Here’s a pretty picture:  blue, green, yellow and yes..the Healthy Choice logo.  How pretty.

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Lets take a look at the Healthy ingredients in this pretty picture:

whole grain pasta (water, whole grain wheat flour [UltraGrain], wheat semolina, egg white), water, chicken tenderloins (chicken tenderloin, water, olive oil, contains 2% of less of: isolated soy protein product [isolated soy protein, modified food starch, cornstarch, carrageenan, soy lecithin], dextrose, salt, potassium and sodium phosphates, potassium chloride, paprika, flavoring, caramel color), spinach, cooked shrimp, onions, diced tomatoes, broccoli, red pepper, salted chablis, garlic (contains high maltose corn syrup, salt), contains 2% or less of: butter, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice concentrate, modified food starch, chicken base (chicken meat and natural chicken juices, salt, chicken fat, sugar, hydrolyzed [corn and wheat gluten, soy] protein, dried whey, maltodextrin, yeast extract, natural flavoring, disodium insinuate and disodium guanylate, natural extracts of turmeric and annatto), sugar, Italian seasoning (sea salt, garlic, dehydrated onion, spices, red bell pepper, soybean oil), salt, spice, sodium phosphate.

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Now,  I want you to envision your leanest and best body.  Next, I want you to envision yourself living a wholesome, natural type of lifestyle…..Finally, do you think eating the ingredients above that are highlighted in bold will get you one step closer to feeling vibrant, healthy and powerful?

If you answered yes then you need to remember this, ” Food is a chemical.  Chemically it affects you hormonally, physically and emotionally. “  So if you said yes again I want you to eat a delicious box of disodium insinuate and disodium guanylate plus top it off with a big bag of Riceworks Brown Rice Chips 

Yes, both may taste great but try to cleanse your body completely for 2 weeks of  any artificial foods, chemicals, etc….  Then eat these foods again and see how you feel.  I guarantee your body will react as if you just ate a foreign virus causing you headaches, stomach bloat and a nice scratchy throat.

So, Bonn appetite.

If you really want a frozen healthy choice premade meal, then walk down your favorite natural foods section of your local supermarket (Wholefoods).  Choose a natural,wholefoods frozen type meal.  Read the ingredients.  Keep the fat content below 10 grams of fat per meal and select your favorites.  Eat sparingly only when needed.  Stick to basics: lean protein, organic veggies, organic greens and omega 3,6 fats.  Drink water and more water.

I’d love to hear your suggestions of good healthy, frozen meals.

P.S: to give Healthy Choice justice..they now carry a natural array of frozen meals which I have not analyzed.  However, from a quick glimpse I would say they are loaded with lots of refined ingredients that are far from gluten free.

So, one question I get all the time is suggestions on breakfast meals that are healthy but different. I’ll list a few that you may want to try below. Please comment on any breakfast ideas that are different that you may have to share.

Breakfast Idea 1:Sweet potatoes, bananas and cinnamon. Slice the sweet potatoes thin and saute them in coconut oil or olive oil. Mix with sliced banana and top with cinnamon. Place a scoop of Greek yogurt on top.

Breakfast Idea 2:Plain Greek yogurt, mixed with 1-2 tbsp of raw agave, 1/2 cup eziekiel cereal and chopped up raw almonds, dates and a scoop of green magma plus all natural vanilla whey protein.

Breakfast Idea 3:blended fruit with scoop of your favorite all natural protein, chia seeds and tsp of raw almond or sunflower butter. In blender..blend small banana, organic berries, strawberries and melon with water to consistency you like. You could even use coconut or almond milk instead of water. Blend in scoop of whey protein, tbsp of chia seeds, tbsp of raw almond butter and tbsp of agave or raw honey.

Breakfast Idea 4:egg whites mixed with low-fat cottage cheese and pineapple in its own juice. Slice eziekiel toast with earth balance butter or raw almond butter.

Breakfast Idea 5: Carrot juice blended with frozen organic strawberries, 2 scoops hemp or whey protein, 1 tbsp of raw almonds and 1/2 cup organic oats.

Breakfast Idea 6: egg white omelet with sauteed chicken slithers, Mexican cheese and hot sauce or even cocktail sauce. I actually love the spicy peanut vinaigrette from Trader Joes. I put it on everything!

So, there you go. Some different ideas from the usually yogurt with granola or the egg and turkey bacon sandwich.
Try them out. You may like them or you may say they su**.

