Here is a great recipe for the grill. Enjoy your Memorial Day!
For more great recipes like this one, you can join Team Beachbody as a "club" member. For $2.99 per week you get custom meal plans, discounts on products and access to videos such as this one. Click here to join.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
10 Time Savers to Help You Find Time to Exercise
by Jessica Watters
I've been wanting to write this post for a while now. But didn't have the time LOL! Seriously, I get so many people who tell me they really want to get in shape, but the number one excuse is not having the time.
Of course I feel that you should always make time to take care of your body. But I know that a few of you out there still think its better to have a spotless sink, or a squeaky clean floor than a healthy body.
So here are some tricks that I use in order to find time to exercise. Look, I have 4 kids and a husband that has a crazy schedule. So if I can find the time, I think you might be able to as well.
I've been wanting to write this post for a while now. But didn't have the time LOL! Seriously, I get so many people who tell me they really want to get in shape, but the number one excuse is not having the time.
Of course I feel that you should always make time to take care of your body. But I know that a few of you out there still think its better to have a spotless sink, or a squeaky clean floor than a healthy body.
So here are some tricks that I use in order to find time to exercise. Look, I have 4 kids and a husband that has a crazy schedule. So if I can find the time, I think you might be able to as well.
- Keep a daily goals list/to-do list and place exercise on that list. I noticed if I don't have a list, things don't get done. I forget about it. But lately I've made coming up with a list the night before a priority. everything goes on the list. Including exercise.
- Meal plan for the week. It doesn't need to be elaborate, but if you have a good idea of what meals you're making for the week, this helps save time and money. A great place to find healthy meal plans is at Team Beachbody. You can click here to sign up. For $2.99 per week you can get meal plans for the week and shopping lists too.
- Buy in bulk when you can. Nothing takes up more time than going to the store for a missing item, whether that is toilet paper or chicken breasts. You can save money too by doing this.
- Cook in bulk. Grill up a few pounds of chicken breast or veggies. Cook a big batch of sauce in the crock pot. Refrigerate or freeze in good containers. You can just heat up and add a side dish, or use it on top of salads or in sandwiches and wraps.
- If your local food market offers it, take advantage of shop from home services. There is a fee for this, but I have found I actually save money because I don't impulse buy, I sick to my list. Plus it shaves off at least an hour.
- Invest in tools that help speed up your daily chores. If you can afford it, its worth purchasing certain time saving items. I love my Shark Steam Mop. I can clean my floors in under 20 minutes. And I have a lot of hardwood and tile.
- Enlist help from your kids. You don't need to do everything for your kids. Have them clean their own rooms and make their own beds. Ask them to help with dinner and clean up. Have the older ones help get little ones ready. Team work can make things go much quicker.
- Drink a protein drink or smoothie. If you're starving and don't want to spend a lot of time cooking or preparing something, whip up a protein smoothie. I love Shakeology because at my lunch time Alexa is usually ready for her nap. So I don't have time to think of something to eat. I just whip up a quick chocolate shake and know I'm getting a really healthy meal.
- Use a workout system that works. It can take a lot of time getting back and forth to the gym, checking kids into babysitting, and trying to figure out what you should do. Plus you can save a lot of money working out at home as opposed to having a gym membership that might be going to waste because its a hassle to get there. If you need help picking a good workout system out click here
- Its okay to let your bed stay unmade for a day. Its actually good to air it out. Also, multitask when you can. Fold laundry and catch up on important phone calls. Or play with your kids while exercising. Have them join you. I'm planning on having my boys do the cardio only dvds of P90X with me this summer. It will be a great way to bond with them, and they will get moving instead of sitting on the couch playing Wii.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
7 Substitutes for Picnic Diet Killers
By Joe Wilkes
It's almost summertime, which brings the incongruous collision of picnic season and swimsuit season. The weather's perfect for hiking, camping, barbecuing, and days at the beach—lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise, but just as many opportunities to pig out at pool parties, luaus, outdoor festivals, and county fairs. Here are some foods to try avoiding during the dog days of summer and some ideas for substitutions for picnic favorites.
1.Fried chicken. It's not the K or the C in KFC® that's the problem. It's the F for fried. And if you have any hope of staying slim this summer, it's time to tell the Colonel you're kicking the bucket. One extra-crispy breast will run you 460 calories and 28 grams of fat, 8 of them saturated. That's almost three times the calories of a grilled, skinless breast and almost ten times as much fat. So clearly, you're better off cooking the chicken yourself. But if you're grabbing something on the run, you might want to visit the rotisserie case at your local supermarket. Try picking a chicken that's not slathered in sugary barbecue sauce. And if you throw away the skin, you'll save yourself from eating most of the fat and calories.
2.Sandwiches. A picnic without sandwiches is like a picnic without ants. It just wouldn't be the same. But of course, the sandwich is only as good as the sum of its ingredients. If you're using white bread, you're just eating empty carbohydrates. Make sure you buy whole-grain bread, and that it has the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Wheat bread is essentially the same as white bread, only with a little molasses added for brown coloring. It's nutritionally the same, if not worse. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, contains the fiber and the vitamins you're looking for. For lunch meat, try avoiding processed meats like bologna and salami. They're packed with extra fat and sodium. And when buying unprocessed meats like turkey or roast beef, make sure they really are unprocessed. The makers of some brands of turkey grind up the skin and dark meat and then press it into lunch meat form, so you're really getting as much fat and sodium as you'd get from bologna. Watch out for flavored turkey as well. Most of the time the secret ingredient is salt. If you want to be really healthy, buy a whole turkey breast from your poultry section and roast it yourself, so you can control how much salt is added.
3.Brats and burgers. It's always great to fire up the grill and start cooking up a mess of meat. And the good news is that grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook food. It adds tons of flavor and doesn't add fat. Of course, the best thing to grill would be skinless chicken, fish, or vegetables. But if you're craving a juicy burger or brat and a portobello burger just won't do, there are still some decisions you can make to keep it on the lean side. For burgers, consider a leaner option than beef, such as ground turkey or buffalo. But as always, check the label. Some grinds of turkey have as much fat as a fatty grind of beef. Ground turkey breast is usually much leaner than ground turkey. If you're going to make beef burgers, try to find a grind that is under 5 percent fat. Ground sirloin is usually pretty close. If you can't find a grind that's low enough in fat, ask your butcher to grind a lean piece of chuck roast or top sirloin for you. In addition to being leaner, this will also reduce your chances of picking up foodborne illnesses like E. coli, since only one cow is involved in producing a steak, as opposed to potentially hundreds in ground beef. In fact, if you're someone who likes to eat your burger rare, having the butcher grind a piece of meat for you is a must do. Bratwurst is another delicious summer fave, but watch the fat and sodium content in those as well. The chicken, turkey, and even veggie versions of sausage sound like they'd be lighter, but they're often just as fatty as the pork versions.
4.Potato or macaroni salad. Mayonnaise is the culprit in these dishes. At 50 calories a tablespoon with 5 grams of fat, these side dishes can turn deadly for your diet in a hurry. But you can mitigate the damage somewhat. Instead of mayonnaise, consider using nonfat yogurt, food-processed nonfat cottage cheese, or nonfat ricotta cheese instead. You'll get fewer calories, less fat, and lessen the risk of salmonella poisoning by going eggless. One way to make potato salad healthier is to leave the skins on the potatoes, as they have the fiber and most of the vitamins in the spud. For macaroni salad, use a whole-grain pasta to get extra fiber. Better yet, make a pasta salad with heart-healthy olive oil, vinegar, and lots of veggies.
5.Baked beans. Beans, beans, the musical fruit . . . well, you know the rest. Full of fiber and low in fat, beans are a great side dish that will keep you full. What you want to watch out for is the sugar that is added to most baked beans—sometimes as much as 3 teaspoons in a cup. Try plain pinto beans, or my favorite, beans canned with jalapeños. Replace high-calorie sweet with low-calorie fire, and you won't even miss the sugar. Three-bean salad is another flavorful way to consume your legumes without a lot of added fat or sugar.
6.Trail mix. Summer's a great time for checking out nature, and it's always great to bring along a healthy snack. But check the trail mix ingredients. Some, especially those containing granola, can be loaded with super-unhealthy hydrogenated oils and fat. There are trail mixes on the market that have more fat than a large order of fries, so it's definitely a buyer-beware situation. Also check out how much sugar is in the trail mix or granola bars you're taking backpacking. Some bars aren't much healthier than a Snickers®. If ingredients in your trail mix include chocolate chips and marshmallows, you may not have made the healthiest choice. Try making your own trail mix with healthy unsweetened oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Or take along a couple of P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bars.
7.Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And we'll really be screaming when we try to stuff ourselves into our swimsuits after eating everyone's favorite fatty, frosty indulgence. It's hard to resist a cool ice cream cone on a hot summer day, and the tinkling of the ice cream truck bell can still send me bolting into the street. But that scoop of vanilla can have up to 400 calories and 25 grams of fat, 15 of them saturated. If you're culinarily gifted, you might consider making your own sorbet. If not, check out some of the ones available on the market. Sorbets are usually low fat or nonfat, although they can still have tons of sugar. Try to find some that are mostly fruit. Speaking of fruit, for a healthy frozen treat, how about sticking some fruit in the freezer? Most fruits, especially berries, grapes, and bananas, freeze quite well. They'll last longer and popping a few frozen grapes in your mouth can cool you off on a hot day; and you'll still get all the vitamins, fiber, and health benefits that a Creamsicle™ just can't provide.
It's almost summertime, which brings the incongruous collision of picnic season and swimsuit season. The weather's perfect for hiking, camping, barbecuing, and days at the beach—lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise, but just as many opportunities to pig out at pool parties, luaus, outdoor festivals, and county fairs. Here are some foods to try avoiding during the dog days of summer and some ideas for substitutions for picnic favorites.
1.Fried chicken. It's not the K or the C in KFC® that's the problem. It's the F for fried. And if you have any hope of staying slim this summer, it's time to tell the Colonel you're kicking the bucket. One extra-crispy breast will run you 460 calories and 28 grams of fat, 8 of them saturated. That's almost three times the calories of a grilled, skinless breast and almost ten times as much fat. So clearly, you're better off cooking the chicken yourself. But if you're grabbing something on the run, you might want to visit the rotisserie case at your local supermarket. Try picking a chicken that's not slathered in sugary barbecue sauce. And if you throw away the skin, you'll save yourself from eating most of the fat and calories.
2.Sandwiches. A picnic without sandwiches is like a picnic without ants. It just wouldn't be the same. But of course, the sandwich is only as good as the sum of its ingredients. If you're using white bread, you're just eating empty carbohydrates. Make sure you buy whole-grain bread, and that it has the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Wheat bread is essentially the same as white bread, only with a little molasses added for brown coloring. It's nutritionally the same, if not worse. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, contains the fiber and the vitamins you're looking for. For lunch meat, try avoiding processed meats like bologna and salami. They're packed with extra fat and sodium. And when buying unprocessed meats like turkey or roast beef, make sure they really are unprocessed. The makers of some brands of turkey grind up the skin and dark meat and then press it into lunch meat form, so you're really getting as much fat and sodium as you'd get from bologna. Watch out for flavored turkey as well. Most of the time the secret ingredient is salt. If you want to be really healthy, buy a whole turkey breast from your poultry section and roast it yourself, so you can control how much salt is added.
