Most of the time, these bars are meal replacements, calorie supplements for intense exercisers who need those extra calories, or have the nutritional profile of a Snickers bar. Just because there is a picture of someone flexing on the front, doesn’t mean that it’s entirely healthy–or for everyone who exercises.

Imagine my relief when I received a box of Promax’s 70 calorie snack bars in the mail (one of many perks of writing about fitness for a living.) These are the types of bars most people should be eating. They give you a little blast of energy, 70 calories worth, which means you can actually eat a meal for dinner, to give you five grams of protein 10 grams of carbs and one gram of fiber.

For me, at least, they are perfect. I train from about 5:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and then come home to workout. I don’t want to eat a huge meal right before, but I don’t want to consume a 250 calorie snack either. Instead I just need a little somethin’ somethin’ to give me some extra energy after not having eaten since before work. Then, when I’m done, I make a proper meal. By sticking to this schedule, the quick snack serves its purpose, holds me over, and gives me some nutrients to fuel my workout, without containing the calories of half a meal.

The box I received was advertised as “Cookies and Cream” flavor, but the box lied. Instead, they tasted exactly like cookie dough–I mean exactly–same texture, same everything. Which didn’t bother me as they tasted great. That’s the one thing you have to be careful of, though, they are small, and so good that it’s easy to justify eating two or three. You must resist.

That said, these little guys are exactly what they claim: a high energy snack. An important designation as your daily source of calories and nutrients should be from real, whole foods and meals, whereas these bars are good for a quick one-time pick me up. Which is great as you now have a bar that will do the same as all those other (300 calorie) bars on the market, but without piling on the extra calories. Use them in case of an emergency: toss ‘em in your purse, your gym bag, your car–hell, you can put ‘em in your pocket–and you will never be left looking for a drive thru before you can get home to eat a nutritious and healthy meal.

Roll Back Your Shoulders

Hunching over makes your stomach stick out, and whether it’s flabby or flat you’ll have a nasty silhouette. Roll your shoulders back and down and you’ll instantly look taller and slimmer.

Suck in Your Gut

Pull your abs in and up and you’ll not only look better instantly but you’ll strengthen your core over time and naturally have a more permanently flattering silhouette.

Tuck in Your Butt

Arching your back pushes your stomach out even further than normal. Tuck your butt in and maintain good posture while doing it by pretending there’s a string pulling up through your body from the top of your head. You’ll look pounds thinner in mere seconds.

(Photo courtesy of kiamedia on stock.xchng)

I’m worried that my family will look at me like I am Lady Gaga in her bloody VMA costume. I am worried that I will dissect and interrogate everyone about every morsel of food offered to me to ensure there is no meat or dairy in it. I’m afraid there will be nothing for me to eat other than the pie I brought and a side of Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas.  Most of all, though, I am worried that I won’t be able to control my gag reflex when I smell cooking flesh and a big steaming turkey carcass is placed inches from my face.

My choice to become vegan started primarily out of ethics. I saw Food, Inc. I read Skinny Bitch. And I could not knowingly consume meat or dairy without having those images and words burning in my mind. Quickly though, meat and dairy just completely became unappealing. That flame-broiled smell upon passing a Burger King now has me dry heaving behind the steering wheel.

I know that I am in the minority of Americans who choose not to eat meat or dairy, especially on a day which seems to be all about the food. I have nothing personally against those who chose to eat meat, I only have a problem with those that are closed minded to my lifestyle.

Here, though, is my challenge to each of you, regardless of if you choose to eat meat or not: why not make our holidays and family gatherings about something other than food? I honestly believe that part of the reason why we have such an obesity epidemic in this country is because almost all of our beloved traditions and rituals revolve around food. But strip those occasions of those food rituals and you begin to realize: it’s just food.

We put the hot dog at the ball park, the popcorn at the movies, the ice cream reward for getting straight A’s and, yes, the Thanksgiving turkey on a great big all-you-can-eat pedestal, when really food is not what these occasions should be all about. The baseball game should be about bonding with your man over a game he loves, the movie should be about escaping into a world of fantasy for a few hours (away from your busy life), celebrating your child’s grade should be about expressing your love and pride, and Thanksgiving should be about being thankful for all you have and sharing that with family and friends.

So go ahead, fill your plate with whatever you choose. I’ll be focusing on filling my mind with memories of my time with my family, of enjoying conversations with friends I haven’t seen in awhile, of giving thanks for the blessings in my life and, of course, savoring a delicious slice of vegan pumpkin pie.

Source: www.motherearthnews.com

Sure these things contain healthy ingredients, but the outstanding amount of unhealthy ingredients negate any benefits you would get from them.

Which brings me to this little nugget: scientists are now on a mission to create “healthy ice cream.” No, they aren’t making delicious and creamy, fat-free and sugar-free ice cream, rather researchers are going to simply add dietary fiber, antioxidants and probiotics (bacteria that aids in healthy digestion) to the already calorie and fat rich dessert. If successful, the healthy ice cream will be considered a “functional food,” one that contains ingredients proven to benefit health above and beyond normal nutrition.

We don’t need nutrients above and beyond normal nutrition, we need help with eating normal healthy nutrients, like vitamins and minerals and lean proteins and NON FAT dairy — not ice cream with a sprinkling of digestion helper.

