Blog - Scott Klasen

Exercise and Fat Loss – What You Need to Know

November 10, 2021

I’m going to say something that you’ll be surprised to hear come out of the mouth of a fitness professional. Brace yourself… exercise alone is a poor choice IF your main goal is to shed fat and lose weight. There I said it! Might not be my best marketing tactic, but at least it’s out in the open. So why would someone who sells exercise for a living make this statement? Because it appears to be true and I always aim to tell you what you need to hear and not just what you want to hear. Not only

Grilled Chile Lime Chicken Thighs

October 18, 2021

A while back, I brought up the importance of having go-to meals and shared my recipe for Honey Dijon Wild-Caught Salmon. As a refresher, a go-to meal has these three basic elements: It’s super quick and easy. For me, that means I can put it together in 10 minutes or less and it takes absolutely no brainpower. I always have it on hand. For example, it’s already in the freezer or it’s something I always pick up during a weekly grocery shopping trip. It’s healthy. Now that we’re into October, grilling season is slowly winding down where I live

Is the Keto Diet Best for Me?

September 22, 2021

Chances are, you’ve probably purchased a dietary supplement or some piece of exercise equipment that promised an appealing result. Or you tried the latest diet and exercise program making the rounds because it was billed as “the best.” If this sounds like you, don’t feel bad. I’d be willing to bet each one of us has fallen victim to “the best” of something mentality somewhere along the line. Quick question – have you ever wondered who exactly deemed something to be the best and why? And, if it was truly the best, how come it’s still not the best a

End-of-the Garden Zucchini Skillet

September 1, 2021

This past spring I got inspired and decided I wanted to plant my own vegetable garden right here at the house. Fast forward a few months and now the tomatoes and zucchinis are free-flowing! If you’ve ever had your own garden you will already know this, but it gets to a point where it’s vegetable overload and you have to do something with it…like right now. So that’s what I’m going to help you with today. I stumbled upon this recipe eight years ago and it has remained one of my favorite ways to quickly use up a bunch of

You’ve Been Lied To

August 11, 2021

Recently I talked about the prevalence of “should goals” I tend to see in the area of health and fitness. While I believe I have said enough on the topic of goals lately, I have yet to discuss the various factors associated with why these goals are chosen and I feel that this is worthy of some attention. I’m going to come right out and say it, you’ve been lied to. You have always been lied to. And, you will most likely continue to be lied to. The best diet. The best exercise program. The must-have piece of exercise equipment.

Thai Quinoa Salad

July 22, 2021

From the very first bite, this recipe became an instant favorite of ours. What stood out to me was all of the different flavors popping all at once. When you try it out for yourself, you’ll see that this dish has a whole lot going on. According to the original recipe, this was intended to be more of a side dish served cold. However, the first time I made it, Stacy and I were both so hungry that I decided to skip the step of allowing it to cool and instead just ate it warm. Were we ever rewarded! In

Thank You Coach

July 1, 2021

It was the first week of August 1994 with a car packed to the gills, I made the trip down to Normal, Illinois to begin the next chapter of my life. However, only four short weeks prior, I was planning to make a much longer drive west to Lawrence, Kansas instead. For some reason that I can’t quite explain, I had still yet to sign the athletic scholarship papers that were sitting on my kitchen table that would officially make me a member of the University of Kansas’ cross-country and track and field teams. I think I was “getting around

Are You “Shoulding” Yourself?

June 21, 2021

After writing last month’s article on goal setting, I thought I had wrapped up everything I needed and wanted to say concerning the topic of goals. Then I realized I had left something out. Something important. If you have been following along, you now know that when someone finally uncovers their true “why” for wanting to accomplish something, and when that goal is in line with their personal values and priorities, goal attainment increases significantly. The problem I routinely face is that most folks are not in this boat. Instead of having goals that run through the above filter, they

Beet Blueberry Molasses Superhero Muffins

June 1, 2021

I promised you another version of the Superhero Muffin and here it is! If you happen to be a fan of beets and blueberries – this one is for you. It is the least sweet of them all, so if you tend to prefer things on the sweeter side, consider adding some raw honey or maple syrup to the blackstrap molasses (1/2 cup of total sweetener would probably do it). This too came from the Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. Quick-fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes cookbook. In case you might have missed it, here’s the recipe for the Pumpkin Spice

This is the Last Step in Goal Setting

May 10, 2021

I wrote this series of articles because I keep seeing the same thing happen over and over again. Well-meaning individuals attempting to achieve some health and/or fitness-related goal, and in the end either coming up short or quitting entirely, and I want to help. If you happen to be starting here, please go back and read part 1, part 2, and part 3. There are some very good reasons why I didn’t just start here in the first place. Today I’m going to talk about the final piece of the puzzle – the actual process of setting goals. Research tells

