Happy Monday!

Here's a new week and new goals!  This Monday's topic - Supplements.

I worked at GNC for awhile, and got hooked on every fat burner on the market. You name it, I’ve tried it. What do I have to say about it? Save the $60 and get yourself a cup of coffee and a good multi-vitamin, because the benefits are the same. I won’t be a hypocrite, I will still try a fat burner from time to time, but for a true result, they are pretty useless.

However, I do believe strongly in my daily routine of vitamins. I am the girl with the pill box that looks like she is crazy, but is really popping omegas. I share with you my top five vitamins:

1.       Omega 3: If you check our medicine cabinet, you’d think my fiancé and I are hooked on fish oil, and it’s because we are. The benefits are endless, but the reason I take 4-6 a day is for  heart health, and most importantly brain health.

2.       Vitamin D: Those that know me are probably rolling their eyes. It’s March, I live in San Diego, what Vitamin D am I missing? I still take one daily. Why? Improved muscle function, and cardiovascular benefits.

3.       Turmeric:  Here’s the weird one, and for those looking for skin help. One of my bridesmaids turned me onto this supplement for anti-inflammatory purposes. It helps keep  skin looking picture perfect.

4.       Vitamin C: See ya later, seasonal flu.

5.       Super B Complex: Because I’d rather take one vitamin with all of the B families than a dozen. B  vitamins are great for an extra metabolism boost.

Remind yourself of your progress and be better than yesterday.

Product of the Week

This Thursday, I give you my favorite carb – Ezekiel Bread. Forget the bad reputation carbs get. When you are training and working hard your body, your body NEEDS carbohydrates. The problem is, most people chose the wrong types, and false marketing claims of “whole wheat” don’t help the problem. My body started seeing significant progress when I turned away from the whole wheat grocery store brand, or even Thomas English muffins, and started looking for words like “whole grain” and “sprouted.” This bread is hands down my favorite.

The benefits:

•          Source of complete protein – yes, carbs AND protein in one!
•          Contains wheat, barley, millet, lentils, soybeans, and spelt
•          NO refined sugars, all complex carbohydrates (the good carbs)
•          No preservatives and no flour
•         The best part – it fills you up! The craving is fulfilled, and you are satisfied longer.

How do I like it? Toasted with smeared avocado and topped with smoked salmon (if it’s pay week…)

Acai Bowls- Berry Devine!

If you live in SoCal, you've had or know what an acai bowl is. A delicious blend of anti-oxidant rich acai berries topped with granola, fruit, or toppings of your choice. They are refreshing, satisfying, and insanely addicting. But are they healthy? 

My answer is yes-  the acai bowl can be fit girl's dream of a treat... in moderation. Unfortunately, there is always a but... the real trick on finding the perfect acai bowl is to stay far away from the chain smoothie spots and keep it local. Make sure you are ordering from a place that has fresh fruit, fresh ingredients, does not pack on the toppings or sugar. Say no to the chocolate chips, yes to the berries.

If you live in San Diego, my first recommendation is Seaside Smoothie and Juice Bar in La Jolla. They keep it health-concious and delicious.

All the good stuff!

Places to stay away from:

1. Robeks - 69 grams of sugar? No thank you.

2. Jamba Juice - 92 grams of sugar!? Mine as well chug a 2 liter.

You can always be creative and make your own!

Wednesday Weigh In

Today is a good day. Shoot, today is a great day. As a rule of thumb I never go on the scale. My fitness mentors have all instilled the brilliant idea of judging weight loss solely on how your clothes fit.  Why? Muscle weighs more than fat. Trust me, 130 pounds of fat looks a lot different than 130 pounds of muscle. But after noticing my progress, curiosity got the best of me, and I asked a fantastic co-worker (shout out to Monique!)  to bring in a scale for me. I was weighed at the doctor’s four months ago at 136 pounds. Here we are today after a big breakfast…

Am I proud? Hell yes. Did I need to see this for validation? No.  The proof is in my muscle definition. 125 may seem TOO heavy for some girls, but I am certainly smiling. Don’t stress yourself out over numbers. Keep that pair of jeans that are a little too tight in close reach and every few weeks, months, try them on again.  I promise, the satisfaction far exceeds a numbers game.

Now here's a photo of me and my incredible fiance, because I am extremely grateful for his constant support and motivation to be better every single day.

206 days #forbetterorwelch

Progress Time!

It's been a few months since I have posted so let me catch you up to speed - wedding planning is going wonderfully with the help of my fantastic mother and some kickass bridesmaids. I said yes to the dress! Finding out I was a size 2 wedding gown was reason enough to tear up that day. With that - I bring my progress...


