OhYeah! Nutrition

Guest Post: A Look in Lauren Cassidy's Grocery Cart

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:00:06 -0500

Are you curious about what other health and fitness enthusiasts put in their grocery cart to maintain a lean, fit physique? I know I have questions about what other people eat, and it turns out that people are curious about what I put in my grocery cart too!

One day while checking out at Publix’s grocery store the cashier asked me if she could write down what I was buying. She explained how she started working out 3 days a week but was still not achieving her weight loss goals. So out came the pen and paper and we went through my items one by one. She seemed so excited and eager to get started. So I am going to share my grocery store items with you too!

I only have time to shop on Sundays. This gives me time to grab my items and then go home and prepare that weeks meals. I focus on good carbohydrates, good fats, lean proteins, fruit and vegetables. A good rule of thumb is to shop the perimeter of the store. Here are some of my favorites!

You can see that my list provides you with loads of food options that are clean and tasty! What does your healthy grocery cart look like?

Lauren Cassidy

Lauren Cassidy is a former field hockey, track and cheer athlete who loves to hit the weights. As an OhYeah! Ambassador Lauren can’t stop sharing the OhYeah! love, especially her favorite OhYeah! Vanilla Creme Nutritional Shakes. To find out more about Lauren, visit her website. To apply to be an OhYeah! Ambassador, email ambassador@issresearch.com.

Reggie Kelly Continues Off-Season Training Challenge

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:07:20 -0500

Whassup OhYeah! Fam!

I am feeling great and the body feels supper good! I have my own personal tailor, my fraternity brother (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.) in the photo that met me to help fit me and get me in some fly suits for this upcoming season. I have started my training for this upcoming 2012 NFL season and I am ready to start hitting people already. This week I have focused on hitting the weights hard, building up my legs and arms, afterwards I either do light jog or several sets of sprints to build up my cardio. The weather this week has been perfect to do just that. Remember hard work + discipline = success

So enough about me, how have your workouts been going? Are you still walking, doing abs and cutting out desserts? This week I want you to keep this up, but add 50 pushups 3 times this week too. Don’t worry if it seems like a lot, just gradually build yourself into it. The goal is to keep you moving, the more you move the more calories you will burn.

Lastly your assignment is to encourage someone else to join you in this challenge this week. Remember birds of a feather flock together, so hang with people that are healthy minded like you to keep you on target. And if someone has not told you lately, I love you all. You guys are the ones who help to push me. Thanks to OhYeah! Nutrition too in helping me stay stocked on the right things to help continue to reach my goal!

PEACE

Atlanta Falcons #89 TE for Atlanta Falcons

Twitter: ReggieKelly82

FB: Reggie Kelly’s Fan Club

reggiekelly82.com & kyvan82.com

Where Do I Start? A Guest Post by Sarah Hoots

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

You made the goals. You found a gym and bought some great workout clothes. As you walk into the gym for day one of your new lifestyle, you look around, overwhelmed by all of the different workout options (not to mention the 250 lb man grunting as he throws up dumbbells like he owns the place). All of a sudden, a panic comes over you and your mind blanks out. You have in your head a perfect image of what you want to look like, but have no idea as to how to get that Cameron Diaz body, or Alessandra Ambrosia bum, so you hop on the treadmill for about 10 minutes, then go do a few crunches, and finish off with a set of bicep curls. This pattern repeats for about three weeks and when the results still aren’t showing up, your frustration begins to grow. Sound familiar?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked the following question:

“I want to get in shape, but don’t know what to do or even where to start.”

Well, I’ve broken it down into 5 simple steps that will guide you to success no matter what your fitness goal is.

1) Find a Vision. Jessica Biel, Jamie Eason, Brad Pitt… pick someone with your ideal body, and cut out pictures. These visuals will help keep you focused and drive you to get in better shape.

2) Find a Gym & Trainer. If you’re already a member at a gym, great! But, if you’re looking to take your body to the next level, hire a trainer and tell her/him your vision of the perfect body. Together, you two can sit down and come up with a plan. I know trainers are expensive so if you don’t want to commit to a long program, just hire one for a week and get the basics of lifting with proper form.

3) 20% Gym, 80% Diet. That’s right! You will never be able to see your abs if you continue to have processed foods like gas station candy, sugary lattes, and your campus cafeteria’s mystery meat in your diet. If you’re confused about how to plan a diet, sit down with a trainer, or read a fitness magazine like Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness (Hers), etc., or talk to someone in the gym who appears to know their stuff. Most people, you’ll find, will be happy to help!

