Friday, May 28, 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010

7 Substitutes for Picnic Diet Killers

By Joe Wilkes

It's almost summertime, which brings the incongruous collision of picnic season and swimsuit season. The weather's perfect for hiking, camping, barbecuing, and days at the beach—lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise, but just as many opportunities to pig out at pool parties, luaus, outdoor festivals, and county fairs. Here are some foods to try avoiding during the dog days of summer and some ideas for substitutions for picnic favorites.

1. Fried chicken. It's not the K or the C in KFC® that's the problem. It's the F for fried. And if you have any hope of staying slim this summer, it's time to tell the Colonel you're kicking the bucket. One extra-crispy breast will run you 460 calories and 28 grams of fat, 8 of them saturated. That's almost three times the calories of a grilled, skinless breast and almost ten times as much fat. So clearly, you're better off cooking the chicken yourself. But if you're grabbing something on the run, you might want to visit the rotisserie case at your local supermarket. Try picking a chicken that's not slathered in sugary barbecue sauce. And if you throw away the skin, you'll save yourself from eating most of the fat and calories.

2. Sandwiches. A picnic without sandwiches is like a picnic without ants. It just wouldn't be the same. But of course, the sandwich is only as good as the sum of its ingredients. If you're using white bread, you're just eating empty carbohydrates. Make sure you buy whole-grain bread, and that it has the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Wheat bread is essentially the same as white bread, only with a little molasses added for brown coloring. It's nutritionally the same, if not worse. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, contains the fiber and the vitamins you're looking for. For lunch meat, try avoiding processed meats like bologna and salami. They're packed with extra fat and sodium. And when buying unprocessed meats like turkey or roast beef, make sure they really are unprocessed. The makers of some brands of turkey grind up the skin and dark meat and then press it into lunch meat form, so you're really getting as much fat and sodium as you'd get from bologna. Watch out for flavored turkey as well. Most of the time the secret ingredient is salt. If you want to be really healthy, buy a whole turkey breast from your poultry section and roast it yourself, so you can control how much salt is added.

3. Brats and burgers. It's always great to fire up the grill and start cooking up a mess of meat. And the good news is that grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook food. It adds tons of flavor and doesn't add fat. Of course, the best thing to grill would be skinless chicken, fish, or vegetables. But if you're craving a juicy burger or brat and a portobello burger just won't do, there are still some decisions you can make to keep it on the lean side. For burgers, consider a leaner option than beef, such as ground turkey or buffalo. But as always, check the label. Some grinds of turkey have as much fat as a fatty grind of beef. Ground turkey breast is usually much leaner than ground turkey. If you're going to make beef burgers, try to find a grind that is under 5 percent fat. Ground sirloin is usually pretty close. If you can't find a grind that's low enough in fat, ask your butcher to grind a lean piece of chuck roast or top sirloin for you. In addition to being leaner, this will also reduce your chances of picking up foodborne illnesses like E. coli, since only one cow is involved in producing a steak, as opposed to potentially hundreds in ground beef. In fact, if you're someone who likes to eat your burger rare, having the butcher grind a piece of meat for you is a must do. Bratwurst is another delicious summer fave, but watch the fat and sodium content in those as well. The chicken, turkey, and even veggie versions of sausage sound like they'd be lighter, but they're often just as fatty as the pork versions.

4. Potato or macaroni salad. Mayonnaise is the culprit in these dishes. At 50 calories a tablespoon with 5 grams of fat, these side dishes can turn deadly for your diet in a hurry. But you can mitigate the damage somewhat. Instead of mayonnaise, consider using nonfat yogurt, food-processed nonfat cottage cheese, or nonfat ricotta cheese instead. You'll get fewer calories, less fat, and lessen the risk of salmonella poisoning by going eggless. One way to make potato salad healthier is to leave the skins on the potatoes, as they have the fiber and most of the vitamins in the spud. For macaroni salad, use a whole-grain pasta to get extra fiber. Better yet, make a pasta salad with heart-healthy olive oil, vinegar, and lots of veggies.

