TV Dinners!!

Turn it off and put it down! When you're watching television or reading, it's hard to gauge how much you are eating or how full you are. Get old school at mealtimes — set the table, sit down, and enjoy!

A Super-sized Situation

There's no denying that we're struggling with an environment that conspires to make and keep us fat. Restaurant portion sizes have increased 500 percent since the 1970s. On average, the typical American eats about 23 pounds of candy and drinks 35 gallons of regular soda a year. Add to these statistics remote controls, a few million TV channels, Internet addictions, longer commutes, extended workweeks, no sidewalks, drive-thrus, supersizing… and you can see why we're a nation filled with overweight children and adults. Toss the soda, keep reading about nutrition, and follow a diet (like my online program) that gets you to a place where your metabolism and hormones start working for you.

Omega-3 Mood Lift

Studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids can both boost your mood and improve your heart health. Good sources include salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed, or you can take omega-3 supplements.

Liquid Calories

Consider the calories in these 12-ounce servings: regular soda, 150 to 200; no-sugar-added fruit juice, up to 180; sweet tea, about 150; and many sports drinks, 100 or more.

Fill Up on Fiber

In one study, women between the ages of 25 and 45 who ate meals that kept them feeling full were more successful at avoiding weight gain. Fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein will help feel satisfied.

The Age Game

There are many people just let exercise slide as they get older — then turn around and blame their lagging metabolism on their hormones. Yes, as we age, our hormones naturally shift in ways that encourage weight gain. But it's just too easy to blame your protruding belly on your advancing years. The truth is, you probably haven't been taking care of yourself! The more you eat clean, live clean, and work out, the better your hormone balance will be, and the healthier your metabolism will remain.

Life is About More Than Just Food

Find some activities that comfort and interest you so you'll have the power to combat your emotions without resorting to food. Think about what (apart from eating!) soothes you. What makes you feel beautiful or sexy and desirable? If you steer yourself toward feelings of self-worth, you'll pick activities and behaviors that inherently contradict self-loathing and self-sabotage. Take a bubble bath and listen to tunes you love. Go for a longer-than-usual walk with your pup. Go out dancing with friends. Get a massage or a mani-pedi. Learn to reward and nurture yourself with things that make you feel happy to be alive, and you will break the cycle of self-destruction caused by emotional overeating.

Relax to Sleep Better

Slowly concentrate on the different parts of your body and relax each of them as you go. Note how your lungs expand and contract and feel your body start to relax.

Be Realistic

You can't get everything done in a day. Prioritize what's most important and schedule everything out over the coming weeks. Your daily routine needn't be back-to-back tasks; instead, make sure it allows for a small dose of downtime.

Grab a Handful of Nuts

Look to protein-packed foods, such as nuts, to quickly replenish depleted energy levels.

Make It Count

Poor form when you're doing ab exercises doesn't just lead to neck pain — it can make the exercises less effective overall. If you're straining your neck muscles, your abs aren't working as hard as they should be. Remember: Other muscles aren't invited to this party — your abs should be doing all the work. Make sure you're exhaling fully and really squeezing those abs as you come up into the crunch; and when you come back down, don't release the tension in your abs. To get results, you want a constant contraction of the muscles.

Benefits of lemon

Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C. Having a lemon squeezed in warm water first thing every morning will cleanse your digestive system. 


It also increases the levels of immunity thus cutting the chances of infections. Because it has antibacterial and anti-viral properties, you can battle flu and colds by downing a glass of lemon juice. It is also known to purify blood, hence getting rid of toxins from the body. 


Lemon is also used in aromatherapy. Since it smells so 'clean' it induces the feeling of freshness and purges the feelings of inadequacy thus building confidence. The essential oil is known to increase the level of concentration. To get rid of a tan apply lemon on hands and feet. Section hair and rub a lemon on hair and voila, you get natural-looking highlights like you just returned from a day at the beach. 

Prevent Heart Disease

A recent study showed that women who ate a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits (all good sources of fiber) had a reduced risk of heart disease compared to women who ate less healthfully.

Go Gaga for Green Tea

Green tea has been shown to help keep you mentally alert, and it may also help with weight loss, regulate cholesterol levels, and prevent sun damage to your skin.

Vitamins Add Value

You can help protect your body by consuming antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidant powerhouses include blueberries, melons, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, papaya, carrots, broccoli, spinach, and sweet potatoes.

Rest Up to Build Up!

We all are busy with work, family, and personal responsibilities, it is still an absolute necessity to lie down at night and get at least seven hours of sleep. Sleep is NOT something that can be neglected, especially when you’re trying to get into shape and shed pounds. Depriving your body of sleep will actually aid in weight gain and could put you at greater risk for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and depression. In addition to the plethora of negatives that come with sleep deprivation, if you don’t rest properly, you won’t have enough energy to exercise to your maximum potential. Simply put, get your rest! Try keeping a consistent sleep pattern, and you will feel much better for it!

Label Logistics

You're probably very aware of the fat and calories on your nutrition labels, but how about sodium? Sodium can not only raise your blood pressure and slow your metabolism but also bloat you up. You know sodium best as table salt, but it's hidden in all kinds of products, including packaged foods, fast foods, frozen foods, canned foods, and condiments. When you eat sodium, any excess is deposited just beneath your skin, where it attracts water, which is retained in your cells. This makes you look puffy and feel bloated. You don't have to make yourself crazy over sodium ― it's in everything, and you do need it to survive. Just be conscious of how much you're getting, and cut back where you can.

