So I finished my challenge...now what? Burpees?

So I finished my promised 30 days of eating clean (months ago) and eating primarily out of a produce basket and Hu Kitchen. I felt great, lost a few pounds of fat, and got rid of that urge to constantly have sugar and simple carbs.

Then the holidays happened...

I know most of you understand what I'm talking about - the cookies, the cakes, the....well...cookies....

I felt like all the hard work I had put in had been swept away with an array of brownies and egg nog. Luckily, my support system at home helped me to find my way back to healthy foods; but I still can't seem to shake the holiday sugar cravings and my motivation to do simply "do more cardio" has fallen by the wayside. So what do I do? I decide to do a half marathon. That should be fun, right - 13.1 miles of running? At least I decided to do the D.C. Rock N' Roll half marathon so there will be live music at every mile...right?

I take my career very seriously. Most of my day to day decisions are based on what would help me be more prepared to work. In order to maintain my "ready for work at any moment" physical shape I demand of myself, I have a bit of a training minimum set up each week for myself. Most of this training comes in the form of conditioning - hence the half marathon/forced/built-in cardio. Which brings me to my next "challenge" for myself.

Dr. Oz was showing us his two minute morning routine which started out with several "star jumps" or  full squat to jump type movements.  I was thinking...wow that looks stressful on the back and body first thing in the morning...and I was also thinking...hmm, maybe I can do burpees every morning?

How about I roll out of bed and start my day with some burpees every day for a while? No time limit, but lets just say at least 30 days... starting with rolling out of bed and doing ten. Fair starter number? 

I will post pics or videos on my instagram (@stuntgirlheidi) and occasionally update this blog while talking about food and probably some of my marathon prep. I'm just hoping to make it to the finish line in one piece...

Time for me to drop and do some burpees....I see sushi in my future...

In food and burpees,

Hungry Stuntgirl

@stuntgirlheidi

Stocks, Stunts, and Sleep

"Heidi, what time do you get out of work?"
"I don't know - it depends on what time I wrap."
"What do you mean? You don't know what time you'll be done?"
"Nope."
"I don't understand..."
"I get that a lot. I'll just text you when I'm done. I'll explain it to you later."

This is a typical conversation I have with friends who aren't in "the business." Making plans can sometimes be...interesting. Having a social life outside of work, while also operating on a more strict diet than most is also challenging, but TOTALLY doable - it just takes some time to figure out what to eat out, and where to go with friends and loved ones.

I often times find myself trying to negotiate food, sleep and work when faced with a busy (busy is good...) work week. Most people I talk to are faced with the same issues, even with completely different jobs. Making good choices becomes a necessity when you can't necessarily cook or bring prepared food to work very easily; luckily, my meals at work are catered and always offer a fish protein and salad bar so I know I'll always be able to eat something. Lara bars have been awesome in keeping me energized and not hungry during those times where I can't get away from set.

During this challenge, I've had to eat some food on set and then find that I have a bunch of food left over in my fridge from the week's produce basket (when not eating at Hü Kitchen).

My solution for an abundance of veggies before they go bad? Vegetable stock! I took a huge stock pot, filled it with water, and got it rolling with all my left over veggies that I thought would do well in there - unknown greens, carrots, some squash, cabbage, carrot ends, summer onion ends, left over garlic pieces and onion, celery that started to get a little rubbery, radishes and whatever else i could fit in the pot. I seasoned it with some sea salt, whole peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and parsley.

After about an hour or two simmering, I just strained all the solids and BAM! Super healthy nutritious and actually quite delicious veggie stock! So easy and I don't feel wasteful. I got to put the extra in some containers in the freezer and just recently gave one to a sick friend who I believe got better because of my awesome stock. Also great for cooking or a soup base. Just sayin'.

As this 30 day clean eating/Hü Kitchen challenge comes to an end, I think I'm going to continue to eat as clean as I am now (including my Hü Kitchen meals) only now I will allow myself my occasional fro-yo treat, cocktail or beer. I have to say, my sugar cravings have almost COMPLETELY disappeared and I have definitely lost some body fat and feel significantly less lethargic - and I was only "cheating" occasionally!

