Dara Torres Flaunts It in Beijing

Learning how to swim is on my To do list. I took a private lesson once but never followed through. If you're wondering why, my instructor's nickname for me was Rock Girl ("Who you calling Rock Girl?!....."). I had a hard time floating and his teaching style left much to be desired.

So you can imagine how excited I am over Dara Torres. At 41, she's the oldest Olympic swimmer to win a medal. Yesterday, she won silver in the 400-meter freestyle relay. It was her 10th career Olympic medal. How's that for inspiration?
Let me tell you, I'm feeling inspired and will enroll in swimming lessons in September.

Is there something you've been wanting to do but have not? Carpe diem my friend, Carpe diem!

Today is the last day of my Breakfast of Champions journal. My goal was to give you ideas on how to add some variety to your morning meals. I hope that I've succeeded. Well, I started off this morning's meal with 2 glasses of water and fresh blueberries, followed by a bowl of oatmeal and egg whites. I added cinnamon, raisins and a drizzle of honey. I found it filling and satifying.

Oatmeal is high in fiber but low in fat and it helps to lower cholesterol. There are many varieties to choose from and I suggest steel cut because they're whole oat groats which means they're less refined.

Regular, old-fashioned oatmeal will do if you cannot find the steel cut variety. What I don't want you to do is buy instant oatmeal because that variety tends to be full of crap, um hmmm, I said it.

So there you have it... a week's worth of breakfast meals. Mangiare!

2008 Olympics Video Coverage at NBC Olympics.com!

Breakfast of Champions: Saturday

It's Saturday and I'm feeling particuarly lazy today. By the time I got it together this morning, I did not have time to fix breakfast. My solution: Whole Paycheck. I stopped there in the hopes of finding fresh chicken and vegetable soup. Well, my timing was right on because there was a full crock of it waiting just for me. I helped myself to 16 oz and ordered a few slices of turkey breast. I did not have my usual cup of green tea until lunch time today.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would begin to experiement with the all-natural sweetener Stevia. Today, I realized that I never shared my experiences with you. I found Stevia Extract in vanilla flavor at Whole Paycheck. It's extremely sweet so I caution you to use it sparingly. So far, I've tried it in oatmeal and herbal tea. The vanilla flavor enhanced the taste of both. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Please note, diabetics and people with blood sugar problems should consult a physician before using it.

Breakfast of Champions: Friday

Hello and Happy Friday,

Today marks the 5th day of my breakfast journal. To be honest, I wanted a hot, fluffy stack of pancakes this morning but I stuck with my original and healthier plan to finish my leftovers. So, rather than gratify my indulgence for the flapjacks, I ate a grilled chicken breast with the remainder of my kale medley (see below) and green tea. In case you're wondering about those pancakes; I do allow myself to eat a healthier version but not too often because they simply don't agree with me.

If you find it difficult to make the right food choices, ask yourself the following questions before you indulge:

How does that food make you feel after eating it? If you notice gastrointestinal discomfort or a change in your mood or energy level, your body is trying to tell you something.

How is the food prepared? If it is fried, smothered in cream, gravy, etc., or prepared with lots of additives, sugar and preservatives, you should limit the amount you eat.

What is it derived from? For instance, if it comes from white flour or a "chemistry lab," leave it alone!

There are many factors that influence the choices we make when it comes to food. I think most of you will agree that those choices and eating habits tend to be ingrained deeply and thus, hard to break. My advice is to identify the most dangerous foods you eat and to eliminate them one at a time. But before doing so, create your own little contingency plan by figuring out a healthier version or substitute and always plan your meals so that you don't find yourself feeling ravenous and unprepared. As for the other, not-so-dangerous foods, allow yourself to enjoy them in moderation. "Moderation is the key."

