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  • About Us
    • Meet The Team >
      • Dr. Tony Tanzi, PT, DPT, CSCS
      • Dr. Josh Hammond, PT, DPT
      • Dr. Kyle Ioos, PT, DPT
      • Dr. Matthew Aquilino, PT, DPT
  • Physical Therapy
    • Back Pain
    • Knee Pain
    • Shoulder Pain
    • Ankle Pain
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Easy Meal Prep Tips

11/21/2016

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Ever wonder what it would be like to open your fridge to find a full week of healthy, delicious food that’s prepped and ready to be eaten? Sure would make sticking with your diet and achieving fat loss a lot easier… 

Meal prep is a fantastic way to keep on track with your eating throughout the entire week. 

The idea is to plan out all of your meals on the weekend, most often on Sunday, then do the shopping and the prep at one time for the entire week. This day is labor intensive, but then your food is ready-to-eat for the next 6 full days. 

Here’s my 5 Step Meal Prep Guide to make your next food prep week really simple: 
Step One: Planning 

Get out your notebook and pen or pull up a blank note page on your iPad, it’s time to start planning for the week. Here are the questions that you’ll need to answer: 

1. How many meals do I need each day?
  • Check your calendar for special events
  • Consider your appetite throughout the day
  • Look at each day separately
2. How many servings do I need for each meal?
  • Consider who in the family needs which meals
  • Check the calendar for guests or visitors
  • Look at each day separately
Step Two: Recipes 

Now it’s time to translate those meals + servings into actual recipes. Take a moment to consider the produce that is in season and any special requests or food allergies.  

1. Find your recipes
  • Browse around on your favorite recipe site 
  • Pull out your favorite cookbooks
  • Find your family favorite recipes
2. Focus on a core group of ingredients
  • Plan recipes that use similar ingredients
3. Calculate leftover meals
  • Making enough of some recipes for leftover meals saves time
4. Make your list
  • Narrow down to the exact list of recipes
Step Three: Grocery List 

Take your list of recipes and create a grocery list. A few things to keep in mind… 

1. Pay attention to recipes that you’ll double or triple
  • Make sure to include all ingredients in your list
2. Organize your list into these convenient sections:
  • Meat/Seafood/Egg
  • Organic Produce
  • Herbs/Flavors
  • Pantry Items
3. Check your pantry for items that you already have
  • Save money by avoiding double purchases
Step Four: Shopping 

It’s time to head to the grocery store! Take your list and, if you’re lucky, a helper down to your local market and go through each section item by item. 

Step Five: Food Prep 

You have options when it comes to the actual prep of each of your meals. Many you’ll be able to fully make right away and pack in the fridge. Other recipes you’ll want to simply do the chopping, measuring and organizing in order to make the meal hot and quick before you plan to eat it. 

Which recipes should you fully cook in advance? The truth is that this is really up to you and your schedule. Here’s a good game plan if you don’t want to fully cook everything on Sunday:
  1. Fully make the baked goods for the week.
  2. Chop all vegetables.
  3. Gather all seasonings. 
  4. Fully cook Monday’s dinner.
Getting into the habit of prepping your meals for the week is a surefire way to accelerate your fat loss results. It’s my goal to help people, just like you, conquer their fear of exercise and clear up their confusion with healthy eating. I know that a healthy life is within your reach – I’ve seen hundreds of my clients before you do it, and I’ll see hundreds after you do it. Today it’s your turn. 
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Smoked Salmon Dill Dip

11/18/2016

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Servings: 4 

Here’s what you need...
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 4 oz. chopped smoked salmon
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 Tablespoon fresh dill weed
  • 4 Bell peppers, sliced
  1. For dip- In a medium bowl, combine ingredients and divide evenly. 
  2. Serve with bell peppers. 
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 113 calories, 3g fat, 480mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 13g protein 
Most of the time creamy dips are packed with calories and fat – but this one is low in fat and high in muscle-building protein! How’d I do that? By using plain Greek yogurt and mixing in delicious, smoked salmon, that’s how! 

