Why do I need enemies when I have myself to battle? Why are we always our worst enemies and critics? Lately, my inner voice has been my biggest challenge. I have been my own worst critic. I recently taught my first yoga class to my yoga teacher training group. I was so hard on myself to the point that I sabotaged myself and almost made myself cry (I did cry later). Where did that criticism come from? Whose voice was that? Why did I use an opportunity that I was the most vulnerable to pick on myself. I guess I’m just a giant bully.

I’m not sure how you overcome that voice that says you’re not good enough, but I think that identifying the problem is half the battle. I think that you just keep catching yourself in the act and eventually you stop doing it. I’ll give it a try and let you know how it works out, but after 30 years of abuse, I know it’s going to be hard to break the habit…

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of dieting. Depriving yourself of all of the bountiful gifts of this earth is just a sin in my eyes. I believe that the best way to lose weight and feel great is to eat whole foods. This means apples, chicken, garlic, bok choy or any other food in its original state. This means no packaged foods, or even simpler, nothing with a nutrition label. Doing this is almost completely impossible if you work and even more impossible if you have children. So I would say that a manageable healthy eating plan consists of 60% to 70% whole foods. The other 30% to 40% of your diet can consist of packaged foods. This means whole grains, Greek yogurt, juices, condiments in moderation and the occasional cheat food. You’ve got to live, right?

I think that most people make a mistake by dieting. They deprive themselves of all of the amazing tastes and vitamins that are rich in whole foods and find that they can’t keep the weight off and gain it all back. You have to commit to a lifestyle change; there is simply no way around it. So, I offer a solution to all of the dieters that yo yo and are unhappy with their relationship with food. Rather than focusing on the negative of what you can’t eat, focus on the amazing seasonal foods that you can eat. Fall brings a bounty of fresh apples, squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Yum! Explore new recipes and experiment with these amazing foods. Celebrating whole foods rather than depriving yourself is the only diet you will ever need.

After much urging from my sister, I caved and decided to watch the documentary, Food Inc. To say that I was horrified is an understatement. For the past 4 months, I have been unable to eat any meat and have been completely grossed out by eggs. The image I had in my mind of happy cows grazing in large open fields of grass was replaced by cows standing in piles of dirty manure in tight, unsanitary quarters. It got to a point that every time I took a bite into any kind of meat, these graphic images were rehashed in my mind. So, I stopped eating meat.

Not only did I stop eating meat, but I started shopping at local farms. I loved that Food Inc. wasn’t preach-y. It had a great, healthy, earth friendly solution to all of our farming issues—buy local! I knew that I had heard about local eating, but I didn’t really know what it was or the impact that it had on the earth and the farming industry. If everyone in our society would just commit to eating locally, we would support local farmers AND be a lot healthier.

The biggest change I noticed in my body was weight loss. I don’t know that this was a result of not eating meat. I think this was more because of the fact that I was cooking for myself rather than eating out. When you stop eating meat, there are a lot of things that you can’t eat out at restaurants. This made me eat at home more, which had me shopping at farmer’s markets, which in turn had me eating more healthily, and dropping weight immediately. I always say it to my friends, but the best way to lose weight is to cook for yourself. It’s good emotionally and physically. Emotionally because there is nothing more indulgent than taking the time to make yourself a meal. It’s great for you physically because you know exactly what you are putting in your food. Even grilled vegetables eaten at restaurants can be bad for you because of the oil and lard caked on restaurant grills.

So the moral of my 4-5 month stint without eating meat and eating local…it’s good for you AND it’s good for the environment. I definitely will start bringing meat back into my diet as soon as I can stomach it again, but it will be locally farmed meat or at the very least, hormone-free, and free range.

It’s springtime, and there are delicious bitter greens popping up everywhere at the supermarket. From dandelion greens to arugula, the spring market is full of bitter greens. Below is a quick salad that uses the bitterness of arugula greens, and the sweetness of strawberries for a delicious combination. Use this salad as a side dish or as your main course by adding some grilled chicken to it.

 Baby Arugula

Crushed Almonds

Chopped fresh strawberries

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Lemon

Olive oil

Black pepper

Red wine vinegar 

1. Place the Arugula, crushed almonds, chopped strawberries, and blue cheese crumbles in a large bowl
2. Whisk 2 Tbs of red wine vinegar, 2 Tbs of olive oil, blak pepper,  and the juice of one lemon in a small bowl
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss. And voila! A delicious, quick fresh salad

One of my absolute favorite things to eat are flour tortillas. I know that they aren’t the healthiest things in the world, but I have a theory that you can put almost anything in a tortilla and it will turn out delicious. Try adding some cheese to a tortilla and microwaving for a few seconds and the rolling it up. Yum!

