Wellness Presentation for CONNECT Madison

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On Thursday April 24th I presented to a group of 50+ business professionals from CONNECT Madison. Titled Live Healthier — Be More Successful, I focused this seminar on ways to stay healthy even with a full schedule. Attendees learned proven strategies to increase energy, improve focus and elevate productivity. In addition they learned more about how their body worked, good vs. bad foods and how to build fitness into their lives. Yes, I covered a lot of territory in 45 minutes.

A few minutes before I was introduced, the energy in Fresh Madison Market’s event room was positive and palpable. Having presented to over 250 businesses and organizations in Wisconsin, this is very important to me. The last thing I want to do is talk at people and get a lot of blank stares. People were smiling and excited to hear what I had to share.

At the beginning of the seminar, I joked that “class participation was 50% of their grade at the end of term.” This got a few laughs as I explained that asking questions and contributing ideas was encouraged. My hope was to make my presentation more of a conversation. The young audience took notes and asked excellent questions. Their positive vibes energized me too as my presentation style became even more relaxed and dynamic. How is that helpful? Like an athlete in any sport, being relaxed results in fewer mistakes. That was definitely true Thursday evening. Everyone enjoyed themselves, learned and left empowered. I was even able to chat with a few people afterwards. That night was a success for everyone.

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Sharing tips about menu planning and grocery shopping.

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Showing off Heather’s vegetable dragon platter.

Wellness Presentation for CONNECT Madison2014-04-29T12:12:38-05:00

South of the Border Cooking Class

On Wednesday 25th I held my first cooking class at Fresh Madison Market. The 2-hour class was titled Cooking South of the Border, and I prepared some of my favorite Tex-Mex cuisine: Sizzlin’ Chicken Fajitas (in a cast iron skillet just like the restaurants), Heather’s Homemade Guacamole (a real crowd pleaser), Chili con Carne (adapted from my mom’s recipe — it’s great for a large group or put into containers and make your own frozen entrees) and a Crisp Taco Salad (say goodbye to iceberg lettuce). The goal was to create meals that were familiar, simple, delicious and healthy. In addition to sampling each dish, everyone enjoyed a Corona Extra or glass of Sangria. I also covered different cutting techniques like how to peel and dice garlic, how to core and chop bell peppers and how to slice an onion without crying.

What I enjoyed most was that everyone had a good time, asked great questions and were interested in learning more. So what’s next on the list? People who attended my class said they were interested in Thai cuisine. Pad thai, curries, satays. Yum. If you are interested in having me put on a cooking class for you and your friends, please give me a call.

South of the Border Cooking Class
Chopping a green bell pepper and sharing a story.

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Getting ingredients ready for chili con carne.

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Plating up some sizzlin’ chicken fajitas.

South of the Border Cooking Class2014-03-28T11:26:37-05:00

Jenna’s Photo Shoot

A few months ago, my client, Jenna, and I came up with a goal of her doing a fitness photo shoot. Talk about motivation! This was just the impetus we were looking for. We flipped through a fitness catalog, and as she looked at the pics of athletic women, she said “I can do that.” Jenna began researching and interviewing local photographers and shared some of their photo galleries with me. Then one day while she was warming up on the recumbent bike, she announced that she had booked a photo shoot with photographer, Amanda Reseburg, of Type A Images. Understandably, she was excited and a little nervous. With only a few weeks to go, we kicked her workouts into high gear, paying particular attention to her diet. Jenna epitomizes focus, discipline and consistency, and I am proud to share (with her permission) a few photos. Great job, Jenna! You look fantastic!

Jenna sitting
Of her 50+ portraits, this one immediately jumped out at me. Can’t you just picture the fitness apparel, workout program or sports drink ad?

Jenna in blue
No air-brushing, no touch-ups. That’s what I like about Amanda’s approach to portrait photography. She clearly made it a fun photo shoot too.

