Happy New Year!

Can you believe it is 2014 already?

Let me ask you a question, are you one of THOSE people who sets a goal EVERY year to lose weight? And, are you FINALLY ready to actually achieve the goal.  If you shook your head “yes,” I have something you’re gonna love…

My friend Attiyah Blair has launched a new program to help you and your loved ones make your dream of a better body a reality.

The truth is, without the right tools it can seem so hard and even times impossible to give up the foods we love and make time to exercise. That’s why Attiyah has created“Reset Camp.”

This 6-month program is different than any other weight loss program you have ever tried. Why you ask? Most weight loss programs only focus on diet and exercise but if we are all honest with ourselves we already know what we should and should not eat… and how much we should exercise to lose weight and be healthy, right? If you answered yes then you know in order to lose weight and keep it off you must learn:

• How to put a stop to emotional eating
• How to be consistent with eating healthy and exercising
• How to plan for failure and succeed instead
• Where to find a constant supply of support and motivation
• What to do when you feel like giving up
• Different ways to measure your success

Attiyah Blair struggled with her weight for years until she learned the principles being taught in Reset Camp. She has already helped others lose weight and get healthy, now she wants to help you.

Click below to learn more about the secrets to permanent weight loss.

                                     
                                       

• Did you get the results that you hoped for in 2013?
• If you had the tools offered in Reset Camp would you have been more successful? 
• What is the likelihood that you will reach your goal in 2014 without help?
• Are you ready to FINALLY end the yo-yo weight loss and have the body you’ve dreamed about?

If you’re ready, I mean, really ready, click below to learn more about Reset Camp.


                                       

Protein Bars (made with Arbonne protein & fiber powder)

Protein Bars (made with Arbonne protein & fiber powder)

• 2 cups Organic Almond Butter or peanut butter

• 1 ¾ cups Agave Nectar 

• 2 ¼ cups Arbonne Protein Shake  (I use ½ chocolate and ½ vanilla)

• 1 scoop Arbonne fiber powder

• 3 cups rolled oats (if you like cruncy, you can buy a box of Gluten free Brown Rice Cereal, it's so good)

Spread in 9x13 pan. 
Refrigerate 1 hour.  Cut into 24 squares.

Mix almond or peanut butter and agave in microwavable bowl.  Heat for 60-90 seconds.  Mix well. Add Protein Powder & fiber and mix well.  Add oatmeal (or brown rice cereal) and mix gently.

Whats Are The Benefits Of Protein Shakes?

Safe for people who are healthy and fit, protein shakes are used mainly by athletes who need nourishment right after their workouts, says Jose Antonio, chief executive officer and co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). 'Most people can't make a meal immediately post-workout', he says. 'So these ready-to-drink shakes are really your best alternative'.
According to the ISSN, protein shakes are a safe way to ensure enough protein, when used as part of a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. This counters the view that protein shakes can be harmful to kidneys or bones.

• Although research hasn't proven their role in sports performance and muscle strength, protein shakes may offer certain benefits.

• An endurance athlete may find it easier to train with the help of protein shakes, says Antonio. That's because they help the body recover from intense exercise. Protein shakes do this mainly by restoring muscle glycogen, a fuel source for exercise, which gets used up during workouts.

• For the strength athlete, protein shakes can also help repair damage to muscles that can occur with serious bodybuilding.

• The general fitness enthusiast who works out hard but doesn't want to be a marathon runner or bodybuilder may also benefit, says Antonio. This is the kind of person who might run twice a week and lift weights twice a week.

Some research shows other benefits as well. For example, a study of 130 U.S. Marines looked at intense exercisers who supplemented their diet with 10 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates, and 3 g of fat. They had fewer infections, less heat exhaustion, and less muscle soreness. Some protein shakes may help with weight management, as well. But more research is needed to confirm this.

I like the Arbonne brand.  This brand is Vegan and gluten free.

Do Men and Women Have The Same Skincare Needs?

Did you know? Men’s skin differs from women’s in several ways. Due to the production of testosterone, men’s skin tends to be oilier, more acidic, denser and thicker. Because of these physiological differences, men need skincare products formulated for their specific needs.

Discover the Arbonne Difference:

Pure, Safe & Beneficial A pure approach to looking and feeling great....with premium skin care products.

Arbonne premium skin care products are formulated in Switzerland at the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development (AIRD) and made in the US. Our proprietary skin care formulas are:

• Botanically based 

• pH correct 

• Hypoallergenic 

• Dermatologist tested 

• Never tested on animals 

• Formulated without animal products or by-products 

• Formulated without mineral oil 

• Certified vegan 

• Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances

Is Mineral Oil Good For Your Skin?

Discover the Arbonne Difference: 

Pure, Safe & Beneficial A pure approach to looking and feeling great....with premium skin care products. 