I don’t need help with healthy digestion. My body digests just fine, because I eat a healthy diet including full yogurt complete with probiotics. Antioxidants are thought to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are linked to causing diseases, which is fine, but you know what really helps preventing disease? Not eating a diet high in saturated fat!

“The intent is that instead of feeling guilty because you are eating this ice cream, which has received a bad rap because it is so high-fat, to really say that ‘Yeah I treated myself to a full-fat ice cream, but I did contribute to my nutritional needs in regard to my gut health, my antioxidant needs and my dietary fiber,’” said ice cream researcher Ingolf Gruen, a professor of food chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia, as reported by MSNBC.com.

So basically, it’s a way to justify eating fattening ice cream. Great. That’s exactly what America needs. Really though, why do people talk about food guilt like it is a necessary evil? I’m not knocking ice cream. I love ice cream, the real stuff, and I love a good little bowl every now and again for a snack before bed — after having eaten a good, healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Because of that, I can have this nice indulgence, guilt-free, because I know I am doing what I need to do to take care of my body, not fooling myself into thinking it’s just okay to eat junk food because there is some fiber in it. Somewhere.

What we really need to work on is helping Americans develop a healthy relationship with food. Food is not something to be feared or to cause you guilt. Moreover, the last thing we need is to further confuse and delude people into buying an unhealthy product by shouting from the rooftops about its health benefits, and mumbling under our breaths the fact that it is still full of fat, sugar and calories, and will still cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it.

If it tasted the same, and didn’t cost anymore money, I would buy this “healthy” ice cream, sure. Extra nutrients added to something I eat occasionally anyway is never a bad thing. It’s those people who can’t (or won’t) control how much ice cream they eat, and will now think that it’s okay — instead of trying to get a handle on it — that I’m worried about. Which, to be frank, is about 90% of my personal training clients. The product is supposed to be launched in the next two years, so I guess I have that much time to try to pound into their heads the importance of the quantity AND the quality of the food they eat.

Thanks to ALL of you who’ve commented, tweeted, dugg, and blogged about Twirlit’s Mix My Granola giveaway. We’re just as obsessed with breakfast as you are!

Now, without further ado, the three winners who will now be able to mix and match ingredients for their own perfect unique granola blend are:

1) Chuck
“My favorite breakfast is a mix of regular cereal and granola. But instead of just plain milk, I use milk or water mixed with chocolate or vanilla protein power. This comes out much thicker than milk and is delicious over the cereal!”

3) Gina
“Oat bran with all sorts of goodies on top! YUM!!”

We’ll be in touch with you shortly with your Mix My Granola gift certificates. Thank you to ALL of you who participated, and stay tuned for the next Twirlit Giveaway Wednesday!!!

Sincerely,
The Twirlit Crew

Week four of P90X is the last week of phase one (of three), and it was a recovery week. Don’t get too excited, though–you still have to work out everyday. The recovery workout schedule for week four is as follows:

Yoga X
Core Synergistics
Kenpo X
X Stretch
Core Synergistics
Yoga X
Rest

Yeah, that’s a lot of yoga.

So basically, rest means less strength training and more cardio and flexibility. It was a nice week, all the same–even though weights are my fave–switching up the routines and getting a change of pace.

The only new DVD was Core Synergistics which, if you aren’t familiar with fitness vocabulary, can be misleading. It’s not a core or ab DVD (core does not mean abs!! Sorry, a pet peeve of mine…), but it’s a full body workout that uses multi-joint exercises synergistically (all together).  Core comes in because your core is responsible for transferring momentum from your lower to upper body and vice versa. Thus, it is trained when doing upper and lower body exercises simultaneously. Overall, this DVD is probably one of my favorites–which a lot of people who do the program claim–because it has a little bit of everything.

Injuries, sigh. I’m actually surprised nothing has been bugging up to this point. I’m pretty prone to injury, well, past injuries flaring up, and with the intensity of this I’m shocked it’s taken this long. I honestly think it has a lot to do with the way the whole program is planned out (a huge compliment) as it’s setup in a way that each muscle group receives adequate rest.

I have been having a lot of knee pain lately which I attribute to the impact of the cardio routines, and my upper back and neck have been killing me as well. The knee I can handle, because there are always modifications. Plyo bugs it the most, so when the DVD is doing certain moves I know will kill it, I just jump around like an idiot to keep my heart rate up. Viola! Results, but no pain.

The neck thing, however, is a different deal altogether. It’s killing me, day in and day out. I have back issues to begin with, but this one is creeping up into my shoulders and neck and giving me migraines. I haven’t had this until I started the program, but I think it’s just exacerbating a preexisting condition. I changed my pillows, and went and got a massage, which helped tremendously, but I feel a lot of it has to do with the overload of shoulder and back work in the program. Again, isolated situation. I’m not saying this is going to happen to everyone, but working out so intensely is a shock to the body, so expect some unexpected issues.

Q & A Time! If you have any questions about the program or my progress, leave it in the comments section and I will answer it in the following recap. Now for last week’s questions:

Are you using any supplemental equipment?(e.g. floor mat, exercise ball, etc)
or
just using the free weights/resistance bands and pull up bar?  -mj

No supplemental equipment. There are a few things you can use for individual exercises, but they aren’t necessary. You need a stool to do the leg swings over, but you just need something hip height, so I actually use a free standing space heater, of all things. Yoga blocks can help, but aren’t necessary. A yoga mat, though, can be quite helpful, at least for me, as I tend to slip around on the carpet a bit. You can also use pushup bars, but they tend to be for more advanced pushups, or people with wrist issues, to keep them neutral.

