BE A SMART "SPRING CLEANER" WITH YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

We are now officially 80 days within 2009 and a lot has happened. Most of us at the beginning of the year made a resolution or goal centered around weight loss or some body transformation. I would venture to say that probably some of you reading this right now have put those New Year's resolutions/goals back on the shelf to dust them off again next January 2010.

Well pull those goals, promises, resolutions, and commitments back out!!! It ain't over til the fat lady sing, and she's at the buffet line so it's gonna be a minute.

Since Friday was the first day of spring, and we are 3 months away from the bikini season, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect back on the last 80 days and get us back on track and rejuvenated for the next 80 to come.

I thought that we should do some spring cleaning and go through our personal closets to make some alterations to better our current circumstances before spring gets rolling and summer creeps up on us. Here are some suggestions with regards to the goals that you have set forth to see if they need to be adjusted, tweaked, or just flat out thrown out and started over.

As I posted on a previous blog entitled 10 Habits to Adopt For New Year's Resolution, the bottom line is that the most successful people in life are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly what they want and have some sort of game plan to obtain it.

Let me repeat this last statement.

When you look at any successful person in life, rather sports, business, weight loss, etc. they are goal driven individuals. They know why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success.

With that said here are some tips to assist you with your spring cleaning with regards to your weight loss or body transformation goals. We want to be S.M.A.R.T. goal setters! This stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound/ tangible.

Specific- Your goals should never be vague or broad because it leaves out the accountability factor of goal setting. For example, a lot of people, including myself, have made goals wanting to lose weight. In theory, great effort, but no cigar! Tell them what they won, Johnny. It is too broad and vague. How much weight do you want to lose? Put a number on it or a measurement. Do you want to lose weight, tone up, or both? When do you want to obtain this goal? Next month? Next year? By the end of the summer?

That's where a lot of us fail as goal setters, we don't want to put the goal into too specific of terms because it forces us to have to work towards a deadline which if we don't meet, forces us to have to look hard at ourselves and examine why we failed. No one likes to fail, at least the clients that I train. Goals are means to an end. Remember the most successful people in life are goal driven. They set a goal so that it gives them directions on how to get what they are seeking and wanting.

Measurable- The previous tip goes alongside of this one. Make sure that your goals are measurable so that you can track your progress and keep a close eye on what needs to be tweaked or adjusted. The more measurable you have your goals, the more feedback you have in which to use and evaluate progress, stagnation, or regression. Again it's all about accountability and direction with yourself.

Attainable- Be sure that the goal that you have set forth, you can achieve. This doesn't mean sand bag your goals. Aim low, but don't waste your time on something that you know you can achieve without any challenge and effort. At the same rate, don't set the bar too high because you're doomed from the start. Make sure that you set up a goal that is achievable enough to where there is some struggle and challenge to it so that when you do obtain it, the reward and victory will be sweet!

Realistic- Never try to keep up with the Joneses! Let me say that again and then I will explain. NEVER TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES! What tends to happen is you attempt to obtain a goal that isn't designed personally for you. Realistic means that the actions associated with your goal are things that you can do. For example, if your goal requires you to spend 2 hours at the gym each day, that may not be a very realistic assumption. What tends to happen when a goal is not set in a realistic manner, the person becomes frustrated and they tend to fall off or quit the goal before ever obtaining it. Success breeds success.

Time bound/ tangible- For goals that have a natural ending (like outcome goals- which are the ones that we are discussing today if you are wondering), establishing a clear deadline for them adds an element of urgency and motivation. Trackability should also be included with time bound and tangible. All goals should be trackable so you can see what your progress is, either in terms of results you are experiencing, or actions you are taking. Tracking your goals helps you determine if you are going in the right direction and make any necessary adjustments along the way.

In addition, to the tangibility, make sure that there are some consequences if you are not able to obtain your goals. Pain sometimes can move us towards what we most desire. Likewise, add a reward as well to the tangible section so that you have something that you will enjoy once you obtain the goal. Why work if you aren't going to enjoy the fruits from your labor? If you write a reward and consequence with your goal, then it adds to the sense of urgency.

