Start your week off right!

I was looking at articles on this subject to get inspired and came across one that was intended to be amusing but is actually quite sad. It made me realize how far I’ve come since my drinking days. On PuckerMob.com, a site I had never heard of, the article “Case of the Mondays, 8 Ways to Kick Start Your Week“, the author simply discusses immature and disgusting ways to nurse your hangover from a weekend long binge.

This used to be me. Rolling into the office trying to just get through the day, hating my job, myself and everyone around me. That’s no way to live. I live without a drink now and am so much happier. I know to some it seems like a fate worse than death to give up drinking, but really it could not only save your life but help you create the best life you’ve ever had.

As a sober, responsible and inspired human, Monday is a great day for me to reboot. It’s a new week which gives me the feeling that I have a clean slate. Here are a few things that help me start my week off right…

1. Wake up with time to spare. I used to be a consummate late sleeper, snoozing until the last possible moment, then rushing around to get myself ready in the morning and rushing out the door. I still have a tough time waking up, it’s a little easier now that I have natural alarm clocks, my 3 sons, waking me up every morning before 7. I try to get up a little before they do to have sometime for myself in the morning whether to workout, have a cup of coffee or stretch and meditate, it really helps to have that time to myself before the kids wake up and it’s all about them.
2. A healthy breakfast. I used to never eat breakfast. Now I can’t go without it. I’m not that hungry in the mornings but if I skip it I’m become ravenous later in the day and eat things I shouldn’t. Also, eating a healthy breakfast is so important to kick-start your metabolism for the day.
3. Think about what I want to accomplish for the day / week and make a list. Once I’ve cleared my head a bit and my older 2 get off to school I like to think about the week ahead and what I would like to accomplish. What appointments do I have, when am I going to squeeze in working out and updating my blog, what fun activities am I going to do with Tommy, dinners for the week, who do I need to call or message etc… having this list in front of me is a good way to organize.

That’s all I’ve got for today. What suggestions do you have for starting your week off strong?

xo, Hil

Wild caught vs. farm raised

Fish is great source of lean protein, it can also contain a good amount of omega 3 fatty acids which is helpful in preventing heart disease and stroke. But not all fish are created equal. There are lots of variables that can make buying healthy fish a bit complex.

First, you want to avoid “tile fish”, such as sword fish, mackerel and shark. These contain more mercury than other seafood. Another consideration is whether to buy wild caught or farm raised fish. This is a bit more complicated. In the past wild caught was thought to be better because it is a natural product of our eco-system. However, in recent years with all of the contaminants found in the ocean and over fishing causing less availability of certain types of fish,  it’s sometimes a better idea to buy farm raised. Although this has it’s drawbacks as well, including that they can escape into open waters and breed in eco-systems that are not their own, among other concerns… Basically there is no easy answer to this quetion.

Here are a few tips on how to buy healthy fresh fish at your local  market:

1. Ask if it’s from a sustainable environment. If the grocer doesn’t know ask him/ her if they can look into it for next time. This is both good to know and is a way to advocate for stronger demand of sustainable fish supply.
2. Buy fish from the USA. The US has strict environment and food safety laws which help ensure you are buying healthy, sustainable seafood.
3. Find out what seafood is overfished and avoid them giving them a chance to repopulate.

Here is one of my favorite recipes for one of the most healthy fish you can consume, Salmon.

Ingredient list:

1 1/2 lb. Salmon Filet with skin

1 tbsp. ponzu sauce

1/2 lemon

Scallions

1 tbsp. minced ginger

Directions: Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Marinate salmon in ponzu sauce and lemon. Top with minced ginger and chopped scallions.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until fish is opaque in the middle.

So easy! I like to serve this with brown rice or quinoa and veggie of your choice. My family loves baked asparagus or broccoli.

Do you have any good seafood recipes you can share with us? Do you have any rules you follow when buysing seafood?

Thanks for reading!

xo,

Hilary

 

What are your fitness goals?

We’re already a few weeks into spring so summer is getting near. I’m a strong advocate for being healthy and fit year round but also realize that’s not so easy for many people, myself included! With summer in our midst, the pressure is on to lose those extra pounds and stop eating the hardy and fattening foods we tend to crave in the colder months. So let’s get started!

I would love to hear from you and help you achieve your “fit bliss”. Please let me know a few things so I can better serve you.  First, what are your current fitness goals? Second, what steps are you taking to achieve those goals? And finally, what would you like to see from this web site to help you achieve those goals? Writing it down and telling other people is a good start to holding yourself accountable for these goals and giving you more motivation to pursue and achieve your perfect fit.

I’ll tell you what my goals are, cut way down on processed sugar, get to the gym at least 4 times a week and most of all, better help YOU achieve your fitness goals. There’s not much more satisfying then when I hear from people who are inspired, motivated and most of all, SEEING RESULTS from the material I’m posting and advice I’m providing.

First step, when I get my workout in I will post it on Instagram with hashtag “fitbliss” and ask you to do the same so we can hold each other accountable.

 

Why people get fat.

 

I was the perfect example of why people get fat yesterday. I met a friend for coffee and made the mistake of going to the coffee shop starving! Normally I would try to eat something before hand or bring a healthy snack to hold me over. But let’s be honest, in real life sometimes that just doesn’t happen.

