1. Be prepared. Bring your favorite Fat Flush-friendly dish to share so you know there will be something there you can snack on. Some fresh veggies coupled with some yummy Fat Flush Salsa are a classic that everyone loves!

2. Hit the veggies first. Loading your plate with a fresh salad or grilled veggies will leave less room for unhealthy options that might pop up on down the table.

3. Mix up a big batch of cran-water for your ice chest. This will keep you away from sodas and alcoholic beverages loaded with sugar.

4. Stay hydrated. Besides the obvious “it’s good for you” reason, and keeping you away from sugar, continuous cran-water sippin’ will keep your tummy fuller so you won’t accidentally overeat.

5. Be a salad-snob. Just because it’s called a “salad” does NOT mean you need a heaping helping! Potato salad, macaroni salad—and the like— can be dangerously rich in dressing and add-in’s. Try our FF-friendly Potato Salad recipe!

6. Make some moves. Away from the food, that is. Make your healthy selections then find a spot to sit and nibble that is away from the food. This will help you stick to what’s on your plate without grazing on some possible naughty options.

7. If BBQ chicken is on the menu, have at it! But avoid extra sugars and sodium by peeling off the sauce-soaked skin before you chow down.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 small carrots, grated
12 black olives, chopped
Handful of fresh cilantro
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 cups mashed cauliflower

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large, nonstick skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and garlic. When beef is nearly done, add red pepper, mushrooms, cayenne, onion powder, and garlic powder. When beef is no longer pink, transfer to a large casserole dish. Add carrots, olives, cilantro, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to casserole dish and mix well. Spread mashed cauliflower over the top. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Place under broiler for 3 minutes or until browned on top.

Makes 1 pancake

Ingredients
2 eggs, whisked
olive oil spray
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Spritz a skillet with the olive oil spray and warm over medium heat. Pour in the mixture and let it cook until it is somewhat solid, about 10 minutes. Flip and let cook for about another minute.

Tidbit: While the pancake is cooking for those 10 minutes, leave it alone! The “batter” needs that time to set and cook.

Try our homemade broth recipes:
Chicken Broth
Beef Broth
Vegetable Broth

1. Select foods that are freeze-friendly. This tip takes some trial and error, but try to choose hearty recipes to freeze. All-inclusive meals such as soups, chili, casseroles work well. You can also cook and freeze meats like chicken and beef.

2. Cool the food before freezing. This may sound redundant, but bare with me. Putting foods in the freezer that are still warm can alter the temperature of the freezer and impact other food you have stored there. (It may even alter the texture and flavor.) The best thing to do is place the food in a shallow container in the fridge until it’s thoroughly cooled. For soups and stews with some fat content, skim the fat from the top between cooling and freezing. Besides cutting the ‘fat’ content— literally— this detail lengthens the time the dish can spend in the freezer as fat spoils over time, even in the freezer!

3. Efficient storage is key. Freezer bags work perfectly as long as you remove the air from the bags before sealing. The bags allow the food to lay flat, saving you space but also exposing it to the cold air for a thorough, even freeze. Storing the food in single portions will also help keep the temperature down—the cold air can circulate freely— but it will also save you time later when you can simply thaw as many portions as you need (single helpings, 2, 3, etc).

4. Freeze it fast! Don’t let the dish sit around the fridge for a few days before you freeze it. The fresher it is when it’s frozen, the better the quality when it’s thawed. Most dishes will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.

1. Myth: Stretching one particular muscle (or group of muscles) will only relieve that area, hence the reason for LOTS of different stretch moves.
Every muscle in your body is connected— have you ever heard to relieve a headache, put pressure on the fleshy part of your hand at the base of your thumb? It works! But back to stretches…stretching one area will be beneficial to multiple different areas because things in our bodies are so interconnected. Don’t have a lot of time for stretching? Pick a few different moves and rotate through them regularly.

2. Myth: Stretching a few times a week is more than enough.
Consistent stretching is important to maintain the benefits. Think of your body like a rubberband— stretch it out every now and then, it will tighten right back up. Stretch it regularly and, over time, it will sustain the loose flexibility.

3. Myth: Stretching after a workout isn’t important, as long as you stretched beforehand.
Actually, the post-workout stretch is just as important as your pre-workout stretching. It’s a soothing way to cool-down your muscles thoroughly.

4. Myth: Stretching isn’t important if you’re already flexible.
False. Stretching and warming up muscles are important for anyone with blood flow. (So…everyone.) Like we talked about earlier, stretching increases blood flow and helps the body release toxins. If basic stretches are too easy, push on to some more advanced moves.

5. Stretching (or not) has no effect on performance.
Flexible muscles improve your body’s range of motion, which means you can DO more stuff. Have you ever simply reached for something and felt a painful strain in a muscle? You were reaching beyond your ‘range of motion’.

The key is to start slowly, easing into the movement or position. Although you should feel some strain when you stretch, your muscles should still be comfortable and not in any sharp pain. Try not to bounce in the position or move too quickly— this gives your muscles no time to ‘stretch’, but instead forces them into the ‘finished position’, which defeats the purpose.

1. Order counts!
First measure your water, then add the ice, protein powder and fruit. Blend those until smooth, then add any extras— ie mint, cinnamon, chia seeds, etc. This is to make sure the base ingredients are full incorporated and will give you a smoother texture.

2. Use the hatch!
Most blenders come with a nifty little hatch built into the lid— this is the removable piece in the center of the lid. It’s designed so you can add things while the blender is on, without making a mess. If you’re adding flaxseed oil, this is the spot! After the base ingredients and extras are pretty well incorporated, lift the hatch and stream the oil into the smoothie while the blender is still running. This will fully incorporate the oil into the smoothie which makes it nearly undetectable, and will also give your smoothie a thicker, more rich texture.

3. Fruit: Fresh or Frozen?
This is definitely your call! Most Fat Flushers like to use frozen fruit because you can buy it in bulk and have it on-hand and ready no matter the season. Frozen fruit can also make ice unnecessary because the fruit pieces are like little ice cubes themselves.

4. Save some for later!
Some people like to use smoothies as a time-saver— and we agree. They’re mighty convenient! If you know you won’t have a chance to cook later, or can’t make another smoothie, it is possible to make 2 smoothies in a batch, freezing one for later. Depending on the efficiency of your freezer, it can come out later as more of an ice cream treat than a protein smoothie! Jackpot! If it’s too frozen when you take it out, just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until it’s thawed to just the right texture. (You may want to stir it again just to be sure it’s all mixed up.)

1. Store your leftovers in clear, glass containers. Seeing the food will help you eat them before they spoil!

2. An over-crowded fridge can’t cool as efficiently, leading to spoilage and waste. Keep your fridge clutter-free!

3. Try not to store your dairy— or quick-to-spoil foods— in the fridge doors where the temperature fluctuates every time you open the door. Keep them on a middle shelf instead.

4. Don’t mix fruits, veggies, and meats in the same crisper. Contamination can lead to spoilage and waste.

5. When you come home from the grocery store, rotate older foods to the front of the shelves. This will keep you from forgetting it’s there because it’s hiding in the back, behind the fresh groceries.

6. Store raw meats and seafood on the bottom shelf to prevent it from dripping, and therefore contaminating, food on lower shelves.

Serves 1

Ingredients
8 ounces water
1 scoop Fat Flush vanilla Whey Protein
10 large cherries
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Serves 1

Ingredients
8 ounces water
1 scoop Fat Flush Body Protein
1/2 inch cube of fresh ginger
1 small apple
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Directions
Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth.