Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

OATMEAL APPLESAUCE COOKIES

1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. splenda 2 egg whites 2 c. rolled oats (quick cooking) 1 c. all purpose flour 1 c. Vanilla protein powder 1 c. unsweetened applesauce 1/2 c. raisins, chopped Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheet. Mix flour, protein powder,baking powder, allspice, and salt. Beat butter and splenda until creamy. Add egg whites; beat well. Add dry ingredients. Stir in oats, applesauce, and raisins. Mix well. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on rack. Makes 5 dozen.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Best part of this picture? I think he's wearing an argyle sweater vest!

Today I turn 32. I'm really excited about it. Thus far my 30's have been way better than my 20's (and my 20's were a dream compared to my teens - you couldn't pay me to do Middle School again). So for my big 3-2 I'm giving myself a gift that nobody else could give me: time.

As of today, I'm putting The Great Fitness Experiment on hiatus.

Why?

1. I want to go out on a high note. My subscription list is growing every day, my blog stats have never been better and - best of all - I have the BEST readers/commenters in the blogosphere. I'd hate to see this community dwindle and die a slow death.

2. I need the mental space. Despite having you guys for free therapy - and believe me, you all are quite excellent! - I'm having a tough time lately. I've tried to shield you guys from my insanity on here (although I think it's been creeping through more and more, as of late) but in the end, for my mental health, I need to quit spending so much time focusing on feeding, exercising and - while I'm being completely honest - clothing my body.

I've spent a lot of time the last few months deeply deeply hating myself. And all for irrational and unproductive reasons (is hate ever productive?). If I've learned one thing from June's Geneen Roth/Intuitive Eating Experiment it is that I can't become the loving, kind person that I want to be by hating myself.

Several of you in the past have questioned the wisdom of a girl with a self-professed exercise addiction running a fitness blog. While I didn't want you to be right, I think that you are. I need to do other things, find new hobbies, read books that have nothing to do with exercise, diet or body image (and I have the list that you all gave me to start from!) and change my focus. I need to go from being "addicted to fixing myself" like one astute Reader put it, to opening myself to all the beautiful opportunities for joy and love and service that I'm missing now because of my narrow focus.

3. I'm right back where I started from. The deciding factor was this moment: A few days ago marked the 3rd anniversary of my first official Great Fitness Experiment (just in my notes, I didn't start blogging about it for several months so this blog won't be 3 until September). That day I weighed myself and you know what? I weighed exactly the same as the day I started, to the ounce. Three years of blood, sweat and tears and I am exactly where I started from except hopefully a little bit smarter. Over the past 3 years - not counting my pregnancy - I've fluctuated 20 pounds and 14% body fat and yet when all the dust settled, here I am. Still the same. Still me.

Of course I have learned to love exercise for many reasons beyond its weight-loss benefits and the journey has been immensely entertaining, educational and poignant but - and I'm going to invoke Einstein here - the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The problem isn't that I haven't lost the weight I set out to. The problem is that for all my Experimenting, I still hate myself. And that breaks my own heart!

4. I need balance. This is probably the most salient of all my reasons: I don't have the time to maintain the GFE anymore. Cutting back on posting helped but it made me realize (as so many of you fellow bloggers already know) that actually writing a post is about 25% of the work of blogging. I'd spend an hour a day writing - which I adore and will do regardless of whether I have an audience or not - but then I'd easily spend 3-4 more hours a day researching, answering e-mails, dealing with PR people, managing giveaways, connecting with other fitbloggers, doing guest posts, commenting/reading other sites and so forth. I'm not saying I don't enjoy it - I have absolutely loved every minute of doing this blog - but it's turned into a full-time job. One that I don't get paid for. I am not complaining. Every step of this has been my choice and I have loved it, but my kids are so very young and they need me so very much. It won't always be this way. And I want to be there for them while they still want me to be. Plus I have a hot husband that I need to spend more time ravaging. That's hard to do when I don't go to bed until midnight.

What Next?
I plan on leaving this blog up but more as a static page for news and updates about my book. Oh yes, there is still a Great Fitness Experiment book. Somewhere. I've written it. Clerisy Press bought it. They paid me a lovely advance in full (wheee!) and so I presume they intend to actually commit it to paper at some point. I'll let you know when I know. (Although now it's been two years since I've done those Experiments and I'm a little worried because there are at least three now totally inappropriate Michael Jackson jokes and at least one nipple-clamp reference that need to be fixed before it gets published lest I look like a totally insensitive fetishist.)

I've started work on a second book, this one more of a memoir about my exercise addiction. I'm excited about this because - as you have probably noticed - I'm kind of wordy. I hate being limited by post length (generally 400-800 words, max). So now I can flesh out my crazy in full color. Or at least chronological order. I'm not sure what I will do with it once it is finished. Perhaps I will just post it here and give it away. In the meantime I still have my gigs at the Huffington Post and iVillage although I post there rather infrequently.

I would also like to get more paid work - magazine articles, op-eds, etc. So if you really miss me (and are a publisher or editor), feel free to contact me!

Good Bye and Good Night
Now I'm sitting here bawling. Seriously. When I first started this blog (as an anonymous Goth, no less) I never imagined it would have become the wonderful place that it is. It wasn't me that made it so great though, it was all of you. Every single one of you who commented, e-mailed or even just read quietly giggling to yourself, all of you who joined in my Experiments, all my Gym Buddies past and present, made this what it was. I love you guys. I am immensely grateful for all of you for sharing your lives with me and letting me be a part of you. Part of me feels like I'm really letting you guys down; it feels like failure. For that I apologize. I've made some great friends here and I hope I don't lose any of you! I'm not going away forever. But when I come back it will be different.

Thank you all for (nearly) three great years!

Love with all my heart,
Charlotte

How fit are you? How fit do you wanna be?

Full body fitness, lean & muscular for life.


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When wrong turns....turn out right!

Believe it or not, working in the health and fitness world wasn't always my dream. Shocking, I know, considering I'm up to my eyeballs in the health and fitness industry, but when I was younger this was never where I thought I'd end up.

Sure, I enjoyed playing sports and being active as a kid and teen. When I was young I was active in softball, playing on three teams at one point! Jr High brought about field hockey, soccer, and swimming, and by high school I was an avid cross country and track and field runner, which I continued into college. I had always been active and enjoyed being so, but I didn't plan to make it a career. I actually started my undergraduate studies as a double major in English and Political science- then English Secondary Education with a minor in Athletic Coaching, and finally Wellness and Sport Science with a minor in Athletic Coaching.

All I thought I ever wanted to be was a writer, a poet to be specific. Then it occurred to me how broke poets can be, so I tossed that idea away. Then I wanted to be a lawyer, until I realized just how long you had to go to school for! Fishing for what I wanted to do, I thought maybe I'd be an English teacher, but one day into my field experience corrected me of that impulse immediately. Suddenly there I was, with NO clue what to do with my life- I was in college, a place of studious direction- with, well, NO DIRECTION!

