I'm Reset and Refreshed.

It's Day 21! So here's a post full of hyperlinks! ;-)

Today is my last day of Ultimate Reset. I couldn't stand the anticipation as I pinned oatmeal recipes all week, looking forward to an oaty breakfast Monday morning. I was so freaking excited about oats--I was like a kid at Christmastime. Can't I just open one present on Christmas Eve?

OK! So I ate oats on the last day! I don't regret it! I pored over recipe after recipe on Pinterest before deciding just which one to have---Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats! I plan on tweaking the recipe a bit and making it my way for my next video.

Who knew a person could get so fired up over oats? LOL

I'll finish the rest of the day according to the plan, but I just couldn't face 3-1/2 cups of fruit for breakfast again. I'm just considering it my weaning back to normal diet a day early. 

I already took my measurements today, too. What can I say? I'm impatient! I'm back to my pre-convention weight and measurements, (scroll down past all the guys in dresses and you'll see me kicking back with my feet up) and according to my Libra scale, I'm down 7% body fat. I'm not quite as light as after my first Reset back in May, but I'm happy with my results. 

My daughter and I are leaving in the morning for a 3-day mini-vacation to the desert. We are looking forward to our annual trek to the Coachella Valley more than usual, since October and November were especially hectic for us.  We will be staying in a beautiful condo at a resort in Cathedral City. I've researched online and found three vegan restaurants that we are excited to try. I'll have to let you know how we like them. I'll also have to be careful the next few days to not flood my body with too many grains and legumes all at once, since i've been on only  fruits, veggies and a little oil for the last week...but just try and stop me from ordering Channa Masala! 

We're also looking forward to visiting The Living Desert. As luck would have it, despite my complaining about too much Christmas before Thanksgiving, their Wild Lights event begins Tuesday and we will attend. We also have a hike planned at Indian Canyons, one of my favorite places. I'll be sure to keep a bird list, and share some of my little-used knowledge of the native ecosystem with the kid. We thought about taking the Tram  but there is no snow yet, I'm trying to be frugal, and our trip is short, so that will be a "maybe." My favorite time to go up there is Springtime anyway.

Please check out my other blog for our travelogues, and general geekiness. 

Over the Reset Hump

I'm on day 12 of the Ultimate Reset, a 21 day nutrition and supplement plan. The objective is to balance body chemistry, remove toxins, reset digestion and restore normal intestinal flora, and break some bad eating habits.

I did the Reset last spring with amazing results. Not only did I lose 10 pounds, but I got my cholesterol in the normal range for the first time in my ENTIRE LIFE. I also tried new plant foods and liked them (all except for seaweed--that made me cry).

I decided to Reset again in November because I had fallen off track. I was eating vegan, but eating too much, and in the wrong proportions--too many grains and nuts, and sneaking in sugar in the form of maple syrup or coconut sugar. October was busy (an understatement), and I realized I hadn't been treating my body as well as I could have been. I put on about 8 pounds since August and I was feeling puffy and achey.

So I'm just over halfway through the program. It's so much easier this time. Maybe it's because I'm a "seasoned" vegan now, or maybe because I wasn't needing to detox as much this time, since I just did this 6 months ago. Last time I was in the process of weaning myself off of a very low dose HRT and when I started the Reset I just dumped the pills and went cold turkey. I also quit coffee cold turkey last time. I had every symptom of caffeine withdrawal for 4 days and was miserable with headaches, joint pain and insomnia. Even though I was down to 3 hormone pills per week, the combination of quitting them and coffee together may have been the reason for my misery. At any rate, I've felt absolutely fine for 12 days now, and have not experienced any hunger or discomforts of any kind. I also weaned off the coffee in the first few days, just to be sure--1 cup on day one, down to half a cup by day 4. I don't even want coffee in the morning now, but I do enjoy a cup of herbal tea in the evening.

Another reason why this was good time for me to do the Reset is that 2-1/2 weeks ago I broke my big toe. OUCH. So, since strenuous exercise is a no-no on the Reset, and also not recommended for my busted bone, this is a perfect time to chillax. I have been doing some Pilates, & 10 Minute Abs from the 21 Day Fix and some gentle yoga from www.yogadownload.com. Some of that yoga is challenging with a broken big toe, so I've had to modify, but I've enjoyed the shorter beginner sessions.

