Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
We all have big goals and visions of what we want our lives, bodies and fitness levels to be like; but more often than not people get stuck on the “ready, set…” and then never really get the “GO”. You can have really great pieces of information about smart eating and exercise but get no results because, well, it’s just not enough to know it. I hate to break the news but that overnight epiphany of “Today is the day I’ll follow the perfect program without fail, forever!”-will never come. There is no need to expect perfection from yourself in order to see great results from building healthy habits. You don’t need the perfect pair of sneakers to start taking walks around your neighborhood or have a personal chef to eat more lean proteins, vegetables and fruit. Need a really basic habit to start asap? Give up soda, juice, and calorie packed specialty drinks. Implement that as often as you can, every day! Need a more advanced tip? Have 3 healthy breakfast options posted” on the fridge. One for when you oversleep, one for when have some time but are kind of lazy that morning, and a third option that you can really sit down and enjoy. Breakfast sets the tone for the entire day so it’s super important to be prepared so that you start off on the right foot. Here are 3 possible breakfast options but feel free to be creative.
“The Oversleeper”: Protein shake, apple & small handful of nuts (totally portable and can even be left in your car or desk at work)
“The Lazy Day Special”: 1% cottage cheese with 1 cup fresh blueberries and raw almonds
“The Morning Person”: Omega 3 egg with added whites, 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese with all your favorite veggies, slice whole grain toast and a clememtine
Now YOU try! Try my suggestions and/or write a menu for yourself. Keep all your habit goals on a list that you can see and read often. Keep adding to it as each goal becomes more of a daily habit. If you need help prioritizing your nutrition and fitness goals, do not hesitate to consult a respected professional.
Now Ready, set….GO already!
Tags: diet, diet planning, diet program, family health, fat loss, Fitness, goal setting, health, health habits, healthy habits, healthy life style, meal ideas, motivation, Nutrition, nutrition coach, nutrition tips, personal trainer, weight loss
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Thursday, May 29th, 2008
Let’s take a minute to look a little closer at the booming BILLION DOLLAR weight loss industry. Consider the infinite low cal snacks, low carb meal replacements, “fat blasting” smoothies and all natural granola goodies. Could all these processed delicatessens equal a shopping cart full of fat loss? It would be nice to believe that your success can be bought in fancy boxes and shiny wrappers. I bet you can see where I’m going with this. The truth is, the LESS products you have in your cart the BETTER. Whole, clean foods are the key to a naturally fit body. I’m talking about fresh vegetables, produce, lean meats and whole grains. Real fat loss cannot be bought through a product line of frozen meals, boxed cereals, or any other pre-made “diet” foods you might find down the isles.
In short, fat loss is the sum of all you fitness efforts. Meaning: your food selection, meal timing, daily activity and your attitude. The combination of these things can never be bought or sold. Yes that means your new green tea chewing gum should not be your weight loss staple. So when you’re strolling down those lanes, it would serve you best to remember that all those brightly colored boxes and cans are part of a billion dollar industry to trick you into believing you can actually buy your heath from a company. And though quality protein powders and top notch supplements have there place, the majority of your health food intake should come from natural sources.
How can you put this into practice asap? When you’re at your next barbeque…steer towards the shrimp cocktail, chicken kabobs, grilled veggies and fruit platters while limiting time spent next to the pretzels, baked chips, low fat cheese dips and mayo based foods.
Take care of your body cause you only get one!
Tags: diet, diet pitfalls, diet products, eat this not that, eating clean, fat loss, fat loss products, fat loss results, how to lose fat, how to lose weight, Nutrition, nutrition counseling, personal trainer, weight loss products
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Thursday, April 10th, 2008
Hi Everybody! Springs here and we all want to feel healthier and more fit. The most important component of looking and feeling fit is making sure you’re putting the right healthy foods into your body. So let me take this opportunity to remind you that good nutrition isn’t just about what’s on your plate but also what’s in that franchise inspired to-go cup. That leaves me with today’s nutrition tip:
Don’t Drink Your Calories! So step away from the cappuccino, latte, chai-whatevers or that sugar bomb smoothie thing that boasts to be “all natural.” Drinking sugary beverages is a surefire way to sabotage your efforts to lose body fat. A single whip cream topped, frosty beverage could negate that 2 mile run you dragged yourself out of bed for this morning. Besides packing in the calories, these drinks play havoc with your blood sugar levels which can leave you feeling tired, moody, and hungry before your body actually needs more fuel. So optimize your fat loss efforts by drinking mostly pure water, green tea and a reasonable amount of coffee if you just gotta have that joe. Oh yeah, that includes easing up on the hooch. 
Hold off for now and look forward to enjoying a drink or two at that Summer jump off BBQ. Everything tastes better when you know you’ve earned it!
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
If you keep having overwhelming hunger pangs, start keeping track of what your eating and when. Notice what time of day the hunger hits so you can have a healthy snack on hand. For instance, many people remark that they can do so well all day but then “go off the wagon” at dinner because they’re so hungry. A little bit of hunger between meals is normal and even healthy; but if you’re really hungry and having cravings ALL the time, then chances are your not eating enough healthy foods for your body. So in this instance, it would be a good idea to never forget your mid afternoon snack. Why put in so much effort all day to have it all go to waste?
Here are a few healthy snack options to help get you started:
-Small apple (or 1/2 large) with 1 tbsp of organic peanut butter
-1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese with your favorite berries
-Celery with 1 tbsp Almond Butter
-Protein shake with small palm full of mixed almonds & walnuts
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