Why Lift Weights?

We know that cardiovascular exercises like walking, swimming and biking are great for burning calories and strengthening our hearts, a must for optimal health and fitness. But what about weight training?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults perform at least one set of strengthening moves at least two or three times per week. We can do this by: using our own body weight, free weights like dumbbells, exercise machines and exercise bands.

Because:

• Muscle boosts our metabolism: Every pound of muscle you build burns about 50 calories more per day (even at rest).
• Become less injury-prone: Strong muscles support our skeletal structure and the natural movements we all need to make on a daily basis.
• Maintain bone mass: The "stress" placed on our bones by stronger muscles encourages our bones to build strength and density, preventing osteoporosis.
• Muscle improves appearance: by changing the basic shape of our bodies, muscle helps mask cellulite by smoothing out those lumps and bumps of fat underneath the skin plus it improves our posture.

If you are not strength training yet, begin today! Innovative health & fitness products are available at: http://www.WomensPersonalFitness.net

Use Affirmations to Attain Your Goal

        "Whether you think you can or can't, you're right!".....Henry Ford

Do you really want to let go of the old ways that haven't worked to find the courage to try new ones? Yes!!

"Thoughts of your mind have made you what you are and thoughts of your mind will make you what you become from this day forward.".....Catherine Ponder

Affirmations are positive statements we say to ourselves.  The subconscious can not discern between truth or fiction and whatever you tell yourself and believe will be who you become. Once you have created an affirmation that fits your goal, you must write it ten times a day for 21 consecutive days. This is a critical component for success.  Writing uses more of your senses and you are imprinting your affirmation deeply into your mind and body.

Five Parts to a Successful Affirmation:

1. It must be positive. Such as, "I eat only healthy food," as opposed to, "I am no longer eating junk food."
2. It must be said and felt with passion & power.  Even if you do not believe what you are affirming, Act as if you do believe it.  Think it, Feel it, Hear it, Smell it.
3. It must be said in the present moment. State affirmations as if they are happening and real now.
4. It must be possible, such as, "I am losing weight," instead of "I am losing 10 pounds each day."
5. It must be personal.  We can only affirm for ourselves.  We cannot change anyone else.

Here are some possible "health & fitness" affirmations. Personalize them to fit your goals.

• I am in the process of arriving at a healthy weight for me.
• I am proud to be eating healthy foods today.
• I always have enough time, energy and desire to exercise my body.
• Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

Using affirmations that are meaningful for you and are focused on what you want to become true in your life will, over time, replace those negative, self-defeating habits and behaviors with positive, affirming, self-enhancing behaviors.

Visit http://www.WomensPersonalFitness.net for all your Innovative Fitness Needs.

Cabbage Soup?

I've never looked seriously at the real "Cabbage Soup Diet." I always gave it little attention, assuming it to be a "fad" diet.

But yesterday, while power walking the trail, I had a revelation. I was thinking about the cabbage soup I had made the day before, using Zonya Foco's Miracle Soup recipe as a base (go to: http://www.zonya.com/pdf/recipes/Miracle_Soup.pdf ) . I had deliberately only included low calorie, low glycemic veggies, including 1/2 head cabbage.

Zonya's Miracle Soup contains what she calls "negative-calorie foods." These are foods that require more calories to digest than they yield!

Vegetable soup is a food that can play an important role in weight loss, health & fitness.

• Low calorie but "filling & satisfying"
• Power packed with the nutrients we need for good health
• You can combine any selection of veggies to your liking
• Add low fat meats or beans & whole grains for a complete meal!

Make some homemade vegetable soup today!

Healthy Holiday Baking

Is holiday baking a tradition in your family? Christmas cookies are always a favorite! With a few alterations, it is possible to create healthier versions of your favorite recipes.


• Incorporate whole grain pastry flour, oat bran & wheat germ to equal the required amount of flour.
• For muffins, quick breads, cake mixes and cakes made from scratch replace the oil, margarine or butter with applesauce. I keep unsweetened prepackaged 4oz individual servings on hand, very handy. You will save more than 900 calories and 100 grams of fat for each ½ cup used.
• For chocolate baked goodies, such as brownies and cakes, use pureed prunes, now found in the baking section or baby food prunes are great!
• For rich, creamy sauce or soup that’s low in fat and calories, use evaporated skim milk instead of heavy cream. It has cream-like flavor and is richer in texture than regular skim milk. You will save more than 80 grams of fat and 600 calories for every cup used!
• In place of sour cream, use fat-free plain yogurt. You may have thought to use fat free sour cream, but yogurt has a richer body and flavor, plus yogurt is often much higher in calcium than sour cream.
• I usually try to cut my sugar in recipes as much as I think I can get away with and still have it sweet enough. With that said……
• When you want a fluffy frosting, replace the margarine or butter in your recipe with marshmallow crème. It adds creaminess to the frosting without contributing any fat.

Try experimenting with these substitutions and you will feel better about what you are baking, serving and giving away as gifts. Happy Holidays!

The No Seconds Diet

We have started a new diet craze called "The No Seconds Diet!" Are you one of those people who just has to place another helping of a delicious food on your plate, when you have already had one serving? You are not alone. This could be a contributing factor in gaining and/or having trouble in losing that extra weight. More is not always better, expecially when it comes to food.

The optimal dinner plate should look as follows: 1/2 low glycemic vegetables (ie; broccoli, zucchini, green beans). The other half of the plate should be divided in half (2 - 1/4s of the plate), where the meat is in 1/4 and your complex carbohydrate (ie; sweet potato, brown rice, corn) covers the other 1/4 of your plate.

An easy way to estimate portion sizes goes as follows:

• Proteins (meat, chicken, fish) = should be the size of the palm of your hand and about as thick as a deck of cards.
• Lowfat Dairy Products (skim milk, yogart) = about the size of your fist.
• Cottage cheese, Ice Milk, Cold & Cooked Cereals, Pasta, Brown Rice, Starchy Vegetables, Fruits = size of a tennis ball.
• Hard Cheese & Nuts = size of thumb.
• Bread = 1 slice, Bagel = 1/2 small, Crackers = 2, English Muffin = 1/2
• Fats = 1 Tablespoon
• Salad Dressings = 1 Tablespoon (Regular) - 2 Tablespoons (reduced fat)

Many diet plans encourage eating an unlimited amount of low glycemic vegetables. Let that be the only exception to the above. If you still need more volume, eat more veggies.
The stomach in an individual used to eating larger portions on a regular basis, can stretch to hold 3 - 4 cups of food (and may not feel full until stretched that far). When you limit the amount of food mass (by cutting back), the stomach will eventually shrink to about a 2 cup capacity (and you will feel fuller on less volume).
A good book working on these principles is called the "Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan - Feel Full on Fewer Calories" by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., and Robert A. Barnett. Check it out at your local library or bookstore.

Wearing Body Togs for Legs

 

     

      Body Togs for Legs

When you wear Body Togs for Legs, you are increasing your energy expenditure and encouraging weight loss. Wearing these comfortable, anatomically designed weighted sleeves also encourages strong bone density. You will notice increased tone and strength in your muscles! Put them on in the morning and wear them all day under your pants. You will forget you even have them on, until you realize that you are feeling a bit tired, then you remember, "That's right, I have my Body Togs on!" Body Togs are hand washable, and adjustable with Velcro closures.

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