In the first week I did lose 4 pounds, but week two I'm holding steady. Week 3 is the most restrictive, so perhaps I'll get the rest off then. If not, I'm sure getting back to regular sweaty workouts and dialing in my nutrition will get me back to my goal.

Some things are the same as my first Reset. I feel the need to purge--I've started a cleaning/purging project in my office and went through the clothes closets again. I've also had vivid dreams this week, but I am sleeping well.

If I'm missing anything during the day, it's oats. Breakfasts on most of the days are huge servings of fresh fruit. I want OATS! Guess what I'm having for breakfast on day 22? THIS: http://bit.ly/PomegranateOats

In the meantime, I'm enjoying recipes from the Reset, and I'm going to share one with you now!

SWEET POTATO AND ROASTED RED PEPPER BISQUE

From The Ultimate Reset

1 Serving

1 cup water

1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed

¼ medium bell pepper

1 tsp fresh ginger root

1-1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. Miso paste

1 cup vegetable broth

Bragg Liquid Aminos or Himalayan salt to taste

Bragg Herbal Seasoning Blend to taste

Roast bell pepper on grill or gas stovetop. Turn frequently until skin is evenly charred. Pace in a medium bow and cover with a kitchen towel for 10 minutes. Peel skin under running water. Remove seeds.

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; add sweet potato and cook 5-7 minutes. Drain.

Place sweet potato, bell pepper, ginger, oil, miso, broth, aminos and seasonings in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If too thick, add a bit of broth or water. Heat in saucepan if necessary.

Cinchy, right? Also, perfect for a chilly autumn lunch, paired with a big salad!  

Let me know if you have any questions about The Ultimate Reset. I'm loving it!

I'm Grateful for Healthy Eating!

Oh my gosh it really almost the second week in November?! All of the stores are already pushing their holiday stuff, including sugar-filled candy and box mixes. Are you tempted?

I'm not! As a matter of fact, I'm well into my first week of the Ultimate Reset, a 21-day program for  detoxing, improving digestion, and restoring overall health without starvation or harsh "cleansers."  I did the program last spring and shed 10 pounds and 2 inches and felt absolutely fabulous. So far I am loving the food and the regimen. I know exactly what to eat and exactly when to eat it--and the portions are huge! 

For more info on the Ultimate Reset, click here: Ultimate Reset (hot tip: it's $30 off this month!)

This will be our first Vegan Thanksgiving. I've been trying to decide what to make. It will be just my husband, daughter and I, so simple and no-fuss seems the way to go. I may buy a small turkey breast for my husband the carnivore, and maybe try a grain roast for me and kid...unless I go with a lentil dish.

I thought I'd share a couple of side dish recipes that would go nicely on a vegan or traditional table. They are healthy alternatives to the butter and sausage saturated bread and Campbell's soup bean casserole that I grew up eating on Thanksgiving.

Speaking of healthy eating during the holidays, my coaching group has a 21 Day Holiday Survival Success Group on Facebook starting on November 17th. We want to help you with your your holiday-time needs with tips and recipes plus quick workouts to keep your health and mindset from getting too far off track with all the hustle and bustle. Here's a link to the invitation: 

Holiday Survival Group

And now for those recipes:

Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing with Walnuts

from Whole Foods

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups uncooked wild rice or wild rice mix
• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
• 1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in wild rice, cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes. 

Stir in basmati rice, cover and simmer until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Stir in cranberries, parsley, thyme, and walnuts, cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste. 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Transfer rice mixture to dish and bake until light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

from Whole Foods

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
• 7 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 cup plain unsweetened soymilk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation:

Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Lower heat, partially cover pan, and simmer until potatoes are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, return potatoes and garlic to pan and add tahini. Mash with a potato masher or large fork until very smooth. Place over low heat and stir in soymilk, lemon juice and salt; add a little more soymilk if potatoes are too thick. Spoon into a bowl and garnish with sesame seeds.

