Like what you see?
This is just a small sample of what's you can expect from the "I Want My Bikini Body" workouts.
"I Want My Bikini Body" is coming Monday, May 18th!!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
I Want My Bikini Body - Sneak Peek!!
The girls from Diet.com stopped by a couple weeks ago to get a sneak peek at one of my upcoming "I Want My Bikini Body" workouts . . .
Like what you see?
This is just a small sample of what's you can expect from the "I Want My Bikini Body" workouts.
"I Want My Bikini Body" is coming Monday, May 18th!!
Like what you see?
This is just a small sample of what's you can expect from the "I Want My Bikini Body" workouts.
"I Want My Bikini Body" is coming Monday, May 18th!!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Happy Cinco De Mayo!
Today on the fifth of May, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by native Mexican (and American) people everywhere. This observance of the Cinco de Mayo victory is a special symbol for all Mexican people who celebrate their rights of freedom and liberty. In the spirit of this holiday I'm sharing 3 of my favorite Mexican recipes, ole!
I love mexican food! I could eat it every day at any meal. However, if you're eating your basic American/Mexican (you know, cheese quesadillas, enchiladas, taquitos, and chips) you are seriously de-railing your chance for a bikini body anytime soon. Fortunately, there is a way to get your Mexican food fix without having to fall off the Red Carpet Ready track.
Here are 3 of my favorite Mexican recipes - one for each meal of the day!
The third recipe (and what I believe to be the best recipe) is brought to you by my good friend and Red Carpet Ready contributor, Gavan, The Healthy Irishman.
For Breasfast: Val's Easy Breakfast Taco
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1-2 corn tortillas
1/2 cup of Eggology or 3-4 egg whites
1 tablespoon shredded cheese
1 tablespoon of salsa
What To Do:
Spray Pam in a non-stick pan and heat the pan on medium.
Add the egg whites and cheese, and turn the heat to low.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Serve the cooked egg whites in the tortillas, top with salsa, and enjoy!!
For Lunch: Ay Caramba! Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast
2 cups of roughly chopped lettuce
1/2 chopped tomato
1/4 of an avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon of shredded cheese
1 tablespoon of prepared salsa
1 tablespoon dressing of choice
Chipotle seasoning by Mrs. Dash
What To Do:
Pound the chicken breast to make grilling faster.
Season your chicken with Mrs. Dash Chipotle spice, and grill on the BBQ or in a stove top grill pan, on medium/high until the meat is fully cooked through (about 8 minutes total).
Allow the chicken to cool off before chopping.
Assemble your salad - lettuce, tomato, and you dressing of choice.
Place the chopped chicken on top of your salad and then add cheese, salsa, and avocado.
Enjoy!!
For Dinner: Cinco de Mayo Red Snapper Veracruz
All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers’ market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients.
www.TheHealthyIrishman.com
Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.
Veracruz is a central Mexican city on the Gulf of Mexico. Food is the passion of virtually everyone who lives there and seafood in particular, is eaten all through out the day. This sauce, although Mediterranean in style, is a classic dish from this area and goes down as a treat with all the locals. You'll love how easy this is and the taste--man, outrageous!
RECIPE: Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 x 5 oz Red Snapper fillets
1/2 cup white onion - fine dice
2 garlic cloves - minced
1/2 large Jalapeno - cut in 1/2 lengthwise
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup green olives - pitted, chopped
2 tbsp capers - drained & chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano - chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Preheat skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil. Saute onion for 1 minute, stirring. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low until sauce begins to reduce and thicken about 25 minutes approx. Taste and season.
Preheat oven to 425F. Lay 4 tbsp of the cooked sauce in bottom of baking dish. Season each snapper fillet with S&P and place fish on top of sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over each fillet and bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes, until fish is firm to touch.
Fresh, simple, healthy and muy delicioso! (says the Irishman)
I love mexican food! I could eat it every day at any meal. However, if you're eating your basic American/Mexican (you know, cheese quesadillas, enchiladas, taquitos, and chips) you are seriously de-railing your chance for a bikini body anytime soon. Fortunately, there is a way to get your Mexican food fix without having to fall off the Red Carpet Ready track.
Here are 3 of my favorite Mexican recipes - one for each meal of the day!
The third recipe (and what I believe to be the best recipe) is brought to you by my good friend and Red Carpet Ready contributor, Gavan, The Healthy Irishman.
For Breasfast: Val's Easy Breakfast Taco
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1-2 corn tortillas
1/2 cup of Eggology or 3-4 egg whites
1 tablespoon shredded cheese
1 tablespoon of salsa
What To Do:
Spray Pam in a non-stick pan and heat the pan on medium.
