Tag Archives: water

Salt: A love / hate relationship

Posted on March 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

What’s not to love and what you should hate.

As most of us know, too much salt can be a major contributor to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, or kidney disorders. But our bodies also need a certain amount of salt every day, because it’s required by all cells to maintain fluid balance, and it’s vital for proper nerve and muscle function. Because salt is excreted through urine and sweat, the most intense exerciser’s need even more of it to maintain a proper balance.

So how much salt should we be consuming? The amount of salt we need on a daily basis varies with each person, depending on age, size, activity level.

Generally, it’s agreed that our bodies need about 500 mg of sodium a day to function properly. Have you ever wondered how much that is? What does 500 mgs look like? That’s about a quarter of a teaspoon of table salt. Most people average about 5,000 mg of sodium per day. That is about 10 times as much as our bodies require and more than 2X the recommended maximum. So unless you’re working out (about the amount of an elite athlete) and excreting excess sodium, you may be getting way more than you need. That can lead to a list of health problems associated with high blood pressure.

Even if you don’t believe in, or care about the medical repercussions of excess salt consumption, how about this? It’s estimated that most of us are carrying around an extra five pounds of water weight, retained simply because of the excess salt in our bodies. Drop five pounds of water weight just by passing up the salt shaker? Sounds like a good deal to me!

I love watching people in restaurants pound the salt shaker over their food before they even taste their food.

 

NO SALT? Ahhh, real taste!

Almost all processed foods contain high levels of sodium. Levels in some cases so high, that you will get enough sodium to last several days. For example, Wendy’s Triple Baconator 2780mgs of Sodium!! But you know that a burger with three patties and bacon and cheese will be horrible. How about a nice healthy salad? TGI Friday’s Santa Fe Chopped Salad? 1800mgs!! Not too good either is it? OK so Cheerios…uber-healthy Cheerios…one cup of Cheerios contains 200 mg of salt, so you’re kicking off your day with 8 percent of your recommended sodium. Salt has been used as a preservative for centuries to cure meats and pickle vegetables, among other uses.

 

And while we’ve developed new preservatives over the years, salt has other advantages as a food additive. It can thicken soups and sauces aid in making breads, cookies, and crackers moister. It can enhance certain flavors (like sweet and sour) and mask other tastes, like the chemical additives in soft drinks. So even if you’re steering clear of salty treats like pretzels, pickles, and popcorn, if you check your labels carefully you may find you’re still getting a fair amount of sodium from food items that don’t even taste salty. Foods labeled “diet” or “light,” may also have pretty high sodium levels.

Companies add extra salt can make food taste better but because of labelling laws, still allow them to be advertised as low-calorie, low-fat products. Even if salt isn’t in the ingredient list it can be spread out throughout the ingredient list under different names. Make sure you check the overall sodium on the nutrition label to determine the total sodium content. And don’t forget to take the serving size into account.

Many food manufacturers will say that their product contains several tiny servings of salt instead of a couple of regular servings to minimize the less savory elements of the product’s nutritional profile.

Common hiding spots in some popular foods…

Processed Meats – 1 slice of processed meat starts at 300mg sodium – 2 slices of bacon is 400mg (plus the fat) Soups – Processed soups start in and around 900mg of sodium Canned vegetables – 1200mg. Yes you read that right. You need to rinse them Frozen foods – 2 slices of frozen pizza 1000mg .

If you are looking to lower your sodium or are salt sensitive the most important thing to do is check the labels of everything you eat and make sure you’re not getting more salt than you need.

 

Screw this up with salt?

One of the best things our family ever did to improve the taste of foods was to stop adding salt when cooking foods that called for it in a recipe. The real taste of food is incredible when you allow it to come through naturally!!

 

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Are you full of it?

Posted on March 2, 2011 | 5 Comments

What constitutes constipation?  Well, depending on the study or research you read, being constipated seems to be a little different for everyone.  I’ve read a paper that said it’s normal for some people to only need to have a BM a few times per week.  Others say it should be an event that interrupts your day three times!  Holy crap!! 3 times a week to 21 times per week??  I know where I stand with that…if it only happened three times per week I’d be calling Roto-Rooter!!

So what’s normal?

