"Flexible dieting" isn't a diet; it's a nutritional concept where you have daily calorie and macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) targets and as long as those specific numbers are achieved, then food selection is left up to your personal preference. Sounds awful? What if I said you could eat pizza and drink wine and still lose unwanted body fat? Here's the skinny on how it works!
Read MoreWant to learn how to make the perfect protein smoothie at home? Check out my tutorial on Bay Club’s IG TV!
Read MoreI’ve been in a bit of a meal prep rut lately. I rely on my go-to recipes for breakfast and lunch (smoothies, protein muffins, curry chicken salad—all the usual suspects) and Freshly for dinner. And they’re still awesome! But this week I had a craving for something different. Thankfully my meal prep guru partner Peter stumbled across this super tasty and easy recipe on EatingWell.com for Thai Coconut Basmati Rice with Mango Seared Scallops.
Read MoreYogurt is a good go-to healthy snack, but a yogurt smoothie is an extra-special, tasty treat that combines the creamy thickness of yogurt with a variety of other nutrient-packed, delicious ingredients, from fresh fruit to chocolate, honey, kale or spinach, and so much more. Check out my favorite recipe and recipes from 24 other fitness pros in this Edible Arrangements Blog post.
Read MoreProtein shakes seem like a convenient way to cut calories and lose weight, but are they really worth all the hype, especially when it comes to weight loss? As with most questions like this though, the answer depends. The folks from Eat This, Not That asked me and other health experts to weigh in with our best thinking when it comes to protein shakes.
Read MoreI get this question a lot. I get it from clients. I get it from friends. I even get it from the coolest fit-tech companies in the world! And it's a GREAT question. How we fuel our bodies affects our performance in the gym, our recovery (and results) from a workout and even the microscopic cells that make us what we are. Food is important. If what you're doing is working for you and you just want to maintain, cool. Keep doing what you're doing. But if you want to change consider changing you're pre- and post-workout nutrition first.
Read MoreOm nom nom. Ever since Allison Tibbs taught me how to make homemade almond butter I've been drooling over it. Super simple to do. And way tastier than anything store bought. It's awesome plain (doesn't even need salt) or you can jazz it up with cinnamon or vanilla extract. Like all healthy fats, it's super nutritious, but watch your serving sizes as almonds are high in calories.
Read MoreAfter reading my Guide to Eating Clean and Getting Lean and determining their caloric and macronutrient needs most of my clients' first realizations is that they need to get more protein. Whether you are "eating to your macros" or not, most of us could benefit from getting more high quality protein into our diets so I've compiled a list of my favorites that include lean meat; eggs; dairy; beans, legumes and nuts; veggies, grains and supplements that are high in protein.
Read MoreAnyone who lived through the 80s and 90s was hit with a barrage of messages from the government, nutrition “experts” and big consumer brands that dietary fat was the devil. We pointed the finger at fat as the cause of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other nasty health issues. And thus began the rise of the low fat diet craze (SnackWells, SlimFast and Baked Lay’s--Oh my!). Current research confirms that “healthy fats” are actually quite necessary and beneficial for health. But certain “bad fats” should continue to be avoided. And to make it a little more confusing some fats fall in the “middle” and need to be eaten in moderation. So let’s clear things up.
Read MoreWhen it comes to cooking, Greek mothers have legendary skills. And my mother-in-law is an Olympian in the kitchen! When she visited for Christmas she whipped up this simple, delicious and healthy dish and it’s quickly become a favorite in my house. It’s warm and filling with less than 400 calories and only 15g carbs and 36g of protein. Serve it with a little pita and hummus or a simple green salad and enjoy!
Read MoreFinding TRULY healthy lunch options, especially in downtown San Francisco, can be a wild goose chase. The city is littered with quick serve restaurants and pop ups marketing themselves as “fresh”, “light” and “natural” but when you look closely you find hidden calories, astronomical amounts of sodium and food devoid of any real nutrition. But there is one option that stands out—Lite Bite. Having Lite Bite’s DELICIOUS proteins, veggies and salads as options for a quick lunch, snack or dinner, is a godsend.
