Happy New Year's Eve

2009 is coming to a close...

What a fabulously exciting year. Oxygen covers in bikinis (yeah!!), our Makeover Challenge winner (and a new one to come soon), incredible success at the Arnold and CanFit Pro expos amongst many many many other things!

I am so happy all of you have joined me on my blog and followed me through yet another year of adventures as a Clean Eater! I hope many of you have found life-changing success from this lifestyle. We are the healthiest, fittest, most fabulous group of Sisters and Brothers in Iron and I thank you so much for the support you offer me.

I'll be ringing in the New Year with my family tonight at a wedding in Austin, Texas. We've been thoroughly enjoying our time here in the Lone Star State! Thanks for the Southern hospitality.

Enjoy your celebrations tonight whatever they may be.

Much Love,
Tosca

Still Whirling About

Has it really been 5 days since I have last written? Where did the time go? I think I hit the ground running as of last Monday morning and still haven't stopped!! My family and I have flown to Texas for the wedding of a family friend. We've just spent 14 hours traveling due to heightened security measures. It took us 3.5 hours to get to our gate. I am by no means complaining since I understand the need for traveler safety, but I am still surprised by the wait times. Thankfully the agents at Pearson in Toronto kept things moving along quite well. I am now one very tired lady because I have been up since 1am. I am taking some down time now before catching up with my kids for a movie. I just wanted to let you know I am alive and kicking even thought I have been absent for 5 days. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I am going to follow up with some pictures very very soon. In the meantime, I have 2 videos to share with you:

WGN Chicago

CTV News

Thank you so much for the GMA feedback. See the post below if you missed the video. I hope the ones above are equally as educational.

Only a few more days until our Eat-Clean Diet Makeover Challenge closes. Keep up the good work participants. You are ALMOST there!!

And only a few more days until New Year's Eve. Time to work on those resolutions! What are yours?

Finally, the ECD Recharged hits shelves in January (if you haven't been lucky enough to get it already). I'm excited!! Here's a sneak peak at the totally revamped book!

GMA CLIP

HERE IT IS!!!

I guess it aired yesterday! I didn't know! I thought it was supposed to be tomorrow. Oh well. Enjoy!!

I'm pretty proud of it.

What do you think?

Holiday Time

Went for a 10k with my sister-in-law Tammy and boy did I get my a** kicked!

I picked up my road bike and trainer this afternoon. Very exciting new addition to the workout room!

We went tobogganing and skating with the family after the run and had an excellent time on the pond. It froze perfectly this year. What a chilly day!

We made Tammy's pumpkin and sausage pasta for supper tonight. What a treat. Especially post Cooler 1.

My house is full of fun and games with the kids. We played a game with the kids last night called Hot Seat Cold Seat. Kids always know how to have the best time.

Now it's time to watch movies and hanging out for the rest of the night.

Pics coming later.

Much love for the holidays,
Tosca

Cooler 1 Is Done... And Just In Time!!

Yeah!!! Our Cooler 1 Challenge has ended.

Did you make it through with me? I would love to hear your experience. Please share in the comments section so all of our bloggers can read.

It couldn't have ended at a better time. My family has just arrived for an early Christmas celebration. All the kiddies are running around the house and I'm busily cooking dinner. I won't be splurging too much over the holidays, but an occasional glass of wine and treat will be making it past my lips.

I'm most excited about training with my sister-in-law, Tammy. She is one heck of an Ironwoman and is helping me prepare for my sprint distance triathlon. She's had me doing a serious of "bricks" as they're called in the tri world. I'm really excited to see what she's going to throw at me while she's here for the next few days. I might be a little sore... love that sweet pain!

When do your holidays begin?

Well done on our Cooler 1 Challenge!! Only 1o more days left to submit your entries for the Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge! New to the site and don't know what it is? Check it out here!!!

Loving the holidays... and thinking of all of you!

GMA In A New York Minute!

Pardon my disappearance for the last couple of days. I have been busily setting up the house for the holidays since I got back from NYC on Friday.

It was an absolute whirlwind of events! The energy there is palpable particularly at this time of year. Of course the freezing temps help you realize it's that time of year, too. Shop windows on 5th Avenue are ablaze with fantastic displays (and temptation). We did a little Christmas shopping, but Thursday was all about Good Morning America. Allison Earnst (read her success story here) and I (plus our fabulous team... thanks guys!!) met the early morning call time of 8:00 am ready to roar.

Let's just say we met soooo many celebs we had to make a list:
Robin Roberts
Sam Champion
George Stephanopoulus
Juju Chang
Tanya Rivero (my gracious hostess)
Steve Harvey (he asked me to guest on his radio show and help him lose weight!! Wahooo!!)
Food Network Chefs Mario Batali & Emeril Lagasse (who had an excellent cook off)

We met all of these folks at GMA AND we have already been invited back!! Yeah!! We had an amazing time filming our health segment. The food stylist (thanks Danni Bleil) did a bang up job and Allison was a natural! The piece will air on the afternoon of the 24th and the morning of the 25th!!