3.Brats and burgers. It's always great to fire up the grill and start cooking up a mess of meat. And the good news is that grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook food. It adds tons of flavor and doesn't add fat. Of course, the best thing to grill would be skinless chicken, fish, or vegetables. But if you're craving a juicy burger or brat and a portobello burger just won't do, there are still some decisions you can make to keep it on the lean side. For burgers, consider a leaner option than beef, such as ground turkey or buffalo. But as always, check the label. Some grinds of turkey have as much fat as a fatty grind of beef. Ground turkey breast is usually much leaner than ground turkey. If you're going to make beef burgers, try to find a grind that is under 5 percent fat. Ground sirloin is usually pretty close. If you can't find a grind that's low enough in fat, ask your butcher to grind a lean piece of chuck roast or top sirloin for you. In addition to being leaner, this will also reduce your chances of picking up foodborne illnesses like E. coli, since only one cow is involved in producing a steak, as opposed to potentially hundreds in ground beef. In fact, if you're someone who likes to eat your burger rare, having the butcher grind a piece of meat for you is a must do. Bratwurst is another delicious summer fave, but watch the fat and sodium content in those as well. The chicken, turkey, and even veggie versions of sausage sound like they'd be lighter, but they're often just as fatty as the pork versions.
4.Potato or macaroni salad. Mayonnaise is the culprit in these dishes. At 50 calories a tablespoon with 5 grams of fat, these side dishes can turn deadly for your diet in a hurry. But you can mitigate the damage somewhat. Instead of mayonnaise, consider using nonfat yogurt, food-processed nonfat cottage cheese, or nonfat ricotta cheese instead. You'll get fewer calories, less fat, and lessen the risk of salmonella poisoning by going eggless. One way to make potato salad healthier is to leave the skins on the potatoes, as they have the fiber and most of the vitamins in the spud. For macaroni salad, use a whole-grain pasta to get extra fiber. Better yet, make a pasta salad with heart-healthy olive oil, vinegar, and lots of veggies.
5.Baked beans. Beans, beans, the musical fruit . . . well, you know the rest. Full of fiber and low in fat, beans are a great side dish that will keep you full. What you want to watch out for is the sugar that is added to most baked beans—sometimes as much as 3 teaspoons in a cup. Try plain pinto beans, or my favorite, beans canned with jalapeños. Replace high-calorie sweet with low-calorie fire, and you won't even miss the sugar. Three-bean salad is another flavorful way to consume your legumes without a lot of added fat or sugar.
6.Trail mix. Summer's a great time for checking out nature, and it's always great to bring along a healthy snack. But check the trail mix ingredients. Some, especially those containing granola, can be loaded with super-unhealthy hydrogenated oils and fat. There are trail mixes on the market that have more fat than a large order of fries, so it's definitely a buyer-beware situation. Also check out how much sugar is in the trail mix or granola bars you're taking backpacking. Some bars aren't much healthier than a Snickers®. If ingredients in your trail mix include chocolate chips and marshmallows, you may not have made the healthiest choice. Try making your own trail mix with healthy unsweetened oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Or take along a couple of P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bars.
7.Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And we'll really be screaming when we try to stuff ourselves into our swimsuits after eating everyone's favorite fatty, frosty indulgence. It's hard to resist a cool ice cream cone on a hot summer day, and the tinkling of the ice cream truck bell can still send me bolting into the street. But that scoop of vanilla can have up to 400 calories and 25 grams of fat, 15 of them saturated. If you're culinarily gifted, you might consider making your own sorbet. If not, check out some of the ones available on the market. Sorbets are usually low fat or nonfat, although they can still have tons of sugar. Try to find some that are mostly fruit. Speaking of fruit, for a healthy frozen treat, how about sticking some fruit in the freezer? Most fruits, especially berries, grapes, and bananas, freeze quite well. They'll last longer and popping a few frozen grapes in your mouth can cool you off on a hot day; and you'll still get all the vitamins, fiber, and health benefits that a Creamsicle™ just can't provide.
Monday, May 24, 2010
7 Days, 7 Snacks
by Joe Wilkes
The toughest part of the day for a lot of us is the time in between meals. The temptation to graze through the office or kitchen, while dipping into candy dishes, doughnut boxes, and chip bowls, can be great. We may not count these "found" calories, but our scales and measuring tapes absolutely do. The best strategy is to prepare for attacks of the munchies by having your own healthy snacks on hand.
Note: All nutritional information is for one serving.
Sunday: Tony Horton's Sticky Bar
The father of P90X® has created the granddaddy of all snacks, as far as I'm concerned. The worst cook in the world can mash up these three ingredients for an easy, healthy bite. The key to this recipe is the quality of those three ingredients. The banana's pretty easy. Better to look for organic, but most bananas come in their own protective gear. The peanut butter should likewise be easy to choose. Just get the one with one ingredient: peanuts. No sugar, no salt, no problems. The granola is where things can get crazy. While ostensibly a wholesome cereal, all manner of sins have been committed in the name of granola, like soaking the poor oats in high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. Just read the label to make sure you know what you're getting. A good granola should be low in fat, low in sugar, and high in fiber. If your local supermarket isn't giving you what you need, you might consider investigating making your own so you can control what goes in.
1/2 medium-size banana
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened granola
Mix and mash all three ingredients into a bowl. Spoon onto a sheet of wax paper. Roll up the contents into a hot dog/cigar shape. Stick in the freezer. Ready in about 90 minutes. Cut off little bites or eat the whole thing. Eat it frozen or throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Serves 2.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Freezing Time: 90 minutes
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
389 17 grams 47 grams 9 grams 14 grams
Monday: Orangeberry Shakeology®
While I think Greenberry Shakeology is delicious on its own, it's even better when mixed with orange juice. Some have even commented that the flavor resembles a popular shopping-mall beverage that has the same name as a famous Roman emperor.
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup orange juice
ice to taste
In a blender, mix all ingredients until frothy.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
252 1 gram 43 grams 3 grams 19 grams
Tuesday: Cottage Cheese Surprise
I'll leave it to historians to decide Richard Nixon's place in the presidential firmament. For my own life, his greatest contribution would be his love of the odd culinary mash-up of cottage cheese and ketchup. Much as I departed with some of his policies, I wasn't a big fan of ketchup. Most ketchup these days is just a bottle of corn syrup with an odd tomato or two thrown in (not technically a vegetable, as one of President Nixon's succeeding administrations would have had us believe). I'm more of a hot sauce man, but Nixon did inspire me to enjoy cottage cheese as a savory snack instead of a sweet one. Most of the leftover condiments in my refrigerator have made it into a protein-rich bowl of cottage cheese at some point along with other leftover veggies. Hot sauce and Parmesan cheese are my standbys, but I also recommend kimchi, salsa, chopped herbs, garlic, chives, or anything else that is flavorful and low-cal in the fridge (that's the surprise!).
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Hot sauce to taste
Mix ingredients in bowl. (If only one cup of cottage cheese left, mix ingredients in cottage cheese tub for easy cleanup!)
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
216 7 grams 8 grams >1 gram 29 grams
Wednesday: Edamame
This has become my go-to snack for watching TV. Full of protein and a slightly salty treat (but careful not to make it too salty), these soybeans are delicious and nutritious, and if you shell them yourself, the unshelling process will slow down your chow time, so you get fuller faster on fewer pods.
1 cup edamame
Buy frozen or fresh edamame, and steam or reheat according to package directions.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
189 8 grams 16 grams 8 grams 17 grams
Thursday: Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great way to combine some of your favorite snacks and avoid the world of nacho-flavored fatty and salty snacks. You can mix up the recipe to create your favorite crunchy treats. The best ingredients include nuts, dried fruit, and unsweetened granola. Try and steer clear of less wholesome ingredients. If you're adding M&M'S® or chocolate chips to your recipe, who are you kidding? You could trade in your favorite nuts or dried fruit into this recipe. This is a good time to bust out the individual serving bags, so you don't end up going down the trail of oversnacking.
1 cup peanuts, shelled
1 cup unsweetened granola
1 cup raisins
Combine ingredients into airtight container. Shake to combine. Serves 6.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
320 17 grams 37 grams 5 grams 10 grams
Friday: Chalene Johnson's Crispbread
Here's a quick little snack to tide you over between meals inspired by Turbo Jam® and ChaLEAN Extreme® trainer extraordinaire Chalene Johnson. She recommends the following recipe, although you could try some other fun variations with cottage cheese instead of peanut butter or different fruits or vegetables, both fresh and dried.
1 Wasa® crispbread (or similar low-fat cracker)
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
Spread peanut butter on cracker, and pile sliced berries on top.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
241 16 grams 17 grams 6 grams 9 grams
Saturday: P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar
Sometimes the easiest snack just involves opening a wrapper. If you haven't tried Beachbody's P90X Peak Performance Protein Bars in a while, treat yourself. All of the flavors have been recently reformulated and taste even more delicious, plus there are new flavors like Chocolate Fudge and Wildberry Yogurt. With 20 grams of protein per bar, you’ll feel full and have energy for hours. And you can't beat the preparation time!
1 P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar
Preparation time: 1 minute (longer if you don't have opposable thumbs)
Nutritional information (per serving; for Café Mocha flavor):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
260 7 grams 29 grams 1 gram 20 grams
Feel free to eat any of these snacks on any day of the week. And repeat your favorites. Most of these can be integrated into your favorite Beachbody meal plan, including P90X. Bon appétit!
The toughest part of the day for a lot of us is the time in between meals. The temptation to graze through the office or kitchen, while dipping into candy dishes, doughnut boxes, and chip bowls, can be great. We may not count these "found" calories, but our scales and measuring tapes absolutely do. The best strategy is to prepare for attacks of the munchies by having your own healthy snacks on hand.
Note: All nutritional information is for one serving.
Sunday: Tony Horton's Sticky Bar
The father of P90X® has created the granddaddy of all snacks, as far as I'm concerned. The worst cook in the world can mash up these three ingredients for an easy, healthy bite. The key to this recipe is the quality of those three ingredients. The banana's pretty easy. Better to look for organic, but most bananas come in their own protective gear. The peanut butter should likewise be easy to choose. Just get the one with one ingredient: peanuts. No sugar, no salt, no problems. The granola is where things can get crazy. While ostensibly a wholesome cereal, all manner of sins have been committed in the name of granola, like soaking the poor oats in high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. Just read the label to make sure you know what you're getting. A good granola should be low in fat, low in sugar, and high in fiber. If your local supermarket isn't giving you what you need, you might consider investigating making your own so you can control what goes in.
