Flashback to the middle of August…

I don’t know what got into me!  3 bags of Organic Pancake mix, 2 cups of Designer Whey protein powder, 3 zucchinis, tons of water, a couple apples, some stevia, cinnamon, canola oil, little sugar……4 pans…1 waffle maker!  1 spatula, 3 CHILDREN!  I CRAZY MOM! 

I didn’t count, but I’m guessing 40 pancakes and 12 waffles.  Frozen!  Frozen!  Frozen!  Done!  Done!  Done!  Breakfast!  Breakfast!  Breakfast!  For weeks! For weeks!  For weeks!

My kids are going to get sick of these scrumptious creations!  And I need to find some low sugar syrup.  May make apple sauce syrup…or berry syrup.  Or just go to the store and buy some sugar-free syrup

September 8^th 2011

Okay!  So the pancakes were a hit!  I definitely recommend you try them.  Here’s the recipe if you want to give it a whirl:

½ cup Designer Whey Protein Powder (YOUR favorite flavor, mine’s Vanilla Almond right now)
3 cups organic pancake mix (add what the bag tells you to add.  Usually water/milk, egg, oil)
1 zucchini
2 apples
¼ cup sugar
4 droppers liquid Stevia
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

That should do it!  You may need to add a little more water/soy/almond milk if it’s still too dry.

Nutritions for a 2-Pancake serving: 141 Calories; 14g Protein; 4g Fiber; 2.5g Fat; 12g Carbs; 5g Sugar

EASY Strawberry Syrup:

I took our organic Strawberry Jelly and just added water!  It was so quick and easy!  And the kids loved it!  This is definitely going to be a staple in our household!

Posted in Christina | 5 Comments

Where does the time go? Summer is coming to a close, the kids have headed back to school and my precious baby boy is almost four months old (Wow!) Meanwhile, I feel like I’m still trying to figure out a day-to- day routine.  Despite my grand plans of jumping “back in the saddle” and shrinking back to my pre-pregnancy weight as quickly as possible, I have barely begun. I know, I know, “it’s only been four months,” you say, but it’s discouraging when you look in the mirror and the person looking back isn’t who you remember.

Finding the motivation, time and energy to start a new routine (or return to an old one) can seem like a mountain looming ahead.  Some days I feel strong, empowered and ready to go! “Tomorrow,” I think. “Tomorrow will be the perfect day to start getting back into shape!”  And then tomorrow comes and despite my optimism, it doesn’t go as planned and before I know it, another week has passed without so much as a single crunch, lunge or cardio routine.  DRAT. I’ve decided to use the headache of back to school as my motivator!

 I have to get up early to get my 6^th grader to school on time, (6^th grader ?!?) Getting up an extra 20 minutes early to get in a little cardio or do a quick ab routine while she gets ready and the little ones (and Hubby) sleep is the perfect “window” for me.  It’s not a lot of time, but that little bit allows me to feel a sense of accomplishment (no matter how small) and gives me hope that I will soon be able to get the rest of my day moving a little more smoothly! To coin a phrase, “Just do it!”

Oh, and a brownie at the end of the day doesn’t hurt either! While not as “gooey” or “dense” as the classic, these chocolate-y treats have been a hit with the whole family, so here’s the recipe to reward you for getting the ball rolling!

Andrea’s “Fudgy” Black Bean Brownies 

2 scoops Designer Whey Chocolate protein powder
Nonstick cooking spray
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee (single-serve packets work great here)
¾ cup egg substitute
½ cup non-fat yogurt, any flavor 
¼ cup granulated Splenda or Stevia in the Raw
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, room-temperature
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Splenda (or Stevia in the Raw)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, protein powder and egg substitute and yogurt in the bowl of a food processor (or heavy-duty blender.) Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.

Add the Splenda (or stevia) and vanilla. Process until all ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it. (The trick is to slightly under-bake.)

For the frosting, whip cream cheese, splenda (or stevia) and cocoa-powder until combined and fluffy.

Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Cut into twelve squares. Frost using a Ziploc baggie with a corner trimmed off and make “kiss” sized dollops (see pic) and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Posted in Andrea M. | 1 Comment

Candy bars, potato chips, soda…these are just a few things we at Designer Whey urge parents everywhere to say “NO” to!  Children need quality snacks to help them grow into healthy, strong, happy adults. Healthy snacks don’t have to taste bland. Get creative and have some fun putting together easy, nutritious snacks your kids will love.

Here are a few healthy, protein-packed snacks for kids on-the-go:

• Designer Whey Protein Bars
• String Cheese
• Pretzels & peanut butter
• Low-fat yogurt Squeeze Tubes
• 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter, whole-grain crackers or bagel
• Carrot & Celery sticks & Hummus
• Trail mix
• Sliced Apple w/ Peanut Butter
• Nuts or Sunflower seeds
• Fig bars

Posted in DESIGNER WHEY Healthy Minute | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

It’s back to school time! The lazy days of summer have given way to rushing to make the morning bell, the fast pace of after school sports & activities and endless homework. PHEW! We get exhausted just thinking about it!

Kids need to keep their bodies fueled with proper nutrition, especially when they’re really active. Staying focused in class, working up a sweat in gym, carrying heavy backpacks — it all takes energy. That’s where Designer Whey™ protein comes in. Protein is an important part of a healthy diet, but when it comes to healthy kids, getting the right amount of protein is a must. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels, giving children the energy they need to help them stay focused throughout the day.

Busy parents can make sure their kids are eating right during school hours by stocking their backpacks with healthy snacks. Grocery store shelves are loaded with many snack options. Take some cereal or granola bars. They might seem convenient and healthy, but most are loaded with sugar and typically contain little or no protein.  Sugary snacks disguised as healthy foods are still sugary snacks – they create a sugar spike energy burst that’s quickly followed by a crash. Sluggish, cranky and irritable is no way to get through P.E. class. 

Designer Whey™ has made it easy to make sure your kids are getting the protein they need. Our new, all natural protein bars are a delicious, healthy snack your kids will love. With 10 grams protein, added Calcium and Vitamin D to maintain and rebuild healthy bones, B Vitamins to help keep energy up, these naturally flavored & sweetened bars are a welcomed addition to any lunch bag or backpack.

Posted in DESIGNER WHEY Healthy Minute | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

There is a day that folks who are on a weight loss journey look forward to. It’s kinda like Christmas morning and your Birthday all wrapped up in one.

It’s the day you not only ‘get’ to but ‘have’ to downsize your clothing!

While my weight loss journey, which has been filled with lots of ups and downs, quite literally speaking! and is still is progress I have reached the point that many of my clothing items don’t fit because they are too big now!

So on this day I am going through what is truly a ‘right of passage’ for anyone on a weight loss journey. It’s important for me to really take a look at how each item fits so loosely and really take time to take in this transformation. It’s the best positive reinforcement and motivator ever! As I gaze into the full length mirror I can see how far I have come and also where I want to be. I see myself, my body, transforming like a butterfly…. it’s amazing, it’s surreal and I am grateful!

I was noticing my clothing choices as I sorted through them. Hmmm.. mostly all dark colors, mostly all black…. because that color is supposed be ‘slimming’ right? Where is anything bright and cheery colored?, guess those colors are just for folks who aren’t  ‘fluffy’ or ’round’…like me.  
 
Sure I had a few items that had color but always paired them with a little black jacket. always trying to hide my body, hide myself. Hoping nobody would notice what was obvious … my weight.

For the last few months, when I go clothing shopping, I look for items with color.. Items that are bright and cheery… like me! I learned something during my ‘right of passage’ day… I don’t want to hide behind dark colors anymore.. That’s not who I am and not who I ever was!

