Sandy Lee Nutrition

Totally Devoted to Fitness, Health & Happiness

[sandyleenutrition]

The One Thing I’m Terrible At

Back in 2008, I taught Spinning classes at fitness studios that also offered yoga classes. I was skeptical, but I decided to give it try. Almost immediately, I hated it.

I took a few classes here and there, but didn’t feel any real passion toward the practice. I also didn’t really like myself and my body at the time, so I think that made it difficult to truly open up, get vulnerable and embrace yoga. With a deep desire to “fix myself” I was all about crazy cardio and calorie counting. I never thought of yoga as a real workout that would produce real results.

From there, over the next few years, I fell in love with strength training and nutrition. My crazy cardio and calorie counting ways evolved into competitive fitness competitions and strict diets. Competing was great. It transformed my body, gave me confidence and showed me that I could accomplish something I never thought I could do. But after a few shows, it became more about me focusing on the external, and less about how I felt on the inside.

In May 2016, my husband and I moved into a new area and home which turned out to be right beside a yoga studio, CorePower Yoga. In an effort to get out of the house, get acquainted with my new area and meet some peeps, I reluctantly purchased a cheapie mat and joined in on some classes. And guess what? I ended up loving the class. I loved the classes so much that I felt sad when I had to stop to prep and train for my next show.

My next show came and went, and while I placed higher than I ever placed before, it didn’t bring me the growth and inner strength that it once did. In fact, instead of quickly mapping out when my next show would be (which is what I usually do), I couldn’t wait to get back to normalcy and practice yoga again.

I didn’t care that yoga didn’t fit into my building program or count as the prescribed “strength training” or “cardio”, I just cared that was terrible at it. No joke. I am literally the elephant in the yoga room. But with each wobbly pose and awkward adjustment, I’m learning to embrace where I am in my journey, practice self-acceptance, self-love, release the expectation and demands I have of myself and find strength in being vulnerable and feelings of discomfort.

Next week, I’m getting gutsy and starting a brand new adventure and journey. One that I know will push and change me and take me far beyond my comfort zone. I’m starting Power Yoga Teacher Training. I plan to document the journey, mostly for myself, but also for others who may be interested in learning about the process from the perspective of a meathead. I’m not sure what to expect or what there will be to document, but it will be somewhat like my YouTube Video series of my Bikini Prep.

I almost didn’t apply for the yoga teacher training. I’ll admit (and sometimes still feel) a serious case of imposter syndrome when I think about embarking on such a journey. I’m not the most advanced - I can’t do all kinds of crazy poses and I know my practice has a very, very long way to go. But, with all that said, the rational part of my brain knows that yoga teacher training isn’t about those things. It’s about self-discovery, deeper connections and sharing it with others.

Yoga teacher training did not seem like the natural next step. In fact, I just jumped right in without even giving it too much thought. I am SUPER nervous, but ready to push myself out of my comfort zone in a way that’s totally different than other things I do in my fitness life. Because what I’ve come to learn is that, fitness isn’t about being nailed to a specific type of exercise at a specific type of intensity, it’s about tapping into your inner potential, creating intentional growth and becoming more of the person you want to be.

It feels good to make a choice to make PYTT at CorePower my priority for the next several months. Let the journey begin!

[sandyleenutrition]

What I learned In 2016

Not gonna sugar coat it. 2016 was rough for lots of people. Most everyone I know is SO ready for 2016 to be over. But instead of marinating on the negatives of the year, I wanted to take a moment to recap and reflect on what I'm most proud of in 2016. To internalize the lessons learned, and to really get excited about all the good stuff that 2017 has to bring. This was hard. I racked my brain, I thought of a few physique and athletic achievements that made me feel proud, but as far as the top accomplishment, I kept coming back to the same thing: my relationships.

I felt excited to recognize this as my top accomplishment for a couple reasons. First, it reminded me of how much I've changed and how much I appreciate those closest to me. Particularly, as someone who is self-reliant, I now believe my relationships are priorities and I'm proud that I show it in action.

Secondly, it reminded me that accomplishments don't necessarily have to entail productivity, gaining a profit, placing in a competition, or getting a promotion. That sometimes the most fulfilling things we do in this world bring little recognition, yield no "results" and come without an applause.

And yet, they still can mean so much and feel so completely satisfying. I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy growing and improving through my work or physique, but I've realized that what I have to offer to others and myself far exceeds the benefits of my rewarded work.

Looking back on the year doesn’t have to be about beating yourself up and seeing what you need to do better. It’s about celebrating your wins no matter how big or small. It’s about taking action and doing something now that will make the person you'll be tomorrow proud.

If you’re looking to do something that will make you feel proud, or if you need a reminder of how awesome you already are, here are a few relationship ideas that may resonate with you...

Support someone who is struggling, show up for someone who needs help, plan something for someone, organize something, listen, volunteer, give, open up your home, respond calmly, be kind without expecting anything in return, reach out, step up and be a light for someone else.

This goes for your relationship with yourself too: Take good care of yourself, make a commitment to yourself, follow through, replace a negative self-defeating thought with a positive self-affirming one, stick with something, set boundaries, forgive yourself for making a mistake, own your shit, honor your needs, trust your intuition, believe in your abilities and allow yourself to truly find enjoyment in an activity.

In such a fast-paced, competitive world, where it's easy to feel like we're never doing enough, it's gratifying to recognize just how much we can do to honor the people and things that matter to us the most.

