Unreal

I read today, that statistics show it is more difficult for a heroin addict to kick his addiction and STAY CLEAN than it is for someone to lose weight and keep it off.

Say what?!?!

It really struck a chord in me.

I used to think that if no one saw me eating that extra slice of pie, or 1/2 a bag of chips, or finish off the gallon of ice cream....that it didn't "count".  It didn't matter...it didn't happen.  No one knew about it but me, and I was a great liar to myself...very convincing!

Then, on my journey to becoming more healthy, I learned the most important rule about weight loss.

RULE # 1 - Losing weight is a simple formula...calories in < calories out. 

Our bodies, my friends, are PERFECT calorie counters.  Even if you pretend that you only had 1 donut, but really inhaled 3...your BODY knows the truth.  Our BODY never needs to be re-calibrated or tuned up, it is a well oiled, perfect running machine.  If we give it too much energy, it stores it for when we're in short supply.  The only thing of ours that ever needs adjusting or retraining is our MIND.  It is very easily persuaded to cheat or take the easy road, and it's up to YOU to remind it who is in control!

If you try to mentally convince yourself that you're being healthy because the dressing on your salad only has 30 calories/tsp, but you eat  6 tbsp, your body KNOWS that you really just ate 540 calories...even if you DON'T.

You see, calories are in everything.  Beverages as well as solid foods...gum, mints, even "water" (flavored).  It is crucial for success to do 2 things for yourself:

1. Be honest with yourself.  If a serving size of crackers is about 12 crackers, eat 12 crackers (or less).  I've found it very helpful to portion out the whole box of crackers as soon as I get it.  It does waste baggies, but in addition to being convenient for me when I'm in a rush, my kids also take the correct serving size.
2. If you drink it, lick it, sip it or eat it, WRITE IT DOWN.  There are DOZENS of calorie counter tools online that are very accurate and convenient.  Personally, I use mydailyplate.com.  They list every brand of every food you could possibly think of, and also help you set goals for yourself to lose weight.  You WILL be SHOCKED at how many calories you're actually consuming that you don't "count". 

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

You're fat,but not at enough...

Todays recet study results revolve around the weight loss surgery world.

Courtesy of Dallas News.com:

North Texas is a hotbed for weight-loss surgeries, yet many candidates for the procedure


By one doctor's informal calculations, Dallas is the country's No. 1 market for weight-loss surgeries. It's nearly impossible to sit through a 30-minute midday TV program or sift through a newspaper without being pitched an opportunity to transform your body. Industry observers say the market here is supported by a high concentration of bariatric surgeons and one of the nation's worst rates of obesity-related diseases.

Texas ranks in the top quarter of the country for percentage of residents with Type 2 diabetes, one of the most common and deadly obesity-related diseases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Within the state, Dallas fares worse than other big cities. Diabetes patients see Dallas doctors nearly twice as often as they do in Houston, according to a study by Pennsylvania researcher SDI Health LLC.

Some, like Terry Johnson, 45, of Burleson, say they are denied coverage for surgery because of unfair prerequisites or an outright unwillingness to pay. He wants weight-loss surgery because obesity has made him sickly.

Johnson – 260 pounds, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure – said he has not been able to get the surgery because his health insurer repeatedly denied his requests and he can't afford to pay for it himself.

Johnson's weight has kept him from a good night's sleep, even with a prescribed breathing machine. That has made him prone to sinus infections, colds, bronchitis and voice loss. At night, his wife stays on guard to shake him in case he stops breathing – again.

"She says it sounds like a big freight train," Johnson said.

His doctor, Dr. Nick Nicholson, has grown frustrated with denials for coverage. Nicholson owns the Nicholson Clinic in Plano and is medical director of weight-loss surgery programs at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

He calculated that Dallas ranks No.1 in bariatric surgeries, based on data he has received from national suppliers of weight-loss surgical tools.

"But for every 100 people that come in, less than half will get the surgery," Nicholson said.

Some policies require patients to prove they've tried dieting, exercise, medication and psychotherapy, but many of those policies do not pay for the prerequisites, Nicholson said. In addition, submitting the correct paperwork to prove requirements are met can take months or longer if it's lost in the shuffle, Nicholson said.

A quarter of patients considering bariatric surgery are denied insurance coverage three times before getting approval, and about 60 percent report their health worsened during this waiting period, according to an online Harris Interactive survey conducted in May 2008 of 280 surgeons and 400 weight-loss surgery patients. (The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, which has a financial interest in doing more surgeries, funded the survey.)

