YES, that is me doing a pull up – the results of 12 grueling weeks working out with the best personal trainer I know. I met Ray 10 years ago as I was embarking on shooting a wedding special. Getting married seemed so confusing the only way my husband and I knew how to navigate it was by producing a show about it! Ray trained me for 7 weeks, I lost 4% body fat and was in the best shape of my life. Watch the video here (scroll forward to 1:55). AND CHECK OUT HIS HAIR!!!!

And a decade later he has his very own boutique gym. Ray, I am proud and privileged to have you in my life. And the gift you gave me and my Mamas makes you the most generous man I know! I love you, Ray Ray!!!  Only you could push me this far:

It’s hard to believe that Bootcamp is over. Did the 12 weeks fly by or did they take forever? I can only liken it to watching your kids grow. The days can be long, but time still flies. So what did I get out of this except for the 12 pounds & 5% body fat lost?

I now know that I’m a Warrior. Let’s define the word, shall we?

war·ri·or

[wawr-ee-er, wawr-yer, wor-ee-er, wor-yer]

a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness.

Yep, that’s me!

Bootcamp got all of the Mamas into an insanely focused zone, where making our well-being was not a choice but the task at hand. And what I have realized is that I can do this while still living the rest of my life. Still loving my husband, while still loving my kids, while still taking care of the kazillion things a Mom has to do on a daily basis. And like Lisa pointed out at the onset, if the laundry does’t get done once in a while WHO CARES!!! I don’t, that’s who! Below, me attacking the “speed skate”- proves you need zero fitness equipment to get into fierce shape. Just the will.

I’ve also learned that having a support group makes all the difference. I cherished every moment of grunting through the torture with the toughest team of moms, heck, of women, I know. Their dedication to this experience was unparalleled and early morning existential chats about life and motherhood with Marina in the fly Mommy-mobile, my Traverse was just one more perk of the process. I reunited with some old buddies of mine from the club days and most of all have new friends that I will surely have forever. Alicia, Natasha, Crystal, Tiffanie, Marina and Jen: I love you all and thanks for embarking on this crazy plan I put together.

As of today, Sunday January 29, we have created a thread of 2,786 messages on facebook between Ray, Lisa, The Mamas and myself. You see, I group messaged them at the onset, and the conversation has been ongoing ever since full of waaaaaaay too much TMI!!! Too TMI to share and sill remain a family show, sorry! The generous Folks @ NYSC pitched in with free 3 month memberships for the gals and we each got a personal training session once a week. Here is me boxing mine. Thanks John!!

The good news is that The Bootcmap Mamas will live on. I have decided when my show re-debuts on a new network in April (more info to come) – I will feature a fabulous NYC fitness story and the Mamas will tag along!  First up is Brooklyn Boulders this coming Saturday where Lisa will embark on a battle of the sexes and attempt to beat this guy up the toughest climb. Hey, even Lisa needs a challenge every once in a while! LISA, MEET ALONZO, ALONZO, MEET LISA. (CAN U SAY HAAAAWT!)

Now last but certainly not least, I have to bow down to our Princess Warrior. When I came up with the plan, I was just getting to know Lisa. After her spin class one day she told me about a cool place her daughter Nicole worked at, and thought it might be a good story for the show. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese had opened up on Broadway. I covered it in this episode (scroll to 20:33).

Then I asked her to tag along with me and Marina to an outdoor art installation up in Garrison later that day. Afterwards, at my house she said she wanted to do bootcamp with us. I told her if I put her in the group and on tv as a mom who needed to get back in shape, people would hate me and they would hate her because she has NOTHING to lose. We agreed she could be our guide and assist us with nutrition.

But she has done way more than that which brings me to an interesting conclusion: Ray, Dr. Bob and Lisa all have an incredible characteristic in common. They are truly great motivators, yet they don’t judge. If you falter they are there to pick you back up, no questions asked. They are our trifecta of unconditional love. Even typing this is making me teary eyed.

Lisa, you are an incredible inspiration and have made an ever-lasting impression on my life. And…YOU ARE TOTALLY INSANE!!!! Which I love of course. Today at Renegade Insanity, my eldest son played correspondent.

Another perk of the process is that I have gotten to know so many more Mamas! Mamas who kick ass and take names! They all work out at my local gym and are as crazy as I am. Just when you thought the suburban mom next to you was a boring drone, think again. She could be just as hilariously insane as you are! These gals certainly are. My Post-Spin Renegade Botocamp Mamas!

