Oxygen Magazine Photo Shoot with Jamie Eason

I had a blast yesterday shooting with Jamie Eason. She's a little ball of energy with an amazing passion for the fitness business. We gabbed all day in between shots about healthy eats, training for competitions, and more. We totally lucked out with the weather and were able to do lots of shots outdoors. We took a lot of video too which will be featured on Oxygen's website & my website soon. The focus of the day was glute training and those walking lunges uphill were killer!

Here are some photos from the day...

Our collection of clothes & shoes for the day. Here stylist Nadia and Oxygen staffer Erin are making some selections.


Back to back. Me & Jamie compare glutes while Paul Buceta takes the pics. Mine are about 20 years older than hers though!


These lunges were killer! Thank goodness we only had to take a couple of shots. Ouch!


Thanks for a great day Jamie! You're a gem. Here we are with my daughter Rachel & her friend Crystal who joined us at the shoot.

Miami TV Link

After spending a very adventurous day in NYC, my husband & I zipped off to Miami for a few more television appearances. The video above is from my appearance on the WSFL Morning Show. I also appeared on South Florida Today, but I can't seem to find the link at this time.

We'll be home sweet home soon just in time to prepare for an exciting shoot I am doing with the super-cute and super-CUT Jamie Eason on Thursday. It's been an absolute whirlwind this week!!! I love it!

Good Morning America...

Check out my video from Good Morning America!

Robin Roberts was an amazing host. She is so laid back and easy going. She made everything fun. What an amazing amazing experience!

Thanks to everyone for rooting me on!

And now I'm catching a plane to Miami for 2 more shows.

Love,
Tosca

On My Way to GMA

I am finally heading to New York City today for my Good Morning America interview which airs live tomorrow morning with the fabulous Robin Roberts.

It's been a process getting prepared over the past few days. There are so many things to think about, and I'm a worry-wort to begin with!

I did my pre-interview on Friday so I could get into the zone for questions to come. My silly cell phone dropped the call 3 times. I was so embarrassed!!!

Last night I put a lot of thought into what to take with me on the short, but important, trip. Each outfit requires professionalism and poise. Thank goodness Nancy Jambazian is doing my makeup. That's one less thing to worry about. I want to look my best tomorrow.

Initially we were concerned about out travel plans to New York City because of ash from Eyjafjallajökull wreaking havoc on air travel, even here in Canada. We were completely prepared to drive from Toronto because this opportunity is not to be missed!

My #1 feeling right now, aside from excitement, is honor. I am really really honored to have this time with Robin Roberts. I consider her an incredible role model for women, not only because she was an elite athlete, but because she has also overcome so much as a breast cancer survivor. I believe we are short on female heros here in North America as so many of them have clouded pasts, but Robin Roberts definitely fits the bill. She is a genuine hero!

All the more reason why I am so shocked and thrilled she would even consider interviewing me.

This is a big moment for the Eat-Clean Diet. This is for everyone who has experienced success, everyone who has supported, and for all of the future clean eaters who have yet to discover how amazing this lifestyle is. This is a huge validation for everything we have been doing over the year. We're taking it to the next level & spreading the message to everyone.

Tune in if you can...

Monday April 26th, 2010 between 8am & 10am.

Much Love,
Tosca

ECD Body Makeover Challenge Winner - My Day with Megan

On Friday I had an absolutely glorious day with Eat-Clean Diet Body Makeover Challenge winner, Megan Murphy. This gem of a young lady brightened our studio with her inspiring story and incredible success. We flew Megan in from Florida for a shoot with Paul Buceta to be featured in Oxygen magazine. We shot all day and Megan rocked the studio. She was quite the natural! And it's no wonder since she has a lot to be proud of after losing a stunning 98 lbs & totally turning her life around! The best part about Megan - she's a truly genuine person. I have posted a scrapbook of photos from the day on my ToscaReno.com site. Please check them out. Stay tuned for future challenges. You're our next winner!

You Asked... Leg Training

I answered...

