Homemade Pet Food

We all know we are what we eat. But what about our furry friends? Are they made up of corn and chicken by products? Goodness NO! Here is a quick and easy recipe I came up with that your dog and/or cat will love!

Ingredients: 1 can rinsed and drained low sodium chick peas, 1 medium sweet potato, 2 cups frozen spinach chopped & thawed.
Dogs: 1lb extra lean ground beef
Cats: 2 packets of low sodium tuna

Directions: Cook sweet potato until done. (For dogs cook beef until well done). In a large bowel add beef or tuna, chick peas, sweet potato and spinach. Mash together until well blended. Store in an air tight container for up to 7 days.

*Amounts are for animals 10-20 lbs, add more for your pet accordingly. I serve my dog and cat a 1/2 cup twice per day. You might also consider adding in a little grain free dry food to make it go further. Let me know how your fur babies like it!!!

My happy family :)

Quotes from my clients...

Sometimes you've gotta dig deep to get through those tough workouts, and my clients really know how to let out some steam. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from our sessions together! (LOL) Enjoy :)

"I'm pretty sure I'd rather slit my wrists than do this again."

"Now I'm in a bad mood."

"That should make me hate food."

"Oh my god Sarah!"

"You're kidding me."

"This is insane."

"F**k that!"

"That'll do something."

"I modified it for my skill level."

"Which is my bad side?"

"I'll text you if I can't get out of bed in the morning."

"My _____ is on fire!"

"I just blew my quad out."

"Yes Miss "B"

"You're killing me!"

"Ughhh"

"Today I ate..."

"There is no way I can do that."

"Now you know how I am with single leg stuff."

"My @$$ is killing me!"

"A full minute break?? Oh thank god!"

"I am literally soaked and it's been 10 mins"

I hope you've gained a sense of my training style ;)

Berry Good Summer Oatmeal

Oats for breakfast? Ahhh yes, the standard morning meal for the fit and healthy. But who wants a hot steamy bowl of goodness when it's hot and steamy outside?! You've heard of summer soup I'm sure...light bulb...Summer Oatmeal :) The recipe takes a whole 2 mins to prepare, and once you taste it you'll swear it's as good as ice cream!

Berry Good Summer Oatmeal...

1/2c uncooked rolled oats

1/2c milk (skim, soy, almond etc)

1/2c sliced strawberries (or other berry)

Add stevia and cinnamon to taste.

Pour ingredients into a mason jar, screw on the lid and shake.

Place jar in fridge overnight (the oats will absorb the moisture from the milk). Enjoy your sweet summer treat in the morning!

Let me know what you think! Take care <3

Powerful, Perky Glutes!

As featured in Oxygen Magazine!

When I approach lower body training with my clients I tend to focus on the back of leg (glutes, hams and calves). Most women prefer slimmer thighs and a tight butt :) Typical leg workouts focus on basic squats, the leg press and step ups etc. These exercises tend to put a great deal of emphasis on the quads, leaving the glutes as a secondary or assist muscle. Now this isn't a "bad" thing, but today's focus is entirely on the glutes!

In powerlifting, the posterior chain is everything. Strong hamstrings, glutes and erectors will make or break an athlete. I've taken traditional powerlifting exercises (minus the lunges) and changed the rep range to an optimal muscle building "10".

I've been implementing this workout for quite sometime now, and have had GREAT success with it. Most can barely sit the next day (lol). Try this workout twice a week, with at least 48 hours of rest in between. Hope you enjoy!

Powerful, Perky Glutes!

Warm up: 5min light cardio and 5min lower body stretching. Pay special attention to stretches that will help to open the hips (ex: frogs, deep assisted squats) and loosen the hamstrings.

Workout:

Low Box Squat

Beginner variation, Goblet Squat

1) Low Box Squats (11in box) Sumo Stance - 3x10 Choose a weight that you're comfortable with, squatting at this depth is new for most, and requires flexibility. If you are a beginner try the "Goblet Squat" instead.

Romanian Deadlift

2) Romanian Deadlifts -3x10 Again, choose a weight that allows you focus on your glutes and hamstrings while maintaining proper form.

Barbell Hip Extensions

3) Barbell Hip Extensions -3x10 To increase the range of motion in this exercise, position your upper back on a sturdy flat bench and your feet on a low box.

