TrainerTiff

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 31 Surround Yourself with Support

2012-01-31T23:50:00.008-07:00

Photo by Marcie Casas on Flickr

Having a good support team can be the difference between reaching your goals and being in a perpetual cycle of trying to reach your goals.

Achieving your weight loss goals can be difficult when it feels like everyone around you is sabotaging your efforts.

Some of the most common things I've heard: "I want to lose weight, but my friends always want to go out drinking," or "I've been working out, but my wife doesn't cook anything healthy," or "I have been eating better but my husband always comes home with junk food." Sound familiar?

There's nothing worse than making strides toward reaching your weight loss goals, only to have your progress stunted by those around you -- mainly family and friends.

The best thing you can do is to tell them what you're trying to do. And ask them to be supportive. Let them know that your goal is really important to you and be specific about how they can help.

That may mean telling your friends that you may not go out to the bars with them as much or if you do, that you'll be drinking water or a mocktail and for them to not give you a hard time about it.

You may have to sit your spouse down and tell them very plainly that bringing junk food into the house or certain meals are ruining your efforts and ask them to respect what you're trying to do and be supportive.

If trying to reach out to your friends and family simply doesn't work -- get online. Find people who share your attitude toward fitness on Facebook or Twitter. There are a lot of fitness and diet professionals who have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts where they share tips and offer support.

Joining a group class or a league is another alternative. Groups are great because everyone is in it together and have similar goals. You start feeling accountable to the group and won't want to miss a session or practice.

Put in a little effort to find support and/or make those around you be supportive, and you're more likely to reach your weight loss goals.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 30 Cheat Smart

2012-01-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

Photo by Shimelle Laine on Flickr

Planning indulgences can be an effective way to have a treat and stay in control of your weight loss efforts.

While transitioning into a healthier lifestyle, it's only natural that cravings will come up. Ignoring cravings can bring on binges -- or worse yet, cause one to give up on a healthier lifestyle altogether.

The first step is to acknowledge the fact that you enjoy whatever your indulgence is -- for me, it's chocolate.

Next, plan a day that you'll treat yourself. I like to allow a treat once a week. But depending on where you are with your weight loss efforts, you may find a different schedule that works for you. The key is to plan it. Don't allow yourself to get caught off guard. If it wasn't planned, then don't indulge.

If you have an event coming up like a birthday or a dinner party, you may want to save your cheat for that day.

Once you schedule your treat, things get a little easier. For one, you can look forward to the food, which will make it even more enjoyable. Two, you won't find yourself being tempted by every unhealthy thing that comes into view, because you know you're going to have your cheat planned.

When the day comes, and you indulge, you get right back on track. Spend some time thinking about what you would really enjoy for the next time -- and plan it.

Over time, you'll find that some of the things you thought you couldn't live without, aren't even appealing anymore. Also, you'll be able to spread out your indulgences over longer periods of time.

Keep in mind that it takes time to make long-term healthy habits. Perfection is not the goal. The goal is to make better choices more and more -- the time table is unique to each individual person.

Don't compare your efforts to what other people may be doing. Compare your efforts only to your efforts -- you know if you're doing your best or if you can do better.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 29 Avoid High Glycemic Index Foods

2012-01-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Photo by Nick Saltmarsh on Flickr

Foods that are high on the glycemic index, or GI, such as white bread, white pastas and white rice can hinder fat loss.

As explained in the "The Low GI Handbook," the GI is based on scientific testing of real foods in real people. It measures how fast carbohydrates hit the bloodstream on a scale of 0-100. A high GI food has the greatest effect on blood glucose levels while a low GI food less effect.

In previous posts, I've talked a lot about the importance of avoiding drastic increases and decreases in blood glucose (sugar) levels in order to lose weight.

When a high GI food is eaten, the body breaks it down very quickly and the glucose derived from that food enters the bloodstream rapidly, spiking blood sugar levels. This is problematic because it promotes fat storage in the body.

Let's take potatoes for example. Which is a better choice -- sweet potato or white potato?

According to the GI list, a baked sweet potato has a GI value of 46 which is low and a baked white potato has a GI value of 76 which is high. This tells us that eating a white potato is going to be digested much faster and cause a more rapid increase in blood glucose levels -- which we want to avoid.

How do you know if something is high, medium or low?

High GI value is 70 or more
Medium GI value is 56-69
Low GI value is 55 or less

General guidelines to follow are: opt for whole grain options such as brown rice versus white rice, avoid any high sugar foods and avoid processed foods.

To look at some of the foods you may eat frequently, check out this list.

Resource:
The Low GI Handbook, 2010

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 28 Reduce Starchy Carbohydrate Intake

2012-01-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Photo by Johnny Jet on Flickr

They can be hard to avoid -- potatoes, beans, pasta, bread, cereals and grains -- are present in just about any meal. But if you're having a tough time shedding fat, you might need to reduce your intake of starchy carbohydrates.

We know that weight loss can be difficult if we eat too many carbohydrates in the form of sugary foods -- but it can also be difficult if too many starchy carbs are eaten.

The key is to reduce starchy carbs, not eliminate them entirely. Our bodies rely on the glucose derived from the breakdown of carbs to provide energy for all types of bodily functions from walking down the street to thinking about walking down the street. If you drastically reduce carb intake, you'll definitely feel it -- through crankiness, lack of concentration and loss of energy.

The body's immediate source of energy comes from the glucose circulating in the bloodstream from the carbs we eat, and starch being the main source.

As carbs are eaten and digested, they are converted into glucose. As the level of glucose in the blood rises, insulin is released in order to keep the amount of glucose in the blood at a safe level. Insulin helps transfer extra glucose from the blood to the muscles and liver for storage.

As discussed in the book "Advanced Sports Nutrition" by Dan Benardot, our muscles and liver can store excess amounts of carbs, but only to a certain point. It is when the muscles and liver reach a saturation point, that the excess carbs are then stored as fat.

This is why one can workout forever, but never quite get the muscle definition they desire.

Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and spinach are better carb choices because they are lower in carbs and don't have the same impact on blood glucose levels as starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.

Determining what is a good amount of carbs to have is completely individual. Factors such as gender, age, weight and activity level need to be considered.

When I was training for my figure competitions, it took some trial and error to find what worked for me. I eventually found a good balance for myself -- heavy training days required more carbs and light training days I could eat fewer carbs to achieve my goal bodyfat percentage.

The Institute of Medicine recommends at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day, which is minimal usage of glucose by the brain. The desirable daily range of carbohydrates (both starchy and non-starchy) is between 45-65% of total calories (also referred to as the DV, daily value).

A person consuming 1500 calories a day should have between 169 to 244 grams of carbs total for the day. Using that as a starting point, if you're exercising consistently 4-5 days per week and you are eating healthful meals daily, you might want to start to reduce starchy carbs for the day by 25 grams. Try that out for a week, see how it goes and then adjust further if necessary.

Recources:
Advanced Sports Nutrition by Dan Benardot, 2006
Fitness Professional's Handbook, 2007

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 27 Vary Your Workouts

2012-01-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

Photo by Simon Schoeters on Flickr

If you want to maintain your weight do the same workout over and over -- but if you want to see the number on the scale decrease, you've got to change up your workouts.

I can't tell you how many people I hear complain about not being able to achieve their ideal weight, yet do the same workout over and over -- for years even.

Maintenance workouts that involve doing the same type of workout are beneficial for cardiovascular fitness and help your body stay exactly the same. For example, going for your usual morning run or walk every day or doing your customary 20 minutes on the elliptical at the gym are great for maintenance.

But, if you're trying to shed some pounds or make some changes, you need to step it up. Our bodies adapt very easily to our exercise routines. It is imperative to keep your body guessing at what's to come and most importantly, make your workouts a challenge. If you don't find your workout to be tough -- it's not, and you need to turn up the intensity.

The standard is to change your routine at least every six weeks. But I find it beneficial to constantly change exercises and types of cardio. I've been known to do a different workout each time I go to the gym. How you choose to vary your workouts is individual and up to you.

Here are some tips:

Try a new group class. Spinning, Zumba, yoga, pilates and all the new fusion classes are a great way to change things up.
Use fitness magazines for new workouts ideas. You're likely to find one if not several things you've never tried.
Change the type of workout program you do on your favorite cardio machine. For example, if you always do aerobic training, try doing interval training.
Join a league. Basketball, softball, flag football or even dodge ball are great options.
Increase your weights. Here's a way you can actually do the same weight training program, but make it more challenging by going up by 10-15 pounds.
Take on new activities like biking, running or hiking.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 26 Avoid the Alcohol Sabotage

2012-01-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Photo by Rob Ireton on Flickr

Don't let alcohol encumber all of your hard work and efforts toward a healthier lifestyle.

Alcohol is almost always involved in any social gathering and can be difficult to avoid. I've often heard many people say that they weren't going to eat too much during the day so they could "save the calories" for when they go out drinking.

Sure, it's important to be conscious of the calories you consume, but skipping meals -- or worse starving yourself and loading up on calories from alcohol is a bad move.

Any alcohol consumption -- be it beer, wine or hard liquors like rum and vodka -- all raise blood sugar levels, which then raise insulin levels and finally you're left in a hypoglycemic state where your blood sugar is too low.

This is problematic for several reasons. One, keeping insulin levels as even as possible is key for weight loss. Two, drastic increases and decreases in insulin levels is a risk for diabetes. And three, low blood sugar levels increase your appetite and cause you to crave things that aren't healthy -- which is why you see long lines at fast food restaurants on any given Saturday after the bars have closed.

Not only are you in a losing situation while consuming alcohol just on an insulin level, but also when it comes to calories.

Most alcoholic drinks are mixed with sodas, juices and syrups making a bad situation even worse. After having a few drinks, you're likely look at having had consume 600 or more non-nutritive calories. To get an idea of how many calories are in most drinks, check out this list from Calorie King.

So, what does one do -- stop drinking altogether? That is ideal but it's a bit unrealistic. Avoid it if you can, but if you are to drink at least be wise about it. Here are a few of my tips:

Never drink on an empty stomach.
Opt for red wine whenever possible -- at least get some antioxidants out of the deal.
Skip sugary mixed drinks like margaritas, daiquiris or pina coladas.
Skip light beer. Lighter beers do have fewer calories but you're more likely to have more to get same effect of one regular beer, resulting in more total calories.
When drinking hard liquors choose ones you can drink straight. Or mix with water and lime or lemon for flavoring.

Resource:

Medicine Net

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 25 Have Protein After a Weight Workout

2012-01-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hemp protein shake

After putting in some serious work with weights, be sure to refuel your muscles by having protein after your workout.

I posted before that building muscle helps with weight loss because the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn at rest. Plus, having a little muscle makes your physique look better. I think anyone can appreciate nicely sculpted arms, right?

Protein consumption following a weight training session assists the body in building muscle.

During a weight training session, you are tearing down muscle fibers and using stored glycogen (glucose) as fuel. In order aid muscle growth, the body needs protein to help rebuild the muscles that have been broken down. Protein is better able to get to muscles when paired with a glucose source. The presence of glucose in the blood helps muscles absorb the protein while also replenishing glycogen.

The ideal time to consume a mix of protein and carbohydrates (glucose) is within 30 minutes of your workout. The timing is important because if you wait too long, recovery can be delayed -- and you want to make the most out of your weight sessions.

Protein shakes are easy and convenient. I like making a protein shake made of almond milk, banana and hemp protein powder -- though, you can use whatever blend you like.

Here's my current protein shake recipe:

1 cup almond milk
1 serving of hemp protein powder, about 16 grams
1/2 banana (glucose source)

Simply add all ingredients into a blender and drink. I currently like using hemp protein powder because it is a vegetarian source of protein and easier on digestion as compared to animal sourced powders such as whey.

So, go get in the gym, lift weights and refuel immediately afterwards.

Resource:
Personal Trainer Manual by American Council on Exercise (ACE)

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 24 Opt for Coconut Oil

2012-01-24T23:33:00.000-07:00

Photo by Allison Felus on Flickr

Swapping your usual cooking oils with coconut oil on occasion can help support thyroid function and weight loss.

Many polyunsaturated oils -- which are long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) -- that we consume on a regular basis such as corn, canola, soybean and cottonseed, can have a negative impact on thyroid function.

Coconut oil is a saturated fat that is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and is known to stimulate metabolism and to have a positive impact on the thyroid.

The body is able to digest and burn up MCTs (coconut oil) more quickly than LCTs (vegetable oils).

A study published in the March 2002 issue of The Journal of Nutrition found that MCTs increased energy expenditure, decreased fat storage and increased satiety.

As with all fat, it should only be consumed in moderation. Using extra virgin coconut oil in some meals versus usual cooking oils over a long period of time can help promote weight loss.

Another benefit of coconut oil is that it is rich in lauric acid -- which has anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Resources:
Journal of Nutrition
Mercola
Mayo Clinic

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 23 Eat High-Fiber Foods

2012-01-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Photo by Jeremy Keith on Flickr

Eat as many high-fiber fruits and vegetables as your stomach can hold -- and watch the weight fall off.

Changing to healthier eating habits, often leaves many people feeling deprived of food and hungry all of the time. This is because people usually cut back on all of the food they consume. That's only half right. Yes, cut back on all the high calorie, non-nutritive junk food -- but eat all fruit and vegetables your stomach can hold. Seriously.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' daily recommended amount of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.

Fiber filled vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, lettuce, cabbage, brussels sprouts, artichokes and fruits like strawberries, raspberries, apples, bananas and pears are great because they make you feel full and satisfied.

Nuts and grains are also excellent sources of fiber -- but unlike vegetables and fruit, they should consumed in moderation.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is the kind that dissolves in water and adds to the fullness effect because once it comes in contact with water, it forms a gel in the stomach. Insoluble fiber is the kind that does not dissolve and stays intact as it passes through the intestines. It adds bulk to food which makes you feel full. It also speeds up the passage and elimination of food in the gut.

Not only does fiber add heft to your meals, it also slows the increase in blood sugar and insulin levels. The bulk from fiber in food slows the passage of food from the stomach to the intestines which is how blood sugar levels are maintained relatively even. Drastic up and down insulin levels adds to fat storage and is a risk factor for diabetes.

At the start of each meal, eat all the vegetables you can, first. I've been known to eat a whole head of lettuce in one salad! So, don't be afraid to eat more vegetables, you can't eat too many. Starting off each meal with vegetables will get fiber in your stomach which will fill you up. Then you're less likely to overeat and the fiber in your stomach will work to keep blood sugar levels even as you eat the rest of your meal.

Check out this list from the Mayo Clinic for high-fiber foods.

Resources:
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
WebMD
Mayo Clinic

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 22 Chill Out

2012-01-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

Photo by Dawn on Flickr

So you ate a donut yesterday and you missed a workout last week and you picked up a candy bar while standing in the checkout lane at the grocery store. So what. Chill out and relax.

Don't beat yourself up about being perfect and never missing a workout or ever eating anything bad . When you're trying to adopt healthier habits, it's not about perfection -- it's about making improvements. Because, let's face it, there will be slip ups.

The goal is to gradually make more good choices than bad.

I've had a lot of clients that felt like, if they missed one workout or if they broke down and ate fast food, that it was over -- as if they lost the battle and were doomed to be unfit and unhealthy forever.

It is unrealistic to think you can take years and years of bad habits and change them overnight, no matter how motivated and determined you may be.

If you're overly excited about a weight loss or fitness program, you are only setting yourself up for failure. Yup, that's right.

How many people do you know that have been really excited about getting in the gym come the first of the year? They've gone out, gotten a gym membership, new shoes, new clothes, gadgets even -- only to completely fall off not even a month into the program.

