Cravings. That's when your brain, deprived of sugar, throws a fit like a 2-year old until it gets its way. Reward the 2-year old in your head and the cycle will never cease... The thing is, most of us mix up cravings with hunger. How can you tell the difference between them? When you are thinking "man, I can't wait to go home and have a big salad tonight" that's hunger. … [Read more...]
Protein-Packed Good Morning Egg Muffins
Serve up these easy to prepare protein-packed Egg Muffins for breakfast, appetizers, or snacks— your family will love these delicious and portable meals. Protein Egg Muffin Ingredients: 1 dozen eggs, whisked 12 ounces cooked bacon or ham, diced 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup diced red peppers Dried basil and oregano, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup … [Read more...]
3 Cheese Portobello Mushrooms
Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Mozzarella Cheese Stick 1 Colby Jack Cheese Stick Additional Ingredients: 1-2 Portobello mushrooms Parmesan cheese Spices of your choice 1 Zip-Lock steamer bag Instructions: Scrape out the gills from the inside of the mushrooms. Scoop 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce into the mushrooms. Slice or shred Mozzarella, Colby Jack, and … [Read more...]
Meatza Pizza
Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Personal Trainer Food Angus Burger 1 Mozzarella String Cheese stick, sliced or separated into a few long strings Additional Ingredients: Tomato sauce (2g of sugar or less) Thin slices of bell pepper Italian blend seasoning 1 Bag Pepperoni Bites (optional) Instructions: Heat Angus Burger in the microwave. Once heated, remove from bag and … [Read more...]
Apple Salad
This light, refreshing salad is the perfect dish to bring to a social gathering. Your family and friends will love the sweet touch of fresh apples. Don’t forget to stay stocked up on all your Personal Trainer Food favorites so you can make delicious meals in minutes. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Grilled Chicken Breast 1 Ounce of Almonds, chopped Additional … [Read more...]
Coffee: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly
Can coffee be a part of a healthy lifestyle? Whether you drink one or two (or twenty) cups of coffee a day, there are some things you definitely want to know... First of all, let's examine what coffee. Coffee as we know it today is a beverage prepared from the roasting, grinding, and brewing of the seeds of the Coffea arabica plant. The original domesticated coffee plant is … [Read more...]
Improve Your Balance with this Simple Exercise!
It is no secret that there are many things that happen to our bodies as we age—some more noticeable than others. On the list of not so noticeable is that as we get older we lose our sense of balance. Not a big deal, right? Actually, balance is a pretty big deal to your health. In fact, most ACL injuries occur simply from someone missing a step or stepping off a curb … [Read more...]
Walking is Exercise for Your Brain
Is walking part of your regular routine? If it is, then not only are you benefiting your waistline, you are doing your brain and memory a favor. There is mounting evidence that regular walking benefits the brain health of adults. Now that it's finally starting to warm up and you've got your freezer loaded with Personal Trainer Food, you may be thinking about dragging … [Read more...]
Juicy Swiss and Ranch Burger with Mushrooms
John in Idaho sent us this great idea for an Angus Burger patty topped with a mouth-watering blend of Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and savory Ranch dressing. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Angus Burger Patty Additional Ingredients: Canned Mushrooms Shredded Swiss Cheese Ranch Dressing Instructions: Heat up the burger patty in the microwave. Add some mushrooms and … [Read more...]
7 Guilt-Free Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo. A day of indulgence in Mexican favorites such as tacos, enchiladas, and tamales... ...with loads of rice and beans and endless bowls of chips and salsa! And of course it just wouldn't be Cinco de Mayo without bottomless pitchers of margaritas y cerveza. Yes! Drink ALL the Margaritas! Yikes! Hide your scale! You know, it IS possible to enjoy Cinco de Mayo … [Read more...]
Chicken Fajita Salad
This flavorful and filling salad is loaded with veggies and chicken. Top it with your favorite dressing or a little salsa for an easy dinner! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Bag of Fajita Chicken for Salads Additional Ingredients: Lettuce Red Peppers Onions Small Avocado Instructions: Place lettuce on a plate and set aside. Heat your Fajita Chicken for Salads for … [Read more...]
Fajita Steak Salad
Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 bag of Prime Rib Fajita Steak Strips Additional Ingredients: 1/2 Head romaine lettuce, chopped 1 Large head Belgian endive, chopped 1/2 Red onion, thinly sliced 1 Red or green bell pepper, sliced 3 Cups baby arugula 12 Cherry tomatoes, halved 4 oz Gorgonzola Salt to taste Red Wine Vinaigrette: 1/2 c Red wine vinegar 3 tbsp Lemon juice 2 … [Read more...]