Arbonne premium skin care products are formulated in Switzerland at the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development (AIRD) and made in the US. Our proprietary skin care formulas are: 

• Botanically based 
• pH correct 
• Hypoallergenic 
• Dermatologist tested 
• Never tested on animals 
• Formulated without animal products or by-products 
• Formulated without mineral oil 
• Certified vegan 
• Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances

What are Parabens?

Discover the Arbonne Difference: 

Pure, Safe & Beneficial A pure approach to looking and feeling great....with premium skin care products. 

Arbonne premium skin care products are formulated in Switzerland at the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development (AIRD) and made in the US. Our proprietary skin care formulas are: 

• Botanically based 
• pH correct 
• Hypoallergenic 
• Dermatologist tested 
• Never tested on animals 
• Formulated without animal products or by-products 
• Formulated without mineral oil 
• Certified vegan 
• Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances

The Burpee

The burpee is the ultimate full body exercise. There’s a reason why football teams, CrossFit practitioners, and elite military forces use the burpee in their workouts. Just one simple movement tests both your strength and aerobic capacities.


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You’re part of a revolution of health. Inspired by your commitment to sustainability and wellness, you make choices that make a difference for your life—and for the planet. Whether you’re a busy mom, a vegetarian, or an elite athlete, your passion for living well means you don’t want to compromise between whole food goodness and fast food convenience when it comes to choosing your fuel for life. And that’s why including Vega in your regimen means more to you than just feeding your body—it’s about making a stand for vitality and how you intend to live a life of possibility.

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The most healthy, the most pure line of skin & body products in the world! The only makeup colored from the antioxidant rich pigments of fruits & vegetables.

Make Your Own Trail Mix, Snack and Meals

Dry it, you’ll like it! Excalibur Food Dehydrators have changed the way health conscience people all over the world view food preparation and enzyme preservation. 

From drying fresh fruit, to preparing Gourmet Raw Food Preparations Excalibur Dehydrators will soon replace the microwave oven in the health savvy home.

With the Parallex™ Forced Fan design, and our Hyperwave™ Adjustable Thermostat/Timer technology, the Excalibur’s Line of Food Dehydrators are the only choice when it comes to your health. 

The Art of The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Cheryl Richardson Online Course The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Cheryl Richardson Online Course

Lifestyle Changes Can Work Better Than A Drug In Delaying Diabetes

English: Overview of the most significant possible symptoms of diabetes. See Wikipedia:Diabetes#Signs_and_symptoms for references. Model: Mikael Häggström. To discuss image, please see Template talk:Häggström diagrams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the late 1990s, the Diabetes Prevention Program randomly assigned, to one of three groups, roughly 3,200 people who were at risk for diabetes because they were overweight or obese and had fasting blood sugar levels that were elevated (at least 95 mg/dL) but not high enough to warrant a diagnosis of diabetes (126 mg/dL or higher).

Those assigned to the intensive lifestyle group were encouraged to lose at least 7 percent of their body weight and to exercise for at least 2½ hours a week. The drug group was given the oral diabetes drug metformin (850 milligrams twice a day), and the placebo group was given lookalike but inactive pills.

In 2001, the researchers halted the study one year earlier than planned because the results were so clear: The risk of diabetes was 58 percent lower in the intensive lifestyle group than in the placebo group. Metformin cut the risk by 31 percent versus the placebo.

In a follow-up study, the researchers invited the people from all three of the original groups to attend coaching sessions on intensive lifestyle changes every three months. During the next six years, the people from the original intensive lifestyle group maintained their lower risk of diabetes, while the risk of people from the original drug and placebo groups declined.

But since the people in the original lifestyle group had a head start, their 10-year risk of diabetes was 34 percent lower than the risk of those in the original placebo group. The metformin group’s risk was 18 percent lower than the original placebo group’s.

What to do: How much proof do you need? Lose that excess weight and get moving.

Source: Lancet 374: 1677, 2009.

Chickpeas with Arugula-Lemon Pesto

Total time to prepare: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
2 cups arugula
1 cup fresh basil
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 15 oz. can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 butter lettuce leaves

Directions:
* Make the pesto: Combine the lemon juice, garlic, arugula, basil, oil, and pepper in a food processor. Process until the herbs and garlic are finely chopped.

* In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the pesto and season with up to ½ tsp. of salt.

* Serve on the lettuce leaves.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Information:
Per Serving (¾ cup)-
Calories: 210
Sodium: 270 mg
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 7 g
Fiber: 5 g

  

 
 

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Are You Increasing Your Risk of Diabetes?

Strength Training (Photo credit: Rtist MrB)

People who were sedentary for roughly 12 hours a day had higher blood sugar levels than those who were sedentary for around 9 hours. Doing less exercise and being overweight also raised the risk of higher blood sugar, but among people with equal levels of exercise or excess weight, those who sat the longest had a higher risk.

What to do: Get out of that chair whenever possible, even if it's only for a few minutes at a time. Try standing at your desk, during meetings, or during other activities where it's feasible. Walk to the bus or train (or your destination!) to minimize your time behind the wheel. Don't spend all your leisure time sitting in front of a TV, computer, or movie screen. And don't forget aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) and strength training.

