Q and A

Is walking considered exercising?

Unless you're walking as if you're being chased by a robber- not really. Many people meet up with friends and go for walks and consider this their exercise. It's considered more of a stroll- and yes while its very healthy and good for you- when it comes to burning major calories..it would take many hours of this "strolling" to be effective.

I love chocolate- I cant deprive myself of it- what should I do?

Save it for the weekends- make it a treat and reward yourself at the end of the week.

I have over 50 lbs to lose. I dont know where to start. What do you recommend?

Start with changing your diet- clean eating- cutting out white flour and sugar. Chose a type of cardio and commit to it 5 days a week. Pick a consistent time everyday and and use your time wisely. Just doing this- I guaruntee results. Weight will gradually start coming off week by week. You will get to a point where this will stop- at that point I recommend adding stregnth training to you workouts.

I've been working out consistently for months and eating well. I was losing weight every week and recently I stopped losing. What happened?

Your body reached a plateau. It happens a lot in weight loss. Basicly, your body got used to the exercise you're doing. Switch it up- try something new- and up the intensity. 

What kind of coffee do you drink?

I drink either Starbucks Pike that I make myself or Turkish Coffee with almond milk.

What drink do you order from Starbucks?

Soy Misto with 2 pumps sugar free vanilla and cinammon on top (great question)

Back to Reality..

What a long week with so much to say- much to confess!! I was away from Monday till late last night. I had an engagement party in NY and arrived a day early to take care of some stuff in the city. Generally, when I go to NY I stay at my grandparents where every morning I wake up to a spread of anything and everything your heart desires- and my grandparents know by now exactly what I eat and the house is fully stocked with all my food. This time the situation was a bit different, and as far as food was concerned- I was completely on my own. How bad could it be? It cant be that hard right?...WRONG..very very bloody wrong!

I arrived late Monday night- I dont generally like to eat on planes cuz I get sick so I was good and hungry. Theres gotta be a decent place open late at night to get a good meal right?..Oh- WRONG AGAIN. I could very well be oblivious to NY resturaunts but as far as I was concerned- the local market would have to do. OK- crackers? Popcorn? Chumus? Pretzels? But it was so late at night..I hate eating heavy so late- espeically b/c I had to wake up early the next morning I didnt want to feel sick and have it ruin my day. I remembered I had an extra sandwhich in my bag but peanut butter tends to get me nautious and not something I like right before I go to bed. I put it in the fridge and knew it would come in handy. I had an apple and pretzels and called it a night. I felt like an anorexic girl with a growling stomach and a pouding headache. I shouldve been better prepared- me of all people. Its ok- tomorrow is a new day and I would do it right.

Tuesday morning arrives- and I ran straight to that fridge for my sandwhich. Filled me up? Ya right- I had to get to the city quick so I couldnt even stop off localy to pick up some food. Got dressed and headed out- stopped off at a store in the city and got some fruit- granola bars-nuts- protein bars- anything and everything with a kosher sign that could keep me going all day. I ate crap all day. My body wasnt used to it- I wasnt used to it. I had scheduled appointments one right after the other trying to knock off as much as possible in one day- so this was the epitomy of eating on the go- all I could think of was that I'm having dinner in the city- and how much I needed that dinner. Finally- dinner arrived. Oh- my workout of the day- I walked from 16th to 81st..I had 45 minutes to get there and hell no was I taking a taxi..those 45 minutes were intense- and with feet throbbing, head pounding, back aching, stomach growling and eyes burning (no sleep) I arrived at dinner. I ordered a big Angus Steak with a salad, and had some chumus and veggies as appetizers. Man was that good- well needed- well enjoyed..and the few glasses of Merlot didnt hurt either :)

Wednesday morning I had more time so I made sure to stop off and pick up good ole healthy food. I arrived at a local cafe and asked for an egg while omelette with a whole wheat bagel on the side.."We dont do egg whites"..Serioulsy? Umm..do you have eggs? Do you want me to seperate them for you? Thank you to a friend behind the counter who convincing this other guy that ya "You can do egg whites"..I had a bowl of fruit, egg white omellette, whole wheat bagel and a coffee and headed back to the city. This day was more mellow with a stop at Dean and Deluca where I tried their nuts mixtures, dates, grapes, and a coffee- my breakfast was a bit later so lunch was smaller. I had dinner in Crown Heights that night at a local joint- left hungry- nuf said. Wednesday day was my aunts engagement party (reason of my trip- photo above). So I helped myself to all the salads and fruit at her party- plates were so small- makes you feel like a horse when you're going for your 8th refill.

