ShopOrganic- a site I SWEAR BY!

Depending on where you live, it can be hard to access the type of foods you need, or want to be consuming. In fact half of the reason Americans are so drastically overweight, out of shape, and in poor health is due to the influx of eating out of convenience, and a lack of having access to the RIGHT kinds of healthy foods.

I know the concept of shopping online is foreign to most of us- we're stuck in the "brick and tile" concept of what it means to do grocery shopping BUT, if you don't have access to a good grocery store with an excellent organic section- then I recommend finding an online source and ordering in what you cannot pick up.

I've already driven over an hour to go to a Whole Foods Market or a Wegman's (since Lancaster is covered in freaking Giants, UGH) so ordering in some of my groceries is a huge relief! www.shoporganic.com has EVERYTHING you could want organic, and some things you maybe have never heard of. With sections catered SPECIFICALLY to certain diets; lactose intolerant, vegan, gluten free, and raw foods- there is a wide variety of products for everyone.

I have a dairy intolerance so finding calorie free non dairy creamers, whip creams, and other light treats is hard in my area. Shoporganic.com comes through! They also carry RAW UNPROCESSED NUT BUTTERS, with no salt, no sugar, and no additives! Hell they even carry organic dog food.....:)

I HIGHLY recommend checking out shoporganic.com and ordering in the items that are WORTH IT- the items you cannot find in your local grocer. TRUST ME- your health will thank you for it!!

Three Organs that make you FAT (or skinny) PART 3 of 3: ADRENAL GLANDS

Here it is, the third and final chapter in my triplet of the three organs that can make you FAT or SKINNY: the adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands produce the hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine, DHEA, and cortisol. Cortisol happens to be your fat storing hormone so what happens to your adrenals should be I M P O R T A N T to you!! All of these hormones help your body naturally cope with stress by triggering the release of sugar from the liver and muscles into the blood as an instant fuel source.

DHEA is a sex hormone and a natural fat burner. In my opinion it's the mother of all hormones because most of our OTHER sex hormones are derived from it, primarily estrogen and testosterone. The important muscle building and fat burning hormone declines naturally with age, which makes it even harder to be thin and fit. Therefore- you want to do everything in your power to keep your adrenal glands healthy so they can produce these important hormones.

Considering all your adrenals do, they take A LOT of abuse. We batter the hell out of our adrenals with bad nutrition, lack of sleep, drinking,smoking, and medications. But the GREATEST enemy of the adrenals is our reliance on caffeine containing products, like coffee, soda, and energy drinks.

Now don't get me wrong, caffeine has MANY benefits for the body- in moderation. If you're hitting more then 2 cups of coffee a day (even I fall prey to breaking this rule) you're at risk of overtaxing the adrenals glands. Trainers and competitive athletes tend to be the WORST adrenal abusers. Because of our schedules we rely on coffee and because of our emphasis on our physiques we tend to abuse fat burners as well (many of which contain caffeine and other stimulants that fire on the adrenal glands).

Most weight loss and sport nutrition supplements contain caffeine, and many contain proprietary blends which pair or couple caffeine with other thermogenic enhancing ingredients- i.e double trouble on your adrenals. Again, this is not to say you need to AVOID fat burners altogether, but tapering and cycling on and off fat burners is advised to help keep your adrenal glands from getting wiped out and overworked.

When the adrenal glands get overworked by caffeine and other factors they eventually can't produce hormones in sufficient amounts or can't utilize all the hormones they do produce. Basically they get wiped out. Period. The condition is called "Adrenal exhaustion" and it makes you a slow metabolizer, tired all the time, and generally, unwell.

Some symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include;

• Weight gain, especially in your midsection
• Weakness
• Blemishes
• Insomnia
• Lethargy
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Memory problems
• Food cravings
• Poor immunity
• Allergies
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Premature aging

So what to do? Well for starters stick to the 2 cups of coffee a day- for those of you who wonder how much that is- one cup = 8 ounces, so go from there. Over 16 ounces of coffee a day and you're too much. AND you need to add energy drinks and caffeine including sodas into that mix as well!

And as far as supplements go- use with caution. I recommend staying on a fat burner no longer then 6 weeks at full dosage. Taper for a week to two weeks, then come off for two weeks cold. During that time I recommend supplementing in with natural supplements that bolster the health of your adrenals. One I've used in the past post show which has proven VERY effective at helping my adrenals recover is:

PLANETARY HERBALS ADRENAL COMPLEX

Adrenal support supplementation is crticial, especially if you're daily taxing your adrenal glands (like I have) through caffeine consumption and taking fat burners/thermogenics.

My Low Carb Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Just in time for fall! Here's my recipe for my Low Carb Pumpkin Pancakes and TRUST me these are worth it!!!!!!! They're an indulgence to the tongue without being an indulgence to your diet or the waistline!!!!

You will need;

1. 1/2 cup Libby's Canned PURE Pumpkin (make sure it's PURE pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling or sweetened pumpkin. Pure pumpkin packs only 9g carb per 1/2 cup and 4 of those are pure dietary fiber!!!)
2. 4 packets Stevia
3. 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
4. 1 scoop Jay Robb Vanilla Protein Powder
5. 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
6. 1/2 tsp baking powder
7. 2 TBSP Flaxseed Meal ( I use Arrowhead Mills)
8. 1/4 cup water (if mixture get's "thick" you may need to add more)
   

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth:

Then portion the batter out into a pan and cook evenly on both sides;

I enjoyed mine this morning with a few TBSP's of Sugar Free Maple Syrup ( I buy a variety sweetened with Stevia and suggest you hunt for the same).... and they're DELISH! They also taste SUPER yummy with some PB on top!!!!!!

My Mocha Java Protein Shake

Mix together:

• 1 scoop Jay Robb Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
• 1-2 packets of Stevia
• 3-4 ice cubes
• 1 cup cold brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 TBSP unsweetened Hershey's cocoa

Blend until smooth- I LOVE this shake post workout!!! It's a yummy pick me up the reminds me of what a mocha frappuccino would taste like (even though I've never had one!!!)

***For muscle gain add TWO (2) scoops Protein Powder, 1/4 cup low fat or 2% milk, and 2 TBSP Hershey's Chocolate Syrup***

5 Ways to Choose Better Meat

This post is about one of my FAVORITE foods- MEAT, and considering I eat a lot of it- this is a major concern of mine! I'm willing to bet, that if you're reading this you consume a lot of meat as well. Even though many would argue that a vegan diet is a healthier way of life, AND it is possible to thrive and survive minus meat, the fact of the matter is that animal proteins are among the most bio available and complete. They are a good source of B Vitamins, iron, magnesium, amino acids, and zinc- all of which can be hard to get into your diet through other means.

Most people who "don't" eat meat, do so because they either think it's high in fat, causes ill health, OR they're worried about the environment or the treatment of animals.

My father is the farm manager at Rodale Research Institute, a leading research institute dedicated towards the research and growth of organics. He also sits on the United States Organics Board and helps set the standards by which organic foods are indentified. Thus I am a huge supporter of organics- and want others to be too- but that aside, getting YOU guys the info is important so you can make your own choices! The bottom line is- whether you eat meat or don't, read on...

Our current industrial agricultural system has a created a situation in which we should ALL be concerned for the animals, the environment, and our personal health. Why? Because it's centralized on subsidized feed crops and concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs. Contrary to popular belief the sustainable movement isn't say "no" to meat, it's just advocatinf that you choose a better KIND of meat, i.e become a more concientious meat eater! Here are 5 ways you can choose better meat- for the animals, the environment, AND most importantly- your health;

1. Understand the issues...
REALLY understand them! I have one statement to make here- bluntly put CAFOS are hell on earth. They're like concentration camps for animals, cruelty is a systematic part of how they do things- and knowing too much about CAFOS would turn ANYONE away from eating meat- myself included- and I LOVE meat! I don't know anyone that can argue this point- cows raised standing in their own fecal matter, pigs confined to gestational crates, chickens subjected to beak cutting and crowded into windowless warehouses, etc etc.

Animal welfare is only one reason to shift away from industrial meat. There are others, including the pollution produced by factory farms. Talk about an environmental concern. Did you know that the worldwide livestock sector accounts for nearly 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions? That's more then the world's transport emissions combined. I was shocked when I read that quote- as I'm sure you just were! The bottom line- the way we raise animals is not only NOT humane, it's not ecologically sustainable.

We have ramped up production to unprecendented levels, creating an excess of animal waste. Feed is another factor. To raise more cows, chickens, and pigs in limited spaces we've altered their diets to go heavy on soy and corn- commoditied subsidized by U.S tax dollars. About 50% of all corn and 90% of all soy goes towards feeding livestock- NOT towards human consumption. It's incredibly polluting and energy intensive way of producing food.

2.Look for greener pastures...
So what's the problem with the corn and soy diet? Well it's this- cows are ruminants, and were never meant to eat corn. Period. When you change their natural diets for the sake of large scale production it has health consequences for them. Since we consume cows, it thus has health consequences for us. Feed lot beef is overly fatty and contains an abnormally small amount of omega 3 fatty acids and too much omega 6- which is the kind of fat linked to heart disease and cancer.

Consider the diet with which we evolved. As hunter/gatherers we got about 50% of our calories from meat, we couldn't overdose on omega 6's because they're most abundant naturally in grains, which wasn't readily available in quantity in the past 5,000 years. Now we're getting 10-20 more times omega 6's then we need as a result of dietary changes- more grain is abundant and our meat is altered. In changing the diet of the animals that we eat, we've tampered with something essential and we are paying the price at higher rates of cancer,heart disease, depression, obesity, and autoimmune disorders.

HOWEVER- and this is a BIG HOWEVER, when you choose GRASS FED beef, the inverse is true! You get fatty acids in balance and a healthy dose of health protective CLA (conjugated lipoic acid). When cows are eating the diet they were designed to eat they have healthy fats and are rich in antioxidants. The entire scope of consuming meat changes.

3.Accept the real costs...
By real costs I mean this- there is no getting around the fact that healthier, earth friendly meats cost more. Shop around as much as you can but be willing to stretch your budget a bit. And remember what you're investing in- yes it is more expensive but thats only because the hidden costs are not offset. Organic farms, or small local farms don't get subsidized- you don't pay through your tax dollars. You have to ask yourself if you'd rather be supporting an extractive economy, based on pulling resources OUT of the earth and pouring garbage into your body, OR do you want a support a sustainable, eco friendly economy that fuels your body the way nature intended?

4. Expand your palate...
Another way to get more for your money and to literally "get more from your meat" is to consider using all parts of the animal. You can do this by saving the bones and making stock, or finding creative ways to utilize more parts of the animal. Small farmers won't have all cuts in stock at all times, since they're working on a smaller scale, they're working with a few animals only at a time rather then hundreds of thousands. Small scale farmers can help you choose another cut (i.e skirt steak can substitute for flank steak) or help you adapt your recipe according to what's available. I recommend looking at http://www.grassfedcooking.com/ for more recipe ideas.

5. Stay local if you can...
When it comes to creating sustainable food systems local is always the trump card, ALWAYS. I know locally I get much of my bison/buffalo from a local bison ranch. Finding a small, local farmer is usually the healthier choice for you, the animal, the farmer, and thus the local economy. If you're unsure as to where one exists near you, check out http://www.localharvest.org/, http://www.eatwild.com/, or http://www.eatwellguide.com/. Better yet connect to your local sustainable food movement. If you live in the city or suburbs consider driving out to get your meat or have it shipped to you from a small family run farm. The cost of transporting meat is minimal compared with the cost to the environment or your tax dollars put to work on CAFO meat. Its far better to buy grass fed from a state away. If you have to shop at a grocery store, or you just prefer to- READ LABELS CAREFULLY. You have to do your homework here. Briefly- here's a cheat sheet:

• USDA ORGANIC: This is the ONLY (I repeat the ONLY) label with real muscle. It means its regulated by the United States government. It guarantees the animal was raised without hormones or antibiotics and was grass fed or fed organic feed. It ALSO specifies that the animal needs to be alotted a certain amount of space for livestock management (thus eliminating CAFO issues).
• CERTIFIED HUMANE: This is an independent certification, and its the go to label for small animal welfare. The standards of this certification address minimum food and water requirements, shelter requirements, as well as humane conditions for slaughter. Standards are different depending on the animal- turkey, chicken, pig, goat, cow, sheep etc.
• ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED: This is the creme de la creme of animal welfare labels, and according to most experts this label has the most rigorous standards for the humane treatment of animals.
• GRASS FED: This term can be used loosely, but cuts marked "American Grass Fed" or "AGA Pasture Finished" are preferable, they meet stringent standards set by the American Grassfed Organization
• FREE RANGE or CAGE FREE: Ideally this would be taken to mean uber happy chickens running around free in a field- but since these terms are un-certified there's no guarantee. The only way to know for sure is to call the company and ask..and even then who knows. Bottom line is it's a term- easily manipulated for marketing purposes. Un certified= unsure.
• ANTIBIOTIC or HORMONE FREE: These terms mean what they say they mean, but again they're not certified so there's no way to know for sure...
• NATURAL: I personally LOATHE this term and wish it was BANNED from usage by the food industry. It's appealing, sure but it's on EVERYTHING and it means NOTHING. It's misleading and misused, minimally regulated, and ultimately nothing more then a marketing ploy to make the consumer think they're getting a "healthier" product. Disregard this label entirely.

When you go out of your way to buy a piece of pork from a pig who was allowed to root, or a cut of steak from a cow that was allowed to pasture, you CAN feel good about eating it. It's good for animal, it's good for the environment, and ultimately good for your health and long term- your wallet.

Three Organs That Make you FAT (or Skinny) Part 2 of 3

As promised, part 2 of 3- The three organs that make you FAT (or skinny!). The second of the three organs I'm going to be discussing is the all important thyroid..... *drumroll*

One reason for unexplainable weight gain could be your thyroid, which is another key player in your metabolism. The thyroid gland can make you either love the hell out of your body or want to hide it away in baggy sweatpants. It's essentially your body's metabolic regulator. It controls metabolism by secreting two hormones that control how fast the body burns calories and utilizes energy. If your thyroid secretes too little you end up with hypothyroidism, or slugglish or underactive thyroid. All of this slows down your bodily functions. Hypothyroidism makes you very tired and lethargic which makes it difficult to burn calories. You probably wont have the energy or drive to go to the gym, and even if you do, you're fighting a slowed system. Because everything is slowed, the body will demand quick energy all the time in carbohydrate cravings- which is why low thyroid sufferers often crave refined carbs like breads, pasta, crackers, cereal, cake, muffins, cookies, juice, alcohol, rice cakes, ice cream and so forth.

Simply put, if your thyroid isn't working to stimulate your metabolism, it is VERY tough to get thin. Your body isn't working FOR you, it's working AGAINST you.

So how do you know if your thyroid is sluggish or underactive? Well it's not the easies thing to diagnose, in fact doctors really struggle with identifying hypothryroidism. This is because it tends to show up in a variety of symptoms that may show up if you've overworked or stressed, life is hectic, or you're aging. However some symptoms are:

• Weight gain
• Cravings for refined carbs
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Foggy thinking
• Inability to tolerate cold
• A slowed heart rate
• Painful menstrual periods
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Dry, scaly skin
• Poor fingernail growth (the thyroid gland controls nail and hair growth)
• Hair loss
• Migraines
• Hoarseness
• Itchy skin
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Heart Palpitations
• Weird burning sensations in the body
• Constipation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Bags under your eyes
• Yellow bumps on your eyelids

In general your risks for hypothyroidism increase with age, particularly for women over 35. It's been suggested by some experts (although don't quote me on this) that up to 25% of all women will eventually suffer from a thyroid issue.

If you do have hypothyroidism don't just rely on your doctor to write a prescription. Taking thyroid medication blocks your body's ability to produce hormones on it's own, and this is NEVER good, and you will be on it for life with greater problems. My mother suffered from hypothyroidism for years and has had better luck balancing her thyroid naturally through diet and exercise then she ever had through medication. I'm not saying "don't use a prescription" but if you do have hypothyroidism examine ALL options before making a life altering decision!

Now Offering Personal Health Retreats!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll now be offering personal health retreats! After the request of a few clients, I decided to finally open up this option!

Personal Health Retreats are the ultimate fitness experience- come and spend time with me in beautiful Pennslyvania and learn one-on-one from me, the ins and outs of healthy living! Let me show you, in person, how to effectively change your life to meet and exceed your goals! My health retreats are offered as both day long excursions or weekend getaways and be customized to meet your specific needs! With a variety of learning and training options, my retreats allow you to go one-on-one with me in a way which can be life changing!

Personal Health Retreats are offered with the following focuses;

1. Competitor- posing, dieting, and training will all be covered! The ultimate in pre contest motivation!
2. Nutrition- education, meal planning, cooking, grocery shopping, time management and more!
3. Exercise- come and get your rear in gear with me!
4. Combination of one or more of the above! Customize your own health retreat- the ultimate fitness experience!

Click Here to learn more and to contact me for rates and availability!

Low Cal Sugar Free Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is one heck of a delicious cold night comfort- HOWEVER it's laden with calories from saturated fat and sugar- two huge no-no's to those of us out there watching our figures!

My solution? My recipe for Low Cal Sugar Free Hot Chocolate....granted it's not going to be the "liquid chocolate in a cup" you might be able to get from the double chocolate triple fudge at the coffee shop around the corner- but it's got enough chocolate punch to satisfy any chocolate craving and the warm beverage keeps you hot and happy on cool nights!!

LOW CAL SUGAR FREE HOT CHOCOLATE

• 1 cup boiling water (OR for creamier flavor use 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
• 2 TBSP Unsweetened Hershey's Cocoa
• 2 TSP Fat Free Coffeemate
• Stevia to taste ( I use more then usual in mine to give it some extra sweetness)

Bring the water or milk to a boil (I just microwave mine on high for about 3 minutes), then stir in the cocoa, coffeemate, and stevia.

Each cup made with water packs NEXT to NOTHING in Calories (approx 10) and if you add the unsweetened almond milk you're looking at about 40-45 calories per cup depending on the brand of Almond Milk you use!

Three Organs that make you FAT (or Skinny!)

Can't guess which three they are? They may surprise you, but the three organs in all of us that have a clear control over whether we're fat or skinny are;

1. Liver
2. Thyroid
3. Adrenal Glands

Combined, these three organs rule your metabolism and when they're not working up to snuff it becomes very hard for your body to build muscle, burn fat, and reap all the benefits from healthy eating and consistent exercising. It's REALLY important to remember to care for these organs when you consider your diet and lifestyle- flushing, detoxing, and cleansing these organs will help keep your body's metabolism revved.

Rather then tackle all three right now (and risk overwhelming you guys) I'll start with the liver, and save the thyroid and the adrenal glands for subsequent posts.

The liver makes proteins that regulate blood clotting, neutralizes toxins in the blood, produces immune agents to fight infection, generates bile to help digest fat, and stores glucose for energy. Your liver is basically the metabolic factory of the entire body, although most people don't realize it. The liver has the potential to make you a fat burning or a fat storing machine depending on how you care for it.

There are several ways in which your liver burns fat;

1. It manufactures bile acids, which act like laundry detergent (so to speak). They break down the cheese fries you ate last night.
2. Bile acids also switch on the activity of brown fat- a caloric incinerator that burns calories rather then storing them.
3. Bile acids also carry excess fat to the small intestines for disposal. If your diet is high in fiber from fruits, veggies, and whole grains then the unwanted fat is washed from the body via the bowels.

Your liver also has the detox job in the body- it works to detoxify everything you eat, drink, swallow, smoke, rub, or otherwise work into your bloodstream. Almost every substance found in your body or put in your body including chemicals, bacteria, hormones fungi, viruses, and parasites are filtered through the liver for removal. I tend to think of the liver as your body's garbage disposal. It works NONSTOP to clean up and remove junk from your body.

This makes your liver very vulnerable to overload. When overload occurs your liver ceases to operate optimally, and it cannot remove or detoxify all of the junk that comes its way. Nor can it do a good job of breaking down proteins, fats, or carbs. The body will start to poison itself.....this is often what happens to people who are chronically sick with headaches, inflammatory diseases, and skin disorders. Many of these chronic problems can be attributed to a sick liver. Toxins that cannot be processed by the liver (due to overload) escape into the bloodstream and weaken your immune system. The result can be autoimmune disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, arthritis, and firbomyalgia. The body, in essence, turns on itself.

Creepy-I know. But the general public tends to think that as long as they're not throwing back booze every night the liver will take care of itself. NOT TRUE. We have more toxins in this country then the rest of the world, in fact third world residents have healthier livers then we do. They simply don't have chemically enhanced or additive laden foods or foods pumped up with hormones. In this country more people then ever are overweight and sick and health professionals are beginning to look inward for the answer- to our livers.