5 Minute Cranberry Relish

from Forks Over Knives

Ingredients:

• 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
• Zest and fruit of 2 large oranges
• 1 cup pitted dates (or more, to taste)
• 2 tablespoons psyllium husk (optional)

Preparation:

In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, process all ingredients until the desired chunky texture is reached.

Balsamic Green Beans

Ingredients:

• ½ C pine nuts
• 3-4 C water
• 1 lb. Green beans
• 1 large shallot, peeled and minced or ¼ C chopped scallions
• ¼ C balsamic vinegar
• ¼ C. olive oil
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley or basil
• slat and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Toast the pine nuts for about 10 minutes at 350 until golden brown. While the nuts are toasting, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove the ends of the beans. Boil the beans for about 3-6 minutes, until just tender.

Combine the shallots or scallions, vinegar, oil and herb of your choice in a medium bowl. Drain the beans thoroughly and immediately add them to the bowl, tossing them with the dressing. Stir in the toasted pine nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or chill for 20 minutes then serve.

Let me know if you try any of these, and what your family thought of them! 

All the best,

Christine Rideout
(760) 855-5571
CRideoutFit@AutomaticCEO.com

http://crideoutfit.AutomaticCEO.com/go1

Get in a Healthy Halloween Spirit!

Is it me, or is October flying by?! Just 9 days until Halloween. Are you dressing up? I will be masquerading as Elastigirl, so eating clean will be key to looking my best in spandex!

Before I share some spooky recipe ideas, I wanted to remind you that Tony Horton's latest program, P90 is now available with discounted pricing through the end of October. Beachbody is also donating $5 from every P90 Challenge Pack sold in October to Wounded Warrior. For more info on P90 click here: P90 Info

Feel free to email me with any questions about the program before ordering. I want you to have the program that fits YOU.

Please check out my Facebook page for recipes, nutrition & health tips every day, too!  www.facebook.com/FitFanGurl

Now, how are you going to get into the "spirit" of Halloween without blowing your nutrition? Here are some fun ideas.

Banana ghosts with mini chocolate chip eyes and chocolate chip mouths (or carob) and peeled mandarins as pumpkins with celery stems. This is a bootiful idea for a snack or potluck tray.

Here's a yummy lentil Shepherds Pie recipe. Mound your mash into ghost shapes and use peas for eyes, and voila! Your baking dish is transformed into a graveyard. http://www.forksoverknives.com/lentil-shepherds-pie-with-rustic-parsnip-crust/












And how about some Cheesy Witch Fingers from One Green Planet? Now these are creepy! Here is the spell...Umm, I mean recipe:

These cheesy fingers may look really scary, but don’t worry, they are also really yummy. They are just cheese crackers with a chilling “handmade” touch. Combine 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. cayenne pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix everything together. Add 1 cup room-temperature vegan butter and 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds and process until everything is well-combined. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface. Remove the mixture from the food processor and shape into a tube. Divide the tube into 2-inch pieces. If you want to make witch toes, make 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a thin tube, pinching the tube slightly in the middle to make it look like a finger. Look at your own fingers for a guide but pretend you are a hundred years old – no smooth skin here. Using a toothpick or a fork tine, draw on knuckle lines. On the end of each tube, add a raw, skinless almond slice, pointy side up so that it looks like a fingernail. Arrange the fingers on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Be careful when you’re eating these – keep track of whose fingers you’re chewing on.

Whatever you have planned for All Hallows' Eve, make sure you give that trick or treat candy to the Great Pumpkin and stay on track. Holiday parties are just around the corner, and you'll want to look and feel your best in your fancy party clothes! Have a howlin' good time!

Have you missed me?!!

I've been crazy busy, and spread thin online, too. My Instagram (@fitfangurl) and Facebook (Facebook) have been busy, I've been making a few videos for the You Toobs (YouTube),  but I've not been too active on Twitter (@FitFanGurl) and this blog has been neglected!
I aim to remedy that! I hope to be able to post at least weekly now.