This dip is fantastic to serve with company, rather than chips and salsa. By slicing fresh veggies instead of using grain-filled crackers or chips, you’ll be saving yourself the guilt while enjoying delicious, creamy and crunchy goodness! Enjoy! 
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Best way to GET FIT

11/14/2016

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Talk to 10 people and you'll get 10 different opinions on the best way to get fit.

One will tell you to attend an aerobics class. Another will swear by jogging.  Yet another will tell you that dance and biking worked for them.

The truth is that there's really only one effective way to get fit. 

Before I get into the details, it’s important that we agree on the definition of 'fit'. Too often thin is mistaken for fit, and that's not what you should strive for. 

When someone is thin, but has very little muscle tissue, they aren't truly fit. 

Here’s why thin doesn’t equal fit: 
  • Their body fat percentage will be higher than ideal—even though you won't see a lot of fat on them, if their muscle percentage is low then fat percentage will be higher. 
  • Their resting metabolism will be low, since little muscle is present to burn calories at rest. 
  • Their body won't be functionally strong, which will lead to injuries and frustrations.
So how does one get truly fit? It’s this simple: Strength Training. 

Strength training is when resistance is used to challenge your muscles in order to gain strength and endurance. You could do this with traditional weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, cable machines, sandbags, kettle bells or even just using your own body weight. 
  • Regular strength training has the following side effects…
  • Strength and muscle tone
  • Cardiovascular capacity
  • Speed, Agility and Flexibility
  • Resistance to injury and disease
If that’s not enough to convince you that strength training is the only way to truly become fit, then read on… 
Top 9 Reasons To Strength Train

1. To Build Muscle and Gain Strength: Don’t worry, ladies. This does NOT mean that you’re going to ‘bulk up’ or look too masculine. What will happen is that your arms, tummy and legs will become tighter, leaner and more defined. 

2. To Lose Fat: When it comes to losing size, all that you want to see go is fat, not muscle. Strength training ensures that you maintain and grow those muscles and only lose fat. 

3. To Build Strong Bones: The older we get, the more important our bone density is. A good strength training program is one of your best defenses when it comes to osteoporosis. 

4. To Alleviate Anxiety, Stress and Depression: Sure there are plenty of pills out there that claim to give these benefits, but you and I both know that strength training is more wholesome and effective way. And besides, who really wants pharmaceutical side effects? 

5. To Sleep Better: Here’s another pill you can stop taking once you start strength training. Study after study have proven that strength training improves sleep. 

6. To Improve Chronic Back Pain: If you are one of the millions across the globe who suffer from back pain then you’ll love the benefit of lowered pain. 

7. To Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Today diabetes is a huge threat. Minimize your risk by improving insulin sensitivity through regular, challenging strength training. 

8. To Improve Good to Bad Cholesterol Ratio: Here is yet another pill that you could potentially stop taking while on a strength training routine. Blood pressure and heart health are of utmost concern, so why not give yourself the advantage of a strength training routine? 

9. To Raise your Metabolism: This helps to reduce body fat and to keep that body fat off, even on the days that you aren’t able to exercise. Pretty awesome, right? 

A solid strength training routine will tone your legs, lift your buns, strengthen your core, and will result in inches and pounds lost. 
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Red Bean and Lentil Casserole

11/11/2016

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Is there anything better this time of year than a homemade casserole, hot from the oven? The comforting aroma and the heart-warming enjoyment of that first, delicious bite stay with you for days to come. 

This fiber-filled casserole is simple to make, contains many vital nutrients and delivers a wonderful flavor that only gets better when enjoyed the next day for lunch. It’s a fantastic way to learn how to make and enjoy sprouted lentils – which are highly nutritious. Enjoy! ​
Servings: 8 

Here’s what you need...
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • ½ cup dry sprouted lentils, such as Puy or green
  • 2 ½ cups low-sodium, organic vegetable broth
  • 1 large cooking apple such as Granny Smith or Macintosh, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 1 (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole pan with olive oil. 
  2. Heat the olive oil gently in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic, and cook for five minutes until the onions are translucent. 
  3. Add lentils and stir, then add vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. Add the peppers, basil, apple, white-wine, shaved Parmesan cheese, and canned tomatoes and mix well.
  5. Transfer the mixture to and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top. Cook in oven for 30 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately, or freeze remaining portions in individual servings.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 260 calories, 3g fat, 335mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, and 18g protein 
​
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4 Guilt-Free Pasta Recipes

11/7/2016

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It’s hard to find a dinner more satisfying than a steaming plate of flavorful pasta, but by now you’re well aware of just how fattening that is. Let’s not give up on our favorite pasta dishes…let’s make these dishes lighter, healthier and just as delicious by using noodles made from vegetables, rather than traditional, carb-laden pasta. 

