Celebrity Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

Celebrity Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

Ever wonder how stars like Courtney Cox, Kate Hudson, and J. Lo stay slim during the Holidays and avoid weight gain?  According to fitness expert, Brooke Griffin, “Celebrities have to watch what they eat and exercise during the Holidays to avoid weight gain just like the rest of us.”  Here are a few celebrity stay slim secrets:

1. Never arrive hungry or “starving” to a holiday party or dinner- Eat something light before you head to the party.
2. Indulge in some H20-Drink 1-2 glasses of water right before or right after your arrive at dinner or at a party.  Water helps you feel fuller and curb cravings.
3. Make a deal with yourself. For example only after eating 5 pieces of something “good” like veggies from a veggie tray, shrimp cocktail, or fruit, allow yourself to indulge in one piece of something “bad” like cookies, candy, or cake.  You will likely fill up before you even hit round 2 of the unhealthy stuff.
4. Curb emotional eating. For many, the holidays are an extremely emotional time. Many use food as a coping source for depression. Keep in mind how counter-productive this is. People feel sad, so they eat, and then feel guilty for eating and end up even more depressed than they were before. There are no easy cures for this. People have to try enjoy everything they do. Instead of thinking about sadness, think of activities to alleviate the sadness that don’t involve food. It is the holiday season – enjoy yourself! Think good thoughts!
5. Watch what you drink. Avoid drinking too much alcohol at holiday parties. “It’s not just about calories but about control,” Brooke explains. “If you drink a lot you, won’t have as much control over what you eat.”  Also be careful of drinks such as eggnog, spiced cider, and hot cocoa which call all be high in calories and fat.  Stick with water, no calorie drinks, and lighter alternatives to alcoholic beverages such as light beer and clear liquors.

Holiday Turkey Salad

Holiday Turkey Salad

Great recipe for getting rid of those turkey leftovers!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Servings: 2

• 6 ounces cooked skinless lean turkey breast chopped
• 1/2 cup celery chopped
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat turkey gravy or chicken gravy
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons craisins or dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp thyme

1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine turkey and gravy and heat in microwave for about 45 seconds.
2. Remove from microwave and stir in all other ingredients and mix well.  Enjoy!

Per Serving: 165 calories, Fat: 8g, Carbs: 14g, Sugars: 8g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 20.5g

For more healthy and delicious recipes, follow Brooke on Twitter

5 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

5 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

1. Keep Exercising. Mostly people tend to give up their regular exercise regime during Christmas, as they want to relax and enjoy their holidays. This is not the right decision, as one tends to gain a lot more weight during this time of the year. It is better to keep controlling your weight rather than trying to get rid of the extra flab after Dec-Jan holidays get over. Getting rid of weight is more difficult than keeping it under control. One should not leave exercising completely during the holidays. If you don’t feel like going to the gym then try exercising at home or going out for a walk. Even doing your daily household work is a form of exercising.

2. Avoid your own home treats. One tends to buy lots of goodies and high calorie sweets during this time for the guests to come and this becomes a big issue. Mostly people don’t realize that they have been eating all this stuff at their home slowly during this time because it is always in front of your eyes. To prevent yourself from having holiday weight gain, try to keep this stuff away from your sight once the guests leave. You shouldn’t have any treats at home. You should try to forget about it until the next time you have to take them out for the guest.

3.  Cook right. Try to cook your food and treats in a manner that it has fewer calories. Intelligent cooking can save you from lot of effort on trying to eat right. Substitute a whole egg with two egg whites while baking. The yolk is a fattening product and can be avoided. Also sugar can be substituted with a low calorie sweetener. One should try to use evaporated thickened milk instead of using cream. Such intelligent thinking should be used while cooking food for the celebrations during the holiday time.

4.  Plan ahead to avoid temptations. If you work in an office, be prepared for the deluge of treats that your colleagues will bring in to share. Bring your own healthy snacks to work so you don’t find yourself diving into a plate of fudge when your afternoon hunger kicks in.

5.  Celebrate sensibly and avoid putting on weight. The holidays are a time to enjoy the company of good friends, and yes, good food. So go ahead and enjoy those treats that you only get this time of year, but do it sensibly. Eat only the foods you love, and don’t waste calories on treats that are not as good as they look. Keeping the above tips in mind will help you enjoy all the holidays have to offer–without the guilt.

For more healthy holiday eating tips, follow Brooke on Twitter.