Hope these are helping YOU along your journey, readers...I know just blogging about my experiences has been helpful to me!

I will continue to post food, experiences being a stuntwoman and lover of food, and clean eating. The next blog I will post my before and after pictures...stay tuned!

Yours in stocks and slumber,

Hungry Stuntgirl

Cheating...or Survival?

Cheating is wrong....right? Well here's the thing. When it comes to food, I feel like the lines can be blurred a bit.


I decided that I would limit myself to one alcoholic beverage per day (not EVERY day).  In my thinking, there were several days I didn't have a drink, so that means I can use them on the weekend, right? OK, so maybe not the best idea...but when I was enjoying my delicious clean brunch on Sunday (AFTER having done a workout) I felt like indulging in one of my allowed alcoholic beverages while cooking - a hard cider. Let me cut to the chase. I ended up having three throughout the day. Is that worst thing in the world? No. Could I have had a little more self control? Yeah, probably. Do I feel badly? Not really. I feel like I'm figuring this out as I go, and realizing I had that day to be by the pool and relax and have a few ciders gave me the restart I needed to face this week head on with super clean eating and minimal to no drinking.

Sushi with brown rice

Drinking aside, sometimes I am unclear myself on what to order when out. I was taken out to a sushi dinner (I was not in the city so I couldn't go to my old standard - Hü Kitchen) and tried to create my meal according to my "clean eating" guidelines. It wasn't incredibly difficult, but there were choices I had to make. No non-soy or gluten free soy sauce available, so I did end up dabbing a little soy sauce on a piece or two of a sushi roll. 

Another thing - I had brown rice on one of my rolls (that I ended up splitting). I have come to realize that in situations like this, do the best you can, and it won't screw up your game plan. I stayed away from mayo's and sugary sauces, and kept it simple. I'm sure there was a tiny bit of some sort of mayo in the spicy tuna tartare I had as an appetizer, but that's nothing I'm extremely worried about. I don't go out enough to sweat the small stuff. 

How I created the cleanest sushi dinner possible: 

-Ordered rolls wrapped with either just seaweed and no rice, or wrapped in cucumber

-Ordered without mayo or sauces

-Sashimi and avocado are a great way to get proteins and fats and feel satiated 

-Order a side salad or seaweed salad to get the greens in if there aren't many veggies in the sushi you order

Since being back in town, I've been completely on track and eating at Hü Kitchen every day, and making due with the fresh veggies, fruits, and eggs I receive in my produce basket. 

Soca #1 Wrap from Hü Kitchen with market veggies

Wild caught fish cakes, kale salad, roasted pineapple with cashew cream from 

Hü Kitchen

My home cooked dippy egg with sautéed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and balsamic vinegar, with torn basil leaf

Hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to make better choices. Heck, I know I don't always make the best choices, but when you try to stay clean, sometimes you get a little dirty.

Yours in healthy (ch)eating,

-Hungry Stuntgirl

Biking and Booze

Don't worry, I'm not drinking while riding. These are just a few things I wanted to talk about today. I went for a killer bike ride this weekend while visiting the family, and also was faced with the "am I going to allow alcohol" question. 

I really like wine. I enjoy it with or without food, and it definitely relaxes me at the end of a long day; that being said, I have to remember why I am doing this challenge. It is, after all, a CHALLENGE and not supposed to be easy breezy. I also have to remember that I'm trying to clear my body of toxins, and unfortunately for me, alcohol of any sort is a toxin. HOWEVER...I have decided, with Erica (my nutritionist) that we will allow a few drinks a week, not to exceed one per day/night out, and not every day. Beverages allowed will be wine and hard cider (both gluten free and fruit based). 

