I get asked all the time about “cheat meals” or “cheat days” and I’m not a big fan. Why? Well, most people tend to over do it….big time. But, if you can keep yourself in check and vow to burn it off and get right back on track – then sometimes it’s ok. But, if you are going to have a cheat meal – when should you do it? In my experience (with myself and clients) – if you are going to eat bad – it’s best to do it earlier in the day so that you have the rest of the day to burn it off and also offset the extra calories with healthy meals. If I’m going to do a cheat meal – I usually have it Saturday or Sunday morning. Not a big breakfast fan? Well, allow yourself a cheat lunch on Friday with coworkers or on Saturday.

If dinner (and drinks) is your thing and you look forward to it all week – try to save the cheat meal until Sunday. Why? If you give in on Friday or Saturday, you are more than likely to think “What the hell” and eat bad the rest of the weekend once you’ve blown your diet. But, if you eat clean and healthy all weekend and tell yourself you can wait until Sunday – odds are you will consume less during the weekend and will be ready to get back on track Monday morning. If you give in and have a cheat meal during the week or during the day on the weekend – just get right back on track after. Instead of starving yourself the rest of the day or weekend – eat 5-6 “clean” meals after. Starving yourself will just slow your metabolism and cause you to overeat again. If you eat small clean meals (even if you aren’t super hungry) – your body will get back on track and start burning fat right away (think lean meats, dairy, grains, veggies and fruit). Also, remember a cheat meal does not include dessert : ) If it’s something sweet you are after – have a clean meal and then make the dessert your splurge.

This time of year many people are trying new diets, new workouts and new ways to lose weight. There are so many options out there but most of the popular diets include some sort of shake or smoothie. There are even some diets and nutrition plans that are almost all based around liquid meals. Do they work? Well, I’m here to give you some tips.

First of all – I’m not a huge fan of liquid diets (read why here), especially all liquid or mostly liquid diets where at least 75% of your daily calories come from liquids. Your body was designed to eat and chew….that’s why you have teeth! That chewing mechanism sends signals to your brain that you are eating fuel and that’s a good thing. Also, most people that incorporate smoothies and shakes into their diet end up doing more harm than good and they might as well be drinking high-calorie milkshakes.

The main benefit of smoothies and shakes is the convenience factor…especially if they are pre-made. It  is nice to not have to think about what you are making for your next meal or if it has too many calories or not enough protein. But, don’t get fooled into some of these pricey diet plans that make you rely 100% on their products. First of all, it’s a waste of money and second of all -  it doesn’t teach you how to eat correctly. You may lose some weight after a few weeks on the diet – but do you know why? Do you know what all the ingredients in the shakes are and what the proper “macros” or ratios of calories, fat and protein are? Odds are you don’t. Most of the diet companies don’t want you to know, that way you are dependent on them! Did you know you can make your own smoothies just as easy – it’s not rocket science! Plus, it will save you some money and you can customize how you like it and even make it healthier.  Keep it simple – your body doesn’t need all the extra vitamins and additives in order to lose weight! Did you know that there is only a certain amount of protein, vitamins and nutrients that your body can absorb each day? After that – your body just turns it into waste and you excrete it. A little extra protein in your diet can help you lose body fat and keep you fuller – but it doesn’t always help you lose weight. Most people get enough protein on their own without pricey shakes. How much do you need? Read here. 

What about smoothie vendors like Jamba Juice and Smoothie King? There is a Smoothie King by my house and I always see people coming out with these huge drinks and I know they think they are eating healthy. I don’t blame them – I blame Smoothie King for acting like they are a health food store. Sure, they do have some that are low-fat and have high amounts of protein – but they are loaded with fat and sugar! Did you know that their small Orange Ka-Bam smoothie has 117g of sugar? That’s the equivalent of drinking 3 cans of Coke! If you must do Smoothie King – go for their smallest size and check the nutrition sheet and get one that’s the lowest in calories, fat and sugar. Jamba Juice is a little better because they add less sugar. However, if you order one of their larger sizes –you’ll still get way more calories than you need. Instead get one of their smaller ones and try a “light” smoothie or one of the ones just made with real fruit. If the sugar is only coming from fruit – it’s not quite as bad, but sugar is sugar, especially if you are at risk for diabetes.

The bottom line: not all smoothies and shakes are created equal and you don’t need them in order to successfully lose weight. Make sure you are reading labels (ingredients, not just calories, etc) and if you are making your own, be sure to calculate all those extras you throw in. Each additional scoop of powder, milk, honey, or other ingredient can make your smoothie add up to one high-calorie sugar fest. Keep it simple. Do 1 scoop of whey or other protein (stick to around 100 calories, less than 4g fat, around 20g protein and little or no sugar), 1 serving of fruit and either nonfat milk or water. To make it thicker –use more ice, a half of banana for your fruit or about ¼ cup non-fat Greek yogurt. A small protein shake, fruit smoothie or green juice a day can be a healthy add-on to your normal diet. Just make sure that the rest of your daily meals are balanced and contain lean protein (meat, fish, soy, legumes, etc), veggies, fruits and whole grains. If you have any questions – please ask your doctor or find a registered dietician (R.D.) in your area. 

I love seafood, it’s one of my main protein sources and I’m not alone….many people have increased their seafood consumption over the last few years. This is probably because more and more people are reducing their consumption of red meat and also because doctors, dietitians and the media keep telling us how healthy seafood is for us and that we need to increase our fish oil, omega 3′s and other vitamins and minerals found in fish. 

