And Guess What? Eating Clean is much Easier Than You Think!
Creating healthy, fat burning and delicious meals can be so simple- that most people are shocked to learn they are eating “diet” food! Healthy eating does not have to be bland, tasteless and boring! I am constantly revamping recipes in ways that are flavorful, seasonal and delicious! You don't need to be an Iron Chef to whip up super delicious and healthy meals. But you do need to know the basics cooking and the TRUTH about what the best foods are.

There is so much mis-information on 'healthy eating' in the media, it can certainly get overwhelming. Most of it is nothing more than marketing materials from mega food corporations pushing their products and diet scams. I truly believe once you learn to create meals at home (which taste better but contain half the fat, nitrates and chemicals found in their restaurant counterparts) you’ll ENJOY your food more, save money and most importantly, LOOK and FEEL AMAZING! So forget the FAST food, and try FABULOUS food at home! In this section there are a couple of my all time favorite recipes, some helpful restaurant guides, as well as some insight into the dangerous world of Fast food.

I Hope you’ll enjoy whipping up some of these recipes for your family and friends just as I have while also taking some insight into ordering dinner when out on the town! On a regular basis, I do update recipes for all my friends on FACEBOOK. Please add yourself to my personal training page where you can keep up with my training tips, my own personal journey to my latest contest and all my new recipes. So, be sure to become a fan of “Fit 2 a T Personal Training” !

 

The Fast-Food Challenge
Ok, so we can’t always be perfect and cook ALL our food at home, but we can avoid major pitfalls when ordering out with a few simple rules. Believe it or not, you can make healthy fast-food choices. How? Know exactly what you are ordering and plan ahead.

HERE ARE THE RULES ON EATING ON THE RUN!
* Don’t be Cheesy: Forget extra cheese! Always, no matter what, eliminate CHEESE and white sauce from everything you order (ie: mayo, butter, ranch. Blue cheese, sour cream) Remember cheesy food = cheesy butt!

* Go for the Grill: Order grilled (NOT FRIED) chicken or fish over red meat always.
Forget Fried: French fries, onion rings, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, fried fish, hush puppies, chimichangas, egg rolls, and so on—these items are generally about 50 percent or more fat

* Can the Cola: Did you know that 16 ounces of a soft drink add 200 calories to the meal and nothing else? Choose ice water, low-fat milk, or—if you need the caffeine—opt for coffee. Even better, get a head start on that gallon of water you need to finish!

*Terrific Toppings: Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and peppers all add taste and bulk to any food choice. Eat them limitlessly. Mushrooms, onions, peppers, spinach and tomatoes are great extras in egg white Omelets . Stir-fry vegetables are a good choice from the Thai take out.

*Be a Star: If breakfast is your fast-food meal, head straight to Starbucks! No more excuses for not getting the breakfast of champions- Oatmeal! Ace the brown sugar, but enjoy the rest of the condiments. The worst breakfast choice- Fruit Smoothies. They are FULL of sugar and have NO protein.

Here’s a perfect example:
Worst Smoothie
Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 oz)
169 grams of sugar, 30 grams of fat
Whether you call it a smoothie or a milk shake, it has more sugar than a bag of chocolate chips.

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In specific terms, here are some examples of best selections. Use this as a guide when eating in other similar establishments:

Burger King: Hamburger, side salad, applesauce, low-fat milk
Hardee's: Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Pancake Platter
Juan Pollo: All White Lunch meat special with rice and beans (no potato salad; extra salsa)
Jack in the Box: Chicken Fajita Pita (no cheese, sauce), Southwest Chicken Pita, hamburger, taco, side salad, fruit cup, applesauce
KFC: Drive past KFC while looking for something else!
McDonalds: Apple bran muffin, hamburger, salads, yogurt parfait, apple slices with low-fat caramel dip
Wendy's: Ultimate Chicken Grill sandwich, chili, Jr. Hamburger, baked potato with sour cream on the side and chives, salads (except taco), mandarin orange slices, yogurt
 

Your order, please?
The fast food we eat may stick around a lot longer than we'd like. It may linger in our bodies as excess blood fats and extra pounds.
• Watch out for words like jumbo, giant, deluxe, biggie-sized or super-sized. Larger portions mean more calories. They also mean more fat, cholesterol and salt. Order a regular or junior-sized sandwich instead.

• Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with meats such as lean roast beef, turkey or chicken breast, NOT ham. Order items plain, without toppings, rich sauces, or mayonnaise.

• Skip the croissant or biscuit. Eat your sandwich on a bun, bread or English muffin and save calories and fat. Great Ex: Chicken Fajita Pita (no cheese, extra chicken) at Jack N the Box;

• Go for the salad bar, but eliminate high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons. Even too much low-calorie dressing can add up. AVOID items that are dressed with a lot of mayo, such as potato or macaroni salad. Fill your salad with things like carrots, peppers, onion, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and etc.

