Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! It gets your metabolism revved up and gives you the energy you need to start your day. Many people skip breakfast or end up making unhealthy choices. I know sometimes eating a healthy breakfast can be hard if you are short on time or are traveling. What if your only option is to go through the drive thru? No problem! Now there are many healthy options out there that are convenient and healthy. Used to it meant a very unhealthy breakfast platter like this one from Burger King that has 1,310 calories and 72 grams of fat! Yuck!

What NOT To Order:

I wouldn’t recommend eating a fast-food breakfast every morning, but if you have one of these options a few times a week it won’t derail your diet. My personal favorites when traveling are some almonds and a non-fat latte from Starbucks or try their “Protein Plate”:

My other favorite is the Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s. I do mine really low-cal by ordering it without the cheese or ham. Yes, it’s plain but still tastes good and fills me up! I also like their snack sized “fruit and yogurt parfait” and their “fruit and walnut snack”. Subway also has some healthy breakfast options now like this sandwich:

Check out Health Magazine’s picks for “America’s Healthiest Fast-Food Breakfasts”:

You’re probably sitting right now. I am. We all do it, but studies have shown that the amount of time we spend sitting has skyrocketed thanks to our computers, jobs, tv’s, long flights/commutes, etc.  As a trainer, I’m always telling people to get up and do something active at least once a day. But, doing workouts a few times a week, or even once a day, isn’t going to cut it if the rest of your day is spent in a chair. You need to interrupt all that time sitting with little mini breaks. Why? It’s good for your body, gets your blood flowing and is also good for your mind. Get up at least once an hour to walk around, grab some water, stretch or even walk a few flights of stairs. You can also do some mini workouts at your desk! Try squats, tricep dips (if you have a sturdy chair), pushups (with hands on desk), calf raises and anything else that gets your blood flowing. Then, be sure to get in a really good workout either on your lunch break or before/after work.

*While I’m not sure how accurate some of these statistics are, it gets the general point across: Get up and Move!

The summer running season is here are there are a lot of great races in May, June and July! The 10k race is the perfect distance if you’re looking to challenge yourself a little more but don’t have the time to commit to a 1/2 marathon. But, if you live in Texas (or other hot state) like me, the heat can be a challenge…so keep that in mind. You might need to adjust your training intensity a little because your body will have to work much harder in the heat. You will also need to either workout earlier or later in the day to avoid the high temps and maybe do some of your runs inside on the treadmill. Just be sure to stay hydrated and don’t overdo it. For more tips, read this Post.

Don’t have the speed of Kara Goucher or Ryan Hall? No problem! Follow my plan below to get you in top shape in 6 weeks!

For Beginners:

If you’re a beginner and have never run a 10k (6.2 miles), you should start by increasing the time you run during each workout until you are running for at least 30 minutes three to five times per week. I would recommend that your first race be a 5k (3.1 miles), and that you work your way up to the 10k. But if you’re already running for 30 minutes at a time and are able to do a 5k now, training for a 10k will be a piece of cake! Read the rest of this entry »

On this week’s “Ask The Expert” Blog, I address some of the common problems/issues people face with running.

Lately, these have been my go-to snacks between breakfast and lunch or lunch/dinner.  All three have carbs and protein and are low in sugar. The Larabars have more sugar because they are made from real fruit…but that kind of sugar is ok! I buy the bars at Whole Foods and the almonds at Target. You can do plain almonds or other flavored almonds, as long as you don’t chose ones that are high in salt/sodium or sugar, which is added to a lot of nuts to make them taste better.

Details (per serving):

• Mini Larabars: 90 cal, 5g fat, 0mg sodium, 2g protein, 9g sugar,
• Think Thin Bites: 100 calories, 4g fat, 105mg sodium, 6g protein, 0g sugar
• Emerald Coco Roast Almonds - Dark Chocolate. 150 cal, 13g fat, 25mg sodium, 6g protein, 1g sugar

Now that Spring is here, you may feel that your current workout routine isn’t working for you anymore. This could be because you are still getting adjusted to the time change and warmer weather, or maybe you are just bored. But, if you can’t seem stick to a regular routine, it may be because you don’t really have a “regular” routine at all. Many people are all over the place when it comes to their workout schedule and they end up just fitting it in at the last minute or between other priorities. This is not the way to get in shape and see results! You have to make your health and fitness the priority and this starts with your workouts. In my experience, those that have a regular consistent workout time are the ones that are in the best shape and get the results they want.