1/2 medium-size banana
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened granola
Mix and mash all three ingredients into a bowl. Spoon onto a sheet of wax paper. Roll up the contents into a hot dog/cigar shape. Stick in the freezer. Ready in about 90 minutes. Cut off little bites or eat the whole thing. Eat it frozen or throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Serves 2.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Freezing Time: 90 minutes
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
389 17 grams 47 grams 9 grams 14 grams
Monday: Orangeberry Shakeology®
While I think Greenberry Shakeology is delicious on its own, it's even better when mixed with orange juice. Some have even commented that the flavor resembles a popular shopping-mall beverage that has the same name as a famous Roman emperor.
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup orange juice
ice to taste
In a blender, mix all ingredients until frothy.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
252 1 gram 43 grams 3 grams 19 grams
Tuesday: Cottage Cheese Surprise
I'll leave it to historians to decide Richard Nixon's place in the presidential firmament. For my own life, his greatest contribution would be his love of the odd culinary mash-up of cottage cheese and ketchup. Much as I departed with some of his policies, I wasn't a big fan of ketchup. Most ketchup these days is just a bottle of corn syrup with an odd tomato or two thrown in (not technically a vegetable, as one of President Nixon's succeeding administrations would have had us believe). I'm more of a hot sauce man, but Nixon did inspire me to enjoy cottage cheese as a savory snack instead of a sweet one. Most of the leftover condiments in my refrigerator have made it into a protein-rich bowl of cottage cheese at some point along with other leftover veggies. Hot sauce and Parmesan cheese are my standbys, but I also recommend kimchi, salsa, chopped herbs, garlic, chives, or anything else that is flavorful and low-cal in the fridge (that's the surprise!).
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Hot sauce to taste
Mix ingredients in bowl. (If only one cup of cottage cheese left, mix ingredients in cottage cheese tub for easy cleanup!)
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
216 7 grams 8 grams >1 gram 29 grams
Wednesday: Edamame
This has become my go-to snack for watching TV. Full of protein and a slightly salty treat (but careful not to make it too salty), these soybeans are delicious and nutritious, and if you shell them yourself, the unshelling process will slow down your chow time, so you get fuller faster on fewer pods.
1 cup edamame
Buy frozen or fresh edamame, and steam or reheat according to package directions.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
189 8 grams 16 grams 8 grams 17 grams
Thursday: Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great way to combine some of your favorite snacks and avoid the world of nacho-flavored fatty and salty snacks. You can mix up the recipe to create your favorite crunchy treats. The best ingredients include nuts, dried fruit, and unsweetened granola. Try and steer clear of less wholesome ingredients. If you're adding M&M'S® or chocolate chips to your recipe, who are you kidding? You could trade in your favorite nuts or dried fruit into this recipe. This is a good time to bust out the individual serving bags, so you don't end up going down the trail of oversnacking.
1 cup peanuts, shelled
1 cup unsweetened granola
1 cup raisins
Combine ingredients into airtight container. Shake to combine. Serves 6.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
320 17 grams 37 grams 5 grams 10 grams
Friday: Chalene Johnson's Crispbread
Here's a quick little snack to tide you over between meals inspired by Turbo Jam® and ChaLEAN Extreme® trainer extraordinaire Chalene Johnson. She recommends the following recipe, although you could try some other fun variations with cottage cheese instead of peanut butter or different fruits or vegetables, both fresh and dried.
1 Wasa® crispbread (or similar low-fat cracker)
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
Spread peanut butter on cracker, and pile sliced berries on top.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional information (per serving):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
241 16 grams 17 grams 6 grams 9 grams
Saturday: P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar
Sometimes the easiest snack just involves opening a wrapper. If you haven't tried Beachbody's P90X Peak Performance Protein Bars in a while, treat yourself. All of the flavors have been recently reformulated and taste even more delicious, plus there are new flavors like Chocolate Fudge and Wildberry Yogurt. With 20 grams of protein per bar, you’ll feel full and have energy for hours. And you can't beat the preparation time!
1 P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar
Preparation time: 1 minute (longer if you don't have opposable thumbs)
Nutritional information (per serving; for Café Mocha flavor):
Calories Fat Carbs Fiber Protein
260 7 grams 29 grams 1 gram 20 grams
Feel free to eat any of these snacks on any day of the week. And repeat your favorites. Most of these can be integrated into your favorite Beachbody meal plan, including P90X. Bon appétit!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Week 11 done! Only 2 more to go!
by Jessica Watters
It feels like yesterday that I saw the UPS delivery truck back into my driveway on that Friday afternoon. 11-1/2 weeks ago my P90X was delivered. I remember my excitement as the UPS man walked up my driveway with the Beachbody cardboard box. Nestled inside, was another box with the P90X logo on top. As I opened the box, I saw the picture of the P90X set and the words "This is your gym for the next 90 days..."
There I found my dvds packed ever so carefully in a dvd wallet and my nutrition and exercise guides. Everything looked so cool. I couldn't wait to start.
I had been using a borrowed copy and now I finally had my very own. I promised myself I was going to stick with it and do everything right.
For years I had been a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and Pilates instructor. I used to teach 12 classes per week, plus train private clients 6 hours per week. I loved it. I was finally living my dream, not working in an office anymore. No need to dress up. I could take the kids to the gym with me, and my clients came to my home in the wee hours of the morning.
I was in the best shape than I had been in long time. But this all changed when I got pregnant with our third son. Suddenly training clients at 5 am wasn't so appealing or even felt possible. My 12 classes got tough to handle, so I cute them back to 5. I was in great shape for being pregnant. My plan was to get right back to where I left off after the baby arrived.
The funny thing about our plans is that they always seem to get changed though. My plan of having my baby start taking a bottle, along with being breastfed, backfired. He wanted nothing to do with the bottle at all. This left me in a quandary of how I could take him to the gym with me. If he got hungry, they couldn't interrupt my class and bring him to me. The gym I worked for had strict rules about no children in any areas except for the babysitting room.
So I had to drop my classes and stick to private clients who didn't mind me bringing an infant. This turned out to be a good arrangement, but when you train clients, you really don't get to work out. Its more of you helping them with exercises and coaching them.
I managed to squeeze in some walking, I also started teaching a baby & me Pilates class. And even though this helped get rid of the baby fat. I still wanted more.
As my son got older, it became more difficult to bring him with me to clients' homes. So I started teaching classes at night again and during the day, where he could come. I just started teaching a Pilates class at the gym, when I found out I was pregnant again. Normally, I would have continued teaching the class, but it was far, and it wasn't paying very well. So I wound up leaving in order to train private groups and a dance class I was teaching at my friend's studio.
After the birth of my daughter in 2008, I really wanted to get back in shape again. She turned out to be another baby who refused to take a bottle, so I knew that going back to teach classes in a gym was out of the question. I continued teaching baby & me classes at my friends studio, but again still wanted more.
I always saw the commercials for P90X and really wanted to try it, but my excuse for not buying it was that I was a personal trainer and exercise instructor, I should be able to design a routine for myself.
Its funny, but after you are done teaching others how to become fit, you just blank out when it comes to you. I wanted someone to do the thinking for me, but I would quickly put that idea out of my head.
Again, its funny how life works because if I had stayed with just two kids, I would have never left teaching the 12 classes, and I would never have been looking at P90X as a workout. And I would have never became a Team Beachbody Coach.
P90X has been a "God-send." I was going through a rough winter, my mood was dark and gloomy. My diet started getting too high in carbohydrates. Doing these workouts and following the nutrtion guide has not only brought me back to the shape I was in in 2004, but has also made me feel better emotionally by lifting my spirits.
Making it to week 11 has been a big accomplishment for me. I almost thought I couldn't make it through week 1 because of the kids. But each week got better and better, and I have been able to get my workouts in without skipping one.
I am totally looking forward to doing another round of P90X. Just because you finish your first round doesn't mean its the end. You can keep bringing it and keep pushing play.
It feels like yesterday that I saw the UPS delivery truck back into my driveway on that Friday afternoon. 11-1/2 weeks ago my P90X was delivered. I remember my excitement as the UPS man walked up my driveway with the Beachbody cardboard box. Nestled inside, was another box with the P90X logo on top. As I opened the box, I saw the picture of the P90X set and the words "This is your gym for the next 90 days..."
There I found my dvds packed ever so carefully in a dvd wallet and my nutrition and exercise guides. Everything looked so cool. I couldn't wait to start.
I had been using a borrowed copy and now I finally had my very own. I promised myself I was going to stick with it and do everything right.
For years I had been a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and Pilates instructor. I used to teach 12 classes per week, plus train private clients 6 hours per week. I loved it. I was finally living my dream, not working in an office anymore. No need to dress up. I could take the kids to the gym with me, and my clients came to my home in the wee hours of the morning.
I was in the best shape than I had been in long time. But this all changed when I got pregnant with our third son. Suddenly training clients at 5 am wasn't so appealing or even felt possible. My 12 classes got tough to handle, so I cute them back to 5. I was in great shape for being pregnant. My plan was to get right back to where I left off after the baby arrived.
The funny thing about our plans is that they always seem to get changed though. My plan of having my baby start taking a bottle, along with being breastfed, backfired. He wanted nothing to do with the bottle at all. This left me in a quandary of how I could take him to the gym with me. If he got hungry, they couldn't interrupt my class and bring him to me. The gym I worked for had strict rules about no children in any areas except for the babysitting room.
So I had to drop my classes and stick to private clients who didn't mind me bringing an infant. This turned out to be a good arrangement, but when you train clients, you really don't get to work out. Its more of you helping them with exercises and coaching them.
I managed to squeeze in some walking, I also started teaching a baby & me Pilates class. And even though this helped get rid of the baby fat. I still wanted more.
As my son got older, it became more difficult to bring him with me to clients' homes. So I started teaching classes at night again and during the day, where he could come. I just started teaching a Pilates class at the gym, when I found out I was pregnant again. Normally, I would have continued teaching the class, but it was far, and it wasn't paying very well. So I wound up leaving in order to train private groups and a dance class I was teaching at my friend's studio.
After the birth of my daughter in 2008, I really wanted to get back in shape again. She turned out to be another baby who refused to take a bottle, so I knew that going back to teach classes in a gym was out of the question. I continued teaching baby & me classes at my friends studio, but again still wanted more.
I always saw the commercials for P90X and really wanted to try it, but my excuse for not buying it was that I was a personal trainer and exercise instructor, I should be able to design a routine for myself.
Its funny, but after you are done teaching others how to become fit, you just blank out when it comes to you. I wanted someone to do the thinking for me, but I would quickly put that idea out of my head.
Again, its funny how life works because if I had stayed with just two kids, I would have never left teaching the 12 classes, and I would never have been looking at P90X as a workout. And I would have never became a Team Beachbody Coach.
