Metabolic Effect – Jill Jacobs

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Digestive Health, Lean Eating, Lean Lifestyle, Recipes

TWENTY Delicious AND Healthy Snacks for a Lean Lifestyle

I’m often told by clients and readers that they struggle to eat more frequently. Many times, we wait until we’re famished before grabbing a bite and end up making an unhealthy choice. Eating frequently can ward off a bad decision or a binge. The typical problem I hear from people, however, is that they can’t think of decent, protein-filled healthy snacks to fill in between meals. Many simply get bored with eating the same things over and over and over again.

I get it! I’m totally the same way.

To help you out, I’ve put together this extensive list of TWENTY delicious snacks to mix things up a bit from day-to-day. I’m sure you can find a few things on the list to add to your snack rotation.

20 Delicious and Healthy Snacks for a Lean Lifestyle

Sliced turkey in romaine lettuce rollups with a little mustard
Sliced deli meat rolled with sliced avocado inside
High protein (low-fat/carb), unsweetened Greek plain yogurt (options: add cocoa and stevia, add PB2 and stevia, add a spoonful or 2 of canned pumpkin with cinnamon and stevia, add a trickle of trail mix, add 1/2 scoop protein powder, sweeten with stevia and add fresh berries on top)
Biotrust Protein Cookies

Hard boiled eggs and apple, pear, berries, or grapefruit
Krave Bars Seriously- the cookie dough AND baked apple pie are to die for!!
celery with almond or other nut butter
1/4 cup nuts and an apple, pear, berries, or grapefruit

Homemade protein bar
Protein shake – either with water only in a shaker bottle or blended with ice for a healthy “milk” shake
Can or packet of tuna or smoked salmon – mix in mustard with it with an apple or a hard boiled egg

ANY left over meal (already cooked chicken, lean pork, other leftover meat)
Jerky
Keep a baggie of assorted raw veggies on hand for any time
Hard boiled egg stuffed with tuna – very filling!
Rotisserie chicken – fast food at the grocery store! Combine with some veggies or berries.
Baked egg muffins (microwave for a quick snack)
3-6 boiled egg whites with 1/2 avocado slices, 1/2 cup of olive, or 1/4 cup raw nuts (add a 1/2 grapefruit as well if you desire)
1/2 avocado and diced chicken with salsa made into guacamole chicken salad
Cottage cheese with apple, berries, pear, grapefruit, or 1/4 cup nuts

What would YOU add to this list? Let me know in the comments! We are all in this lifestyle thing together and can learn from each other!

xo -Jill

Affiliate Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. If you buy through the link, the price is still the exact same for you, but I make a small percentage for recommending the product. The opinions expressed in the post are my own and all products shown are those I have used and truly believe in. Thanks for supporting my blog!

February 19, 2015/1 Comment/by Jill Jacobs

Lean Eating, Lean Lifestyle

My Top 10 Tips for Navigating Social Events and Eating Out Without Gaining a Single Pound

Today’s culture involves eating outside the home often. Whether it’s dinner out with friends on the weekend, attending a holiday party or wedding reception, or simply grabbing lunch on your lunch hour with co-workers, eating out is inevitable. This can be a stressful aspect of living a “lean and healthy lifestyle” but it doesn’t have to be!

Good news- Eating out doesn’t have to increase your waistline! There are many ways you can make eating out work for your goals. 🙂 I understand that it’s hard to let go of the control that we have when eating in where we know each and every ingredient, but if you follow just a few simple guidelines, your social life won’t have to suffer!

Here are my top 10 tips for navigating a social event and eating out without gaining a single pound:

Do your homework – When you know ahead of time where you will be eating, take a couple of minutes to check out the menu online. Most restaurants have their menu items listed out on their website. Walking in an establishment with a plan is the best offense.

Skip the freebies – Many restaurants bring out a complimentary loaf of bread with butter, chips and salsa, or the like. Say “No, thank you.” Ask your server to bring out raw veggies to munch on if you really need something before your entrée arrives. Don’t place unnecessary temptation right in front of you! If you’re in a situation where this isn’t possible, focus on chatting and socializing before your meal arrives.

Avoid drinking your calories – Ask for water to drink. If you want a little flavor, add lemon, lime, or even a squeeze of orange to your water. Avoid soda, booze, and other high-calorie drinks. They add up quickly! If you decide to have alcohol, limit yourself to 2 drinks and avoid starches and fats at that meal. Alcohol is best consumed with lean meat and fibrous veggies.