I still have a ways to go to get back in true fighting form, but now I hold the keys in hand, the tools to make it happen. This summer I’ll be strutting my stuff in a bikini – looking just as good as I did on my wedding day and by 2013 Alicia will be wearing my wedding dress….which brings me to…..some final words from the girls.

Alicia has shooed the haters away, lost 33 pounds and at 5′3″ that makes a HUGE difference. PLUS SHE ASKED ME TO BE IN HER WEDDING PARTY!!! WOOOO!!! Can you say My-Big-I-Used-To-Be-Fat-Latino-Wedding???

Crystal has lost 36 pounds and 9 INCHES OFF HER WAIST ALONE!!!!!!

Tiffanie still feels defeated even though she has shed 11 pounds off of her tiny frame! YOU LOOK GREAT!

Marina’s empowered, realizing that working out and making good food choices isn’t such a big deal. In fact, it is easy compared to what life can throw at you.

And Natasha, well, all I can say is she is going to look FIERCE in her teensy weensie feathery costume at Carnival. During these 12 weeks she has gone from a size 14 to a SIZE 8!!!!! Plus she will be working out with Ray vis skype! LOVE IT!

C’mon join the crusade! Fight the good fight! Fight to get fit! WE DID IT AND SO CAN YOU!! xos t

And now a final note from Dr. Bob

As you conclude this phase of the pre baby bootcamp, look back over the past 12 weeks and allow yourself to feel a deep sense of pride both for making the commitment  and for all you’ve accomplished.Whether your goals were modest or ambitious the fact that you embraced challenges, worked hard, and accomplished something worthwhile is what is most important.Realize that you’ve given yourself a gift-that despite the demands of ministering to a newborn-you’ve found a way to take care of yourself as well. Taking good care of yourself -being self nurturing-allows you to take good care of others. My hope is that you will continue on this path and to continue to reap the benefits of your hard work.

Bob! WE ARE SOOOO ON IT! xo t

Firstly, please note above picture is of my belly while SITTING DOWN! We ladies know that when you stand up you can suck in it, notsomuch when seated. My jiggly bits are a little less jiggly and my flab suit is beginning to shed. Almost 4 months after the birth of this incredible creature pictured below, pregnancy pants are a thing of the past. Muffin tops are not. But I’m working on that!

This week, I had a truly shocking moment. I was on the treadmill doing uphill sprints (yes- Lisa lives in my head) when I looked over to the dreaded mirrored wall to the right. I could not believe what I saw. I did a double take as if it were a dream. My butt looked GOOD! It was the first time since we embarked on this crazy journey that I did not wince while looking at my backside (or shudder or had the urge to vomit). Now, instead I was checking myself out and Baby liked what she was seeing!

I mean, there is still a butt on top of my butt that is being requested to evacuate the premises, but the butt on the bottom…NOT BAD! I tapped my fellow Mama next to me and urged Marina to check out my butt, too! She chimed in dryly, “So, what your saying to me is that you’d do yourself.” Heck, yeah!  We then decided my native American name would be Four Cheek. Hopefully by spring, it will be She Who Has Two Cheeks.

I did not have my camera handy so I had to re-enact the moment the next day, and got some pretty interesting looks as I posed on the treadmill as if in mid-climb. The folks at NYSC already think I’m crazy, and as we all know by now, I have no shame!

And crazy is what I was after a 60 minute spin class. I have been noticing my shoulders are starting to look fly and it is only motivating me further. After Dr. Bob’s AMAZING  class (click here for words of wisdom and motivation!), I rallied a bunch of the spinners to come do planks with me. So, six Mamas and one Papa strong we hit the mats (Even if Scott, Stacey & Debbie wussed out after 3 poses!!! YES I’M CALLING YOU OUT!). Punching planks, Mountain Climbers, Elbow planks, we did 10 variations for a minute a piece. By the end my arms were shaking and my shoulders felt like they may fall off, but in a good way. Somehow if I don’t feel like I’ve been to Hell and back during a workout, I’m not satisfied. This is me with the triumphant gals who FINISHED! Kristen and some other really nice gal who spins with us…but I don’t know her name!!!!

But while we are on it, let’s get a better look at my shoulders…..Yes, I am gloating slightly, but I have earned it!!!!! Dont’ hate the player, people…..They almost look as good as when my husband and I shot our first Travel show in Baja….waaaaayyy back int he day! A time when I did not think twice about wearing a bikini on TV.

