Kathy Kaehler sets up your Sundaes!

I was contacted by the good people at Breyers (yum, ice cream!) for the chance to interview super trainer and healthy guru, Kathy Kaehler. She is their new spokesperson for Breyers Smooth and Dreamy ice cream, but is also launching a new series called Sunday Setup that encourages families to cook on Sunday to setup for their week, raising her kids, and still training celebrity clients. Kathy has been working in the fitness industry since the eighties, starting out working with Jane Fonda (I love the 80's Fonda!) and has been a fitness expert on the Today Show and has trained a lot of A-Listers like Wolfgang Puck and Julia Roberts. What? I know!

Kathy is a busy lady and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with her during her Breyers Smooth and Dreamy press junket.

FF: I have been researching your Sunday Setup program on your website and YouTube. Why did you decide to start the program?

Kathy: I have never felt more passionate about sharing the way I eat and keep my household. I was always asked in interviews "What do you tell them [celebrities] to eat?" I've never been a proponent of diets per se. I give them advice: I don't really tell them WHAT to eat, I give them examples of HOW I eat and how to prepare foods. It really just started to turn into this program that one of my marketing gals said "Look, we could do this in a bigger way." We shaped it into an actual celebrity kitchen home tour. Now we are forging ahead with a book and a Sunday Setup TV show.







FF: When I think of Hollywood, I think of celebrities benefiting from personal chefs or eating out a lot. Are there really that many celebs cooking from home or preparing food for their families for the week?

Kathy: You'd really be surprised at how many people actually do exactly that! They are making sure that their kids, their spouses, or partners are making good choices, that they have their food at their home. I think that the biggest problem is there is a lot of travel [in celebrity jobs] that prevents having a consistent meal plan. For the most part they are really wanting to take control and wanting to do it on their own and are excited about me coming. I always leave and they ask if I'm coming back next Sunday, too. I'm like, "No, no! You have to do this!" It's been very well received and I think it is something that is eye opening and very inspiring to see that celebrities actually do this!

FF: I was really surprised at the number of celebrities who participated and wanted to be hands on. Being a small town girl, i just assumed that everyone had someone who did it for them.

Kathy: I tell you, the best onion chopper was [High School Musical's] Vanessa Hudgens.

FF: She's so cute!

Kathy: She's So cute and she was chopping away. Most of the participants are like, "Awe, I have to chop onions?" and I'm like, "Mmm-hmm!". She was ready to go!







FF: I noticed that one of your big clients was Kim Kardashian and she is known for being a junk food junkie. I saw you (on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians") trying to train her and her family and get her to change her eating habits. What did you do to get her to change?

Kathy: I go back with Kim awhile. I did her first exercise video with her and I made an appearance on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians". What you saw there was actually reality. I wasn't going there to do a kitchen thing, but it just kind of led us into there. We just talked about the basics: What they had in their refrigerator and what they didn't have and what they needed. It was about revamping that fridge. I think over time [her eating habits have changed] because it is something she has worked on for quite awhile with exercising and she has had her bouts with junk food. She is definitely making exercise a part of her lifestyle and that's a message that I'm always passing out to my clients and to people who write to me is that it's about choices.
I'm the new spokesperson for Breyers Smooth and Dreamy which is a dessert- Wow, Kathy talking about dessert!- but we all have that craving, that desire for something sweet and it comes at different times, like your reference to Kim. Can you make a better choice? And with the Sunday Setup program I have a "90/10 principle": 90% of the time you want to make the best choices you can . Try to get those real fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. But 10% of the time, you're going to want something sweet. You're going to celebrate someones birthday and Smooth and Dreamy fits in perfectly because it is a sweet treat but it is a good choice if you compare it to others. It is 120-160 calories, it's a perfect portion: Not too small and not too big. It calms that sugary, chocolaty craving. There's also bars and sandwiches, a lot of variety in the Smooth and Dreamy family. To me it's great to tell people about things that are out there that might persuade you to make a better choice within that 10% fun zone.

FF: The "90/10 principle"- when does the 10% kick in? Every day? Throughout the week?

Kathy: I leave that up to how you work as a person. Some people can be completely diligent and committed and do it for six days straight 90% and then the seventh day is their 10% day and they kick back. Some people do it per meal. Some people do it per day. It really depends on what kind of life style you lead: Are you super active? Can you afford extra calories because of your exercise? We have to take ownership of how we want to lead our lives and how our personalities work. That's why diets always fall short because you try to diet but it didn't fit your personality style and this way gives you that leeway and it gives you that flexibility.

Kathy is a busy mom, and even though her plate is full with her new book coming out and the TV show, she still finds time for fitness. She shared with me that soon she will have to have hip replacement surgery due to issues she was born with, so she engages in indoor and outdoor cycling, deep water running, and she still teaches her step aerobics class two times a week. She recommends push ups, crunches, and plank work for every day fitness for all levels.

I am looking forward to watching her show! Please check out her YouTube channel and try out Breyers new Smooth and Dreamy for a lighter sweet treat!