It’s important to consciously appreciate all the things that have happened this year. Because if you don’t stop and take a moment to reflect, life just passes by too fast. Writing it was super therapeutic. Give it a try. Grab a pen and paper and write down at the top of a page: I’m most proud of…… And see what comes up!

Wishing you a super duper Happy New Years! xo

Sandy

[sandyleenutrition]

Hello world! I’ve finally decided to get my vlog game on and I think I’ll be doing more videos from now on! Watch my first vlog as I prep for my upcoming Fitness America Bikini Competitions!  October 29, 2016 - Texas Championships November 19, 2916 - Fitness America Weekend Vegas

[sandyleenutrition]

What should I eat after a workout?

Awww yeeahhh! *high five* You’ve just finished an awesome workout. You did it, even if you weren’t feeling it AT ALL, and now you are probably feeling famished. Great! It’s time to refuel and recover with a post workout meal.

“Hold up. You’re telling me I just burned all these calories and now you want me to put them back in my body? Ummm, no thanks!”

That’s not how it works

Feeling hungry after an intense workout is totally normal. During your workout, your body is burning the fuel from your pre-workout meal, as well as, from the stored glycogen (carbs stored in the muscle) in your body as a form of energy to burn major calories and work work work your muscles. The food you eat after a workout is used to repair and replenish your beaten up and depleted muscles. Your body needs it.

But choose your foods carefully! Most people are pretty hungry after a workout and can be tempted to think it’s ok to eat anything and everything just because they did a hard workout. The wrong foods can hinder your results and cause major blood sugar swings leaving you feeling like your stomach is a bottomless pit. You don’t want to overdo it, as the food not used to recover and repair muscle tissues will be stored as fat. *gasp*.

So what should you eat?

Protein and carbs are the two things you want to incorporate into your post workout meal. I’m a big fan of eating healthy fats but the one time that I don’t have fats is right after my workout. Since fat slows down transit through the stomach, eating fat during the post workout period can slow the digestion and absorption of the much needed carbs and protein. Your post workout meal or drink should be designed to give you the most rapid delivery of nutrients to your depleted muscles. So if you can, forgo the fat post workout.

Carbs

Your body will love you for feeding it carbs after a workout as it replenishes your glycogen stores that you just used up. That doesn’t mean that you get to go ham on the pancakes at brunch. It simply means that you can use the time after a workout to consume carbs and have it be put to good use in your body afterwards.

Simple sugars such as fructose/fruit are the best type of carbohydrate to have at this time. This is probably the only time that I would say simple sugars are preferable to complex carbs as simple sugars digest quickly, which means they are available to get to work in your muscle tissue faster.

Protein

High quality protein provides amino acids that your body needs to rebuild and repair muscle tissue from your workout. Making sure your body has both protein and carbs after a workout means that your body has what it needs to build lean, sexy muscle tissue. This lean muscle tissue not only makes you look good and feel good, but the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolism and the more calories you’ll burn. All. day. long. #winwin

Like the carbohydrate source, you want to have a fast digesting protein like whey protein powder. While any whole food protein source will do just fine, whey is ideal because it’s the most convenient, fast digesting, fast absorbing protein powder that you can have.

Okay, so I get I need carbs and protein after a workout. But how much?

How much carbs and protein your body needs after a workout depends on your age, weight, height, and fitness goals. As a guide, the moderate to high intensity exerciser needs between 20-30 grams of protein and between 0.25-0.4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight. Keep in mind your body and specific fitness goal may call for more or less.

Here are some examples of post-workout meals:

Protein shake + banana Cottage cheese + pineapple Yogurt + berries Scrambled eggs + pancakes Chicken breast + spinach and berry salad

Regardless of your chosen mode of exercise, you body uses a lot of energy during a workout. To allow your muscles to recover, it is recommended that you eat within 60 minutes to an hour after finishing your workout. People call this the “anabolic window”. And while it isn’t the end of the world if you miss it, you don’t want to keep that sexy muscle waiting. Just remember to keep your portions in check!

[sandyleenutrition]

Do I Need To Eat Before My Morning Workout

Morning workouts aren’t for everyone. I happen to enjoy working out in the morning. My energy levels are the highest and I feel more accomplished when I get it over with earlier in the day. But for some people, it’s their only option, and there’s only a small window of “wake up and get out the door” before they talk themselves out of it. So that brings us to the next question: Do you need to eat something before your morning workout?

The answer is… it depends.

If you are doing light cardio (meaning no more than a 30 minute walk or jog) then you might be able to get it in before eating. Yes, there’s a mountain of evidence to support eating before morning cardio, and there is also a mountain of evidence to support not eating before cardio (known as “fasted cardio”). My recommendation here is to do what works for you. For me, I’m hungry as soon as I wake up, so I eat first thing in the morning before doing anything at all. But I know some people who workout on an empty stomach and claim to feel just fine. If that’s you and it’s the difference between getting a workout in or not (meaning, if you don’t go right when you wake up, you won’t go at all) then cardio on an empty stomach is fine!

Now… if you are weight training, lifting heavy or doing some hard cardio, that’s a different story. You really do need to eat something if you’re doing a strength training workout or any type of high intensity training. Your body needs energy to perform at a high intensity so that you can workout as hard as you can for as long as you can. Think about it this way, you wouldn’t drive your car without gas or use your Iphone without charging it, right? Nope and nope. Despite what you have heard, training hard on an empty stomach doesn’t lead to greater fat loss and instead might put you in a position for excessive muscle breakdown. This breakdown can negatively impact your metabolism and be detrimental to your body.

