A Little Planning Can Lead to Big Weight Loss!

The problem: You're busy. You have to work, organize family activities, run errands, and make time for exercise. When do you decide what to eat? If you're like many people, you don't think about your next meal until you're starving. And then you might be tempted to hit the fast food drive-through or the office vending machine for a quick fix. But if you're trying to lose weight, you know this isn't a good diet strategy.

The solution: Plan ahead. If weight loss is your goal, you should never be caught off guard and hungry. A little forethought is all it takes to create meals that will keep you satisfied and your hunger at bay. It doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming either.

Here are a few reasons that planning your meals in advance can help you lose weight more easily:

•Keeps your hunger under control. Fuel your body at regular intervals to tame your appetite and make it easier to stick to your diet. When you're not starving, you'll be able to resist the office candy jar or the coffeehouse muffin.

•Easier to monitor your calorie intake. Advance planning means you can decide how many calories to eat at each meal, then prepare food that meets your goals. It's easier than trying to add up calories throughout the day.

•You'll be less likely to binge. When you plan your meals in advance, you can add in your favorite treats or schedule a special cheat meal and still meet your calorie requirements. You'll stay in control of your choices and be able to enjoy your food without guilt or anxiety.

If you're following a Beachbody® program and meal plan, you're probably trying to eat more often throughout the day to keep your metabolism up and your blood sugar stable. This might seem overwhelming at first, but all you really need is enough tasty food to meet your calorie requirements and stay full until the next time you eat. Here are five tips for planning your meals in advance to keep your energy up and your hunger at bay:

1.Cook in bulk. When you prepare meals, make double and freeze half in individual containers. Use the weekends (or any free time during the week) to plan your meals with your family. Decide what you're going to eat, then shop accordingly so healthy food is always on hand. As you prep for one meal, cook more vegetables and meat than you'll need, and use the leftovers in the next day's food plan. You can also chop extra vegetables and store them raw in the refrigerator for a quick salad later.

2.Portion food into single servings. Measure out cereal, nuts, Whey Protein Powder, vegetables, and fruit into bags or containers. When you're in a rush to leave the house, just toss what you need into your bag or car. You can also keep protein bars on hand for a convenient on-the-go snack.

3.Bring one container; eat twice. If you're going to be at work all day, bring one large container of food and eat half at lunch and the other half later in the day. It's one less meal to plan.

4.Keep it simple. You don't have to prepare a multicourse feast five times a day to eat well. When you're on the go, choose things that are portable and don't require a lot of fuss, like:

•hard-boiled eggs and whole-grain toast
•oatmeal with berries and nuts
•grilled chicken and a salad
•canned tuna or chicken and brown rice
•sandwiches on whole-grain bread or wraps
•nuts and dried fruit
•string cheese and whole-grain crackers
•yogurt and fruit
•Whey Protein Powder
•vegetables and hummus
•Shakeology® (take one of the new single-serve packets or a scoopful in a plastic bag or your shaker cup)

Shakeology Combo Paks $129.95












5.Anticipate busy days. If you know your kids have soccer practice every Tuesday evening, then make that night's dinner quick and easy. Perhaps that becomes your cheat meal and you order pizza (better yet, have the ingredients on hand to make your own healthy version. The kids will love creating their own pizzas). Or you can simply defrost a meal you've frozen ahead of time, so it's ready to throw in the oven when you get home. Plan ahead so your busy schedule doesn't get in the way of your weight loss.

You Can Eat Great and Still Lose Weight!

All these years later, a lot of people still think that the only way to shed excess fat is to eat a bland diet or choke down foods they dislike. Luckily, that just isn't true. Not only can you eat well while you're shedding excess fat, it's highly recommended that you do so. The more you enjoy your meals, the less likely you are to cheat on your food plan or give it up entirely.

So how do you lose weight without feeling deprived? Stick to these tips:

1.Have a regular workout program. There are people who manage to lose weight without much exercise. But it requires them to follow a very strict, restrictive diet, and the weight loss is likely to stop or reverse itself with the tiniest caloric backsliding. And even if they're successful, they're likely to end up "thin but flabby" rather than lean and fit.

On the other hand, when you have an effective workout plan, you burn more calories, build lean muscle, and prevent your metabolism from slowing down as the weight comes off. What's more, working out changes the way you think about food—you'll be more aware of what your body really needs, and start eating to fuel your muscles and keep up your energy instead of stuffing your face for the heck of it. You'll stick to your food plan because you want to, not because you have to. And that means you're more likely to keep it up over the long haul.