5. Baked beans. Beans, beans, the musical fruit . . . well, you know the rest. Full of fiber and low in fat, beans are a great side dish that will keep you full. What you want to watch out for is the sugar that is added to most baked beans—sometimes as much as 3 teaspoons in a cup. Try plain pinto beans, or my favorite, beans canned with jalapeƱos. Replace high-calorie sweet with low-calorie fire, and you won't even miss the sugar. Three-bean salad is another flavorful way to consume your legumes without a lot of added fat or sugar.

6. Trail mix. Summer's a great time for checking out nature, and it's always great to bring along a healthy snack. But check the trail mix ingredients. Some, especially those containing granola, can be loaded with super-unhealthy hydrogenated oils and fat. There are trail mixes on the market that have more fat than a large order of fries, so it's definitely a buyer-beware situation. Also check out how much sugar is in the trail mix or granola bars you're taking backpacking. Some bars aren't much healthier than a Snickers®. If ingredients in your trail mix include chocolate chips and marshmallows, you may not have made the healthiest choice. Try making your own trail mix with healthy unsweetened oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Or take along a couple of P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bars.

7. Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And we'll really be screaming when we try to stuff ourselves into our swimsuits after eating everyone's favorite fatty, frosty indulgence. It's hard to resist a cool ice cream cone on a hot summer day, and the tinkling of the ice cream truck bell can still send me bolting into the street. But that scoop of vanilla can have up to 400 calories and 25 grams of fat, 15 of them saturated. If you're culinarily gifted, you might consider making your own sorbet. If not, check out some of the ones available on the market. Sorbets are usually low fat or nonfat, although they can still have tons of sugar. Try to find some that are mostly fruit. Speaking of fruit, for a healthy frozen treat, how about sticking some fruit in the freezer? Most fruits, especially berries, grapes, and bananas, freeze quite well. They'll last longer and popping a few frozen grapes in your mouth can cool you off on a hot day; and you'll still get all the vitamins, fiber, and health benefits that a Creamsicle™ just can't provide.


GO EXTREME!


Coming Soon....

To learn more about Beachbody® Fitness Programs visit www.TurboNancy.com

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Please Join me at my NEW IMPROVE FACEBOOK LIKE Page

If you follow this blog & are on Facebook, please "LIKE" me at my NEW & IMPROVE HOME the name is changing but I will still be bringing all your health and fitness tips, motivation, suggestions, & newsletters on my NEW page...I don't want to miss out on any of your comments or suggestions. Thanks!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Quote:

"People are always blaming circumstances for where they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get ahead are the people who get up and look for circumstances and if they can't find them, they make them." - George Bernard Shaw

Shape Your Mind!

The wonderful thing about exercise is that is has countless benefits! The ones you often hear about are related to your physical well-being — it helps prevent chronic diseases like osteoporosis and certain types of cancer, improves heart and lung function, and is a key element in controlling and maintaining a healthy weight. But you should also relish the emotional benefits of exercise!

No matter your age or sex, exercise is a mood booster! Even moderate levels of aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, can raise the endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine in your brain (your body's feel-good chemicals). Working out regularly can also enhance creativity, reduce anxiety, and help combat depression. And meditative exercises like yoga are an especially powerful stress reliever!

So next time you need to blow off some steam, feel restless, or have trouble concentrating, hit the gym! It'll give you that much-needed natural high. Plus, after you see all the physical benefits of your hard work — your slimmer body and improved muscle tone — another thing that'll soar is your confidence!

Morning Stretch w/ Denise Austin

Friday, May 21, 2010

TurboFire® ~ Intense Cardio Conditioning



For more information on this fitness dvd contact me at:

www.TurboNancy.com

TurboFire®: High Intensity Interval Training from Chalene Johnson.

Burn up to 9x more fat than with regular cardio doing TurboFire. Featuring High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), these 12 workout classes make you sweat with the hottest music and moves. And forget about rushing to the gym for the best spot in class. With TurboFire, class starts when you Push Play.

The Secret Behind TurboFire.

TurboFire workouts include interval training known as "HIIT."

These routines combine short bursts of intense exercise with quick recovery periods to ignite your metabolism. The result is a phenomenon known as the AfterBurn Effect, which enables you to burn fat at an accelerated rate for a full 24 to 48 hours after your workout.

In fact, studies show that with HIIT, you'll work out for less than half the time you normally would doing regular cardio, and burn up to 9x more fat.