But, again, it’s all just extra. I don’t even have a pull-up bar–I use a resistance band and dumb bells instead.

How often are you supposed to do the cardio dvd’s? Do you recommend doing additional cardio along with the program? -Julie

The DVDs are programmed out for you, that is it tells you which one to do and on which day. STRICTLY cardio DVDs are about twice a week, but if you are pushing yourself as hard as you should be, even during the strength training DVDs your heart rate should be high enough to be considered cardio as well.

There is one extra cardio DVD you are supposed to do one time a week at your discretion, so basically three days of intentional cardio. If it doesn’t sound like enough, there is a different option that I lay out in the program overview post that is called P90X Lean, where you do more cardio and less strength training.

You can do more cardio on your own if you want too. For example, I take my dog for long walks because if I don’t, he pees in my shoes. I also hit the treadmill for a bit at work when I have cancellations (I’m a personal trainer), but I would be impressed if someone could find the time (the workouts are about one hour to one and half hours a day) or the energy (and they are rough!).

Miss anything?

P90X Challenge: Program Overview

P90X Challenge: Week One

P90X Challenge: Week Two

P90X Challenge: Week Three

Well, it’s that time of year again, folks. That special time of the year where your credit cards get maxed out, your house is filled with family you hardly ever see, and when holiday treats are lurking around every corner to comfort you in your time of need. Bowls of candy at the office, tins of cookies from your neighbors, left over Halloween candy, and pies, pies, and more pies.

So, who cares? It’s the season to celebrate! Bring it on! Champagne soaked parties, peanut brittle at midnight, and peppermint white chocolate mochas are some of the best parts of the holidays! The big deal is that most Americans gain about 1-5 pounds from Halloween to New Year’s, and according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, most Americans never lose that holiday weight.

Wouldn’t it be nice, just this once, not to have a New Year’s resolution devoted to weight loss? That doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself in your house and not partake in any of the fun. In fact, it’s actually possible to enjoy those seasonal treats without fear of packing on the pounds–if you do it right.

Outsmart the Serve Yourself Setup

Buffets, pot lucks, and free-for-alls are a mindless eating trap. When dinner is served buffet-style, use the smallest plate you can find, and first fill it up with fruits and veggies (and watch the dip!) then go back for the good stuff. Don’t stack your foods, as you can lose sight of your portions. And if you really must have something ooey-gooey, take only one bite’s worth. If you finish and still want more, go ahead, but chances are you will be full off the healthy stuff and won’t want to go back.

Limit Your Alcohol

It’s not just about the added calories alcohol heaps on, but about control, or more specifically, lack of it. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, making you less likely to think twice about grabbing a little of this and a little of that, and can leave you dehydrated, which is often mistaken for hunger. Alternate drinks with water, or diet soda instead, so you don’t feel left out. Or, because those parties get a little nuts, save your friends and your waistline by offering to be the designated driver.

Bring Your Own Treats

It’s the season of giving, so mask your ulterior motive with a bright red bow. Whether you’re going to a friend’s party or an office potluck, bringing a healthy, low-calorie treat that you know you’ll enjoy will leave everyone happy. Plus, you’ll be more likely to stick to it, and not feel deprived. Furthermore, you’ll know exactly what’s in it, which you can’t say for anything else offered.

Make Every Choice Conscious

Before you put anything in your mouth, ask, “Is it worth it?” If yes, go ahead–even if it’s a brownie–but if not, put it back. Most of our holiday eating is mindless; a taste of the dough from you batch of cookies, a piece of cheese that fell off the platter, the left over dip from the container. Make every decision a conscious one–don’t just pop things in your mouth.

Check Your Schedule

There are A LOT of days between Halloween and New Year’s, but not every one is a special occasion. Save your splurges for when they are worth it–Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, special parties, and so on, but not the days in between.

Exercise!

Get off the couch and move! It may not seem worth it with a belly full of turkey dinner, but every little bit counts. Winter is a great time to get active: go ice skating, snowboarding, snow shoeing, build a snowman, or just go for a crisp walk. Not only will exercise help burn off those indulgences, you’ll be so busy having fun you won’t think about eating.

Remember What You’re Celebrating

The holidays are a time to be with loved ones, to share, love, and give. We often make the holidays about food, and dread it because of that, but simply change your mind set. Remember what the holidays are really about–and that it has nothing to with chocolate, calories, and/or pounds.

According to a report published Wednesday in the new journal Science Translational Medicine, humans need such bacteria to help convert otherwise indigestible foods into digestible form. And when people eat too much fat and sugar, the change in bacteria can happen in as little as 24 hours.

Many factors play a role in the propensity to gain weight, including genetics, physical activity and the environment, as well as food choices. But there’s increasing evidence (including this study, which tested mice) that bacteria in the gut also play a key role.

Ninety percent of the bacteria fall into two categories: the Firmicutes and the Bacteroidetes. Previous research had shown that obese mice had higher levels of Firmicutes, and lean ones had more Bacteroidetes. Scientists concluded that the Firmicutes were more efficient at digesting food that the body can’t.

Animals that have a higher proportion of Firmicutes convert a higher proportion of food into calories that can be absorbed by the body, making it easier to gain weight.

Now you can have a very intellectual reason to skip that second slice of pie this Thanksgiving!