Jenna triceps
As Jenna’s personal trainer, this photo makes me smile. Why? Jenna’s goal was to look like a model in a women’s health and fitness magazine. She’s definitely pulled it off.

Jenna’s Photo Shoot2013-09-30T08:18:06-05:00

Campfire Cooking

I hope Father’s Day was a special day for all you Dads. It definitely was for me. My folks were visiting from California, and I tried out my new Camp Chef Lumberjack Over-the-Fire Grill. Other than sitting by a fire, singing campfire songs and perfecting my S’mores-making technique, I had never grilled directly over my firepit. Measuring eight feet in diameter, my firepit can hold a lot of wood which creates a tremendous amount of heat. A lightbulb went off in my head. With all of those hot embers I could easily cook over the fire. So I bought a 36″ cooking grate with sturdy legs. It can handle direct grilling, skillets and even our cast iron dutch oven.

For Father’s Day, we picked up top sirloin and beef flank steaks from Black Earth Meats. They were immediately immersed in my home-made teriyaki marinade which is made up of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, ginger powder and apple cider vinegar, the secret ingredient. The vinegar tenderizes the meat and imparts a sweetness to it, so the longer you can marinade it the better. In the Foxman family, my mom is the queen of steaks and I learned my best marinades and rubs from her. She also taught me the key to a perfect steak. Prepare it medium-rare.

So I put the cooking grate in the pit off to one side and built a fire. A couple hours later, there were plenty of hot embers, and I raked them underneath the grate. I gently placed the meat on the grate and just a few minutes of grilling on each side and the steaks were done. It worked like a charm. I didn’t have a thermometer, but I’d guess the temperature in the pit was over 500 degrees F. We also placed some corn off to the side where the heat was more indirect. Those took around ten minutes.

Grilling over a fire gave me a whole new appreciation for cooking outdoors. This was a fun experience and I hope to try other recipes in the future.

Campfire Cooking2013-06-17T21:41:14-05:00

Egg-cellent: Why Eggs Are Good For You

Eggs have gotten a bad wrap due to their fat content and cholesterol levels. As a result, carton egg whites and egg substitutes have become more popular in the last two decades. I remember eating quite a few of the refrigerated Egg Beaters during my body building years. Created in 1994, they were fat-free and had low or no cholesterol. Takes me back to the days of fat-free diets . . . and rice cakes. Of course, we could make rice cakes taste better by spreading on cream cheese or lots of peanut butter. Defeats the purpose, huh? That’s how I feel about real eggs. It’s real nutrition. One egg has 6 grams of protein, some healthy unsaturated fats and is a good source of choline (linked with preserving memory) and lutein (may protect against vision loss).

My boys love eating hard-boiled eggs. The yolk is prized above all things. It’s rich, satisfying and has many nutrients. The problem with many man-made low-fat foods is that we’re never satisfied. And where’s the taste? We’re always searching for it. So we eat more. In my opinion, a veggie egg white omelette may be lighter, but an omelette with real eggs is tastier and more satisfying.

Here’s a tip to long-lasting weight loss: Don’t deprive yourself. Include foods in your diet that are satisfying. Otherwise, you’ll keep searching (ie: eating and drinking) until you’re stuffed. Does that make sense? I’m not suggesting that you eat cheesecake, bacon or a dozen scrambled eggs every day. But a couple bites of richer foods will often nip cravings in the bud.

The question that often arises regarding eggs is “Are eggs bad for me?” Unfortunately this is the wrong question. Instead we need to ask “How many eggs are you eating?”, “How are they prepared?”, “What else are you eating?” and “What activities are you doing?” We need to look at the bigger picture of your health and fitness and not single out specific foods.

It’s exciting to wake up in the morning, walk out to my chicken coop and gather eggs. Free of hormones and antibiotics, they also free range. We’re trying to get closer to our food and be more self-sufficient. Below is a pic of our first egg and two of our chickens, Parsley (Speckled Sussex) and Sage (Buff Orpington).


