LeBootCamp in South Africa!

We have exciting news here at LeBootCamp!

FAIRLADY, the "modern South African woman’s best friend and savvy shopping partner, offering honest advice about everything from how to spend money to what to eat tonight and wear tomorrow," has officially partnered with LeBootCamp, now offering our proven coaching program to a brand new clientele of women who want to lose weight with pleasure!

Check us out in the June issue of this fabulous magazine!

Do you live in South Africa? Join FAIRLADY LeBootCamp at www.fairlady.lebootcamp.com!

Presenting "Le Personal Coach" & LeBootCamp on Bay Area Vista

For once I don't have to go to the other end of the USA to share my weight loss secrets on a TV show! This time I go just 20 minutes away from my house - almost felt like going to visit a friend :)

So here I am in the KCSM TV studio! A great show with Emmy nominated producer Janice Edwards, Host of "Bay Area Vista": I present my latest book "Le Personal Coach" and some super simple weight loss tips.

To be in top shape for the show, I ensure that my morning is active and light on the stomach: freshly squeezed lemon in room-temperature water, green tea, my famous sobacha and then a 30-min walk with my faithful Nestle.

Raw breakfast: raw homemade granola + 1 small punnet of raspberries and homemade almond milk.

Walking for 1 hr while on the telephone, why sit on my butt when I have to talk for 1 hour....gotta keep moving!

A light lunch so as not to feel lethargic on set: homemade lentil soup with 3 tbsp brown rice (the combination gives me a good balance of amino acids, hence no problem on the protein front :) + the rest of the raspberries leftover from the morning

A small green tea and then I zip out to the studio

As usual I meet some interesting people who are on before and after me: an author of raw detox recipes (we will definitely keep in touch!), 2 rappers, and a marathon runner - great social dynamics!

You can watch the full show here:

With actress Michelle Rodriguez, celeb stylist Ivan Bitton, and more!

What a stay in LA, full of emotions, between Prince, and a great time spent with Michelle Rodriguez. It is very rare to see an A-lister whose fame hasn't gotten to her head, and Michelle is one of them: simple, adorable, personable, wearing her heart on her sleeve.

As you can see she loves my book :)

An active day, on the go, and filled with mystery and suspense as well, since we had no idea that at 5:00 a private screening was going to happen. We find ourselves in Soho House, a high-end members-only club.

Great meetings there, among them, my friend and celeb stylist Ivan Bitton; Pierre Dulat, a French actor who's made his mark in the USA; and Mallika Sherawat, styled by Ivan and Dalia.


A crazy evening in the VIP section at Trousdale (very private but also very amusing, we have to go through the kitchens to access it :), this is the hotspot for Los Angeles nightlife.


The music is great (DJ Michelle Rodriguez :), and I order some cheesecake lollipops and other little treats filled with sugar and fat :) Hey, if you work out and burn, you get to indulge!

Private Screening at Soho House with producer Mohammed al Turki

What a great event, and a very charitable as well.

Producer Mohammed al Turki organized a private screening for his most recently produced movie The Imperialists are still alive, with French Actress Elodie Bouchez, at the Soho House.

Business does not always mean dollars only in Hollywood and he was nice to tie this with Norwegian actress Natassa Malte's charity to support Japan in the aftermath of its catastrophic earthquake/tsunami.

I started the day with a freshly squeezed lemon as usual to keep a nice skin (with the "glow") followed by my sobacha. An all vegan day that led to some indulgences at night where chessecake lollipops were served :)

More photos to come......

Schifoodphrenic Nation - my latest contribution to the Huffington Post

Have you tried 7-Eleven's 64 fl.oz Double Big Gulp? (larger than the one pictured!) Starbuck's 31-oz Trenta?

BEWARE! These new mammoth drinks contain more fluid than your stomach can hold!

We are in a serious state of schifoodphrenia which could have very damaging repercussions for our health, and the health of our kids...Read all about it in my latest contribution to the Huffington Post and share it with your loved ones - we have got to make a change!

The day of a star with the stylist of stars...Ivan Bitton

As much as I am not fan of shopping, from time to time I recognize that being pampered like a star feels great! So on Friday, after several interviews, I find myself with THE celeb stylist in Hollywood (French, to make things even sweeter), Ivan Bitton, in his showroom, SHOWROOM 303, accompanied by Steve Haddad, his talented assistant.

