Tarrah's Top 3 Healthy LunchBox Foods

Its Back-to-School Time!  The madness and mayhem of busy schedules begin!  Don't want your kids noshing on the chocolate milk, soda and vending machine junk at school?  Pack their food JUST like you pack yours (or should be :-) )

Here are my Top 3 Power Snacks to pack in Kids Lunches!

1.) Solbites - all natural fruit and nut butter spread with whole grain crackers in an easy to-go pack!  Whole Foods or any other Natural Grocery store carry!  Just 200 calories, 5g protein, 10g sugar (none added)

2.) Think Thin Bites - all natural protein bar 'bites' made with nuts, nut butters, and all natural ingredients.  ZERO sugar, 100 calories and lots of tasty flavors!  Whole Foods, Kroger, even Wal Mart carry!

3.)  Justin's Almond Butter Pouch with Crunch Master Individual pack whole grain crackers - Just Almonds!  Great snack for kids on the go with the whole grain goodness of Crunch Masters Multi grain crackers!  250 calories for both and no added sugars!  Find at most ALL grocery stores!

Like my tips?  Contact me at tarrah@dnutritionista.com or visit www.dnutritionista.com for details on custom meal plans and workouts!

Tarrah's Top 3 Travel Tips for Eating Healthy on the Go!

Think you can't eat clean and healthy while you travel? Think AGAIN!  It's all in your preparation! Remember - 'Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail'

So you are traveling and want to stay clean and healthy but seen sure how with the meetings, family obligations, social outings, etc?  Here are my Top 3 Tips for Eating healthy while on the road!

1). PACK your food!

• Maybe not every meal- but enough food for you to keep your metabolism high by eating often
• Pack quick and easy things like Garden of Life's individual Raw Protein packets and a shaker bottle (found at Whole Foods), packets of almond butter, whole grain crackers, hard boiled egg whites and other easy healthy foods! 
• My personal favorite? Packets of instant oats, almond butter packets and protein powder packets- get a cup of hot water and pour over oats, add almond butter and protein powder and viola! You have a complete meal with ratios of protein/carb/fat to keep your energy high and keep you going on your long travel days!
• TSA allows ALL Food through security domestically- fresh, frozen, packets- just make sure any liquids are in 3oz bottles
• Invest in a cooler like a vino temp rolling cooler that plugs into a wall outlet and fits into the overhead! www.vinotemp.com

2.). PLAN out your trip!

• Research and plan out some restaurants you know have healthy offerings 
• When eating out, order your proteins cooked 'dry' with no butters/oils/sauces and your carbohydrates 'dry' like baked potatoes and sweet potatoes with no toppings. Order your veggies steamed and ask what alternatives they have for certain things (ie: brown rice vs white)
• Order lean proteins like egg whites in place of eggs, sirloin in place of ribeye, chicken, fresh fish, shellfish, lean pork tenderloin and turkey.

3.) HYDRATE with LOTS of water!

• Travel stress and long hours of sitting can cause the body to retain water- be sure to continue drinking the same amount of water you do ok normal days on your trip!
• Restaurant and take out (even at healthy establishments) has excess sodium and will also cause your body to retain water- continuing to drink the recommended water amount each day will keep you from retaining
• Travel stress can also cause digestive issues- keeping up on your water intake can help you to flush and detox you body and aid in digestion 
• Tip: Bring a large water bottle with you in your carry on- or just carry it on the side. Ask a coffee shop in the airport for ice and fill it up once you are through security. You will have a water bottle to carry around with you on your trip!

Like my tips? Follow me on Twitter @DNutrotionista and watch me LIVE on the Today's Show this Wednesday, August 14 with Kathie Lee and Hoda- 10am EST where the Women's Health Next Fitness Star will be announced! Hear my story at www.thenextfitnessstar.com 

Football Season Shape Up!

The goal of this workout is to get it done FAST but with INTENT and going your FULL INTENSITY!

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) not only burns calories but also helps to recruit muscle fibers and BUILD more muscle!  The more lean muscle mass you have?  The more calories you burn on an ongoing basis and the leaner you will be overall!

This football season, try this power and speed workout and get fit!

Try this on a football field, a track, the gymnasium at the gym, a large grassy area or a park!

Warm Up
Jog in Place 1 min
'Butt Kickers' 1 min (running in place kicking heels high behind you)
Military Kicks 1 min (kick leg out straight and touch toes, alternating legs)
Low intensity run 1 min

Workout:

• Football Fast Feet (squat position on your toes, move your feet as FAST as you can) 1 min
• 10 Burpees (Standing - drop to push up position and perform a push up, get back to standing quickly and EXPLODE upwards into a high jump)
• 10 Sprints with lunge back (EXPLODE into a quick sprint for 20 seconds then walking lunge back to start and repeat)
• Quick Feet Step Ups (on a curb or step, step up and down alternating feet as fast as you can) 1 min
• 1 minute plank

(Repeat sequence 2x)

Cool Down:

Cool down by running a slow paced run for 3 minutes 

Read, Set, GO Challenge yourself this week!