4) Read, Read, Read!! Since living a healthy lifestyle will be something lifelong, make it your personal goal to educate yourself about workout routines, nutrition, etc. rather than ask someone. Start reading magazines, articles or just talk to other people and one day you will be the one other newbies come to for advice!

5) Find a Friend. Life isn’t about “me” it’s about “we.” Find a close friend and share your new-found passion of fitness with them and use it as a tool to develop a better relationship. You’ll be amazed how simply taking a walk with someone once a week creates a catalyst for others to open up. Some of my best friends in the world are ones I’ve met through fitness, and now I’m sure these girls will be my bridesmaids one day! I can always count on them and they make me grow as a person.

Lisa Rutledge Finds New Volleyball Partner

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

So after weeks of searching and training with different people, I have super exciting news! I have found a new volleyball partner for the 2012 beach volleyball season. Drum roll please……………………………….

I’d like you all to meet Tealle Hunkus! Tealle is a young, up and coming stud player who has been rising in the volleyball ranks for the past few years. She started her career at Duke playing indoor volleyball and has been playing beach for the past 5 years. With Tealle’s explosive defense and ability to hideout, our pairing should be a force to reckon with. Her highest finish was at the Baltimore Preakness event where she took 1st place with former partner, Heather Lowe. After a solid season last year, she is ready to move to a new role as a full time defensive player. Tealle and I are super excited and can’t wait to get the season started. I firmly believe that one of the most important things in a volleyball partnership is chemistry and after stepping on the court with Tealle the past few weeks I know that we will be a great pair.

Our first stop of the season will be the Corona Light Wide Open in Huntington Beach, California on April 20 - 22nd. If you are in the area you have to check it out and come say hi! I’ll be the girl sporting the OhYeah! goods. :)

Whitney Reid Trains Wide Receiver Ernest Wilford

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

Hey Everyone,

Last week I received a surprise phone call from an old friend saying he hadn’t been in the gym in several months and was looking to get back in shape. Now this wasn’t just some random person looking for a standard workout program and a little advice. This was Ernest Wilford, former Jacksonville Jaguar and Miami Dolphin standout wide receiver.

He is also wrote the record book for wide outs at Virginia Tech. He has to be one of the only guys I’ve ever seen awarded the Player of the Game in which his team lost. (VT vs. Syracuse). He lead both teams with something crazy like 10 catches for 270 yards and seemed as if he scored every time he touched the ball. Ernest had many games like this during his college and NFL days.

E Wil is a unique guy, standing at 6’5 with the wing spand as long as a Honda civic. He didn’t even participate in athletics until his junior year of high school. Yeah, he’s one of those guys I tend to hate on hahaha. He’s good at everything. Oh, and did I fail to mention that he was a highly recruited track athlete, and if he wouldn’t have chosen the NFL path I’m certain he would have been an Olympic track star during the summer games a few years back? Coach Beamer put a halt on his track profession after his freshman year at VT because of his value to the football program. On top of that his best sport is probably basketball. Jeez all I wanted was to be great at 1 sport but it seems as some guys have it all. Oh yeah, he’s also a scratch golfer sooooo I guess I know who my partner will be this year at the BFE golf tourney.

Needless to say this will be an interesting person to train with and I will be sure to keep all of the OhYeah! family updated with pics and results. Now in his early retirement, E Wil plans to get in the best shape of his life and make a name for himself in the fitness biz which shouldn’t be hard for this blessed athlete to do. I already have him hooked on all ISS, MPR and OhYeah! products. His top 3 favorite products are the Vanilla Creme OhYeah! Total Protein System, Almond Fudge Brownie OhYeah! bars and Blue Raspberry MPR Pump. We just finished our first week of my Muscle Up program in the March issue of Fitness Rx. Stay tuned for more!

Can’t get enough? Follow my daily updates on Twitter and Facebook.

#TEAMKELLY Training Challenge Week 2!

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:00:06 -0500

Whassup OhYeah! Fam!

I had a great weekend with the wife at her sorority Gala. It was fun and great catching up with so many friends. The dancing was great exercise as well, a great way to burn extra calories. Speaking of exercise, it is time to hit the weights and run to help build up my cardio starting this week. I am excited to start physically getting myself right for this upcoming 2012 NFL season. Thanks to OhYeah! I am already stocked on my favorites—OhYeah! Vanilla Creme Nutritional Shakes and OhYeah! Almond Fudge Brownie Good Grab Bars.

