IT'S GOOD TO GIVE YOUR BODY A BREAK ONCE IN AWHILE...

We all know how important it is to exercise regularly but it's also just as important to give your body regular breaks. So long as the 'break' doesn't become permanent!
Depending on how hard you work, your body needs to recover accordingly.
If you go hard and hit the gym Monday to Friday, you should take at least one day on the weekend to recover, the other you could do a more leisurely activity.
It's also important to give your body a longer rest from time to time. It doesn't hurt to take a week off each season just to rest it and change things up.
You'd be surprised how your body will re-energize when you give it a chance. You will come back stronger and with new energy...ready to tackle the new challenges that lay ahead.
So go ahead...give yourself a break!

HOW TO STAY CLEAR OF TEMPTATION...

It can be very difficult to resist temptation but here are a few tricks to help you stay clear.
1. STAY AWAY FROM DRIVE-THRU'S- Drive Thru's are the templates of disaster. It's so easy to biggie size your fries or add a shake instead of a diet pop when you're eating on the go. It's convenient...you really might not be hungry but you're given a combo and you eat it just because...not a good thing
2. EAT MINI MEALS- By snacking throughout the day rather than eating 2 or 3 large meals you have more control over how much you are eating. You are not overeating because your blood sugar is low and you feel like you're starving. By eating small amounts regularly you are better able to listen your tummy and stop when full. Your body also uses the food more efficiently because it knows there is more coming soon.
3. WEIGHT YOURSELF REGULARLY- By weighing yourself it reminds you of where you are at. If you are up a few pounds then you know sooner than later to make some adjustments. Mainly psychosomatic but it's all good.
4. GET HAPPY- Poor food choices is often associated with mood. If you are happy and content you are more likely to keep things in check. If you are sad or emotional you may look to food for comfort and that's not a good thing.
By trying these four things you may just be able to steer clear of temptation and look to make better food choices for you. Give it a shot!

DON'T SKIP THE PROTEIN!

I remember when I was growing up I remember believing that meat (man source of protein) would make me fat. A lot of people still believe that today. It's silly of course as protein used properly helps to build muscle which in turn helps your body to burn calories more efficiently.

It's when people eat too much protein or protein foods loaded with fat, that we run into trouble.

How it is cooked is very important, along with eating it regularly.

If you sit down at dinner and have a grilled 12 oz sirloin steak with buttered potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce and buttered french bread...you are indeed consuming too many calories and a lot more fat than you need.

The meat in itself is 2 to 3 times larger than a normal serving of 4-6 oz.

If think that chicken is a good protein source you are correct. But Kentucky Fried Chicken is not! That's just loaded with extra fat. ONE piece of extra crispy chicken breast is 490 calories and a crazy 31grams of fat! On average a 6oz grilled chicken breast has 281 calories and 3 grams of fat in comparison...yikes.

Great protein sources are lean red meat, chicken salmon, tuna, yogurt, tofu, quinoa (protein grain), lentils and beans. Of course there are too many to list.

My main point here is to make sure you get a healthy serving of protein at every meal. By healthy I mean cooked without added fat.

So don't be afraid of protein.

Mix it up, use proper serving sizes, keep it healthy and enjoy!

Now could somebody please pass the honey-glazed chicken?...Sml

HIT THE WEIGHTS! BETTER THAN JUST DOING CARDIO!

In my younger years I used to believe that 'cardio' was the only way to burn fat and keep myself in shape. How wrong I was...that's the hard way to do it!
Building muscle is the quickest way to re-adjust your metabolism to burn more calories, become stronger and if you stick to eating healthy you will lose weight too!
Now the best combination for staying fit is both cardio and weights but more emphasize on the weights is a good thing.
15-20 minutes three days a week is all you need. Start light and work your way up making sure you do both upper body and lower body.
Don't have access to weights? No problem...push ups, pull ups, sit ups, squats and lunges are excellent multi-muscle builders. Again start small and work your way up...adding as you go and changing things up regularly.
The Internet is a great way to start if you don't have access to a personal trainer, because technique is very important in order to keep yourself from getting injured.
Lots of stretching is important before and after exercising too. But make sure you do a little bit of cardio before stretching to warm yourself up, otherwise you may pull a muscle.
So if you don't already, add weights to you fitness routine.
It won't take long for you to feel better about yourself and see results!
Keep smiling and stick with it!

