Hey strangers.

I have to apologize for being MIA lately. Christmas-time Manda Bees work got pretty hectic and I just couldn't keep up. I had convinced myself for about an entire month that I've got to have attention deficit disorder, but realized today that I just overwork myself and am severely disorganized. On a good note, though, cold-weather headbands and lace undies will be up real soon. Real soon, I promise!

In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! It's to be expected that you might gain a pound or two this December -- I mean, no one should say no to dessert on Christmas, lets be real -- but after all your Christmas cookies are gone and out of the house and you're afraid to step on the scale, try a cleanse to get you back on the right foot.

Here is an awesome list of ten ways to detox your body. Which one is more your style?

Smoothie cleanse, here I come!

I promise I will be back full force soon.

xo

Pumpkin spice cookies!

It's almost Turkey Day!! This year I'm bring these moist little pumpkin spice cookies to our family's dinners. They're delicious, EASY, and healthier than anything else on the dessert table.

The recipe is pretty involved, are you ready for it??

1. Boxed Spice Cake mix (Use whatever you find in the store, or this.)
2. Canned Pumpkin.

BOOM! Cookies. Mix the two together, put spoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or sprayed lightly with olive oil) and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until they rise and aren't squishy in the middle. *Cooking time depends on how big your cookies are, so just watch them! Use a toothpick to check the consistency of the inside.

You can get a little more creative with this if you want. I removed a little over a quarter of a cup of cake mix and subbed in whole wheat pastry flour instead. (Less bleached flour, less sugar). I added a little extra pumpkin spice, nutmeg, and liquid stevia because I love everything wayy too sweet. You could sprinkle powdered sugar on top, ice them, or serve them with frozen yogurt. The cookies come out like moist little chunks of pumpkin bread, and I've been eating mine with a little Earth Balance butter on top!

I don't think I'll tell our families that these are "health cookies" -- they'll never know anyway!

Healthy Pasta Recipe!

I'm sure you're not surprised by yet another one of my healthy pasta recipes. I'm always trying something new when it comes to pasta, keeping it as fresh and healthy as possible. This time I tried incorporating more veggies to the pasta; usually if I'm eating pasta it's for dinner, and I don't like eating carb-heavy grains at dinner, so the more veggies the better.

 First thing's first, sauté a splash of extra virgin olive oil and two packages of washed grape tomatoes covered, on low heat until they're tender enough that they burst when you smoosh them with a wooden spoon (usually around 10-15 minutes.

Once you've smooshed them into a grape tomato saucy mess, add a can of organic tomato sauce, a small handful of dried basil and dried oregano, one bay leaf, a dash of onion powder and some chopped up fresh garlic. Cover and keep it on low heat for 15 minutes.

Then, add a bag (or some of a bag) of frozen green beans. Cover, keep cooking on low. I like a ton of green beans, but B kind of eats around them.

Then, some parm cheese. I use real freshly grated parmesan. The fat free stuff is full of chemicals, basically, so don't ruin your pasta with it. Plus, all you need is a little bit. Don't be afraid of real cheese!

Stir it all up, cook for another few minutes and viola! Chunky pasta sauce. The tomatoes are still somewhat chunky, so it's like a thick marinara sauce. Put this over some whole grain or brown rice pasta. Since you've got the tomato chunks and green beans, you'll be eating less pasta and more veggies, but your brain will think you're eating pasta. Trickery.

If you like it spicy (like B does) you can put some crushed red pepper flakes in it. He loooooves the sauce. If you're not sold on the idea of green beans in pasta, you can leave them out, but it kind of defeats the purpose. :)

Let me know if you guys like this!! Do you have a healthy pasta recipe?

Guilt-free Maple Syrup

A few weeks ago I posted this super easy protein french toast recipe, and since then its pretty safe to say I've been on the french toast diet. Ha, no really, I've eaten it every day for breakfast since then.

I usually use agave nectar or a tiny bit of real maple syrup, but sugar-- no matter where it comes from-- is still sugar, and if I planned on being on the french toast diet for a while, I needed to find a better syrup option.

 When I found Walden Farms Pancake syrup on Vitacost.com I was super skeptical. Supposedly calorie free, fat free, sugar free. User reviews gave this a 4.9 out of 5 stars, and it was only $3.20 for 12 ounces. Intriguing, right? So naturally, I bought it, but out of total skepticism. 