Read MoreWhen the mid-morning, mid-afternoon or late night munchies hit, be ready. Don't fall prey to office vending machines, desktop candy bowls or those left over cookies from a client meeting. Get your booty to Trader Joe's and make sure you have some of these healthier (and still super tasty) options on hand at work and home to tide you over. Presented here in somewhat random order. Enjoy!
Read MoreMost of us don’t realize how poor our diets really are. And the hard truth is that even if you are finding time to exercise, you can’t exercise away a poor diet. Check out these clean eating tips from my latest Law.com Fit Counselor column.
Read MoreWhile "Fish in a Pouch" may not sound delicious, this quick, clean and tasty dish is one of my favorites. Taking less than 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook this all in one meal is perfect to make for one person or a big dinner party and requires almost no clean up. You can use any starches, veggies and fish you like including cod, halibut or salmon and you can also toss in shrimp or scallops.
Read MoreWhen writing my last post about getting enough protein I was reminded how AWESOME lentils are. Packing as many as 40g in one cup they are an affordable source of protein, easy to prepare and loaded with vitamins and nutrients like folate, iron, potassium and manganese. Plus they are super tasty when mixed with veggies and healthy fats. Give this quick and easy recipe a try. It makes up to four servings loaded with protein, fiber and yummy goodness. I added chicken, but if you are vegetarian or looking for a break from meat, skip the chicken and it's still delicious.
Read MoreI get so tired of gimmicky, unsafe and ineffective products promoting unrealistic promises of trim waistlines and washboard ads. While fat loss is generally a function of "calories in, calories out" there are some helpful cardio and nutritional methods for helping stimulate fat loss. These five methods have helped many of my clients over the years get lean and more healthy safely and with minimal kicking and screaming.
Read MoreOne of my nutrition coaching clients in Rochester, New York recently pleaded with me to create a hot and hardy recipe to help her make it through the cold months ahead. Nothing is more warming and filling than lasagna! So my amazing Greek meal prep guru and partner Peter worked out this FANTASTIC adaption of traditional lasagna using eggplant instead of noodles. It's relatively easy to make and when you do you can get at least six solid meals out of it that are easy to save and re-heat for lunches and dinners. So if you're craving some comfort food give this one a try.
Read MoreMany of my favorite healthy and tasty recipes are inspired by my clients. I love it when they take our nutrition coaching ideas into the kitchen and dream up new, fun ways to eat clean. This one is a winner from my rock star client Geoff. In addition to having the best animated Elmo gifs he also has the best reinvention of this classic comfort food that I call "Me Pretty" Mac & Cheese.
Read MoreThis has been a year in the making and I'm stoked to launch my first e-book: JJ's Guide to Eating Clean and Getting Lean. In this guide, I’ll provide you with a framework and tools for eating to your body composition goals that will still allow you to enjoy your life. My coaching methods have helped hundreds of clients reduce their body fat, get strong and become healthier and more energetic. Ditch the diets and learn a practical and effective way to approach eating for safe, long-term results. On sale now for $4.99. www.JJ-Fit.com/guide.
Read MoreMany of my clients and followers want to eat healthy and are trying to make changes to their diets to reduce body fat or gain muscle mass. While your exercise program is key to eliciting physical changes, your nutrition is equally as important. I cater to busy professionals and often they just don't have time to grocery shop and meal prep. They prefer to outsource cooking but want to make sure they are getting nutritious and tasty meals that fit their caloric and macronutrient needs. These are my two favorite meal deliver services that won't disappoint.
Read MoreOnce a month I gather the best fitness and nutrition news, tips and videos from my blog into one handy email. I never share email addresses with third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time. Check out past issues.