P90X has been a "God-send." I was going through a rough winter, my mood was dark and gloomy. My diet started getting too high in carbohydrates. Doing these workouts and following the nutrtion guide has not only brought me back to the shape I was in in 2004, but has also made me feel better emotionally by lifting my spirits.
Making it to week 11 has been a big accomplishment for me. I almost thought I couldn't make it through week 1 because of the kids. But each week got better and better, and I have been able to get my workouts in without skipping one.
I am totally looking forward to doing another round of P90X. Just because you finish your first round doesn't mean its the end. You can keep bringing it and keep pushing play.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Portobello Burger
With the warm weather and Memorial Day weekend approaching, you may be looking for some alternatives to the traditional burgers and dogs. Here is a great recipe that is low fat and low calorie. Also perfect for my vegetarian friends.
Click here for Take Away Tip
Click here for Take Away Tip
Thursday, May 20, 2010
5 Keys to Treating Depression through Exercise
By Omar Shamout
About 19 million people in the United States suffer from some form of depression ranging from mild to severe. It's hard to imagine that something as seemingly intangible as the feeling of sadness is governed by science, but it's true. Emotions, like everything else found inside our bodies, can be broken down into chemical equations. The upside of this is that you can sometimes take charge of which emotions your brain generates by altering the things you do every day. Yes, there are a number of pharmaceutical treatments for depression, but studies show that our bodies produce a natural defense that can combat this debilitating mental condition.
What are these organic wonder drugs, you ask? And how do we get them? The answer is endorphins, and you get them through exercise. These chemicals interact with receptors in our brains that send a euphoric feeling throughout the body to combat pain in all its forms. Many people have dubbed this phenomenon "runner's high."
Evolution has gifted us with an anatomy filled with a vast repository of resources that can fight many of the obstacles nature will throw at us. The key is understanding how to unlock the door and utilize all the tools we have available at our disposal. So, with some hard work and dedication, we might be able to discover the secret to one of our self-healing properties.
1.Consistency. Because depression is a chronic problem that can't be cured by an hour in the gym, sufferers must realize that it takes a strong commitment to an aerobic routine to see any improvement. Even then, endorphins alone may not be enough to aid in more severe cases. Research studies conducted by Harvard Medical School found that daily aerobic exercise over a sustained period of time can have exactly the same impact on lowering rates of depression as antidepressant drugs can have. The length of the daily workout is crucial though, as workouts of less than 15 minutes produced negligible results compared to those of 30 minutes or more. Workouts don't have to be high impact, either. Low-impact routines involving walking and light stretching are equally effective.
Prescription drugs may work faster, but the benefits of aerobic exercise on our brain have been shown to last longer, while also improving other physical conditions such as heart health and blood pressure. You must make a long-term commitment, though, because we are talking about a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. A serious problem demands a serious solution.
2.Drugs are addictive; exercise is not. You might be tempted to take an "easier" route for self-medication. Drugs such as morphine and cocaine also trigger the release of endorphins in your system, but their addictive qualities are dangerous and deadly, not to mention illegal. Overeating can also trigger the release of endorphins, but all of these activities will only make you feel more depressed in the long term once the guilt sets in, and the cycle will only become harder to break. Recognizing any destructive personal triggers of your depression symptoms is vital to understanding how your psyche got to where it is now. Exercise is one of the few coping mechanisms that is not addictive, so embrace it as a welcome and positive addition to your life.
3.Exercise can be social. Willpower, you say? But, I'm depressed! I have no willpower! Here's where other people can come in. Exercise doesn't have to be a solitary activity, and the Mayo Clinic recommends social activities as a way to cope with symptoms of depression. Maybe try joining a group dance or yoga class, joining a pickup basketball game, or softball league. Tennis, anyone? For some people, this is the way to stop thinking of exercise as a chore. The more we turn our workout into a fun activity with friends, the easier it is to think of it not as "work" at all, but rather an "out"ing. Get it?
4.Little things add up. Just because you need to get in 30 minutes of cardio a day to improve your mood, doesn't mean you have to do it all at once. Simple things like walking or biking to work, taking the stairs, parking farther away, and the like really do add up, and count as exercise even if you don't have your cross-trainers on. If you do want to wear those shoes, but still don't have the time for a long workout, consider trying 10-Minute Trainer® for a game-changing blast of cardio.
5.Be honest with yourself. Understanding your limits and setting realistic expectations are crucial to establishing a routine that you can sustain over a long period of time and enjoy simultaneously. If you're not used to exercise, don't expect to run for an hour nonstop, because you won't, and will end up getting frustrated with yourself, which is exactly what you don't need! Ease into your routine by setting manageable and attainable goals, and build up your confidence. Overdoing your exercise routine will not make you twice as happy, so there's no need to harm your body while taking care of your head.
The bottom line is that exercise should be considered one part of a strategy to overcome depression and get yourself back on track, and shouldn't be considered a one-way ticket to Happytown. Changing your lifestyle is difficult, but a regular aerobic routine can give your brain the added boost it needs to conquer your destructive habits and combat negative emotions.
About 19 million people in the United States suffer from some form of depression ranging from mild to severe. It's hard to imagine that something as seemingly intangible as the feeling of sadness is governed by science, but it's true. Emotions, like everything else found inside our bodies, can be broken down into chemical equations. The upside of this is that you can sometimes take charge of which emotions your brain generates by altering the things you do every day. Yes, there are a number of pharmaceutical treatments for depression, but studies show that our bodies produce a natural defense that can combat this debilitating mental condition.
What are these organic wonder drugs, you ask? And how do we get them? The answer is endorphins, and you get them through exercise. These chemicals interact with receptors in our brains that send a euphoric feeling throughout the body to combat pain in all its forms. Many people have dubbed this phenomenon "runner's high."
Evolution has gifted us with an anatomy filled with a vast repository of resources that can fight many of the obstacles nature will throw at us. The key is understanding how to unlock the door and utilize all the tools we have available at our disposal. So, with some hard work and dedication, we might be able to discover the secret to one of our self-healing properties.
1.Consistency. Because depression is a chronic problem that can't be cured by an hour in the gym, sufferers must realize that it takes a strong commitment to an aerobic routine to see any improvement. Even then, endorphins alone may not be enough to aid in more severe cases. Research studies conducted by Harvard Medical School found that daily aerobic exercise over a sustained period of time can have exactly the same impact on lowering rates of depression as antidepressant drugs can have. The length of the daily workout is crucial though, as workouts of less than 15 minutes produced negligible results compared to those of 30 minutes or more. Workouts don't have to be high impact, either. Low-impact routines involving walking and light stretching are equally effective.
Prescription drugs may work faster, but the benefits of aerobic exercise on our brain have been shown to last longer, while also improving other physical conditions such as heart health and blood pressure. You must make a long-term commitment, though, because we are talking about a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. A serious problem demands a serious solution.
2.Drugs are addictive; exercise is not. You might be tempted to take an "easier" route for self-medication. Drugs such as morphine and cocaine also trigger the release of endorphins in your system, but their addictive qualities are dangerous and deadly, not to mention illegal. Overeating can also trigger the release of endorphins, but all of these activities will only make you feel more depressed in the long term once the guilt sets in, and the cycle will only become harder to break. Recognizing any destructive personal triggers of your depression symptoms is vital to understanding how your psyche got to where it is now. Exercise is one of the few coping mechanisms that is not addictive, so embrace it as a welcome and positive addition to your life.
3.Exercise can be social. Willpower, you say? But, I'm depressed! I have no willpower! Here's where other people can come in. Exercise doesn't have to be a solitary activity, and the Mayo Clinic recommends social activities as a way to cope with symptoms of depression. Maybe try joining a group dance or yoga class, joining a pickup basketball game, or softball league. Tennis, anyone? For some people, this is the way to stop thinking of exercise as a chore. The more we turn our workout into a fun activity with friends, the easier it is to think of it not as "work" at all, but rather an "out"ing. Get it?
4.Little things add up. Just because you need to get in 30 minutes of cardio a day to improve your mood, doesn't mean you have to do it all at once. Simple things like walking or biking to work, taking the stairs, parking farther away, and the like really do add up, and count as exercise even if you don't have your cross-trainers on. If you do want to wear those shoes, but still don't have the time for a long workout, consider trying 10-Minute Trainer® for a game-changing blast of cardio.
5.Be honest with yourself. Understanding your limits and setting realistic expectations are crucial to establishing a routine that you can sustain over a long period of time and enjoy simultaneously. If you're not used to exercise, don't expect to run for an hour nonstop, because you won't, and will end up getting frustrated with yourself, which is exactly what you don't need! Ease into your routine by setting manageable and attainable goals, and build up your confidence. Overdoing your exercise routine will not make you twice as happy, so there's no need to harm your body while taking care of your head.
The bottom line is that exercise should be considered one part of a strategy to overcome depression and get yourself back on track, and shouldn't be considered a one-way ticket to Happytown. Changing your lifestyle is difficult, but a regular aerobic routine can give your brain the added boost it needs to conquer your destructive habits and combat negative emotions.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The cost of health
by Jessica Watters
The other day I got to thinking. I had seen a post on the P90X Blog that I answer questions on. It was a guy who is in his later teens, he was over 250 lbs and was tired of being made fun of because of his weight. He wanted someone to send him a free copy of P90X for him to get into shape.
While my heart did go out for him, I thought, would he really use the program to lose weight, or would it just sit on a shelf collecting dust. The reason my mind went to the latter thought was because there are a lot of people who think that if something improved in their life or they lived under perfect conditions, then they could get into shape.
People tend to overlook the things in their lives that got them out of shape to begin with and then they overlook the free changes they can make in their life to get fit.
I wrote him back telling him that until he could afford to purchase P90X for himself, that he should try walking. If someone hasn't worked out in a long time and they need to get back into shape, walking is an excellent way to start. I also have a free video link that I posted to my blog a few months back. Its an easy beginner's workout designed and instructed by Tony Horton. If you know someone who could use it, please let me know.
Daily exercise is what we were designed for. Humans were meant to do work. Have you ever noticed that Amish people eat a diet that's high in fat, but most are very thin? That's because they are outside working, moving around like were were supposed to do. I know, we can't all do that now, life has changed, but that's why we need work up to squeezing in at least 45 minutes per day. That's the minimum. Most people don't even get half of that.
I also suggested that he stop drinking soda. Soda is one of the biggest contributing factors to the rise in obesity amongst teens and young people. Yes, its fat-free, but its loaded with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Just by not purchasing soda, he could have put that money towards the P90X workout that he so wanted.
Fast-food and convenience food is another things that can be harmless if only eaten once in awhile, but so many Americans eat it daily and more than once per day. What has been put out there to help simplify our lives, is actually killing us. Too much fat, sodium, cholesterol is leading to children being diagnosed with high blood pressure at younger ages. When we were growing up, how many kids did you know that were either obese or had high-blood pressure? Not many. If the guy that wrote about his problem just stopped buying fast food each week he could lose weight and save enough to buy his P90X.