The following are some symptoms of a sick liver;

• Weight gain (in the midsection)
• Cellulite
• Bloating
• Allergies
• Gluten intolerance
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hormone imbalance
• Hypoglycemia
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Yeast overgrowth
• Skin disorders
• Sleeplessness
• Bad breath
• Disorientation of confusion
• Itchiness
• Discolored stools

If ANY of these sound like you- it COULD be an overworked liver, in which case some damage control is needed. The liver is repairable- it can be restored and rejuvenated with a little TLC. Giving your liver some love will help your body burn fat more efficiently (weight loss) and will help make you less vulnerable to dietary indulgences. You won't have to "panic" when you indulge in a cheat meal or treat food as long as you get back to clean eating immediately after.

To help take care of your liver I recommend the following;

• Drink PLENTY of water-at LEAST two to three liters of pure water a day to help detox the body and assist the bile acids in flushing out the toxins. Add some lemon for flavor if needed- remember that water with lemon is a natural fat metabolizer and can burn fifty to seventy calories a day just from drinking it!
• Eat organic if you can! It contains fewer toxins and makes things easier on your liver
• Supplement with liver friendly herbs. I take milk thistle to help cleanse my liver. Milk thistle acts as an antioxidant in the liver, which means it fights free radicals. Other liver healers are licorice root, skullcap, red clover blossom, and slippery elm bark. You can find liver cleanse supplements that include blends or all or some of the above
• Increase your fiber- mostly from fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
• Get enough B Vitamins. B Vitamins are involved in the movement of fat. If in doubt take a B Vitamin multi.

One organ down- next up- THE THYROID!!!! :)

Keep Holiday Pounds at Bay with 15 of my Healthy Holiday Tips!

Every holiday season, I hear clients of mine vow the same thing, "I will NOT gain weight this year." Yet another holiday season passes and statistics show that on average, women (more so then men) gain an average of 4 lbs in the two weeks between Christmas and New Years. That doesn't even take into account Turkey Day!! No matter how much we "vow" to not gain weight, it seems the holidays often get the best of us. I say it day in and day out to my clients, but I'll say it again- YOU NEED TO PLAN. Not having a plan is a surefire way to failure. Don't just talk the talk when it comes to the holidays, walk the walk! The following are 15 of my healthy holiday tips to help keep you ON TRACK and PLANNED this holiday season!

Tips 1-5: NUTRITION

1. Never arrive to a holiday, or holiday party hungry. NEVER. Before a big party I eat all of my planned meals for the day, just as I would on any normal day. This helps to keep me from overconsuming at the event. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves during the day to make room for the big meal, and this is a surefire way for weight gain. Another tip of mine? Drink a protein shake RIGHT before you walk in! I take one scoop of my Jay Robb protein powder in a blender bottle with water and chug it immeidately before I walk through the door. The protein helps to fill me up and prevent me from making split second poor food choices!

2. Enjoy some java and tea! Hot beverages help to keep you full, longer. Sipping on some flavored coffee or some freshly brewed hot tea also keeps your hands and mouth busy when you mingle. If I get sweet cravings at night I opt for a cup of decaf flavored coffee with some sugar free creamer. If I'm really hungry I'll add a scoop of chocolate protein powder to the hot coffee in a blender and make it a midnight mocha snack!

3. Be picky about the foods you indulge in. It IS the holidays, and I understand certain foods surface during the holiday season that you may not have the chance to eat any other time of the year. For example, my mom makes these insanely delicious mini pecan cookies around Christmas that she does not make during the rest of the year, so I choose to eat one or two of those, as opposed to all the other calorie laden foods at my family's house for the holidays. Skip the junk that you see day to day throughout the year and instead hone in on the one or two treats you absolutely LOVE that you cannot have any other occasion!

4. BE PLANNED! I cannot say this enough. Do not head to a holiday get together or a holiday meal without a plan. If you're headed to a buffet plan to load your plate 3/4 of the way full of fresh fruits and veggies from the veggie platter. The other 1/4 of the plate can be for sinful delights.I also recommend you bring a bottle of water and drink plenty of water to keep full. Sick of plain water? Add in some flavored Stevia packets ( I love Stevita drink sticks, I carry them in my purse!) or some lemon or lime slices for a light citrus flavor. When your body is thirsty it'll trigger false hunger signals because food contains a lot of water. Drink lots of water or hot tea to keep your hands busy and your mouth and belly full at parties!

5. Bring healthy food with you. Now I'm not saying you need to walk into a party with a cooler in tow (although if you wanted to hats off!) but stash your purse full of some healthy munchies. I recommend carrot sticks, celery sticks, rice cakes, 100 calorie snack packs of raw unsalted almonds, and maybe an apple or some fruit. Don't get caught in a sticky situation with nothing to eat but the garbage in front of you. Keeping "grab and go" snacks with you in your purse can help you out in a pinch if munchies get the best of you!

Tips 6-10: TRAINING & EXERCISE

6. Workout on the day of the party! I mean it- I always feel better, internally and externally, if I'm exercising. I'm a firm believer that exercise and nutrition play off of each other. By this I mean they help balance each other out- eating better propels you to exercise, and exercising propels you to make better choices nutritionally. If you physically feel great, healthy, and energized, you're not going to want to load your body down with crap, and mentally you won't want to ruin the amazing workout you just had by eating the wrong things.

7. PLAN AHEAD! If the gym you typically go to has reduced hours or is closed, or if the weather is keeping you from getting to your daily facility, then you need to have a backup plan. Invest in some workout DVDs, some exercise bands, or some light dumbbell weights so you have "at home" options in case. I keep my P90X DVDs on hand along with my doorframe pull up bars and my exercise bands so if I'm stuck at home I can still get a solid workout in! Don't make excuses, make results- be sure to plan ahead for less then optimal circumstances!

8. Sign up for a holiday run or run/walk! Locally, there's always a huge holiday fundraiser in the park for the local Humane chapter- in which owners run/walk with their dogs. I sign up every year because not only does the money go to a good cause but I also get the exercise from running or walking the 5k with my pooch!

9. If you're crunched for time with holiday shopping and party planning, up the amp on your workouts by intensifying your training. Incorporate supersets into your training to cut down on your gym time or throw plyos into your weight training to increase the cardio burn! Use your rest periods between sets actively by doing jump squats, pop squats, box jumps, or crunches to keep your heart rate up and increase your calorie/fat burn. Circuit style training not only cuts down on time but it keeps you moving which increases your body's fat burn. Don't skimp on the gym because of a time shortage, rather adjust your workouts accordingly so you have time to both train well AND shop well!

10. Look for oppurtunities to squeak in extra exercise! Park far away from the mall entrance, and walk briskly to and from the stores to get the heart rate up. Walk your dogs, go for a walk with your husband or significant other, enjoy a holiday post meal walk with friends or family. Going bar hopping? Park far away from the bars and bring a coat! Take advantage of every oppurtunity presented to burn some excess calories off!

Tips 11-15: BEHAVIOR & LIFESTYLE

11. Volunteer! I don't mean at the homeless shelter (although that's amazing too!!) but I mean to help out with the holiday meals! Take some initiative and offer to make a dish or a dessert for the big dinner. I ALWAYS offer to help my mom out by bringing a dish or a dessert. I opt to make low calorie, low sugar, or low fat versions of holiday favorites to cut calories. I include fruit in my desserts if possible and stay away from unhealthy, high fat, high sugar ingredients. That way I know there's at least one dish at the dinner that won't KILL my waistline!