Documentation

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, the state's largest health insurer, requires a body mass index of 40 or more. It will OK a surgery with a BMI of 35 as long as the patient has two of the following: hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis or dyslipidemia, a blood condition.

In addition, it requires documentation that the patient has stopped growing taller and has completed an evaluation from a licensed counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist within 12 months.

"Practically speaking, we'd prefer to intervene well before a member reaches the point where bariatric surgery is an option," said Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, vice president and chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.

"At that point, a lot of ground has already been lost, and no matter which treatment is chosen, the person will have experienced preventable disease and distress, and it will be very expensive to treat the patient."

Obesity costs the nation more than $75 billion a year and Texas more than $5 billion a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which looked at direct medical costs linked to obesity.

Patients and surgeons, however, argue that the cost of surgery – in Johnson's case, $12,000 – more than justifies the long-term cost of rebandaging obesity-related ailments.

"They know I've been to the doctor for all these other illnesses," said Johnson, who would like to get down to 180 pounds. "They have to know, because they're paying the bill."

Employers' option

To be sure, insurers may not be to blame if they offer weight-loss surgery but the employer rejects the coverage option for workers. Most large employers in Dallas are self-insured and typically use an insurance carrier as an administrator.

The time it takes for payback also may discourage insurers from approving surgeries, Nicholson said.

"Insurance companies save money on weight-loss surgery but don't want to pay for it because the average member retention rate is lower than the time it takes to save money," Nicholson said.

If an employee receives the surgery and soon afterward finds a new job, the insurer misses out on the employee's better health and lower medical claims.

That logic, however, is debatable. A study in the September issue of The American Journal of Managed Care said insurers recover their costs for bariatric surgery in two to four years, depending on the type of surgery performed.

Across the board, insurers are routinely updating their guidelines and approving more weight-loss surgeries as the procdures become safer.

Aetna Inc. has approved 40 percent more weight-loss surgeries every year – 4,200 in 2006, 6,000 in 2007 and 8,500 in 2008. Numbers for 2009 have not been calculated but are expected to also be up 40 percent, said Aetna spokeswoman Anjie Coplin.

John Baker, president of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, said insurers have eased their prerequisites to surgery. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas used to require six months of medical supervision before approving the surgery but has changed it to three months, Baker said.

"I applaud them for making the treatment decisions they have been making," Baker said.

Baker said the next step is to get insurers to pay for follow-up care. He said he has a dietitian in his office as a benefit to patients because many insurers won't cover them.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Feeling Down

I don't know if it's the looming darkness that accompanies the overcast skies we've had, the nippy breeze that hits you when you breach the outdoors, or the dampness in the air....but lately I've been in a funk.  Who am I kidding here?  Strike that...down-right depressed.  I'm usually a very energetic, chipper, happy person...optimistic that if things aren't going my way today, they're sure to be better tomorrow.  I can't seem to get myself out of this funk I'm in...this poor me, I'm not happy with my looks, why can't I be thin...sour mood.

I...HATE...IT.

I really don't like being unhappy.  I do not enjoy looking at myself in the mirror, staring at myself with disapproval and judgment.

No, there hasn't been a defining moment lately that has brought me down.  No "quick fix" for my heavy heart...no real REASON why I'm feeling this way. 

Am I tired of my diet...same lunch & dinner nearly every day?
Am I tired of my workout routine?  My never stopping schedule (kids, work, kids, work...)?
Am I just TIRED?

I've been searching for a solution...a shimmer of hope that this "LOW" point will soon pass.  I've sought out advice to pull my butt up by the strings and get moving again with the umph and desire...motivation and determination that I seem to have lost recently.

The solution...SHAKE THINGS UP!

When I (we) get into these funks, it's very easy to lose sight of our goals.  It's easy to throw our hands up in the air and give up on things because we just don't feel like doing anything.  PERIOD  Out lack of motivation due to depression sends us further into a depression mode, and before we know it, we've hit a low without any sign of recovery.

It's at times like these, when we're at a low point, that it is absolutely NECESSARY to get up and do something. It's crucial to shake things up, our meal menus, our workout routines, our company...  Grab a friend and challenge them to work out with you.  Buy a new healthy cooking cookbook and challenge yourself to make something new every night.  Re-access your current schedule and omit anything that seems to be causing unneeded stress in your life...you may not be the only one suffering!  Meet with your doctor to discuss your recent mood and seek his/her advice on ways to prevent them from reoccurring.  (and, although I don't suggest this often) Maybe you just need a new shirt to cheer you up! 