TRY EATNG MINI-MEALS RATHER THAN HUGE ONES

In today's world eating 3 large meals a day is not the best way to fuel our bodies.

The 'large meal' concept came from way back when people ate to survive. They would use up all their energy to chase down and kill an animal, in order for their families to survive. They would eat all they could handle after the kill and dry the rest to eat until the next big kill. Never knowing how long the wait would be.

We, on the other hand, eat for very different reasons. Because we are bored, emotional, pressure to try something, for social reasons...the last reason being because we need fuel.

We have 'programmed' ourselves to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, whether we are hungry or not.

Our bodies are built to expend energy continuously. Hence they need to be fueled in this fashion. During the day when we are generally using the most energy is when we need to eat.

Small meals regularly keeps our energy levels up and allows us to function most efficiently.

Eating more calories than our bodies need results in extra energy which is stored as fat.

Eating late at night, just before bed, is not a good thing as our bodies metabolic rate (calorie burner) drops down and our need for food diminishes.

Upon waking we need refueling and this is when we should have our largest meal of the day.

Definitely not the meal to skip.

Think of it like trying to run your car on fumes...doesn't run so well. Well you body isn't going to run very well either if you don't fill it up.
Also eating mini-meals doesn't leave you starving, so you are less likely to overdo it when it's time to fill your tank.

You won't have so many 'highs' and 'lows' during the day as your blood sugar levels will be more constant. You will feel better and this can only be good.

So give it a try...start eating smaller amounts more frequently, listening to your body and stopping before you are full.

Your body will thank you for it!

Keep smiling...

YOU'RE NOT A BEAR...SO DON'T HIBERNATE IN THE WINTER!

I know how easy it is to slack off your workout routine in the winter. No more bikinis, short skirts, tank tops and little dresses. Now you can trade in for long pants, shirts that cover it all, sweaters and bulky jackets.

So being a little bloated after eating that double portion of pasta isn't going to show instantly. But believe me it won't take very much time before it does. Don't let your winter cover ups give you a false sense of security.

With this comes the cold weather that often becomes peoples standard excuse for not exercising. Ha...you don't have to like winter to exercise.

Figure out what you like to do and do it! Try new things...how about snowshoeing or cross-country skiing? You can still go to the gym...how about skating or just plan walking? Put on your snow boots and get moving! It's never boring and trekking through the snow is way better for you than just plain walking. How bout building a snowman or having a snowball fight?...all good.
They even have walking programs at most malls. You can even get out and shovel your drive way.
The exercise will help chase the blues away and the adrenaline will make you feel better about yourself.
Not to mention the fact of all the extra time you have to get yourself ready for the summer season!
Start now...time's a wasting!

STARBUCKS?...YIKES...THE FANCIER THE NAME, THE WORSE IT IS FOR YOU

Ok...BEWARE OF STARBUCK'S FANCY LINGO...THE LESS YOU CAN PRONOUNCE IT THE WORSE IT IS FOR YOU!..HA..
The hidden calories and fat in these oversized 'comfort' beverages is crazy! The ones made with cream and whipped cream do not do your body good.
For instance the most basic FRAPPUCCINO is caffe vanilla. This is a blended coffee with milk and whip cream. The most common size is Grande and has a whopping 430 cal with 130 cal or 14 grams of that in fat!...yikes.
A CAFFE LATTE wish is essensially expresso and steamed milk runs at 190 cal for a grande and 60 cal or 7 grams is fat. Better than the FRAPPUCCINO but you've still gotta watch it.
Even a basic grande HOT CHOCOLATE is 370 cal with 140cal or 16 grams of it fat.
If you are going for something cold the LEMONADE BLENDED BEVERAGE is lemonade and ice and the grande is 250 cal and no fat. This one isn't so bad.
But if you ignore the beverages you can't pronounce and go for a black coffee or tea you aren't adding any extra calories or fat to your day. Even if you have cream and sugar in it you are ten steps ahead of the 'fancy' drinks.
So stick to 'simple' when ordering. Skip the whipping cream and ask for non-fat milk to trim the calories. There is also a hidden secret that I have discovered. They have a small size called a SHORT which is about 1 cup. Some beverage they won't make this small but it doesn't hurt to ask. When I decide to treat myself I order a non-fat latte short. This runs under 100 calories and next to nothing in fat. A healthy choice but still a treat from my normal assortment of teas.
And if you're thinking of adding a muffin, tea biscuit or cookie to that you might as well throw in the towel!...ha...I don't even want to start depressing you with those stats. If you've gotta have something either share it with someone or have a few bites and save the rest for another day. I know, easier said than done but you've gotta start somewhere!
Keep smilin and have fun...

