Double Your Weight Loss Starting Now

Many people think that gaining weight during the holidays is inevitable. I talk to people all of the time who accept holiday weight gain as a natural part of the season as much as they expect to see Christmas decorations in the stores. Unhealthy weight gain at any time of the year is not natural, nor desirable. In fact, the ideal is to maintain not gain. I have even coached hundreds of people in how to shed excess body fat during the holidays without feeling deprived or missing out on the foods they love. The key is the right foods, in the right amount, at the right time….Balanced Nutrition.



In addition, there is one super simple activity that can make a HUGE difference in not only whether or not you gain weight, studies show that it can help you double your weight loss (even during the final two months of the year!).

What is the secret? Bite It & Write It!! A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that by tracking your daily food intake in a "food journal" may double your weight loss efforts.


Researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research performed a study on 1,685 overweight and obese adults (men and women), whose average weight was 212 pounds. The researchers advised participants to adhere to a reduced-calorie eating plan ( DASH eating plan ) and had them record their daily food intake and their daily/weekly minutes of exercise.


After 20 weeks, the average weight loss was 13 pounds per person. In addition, researchers discovered that the more participants recorded what they ate, the more weight they lost in the end. Participants who did not keep a food diary lost about 9 pounds over the course of the study, while those who recorded their food intake six or more days per week lost 18 pounds—twice as much as those who didn't track any food!


If you’d like to learn more about achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight, you’ll want to attend…..

Get a Jump Start on the New Years Weight Loss Resolution &

Experience a Healthy Lifestyle Revolution.....

Simple Steps to Achieve & Maintain Your Ideal Body Weight


Healthy, Permanent weight reduction through….

• Reducing toxic load and releasing stubborn toxic fat.

• Increasing fat metabolism and improving overall metabolic function.

• Eliminating unhealthy food cravings & developing an appetite thermostat.

• Developing a simple, healthy balance of proper nutrition & physical activity.



Achieving & Maintaining Ideal Body Weight with Proper Nutrition & Essential Oils

Date & Time: Thursday December 16th @ 7pm - 8:15pm

Location: 4307 E. Blue Sage Court Gilbert, AZ 85297

Class Instructor: Melissa Guthrie - Fitness Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Health Educator, & Competitive Triathlete

Contact/RSVP: Jodi Lewis 480.213.6551 or Melissa Guthrie 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015 (Please RSVP!)

We look forward to having you attend. You are welcome to bring additional guests with you.


Gift Drawing & Healthy Snacks Provided.


Taught by Fitness, Nutrition Specialist, Health Educator - Melissa Guthrie. In addition to having two college degrees in Exercise Physiology and Nutritional Science, Melissa was once the fat kid and has achieved her ideal body weight and has maintained it for over 14 years.


To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie



12 Steps to a Lighter Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Week!  There is so much to be grateful for.  I am grateful to share with you some tips to help you stay on  the lighter side this holiday.  I am also grateful to share with you a couple of events I'm doing this week that I know will be a great blessing to all who attend.

Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving:

 Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around family, friends, & feasting (and for some football) as we express our gratitude for our many blessings. There are so many wonderful, positive, uplifting aspects of the holiday. What comes along is over-eating, excess sweets, lots of low levels of physical activity, and thus weight gain. For those who are susceptible to excessive holiday weight gain, this year lets focus on the "Maintain don't Gain" principle. We can avoid being part of the Big Fat problem by incorporating some of the following holiday healthification tips:




* Exercise every day of the week prior to and following the holiday.

* Exercise on Thanksgiving by going for a walk, run, bike ride, hike with friends or family.

*Participate in a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot (1-mile fun run/walk, 5K or 10K).

* Rather than just watching football on TV, participate in a friendly game of football with friends & family.

* If you have a tendency to splurge on Thanksgiving day, then be sure that the 2-3 days prior to the holiday you eat very healthy & clean (watch portions, eats lots of fresh fruits & veggies, some whole grains, and very lean proteins). Do the same for 2-3 days following the holiday.

* Be sure not to skip breakfast and/or lunch on Thanksgiving day. Doing so will result in overconsumpion and less likelihood to make healthy food choices. Not to mention meal skipping teaches the body to become an efficient fat storing machine.

* Use a smaller plate for your Thanksgiving Day meal. You will be less likely to overconsume. If you have a tendency to fill your plate with everything that is offered, select the items that special to you. For example, peas & carrots may be foods you could eat any day of the year. If you really love sweet potatoes and cornbread stuffing and these are foods you only ever eat on Thanksgiving, then skip the peas & carrots.

* Eat to the point of satisfaction rather than to the point of "I'm so full, I can't walk". We can eat small frequent meals throughout the day if we don't overconsume. This means more opportunities throughtout the day to enjoy these special holiday foods.

* Eat your calories, rather than drinking your calories. Opt for pure water rather than sodas, juices, alcoholic beverages, hot chocolate, etc. Water is what your body needs & it's calorie free. You can make some yummy flavored water by adding fresh fruit or CPTG essential oils to your water.

* Watch the sauces & gravies. Either skip them altogether or if you must have them, then consume just enough to get the flavor. Skip or go very light on whipped cream. Use the "dip 'n stick" technique rather than pouring your sauces/dressing directly on your food.

* Share a dessert or at least watch your portion size. Desserts are typically loaded with fat, sugar, & calories.

* Healthify your recipes - use applesauce instead of oil in your baking, use evaporated skim milk in place of cream, use more herbs/spices & less butter/oil in cooking, use chicken stock/vegetable stock in place of butter/oil in cooking, use lowfat or nonfat dairy products.

Events of the WEEK

If your week sounds like this...




Wednesday and Thursday:

Its beginning to smell a lot like turkey every where I go. Well the Turkey is not enough, add a ham to bake and glaze, stuffing to make and pies to bake and mashed potatoes too. I’ve been on my feet all day and soon the guest will come. The house is sparkling clean, the decorations hung, I’m worn out and wondering when the cooking will be done.



Friday and Saturday:

Dashing through the stores with a shopping cart or two, trodding down each aisle to find the super deals. My Arms are loaded down with packages and such, that cramping in my hand means I’m carrying too much. The shopping frenzy’s begun and will last almost a month; my head is throbbing from the noise and pressure – oh what fun. Hussle & bussle, hussle & bussle, stressing all the way!



You are invited to a Holiday Haven event on Saturday Nov 27th at 10:30am – noon. Come relax and receive an Aromatouch Hand or Foot Massage - Sure to refresh & renew, restore & revitalize, calm & soothe, invigorate and enliven not only your weary hands and feet but your whole body and mind.

Aromatouch massage reduces stress levels, increases blood flow & circulation, reduces inflammation, stimulates & boosts immune system, promotes whole body homeostatis. Aromatouch Technique developed by world renowned essential oil expert, Dr. David Hill.


How about a stress-less season with more peace, more calm, more joy?... Then stroll on over to the…


Holiday Haven Aromatouch Hand & Foot Massage Party

Date: Saturday November 27th at 10:30am – noon.

Location: 1263 E. Evergreen St. Mesa, AZ 85203

Cost: None – it’s a gift!

Hosted by Melissa Guthrie & Marianne Trask

Space Limited: Please RSVP to mmguthrie@hotmail.com 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015


Event will include healthy snacks, great prizes and gifts for all that attend.


Note: You will have the opportunity to receive an Aromatouch hand/foot massage and learn how to give an Aromatouch hand/foot massage (a great holiday gift for a friend or family member).

 *************** 

Learn how to optimize fitness, improve athletic performance, and stay healthy & injury-free year round.

How would your fitness training & sports performance be impacted if you could significantly…

· improve metabolic function and increase oxygen uptake

· improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to the cells

· reduce inflammation & oxidative stress associated with exercise, sports training & competing

· speed recovery from hard workouts and athletic injuries

· prevent injuries and boost immunity

· get better, deeper, more rejuvenating sleep

· and much more



Come learn how to maximize your fitness and sports performance naturally through optimal nutrition and the use of certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils.


