Rachael Ray is one of the most beloved celebrity cooks of our time. She makes cooking fast, tasty, and most of all fun. She runs several TV cooking shows, a daily talk show, a magazine and has a line of cookware. Eating all of that delicious food and constantly being on the go, you have to wonder how she looks so great. Rachael says she hasn’t looked at a scale since she was a child and says she doesn’t have time nor does she need the pressure of trying to make her body meet everyone else’s standards. How does she do it?
She believes that the best diet program is one that will make you eat healthier as a first step, just like the best exercise program is one that you will do! A non-diet approach to, well, dieting can prove to be beneficial for some. It removes many of the pressures, expense and time-consuming tasks of managing a diet. More than anything, it’s a common-sense approach to eating. Eat what you should, avoid what you shouldn’t and indulge once in a while. The non-diet philosophy continues to gain in popularity.
A Rachel Ray diet focuses less on the pressure of eating or avoiding certain foods and more on the concept of common sense. Anyone who has watched Rachel Ray on television knows that she loves cooking good dishes that are often easy and quick to make.
Rachel Ray Diet Tips
Some of the most common dietary tips associated with Rachel’s philosophy include the following:
* Try to stick to a regular meal time.
* Don’t skip meals to lose weight.
* Drink lots of water every day.
* Don’t waste precious calories on sodas.
* Eat plenty of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables.
* Start off your day with high protein and healthy carbs.
* Create a moderate exercise plan that you can follow. (When starting any new exercise regimen, contact your doctor first.)
* Avoid those foods that are problem foods for you.
* Eat lots of lean proteins.
* Eat foods rich in monounsaturated fats. This should include cooking with extra virgin olive oils.
* Try to reduce stress in your daily routine whenever possible. If you do have stress in your life, try www.stress-help.info . This book really helps you reduce stress!
* Don’t eliminate all of the foods you love. Instead, eat in moderation.
* Don’t eat because it is time to eat. Eat because you are hungry!
* Don’t hop on the scale every day; it can add pressure to your weight loss goals.
* Maintain self-control by getting in the habit of “thinking healthy.”
* Avoid crash diets.
* Vary your meals and food choices to avoid boredom. There are plenty of tasty, healthy foods and recipes for you to choose from!
* Decide what “the perfect body” means to you
Although Rachel Ray does not typically endorse dietary supplements, Ray’s name has become linked to the acai berry juice, Monavie, which she featured on her show. It is not clear if Rachel Ray takes acai but acai is considered a “super food”, it contains many healthy nutrients and it has been referred to as the food that can “jump start a healthy lifestyle.”
What about exercise for Rachel Ray?
Here is Rachael Ray’s take on an interview with Shape magazine about exercise:
Shape: So what kind of workouts do you do to burn off all that extra-virgin olive oil?
RR: My favorite home morning routine is 100 crunches, 100 butt lifts and at least 20 push-ups. I live in New York City but have a cabin in the mountains, so I do a lot of hiking and walking, especially with my dog, Isaboo. I do belong to a gym, but I can’t get there as often as I’d like. I think a lot of women struggle to fit in exercise. That’s why my new talk show is going to feature a Better Than Nothing workout segment. The idea behind it is to do the absolute minimum to maintain your weight and health — and to make the routine simple, no special equipment required.
Shape: What’s your definition of healthy eating?
RR: I don’t believe in counting calories; eat in moderation and you won’t have to worry about the numbers. I eat pretty much everything. Flavor is really important. If you peeked into my fridge and pantry today, you’d find almonds, cashews, goat cheese, Pecorino, salami, bacon from upstate New York, olive oil, pasta, tuna, an open bottle of white wine, tomatoes and beans. Truly relaxing during meals and enjoying the foods on your plate also matters. I make it a point to sit down, have a glass of red wine and savor my supper every night.
Shape: Workwise, you certainly have a full plate. how do you stay energized?
RR: I really love what I do. In fact, even after a full day of taping cooking shows, I’ll come home and head straight for the kitchen. Cooking helps me unwind because it’s so meditative. I focus on what I’m doing, not my worries or my to-do list. While I’m making dinner, I’ll listen to music: anything from the Foo Fighters or Tom Jones to my husband John Cusimano’s band, The Cringe. And I’m a Law & Order addict, so I’ll often listen to it while I’m cooking.
Advice that we can all use!
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Do you want to look amazing by getting in shape like a dancer? Follow American Idol’s Paula Abdul and Lipstick Jungle’s Brooke Shield’s workout regime below, designed by their Personal Trainer, Karen Voight, and be on your way to a sculpted, lean body with elegance, strength and perfect posture.
According to kickfitsports.com, this mini-circuit makes your workout time fun and efficient by combining movements that raise your heart rate and target your shoulders, abdominals, buttocks, and thigh muscles all at once. With some of the exercises, don’t be surprised if one side of your body is more difficult to train than the other side. We all have a more dominant side, but it is important to train them equally. Keep it up and you will develop balanced symmetry and stand tall with a strong sculpted sleek physique!
Exercise Routine
Before beginning this routine, warm up with something as simple as walking on a treadmill, cycling, or a brisk walk around the block. It should take about 8-10 minutes to slowly raise your core temperature and prepare your body for the workout.
Each exercise should take about 1 ½ minutes with 15 seconds to set up for the next exercise. Focus on great form while you do as many repetitions as noted. As you get stronger, progress by cycling through the circuit twice and then three times, for a more advanced level.
1. Crunches on the Stability Ball – Abdominals
A. Lie your back and buttocks on a firm stability ball with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Place your hands behind your head to avoid using your neck muscles.
B. On an exhalation, contract your abdominal muscles, bend forward at the waist, and roll your head, shoulders, and upper back off the ball. Be sure to pay special attention to “closing” the rib cage and compressing your back into the ball. Do 12 repetitions.
2. Plank – Chest, Shoulders, Abdominals, & Quadriceps
A. Start by laying face down on the ground. Place your elbows directly below your shoulders, with forearms parallel to each other and the palms of your hand facing the floor. Curl your toes under and bend your knees.
B. Contract your abdominal muscles, straighten your knees, and balance on your toes and forearms. Maintain a strong center to avoid over-arching your lower back and sagging at your waist. Keep the hips at shoulder level and pull your abdominals in toward the spine. Maintain this position for 30 seconds, then bend your knees and lower your hips to the floor.
3. Knee Push Ups – Chest, Triceps, & Shoulders
A. Begin by kneeling with your knees hip-width apart. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart with your fingers pointing forward. Pull the abdominals in toward your spine.
B. Keep your torso in a straight line and lower yourself toward the floor until your elbows are bent about 90-degrees. (You don’t need to touch your chest to the floor.) Contract your chest and push yourself back up. Check that you are pressing evenly over the palms of your hands. Avoid rolling to the outer edge of your hands. Keep your hips down and lift your belly up to prevent overarching your lower back. Do 12-16 repetitions.
4. Weighted “Figure 8” – Shoulders & Abdominals
A. Start from a seated position, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold a 5 lb., dumbbell or medicine ball above the head with both hands. Roll back halfway or until you feel your abdominal muscles tighten. As you hold this position, focus on slowly and deliberately squeezing all muscles from the chest to pubic bone.
B. Begin to make “Figure 8” movements with both hands holding the weight. Work across the body from right to left. Continue until you have completed ten (10) “Figure 8” motions. Then, roll up and return to the start position. Do 3 repetitions.
5. Rotational Squat – Quadriceps, Buttocks, & Shoulders
A. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and your toes facing forward. Hold a 5 lb., dumbbell or medicine ball in front of your chest. Bend your knees into a squat and rotate your upper body to the right. Keep both arms straight and your hips and knees facing front.
B. Shift your weight to your left leg, straightening it as you lift your right knee in front of you. Simultaneously, rotate your torso to the center and raise your arms above your head. Remember to keep your arms straight throughout the entire movement. Step down and repeat the squat, rotating to your right for 8 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
6. Rear Lunge with Knee Lift Balance – Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Buttocks, Abdominals, & Shoulders
A. Begin by standing with feet together and hands at your sides. Lunge back with your left leg, bending both knees to 90-degrees. Make sure your right knee is directly above your right ankle. Straighten and raise both arms overhead, palms facing inward with your biceps near your ears. Pause for 2 seconds, pulling in your abdominal muscles to support an upright spine.
B. Simultaneously, push off with your rear left leg. Straighten and balance on your right leg with your left knee bent in front of you. Open and lower your arms to the side at shoulder height. Hold for 3-4 seconds. Circle your arms down and return to the start position. Do 8-12 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat.
Complete this circuit one (1) time if you are a beginner, two (2) times if you are at an intermediate level of fitness, and three (3) times if you are advanced.
Remember to always cool down before you finish this workout. You can do this by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms overhead and lean your upper body to the left as far as you can while still breathing comfortably. Return to center and lean to your right side. Return to center, lower your arms to your sides, and roll your shoulders in a circle, then reverse. Finish by placing your hands at your hips and hinging forward with a straight back to stretch the backs of your legs and hips. Be sure to breathe fully and deeply throughout all of these cool down movements.
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