Then we visited a stunning gallery called Opera in SoHo and who should be there but Joe Jonas and Chelsea Staub! Our teens went crazy and the stars graciously chatted with us and posed for pics. Very very nice people!

After a yummy meal of fish and steamed veggies (yes, I did hold strong to Cooler 1 the whole time I was in New York!) we went to Rockefeller Plaza braving frigid temps to see the glorious Christmas tree. It really is the holidays!!

Enjoy the photos!
Mwah!
Tosca

P.S. Only 1 more day left in the Cooler 1 Challenge!!! YOU CAN DO IT!

On the Road Again

Well, technically I'm in the air again. I'm flying to NYC today to film a segment for Good Morning America. This is REALLY exciting stuff! It's a taped segment that may air tomorrow (Thursday November 17) on the show, but it may also air at another time. I'm not really sure yet. Of course I will keep you posted, but I will also put it on here after the segment has aired. I can't wait!!

Also, here is the link to the Chex TV segment last night.

Yesterday was also our work holiday potluck. I made a giant pot of soup for the gathering. One nice thing about our work environment is that most of us eat very clean, which means our potluck was full of healthy and delicious options, most of which were within the confines of Cooler 1.

Here's a shot of my oatmeal from this morning. I had yet to add in my flax and bee pollen, and I had already eaten my egg whites, hence the empty egg cup waiting for more!

I will be keeping up Cooler 1 while I'm away. Only a few more days left in the challenge! Let's give it a big push to the end in support of our Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challengers. For a refresh on what I'm eating check out this post. Cooler 1 and travel can be a challenge. I am going to do my utmost to eat as well as possible. I don't mind asking the server for egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast, and I select restaurants where I know I can get healthy foods. I am only away for two nights so it won't be too hard.

Wish me luck! And best of luck to all of you, too. We're in the home stretch!

CHEX TV??

If CHEX TV in Peterborough, Ontario is your station you'll be able to catch me sometime tonight during Newswatch at 5:30pm! I'll post it online later on if you miss it!

I Love Good Feedback

The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged is ready to hit stands soon!! Here's an excellent review about the completely revamped first book in the ECD series. Thanks!

Also, here's a spread in University Link magazine. Good reading! P.S. You can click on the pic to make it bigger.

Back from a Busy Weekend

The days have been flying by for me as I am certain they have been for all of you as well. There is something about this time of year that in the days before the holidays one day races into another and there is never enough time to complete the tasks at hand.

On Friday I had the absolute honor of meeting two of my biggest fans, Linda and her friend Joanne. Linda's husband, Gilles, organized the meeting. We couldn't resist the urge to hit the gym. We had a full body workout and followed it up with a pleasant lunch of grilled chicken, brown rice and steamed veg. It was a lovely afternoon.

Then on Friday evening we had our work Christmas party. We did something I've NEVER done before.... bowling!! The entire Eat-Clean Diet team took part initiating Bob and me into this sport. In the first game, I not only fell down, but I guttered nearly every ball. The 2nd game, however, Bob and I practiced and did pretty good. Overall, everyone was pretty bad at the game, but no one cared that much. It was such a fun way to celebrate the holiday and our team taking the focus off food (like most holiday parties) and putting it onto a fun activity. Love it!

My tree had been up in the family room for a week before a single ornament was place on it. Last night after having created a delicious Sunday feast of mashed celeriac, steamed broccoli and carrots, parchment baked chicken and grilled beef tenderloin, I suggested to my daughters, Rachel and Chelsea that since I had cooked the dinner they could clean up and then each of them could help finish decorating the tree by placing 10 ornaments on it each. Would you know it? In no time at all the tree was completely decorated and it turned out to be a pleasant experience topped off with Christmas music playing in the background.

Now it is Monday morning and my list is still long (minus one decorated tree). I considered not doing my run this morning because I was so strapped for time but I resisted that temptation and did it anyway. I figured I would just have to run faster and get it done in a shorter amount of time. So I logged my 3 miles in about half an hour and then did the Tosca Eat Clean Cooler #1 Breakfast – oatmeal, flax, salba and 4 egg whites.

My day will be full of To Do’s but at least I will attack it knowing I have not skimped on exercise or nutrition. It occurred to me that food choices are made by virtue of what is available in your cupboards, cooler or fridge. I have already cooked my hardboiled eggs for today and have a green salad ready to go. There is also the parchment baked chicken left over from last night as well as the steamed veggies. That is why I always do Planned Leftovers. It is so easy to pack up leftovers into my cooler and run for the rest of the day.

I am thinking of all of you as you dash about in the madness of the holiday season. I struggle too and I want you to know it is the smallest of actions – like packing a cooler or doing your cardio despite the time squeeze – that is a sign to yourself that you care... you care about you. And I do too.