Maximizing Fitness and Sports Performance with Nutrition and Essential Oils
Date and Time: Tuesday November 23rd 2010 @ 7pm

Location: 3087 E. Redfield Rd Gilbert, AZ 85234 (Higley & Guadalupe)

Presenter: Melissa Guthrie, Fitness & Nutrition Coach

RSVP/Contact: Sharon McDonald 480.275.9767 . Please RSVP as space is limited.

Give-Aways & Healthy Snacks!

 To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach, Fitness Trainer, Health Educator
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast
Competitive Triathlete & Runner

What Do You Want to Know About Healthy Weight Loss, Balanced Nutrition, & Sports Performance?

I am continually amazed at how in a time in world history where we have instant access to information about any topic, we are at large a society still living in the dark ages when it comes healthy living. It is my personal mission to learn all I can so I can teach all I can and thus empower people with the solutions they seek and help them achieve their goals as they relate to health, fitness and body weight.

I'm taking my business on the road to teach and empower people around the globe - it is my mission to reach as many people as possible and make a positive difference for them. This week I'm in Arizona presenting on the following 3 topics. I invite you to join me.

• Balanced Sports Nutrition to Optimize Training, Performance & Recovery
• Maximizing Sports Performance & Fitness with Nutrition & Essential Oils
• Simple Steps to Achieve & Maintain Ideal Body Weight with Nutrition & Essential Oils
  
  Details about each event is found below:
  
  
  Attention runners, walkers, & sports enthusiasts!

Your nutrition habits can not only make or break your day to day training, they can be the primary difference between a stellar race day and a race day disaster. You are training hard, don't leave your results to chance. Come learn how proper nutrition will help you to get the most out of your training, to optimize your event performance, and recover better than ever before?


....Sole Sports invites you to a special evening with sports nutritionist & fitness trainer - Melissa Guthrie, BSc Exercise Physiology & Nutrition & Science.


Balanced Nutrition for Optimal Training, Competition, & Recovery


By attending this event you will:
* better understand your body's nutrient requirements before, during and after exercise.
* learn what foods every runner/walker should consume for better health, faster recovery, & optimal performance.
* gain greater insights into how to determine the right foods in the right amount at the right time.
* and more!

Date: Thursday October 14, 2010
Time: 7:00pm (if you'd like to join the group walk/run it starts at 6:30pm)
Location: Sole Sports Running Zone 6941 N. Hayden Ste B-4, Scottsdale, AZ 85250
www.solesportsrunning.com



*************

Learn how to optimize fitness,
improve race times, and stay injury-free with
the Essential Sports Performance Edge.

How would your fitness training & sports performance be impacted if you could significantly…
*improve metabolic function and increase oxygen uptake
*improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to the cells
*reduce inflammation & oxidative stress associated with training & competing
*speed recovery from hard workouts and athletic injuries
*prevent injuries and boost immunity
*get better, deeper, more rejuvenating sleep
*and much more

Come learn how to maximize your fitness & sports performance naturally through proper nutrition and the use of certified pure therapuetic grade essential oils.


Maximizing Sports Performance & Fitness with Nutrition & Essential Oils

Date & Time: Friday October 15, 2010 @ 7pm – 9pm
Location: 1263 E Evergreen Street. Mesa, AZ 85203 (Brown & Stapley)
Class Length: approx. 90 minutes
RSVP: call 800.775.0712 xt 7015, email mmguthrie@hotmail.com to RSVP . Space is limited.
Door Prizes and Give-Aways & Healthy Snacks!


***********************************

Slim ‘n Fit Seminar Series Announces a Free Introductory Education Class…

Simple Steps to Achieve & Maintain Your Ideal Body Weight

Healthy weight reduction through….
* Reducing toxic load and releasing stubborn toxic fat.
* Increasing fat metabolism and improving overall metabolic function.
* Eliminating unhealthy food cravings & developing an appetite thermostat.
* Developing a simple, healthy balance of proper nutrition & physical activity.



Date & Time: Saturday October 16, 2010 @ 10 am – noon

Location: 1263 E. Evergreen Street Mesa, AZ 85203 (Brown & Stapley)

Class Length: approx. 1 ½ - 2 hrs (optional bonus Start Right training class from 1-2pm)

Door Prizes, Give-Aways, & Healthy Snacks Provided.

We look forward to having you attend.  You are welcome to bring additional guests with you.  Please RSVP to 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015 or mmguthrie@hotmail.com as space is limited.



All Classes Taught by Fitness & Nutrition Specialist, Melissa Guthrie. In addition to having two college degrees in Exercise Physiology & Nutritional Science, Melissa was once the fat kid and has achieved her ideal body weight and has maintained it for over 14 years. Melissa is also a competitive runner and triathlete. For more info regarding Melissa visit www.gettingfitwithmelissa.com and www.journeytothegold.com


To Your Best Health,




Melissa Guthrie
MBS Development Group
Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer
Tel: 800.775.0712 ext 7015
http://www.gettingfitwithmelissa.com/
Eat Right. Train Smart. Live Well.

What Does It Take to Achieve & Maintain Ideal Body Weight?

What does it take to achieve and maintain ideal body weight?

There are no magic pills, no effortless elixirs, no quick fixes. It does take effort, it does take commitment, it does take discipline, it does take action. So now that we’ve got that out of the way, let me share with you the good news.

I went through my own journey to achieving and maintaining ideal body weight. It began at the age of 12 when I came to my breaking point and decided that I was not going to be the fat kid any longer. Through my own initiative I started a daily exercise program and began a self-study course in nutrition. I didn’t have much professional assistance – what can you do at twelve years of age? Can’t drive, no job, no money, can’t get a gym membership, etc. So doing the best I could with the resources I had, my journey to ideal weight took about 6 years. The great news is I did it!

I achieved my ideal body weight during my freshman year of college and have maintained it now for over 14 years. And because of what I know and the healthy lifestyle habits that have become who I am, not just what I do I will be able to maintain my ideal weight for the rest of my life. Now that is complete FREEDOM, especially compared to the bondage I lived in as a fat, unhappy, self-conscious, unhealthy kid.

Of course, my own experience led me to dedicate my life to the study of fitness and nutrition, including two degrees in nutritional science and exercise physiology. I feel one of my life’s purposes is to bless and serve people all over the world, of all ages in leading the healthiest lives possible as well as achieving and maintaining ideal body weight. Fortunately, I have been able to create and to discover resources that can aid and assist people in reaching their goals much more quickly than I did. I will be sharing some of what I’ve found this evening on a special webinar .

“Achieving and Maintaining Ideal Body Weight with Proper Nutrition & Essential Oils” Webinar

Date: Tuesday August 31st at 6pm PST/7pm MST/8pm CST/9pm EST
Location: Where ever you are – it’s a Webinar!
Please Pre-Register by going to: https://www2.gotowebinar.com/register/713601411

The hope of achieving and maintaining an ideal body weight can be a struggle and seem like the impossible dream for many individuals of all ages.

Join us for a special Look Young, Feel Young webinar event in which we will be discussing simple steps to achieving and maintaining ideal body weight through proper nutrition and the use of certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils.

Presented by Melissa Guthrie, BSc Exercise Physiology & Nutritional Science, Fitness Trainer & Nutrition Coach.



To Your Best Health,
Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer
Health & Wellness Educator
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast
Competitive Triathlete

Summer Slim ‘n Fit Seminar Series

Announcing a Free Introductory Education Class…


Simple Steps to Achieve & Maintain Your Ideal Body Weight

Healthy weight reduction through….

• Reducing toxic load and releasing stubborn toxic fat.
• Increasing fat metabolism and improving overall metabolic function.
• Eliminating unhealthy food cravings & developing an appetite thermostat.
• Developing a simple, healthy balance of proper nutrition & physical activity.

Taught by Fitness & Nutrition Specialist, Melissa Guthrie. In addition to having two college degrees in Exercise Physiology & Nutritional Science, Melissa was once the fat kid and has achieved her ideal body weight and has maintained it for over 14 years.