Remember that being a smart consumer – is healthier for you and the planet! 

But, next time you shop for fish or order it at your favorite restaurant – do some research first. Why? Continue Reading…

Happy Halloween!

Odds are you will be facing Halloween candy at some point today…maybe at the office, tonight with your kids or at a Halloween party. But, don’t stress – you don’t have to completely avoid the candy – just make better bad choices. I like this Halloween slideshow from “Eat This, Not That”. If pictures of candy make you drool too much, just read below for a recap!

 - Instead of Butterfinger, go with Milky Way and you’ll save about 25% of the calories and 50% of the fat.
- Go for Tootsie Rolls instead of Twix candy bars because they have half the calories and only 1/4 of the fat.
- Candy corn isn’t a healthy treat by any means, but it’s way better than Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins! If you choose candy corn you’ll consume only 70 calories (vs. 170) and 0g of Fat compared to 10g! 

Other ideas for halloween treats include making these fun “teeth” with apples and marshmallows. Or, you can go the veggie route and make a cute pumpkin crudité spread like the picture above. One of my other favorite fall treats is just an apple with a small amount of caramel for dipping. 

Can I have a cheat Day??

I get asked this question a lot. This is what I told someone today when they asked me on Facebook:

“I don’t really believe in “cheat” days because it means you are rewarding your good behavior with food. That’s a vicious cycle. However, I’m not opposed to having a cheat meal as long as it’s not crazy bad. Most people that are overweight are overweight because they don’t know when to stop and have problems limiting trigger foods. So, be careful – even if it’s a cheat meal because you could wind up consuming more than a day’s worth of calories in one meal. If you get in the habit of fueling your body with good stuff – you won’t “crave” crap.”

During the holidays many of us feel the urge to “detox” and rid our bodies of all the crap we’ve been eating. But, how far do you really need to go in order to get rid of all the fat, calories and toxins that your body is holding on to? I did a blog post about this couple of years ago (see below) to shed some light on this topic, from a trainer’s point of view.

Can I really lose weight or improve my health with a “Detox”?

As a personal trainer, I get asked about detoxes or cleansing diets all the time. Lately these diets have really grown in popularity thanks to many celebrities and the media. Do a quick search online or at your bookstore and you will find a variety of detoxes from fruit drinks, liquid diets, intestinal “exfoliating” diets, liver cleanses, and many more. It can be quite overwhelming but at the same time tempting to try because they promise a quick solution to loosing weight. The major theme of most detox or cleanse diets is elimination. Most require you to eliminate at least one or more of the following: gluten, alcohol, sugar, refined foods, fats, cigarettes/drugs, etc to make you feel better. Well, this is not rocket science – of course you will feel better if you eliminate these! But, you can still do this safely while incorporating a healthy diet and exercise.

What exactly is a “detox” or body “cleanse”? Well, most of them consist of eating or drinking specific foods and drinks for a specific time days while eliminating toxins (certain foods, chemicals, drinks, etc) completely from your diet. Take for example the popular Master Cleanse which has been one of Google’s most popular diet searches over the last year and was made popular by celebrities such as Beyonce and Gwyneth Paltrow. It consists of drinking a concoction of lemon juice, water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for days and sometimes weeks with little or no food! Sound appetizing? Personally, I think it sounds horrible! Plus…there are so many things wrong with this…keep reading…

Continue Reading…

Each week, the winner of the ExerciseTV and SocialWorkout challenge gets to ask me their top 3 fitness questions and help me chose a topic/exercise for an upcoming video. I thought I’d share the question I got from last week’s winner, because it’s one I get a lot. I think many people are confused about how much protein they need. So…here is my advice:

Question:
“I have been dying to find out the answer to this question: what are the pros and cons of protein bars and protein shakes. I use carnation breakfast essentials and also a protein powder. I want to keep my daily protein at 80 grams and I don’t each much meat. I find the little extra protein drink helps me reach my daily goal. Am I wasting my time? Should I find a different protein source. I already have lots of high protein foods in my daily diet. (greek yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, soy milk, veggie sausage patties, fish or turkey or chicken for dinner, oatmeal, wheat germ, etc.)” 

My Answer:
This is a great question Mindy! First of all – I would say that you might want to consult with a DR or RD to see exactly how much protein (and other nutrients) your body is lacking and requires. But, by the sound of it – you are probably already getting more than enough. Everyone has kinda been going through a protein craze over the last few years, but the truth is that most people don’t need as much as they think. However, if you are trying to lose body fat, train for a figure/fitness competition or get more of a lean look…then you should have more protein than the average person. Continue Reading…

I’m a huge fan of Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” and agree that conquering obesity in America starts with the younger generation. But, how will kids learn to eat healthy if they are fed a bunch of junk every day at school? This graphic was created by Good Magazine and compares the average prison meal with the average elementary school lunch and it’s pretty obvious which one looks better.  Right off the bat, you can tell the prison meal has more color in the forms of fruits and veggies, which is always a good thing. The school lunch looks mostly white and beige colored and is higher in simple carbs. Both cost about the same and have 1,400 calories (which is also VERY high!) but, the prison meal is offering much more vitamins and nutrients. They both consist of one bread item, one starch item and one beverage. But, kids get an ounce less meat and they’re usually skimped on either veggies or fruits. To find out more about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, visit his site or catch the show on ABC.