And finally, write down your goals and post them in areas where you most frequent. This is great for many reasons. Researchers have done studies that suggest that the more senses (sight, feel, auditory, smell, touch) used the more of a lasting imprint it has in the memory. With that said, if you write down your goals and post them everywhere, the goals become more realistic and aren't easily forgotten. (And as an added bonus...if you write it down, post it all over, and say it out loud daily...it increases the potential to obtaining that goal by 100 fold)!!!

Now that we have discussed a SMART Spring Cleaner, go back and take a look at the goals that you have set forth either recently or pull out the ones that were made for New Year's (heck it isn't too late to start back trying to obtain those) and put them in this format so that when summer gets here you will be turning heads and bringing SEXY BACK! YEP!!

It's A Process!

A. Lamail Spain

Charlotte Personal Trainer and Boot Camp

Burn Fat and Keep It Off For Good

The other day, one of my clients and I were talking about her goals and her expectations with regards to the program that we have designed. The topic came up AGAIN that she didn’t want to lose her butt all she wanted to do was lose and tone up her stomach as well as she wanted to slim down her waist. I immediately tried to educate her on spot reduction and the myth that has been around for centuries with regards to weight loss and body transformation.

Today we are going to explore this topic once again and see if really there is truth to the concept that a person can workout a particular body part or parts and reduce that without losing in any other area.

Myth #1 If I concentrate on the one particular area that I want to lose weight, I will see the results that I am looking for

This myth starts our little conversation. It is the theory of spot reduction. Spot reduction is simply the idea that if you work a specific muscle group you will decrease the amount of fat in that area. The most popular body part examples are seen when clients come to me wanting to get that J-Lo/ Beyonce’ butt, those Tina Turner legs, or those abs like Terrell Owen (yeah T.O. body I would die for!). These people main focus is on a particular area in which their efforts are to either enhance that area or lose the excess baggage that is currently around or on that area.
In reality, there is no such thing as spot reduction. You will never attain a flat stomach just by performing abdominal exercises.

Let me say that sentence again for those that are skimming this article: You will never attain a flat stomach just by performing abdominal exercises.

The reason for this is simple: the muscle is underneath the fat. So when you go to the gym (which if you have been reading my blog posts you have canceled your memberships and are currently working out at home) you see this everywhere. The guys that go to the gym and do the same chest and stomach routine over and over to still look like Bookman off of “Good Times”. Many people compare fat to the layers of an onion. Rather than disappearing from a particular place, it comes off layer by layer from the whole body.
Moreover, the way fat is shed is different from person to person. It tends to go from the most recent place it appeared. If your tummy started gaining first - this will be the very last place for the fat to disappear from. Sorry!!
This is why, for example, a man may complain of getting too thin in the face - and yet still have a small 'spare tire' around his waist. Or a woman may complain of a smaller bust, and yet the hips may have barely moved in inch.

Myth #2 I can do ab work and it will reduce fat around my stomach

Um wrong! Sit-ups will definitely strengthen your abdominal muscles, but sit-ups alone will not get rid of the layer of fat that is covering the muscles. To lose fat anywhere on your body you need to burn calories by following a program that involves both cardiovascular training and weight training.

Let me repeat that statement once again! To lose fat anywhere (butt, legs, stomach, back aka back boobies) you need to burn calories by following a program that involves both cardiovascular aka cardio training and weight training.

In doing so, you will decrease fat stores throughout your entire body, including the problem areas that you are so desperately wanting to get rid of.

You may notice that you sometimes lose fat in some areas more quickly than in others; this is simply due to a genetic selective pattern rather than a particular type of exercise. It is a well known fact that men tend to gain weight in their stomach region, whereas women tend to gain weight in their butt, thus the old comment about men being shape like apples and women being shaped like pears when they gain weight. If fat was mobilized, or used from the stores near the exercising muscle, then you would expect both men and women to lose weight in the same areas when following a similar program. However, losing weight in the butt is much more difficult for women than it is for men. Sorry Miss Jackson!!!