Below is a new recipe that I created using flour tortillas that is absolutely to die for. It may not be the healthiest, but it’s definitely not the unhealthiest. And it is oh so satisfying. Enjoy!

Panko Chicken Wraps

1 package of chicken breasts pounded thin

Flour

Panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs

Hot sauce

1 Avocado

Flour tortillas

Crispy romaine lettuce

Olive Oil

1. Create an assembly line by getting a large plate for the flour, a large bowl for the eggs, and then a large plate for the Panko. Take each piece of chicken breast and move it through the assembly line in this order:
   1. Rinse off the chicken breasts with water and then coat both sides of the breasts with flour
   2. Scramble the eggs in a bowl and then dip the coated chicken on both sides in the egg
   3. Move the breasts from the eggs to the plate of Panko, making sure that each breast is fully covered with Panko.
2. Heat a skillet with some olive oil, and fully cook the chicken breasts
3. While the chicken is cooking, cut the avocados into small slices,  and wash and chop the romaine lettuce
4. Put the tortillas on a plate and place a paper towel over them and heat in the microwave for 25 seconds
5. Chop the chicken breasts into strips and place on the tortilla. Add some slices of avocado, shreds of lettuce, and top off with a little hot sauce
6. Optional: you can add some ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing but it’s healthier if you don’t and the avocado should give the wrap enough creaminess

Spring is not just the time for cleaning out all the junk in your life. It is also the time to clean up your body. Below are simple rules for an easy spring cleanse. Try doing this cleanse for around 2 weeks. It will be hard, but you will see and feel the benefits after just a few days.

• Cook for yourself: When you make your own food, you know exactly what you are putting into your body. Don’t think of it as a chore, but as a way to spoil yourself!

• Drink at least 10 large glasses of pure, clean water each day. Optionally, you can add lemon or a tablespoon of vinegar to one of the glasses to help cleanse the digestive system

• Eliminate: Coffee, alcohol, red meat, wheat, dairy, fried foods, starchy vegetables, sugar, sugar substitutes and eggs. If you get caffeine withdrawal headaches, or other symptoms of withdrawal, power through…these symptoms will only last a few days

• Experiment with good grains such as quinoa and millet

• Eat organic chicken and wild caught fish

• Eat nothing that is from a package or from the middle aisles of the grocery store. As a guide, vegetables, fruits and lean protein are found around the perimeter of the grocery store

• Load up on delicious vegetables. Pay special attention to dark or bright colored vegetables such as beets, broccoli, kale, escarole, dandelion, arugula, bok choy and carrots

• A little bit of olive oil + garlic+ pepper = a perfect way to cook any vegetable or any protein

• Make lunch your biggest meal and dinner the smallest

• Nutrition math for your plate: 1/3 lean protein (grilled chicken, grilled fish), 2/3 vegetables or 1/3 good grains (quinoa), 2/3 vegetables

• Juices: Have fresh vegetable and fruit juice everyday. A great combo is carrots, celery, apple and ginger. Yum!

• Snack on fruit, almonds, carrot sticks and hummus

Have fun on your cleanse and remember…you are doing this for yourself. Don’t do it just to lose weight—although that can be an added benefit. Do it to clean out the toxins in your body. Do it out of respect for your body and remember…you get out of your body what you put in, so make sure you put in good stuff!

Peel the grapefruit, divide into pieces and then de-skin the grapefruit by peeling the skin off of each piece of grapefruit. Yes, this is tedious, but it makes it taste so delicious and looks so pretty on a plate! Arrange the grapefruit on a white plate, and then sprinkle the blueberries over the grapefruit. Spoon some plain yogurt over the grapefruit and blueberries almost so it looks like a first snowfall, but not so much that you can’t see the beautiful mix of colors. Half and then quarter the pomegranate. Collect the seeds and sprinkle over the grapefruit, blueberries, and yogurt. Beautiful!

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and add the chopped onions, saute until golden brown. Scramble the eggs, add salt and pepper to taste and pour over the sauteed onions. Add crumbled feta cheese and cherry tomatoes at the end when the eggs are almost done cooking.

Finally, toast the english muffins and spread with nutella. Arrange the toast and omelet on a plate.

Eat in bed and enjoy a lovely Valentine’s Day! Bon Appetite!

2009 was a tough year for so many of us because of the economic downturn. There was a lot of negativity surrounding us all, so let’s get rid of those negative 2009 vibes by taking a minute to think about the great things we accomplished this year. Whatever you did to improve the quality of your life, give yourself a pat on the back for making it through the year.