It’s hard to say.  We all process our food differently and some of us are more efficient users of nutrients than others.  There is also the thought that if there is a lot of crap going in…then there is a lot of crap coming out.

Are you getting enough?

One of the most common reasons people have a hard time with “number 2″ is that they are dehydrated. If your colon is not absorbing enough water, it will not be able to push the bad stuff out.

You know what happens to this bad stuff? It stays inside you, making you extremely uncomfortable, fatigued, can lead to disease and prevent you from losing weight!

WHY???

Think about the explosion in recent years of “cleanse” or “detox” programs.  Clear the colon; lose weight.  Millions of dollars are literally flushed down the toilet.  I am all for a clean colon, but not at the price of a box of colon blow pills, laxatives or liquid diets.

Yes, if you have a toxic build up inside your colon, it makes it extremely difficult to absorb nutrients and burn bad fat off your body…but the cure should never be potentially as damaging as the problem.

Here are some easy and natural ways you can combat the old Pooping problem:

1. You need to be drinking water each and every day. You should be drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day.  Forget the 8 glasses of water or the drink till you aren’t thirsty ideas.  Half your body weight in ounces spread out over the day. Have a little extra after you exercise and before your meals.

2. Look for great and simple options for adding fiber to your daily nutritional plan.  Ground flaxseed on your oatmeal or in your protein shakes.  Add more insoluble fiber to your meals. Celery, nuts, seeds, apples.

Eat your cleanse

3. Introduce more raw foods into your diet.  Not only are they great for optimizing vitamins and minerals, but your digestive tract gets a better workout of it’s own processing the raws.  No, I don’t mean steak tar-tar or bacon still oinking….I mean raw vegetables, salad, fruits.  Every meal should have a serving (or two) or raw food.  Most of the time, the natural ‘good stuff’ in raw food is lost when those foods get heated.  Almost always, raw food tastes better.  And here is one of those head scratching thoughts.  I have never taken raw beans, carrots or celery and had any desire to put salt on them while I’m eating, but I challenge you to find a recipe or chef that doesn’t ensure salt is all over everything.  (Back to the dehydration problem)

4. Start each morning with this great “digestive tonic”: 2 TBSP lemon juice in one glass of water. I prefer mine a little stronger.  I use a mug of hot water and the juice of a whole lemon.

So, I now this was a bit of a “crappy” post, but I hope you understand that in the “end”, a clean colon allows for easier weight loss and a healthier constitution.  Your output can be directly linked to your, well your …“output”.

Before you turn to crap for your crap…turn, again…to food.

Also…I am looking for some customer service feedback for my local Boot Campers.  Could you please take a minute to fill out this very short survey so I can be sure that I am delivering you the best possible program I can.

 

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Did you know? 6 Tips for Better Results and Words of Inspiration

Posted on January 27, 2011 | 1 Comment

“Nobody cares if you’re not a good dancer. Just get up and dance. The same holds true for racing. Whether first or last, we all cross that same finish line. Just get out there and run.”

Keep a Journal. I always say this and one of the first things I tell my clients to do is write it down! It’s one of the most overlooked but simple tips in shedding fat. People who record what they eat, meal by meal, day by day, not only make better choices, but cheat less and eat fewer total calories. Writing it down “keeps you honest” and is a tool for reminding you that getting lean is a day by day process.  TIP Write your health and fitness goal at the top of each journal page.

Graze Athletes, models, fitness professionals and nutritionists know that eating all day long keeps their total calories under control while providing sustained energy. The grazing method – 5-6 small meals elevates your metabolism. Each time you eat, your metabolism increases, and over a 6-10 week period, that increase can turn into another 2-3 pounds of fat loss.

Eat More Protein. Carbs, protein and fat – are equal in their efficiency to be stored as body fat, but protein exerts a greater metabolic boosting effect than carbs or dietary fat. One of the main reasons for that is that it takes more energy to process/digest protein.  Two tier benefit! You burn more calories while eating and when calories drop, protein saves muscle which helps keep the metabolism elevated. Aim for 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight daily.

