A Definite Must Read

If she can do it you can do it!

That is the theme running through a new blog that we recommend. Jamie has shared her 'healthified' recipes here at Nature's BodyCare, and is now sharing her tips and secrets to how she has lost 95 pounds and kept it off on a truly inspiring new blog, "Confessions of a Skinny Food Addict", skinnyfoodaddict.com and will leave you watching and waiting for her next post or recipe.

Now you have two sources of help to live a healthy happier, REAL life. Enjoy!

Workout Tips From Those Who Know

It can be hard to motivate yourself to get up off the couch and be active. Here are some great tips from Webmd.com from the fitness pros. Try to start incorporating them into your life, it will be so worth the effort and you will start to feel so much better!

1. Be Consistent
Start slow and just stick with it. Don't think on that first day you will be able to go and run 3 miles and not have it be hard for you. Start by walking on the treadmill for 10 minutes and gradually work your way up. Just make sure you are doing it every single day, it doesn't matter what you are doing, just be consistent at it.

2. Follow An Effective Exercise Routine
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. Their top three suggestions:

• Strength Training: 20 minutes two times a week is all that you need to get your body tone. The added benefit of adding more muscle to your body is that it increases metabolism so you are burning more calories all day long.
• Interval Training:  "In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, FACSM, chief science officer for ACE. "It is an extremely time-efficient and productive way to exercise."
• Increased cardio/aerobic exercise: Try to get in at least 30 minutes a day of low to moderate physical activity. Great options are walking, running, dancing or a Spin class. 

3. Set Realistic Goals 
 Don't strive for perfection or for some crazy unattainable goal that you realistically cannot meet. Focus on increasing your healthy behaviors, that is what will make the difference. Don't think you can go run a half marathon this week. Just start out by walking 15 minutes and then from there work on increasing distance, time and intensity.

4. Use The Buddy System
Find a friend, relative or co-worker that you trust and one who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle or already has established one. You can encourage one another and exercise together. It's a lot harder to stay on the couch and skip the gym when you know someone will be there waiting for you.

5. Be Happy
Be sure to pick something you enjoy. If you hate lifting weights then find other ways to gain body strength, there are lots of options. Find something that you like because then you are more likely to stick with it.

6. Watch Your Body Clock
Pay attention to when you have the most energy during the day. If you are a morning person then mornings are probably the best time for you to get in that workout. If you hate mornings and are sluggish then try after work. Find when your body has the most energy and your workouts will be a lot more fun and a lot more beneficial.

7. Be Patient
This is probably the most important one. Don't forget that things won't magically change overnight. This is a process and as long as you don't give up you will start to see changes!

Say No To Holiday Weight Gain

The holidays are upon us!  Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years can be a nightmare on your goals of healthy eating and losing/maintaining weight.  But there are a lot of things that you can do to be able to still enjoy the holidays and not pack on the pounds.  People tend to gain an average of 15 pounds during this time of year but here are some tips to help you to not gain any weight...it can be done!

1.  Weigh yourself twice a week:  That's often enough to make sure you stay on track, but not so often that you take all the fun out of holiday noshing, says Michael Dansinger, MD, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. Step on the scale first thing in the morning when your stomach is empty.

2.   Start your day with a bang:  Exercising in the morning can help ensure better behavior all day long, according to a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Using brain scans, researchers found that when women worked out in the a.m., they not only moved more the rest of the day, but they also responded less to pictures of tempting food compared with the days they didn't do a morning workout. The upshot: fewer cravings for high-fat fare.

3.  Be picky, picky, picky:  Peruse the buffet before you load your plate to avoid foods you don't really want, suggests obesity expert Tim Church, MD, a professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. If, for instance, you could take or leave sushi but adore sliders, don't start with the tuna rolls hoping to be able to resist the two-bite burger.

"If you pick the stuff you really want and have it in moderation," Dr. Church notes, "you'll stave off those cravings that can get you in trouble later on."