All in all it was a pretty good week. My only regret is that I didn’t get to see Ray @ PedalNYC. Between snowstorms, work obligations and a son who is experiencing some serious separation anxiety (think he has caught on that the baby is staying for good), there were no Breakfast Boy Parties with Daddy this week at my house (the pictured below is an example of what I leave for my eldest son as I sneak out of the house @ 5am with my youngest – have breast milk, will travel!).

I miss my RAY! Lisa on the other hand has been sending me pictures of her meals. This one was titled “Meal 4: before the train so I don’t kill someone”. Hilarious. Hilarious because we all know how crazy one (ok, she!) can get if one (she) is starving, but also hilarious that this is a “meal”.  She calls this “steak”. I call it nuts and and an apple! (luv ya, girl!)

I had one more personal victory this week. Even though I was pretty much on my own, I realized Hey, I can do this on my own! I know that the Mamas and me will be friends until the end, supporting each other, rooting each other on, but at the end of the day it is my responsibility and mine alone. Only I can make it happen. And knowing that I can is truly empowering. Next Saturday will be our very last Bootcamp and we hope you will join us! Here is a group photo from the week before last (last Saturday was a snow day!!)

Let’s check in with my Mamas!! I’m going to post Marina’s on my page because it made me well up. She is the one with whom I shared this crazy idea while still preggers. Hatching an utterly insane plan was the only way I was going to ensure I got off my butt to do it. She was supporter #1!

Homage
by Marina Stenou

What do you do when you’re halfway to your goal weight and counting down the days till the end of mama bootcamp? Well, if you’re me, you wrestle down a major sinus infection, take on a LOT more responsibility at work and totally fall off the workout wagon. Yup, this penultimate week of mama bootcamp has me staring down some serious bandwidth limitations. On the positive front my eating habits seem to be almost in the final state of complete reformation. Despite all the stress on the work front and insane schedule, pulling 12-14 hour days in the office, I only dipped into the M&Ms and had a Three Musketeers bar for dinner but once last week.

So, instead of lamenting the sad state of my personal limitations I’d like to talk about something that is amazing and worthy of celebrating, not only this week but every week…The other mamas!

Let’s start with the mama who started it all…Toni! We know her, we love her, she is our fearless, crazy, ready for anything leader. And thank goodness for that…because were it not for her grand ideas, lack of filters, TMI moments and absolute ‘can do’ attitude none of us would even know each other. She is the glue that keeps it all together. She is the golden frame of our ever-shrinking picture of sisterhood, mama-ness and all around kick-assing on this journey. Dang, she is the reason we all piled into the Chevy Traverse, found Mr. Ray and PedalNYC, rocked NYSC and Weight Watchers in the first place. Thank you, mama Toni! We love you…

And my other mamas in-so-much-better-looking arms, Alicia, Crystal, Jen, Natasha and Tiffanie, you are my inspiration and my rock. When one of us is down, there’s always someone there to pick up the slack, send a positive message and lend a supportive ear…sometimes even dole out some tough love. I am amazed at how quickly and easily we all became a unit. As different and strong as we each are, we have each other’s backs. You have each made this journey such a pleasure. I can’t thank you enough for your kindness, encouragement, acceptance and pure mama love! You all are amazing!

Last, but certainly not least, our tribe’s leaders, Mr. Ray, Lisa and Dr. Bob. Such inspirations and role models! Thank you for keeping us honest, guiding without judging. Empowering us to do more than we thought we could. Thank you is not enough, but hey, it’s a blog post so…

The mamas have been on one serious adventure, my friends. From riding shot gun in the Traverse, to working the TRX, to eating pavement on Riverside Drive. It’s been incredible. Many have joined us, many have celebrated our small personal victories with us…but it us, the Bootcamp Mamas, who have been transformed through the incredible faith and guidance of our core team. The journey has just begun, and I for one, am so much the richer for getting to know each and everyone of the individuals who have been with me on it from the start. Thank you!!!

Marina

Now, onto other Bootcamp News….

Crystal had a similar experienced to one that I had this week. Coincidence? I think not! I had stopped eating red meat and I made the grave error of doing so this week and my body had a fit! Did not sleep a wink as the steak swished in my belly. Not pretty!

Alicia has a new long term goal. Down 25lbs, there is a certain dress of mine that I have offered to her to wear in 2013. Somebody’s sporting a major rock on her finger! And I better be invited! xo

Tiffanie is having to make the toughest choice a mother can face. Sleep or Exercise???? See how she is fairing.