Sip Green Tea. Green tea contains caffeine and polyphenols*. Some of those have a thermogenic effect which leads to an increase of calorie burning. These special calorie burning compounds help burn an extra 100 or-so calories a day. *(Dullo, A.G., et al., Efficiency of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1999. 70(6):p.1040-5.)

Don’t Be Cardio Crazy! Radically reducing calories slows the metabolism short-circuiting fat loss. The same effect occurs with radical caloric expenditure. You know: 2 cardio sessions a day. Excess cardio slows the metabolism, promotes a loss in muscle and even can lower testosterone levels. For real results, stick to 4-6 sessions a week, 30 – 45 minutes at a clip and maintain a high level of intensity.  Most importantly, know what you are using cardio for…is it fat loss or endurance gain?

Set up Support When you decide to begin your plan to weight loss, health and fitness improvement or changing how you look and feel, you might get discouraged doing it alone.   Find support in what you are doing.  Share your plan with a TRUSTED person.  By that I mean someone who will support you through it all, help keep you accountable to your plan and pick you up when you get discouraged.  AVOID negative people or people who will try to bring you down or talk you out of it.  Chances are those people are intimidated by the prospect of you succeeding.

And as always…DRINK WATER!!

This is what you learn at boot camp.  This is what Boot Campers have to say…

  • I’ve learned that exercises that work big groups of muscles at once are way more effective than spending hours exercising every little muscle group individually.~Michelle
  • I have learned that I don’t have to settle for the level of fitness I’ve had in the past I am capable of going further than that! ~Cathy
  • I have learned …to trust my body, that this is a journey, to change my life in small steps, that I am in control of my own destiny, to not give up anymore. ~Sharon
  • I’ve learned that it’s okay to ask for and receive support when it comes to weight loss and fitness. I don’t have to do it all on my own.~Shannon
  • I’ve learned that change is difficult but it CAN happen…with wonderful results! ~Angie
  • I learned that I can love myself as much or more than anyone else and that its okay. ~Selena
  • I’ve learned that I can always make a change… I don’t have to be stuck in a certain way of being. I can choose to do something different! ~Leslie
  • I’ve learned that eating supportive doesn’t mean you have to eat boring food! AND that being part of a support group with the same challenges and goals is a huge key to success! AND that slow and steady really does win the race!! aka the turtle!!!! AND I could just go on and on but will leave room for everyone else.  ~Karen

 

How inspiring and empowering is that!? No matter what fitness plan you decide to follow, I sure hope it has the same impact. You truly deserve all this and more! What have you learned?

Let me know…your words could inspire someone to change their life too!

 

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The ‘Daily Dozen’ for a better life.

Posted on January 18, 2011 | 5 Comments

Yesterday was the third Monday in January.  If you are American, you celebrated Martin Luther King Jr Day.  For the rest of the world, and the States as well, the third Monday in January is nicknamed, “Blue Monday”.

Researchers have figured that yesterday is the most depressing day of the year.  A formula that somehow figures that with post-Christmas bills coming in, cold temperatures, and shorter days makes for an ugly day.  Debt, a lack of sunlight, colder temperatures (crap was it cold yesterday) and yes, here’s a big one…the realization of the failure of New Year Resolutions all combine to make us all say YUCK!

It’s hard to say if the researchers can actually quantify their theory with solid facts, but when you look at all the reasons they put into their reasoning, it kind of makes sense.

I don't like Monday

So, pat yourself on the back…you’ve made it past the most depressing day of the year.

To celebrate this milestone, I’m giving you something just a little different.  Enjoy the read.  Only a little hammering about health and fitness and lots about life.

1.) Be passionate about life.  It’s yours to do you what you want with it and make what you will of it.  Hum drum and ho hum or awesome and fun!!

2.) Run your own race – the only people who can beat you are the ones you allow to.

3.) Read more. Write more. Listen more.  Never stop learning

4.) Turn OFF your TV!

5.) Eliminate excuses. Everyone has one, so no one wants to hear one.  Get rid of them and we’ll all be better off.

6.) Focus, focus, focus!

7.) Water people everyday – lift people up and help them grow instead of tearing them down (speaking of water, drink lots of it…you will feel 10x better)

8.) If you want more, GIVE more. You can’t expect anything from others if you haven’t given more than you asking for.

