Diet & Fitness News You Need To Know

Clockwise from L to R: Kissing a fish at Dirk's Fish Market, Mushroom & Kale Pie at Pleasant House, Hibiscus Tea Soda at Pleasant House, Otto Gepperth at Gepperth's Meat Market 

I spent Wednesday in Chicago, chronicling food porn and eating my way through the city for a video shoot.  It was awesome, indulgent and motivation to stay committed to my fitness and healthy eating regime.

Here's the latest diet and fitness nuggets you need to know:

Image via Instagram.com/ElleMcPhersonIntimates

When "The Body" shares fitness tips, it's time to listen.  50-year old supermodel Elle McPherson (yeah, 50!) shared her healthy living tips with British Vogue.  Her advice is practical: move every day, make fitness a priority, get your sleep and drink lots of water.  Read the rest here.

From a 50-year old Aussie to a group of 99-year old fit Aussies, these senior citizens prove you're never too old to exercise.  It IS the fountain of youth.

Pregnant?  Exercise benefits both you AND your baby (check with your doctor first!).  Learn how exercise made my pregnancy a breeze.

How about the Ice Diet?  Turns out eating ice burns calories because it requires your body's energy to melt the ice.  One doctor suggests this can be an actual weight loss tool.  My take: the calorie burn is minuscule. Don't bank on this being the next big diet thing.

And in case your curious, I shared my fitness and healthy living approach with D Magazine's new Be Well blog.  This got me thinking: If you only have 20 minutes, what's your go-to workout?

5 Iconic Dallas Food Items

One of the best ways to learn about a culture, city or country is through its food.  Sunday's New York Times took it one step further and produced a virtual French lesson through classic French dishes native to particular regions.  It's a must-read for any Francophile foodie.

Cassoulet/image via Ptyx, Wikimedia

France is easy to tackle because each region has so many iconic dishes.  Bring it stateside and you can say the same about certain cities and states: New Orleans and jambalaya (or beignets or po boys or étouffée, I could go on), deep dish pizza and Chicago, green chiles and New Mexico.  You get the idea.

What dish evokes Dallas?  In the past, I struggled to find a singular item (a la the NYC metro card or Las Vegas casino token) to represent the city.  What about food?

Image via Flickr/Jack Keene

To me enchiladas, watermelon (a Texas summer staple), Snuffer's Cheese Fries, a Mambo Taxi (which I no longer drink because of the calories) and barbecue scream "DALLAS!".

I'm missing something here, aren't I?  Tortilla soup from the Mansion?  What food item characterizes our city?

Interested in keeping up with my pursuit of Texas chic? Hang with me on Pinterest, won't you?

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour, Episode 9

Kick off your Memorial Day weekend by getting your Dallas Cowboys Fix.

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour with Caesar Rayford

Join Mickey Spagnola and me for Micky & Miller's Cowboys Hour, a live Google+ Hangout featuring the most exclusive Cowboys coverage online.

We'll be broadcasting live from the Dallas Cowboys TV studio at the team's Valley Ranch headquarters.

You can watch multiple ways: 

• Check us out on Google+.
• If you can't join us live, watch an archived show on YouTube. 
• Watch us in the video box at the end of this post. 

What to Wear to the Gym: Workout Clothes Perfect for Warm Weather

With Memorial Day weekend approaching, the unofficial kickoff of Summer is upon us.  If you're a gym lover, it's time to cool off your workout wardrobe with lighter fabrics that will encourage you to keep going rather than suffocate you in the heat.

Nordstrom Activewear
Nordstrom is holding it's Half-Yearly sale and has a number of quality pieces that are perfect for warm weather.  Nodstrom also offers maternity and plus-size women's activewear.

Nike Elastika Dry-FIT Tank - $22.49 right now!

I love tank tops featuring the exposed built-in bra you're seeing everywhere.  These are incredibly comfortable and perfect for yoga, pilates, barre classes, cycling or skating.  This Nike Elastika Dry-FIT Tank is on sale for $22.49 and will last a while.  It also comes in black/yellow and heather grey/peach (only $20.10!) color combinations.  

Asics Pure Capris on sale for $33.75

These Asics Pure Capris are a good workout pant to wear to pair with these tops.

Zella Strappy Racerback Tank

This Zella Strappy Racerback Tank isn't on sale but it's a great top for barre classes, pilates, yoga or walking.   In addition to gorgeous pink, it comes in blue, coral and purple.

The top is perfect to pair with Zella's Live In Slim Fit Capri Leggings in universal black.

Target Activewear
Target has a fabulous selection of exercise gear from C9 by Champion that's quite stylish.

C9 by Champion Fit and Flare Tank Top

This C9 by Champion Fit and Flare tank comes in a range of colors and also sports that on-trend built-in bra.

C9 by Champion Open Back Layering Top only $19.99!

I adore this C9 by Champion Open Back Layering Top.  It comes in gorgeous Spring/Summer colors, as well.

C9 by Champion Woven Running Shorts

Shorts are a perfect option for Spring and Target has a great selection of them.  These woven running shorts are stylish and also come in black and blue.

Accessories
Don't forget some of the accessories: shoes, ponytail holders or socks.

Full Toe Ankle Socks

Toe socks are good if you're a barre or pilates fan.

For more "what to wear to the gym" inspiration, please check out my Pinterest board.