New Moon Taylor Lautner’s Six Pack Abs

Everyone is talking about the much anticipated release of “New Moon”, the latest movie to be released in the “Twilight” series coming out this weekend.  Not only are people talking about the film, New Moon, but people are talking about many of the star’s killer physiques that have gotten quite a bit of attention on and off the set.  Namely, Taylor Lautner for his killer six pack abs and even Robert Pattinson for his shredded physique.  It is no surprise that New Moon star Taylor Lautner landed the number on spot onAccess Hollywood’s “Top 5 Hollywood Abs” list.  Insiders have even suggested that Robert Pattinson was trained by Taylor Lautner on set.

According to Jordan Yuam, NCEP, who helped Taylor Lautner pack on 30 pounds of lean muscle and develop his six pack physique, “Your abs are like every other muscle in your body, and same rules of muscle-building apply.”

You should target your core no more than three days a week and do so on non-consecutive days.  Try doing a variety of exercises that target different muscles and muscles in between your hips, chest, and lower back.  Here are a few abdominal exercises to get you six-pack ready:

Abdominal Plank

Step 1: Start in basic pushup position with elbows on the floor for support.  Arms should be directly under shoulders.

Step 2: Squeeze abdominal muscles and hold this position for as long as possible while breathing and contracting muscles.

V-UP

Step 1: Lying on a bench or on the ground, back flat against the floor, legs straight out in front of you, hands behind the head or out in front of you.

Step 2: Fold your body upward by lifting your legs straight off the floor while consciously contracting abdominal muscles.

Step 3: Pause and inhale while returning to starting position.

Swiss-Ball Back Extension

Step 1: Lie down on your chest on a swiss-ball and place your hands at the side of your head.  Keep your legs extended straight behind with a small bend at the knees if needed.

Step 2:  Raise your chest up off the ball and squeeze lower back muscles.

Step 3:  Slowly return back to starting position.  Keep the swiss-ball stable and avoid having to move it.

Reverse Crunch

Step 1:  Lie on your back on the floor or bench and raise your head and shoulders off the floor or bench slightly.  Place hands behind the head gently resting for support.  Do not bend head toward your chest, keep it perpendicular to your torso and bend your knees 90 degrees and raise feet 1-2 inches off of the floor.

Step 2:  Lift knees in a smooth arc toward head while keeping everything else as tight and stationary as possible.  Once knees are directly above your upper abdomen, pause and squeeze the abs and then lower back to starting position making sure that your feet do not touch the floor.

Jackknife

Step 1:  Get into a push-up position with tops of feet and shins resting on the ball and your hands positioned on the floor.

Step 2:  Pull your knees close to your chest allowing the ball to roll slightly forward.  Squeeze abs at the top.

Up Close With Fitness Celeb, Lori Harder

As part of a new series, I will be featuring a variety of Fitness Celebrities who are transforming the fitness industry with their talent, beauty, and amazing skills, to inspire those of you thinking about competing or making a change in your lifestyle.

This week I am featuring Fitness America Competitor and Oxygen Model, Lori Harder. Lori Harder is a natural on stage and is sure to be one of the favorites going into next week’s Fitness America Pageant.  See how this 28 year old balances her busy schedule and is helping motivate and train others wanting to make a break into the world of fitness.

Name: Lori Harder

Age: 28

Claim to Fame: Consistently placing in the top five at every Fitness America Pageant I have entered in the past three years. Also recently being featured in several Oxygen spreads.

Hometown: Marquette, Mi
How did you get involved in the fitness industry? I remember watching Fitness America Pageants on TV and saying I was going to do it one day. Years later after going about it the wrong way, I came accross a camp put on by Cathy Savage covering all things competing. I hopped on plane to go see her and never looked back. My world was changed!

Occupation: Personal Trainer and Fitness Model

On your time….How do you balance your time between family, work, and your fitness career? I have to stay organized and schedule time blocks for work, grocery shopping, meal planning, working out and making sure to mark down times or days just for my loved ones. In this career there is ALWAYS something to do. You need to make certain things a priority and just learn to turn it off during your down time or you will go crazy! I have learned that skipping one thing on my list can throw my whole week off.

In your fridge? I try to switch it up but you can be sure I will always have Grilled Chicken, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Grapefruit, Sweet Potatos, Eggs, Greek Yogurt, Bluberries, Oatmeal, a laundry list of spices and Parmesan for when I need some cheese in my life. I like variety and cooking so this list could go on for a while!
What keeps you motivated? Knowing what is on the other side of a fit lifestyle. I come from a very inactive, heavy background and I remeber the feeling of being unhealthy, depressed, unhappy and wanting to blame everyone else for it but myself. It really spilled into every avenue of my life. I will never go back to that. I just want all people to know the power of food, activity and positive thinking.