2.Go for quality. Junk foods aren't called "junk" just because they tend to be unhealthy. They're often made of cheap ingredients that aren't even that tasty, with a lot of added sugar, salt, fat, and chemical flavorings to make up for it. As former FDA commissioner David Kessler points out, they're intended to make you crave more food, not to satisfy your hunger.

Less processed foods, on the other hand, tend to taste better naturally and be better for you. Of course, it would be nearly impossible to give up processed foods entirely, and you don't have to. Just devote a larger portion of your meals to "clean" items: fresh vegetables and fruits; lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy, or vegetarian protein; and nuts, beans, and whole grains. And eat fewer foods that have more than five ingredients on the label, especially if you can't pronounce some of them. (If you really need Doritos® now and then, buy a single-serving bag, not the large economy size.)

3.Don't go hungry. A good food plan should keep you satisfied, even if you're eating less than you're used to. To avoid hunger pangs, make sure you always have access to healthy snacks when your plan calls for them, and never skip meals in an attempt to save on calories. Eat more foods that are naturally filling, like soups, salads, and steamed or roasted veggies, along with moderate amounts of healthful fats. And avoid high-glycemic foods made of sugar or starch, which can lead to blood sugar fluctuations that leave you hungry and low on energy.

4.Savor your food. No matter how good your meals are, you're not likely to enjoy them if you're distracted by other things or you gobble your food like there's no tomorrow. That's why, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people who eat "mindfully" are less likely to be overweight. That includes eating slowly so you actually taste each bite, being aware of whether you feel hungry or full, and sitting down for meals without watching TV, working, or driving at the same time. (An added bonus: According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, when families regularly have meals together, the kids naturally develop healthier eating and lifestyle habits.)

5.Spice things up. There's no excuse for eating dull, monotonous meals day after day—not when there are dozens of herbs, spices, and condiments that can perk up weight loss–friendly food in hundreds of different ways. Does a chicken breast with a side of vegetables sound boring? Then try sizzling chicken fajitas, or a paprika-scented chicken stew with root vegetables, or chicken and vegetable slices (oven roasted or grilled) brushed with garlic and olive oil.

The point is, if you keep lots of herbs and spices around, you can prepare great-tasting, healthful meals without much more time or effort than it would take to make dull ones. (You can also save more time by mixing your own sauces, marinades, and dressings—they'll have less added sugar and salt than store-bought ones, and they'll taste better, too.) When your foods are more flavorful, and your meals are full of variety, you won't just be eating as well as before—you'll be eating better.

Article by Ben Kallen
Beachbody Newsletter October 2009

Six Ways to Clean Your Way to Lean if You Don't Have Time to Workout!

Spring cleaning tasks piling up? Don't have time to do you beachbody or other dvd workouts on a regular basis? We thought we offer some ideas on how to clean you what to lean below:

1.Dust and polish (burn 2,288 calories per year). This can be one of the easiest chores to overlook, but since you're doing a deep cleaning, why not get totally into it? You don't even need fancy furniture sprays—just a combination of olive oil and white vinegar. It's like salad dressing for your furniture, only better (combine 1 cup of the oil and a 1/4 cup of white vinegar in a bottle; shake well). Use a soft cloth to work it in and buff out your furniture. You'll not only expend elbow grease (getting a bit of upper-body exercise in), but you'll have naturally shiny furniture. Light dusting burns about 170 calories per hour (assuming a body weight of 150 pounds); with more heavy scrubbing and cleaning, you burn 204 calories per hour.


2.Change the bedding (burn 2,728 calories per year). Although there may be some debate about how often you should change the sheets on your bed, most people think that once every week or two is a good standard. To get in a little more exercise, be sure to make your bed every morning. This way, you'll have a nice bed to slip into every night and you'll also burn 136 calories per hour. Of course, none of us will take an hour to make the bed (Martha Stewart, notwithstanding), but even at 15 minutes, you've burned enough calories to make up for half a glass of wine.

3.Clean the bathroom (burn 2,891 calories per year). Sure, scrubbing toilets is no one's idea of a good time, but it doesn't have to be such a chore. Put on some fast music and get moving. If you make it a little race or game for yourself, you can get the whole bathroom clean in just 20 minutes. If you use large up-and-down movements (like when cleaning a shower door), you'll even get your stretches in. Just by cleaning the bathroom, you can burn at least 231 calories per hour.