9.) Make sure you eat 6 small meals per day. I like to do 4 solid meals and 2 protein shakes

10.) Say please, thank you, excuse me and I love you more.

11.) Define your personal “game-changing” move in 2011.  Write it down, call it a goal and then get it done!

12.) Be the most positive person you know.

Choose one thing on this list if you need a starting point to feeling better or even better, develop your own list then pick one thing to focus on each and every day.

It’s January18th; decide right now to be the very best you and define who you are. We’re at the starting line: tighten up your laces, take a deep breath and lets go.  This is your life, make it incredible!

Let me hear from you!  Add your own best of things to do! Let’s make an incredible list that everyone can benefit from!

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Cleansing: What’s all the crap about?

Posted on January 14, 2011 | 1 Comment

I was asked about a particular, we’ll call it a “weight loss product” for lack of a better term recently.  Fortunately I knew about this product, so it was easy to say, “AVOID.”

But, I hadn’t paid any attention to it so I thought I would take a look again, just in case it had changed.  First place I went on the products website was the legal area.  Here are the first two lines that I found.

DSHEA Disclaimer

The statements (appearing on this Web site) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. XXXXXX products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Weight-Loss Disclaimer

The weight loss testimonials presented apply only to the individuals depicted, cannot be guaranteed, and should not be considered typical. An unpublished 2008 university study showed a statistically significant weight loss of 7 lbs during the first 9 days of the Cleansing and Fat Burning System.  As with any health or fitness program, a sensible eating plan and regular exercise are required in order to achieve long-term weight loss.

Wow…if those aren’t two statements that say, “We really have no clue if this really works or if it’s safe but give it a try.  Oh yeah and well, it won’t work with lasting results unless you eat sensibly and exercise.”

I’m not done.

“The XXXXX cleanse is unique because it not only removes impurities at the cellular level, it builds the body up with incredible nutrition. Besides detoxing the body, XXXXX teaches people a wonderful lesson that they don’t need to eat as much as they are accustom to and eating healthy choices are really important and also a lot of the food we are eating is nutritionally bankrupt.”

I’ve been saying part of that for a long time.  We don’t need to eat as much as most people do.  That is about the only thing I can agree with on this product.  It may also leave you as financially bankrupt.

Any weight loss product that is set up as a multi-level marketing system should also make you think about credibility.  You’ve probably guessed it by now, the product, or more accurately product line, is Isagenix.  But, it isn’t even so much this particular product I have a problem with as much as I do with the idea of a cleanse or detox in general.

If you really need to, uhm, clean yourself out, I would suggest fiber, anti-oxidents, multi-vitamins and water.  If you want to clean out your wallet, give it to charity…it will do more good there.

And yes, somewhere out there, someone is going to tell me, “You’re wrong!! I’ve lost 5 million pounds using a cleanse.”  OK, so you did…how much have you gained back and I’m willing to bet you gained it back faster than you lost it and congratulations, in the process deprived your body of some necessary vitamins and minerals in the process.  Of course you will lose weight on a cleanse.  It’s calorie deprivation.  We’ve talked about that before, remember?  Not enough nutrition, your body starts to eat it’s own muscle for protein, you lose muscle, can’t burn fat as well…and let the weight gain begin, again.

Gotta Go!!!

Another interesting thing about poop products, yes I said it, one of the statements is that it doesn’t contain caffeine, but on the ingredient label, it’s right there…green tea.  Yes green tea has caffeine.  Honestly, the claims made by these products are full of crap.

The essence of these products is simple.  Replace a couple of meals (real food), with some sort of liquid mess or chewy tablet (not real food), followed by calorie deprivation and a path straight to cravings and bingeing.

Keep it simple everyone.  Eat real food.  Exercise sensibly.  Rest and repeat regularly.

If you are looking for simple quick tricks and short cuts to get healthy, you’ll find yourself forever looking for those answers as you bounce up and down on the scale for the rest of your life.

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22 Tips for a Great New Year!!

Posted on December 16, 2010 | 2 Comments

1.) Smile more…this is a lesson from Amy who always wears an infectious smile!!! (Thanks for that)

Smiles are infectious to you and others.  Wearing a smile, even when there is nothing to smile about can make you feel better.

