<![CDATA[Fit and Toned Personal Trainers - Blog]]>Tue, 21 May 2013 00:33:14 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Fit is the new skinny]]>Thu, 16 May 2013 08:55:36 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2013/05/fit-is-the-new-skinny.htmlEvery decade brought a new stereotype of the perfect body. In the '30s, boyish look was the ideal for every woman, the '50s brought the curves, the '60s the "free your mind body", in  the '80s and 90's the colors and complicated outfits covered the possible fatty parts of bodies. Some years back, anorexic skinny was the desire for every woman, who was decided to use not matter what to get there. Nothing was to much: slimming pills, hot patches, hours of sauna and aerobic classes. 

These days however people got smarter about their look. They realized that a great body without health worth nothing. This is how the idea of fitness for wellbeing grew more and more with every day. Now, let's get to the point. Would you like to be skinny and pale and unfit? Would you like the clothes you are wearing to look like hanging on a stick? I really don't think so. The 21st Century brought a phenomenal concept regarding our look: fit is the new skinny. Who doesn't want to look and feel fit? 

Being fit means being confident about yourself, but also means working on your body on a smart way. You don't have to spend 5 hours a day in the gym, nor to attend every possible fitness class in the world. Being fit means being active and it starts with small changes in your daily routine. Walk more instead of driving, take the stairs instead of the elevator, wash windows instead of paying somebody to do that, do some gardening, play a sport for fun, move as much as you can instead of watching TV. I know it's not easy, but make a change every day. Fight stress and depression by being active. When all these are part of your daily life, go further. Set a goal, lose some weight, start a proper fitness program, do some weights, eat right, pick a trainer, ask for some help, be honest with what you want to achieve. Not long after, your body will start changing and your mentality as well. And after a while, I can assure you that you will become your dream. Fit is truly the new skinny. As a Personal Trainer, during years and years of training, I have seen so many fit body and believe me when I say that they look skinny just because they are fit. Don't worry if you are overweight. The fittest people in the world were you one day. It is just a matter of time and perseverance. If you really want to make a change in your body, you will get there. 

Start your changes today! 

Yours in fitness, :)
Brigitte


]]><![CDATA[Cheese and bacon polenta pie with battered chicken breast and tomato salad ]]>Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:58:58 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/cheese-and-bacon-polenta-pie-with-battered-chicken-breast-and-tomato-salad.htmlPicture
Ingredients for 4 portions:
Polenta pie:
- 200g instant polenta (cornmeal)
- 200g cottage cheese
- 50g bacon
- 2Tsp olive oil

Battered chicken breast:
- 400g chicken breast
- 1 egg

Tomato salad:
- 4 tomatoes
- chia seeds
- 1tsp sesame oil
-1 tsp balsamic vinegar


Polenta pie:
- 500ml boiled water on instant polenta
- stir well
- In a greased owen dish: one layer of polenta, half of the cottage cheese and bacon; another layer of polenta; the other half of cottage cheese on top
- Cook for 10 minutes at 200degrees
Calories for your portion: 260
My word to you:
Polenta can really act as a gluten-free substitute for almost any dish, so, if you want a gluten free alternative to any carb, go for polenta.


]]><![CDATA[Meatballs with steamed veggies, mash potatoes and parsnip and salad, sprinkled with chia seeds]]>Thu, 16 Aug 2012 05:10:20 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/meatballs-with-steamed-veggies-mash-potatoes-and-parsnip-and-salad-sprinkled-with-chia-seeds.htmlPicture
Ingredients for 4 portions:
Meatballs: 
- 300g steak mince
- 1 egg
- garlic
- parsley
- salt and pepper

Steamed veggies:
- 2 carrots
- 100g corn
- 100g peas
- celery
- soy sauce

Calories for your portion: 260 calories


My word to you:
Soy sauce is rich in vitamins and minerals and has amazing antioxidant properties.


Celery is one of my very favorites. It is not just that it helps in lowering the blood pressure. Celery is amazing aid in weight loss. Go for it! 