Sources: Diabetologia 2013. doi:10.1007/s00125-013-2845-9. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act.2013. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-20.
 

For daily health and fitness tips join me on Facebook orTwitter.  

Are you getting enough sleep?

Main health effects of sleep deprivation (See Wikipedia:Sleep deprivation). Model: Mikael Häggström. To discuss image, please see Template talk:Häggström diagrams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although most people get around five to seven hours of sleep a night, experts caution that number should really be somewhere closer to eight hours of sleep. "The problem with being chronically sleep-deprived (as in, missing one to two hours nightly) is that the body perceives the sleep loss as a "stress," which increases levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol (which interferes with insulin function)," says Shawn Talbott, nutritional biochemist and author of "The Secret Vigor: How to Overcome Burnout, Restore Biochemical Balance, and Reclaim Your Natural Energy."

That means blood sugar regulation is compromised and you'll crave more sweets and junk food. The increased appetite for unhealthy snacks puts you at risk for abdominal weight gain, diabetes and obesity. 

For daily health and fitness tips join me on Facebook or Twitter. 

How Many Servings of Fruit And Vegetables Should You Consume?

Fruits and vegetables (Photo credit: nutrilover)

The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably need even more - I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs. regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they're organic or not.

Are You Eating For Two?

Restaurant potions tend to be huge. To help control your portions ask the waiter to immeditaly put half of your meal in a take home box and the bring the rest to your table. Chances are that half portion will satisfy your hunger and you can save the remainder for another day.

What Are The Benefits Of Exercise?

Fitball Group Fitness Class Category:Fitness Category:Challenges to physical balance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Remember, there are numerous benefits of regular exercise besides just losing weight. So, don’t base your fitness results purely on whether you are losing pounds or inches. Other important factors include having more energy, sleeping better, increased stamina and increased endurance. Or, even simply being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting as winded.



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Are Salads A Healthy Option?

You really can't go wrong with fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Salad dressings however are a different story.  I personally just use fresh lemon juice for my dressing.  

When eating out watch out for too much salad dressing. Restaurants often drown a salad in dressing causing your "lite" menu option to be not quite so. Salad dressing can easily add 200-300 calories! Ask for it on the side and try to limit your amount to about 2 tablespoons.

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Stop Trying To Be Perfect

If some people eat one food not on their plan, their failure to be perfect sets in motion a psychological chain of events that leads to frustration and the inability to get right back on the plan. The all-or-nothing mentality sets in and BAM, they're back to nothing. But it doesn't have to be this way. 100% nutritional discipline is never required for optimal progress. The difference, in results, between 90% adherence to your nutrition program and 100% adherence is negligible. So allow yourself the extra 10% wiggle room. This will allow you the freedom to eat a few extra things not on your menu without the guilt and subsequent crash.

Get Rid Of The Junk Food

If a food is in your possession or located in your residence, you'll eventually eat it. If you wish to be healthy and lean, you must remove all foods not conducive to those goals from said residence and replace them with a variety of better, healthier choices. If you know someone whose house is stocked only with optimal food choices and yet who is not healthy and lean, look under his bed.

What Do I Eat?

People often ask me what I eat.  I eat a gluten free, plant baseddiet.  I eat grains like amaranth, oatmeal and quinoa.  I eat organic locally grown fruits and vegetables that are in season.  I head to the freezer section if I can't find enough fresh fruits and vegetables to complete my caloric needs for the week.  I also eat raw unsalted nuts and seeds.       I drink filtered water and green tea mostly.  On occasion I will drink a glass of wine and or champagne.  I have noticed over the years that alcohol, even wine make me feel lethargic the next day.  When you eat clean you will immediately feel the consequences of eating and drinking crap. I eat 3 meals a day with a snack.  I have my last meal 3 hours before I go to bed.  I find I do better when I set clear boundaries for myself.  Most people eat from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed.  I have been eating this way for a while now, and I love how I look and feel.  Eating this way is very easy for me, but I do not try to push this on my clients. I do however stress the importance of eating real food, and staying away fromprocessed foods that are very high in calories, but offer very little nutrition. When it is all said and done you make 1 of 3 choices with your food intake.  Lose weight, gain weight or maintain your current weight.  If you are happy with your current weight, then keep doing what you are doing.  If you want to gain or lose weight you must change your diet. For daily health and fitness tips join me on Facebook or Twitter.

What Are You Eating For Breakfast?

If you're looking to gain mass and have a good carbohydrate tolerance, place a bowl of fiber-rich, low-GI rolled oats along with ½ scoop of vanilla protein powder, frozen mixed berries, pineapple and a small quantity of mixed nuts right next to your omelet. This is a muscle building breakfast that's hard to beat. 

However, if you tend to hold a lot of body fat, just stick with protein, good fats, and veggies for breakfast. Save the non-fruit and veggie carbs till after exercise only - yes, even oatmeal.

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