Social smokers are those who do not smoke daily, but rather only in social situations, bumming cigarettes from friends at gatherings, and rarely buying any themselves. Social smokers tend to be younger, female, and better educated than daily or heavy smokers, and usually partake in the cancer sticks while drinking, particularly while binge drinking at college parties.

I am in this age group, and within my group of friends I too have seen the amount of social smoking increase. A study in the journal of Tobacco and Nicotine has attributed an increase in occasional smoking to the smoking bans in restaurants and workplaces, as it just isn’t convenient or realistic to smoke daily.

I know from experience with my friends that no-smoking laws that have been passed in our area, which prohibit smoking indoors and within 25 feet of business doorways, has banded my smoking friends together, and have them making frequent trips outside whenever we get together.

Whenever the group of heavy smokers gets up to leave and have a smoke, the rare non-smoking few are left to sit and wait until the majority of our group returns. This then leads to some “non-smokers” heading outside with the smokers so as to not miss out on the conversation, which then usually leads to a bummed drag or even a full cig. Whether these people would smoke regularly if there was no ban, or wouldn’t smoke at all is unknown, so it’s hard to tell if the ban is helping or hurting. With the number of regular smokers decreasing one would have to assume, overall, it’s a success.

But ask any of those social smokers if they consider themselves a cigarette smoker, and they will say no. I don’t quite know what the official criteria is (buying your own pack? Smoking at least once everyday?), but I think for most it just eases their mind to fool themselves into believing they aren’t doing anything detrimental to their health.

The danger is that occasional smoking does has serious negative health consequences. Those who smoke occasionally often aren’t concerned with quitting smoking because they feel they aren’t truly addicted, or it isn’t an issue. However, even occasional smoking has been linked to osteoporosis, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Each cigarette you smoke harms your health. The best way to avoid the consequences of cigarette smoke is not to smoke, period. No matter how infrequent it may be.

An office environment makes eating healthy a challenge on a good day, and all but impossible during this time of the year when holiday treats start showing up at work on an almost daily basis. So how to resist when you hear them calling your name from the break room? Here are a few suggestions, but please, feel free to share your own strategies with us in the comments.

• Location, location, location. If you can, move the treats as far away from your office, desk, and other areas you spend a lot of time in (i.e. the copy room). Out of sight, out of mind?
• Bring your own treats to share, but make them healthy. Put a tray of veggies and fruit next to the muffin basket and brownie tray, and when you feel the urge to grab something go ahead and let yourself have a carrot or two. It will satisfy your immediate need to chew on something, and if necessary, you can always make a deal with yourself to have one of the naughty treats later.
• Eat healthy, balanced meals for breakfast and lunch. If you’re hungry you’ll be more likely to break down and over-snack.
• Indulge as late in the day as possible. If you know you’re not going to be able to resist one of Mary Sue’s caramel brownie delights, try to hold off until the day is almost over. Not only will you feel good about yourself for resisting (and getting the reward at the end), but the anticipation might help curb other mindless snacking and you won’t have all day to start rationalizing about having a second serving.
• Sip something warm. A hot drink can help satisfy comfort cravings and leave you feeling fuller. Calorie-free herbal tea is an ideal option and comes in holiday flavors like sugar cookie and gingerbread, but slightly sweetened coffee or even a small cup of hot chocolate could be a less damaging option than a big slice of holiday cake.

(Photo courtesy of Dano on Flickr)

First, let’s start with what an aphrodisiac is: An aphrodisiac doesn’t necessarily have to be food, rather it can also be a scent, drug, drink, sound or basically anything that can improve your sexual experience and/or performance.

This quest for knowledge all started when I read this article in Men’s Health which stated that food is the ultimate metaphor for sex. “How else can you make someone happy by putting something inside of them.” Wow! What an intensely graphic way of putting it, but they’re onto something.

Oysters! That is the first thing I think about whenever this subject comes up. So I did some digging and found that there were many explanations. One that I particularly liked involved the infamous Casanova. Go figure! Yes the epitome of a lover, the role model of how to seduce, the original pick-up artist, and so on.  It was said that he would eat a bucket of oysters every morning, which helped his performance, a retro viagra of sorts. As it turns out, oysters have high levels of zinc and when there’s a shortage, it can usually lead to impotence. Another idea is that it’s an aphrodisiac because of its suggestive shape … I’ll leave that to your imaginations.

I was on a date a couple of weeks ago and I brought up this topic. My date, Carlos, and I sat down at a sushi bar and he started to recall his first time eating sushi.

CARLOS: “Think about it, I’m eating this exotic food for the first time, which is so different from anything I ate growing up. I used my hands to eat so I can feel the texture and it’s very flesh-like, tongue-like. Combine that with the tingle of the wasabi…mmm.”

I wanted to say, “Oh my god, please go on.” I was turned on and hungry! I wanted to have the same experience. When the food came I kept an open mind, but it didn’t have the same effect on me. The idea of it was more enticing for me.

We argued that it came down to the female brain versus the male brain, but we obviously didn’t agree. I don’t think we have the conscious capability to create or cater aphrodisiacs to match our personality.

Later on it hit me, my moment. I was walking around on a really cold day in Queenstown and wandered into this tiny coffee shop/chocolatier. They had four vats of hot cocoa brewing. (I know what you’re thinking, what a typical woman with her craving for chocolate, but it was so much more.) I asked the barista to pick her favorite for me. She insisted on a dark, spicy hot cocoa, a South American recipe. They served it in a tiny espresso sized cup, but the flavors it carried blew my mind. It was so complex, and rich, and spicy. It made me happy and, dare I say, maybe even something more. I had an electrical charge run through me. I craved more.

