Badass Fitness

Five Ideas for Building a Badass Easter Basket

Easter baskets are the stuff of childhood memories, right? All those brightly colored jelly beans and the big, hollow chocolate bunnies. But who says we have to give up Easter baskets just because we're old enough to vote?

I say embrace the Easter basket - but a different kind of Easter basket. Peeps and the like are just empty sugar plus food coloring, after all. You might as well measure out a few cups of sugar and pour it down your throat.

But done right, a Badass-approved Easter basket can be a great gift for your friend or loved one, or even a personal treat to yourself. The Easter basket is a chance to give lots of little treats, and still stay on the path to a leaner, fitter Badass you.

To celebrate the weekend ahead, five Easter basket suggestions:

Adult-worthy chocolate: Not the cheap milk chocolate kind, which is mostly sugar anyway. Instead, splurge on the good dark stuff. Dark chocolate with 65% or higher cacao is higher in antioxidants and lower in sugar, and the flavor is so rich a smaller amount will satisfy.

Paper treats: Who doesn't appreciate a gift certificate to their favorite bicycle shop, healthy cafe or grocer, massage therapist or yoga studio? And the enjoyment will be a lot more lasting - and beneficial - than quickly inhaling a bunch of Peeps.

Sock hops and bunny britches: Well, not literally. But a great pair of cycling or running socks, new kicks for him or a pair of workout pants from her favorite athletic line will fold up pretty nicely into a basket.

Rabbit food: Skip the carrots and celery, because that would just be sort of odd - and lame. Instead, stock up on his favorite post-workout trail mix or energy bar. Fill a basket with the salt and pepper cashews she loves or her favorite flavors of Lara bars. Whatever. But make the basket all about the healthy treats your loved ones love.

 

Healthy baked goodness: If carrots and other rabbit eats are a must, why not go in the form of a healthy breakfast or dessert-for-breakfast treat like a carrot or zucchini bread? It will kick off Easter morning in the yummiest, no-guilt way! My fave is this zucchini-dark chocolate bread. Trust me, there is nothing green and grassy about this deliciousness!

 Coming next week: All-Tabata TRX routine and an all-Tabata bootcamp!

 

Badass CEO's Favorites: Summer 2011 Edition

Imagine the eighth level of hell. A fiery, torturous furnace where the afternoon "rain" is nothing more than a rain of smoking-hot fire.

This, dear Badasses, is Tallahassee, Florida during the summer. Around here, summer starts right around Memorial Day and effectively hangs around like a hot, wet sponge until Halloween. It stinks.

Summer officially began last week, but Tallahassee hit a record 105 degrees a good week or so before that. We also set some sort of "most consecutive days of 90 or hotter" record. Awesome. NOT.

Amid such wretched heat, I present you with my favorite fitness and health 'finds' - a few bright spots to make the summer of 2011 worth sweating through.

Hopefully, some of them will make you happy, too. Drum roll, please...

BADASS CEO'S FAVORITES of Summer 2011

1. Fooducate: This daily blog consistently is a rich treasure trove of no-nonsense information about food products and nutrition. Fooducate unveils the truth behind "it's so good for you" health claims and explains the skinny-- and not so skinny - on everything from mac n cheese to energy bars and frozen diet entrees. But the coolest thing is the Fooducate app for iPhones and Droids that allows you to scan an item in the grocery store and quickly get the Fooducate info on that item. I am still a Blackberry devotee, but am closer than ever to getting an iPhone - all because of Fooducate. For now, I am signed up for their daily blogs. So far every one has taught me something.

2. Bosu Trainer: Squats, pushups, pikes, cardio drills like leapfrogs and burpees - put enough Bosu Trainers together, and you get a heart-pumping, body-sculpting, Badass playground! The Bosu Trainer is a recurring 'player' in my classes and training sessions - and as much as it can make their muscles burn, clients and students also love it. And who can blame them? The Bosu makes workouts challenging AND fun.