Glute Ham Raises (GHR's)

4) GHR's -3x10 Position your knees on a soft mat, have a partner hold your ankles, (or use the pads on a lat pull down machine as pictured above), in an upright position fall forward with control (using your hamstrings to slow you down) onto your hands, push away from the floor and return to the starting position.

Walking Lunges

5) Walking Lunges -2x30 paces I suggest using lighter dumbbells and increasing the length of your step, focusing on your glutes. This is your finishing exercise, so feel the burn!

Cool Down: 5min of lower body stretching and down a protein shake!


Additional Credits:
Models: Myself, Lyndsie & Cyndi
Photographer: Mr. iPhone
Hair & Makeup: Sweat and Chalk..?

"With Sugar on Top" ~Cream Puffs

Now you all know I usually say "no" to the sweet stuff, but when Krista Robson, owner of "With Sugar on Top" ( a local Johnstown bakery), said she had a "low calorie/carb/fat cream puff recipe" for me to check out...I just couldn't say no! Well, who could..right?? ;-)  Try it out, and let me know what you think!

Cream Puffs

The recipe yields 24 LARGE cream puffs
For the Puff Pastry1 Cup Milk (1% to stay true to nutrition facts)
1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
4 Eggs
Filling2 Packages Sugar Free Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 1/2 Cups Cold Milk

Directions:
Filling: Wisk together the pudding mix and milk until thickened. Cover and keep in fridge until ready for use.
 
Puffs: Position 1 oven rack in the top third of oven and 1 rack in the bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 375. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring milk, butter and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the butter melts. Add flour all at once. reduce heat to medium and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball and some batter films the bottom of pan. (About 4-5 minutes) Transfer dough to a medium bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. using a mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Drop dough by generous tablespoons 3 inches apart into prepared baking sheets, making 24 cream puffs. Smooth the tops of the puffs with wet fingertips to prevent a crisp top.

Bake for 15 minutes, reverse the baking sheets and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, cut small slit in side of each cream puff. return to oven, turn off the heat and let dry for 15 minutes.

To fill the puffs, either insert a large frosting tip into the side of the cream puff and fill until full or using a serrated knife, cut cream puffs horizontally in half and spoon filling into the bottom halves, cover with tops.

The nutrition facts for one cream puff are:Calories: 95
Carbs: 10
Protein: 3g
Fat: 4.86g
No sugar added, 2.43g from the milk only

www.withsugarontopjohnstownpa.com 

"From fondant cakes to wedding cakes, we do it all."

Contact Krista at (814) 421 8322 or email withsugarontop@live.com

Hydrogenated oils in hiding!

Hydrogenated fats/ oils (aka: TRANS FATS). No one seems to mind when there are hydrogenated oils in their food, but watch out for those trans fats!! Um, hello…they are the same thing people! These man-made fats are not good for you in any way, shape, or form. They elevate cholesterol levels and can lead to coronary artery disease.
Hydrogenated oils act as a preservative in many processed foods and you don’t need a whole lot of it either! The FDA allows foods with less than 0.5% trans fat to be labeled as “trans fat free”… but what if you eat more than one serving? Oh, say the entire container of “whipped topping”?!? Hmmm, now we have a problem!

To increase awareness about the hidden evils of trans fats, I’ve posted a few foods containing trans fats and a healthy alternative.

1) Whipped Topping: Try “Tru-Whip” a vegan/organic alternative, available at most health food stores.

2) Peanut Butter: This one is easy…try an organic/all natural peanut butter J

3) Non-Dairy Creamer: Substitute with low or non-fat milk (almond, soy, coconut etc) and stevia.

4) White Bread: Didn’t see that one coming did you? Yes, it’s in there and it’s used as a preservative. Try 100% whole grain or sprouted breads. Read the label so you know for sure what you’re buying.

5) Margarine: Try non-hydrogenated butter spreads from brands like “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter” and “Promise”.

6) Ice Cream: Lots of popular brands contain trans fats. Read the label! Haagen Daz is trans fat free J -Save it for your “off” day people!

Take care of your body, and it will take care of you!

Feed your Addiction

Feed your Addiction

"FIT(HER) Training Nutrition Guide 2012 Ebook"

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...to continue reading, head to sarahconnorsfit.com and purchase your ebook today!