Sorry to break then news….no protein bar on the market is a good protein source!!!   Bars are just a convenient way to get extra calories.   A good protein source is food that’s void of other ingredients such as eggs, egg whites, chicken, beans, hemp protein, whey protein (not great), fish, turkey, lean meat..etc.     Notice I didn’t list soy protein, I’ll have to leave this to another discussion some other day.  Just know that any soy product that’s mass produced is a horrible source of protein (i.e. soy milk, soy burgers).

Listed Below is a popular so called ” Protein Bar”.

Ingredients: Soy Protein Isolate, Beet Juice Concentrate, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Rolled Oats, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa, Organic Soy Protein Concentrate, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Organic Dry Roasted Almonds, Rice Starch, Cocoa Butter, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Sunflower Oil, Soy Lecithin, Salt.

Lets do some analysis.  Oh, good old soy protein isolate…garbage.  Lets see where else there’s protein?  Organic dry roasted almonds…nope, consider this a fat and they are dry roasted so again…not a protein source but rather fiber and a fat.

There really isn’t any protein..a carb bar, yes.  Protein source no!  So, should you eat these?  Well, if you need to refuel on sugars and fiber then this may help but if you’re trying to get lean then replace with a green apple and handful of RAW NUTS.  If you are going to eat this then I recommend eating 1/4-1/2 only and drinking lots of water once a day.  I would skip this bar but it’s up to you.

Click on the banner below and check out their raw bars. Alot better for you.

Don’t worry because unless you’re working out 2 plus hours a day, eat a strict diet which has no refined foods, dairy or under 1000 calories a day then most likely you won’t get them.  However, if you do want that lean, feminine look without lots of veins and ultra cuts then you still need a clean diet, lots of cardio and a calorie deficit that makes you feel a little hungry.  Yes, you heard right.  A complete body change requires a strict fitness regime and diet.  Of course, unless your genetically gifted then you’ll have to do a little more than cutting back on food.

However, look closer.  Most women who were able to get lean and right back into shape quickly  in their 20′s find it harder in their 30′s and early 40′s.  What happens?  They get skinny fat.  Skinny in some areas but still look overweight or not in great shapein other areas.  So, what does this have to do with lean arms?  Well, you need to just stick to getting lean and your arms will start to become lean.  Then just reshape them with certain exercises and there you go, lean arms.

My recommendation:

1-3 months of 5-6 days of a healthy lifestyle that incorporates:

1.  intense cardio: (hills, dancing, sprints, long runs or walks, speed rope, stairs, boxing, kickboxing)
2.  body weight and resistance exercises: (push ups, Plank on hands, assisted pull ups, rope, sledge hammer on tire , sand bags, climbing rope, gymnastics, power yoga, boxing bag work, incline sit ups, hanging leg raises (abs), medicine ball press lying down for triceps, tricep bench, assisted dips, band curls for 30-60 seconds, tricep kickbacks light weight 30-50 reps
3.  Diet:  try to eliminate dairy or at least limit to 1/day…take a multiple plus calcium complex.  Stay away from lots of oils, dressings and uncessary foods that will add extra calories.  Refrain from foods that are processed, high in sodium, contain white sugar and/or starches.  Drink lots of water, fill your plate with organic greens, fruits, small amounts of nuts, 1-2 small portions of carbs (brown rice, quinoa), 2-3 ounces of lean protein 2x/day.    Try juicing and adding a hemp protein meal in exchange of 1 meal.  I think an egg or egg whites are key to getting lean.

Note: even healthy foods have calories so try to figure out how many calories your body needs to reach your goal.  Safe bet would be for most a 1200-1600 calorie diet.

Oh ya, if you start looking like madonna then go grab a pizza or two. 

Crap…that’s what I think.  No really, some may (a big may) taste great but for the raw truth..Remember this!!!

 YOU CAN NEVER USE A PROTEIN BAR AS A TRUE PROTEIN SOURCE

 So, with that said…go ahead, if you need a quick excuse to get a candy bar than try a zone bar, balance bar….etc.   I personally would never eat these bars.  Whole food nutrition is the key for a great physique…Don’t forget to look at the ingredients ie..loaded with aspartama, artificial colors and additives blah, blah..

     For those who need a good snack and a quick bar for on the go…I still recommend the KIND BAR.  Those who are allergic to nuts, stay away.  Moral of the story, go for an all natural nut or oat bar (look out for calories > 250).