I can’t wait to taste this.  I love Kale and Coconut.  It sounds like they use a fresh young coconut, flesh and juice, some agave nectar and kale.  What a combo- who would think kale would go well with coconut!

The best part is that the ingredients are great for you!  Coconut water is great for rehydrating your body and has low calories, low sodium and high potassium.  This is great for lowering high blood pressure.  The flesh of the coconut is very high in fiber which can keep you regular and can ease stomach symptoms!

Kale… awww Kale.  I love that veggie as much as I love brussel sprouts!  They do come from the same family and carry a ton of health benefits as well.  Kale is a nutritional powerhouse with antioxidants that are cancer fighting!  Kale also helps with lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.

I can’t wait to try this drink!!!

I was inspired to go out today and get some sort of green drink so I went to one of my favorite health food stores in Marina called Rainbow Acres.  They have a juice and smoothie bar and they also have a hot food bar that is delicious!  I decided to get Benita’s Delight- a fresh juice drink containing cilantro, green apple, ginger and cucumber.

I’m not a huge fan of juice drinks because I do love eating my veggies.  I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of this drink.  The ginger gives it a tangy, spicy kick that I love!  I felt like it gave me a jolt of energy every time I took a sip.

I chose this drink primarily for the benefits of the ingredients.

Cilantro-  I love garnishing my food with cilantro!  It’s great because it has a ton of health benefits (surprise, surprise).. including aiding digestion, it’s an anti-inflammatory, lowers blood sugar and it’s a great source of iron.

Green apple- It’s one of the most important of fresh juices!  It’s known to reduce blood sugar, prevent harmful bacteria growth in the intestine and clean out bacteria in the mouth that causes bad breath!  It also helps your metabolism which is great for weight loss!!

Ginger- Mmm, ginger.  Adds more anti-inflammatory agents!!  That zing that I was talking about earlier actually helps with clearing up your sinuses and congestion.  Very good ingredient if you have sinus issues or feel some cold symptoms coming on.

Cucumber- I’m not a huge fan of juicing one- I love eating fresh cucumber with hummus- so I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it in my drink.  I really couldn’t taste it!  Not with the ginger and cilantro!  Like the other ingredients, cucumber is known as an anti-inflammatory and can help regulate blood pressure.  It also has a high amount of Vitamin C and is an antioxidant that helps with healthy skin.

So, as you can see, there are plenty of reasons to include greens in your diet.  If you don’t enjoy eating them, try juicing it up!   Your health will thank you!!!   Happy drinking!!!

organic chicken tenders

organic baby broccoli

organic broccoli florets

organic bell peppers (red, yellow, green)

organic bluberries

powerberries trek mix

organic large brown eggs

thai coconut curry sauce

red onion

organic garlic

brussel sprouts

kale

I am trying to buy all organic this year.  It’s definitely more expensive, but I think it’s worth it.  You never know what type of hormones and pesticides are in your non-organic food!!  If I could, I’d buy from our local farmer’s market, but Trader Joe’s will do for now.

On to the meal I made.  Like I said, quick, easy and healthy!  I decided to make Thai Curry Chicken & Broccoli over brown rice.  I buy the brown rice from costco and it’s the organic brown rice bowls that you can microwave.  Very convenient!  All you need to do is heat up a little bit of olive oil, dice up the chicken tenders and brown them on each side.  Add half the jar of Trader Joe’s brand Thai Coconut Curry Sauce, add the broccoli, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  The end!!  So easy and pretty good for you.  If you are a little more calorie conscious, use half the sauce and replace the other half with vegetable broth (low sodium).  You have your protein (chicken), veggie (broccoli), carbs (brown rice) and a lot of flavor!

The meal was satisfying and delicious!  One of my favorites.  Try and and see how easy it really is!!  Enjoy!!

1. Brussels sprouts contain glucosinolates that prevent the development and spread of cancer cells.  Researchers are finding that these miniature cabbages can help fight against bladder, breast, colon, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancer.

2. Brussels sprouts are an anti-inflammatory food!  They contain Quercetin, a flavanoid  that helps reduce inflammation in your body.  Instead of popping that antihistamine, replace that habit with snacking on some freshly roasted brussel sprouts!  Delicious if you bake them with some olive oil and garlic!

3. Everyone loves anti-aging secrets.  Eating brussel sprouts can help reduce fine lines, wrinkles and will lubricate your joints.  Brussel sprouts contains about twice the amount of vitamin C found in 1 orange!!  Vitamin C is a key nutrient for building collagen in your joints and skin.

4. Brussel sprouts are high in fiber!  They aid in digestion, prevent constipation, maintain low blood sugar and check overeating.  All that fiber will prevent you from being hungry and help you with your weight loss goals.

5. One cup of this cute little veggie has just 38 calories and 13% of your daily value of fiber. They are a low fat, low cholesterol food with very little sodium.