Add the egg whites and cheese, and turn the heat to low.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Serve the cooked egg whites in the tortillas, top with salsa, and enjoy!!
For Lunch: Ay Caramba! Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast
2 cups of roughly chopped lettuce
1/2 chopped tomato
1/4 of an avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon of shredded cheese
1 tablespoon of prepared salsa
1 tablespoon dressing of choice
Chipotle seasoning by Mrs. Dash
What To Do:
Pound the chicken breast to make grilling faster.
Season your chicken with Mrs. Dash Chipotle spice, and grill on the BBQ or in a stove top grill pan, on medium/high until the meat is fully cooked through (about 8 minutes total).
Allow the chicken to cool off before chopping.
Assemble your salad - lettuce, tomato, and you dressing of choice.
Place the chopped chicken on top of your salad and then add cheese, salsa, and avocado.
Enjoy!!
For Dinner: Cinco de Mayo Red Snapper Veracruz
All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers’ market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients.
www.TheHealthyIrishman.com
Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.
Veracruz is a central Mexican city on the Gulf of Mexico. Food is the passion of virtually everyone who lives there and seafood in particular, is eaten all through out the day. This sauce, although Mediterranean in style, is a classic dish from this area and goes down as a treat with all the locals. You'll love how easy this is and the taste--man, outrageous!
RECIPE: Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 x 5 oz Red Snapper fillets
1/2 cup white onion - fine dice
2 garlic cloves - minced
1/2 large Jalapeno - cut in 1/2 lengthwise
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup green olives - pitted, chopped
2 tbsp capers - drained & chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano - chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Preheat skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil. Saute onion for 1 minute, stirring. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low until sauce begins to reduce and thicken about 25 minutes approx. Taste and season.
Preheat oven to 425F. Lay 4 tbsp of the cooked sauce in bottom of baking dish. Season each snapper fillet with S&P and place fish on top of sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over each fillet and bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes, until fish is firm to touch.
Fresh, simple, healthy and muy delicioso! (says the Irishman)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Secrets Of The Red Carpet
One of the perks of being a celebrity trainer is that something you get to go to movie premiere. Last week and I had the good fortune of attending the premiere of "Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past", starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. I loved this romantic comedy about a notorious photographer (McConaughey) with a bad boy reputation of loving beautiful women and dumping them when they fall in love with him. On the eve of his brothers wedding, the infamous bachelor is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends and gets a huge wake up call.
Jennifer was radiant in the movie, and luminous on the Red Carpet - just 3 and a half months after giving birth. While celebrities have resources that might not be as readily available to most of us, there are some secrets that can have you on your way to looking Red Carpet Ready.
1. Start Now
Jennifer knew months ago when this premiere would be, so we circled it on the calendar and started exercising a few weeks after Serafina was born. In the weeks in between, other press opportunities came up. Fortunately, we had not delayed getting started. You may not have a movie premiere coming up, but with Summer fast approaching, you may be invited to the beach or a pool party. How would you feel if you were asked to put on a bikini, today? It's possible that you would skip the event or keep yourself covered up if you did attend. Then don't wait! Start a comprehensive fitness program such as Red Carpet Ready today, and notice results in less than 2 weeks.
2. Eat Better
You cannot look and feel your best if you are eating junk. You will see the most dramatic weight loss if you eliminate processed foods and refined carbohydrates.
- Focus on real food
- Eat 5-6 times per day (3 meals, and 2-3 snacks)
- Include a small portion of protein and a large portion of veggies at each serving
- Get adequate fiber, this means 25-30 grams, spread throughout the day
- Drink lots of water. About 80-100 ounces/day
3. Be Accountable
People are more likely to stay committed to their diet and exercise program when they have someone to be accountable to (this is part of the reason personal trainers are so popular). Try getting a workout buddy, or creating your own blog, so that you can share your progress and your slip ups. Online communities and forums are also very popular for the very same reason. Many of the women in my Red Carpet Ready Club find the support they receive to be invaluable. Regardless which avenue you choose, you are more likely to stick with it if you have someone counting on you, and visa versa.
Jennifer was radiant in the movie, and luminous on the Red Carpet - just 3 and a half months after giving birth. While celebrities have resources that might not be as readily available to most of us, there are some secrets that can have you on your way to looking Red Carpet Ready.