The bottom line is, if YOU don't change...nothing else will either.

And now, my friends, it's time for me to eat a huge slice of my own advice.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Because, sometimes you just need dessert!

The occasion that a sweet after-dinner dessert is in our house is very rare.  I LOVE sweets, and therefore don't make them often because I know I don't have the power to resist them.  Sounds logical, right?

Still, there are some days, when I'm in an extra happy mood, and my kids ask, "Mom, what's for dessert?", I surprise them with the answer, "I don't know...what do you want?"

Because, sometimes you have to splurge and enjoy life by eating dessert.

This is one of my favorite simple dessert recipes. It couldn't be quicker or easier, since it has no pie crust. A warm piece of Carob Pie is a decadent treat - especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a squirt of whipped cream! It can also be eaten cold.

Note: You'll need a blender for this recipe.

Carob Pie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup/175 mL carob powder
• 1/2 cup/125 mL honey
• 1/2 cup/125 mL butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp/5 mL vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
2. Grease a pie plate.
3. Put all ingredients into the blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour into the pie plate.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the pie no longer looks wet.

Serve warm, or refrigerate to eat later.



Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Low carb has same result a Low fat & Orlistat

A new study released by Duke University found that a low carb diet has the same results as a low fat diet combined with Orlistat (Alli)

Brand new weight loss methods are introduced to the general public each and every year and people are left to their own devices wondering how to decipher the differences between the good and the bad. With slick marketing claims like “scientifically-proven” and even “FDA-approved,” Joe and Jane Consumer out there doesn’t know who or what to believe. One of the most heavily-promoted diet concepts to hit the American market in recent years is the weight loss medication called orlistat, commonly known as and sold commercially as Alli.


But what if we really did have proof from the scientific community that looked at whether or not drugs like Alli/orlistat along with a “sensible” low-fat diet outperformed by 50 percent other diets like a high-fat, low-carb one, for example? Well, now we do thanks to Duke University researchers who released a new study published in the January 25, 2010 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. They wanted to compare the effects of a low-carb, ketogenic diet (LCKD) with a orlistat therapy combined with a low-fat diet (O + LFD).

Lead researcher Dr. William S. Yancy, Jr., Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine, observed 146 overweight or obese study participants from the Department of Veterans Affairs primary care clinics in Durham, North Carolina for 48 weeks and placed them at random on one of the two prescribed weight loss methods:

LCKD: Less than 20g carbs daily, unlimited meat and eggs, limited cheese, leafy greens, and non-starchy vegetables, no calorie restriction

OR

O + LFD: Restrict fat to less than 30% of calories, saturated fat to less than 10% of calories, cholesterol less than 300 mg daily, calorie-restriction 500-1,000 kcal below weight maintenance intake, and 120 mg orlistat prior to meals three times a day

The average age of the study participants was 52 and their mean body mass index (BMI) was 39.3. Nearly three-fourths of them were men, over half were African-American, and just under one-third had Type 2 diabetes. A total of 57 members of theLCKD group (79%) made it to the end while 65 members of the O + LFD group (88%) completed the full 48-week study. This was the first time a direct comparison between these two weight loss protocols had ever been studied and the results were stunning!

Weight loss between the two groups was statistically identical while blood pressure levels had a more beneficial impact with the LCKD group. Although HDL cholesterol and triglycerides improved similarly among both groups, the O + LFD group was the only one to see an improvement in LDL cholesterol. However, the LCKD group saw improved blood sugar levels, insulin and HgA1c levels better than O + LFD. In the end, though, Dr. Yancy did not find a significant statistical difference between the two groups regarding the health and weight changes.

What does this mean for those claims that Alli/orlistat “is proven to help boost your weight loss by 50 percent?” It’s dead wrong! Even more compelling is the fact that the dosage of orlistat used in this study (120 mg) is TWICE as potent as what is found in Alli (60 mg). Imagine if the researchers has chosen to use Alli rather than the stronger prescription medication (Xenical) — it’s quite probable that the differences between the two study groups would have been even more stark in favor of the LCKD.