Love and hugs.
Tosca

Cooler Comments and More

Today's Grub: Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast: Oatmeal, hard boiled egg whites, and berries! I didn't eat the whole bowl of berries (although I probably could). They were for me, my husband, and my daughter.


Lunch: My half-eaten chicken salad with water!! I was too hungry to wait to take the picture! It was delicious!


Cooler 1 Comments:
I've received a lot of comments since I started Cooler 1. I'll answer a couple of reader questions today.

Don't forget, in future, send all questions to tosca@eatcleandiet.com. I'll be much more likely to answer on there!

1. Pre and Post Workout Meals: I usually prep with a small carb-based meal beforehand, such as an apple and a handful of nuts. After a workout I'll have a protein-based meal such as a protein shake. This is important for muscle recovery purposes.

2. Cooler 1 - why mine looks a little different: See Question 4.

3. If you're vegan and don't like soy how do you attempt Cooler 1: With difficulty to be honest. It's very hard to get enough protein from carb-based protein sources, and vegans rely on carb-based protein sources for the most part. You could try rice milk, almond milk, quinoa, and hemp. I prefer unfermented soy products like tempeh myself. You could try these, too. I find them easier to digest compared to tofu, but this is just me. Any other suggestions out there??

4. Training for a Sprint Tri on Cooler 1: I have to admit... it is hard! I am listening to my body and eating a little more than I usually would on Cooler 1. I don't want to get too lean, and the training for the tri is full of demanding cardio work which will lean me out very quickly. I'm doing my best to support my Makeover Challengers, but I am also trying to stay as healthy and nourished as possible while training so intensely. This is why you might see a few modifications in my Cooler 1 plan here and there. I'm only human... as you are all of you!

5. Salba: Salba is a chia seed product... a grain higher in protein than most others and full of other nutrients. You can read more here (by the way, I am not affiliated with this company... just a fan of their products).

6. Rice in Cooler 1: Please see pg. 102 of ECD Expanded. Also, as written above... I am training for a Sprint Tri and need a few more carbs from whole grains. Please also see this post.

6. Bee Pollen Replacement: If you don't like bee pollen just leave it out.

7. Cooler 1 as a Vegetarian Challenge: Send me the meal plans and I'll be happy to give it a try!

Cooler 1 Continues

As a divergence from Cooler 1... Aren't these trees lovely!! They are the gifts that keep on giving. My daughter gave me a lemon tree and a lime tree for my birthday one year. The fruit they produce is so nice especially during a winter storm like the one we had today in Southwestern Ontario. Lemons and limes make me think of summertime! The lemon is so big it almost looks like a grapefruit.


Check out the delicious Cooler 1 foods I've packed in my cooler for myself. Tons of hard boiled eggs, chicken, brown rice, veggies, fruit, Ezekiel cereal, Salba, rice milk and lots of H2O of course!!


Last but not least...my gym shoes! The only thing that keeps me sane is a good workout each day. Now that I'm training for my sprint distance triathlon I am logging lots of hours on the treadmill. My shoes are taking a beating!

Yesterday's Eats

Here's what was on tap yesterday in my house...
My husband and kids don't seem to be minding the Cooler 1 thing too much... although I don't limit them to only what I'm eating.

I do have a work Christmas party coming up this Friday. I'm going to have to stay strong to avoid eating all of the non-Cooler 1 treats they will have. I'll probably bring my cooler with me. Aren't we the craziest bunch of people. But I would rather be slightly crazy and healthy as a result!

Delicious kale and white bean soup made from scratch... slightly off the Cooler 1 mark, but still fabulously nutritious and vegetarian!


Yummy steamed mix veg, grilled chicken and brown rice.


My body wasn't too happy about the switch to less carbohydrates from whole grains. I was drinking lots of water yesterday as a result. I can't wait for the great results, though.

How are you doing?

Cooler 1 Has Begun

How is everyone doing so far on the Cooler 1 Challenge that I mentioned on Friday?

I'm going to give you a peak at what I'll be eating every day for the next 2 weeks (and 2 weeks only). My meals won't vary much at all because this is very tight eating. I will also post a new meal each day (hopefully) with a picture for some added interest.

It's hard to eat this strictly... but we can do it!!

Come on Makeover Challengers (and anyone else joining us)!! Only a few weeks left!

7:00 a.m. – 1/3 cup dry oatmeal (2/3 cup cooked) topped with 2 tablespoons ground flax seed, 1 tablespoon bee pollen and 1 tablespoon wheat germ; 6 egg whites scrambled or boiled; 1 cup green tea; 1 liter water

9:30 a.m. – 6 oz lean grilled chicken breast; ½ cup raw veggies – cucumbers, radish, green beans or lettuce leaves; 500 ml water

Noon – 1 ½ cups mixed salad greens with 3 radishes and 4” piece of cucumber cut up; no salad dressing only lemon juice; 1 cup water packed tuna; green tea; 500 ml water

2:30 p.m. – 6 oz. lean grilled chicken breast; ½ cup raw veggies – cucumbers, radish, raw asparagus and green beans or lettuce leaves; 500 ml water

Dinner – ½ cup brown rice; 1 cup steamed green veggies – broccoli, green beans, asparagus, spinach; 6 oz white fish grilled or baked dry; 500 ml water

Clips and Reviews!

