Tips on eating healthy, exercising

“Or I would go out to dinner with friends,” said Snipes, an asset manager for a real estate investment firm. “I ate a lot of processed foods. I was way overweight, unhealthy and miserable, and I felt I needed help.”

The 47-year-old Atlanta resident has lost about 50 pounds and said it took some time to figure out what worked for her when it came to food and exercise. She’s had a personal fitness trainer for three years, and these days she food shops and does all her meal prep for the week on Sundays.

Russ Pysell of Grant Park, a personal chef with a degree in pharmacy, said many folks struggle with how to get started eating healthy.

“Clients say, ‘I want to eat better and I feel there are a lot of options but I’m so crunched for time and will grab something quick.’ That can mean hidden fat and calories,” Pysell said.

The chef grows many of the herbs he uses for his business, Yummy Street, and has several tips to help make better choices:

Make your own salad dressing. Salad dressing can double or triple the number of calories. Pysell suggested mixing mustard or vinegar with olive oil to make your own dressing. Add some fresh herbs and, voila! "Fresh herbs are very inexpensive, add loads of flavor, and can be paired wonderfully with foods," he said.

Cook with canola or coconut oil. When olive oil is heated beyond a certain point it loses its good fats. Canola or coconut oil can cook at a higher temperature and you don't have to worry about them breaking down.

Use pasta and white rice alternatives. Quinoa or farro grains are tasty rice alternatives, and are high in protein. Yellow spaghetti squash is hearty and easy to prepare, using the microwave to help transform it into noodles.

Knowing that healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand, Snipes turned to personal trainer Andre Davis to help her get started with both.

“I needed someone to push me. I was never one to work out on my own. He gave me suggestions on what to eat,” Snipes said.

Davis operates Fit In Fit Out Personal Training on Spring Street in Atlanta, and has several suggestions for quick exercises at home.

“Whatever we are doing, I want you to move your body as fast as you can in a controlled manner,” Davis said.

For a 15-minute workout he suggests:

The mountain climber exercise. Start out in a push-up position and bring in one knee to the chest at a time.

Burpees. In this total body aerobic movement, a push-up is followed by a jump up into the air and then repeated.

Vertical crunch. Sit-ups with legs raised and the core engaged.

Snipes participates in small exercise groups at Davis’ gym.

“The attention he was able to give me helped to change my lifestyle. I felt more intimidated going to a (traditional) gym on own rather than personal training,” she said.