My advice is to be realistic and understand that making changes takes time. Don't buy into the hype of all the magazines promising you can get abs in 30 days or drop 10 pounds in a certain amount of time. It's different for everybody. Just take things slow. If you slip up, don't get down on yourself -- just immediately pick right back up. And by all means, don't make a bad situation worse by having one slip turn into weeks of not even trying.

Making fitness improvements is definitely a long-term endeavor. Relax. Take one day at a time and eventually you'll reach your goals. The key is to never give up, be realistic and strive to make more good choices than bad.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 21 Schedule Your Workouts

2012-01-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

Photo by Vic on Flickr

One of the most common complaints that I hear when it comes to working out, is time.

There's never enough time.

But here's the thing -- if you wait until you have time to workout, it'll never happen. We are all busy. We have work, meetings, errands, kids, spouses, chores, and everything in between -- all demanding our time.

It is easy to push working out to the back burner, but once you do that, it's forgotten about. Then you eat something you shouldn't and are reminded about the fact that you've been putting it off. Then the guilt sets in.

But there's a simple answer to this: schedule your workouts -- like you may schedule grocery shopping.

If you have to wake up an hour earlier to make it happen -- do it. Or if you have to go to the gym after dinner and the kids are put to bed -- do it. If you have to make arrangements for a sitter -- do it. Maybe all you can fit in is walking the stairs or walking around the block a few times during your lunch break -- do it.

The key is, each week, take a look at your schedule and add your workout to it. Don't let anything interfere with the time you've allocated for your workout. Once you write it down and make it a priority, the easier it is to stick to it.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 20 Drink Lemon Water

2012-01-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

Photo by Rob on Flickr

Whether you prefer your water hot or cold, the next time you have some, squeeze in a little fresh lemon juice to boost liver function and aid with weight loss.

The liver is our body's main fat burning organ -- it breaks down and metabolizes fats. It is also responsible for a whole host of other important functions as well, such as breaking down and eliminating toxins, producing bile for digestion and storing glucose for energy.

Having a liver that operates as efficiently as possible can boost weight loss. One of the easiest ways to give your liver a little boost is through lemons. Lemons help cleanse the liver, create new liver enzymes, strengthen existing liver enzymes and regulate blood carbohydrate levels -- all of which help it function better.

I posted before about the importance of increasing your water intake. Another bonus of adding lemon juice to your water, is that it's an appetite suppressant. So, go on ... drink up -- and add lemon.

Resources:
The Human Machine by The World of Science, 1989
The Official Anti-aging Revolution by Klatz, R., Goldman, R., 2007
Livestrong

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 19 Do Combine Food Properly

2012-01-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

Photo by woodleywonderworks on Flickr

Eating heavy and improperly combined foods can cause bloating, delay absorption of nutrients and prolong digestion which can cause food byproducts to stay in our intestines longer than necessary -- contributing to excess weight.

In the book "The Beauty Detox Solution," nutritionist Kimberly Snyder notes that many people are not aware of the principle of proper food combining. In fact, most mainstream health professionals would argue that it's unnecessary. However, much research has been done to support the practice and you should at least consider it as you plan your meals to help with weight loss and better health.

The idea behind proper food combining is to promote efficient digestion and assimilation of nutrients into the body. For example, let's take a look at this dinner option: baked chicken, vegetables and potatoes. In this meal the easiest food for the body to digest is the vegetables, second is the potatoes and chicken is the most difficult. When eaten together, the chicken takes hours to break down and by the time it's done, the vegetables have all but rotten -- leading to gas and bloating and other digestive issues.

Here are some guidelines of proper food combining. For more information, I encourage you to read the listed source books.

Concentrated foods:
Any non-water based foods. Examples: fish, chicken, pork, seafood, beef, protein powders, beans, eggs, cheese, grains, pasta, crackers, cereal and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yams and white potatoes.

Non-concentrated foods:
Any water based foods. Examples: all fruit and all non-starchy vegetables.

Do:

Aim to eat only one concentrated food at each meal (though two starches together are OK)
Eat vegetables first at any meal
Only eat fruit on an empty stomach (though fruit and leafy vegetables are OK together)

Don't:

Eat more than one meat in a meal
Eat meat and a starch together

Examples of properly paired meals:

Baked chicken, asparagus and salad
Salmon and broccoli
Vegetable stir-fry with brown rice
Fruit plate for breakfast
Pasta with tomato sauce
Toasted bread with butter

Once you start making changes, knowing which foods pair well, will become easy. For me, when I first started pairing foods properly, I thought it seemed ridiculous that having a turkey sandwich was an improper food pairing. It made me reluctant to go through with it. But once I did, I saw a huge improvement in my energy and I didn't have an unsettled or sour stomach -- but most importantly, I dropped the weight I was having a hard time getting rid of.

I understand being a little hesitant to get on board with this, I know I was. But I encourage you to try it for at least a week and see if you notice any changes -- I know you will.

Resources:

The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder

Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 18 Avoid Store Bought Juice

2012-01-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

Photo by manwithface on Flickr

Walk into any grocery store and find the juice -- you'll be met with a plethora of options from orange to grape to apple to tempting blends of pineapple, cranberry and strawberry. But if you're trying to lose weight and be healthier, avoid all of them.

Juice that can sit around on store shelves has been pasteurized. The pasteurization process heats the juice to a high temperature to kill off harmful bacteria, mold or unwanted microorganisms that may be present.

And when the bad stuff is eliminated, so is the good. You are left with a denatured juice that has a tiny amount of nutrients left, which is why juice is fortified -- to add back some the nutrients that are lost (and not all are added back).

According the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 98% of juices sold in the United States are pasteurized and can be found as frozen concentrate, stored at room temperature or in the refrigerated section in the grocery store.

Store bought juice is basically sugar water. And many contain one of the worst sugars you can consume -- high fructose corn syrup.

Don't be misled by claims on the label, like "100% juice" or "not from concentrate" and think that this type of juice is best for you. These types of juice are missing many of the fruit's natural vitamins, minerals and enzymes. And sure, 100% juice at least doesn't have added sugars, but it still lacks the fruit's natural nutrients.

So if you are going to have juice, make it yourself with a juicer. And if you don't have a juicer, opt for eating a piece of fruit instead -- you'll be much better off.

Resources:
United States Department of Agriculture
Center for Disease Control and Prevention

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 17 Keep a Food Log

2012-01-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Photo by Vic on Flickr

Accountability is the missing link for a lot of people who are trying to stick to a diet and exercise program.

Keeping track of what you eat on a daily basis will help you maintain healthy habits by giving you an honest feedback of what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. This is one of the reasons why personal trainers are so helpful. But if you don't have a trainer, you can be accountable to yourself my keeping track of the food you eat.

A study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that participants who kept food records lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.

When I keep a food log for myself, I'm less likely to indulge in cheats because I know I'll have to write them down.

Keeping a food log is easy. All you need is a dedicated notebook. Don't write anything else in this notebook other than what you consume and when. Or tracking online is useful too -- www.myfitnesspal.com is a good tool. After a while, start researching the calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates and keep track of that too. Before you know it, you'll have very specific information about how your body handles to food you eat.

For an example of one of my old food log's, click here.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 16 Do Yoga

2012-01-16T09:33:00.001-07:00

Photo by lululemon athletica on Filckr

One of the best ways to boost weight loss is to do yoga -- it's a great cardiovascular and muscle building workout, plus it detoxifies.

The stretching, pulling and twisting done during a yoga session assists the body's detoxification systems in eliminating waste. Waste removal is important because the build up can cause unnecessary excess weight and having cells free of as many toxins as possible, keeps organs functioning well.

Yoga doesn't seem like it would compare to more traditional forms of cardio, i.e. running. But the positioning and holding of the different postures really increases your heart rate and oxygen consumption which improves aerobic capacity -- the functional capacity of the cardiorespiratory system (heart, lungs and blood vessels).

The isometric contractions performed during yoga are great for muscle building. I posted earlier about the benefits of building muscle -- the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest.

I personally love Bikram yoga -- there's something about sweating in a room that's 105 degrees that is refreshing (ironic, I know). I always come away feeling cleansed, relaxed and fit. But any form of yoga is beneficial. If you're new to yoga, give it a try. Or if you're a seasoned yogi, maybe try a new style to switch it up. Have fun with your workouts.

Namaste.

Resources:
Gaiam Life
American College of Sports Medicine

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 15 Say No to 100-Calorie Snack Packs

2012-01-15T10:21:00.001-07:00

Photo by Horia Varlan on Flickr

Cookies. Cupcakes. Brownies. Cheese crackers. Ice cream bars. Peanut butter bars. And even soda. You name it -- and there is probably a version of it that you can get in a package of 100 calories. But just because you can get junk food in smaller quantities, that doesn't make it better.

You may be gasping right now and thinking "it's only 100 calories, that's not bad."

It's still junk food. And it is filled with non-nutritive calories like sugar, saturated fat and additives.

In a previous post, I talked about why sugar is bad for us -- sugary foods are addicting, lead to fat storage and cause unstable blood glucose levels which is a risk for diabetes.

Additives are bad because they are non-food, often toxic substances that lead to weight gain. Many processed foods contain some form of the additive MSG which oftentimes is unidentifiable because it is contained in ingredients such as glutamic acid, calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate and flavorings -- to name a few. MSG is an excitotoxin which interferes will brain function. These substances have been linked to lepin resistance. The hormone leptin is the fullness hormone that tells our brain when we are full and can stop eating.

So, what does this mean? When sugary and additive filled food is consumed (like cookies, cupcakes, soda, etc.) the more it is craved. And when that happens, without having some serious willpower, more is eaten which leads to weight gain. It's an on-going cycle of want more -- eat more -- want more -- eat more, until you have to force yourself to stop eating the food.

Ever have a serving of chips and want more, not necessarily because you were hungry for more, but just because you craved it? The same applies to the 100-calories snack packs. Who can really just eat one package?

The 100-calorie snack packs are probably even worse. Because you think you're making a better choice, and may end up eat two or three packages in a sitting. You may be thinking "oh, it's OK, they're only 100 calories." But those calories add up. And if you've eaten three packages, that's 300 non-nutritive calories you've consumed that only detract from your health and sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Eat fresh fruit, nuts or seeds instead of snacking on junk food. You'll feel full and satisfied -- which is what you want when you're trying to loose weight.

Resources:
Documentary: The Gerson Therapy
Mercola

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 14 Plan Your Meals

2012-01-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

In order to successfully shed some pounds, you need to plan. Going from meal to meal and trying to figure out what you're going to eat at the moment hunger strikes, is a recipe for disaster.

What happens when you are hungry and have nothing on hand to eat? Most likely, you'll find whatever is closest and fastest. And oftentimes, those choices sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Before the week starts, you need to know exactly what you'll be eating and at what time for the entire week. So, if I were to ask you, "OK, what's for lunch on Thursday?" you need to be able to answer that question immediately.

Here's how to do it: Since for most of us our week starts on Monday, let's use that as our week start point. On the Saturday before, sit down with a piece of paper and pen and write out all of your meals for the week. Make a grid that includes each day of the week meal times -- everything from breakfast to snacks to dinner. On Sunday, write out your grocery list accordingly and go shopping.

On Sunday, do any necessary prep work or meal preparation for Monday's meals. You can even pack those meals in storage containers and sit them in the fridge so they're are ready to go on Monday. Repeat this process every day. The key is that you want to have the next day's meals ready to go the day/night before.

And of course, if you usually make dinner each night, that's fine to do -- you don't have to make dinner the day before.

Here's a useful tip: Making large quantities of meals that will last a couple of days is a big time saver. A friend of mine who works full-time and is a super busy mom has a great strategy. She makes Sunday her cooking day and cooks all of her meals for the week and stores them so that every day all she has to do is heat up her food. This way she saves herself a ton of time because the cooking is already done.

With a little planning and preparation, you'll set yourself up to succeed with your weight loss efforts. And adopting these habits will make for long-term success.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 13 Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

2012-01-13T18:13:00.001-07:00

Photo by Steve Snodgrass on Flickr

Sugar free: Consume the sugary stuff you like without any of the calories. Sounds like a winning situation, right?

Wrong.

I know that lots of people have good intentions and try to avoid the effects of sugar consumption by using artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin or sucrolose. Even I used to like using those yellow packets instead of real sugar. But research shows that these sweeteners can actually make you gain weight.

A study done by researches at Purdue University found that artificial sweeteners interfere with the body's ability to recognize the fake sugar and the body reacts to it as though it is real sugar -- raising insulin levels and causing sugar cravings -- which leads to weight gain.

If you're thinking, "but I don't use those little packets of sweeteners," well, you may be a fan of zero calorie soft drinks, and this especially applies to diet sodas.

In a study done by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, researches found that diet soda drinkers waist circumference was 70 percent higher than non-drinkers. And in another study, the researches found that heavy aspartame usage may directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels -- which promotes weight gain and is a risk for diabetes.

Ditch the diet sodas and sugar free varieties of everything from gum to jelly and improve your chances of long-term weight loss and better health.

Resources:
Purdue University
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
International Journal of Obesity

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 12 Prevent Impulsive Junk Purchases

2012-01-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Photo by www.healthaliciousness.com

Ever been out and your stomach starts howling and you become lured by the ever-present fast food restaurants that line most streets? Or maybe you're sitting at your desk and the image of the office vending machine keeps flashing in your head? Prevent making a bad decision by always having a healthy snack on hand.

Whenever you leave the house, make sure you have some easily accessible snacks available. I always make sure I have some raw almonds or a piece of fruit stashed in my purse for those instances when I'm out longer than expected and I find myself starving.

Some examples of healthy snacks that travel well are: bananas, apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines and bags of strawberries, blueberries, grapes, almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

If you plan properly, you put yourself in a better position to succeed in your weight loss pursuit.

Note: I no longer recommend store bought protein bars or any variation of health bars. Many are high in sugar and fat which makes them really comparable to candy bars. Furthermore, because they are a packaged good, they will almost always contain some type of preservative (a non-food substance). Foods that have non-food substances should be avoided.

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 11 Green Smoothies

2012-01-11T16:46:00.002-07:00

Photo by Arnold Gatilao on Flickr

Remember how I said that if you want to lose weight, eat more fresh fruit and vegetables? Well, here's one easy way: Drink green smoothies.

Making a smoothie filled with fruits and vegetables like apple, banana, pear, lettuce, spinach, kale, parsley sounds delicious, right? OK, maybe not. But once you start drinking them, not only will you want them all of the time but your body will feel so much better.

In her book "The Beauty Detox Solution," Kimberly Snyder strongly encourages drinking green smoothies as a part of one's lifestyle for all its beautifying, health and weight loss benefits.

These smoothies are very detoxifying because they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, enzymes, chlorophyll and water. All of these different elements help to cleanse and flush toxins from cells. As toxins from poor eating habits and the environment build up in our bodies, these toxins can interfere with the functionality of our cells and body systems. Having a body that runs efficiently with all systems working at their peak will help with weight loss.

If you'd rather juice your greens, that's great too. The documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" focused on one man's journey of juicing for health and weight loss. On his juicing fast, he lost a considerable amount of weight and also improved his health.

Let's think of our bodies like our cars. Our cars, don't only need fuel to run, they need the right type of fuel to run properly. If your car operated best using a higher grade of gasoline, you wouldn't dream of using a lower grade. Same analogy applies to our bodies. Our bodies function better when we eat a higher grade of food.

I personally like smoothies more than juicing because smoothies yield more and the fiber stays intact. But whichever you choose, you'll benefit greatly from having it.

