Weight-Loss Pills: Do they work?

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Let's be honest for a moment. You've seen the advertisements for weight loss pills-you know the ones with those amazing before and after pictures-and you've wondered to yourself...do they work?

Diet pills are everywhere, they tempt from store shelves, from infomercials and from glossy magazine pages. You probably know someone who is dabbling with diet pills or maybe you've tried them yourself. Have you ever wondered how they work?

Weight loss pills can be broken down into 3 basic categories:

Appetite Suppressants: These work just like it sounds. The appetite-regulating region of your brain (the hypothalamus) is tricked by blockage of the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result you feel like you've just eaten a big meal, so you're less likely to overeat.

Stimulants: These types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and caffeine to raise energy expenditure (thermogenesis) while also reducing appetite. You're probably aware that these pills were proven in some cases to be deadly, so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and boost metabolism.

Fat Blockers: These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you've eaten from being absorbed into your system.

So we return to our burning question. Do the pills work? Here's what the diet pill companies say:

-"You'll lose 30lbs in 30 days"
-"Achieve rapid weight loss results"
-"Burn calories and fat 24 hours a day"
-"Fights fat and delivers rapid weight loss"

Those claims are amazing...too bad they are just that-claims. It's so tempting to imagine that those benefits could be gained just by swallowing a pill. Tempting enough to make diet pills a multibillion dollar a year industry. Hmmm, makes you wonder that if that many diet pills have been taken then why don't we all look like swim suit models yet?

While diet pills showcase a few star subjects, none of whom live on your block, the world is full of real people who have lost weight and improved their lives with exercise and healthy eating. Check out these proven benefits of exercise:

-Increased Weight Loss
-Strengthens Heart and Lungs
-Improved Sleep Pattern
-Increased Strength
-Improved Coordination
-Raised Self Esteem
-Renewed Confidence
-Feel Good Endorphins
-Feel Younger Than Ever
-Improved Mood

A pill may slightly increase your metabolic rate for a time or may suppress your appetite, and you may lose a few pounds. However, a pill alone cannot produce serious or permanent weight loss. A pill cannot deliver the same results as healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

And weight loss pills have been known to give the following side effects:

-Raised blood pressure
-Increased risk of heart attack
-Cramping, gas and diarrhea
-Constipation
-Headaches
-Dry Mouth
-Insomnia

The bottom line is that true weight loss can't be achieved by a pill.

If you really want to lose weight, if you're looking for long term health benefits then look no farther than your sneakers. That's right, lace them up and go for a jog. Then schedule a time to call me.

Together we will turn you into a walking talking billboard for the benefits of exercise.

Labels: diet, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Too Little of a Good Thing

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Do you know the absolute BEST way to GAIN weight? Not eating. Does that come as a surprise? Fasting for extended periods of time actually slows your metabolism (your body's rate of calorie burning). Add to that the fact that you will lose muscle and energy by not supplying your body with proper nutrients. Instead eat small healthy meals every 4 hours.

Labels: diet

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Defintion of Common Nutritional Terms (Food Labels)

Monday, August 11, 2008

FAT FREE - Product has less than 1/2 (0.5) grams of fat per serving. This value will be rounded to zero.

99 FAT FREE - Every 100 grams of food will have 1 gram or less of fat.

LOW FAT - Product has 3 grams of fat or less per serving.

REDUCED FAT - Fat has been reduced by at least 25 percent (compared to a similar food).

LIGHT (LITE) - Product has 33 fewer calories or 50 less fat per serving than a comparable product.

LEAN - For meat and poultry only. Product has less than 10 grams fat, less than 4 grams saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving.

LOW CALORIE - Product has 40 calories or less per serving.

SATURATED FAT FREE - Product has less than 0.5 grams saturated fat per serving. This value will be rounded to zero.

LOW IN SATURATED FAT - Product has one gram or less saturated fat per serving.

CHOLESTEROL FREE - Product has less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. This value will be rounded to zero.

LOW CHOLESTEROL - Product has 20 milligrams or less cholesterol and two grams or less of saturated fat per serving.

SODIUM FREE - Product has less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving. This value will be rounded to zero.

VERY LOW SODIUM - Product has 35 milligrams or less of sodium per serving.

