My Grocery Shopping List

These are the things that you can find in my shopping cart. Of course I do not buy all of this at once as fruits and vegetables go bad quickly. I usually buy my groceries on a weekly basis to ensure my foods are fresh and haven't lost their nutrients.

Go ahead and print this out and use it as a resource when you take your next trip to the grocery store!

Vegetables
Asparagus
Green Beans
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Baby carrots
Stir Fry Vegetables
Red, Green & Yellow Peppers
Spinach
Onions
Shredded Cabbage
Shredded Lettuce
Spaghetti Squash
Green & Yellow Squash
Celery
Radishes

Lean Protein
Lean ground turkey
Lean turkey patties
Organic chicken breast
Lean ground chicken breast
Tilapia
Salmon
Canned light tuna in water
Eggs (only whites used the majority of the time)--I buy whole eggs, but liquid whites work too
Lentils
Black beans
Whey protein powder (Complete Nutrition)

Grains/Complex Carbohydrates
Rolled oatmeal or steel cut oats
Sweet potato
Brown rice
Whole grain tortilla
Ezekiel Bread
Lightly salted rice cakes

Fruit
Small green apples
Bananas
Grapefruit
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Avocados

Healthy Fats/Nuts
Almonds
Natural, low sugar peanut butter
Natural, low sugar almond butter
PB2 (powdered peanut butter substitute)
Flaxseed oil
Ground flaxseed
Olive oil

Dairy Substitutes
Unsweetened almond milk
Nonfat plain greek yogurt
Nonfat Lactose free cottage cheese

Some Added Flavor
Mrs. Dash Seasonings
100% Cocoa Powder
Stevia drops
Low sugar ketchup
Mustard (try all different flavors)
Lemon
Hot Sauce
Spray Butter

The Three-Step Transition from Pop to Water

1.       Regular Pop to Diet: First things first, switch from regular to diet for a 2 weeks. Although diet pop isn’t the best choice—it’s also not the best choice to fight both your caffeine and sugar addictions at the same time.  In order to be successful long-term, take small steps.

2.       Diet to Caffeine Free Diet. If you do in fact have a caffeine addiction—this is how you’ll find out! You’ll probably have a headache for a few days, but it WILL go away. Keep going at it for a 2 more weeks.

3.       Caffeine Free Diet to Flavored Water/Plain Water: Here’s the healthy transition! If you absolutely can’t stand drinking plain water. Try adding 0 calorie Mio or purchase 0 calorie flavored water. Once you start seeing and feeling the benefits of drinking water, you’ll stick to it!

I absolutely love Thanksgiving! It’s a time for family, friends and food! However, it’s also very easy to overindulge—and become very uncomfortable and sluggish throughout the rest of the day. In order for you to have a comfortable, energized and lighter Thanksgiving, I’ve included a few tips below. Also, don’t feel guilty about enjoying your favorite food and drink…just be mindful! Balance is key to happiness….

·         Start your day off with a healthy breakfast—saving all your calories for the big event will leave you ravenous

·         Make your dishes broiled, roasted or baked

·         Fit in a workout whenever you can—this will give your metabolism a boost & help with hunger cues

·         Enjoy your favorite foods—in moderation

·         Limit desserts—have a slice of pumpkin pie

·         Include a variety of vegetables and lean meat..fill up on these!

·         Limit your alcohol consumption—a lot of unnecessary, empty calories

·         Stay well hydrated—this will keep your hunger cues in check, which may help you from overindulging

·         Choose whole grain bread over stuffing and potatoes

·         For pie toppings, dips and sauces choose fat free sour cream, whipped topping or yogurt—Check out Clean Eating for recipe ideas

·         Use egg whites instead of whole eggs

·         Top casseroles with slivered almonds instead of fried onions

·         Choose reduced fat cheeses

·         You can healthily dress up vegetables, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, cranberries and pears for a tasty dish

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!

BEFORE

Toni’s Journey To Her First Bikini Show

AFTER! (Taken 6 weeks out from show time)

How did you get started in fitness?

I started getting into fitness by taking a fit camp with Tim Gorham.  I wanted to do something to look and feel better.  Once the fit camp was over I started taking kickboxing, but still wasn't seeing the results I wanted. So Tim convinced me to start weight training with him—his fiancé, Ashley Katz, also put me on a strict nutrition program. This is when I began to see results!

What compelled you to do a bikini competition?

I wanted a goal of something to work towards to continue to give me motivation to work harder and continue eating right. I also wanted to compete to give me more self-confidence.  I want to do something out of my comfort zone that pushes me to strive for the best.

What challenges have you had to overcome?

The challenges I have overcome are staying honest and accountable with my diet.  It is so easy to cheat but I have to have a lot of will power and motivation to stick to my diet so I have good results.  I have had many life changes going on since I have began working out on a regular basis, but working out and eating clean have made me feel so much better about myself.

What is your diet like?

I eat 6 small meals a day.  It consists of oatmeal, egg whites, chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, almonds, and broccoli.

What is your workout schedule like?

I workout 5-6 days a week at 5am. I mix cardio with weights.

When it comes to competing for the WBFF Rhode Island show November 5th, what are you looking forward to most?

I am looking forward to seeing what my body looks like, accomplishing my goal of getting out of my comfort zone, and becoming more comfortable with myself.

A note from Ashley:

I can’t say enough good things about Toni. She’s worked so hard to achieve her goals and never gives up when things get tough. Not only has her physical transformation changed drastically, but her mentality has changed, too. She’s more self confident, outgoing and an all around happier person. She went from being a very passive person during our competition practices—to a sassy bikini diva ready to take the stage! I wish her all the best as we both will be taking the stage together on November, 5 2011 for the WBFF Bikini Diva Division in Providence, Rhode Island! Congratulations, Toni on all your accomplishments—you are truly an inspiration!

Ashley 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Do you often find yourself needing a snack before bed? These delicious peanut butter balls really hit the spot! Try this recipe to satisfy your nightly craving--or for a snack during the day!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
3 scoops chocolate protein powder
1/4 c. flaxseed meal
1/2 c. all natural peanut butter

Mix all ingredients in a bowl--mix in water if necessary (1 TBS at a time). Form mixture into TBS size balls. You can eat right away, or for better taste, place them in the freezer for about 2 hours.  ENJOY! :)

Makes 8 servings