After I left the college cross country team I began working out in the college gym, where I first began dabbling with weights. It didn't take long for me to become addicted to the feeling of lifting, and the changes I was seeing in my physique. I became fascinated with lifting- how to lift, when, why, different training methods. I began reading about it, in textbooks, in magazines. I soon began to realize how inexplicably connected fitness and nutrition are and in turn I became obsessed with nutrition- how to eat, when to eat, what types of foods to eat, and how to manipulate food and dietary intake to get desired results in the body.

At the age of 20 I did my first figure show. In 2005 I did my first fitness photo shoot. Around the same time, I did a lot of soul searching, I realized that I had a love of working out and nutrition, but I wondered if there was a future for me in that industry. Is this really going to make me happy in the end? Here I was, in the middle of my college career, at a good school, racking my brain for what I wanted to do with my life.

After much turmoil and second thoughts, I decided to change my major—now. I changed my major to Wellness and Sport Science and started looking forward to a new career path that I had never considered before, one where I could make health and fitness a number one priority for myself—and to help others do the same. Most people probably thought I was nuts. Most people probably wouldn't have done the same thing, especially after such a large investment of time and money toward something else. But I'm not most people. I realized that I had to do what was best for me and carve my own path.

In 2010, at the discouragement of most of my friends and family- I took an even bigger risk- left my job as the Training Director at a local Gold's and launched my own company, Alli-Fitness.com. No one thought I could do it. There were times I didn't think I could do it. But 5 months and 32 clients later- I'm proof that I COULD DO IT! And today I have what the best job in the world, working for myself, doing what I love, and running a company that helps so many people realize their full potential. More importantly, I'm happy and satisfied with my day's work.

Last week I was contacted by a local newspaper- stating that I as nominate for Harrisburg's BEST OF 2010- as a fitness trainer. It was the first time in a long time that I took a moment to reflect on what I do on a day to day basis, and what I've learned during my convoluted journey, which was filled with ups, plenty of downs, and quite a few directional changes.

Most of all, what I have to say, is that this whole journey, has taught me to trust myself. I learned that happiness doesn't come from a coveted diploma, a lucrative career, or by doing what you think others want—or expect—you to do. And I learned that we all make mistakes—sometimes big, drawn out and expensive ones! But every choice we do make leads us to where we are now and makes us stronger and wiser.

Sometimes the path you should take isn't clear at first. Sometimes you make a few wrong turns, get lost or turned around along the way. But when you listen to the person who knows you best—that's you!—you'll always come out okay.....

Sometimes it's our confusion, our fumblings, and our mistakes, that inevitably lead us to the places we were always MEANT to be at.....

What to Eat When You're Sick of Oatmeal

Turns out this is an actual book! How awesome is that?

I don't want to brag but food ruts are kinda my specialty. I don't know if it's because I hate food, eating freaks me out or just my innate laziness but I'm happy to eat the same ol' thing day in and day out. Case in point: For three years I ate nothing but oatmeal for breakfast. Oh sure I mixed it up a little bit - some days I did steel cut oats instead of regular, other times I sliced a peach or threw in a handful of berries instead of my usual apple - but every morning was some variation on The Almighty Oat. I even bought little packets of Kashi instant oats to take with me on vacation. (Ever wonder what a Mormon uses the coffee maker in their hotel room for? Fresh, hot oatmeal! Although eating them with those little stirrer-straws gets ridiculous.) I'll even eat them raw, I like oats that much.

After my oat phase, I entered an egg phase. Every morning was 1 yolk + 2 whites scrambled with peppers and onions, served on a bed of wilted spinach. I probably had eggs every morning for the last 6 months. But for the past two weeks I've found a new breakfast love. What could be so amazing as to break my rut?

Behold the wonderous protein pancake! I got this recipe from Heather Eats Almond Butter but I've also seen variations of it from Deb the Smoothie Girl and Allie the Protein Shake Pimper. So chances are you have seen it around the fit-o-sphere. But have you tried it? YOU MUST. First, it's so easy even I can't screw it up and second, they're a whole plate of fluffy deliciousness for a low-carb, high-protein 100 calories. And that's not 100 cals/pancake but 100 calories for the whole recipe! I get 5 good sized pancakes out of it.

Charlotte's Variation on The Protein Pancake
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp oat flour (others use coconut flour, almond flour, whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, brown rice flour etc. I've tried them all and they all work but the oat's my fave.)
2 Tbsp almond milk (or regular milk)
1/4 tsp baking powder

Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir in other ingredients. Cook. (Like you need my direction on how to flip pancakes, right?) Top. (I love coconut butter, cashew butter and/or chunky applesauce on mine.) Eat. Melt into a puddle of joy.

These are so fluffy they're almost like angel food cake but without the sugar. Totally worth the few extra minutes it takes to beat those bad eggs.

If you need something quicker in the morning - and you aren't going to skip breakfast no matter how busy you are! (Yes Miss Hannigan!) - try these muffins. (Okay, so for them to be quicker you will have to make them the night before. But then they're grab-n-go the next day! Plus they freeze well.) I got the base recipe from Fat Free Vegan but have altered it to make it, well, not fat free obviously. (These days I'm still avoiding wheat but loooooving on the fat.) I recently brought these for the gym buddies with butterscotch chips in them and they all liked them so much they asked for the recipe, which is big news for a girl with as bad a cooking reputation as mine is.

Charlotte's Whole Wheat Vegan Muffins
3 ripe bananas mashed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 c sugar (I've used less, they're still good)
2 c whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
whatever add-ins you like: chocolate chips (dark chocolate's like a health food!), nuts, dried fruit, frozen berries etc.

Mix. Bake @ 350. (How long? I dunno. Until it looks done. I suck at cooking, remember?)

You didn't ask but my favorite lunch these days is Moong Dal (spicy lentils) and roasted veggies which is fortunate since I've had that every day for two weeks.

What's your current favorite breakfast? Do you go on food jags too or do you love variety? Got any good breakfast recipes to share?

PS> I think *sob* my body really is doing better without wheat. I haven't had a single binge since I gave it up.

Dream big boys! USA VS GHANA...world cup 2010

All the key facts:USA and Ghana

The only previous meeting between these two sides was won 2-1 by Ghana in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup.

Ghana are only the second African team to reach the knockout stages in two consecutive World Cups. Nigeria were the first team to achieve that feat in 1998.

The Black Stars’ last three finals goals have all come from the penalty spot.

If he plays, London Donovan will beat the USA’s all-time record of 11 WC finals appearances, previously held by Cobi Jones and Earnest Stewart.

African sides have won two of their five games against CONCACAF teams, drawing twice and losing only once; the USA beat Algeria to secure their place in the 2nd Round.

50% of the goals the USA conceded in the last three World Cups have come from set-pieces.

Ghana’s last five wins in international games have seen the Africans beat their opponents 1-0.

The USA have lost three of their four knockout matches at the World Cup finals, conceding eight goals in the process.

Asamoah Gyan has netted 50% of Ghana’s goals in World Cup finals so far (three out of six).

If the USA beat Ghana it would be the first time since 1930 that the US team has won two consecutive World Cup matches.

Carbs, use these, stay away from that!

Carbohydrates:
* Oatmeal – I like the slow cooked version but the quick one minute is fine. I have oatmeal with my first meal every day. It is a great slow digesting carb.
* Steel Cut Oats – Similar to oatmeal. Slow digesting carb.
* Fruit – All fruits are great but some are better than others for different reasons. Blueberries are at the top of the list for antioxidants and bananas are great for post-workout carbs. The majority of them digest faster than complex carbs so they are best used in the AM or pre and post workout.
* Vegetables – Like fruit you really can’t go wrong when you eat veggies. During the off-season all veggies are great to have but when you are looking to diet I stick with just the green ones as they have less calories and net carbs. Veggies are a great source of fiber. Try to have some in every meal.
* Sweet Potatoes/Yams – Tasty slow digesting carb. Add a little Splenda and you will be in heaven.
* Brown Rice – Staple of a slow digesting carb.
* White Rice – Faster digesting carb. Not a big fan as I think the brown rice is better overall option but white rice is good to have in the off season as it gives you the ability to bring in the carbs and calories need to grow.
* Whole Wheat Bread – I like to have Ezekiel bread as it is not processed and not made with white flour. Great slow digesting carb.
* Cream Of Wheat – Substitute for white rice. Faster digesting carb.
* Cream of Rice – Substitute for white rice. Faster digesting carb.

Carbohydrates That You Should Stay Away From:

* Cereal – Most cereals today are loaded with sugar. Oatmeal is a better option. Add some blueberries and Splenda to it and I promise it will be as sweet as you need. On top of that you will be getting a much healthier carb source.
* Candy – Loaded with sugar.
* Chips – Loaded with simple carbs and bad fats.
* Ice Cream – Loaded with sugar.
* Soda – Diet version is fine but the regular stuff is just sugar water.
* Sugar Juice – I am not a big believer in any kind of juice even most fruit juices as they are mainly sugar water. I would rather eat the entire fruit which has all the nutrients and is better for you.

Protien is key to a lean fat free body, for life!

Good Sources Of Protein:

* Egg – Grand Daddy of all foods. I like to have 1 whole egg for every 3 whites. So breakfast might include 6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs.
* Liquid Egg Whites – This is just pure egg whites. More convenient than cracking all the eggs and discarding the yolk but will cost you a little more.
* Skinless Chicken Breast or Cutlets – Lean, inexpensive, high quality protein; staple of every diet.
* Lean Ground Turkey – Lean high quality protein. Little more expensive than chicken breast.
* Top Round Steak – Lean cut of meat. Has more fat than chicken but great source of meat. Definitely something you want to have in the off-season and can be eaten while dieting in moderation.
* Filet Mignon – Tasty lean cut of meat. Expensive but worth it every once in a while.
* Buffalo – Lean red meat, very tasty but super expensive. Give it a try.
* Flounder – Inexpensive lean fish.
* Cod – Inexpensive lean fish.
* Pollock – Lean fish.
* Wild Salmon – Healthy fatty fish. I get my salmon wild because the quality is a lot better but that results in a higher cost.
* Canned Tuna – Lean inexpensive fish. If you worry about your sodium you might want to cut down on this. Make sure you get the one in water not oil.
* Turkey Bacon – Leaner than regular bacon, not something I have all the time but I am a bacon lover so adding this to my breakfast in the off-season is something I like.
* Lean Ground Beef – Make sure you get something that is at least 90% lean. This can be a great off-season source of protein.
* Cottage Cheese – Slow digesting form of protein. Great for having when you have to go a long time in-between meals and also excellent to have before bed.
* Pork Tenderloin – Inexpensive lean protein.
* Wild Sea Bass – Lean high quality protein. Expensive side.
* Wild Swordfish – Lean high quality protein. Expensive.

Protein That You Should Stay Away From:

* Skinned Chicken – The skin just adds extra fat that you don’t need.
* Breaded Chicken – The bread crumbs adds simple carbs that you don’t need.
* Deli Meat – Made with too many chemicals. Low quality of meat.
* Bacon – Too Fatty, but so tasty. I love this food but it is not the best for you.
* Farmed Fish – Have less omega-3s than wild fish, recent studies show that the farm raised fish’s fat is very unhealthy.
* Fatty Ground Beef – Any ground beef that is below 85% is too fatty for me. Yes, they make tasty burgers or meatballs but that amount of fat is just too high to have on a regular basis.
* Fatty Cuts of Red Meat – Just look at the steaks, if the outside of the steak has some fat on it but the body of the steak is all red then that is fine. All you have to do with those steaks is cut the fat off the edges. If the body of the steak is riddled with white fat you are getting a low quality highly fatty steak that might taste good but won’t be good for you.

Does Tough Love Motivate You (You Pansy)?!

She may look like an abusive boyfriend but really this is the face of love.

My cheeks hurt after my workout this morning. And yes, I know after all the discussion about Toilet Sore around here as of late you all are assuming my butt cheeks are sore. (Okay, they are. They still really really hurt from CrossFit's WOD two days ago. We had to do like 500 weighted overhead lunges!) This morning I tried out a new bootcamp class and left with my cheek-cheeks sore. As in I grinned so hard and so long that my face hurts!

Uncontrolled grinning and boot camp normally go together like Marilyn Manson and Mouseketeers:

Thank you Ben Heine for an image that will haunt me for days*.

When I think boot camp I envision screaming drill sergeants, G.I. Jane, Jillian Michaels. My instructor this morning must've missed that memo because he is the smiliest person I have ever met. He smiled introducing himself (normal), he grinned warming us up with side shuttles (slightly odd), he even beamed while talking us through a killer set of lunges (see butt sore-age above), push-ups and supermans (very strange). And I LOVED it!

The more he smiled, the more I smiled! I giggled doing butt kickers. I cheered doing bear crawls. I even cackled doing upright rows and I hate working my shoulders! Hate it!! By the time we finished class I felt as happy as when I discovered that they are making a Step Up 3 - in 3-D!! (Because nothing says Good Time like sitting around wearing dorky glasses watching the cool kids do things I can only dream about. Oh wait, that was my entire high school career.) Boot camp was good smiley fun.

It was not always this way. Back in Seattle I had an aerobics instructor - as in "Jazzercize, Jane Fonda called and she wants the '80's back" floor aerobics - who was as hard-nosed as they come. (Dearest L, you know exactly what is coming next.) Her classes were run like a tight ship. You did not walk in late. You did not leave your towel on the floor. You did not spill your water bottle. And you did not, under any circumstances, screw up the moves. (Which meant that you could not ever be new.) One errant hamstring curl while the rest of us were carioca-ing to the left earned you her pint-sized face in yours, screaming. She called people idiots. Losers. Stupid. She threw things, pushed people, stomped off in a huff. And even, on one memorable occasion, tripped someone on purpose and then yelled at them for falling. Injury, pregnancy, illness, stress - it didn't matter to her. There simply was no excuse for not performing at your 100% best.

The craziest part about all this? People loved her. And not just loved but absolutely adored! One woman brought her hot Starbucks coffee (it was Seattle) every morning. Others had followed her for 15 years from gym to gym to gym as she inevitably got fired from one place and moved on to the next. But the most telling sign was that all her classes were offered at 5:30 a.m. and they were packed. It was like living in an alternate universe where the head cheerleader goes on to be principal. And the principal has a fan club like Jerry Garcia.