The sad part about all of this, is that it's not just this teen who needs help, but a lot of my friends. They always ask me about what they should do, what they should eat. I kindly give them my advice and then they say "well before I can do that, this has to happen..." or "I don't think I can afford that."
I can respect the fact that money is very tight. I know, I'm living it too. But if you figured out how much you spend on the things that you know are bad for you like cigarettes, soda, high fat snack foods, fast food, frozen meals, high sugar snacks, processed meats, etc. do you know how much money you would save if you stopped buying them? Or how much weight you would lose? And how low your blood pressure and bad cholesterol would get.
Listen, I'm not a buzz kill. I like to have an occasional indulgence. Hey, occasional is good. But we've gotten out of hand with what we feel we're entitled to. We feel we deserve the high sugar, high fat latte everyday. Or we deserve the doughnut with our morning coffee.
Don't just think about getting back into shape - do it now. There is never going to be the perfect day or time to do it. If you keep putting it off it could lead to deadly results. There is no better investment you can make than in improving your health or your children's health.
If you don't think you can do it alone, I can help you. So far I am helping over 1,000 people in the US and Canada take charge of their health. People just like you.
If you need help or know someone who does, please email me at wattersjes@msn.com or you can go to my website at http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica for help. Besides P90X, there are a lot of other great workout systems and supplements to help you get healthy and get in the best shape of your life.
The other day I got to thinking. I had seen a post on the P90X Blog that I answer questions on. It was a guy who is in his later teens, he was over 250 lbs and was tired of being made fun of because of his weight. He wanted someone to send him a free copy of P90X for him to get into shape.
While my heart did go out for him, I thought, would he really use the program to lose weight, or would it just sit on a shelf collecting dust. The reason my mind went to the latter thought was because there are a lot of people who think that if something improved in their life or they lived under perfect conditions, then they could get into shape.
People tend to overlook the things in their lives that got them out of shape to begin with and then they overlook the free changes they can make in their life to get fit.
I wrote him back telling him that until he could afford to purchase P90X for himself, that he should try walking. If someone hasn't worked out in a long time and they need to get back into shape, walking is an excellent way to start. I also have a free video link that I posted to my blog a few months back. Its an easy beginner's workout designed and instructed by Tony Horton. If you know someone who could use it, please let me know.
Daily exercise is what we were designed for. Humans were meant to do work. Have you ever noticed that Amish people eat a diet that's high in fat, but most are very thin? That's because they are outside working, moving around like were were supposed to do. I know, we can't all do that now, life has changed, but that's why we need work up to squeezing in at least 45 minutes per day. That's the minimum. Most people don't even get half of that.
I also suggested that he stop drinking soda. Soda is one of the biggest contributing factors to the rise in obesity amongst teens and young people. Yes, its fat-free, but its loaded with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Just by not purchasing soda, he could have put that money towards the P90X workout that he so wanted.
Fast-food and convenience food is another things that can be harmless if only eaten once in awhile, but so many Americans eat it daily and more than once per day. What has been put out there to help simplify our lives, is actually killing us. Too much fat, sodium, cholesterol is leading to children being diagnosed with high blood pressure at younger ages. When we were growing up, how many kids did you know that were either obese or had high-blood pressure? Not many. If the guy that wrote about his problem just stopped buying fast food each week he could lose weight and save enough to buy his P90X.
The sad part about all of this, is that it's not just this teen who needs help, but a lot of my friends. They always ask me about what they should do, what they should eat. I kindly give them my advice and then they say "well before I can do that, this has to happen..." or "I don't think I can afford that."
I can respect the fact that money is very tight. I know, I'm living it too. But if you figured out how much you spend on the things that you know are bad for you like cigarettes, soda, high fat snack foods, fast food, frozen meals, high sugar snacks, processed meats, etc. do you know how much money you would save if you stopped buying them? Or how much weight you would lose? And how low your blood pressure and bad cholesterol would get.
Listen, I'm not a buzz kill. I like to have an occasional indulgence. Hey, occasional is good. But we've gotten out of hand with what we feel we're entitled to. We feel we deserve the high sugar, high fat latte everyday. Or we deserve the doughnut with our morning coffee.
Don't just think about getting back into shape - do it now. There is never going to be the perfect day or time to do it. If you keep putting it off it could lead to deadly results. There is no better investment you can make than in improving your health or your children's health.
If you don't think you can do it alone, I can help you. So far I am helping over 1,000 people in the US and Canada take charge of their health. People just like you.
If you need help or know someone who does, please email me at wattersjes@msn.com or you can go to my website at http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica for help. Besides P90X, there are a lot of other great workout systems and supplements to help you get healthy and get in the best shape of your life.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Bra Bulge, Muffin Tops and Bat Wings, Oh my!!!
by Jessica Watters
Bra bulge, muffin tops and bat wings! Sounds like some kind of weird diet or something scary. But the truth is, these are the issues that most women ask me to help them tackle. Oh yes, jiggle thighs and saggy booty are up there too, but the upper body does get shown a lot more than the lower body. I guess that's why I get asked about the first 3 the most.
We all know what bra bulge is, that stuff in the back that puffs out over the bra. Muffin tops is the stuff that comes up over the waistband, and bat wings are the flabby triceps that keep flapping as we wave hello and goodbye.
So what's a girl to do to get rid of the bra bulge, muffin tops and bat wings? First you need to get eating healthier. Get rid of the junk food, start eating 5 meals per day. That goes like this: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Most women cringe when I tell them this. I don't know why women like to starve themselves. It is totally counterproductive. If you eat quality foods, you will look like you have. Eat bad junk, and its also going to show. Starving yourself will actually have the opposite effect. Your body will go into panic mode and actually cling to the fat for fear of starvation.
Next you need to make sure you're drinking 64 oz of water per day. Properly hydrating your body is key to looking good and keeping you working to your full potential.
Now its time to tackle exercise. I hate to tell you this ladies, but just doing 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week may not be enough for you. Sure, its a great start and I think any amount of exercise is better than none at all. But if you really want to reshape your body and make significant changes you are going to have to commit to more. Working out 5-6 days per week for at least 30 minutes will do wonders. If you can work out for 45-55 minutes 5-6 days per week, even better.
Yes, you're going to need to do cardio in order to burn fat, but please don't become a "cardio queen" as we in the fitness business like to call them. A "cardio queen" only wants to do cardio, nothing else. She wonders why she still has no shape to her arms, or her legs. She may be skinny as heck, but still looking flabby and fluffy. So ladies, you need to move beyond the cardio and add some weights/resistance training to your routine.
I like doing 3 days of strength training and 3 days of cardio. I alternate them, so day 1 is strength, day 2 cardio, day 3 strength, day 4 cardio, day 5 strenght, day 6 cardio, day 7 rest. Yes, rest is very important too. A rest day is good for your body and soul. I like to make my rest day on Sunday. And you need to make sure you;re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you consistently don't, your body produces a hormone that lets your belly cling to fat.
So how much weight should women be using when working out? I start most of my newbies with light weights. Sets of weights at 3 lbs, 5lbs and 8 lbs is usually good for beginners. But once you can do a set of 12-15 reps and it feels too easy, you need to bump up the weight. So you may go to 5 lbs, 8 lbs and 12 lbs. Something like that. If you have only 10 lbs, you can substitute that for the 12s. But you shouldn't stay attached to using the same weight over and over for weeks. Move up and move on for best results and to avoid plateau.
You also want to make sure you're not doing the same exercises week after week after week. Again, this can lead to a plateau. Your body will get so used to doing the same thing and adapt. Then you will wonder why you're not seeing any new results. So switch things up a little. Experiment with different exercise that target your upper body and lower body. You can keep it on the same days, just change up the routine a little.
Once you start eating right, and exercising at least 5-6 days per week, you should start seeing results within 3 to 4 weeks.
Do yourself a favor, go by how your clothes fit, not by the number on the scale. So many women obsess about that number, thinking it will bring happiness, and they totally overlook that their clothes fit better, their bra bulge is missing, the muffin top has been whittled away, and the bat wings have flown bye-bye. The jiggle thighs have been replaced with sexy legs and the saggy booty has become bootylicious.
I know that trying to come up with a good plan of attack can seem daunting. I went through the same thing for myself and I'm in the fitness industry. Investing in a good workout dvd system can really make the difference. It did for me. Also enlisting the help and support of a Coach, friends and family can help you too.
As a Team Beachbody Coach, Pilates instructor, fitness instructor and personal trainer, I have seen what works and what doesn't. I've had clients who follow everything I help them with and see great results, and I've had those who just want to keep doing things the same old way and never see any results. It takes hard work, commitment and a drive to succeed.
If you are tired of doing things the same old way and wondering when you'll see results, or maybe you think that you'll never back to that healthy body, email me at wattersjes@msn.com. I can help you get set up on a great program that will have you feeling better and looking better fast.
You can also check out my website at http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica There you'll find lots of workout systems that range from beginner to advanced.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Bra bulge, muffin tops and bat wings! Sounds like some kind of weird diet or something scary. But the truth is, these are the issues that most women ask me to help them tackle. Oh yes, jiggle thighs and saggy booty are up there too, but the upper body does get shown a lot more than the lower body. I guess that's why I get asked about the first 3 the most.
We all know what bra bulge is, that stuff in the back that puffs out over the bra. Muffin tops is the stuff that comes up over the waistband, and bat wings are the flabby triceps that keep flapping as we wave hello and goodbye.
So what's a girl to do to get rid of the bra bulge, muffin tops and bat wings? First you need to get eating healthier. Get rid of the junk food, start eating 5 meals per day. That goes like this: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Most women cringe when I tell them this. I don't know why women like to starve themselves. It is totally counterproductive. If you eat quality foods, you will look like you have. Eat bad junk, and its also going to show. Starving yourself will actually have the opposite effect. Your body will go into panic mode and actually cling to the fat for fear of starvation.
Next you need to make sure you're drinking 64 oz of water per day. Properly hydrating your body is key to looking good and keeping you working to your full potential.
Now its time to tackle exercise. I hate to tell you this ladies, but just doing 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week may not be enough for you. Sure, its a great start and I think any amount of exercise is better than none at all. But if you really want to reshape your body and make significant changes you are going to have to commit to more. Working out 5-6 days per week for at least 30 minutes will do wonders. If you can work out for 45-55 minutes 5-6 days per week, even better.
Yes, you're going to need to do cardio in order to burn fat, but please don't become a "cardio queen" as we in the fitness business like to call them. A "cardio queen" only wants to do cardio, nothing else. She wonders why she still has no shape to her arms, or her legs. She may be skinny as heck, but still looking flabby and fluffy. So ladies, you need to move beyond the cardio and add some weights/resistance training to your routine.