Turns out, it tastes like maple syrup. It's a little bit more on the thin side, but not so much watery. The taste isn't chemical or fake. It's literally the best substitution I've found for real maple syrup.

Which unfortunately, doesn't make it completely perfect. Here are the ingredients:

Other Ingredients: Triple filtered purified water, maple flavor, natural flavors, sea salt, cellulose gum, sucralose, lactic acid, sodum benzoate (to preserve freshness).

Sucralose is fake sugar, and sodium benzoate is a preservative that arguably in large doses can become carcinogenic (cancer causing.) The FDA regulates sodium benzoate to a level that "doesn't pose a risk" since they're so low. (This being the last ingredient on the package, it's probably even lower than that.) Sodium benzoate is in most things that are pre-packaged; everything from soda to salsa to makeup and more. You can read more about this preservative in this LA Times article.

For me, I don't usually eat anything containing preservatives, nor do I use fake sugar (with the exception of my occasional Advocare Slam!) I am, however, a sugar addict, so the benefits outweigh the risks for me. When I make my protein french toast, I use a little Walden Farms calorie-free syrup and a little agave nectar. The amount of the bad stuff you're getting is so, so very minimal, as is the amount of sugar (limit yourself to no more than 25g a day!) but you're still getting it, so use your own judgement.

Why is soy bad for you?

While soy does carry with it some health benefits, if you read the research on soy and soy products you'll see that the risks outweigh any benefits it could offer. Even if you generally avoid soy products (you don't eat soybeans or drink soy milk) you are still most likely exposing yourself to a lot more soy than you think. Soybean oil is used in most processed foods and soy meal is fed to livestock (if it's not organic).  Why should you care? Prepare to become a soy expert!

Soy production in america...

90% of soybeans are genetically modified, and research is increasingly linking consumption of GMOs to serious health problems.

They are also sprayed with pesticides that act as neurotoxins, which slowly damage the brain and the nervous system.

The soybean itself.

Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are a natural plant hormone that mimics estrogen your body and can throw off your body's hormone balance. And, animal studies show that they cause breast cancer.

The fatty acids in soybeans are the omega 6's (and too many omega 6's cause chronic inflammation, which is at the heart of most major chronic diseases.) source

Soybeans also contain goitrogens, a substance that slows the production/release of thyroid hormones and is dangerous for those with hypothyroidism.  source

How we use our GMO soybeans...

Soybean oil is in almost anything that's processed. Breads, cookies, salad dressings, crackers, cereals, potato chips, frozen meals, lunchmeat, energy bars, canned soups, canned tuna and more.

The process of extracting soybean oil from soybeans involves this chemical called hexane; Hexane is also used as an touch-screen cleaner in China, and in 2010 137 iPhone manufacturers required treatment for hexane poisoning around the same time. Several women (interviewed by ABC) were hospitalized for 6 months. One person died from hexane poisoning. source While hexane's no longer being used as iPhone cleaner, it's still being used to produce soybean oil. 

Soybean meal is everything that's left after the oil is extracted using the hexane. The leftover meal is used to feed livestock, so now your chicken contains soy and about three times as much hexane. source


Soy or soy products can go by all of these names

• hydrolyzed soy protein
• miso
• shoyo sauce
• soy flour
• soy grits
• soy nuts
• soy milk
• soy sprouts
• soy protein concentrate
• soy protein isolate
• tempeh
• textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• tofu

Even sneakier.... 

• flavorings
• vitamin E contains soy bean oil
• hydrolyzed plant protein
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• natural flavoring
• vegetable broth
• vegetable gum
• vegetable starch

If you're anything like I used to be, you might read these potential side effects and think, "ehh, it won't happen to me, I'll be fine, I don't eat that much of it".... which is exactly what I was doing about a year ago. I spent months waking up in the middle of the night drenched in a puddle of sweat (seriously, to the point of having to change my clothes) until my doctor ran some test and attributed my excessive night sweats to soy (it messes with your hormones, remember?) So, after cutting out soy completely for a few days, I was back to normal.

So, gone are the days of soy mocha lattes. Sad, I know. If you're lactose intolerant like I am, try almond milk. And pay attention to your ingredients! You shouldn't be eating processed foods anyway, but remembering that sneaky soybean oil can hide in your bread, salad dressings, and more can save you from a whole host of health problems. And keep in mind that even if you aren't having crazy night sweats like I am, the stuff is still getting into your system. Even though you don't have symptoms doesn't mean it's not harming you.

