StyleFit

live with my limitations;

Are you getting all of your nutrients?

These are the frequent & most common questions I’m asked regarding my diet. The answers are: from many other plant, nut, soy & grain based sources; And YES. I workout 5 to 6 times a week just fine & with a MULTITUDE of energy. First, the hype surrounded by how much protein you need on a daily basis is inflated (mainly by men &/or body builders--don’t shoot). It’s recommended that you get 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Translate to English: your weight divided by 2.8 will give you an approximate measurement; so if you’re 120lbs, for ex, it means you need about 42g per day. And I can give you a list of 20 non-meat ways of getting it in under 5 minutes. 

Here I go...

Chia seeds-- While not super high in protein, coming in at 4.7 per ounce, it’s a great shake or smoothie boost. Pick up at your local Trader Joe’s.

Soybeans & other soy products-- Soy milk, for ex. (Pro-tip: Silk Soy Protein Milk has about 8g per 1 cup serving with a low amount of fat & sugar)

Nutmilk (another milk sub, take your pick). But if you opt for nutmilk instead of its soy counterpart, Silk also makes a great 1 with 10g of protein + only 2g of sugar per serving. Non-dairy milk, you da bomb.

Quinoa--This grain packs the most protein of the bunch at 4g per 1/2 cup

Eggs-- I don’t eat them, but they deserve an honorable mention weighing in at 6g of protein a pop.

Hummus-- per tablespoon, 1.1g. I’ll take it spicy please.

Sun-dried tomatoes-- per cup, 6g

Green Peas-- per cup, 8g

Chickpeas-- 7.3g per 1/2 cup. Lovely in salads and wraps

Beans-- 7 to 10 grams per 1/2 cup. And boy are there options: black, white, pinto, heirloom etc.

Lentils-- A whopping 18g per cup. Veggie lentil soup from Devon & Blakely, perfection.

I’m Nuts! (Almonds--6g of protein, Cashews--5g)

Peanut butter-- 7g per 2 tblspoons. Don’t we already have a love affair with this spread anyway? I throw it in my shakes, smoothies, on wheat toast with bananas & use it as a dip for sliced apples.

Greek Yogurt-- Again, something I no longer eat as I’ve cut out dairy, but worthy of an honorable mention as it was once a go-to for me. If you’re still eating dairy, Greek yogurt gives you 12 to 20g of protein.

Tofu-- 15 to 20 grams per 1/2 cup

Seitan-- A wheat gluten based meat substitute with great texture & seasoned with savory flavors. I adore it in my veggie stir-fry & hello--36g of protein per 1/2 cup! This is why I’m always so full after chowing at The Handpulled Noodle.

Edamame-- 8.4g per 1/2 cup

Leafy greens-- Spinach: 5g per cup; chopped broccoli: 8.1g per cup, to name 2

Hemp-- For a pumped up smoothie this addition is 10g worth with 3 tablespoons

Sunflower, sesame & poppy seeds-- Sunflower kernels come in at 7.3g per quarter cup, 5.4g for the latter 

Last but no least--PROTEIN SHAKES! I always have 1 after working out. That alone gives me 24g.

¡Greetings!

Coming to you from the uber looong CHOPT salad line (absolutely worth it though)– But I wanted to take a moment to share w/ you my new favorite workout app: Nike+ Training Club. I’ve been utilizing this amazing tool for weeks to spice up my workout regimen & change it up from the typical weight lifting mechanics.

Why do I love it you ask? There’s an abundance of routines for varying fitness levels & time constraints. Browse by Type or Focus & get picks recommended for you. If you’re feeling real fancy (like I was), opt to have them provide a personalized plan for you that’s customizable via desired workouts per week, addition or absence of running & difficulty. I haven’t gotten bored yet. And that says A LOT.

