Just like the 12 Days of Christmas, Trinity’s 12 Days of Fitness is sort of the same.

Trinity's 12 Days of Fitness Giveaway!

For the next 12 days you’ll receive and email with a link to the days gifts.

I’m giving away audios from nutrition and self-defense seminars, workout programs, fitness and nutrition tips goal setting programs and more!

If you have friends or family you’d like to include, please forward the email along. I want everyone to benefit.

Register at…

Trinity’s 12 Days of Fitness Giveaway!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

As a fitness professional one of discussions I frequently have with clients members and seminar participants is better food choices; what’s considered healthy and what should be left alone. (at least kept in moderation)

Thanksgiving is over and everyone is getting back to some kind of normal schedule before we hit Christmas and the New Year.

The week after Thanksgiving I always get comments about eating too much “Turkey” for Thanksgiving and that is the cause of weight gain and fat.

Turkey is a healthy, lean protein

Now, for 364 days per year, I tell folks it’s okay to eat turkey. Turkey is a great source of protein and low in fat. But, I must have missed something. Because a lot, I mean a lot of people tell me that they ate too much of this secret fat gainer and that’s why their pants don’t fit right now.

I don’t want to cause you more pain by breaking this lie that seems to occur every year for many of you, but it’s not the turkey. It was everything else you ate in addition to the lean protein, low fat turkey… unless you covered and smothered it in thick gravy and breading.

Yum! Turkey... Watch out! It will make you FAT!

You know, the turkey isn’t alone in the bad wrap from Thanksgiving dinner. I hear well meaning; seemingly educated people throw around vegetables with such allegations too.

Sweet potatoes and corn for instance are a great starchy carbohydrates packed with vitamins and nutrients the body can use in a fight against weight gain.

Green beans, broccoli (how could you accuse broccoli) and other greens are also on the list of dinners, but are also to blame for weight and fat gain.

Why?

It’s not the foods that are fatting; it’s all the crap we cook with that make it fatting!

Duh!

How much butter, cream and hydrogenated oils can you use in one meal to screw up everything you put in your mouth?

Apparently lots!

Add stuffing, dinner rolls and any other processed wheat products and you’re off to “Holiday Weight Gain 2011!”

Wait, we haven’t even had a second or third helping.

Turkey leg... skin and all!

And desert is still to come.

Please don’t get me wrong, all the added butter and blah, blah, blah… (fill in the blank) makes everything taste great, but we can’t over do it if we’re to see long term goals reached.

We also can’t blame food for the reason we are getting fatter and fatter every year if “WE” are the ones cooking the food.

When we add in holiday parties, dinners and get togethers over the next 30 days, missing regularly scheduled workouts will add to the poundage.

In short, try alternatives for all the fatting additives. Replace butter, cream and shortening with steamed veggies.

Moderation = Long term HAPPINESS!

Rather than shoveling food onto your plate in a huge mound, use tablespoon sizes and if you want more, don’t go for another mound. (just another tablespoon or two)

I’ve put together a holiday report called, “How to Gain 10-15 Pounds Faster than You did Last Year!” Yeah, you read that right.

It’s a spoof on the traditional trainer/client, please don’t over eat and follow these tips to get you through, nonsense.

It’s a fun way to look at some of the behaviors and routine changes we have during the holidays.

You can grab a copy here.

Have a great holiday season!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

How can we make a difference?

We hear talk about making a difference in the world, making our mark or leaving the world a better place than when we got here, but how do we do it?

A lot of times we get too busy in our own lives that we don’t stop and look at how, or sometimes it seems too overwhelming of a task.

However, making a difference doesn’t have to be huge. It’s the small things that add up that can make a big difference too.

I started Trinity Fitness to make a difference in people’s lives. To teach, educate, empower and transform.

Even before Trinity, I became a trainer to help people make healthy changes in their lives to live better more productive lives.

Trinity donates to charities every year through fund raisers, memberships, seminars and monetary donations.

This year, during the holidays I thought it would be great for us to try something a little different.

Rather than having a regular food drive where clients, members and our readers donate food and/or money for families in need during Thanksgiving, I thought it would be a great idea to give back to those of you who help us give.

All donations go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank

Trinity Fitness has partnered with The Atlanta Community Food Bank to support local families with Thanksgiving meals.

Bring in $25 in canned goods or a $25 cash donation and you will receive a 1 month “all access” pass to Trinity’s group exercise classes.

One day into our campaign and we’ve already raised $225!

Let's fill our barrel up!

That’s awesome!

Trinity members have always been generous when it comes to helping other members and helping in the community.

