Plan Your Meals Ahead for Stay Healthy Success

Hi Everyone!

Planning your meals ahead is a big part of success in your Stay Healthy nutrition program. The weekends are BIG COOK days for me and my hubby. We get out the crock pots, fill them full of 8-12 servings of steel cut oats, brown rice, and boneless skinless chicken breasts. Then we separate the meals out into individual containers to grab & go throughout the week. This process has become a part of our FUN together time as well. Creating in the kitchen is a passion and I will be sharing all my ideas, recipes and MORE with you. Let's start with a few plan ahead meal ideas though, reduce our stress, keep us out of snacks that are NO NOs when it comes to health....toss the chips, crackers, cookies, & anything that is processed and sits waiting for you in your kitchen cabinets...TOSS TOSS TOSS!!! Replace with foods that you will need to cook, but if you start planning ahead...it will become a Stay Healthy Habit! Check out our steel cut Crock Pot oats, brown rice, and boneless/skinless chicken breasts.....fabulous complex carbohydrates/fiber and lean proteins.

CROCK POT STEEL CUT OATS

BROWN RICE

BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS

Me after my modified workout, No Fluff, No Makeup, 46 years young, & maintained through Stay Healthy Nutrition & Exercise!!!!

Stay Healthy!!!

Darla Leal, LCPT

Stay Healthy "No Noodle" Eggplant Lasagna featured in the December issue of Natural Muscle Magazine

HI READERS!!!!

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and you are looking forward to a special holiday with Family and friends. The winter chill is in the air here and I have put together a Fabulous Healthy Great Tasting Meal for these cold nights. I guarantee this recipe WILL BE a HIT and you will want to make it many times and hopefully add it to your regular favorites.....IT IS THAT GOOD! In fact, head on over to page 40 of the December issue of Natural Muscle Magazine and try it tonight. I look forward to your feedback.

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/dec10vitualopt/2010112601/

Have a Merry Christmas and Stay Healthy!!!

Darla Leal, LCPT, LCMT

www.stayhealthyfitness.com

Stay Healthy Recipe and Article

Hi Readers....

I hope you are doing well, getting healthy and Staying Healthy!!! The September issue of Natural Muscle Magazine is now available so please check out page 40 for another Stay Healthy recipe. All the tools are given to you and it is YOU that needs to love yourself enough to take advantage of the gifts I am providing to you. My desire is to reach out and help as many people as I can get healthy and Stay Healthy!!! Today is a new day and always the RIGHT time to START taking control of your life and being the BEST YOU for a LIFETIME. Also included in this Blog post is my recent article about truly LOVING yourself. It is not to offend, but to open your eyes and realize the importance of your health. Take good care and Stay Healthy!!!

The Links:

Recipe: http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/nmsept10virtual/2010082601/

Article: http://my.rosevillept.com/detail/157585.html?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=When+did+you+Give+Up+on+Yourself&user_id=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&event_ts_to=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=2&sub_type=stories&town_id==

Stay Healthy!!!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com

fitness@stayhealthyfitness.com

Stay Healthy Stuffed Peppers for Dinner and Darla Fitness Challenge

Hi Readers!!!

How are you doing on your nutrition??? Are you starting to eat the Stay Healthy way? All the tools are right here in front of you....so take a minute, STOP WATCHING TV (see my fitness challenge), dash to the grocery and try some Stay Healthy Stuffed Peppers for Dinner. All the recipes I am providing for you are created by me, taste tested by me, and I GUARANTEE that you will absolutely LOVE the flavors, textures, and aromas coming from cooking the foods, and enjoy the wonderful tastes from a healthy home cooked meal.....nothing gets better than that. Take some time for an after dinner walk when you are done eating and really treat yourself to some quality "ME" time. The August issue of Natural Muscle Magazine features my Stay Healthy Stuffed Peppers on page 40.....Pull it up and let's get cooking!!!!

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/natural-muscle-august-10/2010072701/

Enjoy and Stay Healthy!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/

Stay Healthy Turkey Burgers and Baked Steak Fries

YOU CAN MAKE THIS......

A HEALTHY BURGER WITH FLAVOR THAT WILL KEEP YOU COMING BACK FOR MORE!!!!!!

Hi Readers!!!

This recipe is so easy to put together, fun, fresh, healthy, and with so much wonderful flavor...YES...cooking and eating healthy TASTES DAMN GOOD!!!

Ready, Set, Let's Go!!!!!