DO YOU LIKE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL SPORTS?

There are many different ways to get regular physical fitness into your day.
If it's something you seem to struggle with or you just never have enough time to fit it in, you may need to change your thinking a little.
First off ask yourself if you had to choose would you consider yourself a team player or do you prefer an individual sport?
This will help you define what types of activities may suit you best. If you're a team player you may want to sign up for hockey, volleyball, soccer, bowling, the list goes on. As for individual activities you may look to running, track and field, hiking, swimming, gym, biking and so many more.
Even everyday activities can be considered exercise if you put a little effort into them. Gardening at a fast pace can get your heart rate up along with mowing the lawn, with a push mower of course!
Parking a few blocks away from the grocery store counts, along with taking the stairs instead of the elevator, this works great in the airport!
No matter what activity you choose make sure you make it fun and stick to it...your body will thank you for it.

BETTER TO EAT FRUIT RATHER THAN DRINK JUICES..

DID YOU KNOW IT'S BETTER TO EAT FRUIT THAN DRINK FRUIT JUICES?

Well it's true...Why you ask?
The two main reasons are because fruit juices often have a lot of added sugar and you don't get as much fibre drinking the fruit.

The excess sugars adds up to lots of extra calories. And often enough our 'glass' of juice is usually two or even three servings and that adds up quickly.

When you eat an apple you get the advantage of all the fibre within in and that's a good thing. Apple juice does not have the nutrients of the 'whole apple' in the carton. Still good for you but higher in calories than the fruit and not as nutritious.

Studies have shown that one attributing to obesity in young children can be linked to drinking too much juice. I'm sure it does the same with adults.
One cup (248g) has 114 calories and approximately 24 grams of sugar. So if you give your child a cup with breakfast, lunch, dinner and with three snacks you've given your child 684 calories and that isn't even including food! You can see how that adds up quickly to a truckload of empty calories.
And with younger children it's best to give them a cup of water with a splash of juice. The older ones you may have to go half and half to get it passed them. Stick to it and they'll get used to it.

So next time you go to drink a glass of juice, drink water instead and grab a piece of fruit.
It will do your body good!

DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ORDER WHEN EATING OUT?

Not sure what to order when eating out at a restaurant? Here are a few pointers that'll help you keep on track.
Have a look at the menu on-line if it's a chain restaurant, stick with simple; baked, grilled, roasted, tomato based sauces to start, skip the appetizer and dessert, dressing on the side and don't eat everything on your plate!
Deciding what you're going to order beforehand can make things very simple when you go out. The on-line menu will show you the calories and amount of fat in each item, which is important. For example a slice of deluxe pizza regular crust extra cheese can run you a whopping 450 calories and 45% fat, where a single serving of pasta (1.5 cups) and tomato sauce is only 300 calories and less than 20% fat.
Stay away from fried, battered, butter and cream sauces as they add tonnes of extra fat calories. Opt for grilled, baked, roasted chicken and order steamed vegetables. Lots of flavor and healthy too!
As for the salad dressing?? Nothing good about it...all fat! Ahhh...can I get a little salad with my dressing? If you order it on the side you can drizzle some on for flavor rather than killing it. That'll give you more flavor without all the extra fat and calories.
Understand too that restaurants often serve double or even triple the portions you need So don't clear your plate or be afraid to take some home for a healthy lunch the next day.
And if you really have to have those deep fried honey garlic chicken wings, split them with someone and just have one or two.
Even if you use just one of these pointers you'll be one step closer in learning to make healthier choices...your body will thank you for it!

DON'T MAKE EXCUSES...JUST DO IT!

It's soooo easy to make excuses when it comes to exercise. Chances are there are tonnes of other things you would rather be doing...laundry...dishes...toilets...ha.
The trick is to write out what you are going to do and stick to it. If you are going to hit the gym three times a week before work, make sure you do it.
Commit that time in your blackberry just like you would a work meeting or doctor's appointment.
Don't start fiddling around the house or trying to cram in a bunch of running around town before the gym cause you will not get there.
Making an excuse is easy, getting to the gym is harder.
The longer you do it the easier it will be to get there and before you know it will become routine.
And regular exercise is essential to a long, happy life...so don't think about it, just do it!

