Celeb Diets & Workouts: Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez spinning!

One of my favorite interests has been celebrity diets and workouts. Jennifer Lopez has always been an inspiration with her amazing figure! She is not one of those too skinny girls, but one that likes to show-off her curves. She has always been proud of her body in her sheer gowns at awards, or even when she was pregnant with twins. I got her workout and diet out of People Magazine a few months ago:

The article claimed that Lopez shed her 50 pound baby weight with a meal-delivery service Freshology where she ate small portions and cut back on sugar and bread. Her diet includes blueberry pancakes with turkey sausage for breakfast. Pan-seared white fish with veggies for lunch. Black pepper and balsamic glazed pork chops with Brussels sprouts for dinner. And even likes fresh mozzarella cheese salads with cherry tomatoes, mixed peppers, and black olives as a snack.

Her workouts consist of 60-minute workouts up to four days a week with her personal trainer Gunnar Peterson to keep here 5'5" figure in shape. She is a runner,but also likes to box and hit the Stair Master. But gets a lot of her cardio from lateral side shuffles and squats walking backward--all on the treadmill on an incline!!! She gets her strength training from lunges and squats. But her fab-abs come from three sets of up to 100 bicycle crunches.

As you can see, she works hard to stay in shape. But not all of us have photo shoots, movies, premiers, and more to keep us motivated. So find something like a holiday party, a date, or maybe just seeing an old friend to give you that inspiration you need to work hard at the gym. It will pay off, and then you will be shining with happiness and confidence that everyone will admire! :)

Jennifer Lopez Post Twins!

Body Rock TV!

My friend Mark who is a personal trainer at LA Fitness in Beavercreek sent me a message and told me to check out this girl on Youtube.com. Wow! Her workouts are killer, not to mention her body. She shows you a large variety of interval workouts that are about 20 minutes long that you could do in your own living room. If you are up for the challenge follow her workouts that she puts up everyday. Her body and attitude will definitely keep you motivated! Everyone find her stuff at Body Rock TV on Youtube.com!! 

Quote

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!"

-Henry Ford

Recipe Calculator

With the Holiday's and everyone making their favorite dishes, I thought this was a good tool to share. You enter in all the ingredients of your favorite recipe and how many servings, and it calculates the nutritional info in each serving. It may not be exact because you're making the determination of how many servings is in the dish. But, you will get a pretty good idea! Check it out: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Don't be surprised like I was when I calculated my mom's famous sweet potato casserole and found out it had 586 calories per serving (small serving.) I won't even mention the fat and carbs!! Ahhh! Makes you think twice about using a large serving spoon at dinner, and then indulging in the leftovers for 2 days straight after. Get your small serving of your favorite dish, and enjoy it. Wait until next year's holidays for your second serving! :)

Eating Healthy – Some Suggestions For Your Shopping List!



It all begins with your shopping list to eat healthy! I think the best thing is to always plan out your meals for the week and I am all about reading labels. However, I also have those times that I don’t have things planned out as well as I would like and don’t always have the time required to stop and study nutritional labels. So, in those hurried times, it helps to know what foods benefit me most and try to make a regular shopping habit of always keeping those types of foods available for healthy eating. Shape Magazine had a great article by Caitlin Moscatello that gave some healthy food suggestions and the nutritional benefit from each. Here’s what she suggested:

1. Yogurt - Keep your "good" digestive bacteria at a healthy level with yogurts containing live, active cultures. Warning: Some varieties are packed with sugar, so stick with plain or check the labels before tossing it in your grocery cart. Yogurt is one of several super diet foods thanks to the fact that it's both filling and loaded with calcium, potassium and vitamin B.

2. Wild Salmon - Unlike some other types of fish, studies have shown that mercury levels are relatively low in salmon. This is good news, considering the fish offers optimum nutrition and protein for few calories. It also contains omega-3's, which help maintain heart health. Why go wild? Farm-raised salmon can be more prone to disease and may have been exposed to or treated with antibiotics.

3. Egg Whites - Even with yolks, eggs have just 70 to 80 calories each—but that yellow center is high in cholesterol. Buy fresh eggs and then take out the yolks for a quick boost of protein in your breakfast. Mix them up with fresh vegetables to add flavor.