What is your proudest moment? Each goal I have reached has been important to me. I used to never finish things I started, but now I know I am the only person who has control over my happiness and what I get out of life. Every time I compete I am so happy that I got up there and did my best to do better than the last time. I also am so proud and grateful for the opportunity to be featured in Oxygen magazine since it has been my source of inspiration for so many years.
Is there anything left that you still want to accomplish in the fitness industry? Yes, it is never ending. I want to compete in Fitness next year (not just Figure and Bikini). This is scary for me to even say out loud since I haven’t the first clue about it besides the fact that I love to watch it. I am doing yoga 2-3 times per week to try and prep for it. Also, I would of course love to keep on Fitness modeling, since it is by far some of the most fun I have ever had!
What advice would you offer to someone looking to compete? Never quit. The only difference between you and the person doing what you want is that they never stopped trying after each failure. You learn nothing from the wins, but you learn everything from the failures.

Anything else that you have in the works, (magazines, books, sites, appearances, etc.) or anything else that you would like to share about yourself. I just got back from shooting at Oxygen Magazine again!  I will also be competing at this years Fitness America Pageant in Vegas. I am so excited because I have been coaching six girls thru Cathy Savage Fitness that are new to the FAP stage! I can’t wait to see them up there. I also just launched my website recently for training and fitness modeling. www.LoriharderFitness.com. I hope to stay busy in the industry and keep helping people reach their fitness goals.

Be sure to check out Lori Harder on stage this weekend at the upcoming Fitness America Pageant in Las Vegas.  For more information about the show, check out Fitness America.com

High Fiber Brownie Muffins

HIgh Fiber Brownie Muffins

• 1 box Betty Crocker Low Fat brownie mix
• 1 can unseasoned black beans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse black beans and pour into a food processor.  Mix with enough water to make a puree.  Set aside.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add brownie mix.  Next, take the bean puree and add to brownie mix and mix well until it forms a batter.
4. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with muffin liners.  Distribute mixture evenly into muffin pans and bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are cooked.  These are great for packing and taking to work!

For more healthy recipes follow Brooke on Twitter

A special thanks to Heather Martinez for the delicious brownie recipe, these brownie muffins are loaded with fiber, as the recipe calls for black beans instead of oil and eggs!  Thanks Heather!

Fitness Universe Champion Brooke Griffin, Gives Back and Helps Americans Avoid Weight Gain this Holiday Season

Fitness Universe Champion Brooke Griffin, Gives Back and Helps Americans Avoid Weight Gain this Holiday Season

Real Life Transformation Story Turned Fitness Universe Champion Brooke Griffin, gives back by helping Americans lose weight this Holiday Season with her free Healthy Holiday Guide: A Compete Fat Loss and Nutrition Program.

Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) November 9, 2009 — Brooke Griffin, professional fitness coach, contributor to Oxygen Magazine and reigning Fitness Universe Champion, shares her nutrition program, meal plans, and her favorite workouts in her new Healthy Holiday Guide.

Brooke says, “Learning when to eat, what foods to cook, and how to exercise at home has been key in transforming my lifestyle. I wanted to find a way to give back and help others wanting to transform their lifestyle during the Holidays and years to follow.”

Brooke Griffin’s Healthy Holiday Guide contains an easy to follow nutrition program with a grocery list, meal plans, and workouts with pictures and descriptions of exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. Brooke is giving her Healthy Holiday Guide away free of charge and encouraging others to make a donation to a charitable organization this holiday season in return.

Studies show that most people gain between one and five pounds over the holidays. “The amount of weight gained varies from person to person, but most do not ever lose those extra pounds. We are literally bombarded with high calorie foods and drinks at every social gathering and party. Couple that with the excuse of “being too busy to exercise this time of year” and you have a recipe for immediate weight gain.” says fitness expert Brooke Griffin. Brooke Griffin’s Healthy Holiday Guide gives people an easy to follow template of how to eat and exercise during the holidays to avoid weight gain.

Brooke Griffin’s Healthy Holiday Guide includes a complete nutrition program and exercise program along with a copy of her Healthy Holiday Cookbook filled with dozens of healthy holiday recipes. Brooke Griffin’s Healthy Holiday Guide is available in ebook format as Brooke is an avid environmentalist. Brooke is giving back this holiday season as anyone can download her ebook for free and in return she is encouraging others to pay it forward by making a donation to a charitable organization during this much needed time of year.