5 Facts to Settle the Great Egg Debate
With new research coming in every day, the great debate about how healthy eggs are for you is finally coming to an end. The results may surprise you! #1 The Truth About Heart Attacks Contrary to popular belief, there is no link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs can actually prevent blood clots, strokes and … [Read more...]
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
You'll love the blend of smoky bacon bits with our Fajita Chicken Strips in this salad idea from Christine in California. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Bag Fajita Chicken Strips Additional Ingredients: Spring salad mix Cherry tomatoes Sliced mushrooms Sliced, pre-packaged assorted bell peppers Small package of bacon bits Ranch Dressing Instructions: Heat up the … [Read more...]
Sous Vide Chicken Salad with Fresh Queso
Try this lovely Sous Vide Chicken Salad for a south of the border flair. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Sous Vide Chicken Breast, chopped 1 Bag of Green Beans Additional Ingredients: Mixed Greens Fresh Queso, crumbled Fresh Lime, cut in half Pepper to taste Instructions: Heat the Sous Vide Chicken and Green Beans through. While your food is heating, fill your … [Read more...]
PTF + You = The Biggest Winner
The Biggest Loser. It is the classic fairy tale story of transformation and living happily ever after, and it is fascinating to watch. But former contestant Kai Hibbard is speaking out about the show's troublesome weight loss tactics. For 16 seasons, 700 million viewers a week have been tuning in to root for their favorite "Losers." They do killer exercise routines while … [Read more...]
What You CAN Do When The Scale Won’t Budge
Uh-oh, scale won't budge? Let's get it moving again! First, Tell Us-- What's Your Perfect Number? You know, it's the one on the scale that will make you feel sexier, more confident, and happier. The one you fantasize about when you first start out on your weight loss journey. So what is it for you? 125? 140? 175? Whatever your number is, that's great! You CAN get … [Read more...]
3-Minute Grilled Chicken Salad
Can you have a salad while doing your Personal Trainer Food program? The answer is YES!!! And best of all, you can have your salad in as little as three minutes! Leafy greens are unlimited, and all of our entrees and vegetables are easily heated up and tossed on a salad! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast or Grilled Fajita Chicken … [Read more...]
8 Simple Stretches to Improve Flexibility and Relieve Stress [Infographic]
Yes, you can feel amazing in just a few minutes by doing a simple stretching routine like the one below. Try it and see! How to Do This Stretching Routine Our team of Certified Personal Trainers and Weight Loss Coaches recommend at least 20 minutes of walking each day for health and weight loss without dieting. That's a perfect opportunity to get your stretching in after … [Read more...]
How to Lose Weight — and Keep it Off for Good!
By Jan Hauser Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer Food A study published by the American Journal of Public Health says that those who are obese are doomed with a 1% or less chance or getting to a "normal" weight. With soaring obesity rates, this is grim news--that we TOTALLY disagree with! At Personal Trainer Food we believe it IS possible to lose the weight and keep it … [Read more...]
Exercise Myth or Fact? Get Proven Strategies for Success
Hi there! We really need to talk about an exercise myth (or two) that could be keeping your from your goals. If we haven't already met, I'm Mike Starks the CEO and Founder of Personal Trainer Food. And after losing 50 pounds myself, and helping thousands of people also lose weight too, I'm no stranger to exercise myths. Is An Exercise Myth Keeping You From Seeing Your … [Read more...]
Zucchini Pizza Bites
Quick and easy, these guilt-free pizza bites are an excellent afternoon snack. Even the kids are sure to love them! Don't forget to stay stocked up on all your Personal Trainer Food favorites so you can make delicious meals in minutes. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 bag of Green Zucchini 1-2 Mozzarella String Cheese Sticks 1 bag of Pepperoni Bites … [Read more...]
Teriyaki Broccoli Bowl
A Personal Trainer Food favorite, this flavorful dish is sure to please! With almost no preparation required, it's a perfect go-to meal for a busy evening. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 2 Teriyaki Chicken 1 bag of Broccoli Florets Additional Ingredients: Sesame Seeds Red Pepper Flakes Instructions: Heat Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli in the … [Read more...]
Eating right to prevent the afternoon binge
Have you had more than 'just one' Christmas cookie or candy today? It might be time to make over your morning meal, finds a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Here's how you can prevent mindless snacking and weight gain. How High In Protein is Your Breakfast? Researchers from the University of Missouri tested the breakfast habits of 20 overweight … [Read more...]
Meatball Minestrone
Embrace the chilly winter weather with a hot bowl of hearty minestrone. This enticing soup is packed with flavor and takes just minutes to make! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Meatballs with Onions 1 bag of Mixed Vegetables Additional Ingredients: 2 cups Chicken Broth 1 Roma tomato, chopped Italian seasoning & Salt, to taste Instructions: … [Read more...]