Honey Dijon Wild-Caught Salmon

April 15, 2021

Today I’d like to share with you one of my favorite go-to meals. In fact, it’s probably my favorite go-to meal at the moment. What is a go-to meal you might ask? I would define it as a meal that has these three basic elements: It’s super quick and easy. For me, that means I can put it together in 10 minutes or less and it takes absolutely no brainpower. I always have it on hand. For example, it’s already in the freezer or it’s something I always pick up during a weekly grocery shopping trip. It’s healthy. In

Why You Do What You Do

April 1, 2021

Hopefully, by now you have figured out your why and have taken a deeper look at who you are as a person (your identity). If not, please go back and check out parts 1 and 2. If I were to ask you, what are your top 5 core values, could you do it? Could you confidently explain the difference between your values, priorities, and your goals? It sounds easy, but when I start to go through this with clients there is usually some confusion. My goal today is to help clear up this confusion because understanding how your goals

Spicy White Bean Chicken Chili

March 15, 2021

I got the idea for this recipe from Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant. Every month they put out a recipe in their newsletter, and over the last several years, have included a couple of different chicken chili recipes. What I did here was take parts of each and then made a few tweaks of my own. My suggestion to you is to not get bogged down in the details. As you can see, I use three different kinds of chili pepper. I do that because I’m a spice nerd. It’s not necessary to make a good-tasting chili. For example, if all

I am who I am

March 2, 2021

Recently I talked about the importance of finding your why as it pertains to goal attainment. As the saying goes, when you find your WHY, you will figure out the HOW. So let’s say you’ve taken the time to find your why but you’re still feeling like you’re spinning your wheels when it comes to achieving your health and fitness-related goals. What should you do next? When all of the fluff is stripped away, we find that every meaningful goal comes from who you think you are (your identity) and what’s important to you (your values and priorities). I

Beef Stew

February 12, 2021

I’m pretty sure the thermometer hasn’t broken 20 degrees here for at least a week now. In other words, it’s cold. And when it’s cold, I absolutely love my crockpot. Warm, hearty meals that are ready on demand for dinner are tough to beat. Since I just made it last week, the following is fresh on mind. This beef stew recipe comes from The Paleo Kitchen cookbook, the same book that brought us twice baked butternut squash. However, I have changed the recipe over the years to suit my particular taste. The original recipe calls for bacon and no potatoes

We’re Missing the Larger Issue

February 1, 2021

I have 5 questions that I’d like you to take a minute, think about, and answer to yourself honestly: 1) Are you currently dealing with any chronic pain or injuries? 2) Do you have at least one chronic disease? 3) Do you achieve at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day (walking counts)? 4) Do you eat 5-8 servings of vegetables and/or fruit everyday? 5) And, do you average between 7-9 hours of sleep each night? Okay, so how many of you can say no to questions 1 and 2, and yes to questions

Old School Meatloaf

January 18, 2021

I don’t know about you, but for some reason, I feel an intense need for meatloaf every couple of months. Kind of like chili, it’s one of those things you tend to make a little differently each time. I’ve made meatloaf so many different ways and the beautiful thing is, it’s really hard to screw up. So, feel free to experiment a little. Substitute this for that. Eliminate. Or, try adding something new if the mood strikes you. What follows is my attempt to “standardize” my meatloaf recipe. While the recipe might change here and there, the mashed

What’s Your WHY?

January 1, 2021

Given that the calendar just rolled over and many of us have been busy setting and embarking upon new goals for the year, I wanted to take a minute and share what I feel is the most important part of this process – finding your why. Simply put, what it is the real reason a particular goal is so important to you? For purposes of this article, my focus will be on one’s fitness, nutrition, and overall health related goals. However, this principle can be applied to virtually anything. As I begin my 18th year in the industry I’ve

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs

December 18, 2020

There are certain meals that I tend to make seasonally and then there are those that are year-round staples. Roasted chicken definitely falls into my year-round bucket. I know what you’re thinking, “Can’t I just swing by Costco, pay my $5, and have it hot and ready as soon as I get home?” Yes, you certainly can. That used to be me too! No disrespect to Costco, but once you do it for yourself and see what I’m talking about, you’ll understand. The most important thing I can tell you is the quality of your chicken does matter. It matters

Do You Have Your Mind Right?