Natasha – she has changed and her friends haven’t. Interesting challenge faces her as she heads to Trinidad for Carnival.

]]> http://www.tonionny.com/my-butt-looks-good/feed 0 http://www.tonionny.com/curried-chipotle-black-beans-with-coconut-bananas http://www.tonionny.com/curried-chipotle-black-beans-with-coconut-bananas#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:27:38 +0000 admin http://www.tonionny.com/?p=5100

So, the hubs made this in a pressure cooker. This Christmas I meant to buy him a slow cooker. WIth the arrival of our 2nd bundle of joy I thought a slow cooker would be an easy way to have a hot meal ready when we got home after work. But instead I bought a pressure cooker by accident. (I liked the way it looked and it took up less counter space but still held same volume as the other ones on display). BEST MISTAKE I EVER MADE because you can whip up dishes with dried beans in no time, like 20 minutes!!! No more gooey sodium laden canned beans for us!!!  (But this can be done on the stove top with prepared beans) Here are the ingredients.

1 cup dry black bean (1 can cooked black beans – rinsed drained if you are making in a regular pot)

1 diced banana

2 cups unsweetened silk coconut milk (NOT THE CANNED STUFF!)

1 diced onion

1 head of peeled and chopped garlic

2 teaspoons Penzey’s ground red chipotles

1 tablespoon za’atar spice blend

fresh cilantro – a couple of sprigs

4 small tomatoes – quartered

3 celery heart stalks – chopped

1 tablespoon salt (do not use if using canned beans!)

1 red and 1 yellow pepper diced

1 heaping tablespoon of Girardelli cocoa powder (or any other brand)

1/8 cup lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

________________________________________________
1. Sautee garlic and onion in za’atar, chipotle and lemon juice.

2. Add salt, beans, banana, coconut milk and cocoa powder, bring to a boil, and set pressure cooker for 22 minutes

3. Add peppers, celery, cilantro and tomatoes – pressure cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Serve over brown rice! So YUMMY!!!! My husband has never played by the rules. And is not bogged down by culinary tradition. His unique and spontaneous food combinations never cease to surprise and please me! I used to be a purist. I no longer am. Plus he is pretty cute and totally hilarious. I love you! (picture below at last year’s Emmy’s – we lost ALL SIX NOMINATIONS but had a blast nonetheless)

At the ripe old age of 15, I decided High School was a bore. I was always a very good student, but I was ready to explore the world, so I marched into my guidance counselors office and declared that I wanted to graduate early. I was in mostly AP classes, so, she said, this was quite do-able, I’d just need to do gym credits outside of school.

After my last class, I hopped the T home (grew up in Boston) and called my mom’s office to let her in on my plan which happily she did not have a problem with. But she didn’t think it was a good idea to go to college at 16, so, she suggested, why don’t you spend a year in Italy. GREAT IDEA, I concurred. And so, at 16, I packed a trunk and off I went.

I rented a room from a nice family who lived right smack dab in the middle of Piazza Santa Croce in Firenze (Florence) -numero vente due.  Pretty magical square, if you ask me.

The plan was to take Italian language classes at La Scuola Lorezo De Medici – my French was fairly good after a couple of months spent with friends of my parents in Paris and Nice (summer before before High School), and with a little prepatory tutoring from my mom – who was a Latin teacher before she went to law school (at age 40, mind you!) I would be able to communicate in Italiano in no time! PS I also met a cute italian guy with a motorcycle who didn’t speak English. That helped too. I spent my afternoons studying painting and Italian cinema, because can you really ever watch too much Felini??? I think not.

Now, if you love art, like I do, then Florence is where it is at! I made weekly visits to the Uffizi Gallery where I would spend hours sketching masterpieces – from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, to Caravaggio’s Bacchus (pictured, left). Then I’d meet up with some girls I had befriended at school and we would head to Piazza Signoria, sit outside at Rivoli, drink coffee and people watch for hours. Now, Rivoli is just across from the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio, which is the original location of the famous sculpture David. A copy now stands in for the real sculpture. But it pales in comparison to the real thing.

Now, if you are not familiar with this incredible work of art, then let me fill you in. David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture created between 1501 and 1504, by the Italian artist Michelangelo. It stands 17.0 feet high and is a marble statue of a standing male nude. The statue represents the Biblical hero David, a favored subject in the art of Florence. But the detail on this sculpture is so incredible that you might even think he is breathing. The veins on the arms and hands surely have warm human blood coursing through them.