So far, I had a glass of wine at a big birthday party, a cider with a meal out with a friend, and a cider with a bun-less high quality grass fed burger after a long awesome day of work with some awesome people. As the week progresses and I head into week three, I will most likely keep that number of drinks pretty low. Wish me luck!

I would just like to share some of the delicious food I've been eating both from Hü Kitchen and when I get stuck away from home on set. Enjoy.

Grass fed organic burger (no bun) with lots of greens, pickles, mushrooms, grilled onion and tomato and a few sweet potato fries (cooked in healthy fats) with a hard cider.

Bowl from Hü Kitchen: Root vegetable mash, raw veg (beets, carrots, kale), small amount of organic pulled chicken, "Hü Bread" (all veggies and egg), cilantro and a touch of their house made bbq sauce

Hü Kitchen "Bonito" mash bowl: Organic fresh made almond butter on the bottom, nut and seed grain free granola (go to Hü Kitchen for ingredients), blueberries and cashew coconut cream

Clean eating never tasted so good...

Yours in wine and cider,

-Hungry Stuntgirl

Leftovers and Rashes

One of the hardest parts about living alone is food shopping. Well, I think food shopping for one can be difficult. It means you have to either buy super small portions of things, or by regular portions and just eat that same thing before it all goes bad. Buying smaller portions also usually means you are paying more for extra packaging and portioning. So, this has been a challenge for me: Re-using veggies, eggs, and even seasonings and dressings that I make and keeping it interesting. This is what I did yesterday:

                                                

Two "dippy" eggs, pan fried sweet potato "fries" in coconut oil and sea salt, fresh Israeli inspired "Italian" cucumber salad with tiny heirloom tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and a touch of olive oil and sea salt

                                                

Tuna salad (white tuna in water drained, black beans, whole grain mustard, 2 small anchovies, olive oil) wrapped in huge leaf lettuce wraps like burritos, side of leftover cucumber salad

Earlier in the week I had sweet potatoes. I actually try to keep them in my diet earlier in the day because they are what is called "tubers," which are very helpful for energy, and not as starchy as a white potato.  Needless to say, you'll probably see them pop up a lot in my meals; but even though I love them, it's hard to keep it new and fresh. I decided to use coconut oil this time and just plain old sea salt since I knew I was making a little salad with vinegar.

I have a ton of vegetables but can really only conquer a few at a time. Yesterday I chose to use the rest of the cucumber I had used in my quinoa salad from a few days prior. I am definitely learning as I go, and even re-using dressings or components of the dressings like the whole grain mustard and anchovies from my "caesar"-ish dressing from earlier in the week.

These at home meals combined with my prepared meals from Hu Kitchen are keeping me on my toes, and making every meal a new experience. Eating cleaner has been a DEFINITE challenge, but when I see things like this happen to my body, I'm definitely more motivated to stay on track:

                                      

My skin on my inner thigh one week before eating clean, then again last night.

I don't know if you can see it that well, but that is a skin irritation I have (eczema) that has cleared up due my clean eating habits I am forming. There really is no other explanation. This has happened before when I have done this sort of "detox" from dairy, sugar and gluten. It is amazing how the body reacts to real, clean foods. I am still feeling the affects of this detox and feeling pretty sluggish and tired, but I just have to remember I just began and drink plenty of water. In another week or so I should be feeling back to normal (or hopefully better) - and maybe a little less addicted to sugar!

How are YOU doing on your "challenge," whatever that may be? How do you deal with leftovers? I will keep trying to make this a little more interesting as we go with my own home cooking. 

Here's to making leftovers more delicious the second time around...

-Hungry Stuntgirl

Fat, Fun, and Sugar

I like all those words. Usually, they all go together - fat, fun and sugar - it's like the recipe for a good time! That being said, that's not what we're going to talk about today. Today, I am going to respond to a few readers (I know, crazy...I have readers!) and address some points.