Class Details:
Date & Time: Saturday June 12, 2010 @ 11am MST
Location: Richardson Home @ 2184 E. 1710 S. Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Class Length: approx. 1 hour


We look forward to having you attend. You are welcome to bring additional guests with you. Please RSVP to Jen or Rod Richardson Jen@rodalan.com or Rod@rodalan.com



To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach and Fitness Trainer

New Recipes for Healthy Salads

Today is the final day of May and in case you didn’t know May is National Salad Month. I have been creating and enjoying fabulous salads all month. Here are just a few. Fortunately, you’ll be able to enjoy many of my favorite salads in my soon to be released cookbook. You’ll notice amounts are approximate. I am a recipe creator and the first time I create something I go by feel, so amounts have not yet been dialed in. However, I enjoyed these salads so much I wanted to share it right away.

Creamy Black Bean & Corn Salad

• 1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
• ~ ½ cup sweet Corn, canned & drained or frozen, thawed
• ~ ½ - 2/3 cup Lowfat or fat free cottage cheese
• ~ 2/3 to ¾ cup Chunky Salsa
• ~ ½ cup Diced bell pepper, red or green
• ~1/4 cup Canned Green chiles, optional
• ~1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped green onion, optional
• ~ 1/2 to 1 TBS Taco Seasoning, optional
• ~ ¼ to ½ tsp Cumin, optional

In bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to combine. Can be eaten as is or as a dip or atop a bed of leafy greens. Can be eaten cold or hot.

Balsamic Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

• 1 ½ cups Fresh Broccoli florets, cut small
• 1 ½ cups Fresh Cauliflower florets, cut small
• ~ ¾ to 1 cup Shredded carrots
• ~ 1 – 1 ½ cup Shredded green or purple cabbage, optional
• ~ 1/3 to ½ cup Raisins or craisins
• ~ 1/3 to ½ cup Slivered raw almonds, chopped raw walnuts, or raw sunflower seeds
• ~ ½ cup Plain nonfat yogurt
• ~ 1/3 – ½ cup Mayo, light or nonfat
• ~ 1 to 2 TBS Balsamic vinegar
• Sea Salt, to taste
• ~ 1 TBS EVOO, optional
• ~ 1 TBS honey or agave nectar, optional

In large bowl toss together vegetables. In separate small to medium bowl, combine plain nonfat yogurt, mayo, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and EVOO and honey, if desired. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Then add raisins or craisins and nuts mix until combined. Enjoy.

When you make these salads, I'd love to get your feedback.

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie

Triumph Training Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer

Take a Tip for your Day

Take a Tip for Your Day

Sometimes making improvements in our lives, our health, our fitness, and our nutrition can seem overwhelming. I always advocate just making one small improvement at a time. To attempt to make a complete overhaul is almost always a recipe for frustration and failure. Below you’ll find several simple actions you can take to improve your health one small step at a time.

Tip for Improving Hydration:

Most people are walking around in a mild state of dehydration; few people drink enough water. Water helps remove toxins and keeps the metabolism running optimally. #1 - first thing after you wake up drink 16 oz of pure water. #2 - replace one non-water beverage with 16 oz of pure water each day. #3 Work up to 10 to 12 8oz glasses of pure water each day.

Tip for Increasing Fiber Intake:

Fiber is essential to a healthy colon, helps you feel fuller longer, helps maintain steady blood glucose levels, & aids in weight loss/weight maintenance. Adults require 25-35gm of fiber/day. 100% Whole grains, beans/legumes, fresh fruits & veggies, & flax are great sources of fiber. Replace refined, processed foods with more wholesome, fiber rich whole foods.

Tip for Eating More Whole Fresh Foods:

Fast food franchises & processed food manufacturers deceptively pump their products full of harmful chemicals that are highly addictive which can lead to insatiable cravings. Fresh, whole foods & meals from-scratch are healthier & can be prepared in less time than it takes to get thru the drive thru lane. This week see how many quick & easy home-made, fresh meals you can consume.

Tip for Increasing Antioxidant Intake:

Antioxidants are the body's disease fighters, natural healing accelerators, and anti-aging agents. Eat a rainbow of colorful fruits & veggies everyday to ensure you are getting whole food sources of antioxidants. Track how many different colors of fruits and veggies you eat today.

Tip for Improving Metabolism thru proper Meal Timing:

Are you eating between 4 & 6 times a day? The body is designed to be fueled approx. every 3hrs. Eating smaller, frequent meals will help prevent overeating & unhealthy cravings, ensures consistent energy throughout the day, assists in maintaining steady blood sugar levels, & help keep the metabolism running at an steady & even slightly elevated pace. Take out a sheet of paper and make a note of what time you eat meals and snacks throughout the day. Assess how many time you eat something and how much time goes between your meals/snacks. Awareness is the first step. You may want to do this exercise for a few days in order to identify a pattern.

Tip for Making Breakfast a Habit:

Breakfast is for Champions. Eating breakfast is key to a healthy metabolism, weight management, & overall optimal function. Skipping breakfast slows the metabolism, leads to overeating & weight gain, decreases brain function, & compromises blood sugar control. A wholesome, healthy breakfast like oatmeal or whole grain cereal is always best, however eating something is better than skipping breakfast altogether. Breakfast can even be leftovers from lunch or dinner – yep that includes cold pizza. If you are a breakfast eater, focus on improving the nutrient content of your breakfast. If you are not a breakfast eater, set a goal to eat or drink something every day this week.

Tip for Increasing Lycopene Intake:

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant & is shown to play a vital role in the prevention of cancer, esp. prostate cancer. Foods rich in lycopene are tomatoes & tomato based products, pink grapefruit, & watermelon. Make sure you eat at least one lycopene rich food every day. Men should absolutely eat lycopene rich foods every day.

Tip for Caring for Your Skin Naturally:

Nutrition is more than what you put in your body; it is also what you put ON your body. Any substance that goes on your skin is absorbed into the blood stream. Beware of the chemicals & harmful substances in lotions, make-up, skin care products. Consider all-natural options: almond or olive oil as moisturizer, cornmeal as an exfoliater, apple cider vinegar as a skin toner. Step #1 read the labels on your skin care products Step #2 throw out those items that have harmful ingredients Step #3 Replace those items with an all natural replacement.

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer

Add First In Order to Subtract

When most people talk about improving their nutrition, they begin listing off all the items they intend to stop eating or drinking and the unhealthy habits they intend to kick. They go on a “diet” or attempt to stop a habit cold turkey. Unfortunately, this may not be the most effective way to go about it. For starters, this can often feel like deprivation which results in an uncanny craving for the item that we’ve sworn to never consume again. In addition, nutrition habits whether healthy or not –so-healthy are often deeply ingrained usually dating back to our childhood. For most people it is easier to begin to establish a new habit, rather than break an old habit. So I recommend adding a healthy habit first before you subtract an unhealthy habit.

Here are a couple of examples:

If you would like to quit drinking soda – then start by first adding 2 eight ounce glasses of water each day. One first thing when you wake up and one just before you go to bed at night. Establish this new habit first, then gradually add additional glasses of water and eventually swap out a few sodas a day for water, until you’ve kicked the soda habit by first establishing a great water habit.

If you know you should stop eating sugary cereals and should replace them with 100% whole grain cereal. Begin by first adding a handful of 100% whole grain cereal to your bowl of sugary cereal. Each day/week increase the amount of whole grain cereal and decrease the amount of sugary cereal, until you’ve replaced the sugary cereal all together.

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
Competitive Triathlete
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Is Your Family Fit?

Join Team Chances on Saturday August 1st, Pacanna Park at 6 AM for
Maricopa’s First Annual Fit Family Challenge!!


