Shaping Up With Sheree Burton

I grew up in Southern California with my parents and two brothers. I was always active as a kid. I loved gymnastics, water sports, snow sports, ice skating and everything in between. I realized my interest in fitness before I was even a teenager. I remember watching fitness shows on television and I was just drawn to it. I would look at fitness magazines and try to figure out what I needed to do to get into that kind of shape.

My first job was at an LA Fitness just so I could get the free gym membership. Working out was never an issue for me. I loved it. I just didn’t really know what to do. After several trainers and a lot of trial and error, I finally realized that it wasn’t just about the workouts. You can’t out-train a bad diet, and I finally realized the importance of nutrition and what a huge part it played in that lifestyle. After my first child was born, I saw a nutrition coach and she not only gave me a fantastic start, but the results I saw inspired me to pursue my own certification in fitness and nutrition.

After several years of mastering my diet, I began to help friends and family. It slowly turned into a business and I’ve been coming up with new ways to reach as many women as I can to help them achieve their goals no matter their age or fitness level. Some of the struggles I hear about are lack of time, lack of motivation, not knowing where to start or what to eat, just to name a few. I’ve been there. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years now and I can tell you that it’s not always easy, but it is simple.

There’s so much information out there and it gets overwhelming. Keep things simple but stay consistent. We will not always wake up motivated so we have to become disciplined. Create a routine and have things that are non-negotiable. It’s a lifestyle, but it needs to be sustainable or it won’t last.

For me, my workouts are essential; 30-to-60 minutes max, five or six days a week is what I aim for. I always take one rest day a week. I lift weights! Women are sometimes afraid to lift weights and they shouldn’t be. We begin to lose muscle mass in our 30s, so resistance training is essential for overall muscle health, strength and growth. I used to think I had to do hours of cardio, but that’s not the case. I do cardio about three times a week and weights three-to-four times a week. It works for me.

Planning ahead will save you! Knowing your calories and planning your meals ahead are crucial to your health and fitness success. Plan your meals out. This is easier than you think. Balance your macros [macronutrients] out within each meal with your proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

I recently launched a new platform through the Mighty Networks. It’s a monthly subscription (but you can cancel anytime) that goes over absolutely everything you need to know to make health and fitness a lifestyle. It’s an amazing community of women that all have one thing in common: They want to better themselves. They want to be and feel the best they’ve ever felt. We do weekly Zoom check-ins, weekly workouts, recipes, go over calories, macros, how to meal prep and so much more. I wanted to provide a safe environment giving women accountability, motivation, encouragement and positivity. Everyone is welcome.

Now that we’re officially in fall, I’m having fun with some healthy fall recipes. One of my all-time favorites are my protein muffins, although for fall I add pumpkin! They’re naturally dairy and gluten-free, too!

Sheree Burton’s PROTEIN PUMPKIN MUFFINS (Makes 12 muffins)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups old-fashioned oats

2 bananas

6 egg whites

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ cup almond milk or dairy-free milk

¼ cup almond butter

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS • Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into greased 12-slot muffin pan. • Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Approximate nutritional info for one muffin: 145 calories 7 grams protein 17 grams carbohydrates 3 grams fiber

To connect with Burton, go to www.shereeburton.com or @1shereeburton on Instagram.