*Click picture for online edition!
I’m so excited to be included in the August Issue of 002 Magazine and on the COVER!! 002 has been my favorite Houston magazine for years because they have the best information and reviews on all the newest restaurants, hangouts, hip events, products and people. Special thanks to Carla Valencia (the amazing Editor) for giving me a shot and including me in the magazine; Edward Sanchez who worked his magic with my makeup and gave me great posing tips; Sarah Al-Adwani for making my hair look great not just during the shoot, but for the last 5+ years; Jill Hunter who is a creative and talented photographer and Nancy Mathe’ my sidekick and trusted advisor.
The photoshoot was so much fun and even got to do a shopping spree at Neimans, but sadly had to return the $2,300 leather Prada below : ( Check back soon for my “behind the scenes” video!
Today I was back on Fox Morning News Extra to talk about how yoga can reduce stress and even improve sleep. I demonstrated crescent moon (low lunge) and also child’s pose, which are both great at reducing stress in your muscles and joints and relieve tension in your lower back. Instead of reaching for food or alcohol to relax after work, try some of the moves below. Or, if your energy is fading and you are about to make another run to Starbucks, try a forward bend instead!
*Top and pants by Lucy!
For Relaxation:
Try some seated twists (left) or stretches where you are lying down. Just be careful not to stretch your muscles too much unless you are already warm (from cardio, etc) or a yoga warmup like vinyasa flow or sun salutations. For breathing, focus on taking deep exhales. Look for yoga classes such as “gentle yoga”, “yoga for beginners” or even “meditation” to relieve stress and help you to relax.
For Energy:
Inversions such as Forward Bend (right), Headstand or even Downward Dog are great for energy. Any time your heart is above your head, you will have increased circulation to the brain and get a surge of energy. With breathing, focus more on taking deeper inhales. Look for “inversion” classes, “sun salutation” classes or “vinyasa flow” classes to give you a boost of energy.
This recipe is perfect for summer! You could use regular eggplant and cut into smaller pieces. But, you should be able to find “baby” or “mini” eggplants at your local grocery store or even farmers market.
Cari’s Suggestions: My only problem with the recipe is that is kinda high in calories and fat. So, I reduced the amount of olive oil to about 1 TBSP (vs. 1/2 cup) and then used olive oil cooking spray (like PAM) to coat the eggplants for grilling. However, even though this recipe is 333 calories per serving, each serving is 2 eggplant halves with the cheese and it’s going to fill you up due to all the fiber from the eggplant. So, you could treat this dish as your main course and just serve it with a salad or just reduce your serving size to one piece and then pair with grilled fish or chicken.
It’s summer and we all want to look cute while we workout and that means having a toned, tanned body (right?!) and sporting workout clothes that don’t look sweaty and gross. Look for products that are not cotton, like the ones below, to keep you the coolest and driest! Here are some of my current favorites…

I just got a new pair of “Balance Knee Pants” (pink and black) from Lucy Activewear that I love! The Lucy crop pants have always been my favorite and and I love the new styling with the stripes on the side….very flattering! I wore these in a few short videos that I recently filmed (check back soon) and they look and feel amazing.

I also like their cute matching “Propel Tank” that keeps you cool and has a great fit.
Dara Torres is an Olympic athlete (to say the least) who just released her new book: Gold Medal Fitness. You probably most recently remember her from the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, where at the age of 41 was the oldest swimmer to ever earn a place on the US Olympic team and is the first US swimmer to compete in FIVE Olympic Games. Not only did she rightly earn her spot on the 2008 team, but she brought home three silver medals! I watched all of her races and couldn’t help but cheer for her and hope for her success! Was it because she was the “underdog” and I felt sorry for her? Not quite! She is an amazing swimmer and put some of the 20-year olds to shame not just with her swimming but also her chiseled physique! Don’t you remember that six-pack on the cover of Time Magazine?? She has proven that age is just a number and it’s never too late to get back in the game. She admits that it’s not easy to be an Olympic athlete in your 40′s and your training does have to change. In her new book, she talks about adjusting her training and workout style: “…in the last several years, as I ‘ve faced the reality of being an older athlete, I’ve learned that I just can’t train as much as I did in my twenties without repercussions.” she says. But, this doesn’t mean that she has low expectations for herself or uses her age as an excuse. I think she is setting a great example for athletes of all ages, but especially women who feel that they are too old or have too many other distractions or priorities like their career or family (Dara is a mom). Read the rest of this entry »
Recently, on ExerciseTV’s Community Blog, I was asked “Is it ok to workout my abs every day?”. Most people assume you should not work out the same muscle group every day, but are confused when it comes to the abdominal muscles. So, which is it….hit the abs every day or let them recover a few days a week? Read the rest of this entry »

Question:
“I just started working out on Monday and I am feeling the burn from it. I know that this is normal and that I’m making progress. I wanted to know how long before the extreme pain eases off. I can barely lift my legs!”
My Answer:
“Well..I’m glad that you started a new workout routine! Soreness is almost always going to happen when you try something new…either a new workout, new weights, different reps, etc. This is not a bad thing though…it means you are challenging your muscles and are on the road to seeing results. When we get into a workout groove and do the same workouts over and over, our muscles will get used to it and they won’t be sore at all. However, the “no pain, no gain” motto isn’t always true. You do want to challenge yourself, but don’t overdo it to the point of pain. I think since you Read the rest of this entry »
I’m super excited because I’m a big fan of hers. I just started reading her book and I love it. You can read more about her and her book on her site: DaraTorres.com. Be sure to check back next week when I cover “Recovery: They Key to Your Performance”.