What good is your workout if your energy level is that of a baby panda panda panda? If you workout on an empty stomach your workout wouldn’t be as intense as if you’d fueled up before hand, not to mention that you’ll likely suffer from low blood sugar, which can make you dizzy and sluggish. If you have ever experienced that feeling, or if your workout leaves you starving, that might be a sign that you need to eat something beforehand. You don’t have to gorge yourself. A healthy snack will do the trick and may be huge for the quality of your workouts and the results.

If you plan to up the intensity in your next AM training sesh, I suggest eating something 45 minutes to an hour before, consisting of mostly carbohydrates and protein.

Here are a few snack ideas that will properly fuel your body for a killer workout:

Whey protein shake + banana

Low fat yogurt + berries

Slice whole wheat toast + natural nut butter

Oatmeal + berries + Whey protein

Boiled eggs + apple

Banana + natural nut butter

The bottom line is, if you want to go hard in the morning, you should eat something first - whether you’re trying to build muscle or lose weight. I’m not suggesting you pig out, but it should be something. Always pay attention to your energy levels throughout your workout and remember to stay hydrated. 

Let’s make that workout count!

[sandyleenutrition]

Stop Giving A Sh*t What Others Think

You’ve been taught that if someone thinks you’re too fat, or too loud, or too smart, or too dumb, or too whatever, or not enough whatever, that you are a waste of human flesh. You might as well cease to exist because you don’t deserve to.

“Who are you to be lifting weights?” “You aren’t slim enough to wear that sexy dress!” “You aren’t curvy enough to wear those jeans!” “What if you look stupid?” “They won’t take me seriously” “I’m not good enough”

You’ve been taught, over and over, again that people’s opinions of you matter. That they get to have a say in how you should feel about yourself and what you should do with your time. And if you don’t conform to what you think other people expect of you, your life, and in fact your entire existence is over. You go to bed at night gripped with panic, believing that nothing else matters and that you can’t dig yourself out of the hole you think you are in.

If this sounds at all familiar, I’d like to introduce you to my deep spiritual practice of...

STOP-GIVING-SO-MANY-SH*TS-ABOUT-WHAT-OTHERS-THINK

I get it. I’ve been there. I often (still) AM there. But as a coach, I’ve had to coach myself out of caring as much and train myself to take massive amounts of IMPERFECT ACTION to get where I need to be. Keeping the SH*TS given about anyone watching me, judging me, criticizing me or poking at me to a minimum.

You may think I’m joking when I say not giving a sh*t is one of my main spiritual practices but I’m not. Like me or not, I can promise you all something. Getting over your fear of failure or embarrassment of criticism is key to start making shit happen and actually getting what you want.

When you make a decision to put yourself out there and do what makes you healthy and happy so that you can be your best for those who love you and need you, you have to learn how to laser focus your energy on what you are doing and why you are doing it, while knowing the rest of the world is watching, judging, staring, poking, hating and who knows what else. That’s just how it goes.

I spend a lot of time pondering what makes someone successful… and I mean REALLY successful! And not just in fitness, in any area of their life. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by a lot of fitness, business and entrepreneurial powerhouses. I can tell you, the one thing they have in common is.

They give no Sh*ts They live by their own rules They create the code They challenge everything They listen to people, but do not need approval from anyone.

They don’t care what others think when it comes to how they live their life. They are powerful and confident and calculated in their decisions and take everyone’s feedback and opinions into consideration, but don’t let them dictate how they should feel about themselves.

“Ok… I want to not care so much. But I do. How do I stop giving so many sh*ts?”

Here’s the trick. Unless the thing you are afraid of is a literal life and death scenario… the thing you are worried about isn’t a life and death scenario. The big 10 year reunion will come. You will not look like Gisele Bundchen on the day. The day will come aannnd… poof. Nothing happened. Nobody will care in 2 weeks. And you’ll forget all about it shortly after. 99.99% of the sticky situations you face in life just aren’t that big of a deal. So don’t let it get you down.

When I adopted the spiritual practice of not-giving-a-sh*t, the better I got at it. The more goals I accomplished, the more results I got, the better the connection in my relationships, the more authentic my voice, and the more fun I had.

If you notice that you’re holding yourself back from doing something you want to do because of other people’s opinions, it’s time to get on board with this spiritual practice.

It’s not easy, and I sure as heck am not excluded from being afflicted by this kind of stuff. We’re all guilty of caring. And because we’re guilty of caring, we are also guilty of accepting the current state of affairs.

But worrying what others think gets in the way of you taking action. It keeps you from moving forward with your goals, ideas, dreams and your life. Your feelings are your own. What’s the point of feeling bad? What does that accomplish? Choose to feel good. Because you can.

Don’t give a sh*t. BE THE SH*T.

P.S If you haven’t already joined my group of fellow powerful peeps in fitness and life, then I’d love to see you in the group (it’s free!) Join HERE.

And if this is what you needed to hear today, please share your feedback in the comments!

[sandyleenutrition]

How Much Protein Do I Really Need?

Protein is a confusing topic for many, and I get asked about it a lot. How much protein do I really need? Will eating too much make me fat?

I’ll be honest with you, when I first started working out and getting interested in the fitness world, I thought being a vegetarian was the key to fat loss. It didn’t help that at the time, not eating meat was the “cool” thing to do. I was 20 years old and if I saw my favourite fit girl doing something, I wanted to do it too!