4. Leafy Greens - Healthy greens like broccoli, cabbage and kale have optimum nutrition and are loaded with a plant chemical that may help lower your risk of cancer. Low on vitamins? Add some spinach to your salad. Like other dark, leafy greens, it's loaded with iron and vitamin K, the ladder of which may prevent osteoporosis, diabetes and arthritis.

5. Blueberries - There’s no way to talk about super diet foods without mentioning blueberries, which contain antioxidants and double as an anti-inflammatory. Aim for about half a cup a day, whether on top of whole wheat, mixed in with yogurt or simply on their own.

6. Almonds - Not only do almonds help reduce bad cholesterol, they may help you lose weight—according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. Another study, this one out of Harvard's School of Public Health, found that the nut could reduce the risk of a heart attack by 25 percent if eaten at least twice a week.

7. Black Beans - Did someone say breakfast burrito? Add black beans to your list of healthy foods. They're high in fiber (a major plus) and offer other optimum nutrition components, such as calcium, iron and folic acid. So toss them in an omelet or make a black bean soup as the perfect cold-weather lunch.

8. Apples - You've heard the expression "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," and it's true. Apples are also packed with fiber and may help reduce your risk of heart disease, according to a study published in the Nutrition Journal. They also contain the mineral boron, which is good for bones.

9. Tomatoes - Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which may help prevent certain cancers. Studies have also shown that tomatoes can lower cholesterol, as well as reduce blood pressure and maintain healthy cellular growth (which is a fancy way of saying it can help you have healthier hair, nails and skin). Your best bet? Eat plenty of tomato sauce. You’ll be able to pack in more nutrients than by just downing slices alone.

10. Orange Juice - It's also possible to drink super healthy diet foods. Orange juice contains potassium and—you guessed it—vitamin C. Plus, many brands are now fortified with heart healthy omega-3s. It may also help increase your HDL levels, a.k.a. healthy cholesterol. Look for fresh squeezed varieties and brands low in sugar.

11. Sweet Potatoes - Talk about optimum nutrition: Sweet potatoes have five times the "required" amount of beta carotene your body needs. So what does that mean? For one, healthier skin. Beta carotene can help prevent against sun damage. It may also boost your immune system, preventing you from getting sick from colds and other infections this winter.

12. Wheat Germ - Wheat germ contains magnesium, which helps keep your bones healthy in addition to reducing stress and maintaining healthy insulin levels. It also has iron, fiber, calcium, potassium and even zinc (which may help boost your immune system). Add wheat germ to your diet by sprinkling it on yogurt or healthy cereal.

13. Pomegranate - Eat this tangy fruit's juicy seeds or drink it in juice form for a punch of antioxidants, including tannins and anthocyanins. It's a must-have addition for any heart healthy diet since it may help blood flow and reduce levels of bad cholesterol. According to research out of UCLA, it may also help prevent certain types of cancers.

14. Hot Peppers - Chilies don't just spice up your favorite recipes—they’re also packed with vitamin C and may help reduce pain levels. They may also help you lose weight. Spicy foods have been found to increase the metabolic rate by up to 23 percent for short periods of time.

15. Oatmeal - Down a healthy dose of fiber for breakfast with a bowl of oatmeal, which may help reduce LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, as well as provide nutrients, such as vitamin E, iron and magnesium. Tip: Add a scoop of protein powder for an extra healthy kick in the morning.

Quote

"You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 today and we don’t know where the hell she is."

- Ellen

Jamie Eason's "OH-BABY!" Carrot Cake Protein Bars

I just made Jamie Eason's "OH-BABY!" Carrot Cake Protein Bars!!

Ingredients:

Non-fat no-stick spray

1 cup oat flour (ground oatmeal found in the health section of your grocery store)
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice (optional – more like spice cake)
3 egg whites
¾ cup Splenda
½ cup fat free Ricotta cheese
2 4 oz. jars or packs of baby carrots (instead of shredded carrots)
2 scoops vanilla whey protein (look for a low sugar, low fat and low carb variety)
1 cup quick cooking oats (optional for added carbs and energy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pyrex dish with non-stick butter spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, protein, allspice, salt and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, mix egg whites, Splenda, ricotta and baby food until well combined. (I added a little natural applesauce for more flavor, about half an individual container.)

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix well.

