Taylor Empey | CFT, SFN, SET, Elite Trainer Level I | Iron Allies Fitness | 3844 S. 300 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84115 | 801-263-5336
| . ironalliesfitness@gmail.com | ironalliesfitness.com
What’s up Allies!
We wanted to make sure we started off this week giving you a very impactful set of nutrition tips!
Are you eating these foods?
We see it happen all the time…fat loss results that are trashed by eating unhealthy foods. Please don’t let this be you. You exercise too hard, so keep your results by reducing and avoiding these 7 foods:
1) Don’t Eat: Pasta
Pasta is not a great choice when it comes to your goals if you want to look fit. It’s filled with way too many simple carbs; and that goes for even ‘Whole Grain’ pasta as well. And let’s be honest, you don’t eat the recommended serving of 2oz anyway. Eating a big old pasta dish is going to be a big empty calorie bomb dropped on your fitness goals so we suggest avoiding this food item.
Eat This Instead: Spaghetti Squash
On those nights when you really crave a big bowl of noodles, try this instead. Poke a spaghetti squash all over then bake at 400 degrees F for 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, scoop out the seeds and then scrape out the long, noodle-like strands of squash. Serve these healthy noodles with spaghetti sauce and meatballs.
2) Don’t Eat: Store Bought Salad Dressing
The nutritional benefit of your salad is all but undone by the questionable ingredients in store bought salad dressing. From sugars, high fructose corn syrup, additives, trans fats and preservatives, store bought salad dressing is a landfill of unnatural ingredients that are best avoided.
Eat This Instead: Simple Homemade Dressing
Making you own salad dressing is so simple, it literally takes less than three minutes, and it tastes so much better freshly made. Here’s the equation to use when making your own dressing:
- 3 parts high quality oil – extra virgin olive oil, hemp seed oil, flax seed oil, or sesame seed oil.
- 1 part something acidic – vinegar, lemon, lime
- A dash of salt and fresh ground pepper
- Some fresh or dried herbs
3) Don’t Eat: Packaged Granola Bars
Packaged bars have one thing going for them—the convenience factor. This convenience comes at a price, as each packaged bar contains more processed calories, higher sodium, preservatives, excess calories and hidden sugars than you should be eating.
Eat This Instead: Raw Nuts
When you need a quick, energizing snack look no further than a handful of raw nuts. This is a great way to cut down on the sugar and other harmful additives in granola bars while still enjoying a convenient energy boost.
4) Don’t Drink: Blended Coffee Drinks
Coffee chains have made it socially acceptable to sip on a large blended coffee drink topped with whipped cream and caramel, anytime and anyplace. Unfortunately, your body is going to respond to all that sugar in the only way that it knows how…by storing it as fat if you don’t burn it; and let’s be honest…you aren’t burning 400-1000 calories every day to earn that sugary coffee drink. These blended drinks are extremely addictive given the sugar that has a huge impact on the pleasure receptors in your brain, so it’s best to avoid them completely.
Drink This Instead: Unsweetened Iced Tea or Iced Coffee
The whole idea behind blended coffee drinks is to quench your thirst, but there are more fitness-friendly ways to do so. Double brew 4 cups of your favorite tea – try Chai Rooibos—then chill it in the fridge for a few hours. Serve over ice and sweeten with a sprinkle of Stevia if needed. Guilt-free refreshment. Or do as we like to do, get a smooth cold brew or iced coffee with a small dash of cream for texture. It’s a much healthier alternative to help quench your thirst for coffee.
5) Don’t Eat: Fast Food Breakfast Sandwiches
The drive thru may be calling you, especially when you’ve left for work in such a hurry that you forgot to eat breakfast, but don’t give in. Fast food breakfast sandwiches are filled with loads of preservatives, trans fats, sodium and questionable ingredients. Not to mention they contain way more calories and fat than you need in the morning.
Eat This Instead: Grain-Free Mini Muffins
Grain-Free Mini Muffins make the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack to keep you out of the drive thru line. Make a batch on the weekend to stock the fridge and then grab as needed throughout your busy week.
6) Don’t Eat: Flavored Yogurt
Little cups of fruit-flavored yogurts are often marketed as the next best weight loss secret, but you know better. These ultra-sweet concoctions are loaded with excess and processed sugars, corn syrup and preservatives, which will derail your fitness results and send you on a sugar high.
Eat This Instead: Plain Greek Yogurt with Natural Fruit
Plain Greek yogurt has more protein and far less sugar than the cute little fruit-flavored yogurt cups. Dress it up by adding your own, chopped fresh fruit. Trust us, it’s super delicious!
7) Don’t Eat: Potato Chips
Around three o’clock in the afternoon, when that vending machine is calling out your name, remember this fact: Studies suggest that a potato chip habit caused subjects to gain weight even faster than an ice cream habit. This is likely due to all the preservatives, trans fats, empty calories and salt, and how hard it is to each just a few.
Eat This Instead: Bake Kale Chips
Kale chips are crunchy and satisfying, just like potato chips, yet you’re able to crunch away guilt-free. Filled with fiber, protein and real food nutrients, this is one crunchy snack that won’t expand your waistline. Here’s how to make them at home: Wash and tear one bunch of kale into chip-sized pieces. Toss with a Tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.
We hope those tips help and we are confident they will!
However, the quickest and most permanent way to drop fat, build lean muscle and feel amazing is through a combination of healthy eating AND a consistent challenging workout program.
We here at Iron Allies Fitness are here to help you meet your fitness, muscle building and fat loss goals. You deserve that fit and attractive body we know you want and we will help you get it!
Come try us out for an entire week of unlimited group training classes completely FREE! No strings attached!
Click here to schedule your first free class!
We look forward to helping you hit your goals!
Talk to you soon!
– Team Iron Allies
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