Since then, I’ve stopped blindly following people and got myself a Nutrition degree so I could learn what’s good for my body. Here’s what I learned that will clear up some confusion about protein:

Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a ginormous role in helping to keep you healthy and is essential for muscle repair and growth. It’s especially important if you’re active, which I’m assuming most of you reading this are. Protein is good for:

Building muscle mass

Post-workout recovery

Supporting fat loss

Healthy immune system and connective tissue

Inadequate protein skews body composition

So, we know protein is good and necessary, but can there be too much of a good thing?

Sure, too much of anything is bad for you. With protein, however, chances are you’re not eating too much. In fact, you might even need more. Let’s let a look at the myths surrounding protein and expose the crap out of them.

Protein Myth #1- A High-Protein Diet is Bad for Your Kidneys

Think of the kidneys as our body’s water filter. They get rid of unneeded substances, metabolites, and other waste from the body. And yes, kidneys play a crucial role in metabolizing and excreting the nitrogen byproducts from protein digestion. But, if you have healthy kidneys, this is perfectly fine.

High protein intakes are only kidney stressors for people who already have chronic kidney disease and damaged kidney function.

A diet higher in protein will change how your kidneys function, leading to hyperfiltration - but this isn’t a bad thing. Hyperfiltration is evidence that the kidneys are adapting to higher protein levels in the diet. This means they are simply doing a better job of metabolizing higher amounts of protein. Again, if you don’t already have kidney disease, you are fine. It’s like saying going for a jog is bad for your legs if your leg is already broken. Duh. But for most, it’s totally fine.

Protein Myth #2 - Too Much Protein Makes you Constipated

Protein gets blamed for constipation because typically, diets high in protein are low in fiber. Without enough bulk the digestive system can slow down to tortoise pace. A little knowledge and simply choosing the right foods such as fibrous veggies, fruits and whole grain starchy foods will remedy this problem.  

Protein Myth #3 - Too Much Protein Makes You Bulk Up

Okay, ladies, be honest: when I suggest more protein, how many of you immediately imagine looking like this:

By far the biggest myth out there about protein and women is that protein will make you bulk up like a dude. The only thing that can make you bulk up like a man is male hormones, and protein does not contain those! Protein is a macronutrient that everybody needs to build and maintain lean muscle. Because protein is a building block of muscle tissue, a diet rich in lean protein will help women build lean and sexy muscles that will give you the sleek, toned, and feminine body you want. It does not make you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1970.

In fact, protein has been shown to be fat burning because of its thermogenic effect. It increases metabolism and helps maintain or build calorie burning muscle. It’s also satiating, so it tends to naturally curb eating, and when consumed with carbs, it slows digestion to better regulate blood sugar and insulin levels so you’re not tempted to eat foods off your healthy meal plan.

So How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

When it comes to protein needs there is a pretty wide range depending on your health status, weight, fitness goal, activity level and whether or not you’re pregnant. The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) recommends a MINIMUM of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the average sedentary woman. I repeat.. SEDENTARY WOMAN. The more active you are the more protein you need.

Here’s how to calculate your protein needs:

Convert your weight in pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2.

Multiply your weight in kilograms by a figure that relates to your activity level.

For a baseline sedentary lifestyle (not very active), multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8

For moderately active (think 30-45 minutes of moderate exercise three to five days a week), multiply weight in kilograms by 1.3

For high-intensity, daily exercise, multiply weight in kilograms by 1.8 (the more you strength train, the higher the number, which can increase up to 2.0).

When I work with clients one-on-one, I always individualise it, but for an average healthy woman, that would be roughly 100g of protein per day. To put that in perspective, one 3-ounce chicken breast (about the size of a deck of cards) provides about 25 grams.

Do you get enough protein per day?

P.S. If you want to work with me personally to figure out how much and which foods you should be eating, and also to build your meal plan around this... you can connect with me here: [email protected]

[sandyleenutrition]

Free Yourself for Mother’s Day

This is for you, Moms. In fact, whether you’re a mom or not, this is for all the women out there who feel trapped in a cycle. Where the day that you start eating healthy and really taking care of yourself is always “one day” or “someday” instead of Today.

When you're busy balancing work, kids, and home life in general, you might feel that there's not enough time in the day for health and fitness. The word "exercise" just doesn't seem to fit into your vocabulary.

You’ve dreamed about it long enough.  It’s time to escape the trap.

1. You are important. Make yourself a Priority.

I know that it’s hard to find time to focus on you.  And when you finally do take some time for yourself, you probably have a vague sense of guilt that there are other things more worthy of whatever effort or sacrifice you’re making to work on you.

That’s part of being a mom, and part of being a responsible caring adult.  You put others first.

But consider this. Neglecting yourself isn’t good for you or those people that depend on you. The only way you can keep attending to your many responsibilities and joys is if your health is on point.

Once your health starts declining, you will have no choice but to focus on yourself. Or worse, you might become a burden to those you want to take care of!

Wouldn’t you rather do it now and know what it feels like to be fit and full of energy and still be there for those people who depend on you?

Starting is hard. In fact, it’s probably the hardest part.  

It may be hard because you’ve ‘started’ before and failed. 

It may be hard because you have no idea where you will find the time to exercise.  

It may be hard because changing life-long patterns of eating seems completely undesirable right now.  

Listen. The longer you wait to take your health seriously, the more damage you are doing to your body.  

