The Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook Review
Post by Pamela | May 17th, 2012
image by W Brian DuncanI can read a cookbook like a good novel.
I was so excited when my copy of The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook
Then I was lucky enough to be selected as a guest blogger, writing about Progress Not Perfection for the clean eating master herself, Tosca Reno, which meant I got an advance peak at a couple of recipes plus a copy sent to me! Once I learned of my good fortune all I could think each day as I checked the mail was, “Is it here yet??”
The day it arrived, I curled up on the couch with a cup of hot tea and started to lose myself in all the creations I could make. I thought about flagging them with post-its, as I often do, until I realized I would be flagging just about every page!
I haven’t been so lucky with Tosca Reno’s previous books. As a vegetarian, a good portion of the recipes have been off limits. Breakfast usually provides many good options as well as the soup section. After that I’ve been limited to a small selection of meat free recipes, like the Black Bean Burgers in her Eat Clean Cookbook
After reading the cookbook, I did manage to let that go. I was overwhelmed with all the things I wanted to try it no longer mattered that a hand full of recipes contained seafood. In fact, I even made a curry recipe from the From the Sea chapter substituting Braggs for fish sauce. It turned out yummy over quinoa.
My next adventure was the as promised 7 Citrus Salad. While the salad turned out great, making a nice side with an egg white and spinach omelet I had to make a lot of substitutions. Where I live finding ingredients like an Ugli fruit or, this time of year, a blood orange can be challenging.
This has been, and perhaps always will be, my biggest issue with the Eat Clean Diet Cookbooks and recipes. Many ingredients are either foreign to those new to clean eating or very difficult to find in Small Town USA. I am dying to try to the Eggless Egg Salad but have been challenged in finding the black salt listed. It says you can use regular sea salt in a pinch but then indicates this particular salt give it the egg taste. I feel using regular sea salt would leave the recipe lacking. Thus I have yet to make it.
Would I buy this cookbook if it hadn’t been sent to me? Absolutely!! There are still plenty of things to try. Just be ready to for some experimentation, adventure and treasure hunting for some new ingredients.
Do you have a favorite recipe from Tosca? Where do you go for those hard to find clean eating ingredients?
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Setting Realistic Expectations
Post by Pamela | May 14th, 2012
image by Lee Carson I have another new nickname. I call myself Slow Burn.
It’s because my methods are slow and steady. I never promise anyone quick weight loss or dramatic overnight transformations. This can be a challenge when competing with the unrealistic expectations set by weight loss TV shows and advertisements for fat burning pills, fad diets and weight loss centers.
Clients say they understand that when we first meet and they start their programs. Yet sometimes, at that first weigh in, she may step on the scale and sigh that she’s “only lost 3 lbs”. Meanwhile I want to jump for joy, “That’s awesome, you lost 3 lbs!”. In her mind the weight should come off faster, she should see these dramatic results showcased on reality TV.
Despite its name, “reality TV”, the results and process are anything but realistic. Participants are exercising 6-8 hours per day and eating a very low calorie diet. They are removed from family, friends, work and the responsibilities of normal life. The reality is very few participants actually keep all the weight off. They leave the show ill equipped to make fitness part of their normal routines and the thrill of competition has long worn off, leaving motivation waning.
Fad diets and most commercial weight loss programs are no better. Most involve severe calorie restriction with little to no exercise. Diet foods with fat removed and sugar pumped up do more harm than good. Quick fix programs lead to Refeeding Syndrome and the vicious cycle of gain and loss.
I say slow and steady wins the race. The first 30 days of a program are about making small but powerful changes:
- Establish the habit of daily and purposeful exercise. Even 5 minutes a day can make a difference.
- Take a multivitamin and Omega Fatty Acids. Think of them as an insurance policy to cover gaps in your nutrition as you work towards a more balanced diet.
- Drink more water and eliminate calorie containing beverages like soda and coffee drinks. Being properly hydrated and eliminating empty calories can make a huge difference in not only how you look but also how you feel.
- Eat breakfast. You need fuel to start your metabolic fire in the morning. It can be small and quick but eat something when you get up.
Losing 2-5 lbs in the first month of a starting a fitness journey is a fantastic start. Those first 30 days of eating better and moving more also brings benefits beyond the scale, benefits you won’t get with fad diets. With a few small changes you will have more energy, sleep better and feel happier.
I will never promise anyone that they will lose “30 lbs in 30 days” or be “2 dress sizes smaller by Valentine’s Day”. I believe you are better and smarter than that.
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What Counts as a Sweet Treat Ep 57
Post by IPBrian | May 11th, 2012
Personal Trainer Pamela Hernandez talks about what she considers a sweet treat and how often you should have them.
In this video is advice for:
- How Pamela defines a "sweet treat".
- How often you should have one.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Backpack Kisses Recipe
Post by Pamela | May 10th, 2012
We all like a treat now and again. I like to tell my clients if you do the right things 90% of the time, the other 10% will be fine. It’s okay to celebrate your birthday or have the occasional indulgence. I felt like I ate my way through Paris because I knew it wasn’t something I would be able to do again next month or even next year.
I do not like to call treats “cheats”. I don’t like “cheat meals”. Cheating implies there is something, like a diet, to cheat on. Cheating implies guilt and guilt has no place in a healthy and fit relationship with food . I prefer splurge. It’s special. We enjoy it and move on.
If you like to enjoy the occasional chocolate treat then I have the recipe for you. I’ve got another great recipe this month, courtesy of Tosca Reno and The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook
Have fun trying out another great recipe from Tosca. Next week I’ll share my version of her 7 Citrus Salad and my review of The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook.
Download the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Backpack Kisses Recipe
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Monthly Workout Playlist May 2012
Post by Pamela | May 7th, 2012
My goal is to ride in our local Tour De Cure in June. I don’t usually ride and listen to music but if I decide to participate in the ride, I am going to need something to keep me entertained for the long training rides and the ride itself.
Cycling has a much different pace than running. I certainly pedal faster than I run. This month’s playlist is a little more high energy, great for longer rides. Have fun cycling, running, lifting or whatever you do to stay active this month!
- Evacuate The Dancefloor
by Cascada
: One of my clients turned me on to this one. Thanks Jennifer!
- The House That Heaven Built
by Japandroids
- Back In Time
by Pitbull
- We Run The Night
by Havana Brown
- Turn Me On (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
by David Guetta
- Rumour Has It
by Adele
- Fire Woman
by The Cult
- Radar Love
by White Lion
- Dance Again
by Jennifer Lopez
Amazon.com WidgetsClick here to see all of our Monthly Workout Playlists!
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