Here are two of my favorite ways to cook these guys:

1.  Cut larger brussel sprouts in half, slice up 2 strips of bacon and throw in some whole garlic cloves.  Evenly distribute all ingredients on a cookie sheet or glass baking dish.  Bake for 35 minutes in a 400 degree convectional oven.

2.  Steam quartered Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon unsalted garlic butter.

You will be surprised by how tastey these little sprouts are.  Enjoy!

Step by Step

1.  Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips.  If you have trouble getting into this position, place a big pillow under your chest and keep your hips up high, like a cat stretch.

2.  Lay your hands on the floor alongside your body, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. An alternative would be to keep your arms lengthened out in front of you.  No matter where you put your arms, you are still getting an upper back stretch, allowing your shoulder blades to open up.

Don’t get discouraged if you are new to yoga and your instructor invites you to get into Child’s Pose whenever you can’t do another posture.  Sometimes, Child’s Pose can be a challenge and may not be as comfortable as it looks!  Tight hips, bad knees and a tight back can sometimes make this pose difficult to settle in. Don’t fear, there are always modifications and the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

Check out a pic I took of Chasey, Rascal #3 of the family:

  Doesn’t he look so peaceful?  Don’t let this picture fool you- just so you know, later in the day he decided to be like Captain America (aka Uncle Dick) and literally ripped this shirt down the middle, right off his body.

Point is, this position is called Child’s pose for a reason.  We often see babies, toddlers, kids and teenagers relaxing in this position.  Wonder why?

Not to get too technical on you, but our bodies naturally find this position for a reason.  It puts us in a posture that our bodies should already be in.  Child’s pose extends our upper back, opens up our hips and we breathe deeply allowing our skeletal structure and muscles to open up and expand.

Do you have lower or upper back pain?  This position can help alleviate your symptoms.  Most of us sit for a living- at a computer or desk, in meetings or driving in a car.  Then we come home and unwind- on the couch, surfing the net, watching tv or reading a book.  This seated position causes your spine to deviate from the S- curve it is suppose to be in.  Most people have more of a C-curve.  This places a lot of pressure on your lower back.  Sound familiar?

Do me a favor, look at Chasey and do what he’s doing.  If you are really tight, place a few big pillows under your chest.  Hang out in that position for 30 seconds to a few minutes, breathing deeply.  You can even drop your head and release your neck a bit.  Do this every day, especially after a long day of sitting.

If this motivates you, go to a yoga class.  All the different sequencing of postures allow your body to stretch and elongate, twist and rotate.   This is what your body needs in order to function properly.  The more you ignore that, the harder it will be for you to move in general!  Keep your body and your soul young- move, jump, play like a kid again.  Your body is made for movement, so move it!

On that note, I have to admit, there is something about a warm, delicious cinnamon roll with gooey frosting, plus a hot cup of coffee topped off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream that always gets me from time to time… but if I had that every morning, I would not feel or look as healthy as I am.  When I travel, that damn smell from Cinnabon at the airport often gets me.  Thankfully, I’ve learned to take healthy snacks with me if I am flying and have the willpower to just enjoy the smell of that gooey toxic goodness.

There are many ways to be satisfied with lots of different options for breakfast, but I find a lot of my clients often SKIP breakfast!  That is a big no-no.  Just think about the word breakfast.  Break. Fast.  You are essentially breaking the fast of 5-9 hours!!  That’s a long time to go without food.  Remember, we should be eating every 3-4 hours to keep our blood sugar levels steady which controls our energy levels, cravings and hunger!  Now if you do end up eating that cina-yum-fatness for breakfast, you will most likely be satisfied for a few minutes, your blood sugar level will spike followed by a big drop.  So now what?  You are hungry again and you have slowed your metabolism down for the day.

I’d opt for a more balanced breakfast.  You don’t have to do egg whites,oatmeal and berries every morning, but you should try to eat a nice balanced satisfying meal.  Try greek yogurt, berries and a little granola or nuts.  Maybe a veggie eggwhite omelet.

I used to work at Circuit Works in Venice, CA on Abbot Kinney- right across from Abbot’s Habit.  One of my favorite surprises in my early AM shifts (5am!!!– ahhh!!!) was when my co-workers (Dusty- who now own DogTown Crossfit) would get us some coffee (ahem, everything in moderation) and some breakfast.  Check out one of my favorites:

Yum-o.  A multi-grain bagel, light cream cheese, sprouts, cucumber, red onion and avocado.  Deeeelish.

I know it’s hard to eat breakfast, or switch it from your Vente Caramel Mochalatta Chill, Extra Whip and Extra Caramel, plus croissant- heated, (dang that sounds good)… but the point is, if you want to be healthy, you gotta start your day healthy.  Your choice.  And mine.  So. Hard. Sometimes!!  Donuts are another vice.  BUT, I could easily be happy with some egg whites, spinach and some fresh salsa wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla!!!  Try it sometime and you’ll feel a whole lot better though out the day!

1 vine ripe tomato

1/3 Avocado

1/3 Jar of artichoke hearts (in water)

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

salt and pepper to taste

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

I love the colors and how fresh this salad is… and good for you too!  Sometimes I’ll add some chicken or even some spinach if I have it handy in the fridge.  Protein, Carbs and fat all in one delicious bowl.  Yumm-o.