LOW SODIUM - Product has 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving.

GOOD SOURCE - Used for fiber, protein, vitamins, or minerals. Product has at least 10 of the Daily Value for the particular nutrient.

HIGH IN (EXCELLENT SOURCE) - Used for fiber, protein, vitamins, or minerals. Product has at least 20 of the Daily Value for the particular nutrient.

Labels: body image, diet

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

How Much Water Should I Drink Daily?

Friday, August 08, 2008

You should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. There is a formula used out there especially in the hiking/biking or running world that says half of your weight in oz, so if your weight is 120 lbs, you would need 60 oz of water daily. If you are a coffee drinker then you should add an extra glass of water for each cup of coffee.

Labels: diet, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Television Viewing: A New Health Risk Factor

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

A new study in the American College of Sports Medicine journal gives evidence that sedentary time, involving prolonged sitting and absence of whole-body movement, is an independent risk factor for several health outcomes.

The study included 2,033 women and 2,031 men, all who reported being physically active at least 2.5 hours a week (30 minutes, 5 days per week). They were also all free of diabetes and heart disease. Researchers then looked at the total number of hours daily spent watching television and compared TV time to the prevalence of metabolic risk factors.

In men they found that as the hours of daily TV viewing increased, so did their:

>Waist circumference (indicating increased abdominal fat)
>Systolic blood pressure
>Blood glucose levels

All increases showed a dose-response relationship (the more TV they watched, the higher their risks). All three of these risks are primary risks for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. These findings were adjusted not only for physical activity but also age, education, smoking, income level, alcohol intake, diet quality, and family history of heart disease or diabetes.

In women they also found a dose response relationship between hours of TV viewing and:

>Waist circumference
>Systolic blood pressure
>Blood glucose levels
>Blood triglyceride levels
>Blood HDL levels

Detrimental health changes were observed in women who watched more than an hour of TV daily, and in men who watched 2 hours or more of TV daily. The highest risks were linked to women watching 2 hours or more of TV daily and men watching 3 or more hours daily.

It appears that, even though all of these people met minimal guidelines for physical activity, long periods of inactivity, such as watching TV, should be considered a unique modifiable behavior, an independent risk factor for metabolic diseases. It seems the body was designed for activity and long periods of inactivity can result in poorer health and increased risk for serious health problems.

Just as there are national guidelines for physical activity, the authors of this study suggest that there also needs to be similar guidelines for inactivity. They suggest no more than 2 hours of leisure-time screen time per day may be a practical starting point. Children are recommended to spend no more than an hour a day of screen time. Persons engaging in more time than this are significantly increasing their risk for obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.

Excessive TV viewing can now be considered a new risk factor putting people at increased risk for some of our nation's most serious health problems. Excess TV viewing can replace time normally spent in moderate activities such as household chores, gardening, playing with the kids, and other light-intensity activities that contribute to better health in addition to a regular exercise program.

If you just have to watch a favorite, lengthy movie or football game, here is a way to beat the system: Bring your stationary bicycle to the TV, or a treadmill, and put in some active miles while watching. The goal is to avoid long periods of sitting, which is a health hazard.

Reference:

Healy GN, et al. Television time and continuous metabolic risk in physically active adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2008;40(4):639-645.

Labels: body image, diet, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

7 Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight

Thursday, July 31, 2008

In a high tech world, there’s a whole slew of ways to determine whether you’re losing body fat on your diet and exercise regimen. The favorite traditional methods of measuring body fat include underwater weighing and skin calipers. The newest rage is a specialized bathroom scale that sends infrared beams through your body to determine how much of your body weight is actually fat and how much is lean body mass; muscle and bones. (How fat are your feet, anyway?)

Still, the most tried and true device, and possibly the most accurate way to determine if your dieting efforts are working – is the old fashion bathroom scale! If you’re losing weight on the scale, you’re also losing fat. Sure, if you’re dropping more than 3 pounds per week or your energy levels are waning, you’re likely to be shedding some valuable muscle also along the way.

However, if you’re losing 1-2 pounds every 1-3 weeks, and your energy and strength levels are stable, you’re likely shedding almost exclusively fat. That said; let’s explore the top reasons why people fail to see the body trimming results they hope to achieve.