Fat. No, I don't think I'm fat. Do I have slight body dysmorphia? Sure. Do most people in fitness and many (mainly females, but I'm sure males also) people in the entertainment industry also suffer from some sort of body dysmorphia based on what we think we SHOULD look like? Of course. Do most people in general? Yes. I'll dig a little deeper into this in a later post. For now let's focus on why, on the body image front, I'm doing this challenge.

My everyday routine revolves around my career. I want to be the best stuntwoman I can be, and as prepared for work as often as possible. The short answer is that I know I may have a slightly askew vision of my body, however the more condensed I can get my body, the better I can perform my job and fulfill some of the more common body type requirements for stunt doubling. Which is why I started this blog - to [hopefully] show that you can create amazing clean food and work it into a lifestyle of the average hungry person, and still be able to workout and be well fueled.

Fun. I got an email recently from a lady is concerned about my focus...that I may not be having enough fun, or at least not writing about it enough. Here is an excerpt:

"You're young, living in one of the greatest cities in the country with a cool career and so much to do and experience. Maybe include some of how you incorporate such an active lifestyle while maintaining a healthy diet... MAKE IT FUN!!!"

Let's just get one thing straight: If I'm not having fun, what's the point? The reason I do stunts is because I love everything about it and can't see myself doing anything else. Yes, I'm really hunkering down and making a choice to eat clean as a lifestyle, but I am by no means making this a daunting task, or refraining from being social. I am most DEFINITELY going to keep doing the things I love. HOWEVER, I will be approaching things form a clean standpoint and making better choices. I am eating clean not only for my physique, but also for the longevity of my body inside and out. So, thank you, reader! I will definitely try to share with everyone how I manage to make fun out of every single day; but just so you know, I think gymnastics and skateboarding are pretty fun.

Sugar. It has come to my attention that the types of sweeteners I'm allowing is a little unclear. So let me break it down:

-NO Refined (white or processed) sugar - this includes standard table sugar, syrups, or anything processed to death

-NO Cane sugar - this means no raw sugar cane, or any sugar from the cane due to it's extremely high glycemic properties

-NO Artificial Sweeteners - this includes Splenda and Equal

- NO Corn products - no corn syrup of any sort - high glycemic and hard to digest

-YES to stevia in the Raw, honey, maple syrup, agave (limited), and coconut sugar (lower on the GI)

Although I do have some natural sweeteners on the the list, I will use them sparingly, along with my daily fruit intake. Sometimes, I just need a little more sweet! 

Hope this clears some things up, and keep those emails and questions coming! Off to go throw some barbells around now...

With sugar (and by sugar I mean natural unprocessed sweeteners) and spice and everything nice,

-Hungry Stuntgirl

Gymnastics and Chia Seed Pudding

Today was great. Still becoming accustom to my clean eating habits, but feeling great after two pretty decent training sessions. I've noticed that when I get hungry or feel tired, I would - get this - EAT! Not a bunch, and not anything crazy either... I found myself hungry shortly after my amazing lunch (made by me) so I grabbed a few almonds and blueberries and I waited to see what would happen - and POOF! I'm good! I had energy and felt totally satiated. Plus, my organic blueberries are so tasty and sweet.

Breakfast: Matcha latte, seasoned sweet potato fries in coconut oil, 

pan steamed asparagus, and a dippy egg.

Lunch: Kale and red lettuce salad topped with 1/4 cup black beans,

1/4 cup left over quinoa salad, homemade dressing, and a fried egg and bubble water

Snack: This made my day! Chia seed pudding (chia seeds soaked in coconut milk, vanilla and chocolate), strawberries, and toasted coconut clumps

Dinner: Endive filled with Kipper salad (organic smoked kipper with whole grain mustard, 2 small anchovies), snap peas and hummus

After an amazing gymnastics session at Chelsea Piers, I had a KILLER spin class with the one and only Ms. Kira Stokes at Revolve cycle studio in Union Square...and I think it was that snack that kept me going after an hour of high intensity sweating and cycling. 

Time for a tall glass of water and bed time...

Think happy thoughts....

-Hungry Stuntgirl