Download it here & let me know what you think! –> Nike+ Training Club

Been on hiatus a little bit. But I’m back & better than ever. Getting sweatier, lifting heavier. 😜

Side note: Has everyone seen ‘What the Health’? Been advocating HUGELY for it; Amazing documentary. I’ve been a Vegetarian for a while now. But watching this inspired me to also sub dairy & cut out eggs. W/e your choice, check it out on Netflix. Stay informed.

Read more here –> whatthehealthfilm.com

You know when you’re doing all those derrière workouts but you’re still missing that oomph and fire in your gluteus maximus? Plus the results are well, less than impressive. Yea, I’ve been there done that. However, I’ve got some amazing moves to share that are sure to bust that booty (credits to NYC-based personal trainer Chelsea Dornan and model Brittany Perille Yobe).

☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽 ☝🏽  

I’ve been doing this bit for two days now and it’s a total ass-kicker (pun intended). Do it solo for a more than adequate session or incorporate it as part of another. My first time I played it on my Smart TV via AirPlay Mirroring, brought out the full-length mirror to ensure my form was on point, and of course blasted my favorite playlist for good measure. I do 5 sets of 15 reps for each move--If it’s a single leg move (for example, the Single-Leg Glute Bridge) then 15 reps on each side for a total of 30 per set. Tailor these amounts to your current fitness level, keep record, and increase as your endurance and strength levels do. I plan to keep this in my workout regime for about 4-6 weeks to assess the results. Before / After pics coming, stay tuned.

Some other stuff like perceived impediments etc...

“I totally can’t do this with my injury” said me, and maybe you, all the time; FALSE. I was unfortunate enough to suffer a break to my left tibia in a car accident, and afterwards I struggled to find glute exercises I felt I could execute. I lost a surplus amount of strength in my left leg and ankle, then due to my right side constantly over-compensating, my left hip. On top of that my ankle’s range of motion was horrible. Squats scared the heebie jeebies out me (what a bummer for my butt) and I, nor Young Metro, trusted my ankle. 

However, with strength band exercises that isolated the muscles in my ankle and loads of pushing myself that helped me to re-gain my confidence, I am now back to squatting with ease. But it took A LOT of time, disappointments and dedication. Specifically the Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Hydrants With Leg Extension, Rainbows, Bear Plank Leg Lifts, & Single-Leg Dead Lift moves are great alternatives to squats. I’ve found them to be a little more forgiving if you suffer from a leg, ankle or foot injury and are on your journey to regain strength + range of motion. Don’t let an injury get you down or cripple your momentum. Find exercise modifications that work for you, they exist. Before you know it your body will be doing things you thought it couldn’t.

BONUS: the Bear Plank Leg Lifts are also great for strengthening your core and the Single-Leg Dead Lifts are good for improving balance.

If you want to intensify the burn add some ankle weights. I’ve been doing this with my 2.5 lb ankle weights, and while this may not seem like much it really makes a huge difference as long as you’re doing enough repetitions to challenge your body. There is no use in using more weight than will allow you to have good form. So if you’re already challenged, do it without weight and work up to that as you get better.

Off-balance? ¡No hay problema! It is not uncommon for one side of your body to be stronger than the other. This is especially true for someone who has suffered an injury. You’ll need to use the weight that is best suited for your weaker side if you want it to catch up to your ‘diesel’ side. When I used weights that are too heavy, my stronger right side fully executed the move, while my left struggled. I noticed that I was becoming lop-sided, even visibly. So I’ve scaled back on the weight to allow my lazy leftie to catch up to my mighty righty. Ever since I’ve let my weaker side be the guide, allowing it to execute my exercises to their full potential, I am noticing it getting A LOT stronger. Once I feel they are comparable in strength I will go back to increasing my weight. 

Ain’t nothing to it but to do it so get to it.

