Let’s be clear right off the bat.

“Excess fat can’t be blamed on insulin, carbohydrates, or the Loch Ness Monster. Gaining body fat comes from taking in more calories than you burn. Anyone who dares to prove otherwise will surely win a Nobel Prize in physics for disproving the first law of thermodynamics. I should know, I’ve won the Nobel Prize.”
– James Fell

It’s simple; your bodyweight is dictated exclusively by calories in versus calories out. This is a fact, it’s not open for debate or further discussion, the jury has deliberated and the verdict is in. Experts in the field of nutrition are not scratching their heads when it comes to what causes weight gain/loss. If you eat more calories than you expend and you will gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you expend and you will lose weight. Stop right there! This is the important part, not all calories are created equal. In this quick discussion, we are going to discuss the love/hate relationship with carbs.

Do you really want to live in a world without carbs? They are delicious. They directly affect your mood and energy levels. Carbs are necessary. Your favorite athlete eats carbs and tons of them. Lebron James, Michael Phelps, Cam Newton, you name it – they eat carbs. These athletic superstars are not avoiding carbs in any way and by you knowing their names, means they are more than decent at their craft. I mean, you could lose weight by not eating carbs. You could also eat cereal with a fork, that doesn’t make it a good idea. My point is, there is a better way. The keyword is the truest, everything in MODERATION!

It’s time to ditch the all-or-nothing mentality. This is not a left or right issue. I hate the term ‘lifestyle change’ because people automatically assume that their ENTIRE LIFESTYLE is wrong or needs to be reversed. Your lifestyle is probably not that bad, it just needs to be tweaked slightly. I prefer the term lifestyle ‘adjustment’. Simply remix your diet as slightly as possible in order to make the scale budge. It could be as simple as switching to diet soda, having one serving of rice for lunch instead of two, having 3 Oreos instead of the entire row (just walk away), etc.

Fit Food Fresh Says: Eat Carbs, if anything if you’re on one of our meal plans, incorporate some paelo meals into your diet. And try to save them for last, as you will find you will awaken with a clean stomach and feel more refreshed. For those who don’t know, our paleo meals feature grilled or steamed veggies in place of brown rice or quinoa as a side. Ask your Fit Food Fresh advisor for details.

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Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken with Baked Rosemary Potatoes & Sautéed Zucchini

It’s a new year.  For most of us, that means a clean slate and a fresh start full of ambitious resolutions that we fully intend to keep no matter what life throws our way. Those resolutions, however, can be hard to focus on when life gets in the way. Work, kids, weekends, holidays- just a few of the obstacles waiting to put a screeching halt to our determination. At Fit Food Fresh we love to lend a helping hand – it’s what we do and we love it.  We take care of the cooking, the shopping, the tedious menu planning, we deliver it to your door, and all you have to do is enjoy it. Simple enough, right?

This past week at Fit Food Fresh, we served up a deliciously juicy lemon and garlic grilled chicken.  Since we know you enjoyed it ever so much (we did too!), we’re going to give you the super simple recipe so you can make it at home. This recipe was passed down from the Fit Food Fresh top-secret family files so you won’t find it anywhere else! It’s a well-rounded and balanced option that you won’t even get the “healthy vibes” from.  And trust us, your friends and families with be fighting to get the recipe from you.

Just a few ingredients and you’ll be on your way to super chefdom!

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 CHICKEN:

2 Chicken breasts

1 halved Lemon

2 Cloves finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 pinch Italian herb blend

Salt and pepper as desired

 POTATOES:

2 regular or red potatoes cut into wedges

1 tablespoon  of freshly chopped rosemary

1 drizzle olive oil

Pinch of paprika

Salt and pepper as desired

 ZUCCHINI:

1 zucchini sliced horizontally on the diagonal

2 teaspoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper as desired

 DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place the potato wedges in a baking or casserole dish and drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the rosemary and salt/pepper.  Mix everything (by hand or spoon) to coat the potatoes and place in the oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until desired tenderness.

In a small bowl, squeeze the juice from the lemon halves and mix thoroughly with the garlic, Italian herbs, and olive oil.  Coat the chicken with the mixture and arrange side by side in a baking dish.  Pour the remaining mixture over the chicken and place the dish in the oven with the potatoes.  Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork (no longer pink inside).

While the chicken and potatoes are baking, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat.  When the pan is ready, add the zucchini and stir frequently until the zucchini is tender.  Add salt and pepper to your desired taste.

When everything is ready, plate your beautiful and healthy dish and most importantly, ENJOY!

We’d love to hear your feedback and see your creations on Instagram.  Please tag your photos with the hashtag: #FitFoodFreshness.  Cheers to a great 2015 ahead!

We hear the term “superfoods” all the time now, since there is a shining spotlight on clean eating and staying healthy these days (and that trend is here to stay!). What is a superfood, though? Does it have super powers? There is no medical or legal definition to the term superfoods, but we do know that they are healthy beyond belief! Superfoods are packed full of nutrients, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals and eating them has its benefit. Fighting chronic illnesses, keeping your energy flowing, and overall staying healthier and fit are all the super powers of the amazing superfoods.

At Fit Food Fresh, we’re always serving up superfoods. They’re always on our menus; we wouldn’t leave you hanging! Some of our favorite superfoods here at Fit Food Fresh are brussel sprouts, spinach, avocado, kale, broccoli, and pomegranate. Each item listed serves a purpose to your body and overall well-being. The green stuff is full of heart healthy nutrients and pomegranate is an amazing antioxidant. You thought you were just eating some green veggies, but low and behold – they’re superfoods!

Be on the lookout for superfoods on our menu. Next week we’re serving up a spicy peach basted grilled chicken breast with roasted brussel sprouts (yum!) and a carrot ‘pasta’ with turkey sausage and sautéed spinach (double yum!). Keep your eye out, you’ll start feeling great with our Fit Food Fresh superfoods!