Choose lean meat – Almost every restaurant has an option for a lean cut of meat. It may be a grilled chicken breast, boiled shrimp, baked or broiled fish, or even sashimi if you’re feeling adventurous! Always steer clear of anything fried.
This is a “chicken sandwich” – hold the bun, please.” 🙂

Be choosy with your side items – Instead of the normal baked potato, rice, or fries, order steamed broccoli, mixed veggies, roasted asparagus, a side salad, or grilled zucchini and squash. There are almost always healthy side items available.

Remember the rule: “Fat over carbs” – Examples of this strategy
When eating Thai food, I skip the rice.

are guacamole salad over rice and beans, bacon and boiled egg on your salad over croutons and bread, meat with cheese over meat on a bun, grilled chicken salad over grilled chicken sandwich, and veggies sautéed in olive oil over a baked potato. If you’re attending a party and a meat and cheese tray and mini sandwich tray are both being served, choose the meat and cheese even though the meat on these trays tend to be higher in fat (i.e. salami).

Order all sauces on the side when you can – Sauces and dressings can completely ruin a fat-loss friendly meal turning it into a fat-storing meal. Ordering sauces and dressings on the side allow YOU to be in control of how much you eat, if any. When ordering salad dressing, the best choice would be an oil and vinegar based dressing.

Stick to entrées – Appetizers and desserts add extra calories and are rarely fat-loss friendly choices. When you do order an appetizer, choose something like shrimp cocktail. Desserts are best saved for off-plan, cheat meals.

Watch your portion sizes – Most restaurant portions are entirely too large for one person. Split your meal in half and take it home or share it with your friend.

Keep good company – It’s important to surround yourself with people who share your values in all aspects of life. When you eat out, take along a friend or your spouse who is supportive of your healthy lifestyle. With time and practice, it becomes easier to eat for your fat loss goals even when those around you order things that aren’t on your plan. When you begin trying to change your habits, however, it’s important to seek out support from like-minded friends or even a coach that can cheer you on and answer all of your questions about changing your habits and lifestyle (see the bottom of this post for my top recommendations for coaching services).

There you have it. My top 10 strategies that I personally use when eating out.

Many believe that lean, fit people prep all their food ahead of time, portion it out for the week, and never dine out or even eat enjoyable, flavorful food. That is simply not true. It’s definitely possible to eat out, socialize, and enjoy food while eating for fat loss!

Trust me… I LOVE food and love to eat. I enjoy EVERY bite I put in my mouth. 😀

Head over to my facebook page and let me know YOUR favorite fat-loss friendly restaurant or a rule of thumb you use to stay on track while eating out!

If you’re wanting information about coaching services that I recommend, here is my current top suggestion to help you reach your goals!

FASTer Way to Fat Loss 6 Week Boot Camp that Utilizes Carb Cycling and Intermittent Fasting – HIGHLY effective program!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Your program pricing does not go up, but if you register through my link I get a bit for referring you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

December 22, 2014/1 Comment/by Jill Jacobs

Guest Post, Lean Lifestyle, Mindset, Motivation

How to Get Your Priorities Straight Once and For All

Meet my friend, Maryalice. 🙂

Maryalice Goldsmith, Founder of InsideOut Wellness

Maryalice, over the past couple of years, has become a great friend of mine. We me in Winston-Salem, NC at a photo shoot for fitness professionals that was hosted by our mutual business coach, Jill Coleman. I was immediately drawn to Maryalice’s lively personality and energetic presence. Plus, she’s hilarious and makes me laugh out loud constantly when we are together- and who doesn’t love laughter?!? It’s healing for the soul! We had a fun weekend getting to know each other and have been friends ever since!

Maryalice is a leader when it comes to working with clients to lower stress, set priorities in order, and pursue a fulfilled life! This is a journey she knows very well herself (as you will read below), so she’s the perfect person to offer her perspective on how to go about pursuing your own purpose. Maryalice a person who sets out to help others every single day!