So, to catch you up on the last six weeks:

     I'm in Physical Therapy for my knee. I had a Synvisc-1 injection, which was a waste of money, because my problem is really not in the joint space. It's a functional issue.  Evidently, my Vastus lateralis,  (the big outer quad muscle) is quite tight and my Vastus medialis (the small quad muscle toward the inside of the thigh) is quite atrophied. This causes my knee cap to be pulled toward the outside and because that tracking is off, I have pain in the kneecap and the tendon in which it is situated.
     The VMO muscle is hard to isolate. I've been put on restriction--no riding my bikes (wah!!) and no regular workouts. I can do upper body and core, but no squats, lunges, cardio, etc. It sucks. I have certain rehab exercises to do 2-3 times a day and I am supposed to ice 5 times a day, in addition to my twice weekly appointments with the therapist. Can you say TIME SUCK?

     The bad news, is that it's not working! My V. lateralis is tightening up worse and giving me pain, and my VMO is not growing, and my knee pain is not improving. Even the therapist is getting disappointed. I have a couple more visits before I see my Orthopedic doc again, and then I suppose we'll have to make a new plan.
     In the meantime, I'm feeling the effects of not getting my cardio fix. It's odd, but when I work out more, I actually eat less. I have been eating clean, but eating more, and I have been struggling with too many grains. This is ending TODAY. I am spanking myself and getting back on track.
   
     Besides the knee issues, other things going on that have been keeping me super busy are mostly kid-related.  My daughter is now in Middle School and she landed a big role in the upcoming musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She is a Narrator with lots of stage time and solos! I'm very proud of her, but between rehearsals, taekwando, ASB, and her regular workload (she homeschools 2 days a week but 1 of those days she has a 5 hour rehearsal!), her schedule is HECTIC.

   





We went to Long Beach Comic Con this past Saturday and cosplayed together as Elastigirl and Violet from the Incredibles. It was a long day and a long drive, but fun!










     My best friend, Melissa, and I started a local social group for Star Trek fans.  We've had a few Away Missions, and hope to increase attendance at these. We went to the local Renaissance Faire last week in uniform, and to a Sky Show with telescope viewing at the Science Center last night. If you are in the greater San Diego area, check out our group page on Facebook! San Diego Away Team


     There is also a lot going on in my business. I'm blessed to have an amazing team of business partners and coaches to work with. The are positive, supportive and smart! We've also got some of the best world-class training and great programs to offer our clients. Even though I'm benched right now, I am still helping others change their lives, and that is a great feeling.

Where do you get your protein?

Many of you may know that I am a mostly-vegan. I occasionally have dairy, but only when I'm not home and the “vegetarian” choices are limiting.

The most common question asked of us vegans is, “Where do you get your protein?”

Protein is easy! You don't have to eat flesh or eggs to get enough a protein, as many vegan athletes can attest! As a matter of fact, the developers of Shakeology, Isabel Daikeler and Darin Olien, are vegans!

But before I go on, let's decide how much protein we need. In essence, the more you exercise, the greater your protein needs will be.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm.

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Example:

154 lb male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights
154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day

Another (easier) way to calculate how much protein you need is by using daily calorie intake and the percentage of calories that will come from protein. The percentage you choose will be based on your goals, fitness level, age, body type and metabolic rate. Most experts recommend that your protein intake be somewhere between 15 and 30%.

Example:
For a 140lb female, calorie intake=1800 calories, protein=20%:
1800 x .20 = 360 calories from protein. Since 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, divide protein calories by four:
360/4 = 90 grams of protein per day.

My foremost source of protein is my daily Vegan Shakeology. It provides me with 16 grams of plant-based protein. Sometimes I add some PB2, which boosts the protein count by 5 grams.

The highest sources of vegan protein are tempeh and seitan. Tempeh has 31 grams per cup, and seitan has 21 grams per 3 ounces—almost double the amount in beef!

Us vegans eat a lot of beans and lentils. Yes, they contain carbohydrates along with their proteins, but they also provide fiber and are so versatile! Lentils provide 18 grams per cup, and depending on the type of beans, 12-15 grams per cup. I use lentils to make tacos, and shepherd's pie, and lentil bread, among other things. Beans can be found in my homemade veggie burgers, hummus, soups, salads, and more!

