Badass Fitness

Badass Eats: One Meal, Ten Superfoods

How healthy could a single meal be?  If you include enough "superfoods," so named for their nutrient density, the answer is: very healthy. The sample meal below is one example. Packed with 10 superfoods, it is also packed with flavor, texture and variety. It's health food that tastes delicious. Yes, there is such a thing!

So give this one a whirl this week or weekend, or tweak this to make your own "SuperMeal."

The 10 Superfoods

• Quinoa: Low fat, protein-packed whole grain.
• Spinach: This vegetable is rich in just about everything: vitamin A, C, E, K, folate, fiber, iron, folic acid, B vitamins, etc.  
• Olive oil: Low in the "bad" saturated fats and packed with the good fats your body needs to absorb all the vitamins in these other superfoods.
• Asparagus: Low in calories but high in potassium and folate, as well as Vitamin C.
• Cinnamon: Levels out blood sugar levels and is packed with as many antioxidants as some fruits.
• Sweet Potatoes: This complex carb contains beta carotene, fiber, and vitamin B6.
• Walnuts: High in Omega 3s and studies show it releases serotonins for mood elevation.
• Salmon (wild): Also high in Omega 3s, which lower heart disease risk and reduce inflammation.
• Green Tea: The antioxidants, called catechins, have been proven to "hunt" free radicals that can damage DNA and contribute to cancer, blood clots, and heart disease.
• Oranges: Besides its high Vitamin C content, oranges have lots of pectin (aka fiber), which is good for colon health and cholesterol levels. They also are rich in potassium and even Vitamin A and folate.

The Meal

• Salmon Marinated in Green Tea, Olive Oil and Orange Juice
• Vegetable Quinoa blended with sauteed spinach and chopped roasted asparagus
• Sweet potato wedges roasted with salt, pepper, olive oil, cumin and cinnamon


Preparation

The salmon: Combine 1 cup orange juice with 1/2 cup of olive oil,  1/2 cup strong steeped green tea,  1/4 cup soy sauce to create the marinade. Marinate the salmon (a pound will serve 4 people) in this for 1-2 hours. Grill the salmon until slightly pink in the center, or to your desired doneness. (An outdoor grill or a George Foreman indoor grill works fine).

The veggie quinoa: Roast 10-12 asparagus spears, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, prepare a box of plain quinoa (enough to serve 4 people) as directed. This takes 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, sautee the spinach in a tablespoon or so of olive oil. When the asparagus is done, cut into half-inch pieces and toss into the quinoa along with the sauteed spinach.

The sweet potato wedges: Cut 3 sweet medium sweet potatoes into wedges, like steak fries. In a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Roast them at 450 degrees  for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly crispy on the outside but tender when pierced with a fork.

 

Badass Eats: A Guide to Going Nutty

You are allowed to snack, and when you do it's OK to have fat in it. Repeat: You are allowed to snack, and when you do it's OK to have fat in it.

Contrary to what many of us have been raised on diet commercials and magazines to think, living on rice crackers and fat-free everything isn't the best path to a fitter, stronger Badass. The right snacks not only keep our metabolism firing in between healthy meals; they can pack a nutritional wallop all their own.

Few snacks are as mighty as nuts. Yes, serving sizes matter because nuts are calorically dense and it's easy to grab an extra handful or two too many. One handful is about an ounce, or one serving. But in that little handful you get healthy fats, protein and other nutrients that make them a worthy Badass Eat - whether eaten alone or added to oatmeal, salads and entrees for extra flavor and crunch.

Consider:

• According to The Journal of Proteome Research, snacking daily on a serving of nuts - walnuts especially - provides a daily dose of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter that also controls hunger levels.
• Nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol."
• Nuts are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids which have an anti-inflammatory effect - helping to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers. 
• Nuts are a good source of minerals such as magnesium and copper
• Studies show regular nut eaters tend to have better success with weight control. One Spanish study of 9,000 people found that those who ate nuts at least twice a week were less likely to gain weight over about two years than those who rarely ate nuts, or not at all.

But not all nuts are created equal. Some are higher in protein than others, or higher in fat. Some are higher in calcium and iron. A few nutrition highlights:

• 1 ounce of almonds, raw: 164 calories; 14 grams of fat (only 1 g saturated); 6 grams of protein; 70 grams of calcium and 13 grams of iron
• 1 ounce of cashews, raw: 170 calories; 12 grams of fat (2 g saturated); 5 grams of protein; 20 grams of calcium; 2 grams iron
• 1 ounce of macadamias, raw: 202 calories; 21 grams of fat (3 grams saturated); 2 grams of protein, 20 grams of calcium, 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of walnuts: 185 calories; 18.5 grams of fat (2 grams saturated); 4 grams of protein; 30 grams of calcium, 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of pistachios, roasted: 162 calories; 13 grams of fat (1.5 grams saturated); 6 grams of protein; 30 grams of calcium; 1 gram of iron
• 1 ounce of peanuts, roasted: 170 calories; 14 grams of fat (2 grams saturated); 7 grams of protein; 0 calcium; .5 grams of iron 

The pistachios are a great choice because they are lower in fat than others but high in protein and calcium. Same goes with almonds. The peanut is actually the least nutritious of the bunch, lacking calcium and iron. Still, nuts of any sort are a good option when eaten in moderation, so enjoy them!

Tips for Going Nutty:

• Add a sprinkle of walnuts or slivered almonds to oatmeal or Greek yogurt for breakfast. Add in berries with the yogurt and it's a healthy parfait!
• Sprinkle toasted pecans, walnuts or peanuts on top of a lunch salad for extra crunch and flavor.
• Mix chopped nuts into a healthy recipe for banana or zucchini bread.
• Instead of bread crumbs, press chopped nuts into chicken or fish and bake it.
• Add your favorite nuts to couscous, quinoa or brown rice along with vegetables and a low-fat cheese for a great side dish or lunch entree. My fave combo: Couscous with crumbled feta, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and pistachios.

 Coming next week: A new #50BadassReps workout, a Spring Fever recipe, and 10 songs that will make you move even when you don't feel like it.

Salad Savvy: Simple, Savory, and Nutrient-Rich

 A salad for lunch or dinner need not be Boring Bugs Bunny fare.

Who wants a bland mountain of iceberg, anyway? Not only will it feel like cardboard torture going down, but it won't fill us up for long or provide the nutrients we need to reach (and sustain) healthy weight and lean muscle.

When building a salad, remember the building blocks:

• Protein: Lean chicken, fish or red meat (or tofu) will provide muscle-building power AND keep you feeling full. Better to top a 100-caloried bed of veggies with a 200-calorie piece of chicken than to skip the protein and  give in 2 hours later to a Snickers bar because you are (understandably) hungry.
• Color: The deeper and brighter the color of your salad veggies, the richer the nutrient profile. Think red peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.
• Flavor and Texture: Add a small amount of crumbled goat, feta or romano cheese for a flavor punch. Toss in raisins, cranberries, etc. for low-cal crunch and a kick of sweet to offset the salty.
• Healthy Fats: Moderate amounts of olive oil, chopped or sliced nuts, etc. Do not fear the fat - you need healthy fats to absorb the nutrients in foods. 

Badass Recruit McKenzie shared an awesome entree salad recipe, pictured at left and listed in full below. Her salad meets all four building blocks, which I love! This recipe is a single serving, so double or quadruple depending on your audience.

Kenzie's Steak Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Organic Spring Mix
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 2 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tomato, diced
• 4 ounces lean steak, grilled
• Dressing: 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, whisked with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Mix it all, toss and enjoy! It doesn't get any easier than that :)

Enjoy, and if you have a yummy salad, send the recipe to shannon@badassfitness.net or share below in the comments section.  

Coming up: Equipment-free leg burner routine!

Monday Meal Planning: Three Healthy Meals, 5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes

The prospect of spending an hour in the kitchen after many hours at work and doing family errands, kid chauffering, etc., is less than appetizing for many of us. It makes the convenience of takeout, delivery or fast food too convenient to pass up, right?

But we Badasses know that too much of instant takeout gratification equals excessive calories, fat, and sodium - not exactly the ideal route to a leaner, stronger you. We've got to find a happy medium that fits our busy lives AND our push for healthier lives.

Today, I'm sharing three of my go-to recipes for days when we wish we had an extra few hours just to get it all done. These are simple, tasty, and rely on healthy "convenience" eats like rotisserie chicken meat, microwaveable brown rice, whole wheat wraps, and pre-diced veggies. Each recipe serves 2 (double it for a family of 4); is 5 ingredients or less (not including salt, pepper and cooking oil); and can be whipped together in 15 minutes or less - faster than you can expect the pizza delivery man to arrive!

They also weigh in at 500 nutrient-dense calories or less.

Enjoy!(And if you have a favorite fast-prep healthy recipe, please share it in the comments below or e-mail me at shannon@badassfitness.net.)

Breakfast for Dinner

• 2 eggs, 4 egg whites, whisked (or Egg Beaters equivalent)
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup pre-diced green peppers and onions
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese or crumbled feta
• salt and pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking

Directions: In medium saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high flame/burner. Add peppers and onions first, sautee a few minutes until soft. Add mushrooms, sautee a few more minutes. Pour eggs over the top of the veggies, and begin to scramble. After a minute or so, when they just begin to set, add in spinach and continue to scramble. Add salt and pepper to taste. When they're done, sprinkle cheese over the eggs. (Note: These can be eaten solo, or with whole wheat toast/English muffin. For extra protein, add low-fat turkey sausage to the scramble!)

No-Delivery Pizza

• 2 whole-wheat English muffins or 6-inch whole wheat pitas
• Tomato sauce, in the jar, your fave kind
• 1 cup pre-diced veggies (tomatoes, green peppers, onions, etc.)
• 1/2 cup turkey pepperoni
• 3/4 cup skim-milk mozzarella, shredded or crumbled reduced-fat feta

Directions: Toast the "crust" in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Top with sauce, veggies, pepperoni and cheese. Turn oven up to 400 degrees and heat until the cheese is bubbly, about 8 minutes. Voila!  (Note: This would be great served with a quick-toss pre-bagged salad mix)

 

Chicken-Black Bean-Rice Bowl

• 1 cup diced or shredded chicken breast meat, from a precooked rotisserie
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup brown rice, fast-cooking/microwaveable (or couscous)
• 1/2 cup salsa, your preferred variety and level of spice
• 1 cup pre-diced green peppers and onions

Directions: Prepare the rice or couscous as package directs. Heat the chicken, black beans and veggies in the microwave, about 1 minute. Combine the rice/couscous and remaining ingredients, including salsa. Serve!

Coming up: Bootymix, Badass workout...and 4 weeks to big changes (for the better) in your Badass Journey.

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'...

Fellow Badass Recruits share a few healthy recipes

I love the Badass Army. You guys rock - and not just for reading this blog and sharing your questions, thoughts and personal stories. You also rock in the kitchen, proving that healthy eating doesn't have to taste like cardboard!

Today, I am passing along two recipes that fellow Badasses recently sent to me. One is a great pre- or post-workout smoothie; the other is a great fish entree. If you have something you want to share, please pass it along via email (shannon@badassfitness.net) or in the comment box below. Happy eating!

Tammy Curry Means' "Mean-Good, Not Curry" Smoothie

From Tammy: I've switched to mostly gluten free and this seems to get me through the mornings after my workouts at 5:00 am.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup - Almond Breeze Sweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 Scoop - Isopure Zero Carb Creamy Vanilla Protein
• 1 Scoop - IPP Non-GMO Soy Lecithin Granules
• 1 Tablespoon - Cold Milled Ground Flaxseed with Mixed Berries
• 1 Medium - Ripe Banana (preferably frozen)
• 7-8 Medium - Fresh Strawberries (preferably frozen)

Directions: Blend in a blender until berries are all incorporated. I use the fruit frozen so that I don't have to dilute the smoothie with water by adding ice.

Calculated Nutrition per serving: 326 Calories, 29g Carbs, 10g Fat, 29g Protein, 18g Sugar

Badass Reader and student Mollie Hamm shared this chicken recipe she found in Oxygen Magazine, which is a great resource for healthy cooking ideas.

Hold the Hamm Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

*Prep and cook time: 35 minutes
*Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:  

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 oz skinless chicken breast
• 1 light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedge
• 1/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup diced tomato
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp oat bran
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic fresh, chopped
• 1 4-oz sweet potato

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Cut chicken breast on half and set on baking dish.

3. In a small mixing bowl, mash together the cheese wedge with cottage cheese. Add tomatoes and rosemary. Mix well.

4. Stuff the cheese mixture into one side of the chicken and use the other half breast to top it. Dust the top with oat bran.

5. In another bowl, toss together broccoli and cauliflower with oil and garlic. Place on the baking dish beside the chicken.

6. Bake chicken and vegetables for about 25 to 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, wash and poke a few holes in the potato with a fork. Microwave for about 8 minutes (turning after 4 minutes).

8. Plate the chicken breast, vegetables and sweet potatoes. Serve with a vegetable such as asparagus.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 530, Total Fats: 19g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 80 mg, Sodium: 490 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 52g, Dietary Fiber: 13g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 45g, Iron: 4mg

Coming up: Your Target Weight Math, and the Badass CEO's Summer Faves!

Chips are for kids; these 'Chick' Chips are for Badasses

Badass CEO Truth No. 53: If you put a bowl of chips in front of me - Hint of Lime Tostitos, Sun Chips, Kettle-Cooked Lays, Cape Cod, etc. - odds are I will eat a handful...and another, and another, until they are all gone. 750 to 1,000 calories later, I am kicking myself yet thinking, 'I wonder if there is another bag.'

Yep, salty chips are my weakness. Same goes for popcorn, Cheetos (witness my orange handful at left), honey mustard pretzels, etc. I am a snacker, and I don't do the whole "moderation" thing very well when it comes to these salty treats. I want my chips in large quantities.

I know I am not alone.

So what are we to do? How to balance our ChipSession with this whole Badass Journey thing?

Sometimes, we just have to give in and let ourselves live a little. But this week, we can also learn a new culinary trick:  Chick Chips. (sadly, no relation to Marshmallow Peeps...)

My colleague Emily shared this recipe for spiced, roasted chickpeas - her go-to snack for satisfying her salty, crunchy cravings. As she put it: "These are so good, you want to eat the whole pan. And if you do, it's OK! Because it's just chickpeas!"

These are amazingly easy and fast to prepare, and so nutritious.

The base for hummus, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are a versatile and cheap food. Rich in good carbs and protein but low in fat. One cup has less than 300 calories, 12 grams of protein, 54 grams of carbs and less than 3 grams of fat. That's a lot less fat than a cup of salted nuts.

You can use them for homemade hummus, in salads, and now as a salty snack. Here's the recipe. Go ahead, try to eat just one. And then have that aha! moment when you say to yourself: "I don't need to eat just one! These are chickpeas!"

Emily's Chick Chips

Preheat oven to 425.

Rinse and drain one can of chickpeas. Spread them onto a rimmed baking sheet sprayed lightly with olive oil. Pat them slightly with a paper towel to remove most of the remaining moisture. Season as you desire - I used cumin, salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.  Cook for 20 minutes, then turn the oven up to 450 and cook for about 5 more minutes or until they are crispy. Put into a serving bowl and snack away!

(Note: These would also be great, crispy and seasoned like this, on top of a green salad or a couscous salad on a warm spring or summer day.)

Coming up: Attention Cardio Fiends - trying to run to lose? Here's a big reason to pick up a dumbbell...or two!

A few thing you maybe aren't doing with protein powder, but should!

Of the foods I have temporarily stopped eating as part of my three-week super-clean eating regimen, I miss most of all chocolate. Like, real chocolate. 70 percent cocoa. Covering nuts. Covering pretzels. Cradling caramel.

Whatever. I miss it, and will be having a piece (or two!) with a big glass of Cabernet on Saturday night - a brief treat before going back to my generally clean eatin'.

Still, this little lean-it-out exercise has left me feeling better and stronger than ever - and it has forced me to get creative with protein powder. Chocolate flavored, of course. I've long used protein powder for my smoothies and in my morning oatmeal, but I have discovered a few other culinary "treats" worth sharing.

I use whey protein powder in the daytime and slower-digesting casein protein powder in the evenings (to keep the metabolism humming). So find a protein powder variety you like, and try these 'recipes':

1. 'Gelato': This is the easiest one. Mix a full scoop, or two, of protein powder with half the amount of water you would typically use for a smoothie.  It should be not quite as thick as pudding, but not so watery as milk. Put it in the freezer for 60 minutes or so, and voila! Chocolate gelato - sans all the fat, sugar and high calories.

2. Protein Pancakes: Yep. You can still have pancakes and live the "clean life." This recipe starts out as my morning oatmeal: Take 1/2 cup dry oatmeal, and mix with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. Add a scoop of protein powder (vanilla is just as good as chocolate for this purpose), cinnamon to your liking, and mix the "batter" together. In a very lightly greased/sprayed pan over medium-high heat, spoon out the batter into pancakes. Cook just as you would pancakes, until they brown on each side.

You can wrap these up for a quick to-go breakfast, or make a few batches and keep them in the fridge. Or do as I did Sunday: Serve them warm with a small amount of sugar-free syrup and scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes. THAT is a Badass Brunch. 

3. "Truffles": Yeah, I know. These are NOT Godiva or Peterbrooke. But Godiva and Peterbrooke don't make six packs, boys and girls. So give this a try. Mix equal parts protein powder, (no sugar added) peanut butter or almond butter and honey (or agave nectar) in a small mixing bowl. Roll into balls, like truffles, and keep in the fridge for a healthy-fat snack.

4. Pudding: Mix 8 ounces of nonfat plain Greek yogurt with one scoop of protein powder, your favorite flavor, and you have creamy pudding!

Coming next week: Monday's Move; and three "Healthy" Foods that aren't so much.

The Badass CEO Returns...and cleans up for a close-up

This Badass is BACK!

Spread the word: New content is coming, every week. More work for me, more fitness knowledge for you. I call that a worthy trade.

After a brief hiatus, I am rested and focused and ready to re-enter the blogosphere. Hopefully some of you are still out there reading, though no doubt sick of re-reading old blog posts for the umpteenth time. As our governor says: Let's Get to Work.

You see those cookies right up there? Yeah, well those are an example of what I WON'T be eating for the next couple of weeks. See those brownies? Also NOT eating those. Sigh.

Here's the skinny: I am eating completely clean in preparation for a fitness photo shoot at the end of this month, and that means stepping up my game when it comes to food. No sugar, no alcohol, no white flour. Lots of chicken, fish, brown rice, egg whites, oatmeal and veggies. Not exciting, but it works. I've done it before, the result being a fitness competition win at my gym. (Poster evidence below)

I figured the clean eating topic is as good as any to reignite this blog, because so many of my students and clients ask me, "How can I clean up my eating?"

The first answer: NO DIETS. You all know I hate that word, and prefer BALANCE. But when you have a goal that's coming up fast, there are ways to tidy up your plate to make you look and feel great.

Basically, clean eating means cutting out the crap and tipping the balance toward "virtuous" eats and away from the snacks, desserts and handfuls of M&Ms from the office candy jar. I actually eat clean most of the time - no fast food, no overly processed foods - but typically don't think twice about eating a cookie or drinking wine a few nights a week with dinner.

The difference when you have a goal - mine being to bring my A-game to that photo session - is that, for a short duration, you skip those indulgences. You skip the wine, you walk away from the candy jar. You plan your eating to ensure there are no "impulse" decisions that land you in the fast food drive-through. And you keep exercising - with intensity.

So here are the top clean eating foods. If you're ready to join me and step up your A-Game, this is your grocery list:

• Chicken breasts (baked, broiled, grilled): Lean protein. Your staple.
• Tuna, canned: More lean protein.
• Shrimp: Easy to cook, low in calories but a good source of protein.
• Salmon: High in protein, and high in GOOD fats. Easy to grill.
• Eggs (hardboiled): Cheap, lean protein in the whites. Make a couple dozen for the week.
• Oatmeal, plain or low-sugar: Complex carbs that stay with you for energy.
• Greek yogurt, plain nonfat
• Whey protein powder: Mix it into the oatmeal for protein plus carbs, or mix with water for a mid-afternoon snack.
• Casein protein powder: This digests more slowly than whey protein, and is ideal as "dessert" mixed with a half-cup of Greek yogurt at night. It satisfies that sweet craving and will keep your metabolism and muscle repair going through the night.
• Brown rice: Mix it into veggies and chicken for lunch.
• Lower-carb veggies and greens: Broccoli, asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, romaine lettuce.
• Lower-sugar fruits: Think oranges and berries, grapefruit.
• Sweet potatoes: Rich in vitamins and minerals, these plus brown rice and oatmeal will be your main source of carbs. Bake them and serve SANS butter, etc. Savor their natural sweetness.
• Almonds, plain: Snack on 10 to 15 in the afternoon for energy and protein.