December 5, 2020

Several years ago, I had what you would could call a “come to Jesus” moment where I asked myself – Why do some of my clients get outstanding results, while others manage marginal results at best? Obviously this is a loaded question with literally hundreds of possible answers ranging from client effort and dedication to me being bad at my job and just about everything in between. However, when I went back and assessed those clients who were successful in achieving the results they were after, I started to see a pattern. What I found is that it had less

Pumpkin Spice Superhero Muffins

November 21, 2020

Let me start by saying that I am not a baker. There’s a level of precision and having to stick to a recipe that I just don’t care for. Plus, let’s face it, the majority of things one would tend to bake don’t exactly lend themselves well to staying lean. With that said, there’s nothing like a good muffin alongside your favorite cup of coffee right? Several years ago I bought my wife the cookbook – Run Fast. Eat Slow. Nourishing Recipes for Athletes by Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky, in which they had a recipe for what they

Did You Know THIS About Your Vitamins & Supplements?

November 13, 2020

A little while back after a training session, a client asked me to take a look at a protein powder supplement that caught his attention. He grabbed his current copy of Men’s Health and proceeded to leaf through it until he found the the advertisement for this particular product. To be honest, I don’t even remember what the name of it was because it was one of those ads that just said “advertisement” in small letters across the top of the page without giving you the name of the actual product. However, you could proceed to read about all the

Twice-Baked Stuffed Butternut Squash

November 4, 2020

This particular all-in-one dish definitely falls into one of my “must makes” for fall. And, I usually make it more than once. I pulled this recipe from a book titled The Paleo Kitchen by Juli Bauer & George Bryant. I know what some some of you are thinking, “Scott must be a Paleo guy right?” Nope. I just really happen to like this recipe. In fact, there are several recipes from this book that my wife and I really enjoy that I’ll be sharing with you in the future. In the meantime, enjoy this alternative to regular old butternut squash.

Shrink the Change

October 30, 2020

Change. In most aspects of my life, I struggle with it. Change is hard. It’s often uncomfortable. It can consume vast amounts of mental and physical energy, and it takes time. In my professional life, however, I am great at dealing with change, mainly because I have to be. Information pertaining to health and wellness changes on a daily basis and I owe it to myself and the individuals that I work with to keep an open mind to new research and developments as they arise. I’m very good at not marrying myself to any one single idea,

Scott’s Easy Stuffed Peppers

September 30, 2020

With the cooler weather this week, I was inspired to dust off and fire up my crockpot for the first time since last April. I still had an abundance of fresh tomatoes and bell peppers straight out my client Vicky’s garden. As far as I’m concerned, extra tomatoes, bell peppers and cooler weather always equals stuffed peppers. Let me tell you, the smells coming out of my crockpot were downright ridiculous! Here’s how I made them and it couldn’t be easier. Ingredients: 1 pound organic grass-fed ground beef 6 organic bell peppers 1 medium onion, diced 2 garlic cloves,

Got Willpower?

September 14, 2020

Think about a time in your life where you made a big change. I mean a really big change, like quitting smoking or getting yourself out of debt and starting a savings account. Now think back to what made you successful. Did you just wake up one morning and proclaim to yourself that you were going to stop doing this and start doing that? Or, at some point, did you take some time to think about steps you could take to make this change become more realistic and stick? Chances are, if you were successful, you did the latter and

Chicken with Tomato, Basil and Arugula Salad

August 27, 2020

Here in Illinois it’s tomato time! And with that, fresh delicious tomatoes are everywhere – especially if you know someone with a garden. Vicky, words can’t describe how your garden fresh tomatoes spruce up everything I make! When the tomatoes start to pile up on my counter, it’s an almost certainty I’ll be putting them to use in the following recipe. This particular recipe also happens to be one of my main go-to’s when we’re having guests for dinner. So far I’m shooting 100% with this one. Ingredients: 1-2 pounds organic free-range boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 pint cherry or

Fitness Coach or Frappuccinos?

August 20, 2020

Back in the day I was the king of writing long articles. To be honest, I still enjoy writing long articles but have gotten much better about keeping them to 1,000 words or less. This was one of those from back in 2013. If you don’t mind a little reading, I do think you’ll get something out of it. Yes, I chose to keep those dated references in there to keep it real:) Here are two questions that I would like you to think about and answer honestly: Do I feel good? Do I look good? If you answered

Tequila Lime Shrimp

August 12, 2020

I get a lot of requests for “healthy” recipes. Healthy can actually mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, so it’s not always cut and dry. The majority of the meals I tend to make for my wife and myself are aimed to maximize lean muscle mass, and at the same time, encourage body fat loss. This appears to be what most of you are interested in too. So, for the most part, that’s what you’re going to get here. I just wanted you to know the method behind my madness before I began to

Recent Changes

August 4, 2020

After more than 13 years, I have made the decision to step out of Peak Performance Training (PPT) and go in a slightly different, yet similar, direction. Most of you probably already know this, but PPT was the company I ran with with my long-time business partner, Don Schlenbecker. Not only have we run PPT together since 2007, we began working together back in 2003 when Don was my boss at the Lincolnshire Tennis & Fitness Club. Don was my first mentor in this business and the one who gave me my first chance when I was fresh out of

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