Tuesday Class wars!

                                                               ** 1 sled per class

                              **You must screenshot and email your review to Jami@amplifiedfitness.net before noon on Wednesday to receive the bonus points.

 

 

Some questions I’ve been getting on class wars.

What if our class is smaller, is there some type of handi cap? 

No.  You’re gonna have to make up for it in earning as many of the points as you can, especially in the bonus points.

What about the classes that are only 3-4 days/ a week like 5:15pm and 7:15pm?

Good question! Those class times can still earn the bonus points everyday.

For 5:15pm, whatever your score is on your spirit and team points for Monday We will add them to Tuesday.  Whatever your spirit points and team challenge points are for Wednesday we will add to Thursday.

For 7:15pm whatever your Spirit and team challenge points were for Thursday we will add them to Friday.

 

CLASS WARS-Monday September 17th

Who can participate: Any member or challenger


Cost: Free.

I will be paying for the winners and the coach to have a group night out at Huhot Mongolian Grill and most importantly Bragging rights!

Objective: Earn points through various tasks of Spirit, team challenge, and bonus points

Teams-The class session you most attend.

Challenges will be released one day at a time, the time day prior.

All bonus points must be submitted by noon the following day to jami@amplifiedfitness.net

 

Monday

Spirit Points-Team Color out day!

5:15am-Blue

6:15am Red

9:00am purple

5:15pm Yellow

6:15pm Orange

7:15pm Green

Every person that is wearing the team color earns a point for their team.

Team challenge points-How many people can get 20 burpees in one minute. Every person that gets 20 in a minute earns 1 point for their team.

BONUS POINTS-

Tag yourself in the Spirit photo of the day. The photo will be posted on www.facebook.com/amplifiedfitness123 Every person tagged=2 points.

No need to email the bonus points to Jami today. We will simply check the tags on Tuesday at noon and tally up the bonus points.

September member of the Month(s)-Jeannie Moreno

Congratulation Jeannie for being chosen as member of the month.  This means a coach has spotlighted your excellent work ethic and the value you bring to our community.

A brief history at Amplified Fitness.

Tell us how you got started and your experience.

Like a lot of the members I responded to the 6-week challenge from an Instagram ad. I had seen others for other gyms, but for some reason I just clicked the right ad on the right day. It turned out to be right around the corner from my place so it was perfect. I spent so much time in gyms over the years and even worked at one, but after gaining a lot of weight my first year here in UT, I just finally realized that I would really need the help of a strong gym family to get back on top of stuff.

My first day was rough! I wanted to go to a class to orient myself before my challenge began and…OH…MY…GOD, I was like “what did I get myself into?” But once I actually got started the people and the culture you guys have created just made every workout so worth it.

The success and struggles you have been through at Amplified Fitness?

Probably my biggest successes to date have been, I can actually do a real burpee again (just the one though, don’t get crazy) and not dying after Stacy’s Mom (even though I did the novice version). Seeing improvement over the weeks in what I can do and how much I can get done in one workout has been such a great feeling.

The biggest struggle I had in the beginning aside from the obvious physical challenges was tracking the workouts. My goodness, I had the HARDEST time. Nutrition was a struggle and I know a lot of people said that it would be, but I was surprised that I never struggled with what I was eating, but rather how much of it. One of the worst weeks I had in terms of progress was when I had a really crazy week at work and I skipped meals just based on time and portions. Once coach Jami adjusted my meal plan, I felt better and I had no more issues there!

How often do you attend sessions at Amplified Fitness?

My job is pretty demanding so my goal during the challenge was to make it the 3 sessions per week. When I was able to I did 4 sessions.

Favorite movement(s)?

Squats (any kind) and KB swings.

Least favorite movement? Least favorite workout?

The assault bike and burpees.

Current goals?

My main goal is to continue to feel better, healthier and comfortable. Being heavy is very uncomfortable and even worse when you’re not active. My short term goal is to get back under 200lbs. Long term is to get to the point where I’m not longer at risk for health issues and I feel good about myself.

 Anything else you want to share about yourself: what you do for fun, what you do for work?