4.Sweep the floor (burn 2,896 calories per year). For outdoor areas and garage floors, nothing beats an old-fashioned broom and dustpan. This activity burns 272 calories per hour. So, it makes sense to sweep up the driveway and even get out to the sidewalk. Although sweeping ranked 7th in calories burned, you can increase the level of your workout by getting to all the nooks and crannies of your property that you usually avoid. Even better, stretch up and knock down those cobwebs that have been accumulating in the corners of your garage.

5.Tidy up (burn 4,541 calories per year). This is a general household chore that you can add to your routine every day. Don't worry about being efficient because the more back and forth you walk, the more steps you get in. If you have stairs in your home, even better. Be sure to keep your abs tightened when you do your chores, since it'll give your ab muscles a bit of a workout and improve your posture. Also, be sure to put away heavy things (try carrying those storage boxes down to the basement) to get in some weight training exercise. Even a light tidying up lets you burn over 170 calories per hour. Step it up and you can get it to over 240 calories burned per hour.

6.Scrub the floor (burn 5,117 calories per year). Get on your hands and knees and scrub those tile or linoleum floors. Again, use big, broad circular movements and reach under the bed and other hard-to-reach places. You'll burn about 258 calories per hour, enough to make up for a serving of chicken nuggets.
 
Article excerpted from Cecilia H. Lee
Beachbody Newletter April, 2008

More Exercises to do with Your Pet

In our last blog we reviewed a few ways we could workout with our furry friends so both of us stay fit.  We could all use a little more exercise! Listed below are a few more suggestions for these "buddy" workouts:

1.) Sumo Squats for the Critter
This workout is similar to the Squat and Toy Press. Only this time, you start with your toes pointed slightly outward, making sure that your knees line up with your toes. Hold the toy or ball in both hands, with arms extended straight down toward the floor. As you bend both knees, bringing your seat parallel to the floor and keeping your arms straight, lift the toy directly over your head. As you straighten your knees, jump off the ground a few inches and return the toy to the down position. Hopefully, your mongrel will continue to jump for the toy until your quads have hit exhaustion.

2.) Fetching Push-Ups
The idea is to set yourself up in a push-up position, with whatever modifications you require to do many repetitions (on your knees, against a wall, etc.). Lift one hand and throw a ball. Do as many push-up repetitions as possible until your pet returns. Repeat the toss with the opposite arm.

3.) Laser Creature Crunch
Domesticated animals seem to be fascinated by laser pointers. Get into a comfortable crunch position on the ground, and hold the laser pointer in both hands. Begin doing 10 crunches with the laser on your chest, and of course, pointed away from you. Watch your pet go nuts trying to chase it in the process. Every 10 reps, alternate arm positions behind your head, above your head, and even to your knees. Your dog will go insane, and you will have abs of steel!

4.) Dog Curl/Dip/Press
These options depend completely on the level of stillness your pet can provide. For my two dogs, playing dumbbell just ain't gonna happen. But I have many friends with extremely trusting animals that love to be bench-pressed. Should you try to press, curl, dip, or lunge your best friends, do it relatively close to the ground, just in case they change their minds.

There's a study that shows people with terminal illnesses are three times less likely to suffer depression if they own a pet. Pets are amazing stress reducers and loneliness decreasers, and have actually been proven to lower blood pressure. They also make us more social creatures, as we meet new people on walks, at parks, etc.

If you add a pet to your household, your life will be dramatically enriched. If you are unable to make a lifelong commitment, borrow a friend's dog for a day, or look into a short-term fostering program. And there are hundreds of organizations out there that could use volunteers to walk the dogs they are sheltering. That way, you get some exercise, and make a difference at the same time. Whatever you do, integrate some canine or feline time into your exercise regimen, and watch the change occur. Now that is doggone good!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TRAINING EXERCISES WITH YOUR DOG!

or visit
Stephanie S. Saunders' article on the Beachbody.com Newsletter, May 2010

http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/167#51927720

Buddy Workouts: Exercising With Your Pet For A Change of Pace

For those of us who have the pleasure of owning a pet, the benefits are fairly obvious. Pets offer unconditional love, listen to us without offering needless advice, and make fantastic snuggling companions. There is nothing like coming home to someone who is genuinely excited to see you and who wants nothing more than a chew toy for Christmas. But for all of the love we give them, we also seem to give them a lot to eat. Approximately 50 percent of the pets in this country are overweight—and with roughly 30 percent of the U.S. population also being overweight, we could all use a little more exercise! One possibility overlooked by pet owners is to recruit your pet as a workout buddy, which is odd, since pets will always show up and won't complain about how hungover they are. Let's look at some ways you can involve your furry friend in sweat-inducing activities that will leave you both reaching for the water bowl:


 

1.Get outside.