2.) Smile at someone-bet they’ll smile back at you!

Refer to first point, this is one infection that is good to pass around to others as much as you can!

3.) Write out your to do list, before going to bed.

This is a great way to be organized and to keep thoughts of, “What do I need to do tomorrow?” out of your head while you are trying to fall asleep.

4.) Get a good night’s sleep every night – you will feel so much better the next day

Your body repairs and recuperates itself while sleeping.  It helps you stay healthy and energized.

5.) Ask someone what you can do to help them.

Be a true servant to your fellow people.  No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care…so care for others and express it by asking what they need.

6.) Eat your vegetables-not sometimes….everyday!

Yes, this is what your mom used to say all the time and it was with good reason!  Veggies really are you home doctor. Minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants…eat many and plenty.

7.) Read more

Take the time to expand your mind and grow your thinking.  I heard that the biggest difference between who you are today and who you will be in 5 years is based on the books you read and the people you know.

8.) Live in the moment

Enjoy everything that life has to offer today.  You never know what will be gone tomorrow so suck it all in and live every moment to its fullest.

9.) Exercise hard

There is no sense in trying to relax while you exercise.  It really defeats the purpose!  When you are done, you have to feel like you have accomplished something, not just have gone through the paces.

10.) Have an attitude of gratitude… be grateful

Everything you have in life should be viewed as a blessing.  Be grateful for even the tough stuff, because it will make you stronger and better when you fight through it.

11.) Take your vitamins

While food is a great source of nutrition, supplementing with vitamins is often necessary.

12.) Don’t put things off

No matter what it is, deal with it at the earliest opportunity.  Nothing gets better with time except wine, so take care of things early to keep them from going bad.

13.) Avoid negative people

Back to good old advice from mom! She always said, “You are judged by the company you keep and they will have an impact on you and how you are viewed by others.” Negative people have the ability to suck the joy right out of you and that defeats everything else you have to be thankful and grateful for.

14.) Drink at least 2 litres of water everyday.

You are made up of so much of the good stuff, replenish it and cleanse yourself.  A spring fed lake has more abundant life in it than a bog.  You want to ensure your lake supports healthy life, not stale and stagnant stink.

15.) Be there for others

There is no greater measure of a person than what they will do for others not on an everyday basis, but when others reach out for you or need you.  Be there for them.  They have asked you to be their support…be it and honour them by helping.

16.) Don’t blame others

Blaming others has become a mantra for so many of the ills that plague our society.  Well, the truth is, YOU control everything that affects you.  The choices we make as individuals plays a great part in everything we are and everything we do.  Sure, bad things happen to good people and often at the hands of others, but how it affects us defines who we are and who has the greatest control in our lives.

17.) Give more than you promise

Be a giver and do so in abundance! Remember, what goes around comes around.  If you give more than is expected or than you said you would, it will be remembered, respected and reciprocated.

18.) Keep it simple

This is the KISS principal.  The harder you make things, the harder they are! Simple right, so don’t make little things complicated. Simple is always best.

19.) Learn from every mistake

We are human and we make mistakes.  Learning from them and knowing not to make the same mistakes again separates the incompetent from the competent.

20.) Forgive others

It is rare that anyone truly does anything to intentionally hurt us.  Forgiveness is compassion, carrying a grudge only leads to misery and hate.   This will eat you alive if you carry it, so let it go!

21.) Forgive yourself

If you are going to forgive others, you have to first forgive yourself.  Be you biggest critic, be your harshest judge, but forgive yourself to heal.

22.) Never give up

Winners never quit, quitters never win.  History is full of incredible examples of people who had every reason to quit and no one would have batted an eye at the decision, but think of how great life is because they never quit. Lincoln, Edison, Bell, Franklin…the list goes on and on. NEVER GIVE UP!!!

 

 

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Tuesday Turkey Recovery Tips

Posted on October 11, 2010 | 2 Comments

Well, it’s over…another Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Did you pause before eating with family and friends to mention things you are thankful for? We did in our house.  We do it every year.  It’s great listening to the kids come up with what they are thankful for.