Try an EVENING workout if…

You just hate waking up early in the morning, always hit the snooze button and you end up with only a 10 minute workout (if any). Try an evening workout instead! Do it at the end of the day (not right after a big meal) when you can take your time. Just eat a snack 30min before and do your evening meal or dinner after the workout.

Try a MORNING workout if..

You always run into excuses, errands, or other priorities that are later in the day. You may have the best intentions of doing that 6pm workout, but when family, happy hour or a last minute grocery store trip has to be done, you are likely to miss your workout. So, try mornings! All you need to do is go to bed a little earlier and set out your workout clothes as a reminder. Don’t have an hour? Just do a really hard 30-45min interval workout to keep your heart rate up.

Try a MID-DAY workout if…

You aren’t a morning person and you are just too busy at night! You are always go, go, go and can never seem to fit it in! Well, everybody has to take a break at some point and a mid-day workout would be great for your mind and body. Don’t have enough time to workout, shower and change clothes? Either do a really hard 30min interval or cardio session so you can fit it all in, or save your hard cardio and ultra sweaty workouts for the weekends. If that still doesn’t work, fit in 5-10minutes of walking stairs throughout your day.

Hey guys! I just wanted to send these links again so you can follow me on my Facebook and Twitter pages! I also give a lot of nutrition tips on there too!

Summer is almost here, but there is no reason to panic! If you start with good workouts and healthy choices now, you’ll be in bikini shape by Memorial Day! Here are my top 10 tips for getting into bikini body shape, plus a sample workout that I’m currently doing right now!

1. Keep your sodium levels really low and don’t add any extra salt to food. Try herbs and non-salt flavorings like Mrs. Dash.
2. Drink plenty of water and avoid sodas.
3. Do at least 30-45 minutes of cardio most days of the week. 2-3 days isn’t going to cut it! Try for 5-6.
4. Make sure you are doing your ab exercises at the END of your workout, not in the beginning or middle.
5. Eat 5-6 small meals a day.
6. Eat breakfast within an hour of when you wake up.
7. Don’t forget to work shoulders. If you have nice shoulders, it can make your waist look smaller.
8. Push yourself during your workouts. If you aren’t sweating, it’s not hard enough and you won’t lose weight or body fat.
9. If you are too self-conscious to go to the gym (or you get too distracted w/friends, etc), make a gym at home, hit the park or do another outdoor workout. Don’t use excuses.
10. Try some self-tanner, bronzer or a spray tan. My favorites are the Versa Spa and also the Glow Fusion tanner from Sephora (it’s clear).

Cari’s Sample Bikini Workout (1 hr) – Intermediate Level

What you’ll need: 1 10-20lb kettlebell; a jumprope; 1 set of medium hand weights 8-15lbs; 1 Bosu (optional), 1 mat or carpet for abs