Finally, fold in the quick cooking oats (optional) and stir until just combined. (I added the oats in mine for the energy benefit.)

Pour batter into the pyrex dish and spread evenly.

Bake 28 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool and cut into 16 pieces – 4 x 4.


Nutrition: 2 small squares

94 calories (132 cal with oats folded in)

1.25 g fat (2 g fat with oats folded in)

10 g carbs (17 g carbs with oats folded in)

10 g protein (11 g protein with oats folded in)



They turned out awesome!!! They taste great.. definitely better than a lot of pre-packaged protein bars. The other benefit to them not being packaged is that I know what went into them. I try to eat every three hours, so I already plan to make another batch so I can put them into separate individual bags. It's an easy go-to meal when I need something fast (and, it feels like a treat because they taste like little pieces of cake!) To find the original recipe go to: http://www.jamieeason.com/blog/?jid=2

Spot Reducing

I’ve received a couple of e-mails asking for advice on exercises to lose a few extra pounds in the belly area.  Since more than one person has asked about the same thing, I figured it would be a good topic for my next blog.  As far as certain exercises to zap the fat from a specific area, whether it be any of those troublesome areas such as the belly, thighs, or butt, there really is no way to only lose weight in a specific spot.  Although I can provide some great exercises for specific areas of the body for strengthening and toning the muscles in those areas, that’s not going to burn off the extra layer of fat on top of the muscles that you’re looking to lose there.  From everything I’ve read and tons of research out there, spot reduction is not possible.  Whenever your calorie intake is more than the calories you use, that extra is stored as fatty deposits.  Over time, where ever those fatty deposits prefer to store themselves can become our troublesome spots.  You can’t rely on specific exercises alone that target a specific area to lose weight or reduce fat in that area only. 

If you feel like you’re working out and working out but not seeing any results, you need to First take a look at your diet.  It takes a combination of proper diet and exercise.  Keep it healthy and watch your calorie intake.  If you’re going to the gym regularly but eating horribly on the side, it’s going to be extremely hard to maintain weight, much less lose any.

Then take a look at your exercise routine.  You can’t just do sit-ups for your belly or lunges for your butt and expect the extra pounds there to go away.  You need to include high energy cardio or aerobic type exercise into your routine to burn fat.  When doing this type of high energy, high effort exercising, once the body uses the available free energy, it then turns to the fat deposits for more and the result will be fat reduction/weight loss.  Although you can’t choose which part of the body you burn the fat or lose weight from, if that area is where most of the extra fat is stored, eventually you should see results.  In order to maintain muscle mass (which is very important) and to tone up and show definition, you need to also include strength training into your exercise routine.  Keep doing the sit-ups, lunges, squats, etc!  Although doing these exercises alone won’t make the fat disappear, you will still benefit from the high effort movement required as well as strengthening and toning the muscles so that you will see more definition once the layer of fat has been burned off from the OVERALL result of your diet and exercise routine!  

Lastly, don’t give up!  If you’re sticking to a safe and healthy routine, the process may seem slow, BUT if you stick to it and have patience, YOU WILL SEE RESULTS!

Quote

"Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born."

- Dr. Dale Turner

... I saw this quote on Shape.com & thought it was pretty inspirational.

Learn to Read Labels - Sodium

In order to eat healthy, everyone should learn to read food labels and educate yourself on the different nutritional values that you should try to meet or avoid exceeding each day. One of the biggies that I try to watch is sodium (Salt or Sodium Chloride). Most people will look at a food label and automatically check the Fat, Calories, or Carb content. But, if you’re not checking sodium content, you may not be eating as healthy as you think. Sodium helps maintain the balance of fluids, transmits nerve impulses, and influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles in your body. So, although sodium is an essential nutrient, your body only needs a very small amount of it. However, unless you’re actively keeping a watch on your sodium intake, most people unknowingly and easily take in over 3-4 times the amount of sodium needed each day. Too much sodium can not only contribute to excess water retention, but can also be harmful to your health since it can lead to increased blood pressure… a high risk factor for heart disease and strokes.