3. Zobha and Lucy athletic wear: I have long been a devotee of Lululemon and Athleta, but ever since I tried the Zobha and Lucy lines, I am hooked. These two lines feature pants, shorts, tops, sports bras and jackets in bright colors, flattering fits, and durable and movement-friendly fabrics. All for prices comparable or less than Lululemon and Athleta. Forget baggy sweats. Fitness and fashion CAN go hand in hand. And when you look good, you feel good - all the more motivation to work harder when working out.

4. Ultimate Muscle Protein (Chocolate): This whey and caseine blend protein powder from Beverly International has the best taste and consistency, and its nutritional profile is strong (120 calories per scoop, less than 4 grams of fat, no sugar, 4 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein). It is delicious with oatmeal, in smoothies, and with Greek yogurt. My chocolate pudding "trick": Just mix a scoop or two with reduced amounts of water or unsweetened almond milk. Stir it until it is smooth and refrigerate. Within half an hour, you have thick, creamy chocolate pudding! And lots of muscle-building protein. Get it for less at allstarhealth.com.

5. Bolthouse Farms dressings: "Light" and Fat-Free salad dressings are a potential minefield of overly processed Franken-stuff and way too much sodium. Bolthouse Farms, bless them, offers a line of delicious, flavorful dressings with REAL ingredients like yogurt, apple juice, nonfat milk, egg yolk and vinegar. My favorite is the chunky blue cheese, which plays a starring role in my apple-blue cheese summer coleslaw. It is just 50 calories and less than 5 grams of fat for 2 tablespooons but tastes as rich and creamy as any blue cheese dressing out there.

6. Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon: In my world, cinnamon makes everything taste better - be it oatmeal, cookie batter or even smoothies.  It's also great for regulating blood sugar. So I love Kashi's new cinnamon-dusted whole grain version of Cheerios, which are low in sugar, fat and have about 150 calories for a cup.

7. Mediterranean Snack Food Baked Lentil Chips: Rice cakes are cardboard disguised as food. Baked potato chips usually aren't much better. But the grease factor of regular potato chips makes them a less than ideal snack. Lucky for us, The Mediterranean Snack Food company's Baked Lentil Chips comes to the rescue for your next snack attack. These lentil chips, available in varieties like Cucumber Dill and Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper (and sold at most grocers and gourmet/organic places like Earth Fare and Fresh Market), are crispy, light and amazing on their own or dipped in hummus or guacamole. And you don't have to limit yourself to 5 chips to keep the calories low. A serving size is 22 chips, which is perfect for an afternoon snack, and just 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. The chips even offer 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber and are gluten-free. Buh-bye rice cakes. These are the bomb.

8. You Bars: I am a huge advocate of whole food. Real food. Unprocessed food. I don't like to eat things that feature of a laundry list of unrecognizable Franken-gredients. So I am in love with You Bars. This online site walks you through the making of your energy bars, protein cookies, trail mixes and shakes. You can literally choose every single ingredient that goes into your food, and then you get to name it. Do you want cashew or almond butter, or soy nut? Cherries or Goji berries? Oats or no oats? They're about $3 per bar, but I'm OK with paying more and knowing what I am eating. The website even calculates the nutritional profile as you build your bar. So cool.

Coming up: Simple But Strenuous - Pushups + Squats x many reps = Badass kickin'...

"Dear (insert name of other half/friend), stop buying cookies..."

Does this sound familiar?:

You're five days into a new Badass, clean eating regimen. You've worked out three of the past five days, and you're thinking, 'I've got this. Let the lean me emerge!'" 

Then your significant other shows up with chicken wings and fries for dinner. Or your co-worker brings in fresh-baked cookies. Or your best friend picks a dinner spot where everything on the menu is fried or drowned in butter.

Suddenly, 'I've got this' turns into 'How can I resist? They're not making this any easier for me.'