I try on many dresses, each more beautiful than the next, from well-known designers like Gauthier and less known haute couture labels, from the USA, the Netherlands, and…Turkey! I don't have never-ending patience for these things, after 3 dresses, I am already past my limit ...how on earth do my friends spend entire days trying on clothing? It's a mystery to me!


Steve insists that I try on yet another dress….black…it looks decent on the hanger....I am already back in my regular clothes, but Melanie Molnar, the actress who is becoming more famous as I type, also insists. So I go and try on this jewel!!! I adopt it for the pre-Oscars party "Finding Hope" on Saturday evening.


Gosh! I cannot decide between two dresses: one blue from a Dutch designer and a green from a Turkish designer… I take both to decide on red carpet day!

Melanie also finds a very sexy dress which emphasizes her perfect body even more…I am jealous, she is at least 10 inches taller than me!

Melanie and I stop in to Katsuya, the Japanese restaurant where everyone goes! What a day...and this is just the calm before the storm….tomorrow promises to be much more intense.

Your Coach in Hollywood: Pre-Oscars

What a first day! A sleepless night, followed by a 7:00am departure.

A little walk in the airport but not as much as usual because I am burdened with my carry-ons + wearing high heels :) A very early breakfast on the plane: a slice of banana cake + 2 green teas

Upon arrival, I sink has my hotel, a little jewel that I've found in West Hollywood, where Penelope Cruz and Justin Bieber come when they are in town.


This hotel knows how to treat their guests well -- they allow me to use a wonderful suite all day long to get ready for my first TV segments until my very own room is ready.

A little rest, and some preparation for the afternoon which promises to be very busy. Then John, my gorgeous model friend turned make-up artist, arrives for my make-up appointment. My Blackberry does not cease to vibrate -- more than 40 emails in one afternoon….I am in my very focused bubble, and don't answer anything other that the subjects which are absolutely relevant. It's impossible to concentrate!


No time to be idle, the M6 team (Emma and Quentin) arrive with the dresses for the red carpet. Drama!!! I cannot fit into either of the 2 dresses...I would need to lose at least 1 inch around the waist to close the dresses. So either I starve myself until Sunday, which I'm not even sure will be enough, or I find another dress (which I will do :)

No time to waste, Mallika, the #1 Bollywood actress awaits us at the Four Seasons for an interview in an exclusive suite where the stars get their jewelry before the Oscars. As I go through the hotel I blow a kiss to Joan Collins and Nicolas Cage :).


The afternoon is very busy….we end off the day on the rooftop of my fave hotel, with a wonderful fireplace (it is chilly!) with Phillip Bloch, designer for Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Osbourne, etc., and a very dear friend of my own.


At 8:30, Emma and I head out (we walk, to burn some calories and de-stress) for a vegetarian dinner at my favorite place on Melrose. We try to avoid talking about work but of course we end up finishing off with discussing plans, interviews etc. With Kate von D who shares our vegan passion :)

To bed at midnight, after extinguishing a few last-minute urgent fires...

Toblerone & Pear Tart Recipe

A little piece of heaven! Here's a delicious recipe for you! It's very rich, so share your dessert :)

Ingredients:
- 1 pie crust
- 3.5 oz of Toblerone (that's the usual size)
- 1.5 oz butter or non-hydrogenated magarine to reduce the saturated fat content
- 1/2 cup condensed milk (unsweetened)
- 3 gelatin leaves
- pears in light syrup (drained)

Directions:
Bake the pie crust at 350 °F for about 15 min. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Using the bain-marie/water bath approach, melt the Toblerone with the butter, constantly stirring.
Dissolve the gelatin leaves in cold water for 10 min. At the same time, warm the condensed milk in a small pot, over low heat. After 10 min, add the gelatin to the condensed milk, stirring well until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Add the gelatin/condensed milk mixture to the melted toblerone/butter. Stir well for 3 min.
Let sit for 5 to 10 min, and then pour into the pie crust.
Immediately add the pear slices in light syrup and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Remove from the fridge 10 min before serving. Serve very small portions so that you can enjoy your dessert and keep your dream body at the same time :)

Bon Appétit!

