As a trainer, I’m often asked which alcoholic beverages are best from a healthy lifestyle perspective. Red wine (and especially pinot noir) tops the list of healthy alcoholic beverages.

Here’s why:

Drinking red wine may preserve memory and protect the central nervous system. It also prevents clots and blood vessel inflammation—both of which are linked to heart disease and decline of cognitive function.

Overall, red wine drinkers have overall lower body mass indices (BMI’s).  And moderate wine drinkers tend to have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink hard liquor. (Higher BMI is associated with greater risk for disease).

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These are B and my favorite, road-tested recipes of 2009. I hope you agree. Now, dig in!!

Fiery Sweet Potatoes from the New York Times
Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jinxiboo
Chili sin Carne al Mole from “Vegan with a Vengeance”
Turkey Meatloaf by Mike Hitt
Organic Almond Milk by my mom, Marcy Francis
Vegan Pot Pie by EarthVegan
Herbed Spaghetti Squash by Emeril Legasse (more…)

Tart cherry juice may treat pain and inflammation caused by exercise, say researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. These findings, while highly preliminary, concur with a U.K. study of British marathoners who drank tart cherry juice. Experts say it could even be useful for treating arthritis or reducing the amount of pain medication needed post-surgery.  Trader Joe’s carries a reconstituted concentrate version for $2.99/bottle.

I ran across this article by Martha Beck (O Magazine, June ’09) while waiting in the hospital with my mom.

It’s by far the most helpful, accurate article on losing weight I’ve read in 5 years as a trainer.

I’ve personally seen clients do these things, so I know they work.

p.s.  Beck also has a book: The Four Day Win, which I’m ordering from Flashlight Worthy asap.

I’m trying to tone up for a trip to Hawaii. In addition to doing cardio, which are the best supplements on the market, in your opinion, for fat loss? I’m not interested in “fad supplements” but only supplements which really work.

When it comes to losing weight and fat loss, there are four fat loss / appetite supplements worth your consideration. Don’t worry, they’re not ephedrine or Ma Huang.

Chromium picolinate is a nutritional supplement that works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. It’s been has been shown to help regulate blood glucose levels. Stable blood glucose levels may keep you from entering “fat storing” or “starvation” mode.

The amino acid carnitine helps to lower triglycerides and has been shown to help mobilize brown fat tissue. This is usually taken between (not with) meals.

Hoodia gordonii is a leafy, spineless succulent plant used for centuries by bushmen to suppress appetite while making long treks across the desert. It was the primary ingredient of the late Anna Nicole Smith’s product, Trim Spa. However, real hoodia is sometimes difficult to find.

The amino acid glutamine helps to preserve lean muscle mass and reduce cravings for sugar. It should be taken between meals.

And don’t forget caffeine. It’s old skool, but it totally works.

Used alone, supplements will not produce results. But when used intelligently in concert with a regular exercise regimen and a clean diet, these supplements may prove useful to you as you work to shed a few extra pounds.

Need help tracking your daily calories? MyNetDiary is the calorie tracking software I recommend. It’s a super easy, fast and accurate way to track your calories and the various meta data, such as carbs, protein, and fat. You can enter information via the web, Blackberry or iPhone. Everything syncs to one location, with printable weekly reports.

I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR. I love Girl Scout cookies (who doesn’t?) and I am often guilted into buying them by my office co-workers. This year I have 8 boxes of Thin Mints and 3 boxes of Samoas—11 boxes total!! WTF!? What am I supposed to do with all of these cookies? —Sick of Samoas

I LIKE THEM TOO, but let’s face it: ever since the Girl Scouts took the trans-fat out of the recipes, they don’t taste nearly as good. Sort of like how you expect the bride’s wedding dress to be freakishly white, but instead she comes down the aisle wearing a “neutral gray.” The same holds true for the taste of the new Girl Scout Cookies. So your first line of defense when you’re under pressure to buy: Remember: they don’t taste as good anymore.

Second, you’re getting ripped off. I don’t understand how a “box” of Samoas can equate to 15 TINY cookies. And is it just me, or do the cookies themselves seem to be shrinking each year? My point is, you’re getting much less cookie for your money. If you’re addicted to Thin Mints, a better value would be had by trying the Keebler brand Grasshopper cookie, which is nearly identical in shape and flavor.

If you’ve already caved, then rationing is one way to put some control on your inner cookie monster. If you’ve already purchased the cookies, take one or two boxes of your favorite cookies and put them in the freezer and limit yourself to one every other day, or whatever you feel is reasonable. If you have problems controlling your consumption of the cookies, try my concept of Zen Cheating.

Give away the cookies to your local food bank, church, or community center. Send them overseas to our military personnel. Take them to an expecting mom. Or the next time you fly, bring a box for the flight attendants. They almost never receive anything nice from passengers, and it might just get you bumped up to first class.

I don’t generally recommend doing weight training in a fasted state first thing in the morning. It’s a good idea to have a light snack before a workout (something with glucose: some raisins, a protein bar, apple, etc). Even worse: eating nothing, then drinking water during weight training. That’s a recipe for nausea.

Here’s what Bronson and I will be making this weekend. (BTW, this recipe makes 25 brownies and takes about 30 minutes of preparation time, plus 35 minutes bake time).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons wheat bran, or oat bran
• 1 1/4 cups plus 1/2 tablespoon soy flour
• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon no sugar added vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Low carb chocolate frosting, (directions & recipe follows) (more…)

Mom, can you make this the next time Bronson and I come visit?