Goodness knows the legs get plenty of punishment while training for either a triathlon or a marathon. I have noticed that with all the pedaling I am doing on my bike, the swimming (which also uses legs) and of course running, that I am developing a much harder profile to the outer sweep of my quads. I happen to love this look, not just on me but on anyone who trains this hard. In my opinion “it’s HAWT!” Since I love lifting so much and my weight training coach (that would be my husband, Robert) isn’t cutting any slack in the gym anyway I keep up with regular heavy leg work. With the power I develop doing weighted walking lunges, plate loaded leg press, leg extensions and the rest of the leg training I do I find my legs are stronger and can power me up hills better whether on a bike or on foot. One of my favorite exercises on the bike is to do a warm up and then practice clipping and unclipping my feet from the pedals. I will unclip one foot and put it on the trainer or bike somewhere out of the way and pedal with the other foot for 40 strokes. Then I unclip that foot and clip the other foot in and repeat the drill. I will do this increasing the tension on the bike until I just can’t pedal any more. It is also a great way to practice clipping in and unclipping which will help when I am on the road. Do you know how many people have fallen off their bikes because they forgot to unclip one foot? Lots! It will probably happen to me too, but so far so good.

Although you didn’t ask, when it comes to arms, back, shoulders and chest I keep up with that too and can actually feel the muscles powering me through the water as I swim. Freestyle swimming or the front crawl as it used to be called requires the use of shoulders, back and biceps at the beginning of the stroke when the hand is plunging into the water above your head. The muscles scoop away water and then as you draw the arm down by your side the powerful triceps muscles kick in. It is exciting to feel the strength of the arms at work in the water.


I would love to hear your stories about training, cycling and other fun fitness stuff. And don’t forget to tell me your funniest moments. I will share mine if you share yours!

Keep it tight,
Tosca

P.S. Check out our cycling team... they're doing so well!!! womenscyclingteam.blogspot.com

California in Pictures

I've finally had a few moments to upload some California photos. It was an excellent trip with lots of exciting opportunities & a little bit of down time. Chelsea joined us as a belated birthday gift. She had a great time, too. Here's what we were up to during our 5 day jaunt to LaLa Land...

I made sure to keep up with my training each and every day. Here I am braving the chilly temps in the pool and working on my chest in the gym. Chelsea even joined me a couple of times. I'm glad we've managed to instill some exercise smarts into this young one! Teenagers can be tricky!


On Sunday we took a stroll along Rodeo Drive. Most of the stores were closed, but I couldn't help doing some window shopping. It's probably best I stick to this type of shopping anyway. My bank account doesn't like major sprees.


Here I am at makeup artist extraordinaire, Nancy Jambazian's house, where I ran into a VERY pregnant and super-cute Kim Lyons. Nancy made me look fabulous for my day at KTLA! Thanks lady!


Ever wonder what's inside the purse of a fitness fanatic? Apparently just a big mess of gum, sunglasses, my ever-important Blackberry & a half-eaten protein bar! What a disaster! What's in your purse?


Here I am with my publicist (thanks for driving), Silvie Bordeaux, & ECD Super Success, Allison Earnst. We are on our way to shoot EXTRA! It was an awesome day on location at Total Woman Gym & Day Spa. I'll let you know as soon as I get an air date.


After a long, but fun, day with EXTRA we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Ryan Seacrest's Boa on Sunset Boulevard where I ran into ECD fan Danielle. What a gem!

Heading Home

Hello Hello! Just a quick note to let you know I'm coming home from California today. It's been a great trip with lots of business opportunities. I hope you were able to check out my KTLA segment (if not click here). Also, if you're looking for something different for dinner tonight check out this recipe newly posted on my Eat-Clean Diet site from the Eat-Clean Diet Recharged. Enjoy!
-Tosca

A Busy LA Morning... KTLA & The Balancing Act

It was a whirlwind morning at KTLA. I was up bright and early to get to the set for my 9:30am call time. Then the fun began. I served up 3 deliciously clean meals in under 5 minutes. It was fun and the crew really enjoyed it! Thanks to everyone at KTLA who made the morning such a hit. Who knew I could clear a table so quickly! Check out the video here. If you would like the text of the 3 recipes I made from Tosca Reno' Eat Clean Cookbook & the Eat-Clean Diet Recharged (Spanish Eggs, Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice & Meal in a Bowl Mexican Soup) please click here.