Let me stop right here and stress: I believe, above all, that we are responsible for our own actions. If we really want a stronger, leaner Badass, we have to be strong and determined and make the right choices to get there. But I also believe that the support of friends and loved ones is key to our successes - whether the goal is dropping five pounds or finishing a master's degree. Whatever. It helps to have a strong shoulder to lean on.

In recent weeks, a couple of clients lamented and fretted over the tempting foods that their loved ones keep inserting into their daily routines. An aunt sent sugar cookies. A husband has the metabolism of a hummingbird and keeps wanting fatty foods for dinner - all the while, his wife is determined to rock a bikini come spring and does not appreciate these junk food temptations at home.

At my office this past week, we at one point had a tray of sugary pastries, a decadent cake, and homemade cookies in the break room all at once. Not exactly part of the corporate wellness plan that I coordinate! I think I went into diabetic shock just looking at it all.

So today, I present an open letter to "the others" in our lives. Feel free to print it out and give it to them as a gentle reminder that you need less temptation and more support in your Badass journey to a leaner, stronger you.

The Open Letter, In Hopes of Making that Badass Better....

Dear [insert name of your 'other'],

I'm sorry it has come to this,  but that [insert tempting food] was the last straw. As you know, I am trying to [insert fitness goal] and I'm starting to feel really good about my chances of getting there. But the  [insert fast food] and [insert fave pizza joint] and [insert baked goods/chocolate] are making my Badass journey more difficult.

I don't expect you to go on this eating plan with me, but I would love it if you could meet me halfway. I would do the same for you, and I know that you get how important this goal is to me. So here is what I'm asking: [pick from the following...]

• If you buy the big bag of candy, please don't tell me - and hide it.
• When I ask you to pick up dinner, please find me something that isn't fried or loaded with starch and sugar.
• Try to 'treat' me with something other than [candy/chocolate/cake/cookies]. I would love to have a [massage/round of golf/round of tennis/pedicure/perfume/cologne/date night] instead.
•  When you eat [insert non-clean eating food] right in front of me, I admit it is so tempting. Do you mind eating fast, or away from me altogether, instead?
• Please be willing to compromise. I know you love [insert their fave 'cheat food' here], and I do too. But maybe we can limit that to once a week instead of every night.
• It would feel so supportive if, at least a couple of times a week, you would eat my healthy foods.

 OK, so I know this might seem whiny or like I'm asking a lot. But I promise, the end result will be worth it. I'm on this road not just for myself, but to get to a point where I like myself better - and can be better for you and the other people I care about. So next time you want to bring home cookies from the bakery, maybe you can just buy one for yourself and bring me [flowers/fruit/a card] instead.

Love,

[insert your name]

Badass CEO's Favorites, Fall 2010 Edition

I love Fall. It means football and tailgating, cooler mornings and crisper nights, and the start of the holiday season that includes costumed trick or treaters and Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. 'Tis also the season of greater food and alcohol temptations, so we Badasses have to find a few things that we love - to self-motivate us as we work to stay on the Badass path.

With that, I give you my latest fitness and wellness favorites:

Badass CEO's Favorites, Fall 2010

1. Athleta clothing: You know how on days when you're rocking a work or party  outfit you really like, it just sets the tone for the whole day? Like, "I look pretty put-together today, and I feel like I can do anything." Same goes for workout wear.

A great workout outfit can be just the thing to unleash your inner Badass. I love Lululemon, but lately Athleta by Gap is my go-to spot for slightly less pricey wears that are just as well-made and flattering for a variety of shapes and sizes.They have tops that show off the back but are more forgiving in the abs. They have loose tops, tight tops, pants of all fits, even casual wear for daily errands and lounging around. Best part: Mail-order convenience, and you can wash and wear them frequently.

And ya know what? Maybe you aren't to the point where you feel comfortable wearing these outfits. Buy one anyway, and use it as motivation. "I will exercise and eat right, and one day in the near future, I will wear this outfit like the Badass I know I am."

