Passionate about the transformative benefits of yoga, Wini Linguvic, has been changing bodies for over 25 years. You may know her as the author of the yoga chapter in Forever Young,  she’s also the best-selling author of Bodychange and Lean Long & Strong. Wini has been changing bodies for over 26 years and is excited to help answer your questions and keep you motivated during Start Fresh Fitness Fridays. Her approach to pushing past one’s prior limitations is well balanced with her serious focus to the science of changing bodies.

What are your questions for Wini?

Perriconista Amanda has sorted the 28 Day Diet Shopping List into categories for easy shopping.

Vegetables

• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Watercress (x9)
• Celery
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Red Onion
• Orange Bell Pepper
• Endive
• Squash
• Zucchini
• Shitake Mushrooms
• Cucumbers
• Cauliflower
• Arugula
• Dandelion Greens
• Bok Choy
• Avocado
• Mushrooms

Fruits

• Blueberries
• Lemons
• Honeydew Melon
• Strawberries
• Pears
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew Melon
• Peach
• Apple

Dairy

• Cottage Cheese
• Plain Yogurt
• Goat Cheese and/or Feta Cheese
• Fresh Mozzarella

Canned Goods

• White Beans
• Artichoke Hearts
• Chickpeas
• Kidney Beans

Nuts

• Hazelnuts
• Almonds
• Pecans

Protein

• Deli: Low Sodium Sliced Turkey and/or Chicken Breast
• Crab Meat
• Smoked Salmon
• Ground Turkey
• Salmon (2 lbs)
• Eggs
• Trout
• Turkey Bacon
• Water Packed Tuna
• Cod
• Rotisserie Chicken
• Chicken Breasts
• Canadian Bacon
• King Crab
• Halibut

Other

• Rice
• Slow Cooked Oatmeal
• Chia Seeds
• Green Tea
• Olive Oil
• Dijon Mustard
• Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• Olives
• Garlic
• Champagne Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar
• Capers

The holidays are notorious for overindulgence in both food and drink.  To help you stay slim through the New Year, follow these 5 tips to help you cut down on saturated fat and calories:

1. Enjoy a cup of hot soup before meals. This will greatly decrease hunger and ensure that you eat less during cocktail parties or heavy holiday dinners.
2. When cooking, choose organic free range poultry that is free of hormones. The hormones are designed to fatten the birds and can end up fattening you as well.
3. Eat artichokes!  They not only protect and regenerate the liver, they provide an entire day’s worth of fiber.  This ensures that you won’t overate and that you will maintain a healthy digestive tract.
4. High fiber foods such as dried beans and lentils make great dips.  Beans and lentils prompt more burning of body fat, stabilize blood sugar more strongly, and pack much more protein than any other plant food family.
5. Enjoy spicy salsas made with Jalapeño peppers.  The capsaicin in the peppers will accelerate metabolism, speed up fat burning and decrease appetite.

What are your tips to stay slim during the holidays?

While it’s tempting to overindulge in alcohol during the holidays, too many cocktails can become apparent on your skin.  Alcohol causes small blood vessels in the skin to widen, allowing more blood to flow close to the skin’s surface which produces a flushed skin color and a feeling of warmth.  While this may give you a temporary holiday glow, it can lead to broken capillaries on the face.  Alcohol-induced dehydration also makes the skin more prone to fine lines and wrinkles.  And since alcohol alters blood flow to the skin, it will give you an unhealthy appearance that can last for days.  So opt for a glass of antioxidant-rich red wine, and be sure to hydrate with plenty of water for healthy skin that will last well into the New Year.

What are your favorite non-alcoholic beverages for the holidays?

Today, guest blogger Perriconista Kimberly works shares her tips for staying fit during the holidays. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s entry on clever at-home exercises to keep your metabolism revved.

I recently  was shocked to read a report that said Americans gain an average 6-15 lbs. of between Halloween and New Year’s Day. I’d like to share some tips with you that I use to help stay energized and prevent weight gain during the holidays, even during days where our diet might not be 100% Perricone friendly.

1. Increase your Omega 3′s! Dr. Perricone recommends taking up to 9,000 mg of Omega 3′s per day for optimal fat burning. If you know you’re going to be consuming additional calories, this can only help. Added bonus: during these dark winter months, Omegas help keep your mood positive.

2. Drink Up! Drink lots of cold water before your meals.  We know that drinking water helps to make us feel full, but the coldness of water helps to burn more calories, so add more ice.

3. Do an Interval! Practice short bursts of exercise.  On days where my calendar is too full to make it to the gym, I do strength training and cardiovascular activities at home.  Even 60 seconds of intense effort throughout the day can significantly improve your metabolism and maintain your weight throughout the holiday season.

What are creative ways you use to keep your weight in check during the Holidays?

The holidays often bring lots of holiday dinners, cocktail parties, and celebratory events. These festive events usually offer an abundance of wine, beer and cocktails. I’m often asked what is the best way to enjoy a drink or two while staying healthy. When it comes to alcohol, choose red wine, rich in flavonols, anti-aging antioxidants. But remember, moderation is the key.

Studies show a daily glass of red wine offers:

• Protection against certain cancers
• Protection against heart disease
• A positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure

So pass on the sugar-filled cocktails and skip the caloric beers and opt for a glass of red when celebrating this holiday season!

What are your favorite healthy holiday drinks?

Today’s guest blogger, Amanda, a busy mother of 2 loves to cook and entertain incorporating staples from the anti inflammatory kitchen. Today, she shares her tips for picking the right anti aging all star, the Pomegranate.

One of the reasons I love the holidays is because I have an excuse to indulge in two of my favorite hobbies: decorating and entertaining. This year, I am inspired by the plentiful bounty of pomegranates. These little red treasures are filled with versatility and creative culinary opportunities. Because Pomegranates can be stored at room temperature for up to a month, they are useful as a unique and edible decoration on a table-scape. The sweet-tart flavor of the arils (seed sacks) are packed with powerful anti-aging antioxidants.

Picking the right Pomegranate:

1. Choose pomegranates based on weight, as heavier poms have more juicy arils.

2. A darker, deeper red pomegranate will have a sweeter, less tart flavor.

3. Pomegranate juice will stain anything it comes into contact with, so cut your Pom on a non-porous surface.

Now that you’ve picked the right one, how do you prepare it without making a mess? Stay tuned for tips on how to extract the seeds easily!

How do you incorporate Pomegranates or other edibles into your cooking and decorating?

This year, I turned to a secret anti aging ingredient: almond meal. The simple flour made from ground almonds makes for a heart healthy, gluten-free pie crust with a flavor that complements Thanksgiving pie recipes like pumpkin. I developed a press-in-pan recipe to be as easy to prepare as possible, yet still achieve a tasty crust. Then I created a perfectly spiced pumpkin filling using coconut milk and sweetened it only with real maple syrup for a delicious and creamy healthy dessert packed with antioxidant protection.

Almond meal is sold at most grocery stores, but you can also make your own by grinding lightly toasted blanched almonds in your food processor until they are the texture of coarse meal. Check back tomorrow for my recipe for Creamy Pumpkin Pie with Almond Macaroon Crust.

What steps do you take to make Thanksgiving dishes healthy?

• Some of Dr. Perricone’s favorite anti aging foods like black or red quinoa or black forbidden rice can be used in place of bread to make a delicious gluten-free stuffing
• Maintain the flavor you remember with fresh herbs
• add a favorite fruit or vegetable and toasted nuts