I am Director of Operations for a software startup. I uprooted myself and moved here from California to focus on me and my future. I have a lot of wonderful people that love me back home, but I had a tendency to put their needs before mine for a long time. When the opportunity to do something for ME and for growth presented itself I took it and I feel like I did that again by joining the Amplified fam!

-What keeps you keep coming back for more?

The people!!!! This includes the amazing coaches of course.

What do you like most about Amplified Fitness?

There is this unspoken “pay it forward” attitude that everyone there has. We’re not told that we’re required to support each other, to push each other or even help one another, but EVERYONE DOES!  Knowing how hard my first day and first week was, if I encounter someone new and they have that same look on their face that I’m sure I had, I always offer my help. And that’s because someone always helped me.

What donation have you chosen for Amplified Fitness to donate towards?

The wounded Warrior Project.

Would you rather do 500 burpees in a chewbacca costume or drag a 100lb sled 10 miles?

Oh the sled, 100%. LOL

What Would You Tell Someone That Was Considering Joining Amplified Fitness?

You won’t regret it!!!!

September Member of the Month-Sean Hancock

September’s Member(s) of the Month is Sean Hancock!  Congratulation Sean this means a coach has noticed your incredible work ethic and support you bring to the Amplified Family.

Tell us how you got started and your experience.

 I joke about it sometimes(but its kinda true)It was Jan 1st. I was sitting on my couch with a bag of doritos and a cocktail in my hand. I had seen the challenge months before and started to sign up and decided to not.(probably out of fear). I received a text from Thomas that evening saying he was starting another 6 week challenge, I had no intention on responding. As I looked around and at myself, I said is this how/who you want to be? Absolutely not! I had always been into fitness and let my situation get the better of me. I wanted to be healthy and happy again. So I committed to the challenge that day and I never looked back! It has been the best experience to get to know all the amazing coaches and members, I wouldn’t change a thing!

Sean’s results in his first 6 week at Amplified!!

The success and struggles you have been through at Amplified Fitness?

 My favorite day was when I got to hit that RX button for the first time! I had finally made progress. I struggled with having to modify workouts, I was always the athletic one and now I can’t even do the prescribed workout. But I stuck with it, I trusted the process, I believed In the coaches. I knew I would get there if I just kept showing up and giving everything I had, I left every workout feeling accomplished, even if I had to modify.

How often do you attend sessions at Amplified Fitness?

 I Make it a point to go 5 days a week minimum. I love the Saturday workouts so I attended them if I’m not working. I love them for the team aspect, and how it pushes you to do more, but you also get to see more of the members that you don’t get to see all the time. I actually get a little upset when I have to miss a Saturday, haha.

Favorite movement(s)?

 My favorite movement, Gosh…do I have to pick one… lol. I like it all…except one… I like the feeling of knowing you are making progress, so I enjoy them all, but if I have to pick one then I guess I would say bench.

*Sean and Coach Jami

 

Least favorite movement? Least favorite workout?

 Hands down FRONT SQUATS!!! Hate em. But I still show up. Least favorite workout is a tie between Stacy’s Mom and King Leonidas, but again I’ll still show up if we are doing one of them.

Current goals?

 Staying happy and healthy.

Being the best dad I can be to the best daughter in the world.

Do something I have never done, run races, do a spartan…

Climb Mt. Olympus (I know i missed out on this one with the gym fam) but I am still determined to do it.

Skydive…yikes!!!

Do more traveling

Read at least 1 book a month.

 

*Sean at the 2018 Utah Spartan super

 Anything else you want to share about yourself: what you do for fun, what you do for work?

Hanging out with my daughter. Going to Amplified? I like working on vehicles, I’m no expert, but I know my way around a vehicle. I like heading out to Moab to do some off roading. I like hiking, biking, camping(even though my bike is broken right now). Basically anything outside.

I work as a Manager at Costco. Its not a glorious job, but it takes care of my needs.

-What keeps you keep coming back for more?

 The people, the atmosphere. The friendships made. And a good challenge every day.

What do you like most about Amplified Fitness?

 Uh…ditto^

Would you rather do 500 burpees in a chewbacca costume or drag a 100lb sled 10 miles?