So talk to me OhYeah! fam, for those of you who started the Challenge, how did you do? Did you walk for 30 minutes 3 times this past week and eliminate all desserts? If not no worries, you can jump on board and this 2nd week when we will still walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week and also incorporate 5 sets of 10 ab work. You can still go ahead and replace desserts with the OhYeah! Good Grab Bars. It is time to mentally change our mindset to help eliminate any extra weight, you can do it! Remember Hardwork + Determination = Success

#TEAMKELLY… Remember I want to at least get 89 (my jersey number) on board to participate in this challenge with me. Let me know if you are on board!

PEACE

Atlanta Falcons #89 TE for Atlanta Falcons

Twitter: ReggieKelly82

FB: Reggie Kelly’s Fan Club

reggiekelly82.com & kyvan82.com

Amanda Adams Unwraps Wine and Weight Loss

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:27:44 -0500

It’s no secret that eating a loaded cheeseburger or a delicious chocolate cake is going to give you some not so pleasant effects of weight gain down the road. We play by the rules by ordering salads and veggies and waking up early for a sweat session in the gym, but for some reason I find that alcohol is often left unaddressed in people’s weight loss plans.

I meet with people every day to help them change their eating and exercise habits. Once they begin to understand the basics of nutrition and exercise, you see their face light up and you know they are picturing themselves in their new little black dress! All of a sudden, it’s like a black cloud is over us, and the person leans in closer, and whisper the one question they were dreading…. “Do I have to stop drinking to lose weight?”

As comical as it sounds, it literally breaks girls’ hearts when you tell them they can’t have their two favorite things in life—lots of wine and a little waist. How can this be? All the girls on Sex and the City were known for living the great life of staying thin and drinking cosmos! Well, I am not going to tell you all that you cannot have a drink or two with your friends or a night out on the town, but I am going to explain to you how alcohol effects fat loss, so you will think twice.

1) Alcohol has 7 calories per gram which is almost as much as fat! Fat has 9 and carbs and protein have 4.

2) Your body has to process alcohol before it can even process carbs, protein, sugar, FAT! Long list to get through before you finally are burning off fat! As long as alcohol is in your system, your body is NOT burning any fat! Bummer!

3) Alcohol slows down your basal metabolic rate, causing you to slow down the fat burning process! So even after you burn off the alcohol in your body, your body is going to move like a slug to burn off the fat!

4) In reference to my previous 3 points, alcohol affects your body the same whether it is beer, wine, or liquor. However, some do have more carbs or sugar than others. Yes it is better to have “light beer”, vodka and water, and wine when you are looking at the sugar/carb ratio. But alcohol is still going to effect the fat burning process no matter what type!

Okay, so what do I do? Not drink AT ALL? If you can, I salute you!! You will be one fat burning machine! For others, choose moderation. Everyone’s body is going to process alcohol differently. If you are trying to lose a significant amount of weight, or you have recently started putting on some weight, start by looking at how many drinks you are having in a given week! 3,500 calories is equal to 1lb! Once you start adding your drinks up you might see why your “little black dress” is not fitting the way it should be.

For my (multiple) daily updates, check out my Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Valentine's Day GIVEAWAY - Our Type of Chocolates

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:38:54 -0500

Hello OhYeah! Readers!

As you know, February is the month of love, and February 14th is official love day. At the OhYeah! offices we are so excited that there’s a holiday to celebrate our borderline infatuation with the products we make and the awesome work we get to do every day.

Our love for OhYeah! products doesn’t just stop with creating them. Oh no. The deep love, the kind legends are born from, comes with sharing OhYeah! products by distributing to people like you, all across the globe.

That’s why for this Valentine’s Day, we’ve created our own special box of chocolates. In it you’ll find the greatest chocolate treats of all—OhYeah! Chocolate Caramel and OhYeah! Almond Fudge Brownie bars (is that drool I see?).

All you have to do to win is show us your OhYeah! love! How should you do that? You have 3 opportunities, and each count as an entry into our contest. 1) Comment on this blog post, 2) Tag us in a post on Facebook, and 3) Tag us in a tweet on Twitter. In each of these entries, simply express your OhYeah! love! We’ll select 5 winners* on the grandaddy of all love days, Tuesday, Feb. 14.

*Contest open to U.S. residents only (it’s a shipping thing).