Here are a few great moments for me and The Eat-Clean Diet:

Feature in Orange County Parenting mag:
http://www.parentingoc.com/ate_0912.html

Excellent review of the Eat-Clean Diet for Men:
http://www.jerseysmarts.com/2009/11/23/book-review-the-eat-clean-diet-for-men/

Lovely review of the Eat-Clean Cookbook:
http://www.thought4food.us/?p=1623

Books make excellent holiday gifts. Check out the Eat-Clean Diet store and the Tosca Reno store for quick, easy, and successful holiday shopping.

Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge - Cooler 1 Fun!

There are just over 3 weeks remaining in the Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge!!

In support of all of our eager participants I will be starting Cooler 1 from the Eat-Clean Diet as my main nutrition plan for the next few weeks. It will be tough (especially with holiday parties popping up right, left, and center), but the payoff will be huge. This is especially true since my Body Makeover Challengers and I will be doing it together!!

If you are in need of a metabolism boost, a plateau breaker or a diet overhaul please join me in supporting our Sisters (and Brothers) In Iron as they push through the last few weeks of our challenge.

Not sure what the Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge is? Check it out here! You may be eligible to win big, including a spread in Oxygen magazine and a consult with me.

Happy Friday - Cooler 1 Here We Come!

p.s. Don't forget... Cooler 1 should only be followed for 2 weeks or less. It is not a maintainable long-term eating plan as recommended in the Eat-Clean Diet. It is only for prepping for contests, photo shoots, breaking plateaus, kick starting a diet plan, and the final push of challenges! Read more in the Eat-Clean Diet, and always check with your doctor before beginning any NEW diet or exercise plan.

Bobbi Brown Event

I'm finally home sweet home after another whirlwind week of travel to Florida and NYC.

On Wednesday I had the honor of speaking at an event for Bobbi Brown. 37 editors from international magazines (think Cosmo, Allure, Vogue, etc) were in attendance. I spoke all about the Eat-Clean Diet and how eating in this manner has changed my life! What a thrill. They even had a chef come in to prepare breakfast foods from the cookbook for us to munch on. The food was delicious, of course! And we gave everyone a green Eat-Clean Diet bag to take with them... you can see them piled all over the hotel room floor here.

People seemed truly interested in what I had to say, which I always find encouraging. After each event my husband, myself and my other team members (if they are present) have a little debrief to discuss what to do more of/less of in the future. There is always room for improvement, and I am really trying to work on my public speaking habits. The audience members aren't the only ones gaining knowledge. I am always learning something new after every event at which I speak! Overall, it was a great experience.

My husband and I were in and out of NYC in a flash, but we did stay at a lovely little gem call The Crosby Street Hotel. It's only a few weeks old, but it's very unique with rich colors and a very posh feel. I would definitely like to go back when I am in NYC again. Too bad I couldn't stay for the tree lighting. I love visiting Rockefeller Center when it's all lit up in and the skaters are flooding the rink.

What are your favorite holiday moments?

Check It Out!!!

I posted on Facebook about my new website... but I forgot to post on here... check out my new and improved website:

http://toscareno.com/

Feedback please!

Feeling A Little Too Jet Set

We're gearing up to head off to NYC from Florida this evening. Florida was all work and no play! I wish I could have met some of my fans while I was here, but it wasn't in the schedule. We'll have to plan another visit soon.

So off we go to the Big Apple. I will be addressing 40 international beauty editors for Bobbi Brown tomorrow. I am trying to figure out what to wear. At least I know what I'm going to say!

I can't wait for a nice cup of tea once we arrive from Miami.

NYC is sunny and crisp... what a pleasant Dec 1!

Thinking of Eat Clean Diet fans everywhere. What are you up to today?

Hello Florida

I made my way to the Sunshine State yesterday after a somewhat exciting weekend. On Thursday we celebrated my daughter's 25th birthday. I really enjoyed New Moon. I guess my kids keep me pretty young! On Friday evening we trained with some friends of ours. They always kick our butts in the gym. It's a really great experience to train with others here and there. You get new ideas and ways to keep your gym routine fresh. On Saturday our friends had their annual Christmas party, which was a really good time. 'Tis the season for holiday festivities. I cannot believe December starts tomorrow!! We're trying to limit the Christmas insanity in our house since we're traveling to Austin, TX for a New Year's Eve wedding. Of course, with 5 kids, siblings, parents, friends, coworkers, etc there's always a little bit to be done. I wish I had time while I am here in Florida, but my I'm on a tight schedule filming. We're staying at the Boca Beach Club so when we arrived last night we got to enjoy some lovely fish at the Seagrille restaurant. Delicious! Our waiter treated us to a splendid wine sampler as well. That helped alleviate traveling stress. Tomorrow I am on my way back to NYC to host a seminar for Bobbi Brown. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can, but here's one from dinner on Thursday night with my daughter. If I'm looking a little orange it's because of the spray tan I had just hours before... I didn't want to go to Florida looking like a polar bear... however, I don't know if an orange is much better!
Much love,
Tosca