Myth #3 Muscle will eventually turn into fat if I stop working out

Another common myth is that muscle gained during a strength training program will turn to fat once you stop strength training.

Muscle is muscle and fat, or scientific term adipose tissue, is fat. It is like comparing apples to pears. Pun intended. They tissues are two different tissues which are completely independent of each other. If you stop weight training, your muscles will shrink because the stimulus to increase or maintain their size is no longer there; but by no means can they, or will they, turn into fat.

If you feel your body is becoming less toned or what I sometimes hear most men and some women say to me “soft” it is simply because your proportion of fat to muscle has changed. Fat, although you may not have gained any more of it, is now dominant simply because you have lost muscle. Another possible reason for the change is a common problem that exists with many people, primarily athletes and which happened to me once I finished playing college football. The problem is that they stop exercising, but maintain their eating habits, and thus slowly begin to put on weight.

You should see some of my friends that I played football with in college “Holy Jesus! Who is that?”

If you had been exercising but stopped, be sure to make dietary changes to compensate for the decrease in daily energy expenditure. As I was telling one of my newest clients this weekend think of the analogy of your body being a bank account. If you spend more money (energy) then you deposit then the result is a small bank account i.e. weight loss. But, if you put more money in (calories) but never go to withdraw any of it out then you will have a FAT bank account.

The Truth

Here's the skinny of the matter! There is very little you can do to influence specific fat distribution. Exercise should always be a part of any fat loss program -but vigorously exercising a specific body part will not have any influence on local fat in that area. This myth has been debunked again and again. One should enroll in programs that give them the best of both worlds- have strength and cardio training components in them. Boot camps and cardio kickboxing classes are great way to accomplish this.

It can be very frustrating but everybody is different. Stay committed to your training and nutrition - and don't be dissuaded by the commercials and images that show perfectly proportioned clones. Understand how your body works, and set achievable goals accordingly.

It’s A Process.

A. Lamail Spain

Charlotte Boot Camp

Come In Like A Lion with Your Fitness- How to Shovel Pain-Free

I have been told that usually March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and with the looks of things we are in the first couple of days and he is as furious as Scar from The Lion King. We’re officially in the midst of one worst winter storms here in Charlotte. I must admit, if there’s one thing that bothers me the most about the winter (besides the sickly cold and lack of natural light), it’s the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow. I can’t tell you how many clients of mine have tweaked their backs in their zealous attempts to keep a clear driveway.

Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. For those of you who do not live in Charlotte like me, you still need to know this information too. Why? Because with the global epidemic that is climate change you really never know when snow is coming your way. I was in Montana this past holiday season and the townies were talking about how they had suffered one of the worst winter storms in his 25 years of living there.

So, without further adieu, here are my top five safe shoveling tips:

1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling

Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real beast to move around. And if your body is tight and cold then you will dramatically increase your chances of short or long-term injury.

I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down shovelers:

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)

2.) Split Your Stance When Shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

Just as I instruct my athletes to pointing their toes in the new direction that they are intending to run in whenever they are changing direction, so is true for someone that is shoveling their driveway. This is a continuation of the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.

4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is crystal clear.

5.) Buy a Condo

This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. The great thing about a condominium/apartment community is that they do all of the outdoor maintenance for your home, including shoveling. This has saved me so much extra stress and time, and if it is a viable option and you live in a harsh winter climate, make the smart move and get a condo. It’s hard to get hurt shoveling if you never shovel.

The aforementioned tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next blizzard. Seriously, it’s not really cool to get hurt shoveling. It’s a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned. And if you do get hurt shoveling, be sure to lie when some asks why you’re in a wheelchair. Just tell them you got hit by a snow plow truck, it makes for a better story and your co-workers or friends won’t rip on you for the rest of your days, ha!


