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ALWAYS: pre-cook for the flight!

When in travel mode it's always important to do what I call "pre-cooking for the flight". Most people do not realize this but you're allowed to bring any food (with exception of things like yogurt because it's classified as a "gel" and over the 3 oz. maximum) on the plane!  You throw it right through security.  Often times you're able to even bring it on as a "third" bag if you let them know it's just food and will be consumed in flight.  So what do I do?  I ALWAYS board a plane with a full day of food.  That time in flight can be the ultimate HELL on the body and can completely ruin your mind-set.  Something about sitting in the airport makes you want to consume Mentos, chocolate, McDonald's and any other crappy things airports have to offer - AND - if you have a layover...forget it!  You're doomed.  Also the 8,000 feet of pressure - breathing is more labored.  In the cabin there is less available oxygen in the air which puts an added load onto your system.  So - just sitting and breathing is a challenge to your body.  Using foresight to plan ahead is important and with simple preparation you're able to arrive at your destination healthy enough to enjoy your time! 

"Pre-cooking" avoids two things - eating crappy airplane garbage food and spending too much money!  Bringing food on the flight will enable you to not blow your diet instantly when in the airport and be able to save you your calories for the fun trip you're about to take! 

Good suggestions of healthy food that keeps in flight:

Quinoa with black beans, red peppers and chicken
Almonds
Salad (get little to-go ramekins for salad dressing so it does not go soggy)
Fruit salad
Chicken breast
Zucchini pasta with tomato
Wahoo's skinny fish tacos (to eat first on an afternoon flight)
Veggies veggies veggies (broccoli and cauliflower are great for the system and fly cold well)
Banana
Cucumber salad
Tomatoes (sliced)
Tuna salad (with celery and mustard)
Lentil salad (with corn and black beans)
Turkey roll-ups (butter 'living lettuce' with tomato, turkey sliced, mustard and avocado)

The below sample was from my flight to NOLA last Thursday.  The timing is off a bit (on when I should have been eating - i.e. every 2-3 hours; however, I got into New Orleans by about 8:00 PM and went to dinner with a friend where I had a trout salad and some broccoli).  I had a sensible low-carb day for being the first "day" of vacation:

UP, UP, UP and away!

April 11th of this year I joined the "UP" community.  Since I had been tracking all my progress in a composition notebook (not using apps like 'My Fitness Pal' or 'Lose It!') I decided it was time I propelled my fitness life into the next century and get myself a fitness device.  Although in their infancy - there is something pretty dang cool about having the 'first' of anything. My guess is that these devices will be all the rage in the next couple years and I will be able to look back and say that I was able to try and test out one of the first ones.  I can imagine some nifty devices in the near future in this world. 

My experience with the UP band.  First and foremost, I am ALWAYS trying to beat my steps.  This is probably my favorite part about the UP band.  I always want to make sure I reach my steps goal and in the beginning - when setting up the band - I actually set my steps goal to 1,500 over the amount you should.  I would say on average I beat my steps goal about 1/2 the days of the week.

What I love most is the 'tid-bits' of the day.  Every day the UP app will give you 1-3 statistics about your progress.  It will tell you how you rate amongst other UP users and how you can improve your stats from the previous week.  My stats usually ALWAYS have to do with sleep deprivation considering my average sleep is far lower than anyone else I know (how I do as many work outs a week is beyond me); however, they give me useful URL's to look at on sleep deprivation and how this could contribute to gaining weight.  These stats also make you feel very good about yourself giving you information like your "Monday Move Recap" where you can see how far you've stepped -
mine was 77,011 steps in the last 7 days covering 37.7 miles!  They let me know I averaged 11,001 steps a day.  Things like this really tend to keep me motivated to move more, park in the farthest space in the parking lot and work harder to get my 'steps goal'.

One of the things I do not utilize the band for is food tracking.  It became difficult for me to go from one routine to another.  For me, if I am going to change to an app to track my food it has to be easy and clean cut.  I wouldn't say the UP band has a bad food tracker but it's not as easy as one would think.  There are a lot of components making it difficult to track everything but I do appreciate the URL scanner - this worked out in my favor quite often.  Now they say the UP band works directly with MyFitnessPal or LoseIt as well as other apps; however I have yet to try this out.