Quinoa (9 grams/cup of COMPLETE protein), oats, nut butters, leafy greens (especially kale!) and broccoli all are great sources of protein.

Just look at how the protein stacks up in this sample vegan day:

Meal           Food                Protein     Calories

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal        6g          158

              1 T almond butter     3.5g       100

             1 sliced peach            1.5g         59

             ½ C almond milk        .5 g        15

Snack: Vegan Shakeology      16g         170

Lunch:

         3 cups mixed greens        3g           25

         1 oz pepitas                     5g           126

        1 cup sweet potato cubes 2 g           114

        ½ cup chickpeas               8g           134

        2 T tahini dressing            6g           178

Snack: 

             Apple                            .5g          90

            1 T peanut butter            4g          94

Dinner:

            ½ C tempeh                 15.5g        160

           1 C broccoli                   2.5g           31

             ½ C quinoa                   4.5g         111

Oh my gosh, that's 1565 calories and 78.5 grams of protein about 20%)! Without any animal products.

I won $1000 just for getting healthy!

After I completed my first Beachbody program, Focus T25, I was down about 13 pounds, but 19 inches overall. My coach encouraged me to enter the Beachbody Challenge, but I never got around to it. 
Fast forward 7 months. I am now a Beachbody coach, myself, and I went to the Coach Summit in June. It is the annual convention where we go for training workshops, recognition, and corporate launch news. 

The official opening of Summit was on a Thursday afternoon, but our large team had a Summit of it's own during the day. I was asked to be the opening speaker and spend 5 minutes talking about my fitness journey. You can view that talk here: My Story

At Summit, the Beachbody Challenge Contest finalists were on stage. There was a male and female from each of the age categories. A snazzy video presentation for each of them was played for the 9000 coaches in attendance. The videos were emotional! Each person's story was compelling and special. Their lives were transformed on many levels. This isn't just about losing weight, it's about changing lives.  There were "before" photos of the contestants and they each spoke about how they felt and what struggles they had before the challenge. They discussed what programs they did and how their lives had changed. Each one of them brought tears to my eyes. They were all amazing and dramatic transformations: one woman's husband didn't recognize her when he returned from deployment!

The winner of the Challenge lost 203 pounds in 9 months! WUT!! You can read his story Bradley J
Bradley won $100,000 in addition to his monthly and quarterly prizes! WOW! The "runners up" had to settle for only $25,000 each. However, even if they never got a penny, they were all winners, because they got their health back. They got their lives back!

My teammates, after seeing the inspirational stories, and hearing mine, encouraged me to submit my photos and story, so when I did I got online and finally did it. Then I promptly forgot about it.

Three weeks later I opened up my email and saw this: 

      Congratulations! You've won $1,000 in The Beachbody Challenge!

Thank you so much for sharing your incredible, life-changing transformation story with us. Helping people achieve their goals to lead healthy, fulfilling lives is our mission in life, and YOUR story is a shining example of the success that real, honest people can achieve with Beachbody® programs. Thousands of Beachbody customers submitted their results to The Beachbody Challenge last month, and YOUR story scored the highest from your respective age and gender group. As one of our monthly winners, it's an honor to offer you a prize of $1,000. You've EARNED IT!

Wow! What a nice surprise that was! So, I submitted my paperwork and spoke to a nice man named Arte on the phone on Monday. He told me that my story is very unusual for someone "in my age group" and that results were great. He said I am automatically entered in the Quarterly Contest at the end of July and it would be up to the Internet to vote for me, but if I win that I'll get $5000 more! Wheee!  He also told me that no matter what happens then, I am eligible to compete for the Grand Prize next June. They will send me a reminder, ask for fresh pictures with a dated newspaper, and I could very well be one of those people on stage at Summit next summer! 

So, here is my story, on the Beachbody Challenge website: BB Challenge Monthly Winner Christine R

Do you know what I am most excited about? My mission as a Team Beachbody Coach is to Inspire and help others to get healthier. By winning this contest, and moving ahead to the next stage, my story is getting seen by thousands of people that would not otherwise have seen it. I hope that it will be inspiring and motivating to some of them!