You Can Go Out For Cocktails and Not Overindulge!

You don't have you blow it when you go out for cocktail. Here are a few hints to help you keep you calorie intake in check.
1. Don't go out on an empty stomach. After getting a few drinks in your system you will be more likely to get the munchies. Have a healthy snack before you go out. Some whole grain bread, fruit, veggies, maybe some grilled chicken. It will help ward off your cravings later.
2. Drink LOTS of water...before, during and after having liquor. When you drink your body becomes dehydrated...one cause of the dreaded hangover. It also help to fill you up and it has no calories. Alternate water between drinks and you'll reduce the chance of getting drunk. Also drink 2 or 3 glasses of water before bed, it will help flush the alcohol from your system so that when you do rise the next day you won't feel like you were just ran over by a very big truck!
3. Make a pact with yourself not to order food after you've been drinking...it's all just extra calories. If you can't help it grab a small bag of pretzels or have a peanut butter sandwich before bed. Something small will do the trick...not an extra large deluxe pizza at 3 am...that'll taste nasty in the morning.
Hopefully these pointers will help you have a good time and keep yourself in check. Be smart and have fun!

FINDING IT HARD TO GET MOTIVATED? JOIN THE CLUB!

Do you find it hard to get motivated for exercising? Ha...join the club.
There are so many other things I could/should be doing. Sleeping, laundry, writing, dishes, groceries, bills...you name it and it needs to get done. BUT...if you don't start getting your exercise in you will NEVER get it in.
Excuses are easy, getting it done isn't so easy sometimes.
Even harder the days you're not feeling so well, or you are suffering from sleep deprivation.
It's so easy to justify not putting on those runners and getting your body moving.
For me it needs to be treated like a job. You HAVE to do it. It's automatic and you may gripe about it from time-to-time but you do it...no questions asked.
Cause when all is said and done you do feel better afterwords. More energetic, better about how you look and feel, it's a good thing. I love it even more when I'm leaving the gym with a huge smile on my face and I pass my friends are just starting...ha. Sucks to be them! Smile
I've done it so long I don't even have to think about it cause if I did then I would probably not do it...justifying it with the list of never ending things I could/should be doing.
Just stick to it and soon you won't have to think about it, like brushing your teeth, you can almost do it in your sleep!
Now wouldn't that be sweet! Smile.

STUCK IN A RUTT? CHANGE IT UP! SML

We definitely are creatures of habit. I'm a prime example. I make a positive change in my life, like committing to exercising regularly, and then I stick to it like glue. Never changing things up or spicing them up a little. Eventually I get bored, especially when I stop seeing results. For 6 months straight I've been running on the treadmill three times a week at the same pace and lifting the same weights, the same way after.
Initially I was full of gusto cause I saw instant results! But fairly quickly my body started to get used to my workouts and it was getting harder for me to change my body for the better. My body was becoming more resistant to my efforts if you will. Now that is very frustrating, a point at which many people quit or feel defeated.
What we need to do 'before' this happens is to tweak our routine a little. This will challenge our bodies and keep us from getting bored...sml.
For example if you normally run, try biking. Or if you run at 5mph/30 min, try raising the incline and adjusting the pace a little, you could even go swimming when your body expects to run. As for the weights, change them up, try doing light weights lots of reps one day and heavy with few reps another.
The idea being to change things up regularly so your body is challenged, so you are challenged. The results?? You will see yourself getting better and better everyday!
Stay positive and keep smiling...

EATING OUT DOESN'T MEAN DISASTER!

