New Year...new tricks for 2010!

After a brief holiday hiatus and respite, the blog is back up and running. And to kick this new year and new decade off in tune with everyone's sound (and of course lasting) resolutions to eat better, get their booties to the gym and bust those extra lbs, I figured I'd do a brief feature on a few items to jumpstart (and actually stick to!) 2010.

1) New year, new on-the-go snack. In the spirit of giving your body really good food despite all that life and crazy schedules throw at us, there's a brand-spanking new granola bar that's fresh on the market for 2010. Get your snack-loving, energy-boosting, 4pm fix on...this is an awesome, all-natural addition to your snack roster (conveniently stashable in your desk, purse, man-bag, gym bag, what-have-you). I've mentioned 18 Rabbits in the past, you know I'm picky about granola bars, and these are darn tasty, super satisfying, and contain all recognizable REAL, organic ingredients (from pecans and dried bing cherries to cocao nibs, sesame seeds, and flaxseed). They're also made with natural sweeteners like honey and agave and come in around 200 calories. 18 Rabbits has come out with their fifth granola bar, Belle Bananas Foster, which I recently had the pleasure of taste-testing (I know, I have such a tough job). Made with caramelized bananas and dates, it's absolutely delicious, not too sweet and the right amount of crunch and chewiness. You'll find 18 Rabbits' granola and granola bars at certain Whole Foods, local Dean & Deluca stores and of course online.

2) Variety...and more of it. If you're looking to stir things up a bit in the New Year, get out of your holiday/winter weather slump and give yourself a bit of a slimming, pound shedding boost without going to extremes (does anyone really like harsh, starvation juice fasts or chaining themselves to the treadmill 24-7?). Try something as simplistic as variety. Change up your fitness routine - take a new spin class, get back to running or yoga, bottom line do something DIFFERENT! This goes for your diet as well. Work in a new healthy carb like sweet potatoes or wild rice and swap the excess Christmas cookies and holiday chocolate. Our bodies like change and to be challenged, it keeps our metabolisms revved up and will 100% assist in shifting the scale back to where it should be. Check out the current issue of Time Out NY for their annual fitness guide -- the best classes and personal trainers around NYC to literally get your a*s back in gear -- and a quick shout out to one of my favorite people (and top personal trainers), Lacey Stone who was featured as a TONY superstar trainer.

3) Pick up some citrus. This is one of my sneakiest tactics to kissing holiday bloat goodbye. Grab a grapefruit, an orange, throw some lemon in your water or tea for a few days straight. Packed with potassium, citrus fruits combat water retention and help you feel naturally "cleansed" and back on track fast.

Happy 2010, here's to a killer year ahead!

Raising the bar...what's your favorite?

The comments and questions around energy and granola bars that I get from clients and friends never seem to cease. Nor do the mounting number of new-fangled bars that flood grocery store shelves week after week.
Bars come in handy because they're convenient and if you're lucky, fairly healthful, but that doesn't mean they're your go-to meal of choice (sorry, fresh fruits and vegetables aren't off the hook!). The right bar can be a great, satisfying and energizing snack or an occasional quick breakfast or lunch when you're traveling or seriously strapped for time.
So what you should ideally be looking for in the "perfect bar"...and hopefully this isn't as taxing as trying to find the "perfect mate".

• Skip chocolate-coated bars -- they make encourage you to crave more sweets; when you're dying for real-deal chocolate, have a small amount and make it REALLY freakin good!
• Check the nutrition label -- the calories in some heavy duty energy bars can rack up to a small meal rather than a light, nutrient-rich snack. Stick with bars that boast an average of 150-225 calories.
• The fewer the ingredients the better -- keep it simple and look for bars with ingredients you actually recognize. I've found some of the most-satisfying bars only have 3 or 4 ingredients...and they're all-natural!

So what are my top 5 favorite granola/energy bars you ask? Drum roll....(these are listed in random order.

1. Kashi TLC Bars - your basic, no-nonsense granola bar in flavors like Cherry Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Roasted Almond Crunch (140 calories, 5 grams fat, 7 grams protein)
2. Larabar -- simple unsweetened fruit and nut ingredients keeping it real. I love the Ginger Snap, Pecan Pie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors. (220 calories, 14 grams fat *healthy fat from the nuts!, 5 grams protein) *Bonus, they're gluten-free.
3. Clif Nectar -- another unsweetened (this one's organic) fruit and nut bar with some amazingly delicious chocolate/cacao flavors -- just the way I like it (no worries, they're not coated in chocolate). Cranberry, Apricot, Almond or Dark Chocolate Mocha flavors...among others. (150 calories, 5 grams fat, 3 grams protein) *Bonus, they're gluten-free.
4. GNU Flavor & Fiber Bars - LOADED with fiber (12 grams - ie. half your day's worth!), this bar is crazy filling and will keep your digestive system feeling just fine. Banana Walnut, Orange Cranberry, Peanut Butter flavors and more. (130 calories, 3 grams fat, 3 grams protein, 12 grams dietary fiber!)
5. Clif Bar - while they're made with 70% organic ingredients and have some added soy protein thrown into the mix, these bars are a bit more on the hefty side, read: more calories and a little more protein, but they can come in handy when traveling or a for more satisfying breakfast on-the-run. And the guys seem to really dig them. The one downfall I must point out, it's my professional duty -- the first ingredient is 'organic brown rice syrup' (ie. a natural sweetener -- even if it's organic, it's still a sweetener). Spiced Pumpkin Pie, Cranbery Apple Cherry, Peanut Toffee Buzz, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut to name just a few. (240 calories, 5 grams fat, 10 grams protein).

There's a number of other good bars out there (Weil Pure Fruit & Nut, Odwalla, KIND Bar, to name a few). You can even custom-build your own energy or granola bar that meet your dietary specifications and taste preferences -- check out http://www.youbars.com/. Stick to basics and you can't go wrong. What's your favorite bar?

thanks for the sample T.H.!