Do you remember?
I’m a chicken hawk and I’m gunna get me some chickens!!!
I say, I say there boy! These here, I say these here, are egg-laying chickens.

Egg-cellent: Why Eggs Are Good For You2013-05-22T13:06:54-05:00

Asian Noodle Soup Recipe

How would you like to make a soup that is “mostly” homemade, healthy and prepared in under 30 minutes? Then check out my Asian noodle soup recipe. As you’ll see, the amounts and kinds of veggies you put in is up to you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Ramen Noodles
5 cups water
2-3 medium carrots, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (optional: bok choy)
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots (cut into strips)
1 can straw mushrooms, sliced
1 can baby corn
ground ginger
egg (optional)

Directions
In a pot add water. Bring to boil then add carrots, onions and celery. (These will take the longest to cook.) Cook for approx. 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix in seasoning packet and ground ginger. Next add noodles and lower to medium heat. After 1 minute add remaining ingredients. If you feel the need for more protein, you can crack an egg into the soup. Cover egg with the noodles and lower heat. Egg will be cooked in under five minutes and soup is ready.

Asian Noodle Soup Recipe2013-05-13T09:24:44-05:00

Welcome Roy Philip Foxman

Balance Personal Training is pleased to announce our newest team member, Roy Philip Foxman. Roy was hired on Sunday March 11th @ 4:35am. I know that seems pretty early to start, but he was raring to go. I was excited that he arrived early (official due date March 17th), because that showed a lot of initiative. We met at my home fitness studio. After reviewing his resume (7 lbs) and qualifications (20 1/2 inches) he was immediately promoted to junior assistant marketing director. He will be supervised by Bruce Foxman, who has been with Balance Personal Training for 5 years. They both will be under the watchful eye of our senior marketing manager, Kyle Foxman, who has the most experience with over 8 years in the industry.

On a more serious note, as a father for the 3rd time, I am absolutely overjoyed. Roy is a blessing. He reminds me of the simple things in life like a hug and a warm blanket. Just looking at him and even thinking of him makes me smile. That should remind us all to love and take care of each other. It’s easy to get distracted by the urgent over the important. And while Heather and I may not be getting as much sleep as we’d like, it’s all about balance.

Welcome Roy Philip Foxman2013-03-12T13:29:17-05:00

Dynamic and Static Stretches

Flexibility is one of the key components to fitness. How can you become more flexible? Stretch. Stretching helps to improve performance, reduce the risks of injury and aid in recovery. Two ways to improve your flexibility are through dynamic and static stretches. Dynamic stretches are often performed before and during exercise. It is a type of stretching while moving. For tennis, baseball, golf and swimming, for example, arm rotations is an excellent dynamic stretch. See video below. Static stretches, on the other hand, are great for cooling down at the end of a workout. These stretches are often held for 30 seconds. Here are three of my favorite dynamic and static stretches.


The first static stretch is for your chest, arms and shoulder blades. The second for your back, shoulders and arms. The third for your hip flexors, quads and groin.

Dynamic and Static Stretches2013-02-08T10:35:35-06:00

Eric’s High Protein Pancake Recipe

If you’re looking for a delicious, easy-to-prepare and healthy breakfast then try my high protein pancakes. Unlike traditional pancakes, which are made with flour, baking powder, milk, sugar, egg, salt and salad oil these pancakes are high in protein, fiber, complex carbs and omega-3s. As a matter of fact, I made them this morning in less than 20 minutes and the boys gobbled them up. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup plain low or non-fat yogurt (I used Greek)
1 cup low or non-fat cottage cheese
2 tbsp ground flax seed
4 eggs

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add yogurt, cottage cheese and well-beaten eggs; stir till combined. Bake on hot griddle at 325-350 degrees F until brown (approximately 4-5 minutes each side). Serve with your favorite fruit(s) or syrup. Makes about 20.

Eric’s High Protein Pancake Recipe2013-01-16T08:48:30-06:00
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