Top 5 Sunless Tanners for 2013

Island House Photography

Much to my delight, the summer season is finally on the horizon. The warmer weather means many sand-filled sunny days ahead, as well as my scrambling to pull my sunless tanners from my cupboards. Granted, summer weather arrives a bit early here in South Carolina, but for those that may be waiting a month or two to don their favorite swim attire, it is never too soon to start planning the perfect self tan!

Everyone has heard it by now: baking in the sun and lying in the tanning beds are very bad ways to achieve a bronze glow. While the jury is still out about the main chemical in self tanners, DHA, and it's potential cancer threat, the sunless route is still the safer option when you must have some color for your skin.

I am a perfect example of how a little bit of color goes a long way. Yes, pale is always "in", but there are those of us that just need that bit of faux sunshine-kissed  flesh to add an air of confidence.  There is no arguing the facts: a little color (1) makes you look thinner (2) accentuates your muscle tone (3) gives the perception of health and vitality (which is ironic as a real tan often means the opposite).

Before a tan...

After a tan

I have tried just about every self tanner on the market, and although there are always new favorites that emerge from time to time, I have whittled down the dozens to a few select favorites that have withstood the test of time and tan. The "Wearability" rating in my reviews refers to how wearable the product is once you apply it. I truly hate being home bound because I am covered in goopy war paint (ahem,  St. Tropez...)

In the next month I will be posting in-depth reviews, how-to's and videos of each product, so be sure to check back if you're thinking about trying one (or all 5) to get your tan on. I also have some new to the market self tanners en route to my home as we speak, and those reviews will be posted soon!

Don't forget to drop me a comment at the bottom of the article, I'd love to hear about your favorites!

And the winners are:

1. Body Drench Quick Tan

Cost: $12 +shipping (Amazon.com)

Pros: Fabulous bronze (not orange!) color, inexpensive, pleasant smell, dries quickly, color guide is durable enough to wear running errands or going out

Cons: Very messy (lots of overspray!), color rubs off on light sheets and clothes (but it does wash out)

Color: 10/10

Ease of Application: 7/10

Smell: 10/10

Wearability: 10/10

Longetivity: 9/10

Overall Rating: 9/10

Overview:

If you can't remember what you look like with a Caribbean worthy natural dark tan, this spray self tanner will quickly remind you. The spray is a dark brown, which provides a color guide to see where you have applied the product. Once dry, you will be immediately very tan, and some Quick Tan lovers even use the spray before special events for a quick fix to cover tan lines and subdue pasty skin.

I will warn you, the application is very messy, and I advise you apply it in the shower or in your backyard (unless you have  creepy neighbors). This is my go-to for those moments when I find out I have a special event or need to be in a bikini for a photo shoot the next day- this is a quick solution for a dark tan, and the beautiful natural color it provides makes it well worth the mess!

2. Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Lotion, Deep Dark Color

Cost: $6-$8, drugstores nationwide or on Amazon.com

Pros: Very easy application with a quickly absorbed lotion , no staining clothes or sheets (as there is no color guide), golden tan color, pleasant smell, cheap

Cons: The golden tan may appear a bit orange on pale skin in the direct sunlight

Color: 7/10

Ease of application: 10/10

Smell: 8/10

Wearability: 10/10

Longevity: 9/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Overview: For many, this self tanner is the Holy Grail of tanners. It is hard to find fault as it passes every test with flying colors, and you can spend hours reading thousands of reviews online that agree. For those that like to build the color to a dark tan, it does so with ease.

However, this color is more golden than some other self tanners, and in the bright sunlight, I have found it can create a slight orange or fake tan hue on my naturally very pale skin. For those lucky enough to have olive undertones or medium skin, this drawback should not occur.

I have remedied the issue by not building the color and going for a lighter tan,  by mixing equal parts body lotion and the tanner,  to create a gradual medium-dark self tanner. This way, I can easily control the depth of the tan and ensure it does not reach an unnatural and unflattering shade.

3. Sun Laboratories Tan Overnight Self Tanning Lotion in Medium

Cost: $36 (Amazon.com)

Pros: Rich, moisturizing lotion helps smooth and soften skin, nice bronze color, fades evenly

Cons: Pricey, lotion takes a while to dry completely

Color: 8/10

Ease of Application: 8/10

Smell: 9/10

Wearability: 7/10

Longevity: 8/10

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Overview: This product performs well and offers nearly everything I am looking for, but with the high price tag  I still keep my eyes out for other new products while using this one. Nice golden color, and the lotion is very moisturizing, which is a huge bonus for my very dry skin.

4.  Fake Bake Self Tanner

Cost: $20 (Amazon.com)

Pros: Beautiful bronze color, fades evenly

Cons: Tedious application process, messy

Color: 9/10

Ease of Application: 6/10

Smell: 8/10

Wearability: 3/10

Longevity: 8/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

Overview: Once again, a highly desirable natural tan color trumps the messy and irritating application process. The color guide is a goopy but pleasant smelling light brown lotion. It will stain sheets (at least temporarily- the color washes out). but the highlight is the natural dark tan you will have once you wash the color guide off.

Fake Bake has a slew of self tanners, but this original version has remained my favorite. One of their latest, Fake Bake Flawless, has received rave reviews, but I have found the spray leaves me splotchy and that the color is not as dark or even.

5. Coppertone Endless Summer Sunless Tanning Moisturizing Lotion

Cost: $10, drugstores nationwide or Amazon.com .

Pros: Easy application, natural color

Cons: Very subtle color (although this is not really a con as it is part of the purpose of gradual self tanner)

Color: 8/10

Ease of Application: 10/10

Smell: 7/10

Wearability: 10/10

Longevity: 10/10

Overall Rating: 9/10

Overview: Gradual self tanners have many benefits. Because the color builds up gradually, there are no streaks or splotches. Because you apply the lotion daily or every couple of days, you do not need to worry about the color fading. But for many gradual tanners, even with weeks of use, the darkest shade is a very subtle tan. This is a positive for most that desire the look of a touch of sun, but for those that want a more robust tan, or those with a slight issue of desiring immediate gratification (both of which apply to me), then this can be a negative.

But the ability to throw on self tanner every day with no gloves without a worry about applying it evenly or  thinking about brown tell-tale stains on your gym clothes, means that a lighter glow is a worthy trade. I also prefer a tan that looks like it's just my natural skin tone, rather than a I-like-to-bake-in-the-sun tan shade. These gradual tanners can be a good compromise for a much more natural, easy, and flattering result than some of the other deep dark tan products deliver.

And there you have it...my top 5.  Any you would like to see added to the list? Any you see on here that you don't like? I look forward to hearing your feedback!

Zesty Balsamic Pork Tenderloin: C2

Servings: 6
Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes

1 center cut pork tenderloin (roughly 18 oz, or about 6 servings)
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup hot sauce (I prefer a thicker, richer hot sauce for this dish, such as Valentina)
1/3 cup Stevia in the Raw (I use the granulated form)
2 TBS whole grain mustard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or if there are preparation directions on the packaging of the pork, follow them accordingly).
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, mustard and Stevia until the Stevia has dissolved. Taste test the sauce to ensure it has the right sweet/tart/tangy balance for your palate.
3. Using a fork, pierce the pork several times on all sides, then place in  shallow baking or casserole dish. Don't use too big of a dish, as you don't want the marinade to spread too thin.
4. Pour marinade over the top of the pork, and turn the tenderloin several times to ensure it is thoroughly coated in the marinade. The marinade may seem a bit thin, but it will thicken as it bakes.

5. Bake 45-60 minutes, or according to the directions (I bake mine for 50 minutes to achieve a medium well temperature) Cut down the thickest portion to check the doneness prior to serving.

6. To serve, cut into 1 1/2"-2" inch thick slices, and garnish with the marinade. Serve with quinoa or brown rice and vegetables (I like broccoli with this dish).

Enjoy!

Tracey Mallett's FuseDance Cardio Melt DVD: A Review

photo from TraceyMallett.com

From the DVD:

FuseDance Cardio Melt is an exhilarating high energy low impact workout, incorporating a fluid fusion of dance styles from salsa, jazz, funk and ballet mixed with athletic fitness moves that are easy to master and gentle on the joints.

Your heart will pump, your body will pulse, your energy will soar, but most importantly, you'll forget you're actually burning mega calories because you're having so much fun!

My Overall Rating of this workout: B+

Production Quality: 5/5
Fun Factor:              3/5
"Burn" Factor         2/5
Instructor:                5/5
Value:                       5/5

Workout Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Workout Length: 30 Minutes (2 Workouts)
Equipment Required: 3 and/or 5 lb weights

This DVD is broken down into 2 workouts, each 30 minutes long. I own many of Tracey Mallett's DVD's (primarily the Booty Barre collection), and find her workouts fun, energetic and inspiring.

PROS:

• Instructor is upbeat, inspiring and fun
• Dance moves integrated to make the workouts pass quickly, but steps are simple enough for those with little to no dance background

CONS:

• Routines are fairly easy, "sweat factor" lower than many of Tracey Mallett's other DVD's (primarily her Booty Barre collection)
• Even though this is touted as "low impact", I would describe it rather as "medium impact." One must be careful during many of the moves. I have prior knee surgery, and found myself at times exercising with caution due to impact to my knees and wrists.

Workout 1: Interval Fat Burn

This is the Dance Cardio workout. There are elements of ballet, jazz, and modern dance in this workout, but the moves are quite easy, and will be appropriate for anyone with no dance background. She does use technical terms, however it's easy to follow her moves for those unfamiliar with the terms.

This workout is fun and fairly easy, but gets the heart rate going. I enjoyed it, but prefer more high-intensity dance cardio (such as Zumba.) This is a good workout for beginners or for those days when an easier workout is desired. These workouts can also be performed together for an all over work out with light cardio.

This workout transitions into the "Total Toned Body" segment, so be sure to incorporate your own cool-down if this is the only workout you will be doing.


Workout 2: Total Toned Body

This segment is less dance oriented, with athletic/strength moves integrated in between cardio intervals. I would describe this workout as an "intermediate" workout, with modifications available for those that prefer to go the beginner's route.

 I used 5 pound weights, and felt my arms tingling by the end of the workout. This is primarily an upper body workout, with some core work and light leg work.

Overall:

 The choreography is clean, simple, and easy to follow. Tracey Mallett's cuing is excellent, and all women in the video have great chemistry. Tracey has an immaculate body (perfect six-pack!) which is quite inspiring, but she adds 2 "non-dancers" to the mix, which gives a very natural and approachable feel to the routines.

I'm glad I added this DVD to my collection, but I feel that I will be incorporating the Total Toned Body workout much more frequently than the Interval Fat Burn. It's great that there are 2 options on this DVD, so I will still be able to put it to good use.

Many of Tracey Mallett's other workouts are staples in my weekly routine, including Functional Intensity Training and Booty Barre Total New Body. I will be including reviews of those shortly.

For more in-depth reviews or to purchase this DVD, click on the image below.

C2: Day 3: New favorite recipes!

So far, I am loving this second cycle! The biggest drawback so far is that I am cooking for one, so any leftovers when preparing the recipes cannot be eaten for two days. It's also a bit of a bit of a buzzkill to go from eating delicious, satisfying dishes such as Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice or Chinese Steak and Broccoli (my new favorite recipes!) and then the next day revert back to the rather stale, limited menu offered on Cycle 1. It was fine for the 17 days that it lasted, but you realize how much you've missed grains and red meat once they're back on your plate!

But I believe in the science behind Dr. Moreno's diet plan, so am doing my best to follow the diet as he intended.

On to my meals:

Breakfast:

Old fashioned oatmeal mixed with greek yogurt
6 strawberries

Snack:

Carrots

Lunch:

Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice

with steamed broccoli

Snack:

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Dinner:

Blackened Shrimp with sauteed collard greens

C2: Tangy Pork Chops with Brown Rice

One word to describe this dish: DELICIOUS! I used 4 slices of boneless pork chops that were equivalent to about 1 1/2 pounds total, each cut about 3/4 inch thick. Be sure to adjust cooking time if you are preparing very thickly cut chops. Cut off fatty portions prior to eating.  Pair with your favorite vegetables (I enjoy it with steamed broccoli or sauteed collard greens).

Serves: 4

4 boneless pork chops
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 TBS powdered Truvia or Stevia in the Raw
3 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Cholula for this recipe, but any will work fine)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper


1. Prepare the marinade: in a casserole dish, whisk all ingredients minus the pork until Truvia is dissolved and ingredients are blended thoroughly. I recommend taste testing the marinade to make sure the balance of flavors suits your taste.

2. Pierce each side of pork chops with a fork several times to help the marinating process. Add pork chops to dish, coat each side with marinade and make sure they are thoroughly coated. I chose a fairly shallow casserole dish to ensure the pork was soaking in the marinade.