It was the colossal size of the statue that most impressed Michelangelo’s contemporaries. However, the Italian painter and historian Giorgio Vasari described it as “certainly a miracle that of Michelangelo, to restore to life one who was dead.” Agreed.

It looks that real. But what is truly amazing is this: It is said that Michelangelo envisioned David within the massive piece of stone from which he was carved before he even began to chisel. According to the artist, David was already in there, Michelangelo only had to release him. And this, my friends, brings me to bootcamp.

An interesting thing has started to happen in the 10th week of my transformation. As I let go of gluten, I have begun to emerge. I feel like the sculptor chipping away at my exterior, one stroke at a time. Every plank I endure, every lunge I attack, every burpee I surrender to, I am releasing the inner me. The ideal me. The strong me. Now coupling the hard work with a week and a half without wheat, muscles that have been hidden by my flab suit are starting to appear. I knew they were in there. Take my tricep for example:

Oh yeah, baby!! I am working hard on my masterpiece, and unlike Michelangelo, it will not take me three years to carve. That said, it will take a lifetime to maintain! So, let me share with you some simple changes I have made, and let you know that my incredible husband has joined me in my wheat-free quest! It is proving rather simple to live without it when I’m faced with what I can eat!

Sushi with BROWN RICE PEOPLE! Most places do it these days. And my little trick to make sure I don’t have too much of it? remove half under each piece of fish. (That’s me, proudly pointing at the pile of rice!)

The old me would have devoured every grain of white rice and washed it back with a beer or 2 (let’s face it, sushi and beer go hand in hand!). But this time around, my husband and I sipped on green tea instead.  Below, close-up of rice! It adds up, people!

And now my amazing husband – who has a bit of a baking fetish – is making gluten-free bread around these parts! Talk about a team player!

And let me tell you, his very first attempt (with rosemary and fennel!) was a success!!!!

Now, when it comes to workouts, things are heating up at PedalNYC. I have discovered that Ray is a master at the TRX. Now, I have said this before but I never found it that challenging. But with Ray, let’s just say, this is not the case. He makes us do a lot of balance moves with it, plus in between every new move, we are either jumping over our mats, doing planks with alternating punches or running in place as fast as we can. Thursdays session: I was dripping with sweat 10 minutes in. Awesome. Watch him in action!!

And Saturdays Open Bootcamp was a BLAST!

I took Lisa’s spin class up in the sticks beforehand and all The Suburban Mamas wanted to tag along. So, we piled in my Chevy – (if you like my show “like” them on facebook!!) along with the baby and listened to Blondie on XM on the ride down. Rapture. Love that song. And of course I got my protein on. Please note: bottle. Whatever it takes, Mamas!

We did another 30 minutes of Spin (Hi, it was Lisa’s 3rd spin of the day-she teaches 2 classes back to back. Of course she does.) and then the Mamas and some Papas hit the TRX room where we alternated in group. Great group, great day!

And that Lisa, well, she has just gone insane. literally and figuratively. Her renegade Insanity Sundays have taken on a cult like status. You hear people whispering about them in the gym. A woman in my spin class the other day referred to her as a lion. I like that comparison.Here’s the Insanity Jump. Lisa makes it look to easy. I, however, was falling down!!

Plus I love when I get texts from her like: “I’m at a new level, veggie burger lettuce wraps! No meat no carbs but lots of fiber and protein!” It is hard to get unmotivated. I told her I was going to spin after her Sundays class because I’m channelling her. Her response? …”Ohhh then I think your getting on the big steps doing sprints if you’re that Cecereous.” PS Her last name is Cecere. Again, she is crazy. And she is right. But I did give Dennis a run for his money doing burpees today. BIG Question: why is there a butt on top of my butt??????

Ok, now how are my Mamas doing? Well, Alicia has dropped 25 POUNDS, people! Her new short term goal is to be under 200 by mid-Febuary. She’s got it in the bag! Long term goal, well, there is a certain old dress of mine she wants to get into in 2013. She’ll write about that next week!

Crystal is looking HOT. I’d be all over her, if I was into that sort of thing!

Natasha – she is TINY!!!!! Teensie-weenise and is going to ROCK her Carnival costume (which she will document on video for us!!!).

Tiffanie – I hadn’t seen her in a while because she has been sick. On Saturday a shrink wrapped version arrived. She says she doesn’t feel any differently, but I saw it immediately! She’s looking leaner and meaner! Tiffanie: Listen to your husband! You look great!

