Okay, I was a little afraid to take my measurements this morning. I wasn't on my best behavior with eating last week and over the weekend with Christmas. I made cookies, and of course you can't make them without having one, two or a few. Then I made ravioli, had Chinese food, had a big Christmas breakfast, the list goes on.
One thing I made sure of though, was not missing a Brazil Butt Lift workout. If I know I'm going to be eating worse than usual, I make sure I stick to my workout schedule. Some people get so upset if they go overboard that they just throw in the towel and give up. You can't do that!! You need to get over it and move forward.
So here are my results with Brazil Butt Lift, so far:
Here were my measurements on Day 1/Week 1:
Waist 28.5"
Hips 36"
Thigh 20.5"
Here are my measurements on Day 6/Ending week1
Waist 27.5"
Hips 35.5"
Thigh 20"
And here are my results from today beginning Week3
Waist 27" (down another .5")
Hips 35" (down another .5")
Thigh 20" (unchanged)
I'm pretty impressed with the results so far! Even after all of the cookies and extra snacks, I still managed to make progress:)
I'm a Team Beachbody Coach and former fitness/Pilates instructor. But this doesn't make working out any easier for me. I know how hard it can be to find time to exercise or eat right,or just get started. If you need someone in your corner to help cheer you on, let me help you by clicking here for free coaching and support.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
6 Days with Brazil Butt Lift and my results so far:)
Okay, I am totally stoked about my results so far with Brazil Butt Lift.
Here were my measurements on Day 1:
Waist 28.5"
Hips 36"
Thigh 20.5"
Here are my measurements on Day 6 (I thought I only lost 1/2 an inch in my waist, but when I looked at my Day 1 measurements it was a different story):
Waist 27.5"
Hips 35.5"
Thigh 20"
I got these results with my normal eating and even a few indulgences that week. I can't wait to see what the next 3 weeks bring!
If you want more info on Brazil Butt Lift or any other Beachbody program, send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com or checkout my retail site http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica
I'd love to hear from you, feel free to comment below:)
Here were my measurements on Day 1:
Waist 28.5"
Hips 36"
Thigh 20.5"
Here are my measurements on Day 6 (I thought I only lost 1/2 an inch in my waist, but when I looked at my Day 1 measurements it was a different story):
Waist 27.5"
Hips 35.5"
Thigh 20"
I got these results with my normal eating and even a few indulgences that week. I can't wait to see what the next 3 weeks bring!
If you want more info on Brazil Butt Lift or any other Beachbody program, send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com or checkout my retail site http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica
I'd love to hear from you, feel free to comment below:)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tis the season for a better booty - fa la la la la...
Yes, its really fun and the titles of the workouts are pretty funny (Bum Bum, High and Tight, Bum Bum Rapido...), but don't let that fool you.
What I like about Brazil Butt Lift is that it combines dance, Pilates, and sculpting (resistance training). The dance moves remind me of my dancing days. Lots of hip action which totally works your abs without you knowing it. I also like the fact that modifications are included for those who need them. And instead of labeling it beginner, advanced, etc.., its labeled level 1, level 2 and level 3. I remember when I was getting my Pilates certification, the instructor stressed the importance of not saying "beginner." Nobody wants to admit they are a "beginner" and most people will skip to the advanced exercises before they're ready so they're not labelled a "beginner."
When you order the workout, you get everything you need to start. You get a nutrition guide, plus a 6-Day Supermodel Slim Down (warning very low cal, but only for 6 days and optional), tape measure, workouts, booty band and the pencil for the pencil test. Yes, the pencil test is something you need to experience yourself.
I'm hoping by January 8th I will see some changes in the measurements I took this week. I will post those later.
So here's to a better booty and total body for the New Year.
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment below or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Monday, December 13, 2010
Ed Reverses his Type 2 Diabetes
Ed works full time as a teacher, is a dad to a really cute kid and brings it with P90X and running to reach his goals.
"In 9 months I have lost 93 pounds. My A1C, was originally 11.8, IN MARCH OF this year, and now it is 5.6. NORMAL!!!!!!!!!!!! The doctor took me off my medication and my Diabetes is in remission. Can you believe it!!!!!! As long as I continue to eat healthy, maintain my weight, and exercise regularly. I should be fine. I told him that I had no plans to stop, and I am even more motivated to get down to my goal weight of 160. I had a goal, to get off meds when this all began, and I did it Jess!!!!!"
"I've been working out daily, and I plan to begin my second round of P90X, soon. Damn, the doctor was so taken with my results he said he wished I could go in and speak to some of his patients to light a fire under them. Amazing, huh?!?!?!"
"You know, when I was first diagnosed I did a ton of research to see if I could get off the meds, eventually, and at the time there were no posts that I could find about it. In fact, most info I found was just the opposite and so bleak. I suppose that's why so many people assume that once you are diagnosed, it's a death sentence. I had faith that I could reach this point despite the nay sayers, and I can't believe I did it. Having faith and willingness to put forth the effort can bring about miracles. It's not a fallacy. You can get off meds, you can manage your diabetes, and live a long and healthy life. Now I'm under the gun to keep it up and work even harder to stay off the meds. Diabetes is a progressive disease, and there is no guarantee that I'll never need to be on meds again, but I'm going to do my best to ride this wave as long as I can. I'm up for the challenge, and it's going to keep me on the straight and narrow."
If hope you found Ed's story as inspiring as I did. When and if you're faced with something that seems to big to handle, remember to have faith, surround yourself with a good support system and try to be positive.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment below or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Thursday, December 9, 2010
To lose weight, you need to eat more!
If I had a dollar every time someone (especially women) told me they don't eat or won't eat to control their weight, I'd have a nice little nest egg saved up. Or give me a dollar whenever someone asks me how many calories they should be eating, and they say "That's too much," then I'd be even richer.
People, you need to let go of the notion that not eating, or not eating enough is helpful. Its more harmful than good. Please read Beachbody's, Justine Holberg's article below:
Eat More, Lose More. (Really?)
By Justine Holberg
You work out practically every day and you're feeling good because you've lost some weight. Until a week or so passes and you can't get the scale to budge. It's like an invisible wrench has been thrown into the works. Now what?
You start second-guessing everything you're doing:
Maybe I'm eating too much?
Should I work out harder?
Do I have to live on parsley and hot water?
So you restrategize. You slash calories and step up the intensity of your workouts. Unfortunately, after another week, you're still not losing. Now you want to give up altogether. But before you throw in the towel, ask yourself this:
Am I eating enough?
Contrary to popular belief, sometimes you have to eat more to lose weight. While that may sound counterintuitive, it often does the trick. Here's why:
1.Metabolism is the key to weight loss. If you don't eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism slows to a crawl and weight loss becomes more difficult, especially when you're exercising. That's why skipping meals isn't a good idea if the goal is to shed pounds.
Tip: Always eat breakfast to kick-start metabolism and try eating mini-meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism fired up.
2.To keep your metabolism up, you MUST eat. Conventional wisdom dictates that when you first start dieting, the less you eat, the better. While it's true that you often should eat less, eating too little can backfire over time. As your body composition changes, your body will think it's starving, which can make it hold on to fat. (The process actually has to do with excessive release of a hormone called cortisol, but you don't need to know the details, so we'll just call it fat.) To avoid this, most experts agree that over time, you shouldn't eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day for women, 1,500 for men. If your daily diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more.
Tip: Keep a food diary to track calories.
3.You need more calories when you work out. If you're exercising while following a low-calorie eating plan, you'll need to take into account the calories you're burning. That's because it's now easier to enter starvation mode. Let's say you're burning 400 calories and only eating 1,200 to 1,300 calories per day. This means you're really only taking in 800 to 900 calories per day before you begin to calculate how your body composition is changing. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so as your body changes, you need to eat more to keep the weight loss coming.
Tip: Drink an after-workout recovery drink like P90X Results and Recovery Formula®. After hard workouts, its calories are utilized so quickly by your body, some people refer to them as "free calories." They really aren't, but those calories will ensure that your muscles (and metabolism) recover quickly.
And remember this:
Figuring out to what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat isn't easy. That's why people often refer to losing weight as a journey. It takes a few different paths to get there. Sometimes you have to adjust your ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to start losing again. Or adjust your calorie level, which can include eating more to lose weight.
Tip: Use the Team Beachbody® Meal Planner. It can make figuring out your calories much, much easier. You can personalize an eating plan that takes your workouts into consideration.
Finally, if you're still on the fence about needing to eat more to lose weight: You might be thinking, "How come I know some really skinny people who barely eat?"
The answer is this: You can eventually lose weight by not eating. It's called starving. Reduce calories enough and your body will start breaking down its muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss. However, it makes your body increase its emergency hormonal responses, which also causes your body to be stressed and hang onto fat, making it.very easy to gain the weight back again.
So I hope you take this thought away with you today: The idea is to keep your metabolism revving and running. This will help you get healthy and stay strong. Eat the right amount of food to help your body continuously burn calories, and you're more likely to shed those unwanted pounds.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
People, you need to let go of the notion that not eating, or not eating enough is helpful. Its more harmful than good. Please read Beachbody's, Justine Holberg's article below:
Eat More, Lose More. (Really?)
By Justine Holberg
You work out practically every day and you're feeling good because you've lost some weight. Until a week or so passes and you can't get the scale to budge. It's like an invisible wrench has been thrown into the works. Now what?
You start second-guessing everything you're doing:
Maybe I'm eating too much?
Should I work out harder?
Do I have to live on parsley and hot water?
So you restrategize. You slash calories and step up the intensity of your workouts. Unfortunately, after another week, you're still not losing. Now you want to give up altogether. But before you throw in the towel, ask yourself this:
Am I eating enough?
Contrary to popular belief, sometimes you have to eat more to lose weight. While that may sound counterintuitive, it often does the trick. Here's why:
1.Metabolism is the key to weight loss. If you don't eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism slows to a crawl and weight loss becomes more difficult, especially when you're exercising. That's why skipping meals isn't a good idea if the goal is to shed pounds.
Tip: Always eat breakfast to kick-start metabolism and try eating mini-meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism fired up.
2.To keep your metabolism up, you MUST eat. Conventional wisdom dictates that when you first start dieting, the less you eat, the better. While it's true that you often should eat less, eating too little can backfire over time. As your body composition changes, your body will think it's starving, which can make it hold on to fat. (The process actually has to do with excessive release of a hormone called cortisol, but you don't need to know the details, so we'll just call it fat.) To avoid this, most experts agree that over time, you shouldn't eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day for women, 1,500 for men. If your daily diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more.
Tip: Keep a food diary to track calories.
3.You need more calories when you work out. If you're exercising while following a low-calorie eating plan, you'll need to take into account the calories you're burning. That's because it's now easier to enter starvation mode. Let's say you're burning 400 calories and only eating 1,200 to 1,300 calories per day. This means you're really only taking in 800 to 900 calories per day before you begin to calculate how your body composition is changing. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so as your body changes, you need to eat more to keep the weight loss coming.
Tip: Drink an after-workout recovery drink like P90X Results and Recovery Formula®. After hard workouts, its calories are utilized so quickly by your body, some people refer to them as "free calories." They really aren't, but those calories will ensure that your muscles (and metabolism) recover quickly.
And remember this:
Figuring out to what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat isn't easy. That's why people often refer to losing weight as a journey. It takes a few different paths to get there. Sometimes you have to adjust your ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to start losing again. Or adjust your calorie level, which can include eating more to lose weight.