Interestingly, both groups shared specific adverse effects from being on their chosen diet. The LCKD group complained of constipation, increased urination, bad breath, and leg muscle cramps. The researchers note this underlines “the importance of combining intensive dietary counseling and medical management with these interventions.” Meanwhile, not surprisingly, the O + LFD group reported increased flatulence, loss of bowel control, and diarrhea. Neither of these issues caused a mass exodus from following the prescribed diet for the study as “adherence was high over the 48 weeks.”

The LCKD group consumed more than 55 percent of their calories from dietary fat, although the researchers noted that the actual amount of total fat consumed was “identical to their baseline diet.” Meanwhile, the O + LFD group found it necessary to lower their fat consumption in half because of the fat absorption blocking nature of the drug. Calories were naturally reduced on the LCKD while caloric intake in the O + LFDgroup were artificially lowered because of the orlistat.

I was curious to see how many carbohydrates the LCKD study participants consumed since most so-called “low-carb diet studies” do not come close to restricting carbohydrates enough to see real results. But I was pleased to see Dr. Yancy’s study participants consumed an average of 62g carbs per day, or 15 percent of their total caloric intake in week 48. This is huge since most of these studies comparing low-carb with a low-fat diet have participants eating upwards of 120-190g carbs daily, or 33 to 45 percent of their calories. Yikes! So this truly was a low-carb diet comparison study and the results against one of the most powerful weight loss medications to ever hit the market were virtually identical.

Don’t you think if you could produce similar weight and health improvements on a deliciously healthy high-fat, low-carb lifestyle change without having to shell out the $50/month cost for Alli as well as being forced to suffer through the hunger-inducing impact of a low-fat diet that you’d be more apt to do that instead? Of course you would. But don’t expect to see any television advertisements like the ones you’ve seen for Alli promoting livin’ la vida low-carb because there’s no money to be made from doing that. This is a grassroots word-of-mouth campaign that is gonna take the efforts of people like you and me who have had our lives changed forever for the better because of low-carb living.

Isn't it good to know your low-carb life works as well as a prescription — without a prescription?!

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

50 Tips for Women

When my husband decides to lose 10 pounds, all he has to do isdecrese the amount of sodas he drinks, eat less bread, or skip his night-time snacks....for a month.  That's it...that's all...and POOF....h's down 10 pounds.  No working out, no calorie counting, no special diet.

It makes me sick.

For some reason, women are designed...biologically created....to store fat.  It is, after all, what the MEN prefer isn't it?  Big butt, big bust...that HOUR GLASS figure. 

When it comes to losing weight, what works for men will almost NEVER work for women.  We DO have to count calories.  We DO have to exercise.  We DO have to commit to a lifestyle change.

I have found 50 tips for weight loss specific to women.  I hope they are of some use to you!

1. Drink water
2. Train low intencity before breakfast
3. After you’ve eaten do high intencity cardio
4. Avoid refined sugar
5. Avoid complex carbs
6. Don’t eat within two hours of dinner
7. Train with weights
8. Do some light cardio after dinner
9. Eat fruit
10. Eat vegetables
11. Increase protein foods like meat, fish, eggs, etc.
12. Take a multivitamin
13. Take a cod liver oil supplement
14. Run hills and climb stairs
15. Increase your intensity each workout
16. Eat leafy green vegetables
17. Keep active inbetween workout sessions
18. Swap your work chair for a fitness ball
19. Keep fitness equipment like dumb bells, etc. in every room of the house
20. Find someone to train with in the mornings
21. Find someone who is better than you at fitness to train with
22. Make fruit a whole meal instead of a snack
23. Replace television with active past times like walking, etc.
24. Join a sport team or a fitness class
25. Experiment with martial arts and tai chi and yoga
26. If you are doing weight training and cardio, do the weight training first
27. Choose cardio exercises that work the whole body, not just the legs
28. Try not to mix fats and carbs in the same meal (ie cheese and pasta)
29. Avoid coffee as it leads to bad diet habits
30. Drink green tea for its health and antioxidant properties
31. Drink more water
32. Drink even more water
33. Make committments to train with different people at different times in the week to keep active
34. Take the stairs instead of the lift no matter how you are feeling
35. Park your car further away from your destination or get off the bus early
36. Make a big pot of vegetable soup on the weekend and eat it for snacks during the week
37. Pre-cook as many meals as you can and keep them handy at work or at home for ‘junk snack’ times
38. Keep your ‘cheat days’ healthy by choosing resteraunts that have healthy foods like salads, meats and fish
39. Eat chilli - the burning sensation is your metabolism speeding up
40. Eat more often but not more
41. Eat six meals a day with a two hour spacing inbetween
42. Use a small bowl or plate to create the illusion of eating a lot
43. Replace chicken with lean red meat
44. Find someone you don’t like to do cardio or sport with as you will try harder to win and be more competitive
45. Experiment with mixing weight training and cardio together with circuits
46. Read as many weight loss books as you can
47. Avoid alcohol and late nights as it DOES impact on fat loss training and progress
48. Don’t hang around ‘junk food friends’ at times you know you will cheat
49. Go to the shops on a full stomach
50. Drink a glass of water before every meal