1. Start Now
Jennifer knew months ago when this premiere would be, so we circled it on the calendar and started exercising a few weeks after Serafina was born. In the weeks in between, other press opportunities came up. Fortunately, we had not delayed getting started. You may not have a movie premiere coming up, but with Summer fast approaching, you may be invited to the beach or a pool party. How would you feel if you were asked to put on a bikini, today? It's possible that you would skip the event or keep yourself covered up if you did attend. Then don't wait! Start a comprehensive fitness program such as Red Carpet Ready today, and notice results in less than 2 weeks.
2. Eat Better
You cannot look and feel your best if you are eating junk. You will see the most dramatic weight loss if you eliminate processed foods and refined carbohydrates.
- Focus on real food
- Eat 5-6 times per day (3 meals, and 2-3 snacks)
- Include a small portion of protein and a large portion of veggies at each serving
- Get adequate fiber, this means 25-30 grams, spread throughout the day
- Drink lots of water. About 80-100 ounces/day
3. Be Accountable
People are more likely to stay committed to their diet and exercise program when they have someone to be accountable to (this is part of the reason personal trainers are so popular). Try getting a workout buddy, or creating your own blog, so that you can share your progress and your slip ups. Online communities and forums are also very popular for the very same reason. Many of the women in my Red Carpet Ready Club find the support they receive to be invaluable. Regardless which avenue you choose, you are more likely to stick with it if you have someone counting on you, and visa versa.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Red Carpet Ready on E! News
As many of you might already know, I have a segment airing on E! News every Monday. I am coaching 2 women (Julie & Maria) to lose weight and reach their fitness goals. The girls have been following my Red Carpet Ready program and both of them have seen amazing results. Maria has already lost 20 pounds, and Julie is down a could dress sizes, in just 6 weeks!!
I'm so proud of Julie and all of her hard work. Julie started the program with no exercise experience and struggled through the first couple weeks. Now, she is starting to enjoy the process and has been successful in making Red Carpet Ready a part of her new and healthy lifestyle.
Maria, while familiar with exercising, found out that in order to see Red Carpet Ready results she needed to increase the intensity of her workouts. Additionally, Maria enjoys going out with her friends and co-workers, so it was an initial challenge for her to get over the hump of Happy Hour temptations. However, she is now able to make smart choices when it comes to her diet, even when eating out.
In an upcoming segment, my friend Gavan - The Healthy Irishman - stops by to show the girls, and E! News viewers some delicious and healthy meals that anyone can cook in the comfort of their own home. I'll be sure to keep you posted!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day
Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. With all the talk about global warming and the current condition of our Earth, we have to wonder: what can we do to help protect our planet? There are organizations online that offer the opportunity to adopt a rainforest, or donate money to preserve our wildlife, but what would you say if I offered a suggestion that would help you lose weight, save you money, and help the environment all at once?
Bring your lunch to work.
Believe it or not, something as simple as bringing your lunch to work can reduce your carbon footprint - which means that you can be proud of yourself on Earth Day (and every day) that you're not contributing to the 1.8 million tons of trash created by the packaging that take-out food comes in. That's a whole lotta trash!! An added bonus is that you're not only helping preserve Earth's environment, you're also saving yourself the money of eating out. If you were to eat out during the work week, let's say spending $7 a day on your eats, you'll be saving yourself a whopping $140 a month by bringing your lunch to work! Additionally, you'll be sparing your body the aftermath of what you might have consumed had you gotten your fast food fix. Even if you were attempting to make a healthier decision by heading to Subway for a tuna sandwich, you'd be consuming around 700 to 800 calories (that's after the drink and bag of chips to make your meal a combo). By packing your own lunch, you will be much more aware of what you're putting in your body and therefore less likely to overdo the sodium, fat, carbohydrates, and overall calories. So come Summer, not only will you be rockin' your hot bikini body, you'll know that you've done your part to preserve the planet we live on.
Bring your lunch to work.
