4 Easy Summer Dinners!
July 11, 2022
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian
Do you know what you're having for dinner tonight? We've all reached the end of a busy, fun, hot summer day, only to find we have no idea what we're going to make for dinner. Today, we'll give you a handful of quick and easy ideas to keep you and your family going through these warm summer months!
1. Pasta salad: Make your favourite easy pasta salad recipe, or try this: cook pasta according to package directions or your desired level of doneness. Toss with your favourite bottled dressing, or a combination of oil and vinegar. Add chopped vegetables. Add in cheese or canned legumes for protein. Pair a serving with a green salad, raw vegetables, or your favourite summer fruit!
2. Taco or burrito night: The best part of this dinner is letting everyone assemble their own personal taco! Top tortillas or taco shells with cooked and seasoned ground meat, canned black beans (rinsed and drained), cooked rice, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos... or whatever your favourite toppings are!
3. Vegetable pasta: While pasta has a bad rap, it can be part of a healthy dinner when paired with a pile of seasonal vegetables. Cook your favourite pasta (try a whole wheat option for a bit more fibre!) according to package directions. Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Add slices zucchini, bell peppers, thinly sliced carrots, fresh peas, or any other vegetables that might need to be slightly cooked. When vegetables are just tender, add drained pasta, your favourite greens and herbs, and stir to combine. Serve topped with parmesan cheese. Leftover chicken or sausage would bump up the protein!
4. Grilled cheese: Who doesn't love grilled cheese? When it comes to a super simple meal that keeps everyone happy, it can't be beat. Try adding pesto, tomato, or bacon to your sandwich for a fun twist. Pair your grilled cheese with a green salad, raw vegetables, or your favourite summer fruits!
Will you be including any of these in your dinner meal plans this summer? If you do, snap a picture and tag Degree Fitness Seaforth on social media. Remember, dinners don't have to be fancy or perfect to to satisfying and balanced.
For more common sense nutrition advice, book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat to learn more about our Nutrition Programs. Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info!
Written By: Coach Sienna Showing up for yourself is so important but its often overlooked and dismissed. Showing up for yourself isn't some cheesey, made up statement. There is meaning behind it and science! Showing up for yourself is an empowering practice that can transform the way you live, love and lead! BUT what does showing up for yourself actually mean? And why does it matter so much? S howing up for yourself is... Not Selfish You matter and you are important! Treat yourself as if you were a loved one. It means honoring your own needs, values and well being to achieve overall wellness. This means being consistent in the way you treat yourself, not just when it's convenient to you! It is…. Keeping your word to yourself and keeping those promises Choosing rest to prevent burnout It means giving yourself grace and speaking kindly to yourself (Its your first time living!) Prioritizing growth even if its uncomfortable Creating boundaries and sticking with them Say No when something doesn't align with you or your beliefs I t's about treating you like you are worth caring for not only when you have “deserved it” but because you are worth that care, always! Why does all of this matter? It strengthens your relationship with yourself Prevents you for burning or crashing out Builds self confidence as well as trust in yourself Helps you stay balanced emotionally and physically The more time you spend getting to know yourself you learn and discover hobbies! You learn that YOU CAN DO IT and that YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! You become more present for others! You are no longer pouring from an empty cup! What does this look like in real life? Drinking enough water even though you would rather skip it Going on a walk or doing meditation to have time for yourself to avoid crash out Keeping promises you said you would Letting go of perfection and simply doing the best that you can with what you've got S tart showing up for yourself today! Let yourself know that you've got you :) --- To inquire about services, programs or to get started email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492!
Written By: Coach Kelly I’ve been exercising since high school... I don’t want to age myself tooooo much ;) but that was quite sometime ago. I meet with people all the time who are looking to get started. They are looking to lose weight, tone up, feel better, happier, increase bone density, do something for them, for various reasons. I’m going to give you two of the most important things that you need to do to make your fitness stick, through al season nd all set backs. Write these down, memorize them, and repeat them over and over. You’ll always succeed. Forget about motivation Seriously, forget it. Motivation comes after you get started. It comes when you start to see results; it comes when your pants fit different; it comes when you’re not out of breath going up stairs; it comes when you are running down the soccer field with your kids; it comes when you are happier; it comes when you feel less anxious, less depressed; it comes after you get started. Remember your why Why are you wanting to get started? Why do you want to spend money and time at a gym? Are you willing to do this for months, if not years? When your schedule gets busy, or your kids get sick, why will you keep coming to classes or appointments? You just need to get started, and you need to clearly understand why you are starting in the first place. After that, you must stick with it. Even when y you’re tired, when you’re frustrated, when you want to give up. Everyone wants the quick fix. We will spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on supplements that promise to help us lose weight, feel better, but honestly, nothing will compare to the eating some vegetables and getting in a structured workout with a Coach or at a gym 2 - 3 times per week. I know it’s hard. I know it’s hard. Like, I really, really know it’s hard. But, as you’re reading this, look way down the road, like 1 year, then 3, then 5 years. How do you want to feel? As hard as it is to get started, it will be even harder if you don’t do anything. You deserve to invest in yourself. You deserve to feel good. You have got this and we believe in you - Let’s go! ----- To inquire about services, programs or to get started email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492!
Written By: Coach Kelly My gym ownership journey started in December of 2019. At the time I was managing the day to day Degree, coaching classes/appointments and running events/programs. The previous owner had some really exciting things coming up in her life that required big changes. One of them being handing over the keys to someone else. It was an immediate yes, and an absolute honour! Degree was originally founded as a place to workout with a group of like minded, amazing people. Using fitness as a vehicle for a better overall life (happier people, healthier people). I always believed int eh original mission, vision an values of Degree and they haven’t changed much over the years :) Fitness to me was a way to escape; I could move my body, stay strong and feel empowered when everything else around me felt like it was falling apart. I’ve continued to use fitness to improve my overall health and strength, and just like when I first started, to stay grounded when everything else feels shaky. Fitness to me, and at Degree, is more than muscles. It’s helping our clients have a safe space they can come, be themselves, and workout with their gym buddies. As they do this, the most amazing things happen, and it makes our hearts soar as you Coaches… We see you light up when you crush a hard workout, or do something you didn’t think you could do. When you share a bright spot and everyone in your class is genuinely happy and excited for you, too! When you start to realize, and believe , that you are whole heartedly capable of anything you put your mind to. That you are worth it; you always have been. Degree is the cornerstone of health and wellness, and we will always be here to help you, and our community live their happiest, and healthiest lives! ----- To inquire about services, programs or to get started email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492!