Discover more gourmet recipes at www.lebootcamp.com - the only weight loss program which lets you indulge!

My *NEW* book is out! Le Personal Coach + NYC

My book "Le Personal Coach" published by Reader's Digest is finally out! Read the full press release HERE

Voila - all my secret tips and tricks wrapped into one! You can get a copy on Amazon.com or better yet, head out to your nearest Barnes & Noble (and contract your abs while you walk :)

Even the little blizzard did not prevent me from walking the streets of NYC - and with a little extra cardio in my back pocket, I can allow myself to indulge a little at dinnertime, guilt-free :)


Get it in print, or on your favorite e-Reader, Kindle, Nook, iPad... >>

Now you can take me with you everywhere! So hey, if you thought you had an excuse not to exercise before, your coach has solved that one for good ;)

Interview on Martha Stewart Radio + lots of meetings

The famous Martha Stewart wants an interview with me, wow...this is great for my upcoming book launch!

After my morning tea, I do 30 min cardio at the gym, alternating with bodybuilding exercises

Breakfast: a Starbucks wrap (280 calories) + tea

40 min walk

Radio broadcast (I go to the studio by foot :) with Mario Bosquez who has prepared her subject very well and carries out my 30-min interview marvelously!


After the broadcast, I meet a bride-to-be bootcamper, who looks amazing thanks to LeBootCamp, and we share: a green tea + a miso soup + small sandwich (actually a half) + fruit salad at Pret a Manger, a chain that I love!



30 min walk

Snack: I find another bootcamper, Catherine, who is amazing - and we share: green tea + Japanese pastries


Meeting at Au Bon Pain (yum) with the Reader's Digest marketing team, Stacey Ashton and Veronica Gonzales.


40 min walking

Big dinner: Basque rice + some anchovies + 3 mushroom croquettes + small beetroot/arugula salad and 2 slices of bread...that would have been it if I had not caved in for dessert: french toast (yum!)

Your Coach on San Diego Living!

Here I am on the way to San Diego… a city that I love for its beaches, good-spirited people, great weather, and its airport surrounded by palm trees :)


Arrival day before to a small hotel - but never judge by appearances - it is amazing! I've never found anything like this for just $100/night! No noise, an amazing bed, unlimited tea 24/7, a super gym, in short - bliss! And an outstanding reception!


Wednesday morning, I slip in to the San Diego 6 studio after a small breakfast (free and included in the price of the room!): fresh fruit salad, a slice of wholegrain bread, toasted with philadelphia cream cheese + 1 apple

Renee Kohn, is adorable and entertaining, and makes me feel comfortable right away :) The good mood of the south :)
We do two segments together: one on nutrition and one on easy fitness (how to get in shape without sweating). Marc Bailey (their news journalist) also gives me an amazing welcome.

After our 2 segments, I grab my luggage and head to the airport. The midday flight is full, so I find myself with 5 hrs to spare in the city :). I enjoy a meal at the bay, in an adorable cafe over the water.


A healthy, antioxidant-packed menu: kidney bean puree (Tex Mex recipe) and shrimp tacos + salad


After a little touring, reading, and working in the sun, I then return to the airport. Dinner on board (I am a fan of Virgin America menus).

A quick blog post...

Lemon juice + sobacha + darjeeling tea

30 min walk

Breakfast: quinoa pilaf with onions + black olives + 1 apple

30 min walk

Lunch: 1/2 papaya + 1 slice of Essene bread

30 min walk while on the telephone

No snack

Dinner: homemade soup + 1 soy yogurt + 1 enormous Asian pear

Did I say 15-hour day? More like 18 hours!

An intense Thursday which starts at 8am and finishes at 11pm.....phew!

After 10 min of morning yoga on the floor in my room (+ push-ups and abs), travel vitamin packet....I head out for my 30 min morning walk on an empty stomach :)

I meet - for the first time - the President of Readers Digest, Harold Clarke. A charming man who knows the book market like the palm of his hand, and who is intent on making my book - which launches in January - a best-seller. I trust him:)
We meet in Starbucks, so I get a roobois tea with splenda and soymilk + porridge sweetened with Truvia and with dried fruit. This will give me energy for the rest of the day.