So the happy ending and moral to my story, at least so far since it’s not over yet, is this: Represent yourself everyday for who you truly are, don’t let society or fashion trends tell you who you are or should be. It doesn’t matter where you are in your weight loss journey… be who you are now…  turn up the color …. you are beautiful!
 
Staying in true form, I was morphed into my very colorful ‘cartoon self’ this month by my wonderful Biggest Loser friend Christa!  (she’s vying for a spot on BL13) …. my Avatar proudly drinks DesignerWhey/Biggest Loser Protein 2GO in what else but delicious Lemonade flavor! Hope you all are having the best summer ever! See you back here in September! 
 
Stephenie   

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Ever feel cranky?  You wake up in the morning and EVERYTHING goes wrong?  Sometimes I feel like I cannot pull myself out of my morning slump.  I open my eyes and sluggishness takes over.  A slug has taken over my eyelids. Yuck!  I step out of bed, drag myself to the kitchen, step in the dog’s bowl of water, and discover the house is a mess.  The counters are still dirty from the night before.  There are toys on the floor and a mountain of laundry to put away.  I am in a bad mood!  Grr!

So what CAN help me out of this bad mood?  One thing that helps me is proper nutrition.  Foods can increase our energy or deplete our energy.  One of the biggest energy suckers is sugar.  There are many negative side effects to sugar, including feeding cancer cells, increasing your risk for Alzheimer’s, contributing to hormone imbalance, and gaining weight and fat.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want ANY of those side effects.  My daughter, Britney, wanted to let you know that sugar causes sugar bugs in your teeth!  And they probably do not exist, but cavities definitely do!

Do you think food does not have an effect on your brain chemistry?  Think again.  Everything we put into our bodies becomes a living part of us.  So choose wisely.  Today!  Every day! 

Ever cruised the aisles of the grocery store and wondered if the food is good for you?  I did not used to think about all of the bad stuff in our food.  Now when I go through the grocery store, I see aisles and aisles of stuff that will not help make my body healthy: crackers, chips, candy, cereals, prepackaged foods, and frozen meals.  Many of these foods have extra ingredients that are not really food. 

There is great stuff out there!  You just have to find it!  Even in the prepackaged, frozen foods, and chips and crackers departments!  Just do your research and read ALL the ingredients and know what they mean.  It takes time to get knowledgeable about nutrition.  I have heard from two friends of mine recently about a popular brand of chips with MSG, which is not listed on the label, causing them headaches.  MSG, food dyes, and other additives are not going to help us get healthy.

So what is safe?  Designer Whey has a great healthy product, low in fat, high in healthy whey protein.   My personal favorite, French Vanilla, is sweetened with a natural sweetener called Stevia   Awesome!  I enjoy knowing that my kids get the taste of sugar without the side effects of weight gain and craziness that sugar can cause in kids.  Britney would also like to let you know too much sugar can make you wild!  Watch out for that!  We do not want any wild kids, grown-ups, or grown up children!

So, here is my soothing Cranky-Attitude Busting Smoothie: 

Strawberry Bliss

1 scoop French Vanilla Designer Whey Protein Powder
6 – 8 Strawberries
4 cubes ice
½ cup Coconut Milk, Organic Milk, or Organic Soy Milk
1 small piece ginger – less than 1 tsp
1/8 cup pistachios – Roasted and Salted is fine

Blend well and enjoy!

Posted in Christina | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

I can’t believe it, it feels as if summer is almost over, which means NYC and Malibu Nautica Triathlons are right around the corner. It’s still never ceases to amaze me how time flies by. I’ve been in California filming my new TV show for the Live Well Network and have let the excitement and filming schedule affect my training. I know that an excuse is just that and training can be done regardless of the circumstances but I’ll tell you what I feel more exhausted after a day of filming with guests on my show than I did after a 12 hour day of training on The Biggest Loser ranch. The energy that I give and that is taken from guest often drains me completely and regardless of how early I try to go to bed the excitement of the journeys ahead of them keeps me up till all hours. I suppose I should perhaps start drinking some type of tea before bed and see if that helps.