Okay...you've done well all week with your eating and exercising! Yeah! Now it's friday and you're friends have invited you out for dinner and drinks. You want to say yes but you also know that your willpower is next to nothing when you're in their company.
After a cocktail or beer and a fried appetizer of some sort, usually involving cheese and extra thick batter, you've pretty much given up on eating well the rest of the night!
Well with some positive thinking and a little prep work you can go out to have a great time AND enjoy a few of your favorites.
First off drink plenty of water before going out and eat something healthy, so you don't arrive at the restaurant famished!
Skip the appetizer if you can but if you must only have 1 piece. Mixed drinks can pile on the extra calories. If you're drinking simple is better...rye and diet coke..vodka and tonic...for me light beer works at just 100 calories. Drinking water in between drinks helps keep your body from dehydrating and keeps the extra calories away.
For your main course try to choose something healthy. Stay away from the 'fried' stuff, creamy sauces and dressing, buttery items and make sure you don't eat everything on your plate. Almost every restaurant I know double or triples the portion size you need. If it's pasta you've ordered take half of it home, you only need 1.5 cups for a meal! Skip on the garlic bread and add some extra veggies. If you need the garlic bread just have one piece.
If you've gotta have the chicken wings...eat 4 or 5 instead of your usual 10...you'll thank yourself later.
We are creatures of habit and if you stick to making a change it will soon become routine and you will eventually adapt and enjoy it. Just may take a little time.
Keep smilin and enjoy life, one step at a time!

GETTING HEALTHY = A LIFESTYLE CHANGE

There is no 'magic pill' to make you lose weight, or get fit, or make you healthy. It takes a positive commitment to a lifestyle change in order to get yourself healthy. More than one factor affects your overall health and by making positive changes in your thinking, nutrition, fitness and environment you will achieve a better you...one step at a time.

Whether you are a top notch athlete or someone that steers clear of the produce section, you can always look to improve yourself each and every day.

You need to set yourself up for success, baby steps to start and commit to making positive changes everyday. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, eat a banana instead of a muffin, look at yourself in the mirror and say something nice instead of pointing out what you don't like, surround yourself with positive/happy/successful people. By checking in with yourself everyday to make sure you are making good changes you will soon find yourself looking for the good in everything...and of course people will be asking you why you've got a nice big smile painted on your face...Ha...

Listen to your body and treat it right and it will be good to you...I've had 5 children and my commitment to good health has paid off....Keep Smilin...

No Dieting Allowed!!

I've had 5 children and I'm a happy, healthy, fit 5'7, 110 lbs...and guess what?? Dieting is not in my vocabulary!..I don't believe in it because society has shaped us into believing that if we 'slip up' during these unreasonably drastic diets, then we are 'bad' and we have 'failed.'

We set ourselves up for failure. How do we expect our bodies to work efficiently on just fruits and veggies? Or by cutting out carbs or eating only 1000 calories a day? It's kinda stupid when you think about it. How far is your car gonna go if you fill it up with water? Our bodies need a variety of foods in order to be at their best.

And when our bodies are fueled properly are minds are clearer and thinking straight.

Moderation is the key. Understanding how to make better food choices is most important when looking to better yourself through nutrition. Should you have white or brown bread, pasta or whole grain rice, a glass of apple juice or a pear, a chicken finger or hot dog? This is an important area to learn a strong base so that you can make the right choices for your body. Are you ready to give it a shot?

Parenting Tips-The Importance of Routine...

As a single mom of FIVE, happy, independant kids aged 11, 8, 6, 4 and 2, I can't stress enough the importance of routine in a child's life. By giving your kids the ability to know what to expect, they in turn can prepare themselves beforehand, so they don't become overwhelmed.

For me seeing is believing...ha..my five children are each uniquely different but by having a base for routine they have been able to take that stress out of their lives and focus more on figuring out themselves! Of course sometimes the routine goes to the wind but the more consistant you are with it the more predictable your kids will be...happy and they will indirectly feel like they have some control over their everchanging worlds.

Simple examples are daily routine...bedtime specifically. Of course most kids want to stay up late and have mom or dad sleep with them...who wouldn't???...The problem with that is that they become grumpy because of lack of sleep and so do you if you've ever had a kid share your sleep time! ha...Believe it or not they are just as happy knowing that their routine is to brush their teeth and hop into bed for a story before 8 pm cuz that's when lights are out. I have found that warning your child about what is about to happen allows for a smooth transitions...no tantrums or crying when it' time for the next piece of the routine. I will tell my kids 5 or 10 minutes before they actually have to start getting ready for bed so that they are not overwhelmed and they have time to finish playing or whatever activity it may be. That also gives you an acceptable parameter for negotiation. They can ask for 5 more minutes and that may be ok with you, while giving them a sense of confidence by making a decision, not realizing that you really controlled it. Smile...It may take a little while to break bad habits but I guarantee that if you stick to a routine, so that your kids know what to expect and when, they will be the better for it and so will you! Give it a try...I dare you...smile.