DAVID KIRSCH IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

TURKEY CHILI

I understand that for some, it may seem a sacrilege to make chili with turkey instead of beef, but your heart and arteries will thank you. Make the substitute and see who notices. You will be surprised at how great this chili tastes!

Double the recipe for a big pot.

INGREDIENTS
Nonfat cooking spray
1 lb. lean ground turkey
Salt
Pepper
1 cup peeled and grated carrot
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
1 14 ½ oz. can/jar chopped plum tomato in juice
½ cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Heat a 3-quart, nonstick saucepan over high heat and coat with cookingspray. Add the turkey and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up the turkey into pieces, until browned all over. Remove to a bowl, and cover with foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to low, and add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic.  Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the chili  powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Increase the heat to medium, and add the tomatoes, stock, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer  for 15 minutes, covered.
Add the browned turkey, and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.
Makes 4 servings.

While I spend most of my days teaching people to watch what they eat, there are a few occasions where my “rules” get tossed out the window. Ironically, Thanksgiving isn’t one of them.

At its essence, the quintessential Thanksgiving meal is comprised of fresh and natural ingredients. Think of the classic roasted turkey, the fresh salads and the bounty of seasonal ingredients at our fingertips. Where we tend to go astray is in the unnecessary addition of fats, sugars and butter. Cheeses, creamy potatoes, buttery breads, marshmallows, and more. I urge you to refrain!

My philosophy is: With all the effort you’re going to put into making this feast of celebration, why not take a few steps to make it a healthier Thanksgiving meal? Your heart, waist, and arteries will be eternally grateful.



Kirsching the Classics
The following are my fat-saving tips for Thanksgiving Day feast that will be good for the body and soul.

APPETIZERS
Best solution: Low-fat hummus with vegetable wedges or shrimp with cocktail sauce.

TURKEY
Best solution: Instead of bathing your turkey in butter, boost its moisture quotient with stock injection. Use olive oil to baste and leverage fresh natural herbs to bring out its flavor. Check out my favorite Thanksgiving recipe for a butter-free Turkey.

CRANBERRY
Best solution: Follow a recipe using fresh or frozen cranberries and not canned. My favorite cranberry relish uses red wine and anise to balance out the intensity of fresh cranberries.

STUFFING
Best solution: Use my rice-based stuffing instead of high carb breads. With olive oil, herbs, nuts and a little egg to help bind, this recipe will appease the stuffing addicts in your family.

SIDES
Best solutions: Roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans with lemon zest and almonds, and mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and balsamic vinegar or oven-roasted sweet potato chips. Avoid adding any sugary components (e.g. marshmallows) or buttery additives.

DESSERT
Best solution: Dark chocolate and berries. I confess: I love pecan pie a la mode but chocolate lovers will be happy to know that dark chocolate and berries is the healthier option!

Click here to download all of David’s Thanksgiving Recipes



Avoid overstuffing your body. Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a carb-ridden binge-fest. Think about how much better you will feel from slowing down and savoring every bite and every moment of togetherness. Take your time. Enjoy it. If you feel you need help curbing your cravings, do what I do: Drink a protein shake an hour or two before the big meal. Non-bloating, whey protein, vitamin, organic flaxseed, high fiber formulas like my Protein Plus will provide relief from food cravings, helping you to avoid the urge to overstuff!

Sitting at a desk all day really can make your ass as wide as your Herman Miller. But more importantly, it can be detrimental to your health.

Research indicates that the body starts to slow down in as little as 30 minutes and that sitting for long periods, decreases our metabolism, shuts off our fat burning enzymes, and can even lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. Some researchers say that constant sitting can be as bad for you as smoking!

If you didn’t have motivation to get your butt moving at work, now you do. The good news is that people who get up and move once or twice an hour can prevent these things from happening.

Here are three sure-fire moves to keep your blood flowing and your butt cheeks from bulging. You can do them anytime, anywhere including right near your desk or while you’re on the phone. Let’s go!

Good Mornings
Start upright, feet shoulder-width distance apart, hands behind your head. Keeping your core engaged, hinge at the waist keeping your back flat. 15-20 reps.

Hip Extensions
Stand, with both hips facing forward. Resist the urge to turn. Put one hand on a wall or chair for balance. Put your brain in your butt cheek as you lift right leg back – heel first. Extend as far as you can without turning your hips. Repeat with left leg. 15-20 reps.

Plie Squats
Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width distance apart and turn your toes out. Keeping your weight in your heels and your knees turned out, squat down and then up. Repeat. Turn it up a notch by lifting your helps us as you squat. 15-20 reps.

While at work, try to take exercise breaks every hour. These breaks can be as simple as getting up to speak to a colleague in person rather than emailing them, or getting a headset and doing your butt-burning moves while talking on the phone. And who says meetings have to be done sitting down? Why not take them on the road or to the stairwell? You can turn your one-on-ones into a walking meeting. You never know what great ideas you’ll come up with!

You can find more moves for your lower half in my Butt Book.

To keep your metabolism revved up, you need to fuel it about every three hours. That means eating a meal or snack five times throughout the day, ideally, between the hours of 7AM and 7PM.