I like doing 3 days of strength training and 3 days of cardio. I alternate them, so day 1 is strength, day 2 cardio, day 3 strength, day 4 cardio, day 5 strenght, day 6 cardio, day 7 rest. Yes, rest is very important too. A rest day is good for your body and soul. I like to make my rest day on Sunday. And you need to make sure you;re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you consistently don't, your body produces a hormone that lets your belly cling to fat.
So how much weight should women be using when working out? I start most of my newbies with light weights. Sets of weights at 3 lbs, 5lbs and 8 lbs is usually good for beginners. But once you can do a set of 12-15 reps and it feels too easy, you need to bump up the weight. So you may go to 5 lbs, 8 lbs and 12 lbs. Something like that. If you have only 10 lbs, you can substitute that for the 12s. But you shouldn't stay attached to using the same weight over and over for weeks. Move up and move on for best results and to avoid plateau.
You also want to make sure you're not doing the same exercises week after week after week. Again, this can lead to a plateau. Your body will get so used to doing the same thing and adapt. Then you will wonder why you're not seeing any new results. So switch things up a little. Experiment with different exercise that target your upper body and lower body. You can keep it on the same days, just change up the routine a little.
Once you start eating right, and exercising at least 5-6 days per week, you should start seeing results within 3 to 4 weeks.
Do yourself a favor, go by how your clothes fit, not by the number on the scale. So many women obsess about that number, thinking it will bring happiness, and they totally overlook that their clothes fit better, their bra bulge is missing, the muffin top has been whittled away, and the bat wings have flown bye-bye. The jiggle thighs have been replaced with sexy legs and the saggy booty has become bootylicious.
I know that trying to come up with a good plan of attack can seem daunting. I went through the same thing for myself and I'm in the fitness industry. Investing in a good workout dvd system can really make the difference. It did for me. Also enlisting the help and support of a Coach, friends and family can help you too.
As a Team Beachbody Coach, Pilates instructor, fitness instructor and personal trainer, I have seen what works and what doesn't. I've had clients who follow everything I help them with and see great results, and I've had those who just want to keep doing things the same old way and never see any results. It takes hard work, commitment and a drive to succeed.
If you are tired of doing things the same old way and wondering when you'll see results, or maybe you think that you'll never back to that healthy body, email me at wattersjes@msn.com. I can help you get set up on a great program that will have you feeling better and looking better fast.
You can also check out my website at http://beachbodycoach.com/fitwithjessica There you'll find lots of workout systems that range from beginner to advanced.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
10 Foods You Should Eat
10 Foods You Should Eat
By Steve Edwards
We've all heard about superfoods—consumables with mystical powers to cure whatever it is that ails you that will help you live forever. This list will be different. Today, we'll look at some common items that should be on your menu, even though you probably haven't heard them touted as the next great miracle cure. In fact, some of these you probably thought were bad for you.
I begin this list with a caveat; we're all different. One person's superfood is another's trip to the emergency room (soy comes to mind here). There are some nutritional factors we all share, such as the need to eat a certain amount of calories that come from fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to keep our bodies functioning as they should. Beyond this, our exact dietary needs begin to diverge.
There are some obvious reasons for this. Lifestyle and activity level are pretty easy to understand. That someone who is pregnant or training for an Ironman® needs more calories than a computer programmer who sits for 14 hours a day isn't difficult to fathom. Neither is the fact that a 90-pound ballerina uses less fuel than a 350-pound lineman. That we all eat a different number of calories and a different percentage of fats, proteins, and especially carbs is obvious, or at least should be, since the bigger you are and the harder you work, the more fuel your body needs to recharge itself.
What's more subtle are body type differences. These can be difficult to understand, and many people never figure them out. Blood type, heredity, and other factors come into play and make each of us unique individuals. When it comes to eating, most of us spend a fair portion of our lives figuring out just what we should be eating to maximize our life experience (which doesn't necessarily mean we choose the healthiest options). For this reason, there is no true "superfood." There are, however, helpful foods that are specific to each of us. By experimenting with our diets, we will all find a course of eating that makes us feel better than anything else.
To help you begin your self-experiment, here's a list of common foods that you'll want to try. Most of these are very healthy for almost everyone, even though some have been vilified by society. This doesn't mean that they'll transform you into an epitome of health, but they're certainly worth a try.
1.Peanut butter. I'm leading with this because I'm fairly certain peanut butter single-handedly kept me from getting chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) during the no-fat 1990s. In the early 1990s, the average amount of fat in our daily diets plummeted while the incidence of CFS skyrocketed (CFS is the colloquial veil for debilitating disorders marked by chronic mental and physical exhaustion.). This was particularly true among the otherwise healthy endurance sports sect. In the early 1990s, my body fat was once recorded at 2 percent. Sure, I was ripped. Healthy? Not so much. I'm pretty sure that only my adherence to peanut butter as a healthy fat source kept my athletic obsession intact.
A bevy of modern studies now vindicates my opinion with science. Peanuts are high in both fat and calories, but their fat has been associated with decreased total cholesterol and lower LDL and triglyceride levels. It's also high on the satiation meter, meaning that a little can fill you up.
2.Cabbage. Every Asian culture, as well as European, eats more cabbage than we do, and it's time we thought about it more often than when we happen to splurge on P.F. Chang's®. Cabbage is absurdly low in calories and very high in nutrients. Among these is sulforaphane, which a Stanford University study showed as boosting cancer-fighting enzymes more than any other plant chemical.
3.Quinoa. This "grain" isn't technically a grain at all. It just tastes like one. It's actually a relative of spinach, beets, and Swiss chard. All of these are extremely healthy from a nutrient point of view, but quinoa is the only one that can fool you into thinking you're eating a starch. It's high in protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
4.Spelt. This one is actually a grain, but its origin is slightly mysterious. Some claim it comes from wheat while others say it's a different species. Regardless, it has a high nutritional profile and can be eaten by many people with gluten intolerance, making it a good alternative to wheat products. Spelt can be found in many products, but as it's still considered a "health food," it's off the major processing radar. Unlike wheat, if spelt is on the ingredients list, it's probably good for you.
5.Walnuts. All nuts, really, but walnuts seem to be the king of the nut family. Used in Chinese medicine for centuries, walnuts are becoming more associated with Western health than ever before. A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that eating walnuts after a meal high in bad fat could reduce the damaging effects of the meal.
6.Avocado. Another villain in the old no-fat movement, avocados are now thought to be one of the healthiest fat sources available. Beyond this, they have very high amounts of cancer-fighting antioxidants, and recent research seems to indicate that avocados' phytonutrients may also help with the absorption of nutrients from other sources.
7.Mushrooms. The more we learn about phytonutrients—those that come in a small enough quantity to be missed on a food label (this is a layman's definition only)—the more we should admire ancient cultures. These culinary delights have been feuded over for decades until, for some reason, we'd decided they were pretty much empty calories. The study of phytonutrients has taught us that warring over fungi may have held some rationale after all. Mushrooms are loaded with antioxidants and are thought to boost the immune system, help ward off some cancers, and have high amounts of potassium. Furthermore, researchers at Penn State University have found that mushrooms may be the only food to contain an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine.
8.Tea. Despite a ton of positive press over the last, oh, century, tea and coffee are still the devil's brew in some circles. Perhaps even worse is how many coffee and tea restaurants have bastardized these natural brews into sugar- and fat-filled dessert items. Both tea and coffee, in their basic states, have no calories and many healthy benefits. Between the two, coffee is arguably more popular, most likely due to its higher caffeine content. But tea is probably healthier. Both have a high amount of antioxidants but stats on tea are almost off the charts. A recent study on calcium supplementation in elderly women, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that bone mineral density at the hip was 2.8 percent greater in tea drinkers than in non-tea drinkers.
9.Cinnamon. Maybe the novel Dune was more prescient than we've given it credit for. After all, the plot revolves around an entire solar system at war over a cinnamon-like spice. Nowadays, we think of this as little but the flavoring in a 1,100-calorie gut bomb we find at the mall. But Frank Herbert knew a thing or two about history, and cinnamon has long been the prized possession of the spice world. It has a host of benefits, but perhaps none more important than this one: USDA researchers recently found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed one gram of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks significantly reduced their blood sugar, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. "He who controls the spice controls the universe!"
10.Natto. This is on the list because, for one, it's one of the few foods I've eaten that I truly don't like. But mainly, it's here because we've really messed up the way we eat soy. Natto is fermented soybeans and very popular in Japan, which is where I had it. It's becoming more popular here, and this is most likely due to its health benefits. Nearly all the soy options we're offered in the U.S. are non-fermented. The list of health benefits of fermented soy is a mile long. It's associated with reducing the risk of cancer, minimizing the likelihood of blood clotting, aiding digestion, increasing blood circulation, an improved immune system, improving bone density, lessening the likelihood of heart attacks, more vibrant skin, and reducing the chance of balding. It also has strong antibiotic properties, among other things. So you might want to ditch the soy crisps, soy ice cream, and your iced soy mochas, and add some natto to your diet.
If you want more information on exercise and nutrition, email me at wattersjes@msn.com I'll be more than happy to help you.
By Steve Edwards
We've all heard about superfoods—consumables with mystical powers to cure whatever it is that ails you that will help you live forever. This list will be different. Today, we'll look at some common items that should be on your menu, even though you probably haven't heard them touted as the next great miracle cure. In fact, some of these you probably thought were bad for you.
I begin this list with a caveat; we're all different. One person's superfood is another's trip to the emergency room (soy comes to mind here). There are some nutritional factors we all share, such as the need to eat a certain amount of calories that come from fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to keep our bodies functioning as they should. Beyond this, our exact dietary needs begin to diverge.
There are some obvious reasons for this. Lifestyle and activity level are pretty easy to understand. That someone who is pregnant or training for an Ironman® needs more calories than a computer programmer who sits for 14 hours a day isn't difficult to fathom. Neither is the fact that a 90-pound ballerina uses less fuel than a 350-pound lineman. That we all eat a different number of calories and a different percentage of fats, proteins, and especially carbs is obvious, or at least should be, since the bigger you are and the harder you work, the more fuel your body needs to recharge itself.
What's more subtle are body type differences. These can be difficult to understand, and many people never figure them out. Blood type, heredity, and other factors come into play and make each of us unique individuals. When it comes to eating, most of us spend a fair portion of our lives figuring out just what we should be eating to maximize our life experience (which doesn't necessarily mean we choose the healthiest options). For this reason, there is no true "superfood." There are, however, helpful foods that are specific to each of us. By experimenting with our diets, we will all find a course of eating that makes us feel better than anything else.
To help you begin your self-experiment, here's a list of common foods that you'll want to try. Most of these are very healthy for almost everyone, even though some have been vilified by society. This doesn't mean that they'll transform you into an epitome of health, but they're certainly worth a try.