Most of us are aware of the vast benefits of spending time outside on a daily basis. If you have a dog yet lack a large yard, being outside becomes a requirement. So if you have to walk your dog several times a day, why not use the time to your benefit as well? Try to speed up your pace along your normal route. Try alternating your quick pace with some speed walking or a light jog. Find a route that includes some hills or other challenging terrain. Add some high knee lifts, butt kicks, or lateral skipping if you are not embarrassed by public displays of exercise. Or simply try adding 5 minutes onto your quick-paced walk every week, until you are up to an hour. The added calorie burn will be worth it.

If you are a bit more daring, try hiking or running with your dog. There is the obvious increase in caloric expenditure for both of you, but also an increase in cardiovascular and muscular output that will definitely pay off. Look for soft surfaces—like a trail or dirt track—to help protect your joints, and remember that hot pavement is really painful for dogs' paws. Also, there are special harness-type leashes out there that keep your hands free and make running with more than one dog much more bearable.

2.It's all fun and games.
Playing with your pet can be great exercise and fun for both of you. If you have a yard, or live near a local dog park, all of this is much easier. Of course, it can be done in your living room, but it might be a bit dangerous for the furniture. Try playing fetch, but race your dog for the ball. Just throw and start running. Or play tag by chasing your dog around the designated area. If your dog is on the strong side, grab a rope and try some tug-of-war. If you're considerably stronger than your pooch, try tugging while standing on one leg, and using only one arm. Create an obstacle course, and run it with your dog. Find a ball and a wall, and play a version of handball mixed with "keep away"—from your dog. Practice your tennis swing and let your pup retrieve the ball.

Just doing something playful can make a normal workout feel like you are back on the playground with your four-legged best friend. How can it get better than that?

3.Train the dog, or train the owner?
This is not a section on teaching a dog to sit or training your spouse to get you a drink from the fridge. This is about using functional resistance training to manipulate your mutt's musculature, along with your own. Try the following exercises with some help from Fido.

Balance Challenge
Stand on both feet, hips-width apart, with your dog's favorite toy in hand, but hidden from view. Shift your weight onto one foot, keeping the other foot's toes just off the ground. Now show your pet a favorite toy. Try bending your standing leg and lowering the toy to touch the ground in front of you. Once you lose your balance, or your pup gets the toy, switch to the opposite leg.

Squat and Toy Press
For this exercise, use your dog's favorite toy or a small weighted medicine ball. Start with your feet hips-width apart, and in a parallel position. Bring the toy or ball to your chest. Squat down deeply with your butt going parallel to the floor, and your knees staying behind your toes. As you extend your knees to stand back up, throw the toy or ball into the air, and try to catch it before your mutt jumps up and grabs it! Repeat until one of you gives out.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TRAINING EXERCISES WITH YOUR DOG!
or visit
Stephanie S. Saunders' article on the Beachbody.com Newsletter, May 2010

http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/167#51927720

From Tae Bo to Turbo Jam: The Best in Kickboxing DVDs ...

For many years, video workouts were made up of moves you’d only find in dance classes. But toward the late 1990’s, a new trend emerged. Martial arts-style kicks and punches were woven into cardio workouts making home exercising even more fun and challenging than before.

Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo videos were the first to bring kickboxing to the mainstream. Since their release, dozens of other workouts have followed ranging from gentle, easy-to-learn kickboxing moves to hardcore drills not for the faint of heart.

Easing into kickboxing

Want to get a feel for kickboxing workouts or slowly ease back into the moves? There are two DVDs that will help you. Quick Fix: Cardio Kick and 10 Minute Solution: KickBox Bootcamp both include four, 10-minute workouts. Leslie Sansone offers an easy workout on her Walk and Kick DVD.

Nothing beats the original Tae Bo workouts. The “Basic” workout from the original series is ideal for beginners. Also, if you still have a VCR and can find copies of the “Tae Bo Live!” series either in a bargain bin or on eBay, the basic workouts from this series are also exceptional workouts. (They have not been released on DVD yet.)