The best part of my new show is realizing that I have started to get in a rut and I need to live bigger, go for more, and give more. I realized that I thrive when I know that my effort is making a difference, what ever that difference might be. I suppose the simplest of them would be staying consistent in training so that I don’t have to continually jump over the road blocks of starting a training program and letting my body build and be rewarded by it’s commitment. I am like everyone else though and I believe if I ever truly get it I probably won’t be here anymore!

In the meantime however I realized that not only is the summer almost over, that 2011 is almost over too. Particularly since 2012 brings a whole new concern of mine…… IronMan! I know, I know I’m suppose to live in the moment but I need to explain to you why it is that I MUST do the IronMan in 2012.

I first fell in love with the triathlon as the result  of an experience I had at an event I was at called “Do Something Healthy” shortly after I won. I was at the event as their keynote speaker but as I sat in the audience waiting to go on stage the emcee was showing a documentary he had been working on. He had recently completed the Kona triathlon and documented his experience.

As I sat there and watched the way he was able to capture such raw emotion and articulate the process, I knew that I had to experience it for myself. I had been at the time in such a surreal time of my life and processing every new moment took all that I had. I could not believe the life I was living and creating and had the honor of experiencing. I was being flown all over the country to be on one television show or another meeting people that I only knew from watching myself on tv and having them share with me how they watched my journey and cheered me on. I was on the cover of numerous magazines and in many different shoots. I had been interviewed on countless radio shows. My life was anything but typical from the life I left when I went to the Biggest Loser. At the time I was so connected to the entire experience but I also wondered what might happen when I felt less connected and as time went by, would I be able to continue to draw from an experience which was bound to be years away before I even realized it?

I knew as I sat there watching that although I will never be able to experience the trials and triumphs from the time in my life when I was on the Biggest Loser ever again. I might be able to experience a different journey in the same way, I felt as if he was taking the words right out of my mouth as he explained his journey during the Iron Man. I knew I had to do it.

In the time following and since when I would do different interviews I would recall this experience and of course they would ask when I was planning on doing an Iron Man, in a panic the first time the question was asked I said in 2012 if I’m not pregnant. Back in 2008/2009 that seemed so far away, I had no idea where exactly my life was heading and I thought for sure I would be pregnant. Well as it turns out 2012 wasn’t so far away after all and I am not about to go get pregnant because I’m scared of the commitment training for Iron Man takes.

The truth is I want to do an Iron Man more now then the day I sat in that audience watching the documentary on it. The truth is also that I am just as scared as I was when I first stood in line on August 11, 2007 for the Biggest Loser. I need to make sure that I am consistent so that I can continue to live the life I dream of, that means fueling my body to have energy, resting appropriately, and be open to support that this new journey is going to need. What big things to you want to do that you are scared of? Are you fueling your body? Resting? Accepting support? I hope so because I know you’ll need it just like me

xo,
Ali

Posted in Ali Vincent | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

Biggest Loser fans who tuned in to Season 11 will remember Jay Jacobs as the “teflon” contestant. He persisted and never gave up his committment to weight loss, securing a coveted spot in the “Final Four”. If you don’t yet know Jay, here’s a little bit about him:

LBS LOST: 181 on the show, 216 from his highest weight a year ago.

GOAL: To inspire and motivate people to discover their personal potential to live life beyond their wildest dreams!

ABOUT: The only man left standing in the Final 4 of NBC’s hit show Biggest Loser Season 11. Known as the man with “nine lives”, Jay tattooed on his forearm the BIGGEST lesson he learned on the Ranch…WHAT YOU’RE FOR STRENGTHENS YOU [what he didn't tattoo on his arm was the other part of the quote... what you're against weakens you]

Never could I have imagined just a year ago weighing in at 435 pounds that I would be where I am today. Being a contestant on Season 11 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser definitely gave me the “fast pass” to get my life on track, my weight under control, and my head in the best place it has been in decades! And most amazing, myself, my wife, my daughter, and my son are now collectively 395 pounds lighter than our highest weights and we’re ecstatic about that!

