Text Box: Are you on a diet? Does your diet require you count calories, keep a journal, weigh your food, and call a friend to confess your sins every day? Well, while all of this may be great to do, who has the time? And, if it’s complicated, it’s short-lived. We all need just a simple baseline for our plan of eating, starting with the fact that we just need a plan of eating. I’m about as busy as they come, but as a poster-child for Studio Soiree, it’s absolutely essential that I have a simple eating habit that will keep me at my slim 113-118 all month long, and that’ll keep my energy high for the grueling training schedule that I must maintain. Believe it or not, but with all of the working out that I do, I do it all happily on about 1200-1400 calories a day. So, what’s that break down to? That means simply to have 5 meals a day, every day. While that may sound like a pain, what it really means is to consume three 300-400 calorie meals, and snack on 150-250 calories in between. Piece of cake! (not literally. Well, sometimes...) Here are a few good ideas for snacks and meals that are tasty enough for my personal passion for food, and simple enough for my busy schedule Text Box: and my complete lack of cooking skills. Breakfast My personal typical breakfast is either 2 poached eggs (about 150 calories), and a slice of wheat and flaxseed toast (100 calories). Eggs are also a great source of vitamin A which is essential for muscle recovery after strength training. Or, try a half-cup of low-fat cottage cheese (60 calories) with some flaxseed (I’m not kidding, I use it all over) (60 GOOD calories), and a bit of granola (50 calories). You know what else? I can’t get enough of that wonderful organic 10 grain hot cereal. Throw in some brown sugar (go ahead), some skim milk, and some dried blueberries and tell me that’s not enough! Lunch Lunch gets tricky, so I have to admit to having a snack bar for lunch from time to time. Snack bars that are high in protein and low in fat aren’t tough to find, and are typically a good 160-240 calories. Otherwise, a PB&J hits the spot just fine. So does a quick baby spinach salad tossed with balsamic vinegar, seasonings (salt, pepper, crushed red pepper), and flaxseed (no joke). Throw some sliced almonds on Text Box: there, cut up some baby bell peppers from Costco, and some tuna souped up with diced jalapeños, lemon juice, and mustard and you have a totally filling 300 calorie slice of tasty sustenance. Dinner I’m always surprised at how satisfied I am with just a few basics to choose from. In my fridge and freezer are 3 main proteins from which to choose: salmon, chicken, and ahi tuna (can we say we love Cosco?). Veggies include baby spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and baby bell peppers. Surely you’re more creative than I am, but I have tons of condiments that I love. Wasabi horseradish, 3 different kinds of mustard, more jalapeños than you can shake a stick at, and that’s really all I need. Of course there are the special days, but not every day is a special day for food. In fact, taking the “special” out of eating time has been pivotal in my ability to attain the physique that I have. Cooking my protein is a piece of cake, since I have a pie-pan, aluminum foil, and a broil button on my oven waiting to be pushed! Keep your dinners to around 300-400 calories, especially if you’re eating late. It’s not tough considering the total calories in one serving of: Salmon: 121 calories Chicken breast: 220 calories Ahi tuna: 156 calories Text Box: Diet? Let’s call it a plan of eating

A happy girl is one who cheats now and then. You can totally get away with a cheat day a week.  Rule of thumb: don’t commit your sins late at night, and don’t have a cheat food day on a cheat workout day.  Simple!

Soiree on Health and Fitness
Text Box: Snacks Snacks are open season, but just keep in mind a couple of facts. First, snacks should be regulated and simple. They can also be a great energy boast. Snacks like a hard boiled egg, trail mix, or a simple piece of fruit and some raw almonds can be the difference between a happy eater and one who junks out after work. Put some in your purse now for tomorrow! Love, Niqui

Soiree Food Facts

· Alcohol causes your body to burn fat slower than usual. Three ounces of alcohol reduces the body’s ability to burn fat by about one-third.

· Flaxseed doesn’t just taste great.  Its nutrients lower the risks of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and  help boost metabolism, increase  energy, and the high fiber content is filling.  Sprinkle it on everything!

· Eating half  a grapefruit before meals  has been proven to cause weight-loss.