3. Cover dish and place in refrigerator, let sit for 6-12 hours.

4. Once it has marinated sufficiently, prepare brown rice according to directions.

5.  In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Place marinated pork chops in oven and cook for 30 minutes.

7. When finished cooking, cut through the thickest chop to ensure it is cooked appropriately. I cook my pork medium well (when cooking it at home), if you want it well done you may want to cook it a bit longer.

Cycle 2: Day 1: The "Before" Picture

Despite the fact that I haven't been a complete saint on this diet, I am quite proud of how much I have accomplished. I am now taking meals daily with me to work, which has proven to be 100% effective in avoiding late night binges. I am cooking almost daily, utilizing fresh produce, and am back to taking my multi-vitamin on a daily basis. I am fortunate that I have a job that is far from sedentary- most shifts I am moving quickly with no breaks for up to 14 hours. If it weren't for that extra caloric expenditure, I am sure that my moment of clarity (to get on a diet!)  would have arrived at a moment more serious than barely being able to squeeze into my size 6 jeans.

I also recall two years ago, when I had a surgical procedure that involved remaining off my feet for two weeks. Before that time, I had numerous photo shoots for modeling, and remaining in great shape was literally part of the job. I took some time off from the shoots due to the surgery, and also made the change from bartending to serving for a few months. I burned far fewer calories serving, and what turned into a two months without exercise resulted in a 10+ pound weight gain. At the heaviest, it may have been fifteen.

A few months later, I began bartending again, and within a week I was down five pounds. But because I was in front of the camera less, the few extra pounds that remained I wasn't very conscious of. It wasn't until the following spring, when I had to prepare for a few more photo shoots, that I realized I had yet to get back to pre-surgery shape.

I have been very blessed with some amazing modeling and acting opportunities, the most recent national catalog shoot being a year ago. I have other career aspirations that I am working toward, but this diet has made me motivated to get back to the shape I was in when I was always swimsuit ready. Not as much for the way I looked, but the way I felt. Confident, happy, energetic. It's crazy what a few pounds due to an unhealthy lifestyle can do to both your energy levels and your psyche.

My official "before" picture:

This is from a few years ago...this is my goal for my "after" picture:

Photo Credit: JMT Photography

Yes, I'm sure this had a touch of Photoshop- but my abs really did look like that. It's strange, but seeing that picture is more than enough motivation to to work on getting them back!

Being healthy is my main objective on this diet. I'm actually a big fan of curves- aka Marilyn Monroe style.I was born with the body style predisposed for curves, which has been a blessing and a curse. I've never wanted to be model-skinny, just toned and in shape. I actually lose weight in my bra and butt first, so I have to balance my weight training, cardio and diet carefully to keep the curves I have. I've heard many trainers say "It's 90% diet," and I believe it. I have maintained a regular workout routine through the years, but my off-kilter eating habits prevented me from staying in optimal shape.

For Cycle 2 I am back to my full-speed workout routine. I will include it in this blog in case anyone wants to follow along. I adore barre workouts, and also will be doing some Zumba as well. 

To prepare for this new cycle, I prepared a large amount of brown rice and beans. I have a feeling those will be my staples for the natural starches.

Exercise:

Tracey Mallett Functional Intensity Training

This is a killer workout! It involves 3 25-minute workouts, able to be done separately or combined for a very intense workout. I am starting today with the first workout, Total Ripped Body. This is the first of Tracey's DVD's I have bought that is not in her actual Barre series, and I absolutely love it! I appreciate the fact that there are cardio intervals built into the work out, so I have both strength training and cardio in one short but challenging 25-minute routine. And it's FUN! I like high energy, no-boredom routines, and this DVD delivers.

Breakfast:

Boiled Egg
6 strawberries

Snack:

Dannon LIght & Fit Yogurt

Lunch

"Chinese" Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry with Brown Rice

This is my new favorite recipe! I found the original at the Rainy Day Gal website (be sure to check it out!). I made some adjustments to accommodate Cycle 2.

Snack:

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

Dinner

Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup

C2: "Chinese" Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry

This is a FABULOUS recipe! Easy to make, tender and flavorful steak, and easy to add/modify as you see fit (ie, adding onions, peppers, etc. to make it more of a "stir fry"). I found the original recipe at Rainy Day Gal's website , be sure to check it out! I made several modifications to make it C2 compliant, so the recipe as I prepared it is below. I like to prepare this with brown rice, when eating this for lunch. Delish!

Serves 4

1 lb. Cycle 2 approved steak (see Cycle 2 list...I used flank steak)

2 cups broccoli

1 TBS Baking powder

1 TBS cornstarch (not listed on the 17 Day Diet, but a lot of recipes I looked up for the diet contain it...so I 

am making sure I use it as sparingly as possible)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup powdered Truvia or Stevia in the Raw

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 TBS garlic powder

1. Combine baking powder, cornstarch, Truvia, water, soy sauce and olive oil in mixing dish. Using a fork or whisk, combine ingredients.

2. Cut steak into strips, and add to above mixture. Combine thoroughly.

3. Let marinate in fridge for 1 hour. If you desire brown rice, prepare at this time.

4. Once the hour is complete, heat large skillet,  and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Place over burner set on medium-high heat.

5.  Fill saucepan with 1/2 cup water, place fresh or frozen broccoli in pan. Bring to a boil, and let steam until the broccoli reaches desired tenderness.

6. Place marinated steak strips (including any marinade remaining in bowl) in heated skillet. Add red pepper flakes and garlic powder, stir. Cook until well done.

7. In a bowl, place rice (if desired), broccoli, and steak. 

Enjoy!

Cycle 1: Day 17

It's my last day of Cycle 1. Am I excited? You bet. A little nervous? Yep. I feel like I finally mastered the elements of Cycle 1 (as simple as they may be) and now I'm entering this new, unknown territory, the Activate cycle. While I am thrilled at the concept of eating more than just eggs, chicken and kale on a daily basis, the Activate cycle throws in one more challenging loop: you must rotate daily between the Activate (Cycle 2) and Accelerate (Cycle 1) diets. So gone are my mindless, thrown together meals during my hectic work week, and now I must actually pay attention to which foods I can or can't have when I'm meal planning.

I know, I know...It's not that difficult, really. And it's totally worth the trouble to be able to enjoy shellfish (yay!) flank steak (double yay!) and even quinoa (oh so delicious) instead of chicken. I will keep my kale, kafir smoothies and egg white scrambles on a regular rotation, but I may take a break from chicken for a while. Maybe even forever. I never cared much for chicken in the beginning, and after the amount of chickens I have digested in the past 2 and a half weeks...oooh it makes me a bit ill to think about it. If I didn't have eat cold food at work it would be different, I'm sure, but eating cold chicken 4-5 nights a week has done me in. Now cold steak on the other hand...that sounds amazing right now!

I have spent a lot of time on Pinterest lately planning out my Cycle 2 recipes. Thank goodness for Pinterest, because I usually don't know what I want until I see it right there on my computer screen. My goal is to try out at least 10% of the recipes I have repinned. Now the workouts I keep posting, that's a different story. I usually repost those because the girls in the pictures have killer bodies, and they make me want to run upstairs and fire up my barre workout DVDs. Thank you Pinterest for the inspiration!

Next Cycle, I will be making an effort to do the following:

• Drink more water. I started to slip mid way through Cycle 1.
• Buy less groceries at a time. I don't know how I thought I would eat 4 bell peppers or 6 cucumbers within one week, and let's just say I have a lot of produce in my fridge that is no longer in its prime.
• Work out 5x a week. It was fine to work out less while I got accustomed to the low calories in Cycle 1, but not it's time to step it up!

I followed Cycle 1 pretty carefully, and considering my couple slip ups, I am happy with the 10 pounds I lost during the 17 days. Keeping it simple for the last day.

Breakfast:

3-Egg white scramble

1/2 cup sauteed kale

Snack:

1 Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt

Lunch:

Baked Tilapia over Mixed Greens

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive oil

Snack:

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Dinner:

Ground turkey over broccoli

Topped with low-carb marinara and fat free Mozzarella


Now time to go have sweet dreams about couscous, quinoa and red meat!

C1: Day 13

I have bad news, and good news. The bad news: I made a conscious decision to "cheat" yesterday. Some friends were going out for happy hour, and considering I had restrained myself for two weeks, I decided I deserved a light binge. The "good" news: two beers and one small loaded chicken nachos later, I had a splitting headache and and a seriously distressed stomach. It's as if the diet gods needed a good laugh at the fact that I thought I could get away unscathed. The irony is that I was craving fish and fresh food, but I felt I needed to do happy hour right, and eating fish or other fresh food were not options.

 You can see from this experience the core of the issue with my eating habits (from what I have learned from nutritionists and health magazines): I am a binge eater. I also view food as a reward, as I adore food (and beer...and cocktails- I work in a restaurant for a reason!). I am a sort of an emotional eater. I do not need to eat to be happy, but food makes me happy, period. Good food makes me very, very happy! Fortunately, my work schedule and workout routines prevented repercussions for my love of food. Until recently. At least I can accept my shortfalls and use this diet to get back on track!

 To prevent future catastrophe, I have arrived at a compromise with my less steadfast, food-craving alter ego. Because I have made great progress and am so close to my goal weight, I will allow myself one small meal off the diet per week. I am foregoing the word "cheat" altogether, as I feel that is part of the culprit as I feel like I have to eat something terrible, even though my body is craving something reasonable.

I feel this is a good plan as it will keep me motivated on the diet, and I will be able to continue with cycle 2 (and 3) without skipping to Cycle 4. I realize Dr. Moreno recommends skipping to Cycle 4 once the goal weight is achieved, but I believe I will prolong that process by adding that cheat meal. Sure, it sounds counterintuitive, most would want to lose the weight more quickly. But I would rather win the race slow and steady while reinstilling healthy, lifelong eating habits.

 On to my day!

Breakfast:

 Mean Green Scramble

Snack:

Yoplait 100 Calorie Greek Yogurt

1 serving fresh blueberries

Lunch:

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Snack:

1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese

Dinner:

Blackened Tilapia with Sauteed Kale

Mean Green Scramble: C1

3 Egg Whites (I use Egg Beaters)
1 cup of fresh Kale or Spinach (I prefer Kale)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes


1. Coat skillet with non stick cooking spray.
2. Add Kale or Spinach. Add garlic powder. Sautee until lightly wilted.
3. Add egg whites, and red and black pepper.
4. Stir until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Top 5 Workouts for the 17 Day Diet

Dr. Moreno recommends at least 17 minutes of exercise a day for those beginning the diet. He does, however, state that everyone is different, therefore you need to adjust the exercise based on the individual. The 1200 calories in Cycle 1 are quite low for most individuals (particularly for those that are already fairly active, such as myself) so I decided to slowly work in intense exercise into my routine and increase as I progress into later cycles of the diet.

I am a huge fan of barre workouts. The barre workout is a blend of ballet, Pilates and yoga, with a major emphasis on core stability and flexibility. Different methods offer barre workouts with a slightly unique approach, however I have found from experience a variety of  barre methods that have provided tremendous results.

Because the barre workouts are intense yet low impact, I find them to be a perfect option to integrate while following this diet. I also add cardio 1x-2x a week, rotating the following barre workouts 3-4 times a week. I am a DVD workout junkie (I have over 60 workout DVD's at home!) and the following are my absolute top picks. The moves seem very simple- but be prepared to sweat!

NOTE: I purchase all of my workout DVD's on Amazon, and I have included a link to the product on the website. Amazon also provides detailed reviews that I have found quite helpful when deciding what products to purchase.

Top 4 Barre Workouts: 

1.  Tracey Mallett: Booty Barre:  Beginners and Beyond

The perfect introduction to barre for beginners, with a booty-kicking workout to boot! Tracey Mallett is a tremendous instructor- she has incredible energy, and her timing is impeccable. Her DVD's are staples in my weekly routines as they score a perfect 10 on all my criteria: production quality, efficiency of the workout, fun factor, and quality of instructor. The short 35 minute workout is incredibly convenient for busy schedules.




2. Physique 57

Exactly a year ago, I decided it was time to discover for myself what the barre fuss was all about. I was also a bit fascinated (yet dubious) reading all of the glowing 5-star reviews on the Physique 57 DVD's, which are one of the top-rated barre workouts on the market. The reviews were right. One week of workouts, and I was hooked. One year later, and I have yet to do barre less than 3 times a week! While I do rotate through different barre workouts, Physique 57 still is a weekly go-to. The main workout is 57 minutes long, but I love the 30-minute Express workouts that I can squeeze in on my busiest days. The instructors are soothing yet encouraging, the workouts challenging, yet fun. And I won't lie- the lifted seat (booty in barre terms) arrived in less than a month of regular workouts! In fact, the long, lean figure and chiseled core is what you will get if you follow the workouts and a practical diet religiously. If only I had started the 17 Day Diet a year ago...!




