Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford is Ready to Play

At least three times a week, I am asked about Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford.  To many Cowboys fans, he represents two things: the future of the Cowboys as well as a bittersweet reminder of an injury-plagued defense that was the worst in franchise history in 2013.

Remember, Crawford tore his achilles tendon on the first day of training camp in 2013.  Since then he has been rehabbing, watching game film, working out, studying more game film and repeating that cycle almost daily.

Add to it that the Cowboys lost DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher to free agency and he understands that there is an expectation placed upon him.

"Yeah, I definitely feel a lot of pressure.  Those are definitely big shoes to fill," he told me.  "I'm ready in any situation to get put in the game whenever its needed and whatever position that could be at."

As for what position he expects to play, that's also in question.  Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has made it clear he could play end or tackle but Crawford has a preference.

"Preferably, defensive end," he admitted.  "But if it's defensive tackle I can get down there and play fast."

The Tyrone Crawford TwitterView

Watch the entire interview in which he shares how his rehabbing is coming along and the one question he's sick and tired of getting asked.  The answer will shock you.

You can also watch interviews with Morris Claiborne, Bruce Carter and more on my YouTube channel.

You Want Draft Numbers? We Got Numbers

The Cowboys have 11 picks, two of the first 50 picks in this year's draft with the first three coming as 16, 47 & 78.

Our broadcast location tonight on Cowboys Draft Live

Here's a rundown of some other interesting numbers as it relates to the Cowboys and the NFL Draft:

• Dallas has picked in the first round 12 times since 2000. 
• The Cowboys have made 61 draft-day trades since 1989. 
• Over the last 53 drafts, the Cowboys have selected a player in the first round at every position except kicker and punter.  
• The Cowboys have selected 28 defensive players in the first round and 22 offensive players over the years. 
• In the Cowboys 54-year draft history, the Cowboys have selected offensive linemen more than than any other position, drafting 139 of them.  Linebackers and defensive backs are next with 102 and 100 picks, respectively.
• The Cowboys have drafted players from 208 different colleges with the University of Tennessee offering the most draft choices with 18. UCLA (16), Arizona State (15) and Florida (14) are next. 

Want more draft coverage.  Join us for Cowboys Draft Live.  Here are the details.

How To Have A Healthy Cinco de Mayo

Tex-Mex doesn't have to be a fat-laden cholesterol bomb. In fact, I contend we have gotten out of control as to what counts as a quality Tex-Mex meal with too many chips to start and pounds of crappy cheese to glop on top of them.

At heart, Tex-Mex and Mexican food features beautiful produce, whole grains, healthy fats (hola, guacamole!) quality meats and a hint of cheese. Look at the lunch I had at Rosario's in San Antonio. It's has a rainbow of vegetables. Sure it's got a cheese-filled pepper but I didn't even touch that after filling up on the veggies. 

Restaurant diet tip: If you're eating Tex-Mex in a restaurant, ask for fresh corn tortillas with your salsa and guacamole. Tear your tortilla into four triangles and use that for your chips and salsa appetizer. You will eat slower and consume fewer empty calories. (Tweet this)

Healthy Tex-Mex At Home

You can make delicious and creative Tex-Mex dishes at home.  In honor of Cinco de Mayo, here are five outstanding Tex-Mex recipes, featuring simple ingredients, that will have you forgoing greasier offerings in no time:

• Chicken Enchilada Casserole - I have made this and received RAVE reviews from the family.
• Chicken with Avocado, Tomato and Cucumber Salsa - a wonderfully fresh option for summer.
• Double Bean Burritos - substitute a whole grain or spinach tortilla for flour tortilla.
• Chicken Chilaquiles - haven't tried this but it looks delicious!
• Veggie Tostadas - a gorgeous veggie-filled dish that will leave you satisfied and guilt-free.

ICYMI
It wouldn't be Cinco de Mayo without margaritas.  Here are 7 delicious margarita recipes that will satisfy any tequila craving.

I love this Nacho Casserole recipe from Mind Over Munch!

Get My Favorite Diet Tips
Eating corn tortillas in a Mexican restaurants is one of my favorite diet tips that helped me lose more than 50 pounds and keep them off for more than a decade. Get my free ebook, "The 10 Easiest Diet Tips: Simples Strategies To Help You Lose Weight & Maintain Your Weight Loss For Good". It's yours when you sign up for my weekly newsletter, The Real Skinny. Once a week (usually on a Wednesday) you will receive diet and fitness news (like this) aimed at helping you make fat your bitch. For good.

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Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Fitness Junkies

If your favorite mom loves to workout, she will loves any of these gifts.

Balance Ball Chair Kit

Understandably, giving a workout-related gift can be delicate.  Some women would think that means "Does you think I'm fat and need to exercise?".  Not at all.  These are gifts that say "I love the way you look...keep killin' it."

I own a number of these goodies (the stability ball chair, weighted hoop, and foam roller just to name a few). The ones I don't own, I'd love to have.

Scroll Thru for Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Fitness Junkies

Massages are also an outstanding idea.  You can never go wrong with a gift certificate to a nice spa.

Additional Mother's Day Gift Guides 

• Does your favorite mom love to travel?  Check out my gift guide for the jetsetting mom. 
• Is she a handbag lover?  Consider splurging on a purse for her. 
• Know a mom who is obsessed with beauty & skincare products?  Read this guide for the mom who loves beauty products. 