_____________________________________

Be sure to tune in to the Today's Show to see me LIVE with Kathie Lee and Hoda this Wednesday, August 14th at 10am to see who will be crowned the Women's Health Magazine's 'Next Fitness Star'!!  www.thenextfitnessstar.com

4 'Healthy Foods' that Aren't

I preach it everyday - become an INFORMED consumer!  The food industry marketers are BRILLIANT!  I will give them that.  The health and fitness industry is a multi-billion dollar industry yet 70% of American Adults are overweight.  Turn those products OVER and educate yourself before buying!

Here are 4 products that claim to be healthy but aren't!

1.)  Pre-Made Smoothies or smoothies from a smoothie 'shop'

• The average pre-made smoothie or smoothie from a smoothie shop (Smoothie King, Starbucks, etc) pack 85g sugar and thats the AVERAGE!  
• Our bodies process 30-35g sugar a DAY!  So what happens to the other 50g sugar you just consumed......yup you guessed it.....stores on your body
• Try making a homemade shake with unsweetened almond milk, a cleaner protein like Garden of Life Raw Protein and 1/4 cup frozen berries!  
• Will cut your calories and sugar back to only 6g!

2.)  Trail Mix or 'Energy Blend' Nut Snack Mixes

• Just say NO - the average trail mix PER CUP packs a whopping 700 calories, 44g fat (enough for a FULL day) and 45g SUGAR
• Opt for an ounce (about 12-15) Plain, unsalted almonds with a Non Fat Plain Greek yogurt and a rice cake crumbled in!  About 250 calories and choc full of protein/complex carbs and healthy fat from the nuts!

3.)  Frozen 'Healthy' Meals:

• Turn your frozen meal over and check out the sodium content - LOADED! 
• The typical frozen 'health' dinner packs over 1,400mg of sodium!  Thats MORE than half the recommended amount per day (2400mg)
• Not to mention - read the ingredients list.....is this clean and healthy?  NO...its basically processed CRAP

'TORTILLA CRUSTED ALASKA POLLOCK (ALASKA POLLOCK, ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, TORTILLA CHIPS (YELLOW WHOLE CORN, VEGETABLE OIL {CORN, SOYBEAN, AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL}), SUGAR, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, WHITE CORN FLOUR, SALT, SPICES, DEXTROSE, EGG WHITE, TOMATO POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR, WHEY, MALTODEXTRIN, YEAST, ONION POWDER, LEAVENING (SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE), SOY FLOUR, GARLIC POWDER, TORULA YEAST, CITRIC ACID, CORN OIL. PREFRIED IN COTTONSEED AND/OR CANOLA OIL), BLANCHED ENRICHED LONG GRAIN PARBOILED RICE (WATER, RICE, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID), SKIM MILK, CORN, TOMATILLOS, RED PEPPERS, WATER, CHILE PEPPERS, ONIONS, 2% OR LESS OF REDUCED FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED PART-SKIM MILK, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO COLOR), BUTTERMILK POWDER, DEHYDRATED SOUR CREAM (SOUR CREAM (CULTURED CREAM, NONFAT MILK)), MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SALT, SOYBEAN OIL, GARLIC PUREE, CULTURED WHEY, CILANTRO, JALAPENO PUREE (JALAPENO PEPPERS, SALT, ACETIC ACID AND CALCIUM CHLORIDE), BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, LACTIC ACID, SPICES, CALCIUM LACTATE.'

• NO thanks!  I'll just grill some fish and asparagus and serve it with some quinoa and fresh pico de gallo - save calories, be MORE full and not ingest loads of chemicals!

4.)  Protein or 'Energy' Bars

• Most of these are glorified candy bars - flip over and read your sugar!
• A Clif bar contains 22g of sugar!  STEER CLEAR!  You are better off eating a dark chocolate bar than a Cliff bar!
• Look for cleaner, low sugar and high protein brands like Think Thin and Quest Bars

Bottom Line?  Be an INFORMED Consumer and Make BETTER Choices for YOU and YOUR family.  Your body will thank you for it!

In Health,

Nutritionista

Tune in to the Today's Show Wednesday August 14th to see me compete for the Women's Health Next Fitness Star Title - one of the top 5 Finalists in the Nation!

www.thenextfitnessstar.com

Work SMARTER Not Harder - 3 cardio workouts that will BLAST body fat

You've heard the term HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) - what does it entail?

Short bursts of high intensity exercises that get the heart rate high and burn max calories with short recovery periods.  The beauty?  Burn MAX calories in shorter durations!