I avoided her. I took her classes - with a new baby and no childcare at that gym the wee hours of the morning were the only time I had to workout and I'm a group fit girl at heart - but I did my best to stay pretty invisible. I hugged the side-middle of the room. I memorized her patterns so I wouldn't call attention to myself by messing up. I didn't arrive super early but I wasn't late either. I was respectful when I spoke to her but careful to never tell her anything personal. Didn't want her to have any ammo to use against me.

See, for me, negative attention like that doesn't motivate me. It never has. I don't do well with "tough love" and screaming has me in tears before it makes me push harder. I like my workouts to get my heart rate up but not from stressing out over being publicly chastised. I'll work 100 times harder for my smiley boot camp instructor than I ever would for her.

But everyone is not me. And that's ok! I call it the Jillian Michaels conundrum. Heck, she's made a very lucrative career out of screaming in people's faces until they cry and then sitting on them. Some people really seem to thrive with someone nailing their butt to the wall. They feel patronized by platitudes like "You can do it! You're strong and beautiful and awesome!! Yeah!!!" Others like me eat that stuff up like it's unicorn meat in sparkle gravy with a side of kittens and rainbows.

I believe there is a middle ground - the rare teacher who knows when you need a push and when you need a hug - but that sweet spot differs for everyone. What's your workout nirvana? Do you need some tough love to get your sweat on? Or do you prefer to be encouraged with You-Go-Girls? Anyone else lovelovelove dance movies regardless of how ridiculous the plot lines are??

PS> HUGE shout-out to reader Deb who came to my outdoor turbokick class tonight! Not living in California, I don't often get to meet other bloggers/readers (is it just me or are there a disproportionate number of health and fitness bloggers in Cali?) so it was a real treat to meet her! She even stuck it out through wind and rain! Thank you Deb!

*For a good time, google "things that don't go together." Hours of fun!!

Chocolate Protein Fizzy!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FIZZ
1 can diet chocolate soda 2 TBSP. chocolate protein powder 1/2 tsp. powdered skim milk 2 or 3 ice cubes Mix all ingredients in blender until whipped consistency. Pour in frosted glass. Yield: 1 serving! This drink is AWESOME! If you want to throw in something extra to make it a bit more like root beer float- I recommend two big scoops of frozen fat free cool whip!! Just dump it in the glass!

How To Get Toilet Sore: The Pistol Squat

Toilet sore - the kind of sore where you have to lower yourself with both hands onto the toilet and then fall the last few inches because your quads are in so much pain - is actually a much coveted condition among the Gym Buddies and I. Mostly because we like to yell "I'm toilet sore" across a crowded gym but also because we like having worked so hard that we are that sore. It is a debate for another day as to whether you should seek muscle soreness as a workout goal but for today I will tell you my favorite way to get Toilet Sore.

Behold, the Pistol Squat: (Click through to site to see video)



(My capris provided by Marika's new Miracles shapers line - these babies boosted my butt and wrangled my mummy tummy!)

My three favorite things about this video:
1. We START with the blooper reel
2. For some inexplicable reason we turn the camera sideways for one scene (and I don't know how to rotate it back).
3. Gym Buddy Krista SNORTING while she laughs filming us.
3.5. That I don't know the difference between surfing and water skiing.

New Mommies UNITE!

It seems everyone around me is reproducing! My friend had a baby in March and in May my brother and his wife welcomed their son Reeves into their family. While vising with them on Father's Day, my brother's wife asked how she could work out or lose some baby weight while at home with her son. Which prompted me to write this post. Between nursing, changing diapers, preparing meals (and cleaning up after those meals), visiting the playground, and trying to squeeze in a shower, being bored is something I'm sure new mothers WISH for! Life as a stay-at-home parent isn’t all about Bon-Bons and soap operas (thank goodness!). Stay-at-home parents work just as hard as those who clock in elsewhere, and often find themselves stuck in the same no-time-to-exercise trap that businessman and overworked employees find themselves in.

I'm not a mother, nor have I ever stayed at home with a child all day, but just because you're a new mother with a baby to care for does not mean you need to stop caring for yourself! Regular workouts can bring peace to your day and fitness to your body and new mothers need BOTH. If you’re desperate for fitness but can’t seem to find the time, all you need is some planning and a little creativity. Taking care of yourself makes you a happier woman, and therefore a better mother- so to all the new mommies out there who are trying to find ways to cram workouts into your busy schedule- hope this post helps!

1. Exercise with your kids. If your kids are old enough, let them bike while you run or rollerblade. Hiking makes for a fun family activity that keeps everyone shape. Or, create a fitness course in the backyard, complete with jump rope, jumping jack, and pushup stations- AND JOIN IN!
2. Invest in a jogging stroller or a “kid trailer” for your bike. When you’re pushing or pulling one of these, you’re sure to get a good workout—your kids will enjoy it too! Another current trend is the newly developed StrollerFit class, where parents (with their stroller-age children) utilize strollers for a cardiovascular and strength-building workout. Although not all areas off the class- it's something worth looking into at gyms local to your area!
3. Strap baby to you in a baby carrier. If your baby is too young to feel comfortable in a stroller, you can still exercise together. There are many comfortable baby carriers on the market, including slings, front carriers, and backpacks. Adding 10-20 pounds to your frame for a walk will boost calorie burn, helping you shed those extra pounds. So strap up baby and head outside for a power walk- TRUST ME carrying baby will really bust into those legs and glutes!
4. Join a gym with child-care, or add it to your membership. Whether you don’t enjoy the great outdoors, or you live in a climate with blustery winters or lots of rain, outdoor exercise with the kids is not always an option. On-site childcare facilities offer convenience, and the peace of mind that if your child needs you, you’re only an intercom page away. Some gyms even have fitness classes for kids, so while you pump iron, the munchkins learn how to do the grapevine or other fun activities. Get a list of gyms close to you, and call around for pricing, child care options, hours of operation etc. Then compare before you commit to buying!
5. Sign up for parent-baby yoga classes. If these are offered in your area, parent-baby yoga classes can help you build strength and stamina, reduce stress, and provide you another opportunity to bond with your child. Yoga enhances not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well!
6. Purchase some exercise videos. Yoga, Pilates, low-impact aerobics, and kickboxing can all be done on your living room floor with little or no equipment. Before you buy, rent a few from your local video store or check them out from the library to see which ones you like. Read reviews online, check youtube for video clips and samples, and pick one or two that look promising to you!
7. Improvise. If you miss your aerobics class because of a marathon naptime, pop in an exercise video or do lunges in the backyard with the baby monitor hooked to your pants. Don’t stress if you don’t get that perfect workout in every time. With exercise, doing some is always better than doing none, and often as parents you need to improvise around your child's schedule. Don't stress about it- just get creative and do the best you can!
8. Most importantly, put exercise on your “to-do” list. Make it a priority. If that means getting up an hour early for a run, then set the alarm and go for it. Write it down if you NEED to- write "EXERCISE" on your grocery list or list of chores! You’ll benefit in countless ways, plus you’ll be a happier, more peaceful parent for your kids.

