002houston July 09:002houston
6/18/09
3:55 PM
Page 70
By Jenny Wang of imneverfull.com Photography by Kim Coffman
DINE WRITE
21 DAYS OF MY FIT LIFE
2608 S. Shepherd Dr. | Houston, TX 77098 713.651.1110 |myfitfoods.com (5 other Houston locations)
HOURS:
Sun – Thu 7am-9pm Fri 7am-8pm Sat 8am-8pm
sample menu selections breakfast • Blueberry Perfect Patty: The original steel cut oat pancake lost its walnuts and side of agave in favor of fresh blueberries and around forty fewer calories. One meal or two snacks.
low carb meals • Roasted Vegetables and Tenderloin: Wit new roasted vegetables. These veggies are roasted on pesto sauce made with MacNut oil.
meals • Kickin' Tilapia: Put a little spice in your life and kick start your metabolism with Cajun spiced Tilapia, quinoa and broccoli. Daytime or evening eating.
snacks • Pure Agave Nectar: What would normally be fermented into tequila makes a perfect low-glycemic sweetener. Organic Agave Nectar is made of fructose rather than glucose, requiring more processing time and thus, no spike in blood sugar levels.
Breakfast Tacos
ENJOY LIVING IN THE EXTREMES. I EAT FOR SPORT. BUT LIVING LIFE THIS WAY COMES WITH CONSEQUENCES. I HAVEN’T FIT INTO MY JEANS IN OVER 8 MONTHS. Since founding Houston Chowhounds, a local eating club, and delving mouth-first into a career in food writing, I’ve gained a whopping 25 pounds. More than ever, eating is a major part of my life, but I knew I needed an intervention before my weight spun completely out of control. It was that kind of thinking that led me to the door of My Fit Foods after driving by it a million times. The company was started by Mario Mendias, a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, in his apartment over four years ago. After 15 years in the fitness industry and helping start up four local health food companies, he ventured out on his own. There are currently six locations in the Houston area to serve all his fit customers with a seventh opening this month in Rice Village. In a nut shell, My Fit Foods is a takeout operation for fresh, healthy, prepared meals and snacks. About fifty menu items are offered which require a quick reheat in a microwave before eating. The meals are designed on a 40% protein, 20% carbohydrate and 20% fat ratio. Chicken is freerange, meats are 93% fat-free or leaner, and carbohydrates are organic and low-glycemic. 95% of the meals are wheat, gluten, soy and dairy-free. Macadamia nut oil and Smart Balance™ butter are the only fats they cook with. Meals come in three sizes. Portion size is dependent on the specific goal, but as a general rule, women looking to lose weight should consume the smallest portions. Food can be ordered online for next-day pick-up or delivery, or customers can stop and take home selections from the cooler. For those wanting to achieve faster results, My Fit Foods has designed a
Chicken Fajitas
21-day challenge. The program advertises higher energy levels, leaner body mass and substantial weight loss with an average woman losing 8-12 pounds and an average man losing 12-16. Who doesn’t have three weeks to invest in a healthier body and lifestyle? I decided for the sake of journalism and my own well-being that this was something I could do. The 21-day program involves proper meal timing each day with three meals and two snacks after starting the mornings with a liver cleanse drink. The bright red concoction is a blend of water, unsweetened cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice. A word to the wise: It tastes a lot better BEFORE you brush your teeth. The program also entails taking natural milk thistle, cinnamon and acai berry supplements twice a day. Personally, the hardest commitment was no alcohol during the whole program. One cheat meal is also allowed per week, but I found the 7 days so easy that I skipped my first one. My personal consultation was at My Fit Gym, the former River Oaks Fitness on West Gray which Mendias purchased in March. My meeting was with Jackie McClain, a personal trainer. I soon learned that the 21-day challenge involved an additional challenge: scheduled workouts five days each week. Good ole nutrition and exercise. Haven’t we learned that there’s no shortcut to weight loss yet?
continued 72 70. july 09 | www.002mag.com