I was chatting with Maryalice recently, and she mentioned that she had a “Finding Your Purpose” program she’d been using with her own clients. This was an exciting revelation since I’m often asked by busy women about how to stay motivated and how to keep health and fitness a priority. I asked Maryalice if she’d make an appearance on my blog to share some ideas about how she navigated this journey and offer you some tips on getting started with setting priorities in line with your goals and purpose!

Enjoy this journey with Maryalice… 🙂

Hey everyone, I am thrilled to be here on Jill’s blog and even more excited to share a bit about my journey. So thank you for being here!

A few years ago I had one of those revelations, you know the kind that people talk about that changes their whole life…puts things into perspective – that kind. But, unlike many people who have those ‘A-HA’ moments, mine was more of an ‘A-HA’ journey.

I think many of you can relate to those times in your life when you are driving along and you think ‘There must be something more ~ this can’t be it!’ I have to tell you while having these thoughts there was no way I wanted to share it with anyone. I actually felt a bit guilty as I had a pretty awesome life. I was married to my high school sweetheart for 16-years, we had 3-awesome boys, and at the time a beautiful fur-baby (our Yellow-Lab – Abby, now we have 2!). Life was good and there was no way I should be feeling sorry for myself and looking for more. But, in all honestly, I was.

I had this ‘Ho-Hum’ feeling. Every day seemed the same and in one word I was bored. It sounds ridiculous now, but at that time it was what it was. I was a stay-at-home mom, a dream of my husband and mine and I loved being a mom for my boys, there is no greater blessing. I think that is why I was even more dumbfounded. Here I had anything I could have ever wanted and still wasn’t satisfied, I wasn’t 100% happy. This was a struggle because I was ashamed.

Then the journey began…

One day a friend of mine introduced me to this book called the Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly. I hadn’t read a book in I don’t know how long so I was excited to have a book that came highly recommended. I began to read this book and I was having those ‘A-HA’ moments non-stop! There was so much he was speaking about that was resonating.

Lacking focus
Feeling bored with life
Lacking energy – depression and frustration
The yearning for something more.

He spoke about how many of us struggle with lack of direction and focus…(Hello – I can so relate!) how we allow ourselves to get caught up in the chaos of life without taking the time to touch base with our soul. We let stress, anxiety, and frustration to build up and we block ourselves from true happiness.

I decided that I was not going to take these ‘A-HA’ moments and do nothing with them – I was going to start my process ~ my journey inward. I began to meditate every morning – I would wake before the entire house and I would sit in complete stillness. This was REALLY hard to get used to, but once I did, it became a highlight of my day. I would then journal and express what was on my heart and mind.

4-Key elements we all need to focus on…

There were 4-key elements I would address at the end of my journal entry – how was I going to address my spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical needs of that day? I would dedicate part of my day to address these 4-area’s because in that I was honoring my soul. When we honor our soul ~ when we give our soul a voice we are then able to be the very best version of ourselves, we are able to thrive.

This journey was an amazing experience. It made me realize that I wasn’t lacking in anything except the connection to myself. I had lost myself. I was undefined – lacking focus, energy, and my purpose. I had entrenched myself in my role of a wife and a mother, which is a great thing, but as the kids got older and needed me less I became more and more lost.

It takes more than an ‘A-HA’ moment to reveal your true purpose!

Self-discovery of any kind takes time and commitment. The more I practiced stillness the better I got at it. The more I addressed my physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual needs the more I discovered who I was, what I loved, who inspired me, and who I inspired. I began to live my life with purpose and everything changed – Everything!

I remember waiting for my youngest son to come home after school one day, he was 8-years old at the time. I saw the bus come through the neighborhood, so I jumped up to meet him outside. He came running up the hill to our house and I said: “Hey buddy, how was your day!?” He looked up at me with a quizzical stare and simply said: “Why are you so happy!?”

Now someone might have taken offense to this, but for me, it was so affirming. I was not happy the way I was living. I wasn’t miserable either but there is a difference between a person who is grateful and aware and one who is always in search of something more. When you look at someone who is lost and confused versus someone who is confidently clear about his or her life – there is a HUGE difference. This was a profound moment for me. I knew I had revealed my purpose through my practice and the work I had put in. Even more importantly, I knew just how important it was to live with purpose and how it can have a profound impact on one’s life and the people in it.

