Elite Nutrition is a national chain of specialty health stores featuring vitamins, smoothies and supplements. eN consultants utilize the Herbalife line of weight-loss and weight-maintenance supplements.
Plymouth’s Brooke Van Asch can be found on LinkedIn and other social media sites.
If you’re like me, you’ve occasionally marveled at the level of fitness those NFL cheerleaders need to maintain in order to get out on the field every week. Their seemingly endless levels of energy suggest a high metabolism and rigid meal plans. Turns out this is only partially the case, and former Vikings cheerleader Brooke Van Asch has launched a new Plymouth-based fitness company dedicated to bringing an accessible, healthier lifestyle to the masses.
Van Asch says she’s always been interested in fitness and athletics: “As a child, I would be up really early working out to the aerobic shows with my mom,” she says. A former soccer, track and gymnastics star, her resume includes competitive fitness shows in addition to NFL cheering. She lived in Plymouth during those years before moving out to California for two years for a brief career overhaul, and returned to Plymouth last year to launch Elite Nutrition.
Helping others create a lifestyle for themselves and their family is something Van Asch always has felt called to. “It doesn’t feel like work, because if you’re truly passionate about something, and you do it anyway as a lifestyle, it’s a highly paid hobby,” she says. “Being able to go grocery shopping with my clients, customize a nutrition plan for them and their goals, then watch their results happen in front of us—it’s truly been life changing.”
One of the favorite aspects of her business that she thinks sets Elite Nutrition apart are her Body Transformation Challenges, where clients can compete with each other for a cash pot in return for their accomplishments. Since her company is active online and on social media, the last such contest pulled 1,200 competitors statewide. This fall, Plymouthites can look for more of the same.
“My nutrition strategy to beat the winter blues is to have a goal that you’re working towards for the spring—have your eye on the prize,” Van Asch says. Also, plan ahead. “It’s so much easier when your meals and food are prepped and ready to go in the refrigerator. They are already made for the week, or a couple of days … We always say, ‘If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.’ [Success] is 80 percent nutrition, 20 percent fitness and 100 percent mindset.”
Sample Menu
for healthy winter eating.
Beat the winter blahs before they start, and you’ll be prepped to stave off the pending holidays and all their buttery temptations with this meal plan from Plymouth nutritionist Brooke Van Asch.
Breakfast: Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 cup oats
- 2 scoops Formula One Pumpkin Spice Shake Mix
- Pinch of cinnamon
Blend all to make a batter consistency (don’t over-blend), then cook on stovetop over medium heat until bubbles form in the dough; flip, cooking about one more minute. Top with peanut butter or sugar-free syrup
Morning Snack: High Protein + a Fruit
Choose 1 cup of the following:
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
Or ½ cup of these:
- Turkey
- Chicken
Or 1–2 hard-boiled eggs
Then, pick your fruit:
- Apple
- 1 cup Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Mango
Lunch: Turkey Wraps with Sweet Potato Fries
Turkey deli meat
Romaine lettuce
Bell peppers
Mustard
Sweet potato
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Place turkey inside of romaine leaves, then add chopped bell peppers as a topping and moisten with mustard. Trainer’s tip: “I make sweet potato fries as a side,” Van Asch says. “Just cut sweet potatoes in strips, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, drizzle the panned fries with extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt, then bake for 25 mins or until lightly browned.”
Afternoon Snack: High Protein + Veggies
Choose 1 cup of the following:
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
Or ½ cup of:
- Deli meat
- Nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios)
- Trail mix
Or try a Homemade protein bar
Then, pick your veggies:
- Carrots
- Celery sticks
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Snap peas
- Pepper slices
Dinner: No-hassle Turkey Chili Comfort Food
Ground turkey
Chili beans
Tomato paste
Green beans
Corn
Black beans
Low sodium taco seasoning
Brown ground turkey on a sauce pan, then add low sodium taco seasoning. Add all other ingredients to a big sauce pot, then cook on medium heat until hot. Add your own spices, such as chili power, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste. Trainer’s tip: “You can also freeze the extra and have it prepped and ready to go for work the next day or week,” Van Asch says.