2. Salmon burgers, in bulk: Proof yet again that Costco, the symbol of excess in mostly obese America, is getting better with its offerings. These wild salmon burgers, less than $14 for a bag of 12, are a healthy foodie's dream - and a discerning diner's dream. They're easy to prepare (just pop them on the outdoor grill or George Foreman, or pan-sear or bake them) and have 1,360 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids per patty (compared to 1,000 milligrams in 2 tablespoons of fish oil). And they'll cost you just 170 calories, 9 grams of fat and 20 grams of protein, and 2 carbs. A frequent meal for me lately: One of these burgers (naked or on a 100-calorie sandwich thin bun), plus sauteed salmon with olive oil and roasted zucchini. Delicious, and so healthy.

 2. Indulgent flavored coffee, sans calories: There is no denying the deliciousness of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte or White Chocolate Mocha Latte. There is also no denying the calorie and sugar nightmare of these popular Fall treats -- between 400 and 600 calories for a Venti. Ouch.

So as the weather cools, I start my mornings with a guilt-free, full-flavor coffee indulgence. One tumbler of coffee, with a splash of Torani caramel or hazelnut sugar-free syrup, and a splash of  vanilla-flavored soy creamer. The Torani syrups come in many sugar-free flavors, as does a line of syrup from Starbucks - cinnamon dolce being Da Bomb.

All the yumminess, none of the sugar and calorie overload. That's what I call having my cake and eating it too...

4. NikeiD: The joy of a new pair of kicks is multiplied times infinity with NikeiD, the Nike website where you can build your own shoe from the soles up. Pick the shoe model; the colors of everything from laces to stitching; and monogram it however you please. The price is slightly higher than what you'd pay for a great Nike shoe in the store sans "iD," but I deem this a worthy investment. It felt pretty awesome when the postman delivered my "Badazz Shannon" shoes in orange and blue (Go Gators! In all kinds of weather!). The customer service is so superior - with e-mail updates confirming the initial order, then telling me "we're building your shoe," then telling me they just shipped them - I'll even forgive the apparent no-profanity policy that forced me to spell Badass with "zz." Clearly, Nike doesn't understand that Badass Fitness isn't profanity. It's an Army, a state of mind, a fitness brand...Hoo-ah!

5. Fitness playing cards: My gym bag lately always carries three things -- iPod, the TRX FitDeck cards, and Jillian Michaels' Hot Bod in a Box cards. The iPod is an obvious essential, but these fitness "playing cards" are just as key to adding variety and challenge to my own workouts and the sessions with my training clients.

The TRX cards are color-coded for core, upper body and lower body moves. And each includes a picture and description to ensure proper form. Sometimes, I pick the cards. Sometimes, my clients get to randomly select their own "TRX fun." The Hot Bod in a Box kit  includes cards outlining several circuit workouts that take 4 to 60 minutes each, plus cards showing in detail proper form and technique for each exercise. These cards include lots of variety - multiple types of pushups, squats, lunges, crunches and biceps and triceps moves, many of which can be done at home sans workout equipment. Now there's no excuse for getting into a workout rut.

Coming Wednesday: "Fatass", "SlackAss," "Scared-Ass," "Shy-Ass," "Weak-Ass," - it's all Badass,no judgement.

Fitness buys that aren't worth your money

Fitness and wellness doesn't always come cheap. There are gym memberships, sneakers, workout clothes, healthy food (which is, unfortunately, often more expensive than processed junk), vitamins, etc.

Many of these buys are worth the investment in your Badass fitness and long-term health. But some of them are just expensive bunk. Today, I present you with three. Cross these off the weekend shopping list, and if you've already purchased them, drop down and give me 50 pushups:

1. "Toning" shoes: The Skechers Shape-Ups, Reebok Easy Tones and various spinoffs by sneaker companies are a big pet peeve of mine. Yet another example of consumers' tendency to seek fitness in a magic little pill - or in this case, a magic little sneaker. The sneaker makers claim that the wobbly heel will tone your legs and boost your calorie burn if you walk in them. Whatever. A study recently found what I suspected from the start:

“Across the board, none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during any of the treadmill trials. There is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone.”