For the past three years, I have loved fitness. Cycles of the Insanity DVDS, Kickboxing, running, and weight lifting. For those three years I stayed the same size = determination interwoven with some serious frustration. I remember crying to my fiance a year ago saying "why am I not losing the weight? I count calories, I work out every day, I bust my butt! This is unfair!"  Well, since I first started this "fit bride" journey I have went from a size 6 to a size 2. None of my clothes fit, and I am tying waist belts around every dress I own until I get a wardrobe upgrade. Trust me, I am not complaining. So what is my secret? EAT WELL. I keep coming back to this topic, because of how truly essential it is to results. This year has taught me one valuable lesson: you can not work off a bad diet. 200 calories of avocado will never equal 200 calories of potato chips.

Oddly enough, I started "dieting" for reasons other than weight loss... my skin! I have struggled with acne for years, and the last thing I want is a break out on my wedding day. I cut out skin irritating foods such as dairy products (this has been a struggle,) simple carbs, and started incorporating more fruits and veggies. I also have been drinking 3x as much water. This in combination with switching up my work outs has lead to long overdue body change.

So my recommendation to all - switch up your work out routine, clean up your diet, and avoid the dreaded body plateau.

Some of the major swaps:
Soy creamer instead of regular in my coffee
NO artificial sweetners
Raw almonds instead of flavored or salted mixed nuts
No potato chips (except for a few cheat days)
Thomas English Muffins to Eziekel Sprouted Bread (This minor change has made a huge difference!)

And now for my progress:

2 years - present day

Present day

Present day morning grind

Date Night

Date night, in my opinion, is mandatory for successful relationships. However, date night also usually means over-indulgence. I find it easy to say yes to the bread when my fiance is on his third appetizer. Going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do, but there are certainly some tricks to keep in mind.

1. Order water first: Drinking one full glass of water will keep you full through the ordering wait time, and can help boost your metabolism.

2. Skip the bread: Like I mentioned in the introduction, those extra calories are unnecessary, and if you are also a bride to be there is no reason to nervous eat those carbohydrates. 

3. Share an appetizer: Too hungry to wait for your entree? It's a perfect opportunity to split a light appetizer with your honey. Half the guilt, with some enjoyment.

4. Substitute sides: Salad for fries, steamed veggies vs rice. My rule of thumb is if there is a veggie option, always choose it. You are ordering your entree for the main event, not for the side show.

5. Pack your dessert!: Too much of a sweet tooth to deny the pie? I recommend bringing two pieces of dark chocolate for you and your significant other. You will feel satisfied and won't have to feel like you have to unbuckle a belt.

And above all, laugh a little.

From one girl boss to another

I like to think of myself as pretty successful. I have a salary that supports an unhealthy relationship with Nordstrom, and can pay rent on time (most months.) Well, my friend and co-worker Camille blows me out of the water. With an 11 year old daughter, a kick-ass career, and a ridiculous skill in the kitchen - she brings girl boss to a new level. Cooking has never been my strong suit. If I could I would eat eggs every meal. It's hard to find healthy recipes I actually want to cook when all I want to do after a long day is watch Mad Men and lift. Camille puts in the work in the office, the work at the gym, and the work in the kitchen. I mean, come on.. check her out.

Left to right - TWO MONTH transformation

Of course my first response when seeing this was "wow, she killed it!" followed immediately up with "Ok, I need a recipe." It's the season for sharing, after all ---

Camille's Lasagna Zucchini Boats
Yield: 8 zucchini boats

·         4 medium zucchini (2 1/2 lbs), sliced into halves through the length*

·         1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

·         1 1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

·         8 oz 93% lean ground beef or lean ground turkey

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1 3/4 cup jarred marinara sauce (I use Ragu)

·         Half packet of Splenda or sugar substitute

·         Vegetable Spray

·         ½ Tbsp red pepper flakes**optional**

·         1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley **optional** for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a spoon, scoop centers from zucchini while leaving a 1/4-inch rim to create boats. Set aside.

Heat vegetable spray in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble beef into pan and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up beef when stirring, until browned (there shouldn't be any excess fat but if you happened to use a fattier beef then just drain excess rendered fat). Stir in marinara sauce, splenda and red pepper flakes.

To assemble boats, spray both sides of the zucchini lightly with vegetable spray, salt and pepper inside the boats and place in two baking pans. Divide cottage among zucchini spooning about 2 1/2 Tbsp into each, then spread cheese into an even layer. Divide sauce among zucchini adding a few heaping spoonfuls to each. Cover baking dishes with foil and place in oven side by side and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle tops with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella, return to oven and bake until cheese has melted and zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle tops with fresh parsley and serve warm.

*Look for zucchini that is wider and more uniform in width. The skinnier zucchini won't fit much filling.