Interview With Michelle Marie, Author of Eat To Be Fit

What general recommendations do you make when coaching clients on nutrition?

I recommend eating a “healthy small meal” every 3-4 hours. A healthy meal should consist of a lean protein, a starchy carbohydrate, and a fibrous vegetable. In order to be able to stick to this type of eating plan there must be a commitment and a plan. I know eating 4-6 meals a day in this hectic life we live in is not easy, but it is attainable as long as there is a commitment. In order to follow through with the commitment, there must be a plan. I ask my clients to plan their meals. Sometimes this planning means a day and time of the week in which groceries are done, and a day and time for bulk cooking. Most people fail because of lack of planning. In this busy life if we don’t have the food available we are more apt to reach for the quickest snack which always tends to be unhealthy. It is much easier to make the right choices when the food is readily available. Pre-cooking really helps with this. Also, I ask my clients to make an investment in the kitchen, take some time to make “healthy meals” taste great. It is easy to make healthy food taste great, it just takes a small investment in time, but it is sooooooooooooo WORTH IT! Soon, they realize how easy sticking to this eating plan is because they don’t feel deprived.

 

What are a couple big mistakes that most people make with nutrition and how do you get them heading in the right direction?

 

Mistake #1: People don’t eat enough. It’s the belief of eat less/weigh less! Tip to overcome this mistake: I teach my clients the terms “metabolism” and “thermic effect of food”. Once they realize that the only way to speed metabolism is through “eating” and that eating “burns calories”, they have a new found belief in “eating”. If they believe in something they are more apt to follow it. Most people don’t follow the “eat often” philosophy because they don’t get it! Nobody has explained to them the science behind it. When people understand that eating burns calories and that eating certain foods burn more calories than others, they will stick to the plan. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a FAT BURNING MACHINE???? Well, the only way to do it is by EATING!!! Who would have known! If there is a belief, there is a follow through.

 

Mistake #2: People eat the same boring & bland foods every day! Tip to overcome this mistake: Eating “healthy” does not mean eating bland and boring. There are tons of ways to season and flavor healthy foods so that they taste delicious. People are just too lazy to bother with finding recipes and new ways to season the same ol’ piece of chicken they eat every day. It is easier to eat the same boring meals day in and day out. But this is why people fall off the wagon. You can only deprive yourself for a small amount of time. When you eat the same bland and boring foods all the time, you feel “ON A DIET”. If you eat something tasty and delicious and different every day, you don’t feel as if you are “DIETING”. And this is possible by simply investing some time in the kitchen. Believe me, it will be well worth it! Imagine…….eating deliciously different meals every day, and losing weight!!! What more could you ask for?

  

Why did you decide to write your recipe book?

 

 I decided to write “Eat to be Fit” because I found that people couldn’t stick to an eating plan because they were eating the same thing all the time, depriving themselves of too much and they ended up binging and never reaching their fitness goals. I have been “eating healthy” for over 10 years, there is no way I could maintain this type of eating plan for this long if I wasn’t enjoy what I eat. I had to find a way to enjoy eating healthy, and I did!!! It took a few messes in the kitchen, but I found a new passion for cooking! I want to show the world that you can lose weight, get in shape, and reach your fitness goals without having to eat brown rice, chicken breast, salad, egg whites, and oatmeal every day. In my book “Eat to be Fit” there are over 300 healthy recipes for Lean Proteins, Healthy Carbohydrates, Vegetables, Snacks, and Breakfast Ideas. These recipes are quick, easy to make, and most importantly they are healthy and they TASTE GREAT! You will never feel as if you are “dieting” with these deliciously healthy recipes.

 

What makes your recipe book better than the others?

 

Most “healthy” recipe books are not that healthy!! They still use tons of ingredients that are high in fat and sugar which makes it hard to lose fat. Most recipe books also don’t show you how to combine foods to make “healthy meals”. In “Eat to be Fit”, I give people a plan, a shopping list, and tricks! The book is sub divided into proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, snacks and breakfast dishes. This makes it easier to make a “healthy meal”.

 

Can you share one recipe for my readers to try so they can realize that healthy eating can also be delicious?

 

Pecan Tenders (4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

½ cup Hi-Lo cereal, crushed

1/3-cup pecans, chopped

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips

2 egg whites

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp paprika

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven o 400 degrees, and lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Crush the cereal. In a large zip-lock bag, mix together the cereal, pecans, paprika and basil. Lightly beat the egg whites and dip the chicken pieces into them. Next, place the egg-covered chicken into the bag with the mixture and shake until the chicken is coated. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. When the chicken is done the juices will run clear.

  

To purchase Michelle Marie’s new “Eat To Be Fit” cookbook,visit her website at:

http://michellemariefit.radicalwebs.com/1store/products.php?CategoryID=1&ProductID=4185386