TEAM Chances FIT Family Challenge
Cost: FREE
Where: Pacanna Park Maricopa
Program Duration: August 1, 2009-September 5, 2009
Program Days/Times:
Saturday August 1,8,15,22,29, September 5 6:00am-7:00am
Wednesday August 5,12,19,26, September 2 6:00pm-7:00pm

Program Details:
This is a running/walking and family fit fun activity program geared to prepare participants for the Maricopa Mile and 5k. Each week, the team coach will be on location leading a group run/walk and fun family park activities. During the official group workouts, participants will have access to Elite level coaches, nutritionist, and physical therapists. Families that chose to register for the program as official participants will receive 2 pedometers per family to use and track progress during the week. At the conclusion of the challenge, the family with the most distance accumulated will be declared the winner (Prizes to be determined). The award will be presented at the Maricopa Mile and 5k held on September 5th.

All participants will receive:
• Two family group fit fun activity and run sessions per week
• Raffle prizes
• Healthy snacks
• Professional Coaching and support
• Pre/post BMI and Body fat analysis (optional)
• Free injury prevention screening from Endurance rehab.
• Fit Family Challenge T-shirt
• Pre and Post fitness assessment
• Pedometer
• Time with your family and friends in a healthy environment
• Entry Fee for 1 mile and 5k: FREE if you participate and attend 8-10 FIT FAMILY CHALLENGE TRAINING sessions!!


Yes…You read this right! TEAM Chances will be hosting the 1st Annual Maricopa Mile and 5k! Our goal is to share with the community the passion for health, fitness, and recreation that TEAM Chances embodies.


Would you like to be part of Team Chances?

Calling all Runners and Walkers!!

Join Team Chances and Give to yourself-Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Philanthropically!!

Giving to Team Chances will:
• Help wipe out childhood obesity in Arizona
• Provide children and families in your community with the opportunity to take part in positive lifestyle activities
• Educate children and families in your community about nutrition guidelines
• Celebrate your health and provide you with a positive, educational and rewarding experience

Join Team Chances and get:
• Personal coaching support, with specialized Marathon and Half Marathon training plans, including group runs, track sessions and Team Chances supported training races
• Health assessment and testing for optimal results
• VIP race day support, pre-race pasta party and post-race victory dinner
• Marathon/Half Marathon entry
• Fundraising support, including fundraising event opportunities
• The opportunity to assist with our Fit Kids program-so you can meet the children who actually benefit from your commitment
Team Chances is holding informational meetings around the valley to get you started. Below are listed the dates of the informational meetings and locations.

• Tempe Team – August 12 @ 6pm, Location: Sole Sports, 1006 E. Warner Rd, Suite 104, Tempe, AZ 85284
• Maricopa Team – August 4 @ 6pm, Location: Chamber of Commerce, 44870 Hathaway Ave, Suite 5, Maricopa, AZ 85239
• Scottsdale Team – August 19 @ 6pm, Location: Endurance Rehab, 9376 E. Bahia Dr. Suite D103, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
• Phoenix Team – July 29 and August 13 @ 6pm, Location: Endurance Rehab, 4440 N. 36th St, Suite 240, Phoenix, AZ 85018

We would love for you to join our team to help make a difference for the children of our state. Please pass this email and information along to anyone you know who may be interested in participating.

I love being a part of Team Chances and know you will too!

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer
BSc Nutritional Science
BSC Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Competitive Triathlete
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

The Key to Success in Achieving Fitness Goals

What does it take to succeed in achieving ideal body weight or optimal health and fitness?

I received an email this morning that brought me such joy and exemplifies the type of action and commitment necessary to achieve a worthy ideal. Earlier this year (late January), I began working with a gentleman to assist him with his nutrition and overall fitness. After discussing his current health and establishing some clear fitness goals, we developed a plan of action. He took the initiative to contact a friend who is a high school strength & conditioning coach and had him design a weight training routine. He also mapped out his workout schedule each week including his cardiovascular exercise. I, of course, developed a healthy, balanced meal plan (NOT a DIET) to promote maximal nutrient intake, increased energy, stable blood glucose levels, all the while allowing for him to shed some excess body fat.

In the email I received from him this morning, he let me know that he has reduced his body weight by an additional 25lbs. He is consistently working out each week doing his strength training and riding his mountain bike. He is doing very well following his meal plan, making healthier food choices and eating smaller meals more consistently throughout the day. In additional to shedding the excess body fat, he is greatly improving the health and fitness of his heart and body overall. His cardiologist is delighted at the progress, as they’ve done cardiovascular testing which has shown how much more efficient his heart and lungs are functioning.

I want to give a HUGE congratulations to Dan, for his diligence and commitment to improving his health and fitness. My greatest joy is seeing you succeed! Continued Success!!!


"You can achieve anything you want in life if you have the courage to dream it, the intelligence to make a realistic plan, and the will to see that plan through to the end." Sidney A. Friedman


To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
Triumph Training
Nutrition Coach & Fitness Trainer
BSc Exercise Physiology
BSc Nutritional Science
ACE Certified Personal Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Competitive Runner/Triathlete
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Nutrition Tips for the Traveling Athlete (& Non-athlete)

Remember nutrition can make or break your race and when traveling to a race there are many additional factors to consider. Follow these guidelines in order to ensure you are properly fueled and hydrated. Take responsibility for your own success. (If you are not an athlete nutrition while traveling is still important and the following suggestions apply to you as well.)




· Bring your own food with you on the trip so you don't have to rely on vending machines, snack shops, convenience stores, or fast food outlets. This is especially important if you have special food needs, dietary limitations, and or a sensitive digestive system.


· In route to your destination, if you are flying you can request special meals for the plane ride, just ring the airlines about a week prior to departure to put in your order. Be sure to bring your own healthy snacks for the plane.


· Keep well hydrated on the plane and WATER is your best means of hydration. Humidity is around 10-15% on a plane and moisture is drained from you. Drink often.


· It is a good idea to avoid coffee and tea on the plane as these can act as diuretics and lead to dehydration.


· Long hours of traveling and sitting on a plane and/or in airports can upset anyone’s digestive system. Constipation is very common, so be sure to drink lots of water and eat plenty of fiber-rich foods (fruits, veggies, & whole grains).


· When you arrive at your destination, organize a group food shopping trip for additional snacks, breakfasts, and any other meals. Remember to get some fresh fruits and vegetables.


· When eating in restaurants, do your best to make the healthiest choices. Avoid deep fried foods, high fat meats, cream sauces, lots of cheese or cheesy sauces, rich & sugary desserts and highly- refined foods. Ask your server how specific dishes are prepared and remember it is your right to have it made YOUR way. You can always ask for certain ingredients to be left out, substituted and you can even ask for a custom-made meal.


· Avoid consuming alcohol prior to your event, as it is a diuretic and impairs mental and physical capacities. The effects of alcohol can be detrimental to race day performance, so if you choose to drink, save it for the post-race celebration.


· By now you should have your pre-race breakfast dialed in. Be sure that you either take this breakfast with you on the trip or you have the ability to purchase those foods prior to race morning. You do not want to leave this to chance.


· If you do not know what fuels will be provided on the race course, NOW is the time to find out. If you are not familiar with them and/or have not used them with success before, then race day is NOT the time to experiment. So be sure you bring your tried and true fuels with you to the race.


· Be sure you have your nutritionist’s phone number with you at all times while traveling. If at any point you require a life-line, call her and she will gladly answer your questions and guide you through making healthy choices while eating away from home. She is committed to your race day success!

Foods That Travel Well
Dehydrated or freeze dried fruit, raw nuts & seeds, healthy whole grain cereals including granola, healthy trail mix, nut butters (i.e. peanut butter, almond butter, etc.), pouches of tuna, beef jerky, healthy bars (i.e. Lara Bar, Pro Bar, Clif Bar, etc), bagels, protein powder, oatmeal (dry), whole grain pretzels and crackers, healthy popcorn, dehydrated soup packets, freeze dried meals (in packets), some fresh fruits (apples, oranges), fruit cups (in their own juice), v-8 juice…just to name a few .