Marina! Oh, my Marina! Her fat jeans are falling off!!! And she will be joining me for brown rice sushi tonight!

I’m so proud of my Mamas. Truly floored by the dedication and re-education. Thank You Mamas, Thank You Ray, and Thank You, Lisa! And Thank You Bob, for being such a great cheerleader! I snuck into Bob’s class this morning after Insanity. It was overbooked by 12, as usual. And we all know why! xo t

]]> http://www.tonionny.com/bootcampweek10/feed 0 http://www.tonionny.com/loseit http://www.tonionny.com/loseit#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:46:20 +0000 admin http://www.tonionny.com/?p=4944

I must admit, last week I was scared. Very scared. Scared of the new rules. But as Dr. Bob tells me weekly in his spin class…You have to get out of your comfort zone to see real change. Lisa and Ray tightened the reigns….Mamas were going hardcore and being that I’m team captain, I had to commit. I had no choice (which is the whole reason I concocted this crazy plan to begin with!) Let us review:

Rule #1

No eating after 7

As much as I love and cherish every moment with my 2 kids, let’s be honest here, what mom doesn’t also relish the moment everyone is down for the count? Pre-Bootcamp, my husband and I would eat around 8pm when we could relax. 7pm seemed scary. 7-8 was happy hour, our alone grown up time, which brings me to….

Rule #2

No alcohol

My husband and I enjoy wine. And we really enjoy really good wine. On most Saturday nights you will find us in the kitchen with a bunch of friends, cooking while drinking it. When we decided to move to the sticks, we immediately re-did the kitchen to accommodate our love of entertaining and eating!

But let’s face it, after a glass of Borolo, I want to strip off all my clothes and roll myself on the cheese platter. Cover every inch of my jiggly bits with brie, camembert and smoked gorgonzola then lick it off myself like some mad dog in heat. After 2 glasses of Pinot, I want to cannonball into the porcini and pecorino risotto and after 3 glasses of prosecco? Well, let me just writhe my way into a giant rosemary foccacia and gorge myself to death.

Let me be clear, I do not often give into these temptations, but they do play out constantly in my head. Besides, who wouldn’t want to sit by the pot belly stove sipping on this?

Rule #3 (The Double Whammy)

No bread. No pasta

WHAT? No pasta?? No bread?? A real Italian can not survive without those basic fundamental culinary necessities. Lisa (who despite her last name surely is not actually italian- I think she is really a robot!!)  has gone raving mad in my opinion cue: her evil laugh. But as I gazed longingly at her rock hard abs and glutes yeah – I was checking out her butt! in her renegade Insanity on Monday, I thought, well, she probably knows what she is talking about.

I had no choice, Unless I renamed my show, I had to do it. So, I told Mario, I needed my space. My refuge? We will make up one day over his Spaghetti Carbonara @ Babbo.

I was shocked by what happened. Obeying each rule to the T, in 6 short days, I lost 3 pounds. THREE POUNDS! Did you hear me??? THREE POUNDS!

AND I did not lose my milk. This process has been a struggle for me because I’m still nursing, I have to be careful to give my body what it needs to make sure my little Yoda gets what he needs. When I told Lisa I wanted to munch on his little toes, she responded approvingly, “That’s a protein!”

I have been losing body fat (about 5% now) but not dropping weight like I would like to. In 8 weeks I was only down 7lbs. Crystal is down almost 30 pounds!!! Natasha is the incredibly shrinking Mama. Marina has reached her halfway point at 15 pounds. Tiffanie, despite her complaining and Debbie-downer attitude, is down 10! And Alicia – the dark horse – has kept haters at bay and has gone down from a size 20 to a 16!

And now finally I felt like part of the club – the club I created. In less than a week we brought the tally up to 10lb. Lisa said I may be able to go down 10-15lbs in 4 weeks and I thought NO WAY. I now say, YES WAY. Note: I’m going to have myself tested for Gluten allergy this week. Will report the results as soon as they are in.

The exit of alcohol was actually a relief. Being that the holidays were hosted chez moi and with tons of relatives and tons of chaos, much merriment ensued. My new beverage of choice, Water with Lemon and Stevia. When I used to go my fave fasting spa in Palm Desert, this is what we drank. Please note: never consume castor oil more than 1.5 hours before you high colonic. But I digress….

Now my husband and I eat with our eldest boy at 6pm. I do not deprive them of yummy carbs, we still take him out for pizza (see below- PS he LIKES broccoli on his pizza, thankyouverymuch) but my husband usually joins me in my food choice (ok, not at the pizza joint)– which makes it easier. He is getting back in his skinny jeans too!

But I believe the biggest assist has been saying goodbye to gluten (pictured below).

A reporter at heart, I began to investigate. Gluten-free has become such a buzz word. And I wanted to know why. What exactly is Gluten for starters? Plenty of people have wheat allergies that are serious – life threatening,. In fact one of my high school buddies Cybele’s kid had such a bad allergy that she ended up penning a dessert cookbook for the Gluten adverse. But interestingly, according to sources, even if you have a mild allergy, gluten will cause you to gain in the middle and make it virtually impossible to shed the spare tire no matter how much exercise and dieting you do. I’m still eating brown rice (in proper proportions 1/2 cup with a protein meal) and sweet potatoes (photo, below, hubby’s recipe at bottom of post). I can live with this until I reach my goal.

Now if only I could get on board with Lisa’s idea of “steak”. What’s “steak” you ask? An apple and a handful of almonds. See!! I told you! She is crazy. But that’s the kind of crazy I love!!!

As my friend Randy says, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. WORD! Now compare the picture below with the one above. That’s what 9 weeks can do! I’m not there yet, but I’m on my way. And this whole support group concept – of which I was NOT a fan before this experiment – is a key to my success. Accountability, peeps. Let’s make that THE word of 2012!!

If I can do it, you can, too! 1st step? Get on board with the Bootcamp Mamas and join us for a complimentary Ray torture sessions (luv u!) @ PedalNYC for FREE BOOTCAMP SATURDAYS! C’mon, you know you want to!!!!

But the real secret of success is to be prepared. When I decided to try gluten-free, I made sure to stock up on snackables to help me get through moments of weakness…. almonds, rice cakes, dried fruit. and have them with you always. Even when I hit the road in the handy dandy Traverse. (For info on the latest deals on my awesome mom-mobile – click here.)

Alicia is on board, she even sent me this useful link to help with recipes, etc. After all she is headed to Vegas next month to see her all time fave band Motley Crue. Alicia, you rock and so do all my Mamas! xo t

Trace’s Baked Sweet Potatoes Fries

Toss cut up potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil, cinnamon, cayenne, garam masala.

Bake at 400 for 35 minutes. Eat!

As a new Mom, I have earned the right to pump and dump every now and again. But as a Bootcamp Mama in the final four weeks….that right has been revoked. Ray is getting serious and Lisa is on our (better toned) butts. The new rules for the last 4 weeks are scary, intimidating yet somehow tantalizing! But before we get to that, let’s review, shall we?

Our last workout of 2011 at Pedal NYC was a killer and we had a big group! Remember, not too late to join in the Saturday sessions!

Note: We all know why I had to crop out Alicia’s hand.

We also took a moment to connect over what we have accomplished so far in our fabulous little group. Ray led the love in:

Meanwhile, Dr. Bob’s last spin class of 2011 resulted in a major dance party. I can only hope to have half his energy when I’m 66 years young! Truly inspiring!

Now, if you ever watch the show, then you know that we love food, and that we appreciate a carefully prepared cocktail. Ok, we also crave serious local craft brews and we did dedicate an entire episode to local wine.

The holidays were rather hectic and cocktail therapy assisted in my survival. That bled right into New Year’s Eve and the Champagne infused gathering at my home. But there are only 4 more weeks of bootcamp left and Lisa has laid down the law. Or should I say, the LAWS:

1. No eating after 7pm!

2. No cheat days!  (translated: no booze)

3. No pasta or bread (ugg)

4. Protein Protein Protein!!!!!

5. Plus one extra hour of cardio…A DAY! (my preferred torture device the BFS, below)

And what I look like afterwards, well, it is not pretty. It may appear to the unknowing eye that I lost bladder control somewhere along my 238 story climb. Not so. Just a sweaty mess. Check out the woman in blue on the treadmill thinking “What is this crazy Mama doing taking a picture of herself when she looks like she wet her pants?” No shame in my game, Lady!! Take THAT!

Now, of course these newly revamped rules are not completely mandatory – I mean, really, how would Lisa know if I snuck in a cocktail or a piece of pizza? She wouldn’t. But I would. And that is the point.

FYI  see her eating a GIANT PIECE of Vassilopita – Greek New Year’s Coin Cake @ Marina’s house, below. LISA IS EATING CARBS! CALL THE CARBO-COPS!!!