12. Avoid the downward spiral- this is a good tip year round, but especially during the holidays when temptation lurks around every corner. If you mess up one day, or eat something junky for one meal, do not allow that one single step back to become an entire downward fall. Get back on track ASAP. Plan your next healthy meal and begin to make better decisions IMMEDIATELY. Chances are one slip here or there will not kill your fitness goals, what WILL kill them dead in your tracks is the continual over-eating or the continuous binge that can occur when people begin to let themselves slide.

13. It's in-evitable, people are going to be pushing food at you from all angles this holiday season. Be prepared, and plan ahead for what you're going to say when this happens. I know I sometimes just say that I'm full, and I'll take some food to go. Then, when I find the nearest trash can- in goes the food. Don't feel pressured, just feel PREPARED to politely decline food. Your family isn't going to understand why you don't want a second serving of Grandma's calorie laden potato filling, so be prepared with a response when they ask for an explanation!

14. Reward yourself- and not with food! Plan small rewards for yourself during the holiday season. It's important to set marks for yourself and give yourself a well earned pat on the back for adhering to your plan. For every week of scheduled workouts you complete or every week of planned meals you stick to- REWARD YOURSELF! Whether it's with a new winter hat, a manicure, or a cute holiday top- giving yourself small, NON food oriented rewards can help you feel good about what you're doing!

15. PLAN AHEAD. Everyone's schedule gets full around the holidays, so make sure you pencil in "workout" time and "food prep" time when you plan your week. Commit to 3-4 workout sessions a week, even if they're only 30 minutes each, and stick to that schedule. Leave your phone in the car if need be, or plug into your IPod to tune everyone else out, but make sure you get to the gym and get focused. Adjusting your workouts is one thing- cutting them out entirely is another. Careful planning and some clever strategy will ensure you get the job done!

BOOK NOW: I'm the Official Makeup Artist for the 2010 Erik Fankhouser WV State & Mid Atlantic Grand Prix!

I'm THRILLED to announce that I am the official makeup artist for the 2010 Erik Fankhouser West Virginia State and Mid Atlantic Grand Prix, held Saturday Nov 20, 2010!

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For more information please click the banner above to reserve your slot TODAY! For more information on the show itself, or for an official entry form please CLICK HERE!

Looking for tanning services? Jan Tana spray tanning will be offered by the Official Tanning Service of the show, GST Fitness. Contact Gretchen Crass at Gretchen@gstfitness.com to book your spray tanning appointment today!

On this year's contest diet- FRIES! NO JOKE!

Like my fries? These could be yours to chow down on when prepping for a show- and NO I'm not joking!!!!

This recipe is 100% contest prep friendly- but of course here comes my disclaimer- CONTACT YOUR NUTRITIONIST OR COACH FIRST to make sure this complies!!!

Don't go whipping up sweet potato fries without asking permission first!

Most competitors are allowed sweet potatoes on their diet, however plain baked sweet potatoes get old, fast. If you're a french fry gal (and most of us out there are) then this is a recipe for you! Trust me, these can be a lifesaver in prepping for a show and are incredibly easy to make!

You will need the following;

• Your alloted amount of sweet potato ( by this I mean if you're eating 2 ounces, grab your two ounces sweet potato (raw), if you're eating 4, grab 4, just make sure your sweet potato is raw (UNCOOKED!)
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If your oven is on the dull side, try 450 or you'll be waiting forever for these to be done.
• 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with 1 TBSP water (combine in a spray bottle and shake up!)
• Pinch red pepper (if spicy isn't your thing use regular pepper)
• Pinch salt

Lightly spritz a piece of aluminum foil with PAM (LIGHTLY, Pam has calories so don't go coating it). Slice your potato length wise into "fry" looking pieces and arrrange on foil. Spritz with the olive oil water mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to desired taste. Place in oven for approx. 30 minutes although you will need to check these. I like mine super well done, so I leave them in longer. If you like fries NOT well done, check them at 25 minutes and assess from there!

Are You a Sugar Addict?

The biggest reason people get fat or gain weight is sugar. I work with overweight clients who tell me ALL the time "I don't really like sweets." Yet after examining their diets I see that they're loaded with bread, pasta, yogurt, and cereals- all foods that are laced with hidden sugars. They don't eat plain oats or oatmeal for example, they eat a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal containing 12 grams of sugar. If this sounds like your dietary habits, trust me, you're addicted to sugar, whether you realize it, or not.

Sugar has ZERO nutritional value. It weakens your immune system. It throws off your metabolic functions and is highly addictive. In fact, it's the leading food additive in the U.S food supply and is making us a nation of sugar junkies. It's practically in every product you eat now. In fact, the average American (hold onto your undies this stat is CREEPY) downs about 30 teaspoons of added sugar DAILY. Um that's about 480 NUTRITIONALLY EMPTY CALORIES A DAY! EW.

Refined sugar is technically called SUCROSE or table sugar. But the other sugars you need to run from are DEXTROSE (corn sugar), FRUCTOSE (fruit sugar), MALTOSE (malt sugar) and LACTOSE (milk sugar). Don't even get me started on artificial sweetners or sugars, that's another post for another time!

It's sad that sugar is marketed as "natural", an advertising term I wish we would eliminate. Somehow the public has started to equate natural with healthy, when it's anything but. There's nothing natural about sucrose. 90% of the original source (sugarcane or sugar beets) has been removed. The brown color is lightened by chemical bleaching. Yum right? What's left is white sugar, stripped bare of all it's minerals and vitamins.

Sugar isn't just bad for the waistline, it's bad for your HEALTH. When sugar is found in natural foods and plants, such as apples, berries, or even sugarcane, it comes in it's God intended package (so to speak) complete with vitamins, enzymes, and minerals needed for complete digestion. When it's found in sugar packets or candy, or baked goods, etc it contains nothing of any good. The body actually has to borrow from its stores of nutrients in order to digest it.

I could go on and on about what sugar does to the body- it makes you fat, it grows cancer, it kills your immune system, hell it gives you wrinkles! Sugar does the following;

• Gives you weight gain
• Slows your metabolism
• Can make you irritable or depressed
• Gives you constant cravings
• Mental confusion
• Yeast infections
• Chronic fatigue
• Migraines
• Damage to vital organs
• Coma or death (in uncontrolled diabetes)

Sugar is cleverly hidden in virtually EVERYTHING we eat, especially processed and packaged foods from breads and crackers and soup to sauces, entrees- even diet foods and low fat foods. So here's my guidelines for sugar:

CHOOSE FOODS with 5g or LESS of sugar. The body doesn't register anything 5g or less so this is optimal.

Some of the worst offenders include breakfast cereals. Suppose you start your day with the "good for you" bowl of Raisin Bran, well you just ingested 20g of sugar, about the same in NINE (9) Hershey's Kisses! A packet of Quaker Instant Oatmeal, like Maple and Brown Sugar or Apples n Cinnamon includes 13+ grams of sugar!! Don't TOUCH THIS CRAP. Opt for whole rolled oats, plain, and add in cinnamon and Stevia to sweeten. Consumer Reports found that eleven popular breakfast cereals contain at least 40% sugar by weight. That's AT LEAST as much sugar as you'd get in a glazed doughnut.