The American Heart Association’s recommended daily intake for sodium is to try to stay below 1,500 mg as an effective way to lower or prevent high blood pressure. If you are dieting to lose weight, this can be a huge challenge if you buy the “low calorie” prepackaged foods. Many of these are absolutely LOADED with sodium as well as many diet sodas…watch the labels! Although one of the main culprits of excessive sodium content is prepackaged and processed foods, keep in mind there are also many natural sources of sodium that contribute to your overall daily intake such as some vegetables, including celery, and many dairy products including milk. Also, consider how much you’re adding when you shake the salt shaker when you sit down at a meal.. and then even more when you start adding condiments. For example, one tablespoon of soy sauce contains about 1,000 mg of sodium! Even bread… one slice of white bread contains about 220 mg of sodium. Now add another slice, then some cold cuts (which are usually very high in sodium by themselves)…. Yes, it starts to add up fast!

When you shop, look for low sodium versions of everything! Eliminate or cut back on your shakes of the salt shaker..when you prepare a recipe, try using half of what it calls for in salt. If you use canned vegetables or beans in a recipe, rinsing them well first can get rid of half of the salt content. Avoid salty snacks and as always, drink lots of water and eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits instead. Even though some of these naturally contain some sodium, it is minimal amounts compared to most prepackaged foods. Any reduction in the amount of sodium you take in will be healthier for you, and avoiding it will help you include healthier low-calorie foods in your daily eating.

"Eat This, Not That!"

I have absolutely fallen in love with these books! You can pick them up, flip open to any page and be amazed at the calories, fat, carbs, sodium, etc. in the regular items you eat daily. Each book has a different theme of what they will cover in the book. But between them all you will come across your favorite dine-in restaurant, your regular fast food place, items on your grocery list, the vending machine at work, the food court at the mall, your favorite holiday meals, and so much more. I own three of the books... and I've changed my mind about a lot of items I usually ate. 

Fun Facts:

The first book states the "Worst Mexican Entrée" is the Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito ... 1,107 calories / 44g fat / 113 g carbs / 2,656 mg sodium!!! If you did a Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl with lettuce, black beans, green salsa, and sour cream it would only be 489 calories / 22 g fat / 1,006 mg sodium. 

The first book states Dairy Queen's 6-piece Chicken Strip Basket has 1,270 calories / 67 g fat / 2,910 mg sodium!!! That is nuts!

The first book also states the "Worst Food In America," it's Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries 2,900 calories / 182 g fat / 240 g carbs!

Next time you're at your local store... pickup an Eat This, Not That book and learn something new! You will be shocked by the calories you put in your body on a daily basis. 

Quote

Every month Oxygen magazine puts a motivational quote in their magazine called "Oxygen's Exhale." I loved the quote this month....

"It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is much better at the top."

- Arnold Bennett

Holiday Eating

The Holidays are almost here!  My favorite time of year!!  Who doesn't look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of the fabulous food that goes along with them?!  The holidays wouldn't be the same without all of our favorite foods!  So trying to eat healthy without totally depriving yourself during holiday eating can seem pretty impossible.  I'm a firm believer that you should allow yourself to indulge now and then...so go ahead, splurge a little!  BUT that doesn't mean you have to lose total control and can't still make smart choices!  Throwing all control out the window will just cause you to overeat and take in HUNDREDS of extra calories that could easily be avoided ! There are tons of ways that you can save calories during holiday eating and I thought I would share a few easy ones: 

 

1. Eat breakfast! Don't think that skipping breakfast will "save" calories that you can use later for the big meal. It's not true! Meal skipping and starving yourself will just lead to overeating later.  If you're starving when you sit down to eat, you'll be more likely to not only overeat, but use less control over your food choices.  A healthy breakfast with some protein and fiber will help take the edge off your appetite. Try having an egg with a slice of whole-wheat toast, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk.

2.  "Lighten" up your recipes! Whether you're the host for a holiday dinner or you are making side dishes to take to a family gathering, try making healthier versions of the dishes.  A few tips for this:

-  Replace the fat in stuffing with low-sodium chicken broth  - Many recipes have 2 to 3 sticks of butter or margarine as the "liquid" to moisten the bread stuffing. Replace all that fat with equal amounts of low-sodium chicken broth for extra flavor without calories.  A cup of chicken broth is around 10 calories — compared with an ounce of butter at 100 calories. (A stick of butter/margarine is 800 calories.)

- Use sugar substitutes in place of sugar and/or fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods.

- Try plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream in creamy dips, mashed potatoes, and casseroles.