If you’re new to cooking with veggie noodles, have no fear! It’s simple and satisfying to create comforting guilt-free pasta dinners, and I’m going to show you how…
Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #1: Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is the easiest of all the veggie noodles to prepare since the noodles are already formed in nature. Cut a spaghetti squash in half and you’ll find a mess of seeds and stings in the center of thick, firm, yellow flesh. The seeds and strings are discarded, and that thick, firm, yellow flesh is cooked until tender and scraped off the skin, into a neat pile of soft spaghetti-like noodles. Pretty cool, right?! 

Make Spaghetti Squash Noodles:
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  2. Rub the inside of each spaghetti squash half with coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
  3. Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!
Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #2: Zucchini

 Zucchini is such a tender squash that it really doesn’t require cooking, and in fact cooking zucchini noodles quickly turns them to mush. I’ve found that pouring hot spaghetti sauce over a pile of zucchini noodles is all that it needs to heat it up without causing it to get mushy. You’ll need a spiral slicer –a little kitchen contraption that spirals zucchini through grating holes to create long, spaghetti-like noodles.

Make Zucchini Noodles:
  1. Wash the zucchini and remove the green skin with a veggie peeler. Run the peeled zucchini through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.
  2. Top with warm spaghetti sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #3: Butternut Squash

While zucchini and spaghetti squash noodles are light and soft, noodles made from butternut squash are a bit heartier. Not only does this translate into a more filling meal, it also means that need to be cooked on their own, before applying the spaghetti sauce, in order to achieve a tender consistency. 

Now there’s a little bit of technique involved with cutting your butternut squash in the best way to run it through a spiral slicer. I’ve found that the narrow part of the squash, that’s completely solid, is the piece that works really well with a spiral slicer. Slice off the skin and then simply run it through the slicer. The part of the squash that’s hollow in the middle is trickier to use with the spiral slicer, since those pieces are pretty thin. A quick option is to simply chop those pieces thinly and use that along with the long noodle strands.

Make Butternut Squash Noodles:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the narrow part of both squash off and peel off the skin. You should have 2 nice solid pieces of squash (no hollow section). Run this through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles. 
  2. Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread over a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender.
  3. Serve immediately with the spaghetti sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!
Guilt-Free Pasta Recipe #4: Asparagus 

Talk about truly guilt-free pasta – one made from asparagus spears! Rather than serve this one with traditional spaghetti sauce (although you could) I’ve included a dressing to toss the noodles with and I’d recommend serving it with meatballs for some added protein. 

Make Asparagus Noodles:
  1. Wash one bunch of asparagus spears. Resist the urge to chop off the tough stalks, these are your handles! Cut off the asparagus tips and save. Hold onto the tough stalks and use a vegetable peeler to peel long asparagus noodle strands into a large bowl. Mix in a Tablespoon of fresh dill.
  2. In a small bowl combine 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey and a dash of sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the asparagus noodles. Sauté for 2 minutes then remove from heat. If you’d like, sauté the asparagus heads by throwing them in the pan after 1 minute. Toss with the dressing.
  4. Serve the noodles warm and garnish with fresh dill. Enjoy!
  5. Eating healthy, low carb meals like these are what it takes to have that lean, sexy body that you want. But don’t forget that a fit body also requires a consistent, challenging exercise program! Call or email me today and get you started on the fitness plan that’s custom designed for you. Let’s do this!
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Meaty Comfort Chili

11/4/2016

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Cold days call for warm, hearty comfort food and, boy, do I have the perfect recipe for you today. This Meaty Comfort Chili has all of the warmth, flavor and comfort that you could ask for in a healthy dinner. This recipe tastes even better the next day! 