To Your Success,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Food Cravings: Kick Unhealthy Cravings to the Curb

I, myself, was once plagued with unhealthy food cravings. I remember as a child I had a nearly insatiable craving for fast food & candy. Every day I wanted to eat out for lunch or dinner at places like Wendy’s (oh how I loved the breaded chicken sandwich and biggie fries), Pete’s Fish ‘n Chips (I couldn’t get enough of the shrimp ‘n chips), Filiberto’s bean & cheese burrito or mixed burrito were favorites as well. Breakfast usually was some type of sugary cereal and then on the way to school I would beg my Mom to stop by Circle K or 7-11 so I could get a bag of Skittles or Starbursts. As soon as school let out, my friends and I would walk to Circle K or 7-11 for a Slurpee and more candy. I just craved this type of food all the time. YUCK! The thought of it now makes my stomach do flip-flops. I cannot tell you the last time I ate out at a fast-food establishment like those I just mentioned or the last time I ate candy. For me those once unhealthy food cravings are a thing of the past.

I now crave vegetables – HONEST, I do. I crave wholesome, fresh foods including hearty whole grains, garden fresh vegetable, bountiful fruits, and lean & clean protein. I was able to overcome these unhealthy cravings and subsequent habits by practicing some basic healthy eating principles. It took some effort & diligence, but the FOOD Freedom I enjoy now is worth it all and then some. If I can do it you can do it!

I’ve had countless clients who once thought they’d never be able to overcome the cravings for unhealthy foods. They have all been amazed at how quickly they are able to kick those cravings to the curb by just implementing a few simple healthy eating principles I teach.

If you find yourself craving lots of sugary, sweet treats or salty, crunchy snacks or deep-fried, cheesy, greasy foods, then listen up! Cravings for unhealthy foods are your body trying to tell you it is not getting enough good, high quality foods that it really needs. It is not getting Balanced Nutrition. You may be asking why the body would crave unhealthy foods when it really needs the healthy stuff. The craving mechanism is predominately triggered by nutrient deficiencies, insufficient caloric intake, and low blood sugar levels. Cravings typically play out one of three ways – sweets, salty, fatty/greasy. The more we give into these cravings and attempt to satisfy them with the junky foods, the more we train and condition the body to CRAVE these nutritional dead-beats.

Unhealthy cravings can be kicked to the curb by:

1. Fueling the body every 3 to 4 hours with healthy well balanced meals/snacks and never skipping meals, especially breakfast.

2. Making sure each meal/snack has a balance of carbohydrate, protein, & healthy fat.


3. Eating a wide variety of healthy foods each week in order to make sure you’re getting the full spectrum of vitamins & minerals the body requires.

4. Give the body what it really requires – if you are craving something sweet, rather than grabbing a cookie, have a sweet piece of fruit & a string cheese or a few raw almonds.

For more on healthy eating.....

Balanced Nutrition Webinar

When: Thursday March 12th

Time: 11:00AM AZ time ( 2 pm EST) OR 7pm AZ Time (10 pm EST)

Where: Wherever you are - its a Webinar!

Instructor: Melissa Guthrie, Nutrition Coach/Personal Trainer

Seating is limited so RSVP right away via email mmguthrie@hotmail.com or 800.775.0712 ext 7015. When You RSVP, you must specify which time you want to attend, then the dial-in details will be sent to you.

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie

BSc Nutritional Science

BSc Exercise Physiology

ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician

Triathlete/Runner

Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Have You Heard About The ULTIMATE Grocery Shopping Tour?

The Ultimate Grocery Shopping Tour

The Key To Healthy Eating is Healthy Shopping

Saturday February 21st 1pm - 3pm

Embark on a fun-filled, educational adventure through the untamed isles of the supermarket guided by your personal nutrition coach, Melissa Guthrie. In this exciting 2 hour workshop, you will learn how to decode the deceptive food labels that mislead you (i.e. The SIX Sickening Ingredients), how to easily replace your favorite "not-so-healthy" foods with delicious & nutritious alternatives, how to get the entire family eagerly engaged in healthier eating, how to cut your grocery bill significantly, and how to save precious time by trekking the perimeter path, and more!

All participants will receive: The ULTIMATE Grocery Shopping Guidebook.

Who: You, your children (8yrs or older), your spouse, your friends, your neighbors, etc.

When: Saturday February 21st 1pm - 3pm

Where: Mesa, AZ (exact store location TBA upon your RSVP)

Fee: $25 per individual or $40 per household (2 people: husband/wife, parent/child, roommates, etc) RSVP deadline is Friday Feb 20th at 9pm.

RSVP accepted by phone to 1.800.775.0712 xt 7015 or email mmguthrie@hotmail.com

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie

BSc Nutritional Science

BSc Exercise Physiology

ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician

Triathlete/Runner

Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

Putting Love & Passion in Your Valentine's Day Meals

It’s Valentine’s Day, so I thought it would be timely to share a few fun ways to put some Love & Passion into your meals.

Homemade Heart Shaped Pizza
I love homemade pizza!! My favorite crust is a honey whole grain crust that I make in the bread machine.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups warm water, 110 – 115 F
¼ tsp sea salt (optional)
2 Tbsp honey
2 to 2 ½ cups whole spelt flour *
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp cornmeal

Directions: Put ingredients into the bread machine pan in the following order: 1. warm water, honey, flour. 2. make a small well in the flour, and pour yeast into the well, then cover over with flour. 3. sprinkle salt right along the wall of the bread pan, so it is as far from the yeast as possible. Now place the bread pan into the bread machine and select dough setting, press start. When dough is finished, remove dough from bread pan, let rest 2 or 3 minutes. Pat and genltly stretch dough into ~ 14 inch heart. Spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray then sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough onto cookie sheet.
Preheat oven to 500F. Put pizza dough into oven for 5-10 minutes until dough is starting to firm up and lightly golden. Remove dough from oven and top with your favorite pizza toppings. Return pizza to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust in golden brown.
*Note: spelt flour is a whole grain, highly nutritious flour that can be found in the health food section of your grocery store. If you do not have spelt flour, then I recommend using 1 ½ c whole wheat flour and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour.
** If you prefer a thin crust pizza, then divide the dough into two and make 2 smaller, thinner pizzas.

HEART-y Pancakes
My favorite pancake recipes are actually already posted here in the archives (see International Pancake Day post 02.16.07)
Pancakes can easily be made in the shape of a heart or in the shape of letters to spell a Valentine message like LOVE, LUV, KISS, I (heart-shape) U, etc.
You can also do some creative mix-ins like chopped strawberries, raspberries, or dried cranberries. You can put pureed strawberries, raspberries, or beets into the batter to create perfectly pink pancakes. Top pancakes with light whipped cream and berries for an extra lucious flair.


Luscious Love Muffins
Strawberries have long been associated with love and passion. They are heart shaped for heaven’s sake! These Strawberry Almond muffins will steal your heart at first bite. Using heart-shaped muffin tins will make these delights even more LOVELY.

Strawberry Almond Muffins
½ cup applesauce, unsweetened
¾ cup honey
2 eggs (or 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites)
1/3 cup skim milk*
1 ½ tsp pure almond extract
1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
2 cups strawberries, chopped
¾ cups slivered almonds**

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the applesauce and honey. Add the eggs and blend until fluffy. Mix in the milk and almond extract. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until just combined. Fold in the strawberries and almonds. Fill muffin cups to the top and bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. You can test to see if muffins are done by inserting a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean their done. Yields: approx. 12 muffins
*non-dairy milk such as soymilk can be substituted
**if you do not have almonds or are allergic, any other nut or grapenuts cereal can be substituted.


Heart-Throb Eggs & Toast
1 slice whole grain bread
1 egg
Salt & Pepper to taste
Use a 3-inch heart shaped cookie cutter to cut a heart shape out of the center of the bread. Spray a griddle or frying pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the bread in the pan and break the egg into the cutout of the bread. Lay the heart shaped bread on the pan and toast it on both sides until golden brown. When the egg is cooked on the bottom and before the bread becomes too brown, flip the egg/bread to toast the other side and finish cooking the egg, about 1 minute. Yield: 1 serving


Strawberry Crush
6 ice cubes
16 fresh or frozen strawberries
½ cup frozen limeade concentrate
½ cup water
Place ice cubes into blender and pulse until crushed. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth and thick. Pour into tall glasses with a long straw (if you find valentine straws – even better) Yield: 2 servings


Purple Passion Shake
1 cup grape juice
1/3 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup crushed ice
Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.