Coming This Summer contact me: www.TurboNancy.com

Independent Team Beachbody Coach - TurboNancy

5 Keys to Treating Depression through Exercise

By Omar Shamout

About 19 million people in the United States suffer from some form of depression ranging from mild to severe. It's hard to imagine that something as seemingly intangible as the feeling of sadness is governed by science, but it's true. Emotions, like everything else found inside our bodies, can be broken down into chemical equations. The upside of this is that you can sometimes take charge of which emotions your brain generates by altering the things you do every day. Yes, there are a number of pharmaceutical treatments for depression, but studies show that our bodies produce a natural defense that can combat this debilitating mental condition.


What are these organic wonder drugs, you ask? And how do we get them? The answer is endorphins, and you get them through exercise. These chemicals interact with receptors in our brains that send a euphoric feeling throughout the body to combat pain in all its forms. Many people have dubbed this phenomenon "runner's high."

Evolution has gifted us with an anatomy filled with a vast repository of resources that can fight many of the obstacles nature will throw at us. The key is understanding how to unlock the door and utilize all the tools we have available at our disposal. So, with some hard work and dedication, we might be able to discover the secret to one of our self-healing properties.

1.Consistency. Because depression is a chronic problem that can't be cured by an hour in the gym, sufferers must realize that it takes a strong commitment to an aerobic routine to see any improvement. Even then, endorphins alone may not be enough to aid in more severe cases. Research studies conducted by Harvard Medical School found that daily aerobic exercise over a sustained period of time can have exactly the same impact on lowering rates of depression as antidepressant drugs can have. The length of the daily workout is crucial though, as workouts of less than 15 minutes produced negligible results compared to those of 30 minutes or more. Workouts don't have to be high impact, either. Low-impact routines involving walking and light stretching are equally effective.

Prescription drugs may work faster, but the benefits of aerobic exercise on our brain have been shown to last longer, while also improving other physical conditions such as heart health and blood pressure. You must make a long-term commitment, though, because we are talking about a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. A serious problem demands a serious solution.

2.Drugs are addictive; exercise is not. You might be tempted to take an "easier" route for self-medication. Drugs such as morphine and cocaine also trigger the release of endorphins in your system, but their addictive qualities are dangerous and deadly, not to mention illegal. Overeating can also trigger the release of endorphins, but all of these activities will only make you feel more depressed in the long term once the guilt sets in, and the cycle will only become harder to break. Recognizing any destructive personal triggers of your depression symptoms is vital to understanding how your psyche got to where it is now. Exercise is one of the few coping mechanisms that is not addictive, so embrace it as a welcome and positive addition to your life.

3.Exercise can be social. Willpower, you say? But, I'm depressed! I have no willpower! Here's where other people can come in. Exercise doesn't have to be a solitary activity, and the Mayo Clinic recommends social activities as a way to cope with symptoms of depression. Maybe try joining a group dance or yoga class, joining a pickup basketball game, or softball league. Tennis, anyone? For some people, this is the way to stop thinking of exercise as a chore. The more we turn our workout into a fun activity with friends, the easier it is to think of it not as "work" at all, but rather an "out"ing. Get it?

4.Little things add up. Just because you need to get in 30 minutes of cardio a day to improve your mood, doesn't mean you have to do it all at once. Simple things like walking or biking to work, taking the stairs, parking farther away, and the like really do add up, and count as exercise even if you don't have your cross-trainers on. If you do want to wear those shoes, but still don't have the time for a long workout, consider trying 10-Minute Trainer® for a game-changing blast of cardio. visit my site for the 10-Minute Trainer® www.TurboNancy.com


5.Be honest with yourself. Understanding your limits and setting realistic expectations are crucial to establishing a routine that you can sustain over a long period of time and enjoy simultaneously. If you're not used to exercise, don't expect to run for an hour nonstop, because you won't, and will end up getting frustrated with yourself, which is exactly what you don't need! Ease into your routine by setting manageable and attainable goals, and build up your confidence. Overdoing your exercise routine will not make you twice as happy, so there's no need to harm your body while taking care of your head.