So yea - my favorite part of the UP band is most definitely the steps and sleep....it's been so interesting to have the stats on my fitness and health life.  I would say if you're interested in your own stats and choose to wear a bracelet everyday (albeit fashionable) and have a spare $120 - drop it on this bad boy and add me as a friend.  You can get mad at me for the SUPER lack of sleep like my good friend Jessica Perry does every day :).  I find it interesting that you become part of a little community of people that actually know what it is.  I get people in stores that go "oooh how do you like your UP band" and we strike up conversation.  I've actually met really cool people interested in the same sorts of things while "living UP" 

It's been a month and so much has happened!

So it's been a month since updating my fitness blog and trust me - the fitness hasn't stopped, it's only gotten more intense.  In May I had about 60 work outs consisting of training with Tray (of course), Pure Barre daily - 1 month unlimited new client special, Bikram multiple times a week and the sauna (because I'm obsessed).  I had three days off total in the entire month (Mother's Day...i.e. wine consumption Sunday, a day where I had a convention up in Los Angeles - which was a LONG day on my feet and Memorial Day because my friend Kyla was in town and we went to Catalina).  Other than that - Jen was for SURE Trayning!

One of the more interesting things I experienced in May was my first injury.  It wasn't your typical run of the mill 'I rolled my ankle', rather an emotional injury that just makes you want to throw in the towel and completely give up on everything.  I remember that night I ate a carton of Haagen Daaz ice cream (coconut macaroon omg so good) and had three left over cookies for dinner.  At the end of this 'stuff my face with sweets' venture I decided it was not worth the pain to my body and that fitness has actually been my saving grace through my emotions and life situations.  I realized it's so easy to give up but that this would actually be the worst thing to do.  My fitness and health has been my go-to (over food and sweets).  I have been working toward something better for quite a bit of time and no matter a broken bone, or heart - it's important to continue with my quest toward health and happiness.  It's funny how things work out.  I am no classic 'yogi' but right around the time I was dealing with a lot of personal emotion my Bikram teacher stated in class "STRONG BODY, STRONG MIND - CAPABLE OF MOST THINGS".  Think about it - strong body, strong mind, capable of handling most things.  This was the truest statement I've heard through my weight loss journey.  It's because I'm a stronger individual and because I've taken my health and happiness in my own hands that I am able to handle most things: emotional, physical and mental.  

I vowed that nothing will change in June, July or August (and so on) and Jen will still continue to be 'Trayning' and providing (hopefully) inspiration for those that need it!  HAPPY JUNE FITNESS FRIENDS!

and quite possibly....the best healthy dessert ever.

For the nights when you need something sweet (which is for me usually Sunday evening) and if you've already used your "fro-yo card" for the week - try the banana almond butter ice cream!

It's so easy and so great.  This is also a great way to save your bananas that are going bad as well.  The recipe is below!

Banana Almond Butter Ice Cream:

(calories = approx 200)

Freeze peeled bananas and place in freezer overnight

Add frozen banana to the food processor 

Add 1 table spoon of almond butter

Mix in the food processor until smooth

ENJOY!

"Abs are made in the kitchen"

So in preparation for a photo shoot I have in June (commemorating my recent accomplishments and supporting my great friends STEPHINA PHOTOGRAPHY and their new studio in San Diego) I have 1 month to continue to hone in on my goals.  Now, don't get me wrong, I feel like I can do the shoot today and feel great about the results - but since I have four more weeks, it's all about getting TONED!  I've been doing my UNLIMITED Pure Barre this month with Susie my co-worker (which my ass has been feeling all week), working out with Tray because that's my main deal and Bikram.  I've been really good on the diet as well.  

When speaking with the owner of Pure Barre in Newport Beach last night at an event for Harmony Wellness Costa Mesa (an awesome little wellness center I suggest to anyone that needs to de-stress, personalized fitness attention or just wants to be around great people) she said something that stuck with me.  I told her "well I'm trying to get really defined abs for my photo shoot!"  Her response: "my mother always told me, abs are made in the kitchen"...umph.  If only food wasn't so good!  Truth is, the 'clean eating' helps you break down the fatty tissue stored around your belly and bring out those hidden abs!  Well her saying is going to stick with me and my diet is going to be SPOT ON this month.  We'll test if this is true by the results of my June 6th shoot and my next weight goal.   In the meantime, I have some tips below on clean eating!

