Have you heard of the Get It Guide?

Get It Guide is Shine’s go to guide for women with topics on fashion, beauty, fitness and food.  Shine from Yahoo! is the #1 women’s content site where members can share ideas and get trusted information on many topics.  Over at Shine, you’ll find so many goodies like Jumpstart 2012, Vitality and more.

The fourth Get It Guide was released this week and it’s all about AT HOME FITNESS.  You can read about the top searched at home workouts on Shine in this guide.

At Home Workouts

You know how much I love my at-home workouts and with a new home gym garage space, I have even more variety for my workouts.  BUT you don’t have to have a home gym to get great results from home workouts. For many years, I did workouts in our bedroom so it can be done.  Family room, living room, office…any of those will work!

This Get It Guide focuses on 4 awesome at home workouts that I think you’ll enjoy.

• Zumba Fitness®
• INSANITY®Fast & Furious: 20 Minute Maximum Fitness Results Workout DVD
• Personal Training with Jackie: Crunch-Free Xtreme Abs
• GoFit Kettlebell with Bob Harper Training DVD

Now you get to go and comment, share and vote for your favorite!  Which one will you vote for?  I haven’t tried any of them but they all look great. Kettlebell’s are one thing we don’t have in our home gym YET so that one will have to wait but all the others sound like kick butt workouts.

Great News

I have been selected, as a Get It Guide insider to review the Zumba workout AND give one away to one of my awesome readers. Here’s what they say about the Zumba workout,

“Zumba Fitness® – Zumba Fitness is a Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music created by Grammy Award-winning producers featuring contagious steps to form a ’fitness-party.’ Since its inception in 2001, Zumba Fitness has grown to become the world’s largest and most successful dance-fitness program with more than 10 million people of all shapes, sizes, and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 90,000 locations across more than 110 countries.”

The Zumba package arrived yesterday and I was able to do the Basics DVD which shows you all the moves and how to do them step by step.  Initial thoughts: AWESOME!

Depending on timing, I might be able to get the review and giveaway up before I leave for Oklahoma.  If not, you can be sure I’ll be checking it out once I return and will post a full review and then giveaway so stay tuned!  Hopefully I can get Kevin (my hubby) to participate too and get a guys perspective.  I have heard great things about Zumba!

Do you workout at home?  Let’s hear about some of YOUR favorite workouts.

 

My friend Jedha is back with a great guest post on starting a sugar detox plan.  This is definitely something I need to do this year. I must cut down on sugar!

Try A Sugar Detox To Amp Up Your Weight Loss Results

Did you know that there are many hidden sugars in many commonly consumed foods? And it’s these sugars that may be directly impacting your weight management?

You see when we eat excess sugar it basically gets converted into fat in the body if it is unused. And because we don’t really need any excess sugar in our diet, this happens very easily.

So if you have been struggling to lose weight or if you want to simply amp up your results, then try a sugar detox plan for 21 days and just see how fast the results will come.

Here’s what you have to do.

1. Cut out all refined sugar

This is the most obvious form of sugar. The white or brown sugar that you may add to your coffee or breakfast cereal is a big no, no during your sugar detox.

2. Cut out all processed foods

Many processed foods contain sugar or sugar derivatives like high fructose corn syrup and so forth. These sugars cause massive weight gain and even in the smallest amounts can prevent you from shifting those excess pounds.

Yes, that means you have to stop eating fast food, most take out, commercially bought cereals, crackers, cookies, cakes, commercially bought sauces and condiments.  Have you ever stopped to read the food labels of the stuff you buy?

It contains many hidden ingredients that your body simply does not need. And these are often the ingredients that hold you back.

3. Cut out or largely reduce eating grains

Grains are heavy carbohydrates and although some of them such as brown rice, or whole grains may appear healthy, they can be a real problem for someone trying to regain control of blood sugar and get some excess weight off the body.

You see the carbohydrates from grains act exactly like sugar once they are digested and hit your blood stream. And inevitably the excess sugar gets converted to fat.

If you find it hard to cut out all grains during your sugar detox, then stick to small portions of whole grains as a starting point.

4. Minimize your fruit intake

If you can cut out fruit all together during your sugar detox, then do it. But if not limit your fruit to one piece a day and choose from low GI fruits like berries, melons or an apple.