The FDA says that there is no scientific proof that aphrodisiacs can’t treat sexual drawbacks, but that’s not to say it can’t add to increasing our sexual energy. After all our brains are the greatest sexual organs we have!

My advice to you is to find your comfort foods (and I don’t mean mac ‘n cheese) and share it in an intimate setting with someone special. Take turns feeding each other and describing each subtle sensation. Hopefully the satisfaction of the delectable treats can spark another kind of hunger in you.

For an amazing cookbook and ideas on meals, visually pleasing and tasty, check out Intercourses. It is an incredible book that offers non-traditional recipe ideas for aphrodisiacs.

Bon Appetit!

(Photos By: Ben Fink for Intercourses)

Here are the top 5 Fitness apps for your iPhone, to keep you moving, accountable, and eating right.

1. Loseit!

This app helps you calculate calories consumed and calories burned. It also helps you set goals and gives you feedback with graphs and charts. Its exercise and food library is impressively large, with both generic and brand named foods, but of course there are going to be some missing entries.

Cost: FREE

2. iFitness

This app has everything — fitness tips and tricks, the ability to log your workouts, advice on proper form, and an exercise library to get ideas or see how to do something properly. It can be used both at the gym, or for at home exercises that require minimal equipment.

Price: $1.99

3. iTreadmill

It’s like having a treadmill in your pocket. When you hold your phone in your hand, strap it to your arm or keep it in your pocket, the iTreadmill will keep track of your steps, distance, and pace of your walk, or your activity through out the course of the day.

Price: $2.99

4. RunKeeper

This app is a runner’s best friend. It offers plenty of options for logging run duration, distance, pace and speed, and even has built in GPS to map and record running paths.

Price: FREE

5. iPump

iPump is a personal trainer in your pocket. With videos, images, and audio coaching, you can have a personal exercise program in the palm of your hand. The total body workouts target all the major muscles in the body, and there are even an iPump series that include Yoga, Pilates, and Stability Ball.

Price: $2.99

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is also my favorite. From the days when I used to eat way-too-sugary cereals as a child to the days when my college roommates and I would hoard granola from the dining hall, breakfast foods have always been, for me, the tops. Even as a working woman there are days when I’d rather curl up with a bowl of crunchy granola/cereal for dinner instead of putting together a time-intensive concoction. (Am I in the minority here?)

Well, we’re excited to let you know about Mix My Granola, a start up company that began because the three founders (Andreas, Matt and Raoul) were in a quandary over which combination of granola is the tastiest. And boom! The idea for Mix My Granola, where you can mix and match the ingredients for your own perfect unique granola blend, was born.

From choosing your base granola to mix-ins as varied as antioxidant rich goji berries, dried blueberries, dried strawberries, dried raspberries, almonds, and fun things like gummy bears, crystallized ginger and M&Ms, Mix My Granola gives you an out-of-the-box way to create your perfect granola mix.

This week, we’re giving away THREE GIFT CERTIFICATES for $10 each, that will go toward making your own Mix My Granola mix.

Here are a few ways to enter:

The more times you enter, the more chances you have to win! Just remember to leave a comment for each contest entry you complete.

Note: Please use a valid e-mail address.

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly. Giveaway ends Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Winners will be reached by email, and announced on the blog on 11/18/09.

Good luck!

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
• 2 T. maple syrup
• 1 t. canola oil (or oil of your choice)
• 1 t. apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 3/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated.

Spread chickpeas on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Stir chickpeas every ten minutes to ensure even crisping.

For leftovers, simply place chickpeas on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for a few minutes.  Watch them closely, though, unless of course you are hoping for some firemen in your kitchen.

Now, new research says that the calorie count laws have, in fact, resulted in positive changes. Oh, research, it seems we can barely trust even you anymore.

The New York Times reports that city health officials have said New Yorkers ordered fewer calories at four chains — Au Bon Pain, KFC, McDonald’s and Starbucks — after the law went into effect last year.

The changes were modest and the research also showed a significant increase in the amount of calories ordered at Subway which “researchers attributed to a continuing $5 promotional special on foot-long sandwiches that has tripled demand for them.”

The findings of the two reports appear to be contradictory, but researchers say the differences in the size and focus of the areas studies could be to blame. At least they didn’t find an increase in the number of calories ordered, right? I have a feeling I may be writing a third article on this subject in the next few days….

So now we have two different sets of findings — one good, and one indifferent. Even with the modest, if at all, reports of changes, I still feel that more information can never be a bad thing. Of those who do not live in an area affected by the calorie count posting law, do you wish they would pass it in your area? Would you like to know, or couldn’t care less?

The Hall of Fame-bound athlete professes a vegan lifestyle, and he wants everyone to see that the absence of meat from his diet hasn’t hurt his physique. Clearly not! Check out those shoulders! And arms! And…okay, I’m done.

Tony says that he and his wife “have changed many of our habits in light of the inhumane treatment of animals that occurs not only in the fur industry but also on factory farms.”

The diet seems to be a fountain of youth for Tony, 33, who is in his 13th season, making him the NFL’s longest-tenured starting tight end. ”It’s clean eating, from a 100% grass-fed source,” he said. ”You have to put good stuff in your body. Everybody should, but especially athletes. We’re high-performance machines. You wouldn’t put regular gas in a race car. You’d be surprised by how many players don’t do it. But I’ve seen the results.”