 Wow, umm….I think I would pick the sled drag.(on a tarless road) haha.

Which charity have you chosen for Amplified Fitness to donate to?

I would like the donation to go to Npcf(National pancreatic cancer foundation). I know it may be insignificant to some , but it makes a huge impact for me. I lost 2 grandparents to this. Thank you soooo much.

What Would You Tell Someone That Was Considering Joining Amplified Fitness?

Just do it! There is such a great support system here and everyone wants to see you succeed. It will be the best experience you will ever have at any fitness facility.

How to live an Amplified Life

??How to live an Amplified Life. ??

Have you ever pondered why being in shape is important to you? Is it simply to lift more weights in the gym, to see a lower number on the scale, to have a faster mile time?

While seeing our physical improvements is fun, if that’s all being in shape to you is than we believe your are missing the big picture.

 

We believe being healthy and fit is important because it means you will live a higher quality of life both inside and outside the gym. Our ultimate goal is the long term. We want you going into your career, your Tuesday night basketball league, playing with your kids, and life full of energy. We don’t want you to fear going on a 5 mile hike with your grandchildren when you’re 65 and we want you living independently when you’re 85.

#1 Follow the Amplified Training philosophy 3x/week.
Get in the gym at least 3x/week and train functional movements. Push, Pull, squat, press, jump, run. Find a community of like minded individuals to keep training fun, intense and motivating.
amplifiedfitness.net/6weekchallenge

#2 Eat Healthy(90% of the time)
Nutrition differs from person to person and this is where your coach will help you dial in your nutrition. 90% of your nutrition should be natural unprocessed foods. However, there is nothing wrong with working in small indulgences. Its simply ok to have that piece of cake from time to time.
amplifiedfitness.net/nutrition

#3 Use your fitness outside the gym.
Your newfound fitness from following the Amplified Philosophy is going to make sports and nature fun again! Get out in nature and play sports 2x/week. Don’t be afraid to try new things, whether it be golf, surfing, tennis, volleyball, hiking, obstacle course, mountain biking etc…..

View this post on Instagram

Spikeball!! What a blast. This is my new favorite sport.

A post shared by Thomas Grove (@thomasthetrainer123) on


#4 Conquer a new challenge at least once a year.
While challenges are different for everybody the key here is to challenge yourself to new things. Sign up for the lifting competition, take that speaking class, sign up for your first triathlon, whatever a new challenge is to you….

*Photo Team Amplified on the Podium at the Black ridge Triathlon. (This was all our first Tri!) *

*Photo Team Amplified at the APF winter Classic Powerlifting Competition.

*Photo: Team Amplified at the Purple Day 5k for Epilepsy Awareness.

Yes! I’m Ready to Lead a Healthier Life!
Simply fill out the form below and we’ll contact you within 24 hours to schedule your no obligation fitness consultation.

We respect your privacy. Your info will never be shared.

15 reasons to exercise

1. To Be Happier
Exercise has been shown to stimulate brain chemicals that induce relaxation and happiness. When you’re having a bad day, lace up your shoes for an invigorating workout and feel happier.

 

2. To Reduce Disease
Exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of pretty much every single health problem known to man, from stroke to heart disease to cancer and osteoporosis. Exercise is also a great defense against type 2 diabetes, one of the most widely growing diseases of our time.

3. To Look Amazing
Exercise firms your muscles, improves your posture and even makes your skin glow. Looking amazing is a wonderful result of regular exercise. It’s very rewarding when the people in your life start to notice your transformation.


4. To Reach Your Goal Weight
Exercise burns fat and helps you keep it off. If you want to have a leaner, healthier body, exercise is your answer.

5. To Be Energized
Remember that feeling you experience after a great workout? You’re body is buzzing with energy, you’re less easily irritated and feel more peaceful.

6. To Get Better Sleep
Exercise boosts energy levels during the day, but also wears you out. Recovering from a challenging workout will help you relax and reach a deeper level of sleep.


7. To Slow Aging
Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to slow aging. When you age your body loses muscle and bone, and the loss of both are drastically reduced with regular exercise. You’ll also enjoy a reduction in inflammation.