Also, if you’d like complete and well written out instructions on how to perform each move, read the full Cosmopolitan article by Elizabeth Narins here:

Here’s how: Improve your diet. Yep. Notice I said “improve” NOT “change” (simply to emphasize the need for improvements that are easily sustainable). How do you do this? By not ripping away everything you’re used to all at once of course. Realistically, this is why fad diets rarely, if ever, work long term. You drive yourself (and your body respectively) crazy trying to eat barely anything, or only things you don’t really enjoy. I used to probably be the world’s pickiest eater (Guinness Book of World Records status). As a result of this, I had a HORRIBLE diet that lacked a ton of important nutrients. I’m lucky that I’m as healthy as I am eating like that for so long; YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! On top of that, I used to, as a lot of us do (especially here in the good U S of A) consume a ton of meat and not nearly enough fruits and vegetables—However, now I’m a vegetarian and l-o-v-i-n-g it. No matter what your goal is (indeed I know not everyone is trying to go as far as vegetarianism), I’m going to share 10 honest to goodness tips on how I personally have achieved a mega transition in my diet with little or no pain. But first, a disclaimer:

I am not, nor do I claim to be, a Nutritionist.

These are merely 10 simple strategies I’ve implemented when starting my journey that I found to be effective. Enjoy.

Start off by substituting; no need to fully eliminate. You wouldn’t wean yourself off of a medication all at once would you? You’d go bonkers. The same goes with food. My favorite trick is to substitute my junky snack cravings with healthier ones that actually hold nutritional value. So slice up an apple and eat it with your favorite chunky peanut butter instead of the cookies, eat healthier options that still pack a crunch if you’re craving potato chips (think crisp veggies with your favorite ranch dip, plantain chips, pea crisps etc.), or make a smoothie with your favorite fruits instead of drinking that double chocolate milkshake; but on occasion… Do have the double chocolate milkshake. It’s OKAY in moderation.

For goodness sake lay off the sugar. It is horrible for you and not doing you any favors. When I really started reading nutrition labels I realized just how much a lot of the products pushed to us are often overloaded with sugar (more than the 25g for women / 38g for men daily recommended amount in just one product). When shopping always grab a few options to compare their sugar content. After reading the labels, opt for the one with less sugar. I’ve long ago given up soda, but I still enjoy my occasional juice beverage. I swear by Kombucha, because despite costing about $3.99 per bottle, they are one of the few juice drinks that do not literally have 30-58g of sugar per serving (note: there are some classified as non-alcoholic and alcohol). Being more conscious of the amounts of sugar in each product that I am consuming has become a habit and drastically brought down my over-all level of sugar intake on a daily basis. My waist and newfound lack of insomnia thank me; yours will as well.

Also, lay off excessive amounts of sodium. This is another baddy the food industry just loves to overload our food with. As with sugar, weigh your options and go with the one that has the least amount of sodium. I definitely used to do counterproductive things like add extra salt to my fries, potatoes and pasta until I realized how much salt were already in these things; yikes. If it already has sodium in it, there’s no need to add anymore.

For the amount of meat you think you need on that dinner plate, make sure you have at least equal (preferably more but here’s hoping you’ll get there) servings of fruits & vegetables too! This will ensure that you’re eating balanced and not getting full off one thing food group before you can get your other, necessary nutrients. A trick I like to do is to mix vegetables I am not that fond of with something I do love, like preferred veggies or brown rice.

Go whole or go home. Whenever you can, opt for whole grains vs. refined ones. Brown > white. Natural and less processed is generally better for you.

Drink more water. We all know we’ve got to, but it just seems so much easier to drink that 24 oz. Venti coffee than even 3 of the recommended 8 glasses of water per day. On top of that, if you’re like me, you’re often so busy that you don’t have time to keep getting up to re-fill your glass. By the end of the day you realize you haven’t had any water. I’ve solved this first world problem by purchasing a 64 oz. jug from Amazon, which I fill up at the beginning of the day & goal myself to finish by the day’s end. You too can purchase this magical product here >> Bluewave Lifestyle Daily 8 Water Jug <<

Try using organic raw honey as a sweetener instead of granulated sugar if you’re a tea totaller or coffee lover, (I love to do this). I find it to be sweeter, and therefore I can use less to achieve the desired taste. I’m no Baker, but I’m sure this can be used as a substitute here as well.

