New success story page! A few of Derek’s clients have been kind enough to write about their experiences adopting a plant-based diet and regular fitness routine. More inspiring stories on the way as we get to editing them!
12 Week Champions 2012 – Plant Based Nutrition Wins AGAIN!
As some of you know already, May was officially my last month with Gold’s Gym (although I’m now a member and still train there!) and we are now striking out on our own to do bigger and better things! (More…
Getting Back in Shape – Losing the Baby Fat
By the time I had my son Miles at 41.5 weeks, I’d gained about 33 pounds, bringing me up to 150 lbs from my pre-baby 117. By then I was freakin’ huge, bigger even than in this shot taken at 39…
Raw Cauliflower Tabouli
Surprisingly filling but very light and summery, this version of tabbouleh replaces the grains with cauliflower and the olive oil with olives. Have this with Hummus and Kale Open-Face Sandwiches for a satisfying summer lunch! One batch makes enough for…
The Protein Question
Check out Derek’s recent article for One Green Planet, Protein in a Plant-Based Diet: A Vegan Bodybuilder’s Perspective! We’ve taken a bit of a break from posting (and pretty much everything else) following the birth of our son Miles a…
Spanish Rice
Here’s my non-authentic, totally made up and easy version of Spanish rice. “Spanish” Rice 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/2 onion, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup brown rice ( like to use…
My Bellydance Performance at Over 8 Months Pregnant!
With about three weeks to go until my due date, I danced at Tummy Tuesday, a bellydance showcase held here in Richmond, VA every last Tuesday of the month at Positive Vibe Cafe. I’ve been taking classes at Illumination Dance…
Eating for a Healthy, Active Pregnancy
I’ve had a few questions about what I’ve been eating during pregnancy, so I’ll share! A great pregnancy nutrition resource, by the way, is The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition by Julieanna Hever, MS R.D. C.P.T., which contains some very…
Overall Posedown From Last Weekend’s Show
I’ve gotten all the video from last weeks show uploaded to youtube now, and I thought I’d post my posedown with the novice short class winner for the overall title. He ended up winning it, but I’m really happy with…
The 2012 OCB Bodysculpt Open!
Yesterday I competed in the OCB Bodysculpt Open and had a great time! I competed in two classes: the Men’s Novice and Men’s Open, placing first in Novice and second in the Open class! It was a very long day…
Lentil Taco Filling
An easy alternative to faux ground beef and TVP, lentils (especially French lentils) make a great taco filling! I like to use this recipe for double-decker tacos, spreading mashed pinto beans or low-fat vegetarian refried beans on some whole…
2 Weeks Out!
The OCB Body Sculpt Open is only 2 weeks away! I can’t believe time has gone by so fast! We’ve both been extremely busy with work, personal endeavors (contest prep/belly dancing), and preparing for the new addition to the family…
My First Article on One Green Planet
I’ve recently become a contributing author to One Green Planet and today my first article was published! I am excited to contribute to such a great resource and look forward to writing many more articles to share with everyone!…
Plant Based Nutrition – Will I Get Anemic?
As a personal trainer I’ve talked with many people and even seen clients struggle with iron-deficiency anemia after adopting a plant based diet. I’ve even had people describe to me how much better they felt eating this way until the issue…
My Mid-to-Late Pregnancy Routine
A typical week, with days bolded, looks like this: Legs 20 minutes incline treadmill or elliptical Deep Body-weight squats, 3-4 sets x 20 reps Leg Extension 3-4 x 12-15 SUPERSET WITH (45 lbs) Seated Leg Curl 3-4 x 12-15 (45)…
Holiday Carrot, Banana, and Almond Butter Smoothie
This has become one of my new favorite snacks – the nutmeg and cinnamon make it almost like a healthy replacement for eggnog. As in most smoothie recipes, you’ll want to adjust the amounts of each ingredient to taste; adding…
The Paleo Diet – The Ultimate Review Released!
Walk into any Crossfit gym these days and the predominant nutritional advice you’ll hear is unfortunately that of the Paleo Diet. Now I am by no means knocking Crossfit – it is a fantastic style of exercise programming that…
Holiday Recipes
Another Thanksgiving…another chance to try out a bunch of delicious holiday recipes! This was our menu: Squash, Corn, and Quinoa Chowder (see Greens & Grains on the Deep Blue Sea) Whole Wheat & Spelt Herb Biscuits (see Vegan Brunch) Mashed…
Interview Tonight!
Check it out: we’ll be appearing on the WildKat radio show tonight at 7:15! Tune in if you can!
Exercise During Pregnancy
So you may have heard we are expecting… we’re actually half way there – crazy!! I’ve been looking into exactly what level of exercise is safe and beneficial during pregnancy, and one of my colleagues was kind enough to…