Optimum Bodies Blog

Try this one-pot meal next time you want to make something that’s easy and makes good leftovers (if there’s any left!)

• 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 1 can red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 2 medium onions diced
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 red or yellow pepper diced
• 2 – 3 tbls chili powder
• 1 tbls chipotle chili powder
• 1 cup (or more) vegetable broth
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbls olive oil

Brown the turkey in a large deep frying pan, drain and set aside. Saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms in the oil until softened.  Add the chili powder, turkey, kidney beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Simmer for 25 or more minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fat free or low fat sour cream and chopped green onions.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Oatmeal should be a key part of any clean diet.  My friend claims if she just eats oatmeal for breakfast for a week or two she will shed a few pounds. 

Now I am NOT talking about the pre packaged single servings flavoured with maple and brown sugar.  If all you have to do is add boiling water and stir, don’t eat it.  I’m talking about real oats.  Yes it will take 10 to 20 minutes to cook, but it is so much better for you.  Make a big batch, throw in some apples, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon.  Keep the leftovers in the fridge for a quick snack or tomorrows breakfast.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Start with a few minutes of light cardio and active stretching. Finish with a full body stretch.

• 50 sumo squats
• 25 chin-ups (I use tension bands to take off some of the load)
• 2 minutes treadmill running on highest incline
• 50 deadlifts
• 25 chin-ups (assisted if you need it)
• 2 minutes running (faster speed, no incline)
• 50 hip extensions
• 50 bicep curls
• 1 minute burpees
• 50 overhead tricep extensions
• 50 military shoulder press
• 1 minute rockclimbers on inverted bosu

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

We make egg white frittatas most days of the week and my all time favourite has to be the spinach feta frittata.

• 500mL container simply egg whites
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 3/4 cup crumbled light feta
• 10 kalamata olives
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler to 350.  Prepare a non stick oven safe pan with cooking spray. Cook the spinach on medium heat for just a few minutes, add the carton of egg whites.  Sprinkle in feta cheese and olives. Add some freshly ground pepper. When eggs are just starting to set, transfer the pan to the oven (rack should be second from the top place).  Broil for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Another full body workout. I love these workouts.  I used this style a couple of years ago and it helped me take off 20 pounds.  I did this one with my friend the other day… I’m sure her legs still feel it, because I know mine do!

• 50 stiff leg deadlifts
• 50 cable rows
• 2 minutes runnng
• 25 jump squats or 50 regular squats
• 50 incline chest press
• 1 minute rock climbers
• 50 hip extensions
• 50 bicep curls
• 2 minutes running
• 50 rope tricep pressdown
• 50 lateral raise
• hanging leg raises to failure
• Bonus move – seated calf raise with 50 lb to failure.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

This cookie recipe is the result of my mom tweaking the recipe for the “worlds best cookie”.  She wanted a way to get more oatmeal in her diet, but needed to keep it low fat. Every time I go to my parents house, the first thing I do is raid the cookie jar…

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup margarine (I use olivina or olive oil becel)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 5 cups oatmeal

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Mix first 4 ingredients in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.  In a separate bowl, stir flour, salt and baking soda and then add to wet ingredients.  Next add the oatmeal one cup at a time.

Spread cookie mixture onto a large baking tray lined with a silicone baking sheet. You can use a rolling pin to spread it out to the edges of the pan.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes. 

Cool, cut into squares.  Makes approximately 40 cookies.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

I’m often asked for this recipe by my friends and I will usually rattle it off the top of my head.. There are a few key ingredients, and the rest are up to you.  I rarely make these the same twice.

Tip: Make a batch or two and freeze them in 2′s for easy breakfasts or snacks. One batch makes approximately 15 pancakes.

• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1/3 cup wheat bran
• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 500mL container simply egg whites

Mix with an immersion blender. Adjust consistency with oatmeal to thicken or egg whites or milk if the mixture is too thick.  Use a 1/3 measuring cup and ladel onto a prepared non stick skillet.

You can also add any or all of the following before blending:

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/3 cup sucanat
• 2 tbls cinnamon
• 1 tbls vanilla extract
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup blueberries or coarsly chopped dark chocolate (add after mixture has been blended)

Top with fresh fruit, applesauce or real maple syrup and enjoy!

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Perform one set of this circut, with light weights, very little rest between exercises. Be sure to warm up with a little cardio and do a full body stretch after.

• 50 sumo squats
• 50 lat pull downs
• 2 minutes bench hop overs
• 50 lateral lunges (50 per side)
• 50 chest fly on stability ball
• 2 minutes skipping
• 50 1 & 1/2 bicep curls
• 50 overhead tricep extensions
• 2 minutes skaters
• 50 forward shoulder raise
• 1 minute plank
• 50 abdominal crunches on floor

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Since egg whites are such a staple in our household (we eat them pretty much every day), I have had to be a little creative in finding new ways to prepare them.  This is the apple frittata.  Simple recipe – one 500 mL container simply egg whites, one apple, cinnamon and this time I added some blueberries, just to mix things up. 

Spray an oven safe, non stick pan with some cooking spray, heat it up on medium heat, add the egg whites and wait for it to start to set.  Meanwhile peel and slice your apple.  When eggs are almost set, sprinkle in blueberries and add apple slices.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Broil in oven on 350 for approximately 8 minutes.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

Have you ever thought to yourself “I want to get in shape, I just don’t know where to start”?

You’re not alone.  Many people can be overwhelmed by all the information out there.  If you are ready to make the change, clean up your diet and get moving, here are some tips to get you started.

When it comes to getting lean, diet will make up 80% of your results. It’s important to follow a clean diet.

• Eliminate prepared and processed foods, and cut out alcohol.
• Eat small meals often – 5 to 6 small meals a day.  Eat every 2 and a half to three hours.
• Make sure you include a lean protein with every meal.
• Hydrate! Water is so important – drink half your body weight in pounds, in ounces every day.
• Cut out the “whites” – that’s white bread, white rice, white pasta.
• Learn to read labels – most packaged foods will have nutritional information on the label.  And pay attention if it lists per serving, and how many servings are in the package.

Happy clean eating!

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca