Miss me?

So someone saw me recently and says, "So you stopped working out these past few months?" I smiled- I know what she was talking about..just cuz I'm not writing about it doesnt mean I aint doing it!

Yesterday was Memorial Day, I had 2 clients that still wanted to work out. My day started with hill sprints and then a circuit training of
2 ball squats-2 push ups-2 side planks (done without resting for 10 sets)
Dead lifts while raising the leg
Squat deep and shoulder press with heavier weights than usual (15-20lbs)

In between each set I did 3 minutes of high energy cardio. Try this. 60 sec jumping jacks. 60 sec jump squats. 60 sec high knees.

Did that circuit 3 times.
The next client was a newer client and I dont work out with new clients. I had her doing toning exercises on the mat with hill sprints in between. Planks, leg lifts, scissors, jack knives, bicycle twists, and lots of poses that test your stregnth by having you hold them foreeevveerr!. Want a great ab firmer? Hold a plank 2 min, side plank 1 min, other side 1 min, back to standard for another 2 min. Ye- you're pretty much drenched at that moment!

My eating has been the same...strict during the week and let loose on the weekend. Lately I've been needing something sweet every night. My mouth just craves it. When fruit doesn't cut it I'll have some s.f.f.f (sugar free fat free) choc pudding. I made these turkey burgers yesterday for the next few days. I sauteed onion, mushroom, spinach with salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, cumin and some liquid amino acids (brags makes a good one, tastes like soy sauce). Then when that cooled I mixed it with ground turkey breast. Put it on the bbq till it got nice and charred on both sides, and voila. Last night I had it for dinner is lettuce wraps. I used big pieces of lettuce with tomatoes, pickles, onions, and salsa inside. I dipped it in ketchup as I do with almost everything else in my life- was great. I used them for lunch today with steamed brussel sprouts, and some brown rice.

Let's talk a little business here. Summer is coming up. For me, reality is the dread of wearing a swimsuit doesnt scare me simply b/c my lifestyle doesnt include parading the beach in tiny white bikini- BUT I do like to use anything and everything as motivation to kick things up a notch. If you're always doing the same thing and never push yourself harder you will never achieve something you've never achieved. Think about it, always do the same-you'll always see the same results. Stuck in a rut? Switch it up. Never get bored. For me- summer means light airy loose clothing. It mean long days out with the kids and lots of energy needed. It means beaches, parks, pools, zoos, water parks- all areas where you're out in the sun, on your feet- you want to be comfortable, you want to have energy, and lets face it- u wanna look good and FEEL great. Summer also translates into BBQs for me. My home becomes BBQ center every summer. We love to entertain and summer is the perfect time to do it. I used to dread BBQ's b/c of the amount of calories I'd consume without even thinking. They're always filled with chips, salsa, candy, meats, fries, bread, sauces, beer- the works- and not the best for those trying to eat better. So get prepared before summer with a new attitude and appreciation for your body and the food you put into it. Train yourself before to make the right choices, and do it in a way where you're not focusing on what you CANT have but on what you CAN have. Put daily exercise and activity into your summer plans NOW and get a jump start on them before summer hits. Prepare yourself mentally, and get into it physically.
So- think summer, think thin- and think about getting there now- committing now.

Nice to be back!

I'll get back into Q and A's..you can email your questions to RachelCFT@gmail.com or post them directly on the blog. 

Real Women- Meet Mishi

I've known Mishi my entire life- she is actually the sister of former "Real Women" Sarah Nagar. Mishi has also had an extreme transformation- in how she looks- eats-exercises-and through this interview you will clearly see how and why. What I find so interesting and applicable to this blog is how 2 sisters completely transformed their bodies using their own unique methods. I've said so many times and will continue to say- find what works for you! Clearly as we've seen so many times- different thing will work for different people- the common denominator is commitment, motivation, patience, and a desire for change! With that- you can do anything..so without further ado- meet Mishi Harari

1.) Hey Mish, tell me about yourself a little bit..a little intro to who you are

My name is Mishi Harari. I'm 27 and I'm a stay at home mom of 3 little kids, ages 4, 2, and almost one kh! Contrary to some skeptics, that doesn't mean I actually stay at home and be a mom all day, I'm quite busy keeping everyone happy, entertained and active, and I'm also currently studying at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, learning to become a health coach. I have a lot of plans for what I want to do once I graduate. I'm 5"3 and 120 pounds.