The Reggie Kelly Training Challenge!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

The first person to take me up on my challenge! haha

Whassup OhYeah! Fam!

What a great Super Bowl weekend! Congrats to the Giants! The 2011 NFL season is officially over and now it’s time to mentally and physically prepare for the 2012 season. I am excited and hungry for a ring!

Do I have any takers to join me as I begin my training? Or better yet, what advice do you have for me to incorporate in my training or eating habits? I want to team up with you to help encourage and motivate you to train and eat better.

As a matter of fact, I want to encourage you to start of this week by walking 30 minutes 3 times this week and eating no desserts, other than an OhYeah! Good Grab Bar (closest and even better than waisted calories on desserts). Hardwork + Determination = Success

#TEAMKELLY…..Can I at least get 89 (my jersey number) committed to the challenge? Let me know if you are onboard! Time to RISEUP!

Atlanta Falcons #89 TE for Atlanta Falcons

Twitter: ReggieKelly82

FB: Reggie Kelly’s Fan Club

reggiekelly82.com & kyvan82.com

Coach Tillison's Band Workout Video

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:11:44 -0500

Hey Everyone,

In this video I show you several great exercises that you can do with bands. As you know, bands are great for traveling, but not everyone knows just how many exercises you can do with them. Check out the video for my tips (video opens to the YouTube video page).

Believe & Achieve Personal Training

mark@mtbelieveandachieve.com

www.MTBelieveandAchieve.com

Guest Post: Exercise During Pregnancy - Do's & Don'ts

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:58 -0500

So you are pregnant, wondering what you can do to stay in shape that is safe. Well, being someone that trains year round for competitions, I actually had a hard time figuring that out myself. By nature we automatically think that we will hurt the baby if we do any exercise besides taking walks.

Now for all of you that have always had an exercise routine, stick to it. You just might want to lighten up your weight and just add more reps. Whether new or old to weight training, when doing upper body workouts, try and sit where you have back support. We pregnant woman tend to get dizzy or lightheaded so it is better for us to sit when lifting.

It is good to keep the upper body strong since as you get further in your pregnancy and your belly gets bigger you will want to have a strong back to help support it. It also will prepare you for carrying your new bundle of joy. Try a few of the following exercises for strengthening your upper body.

Bicep and hammer curls
Tricep curls, tricep extensions and skull crushers
Overhead shoulder press and lat pull downs

For lower body workouts, I used to love doing heavy lifting to help build my legs. Now that I am pregnant I have had to take some exercises out of my routine for safety issues for me and the baby. For now I avoid squatting and obviously heavy lifting. Try stationary machines, again lower weight and higher reps.

Leg extensions
Standing hamstring curls
Sitting calf raises
Stationary lunges

Last but not least, cardio! This is good for pregnant woman; in fact most doctors recommend it. Take daily walks, hit the elliptical or treadmill. It is a good way to get the blood flowing, stretch you out and will definitely help with your energy level.

With any type of exercise you chose to do, always make sure you are staying really hydrated. It is very important when you are not pregnant and even more important when you are. Also make sure before any exercise you chose to do that you stretch, you don’t want to injure yourself!

Now grab a partner or your iPod, a bottle of water and choose your exercise for today. It is all about moderation so just do a little each day and enjoy your fit pregnancy body!

Written by OhYeah! community member and fit mom, Johanna Mahshie. Interested in writing a guest post for the OhYeah! blog? Email blog@ohyeahnutrition.com

Reggie Kelly--Offseason and Not Slowing Down

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:14:22 -0500

Whassup OhYeah! Fam!

What an awesome weekend, and I am expecting great things this week! I’m still on my grind staying physically fit, which in turn makes my workout regimen go smoothly. Usually after the season I take a month off and then I gradually work myself back into the lifting and running. That month gives my body time to rest since, in reality the NFL season of training really goes on year round, because you have to do some form of exercise to stay in shape, plus eating right. Thanks to OhYeah! I snack on healthy Good Grab nutrition bars during the day. The OhYeah! Vanilla Creme nutritional shakes are already in the refrigerator all nice and cold and ready for drinking as I start my workouts next week.

Remember…

“Excuses are monuments of nothingness. They build bridges to nowhere. Those of us who use these tools of incompetence, are masters of none.”

No excuses—stay on your grind. Let’s help tackle obesity by staying fit, eating the right foods and getting plenty of rest!