Stay Healthy Turkey Burgers and Baked Steak Fries

Baked Steak Fries:

Cook these first so they can bake while preparing the Burger

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Line cookie sheet with foil for easy clean up
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Johnny Garlic Seasoning (or any seasoning you like)

Wash 1 large potato and pierce with knife. Put in microwave for 3 minutes. Place on cutting board, and slice into wedges leaving the skin on.

In a bowl, pour 2-3tbsp of olive oil and mix in the Johnny Garlic Seasoning. Dip each wedge into oil mixture and place on baking sheet. Put into oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until browned the way you like. I prefer a bit of a crispy outside and soft center. Continue to watch the cooking on these while making the burgers, and remove when browned the way you like. Set aside

The Burger:

Prepare griddle with Pam and set heat on medium high

1/2 lb ground lean turkey meat

Yoshidas gourmet sauce
Grill Mates Hamburger Seasoning
Crushed Red Pepper
Oroweat 100% whole wheat Sandwich Thins

Place the ground turkey into a bowl and pour 2-3tbsp of Yoshida Sauce over meat, sprinkle with 1-2tsp seasoning, and use your hands to mix together thoroughly. Form the meat into 2 patties and place on the hot griddle. Turn after browned, and continue to cook through, about 8-10 minutes.

The Toppings (have them ready to go!!!):

Fresh Avocado
Fresh Baby Spinach
Sliced Jalapenos in the jar (you choose your heat level)
Sliced Tomato
Sliced Red Onion (if the onion is not sweet, I grill mine for a bit)
Sweet Heat Mustard

Toss the Oroweat Sandwich Thins into the toaster to warm or if there is room on the griddle heat next to the burgers after they have been turned.

Spread mustard on both sides of the Oroweat Sandwich Thin, and top the bread with the cooked turkey patty. Start layering your burger with the toppings...I start with the Baby Spinach, Onion, Tomato, Avocado, and end with the Jalapenos. This is a messy burger so be prepared with a fork on the side.


Grab your plate, your burger, and a few fries.....You WILL LOVE THIS!!!


Stay Healthy!!!
Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT
http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/

Eat to Live!!!!

Stay Healthy Published Recipes in Natural Muscle Magazine......Happy 14th Anniversary!!!

Hi Readers!!!

You have seen them on my Blog.....now see them in Natural Muscle Magazine!!!! Enjoy four fabulous Stay Healthy Recipes all in one Blog Post and as featured in Natural Muscle:) The November issue marks the 14th anniversary of Natural Muscle Magazine and I celebrate being part of such a wonderful publication and for all there support in helping me spread the Stay Healthy Lifestyle!!!!

Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/

The Butt.....read on.....

Good Evening Readers….

Let’s talk about the BUTT…no, not but…I mean the backside, bootie…yes…BUTT. This is a subject ALL women love to discuss. Hence the famous question “Do these pants make my butt look too big?” Let me start by saying thank goodness all women are built in beautifully unique ways giving character to each of our personal backsides. I will also share that there is no such thing as spot reduction. So when you point to your BUTT and say I want that gone….sorry, you have to look at the whole picture. Fitness is a head to toe achievement. Now, moving on….I will share some exercises that will firm up the bootie in addition to your nutritional and cardio program. Take into consideration the muscles making up the Gluteus (Butt)…Gluteus Maximus, Medius, Minimus, and Piriformis, and the direction they take on the body. The Gluteus Maximus…the large muscle of the butt is a hip extender (takes your leg backward)…any exercise that extends the hip such as running, butt blaster, lunges, etc will benefit the backside. The Glutes Medius, Minimus abduct the femur (leg), so exercises that involve taking the legs out to the side benefit these muscles…the seated abduction machine is great for isolating these muscles. The opposing muscles (adductors – which are worked by taking the leg back to the mid line of the body) are also isolated and benefited by the seated adduction machine. OK ladies you know the machines that everyone tends to avoid because you feel like you have to cover your crotch…or OMG…the whole world is staring at me sitting in this contraption. Throw those ideas out the window and start isolating these muscles correctly. Adjust the machines to a challenging weight, and FOCUS…even place your hands the side of your bootie to help you feel the contraction as you push the weights out…and yes into a split like motion…for crying out loud….no one is looking…work the damn things. Now, move to the adduction machine, place your hands on your inner thighs and repeat the same focused contraction taking your legs back together. Moving on to the lovely Piriformis…an external rotator of the leg. Cable machines are good too work the Piriformis as you can play with the leg angle. Also, this wonderful muscle assists in leg abduction, so guess what….when you are working your Medius and Minimus, the Piriformis is along for the ride. All of us want to achieve the APPLE BUTT, and applying a healthy nutrition and fitness program will get us to the Genetic Apple we are all supposed to have.

Train On and Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla