Halloween is here! And I’ve been sweatin’ to the 80’s, 90’s, and “now” at the gym all week in anticipation to get my trick-or-treat on! Okay…I didn’t go that overboard on the stairclimber because I don’t plan on going overboard on the sweets, either. But, prepping for the possibility of eating outside of your nutrition plan is fine in moderation. And when I say moderation, I mean once a quarter!

If you’re a sweet-lover this time of year, it also doesn’t hurt to figure out what candy will do the least damage if eating it is inevitable in the near future. So, I did a little research and put together a list of the top 10 candies that aren’t the worst thing you could eat on the goulish night. And don’t worry… it’s candy that you’ll actually eat — not those nasty circus peanuts!

(Note: This list is based on macro-nutrient amounts. The lower choices have higher sugar and less calories, but the higher choices having more protein.)

#10 3 Musketeers
1/2 a bar
100 calories, 3g fat, 17.5g carbs, 15g sugar, .5g protein

#9 Heath Bar
1/2 a bar
110 calories, 6.5g fat, 12g carbs, 12g sugar, .5g protein

#8 Butter Finger
1/2 a bar
115 calories, 4.5g fat, 19g carbs, 12g sugar, 1.5g protein

#7 Kit Kat
1 two-piece bar
115 calories, 6g fat, 14.5g carbs, 11g sugar, 1.5g protein

#6 Hershey Bar
1/2 a bar
115 calories, 6.5g fat, 12.5g carbs, 11g sugar, 1.5g protein

#5 Almond Joy
1/2 a bar
135 calories, 8g fat, 16g carbs, 12.5g sugar, 1g protein

#4 Snickers
1/2 a bar
140 calories, 7g fat, 17.5g carbs, 15g sugar, 3g protein

#3 Baby Ruth
1/2 a bar
140 calories, 6g fat, 16.5g carbs, 13.5g sugar, 2g protein

#2 Peanut M&M’s
1/2 a bag
120 calories, 6g fat, 14g carbs, 11.5g sugar, 2g protein

#1 Pay Day
1/2 a bar
155 calories, 8g fat, 17.5g carbs, 15g sugar, 3g protein

As the cold weather approaches, I don’t blame any of you for not wanting to wake up early, scrape the frost off of your cars, and battle the cold weather through the gym parking lot. You’d also probably rather spend your gym membership on holiday shopping. And if you’re planning a wedding… boy, that’s one more strike against you on free time and funds! But, don’t skip the workout — make adjustments to accommodate it.

If this sounds like you, maybe consider doing your workout at home once in a while. Mix up your workout with minimal to no equipment using the method of Peripheral Heart Action training. This training type consists of circuits that alternate upper and lower body exercises.

The benefits of Peripheral Heart Action training are cardio endurance and conditioning because of the minimal rest allowed between sets. Muscle gain will be minimal because you’re training in higher heart rates, which tends to burn muscle slightly over time. But it’s a great intense cardiovascular workout to throw into your program for a change.

This week’s Brides Made Fit podcast is going to show you how to do a killer circuit workout. I show you four movements that you’re going to repeat five times each, with little rest and I promise that by the end, your heart will be pumping. Follow along as I show you these moves:

1.) Jump Squats
2.) Push Ups
3.) Bent Dumbbell Back Row
4.) Dumbbell Overhead Press

I love this time of year! Halloween decor in the windows, trips to cider mills, and my all-time favorite… pumpkins. I love pumpkins not so much for the pie that can be made from them, but for their seeds. If I had a choice between sweet or salt, nothing tops the salted crunchiness of pumpkin seeds fresh out the oven.

When I was a kid, I wolfed them down like candy all day long because I knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy them until next year. But now that we’re all grown, we can’t afford to stuff our faces with them all day long because they do contain kind of a lot of — gasp — fat and calories! Pumpkin seeds are no different than sunflower seeds, peanuts, and almonds. BUT– that’s not necessarily a bad thing, either.

Pumpkin seeds are packed with essential cholesterol-lowering fatty acids, vitamins, and protein. It’s just a bonus that we look at them as a delicacy! But, if you’re thinking of popping some in the oven this week, don’t load them up with butter and salt or you’ll be doing more harm than good. Instead, try this recipe below. It contains olive oil instead of butter, and coarse sea salt for lower sodium amounts.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Serving size = 1/4 cup
215 calories, 19.5g fat, 6g carbohydrates,
10g protein, 1.5g fiber

Ingredients:
2 cups whole pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt (to taste)

1.) Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F
2.) After gutting a pumpkin, separate the seeds from the pulp
3.) Rinse the seeds in a colander and blot them dry with paper towel
4.) Put the seeds in a bowl and mix them with the olive oil and salt to taste
5.) Place a sheet of non-stick foil over a cookie sheet and spray the foil with cooking spray
6.) Spread the pumpkin seeds on the covered cookie sheet and place it on the top rack of the oven
7.) Let the seeds bake for 30 - 45 minutes, depending on how toasted you like them

Nutrition accounts for about 75% of the results we see in a health and fitness program. If you’re exercising everyday but not fueling your body with nutritious foods, your just spinning your wheels and seeing no significant changes. Plus, you’re putting bad stuff into your body and aging it quicker.

You are what you eat, and there’s no getting around that. The key is to believe that and start cleaning up your eating habits and patterns. To start, eat breakfast! I’m not talking Pop Tarts or three cheese omelets. I’m talking about a balanced combination of protein and complex carbohydrates. Eggs and oats are the perfect example of this.

Hey! Why don’t we make a recipe incorporating the two? Okay! Watch this week’s podcast to see me demonstrate how to make protein pancakes. You may find them to be an acquired taste, but it could be a good alternative to mix things up for the health nuts out there. And the great thing about this recipe is that you can modify it to fit your taste!

Protein Pancakes with Fruit Topping

Ingredients:
3 - 4 egg whites
1/2 cup oats
2 tbsp splenda brown sugar blend
pinch of cinnamon
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup water
2 splenda packets

1.) Spray a non-stick pan with PAM and heat pan on low
2.) Beat or wisk egg white with the brown sugar blend and oats until smooth - add a splash of water if it’s too dry
3.) Pour the mixture into the pan, making three to five pancakes
4.) While cooking, pour a cup of the frozen berries and the water and splenda into a pan on medium heat
5.) Stir periodically until berries loosen up, then let simmer for 5 minutes
6.) Flip the pancakes when one side is golden brown
7.) When both sides of the pancakes are golden brown, put them on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon
8.) Once berry mix has thicken, scoop them on top of the pancakes and serve

Nutrition Info:

One serving = 300 calories, 2.5g fat, 39g carbs, 20g sugar, 17g protein

Exercise has become so ever-evolving and commercialized that sometimes we forget the basics of those tried and true techniques. You may have some ripped, long-haired dude screaming at you through the t.v. set to buy the latest piece of equipment that does the trick with only “ten minutes a day.” But what ever happened to just plain ‘ole push ups?

As Brides Made Fit grows its audience, we’re noticing that many of you have much motivation to get fit and healthy. In this weeks podcast, we want to reach out to you! I answer some of your questions on how to optimize your results with push ups, as well as firm up that dreaded flab on the back of the arms.

Reminders for push ups:
1.) Keep hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
2.) Flex the abdomen to maintain a straight back
3.) Slowly lower your body and then exhale on the ‘up’

Reminders for tricep kickback:
1.) Maintain torso and upper arm parallel to the ground
2.) Extend the arm at the elbow only

Most women who say they want to look more toned claim that they have been working out for years and aren’t seeing the results. Now, I’m not arguing the fact that they’re not doing the work — but I wouldn’t put it past them that they may not doing the work to their fullest potential. So, that’s where I come in for some helpful reminders.

Women need to train like men — but eat like women — to firm up. What I mean is that muscle is muscle and it only changes composition when stress is placed upon it, whether you’re a man or a woman. So, if you’re doing 20 repetitions with a 5 lb. weight and feel nothing the next day, chances are your muscles will do the same… nothing.

At the same time, women should not automatically bulk up on calories, either. This may cause you to pack on the muscle and fat versus mainly the lean muscle. Eating smaller portions frequently throughout the day provide the muscle with enough nutrients to grow more dense, without extra calories to help pack on the pounds.

So, step one for a toned look is to use heavy enough weight that you actually reach 80% to 95% momentary muscle failure at the end of each set you do. Step two, eat portions with a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that are appropriate for your size and shape. So, for 12 weeks I want you to train like a guy four days a week (in addition to your cardio) and eat like a woman, and watch your body transform!

Two days later and my finace Chris and I are still recovering from a fun night of schmoozing! We were invited to represent Brides Made Fit at an event sponsored by The Association of Bridal Consultants. That’s right! We were representing the “only in-home fitness training service for brides-to-be”. The Rattlesnake Club in Downtown Detroit hosted the event centered around the “eco-friendly bride.”

While enjoying the elegant live music, delectable eats, and extravagant arrangements, the highlight of the evening for the both of us was meeting some of the best names Detroit’s wedding industry has to offer. And we noticed right away… these folks know how to have a good time!

It was a great first event for us. And, among the vendors and guests, we also got a taste of what’s in store for Brides Made Fit as we expand our networking. But, enough of that — Check out pictures we took from that night with me and our new friends!

Nolan and Kim Name from Shutterbooth
Their business provides weddings and various events with a Photo booth. How awesome is that?!?

Becky from The Icing Queen
Her chocolates, cookies, and creative desserts are de-lish. I had to do an extra 30 minutes of cardio to burn it off the next day! It was well worth it.

Bernie from Bernie Stevens & Associates - Entertainment Coordinators
Whatever you want for your event or party… he’s the man that makes it happen.

Fran from Blossoms Floral Services
All of her arrangements that night were eco-friendly — Now, that’s talent!

Valerie from Mike Greer Photography
Mike & Valerie are following their passion for what makes them truly happy.
I can relate to that!

Emily from Bella Pictures
From the proofs to the albums, Bella’s booth showcased their quality nicely. And Emily was a great help to your’s truly… a bride-to-be herself!

Russel & Suzy Name from Blue World Productions
They have some serious lighting and stage gear, people.

Bill from Magnetic Cinema
From the looks of it, his work compliments the beauty of any event!

If I had a dollar for every time I saw someone spending an hour on arms at the gym… I’d have enough money for a tank of gas. So you know that’s a fortune! Like I always preach, big muscle groups like your chest, back, and legs deserve most of the attention when weight-lifting because these muscle groups will burn the most calories and better your overall appearance. But, we can’t just forget about the arm muscles entirely. What are we to do???

My solution is to optimize your arm workout in the quickest amount of time for the fastest results. The main muscle groups to target in the arms are biceps, triceps, and shoulders. The key is to use heavier weights and lower repetitions to muscle failure (i.e. until that uncomfortable burn doesn’t allow you to do anymore) to challenge the muscles. This is the only way to promote growth and tone, ladies!

Because I already taught you a killer workout for shoulders last week, watch my latest podcast to learn a great bicep workout. And in case you need some notes to accompany the video… here you go!

For beginners: Stability Ball Concentration Curls
-Kneel with your elbows and torso over the ball
-Dumbbells in hand, turn your palms facing up and arms straight — but don’t lock your arms
-Raise the weights upwards toward your shoulder, stopping just before your hands meet your shoulders
-Lower the weights slowly to the starting position while keeping your chest and shoulders upright
-Perform three sets of 10 -12, reaching muscle failure (the intense burn) on the last rep of every set — rest 60 - 90 seconds in between each set

For advanced: Bicep 21 Curls
-Dumbbells in hand, turn your palms upward and lock your elbows into your sides at all times
-Perform 7 curls starting from arms straight to arms bent at about 45 degrees
-After performing 7 low curls, immediately curl arms from 45 degrees to 90 degrees, repeating 7 times
-After performing 7 middle curls, finish out the set with 7 high curls from 90 degrees to 45 degrees below the shoulder
-Perform three sets of the 7 low, 7 medium, and 7 high curls (21 total), reaching muscle failure (the intense burn) on the last few reps of every set — rest 90 seconds in between each set

While watching “World News Tonight” a few nights ago I saw a news package on the latest campaign in breast cancer research. The Dr. Susan Love Foundation teamed up with the Avon Foundation to form the “Love/Avon Army of Women.”

The goal of this movement is to round up one million women of all ages, ethnicities, sizes, and health backgrounds for research studies on the disease. You can be anyone from a breast cancer survivor to someone who has no genetic history of the disease.

All you have to do is visit www.armyofwomen.org to sign up to be chosen as one of the participants in studies or the Town Hall. Being a member, you’ll also receive emails announcing new research studies and Army of Women activities.