The Incredible Edible Egg

Peace and Blessings,

I love eggs and decided to have some for breakfast today. As usual, I sipped on a cup of green tea first thing this am. I ate a roasted apple and a handful of pumpkin seeds (you can check them out below) before my meal. The actual breakfast consisted of 4 egg whites and 1 yolk cooked with Pam cooking spray. I wrapped the eggs in a whole wheat, spinach tortilla...the rest is history.

Often, I am asked how many eggs one should eat in a week. Eggs have gotten a bum wrap because of the cholesterol content found in the yolk. According to Dr. Gerald Gau, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, one large yolk has approximately 213 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol. He advises healthy individuals to limit their daily intake to less than 300 mg. Individuals suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high "LDL" cholesterol - also referred to as "lousy" cholesterol- should limit their intake to less than 200 mg.

So how many should you eat? Well that depends on your health status, as mentioned above, and your overall eating habits. And don't forget, it's the yolk that is harmful, not the white of the egg. The egg white is an excellent source of protein. Back to the question. If you're going to blow your daily limit of cholesterol at breakfast by scoffing down the egg special at the local diner, then you should limit the amount of cholesterol you consume for the remainder of the day.




OK, I stumbled accross these at Whole Foods the other day. They're pretty tasty and low in saturated fat but high in the omegas. Look for them at your local "whole paycheck" or health food store, or go to www.Gerbspumpkinseeds.com. I'm just an email away if you'd like more info on cholesterol or the omegas.

Keep it moving!

Good Eats

Happy Wednesday,

No breakfast on the run for me today. I snapped this picture before chowing down. You're looking at kale cooked with orange pepper, red onion and roasted red pepper turkey sausage, and broccoli cooked with garlic and onions. I enjoyed a large glass of water and a broiled apple approximately 40 minutes prior to the meal. It was tasty y'all!

My workouts for today consisted of 30 minutes of leg work this morning and 30 minutes of core work in the afternoon. It is common for me to split up my workouts because of my client and work schedule. Don't let "lack of time" prevent you from getting your exercise. If you cannot find the time to perform all of your exercises or cardio at once, do what I do and break it up. You'll still get the benefits of exercising and the multiple sessions will help speed up your metabolism even more. Email if you have questions. In the meantime,

keep it moving...

Breakfast of Champions: Tuesday

Hello fellow fitness enthusiasts (and aspiring fitness enthusiasts)! This is day 2 of my breakfast entries. I did not have the time to whip up a fancy breakfast this morning so I got it on the run from a local deli. I ordered a grilled chicken breast, seasoned with lemon, herbs and garlic, on a whole grain, scooped-out bagel. Yes, a bagel! It's all about moderation. My beverage was 12 oz. of decaf green tea. Stay tuned for tomorrow's breakfast as I'll have the time to get creative with my meal.

In case you're wondering, I do not object to an occasional bagel as long as it is made from whole grains and eaten without butter, cheeses, etc. When consuming a bagel, be sure to include some type of clean protein to help stabilize your blood sugar.

My exercise for today: Power walking for 5 miles and lots of stretching

Chesna's Breakfast of Champions

If I've said this once, I've said it a million times; "You must eat breakfast" and regular meals throughout your day. Your metabolism slows down and your body becomes more efficient at storing fat when you skip meals. That said, today I'm answering a question I get all too often... "So Chesna, what do you eat for breakfast?"

For the next week, I will post my breakfast meals and hopefully it will encourage you to start thinking outside the (cereal) box when it comes to your first meal of the day.

Today, my breakfast of champions consisted of decaf green tea and an apple upon rising. One hour later, I had another cup of decaf green tea, a huge serving of squash cooked with red onions and garlic, 2 slices of Applegate Smoked turkey breast and water.

I realize that some of you might prefer traditional breakfast foods so how about an egg white, veggie omelet or oatmeal with peanut butter?

Food choice, per se, doesn't matter as long as you aim to eat clean, balanced meals as often as possible.

I'm just an email away so let me know if you'd like more info^_^