INGRID DE LA MARE-KENNY OF THE METHOD® TALKS SKINNY RICE, FIBER, & WHY THE SCALE LIES

I have stalked Ingrid online for years!

So random- I found her on a friend of a friend of a cousin’s sister’s page or something when I was deep in an Instagram stalk like 4 years ago. I liked her feed immediately ( if you want to see, go DEEP into her Instagram ). She was super open with sharing recipes, skinny hacks, & diet tips. As Ingrid would say, she “wasn’t stingy” with her tips. I liked the vibe.

So I followed her on Instagram, silently watching her skinny recipes from afar for years.

HERE’S HOW CRAZY LIFE IS GUYS: I was in Monaco AND SAW HER AT THE HOTEL WE WERE HAVING LUNCH AT. I whispered to Michael that “THAT was THAT girl I followed on Instagram!” Michael looked at me like I was fucking crazy. But first things first, I had to see what she was eating…from a distance. LIKE MOVE MICHAEL- YOU’RE BLOCKING MY VIEW. Creepy? Come on, we’ve all been there. I wanted to see the whole thing. Like what was she eating to get those abs? Was she having protein? What kind?

Anyway, I wanted to see her in action- I love her philosophy of substituting & modifying foods. It’s something I’ve been about FOREVER. Her lifestyle is just inspiring.

But back to what she was eating.

You can bet your ass it was greens to start, some protein, fiber, & a glass of wine!

I didn’t say hi because I didn’t want to interrupt ( wait, let’s be honest here. What would I say? Hi, I’m Lauryn & I have followed you online all the way from California for the last few years…& eer, I happened to run into you in France? Oh, and can you cook me your skinny Spanish rice? I’m available for dinner ). So I didn’t say hi.

But I did DM her on IG. & we became friends. I talk to her a lot on Instagram now & she’s actually TRAINING me and my trainer, Kim on Skype all the way from Monaco next Thursday. We will be doing her exercise called THE METHOD®. & stay tuned, we will do an IG Story on the situation.

With that I am supper excited to welcome her to The Skinny Confidential. This is a space for women from everywhere to share their tips & tricks & skinny hacks and I feel like Ingrid SPILLED THE BEANS…again, as she says, she sure AS HELL WAS NOT STINGY.

AND I’M HERE FOR IT.

+ HI BEAUTY! Introduce yourself & your position in the wellness space to all TSC READERS.

Ingrid De La Mare-Kenny: My name is Ingrid De La Mare-Kenny, I’m the creator & CEO of THE METHOD®, a patent-protected advanced Pilates protocol, a unique advanced system based on Contrology™ integration. We’re based in Monte-Carlo & opening soon in London & Dubai.

+ I’ve followed you forever- I love your approach to health, talk to us about your diet.

IDLMK: Thank you! My diet or rather nutrition choices are based on the MAIN FACT that I work-out & do THE METHOD®.

First & foremost, I like to work out on an empty stomach because it triggers a cascade of hormonal changes throughout the body that are surprisingly conducive to both building muscle and burning fat.

By the way, while THE METHOD® is a work-out that’s very unique & ground breaking, it is also a lifestyle that involves EATING by SUBSTITUTION NOT DEPRIVATION.

Since moving from NYC to Monte-Carlo, it took some readjustment to my diet because the social lifestyle & calendar is completely different here. People take time to eat ( 2 hours for lunchtime ), they have APÉRO TIME ( it’s like happy hour but with cheese & prosciutto with a glass of champagne or wine ), & every occasion is one to gather around patisseries like macarons, or crêpes au Nutella.

That inspired me to create my motto “EAT BETTER NOT LESS.”

If you don’t find options to eat as much as your peers, then you better stay holed up at home with your lettuce rather than go out & socialize.

So after a workout I will have fruits ( mostly berries and kiwi- the zespri ones are my favorites ), I’ll eat Greek yogurt ( I stay away from 0% fat yogurts as they actually are diet silent killers ) & I’ll top it with KELLOGG’S All Bran Fiber cereal & chia seeds.

Or I’ll have 3 egg whites that I’ll mix with half a yolk just for the color, scrambled, with some French cream cheese ( because French cheese is less likely to have lectins which I’ve learnt to stay away from or at least try to ). And as you know, I’ll pair that with 3 GG crackers.