Trust me, if you’re stuck on a weight loss plateau and you are still eating sugar or sugar filled foods, stop and you will get better results.

If you want to kick off a new weight loss plan and get good initial results that will spur you on to keep going, try a sugar detox. If you simply want to get more out of what you are doing now, try a sugar detox and just see what happens. It’s only 21 days so you’ve got nothing but success to experience by giving it a go!

This article is written by weight loss coach, Jedha. Jedha’s paleo diet blog has heaps of info about healthy weight loss, with real food that gets real results. You also can read more about the great benefits of when you detox from sugar.

 

Please help me welcome Jane, our guest blogger for today!

How to Lose Weight Without Dieting Now

Why dieting may not be working for you

According to the Scientific American (2007) and the American Psychologist where they reported across a couple of research studies, the first being a meta-analysis (a study of 31 long-term studies) where research covered every other study of people on diets for a 2-5 yr period and the second a study of 19,000 people, conclusions showed that diets don’t work.

What choice is there when it comes to weight loss?

If we put ‘dieting’ to one side, we have to eat right? Unlike most other ‘unhelpful’ behaviours when you view food cravings through the lens of ‘addiction’, its not something we can give up or stop doing because eating is something we need to survive. Of course there are exceptions to every rule but that is one for another day!

However, despite taking the healthy route some people can’t lose weight and this indicates there is more to be worked on besides their diet and exercise regime. Can it be true and what does this mean?

Surely you can’t do any more than the general advice we already follow: checking daily calorie intake; taking regular exercise; having good rest and maybe a little detoxification of some outstanding nasties acquired during those more excessive periods when eating has or does provide such great comfort.

Why some people never lose weight

Yet some people find it almost impossible to lose weight and others look at them askance when they say they’re following a healthy regime, as if to imply ‘oh sure pull the other one’ feeling sure it’s a case of some secret nibbling that they won’t even admit to themselves.  Well, there may well be some of that for some of you, but for others there is a much simpler explanation.

If you can’t lose weight (no matter what) here’s the reason why

If a person really can’t lose and maintain weight loss, they probably have other aspects that trigger the recurring habit of comfort-eating and these ‘aspects’ may well need clearing before any ‘real’ change can occur.

To understand this better requires some clarity about how the subconscious works, and if you’re already familiar with it then you’ll know that this part of the mind wins out every time. And for some people no matter what they do they wind up regaining the weight, or as some of the above mentioned research revealed, it can worsen because the weight not only reappears over a 2-5 yr period but the weight gain surpasses the original starting point (prior to dieting).

How easily it can change

For these cases the tools and techniques I use with private clients works so well, because together we get to the core of the matter, relatively quickly, without having to go into prolonged discussion of any history you’d rather leave in the past. However, with specific questioning you can get there in less time than it’s ever taken before.  In fact once you hit on the ‘golden nuggets’ the weight simply falls off.

The best thing about these sorts of sessions is that they allow you to ‘let-go’ of unwanted patterns of behavior; patterns that remain embedded (as all habits do, be they good, bad or indifferent) until we focus in on them and shift the energy around them.  It’s very nice to know you can be free of what you’ve wanted to be free of for so long, and all in all it only takes a subtle change to make the deepest difference.

You can learn how to lose weight without dieting now from my friend Jane Unsworth (Integrated Health Practitioner and Trainer) who will teach you the tools and techniques at her website ABC Simple As.  Feel free to ask Jane questions or book a free introductory chat to see if this might be for you.

 

Calcium and Weight Loss

As we age, our bones lose mass due to a loss in calcium.  It takes exercise, proper diet and also healthy habits to cultivate calcium-rich bone.  Calcium is needed for different reactions in the body, especially in the conduction of electrical impulses across muscle and nerve fibers. The body takes the calcium it needs from the bones.  On a daily basis, this calcium needs to be replenished to make up for what the body needs. When the supply is not adequate to meet the demand, the bones get weak and brittle.

Tips on how to get more calcium and increase bone strength:

• Eat or drink more dairy – Dairy products contain a lot of calcium. Even if you are self-conscious about your weight, opting for low-fat varieties of milk, cheese and yogurt will still boost your daily calcium intake.