p.s. Don't forget... if you have questions about the Eat-Clean Diet please direct them to me at tosca@eatcleandiet.com! I don't usually answer questions on here.

Black Friday

It's Black Friday!!

I've been hearing on the news all morning about Canadians rushing to the border in order to participate in this crazy day!

Are you taking part?

If you are be sure to bring a selection of clean snacks with you for the day. Trail mix, apples, clean protein bars, bananas, smoothies, etc. are all excellent portable options that won't take up too much time to eat when you are searching for the best deals.

Don't forget to check out my website for great book deals today, too:
www.toscareno.com
www.eatcleandiet.com

Happy Thanksgiving American Clean Eaters!

I'm a little jealous you get to celebrate Thanksgiving today. It's a work day at home in Canada. Since it is my favorite holiday I wish I could join in on the fun! You can never have too much turkey and stuffing.... well, in moderation, that is. However, I've decided I'm going to honor the American tradition anyway because I've purchased a turkey and I will do the works this weekend. I guess I'm not missing out after all. We don't get Black Friday though... I will miss out on that!

We still have reason to celebrate today in our house because my oldest daughter is turning 25 tomorrow. We are going to celebrate with dinner out in Orangeville, sharing surprises, and catching the latest in the Twilight trilogy, New Moon. This is partly for her and partly for me since I would like to see these abs on Taylor Lautner that everyone is talking about. Have you seen the new movie (and the abs)??

I know it's holiday time, but try to squeeze in some exercise. A walk or cycle (bring the family along, too) or even a little Wii fit will make you worry less about the extra helping of pumpkin pie you had.

Hopefully it's not too late in the day for a Thanksgiving recipe. It's a classic and can be used again and again and again and again!! Oh and when you pair it with veggies and clean crackers you have an excellent clean treat! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Hummus from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook

Ingredients
2 Tbsp/30 mL tahini
2 Tbsp/30 mL fresh lemon juice
1 tsp/5 mL ground cumin
1 tsp/5 mL pumpkin oil
3/4 tsp/~4 mL sea salt
1/8 tsp/~0.5 mL ground pepper
15 oz/420 g pumpkin, baked or canned
4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp/30 mL cilantro (fresh)

Preparation
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.
2. Spoon into a decorative stoneware serving bowl and serve chilled.

YUMMY!

WGN Chicago

Last week I taped a segment with WGN Chicago. My apologies for telling you it was airing that morning... I was wrong. It was being taped to air at a later date, which I don't have yet. I will tell you what it is as soon as I know.

It was a really fabulous experience in Chicago, as are all of my experiences in the Windy City. I can't believe Oprah is heading out! Guess I'll have to work extra hard this year to get on her show! Come on people... help me out!

I met a bunch of lovely people, too. Here they are in a few shots I had back stage before the taping. Mwah to everyone who makes these TV appearances go smoothly while still having an excellent time!!!

Thank you food stylist Jennie!! It's so nice knowing I don't have to bring all of my own cooking gear with me across the border and go grocery shopping the moment I arrive in a city. You were a gem and made my recipes look DELECTABLE!!


Here I am with producer Tyra and host Valerie... who knew we would be color coordinated! Looking cute ladies. Thanks for a great day!


Valerie and me looking very professional and pink at the WGN news desk. Sometimes I really like it when I don't have to wear fitness clothes on TV... especially my signature yellow jacket. It's nice to get dressed up!

NY Nightly News Video

I finally have the video!!!

Click here if you missed me last week on NY Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough.

Enjoy!

Fox and Friends Video

Last week while in NYC Amy Barnes (Off the Couch cover girl) and I were guests on Fox & Friends. It was a little last minute and I didn't get to blast it on here before it aired. Click here to check it out.

And here are some pictures from the day!


Me, Bob and Amy in the green room!


Me with Teresa and Dawn who did my hair and makeup! Thanks ladies!

Makeover Challenge!!!

We are coming into the last month of the Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge!!!

Who's participating??

There's still time!!!!! Visit my site here to learn more about it.

I can't wait to read your success stories and choose the winner.

The winner will receive $3000, a photo shoot and spread in Oxygen magazine, and a one-on-one with me! Pretty good deal isn't it. All that and a hot new body to boot.

Get your submission in before December 31st!!

Alma Mater Moment!! Thanks Queen's U!!