This morning was also a busy one for Eat-Clean Diet mega success story Allison Earnst. She made an appearance on Lifetime's The Balancing Act. Please check out her incredible story here. Great job, Allison! You really rocked it & look amazing.

Now I'm off to a meeting before having some down time with my family.

Tomorrow Allison & I will be filming Extra together. Can't wait! I'll let you know the air date ASAP!

-Tosca

Hello Cali

Well, I have officially landed in California for a stint of interviews and meetings and such. Tomorrow morning I will be on KTLA morning news around 9:30am demonstrating a couple of recipes. Tune in if you can! In the meantime, I'm enjoying the cool but sunny weather in Santa Monica with my husband and stepdaughter. More soon...
-Tosca

Travel Eats

Thanks to Beth who asked a great question about traveling post-weight loss while eating a clean diet:

I know many of you wonder how to eat while on a trip, particularly after you've lost weight and finally achieve a body you are proud of. I worry about this, too. I enter into the trip with a good mindset consisting of the notion that although I will do my best to Eat Clean it won’t be perfect and that doesn’t really matter. You are on vacation after all and it is a time to treat yourself a little differently than you would in your normal daily life routine. You do your best, you don’t go crazy and you be comfortable with the plan.

However, in order to offset some of the issues that may plague me and potentially you too, I always pack ground flax seed or chia seeds in my checked luggage. That way I can toss these things into a bowl of oats or cereal just to keep things working effectively. I also always pack my own favorite kind of tea just in case I can’t find one I like while away. And I make up small bags of dry oats mixed with protein powder and dried blueberries as a back up if I am stuck for food. I have a few of these prepared and stowed in my carry-on luggage too so that I can always have a clean meal instead of the often horrific plane food. Make up a few small bags of mixed nuts and dried fruits, too. Usually these items are safe when going through customs, but you may want to check the airport's protocol to be sure.

Hope this helps and bon vogaye!
Tosca

Tosca's Tsunami

Isn't this the funniest name for a shoe store...

Question: What do you do when a tsunami of work and deadlines hits you over the head and you discover on your first day back that a book you haven't even started writing is due in 3 weeks?

Answer: Realize you just went on vacation so stop whining! Enjoy the memories and dig in. Life is what is happening to you at this very moment! And it is both intense and fantastic all at once.

This is the conversation I have been having with myself since I have returned from The Arnold, Jamaica and the UK. Most of the month of March was spent away from home. In fact as I look at the calendar I see that I was only home for about 4 days. April is looking just as busy but the focus will be on writing that #$%@!^ book. Good thing the book has been living in my head for a long time and it is just a matter of getting the words down on paper (or on the computer in my case).

As easily as I could freak out, throw my hands up in the air and say "Forget it! Impossible!" I feel a sense of calm instead. What I find myself saying is, "Get on with it. This is your life and it's fun. You will get the job done because you can do it and you can ask for help too."

So as the memories of muscle from the Arnold, sand and sun from Jamaica and rain and rubber boots from London, England continue to live in photos and in my mind, I enjoy the richness of my life and consider myself blessed to be in the game at all. The constant in all of this is my training and eating. Although I have been all over the map lately I still managed to work out with weights in Columbus during the Arnold Expo. While I Jamaica I used their gym to lift weights and run and I used the beach to do beach runs and swim. The hotel I stayed in in London was amazing and I kept up with weights, cycling and running while there. Okay I veered a bit from the strictest Clean Eating - wine, cheese, bread and even desserts - I am back on track and getting ready for 3 photo shoots this month.

I would love to hear from you how you manage those seemingly overwhelming episodes in your life. How did you manage to keep your head on straight and your emotions in check while still trying to get the job done? What were your coping methods to deal with what life threw at you?

