Health
Nothing tastes as good as fit feels.
For most of her life Forbes struggled with an extra 30 pounds and every fad diet going. What finally worked was simple, and she teaches it the same way: journal what you eat, move in short bursts, and crack the mindset that is holding you back.
Forbes’ 5 tips for health
Yes, recorded in the car
- Keep a journal.
When you get honest about what you eat, everything changes. The e.a.t. journal is for what you eat, and for what’s eating you.
- Start the day with apple cider vinegar.
A shot of it, followed by a big glass of water with lemon.
- SpinGym three times a day, five minutes each.
Boost a sluggish metabolism. You’ll double your heart rate in under a minute and become a fat-burning machine, not a fat-storing one.
- Drink a green superfood drink.
Get your pH back in balance.
- Find a buddy.
Accountability is motivating. You need good information, not fads.
Tips that stuck
From the Healthy Living archive
There is always great food at a restaurant
- Don’t let them put the bread on the table.
- Ask for water when they push pre-dinner cocktails.
- Dressing and sauces on the side. You portion it, not the chef.
- Broiled fish, chicken or meat. Nothing fried.
- Let dessert be a hot cup of green tea.
80 / 20
“I don’t believe in junk food because I value my energy. Would you put water in your car’s gas tank and expect it to run? I do enjoy my chocolate. When you eat clean 80 percent of the time, you can indulge 20 percent and still stay on target.”
Fruit first
Got a late-night sugar craving that won’t quit? Resist the chocolate-cake siren and think fruit first. Pineapple is ideal: its bromelain aids digestion and it satisfies without pushing you over the edge.
If you’ve got 10 minutes, you’ve got a workout
Exercise researchers keep finding full benefits from short circuits. Forbes’ best routine? Turn on the music and dance. Then SpinGym.
A very low-carb diet, done with real food
Keto can help you burn fat more effectively. Forbes’ take: build it on real foods, not packets, and pay attention to how you feel and sleep.
Getting kids to juice
“How do you get kids to eat healthy? Feed them healthy.” Start before they’re two, make it fun, and let them pick what goes in the juicer.
Programs
The ultimate “non-diet”
Six weeks to finally lose it
Forbes’ six-week program, built around the e.a.t. journal: a journal for what you eat, and for what’s eating you. Get honest about both and the unwanted fat you’ve struggled with for years finally goes.
Get the journalUnder a pound, up to 24 pounds of resistance
Variable resistance from 4 to 24 pounds with every tug. Compact and portable, it works every upper-body muscle at once: metabolism-boosting, fat-burning and toning, anytime, anywhere.
About SpinGymYou don’t know Jack about juicing
- 95 percent of the vitamins and enzymes our bodies need are in the juice of raw fruits and vegetables.
- Juicing supports weight loss and energy.
- Plant-based vitamins and minerals absorb more easily and completely.
- Fresh juice contains more than nutrition. It contains life.
“Every once in a while someone comes along who connects the dots and takes the mystery out of losing weight and finally getting fit and healthy. Forbes Riley has done that. If losing weight hasn’t worked for you until now, you have to try this.”Ryan Anderson
Pictures
From Forbes’ kitchen
Recipes
A few from Forbes’ kitchen
Protein Pancake #1
- ¼ cup raw oats
- ¼ cup cottage cheese
- ½ scoop protein powder
- ½ cup egg whites
Blend everything until a batter forms. Pour onto a hot, lightly oiled pan and flip when the edges set. Top with berries.
Bell Pepper EGGtastic
- 1 bell pepper, cut into thick rings
- Eggs, one per ring
- Salt, pepper, a little olive oil
Lay the rings in a hot pan, crack an egg into each, and cook until set. The pepper softens and caramelizes, and makes eggs a visual delight.
Power-packed protein smoothie
- Protein powder
- Pineapple and coconut water
- A handful of spinach or kale
- Fresh ginger and lemon
How the Riley household starts the day before school. Blend, pour, go.
Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin purée, eggs, almond flour
- Coconut oil and maple syrup
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger
Gluten-free, dairy-free, extremely moist and deliciously spiced. A no-fail holiday staple that smells amazing coming out of the oven.
Ginger Beef Stew
- Lean beef, cubed
- Fresh ginger, garlic, onion
- Carrots, celery, sweet potato
- Bone broth
Brown the beef, add the aromatics, cover with broth and let it go low and slow. Collagen for your skin, warmth for the soul.
Yes, Forbes has her chocolate cake
- Real dark chocolate
- The best ingredients you can find
“Every once in a while you have to indulge. Just use real chocolate, and enjoy.” Prep time 10 minutes.
A typical day
There is no typical day
“Kiss my twins and get them ready for school. Make us all a nutritious lunch and start the day with a power-packed protein smoothie. Get in a quick workout, always SpinGym, at least three times a day for five minutes. Then there is no typical day: some days I’m on set shooting a TV show or live on HSN, some days it’s photo shoots, video workouts, magazine interviews, writing, email and phone calls.”
For fun: skiing, scuba diving, tennis, hiking, biking, roller skating with the kids, beach volleyball. Everything except golf. “I plan to learn when I slow down in my 70s.”