New to workout scene is a popular series called Turbo Jam. The creators of Turbo Jam included an instructional workout (called “Learn”) as well as slower-paced workout (“Burn”) to help beginners get used to the moves.

Other excellent introductions to kickboxing include “Jillian Michaels' Biggest Winner Cardio Kickbox” and “Caribbean Workout: Kickboxing”.

Want a challenge?

Once you’re learned how to do a roundhouse kick to perfection and your punches are strong and powerful, it’s time to step it up.

There are over a dozen Tae Bo workouts designed for the intermediate user. There’s “Cardio Circuit”, “Rounds” and “The Power Within”.

Turbo Jam also has more challenging workouts including “Cardio Party 1, 2 & 3”, “Fat Blaster” and “Lower Body Jam”.

                              Turbo Jam Maximum Results

There are also many lesser-known gems. One of the best kickboxing workouts ever produced is Kathy Smith’s Kickboxing Workout. It’s a thorough and smart kickboxing experience. Also be sure to check out the Powerstrike series as well as Guillermo Gomez’s Kickbox Underground and Sharon Mann’s Shape Up With Sharon: Kickboxing.

DVDs an advanced kickboxer could appreciate

Yes, Billy Blanks also caters to those who have worked their way up to being an advanced kickboxer. His “Bootcamp” series is far beyond his original series as is his “Extreme” DVD.

But if you’re looking for an intense workout, look to the instructors who are known for their hardcore workouts.

Janis Saffell (who specializes in kickboxing) has her Hardcore Kickbox Circuit, Kickbox Express and Kick It workouts which are well-done and will push you beyond your limit.

Kimberly Spreen's Box-N-Flow, Cathe Friedrich's Kick, Punch and Crunch and Kelli Robert’s KickButt Combat are worthy of your collection and are workouts any kickboxer would want to work their way up to.

Final suggestion:

Often times kickboxing workouts are criticized for not sticking to traditional kickboxing moves. Katalin Rodriguez-Ogren, a personal trainer known as “GI Jabb”, has a solid background in martial arts training. Her experience and mindfulness of proper form shines through in the traditional-inspired workouts she offers for all fitness levels.

With a never-ending list of interests and a great deal of experience and knowledge, Wendy Wallace is an intuitive counselor offering sessions which combine psychic reading, life coaching and counseling all to help heal your mind, body, and spirit. What changes might you make in life if you could know what the future holds?


Article Source: EzineArticles.com -- Wendy Wallace

Yoga and Your Mind.

Yoga is one of the most exciting forms exercise. The reason for its popularity is that it includes both mind and body exercises. These exercises allow a deep form of mediation that has actually existed for several thousand years. Yoga came from India, and involves practicing breathing and postures that induce meditation. It is a form of discipline that unites the body and the mind. This is what makes it different then a typical aerobics class.

Yoga's many health benefits include greater flexibility, increased strength and endurance, a lessening in stress, greater coordination, greater energy, and even a relief of PMS and menstrual cramps. Yoga is great for everyone and it is pretty possible to find a class to suit anyone's needs.

So if you are practicing yoga you might want to know what the best kind yoga to practice is. The following is a list of the most popular types of yoga. We will start with Lyengar. Lyenger is a good form of yoga for beginners. Lynegar uses pillows and chairs to help those who are as flexible as others. Hatha Yoga is another form of light yoga. Hatha focuses mostly on healing the mind with breathing and meditation held during poses. If you want a faster, more aerobic type of workout, then Astanga yoga might be for you. This type of yoga is also called power yoga. It stresses strength and power. For athletes this may be the way to go. If you are just starting out, this might not be your first choice. Sivananda yoga is a good mix of all of these. I would recommend this as an in between choice. This yoga consists of 12 different poses that are combined with relaxation and breathing, as well as meditation. Form is also highly emphasized in Sivananda yoga.

There are of course many other types of yoga then these. The ones mentioned are just a good place to start for those looking for a beginning.

 Yoga Booty Ballet Master Series

                                                

If you do decide to try out yoga, then you are going to also want to try out a good diet. The one you will probably hear about is the yoga diet. It is basically the clean diet with a different name. Well balanced meals, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fats, and eaten in moderation.

If you want to give yoga a try, try one of the above. You will probably find something you are looking for. Enjoy, breathe, and stretch you stress away!


Article by Mike Bunta as contributed to ezines.com