I just have to cross the street for my interview with SELF, one of my favorite magazines. Then I have lunch and spend a little more time with Sara Hecht, our Director of Operations.


Lunch at Club House (OU): a buffalo burger (without the bread but with the fries) + green salad and tea for dessert

2 hrs of walking

After an active afternoon, we go for my first dinner at Mike's Bistro (OU), followed by an extremely pleasant and interesting second dinner :).

On the menu: merou ceviche + a little quinoa risotto with wild mushrooms for the first dinner, and burbot pate and green salad + 3 teaspoons of pecan tart for the second. I've avoided the worst!

A 15-hour day!

But of course, no complaints because it's all for a good cause!

10 min of yoga in my room (plus abs and push-ups)

I spend the morning with Sara Hecht - our Director of Operations since the very beginning! A person who is always there when you need inspiration, a true rock of confidence. Without her, I would not be.....public holiday or not, she is there.....full of energy or a little worn out, she is there....never in a low mood....never frustrated in our email correspondences.....always full of faith in our success. Thank you Sara for being there and for sharing the workload for 8 years!
I meet her in Brooklyn, in the heart of Crown Heights, the Jewish Orthodox/Hassidic community.
We set off on a secret expedition which takes all morning.

Breakfast as available: 2 biscuits and 1 bar of chocolate + a mint tea

30 min accumulated walking

Lunch in two parts: at a kosher deli: split pea soup and 8 pieces of spicy tuna sushi then in a strictly kosher, but very very hip restaurant - dessert: a tea with soymilk and a Napolean....and yes, I indulge and enjoy!


My return trip from Crown Heights deserved to be filmed, and you had to have been there to believe it...it is so insane that I won't dare tell the full story here lest I get in serious trouble :) But I will note that it included a Christian woman with her Bible who wanted to save the rabbis ("Israelites," she called them) from hell in asking them to renounce their faith, all accompanied by a Moslem driver...in short, a crazy cavalcade!

30 min walk

I have a superb interview with a national magazine (26 million readers!)....and they offer us a cover!!!! I am excited like a kid!
Lalaitou...lalaitou.....laaaaaalaaaaaaaaaiiiiitouuuuuuuuuuu

No nap, I go to my hotel (30 min walk) to change (I dressed "modestly" for Brooklyn), and then dinnertime.

Dinner: always a little of everything at Bar Basque restaurant

It is 11pm, bed-time for your coach!

Pilates to unwind...

Fresh lemon juice in room temperature water + sobacha + green tea

1 hour of pilates on the machine

10 min of yoga

Breakfast: a raw carrot bar

Lunch with the team (working on the next project together :) : a rice tortilla with soy cheese and smoked salmon + green salad + pink grapefruit + 4 prunes

500 glute contractions in the car -- feeling the burn!

30 min walk in the canyon, that is 4,000 steps, but on unleveled ground and while talking on the telephone :)

Snack: the little rascal! Toblerone again...I am not to blame, the squares of chocolate attacked me! A little Indian pemmican.

30 min jogging to Lady Gaga music to burn off at least 1 square of Toblerone!

Dinner: salad greens + split pea soup with pancetta (not Corsican, but Italian!) + 1 orange + 2 prunes

An active day, mentally and physically!

There's nothing like a healthy mind in a healthy body to face life with a smile :)

A one-day marathon (like many other days, you're probably thinking - and you are right!). But with everything that happens at LeBootCamp, it's impossible to lower your guard for even a moment….

After an early wake-up, I have my my routine lemon juice followed by sobacha and green tea. I get into the car and bless my Bluetooth which allows me to talk on the phone without getting a big fine and losing control of my vehicle :). Some glute contractions at the red lights - of course.

I head to the gym - and those of you who know me well, know that I am actually not a fan of gyms unless there is a killer class going on :). Which is the case with a 30 min salsa class. Ideal for recharging yourself in the morning! This is followed by 30 min of mixed cardio: 10 min on the stairclimber + 20 min stationary biking on the maximum resistance. You gotta sweat!

Breakfast: a blueberry soy yogurt with raw homemade cereal. Yum!


