Eating on the Run

It's spring and that means, if you're like me, more fast food dinning. I'm running the kids from one activity to another and sometimes there just isn't time to make a healthy meal at home. Eating out makes it really easy to indulge; and one evening out can easily set your weight loss efforts back a week or more. The good news is that more and more restaurants are catering to the health conscious, so if you plan ahead you can get good nutrition even on the run. Two of my favourites are Subway and McDonalds.

Pick the 6" Roast Chicken Sub with mustard & all the veggies. It's only 319 calories with 4.5 grams of fat. Just be careful about adding any of their high-fat creamy sauces. The meatball sub is also a killer...the 6" is 560 calories with 23 grams of fat.

At McDonalds I just love their NEW Southwest Salad with grilled chicken. It's 340 calories with 12 grams of fat. The dressing is what can kill you. I usually opt for a quarter pack of their Southwest Ranch dressing which runs me another 40 calories and 4 grams of fat. Big Macs, of course, are one of your worst choices with 540 calories and 29 grams of fat.

Baking With Vegetables

Huge thanks to Janice who shared her delicious "Chickpea" Chocolate Chip Cookies with me last week. They were a huge hit with the entire family! Chickpeas are a great source of fiber, protein, folic acid and iron.

Click here for the recipe.

Your Post Workout Opportunity

Eating within an hour of working out is critical for muscle gain and replenishing your energy sources. Most people need to aim for between 6 to 16 grams of protein and 45 to 65 grams of carbohydrates. A protein shake or bar, chocolate milk, greek yogurt with berries or a bowl of high-fiber cereal with milk are all good options.

Fueling up Before you Workout!

What you eat and when you eat will have a huge impact on your overall health, energy levels and the effectiveness of your workouts. To get the most out of your training, you need to eat a good pre-workout snack about 60-90 minutes beforehand. Experts suggest it should include about 15-25 grams of carbohydrates and 6-15 grams of protein (especially if working out in the morning).

Most mornings I'm in a rush and just grab a protein shake before I head to the gym. Below I've included a couple of good pre-workout options.

• Isalean Protein Shake with Isagenix Greens & IsaCalcium (click on each product for more details)
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 8 oz low fat milk with 12 almonds & 1/2 a cup of berries
• 1/2 cup of granola with 6 oz of greek yogurt, 1 egg & 1/2 a grapefruit
• 1/2 a scoop of whey protein with 8 oz of skim milk and 1 cup of berries

Macadamia Nuts Get a Bad Rap!

These delicious nuts, when eaten in moderation, are actually one of the healthiest salty snacks out there. Macadamia nuts have a higher percentage of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat than any other nut, seed or vegetable. They are also cholesterol free and rich in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and fibre. Just ensure you use portion control, as 10-12 nuts contain approximately 200 calories and 22 grams of fat.

Movie Theatre Popcorn Exposed!

I went to the movies today and, like always, all I could think about was getting my hands on a BIG bag of popcorn. Well, like some of you, I need to think again. A big bag is as many calories as consuming 3 Big Macs at McDonald's. According to an article recently published in the Edmonton Journal, theatre chains in the United States are fighting a requirement, coming out this month, to publish how many calories are in the concession items they sell. Apparently in a large bag of popcorn (without the butter) you will find between 1,200 and 1,500 calories. That's about 3/4 of my entire calorie count for the day. If you have to have it, join me in buying a small bag with no extra toppings and share it with a friend. At Cineplex that will run me under 300 calories, something that won't blow my calorie budget for the day. Studies show that 80% of the pleasure is found in your first few bites.

By the way, we saw Beastly ... great story! Click on "Beastly" to see the preview.

Superset Me!

My weight training program wouldn't be the same without supersets. It not only saves time, but studies are showing that it can help you burn more calories and produce more of an after burn post workout when compared to traditional methods.

Supersets are simply doing two or even three exercises back-to-back with no breaks. There are many combinations and ways to use supersets. I typically use supersets with opposing muscle groups. For example, I'll do a set of bicep curls followed immediately by a tricep exercise resting only after I've completed both sets.

Please keep in mind that using supersets dramatically increases the intensity of your workouts. It's important supersets are not done on consecutive days for the same body part. Your body needs adequate rest between workouts to effectively build muscle.