• Warmup with kickboxing punches, kicks, etc. for 5 minutes
• Jumprope for 5 minutes (if you don’t have jumprope do jumping jacks or jog in place)
• 30 Bosu pushups. 1 set 1o reps with left hand on bosu (round side), 1 set 10 with right hand on bosu and 1 set of 10 with the bosu flat side up and both hands on handles. I do all three sets with no rest.
• Single leg squat with one foot on round side of bosu ball (center). 30 on each leg and keep hips back like you do in a regular squat. Then, mix in 1 set 15 front shoulder raises on each arm. Repeat for 2 sets both exercises.
• 20 Kettlebell swings (*only do this if you are confident you have good form. If not, jog in place or do jumprope)
• Chest Fly on bosu (rest neck and back on ball and use legs feet to keep hips up like a bridge position). 20 reps. Mix in kneeling kickbacks on the ground (“donkey kicks”, etc) no weight – 50 reps each leg. Repeat both chest and leg exercises for 2 sets.
• Reverse lunge with woodchop (hold one weight in both hands and twist weight up with tight core as you stand to the top after each lunge). 20 each leg.
• Jumprope for 5 minutes.
• Standing bicep curls 15 reps + 20 kettlebell swings. Repeat both for 2 sets.
• Overhead tricep dip/extension 15 reps + 20 kettlebell swings. Repeat both for 2 sets.
• Bent over rows 15 reps (squeeze shoulder blades) plus 40 calf raises. Repeat both for 2 sets.
• Jumprope 5 minutes.
• Abs: 10 minutes of side crunches, regular & side planks, v-ups, Russian twists, etc. Make your abs burn!
• Stretch.

Here is one of my latest commercials for Glade and ExerciseTV! Be sure to join their Facebook Fan Page to get the latest on new products and fragrances!

Here is my most recent article that was featured on Culturemap! I’m sure you’ve heard at least one of these myths, so I’m here to set the record straight…

As I trainer, I spend a lot of my time trying to convince people that the rumors they hear about working out aren’t always true. It’s so frustrating that people think and do silly things because they think they will get a hot bod. Next time you hear one of these rumors at the gym, just roll your eyes and crank up your iPod.

1. Running makes you lose your butt
Please people! Have you seen a sprinter’s body?
As a runner you Read the rest of this entry »

I’m gearing up to teach my second round of Race Fit this week at Fit Athletic Club and my goal is to help the group become better runners in 6 weeks! I’m going to push them harder than they would on their own (that’s the benefit of a trainer!) and take them through workouts to get them faster and stronger. This month I read a good article in Runner’s World about mental breakdowns. I have to remind myself of these things too, because so often we can let our minds get in the way of our body’s performance. I hope that you will keep these in mind during your workouts, so that when it’s time for your next race you will be calm, have less anxiety and will do your best. After-all, races should be fun!

Brain Drain – The big 5 mental breakdowns

(from Runner’s World, March 2011)

MENTAL BREAKDOWN #1: Seeking perfection
If you aim to make every workout perfect, you end up spending valuable time and energy recovering from the inevitable disappointment. Learn to view a few off days as part of the training process, or a lousy run or race as a learning experience, says Stan Beecham, Psy.D., a sports psychologist in Roswell, Georgia.

MENTAL BREAKDOWN #2: Caring too much
Some runners never feel good about themselves, no matter how well they run. “I remind athletes that running is something they do, not who they are,” he says. Once you untie yourself from your performance, you release mental energy that can be directed to running.

MENTAL BREAKDOWN #3: Stressing out
Is the weather too cold? Too hot? Are the lines at the porta-potties too long? Don’t stress over things you can’t control. “Your performance is based on your training, not on external items,” he says.

MENTAL BREAKDOWN #4: Poor goal setting
Performing at your highest level requires risk-taking and pushing yourself outside your comfort level. “A lot of runners underestimate themselves,” Beecham says. “They say: ‘I can cut five minutes from my time.’ I say: ‘How about 10 minutes?’” Don’t go crazy, but push yourself.

MENTAL BREAKDOWN #5: Not focusing
If you approach a race as a run or with a let’s-see-what-happens attitude, you risk not meeting your goal. “You have to engage mentally,” Beecham says. Set small goals, such as staying with the runner in front of you. Try it, he says, and you’ll likely find the race goes by faster than expected. Your time just might be faster, too.

Did you know that today is World Kidney Day? Probably not. I wouldn’t have either, except that one of my best friends, Nancy, had a transplant over 3 years ago and has taught me a lot about the importance of kidneys! Kidney disease effects hundreds of millions of people all over the world and over 26 million here in the U.S.! If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of these conditions…you too could be at risk! It’s important to stay active, keep your blood pressure low and maintain a healthy weight by making smart food choices.