I'm a proud ArtSci '83 alumni of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario (yes, this is currently where 2 of my daughters attend university, too). Thank you to Georgie Binks for a lovely article on never being too old to make a change. Read all about it here!! Any other Queen's grads (or current students) out there?

EXTRA SATURDAY - DON'T MISS IT!!!

Below is from my PR Rep:

Tosca Reno hosts nationally syndicated TV show, Extra!

Toronto, ON – November 18th 2009 – Congratulations to Tosca Reno, who will be hosting the nationally syndicated television show, Extra, on Saturday, November 21st as part of their series, "America’s Best Lifechangers.”

Reno will share the stage with fellow health experts Dr. Kristi Funk, a renowned cancer specialist, and Dr. Armand Dorian, a top-notch emergency medicine practitioner. Reno will touch on the subjects of weight loss, the H1N1 flu virus, diabetes and cancer.

This will be Reno’s fifth appearance on Extra as a health expert. “It’s really an honor to be able to help people through such a great show,” says Reno. “The team at Extra has been wonderful to work with and I’m grateful to be part of a project that imparts such important information on health to the viewing public.”

The show will air on Saturday, November 21st across North America. Check your local listings to see when the program will be broadcast in your city or visit Extra’s website for their comprehensive list of air times here.

Tosca Reno is the author of ten books, including the best-selling Eat-Clean Diet® series. She has appeared on a number of nationally syndicated shows, including The Doctors, The Montel Williams Show and The Doctor Phil Show. She graduated with a B.Sc. from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and a B.Ed from York University in Toronto, Ontario. Tosca lives in Caledon, Ontario with her husband and their children.

CONTACT:
Silvie Bordeaux
818.205.9673
bordeauxprr@aol.com
www.bordeauxpr.com

Goodbye NYC, Hello Windy City!

Well, my whirlwind in NYC is over and I've landed safely in Chicago.

The last few days were packed with activity, including my interview with Chuck Scarborough last night on NBC New York. Sorry for the confusion I caused any one. It was supposed to happen on Tuesday night, but a sudden change of plans moved it until last night. Did anyone catch it? I can't seem to find a video link for it. Anyway, here is a photo of me and Chuck Scarborough, the multi Emmy winning news anchor (he's also the highest paid apparently)!! What an honor for me and what a gentleman! My knees were shaking. But he was a gem.

Tomorrow morning you Chicago folks can catch me on WGN Morning News!

Watch NY Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough Tonight!

Here's what we've been up to:

NYC is all the blur, excitement and lure you expect of an international cosmopolitan city. And our life here has mimicked just that. From hailing taxi's on Broadway to hurried meals (such as at Le Pain Quotidien where I took the pic to your left), 4:00 am wake-up calls, rehearsing lines for the national news, and more... we have been on a roll!

Today we shoot with EXTRA again. It will be a long day! I will be shooting with our uber successful Off The Couch cover girl, Amy Barnes, for the show. BTW... thanks to you, Off the Couch is a bestseller and on everyone's radar!! Yeah!! I will have to squeeze in a workout today, too - maybe now. And in case you are wondering, the Swine Flu is on everyone's mind. My publicist fell ill last night and we think she has it. Bob and I have been gargling with salt water twice a day as well as swabbing our noses with salt water. Fingers crossed we stay healthy. Neither one of us could get our H1N1 vaccination even if we wanted to because there was a shortage of it in Ontario. To your good health!

Catch me TONIGHT on:
NEW YORK NIGHTLY NEWS WITH CHUCK SCARBOROUGH LIVE AT 7:30PM!!

WPIX AM Video

In case you weren't able to catch this morning's news clip here it is!

Lots of tips for Thanksgiving!

Check it out!

NYC Here I Come

My husband and I depart today for a week long stay in NYC. We are doing tons of press, attending lots of meetings, and likely having no time to check out the sites. Tomorrow morning I will be up bright and early to prepare for my stint on WPIX AM news. Catch it if you can. I'd love to hear your feedback. Also, fill me in on your favorite places to grab clean eats in NYC!! Thanks!!

Post Sleep Extra Debrief !!

Now that I've slept off the red eye I wanted to give you a proper fill in on my trip to LA:

What a whirlwind the trip to LA was! Bob and I traveled to the sunny state on Tuesday with many travel hiccups unfortunately. We missed our connecting flight from NY to LA and found ourselves spending interminable hours in one airport after another. Even our cab driver missed his turn when we were looking for the hotel. Finally we got there, ordered a bucket of steamed broccoli and some grilled chicken and fell into a deep sleep once we were settled.

In the morning we needed to squeeze in some exercise so we did that and went for a quick walk over to Univeral Studios to check it out. It was already busy even that early in the morning.

By noon we arrived at the EXTRA studios ready to get to work. I had hair, makeup and wardrobe taken care of. While working out the outfit I saw Mario Lopez and Jennifer Love Hewitt working in the studio. They were filming for the regular EXTRA show. Mario is a hard worker! He is also training for a cover with us on Maximum Fitness just so you know.