The bottom line is that exercise should be considered one part of a strategy to overcome depression and get yourself back on track, and shouldn't be considered a one-way ticket to Happytown. Changing your lifestyle is difficult, but a regular aerobic routine can give your brain the added boost it needs to conquer your destructive habits and combat negative emotions.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Benefits of Grapefruit




Health Benefits of Grapefruit :

Grapefruit is very helpful in removing or dissolving inorganic calcium which may have formed in the cartilage of the joints, as in arthritis, as a result of an excessive consumption of devitalized white flour products. Fresh grapefruit contains organic salicylic acid, which aids in dissolving such inorganic calcium in the body.

Grapefruit can help in weight loss, since it is low in sodium, high in fat burning enzymes. Low sodium intake can help flush out excess water that is caused by high sodium food.

Grapefruit has high water content, and an increased water consumption can help increase metabolism.

Grapefruit is a rich source of Vitamin C

Grapefruit is rich in lycopene (the red color/pigment), it helps to prevent the occurance of tumor and cancer.

It is a liver tonic

Helps in cases of Gallstones

Helps in cases of Cold, Pneumonia, Fever

It is a powerful drug-poison eliminator

Helps in proper digestion of food

Can help improve complexion

Grapefruit is a natural antiseptic for wounds when used externally.

Benefits in Assorted Diseases:

Appetite Loss: Grapefruit works as an excellent appetizer as compared to any other drug. It is said that smell of the grapefruit reduces the feeling of hunger. This is the reason why people include grapefruit in their weight loss programs. High fiber contained by this fruit can satisfy hunger and thus, avoids any overeating temptation.

Fever: The pulp or the juice of grapefruit provides assistance to the patient to recover easily from the fever. It reduces burning sensation that occurs during high temperature. It also cures several cases of cold and phenomena. Grapefruit juice, if combined with water, can quench the thirst.

Fatigue: Grapefruit is beneficial in the treatment of fatigue. It helps you to dispel your fatigue and general tiredness caused due to the routine work. It can bring about a refreshing feeling in you when you drink equal amount of grapefruit juice and lemon juice.

Influenza: Grapefruit is a valuable remedy for influenza as it helps to minimize acidity from the system. The bitter properties arising from an essence called 'maringin' in grapefruit tones up the system and the digestive swathe.

Malaria: The juice or the fruit itself consists of valuable and natural 'quinine' which are advantageous for the treatment of malaria. The quinine can be easily extracted from the fruits by boiling a quarter of grapefruit and spraining the pulp.

Acidity: The fresh grapefruit juice has alkaline reaction after digestion. The citric acid of the fruit is tarnished in the human body and thus, increases the effect of the alkalinity reaction after digestion. The juice extracted from the grapefruit is beneficial in preventing the acid formation and many other diseases that arise due to the presence of acidity in the body.

Indigestion: Grapefruit is useful for solving the problem of indigestion. It is very light as compared to other food articles and thus, acts immediately on indigestion by easing the heat and irritation caused in the stomach. It improves the flow of digestive juices, thereby improving the digestive systems.

Insomnia: A simple glass of grapefruit juice, if drunk before going to bed, can promote healthy and sweet sleep and thus, alleviates insomnia.

Diabetes: A diabetic patient can safely eat a grapefruit. The consumption of this fruit can reduce the starches from the body. If a patient is diabetic, intake of grapefruit can facilitate you to fight with this health issue.

Constipation: A glass full of fresh squeezed grapefruit in the morning is the best remedy to control the constipation. They result best in stimulating the colon and other parts of the body.

Flatulence: 10 to 20 drops of grapefruit seeds in the juice, taken before the meals and three times a day, work as an appropriate pro-biotic and digestive enzyme.

Urinary Disorders: Grapefruit juice is quite rich in potassium and vitamin C and thus, works as the best medicine in the case of scanty urination caused due to the liver, kidney or heart problems.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Quote of the day.................

Time is our most valuable asset, yet so many of us tend to waste and kill time. Stay focused!

Prioritize Your Life!

Feeling overwhelmed? I totally understand! Between juggling work and family and dealing with everyday obligations and distractions, life can get a bit chaotic. The best way to handle it all is by prioritizing. Identify what's really important.
When it comes to work-related tasks, this can be fairly simple. Deadlines usually dictate what jobs need to get done now and what tasks aren't as pressing. If you're unsure, ask your supervisor to confirm what your priorities should be. And if you're overloaded, don't be shy about requesting that some of your duties be reassigned.

