Breakfast of Champions

The May edition of Glamour Magazine highlights ways to lose weight and become healthier.

One way that they suggest is to eat at least 8 grams of fiber at breakfast. A breakfast that is high in fiber is good because fiber is heavy and helps you to feel full. The more fiber you have during your meal, the less you will eat in general.



Here are four good high fiber breakfasts:
-Egg and cheese on a whole wheat tortilla
-Whole wheat French toast with fruit
-Oatmeal with wheat germ and bananas
-Fiber rich banana pancakes

What do you like to eat for breakfast?

The Hollywood Trainer

Jeanette Jenkins was a chubby kid who always "carried around an extra 10 pounds" and grew up in a dangerous housing project in Ontario, Canada. (Who know there were projects in Canada?) Her mother got her and her siblings involved in sports to keep them away from those in the neighborhood that were not doing positive things with their lives. She left home at 16 to attend the University of Ottawa and moved to LA after graduation.

Now, the chubby girl from Ontario is one of the most sought after trainers in Hollywood. Her clients include her wife, Queen Latifah, Carmen Electra, Christina Applegate, Jordana Brewster and Kimora Lee Simmons.

Jenkins believes that "one of the keys to staying in shape is that you do an activity that makes you happy." That means that exercise does not have to be grueling or feel like work. Plus, if you find an activity that makes you happy, you are more likely to stick with it. Her own exercises run the gamut from Pilates to hiking to Tae Bo to yoga. It really depends on how she feels that day. When working with clients, she considers all factors (what she calls "the circle of life") into consideration: muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, nutrition and their spirit.

Breakfast is her favorite meal of the day and will have often have a salad for breakfast. (I like that idea)

Now here is a role model that we can be proud of. Check out her website and her article in American Fitness Magazine.

What physical activities make you happy?

Ride and Seek

Looking for a good way to burn calories and get in shape this summer? Try biking! It was a lot of fun when we were kids (Ok, I grew up in Pittsburgh so "biking" consisted mostly of walking my bike up a huge hill and riding down, but whatever, it was fun), and it is still a great way to get in shape now.

The April 14th edition of the Washington Post Express gave five great reasons why you should take up biking again:
1) You will burn a ton of calories-at a relaxed pace, a 130-pound woman can burn up to 473 calories per hour. The amount of calories burned will increase the faster you pedal.
2) It gives your joints a break-cycling is low-impact so it is good for anyone with knee problems and is a good alternative for runners.
3) Your legs will get toned-Your quads (front of thighs) and calves get a good workout when you bike.
4) You will bust the blues-British researchers have found that 71% of people who exercise outdoors said they felt less tense afterwards.
5) You will become a better driver-When you ride a bike, you use your entire body and mind. This will transfer to the steering wheel, and you will become more aware of everything around you.

Another good reason: Think of all the money you will save in gas if you bike to work or to run errands.

On that note, here is a good way to get started. May 14th is National Bike to Work Day. This is a great day to get started with adding a little biking to your fitness routine.

You don't have to buy a fancy, expensive bike. Start simple. You can purchase a bike from Target or Sports Authority for a reasonable price. Check out your neighborhood yard sale or Craigslist for a second hand bike.

Washington DC now has the Smartbike Program, which is a self-service public bike rental program. These bikes are good for running local errands.

So you have 10 days to get ready for Bike to Work Day. What is your plan?