3. Cathe Friedrich's Low Impact Series: Turbo Barre

A word of caution for barre newbies: this DVD may be low-impact, but it is a killer when it comes to intensity. I do this workout on my day off of work, as it is long (74 minutes) and I know I will be a sweaty mess once I have finished this DVD. The saying "hurts so good" is perfect for this grueling barre workout, but Cathe is engaging and it is hard not to be inspired by the perfectly chiseled bodies working out alongside Cathe. I find this DVD is the most challenging of the bunch I have listed, but even months later I have yet to tire of this workout. And I feel so fantastic after I'm finished!



4. Tracey Mallett: Total New Body

This is perhaps my favorite of all of Tracey Mallett's DVD's. It is a challenging, fun, unique workout, and I feel inspired and energized following. If you were to choose only one DVD out of the five listed here, I would say go with this one! It is 60 minutes long, but the title truly says it all, as it is a total body workout.




Top Cardio Workout

5.  Zumba Exhilarate

I was looking forward to my barre workouts so much every week, but I realized my cardio time was slipping. I needed to find a way to integrate more cardio without having to make the trek to my gym, so I decided to give Zumba a try. I was pleasantly surprised at both the fun-factor and the sweat factor. Sure, it can be cheesy at times, but the feel-good energy it dispenses makes me appreciate the flashy productions and colorful attire. I only do this about once or twice a week, but I find it much more fun and effective than all of my other dance workout DVD's.

C1: Day 9

I have encountered an unusual situation following this diet: I am never hungry! I was able to follow a solid set  eating schedule the first week, but it can be difficult to make sure to get the 2 probiotic servings, 2 fruit servings, 2 healthy fats, etc. that the diet calls for, particularly when I don't have an appetite for them

I have developed a fairly regular routine and I have found the diet easy to follow, but it does become a bit monotonous. Part of this falls on me due to the fact I have yet to prepare the new recipes I have planned out. I also now have developed random cravings for things I wouldn't normally think about.

I have heard similar stories from others on restricted carb diets. For instance, I find myself staring enviously at the stranger eating a McDonald's BigMac on the street. Or I find myself wistfully gazing at the triple layer red velvet cake flashing across the television. Neither food items have ever been a part of my cravings or thought process prior to this diet, but now I seem to be distracted easily with various treats not on my food list. The cravings have yet to lead to actual temptation. Working in a restaurant, I find myself constantly surrounded with the offerings of unhealthy foods both before and after my shift.

Fortunately, I have been steadfast in sticking to this diet. I won't lie- I am very much looking forward to adding more foods to my diet, and I literally have been dreaming about sushi (cycle 3...I think!). I also know that in one short week I can add shellfish as well, which I am quite excited about!

For today, I am sticking to sweet and simple- another long day at work ahead.

Breakfast:

Caryl's Turkey Sausage Egg Muffins

Snack:

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt

Lunch:

Blackened Chicken Breast over mixed greens
Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Snack:

5 Strawberries
1/2 cup cottage cheese

Dinner:

Baked Chicken & Spinach Casserole

C1: Day 8

Today my Victoria's Secret swimsuit arrived in the mail. I knew I had lost nearly ten pounds since starting the diet, but I was a bit wary in trying on the suit before the end of the first 17 days. I decided to apply one quick mist of self tanner (living on the beach, I always have an assortment of self tanners on hand!) and an hour later, I was ready to try on the swimsuit.

I will post pictures of the "after" of the first 17 day cycle, but I was surprised at how much my body had changed in one short week. Dr. Moreno advises skipping to the fourth cycle once you have reached your goal weight, and it occurred to me that I may not make it past the second cycle before I have reached my own goal weight. I started this with the goal of getting back on track with my routine of eating healthy and exercising, and a 15 pound goal for the weight loss. Hard to believe that's only six pounds away!

Breakfast:

I just threw this skillet together with some ingredients I had on hand, and found the results to be absolutely delicious! This will definitely be added to my regular breakfast routine.

Western Skillet

Snack:

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt


Lunch:

Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup

Snack:

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese


Dinner:

Turkey Taco Salad

Western 3-Egg White Skillet: C1

Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes


6 Egg Whites (I use Egg Beaters Egg Whites)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup red or green bell pepper
1/4 of a jalapeno, diced (optional)
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Crushed black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste


1. Lightly coat skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place skillet over medium heat.
3. Add egg whites.
4. Once lightly browned on the bottom, add veggies and spices.
5. Stir frequently until eggs and veggies are cooked evenly.

C1: Day 7

Nothing exciting for today, as I have another long day at work. Today I realized I have lost seven pounds so far, and that was more than enough for motivation! The only challenge up until this point is finding the time to cook all the meals involved. As much as I enjoy the cooking aspect, it is very time consuming. And I am itching to start adding more fish to my diet, but I have found eating cold fish at work is not very enjoyable. And I find it not filling enough for lunch to get me through my work shift. Looks like fish will have to be my go-to for nights off work.

For the purpose of simplicity, today I am making another couple batches of the turkey egg muffins and the vegetable soup. I also have competed the grocery shopping for a couple new recipes I will be trying out.

One week in!

Breakfast

Caryl's Turkey Sausage Egg Muffins

Snack

8 Blackberries

Lunch

Spicy Chicken Vegetable Soup

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Snack:

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt

Dinner:

Blackened Chicken Breast
Sauteed Kale


End of the day. Yes, the meals are getting monotonous, but my pants fitting significantly looser makes it all well worth it! As soon as I have the time to fix the new recipes, I believe that will give me even more motivation for the next 10 days of cycle 1.

C1: Day 6

For most bartenders, the phrase "Thank God It's Friday" does not ring true. On Fridays, I typically leave my house for work a little after 2PM, and find myself home close to 5AM. Because I work at a rooftop bar, on Saturdays we open earlier, meaning the hours can be 1PM-5AM. The hours are long, but the most difficult thing is finding a method to prevent reaching starvation mode by the end of a shift.

This past weekend, I found a couple effective tricks. First, bring a snack to eat while setting up the bar (which is typically yogurt, today was a Kaffir smoothie and brussel sprouts.) Second, have "dinner" while closing the bar. Sure, eating at 4 AM for most would be a poor choice for any diet, but with my weekend hours there aren't many options. Also, I am almost a week in to this diet, and have yet to find myself a "2" on the hunger meter, and I haven't even taken a sip of beer or wine!

Eating my dinner cold every night at work has been interesting. The meals all taste delicious hot, but so far the only great cold option is the chicken vegetable soup. I have a few more recipes to make tomorrow, I think the more vegetables the better they will taste cold.

Also, I realized I hadn't been necessarily consuming my 2 full fruit servings per day. I was counting the fruit yogurt as a serving, but I need to add a few more berries to meet the criteria.

Breakast:

3 Egg Whites, Scrambled (I use Egg Beaters, add some garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper)
Yoplait Greek Yogurt

Snack:

1/2 cup grapes

Lunch:

Blackened chicken over mixed Greens
Creamy non-fat Balsamic Dressing 
5 Strawberries


Snack:

1/2 cup Kaffir Yogurt Smoothie (I found this at my local Harris Teeter)
Brussel Sprouts


Dinner:

Grilled Tilapia with sauteed spinach

 I am watching my sugar intake a bit more due to the 2 servings of probiotics a day. Many low-calorie greek yogurts contain a very high amount of sugar, but so far I have found that Dannon Light & Fit greek yogurt is my best option (80 calories, 6g sugar). The 100 calorie Yoplait greek yogurt is also reasonable (100 calories, 9g sugar). I had inadvertently grabbed another brand yesterday, and realized it had over 20g sugar! Yikes. I feel like I'm cheating on my diet whenever I'm eating the greek yogurt. It really is quiet decadent, and certainly helps satiate this sweet tooth of mine!

C1: Day 5

Today involved a long day at work, so the fun new recipes will have to wait. I turned to my new go-to meals, and found no problems staying energetic through out my busy 12-hour shift (no breaks!). I did have a fleeting romantic thought involving a Publix Boar's Head Turkey Breast Sub on white bread (I know, I know..) but once that craving subsided, all was good. I now drink soda water with a squeeze of lemon and lime in addition to tap water to reach the 64 oz. goal. Only slip up today: no green tea. I think I can live with that!

Breakfast

Caryl's Turkey Egg Muffins

Snack:

Yoplait Greek Yogurt

Lunch:

Chicken and Spinach Casserole

Snack:

Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Dinner:

Eggplant Parmesan


I am looking forward to trying out new recipes (which I will be making another big grocery trip in the next day or two), but I am more than pleased with the meals I have prepared so far. It is now 5 AM after a long night at work, and for the first time in months, I am not weak with hunger and ready to eat anything in sight! While cleaning the bar, I ate my eggplant parmesan, and 2 hours later I am not the least bit hungry. And for me, that is a feat!