It’s all too common to see clients believe they can ONLY improve their health and/or sports performance by LOWERING their weight - that a lower body fat percentage and improving sports performance and/or health markers are directly connected. Heck, I used to be one of these people!

3 things will optimize your muscle gain: Resistance training, A calorie surplus, Adequate protein intake.

Each of these things plays off of one another. You can gain muscle in a calorie surplus without resistance training, but you’ll likely put on more fat than you will lean body mass if you don’t lift. If you don’t eat enough protein, you won’t put on as much muscle as you could.

Probably. Creatine is popular in strength athletes but it does so much more. Creatine is produced by your body and found in foods like meat and fish. Creatine is a combination of different amino acids and helps produce energy!

Chicken doesn’t have to suck! Marinades are your friend. Sweet, sweet little chicken baths that load it with flavor and juiciness. Whenever I cook a chicken I stick with the tenderloins or thighs — if using full breasts, butterfly them so they’re not as thick! The quicker we can cook these suckers, the better.

“If I see one more of those articles, I’m going to lose my mind! Women don’t need to train around their cycles, that’s absurd!” I was sitting in a Strength and Conditioning class with my favorite professor. We were talking about fitness articles that discussed women adapting their training in the gym to sync with their menstrual cycles. The whole class laughed, and I chuckled along. Sure, I myself had problems getting out of bed and taking care of my kids, but maybe there was just something wrong with me?

I used to be SUPER intimidated to cook salmon since it’s much more expensive than meat and fairly delicate. I was afraid I would completely screw it up all the time. There are times where I don’t cook it exactly how I want to (honestly, while making this recipe I got distracted setting up my camera for photos and cooked it for a minute too long lol). But the thing is, it’s still delicious! And you only get better with practice. If you’re really nervous, try starting off with one fillet and go from there!

New year! New you...? What’s it really going to take to accomplish those goals this year? Here are five things you should be focusing on.

So, you’ve made the decision to improve your health through nutrition this year. Uh, okay… now what?

Having a vague goal like “eat healthier” or “lose weight” can end up being really frustrating. Why? Because there is no clear starting point or first step and no clear endpoint or why to evaluate that you have attained your goal.

What do you get when you prepare sweet, roasted veggies with the tanginess from a very Dijon-y dressing? Perfection *chefs kiss*

You don’t have to use the pre-cut and trimmed veggies from TJ’s, I just do that for convenience. So if you don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s... don’t fret!

We all get sick of the same old salads sometimes. Luckily, this asparagus salad offers a little something different for the palette. Crisp, blanched asparagus mixed with the sweetness of an orange and the bitterness of browned endives and radicchio will leave a complex yet refreshing taste in your mouth while filling your belly and leaving you wanting seconds.

We have fully embraced the notion that each individual client needs to be educated and coached in a very specific way. Not only are your goals and knowledge about nutrition unique and specific to you, but they will most likely change during your time with us.

You can take a ride to flavor town in less than 30 minutes with this bad boy. Protein-packed and delicious.

Easiest breakfast meal prep ever! The texture on these is phenomenal. No one likes rubber egg pucks for breakfast (at least I hope not).

Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? This recipe is on the chunkier side, coach Emi likes her’s with some of the skin on to add a bit more texture. The great thing about these is that you can modify the milk and butter to suit your tastes! She used 1% milk in order to keep the fat low, but you can use any milk you like. You can also sub the butter for a vegan alternative, such as earth balance, in case you or any friends/family members aren’t into dairy.

If you think Brussels sprouts have to only taste like freshly mowed grass, THINK AGAIN! The trick is to slice them thinly (or be lazy and buy the pre-shaved ones from Trader Joes as I do) and make sure you slightly burn them. That’s where the magic happens.

Let’s talk Thanksgiving Day! Too often, I hear how much anxiety a day like Thanksgiving brings to my clients. A holiday that is basically centered around how much food we can stuff into our face in one sitting terrifies many people who are on a weight loss, or health and fitness journey. I put together a quick list of my favorite strategies to help you relax and enjoy the day!

I’m not sure why our loved ones and friends think that they need to have an opinion on how we choose to eat and take care of our bodies, but they always do. It can be an uncomfortable situation and often leads us to feel bad about the choices we are making to improve our health and find balance in our relationship with food.

As the holidays approach, the number of social gatherings and parties packed into the next few weeks will be numerous. While indulging in a few treats over the holidays won’t derail your progress, a steady stream of regular get-togethers and celebrations over four to six weeks (or eight...who’s counting) can really start to add up. This can have a big impact on your ability to stay on track towards achieving your goals. Here are a few ways you can make it through the holiday party season while balancing your nutritional needs and continuing on the path to success.

Happy September! For a lot of you – that means your schedule and routine are changing. A LOT. Either you or your kids are going back to school. Some of you may even be starting new jobs. And that means that your food and meal prep routine - which worked for you so well over the summer - may need a serious makeover. Here’s what you can do to help yourself.

If you are craving Italian for dinner, then I’ve got you covered. Low carb and GLUTEN FREE. Not to mention, delicious! This was one of the biggest hits I have had with my kids in a while. This one takes a bit of work with breading the chicken, but I promise you, it’s SO WORTH IT!