8. To Lessen Back Pain
In most cases, the most effective thing that you can do for back pain is to move and strengthen those muscles. Always consult your physician or physical therapist for guidance if you have an injury.

9. To Reduce Depression
Studies have shown that exercise is able to reduce depression – sometimes even as effectively as medication. Even if you don’t feel like getting up off the couch to sweat through a workout, remember that you’ll feel happier and more alive once you’ve done it.


10. To Feel Fewer Aches and Pains
When you strengthen the muscles around your damaged joints you’re able to reduce joint pain and overall aches. Remember to always consult your physician before starting an exercise program, especially if you have chronic joint pain.

11. To Improve Memory
Exercise has been proven to improve memory and other cognitive functions, and seems to have a protective effect against dementia. A Harvard University researcher was quoted calling exercise “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”

12. To Enjoy Your Life
Whatever it is that you love in life – your kids, travel, sports, fashion – it is all more enjoyable when you experience it in a fit and healthy body. Find the motivation to exercise so that you’re able to enjoy all the great things in your life.

13. To Have Fewer Sick Days
Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are 50% less likely to call in sick to work. With a regular exercise program you’ll experience a reduced number of colds and upper respiratory infections.

14. To Burn Calories at Rest
Building your muscles through exercise means that you’ll be burning extra calories even while at rest. You’ll be able to eat more and maintain your ideal weight with ease.

15. To Be Confident
When you are fit, feel healthy and have energy, the natural result is great confidence. There’s no better confidence booster than sticking with a regular exercise program. The results are more than worth your efforts.

Yes! I’m Ready to Lead a Healthier Life!
Simply fill out the form below and we’ll contact you within 24 hours to schedule your no obligation fitness consultation.

We respect your privacy. Your info will never be shared.

What is Flexible Dieting?

What is Flexible dieting?

We love flexible dieting at Amplified Fitness, also known as IIFYM (if it fits your macros), because you can choose to eat anything you want, as long as it fits into your macronutrient goals for the day. This doesn’t mean you can just eat whatever you want all day and get results (we wish!). Your food choices are controlled by your macronutrient guidelines.

Flexible dieting, is a method of dieting that revolves around meeting daily macronutrient intake targets, not on what you eat to get there.  You have your calorie goal, your macro nutrient goal, and if it fits you can eat it.  There are no meal plans and there are no food restrictions, you just have to consistently hit your macro numbers.

You can think of macronutrients as your food budget for the day. We will give you the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to eat. What you fit into that budget is up to you.

Food Choice is individual!  Flexible dieting can be utilized alongside ANY specific dietary protocol and can accommodate for ANY individual dietary needs or preferences whether it be paloe, “clean eating”, gluten free, keto, those with insulin resistance or anything else you can think of, but how?

The single most important variable in changing body composition is nutrition. A large percentage of your results are going to come from your nutrition choices. Some diets aren’t sustainable and lead to a poor relationship with food and body image. Our chief aim is to tailor a nutrition plan for you that is:

  • Sustainable
    You should be able to continue improving your body composition without drastic highs and lows.
  • Enjoyable
    Who wants to live in a world where you’re not allowed an occasional slice of pizza or cake?
  • Effective
    If it doesn’t work, why do it? We aim to get you the best results as quickly as possible. Consistency and patience are key on this journey. More on that later.

Proper nutrition will yield results beyond what you see in the mirror. Your brain function will improve. You will have more sustainable energy. Your overall quality of life will improve. Your workouts will be more satisfying.

Flexible dieting is a change in the way you live – for the better. Commit now to changing the way you eat and view food. Commit to this lifestyle change. Patience and consistency will yield what you want.

Nutrition is not one size fits all.  Our bodies are unique and respond differently to food. Our aim is to offer a nutrition plan that fits your lifestyle.

What is a macro-nutrient?

Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Every gram of each macronutrient contains calories.

1 Gram of Protein = 4 Calories
1 Gram of Carbohydrates = 4 Calories
1 Gram of Fat = 9 calories

The way your body responds to each macronutrient is very different. Although protein and carbohydrates have the same amount of calories per gram, the effect on your body is not the same. This is why counting macros is much better than just counting calories. Also, some foods burn more calories to digest than others. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF). Animal protein and leafy greens take much more energy to digest than white bread and candy. This is why counting macronutrients is so important. It is a way to make sure your calories are coming from foods that support lean body mass, muscle repair, and growth.

Protein

1 Gram of Protein = 4 Calories

Muscle is made up of protein, and consuming complete protein provides all of the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) needed to build muscle. Protein intake is also essential for shedding those unwanted (fat) pounds. First, it helps you burn more calories because of the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Fat has a TEF of 3%, carbs have a TEF of around 8%, but protein’s TEF is between 20-30%!

So one-quarter of the protein calories you eat will be burned just from eating it. By increasing protein intake in your diet, you are burning extra calories (since the extra protein will be replacing either carbs or fat intake). Also, protein is needed to maintain and build muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) will be, since muscles are such high energy burners. When they are bigger, they will require more energy, which means extra burned calories for you. Protein also increases satiety or fullness, people report feeling less hungry after meals when eating higher protein. This leads to less snacking and greater compliance with their diet (less cheating).

With all of that said, I’m sure you aren’t surprised to see if your diet is higher in protein that what your used to. The protein in your plan will be based off your lean body mass. It will change depending on your goal, but you will always have enough protein to ensure adequate recovery between workouts.

Tip: If you see your protein requirement and it’s a lot more protein than you are used to eating, don’t jump right into it. Try a more gradual approach. Start by eating 50-75% of your required protein at first and add 3 grams a days until you reach your goal. This will help you digestive system get used to the higher protein and help to avoid digestive issues. You can make up for the lost calories in these early days by adding 1 extra gram of fat for every 3 grams of protein you subtract for the day.

Protein Powders

We like everyone to consume protein from whole food sources like meat, fish, dairy, and high protein veggies. But, we know life gets in the way sometimes and you’ll need to reach for a shake to hit your goals.

Try to make sure that you are getting at least ⅔ of your protein requirement through whole foods.

If you have no dietary restrictions, whey and casein protein are our top choices. Whey is fast digesting and great for post workout recovery. Casein digests slower and will keep you full longer.

Some of these powders are very high in carbs and added fat. Don’t waste your money on extra carbs and fat! Look for powders with:

Less than 2 grams of fat – Less that 5 grams of carbs – More that 20 grams of protein – Per Serving

Costco has great options if you are looking for the most bang for your buck.

If you do have dietary restrictions, egg, pea, and hemp proteins are our next favorite. They all have great amino acid profiles.

High Protein Food Sources:

White Fish
Shellfish
Beef
Wild Game – elk, deer, moose
Cottage Cheese

Greek Yogurt
Salmon
Whole Eggs
Egg whites

Chicken
Turkey
Deli Meats
Canned Meats – Tuna, Salmon, Chicken

High Protein Vegan Friendly Foods:

Green Peas
Black Beans
Oatmeal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Quinoa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Lentils                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Pumpkin Seeds                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Amaranth Flour                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Soy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Artichoke

FAT

1 Gram of Fat = 9 calories

If you aren’t paying attention to your fat intake you can get into trouble really quick, but fat isn’t the enemy! Fat is vital for many important functions in your body:

  • It provides the structure of cell membranes and nerve fibers
  • It transports nutrients throughout your body
  • Your hormones are produced from fat

Your goal with this our flexible dieting plan will determine the amount of fat you will be consuming. But, even if extreme fat loss is your goal, you will still be provided enough fat to maintain healthy bodily functions.

It’s easy to consume too much fat because fat is contained in so many of the foods we eat, especially on a high protein diet. A lot of high protein animal products are high in fat.

Eat Lean Protein.

Some good lean protein options are: chicken, turkey, deli meat, white fish, egg whites, and non-fat greek yogurt.

Watch your sauces and dressings.

A lot of salad dressings are loaded with fat. Opt for fat free options or use sparingly. The great thing about oils and sauces is that a little goes a long way.

Be conscious of how you cook.

One of the easiest ways to unknowingly add too much fat to your meal is cooking with too much oil. Put a small amount of oil in the pan and rub it around with your hand or opt for cooking spray.

Other great cooking alternatives are the oven, crockpot, and BBQ.

High fat food sources:

Butter
Ground Beef
Avocado

Nuts
Cream
Olive Oil

CARBOHYDRATE

1 Gram of Carbohydrates = 4 Calories

Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rep over the past decade, and in some cases rightfully so. Carbs are very easy to get your hands on. Bagels, donuts, candy, chips, soda, and the list goes on.

These foods + lack of activity = disaster

The truth is, carbohydrates aren’t the enemy, you just need to earn them. Your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen. If you’re a super active person and constantly using your glycogen storage, carbs will be used to restore it. If you aren’t very active and aren’t using your glycogen storage, those carbs will be stored as fat instead of glycogen. As long as you follow your macro plan, you will be eating the right amount of carbs to support energy levels and reach your goals.

High Glycemic Index VS. Low Glycemic Index Carbs

The Glycemic Index is a way to measure how fast a food will raise your blood sugar levels after you eat them.

High Glycemic Index (Simple) Carbs are very fast digesting and raise your blood sugar quickly. They typically have less nutritional value (less vitamins and minerals) and less fiber. Because of their fast digestion, they won’t keep you full as long.

Tip: A great time to eat simple carbs is immediately post workout. They spike your insulin and will lead to quick restoration of muscle glycogen.

Example of High Glycemic (simple) Carbs

White Rice
White Bread
Soda                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Candy

Fruit Juice
Jams, Jellies

Low Glycemic Index (complex) Carbs are slower digesting and don’t raise your blood sugar as quickly as simple carbs. They are often rich in fiber, keep you full longer, and are packed with more vitamins and minerals.

Complex carbs usually contain much less carbs by volume than simple carbs.

Broccoli
100g/3.5oz
= 7 carbs
= 2.6 Fiber

White Rice
100g/3.5oz
= 28 carbs
= .4 Fiber

So, choosing these foods will keep you full longer AND you can eat way more of them which will obviously keep you satisfied even longer.

Example of Low Glycemic Index Carbs

Brown Rice
Lentils
Beans

Yams
Broccoli
Berries

Since complex carbs are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, we give you a fiber goal to hit every day to go along with your macros. Hitting your fiber goal with help to ensure a well balanced diet.

ALCOHOL

(Please see our Get drunk not fat article. Click here)

1 Gram of Alcohol = 7 calories

Alcohol is not free of calories! We’ve had clients in the past kill their progress because they mistakenly think vodka is calorie free because there is no protein, carbs, or fat. Alcohol is very calorically dense.

To track your alcohol you will take from your carbohydrate or fat allowance. You will take the total calories and divide by 9 for fat or 4 for carbohydrates.

Example:

1 shot of vodka (1.5 oz) = 97 calories

FAT – 97/9 = 10.7 – You can choose to count this as 10.7 grams of fat toward your fat allowance

OR

CARBS – 97/4 = 24.25 – You can choose to count this as 24.25 of carbs toward your carb allowance

As you can see, a few drinks can add up very quickly. Even faster if you pair a drink with a mixer loaded with sugar.  Alcohol also lowers our inhibitions and most people eat like Jack ass’s when drinking.  Drinking calories+eating like a jackass=Disaster.

Tips: If you want to see the faster results, try to limit your alcohol consumption as much as possible. The negative effects of alcohol reach far beyond extra calories.

Weighing and Tracking your food

Weighing and Tracking your food is going to be a very important part of your success on our flexible dieting program.

Fat secret and myfitness pal is a great app with a huge food database.

Weighing and tracking for at least a month or two is very important because it will teach you about what foods contain various macronutrients and how to judge portions. This is a very valuable tool because once you’ve learned this, it will be very easy to stay on track long term without having to plan every meal.

Weighing and Measuring – Cooked vs. Raw

The weight of your food is going to change when you cook it. When cooking meat, you will lose a lot of weight due to the loss of water. For things like rice and oatmeal you will gain a lot of water during the cooking process.

Weighing things raw is the most consistent for tracking because the way you cook foods can cause changes in weight. A steak cooked well done has a different weight than a steak cooked medium.