I would recommend having a smoothie every day. Most days I like to have a smoothie for breakfast. At first you may find that you're still hungry, especially if you're accustomed to having a large breakfast. In that case, wait about 20 minutes or so after having the smoothie and have a bowl of oatmeal. You can have a smoothie at any point during the day. Maybe swap out a midday snack for a smoothie.

I use the Glowing Green Smoothie by nutritionist Snyder. Here is a link to the recipe.

Directions: Wash and chop all ingredients into small pieces. First add water into blender, some greens and pulse. Then slowly add remaining greens, celery, apple, pear, lemon juice and add banana last. Blend until smooth. Makes about 4 servings of 12-16 ounces.

Note: If you're like me and don't have a super high powered blender, I find that splitting the ingredients into two batches helps since all the ingredients won't fit into the blender. Also, if you're up for it, make all the ingredients organic. I haven't quite gone all organic, but I do buy some organic fruit here and there. Store in fridge for up to 2.5 days or freeze for later use. I like using mason jars because I can separate the batch into servings, then put in the fridge. Using mason jars also makes it easy to travel with the smoothie. So if you were wondering how you were going to take it to work with you, use a mason jar.

Enjoy!

Resources:
The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder
Documentary: Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 10 Read and Watch

2012-01-10T18:43:00.001-07:00

Photo by Horia Varlan on Flickr

I absolutely love learning about nutrition and the food we eat which is why I'm such a junkie for documentaries and books on nutrition. How food works in the body is fascinating and having an understanding of it will increase your chances of changing to a healthy lifestyle for the long-term.

There are some documentaries that I've watched and books that I've read that have been really eye-opening and have influenced my approach to nutrition. I wanted to share some of them with you. I've complied a list and added a short tid bit on what each is about or what I took away from each. Check it out.

DOCUMENTARIES

Food Inc.
The food industry

Forks Over Knives
Processed foods

National Geographic's Incredible Human Machine
How our systems function

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
Juicing for health and weight loss

Foodmatters
Foods that hurt and help our health

King Corn
The corn industry

Supersize Me
Being overfed and undernourished

BOOKS

The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder
Great introduction to food combining

Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond
Benefits of vegetarian based diet

The Low GI Handbook (various authors)
Great breakdown of how the body handles carbohydrates

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 9 Reduce Caffeine

2012-01-09T23:34:00.002-07:00

Photo by Sarah Fleming on Flickr

To help yourself in the weight loss process, cut down on caffeinated beverages.

Consuming an excessive amount of caffeine puts an enormous strain on the liver, can negatively affect sleep patterns and increases cortisol levels -- all of which contribute to fat gain.

You may have heard that there are some health benefits associated with coffee. Some research shows that coffee may have some benefits such as lowering the risk of certain cancers. But the caffeine in coffee can have adverse effects on weight loss.

It is wise to limit caffeine consumption from coffee and soda, here's why:

Taxing on the liver. The liver metabolizes the food we eat and is our main fat burning organ. The liver also metabolizes caffeine breaking it down so the body can process it. Consuming large quantities of caffeine can be burdensome to the liver. An optimally functioning liver is ideal for efficient food metabolism. Limiting caffeine consumption in order to reduce the burden on the liver is beneficial for weight loss.

Raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol taps into fat stores to use as energy under stress and moves fatty acids to another location such as muscle for energy. But if that fat isn't used up, it gets stored again but usually as belly fat. This is because there are a greater number of fat receptors in the abdominal region. A study done in 2005 by the National Institutes of Health found that caffeine intake increased the secretion of cortisol.

Can disrupt sleep patterns. Insomnia is a sign that your diet may contain too much caffeine. When caffeine is consumed, norepinephrine and epinephrine is released -- stress hormones that act on the brain and nervous system. Working together they increase heart rate, blood pressure and cause that jittery feeling often making sleep difficult. Getting too little sleep can raise cortisol levels resulting in the problems listed above.

Resources:
National Institutes of Health
MedicineNet
Mayo Clinic
Mercola
Scientific American

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 8 Do Cardio on Empty Stomach

2012-01-08T23:55:00.001-07:00

Photo by jweingardt12 on Flickr

If you want to see your body start changing in a hurry -- and let's face it, who doesn't? -- start doing cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, a very effective method of burning fat.

When we exercise our bodies use carbohydrates, fat or protein for fuel. Carbohydrates and fat are most common, and our bodies only use protein for fuel under certain circumstances.

When we consume carbohydrates immediately before a workout, our bodies will use the glucose derived from those carbs as fuel since it is the most readily-available energy source. If carb-based glucose isn't present, the body will next turn to fat for energy. So, if you refrain from eating before your workout, your body is forced to pull from its fat reserves for fuel.

Additionally, high-intensity cardio has been shown to burn fat more effectively than low-intensity cardio, according to research referenced in "Advanced Sports Nutrition" by Dan Benardot.

And though many people are unable to exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for very long without feeling nauseated or extremely fatigued, the good news is that one doesn't need to spend a considerable amount of time doing this for it to be effective.

Start small, do as much as you can. Try a light warm-up, maybe march in place. And then start your day off with an activity such as jumping jacks. Then build up over time -- it can be very effective.

Resource:
Benardot, D., Advanced Sports Nutrition, 2006

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 7 Run a Race

2012-01-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Photo by Katina Rogers on Flickr

If you need help getting motivated to start or stick to an exercise program, sign up for a race.

Few things will push you to workout quite like having an upcoming event that you need to be ready for. I recommend doing a race because it is probably the easiest event to get into -- there are no qualifications and races are held year-round all over the world -- anybody can do it. No matter the type of race you choose, be it a 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, triathlon or Ironman -- the commitment holds you accountable.

The inability to get motivated is the most common complaint I've heard from people who want to get in better shape. They know what they want, but haven't figured out how to become interested enough to get off the couch.

When it comes to motivation, there are two types: internal and external. People who are internally motivated are able to push themselves in their athletic endeavors because they enjoy the sport and competition. People who are externally motivated are driven by outside factors such as rewards or praise.

What I like about planning to run a race, is that both internally and externally motivated people will have their motivation fires stoked. And for a lot of people, the race is just the kick-start they need to get them on a course for long-term physical activity.

Internally motivated people may find themselves really getting into the culture of racing -- researching training techniques, equipment that may help them compete -- all because they find the very idea of competing exciting and they enjoy it.

Externally motivated people may find themselves thinking about how exciting it will be to finish the race and possibly earning a medal for their competition. Or they may be thinking of how they can shut up the naysayers in their lives that think they can't do it.

So if you're finding that you just can't motivate yourself to get started, find a race in your area and sign up for it. Runner's World has a race finder tool on their website. Click here to check it out.

Resources:
Smith, L.H., Kays, T.M., Sports Psychology for Dummies, 2010

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 6 Understand Digestion

2012-01-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

Photo by Spectacles on Flickr

Digestion is rarely considered when diet and exercise plans are devised for weight loss. Promoting efficient digestion could be the missing link for many people who have been struggling with losing those unwanted pounds.

If your body can't break down food efficiently, it can lead to fat storage and a gut full of heavy, rotting gunk.

Digestion is the process in which the body totally breaks down the food we eat. This process begins in the mouth as soon as we take a bite of food and begin to chew. Saliva then starts to break down the food before it is passed down to the stomach. From the stomach the food moves to the small intestine, then to the large intestine and then finally to the colon.

The whole process can take up to 30 hours -- a rather long and energy-draining function.

Ever feel sluggish and devoid of energy after a heavy meal? Well, our bodies having to focus an incredible amount of energy on digestion has a lot to do with it.

Digestion is more efficient if we eat certain foods together and avoid eating others together, for example combining starches and proteins in the same meal is best avoided.

Food that isn't digested well can putrefy and rot in the stomach, causing bloating and indigestion. Food then has a more difficult time passing through the intestines, often clogging up their some 30 feet. And because the food is rotten, no nutrients are being passed through the body, making a bad situation even worse.

The good news is that there are some things you can do to promote efficient digestion. Here are some tips:

Practice proper food combining

only eat one concentrated food at a time (starches, proteins)
only eat fruit on an empty stomach
don't eat several types of meat in same meal

Eat vegetables first in any meal
Eat light breakfasts
Save heavier meals for dinner

The tips listed above will be covered in more detail in blogs later this month.

Resources:

Diamond, Fit for Life, 1985

Snyder, The Beauty Detox Solution, 2011

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 5 Eat Water-Containing Foods

2012-01-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

Photo by Global Jet on Flickr

You've always heard the advice "eat your fruits and vegetables." And here's why:

Fruits and vegetables are high-water-content foods. The water found in these foods nourishes and cleanses the body, helping rid it of built up toxic waste. The more of these foods you eat, the better nourished and cleansed the body will be. After years of eating foods that are filled with preservatives, the non-food substances they contain -- such as additives, fillers, dyes, sugar substitutes and other chemicals -- can build up in our bodies. This build-up adds weight and blocks vital nutrients from getting to our cells. As a result, internal organs and the functions they perform, such as metabolizing calories, will not run optimally.

Start to incorporate more and more vegetables into your meal plan, especially dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, kale and collard greens because darker vegetables are more nutrient dense.

Also, any fresh fruits -- apples, pears, bananas, strawberries, blueberries and everything in between -- are great choices. But avoid dried fruits because as all the water has been removed, and many of the health benefits along with it.

Additionally, fresh fruits and vegetables are great sources fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes, which are essential for the body to perform at its peak.

Resources:
Diamond, Fit for Life, 1985
Klatz, R., Goldman, R. The Official Anti-aging Revolution, 2007

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 4 Avoid Sugar

2012-01-04T11:54:00.002-07:00

Photo by Mykl Roventine on Flickr

It's amazing how something so sweet can be so bad for you.

Sugar comes in many forms, almost all of them unnecessary and easy for the body to turn into fat. The carbohydrates we eat break down into a form of sugar called glucose, which is the energy source for cell function. If there is too much sugar in the system, the body is very efficient at storing it as fat. And consuming too much sugar is easy to do.

Some examples of the different forms of sugar are: table sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, organic sugar, agave syrup, honey, dextrose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. Though some types are worse than others -- perhaps none worse than high fructose corn syrup. The bottom line is that overconsumption will lead to bodyfat. And if you're trying to lose weight, it should be avoided altogether, with the exception of the sugar found in fruit.

Fruit contains fructose, but it is full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients, all of which help to slow the uptake of sugar into the bloodstream. The reduced rate of absorption means the sugar in fruit does not have the same effect on the body as the other sugars, meaning you're less likely to turn this sugar into fat. For example, bananas and banana nut muffins both contain fructose, but I've never seen anyone who became overweight from eating too many bananas.

Since sugar is in just about all processed and packaged foods, it is important to pay close attention to the nutrition labels and ingredient lists. Avoid products that contain sugar in any of its forms. This includes items like soda, juice, yogurt, health bars, flavored water, and condiments such as ketchup, salad dressing and barbecue sauce.

When foods with a high amount of sugar are eaten, they create a surge of energy followed by a crash. People who regularly consume too much sugar probably don't even notice this anymore, making a bad physiological situation even worse.

The surge-and-crash cycle leads to a hypoglycemic, or low blood sugar, state. In this state, the body craves more sugary foods, perpetuating an endless cycle of ups and downs that promotes fat storage in the body.

Resources:
Klatz, R., Goldman, R. The Official Anti-aging Revolution, 2007
Mercola

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 3 Increase Water

2012-01-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy one: If you want to be fit, don't be thirsty.

Water makes up more than half of the human body and an adequate supply is vital. Throughout the day our bodies continuously use water for any number of purposes, from brain, liver, kidney and cellular functions -- and everything in between. This is why replenishing water to our system is so important.

Without a sufficient water supply, our bodies cannot function optimally.

Here a few things to keep in mind as you sip your next glass of water (I like mine with lemon wedges):

helps speed up metabolism
helps transport micro- and macro-nutrients to cells
helps suppress appetite
reduces fat deposits in body
helps dissolve waste particles (an impacted colon can add several pounds of weight)
reduces water retention (dehydration causes the body to hold onto water, increasing weight)

Resources:
Tucson Medical and WebMD

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 2 Never Skip Meals

2012-01-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Skipping meals is a bad idea if you want to be fit.

If you go too long between meals your body is more likely to store fat. If you eat regularly throughout the day, your body will burn calories more efficiently.

Maintaining an even blood sugar level is a key element to losing weight and staying lean. Doing this will prevent the insulin spikes that lead to fat gain.

When we skip meals, our blood sugar dips to a low level and when we do finally eat, blood sugar and insulin levels skyrocket, creating an environment where it's easy to store fat.

Insulin is the regulator that prevents our blood sugar levels from getting too high, and causing health problems. When insulin goes into the bloodstream, it helps cells absorb glucose to use as fuel and keep blood sugar at a safe level.

When blood sugar levels rise drastically, as is likely to occur when we eat after having skipped meals, the body releases a large quantity of insulin to reduce blood sugar levels. Excess glucose that cannot be used immediately as energy or used by other cells, is stored as fat.

Resources:
National Institutes of Health & How Stuff Works/Science

31 Days of Weight Loss Tips: Day 1 Build Muscle

2012-01-01T14:46:00.001-07:00

Photo by Victoria Garcia on Flickr

So you want to tone up and lose a few pounds? Then you want to speed up your metabolism.

Boosting your basal metabolic rate will help you burn calories all day, not just when you're in the gym. And the best way to charge up your metabolism is to build some muscle.

By increasing your lean muscle mass you will ensure that while you're sitting at work pecking away at the computer, your body will be hard at work burning calories.

Muscle tissue is about three times more metabolically active than fat. So the more muscle the body has, the more calories it will burn at rest.

This is one of the reasons why men tend to be able to eat more than women without the same consequences, they naturally have more muscle.

The best way to build muscle is to lift weights. Make sure to go heavy enough that you're challenged, but not so heavy that you get hurt. As always, contact me with any questions.

Resources:
WebMD and Mayo Clinic

Basil Pesto and Tomato Pasta

2011-12-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most simple recipes can be the most delicious. I stumbled upon this creation one day when I was trying to put together a simple dish that required few ingredients. After some brainstorming, voila! And Hubby puts his seal of approval on this. Check it out.

Ingredients:
1/2 small box thin, whole grain spaghetti
28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2-3 heaping spoonfuls, basil pesto (I like Classico's traditional basil pesto)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package. Be sure not to overcook pasta. When pasta has 1-2 minutes cook time remaining, heat a large skillet on medium low heat. Add olive oil and butter. With a pair of tongs, pull cooked pasta out and let excess water drip back into pot. Add all of pasta into the skillet with the olive oil and butter. Mix thoroughly. Add basil pesto and mix throughout. Lastly, add tomatoes and carefully toss into the pasta mixture. You want to be careful with the tomatoes because handling them too roughly will create a sauce and that's not what we're going for. Serve in bowls. Makes approximately 4 servings.

Enjoy!

TrainerTiff's Holiday Gift Guide

2011-12-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! I love the holidays and all the gift guides that pop up. I always find things that I had never considered or even heard of.
This guide is full of things that I believe will make exercising more enjoyable and rewarding. Some of these items I've tried and totally recommend, others might even be on my Christmas list. (Wink, wink, Santa!)
Check it out.

BODYFAT ANALYZER: Nothing is more frustrating than working out and not knowing whether or not you're losing fat. Omron makes a handheld bioelectrical impedance device that is easy to use. This is what I use to keep an eye on my bodyfat. About $50.