After some interviews and a conf call...it's time to meet with super Tony, Vice President at WebMD, whom I have worked with in the past. Great conversation about potential projects.....all over a balanced Thai lunch: shrimp masuman with white rice + brown rice and for dessert, a little honeydew. All accompanied by Thai tea.


A short afternoon walk, some of my famous 25th Hour exercises and then I prepare dinner: some anchovies in truffle oil (yum!), 2 raw onion crackers with sweet pepper tapenade, 1 bowl of soup (white cheddar potato) and 1/2 a vegetarian steak. For dessert: 1 pear.

Voila, before lying down: 100 abs, 1 min shaking dumbbell, 30 reverse triceps, and then to bed for your coach!

Let's indulge -- It's Halloween!!!!!

Every year it's the same thing there are thousands of articles in magazines and online on how to choose your Halloween candies well, and how this candy only contains 120 calories while this one contains 160, etc....

I say STOP!

STOP, STOP , STOP !!!!

How often do we have Halloween per year? Once....so instead of becoming obsessed by calories on this happy day just learn how to manage this excess calories by moving more the day before, the day of and the day after, by having lighter breakfasts and lunches and then when you are going trick or treating just enjoy the moment.

It's not because I am a weight loss coach that I am going to make you obsessed with food. It is very critical that we avoid any compulsive behavior, which usually leads to excess pounds after a few weeks of that behavior that also makes us so miserable!

So put on your costumes, put on your sneakers and go for a 3 mile trick or treat session..and then INDULGE! My favorite candies are the Baby Ruth. I only have them once a year so I can guarantee you I will not count them.

And if you go overboard....don't fret.....no guilt feeling....tomorrow we will catch up with 2 MetaBoost® which you can find in your
Private Member Space
+ 45 min walk on an empty stomach after your morning freshly squeezed lemon to support your liver detox functions.

YAHOOOOOOOO!

Alejandro is back!

And it hurts :) After 2 weeks of not practicing consistently :)

Upon rising: freshly squeezed lemon juice in room-temperature water followed by sobacha

30 min walk

Breakfast: 1 mini raspberry smoothie + 1 soy yogurt with raw homemade cereal (the famous croustinoisette which you all love so much and can find in the recipe section on LeBootCamp)

A big meeting followed by 1 hr with my dear Alejandro who tortures Anissa and I!

Lunch: lentil soup + raw burger (made with sunflower seeds and walnuts) with a sort of sweet pepper tapenade as ketchup :) + raspberries

1 hr walk during which I get a Tazo passion fruit tea sweetened with Splenda at Starbucks


Dinner: 1 bowl of tomato soup + ceps cooked in olive oil/soy sauce/balsamic vinegar + raspberry & peach salad + 1 cutie (see photo :)

PS: according to my brand new iPod which also acts as my pedometer, I've walked 12,000 steps!

Boxing to de-stress

Good habits mean:
Lemon juice + sobacha + 30 min walk with Nestle....all the while on the telephone of course! I am lucky, the weather is great!

Breakfast: raw homemade smoothie: almond milk + agave nectar + organic raspberries + 1 organic banana

I'm enjoying the good weather, my mood being so directly linked to the color of the sky!

Lunch at the cinema, and yes, Monday is my secret movie lunch date with a girlfriend. The latest chick flick is Going the Distance with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. Neat, fun and romantic...
Menu: 1/2 serving of sweet potato fries + 1/2 spa wrap (i.e only veggies) + green tea

Snack: not perfect because we were "attacked" by terrible chocolate goodies! Kinder happy hippo chocolate and chocolate mushrooms too! But we enjoy the moment...

30 min jogging to Taylor Swift's music
+
10 min of crazy boxing on my punching bag. It really clears up the mind, guaranteed!

Dinner: 1 chicken leg grilled with honey (so no doubt about eating the skin ;) + mache salad + watermelon

To bed!

Return to San Francisco for 10 days!

I am back and EXHAUSTED!!! But so many wonderful things happened in Paris...great meetings...amazing projects to come...I am psyched! I am supported by so many wonderful people :)

A weekend spent with friends, unpacking my bags (which weighed 32kg on my return!), , and preparation for my trip to Los Angeles in 10 days for a casting call, a session of work on a new reality TV show + the documentary shooting with M6.