Loaded Mashed Cauliflower
Impress your family with this Personal Trainer Food–approved side dish! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 2 bags of Cauliflower or 8 - 10 ounces Cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces Additional Ingredients: 1-2 tbsp Butter, melted 2-4 slices Bacon, cooked 1 small bunch Chives, chopped ½ cup Shredded cheddar cheese Salt & Pepper, to … [Read more...]
15 Holiday Fixes: How to Survive This Time of Year
Chances are, you'll be tempted to make at least one of these common blunders this holiday season. In fact, you might even be making one right now. Here's what to watch out for... #1 Running on coffee so you can eat at the holiday party later. Coffee is awesome, but chain-drinking it so you can "save calories" for later... ...drops your blood sugars too low, setting you up … [Read more...]
The 4 Tricks to LOSE Weight Over the Holidays
The holidays are right around the corner. All that hard work to lose or maintain your weight over the summer tends to go by the wayside during fall and winter. But I have four easy-to-do secrets for how to actually lose weight despite those gut-busting holiday meals. 1. Avoid anything with the word “casserole” Americans will consume around 3,000 calories at the … [Read more...]
Can You Have a Cheat Day and Still Lose Weight?
"Can I have a cheat day?" That's a great question! But what are you really asking? You are asking if you can still have beer, pizza, and ice cream. Or you might be asking if you still party like a rock star on the weekends. Yeah, I get it, you want your slice of birthday cake and a glass of wine with it too. ...and want to still lose weight. Well, unfortunately, … [Read more...]
Spinach, Avocado and Pumpkin Seed Salad
Just in time for fall, Pumpkin Seeds are on the menu! Try out our latest snack option in this hearty salad. Don't forget to stay stocked up on all your Personal Trainer Food favorites so you can make delicious meals in minutes. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: ¼-½ bag of Pumpkin Seeds Additional Ingredients: 2 cups Baby Spinach ½ Avocado, cut into ½ inch cubes 1 … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Hello September! Wrap your hands around a warm mug of seasonal flavor as you dive into September with this heavenly PTF-approved beverage. This recipe is just like what you would find in a coffee shop; it's the "spice and everything nice" but without all the sugar! Ingredients: 1 cup of Coffee 2 tbsp. Butter 1/8 tsp. Vanilla extract Pumpkin pie spice seasoning, to … [Read more...]
Eggs for Breakfast? What You Need to Know
If you are trying to lose weight, does it really matter what you eat for breakfast? Which will help you burn more fat in the morning: cereal, toast, eggs, or yogurt? Let's put it to the test! Here's your menu, pick one... Breakfast A: two eggs, and some toast with jelly (339 calories). Breakfast B: a bagel with cream cheese along with some yogurt (340 … [Read more...]
Time To Teach Healthy Habits
The month of September is known for many things. There's International Country Music Day, Butterscotch Pudding day, Punctuation Day, Happy Cat Month, National Honey Month, and National Shake Month just to name a few. But did you also know that September is also officially National Childhood Obesity Month? Childhood obesity is a serious topic. So serious that it … [Read more...]
6 Steps to Supercharge Your Weight Loss & Drop a Pant Size (or two)!
By Jan Hauser Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer Food “In order to lose weight, you must count calories and do more exercise.” Wrong! If you have tried doing this, you know it takes forever just to lose a little weight, and the minute you stop starving or exercising yourself to death, the fat comes back with a vengeance. It isn’t in your head! The advice you were following … [Read more...]
Buttered Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli
Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Broccoli Additional Ingredients: 8-10 Shrimp, thawed and shelled 1 Tbsp Butter Garlic salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Instructions: In a non-stick pan melt the butter. Add shrimp and saute for 1 minute or until warmed through. Reduce heat and add garlic salt and pepper to taste. Heat Broccoli in the microwave. Once heated, remove … [Read more...]
Should You Track Your Calorie Counts?
How can you eat fat, ignore calorie counts and still lose weight? Easy! You just have to understand one thing: a calorie is not a calorie. Everyone is crazy about calorie counts and fat and food manufacturers have responded by creating low-fat, low-calorie foods. Does It Really Help to Count? When you go to the grocery store, fat-free foods are everywhere-- even … [Read more...]
Wrongfully Accused
Butter, eggs and steak, oh my! You instantly made a bad association to the foods listed in the sentence above, didn't you? Put them all together and you get an artery-clogging heart attack bomb, right? It is that deeply ingrained reaction which prompts many people to ask us why we allow unlimited meats and eggs on our program. For the last 60 years or so, we have … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Hack to Kill Cravings
Why is it when you start a program, you crave things like cookies, bread, candy, and chocolate --but not broccoli? Believe it or not, your body IS telling you to eat broccoli. You've just got your wires crossed! Let's get this all straightened out so you can kill cravings for good. Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. -- Sun … [Read more...]
