Photo courtesy of Shutterfly
How to get Michelle Obama arms
The weather is already summer like in many places on the east coast. And we all know what that means. Lighter clothing, particularly in the upper body area. Thanks to…
Taking progress pictures can help you stay on track. To the left: me at Equinox pre-pandemic; and then post-pandemic in May 2021. Notice how the exact same locker room changed, too!
Week 10- DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
Here is my weekly update on my meals, exercise, and recipes. RECIPES AVAILABLE HERE (UPDATED FOR WEEK OF MAY 6) Customizable DAOFitlife Meal Plan and Grocery List Links- Week 10 Customizable…
Week 9 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
Week 9 of DAOFitlife meal and exercise plan has a few new twists. This week I have tweaked my diet in two ways:
I am starting to eat a little early breakfast before my workout. I do this by either eating a few bites of my oatmeal mix half an hour before my workout, or eating a date and a few nuts beforehand. A Medjool date is fairly big and good for a burst of instant energy. In my article on pre and post-workout nutrition, I outline the pros and cons of eating before the workout. I am going to as an experiment see how much my workouts actually benefit from eating a little beforehand.
The other major tweak to my diet has been NO SUGAR SUBSTITUTES. That means not just no artificial sweeteners, but also no “natural” zero sugar products like Stevia or Monk Fruit. This is purely a theory that I am testing, but I believe that these substances are robbing my body of energy I need from actual carbs and making me crave the sugar that I am not getting. In my post on protein bars, I rave about the “fake sugar” and its effect on our insulin sensitivity. Even though at first glance stevia and monk fruit may not have the same effect on insulin resistance, I believe that they are having a “sugar fake-out” effect on me.
(more…)
Do not throw out that egg yolk! You need fats for a fit body and MIND. Photo by Nick Samoylov
If you want to be fit, get FAT
…into your diet.
In my PFFCW formula, the second F is for fat. And I resisted it for years. Now that the stigma has been shattered, I realize that fat is essential to feeling good on the inside and out. Let’s find out why.
(more…)
This is the HIIT feature of down dog. There are more customizations you can make based on type of body workout you want (upper body, core, legs, back, etc.).
Why Down Dog is now my favorite fitness app
During the pandemic, I have probably tried free trials and paid for subscriptions of no less than 50 fitness apps. Yes, this was mostly research for the blog – mapped out in my Fitness app decision tree.
But it was well worth the investment, because after countless hours of planks, burpees, and squats, developing a decision tree, and slogging through unbearably annoying instructors and lots of freezing issues, I have done it. I have found the holy grail.
(more…)
We all know Easter eggs aren't just for kids! I plan to sugar detox during week 8. Photo by Tim Gouw
Week 8 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
Note: Please consult a physician before pursuit of any exercise or meal plan. This is solely intended as a meal and exercise diary, and is not prescriptive. T-1 month until…
Whole Foods Shopping List: DAOFitLIfe
We all know the famous nickname for Whole Foods - Whole Paycheck. I do not get my staples from Whole Foods, but there are a number of speciality items that…
ManuPadilla @ Adobe Stock
What to order (and not order) at Starbucks
As promised in my post on drinking calories, here we have a guide to the shrine of corporate existence: Starbucks. This article will give guidance on what NOT to order from Starbucks, and what to order instead.
(more…)
Photo by Bon Vivant
Saboteur Series V: Drinking your calories
Drinking right is just as important as eating right. I have encouraged tracking calories and food intake throughout the day. One reason this is a good practice is because people…
Green tea will wake you up, make you lean, and detox your body. Try subbing a cup of greean tea for the second cup of coffee. Photo by engin akyurt
5 natural morning energy drinks
In my previous post on drinkigng calories, I warned against the downsides of sugary sports and energy drinks. Of course, I have an alternative. This is the list of my top 5 natural morning energy drinks to get your mojo going and start your day. All of them not only wake you up and energize you but have great health and weight loss benefits.
(more…)
The best thing about running is a running buddy, coworker, friend for life.
How to get back into running and best apps
Getting back into running isn't easy - and I know, because I am doing it. I haven't decided whether to sign up for a race, yet, but I am taking…
My favorite dish from True Food Kitchen- can't wait to go back to LA and have it again! Hot sauce is great to speed up your metabolism.
Week 7 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
On a weekly basis I update my meal and exercise plan google sheets so you can see real time what I eat, drink, and how I move. You can download…
An hour long run doesn't mean you can lounge on the couch and eat chips the rest of the day!! Photo by Greg Lippert
Saboteur Series part IV: The Sedentary Athlete
Have you experienced starting an intense workout program, diligently sweating and working your butt off every day, and then gotten on the scale and seeing the number stay the same, or even go up? The Sedentary Athlete and Compensatory Eating saboteurs may be to blame. They go together like a couch and potato chips !
(more…)
Week 6 – DAOFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
On a weekly basis I update my meal and exercise plan google sheets so you can see real time what I eat, drink, and how I move. You can download…
Trader Joe’s Shopping List
In order to survive a professional career and be domestic, I have become a “Trader Joe’s chef”. Which means, I buy stuff at Trader Joe’s that I can throw together in rando combinations and somehow make it delish. It’s a skill I developed after years of shopping at the Trader Joe’s in my neighborhood (the West End, in Washington, DC) on Friday nights when I was single. I’d leave work around 7 or 8pm (#consulting life) and take advantage of the fact that the Trader Joe’s would be empty so that I could do my shopping and explore the aisles with no lines. Week after week spent poring over ingredients and chatting with the staff who knew me on a first name basis resulted in building up a repertoie of Trader Joe’s meals to put on my menu.
(more…)
A core principle of the food combining diet is eating fruit before noon. Photo by Cecilia Par
I tried the food combining diet for a week, here is what happened
You may have noticed in my meal plan for last week I had a lot of fruit on the menu for breakfast. Well the reason why is that I decided to try the “food combining diet.” In this post I will cover what that is and what my experience was.
In my post overviewing different diets, ,I didn’t cover every diet under the sun. There is always something new to discover, and I did that just last week when I ran into the “food combining” diet. I tried it for a week, and I am writing about what happened.
(more…)
Hot sauce is one of the best condiments to speed up your metabolism and add zero=calorie taste. Photo by DiChatz
The Fitprofessional Top 10: Calorie-friendly Condiments
Earlier we explored what kinds of foods you can eat a lot of without gaining weight. Now let’s turn to the stuff that makes the food GOOD – the condiments. Sauces, dressings, and syrups can make or break a meal. Especially if the food you are eating is low on fat, oil, or sugar, something extra to enhance the flavor will help you derive better satisfaction and get less hungry later.
(more…)
Photo by Dan Gold
Top 5 fake health foods
First, let me qualify that the purpose of this post is NOT to rain on your parade and tell you that any of these foods are off limits. As you…
@Pure Barre LA. Side planks are the move of the week.
Week 5 – DaoFitlife Meal and Exercise Plan
On a weekly basis I update my meal and exercise plan google sheets so you can see real time what I eat, drink, and how I move. You can download…
Photo by Alexandra Andersson
Best Salad Dressings for 30 calories or less
We are getting warmer weather, and you know what that means - BIG SALADS! We can't talk about salads without talking about salad dressing. If you want a healthy salad…