• Eat more vegetables – Green is great when it comes to vegetables so be sure to get the most dark leafy greens as you can.  Try broccoli, spinach, cabbage and other greens. If you don’t like them cooked, try them raw.

• Exercise – Weight-bearing activities increase the density and hardness of bones. Athletes sometimes suffer from stress fractures when they play their sport. Part of this could be due to the lack of sufficient calcium in the diet.  Try sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball and running plus include weight training in your regimen to increase strength.

It takes a variety of activities as well as a healthy intake of calcium to improve the look and support of bones. Make healthy choices to stay strong as you age.

Why do you need calcium?

If women don’t get enough calcium, the body then takes it from their bones which is not a good thing. You need strong bones to get through life.  According to WebMD, “Calcium also helps maintain heart rhythm, muscle function, and more. Because of its health benefits, calcium is one of the best-selling supplements in the U.S.”  WebMD also says that it’s inconclusive as to whether calcium aids in weight loss.

But get this, according to Adora, women taking regular calcium supplements will significantly ease PMS symptoms.  That’s a good enough reason for me!

Adora review

I was sent 2 bags of Adora to sample.  I have been enjoying the Adora Calcium and Vitamin D supplements.  The dark chocolate is my favorite as is Kevin’s (my husband).  At only 30 calories each and 500 grams of calcium, it’s a no brainer for me since I’m pretty positive I don’t get enough calcium anyway. Adora is also lactose and gluten-free and offers you 100% of your daily recommended value . The price of each bag is a bit on the high side for some but they do last long.  I only have 1 or 2 Adora discs a day, the recommendation on the bag.

Would I purchase these? Yes!

What do you do to get more calcium in your diet?

 

photo credit: TheTruthAbout

Welcome to Healthy Weight Week 2011!  This week was all about promoting and celebrating healthy diet free lifestyle tips.  I’m coming in on the tail end of it this year but still wanted to talk about it.

The tip for this week is to make sure you get enough protein in your diet.

Protein & Weight Loss: What’s the Connection

I know that I personally need to focus on my protein intake. I am not getting enough and need to really learn more about how as a vegetarian/pescatarian to do so.

Are you getting enough protein in your diet?

While we are on the topic of healthy weight week be sure to check out Gina’s Winter Shape Up for this year.  She has a list of lean proteins in this post that is helpful too.  And here are my Healthy Weight Week 2010 blog posts you might enjoy

Healthy Weight Week 2010

Try Something New

Positive Self Talk

Have a great weekend!

P.S. Come join us over on Facebook!

 

Interval Versus Steady State Cardio Training

If you’re getting started on your weight loss workout program, one key element of the program plan that you want to be sure you don’t overlook is what type of cardio training you’re doing.  Many people often question what their best choice will be.  Would they be better off doing interval sprint training a few times a week, or is steady state training the single best way to go?  Many people right now are fast to point towards interval training as the primary form of cardio that should be done if the goal is fat loss, but before you’re too quick to jump on an interval training program, there are a few key important issues that you need to keep in mind.  Unfortunately it’s not as easy as a one-size-fits-all approach and unless you take your own full program into consideration, you could make a big mistake with your selection.  Let’s see what you should consider.
The Diet You’re Using

The very first thing that you’ll want to think about is the type of diet plan that you’re currently using.  If you’re using a very low carbohydrate approach, you must remember that during interval training, carbohydrates are actually the only type of fuel that can be utilized.  For this reason, low carb diet plans and loads of interval training really do not mix. You could try and do those interval workouts as you wish, but you would never perform up to full capacity and would quickly overtrain.  If you are using a very intensive fat loss diet plan that is very low in carbs as well, you will want to keep it to steady state cardio training only.  Since you can very easily use stored body fat as fuel, they will work much better with the particular diet plan you’re on.

How Many Lifting Workouts You’re Performing

Second, you also want to think about how many weight lifting workouts you’re doing as well. If you plan to lift dumbbells four times a week, adding another two to three sessions of interval sprints is likely going to be too much for the CNS to handle.  Even on a normal diet where you are eating enough calories this would likely be too much and performance would begin to suffer, so when you’re using a reduced calorie fat loss diet plan, you can imagine the problems that will come about.  Always make sure you have a good balance between your lifting workouts, your cardio workouts, and your recovery time so that you don’t wind up too tired to do anything.