For more information about Brooke Griffin and her new Healthy Holiday Guide, please visit http://www.brookegriffin.com

For a the full press release click here, Brooke Griffin’s Healthy Holiday Guide.

Up Close with Fitness Celeb, Jheri Marie Turnley

As part of a new series, I will be featuring a variety of Fitness Celebrities who are transforming the fitness industry with their talent, beauty, and amazing skills, to inspire those of you thinking about competing or making a change in your lifestyle.

This week I am featuring the rising fitness modeling star, Jheri Marie Turnley.  This Southern Beauty and Texas Model Universe Champion has already appeared on the big screen and is making a name for herself in the fitness industry not only for her striking good looks but with her passion to help others.  Jheri, most recently, became a state representative for the American College of Sports Medicine and will soon be involved in how schools are addressing fitness and physical education in students’ lives.  Here is what the actress and model had to say……

Name: Jheri Marie Turnley

Age: 32

Claim to Fame: featured in 11 TV commercials and 3 movies, Texas Model Universe Champion

Hometown: Port Barre, LA

How did you get involved in the fitness industry? I have always been an athlete through high school and college. During the last few years, I competed in triathlons. A back injury caused me to hang up my running shoes. My husband encouraged me to set up a meeting with Katie Uter and talk to her about getting into the Figure competitions, etc. Once I met her and her team, I was hooked and started focusing on my first competition (August 2008).

Occupation: Full time physician recruiter; part time Performance Lab Director and Personal Trainer

On your time….How do you balance your time between family, work, and your fitness career? Sticky notes and my BlackBerry!! It’s hard but it does help to have a very supportive and motivating husband. I also have some great friends who help to keep me going and stay focused. It is easy to keep things moving along when you are passionate about something and you have a great support group.

In your fridge? Grilled chicken, grilled chicken, grilled chicken  I do cook a lot. So, we always have a variety of things to choose from in addition to grilled chicken. I prepare the common staples on Sunday afternoons for quick fixes during the week. We get a variety for dinner each night anywhere from grilled Sirloin steaks and veggies to my low fat/high protein and fiber burritos.

What keeps you motivated? I feel great when I eat clean and exercise. It keeps my mind fresh and keeps me young. I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease 10 years ago. If I stray off course from my eating regimen and exercise routine, I start to feel terrible and daily routines and chores become laboring.

What is your proudest moment? Wow. Tough question…. I have many simply due to the fact that when I set my mind to something, I do not stop at anything until I accomplish my goal or figure out it was not a good choice to head down that certain path. But, my most memorable was getting accepted and attending Phillips Academy in Andover, MA during my Sophomore summer in High School. That summer session opened my eyes to many things and really set my focus in a more positive direction. I came back to Louisiana a changed and more motivated 16 year old that summer and never looked back.

Is there anything left that you still want to accomplish in the fitness industry? I want to make a difference in the lives around me, especially children. We are in the midst of a terrible epidemic that encorporates childhood obesity. I have teamed up with ACSM to become a State Coordinator for the President’s Council on Fitness. I am hoping to get started on my projects soon and eventually start to make a difference in how elementary and secondary schools look at fitness and health in our future leaders.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to compete? I would suggest that they seek out the professionals, do their research, set an obtainable and legitamate goal and GET FOCUSED.

Anything else that you have in the works, (magazines, books, sites, appearances, etc.) or anything else that you would like to share about yourself. I just started working with an Agent in New York. I hope to see good things soon come out of this partnership. I also just completed a Theory Workshop with an Instructor from The Strausburg Institute. I am actually looking forward to more acting auditions and excited about what the future holds!

We can all look forward to follow Jheri and the wonderful things she is doing for the fitness industry.  Be sure to check out Jheri’s Amazing Burritos Recipe (these are delicious and so easy to make) and for more information about Jheri, make sure to check out her site at jheriturnley.com

Be sure to stop by next week as I catch up with the stunning Oxygen Model, Lori Harder.  For more fitness celebrities follow Brooke on Twitter.

Jheri’s Burritos

Jheri’s Burritos

(*they may not look so great, but they are fabulous!!)

2 lb lean ground sirloin
1 large can of Pinto Beans
1 small can of Black Beans
1 small can of Mild Rotel
1 packet of Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
1 block of Fat Free Cream Cheese
Fat Free tortillas
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Brown 2lb of lean ground sirloin in skillet/browning pan. Once meat is brown, add a packet of low sodium Taco seasoning (mild). Push meat aside in the skillet and add a block of Fat Free Cream cheese. Allow the cream cheese to melt and mix it with the meat. Add the fully drained cans of Pinto and Black beans and the small can of Mild Rotel. Continue to mix until everything is blended. Allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes.  Dish out the burrito mix over tortillas and roll into a burrito.  Add fat free Chedder Cheese, if prefer on top of the mix.