Maybe people wearing these shoes will suddenly start to walk more - which is a good thing. But if anyone expects to get Serena Williams calves just by slipping these on, they're about to be sorely disappointed. Shapely legs are the result of exercise, clean eating, and even genetics. So spend the money for those toning shoes on a Badass pair of running or cross training shoes that will motivate you to work harder for those hot legs.

2. The "Shake Weight": I'm pretty sure the creator of this ridiculous product was just looking for a way to sneak a pornographic commercial past the television censorship committee. The Shake Weight commercial, aired constantly on channels like Versus, basically shows a muscular guy who appears to be getting his, um, tension, out by yanking this dumbbell like he just saw Beyonce or Jessica Simpson walk by. According to the commercials, all you need is 6 minutes a day of this yanking to get toned and ripped. Oh, really?! Do cows fly, too? Save your $19.95 "plus shipping and handling" and use it toward a month's membership at the gym or a set of regular dumbbells for the house.

3. Fat burner pills: Fat burners make all sorts of claims about turning you from a flub-ster into a lean, mean ripped machine by speeding your Badass' metabolism and "fat-burning" ability. But the reality is this: The primary ingredients in many of these fat burners, which sell for anywhere from $30 to $60 for a bottle of pills, are caffeine and green tea extract. Guess what? You can buy caffeine and green tea in capsule form for less than $15 at a Vitamin Discount Center or allstarhealth.com, my favorite affordable online source. It gives you the boost in a more natural form, without all of the scary Frank-engredients that you can't pronounce. Oh, and guess what else? The best way to burn fat is to MOVE: endurance running and cycling, intervals. SWEAT! Your lean Badass won't come in a pill. It comes from you and the determination with which you work for it.

Coming Monday: Lessons from the football field...

Badass CEO's Favorites: Summer 2010 Edition

We're sweating our way through the dog days of summer, and we need pick-us-ups and good healthy stuff to get us through!

With that, I give you the Badass CEO's Favorites, Summer 2010 Edition:

1. Blue Diamond Natural Pecan Nut-Thins: These crackers are ideal when the potato chip munchies hit. They have the crunch and salty flavor of a potato chip, sans the fat and empty carbs. Made with mostly rice flour and pecan meal, they're also wheat and gluten free. Just 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat for 16 crackers, and these are great spread with hummus or peanut butter - or just eaten solo.

2. Sahale Snacks Soledad Almonds: I never would have thought to combine almonds with flax seeds, bits of dried apple, dates, balsamic vinegar and red pepper, but lucky for me the creative culinary minds at  Sahale Snacks did! Sahale makes a whole line of nuts mixed with sweet and spicy, but this is my fave. This makes trail mix seem so 1975, and it's the ideal snack to satisfy any type of craving - be it for something sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, or chewy. The ingredients are all natural, few in number, and nutritionally superior. At 130 calories and 9 grams of the good kind of fats per quarter cup, the only danger in opening a bag is potentially eating it all in one sitting!

3. Aveda Sun Care: If you happen to be a Badass with highlights or color-treated hair, or if you swim alot, add this spray your summer beach bag and/or workout bag. I always use Aveda hair products because they work wonders, and they smell like the flowers and plants from which they are made. The Sun Care is essentially spray-on UV protection that prevents the sun from messing with that beautiful hair color you love so much.

4. Orville Redenbacher Natural Popcorn Salted, 50% Less Fat: Y'all know how I feel about Frankenfoods that sound like some sort of nuclear warhead activating agent. So when I recently discovered this microwave popcorn with just a handful of real ingredients, none of them artificial or processed, and a salty buttery flavor that belies its impressively low fat and calorie count, I was sold. Just 20 calories per popped cup, less than 4 grams of fat, and infinite amounts of tastebud-pleasing flavor. This is my new 4 p.m. office snack to tide me over until dinner!