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

For the winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway, the Random Number Generator has selected Deb who wrote "I think I could rock this dress - it would totally work with my librarian look (being that I am one) :-) http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-588-liz-and-darcy.as..."

Even though I don't know Deb from a jelly bean, I feel strangely gratified that a librarian is getting some props. Give it up for the book guru!!

Deb - e-mail me your deets and I'll get you in touch with Shabby Apple.

For the rest of you, it's not too late to use the GFE code to get a 10% discount! Just type Fitnessexperiment10off during checkout. Gym Buddy Jeni already used it to buy the firefly skirt and she has nothing but rave reviews of it and I can vouch that she looks supercute in it!

8 Tips for Life Success

My lifestyle management program is a holistic program which tackles ALL aspects of rebooting ones life- I use what I consider a circular approach- I believe that mental, emotional, and physical health need to be aligned in order for one to REALLY find success in life and in health and fitness.

The following are 8 main tips I have for managing your life and finding success- both with your health/fitness and in other areas of your life as well!

• What is YOUR goal? DEFINE IT! You have to know exactly what you're going after before you go after it. You can't know what to aim for if you're shooting in the dark, and having clearly defined goals will help you plan how to reach them accordingly. Be specific- DEFINE your goal! Don't just say, "I want to lose weight", say, "I want to lose 6 lbs". Don't just think, "I want to gain muscle" say, "I want a defined six pack". Write your goal down. Post it up where you can see it and be reminded and motivated by it daily.

• IMAGINE your goal! I've mentioned this before but visualization is a very powerful technique. My best friend and fellow figure competitor Eryn Strickland utilizes visualization daily through her vision board, a board of photos and memoirs that encourage her to stay on track. IFBB Figure Pro Gina Aliotti SWEARS by visualization techniques. It allows you to SEE where you want to be and to be comfortable with the oncoming change. If you're shooting for a leaner physique what does that body look like to you? Imagine how you'll look and feel at a leaner body fat percentage or a lighter weight!

• STAY POSITIVE! It's a well known fact that we are our own worst critics. However being negative towards yourself and your body will do nothing to propel you towards success. Celebrate the body you're in, even if it's not your ideal shape. The minute you give yourself a negative bashing try to change it into a compliment. Don't say , "I hate my thunder thighs" turn it into "I love how strong my legs feel when I run". Re-adjusting that negative attitude can help you create positive experiences between yourself and your body, which is necessary for life success.

• BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY! "The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of loving and believing in yourself. Guard this gift with your life- it is the only thing that will ever truly be yours." I love this quote- in fact I have it posted on my bedroom mirror. A lot of times I find my clients don't truly believe they have the ability to lose 5 lbs or step into a smaller size jean. In order to reach a goal you first have to believe in yourself. Banish all feelings of regret and self doubt and re-route it into positive energy- driven towards your goal!

• GET EDUCATED! I cannot emphasize this enough. One of the main reasons people fail at their health and fitness goals is because they don't know what they're doing. They use a workout a friend had success with or some cookie cutter approach from "Shape" or "Fitness" and when they don't see results- they become frustrated. In order to make a powerful change in your body you need to be educated about the best methods for YOUR body and YOUR lifestyle. Do research, look into you options, consider a trainer, nutritionist, or coach- get educated!

• GET SUPPORT! This is the other main reason people fail at weight loss or physique change- lack of motivation and lack of support. Most times the people we love the most, our family and friends, can be the most sabotaging when it comes to health and fitness. Parties, social events, and gatherings place a lot of mental strain on someone trying to adhere to a nutritional plan. It's important to make sure you have a solid support system, even if its not your friends and family. Hire a coach or trainer, join and online community, reach out on fitness forums, but find support in other people who are understanding and empathetic to your goals!

• GET FEEDBACK! Don't be afraid of constructive criticism! Seek it out! Embrace it! Look for someone who's educated at the goal you're trying to achieve and seek out their advice! Ask for their feedback! Use it to further your goals!

• DO NOT FEAR FAILURE! There is no room for fear when it comes to revamping your lifestyle. We all fail, failing is an integral part of success. We learn from our mistakes and from our shortcomings. It's part of the process and helps us to become wiser. Don't fear failing, instead embrace the lessons you can learn from it!

Stranded with no internet. Send rescue dogs asap!

THAT NOISE YOU DONT HEAR IS ME SILENTLY SCREAMING AFTER THREE DAYS WITH NIO INTERNET. Am pOSTING THIS FROM MY. IF I HAVENT RESPONDED TO YOUR COMMENT OR EMAIL THIS IS WHY. SORRY! PHONE WHICH FOR SOME BIZARRE REASON ONLY LETS ME TYPE IN CAPS

Alli's Amazin' Raisin Energy Bars

ALLI'S AMAZIN' RAISIN ENERGY BARS
1/2 c. no sugar added applesauce 1 tsp. vanilla 3-4 egg whites 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. protein powder (I recommend vanilla but have used apple cinnamon flavor before- YUM!) 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c. rolled oats 1 c. raisins 1/2 c. walnuts 1/2 c. carob chips Combine first 3 ingredients and beat together. Add the next 3 ingredients to the mixture. Now stir in the last 4 ingredients. Put mixture into a greased 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons wheat germ. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Makes 2 dozen. I use these are a GREAT pick me up when my energy is dipping!!!!!

Food Preparation Strategies

True to my word, in my post "Eating Strategies" I PROMISED I would post later about food preparation strategies.... and here I am! Woman of my word!

Any competitive bodybuilder, figure or fitness athlete knows that preparation is half the battle when it comes to succeeding with your diet or nutritional plan. Being ill prepared can leave you scrambling for something to eat and often times settling for a less then optimal food choice simply because it's all you have available to you. I've heard it time and time again, "I don't have time to prepare my food, I'm too busy", but I'm telling you- YOU HAVE THE TIME. Make the time. People tend to make time for the things most important to them, so make food preparation one of those priorities, because when it comes to the big picture, being prepared can go a LONG way in helping you adhere to your diet.

There are TONS of different ways to be prepared for the week ahead, but the following are some that I find particularly helpful;

