If you’re in the middle of one of those I gotta eat something sweet and I gotta have it right now episodes, a half of a cookie might set you up for failure. Of course you’re not going to eat a half dozen, but one whole cookie will not break your plan. I know it’s all about the mindset, I say it all the time. The chances of you being satisfied with one cookie are greater than with just a half. This is where you can bargain with yourself, after all it is your taste buds and your conscious that you’re up against. Make a pact (with yourself) that when you have the cookie you’ll walk for 10 minutes afterwards. If you’ve ever been in a struggle with losing weight you’ve made pacts with yourself before. Most of them have been along these lines:

“I’ll just eat ___________, and I won’t ever eat it again.” Or you vow that since you’ve already blown it you might as well wait till Monday to start your plan over again. You hold the power. The key to turn off the roller coaster ride is in your front pocket and it’s been there all the time. Binging isn’t cool, and we all swear the one we’re in the middle of will be the last one. Even after you get past the urge to binge, the possibility always lurks in the background. It’s like being in a 12 step program; you have to own it. I know I‘m a recovering binger, and there are times when the temptation to go back is excruciating. There were times when I had to look in the mirror and say:
“Hi, I’m Sandra and I’m a binge eater.”

Guilt doesn’t feel good, and it’s the ultimate before binge snack.

There are simply more benefits to aerobics than you can talk about in one post. While it’s possible to over train, you can’t be too healthy. Training your heart and lungs to work more efficiently is one of the cornerstones of fitness, and cardiorespiratory endurance is one of the most important components of fitness.

When it comes to the relationship between aerobics and heart health the basic point is that by doing aerobics, your heart and lungs are working faster than they are when you are resting. The more that you do, the more your heart has to do for you. By making aerobics part of your routine, you are requiring your heart to work at a higher rate of intensity each day, and this is what helps to makes it stronger.

The better more efficient your heart is, the better your endurance with whatever activity you choose. Like anything, when it comes to aerobics and heart health you are going to have to work your way up. If you’ve been inactive for a while don’t make great demands on your heart right away. 3-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes is a good place to start. Stay in tune with your body and you’ll know when it’s time to increase your pace and your time working out. Also, please talk to your doctor to make sure there aren’t any underlying healthy problems that would keep you from being active. If you’re in doubt about how to start a safe and effective routine, there are tons of us fitness professionals out there willing to help.

Parties are a major source of peer pressure, especially when alcohol is around. Remember that alcohol contains hundreds of empties calories in just one drink. When you go to a party, people might be pressuring you to have a drink and relax, and it can be difficult to say no when they are constantly trying to convince you. That first drink might relax you so much that you let your guard down too far and eat and drink way more than you should. Instead, offer to be the designated driver. That way your friends won’t want you to drink and, in fact, they may even keep you hydrated with your favorite non alcoholic beverage or even chip in for gas. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Another time when you may feel pressured to eat is at work when the boss orders lunch for everyone at a meeting or when you have to visit a client. Instead of giving in to temptation, simply politely decline the food by letting your boss know in advance or order a meal that is healthy and split the portion in half so you have a meal for tomorrow’s lunch as well.

Baby showers, weddings, birthday parties, and other special events can also wreak havoc on your healthy eating plan. The best laid plans can fall by the wayside even under the strongest will when someone hands you a piece of cake and won’t take no for an answer. Here, little white lies might be appropriate. For instance, saying that your stomach was upset earlier in the day will convince a person that you don’t want to eat at the moment or pretending to have a chocolate allergy will get people to allow you to enjoy the party without a hassle surrounding food. This comes under the category of “by any means necessary.”

Remember, however, that while refusing bad foods is fine, you should be eating good foods. If you don’t, dangerous eating habits and disorders can develop, which will give you, your friends, and your doctor a real reason to worry. It’s OK to say no to peer pressure, but don’t say no to food in general!

If you are at work or school over lunchtime, you can save lots of money by carrying a lunch rather than grabbing lunch from a fast food restaurant or the cafeteria. And if your workplace café doesn’t offer healthy selections, maybe it’s time for you to make some noise about it. Until then, bringing your own meals will be more nutritious and, in many cases, tastier. If you’re not a morning person, packing a lunch doesn’t mean that you have to wake up earlier. Simply pack it the night before. Maybe you and a co-worker could take turns. Make a menu, chip in for the groceries and take turns with the preparation.