The 7 roadblocks that keep many frustrated are outlined below. Fix or avoid most of these troublesome 7, and your fat loss will be so smooth.

1) Too Many Carbohydrates.
I’m no fan of strict low carb diets, but any additional carbs above and beyond those needed to saturate your muscles with glycogen have a good probability of being stored as body fat. While bodybuilding training requires a high carb intake, many novices and intermediate trainees simply do not train hard enough to justify a massive carb intake. Depending on your size and level of training intensity, split your carb intake into 5 servings per day and aim for 30-60 grams of carbs per meal to shed fat. Start at a higher intake such as 60 grams of carbs per meal. If you lose weight, continue with 60 grams per meal. If you fail to lose, drop to 50 grams per meal.

2) Too Much Protein.
Surprise! This factoid is tied to carbohydrate restriction. When dieting to lean down, carbohydrates ought to be slowly reduced. However, many dieters take an overly aggressive approach in hopes of making miracle-type progress and cut back too far in the carb department.

When you restrict carbs, your protein intake should increase. But – and this is a big one – over compensating by eating too much protein can also prevent fat loss by contributing to a calorie surplus. As a rule, shoot for .74 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day while trying to add weight and muscle. When ripping up, start chopping away at your carbs and increase the protein to 1.25 to 1.50 grams per pound of body weight. Anything more- will just be stored as fat.

3) Skip The Late Night Carbs.
Don’t believe the conflicting research. The fact remains, carbs eaten at night are less likely to be burned off as fuel and are more likely be stored as body fat. That means; forego the pasta, potato or rice at meal 5 (your final meal of the day) for lean proteins like fowl or fish, along with a side dish of veggies. Or enjoy a Whey Science™ or a Soy Protein Science™ protein shake which provides quality muscle building whey protein without a lot of carbohydrates. You don’t need the carbs at night anyway. Go to the NZ Nutrition Store to get your protein today.

4) Wrong Breakfast.
Want to get lean and eat a lot? Chow down at breakfast. Of your 5 daily meals, the one that is least likely to end up on your hips, thighs and lower back is the first one. In the morning, muscle glycogen stores are lower than during any other part of the day. When glycogen stores are low, your body’s capacity to take carbohydrates and store them as body fat is hampered. So pack in the carbs at breakfast –along with 20-40 grams of high quality protein to jump-start your day. And don’t worry about getting fat.

5) Too Much Cardio.
What happens to the guy or gal who performs 1-2 hours of cardio a day? (We know you’re out there!) They send their body into a tailspin, a state where the "starvation hormones" secreted by the body skyrocket (it’s your body’s survival mechanism, a response to too much exercise!) causing fat cells to try to hoard their energy! Moderate cardio is the way to go. Four to five 20-40 minutes sessions per week is all that it takes. Any more than that and you run the risk of losing precious muscle tissue, which negatively affects your metabolic rate and your ability to train.

6) Never "Cheating" on Your Diet.
Once in a while you should let loose and give yourself a break from the rigors of dieting and scale watching. In fact, it’s helpful in losing weight. That’s because continual dieting eventually leads to roadblocks where the body responds by slowing its metabolic rate. Strict dieting also takes its toll on you mentally, and can leave you feeling deprived. That’s a bad combination! Taking in a couple of high calorie meals once every 7-10 days not only provides a mental break from dieting, but helps you side-step roadblocks by preventing the body from entering a starvation state where the metabolic rate slows.

7) Paying Attention to the scale only.
Ok this may sound contradictory, but the scale is not the "end-all" measurement of progress. You also monitor a couple of other things, primarily energy and strength. If you’re losing weight and you have plenty of energy and strength, you’re losing body fat – guaranteed. On the flip side, if you’re losing weight yet feeling really tired or are seeing constant drops in the weights you use during your workouts, then you’re likely also burning off muscle tissue. If no energy and a loss in strength is the case, then you’re likely violating several of the above tips and will need to rectify them to get back on track.

And there you have it. Avoid these obstacles to losing weight and enjoy your new lean body!

Labels: diet, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

24 Minutes are Enough to Do the Trick

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Do you feel destined to be unfit or not as toned as you would like to be? Many people feel like with work, kids, community activities, and all of their responsibilities that they simply don’t have the time that it takes exercise and feel good about themselves.

