Is this mom’s bikini pic bold?

The woman pictured above is a 32-year-old mother of 3 (I was about to be snarky and say she started early but I did too). If Rachel passed me on the beach I would probably notice that her top is orange (my favorite) but not much more. If forced to comment,  I’d say she looks pretty good, thin etc.

People magazine featured this photo (plucked from Hollis’ insta account) because it went viral.

To give you the full picture @msrachelhollis said, “I have stretch marks and I wear a bikini. I have a belly that’s permanently flabby from carrying three giant babies and I wear a bikini. My belly button is saggy (which is something I didn’t even know was possible before!!) and I wear a bikini. I wear a bikini because I’m proud of this body and every mark on it. Those marks prove I was blessed enough to carry my babies and that flabby tummy means I worked hard”

While I applaud Hollis for sporting a bikini with pride, I am missing where wearing a two-piece if you’re not Heidi Klum is groundbreaking? I also think we should be at peace with our bodies even if we didn’t carry “three giant babies”.  We can have flab for many reasons; it’s not better if childbearing explains it. It seems other women are posting similar “real” bikini pics and that’s great, it's nice to see real, unretouched bodies. It’s really great and not something, if I’m honest, I think I’d do (sans sarong or inner suckage, angling etc.). So @msrachelhollis is bolder than I am even if I think her looking cute makes her beach pic less bold than the 460,000 Facebook likers think it is.

 Thoughts? Are stretch marks bold? Are we so used to perfect swimsuit pics that this is cutting edge? 

Are you a bikini wearer? Would this change anything for you?

10 Healthy Recipes for Passover and Easter

photo via Smitten Kitchen, mine never as pretty

As much as we like tradition, there's nothing wrong with poached wild salmon, roasted asparagus or sweet potatoes or other simple recipes. Make sure to balance out your holiday menus or bring one of the following to your gathering. Here’s a mishmosh of Passover and Easter inspo.

1. Gluten free “matzoh” ball
2. Asparagus Stuffed Eggs I use ghee or plain Greek yogurt
3. Skinny Matzo Brei- we like Yehuda brand Gluten Free/fiber enriched (wink wink)
4. Horseradish Brisket
5. Carrot Kugel (I use local honey not agave)
6. Homemade Sauerkraut
7. Zoodles (Zuchini Noodles), we love the Veggetti
8. Homemade, nastiness free, Peeps
9. Lauren’s Favorite Lamb Chop Recipe (use grass fed lamb available on Fresh Direct or at Citarella) 
10. Ina Garten Lemon Chicken- no recipe roundup complete without Ina.

What are your favorite Passover or Easter foods? Where will you be? What are you making or bringing? 
I actually made Cat Cora Lamb Chops (#9) last night

Wakaya and Foodtrainers a match made it heaven (or Fiji)

There are foods and food products I like and then those I love. When I love something there is no limit. Wakaya’s ginger and turmericteas and more recently their coarse sea salt (avocados love this) and dilo cream (natural sunscreen in it) are on my love list.  So I’m honored that Wakaya interviewed Carolyn and I and posted our new Double Golden Milk recipe. Check it out for our 5 favorite food trends and more.

And here's the recipe

Wakaya Double Golden Milk

What you need (and if you don’t have all of these, it’ll be ok)

1/2 tsp. Wakaya turmeric

1/2 tsp. Wakaya ginger

1 cup water

Pinch Wakaya sea salt 

Pinch black pepper (pepper increases the effectiveness of turmeric)

1 cup almond milk (homemade or brand with no carrageenan)

1 tbs coconut oil (traditional recipes call for almond oil which I didn’t have)

Few drops almond extract 

Few drops Nu Stevia (optional) or Manuka honey

*Add more sea salt or stevia as needed 

What to do

1.     Put turmeric, ginger, pepper and water into a small saucepan, add water and simmer 8-10 minutes or until this mixture reduces and thickens.

2.     Add almond milk and coconut oil (and honey if you are using). Stir until oil is incorporated. Continue until mixture is warm (a few minutes).

3.     Add salt, almond extract and stevia (if using) and stir again.

4.     Voila- you’re golden!

    Have you tried Wakaya? Or Golden Milk? What would you say are food trends you've been hearing about? Maybe we'll do a smoothie version (if it ever stops snowing) but in the meantime....

Love Pizza? Top 10 Guilt Free Ways to Enjoy It

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Perhaps?

Fitbit posted my top 10 healthy pizza ideas today. You can check it out here. There's no reason why healthy should ever mean living without your favorite food fixes.
What's your favorite all time pizza? Healthy pizza tweak? Pizza questions

Should you think about food all the time?