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

4-1-1 on weight loss

It is no secret that one of the keys to losing weight is lowering your fat intake and making sure you get plenty of exercise.

However, I think sometimes people forget they have to pay attention to every little thing that goes into their body. Just because a salad sounds healthy, it can quickly turn into a "fat trap" after the dressing is added.
I bought a grilled chicken from Sonic once. Sounds pretty healthy right? Well I just happened to look at the label on the dressing package and almost fell off my chair when I saw it contained 21 grams of fat! All of a sudden, that small salad isn't so healthy. When you're trying to lose weight, take notice of the "little things". You may be surprised at what you find.

Things you may not think about as calorie intake:

• Sugar Contained in Drinks - A lot of people don't pay much attention to what they drink when they are trying to lose weight. However, did you know you can easily consume 800-1,000 calories and loads of sugar per day just from what you drink? 
  
  Be careful. Even though certain fruit drinks try to persuade you with their "High in Vitamin C plugs", make sure you read the labels. Some of them are high in fructose and may contain as much as 30-40 grams of sugar in one serving. That is a heck of a lot of sugar for one drink - especially when experts recommend you only have 48 grams in a day.
  
  Soda is another drink packed with sugar. Don't be fooled by the 0 grams of fat on the can. Keep reading a little further and you'll see that a regular 12 oz. Pepsi, for example, contains 41 grams of sugar. Not good!!   Those thirst quenching, super-sized 20-ounce sodas you get through the drive-thru of some fast food chains can contain as much as 67 grams of sugar, while the 36-ounce versions average about 117 grams. That's 27 teaspoons and more than four times the recommended daily allowance. 
  
  Sugar is a carbohydrate so when it is not burned off, it turns into fat. Period. That 0-gram soft drink can still cause you to gain weight if you're not burning off what you consume. So don't just read the caloric and fat content. Check the sugar in your drinks as well.
  
• Sugar Contained in Fruit - Fruit is good for you. It provides a ton of vitamins and some fruits such as blueberries even have antioxidants which help protect the body from immflamations that can cause diseases such as cancer.  Some people believe when they are dieting they can eat all the fruit they want because it's healthy and natural. After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?   One thing you may fail to realize is that fruit contains a lot sugar. Even though it's natural sugar it can still cause weight gain if you eat too much and do not burn it off.   The more active you are, the less you need to be concerned about the amount of sugar in fruit. However, you should be aware that it can prevent you from losing weight if you eat too much of it.  
  
  Fruit is a carbohydrate and anytime you consume excess amounts of this food group, your body will turn it into fat.   Don't get me wrong, it's much better to snack on a piece of fruit than a chocolate bar, just remember to limit your servings in a day.
  
• Sodium - Sodium doesn't just come in salty foods like pretzels and popcorn. It's also commonly used to preserve foods. So you can find sodium in anything from canned foods, frozen dinners, packaged pudding, luncheon meats, to your favorite Chinese restaurant dishes, processed cheese and even dairy products.  It can be deceiving because a lot of people don't think about sodium if their food doesn't taste salty. They also don't realize that sodium may also cause you to store more weight around the mid section.  Always read labels and find out the sodium content. You should also not consume more than 2300 milligrams grams in a day. And if you are on a low sodium diet, then your limit should be around 2,000 milligrams.  Of course, if you have a medical condition or are on a low sodium diet then your recommendations will vary, in which case, listen to your Dr's orders.
  