You have several serving options with this chili. You could serve it in bowls, topped with a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh green onions. You could scoop it over freshly baked sweet potato. You could use it to dress up a serving of scrambled eggs. You could serve it, chilled, over a large salad. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy! ​
Servings: 12 

Here’s what you need...
  • 6 oz. hot turkey Italian sausage, loose
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar OR honey
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 ¼ cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
  • 1 (28oz) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
  • 2 (15oz) cans no-salt-added kidney beans, drained
  • Sour cream (optional garnish)
  • Shredded cheese (optional garnish)
  • Green onion (optional garnish)
  • Diced tomatoes (optional garnish)
  1. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic, ground beef and jalapeno to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.
  2. Add chili powder, coconut sugar, cumin, tomato paste, oregano, black pepper, salt and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 
  3. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with the garnishes. 
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 284 calories, 1g fat, 79mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate, 12g fiber, and 16g protein 
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7 Slimdown Snacks

11/2/2016

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Close your eyes and imagine a world in where your snacks give you the upper hand in fat loss. It sounds like a dream, but if you pay attention to the snacks you keep on hand, you can actually use them to get leaner. No, they’re not diet pills that will magically shave pounds off your physique—they’re simply healthy foods that will go a long way toward staving off hunger and preventing you from gorging at mealtime.

Ready to find out what snacks you need in your cupboard? Read on to find out!
#1: Walnuts & Almonds

All nuts are great to eat, but there is something special about walnuts and almonds. They’ve got healthy fat and protein and are exceptionally filling. Grab a handful of either, eat them nice and slow, and you’ll be able to coast to your next meal with ease.

#2: Dried Fruit

Basically all fruit is great for snacking, but sometimes the effort required for fresh fruit can be an obstacle. Don’t let time restraints or the potential for a mess keep you from downing fruit. Go with dried fruit instead and you can easily chomp on whatever fruit you choose. As an added perk, saving leftover dried fruit is as easy as closing the bag. Just be careful not to get dried fruit with added sugars, as your effort to slim down will be in vain.


#3: Peanut Butter Toast

Nuts are on the list once again, but this time it’s peanuts, and they need to be nice and creamy. A toast-sized portion of peanut butter provides a solid protein boost, and if you spread it across Ezekiel bread, you’ll get an even greater fill of protein, along with a great big high five to your taste buds. A piece of this and you’ll be off to the weight-losing race in no time!

#4: Kale Chips

You’ve spent years of your life salivating at the thought of a fresh bag of potato chips or a sleeve of crackers and cheese. Not any longer. In 20 minutes or so, you can bake up some delicious chips made from kale that will fill your need for something salty with a nice crunch! As an added perk, they’re low in calories and are the good green stuff your mom wants you to eat more of.

#5: Cold Corn & Peas

It’s a hot day and you need a snack ASAP! All you’ve got to do is peak in your freezer and toss some frozen peas and corn into a small bowl. One by one, pop them into your mouth, letting the coldness cool you off, and the vegetables’ natural sweetness gives you a flavor that is just right in bite-sized portions.

#6: Oatmeal


It doesn’t get a lot more ordinary than oatmeal, but snacks don’t always have to be exciting. A small bowl of oatmeal, mixed with a scoop of high quality protein powder, will go a long way toward keeping you from the snack machine and a lot closer to your weight-loss goals. And with a few small slivers of apple or even a few pinches of ground cinnamon, it’ll have a flavor as satisfying as it is filling.

#7: Protein Shake

Another snack that will fill you up with fat burning fuel is a simple, classic protein shake. Start with a scoop, or two, of high quality protein powder, and add water and ice. It’s quick, it’s simple and it’s effective. 

Remember that fat loss comes as the result of a consistent, challenging exercise routine that’s paired with healthy eating habits. You can’t achieve the body of your dreams simply by eating a certain way – exercise is an absolute must. 
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    Dr. Tony Tanzi: Physical Therapist, Triathlete, Runner, Performance Coach

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