Can't wait to hear from you all!
Keep it tight everyone,
I love you all and am thrilled to back.
Tosca

P.S. In response to your queries:

We chose to have tea at the Dorchester because Robert is a Brit and that is his favorite place to do it right. The salmon finger sandwiches were outstanding! This was also the first time I had clotted cream on scones – now I have one more food that is a trigger food. How do you stop eating that?

As for the scarves the purple patterned one is from Fenwick’s in London. It is a new favorite.
The warm brown animal print scarf is an old favorite from Roberto Cavalli which I purchased in Las Vegas about 4 years ago. The zebra print scarf is from a cute shop in Kingston, Ontario called Cybill Scott. Can you tell I love scarves?

I See London...

I hope you enjoy this selection of photos from our recent trip to London, England.

Robert figuring out his seat on the plane!


Check out the spread of clean eats at Harrod's Food Hall...


Taking a moment of reflection at the Lady Di Memorial Fountian in Hyde Park. She's my inspiration!


Enjoying afternoon tea at The Dorchester.


Robert & Pioneers of Physical Culture's Diane Bennett remembering the good old days at Arnold's first training in England.


Robert graciously accepting his award at the Pioneer's of Physical Culture ceremony.


I couldn't resist enjoying a true English cider at the pub!


Outside one of London's oldest (and our favorite) restaurants, Rules.


Enjoying our last tea time at Harrod's...

Long Weekend

Long weekends are never long enough...

I can't believe Monday has crept up on us again biting me with emails, phone calls, laundry, etc. But such is reality and I will embrace it with a warm hug including a run, a weight training session, cooking, cleaning and lots of work. Monday Monday Monday...

I had a lovely weekend with my family members. It was a quiet gathering with my daughters being the only guests at the house. It seems Easter weekend snuck up quickly and no other family members were able to join us. Honestly, it worked out for the better because after returning home from 10 days in England I had very little in the house.

On Friday evening we took Chelsea & a number of her friends out for dinner with the family to celebrate her 17th birthday. It was a delicious meal & the start of a great weekend. On Saturday I did some errands with my daughters. We visited my favorite new bakery in Orangeville called Pia for some freshly-baked, completely wholesome bread. I rarely indulge in bread, but couldn't help myself after the irresistible smells tickled my nose. We spent Saturday afternoon cooking up a hearty spread. I love when my daughters join me in the kitchen. As we snacked on homemade guacamole we prepared one of my first attempts at lamb with mint (a request by my husband), steak on the barbecue, garlicky green beans & asparagus, clean Caesar salad & mashed potatoes. For dessert we devoured tons of berries and Grandmother's Favorite Oatmeal Cookies from the original Eat-Clean Diet book. I even indulged in a few treats myself. The evening was finished out with a viewing of Twilight: New Moon to rest off our food-induced comas. We totally lucked out with the weather and I was able to go for a run with my daughter on Sunday morning and soak up some sun on the patio before heading out to Kingston to drop my girls back at school.

I want to hear about your weekend adventures. Did you enjoy some family time? Did you try out any new recipes? Did you get active?

Pictures from England will be coming soon. I finally learned how to get them onto my computer! Oh technology... we do not get along so well.

FYI.... Good Morning America has been postponed until the following week rather than this Wednesday... phewf, I need a moment to unpack before I attempt traveling again.

More soon...
Tosca

Heading Home

We're on our way home from England today. It's been a lovely trip and I have much to share with you as soon as I have some photos to go along with the stories.

I'm looking forward to reuniting with my family this weekend for the Easter long weekend. What are your plans? Any Eat Clean options on the menu? I haven't even thought about what I will be cooking, but I will be recruiting my kids to help me in the kitchen.

I wanted to share a new resource with you today. I have recently been introduced to Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman. I'm looking forward to checking out this book so I can adopt some new principles for my garden. I can't wait to get cracking in there this year. Have any of you read this book? Have you started your gardens yet?

Time to head to the airport. Just wanted to drop a "hello" from across the Atlantic. Back on home soil soon!

-TR