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.


                                       

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

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.

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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Should you be eating pasta?

pasta (Photo credit: flavorrelish)

I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing personal trainer, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

Restaurant Portions

Image via Wikipedia

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.

Muscle and Weight Loss

Image via Wikipedia

Even when your sitting still muscle burns more energy than fat. So weight training is a very essential part of a healthy weight loss/maintenace program

Is Your Ab Workout Effective?

Abdominal Crunch with Oblique Twist 2 (Photo credit: Scott & White Healthcare)

When doing abdominal exercises be sure to concentrate on using just those specific muscles. And, think about pulling your belly button to your spine, which will make the exercise more effective.

What Are The Benefits of Exercising?

Image via 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

Watch Your Posture

Image via Wikipedia

We tend to spend most of our time with our back in flexion position (bent forward). For better back health, be sure to occassionally arch your back slightly (don't hyperextend). This will help keep your back more in balance.

Are You Breathing Correctly?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Here are some swim breathing technique tips: As you put your face in the water, release some of the air once through your nose to keep the water from entering your nose. Also, be sure your mouth is closed whenever your face is in the water.

Water and Swimming

Image via Wikipedia

Although it may seem strange, you can easily suffer heat exhaustion while swimming. Remember that the water you are in does not help you stay hydrated. You still need to drink the same amount of water and as frequently as you would when performing any other exercise.

Don't Forget Your Veggies

Image via Wikipedia

At every meal eat a rainbow of colors. The more variety of colors in your food, typically the more well-balanced it is. For example, try to include several vegetables of different colors: green, orange, red, and more.