- Lose the crust. The crust is fat laden, and most people won't even miss it. Try baking your favorite pumpkin pie filling in small ramekins and top with chopped walnuts or a spoon of whipped cream.  You can do the same for apple pie  — Bake the apples with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon in a small ramekin.

3. Skip the skin!  You can cut your calories in half per serving by eating the meat you like — very little difference in calories of dark and white meat, but skipping the skin.  For a 6-ounce serving of turkey, taking off the skin saves about 300 calories.

4.  Portion Control!!  Try using a tablespoon to serve yourself instead of the typical serving spoon. Compare a tablespoon in serving size to a typical serving spoon — about one-third to one-half cup. You can save hundreds of calories on all those side dishes just by downsizing your serving size with a Tablespoon instead!  Also, just skip over the dishes that you can have year round - don't waste the calories.  Treat yourself to a small portion of all your favorites that only come around on the holidays.  Also, SLOW down and avoid going back for seconds!!  Eat slowly and drink plenty of water with your meal.  After that first plate, take a break before going back for second helpings...If you give your food a little time to settle, you will usually find that one go round has you plenty satified!

5. Alternate your alcohol. Alcohol contains a whopping 7 calories/gram!  That's almost as much as fat (which is 9 calories per gram). Those calories can add up!  If you're going to drink alcohol at family gatherings this holiday season, try alternating...have a drink and then have a water, seltzer, or diet soda to cut your calories in half.  If you're a wine drinker, you can alternate the same way or try having a "spritzer" through the evening — half wine and half seltzer — as another way to cut calories.

6. Exercise!!!  As always, some exercise is always best.  Although the first thing we usually want to do after leaving the dinner table is head to the couch, avoid that!  Grab a family member or friend after dinner and take a 30-minute walk.  A walk will help aid digestion and even though it may be hard to avoid the initial temptation to lay around after your holiday meal, once you start your walk, you're usually going to feel better and be glad you did it! Plus, a little secret... most gyms are open on the Holidays for at least a few hours. Get up early and get a workout in! 

Alcohol = Calories!

5oz. of Red or White Wine = 100-130 calories

Red Bull and Vodka = 177 calories

SF Red Bull and Vodka = 74 calories

5oz. Mojito = 160 calories

Vodka and Water = 100 calories

Strawberry Daiquiri = 250 calories

American Beer = 150 calories

Liquor (80 proof) = 100 calories

Liqueurs (Bailey's, Kahlua) = 150 calories

Champagne = 100-130 calories

Rum and Coke = 156 calories

Frozen Margarita = 246 calories

Margarita on the Rocks = 182 calories

Whiskey Sour = 210 calories

Martini = 175 calories

Now, how many of you usually only have one drink? Think about it!

I got these numbers from Woman's Health Magazine and FindArticles.com. 

"The Bikini-Ready Workout"

My favorite book The Woman's Health Big Book of Exercises has workouts in the back of the book personal trainers have come up with. My favorite "The Bikini-Ready Workout." I did it for a month before I left for Spring Break with my family...

Me- Spring Break '10

This workout was created by one of Hollywood's most famous trainers Valerie Waters. As you can see from my picture above, it made me very lean, and toned. I loved it!! :) Here is an example of her workout:

Circuit 1:

Single-leg hip raise  2-3 sets 12 reps.

Side plank 2-3 sets 30 sec. hold

Plank 2-3 sets 30-40 sec. hold

Situp 2-3 sets 12 reps. (I usually do 25 reps.)

Circuit 2:

Dumbbell squat 3 sets 15 reps.

Single-arm cable row 3 sets 12 reps.

Dumbbell straight-leg deadlift 3 sets 12reps.

Dumbbell bench press 3 sets 15 reps.

Circuit 3:

Valslide reverse dumbbell lunge 3 sets 12 reps.

Dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets 12 reps.

Dumbbell lunge 3 sets 10 reps.

Triceps pressdown 3 sets 12 reps.

Dumbbell curl 3sets 12 reps.

TRY IT!! :)

"The Eat- Clean Diet"

Just started reading this book... and, I believe it's a book everyone should buy. If you are trying to lose weight... or even not, this book is the key to everything you need to know. You will be healthier, happier, more energized and looking better than ever. Tosca Reno explains in the book,

 10% Genetics + 10% Training + 80% Nutrition = "Body Beautiful/Body Healthy Formula"

Quote

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."