It wasn’t long before I was escorted to the set where I met my co-hosts, Dr. Kristi Funk and Dr. Armand Dorian. Kristi is a renowned breast and cancer specialist while Armand is a top notch emergency medicine practitioner. I was in starry company! The three of us worked together filming the show to be aired next week Saturday. The show is called America’s Best Lifechangers. Don’t worry I will post accurate air time information as soon as I get it.

It is quite an honor to be invited to participate in this program that serves such an important medical purpose for North Americans.

Stay tuned!
Tosca

Back...

Wow!!! What a whirlwind adventure to LA. I am totally exhausted. I will be cohosting an entire Lifechangers show! This is very exciting!! My husband I flew to LA on Tuesday to film EXTRA on Wednesday and took the red eye back to Toronto on Wednesday night. I will let you know the EXTRA air date as soon as I know. In the meantime, I am off to bed!!!!

For Your Listening Pleasure

http://momzrockthehouse.mypodcast.com/

I did this fun interview last week with Momz Rock the House! There's lots of info on family, kids, etc packed into this talk.

Check it out!

Let me know what you think.

Calling All Doctors, Nutritionists or Dietitians!!

Are you a doctor, nutritionist or dietitian?

Do you recommend/use the Eat-Clean Diet with your patients/clients?

If so, I need your help with a special project related to the book.

Get excited because it's a pretty cool opportunity!!

Email my assistant at smaus@rkpubs.com.

Can't wait to hear from you!

Today Show Monday

Check out NBC's Today Show on Monday morning.

Amy Barnes is a guest on the show and Off the Couch's cover girl! Check out what the Eat-Clean Diet® did for her.

-Tosca

Vegetarian & Vegan Eats

Thanks to The Fitness Freak who posted a shining review of the Eat Clean Cookbook on her blog. Vegetarian and vegan recipes abound in my latest book. Enjoy!

Le Gourmand Nomination

I mentioned this on my Twitter and Facebook a few weeks ago, but not on here. I have been nominated for a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for my NEW cookbook, Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. You can read more about it here. The winner will be announced at the Paris Cookbook Fair in February. Ooh la la!!

More ECD Press

I'm working away at home today and taking care of my sick 16 year old. She's been hit with a nasty bug and has been sleeping for days. Lots of fluids, lots of rest, a little bit of food here and there, and constant check ups from Stepmommy and daddy. I'm hoping she feels better soon. In the meantime, hubby and I are gargling with salt water, swabbing our noses with salt water, washing our hands constantly, and keeping as clean as possible.

ECD got a great review from Westside Today in LA. Enjoy! And take care of yourself!

-Tosca

Great Press for Eat-Clean Diet

Here's a review for my NEW Eat-Clean Cookbook from one of my favorite bloggers Basil & Spice.

Grab the latest Life & Style Magazine. Their Pregnancy News section is all about Baby Bump Be Gone! Thanks Ellen Pompeo for eating "super" clean!!

H1N1 Tips

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS, DRM, DNB (Intensist and Thryoid Specialist) who shares the following insights as to how to prevent or mitigate H1N1 and other flus.

He states:

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu).

1. Frequent hand washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of the face (other than eating, bathing)
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (Listerine is fine if you don’t like salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate (grow) and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. Gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of this method.
4. Clean your nostrils at least once every day using Q-tips dipped in warm salt water. You can also use a Netti Pot.
5. Boost natural immunity with foods loaded with vitamin C.
6. Drink many warm liquids including tea, coffee and hot water with lemon. Doing so helps clear viral populations by sweeping them down into the stomach where they are not able to survive.


All of these simple procedures are suggested by the good doctor. I have just gargled with salt water myself.

To your good health,
Tosca

My H1N1 Decision...

I personally am not getting the H1N1 flu shot, but I have never gotten any type of flu shot.

Please do not use my decision as a guide to make your own.

You must assess for yourself as I suggested! Do your homework!

Make a decision that works for you and your family.

How to Handle Halloween

Trick or treating is just around the corner! My house is prepped with corn husks and pumpkins and mums and more. We don't get any trick or treaters since we live so far into the country, but I have definitely had my fair share of Halloween nights with my 3 girls to know the best way to avoid sugar overload. My girls would take their sacs out with them for the evening and and then reconvene at home to sort through the goods. They would pick out all of the things they didn't like, trade things here and there with each other, and throw out any damaged products. The remaining stash was theirs to keep for a week. They could have a few treats here and there, but going overboard was not allowed. Once the week was up out went the candy! I would try to counteract the effects of all that refined sugar with lots of fruits and vegetables at meal time. There's only so much a mom can do! This year I would encourage you to keep a close eye on your child's candy consumption. Simple sugars are especially harmful for immune strength, which we all need during cold and flu season. Try discussing your own candy schedule with your child so they feel involved in the process rather than just a recipient of the ruling. Happy Halloween!