Sugar hides in foods under clever names like beet sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, maltodextrin, maltitol (sugar alcohol), mannitol (sugar alcohol), sorbitol (sugar alcohol), sucrose, turbinado sugar, or of course, chemically FAKE sugars like aspartame or sucralose (i.e Equal and Splenda). These sugars are in everything from protein bars, protein powders, to shakes, to breads and dairy. Don't waste your time reading ingredients, you'll be so overwhelmed you'll run screaming from the store. Eat foods with 5g sugar or LESS per serving, you'll be fine!

BUT FIRST:

Are you a Sugar Addict? Take the questionnaire to find out!

Answer "yes" or "no" to the following, and be as honest as you can be!

1. Do you snack frequently on sweet foods or drink sweet beverages between meals?
2. Do you often feel shaky, weak, or irritable after eating sugary foods?
3. Do you eat sugary desserts most days of the week?
4. Would you describe yourself as chronically tired most days of the week?
5. Do you usually put sugar in coffee or tea?
6. Do you use sweet condiments (jams, jellies, syrups, and the like) daily?
7. At parties do you gravitate towards the sweets?
8. When you were a kid did your parents give you sweets for being good?
9. After eating sweets do you feel euphoric, only to have your mood plunge later?
10. When you get cravings are they mostly for bread or sweets?
11. Do you suffer from frequent headaches?
12. Do you usually grab a doughnut or bagel for breakfast?
13. Do you drink soft drinks (including diet drinks) daily?
14. When you go to the snack counter at the movies do you buy candy?
15. If you order an alcoholic beverage is it usually something sweet like a pina colada, frozen margartia, etc?

If you answered YES to 3 or more of these questions, chances are- YOU'RE A SUGAR ADDICT.

COMING SOON!

With Nationals behind me and a bit of an offseason ahead of me, I finally have the time needed to dedicate to the creation of a VIP section to my website, www.alli-fitness.com!

I'm looking forward to housing my collection of recipes, articles, supplement reviews, training techniques and tips, as well as videos of myself training, exercise instruction, and cooking!! I'll also be hosting my personal daily nutrition journal and exercise log in my members section as well as posing videos, and tips for preparing for photo shoots AND contests! There will be entire sections dedicated to cooking, recipes, and nutrition, as well as my "competitor's corner" which will house a wealth of information about prepping for a show, diet and training methods, nutrient manipulation, supplements for weight loss AND muscle gain, and much much more!!

My VIP section is still grossly "in the works" and has a ways to go, but once launched I'm looking forward to REALLY sharing my passion for this sport, for nutrition and exercise with the public! Access to the VIP section will be done through a variety of options including a one time fee as well as monthly fees and will allow the user access to a REALM of information about health, fitness, training, nutrition, beauty, as well as insight into my personal training and exercise regime. It will be a great way to interact with me, and with other users as well! I'm looking to establish an interactive network of support so all users can not only read my materials, but interact with myself, AND others as well!

Be sure to check back for updates, and look for the VIP area to launch in early 2011!

I Pray. Do you?

Those of you who know me, know I truly believe in a holistic view of health- meaning I believe that complete health comes from physical, mental, emotional, AND spiritual health- combined. Yet of all the things I've blogged about, written about, and emailed my clients about, spiritual health has seemed to have fallen by the wayside. I guess that's because of all the things I've written about, the fact that I pray daily is something I've been rather sheepish about. Confessing that I believe in God and work to cultivate a relationship with Him is something that's been harder for me to discuss- I guess because along with owning up to a connection with God, comes the "Jesus Freak" connotation. You know what I mean. The "holier then thou", "believe as I believe" Bible thumping hands raised in the air in obnoxious worship type personality that drives everyone (including me) MAD with annoyance.

Well, it's safe to say I'm NOT one of those. Not even close. My prayers are pretty simple. Most times they feel more like conversations then anything formal. In fact sometimes they're hardly prayers at all, more or less comments to God throughout the day, statements made when I'm flustered, or declarations made during dark moments. "Okay, God, little help here", I'll say, or I'll ask for direction on how to do or say the right thing. I try to open my heart up so the next day will be just a little bit better. I don't tell many people I do this, especially most of the fitness people I tend to surround myself with. A sport so focused on the body does not tend to be a foundation for "God discussion." I know most people tend to get uncomfortable as soon as the God topic comes up. I know I did. In fact some of you are probably twitchy right about now.

Since I've started making a living in fitness and nutrition I've been realizing more and more just how many divine little mysteries lie in our everyday lives. Who figured out how to connect the muscles in the body? Who propels the body to run, to lift, to jump, to swim? Who figured out that some beets should be red, others golden, and some swirled like candy canes? What blessed entity invented cacao pods and vanilla beans or figured out that salt can preserve or brighten anything? What are we to make of a hundred different varieties of lettuce and the brilliant combinations of apple families and different oranges and pears and potato varieties? Who created melons and pork and peanuts? Or the miracle that is peanut butter??

Things get mysteriously divine if you start thinking about the way the body works and the way our bodies metabolize and handle different foods. When you consider food varieties and the miracle that is nutrition, you start to think about the miracle of the human body- what it can do, what it's capable of, and what we do with it on a daily basis as athletes.

So much of what we do is grounded in faith- we try a certain exercise because a trainer told us to- and we have faith it will work. We do the same with our nutrition. Because someone told us oats and sweet potatos over doughnuts and cereal, we have faith. We take chances grounded in what we're told because we have faith we are doing the right thing. And once we tried those exercises, or those foods, we became believers, because we saw they worked. We spread the word to others, who tried them in faith as well, they became believers. Entire cultures have been built on similar levels of faith and trust.

Maybe you can argue away all of that "magic" through cold hard science. It's not God but science that dictates how our bodies work, how we metabolize food, etc. Well, fine. So let's move to something you CAN'T use science to argue about. Can the cold hard facts of science explain that magic moment that settles into a person's eyes when they LOVE a new exercise? Or the look on a woman's face when she sees that scale drop 5 lbs? What about the explanation of the way it feels to run, steady and strong? People glow when they exercise, when they eat right, when they feel GOOD about themselves. To me, those types of moments, those "zen" moments ought to be proof to ANYONE that something greater then us is at work here. It's part of why I have faith, but it doesn't explain why I pray my ass off daily.

I suppose I don't discuss it because I don't want to give the wrong impression. Maybe it's because I'm afraid it makes me look weak. I suppose I assume some people will scoff. There are assumptions that come with praying, and the last thing I want is to be lumped into the "religious zealot" category of Bible bumping crazies.

There is a saying that "religion is for those who fear hell, and spirituality is for those who have been there." Now I'm not saying I've been through a hurricane, but I have been through my own little piece of hell, and I have been tested. Being tested strengthens faith, and that's the kind of faith I want. The kind that's been tested, messed with, spit on, and scorched. The kind that's prevailed. I've struggled with my own number of demons, both internal and external, and maybe I just needed to stop doubting my own experience with faith in order to openly admit that I pray.

Religion produces people who are judgmental- of themselves and others. Spirituality produces an open heart, and open mind, and a loving soul. There is a peace and patience that comes from a deep spiritual relationship with God. I strive every day to see this world as a beautiful world, and to be open to God's presence in it. It's what's seen me through trials. It's what's strengthened my faith, both in myself and in God.