Be very picking about eating frozen entrees. Don’t be fooled or fueled by a low fat label. Even the supposed healthy ones are often loaded with sodium and a slew of preservatives. If by chance you do find one with optimum nutrition, this option is sometimes a bit more expensive than making and packing your own lunch. You can also stock your desk at work with healthy snacks if time is at a premium. Lots of foods come in non-perishable varieties, which can easily fit into your desk and be micro-waved with water when it comes time to eat lunch. Try soups, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, water, cereal, canned water packed tuna, and chicken can all be assembled into a healthy meal at the office.

When you have to eat out, or meeting an associate or client for lunch, make healthy food choices. Avoid skipping lunch altogether just to have a meeting. Maybe your company will chip in to pay for the client’s meal. Usually, companies are more than happy to reimburse you or provide a company credit card or tab information. Good choices for lunch include wraps, sandwiches with 100% wheat bread, with lean meat and light on the condiments. Keep in mind that every, salad is not a healthy one. If it’s piled high with bacon, croutons, cheese and salad dressing you nixed any nutritional value. And you can never go wrong with fruit unless it’s wrapped in buttery pastry and drenched in sugar. Avoid fast food, pizza, and bulky meals, like pasta for lunch, unless your afternoon includes lots of activity.

As part of their assignments last semester, my students had to record everything they ate and drank for three days. The information was then entered into a database which tallied analyzed the nutritional content. One student informed me that she was fasting for religious purposes. I’m not a fan of fasting unless it is for a medical reason. However, in the case of religious preferences I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut. Trust me, this is no easy task. I left it up to the student. If she followed through on the fast she’d lose points on the assignment. If she stopped fasting….well.

I know other people who’ve followed what is called the Daniel Fast, so I did a little research. My findings led to another question, WWJE; What would Jesus eat?
Here’s are the facts on the fast.

It seems that Daniel ate only things planted for harvest and drank only water. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?

Whole Grains: brown rice, oats, rolled oats, oatmeal, barley, corn, popcorn, and wheat.

• Legumes: dried beans, green beans, green peas, peanuts, etc. Legumes, lentils, natural peanut butter.
• Fruits: Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, breadfruit, cantaloupe, cherries, coconuts, cranberries, dates, figs, grapefruit, grapes, grenadine, guava, honeydew melons, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, mulberry, nectarines, oats, olives, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon, etc.
• Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, any peppers, any potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zucchini, etc.
• Seeds: all nuts, natural almond butter, sprouts, ground flax, etc.
• Liquids: spring water, distilled water, filtered water, 100% all natural fruit or vegetable juices. Do you think they had distilled water back then?

As if you hadn’t figure it out by now, here’s what you can’t eat.

Meat
• White Rice
• Fried Foods
• Caffeine
• Carbonated Beverages
• Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives
• Refined Sugar
• Sugar Substitutes
• White Flour and All Products Using It
• Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products

Get Healthy. While you can’t get rid of the cells that cause cellulite without surgery, you can shrink them down by losing weight and building muscle. Just being overweight doesn’t cause cellulite, getting rid of excess pounds usually helps reduce its appearance. And isn’t that all we want?

Increase Circulation. To loosen tight connective tissue and give your skin a smoother appearance, you should take steps to improve circulation in the area. You’d need a calculator to count the products out there that swear to alleviate cellulite (even cellulite reducing pantyhose). The best way to increase circulation is with daily massage. Plus, this can be a nice way to relax at the end of the day.

Use Aloe Vera. There are many “miracle” cellulite creams on the market, but you probably already know that it’s best to avoid them. If you really want to go the “cream” route, try a good aloe vera cream. Some manufacturers say that it will help loosen up the connective tissue and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Also, regular use of an exfoliating scrub may help as well.

Get Rid of Toxins in the Body. One theory suggests that cellulite is caused by excess toxins in the body. Having well hydrated cells washes away the toxins and keeps them from building up; so drink plenty of water. Some people have found improvement after wraps and other treatments designed to remove toxins from the skin. You should also avoid adding new toxins to your system; cut back on caffeine, additives, preservatives, artificial colorings, and unnecessary medications.

None of the above methods are tried, tested or proven, and nine times out of ten, will not necessarily or totally get rid of cellulite. At best your skin will be softer and that‘s not so bad. If you try them and they do work for you that would be awesome. I have one more tip that I came across that’s really a head shaker. Hope you’re ready for this one because it’s one for the record books!!!

Jumping. Jump 100 times everyday. You do not need to jump high, but relax your stomach and leg muscles. If necessary hold your breasts.

Now that was priceless!!

The diet also advices eating low glycemic index foods (W00-hoo!!). For example, low glycemic index fruits you can eat on the diet are apples and pears. High glycemic fruits you should avoid are bananas, watermelon and pineapples. Personally, I think avoid is too strong of a word.