Charlotte, NC Boot Camp and Personal Trainer

Celiac Disease: An Interview with Rita Jackson

Tell me a little about yourself and how you were diagnosed with Celiac Disease.
My name is Rita Jackson and I have had Celiac Disease for 10 years now and have been on a gluten free diet for 9.5 years. Having Celiac Disease, has been a true BLESSING for me because it has saved my life. How, my body is not subjected to eating the additives and chemicals that are being added to our foods, which forces me to eat and be healthier. But most of all God has allowed me to educate others about the importance of what types of foods they are eating.

I was 36 when I began experiencing some itching on the palms of my hands. I didn’t pay that much attention to it, because after a while it went away. By the end of the week the itching began to spread to my legs, but the odd thing about it the itching would arise at the end of the day when I undressed. The itching was to intense, I was visiting the emergency room at least 3 times a week connected to a Benadryl IV. As time went along, my health took a turn for the worst, because my muscles and joints were being attacked, I was experiencing fatigue, and I lost 17 pounds in about a week and a half, which caused me to be somewhat immobile. His went on for months. I was diagnosed with Lupus, which turned out to be misdiagnoses. So, it was back to the “drawing board” for me. While all this was going on I was eating only eggs, drinking water and some milk because I had a strange felling it was something I was eating. I made an appointment to see another doctor who ran some allergic reaction tests using my blood. When the results came back it stated I was allergic to grass and wheat. I was astonished to know I was allergic to wheat, because I had been eating wheat all my life. When I questioned the doctor about me having an allergic reaction to wheat, his response was, “Some people do and it’s not a big deal.” I was not satisfied with that answer, so I began searching the internet for answers, and posed the question to my sister in-law who is a nutritionist, who discussed going on a gluten free diet, and told me about Celiac Disease. Well, this went on for 3 years, with no real diagnoses, until 2003 when I moved to Durham North Caroling and a doctor in Chapel Hill performed an intestinal biopsy that determined I had Celica Disease. (Although, I had helped the healing of my intestinal lining, I still posed signs of this disease.)


What are some of the challenges that you have had to face with dealing with Celiac Disease?
When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease the biggest challenged I faced was eating out at restaurants and at parties. I was so afraid to eat anything because of suffering intense itching and abdominal pain, due to gluten and other food additive cross contamination. I was afraid to question the waiter or waitress about items of the menu because I felt as though I was imposing upon them. (That ended soon) The second challenge for me was attending parties of all kinds. People would serve food that I knew I couldn’t eat and which was a drag, so I would end up drinking water, because I could not drink any the sodas or alcoholic beverages served. (I solved this problem by eating before I went to the parties or bringing my own food.) The third challenge is having more joint pain now than before which at times can cause slight physical limitations. Another is I have to read every food label before purchasing the item even if it is listed gluten free, because some companies change their ingredients from time to time. Finally the biggest challenge for me was finding gluten free foods, the cost, and purchasing gluten free foods that tasted good with out wasting my money. I can’t even express how much money I spent over the years on gluten free products that tasted awful, but if I had to estimate I would say over a $1000.00 or more.


Walk us through a typical day before you were diagnosed with Celiac Disease?
Before, I was diagnosed with Celiac, I was eating healthy, every active. I was able to eat anything I wanted, especially my favorite (BREAD). I guess you can say my life was “normal” to me because I had very little limitations in what I could eat and physically do. I was able to go out to any restaurant with friends or family to eat, and did not have to think about what I was going to eat.

Did you find it a difficult transition from a wheat-based diet to one free from wheat?
When I was first diagnosed I found it very difficult to transition from wheat and gluten based diet. One of challenge I faced was finding the right type of pasta with the right type of consistency I could make Lasagna and macaroni and cheese with. But the biggest challenge was finding the right bread. I went many 8 years without eating bread because I could not find bread that tasted good. I just find two types of breads last year that are perfect to my liking.

How is it different now that you know what to do or how to eat?
I’m not literally starving myself anymore, because I have a wide variety of foods to choose from, ingredients to cook with and cookbooks to show me how to make delicious nutritious meals and deserts. Also, I know which products to purchase now with out wasting my money.