Since roughly 10% of the calories you consume are used to fuel digestion, eating more frequently is the most efficient way to keep your body energized.

Here’s a typical day of Ultimate Eating:


I can’t overemphasize the importance of breakfast, of consuming the bulk of your calories and carbs before 2PM, and sticking to my healthy snack options.

My five-meal-a-day-plan will prevent you from getting hungry, and put a stop to your cravings and bingeing. It’s the perfect set up for weigh-tloss success!

Get more on my five-a-day meal plan in The Ultimate New York Diet.

Researchers now know that your body burns roughly 40 more calories per meal if your meal is high in protein compared to one that’s high in carbohydrates or fat. Studies also show that people that ate high protein such as eggs for breakfast also ate fewer calories at their next meal.

High-protein foods tend to cause a slow, even rise in blood sugar, whereas carbs cause blood sugar levels to spike. The slower your blood sugar rises, the less of the hormone insulin your pancreas must secrete to clear the sugar out of your blood. Among other things, insulin triggers fat storage and feelings of hunger. This is why you feel hungry not long after eating a bagel, even though the bagel contains roughly 400 calories. On the other hand, consume 400 calories of egg whites (roughly 14 egg whites!) and you won’t feel hungry for hours!

My definition of a smart breakfast? Egg white omelette or a Whey Protein Shake

Don’t deny your body the breakfast it needs. I know it may seem like skipping this meal is a good way to cut calories or to save time, but research shows that breakfast eaters are more successful at long-term weight loss than those who skip breakfast. Why? It jumpstarts your metabolism and prevents you from overeating later in the day.

Have work projects, errands or family obligations caused you to skip workouts? Have you missed meals or succumbed to sugar and carbs to keep you afloat? Then, you’ve got to stop, and get back to the business of taking care of you.

Don’t kick yourself. Know and believe that you can get the body you want in the time you have and on the budget you have. It can be done. The key is to confront your excuses and have strategies in place for busting them.

The Ultimate New York Diet is a book I wrote to help people with busy, multitasking lives -- people who want to be at the top of their game when it comes to their careers and their bodies.

Does that sound like you? If so, stick with me because over the next several days I’m going to share some of these strategies for success.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to work with Kahlana Barfield, the Beauty Editor for InStyle. Our task was to get Kahlana into shape and we had 6 weeks to do it. She wanted to gain endurance, six-pack abs and a tight, firm butt. What ensued was a transformation that I hope will inspire you.

By the end of our 6 weeks, Kahlana lost 18 lbs. and 11% body fat. She was able to double the amount of time she spent doing cardio. Even more amazing, was the 13 plus inches she lost over her entire body including 5 inches around her waist!

This wasn’t easy to do. It’s never easy to reduce your pet peeve areas but Kahlana’s results reveal prove that you can add shape and definition with the right strategy. I’m not saying you can “spot lose,” but you can spot shape, tone and sculpt your way to a better body by doing spot-focused workouts at least three times per week. As I’ve always said: You’re a sculptor and your body is the clay. The “before” and “after” story here, is a great example.

Learn more about Kahlana’s flat-belly moves, her challenges along the way, and the regime that gave her the body she was born to have!

Heidi Klum’s Abs.
Anne Hathaway’s Back.
Michelle Obama’s Arms.
Liv Tyler’s Legs.
Kerry Washington’s Butt.

Well-sculpted body parts that any bride would dream of having.

When Brides.com asked me for the must-do move for sculpting arms, back, legs, abs, butt – I gave them these:



Follow them and they will make a difference.

Take it to the next level with good eating habits and spot-focused exercises, and you will dramatically improve your points of high exposure.

Whether you have 7 days, 7 weeks or 7 months to do it, you can eliminate the excess jiggle on your belly, back, butt, arms and legs, by your wedding day.

Here are my quick tips and resources for sculpting the sinewy, shapely muscles of your favorite star.  

FLAT TUMMY/TIGHT ABS  >>> Like Heidi Klum, you’ll need a combination of a good diet and lots of cardio exercise as well as a stepped-up ab routine. You’ll need to work your abs two to three times per week doing oblique crunches and other exercises (e.g. crunches, leg circles, bicycles) that hit your abs on all sides. See my One On One Training Series DVD for a routine that will get rid of the love handles and get your tummy and waistline in shape.

DEFINED BACK & SHOULDERS >>> Perform shadow boxing with dumbbells and add in exercises like the Superman, Good Mornings, pullovers and rowing maneuvers to really strengthen your back and shoulder muscles. I focus on back sculpting in Day 4 and shoulders in Day 5 of my 7-Day Prescription. It’s the same routine I do with Anne Hathaway.

SCULPTED ARMS >>> To attain the ever-so-coveted Michelle Obama arms, you must attack both your biceps and triceps simultaneously. That’s why I suggest doing several types of push-ups like these. For a more robust arm-sculpting routine, see Day 5 of my 7-Day Prescription.