Love Potion
½ cup frozen or fresh strawberries
½ cup frozen or fresh raspberries
1 cup white grape juice or apple juice
Place all ingredients into blender and blend until uniform in color. For thicker potion, add more fruit. For thinner potion, use more juice. Garnish with cherries. Sip with the one you love.



I hope this gives you some ideas to make your meals extra special on this Valentine's weekend. Remember healthy cooking = healthy eating and even on holidays there are fun, creative ways to have fabulous food in a healthy way.


To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie

BSc Nutritional Science

BSc Exercise Physiology

ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician

Triathlete/Runner

Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

A Moment on the Lips, Forever on the Hips

It is commonly reported that the average person gains 7 to 12 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years (and for most people this weight gain not easily reduces and is often maintained throughout the coming year). This is phenomenal to me. Typically it would not be well for an adult to gain that much weight over an entire year, let alone in 5 to 6 weeks. Some of the contributing factors to this astronomical weight gain include: overeating more than usual, consuming an excess of high calorie, high fat foods, and high sugar foods, dining out more often, higher stress levels, cutting back on exercise and overall physical activity, staying up later and getting less sleep.

Do you have any idea how many calories must be consumed in order to gain that much fat? Trust me holiday weight gain is 99.9% fat gain. There are 3500 calories (kcals) in 1 pound of fat. So if someone gains 1 pound of fat in a week, it means that they consumed an excess of 3500 kcals above and beyond what their body expended in energy that week. Another way to look at it is 500 extra calories were consumed every day for a week. Calories can add up quickly, so it is a good idea to keep a food journal to keep you in check. Use the rule: Bite it and Write it! If it goes in your mouth, it must be recorded in the journal. Following this rule is often enough to make a person think twice about picking up the cookie or going for a second helping of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy. Another key to journaling success it to have an accountability partner who you will show your journal to on a regular basis – this could be a friend or family member who is supporting your fitness efforts, a personal trainer, or a nutrition coach.


High calorie holiday foods to beware of:
Egg Nog - An 8 ounces serving contains 350 kcals, 19gm fat (11gm saturated fat) – this is not good for your waistline or your arteries.
Pie – a generous serving of Pecan Pie can be as high as 800 kcals.
Candies – 3.5 ounces of Peanut Brittle will add up to about 485 kcals
High fat meats – Prime Rib. The healthy serving of meat is 4 oz; the typical person consumes double that. For 8oz of Prime Rib you’ll take on about 850 kcals.
Potatoes – Candied Yams will add about 400 kcals for ¾ cup serving. Mashed potatoes (often loaded with butter & cream) will tack on close to 470 kcals per cup.
Gravies & Sauces – gravy made from fat drippings 375 kcals for ¾ cup.
Stuffing
Alcohol
Hot Chocolate
Cookies
Chocolate


Dining Out: Most people have no idea how many calories they are consuming when they eat out, even when they are attempting to order healthier. It is not uncommon for a restaurant meal to have 1200kcal, 70 grams of fat, 2000 mg sodium. This is as much fat, salt and calories and some people require in an entire day (and they are consuming it in one meal). YIKES!!

Holiday Spirits: Consuming alcohol promotes fat storage, especially when alcohol is consumed with a high fat, high calorie meal. The body does not process the carbohydrate in alcohol the same way it does the carbohydrate in fruit and whole grains and in the process of metabolizing the alcohol sugars, fat metabolism is hinder and fat storage is enhanced.

Stocking of Sweets: High sugar foods are not only high in calories; they also cause a spike in blood sugar levels followed by a surge of insulin into the bloodstream which promotes fat storage, especially when sweets are consumed later in the evening.

Season of Stress: High stress levels increase the body’s production of cortisol (the stress hormone) which promotes fat storage.

No Time to Sleep: Sleep deprivation can lead to overeating, making poor food choices, and can temporarily alter hormone balance which means increase likelihood of weight gain.

Exercise your options: Exercise is what I call damage control for the holidays. Every extra calorie expended means one more calorie that doesn’t end up in a fat cell on your thighs. Ten minutes of exercise is better than no minutes. Simple ways to burn extra calories: Take two laps of power walking around the mall before you start your actual shopping. Park at the farthest parking spot from the door of the store and you'll burn a few extra calories walking and you are less likely to feel the stress of fighting for a close parking spot. . Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Schedule your workout for early morning, so you get it done first before anything else has the chance to thwart your plan. Find a workout partner so you can keep each other accountable to your exercise plan throughout the month of December. Spending time with friends or family – opt to go for a walk and talk rather than sitting on your behind. There are plenty of ways to keep exercise and physical activity a priority during the holidays. Extra benefits are exercise reduces stress levels and improves mood.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

MG's Favorite Bread Recipes

[imagine me singing] When the dog barks, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad...I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad... Hopefully, you've seen the "Sound of Music" so you are familiar with the tune in which I was singing to.

One of my absolute favorite things is homemade bread. In fact, I love homemade bread so much that I stopped buying bread at the grocery store when I was in college. I've been making my own bread ever since. I remember the day...It was a Saturday and I had been studying for an upcoming exam. I took a break to run to Wal-Mart and pick up some household items. While I was there I strolled through the kitchen appliance department and found that there was a bread machine on sale for $40.00. One my meager college income $40 was still quite a bit of money. I figured I could sacrifice some other things in order to justify the purchase, not to mention I figured I'd be saving money by making my own bread. Well, I believe that was one of the best $40 I've ever spent. That was back in 1999 and I still have the same bread machine. I still use it every week, it works like a charm and has never required any service or maintance work. An interesting side note is that my Mom received as a gift, a very expensive ($200) bread machine manufactured out of Japan. No matter what we did that thing could never make a decent loaf of bread. I think she either sold it in a garage sale or it is boxed up and sitting in her garage.

I know that not everyone has a bread machine or the patience to make yeast bread from scratch. I thought I'd share my favorite whole grain breads that are made without yeast. These breads get rave reviews. I love using these breads for a hearty sandwich or as a companion to soup, stew or salad. The Rye variation makes the most amazing Reuben on the planet. These are also great breads to take to a party or pot-luck. Enjoy!

Melissa Guthrie’s Quick & Hearty Multi-Grain Bread

1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cup Spelt flour
½ cup rolled oats, quick cooking
¼ cup wheat bran
¼ oatbran
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1 ½ cup organic skim milk (soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or any other non-dairy milk can be substituted)
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce or nonfat plain yogurt.
¼ cup honey
Optional: 1/3 cup chopped nuts or seeds ( 1 or a combination of the following: walnuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc)

Heat oven to 350F. Spray the bottom of an 8-inch round casserole dish or a bread-loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine all flours, oats, brans, baking powder & salt. Mix well.

In small bowl, beat the egg. Add milk, applesauce & honey; blend well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once; stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Gently fold in nuts/seeds if desired. Spread dough in to spray coated pan. Bake at 350F for 42 – 47 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.

Yield: 1 (16-slice) loaf



Melissa Guthrie’s Quick & Hearty Rye Bread

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup rye flour
½ cup rolled oats, quick cooking
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
¾ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp fresh orange zest
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1 ½ cup organic skim milk (soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or any other non-dairy milk can be substituted)
3 Tbsp nonfat plain yogurt.
¼ cup honey

Heat oven to 350F. Spray the bottom of an 8-inch round casserole dish or a bread-loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine all flours, oats, brans, baking powder & salt. Mix well. Stir in caraway seeds & orange zest

In small bowl, beat the egg. Add milk, yogurt & honey; blend well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once; stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Spread dough in to spray coated pan. Bake at 350F for 42 – 47 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan.