We all know that the key to survival on the show is to keep a higher percentage of weight loss than the other contestants each week, but that weight is never compared between fat, water, and muscle. That being the case it was never a great idea to focus on building muscle during my time on The Ranch. Home for good now I’m continuing to exercise to lose more body fat, but I’m also focusing on becoming stronger and building upper body muscle mass which I’ve never had in my entire life. One because it’s important to do for my overall health, but also because I’ll look much stronger and more vital because once you pass 50 that’s just good advice on many fronts.

When I left for California last year, my son Matthew was an ideal weight for his height at about 170 pounds at 6’2” but had no real muscle mass. Myself, and my daughter Jennifer’s journey motivated him to take his body to the next level, and with the help of a personal trainer Matthew put on 25 pounds of muscle during the duration of our season. With the help of Designer Whey Protein, I’m looking forward to training with Matthew to build up my muscle mass with weight lifting and using Designer Whey Protein to enhance my results. Lean protein consumption is the key to repairing and building your bodies muscles on your training days and your rest days. Matthew used Designer Whey’s ‘Protein Blitz’ line while I was on The Ranch to assist in his progress while building lean muscle and I can’t wait to do the same! Because on the Ranch I learned… WHAT YOU’RE FOR STRENGTHENS YOU… and let’s face it, nothing strengthens you like building muscle!

If you’d like to keep up with our families ongoing health & wellness journey, post Biggest Loser, we share what’s working for us at…

Jay: http://www.facebook.com/JayLynnJacobs 

Jen: http://www.facebook.com/JRushJacobs

Matthew: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Jacobs/147266798684723 

Kim: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1120222600

Posted in The Biggest Loser | COMMENT ON THIS BLOG

‘Twas the week of recovery and all through my body, not a muscle was twitching, not even my patoddy (eat your heart out Dr. Seuss!)…  and yah, well, that’s a load, but I did enjoy the lightened workouts!

Recovery is a good thing.  It gave me an opportunity to let my calves unwind a bit and to have a mental breather.  Most of my workouts were shortened to about 20 minutes and the intensity was dialed way down…  like 1-900-sir-jogs-a lot and kick them nasty thoughts!  Anyone?  What- you didn’t know this was a musical blog?

This week was also good in the diet department.  I upped my intake of protein by almost 50% and I learned a few things about when I should take my supplements.  You see, there is a window of maximization for absorption immediately after you work out.  I was a bit late in gobbling up my DW shakes after I worked out and realized that I wasn’t being very efficient with this aspect of my training.  So, now I have half a shake before I go out for the energy boost and a shake and a half within 20 minutes after to help with recovery.  I definitely noticed less muscle fatigue and soreness.  I prefer the DW chocolate shakes- they’re a great size to pound down real quick.  I also have access to some freaking delicious bars that we just released.  I’m really not trying to plug this for work- I have a couple a day and they taste like a candy bar.  Hook up the chocolate caramel flavor- 10 grams of protein and only 170 calories! And did I mention they are scrumdiddiliumptious (I’m not sure that Webster has my back on that one, but you get the point- they are good).

The other interesting part about my week was that by the end of it I had such a mental shift in perspective.  I was about 90% pain-free and found myself enjoying the workouts more.  It was a far cry from the way I felt during previous weeks. 

Now, this wouldn’t be an authentic jogger-blogger post without a little meat between the bread slices, ok?  I do want to share something my wife told me as we were chatting about this subject over lunch.  She feels like when she is constantly “nagging” me to do things around the house for her that she sees the burden of letting her down on me.  She says I “wear it-“ in my posture, on my face and in my eyes.  She admitted that sometimes she wouldn’t bother me about things because she knows I’m trying (or she was too fed up).  The coolest part is that in letting me up for air she noticed a change in my attitude.  She said I was more apt to help out around the house because she was giving me space.  I suppose it was easier to do some dishes and fold some laundry because I wasn’t being beat down by her continual “reminding.”  It’s as if my performance as a husband increased even though I wasn’t cutting it in prior weeks. 