 - Lance Armstrong

The Bible

I think every girl should invest in this book. The pages are falling out of mine because I carry it around every where with me. It goes through each body part and shows you a ton of different exercises for each, how to do them properly, and alternatives if you want easier or harder. And you can even find in the back different workouts that personal trainers have come up with. My favorite- the bikini ready workout!

Jamie Eason- Love Her!

Jamie & I at the Arnold Classic 2010 in Columbus, OH

Since I've grown an interest in Health and Fitness, Jamie Eason has been my inspiration. She is a great role model for anyone that loves to be in the gym and eat clean. I wanted to share her website and her facebook fan site. I love reading them daily because she has tons of tips and advice! If you read her facebook, other personal trainers and fitness rats leave comments and advice as well. Very helpful for those of you with questions. :)

A Little Help With That WILLPOWER!!

I ran across this article in Ladies' Home Journal by Leslie Goldman the other day. I think it gives great tips for when your cravings get the best of you. The trick is learning that the solutions are all in your head.

• STRESS: Instead of thinking, "after a crazy day at work I deserve a big pile of fries." Write down your worries in a journal. Stress triggers your cravings for comfort foods because your body wants the soothing hit of dopamine they provide, and eating something you love takes your mind off things. If you write down your worries instead "you will become more aware of your negative emotions so you can find ways to work through them," says Dr. Alber, Psy.D., author of 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food.
• CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS: Instead of thinking, "if I see chocolate I eat it. There's no stopping me!" ... walk off the urge to indulge. It's not just the taste that makes chocolate so tempting, it's also the blissed-out feeling you get from eating it. When chocolate's potent blend of fat and sugar hits your bloodstream, it signals the reward center of your brain to release dopamine, a chemical that produces feelings of euphoria. The sensation is a mild version of a high, like people get from drugs and alcohol, says Joe Frascella, Ph.D. Britain's University of Exeter found that taking a 15-minute walk may help curb chocolate cravings.
• DEPRESSED: Instead of thinking, "when I'm feeling sad, I pop doughnut holes like mints. They're a perfect pick-me-up" Eat a small amount of carbs like a cup of plain cheerios or a small english muffin, it can help you feel better in about a half hour. Carbs stimulate production of the feeling good hormone serotonin, which dips when you're depressed. Just make sure you control yourself, don't over do it!
• TIRED: Instead of thinking, "after a bad night's sleep I have to eat constantly the next day. I'm ravenous!" GET ENOUGH SLEEP, or since it's not always possible- eat fruit, veggies and high-fiber carbs regularly to help your body produce leptin more efficiently. Just a few nights of tossing and turning can send your appetitite into overdrive. That's because sleep helps regulate body weight and metabolism. Lack of sleep increases appetite, and may cause you to gain weight. It's important to get the sleep your body needs.
• PMS: Instead of thinking, "when I have PMS chocolate is a need, not a want." Sooth premenstrual tension the healthy way through exercise, deep breathing or yoga. Once you cut stress, your candy bar cravings will be less intense. To kick the chocolate craving, have a piece throughout the month so you don't over do it when it's your monthly visitor.
• FOOD CONNECTIONS: Instead of thinking, "I have to get a bucket of popcorn when I see a movie." Identify the situations that trigger mindless eating (keeping a food journal can help.) Popcorn seems like a necessity because you've been conditioned to want it whenever you catch a flick, says Dr. Albers. "When an event becomes linked in your brain to a specific food-like popcorn and movies, hotdogs and baseball games, or bowl of icecream and your favorite tv show-you're likely to indulge without even thinking about it," she explains. Once you figure out your mindless eating, you can come up with ways to sever the food connection or create healthier ones.
• MORNINGS: Instead of thinking, "the only thing I ever want for breakfast is a big bagel." Eat a combination of complex whole-grain carbs and protein for breakfast to reduce your cravings. Blame morning food cravings on a brain chemical called neuropeptide Y, which helps govern your appetite for carb-rich foods. "Levels of NPY are high in the morning because your body wants immediate fuel after fasting for eight hours," says Somer. The problem is that while foods rich in simple carbs-such as a bagel-are digested rapidly to deliver a blast of energy, you then have to deal with blood-sugar crash. And what will you want to eat to make yourslf feel better? MORE CARBS! Both complex whole-grain carbs and protein take longer to digest than simple carbs, so you'll get a steady stream of energy and feel full longer. Try a piece of whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter- it's my favorite! :)

I felt like a lot of these I could connect with cravings I have. I'm really bad about saying "I'll just eat better tomorrow." But, I've learned to keep the pounds away, the inches off, and the energy high... you can treat yourself once in awhile, but have a bite... don't eat the whole thing!