While I always knew the benefits of fiber, being born to French parents, we all now know fiber is the shit.

I used to buy Wasa fiber crackers & all bran cereals but I must say GG ‘s were a revelation for their greater concentration of fiber + less sugar.

But here is my trick: my French roots make me a bread-LOVER, so my trick to substitute bread for GG’s is to soften them up by slightly wetting them before spreading cream cheese on them. They become soft & it’s a lovely way to trick myself into substituting.

For lunch, I am usually out of the house. I’ll order a salad and a protein either grilled chicken, shrimp or beef tagliata ( thinly sliced meat served up on roquette salad with some Italian Parmesan cheese ). That’s something I started eating here that I didn’t eat in the states because here the meat is more likely to be grass-fed & grass finished and poultry is more likely to be pasture-raised.

All the meat, dairy, & poultry feels safer to eat in France. Monaco’s proximity to the Italian border, makes all the produce that we consume that much better & organic.

When I get home, we have Apéro time while I prepare dinner, we open a bottle of wine, have a glass with some prosciutto crudo, Parmesan cheese, or I’ll prepare a quick bruschetta with GG’s, topped with fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh basil.

Then for dinner, I have to prepare a sensible dinner that makes sense to my 11 year old ( my little one, Dakota ), 16 year old ( Savannah ), 18 year old ( Dylan ), & to my husband ( we are both health freaks ). So I play with spices a lot. I’m told I’m a great Moroccan cuisine chef staying true to my roots, so I’ll prepare some lean meatballs with cumin & middle eastern aromatics with an assortment of veggies like: garlic sautéed string beans ( I use a ZEPTER pot which permits to sauté without using oil ), &  some broiled broccoli slightly humidified/seasoned with a truffle mustard-honey concoction, bringing them to a crisp. The kids can’t resist it. To avoid everyone gravitating towards condiments like ketchup, I’ll add tzatziki ( Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill spread ) so they can dip their chicken & veggies in it.

They don’t know it but they are eating a low calorie, high protein, high fiber, nutritious dinner without even feeling deprived or craving French fries!

+ How does THE METHOD® work into your day to day?

IDLMK: Before THE METHOD® was my business, it was my workout & my lifestyle. I worked in a fast-paced work environment as a fashion stylist in NYC, & woke up at the wee morning hours to do this exact workout in my home gym before I took the kids to school. It gave me balance, focus, prevented me from chewing people’s heads off at work, & of course it gave me abs & a tight ass…let me tell you when you work around models all day, this isn’t a luxury.

So, THE METHOD® starts in the morning. Right now I do it 5 days a week, more hours than I should because I do train clients in private from Monday to Friday & I give 2 MASTER SESSIONS per week to groups as well. Ideally my workout starts at 8 AM & it’s 60 minutes of a very comprehensive workout that doesn’t focus on just one part of the body each day, but works the body head to toe.

The reason why I love THE METHOD® done from the morning is because it is focused on THE POWERHOUSE ( mid-section abdominals ) & puts an emphasis on posture, long neck and straight back. All my clients, myself included, report walking a straight line the rest of the day, feeling focused, light on their feet, & most importantly feeling firm/sculpted but energized. That’s what I absolutely love about implementing it in the morning & during the day- it’s non-exhausting & non-exhaustive. You walk on clouds!

+ OK SO- you love GG’s- how much do you eat them and HOW?

IDLMK: Yes I do love GG ‘s. I don’t love how they taste but I love how they make me feel & what they do for me.

To me they tasted like card box at first, so I started softening them by humidifying them with water. That changed everything for me- so now I eat them with cheese, smoked salmon, truffle mustard ( yeah I’ve become European like that! ) & lean Italian cold cuts.

Then I started experimenting. That’s when I tried the french toast substituting the bread for GG’s ( RECIPE INSPO GUYS! I MADE HER FRENCH TOAST HERE ) . Now that my beautiful Indian client suggested a Masala French toast recipe, we created a THE METHOD® recipe for the SURAYA ( named after her ) CURRY MASALA French toast. It’s spicy & delicious, and less than 150 calories.