Although it seems a bit opposite of conventional logic, giving those we love space to repair, to heal, to gain perspective…  can ultimately achieve that which we were pushing for in the first place.  Pounding my body into the ground week after week will actually allow me a better chance to succeed if I can pair it with some time off (or a lightened load)…  muscles and relationships, it seems, can become strengthened with a little less intensity from time to time.

Thanks for reading party people- I do enjoy sharing with you.  If you’ve got something nice to say (we all know what NOT to do if you don’t), then hit me up on our wall.  I would love to hear from you.

[The FDA, NWO, NASCAR or any other acronym you can think of have not approved the above statements.  They are the sole opinions and ramblings of your resident jogger-blogger…  and oh yeah, “patoddy” is seussian for buttocks…  not really, but that’s what I meant.]

Posted in David Ewing | 1 Comment

Is it possible to live without addiction? As I make my way through a now 8 month life change… I had ascertained myself to accepting the fact that I  will be haunted by this demon called ‘food addiction’  forever and the daily struggle to make the right choices will forever be a challenge. Is it possible that someday I will be free of my affliction?… and if so how can I get there sooner?

The truth is clear that it doesn’t matter what your addiction is… It’s still an addiction and food used in the wrong way can be an addiction. When we use food to take away feelings such as sadness and boredom or because we are  tired, upset, lonely or stressed, sometimes the food becomes the ‘cure’ but as we know that kind of of cure can lead to more problems in the long run such as poor health and weight gain.     
 
A better choice may be in learning new ways to manage day to day stressors. Just learning to manage stress seems to be key in moving forward toward living a more healthy and positive lifestyle. Here are some helpful tips and sound advice that I have gathered and that I use as tools to stay focused on my journey. I hope you will find them helpful too:

* get enough sleep every night
* drink plenty of water
* plan, shop for and cook healthy meals in advance
* incorporate some form of exercise each day
* join a support group  (in person or online)
* enjoy a new or old hobby
* take time each day to relax and just breath! Finding inner peace is key
* journal about your feelings
* set small achievable goals
* celebrate every victory big or small!

This last month I took my very first Spin Cycle class! It’s funny how looking back I had given myself a million reasons in the past why a Spin class couldn’t be for me..from being too big to ride the bike to thinking my knees would give out after the first 5 min…I thought that Spin classes were only for people who were already in great shape! What I discovered was that I wasn’t too big to ride the bike, my knees never hurt or gave out and everyone in class was so supportive of me and explained that they were on their own journeys too! I don’t want to forget to mention that it was with the encouragement of the Spin class instructor that I took my first class…and my sister, Melanie, happens to be that instructor! Thank you Melanie!…it was just the boost I needed!

While I am looking forward to and longing for the day that this grey cloud (my weight ) is gone… I rejoice , find sanity and sanctuary in knowing I am not alone …. and neither are you. Reach out and you’ll find open hearts all over the world ready to embrace you and your journey! 
 
I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Courtney Crozier ( BL11) in May. Since BL11 has wrapped she has joined forces with Wholly Guacamole http://eatwholly.com and Diets in Review and is kicking off summer with an exciting challenge filled with lots of support, great prizes and endless inspiring motivation as only Courtney can deliver! I’m in… If you want to join too go to  http://www.dietsinreview.com/videos/courtneys-summer-challenge-week-4/
 
So there it is! My July DesignerWhey/Biggest Loser Protein Blog…. filled with questions, answers, motivation and inspiration…. now it’s all you!!.. get to it and own the Summer of 2011! 
 
P.S. keep your Biggest Loser Protein 2Go handy! A Refreshing way to keep hydrated on hot summer days!
 
See you back here in August!
Stephenie

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