For more healthy and delicious recipes, Follow Brooke on Twitter.

Up Close with Fitness Celeb, Nicole Moneer Guerrero

As part of a new series, I will be featuring a variety of Fitness Celebrities who are transforming the fitness industry with their talent, beauty, and amazing skills, to inspire those of you thinking about competing or making a change in your lifestyle.

This week I had the honor of catching up with Nicole Moneer Guerro.  Nicole, a former NBA dancer is leaving her mark on the fitness industry and giving back in the process.  Nicole just returned home from a military base appearance to support the troops and their families in El Paso, Texas this Halloween weekend.  Here is what this fitness cover girl had to say……

Name: Nicole Moneer Guerrero

Age: Almost 37!!!

Claim to Fame: Hmmm, I’d have to say being an NBA cheerleader for the Chicago Bull’s during the iconic Jordan years.  What a blast!  I still get chills thinking about being on the floor during the starting line-up. Also, winning the 2009 Ms. Bikini Classic Universe Champion.

Hometown:  La Grange/Indian Head Park, IL which is just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago.

How did you get involved in the fitness industry? I started in fitness 10+ years ago as a Bally Total Fitness Performance Team member. They performed at club grand openings, The Taste of Chicago, local TV shows, charity events and more.  Several members inspired me

to compete, teach group-exercise and personal train.

Occupation: NASM CPT, AFAA Group-Exercise Instructor, Fitness Model

On your time….How do you balance your time between family, work, and your fitness career? I’m always challenged when it comes to having a healthy balance among all 3 things listed.  Who isn’t?  However, I do make time for all and enjoy every minute of it.

In your fridge? Hard-BoiledEggs from Trader Joe’s (I hate making them), Ezekial bread, almond butter, veggies, water, turkey, beef, buffalo burgers and my infamous chicken burgers from Whole Foods.  Out of sight out of mind, I eat clean 98% of the time!

What keeps you motivated? My overall health and well being!  Goals…competitions, photo shoots/modeling jobs, I enjoy living the lifestyle!

What is your proudest moment? I actually have a few…I’m blessed!  1st is coming home to tell my parents I auditioned and was hired as a world famous Chicago Bull’s cheerleader.  I didn’t even tell them I went to the audition.

2nd, be being scouted at a fitness competition in Las Vegas for a fitness infomercial (that airs nationwide and in Canada) shoot in Cali.

3rd would be making the Top 5 at the 2009 Ms. Fitness USAs and Top 10 at Ms. Fitness Worlds.  Along with this making my first national magazine cover, Fall 2009 Ms. Fitness Magazine.

4th is capturing my first world title as the 2009 Ms. Bikini Classic Universe Champion!!!

Oh and last but not least nominated MVP of my high school pom squad…it may seem trivial and such a long time ago but I experienced so much during my teenage years that still affects me in a positive manner today.

Is there anything left that you still want to accomplish in the fitness industry? Yes but some of that stuff is in the works or I am still working at making it happen…so mums a word again.  Don’t want to jinx myself!

What advice would you offer to someone looking to compete? It’s a journey, not a destination.  You need thick skin…I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not listened to the constructive criticism of my coaches and the judges.  Be willing to hear another person’s perspective.  This is not from fitness alone but from ALL my coaches ever since high school!!!  Even some of my bosses.  None of my coaches sugar coated anything, they were brutal BUT it made me better in so many ways.  I have had good years and bad ones but someone how picked myself up again and continued to succeed, even after a failure!  Don’t let hardship stand in the way of your dreams.  One of my fav quotes, Tough times don’t last, tough people do!

Anything else that you have in the works, (magazines, books, sites, appearances, etc.) or anything else that you would like to share about yourself.  I do have a few things in the works, I just found out I’m being flown out to California again in 2 weeks for more fitness infomercial work, time to really tighten up the diet! Regarding other things that I have in the works…I prefer to not toot my horn until they come to fruition, check out my website and facebook for updates.  I don’t want to jinx myself!!!

Nicole works harder in the industry than anyone I know so I am certain that many more great things are in store for her.  Make sure to check out her website for updates and stop by and say hello on her facebook page.  Next week I am featuring Model America Champion, Jheri Bellard Turnley.

For more information on Fitness Celebs follow Brooke on Twitter

Next Page »