5. Calorie Counter by FatSecret, Blackberry App World: I am officially in love with this free download, which I put onto my CrackBerry last week when the Badass Trio set off on our clean eating, metabolism-boosting pact. As the ultimate Type A taskmaster, this detailed exercise and eating log simply rocks my world!  Every morning I can log in my weight as shown on the scale first thing, and throughout the day the Calorie Counter lets me track all of my activities - be it cycling, walking, "desk work," standing, weight training or housework. It also lets me input every single thing I put in my mouth - thanks to an impressive database of foods, from generic items like "strawberries, 1 cup" to a Whataburger Triple with Cheese (I looked that up out of curiosity, and you don't even want to know...).

As the day progresses, you can see how many carbs vs protein calories you're getting, how much fat and sugar, etc., and whether you are taking in more calories than you're burning or vice versa. This handheld food log inevitably shows you patterns you never saw before, which is key to any behavior-changing, clean-eating transformation. And it prevents mindless snacking, if only because you'd rather walk away from the chocolate chip cookie than have to take out the BlackBerry and input "cookie, 1 small, snack, 3 p.m."

iPhones and other smartphones have similar downloadable food and exercise logs, so find the one that works on yours and get it on there!

Coming tomorrow: Badass Foodie delivers the ultimate Man Cookie. All it needs to make it 100 % perfect is a side of beer and boobs...Hint: Bacon is a key ingredient. Don't knock it till you've tried it!

The Badass CEO's latest favorites...

I don't have the luxury of a schedule that allows me to watch The Oprah Winfrey Show very often, but a couple of times over the years I have been off work and home in front of the television at the right time to see that annual episode in which she unveils her "favorite things."

The audience who happens to be there that day gets to go home with all of the favorite things, which is really pretty Badass in my book. This Badass Fitness blog and my personal training side career haven't (yet) made me enough money to be able to offer a truckload of gifts to the whole Badass Army. But I can spread the love through knowledge - specifically, by sharing my latest list of "favorite things" to help you enjoy and reach new heights in your climb to the top of the Badass mountain!

Here goes...

Shannon's Fitness Favorites, Spring 2010 Edition

1. The Women's Health BIG Book of Exercises: I think I need to baptize this as my fitness Bible. For just $24.99 (less at Amazon.com), this book from the health magazine makers offers 619 exercises to sculpt your Badass from head to toe -- not to mention dozens of sample workout routines that puts it all together.  There is a chapter on nutrition, and answers to weight lifting questions. The best part: PICTURES!!! Every exercise includes a picture demonstration and description on proper movement and form. It is simply awesome. Buy yourself a copy. Keep it in your gym bag. Use it daily. 

2. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution: Kids today, in increasing numbers, are increasingly fat. Obese. Diabetic because of what they eat, not because of genetics. And I give mad props to British superstar chef Jamie Oliver for trying to stop us from become a world of flubby flubs. This is not about appearances, OK? This is about health -- specifically, about having it so that we can be a productive, happy, vibrant society of movers and shakers. Not a society of slovenly sloths. You think the healthcare debate is wild now? Just wait 20 years, when every American in their 20s is on blood pressure and cholesterol meds and insulin medication. I'm thinking that won't bring down insurance premiums. Jamie Oliver is on a mission to curb childhood obesity by improving the food served in schools. I want to give him a big Hoo-ah and a hug! This week, an ABC TV show began that documents his efforts in Huntington, West Virginia, which has the unfortunate distinction as being dubbed the unhealthiest cities in America. He went in, he took over the high school cafeteria, and he shrank some Badasses. I love you, Jamie Oliver. Besides Badass Foodie, you are now my fave chef!