Home-related priorities are trickier. You want to be as efficient at home as you at work, but you can't do it all! So go easy on the house rules. Instead of rushing to clean dirty dishes immediately after dinner, take some time to sit for a while and chat with your family. Strengthening these relationships is what matters most!

Use your Journal to make note of all the things you'll need to get done that day — or week, if you prefer — then rank each task in order of importance. Stick to accomplishing three things per day. Yes, just three. If you go over that amount, then fantastic! The point is to give yourself a break. Hey, you're only human

Morning Stretch with Denise Austin.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Are you an emotional eater?

Are you an emotional eater? Almost all of us are, at least sometimes (including me!). Emotional eating means turning to food to resolve emotional issues. It means we eat when we feel a certain way — happy, sad, anxious, excited — rather than just when we're hungry. And the foods we turn to are usually comfort foods, foods typically high in calories and fat that don't provide too many nutrients, like ice cream, cookies, and chips.
Emotional eating is nothing to be embarrassed about, but if you allow yourself to eat emotionally on a regular basis, it can be harder to follow a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight. And I know that's not what you want. So I'm here to help!

The solution to your emotional eating troubles is also your challenge for the coming week! You can control emotional eating. You just need another outlet for your emotions so you don't continue to use food to calm down or help yourself feel better. And one of the best ways to do this is by keeping a journal! Writing down what's going on in your life and the challenges you are struggling with provides that emotional release you're seeking, so you don't need food for comfort. Take some time to think about exactly you're feeling, and choose the right words, so they truly represent your emotions. You can put them down on paper or on your computer — your choice. Members can also log onto the site and use their online journals for this.

Write at least one journal entry in the next seven days, and then every week from now on — but more is always better! You'll come to love writing in your journal and see it as a secret friend. I know I do!

Morning Stretch with Denise Austin

Quote

Instead of thinking of your body as the enemy, think of it as your best friend.

Quote...

Friendship, love, health, energy, enthusiasm, and joy are the things that make life worth living and exploring

"Me" Time

Sometimes staying motivated requires a little incentive. Hey — there's nothing wrong with that! The next time you get through a really tough workout, beat your previous running time, or follow your healthy-eating plan flawlessly for a straight week, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back — do something special that's all about you!
How about a day of pampering? Get a fab new haircut, a mani-pedi, a facial, or a massage. There's no need go to an expensive spa! Ask your mother or a friend to let the kids stay with her overnight, and spend an evening soaking in a tub filled with lavender-scented essential oil. Then dive into that novel you've been meaning to finish.

If you're close to your ideal weight, shop for some new clothes to fit your incredibly shrinking body! Or reward your hard work each month by picking up a new fitness accessory (a medicine ball, say, or a pedometer) or a kitchen tool to help you prepare all those good-for-you meals. You can even while away the hours by taking a stroll around your neighborhood, checking out your town's Main Street boutiques — and making a pit stop at that low-fat frozen yogurt place that just opened up! You'll find that a little treat goes a long way!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

6 Eating Rules for Faster Weight Loss

Follow these simple eating rules to stay full and speed weight loss.
By Michele Stanten, Prevention


Your body needs fuel to exercise, and the source of that fuel is food. That's why some people report feeling hungrier when they start to work out. If you're trying to lose weight, this could be counterproductive—unless you find the right balance of healthy, filling foods.

The typical American diet is loaded with refined or simple carbohydrates such as white flours, rices, and pastas, and pastries, sodas, and other sugary foods and drinks. These carbs, which lack the fiber found in complex carbs (whole grains, fruits, and veggies), are metabolized by your body quickly. So while you may feel raring to go after eating them, that energy boost will soon be followed by a major energy slump, making it hard to give your all during your workouts.

In addition, if many of the foods you eat are metabolized quickly, you'll find yourself feeling hungry more often, which could mean more snacking and a higher calorie intake. To keep from eating back all the calories you've burned, stick to a diet based on these six science-backed components.