Parsnip is very low in saturated fat, but high in fibre, vitamin A and  K. 
Salad:
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1 avocado
- balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 2Tsp chia seeds

Potatoes & parsnip mash:
- 4 potatoes
- 2 parsnip
- 50ml trim milk
- 2Tsp olive oil
_salt
]]><![CDATA[Prawns risotto with cabbage salad]]>Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:52:27 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/prawns-risotto-with-cabbage-salad.htmlPicture
Ingredients for 4 portions:
- 300g shrimps
- 200g brown rice
- 1 large onion
- 50g peas
- 1 carrot
- 100g mushrooms
- garlic
- celery
- fennel
- parley
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- 2Tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cabbage (or coleslaw)

Calories for your portion: 240
Dressing for cabbage salad: 1 lemon juice, 1tsp olive oil, salt, pepper

My word to you:
Cumin is a wonder spice and I would advise you to used in your cooking as often as possible. Besides the high content in iron, cumin is amazing for regulating metabolism (and this is what you want when you are on a weight loss program!), digestion, liver function, even combating colds and helping in skin problems. It is used since this planet has life on it, so go for it! 

Parley is a medicine herb. High in vitamin A, C and K, it also is a strong antioxidant. 




]]><![CDATA[Roast beef with mash potatoes, yogurt sauce and tomatoes]]>Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:37:10 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/roast-beef-with-mash-potatoes-yogurt-sauce-and-tomatoes.htmlPicture
Ingredients for 4 portions:

- 400g lean beef
- 4 large potatoes
- 80ml trim milk
- 250g natural yogurt
- 1Tsp cream cheese
- 4 tomatoes
- basil
- garlic
- fennel
- 2Tsp olive oil
- cayenne pepper
- salt
- rosemary
-balsamic vinegar

Seasoning for roast beef:
- rosemary
- cayenne pepper
- garlic
- salt

Yogurt sauce: 
Mix well the yogurt with cream cheese. Add salt, pepper and fennel. 
Mash potatoes:
Forget about butter. Mash the potatoes with 80ml trim milk and 2Tsp olive oil. You can make it quite creamy if you use a food processor or a mixer.



Tomato salad:
Keep it simple: a few leaves of basil, salt and balsamic vinegar.


Your position: 250 calories
My word to you:

Fennel is one of my favorite herbs. It's not just the flavor it gives to a meal. Fennel is an appetite suppressant, helps lower the blood pressure, boost libido (oops!) and improves digestion. It is also rich in phytoestrogens.

Another herb I totally love is basil. Basil it is a good source of vitamin A and K, potassium and iron. It is a well known antioxidant. It also goes superb with tomatoes. 

Why cayenne pepper? Simply because it can be a great fat burner, so, go for it. 

Rosemary again for its content in vitamin A and C. 
]]><![CDATA[Roast chicken breast with couscous salad, tomatoes and olives sprinkled with chia seeds]]>Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:34:47 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/roast-chicken-breast-with-couscous-salad-tomatoes-and-olives-sprinkled-with-chia-seeds.htmlPicture
Ingredients for 4 portions

- 4 chicken breasts
- 200g instant couscous
- 1 red onion
- 2 celery sticks
- juice of 1 lemon
- 50g cottage cheese
- 2 Tsp olive oil
- 2 large tomatoes
- 200g olives
- 4 tsp chia seeds
- garlic
- balsamic vinegar
- coriander



Seasoning for the roast chicken breast:
- rosemary
- salt
- pepper
- garlic (as much as you like)
- paprika



Serve with a simple salad of tomatoes, olive and coriander. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar and chia seeds on top. 
Couscous salad:
Use instant couscous. Easy to use, short time to prepare. Pour 1 1/2 cup of boiling water over the couscous and cover. Leave it for 5 minutes. Chop the onion and celery and add it to the couscous. Also add the cottage cheese, the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and 2Tsp olive oil. 


Calories for 1 portion: 220



My word to you: 

I like to advise my clients to eat couscous when on weight management programs because it has fewer calories than brown rice and quinoa. However, 1 cup of couscous adds 6g of protein to your daily intake; also  is a great source of selenium. Remember that selenium is a trace mineral that acts like an antioxidant. Couscous is a good source of potassium as well (1 cup provides 91mg of potassium) that assists with muscle contractions and blood pressure regulation. So go for it!