+ Favorite recipes for a healthy dinner?

IDLMK: Favorite has to be a tie between my chili & lettuce tacos ( with my fake SPANISH RICE- as the kids call it ) & my Oriental veal meatballs ( with Moroccan spices ) served up on pesto marinated zoodles ( zucchini noodles ).

+ Favorite breakfast?

IDLMK: My new and improved less than 100 calories ALL BRAN FIBER PLUS CEREAL chocolate PANCAKES!

+ Best snack choice.

IDLMK: I practice what I preach.

Here is what I tell my clients if they are hungry & have the munchies. First, have a glass of water or some yummy flavored infusion : I love the LØV teas: lovely break (red berries apple and biscuit- it really smells like cookies ) & ROOIBOS ALMOND ( smells like a pastry almond filling ).

If you still feel hungry eat an apple. If that won’t do I’ll have a GG Cracker with this great no sugar peanut butter. And that definitely hits the spot!

But 2 times out of 3, the infusion & apple do the job.

+ What’s a day in the life of eating for you?

IDLMK: First of all I love food. So it’s not a struggle nor deprivation ever. If it’s Sunday, I cheat: I’ll have a burger ( & remove at least the bottom bread ) or 2 slices of pizza. If I go to Cipriani, I’ll indulge & have the pasta with a side of lemon meringue.

So a day is like this: depending on how much time I have I’ll have yogurt & berries with All Bran on the go or scrambled eggs with GG’s & cream cheese.

Lunch: an artichoke salad & grilled protein, shrimp, chicken, or even veal.

By the time I leave work & get my kids from school or from their after school activities, I will be hungry, but seriously no “protein bars” or “healthy mixed nuts” are healthy at all ( hello ugly glucides ). So I’ll grab a huge, unsweetened hazelnut latte from Starbucks which is on the rooftop of THE METHOD® studio ( & here we have this amazing lactose free milk so that’s what I ask for ).

By the time I get home it’s Apéro time!

So you now know what it consists of- but you Lauryn, are definitely familiar with this dolce vita lifestyle since we crossed path at the Eden Rock’s Hotel in Cap d’Antibes this summer : )!

Then it’s dinner which never ever consists of STARCHES. I sometimes indulge the kids by adding 3 small oven baked pommes grenailles ( tiny french potatoes baked with the skin ), to their plates already garnished by at least 2 different veggies & a protein.

I prepare cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, & broccoli so the variety prevents boredom on the plate.

The preparation isn’t longer at all.

Often we do a Middle Eastern dinner which they love & keep it low calorie: I prepare keftas ( chopped meat patties with red onions, cilantro, cumin, Moroccan spices, & garlic) on the grill. We make an Israeli -Greek ( a mix of both I invented ) salad: diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, fresh mint, black olives, feta cheese cubes, lemon juice overload ( you’re welcome Lauryn, my daughter Savannah is like you, she loves lemon on everything and will squeeze a whole cup for me to add onto the salad ), & a side of homemade hummus/Tahini,  I love adding these because once again they substitute for fattening creamy dressings & for mayo or ketchup that the kids might be tempted to want for their kefta patties.

+ Cocktail of choice?

IDLMK: Moscow Mule. But I’m more of a tequila Patron Silver on the rocks type of girl.

+ Secret skinny tip?

IDLMK: Keep your jeans from when you were 18 years old or from before your first child & try them on every once in a while to make sure you still got it!

It’s so much better than the scale…the scale doesn’t tell the whole story, it’s a big fat liar. I devoted a whole newsletter to this subject in June.

+ Workout schedule?

IDLMK: Right now I work out more than I should because THE METHOD® is such an intricate protocol routine that I must absolutely do it along with each & every client rather than stand there & instruct them.

But before THE METHOD® was my job, I did 60 minutes sessions, 4 times a week. Twice a week is more than enough for someone who goes to regular Pilates or does standard gym work outs more than 3 times a week. The results are faster & last longer.

+ Best kept beauty tip?

IDLMK: For me best kept tip right now is lash extensions. I’m obsessed because I used to be so put together for work back in NYC, but since my job now implies working out part of my day, I can’t imagine putting make up on! At first that was so strange to me to get up & go to work bypassing mascara & eye shadow.

