I get asked TONS of questions on a daily basis — fitness, diet, supplement, workout gear — everything under the sun! Many questions I know I have had and I’m sure you have too — so I thought I’d do a quick Q&A to help all of us out!

Q: How often should I change my sneakers?

A: You should change your sneakers every 6-7 months – depending on how much wear and tear they are getting. If you are running miles in them everyday – you may need to replace them sooner depending on how the tread on the bottom is doing. If you are only wearing them to the gym to lift weights and aren’t doing any heavy pounding you may be able to go a bit longer.

Q: Should I be drinking protein shakes? I feel like I’m going to look like a man if I do that.

A: YES! YES! and NO! NO! Yes — you should be drinking protein shakes. Most women do not consume enough protein on a daily basis. Having a protein shake is a great way to get in a quick meal – that is good for you. The best type of quick post-workout nutrition is a protein shake. Having a protein shake post-workout will help your muscles repair faster and allow you to continue to burn fat. Add a scoop of protein powder into the blender — add  a banana, some peanut butter and ice and you have yourself a complete healthy meal! Not to mention a sweet treat!

No — it will not make you look like a man. You would have to eat TONS and TONS of protein and even then it just would not happen!!

Q: Should I change up my flat stomach workout? If so – why? And how often?

A: Changing your workout every few weeks is a GREAT idea! Why? Changing your workout most importantly keeps YOU entertained.  A lot of people think their workouts get boring and therefore will stop going to the gym because they ‘always do the same stuff’. Not only will you be more excited for the change but your muscles will as well.

If you do the same workout and exercises day after day and week after week – your muscles begins to get adapted to those movements and routines. Eventually your muscles will become so adapt that you will not see any forward progress. Using different exercises works different muscles in each muscle group — allowing your muscles to continue to grow and change  — burning more fat and helping you see even better weight loss results!

Do you have a question you want answered? Let me know by posting it below!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day in any flat stomach diet.  So, to make sure you start your day on the right foot, I thought I’d share three of my favorite healthy quick breakfast options. Enjoy!

Protein Pancakes

• 1 Cup Oatmeal
• 1 Cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Egg Whites
• 2 tbsp Fat Free Milk
• 1-2 scoops Protein Powder
• Fruit (blueberries, bananas) if you desire

Directions:

1. In blender combine oatmeal, egg whites, cottage cheese, milk, protein powder, and fruit.
2. Blend until creamy, and looks like pancake batter. If mixture is too thick, add more fat free milk or water as necessary.
3. Heat griddle or non-stick pan on medium heat.
4. Pour pancake batter onto pan/griddle – cook each side of pancakes for about 4-6 minutes (depends on your griddle).
5. Take pancakes off once cooked and allow to cool.
6. Serve with sugar-free syrup or your favorite fruit topping.

These protein pancakes are one of my favorite breakfast options! They are so quick to make and you can add so many different flavors. My personal favorite is to use cinnamon flavored protein powder – makes the pancakes taste DE-licious!

Egg White Salsa Omelette

• 1/2 cup egg whites (3 to 4 egg whites)
• Salsa
• Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• Fat-Free Cheese (if so desired)

Directions:

1. Heat up frying pan. Add 1 tsp of Olive Oil.
2. Pour egg whites into heated frying pan – allow eggs to cook, move egg whites throughout pan to allow egg whites to cook thoroughly.
3. Add salsa and cheese to egg whites.
4. Fold over egg whites to envelope the salsa.
5. Let cook for a 2-3 more minutes.
6. Serve with plain oatmeal or whole wheat toast if so desired.

Mixed Berry Protein Smoothie

• 1/4 cup Frozen/Fresh Strawberries
• 1/4 cup Frozen/Fresh Blueberries
• 1 cup Non Fat Yogurt (can be plain, vanilla, or fruit flavored)
• 4 ice cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 scoop Protein Powder

Directions:

1. In blender combine all ingredients.
2. Process on high until all ingredients are crushed, smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into cup and enjoy!

Now you can start your day with extra energy and get your metabolism burning fat from the minute you wake up.  Don’t forget to keep eating healthy meals throughout the day as well, but please, don’t ever skip breakfast!