Suzanne Somers

Last night I attended a talk put on by Suzanne Somers here in Toronto. I have been following her since her days on Three's Company. I definitely OWN a Thighmaster and have a number of her books. I was especially interested to see how Suzanne Somers performs as a public speaker. I am always looking for tips and tricks to improve my own public speaking abilities.

Last night's talk focused on the use of Bio Identical hormones in the maintenance of the body and the prevention of cancer. It's a controversial topic for most people, but her lecture was very thorough and informative. Both myself and my daughter have used Bio Identical hormones in acute cases with much success. She touched on a 5 pronged approach to avoiding cancer which includes cleaning out your home, avoiding chemicals, eating well, sleeping and using Bio Identical hormones. Notice that eating well is 1/5 of this approach. She focused a lot of attention on making sure we understood how important it is to eat wholesome, Clean foods.

I really enjoyed her talk and would have loved to shake her hand afterward. She is a bit of a one-woman powerhouse! I would encourage you to check out her speaking engagements. If you have already, what did you think of her discussion?

My Thoughts on H1N1

This is the same message I posted on Facebook...

Hi All,

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response to my Facebook status yesterday. It was a lively discussion and I learned a lot from all of you.

Here's my opinion on the situation:

There is a paranoia in the air regarding the H1N1 virus. I felt it myself when I learned that a 13 year old boy apparently died of the virus near where I live. It’s easy to get upset and confused about this impending epidemic. But it is also easy to become afraid of the vaccination itself since it has been developed in a hurry and there are still questions about it. There are two sides to the story, as always. The best we can do is to be well read and accept responsibility for our own health as a result. I am no doctor so I will never tell you what to do. I will suggest however that you check out all government and disease control websites to gather as much information as you can.

In the end, regardless of whether or not your choose to vaccinate, common sense is to bolster your own immune system by not mistreating it. Take simple precautions including getting enough rest, eating plenty of nutrient dense foods, washing your hands, sneezing into a tissue or sleeve (I think that is gross, but what can you do!?) and getting exercise. Also, stay away from people who are sick and if you are sick stay away from others. Prevention is still a reliable approach.

Stay healthy everyone!

Tosca

Cool Reading Material for Your Tuesday

Here's an interview I did with Natural Muscle Magazine. Jump to pages 56 - 57.

Also, pick up the October issue of Men's Fitness Magazine to learn more about Eating Clean for men! Here's a peak:

What I've Been Up To

After a busy week I decided to travel to Kingston to see Kelsey and Kiersten. It was a nice day for a drive – clear, sunny and not too busy on the roads. I listened to motivational tapes from Zig Ziglar on the way. I want to be a better public speaker so I am making myself a student of public speaking. I am also going to listen to Suzanne Somers this Thursday at a presentation she is giving here in Toronto.

Anyway my girls and I met for lunch and enjoyed catching up on little details about their lives. Kiersten had to go back to her studies quickly because she is in the middle of midterms. Kelsey and I looked for a Halloween costume. She will be Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz! Then she took me to her art studio space at Queens and showed me her work. Her style has already changed so much from high school. She looked happy and glowing.

I am a lucky mom. I have worked hard to build strong relationships with my daughters and I think it is paying off.

I'm hanging out with my friend Franca today and enjoying the lovely fall weather.

Phat Camp 2009!

Well, Clean Eaters we have made it to the middle of the week. We're even nearing the end of October!!! Looking for a little motivation today? Check out the hard work I did on Friday, when I had the pleasure (and the pain) of attending Jenny Hendershott’s annual Toronto Phat Camp. Don’t know who Jen is? She is the multi-medalled, uber fitness star, talented physique competitor who possesses 2 Olympia titles and 2 Fitness International titles. She hosts a Toronto based Phat Camp here every fall – just when we need it most – and teaches us all a thing or two about fitness. I am honored to have participated in the last 4 camps as her special guest. It gives me a chance to meet her fans and to spread the word about Eating Clean in addition to getting my butt whooped in a little Jenny-Hendershott-style training. If you haven’t tried her camps you might want to – I don’t know anything better for busting through a plateau, getting your heart rate up and learning a few new tricks from the pro herself. Any Phat Campers out there? How did you like the event? I will let the accompanying photos tell the rest of my side of the story.

Keep it tight!
Tosca

Jenny Hendershott and I at the 2009 Toronto Phat Camp.


Addressing the Campers (who have no idea how hard they are about to work).


Okay! Everybody go!! Time to work up a sweat!


Running with a taped calf. Don't worry, I was being careful not to overdo it.


Jen and I rooting on the campers. Cheerleading is very important you know! You can do it!


My friend Franca and I at Phat camp!


Jenny's fabulous assistants, Licia Dean and Heather Bear. Thanks for the flawless event!