Yield: 1 (16-slice) loaf



To Your Best Health,
Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science, BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast

A Thanksgiving Challenge & The Big Fat Problem

Do children come out of the womb screaming “give me soda…I want ice cream…cookie cookie cookie!”? Of course not, the truth is that we as adults are guilty for introducing these low quality, low nutrient, empty calorie foods into our children’s lives. I’ve heard of an experiment in which toddlers ages 2 to 4 were put in a play room which had two tables of food in which the children could partake without restriction. One table had cut up fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese cubes while the other table had chips, cookies, sugary fruit snacks. The experiment revealed that the children naturally migrated to the fresh fruits and vegetables without any adult interaction or coaxing.

In case you’ve not noticed, we have a big, fat problem here in the United States. More than 6 out of 10 people are classified as obese. I’d venture to say that only 1 or 2 people out of 10 are at a healthy weight. Our children are at risk like never before, with 1 out of every 3 children classified as obese. This means our children are on the fast track to developing a myriad of degenerative disease while they are still in their youth and for the first time in hundreds of years, a child born today has a greater likelihood of dying before its parents. We, the adults, are to blame. We set the example by how we eat. The poor food choices we make become the poor choices our children make by default. Our lack of self control and our gluttony become that of our children.

I was recently out for a morning run and I ended up running past an elementary school just before 8am. There were children walking to school and I was baffled to see two overweight children drinking soda pop as they were walking to school. I thought, who taught them to drink soda for breakfast? Most likely it was the adults in their lives.

I have recently attended several family birthday parties and I’ve been amazed as several of my nieces and nephews, who are all under the age 12, have wolfed down 3 bowls full of cake, pies, brownies, and ice cream in one sitting. Who teaches our children to behave this way? The adults in their lives are again guilty.

So as we head into the holiday season, tomorrow being Thanksgiving, the day most noted for total GLUTTONY, I challenge every adult to take some time and reflect on the example your setting for these precious little people who have been put in your stewardship. Consider what it means to truly love another person… does it mean you only want the very best for that person? Does it mean that you want that person to be the healthiest they can be, to be the best they can be? Does it mean you want to protect them from any harm or danger at any cost?

Life is precious and our bodies are a gift from our Creator. Children are a priceless blessing. Isn’t it time that we start taking our own health more seriously and that we set an example and teach our children to care for their bodies like the temple God created them to be? May we all care for ourselves and others in a manner that reflects the love and honor we have for our Creator and for ourselves.

Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving:

BE active – go for a walk, run, hike or ride a bike. Play a game – like football or Frisbee.
Participate in a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot – walk or run, push the baby in the stroller. It is a fun event for the whole family.
Eat sensibly prior to the Thanksgiving Feast. Have a balanced breakfast. Depending on what time the turkey dinner takes place have a balanced snack and/or lunch too.
Eat smaller portions of your favorite holiday foods. Eat to a point of feeling satisfied or just slightly full. You’ll know if you ate the proper amount if you are hungry again in 3 to 4 hours. Now you can take your second helping. If you are not hungry for 6 or more hours after your meal, then you overate in a BIG way.
Use smaller plates. Put your fork down between bites. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly.
Focus on family and friends and strengthening your relationships instead of focusing on the food & feasting.

Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving to you!

Melissa Guthrie

BSc Nutritional Science

BSc Exercise Physiology

ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor

New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician

Triathlete/Runner

November Fitness Spotlight

Today I am spotlighting the success of my client, Mickey G. She began working with me at the end of August 2008, after she had been advised by her doctor that she had the preliminary stages of a health issue that could be controlled and even reversed through proper nutrition. During out initial meeting, we discussed Mickey’s goals which included being proactive about her health issue and following a custom meal plan, getting back to a consistent exercise routine, and reducing her body weight. She was not overweight by any means, but she knew where she felt her best and desired to get to and maintain that ideal weight once again. The course of action we devised focused on mainly on nutrition. We determined that after several weeks of her focusing on her nutrition, and then we would put together an at-home exercise routine.

About 3 weeks into the nutrition program, Mickey and I met for a follow up session. She was amazed at how great she felt, how much energy she was experiencing, and how much she was enjoying the more balanced meals. Not to mention, she had lost a few pounds. Her husband happened to stop by during our meeting and it came to my attention that by default he’d been following the nutrition plan as well, and was also experiencing renewed energy and weight reduction. I was delighted that he was beyond just being a supportive spouse, he was engaging right along with Mickey.

I met with Mickey a week ago to take her through the first session of her custom at-home exercise program. She reported that she has reached her goal weight – having reduced her weight by 14 lbs and her husband has reduced his weight by 27 lbs. They are both feeling great, of course looking great, and are sold on the healthy lifestyle they are living.

I am delighted about their success and want to congratulate them on making the decision to improve their health and fitness and taking the consistent action required to reach their goals.

What can you learn from Mickey? Mickey is a mother of six, five of which are still at home. Her children are very actively involved in extra-curricular activities. She home schools and works a job outside of the home. You do not have to be perfect in following the plan; you do have to be consistent. Nutrition alone is a huge component of the fitness pie. To be at your best for your family, your work, and your fellowmen you have to take great care of yourself. You have to make you a priority and take time for your health & fitness.


Congratulations Mickey & Darryl! You are Super Stars!

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner

CEREAL SOLUTIONS

I often get asked what is the best breakfast cereal. There are many healthy breakfast cereals and there are countless not-so-healthy ones too. I opt for cereals that are not sweetened with sugar and that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, but preferably 5 or more grams of fiber. Fiber is so important to overall health, disease prevention stabilizing blood glucose levels & weight loss/maintenance. I find that many people, especially those who are attempting to lose weight will chose low calorie cereals that are low in nutrient density in an effort to keep their calorie count low. They will choose cereals like Special K or Rice Krispies, which are low in calories, but also low in fiber & protein. I also see that often people will eat the same cereal every single morning week in and week out. If this is you, then here is my recommendation: add some variety to your breakfast by adding some different cereal choices to your pantry. Chose high fiber whole grain cereals that are rich in nutrients and maybe even have a little more calories, which in the end will leave you feeling more satisfied and better nourished. There are many healthy high fiber cereals that are also rich in plant-based proteins too which is a great bonus. One thing I like to do is create my own cereal cocktail. I will mix 3 or 4 different types of cereals together to create a completely new cereal – it is fun, yummy, & keeps my breakfast interesting and my taste buds LOVE it! See what tasty cereal creation you can come up with.

Every time I go to the store I spend at least 5-10 minutes reading breakfast cereal labels to find ones that are loaded with whole grains, high in fiber, and have little to no added sugar (preferably sweetened with fruit or fruit juice concentrate, honey, or brown rice syrup.) Here are a few brands and cereals by name that I have found.

Cereal brands that tend to produce high quality, nutrient rich cereals:

Arrowhead Mills
Natures Path
Health Valley
Back To Nature
Benefit Nutrition
Kashi

Some specific cereals that are whole grains with little or no added sugar:

Weetabix
100% Shredded Wheat (also Shredded Wheat ‘n Bran)
Grape Nuts
Puffed Cereals (puffed wheat, puffed rice, puffed barley, puffed millet, puffed corn, etc)

On my last shopping trip I found these cereals that I liked:

Benefit Nutrition: Simply Fiber, Protein Plus
Back To Nature: Heart Basics
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Your Healthy Lifestyle Mentor – Melissa Guthrie
Melissa@Yourlifestylementor.com

Breakfast Is For Champions

Most of us know that the “breakfast of champions” is Wheaties cereal, right? Well, Wheaties may have created a great slogan for themselves; however I find it highly unlikely that a person will become a champion as a result of eating the cereal. What I do know without a shadow of a doubt is that “Breakfast Is For Champions” or in other words, if a person wants to be a champion at anything then eating a healthy breakfast is the key.