Read the rest of this entry »

I was excited this weekend when I ran across one of my Glade commercials on tv! They are on the ExerciseTV channel (and others) and you should get this VOD channel if you have Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner or one of the other major providers. I took these stills from my tv, to show authenticity, but the quality is not the best : ) To read about the day of the shoot click HERE

I buy frozen Mahi Mahi packs from Whole Foods almost every week because it’s one of my favorite things too cook. Mahi Mahi is a really light and easy fish to bake, grill, broil or even poach. My favorite way to use it is to make grilled fish tacos. When I don’t want to grill outside, I’ll use my indoor grill or George Foreman Grill to cook the fish. I season it with a little Mrs. Dash, chili powder, ground cayenne pepper, lemon and olive oil. Then, I serve it on one whole wheat tortilla with diced tomato, arugula, mango and avocado. It’s a perfect healthy dinner!

My client Erica Rose will be on tv tonight on ABC’s The Bachelor!

They are airing special clips of the “Bachelor Reunion” during the normal show…so be sure to look for her! She’s been training hard in order to get ready for this show and her other recent appearances on shows like Vh1′s You’re Cut Off, The Dr. Phil Show and others. We keep the workouts fun and include a mix of balance training, spinning, weights and yoga.
Also, Erica and I have decided to partner on a new workout project and will be making a fitness dvd this month called “Stiletto Bikini Blast”! We wanted to make a cute, fun workout video that’s perfect for summer with a unique twist. Check back soon for more details!

Since I’m the personal trainer for the Houston Rockets Power Dancers, I get asked all the time about their workouts and what a typical workout is for an NBA cheerleader or dancer. Right now, the girls are actually working out quite a bit with 2-3 days of dance practice, plus 2-3 games per week and then on top of that they have 2 workouts a week with me. So…no wonder they are in great shape, right!? Think you have what it takes to workout like an NBA Dancer? Try the sample workout below to see if you are pom-pom ready!

Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s challenge with ExerciseTV is pushups! In the video, I demonstrate beginner, intermediate and advanced versions. See how many you can do of each!

Ask any of my friends and clients…pushups are my favorite exercise! Don’t worry if you can only do a few. If you practice every week you will be able to do all 45 (or more!) without resting in between!

I know many of you are still trying new gyms, workouts, classes, etc. since it’s still the start of the new year. Getting a trainer is a great way to jumpstart your workouts and get you on track. But, choosing the right trainer can be hard and most people don’t know what they should be looking for or what makes a good trainer.

Make sure they are certified and I would ask them who their certification is through or see if they have that info. on their website. Good ones are ACE, NASM, AFAA, etc. Nutrition advice can be hit or miss with trainers. Really, they should have a nutrition degree or RD certification to give you a specific diet plan….but most trainers (including me) will give tips or advice. If it sounds too crazy, like no carbs or consuming too much protein, then get a second opinion. Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that January & February are the best months for broccoli?I just picked up some fresh broccoli from Whole Foods this week and decided to use my Sleekstor Veggiesteam (silicone steamer) to cook it. All I did was place the steamer inside a pot with about 1-2 inches of water then, wash the broccoli and trim off the stems and then place it on top of the steamer. Cook on med/high heat for about 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is tender. To speed up the process you can place the lid on your pot but allow a small vent/crack to let some steam out. I served my broccoli with a tiny amount of shredded cheddar cheese, sea salt and pepper. You can use this steamer to cook all your veggies: carrots, mushroom, zucchini, etc!

Well, I survived my second Houston Marathon on Sunday! Surprisingly, my injured knee held up. I was orignially shooting for around 3:40 so I could qualify for Boston, but since I had to basically take a whole month off of training in December, I had to re-evaluate. So, I went slower overall than I had planned and then even slower the last 6 miles because my knee started to tighten up.  I finished with a time of 4:02 which isn’t too bad.

Here is the article I wrote the day after about my experience:

*Coming Soon…my video about the Houston Marathon and Marathon Expo!