It doesn’t take a miracle, just respecting your process…

There is no miracle here, by any means. Like I said, there was no one ‘A-HA’ moment that changed my life forever, there is a process and a journey that led me back to me. This process has given me clarity, direction, inspiration, and passion for living my best life yet. If it weren’t for this process I wouldn’t be typing this right now. It allowed me to take risks to design the life of my dreams from the inside out!

I am a believer that when you discover or learn something it is our obligation to share it with as many people as we possibly can. In fact, I have discovered that one of my main reasons I am on this earth is to help others – to bring people to a better understanding of themselves. Doesn’t necessarily matter how I do that, but I know that when I am doing it, I get fired up in a really good way! I am living with purpose. Are you living with purpose?

There is no need to rush your process. This is your journey and should be respected as such.

People who live with purpose are more focused, grateful, happy, and successful. Their success comes from, not so much in what they are doing but more from the fact that no matter what it is they do, they do it well. They are fulfilled and they embrace life 100%. Their priorities are in order and they go to great lengths to address them daily. They know themselves to the core and they live their life based on their values and morals. They are ‘doers’, risk takers, and they live a passionate life. We all deserve that!

If you have any questions you can reach me here: info@insideout-wellness.net

In Health & Fitness,
Maryalice

November 20, 2014/1 Comment/by Jill Jacobs

Lean Eating, Lean Lifestyle, Recipes

{Recipe} Grain-Free Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite fall treats!

Every year for the last several years, I’ve made a particular recipe for Pumpkin Bread that I found in a Southern Living recipe book (with a few of my own tweaks). It’s always been a hit at home as well as among my friends! This year, I decided to attempt a grain-free (and therefore gluten-free), lower sugar version. I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out incredibly delicious and was very easy to make!

Here is a slice I enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee. It was perfectly moist and tasty! 🙂

If you’d like to try your hand at this recipe, here is how I made it….

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe (makes 2 loaves)

3 1/3 cups of almond flour
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups of Truvia for baking (depending on how sweet you want your bread – I went with 1 1/2 cups because I have a major sweet tooth! If you use something besides Truvia, it needs to be equivalent to 3 cups of sugar.)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 oz. all natural, no added sugar apple sauce
2/3 cup water
4 large eggs
1 15 oz can of pure, preferably organic, pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling – needs to be 100% pumpkin)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir until incorporated. Combine all wet ingredients until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir together until well incorporated. Divide batter into 2 large (9×5), greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Slice each loaf into 10-12 slices. 1 slice equals 1 serving. Serve cold or warm. To warm, heat a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Enjoy!

p.s. This recipe freezes well, so I froze one loaf for later. 🙂

p.p.s. If you’d like your own copy, sign up below to receive a printable version of this recipe! Check your spam/junk folder to confirm your subscription. 🙂

October 28, 2014/0 Comments/by Jill Jacobs

Digestive Health, Lean Eating, Lean Lifestyle, Recipes

{RECIPE} Super Easy Pumpkin Turkey Chili

I love autumn….. and pumpkin turkey chili!

This is the time of year to get excited about the cooler weather, football season, beautiful changing leaves, and ALL THINGS PUMPKIN!

I was going through some old recipes recently and came across this beanless Pumpkin Turkey Chili recipe that I picked up at the grocery store a few years back. I never made it and honestly had forgotten about it.

I searched the pantry and refrigerator and had most of the ingredients. I changed the recipe slightly to fit my own preferences and had my grocery-shopping husband, David (yeah… he grocery shops! #winning), pick up the couple of items we needed. Last night, David threw this lovely recipe together (yep, he cooks too!), and we enjoyed this super quick and easy Pumpkin Turkey Chili.

It was surprisingly delicious! The pumpkin thickens it up nicely without the beans, so I really didn’t miss them at all. It gets 2 thumbs up from us!! It’s perfect for a lazy weekend day or for serving at a game day party. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper chopped
1 clove of minced garlic
1 lb. ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Dash of salt
Dash of crushed red pepper (optional but delicious if you like spicy things!)

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute’ the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey and cook until browned. Pour mixture into a soup pan or crock pot. Mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. Season with the remaining spices. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes OR cook in the crockpot on low for 4-5 hours.
Serves up to 6 people. Feel free to double the recipe for a larger crowd.

Once you make it, let me know what you think over on my facebook page!

Post by Jill Jacobs – Lifestyle Coaching.