• Starvation and Hunger - So many people think the key to an effective weight loss plan is to skip meals.   While eating smaller portions and cutting your caloric intake is usually a good idea, it's NOT a good idea, however, if you're starving yourself and only eating one or two meals per day. People don't realize that hunger actually slows your metabolism. So for all of you who think you're doing your body a service by skipping breakfast, you're actually hurting it in the long run.   Eating within one hour of getting up kick starts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories through the day. When you wait until noon or 1pm to have your first meal, your metabolism is already sluggish, you have a tendancy to eat more and your body may not burn it off as well. Eating smaller, frequent meals is the way to go. Digestion actually burns calories so if your body is doing this 5-6 times per day this is a good thing. Eating frequently also keeps you from getting hungry.

Here's an example of what you can eat:

Breakfast

Bowl of oatmeal, a piece of fruit and 2 slices of turkey bacon

Mid morning snack

Handful of almonds and a cup of low fat yogurt

Lunch

Grilled chicken breast with a side of vegetables

Mid Afternoon Snack

Celery with peanut butter and a handful of raisins

Dinner

Grilled Salmon and a side of brown rice

Dessert

Fruit Smoothie

Try this and see how you like it. If you find yourself getting hungry, add a handful of nuts or a spoonful of peanut butter to one of the meals.

Experiment until it's right for you. Just make sure you're limiting your fat intake and eating fiber and protein. I bet you'll find you have more energy and you'll just feel better about yourself.

• Drink Water - Never underestimate the power of water. In addition to a good diet and plenty of exercise, water is a great weight loss assistant.  First of all, if you are not accustomed to drinking a lot of water, you will find yourself running back and forth to the bathroom quite a bit. One may think your body would hang onto this water because it isn't used to getting enough.  What is really happening is that your body is flushing out the water it has been hanging onto during what some call "survival mode".   As you continue to drink at least 6-8 glasses per day, your body figures it doesn't need to store the water anymore. It assumes the water will keep coming, and if it does, the constant flushing will decrease, resulting in fewer trips to the bathroom.
  
  As far as weight loss is concerned, water encourages proper kidney function and increases the efficiency of the liver's fat burning capabilities. Drinking water also reduces retention. As I said before, when you don't drink enough your body tends to hold on to more fluids. Drinking enough will release what it doesn't need and you'll have less bloating. So get to drinking!

So, in conclusion, as you embark on your weight loss journey, just remember to think about the little things. It's not just about the fat and calories in your foods;  Examine the sugar, sodium and also pay attention to the added items like salad dressings, ketchup and other condiments. You'd be surprised at how it all adds up.
Drink water instead of soda and high-sugar fruit drinks - or at least buy the fruit juices that contain less sugar.



Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

A supplement that burns calories?

A new weight loss supplement tested at the University of Oklahoma has the potential to burn as many calories as a 20-minute walk, according to researchers.


The tri-pepper blend supplement is a mix of black pepper, caffeine and a concentrated form of capsaicin, which is the ingredient that makes red peppers hot.

A group of study participants were given the supplement or a placebo followed by a metabolic rate test. The study measured oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide produced by participants to determine the arresting metabolic rate of each after receiving the supplements. The study confirmed the viability of the weight loss supplement.

Researcher and professor of exercise physiology Joel Cramer says the study showed energy expenditures of 3 percent to 6 percent, results which are statistically significant enough to validate product weight-loss claims.

Several herbal and dietary supplements are believed to help aid with weight loss. They include bitter orange, chitosan, chromium, conjugated linoleic acid, ephedra, green tea extract, guar gum and hoodia, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some healthcare experts say scientific proof of the effectiveness and safety of some of these supplements for weight loss has not yet been established.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

It's never too late.

I saw an inspirational video today of a 92 year old woman and her 29 year old great-grandson.  In this video, they were doing the tango.  It was extremely fast paced, full of tricks, flips & spins, and as good as any professional tango I've ever seen. I was blown away with not only the skill of the aged woman, but also that she had the courage and strength to not only practice the tango, but to perform in front of a crowd.  Leaning such  difficult dance at her stage in life made me aware of the fact that it's never too late to learn something new.

It is true that the older you are, the more difficult it is to break old habits...the more set we are in our routines...the more comfortable we are in our skin...the moe accepting we are of the life we're living.  We become accepting of the fact that we have been and always will be overweight, unhealthy, unhappy.  It doesn't have to be that way.

Start with something that's fun. If you really don't like what you're doing, it's not going to be sustainable no matter how good it is for you.  Exercise isn't the only way that you can stay healthier.  Other habits worth changing include eating, smoking & drinking. Even if a person has smoked for decades, he or she will realize benefits within months of giving up the habit.  Lung damage won't be undone, but smoking's impact on the heart will start to reverse.  Eat fewer calories, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat more slowly.  Start taking once a day multi vitamins, throw in vitamin D, take your calcium and drink alcohol only in moderation.

