Confessions of a "Carb-o-holic"

By popular demand, ok only one reader asked but it's sought-after information none the less, I am posting my diet and exercise plan.

Now before your mouth drops at my Catholic school rigid regimen, know that this is my ideal daily schedule and my dedication to it is often only as devout as the school girls smoking in the bathroom.

So here goes...

Every day of the week I strive to follow this plan:

Breakfast:

6 scrambled Egg Whites (100)
1 Carb Kruncher Cinnamon Raisin Bagel (135)
1/2 tablespoon of Peanut or Almond Butter (50)
Black Tea w/ a splash of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (10)

Snack:
Around 10:30 a.m., or whatever time I start starving pre-lunch, I will have some sort of healthy snack...an Apple (75), a light Yogurt (80), or 12 Almonds (85).

Lunch:
4 oz Chicken (120)
1/4 an Avocado (80)
Romaine/Spinach lettuce (0)
2 tablespoons low-calorie Dressing (25)

I'm usually still hungry after that so I take 10 Carrot sticks (35) and a tablespoon of Hummus (25) back to my desk to munch on.

Snack:

Around 2 or 3 my tummy is growling again...so I'll have another snack. This could be a small Banana (80) with Peanut Butter (50) or a Chocolate Protein Shake (chocolate protein powder, water, ice: 150 calories).

Dinner:

4 oz of Salmon or Chicken (120-150)
1 cup of Steamed Vegetables like Spinach, Broccoli, or Asparagus (30-50)
1/2 cup Black Beans (100) or 1/2 cup Brown Rice (100) or 1 1/2 cups of my Carb-A-Nada Pasta (140)

Dessert:

Smoothie: 1 cup frozen Blueberries (80) blended with 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (60)

Total: about 1200 to 1300 calories.

Now before my close friends start posting their protests I'll admit, my reality is a bit more sinful. Most days, I live by a variation of this plan.

On a "normal" day, I might have a cookie collision sometime in the late afternoon (add 200 calories). Many nights of the week instead of a smoothie for dessert, I take a low-carb yogurt detour on the way home from the gym (add 100 calories). And on the weekend, my healthy dinner is usually replaced by a sinful steak or a pound packing pasta dish (add a ton of calories).

I also work in the entertainment industry so every once in a while a night on the town turns into a guilt-inducing gorge fest on passed party appetizers and open-bar beverages.

So just like everyone else, I struggle with temptation. And it's because I frequently succumb to pretty big binge sessions that I attempt to abide by a demanding daily diet plan.

One thing I never slip up on though is breakfast. Sometimes I interchange the bagel with whole-wheat toast or a whole-wheat english muffin but I happily eat this same meal everyday.

I also like to "splurge" on sushi at least once a week but I try to keep that somewhat safe by getting a simple salmon avocado roll with brown rice or a rainbow roll (sub the imitation crab for tuna).

Workout:

Monday through Friday I try to make it to the gym 3-4 days of the week and attempt to accomplish this treadmill routine:

10 minute Warm-Up Jog @ 5.5 mph
30 minutes alternating 2 minute intervals between 5.5 mph and 7 mph
5 minute walk @ 4 mph on an incline of 4.5 to 6

2 days of these days I will also do strength training with light weight activities/lunges and some sort of abdominal exercise.

On the weekend I try to do cardio outside by going for a hike or a run on the beach. Sometimes I'll hit up this cute studio in Santa Monica for an intense 1 1/2 hour yoga class.

My workout variations are not as disparate as my munching mishaps. It usually means just a shorter run.

Instead of 45 minutes I may only complete the first 25 minutes of the routine. On the weekend I might be too tired to schlep out to Malibu for a 7 mile hike and instead opt for a quick jaunt to Runyon Canyon.

So now you know the truth (because if I don't admit it my boyfriend will begin posting his "Whitney Stuffing Her Face" gallery on Facebook and you'll find out anyway).

As the saying goes,"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." I reach for the Runway so hopefully when I fall at least I'll land in the front row with the A-listers.