When and Where to Excercise

When you think of exercise, what comes to mind? Is is a hundred sweaty people living at the gym working out most of the day? Of course, there are the professional athletes out there that earn a living by being in top physical condition.

Most of us, however only need about 45 min.- 1 hour 5-6 times per week to undo the damage we have done. This time does not even have to be in a gym.

We can workout in our own homes with a DVD routine and there are usually only a few small pieces of equipment needed to add great strength training to any routine.

We can also choose to walk at the park or even on the mall. There are lots of locations where we can fit exercise into our daily lives.

Even if you don’t have time in your schedule to set aside 45 minutes, look for small chunks of time, even just 5 or 10 minutes where you can walk. A small amount of time being more physically active is better than none at all and will help you get closer to your goal.

 

So share with us, where is your favorite place to exercise? How much time do you dedicate to your well being?

Protein Power

Protein has many vital roles in the functions of our body. These functions include carrying oxygen through the blood, rebuilding tissue that need repair and of course it is a major component of our muscles.

Another great benefit of protein is how it helps regulate hunger. Protein takes longer to digest and therefore leaves us feeling fuller longer. In addition, it keeps our blood sugar at a more constant level.

As we lose weight, we want to maintain or even gain muscle mass. In order to do this, we must make sure our protein intake is sufficient enough to meet the needs of our body.

Do you need to know your suggested protein levels? If so, I recommend a personal wellness coach through a program like The WAVES Take Shape Plan or My Herbal Plan. Both plans are designed to help you reach your goal weight while becoming healthier.

Think of Yourself as Thin

I know you have heard the saying, “You are what you eat”. That being true, it is also equally true that we are what we think.

So, how do you think of yourself? Today, i challenge you to think of yourself as thin, healthy, active, and happy. The more you think of yourself in these terms, the more you will become just those things.

As I changed the way I thought about myself, I started changing the way I acted. As I thought of myself as thin, I began to eat as a thin person eats. As I thought of myself as active, I began acting as an active person would act.

Yes, changing my thoughts, my attitude, and my actions. So, how about you? Do you need to change your thinking?

The Answer Usually is:

In a recent training I attended, the doctor doing the presentation taught us that the answer is usually drink more water.

Q: “I’ve hit a plateau?”
A:” Drink more water”

Q:”I’ve been eating right but the scale hasn’t budged”
A:”DMW”

Q:”I’ve lost inches in some places but gained in others”
A:”DMW”

Q:”I feel hungry all of the time, even when I am sticking to my program”
A:”DMW”

Q:”I feel fatigued while I am trying to lose weight”
A:”DMW”

You get the picture. If you find nothing else works, drink more water! If you are not sure how much water you should drink, read our article and then talk to your doctor.

A Pain in The…

One of the amazing benefits of losing weight has been the reduction in aches and pains. Of course, I’ve had the occasional injury from being over zealous in a workout, but overall, the amount of discomfort in my joints, muscles, and everything else has greatly diminished.

I spent so much time being miserable for so long, that I had become numb to how bad the pain was. It wasn’t until I started to lessen that I realized the extent of pressure my excess weight was putting on my joints.

I have read studies that show that every 5lbs. we weigh puts 20lbs of pressure on our knees. That means that once I had lost 100lbs, I had taken 400lbs of pressure off my knees. No wonder I felt so much better!

How about you, are you ready for less aches aches & pains? Can you tell a change already?

Put it in Writing

Whenever we take the time to write something down, we are making a commitment to make a change. Putting it in writing helps us focus on the weight loss results we desire.

It also allows us to reflect on how far we have come as we have come as we make progress. Since I have personally been on weight loss journey that has brought its share of rewards & accomplishments along with frustrations and disappointments; I can attest to the fact that writing down my resolutions kept me on track when other things in life tried to derail me.

So, take a few minutes and determine your destiny for this year. Are you ready? If you want to make a change, you can!

Find A Friend

If you have found yourself withdrawing your life as your weight increased, then it is time to to find a friend to join you on the path to better health. In fact, find a dozen.

 

With over 2/3 of people in the U.S. living with obesity, there are lots of people needing to lose weight for their health. More importantly, the majority of these people want to lose weight. With this in mind, finding weight loss companions is easy!

 

Look for challenges to join,, both online and locally in your community. Anyone that joins a challenge is making a commitment to losing weight and getting healthier. If you are serious about making changes in your life, you can find friends that will help push you and motivate you to your goal!

Workout DVDs

How many of us have invested in products we never use? Exercise DVDs is no exception. I have bought numerous ones myself that I never use. I am left only with the feeling that I wasted my money.

 

I encourage others, now, to first check their local library. I was amazed at how many workout DVDs my library actually had. By checking them and using them before I invested my money, I was able to quickly access the value the routine had to add to my own library at home.

 

Some DVDs had looked as if they had promise only to prove to be at too low or too high of an intensity to suit my needs. In addition, I could weed out the ones that included moves that could or would hurt my back. Not to mention the ones that were simply boring. I know for myself, If I don’t enjoy an exercise routine, I won’t stick to it.

 

If your local library doesn’t have what you are looking for, check with your friends. Many of us are not using all of our library continuously and won’t mind loaning them for a short time to a friend. And of course, don’t forget to check your local movie rental store.

 

Here’s to fun filled workouts that aren’t a waste of money. Have you invested in workout DVDs you don’t use?

Salads: How Healthy Are They?

Many times I have heard clients say they will simply eat more salads. Most of us seem to think of salads as a healthy food. And why not, a variety of vegetables piled on a plate is healthy!

Unfortunately, we pile on meats, cheeses, and breads as well plus sauces loaded with calories and fat. we can end up with a meal that is anything but healthy.

Let’s take for example the Blue Buffaloed Salad from Zaxbys. Add to that the two packs of Ranch dressing and you end up with 1,800 calories, 82 grams of fat, & 54 grams of carbohydrates. If you are on a 1200 calorie a day diet, you are basically done for the day.*

Another great example is Arby’s  Crispy Chopped Farmhouse Salad topped with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. You have 640 calories, a whopping 1.310 mg of sodium, and 46g of fat.*

Red Lobster offers a Classic Caesar salad with salmon. You get 720 calories, 1,410 mg of sodium, and 54 g of fat.*

Every restaurant offers healthy and not so healthy options. It is important to realize that the word salad does not always equal healthy, low calories or great for weight loss. Take the time to check out each restaurant nutritional information before you order.

*All nutritional information comes from each specified restaurants published information online at the time of writing.

That Inner Voice

What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror? Do you call yourself ugly, fat, useless? A good friend once taught me to never call myself anything I would not call my friends.

This is great advice to anyone! God calls us His masterpiece. Yet, many of us have very negative self-talk.

I know that I did. Once I learned to look at myself as God does, I saw not only myself differently but others as well. God loves us as we are and transforms us into who we need to be. All we have to do is be willing.

God is a beautiful potter and we are but clay. Once we submit to His capable hands, He will lead us down the path of prosperity- physically, emotionally, and financially! Are you ready to be transformed today?