HEART RATE MONITOR: This device is useful for fitness newcomers or experienced exercisers who want to turn up the intensity. It can be difficult to know whether you're working out at 60-90% of your maximum heart rate, so a device like this can really come in handy. Omron makes a monitor that attaches to the wrist and reads heart rate with just two fingers. About $50.

HOT YOGA TOWEL: Those who love hot yoga need this! I used to use a regular bath towel for a long time until I got a Manduka eQua towel as a gift one year, and now I can't imagine using anything else. These towels are made to fit perfectly to the yoga mat and don't bunch up like regular towels. Also, they're really absorbent so stepping in a puddle of sweat is not an issue. About $40.

WIRELESS EARBUDS: I can't tell you how annoying it is when the cord on my earbuds gets in the way of my workout. Wireless earbuds are the perfect solution. The Sharper Image has a pair that connects to any Bluetooth enabled device. About $80.

DISTANCE TRACKER: I remember a time that I went for a run and used a free app on my phone. I ran for what felt like forever only to discover that the app hadn't tracked a single step! Since most avid runners already own such a device, new runners will greatly benefit from having a tracker. The Timex Ironman Fitness Tracker is a watch that tracks distance, calories burned, pace and steps. About $90.

INSULATED STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLE: Be eco-friendly and good to your health. Stainless steel is BPA-free and won't leach toxic chemicals into your water. The insulation will keep your water cold for hours. CamelBak makes one that has a wide-mouth opening making it easy to add ice. About $30.

CELL PHONE CREDIT CARD CASE: Know that feeling of wanting to run into the gym for a quick workout without being bogged down with a wallet or purse? Case Mate makes convenient cases for iPhone and Blackberry phones with a slot big enough for two credit cards. Slide in a gym membership card, credit cards, business cards or cash. About $30.

TOTES: Sometimes the look of a gym bag just won't do. Totes are convenient and appropriate for the gym and what's more is that they can double as a travel or work bag. Lululemon makes a stylish bag that holds a laptop, has front pockets for easy cell phone access and a removable shoe bag. About $120.

FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS: If you're buying for someone who has been talking about starting a new workout program and diet, having a new set of food storage containers is essential. The thought of putting thoughtfully prepared meals into old cruddy storables can seriously zap motivation. I have a set from IKEA that is BPA-free and really affordable. About $5.

BENTO BOX: I recently came across this find in Oxygen magazine. The bento box makes taking your lunch to work so convenient. Inside one large box there are 4-5 different sized storage boxes that will perfectly fit everything from a sandwich to salad dressing. Laptop Lunches has a variety of bento boxes in different colors and designs. About $45.

MASSAGE: OK, a massage is awesome anytime, but especially for someone who has been working hard to improve their fitness. Studies show that massaged muscles regain significantly more function and strength than muscles that aren't massaged. You can't go wrong with a massage gift card. $40 and up.

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION: We all tend to buy the same magazines over and over. Getting someone a subscription to something new can open them up to all sorts of new information they may not come across otherwise. Subscriptions are great, and I end up loving the magazines I get as gifts. They are one of the few gifts that keep on giving. About $20.

5 Exercise Tools You Might Not Know About

2011-11-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

There are always new fitness tools coming out -- some good and some bad. It can be difficult to identify the ones that are worth your money and the ones that should stay on the shelf.

But there are some tools that do work. We have to keep in mind that a tool is just that -- a tool. It doesn't take the place of doing a variety of exercises and healthy eating. As important as it is to workout, so is changing up your routine. We adapt to the same ol' exercises and as soon as the body is no longer challenged, the results slow and eventually come to a hault. I've listed some tools below that are sure to add some oomph into your workout. Check them out!

photo:workoutsforhome.com

Heavy Ropes: These are great for conditioning and for upper body strength training. The ropes will work muscles that don't typically get any attention from regular weight training programs. The exercises vary from jumping jacks to two-handed rope slams where you take the rope in each hand, raise them overhead and slam them into the ground.

photo:bodyrock.tv

Sandbag: You can use an actual bag of sand that comes in plastic or use a specially designed exercise sandbag, which is like a gym bag that you put smaller bags of sand in. The handles allow you to keep better form and control. Try using the bag for an intense circuit training routine that will burn a lot of calories and increase muscle strength. These are great for working the stabilizer muscles adding grip strength.

photo:bradrants.com

TRX Suspension Bands: Great for total body workouts using bodyweight for resistance. Do everything from planks, to squats, to push-ups with these. These are perfect for any skill level. Adjusting your positioning changes the level of difficulty for each exercise.

photo:bodybar.com

Body Bar: These bars seem light and delicate, but they can hold some weight. Weight sizes vary from 3 pounds all the way up to 36 pounds. The bar is versatile allowing you do many different fitness disciplines like martial arts, yoga, pilates, strength and conditioning to name a few.

photo:radiancewellness.ca

Ugi Ball: It's sort of like a squishy medicine ball. This ball is a great functional tool for total body workouts. It emphasizes balance training and strengthening core muscles. Each exercise done with the ball challenges entire muscle groups at once.

Easy Gluten Free Pasta Marinara

2011-11-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've been on a little bit of a cooking kick. I have taken some classic recipes that I like and have put my own vegetarian, vegan or gluten free spin on them. I'm pretty basic when it comes to food. I'm not really big on exotic flavors or creating dishes from odd pairings (I'll leave that stuff to the real cooks). I like foods that suit most palates.

It's necessary to add new meals into the mix because eating the same ol' stuff can get pretty boring. Even for me. Someone who has been known to eat the same oatmeal breakfast for years without pause.

This recipe is really easy and quick to make. It's gluten free and if you omit the cheese, it's vegan. Check it out.

Ingredients:
16 oz gluten free pasta
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use Himalayan salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 oz shredded monterey jack cheese (use mozzarella to make it more traditional, I just like monterey jack cheese)
fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

To make marinara:
Side note: this recipe for the marinara I got from the Weight Watchers beef baked ziti recipe. It is by far the best marinara sauce I've come across. And it's good for any dish requiring a tomato sauce. I use it in my lasagna and spaghetti as well.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat, add garlic and lightly saute. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir together. Let it sit and simmer while preparing pasta. (I like to let the sauce sit for as long as possible. Sometimes I'll even make it a day in advance so all the flavors can come out. But it's ready to use immediately after you let it simmer while the pasta cooks.)

Cook pasta according to package directions. I like DeBoles multi-grain penne. It is made from rice, quinoa and anaramnth (the last two being complete protein sources). Drain and rinse.

To assemble. Add 1/4 pasta to a bowl, spoon marinara sauce over pasta, add cheese and top with parsley if you choose.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Burritos

2011-10-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

In my attempt to eat less meat, I've been making more vegetarian dishes lately. I like to look through cooking magazines for new meal inspiration. I came across a recipe for black bean and corn tacos and decided to put my own spin on it and make burritos. These are really easy to make and will give any regular meat based burrito a run for its money! Check it out.

Ingredients:
4 whole grain tortilla shells
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3-4 shakes sea salt
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
6 tablespoons white onion, diced
4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 cups chopped lettuce
4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

Makes approximately 4 servings.

In bowl, mix beans, corn, chilli powder, cumin and salt. Heat in microwave for about 2 minutes. In meantime, prepare salsa by combining tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lime juice in bowl and mixing. For tortillas, heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Heat tortillas on each side for 1-2 minutes, long enough to slightly brown and get firm.

To assemble: Place tortilla on plate, add bean and corn mixture. Add 1/4 cup cheese, a couple spoonfuls of the salsa mixture, 1/2 cup of lettuce and 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Roll up burrito style and cut in half or eat whole as a taco.

Enjoy!

Running Tips for Beginners

2011-10-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

As someone who does not run, I love it when I see a jogger running down the street. You can always tell the more experienced from those who may be ... uh ... experiencing their first day. No matter the skill level, I admire them. I admire the gumption it takes to get up, get out there and do it.

I actually like running, it's my body that doesn't. My right knee has always given me problems and because of that, my cardio usually comes in the form of a StairMaster or elliptical trainer. Every now and then, I'll hear a friend talk about having had a good run and I'll get motivated to get out there and try it again. And every time, the next day my knee is screaming at me.

Now, I'm faced with a slight dilemma. I've entered the AZ Urbanathlon which is basically a 5k with a bunch of awesome obstacles thrown in. I know, you're probably thinking, "why did you do that if running causes you pain?" Yeah, seems silly. Well, I've decided to really challenge myself. I am going to improve my running technique and thereby, hopefully, prevent my usual knee pain.

And since I'm newbie to running, I've been doing some research*. I've listed some basic running tips that should come in handy for beginners like me. Check it out.

Each step should land lightly between heel and midfoot.
A short stride and slight knee lift is best for distance running.
Be careful not to hunch forward. Keep torso and back comfortably upright and straight.
Arms should swing forward and back and not across your body. The motion should be in pace with your stride.
Make sure shoulders don't creep up toward your ears. Keep them low and loose.
Don't look at the ground. Keep head up and looking forward at the horizon. Make sure chin doesn't jut forward.
To prevent stomach cramping, avoid short shallow breaths. Instead breath deeply from the lower lungs.
Breathing at a 2/2 ratio is common among runners. Take two steps as you inhale, take two steps as you exhale.
Too much water or food in the stomach can lead to stomach cramps. You may need to eat anywhere from 1-3 hours before your run. Monitor your body and what works best for you.
Get in the habit of drinking more water in general. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps.

Tips listed here are from Runner's World and WebMD.

I Tried It: Coconut Milk Ice Cream

2011-09-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

My new eating habits of reduced meat, gluten and dairy have been leaving me feeling a little like I'm missing out. Well, not really, but I do miss ice cream.

Well, I did, anyway. Then I discovered coconut milk ice cream.

Now, I know this is not new to a lot of people out there. But it's new to me, and, as someone who has recently started to give up dairy, I'm thrilled.

I tried So Delicious's chocolate peanut butter swirl. At first, I was a little hesitant. I can be a little pessimistic when it comes to trying new things. But, I managed to keep an open mind and dove in.

I first noticed that after sitting in freezer for hours, it wasn't rock hard like most ice cream. It spooned into my bowl with ease, which was kind of nice. I hate ice creams that are so hard, that you feel like you're going to break the spoon just to get one lousy spoonful.

The first taste was a delight to my tongue. It was really good. In fact, there wasn't much difference in taste from regular ice cream made from cow's milk. It was lighter and a bit fluffier in texture and in taste. Almost like mousse.

I'm sold. I can eat coconut milk ice cream from now on.

The nutrition facts are similar to regular ice cream. No surprise there. But, it's dairy free and an added bonus is it's also gluten and soy free.

Still, don't let that deceive you -- it's still a treat. And this won't be getting consumed on a regular basis. Not by me. But when I'm jonesing for a tasty, frozen treat, I know exactly what I'm getting!

AzUrbanAthlon: Jumping Over Cable Spools

2011-09-27T08:09:00.001-07:00

When the main page of the AzUrbanAthlon website asked me "do you enjoy your fitness and your fun in the same cocktail?" I replied to myself, "Yes. Why, yes, I do."

The AzUrbanAthlon is a 3-mile race with 10 obstacles from hurdles, to cargo nets, to wall climbs and a bunch more. One obstacle has about 100 tires stacked on top of each other that you have to climb over. Another obstacle has you literally climbing over huge containers. Another has a bunch of cable spools that you can either crawl over, under or use whatever method you can to get around them. Awesome!

Course

The AzUrbanAthlon has my name written all over it. For years, I've watched American Gladiators (back in the '90s and the recent remake with Leila Ali and Hulk Hogan), then more recently, Wipeout and Ninja Warrior. Those shows have always stoked the competitive fire inside me. Even if I only really want to compete against myself. You know, just to see how I'd do.

I can even remember back to the days of Nickelodeon's Double Dare. Even the thought of going through an obstacle course where at some point I'd be slimmed with some sort of green goo was right up my alley. Though, it's always been in the back of my mind that it would be cool to do something like this, I've never done it. Nope. Never.

So when Hubby was talking to me about the Athlon one day, naturally, I was interested. After a little chatting, we decided that we would get a group together and do it. Why not, right? It'll be fun.

The event benefits the Arizona chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and will be held November 5, 2011, at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick which happens to be the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. Sweet!

Let the training begin. I have just under six weeks to get ready. Since I don't like to run and because of that, have never done so much as a 5k, this will be interesting. But I'm game. Oh, I'm so game. I like a challenge here and there. Plus, I already know Hubby is going to start all kinds of trash talking. Bring it. It's going down!

Roller Derby Workout

2011-09-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Girl power was in full effect over the weekend. There's something empowering about seeing women dressed like girly-girls while skating around and knocking each other down.

I went to my first roller derby bout on Saturday and wasn't quite sure what to expect. My only knowledge of the sport came from snippets I saw here and there through various media -- like YouTube and the previews for that one Drew Barrymore movie.

We got to the venue early and could tell it was going to be good. The parking lot was full of cars, and we had to create a spot alongside a row divider. We stood in line, paid our admission and finally got a look of things inside -- it was packed. There were people everywhere. Folks were shoulder-to-shoulder and it was impossible to walk with out having to shuffle sideways every few feet. But, luckily, we were able to snag a couple seats without too much trouble.

Before the start of the bout, I sat in my seat and took in the scene. I noticed that the team uniforms weren't uniform. The team colors and team shirts were the only things that seemed the same. The derby athletes added their own individual style to their game outfits. They dressed in short skirts, short shorts, stockings (a lot of fishnets), girly skirts with lots of ruffles, funky socks, I even saw one gal wear a lacy panty over a pair of skin-tight shorts.

During the hour that the bout lasted, I watched jam after jam as the players skated the circle. Some were better than others. Some were easily knocked down. Others were able to hold steady and resist the elbows and shoulder bumps. Surprisingly, some players got tangled in their own feet and brought themselves down to the floor. Yikes.

The hour that the bout lasted, went by really quickly. And though it didn't last a long time, it struck me how physically demanding it is to skate for a full hour. And, of course, that got me thinking about what kind of workout would best suit a roller derby athlete. So I came up with this total body workout that emphasizes legs, balance, core strength and endurance.

To do the workout below, you'll need access to a Bosu, medicine ball and dumbbells.

Do a light warm-up before starting (i.e. 5 minute brisk walk on treadmill or jump rope for 3-5 minutes). Choose a light weight for the exercises below -- the goal is to increase muscle endurance, not muscle size. Do 2 sets of each exercise of 20-25 reps. Click the links for a demo of the exercises.

Squats on Bosu (legs)
Adding the Bosu helps improve balance and also helps build core strength.
Single leg bridge on Bosu (legs)
These target the hamstrings. The addition of the Bosu makes the exercise more difficult while helping build core strength.
Squat jumps (legs)
This is a plyometric move that help with leg explosiveness.
Deadlifts on flat surface of Bosu (legs)
These target the hamstrings and glutes. Adding the Bosu will improve balance and core strength.
Skaters lunges (legs)
This move simulates the skating movement which specifically targets the leg muscles used while skating.
Woodchops (abs)
These are great for the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles.
Cross-body crunches (abs)
These target the obliques.
Kettlebell* windmill (abs)
These target the obliques.
Medicine ball overhead circles (shoulders)
These target the anterior and medial heads of the shoulders. The abdominals also get worked.
Push-ups (chest)
Targets the chest muscles and secondarily targets the triceps and shoulders.
One-arm dumbbell row (back)
These primarily target the latissimus dorsi muscles and secondarily hits the biceps.

*This exercise can also be done with a dumbbell.

The Secret to 6-Pack Abs

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

We all want them, right? C'mon, the thought of having 6-pack abs has at least crossed your mind. Either that, or it has been the single driving force behind dragging yourself to the gym.