HIIT

A HIIT workout offers you great results in a short amount of time.  First, HIIT provides a zig-zag, interval type workout that allows your body to recover after a burst of intensity.  If you are not a fan of doing cardio, like myself, HIIT is great because it is short, sweet and to the point.  HIIT results in EPOC… or after-burn which causes you to burn calories for HOURS after your workout is done!!  Try this HIIT workout and let me know what you think.

If you are a beginner:

6-8 sets

30 second sprint, 90 second walk/recover

If you are intermediate or advanced:

8-10 sets

30 second sprint, 60 second walk/recover

TABATA WORKOUT/PROTOCOL

The Tabata protocol is another high intensity interval training techniqe.  It’s basically performing an exercise or exercises for 20 seconds- full intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest.  This is repeated 8x for a total of 4 minutes.  Typically, 4 sets of “Tabatas” is recommended with 1 minute of rest time in between each set for a total of a 20-minute workout.  Try this one, but warning.. it’s not easy.

• Pushups for intervals 1 and 3
• Body weight Squats for intervals 2 and 4
• Wall ball shots (6-9lbs) for intervals 5 and 7
• Sprinting or jumping rope for intervals 6 and 8

If you are wondering what they will be going through, here is a sample day.  They have to complete all their workouts, eat all their meals, work, take care of their kids alongside all their other daily responsiblities.

6am: 30 minutes cardio

6:30 Meal 1

9:00:  Meal 2

12:00: Meal 3 Posture Alignment Program

4:00: Meal 4

6:00: Full Body Workout & 30 minutes cardio

8:00:  Meal 5

Commitment is key and so is support.  It would be a whole lot easier if everyone had their own chef, personal trainer and stylist like the celebrities.  Maybe one day…. but for now, I got your back : )

I believe people can make a change if they believe they can.  I can’t wait to see who will come out on top and who will stay committed.  It’s a hard challenge, but I know it can be done… this is what I’ve been helping people with for the last 3 years!!  Let’s get this, ladies!!!

Short, brisk walk from my hotel room to the ocean. 2 minutes warm up.

Jog down the coast, occasionally running into the ocean looking for turtles. 30 minutes cardio.

Walking to the fruit stand to buy a coconut for some fresh coconut water from an Auntie, who really looks like she could be my Auntie.  15 minutes fat burning cardio.

Search in the sand for the perfect spot.  5 minutes legs.

Setting up towel, laying on towel, propping myself up on towel. 30 seconds abs.

Rest. 2 hours Recovery.

I heart Hawaii : )

I decided to return to the competition scene about 5 months ago and didn’t start training until September.  I started learning my routine about 3 weeks out from this competition- super late- and actually made some changes after making huge mistakes in Reno, the weekend before.  I figured even though my routine wasn’t jam packed with everything I’d hoped for, at least I’d have tumbling and strength moves that most of the girls won’t have.  I was wrong.  Every girl there had a tumbling pass, every girl there had a dance background!  I was shocked at how amazing the talent was.  To add to that stress, I ended up going after the 4th place winner from Fitness Universe, who had THE MOST entertaining routine out of all competitors.  I was extremely nervous, but the one thing that I kept telling myself, was to focus on what I put together, what I could do on that stage and to execute and nail the skills that I have been practicing.  I did just that and I was very proud of myself : )  I was flying high and enjoying my time on that stage.

In the physique round, I, as always, was terrified.  I know from past competitions, my physique was always an issue.  Judges often told me I was too small, needed more lean mass and to pack on at least 15 more pounds of muscle.  It was my goal to gain that much, but ended up losing 10lbs since I started training.  It’s always a battle because I teach a lot of cardio classes and can only consume so much.  Even with increasing my caloric intake, I still ended up burning more.  Therefore, I ended up looking tiny on stage, especially next to the other competitors.  Luckily, I had mixed reviews from the judges and ended up with a score that surprised me!  As I continue to move forward with my training for Fitness Universe, my goal is the same and can hopefully pack on 10-15 more lbs of lean mass.

Overall, I had a blast competing.  I had a photoshoot with Dave Alan and I”ll post those as soon as I receive some images.  I looked the best I have looked since 2008 and I’m so motivated to jump up higher in the rankings in Miami.  I was 2 points away from being in the Top 10 who aired on ESPN 3 and I look forward to being a part of that the next time I compete!

I am thankful for everyone who supported me in this… from my trainers Austin and Dusty, my coach Sharon, Sara my choreographer, Nic and Max who came to Vegas to watch, my friends and family who are always supportive and honest with me… and most of all to Joel, who put up with all my ups and downs…he was by my side the whole time and I couldn’t have done it without him!

I learned a lot from this competition and I am inspired to continue on in this journey.  I’ve got that fire in me and I can’t wait to perform again in Miami!!!!!

Check out my scores here:  Fitness-Prelims