Many of us live from year to year never really being happy with the way that we look but settling because we believe that this is the best that we can look and feel. The fact of the matter is, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym each day or each week to look and feel good. Instead, you can spend less than 30 minutes and get the workout that you need to impact your body in a positive way and tone up.

You Don’t Have to be a Slave to the Gym

Did you give up on that gym membership long ago because you just don’t have the time? Or, have you kept that gym membership in hopes that you suddenly find the time? The fact of the matter is that you don’t have to spend hours a day in the gym to tone up and feel good about yourself. In fact, you can lose weight and tone up in as little as 24 minutes a day. While that might even sound like a lot of time to you, we can all easily carve out 24 minutes in our day to feel and look better.

Making a conscious choice to take time to exercise by preparing your mind first. If you are willing to do this you can become the toned individual that you have dreamt of being but assumed that you couldn’t. Having the mental preparedness is 60% of the battle.

How to Tone up in 24 Minutes

A resource that hundreds of thousands of people have found to be very effective is my book Mind Over Body: The Key To Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Head! In this book you will learn how you really need to put your mind to losing weight and toning up. In the book there is a short and amazing workout that will allow you to tone up with less time and effort than you would have ever thought possible. The philosophy is that you really have to be prepared mentally to tone up and get in shape, and when you do this you can achieve any goals.

The book is very positive and will give you all of the information that you need to change your life, your mind, and of course your body. When you are able to reprogram your mind you will be able to change your life, which will ultimately change your body. The change can be a lot less painful and time consuming than you might think!

Labels: body image, book, diet, exercise, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

If Only I Had The Time...or Do I

Monday, June 16, 2008

'I don't have time' is the reason that most people don't exercise. Well, they call it a 'reason' I like to call it what it really is - an excuse.

Most people believe their workouts need to be 60-90 minutes in order to really count. With this kind of time commitment it is no wonder that exercise becomes the activity that you simply don't have time for. Before you know it one missed workout becomes two and soon you realize that you haven't put on your gym shorts for a month.

Missed exercise is a slippery slope toward irreversible consequences. Obesity wasn't gained in one day…or even in one year. Neither was heart disease.

Question: Have you ever wondered if long workouts really deliver the best results?

The truth is that exercise doesn't have to take 60-90 minutes anymore. The experts agree that short, intense bouts of exercise can actually deliver better results than traditional low intense exercise.

In fact, a study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine that tested whether multiple short bouts of exercise would deliver better results than one long bout of exercise. They found that participants who performed short bouts of exercise stuck with the program longer and experienced greater weight loss than the participants that performed long bouts of exercise.

Throw out the idea that you need an entire afternoon or a free evening to have a great workout. It simply doesn't take as much time as you think. Here's one example:

12 Minute Results-Driven Workout

-Dumbbell Squat Press: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. First lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you press the dumbbells overhead while you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Sprint or Jump Rope for 30 seconds.

-Dumbbell Lunge and Curl: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand down at your sides. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg and curl the dumbbells up toward your chest. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Sprint or Jump Rope for 30 seconds.

-Dumbbell Bent Over Rows: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and lean forward from your waist, keeping your back flat. Exhale as you drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Sprint or Jump Rope for 30 seconds.

-V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bench and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.

Sprint or Jump Rope for 30 seconds.

-Think outside of the box. Could you do a 10 minute workout in the morning and a 15 minute workout before bed?

Let's be honest, you make time for the things that you feel are important. If I told you that for every minute you spent exercising I would give you a thousand dollars, would you find a minute to exercise? Sure you would! You'd probably find quite a few minutes to exercise.

Short bursts of intense exercise will give you the results you want, all you have to do is make the time for it.

Somewhere deep down inside you know that it's now or never.

Will you choose to simply close this email and allow your hectic schedule to slowly push you down the path of obesity and health risk? Or will you find creative ways to fit exercise into your day as you steadily regain your shape and health?

Make this the day that you finally make the change. Click on the title of this post to schedule your no-obligation fitness coaching consultation and I'll show you many other high intensity time effective workouts that deliver amazing results.

The choice is yours.