1. Fiber

Eat at least 20 grams of fiber per day from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Fiber helps keep you feeling full longer—a big benefit when you're trying to lose weight. A 2009 study from Brigham Young University College of Health and Human Performance demonstrated that women who ate more fiber significantly lowered their risk of gaining weight and fat. Each gram of fiber eaten correlated to a half pound less body weight. The researchers suspect that the higher fiber intake led to a reduction in total calories over time.

2. Calcium & Vitamin D

Strive for three servings of calcium- and vitamin D-rich foods a day. These nutrients often occur together in foods, especially dairy.

Calcium and vitamin D work together in your body, primarily to strengthen your bones. But if the latest research is any indication, both of these nutrients may flex some muscle in your weight loss success. Dairy foods are the prime source of calcium and vitamin D in the diet. In a recent study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, college students who came closest to meeting the three-a-day dairy requirement while eating an otherwise healthy diet weighed less, gained less, and actually lost belly fat, compared with students who consumed little or no dairy. Moreover, vitamin D by itself may play a role in weight control.

Extra body fat holds on to vitamin D so that the body can't use it. This perceived deficiency interferes with the action of the hormone leptin, whose job is to tell your brain that you're full. And if you can't recognize when you're satiated, you're more likely to overeat.

You may also want to consider a vitamin D supplement. The latest research suggests that this nutrient may be a factor in protecting you from everything from heart disease to memory loss and even chronic pain. Evidence is mounting that we need more than the current recommended intakes, especially as we age, because older skin produces less vitamin D (and sunscreens block the body's ability to use sunlight to produce this vitamin). That's why the leading experts in vitamin D research are now recommending a daily supplement of 1,000 IU of vitamin D—the kind most readily used by the body.

Daily Recommended Calcium Intake

Men and women ages 19-50: 1,000 milligrams
Men and women age 51+: 1,200 milligrams

Daily Recommended Vitamin D Intake

Men and women ages 19-50: 200 IU
Men and women ages 51-70: 400 IU
Men and women age 71+: 600 IU

3. Good Fats

These include monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, found in oils, nuts, avocados, certain fish—and yes, even chocolate! Eat three to four servings daily.

A recent study published in the journal Appetite shows how these fats—besides being good for your heart—can help you feel fuller longer after meals. The study participants with a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids (more than 1,300 milligrams a day, either from foods or from supplements) reported feeling less hungry right after their meals, as well as 2 hours later, compared with a lower omega-3 intake (less than 260 milligrams a day). Less hunger means less munching and an easier time keeping calories in check.

More specific research has been done on walnuts, a good source of monounsaturated fats. An Australian study had participants follow a healthy low-fat diet, either with walnuts or without. Both groups ate the same number of calories and lost approximately the same amount of weight at 6 months. But during the next 6 months of the year long study, the walnut-eaters continued to lose weight and body fat, while the other group stopped losing—even though they were still following the same diet

4. Protein

Aim for three servings of lean protein (such as fish, white meat chicken and turkey, pork loin chops, and lean beef sirloin) per day. In addition to being an essential nutrient, protein helps to keep you feeling full longer, which is a big benefit when you're trying to lose weight. In a small 2009 study, participants who ate a higher-protein breakfast were more satiated afterward (and took in fewer calories at lunch) than those who ate a low-protein breakfast.

5. Water

Studies from Stanford Prevention Research Center suggest that water helps promote weight loss in two ways. First, drinking more water—at least four cups per day—was linked to a five-pound weight loss over the course of a year. According to the researchers, this amount of water increases the amount of energy or calories your body burns. Second, substituting water for sugary drinks—sodas, sports drinks, flavored drinks, and sweetened milks, coffees, and teas—resulted in even more weight loss. The exact number of pounds lost depended on how many sugary drinks were consumed in the first place, and how many were replaced with water.

Still don't think you can give up your sodas and mochaccinos? Then consider this: It's been shown that when people consume a certain amount of calories, they're more hungry and more likely to overeat at their next meal when those calories are in liquid rather than in solid form. Translation: If you eat a 200-calorie snack, you'll be more satisfied afterward and eat less later than if you drink a 200-calorie beverage. So frequently drinking calorie-dense beverages could increase both your hunger and your calorie intake throughout the day.