1. GROCERY LIST: If you're on a diet or nutritional plan then you know what your meals are supposed to be so make a grocery list accordingly. Write down what you need and the amount of each item you'll need to purchase, that way you won't waste food if there's excess and you won't run out of food if there's not enough. ALSO plan when you will go grocery shopping- once a week? Twice a week? I buy a lot of fresh fish so I go twice a week and prep my food twice a week, but if you only have the time to shop and prep once a week, that works too just be sure you PLAN IT OUT!
2. WEEKEND PREP: Spend some time on the weekend washing and cutting up vegetables, pre seasoning or marinating meat, etc. Store the veggies in air tight containers that way you can grab and go when you need to begin cooking.
3. EASE UP ON TIME: I know I personally don't even have the time to pre wash and cut veggies so I buy PRE CUT and PRE WASHED veggies. I highly recommend this. I buy bags of asparagus, green beans, and broccoli, and buy my spring mix and spinach pre washed as well. This makes it REALLY easy for me because it drastically reduces my prep time.
4. DO ONE MEAL AT A TIME: Since I usually eat the same thing every day (especially when on a prep) most of my meals tend to look similar. So for instance when I begin prepping I do all my breakfasts first, then all my second meals, then my third meals, then so on and so forth.
5. LABEL: I label my meals as well. Post It's suffice just fine for me and all I do is mark a "1" or "2" or "3" and so on and so forth on the Post It and place it on the lid. When I'm in a hurry and I know I'm on my 3rd meal I can just reach into the fridge, find a #3 and be on my way without having to open it up and see what's inside.
6. WEIGHT AND MEASURE EVERYTHING: You have to, this is non negiotable. If your meal is supposed to be 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese, make sure you measure 1/2 cup and place it in a tupperware. This keeps you from overeating as well- if you just spoon randomly out of the container, guessing at how much you're going to be eating, chances are you'll overeat
7. MULTI-TASK: I am usually baking fish or chicken, cooking my lean ground beef in a pan, making egg whites, and baking sweet potatoes all at the same time. Double up! Triple up! Multi-tasking allows you to accomplish more in less time!
8. INVEST IN A COOLER: I have three. HAHA. But honestly- invest in a really good cooler and some ice packs to be sure you carry your food with you everywhere. I recommend one larger and one smaller. I take the smaller one to the gym with me when I know I only need one meal and I use the larger one for day trips, weekend excursions etc. That way I always have plenty of food on hand whenever I need it.
9. JUST IN CASE: Always have some "just in case" foods. By this I mean something simple and easy that requires no prep that you can grab in emergency. For me this usually entails pre cut and grilled chicken strips and pre cut celery. I can find both in my supermarket (Wegman's....it ROCKS) and I usually have a few packages of both on hand just in case I ran out of prepping time or ran out of meals.
10. ENJOY PREPPING: Learn to enjoy cooking. I usually crank up the stereo or plug into my IPod and use it as some "me" time to just rock out and relax and get myself in gear for the week!!!!

How Thin is Too Thin?

Photo Credit

Our society is warped. Twisted. A veritable fun-house of fat and thin mirrors when it comes to body image. One on hand we have Kim Kardashian, queen of curves, compelled to exclaim in an interview, "I look a lot bigger on TV. When I meet people, the first thing they say is, 'Wow, you're so much smaller than I thought'. I look about 15 lbs heavier. I'm only 115 lbs, and everyone thinks I'm like 130 or 140. It's bizarre. I'm a US size 2!"

On the other hand we have Kai Hibbard, a finalist on Season 3 of The Biggest Loser, interviewing about how the show gave her an eating disorder to the point where she was eating 1,000 calories while working out 5-8 hours a day. Says Kai about the consequences of her experience, "It gave me a really fun eating disorder that I battle every day, and it also messed up my mental body image because the lighter I got during that T.V. show, the more I hated my body. And I tell you what, at 144 and at 262 and at 280, I had never hated my body before that show."

Kim Kardashian and Kai Hibbard I am not (and not just because my name doesn't start with K) but I really sympathize with their feelings about being on TV and dealing with the resultant body image woes.

I've gotten a lot of interesting feedback from my 20/20 piece but one of the most common comments I've got is some incarnation of "But you never looked that skinny." The implication of course is that I wasn't skinny enough to have an eating disorder. I first encountered this during my pre-interview process with Fox News. The producer kept asking me for my "skinniest skinniest pics, the ones that show the most bones." I knew what they wanted. They wanted to see a 64-lb walking skeleton with a nasogastric tube and furry arms. Because that's good television. From the very beginning I told them I never got that thin but sent them some pictures from that time period. They weren't satisfied and kept phoning, texting and e-mailing me for better pics all the way until I'd boarded my airplane. If I were more technically savvy it would have driven me to Photoshop, I swear.

The Skinny Pics Debacle Take 2 happened after the 20/20 interview taped, but before it aired. The producer for the segment e-mailed me many times asking for better shots with the implication being skinnier shots. But it wasn't limited to just TV people with their characteristic penchant for extremism. My own family joined the chorus. In an e-mail to my uncle about the piece, my father wrote, " I saw her frequently through the whole time period in question and yes, she was slim, but she was healthy, energetic, and happy (as far as I could see), and so I was never worried. I admit freely that she cares about food in ways I don’t, but hey, different strokes for different folks."

I love my dad dearly and consider him a great friend as well as a great father but his seeming dismissal of my illness stung. Friends and acquaintances jumped on the bandwagon as well - some by comparing me to the super-skinny Johnny of the 20/20 piece and others by comparing me to popular TV or movie stars. "Well, you were thin but not like Angelina Jolie thin. And she doesn't have an eating disorder." To my crazy mind all of these comments came out sounding like "You weren't thin enough as a normal girl and you certainly weren't skinny enough as an anorexic/orthorexic. Even when you're bad you're not good enough!" How skinny would I have to get before people thought I was actually sick?

Here's the thing: I had a BMI of 17. According the World Health Organization anything under 18.5 is considered unhealthy. But in a world where Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham subsist at about a 16, I do look kind of porky. And it wasn't just low weight. I lose my period when my BMI dips below 19 - a fact I've discovered on several occasions in my post-pubescent life. Amenorrhea is indicative of such poor nutrition that the body feels like it cannot support a baby. I had low iron, whacked-out electrolytes, vitamin deficiencies, a suppressed thyroid, heart arrhythmias and hair loss. But worst of all was the mental damage. I was depressed, neurotic and withdrawn.

It's true that I didn't break any bones, lose teeth or end up in the hospital with a tube up my nose - a fact for which I am deeply grateful. But I did hurt. It's just most of the hurt was emotional. And that's the wound I'm still working on healing.

At my thinnest - and most fragile mentally - I got tons of compliments. Everywhere I went people commented on my physique. One woman at the gym even told me I had "the perfect body" (as if there is such a thing). I loved how I looked in clothes, even while I was secretly horrified at how I looked naked - since I lose weight in my upper body first, my chest looked like a xylophone while my legs still kept their fatty bits. My therapist maintains that the compliments came because of my increased self confidence - and she may be right - but I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that we are conditioned to appreciate only extremely thin women.

A lot of women with eating disorders look "normal" to us.

My dirty little not-so-secret is that I would love to be that weight again, ribs and all. But I can't do it and remain healthy. Some women probably can weigh what I did and keep their periods and their sanity. Not me. Not my body. And so I choose to maintain a weight higher than what is comfortable for me and waffle back and forth between self -hatred and -love because I know where the alternative leads and I can't pay that price anymore. Even if that makes me look 15 pounds too fat on camera.

What about you - does the weight you personally like yourself best at correspond with the weight other people think you look good at? Have you, like Kai, ever felt worse about yourself at a lower weight?

Weigh THIS!

I was wrapping up my brutal hamstring workout today when a woman stopped me to compliment me on my physique. I was extremely flattered and was happy engaging in conversation with her, and then she said, "If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh?" I smiled and said, "How much do you think I weight?". She guessed 135. I smiled and said "actually I weight closer to 145 right now". She looked surprised and said, "WOW that much??"

Which got me thinking- about how OBSESSED society is with this concept of weight. We're counting calories, squeezing in and out of jeans, measuring food and spending countless hours on the treadmill all for the satisfaction of what- seeing the number on the scale go down? What is weight really? What does "bodyweight" mean to you? Have you ever asked yourself that? Why is the number so damn important?

