Next Thursday is the ultimate Veggie Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. 

On the Thursday before Thanksgiving, I like to make a super veggie Asian style stir-fry. The taste and texture of the stir-fry is so very different then the Thanksgiving meal that I think it causes me to appreciate both a little extra. If you are stuck on what to whip up in the next few days or week, try having something totally different from what you will eat next week.

A friend/client who is an amazing cook gave me this great suggestion:

“I just made a vegetable soup with EVERYTHING that was going bad in my fridge.  Basically, I used the veggie platter that I had cut up for Sylvie's birthday play date last week (broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, celery) and made soup with it.  I sautéed a chopped onion in olive oil, then added those veggies plus a bag of frozen organic spinach from Whole Foods, dumped in two containers of chicken broth, and two cut-up Yukon Gold potatoes.  Boiled and then simmered the whole thing, and then I'll puree it later on when it cools for a thick, hearty vegetable soup.  (The pureed potato thickens the soup and gives it creaminess without adding any actual cream or butter.)  I also have been making Sylvie and Steve pasta lately that might qualify as healthy:  whole wheat penne with turkey Bolognese, and then I add a ton of veggies to the sauce to make it a complete meal.  I make a batch at the start of the week (this week I used turkey sausage from Whole Foods instead of plain ground turkey, which made it more interesting) and keep it in the fridge for lunch or, if I don't feel like cooking, dinner.”

Good Luck!

Tis' the season of less time for exercise, even for me. Time to resort to the 10 Minute Tune-Up. Believe it or not, 10 minutes of stretching and/ or body weight toning exercises everyday will mean in a big difference in your overall balance, happiness and the way you look in your holiday clothing this season.

Here is a routine to get you started:

1) 6-10 Pilates Roll-ups or 10 second hold -toe touch where you are sitting on the ground with your legs out straight in front of you.

2) 1 min straight arm plank

3) 20 Push-ups (kneeling is fine)

4) 60 bicycle crunches

5) 1 min forearm plank

6) 20 squats, 15 lunges each leg

7) 6-10 Pilates Roll-ups or 10 second hold -toe touch where you are sitting on the ground with your legs out straight in front of you.

For a second body weight workout suggestion check out http://tinyurl.com/y8db6do .

The secret to the 10 Minute Tune-Up is consistency. I always suggest doing your routine in the morning because it is more reliable to wake up 10 minutes early then fit your 10 minutes in to a day that may have gotten away from you. Also, any additional physical activity you do is a bonus if you get it done in the morning. You won’t regret it. I promise.

For Veggie Everyday, let’s feature your favorite raw veggies with dip! Get some pre-made from a store or make some yourself to have as a snack twice a day and to take with you when you are running around.

Let’s face it, this week is the last authentic week of working out and staying balanced that we’ll have until January 2, 2010. Let’s make the most of it! Because we know that starting next week the war we all wage on weight loss is over for the year- there is no more losing weight-just hopefully maintaining it (or only gaining 2-3 pounds).

Keep it real this week. Use the fact that beginning next Thursday and ending January 2^nd, 2010, we are all giving ourselves a little, or a lot, of license to indulge.

Look at your calendar and schedule in 4 cardio sessions before next Sunday. Whether it be at a gym, hiking or fast walking with your partner or family, or taking yourself to a park. Add to that cardio some lunges, planks and pushups and you will be ready to rock the holidays!

If you are looking for a 5 day plan-check out my earlier blog posted on 11/1/09 titled “1lb Down in 5 Days.”

Remember, you NEVER feel bad about yourself after working out.

Today for Veggie Everyday let's find some true greens. Here are a few to get your started– lettuces, spinach, chard, and broccoli. Some heartier greens include collards, mustard greens, and kale. In case you are wondering, radicchio and endive count as greens too. Last but not least don’t forget your green herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, and thyme.

Let’s all win the battle of the bulge this week so that we may look back victoriously on the year!

Good Luck! We are in this one together!

Now that we are heading into the full holiday swing of things, one day of veggie vigilance just isn't enough veggie to balance the nutritionally deficient (yet abundant) goodies of the bountiful holidays to come. Therefore, this week kicks off Veggie Everyday season. From now until the New Year you and your family must make a conscious effort to eat at least one serving of veggies everyday. As you start to contemplate your dinner in the late afternoon, ask yourself, "Have I had any veggies yet today?"

The best way to handle this is to be prepared. Keep salad mixes, freshly cut and washed raw veggies and frozen veggies handy in your home. When you are on the road do the best you can and don’t give up on your daily veggie intake just because your favorite veggies aren’t available.

We are enough before the holidays to get a good start on this habit. As you know, come Thanksgiving day it’s all over for establishing good habits for the remainder of the year. Make Veggie Everyday your last push for the year.

I asked Brian to weigh in on the subject and this is what he had to say:

“Hey Kris,

As you know, I'm on the road and at the moment I'm stuck dining in an employee cafeteria in a casino in the middle of nowhere Connecticut. They haven't found a vegetable they can't fry or smother in cheese. I have turned to the salad bar. Salad bars can be dangerous too, iceberg lettuce, ranch dressing. Some of the dressings you can put on a salad, you might as well be eating a Big Mac. Anyway, think color and pile it on. I start with spinach greens, add some diced bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, that's about all they have at the cafeteria salad bar, but you get the idea. I add a little hard-boiled egg white for added protein. If your vegan, or you just don't like egg whites, Garbanzo beans are a great source of protein as well. Finish it off with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and I have successfully survived another day in casino paradise.”

For more on Brian and I please visit www.m-train.com.

Good Luck! I’m always here if you need me!