Cowboys LB Bruce Carter on Why He Struggled in 2013

Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter had a disappointing 2013 season.  He knows it AND he knows you know it.

Barry Church, me and Bruce Carter

Carter addressed why the adjustment to a 4-3 defense was a struggle for him (and more) when I recently shot a story with him and safety Barry Church at Bowl & Barrel in Dallas.

Watch the complete interview here:

Dallas Cowboys TwitterView with LB Bruce Carter

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently told the Dallas Morning News he believes Carter can "do what this defense calls for and be outstanding."

The Cowboys selected Carter with the 40th overall pick in the 2011 Draft.

For more Dallas Cowboys TwitterViews, please visit my YouTube Channel.

5 New Green Smoothie Recipes That Will Rock Your World

My trusty Oster blender finally went kaput so I bit the bullet and ordered a NutriBullet.  (Pun intended).  I can't wait for it to arrive and have been looking for new smoothie recipes to try.

Mango, kale, berry banana smoothie

I think my smoothie game is pretty good.   I make a killer almond milk, banana, berry smoothie with kale or spinach with chia seeds.  A pineapple/strawberry/spinach/chia seed smoothie and mango/kale/berries/half a banana/chia seed smoothie are both also delicious.   

Five New Recipes to Try
You can experiment with anything.  Wednesday's New York Times offered five delicious-looking recipes that are worth trying:

Green Smoothie with Cucumber & Cumin: kefir, celery, cucumber, parsley, mint, kale or spinach, ginger, chia seeds, lightly toasted cumin, lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne.  This is the most complicated recipe and perhaps the most interesting.

Pear Smoothie with Celery & Ginger: this includes a pear, spinach, celery, banana, ginger, chia seeds, kefir, agave nectar, arugula and mint.  In the past, I felt arugula adds too much flavor but the mint and ginger would mask it.

Blueberry Kefir Smoothie with Greens: contains only blueberries, kefir, banana, chia seeds, spinach or kale, and a teaspoon of honey (which I would eliminate).

Green Smoothie with Pineapple, Arugula, Greens & Cashews: features pineapple, orange juice, raw cashews, chia seeds, ginger, baby greens and arugula.

Pineapple Basil Smoothie: pineapple, basil leaves, kefir, honey, pistachios and chia seeds.  This sounds delicous!

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How to Lose Weight Eating Chocolate

Dark chocolate is key!

Chocolate is wholeheartedly part of a healthful diet.  

Let's pause for a moment and do the happy, chocolate dance!

Okay, moving on.

According to a recent study in the journal Nutrition, individuals who ate about an ounce and a half of chocolate per day had a lower BMI, less body fat and had a trimmer waist than those who ate less. (Tweet this)

RELATED: The Best Diets of 2016

Study author Magdalena Cuenca Garcia says that the catechins in chocolate are believed to help regulate hormones related to obesity.  Catechin levels rise proportionately with cocoa content, meaning the darker the chocolate, the better. Milk chocolate contains added sugar, it's not good for you. That's candy and it's crap. Dark is the way to go.

Note that it is a small portion of chocolate, about an ounce and a half or a single square. A decadent, complex dark chocolate square is a substantial treat when savored.

The Chocolate Diet
I dropped about five pounds to prepare for a photo shoot while enjoying a square of dark chocolate every, single day. This "diet" included the Easter holiday on which I ate substantially more than a square...more like an acre. While I was in Paris, I joked that I ate the cheese, chocolate and wine diet. You know what? I lost weight. Four pounds to be exact.

Sample meal plan that helped me drop five pounds in seven days:

• Breakfast: two scrambled eggs with small sprinkling of cheese and four or five strawberries.
• Lunch: broth-based soup or a salad.  Sometimes I was on the run and simply had a Pure Protein bar with a tangerine. 
• Snack: handful of raw almonds with five apricots or an apple and peanut butter.
• Dinner: canned salmon with dijon mustard (I love this) with half an avocado and a cup f steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
• Dessert: one square (maybe 2) of dark chocolate. 

I worked out, generally, 30-60 minutes every day with a mix of aerobic exercise and weightlifting.

I never felt deprived or hungry.  In fact, I felt great because I wasn't overindulging or eating too much.  It was nice.

UPDATE, 2/2016: while my weight fluctuates 3-4 pounds every month, I have maintained that weight loss. Meaning, I am fitting into my skinny clothes. Yes, I still eat a dark square of chocolate (or two) almost every day.

Delicious Chocolate Treats To Try

World Market Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar

I recently fell in love with World Market's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bar.  At 64% cocoa, it's the perfect blend of sweet and salty that satisfies a craving. I also dig any combination of orange and dark chocolate like Lindt's Excellence Intense Orange Chocolate. Have you tried dark chocolate dipped orange peels? They're ridiculously good.

Dark chocolate-covered strawberries? That's a healthy indulgence home run! The strawberries deliver some filling fiber while the chocolate satisfies your sweet tooth. They also take a while to eat which means you will eat more slowly.

What dark chocolate treats do you love? Please share your favorites in the comments section.

RELATED: Learn The Secret To Losing Weight & Building Muscle At The Same Time

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