Other athletes and celebrities that have bared it all for PETA include Eva Mendes, Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee and Dennis Rodman.

The winner will receive a gift package of the EAS Myoplex Strength Formula shakes in both chocolate cream and vanilla cream flavors, as well as EAS’s new nutrition bar.
And the winner is:

Cmcg2009

These shakes would be awesome to try. The powder formulas in the store taste so gross, I can only get halfway down the glass before giving up. I need something that’s both tasty and full of the stuff I need.

Congrats! Check your email for further instructions!

Everyone else, check out the Free Stuff page for another great giveaway that starts today!

I missed three workouts this week, Yoga X, Legs, Back and Abs, and Kenpo X. I was sick in bed, so there was no way I was getting those bad boys in.

The funny thing is, I felt really guilty. My daily workout habit has officially been set, because normally I wouldn’t have given it a second thought, as I used to work out four days a week only, anyway.

I looked through my P90X Fitness Manual, but couldn’t find anything anywhere about missing workouts. I didn’t know if I should just skip over the workouts to stay on track, or hold off and pick up where I left off when I felt better, but eventually, I decided to just skip the days and keep on track. Honestly, part of me just didn’t want to tack on three days to the end of 90.

But it brings up a good point:THIS IS LIFE. Missing a workout or two is going to happen, and I’m not entirely sure what the program recommends when that happens. All my friends tell me I’m nuts for committing so much time to doing this even though I’m in fine shape, because they can’t imagine committing that much time themselves. These are obviously friends who do not work out.

Everyone’s main qualm with working out is, “I don’t have enough time” but that’s just not true. If I can find an hour and a half every day while working about four different jobs, so can anyone else.

Where the problem comes in, is who is willing to do that? P90X is a huge commitment, so it’s one of those things where someone who is willing to put in that much time to a fitness program is going to workout anyway, and someone who doesn’t work out is going to think it’s insane, or that they can’t find the time.

Can a very beginner finish the program? I think so, if they are finally ready to make a change. The hardest part is just doing it everyday. If they vow to put in the time, they can.

The thing about P90X is, all you have to do is give the time. If you carve out that one hour, or one and a half hours a day, and just do what the DVD says, you are going to get results. You can’t not get results. You can half-ass the entire thing, but the fact that you are working out six days a week is still going to get you results (not that I am recommending that.) The only real work you have to put in is doing it — no wasted time wondering what to do, how to do it, how many reps to do, etc.

One more thing I have to say: wear shoes. It was tempting to me to go barefoot because I am in the comfort of my home, but it’s catching up with me. The pads of me feet and my ankles are sore, so definitely wear shoes.

Next week is the recovery week — the routine changes to lower intensity workouts to give your body an extra chance to heal. I’m excited to get a little bit of a change going (and a rest!)

Only one question this time:

I look forward to reading your next couple of updates, especially hearing what you have to say about YOGA X, my Favorite. How are you finding the P90X nutrition guide?   -Get Moving

I talked about yoga already in the post you commented on — I don’t like it — but it’s just because it’s yoga, and I don’t like yoga.  Now that I am farther into the program, I kind of look forward to the Yoga X days, because even though it’s a freakin’ hour and a half long, its a nice change of pace from sky high heart rates and weights. Since I don’t do yoga often, I can honestly say that the video is a good intro for people who have never done it — so don’t be scared off! There are a lot of variations for people that can’t do certain poses, and even the people in the DVD stumble and fall occasionally. Plus, it does wonders for the flexibility — something I am really glad the program focuses so much on, mainly because many often over look it, but also because I really need help with it. LOL.

In the Program Overview I explained that I am not doing the nutrition program because I have certain medical restrictions on my diet. I eat very healthily, however, so it’s not an issue with my results. I’m a personal trainer, so I know how to eat to fuel my workouts, while getting all my nutrients.

I did read it over, of course, and am impressed. Instead of being filled with foods to lose weight, or meals with calorie counts, the program is designed to fuel you for your workouts, as opposed to just being diet recipes, which is usually how nutrition programs go. It’s annoying when companies focus on losing weight and cutting calories, because not everyone wants to lose weight, and if you eat healthily, for nutrition requirements, like the P90X nutritional guide does, you will naturally lose weight anyway.

Miss anything?

P90X Challenge: Program Overview

P90X Challenge: Week One

P90X Challenge: Week Two

In Indianapolis, Indiana, a court ruled that a pizza shop must pay for a 340-pound employee’s weight-loss surgery to ensure the success of a back surgery for an injury he suffered on the job.

Adam Childers, who was 25 at the time, and weighed in at 340 pounds in March 2007 when he sustained a back injury after accidentally being struck by a freezer door. Doctors said he needed surgery to eliminate his severe back pain, but in order for the surgery to be effective, he must first have lap band surgery to lose weight.

His employers, Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza, agreed to pay for the back surgery, but argued they were not responsible for the weight-loss operation, which can cost up to $25,000, because Childers was already obese before the accident.

The court, however, said the surgery and disability payments were covered because his weight and the accident had combined to create a single injury.

This isn’t the first case like this. Recently, in Oregon, the state’s Supreme Court ruled on Aug. 27 that the state workers’ compensation insurance must pay for gastric bypass surgery to help a man lose weight in order for his knee replacement surgery to be effective.