Tip: Use the Team Beachbody® Meal Planner. It can make figuring out your calories much, much easier. You can personalize an eating plan that takes your workouts into consideration.
Finally, if you're still on the fence about needing to eat more to lose weight: You might be thinking, "How come I know some really skinny people who barely eat?"
The answer is this: You can eventually lose weight by not eating. It's called starving. Reduce calories enough and your body will start breaking down its muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss. However, it makes your body increase its emergency hormonal responses, which also causes your body to be stressed and hang onto fat, making it.very easy to gain the weight back again.
So I hope you take this thought away with you today: The idea is to keep your metabolism revving and running. This will help you get healthy and stay strong. Eat the right amount of food to help your body continuously burn calories, and you're more likely to shed those unwanted pounds.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
I just want a big, juicy cheeseburger!
So its been almost 6 days with nothing but tea, toast, bananas, chicken broth, crackers... I've lost about 4 lbs, but it sucks losing it this way.
I've been in a constant state of nausea and other complications. It sort of reminds me of the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. Nothing appeals to you, except...
With all 4 of my pregnancies, I had really bad morning sickness. Tired and nauseous all the time. I can only remember one pregnancy where the thought of a salad or fruit was the only thing appealing. My other 3 pregnancies, in the early weeks, all that I could see myself eating (without feeling sick) was bad stuff. Pizza, cheeseburgers, calzones. Anything with melted cheese and my body (and baby) wanted it. Luckily that only lasted the first 13 weeks, and I did practice lots self-control, otherwise I would have gained mucho pounds. And it was a good thing I worked out with all my pregnancies.
Well, as soon as I'm feeling 100% I'm going out with my husband (and kids too) and get that cheeseburger. Then the very next day it will be back to clean eating and working out with Brazil Butt Lift:)
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment here, or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Monday, December 6, 2010
And my new work out will be...
I'm super excited!! I'm ordering Brazil Butt Lift today! After completing two rounds of P90X, trying Insanity on two different occasions, I decided to go a different route and try something different.
P90X and Insanity are very intense training programs. I'm not saying BBL will not be effective, but I want to try something fun that will keep my whole body toned, but also work a little more on the lower body.
Here's my secret. I've always been pretty happy with my legs and booty. But I want to make sure it all stays the way I like it. As we age, and if we don't work at it, gravity will take its toll on the booty, and muscle will decrease. This results in a flat, droopy appearance. I don't want that! Neither does my husband!!!
So in about a week's time, I'll be able to share my excitement about another cool Beachbody workout!
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to comment below or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
P90X and Insanity are very intense training programs. I'm not saying BBL will not be effective, but I want to try something fun that will keep my whole body toned, but also work a little more on the lower body.
So in about a week's time, I'll be able to share my excitement about another cool Beachbody workout!
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to comment below or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Saturday, December 4, 2010
When sickness strikes.
Well, its that time of year when all sorts of sickness strikes. Cold, flu, stomach bug, you name it.
Right now, I'm starting to recover from my least favorite, the stomach bug. Its no fun for anyone when mom gets sick, so I have my own way of shortening the duration of it. Acidophilus really helped me last year and so far with this year's bug. I take it acidophilus capsules everyday, but when my kids start getting sick, I take it 3 times per day. Ialso drink plenty of fluids and eat very light until a full recovery. This little trick has helped me tame the bug to last only 24 hours for me instead of 48 or more like in the past.
But what should someone do with their workout routine when sickness strikes? Well my advice is to take it easy, especially if you're running a fever, have a stomach virus, or just feel like you can't move. Get rest! You can always get back into your routine when you feel better.
If you are starting to feel better, you can do some easy exercise like gentle yoga, walking or even light weight training. But if you start feeling dizzy or tired, stop.
After you're recovered, ease back in to your routine. If you went without eating for a few days you will feel very weak. Don't force yourself into a really tough workout right away. Get back to eating right and then you can get back to normal.
So, don't forget to keep washing those hands of yours, take your vitamins and eat right. Hopefully you can keep the germs away.
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Right now, I'm starting to recover from my least favorite, the stomach bug. Its no fun for anyone when mom gets sick, so I have my own way of shortening the duration of it. Acidophilus really helped me last year and so far with this year's bug. I take it acidophilus capsules everyday, but when my kids start getting sick, I take it 3 times per day. Ialso drink plenty of fluids and eat very light until a full recovery. This little trick has helped me tame the bug to last only 24 hours for me instead of 48 or more like in the past.
But what should someone do with their workout routine when sickness strikes? Well my advice is to take it easy, especially if you're running a fever, have a stomach virus, or just feel like you can't move. Get rest! You can always get back into your routine when you feel better.
If you are starting to feel better, you can do some easy exercise like gentle yoga, walking or even light weight training. But if you start feeling dizzy or tired, stop.
After you're recovered, ease back in to your routine. If you went without eating for a few days you will feel very weak. Don't force yourself into a really tough workout right away. Get back to eating right and then you can get back to normal.
So, don't forget to keep washing those hands of yours, take your vitamins and eat right. Hopefully you can keep the germs away.
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
This is how I roll.
Having 4 kids and running my own successful online fitness business has generated a lot of comments and questions from so many people. I get people who feel the need to give me blessings, (which I appreciate), but I do sense sarcasm in some of these. I also get people who think I'm crazy (not sure why, I'm not doing anything that weird, like base jumping). Then I get the people who ask if I'm going to have more kids (um, no), or the people who say having all those kids is what keeps me in shape (um, I wish, but no again on that one). Or that I must be super organized (well,I wasn't a born organizer, but am working on that), or that I don't get any down time (hmm, I think I get more downtime than most people :))) )So, I thought I'd share a little bit of what helps me and what doesn't.
Okay, for starters, if you don't know me by now, I'll get you up to speed. I've been in the fitness industry since 2003. I started out with 2 boys (11 months apart), teaching 12 classes per week and training private clients 10 times per week. In 2005, we added another boy to our family. Then in 2008 we added a little girl. My husband is helpful with the kids, but he works outside of the home.
So, as I stated earlier, I wasn't born organized. Its still a work in progress for me. But now more than ever I see the importance of staying focused, but being flexible. When I decided to take my fitness career to a new place (my online business), I definitely saw the need to having a plan in place. In the beginning it was very easy to get lost and put chores off. Although my house wasn't horrible, I noticed the dust starting to accumulate, clutter was threatening in the rooms, and when I was forgetting to pick something up from the store or run an errand.
Enter my "TO DO LIST." Yes, I wrote it in caps because its very important to me. I can't live without it. I used to think lists were for organized people and that I was to unorganized to keep a list. Oh boy, how warped is that thinking? How do you think people who appear organized stay organized? A LIST!!!
It doesn't need to be a fancy Daytimer, I just picked up a cute spiral notebook with lots of paper in it. Every night, I make up my list for the next day. I include exercise, my time to read 10 minutes of something inspirational, and then I list my daily chores to do, errands to run and if something unexpected pops up, I add that too. I checkoff each item I complete, and if it was a last minute add, I check it off so I don't feel bad when something else might not have gotten done. If it didn't get done, I move it to the next day.
At the end of the day, at the bottom of my page, I write down at least 5 things I was grateful for on that day. This way I always end on a positive note.
Now as far as my family goes, we're pretty simple. We only enroll our kids in one (max 2) sports per season. And they usually take the summer and winter off. I'm lucky because my older boys just like baseball right now. So this save time and there is less chaos for the entire family. Too many people run their kids around to all sorts of activities, and then there is no downtime for their children. Kids need downtime!!
Maybe it helps that my husband and I are loners. We used to have a busy social life, but that gets exhausting. Ever since our last move, our social calendar has slowed down a lot. But I like it like that. So instead of going to holiday gatherings every weekend from November until January 1st, we have a lot of weekends where we get to stay home by the fire, watch movies, go on hikes, do projects around the house and just enjoy our family. I love not having to worry about packing up the kids or finding a sitter every weekend. I know this sounds mean, but my parents live in FL, so during the holidays we only have to worry about visiting with one set of parents. Yes, I do miss my parents but we go visit them during a less stressful time of year.
Now all of this helps, but I still needed something to keep me on track with keeping the house tidy. In a perfect world, I'd have the motivation and desire to do this, but housework was never my favorite thing to do.
I don't have the luxury of doing my cleaning while my little one naps. She needs me to lay down with her (trust me I love this!). And I really want to get my daily exercise in too. Well, enter http://www.flylady.net/.
I used to use the Fly Lady when we lived in our last house. It came in handy when we had Realtors coming daily to show the home. Everyone who saw my house couldn't believe how clean it was for having 3 kids (one of which was a baby). Somehow I got off track when we moved in to our current home and then got pregnant again, but I have rediscovered her system and found that it has really simplified my life.
I know this sounds nuts, but I wake at 5 am every morning to do my exercise (almost always a Beachbody one). Then while my husband is showering I do a quick "swish and swipe" of the kids' bathroom. Then I shower, clean our bathroom and get ready to start the day.
The Fly Lady sends you missions that take 15 min to do. I can't explain it all, so you need to check her out yourself.
Okay, so my next time saver is menu planning. I love to cook, but used to just cook by mood. Not good when you have 4 kids and you might need to run to the store. I've found that the Beachbody Custom Meal Plan Wizard has really been a useful tool in planning the weekly dinner menu. It also gives you breakfasts, snack and lunches. It's really helped me save money and have less food waste.
Well, there you have it. Those are some of my secrets to appearing to be organized and in control. I love my days with my family and they're a lot less stressful now.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The biggest excuse for not working out...TIME
One of the biggest excuses I hear for people not exercising is time, or lack of. Look, I know we all have busy lives, with work, school, holidays, kids, spouses, friends, church, you name it. But taking care of your body is not a luxury, its a necessity. If you don't take the little steps now, you will regret it later on in life. The good news is that you can just pick up now, don't feel like you need to make up for lost time.
Here is an article by Beachbody's Monica Ciociola on how to find more time to squeeze in that work out during the holidays.
No Time to Work Out? 7 Ways to Find the Time
Monica Ciociola
The perceived lack of time is one of the main reasons people on the Message Boards give for not exercising regularly. Even those of you who have discovered the wonders of in-home fitness still find it difficult to juggle work, family, and fitness—especially during the holiday season. We hear you asking for help, and here are 7 smart ways to find more time for your workouts.
Shop online. Now that you can basically order anything and everything over the Internet and have it delivered, consider doing your holiday shopping this way. Most major retailers have online stores, and provide gift-wrapping services along with shipping options. So there's no need to go to the mall or the post office.
Farm out some chores. Try dropping off your laundry—especially if you're already going to the laundromat. You'll find that it doesn't cost that much more.
Wake up 30 minutes earlier. Work out before heading to the office. A little trick for waking up faster is to touch your toes as soon as you open your eyes, bringing blood to you head so you feel alert more quickly. After your workout, you'll be more energized for the day ahead and hardly notice the lost sleep. Working out in the morning as opposed to midday or at night also saves you the double cost of showering, getting dressed, and making yourself beautiful.
Make it a family affair. Mike Y. and his wife Christine and daughter Samantha made shedding pounds with the Power 90® program a family activity. By working out together at 5:30 AM each day, before getting ready for work and school, they managed to get in both some family time and exercise. They became Success Stories and were invited to Hawaii to star in the Power 90 TV show. It may be a little more difficult for you right now, with everyone's schedule crammed with holiday events, but working out together as a family ensures a built-in support system, and that support is crucial when you're trying to keep your fitness goals on track.