To sum up- when you're on the go and not in your comfort zone- its very very hard. As prepared as I thought as I was- when push comes to shove sometimes you're forced with grabbing the granola bars, pretzels, etc- and even ice cream a few times (shh). It's OK. As much as I would have wished I could have eaten better I enjoyed every second of my trip- I have not yet weighed myself to see if and what damage had been done but I'm not all that concerned. Immediately when you go back to your old routines your body adjusts quickly. Vacations are fun- exciting-different- and are meant to be enjoyed like that. Eat the occasional ice cream, donut, pizza, wine- dont do it often but when you do- you better damn enjoy it and make it worth it.

My trip ended with a very fun family lunch with big appetities and even bigger personalities- finished off with a long non-ending flight back.

B/C I didnt have any form of organised exercise in NY I was glad to get back to clients early this morning. I started out with
Quick Up-Hill Jog
Walking lunges with 12 lbs
Closed leg Squat with 15 lbs
(x3)
Leg Crosses
Deep Lunges
Plie Squats
(x3)
Leg Szissors
Standard Squat with 15 lbs
(x3)
An hour run combined with 2 clients..
Push Ups
Tricep Extensions
Plank
Side Planks
Back Rows
and lotsa ABs on the mat :)

Breakfast never tasted better, good ole grapefruit, Protein Pancake, and a coffee. Happy to be home- back to reality- and gotta get started on this Week Q and A..lotsa good Q's especially from my trip- met lotsa ppl with lots of questions. Ask yours at RachelCFT@gmail.com.

Good Day Mates :)

The results are in...

Please excuse my blogging lately or rather blogging absence lately- it's been harder than I expected to find Internet service...but thanks to a lovely super chic upper east side star bucks- were back in business!
I wanted to touch a bit on my no crabbing adventure last week. Here's exactly what I did- and the pros and cons along with it. I had my regular breakfast before working out everyday..threes no way I would be able to work out with no carbs. After my breakfast my lunches snacks and dinner were either salads roasted veggies proteins or fruits. I tried limiting the fruits and some days i was better than other. I did my regular workouts and ate just as often as I usually would.
Pros:
I lost 4 lbs in a week
I felt lighter
Was easy to stick to but only when I had everything prepared.
Easy resturaunt ordering
Cons:
Low energy
Boring
Not easy to stick with "on the go"
By the last day I was soooo craving carbs I downed 3 bowls of brown rice so it definately causes cravings..

All in all- if you have hit your target weight and wanted to tighten up before an event I would recommend it but no longer than a week or two. It is not a long term weight loss method and definitely not something you could stick with long term but i did enjoy the challenge and obviously enjoy the results :)

On the go..

(We should all be so lucky to travel in such style!)

It's very easy to develop a good routine and schedule when you're home and consistent with it. After a while, it starts becoming second nature- and hopefully you can get to a place where your body needs it and almost demands it from you. But what about when you're on the go? Just because you're on vacation doesnt mean you should give it all up- a lot of times we fall trap to completely letting ourselves go making it a lot harder to pick up where we left off when we come back. It's understandable if you're just going for a few days and have absolutely zero time- but just as you need to eat, shower, and sleep when you travel- your daily exercise is just as important.

When I'm traveling here are a few things I like to do.
a.) Go for a run. It's a great opportunity to check out the new location on your own terms. Just make sure you know where you're going. Look up a route before hand- or find a local park that has a directed path.

b.) Check out a new gym. They have one day even one week free guest passes- so why not check it out. Maybe take a class? It's always exciting in a new place, new people, new equipment..so have fun with it.

c.) Try something new. Ever tried Bikram Yoga? Pilates? Kick-boxing? Check out the area and see if they offer any of these classes. Who knows- you may love it and make it part of your routine when you get home. Or- you may hate but hey- at least you tried!

d.) Do a no equipment required workout from your hotel room (or wherever you are). A workout I use a lot- especially when traveling is this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWjPYdu_qk

It's 30 min- I try to get it in as often as I can- very effective and worth every second of those 30 minutes.

