fitness – Elevation Medical Weight Loss

Posted on May 30, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss — Leave a comment

Chicken & Turkey Memorial Day Salad

When selecting ingredients to add to your grocery list, choose low-carb fruits & vegetables, low-carb cheeses, and lean meats as demonstrated in the photo above. This is an example of our latest shopping trip for Memorial Day.

Salads are one of the most flexible and easiest foods you can eat. You’re free to choose whichever ingredients you want to add to the list to make the ultimate dish. Here, we present you with one of our favorites. This Turkey & Chicken Salad is a low calorie, high protein & low carb salad mix.

339 kcal: 55 grams of protein, 11 grams of carbs
Recipes makes 2 servings. Prep time: 15 min

Ingredient	kcal	Protein	Carbs
6 oz oven roasted sliced turkey	230 kcal	51 g
6 oz boiled chicken breast	270 kcal	52 g
6 cups Spring Mix Lettuce	40 kcal	4 g	6 g
2 cup red cabbage	28 kcal	1 g	6 g
½ cup chopped carrot	25 kcal	1 g	6 g
½ lime	10 kcal		3 g
2 tbsp sour cream	50 kcal	1 g	1 g

Boil 8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast until cooked (usually 10-15 minutes). This will make 6 oz cooked chicken. Cool & shred.
Chop or shred 2 cups of red cabbage.
Mix all ingredients in an oversized bowl. Squeeze in half a lime. Stir in 2 tbsp sour cream. Serves 2.
Have your 12-month old toddler feed you. This is a bonus step. See below.

Posted on May 26, 2016May 26, 2016 by ElevationWeightLoss — 1 Comment

When It Comes to Weight Loss: Muscle Matters

Over the past few generations, countless people have exhausted themselves trying to “lose weight”. Rather, you should focus on exactly what are your “weight loss” goals. There’s no need to throw away the scale, but do keep in mind that in addition to fat, the amount of water and muscle that you have on your body can fluctuate greatly. Sometimes when the number on the scale goes up, it can be a good thing. The reason is simple: muscle takes up less space than fat, so a pound of muscle gained will shape your body differently than a pound of fat, while the number on the scale may remain the same. We don’t have to tell you that muscle looks much more visually pleasing. In addition to the aesthetic difference between muscle and fat, each pound of muscle gained burns roughly an extra 50 calories a day, which means that having more muscle will allow you to eat slightly more and there is some extra leeway in maintaining your body weight. It also means that for every pound of muscle lost, you will burn 50 calories fewer per day, sabotaging long term fat loss.

fat-vs-muscles background gone

So what does all of this mean to someone just wanting to shed some body fat? It means that if you want to get the best results, you should take up strength training. While not absolutely necessary for fat loss, strength training makes losing fat much easier while helping you notice faster results. Especially when eating at a calorie deficit diet, your body will protect muscle that is being used over muscle that isn’t, and so strength training preserves what muscle you have during the long term fat loss process. In other words, you lose what you don’t use kind-of-deal.

It also means that while dieting, you need to take measures to protect the muscle that you already have. There are a few things that you can do to help preserve muscle mass, like increasing protein intake, weight training, using the Elevation HCG diet, and meal timing (a more advanced technique worthy of its own post at a later time). These factors all have a protective effect on your muscle mass during your slimming down.

So just remember that while exercise of any kind is a good addition to proper dieting, strength training has extraordinary benefits that often go overlooked when starting a fat loss program. Not only will you lose weight more easily while keeping muscle tone and improved metabolism, but you may find a new favorite hobby that will keep you fit.

Posted on May 8, 2016February 23, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss — Leave a comment

Check One Off the Bucket List

runners-1438373

If there is one piece of advice that I gleaned from my experience running the Toronto Marathon, it would be to never run a marathon if you can avoid it. Of course I’m partly joking, the experience was grueling, uncomfortable, and frustrating, and this is exactly why I did it. It’s been said that no one has ever become great by being comfortable, and I have found this to be true in all areas of life including weight loss and fitness.

So many times we look at discomfort as a per se bad thing; however I see the willingness to endure discomfort for a purpose to be badge of honor, worn by those working hard to get what they want. Many times when we see a person who has made significant changes in their fitness we see only their results, but in reality what you are seeing are the culmination of hours spent in the gym, months of ignoring cravings and appetite, and a daily commitment to do whatever it takes to reach their goals.

I hope that you find something worth being uncomfortable for, and when you do that you take pride in the process of getting there. When your stomach growls and cravings hit, smile that you have made the choice to force your body to get rid of fat first. When your legs are sore and you are short of breath during exercise, imagine how your body will change to make your workouts easier. And if for some crazy reason you decide to complete a marathon, drag yourself to the finish line with the knowledge that you are tougher and more determined than all those people sitting at home on a Sunday morning. Remember that while they are being comfortable, you are becoming great.

Posted on May 2, 2016February 25, 2019 by ElevationWeightLoss — Leave a comment

Under 400 kcal: Blackened Tilapia with Veggies

Here is our very own tilapia recipe with a bunch of veggies that fits your calorie budget. Even the photos came exclusively from our kitchen. You can also drastically reduce calories by being conservative on the oil or use cooking spray oil mix with a bit of water.

Blackened talapia with broccoli, spinach, red peppers and corn on the cob
Prep and cook time ~30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Item	Calories	Carbs	Protein
2 talapia (farmed raised in the US)	220 kcal		45 g
1/2 cup brocolli	15 kcal	3 g
1 cup raw spinach	7 kcal	1 g	1 g
1/2 ear of corn	38 kcal	8 g	1 g
1/4 bell pepper	6 kcal	1 g
1 tsp oil	100 kcal
TOTAL	386 kcal	13 g	47 g

SEASONING
Garlic
Blackened seasoning (or black pepper, white pepper, paprika, salt, garlic powder and onion powder)
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
Salt to taste

To thaw frozen talapia, you can either submerged it in warm water for 10 minutes or remove from packaging to microwave for about 90 seconds. Sprinkled or rub in blackened seasoning, salt, and optional curry on both sides of the talapia.

On a medium to large pan, add 3/4 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of water on medium-high heat. Transfer the talapia to the pan to cook for about 7-9 minutes on each side. Try to flip only once so the fish will stay intact.

While the fish is cooking, rinse the cup of spinach and shake dry. Chop ¼ of a bell pepper into bite size pieces. On a smaller pan, add 1/4 tsp of oil, garlic, and chopped bell pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat until tender. Stir often.

Shuck the ear of corn and place 1/2 ear of corn on a microwave safe plate with the 1/2 cup of broccoli, pour about 1/4 cup of water to steam in the microwave for 4 minutes or until cooked. No need to cover the plate.

You need a big plate for this meal. Make a bed out of the spinach and lay the fish on top. Enjoy with 32 oz glass of ice water

339 kcal: 55 grams of protein, 11 grams of carbs Recipes makes 2 servings. Prep time: 15 min

339 kcal: 55 grams of protein, 11 grams of carbs
Recipes makes 2 servings. Prep time: 15 min