Blogger Spotlight: Tina Haupert from Carrots 'N' Cake

Join Food Network's Healthy Eats in discovering the best healthy bloggers around the web. Today we're talking to Tina Haupert from Carrots 'N' Cake.

 
Tina is a cookbook author, full time writer and blogger, and is certified as a personal trainer. With a passion for fitness and food, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a top priority. Tina is not a fan of dieting, so her weight loss tips encourage permanent lifestyle changes, as opposed to depriving yourself. Through Carrots ‘n Cake, the title of both her book and blog, she encourages a balance of “eating your carrots and savoring your cupcakes, too!” 
Describe what a normal day of eating is for you.

A normal day of eating for me involves lots of whole foods. I eat a Paleo-esque diet, but I'm not super strict about it and allow for splurges every now and then. For breakfast, I usually eat a two-ingredient pancake with almond or sunflower butter. Lunch is a salad with chicken or Curry Tuna Cakes or Spaghetti Squash Pancakes. Dinner is usually meat and veggies. Some of my favorite dinner recipes are  Gingery Broccoli and Beef and  Dry Rub Steak with Avocado SalsaSweet Potato Wedges are also a weekly staple in my lunches and dinners. For snacks, I like sliced banana with nut butter and protein shakes made with coconut milk and vanilla-flavored egg protein.

Tell us a little about your weight loss journey. What was the most difficult part, and how did you overcome it?

I've written about my weight loss story on my site.  The most difficult part was getting started, but, once I had a plan, it made it so much easier to stick to my new healthy habits.

What form of exercise do you recommend most to people just getting started?

CrossFit! A lot of people might be surprised to hear this, but CrossFit is scale-able to any skill level and there's a modification for every exercise, so it's a great way to get in shape and lose weight (quickly) even for beginners.

What’s your favorite song to work out to?

Anything by David Guetta.

We love the name of your blog. Is cake your favorite sweet treat?

Yep! Cake is my favorite food. I never turn down an opportunity to enjoy a piece!

Do you have a favorite recipe?  If so, please share!

Right now, I'm loving this recipe for Pad Thai from Well Fed. It's made with spaghetti squash instead of noodles, and it's absolutely delicious!

Next Up

Carrot Cake Treats That Aren't Actually Cake

They'll win over even the carrot cake haters.

Seasonal Spotlight on Cranberries

Warning: Not for the faint of tart.

How to Julienne Carrots

Prepare to impress with this knife skill in your arsenal.

Orange Delights: 6 Carrot-Centered Side Dishes

Let carrots play the star in stellar side dishes, prepared simply to enhance their sweet, earthy flavor. Here are 6 of our favorite Food Network recipes.

5 New Ways to Bake with Carrots

Start grating carrots for comforting desserts that take the whole carrot cake idea and run with it.

Cakes for Any Occasion

Feast your eyes on our loveliest, fluffiest, most crowd-pleasing cakes, each fit for a special occasion.

What Is King Cake?

And why is there a plastic baby inside?

How to Freeze Cake

A complete guide on freezing layer cakes, bundt cakes, wedding cakes and more.