PEACE

Atlanta Falcons #89 TE for Atlanta Falcons

Twitter: ReggieKelly82

FB: Reggie Kelly’s Fan Club

reggiekelly82.com & kyvan82.com

Lisa Rutledge's Pre-Season Volleyball Partner Hunt

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:00:05 -0500

Hi OhYeah Team!

So the 2012 season is right around the corner with the first event of the season looking to be the National Volleyball League’s opener in Baltimore at the Preakness Horse races. It is still early in the pre-season so I do not have a partner yet, but I have been practicing with a few different players to see who will be the best fit. Choosing a partner is difficult because you need to think about a few factors:

How we play together
Chemistry
Location

The first two seem obvious but I will expand on the 3rd. 90% of the USA’s elite (Top 10) female beach volleyball players live in Los Angeles, specifically Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. I am one of the only players who lives in San Diego. Therefore, finding a partner who lives somewhat close to me is a huge deal. I have played several seasons where I drove to Los Angeles 3 times a week to get in volleyball practice with my volleyball partner. And I would have to wake up at 4:45am in the morning to get to Los Angeles by 8am. So yes, location is a huge factor in choosing a volleyball partner.

So if you know any great beach volleyball players who live in San Diego, send them my way. ☺

Until next time OhYeah friends! God Bless and Happy Training! ☺

Coach Tillison: "Stretching is the Fountain of Youth"

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:00:06 -0500

Here’s a fitness illustration you may not hear everyday. Stretching is a lot like flossing. We know we should do it. We know it’s beneficial, but a lot of us don’t do it very often or very well.

Flexibility is a key component that allows you to bring more intensity to your workouts, and flexible people are much less prone to injury. Stretching is a great way to prevent injury from happening. Most people hate to stretch because they feel it take up too much time and it is boring. Stretching increases mental relaxation, reduces the risk of various injuries, and slows the aging process in muscles and joints. If you want to keep your youthful, active body, add stretching to your fitness routine today.

Believe & Achieve Personal Training

mark@mtbelieveandachieve.com

www.MTBelieveandAchieve.com

VIDEO: Amanda Adams' Fat Burning Foods

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:40:08 -0500

Hey Everyone!

Check out this video explaining the fat burning foods that I incorporate into my diet on a daily basis! These foods are delicious, so they work for my taste buds and my body. Do you eat any other fat burning foods that I didn’t mention here? Leave a comment so I can incorporate them into my diet!

For my (multiple) daily updates, check out my Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Guest Post: "I'll Get Bulky" Myth Buster

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:00:06 -0500

“If I lift weights, I’ll get bulky.”

“I don’t want to lift weights, I’ll look manly.”

“Lifting weights will give me big muscles.”

I know we’ve all heard these phrases before, normally from women, and I can’t help but shake my head every time I do. Those of us of the finer sex tend to be more body conscious than men, but how can we let ourselves be so uninformed?

Well I’m here to do a little informing.

I know I was one of those women who thought lifting weights would making me “buff” and all I wanted was to tone up. Through some research and personal experience, I’ve learned that lifting weights is the BEST way to burn fat and get lean (of course diet is really important). Plus, most women don’t produce enough testosterone to get “bulky” or “manly”. Now why is lifting weights so great?

Lifting weights promotes muscle growth and fat burning.
The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just sitting on your butt.
Since you’re burning fat, and building lean muscle, you’ll look more toned.
Not only will you look more toned, you’ll BE more toned!

There are about a million more benefits to weight lifting but the key is to do it correctly. Nowadays proper form is as easy as YouTube. But if you’re a novice weight lifting, hiring a trainer or learning from someone who is knowledgeable in weight lifting is a really good option. You’ll see the most benefits and avoid injury when you lift weights using proper form.

Now you know that weight lifting won’t make you “bulky,” “manly,” or anything other than lean and toned.

MYTH BUSTED!

What’s your favorite muscle group to lift or weight lifting exercise, and why? Share your answers in the comments below.

Alexa Espie

OhYeah! Ambassador

Whitney Reid in Fitness Rx + LA Fit Expo Coupon

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:00:06 -0500

Hey OhYeah fans!

We are now several weeks into 2012 and I hope everyone has gotten off to a great start by making progress with your fitness goals. If you have slipped off a little, no stress. You know what to do. Get back on track. Also, remember this:

You cannot erase months or years of bad habits in a couple of weeks. So please be patient. Persistence is the key to all success!