Prepare meals in advance. Try to get most of your meal preparation for the week done over the weekend. That means washing all your lettuce, veggies, herbs, fish, and poultry up front, and stocking complete salads-in-a-bag to take to work. You can also prepare individual slices of poultry and fish and a variety of veggies for dinner. Also make vats of soup, pasta, and brown rice that you'll be able to microwave throughout the week. Filling up on healthy meals and having low-fat, good-for-you snacks readily available at work will reduce the temptation to sample the goodies at the office—the gingerbread cookies, chocolates, and inevitable fruitcakes.
Take your DVDs with you. If you're traveling over the holidays, make sure you pack your favorite fitness DVDs along with your laptop so you can work out wherever you are, whether it's at your in-laws', your friend's house, or in a hotel room.
Pop in a 20-minute workout. Beachbody® makes some superfast and effective workouts for when you're seriously short on time. Try the Turbo Jam® 20-Minute Workout for an excellent calorie-blasting session and the Great Body Guaranteed!™ collection to focus on specific trouble areas in even less than 10 minutes. Look out for Tony Horton's all-new 10-Minute Trainer program launching in January—just give Tony 10 minutes and he'll give you incredible results! No more excuses—now you can always find the time to squeeze in a 10-minute workout . . . And the rewards stretch far beyond that to stronger bones and muscles, a sharper mind, and a lower risk of cancer and diabetes. And remember, working out reduces stress. You'll enjoy the holidays much more if you're healthy and energized.
If you're having a hard time getting started, that's what I'm here for. As a Team Beachbody Coach, I can help keep you motivated and reach your goals. Its hard to try and figure it all out on your own, but you have me here to help you. You can sign up for free or get a club membership with custom meal plans and recipes. Click here to sign up.
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment here, or send an email to fitwithjessica@live.com.
Here is an article by Beachbody's Monica Ciociola on how to find more time to squeeze in that work out during the holidays.
No Time to Work Out? 7 Ways to Find the Time
Monica Ciociola
The perceived lack of time is one of the main reasons people on the Message Boards give for not exercising regularly. Even those of you who have discovered the wonders of in-home fitness still find it difficult to juggle work, family, and fitness—especially during the holiday season. We hear you asking for help, and here are 7 smart ways to find more time for your workouts.
Shop online. Now that you can basically order anything and everything over the Internet and have it delivered, consider doing your holiday shopping this way. Most major retailers have online stores, and provide gift-wrapping services along with shipping options. So there's no need to go to the mall or the post office.
Farm out some chores. Try dropping off your laundry—especially if you're already going to the laundromat. You'll find that it doesn't cost that much more.
Wake up 30 minutes earlier. Work out before heading to the office. A little trick for waking up faster is to touch your toes as soon as you open your eyes, bringing blood to you head so you feel alert more quickly. After your workout, you'll be more energized for the day ahead and hardly notice the lost sleep. Working out in the morning as opposed to midday or at night also saves you the double cost of showering, getting dressed, and making yourself beautiful.
Make it a family affair. Mike Y. and his wife Christine and daughter Samantha made shedding pounds with the Power 90® program a family activity. By working out together at 5:30 AM each day, before getting ready for work and school, they managed to get in both some family time and exercise. They became Success Stories and were invited to Hawaii to star in the Power 90 TV show. It may be a little more difficult for you right now, with everyone's schedule crammed with holiday events, but working out together as a family ensures a built-in support system, and that support is crucial when you're trying to keep your fitness goals on track.
Prepare meals in advance. Try to get most of your meal preparation for the week done over the weekend. That means washing all your lettuce, veggies, herbs, fish, and poultry up front, and stocking complete salads-in-a-bag to take to work. You can also prepare individual slices of poultry and fish and a variety of veggies for dinner. Also make vats of soup, pasta, and brown rice that you'll be able to microwave throughout the week. Filling up on healthy meals and having low-fat, good-for-you snacks readily available at work will reduce the temptation to sample the goodies at the office—the gingerbread cookies, chocolates, and inevitable fruitcakes.
Take your DVDs with you. If you're traveling over the holidays, make sure you pack your favorite fitness DVDs along with your laptop so you can work out wherever you are, whether it's at your in-laws', your friend's house, or in a hotel room.
Pop in a 20-minute workout. Beachbody® makes some superfast and effective workouts for when you're seriously short on time. Try the Turbo Jam® 20-Minute Workout for an excellent calorie-blasting session and the Great Body Guaranteed!™ collection to focus on specific trouble areas in even less than 10 minutes. Look out for Tony Horton's all-new 10-Minute Trainer program launching in January—just give Tony 10 minutes and he'll give you incredible results! No more excuses—now you can always find the time to squeeze in a 10-minute workout . . . And the rewards stretch far beyond that to stronger bones and muscles, a sharper mind, and a lower risk of cancer and diabetes. And remember, working out reduces stress. You'll enjoy the holidays much more if you're healthy and energized.
If you're having a hard time getting started, that's what I'm here for. As a Team Beachbody Coach, I can help keep you motivated and reach your goals. Its hard to try and figure it all out on your own, but you have me here to help you. You can sign up for free or get a club membership with custom meal plans and recipes. Click here to sign up.
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment here, or send an email to fitwithjessica@live.com.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
You don't need to be a superstar.
You don't need to be a superstar. Its what I tell my kids all the time. I don't care if they don't become the baseball superstar, or musical prodigy, I just want them to be good, healthy kids.
I think we focus too much on our kids becoming the next prodigy. We pay all this money to get our kids private lessons to be better for baseball, football, you name it. But we forget to just raise happy, healthy kids that are kind and not spoiled.
Its kind of the same thing with fitness. You don't need to look like you're getting ready for a Sport Illustrated Swimsuit cover, or Men's Health magazine. You're primary focus should be getting healthy from the inside out. Don't worry if you still might not be able to wear a bikini or have a 30 inch waist for a guy. What really matters is having a healthy heart, a healthy body.
Hey, if you really want to set the goal of entering a bikini contest or guys if you want to get a washboard abs, that's fine. But don't forget what really matters in the end, and that's just being healthy. Being healthy enough to walk up a flight of stairs, or play with your kids or to prevent that stroke.
As a Team Beachbody Coach, I can help you reach your healthy weight. Let me know if you need help setting realistic goals. You can email me at fitwithjessica@live.com or you can sign up for free online coaching with me by clicking here.
I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment:)
I think we focus too much on our kids becoming the next prodigy. We pay all this money to get our kids private lessons to be better for baseball, football, you name it. But we forget to just raise happy, healthy kids that are kind and not spoiled.
Its kind of the same thing with fitness. You don't need to look like you're getting ready for a Sport Illustrated Swimsuit cover, or Men's Health magazine. You're primary focus should be getting healthy from the inside out. Don't worry if you still might not be able to wear a bikini or have a 30 inch waist for a guy. What really matters is having a healthy heart, a healthy body.
Hey, if you really want to set the goal of entering a bikini contest or guys if you want to get a washboard abs, that's fine. But don't forget what really matters in the end, and that's just being healthy. Being healthy enough to walk up a flight of stairs, or play with your kids or to prevent that stroke.
As a Team Beachbody Coach, I can help you reach your healthy weight. Let me know if you need help setting realistic goals. You can email me at fitwithjessica@live.com or you can sign up for free online coaching with me by clicking here.
I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment:)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Lesson learned.
On Friday morning I was schooled with my own advice. As a Team Beachbody Coach, I often tell people that they need to prepare for their journey of eating right and exercise. You need to make sure you eat 5 small meals per day. You need to stock the house with healthy foods, prepare snacks to take with you, etc...
Well, this past Friday I really annoyed myself by not following my own advice. I had gotten out of the habit of packing a mid-morning snack for myself when the weather turned cooler. Park trips with the kids were dwindling down and any errands I had to do were short and sweet. I always made it back in time for my snack. But this day I my husband took off from work and wanted me to visit Home Depot with him. Well our Home Depot is about 20 min away, but I still thought we'd make it back in time, so I just packed snacks for the kids. After looking at all the mirrors, toilets, lighting (were giving our powder room a makeover) the quick trip was extended. Then my husband had an idea to take the kids to the park afterwards. At first it seemed like a good idea, but as each minute ticked by my stomach was growling and the smoothie I had for breakfast was wearing thin. I really wanted to do the park and be happy about it, but I was starving! I should have insisted that we stop home first so I can grab and apple and a handful of almonds, but I didn't want to delay us. What a mistake that was. By the time we reached the park, I was hungry, chilly, grumpy, you name it. I was annoyed with myself for not being prepared. I teach people to prepare themselves and I didn't do it.
Well, I reached the point of being famished by the time we left, and now I had a cranky 2 year old to deal with too. Luckily, I still had some Shakeology left (was waiting for a new shipment), and I was able to blend up a fast lunch for myself. I don't think anything has ever been so welcomed before.
So my valuable lesson that I learned that day was to get back in the habit of being prepared with snacks. You never know what the day will bring and if you may get delayed. I didn't want to be tempted with stopping at Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's because I knew that I was so hungry I wouldn't make good choices. Did you ever get like that?
I'm going to make sure that I keep one or two protein bars in my glove compartment. I'm also going to make a snack to-go like I do for my kids. What's worked for me in the past is something like an apple or pear with 1/4 cup of nuts, or instead of nuts a Kraft low-fat cheese stick. Even a half of a peanut butter & all fruit spread on whole wheat bread would be a good choice.
It just goes to show you that even the "pros" mess up sometimes, but mistakes are a necessary tool for learning.
I'd love to hear from you:) Feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Well, this past Friday I really annoyed myself by not following my own advice. I had gotten out of the habit of packing a mid-morning snack for myself when the weather turned cooler. Park trips with the kids were dwindling down and any errands I had to do were short and sweet. I always made it back in time for my snack. But this day I my husband took off from work and wanted me to visit Home Depot with him. Well our Home Depot is about 20 min away, but I still thought we'd make it back in time, so I just packed snacks for the kids. After looking at all the mirrors, toilets, lighting (were giving our powder room a makeover) the quick trip was extended. Then my husband had an idea to take the kids to the park afterwards. At first it seemed like a good idea, but as each minute ticked by my stomach was growling and the smoothie I had for breakfast was wearing thin. I really wanted to do the park and be happy about it, but I was starving! I should have insisted that we stop home first so I can grab and apple and a handful of almonds, but I didn't want to delay us. What a mistake that was. By the time we reached the park, I was hungry, chilly, grumpy, you name it. I was annoyed with myself for not being prepared. I teach people to prepare themselves and I didn't do it.
Well, I reached the point of being famished by the time we left, and now I had a cranky 2 year old to deal with too. Luckily, I still had some Shakeology left (was waiting for a new shipment), and I was able to blend up a fast lunch for myself. I don't think anything has ever been so welcomed before.
So my valuable lesson that I learned that day was to get back in the habit of being prepared with snacks. You never know what the day will bring and if you may get delayed. I didn't want to be tempted with stopping at Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's because I knew that I was so hungry I wouldn't make good choices. Did you ever get like that?
I'm going to make sure that I keep one or two protein bars in my glove compartment. I'm also going to make a snack to-go like I do for my kids. What's worked for me in the past is something like an apple or pear with 1/4 cup of nuts, or instead of nuts a Kraft low-fat cheese stick. Even a half of a peanut butter & all fruit spread on whole wheat bread would be a good choice.
It just goes to show you that even the "pros" mess up sometimes, but mistakes are a necessary tool for learning.