I even made a point this year to make a point of using each day of the weekend to give thanks for something.  Today on Twitter it was simple, heart felt two-parter:

 

 

 

 

Really, that’s what it is for me, plain and simple, an honour to be trusted to take that journey with you…thank you, each and every one of you that has allowed me into your life to help you.

OK…enough of the touchy feely stuff…onto the reason I’m writing.

Turkey, potatoes, beans, squash, cranberries, bread, butter, gravy, stuffing…. sound familiar?  No, I wasn’t peaking in your windows; it’s what everyone has.

Feel a little bloated or heavy now?  Clothes a little more snug today?  Well, that’s to be expected hours after Thanksgiving.  Had you listened to me before the meal (remember the last post…Attitude for Gratitude) you probably don’t feel off at all right now.  For the rest of you…here is your recovery tips:

  1. Water.  Yes, time to flush your body out.  One of the biggest hidden gems n your meal that may or may not realize was hiding in obnoxious amounts was sodium.  Time to get it out of your body, along with all the other benefits that water will provide you.
  2. Get Moving.  The natural tendency is to sit down, get off your feet and rest from a probably very hectic weekend.  I don’t blame you one bit, but don’t!! Go outside, play with the kids, take the dog for a walk, rake the leaves.  The more you move, the more your body uses energy, the less stores that your body will want to hid away for later.
  3. Don’t Starve Yourself.  So many people think skipping the next meal is ok since you probably over ate at this one.  Don’t.  The last thing you want to do now is trigger starvation protection in your mind.  You want your body to get the energy used up, not stored up.
  4. Exercise. No, this isn’t the same as get moving.  This is the actual act of resistance training.  Making your muscles use the energy that you just consumed (sounds nicer than saying you just ate calories).

So, a pretty simple road to recovery.  4 steps that you should already be doing anyway.  But they are even more important right now.

What I want to know is did you do any of these steps after your meal on your own or did you take the prep steps I laid out in the last blog post?  Let me know how it worked for you.

I would also love to know what you did to help you stay on track if the evil foods that were laid out before you didn’t tempt you.

By the way…do you realize the eating season has begun? Are you ready for it? Next blog post…

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Attitude for Gratitude

Posted on October 7, 2010 | 3 Comments

Picture this; a feast has been prepared and has been laid out across massive tables for all to see. A feast that the Kings of yesterday would be proud to serve their visiting dignitaries. Turkey and hams baked to perfection, potatoes prepared three ways, eight varieties of vegetables boiled, sautéed, baked and grilled. Gravy, cranberries, pies, pastries, bread, butter and pickle trays set out to fill the gaps on the plates.

Sometimes these feasts are made for plenty…most often though for a family of four and a couple of guests.

Thanksgiving has historically been a meal that brings out the Julia Childs in all of us in the kitchen and the Martha Stewart in the presentation.

The original gathering to give thanks was a community feast, a party for many to enjoy and all brought forward everything that they had to be thankful for.  Two communities in fact would gather to give their thanks.

Fast forward a few hundred years and the thanks is still there, the gathering is there and the feast…oh yeah, it’s still there.  But instead of playing games outdoors, gathering wood for the winter, making blankets and storing food we lay down on the couch and complain about how much food we ate and how uncomfortable we are.  And inside us our bodies are trying to figure out where to put monstrous amounts of fat, sugar and salt.

Sound familiar?  Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.  Sure, enjoy your gathering and the feast you see before you, but follow these tips for a better after meal experience.

  • Don’t go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry – therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
  • Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one-quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.
  • You are full when: Your brain takes about 20 minutes to recognize your belly is full.  In that 20 minutes you can do a lot of over stuffing!
  • Turkey – go skinless: choose your 4 to 6-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol, (about the size of your hand).
  • Side Dishes – watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
  • Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.
  • Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee dehydrate your body. Drink water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.

Thanksgiving is not the Last Supper.  This is not your last meal–so don’t load up on things like pies, gravy, rolls and all other things that completely destroy your fitness goals.

Give thanks that you are healthy and can share this time with friends and family.

Give thanks that you are smart enough to make the right choices!  Again–this is not the Last Supper!!

Hey, take a look at the two new recipes on the recipe page in honour of Thanksgiving!!  Click Here

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Are you ready to burn more fat?