HIIT 1 - Hill Sprints

• Find a hill, incline or even use the treadmill at a moderate income (can increase to increase intensity)
• Begin by warming up 5 minutes with ACTIVE warm up like high knees, military kicks, etc.
• Start your first 'sprint' - no more than 15-20 seconds.  Take OFF on your toes and push as hard as you can with max capacity!
• Recover by jogging back to start.  Take 30 seconds rest and begin again!
• Beginners (10 sprints) Intermediate (15 sprints) Advanced (20 sprints)

HIIT 2 - Gymnasium 'Suicide' Sprints

• 5 minute active warm up
• Start your first sprint running from baseline to half court, touch the line, turn quickly and run back to the baseline.  Then sprint FULL speed the full length of the court, touch the line and sprint back to opposite baseline (this is one repetition)
• Recover by stepping in place 60 seconds and begin again 
• Beginners (5 suicide sprints) Intermediate (8 suicide sprints) Advanced (12 suicide sprints)

HIIT 3 - Treadmill Off Sprints

• 5 minute active warm up
• With treadmill off, grip handles on either side and use resistance to push the belt with your legs - sprint 20 seconds then hop off treadmill
• jog in place 60 seconds
• Jump back on treadmill and repeat
• Beginners (10 sprints) Intermediate (15 sprints) Advances (20 Sprints)

Remember that HIIT is EXCELLENT to add into your workouts for GREAT body fat/caloric burn but alternate between anaerobic HIIT and aerobic exercise like stepper, spin class, etc!  Keep that body GUESSING!

Happy HIIT!

Love my tips?  See my video and hear my story at www.thenextfitnessstar.com where you vote for me to be the Women's Health Magazine's 'Next Fitness Star'!  Today is the LAST day to vote!

Clean Cookie Dough that tastes like the REAL THING - What?

Like cookie dough?  This recipe is good EITHER way - cookie dough OR cookies:


Vanilla Chai Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
1 scoop Raw Protein Powder - Vanilla Chai Flavor (Whole Foods - SO good and CLEAN!)
3 egg whites
1/2 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
2 tsp All Natural Almond Butter

Directions:
Stir to combine - can have small cookie dough 'treats' or bake cookies at 375 for 10 minutes!

Recipe Yields 5 cookies - so you can control your portions!

DELISH for your family to satisfy a school night craving with ZERO sugar, chemicals, saturated fats or junk!  Serve with a mug of unsweetened almond milk at 30 calories a cup with zero sugar!

Nutrition Facts Per Cookie/Spoonful of 'dough'
Calories:    70
Fat:           1.9g
Carbs:       6.8g
Protein:     6.4g

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL? 3 Amazing Recipes (His friends won't even know are healthy!)

Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

INGREDIENTS:
2lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken wings, trimmed of visible fat
4 tbsp low sodium hot sauce
1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup faat free Greek plain yogurt
1 tbsp crumbled low-fat blue cheese
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Pinch fresh ground white pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place chicken wings in a large re-sealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, stir together oil, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne, black pepper. Pour mixture into bag with chicken, seal and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare dip: In a small bowl, blend cottage cheese, yogurt, blue cheese and white pepper with a fork. Refrigerate until serving.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag, discarding marinade. Arrange chicken on sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Flip chicken and bake for 15 more minutes or until chicken starts to brown. Serve with dip, removing chicken skin before eating, if desired.

Nutrition Info
Serving Size:  3 wings and ¼ cup dip

Calories	278
Fat	13g
Protein	22.4g
Carbs	1g

Mock-A-Mole (It has protein in it!)

Ingredients:
2 avocado2, peeled
1 container fresh pico, drained (or can make own homemade! Try Whole Foods brand)
½ cup Green Peas, steamed
1 Firm Tofu package

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 lime, squeezed into 'guac'

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a food processor or Magic Bullet and pulse until combined and creamy.  Can also mix with a hand mixer in a bowl

Nutrition Info:
Serving Size:
½ cup of ‘Mock-a-Mole’ (Recipe makes 1 ½ cups)

Calories	83.1
Fat	5.6g
Carbohydrates	7.3g
Protein	2.7g

Crockpot Extra Lean Beef Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 lbs Extra Lean Ground Beef (96/4)
4 egg whites
15 small whole grain crackers, crushed (if larger – use about 8) put in plastic bag and crush with fist
1 TBS Italian Seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 jar Ragu Light No Sugar Added Pasta Sauce

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except sauce in a bowl and mix with hands until combined.  Form into 12 slightly smaller than tennis ball size meatballs.  Place in crockpot and pour jar of sauce over.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours

Nutrition Info
Serving Size:
2 Meatballs with about ¼ cup sauce

Calories	264.5
Fat	7.2g
Protein	36.2g
Carbs	10.1g