There is only one way to slow down and reverse many of the effects of aging (whether you are 20 or 70 years old):  sensible eating and consistent exercise. (Well, that’s two, but they have to happen together). Putting time on the calendar for exercise, meditation, yoga, or anything else, should be just as important as that work meeting, or that Dr. Appointment.

2. Realize you DO have the time.

Fitting in exercise takes less time than you think. 20-30 minutes of exercise a day can go a long way. And weaving exercise into a busy day’s already planned activities can help you be active without neglecting your responsibilities. Start with less strenuous activities and then work your way up to more strenuous exercises as you build muscle strength. This will improve your fitness and health without putting too much strain on your body, especially if you've been inactive for a while.

Try walking, playing outdoor games with your kids (ball, tag, volleyball, badminton, flying a kite, etc.), walking the dog, mowing the lawn or gardening, housework, walking stairs, or riding a bike. When you want to have fun with your kids, opt for the park instead of the ice cream shop. Be mindful of physical activity in everything you do. This will help your kids get exercise as well without feeling pressured about it.  Remember, everything counts.

If you work outside the home, you can take walks during your breaks. Even a daily 15-minute walk can make a big difference! As your fitness increases you can up the ante. Do that class at the gym, or hit one of my weekend workouts with some weights. (Click here to join my Facebook Group for workout videos, recipes and more!)

Ok… the real elephant in the room. Yes you technically have 30 minutes in the day, but the real hard part is overcoming the mental and physical exhaustion that you feel during those 30 minutes. You know that you should be exercising and eating better. Knowing “what to do” isn’t the same as feeling able to do it. I know the internal dialog, because I’ve had it with myself. “When I have a free hour, I just want to lay on the couch and veg and not be active! How do people do it?”.

3. Don’t work harder. Work smarter. Put yourself in a position to succeed.

Let’s move away from the superficial “what to do”.  What foods to eat.  What exercises to do. And move towards the deeper “how to do it”.  How to get yourself to actually do the things you already know you’re supposed to do.

No one has endless amounts of willpower. In fact, discipline and willpower are hard to come by and usually temporary. Instead of beating yourself up for lack of willpower. Try implementing small changes that require little to no effort.  Think of them as life hacks or little tricks that will help you feel good and give you the willpower to stick to your schedule. Here are a few that work for some of my clients to give you a better idea:

No electronics after 8pm (so you fall asleep faster).

Don’t charge your phone by your bedside (so you don’t glance at it at night).

Eat a bigger breakfast (so you feel more satisfied throughout the day).

Boil 6 eggs at once instead of 2 (so you have for the next two days).

Go for a walk first thing in the morning.

See these things aren’t necessarily more work. Just different work.

These little tricks set you up for success and build habits and systems that will work for you, even on days you don’t feel motivated.

As a busy father, mom, woman, wife, or just human being, don't neglect one of the most important tasks of all - taking care of your own health. When you’re fit and healthy, you'll be able to keep up with your kids and share activities with them for years to come..

P.S. Don’t just take all this from me. Listen to Jada Pinkett Smith (super mom of two) who beautifully makes this point too.

[sandyleenutrition]

Asian Meatballs

I LOVE MEATBALLS. I love ‘em with noodles, I love ‘em in soups, I love ‘em on skewers and I love ‘em by themselves, too.  I also love making them tasty AND healthy.  These asian inspired meatballs are out of this world!  I made them with ground turkey and glazed them with teriyaki sauce on the grill, but you can use any ground meat and any asian-y sauce you like.  You can make them for dinner or serve them as an appetizer by making them tiny and setting out toothpicks for dipping into whatever delicious sauce you choose.

Ingredients: 

1.5 pounds lean ground turkey

1 cup sweet red onion, chopped

1 cup celery, diced

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded

1 1/2 Tbsp ginger, minced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs

2 egg whites

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp Asian chilli sauce

3 packets stevia or 2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Mix well.

Roll into small meatballs and place on baking sheet and bake for 35-30 minutes.

If you want to make them into skewers like I did, stick cooked meatballs onto skewers, along with chopped peppers and pineapple. Place them onto a hot grill pan and coat with store bought teriyaki sauce or more chili sauce. Rotate approx. every 2 minutes and coat with more sauce. Grill until peppers are cooked. I cook mine until I see grill marks. Marks are everything :).

[sandyleenutrition]

Fat Genes. Skinny Jeans

It’s been a while since I got real around here and opened up about my body image struggles. If i’m being completely honest, it’s probably because they aren’t struggles I think about anymore. My face, my features and my body are my own. How I look is not going to be the same as the girl next to me in the gym. My body shape will not be the same as another female who I may be a tiny bit jealous of because she’s taller and leaner than me.

I have a short stocky build and a small round frame. I have thick limbs and a small waist. I have a short torso and a tendency to carry extra body fat even though I train hard and lift heavy.  My lower half will always be bigger because it’s inherited from my father’s side (hello booty!). My upper body will always be a little bit shorter because it’s inherited from my mother’s side.

I am not naturally super lean. My body type and genetic makeup predisposes me to be proficient in strength work. And though my body is adaptable to endurance training, it isn’t what I’m best at.

The bottom line is, ladies, I have never and will never be able to comfortably fit into skinny jeans. It’s just not in my genetics, and you know what? I’m 100% okay with that.