• Order bean burritos, soft tacos, fajitas, and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast foods. Choose chicken over beef. CUT OUT refried beans- 99% of them are cooked in bacon fat. Order whole black beans that aren't refried. Pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Totally say NO to the calorie killers: cheese and sour cream; Enjoy the guacamole if it is fresh and NOT mixed with mayo. Always avoid rice when doing Mexican- they cook it in oil first! Watch out for deep-fried taco salad shells - a taco salad can have more than 1,000 calories!

• Be alert for traps. Fat-free muffins for breakfast may have plenty of sugar. Skinless fried chicken can have almost as much fat as the regular kind. Chinese food may seem like a healthy choice, but many dishes are deep fried or high in fat and sodium, especially in the sauces.

Eating out can be one of life's great pleasures. Make the right choices, ask for what you need, and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home. Don’t let eating out be an excuse to go buck wild; I know every time I sit down to eat I automatically think what is this food going to look like on ME tomorrow? Usually that REALLY makes me choose wisely.

 

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MEXICAN FOOD
Mexican is probably the WORST choice for a dieter. Most Mexican food is loaded with fat, deep fried and covered in white sauces and sour cream. IF you totally are splurging, then use these tips to choose wisely.

• Tell your server to not bring the fried tortilla chips to the table. (OR, pick out a serving, about 7 chips and enjoy them with salsa- I’d rather have none than have to stop at 7!)

• Ask if the refried beans and/or black beans are cooked with bacon fat.

• Check if they offer a rice that is not done in the tradition cooking method- Mexican rice is sautéed in oil! Some restaurants offer alternatives.

• Check out the salsa bar and enjoy all the great flavors and heat of homemade salsa, pico de gallo, cilantro, lemon, and fresh jalapenos.

• Always, hold the cheese, white sauce (sour cream)!



Sitting Down at a Restaurant?

Here's how to order:
* If you don't know what's in a dish or don't know the serving size, ASK!

* I always just ask the waitress. I simply whisper, “Look, I need your help. I am on this crazy low fat, low calorie diet, what would you recommend?” They are always very willing to offer great suggestions and even sometimes suggest things not on the menu.

*Ask for fish or meat, and vegetables broiled with no extra butter.

*If eating a starchy carb, order a baked potato plain over a rice pilaf ALWAYS! Then top it with a teaspoon of margarine if you must. Ace the sour cream altogether. Try salsa or ketchup!

* Ask that no salt be added to your food.

* Ask for sauces, gravy and salad dressings "on the side” ALWAYS. Try dipping your fork tines in the salad dressing, then spear a piece of lettuce. Or add a teaspoon of dressing at a time to your salad.

*Avoid words like “breaded”, “baked”, “smothered”, “pan fried”; Order foods that are not breaded or fried because they add fat. If the food comes breaded, peeling off the outer coating DOESN'T save you!

* Ask for substitutions. Instead of French fries, request a double order of a vegetable. If you can't get a substitute, just ask that the high-fat food be left off your plate.

* Salads can be killers. Leave the croutons, cheese and white sauces off! I have even used artificial sweetener and balsamic vinegar on salads.

*Limit or avoid alcohol, which adds calories and kills your metabolism for several days after. This is by far the worst and most common thing people do which kills their metabolism.







 

No Brainer Crock Pot Spicy Chicken

(I call it “no brainer” because one day I forgot the chicken stock and cooked the chicken as below- great “no brain” mistake!) Ingredients: 6- 8 Chicken breasts (fresh/frozen; boneless/skinless) Crushed red pepper to taste; Fresh cracked pepper; 1 tsp per breast of Organic No Salt Seasoning or Rub; 1/3 bottle of Spicy Red Sriracha sauce; (the red sushi sauce with the green chicken on the label) Directions  In a crock pot, layer chicken with ample amounts of seasoning and pepper; cover with sriracha sauce; the chicken will make its own liquid; Turn on low for 4 to 6 hours. Now it’s ready to eat on its own with rice and veggies or turn into a quick meal!

 

“Deep Fried” Chicken Fingers

Ingredients: 8-12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders (Sold at Cost Co) 3 beaten egg whites Pam Spray Coating: 1 cup crushed corn flakes Handful of no salt added tortilla chips (slightly smashed) 1/3 cup peanuts or pecans (coarsely chopped) 2 tsp crushed red pepper 1 tsp California granulated garlic 2 pkets of stevia dash of cinnamon kosher salt & pepper to taste Directions defrost chicken; coat with egg whites and roll in coating; Pam spray a cookie sheet liberally and arrange chicken; pour remaining coating over top; Pam spray again; Cook at 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

 

Ghetto Chicken Tacos

Ingredients: No brainer spicy chicken; already made Cooked jasmine rice 1 can low sodium black beans ½ can of jalapenos; diced (add the carrots if you can handle the HEAT!) Small bag of frozen corn Corn tortillas Fresh Avocado Tapito Directions Shred chicken and warm in frying pan with beans and rice (equal amounts); spray with pam spray while heating up; grill tortillas on open flame if possible! Serve chicken mix in tortillas with slices of avocado and top with tapito.