 

4.  Just say no-everywhere:  Willpower is like a muscle: Work it and you get stronger. What's key is to practice keeping yourself in check in non-food situations, too. "Whether you're driving in rush hour traffic or dealing with a temperamental kid, there are challenges that require self-control," Dr. Dansinger says.

Succeed in not honking at that rude driver, he explains, and you'll be better able to resist dessert at the party.

 

5.  Avoid banking calories:  Cutting back all day so you can indulge at an event that night only sets you up for a pig-out.

Why? You're freaking starving! "It's easy to get out of control when you're faced with high-calorie choices," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author of The Miracle Carb Diet.

Be sure to eat your three squares and a couple of snacks. Aim for lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean protein.

 

6.  Concentrate your workouts:  So what if you can't get to your favorite yoga class or find time for the treadmill? "Even just 15 minutes can help you maintain your fitness level," Dr. Church says. For example, jumping rope for 15 minutes torches about 190 calories; a quick yoga sequence at home can help you stay flexible.

 

7.  Don't swear off desserts:  But practice the three-bite rule to keep your sweet tooth in check. "You'll get that amazing first taste, a satisfying middle one, and then a lingering third bite," Zuckerbrot says.

 

8.  Avoid morning after food:  Have the night of your life, then send guests home with food-filled Tupperware. "It's the leftovers that do you in," says Lauren Slayton, RD, founder of Foodtrainers in New York City.

Repeat after us: Out of sight, out of mind...

 

9.  Drum up some willpower:  Under the spell of that peppermint bark you co-worker brought to the office? Before you succumb, try this simple trick: Place the thumb and fingers of one hand on your forehand, a half inch apart.

Tap each finger one at a time, once per second, telling yourself, "Hold on." Wait 15-20 minutes (return phone calls, check email), and the craving will disappear, according to Tufts University Research. Sounds crazy, but it works.

 

10.  Cut back on diet soda:  In fact, any bubbly beverage can lead to belly bloat, explains Zuckerbrot. "The carbon dioxide trapped in the bubbles of fizzy drinks causes a buildup of air, which can lead to gas.

 

11.  Eat your H2O:  Instead of trying to down eight glasses of water (near impossible when you're busy), have a green salad with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and a few slices of avocado. "These water-rich foods help keep you hydrated, so that everything moves through your system faster," Zied says.

 

12.  Brew up a pot of peppermint tea:  Research shows peppermint can help calm stomach muscles and reduce gas. Not a fan? Try chamomile, suggests Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It.

 

13.  Chew slowly:  We know: When your to-do list is never-ending, it's hard to make yourself downshift, even at mealtime. But eating fast is a quick recipe for an expanded waistline.

Here's why: "The more air you swallow, the more bloated you'll get," Taub-Dix notes.

 

14.  Get plenty of potassium:  The nutrient counterbalances sodium, so you retain less water, Zuckerbrot explains. Our favorite potassium possibilities: bananas, papayas, kiwis, strawberries, and cantaloupe.

Or serve up some asparagus or dandelion greens to get the bonus of a natural diuretic.

 

15.  Keep calm and kick cravings:  Stressed by the sight of that holiday spread? Take deep breaths before you grab a plate. Research suggests that women who practice stress reduction techniques are able to prevent weight gain.

Close your eyes and focus on your reaching for 30 seconds. Then reevaluate whether you really want to fill your plate; chances are you don't.

 

Source: Health.com

Diet or a Lifestyle Change?

You've heard it so many times that you probably say it in your sleep. ""Diets don't work; if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to make a lifestyle change.""

But what does a lifestyle change look or feel like, and how do you know when you've made one? The way some people talk about it, you'd think there's some sort of mystical wisdom you get when you "make the change" that tells you when and what to eat, and how to stop worrying about the number on the scale. Does this mean you'll finally stop craving chocolate and start liking tofu?

The basic difference between a diet mentality and a lifestyle mentality is simply a matter of perspective. Having the right perspective may not make tofu taste better than chocolate, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to achieving your goals, avoiding unnecessary suffering along the way, and hanging onto your achievements over the long haul. adapted from a SparkPeople tip