Many fitness magazines routinely promote workouts that will give you "sexy abs" or a "washboard stomach" in a matter of days or weeks. The exercises are great, but that's only the half of it. They don't tell you the secret -- you must lose the fat covering your abdomnials before any definition can be seen. And that may take a lot longer than days or weeks.

This is where following a healthy meal plan, doing cardio and working out -- your entire body, not just your abs -- comes in. (And, yes, you can put some focus on your abs.)

If you're killing yourself by doing hundreds of crunches every day, stop. Constantly doing ab work alone, is not going to get you to your goal. If you're only doing a heavy amount of ab work, you are building up your abdominal muscles, but that's it -- the layer of fat on top that is hiding these sculpted muscles is not melting away.

I would like to dispel the most common myth associated with getting well-defined abs: spot reduction. This is the myth that you can reduce fat of a particular body part by doing exercises specifically for that area. Example: doing crunches with the specific goal to lose fat on the belly to have a flat, more defined stomach. Another example: doing leg abductor and adductor exercises -- the machines you sit in where you open and close your legs -- to get rid of the fat on the inner and outer thighs.

To get a sexy stomach with sculpted lines, start losing bodyfat while also developing the muscles. Here are some guidelines:

Reduce Bodyfat Percentage

Eat clean diet: You have to get in the habit of cutting out processed foods, refined sugars (which basically is most things with sugar in it, with the exception of fruit) and high-sodium foods. Make it a point to eat more raw vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean meat and fish. Once you make the transition to only eating clean, the fat will come off more easily and quickly and then you will start to see definition.
Cardio: You need to incorporate cardiovascular fitness into your routine. This is the easiest way to burn fat. Try to mix in intense cardio sessions like HIIT (high intensity interval training) or spinning with moderate cardio sessions, such as 30 minutes bouts on the treadmill or elliptical. This will prevent your body from adjusting to any particular training, which will make it efficient at burning fat.
Total body lifting workout: The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest. Get on a total body weight program and put a little more focus on core training.

It's a good idea to get your bodyfat checked periodically to monitor your progress. You can schedule an assessment at your gym. Below is a bodyfat chart. In my experience, those who fall in the range of athlete or fitness usually have visible ab definition.

Image from ACE acefitness.org

Perform Effective Ab Exercises

Doing hundreds of crunches is not the answer. You need to vary your ab workouts.
Do 3-5 different ab exercises. For each exercise, do 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps. That's enough.
Do weighted exercises. i.e. medicine ball ab workouts and machine ab exercises. No need to use a lot of weight, just add enough resistance to make it more difficult. This will build your ab muscles which will make them more visible once you've reduced your bodyfat.

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

2011-08-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been dabbling in a little vegan eating. Now, don't get me wrong. I still love meat ... and cheese ... and eggs ... and yogurt and, well, I could go on and on. You get the point. But lately, I've been researching and reading a lot about the health benefits of a more plant-based diet. So, I've increased my vegetable consumption and have cut back on meat and have just about eliminated dairy. But this change in my eating has left me missing some of my favorite dishes.

One of my favorite soups of all time is cream of broccoli. I remember being a kid and frequently asking my mom to make me some. Which now, I think back and wonder how many kids actually like soup? Let alone, broccoli soup. Well, come to think of it, I was an odd child. Most kids hated veggies, but I could throw down on a plate of brussels sprouts or beets. OK, I digress.

Anyway, one of the things that makes this soup so yummy is the cream part, of course. See my dilemma?

How do I make my beloved soup without cream? Well, I've been busy in the kitchen coming up with all sorts of new and revised versions of old favorite recipes that meet vegan standards. So naturally, I had to do a remix on my favorite soup. The fix: I use almond milk instead of cream. And it's pretty good, if I do say so myself. Check it out.

1 tbs coconut oil
1/2 large onion diced
1 garlic clove minced
3 celery stalks diced
1 tsp vegan vegetable base
1.5 tsp celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups water
1 cup almond milk
2 tbs nutritional yeast flakes (optional. adds a rich, cheesy flavor)
16 oz bag frozen broccoli cuts

In large pot, heat oil on medium. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are slightly translucent. Add celery and cook, stirring frequently for several minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add water and vegetable base, stir well. Cover pot and cook for 30 minutes.

Transfer mixture to blender. Add nutritional yeast flakes. Pulse a few times to blend, you don't want to puree it. The mixture should not be completely smooth. Transfer back to pot and keep warm on low heat.

Enjoy!

Beauty Detox Diet Food Journal

2011-08-05T23:45:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
hot water with lemon
1 probiotic supplement

9:00 a.m.
1 cup grapes
1 clementine
1/2 apple
1 digestive enzyme supplement

1:00 p.m.
Glowing Green Smoothie
5 cucumber slices with nut pate

5:00 p.m.
1.5 oz raw almonds

8:30 p.m.
small salad with avocado, sprouts, tomato, hemp seeds, raisins, green pepper, cucumber, vinaigrette dressing
2 fish taco lettuce wraps
1 digestive enzyme supplement

11:30 p.m.
1 oz dark chocolate

Before bed: 1 probiotic supplement

Beauty Detox Diet Food Journal

2011-08-04T23:50:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
hot water with lemon
1 probiotic supplement

9:00 a.m.
1 clementine
1 cup grapes
1 digestive enzyme supplement

1:15 p.m.
protein shake with hemp protein, almond milk, banana and peanut butter

5:00 p.m.
large salad with kale, spinach, romaine, sprouts, quinoa, fresh corn, cucumber, green pepper, tomato, raisins, walnuts, hemp seeds, avocado and nutritional yeast/honey dijon blend dressing

9:15 p.m.
1 cup broccoli and cauliflower mix
2/3 cup peas
3 oz baked chicken
1 digestive enzyme supplement

dessert: coffee and 1 slice sweet potato pie (not part of plan)

Before bed: 1 probiotic supplement

Beauty Detox Diet Food Journal

2011-08-01T23:50:00.002-07:00

8:00 a.m.
hot water with lemon

9:00 a.m.
pear, celery sticks and carrots
1 oz raw almonds

1:00 p.m.
large salad: kale, spinach, romaine, green pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, sliced almonds, hemp seeds, raisins and organic vinaigrette dressing

5:30 p.m.
celery sticks with peanut butter

9:30 p.m.
medium salad: kale, spinach, romaine, green pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, sliced almonds, hemp seeds, raisins and organic vinaigrette dressing
chicken stir fry with mixed vegetables (no rice)

11:00 p.m.
1 raw chocolate coconut truffle

Clean Eating Vacation

2011-07-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

Mommy needed some Mommytime, so I went to L.A. and ended up drinking green smoothies, eating veggies and doing yoga. Score!

I've been trying to make my diet as clean as possible lately, so I was a little nervous about how I was going to eat on this much-needed mini-vacation.

But there was no way I was going to cancel the trip. Hello? Stevie Wonder was waiting. Plus, hanging out with my buddy out there is always a good time.

On the way to the farmers market at The Grove

I recently read The Beauty Detox Solution and decided to follow the Radiant Beauty phase for 30 days to see whether I should adopt any new approaches to my current clean eating diet. The program calls for green smoothies daily, cutting out dairy, reducing grains, having animal protein at dinnertime only and, most challenging of all, very specific food pairing guidelines. To give you an idea of what the food pairing entails -- no protein and starch together (so no turkey wraps, which is usually a go-to healthy choice when I travel).

Normally, a vacation of any length usually means a little party time -- bring on the indulgences. But not this time. I planned ahead.

My plan was to drag my friend along with me. We'd go to the farmers market to get all the necessities for the smoothies and hit a Bikram yoga studio. Also, I planned to stick to a more vegetarian menu options while dining out.

Did it work? Yup!

When I hit town Saturday, we went straight to a couple of farmers markets. First stop was the Silverlake Farmers Market where we picked up a few things like celery, parsley and this amazing roasted red pepper hummus. Next stop was the Farmers Market at The Grove where we got the rest of the things we needed -- lettuce, spinach, banana, pear and cilantro.

Lunch was a veggie gyro and I swapped the fries for salad. It was really tasty, too. That evening we met some people for an outdoor movie night, which was right next to the Los Angeles Coliseum. There were eight food trucks there with goodies from ice cream to sweet potato fries to Philly steaks -- but I resisted them all because we came prepared with our cooler of hummus, cucumbers, peppers, crackers and dairy-free chicken salad. We were set.

Our healthy movie snacks

Sunday morning started off with me making green smoothies, which was followed by a hot yoga session. Lunch was a large salad and later that evening we went to the Hollywood Bowl for a Stevie Wonder concert where we brought the cooler with the rest of our veggie and hummus fixings. I did have one little indulgence that night -- we split a small piece of red velvet cake. Oops.

At the Hollywood Bowl for Stevie Wonder concert

Another oops -- I had some chicken salad on wheat crackers one night and the next night that same chicken salad on a whole wheat pita (improper food pairings). So, I wasn't perfect. But all in all, not too bad. Best of all, I had a great weekend. My batteries are recharged and the veggie, green smoothies, yoga infusions did me well. This much cleaner approach to eating is energizing and amazingly I don't feel deprived or miss any of my previous meals.

Beauty Detox Diet Food Journal

2011-07-27T23:50:00.004-07:00

8:00 a.m.
coffee
1 cup cherries
1 apple sliced
4 sliced strawberries

12:00 p.m.
16 oz Glowing Green Smoothie
12 raw almonds

4:00 p.m.
water with lemon
large salad: romaine, alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, sprouted garbanzo beans, flaxseeds, cucumber, green peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, avocado and organic chipotle ranch dressing.

8:00 p.m.
water with lemon
medium sized salad (same ingredients from above)
1 piece baked chicken
1 svg sunflower seeds

Book Review: The Beauty Detox Solution

2011-07-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

OK, so the items I just purchased might sound a little peculiar: nutritional yeast flakes, hemp protein, Himalayan salt and digestive enzymes.

But if you’re going “eat your way to radiant skin, renewed energy and the body you’ve always wanted” as The Beauty Detox Solution promises then, according to author Kimberly Snyder, C.N., these are some of the things you ought to have on your shopping list.

From what I’ve seen, the typical American diet is high in grains, corn, processed foods, refined sugar, saturated fat and sodium. Eating like this over the long term can lead to all sorts of problems, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Also, it can mess up your skin, hair and nails and cause premature aging.

Snyder promises to show you how to fix these issues with The Beauty Detox Solution, a nutrition book that puts a fresh perspective on the old expression, “You are what you eat.”

Snyder says that eating a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables will restore health and beauty by improving the body’s ability to efficiently digest vital nutrients. This, she says, will help cleanse years of toxic buildup – which she calls “sludge” – out of your system.

She explains which foods to eat, when to eat them, how to eat them and how to pair them for the most benefits.

Some of the suggestions are simple, like eat fruit first in a meal. Others are more extreme, like eat an avocado if you’re still hungry after having a green smoothie for breakfast. Even the smoothie may sound over-the-top – the recipe calls for a whole head of lettuce, three-quarters of a bunch of spinach, four stalks of celery, an apple, a pear, a banana, juice of half of a lemon, and if you’re feeling spunky you can add a third of a bunch of cilantro or parsley.

Some of her philosophies sounded outrageous, even for me. I’ve eaten clean for years, and a lot of people consider my approach extreme in its own right. But reading that a turkey sandwich was an “improper Beauty Food Pairing” was alarming.

Hot Body Challenge: Results

2011-07-09T22:00:00.002-07:00

The Hot Body Challenge was a complete success. Here's a detailed recap.

What I did:
For six weeks, I committed to a clean and healthy meal plan and daily workouts.

There weren't many breaks. Take a look at my daily diet and workout logs. Cheat foods were rare. And there were only four rest days without any exercise.

I ate four to six meals per day. And my workouts varied from traditional weights and cardio to yoga to Zumba to just push-ups or manual squats.

Why I did it:
I was determined to get back to my pre-pregnancy size by the time my twins turned 1. I needed to lose 10 pounds or 3 percent bodyfat to get me back to looking like my old self -- so I used these numbers to establish a six-week goal.

When my doctor gave me the OK to workout about a month and a half after delivery, I got myself back in the gym. But I started off slowly.

I didn't want to dive right back into it. My old training schedule would have been far too intense. Plus, I felt like I was in someone else's body. I had to learn how to pace myself and adjust my workouts to accommodate the 30 pounds I had picked up.

I slowly made progress ... and I mean slowly.

By the time my twins were 6 months old, I had only lost 7 pounds. It was at this point that I decided to turn up the intensity. Over then next four months, I lost about 13 pounds. And about two months from the boys' first birthday, I knew I had to get really serious.

This is when I set the six-week, 10-pound or 3 percent goal.

But I knew needed a little push! Something extra to make sure my goal became and accomplishment and not a dream.

So, I came up with the six-week Hot Body Challenge.

How I stuck to it:
There's strength in numbers, right? So I decided to get a group of friends together to join me.

Through Facebook, I put together a group of 17 friends -- each of whom wanted to make some improvments to their diet and or workouts.

I led and motivated the group with various daily challenges -- for example, do 50 push-ups, 100 squats, drink 60 ounces of water. I posted links to fitness-related articles and provided tips to help stay on track.

I supplemented this with Twitter updates and blogs posts.

This group really helped me stick to it. Accountability and support helped tremendously.

Results
I hit my goal and lost 10 pounds exactly! In six weeks, I went from 146.6 lbs to 136.6 lbs. And my bodyfat went from 21.9 percent to 19.6 percent.

Going forward
Though the challenge is over, I will continue to stick with my diet and exercise routines.

Sure, I'll allow myself a few more treats from time to time. And I won't workout so intensely every day.

But eating healthy and exercising is not something to do for a specific amount of time. It's a lifestyle. I'm going to stick with it to keep myself looking and more importantly -- feeling -- great!

Hot Body Challenge: Day 42 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-19T23:50:00.001-07:00

Last day of challenge!

8:00 a.m.
1/2 cup Cheerios with almond milk

11:00
1 egg fried in cooking spray on 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 slice mild cheddar

2:00 p.m.
10 almonds

4:30 p.m.
1 cajun tilapia fillet
1/2 cup red beans & rice

6:30 p.m.
Pure Protein bar

8:30 p.m.
1 plum
1 apple
bowl of broccoli and cauliflower

Water intake: 60 oz
Workout: 2 sessions of 1.5 hrs of cardio on StairMaster (my last push for the end of the challenge!)

Rundown: today was ok. Calories were a little low and I could have had more protein. But not bad. I got in 3 hrs of cardio for my final push!

Hot Body Challenge: Day 41 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-18T23:50:00.002-07:00

8:00 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 fresh peach sliced

10:00 a.m.
10 almonds

1:00 p.m.
whole wheat tortilla stuffed with 2 oz ground turkey, 1 scrambled egg, spinach, tomato & monterey jack cheese

4:00 p.m.
Pure Protein bar
1 apple

8:00 p.m.
1/2 can tuna with light mayo
3 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers

Water total: 60 oz
Workout: Zumba (morning)
45 min StairMaster (evening)
Rundown: ok. I should have had more protein for the day and I could have had more water.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 40 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-17T23:50:00.002-07:00

5:45 a.m.
1 apple

8:45 a.m.
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1 tbs almond butter, 2.5 oz Greek yogurt, 1/2 banana & 1 scoop whey protein

1:00 p.m.
whole wheat wrap with 2 oz ground turkey, 1 scrambled egg, spinach, tomato & monterey jack cheese

5:00 p.m.
1 can tuna with light mayo
4 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers

8:15 p.m.
cajun spiced tilapia
1/2 cup red beans & rice
broccoli & cauliflower

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was a good day!