Benefits of Breakfast
Increased metabolism throughout the day
Greater mental clarity and ability to focus
Greater sense of energy
Increase ability to stabilize blood glucose levels
More likely to maintain a healthy body weight
More likely to meet all of the body’s daily nutritional requirements
Decreased tendency to overeat later in the day and/or to make unhealthy food choices later in the day


I feel that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And one of the greatest of all nutritional mistakes is skipping breakfast.

Common Effects of Skipping Breakfast
Slow down the body’s metabolism and teach the body to become an efficient fat storing machine
Feel ravenously hungry by late morning
Tendency to feel as if you are chasing your hunger the rest of the day
More likely to overeat at lunch and most likely dinner
Greater tendency to make unhealthy food choices when you finally eat
Increased cravings for sweets and high fat foods
More likely to be deficient in meeting the body’s daily nutritional needs
Decreased ability to concentrate & focus
Low energy, fatigue & feelings of lethargy
Irritable & short-tempered

Common Excuses of Breakfast Skippers
I hear these excuses on a daily basis and bottom line is that for every excuse there is an equal or greater reason to eat breakfast.

”I don’t have the time…”
“I’m not hungry in the morning”
“If I eat breakfast, I feel hungrier throughout the day”
“I’m trying to lose weight & don’t want to eat too many calories, so I eat 1 or 2 meals per day.”
“I don’t like breakfast foods.”
“I don’t know what to eat.”
“All I need is coffee to get me going and I’m fine until lunchtime.”

Breaking It Down
I’m going to break down a few of these excuses and provide some insights and solutions so you can take these excuses and flush ‘em. They just don’t fly.


I don't have time... – I wake up before the crack of dawn to get ready. Then I’ve got to get the kids up & ready, get them fed and out the door to school, before I head off to work and with all the rushing around (and ever-too-common morning catastrophes) there just isn’t time for me to sit down and have breakfast.

This scenario or one’s similar are all too common and probably rank #1 in most frequently used by breakfast skippers. A little planning can go a long way here. I understand and agree that a person can only squeeze so much activity into a given period of time and something has to give unfortunately it really shouldn’t be breakfast because of the major negative effects it will have on one’s health & productivity in the rest of the day’s activities. Here are some solutions to consider…take a few minutes the night before to plan ahead. For example, set your wardrobe/clothing out ahead of time, pack a grab & go breakfast to take in the car, delegate some of the morning activities to some other capable person so that you have a little more time for YOU, re-evaluate all of your earlier morning activities and eliminate any that really are not necessary, look for ways to combine activities to free up some time.

I’m not hungry in the morning – most often the reason someone isn’t hungry in the morning is because they have consume too many calories too close to bed time. Since the metabolism slows down at night, those calories aren’t burned off as fast as during the day and thus, you may not feel hungry for a few hours after waking. If you are spacing your meals properly throughout the day then you will most likely wake up feeling hunger pangs or will feel them shortly after getting out of bed. In addition to no morning appetite, eating a heavy meal or over-indulging in unhealthy foods late at night will almost inevitably lead to weight gain and even nutrient deficiencies if too many unhealthy foods (fast foods & junk foods) take the place of more healthy, nutrient rich foods.

If this happens to be your challenge, then I encourage you to first lighten up on your evening meal and snacking. Set a time such as 7pm as your calorie consuming cutoff, such that as a rule of thumb you do not eat or drink anything (besides water) after 7pm. Then when you wake up if you do not feel hungry right away – within 1 hour of waking have something that is light and liquid based (this is typically easier to get down that something solid and you’ll be giving your body some calories to rev up that metabolism). For example, a 6oz – 8 oz low fat or nonfat yogurt, a small fruit smoothie, a glass of milk or orange juice with a scoop of protein powder mixed in, a meal replacement drink.

I’m trying to lose weight… -- Skipping breakfast (and eating a skimpy breakfast i.e. less than 300 kcal) in order to cut calories for weight loss is a plan destined for failure. Breakfast skippers commonly have greater struggles with body fatness than their breakfast eating counterparts. Skipping breakfast to cut calories is reversed thinking because it is impossible that this one meal could cause a person to get fat; let me explain. The body’s metabolism, if running properly, will be highest during the first ½ to 2/3 or the day, as the day goes on the metabolism slows to prepare for sleep (when it will recover, repair, & rejuvenate for the next day.). The calories consumed earlier in the day will be used up for energy as a result of the day’s activities. From another perspective, by taking in more calories during the day a person will have energy and thus be able to be more active and will be able to burn off those calories & then some. You are more likely to gain unwanted weight by skipping breakfast, getting too hungry and then over consuming later in the day when your body has less time and opportunity to burn off those calories. There was a study done back in the 1980s in which the subjects all required 2000 kcals/day to maintain their weight (Halberg 1983). In the first part of the study they had subjects consume all 2000 kcals at one meal in the morning. All subjects lost weight. In the second part of the study the subjects consumed all 2000 kcals in one evening meal. Four of the 6 subjects gained weight this time and the other two lost less weight than they had when they consumed the calories in the morning. Now I am in no way advocating just eating all of your calories at breakfast and calling it a day. The point I am making is that breakfast is actually an essential part of a fat reduction strategy (I am not a fan of the term diet.). If fat reduction is the goal then I recommend consuming the majority of your calories during your day time meals & mid-meals and having the lightest meal in the evening.

Often time when someone has been a breakfast skipper and/or breakfast skimper and they begin eating a more substantial breakfast they find that their craving for sweets and other less healthy foods either greatly diminishes or goes away completely and they are less likely to overeat at lunch and dinner. As well as they no longer felt the need to binge on unhealthy foods late in the evening, close to bed-time. I recommend consuming 4-6 small meals throughout the day, so if you’ve been a meal skipper and have only been eating 2 times a day, the first goal is to bump that up to 3 times and then to 4 and so on. That being the case, you’re breakfast meal should be at least ¼ of your total daily calorie needs. For example, if you require 1600 kcals/day to either lose weigh or maintain weight, then breakfast should be around 400 kcals. Consuming these calories at breakfast may be the missing link in your weight loss efforts as you teach your body to become a fat-burning furnace as opposed to a fat-storing vault.



I don’t like breakfast foods/I don't know what to eat – First of all who was it that put the rule out that only certain foods could be eaten at certain times of the day? Just look at how different cultures/countries eat at breakfast. In Asian countries it is not uncommon to have Miso soup, rice & tofu at the morning meal. In the British Isles, broiled tomatoes, boiled &/or fried potatoes, & a variety of meats & eggs are standard breakfast fare. In some places in South America, pasta dishes or rice & beans are eaten for breakfast. If you are not a fan of some of the American standards like cold cereal & milk, toast & eggs, pancakes, waffles, hot cereals like oatmeal, omelets, fruit & yogurt, then I encourage you to start thinking outside the box. You can eat any type of food at any time of the day and your body will still function. Some out of the box breakfasts might be: leftovers from dinner such as a casserole, pizza (especially good if it is made on a whole wheat pita bread crust), a PBJ or PB and banana sandwich on whole grain bread, a turkey sandwich, a tortilla wrap, a quesadilla, a baked potato topped with lowfat cottage cheese & broccoli & a little pasta sauce. Anything goes.

If you ever find yourself in the situation where you are limited in your breakfast option and it comes down to the choice between skipping breakfast and eating something that is not so healthy like coffee cake, a pastry, doughnut, or fast food breakfast – I say eat something. Give your body the energy to rev of your metabolism and it will burn off the calories, just focus on making better food choices the rest of the day. I, myself, make it a point to always have a healthy “grab ‘n go” meal with me in my bag or purse so that if I meet with the unexpected at any time during the day I know I have something healthy to fuel my body. It takes a little planning but for me it is worth it because it keeps me right in line with my health and fitness goals.

In the upcoming edition of Your Healthy Lifestyle Mentor we will be continuing on the topic of ‘Breakfast Is For Champions” by discussing more creative breakfast ideas, the hot topic of breakfast cereals and of course, some of my favorite recipes.

Till next time. Healthy Eating…Healthy Living!

Your Healthy Lifestyle Mentor – Melissa Guthrie