These types of rulings have business’s getting squeamish, and many believe this will lead to companies being more careful about hiring employees with certain health conditions, which may set them up to pay big bucks down the road.

It’s a tough one: every employee deserves to be protected, regardless of their weight, but should a company be responsible to rectify a pre-existing condition they have no control over? Would we even be having this discussion if obesity weren’t socially considered “a choice”? Obesity is something that can be controlled through lifestyle, but it takes time, and no one is disputing the fact Childers has a legitimate back injury. What do you guys think? Did the court make the right choice?

A while ago, tired of eating the same old Whole Foods bulk granola, I stumbled upon A GEM. The company is called Mix My Granola, and they have this super fun website where you can make your own granola mix. Now, taking a step back, the only reason I love going to frozen yogurt places like Yogurtland is because I get to mix together my own concoctions, based on whatever mood I’m in that day. Strawberry-Kiwi yogurt with almonds and chocolate covered gummy bears? Yes please.  Oh wait, don’t they also have mini peanut butter cups, coconut shavings, and dried cranberries. YUM.

Anyhow, I digress. I find this website, and immediately I’m engulfed in my familiar, “I’m the smartest mixer in the world” feeling I get when I go to Yogurtland. You get to choose your base granola, then pick all your mix-ins (dried fruit, nuts, etc.) to make a completely custom (AND HEALTHY!) granola mix. I then proceeded to make the all-time best granola mix (because I’m the smartest mixer in the world), and checked out. My mix: organic granola, cranberries, dried blueberries, goji berries, and roasted almonds.

Well, today I got my mix in the mail. Soon after, I tore it open and noticed a few really neat things:

1. Cute packaging.  A definite plus.
2. They named the product after me!  (You can choose any name when you checkout and it’s printed on the label!) I love stuff like that!
3. They print on your custom label and the date it was prepared, so you know it’s not prepackaged, but is fresh.
4. It looks like it was hand-signed by the person who actually mixed it. I love personal things when I deal with companies, especially over the Internet.
5. For those who are nutrition conscience, it has a custom nutritional information panel. Can you create the tastiest, healthiest mix?

So, all in all, I’m very pleased with this product (and company). Furthermore, I’m planning on ordering up a bunch of mixes for my girlfriends for Christmas. I mean, since I’m the world’s best mixer, there’s no way they wouldn’t like it, right?

“Walking, even at a very easy pace, you’ll probably burn three or four calories a minute,” beyond what you would use quietly sitting in a chair, said Dan Carey, Ph.D., an assistant professor of exercise physiology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, who studies exercise and metabolism. But few people, an overwhelming body of research shows, achieve significant weight loss with exercise alone, not without changing their eating habits too. Okay, that’s not a huge shock. We all know that eating a box of donuts won’t get canceled out by a little treadmill time. But if you keep your diet exactly the same and add physical activity, it might not help? That’s a serious bummer.

Additionally, the idea that exercising might boost your metabolism and make you burn more calories throughout the day is a myth. “Many people believe that you rev up” your metabolism after an exercise session “so that you burn additional body fat throughout the day,” said Edward Melanson, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. But none of the members of his study experienced “afterburn.”

Of course, exercise is still good for reducing blood pressure and resting heart rate, and for endorphins…but let’s be honest. We want to SEE the results on our bodies. So I guess I’d better not see any more cookies in my kitchen…

Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment

I used this at my wedding and it saved my lips by keeping them smooth and hydrated all day long. It can be used as a nighttime treatment or worn throughout the day as a super shiny gloss. The consistency is a little thick, but not too bad if you are a regular lip gloss user.

Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector

This is a pink tinted lip balm with a glossy finish that tastes and smells like yummy pomegranates. Furthermore, the consistency is light and not very sticky. This one really helps with flaking and elasticity around the mouth, also pomegranates are packed with anti-oxidants so there are some anti-aging properties to this balm as well.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15

I really like this lip treatment even though it is a little too expensive. This is more like your traditional chapstick, but it comes in a really cool container. Also, it is SPF-15 and it can give a slight plumping effect. The finish is semi-matte and can be worn under lipstick. Beware: this one melts easily in heat though. Do not leave it the car.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

I’ve used Rosebud Salve since I was a kid and it came in that little square tin that you could never open. It comes in an easier to open tub now, but the formula is the same as it’s been for the last 100 years. Not only can you use it as a lip treatment, but it also works well on minor burns, diaper rash and on dry elbows and knees as well.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner

This balm is the lightest of the group. If you don’t like the feel of heavy balms you might like this one. It is a stick lip balm that is light enough to work under or over lipstick. This isn’t for someone with seriously dry lips however, but if you just need a little moisture this one is a good choice. Warning: this sick is white and can leave your lips looking a little pale if you over do it.

I live in Seattle, so I am used to to going into my Starbucks and seeing the calorie count for everything next to each item. For those of you that have never seen these changes, it’s confusing. Half the time you think the cost is the calorie content and vice versa (which, with Starbucks, they are pretty interchangeable).

I feel that its a start to curbing the obesity crisis, but there are definitely some flaws: new items take forever to be listed, so in order to find the information, you have to check the same websites you normally would to find calorie content, and they usually list everything’s count in its plainest form. (minus condiments, or other additions that you would have to specially ask to have removed, leading people to believe they are consuming less calories than they actually are) Personally, it completely ruins going out to dinner for me because even though I eat healthy 80% of the time, and deserve a little splurge on meals out, that quadruple digit calorie count staring me in the face puts a damper on the fun. I realize I’m probably in the minority on that one though.