In all reality the number on the scale has NOTHING to do with how you look. It has nothing to do with how you feel. It doesn't effect energy or your ability to hop into that coveted mini skirt confidently, it's simply, just, a NUMBER.

In my opinion, it's an over-rated number at that. We're all concerned about weight loss- but are you concerned about where that weight loss is coming from? Do you care if it's fat loss or not? I'm going to guess that the answer to that question is a resounding "YES". I know it's a yes for me! But losing fat is NOT the same as losing weight and I think that distinction needs to be emphasized here. Losing weight can mean a multitude of things- fat weight, water weight, muscle weight etc..... whereas fat loss means EXACTLY that- LOSING FAT. It means sustaining your lean muscle while effectively shedding body fat. Which option sounds better to you? Losing water weight and muscle, or losing FAT?

What does "bodyweight" mean to you? It's merely a number on the scale. A number that only reflects what you weigh as a whole. It doesn't detail the composition of that weight, nor does it break down how much of you is fat, how much is muscle etc. So why is the number so important to everyone? No one else has to know what you weight, but others can tell if you're physically in shape or out of shape. They'll notice if your jeans fit nicely, if your body is lean, if you have great muscle definition, and if you carry yourself with confidence, but they are not going to stand there and wonder "what does she weigh".

Yet I hear it all the time- "I want to lose 30 lbs" or "I want to lose 5 lbs". How about "I want to tighten up" or "I want to be toned" or "I want to feel better and get in shape"? Let's say you begin eating well and training hard and you drop 10 lbs. That's incredible, but what if that 10 lb weight loss also came accompanied with a muscle gain of 5 lbs? Muscle weighs more then fat so that MAY mean that stupid scale won't budge. Does that mean you're a failure? Does it negate the advances you made in your physique? Of course not. If you're tighter, more energized, more defined, or simply smaller and fitting into your clothes more comfortably, then how have you failed?

Bottom line in all this- YOU HAVEN'T. But you have to start re-examining how you measure success in health and fitness. Getting the scale to move is not where your focus needs to be- because if it is, ultimately you will feel you've failed. Focus on how you feel, how you look- let the mirror be you guide. How do your clothes fit? Do you look and feel tighter? More toned? GET AWAY FROM THAT SCALE and focus on the successes that are occurring for you daily in the way you look and feel. I can tell you from experience that two things make for happier, healthier, more physically fit and toned individuals: FAT LOSS, and MUSCLE GAIN. Neither of those are reflected in the number that scale will give you. Step back, step away, and step into the light! You'll be thankful you did!

Rich Fit / Fit Facts..

1) The more you stick to what we were designed for as animals — lifting rocks, carrying carcasses, and generally just fighting against gravity — then the better off you are. What that means is using free weights over machines. One problem with machines is the fixed pattern of movement. For that same reason, I think dumbbells are a better choice for most exercises than barbells, particularly if you’re dealing with an athletic population.

2) Want Great Abs? Then Do Your Squats!

Abdominal specialization for athletes? It could happen, but the abs actually have very little potential for strength increases when compared to other muscles like calves. Along with the grip, the abdominals are the least likely to improve with training. Some of these guys can claim all these poundage's used in ab training, but it’s actually the psoas doing the work. If you truly isolate the abs, after six to eight weeks an athlete will plateau the rest of his life. Research has shown that the most coordinated athletes master the most difficult abdominal exercises in six to eight weeks. The only things that increase abdominal improvement are squatting and deadlifting.

3) Chins: The Upper Body Squat

The chin-up and its variations should be considered an “upper body squat” because of its mass-building qualities and its ability to quickly increase functional strength. Chin-ups involve the sternal portion of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, the rhomboids, the middle and lower portions of the trapezius, and the elbow flexors. A chin-up specialization program will not only build impressive width and thickness to your back, but will also pack solid inches on your arms by promoting growth on your biceps, brachialis, brachio-radialis, and pronator teres.

Don't forget your fat!

Many searching to better both their health and bodies fear fatty foods, but they shouldn’t. The basics for muscle growth and keeping body fat within reason are calorie control and a proper provision of nutrients. Although fatty foods can be caloric, they provide nutrients that many other bodybuilding foods do not. These healthful fatty foods can be excellent choices during mass-gaining cycles and, by making some adjustments in total calorie consumption, they can even be a crucial part of a cutting cycle.

If you want to provide your body with all it needs to stay anabolic and keep body fat in check, you should make certain you’re taking in the proper balance of all the fatty foods you need.

Good sources:

Eggs
Salmon
Flaxseed
Red meat

NEW program at Alli-Fitness!

I am THRILLED to be offering a new addition to the variety of services I already offer on Alli-Fitness.com. The monthly maintenance program is not only my most cost efficient program, but also one of the most inclusive. It's the most efficient way for my clients to get continuous support and encouragement with their nutritional planning and workout routines. This plan not only includes your initial nutritional plan AND exercise prescription but includes ALL updates and adjustments as well! Essentially, what you get with this program- is me, in your corner, 24/7!

The program includes;

• a customized nutrition plan detailed to your individual goals and needs
• Individualized attention
• Custom exercise prescription
• Individualized weight training plan
• Cardovascular planning
• Establishing nutritional and fitness goals
• Progress monitoring
• Emails/texts to keep you motivated
• 24.7 access to support
• Continuous guidance and encouragement
• FREE Alli-Fitness tank or tee

To learn more about this incredible program CLICK HERE

Are Miracle Noodles Really Miraculous? [Help!]

Is this not the cutest noodle eater ever?? She even has a Hello Kitty fork! My uterus is squeeing!

Dear Readers,
Sometimes I have questions that not even endless Googling can answer. Like, for instance, how has Perez Hilton not been arrested by now? Even if he didn't tweet an upskirt pic of teenaged Miley Cyrus sans undies (Unanswerable question #2: Why on earth would any starlet leave the house in a skirt and no panties these days?) certainly there is some law about being a general offense to humanity. Or at least an offense to my maiden name. Also, why is it that Bradley Cooper cops to losing all his A-Team muscles mere weeks after the filming ended but he isn't splashed all over the tabloids for failing to keep his perfect body, like any female celeb would be?

But celebrity behavior likely to forever remain a mystery to me, the question I am pondering tonight is whether or not The Miracle Noodle is too good to be true. Made from some plant fiber I've never heard of called glucomannan, the noodles are calorie free, gluten free, sugar free and carb free. How these things manage to remain corporeal is beyond me. They should have called them the Mystery Noodle.


In the past, I have tried these tofu shirataki noodles that are similar to the Miracle Noodle except that they have about 20 calories per serving and contain, duh, tofu. Despite being kind of a pain to cook - you have to drain them, rinse them and then dry them in a hot skillet, these noodles tasted all right. Kinda chewy, not innately flavorful, they were almost the same as regular rice noodles. Almost. You all remember what happens to me when I eat processed soy, right? Horrible, awful, room-clearing gas. These noodles almost earned me a one-way ticket to Antarctica. So after the package was gone, I didn't buy anymore.

