My f(abs)ulous Science Project

We all want them. They are everywhere: from late night programming to your trainer’s promises to your vision board.

Flat, toned abs.

Doesn’t it always seem like you are chasing the idea of it,though, rather than actually realizing it?

Last year, I competed in a fitness competition when I lived in New York City. I worked my *abs* off to make sure I was eating right, exercising right, and supplementing to create beautiful, non-bulky, feminine abs.

It wasn’t as easy as some late night programs would suggest. There are no drop-3-dress-sizes-in-10-days quickies without stressing the heck out of your liver, impairing your immune function, and shocking your whole body in the process.

But beautiful abs can be achieved. It takes consistency. It takes hard work. It takes patience with yourself, and it takes a *wee* bit of planning. That’s about it. Really and truly.

I am posting this series of articles for three key reasons:

First – there are a few main f(abs)ulous subject areas that are integral to creating the abs that you want: diet, exercise, nutrition & supplements. And…surprise(!) - those are the main topics in the f(abs)ulous series.

I want you to have the knowledge and the know-how so that you can get good at it, and get’er done. You already posses all the tools necessary to achieve the toned stomach you want – you just need a little guidance. Enter Dr. Stephanie.

Second, and luckily, abs are one of those muscle groups where you don’t really need a gym. So, I will be using my body weight, a yoga mat, and my desire. I will document everything I am doing so you can follow along too!

Third, I will pre-empt this by saying that I am very happy with my current fitness level and form. However, I want to show you that my method works– so I am using myself for this f(abs)ulous science project.

I don’t plan to get fitness competition lean, but currently I would be considered ‘off-season’. Getting to somewhere between 15-18% body fat would be a good target goal for my height, size, and body weight. Using only objective tools for measuring my progress, here is what I am going to be measuring changes in:

measurements
waist
hip

body fat
electrical impedance (basically an electric current that you run through the body that measures body fat)
(you can use calipers also, but there can be a higher degree of measurement error with it, depending on who is taking the measurements!)

strength: how many…?
full sit-ups in 1 minute
reverse crunches

endurance: how long…?
can I hold a front plank
can I hold a side plank

Ahhh...I like nothing more than to have a specific, measurable, ongoing challenge - I thrive on stuff like this!! So with this in mind I have decided that my target deadline is going to be July 16, 2009. Reason being is one of my very close friends is jetting down to Las Vegas for her stag that weekend, and it is *conveniently* 12 weeks away. So, perfect, right?

Look out for the first post: My f(abs)ulous Science Project: Diet Rules later this week

…aaannnnddd go!

Love, Sex, and Everything in Between

I am over the moon ecstatic to introduce a new regular guest blogger to the site!

Susan Yara is an intelligent, ambitious, absolutely gorgeous and successful woman who is a regular contributor to People, Forbes, SiTV.com, and the NY Post. Check out her profile on Facebook.

She has the perfect blend of dedication, hard-work, and femininity that make her a great girlfriend to know and admire (it also explains why she is a former Miss New Mexico).

She will be covering hot topics around sex, love and relationships.

I am so excited to read her articles, and I know you will love them too.

Are. You. Kidding. Me.

The Vile Easter Bunny (tries to) Strike Again

That saucy minx.  Every year that oh-so-clever, seemingly harmless, bunny manages to arrange for unhealthy, over-processed, sugar-laced chocolate temptations abound. *Conveniently* there are sweet temptations all over regularly healthy grocery and shopping hot spots and we are left to try and resist the power that is chocolate.

This year, I am going to beat that meddling bunny at her own game with….*drum roll please*…

Dr. Stephanie’s (first of many) Healthy Chocolate Recipes

It can be done friends. I have researched a ton of chocolate recipes, and these were the first ones to make the cut.

I have modified the originals to make them either low calorie, low sugar, or how to make them vegan. Some of the original recipes had ingredients only available to our lovely American friends, so I have substituted those out for ingredients that can be found in Canada, too. 

The other really important thing for me was how easy these are to make. Literally some of them are put in food processor, mix, serve.  Easy peesy.

I have also added in a raw cheesecake recipe, that I wasn't so sure of..until I tried it.  Are you allowed to call a cheesecake gorgeous?

I would love your feedback on these recipes.  Did you add or subtract anything to them? How did they turn out?  Comments are loved in the comment section below.