Last week a client came in for her first follow-up session. She recapped her week and said, “I feel like I’m thinking about food all the time, should I be?” I have to say I hear this a lot. I dug a little and a lot of this client’s food thoughts were of the planning variety. She also had a little insecurity over whether she was doing all of this right. I reassured this client. “You’re learning a new language and it’s not second nature yet. Of course it’s taking up mind time.” And then the follow up “not to worry, over time I don’t want you thinking about food 24/7 but some degree of forethought is always good.”

Not all food thoughts are created equal.

I was sent this link about a disorder called Orthorexia. This article questions this diagnosis as being anti healthy, conscious eating. I feel differently. It’s one thing to vet the foods you put into your body. It’s another if situations where you cannot control food choices are completely avoided or if food concerns outweigh food pleasure. It’s a fine line. Even some of the criteria for orthorexia sound a lot like things I recommend…planning your food day etc. My advice is that the more on top of healthy eating you are, the less you should be thinking about food. I tend to think the most destructive food thoughts are when food is off.  I’d take deliberation over guilt any day. Only you know if your food thoughts are bringing you sanity or stress.

Would you say you think about food a lot? Are these thoughts generally positive or negative? What’s your feeling on the disorder orthorexia?

My must-haves for healthy travel

Monday we sent out our Spring break newsletter. If you placed an order, be patient. Many people did (thank you) and my partner in food crime, Carolyn, is conveniently Spring Breaking in Cartagena.

I’m going away late next week (thank fucking god). This week I’ve been readying clients for their trips (I love hearing where people are going).  So what do I bring?

Green juice/airplane meal- I am obsessive about both starting a trip on track healthfully and avoiding plane food. Chugging a green juice while I wait on the security line and bringing a kale salad or and avocado sandwich on Paleo or gluten free bakery bread are my staples. Who knows what lies ahead, control what you can.

In flight- I’m very ritualistic which is the best euphemism for compulsive. I bring my Wakaya for when the drink cart comes around. Generally I’ll get hot water. If it’s an overnight flight this may be Wakaya/vodka (feel free to judge). 

Vitamins- many people leave these at home and I feel they’re even more important away. Chances are, you probably will not have many probiotic foods (I take cocochia and Sunbiotic almonds for this reason) or may wear sunscreen thus blocking vitamin D potential- use the sunscreen, pack D drops if that was unclear.

Vacation Constipation (VC) maybe it's because my diet is pretty consistent at home or my body’s regulated or I was told once my colon was sluggish (so I have colon insecurity now, I hate anything sluggish) but VC sucks. My family jokes about my digestion away. So I take preemptive action. Natural calm, triphala, probiotics, chia are in my Food First Aid Kit.

For more ideas and newness check out the newsletter. And if you’d like to place an order here’s our store link. 

 **NYC orders can be filled within 24 hours on weekdays.

What do you pack in your Food First Aid Kit? What are your biggest food challenges away? 

Kate Hudson Says This is Your Cake

I was reading Shape Magazine’s March issue (double Foodtrainers in there, Carolyn discusses “souping” and I explain the pros of pistachios). Kate Hudson is on the cover looking pretty damn good. In her interview she tells a story about an experience in France.

I don’t have the article it in front of me but she describes a meal she was having in Paris when she was a little younger. There was lots of food and wine and she was partaking in it all (if you have Goldie’s genes I guess there’s some leeway). Cake arrives for dessert and an older French woman approaches the table. I’m not sure if she spoke in French or English but as Kate was about to taste the cake said, “no, no, no dear this is your cake” and gestures to the wine.

You simply cannot eat it all and look like Kate Hudson on that cover. We may not be able to look like Kate Hudson regardless but that’s another story. However, feeling good doesn’t mean you’re trapped at destination deprivation you just have to pick your pleasure. In my book I discuss my favorite restaurant rule The Rule of 1 of 4.

When you’re out (or home for that matter) the main “weighty” variables are booze, bread, a dinner carb and dessert. Even if you’re reasonable with portions if some wine, a bread crust, rice and dessert bites is your norm, you may need to be a little more choosy. On a typical night pick one “cake” max as French lady said. On a special occasion when dessert is expected, perhaps you’re at 2 of 4. Strategy is soothing; try to preplan your picks. I’m not out often in a week, so when I am I bet you can guess my choice…

What’s your strategy when you eat out? What’s your downfall? Of these 4 choices what would you most often pick?