Since I’ve started getting lash extensions once a month I lay on my bed while Farhya applies 3D SILK LASHES that will stay put for 30 days ( btw Farhya is the gorgeous beauty who is now getting her THE METHOD® certification, & is starting as our director of client relations in January ).

I feel like I have an instant face-lift with them on!

+ You love micro-needling ( AND SO DO I )- so spill the details!

IDLMK: I used to be a spokesperson for a beauty lab here in Monaco 3 years ago that introduced the 0.8mm micro-needle roller system. The best part was I didn’t have to go to their institute anymore because they created a home kit with the same needle size.

That’s the best thing ever! And I swear by it.

WHAT you may not know is that besides for creating a collagen rush, plumping your skin, & getting rid of imperfections, the added benefit is that whatever you apply to your skin seconds after micro puncturing, it sips thru to the under-layer of your epidermis. When regular creams even if you massage for 10 mins,, only penetrate to 0.03% of your epidermal layer.

So I apply XIMENIA oil which is pretty rare and has some magical anti-aging properties, improving the function of sebaceous glands to improve lubrication of skin.

The company no longer carries them because legislations have changed in Monaco & 0.8mm needles are no longer deemed safe for home-kits.

But I still buy the roller on Amazon, numbing cream from my local pharmacy, and very safely micro-needle every 2 months or each time I spot a wrinkle, a huge pore, or a pimple takes too long to heal.

+ What three items do you always have on hand for cooking?

IDLMK: Ras El Hasnout ( it’s a Morrocan spice I can’t live without ) , saffron ( it gives great color to every dish and a Middle Eastern savor to everything from meats to beans ), & garlic.

+ Give us your Spanish rice recipe! Looks amazing.

IDLMK: Ha! Yeah it’s a hit in my household.

So my Spanish rice isn’t made with actual rice because as you’ve probably read in THE METHOD® newsletter, rice is so damn fattening, it is deemed a diet “silent killer.”

So you will need “BETTER THAN RICE“. It’s konjac-based, looks like rice but it is actually a plant that’s an indigestible fiber, so in English that means: not fattening at all!

You will need:

2 bags of BETTER THAN RICE, brought to a boil. Drain all the water and pat it dry with a paper towel.

In a non-stick deep pan add the rice, garlic, dry bell-peppers, coriander, paella spice ( here Ducros brand carries that, while in the States I used to use one by GOYA ), & a tsp of olive oil-  sautéed for a bit till the smell of the konjac wears off and the garlic & spices smell takes over.

Prepare Saffron: either pure ( but it’s very expensive so saffron based powders like Spigol in Europe or Goya’s in the U.S ) mixed with 1/2 tsp of olive oil & a big cup of boiling water.

Add to your rice and stir with a wooden spoon till all the water is gone.

Put in a bowl, add fresh coriander & fried onion flakes on top for crunch- devour less than 100 calories in a bowl!

+ What’s in your handbag? GIVE US THE DEETS.

IDLMK: It’s a mess during week days. It contains:

4 different lip glosses because they are the only make-up I can wear to work.

One by Givenchy, one by Chanel (some translucent red that just gives my lips a blush ), one by Armani that’s more peachy, & another by Sephora called Lip Infusion.

My moleskin agenda,

My super sexy Taser Gun ( I’m serious ).

An envelope with checks to deposit / petty cash.

My big Chanel wallet which I barely use but is the only one that can contain my ridiculously big French ID card.

My small Valentino credit card holder ( love it- my husband got it for me in Capri ) it’s mostly the only thing I use as it carries my credit cards but also my NY driver’s license which I still have.

My portable iPhone battery charger because I run out of battery 2-3 times per day.

A spare pair of my latest obsession sunglasses. I’m obsessed with sunglasses & sometimes randomly throughout the day I’ll switch to the other style. I’m weird- I know.

A million documents my 11 year old claims I need to sign, that end up being all wrinkled & illegible but also useless to start with.

My Mason Pearson Hair Brush so I can look normal between THE METHOD® sessions with clients.

A small glass bottle of Bloo water, a natural spirulina, blue water from a natural source in northern France, I really love it because I hate drinking water but somehow the spirulina makes it exciting to drink.