2.) Walk me through your eating day. Whats on the menu?
On an average day for breakfast I will have whole grain rolled oats with an organic brown egg, some blueberries and half a grapefruit, with green tea or water.

For lunch I'll have an ezekiel bread sandwich with 1/4 an avocado, plain tuna, or a sandwich with left over dinner in it. I always have a fruit and veggie with my lunch, and of course, water!

Dinners are typically grilled chicken breast, salmon or ground turkey, seasoned with sea salt, olive oil and other tasty spices. I'll bake sweet potatoes and a salad, or quinoa/brown rice and some grilled green veggies. I have been experimenting a lot with kale!

Snacks are nuts, apple, carrots or celery with natural, orgranic, natural peanut butter, and some organic raisins, both of which are  without preservatives and added sugars.

Why do you chose to eat organic? What benefits do you feel they have?

First of all, organic produce is much tastier. And even more importantly, there is no issue with pesticides, herbicides, genetically modifying, etc...you're actually eating the REAL fruit. Have you ever noticed organic produce is much smaller and has different shapes, not all perfectly colored and shaped? I have learned so much about issues with pesticides and modifying foods that I hate to even put them in my mouth anymore! (I am not totally organic at all, it's not easy to get organic products here for various reasons, but we're trying). Even better then that altogether is eating locally grown, small farm produce. There you are only eating seasonally, and only eating produce that has only traveled a short distance, as opposed to buying fruit (even organic) at the market from Chile, which has traveled a few thousand miles to get to you, and is really not fresh anymore. This all really means the nutrients in the locally grown farms is much more dense. This produce is fresh and packed with all the good stuff and will stay that way until it gets into your body!

How long have you been eating this way?
I have been into healthy foods for a good few years now. I have been studying nutrition on my own for a long time and I'm actually not quite sure how I became so into it!


3.) Do you work out? 
Yes

What do you do-how often do you do it-and how do you do it with 3 little kids??

I exercise usually fives days out of the week.  I send my oldest off to school, put my two younger ones for a nap and I have about 2-21/2 hours to exercise, eat a quiet breakfast, get dressed and do some things around the house before they get up and the day starts.
I do a mixture of aerobics, circuit training and yoga. I usually do about half hour of the first, and 20 minutes- half hour of yoga. I pretty much make up my own routines as I'm going along. It's great! I will shorty be working on becoming a yoga instructor. I'm not exactly sure when the time will allow, but I hope to make it happen soon!

You used to live in California, do you feel that living in NY makes it harder to work out?

I visit home, CA, every summer for two months and I faithfully go to an exercise class almost everyday. So every year, when I go back home to NY after the summer, I get really down because I have to start working out in my boring living room. This year was different. I came back home with a lot of enthusiasm to stay fit throughout the year! And since I don't have easy access to gyms and classes, I have found an inner strength to rely on my own motivation to keep me going. I don't rely on DVD's or classes anymore. I just work hard to keep myself motivated and make my physical activity work with my lifestyle in NY!

Wow! What keeps you motivated?

What keeps me motivated is the way I feel when I exercise. I feel my body getting stronger and my endurance strengthening as well. After a good workout my head feels clear and my endorphins are going so I feel like I can do anything.
It's a great start to the day!

Be honest, do you have any guilty pleasures?
Honestly, I don't really have any guilty pleasures. When I keep my mind focused and make sure to eat lots of veggies and drink a lot of water throughout the day, I really don't even crave anything junky. It's called "crowding out." In our house, thank gd, we really don't have sugary products or junk food. My kids have treats (not candy) on the weekends, or special times, and during the week everything is sweetened naturally with bananas or a little raw, unfiltered honey, etc...So not having junk in the house also helps a lot!

What advice would you give to all women out there looking to live a healthier lifestyle?
My advice to anyone out there trying to live a healthful and rich life, is put your mind to it, take small, tiny steps and most importantly, eat a lot of veggies. Try one new vegetable a week, especially leafy greens, with lots of water, or green tea if you need the caffeine. This will be sure to curb your cravings and keep you energetic. Also, don't start on a rigid, intense exercise program. Start with 5 simple minutes a day and work your way up. That way you won't get burned out and lose motivation. And check in with yourself often to make sure the rest of your life is in balance, because living a happy, healthy life is not just about the food we eat!

To contact Mishi for nutrition counseling she can be reached at MishiHarari@gmail.com