Also- if you're gone for a few days- instead of committing to a general "workout" tell yourself a time, place, etc and be precise. So- if you're gone Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday than say..OK- Tues morning before I do anything else I will go for a 45 minute run. Schedule it, prep it, and make sure you stick to it.

This week I'll be traveling- I havent yet decided what method I will use..a lot depends on the weather..but once I get there I will figure it out.

I have finished my no-carbing week. Just weighed myself and have some great news..plus a weekend recap..stay tuned :)

The Veggie Soup..

It's been 4 days of no carbing and I must admit it really has been pretty smooth sailing..I've been chowing down on tons of fruits (probably more than I should be) veggies, proteins and my good ole' trusty Veggie Soup..

In the beginning of the week I made a huge pot of veggie soup- everything under the sun went in there. Onions, shallots, leaks, zuccini, carrots, green beans,celery,cabbage, squash, peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, and a little bit of fresh corn. I threw in some salt, pepper and tons of fresh herbs to give it flavor. I eat is ALL DAY..its very low in calories and b/c of all the veggies and the liquid it's quite filling..

I also made turkey patties. I used some ground turkey breast- onions and spices- rolled into small bite size balls and made a ton of them. Also a great go to snack for no carbing. I cut up lots of veggies, and fresh fruit and just always made sure to have stuff to munch on..

As for workout today- I did yoga..time to cook for the Shab..

Still going strong!

I woke up this morning at 6:30 to a text from my first client that she got sick and unfortunately wasnt able to make it this morning. Hmm..this means an extra hour of sleeping in..but then again..most of my workouts these past couple days were either with clients, with the kids or cut short b/c of the kids sooo..I knew I needed a good run- it really has been too long..but it was cold out..I was still tired..to run..to sleep..run..sleep..I really wanted to sleep- but I said hey- if I'm anyways working hard to give up carbs this week..then why not make my efforts count even more..so rubbing my eyeballs I got my lazy a$$ outa bed and laced up my sneakers. I did a great hour run- I really could tell that it's been a while cuz it took me quite some time to get into a good groove..but once I got going I was set..I truly did enjoy it..

Came back- had another few clients..usual breakfast..I had a full day on the go so lunch was grilled chicken, green beans, and steamed veggies- apple and grapes for a snack, and soup-salad-and grilled chicken for dinner.

Cutting carbs yet again has been surprisingly easy- today I did eat out for lunch and dinner- cant remember the last time that happened but it sure helps! We'll see what tomorrow brings..I really do just want to sleep in...hmmm..we shall see :)

Day 1: Done

Hi Adriana- we'll talk about you soon..

Monday was my first day skipping Carbs after breakfast..It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be..

For Breakfast I did eat my carbs, for snack I had an apple and another coffee. Lunch was 2 bowls of veggie soup and 2 turkey burgers. (I use ground turkey meat, chop onions, herbs, spices and cook at 350 for 45 minutes)
I snacked on celery sticks, carrots, mini peppers, and pickles until dinner and then made a Big Salad, more veggie soup and another turkey burger. Was very easy so far- but hey its only been day one!!

Workout this morning was
chest presses
chest flys
tricep skull crushers
reverse crunches
full sit up
bicycle crunches
(x3)
tricep dips
bicep curl
plank
push ups to t stand
(x3)

Gonna try to get do some Yoga now while the baby naps..I could really use it after these past few days!!

I was just reading about Adriana Lima- supermodel who just gave birth and has this insane figure..heres what she says about her weight loss..

“I always change my diet constantly every year I do something different, and this year it had to be exceptional because I just had a baby. So I had extra weight that I put on, and also my body was completely different — I felt like my bone structure just changed completely. I really had to work in a different way, so I did a few different things.”

“I started with a liquid detox and then, after I did only protein . . . I went to a nutritionist — everything is followed by a doctor. It’s not that I just decide on my own, ‘I’m doing this! I’m doing that!’ No. I have a nutritionist, and he does a series of exams, breathing, blood and everything else. And from there he sees how my metabolism works. If my digestion is fast, what type of food makes me bloated and not — all of these types of things . . . Food-wise I eat like anything green, any green vegetables grilled or any type of meats grilled, like four ounces of anything, for lunch and dinner. Between that I have either a shake or cereal bar.”

 Hmm..cant do liquid or just protein..sucks for me!