For The Calorie-Counting Bunny

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Oh, yes...you read that right.  This is an ooey- gooey chocolate king of a cake for under 200 calories per serving.  No, no, thank YOU.

You will need 4 ramekins.  I really like to add a little bit of my favorite protein powder to this. Vega is a personal favorite, or a hemp-based protein powder works well too. 

This can be made vegan-friendly by substituting:
    Jell-O for Agar (1:1 ratio)
    Liquid Egg for Banana (1 Banana = 1 egg)
    This vegan chocolate cake recipe

    Creams & Butters can be replaced with vegan-equivalent substitutes

Ingredients:

For Cake

1 Cup Chocolate Cake Mix (like Duncan Hines or a Betty Crocker)
2 TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute
1 TB Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 tsp Stevia
2 Dashes Salt

For Filling

1/2 Jell-O Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Snack (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 TB Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 tsp Fat-Free Liquid Creamer (like Coffee-mate Fat Free Original)
1/2 tsp Light Whipped Butter

 Directions:

For The Filling:

Step 1    Place the chocolate chips for the filling in a glass and set aside.    

Step 2    Nuke the creamer & butter for 15 seconds (should be very hot)

Step 3    Pour the nuked mixture over the chocolate chips and stir until they have dissolved. Cool for a few minutes.    

Step 4    Add the pudding to the mixture. Stir.

Step 5    Spoon the chocolate mixture into four mounds on a non-stick sprayed or parchment-lined plate.

Step 6    Place in the freezer for 25 minutes.

For The Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1    Place chocolate chips in a bowl with the cocoa powder. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and stir until everything has dissolved.    

Step 2    Add 1/2 cup cold water. Stir well.

Step 3    Add all of the remaining ingredients (cake mix, egg substitute, Stevia, and salt) to the mixing bowl, and whip with a whisk for 2 minutes.   

Step 4    Once the chocolate mounds in the freezer are a little firm, spray four baking ramekins with nonstick spray.

Step 5    Spoon the cake batter (which will be a wee thin) into the ramekins.

Step 6    Remove chocolate mounds from the freezer, and place one in the center of each batter-filled ramekin. Put the ramekins in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Cakes will look shiny when done.

Step 7    Carefully remove each ramekin from the oven.

Either eat right out of the ramekin (that would be me), or wait until it has cooled and plate it.  You'll need to nuke the cooled cake for 15 seconds to get that ooey-gooey goodness back.

Top with something fabulous like a mint leaf.

For The Green Goddess or Vegan Bunny

Vegan Chocolate Chestnut Blackbottom Pie

I was very popular with my neighbours and patients this week with this baby.  It is rich, decadent, and all organic. 

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

350 grams (or 12.3 oz) sweetened chestnut puree
100 grams (or 3.5 oz) bittersweet chocolate
12 vegan chocolate wafer cookies
2 Tbs. vegan margarine
2 Tbs. coconut oil (optional)

Directions:

    Step 1 In food processor, turn the chocolate cookies into fine crumbs. Melt the vegan margarine and mix into the chocolate cookie crumbs.

    Step 2 Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of a pie form or individual forms.

    Step 3 Open the chestnut puree jar or can and place in a large bowl.

    Step 4 Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the optional coconut oil.

    Step 5 Mix the melted chocolate into the chestnut puree until well blended.

    Step 6 Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to become a bit more solid and easier to work with.

    Step 7 Place a generous layer of the chocolate chestnut mixture on top of the black bottom crust.

    Step 8 Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

    Step 9 Garnish with something fun like chocolate curls or mint leaf.

The Raw Blackforest Chocolate Cheesecake

This one I was stoked to make.  I have never baked anything 'raw' before.  It is literally not cooked at all, and gets its firmness from being in the freezer.  The chef who created this had also mentioned you can replace raw cacao butter and coconut oil with a dark Green and Black’s chocolate bar.

For The Filling

2 Cups Cashews, soaked 1 hour or more
1/4 Cup Agave Nectar
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Cacao Butter, Melted

1/4 Cup Coconut butter, Melted
1 -2 Teaspoons Coffee Extract (optional)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Seeds From 1/2 Vanilla Bean
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Cocoa Powder
One 10oz Package Frozen Cherries, Thawed

Directions:

Step 1    Blend everything together except for the cocoa powder and cherries until smooth.

Step 2    Blend in the cocoa powder

Step 3    Hand mix in the thawed cherries. (If you want to make a sauce out of the cherries, either set some aside or use an additional package.)


