Abbie Ginsberg of “The Amazing Race”: Skinnista of the Month

Say hello to my GF, Abbie Ginsberg!

Between filming this season’s “Amazing Race,” teaching dance classes, & choreographing competitive dancers, this girl manages to find time to fuel her hot bod with the proper nutrients/workout on the reg.

Oh! & only a cool ten MILLION people watch her an episode. She’s pretty much a rockstar…!! Read on for this Skinnista’s diet tips & tricks:

+ Tell us about yourself.

Abbie Ginsberg: I am a thirty-two year old active girl who loves Southern California & has called it home for the past ten years. I spent the first twenty-one years of my life in ‘sunny’ Seattle where I graduated from University of Washington with a double major in fine arts & psychology and a minor in Art History . In 2003, my love for fashion design relocated me to Los Angeles where I earned my professional designation degree in Fashion Design from FIDM. A year later, I found myself down in north county San Diego and have been here ever since.

After briefly pursuing my own women’s clothing line in 2003, I fell back on my lifelong passion for dance & turned to teaching/choreographing dance as my profession. I am currently beginning my ninth year at Carlsbad Dance Centre where I train & choreograph mostly competitive dancers. I love being able to design and costume my pieces.

On a more personal note, I have a seven year old black lab named Bear who is often my exercise companion. I love being healthy, which to me encompasses working out, eating well, & maintaining a balanced lifestyle. My interests include art, music, fashion, exercise, travel, & of course my lab! One of my greatest accomplishments has been competing on this season’s “Amazing Race”. I have been an avid fan since the show first aired nearly ten years ago.

+ Let’s talk “The Amazing Race,” tell us how you kept in shape during filming?

AG: To be honest, I lost weight [ muscle ] during the actual filming of the Race. In general, we were eating less, eating less frequently, & eating anything when we had the time. We would grab and take whatever we could and we learned to eat EVERY airplane meal provided. Talk about a poster child for unhealthy eating! I am used to exercising everyday, so we went nearly a month without a regular workout routine & healthy eating routine. Our activities and tasks during the show kept us moving and active, so that was a plus. Before we left, I was probably in the best shape of my life. I had cut out virtually all alcohol/indulgences & upped my workouts so that I could build some extra strength before we left. Both Ryan & I knew that we would probably lose a few pounds along the way.

+ Quick skinny tips or tricks?

AG: Sometimes I crave carbonated beverages, particularly after long hours of teaching. I despise soda, but taking a Perrier & mixing it with a bit of fruit juice usually does the trick and helps avoid the extra calories of a fruit beverage. I think portion control is very important; I’m big on the individual Almond Butter packets that you can get at Whole Foods. Those are great paired with apples. I like to make my own pita chips from whole wheat pita bread. This is a healthy alternative to processed or packaged pita chips that are significantly higher in calories. Lately, I have been big on slicing up sweet potatoes & baking them. As you can see, I like my carbs =).

+ Weekly workout schedule?

AG: Well, I am lucky that I have a job that keeps me active and in shape. I dance everyday with my students & torture myself with their core workouts, plyometrics, & warm-ups. Sometimes that is once a day, but it can also be two or three times in one night. We do a lot of pliés, releves, glute work, & core strengthening as well as ton of stretching. I still like to break a sweat on my own so I alternate my workouts between Pilates, yoga, & hitting the gym where I’ll either focus on cardio or circuits. Recently, I have been big on core workouts [ utilizing the bosu or swiss ball ] and then doing jump roping sets in between. I walk almost everyday with my dog & enjoy the occasional hike. I am not huge on lifting weights. I tend to bulk up/build muscle easily, so workouts like Pilates are perfect.

+ Fav go-to healthy food?

AG: I eat fresh berries and nonfat Greek yogurt almost everyday for breakfast. I love, love, love quinoa which is a great source of energy for me throughout the day. I am usually eating on the go or in between classes, so you can’t go wrong with fruit or trail mix. I am addicted to the Pineapple Chili trail mix at Whole Foods too.

+ Cocktail of choice?

AG: I am definitely a red wine type of gal [ Pinot Noir or Cab ]… but if I’m going to have a cocktail I have to say a ‘Moscow Mule‘… in an authentic copper cup.

+ Motivation to stay in shape?

AG: Haha! That would be having to look at myself in a dance mirror everyday [ just kidding ]! Overall, my motivation is inner health and longevity. Of course I want to look my best, but more importantly, I want to feel my best and be able to teach & stay active. I think it’s important to invest in deep tissue & bodywork as more of a maintenance since I can be hard on my body at times. This summer, I really learned to value my health after contracting a parasite from my travels on the Race. I will never again take for granted the ability to have energy and be able to exercise & feel normal!

+ World’s best beauty product?

AG: Ooh…toughie. It’s a strange tie between Kiehl’s ‘Creme de Corps’ Light-Weight Body Lotion & Vaseline. I have used Vaseline as a cheap makeup remover since I was competing in dance at young age. It takes everything off in one swipe & doesn’t cause breakouts [ << I use this too- so amaze! ].

+ Quick, easy recipe?

AG: Since it’s fall and everyone is crazy about pumpkin anything, I thought I’d pass this recipe along. If you’ve checked out the calories on a Starbuck’s Pumpkin Frappucino, then you’ll be thrilled with this guy…

Pumpkin and Cream Frappe

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons of pumpkin, canned [ not pumpkin pie ]

1.2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice, ground

1 teaspoon of Stevia

5 ice cubes

2 tablespoons whip cream [ fat free ]

Cinnamon, to taste.

Directions: In a blender add coconut milk, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice, stevia and ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream & desired amount of cinnamon. Each serving is 70 calories & 5 grams of fat!

+ To follow Abbie’s adventure, ‘like’ her on Facebook here.