As a wife and mother, Sports Nutritionist, owner of Ultrafit Nutrition Systems, Inc., and Fitness Expert for Good Morning San Diego, you may be thinking, “How does this woman manage to stay so fit?!” Cindy Whitmarsh reveals to us her secrets AND gives us three sneak peeks into her cookbook, Ultrafit Cooking; her collection of easy, nutritious and delicious recipes she incorporates daily into her own healthy lifestyle.
All we ladies know it can be TOUGH keeping nutrition a top priority when we’re busy with children. What are a few habits you implement daily to ensure you maintain a steady, nutritious diet?
1)- I plan my meals the night before when I’m making the kids’ school lunches! Being prepared with meals and snacks makes it easy to stick to my healthy diet and busy life! Planning is key!
2)- Every Sunday I prepare healthy protein choices, like hard-boiled eggs, grilled lean chicken breast or lean turkey patties for quick and easy proteins on-the-go! I also cut up cold veggies so I can grab them quickly as I’m running out the door!
3)- I carry a gallon of water with me everywhere I go and make sure it’s gone by the time I go to bed! Everyone says they drink lots of water, but when you actually see how much a gallon is, you might be surprised how much water you aren’t getting each day! Water is the key to staying lean and satiated all day long!
4)- Portion control is vital for a fast metabolism and staying lean! I always eat small portions- enough to be satiated, but never stuffed or full! I always have some kind of lean protein, good fats and healthy veggies in every meal. This way, your blood sugar and weight remain stable.
5)- Breakfast is so important to jump start the metabolism! I always eat within 30 minutes of waking up! It’s also a good habit for our children to learn, as we send them to school with plenty of brain power in their breakfast!
Speaking of snacks, what are some of your favorite go-to munchies?
For breakfast, I have an Eggs and Veggie Sausage Wrap I absolutely love! As for a snack, check out my Turkey Burger on-the-go! A delicious dinner recipe the whole family will love is my Chicken Tortilla Soup, which can easily be made in the crock pot- it’s a wonderfully nutritious meal for any busy day!
Check out all of Cindy’s recipes below!
What is your BIGGEST challenge when it comes to maintaining your nutritious lifestyle, and how do you overcome it?
We are very social people! My husband works for Fox Sports and the Padres, as well as with my charity work and business, so we socialize a lot! Having wine with friends or at an event can be challenge when trying to stay lean and fit. But, I stick to wine or vodka soda, always drink water when drinking and never have an additional carb when having alcohol! Instead I’ll have a salad with protein, or something like a fish and veggie dinner.
What do you think is the easiest mistake mothers can make when it comes to sacrificing their personal fitness?
I think that busy mothers sometimes put their health on the back burner and focus on their children and families only. If you don’t take care of yourself, everything else in your life will suffer! I suggest: Make time for your workouts everyday, even if you have to get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning before the kids wake up! This will create a positive start for your busy day. You will feel better about yourself, you will have more energy for your kids and family, and will want to eat better so you won’t ruin the workout you did in the morning! It’s a great lesson for your kids to see that you care about your health and you will be more patient and happy in dealing with your family in the long run!
The same goes for your nutrition. Plan your meals just like you do your children’s! Make extra healthy dinners and package them up for lunch the next day; This is a habit that creates POSITVE changes and will make life a lot easier for you!
What keeps YOU going? You’re so motivated, fit, positive and inspiring! What is YOUR personal incentive when it comes to upholding your personal way of healthy living?
I make fitness and wellness a priority in my life no matter what is going on. I plan my workouts every Sunday just like my meals for the week. I pretend my workouts are just as important as a PTA meeting or an event that I go to for my kids! I never break the workout plan, and I’m a happier wife and mother for it! Eating healthy is also key to staying more patient with my family. If your blood sugar is regulated, your moods are stable. No one likes a crabby mom or wife, right? Fitness is a way of life, not a fad or hobby for me.
I used to weight 40 more pounds than I do today years ago when I first moved to San Diego from North Dakota. I remember how that felt, and that motivates me to keep going so I never go back to having those feelings of insecurity, sadness and lethargy! I lost the weight years ago by changing my habits and it changed my life forever. Take the time for yourself – your family will thank you in the long run!
4 egg whites
1 Morning star Veggie Sausage link
1 Whole-wheat tortilla
1 TSP ketchup
Pam Cooking spray
In a medium sized skillet, scramble eggs and 1 veggie sausage link together until browned to your liking. Place in a whole-wheat tortilla with a TSP of ketchup.
(serves 4)
1 ½ lbs. 95% lean ground turkey breast
1 package onion soup mix
½ cup quick cooking oats
Pepper and garlic powder
Mix ingredients together. Divide in half. Divide in half again. Shape into 4 patties. Grill or pan-fry over medium heat using Pam Cooking spray. Eat on the go with cut up veggies or hummus! Yummy!
3 Cloves garlic
1 small onion, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can corn
1 roasted chicken
½ can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 ½ TSP Cumin
1 ½ TSP chili powder
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 oz. diced chilies
1 bunch cilantro
½ cup fat-free shredded cheese
In a skillet put garlic, onions and olive oil on low heat to simmer for five minutes.
In a crock pot or large pot for stove, add chicken broth, garbanzo beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and chilies. Shred the roasted chicken into small bite size pieces and add to the pot. Then add the garlic and onions from the skillet and lastly add the cilantro. Boil with lid on for about 5-8 minutes.
Turn down the stove to a simmer and let simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
To serve, put cheese on top and pour a little more broth on top to melt.
(Serves 6)
If you like what you see, check out Cindy’s book: Ultrafit Cooking!
Looking for a workout to match? Don’t miss Cindy’s interval-style Ultrafit Fat Burning Workout DVD!
About Cindy
As a 17 year veteran fitness professional, Cindy Whitmarsh has a proven record of dynamic on-camera ex-perience starring in multiple infomercials, ExerciseTV features, and various news/fitness segments resulting in successful sales of multiple exercise weight loss products and nutrition programs. While serving as the host for weekly and syndicated lifestyle television programming, Cindy brings her unique expertise in motivating everyone from professional athletes to “average viewers” to obtain extraordinary results with her three part Workout Philosophy: “Maximize your time and efforts in your workouts. As long as you eat a sensible diet, you don’t have to workout for hours on end. And set goals and cross train your workouts to achieve maximum results!” To find out more about Cindy, UltraFit, and Cindy Whitmarsh Fitness visit CindyWhitmarshFitness.com!
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