Our goal is $500 in monetary and food donations. Please help us reach our goal over the next week, Thanksgiving is only 7 days away!

Thanks for your contribution.

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!
Nathan

Halloween 2011 has past. How much candy did you score last night? I know, we’re adults, but candy is candy, right?

Happy Halloween!

And if you have kids, you can sneak some of theirs too.

It’s November 1st and we are moving fast into the holiday season, which means, more candy, more sweets and more holiday food all around!

So, I have a treat for you.

It’s great because it’s sweet, it tastes great and it’s healthier for you!

Are you ready?

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES!

Don’t knock it til you try em! Seriously!

Now, you can use any brownie mix, however, some mixes have more fat and sugar than others. Some even have hydrogenated oil, so read the ingredients before making your selection.

Here’s the recipe it’s really quite simple.

1 can black beans
1 egg white
(depending on the mix, add water in the place of the oil amount)
1 box of brownie mix

While on our vacation in Colorado we found a wheat free, gluten free brownie mix that worked great.

Brownie Mix - Gluten Free

Preheat the oven to the temperature on the mix.

Take a 9” x 9” pan and lightly spray it with cooking spray

First, start by draining the black beans and rinsing them in water. After they’re rinsed, mash them with a spoon until they make a paste. (it will start to look like refried beans)

Next add the egg white and water to the black bean paste, and mix well. Place the brownie mix into a bowl, and stir in the black bean mixture. Mix all the ingredients together until everything is well blended and the consistency of regular brownies.

Mashing black beans is a great forearm workout!

Depending on the mix, you may need to add a little extra water, but be careful not to add too much. You don’t want runny brownie mix. That’s not good.

Pour the mixed brownies into the pan and stick them in the oven.

A Tasty Treat!

Now, look at the time on the box. If it says the brownies should be in for 30 minutes, take them out about 10 minutes early. Stick a tooth pick in the center. (I usually use a butter knife) If there’s a little mix that comes out with the tooth pick or knife that’s okay.

The thing with black bean brownies is you don’t want to cook them too long. They can get dried out.

Pull them out early and they’ll be as moist as regular brownies!

Let them cool and serve.

For an extra treat, try adding semi-sweet chocolate chips or your favorite nut, but be conservative with your portion.

Enjoy!

Start Strong, Finish Stronger!

Nathan

Too much egg nog!

As we enter another holiday season, it is easy to lose focus of the big picture. I am not talking about getting together with friends and giving and all that stuff. That should be a given.

I am talking about your fitness goals. Remember the ones you had New Year’s Eve? Yeah, it has been a year already.

There are approximately 4 weeks left in 2009. While you are out and about running from store to store and from party to party, do not forget to take time for yourself to work out and eat correctly (okay, splurge some too).

It is very easy to gain 10 to 15 pounds in less than a month if you are not careful. I’ll show you how tomorrow in my special report, “How to Gain 10 to 15 Pounds Quicker than You did Last Year.”

If time is an issue or your evenings are full, I recommend working out in the morning. This will give you time to get your workouts in and have time to party and shop in the evening. You will feel good about getting your workout in and not feeling so bad when you eat that second piece of pie.

It’s a Win, Win!

Trinity’s “12 Days of Fitness” giveaway!

Starting tomorrow, Trinity is launching the “12 Days of Fitness” giveaway! We are offering special reports on workouts, nutrition, safety during the holiday’s and more!

You don’t want to miss it. Add your name to the list to make sure you don’t miss anything! “12 Days of Fitness”

Make sure you check your email daily!

Arlington National Cemetery

I wanted to send out a quick post to remind everyone about the importance of Memorial Day.

I know we get a day off from work, cookouts and family time, but remember the meaning behind it and why we celebrate it.

As the grandson of a WWII veteran, and friend to many service men, I have great appreciation for the dedication, honor and sacrifice the men and women of our Armed Forces give on a daily bases.

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on those that fell in battle and made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom for all U.S. citizens.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you that serve our country and give us the freedoms we all enjoy.

Sometimes our lives get so busy we forget to let mom know how much we appreciate her being there for us.

A lot of times we take her for granted.

So, in light Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, we are having several specials just for our moms!

If you’re a mom, (but not a Trinity member) I’m giving you the rest of May on us!

What does that mean?

Well, you’ll have unlimited access to all the classes, gym and cardio equipment until May 31, 2009!

If you’re already a gym member, we are holding a special group training class just for our Trinity moms! (Space is limited so email or call to let us know you’re interested in participating)

Call us at the gym 404.966.KICK (5425) or email me directly at nathan@trinitybody.com

That’s it. Have a great weekend and again, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!