1.Peanut butter. I'm leading with this because I'm fairly certain peanut butter single-handedly kept me from getting chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) during the no-fat 1990s. In the early 1990s, the average amount of fat in our daily diets plummeted while the incidence of CFS skyrocketed (CFS is the colloquial veil for debilitating disorders marked by chronic mental and physical exhaustion.). This was particularly true among the otherwise healthy endurance sports sect. In the early 1990s, my body fat was once recorded at 2 percent. Sure, I was ripped. Healthy? Not so much. I'm pretty sure that only my adherence to peanut butter as a healthy fat source kept my athletic obsession intact.
A bevy of modern studies now vindicates my opinion with science. Peanuts are high in both fat and calories, but their fat has been associated with decreased total cholesterol and lower LDL and triglyceride levels. It's also high on the satiation meter, meaning that a little can fill you up.
2.Cabbage. Every Asian culture, as well as European, eats more cabbage than we do, and it's time we thought about it more often than when we happen to splurge on P.F. Chang's®. Cabbage is absurdly low in calories and very high in nutrients. Among these is sulforaphane, which a Stanford University study showed as boosting cancer-fighting enzymes more than any other plant chemical.
3.Quinoa. This "grain" isn't technically a grain at all. It just tastes like one. It's actually a relative of spinach, beets, and Swiss chard. All of these are extremely healthy from a nutrient point of view, but quinoa is the only one that can fool you into thinking you're eating a starch. It's high in protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
4.Spelt. This one is actually a grain, but its origin is slightly mysterious. Some claim it comes from wheat while others say it's a different species. Regardless, it has a high nutritional profile and can be eaten by many people with gluten intolerance, making it a good alternative to wheat products. Spelt can be found in many products, but as it's still considered a "health food," it's off the major processing radar. Unlike wheat, if spelt is on the ingredients list, it's probably good for you.
5.Walnuts. All nuts, really, but walnuts seem to be the king of the nut family. Used in Chinese medicine for centuries, walnuts are becoming more associated with Western health than ever before. A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that eating walnuts after a meal high in bad fat could reduce the damaging effects of the meal.
6.Avocado. Another villain in the old no-fat movement, avocados are now thought to be one of the healthiest fat sources available. Beyond this, they have very high amounts of cancer-fighting antioxidants, and recent research seems to indicate that avocados' phytonutrients may also help with the absorption of nutrients from other sources.
7.Mushrooms. The more we learn about phytonutrients—those that come in a small enough quantity to be missed on a food label (this is a layman's definition only)—the more we should admire ancient cultures. These culinary delights have been feuded over for decades until, for some reason, we'd decided they were pretty much empty calories. The study of phytonutrients has taught us that warring over fungi may have held some rationale after all. Mushrooms are loaded with antioxidants and are thought to boost the immune system, help ward off some cancers, and have high amounts of potassium. Furthermore, researchers at Penn State University have found that mushrooms may be the only food to contain an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine.
8.Tea. Despite a ton of positive press over the last, oh, century, tea and coffee are still the devil's brew in some circles. Perhaps even worse is how many coffee and tea restaurants have bastardized these natural brews into sugar- and fat-filled dessert items. Both tea and coffee, in their basic states, have no calories and many healthy benefits. Between the two, coffee is arguably more popular, most likely due to its higher caffeine content. But tea is probably healthier. Both have a high amount of antioxidants but stats on tea are almost off the charts. A recent study on calcium supplementation in elderly women, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that bone mineral density at the hip was 2.8 percent greater in tea drinkers than in non-tea drinkers.
9.Cinnamon. Maybe the novel Dune was more prescient than we've given it credit for. After all, the plot revolves around an entire solar system at war over a cinnamon-like spice. Nowadays, we think of this as little but the flavoring in a 1,100-calorie gut bomb we find at the mall. But Frank Herbert knew a thing or two about history, and cinnamon has long been the prized possession of the spice world. It has a host of benefits, but perhaps none more important than this one: USDA researchers recently found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed one gram of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks significantly reduced their blood sugar, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. "He who controls the spice controls the universe!"
10.Natto. This is on the list because, for one, it's one of the few foods I've eaten that I truly don't like. But mainly, it's here because we've really messed up the way we eat soy. Natto is fermented soybeans and very popular in Japan, which is where I had it. It's becoming more popular here, and this is most likely due to its health benefits. Nearly all the soy options we're offered in the U.S. are non-fermented. The list of health benefits of fermented soy is a mile long. It's associated with reducing the risk of cancer, minimizing the likelihood of blood clotting, aiding digestion, increasing blood circulation, an improved immune system, improving bone density, lessening the likelihood of heart attacks, more vibrant skin, and reducing the chance of balding. It also has strong antibiotic properties, among other things. So you might want to ditch the soy crisps, soy ice cream, and your iced soy mochas, and add some natto to your diet.
If you want more information on exercise and nutrition, email me at wattersjes@msn.com I'll be more than happy to help you.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
A guy's story by Bob - Real People/Real Results
For all of my male readers, I wanted to feature a post written by one of the guy's I coach. But it will also inspire my female readers who are still putting off exercise.
Bob is just your average guy from PA. He works in construction, he's not an athlete, just a regular guy. I have the honor of coaching Bob. He's a cool guy with a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously.
He's 51 years old and decided to commit to get fit. Here's his story:
Bob's Story
I never had self confidence growing up. I had weights, treadmills, cable machines and even those grip strengtheners, I always started and quit, thinking this is going to take too long. As the years ( and years ) went by I then thought, if I only stuck with it. The only thing I came close to sticking with was boxing but I was young and married with a family and it just didn't fit in too well. I had P90X since the end of November 2009, and actually almost sold it a few times. I would lay on the couch or bed eating Cheetos or chips and watch the P90X commercials, when one was over I would surf the channels to another P90X commercial. Finally in March 2010, I pushed play and haven't hit pause yet.
I am on my way to week # 10 of P90X.
I never mentioned this for fear that someone would talk me out of the workout. In the past ten years I have had a few surgeries, three due to an auto accident, four just plain old wear & tear and one serious infection. I also have a bulged disc in my neck that I refused surgery.
Auto accident; Two lower back and right hand surgeries.
Wear & tear; Left rotator cuff, a torn right bicep, right labrum tendon and right rotator cuff surgeries.
Infection; Lung surgery.
I do have a bit of problem with some of the Plyo and Yoga excercises due to flexibility but I do all of them the best I can. I am down to 180lbs. from 200+ and feel a whole lot better about myself since I started the program. I even climbed twenty feet up a tree yesterday to get a cat down. Did I mention I am 51 years old. Push play, do your best and forget the rest.
If Bob can decide to make the commitment to better health, then so could you. Bob had a lot of things going against him, but he still didn't let it stop him. He could have stayed on the couch, eating Cheetos. That would have been the easiest thing for him to do. But look at him now! He's feeling great and even doing local cat rescue (way to go)!
The choice is yours. You can go on sitting on the couch with the bag of chips, or you can decide to get on your feet and get your life back. Its not going to be easy, but I guarantee you will not want to go back to your old life.
If you need help getting started, please feel free to email me at wattersjes@msn.com Or visit my coach page by clicking here
You'll get non-judgemental help that will get you on the right track for feeling great.
Bob is just your average guy from PA. He works in construction, he's not an athlete, just a regular guy. I have the honor of coaching Bob. He's a cool guy with a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously.
He's 51 years old and decided to commit to get fit. Here's his story:
Bob's Story
I never had self confidence growing up. I had weights, treadmills, cable machines and even those grip strengtheners, I always started and quit, thinking this is going to take too long. As the years ( and years ) went by I then thought, if I only stuck with it. The only thing I came close to sticking with was boxing but I was young and married with a family and it just didn't fit in too well. I had P90X since the end of November 2009, and actually almost sold it a few times. I would lay on the couch or bed eating Cheetos or chips and watch the P90X commercials, when one was over I would surf the channels to another P90X commercial. Finally in March 2010, I pushed play and haven't hit pause yet.
I am on my way to week # 10 of P90X.
I never mentioned this for fear that someone would talk me out of the workout. In the past ten years I have had a few surgeries, three due to an auto accident, four just plain old wear & tear and one serious infection. I also have a bulged disc in my neck that I refused surgery.
Auto accident; Two lower back and right hand surgeries.
Wear & tear; Left rotator cuff, a torn right bicep, right labrum tendon and right rotator cuff surgeries.
Infection; Lung surgery.
I do have a bit of problem with some of the Plyo and Yoga excercises due to flexibility but I do all of them the best I can. I am down to 180lbs. from 200+ and feel a whole lot better about myself since I started the program. I even climbed twenty feet up a tree yesterday to get a cat down. Did I mention I am 51 years old. Push play, do your best and forget the rest.
If Bob can decide to make the commitment to better health, then so could you. Bob had a lot of things going against him, but he still didn't let it stop him. He could have stayed on the couch, eating Cheetos. That would have been the easiest thing for him to do. But look at him now! He's feeling great and even doing local cat rescue (way to go)!
The choice is yours. You can go on sitting on the couch with the bag of chips, or you can decide to get on your feet and get your life back. Its not going to be easy, but I guarantee you will not want to go back to your old life.
If you need help getting started, please feel free to email me at wattersjes@msn.com Or visit my coach page by clicking here
You'll get non-judgemental help that will get you on the right track for feeling great.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Doctors are talking about Shakeology.
by Jessica Watters
Trust me, I was skeptical about Shakeology. I'll be honest, I wasn't crazy about the price either, but when I figured out that per serving it costs about the same as frozen dinners or drive-thru burger joint salads, and is better for me, I figured I'd try it. It came with a 30-day bottom of the bag guarantee, so if I thought it was a rip-off, I could get my money back.
When my first pouch of chocolate Shakeology I was a little nervous. Would I like it? Would it work? I unzipped the black, eco-friendly, pouch and instantly smelled the rich, chocolate scent. Okay, it smelled great, but how would it taste? I added 8 oz of skim milk to my blender with a few ice cubes. I added a scoop of the cocoa-like powder to the milk and hit blend. It looked like a rich, choclate shake. One sip and I was hooked. This was the best tasting drink I had in a long time. Plus it has 18 g of protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, and cool stuff like enzymes and probiotics. Its made with all whole foods too. If I tried to buy pomegranate, acai berry, wheat grass, and all the other healthy ingredients, I'd have to spend a fortune and then try to keep everything fresh.
My husband loves it too. He likes to blend it with milk, banana and peanut butter. I like it plain with milk or water. It also comes in Greenberry flavor. I haven't tried that yet, but it would probably blend nicely with juice and fruit.
This is nutrition made simple. And now it has 25 doctors talking about it. See the video below to see what some of them are saying. If you want more info on Shakeology, or want to ask me questions, just send me an email at wattersjes@msn.com.
Trust me, I was skeptical about Shakeology. I'll be honest, I wasn't crazy about the price either, but when I figured out that per serving it costs about the same as frozen dinners or drive-thru burger joint salads, and is better for me, I figured I'd try it. It came with a 30-day bottom of the bag guarantee, so if I thought it was a rip-off, I could get my money back.