SLEEK LEGS >>> The leg routines that I put clients like Liv Tyler on will shape and tone with low-intensity sessions, zeroing in on and isolating the inner thighs, outer thighs, hips and butt. This involves a variety of squats including my favorite: The plie squat.  It’s going to work the calves, thighs and glutes. Add to that a series of lunges like those in my One On One Training Series DVD, providing an intense workout for legs and thighs.

SEXY BUTT >>> You can lift it, lower it, shrink it, pull it in or pump it up. You can sculpt your butt by performing the right combination movements for your butt type. For Kerry Washington (and YOU!) the crossover lunge is designed for major butt sculpting. Get the complete formula that’s right for your butt type found in my Butt Book.

After reading about my new Butt Book at MSN Health & Fitness, Marie‐Pierre from New York City, recently sent in this inquiry.



Hi David, I heard about your Butt Book and I’m really interested in what it could do for me. I’m really hooked on Tracy Anderson’s exercises and her crazy treadmill routine that I do several days a week. I love what it has done to my abs, arms and butt muscles – smaller and more proportioned. I feel I really work my lower body in some new ways and am happy with my results but it’s not perfect. What do you think the Butt Book could do to take my booty to the next level?

Hi Marie‐Pierre, My new book ‐‐ David Kirsch’s Butt Book (coming out on July 23) ‐‐ is the first in my new series of Body‐Sculpting Manuals. Now, working out like you do is fantastic and will certainly keep your lower half slim and trim, but to really take things to the next level you’ve got to choose exercises that will shape and sculpt YOUR butt and body in all the right places.

One size does not fit all!

My Butt Book starts off by helping you identify your butt type and body type: Are you an Apple, a Pear, a Banana or a String Bean? My exercise guide helps you identify the RIGHT exercises for your butt type. These are all exercises you can do at home or on the road. NO equipment required.

And to really kick it up a notch, I share my “secrets” for really blasting those buns and maximizing results. It’s all about doing the appropriate exercises in the RIGHT sequence. I share my proven comb routines right from the training logs of Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, Heidi Klum and Karolina Kurakova.

The final workout component touches on cardio. I believe that even one’s cardio routine shouldn’t be a “one size fits all” approach. That’s why I’ve included cardio prescriptions for each butt and body type. For example, those who need a little “oomph in the caboose!” I recommend a combo of the elliptical and bike which is great for developing hips and rears. Flat‐bottomed girls do an energizing turn on the treadmill, varying speed and intensity. The higher the incline, the more emphasis on the butt …

There’s also a nutrition guide, an important piece of the body‐sculpting process.

I believe that it’s never too late to get the body you were born to have. With commitment and desire mixed in with proper guidance, you can find your best you.

Let me know how I can help!

Libby from Oakland, CA recently wrote me with this challenge:
I am 51, and starting that change in life. My legs are good but I look like an apple now, and that’s NOT me. I want to get my body back. I have already lost 60 pounds and am now around 180. I’m 5’8” dating a guy who is 5’9” and weighs 165. I want to be at 140 … max. I play tennis, hike, work in the garden, in addition to some yoga and pilates. I’ve quit sugar and booze because that was holding me back. But my main problem is my waist and midriff bulge. My birthday is October 6th and my goal is to be at 140 by then. David, how do I get there?

Libby, Finding your motivation is usually the toughest part of getting the body you want. Thanks to your commitment and desire to change, you are already well on your way to accomplishing your goal.  You’re going to do it!

Now, we need an action plan for beating the bulge and trimming your waistline. Tightening up those abs will take a combination of good nutrition and lots of cardio exercise as well as a stepped-up ab routine.

YOUR DIET
You will need to substitute high carb, high fat foods with a diet rich in lean protein and low-calorie, fiber-rich vegetables. Although I don’t refer to my program as a “diet,” my plan requires you to abstain from the A, B, C, D, E, and F of Nutrition.
    •    No Alcohol, coffee or soda
    •    No Breads or starchy Carbs
    •    No Dairy unless its skim milk or fat-free Greek yogurt
    •    No Fat (unless it’s Omega 3 super healthy fats like those found in salmon)
    •    No Extra sweets (including soda, fruit juice or other sweeteners)
    •    No Fruits except but one portion a day (e.g. handful of blueberries)

You will eat frequent small, healthful meals, enjoying an energizing meal or snack every 3 hours, ideally at 7AM, 10AM, 1PM, 4PM and 7PM, which will help raise your metabolism, stoke your machine (body), burn more calories, and reduce your body fat.

YOUR WORKOUT
If you do cardio 4-5 times per week (and walk on the off days), AND do my ab routine 3 times per week, while watching what you eat, you are going to burn fat. You’re also going to tone, tighten and strengthen your tummy muscles.

For cardio, I recommend doing a minimum of 45 minutes per day of cardio sculpting exercises like those in The Ultimate New York Body Plan along with my approved forms of cardio.

For the ab routine:  I recommend doing the ab workouts found in my books or video, One on One Training Series: Upper Body and Abdominals. One of the core ab exercises you’ll find here is the Double Oblique Crunch.

 

If you follow this prescription, you will get the abs you were born to have by your next birthday. Let me know how you are doing. You put your mind to it and you’ll make it happen. October 6 body, here we come!