Recipe of the week

Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients:

• 2 corn tortillas
• Canola cooking spray
• 2 large eggs, higher omega-3 if available
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 2 links Boca Italian Meatless Sausage, partially thawed and coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (canned or cooked pinto or kidney beans can be substituted)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (white and part of green)
• 2 ounces shredded reduced fat cheese of choice (sharp cheddar or Jack or other)
• 1/4 cup salsa of choice
• 1/4 large avocado, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Coat both sides of a corn tortilla with canola cooking spray and place in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the underside is lightly brown, flip tortilla over to brown other side. Remove from frying pan and repeat with the second corn tortilla. Set the tortillas aside.
2. With fork, whisk, or electric mixer, beat eggs with egg substitute until well blended.
3. Add the meatless Italian sausage chunks to the same frying pan as the corn tortillas (add another coat of cooking spray if needed) and cook over medium-high heat until hot throughout and lightly browning in some areas. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low (if your stove runs hot) and pour in the egg mixture and gently stir the egg with the sausage pieces until the egg is almost cooked throughout (1 to 2 minutes). Turn off the heat then stir in the black beans and green onions. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the egg mixture. Cover pan and let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes (to melt the cheese and blend flavors).
4. Place each prepared corn tortillas on a plate then spoon half of the egg mixture on top of each tortilla and top with half of the salsa and the avocado slices. Enjoy!

Yield:
Makes 2 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 448 calories, 37.4 g protein, 36.4 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 233 mg cholesterol, 8.3 g fiber, 1318 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 34 percent.

Challenge of the Week

Drink Your Water

Make sure you are getting 96 oz. every day!  Water is filling, so it can help keep your appetite at bay.  Additionally, the process of digesting ice water can burn calories by doing nothing.  

Here's how you can get that water into one day:

-First thing in the morning, right after getting out of bed, drink a glass of water.  Guzzle it down.

-Drink another glass slowly while getting dressed and ready for the day.

-Before eating anything, whether it is a snack or a meal, drink a full glass of water.  Not only will this help you ingest the right amount of water, but it can help you to eat less because you will feel fuller.

-Keep a large water bottle (at least 24 ounces) filled and next to you at all times.  Sip on it throughout the day.

Recipe of the week

Gorgonzola Steak

This recipe makes 4 servings

2 T. Canola oil, divided

2 Large onions, sliced

1 T. Brown sugar

1/2 c. Reduced sodium beef broth

1 T. Balsamic vinegar

1 lb. beef tenderloin, filet mignon, or sirloin steak cut into 4 steaks

1/4 c. crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add broth, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the liquid has almost evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the onions to a bowl; cover to keep warm. Clean and dry the pan.
2. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper on both sides of each steak. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn them over and top with cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the steaks are cooked to desired doneness, 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Serve the steaks with the caramelized onions.

Total calories:  338 Calories

Challenge of the Week

No Eating After 7 pm

Break your bad bedtime habits.  For this entire week, DO NOT eat ANYTHING after 7 pm.  After dinner time is when we are less active.  Snacking at night isn't necessarily done because we are hungry.  Most of our overeating is done in the evening, while watching tv or because we are bored, lonely, etc.


Try TEA.  If you find yourself wanting something to eat after 7, sip a cup of tea.  (We like any mint, peach, or blueberry... but that's just taste preference)

Recipe of the Week

Turkey Burgers

Jenny O Turkey Burger - 180 cals
Sara Lee low cal buns - 130 cals
Lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions - 20 cals
1 TBSP each Ketchup, Dijon mustart - 30 cals
Grapes (20) - 68 cals
Small salad loaded with cucumber, tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce - 50 cals
2 TBSP Low fat ranch - 45 cals

Total Calories - 523 calories
Remember to adjust to fit your specific diet plan

Challenge of the Week

Wall Sit Challenge!

Beat the record for the wall sit!  The current Wall Sit Champion is Chelsea Kasteller at 11:20.  That's ELEVEN minutes and TWENTY seconds.  SO, hold a wall sit every day this week and at the end of the week, see if you can beat the record!

Recipe of the week

Egg White French Toast

3 slices of Sara Lee 45 cal per slice bread - 135 cals

6 egg whites - 120 cals

1/4 c. skim milk -22 cals

1 TBSP vanilla extract

No cal spray butter

2 TBSP your choice of Jam - 100 cals

1 c. fresh strawberries - 40 cals

Whip egg whites, milk, and vanilla extract to desired consistency.  Spray your pan or griddle with nonfat cooking spray.  Dip bread in egg whites and cook, turning after about 3 minutes.  Use spray butter and 2 tablespoons of jam and top with fresh strawberries.