3. 100-Calorie Almond packets: Almonds are one of the best power snacks out there, but as with even the best of foods, too much is no good for our Badasses because those calories and (good) fats add up. Enter Emerald nut company's 100-calorie almond packs (less than $3 a box at Target). One of my new co-workers, a fellow fitness enthusiast, introduced me to these recently. The packets eliminate the "how much is a serving?" guess work, and they come in natural or -- drum roll -- cocoa powder covered! Cha-choco-ching, right?! These are the perfect snack to keep in your desk drawer, gym bag or purse. Snack on a packet as you flip through that exercise Bible!

4. Amazing Grass Green SuperFood: This "grass" is totally legal and totally awesome! The Badass Foodie, keeper of so much amazing culinary and good eating knowledge, got me onto this powder powerhouse. It's sold at most health food stores, and comes in regular or berry flavor. Both are great, and I use a scoop in my protein shakes every morning. One 30-calorie scoop of the organic Green SuperFood contains wheat grass, alfalfa, spinach, broccoli, carrot, acai, green tea, goji berries, beet and raspberries. All those fruits and veggies means you get tons of antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals. I have seen a difference in my skin and energy levels, and a male athlete friend has experienced the same. I'll have another scoop!

5. Tide Sport with Febreeze: Yeah, so I wish I could say my sweat smells like roses. But um...not so much. Sweat is sweat, and while the burn and glisten of a power workout feels great, it smells like nastiness. And the smell is even worse when it sets into your workout cloths. The geniuses at Tide know this, and thank the heavens they have made a version of Tide designed to leave our shirts, shorts, socks and yoga pants smelling like heaven. It's got Febreeze odor neutralizer, and it works. Yeah, that's me you smell walking into the gym, all Febreeze fresh!

6. Almond Breeze almond milk, unsweetened chocolate: A friend and triathlete introduced me to this yumminess, and I am hooked. Less than 50 calories a cup, less than 4 grams of fat, and scant amounts of sugar make this an awesome substitute for milk (which is high in calcium but also high in sugars, albeit the natural kind). Cook your oatmeal with it, use it in smoothies, or even over breakfast cereal. I use it every morning with Amazing Grass in my protein shake. Publix usually sells this in the Greenwise section (in sweetened and unsweetened varieties) for less than $3 a carton, as do many health food stores. So go get some! Because really, how can you turn down anything that is chocolate!?

Coming tomorrow: Creamy tuna and chicken salad - two more dishes you DON'T have to give up! 

Pamper the beloved Badass in your life!

Seeing as how I do not have a Valentine, and haven't had one in some time, typically I would say "eh" to Valentine's Day. But now that I am Badass CEO of the Badass Army, I'm lookin' out for all of you! And guess what? You've got less than one week to find the perfect Valentine's Day gift for that special Badass in your life. It's also 4 days until you, hopefully, get a great surprise from your honey. Tick tock tick tock.

Every Badass needs to be spoiled and pampered now and then, right?

Still, I don't necessarily want you to celebrate by downing a 1-lb. box of Godiva truffles in one sitting. A truffle or two, yes. But 20 of them? You're better off without. Above all I want you, my beloved Badass soldiers, to give and get something cooler and more memorable than the standard bouquet of roses.

So I have come up with my first annual Beloved Badass Valentine's List. It's based in part on what I'd want any future Valentine to get me, and based on what I'd give. It also includes things that friends say they would consider great, but also healthy-minded, surprises.

Happy Shopping, Badasses! Give these, and I'll bet you have an awesome makeout session to follow! Awwww yeah! Dim the lights ;)

Oh, and if you are without a Valentine, do what I plan to do: Pamper yourself. Yep, you can treat yourself to any and all of the suggestions below. Why? Because you're a Badass, and you deserve it!