A superb dinner on Saturday evening - very LeBootCamp-friendly and nutritionally balanced: some healthy dips, followed by marinated moules and homemade fries (just a small portion), with a little tomato crumble (amazing)....I pass on the cheese plate and only take the green salad. For dessert, strawberries with English cream...I only take the strawberries to fill up on vitamins :)

Weight Loss coaching in Paris for 2 weeks

Hello from Paris!

I haven't posted daily since my arrival simply because I have found in the only hotel in Paris that doesn't have Internet!!!

As soon as I landed in Paris I went to a meeting, and then on my way to Britanny! Not for fun but for work :). I was lucky enough to visit Britanny with a sunny sky - apparently something very rare here! There were amazing local culinary specialties which I could not resist trying like the kouign-amman: a mix of butter, flour and sugar! Not good for me, but delicious :)


Since I walked a lot I also authorized myself to enjoy 2 buckwheat crepes with ham...yummy!

After this work/touristic weekend, on my way to Paris where we come full circle back to the beginning of this post: I am internet-less again :).

Two weeks swamped with extraordinary meetings, insane projects (exceeding anything I'd imagined), and everything at a mad pace, but of course it is all for a great cause! Some highlights:

(1) I spent 9 hours in a studio taping the soundtrack of MyBodyCoach for Wii and Sony Move game. I was coming down with the beginning of a sore throat, so hot tea, honey and drops all day long. I can say YES YOU CAN in so many ways now!


(2) A superb press conference on September 14th held at Cafe Fauchon with a great group of journalistes and partners. There we unveiled our new coaching program "STOP CHOLESTEROL", which will officially launch on October 15th, developed in collaboration with French expert on the subject, Nathalie Hutter Lardeau. We also presented our CoachingBox, the Secrets de Coach package, and plenty of other beautiful things, all of this accompanied by a gourmet breakfast. Because you know it - LeBootCamp is the food lover's diet!


(3) A photo shoot with Nathalie to illustrate our next coaching program to fight against cholesterol.

(4) A 1-hr live chat for Le Journal des Femmes


(5) An integrative exercise session - my famous "25th Hour" - with journalists/bloggers from BE, the new magazine from Lagardere


(6) Meetings with members of the French team from Lille, Strasbourg, Carcassonne, Toulouse, Bastia....beautiful dinners at La Villa Corse, my Parisian HQ.
Bravo Nadege and Marjorie for their very active participation with La Parisienne for our partner Nestle.
Bravo Sarah for having organized this press conference with such class and efficiency!

Headed to NY to present my weight loss approach!

And well, after 36 hours of very little rest, here I am again at 37,000 feet, headed to New York!

20 min walk on an empty stomach with Nestle before heading off to the airport.

No breakfast because I am still nauseous...weird that this nausea not going away. That stupid cab driver will NOT see me again!

15 min walking in the airport

I love Virgin America because we have wifi on-board and nice large TV screens :)

A typical LeBootCamp lunch: fresh veggies + dip, crackers, hummus, fresh fruit salad, half a serving of cranberry cake

200 glute contractions on-board......then total rest....I want to revise my text for tomorrow but not really feeling up to it, I'd rather rest a little :)

So I watch one chick flick after another, apply a moisturizing mask and sleep. Feels soooo good!

I arrive in NY evening time...head to bed early as I have to wake up at 4am tomorrow morning to do make-up really early...the good news is that for once I have a good makeup artist :).


At 6am Steve and I are in position in the NBC studios in NY. The dawn is barely breaking, it's a surreal feeling being totally out and about at that hour!

Once on the set the subject is changed slightly, and my notes from yesterday are useless! I have to improvise...

Pat Battle, the host, is a-do-ra-ble! and my TV segment is over before I know it. Pat had so much fun she invites me for next month and for when my book comes out :)


It is 8am. Steve and I are exhausted and take vengeance with a HUGE croissant. Though because it doesn't taste very good I apply my winning technique: don't eat it when it's not good; save the calories for when it is!


I've been up since 1am my time, and I go from one meeting to another, first with a TV producer and his casting director, then another one, and then it is already time to head to the airport.....I am early hence a nice massage at Xpress Spa :)...my favorite time when I travel!