Don't let yourself become isolated. Staying connected to other people is part of staying healthy, at any age. Some studies suggest that women may live longer because they typically have stronger social networks than their similarly aged husbands and brothers.

So if you wake up, look in the mirror and wish you saw somthing different, just remember that it's never too late to change.


Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

It's easy to forget

I have been "serious" about my weight loss goal for over a year now...and by serious, I mean CONSTANTLY watching what I eat and aware of my weight.

It's been a while since I have seen a change in my body, and getting discouraged or depressed is a frequent occurance these days.  Though I KNOW I've been diligent in my efforts to eat healthier and work out routinely, sometimes the effort hardly seems worth it when numbers on the scale or clothing aren't decreasing.  When all of your hard work seems to be for nothing, it isn't long before you say, "what's the point" and quit all together.

Last week, before joining the 21 day challenge, I was at that point.  I was so discouraged because my "good" habits had been lacking and my will to count calories had dwindled.  I felt so HUGE and WORTHLESS, because for so long nothing had changed.  Out of sheer coincidence one night, I was clicking through pictures that are about 3 years old.  One in particular caught my eye, and made my jaw drop at the PROOF of just how far I've come.  It was a picture of me holding my new-born daughter (just turned 3) a week after she was born.  I couldn't believe how much weight I've lost since then.  Now, I know what you're thinking...Yes, typically people GAIN weight when they're pregnant, but with my last daughter, I actually lost weight and was 3 pounds LIGHTER when she was born than when I found out I was pregnant.  So, even though I just had a baby, my size was very much the same (or less) as it would be had I not had her. 

I had forgotten how much weight I had lost over the years, because I can't see the changes that are taking place slowly.  It's so easy to forget just how "big" you were or how far you've come, when you see yourself ever day, and the changes being made are so small you can't see them.

I challenge you to bring out the old album of when you were at your heaviest and compare it to where you are today.  Watch old home movies, pull out those pants you were saving "just in case" you gained the weight back...you know you have them.  Look at them, try them on...and congratulate yourself on a job well done. 

It is SO IMPORTANT to take a picture of yourself every few months to help you realize, acknowlege and appreciate how far you've come and all of the hard work you've put into getting yourself healthy.

Change is slow, but so worth it.

HAve a great weekend!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

10 Food Facts that everyone should know

1. “Vitamins” are not the same as whole foods. Instant ramen and a multivitamin is not a healthy meal. There is no substitute for a diet of whole foods rich in vegetables, beans, grains and fish.
2. A healthy diet can prevent or even reverse four out of the six leading causes of death in the US. Evidence indicates that diet is more important than genetics in the vast majority of heart disease, stroke, cancer and type 2 diabetes cases.
3. The thinnest, healthiest people in the world eat “high carb” diets. But they definitely do not eat the processed, refined carbohydrates that flood Western culture. If you want to lose weight and live longer without disease, eat more vegetables and whole grains.
4. You get plenty of calcium. Americans consume more calcium than most countries on earth, yet still sport some of the highest rates of osteoporosis. This debilitating disease is more likely caused by insufficient vitamin D, not enough exercise and/or too much protein. Also, excess calcium is linked to prostate cancer and milk to ovarian cancer. Calcium does not support weight loss either.
5. “Fiber” is not the same as vegetables and grains. Fiber supplements do not offer the same benefits as fiber-filled foods, and do not help with weight loss or protect against disease.
6. The best sources of protein are plants and fish. It is relatively easy to get complete protein (i.e., all the essential amino acids) from a diverse diet. Protein from red meat offers more risk than reward. (Yes, pork is red meat.)
7. Fruits and vegetables protect your vision. Both cataracts and macular degeneration are strongly tied to diet.
8. Fats from land animals and factories are dangerous. Saturated and trans fats (not total dietary fat) are associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat could save your life.
9. Fats from plants and fish are essential. Mono- and polyunsaturated fats protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and memory loss. In moderation they can also aid in weight loss, since they increase the satiety you feel after a meal.
10. You can lose weight on any short-term diet, but you will probably gain back more than you ultimately lose. This is often true even if you stay on the diet. Focusing on long-term health is the best strategy for sustained weight loss, but it requires patience.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Southwestern Beef & Bean Burger Wraps