Believe it or not, something as simple as bringing your lunch to work can reduce your carbon footprint - which means that you can be proud of yourself on Earth Day (and every day) that you're not contributing to the 1.8 million tons of trash created by the packaging that take-out food comes in. That's a whole lotta trash!! An added bonus is that you're not only helping preserve Earth's environment, you're also saving yourself the money of eating out. If you were to eat out during the work week, let's say spending $7 a day on your eats, you'll be saving yourself a whopping $140 a month by bringing your lunch to work! Additionally, you'll be sparing your body the aftermath of what you might have consumed had you gotten your fast food fix. Even if you were attempting to make a healthier decision by heading to Subway for a tuna sandwich, you'd be consuming around 700 to 800 calories (that's after the drink and bag of chips to make your meal a combo). By packing your own lunch, you will be much more aware of what you're putting in your body and therefore less likely to overdo the sodium, fat, carbohydrates, and overall calories. So come Summer, not only will you be rockin' your hot bikini body, you'll know that you've done your part to preserve the planet we live on.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Kicking Off Motivational Mondays
This past weekend in LA was truly spectacular - it was a little taste of Summer! Many people were enjoying their time on the beach, soaking up the sun. If the thought of being in a bikini has you in a bit of a panic, don't worry, my "I Want My Bikini Body", the ultimate beach beach body workout, is coming soon. These workouts will help you burn excess body fat, flatten and tighten your belly, lift and shape your butt, and tone your arms. Some of the girls in my Red Carpet Ready Club have been sampling these workouts for the past couple weeks, and loving them. Here is what one of them had to say:
"Oh, my gosh. What an incredible workout! In my opinion, this workout was one of the most intense workouts, but incredibly enjoyable ... I loved this workout. I liked the combination of valslide/valband cardio, traditional strength and then the sculpting exercises. Val, I cannot tell you how excited I am to get this ebook. I think my body will really respond well to these workouts."
-Jennifer Hardy
Since my beach body workouts aren't quite ready for release, I wanted to provide another form of motivation to get everyone fired up for Summer - it's just 5 weeks away!! I've found that we often respond very well to a visual stimulus of what we hope to achieve in terms of goals having to do with how we look. Taking that into consideration, here are what I believe to be bikini worthy bodies:
All of three of these women have made diet & exercise a priority in their life, and it shows!
"Oh, my gosh. What an incredible workout! In my opinion, this workout was one of the most intense workouts, but incredibly enjoyable ... I loved this workout. I liked the combination of valslide/valband cardio, traditional strength and then the sculpting exercises. Val, I cannot tell you how excited I am to get this ebook. I think my body will really respond well to these workouts."
-Jennifer Hardy
Since my beach body workouts aren't quite ready for release, I wanted to provide another form of motivation to get everyone fired up for Summer - it's just 5 weeks away!! I've found that we often respond very well to a visual stimulus of what we hope to achieve in terms of goals having to do with how we look. Taking that into consideration, here are what I believe to be bikini worthy bodies:
All of three of these women have made diet & exercise a priority in their life, and it shows!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Your $30 Treadmill
Want to get a kick-butt, heart thumping cardio workout without going to the gym, or having to spend $3000 on a treadmill? I specialize in fast pace circuits that burn a ton of calories, while sculpting a lean and sexy physique.
Here is a new workout that I created to beat beach body panic and to get you bikini ready in time for Summer. You might be skeptical and wondering how the workout below is going to take the place of a treadmill, but trust me on this one. The combination of these exercises will get your heart rate up and I promise, you will feel this all throughout your body!
All you need are your Valslides and about 8 square feet. You might want to also have a bottle of water, because you're going to get thirsty!!
Take a few minutes to warm up, and then get ready to SWEAT:
Squats - 20 reps
Skater Jumps - 20 reps
Valslide Reverse Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Side Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Tricep Push-Up - 10 reps
Valslide Mountain Climber - 20 reps
Valslide Painful Push Away - 20 reps
Valslide Sliding Crunch - 20 rpes
Do this circuit 3-4 times, with 1-2 minutes rest in between each circuit
To find out more information about the Valslide, visit www.Valslide.com
In you're interested in additional workouts, such as the one featured in this blog, be sure to check out my e-book Red Carpet Ready at www.RedCarpetReady.com
Here is a new workout that I created to beat beach body panic and to get you bikini ready in time for Summer. You might be skeptical and wondering how the workout below is going to take the place of a treadmill, but trust me on this one. The combination of these exercises will get your heart rate up and I promise, you will feel this all throughout your body!
All you need are your Valslides and about 8 square feet. You might want to also have a bottle of water, because you're going to get thirsty!!
Take a few minutes to warm up, and then get ready to SWEAT:
Squats - 20 reps
Skater Jumps - 20 reps
Valslide Reverse Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Side Lunge - 20 reps (each leg)
Valslide Tricep Push-Up - 10 reps
Valslide Mountain Climber - 20 reps
Valslide Painful Push Away - 20 reps
Valslide Sliding Crunch - 20 rpes
Do this circuit 3-4 times, with 1-2 minutes rest in between each circuit
To find out more information about the Valslide, visit www.Valslide.com
In you're interested in additional workouts, such as the one featured in this blog, be sure to check out my e-book Red Carpet Ready at www.RedCarpetReady.com
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