Loose Weight Dancing at a Pool Party!

When the weather's nice out, all I want to do is play outside. I love hiking, biking, walking, swimming, and most of all...dancing! Yesterday, my ladies and I spend our Sunday Funday a Beverly Hills rooftop pool party where my friend and DJ Eric Sharp was spinning the best beats ever here in Los Angeles, CA. Swimming and dancing are both great ways to soak up sunshine while burning calories. Dancing burns about 350 or more calories an hour and aides in weight loss because it takes about 3500 calories to loose a pound. I'm targeting to loose about 3 pounds in the next couple weeks. So, dancing is a fun way to workout and get in some accidental cardio. For the next 3 months, I'm avoiding wheat and gluten, refined sugar, starches, and alcohol. Enjoying nuts and seeds in moderation, lots of vegetables, and some fruits. Focusing on upping my protein with sea vegetables, buckwheat, spirulina, and legumes. I'll keep you posted on how this makes me feel and how it changes my body. Hoping to get leaner and stronger for my Powerlifting Competition in November. Let's all keep active this summer, while remembering to eat clean too. xo  

By |August 19th, 2013|Beauty, Fitness, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, Music|Comments Off on Loose Weight Dancing at a Pool Party!

Superfood Energy Truffles

Energy Truffles are a great way to power a long hike, bike ride, and even a car ride. These truffles travel easily, and are packed full of delicious organic goodness. I took this batch on a 4-hour hike in the Santa Monica Mountains this past weekend with my personal trainer. Each time our energy would get low, we'd pop one of these truffles to boost our endurance and stamina. They are made with omega-3 rich walnuts, antioxidant filled cranberry and raisins, and superfood cacao and maca. Flavored with a hint of vanilla, and rolled in coconut. Delicious!

By |August 12th, 2013|Desserts, Fitness, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, RECIPES, Super Foods, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Superfood Energy Truffles

Weight Loss & Health Coaching

I recently spent a few days with Kyra and Billy at their home in beautiful Carmel Valley, CA to help Kyra with her weight loss and health goals. I left Kyra with 2 days of recipes and a couple new exercise regimens that will help build her muscle mass while accelerating her fat burning. BACKGROUND: Kyra had been struggling with her weight since she turned 40. She lives a clean life, is mostly vegetarian and eats fish a couple times a week, and is in tune with healthy living. Kyra goes to the gym several times a week, and takes long walks almost daily. She travels for work about 2 weeks each month, and wanted an easy plan for preparing her own food when not at home. Plus, she wanted to be able to balance out the excess food and drink across the rest of her life with healthier detoxing foods made at home. Kyra needed refinement to her regimen to up her health results. Her man Billy, on the other hand, is not as health conscious. His diet consists of primarily animal products, and it's been a struggle to get him to even taste the healthier foods Kyra makes. SHOPPING AND PANTRY: First, I helped to clear out Kyra's fridge and pantry. Next, we went to the local co-op, where I taught her to shop for ingredients and produce. We also went to Earthbound Organic's Farm Stand, which was full of amazing veggies and fruits. MY FOOD PROGRAM FOR KYRA: I replaced all of Kyra's protein powders with whole, unprocessed foods like quinoa, buckwheat, sea vegetables, dark leafy greens, with occasional eggs and fish. To offset her intense sugar cravings, I upped her protein intake, [...]

By |July 17th, 2013|Beauty, Farmers' Market, Fitness, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE|1 Comment

Curried Coconut Soup

This recipe can be found in “Ani’s Raw Food Essentials” Makes 4 servings: 1 cup diced ripe avocado (about 1 large) 2 1⁄2 cups cherry tomatoes 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon) 1/3 cup coconut oil, liquid 1⁄4 cup cilantro, fresh 1 Tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup filtered water Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. To serve, divide among serving bowls. Top each portion with fresh cilantro leaves. Enjoy immediately! Will keep for 2 to 3 days in fridge. :)

By |June 21st, 2013|Ani's Raw Food Essentials, Beauty, Fitness, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, RECIPES, Soups, Super Foods, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Curried Coconut Soup

Got Juice?