Knowledge is power!! And now you're a soybean know-it-all. :)

Why is bottled salad dressing bad for you?

You probably know that drenching your salad in dressing is a no-no, but do you know exactly why? And did you know that even "light" and "fat free" dressings are bad?

The calories and fat

Not good for your waistline, bottled salad dressings can instantly turn a healthy salad into a meal that's equivalent to a Big Mac in calories and fat. The serving size of salad dressing is usually 2 tablespoons, which, if you've ever measured it out, doesn't amount to much.

 The oil.

 Usually salad dressings contain soybean or canola oil, both of which are genetically engineered and grown with pesticides (unless you buy organic), which often end up in the food. The oil is the source of fat in the dressing, and although your diet should be around 30% fats, soybean and canola oils are not ideal candidates for being "healthy fats." Olive oil is a much better option, and is rarely found in bottled salad dressings.

High fructose corn syrup.

 You've likely heard that HFCS is basically like poison in your body. When used in moderation, it causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, body-wide inflammation, and more. (Click here to read more about HFCS.)

The additives & preservatives.

-MSG: added to processed foods so manufacturers can save money, MSG is a synthetic amino acid that helps intensify the flavor of foods and is also linked to nerve cell damage in the brain, migraines, fibromyalgia, fatigue, muscle tightness, and ADHD.

-Titanium dioxide: a chemical ingredient in paint to make it brighter which is also often contaminated with lead. Sometimes labels will say "titanium dioxide", and sometimes they fall under the vague "colors added" terms. Titanium dioxide is linked to inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.

-Artificial colors: the most-used ones contain cancer-causing chemicals, can screw with your metabolism, and cause allergic reactions that range from minor to life-threatening.

Of course, not everyone will experience these symptoms; some might not experience any symptoms at all (that we don't know yet). Science has proven links between these dangerous ingredients and our health, but there is still a long way to go in terms of research. We don't yet know the extent of how harmful these things are to us, but what we do know is horrifying. Scientists can't exactly test all of these additives on humans, so we've been playing the "wait and see" game which has proven to be damaging to our health and our waistlines. Your best bet is not to take a chance on any of this stuff and either buy organic, which won't contain any of these dangerous ingredients, or make your own salad dressing!

Healthy, real salad dressing recipes.

There are TONS out there, but I've made quite a few off this list and have never been disappointed. Get creative! Pinterest is also a great resource for salad dressing recipes. 

Sources: BruceBradley.com, Nutritionfacts.org, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, NaturalNews.com

fitness motivation.

Only compete with yourself. Eat cleaner, workout harder, be more disciplined. You are the only thing standing in your way. 

Why crossfit sucks.

Ok, I'm about to get real on you guys for a sec. Excuse the excessive 'tude, this Crossfit talk really gets me going!!

The other day I had another student in class who was rehabbing (painfully attempting light-weight controlled lifts) a Crossfit injury.  I've been asked more than a handful of times recently about why I don't do Crossfit. If you're part of the Crossfit cult  community you should probably stop reading.

Let's start here: If you're a crossfitter, this is a pull-up:

Before I rip into this pull-up, lets give Crossfit a chance to explain who they are.

From Crossfit.com

CrossFit begins with a belief in fitness. The aim of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness. We have sought to build a program that will best prepare trainees for any physical contingency — not only for the unknown, but for the unknowable. After looking at all sport and physical tasks collectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would most universally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled from the intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well to all sport. In sum, our specialty is not specializing

Training for all movements, functional and specified, so your body is in all-around good shape. It's constantly varied, high intensity functional movement, I dig it.  Cross training can help prevent plateau, its not mundane, and it's challenging. Crossfit didn't invent cross-training, but their claim to fame is taking cross-training a step further by including "any physical contingency", "the unknown" and "the unknowable." I like your style, Crossfit, I do.

CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective. 

Oh yeah, and it's a cult community.

If you're not a trainer or you're not educated in proper biomechanics then you get a free pass on this whole crossfit thing. On the outside, Crossfit looks badass. You feel strong as hell doing 200lb deadlifts, and any time a tire is involved it feels like the army. So I get it. Doing badass things with badass people is fun, but a lot of these crossfit exercises are either incredibly intricate and complicated, or they're just being taught and performed totally wrong and dangerously by people who's bodies aren't able to perform them correctly.

So, alright, the pull-up.