This diet bears some resemblance to the Atkins diet but unlike the Atkins diet, Dr. Agatston warns that you should not consumed saturated fats like butter, ground beef and bacon. Instead, it’s recommended that you eat monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and salmon.

The South Beach Diet is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Lasts 14 days and is the strictest phase of the diet. You are not allowed to eat any carbohydrates or drink alcohol during this phase. Many dieters find this phase too restrictive.

Phase 2: You stay here until you reach your weight loss goal. During this phase you can reintroduce some carbs in moderation. A list of carbs and foods you can include is provided.

Phase 3: This is the phase of the diet and you can add extra foods during this time. Maintenance is long term and much more flexible. If your weight begins to increase you are advised to return to phase 1.

The Sommersizing Diet Plan

The Sommersizing Diet was founded by Suzanne Somers and The Sommersizing books have made the best seller lists. The diet is based around eating the right type of carbohydrates and good fats and also food combining. The believe is that if you eat low glycemic index carbohydrates your blood sugars and insulin levels will remain stable allowing your body to burn more fat. That makes sense, however, the next part gets a little goofy.

Ms. Somers encourages you to food combine, which involves eating meat, full fat dairy products and vegetables together without carbohydrates or fruit. You can also eat whole grain carbohydrates alone with vegetables but no meat or dairy. Fruit should always be consumed on its own preferably on an empty stomach. That’s way to much trouble, and rigid guidelines are the reason so many people can’t stick to programs like this.

There are also a list of foods you should completely avoid. There are specific guidelines in The Suzanne Somers Diet Book which explains in full detail when to eat fruit during the day, how to effectively combine your meals and many recipes as well. Unlike the Atkins diet or other low carb diets you are allowed to eat the right type of carbohydrates from day one as long as you eat them in the right combinations in relation to other foods.

The diet consist of two stages:

Sommersizing Stage One: This is the stricter phase of the diet where you must fully food combine and avoid all sugar, you are allowed to use the Sommersizing sweetener. You must also avoid all caffeine and alcohol.

Sommersizing Stage Two: This is the least restrictive and final phase of the diet. You start this phase once you reach your goal weight and stay on it for life. During this phase you are allowed to eat chocolate and drink red wine in moderation. You can also create slight imbalances during food combining, such as adding pine nuts to your whole wheat pasta.

Wow.

The list of benefits from getting proper nutrition from what we eat is way too long to list here. And I know this isn’t the first time I’ve had this discussion with you. Those looking for all around good health, fitness enthusiasts and serious bodybuilders want to knowledgeable about vitamins and supplements. The world of supplements is filled with rumors as well as benefits. Take heed.

Let me say again; the path to optimal nutrition is through eating the right foods. There are some vitamins and minerals that are best received from foods. It’s way to easy to take a pill. This could be a time and money issue, or simply being unaware. However, if for some reason you aren’t able to get all of the needed vitamins and minerals through what you eat, a quality supplements will do.

Have you ever heard of Shaklee products? My aunt was one of their biggest supporters, and she thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. She’d always tell me that most vitamins and supplements were fake (other than Shaklee of course). Her method for testing their authenticity was to put them in the oven. If they didn’t melt they were good. I just smiled and took her at her word. At any rate, do some research to make sure you’re getting what the label says.

In a resistance training program all your efforts will result in a stronger and leaner body. As your strength and muscle size increases, you’re going to need more vitamins and minerals, as well as more energy, in order to maintain the added muscle mass and strength. Before starting any strenuous program think about boning up on your nutrition so you’ll know if you’re going to need additional supplementation. Then speak with your primary care physician or a nutritionist and get their advice. Don’t belly ache about the cost or the time involved, you’re worth it right? Avoid going from 0-60 with healthy foods right away. Yes you read that right. If you haven’t touched a vegetable in the last ten years and all of a sudden raid the produce isle, your digestive system will rebel big time. Ease your way into the healthy eating lifestyle. Gradually increase your fresh produce. In the same way, don’t buy every supplement from A-Zinc thinking that you need them all. This is why you should seek advice from a professional. You can have too much of a good thing even if it is good for you.

If you are building your muscles and not feeding your body properly, there isn’t going to be anything left over to keep you healthy as well as strong. This is where vitamins and supplements can help to build you immune system, make hormones, and much more. In some cases all you made need is a good all around multivitamin. Here’s where it also pays to be a smart shopper. Most drugstores and some other chain retailers often have specials where you can buy one and get one free. Or buy one and get one at 50% off. Not a bad deal if it’s a good quality vitamin or supplement. Eat right, move right and do your homework. Your body will pay off in huge dividends.