What is the typical grocery bill like for someone that has Celiac Disease?
The typical grocery bill for me in the beginning was about $100.00 and went down to $80.00 to $74.00 and continues to go down. I have learned where to shop and call grocery stores, health food stores and check Glutenfreemall.com to see if any of their gluten free items are on sale. One other thing that really helps is Glutenfreemall.com offers points from products purchased that can be used towards purchasing other foods. This cuts the cost a little.

How did you learn how to maneuver around altering your lifestyle since having Celiac Disease?
Maneuvering has come a lot easier now for me than it use to be. Restaurants are offering more gluten free meals now which make it easer to go out with friends and family as long as it’s a restaurant that serves gluten free food. Going to parties is also easier now, because I just brought two or three items to the party that I could eat. I still have to be careful to avoid cross contamination at restaurants and at home.

I know when I went into the local grocery store to shop for Gluten-free products, the only thing that I was able to find was two margarines and some brownie and muffin mix. How difficult is it to shop and does it gets better with time and experience? In the begging it was difficult to find gluten free products, I was finding a few items just like you did and that I didn’t know how they tasted. But within the last 2 and half years it has gotten easier because more grocery stores are sailing gluten free items and some grocery stores have their own gluten free products now at reasonable prices.

Do you eat out a lot? How do you plan for trips or vacations?
I eat out every once in a while. I have to admit that sometimes when I do go out to eat, I am still scared that I might encounter some cross contamination. I only go out once every three months and sometimes it’s not that much. As far as vacations and trips, I carry my own salad dressing with me for salads and I take a lot of my GF non cook foods with me and snacks, I look up restaurants before hand that serve gluten free foods, and I have cards in different languages that explains I am on a gluten free diet and if they have anything I could eat.

What about your social life has it changed since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease?
My social life has changed a little, I don’t get asked out to dinner by girlfriends as much as I use too, unless I choose the restaurant. One of the most difficult problems is if I do go out to eat with friends and a “new” person comes with us and doesn’t know about my condition and ask me why I can’t eat a certain food, and I explain to them why, the others act as though they are irritated with me because they don’t want to hear about it anymore.


What would be some advice or encouraging words that you would like those that are reading this interview to know about Celiac Disease and how to deal with it?
I would like for everyone to know that having Celiac Disease is not a “curse’ but a Wonderful Blessing that saved my life, because I love to eat and I could be worse off if I had not been diagnosed. The best way to deal with celiac disease is to get more than one or two support systems. Find a doctor that knows about the disease and don’t accept more than one or two diagnosis that doesn’t connect with your symptoms. Search the web for celiac groups, chat lines ask companies if they could mail free samples of foods to taste and, attend gluten free food fairs.

What grain alternatives do you like cooking with?
I like cooking with Tapioca flower and rice flower.

I know we have talked a bunch before this interview about Celiac Disease, and you are the primary reason why I have taken an interest with learning more about this disease and trying to write and educate others out there about this disease. How did you get so knowledgeable about Celiac Disease? Did someone help you with gaining so much incite with Celiac Disease?
I had to do all the research myself, and I have not stopped because more information about Celiac Disease and celiac products is continuously brought forth every day. I spent about 3-5 hours online looking up information about celiac disease and companies that sold gluten free products, and now I spend about 3 hours or 2 looking up information and downloading new information and taking this information and creating it into a small pocket size booklet that I can carry around with me.

Where could someone go if they wanted more information about support groups or information to learn more about Celiac Disease?
If someone wanted to know more about this disease they should go to GlutenFreemall.com has books and your can subscribe to their newspaper for up to date news regarding Celiac, http://www.glutenfreeclub.com, celiac.com, glutenfree.com and glutenfreeraleigh.com. They can also attend workshops in their areas that teach about Celiac Disease.