Labels: body image, diet, exercise, fitness, mindful fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

A Coincidence?????

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.?


A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.?


Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.?


A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.?


Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.?


Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.?


Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).?


Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.?


Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.?


Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.?

"The news isn't that?fruits?and?vegetables?are good for you, it's that they are?so?good for you,?they can save your life."

Labels: diet

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Why All The Diet Talk

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Your diet is ruining your body. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone had to say it. I can talk about exercise until I am blue in the face, but until you take charge of your diet, it would all be in vain. Today's statistics show that nearly 60% of the population is currently overweight or obese. While this is shocking, according to a new study reported by WebMD, three out of four US adults will be overweight or obese by the year 2015. That's 75% of us. Wow, those are some scary numbers. I certainly don't want to become part of that statistic, and I know you don't either. So what's the deal? Why are we getting fatter and fatter?

The diet of today's adult is simply out of control. Here's why:
Portions gone wild. It all started in the 1970's. Restaurants began to increase their portions and as a result the unsuspecting public ate more. Since then portions have continued to grow and most people continue to clear their plates despite the extra calories.

Convenience food mayhem. Junk food used to be only found in vending machines-not so today. Have you ever noticed how the checkout line in the supermarket has changed in recent years? It used to be stocked with gum, mints and a few candy bars. Now everything from potato chips to cookies sit within arm's reach. Very few people get through their day without consuming some kind of convenience food.

Fast food fallout. How many fast food restaurants do you pass on your way to work? Probably more than you can count. How many times do you stop in for a quick bite? Probably more times than you would like to admit. Fast food has never been more available than it is today-and it shows in the waistline.

Here's something you may not know: If you were to exercise everyday of the week but failed to change your eating habits from those listed above, you wouldn't see any visible results. Now don't get me wrong-exercise is a vital ingredient for improving your fitness level, health and the shape of your body.

Exercise and good nutrition go hand-in-hand. You won't make progress toward your goals without them both. So where does this leave you? The way I see it, you are faced with an opportunity. With just a few small changes to your daily eating habits you could be well on your way to having an incredible body. Couple this with an exercise program and you will be unstoppable. Keeping with my goal to give you practical tips to improve your health and fitness level, here are three ways to improve your diet.

Slash your portions. Even though that mountain of pasta looks great, remind yourself that it is three or four times more than you really need to eat, and those extra calories are going to land right on your waist. Consciously make an effort to reduce your portions at each meal and watch how your weight shrinks and your energy soars.

Pack your snacks. Instead of turning to a bag of chips or packaged cookies in mid afternoon, reach for a piece of fruit instead. It only takes a few minutes to pack healthy snacks for your day, and it will save you a boatload of extra calories. Convenience food is packed with sugar, fat and empty calories that will only leave you more sluggish and uncomfortable than you are today.

Cut out one fast food meal per week. If you currently eat 5 fast food meals each week then only eat four this week. Next week reduce that number down to three. And then two, and then one. Once fast food isn't a regular part of your diet you should look at it as something to be had as a treat-not a dietary staple. Now that you have three simple ways to drastically improve your eating habits, this brings us back to exercise. You need regular challenging exercise in order to achieve and maintain results. It's as simple as that.

Contact me today to get started on your very own personal training program.

Labels: diet, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

MIND OVER BODY

Friday, September 07, 2007

Know that dieting is not just what you eat. What are you really feeding your body? What is your mind feeding it? What is your spirit feeding it? This will all eventually show up in your physical state of being. The way you think and feel affect the way you look. Your fitness level is very much controlled by how you think and feel. Your body is a direct reflection of the inner soul. What are you really carrying around? It may be more than a few extra pounds. Blocking emotion and carrying negative thoughts can cause you to carry extra weight. Weight can actually be an armor built up to create a wall that actually keeps you from being who you really want to be. Break through that wall and you will begin to create the physical body you want to achieve. If our physical being is our car that we ride in, it is the mind and the spirit that drives it.









WATCH A TV INTERVIEW ABOUT MIND OVER BODY

Labels: body image, book, diet, exercise, fitness, inspiration, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Mindful Eating

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Think twice before you eat!

We all eat for different reasons. For some of us it offers comfort. Others simply eat because the food is there, in immediate reach. Whatever your eating pattern is, don't let your weight get out of control - think before you eat.