When reflecting on the past, it’s only natural to look towards the future. My hope is that everyone out there will make 3 separate healthy new year’s resolutions:
1. Your first resolution should be something that will make you happier. Maybe your goal could be to make more time for yourself or to stop picking on yourself.

2. Your second goal should be a fitness goal. Whether it’s getting to the gym one more time a week, trying a new sport, or resolving to work with a trainer once or twice a week, make sure that you make a fitness goal you can keep.

3. Number 3 is to make eating well a priority! Live by the words ‘you are what you eat’. These words are simple but true. If you put quality foods into your system that keep you full for longer amounts of time, you will have more energy!

The easiest way to reach your nutritional goal is by making small changes that you can actually follow. Here are 3 simple ways that you can improve your diet in 2010:
1. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal. Try eating an apple or adding blueberries or pomegranate seeds in your yogurt in the morning, add a side salad at lunch, and some steamed vegetables at dinner. You will ultimately get to a point where it will become second nature to you to incorporate that serving of fruits or veggies at every meal. Instead of getting a side of fries, get a side salad or steamed broccoli. Little changes like this can have a huge impact.

2. Replace your white starches. You don’t need to completely get rid of starches, but try eating smarter starches. White starches are high in sugars, are heavily processed, and have no nutritional value. Think about replacing your white pastas with brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Get rid of white bread and replace it with whole grain or sprouted grain bread. Instead of cooking pasta, experiment with quinoa. Whole grains keep you fuller longer because they are high in fiber. Instead of filling up with empty calories, reach for whole grains for a more satisfying meal.

3. Snack smarter. If junk food isn’t around you, you are less likely to go out and buy it…so don’t buy it! Try buying hummus and eating it with cucumber, carrot, or celery sticks. Dip apple slices in a tablespoon of peanut butter. Snack on grapes, almonds, or walnuts. All of these are healthy and satisfying alternatives to junk food!

Possibly the most important word of advice I can give you is that if you fail, get back up and pick up where you left off. We all falter, but it is our ability to pick ourselves up that determine how successful we will be. Have a great year!

One of my very dear friends thought that I should write about how to survive the winter months by staying healthy. I, for one, am really starting to feel the stress of the holiday season and thought that you might be too. Below are some tips to staying healthy and sane throughout the holiday season without the whole “stay away from treats” lecture (I’m sure you’ve heard it enough by now. Just don’t make yourself feel too guilty about it, and don’t binge. Moderation is never a sin!).

Ok so one of the best tips that I can give anyone for the holiday season is to rest up. Sleep is the absolute most important thing you can do for yourself. I will address some things that you can do to get a better night sleep in addition to some ways to keep yourself healthy, trim, and happy during the winter season.

1. Lighten up your dinner. It take a lot of energy to digest food, so your body can’t properly rest when it’s digesting. A combination of a lighter dinner (make lunch your biggest meal) and eating earlier in the evening will help you with your sleeping. A salad with chicken or salmon on top, a small piece of grilled chicken or fish and vegetables, a bowl of soup or some brown rice pasta sauteed with veggies in olive oil are all great options for dinner. An added benefit of eating a smaller dinner/bigger lunch is that it will help keep you trim!

2. Drink lots of water. It’s a lot harder to determine how thirsty you are in the winter, so a lot of times you don’t realize how dehydrated you really are. Even slight dehydration can lead to restlessness through the night, dry skin, chapped lips, dizziness, and improper digestion. Make sure you drink a ton of water during the day and keep a glass by your bed for when you wake up thirsty in the middle of the night. I keep a Siig water bottle on my desk at work and make myself fill it up every time I use the restroom. It’s an easy way to make sure you are drinking enough.

3. Meditate. Don’t go straight from the TV to the bedroom. Your mind will still be awake from processing the visual images on your TV. Instead, go into your bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed or on the side of your bathtub, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for 5 minutes to ease your mind into a calm state. Focus on your breath more than anything else, put your thoughts to rest, and reflect on the day. Then put all of the stresses to bed so that you can focus on the important stuff…sleeping!

4. Ease up on the alcohol. Alcohol disturbs your REM sleep cycle, the deepest part of your sleep pattern, which causes restlessness. You might initially be able to fall asleep since alcohol is a depressant, but you won’t sleep as well during the night. I know it’s hard to say no to that cocktail at holiday parties, and that glass of wine after a stressful day of holiday shopping or work is just too enticing, so if you’re going to drink, try having a full glass of water for every cocktail that you have. If you’re trying to stay trim, stick with lower calories drinks such as red wine or vodka with club soda and lime. Also keep in mind that because alcohol is a depressant, it can affect your mood. Make sure you take a night off every once in a while.