I'd love to hear from you:) Feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Procrastination
Okay, I know we're all guilty of it. I'm perhaps one of the biggest procrastinators out there. As I type, I have a big pile of my 2 year old's clothes to bag up for donation. I did promise myself I would get to it later today though:)
I had been procrastinating about cleaning my fridge for a long time, but my mission today from Fly Lady was to set the timer for 15 minutes and go to work on it. Well, I set the timer for 20 minutes and finished with 3 minutes to spare - woo hoo! So later today I'll set my timer for 15-20 minutes and tackle that pile of old clothes.
I've often thought that procrastination had to be good for some things though. Its kept me from spending money on stuff I didn't really need. But there is still a big down side to putting everything off. Like when it comes to doing something you know really needs to be done, such as de-cluttering, cleaning, exercising, eating right, paying bills...
What happens is every time you put it off, it just seems harder and harder to do it. In our quest for perfection, we tend to set our expectations too high. For instance, some feel they can't exercise until they lose weight. I had someone tell me they weren't going to the doctor for a physical until they lost weight (WHAT?). Or we put off eating right until after the holidays. After a while we get so used to making the excuses that we never start what we said we would do and we turn a mole-hill into a mountain.
So what is it that you keep putting off? How do we stop the excuses and just do it? What's worked for me is letting go of things having to be perfect and taking baby steps. For example, I could have taken an hour to clean my fridge, taking everything out, getting every nook and cranny clean, but that would have been horrible for me and I would never do it. So I took the advice from the Fly Lady and set my timer for a short amount of time, which I felt I could handle. And guess what? My fridge looks great and I was really proud of myself, plus it was fast!
So what about exercise or eating better? Well you could incorporate the same baby-steps philosophy. Instead of vowing to run for an hour, but never doing it, try 10 minutes, see what happens. Could you handle just 10 minutes? 10 minutes is better than 0 minutes. Or instead of trying to go full force into better eating, try eating just one good meal per day. Could you handle that, or maybe even just one healthy snack?
It doesn't have to be as my husband would say a "full balls" effort. That could be very intimidating for a lot of people. You could just dip your pinky toe in:)
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
I had been procrastinating about cleaning my fridge for a long time, but my mission today from Fly Lady was to set the timer for 15 minutes and go to work on it. Well, I set the timer for 20 minutes and finished with 3 minutes to spare - woo hoo! So later today I'll set my timer for 15-20 minutes and tackle that pile of old clothes.
I've often thought that procrastination had to be good for some things though. Its kept me from spending money on stuff I didn't really need. But there is still a big down side to putting everything off. Like when it comes to doing something you know really needs to be done, such as de-cluttering, cleaning, exercising, eating right, paying bills...
What happens is every time you put it off, it just seems harder and harder to do it. In our quest for perfection, we tend to set our expectations too high. For instance, some feel they can't exercise until they lose weight. I had someone tell me they weren't going to the doctor for a physical until they lost weight (WHAT?). Or we put off eating right until after the holidays. After a while we get so used to making the excuses that we never start what we said we would do and we turn a mole-hill into a mountain.
So what is it that you keep putting off? How do we stop the excuses and just do it? What's worked for me is letting go of things having to be perfect and taking baby steps. For example, I could have taken an hour to clean my fridge, taking everything out, getting every nook and cranny clean, but that would have been horrible for me and I would never do it. So I took the advice from the Fly Lady and set my timer for a short amount of time, which I felt I could handle. And guess what? My fridge looks great and I was really proud of myself, plus it was fast!
So what about exercise or eating better? Well you could incorporate the same baby-steps philosophy. Instead of vowing to run for an hour, but never doing it, try 10 minutes, see what happens. Could you handle just 10 minutes? 10 minutes is better than 0 minutes. Or instead of trying to go full force into better eating, try eating just one good meal per day. Could you handle that, or maybe even just one healthy snack?
It doesn't have to be as my husband would say a "full balls" effort. That could be very intimidating for a lot of people. You could just dip your pinky toe in:)
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Friday, November 5, 2010
Jessica's Healthy Whole Wheat Muffins
This muffin recipe makes a great snack to for your kids. They're lower in fat and sugar than most muffins, and you can make them plain or add blueberries, cranberries or whatever you wanted.
I made these the other day and added blueberries to half of them. This recipe will make 12 muffins:
•1/4 cup oil
•1 egg
•1 cup milk (fat-free)
•1/3 cup brown sugar
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•2 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
In a large bowl combine the oil, egg, milk, sugar and salt. Mix it very well with a fork or wire whisk. Measure in the baking powder and flour. Mix again until moistened. Do not over mix. Spoon the batter into a dozen muffin cups sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing from the pan.
If you want to add blueberries, gently fold in 1cup frozen or fresh blueberries before adding to the muffin cups.
These muffins aren't going to be sweet at all. My kids love them warm and with a little butter on them. I would love to hear how they turn out for you. Leave me a comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
I made these the other day and added blueberries to half of them. This recipe will make 12 muffins:
•1/4 cup oil
•1 egg
•1 cup milk (fat-free)
•1/3 cup brown sugar
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•2 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
In a large bowl combine the oil, egg, milk, sugar and salt. Mix it very well with a fork or wire whisk. Measure in the baking powder and flour. Mix again until moistened. Do not over mix. Spoon the batter into a dozen muffin cups sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing from the pan.
If you want to add blueberries, gently fold in 1cup frozen or fresh blueberries before adding to the muffin cups.
These muffins aren't going to be sweet at all. My kids love them warm and with a little butter on them. I would love to hear how they turn out for you. Leave me a comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Is it hard or is it easy? Only we can determine that
Why does it seem like its easier for some people to stick with an exercise or nutrition program? Why is it that some people can find the time to workout and make the most of it? Why do some people struggle with all of this?
I know many of you who do struggle with this will quickly come up with defensive answers like "I'm too old" or "I don't have enough time." "I'm just meant to be this weight." "I can't control myself." "Its genetic." "I hate exercise." "Diets are too restrictive." "It will take too long." "Its too hard!" Trust me, I've heard them all and may have used one or two myself. Nobody is perfect. If I don't watch what I eat and how much I exercise I can easily put on 15 lbs. I know, I've been there.
But getting in shape or back in shape doesn't have to be hard at all. Its really quite an easy formula. If you need to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Its that simple and easy. No weird science behind it. The deficit in calories can be from adding exercise into your day or reducing calories, or a combo of both.
Its really scary because the US government estimates that over 2/3 of the adult US population is overweight or obese. That means a lot of people out there either find it way too hard to do the right thing, or they've just totally given up hope. What would make someone give up hope to jeopardize their health that way? Don't you think you're worth more than settling for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, joint problems? If you are one of the majority of people who believes that there is a God or Creator, do you really think this is what he had in mind when He created you? I don't think so. I think you definitely deserve better than to settle on the new "average" in the US.
So let's quickly take a look on how easy it can be to lose 1 pound per week. If you lost 1 pound per week, that would be 52 lbs in one year! That's amazing!! And its easy to do. You just need to train your brain to 1) appreciate you and love yourself enough to take better care of yourself, 2) be positive about this, don't worry if you mess up, its not a race 3) realize that even the smallest changes you make will result in huge long term health gains.
By cutting your calories by approximately 500 calories per day you can lose 1lb per week. The cool part is, if you exercise, you don't have to cut 500, it can be less than 500 (or even 0) depending on how much exercise you do!
But let's just tackle eating for now. Here are some ideas on how to cut out those 500 calories. I don't want you to cut the good stuff out like veggies, or high quality lean protein, we're talking the stuff your body really doesn't need:
3 homemade choc. chip cookies = 500 cals (approx)
2 beers, + 2 oz of chips = 500 cals (approx)
1-1/2 cups of ice cream = 500 cals (approx)
2 12 oz glasses of soda, + 1 cup of pretzles + 500 cals (approx)
1 tall mocha Frappucino + 1 plain bagel 500 cals (approx)
Now I don't want you skipping meals to cut out those calories. Skipping breakfast and lunch is probably the worst thing you can do because you'll be famished before dinner and on a rampage in the kitchen. The above is just some of the extras we may include in our day that could be cut out if you really wanted to cut some pounds.
Hard or easy? Its really depends on how you look at it and how badly you want to improve your health before a doctor orders you too.
I would love to help you with healthy meal ideas and custom meal plans. Having a meal plan will make losing weight and your life so much easier. I love using my meal planner,it helps save me time and guessing what to make. Click here if you'd like to take a 30-day trial of the meal plan I have to offer. If you don't like it within the 30-days you get a full refund.
Please feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
I know many of you who do struggle with this will quickly come up with defensive answers like "I'm too old" or "I don't have enough time." "I'm just meant to be this weight." "I can't control myself." "Its genetic." "I hate exercise." "Diets are too restrictive." "It will take too long." "Its too hard!" Trust me, I've heard them all and may have used one or two myself. Nobody is perfect. If I don't watch what I eat and how much I exercise I can easily put on 15 lbs. I know, I've been there.
But getting in shape or back in shape doesn't have to be hard at all. Its really quite an easy formula. If you need to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Its that simple and easy. No weird science behind it. The deficit in calories can be from adding exercise into your day or reducing calories, or a combo of both.
Its really scary because the US government estimates that over 2/3 of the adult US population is overweight or obese. That means a lot of people out there either find it way too hard to do the right thing, or they've just totally given up hope. What would make someone give up hope to jeopardize their health that way? Don't you think you're worth more than settling for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, joint problems? If you are one of the majority of people who believes that there is a God or Creator, do you really think this is what he had in mind when He created you? I don't think so. I think you definitely deserve better than to settle on the new "average" in the US.
So let's quickly take a look on how easy it can be to lose 1 pound per week. If you lost 1 pound per week, that would be 52 lbs in one year! That's amazing!! And its easy to do. You just need to train your brain to 1) appreciate you and love yourself enough to take better care of yourself, 2) be positive about this, don't worry if you mess up, its not a race 3) realize that even the smallest changes you make will result in huge long term health gains.
By cutting your calories by approximately 500 calories per day you can lose 1lb per week. The cool part is, if you exercise, you don't have to cut 500, it can be less than 500 (or even 0) depending on how much exercise you do!
But let's just tackle eating for now. Here are some ideas on how to cut out those 500 calories. I don't want you to cut the good stuff out like veggies, or high quality lean protein, we're talking the stuff your body really doesn't need:
3 homemade choc. chip cookies = 500 cals (approx)
2 beers, + 2 oz of chips = 500 cals (approx)
1-1/2 cups of ice cream = 500 cals (approx)
2 12 oz glasses of soda, + 1 cup of pretzles + 500 cals (approx)
1 tall mocha Frappucino + 1 plain bagel 500 cals (approx)
Now I don't want you skipping meals to cut out those calories. Skipping breakfast and lunch is probably the worst thing you can do because you'll be famished before dinner and on a rampage in the kitchen. The above is just some of the extras we may include in our day that could be cut out if you really wanted to cut some pounds.
Hard or easy? Its really depends on how you look at it and how badly you want to improve your health before a doctor orders you too.
I would love to help you with healthy meal ideas and custom meal plans. Having a meal plan will make losing weight and your life so much easier. I love using my meal planner,it helps save me time and guessing what to make. Click here if you'd like to take a 30-day trial of the meal plan I have to offer. If you don't like it within the 30-days you get a full refund.
Please feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The joy of yoga
Fellow Team Beachbody Coach, Mike French posted a 30-day/3 times per week Yoga Challenge on Facebook. This sparked my interest because I know he and his wife Tami, train really hard. Way harder than me. Since I was done with P90X for the time being, I wanted to take it down a notch and refresh my body. This seemed like the perfect answer.