Blue Cheese Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Enjoy this quick and simple wrap with a kick! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Bag Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sticks Additional Ingredients: 1-3 Romaine lettuce 1 Celery stalk Buffalo sauce Bleu cheese dressing and/or cheese crumbles Instructions: Heat the Buffalo Chicken Sticks in the microwave. Place a Buffalo stick and celery stalk on the romaine leaf. Top with … [Read more...]
5 Super Easy Steps to Losing Weight
Exercise more, eat less, count calories, avoid fat, eat whole grains, eat this or that packaged food. That's what conventional diet wisdom has told us in recent years. Who can blame us for being confused, not to mention overweight? So what's the SECRET to LOSING WEIGHT? (Hint: it does not involve a diet). Obesity in our country is reaching epidemic proportions, … [Read more...]
How Many Calories Should You Eat to Lose Fat?
How many calories are in our programs? Good question! It's great that we now have access to information about the foods we eat, like calories, nutrients, and whether it is GMO-free. But has that information really done anything to solve our expanding waistline? FACT: Americans are the most nutritionally educated consumer in the world, and yet we are the most obese … [Read more...]
Angus Cheeseburger Salad
With all the love we've been giving to the Personal Trainer Food Grilled Chicken for Salads, we've had people reach out to us saying, "where's the beef?" Here's a quick and snappy salad you can whip up using our delicious Angus Burger. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Beef Angus Burger Additional Ingredients: Cheddar Cheese Slice Sliced Tomato and Avocado Lettuce Your … [Read more...]
Guilt-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
During weight loss mode, we encourage you to keep it simple and just stick to meats and vegetables. But if you've reached your goal, we thought you'd enjoy this recipe our CEO Mike makes for our PTF celebrations. You better watch out-- they aren't weighed down with a ton of carbs and sugars so they disappear fast! Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 12 Personal Trainer … [Read more...]
Memorial Day All-American Burger Stack
Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off day of the American barbecue season. Personal Trainer Food pays homage to backyard chefs everywhere with this mouth-watering All-American Burger Stack. Personal Trainer Food Ingredients: 1 Angus Burger Patty 1 Colby Jack Cheese Stick Additional Ingredients: Mustard, Mayonnaise, Pickles (your favorite PTF-approved toppings, hold … [Read more...]
Can Red Wine and Alcohol Help You Lose Fat?
Maybe you've heard that drinking red wine is good for you because it has resveratol in it. And some people are saying that a few glasses of red wine before bedtime will suppress your appetite and help you to lose weight. Now THAT sounds like a dream come true. But should you do it? In this article, we'll talk about alcohol and weight loss! 1. Alcohol is a Fat-Loving … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Turn Cheating Into Success
Just one bite... …oops, now the bag is empty! How did THAT happen? You have been so good and making great progress up until now. What do you do next? Is it possible to turn your setback into success? Or have you completely ruined your program and doomed yourself to a life of failure? Eating like this is what was once normal for you. It is what put on the fat in the first … [Read more...]
Apple Pie Filling
Apple pie without the guilt! This recipe is a fantastic way to satisfy your sweet tooth! Don’t forget to stay stocked up on all your Personal Trainer Food favorites so you can make delicious meals in minutes. Ingredients: 1 Apple, cored and sliced into wedges 1 Tbsp Butter Non-caloric sweetener such as Splenda or Stevia to taste 1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) apple pie … [Read more...]
3 Must-Read Tips to Keep You On Track– the Last One is Powerful!
By Erika Smith Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer Food In these current times, one way to help with stress and anxiety you may be experiencing is to focus any potential negative energy on something positive. With everything going on, it is especially important to spend some time each day focusing on yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Whether you are at your health … [Read more...]
5 Ways You Can Get Ridiculous Energy Levels
Do you feel like taking a nap right now? Are you dreaming about your next cup of coffee? What if you could boost your energy for the long-term without relying on quick fixes? Let's talk about 5 straightforward ways to ditch the coffee and energy drinks and get the energy jump-start you've been waiting for. One: Do this Step by Step Are you reaching for another cup of coffee … [Read more...]
17 Calcium-Rich Foods Better At Burning Fat Than Milk!
Some people are surprised that our Weight Loss Guidelines recommend avoiding milk and most other dairy. That surprise immediately turns into a concern that without milk, they may not be getting enough calcium. This is completely understandable since milk and dairy advertisements leave us with the impression that dairy is the only calcium-rich food out there. But this isn't … [Read more...]