I love chia seeds and you will as well when you know that it is great for weight loss. Because chia seeds increase 10 times in size when exposed to water, it helps your body think you are full for longer. They are also a great source of Omega 3. The main benefit, in my opinion, is that chia seeds help regulate blood sugars and cut on food cravings. 

Why rosemary and coriander? I love using rosemary because of its content of vitamin A and C. Coriander is a source of vitamin A and K, also helps regulate blood sugars and LDL cholesterol.


]]><![CDATA[Healthy dinners]]>Sun, 12 Aug 2012 06:55:19 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/08/healthy-dinners.htmlIf you signed up for one of our weight loss, body sculpting or toning programs, you have already been told that exercise only is not enough. We want you to eat healthy, nutritional meals. Just use your creativity in preparing your dinners. However, to make things easier for you, we will start onMonday, 13th August, a series of dinner recipes. Every day yew will publish a dinner recipe. All you have to do is print it and have fun cooking with us. Simple as that.]]><![CDATA[How to lose weight....and lots of it!]]>Sat, 28 Jul 2012 20:40:46 GMThttp://www.fitandtoned.co.nz/1/post/2012/07/how-to-lose-weightand-lots-of-it.htmlPicture
It is never too late to start a weight loss program. If you really want to look and feel great, get in shape for the  beach, now is the best time! You gain weight with every day of indulging, allowing yourself more food than you really need and less exercise.

 Just think about what a kilogram a month would add to your body after a year. 12 kilograms a year and if you continue with the same lifestyle, in 5 years you may end up being 60 kilograms heavier. Don't let that happen to you!

People think they know how to do it. They believe they know the equation of losing weight, getting in shape and looking great. Some may do, but most don't! Doctors know they stuff, builders know theirs, carpenters know their work, fishermen know how to fish and so on. Personal Trainers know how to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Let's admit it: that's what they do best!

Leave aside the thoughts of saving money by not hiring a Personal Trainer when you have to lose weight. It doesn't work according to your plan. You may save some money now, but let's be honest! If you don't lose what you have to now, the effects of carrying the extra weight won't just make you feel angry, fatigued and disappointed. You may end up having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, even heart problems. What about knees and lower back pain? And not getting pregnant after years of trying just because you are overweight? On top of that you will hate seeing yourself in the mirror.

No magazines that advertise miraculous diets and exercise programs will work for you. Stop spending there! Do you think that a diet in a random magazine works for everybody? We are all different. Do you possibly believe that a weight loss program, advertised in media, will make you lose 10kg in 10 days by following it 3 minutes a day? For once in your life, leave the professionals to do their job. Hire a Personal Trainer, be focused, let yourself be motivated, do exactly what your trainer says you should do and the results will show. Do you believe that it is too expensive? What about the money you spend on weight loss magazines, "healthy" foods, recommended by so called miraculous diets,  that rotten in the fridge, hopeless machines advertised on TV that promise wonders, fat burner supplements, "diet" shakes and so many other useless things? HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH WHEN IT'S ABOUT YOU?

If you want my advise, aim for the best Personal Trainer. That means somebody who has the experience, and I am not talking about 1 year in the industry; as many as possible. Find the trainer who is specialized in weight loss. Why would you choose somebody who feels more comfortable in other areas? Then check if your trainer is registered. This means that a national board considers your trainer at the right standard. And lastly, don't forget: a good Personal Trainer is a busy one, booked to the max. This is the trainer you want. This is the professional who will work with you in achieving your weight loss goal.

My name is Brigitte, I am a Registered Personal Trainer, working in the industry for many, many years, I am specialized in weight loss and body sculpting, I never had dead times and I would love to work with you. Choose a package that financially works for you, casual rate, 5 week, 8 week, 10 week or 20 week weight loss program and let's start today. You won't regret it. I NEVER HAD A CLIENT NOT REACHING HER/HIS WEIGHT LOSS GOAL AND BELIEVE ME YOU WON'T BE THE FIRST! 
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