6. Green tea

Sip at least three cups of green tea every day. Catechins, the antioxidants found in high amounts in green tea, have been shown to be helpful in promoting weight loss, specifically belly fat. If caffeine is a concern, decaf tea is an option. Some decaffeination processes, however, can lower the antioxidant content so you might want to have an extra cup or two.

In a study at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, participants who drank the equivalent of three cups of green tea a day lost twice as much weight as those not drinking tea. The tea-drinking group also lost significantly more belly fat than the non-tea drinkers.

If you like citrus, the news gets better. Replacing some of the tea brewing water with citrus juice, such as lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit, allows your body to use more of the tea's catechins. You can drink your green tea freshly brewed for a warming hot drink, or chill it after brewing for a refreshing cold drink

Adapted from Walk Off Weight by Michele Stanten (Rodale, 2010).

Provided by Prevention

Quote of the day......

Take perfection and throw it out the window. There's always something you can make better or do differently — strive to improve, not attain the impossible.

Resolve to Plan Ahead!

When you're super-busy, it's easy to let your healthy-eating habits or workouts fall by the wayside. Then you get down on yourself for not sticking with the plan, or you feel like quitting altogether. Don't let this happen to you! There are so many things you can do to make juggling life's priorities more manageable — and one of them is planning ahead.
If late nights on the job are leaving you with zero time to prepare wholesome meals during the week, do the prep work in advance! On the weekends, go over the upcoming week's meals and figure out ways to limit the time you'll have to spend in the kitchen. For example, buy pre-cut, prewashed salad greens, frozen veggies, and thin (read: fast-cooking) cuts of meat. Or do most of your slicing and dicing at one timece, place the ingredients in storage containers, and then refrigerate until you're ready to whip up your meals when you get home.

As for your workouts, knock them out first thing in the morning. Then you can immediately cross off one oh-so-important thing from your to-do list! Plus, all that heart-pumping exercise will leave you feeling refreshed and energized — the perfect way to start your day and get you on the path to success!


Morning Stretch with Denise Austin

Tip of the day......

Don't be afraid to ask questions when dining out! It's up to you to make healthy choices, not your waiter.

Put Your Thirst First!

Who doesn't love sugary drinks? I definitely do! Soft drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, and some fruit juices might not seem like much when you're drinking them, BUT they can add hundreds of calories to your diet — and your waistline! The diet versions are a little better, but only a little. They're still crammed with sodium and chemicals. Their sweet taste can even trigger cravings for other sweets!
Remember that you can have a can of soda or your favorite latte! Just be sure to consider these drinks as treats and not an everyday part of your eating plan. To quench your thirst, try herbal tea, seltzer flavored with lemon or lime, or the most sensible drink of all — refreshing water!

Morning Stretch with Denise Austin

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Quote:

What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve!

Boost Your Energy

Q: Can you recommend anything to help boost my energy levels?

A: There's no shortage of things you can do to create more energy! But first I'd look at your sleeping habits — people often need more energy because they regularly get by on less than seven hours of sleep. That's not enough! Although exercise, a healthy diet, and lots of water will definitely help energize you, nothing can compensate for a lack of sleep. So try to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning. And try to get a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep!

4-LEAF SALAD WITH FETA & APPLES


Ingredients:

3 cups Fresh Express Lettuce Trio (or any 3-lettuce blend)
1 cup spinach leaves
1 Fuji apple
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 1 tbsp. All Natural Almond Accents in Original Oven RoastedOptional: freshly ground black pepper, light vinaigrette dressing (or any low-cal dressing)

Directions:
Cut apple into quarters and remove the core, seeds, and stem. Thinly slice, and then cut the slices in half widthwise.

Toss together all ingredients except the almonds. Plate (or “bowl”) your salad, and then sprinkle almonds evenly on top. You can add some pepper and/or dressing if you like, but this salad’s so flavorful you may not even need ‘em. Enjoy!!!

MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING (entire salad): 213 calories, 8g fat, 552mg sodium, 29.5g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 16.5g sugars, 10g protein

Alternative!
If you can find some fat-free feta, feel free to use that instead. Then your salad will have 181 calories, 3.75g fat

Found in The Hungry Girl Cookbook by Lisa Lillien