So even now, when I'm down on myself, or when I'm scraped to the bare metal and I'm struggling, I think about trying to see the world as a beautiful place, a place I should be gratefu to be, despite the odds. Praying helps me to do that.

Throughout my life I've wafted in and out of hell, sometimes for short vacations, sometimes for day trips, and sometimes for extended stays I thought would NEVER end. And I know I will have more trials. When I do, I will pray my way through those as well. Without shame. Without embarrassment. And with an open heart.

So whomever you pray to- Buddha, nature, God, or other, just make sure you work to cultivate the peace and patience and spirituality within yourself....with an open heart. :)

I don't need a trainer.... do I?

"I don't need a trainer. I know what I'm doing."

I hear this ALL the time. Over and over again people seem to redundantly think they don't need assistance in the area of working out or of nutrition. And the fact of the matter is, you do. No matter how intelligent you are, or how advanced you are in your knowledge of exercise and fitness, you need a trainer. In fact, in my opinion, the more advanced you become the more you'll need a trainer. Typically its those of us who are advanced who require a second opinion or another way of doing things to prevent us from becoming stagnant in our own approach.

I'm not just posting this because I'm a trainer. I'm posting this because I'm a trainer who HAS a trainer. I'm a trainer who trains other trainers. Ultimately, I'm a person with a deep belief that everyone and anyone who wants or needs to know about working out and eating right needs to enlist the help of a trainer. Unfortunately being a trainer is a grossly underpaid and under recognized profession in our society. There seems to be this "do it yourself" approach when it comes to exercise and nutrition, which I find odd because in most other areas of health we are the first ones to run screaming for the aid of doctors and specialists. Yet when it comes to working out and eating right- we skimp.

Now we all know the benefits of having a trainer include things like "proper form" and "exercise execution", but I believe the need for a trainer goes much much deeper then that. I know how to lift, I know how to perform a dumbbell curl, and most anyone with reading or pictorial skills can sit down at a gym machine and read the operational instructions. But how do you string together exercises to create a mass building routine? How do you train to get lean? What about weight loss? What if I want to lean out while retaining my lean muscle? How do I sculpt or re-structure the shape of my back or shoulders? How can I downsize my legs? How can I enhance my quad sweep? See where I'm going with this....? Enter a trainer.

What about nutrition? What to eat? How much? When? How often? Post workout? Pre workout? The list can go on and on. Enter a trainer.

But trainers do far more for their clients then simply direct in terms of nutrition, supplementation, and exercise. They motivate, support, and encourage. For me that's the most meaningful aspect of having a trainer- having someone 100% behind you, in your corner pushing you to do better, to be better, and to carry on when it gets hard. It's important when you're trying to be focused on physique goals to surround yourself as best you can with people who will foster a "fitness friendly environment" and be supportive of you. Trainers do just that. They understand, they listen, they re-route, and they motivate. There is no point in embarking on a fitness goal, in investing in a gym membership, or home equipment, or beautiful tupperware containers for food prep, or expensive organics if at the end of the day you go tumbling off the wagon at the sight of pizza. Having someone there to hold you in place and help keep you centered is invaluable, and worth every damn penny I promise you.

Whether you need someone in person, or are looking for a trainer online- my advice to you is this- TRY A TRAINER. Be picky, hunt around, inquire ask questions, but get out there and get information. Hiring a trainer could be just the push you need to take you to the next level with your fitness!

Not all Peanut Butter is created equal!

Olympic diver Greg Louganis termed peanut butter "the breakfast of champions". Yet, despite peanut butters many benefits, depending on what brand you buy, how it's manufactured, packaged, and processed, you MAY not be getting the best of the best when it comes to peanut butter.

If you wander into the peanut butter isle you'll be bombarded with different types of peanut butter- the All American staple, Jif, it's competitors Skippy and Peter Pan, organic peanut butters, Smucker's peanut butter and jelly, natural peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter, no stir peanut butter, and the latest- peanut butters claiming to be "All Natural". Whatever that means.

I should start by saying under no circumstances should you leave your grocery store with Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan in your cart. Period. For starters look at the list of ingredients in a standard jar of Jif:

• Roasted peanuts and sugar (yes that's right, those are the FIRST TWO ingredients. Not just peanuts, but peanuts and SUGAR.... you already shot the nutritional benefits of peanut butter to hell- but read on!)
• Molasses (more sugar)
• Fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (not as dangerous as partially hydrogenated oils which are loaded with trans fats, but it's still an addition of excess oils and fats to the peanut butter)
• Mono and diglycerides (hmmm sound yummy? Exactly. No thanks. Basically they're fats which are added to a product as a preservative. They stabilize food and give it consistency. In the case of peanut butter, they keep Jif looking like jif and not the peanut butter with separation you also see on the shelf. Basically it increases the saturated fat content, and it's an additive- an un-necessary one at that)
• Salt

So pass on Jif. Now onto my next point- what to do about these brands of peanut butter that are marketed as "natural"? What is the difference between "natural" and "organic?" Well first off, organic is not "organic" unless it is USDA certified so always look for that seal. Organic foods are foods that are processed, manufactured, and handled by means defined by the USDA per its Organic Food Products Act. Organic foods are granted and monitored by the government and are guaranteed to be free of chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and preservatives. Natural foods on the other hand have NO governing board of certification and essentially are defined as being "foods derived from plants and animals." Hmmm. Pretty broad if you ask me. In most cases "natural" means foods that are "minimally synthesized", but still synthesized nonetheless. Let's take a look at Jif's "Natural brand of Peanut Butter":

• Roasted Peanuts (perk here, peanuts as the FIRST ingredient)
• Sugar (and here we are again. Sugar is not included WITH the first ingredient, but it comes in a close second)
• Palm Oil (an excess additive again)
• Molasses (more sugar)
• Salt

Small differences, but not BIG differences or GOOD differences. So no Jif, no Skippy, no Peter Pan and no brands marketed as "natural". What does that leave us with?

You're going to look for the following;

1. USDA seal meaning the peanut butter is certifiable ORGANIC- free of not only additives and un-necessary sugars and fats, but pesticide free as well.
2. Peanut butter that has separation, which typically demonstrates that is ACTUALLY natural, free from additives meant to stabilize (hold the oil) together.
3. Sodium Free
4. Sugar Free
5. Look for the following ingredients: ORGANIC PEANUTS. Period. That's it. Ground nuts is all you need!

Typically I recommend finding a place that allows you to grind your OWN peanut butter, right there in the store. Typically this doesn't result in seperation (since it's freshly ground and not stored) which many people love. I know Whole Foods Markets have this.

If you don't have that option though, be on the look out for peanut butter that complies with the tips I listed above. For example I found this brand at the nearest Giant: Nature's Promise Organic Sodium Free Natural Peanut Butter:

Notice how it has the USDA seal on the front, is sodium free (unsalted) and has ONE ingredient. ONE. That's all you need in peanut butter.