Mindful Wisdom: there are so many reasons why we all struggle with food. Many of the reasons stem from how our mind is programmed; the way we've been raised and the way we feel on any given day. It is liberating to understand that the struggle is not just because we can be bad when it comes to eating well.

Mindful Action: keep small and balanced meals on hand. Don't let yourself starve or you'll pay the heavy price of slowing your metabolism. Divert your thoughts to something other than food when the 'hunger of the eye' emerges. Remember: we eat to live, not live to eat!

For more help on eating well and losing weight, click here

Labels: diet, mindful fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Great Grain Burger

Monday, May 07, 2007

If you have gone out for a burger lately then you may have noticed a healthy new trend that's not just for vegetarians anymore. It's the meatless burger. These days you can order a meatless burger almost anywhere, but beware that not all healthy patties are created equal. The best ones are made from scratch from fresh ingredients, like the recipe below.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur (Look for bulgur in the cereal, rice or organic food aisle of your grocery store)
• 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning blend
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 12 sandwich rolls
• Lettuce leaves and tomato

Instructions

In a sauce pan, combine the first five ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; cool completely. Refrigerate.
In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, oats, mozzarella cheese and onion. In a blender or food processor, process cottage cheese and egg substitute until smooth. Add mushroom mixture. Stir in the parsley, salt, basil, celery seed and chilled rice mixture.

Shape 1/2 cupfuls into patties. In a nonstick skillet, cook four patties in 1 teaspoon of oil for 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and crisp. Repeat with remaining patties and oil. Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato if desired.

Nutritional Analysis: One cooked patty equals 126 calories, 4g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 7g protein.

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Quick Tuna Casserole

Friday, April 20, 2007

If you are looking for a quick-fix for dinner - look no further than this tasty tuna casserole. It is rich in flavor and nutrients and only takes minutes to prepare.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 2 cups cooked yolk-free wide noodles
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 can (6 ounces) light water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine soup and milk until smooth. Add noodles, peas, tuna and pimientos; mix well. Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 25 minutes. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Nutritional Analysis:
One serving (1 cup) equals 255 calories, 6g fat, 31g carbohydrate, 18g protein

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Asparagus Avocado Medley

Monday, April 16, 2007

This colorful salad is the perfect side to your Holiday meal. It is filled with crisp asparagus and creamy avocado and coated in a tantalizing dressing. Take this along to your next Holiday get together and expect rave reviews.

Yields 7 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• 8 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

Place asparagus and two tablespoons water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 - 6 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once; drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, zucchini, tomato and onion; toss gently. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Nutritional Analysis:

One serving (1 cup) equals 122 calories, 9g fat, 11g carbohydrate, 4g protein.

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Give your traditional old chicken dinner some spunk with this exciting new marinade. Your taste buds will celebrate over the tender taste of yogurt and garlic with a hint of spice.

Yield: 6 servings.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 6 bone-in skinless breast halves (6 ounces each)

Instructions

1. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the first none ingredients; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill for indirect heat. Drain and discard marinade.
3. Grill chicken, covered, bone side down over indirect medium heat for 20 minutes. Turn; grill 20 - 30 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Nutritional Analysis: One chicken breast half equals 149 calories, 4g fat, 2g carbohydrate, and 25g protein.

Want more recepes? Click on the title of this article

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (1 comments) External Links To This Post

The Triple Threat

Monday, February 26, 2007

There are three main components to quick and healthy weight loss. These are

1. A balanced, calorie specific meal plan
2. A consistent aerobic routine
3. Regular resistance training

Be sure to include each component into your weight loss plan for exciting results!

Labels: diet, exercise, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Who is the F.I.T.T.E.S.T. of us all?

Monday, February 19, 2007

Recently Men's Fitness released their annual list of the top 10 fittest and fattest cities in the country - did you see it? I couldn't pass up this opportunity to point out the factors that go into making a city fit or fat, and how this filters down to our own lives and individual fitness levels.

But first, let's take a look at the list...