Our rule: You can choose to track your food cooked or raw. Just make sure to pick the right one! The differences in the steak example above are so minor that it won’t make a huge impact. We want you to weigh and measure your food whatever way is most convenient for your food prepping preferences. If you are anything like us, we like to cook about 3 days worth of protein at once, so weighing it per meal after it’s cooked is much more convenient.

Meal Prep Tips:

Prep your meals for the middle of the day. This could be 2-3 meals a day depending on if you are eating 4 or 5 times a day. Most people have time to make breakfast and dinner, and this is where you can add more variety.

The foods we usually prep are: a couple lean meat choices, vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate source or two.

Buy a food scale. This way you can be sure you are counting everything accurately. You can find inexpensive digital food scales at most grocery stores or Amazon.  Weight all your solids on a scale.  Do not use volume tools(cups and spoons) to measure solids.

Prepare balanced meals. Try to split your macronutrients evenly throughout your meals. This will help make sure you stay full longer and never need to binge eat to hit your macros.

Set aside time right now that you will use to meal prep. Planning when you will be prepping will keep you on track. Most of our team does meal prep Sunday and Wednesday night. It only takes about an hour and you’ll have most of your meals for the week. If you aren’t down to eat 3-day old meals, that’s ok! A great technique is to prep extra food during dinner that you can eat the next day.

Have some easy accessible protein and vegetable sources on hand – Ex: canned chicken, tuna, deli meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, canned green beans, chopped bell peppers, etc…

Meal Prep Hack

If you think you don’t have time to prep, buy a crock pot. Throw in some frozen chicken breasts, rice or sweet potatoes, vegetables, and seasoning before you leave the house in the morning. When you come home it will be ready for dinner and have leftovers for the next day’s lunch.

Tracking your macros.

For example lets take a 150lb female who works out at least 3x/week that wants to lose body fat.  Her nutrition estimations would be

Cal=1650 Pro=125G Fat=46G Carb=185G

We can even take this a step further in making this more simple and simply give the individual a calorie number and Protein number.  I do this for many of my beginning clients to make things as simple as possible.  The simpler the plan, and the less rules to follow the more likely you will adhere to the program which is the most important factor of any nutrition plan.

***Keep in mind this is an estimation and adjustments will be made based off progression.

This will put her in a caloric deficit(A caloric deficit is required to lose fat) and will put her at enough protein to sustain and/or grow muscle.  She can eat the foods she enjoys as long as she meets her numbers.(macros)

But how do you know what to eat to hit you numbers?

Macro counting is definitely a skill and you become better and faster at it over time.

Keep it simple!  Eating your Grandmas homemade fettuccine alfredo will be hard to track. Stick to basic ingredient dishes, and nutrient dense foods.  As you become more experienced you will find it easier to track all foods.

You will need to download the app “fatsecret” on your cell phone.  You will also need a digital kitchen scale.  Simply enter in what you ate into the app and it counts it all up for you.  Too many calories?  Reduce your portion sizes.  Not enough protein?  Reduce Carbohydrate and/or fat and eat more calories from protein sources.  You get the idea.  Its as simple as that, and that is the beauty of Flexible dieting.  The less rules we have to follow, and the simpler we can make nutrition the more likely we are to adhere to the program which is the most important factor of any nutrition program.

How would you like to have a coach calculate your custom macros, a coach to keep you accountable, and a coach to check in with?  We’ve got just the online nutrition program for you.  Simply fill out the form below and an Amplified coach will be in touch with you within 24 hours.

 

Yes! I’m Ready to Lead a Healthier Life!
Simply fill out the form below and we’ll contact you within 24 hours to schedule your no obligation fitness consultation.

We respect your privacy. Your info will never be shared.

June Member of the Month-Cody Hansen

June’s member of the Month is Cody Hansen!

Congratulation’s Cody, this means a coach has noticed your incredible work ethic and the value you bring to our community.

8 lower body exercise for people with bad knees.

Do you have bad knee but still want to workout your lower body?  Check out these 8 lower body exercises.

*Disclaimer.  Not all knee injuries are equal.  There may be some movements here that are not suitable for you.  Listen to your body, don’t push through bad pain, consult with a physician first.