Learn More About the Items Mentioned in This Story

10 Supposedly Healthy Foods That Can Sabotage Your Diet

Did you have a juice-packed smoothie for breakfast, followed by a cheese and crouton-laden salad, a granola bar for a snack and a plate full of sushi with rice for dinner?  Pretty healthy, right?  Not so fast. 

If you're not careful, some so-called healthy foods can do serious diet damage.  Fox News features "10 That Can Destroy Your Diet".

They're gluten-free but still a treat, not a diet staple.

1. Gluten-free foods - to eliminate gluten, food manufacturers add fat, sugar and starch.  This "free" food isn't so calorie-free.
2. Coconut oil  - while it's having an oil-pulling moment, coconut oil is still a fat.  Don't go overboard with it. 
3. Yogurt - I think yogurt is overrated, especially those sugary yogurts packed with high fructose corn syrup and syrupy fruit.  Get some Greek plain yogurt and add your own fruit. 
4. Sushi - I LOVE sushi but that rice is a diet saboteur.  Ask for light rice with your sushi or simply eliminate most of it.  You won't miss it.  Your plate will be a mess, but you'll save calories. 
5. Smoothies - if you pack your smoothies with juice and "boosts" it can be a calorie bomb.  Make a green smoothie with low-calorie almond milk.  You'll love it.  Here are some other recipes. 
6. Dried Fruit - sure it's fruit but it's a calorie-dense, sugar-packed snack.  Tread lightly with this diet disaster.
7. Salad - are you getting fat eating salads?  If you're topping your salad with cheese, nuts, croutons, fried won tons, dried fruit and creamy dressing, you're not doing yourself any favors.  Use simple balsamic vinegar on your salad in place of dressing.  Learn more about slender salads here. 
8. Wraps - I love wrap sandwiches but those wraps are essentially big tortillas with lots of calories.  Try La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas.  They'll save you a few calories.  
9. Granola - while granola is made of healthy ingredients, the calories in those ingredients add up: nuts, seeds, oats, dried fruit.  These are all calorie-dense foods.  A serving is usually a 1/4 cup.  How many of us really eat 1/4 cup?  I eat handfuls.  That's like 600 calories. 
10. Corn - corn on the cob is a summer staple but it's a starchy carb.  Enjoy one ear of corn with no butter.  Add other fresh veggies like cucumber and jicama with maybe some hummus and salsa to your summer BBQ.  You'll love it, promise.

Purses You Can Carry At The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

If you have ever browsed this blog, you know I'm all about gameday style and helping you navigate the wonky world of sporting events.  The purse policy police aren't making it any easier.

Diane von Furstenberg Micro Mini Metallic Crossbody 

The PGA Tour has a new purse policy.  It's limiting.  Here is what you need to know.  Here are some handbag suggestions I offered for the HP Byron Nelson Championship.  Each of those bags will work for this week's Crowne Plaze Invitational at Colonial, although some of them you might have to squeeze to fit within the 6"x6" size restrictions.

Here are additional bags that are perfect for a PGA tournament:

For help with "What to wear to the game" or golf tournament, check out my "What to Wear to the Game" board on Pinterest. 

Why Gucci's Swing Leather Tote Is An Instant Classic

Press play to watch my unboxing video.

Can we talk about Gucci's Swing Leather Tote? I love it. Gucci has created the perfect bag for working women, students or über-moms who need to haul diapers, snacks, wipes and sippy cups yet still want to look stylish.

This instant classic rivals the Louis Vuitton Neverfull as the new carryall du jour because it is chic, elegant and functional. Watch my original unboxing video as well as my "How's It Holding Up?" updated version to find out why I love it so much.

The Swing Leather collection has been popular for Gucci. The Italian house has updated the bag and added a small name tag to the original design of it. The Swing Leather collection also features wallets, wristlets, crossbody/WOC bags and children's totes.

The tote comes in two sizes: medium and small.

Gucci Medium Swing Leather Tote 

Gucci Medium Swing Leather Tote in taupe leather with soft pink interior

The medium version (the one I have) comes in a variety color options and measures 13.4"W x 12"H x 7"D with an 8.6" strap drop, similar in size to the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM (or medium size).  It features two interior pockets which can hold a cell phone, pens, notebook, etc.  It also has an interior zipper pocket which Gucci says can "fit an iPad." It does. Sold.

Gucci Small Swing Leather Tote

Gucci Small Swing Leather Tote in rose beige leather with light blue interior

The small version also features a variety of color options while measuring 10.6"W x 9.5"H x 6.3"D with an 8" strap drop, similar in size to the smaller Louis Vuitton Neverfull. This roomy bag can also hold a lot.

UPDATE: As of 5/8/15, Fashionphile has two Gucci Swing Leather Totes on sale red and pink. If you want one, hurry! These go quickly.

The Takeaway 
At $1000 for the small and $1350 for the medium, these bags are investment pieces. I believe they are a better value than the Louis Vuitton Neverfull for two reasons: the generous interior pockets and the beautiful, supple leather construction. (Tweet this). The Neverfull is simply monogrammed canvas and starts at $1180 for the smallest version.

If you do invest in one of these, I feel it's a wise one.  They are timeless classics you can carry for years.  If you do tire of them, you can always consign or resell them and get a portion of your money back.  My Louis Vuitton Neverfull practically paid for itself.

Shop The Gucci Swing Leather Collection