GG crackers– if I know I’ll be having lunch out in a place where choices might be tricky for someone like me who’s trying to stay away from focaccia bread & sandwiches.

+ Best advice you’ve ever received when it comes to wellness.

IDLMK: 1) “Listen to your body, & do not have an ego when it comes to your capabilities.” – Bryan Kest.

He taught me ASHTANGA, over 15 years ago. Even though THE METHOD® is based on the foundations of Joseph Pilates original method, I’ve upgraded & cranked up the density and capabilities of the beginner & the athlete alike by also implementing very intricate ASHTANGA poses in the stretching series of my 60 Minutes program.

2) “You control your body, your body doesn’t control you.” – Mary Windsor

She is the guru who taught me the basics & the foundations of the original Joseph Pilates method, and taught me this fundamental rule.

This very rule is what THE METHOD® stems from and is based on. It’s mind over matter, reclaiming your body, deciding what your body can and can’t do. That’s where my experimenting and studying the psychology & the science behind CONTROLOGY™ INTEGRATION enabled me to first teach myself to conquer my limitations, then transmit these abilities to my clients.

Today, with THE METHOD®, someone who has never done Pilates or anything like it starts at an advanced level, bypassing beginner & intermediate levels. Thus, getting very fast results ( long lean muscles & incredible abs ) but most importantly taking control of their body. I have 50 year old women performing headstands with abdominal control & strength, & other movements they couldn’t do when they were 20. And that’s how THE METHOD® is such a departure from the commercialized Pilates you find in studios around the world.

+ Book or resource you consume that helps with health & wellness?

IDLMK: First, my bible, Joseph Pilates’ “Return To Life Through CONTROLOGY” he wrote it when he was 70 or so, but everything is still so valid now in the 21st century. At the beginning of the First World War, Joseph Pilates was imprisoned in a camp in England, he developed his concepts of a balanced body & mind. To me the fact that he used this method as a coping mechanism to keep his athletic abilities ( he was a boxer ) intact during incarceration, & his mind sane, it is the very essence that the MIND is a powerful tool to an ideal body/health.

My other source is Instagram: I love it, I get a wealth of information from bloggers like you, Lauryn ( I discovered facial massages thanks to you Ms. Gorgeous Smarty Pants! ) & food developers like Healthy With Nedi.  I’m now researching & prowling the internet about Dr. Gundry (Plant Paradox), because I adhere to a lot of his thinking about hidden dangers in healthy food we eat all the time.

His approach is so similar to what I discussed in my November newsletter. But I need to know more so I can inform my clients.

As THE METHOD® started to have a diverse & vast following of men and women of diverse demographics, athletic background or lack thereof, different health pasts: hormonal changes, pregnancies, injuries, ETC. I realized that just offering the work out with no nutritional or lifestyle support attached to it was not fair.

But at the same time, I also experimented & came to the conclusion that diets cannot be one size fits all, fiber may work for me and many other women, but a client with an adrenal thyroid issue can’t eat GG’s & consume certain high fiber veggies.

So I stalk all kinds of Instagram accounts, & get my sources from there.

Right now I’m reading up a lot on the Plant Paradox & I’m also reading The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution by Aviva Romm because I have the wonderful but huge responsibility to get women post-partum back in shape & restore their perineum muscles along with their figure. But, the hormonal concern is one I cannot disregard and when I write these newsletters and cook up THE METHOD® lifestyle. I must absolutely be knowledgeable & mindful of all these different factors.

Luckily while Instagram used to be about outfits of the day & make-up tutorials, today there is a community of women who aren’t stingy with their knowledge, their experiences & potent intelligent information.

+ Where can everyone find you online?

IDLMK: Of course on Instagram, where I stalk you & other amazing women/men. I also interact & meet followers who become friends, clients, & collaborators. I share my life with them, recipes, 1 min quick work-outs for those that can’t join THE METHOD®, & occasionally share my love for fashion, my kids, dog, & husband.

My insta is @ingriddelamarekenny.

And of course more info is available about THE METHOD® & you can find more about me on themethodmc.com.

INGRID’S FRENCH ESSENTIALS