If you have the previously established functional strength to be able to carry out this complicated movement perfectly, then awesome, but Crossfit coaches push you to perform these movements as fast as you can, at maximum effort, and then do several different exercises of equal complexity right after that, so if you're not an expert at the proper mechanics of each one (and strong enough to do them right) then good luck.

"Proper form" is all over their website, but take a Crossfit class and you're lucky if proper form is mentioned let alone practiced by the majority.

functional strength

Web definitions

1. The ability of the neuromusculoskeletal system to efficiently and effectively produce force, reduce force, and dynamically stabilize the entire human movement system during human movement.

Stabilize. Efficiently. Effectively.Crossfit is pretty much none of these things.

Any kind of training without attention to proper biomechanics is dangerous. Especially training with random, sporadic, fast, repetitive, complicated, heavy-weight lifts in preparation for the unknown. 

lol.

Taken from postgradproblems.com (A NY Times Bestseller)

Any trainer will tell you that working out with improper form is incredibly unsafe. For this reason, proper form is stressed to no end in a CrossFit gym. This is because you’re doing an absurd amount of different lifts and motions on a totally sporadic basis.

The problem is, nobody actually uses proper f*cking form. People were dropping like flies in there. Once a week, which was exactly how many times I actually showed up, someone would stroll into the gym with a heating pad wrapped around a part of their body, and sit in the corner with a massive rubber band, rehabbing their injured muscle.

Most of these people will have zero cartilage left in their body by the age of fifty.

Read more at http://postgradproblems.com/stopcrossfit/#tLfyMuiZIAMFT7w9.99

It gets worse.

Have you heard of the Crossfit disease? No really. The Huffington post put out an article last month called Crossfit's Dirty Little Secret that explains the disease called Rhabdomyolysis, which shuts down and destroys your muscles, and the protein and tissue (which are toxic to the kidneys) are released into the blood stream and then to the kidneys. This can ruin your body and even kill you. Rhabdomyolysis occurs in people who were in an earthquake or a bombing. And some who do Crossfit.

Crossfit acknowledges that "Rhabdo" is a common occurrence among Crossfitters. (here's their cartoon newsletter "warning you" about your risk. 

I'm not saying crossfit won't make you ripped, it will. It will also undoubtedly injure you at some point, to some unknowable degree. My bottom line with Crossfit is that in an effort to be extreme, these workouts are poorly executed, and the elitist attitude of the Crossfit community rubs me the wrong way.

And, I don't want my muscles to shut down, disintegrate, or kill me.

Do some cardio, hire a personal trainer even for just a few sessions to establish proper form and discuss your goals and the best way to reach them. If it's the community you're looking for, join a fitness studio.

Disclaimer: Please don't respond with reasons why Crossfit doesn't suck. I don't care.

:)
xoxo

Happy Halloween!!!!

Happy: www.nerdydaytrips.com

Hungry: I'm sick, I know, but it's HALLOWEEN. Broken Glass Cupcakes. *I used the recipe for broken glass shards and put them, and some homemade peanut butter frosting, on top of these Pumpkin Egg Muffins.   Still decadent, less empty calories.

Fit: "Fooducate.com - eat a bit better." This site aims to eliminate nutrition label confusion and grades grocery store foods A+ through F. They review the top snack bars, yogurts, milks, spaghettis, and more. This is an essential resource for anyone making a lifestyle change in the food department.

The best whole wheat bread (from Walmart!)

Carbs and protein make a happy couple with this double protein bread. If you don't live close to a Trader Joes or  a Whole foods (which offer some really great bread options) try Brownberry's Double Protein bread. This is the best wheat-containing option I have found at Giant Eagle / Walmart / Marcs. Brownberry carries a few good breads, but as always, check your nutrition label to see what the ingredients are.

Let's check the Brownberry Double Protein label:

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving size 1 slice
	Value
Calories	110 Kcal
Calories from Fat	18 Kcal
Total Fat	2 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Trans Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	200 mg
Total Carbohydrate	18 g
Dietary Fiber	3 g
Sugars	2 g
Protein	7 g
Vitamin A	0 IU
Vitamin C	0 mg
Calcium	60 mg
Iron	1.08 mg

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, SUGAR, WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT PROTEIN ISOLATE, OATS, YEAST, CRACKED WHEAT, INULIN (CHICKORY ROOT FIBER), SOYBEAN OIL, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, RICE PROTEIN, SALT, BARLEY FLAKES, TRITICALE, WHEAT FLAKES, RAISIN JUICE CONCENTRATE, GRAIN VINEGAR, RYE, AMARANTH, FLAXSEED, MONOGLYCERIDES, WHEAT GERM, CORNMEAL, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (PRESERVATIVE), DATEM, CALCIUM SULFATE, CITRIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN, CALCIUM CARBONATE, WHEY, NONFAT MILK

A few reasons I love this bread

-First ingredient is whole wheat flour, followed by water.