Beloved Badass Gift List

1. Lululemon workout clothes: when I was in Chicago in the fall, my hotel was right near a Lululemon store. I walked in and felt like I was in fitness fashion heaven! They had bootcut yoga pants, amazing sports bras, workout shorts and capris in flattering cuts and styles. The men's stuff is great, too. If I made a lot more money, I would get all of my stuff here and I'd shower them on any future guy. But I do not, so it's Tar-jay and Sports Authority for me. Valentine's Day, though, is about special suprises. So splurge a little and make sure your Badass babe is the gym's resident fashionista or fashionisto. (This hoodie rocks!)  

2. A massage, or a package of them: Massages are a luxury, but for Badasses who spend a lot of time working out, they're also great for recovery and for kneading the tightness from those worked-over muscles. Buy your Valentine an hourlong massage, or a few, from their favorite masseuse or from a place like MassageEnvy. I just got one this past weekend from Fit and Functional Training in Tallahassee, and it rocked. If you're good at giving massages, draw up a "coupon book" to be used by your beloved whenever the need or desire hits. It's cute, it's free, and it can lead to a whole lotta heavy petting. Nice!

3. Fitness gadgets: We all know cool accessories and fitness boosters like those Garmin watches or cycling gear are not cheap. But they do help with goal-setting and with boosting performance, so if we get a gift like that from our respective Valentines, it's not only practical -- it conveys the message that they 'get' and support our fitness goals. That is so important for a relationship. I mean, we all want a personal cheerleader, right? So think about what they love to do, and shop accordingly. Get them a high-tech gadget or a new organic yoga mat and duffel (I love the Gaiam stuff). Splurge on a really great, durable gym bag. REI sells great bags that will last.

4. Personal trainer/boot camp sessions: The best gift you can give someone you love is health, the kind of strength that will keep them around so that you can enjoy their company and their contented spirit. So buy them a package of sessions with a trainer or with a boot camp program to get them on the right path. Even better: Buy one for yourself, too, and get stronger together. It's one of the smartest investments you can make. (If you're in Tallahassee, here's my shameless plug: Buy them a package of Spinning classes with yours truly at Good Friends or at Impact Health where I teach, or send them out to my Saturday boot camp at Doak Campbell!)

5. Basket of healthy faves: You, better than anyone, should know what your special someone loves to eat most for healthy snacks. Whether it's portable coconut water cartons for yoga, her favorite organic dark chocolate, or his favorite post-workout protein bars, if you make a basket filled with the favorites, it says that you are paying attention and that you care. Stick a gift certificate in there for your Valentine's go-to frozen yogurt or smoothie shop, add in a few other goodies, and you've made a Badass Basket that will earn you lots of points!

6. A catered healthy meal: This can be catered by you (bonus points for effort!), or it can be professionally catered by your local healthy market or organic chef. Set the right mood with candles and music, and make sure the menu features the best of your sweetie's favorite healthy foods -- plus one indulgence for celebrating the occasion, whether it's full-fat mashed potatoes or chocolate mousse. You two can burn it off after dessert (wink!) Check out Badass Foodie's awesome Chocolate Cupcake recipe here: Download Chocolate_CupCakesv2

7. A Badass Journey journal: If your special someone is all about setting goals by writing them down, and tracking healthy eating by keeping a daily food log, spend a few extra dollars on a great journal. Crane's has amazing journals, and you can personalize them with initials or a name. That's a fitness keepsake worth keeping!

8. Workout jams: Some of the best presents I have ever received from significant others were what we old-school folks used to call "mix tapes." Now they're "mix CD's," or "iTunes mixes," but the premise is the same: Take the time and care to map out a musical journey that sends your beloved Badass down their fitness road with a killer beat and motivating thump-thump-thump. This gift is a reminder that sometimes, the coolest and most romantic surprises are the ones that cost the least -- but say the most.

I hope this helps you with your shopping and gifting!

In case you wondered: This year I plan to give myself the ultimate Valentine's Day pampering: A trip to London with my best friend. Come Feb. 14, I'll be outside Buckingham Palace and thinking about where to drink my first pint of hard cider. Maybe I'll even meet my prince!

Coming tomorrow: The Skinny on all those protein and energy bars.