A Little Means a Lot

Switching to PCF (processed chlorine-free) paper products and buying new coffee filters may seem like small steps, but they go a long way toward eliminating chemicals that have the potential to damage the endocrine and immune systems. Think of it this way: If I filled a teaspoon with toxic chemicals and offered it to you, would you swallow it? What about an eyedropper full or an ounce? Would any amount be okay with you? I believe no amount of dangerous chemicals is okay. When you remove toxins from your environment ― even in small amounts ― you can improve your hormonal balance and your life.

Not All Exercises Are Created Equal

Engaging in any kind of physical activity is healthier than sitting on the couch downing chips. Activities like bowling, basketball, and golf are great for burning calories. But to see dramatic weight loss, you must do cardiovascular exercise. "Cardiovascular" is defined as any activity that is rhythmic, continuous, and requires large muscles, like those in the legs, back, and chest. While bowling, basketball, and golf get you moving, they're all characterized by start-and-stop movement. There's no reason to give up such sports, just be aware that you must also put in time at the track or on the treadmill.

8 Glasses of water a day keeps fat away

Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. 


Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. 


Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. 


Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. 


Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. 


The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs -- plenty of water. The more salt you eat the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy -- just drink more water. 


The overweight person needs more water than a thin one. 


Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. 


How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Eat More Beans

Just one half-cup of high-fiber, high-protein beans will provide about a third of your daily fiber requirement and as much protein as an ounce of meat.

Best Ways to Burn

Weight-bearing exercises like running, walking, and aerobics burn more calories because gravity requires the body to work harder.

Slipped Up?

Don't freak out. Everyone slips up sometimes. The key is to realize what you're doing and stop yourself before you do further damage. Think of healthy eating as a game that's always on — if you draw a foul or get sidelined for a minute, your job is to get right back in the game as soon as you can. If you overdo it at one meal, don't just throw in the towel for the rest of the day (or the rest of the week). And don't beat yourself up, either — instead, learn from the experience and move on. Each mistake is an opportunity to add another strategy to your playbook so you get it right the next time.

The benefits of stretching

Stretching will improve appearance, flexibility, health, and overall performance. First, warm-up for 5-10 minutes at a low intensity (such as the elliptical machine, exercise bike, or treading mill) and stretch the muscles used. 


If your workout time allows it, a cardiovascular exercise for at least 20 minutes at a faster pace is recommended. Then, a 5-10 minute cooldown at low intensity should be completed. cool down for 5-10 minutes at a low intensity (50-60 per cent of your maximum heart rate). Now that you've warmed up, you should stretch every major muscle group. 


Why should you stretch? 
It builds bigger, better-quality muscles. 


Stretching helps prevent postural problems. 


It results in far less muscle-pulling overextension injuries compared to not stretching. 


Simple stretches increase range of motion. 


It improves muscle appearance. 


Flexibilty exercises help prevent overuse injuries from occuring. 


Stretching gives you more flexibility, which prevents soreness, allowing for faster recovery and better muscle growth. 


Stretching allows for a more active lifestyle later in life. 


It invigorates the circulatory, respiratory and neuromuscular systems. 

Chill' in a Warm Bath

Taking a warm bath is just one of the ways you can de-stress during the winter season. You can also try going to a religious service, calling a good friend, meditating, or doing yoga as ways of relaxing.

How About That Coffee?

Are you a coffee drinker? Is your day not officially up and running until you have your cup (or three) of java? While caffeine is okay in small doses ― it is important to be careful about which coffee filters you use. Bleached coffee filters can leach chlorine into your coffee, releasing dioxins with every drip. Buy unbleached or oxygen-bleached filters instead. Oxygen-bleached filters use chlorine dioxide, a type of bleach that doesn't create dioxin residues.

The Power of Probiotics

These "friendly" bacteria are getting lots of attention for their ability to help digestion and keep you regular. Although you can buy probiotic supplements, experts say it's better to get probiotics from yogurt and other cultured or fermented foods.

Rethink the Coffee Habit

Stressed people everywhere rely on coffee to keep themselves going. But caffeine stimulates the nervous system, increases blood pressure, and produces stress hormones. Limit yourself to one or two servings of coffee per day, and try other drinks like fruit juice, water, and herbal tea.

Office Inactivity

If you are one of these folks that say: “Hey, I sit at a desk all day. What can I do for exercise?”, then listen up and take notes. Is it possible to use your lunch break for physical activity, and eat at your desk when you get back? Take a walk around the neighborhood, or sign up for a quick, 30-minute class at the local gym. If the answer is no, there are other options for working activity in at the office — you just have to be willing to get creative (and sometimes, look a little silly):


Put on a headset and pace while you talk on the phone.


Do 10 push-ups every hour off the edge of your desk.


Do 30-second static squats, in which you hover over the seat of your chair, every 20 minutes.


Stretch your body out while you are sitting to get the blood flowing.


Do calf raises while standing in your cubicle.


Bring a pair of light dumbbells — or use water bottles — and do biceps curls, triceps extensions, and shoulder raises and presses, all while sitting in your chair.


You can also try popping in a workout DVD before you go to work or as soon as you get home to save yourself the travel time to and from a gym.