Hot Body Challenge: Day 39 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-16T23:50:00.003-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs strawberry preserves

12:00 p.m.
bbq chicken thigh (no skin)
3/4 cup light cole slaw
small romaine and spinach salad with strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced almonds and raspberry vinaigrette dressing

4:00 p.m.
1 can tuna with 1 tbs light mayonnaise and spices
4 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers

6:30 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1/2 banana, 1 tbs almond butter, 2.5 oz Greek yogurt & 1 scoop whey protein

9:30 p.m.
1 small bowl of ground turkey and red-skinned potato dish with spinach, tomatoes and monterey jack cheese

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 30 min cardio on StairMaster, 20 push-ups

Rundown: today was really good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 38 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

8:00 a.m.
2 slices grapefruit
1.5 scrambled eggs
1 whole wheat bagel with 2 tbs 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 pc low-sodium bacon

12:30 p.m.
2 slices grapefruit
beef with vegetables over 1/2 cup brown rice

4:00 p.m.
4 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers
1 can tuna with 1 tbs light mayonnaise and spices

6:30 p.m.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt with stevia, 2 fresh sliced strawberries and 1 tbs sliced almonds
2 boiled eggs: 1 whole egg, 1 egg white

8:30 p.m.
1 pc bbq baked chicken thigh
small salad with raspberry vinaigrette
homemade cole slaw made with light mayonnaise
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 30 min walk

Rundown: ok. My meal timing was all off today. I need to be better about eating every 3 hours.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 37 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1/2 BLT sandwich

2:30 p.m.
chicken salad with 2 oz chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and 2 tbs French dressing

5:45 p.m.
Pure Protein bar

8:00 p.m.
beef with broccoli plus extra veggies on brown rice

11:00 p.m. (post-workout)
protein shake with 4 oz orange juice 3/4 scoop whey protein

Water total: 70 oz
Workout: 1 hr cardio on StairMaster
Weights: chest & back
Chest-DB bench press 20 lbs 3x10, seated chest press 50 lbs 3x10
Back-seated machine reverse flyes 30 lbs 3x10, one arm DB row 20 lb 3x10

Rundown: today was ok. I waited way too long to have breakfast. And the time between meals early in the day was too long. Otherwise the day was good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 36 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-13T23:50:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
1/2 Pure Protein bar

10:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 apple and cinnamon
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk and 1 scoop whey protien

2:00 p.m.
bowl of chilli

5:00 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1.5 scoops whey protein, 1/2 container Greek yogurt, 1/2 apple & 3 strawberries

8:00 p.m.
2 chicken tacos with 2 oz chicken, 1 tbs guacamole, 1 tbs light sour cream 1.5 oz cheese, salsa and tomatoes
1/2 cup Spanish rice
1/2 cup refried beans

Water total: 60 oz
Workout: 100 lunges

Rundown: today was good. Diet was good. I could have done more on the workout and gotten more water.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 35 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-12T23:50:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
protein shake with 8 oz orange juice with 1 scoop whey protein

11:00 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs strawberry preserves
boiled eggs: 1 whole egg, 1 egg white
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

3:00 p.m.
salad with arugula and romaine mix topped with 2 oz chicken, avocado, strawberries, 2 tbs nut mix, cucumber, tomato and 2 tbs raspberry vinaigrette

7:30 p.m.
2 chicken tacos on corn tortillas, 1 tbs guacamole, 1 tbs light sour cream, 1 oz cheese, tomatoes and salsa
1/4 cup Spanish rice
1/4 cup refried beans

10:30 p.m.
1/2 container Greek yogurt with 1/4 apple diced
hot water with lemon

Water total: 85 oz
Workout:
(morning)
45 min cardio on StairMaster
legs: plie squats 30 lb DB 3x15, deadlifts 27.5 lb DBs 3x15, bar squats 45 lbs 2x10, leg extensions 95 lbs 2x10, standing one-curls 25 lb 2x10, no weight calf raises 3x20

(evening)
1 hour cardio on StairMaster
shoulder circuit: 5 lb DBs for all exercises. Upright rows, lateral raises, overhead presses 3x15

Rundown: today was good. I got in two workouts! The only thing I would improve on is eating every 3 hours instead of 4 or more like I did and I should have had more protein.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 34 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-11T23:50:00.001-07:00

7:45 a.m.
1/2 Pure Protein bar

9:30 a.m.
2 slices grapefruit
1.5 eggs scrambled with mushrooms, tomato, avocado and light cheese
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1/2 whole wheat bagel with 1 tbs 1/3 less fat cream cheese

12:45 p.m.
bowl of chili with .5 oz cheese

3:00 p.m.
1/2 container Greek yogurt with stevia, diced apples and strawberries
1/2 Pure Protein bar

6:30 p.m.
2 chicken tacos on corn tortillas with 1 tbs guacamole, 1 tbs light sour cream, 1 oz cheese, tomatoes & salsa

10:30 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1.5 scoops whey protein, 1/4 apple and 2 strawberries

Water total: 60 oz
Workout: none

Rundown: today could have been better. I skipped going to the gym. But in my defense I haven't taken a day off in a long time so I think my body actually needed a break. My diet was good although my last meal was late, I should have had it an hour earlier. Water total should have been higher.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 33 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-10T23:50:00.004-07:00

9:30 a.m.
2 slices grapefruit
1.5 eggs scrambled with mushrooms, tomato, avocado and light cheese
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1/2 whole wheat bagel with 1 tbs with 1/3 less fat cream cheese

12:00 p.m. (not a meal, just logging because I had it)
coffee from Starbucks-tall regular with 2 Splenda packets and light cream

1:30 p.m. (was out and didn't have anything to eat on me!)
medium fruit cup from Chik-fil-a

3:30 p.m.
bowl of chili with 1 oz cheese (homemade)

6:30 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1.5 scoops whey protein, 3 strawberries, 1/2 container Greek yogurt

9:30 p.m.
1 tilapia fillet
6 brussels sprouts
hot water with lemon

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: Weights-arms
Hammer curls 5 lb dumbbells 3x15
Tricep kickbacks 5 lb dumbbells 3x15
Tricep dips 2x15

Rundown: today was ok. I would have liked to have gotten in some cardio on top of my weights. As for the diet, I recovered after I was caught out running errands with no food. I had to eat something and I refused to eat any junk, so I stopped and got a fruit cup. Not much, but at least it was something. The rest of the day was good.

15 Tips to Eat Right While Dining Out

2011-06-09T22:30:00.001-07:00

Dining out can ruin your diet.

Most restaurant menu items are loaded with calories, fat and sodium -- especially sodium. That's why after a typical restaurant meal we feel bloated, gross and, well, fat.

The trainer in me wants to say: Avoid dining out at all costs. But the realist in me knows better. With our lifestyles, that's going to happen. Lunch dates with friends ... dinner dates with the significant other ... work lunches ... birthdays ... family outings ... maybe you just want to go out to eat. The way we live calls for all sorts of occasions where we're just going to be at a restaurant.

Since this is how it is, let's at least make smart choices.

1. Pass on the appetizer. The entree will probably have too many calories as it is, no need to add more. Besides, unless you're in L.A. and can order beets as an appetizer (hey, Allison!), starters are probably going to be fried, loaded with cheese and accompanied by a dipping sauce anyway. Uh, pass.
Read more »

Hot Body Challenge: Day 32 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

8:00 a.m.
1/2 Pure Protein bar

10:30 a.m.
1.5 scrambled eggs
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1/2 whole wheat bagel with 1 tbs 1/3 less fat cream cheese

11:45 a.m.
1 apple

2:30 p.m. (post-workout)
1/2 banana
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 1.5 scoop whey protein, 1/2 banana, 1 tsp natural peanut butter, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 container Greek yogurt

5:30 p.m.
1/2 chicken salad sandwich with apples and walnuts on whole wheat bread

9:30 p.m.
1 oz baked chicken with 1 tsp bbq sauce (random leftover)
1 tilapia fillet cooked in cooking spray
2/3 cup peas

Water total: 100 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram yoga session (afternoon)
Zumba (evening)

Rundown: today was great! I got in two workouts, no cheats on the diet and I got about 128 grams of protein. Water total was increased from my usual 75 oz, so that's really good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 31 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-08T23:50:00.002-07:00

7:30 a.m.
1/2 Pure Protein bar

8:30 a.m.
1 boiled egg

10:30 a.m.
1/2 container Greek yogurt with 2 fresh strawberries and stevia
1/2 whole wheat bagel with 1 tbs 1/3 less fat cream cheese

2:30 p.m. (post-workout)
protein shake with 8 oz almond milk, 2 fresh strawberries, 3 pineapple ring slices, 1 oz pineapple juice, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 tsp sugar

5:45 p.m.
1 small bowl homemade chicken and vegetable soup

8:45 p.m.
3 oz baked skinless chicken
7 brussels sprouts

11:00 p.m.
5 mixed nuts

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was really good. I increased my water and protein amounts.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 30 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-07T23:50:00.004-07:00

8:15 a.m.
protein shake with 2 oz pineapple juice, 4 oz water, 1 scoop whey protein
1 pineapple slice

11:30 a.m.
Pure Protein bar

2:30 p.m.
tuna melt on whole wheat with 1 tsp butter

5:45 p.m.
1/2 container Greek yogurt with 2 fresh strawberries and stevia

8:45 p.m.
3 oz baked skinless chicken
3/4 broccoli cheddar rice
6 brussel sprouts

12:30 a.m. (snack craving)
.5 oz mixed nuts

Water total: 50 oz
Workout: 45 min StairMaster
300 crunches
Weights: legs

Plie squats with 30 lb dumbbell with 25 lb dumbbell deadlifts 3x15
Leg extensions 90 lbs 3x10
Seated calf press 90 lbs 3x20

Rundown: today was decent. My water total was a lot lower than I would like. I could have done without the late night nut snack.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 29 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-06T23:50:00.005-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 boiled egg
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:30 p.m.
5 rosemary herb crackers
.5 oz cheese

2:30 p.m.
caribbean pork chop with pineapple
1 svg peas
1/2 svg black-eyed peas

6:00 p.m.
protein shake with 4 oz water, 2 oz pineapple juice, 1 scoop whey protein
1 slice pineapple

8:30 p.m.
5 mixed nuts

10:00 p.m.
1/2 tuna with light mayo, sweet relish, egg, red onion on lettuce and 7 rosemary herb crackers
.75 oz assorted cheese
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

Water total: 60 oz
Workout: Look at Me Now Cardio Circuit
Weights: back, shoulders & chest

Back

One-arm dumbbell rows 10 lb 3x10 each side
Supermans 3x10

Chest

Push-ups 3x10
Dumbbell bench press 10 lbs 3x10

Shoulders

Overhead dumbbell press 10 lbs 3x10
Dumbbell upright rows 10 lbs 3x10

Rundown: today was pretty good. Protein and water amounts should have been a little higher. Workout was good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 28 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-05T23:50:00.001-07:00

7:45 a.m.
5 rosemary herb crackers

10:45 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 boiled egg

3:00 p.m.
protein shake with 8oz soy milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 3 frozen fresh strawberries

6:00 p.m.
1 cup shrimp ratatouille

9:00 p.m.
caribbean pork chop with pineapple
1/2 svg black-eyed peas
1 svg peas

Water total: 100 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was good. Water total was great. Protein amount was good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 27 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-04T23:50:00.002-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1 boiled egg
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
(155 calories)

12:30 p.m.
omelet with 2 eggs, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, mushrooms and turkey lunch meat
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(375 calories)

4:30 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz soy milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 3 fresh frozen strawberries, 1 scoop whey protein
(240 calories)

9:00 p.m.
shrimp ratatouille with 1/2 cup brown rice
(200 calories)

10:30 (late snack)
3 cups Smart Pop Popcorn
1/3 Cliff bar
(130 calories)

Total calories: 1100

Water total: 50 oz
Workout: Zumba and legs

Leg routine

Seated leg extension 105 lbs 3x10
Seated leg curl 90 lbs 3x10
Standing calf raises 90 lbs 3/15

Rundown: today was less than my best. My water total was very low and some meals were spaced out too far (I like to eat at every 3 hours). Also, my calories were a little low, I could have had another light meal added to the day.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 26 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

5:45 a.m.
apple

9:15 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1 boiled egg
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

1:00 p.m.
5 rosemary herb crackers
1 oz cheese slice

4:00 p.m.
salad with 2 oz chicken, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, mushrooms, cheese and 1 svg light ranch

7:00 p.m.
protein shake with 8 oz soy milk, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 3 fresh strawberries, 1 scoop whey protein

9:00 p.m.
bbq chicken pizza on Lavash bread (low cal, homemade)

Water total: 100 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was good! Diet was good, even the bbq chicken pizza was low cal. I increased my water total, which took a little work, but I got it done.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 25 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-02T23:50:00.001-07:00

5:45 a.m.
apple

9:15 a.m.
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1 pc whole wheat toast
1.5 scrambled egg

1:00 p.m.
5 rosemary herb crackers
.5 oz sliced cheese

4:00 p.m.
salad with 3 oz chicken, 1/2 oz cheese, avocado, tomatoes, croutons, cucumbers and 1 svg light ranch

8:30 p.m.
whole wheat turkey wrap with 1 slice cheese, lettuce and horseradish

10:30 p.m. (post weight workout)
protein shake with 1 scoop whey, 6 oz soy milk, 1.5 tsp sugar

Water total: 80 oz
Workout: (morning) 90 min Bikram hot yoga session
(afternoon) push-up challenge 3 sets to failure 18, 12, 9 reps
(evening) 20 min on StairMaster
Weights: shoulders, back, chest

Shoulders

2 step laterals 5lb dumbbells 3x10
overhead press 15 lb dumbbels 3x10

Chest/Back

push-up with dumbbell row 10 lb 3x10
reverse flyes 30 lbs 3x10
seated chest press 50 lbs 3x10

Rundown: today was great! I got in 2 full workouts and a bonus (the push-up challenge). Diet and water was really good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 24 Food & Workout Log

2011-06-01T23:50:00.003-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 boiled egg
1 pc low-sodium bacon
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(235 calories)

11:45 a.m.
1/2 PB&J on whole wheat
(180 calories)

2:45 p.m.
Pure Protein bar
(170 calories)

6:15 p.m.
5 rosemary herb crackers
1/2 oz pepperjack cheese
3 oz watermelon
(200 calories)

7:45 p.m.(@ Paradise Bakery)
1/2 chicken walnut sandwich
1/2 blue cheese salad
bite of chocolate chip cookie
(550 calories)

Total calories: 1335

Water total: 70 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was ok. Protein total was low, probably around 60 grams. I would like that to be more around 90 grams. Calorie total was good. Water was decent, I'd like that to be higher too. Good thing is that I did eat continuously throughout the day. I did slip and have a bite of cookie, I could've done without that. With that said, I really should have had something different than the Paradise Bakery meal. Although it seemed healthy, it was really high in fat and didn't have enough protein.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 23 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-31T23:50:00.001-07:00

5:45 a.m.
1 apple

8:45 a.m.
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1 boiled egg
1/3 of scrambled egg
1 pc whole wheat toast with Parkay butter spray

2:00 p.m.
salad with 3 oz chicken breast, 3 tbs cheese, croutons, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers and 2 svg light ranch dressing

6:00 p.m.
Pure Protein bar

9:00 p.m.
1 cup baked beef ziti with spinach (Weight Watchers recipe)
2 oz watermelon

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram yoga session
140 manual squats

Rundown: today was ok. The time between my 8:45 meal and 2:00 meal was too long. Calories were a little on the low side, probably around 1100 and protein could have been about 20 grams higher (it was around 70g).