Let me tell you that yoga is by no means a walk in the park. I've been doing power yoga with P90X's Yoga X as well as other power yoga programs designed to burn calories, torch fat, sculpt you abs, arms and legs.
My body responded right away to the change. The next day after my first time back with yoga, I was sore all over. My abs hadn't felt this sore in a very long time. This soreness then carried over into the next day too. When it was time for my second day, I worked through the soreness but had to do a lot of grunting and deep breathing to get through the positions.
When I was finished, I was sweating, breathing heavy and feeling like I had an awesome workout completed and under my belt.
I know most people cringe when they hear the words yoga, stretching or flexibility exercises. Trust me, if you stick with it, you will really look forward to these workouts and gain a brand new body. You may also gain a whole new perspective on life too. Yoga teaches patience, practice, not taking things too seriously, and being able to laugh at ourselves when you tumble out of a pose. It teaches you to relax into a pose instead of fighting to get there. You learn to breathe deeply, feeding your muscles the oxygen they need. And you get an awesome sense of accomplishment when you can finally get into a pose near perfectly.
I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment here or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com
Monday, October 25, 2010
Two More Shakeology Success Stories
I promised this news last week, but things got so busy. Better late than never though!
I got some great news last week. Two people that I'm coaching decided to jump start that nutrition and fitness goals by doing the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse. First Jon from VA started on Monday, October 18th. His fiancee decided to do it with him for moral support. Jon lost 9 pounds and his fiancee lost 4.5 pounds. Jon is feeling great now and excited to get started with his fitness and nutrition goals.
Next my friend Lisa decided she needed a boost to help her get motivated. She had all the tools, but just needed a push. Lisa started the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse on Tuesday, October 19th. She lost an amazing 12 pounds! Lisa was so psyched and she's ready to start Insanity and get back into shape.
There you have it. Two more success stories with Shakeology. The chocolate is so awesome. I feel like I'm having a dessert. I look forward to my daily shake everyday.
If you want more information on Shakeology and its benefits, send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com. Or you can click here for more infomration on the 3-Day Cleanse . I love hearing comments, feel free to leave one here.
I got some great news last week. Two people that I'm coaching decided to jump start that nutrition and fitness goals by doing the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse. First Jon from VA started on Monday, October 18th. His fiancee decided to do it with him for moral support. Jon lost 9 pounds and his fiancee lost 4.5 pounds. Jon is feeling great now and excited to get started with his fitness and nutrition goals.
Next my friend Lisa decided she needed a boost to help her get motivated. She had all the tools, but just needed a push. Lisa started the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse on Tuesday, October 19th. She lost an amazing 12 pounds! Lisa was so psyched and she's ready to start Insanity and get back into shape.
There you have it. Two more success stories with Shakeology. The chocolate is so awesome. I feel like I'm having a dessert. I look forward to my daily shake everyday.
If you want more information on Shakeology and its benefits, send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com. Or you can click here for more infomration on the 3-Day Cleanse . I love hearing comments, feel free to leave one here.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Could Those Extra Pounds Be Water Weight? Lose 'Em Fast!
In this article Debra Pivko of Beachbody explains how to get rid of water weight. Some people actually believe not drinking water will help. This is the farthest thing from the truth. I even had one person ask me if swimming in a pool contributes to water weight. Again, not true. Exercise is the best way to sweat out the excess water and that can include swimming in a heated pool during the cold months.
By Debra Pivko
Ever wonder how you gained 5 pounds overnight—even when you're cutting calories? The usual culprit is water weight.
If your stomach feels bloated, your face looks puffy, or your hands and feet swell, it's likely that your body is retaining water. And this may show up on the scale as a few extra pounds. Not fun.
Here's why it happens. Your body is constantly trying to rid itself of the salt you consume. When it can't purge all the extra salt, your tissues react by holding on to water, so the ratio of salt to water is always at a safe level.
But if you want to determine your real weight, see how close you are to your fitness goals, and button up those old jeans with ease, follow these quick tips to lose the extra water weight—fast.
Drink more water.
It may seem counterintuitive, but not drinking enough water every day can actually make you retain more water! Dehydration causes your body to go into panic mode, and it'll hold on to water the next time you take a drink. Diuretics like alcohol, tea, and caffeinated soda can actually have a dehydrating effect on your body since they flush water out of your system.
What to do? Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day so your body will maintain its fluid balance, and you won't gain those extra pounds. Water is the best diuretic you can give your body and it's all natural, and usually free! If looking thinner and feeling less bloated isn't enough motivation, here's some more. Drinking water before each meal has been shown to help promote weight loss and even to help keep your skin healthy, which is particularly useful if you don't want your skin to sag once you lose weight.
So keep a water bottle at your desk, send yourself "drink water" reminders if you have to, track your water intake for motivation, or do whatever it takes to remember to drink enough water. The extra hydration will prevent those false pounds from showing up on the scale.
Sweat it out with exercise.
When you sit in one place for a long period of time, your circulation slows down and your body can begin to swell. Exercise promotes blood flow and circulation (not to mention sweating). So when you get in some serious cardio, you'll literally sweat out excess fluids and pounds. Make sure to get your daily exercise to help rid your body of water weight.
The exercise program that leaves my workout clothes most drenched in sweat would have to be Chalene Johnson's TurboFire®. When I eat too much salt or just too much food and feel extra bloated, Chalene's latest program is my savior that helps me get my stomach looking flat, fast. I just pop one of the high-intensity interval training or cardio kickboxing discs in the DVD player to work up a serious sweat and burn major calories. I think it's the awesome music remixes that keep me going through the intense cardio conditioning. After big holiday meals, like the annual Thanksgiving feast for example, I can expect to find my coworkers ready for some TurboFire to fire up our weight loss and sweat it all out.
Limit the sodium in your diet.
To give your body a break from retaining water and working hard to eliminate sodium in the first place, try to keep your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and avoid adding salt to foods.
Watch out for sneaky salt in boxed or packaged foods by reading nutrition labels carefully. Some of the foods where sodium is often hidden are canned soups, fast foods, pickled foods, processed/deli meats, cheeses, frozen meals, and soy sauce. Make sure to look for labels that say "reduced sodium" or "sodium free." You may also want to choose fresh vegetables over canned. While canned veggies can be a handy substitute for fresh, they're typically laden with preservatives or sauces and seasonings that add extra sodium. A cup of canned cream-style corn, for example, contains 730 milligrams of sodium.
Also, food at restaurants and fast food establishments often contains high amounts of sodium. Eliminate all table salt and try using pepper or other spices on your food instead. Or, maybe try nothing and remind yourself what the food actually tastes like.
Another great way to keep track of your sodium intake is by getting your own customized nutrition plan with Team Beachbody's My Meal Planner. It's an awesome new benefit of the Team Beachbody® Club membership. You'll get a week's worth of recipes that include low-sodium options, or you can modify and make substitutions to the recipes for even lower sodium options. I use it to track my progress throughout the week so I know all my nutrition stats. You can even use the food analyzer to search any food and get the nutrition information for it. I'm obsessed.
Eat more protein.
Deficiencies in protein, along with vitamins B1, B5, and B6, can lead to water retention as these nutrients assist with fluid balance functioning. Some good sources of these nutrients include lean beef, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. You should try to eat two to three appropriate portions of lean protein per day.
Don't starve yourself.
Undereating can also cause you to gain water weight. Eating fewer than 1,200 calories a day may cause your body to retain water and, ironically enough, cause you to gain more weight.
Limit your sugar intake.
Having too much sugar in your body can cause your insulin levels to rise. High levels of insulin may make it harder for your body to get rid of sodium, which in turn causes water weight gain.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fresh fruits and vegetables—especially those naturally rich in water, such as watermelon, onions, celery, and cucumbers—can make you urinate more frequently, reducing water retention. Fruits and vegetables also provide ample sources of potassium, which assists with fluid balance within body cells. I love going to the farmers' market on Sundays and picking up fresh fruits and veggies, but let's face it—making constant trips to buy fresh produce doesn't always fit into my lifestyle. Thank goodness for Shakeology®. It's an easy way to get my fruits and veggies without having to set up shop in the produce section of the market. And that way, my veggies come in the form of a delicious chocolate-flavored treat. I sometimes toss a mini banana into my shake for some extra potassium, which also helps discourage water retention and keeps my muscles from cramping up during workouts
I'd love to hear from you. If you need help losing those last few pound or have more than 5 to lose, let me help you. You can leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com.
By Debra Pivko
Ever wonder how you gained 5 pounds overnight—even when you're cutting calories? The usual culprit is water weight.
If your stomach feels bloated, your face looks puffy, or your hands and feet swell, it's likely that your body is retaining water. And this may show up on the scale as a few extra pounds. Not fun.
Here's why it happens. Your body is constantly trying to rid itself of the salt you consume. When it can't purge all the extra salt, your tissues react by holding on to water, so the ratio of salt to water is always at a safe level.
But if you want to determine your real weight, see how close you are to your fitness goals, and button up those old jeans with ease, follow these quick tips to lose the extra water weight—fast.
Drink more water.
It may seem counterintuitive, but not drinking enough water every day can actually make you retain more water! Dehydration causes your body to go into panic mode, and it'll hold on to water the next time you take a drink. Diuretics like alcohol, tea, and caffeinated soda can actually have a dehydrating effect on your body since they flush water out of your system.
What to do? Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day so your body will maintain its fluid balance, and you won't gain those extra pounds. Water is the best diuretic you can give your body and it's all natural, and usually free! If looking thinner and feeling less bloated isn't enough motivation, here's some more. Drinking water before each meal has been shown to help promote weight loss and even to help keep your skin healthy, which is particularly useful if you don't want your skin to sag once you lose weight.
So keep a water bottle at your desk, send yourself "drink water" reminders if you have to, track your water intake for motivation, or do whatever it takes to remember to drink enough water. The extra hydration will prevent those false pounds from showing up on the scale.
Sweat it out with exercise.
When you sit in one place for a long period of time, your circulation slows down and your body can begin to swell. Exercise promotes blood flow and circulation (not to mention sweating). So when you get in some serious cardio, you'll literally sweat out excess fluids and pounds. Make sure to get your daily exercise to help rid your body of water weight.
The exercise program that leaves my workout clothes most drenched in sweat would have to be Chalene Johnson's TurboFire®. When I eat too much salt or just too much food and feel extra bloated, Chalene's latest program is my savior that helps me get my stomach looking flat, fast. I just pop one of the high-intensity interval training or cardio kickboxing discs in the DVD player to work up a serious sweat and burn major calories. I think it's the awesome music remixes that keep me going through the intense cardio conditioning. After big holiday meals, like the annual Thanksgiving feast for example, I can expect to find my coworkers ready for some TurboFire to fire up our weight loss and sweat it all out.
Limit the sodium in your diet.
To give your body a break from retaining water and working hard to eliminate sodium in the first place, try to keep your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and avoid adding salt to foods.
Watch out for sneaky salt in boxed or packaged foods by reading nutrition labels carefully. Some of the foods where sodium is often hidden are canned soups, fast foods, pickled foods, processed/deli meats, cheeses, frozen meals, and soy sauce. Make sure to look for labels that say "reduced sodium" or "sodium free." You may also want to choose fresh vegetables over canned. While canned veggies can be a handy substitute for fresh, they're typically laden with preservatives or sauces and seasonings that add extra sodium. A cup of canned cream-style corn, for example, contains 730 milligrams of sodium.
