Like songs, certain foods take you back, especially if you haven't had them in years. It's hard to hear Sisqo's "Thong Song," or take a bite out of a Choco Taco, without remembering where you were and what was going on in your life when that was your jam.
For Tamera Mowry-Housley, it's ramen noodles. Thinking about them immediately reminds her of Sister Sister, the '90s sitcom she starred in alongside her twin, Tia, and the unconventional way she ate them.
"Did you ever crunch up [the ramen noodles], put seasoning on it, and eat them dry?" Mowry-Housley asks. "It's a great snack, but I can't eat it anymore because I had it so much back then. Whenever I see those packages, I think of the show."
Ramen burnout aside, the snack also doesn't really fit with her current diet. "Nowadays, I eat so healthy, or at least I try to. When you have two kids, man—whew!—It's tough sometimes."
After gaining more than 60 pounds while pregnant with her daughter, Ariah, last year, Mowry-Housley launched a "Mommy Makeover Journey" on her blog, TameraMowry.com, to chronicle her fashion, fitness and overall health transformation. In the process, she's picked up a few rules that have made a huge difference.
Try a Different 80/20 Rule.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen may live by the 80/20 rule, where you eat 80 percent vegetables and 20 percent lean meat, but Mowry-Housley follows a more moderate tack: For her, losing weight is "80 percent what you eat, and 20 percent being active," she says.
After giving birth to her daughter, Mowry-Housley eased into exercise, starting with yoga, mat pilates and regular walks with her kids. "I represent that busy mom, and the conflict that would go on in my head every day was, 'Do I work out for an hour and a half, or do I play with my children?'" she says. Walking helps her enjoy more quality time while staying active.
Now that it's been almost a year since she's given birth—and her work schedule has eased up, giving her more free time—Mowry-Housley's upping the ante: "I try to work out four days a week, doing two days of interval training, one day of pilates, and one day of cardio."
Alter Your Italian.
Spaghetti and meatballs are a go-to dinner at Mowry-Housley's household, but lately, she's been enjoying a low-carb twist, using spaghetti squash instead of pasta. "Just bake a yellow squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, then spoon out the insides, add sauce and bam! You have a healthy meal."
She's also traded in alfredo and other cream-based sauces for classic tomato sauce, though she will give herself some shortcuts. "I'll buy Ragu's Homestyle sauces, since they don't have artificial colors or flavors, or high-fructose corn syrup," she says. The jarred sauce is a huge timesaver for her, rather than making it from scratch each week.
Another low-carb twist? Making pizza with cauliflower crust, instead of traditional dough.
Go Hard on Veggies, Easy on Fruit.
Mowry-Housley's always trying to sneak in more vegetables, but she limits her fruit intake to two pieces per day. "[Fruit] still has sugar, even though it's a good carb," she explains.
Swear by Seasonings.
Grilled chicken and vegetables may be common healthy foods, but that doesn't mean they have to be bland. Mowry-Housley keeps her pantry stocked with garlic salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, truffle oil and tomato sauce to drizzle (or sprinkle) on top of an otherwise bland meal. "You can do anything with those," she says.
Downplay Dairy.
Mowry-Housley has a weakness for cheese, bread and wine, but she tries to keep all three to a minimum. Cheese has been the hardest to cut back on. "I try—oh, I try—not to eat dairy," she laughs. "I try to enjoy it in moderation, eating clean throughout the week, for the most part."
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