The Miracle Noodles however are tofu free (along with everything else -free) and so ostensibly would not cause such intestinal distress. So why don't I just buy a package and try it? Apparently the only way to order these babies is by the case. It's $32.99 for a box of 10 packages. That's pretty steep just to try a bowl of noodles that I may possibly hate.

Which brings me to you guys - have you heard of these noodles? What's the catch? Will the special fiber have me surfing an oily wave Olestra-style? Are they worth buying an entire case of? Oh, and if you could answer questions #1, #2, and #3 regarding Perez, Miley and Bradley that would be awesome too!

Kicks and Kisses,
Charlotte

PS> If I love them, will I need to invest in one of these?

Eating Strategies....

Eating Strategies.

How do I incorporate eating with my exercise schedule so that I lose weight? Regardless of what type of nutritional plan or diet you are on, you need to make sure you are eating ENOUGH or the RIGHT food at the correct TIMES in order to optimize weight loss success. **NOTE, these strategies are pertinent to weight and fat LOSS. I will repost at a later date with lean muscle gain or bulk!**

Let’s talk about my basics to eating to lose the most fat. Now this is designed to be coupled with a targeted strength and cardio plan, so if you are not exercising you can ignore all these strategies. Exercise and nutrition are two halves of the whole that will make up your dream physique so unless you're willing to step into the gym, save yourself the time and stop reading now.

1. Eat every 2-3 hours; about five to six meals a day. Each meal, or eating opportunity, should be similar in size and calories.
2. Eat complete, lean protein each time you eat. Complete proteins are: lean read meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy products. Protein Powder (whey) can be used but whole food is preferred for the majority of your meals.
3. Eat two servings of vegetables during as many of your meal opportunities as you can. Fruits can be eaten 1-3 times a day, but veggies should be your primary source of good, fresh, wholesome foods. Don’t drink juice- too high in added sugars and calories. If you want Vitamin C…don't be lazy, peel an orange.
4. Eat the starchy carbs (potatoes, oats, rice, grains, breads, cereals…not beans, carrots, and corn because you can have them anytime) within three hours POST exercise OR first thing in the a.m.
5. Learn to love healthy fats. Enjoy mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil. Incorporate flaxseed oil, fish oil, or ground flax seed into your daily regime.
6. Rather than having a treat (100 cal snack pack, pudding, Skinny Cow, etc.) each day, have one or two free meals a week where you eat rich satisfying foods. Then get right back on track. **For more info on free meals you can always email me AllisonMoyer@live.com as this concept becomes confusing for most**
7. Develop food preparation strategies. I will address this in another post!
8. Have healthy variety but make sure you can live with it. I eat the same foods day in and day out for my contest prep, but when I'm not prepping for a show I incorporate different sets of food, different carbohydrate sources, protein sources, food combinations, etc. This helps to keep me from getting bored and nutritionally in a rut.
9. When you workout, get in a protein/carb shake IMMEDIATELY after your workout. Around 200 cals should do it for most people. Not eating after a workout of more than 30 minutes of moderate-high intensity will cause you to burn LESS CALORIES during the next 24 hours.
10. Plan your food for the week. This is SO important! Again, I will address this in another post.

Try doing the above without counting calories. If you are math nerd and need the facts…I rarely advise a client to be under 1400 cals a day unless their goal is extreme fat loss or contest prep. Most active women should eat between 1400-1750 cals a day. 1400 for non-active days and 1750 for active days. Non-active days are your days off and active days are considered as 30+ min. of moderate-high intensity work or better. When I work with clients I rank them in terms of activity levels which go more in depth then just active and non-active in order to give me a more accurate caloric profile.

If you take your diet a step further (but is not necessary following the guidelines), you will eat your macronutrient breakdown into: 25-30% fats, 30-40% protein, 30-40% carbs. If you're in contest prep this may change- your protein will more then likely increase and carbs and fats may decrease.

This is the nuts and bolts of eating. Let's talk now about the other side, the mental side of healthy eating. I know PLENTY of trainers/coaches who neglect the mental side of eating, which I think is a HUGE dis-service to their clients. So much of adhering to an exercise program or nutritional plan is mental.

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Eating for Health vs. Eating for Pleasure
Changing your body to arrive at a fit and healthy look means eating for optimal body function. Fueling your body with the right foods makes your workouts more effective, your sleep more sound, your body functions more timely, and your skin, nails, and hair shine. The right foods can make an incredible difference in how you feel and act all day long in addition to positively changing the way you look.

However, the reverse is true. Feeling lethargic and no strength as a result of following a poor diet is common. Eating for pleasure versus eating what your body needs can sometimes lead to eating useless junk that the body derives no pleasure in processing. While it might feel good or taste good in the moment, your mood, weight, and body functions will be altered by this useless junk that we also tend to overeat when we start. In the end, eating crap all day makes you feel like crap and your workout will be crap, too. It's as simple as that. The age old saying "Junk in junk out" has truth to it.

Get Out Your Journal
You need to create an effective eating plan based around your lifestyle and how you intend on fitting your healthy eating around your work or family schedule. Plan it out on paper or purchase a journal. List when and what you are going to eat so that you don't have a reason to get off plan. Also, it is important to plan for any obstacles that might occur and mess up your plan. Always having some rice cakes, raw veggies, meal replacements or even fruit available will help you compensate for any shortcomings that might challenge your eating plan.

Every day record your diet and the timing of your meals. If you're a client of mine on my Lifestyle plan you'll record your food and discuss with me. Journal what you can do better or differently. Talk about what works for you and get help from your friends, family, trainer or coach.

Keep Your Goals In Sight
Always have your goals in sight. Put them on the fridge, on your desk at work or in your car. Just so that you are constantly reminded what you really want to achieve. This may be a photo of a physique you admire, a picture of your past self, a photo of a reward you'll give yourself when you reach your goal. This will help keep yourself focused and help curtail any urges that might creep in to spoil your healthy eating day. Whenever you feel weak mentally and just want to pig-out on junk food visualize how you want to look and you'll soon come back in line with your diet plans. The thought of having a great physique that you're proud of or shimming back into your skinny shorts, sure outweighs the short-lived enjoyment of junk food.

Have a Support Team
Although losing weight or maintaining our weight is up to us, we all need a good strong support team who will help us through the mentally and physically tough times. By including your family and friends along with your coach or trainer they will soon become apart of it. They will be there to stop you when you feel like eating un-planned junk meals, and if they're really great they might even make some nutritious meals for you! They will help to motivate you when you need encouragement and will push you to move forward when you fall into a slump. So make your quest for physique improvement a team situation and you'll feel much better for it.

Be a Mentor
Another great way to keep yourself on track is to become a mentor to someone else close to you who wants help improving his or her body. Firstly, they will turn to you as they will view you as a trusted source of information and advice on how to achieve their goals. Then furthermore you will become a role model to them. They see you being strict with your diet and training and achieving great results and they want to do the same. In this situation, being a role model makes you more accountable for your actions as you want to set an example. It is always harder to let someone else down who is counting on you for guidance and motivation, than it is just to let yourself down. Furthermore, you'll feel great by actually making a difference in someone else's quality of life.