Hot Body Challenge: Day 22 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-30T23:50:00.000-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 boiled egg

12:00 p.m.
Protein shake with 6 oz soy milk and 1 scoop whey protein
4 oz watermelon
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer and 1 tbs Cool Whip

3:30 p.m.
salad with 3.5 oz chicken, avocado, tomato, cucumbers, croutons and 2 svg light ranch

7:00 p.m.
1 cup baked beef ziti with spinach

Water total: 75 oz
Workout: 90 min Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was good. I increased my water and got in my workout. Calories were probably around 1200 with protein around 80 grams.

Serving Sizes Made Simple

2011-05-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder just how much is in a serving? Sure, if you take a look at the nutrition facts label, it tells you exactly. But unless you have a food scale or a measuring cup handy, it can be a little difficult and frustrating to try to figure out "x" amounts of grams or ounces or most any other measure.

Here's a handy guide to some of the most common things we eat to help you control your portions while putting your meals together.

MEAT: Single serving: 3 ounces cooked. Size comparison: A deck of cards. Calories: 150

PASTA: Single serving: 1 cup cooked. Size comparison: Baseball. Calories: 180-210

BUTTER: Single serving: 1 tablespoon. Size comparison: Bottle top of a gallon milk jug. Calories: 100

NUTS: Single serving: 1 ounce. Size comparison: Short shot glass. Calories: 170

POTATO: Single serving: 3 ounces. Size comparison: Computer mouse. Calories: 90 calories
Read more »

Hot Body Challenge: Day 21 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-29T21:17:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
1 serving oatmeal
1/2 boiled egg
2 slices grapefruit
coffee with almond milk and 2 tsp raw sugar

10:00 a.m.
1 oz mixed nuts

1:00 p.m.
Pure Protein bar

3:30 p.m.
club sandwich (bought at grocery store)

8:30 p.m.
salad with chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced almonds and 2 tbs raspberry vinaigrette

Water total: 60 oz
Workout: none

Rundown: Today wasn't too bad, especially since I spent 5 1/2 hours on the road driving from LA to Phoenix. I did miss my workout, which is not good. Water total is fine, however I do want to increase my daily amount. Protein could have been higher and I should not have waited so long after my 3:30 meal to eat.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 20 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-28T23:50:00.001-07:00

Cheat day!

4:30 a.m.
apple

7:30 a.m.
Einstein's breakfast bagel: bacon, egg & cheese on whole wheat

10:30 a.m.
apple

11:30 a.m.
1.25 oz mixed nuts

3:30 p.m. (at Bottega Louie)
3 roasted beets
1/2 club sandwich and few fries and chips
1 glass wine

6:30 p.m.
1 inch bite of a sea salt brownie

7:30-9:30 p.m.
2 mixed drinks

Water total: 35 oz
Workout: none

Rundown: Bad day! This day I was travelling (which makes it tougher, no excuse though). The day started off ok, but went downhill after my 3:30 meal -- that was my last meal of the day! Not good at all. My water total was way too low and I didn't get in a workout. In my defense (haha), today was my cheat day and I spent the evening at a Prince concert; food and working out just wasn't on my mind.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 19 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-27T23:50:00.002-07:00

6:00 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs strawberry preserves
1 boiled egg

8:00 a.m.
1 cup mixed fruit

10:00 a.m.
1 oz mixed nuts
3 oz piece of baked chicken

2:00 p.m. (post-workout)
protein shake with 1 cup soy milk, 1/2 container Greek yogurt, 1 tbs natural peanut butter, 1 tbs mini chocolate chips, 1 scoop whey protein

5:00 p.m.
apple

9:30 p.m.
Pure Protein bar

Water total: 100 oz
Workout: 90 minute Bikram hot yoga session

Rundown: today was ok. Toward the end of the day, I was running errands and didn't plan very well so I ended up buying a box of protein bars while I was out and that was dinner. Water amount was great.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 18 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-26T23:18:00.003-07:00

7:45 a.m.
10 oz mixed fresh fruit
1 boiled egg (some yolk removed)
(200 calories)

10:30 a.m.
2 pieces low-sodium bacon
1 piece whole wheat toast with butter spray
1/4 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(220 calories)

1:45 p.m.
Protein shake (post-workout)
-1 cup soy milk
-1.5 tsp sugar
-3 fresh frozen strawberries
-1 scoop whey protein
-2.5 oz Greek yogurt
(275 calories)

4:45 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on one slice whole wheat bread, 1 oz cheese, 1/2 tbs mayo
5 mixed nuts
(335 calories)

6:30 p.m.
10 oz mixed fruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(150 calories)

9:00 p.m.
2 oz baked skinless chicken breast
1 cup green beans
(150 calories)

11:00 p.m.
5 mixed nuts
5 oz mixed fruit
(85 calories)

Total calories: 1435
Total water: 60 oz

Workout:

30 min treadmill intervals
15 min on Stepmill
Legs

Lunges, no weight 3x10 each leg with deadlifts 25 lbs 3x10
High step-ups 1x20 each leg
Leg extensions 105 lbs 3x10
Seated leg curls 90 lbs 3x10
Standing calf raises 90 lbs 3x15

Stretched

Rundown: today was good. Calories weren't too low. Water intake could've been higher. Workout was good-changed it up a bit.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 17 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-25T23:58:00.000-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free preserves
protein shake with 6 oz cup soy milk and 1 scoop whey protein
(265 calories)

10:30 a.m.
5 almonds
1 cups mixed fresh fruit (watermelon, strawberries, grapes, melon)
(135 calories)

12:30 p.m.
1 oz mixed nuts
(170 calories)

3:30 p.m.
turkey sandwich on whole wheat with mustard
1 cup mixed fresh fruit
regular tall coffee from Starbucks with Splenda and cream
(360 calories)

7:30 p.m.
4.5 oz baked pork chop
1 cup green beans
10 grapes
(395 calories)

Total calories: 1325
Total water: 70 oz

Workout: two today!

Workout1: 1 50 minute brisk walk
Workout2: Look at Me Now Cardio Circuit (20 minutes) & stretched

Rundown: today was a good day! Calories are a little lower, but good. Water amounts were good too -- will however, be looking to increase water.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 16 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-24T23:50:00.004-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
2 slices low-sodium bacon
1 egg scrambled
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(275 calories)

11:45 a.m.
1/2 PB&J on whole wheat with 1 tbs natural peanut butter and 1 tbs sugar-free preserves
(190 calories)

2:45 p.m.
3 oz catfish
1/2 svg grits with .5 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 cup corn and okra mix
(295 calories)

5:00 p.m.
1 container plain Greek yogurt with 1 tsp Splenda, 2 fresh sliced strawberries and 1/2 cup honeydew melon
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(180 calories)

7:30 p.m.
4 oz herb baked salmon
8 thin asparagus spears
(300 calories)

9:45 p.m.
protein shake with 1 scoop whey protein, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/2 cup water and 2 fresh sliced strawberries
(170 calories)

Total calories: 1410
Total water: 60 oz
Workout: two workouts today!

WORKOUT 1
40 min cardio: 20 min stairmaster, 20 minute intervals on treadmill
Back

Assisted pull-ups 3x8
One arm dumbbell rows 27.5 lbs 3x10 each side
V-bar pulldowns 50 lbs 3x10
Reverse flyes 30 lbs 3x10
Rope pulldowns 40 lbs 3x10

Shoulders

Cable overhead press 20 lbs 3x10
Cable upright rows 40 lbs 3x10
2 step laterals 5 lb dumbbells 3x10

WORKOUT 2
30 min cardio on stairmaster

Rundown: today was great! I went to the gym twice for two workouts! Calories were good and protein amounts were good. Meal time spacing was good, no more than 3 hours between meals. I could've had more water though.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 15 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1 whole wheat/white flour mix pancake with cantaloupe, strawberry and sugar-free strawberry preserves
1/2 scoop of protein with 1/2 cup water
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip
(250 calories)

12:30 p.m.
20 almonds
2 slices cantaloupe
(200 calories)

3:30 p.m.
turkey sandwich on whole wheat with mustard
1 slice cantaloupe
(260 calories)

7:00 p.m.
4 oz catfish fillet
3/4 cup corn & okra mix
1/4 cup grits with 1 oz cheddar cheese
(515 calories)

Total calories: 1225
Water total: 80 oz
Workout: abs & stretched

2 sets of 25 for each exercise
crunches, toe touches, bicycle crunches, Russian twists

Rundown: today was good. I kept my meals right around every 3 hours. Water intake was above normal. I probably could've had a little more protein.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 14 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

Cheat Day!

8:00 a.m.
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

9:30 a.m.
2 whole wheat/white flour mix pancakes with cantaloupe, strawberries, 1 tbs sugar free strawberry preserves and 1 svg Reddi Whip
.5 oz sausage
1.5 scrambled eggs

11:30 a.m.
20 almonds

3:30 p.m.
1 whole wheat mix crab cake with a horseradish and light sour cream sauce
1/2 cup Progresso gumbo soup
1/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 cup mixed greens
2 mini cornbread muffins with Parkay butter spray

7:30 p.m. (at Buffalo Wild Wings-my cheat)
5 buffalo wings
handful of Hubby's fries
the celery and carrots that come with the wings

9:00
1 slice cheesecake with cherries (my other cheat)

Water total: 90 oz
Workout:

1 hour walk (morning)
1 hour cardio at gym: 30 min stairmaster, 30 min cross-trainer (morning)
shoulder circuit, 5 lb dumbbells-3 sets of 10-15 reps each exercise (evening)

side raises, front raises, rear delt raises, overhead press

Rundown: today was a cheat day so with that in mind, it wasn't terrible. I would have liked to have had the cheesecake with my 7:30 p.m. meal so it could be a "meal." As it was Buffalo Wild Wings didn't have cheesecake, so I made a special stop to get it and of course had to eat it later. Oh well. The rest of the day was ok -- there were some 4 hour gaps when I prefer for the gaps between meals to be no more than 3 hours. But water intake was good! Tomorrow, it's back to it. I enjoyed my treats and now back to work!

Hot Body Challenge: Day 13 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-21T23:50:00.003-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1.5 eggs scrambled
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 tbs sugar free strawberry preserves
1/2 grapefruit
5 almonds

12:00 p.m.
Protein shake with 6 oz soy milk, 1 scoop whey protein
3 fresh strawberries (1 lightly dipped in sugar)
5 almonds

3:30 p.m.
herb baked salmon with olive oil
2/3 cup brown rice
vegetable ratatouille
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer and 1 tbs Cool Whip

6:30 p.m.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 tsp Splenda, 2 oz cantaloupe & 1 large fresh strawberry
10 almonds

8:45 p.m.
Protein shake with 6 oz soy milk, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 tbs natural peanut butter
1 oz cheese with 2 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer & 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:00 a.m.
1 oz cheese

Water total: 70 oz
Workout:

Zumba (in the morning)
Arms (in the evening)

bicep hammer curls 10 lbs 3x8
tricep kickbacks 10 lbs 3x8

Rundown: good day. The midnight snack craving kicked in and I had a little piece of cheese which I could have done without, but that was way better than having junk. My calories were a little higher today, partly because Zumba wore me out! I must have burned a lot of calories -- which in turn will make you a little more hungry throughout the day. Water intake was good.

Hot Body Challenge: Look at Me Now Cardio Circuit

2011-05-21T16:48:00.001-07:00

If you are having a hard time fitting cardio into your fitness routine because you don't have cardio equip, a gym membership or time to go out for a walk/jog -- well, this is for you. This is also for you if you want to change things up a bit, which I strongly encourage. Turn on some music that will make you move, go into your living room, bedroom, basement, backyard -- wherever -- and get to work!

Each exercise is performed for 1 minute. The routine below takes 10 minutes. Repeat it to get a full 20 minute cardio workout.

Things you'll need:

Open space
Jump rope (optional)
Timer
Some move your butt music!

0:00-1:00 Walk in place-high knees
1:00-2:00 Jump rope (if you don't have one, do movements without the rope)
2:00-3:00 Jumping jacks
3:00-4:00 Walk in place-high knees
4:00-5:00 Burpees (example below)
5:00-6:00 Mountain climbers (example below)
6:00-7:00 Walk in place-high knees
7:00-8:00 Sprint in place
8:00-9:00 Jog in place
9:00-10:00 Run in place-high knees
REPEAT
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Hot Body Challenge: Day 12 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-20T23:50:00.002-07:00

6:30 a.m.
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

7:30 a.m.
3 oz canatloupe

9:45 a.m.
.75 oz sausage
1.5 scarmbled eggs
1 piece whole wheat toast with Parkay butter spray

1:00 p.m.
1 black bean turkey burger with .5 oz pepperjack cheese and corn & salsa topping
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 grapefruit

4:00 p.m.
12 almonds
3 oz cantaloupe

7:00 p.m.
1 apple

10:00 p.m.
1 chicken, tomato and basil pizza on a whole wheat tortilla
(tortilla cut into 4 slices for approx. 250 calories total)

Water total: 72 oz
Workout: 20 min cardio-my Look at Me Now Cardio Circuit

Rundown: today was good. Even the late night "pizza" wasn't bad because I went to bed late. My water totals were good and I didn't have any long gaps between meals. My protein amounts were good at approx. 75 grams.

My Fatal Five Fitness Goal Saboteurs

2011-05-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

Just when we decide that we're going to be better about our diet, exercise more to lose a few pounds -- here come the obstacles. Take a look at these five things that can sabotage your efforts.

DOUBT: This one's simple: If you don't think your program is going to work, then it's not going to work.

If you've never been in shape, you have to believe that somehow, someway this time is going to be different. If you're trying to get back into shape, you have to believe that in the next few weeks and months you'll be getting into the best shape of your life.

You can't doubt. You have to know that what you're doing will work. Otherwise, what's the point?

PERFECTION: Our circumstances will never be perfect, so just do something.

For example, with me, I knew I had to fold the laundry and that it would take a couple of hours, so the basket just sat there full for days. Then finally, I said, let me take 5 minutes to fold just a few things. After 5 minutes here and there over a couple days got the laundry folded and put away. Had I not just started -- even for 5 minutes a shot -- that basket would probably still be sitting there with newly washed clothes piling on top of it.