Off the top of your head could you give those that are reading some quick tips or recipes or strategies that you have found that are successful that you use with preparing your food?
One food product that I missed the most besides bread was cake. I purchased an Xpress machine I saw on TV. Some of you may have seen it. This machine has allowed me to make individual cakes shaped like tacos with no oil or butter. I use Pamela’s gluten free cake mix and take out the oil and just use one egg and water. The Xpress machine uses air to make the cake rise. This cuts out a lot of calories and makes the cake fluffy.
There are so many foods items I can make with these individual cakes, such as Suzy Q’s I slice each cake through the middle and top with whip cream and replace the top portion. I also do the same and make it into a Chocolate Strawberry Short cake, just add whip cream and strawberries. My mother and I also came up with a healthy Crunchy Vegetable Shrimp Salad. You need sweet purple onions, celery, cucumbers, carrots, and shrimp and gluten free Italian salad dressing. Allow the vegetables to marinade in the dressing over night, do the same for the shrimp in another container. Next drain the dressing off the shrimp and vegetables and mix them together. Serve over a bed of lettuce. I have SECRET gluten free chocolate chip recipe but it will remain a secret.

On cooking, what is your favorite gluten free recipe - is there something you regularly eat at home, or a reproduction of a gluten-full dish you are particularly proud of?
My favorite gluten free recipe is the Crunchy Vegetable shrimp Salad. I am proud of my chocolate chip cookies right now, but I just devised a gluten free stuffing for Thanksgiving. I use two gluten free products to create this stuffing.)

I know that we have talked in length about the “trial and error” that you painstakingly had to go through in regards to finding foods and brands that you liked over those that either tasted nasty or just wasn’t that good to use for prepping your food. Are there any brands that you highly recommend over others?
Cause Your Special cake mix and pancake mix, Dr. Schar Classic Gluten-Free Rolls (Hamburger Buns) The Grainless Baker Gluten-Free Hoagie/Submarine Buns, Pamela’s Gluten free cake mix, and brownie mix. WaldenFarms.com salad dressings, Gluten-Free Pasta Tagliatelle, and Glutano’s pretzels. UTZ chips (the salt content is too much for me.) Perdue chicken in the individual packages is gluten free.

Is there any food that you particularly miss?
Yes my mothers Thanksgiving stuffing, and macaroni and cheese.

Would you go back to a wheat-based diet if you could?
No, I enjoy the foods that I eat now, because they are healthier and eating this way helps me to pay more attention to my diet.

What is your favorite piece of cooking equipment?
Last year I purchased a coking set from Salad Master that helps retain the nutrients in my foods. I also like my rotisserie.

Do you have a favorite cookbook (apart from your own, of course!) or do you tend to cook by eye?
I tend to cook a lot by eye. I love to experiment in the kitchen when I have the time.

What is always in your fridge?
What is your single most-used ingredient? As far as gluten free products that are in my fridge, Smart balance butter, gluten free corn meal, rice flour tapioca flour, Hormel gluten free lunch meats, lettuce, and other vegetables, and gluten free yogurts.

What do you serve at Thanksgiving (or other major festival, such as Christmas, which would be the big food festival here)?
For the holidays, I serve Butter Ball gluten free turkey, collard greens and cabbage mixed together, gluten free corn bread and stuffing, gluten free mac and cheese, gluten free potato salad, and for desert gluten free chocolate cake, and sweet potato pie. For other occasions, I use me rotisserie to cook chicken, and then I add BBQ sauce on it and let it cook for 10 minutes in the oven. Any food product I add to my food must be gluten free.

Do you ever have a culinary disaster?
I use to have a lot of culinary disaster, but now I have very few. Most of the time, the disaster occurs when I am trying to create a new dessert.

How do you research a recipe book?
Do you start with a theme, or does a theme become apparent as you find interesting recipes? I usually search for a theme.

Do you - or your family - get bored of testing the same dish over and over?
Yes, this has occurred many times, which is why it is important to devise many recipes to keep me from skipping to many meals, and to keep my husband from eating too many processed foods.


What trends do you see for the future of the gluten free world?
I see that there are going to be more gluten free products sold in grocery stores and gluten free restaurants, and gluten free foods sold at lower prices. I was hoping for a home test to detect celiac disease, which is going to be on the market this year.

Do you think it is getting easier?
Yes have celiac disease is getting easier in certain aspects, such as learning how, and where to eat. The physical aspect can be challenging at times when coming across contaminated food.