For The Crust:

1/2 Cup Brazil Nuts
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
Pinch Salt
1 Heaping Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 - 2 Tablespoons Agave
1 - 2 Tablespoons Cacao Nibs
1/4 Vanilla Bean Seeds from 1/4 vanilla bean

Directions:

Step 1    Food-process the brazil nuts, shredded coconut, salt, cocoa powder and vanilla bean seeds

Step 2    Add the agave and cacao nibs until the mixture just starts to stick together.

Step 3    Press into the bottom of a springform pan. If you are making a large cheesecake, feel free to double or even triple the recipe (crust and filling).

Pour the filling over the crust and chill or freeze until ready to serve.

Crazy good (for you) cocktails.

I was out for drinks with a girlfriend over the weekend.  Both being former fitness competitors -  we got pretty animated over eating and drinking healthy - it inspired today's post. 

I love a good drink, but am always secretly hoping in the back of my mind that that my body will somehow 'forget' about the extra calories I am drinking (ahhh wishful thinking I know, but a girl can dream!!).

After coming across these recipes, I can easily say now that it is practically your obligation to drink if you want to live a clean, and healthy lifestyle. 

These recipes are a few of the some of the most healthy, most antioxidant rich, most green, most calorie-conscious cocktails out there. 

The Green Bloody Mary

Start your Sunday brunch off right with this green twist on the classic:

1 1/2oz Absolut Vodka

Equal Parts Green Tomatoes, Cucumber, Tomatillos, and Parsley

1 Scallion

1/2 Jalapeño (optional)

Pinch of Salt

Blend. Drink. Love                                                                                                               

Blackberry Blossom

Blackberries & strawberries actually increase their antioxidant effect when combined with alcohol.  Who knew, right?!

This recipe gets an extra dose of vitamin C and antioxidant from the juice of yuzu, a citrus fruit popular in Japan.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 Medium Handful of Blackberries, muddled
2 oz Yuzu Juice
1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Agave Nectar
3 oz Vodka (or Sake),                                                                                                                     Prosecco (or sparkling white wine) to taste (optional)

Divide muddled berries between 2 tall glasses. Fill glasses to rim with ice. Combine the rest and pour over ice. Top with splash of Prosecco. Makes 2 servings.

'Beet'nik

So beet is, like, the miracle veg.  It is rich in

*deep breath*

A, B1, B2, B6, C, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Phosphorus, Sodium, and Iron.

It a natural cleanser, lowers blood pressure, helps with constipation, cleans the liver and kidneys, and it is just plain amazing.

Combine equal parts Orange Juice, Beet Juice, and Vodka.  Sweeten with a little Honey.

Garnish with an Orange Wedge.

(Be forewarned that beets are so powerful that it can change your urine to a pinky colour)

Marvelous Mojito

Nothing says summer like a mojito.  Summers on a patio. Somewhere in Spain. Or France. Some hot music playing in the background and you are tanned and gorgeous...

Add powerful and delicious berries for a sweet kick to the mojito (and the summer daydream)

1 1/2 oz. Bacardi Light Rum

Equal parts Raspberries, Clementines, Pom Pomegranate Juice
8-12 Fresh Mint Leaves  and the Juice of one Lime

1 oz. Agave Nectar
Soda Water

Thyme Sprig for garnish

Combine muddles berries and mint leaves & lime juice. Add the rum, and soda water to your liking.

Garnish w thyme sprig and drink your body healthy.

The Morning After Shake (Wild Blueberry & Hemp Shake)

So you had too much to drink.  The head-pounding. The dry mouth. The dizziness.  Try this puppy the next morning and see how you fare:

1 1/2 Cups Pure Water
5 tb Hemp Seeds
3 tb Agave Nectar
1 tb Coconut Butter (optional)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 10 oz Package of Frozen Wild Blueberries
1 Cup Frozen Banana (optional)
Pinch of Salt

Serves 1 - Double or triple the recipe for your friends (or yourself). It is a full meal.

Blend everything except for the frozen ingredients on high speed
until it is white, creamy and frothy. Add the frozen ingredients
and blend again on high until smooth and creamy.

Adding the banana makes it thicker, creamier, and sweeter.  Up to you.

----

Go on now. Drink & be healthy. On a Patio...somewhere in southern France...

fABulous Posture