-This has less sugars than I think every bread you'll find at Giant Eagle, Walmart or Marcs.

-7 grams of protein a SLICE?! Believe it! (To determine your daily protein intake, click here.)

-Doesn't get its protein from soy.

-It's only $2.78

Oh yeah, and it's soft enough for a pb&j (so B has approved it!)

My favorite way to eat this bread is as french toast --- Click here for the recipe for French Toast w/ 25g of protein!

What's your favorite bread? Will you be trying this one?? :)

Protein PACKED french toast!

25g protein, 289 calories

Need I say more?? It's DELICIOUS and the perfect way to start your day (protein and carbs!)

If you are a regular exerciser, you need more protein than you probably think you do. Being a carb-addict like me, I have to get pretty creative in the ways I meet my daily protein requirement. (To calculate yours, read this.)

This french toast has taken the place of our Oat Pancakes because while it still satisfies your sweet tooth, it's FULL of protein. I almost can't believe how much is in here.

Protein Packed French Toast Recipe:

2 slices of Brownberry Double Protein Whole Grain Bread.
3 large egg whites
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

beat the eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
drench your bread in the egg mixture.
place the uncooked french toast on a preheated skillet (medium/high heat) and cook for 2 minutes each side.

It's a toughie, I know.

If you need a little syrup (as I always do) use Raw Agave Nectar or a little real maple syrup. If you're super worried about the extra sugar, the cinnamon in the french toast actually lowers your glycemic index, so you won't get a super huge blood sugar spike if you use a little syrup, but stay away from the fake syrups that contain high fructose corn syrup!

Do you have a favorite protein-packed breakfast??

Too much high intensity cardio?

When you do your cardio, do you find yourself completely breathless at some point during your workout?

If you've ever taken a Spinning class you've heard all about heart rate zones. If you're anything like I used to be you probably ignored it and worked as hard as you could during that class because the harder you work, the more calories you burn, right? Yes, but.

High Intensity Cardio

High intensity cardio is any activity that gets your heart rate above 75% of your maximum heart rate. (Calculate yours here.) If your idea of cardio is an all-out run as hard as you can for as long as you can endure it, you're probably doing high intensity cardio.

HiiT (High Intensity Interval Training) is cardio exercise that brings your heart both above and below that 75% mark in specifically timed intervals. HiiT drills are done using only your bodyweight; jumping jacks, sprints, burpees, mountain climbers and anything else that uses major muscle groups to raise your heart rate above 75%. HiiT is very challenging and taxing on the body, and in small doses can greatly improve your health and burn fat.

High intensity (HiiT) vs. Low intensity (endurance)

Your weekly cardio plan should include a mix of both high and low intensity cardio days. We'll talk about exactly how much in a little bit.

Low/moderate level aerobic exercise (below 75%) boosts your metabolism, burns fat, reduces your risk of disease and health problems, strengthens your heart, keeps your arteries clear, cholesterol low, and even boosts your mood.

I refer to cardio at a level lower than 75% of your maximum heart rate as "endurance cardio". It's the kind of cardio that you can sustain for at least 20 minutes and doesn't cause you to be completely breathless. While you need 150 mins of endurance cardio a week, thats not all you should be doing. If all of your cardio is below or hovers around that 75% mark, you're not getting the most out of your cardio program and you're going to plateau if you haven't already.

HiiT is efficient, since you're not required to do it for long periods of time.  It's challenging, it boosts your metabolism and your aerobic capacity, lowers insulin resistance, and you burn more calories both during and after a HiiT session than you do during a low intensity cardio session, thanks to something called EPOC (your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).You don't need any equipment to do HiiT, it causes you to build muscle and lose fat, and you can do it basically anywhere.

HiiT drills can be structured however you choose. 

examples:

20 seconds: Work interval (burpees)

10 seconds: Recovery interval (marches)

or

4 minutes: 75%+ max heart rate run

2 minutes: recovery slow jog below 75% max heart rate

Too much high intensity?