2012 has started off great for me. I already accomplished one of my goals that I set for the year. In the latest issue of Fitness Rx Magazine (on shelves end of January), I was giving the opportunity to work with my good friend Sean Andros (senior editor of Muscular Development and Fitness Rx). Sean allowed me to contribute to the content of the article, “Muscle Up for 2012” as well as model for the feature. I actually enjoy writing more than being in front of the camera, so I am thrilled to take my first step in that direction. Please be on the look out for this article as well as many more to come in the future. I’ll keep you all posted.

If you are in LA this week, stop by the OhYeah! booth at the LA Fit Expo! We even posted a coupon for expo admission here. Now you don’t have an excuse! See you there!

Can’t get enough? Follow my daily updates on Twitter and Facebook.

Superbowl Season Fuels Reggie Kelly's Fire

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:07:07 -0500

Whassup OhYeah! Fam?

What a nail biting game yesterday! On any given Sunday things can work in your favor. The teams all fought hard. Congrats to a fellow MSU Bulldog, Kyle Love with the New England Patriots on going to the Super Bowl. After watching those games yesterday, the fire got even hotter and the goal got even bigger for my chance to get there too. With this being my 14th season coming up, I am hungry for one!

My mindset is focused and I will soon start training for this upcoming 2012 season. I have already redirected my eating habits (plenty of fresh fruits and veggies with baked meats) and taking in plenty of OhYeah! Good Grab Bars as a replacement for candy bars when I have an urge to have some chocolate. Now don’t get me wrong, I always have a “splurge day” to enjoy, because it is okay to do as long as you have self-control.

Stay tuned for my appearances and I will have OhYeah! samples on hand for you to try. Once you eat one, you will want more. Join me and let’s help fight obesity! #TEAMHEALTHY

Atlanta Falcons #89 TE for Atlanta Falcons

Twitter: ReggieKelly82

FB: Reggie Kelly’s Fan Club

reggiekelly82.com & kyvan82.com

Friday Favorite: How Bad Do You Want It? Video

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:01:00 -0500

This week’s Friday Favorite is pulled from the comment that OhYeah! fan, Maureen, posted on Amanda Adams’ “3 Potential Weekend-Busting Scenarios & How to Handle Them” blog post. Talk about a kick in the pants. Watch this and go into your weekend STRONG!

Is Your Boyfriend Making You Fat?

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:31:43 -0500

Flashing a seductive smile, you giggle softly as your gorgeous dinner date orders a double mocha brownie with two forks. Your conscience says no, but your heart says yes. Rather than spoil the moment discussing the benefits of healthy nutrition, you rationalize, promise to amp up your next workout… and take a bite.

One bite turns into two and two turns in to half the dessert with another glass of red wine. Then it hits you…. “Wow, I just consumed a #$% number of calories!” Back at your apartment well after midnight, you fall into bed knowing full well you won’t make it to your regular 5:30 a.m. Spinning® class.

The next night, he invites you over to watch the game with his buddies and you soon find yourself surrounded by pizza, brownies, and other tailgate horrors. One bite here and there turns into one serving, then two, and so on… sound familiar? For some reason, men have a way of influencing a woman’s nutrition program in a negative way. Even top supermodel, Marisa Miller, confessed to gaining 10 lbs for the two months of dating her husband.

So, what to say and do without sounding self-centered, or being worried about acting like some health nut? Well, ladies, there is a way to make dating fun and exciting while still sticking to your fitness protocol. Below are my top 4 tips for success!

Cheat on either your drink, meal, or dessert, but not all three. Everyone loves to enjoy themselves and be in the moment when they are with someone special. This tip allows you to indulge without going overboard.
Offer to make him dinner. This way you’ll be in control of the menu. You can even bring a fun dish that’s healthy if his friends are all watching the game. Chicken kabobs are great, with hummus or a light BBQ sauce.
Ask him to go on a walk with you. Not only is this date incredibly romantic, but it’s a good indicator of his activity level. If he’s not up for long walks, that’s usually a good sign he doesn’t care much about physical activity. At this point, maybe question if the relationship is going to fit with your lifestyle.
Hit the gym or go for a bike ride together. This is a fun and usually free date that allows time to get to know one another, verses sitting in a dark theater where you can’t even talk. So get a great workout in and earn that glass of Riesling!

Now that you’ve heard my tips on how I manage to date and stay on track with my fitness program, I want to hear YOUR best tips! Let me know how you survive!