Top 10 Fittest Cities

1. Albuquerque, N.M.
2. Seattle
3. Colorado Springs
4. Minneapolis
5. Tucson, AZ
6. Denver
7. San Francisco
8. Baltimore
9. Portland, OR
10. Honolulu

Top 10 Fattest Cities

1. Las Vegas, NV
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Miami
4. Mesa, AZ
5. Los Angeles
6. Houston
7. Dallas
8. El Paso, TX
9. Detroit
10. San Jose, CA

So what makes a city fit or fat? According to Neal Boulton, editor of Men's Fitness, the survey examines lifestyle factors in each city such as number of fast food restaurants and the average amount of television each household watches. All of these lifestyle factors were tallied to rank each city as either fit or fat.

We will touch more on lifestyle factors later...

You may be wondering, as I was, what motivated Boulton to create such a list. His answer, "to motivate folks to look at simple things in their lives they can do to be healthy." He is concerned that America is always going to be a fast-food nation where people have long commutes and busy lives. But instead of a soft drink during the commute, he suggests, they can choose water; instead of a fast-food snack, they can eat almonds.

Another reason he publishes the list is to grab the attention of mayors and governors - after all, what mayor wants their city to be named the fattest in the nation?

"There's a consciousness among mayors that they can motivate the population and go beyond the PR.," said Boulton. "It's more than just having a mayor run the marathon. That doesn't motivate people. What motivates people is starting a Fit City program. ... It takes action."

Let's look at the top 4 lifestyle factors that were used to compare cities, and examine how each one has a hand in your own fitness level:

1.Number of Gyms: While you don't control the number of gyms in your city, you do have control over your own workout schedule. Take the time to exercise, preferably 3-5 times per week, and watch you personal fitness factor skyrocket.

2.Nutrition: This is broken down into the percentage of people in the city that eat 5 or more servings of fruits and veggies each day. What a great goal to have for yourself - imagine actually eating 5 or more servings of fresh fruits and veggies every day. It is a simple goal, but one that will dramatically increase your energy level.

3.Exercise/Sports: This is calculated by the number of city residents who are involved in fitness-related activities. Here is a simple way to join in this number: get started on a fitness program today - simply call me and together we will create a program that is designed around your goals.

4.Junk Food: Surveyors looked at the total number of fast-food places, pizza parlors, ice cream and doughnut shops in each city. Again, you don't have control over the number of fast-food joints in your city, but you do control the frequency in which you partake in less-than-fit-fare. Enjoy in moderation.

Frankly it doesn't matter what city made the fit or fat list. The fact of the matter is that you and I have full control of our lifestyle and eating habits. And best of all I'm here to help guide you to your fitness goals. Now all you have to do is click on the title of this article and you are on your way to total fitness.

(520)744-5108 info@tripleimpactcoaching.com

Labels: diet, exercise, fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Pumpkin Caramel Flan

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

The holidays are over but I thought I'd bring this one back. It is a rich desert but still better than the ones you get at the store. Try this Pumpkin Caramel Flan as a lighter alternative. You probably know that most of the fat in pies is found in the crust - well this delicious dish gives you all of the pumpkin taste that you love without the guilt-ridden crust. Yields 10 servings.

Ingredients:

Caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water

Flan:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup egg substitute
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions:

1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the sugar and water in a heavy-gauged saucepan over medium heat. Stir while sugar melts. Let mixture boil without stirring for at least 5 minutes or until the liquid turns golden brown. Immediately pour into a 9" baking dish.

2-Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl - set aside. Mix the pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg substitute and vanilla in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and blend well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

3-Place the dish in a larger pan and pour hot water into the larger pan until the water comes halfway up the edge of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour or until flan is set.

4-Cool at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day before serving. Before serving run a sharp knife around the edge of the flan and invert onto a platter, making sure that the caramel runs down the top and sides. Garnish with sprinkled cinnamon and chopped nuts. Enjoy.

Nutrition facts: Here by popular demand, I will now be displaying the nutritional facts for the healthy recipes included in each newsletter. Check out how our Pumpkin Carmel Flan measures up against Traditional Pumpkin Pie - 120 fewer calories and 16 grams less fat.