The most important part of this post!

I don't have to tell you too much of any good thing can be bad.

Just like you don't want all of your cardio to be low intensity, you don't want it all to be high intensity either.

Exercising for extended periods of time at a heart rate above 75% of your maximum heart rate causes your body to burn glycogen rather than fat. This isn't a bad thing, but too much High Intensity cardio will cause your body to crave carbs and sugar to replenish its lost glycogen stores, which will cause a cycle of glycoogen-burning and glycogen-replenishing within your body that prevents fat loss, been though you're exercising super hard. Too much HiiT also causes burnout, overtraining syndrome (inability to make strength and fitness gains, fatigue), weight gain and muscle loss. Even worse, it causes your body to release more cortisol, which is the stress hormone that causes belly fat, a weakened immune system, and decreased insulin sensitivity, which puts you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes (source). If you do cardio on most days (as you should) but you're reaching or exceeding 75% of your maximum each time, you're probably getting too much.

How much of each?

High intensity cardio should always be a part of your fitness regimen, and it should always be kept under control. Depending on your current fitness level I suggest doing HiiT 1-3 times a week for 15-30 minutes each time. You'll find a ton of different opinions out in the internet world regarding heart rate zone training and HiiT, but this is what I suggest to my clients and it's in compliance with what's recommended by the American Council on Exercise, and they know their stuff. You seriously don't need any more than that, and if you think you do, maybe you're trying to out-train a bad diet? (Not possible!)

Train Smart!

Do you guys do HiiT drills?? What are your favorites??

 Cited
photo courtesy of mensfitness.com

Smile, Eat, & Sweat.

Happy: The best halloween costumes that take advantage of having children. 

Hungry: This, because hot chocolate is one of my favorite things on the planet. Instead of Nutella and milk I'd use Justin's and almond milk.

Fit The US Navy Seal Workout! Want to feel like a badass and sweat buckets? Do this. It's bodyweight only, complete with your rep range workout plan and how and when to progress.

Do you guys have any links that fit in the Happy Hungry or Fit category? Email me and send me your ideas! (Contact form is on the right ----> )

Baked Apples Recipe!

It's FALL!

I know, it's been fall for a little while, I haven't properly celebrated until last night when I made these baked apples. Ohhhhh, my, god, you will love these.


Embrace healthy desserts.

Serve with frozen yogurt if you're feelin' saucy! :)

Skipping breakfast?

this doesn't count as breakfast.

You already know it's the most important meal of the day, but maybe you're not a breakfast person.

Let me paint a picture for you.

You skip breakfast, eat a small super light lunch, work all day and come home starving, smash on whatever you can find or go to a restaurant and eat a gigantic portion of something that has more calories than you think it does. Maybe you have a beer or a glass of wine too. Then, shortly after you're home and in your jammies on the couch for a while before you go to sleep.

this is not a lunch.

The next morning you wake up semi-disgusted with how much you consumed the night before so you vow to "cleanse" your system by only drinking coffee until you absolutely have to eat, which will probably end up being--with the exception of your tiny lunchtime snack--another late dinner, where you've gotten yourself so hungry that you eat until you're ready to crawl in a hole and die.

And the cycle, with slight variations, goes on and on and on.

Sound familiar? I used to do this in college because I thought calories in=calories out and you're good. My meal plan was basically to drink coffee and eat gummy bears all day in school, work out at the rec, then go eat shrimp scampi pasta at Red Lobster. I was chubby, squishy, and tired, because I was slowing my metabolism down with my "feast or famine" attitude toward eating.

What you're doing when you skip breakfast is you're forcing your metabolism to slow down so that the energy (or calories) you're burning whilst starving yourself are coming straight from your muscle mass, not your spare tire (Read more about that here). When you do finally eat, you body stores tons of extra fat because you're forcing a blood sugar spike and an overproduction of insulin, which stores extra fat.

Go to bed hungry.

Break the cycle. Going to bed hungry will (eventually) make you wake up hungry and eating first thing in the morning can become a habit. It will take some self control and some getting used to, but with a little effort you can break the starvation/gluttony cycle and promote a healthier metabolism, stable hormone levels, and fat loss.

If you need some breakfast inspiration, check out the Pinterest world.

