Empire Performance PT

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  • Home
  • 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
  • Sports Rehabilitation
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Eating For Fat Loss

12/6/2016

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By now you are probably aware that the term, eat clean, has nothing to do with washing your food and has everything to do with eating in a way that promotes fat loss. 

While it may sound simple enough, it’s pretty challenging to stick with a clean eating plan. I suppose if it were easy then everyone would be lean and confident about their body. 

So what’s the secret to long-term, clean eating success? Here it is… 
Eat-For-Fat-Loss Secret #1: Keep It Balanced
Many fat loss strategies encourage eating only from one category of food: soup, grapefruit, salad, chicken breast…While these foods may promote fat loss and reduce overall calorie intake, this way of eating sets you up for a fall. 

No one sticks with highly restrictive, one-food-only diets for very long, and you’re no exception. To make your clean eating plan last, keep your diet balanced with a range of healthy, real foods. 

Eat-For-Fat-Loss #2: Don’t Put a Label On It
How many times have you uttered the words I’m on a diet? Ugh, just saying that puts one in the mood to cheat on said diet. 

If eating clean means you’re on a diet, then you’re not committed enough to make this a way of life. True fat loss success comes when clean eating is second nature, and not a temporarily imposed sentence. 

Eat-For-Fat-Loss #3: Have Patience
Wouldn’t it be great if a week of clean eating could erase a decade worth of indulgences? But, alas, you didn’t gain that fat in a week, and you won’t lose it in a week either. 

Look for, and acknowledge, each and every small victory along the way to your long-term goal. Notice each pound, each inch and each pant size. These accomplishments build on one another until you reach your ultimate goal. Just remember that big changes take consistent, long-term effort. Be patient. 

Eat-For-Fat-Loss #4: Have a Plan
This is the most important step in your clean eating quest, without it you’ll flounder around without direction and will likely find yourself starting into the bottom of a bowl of ice cream. Spend time writing out your do’s and don't’s for your clean eating plan—and please feel free to reach out to me to help you with this step. See below for a list of foods that your diet should mainly consist of and then make another list of completely off-limits foods. 

Use these 4 steps as a guide to make clean eating a way of life.
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Chickpea Slaw

12/2/2016

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If you love coleslaw, then this salad recipe will quickly become your new favorite. While most coleslaw recipes contain a heavy, creamy dressing this one is made with guilt-free Greek yogurt. We’ve also added in some chickpeas for the boost of protein and fiber. 

Make an effort to lighten up more of your favorite recipes by employing techniques like swapping out heavy cream for Greek yogurt or swapping refined sugar for coconut palm sugar or stevia. It’s small dietary changes like that over the long haul that will ultimately make the biggest impact on your health and fitness. Enjoy! ​
Servings: 8 

Here’s what you need...
  • ⅓ cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz.) can low-sodium chickpeas, rinse and drained
  • 2 ½ cups sliced packed green cabbage
  • 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled with a vegetable peeler into strips or thinly sliced, or 2 cups shredded carrots
  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, vinegar, water, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the chickpeas, cabbage, celery, and carrots; toss to combine.
  2. Transfer slaw to a plastic food storage bag and chill at least 4 hours before serving; slaw keeps up to 3 days. 
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 214 calories, 3g fat, 107mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, and 12g protein I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week.
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Replace Your Trigger Foods

12/1/2016

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Many people who struggle with their weight feel powerless to cravings. 

Have you ever experienced this? When the urge to eat something bad comes over so strongly that you feel you have no choice but to give in? 

Then, when it's over, you feel awful that you've eaten all those calories and set yourself up for further weight gain. So you're good for a couple of days until another craving comes over you…and so the cycle repeats. 

I'm here to tell you that you hold the power. And it's not as hard as you think. 

Most of us have certain trigger foods that send our diets into a fiery tailspin. The plan is to identify your trigger foods and to replace these with more wholesome, real food substitutions in order to break the cycle. ​
What's a Trigger Food?
Trigger foods are foods that when eaten make you crave more of it, or cause you to eat more food in general. These foods are eaten out of habit, not out of hunger. Your trigger food is something you've probably said you feel addicted to. Most trigger foods are high calorie, processed and filled with carbs. 

You'll know something is a trigger food when it's hard for you to stop eating it, even when you feel full. 

Replace Your Trigger Foods
When you stop eating your trigger foods, the craving you feel for it gets weaker and weaker. To assist you through this transition use the ideas below to replace your processed trigger food with a healthier, real food option. 

Trigger Food #1: Candy
Due to the high concentration of refined sugar, candy is one of the most addictive of trigger foods. If candy is a major part of your life, then start replacing it with unsweetened dried fruit. You'd be surprised how satisfying the natural sweetness of dried fruit can be. Try apples, pears, apricots, figs, and mango. 

Trigger Food #2: Salty Snacks
Salty snacks are nearly all processed, refined and packed with simple carbs. Basically it's the perfect storm for weight gain. Fight the urge to rip open a bag of chips and instead make a batch of Baked Plantain Chips. See the recipe below. 

Trigger Food #3: Sweet Drinks
Sodas made with high fructose corn syrup or coffee drinks made with simple syrup have one thing in common: loads of sugar. If drinks like this are part of your daily life, then you know first hand how addicting these can be. Start replacing these high-calorie, high-sugar drinks with zero calorie iced teas. Add a packet of zero-calorie stevia, made from the stevia plant, for sweetness. 

Trigger Food #4: Fried Foods
It's common to have a weakness for fried foods. There's something about the texture, taste and fat content of fried foods that sends people into an eating frenzy. To eliminate this temptation, make your own homemade versions of your favorite fried foods by baking and then turning on your oven's high broil. For example, instead of commercially made French fries, cut a sweet potato into fries, toss with olive oil and bake at 425 degrees F for about 40 minutes, until crispy. The baked versions of your favorite fried foods have considerably fewer calories and you're less likely to stuff yourself with them. 

Trigger Food #5: Baked Treats
Cookies, cakes, donuts, muffins and brownies are serious trigger foods. These are hard to avoid, since they are often shared socially at parties and celebrations. Make your own baked goods at home while replacing flour with almond flour and sugar with a touch of raw honey or stevia in the raw. These ingredient substitutions will make your baking lower in carbs and less addictive. However, keep in mind that baked goods are still baked goods and should be eaten as a treat in moderation. 

Eating a healthy diet, free from trigger foods, is one side of the equation when it comes to getting into amazing shape. The other side is consistent, challenging exercise. 

I'm here to take care of the exercise in your life. All you have to do is show up when I tell you and then give it your all for that short amount of time. Easy enough, right? 

This small investment of time and energy truly will transform your body and your life. Call or email today to get started on the last exercise program that you'll ever start, and the one that gets you into your best body ever.
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    Dr. Tony Tanzi: Physical Therapist, Triathlete, Runner, Performance Coach

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