The really cool thing is that the same healthy choices you’d make to shed those excess pounds will lower your triglycerides also. Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as eliminating or reducing process foods, eating lean cuts of meat and poultry, switching to low fat diary products can have such a profound effect on our lives? Notice I said simple and not easy. We tend to take the easy out of the equation when we try to take shortcuts to stay within our comfort zone. Trust me, I’m not different when it comes to my favorite foods, I want to have my cake and eat it too. Fortunately I love revamping recipes to make them healthier.

Before I share with you what I learned about triglycerides there’s something else to add to the mix. I’m not fond of using the word “should” because I believe everything is a matter of choice. However, to seal the deal with wellness exercise has to be part of the equation. If you’ve read my previous posts, you know that I’m a certified fitness professional, and I still had to deal with high cholesterol. That just reiterates the point that no one is immune. Despite doing everything I knew was good for me, that dastardly high cholesterol found me. Had I not been active and eating healthy the results could’ve been much worse. It’s not necessary to train and run a marathon, unless you want to, or spend endless hours in the gym. Just get up and move. Stop asking your kids to get the remote for you. Better yet, stop using the remote and walk to the television and change the channel. That’s asking a lot, huh? How valuable is your health?
Now on to those triglycerides.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood, which can increase your risk of heart disease. When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia). This is the part that I’m still trying to wrap my head around. Eating more calories than I burned wasn’t an issue for me. This could only mean that high cholesterol was/is hereditary. All the more reason to get a cholesterol screening. As the youngest in the family, and with four older brothers they tend to not take me seriously sometimes (even at this age). Hopefully this is one time when they’ll listen to their Lil Sis and have the blood work done.

Believe it or not some people want, and need to gain weight. Most of us can’t relate to that just as they can relate to the majority of the population that’s struggling to lose weight. Those looking to gain weight aren’t necessarily suffering from an eating disorder. They just need to gain some weight to be healthier. People—especially those who are very thin for their frame, age, and height—are ecstatic when they gain a few pounds. For them, this weight gain could improve their health as well as help to shape their bodies.

A healthy weight is an indicator of good health and does wonders for a person’s overall outlook o life. The last thing you want to do if you want to gain weight is to binge on a bunch of food with no nutritional value. Junk food, and fast food loaded with fat, sugar and sodium is a health hazard, so go the healthy route.

What you Need to Know

People who are naturally thin are often referred to as, ectomorphs. If you appear to be:
Fragile, thin, have a flat chest, a delicate build, a young appearance, are tall, stoop-shouldered, have trouble gaining weight, and muscle growth takes longer; chances are you’re an ectomorph.

Ectomorphs should concentrate on gaining weight by adding lean muscle tissue (some women that are too thin may also want to put on a little fat to look more feminine). Your resistance training sessions shouldn’t be too often or for too long each session. Overtraining isn’t good for any body type. Focus on lifting heavier weights, lifting at a slower pace and with longer rest periods between sets. However, you have to build up to using heavier weights. Start with lighter weights and when you’re up to 10-12 reps (a rep is each time you lift and lower the weight) it’s time to move up. Increase your poundage about 10% each time.

Increased muscle mass is your best ally no matter what end of the weight spectrum you’re on. Muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less room in the body. Therefore the scales may register a weight gain, but the fit of your clothes and the reflection in the mirror tell a different story.

What’s on your Plate

You’ll need a calorie surplus to grow from. Try not to go any longer then 2 hours without eating something. Each meal should contain protein and starchy and high fiber carbs. While the diet should be focused around natural unprocessed foods, some higher fat foods like peanut butter, lean red meat, whole eggs, and reduced fat instead of fat- free dairy products can be added to the diet to help increase the caloric intake. Ectomorph’s have really fast metabolisms so the risk of gaining body fat is low. Even if you do gain some body fat during the muscle building phase, you‘ll have no problem getting rid of it. Lucky you!

Aerobic and other activities (sports, dancing, etc.) should be kept to a minimum, at least until you are happy with your weight and looks. Remember these tips to ensure a healthy weight gain.

• Focus on a muscle building routine to increase muscle mass. This also helps to shape your body. Resistance training also helps to keep your metabolism stoked to burn any fat you main gain as a result of increasing calories.
• Spend some figuring out how much weight you want to gain. As in losing weight, gaining weight also requires time and dedication. Stick with your plan until you get the results you want.
• Eat well, eat often and make sure it’s a well balanced diet.
• Enjoy your life in the process.