Not the most exciting pantry additions, right? But notice that all of this is real food, mostly in its natural form. That's really the essence of clean eating. Nothing is processed. It's fairly low in fat, and most of these foods on their own are low in calories. So when these make up your daily menu, it's pretty easy to fill your nutritional needs without exceeding the daily calories you need.

Maybe you're thinking, how does any of this look on any given day of eating? It looks like this - my "menu" from Monday and Tuesday:

6am: 1/2 cup dry oats, mixed with hot water and 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder

9 am: 1 egg, 5 egg whites and 1 tangerine

11:30: Big salad of spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, 1/2 cup brown rice, topped with 4 ounces blackened chicken and 1 tablespoon light balsamic vinaigrette

2 p.m.: 3/4 cup Greek nonfat plain yogurt, mixed with 1/2 scoop whey chocolate protein powder

5 p.m.: Myoplex Light vanilla protein shake

8 p.m.: Spinach tossed with 6 ounces of light canned tuna, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar.

10 p.m.: 1 scoop of casein protein, blended with water

So this will be my basic template until the March 26 shoot, after which I will no doubt drink a glass of wine and seek out pizza, cookies - or both! Because in the end, it's all about BALANCE.

Coming up: With exercise, you really can age in reverse.

 

Badass Beverage: Chocolate Milk!

Today, we celebrate a rare occurrence in the Badass Universe. Today, we celebrate confirmation that something we THOUGHT was a guilty indulgence turns out to be a HEALTHY, must-have food in our Badass sports training Arsenal.

Today, we celebrate...chocolate milk!!!

It's true. That creamy chocolate deliciousness we used to chose over apple juice or lame, plain milk while trudging through the elementary school cafeteria turns out to have been the choice of Badasses-in-the-making.

We spend all sorts of cash on "sports drinks" and "protein shakes," yet various studies increasingly show that the best post-workout fuel for endurance athletes is chocolate milk. Suh-weet!!!

For example, a recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism cited fat-free or low-fat chocolate milk as the ideal post-exercise recovery drink -- better than plain milk, water, or Gatorade, Powerade and the like.

Here's why:

1. Chocolate milk has twice as many carbohydrates and protein as plain milk, water and most sports drinks. Eight ounces of reduced fat milk contains between 160-170 calories, and skim milk contains 160 calories approximately per eight ounces. That's ideal for replenishing overworked muscles after a long run, cycle and/or swim.

2. Chocolate milk is high in water and in nutrient-dense electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, so it replaces the fluids you lose when you sweat through a long workout.

3. Chocolate milk is low in sodium and (natural) sugars, and it's corn syrup and processed-sugar-free -- providing just the right amount of nutritional energy to athletes.

No wonder athletes like Olympian Michael Phelps drew are often spotted drinking the stuff!

A note of caution: This research is NOT a pass to chug gallons and gallons of chocolate milk, nor to add Hershey's chocolate syrup to your oatmeal and frozen yogurt! The research found that chocolate milk is best for cyclists, swimmers and long-distance runners because their endurance training and events burn up lots of energy. That means they need more calories, carbs, and protein than the average gym rat who jogs in the treadmill for 20 minutes and lifts weights for 30.

So know what your Badass needs, and choose your post-workout fuel accordingly. If you're doing endurance cardio, consider saving cash spent on Powerade or Muscle Milk shakes and opting instead for that old-school favorite.

If you're lucky, maybe you can even find your chocolate milk in a cardboard carton. Just like in kindergarten...

Coming this week: The temps drop, and we wear jeans. Time to tighten that tush!...