 Southwestern Beef & Bean Burger Wraps

4 servings, 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapenos
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 whole-wheat tortillas, warmed (see Tip)
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Preparation

1. Position oven rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
2. Gently combine ground beef, beans, cilantro and jalapeños in a medium bowl (do not over mix). Shape into four 5-by-2-inch oblong patties and place on the prepared pan.
3. Broil the patties until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 165°F, 12 to 14 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mash together avocado, salsa and garlic powder in a small bowl.
5. Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Spread each with the guacamole, then sprinkle with lettuce and cheese. Top each with a burger and roll into a wrap. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To warm tortillas: Wrap in foil; bake at 300°F until steaming, about 5 minutes. Or wrap in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds.

Nutrition

Per serving: 394 calories; 17 g fat (6 g sat, 7 g mono); 67 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 10 g fiber; 634 mg sodium; 810 mg potassium.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Eating Algea for weight loss??

In my effort to keep you, my loyal readers, abreast on the recent plethora of weight loss studies out there, here's one that you may not find too appetizing.

Courtesy of Easier Lifestyle.com:

A natural product that makes you burn more fat and allows you to train harder, sounds too good to be true? Not according to the 'Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise' journal, which this month published a study that showed some interesting results.


The study, which involved getting participants to run on treadmills, who had either taken the natural supplement spirulina or a placebo, had surprising results showing that for the same amount of exercise, participants who had taken spirulina burnt more fat than those who hadn’t.

Furthermore the study showed those who had taken the spirulina were able to train for longer without becoming tired, and therefore their exercise performance overall was increased.

With such positive results, (although it is important to remember spirulina won’t stop you from having to exercise in the first place) its clear that taking spirulina could help boost your chances of success if you're exercising in a bid to become healthier and lose weight.

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a microscopic spiral shaped blue-green algae that has been on the planet for millions of years. As a superfood it is packed full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, natural proteins and amino acids and is one of the most nutritional foods on earth; making it popular in recent years with celebrities and nutritionists. However, the new study shows there may be even more to the algae. Those who took spirulina in the study were seen to burn more fat reserves as well as being less tired during exercise and therefore were able to run at a high intensity for longer.

The study used only relatively small amounts of spirulina of just 6g a day, making these results achievable by everyone.

Which Spirulina?

Natural Greens is a natural foods specialist, committed to making spirulina, chlorella and wheatgrass attractive and accessible as everyday supplements in the UK.

Packaged in stylish recyclable packaging, their products come in easy to use powders, which can be added to water, smoothies or juice, or as capsules. They're 100% pure and natural (with no fillers, like some other products), are non GM, gluten-free, and registered with both the Vegan and Vegetarian societies. Furthermore, a percentage of the company’s profits go to the charity ‘Yes To Life’, which helps support people with cancer in the UK in accessing Complementary & Alternative Medicine.

 Packaged in handy 1, 2 or 4 month supplies, perhaps the biggest reassurance of the quality and effectiveness of Natural Green's products comes from their 7 day return policy. They're so confident you will feel the benefits of 'Natural Greens' that they offer a 7 day money back guarantee if you're not happy.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

Strength in numbers

When I look back at my most "successful" attempts at weight loss, they always seem to be associated with either a challenge or buddy system. When my husband is watching what he eats, cooking healthier or enforcing an honor system is much more obtainable, and dieting is more "easy". When I'm working out with a friend, we push each other with motivation to work harder longer, and encourage each other to work out on days when our personal motivation is lacking. Of course, a little friendly competition never hurt either! When I join a weight loss group with a challenge, I always seem to WANT to do more to win...and I'm not a competitive person. I guess I just don't want to be last or do worst, thus igniting some internal drive to do better.


Today is day # 1 of a 21 day challenge I joined through Boot Camp. I'm very excited about it, because (and, I've got to be honest with myself here) I've really fallen off the wagon...far....from my new year's resolution. That's pretty sad, since it's only February 1. Still, despite my inattentive behavior to achieving my personal goal thus far, it's what you do to rectify your past transgressions that matters. So, at least for the next 3 weeks, God willing, I will hold steadfast to my diet...motivated to do better...under the supervision of my trainer to whom I will be accountable. I will adhere to my protocol, determined to succeed and participate in a friendly (anonymous) game of weight loss...knowing that at the end of these 21 days, even if I lose the challenge, I will still have the reward of weight lost. And that, my friends, is worth more to me than a title.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