Total calories: 417

Challenge of the Week

Eliminate Processed Sugar

Okay, all you sugar addicts!  This week don't let one ounce of processed sugar in your diet!  It will be difficult if you're used to having it every day, but your body... and your energy level... will thank you!!!

Recipe of the week

Salsa Chicken

This recipe is for one serving.  Double for 2 servings, triple for 3, etc.

6 oz. chicken breast (186 cals)

8 oz. bottle of salsa (40 cals)

1/4 cup non fat mozzarella cheese (50 cals)

1 cup broccoli (40 cals)

1/2 cup brown rice (120 cals)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Use non-stick cooking spray to coat a small loaf pan.  Place chicken inside dish and cover with salsa.  Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink on the inside.  Melt mozzarella cheese on top.  Serve with 1 cup broccoli and 1/2 cup brown rice.  If you are having this meal for dinner exclude the brown rice.

Total Calories: 436

Challenge of the Week

Count Your Calories!!!

Get a notebook and a pen!  This weeks challenge is to count your calories.  Think one bite of cheese cake doesn't count?  It does.  Record every calorie that enters your mouth this week.  This will help you to see if your calorie estimations have been correct.  It will also help you in the future with your calorie counting.  Need a little help?  The Daily Plate at Livestrong.com can help.

Question of the Week

Question:  How long should I hold a stretch to get the most benefit from it?

 

Answer:  Anything less than 20 seconds won't make a significant difference in lengthening muscle fibers and tissues.  But don't hold it too long or you'll risk injury.  For the best stretch, hold the position for 30 seconds.

Recipe of the Week

Try new and different recipes that fit into your diet and taste great!  The "Recipe of the Week" is designed to give you tasty recipes that you can rotate into your regular diet.  Make sure to look at the total calories listed at the bottom of each recipe when you substitute them in.

 

Veggie-Egg White Omelet

3 egg whites

1-1/2 tsp. water

3 T. chopped onion

3 T. mushrooms 

 3 T. chopped tomato

3 T. chopped spinach

3 T.  chopped peppers

1/3 cup salsa

Use a non-stick cooking spray to coat your pan.  Heat pan over medium heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook until slightly brown.  Remove onions and mushrooms from pan.  

Whip 3 egg whites and 1-1/2 teaspoons water in a bowl and cook on low to medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray again.  Pour egg white/water mixture into pan.  Using a wooden spoon, carefully push edge of egg whites toward middle of pan and allow raw egg to spread outward.  

When white begins to firm, add all veggies and salt and pepper.  Gently press ingredients into egg whites.  Carefully roll egg white so that you can turn it over and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.

Place omelet on plate and pour salsa over top.

TOTAL 90 CALORIES

Challenge of the Week

Trying to do EVERYTHING to get in great shape can become overwhelming.  The "Challenge of the Week" is designed to give you one thing each week to focus your efforts on.  Every day of that week, consciously push yourself to complete the challenge.

The first "Challenge of the Week" is:

Increase Cardio Intensity

Your cardio sessions this week should REALLY make you sweat!  Challenge yourself to go as hard as you can every time you do cardio.  Push one notch faster and a couple notches harder than you think you can!  If you feel like you can keep going after 45 minutes, you didn't push hard enough!  You can do it!  It's only one week!

Four Pillar Fitness Blog!

Alright everyone!  It's time for Four Pillar Fitness to join the blogging world!

At Four Pillar Fitness, we motivate and guide individuals to achieve their fitness, athletic, or weight-loss goals by providing individualized strength training regimens, nutrition plans, and cardiovascular plans in a comfortable environment and at an affordable price.

Now, a little bit about our trainers:

Reed Carlson has been training now for over 9 years.  2 years with Peak Athletics, 4 years at Aspire Health and Fitness, and 3 years and counting partnered with Ryan Larsen at Four Pillar Fitness.  Reed attended the University of Utah and studied Exercise and Sports Science with an emphasis in Physiology and a minor in Psychology.  Reed believes with the right motivating factor any individual can achieve their goals.  "Attitute is everything!"

Ryan Larsen has  been training for over 10 years, with experience ranging from physical therapy to weight loss to sports conditioning.  He believes there is nothing more difficult but yet so rewarding as maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.