Posted on September 27, 2010 | 42 Comments

One of the most common questions I am asked is, “How do I burn fat faster?”  Well, that’s a great question.  I could tell you so many different things that work well for some, some that work well for others and one that works GREAT for EVERYONE!!

Some people respond well to reducing carbohydrates.  Others find success with increasing protein.  Resistance training is a key to everyone’s program but there is one sure-fire ingredient to killer results.

So, what is the magic pill?  What is it that works for everyone?

Water.

Drinking water increases fat burning. One of the reasons that very few people know about is that water relieves the pressure on the liver by keeping your kidneys doing the majority of the filtering.

When you don’t have enough water in your body, pressure is put on your liver to do the filtering job that the kidneys normally do.  So, instead of the liver doing the fat burning job, it gets to help the kidneys.  And like most things in life…when you try to do two jobs at once, something suffers.  In this case, the fat burning ability.

So… there you go, but wait, there’s more…

Drink water 15 minutes before you eat and you will drop weight.  Researchers testing hydration found that drinking water prior to meals decreased the amount of food people eat…it’s like magic…fill your stomach with water, (no calories, no fat, no crap)  and your stomach feels more full. TADA!! What a concept!!!

The final reason water is so incredible for fat burning is to keep acidity levels in balance, your body begins to increase its core temperature slightly.  This state called “thermogenic” is prime for fat burning purposes.

So you get a three great benefits:

1. Appetite control;

2. Increased thermogenic (fatburning);

3. Increased hydration (less stress on liver=more fatburning.)

This makes plain old water the number one fat burner you can drink on earth.

So, just to prove the point I am introducing the “14 Day Water Challenge”.

All you have to do is respond to this post in the comment section and let me know you’re in.  Jump on the scale and get your start point and then commit to drinking 2 litres of water per day for the next 14 days.  (Spread the water out through your day, but make sure you have at least one good size glass before each meal.)

Deal?? Come on..what do you have to lose?? (As if we don’t know)

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Move it Monday – Not what you expect!

Posted on September 13, 2010 | 4 Comments

Did you know people who frequently eat high fibre foods like whole grains, some nuts and….VEGETABLES have a more positive outlook on life and are less likely to have symptoms of depression (according to a new UK study).

So, if you come across someone who is having a bad day or bad attitude offer them some broccoli!!  LOL

Are you feeling like a little treat today? A Dairy Queen Blizzard has 720 calories – 28 grams of fat – 78 grams of sugar –OUCH!!!  And no not the supper huge large…that’s a for a SMALL!!  Stay away…and keep your kids away!  If you weigh 110 pounds, that means jogging for 1 hour to get rid of the calories from that little treat.  Better move it!

Bone Protection.  We all know calcium is great for strengthening bones, but most people don’t know where to get unless it comes from the cow.  Well, here is a delicious source…Bone Booster……SHRIMP!  Shrimp is high in Vitamin B12 which aids in bone density and is crucial in the generation of new cells.  It is also a good source of Vitamin D which is essential for bone strength.

Best energy drink on the planet……..get ready for it…….WATER—go get some and feel better.

There you go,  4 things to think about today for “Move it Monday”

If you had a vegetable and shrimp stir fry with a big glass of water you would feel amazing!!!!!!

So how does those all tie in to “Move it Monday”….Super bonus point with a high-five for those that see the common thread.

All those things will make your bowels fly!!  OK, not so much the DQ…but if you are like me and you ate one, your stomach would sure let go.

Meat Monday:

Food ideas chili, meatloaf, meatballs or hamburgers,–mix half extra lean ground beef with lean ground turkey–super easy–super yummy!!

These are easy meals and can be done quickly!!

Carrie’s easy peasy Meatloaf:

1 package of extra lean ground beef

1 package of extra lean ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup of oats

big glug of chunky salsa

mix of cut up veggies (cut up fine….celery, broccoli,)

Mix it all together(which takes all of 3 minutes) …put it into a baking pan–top it with more salsa(no ketchup!!!!!)

Bake it at 350 for 45-60 minutes……serve it with brown rice, and a garden salad or steamed veggies!!

Delish and Nutrish!

Enjoy!!

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