Also, food at restaurants and fast food establishments often contains high amounts of sodium. Eliminate all table salt and try using pepper or other spices on your food instead. Or, maybe try nothing and remind yourself what the food actually tastes like.
Another great way to keep track of your sodium intake is by getting your own customized nutrition plan with Team Beachbody's My Meal Planner. It's an awesome new benefit of the Team Beachbody® Club membership. You'll get a week's worth of recipes that include low-sodium options, or you can modify and make substitutions to the recipes for even lower sodium options. I use it to track my progress throughout the week so I know all my nutrition stats. You can even use the food analyzer to search any food and get the nutrition information for it. I'm obsessed.
Eat more protein.
Deficiencies in protein, along with vitamins B1, B5, and B6, can lead to water retention as these nutrients assist with fluid balance functioning. Some good sources of these nutrients include lean beef, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. You should try to eat two to three appropriate portions of lean protein per day.
Don't starve yourself.
Undereating can also cause you to gain water weight. Eating fewer than 1,200 calories a day may cause your body to retain water and, ironically enough, cause you to gain more weight.
Limit your sugar intake.
Having too much sugar in your body can cause your insulin levels to rise. High levels of insulin may make it harder for your body to get rid of sodium, which in turn causes water weight gain.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fresh fruits and vegetables—especially those naturally rich in water, such as watermelon, onions, celery, and cucumbers—can make you urinate more frequently, reducing water retention. Fruits and vegetables also provide ample sources of potassium, which assists with fluid balance within body cells. I love going to the farmers' market on Sundays and picking up fresh fruits and veggies, but let's face it—making constant trips to buy fresh produce doesn't always fit into my lifestyle. Thank goodness for Shakeology®. It's an easy way to get my fruits and veggies without having to set up shop in the produce section of the market. And that way, my veggies come in the form of a delicious chocolate-flavored treat. I sometimes toss a mini banana into my shake for some extra potassium, which also helps discourage water retention and keeps my muscles from cramping up during workouts
I'd love to hear from you. If you need help losing those last few pound or have more than 5 to lose, let me help you. You can leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monkey see, monkey do...
When I exercise she dances around me, she jumps on the mini-trampoline, and picks up the 2 lb hand weights and tries to lift them overhead.
I'm hoping that by watching me and imitating me she'll pick up some healthy habits.
I do know that she watches the things I'm not so proud of too. And she imitates these things. Like when I yell at her older brothers, she yells at them too.
Recently I read a post that girls will have a better body image of themselves if their moms have a good attitude about their body. Hmmm, how many times have I looked in the mirror and criticized something I wasn't happy about? How many times was my daughter around when I've done this?
I want my daughter to see exercise and good nutrition as a way of staying healthy, not to achieve the perfect body. I don't want her to look in the mirror and pick herself apart.
So how about you? What types of things are your kids picking up on? I know we can't censor what we do all the time, but if you want your kids to be happy with themselves, we have to be happy with ourselves.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Real Housewives of Atlanta - What not to do for a workout...
I have a guilty pleasure of watching Real Housewives. I usually DVR it, but last night I decided to watch the first 30 minutes of it. Right now Bravo's hit show is featuring the southern belles of Atlanta, or Hot-lanta as I like to call it. I know, you thought I'd be watching shows like Biggest Loser or Extreme Makeover, but those shows kind of bore me. The only one I've been catching up on is Thintervention.
Well last night as I tuned in I watch as Kim, one of the main women featured on the show, decided to go for a jog with her assistant, Sweetie. I laughed because they both wore matching silver and black outfits. I also chuckled because Kim wears wigs, and she wore her wig for the jog. I would have just thrown on a baseball hat,but she had her golden locks flowing behind her and you can hear her cussing that her wig is falling off. What did you expect, Kim??
I did commend her for making the effort to get out and exercise. In the past she has shunned it opting for machines to work her muscles for her and to massage the cellulite. Kim is also a cigarette smoking, wine drinking, trash-mouthed fire cracker, who fancies herself a singer. So the exercise was inspired by the fact that she has a hit single out and all pop stars need to look good, as she says.
Kim and Sweetie took on the challenge of jogging up a big hill, while mostly male motorists honked their horns to say hi. Once they reached the pinnacle, they spied a beer truck delivering beer to a liquor store. Kim and Sweetie start yelling to the delivery man, "hey, give us a beer!" He's probably like "yeah, right." They make it over to him and he tells him he can't give them a beer, its against company policy. Kim parks herself on a bench and tells Sweetie to run inside the liquor store and ask the lady for some beer. What??? Okay, I thought maybe you were kidding around with the delivery guy, but for real they are going to sit on the bench and have a beer. Click here for pictures.
I am sure there will be someone out there that will say beer is an excellent post workout drink. But in my opinion, I think there are better options. Although I got to thinking and thought, I know so many women who pride themselves for going to the gym every weekday morning and immediately afterward will stop at Dunkin Dounuts for a donut and some high fat/high sugar coffee treat. Is that really much better than the beer? Especially if Kim and Sweetie were enjoying a lite beer? Probably not any better.
Hey we all deserve a little indulgence, but don't ruin all of your efforts by fueling your post workout body with junk. Would you do that to your car? So why do it to your body? Feed your body well and it will treat you well. And if you do indulge in that donut, coffee or beer after your daytime workout, don't make that your only meal until supper time. That's another one that makes me cringe - people who will have the donut and latte, but not eat anything else all day. I guess they feel if they don't eat anything else that will take care of the donut debacle.
So what should you have after a workout? My favorites are snacks that will help refuel, hydrate and repair. Try something like a protein shake or a recovery drink of 8 oz of apple juice and 1 tbs of whey protein. Have a large glass of water with an apple and 1/4 cup of almonds. Maybe even a couple slices of deli meat with a slice of melon and a glass of water. Something that you won't feel guilty about later. And don't skimp on meals during the day. 5 small meals per day would be ideal (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner).
Well, if you have questions on what to eat and not to eat before and after your workout, please feel free to email me at fitwithjessica@live.com. I love hearing feedback, so feel free to leave a comment here as well.
Have a great day!
Well last night as I tuned in I watch as Kim, one of the main women featured on the show, decided to go for a jog with her assistant, Sweetie. I laughed because they both wore matching silver and black outfits. I also chuckled because Kim wears wigs, and she wore her wig for the jog. I would have just thrown on a baseball hat,but she had her golden locks flowing behind her and you can hear her cussing that her wig is falling off. What did you expect, Kim??
I did commend her for making the effort to get out and exercise. In the past she has shunned it opting for machines to work her muscles for her and to massage the cellulite. Kim is also a cigarette smoking, wine drinking, trash-mouthed fire cracker, who fancies herself a singer. So the exercise was inspired by the fact that she has a hit single out and all pop stars need to look good, as she says.
Kim and Sweetie took on the challenge of jogging up a big hill, while mostly male motorists honked their horns to say hi. Once they reached the pinnacle, they spied a beer truck delivering beer to a liquor store. Kim and Sweetie start yelling to the delivery man, "hey, give us a beer!" He's probably like "yeah, right." They make it over to him and he tells him he can't give them a beer, its against company policy. Kim parks herself on a bench and tells Sweetie to run inside the liquor store and ask the lady for some beer. What??? Okay, I thought maybe you were kidding around with the delivery guy, but for real they are going to sit on the bench and have a beer. Click here for pictures.
I am sure there will be someone out there that will say beer is an excellent post workout drink. But in my opinion, I think there are better options. Although I got to thinking and thought, I know so many women who pride themselves for going to the gym every weekday morning and immediately afterward will stop at Dunkin Dounuts for a donut and some high fat/high sugar coffee treat. Is that really much better than the beer? Especially if Kim and Sweetie were enjoying a lite beer? Probably not any better.
Hey we all deserve a little indulgence, but don't ruin all of your efforts by fueling your post workout body with junk. Would you do that to your car? So why do it to your body? Feed your body well and it will treat you well. And if you do indulge in that donut, coffee or beer after your daytime workout, don't make that your only meal until supper time. That's another one that makes me cringe - people who will have the donut and latte, but not eat anything else all day. I guess they feel if they don't eat anything else that will take care of the donut debacle.
So what should you have after a workout? My favorites are snacks that will help refuel, hydrate and repair. Try something like a protein shake or a recovery drink of 8 oz of apple juice and 1 tbs of whey protein. Have a large glass of water with an apple and 1/4 cup of almonds. Maybe even a couple slices of deli meat with a slice of melon and a glass of water. Something that you won't feel guilty about later. And don't skimp on meals during the day. 5 small meals per day would be ideal (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner).
Well, if you have questions on what to eat and not to eat before and after your workout, please feel free to email me at fitwithjessica@live.com. I love hearing feedback, so feel free to leave a comment here as well.
Have a great day!
Monday, October 11, 2010
My favorite shake and the results I'm seeing
You've heard me talk about Shakeology and why I love it. I'm a very frugal and skeptical person by nature. I didn't want to spend the money on it. Plus I've been around long enough to see products come out filled with empty promises. But because I get so many people asking me, "what should I do to lose weight?" or "what supplements do you recommend?" I had to give it a try to form an honest opinion about it. I figured if I didn't like it or it turned out to be bogus, I'd send it back for a full refund. Nothing to lose at all.
Well that was back in March, and I have been using it daily since then. Not only am I using it and loving it, but my husband who is even more skeptical than me is using it too.
I think most of you who know me, know that I am honest about what I believe works and what doesn't. If I try something and don't like it, I tell you. And for my husband to tell people at work about it speaks volumes.
I've gotten so many people who I coach emailing me telling me how much they love using it too. Its really that good.
I have it everyday for lunch. My schedule is busy with being a stay at home mom of 4 kids. I also run my own online fitness business and have a house to take care of. Besides doing all of this, I work out everyday and eat about 5 meals per day. I need to eat every 2-3 hours or I get cranky, jittery and ready to pig out on anything. So its very important for me to fuel my body with good, healthy nutrition in order to keep going.
Here is a picture that compares the cost and nutrition of Shakeology vs. a fast food lunch (which would be just as easy):
What made Shakeology even more attractive to me was the fact that I'm doing something healthy for my body beside stuffing food in my mouth. Since using Shakeology, I've noticed:
Listen, I'd love to hear from you and get your feedback. Feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
If you have any questions or need help with working out and eating right, please feel free to contact me.
Well that was back in March, and I have been using it daily since then. Not only am I using it and loving it, but my husband who is even more skeptical than me is using it too.
I think most of you who know me, know that I am honest about what I believe works and what doesn't. If I try something and don't like it, I tell you. And for my husband to tell people at work about it speaks volumes.
I've gotten so many people who I coach emailing me telling me how much they love using it too. Its really that good.
I have it everyday for lunch. My schedule is busy with being a stay at home mom of 4 kids. I also run my own online fitness business and have a house to take care of. Besides doing all of this, I work out everyday and eat about 5 meals per day. I need to eat every 2-3 hours or I get cranky, jittery and ready to pig out on anything. So its very important for me to fuel my body with good, healthy nutrition in order to keep going.
Here is a picture that compares the cost and nutrition of Shakeology vs. a fast food lunch (which would be just as easy):
Seeing a comparison like that really helped to justify the cost for me. I could even buy frozen dinners to keep on hand and its still going to be around $4 per serving and really high in sodium and artificial ingredients. I get it for less than $3 per serving with my discount and free shipping (you can ask me how you can do that).
What made Shakeology even more attractive to me was the fact that I'm doing something healthy for my body beside stuffing food in my mouth. Since using Shakeology, I've noticed:
- My nails seem stronger and look better (even on my toes LOL).