So I peruse the shop for something “healthy” to eat and there’s not much. Bagels and baked goods are the main attraction. This is why I try to arm myself from making bad dietary decisions when I’m out by eating something healthy beforehand. Instead I go for the delicious and calorie ridden coffee cake. Now, there’s nothing wrong with calories, we’re all taught in school that calories = energy. However there’s a BIG difference between good calories and what I like to call, negative calories. These foods give you very little energy and then leave you more tired and hungry afterword.

This coffee cake, as delicious and sumptuous as it was, basically held me over through my coffee date and upon getting into my car to go to the gym my stomach was rumbling in hunger. I forced myself onward to the gym, probably didn’t get in the best workout because all I could think about was lunch. I then came home absolutely famished and ready for a nap. So the problem lies here. I ate a calorie filled “snack” to tide me over that just left me even more hungry and willing to eat anything in site later in the day.

Point of this long-winded story is to make healthy choices, by choosing to eat unhealthy you will in turn eat more later to make up from your body being drained of energy trying to digest the negative calories you consumed.

In short: Eating healthy throughout the day will prevent you from eating more than you should.

Here are my go to “on the go” healthy snacks:

1. Nature Valley Protein bars.
2. Kashi trail mix bars.
3. Fage yogurt. I like Chobani as well, but Fage has less sugar and you can control how much fruit you put in.
4. Bananas.
5. Horizons Organic mozzarella cheese sticks. 
6. Almonds and cranberries.

xo,

Hil

 

Immunity boosting juice recipe.

I gave some tips yesterday about how to boost your immunity and prevent illness. One of them being to juice your own fruits and veggies. Here is a recipe for a great immunity boosting juice to help you stay healthy and strong so you can keep working out with me!

This is from What’s Gabby Cooking, a site packed full of awesome recipes by a fun and funny California girl. As described by Gabby herself, this juice is ” basically like fitting all these glorious fruits and vegetables along with their vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into your body and then giving yourself a giant hug. Hands down, you just feel good after drinking this.”

GREEN JUICE

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 2 glasses of juice

Serving Size: 1 glass of juice

This green juice is packed full of vitamins and minerals and makes for the perfect meal on the go. This recipe makes enough for 2 large glasses of juice. I typically have 1 large glass a day, and then pop the second glass in the fridge for the following morning. Fast, simple and totally healthy! – WGC

INGREDIENTS

• 3 leaves kale, stem removed, roughly chopped
• 1 handful spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 3 sticks celery, roughly chopped
• 2 apples, halved and seeds removed
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger
• 1 Meyer lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place everything into your juicer, small amounts at a time, and juice.
2. Taste and adjust as needed.

 

xo,

Hil

Thirsty Thursday!

3 healthy shakes for energy and vitality…

1) Peanut Butter Cup Shake, Source: Health.com

Ingredients

1 cup sliced ripe banana
1 cup 1% chocolate low-fat milk
1/2 cup vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt
2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter
1 (8-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

Directions:

Place banana in freezer; freeze until firm (about an hour). Remove from freezer; let stand 5 minutes. Combine banana and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Serve immediately.

2) Green Tea Smoothie, Source: eatliverun.com

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1/2 large honeydew melon, cut into chunks                                                                                                                                                                                                         3/4 cup strong brewed green tea (use two tea bags and seep for ten minutes)                                                                                                                                                1 tsp honey                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1/4 cup almond milk

Directions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Sip while wearing a bikini for ultimate benefits.

3) Pomegranate Berry Recipe, Source: eatingwell.com

2 cups frozen mixed berries                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 cup pomegranate juice                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 medium banana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1/2 cup water

Directions: Combine mixed berries, pomegranate juice, banana, cottage cheese and water in a blender; blend until smooth. Serve immediately

Share your favorite healthy shake recipe with us!

Xx,

Hilary Ann Lambert

 

 

Diet and Nutrition at U GO Baby Fitness…

I’m happy to announce that I will be partnering with nutrition specialist, Lisa Caldwell, to help give you the best nutrition advice possible during our 8 to Great challenge. She’s here to help answer any questions you have about how you can eat healthier. So please send along any questions you have to Hilary@ugobabyfitness.com or you can of course reach me on Insta, twitter and FB @ugobabyfitness.

Here’s more about Lisa…

Lisa Caldwell has been in love with food, cooking and nutrition since she can remember.

Her desire to perform at an optimum level in all of her athletic endeavors started when she was young, leading her to study food and nutrition on her own. She obtained a B. S. in Human Foods and Nutrition from the University of Maine, Orono, ME.  She explored the culinary world and rose to the rank of Executive Pastry Chef at Resorts and Hotels. Due to these experiences and years spent traveling for the sake of food, she now works as a Healthy Eating Specialist for Whole Foods Market and within the Greater Boston Area.

Her primary objective is Nutrition Education and has partnered with the likes of Massachusetts Hospital Association, Tufts University School of Public Health, Google, Central Rock Gym’s “The Heist” and the Boston Rock Gym “Social Outcast” events. Opportunities such as these have increased the awareness of how food contributes to our athletic performance as well as our overall health.

Lisa can be found training at the Metro Rock Gym, Everett and cooking at Whole Foods Market on River St, Cambridge, MA .