I know, basically, the calorie count of most foods, and I am nutritionally minded, so I actually pay attention. When they announced the change, I have a feeling that it would play out like this: those who care about calories, already know the content, or at least what is good and bad, and those who that info is meant to help, don’t really care enough to look. Is someone that eats a Big Mac for lunch every day really going to change their ways because they see the actual number of calories in it? They have to already know it’s bad for them.

But, I like to think if it helps even one person, it’s worth it. So has it? According to MSNBC, not a single state who passed the legislation has yet seen obesity rates fall. Does that mean we should can it? I don’t think so. Like anything, the more knowledge that is out there, the more aware people will become.

There is some good news, too. Many restaurants are receiving a lot of flack for their ridiculous menu items containing days worth of calories and grams of fat, and have actually pulled them from the menu as a consequence. Small steps.

The hardest part, honestly, is the time commitment. It’s at least an hour everyday, and I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a single workout yet. I do them when I get home from work so there are no excuses.

So here’s the shocker now — I’m seeing results already. The definition in my arms has increased, and my lovely butt cellulite has noticeably smoothed. My abs are also more defined, which my boyfriend noticed, too (unprovoked, mind you).

The workouts are hard, but fun. They change so often you don’t get sick of them, and they are interesting enough that they keep your attention the whole time. Tony, the creator and instructor, is impressive strength wise, and entertaining, although a little chatty at times, but motivating. There are three to four people that workout along with him in each DVD that show different strength levels and different equipment modifications. I personally look forward to the DVDs with Daniel Hoss in them because I have a little crush, just a little, but all of them are in such fantastic shape you start to pick out your competition and try and beat them.

The DVDs are different than regular fitness DVDs because you don’t really follow along, you are told what to do and then you do it in the time span given. The Chest and Back DVD is a perfect example. It’s all push ups and pull ups, so you are told what kind of push up to do, pick your goal number, and then have about one minute to do them, while everyone on the DVD does theirs, which will probably be about twice the amount you can do. When you are done, you can try and squeak out a few more, or shake yourself out and wait. It’s not like you are following a routine along with the screen every second, which is precisely the reason I don’t like fitness DVDs — so P90X is perfect for me.

I still don’t like the yoga, but I’m sticking it out. It’s just because it’s yoga, it has nothing to do with the DVD.

The cardio DVDs are killer though. My average heart rate is usually around 150 with my peak typically around 170. That’s for an hour, mind you. I always joke because I never sweat at the gym — I’m just not a sweater — but these have me dripping and using a towel, which I LOVE. Kempo Karate is probably my favorite because you get to kick ass, but the plyometric DVD is definitely the ultimate cardio workout.

In terms of strength, I could barely do some of the exercises on Ab Ripper X when I first started, but now I can make it the whole way through with only a few breaks. Many of my push up variations have increased from 15 reps to 20, I’ve upped weights in my arm exercises, and my flexibility has improved as well. It’s only week two though, I’m excited to see the changes that are coming.

You guys had some more questions, so here goes:

You mention using 15 lb. weights…do I need to buy weights for this program? I usually use weights at the gym and don’t have any at home. Thanks!  -Lindsay

Its best to use dumbbells because you can track your progress better, but you can use a resistance band instead, which are way cheaper. You definitely need one or the other, though.

Exciting! I’m whipping up an “entry test” of my own, can you tell me how you did and measured these:

Sit and Reach
Wall sit
In and Outs

thx a lot!
Linda
You can look these up online for more detailed instructions.

Sit and Reach tests flexibilty. You need a yard stick. Sit with your hips up against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you, toes up toward the ceiling. Place the yardstick with the 15 inch mark right at your heels. Put one hand on top of the other, and lean forward, reaching as far as you can down the yardstick, keeping your hips against the wall and knees straight. Mark the number. Do it three times and take the best score.

Wall Sit, you need a stop watch. Place you back against a wall, slide down the wall so your knees are at 90 degrees — like you are sitting in an invisible chair. Hold it as long as you can. Start timing as soon as you are in position, and stop timing when your butt hits the floor.

In and Outs are for your abs. It’s easier to just show you a video of the move, so click here for a demo. Do as many as you can and mark the number.

Miss anything?

P90X Challenge: Program Overview

P90X Challenge: Week One

34-year-old Meb Keflezighi crossed the finish line of the 26.2 mile race with a personal best of 2:09:15.

Keflezighi emigrated in 1987 to San Diego, California, after fleeing war torn Eritrea during the conflict with Ethiopia, and officially became a United States citizen in 1998.

Keflezighi isn’t new to the racing game, or the American athletics stage: he won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics and was the runner-up in the same New York marathon, also in 2004.

The female champion on Sunday was 37-year-old Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia with a time of 2:28:52. Tulu is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 meter race (winning in both 1992 and 2000), and has also previously won the London marathon, in 2001.

There were also a few famous faces in this year’s New York Marathon. Actor Edward Norton and singer Alanis Morissette both ran to raise money for Kenyan conservation efforts. Biker Lance Armstrong finished the race, along with magician David Blaine, and Bachelorette winner and super-athlete Ryan Sutter (who has also completed an Iron Man).

Were any of you there?