Some tips!

• Commit 100% to a clean eating diet.  Of course depriving yourself sometimes turns up negative as you can find yourself binging post days of no sugar/salt or something good but keep the cheat meals to a minimum!
• Cut out all processed food.  That means anything you did not make yourself, don’t eat it - Anything boxed, bagged, pre-cooked and frozen - take it out of your diet!
• Cut Out Salt / Sodium.  I LOVE Ramen (and all soups) but I realized unless I made the soup myself, I cannot eat this prior to weigh ins and this has to go under my 'I did amazing I'm going to treat myself' category.  Soup and Ramen and Pho and all that good stuff will BLOAT you!
• Add healthy fats such as nuts, avocado and oils.  There is a HUGE difference between the fat in olive oil and the fat in nachos.  Healthy fats are extremely good for you and a must have in your diet to help burn the bad fat.  These fats will help you ramp up your bodies fat burning ability and help you burn fat faster. I recently started to LOVE almonds and eat about 20 of them for a snack.  They're great for you and a non-guilty pleasure!
• Track your calories.  Weight loss is simple math:  eat less calories then you burn.  The only way to know how many calories you are burning and consuming is to track them.  I've been writing down everything I've eaten for almost a year now - it's very helpful to be held accountable, this is why the UP band has been working for me (post coming soon)
• Add more lean protein.  Foods such as chicken, fish, Greek yogurt and edamame are low in calories and high in protein.  Protein helps build muscle; a must for toned abs...it's also really good!
•  Drink More Water.  Water helps flush out toxins, excess water and sodium from your body.  Especially when you feel bloated, water is the best thing you can have.  I drink about 2 large 1 liter Smart Water bottles per a day.  One before 3:00 PM and one after (not including when I work out - so many times it comes up to 3 bottles a day)  When you're at a restaurant ALWAYS ask for water and try to down a whole glass during your meal.  Water is good for your soul!

Happy Friday!

Bikram obsession

"Strong body, strong mind, capable of most things..."

These days a little meditation has been good for my soul, evident of my most recent obsession to bikam yoga.  Thanks to John Tom Tran being a good friend (and making up for being a bad one haha) I was gifted a Groupon for 6 weeks UNLIMITED Bikram....music to my ears.  Although challenge is a healthy thing, I had to learn to be a bit more hesitant on my lower back movements as my first four classes found me with shocking pain in my lower back.  Determined to have a better posture and not to over extend myself, I have been keeping at it and getting much better.  The 26 repeated postures (1/2 of which are standing until you want to pass out or die then they give you some relief to the 'floor series') are said to systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to 100% of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order.  Supposedly proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health and a sense of well being automatically flow throughout the body.  The addiction is definitely an odd one for me.  Its a love / hate relationship because I get excited to go - then I'm there and I want to cry - but then when it's over, I'm obsessed with that feeling of accomplishment.  I'm obsession with basically being so drenched you might as well jumped in a swimming pool and the relief that another class is completed and under my belt.  I am also quite obsessed with the coconut water, squeezed lemon and cayenne I've been enjoying after to bring electrolytes back to my body.  I do a bikram class almost daily in addition to my regular morning training or cardio sessions (making up for 18 work outs in the last 10 days...phew!)

To add to this, I would be lying if I said I didn't like the fact that I get to "ooh" and "ahh" at my new shape and form in the wall to wall mirrors in the studio.  There is something about looking at your skinny body (that you've been looking at overweight your whole life) that you almost can't get enough of.  Hey, I work hard for this and if I get an hour and 1/2 of looking at Tray and my work, all while sweating my booty off, purifying my mind and having a bit of clarity with my recent life changes.....it can't be a bad thing right?  I will continue to take the moments of clarity I have in my bikram class to help aid me through these next couple months of hard work and hardships.

Bikram College of India (The CAMP): http://www.bikramyoganewportmesa.com/
*They often times have a Groupon so if you see one, grab it!