Now I know the stirring aspect of natural peanut butter can be frazzling for most, but if you stir it all up initially and set it in the refrigerator it will help to naturally stabilize it a bit more. Natural peanut butter is filling and satisfying, high in fiber, healthy fats, and protein, and helps lower bad "ldl" cholesterol. It's also rich in micronutrients, which synthesized peanut butters are not, including reserveratrol, which is a natural antimicrobial agent produced by the peanut plant to ward off potential pathogens (bacteria, virii, and fungi). Another fun peanut butter perk? It contains the substance p-coumaric acid, a polyphenol that helps combat oxidative stress (a syndrome which can lead to cardiovascular disease)!

Cooking Spray- REALLY???

I must confess that I used cooking spray for all of my cooking until I read about it in one of my nutrition books! I thought I was getting zero calories. WRONG. I thought it was better for me than straight olive oil.

This is a GREAT form of trickery. We are all aware that we have to be extra careful to look at “Serving Sizes”when we pick out foods and read food labels. It’s all good to look at a protein bar and see it has 150 calories and then eat the whole thing and realize that the whole bar was 2.5 servings??!! What??!!

Did you know that companies can lower the portion size to be small enough that one serving can show a trace amount of something (trans fats, for example) and show up as 0g on the label. My point? 0g does not always ACTUALLY mean 0g!

Here's my point- take a look at the label for your cooking spray. The first ingredient is probably Canola Oil. We know that Canola Oil has more than 0g of calories and fat. In fact, it’s pretty high in fat and calories, because, well…it’s a fat! (It’s a good fat, but it’s still a fat and thus high in calories and …fat!) So, how can the first ingredient be canola oil and the calories and fat be 0g?

Check out the amount of servings per container! 1812!!! If I used only one serving every morning for breakfast, this can would last me approximately 4.96 YEARS! Let’s say I used it for 3 meals a day at only one serving size…then, the can would last me 1.65 YEARS! Seriously?! How long does a can of non-stick spray last in your kitchen? Years? I think not.

Check out a serving size…1/4 second spray. Is it even humanly possible to hold down the sprayer for only a quarter of a second??!! Fun experiment, but no thanks. How do you cover an entire skillet, baking dish or cookie sheet with 1/4 second spray?! I personally timed myself this morning, (using the container I'm pulling this info from) measuring in whole seconds of course (I mean, really!) and was at least at 3 seconds for my pan....

Next point, take a look at some other ingredients in your spray…. (again I'm using mine as an example....)

• Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides
• Phosphated Mono & Diglycerides
• Calcium Stearate
• Silicon Dioxide
• Propellant

YUMMY!!! Can I have some……calcium stearate with a side of propellant, please? EW. Food additives = bad. I mean do you HONESTLY even know what all that stuff is? I sure as hell DO NOT.

What do we do then? Are we destined to have our food stick to our pans?

I use these Kitchen Spritzers from Pampered Chef. I have two. One for olive oil and water mixture. I dilute my olive oil with water. You just give it a quick shake and spray it on the pan! Vwalah! No food additives. No sticky food. No false sense of 0 calories or buying foods that are tricking you! (I hate that….must be a pride or principal thing.)And to boot you get a LOWER calorie serving of a fat you KNOW is natural and HEALTHY and digestible by your body...

Scary huh? Trust me, the more you know about what goes into your food the more scared you'll be- I'm beginning to think the age old saying "ignorance is bliss" MAY have truth to it!

Avoiding Cravings...

We all get cravings. Myself included. How can we not? We're human after all. And I promise you, despite how we eat and how we look, ask any figure or fitness athlete what they'd rather be eating and you'll get a myriad of responses from pasta to pizza to cake to french fries- definitely NOT fish and veggies!

However most cravings are in your head. It's based in the concept of deprivation, which can be applied to any area of your life- that we want what we "can't" have. Your body does not "NEED" a Reese's to perform adequately in the gym, or to fuel itself or to run through all it's human processes. But randomly you may get cravings for something that is nowhere near the constraints of your diet. This is completely normal, because you've taken Reese's out of the equation, now all of a sudden they mean that much more to you.

Many times also, cravings are based in physiology. Your body could be telling you the following;

1) CARB CRAVINGS: If you're dieting like a madwoman and doing more cardio then usual, and seeminly, out of nowhere you begin dreaming about bowls of pasta and endless plates of pizza, perhaps you're dieting a smidge too hard. Your body is saying, "More carbs" in the only way it can- via a craving. This does not mean you should hop off the diet wagon and make a beeline to nearest endless pasta buffet, you may WANT to, but all your body needs are organic whole rolled oats, healthy grains like brown rice and quinoa, and fibrous green veggies like broccoli, asparagus, kale, and bok choy.

2)GOTTA GRAB MEAT: On a macronutrient level, if you're craving meats it could be a potential iron deficiency. I advise checking this out with a doctor before doing anything. Then head to your supermarket of choice and look to add healthy red meats into your diet. Look for organic, grqass fed, with no hormones or additives. Also look for a "low fat marbling" eye of round, a sirloin, or a filet.

3) FUN FAT: Many new clean eaters neglect good fats, operating under the assumption that fat makes you...FAT. Avoiding fats will end up giving you dreams similar to the carb pasta dreams, except yours will involve jars of peanut butter or cartons of ice cream. Incorporating some healthy fats into your diet like raw unsalted almonds, avocado, flax seeds, and olive oil can help calm those cravings AND (here's a bonus) keep you satiated and less snack happy!

4) STAYING ON TRACK: A lot of clean eaters tend to allow themselves a treat here and there so they never feel they are missing out (unless you're competing, of course, in which case strict is the name of the game). Working in cheat meals of no more then 400 calories can keep you sane and on track. Choose foods you don't typically indulge in, or eat up in calories. However, if you don't feel the need to cheat, don't. But studies have shown that "flexible" dieting, meaning dieting with occasional cheats makes for longer success then those who operate on a very strict basis.

5) THE POWER OF VISION: I tell my clients this all the time- VISUALIZE IT! I do this myself- I visualize myself being awarded my pro card on stage while I'm dragging my ass up the stepmill, or pounding away on the track. Envision what it will be like looking in the mirror and seeing the body of your dreams staring back at you. Imagine liking what you see to keep you motivated while the rest of the world is downing garbage. And think, "no thanks I'll pass, I'll take my skinny jeans over a plate of nachos ANY DAY!"

Spiced Apple and Pear Crisp

SPICED APPLE AND PEAR CRISP
This is my "healthier" alternative to the traditional calorie laden fall favorite! I used my mother's recipe as a base and played with alternative ingredients until I got it right! 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 3 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 1 TBSP lemon juice 2 TBSP Stevia 1 TBSP grated ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 3/4 cup whole wheat or oat flour 3/4 cup whole rolled oats 1/2 cup brown sugar (or to cut more calories use Stevia) 1/4 tsp salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 7x11 baking dish with Pam. In a large bowl toss apples and pears with lemon juice, stevia, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon fruit mixture into dish and set aside. In a food processor pulse oats, flour, sugar/stevia, and salt till combined. Add unsweetened applesauce and pulse again. Spread over fruit mixture and bake until tender, juices are bubbling, and topping is crisp. 45-50 minutes Per 5 ounce serving; 200 calories 6g fat 32g carbs 3g protein 14-25g sugar (Depending on if you use brown sugar or stevia)