Some of my favorite breakfasts.

fritattas (omg)

Whole grain/egg white french toast with agave nectar
baked oatmeal

peanut butter/chia/strawberry preserves on ezekiel

oatmeal and fruit

greek yogurt/fruit smoothie

scrambled egg, avocado, salsa

bacon and egg white on ezekiel

grapefruit and a baked sweet potato with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (seriously!)

my oat pancakes

any homemade protein bars

cereal with chia/flax/hemp seeds

What's your favorite breakfast? 

Be Happier, Hungrier, and Fitter.

Happy: For some reason, this really gets me. (Coffitivity, the creativity-increasing coffee shop background noise to play on your computer to increase productivity. It's like sitting inside of Panera without actually leaving your house. Weird? Maybe. Also pretty rad.)

Hungry Super easy and super amazing recipe for Sauteed Zucchini by Alaina! Alaina is my favorite blogger in the world, everything I have made from her blog has been to die for, and she's completely gluten-free!


Fit TIP: Finding the motivation to workout is half the battle. Increase the likelihood that you'll squeeze in that workout by buying yourself some new workout clothes, a new pair of Nikes, or new headphones -- anything that you'll use ONLY when you workout. That way, you'll be that much more excited to get to that workout!

Do ALL fats make you fat?

Found this article on Google+ that says that the healthy fats -- mono- and poly-unsaturated fats like olive oil, fish, nuts, avocados -- can not make you fat.

Clarification.

All fats can make you fat.

You need between 20 and 35% fat in your diet. It is recommended that you choose to fulfill this need by eating "healthy fats" because they pack a nutritional punch and don't raise your cholesterol or risk of disease like the saturated and trans fats do.

That being said, eating above and beyond your 20-30% recommended daily allowance of fats, whether unsaturated, saturated, or trans fats, will make you fat. It will also cause you to become nutritionally deficient, because while you are exceeding your daily limit of fat, you are lacking in either the carb or protein department.

There is no such thing as a fat that can't make you fat, but there are fats that you need everyday in moderation.

My diet is 40/30/30 (40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats). To calculate your ideal percentages and how to calculate calories into percentages, click HERE.

My favorites are almonds, walnuts, organic peanut butter, avocados, and olive oil. What are yours?? 

3 Links: one to be HAPPY, one for when you're HUNGRY, and one to keep you FIT!

Happy: Make a coffee table out of 2 pallets -- I have one of these in my garage -- this project will happen in our house very soon!

Hungry: Whoa, Daphne Oz's pizza dough made from greek yogurt?! Try it with fresh chunks of skim mozzarella, halved cherry tomatoes, and torn basil.

Fit: DoYogaWithMe.com -- a 100% free site of full-length yoga classes. Just set up your laptop and mat and take a free class! Perfect for anyone who can't afford a studio membership, is brand new to yoga, or likes to work out alone. Love love LOVE this website, especially because its FREE!

Try the pizza dough and let me know how you LOVED it!

Q&A: Do you recommend a nutrition program?

I think that most of us have (or had) no idea how to eat right. Five years ago I still ordered chicken tenders and fries (with extra ranch, my mouth still waters at the thought) at nice restaurants and didn't think twice about it. My best friend and I used to go on dates to Olive Garden (unlimited salad and breadsticks, with ranch, duh) and Salsitas (unlimited chips and queso, and ranch) allllll the time (like every day). Now I eat Ezekiel bread and chia seeds, hemp, flax, raw veggies, greek yogurt, smoothies... I'm about as snooty as they come with how I eat.

I spent some time in Thailand where they don't have ranch, ever, anywhere, so I was forced to change my eating ways. When I got back and hit the first Denny's I saw, I got so sick and felt so gross after eating a plate of fried food that I vowed to eat differently from then on. I'd already detoxed in Thailand, I might as well stay clean.

Two years of baby steps later, and now I'm that health food snob from Portlandia who asks what farm the grass-fed cow lived on before being turned into a burger.

Oh yeah, the question. The nutrition program I suggest is:

eating whole foods, not processed junk

Incorporating superfoods, only whole grains, no prepackaged snacks.

eating lots of vegetables and fruit

limiting your sugar intake and doing your best to avoid fake sugars. 

(Advocare contains sucralose, but I can't live without Slam. And that powerade zero water flavor shot nonsense is surprisingly delicious, sooo yeah, sorry. I don't use it often, so I figure the benefits (like being delicious) outweigh the risks. Ahh, whatever.