Determining Your BMI (Body Mass Index)

Deciding what is a healthy weight for you is not only what you see when you step on the scale.  One of the first things you should do is measure your BMI (Body Mass Index).  This is a mathematical equation that estimates your body fat.  Your height and weight are entered into the equation with the resulting number revealing whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

One drawback to measuring BMI is that it doesn’t differentiate between body fat and lean muscle mass.  So if you’re an athlete or have a lot of muscle mass, your BMI may not classify you correctly.  The resulting number could indicate that you’re overweight when in fact you are not.  The opposite goes for those individuals, such as older people who have lost muscle mass… your BMI may indicate that you are underweight when you’re not.  However, for most people, your BMI should give you a pretty accurate idea of where you stand.

To determine your BMI, there are lots of BMI calculators on the internet.  However, you can determine it yourself by using the following equation:

(weight in pounds) divided by [(height in inches) x (height in inches)] x 703

Compare your resulting number to the chart below:

Below 18.5 = Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 = Normal
25 - 29.9 = Overweight
30 and above = Obese

Fitness Myths!

I figured the subject of "Fitness Myths" would be a great subject for my very first blog!

According to expert Jan Wyche in an article by Liz Neporant, here are some of the most common fitness myths:

Myth #1 - "Stretching is Essential" - Research shows that stretching before exercise actually increases your chance of getting injured and may decrease your workout performance.  According to Wyche, the best way to prepare your body for physical activity is with a three to five minute warm-up of easy walking, light cycling or gentle movement.

Myth #2 - "Muscle Turns Into Fat" - "Fat and muscle are two totally separate types of tissue.  They aren't interchangeable," says Wyche.  People get fat when they stop working out because they continue to eat the same amount but burn off fewer calories.  As a result, their unused muscles grow soft while they simutaneously gain excess body fat.

Myth #3 - "Stay Skinny With Diet Alone" -  You can lose weight simply by cutting back on calories.  But combining exercise with diet will help you lose weight more quickly.  More importantly, it will help you keep the pounds off permanently.  The majority of participants in the National Weight Control Registry (a survey of thousands of people who have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for years) report that a consistent exercise program is one of their key weight maintenance strategies.

Myth #4 - "Long and Slow to Zap Fat" - Wyche claims that the so-called "fat burning zone" is about as real as "The Twilight Zone."  "The workout that burns as many calories as possible, whether it's long and slow or fast and furious, is the best workout for fat burning and weight loss," she advises.

Myth #5 - "Lose Before Lifting" - Actually, if you're truly serious about losing weight, lifting weights two to three times a week is a must.  "Building muscle helps maintian your metablolism even while you're resting and will help you slim down," Wyche notes.  When you combine diet with cardio exercise only, you tend to lose a lot of muscle mass; weight training helps preserve muscle so more of your weight loss is truly from fat.

Myth #6 - "High Reps Rule" - Choose a weight you can lift at least eight times keeping good form but no more than 15 times without your muscle feeling the challenge.  If you can do more reps than that, the weight you're using isn't heavy enough to give you results.  And, as Wyche points out, decreasing body fat will help you see the shape of the muscles underneath.

Myth #7 - "Crunch Away Ab Flab" - There's no such thing as spot reducing -- that is, you can't magically zap the fat from an area by exercising it.  Wyche says that you could do 5,000 crunches a day and still not see any improvements until you burn the layer of fat over your ab muscles, which is done by trimming your diet and burning more calories through cardio exercise.

Myth #8 - "Beef Up to Gain Muscle" - "The body uses protein, carbs and fat to build muscle," Wyche notes.  Any excess protein you eat beyond what your body needs will simply be expelled through your urine or stored as body fat.  Your best bet is to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of vitamins and minerals and enough calories to build strong, shapely muscles.