~Jill

October 22, 2014/0 Comments/by Jill Jacobs

Lean Eating, Lean Lifestyle, Recipes

Tailgating 101: Lean Up Your Tailgating Experience

If you’re anything like me, you LOVE football season and all that goes along with it…including tailgating!

Where I live in the Southeast, football RULES this time of year. That means team spirit, fall weather, loud cheers, bands playing, huge rivalries, seeing college friends at homecoming, pick ’em tournaments, and TAILGATING! Fun, fun!

Contrary to popular belief, tailgating doesn’t have to be a junk food fest. Scoot over chips, dips, fried foods, and nachos! There are ways to have a delicious tailgating experience and still eat with your physique and training goals in mind. Good news, huh? 🙂

Below I’m offering my best tips for a nutritious tailgate party whether in the comfort of your own home or out in the parking lot on your favorite college campus.

My Lean Eating Tailgating 101 Tutorial:

First, before gathering with your friends and family to cheer your team on to a WIN, complete a short, intense workout. The workout can be as short as 10 minutes of intense bodyweight exercises or heavy weight training if that’s all you have time for. Make sure to utilize your legs! The larger muscle groups like the legs and glutes are the ones that rev up your metabolism via testosterone and HGH production, and keep it going for up to 48 hours! Try 3 rounds of 1 minute each of squat jumps, burpees with a vertical jump, and plyometric lunges resting as needed. Finish with 1 minute of push ups. Those 10 minutes will do the trick. 🙂
Secondly, Be sure to have a protein-filled breakfast or snack before leaving home. This will help you avoid feeling famished and wanting everything in sight! It’s easy to over-do your eating when #1, it’s buffet style and #2, you’re starving.
When it’s finally time to chow down, fill up with protein and fibrous veggies FIRST. Choose meat with no bun, grilled kabobs with meat and/or veggies, or any lean protein source available. Step away from the bread/buns!
Take your own delicious dish to the gathering that is in line with your goals. Some easy suggestions: lean meat to throw on the grill, fresh fruit salad, a veggie tray, meat and cheese tray, or veggie kabobs.

#FitMom time management tip: I like to pick up barbecue (pulled pork or chopped chicken or turkey) with the sauce on the side. There are lots of great barbecue joints where I live! This provides a quick and easy protein source that is yummy!

Use portion control. Don’t pile your plate full of foods that are calorically dense. All things in moderation, but limit the “extras” like sugary slaw, mayo-filled potato salad, and other sweets/desserts to just a few bites. Be picky! Only choose your very favorite things!
Slow down! Eating slowly helps your body have time to digest your food which allows you to feel full before over-consuming.
Choose your condiments wisely – My favorites are hot sauce, mustard, Bragg’s Aminos, soy sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire, and herbs/spices.
Throughout the day, drink LOTS of water. This will help keep your body happy and hydrated for a long day outside. Shoot for 96 ounces each day.
Limit or eliminate booze. Alcohol has so many hidden calories AND halts your fat loss efforts while it’s being metabolized. If you must drink, choose clear liquor and water or diet drink combinations. Sweeten with stevia (if needed) and flavor with fresh lemons and limes. Add an extra glass or 2 of water for every serving of alcohol to help flush your system. TIP: Treat yourself to sparkling water with fresh lemon or lime to replace adult beverages. 🙂
Lastly, you can always bring a fat-loss friendly dessert to share! This will help keep you on track without feeling “left out”. A quick and easy choice are these low-carb peanut butter cookies. The 3 ingredient recipe is below!

Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup no-sugar-added natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 whole egg
4 cup sugar substitute (like baking Truvia or Stevia in the Raw)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg and combine with the peanut butter and sugar substitute until the mixture is well incorporated. Place 1 inch balls of cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet. Press gently with a fork. Bake 10-12 minutes until cookies are slightly brown. Makes around 10 cookies. Enjoy!

*You can play with this recipe by adding vanilla or unflavored protein powder and egg whites to give it a protein boost!

(Note: I found this recipe on Metabolic Effect’s facebook page a few years ago.)

tailgating

You can see that tailgating is not only FUN, but it can also be nutritious. It does NOT have to be disastrous to your health goals. Comment below with your favorite tailgating traditions!

Happy Tailgating!
Jill

p.s. Head over to the facebook post below and share your favorite tailgating traditions!