I love green juices, and think of them as my daily multi-vitamin. In the same way I would never think to live off a bottle of vitamins only, I don’t think to starve myself on a 5-10 day juice fast in order to detox (unless I had a tumor to starve or some other acute health crisis). It seems to be a new trend here in LA that people with unhealthy processed diets and lifestyles, who even smoke, suddenly think it’s okay to starve for 7 days on a juice cleanse to make everything better. How about focusing instead on creating a healthier lifestyle through exercise, clean eating, mediation, and happiness rather than starving? These are the real keys to longevity. Green juices are wonderful for vitamins and minerals, and for nourishing our bodies. But, it’s so much more FUN and less painful to enjoy delicious Raw Foods while accidentally DETOXing! Feasting on Raw Foods, rather than starving on a juice cleanse, is safer and healthier for you. We’re designed to be eating whole foods. Starving our bodies on just juice cannibalizes our muscle mass, slows down our metabolism, and will make us gain weight as soon as we eat again (besides throwing off our hormones, along with triggering a slew of other biological reactions). It’s painful to starve ourselves. Why deny ourselves when instead we can feast and enjoy delicious Raw Foods to cleanse and detox? I’d rather eat clean, detoxifying foods, than starve myself. Wouldn’t you agree? Ani’s Favorite Green Juice Recipe: Dandelion Kale Cilantro Jalapeño Fennel Basil Turmeric Cucumber Celery Spinach Lemon

By |June 4th, 2013|Beauty, Drinks, Fitness, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, RECIPES, Soups, Super Foods, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Got Juice?

Congratulations to Ani’s Raw Food Certification Course, Level 1, Inaugural Class!

We kicked off Ani's Raw Food Certification Course, Level 1 on March 15, 16, 17th, 2013 to a packed house! It was a weekend of raw food making and eating, eco-green living inspiration, and happiness all around. Experiencing visible transformations as people detox on raw food for 3 days is incredible! The room's happiness index kept rising up as our days passed, and people glowed.

By |March 17th, 2013|Beauty, Events, Farmers' Market, Fitness, Food Demos, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, NEWS & EVENTS, NEWS & EVENTS PAGE, RECIPES, Retreats, Talks|Comments Off on Congratulations to Ani’s Raw Food Certification Course, Level 1, Inaugural Class!

Ingredients From Our Local Farmers’ Market

Ani's Raw Food Certification courses are held a couple blocks from the Saturday morning Santa Monica Farmers' Market, where local farmers bring us seasonal produce that's been picked just a few hours before. Sometimes, we'll find heirloom ingredients available for only a week, or better yet.....dry farmed produce. That's when the plants just thrive on their own, without watering nor chemicals! Fresh, local, seasonal, gluten free, vegan, and organic...what better way to detox and cleanse from urban toxins?

By |March 15th, 2013|Events, Farmers' Market, Food Demos, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, NEWS & EVENTS, NEWS & EVENTS PAGE, Retreats, Super Foods, Talks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Ingredients From Our Local Farmers’ Market

Got Juice?

  Ani's Favorite Green Juice Recipe: Dandelion Kale Cilantro Jalapeño Fennel Basil Turmeric Cucumber Celery Spinach Lemon I love green juices, and think of them as my daily multi-vitamin. In the same way I would never think to live off a bottle of vitamins only, I don't think to starve myself on a 5-10 day juice fast in order to detox (unless I had a tumor to starve or some other acute health crisis). It seems to be a new trend here in LA that people with unhealthy processed diets and lifestyles, who even smoke, suddenly think it's okay to starve for 7 days on a juice cleanse to make everything better. How about focusing instead on creating a healthier lifestyle through exercise, clean eating, mediation, and happiness rather than starving? These are the real keys to longevity. Green juices are wonderful for vitamins and minerals, and for nourishing our bodies. But, it's so much more FUN and less painful to enjoy delicious Raw Foods while accidentally DETOXing! Feasting on Raw Foods, rather than starving on a juice cleanse, is safer and healthier for you. We're designed to be eating whole foods. Starving our bodies on just juice cannibalizes our muscle mass, slows down our metabolism, and will make us gain weight as soon as we eat again (besides throwing off our hormones, along with triggering a slew of other biological reactions). It's painful to starve ourselves. Why deny ourselves when instead we can feast and enjoy delicious Raw Foods to cleanse and detox? I'd rather eat clean, detoxifying foods, than starve myself. Wouldn't you agree?  

By |March 3rd, 2013|Beauty, Drinks, Farmers' Market, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, RECIPES, Super Foods|Comments Off on Got Juice?

Donate Life Rose Parade Float, New Year Day 2012

on new year's day, i got to help with the float for the Rose Parade, which was on Jan 2nd this year. Donate Life is an amazing organization that raises awareness so we stick that pink dot onto our driver's license to help save lives.

By |January 2nd, 2012|Events, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE|Comments Off on Donate Life Rose Parade Float, New Year Day 2012

NetKal Gala Photos

NetKal Gala full of incredible people from the entertainment industry. This was the beautiful view of the rose gardens as we arrived at the Gala. Styled by my favorite eco fashion designer Linda Loudermilk. Event held at USC Annenberg Center.

By |October 31st, 2011|Beauty, Events, Health, LIFESTYLE|Comments Off on NetKal Gala Photos