Dear Friends,
Today during my run with the PayPal team I had the pleasure of running with an old friend. I met my friend Nal (in the stripped shirt) when I taught a course for REI’s Outdoor School. He was preparing to backpack the entire John Muir Trail and during our time together, I convinced him to try running too! The wonderful PayPal team welcomes anyone to join us for our weekend run. Today, my Boot Camp BFF Tina(her pup Izzy) and Nal joined us.
Message me if you’d like to join us for a future run!
The John Muir Trail is the premier hiking trail in the United States.The trail starts in America’s treasure, Yosemite National Park, and continues 215 MILES through the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sequoia National Park, King’s Canyon National Park, and ends at the highest peak in continental United States, Mount Whitney at 14,496 ft.
Nal’s trip began on August 9th and he arrived at Mt. Whitney Portal on August 26th. He shared that for the first 7 days he hiked alone! He then met up with some new friends from Israel. Which was a good thing! Nal had plenty of food, but he didn’t really cook, so he was not eating much, which was not a good thing. The team from Israel loved to cook and they helped each other. It was a great morning hearing all the exciting details of his adventure. Who ever said running is boring!?
Week Two Challenge 2016!
The NO SUGAR CHALLENGE!
This week, I’m Challenging you to a: “NO ADDED SUGAR WEEK.”
Here are just a few of the MANY reasons to cap the sugar intake in your diet….
Sugar promotes INFLAMMATION in the body (Inflammation is the ROOT of ALL disease in our bodies.)
Large amounts of added Sugars will SUPPRESS the immune system. (Imagine how your immune systems suffers if you are eating added and processed sugars at ever meal!)
Sugars will suppress the release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) in the body (and since HGH is imperative in anti-aging in our bodies, we want as much of this as our bodies are able to naturally produce.)
Sugars will raise your insulin levels- which over time can lead to a whole host of diseases.
Short term, added sugars will have a HUGE effect on your energy levels throughout the day.
Added sugars (that don’t occur naturally in the foods you are eating) can be detrimental to your health.
Here are just a few of the MANY reasons to cap the sugar intake in your diet….By taking this challenge it means that you commit to having no ADDED sugars in ANYTHING you eat this week!
Here are the Rules:
1. No Added Sugars of ANY kind: Honey, Molasses, Cane Sugar, Coconut Sugar, Stevia, Agave, Truvia, etc.)
2. Absolutely nothing in the ingredient label that says HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup). Try to stay away from all processed foods in general to make it easier on yourself (though that is another challenge for another week!)
3. Do NOT eat anything that says Sugar-Free. This will almost 100% of the time have artificial sweeteners in them. General Rule of Thumb: If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you probably shouldn’t be eating it!
Naturally occurring sugars in your food are OK (fruits, veggies, etc.) Try to eat your fruits earlier in the day (not past 3-4pm)
This Week’s Challenge may be a LOT harder than it looks….but you’ll be SHOCKED at how amazing you feel at the end of the week.
You’ll probably also notice you are sleeping better, have more energy, and may even have lost 2-3 pounds!
Are you in??
What’s for Dinner
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Courtesy of Team Beachbody
Sticking to a healthy diet does not have to mean living a life without mac and cheese! We asked our culinary team to create a rich and creamy macaroni and cheese casserole that would taste as good as the original, but wouldn’t wreck your diet…and it had to be something kids would love to eat. What they came up with was even more delicious than we imagined. It has less than 300 calories per serving and 15 grams of protein! The recipe makes 10 servings, so it can feed a hungry family or make several servings for healthy meal prep.
This recipe boasts two types of cheese – yes, real cheese! – sharp cheddar and Gruyere. The secret is using extra-flavorful cheeses, so a little bit goes a long way. They blend with a silky butternut squash puree to create an intensely flavorful sauce. We added peppers, onions, and a sprinkling of parsley to make the dish even more tasty and nutritious.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Total Time: 1 hr. 16 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 61 min.
Yield: 10 servings, about 1½ cups each
Ingredients:
1 lb. dry whole wheat macaroni
1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
3 cups cubed butternut squash
1¾ cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
2 Tbsp. low-fat (1%) plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Nonstick cooking spray
Finely chopped fresh parsley (for garnish; optional)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add onion and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Set aside.
5. Combine squash, broth, and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; gently boil for 22 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
6. Place squash mixture in a blender or food processor; cover with lid and kitchen towel. Blend until smooth.
7. Combine squash mixture, macaroni, onion mixture, yogurt, and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well.
8. Place macaroni mixture in a 13 x 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish that has been coated with spray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling.
9. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Tip: Blend small batches of hot liquids in blender or food processor since they expand during the blending process, therefore decreasing the chance of overflowing.
Have a great week!!
Much Love,
Lori
Lori Beveridge
Owner, Couture Conditioning
Custom Fit Training™
