Confused about what to eat when you are starting a new workout program? On Fox Morning News Extra I showed viewers why 100 calorie packs are not good! Also, I didn’t get to talk about the plate of powdered donuts…but they are NOT one of my healthy items! I was trying to show that the Yoplait yogurt I brought had 27 grams of sugar and that was the same as 7 powdered donuts!! YIKES

*Also, not all “healthy” frozen meals are healthy. Most have a ton of sodium, preservatives and “fake” ingredients that may make your mouth happy but your body (including those thighs) are screaming: “What the heck is this crap?”!!

Last week I gave Sibila and Fox Morning News Extra a tour through Whole Foods and showed them the best and worst choices. Shopping for healthy food is easier than you think! Just stick to natural foods like fruits, veggies and nuts and you can’t go wrong.

Ok, guys. Here is my healthy grocery list that I shared today on Fox Morning News Extra. I’ve also included some sample meal and snack ideas to use once you have your groceries! Email me if you have any questions and I’d be glad to help. Be sure to join our Facebook Fan Page!

Grocery List:

Produce:

• Fresh Veggies: sweet potato/yam, spinach salad (you can also steam it or sauté in olive oil),   greens (broccoli, asparagus or brussel sprouts).
• For Salad: Try spinach, arugula or mixed greens
• small avocados
• mushrooms
• Tomatoes (any color and any size)
• Fresh Fruit: berries, bananas, apples, grapes + anything else that looks good
• Fresh Herbs: try basil, rosemary, dill

Eggs/Dairy:

• Lowfat Milk or Soymilk
• Free Range Eggs
• Greek Yogurt (try lowfat it tastes the same) or lowfat Cottage Cheese
• String cheese and mozzarella slices (or fresh) for tomato/mozzarella stack

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Ok, guys…just like every other holiday…this IS NOT an excuse to eat whatever you want! Control yourselves!! With a few simple strategies, you can still enjoy all your favorites and not return back to work next week with an extra 5lbs, muffin top or food hangover. Also, try to fit in some exercise. I always do the 10k Turkey Trot here in Houston Thanksgiving morning. A race or even just a long walk is a great way to start your Turkey Day and get your metabolism revved up.

If you are cooking yourself, it’s a lot easier to make healthier choices. Or, if you are going to a friend’s home, offer to bring a side dish that is healthy. Just try not to go crazy with portion sizes. I think when you eat at home or your family’s home, it’s easier to get away with acting like a hog. Really. It’s not so disturbing to see your family members go back for seconds or thirds but if you were at a restaurant would you really order 3 entrees?

If you are eating out, try to avoid the Buffets! Again..it’s very tempting to go back and fill your plate up over and over while not realizing you are increasing the size of your thighs with each plate-full. If you do go for the buffet, try to make your first trip all about salad, greens and fruit. Then, by the time you go back for the “good stuff” you will already be full from healthier things.

Regardless of where you are eating this Thanksgiving, try to stick with the healthier options:

The Good:

-Turkey (Quorn or Tofurkey!)
-Sweet potatoes/yams (limit butter and marshmallows)
-Butternut squash or other winter veggie – grilled, roasted or baked
-Cranberries or Cranberry Sauce (watch sugar)
-Wild Rice
-Grilled Corn
-Other greens (asparagus, spinach, etc) or Salad with limited dressing (no ranch!!)
-Fruit (See Recipe of the Month) or Pumpkin Pie for dessert

The Bad:

-Mashed potatoes (not so bad if they aren’t smothered in gravy and butter)
-Too much gravy
-Green bean casserole that’s loaded with the fried onions and cheese (try plain green beans with almonds)
-Other creamy casseroles made with too much cream or cheese
-Apple pie
-Cider (try low-sugar or plain apple juice “mulled” with spices)

The Ugly:

-Pecan Pie (avoid eye contact)
-White rolls with butter (one is ok, but who eats one?)
-Whipped cream on anything
-Stuffing (yes..it’s good but just have a bite)
-Other cakes, cookies, pies or anything you already KNOW is bad for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I saw Giada make this recipe on her show and decided to give it a try last night. It’s a great healthy option for Thanksgiving! It’s pretty easy to make but it just takes time to cook the pears. I cut the recipe in half and also did not use any ice cream or gelato to make it healthier : ) But you could do some sorbet or other low-cal option. The pear is pretty sweet itself, so I didn’t miss it. Also, just about any type of pear will work.

Ingredients

• 1 (750-ml) bottle Moscato wine or other sweet dessert wine
• 2 cups simple syrup, recipe follows
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in 1/2
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, and finely chopped
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6 small, firm, ripe Anjou pears, peeled
• Serving suggestion: vanilla ice cream or gelato

Directions

In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, simple syrup,

cinnamon stick halves, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean and seeds to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted. Add the pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.

Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick halves and the vanilla bean and discard.

Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the honey, ginger and cinnamon syrup. Serve immediately.

Simple Syrup:

2 cups sugar

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

I’m a proud sponsor in my friend Nancy’s second annual “Donor Awareness Soiree”! This marks the second anniversary of her kidney transplant, which has allowed her to keep her status as one of Houston’s top spin instructors! Come by and say hi!

“Can I lose weight with yoga?”. “Will yoga give me arms like Madonna?”. I get asked these questions all the time. Although I am a yoga instructor, the personal trainer inside of me is thinking…”Uh, No”! But, the truth is…it CAN help.

The fact is, that in order to really lose weight, you must burn calories through exercise and/or reduce calories you consume. To loose 1lb, you have to shave off 3,500 calories! Depending on what type of yoga class you are taking (and your size), you would typically burn about 150-200 calories in an hour class. This seems significant, but brisk walking would burn double that amount! But, don’t throw your mat out just yet. Keep reading to find out why yoga can get you closer to your goals.

Being Mindful and Body Awareness

Yoga helps you to become more “mindful” which just means that you are thinking about each movement you make and also how your body is involved (body awareness). You will start to pay attention to your breathing and you are suddenly aware of your body, its posture and alignment. Who knew you had such tight hip flexors? Increased body awareness means you are more likely to treat your body right and maybe that means losing weight.

Reducing Stress

High levels of stress and cortisol (stress hormone) cause us to eat more and gain weight. Well, yoga is proven to reduce stress.  The more you focus on your breathing and get your body moving, the less stress you will have.

Dealing with Discomfort

We sometimes feel discomfort during an awkward pose or trying to find our balance. But, that’s when you will feel like a warrior and fight through it. When you regularly go through discomfort and your senses are on the edge…it gives you strength to deal with other difficult situations and courage in other areas of our lives. This might be in the form of saying “No” to those Krispy Kremes at the office or not making eye contact with the cupcakes at your next party.

Yoga CAN Make You Stronger, But You Won’t Look Like Madonna

Yes…Madonna has awesome arms, but she is doing way more than yoga to get those guns. You need to shed body fat and to do this you must alter your diet, increase cardio and lift heavy weights. However, with regular yoga sessions you may start to notice stronger muscles especially your shoulders and triceps. Repeating moves like chaturanga and dolphin each week will definitely make you a little more sculpted!

If you are trying to lose weight, you should start by making healthy changes to your diet and adding regular cardio sessions. But, if you are eager to try yoga, don’t let extra pounds stop you! Give it a try and make it part of your regular exercise routine. You will end up more mindful, reduce stress, increase flexibility and be one step closer to getting Madonna’s arms!

I showed Houston’s “Dining Diva” Cleverley Stone how even she could break a sweat doing a few exercises around the house. At the end of the clip I give my top 3 recommendations if you want buy some equipment to make it more challenging.

Hi guys! I hope you are all staying healthy and getting ready for the holiday season. This includes making plans on how to fit in workouts, eat healthy at family functions and make smart choices at parties. By the way…hopefully by now you have tossed all that leftover Halloween candy, right???

For tips on staying healthy this holiday season, checkout the latest issue of Tone It Up’s eMagazine and my article about stress and energy:

Pigeon is one of my favorite poses….especially after a long run because it’s such a great stretch. But, be careful not to push yourself too hard in this position especially if you have any knee injuries.

TIP: Do not do this move at the beginning of your workout or yoga sequence. Warmup first or do it towards the end of the yoga class so that your muscles will be more limber and you don’t hurt yourself.

I’ve teamed up with Fox Morning News Host Sibila Vargas for her new “Sibila Challenge”. We are challenging viewers and the City of Houston to start working out just 20 minutes a day. That’s it…just 20! Make the commitment to fit in just 20 minutes at least 3 days a week and I promise you will see results. You can also join the Facebook Fan Page for support.

I’ll be on the show on Thursdays at 9am and each week will demonstrate new moves and options for your 20 minute training session. *Be sure to tune in next Thursday when I will point out the best and worst choices at the grocery store!

I’m now accepting clients for my “virtual training” program. I know many of my readers do not live in Houston, but I’ve found a way that you can still train with me! For only a fraction of my normal personal training rates I will give you a month of virtual/remote training that will include a personal assessment, goal setting and workout plan customized for your goals. I will also include diet tips and work with you on any injuries or health issues.

This will still be PERSONAL training and you will not be getting a one-size fits all workout plan. You can also email or call me if you have questions when you are at the grocery store or if you are at the gym and forget how to do an exercise.

Email me at Cari@Cari-Fit.com for more details or you can signup here:

Options

1-Month Plan $30.00 2-Month Plan $50.00