In my younger days, I used to run for hours on the treadmill and barely turn up the resistance on the Spin bike trying to “thin out” my lower body.  While my issues were clearly internal it was easier to focus my energies on the external. Even after I was introduced to weight training and proper nutrition, I chased my best body preparing for bikini competitions.

And you know what? Despite having achieved my best body, I spent a lot of time knit-picking the way I looked. I wished for thinner thighs, bigger boobs, flatter tummy etc. My quest for my best body didn’t bring me the happiness I thought it would. Don’t get me wrong, I love competing - testing my discipline, developing my mental toughness and being laser focused. But it’s important for me to monitor the frequency of my bikini competitions so that I can spend more time loving my off-season body and spend less time chasing leanness.

My weight fluctuates depending on the season and my training, but this is where my health, performance, aesthetics and quality of life intersect. I have learned to embrace my body, and be thankful for my short, compact, stockiness. I no longer try to force it to attain uncomfortable levels of leanness all year long. I simply maintain a comfortable, but not extreme, level of leanness through proper eating and consistent, intelligent exercise.

And this brings me to an important point. Both genetics and your lifestyle are key factors in your health and body shape, and while it’s super important to love your shape, you should never use your genes as a crutch or excuse not to take care of yourself.

You can’t control your unique genetic makeup, your body type, your bone structure or your tendency to carry fat in certain places versus others. BUT you do have some control over how your genes express themselves. Focusing on your environment, lifestyle and habits as opposed to wallowing in misery over your “sucky” genes, is what is most important.

Social media portrays an “ideal look” for women, but you know what? For a healthy woman who eats properly and exercises on a regular basis there is no ideal size. The reason is because genetically we are all different. I am not super skinny (as you can see above), but it’s important to embrace and love your body because each body is unique and has strengths and weaknesses. Each body is beautiful in its own right, and it’s important for all of you to embrace what makes you, YOU.

The image you have of your body should be positive, no one can be you, and no one can look exactly like you because you are genetically different. Use your body’s strengths to make it work for you instead of working against it. I hope you will not be afraid to wear that bikini this summer or to workout without a shirt on, because your body is beautiful and uniquely you.

This is my body. I have learned to embrace it and take care of it. I hope you will do the same.

[sandyleenutrition]

Creamy Coconut Mango Quinoa

In my mission this month to consume less processed foods, I came up with this refreshing, thick and creamy side dish that’s super healthy. It’s sweet and spicy and comforting all at the same time. Add a cabana and I’m in heaven! I may be in Atlanta but this dish makes me feel like I’m right at home in Jamaica on the beach! To my ladies in Jamaica - this is a great way to use your fresh mangos as we move into mango season. I had to use frozen mangos :(. Still came out great! Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 (16 oz) can coconut milk 

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

1 cup cucumber, diced

2 cups mango (fresh or frozen), diced

2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to directions on package, substituting coconut milk in place of the liquid.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper to quinoa before cooking.

Add remaining ingredients with cooked quinoa and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

[sandyleenutrition]

7 Simple Secrets to Poop Like A Champ

I have to admit, when I started blogging, a post about pooping was not on my list to write! Lately, challengers in my 28-Day Transformation Challenge have asked questions about it and convinced me that this an important topic.

A healthy digestive system is essential for a healthy body and optimal weight loss so I’m going to try to address it. The following are some simple tips to keep your bowels in tip top shape...  keeping TMI to a minimum :).

Eat ground flaxseed - Enjoy 1-2 heaping tbsp of ground flax or chia seeds daily – both are gentle sources of fiber that can help promote bowel movements. If you have been taking 1 tbsp try increasing to two.

Up your fiber with Psyllium Powder - Adding 1 tsp of psyllium powder to your smoothie can be helpful. Or try adding ¼ cup of All-Bran Bud’s to your morning yogurt and berries. Bran bud’s is one of the few cereals on the market that contains psyllium fiber.

Drink more WATER! WATER! WATER! - Bowels need to be hydrated to pass stools. If you are experiencing hard stools that are difficult to pass it can often be lack of water as the culprit. Ensure you are drinking at least 2 litres of water per day.

Drink fresh lemon juice and warm water in the morning - Lemon juice is great for the liver stimulating bile flow which gets the rest of the digestive system moving.

Get enough Magnesium - Magnesium is the 2nd most abundant mineral in the body next to calcium. Magnesium stimulates peristalsis which is the rhythmic contraction of your digestive system, moving things along the digestive tract. Great sources of magnesium include; dark leafy green veggies, whole grains, pumpkin seeds and black beans.

Take probiotics - healthy bacteria in our gut is essential for the proper breakdown and absorption of nutrients from our food as well as proper elimination. Plain yogurt with probiotics is a good place to start. Other food sources of probiotics include naturally fermented sauerkraut, kefir, miso and tempeh. For many, supplementation is needed for a more therapeutic amount of these healthy bugs.

Fix your pooping posture - Improve your poop by changing the way you sit on the toilet. Honestly, thought this was a load of crap before I tried it for myself. But squatting instead of sitting on the toilet has actually helped me achieve complete elimination. I use a Squatty Potty. Loved it so much I bought some for all of my family members. Yay!

Happy Pooping!

[sandyleenutrition]

Exercise & Weight Loss Myths Debunked!

MYTH: IF YOU EXERCISE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU EAT.  FACT: IF YOU EXERCISE, IT MATTERS EVEN MORE WHAT YOU EAT.