- I don't crave sweets anymore (I used to indulge in a bowl of ice cream every night).
- I don't feel as sore after hard workouts
- I manage to keep my weight right on target even if I miss a few days of working out
- I don't get monthly cramps anymore (sorry had to throw that in because this was something that really bothered me every month and left me unable to workout)
- I'm able to feel satisfied and not too full during my afternoon workouts
Listen, I'd love to hear from you and get your feedback. Feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
If you have any questions or need help with working out and eating right, please feel free to contact me.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Obesity is the in thing, an eye opener at Disney
When I was doing more personal training, my clients weren't in bad shape. They might have had 15 or 20 pounds to lose, but nothing that I would say fell under the definition of obesity. Even while teaching classes at the gym, most of the people who took my classes were in shape. I guess a lot of people who are obese feel self conscious about the whole gym environment. It can be intimidating with all of those mirrors and people walking around with just a workout bra and shorts.
During our very recent vacation, I was shocked to see the amount of obese people and families at the resort we stayed at. I'd have to say that I counted only 6-10 adults that seemed to be within a healthy weight range at the pool. These in shape people were some of the same people I would see at the fitness center every morning. And let me tell you, the most people at the fitness center when I was there was 3 including me.
It was pretty sad to see people riding scooters to go down the corridors of the resort because they were suffering complications from obesity. Then when we went to Magic Kingdom, the numbers of obese people increased even more. I'd have to say that obesity was the majority there. Did you know they say the average size American woman is a size 14?
I find it sad that most Americans know what is good and bad for them, but they still continue to make bad choices because its easier than making good choices. I'm not talking about making a bad food choice on occasion, we all like to indulge a little bit now and then. But more and more Americans are eating foods that used to be an occasional treat every day, every meal. More and more Americans are choosing not to exercise at all. They'd rather sit in front of the computer or TV. Hey, its okay to relax. Relaxation is very good, but you need to burn more calories than you eat. So if your day consists of a lot of sitting and driving around, you need to adjust your calories accordingly.
What's the point of me writing all of this? Well, it renewed my passion to reach out and help people stay in shape or get in shape. I'm not suggesting that everyone get washboard abs, or super skinny, but just get to a healthy weight. Its not easy to change habits. Its especially hard when you seem to have the whole nation pushing for you to become super-sized. You need to have the desire to change. You need a good support system and have a plan.
I know this might seem overwhelming, but there is hope. You have me and a whole community at Team Beachbody to offer help for free. If you or someone you know is having a hard time sticking to a plan, let me know. I would love to help you.
I'd also love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment here or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Sunday, October 3, 2010
My vacation and staying fit
I don't know about you, but I can still have a great time on my vacation if I take the time out to squeeze in exercise and plan some healthy meals and snacks. I know this isn't a very popular idea, but trust me, if you give it a try you won't be disappointed.
Recently, my family and I had the opportunity to take some time off and travel to Florida to visit with my mom and also my dad. We stayed at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village. First off, we were blessed to stay at this amazing resort. It made it very easy to keep up with eating right and sticking to my P90X routine (at the time of my vacation I was in week 11 now in week 12). We stayed in a room with a fully equipped kitchen. I know there are a lot of people who don't find cooking on their vacation fun, but with 4 kids it really saves us from a lot of headaches and spending too much money on food. Knowing we would have the kitchen, I packed my vanilla whey protein and Shakeology, along with things like plain oatmeal, whole grain bread, beans, brown rice and other healthy goodies. Once we got down there I hit up Wal-Mart for the rest of our pantry.
You can save a ton of money, time and calories by just eating breakfast in your room. With a dishwasher right there all we had to do was prepare, eat and stack dishes. Then we were ready to hit the pool.
We did indulge a few times and ordered private poolside dining, but we tried to stay healthy with that too. The resort made it easy to pick healthy choices such as Tandoori chicken with chickpeas. But for most of the days, I just ran up to the room to blend up (well my husband did that) a chocolate and peanut butter Shakeology.
I stuck to my P90X schedule as closely as possible. Since I was on vacation, I didn't want to spend too much time in the gym, so I adjusted my routine to include 25 minutes on the treadmill or stepper and then 25 minutes of a strength routine. Then on my scheduled cardio days I did 35-40 minutes on the treadmill or stepper and then 10 minutes of abs. I feel like even though it was a quick routine, I worked really hard.
Again, I know most of you might find this not fun at all, or maybe even slightly crazy, but I didn't gain any weight while away and no feelings of "why did I eat that much?" type guilt.
I've got lots more to blog about, but will wait until later on.
I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment or send me an email to fitwithjessica@live.com.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Healthy snacks for watching TV
I don't know what it is about watching sports on TV that makes us want to snack? You would think it would it would do the opposite and make us want to get moving, uh, no. So how do you take what seems to be a centuries old tradition and make it healthier? Read the article below:
10 Healthy Snacks for Couch Time
By Joe Wilkes
Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football is starting up. The weather's getting cooler, and the couch will soon call for you to lie down on it with a warm blanket. Now, keep in mind we're not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We'd prefer you pop in a P90X video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we're all human, and it's almost impossible to resist the siren song of a playoff game or the return of Glee or Dancing with the Stars. Just because you're taking a couple of hours off to flatten both your gluteal muscles and your sofa cushions doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with chips, cookies, or other bagged diet-killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.
1.Popcorn. It's not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you're better off skipping it at the movie theater, because a bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn't have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—and with no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you're going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the "healthy" brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag, fold the top over tightly, and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
2.Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, and they don't have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium contents). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños) and adding water to create your desired consistency. You can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture, or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty fried tortilla chips, use baked chips or, better yet some crunchy raw veggies like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
3.Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi's Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that's the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You're much better off making your own pico de gallo: Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.
4.Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa® and Rykrisp® brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. For the Top Chef in you, they make great bases for some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a "schmear" of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty cracker-topping treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you'll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz® crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).
5.Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don't eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don't go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks is the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat in-the-shell pistachios so you're forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren't too salty—chili-lime is one of my favorites.
6.Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world, and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame—steamed or boiled soybean pods—contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And a half-cup of beans only has 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature's perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face-stuffing process, giving you time to feel full before you've overeaten.
7.Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be his or her own Mama Celeste or Chef Boyardee®. Just take half of a whole wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little low-sodium tomato-based spaghetti or pizza sauce and a sprinkle of shredded low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà —tasty and healthy pizza! As with the crispbread crackers, your imagination's the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and low-sodium anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni, which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.
8.Pita chips and hummus. Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell premade pita chips, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum-foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt, low-fat Parmesan cheese, or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy, then serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe.
9.Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt, or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate your salt intake.
10.Deviled eggs. Eggs, once considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap. What's indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites prove to be small, healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. (See the Yolkless Deviled Eggs recipe elsewhere in this newsletter!) Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or nonfat cream cheese with your favorite flavorings and spices, then blending or food-processing until creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be, and you'll have a high-protein snack without all the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.
Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don't just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like P90X X Stretch throughout the game. Or if you're settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off Jay Leno. If you watch a show like Hawaii Five-O that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some INSANITY time immediately after the show while your adrenaline's still pumping. Or if, like me, you've become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo®, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.
10 Healthy Snacks for Couch Time
By Joe Wilkes
Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football is starting up. The weather's getting cooler, and the couch will soon call for you to lie down on it with a warm blanket. Now, keep in mind we're not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We'd prefer you pop in a P90X video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we're all human, and it's almost impossible to resist the siren song of a playoff game or the return of Glee or Dancing with the Stars. Just because you're taking a couple of hours off to flatten both your gluteal muscles and your sofa cushions doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with chips, cookies, or other bagged diet-killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.
1.Popcorn. It's not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you're better off skipping it at the movie theater, because a bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn't have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—and with no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you're going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the "healthy" brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag, fold the top over tightly, and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
2.Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, and they don't have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium contents). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños) and adding water to create your desired consistency. You can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture, or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty fried tortilla chips, use baked chips or, better yet some crunchy raw veggies like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
3.Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi's Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that's the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You're much better off making your own pico de gallo: Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.
4.Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa® and Rykrisp® brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. For the Top Chef in you, they make great bases for some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a "schmear" of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty cracker-topping treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you'll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz® crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).
5.Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don't eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don't go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks is the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat in-the-shell pistachios so you're forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren't too salty—chili-lime is one of my favorites.
6.Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world, and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame—steamed or boiled soybean pods—contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And a half-cup of beans only has 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature's perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face-stuffing process, giving you time to feel full before you've overeaten.
7.Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be his or her own Mama Celeste or Chef Boyardee®. Just take half of a whole wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little low-sodium tomato-based spaghetti or pizza sauce and a sprinkle of shredded low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà —tasty and healthy pizza! As with the crispbread crackers, your imagination's the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and low-sodium anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni, which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.
8.Pita chips and hummus. Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell premade pita chips, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum-foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt, low-fat Parmesan cheese, or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy, then serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe.
9.Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt, or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate your salt intake.
10.Deviled eggs. Eggs, once considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap. What's indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites prove to be small, healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. (See the Yolkless Deviled Eggs recipe elsewhere in this newsletter!) Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or nonfat cream cheese with your favorite flavorings and spices, then blending or food-processing until creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be, and you'll have a high-protein snack without all the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.
Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don't just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like P90X X Stretch throughout the game. Or if you're settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off Jay Leno. If you watch a show like Hawaii Five-O that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some INSANITY time immediately after the show while your adrenaline's still pumping. Or if, like me, you've become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo®, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
How to avoid autumn and winter weight gain
With the arrival of autumn, we often think of apple, pumpkin and pecan pies. We think of Sunday football, snacking on the couch. Then there are parties, family gatherings, hectic school and sports schedules that can also lead to eating fast food or high fat/high sodium convenience foods.
Here's a great article by Beachbody's Steve Edwards on how to avoid the pitfalls of autumn.
Watch Out! The Freshman 15 Isn't Just for Freshmen
By Steve Edwards
Back-to-school time doesn't just affect students. It's the time of year when everything changes—for everyone. The days shorten, it cools off, we get really busy, and the holidays are looming around the corner. As opposed to those frivolous days of summer, your schedule is now probably booked. In short, it's the easiest time of the year to let your health slide.
This is when it's important to remember that the "freshman 15" isn't just for freshmen. All of us—students or not—face these seasonal lifestyle adjustments, and the lapses in fitness and healthy diet that accompany them, every year. Autumn is beautiful, but it's also the toughest season to transition through. Here are 10 ways to make it to New Year's without having to make a resolution to spend all or part of next year fixing what went off the rails during the fall.
Schedule your exercise. One of the most difficult adjustments to make during the fall is getting used to less daylight. As the days shorten, it seems as though you've got fewer hours during which to schedule your activities. When you come home from work in the dark, it hurts your psyche. And it's tough to believe that 7:00 PM is really no different than it was during July, when you still had 2 hours of daylight left. Then there's the cold factor. Even if you work out indoors, it's so much easier to get back under your warm covers or bundle up and sit in front of a fire or the TV than it is to force a workout. Just remember that exercising makes you warm. It also keeps you fit and healthy and is the best thing you can do with cold and flu season right around the corner. Schedule your daily workout like it's part of your job, and stick to it.