5. Ease up on caffeine. I recently gave up all caffeine, and I must say, it’s the best thing I could have done for myself. It was hard to give up that cup of coffee in the morning, but now, I don’t even miss it! Now, I am not saying that everyone should give up coffee. If it’s something you love, then it’s something you love. One cup of coffee in the morning is totally fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with your sleeping. Just make sure you’re not drinking it in the afternoon. Also be aware of foods, and other drinks that have caffeine in them such as chocolate and some flavor-added waters.

6. Sleep smart. Try to wake up and go to sleep at around the same time every night. Remember, our bodies are finely tuned machines. When you  keep your body on a schedule, it performs at its best.

7. Exercise. Make sure that you are exercising, especially during the holiday season. This will ensure that you are not having to play catch up come January 1 when everyone else enters “freak out” mode. You don’t need to go overboard, but keep a steady exercise schedule and stick to it! Also, think of exercise as a pick-me-up. When I am feeling particularly lethargic at work, I go to a spin class at lunch and feel immediately energized when I get back to work. This way, I have gotten my workout out of the way, my mood has improved, and I sleep better.

8. Make you the most important person. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holiday season. There are parties everywhere, and there is shopping to do. You need to remember that it’s okay to say no. Spreading yourself too thin will only dilute your presence at these parties and you could risk not getting enough sleep and getting sick. During the holiday season, people are also at a high risk for emotional eating because of stress and because of not making themselves a priority in their lives. Plan one or two things that you will commit yourself to in a week, and ignore last minute requests for happy hours and parties. If it were that important, they would have scheduled in advance. This is your season to celebrate yourself and remember your amazing accomplishments over the year. Don’t let others take that away from you.

I hope that these tips will help you during the holiday season. It’s an extremely stressful time, and getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and making time for yourself are extra important. Take care of yourself! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

For those of you who know me, spin is my absolute favorite workout. For those of you who don’t know what spin is, it’s a 45- minute class (although there are classes that are an hour or an hour and a half) taught on a stationary bike. It’s a fast-paced class that takes place in a spin studio where the lights are dimmed and the music is loud. It’s a great, fun class to blow off some steam or forget about the troubles of your personal and professional life.

I particularly love spin because it’s an amazing workout in a short amount of time. What other way can you burn 500 calories in 45 minutes? I am not one of these people that likes to spend 2 hours in a gym. I like to get in, do my thing, and then get out and enjoy the rest of my day. You push yourself as hard as you can for that short amount of time, and then you’re done!

If you’ve never tried spin before, I highly recommend it. It is an extremely intense workout, so start at the back of the class and go slowly until you become comfortable enough to know how much energy you can exert in one session. Bring a lot of water because you will sweat A LOT and you don’t want to get dehydrated and have your muscles cramp up on you. Wear 3/4 length or full pants or at least nothing too short for your bottoms so that your thighs don’t chafe together. Also, try to arrive at class around 15 minutes earlier and have the instructor help you set up your bike. There are a lot of confusing knobs on the bike. These knobs adjust the seat height, the handle bar height, how close or far you are away from the handle bars, and finally, how much resistance is on the bike. The proper seat height will help you from straining your back or hurting yourself.

One note: Your bottom will probably be sore the next day from sitting on the bike if you’re not used to riding a bike. I promise, this goes away after you start spinning regularly.

Once you get to love it and I know you will (:)), buy a pair of spin shoes. Go to your local bike shop and ask an expert what shoes they recommend for spinning classes and ask them for a demonstration on how to clip into the bike. I recommend the regular shoes from Specialized that have cleats on the bottom so that you can actually walk from the locker room to the spin room in them without slipping. The Riatas–which are the ones I have–usually run around $89.99 and then the clip for the bottom of the shoe runs around $25. Your local bike store can also install the clip for you.

If you are doing spin regularly (2-3 times a week), you need spin shoes. They are a great investment because they completely transform your workout. Instead of just pushing your foot while it is strapped into the toe cage with a regular sneaker, you are able to push and pull your legs which really works your hamstrings, bottom, and core more intensely. You can also sprint much faster and more safely because your foot is securely clipped in and you aren’t worried about your foot falling out of the strap.

I hope that all of you have the chance to try spin because it is a ton of fun. Experiment with different instructors and find the ones that you like. Also, I would love to know what your favorite song is to spin to. What song really motivates you? Let me know in the comments section.

Have a GREAT workout.