As I sat in my Chevy nursing my boy (tinted windows in the back row -love that car!) after Lisa’s renegade Insanity class at the local gym yesterday, she texted me something that struck a cord. This is what she wrote:

“We need deprivation. Through deprivation we find balance.”

I no longer only refer to her as Princess Warrior. We can add Yogi Lisa to her resume.

Now, if you think you had a tough time keeping your eating in check over the holidays, let’s see how our Mamas fared. I witnessed Marina’s newfound discipline first hand and how her husband has her back. Alicia found success -making strides in both food choices and fitness level, while Natasha,  Crystal and Tiffanie felt they fumbled a bit. So, how then did Tiffanie lost 2.5lbs this week? Some one is being hard on themselves!! And Natasha isn’t smoking!! Me? I have a newfound respect for tofu chicken wings which Marina’s husband served up at their annual New Year’s day party. Dang! They are GOOD! But not as good as I am getting at recovering my waist. HOLD HOLD HOLD!! Just 4 weeks left, we sooo got this, Mamas! PS I’ve tossed all my pregnancy pants! HOLLAH!

Man, I know it is easy to say it, but I Love New York! I love everything about it! The people, the different cultures, the history that lurks around every corner. And of course, the food! I spent almost a decade working in the city as an entertainment reporter for both Fox and PIX and when I had the chance to conceptualize my very own show, I left show biz and red carpets behind, because there is no bigger star for me than The Big Apple. We take on New York neighborhood by neighborhood, peeling away its layers as we learn about the immigrants that made this city what it is. Our very  humble production team is proud to bring you this show, which is truly a labor of love. We work long hours, conduct countless amount of research as we want to shine the spotlight on what makes this city the best place in the world. And we have our very generous sponsor Chevy to thank or making our production possible!

(The “Official” Bio)
Toni Senecal is a three-time Emmy award winning reporter and producer with acknowledgments in the following categories: On-Camera Achievement – Entertainment Reporting, Outstanding Arts Programming – Broadway’s Best and Best Educational Program – Toni On! Costa Rica. She began her career in New York as an entertainment reporter, interviewing the biggest, boldfaced names Hollywood has to offer, she brought Tinsel-town to the Big Apple each weeknight for 8 years, first at
WPIX and then at FOX 5-WNYW. During that time, she also went all over the world producing Toni On!, a travel and lifestyle program. As the host, she has made excursions to Alaska, Antarctica, Baja and Egypt. In 2005, she produced and hosted a half-hour special documenting the first U.S.-led trip to Libya in more than 20 years.

She launched her own weekly series, Toni On! New York in 2009, turning the spotlight onto the history of our amazing city while foraging for serious foodie finds and off beat destinations.

The Toni On! series has won 2 Emmys, with a total of 9 nominations, in the categories of Historic/Cultural, Arts, and Educational Programming.

Onwer Amy Lee’s mom came here from Hong Kong when she was just 6 years old. She has spent most of her life in Alphabet City… but when it comes to the stomach satisfying stuff comin out of her kitchen… the Lee’s are cookin it old school.  The menu simple. Home cooked meals even your mom would approve.

Pork shrimp shitake, watercrest, noodles, homemade dumplings!! My stomach is growling just thinking about it. The home made wonton soup will cure whatever ails you….Plus youll love the prices. Just a few bucks a bowl.  And let me tell you my little foodies…you have to try the grilled shrimp with lemongrass inspired by her husbands vietnamese heritage….Grandma May’s incredible tangy chicken wings…the best ive ever tasted! Then there’s the miso glazed salmon served with white or brown rice….the shortribs …..spectacular……. Lobster mango fresh summer roll which thankfully they also serve in the winter!

@ locations, one in soho, the other in chelsea….click here for more info!

Kee is SoHo’s version of Willy Wonka.  Mixing chocolate with funky ingredients turning  out killer candy.     Kee who is from Macao moved to New York 30 years ago. She set up shop here on Sullivan Street – and now people come from all over to taste her sweet treats.

Locals are very happy she found her chocolate calling, but she still keeps close to her roots……one of her specialties are tea flavored truffles including…..black rose! OMG is all i can say.

Kee cant whip up her chocolate ganache quick enough and her hand made macaroons are an exquisite treat in flavors like truffle oil, pineapple,verbena mint, cassis, and Kee’s key lime!

If you need to try Kee’s and, yes, you do, click here for more info!