training!

Crunchy Coffee Fix

Serves:1  Prep:  3min |Cook: 0min |Total: 3min
              

4 ounces chilled coffee

4 ounces fat-free milk  (I choose almond milk for lactose free)

1 banana (preferably frozen), sliced

2 tablespoons whole almond

2 teaspoons natural cocoa powder

Directions: Blend all ingredients.

Recipe Notes

GOOD FOR YOU -Not only does coffee taste great in smoothies, but it can speed your recovery, too. A 2008 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found having caffeine and carbs at the same time helps your body restock muscle glycogen stores faster than having carbs alone. Natural cocoa powder--not Dutch-processed or alkalinized--provides anti-inflammatory antioxidants (and chocolaty flavor) for just a few calories. Bananas are rich in potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance. Almonds not only add crunchy texture, but also contain heart-healthy fats that help keep you full. This smoothie contains *252 calories, 35 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 10 g protein, and 11 g fat. *Calories based on original recipe.

Find your inspiration!

The Sedona Marathon Races took place yesterday.  We had an opportunity to view the race from a little different perspective this year.  Sherry opted for the "not quite a 5k" this year and Katie unofficially ran at least a 5k as Lollie the Clown in support of other runners. 

We positioned ourselves out on the course, about a mile from the finish line.  From there we were able to see both 5k and 10k runners entering the last mile of their races.  As is the norm at road races, we saw runners of all ages, shapes, and sizes.  Some were running with friends or family and others were going solo.  Each runner had their own personal reason and motivation for running, as well as their own unique goal.  Some were running for fun at a "leisurely pace", while others were giving it 100% and were clearly on the edge of their pain threshold.  We shared smiles and high fives with some.  Others were so focused that they barely noticed a neon green clown with bright orange polka dots cheering them on. 

Each runner that passed by us inspired us... the children who were running with their parents,  the friends who were running together, the man who was running a really fast 10k at 65 years young... but none inspired us more than our Metabolic Warriors who had set a personal challenge and rose up to meet that challenge! 

Wake up with determination.  Go to bed with satisfaction!  Congratulations Warriors!

  

Sedona Marathon 2013

A beautiful day for a race! Biggest crowd ever for the Sedona Marathon. We missed Diane running the half marathon but we got a few others in action! Check it out!

Calvin bringing it home on his first 10k after being sick for two weeks! Awesome Possum! Must be a Metabolic Warrior!

Kathleen and Holly never quit smiling and they came in under an hour! A first 10k for Kathleen! They must be Metabolic Warriors!  

Stacey really showed us a strong run, evidence of consistent running. Great 10k! A first I believe. Obviously a Metabolic Warrior!

I, Katie,  was running around like a crazy trying to snap pictures so a big bummer that I didn't get Speedy Gonzalez Sherry sprinting into the finish on a fast 5k! What kind of people still smile after running? Metabolic Warriors!