Pumpkin Caramel Flan
Calories: 200
Total fat: 1g
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrate: 43g

Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Calories: 320
Total fat: 17g
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrate: 47g

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Holiday Binge

Sunday, January 07, 2007

The average American eats, on average, about 60,000 calories during the entire festivities of the year (Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, New Years', etc). That's a total of 30 days, as the festivities always start early. All those extra calories translate into a total gain of over 17 pounds of fat (1lb of fat = 3500 calories). It takes from 8 to 16 weeks to lose the weight. So why not be a little more aware?

Mindful Wisdom
When the next holiday approaches, make yourself a promise to indulge in a mindful fashion. Respect your hard work: don't destroy what you've achieved the rest of the year. If you have to go full-blown into the celebrations, do it the day of the celebration, not an entire week before.

Mindful Action
Eat mindfully by chewing each bite 20 to 30 times. Drink a glass of water prior to each meal, eat the protein portion first, pause for a few minutes, eat the carbs (leave the sweets for the end of the meal), pause, then if you still have room get to the dessert. I doubt you'll have any room left. A meal should last 30 to 45 minutes. In France, where I come from, we take about an hour to eat a full course meal. Do you see a lot of overweight people in France?

To control Holiday Binge and preserve your hard work: click on the title of this article.

Labels: diet, mindful fitness

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

As Seen On Oprah

Friday, October 27, 2006

Nordine's Power Punch

My good friend Cary Neff, best-selling author of Conscious Cuisine, created this recipe for me. It was featured on the Oprah show, Balance Your Energy, Balance Your Life.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons soy or whey protein powder
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 medium banana
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

DIRECTIONS
Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve in a tall glass. Serves 1.

Nutritional information (per serving):
260 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 5 mg of cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 51 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 16 grams protein

Labels: diet, recipes

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post

Breakfast: Is It Really For Champions?

Thursday, October 12, 2006

We have been told time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet nearly one-fifth of all adults choose to pass on the Wheaties. What is the big deal about breakfast? Can a solid breakfast really make or break your fitness goals? Read on as I answer your most pressing questions on this popular subject...

Why eat Breakfast?

Let's dissect the word 'breakfast'. When you take it apart you find two words with an all-important hidden message. Break - Fast. I can hear your wheels spinning on this one! That's right, breakfast is the meal that breaks the fast that your body goes into each and every night when you sleep.

When breakfast is skipped, your body continues to fast until you eat later in the day.

This is a problem for two reasons.

Problem #1: Your brain needs fuel to function at its peak. This fuel comes in the form of glucose derived from food and is needed to walk, talk and perform all other activities. When you skip breakfast your brain is forced to work extra hard in breaking down stored carbohydrates or to turn fats and proteins into usable forms of glucose. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, increase your problem solving capabilities, enhance overall mental performance and even boosts your memory and mood.

Problem #2: Your metabolism will go into 'famine' mode. Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

What about the cut calories?

"Skipping breakfast is how I cut calories out of my diet." I can't tell you how often I hear this response when I encourage people to eat breakfast. What these "calorie cutters" don't realize is that they are the ones who turn to snacking later in the day in an attempt to ward off low energy levels. Allowing your body to become over-hungry leads to distorted satiety signals, and leaves the door wide open for overeating later in the day.

Start your day with breakfast and then continue to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day for optimal calorie burning.

What's for Breakfast?

Now that you are convinced that breakfast is worth your time, it's time to decide what to have! A recent study done by FoodWatch, a Minnesota-based consulting firm that watches food trends, revealed that most people are basically eating dessert for breakfast, due to the high quantities of on-the-go breakfast foods that are processed, packaged and pumped full of refined carbohydrates. Another study recently proved that high fiber, low fat breakfasts promote healthy weight control much more effectively than highly refined breakfast foods.

Try the following On-The-Go Breakfast Selections for a blend of hearty carbohydrates, protein and fat and experience optimal morning energy.

• Low Fat Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
  
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese and a Cherry Oatmeal Muffin (see recipe below)
  
• Hard Boiled Egg and Whole Wheat Toast
  
• Scrambled Egg White on Half a Bagel
  
• Whole Wheat Tortilla rolled with Scrambled Egg Beaters and Salsa
  
• Soy Milk with Whole Grain Cereal and Fresh Fruit

For more help on eating well and losing weight, click here

Labels: diet

Permanent Link To This Post Leave A Comment (0 comments) External Links To This Post