This simple little cheap treadmill has been a game changer for me. My expectations were low. I honestly had no idea it could be so impactful. Not only has it helped me burn significantly more calories during my workday (helping me stay lean) but it has reduced my lower back pain from sitting and standing. Certainly proof that movement is medicine! Hear all about it in this video.
Read MoreOne of the many super fun parts of my job is getting asked by corporations and nonprofits to come in and give workshops on various wellness topics. This week I had a blast visiting my pals at the JCCSF to lead a discussion on my best nutritional strategies based on 10 years of 1/1 nutrition coaching. This is one of my all time favorite workshops where I review 3 beginner, 3 intermediate and 3 advanced nutritional strategies for body composition/weight management and optimal health. If you're curious about what my top 9 are here is a PDF of the deck.
Read MoreIn our house, the hour before bedtime is known as “Crinkle, Crinkle” time. That’s the time of night, after a healthy dinner, my husband and I tend to mosey over to the kitchen cabinet in search of snacks. And the “crinkle, crinkle” sounds of our favorite treats give us away! And before you know it, it’s easy to have eaten way more than you intended resulting in weight gain, indigestion, poor sleep and frustration. This happened to me a few months ago and it took some strategic thinking to course correct. There are loads of strategies out there. And I tried a few that didn’t work for me. Here’s what worked.
Read MoreThis post isn’t about how to eat to lose fat or gain muscle. Those are great goals and I help people do that all the time. You can get that for free in my guide. This is about something different. This post is about looking at your routine and what you’re eating in a day and making incremental, manageable improvements. The goal is simply to do something kind for your body not so you look better, but so you feel better physically and emotionally because you know you are doing something good for your health.
Read MoreRecently a friend asked my thoughts about “mindful eating”. In short, Mindful eating is based on mindfulness, a Buddhist concept. It's a beautiful concept and one I strive to achieve. But it takes a very long time in today’s world. And for folks looking for a more basic, first step to change it can be overwhelming. In my experience success can more often be achieved by first tracking one’s food for a period of time to achieve the right calorie goals while making room for the foods you love.
Read MoreAre you struggling to find a fitness routine during all this? Does your diet need help but you’re not sure where to start? Is your body crying out for more stretching and mobility? You’re not alone and I have three free ways to help.
Read MoreNow more than ever it’s critical that we practice preventative care to boost our immune systems, manage stress and tend to our body’s needs. I’ve been curious for a long time about Naturopathic Medicine and how/if it integrates with traditional Western Medicine. Can Naturopathic modalities help reduce our chances of contracting COVID-19 or minimize its impact if we do contract it? I interviewed Dr. Ashton Perroni, ND to help shed some light on these questions and more.
Read MoreWhether your goal is to lose body fat, increase muscle mass or just to be healthy and live a long life, ditch the crazy crash diets and focus on longterm behaviors that deliver sustainable results. Easier said than done, I know. The supplement, publishing and media industries have flooded our brains with so much conflicting information and misleading imagery that most of us have no clue what to believe or where to begin. Enter these 12 fundamental strategies for eating healthier and making better choices from Equinox.
Read MoreAllison Tibbs of Allison Tibbs Fitness is my meal time motivational guru goddess. No one can inspire by example better than Allison. She is Madonna, Oprah and the Dalai Lama all rolled up into one fierce package. If you don't follow her on Facebook and Instagram you should. She shares free recipes, videos and resources many of which have inspired some of my favorite meal prep staples and healthy treats. I'm so thankful that she once again is sharing a handful of recipes from her most recent 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge with us here.
Read MoreOne of my awesome clients Jason gave me a challenge last week. He wanted a quick (30 minutes or less) meal he can make at home with ingredients he can pick up at practically any grocery store (not just Whole Foods) that will fit his macros. Normally he meal preps and is open to the occasional food delivery service but wanted something he could make himself and hopefully have left overs. Challenge accepted! Try this low carb, high protein and healthy fat spin on a comfort food favorite.
Read MoreA huge part of being fit and healthy comes from nutrition. Duh. Frequently I recommend clients get more protein, water and almost always recommend incorporating more organic vegetables and fruits. Eat the rainbow. Inevitably, for those who follow my sage and expensive advice, comes the push back. I ask how the changes are going and they say something like “Well… It’s going okay, but, uhm… I kind of… Well…” And at this point they get a shy, embarrassed look. I quickly jump in with “You’re using the bathroom more and noticing you have more gas?” Most remain a little embarrassed but that fades as they begin to ask me a barrage of questions about pooping. So here are a few common questions and answers.
Read MoreI’ve been asked by a lot of clients recently whether it’s “ok” to use frozen fruits and veggies in smoothies, for meal prep, as snacks, etc. or if they “must” always use fresh. In general, I recommend folks try and get in as many colors in their diet as possible and to pick fresh when available and in season and to go frozen when not. Priority is on variety, practicality and your own tastes. Thankfully, Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD has put together this awesome article giving us the bottom line on the fresh vs frozen debate. Give it a read and crunch on!
Read MoreWhether for pre-workout or post-workout, breakfast or dinner or just as a quick pick me up, smoothies are quickly beginning to nudge juices out of the limelight for better health, body composition and performance. So you decided to replace less healthy options like processed cereals, meats high in saturated fat or skipping meals altogether with a healthy smoothie. WIN. But you don’t know what to put in it or are putting the wrong things in it. FAIL. Here’s a quick 90s video from the fantastic Manuel Villacorta (nutritional expert, author, M.S. and R.D.) to explain how to make the perfect smoothie.
Read MoreMost folks are familiar with the word “superfood”. It’s a general, non scientific term used to describe a food that provides high values of an important vitamin or mineral, phytonutrients and/or antioxidants that have been shown to have health benefits. They are foods that are generally accepted as being hella good for you like sweet potatoes, kale and salmon. I asked my pal, leading nutritional expert and author Manuel Villacorta, M.S., R.D. to explain the benefits of one particular superfood that you likely have never heard of (I hadn’t): the pichuberry.
Read MoreHello my name is JJ and I eat eggs. The whole egg. Including the yolk. Several time a week. Clients are usually surprised to hear this and I frequently find myself defending the Incredible, Edible Egg and dispelling many of the myths surrounding it. Aren’t I afraid of high cholesterol? What about all that fat? Who has time to make eggs during the week? All valid questions, so let’s tackle them.
Read MoreI’m fortunate enough to train some pretty amazing people. Among them is the lovely (both on the inside and out) Nicole Lana Lee. In addition to being a financial wiz, she is also the force behind NicoleLana.com and a force to be reckoned with in the gym, on the surfboard and in the yoga studio. She was kind enough to share her insights on how her fitness journey and personal training have affected her life. Enjoy!
Read MoreWhy is Kim smiling and glowing so bright in this picture we took at 5:30am on October 12?! Because it was reassessment day. We already knew her training program and nutritional tweaks were working because she was feeling stronger, had more endurance and her clothes were fitting great. But it's a good idea to check the numbers and make additional tweaks as needed for optimal results.
Read More99% of my clients need some form of nutritional coaching to get them where they want to be and those who embrace it consistently reach and maintain new levels of health and fitness. Simply put, you can’t exercise away a poor diet. And most of us don’t actually realize how poor our diets really are. It’s not our fault, the food industry has us all kinds of confused and even our own brains are tricking us. This post highlights my three most widely recommended ADDITIONS to a daily diet to help you reduce body fat, gain muscle and become healthy, strong and fit from the inside out.
Read MoreOnce a month I gather the best fitness and nutrition news, tips and videos from my blog into one handy email. I never share email addresses with third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time. Check out past issues.