Your Current Fitness Level

Another consideration to take into account is your current fitness level.  There’s no questioning the fact that interval training workouts are going to be incredibly intense and unless you are of the fitness level capable of doing them, you likely would be far better off choosing moderate intensity workouts instead.  While it’s great to push yourself as hard as possible, you do also have to realize your limitations and work within them.  Those who try and go beyond what their body can realistically do will just wind up injured.

Your Recovery Ability

Finally, also think about your own individual recovery ability.  Some people do have better recovery ability systems than others so will be able to handle more interval cardio workouts in their program.  If you are someone who takes a few days before you can hit the gym for a second workout however, then steady state, moderate paced cardio should be your choice.  You can still see great results with this type of cardio workout and it will be much more applicable to integrating into your total training plan.  Always remember that more important than anything else for fat loss is the diet you’re using so don’t let yourself put too much emphasis on loads and loads of cardio training. Cardio training should always just be an add-on to any smart program plan and when you keep it in perspective and put more focus on what counts – your nutrition and weight lifting workouts, that’s when you’re going to see the most optimal results.

This article is contributed by Adana, a fitness enthusiast who enjoys hitting the gym & blogs at My Dumbbells Affair.

 

How To Stay Healthy On Vacation

By Roey Pimentel of http://www.BeachFamilyVacation.net

Learning how to stay healthy on vacation is easier than some may think.  There are several basic tips for mastering how to stay healthy.

Some of the basic principles of how to stay healthy during the year apply to your vacation time as well.  Many people hit a wall when it comes to diet and exercise while on vacation because of mindset.  For some the term, “vacation” applies to their diet and exercise program.  That boils down to mindset.  This is a really important point!  Overcoming this obstacle can have far greater benefits on how to stay healthy that reach far beyond your vacation.

In other words, if you want to take a vacation from your routine, then something in that routine is not working for you.  To illustrate this point – would you want to go on vacation without your spouse or significant other?  Your answer is probably “no.”  But if you answered “yes” to that question, there may be an issue with your relationship that needs attention.  This is the same with your diet and exercise routine.  If you are looking forward to abandoning it while on vacation, you may need to re-evaluate your diet and exercise program.  Once you tweak your program to one that you are comfortable living with, then it is time to plan how to stay healthy on vacation.

Mindset is the key to learning how to stay healthy on vacation.  This is especially true if you are vacationing at an all-inclusive-resort.  When a seemingly unending amount of delicious food is put in front of you, the temptation can be to “want to get your money’s worth” or to taste everything that is available.  The way to conquer this is to change your mindset.  Rather than thinking of the money spent, change that thought to something like, “I am making an investment in my health and my future with everything I eat.”  Make a conscious decision with every bite you take.  Is that morsel a good investment in you?  Healthy options can be delicious options.

Another way of thing is to remember eating well and maintaining proper portion control will allow you to feel better.  When you feel better you are able to enjoy your vacation more.  Employ the little tricks you have learned back home when eating on vacation.  Have the salad dressing, but request it on the side.  Then either dip your salad bites individually into the side of dressing, or pour the amount you decide is appropriate onto your plate.  You are in control of your diet and portion!  Request your meals be prepared in a healthy manner.  Instead of fried fish, request broiled fish.  If whole milk is offered, request skim milk instead.  These little changes and substitutions go a long way in winning the calorie game.

There are many activities available while on vacation.  If you are staying at a resort or on a cruise, chances are there is a dedicated gym available for your use.  If going to the gym is part of your exercise routine back home, try and get to the gym while on vacation as well.  It doesn’t have to be a full workout, but do something.  Then of course, the rest of your daily exercise will be accomplished through the fun vacation activities.  Swimming is a great form of exercise.  If you are a runner, consider running along the beach.  You will get an intense workout and have beautiful scenery to motivate you.  Imagine the memories you will make!  Take those memories home after vacation and use them for motivation throughout the rest of the year.

Learning how to stay healthy on vacation is easy with the right mindset and a little planning.