Eat smaller portions, more frequently. This is great for your metabolism and keeps blood sugars leveled. It also helps to take your time when eating! Our brains do not immediately realize the chemicals we’ve put into our bellies to register that we’re full. So if we eat a lot too fast we often don’t even realize that we’ve met or surpassed our threshold of satisfaction, causing us to overeat. I like to eat a serving and then let it marinate for about 15-20 minutes before deciding if I need seconds to be content.

An extremely effective remedy that I want to state again is: Pair foods you know are good for you and that you should be eating (but maybe you don’t really care for) with foods you love. This is one thing that immensely helped me to grow out of my picky eating frenzy. Every time I would take a bite of something I didn’t care for, I’d have something I love on the fork also. You can also find a seasoning or dressing you like to help you enjoy new and healthy foods. Before you know it your palette adapts and that BIG bad broccoli isn’t so icky anymore—dare I say you might grow to enjoy it. On the flip side, it’s important not to force yourself to eat more of things in one sit in then you can stand to. This will only create a disdain for that particular food, and you’ll never learn to enjoy it. It’s a gradual process. Introduce yourself to it multiple times and eat only a little until you find yourself wanting more.

Be aware of, and probably avoid all of the products with the super duper marketing health claims of being low fat, or low calorie. At the very least compare the labels. Often, they reduce the fat or calories in exchange for upping the content of some other horrible ingredient to keep the flavor. Then, they market it to misled consumers as “healthy.” Quality over quantity is always better and you can control how much you eat of anything.

Well, that’s it. Try some, or all, of these pointers if you’re beginning to change some things in your diet for the better. Everyone is different and you have to find what works for you. However, these life hacks have been pivotal for me on my journey and I hope they will be for you. In the very least, it will cause you to be a lot more conscious of what you’re putting into your body and you’ll start noticing what does, or does not work for you.

Happy Shopping.  ✌🏼 💚

Let me be the first to tell you, getting fit isn’t always easy. But heed this advice from my wise ol’ pal Gary Halbert (RIP):  

“You don’t have to get it right; you just have to get it MOVING!”

Yes, that’s right. Just get it moving already. Even if you don’t feel like it, give it a try. This advice has been pivotal in my fitness, heck, all of my self-development. Often, once I get going, I realize I have the energy after all. On the rare occasion that you make an honest attempt and you still aren’t feeling it, then hang your hat up and try again tomorrow. No biggie.

Moving on…

Don’t get discouraged with yourself. Shocker alert: I’ve done a million things that are not conducive to my progress. But I continue to stick with it, and (not always quickly) I’m witnessing results.

@aeropostale @aeriereal @onlylulu @lululemon @adidasoriginals

Also shocker alert: Some people ARE blessed with GREAT genes (don’t debate this). I know people that have definitely worked hard to further improve their great body, but who honestly would still look pretty dang good if they did nothing at all. That being said, I’d be honest in saying I think I have decently good genes, as in no weight problems etc. (thanks Ma). However on the flip-side, my body: pretty skinny. And when I do put on weight it much prefers to distribute itself in my wittle baby-face or my midsection…

UGHHH…Curves (NOT) in all the right places. Am I right?

BUT, that’s okay. With the combination of: a healthy diet + cardio + plus weights (Yes ladies, WEIGHTS), I am building muscle in the areas that I would like to be more shapely (since some of us are actually petite and not born with wowzer bodacious curves).

That being said: Whatever your goals are–Whatever you think you would like to change–Start working on building that via eating more nutrient rich foods, cardio & strength training. Most of all…

LOVE YOUR BODY!