Drinking close to a gallon of water every day

And buy a nice travel cup to encourage your water drinking

Knowing your favorite guiltless cheat foods 

because you shouldn't deny yourself. Someone told me once that "if you don't eat that cookie, you're going to eat everything else and be unsatisfied until you get that cookie." I've found that there are some not entirely horrible ways to satisfy that cookie urge. Justin's, anyone?

Don't make it harder than it should be.

You're teaching yourself how to eat a different way than you're used to. Take it one step at a time. Gradually change little things in your diet instead of trying to do a whole-life overhaul because you'll freak out and end up eating a whole pizza two pizzas.

Once you're comfortable with those things and ready to take on an adventure, figure out how many calories you need a day (here), calculate your daily macronutrients (here), and track your meals in the MyFitnessPal app for a few weeks to calculate YOUR personal perfect nutrition plan. It takes some effort, but consider it an adventure. You'll come out on the other end a happier person who knows how to fuel their body. For a lifetime of personalized nutrition knowledge it's worth it, don't you think?

If you wanted the short answer:

If you do regular strength training and cardio, the Zone Diet is legit. Also a fan of Carb Cycling.

xo :)
Amanda

Happy Monday! 3 more links to a brighter day.

Happy: How to be less stressed. Some of these work wonders with me.

Hungry: Make any of these delicious little snacks with homemade whole tortilla crackers (just slice and bake a tortilla wrap in the oven). This is good game day food too!

Fit: Yoga poses for common ailments. The bloating one is my favorite!

Are you guys liking this three-link format??

As always, send me your health and fitness questions and I'll do my best to answer! :)

xo

Amanda

Three links to brighten your day.

Happy: The 10 best crappy breakup letters on the internet.

Hungry: 20 Superfoods you should be eating to lose fat and build lean muscle.

Fit: A Killer Kardio workout to spice up your cardio life!

Staying organized.

I am a person who overuses their notes app. I write wayyyy too many things on wayyy too many post-it notes and I'm constantly making lists (shopping, cleaning, to do lists...) If you are anything like me you try to stay organized but it ends up turning into mass disorganization.

I came across this store today on Etsy.

MamasGotItTogether is amazing. If you currently use a planner or have a post-it note habit, you might want to check it out. Planners, pretty lists, and custom anything-- everything you need to stay organized and helloooo they're so cute! I especially love the health and fitness planner because it gives you the ability to log everything you need to achieve your goals. If you're one of my clients you know how much I stress tracking anything and everything!

Health and Fitness aside, I'd much rather look at a pretty to-do list than chicken scratch on notebook paper. Pretty things make you less crabby -- it's true! Organize and prettify your life, you deserve it.

It's almost Halloween.

Check out B's 2nd short horror film!

Don't forget to Like! :)

xo

Protein Spinach Pizza Rolls!

It's Italian, Mexican, Asian all in one!!! 

I can not BELIEVE I have lived 25 years without ever putting anything in a won ton wrapper. I can't even. Ohmygod.

One of my genius clients let me in on this secret last week and literally I've made four batches since last Thursday. In today's episode of stuff-wrapped-in-wontons, you'll make white pizza inside a won ton taco!

Not only are these low calorie but they're packed with leafy greens. One cup of frozen spinach provides 7.6 grams of protein.

Here's what you need:

Won Ton Wrappers

Banana Pepper Rings

Frozen Spinach

First, thaw and dry your spinach. Frozen spinach contains a ton of water and the wetter the filling is, the soggier your won tons will be. Soggy = gross. I let mine thaw here for a while and then used a wasteful amount of paper towels squeezing some more water out of it. Probably not the most efficient way, but it works.

Then, drain the whole jar of banana peppers and dry them on even more paper towels. 

Put the peppers into your Ninja and chop them up. Just a few pulses gets the job done, you don't want it watery pepper mush.

Shred some skim mozzarella cheese -- which also contains lots of protein! (available anywhere -- Walmart, Giant Eagle, etc.)

And put all of your stuff together in a bowl, and a ton of garlic powder, and mix it all up.




Fill your won ton wrappers with the filling. You can make a triangle ravioli, an open-ended burrito (just roll it up) or whatever shape you want. I just roll it up like a burrito because it's quick and easy and you can fit more filling in them.

Put them on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, using tongs to flip them over half way through their cooking time.

They're not the prettiest things in the world but oh my GOD are they delicious.



Stay tuned for more recipes in won ton wrappers, that's all I've been thinking about lately!

What are you going to put in your won ton wrappers??