If you don't have the nutrients in your body, you will not recover properly from a good workout. It's like flicking a lighter without any butane. If there's no material for the exercise to spark there will be no flame – and you may be creating a nutrient deficient.

MYTH: CARDIO IS BETTER THAN WEIGHT TRAINING FOR LOSING WEIGHT. FACT: TO REALLY TRANSFORM YOUR BODY, YOU MUST WEIGHT TRAIN.

If you're doing nothing, any extra activity is good for you. But if you really want to burn fat and change the shape of your body, you need to ramp up your metabolism by building more muscle.  Even though cardio does help burn fat, it does not change how small your waist looks or how slim your arms look the way weight training does.

MYTH : THE LONGER YOU EXERCISE, THE BETTER. FACT: TOO MUCH EXERCISE PREVENTS RESULTS.

The purpose of exercise is to stimulate muscle and burn fat. To do this, workout sessions should be brief, intense and highly effective. This can be accomplished in less than 4 hours per week. Anything more can drain you – mentally and physically – and take you further away from your goals.

MYTH: MUSCLES GROW WHILE YOU'RE WORKING OUT FACT: MUSCLES GROW WHILE YOU'RE RESTING AND RECUPERATING.

During a good workout, slight muscle damage occurs. This micro-trauma triggers the body to re-build the tissue – if you give it time and proper nutrients to recovery.

MYTH: IF WOMEN LIFT WEIGHTS, THEY GET “BULKY” FACT: RESISTANCE TRAINING HELPS WOMEN BECOME LEAN AND TONED.

Fat takes up 5 times more space than muscle. If you replace the fat on your hips or thighs with muscle, you get smaller hips or thighs.

MYTH: WEIGHT TRAINING IS ONLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. FACT: PEOPLE OF ALL AGES SHOULD BE WEIGHT TRAINING.

Loss of muscles mass begins at age 25! This is the age most people see their body fat levels go up. Without weight training, we lose strength and become fragile and more prone to injury as we age.

LIFT WEIGHTS TO LOSE WEIGHT!

[sandyleenutrition]

On-the-Go Eggy “Muffins”

As promised the recipe for these little itty bitty cute on-the-go eggy muffins! I love making these when I have a busy week and need something super quick to grab and go. Just keep them refrigerated and portioned in zip-top plastic bags. Simply reheat before heading to work or gym, or dropping your kids off to school.

Serving size: 2 muffins

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

6 large egg whites

3 ounces sliced ham (about 4 slices), finely chopped

2 ounces reduced fat cheese, chopped or shredded

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a standard 12-cup nonstick muffin tin with oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk the whole eggs and egg whites together. Season them with salt, onion powder and a pinch of black pepper. Mix in the ham, cheese and bell pepper. Pour about 1/4 cup of egg mixture into each muffin cup and carefully place the pan in the oven.

Bake the eggs until set. 20-24 minutes.

Tip: Freeze left overs or make a double batch! Just reheat in microwave for 1 minute :).

[sandyleenutrition]

Have Your Cake & Burn It Off Too

Christmas is just round the corner. There will be parties, celebrations, food and champagne. Ahhhh....that irresistible succulent Christmas ham and sumptuous pudding. That mouth watering new year buffet and the countdown champagne. Your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak. You binge.

So what’s the price you pay for your holiday gorging? Well, step onto the bathroom scale and horror of horrors, you have gained a few pounds!! Aaaaaaaaarrrrgghhh!! You pull your hair and gnash your teeth wondering how you can lose the holiday weight you’ve gained. You even contemplate engaging in one of those quick fix detox diets which you KNOW don’t work.

Whoa, whoa, stop right there! Turns out we can do a lot better. With a little thought and planning, you CAN avoid holiday weight gain while still enjoying every last moment. I’ll show you how. In fact we’re going to do this together because, just like you, Christmas is my favorite time of year and I LOVE FOOD but I’m planning on NOT gaining weight this holiday season.

The trick is to not get so carried away with all the food that all your weight loss and fitness efforts for the year go down the drain.

How is that done?

It's pretty simple, actually. Just like any successful undertaking in life, it all comes down to a few rules that are geared toward helping you reach your goal. Keeping yourself together after sampling a veritable feast is no different.

1) Don't munch yourself into a coma day after day. 

Choose 3 or 4 designated days or events through the REST of the season to "do your thing" at the table, and practice restraint on the rest. Don't let the binge turn into a week or more by taking home all the leftovers or storing more sweets and pastries than you need for that particular holiday. It’s usually what people find in the fridge and on the kitchen shelf after the holiday that they continue to binge. Don’t be a squirrel.

2) On your big eating days, plan a morning cardio workout that is about an hour long. 

Why an hour? Sixty minutes of cardiovascular activity at the start of your day will keep your metabolism elevated well into the afternoon. It doesn't matter what you do---the gym, walking around the block, jogging with the dog---whatever. Just plan to do an hour of SOMETHING on each of those mornings.

3) Pace yourself with sparkling water between each alcoholic beverage. 

One gram of alcohol packs a whopping 7 calories. In contrast, carbs and protein have only 4 calories per gram. Calories from alcohol are just, well, calories with zero nutritional value. They will rapidly convert into fat fast when you do not burn them off quickly. High-calorie mixed drinks like cocktails that are full of sugar or beer which are high in carbohydrates translate into even more calories.

4) Drink Plenty Of Water. 