When my first pouch of chocolate Shakeology I was a little nervous. Would I like it? Would it work? I unzipped the black, eco-friendly, pouch and instantly smelled the rich, chocolate scent. Okay, it smelled great, but how would it taste? I added 8 oz of skim milk to my blender with a few ice cubes. I added a scoop of the cocoa-like powder to the milk and hit blend. It looked like a rich, choclate shake. One sip and I was hooked. This was the best tasting drink I had in a long time. Plus it has 18 g of protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, and cool stuff like enzymes and probiotics. Its made with all whole foods too. If I tried to buy pomegranate, acai berry, wheat grass, and all the other healthy ingredients, I'd have to spend a fortune and then try to keep everything fresh.
My husband loves it too. He likes to blend it with milk, banana and peanut butter. I like it plain with milk or water. It also comes in Greenberry flavor. I haven't tried that yet, but it would probably blend nicely with juice and fruit.
This is nutrition made simple. And now it has 25 doctors talking about it. See the video below to see what some of them are saying. If you want more info on Shakeology, or want to ask me questions, just send me an email at wattersjes@msn.com.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Lack of Activity and Its Effects
by Jessica Watters
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. -Plato
While tweeting the above quote by Plato, it brought to mind not so different memories of this winter. Not a lot of people know this, but this winter was really rough on me mentally. I never had issues with the "winter blues" before, and I've been fortunate enough to not stay in a depressed state for more than a few minutes. So when this dark mood settled in, I was clueless with how to cope with it. I had feelings that I never had before and was questioning my ability as a wife, mother and friend.
Don't get me wrong there would be days that were okay, but for the most part I felt like I had a case of permanent PMS.
Coincidentally, I wasn't exercising as much as I had in the past. I was only teaching 2 classes per night and doing 20 minutes of stretching daily. I was used to a lot more than that. My eating had also become foreign to me. I was always used to eating a pretty balanced diet, but looking back, I was going for more carbohydrates and not eating enough proteins. This combined with a hard winter in New Jersey was of no benefit for my physical and mental condition.
At some point, a light bulb went off in my head and I decided to get back to exercising regularly. As a lot of you know I started doing P90X. It was hard at first. I had gotten used to not working out and doing a lot of comfort food baking. So the first week or so wasn't anything to make Tony Horton proud.
Around the same time, I had decided to become a Team Beachbody Coach. That's when I made the choice to take this program seriously and "bring it." It was hard to crack down on my eating and focus on the nutrition plan that comes with P90X. I was always able to eat what I wanted because I had always taught a lot of fitness classes. But like I said earlier, my diet somehow shifted to baking lots of cookies, breads, biscuits, anything doughy.
With a little determination, some experimentation and lots of hard work, I started noticing my outlook on life looking much better. And I wasn't forcing it this time. I actually started feeling happy, positive, "the glass is half full."
I wish I had re-started my exercise journey a long time ago. But I'm guessing if I didn't go through that funk, I would never have found a program that I love and I wold never have become a Team Beachbody Coach. I really love helping people get out of their "funk" and get back on the path to health and wellness. This experience gave me a shot in the arm with my fitness career that I really needed.
I'm not saying that you all have to do P90X, drink Shakeology or become a Coach, but that's what helped me. I just want all of you to find some form of movement and exercise that will inspire you to lead a healthier life. Start putting nutritious, healthy food into your body and you will feel so much better physically and mentally.
No, there is no magic pill to getting back into shape. You need to decide you're going ot do it, commit to some hard work and getting through tough days, but I promise you will succeed.
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. -Plato
While tweeting the above quote by Plato, it brought to mind not so different memories of this winter. Not a lot of people know this, but this winter was really rough on me mentally. I never had issues with the "winter blues" before, and I've been fortunate enough to not stay in a depressed state for more than a few minutes. So when this dark mood settled in, I was clueless with how to cope with it. I had feelings that I never had before and was questioning my ability as a wife, mother and friend.
Don't get me wrong there would be days that were okay, but for the most part I felt like I had a case of permanent PMS.
Coincidentally, I wasn't exercising as much as I had in the past. I was only teaching 2 classes per night and doing 20 minutes of stretching daily. I was used to a lot more than that. My eating had also become foreign to me. I was always used to eating a pretty balanced diet, but looking back, I was going for more carbohydrates and not eating enough proteins. This combined with a hard winter in New Jersey was of no benefit for my physical and mental condition.
At some point, a light bulb went off in my head and I decided to get back to exercising regularly. As a lot of you know I started doing P90X. It was hard at first. I had gotten used to not working out and doing a lot of comfort food baking. So the first week or so wasn't anything to make Tony Horton proud.
Around the same time, I had decided to become a Team Beachbody Coach. That's when I made the choice to take this program seriously and "bring it." It was hard to crack down on my eating and focus on the nutrition plan that comes with P90X. I was always able to eat what I wanted because I had always taught a lot of fitness classes. But like I said earlier, my diet somehow shifted to baking lots of cookies, breads, biscuits, anything doughy.
With a little determination, some experimentation and lots of hard work, I started noticing my outlook on life looking much better. And I wasn't forcing it this time. I actually started feeling happy, positive, "the glass is half full."
I wish I had re-started my exercise journey a long time ago. But I'm guessing if I didn't go through that funk, I would never have found a program that I love and I wold never have become a Team Beachbody Coach. I really love helping people get out of their "funk" and get back on the path to health and wellness. This experience gave me a shot in the arm with my fitness career that I really needed.
I'm not saying that you all have to do P90X, drink Shakeology or become a Coach, but that's what helped me. I just want all of you to find some form of movement and exercise that will inspire you to lead a healthier life. Start putting nutritious, healthy food into your body and you will feel so much better physically and mentally.
No, there is no magic pill to getting back into shape. You need to decide you're going ot do it, commit to some hard work and getting through tough days, but I promise you will succeed.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
P90X vs Insanity: Opinion of Chris
My friend Chris is a mom of 2 boys, she's married to a guy who works long hours and she also works outside of the home. She still manages to find time to exercise and keep herself healthy for her active, busy life.
Chris has been a long time exerciser and started doing P90X and then she moved on to Insanity. Both programs are very intense but also very different.
P90X is more about gaining strength and building muscle while shedding fat within 90 days. Insanity is more cardio and plyometric drills designed to shed fat, and get you lean within 60 days.
Chris was gracious enough to put together some bullet points on which program she likes best.
So here is Chris' opinion on both programs:
Team Beachbody offers a large selection of workout systems that are all guaranteed to give you results or your money back. Plus you get support tools like free coaching, an online workout calendar and so much more.
If you have any questions regarding a workout program, email me at wattersjes@msn.com. I'll help you decide which one may be right for you.
Chris has been a long time exerciser and started doing P90X and then she moved on to Insanity. Both programs are very intense but also very different.
P90X is more about gaining strength and building muscle while shedding fat within 90 days. Insanity is more cardio and plyometric drills designed to shed fat, and get you lean within 60 days.
Chris was gracious enough to put together some bullet points on which program she likes best.
So here is Chris' opinion on both programs:
- I've done both P90X and Insanity. I believe wholeheartedly in both. You can do both at your own pace, but you must be willing to push yourself in order for them to really work.
- My favorite is Insanity. Growing up in the '80s with high-impact aerobics, I have acquired an addiction to cardio, but I have since learned from P90X that the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism gets and the more calories you burn while resting.
- I had hit a plateau where working out doing the same old tae-bo and step just wasn't getting my heart rate up. I completed P90X but missed doing a lot of cardio. (Don't get me wrong. I can't wait to finish Insanity so I can add P90X in and mix it up a little.) Then I saw Insanity and knew I had to try it. I love Insanity and it is my favorite workout because it is a challenge every day.
- You MUST be in shape to start Insanity and you MUST have the drive to always push for more. I have finally found a workout that is still a challenge.
- One of the most important things I have learned is that everyone has a weak moment, a weak night or a weak day where you just can't help yourself and you cheat on your diet. I am not doing the meal plan with the workout. It's hard enough to get the time to workout. I have two boys 8 and 10, in sports, and work full time with an hour and a a half drive each way to and from work. I am watching what I eat though and I've learned that when I have those weak moments it's okay. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll start over.
- I'm in the best shape I've been in in a long time. Because of Insanity, I weigh less than I ever have, even in high school.
Team Beachbody offers a large selection of workout systems that are all guaranteed to give you results or your money back. Plus you get support tools like free coaching, an online workout calendar and so much more.
If you have any questions regarding a workout program, email me at wattersjes@msn.com. I'll help you decide which one may be right for you.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Road trip time
by Jessica Watters
Well its almost tie for the famous Summer road trips. I found an interesting article on how to eat healthy on vacation, which included eating in the car and on the road. Click here to read article. The article metions that you should derease your caloric intake by 400 calories if you are going to be in the car for a very long time.
I also wanted to add a few of my tips that I use and that work for my family. I pack our own healthy foods and snacks to save money and to keep us eating right. This is a list that we wouldt bring on a long road trip, like from NJ to NC or NJ to FL.
Remember, always use caution while driving. Eat simple meals, and pull over if you need to.
Well its almost tie for the famous Summer road trips. I found an interesting article on how to eat healthy on vacation, which included eating in the car and on the road. Click here to read article. The article metions that you should derease your caloric intake by 400 calories if you are going to be in the car for a very long time.
I also wanted to add a few of my tips that I use and that work for my family. I pack our own healthy foods and snacks to save money and to keep us eating right. This is a list that we wouldt bring on a long road trip, like from NJ to NC or NJ to FL.
- We stock up on inexpensive bottled water from either BJs or ShopRite. Depends on what's on sale. We bring the whole case of bottles with us, pack a few in the cooler and keep the rest in the trunk area. It beats having to stop and buy water at a rest stop.
- I make healthy sandwiches for the family and wrap them up tightly and keep in the cooler with the cold water and some ice packs. Again, you save money and you know its healthy. Plus it saves time because you don't need to pull into a rest area or drive thru.
- We also pack plenty of fruit that is sturdy. Like apples, oranges and bananas.
- I also pack almonds and raisins as a snack in baggies.
- Pretzels, Goldfish and Go-gurts are a favorite low fat snack that's easy to pack for the kids.
- Protein bars, such as P90X Peak Performance Bars are a great item to pack. They are high in protein and can be used as a snack or meal replacement. Plus they're easy on the digestive system. The kids love the Chocolate Fudge flavor. I just make sure that I only give the kids a 1/2 serving. My younger ones get an even small serving size.
- Another fast meal option that we have recently grown to love is Shakeology. You can easily mix it in cold water or cold skim milk (you can pack a few single serve size and place in cooler) in a shaker cup. The chocolate flavor tastes great and will leave you feeling satisfied for hours. Plus its packed with 70 healthy ingredients. It is also very easy to digest and makes a great breakfast or lunch.
Remember, always use caution while driving. Eat simple meals, and pull over if you need to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)