Cari Fit

Fitness Advice, Workout Tips, and Inspiration

What Does My Trainer Eat?

“How I Train” – Q&A with Coach.me

**Thanks Coach.me for featuring me! 

“Cari Shoemate is a personal trainer, fitness expert, and media consultant; her workouts, advice, articles, and videos have been featured on CBS, Fox, NBC, E!, Dr. Phil and TMZ among others. She contributes writing and videos for several brands and magazines and her own blog, Cari-Fit.com.

Currently a brand ambassador for Oakley, Shoemate also runs Houston’s popular Bombshell Bootcamp and trains both NBA and NFL cheerleaders.

How do you start your own day? Do you have any daily rituals or routines?
I start my day with my favorite alarm clock: my 1 year old son. We usually have a light breakfast of cereal or fruit and then I do my workout. I almost always do my workouts in the morning because I just don’t have time to fit it in the rest of the day and I also have a lot less energy as the day progresses! I usually go for a run with my baby in his jogging stroller or I do a HIIT weight training and jumprope circuit in my home gym. I do try to get to the gym a few times a week to take advantage of the weight machines that I don’t have at home (leg press, smith machine, lat pull-down, etc.).

What are your eating habits like? Do you follow any specific program of eating?

…

Read More

How To Eat Healthy – On the Plane

Whenever I fly, I try to pack a healthy snack – but sometimes that’s hard to do, especially on the return flight home. I always recommend options like fruit, nuts or other things that don’t have to be kept hot or cold. Last week I was at the Dallas Love Field airport  and came across this “Go Picnic” package that I found in one of their shops. At first glance, I thought this was going to be similar to some of the “snack packs” on the airlines that are loaded with junk and chemicals. But, I was pleasantly surprised! They have 3-4 of these “Go Picnic” packages that contain things like hummus, edamame, tuna and multi-seed crackers! I was in heaven! I grabbed the hummus + crackers kit below and it was very tasty. I had never had dry roasted edamame before and I loved it! The box contains enough food for 2 (I split it) and has 400 calories and 25g of protein. It looks like the brand has these kits at many major airports – so check their website next time you are traveling to see where you can get your own box.

Trainer Approved Holiday Cookie

Looking for a cookie that you take to your holiday parties and events that won’t wreck your diet? Try Gingerbread! Every year one of my friends invites me to her holiday “cookie exchange” party. It’s always a blast, but I struggle with what to make! I ask myself “Would I let my clients eat this?” and usually my answer is “Hell no”. So, I always end up making a “cookie” that’s overly healthy that nobody likes : ( So, this year, despite my urge to make protein powder meringues again (yes, I know) – I decided to go with gingerbread cookies and they turned out great!

Gingerbread is actually one of the best options if you are trying to watch calories and also want to stick to a “clean” diet. To save time, I used a pre-made gingerbread mix by Betty Crocker, despite the fact that it’s not the “cleanest” and is pre-packaged. However, after I got home and read the ingredients and nutrition label more closely – I was surprised that it’s not that bad! You can probably get an organic version at Whole Foods or other store that has less chemicals (this one does have hydrogenated oils), if you want to make it even healthier. After the added egg and butter – two small cookies (1 serving) is 150 calories, 5 grams of fat (approximately), 1g protein and 10g sugar. You also get in a few vitamins, including 4g of iron.

 

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

  • 1 Bag Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix (or similar)
  • approximately 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
  • 1 Stick Butter, water and 1 egg (as directed on cookie mix instructions)

Directions

Mix cookies as directed on the bag. Sprinkle them with sugar or stevia/truvia (for less sugar and calories!) and then bake as directed. When you take them out of the oven, place 1-2 dark chocolate chips in the center of the cookie (press down firmly so that there is an indentation). If you want more of a melted look (like above) – place them back into the oven for about 1min.

*The dark chocolate adds only about 25 calories each.

How To Eat Healthy When It’s A Late Night Dinner

Tempeh, Arugula and Brussels Sprout Salad

Tonight was my first night of Bombshell Bootcamp and Carrie and I thought it went great! But, I didn’t get home until after 8pm – but I knew ahead of time my dinner would be late. To avoid eating a huge meal after 8-9pm, I planned ahead and had larger meals today during the day. Then, tonight I made a simple salad with this:

-Tempeh (I grill slices in pan first with olive oil spray and Mrs. Dash). I prefer the “flax” flavor because I think it’s less bitter. The trick is to grill it first and it tastes much better (hot or cold). I crumbled it on top of the salad mixture below.
-Arugula
-Chopped Raw brussels Sprouts
-Slivered Almonds
-Parmesan Cheese
-Balsamic Vinegar (plain)
-1/2 tsp dijon mustard (I like it for the tempeh!)

*You could also add tomato (I was out : ( or avocado).

I know it sounds blah, but for a very light dinner – it’s perfect. Packed with fiber, vitamins, protein (tempeh + almonds) and flavor!

What To Eat For A Healthy Snack

I love these little “Soy Crispettes” I found at Whole Foods. They look kinda like mini rice cakes but are soy-based and taste much better. They have plain, ranch, bbq and cheddar and all of them have 7-8g of protein in 1 serving! Also, they only have 120 calories and 3g of fat for about 19 pieces. I eat them plain, but you could also pair them with some nut butter or hummus.

 

 

 

 

 


Bonus Recipe of the Month – Summer Salad

I made this salad last week and loved it! I found the recipe in this month’s Fitness magazine. You can reduce your calories & fat by cutting out the bread w/herbed goat cheese or just do less of it! The recipe makes 4 large servings, so you can reduce it for smaller portions.

Butter Lettuce Salad With Blackberries, White Beans and Goat Cheese Toast

Prep Time: 12min
Cook Time: 3 min
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 whole-wheat baguette, cut into eight 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 ounces  herbed goat cheese
  • 2 heads butter or Boston lettuce, leaves separated
  • 1 15-ounce can low-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
  • 2 tablespoons  fresh tarragon leaves
  • 3 tablespoons  sherry vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon  Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons  honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup  blackberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the bread on a baking sheet and spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cheese onto each piece. Broil until bread is toasted and cheese is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

2. Combine the lettuce, beans, red onion and tarragon in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and black pepper; add to the salad and toss. Divide among four serving plates. Scatter 1/4 cup of the blackberries over each salad. Serve each with 2 goat cheese toasts.