Juices, soft drinks and coffee don't count! Just good ole plain water. Water flushes out waste from the body, transports nutrients to where they’re needed and helps the body recover from dehydration caused by alcohol consumption. You will also feel full so that you won’t want to eat anything more.

5) This one is optional, but can make a difference if you stick to it. 

If on your “non-designated eating days”, you know that you just aren't going to be able to resist all those wonderful cakes and pies, try eating them with your entree and pass on all or most of the starchy sides.

Remember, the goal here is not so much to lose weight, but to BREAK EVEN or simply SURVIVE so that you don’t blow into the size of a house and derail all of the work that you may have done up to this point.

Enjoy the holidays and remember they are not only about food, but more importantly about family spending quality time together. Treat yourself to some new holiday candles, listen to your favorite Christmas tunes, or go for a drive through a lit up neighborhood. Have fun during this special time of the year and enjoy that cake.

Happy Holidays!

[sandyleenutrition]

How To Make Homemade Nut Butter

I have a real obsession with nut butters---peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter you name it--I’ll eat it. I just can’t get enough of it so I’m making it for a few of my closest friends this christmas. I made almond and cashew butter. The almond butter was good, but the cashew butter is hands down one of the best things I’ve eaten in a very long time. Homemade cashew butter is so much yummier than the ones you buy as the texture is smoother and creamier and dreamier and once you mix in a little sea salt and honey you end up with a jar of heaven. Honestly, it’s outrageously good. It tastes and smells like cake mix and I’m currently sitting here eating it straight out of the food processor with a spoon. If you love nut butter you have to go make this as soon as you can. I know I say this a lot, but this recipe really is the best! You can add it to toast, use as a dip, drizzle it on porridge, blend it into smoothies, add it to your baking and just eat it straight out of the jar as a snack!

Ingredients:

(these same instructions apply to all nuts)

2 lbs raw cashews

Sea salt, to taste

Honey, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cashews out on baking tray and place in oven for 10 minutes - until they start to go golden brown but aren’t burnt.

Take the cashews out of the oven and let them cool.

Once cool place them in a food processor and blend for about 10 minutes, until the mix is smooth and creamy. You may want to stop intermittently and scrape down the sides with a spatula. You do need a really strong food processor, sadly a weak one won’t make it totally smooth.

Once smooth add a little sea salt and a drizzle of honey and continue to blend until your creamy dreamy cashew butter has your desired texture and taste! (Salt and sweetener are optional but I find adding even a tiny bit really helps to bring out the taste).

Storing your Nut Butters

Officially you should store your homemade nut butter in glass jars with a cover in the fridge. But cold nut butter is no fun for me, so I keep mine in room temperature and it suits me just fine. However, if you don’t plan to eat it on a regular basis then I would recommend storing it in the fridge.

[sandyleenutrition]

Will You Do This For Me?

Over the weekend I competed in my very first ever Fitness America Competition. It was fun, entertaining and an absolute blast!! But that’s not what I want to talk about in this post.

After my competition I was going beast mode on some pizza, and I overheard a group of girls talking about another girl.

YES I was chowing down on pizza, what can I say? I earned it. #sorrynotsorry

I trained hard and stayed “on track” with my nutrition for an entire 16 week competition prep. So anyway, there I am minding my own business trying to enjoy my pizza orgasmica and I can’t help but hear most of the conversation going on between the girls at the table next to me.

They were discussing another girl who had just placed in her division at the same fitness competition. Apparently she’s gained quite a bit of muscle in the past few months, and the word they kept using was “scary”.

“She looks so scary”

“She looked good before she gained all that muscle, when she lost those 20 pounds -- but now she’s just scary.”

Scary.

Can I tell you something? This shit really annoyed me. Like, are you really scared of this girl because she’s muscular? Because she’s chosen to have a different body type than what you find aesthetically pleasing?

You know what I find scary? Talking, murderous demon dolls, ghosts that crawl out of the television, zombie monsters that kill you in your sleep, and creepy killer children that worship corn stalks and murder all the adults.

That’s scary.

And if we’re being a bit more serious, you know what else is actually scary? Gun violence. Terrorism. Murder. Disease. Natural disasters. Home invasion. I’m scared every single time I drive alone late at night... especially in Jamaica, but I’m not afraid of bodybuilding or muscular women.

Bodybuilding is not a source of fear -- it’s a sport.

In fact, it’s really hard for a woman to gain muscle, it takes A LOT of hard work and dedication and personally I find it quite impressive. But if it’s not “for you” that’s totally cool and completely acceptable. You don’t have to want that for YOUR body and you don’t have to necessarily find it attractive -- hey, we all have a different “type”! But if you find that “scary”, then I don’t really think we agree on what “scary” means.

I finished my pizza… finally, and walked away from that experience not judging these women for their comments, but feeling inspired to spread more body positive energy into the world. And while I can’t put an end to body shaming (which is what this was), I can encourage others to spread more positive perceptions of health and body image.

I ask you to keep encouraging the women in your life to love and honor their bodies, and inspire them to stand in their power by being a positive example of strength, authenticity, and grace. Give genuine compliments. Congratulate them on their success without feeling as though it steals from yours. Listen deeply and compassionately to their struggles and hold space for them. Hold sisterhood in your heart.

That’s what we can do together. We can stand together instead of trashing each other. We can use compassion and love over gossip, and curiosity over judgements. We might not be able to change the way the rest of the world judges women’s bodies, but we sure as hell can embrace sisterhood and stand in our collective power.

Will you do this for me?

xo Sandy