Don't strive for perfection. Strive for improvement.
Read more »

Hot Body Challenge: Day 11 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-19T23:07:00.002-07:00

9:30 a.m.
Protein shake with 1 scoop whey protein & 6 oz soy milk
1/4 cup oatmeal with 2 fresh strawberries sliced
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

1:30 p.m.
1 black bean turkey burger with pepperjack cheese and corn & salsa topping
1 cup green beans
1 cup green grapes
1 slice cantaloupe

5:30 p.m.
12 almonds
1 oz cheddar cheese
2 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers

7:30 p.m.
1 apple

9:30 p.m.
1 svg chicken ratatouille
1/2 cup brown rice

11:00 p.m.
5 almonds

Water total: 72 oz
Workout:

30 min cardio on cross-trainer
Legs

Smith machine squats: 50 lbs 3x10 with 10 jump squats in-between each set
Decline leg press: 90 lbs 3x10
Lying leg curls: 50 lbs 3x10
Standing calf raises 90 lbs 3x15
Cable glute kickbacks 25 lbs 3x10 each leg

100 standing hip extensions (each leg)
Stretched

Rundown: today was good, no slips on the diet and the workout was great. Also, water amounts have increased from my normal 60 oz to 72 oz or more. The time between meal 1 and 2 & meal 2 and 3 was a little too long (at 4 hours instead of 2-3 hours between meals). And eating dinner at 9:30 is a little late, I'd like for it to be no later than 8:30. I need to have my last meal 3 hours before I go to bed. The 5 almonds at 11:00 p.m. were satisfying a snack craving -- could've done without those.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 10 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-18T22:56:00.001-07:00

9:30 a.m.
.5 oz sausage pattie
1 slice whole wheat toast with Parkay butter spray
1.5 eggs scrambled
1/2 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

1:00 p.m.
3 chicken tenders pan cooked in olive oil
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup peas

4:30 p.m.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1 slice cantaloupe and 1 tsp Splenda
1/2 cup green grapes
12 almonds

9:00 p.m.
1 black bean turkey burger with .25 oz peperjack cheese & tomato and corn salsa topping
1/2 cup whole green beans

Water total: 72 oz
Workout:

upper body routine of my Get Me Total Bodied Workout
100 squats
10 min cardio circuit
stretched

Rundown: today was good. I ate well, except there was a long gap between my 4:30 meal and my 9:00 dinner. I should have had a little something around 6:00. Water intake was increased, so that's good.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 9 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-17T23:50:00.004-07:00

9:30 a.m.
Protein shake with 1 scoop whey protein and 6 oz soy milk
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1/2 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:00 p.m.
2 slices cantaloupe

3:00 p.m.
1 piece cod fillet pan cooked in cooking spray
1 cup peas

6:30 p.m.
1/2 Greek yogurt with 1 slice cantaloupe
20 almonds

9:00 p.m.
3 pieces chicken tenders pan cooked in olive oil
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup brown rice

10:00 p.m.
3 Wheat Thins flatbread crackers
1 oz assorted cheeses
1/2 cup strawberries and grapes
1 glass wine

Water total: 40 oz
Workout: 45 min cardio (25 min Stairmaster and 20 min cross-trainer)

Rundown: today was good. Water was a little low, but everything else was good. Even my ten 'o clock anniversary snack wasn't too bad (not an everyday thing).

Hot Body Challenge: Day 8 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

9:45 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 3 fresh sliced strawberries
1/2 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

1:15 p.m. (at Wildflower Bread Co.)
1/2 chicken walnut sandwich
Bleu cheese salad
1 chocolate chip cookie
water

9:00 p.m.(at Chili Thai)
Mixed vegetables with chicken (no rice or noodles)

Water total: 40 oz
Workout: 3 sets of 10 push-ups
3 sets of lunges 15 each leg
3 sets 25 jumping jacks

Sidenote: Today wasn't so great. A few bad days in a row. Sigh. My water intake was low, I didn't eat every 2-3 hrs and I didn't have enough protein. And I shouldn't have had that cookie. Tomorrow will be better!

Hot Body Challenge: Day 7 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-15T23:50:00.002-07:00

7:00 a.m.
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cream

10:00 a.m.
1 plain bagel
1 container of strawberry Greek yogurt

6:00 p.m. (at Mi Piaci)
Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Taste of prosciutto wrapped melon and fries
Chicken picatta
1/2 cup potato puree
coffee with light sugar and cream and water

8:00 p.m.
Starbucks regular coffee with light sugar and cream

11:00 p.m.
1 bag peanut M&Ms

Sidenote: day 2 of my weekend in LA. Today was a little rough. I didn't eat every 2-3 hours, my water was very low and I had candy. Today was not a good one.

Water total: 30 oz
Workout:
-hiked through Runyon Canyon for 2 hours
-2 sets of 10 push-ups
-2 sets of 15 manual squats

Hot Body Challenge: Day 6 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-14T23:50:00.001-07:00

8:00 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 2 fresh sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of Splenda
Protein shake with 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup soy milk, 5 fresh frozen strawberries
1/2 grapefruit

11:15 a.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat with mustard and lettuce
6 fresh strawberries
1/2 grapefruit

2:30 p.m.
1 banana protein muffin
5 pretzel M&Ms

3:00 p.m.
Diet Coke

4:30 p.m.
1 protein banana muffin

9:00 p.m.
2 homemade grilled chicken tacos
1/2 cup refried bean and rice mix
6 oz margarita

11:00
2 Starbursts

Water total: 30 oz
Workout: None

Sidenote: This is day one of my weekend in LA My water intake was below my goal and I missed working out. Did a little extra workout on Sunday to make up for missing.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 5 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-13T23:37:00.001-07:00

9:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal with 3 fresh sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of Splenda
1 scoop whey protein with 1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer and 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:00 p.m.
1.5 cups chicken stir-fry with vegetables
1/2 cup brown rice

3:15 p.m.
PB&J on whole wheat with 1 tbs natural peanut butter and 1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves

7:00 p.m.
1 banana protein muffin

8:30 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and 1 tbs mayo
1 small baked Klondike potatoe
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

Water total: 60 ounces
Workout: lower body routine of my Get Me Total Bodied workout and stretched

Hot Body Challenge: Day 4 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-12T23:50:00.005-07:00

8:30 a.m.(post-workout)
1/2 apple
1 scoop whey protein with 1/2 cup soy milk

9:30 a.m.
omelet with 1 whole egg, 1 egg white, fresh spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, pinch of shredded cheddar cheese
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1/2 grapefruit
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:30 p.m.
1 svg baked whitefish
5 steamed asparagus spears
1 svg Klondike potatoes (microwaved then pan cooked in cooking spray)

3:00 p.m.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 3 fresh strawberries sliced and 1 tbs sliced almonds

6:00 p.m.
Banana protein muffin

9:00 p.m.
1.5 cups chicken stir-fry with lots of veggies
1/2 cup brown rice
coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip

Water total: 60 ounces

Workout:
Cardio: 45 min on Stairmaster
Weights: shoulders & back

Shoulders-
Dumbbell upright row 15 lbs, 3 sets of 15
Machine lateral raises 25 lbs, 3 sets of 12
2-step laterals 8 lbs for 5 reps, 5 lbs for 5 reps

Back-
Assisted pull-up 3 sets 8,6,4 reps
Dumbbell one-arm row 22.5 lb, 3 sets 10 reps each arm
Machine reverse flyes 30lb, 3 sets 10 reps

Stretched.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 3 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

9:00 a.m.
omelet with 1 whole egg, 1 egg white, fresh spinach, mushrooms and tomato
2 pc low-sodium bacon
1 cup coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer & 1 tbs Cool Whip

12:30 p.m.
1 cup beef with broccoli, no rice
1 apple

3:00 p.m.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 2 fresh strawberries & 1 tbs sliced almonds

6:30 p.m.
Turkey spinach wrap with fresh spinach, tomato, mushrooms, 1 tbs cheddar cheese & 1 tbs light ranch dressing

8:30 p.m.
1 pc whitefish oven baked with 1 tsp olive oil
5 steamed asparagus spears
1/2 svg Klondike potatoes (microwaved in plastic wrap until tender then pan cooked in cooking spray)

10:00 p.m.
1 cup coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer & 1 tbs Cool Whip

Water total: 60 ounces

Workout: Abs

3 sets of 20

crunches, toe-touches, reverse crunches, Russian twists

3, 30 second planks

Zumba Schumba! Then I Tried It

2011-05-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

When new fitness fads take over and everybody flocks toward them, I usually roll my eyes and say, "Here we go again."

So when the increasingly popular Zumba started to take over the world -- well, the fitness world, anyway -- all I could think was "Zumba schumba." Yup. That's been my attitude for the last few years. But this time, rather than flat out dismiss the growing trend, I decided to give it a try.

I've always had a negative opinion about fitness fads because there are no miracle solutions for weight loss. It doesn't work like that. But there are lots of people who think it does and fads often take advantage of them.

It doesn't matter what the latest new thing is that's generating all the buzz it's highly unlikely to get you in shape by itself.

Some fads could be a valuable part of an overall fitness program. Others are just crap. But to have success, any exercise plan needs to be complete (resistance training, cardio and flexibility), done consistently and include a nutrition plan.

I decided to re-think my position on Zumba when a friend suggested that I look into teaching a Zumba class because she thought I'd be good at it.

My instant response was "I don't do Zumba."

Later that night, I thought back to that conversation and my response, which on further consideration sounded very arrogant, as if I was somehow above the dance class. That didn't sit well with me. Right then and there I decided to give it a try -- you know, just to see what it was all about.

I got another friend to tag along. She hadn't ever done it either.

We had to get on a wait-list to even get into the darn class. After that, we got our little passes and walked into a room full of about 50 women -- and I think I saw one guy. The gal at the door collected our passes, and I thought, "Wow. They aren't playin'."

The class started off a little dry, fueling my doubts. But I quickly realized that was just the warm-up. At about 30 minutes into the hour workout, my opinion had swayed.

I liked it!

I was having fun and working up a good sweat. And the variety of dance steps from the salsa to the samba to hip hop moves definitely got my heart rate up.

Some steps were a little hard to get. With a full class, seeing the instructor the whole time was a little difficult. Luckily, the salsa class I took a few years back and being familiar with aerobic style choreography helped me get the steps pretty quickly. And having been a member of my high school's dance team didn't hurt either. My friend said she did fine, too.

OK, so my opinion of Zumba has changed. I think it's great way to get in some cardio. After the class my face was red and my light gray tank had turned a dark gray -- signs of a good workout.

If you add Zumba to a regular strength training program and a healthy diet you'll be able to get fit.

Now here's where it gets tricky.

Yes, Zumba is a good form of cardio. But one class is only an hour. If you're trying to lose weight, doing the class once a week is not enough. You'll need more cardio and don't forget to add in strength training and flexibility components. And, of course, follow a healthy meal plan.

Do that and you'll see progress. But by itself, the hottest trend isn't enough.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 2 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-10T23:31:00.001-07:00

8:45 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 scoop whey protein mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 slice grapefruit
1 cup coffee w/ 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp non-dairy creamer

12:45 p.m.
1.5 cups homemade chicken & vegetable soup

2:45 p.m.
1 sliced apple
1 tbs natural peanut butter

5:45 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat with:
1 slice provolone cheese
lettuce
1/2 tbs mayo
light mustard
1/2 cup coffee with
3/4 tsp sugar, 1 tsp non-dairy creamer, 1 tbs Cool Whip (treat)

9:15 p.m.
1.5 cups beef with broccoli
1/2 cup brown rice

10:30
1 tbs sunflower seeds

Water total: 60 ounces

Workout:
40 min cardio on Stairmaster
Leg day:
Smith machine squats- 50 lbs/3 sets of 10 reps
Incline leg press-90 lbs/3 sets of 20 reps
Calf raises on leg press-90 lbs/3 sets of 20 reps
Weighted glute kickbacks-25 lbs/3 sets of 10 reps each leg

Sidenote: You'll notice that I like to use Cool Whip in my coffee. Coffee is one of those things I just have to have and the whipped cream is one of my little treats. I really like Starbucks coffee and always get whipped cream on top of my regular black coffee, but their whipped cream can add around 70-140 calories (depending on how much you get). So, my compromise is to use Cool Whip which saves me 60-130 calories.

Hot Body Challenge: Day 1 Food & Workout Log

2011-05-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

8:30 a.m.
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tbs sugar-free strawberry preserves
1 scoop whey protein mixed with water
1/4 grapefruit
1 cup coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar & 2 tsp non-dairy creamer

12:45 p.m.
1 cup homemade chicken & vegetable soup

3:30 p.m.
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread
with 1 slice provolone cheese & mustard
1/4 grapefruit

6:30 p.m.
1/2 slice whole wheat bread toasted
with 1 tbs natural peanut butter

9:00 p.m.
1 tilapia fillet pan cooked with cooking spray
and 1 tsp olive oil
1 cup peas
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup coffee with 1.5 tsp sugar & 2 tsp non-dairy creamer

Day's water total:
60 ounces

Workout:
Upper body routine of
the Get Me Total Bodied Workout

Hot Body Challenge: Get Me Total Bodied Workout

2011-05-09T00:28:00.003-07:00

Photo from Shape Magazine

Hi Challengers!

Here is a total body resistance training workout that has been broken into two parts: upper and lower body. During the challenge, you are to workout a minimum of 4 times per week. The upper body and lower body workout can be done two times per week. Combine these workouts with 30-60 minutes of cardio of your choice.

Example:
Tuesday: Lower body
Thursday: Upper body
Saturday: Lower body
Sunday: Upper body

You could do the workouts every day so long as you alternate between the upper and lower body routine. You don't want to do the same workout out two days in a row because you need to allow your muscles 48 hours to recover before working them again.

This workout can be done at home or the gym. A set of dumbbells are needed for the exercises noted with an asterisk*. What size dumbbells? If you already have some, just make use of what you have. If you don't have any, I would suggest purchasing a 10 pound set.

The exercises are linked to examples of how to perform the movements.

Lower Body Workout
Do 3 sets, 10-20 reps for each exercise

Plie squats (quads, glutes) (can be done w/o weight)
Deadlifts* (hamstrings)
Plie with calf raises (calves) (can be done w/o weight)
Walking lunges* (quads, glutes)
Bridge (hamstrings)
Butt blaster* (glutes)

Upper Body Workout

Do 3 sets, 10-20 reps for each exercise

Dumbbell push-ups (chest) (can be done on knees)
Parallel presses* (shoulders)
Bent-over rows* (back)
Bicep hammer curls* (biceps)
Tricep dips (triceps)
Head-to-knee crunches (abs)
Russian twists (abs) (can be done w/o weight)

OK, Challengers ... READY. SET. GO!

6-Week Hot Body Challenge!

2011-05-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

I'm on a mission. My last 10 pounds of baby weight is still hanging on, and I'm determined to stomp on its fingers and make it let go!

I've decided to challenge myself to 6 weeks of clean eating and a strict workout plan with the goal of losing those 10 pounds or dropping 3% in body fat. Accomplishing either or both of those goals will do two things: put me in very close range to some fitness baselines I had maintained before getting pregnant and help me break through a sticking point.

AND I challenge you, too!

I encourage you to set a goal for yourself and use the next month and a half to get there. What this also should do is help establish some momentum as we work to achieve our long term goals.

Finding a starting point to stick to a workout and diet plan can be difficult. But now, here's your chance. Just make it happen!

At the end of these short 6 weeks, you'll be so happy you did. I know, you may be thinking, "Oh, but the timing. I have this and that coming up."

Recipe: Mexican Chicken & Couscous

2011-05-02T08:42:00.002-07:00

Finding healthy recipes that also taste good can sometimes be a challenge. But I recently made this dish and it was delicious -- if I do say so myself.

Hubby even gave it two thumbs up, which is saying a lot. Normally, when I try new healthier meals, he's, well, let's say, less than enthused. But this dish got praise.

It is a light, high protein and grain meal. If you don't normally use couscous, give it a try. Its flavor tends to be bland, which is good because it takes on the flavor of whatever else you pair it with.

Ingredients:

4-5 thin cut chicken breasts
2 cups couscous cooked according to directions but swap water for low sodium chicken broth

But I Like Cheeseburgers!

2011-04-29T10:49:00.001-07:00

You can't have this. ... You can't have that. ... This has too many calories. ... That has too much sodium. ... This is loaded with saturated fat. ... That has too much sugar.

Sound familiar?

If you're trying to adopt new habits, drop some weight, or just be healthier, those little phrases can be enough to make you scream.

And if all you do is scream, you're lucky.

You might scream, then say "screw this" and go the nearest fast food joint to spitefully order the worst thing on the menu, plus some. Then eat it -- all of it.

Once when I was getting ready for a figure competition, I was eight weeks into my diet and training with four more weeks left until the show.
Read more »