Schedule your sleep. As our days get busier, we tend to push projects later and later into the evening. To fuel those longer hours, we eat . . . and eat. This is one major cause of the freshman 15: the infamous all-nighter. A recent study showed that when doctors are doing their residencies and are forced to work extremely long hours, famously foregoing sleep in the process, they gain an average of more than 20 pounds. As available daylight decreases, it's common to find yourself making alterations in your daily schedule, with sleep often losing out, so schedule your sleep just like you do your work and exercise.
Plan your meals. Plan your weekly meals ahead of time so you don't resort to unhealthy "convenience" foods. If your schedule is insane during the week, try taking an hour or two on Sunday to shop and strategize. Put healthy meal and snack options in your car, your office, your backpack, or anywhere you're likely to find yourself hungry. Trust me, the energy you get on the back end of this planning will far exceed the time it takes to plan, especially when you consider how you'll feel if your diet is fueled by fast food.
Carry water everywhere. When we're busy, we'll often forget to drink water, especially as the weather cools off. Then, in a dehydrated state, we often confuse thirst for hunger and eat. Avoid this by ensuring that there's water everywhere you go. Carry a water bottle and refill it at every opportunity. Have an extra bottle in your car, your backpack, at your desk, etc., and behave as if you're in a race each day. Force yourself to drink a glass of water every hour that you're working or studying.
Be realistic about alcohol. Another big contributor to the freshman 15, alcohol, is very high in calories (7 calories/gram) and very low in nutritional value. Every drink you consume is about 200 calories of nutrition that you aren't getting from your diet, or that you're consuming additional calories—overeating—to replace. And this is before we consider the calories you need to consume getting rid of a hangover. If you're a drinker, you'll never be faced with more temptation than during the fall. So plan for it. Prior to going out, consider the number of drinks you want to allow yourself and stick to it. Another helpful tip is to carry that water bottle with you socially as well and drink a bottle for every cocktail you have. This will help fill you up so you aren't drinking alcohol to quench your thirst, which happens often at social events. Drinking that water will also keep you hydrated and minimize the effects of your hangover. One other helpful hangover cure is to have a glass of P90X Results and Recovery Formula® at night after you've been drinking. Consuming these calories right before bed may be not be ideal, but it'll minimize the damage the alcohol will do to your body, which should lead to less overeating and more productivity the next day.
Plan for parties. Parties happen—and there's not much you can do about it. Even if you aren't social, the party will find you. Many offices are like the one in that Seinfeld episode where the coworkers find any excuse to celebrate, usually with cake or other sugary treats. And with fall comes many such opportunities to indulge. Beginning with Oktoberfest, you'll find a never-ending string of perfectly good excuses to ruin your health that last right through New Year's. Plan ahead and decide just which occasions will be worth the indulgence. That way, you'll be fully armed with reasons when your coworkers show up in your office singing, "Get well, get well soon . . ."
Begin a morning ritual. One of the easiest ways to live a healthy lifestyle is to begin each day by doing something positive. During the summer, we often let this slide because, well, we can. With long warm days to look forward to, there always seems to be time to do something energetic. As the days shorten, making the effort to be healthier takes more discipline. Beginning each day with something healthy, even something as brief as a 5-minute ritual of breathing deeply, stretching, and thinking about positive things you want to accomplish with your day, can give you a whole new outlook.
Find a healthy nighttime ritual. Many of us undo an entire day's productivity in the last few hours before bed. This is particularly true when we're busy and/or stressed because we want to unwind, which often means cocktails and/or desserts in front of the TV. If you can find a healthier way to unwind, you'll do yourself a world of good. And even if you can't get away from the cocktail/dessert/TV habit, adding something at its end, instead of just sacking out, can reverse much of the damage. Stretching in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to make that transition. Following up your stretching with herbal tea and some relaxing reading can have you hitting the sack with a much more positive attitude. Another way to help yourself get in that positive ready-for-bed headspace? Yoga Booty Ballet® Master Series Pajama Time or the Yoga Booty Ballet Relax and Unwind bedtime meditation CD, both of which are designed with end-of-day relaxation in mind.
Make a positive New Year's resolution now. Instead of waiting until New Year's to undo and repair the damage caused by a fall-into-winter slide away from your fitness goals, make a resolution to get there, starting today, with improved fitness and health. Just think about how much better your goals can be for next year if you finish this year on a positive note. Why put yourself through the work of digging yourself out of a hole you make deeper from now through the end of the year? Instead, set yourself up, beginning right now, to have a banner New Year.
Cut yourself some slack. You can't be perfect, and, frankly, who wants to be? You've got to live. By planning ahead with goals in mind, you'll be far more able to relax about the holiday season, and maybe even enjoy it a little, too. So make a plan and do your best to stick with it, but don't forget to make enjoying the season and having some fun part of that plan.
Mastering portion control will give you more control over your body and your life. Whether you're at a restaurant, at home, at work, or at a party, there's no excuse. You have the power to set yourself up for success. Being mindful of your portions will help you feel better right after each meal, which will help you manage your weight more effectively. You'll learn how to enjoy your favorite foods, boost your health, and even save some cash by eating less. Now isn't that worth a little bit of effort and planning ahead?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Feel free to leave a comment or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Here's a great article by Beachbody's Steve Edwards on how to avoid the pitfalls of autumn.
Watch Out! The Freshman 15 Isn't Just for Freshmen
By Steve Edwards
Back-to-school time doesn't just affect students. It's the time of year when everything changes—for everyone. The days shorten, it cools off, we get really busy, and the holidays are looming around the corner. As opposed to those frivolous days of summer, your schedule is now probably booked. In short, it's the easiest time of the year to let your health slide.
This is when it's important to remember that the "freshman 15" isn't just for freshmen. All of us—students or not—face these seasonal lifestyle adjustments, and the lapses in fitness and healthy diet that accompany them, every year. Autumn is beautiful, but it's also the toughest season to transition through. Here are 10 ways to make it to New Year's without having to make a resolution to spend all or part of next year fixing what went off the rails during the fall.
Schedule your exercise. One of the most difficult adjustments to make during the fall is getting used to less daylight. As the days shorten, it seems as though you've got fewer hours during which to schedule your activities. When you come home from work in the dark, it hurts your psyche. And it's tough to believe that 7:00 PM is really no different than it was during July, when you still had 2 hours of daylight left. Then there's the cold factor. Even if you work out indoors, it's so much easier to get back under your warm covers or bundle up and sit in front of a fire or the TV than it is to force a workout. Just remember that exercising makes you warm. It also keeps you fit and healthy and is the best thing you can do with cold and flu season right around the corner. Schedule your daily workout like it's part of your job, and stick to it.
Schedule your sleep. As our days get busier, we tend to push projects later and later into the evening. To fuel those longer hours, we eat . . . and eat. This is one major cause of the freshman 15: the infamous all-nighter. A recent study showed that when doctors are doing their residencies and are forced to work extremely long hours, famously foregoing sleep in the process, they gain an average of more than 20 pounds. As available daylight decreases, it's common to find yourself making alterations in your daily schedule, with sleep often losing out, so schedule your sleep just like you do your work and exercise.
Plan your meals. Plan your weekly meals ahead of time so you don't resort to unhealthy "convenience" foods. If your schedule is insane during the week, try taking an hour or two on Sunday to shop and strategize. Put healthy meal and snack options in your car, your office, your backpack, or anywhere you're likely to find yourself hungry. Trust me, the energy you get on the back end of this planning will far exceed the time it takes to plan, especially when you consider how you'll feel if your diet is fueled by fast food.
Carry water everywhere. When we're busy, we'll often forget to drink water, especially as the weather cools off. Then, in a dehydrated state, we often confuse thirst for hunger and eat. Avoid this by ensuring that there's water everywhere you go. Carry a water bottle and refill it at every opportunity. Have an extra bottle in your car, your backpack, at your desk, etc., and behave as if you're in a race each day. Force yourself to drink a glass of water every hour that you're working or studying.
Be realistic about alcohol. Another big contributor to the freshman 15, alcohol, is very high in calories (7 calories/gram) and very low in nutritional value. Every drink you consume is about 200 calories of nutrition that you aren't getting from your diet, or that you're consuming additional calories—overeating—to replace. And this is before we consider the calories you need to consume getting rid of a hangover. If you're a drinker, you'll never be faced with more temptation than during the fall. So plan for it. Prior to going out, consider the number of drinks you want to allow yourself and stick to it. Another helpful tip is to carry that water bottle with you socially as well and drink a bottle for every cocktail you have. This will help fill you up so you aren't drinking alcohol to quench your thirst, which happens often at social events. Drinking that water will also keep you hydrated and minimize the effects of your hangover. One other helpful hangover cure is to have a glass of P90X Results and Recovery Formula® at night after you've been drinking. Consuming these calories right before bed may be not be ideal, but it'll minimize the damage the alcohol will do to your body, which should lead to less overeating and more productivity the next day.
Plan for parties. Parties happen—and there's not much you can do about it. Even if you aren't social, the party will find you. Many offices are like the one in that Seinfeld episode where the coworkers find any excuse to celebrate, usually with cake or other sugary treats. And with fall comes many such opportunities to indulge. Beginning with Oktoberfest, you'll find a never-ending string of perfectly good excuses to ruin your health that last right through New Year's. Plan ahead and decide just which occasions will be worth the indulgence. That way, you'll be fully armed with reasons when your coworkers show up in your office singing, "Get well, get well soon . . ."
Begin a morning ritual. One of the easiest ways to live a healthy lifestyle is to begin each day by doing something positive. During the summer, we often let this slide because, well, we can. With long warm days to look forward to, there always seems to be time to do something energetic. As the days shorten, making the effort to be healthier takes more discipline. Beginning each day with something healthy, even something as brief as a 5-minute ritual of breathing deeply, stretching, and thinking about positive things you want to accomplish with your day, can give you a whole new outlook.
Find a healthy nighttime ritual. Many of us undo an entire day's productivity in the last few hours before bed. This is particularly true when we're busy and/or stressed because we want to unwind, which often means cocktails and/or desserts in front of the TV. If you can find a healthier way to unwind, you'll do yourself a world of good. And even if you can't get away from the cocktail/dessert/TV habit, adding something at its end, instead of just sacking out, can reverse much of the damage. Stretching in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to make that transition. Following up your stretching with herbal tea and some relaxing reading can have you hitting the sack with a much more positive attitude. Another way to help yourself get in that positive ready-for-bed headspace? Yoga Booty Ballet® Master Series Pajama Time or the Yoga Booty Ballet Relax and Unwind bedtime meditation CD, both of which are designed with end-of-day relaxation in mind.
Make a positive New Year's resolution now. Instead of waiting until New Year's to undo and repair the damage caused by a fall-into-winter slide away from your fitness goals, make a resolution to get there, starting today, with improved fitness and health. Just think about how much better your goals can be for next year if you finish this year on a positive note. Why put yourself through the work of digging yourself out of a hole you make deeper from now through the end of the year? Instead, set yourself up, beginning right now, to have a banner New Year.
Cut yourself some slack. You can't be perfect, and, frankly, who wants to be? You've got to live. By planning ahead with goals in mind, you'll be far more able to relax about the holiday season, and maybe even enjoy it a little, too. So make a plan and do your best to stick with it, but don't forget to make enjoying the season and having some fun part of that plan.
Mastering portion control will give you more control over your body and your life. Whether you're at a restaurant, at home, at work, or at a party, there's no excuse. You have the power to set yourself up for success. Being mindful of your portions will help you feel better right after each meal, which will help you manage your weight more effectively. You'll learn how to enjoy your favorite foods, boost your health, and even save some cash by eating less. Now isn't that worth a little bit of effort and planning ahead?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Feel free to leave a comment or email me at fitwithjessica@live.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)