Visit Roey’s vacation blog for more tips, reviews, and deals for planning a great family vacation.

What tips do you have on how to stay healthy on vacation?

 

Here are a few ideas from their website.

1. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to exercise
2. Commit to eating healthy all day
3. Make a donation to a charity of your choice (American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, etc)

Here are some of my ideas:

• Start a health and fitness journal
• If you have a gym membership, take one fitness class a week
• Step out of your comfort zone and sign up for a race (5k, 1/2 marathon, etc)
• If you have kids, get outside and be active with them
• Try one new healthy meal

How will you celebrate health and fitness this Saturday?

 

photo credit: paris_corrupted

It’s a question many people ask and I have some ideas to share so you might be able to overcome or even avoid the dreaded weight loss plateau!

Let me first start by recommending that you STOP focusing so much on the scale.  The numbers on the scale might not be moving but your body is still changing if you are exercising and following a healthy lifestyle!  You are most likely building muscle as you workout which could cause the numbers on the scale to go up but don’t worry about that, it’s normal.  The scale can really tear you down and the more time you spend sweating bullets over whether you have gained or stayed the same, every week or for some every day the more frustrating it gets and leaves you less excited about your new healthy lifestyle.  Every month at the gym I do a weigh in and get measurements taken. I highly recommend that you keep tabs on your measurements because THAT in the long run will show you how much you have accomplished.

One thing that could be happening to cause you to hit a weight loss plateau is that you might be working the same body parts and not changing up your workouts enough.  Your body gets used to you doing the same things over and over.  If you are only walking right now you might want to add in some quick jogs or sprints or if you take classes at the gym, try a new one for a while.  Maybe you prefer to use the treadmill so you could hop on do a quick 2 minute fast walk/run, hop off, do some jumping jacks, maybe a few stretch band exercises for your legs and then hop back on the treadmill for more running or bump up the incline and walk a higher incline for a few minutes. Another thing you could do is start using hand weights on your treadmill walks.  The goal is to change things up!

The thing that recently got me over the hump was signing up for personal training and focusing a lot on strength training.  It doesn’t matter if you have a personal trainer or not because you can still add strength training to your daily activity.  And you’ll be glad you did!

Now don’t get me wrong, it IS possible to exercise too much and that could also play a big part in a plateau as well so just be cautious of this.

Now on to food:  When it comes to eating, you really want to focus on portion control and what types of foods you eat and beware of the little things that sneak in there like that little taste here and there. Be sure to drink a good amount of water so you stay hydrated throughout the day.  You want to make sure that you are taking in enough calories each day. I have heard many people say it’s OK to eat under 1000 calories a day and I do not agree with that. Everyone is definitely different and it really depends on your body and how much you should personally consume.  Don’t skip any meals and don’t go too long between meals and snacks.  Doing so can really hinder your weight loss and you’ll be sure to hit that weight loss plateau.  Keeping a food journal in the past helped me so you might want to think about that option.

I know it’s frustrating when things don’t seem to be moving in the direction you feel they should be but don’t give up.  Mix things up and keep going!

Have you ever hit a weight loss plateau and if so what is your #1 tip for avoiding them?

Side note:  If you have hit a weight loss plateau and can’t seem to break through, it is possible that there could be a potential health issue so you’ll want to check with your physician.

 

photo credit: kalyan02

Here are the 10 reasons why I want to lose weight and maintain success.

1)  Be healthier

2)  Wear cute bathing suits

3)  Have easier workouts

4)  Be fit to teach a fitness class

5)  I want to fit comfortably on rides at amusement parks

6)  Comfortably run a 1/2 marathon

7)  Fit in cute jeans/other clothes

8)  Set an example so I can share my success with others and fully support them

9)  Feel strong

10)  Have more self confidence

Keep your eye on your goals and always refer back to your list if at anytime you feel like giving up. You might go one step further and try to envision yourself  fitting in to those cute little jeans or how you might feel when you fit into them.

Over on my Facebook fan page, we are sharing just a few of our reasons with each other.  I think that connecting with others in the same boat as yourself will really help as far as accountability on our path to weight loss success.

What are some of your reasons for wanting to lose weight?