WRITE DOWN YOUR SHOPPING LIST! It’s an easy way to boost your diet willpower. A grocery list may seem like overkill when you’re just making a quick run to the supermarket, but relying on your memory may put your waistline at risk. Shoppers who neglect to jot down what they plan to buy are more likely to choose high-calorie impulse foods like ~chips and cookies~than those who have written reminders according to a new study from New York University. “The brainpower you use trying to remember what to buy takes away from the mental strength needed to resist temptation,” says Yuval Rottenstreich, Ph.D., the study’s lead author. The best way to avoid tossing treats into your cart? Keep a running list throughout the week, read it over before you leave the house, and stick to it when you’re roaming the aisles. Making one up on the way to the store won’t cut it:if you don’t have time for a running list, take five minutes to write one down before you head out. That way, you won’t be drawn to the box of double fudge brownies that’s on super sale!
(taken from Shape November 2007~shape.com)
I also find if you shop the outside ailes of the supermarket you avoid all the snacks and sugary treats your waistline doesn’t need!!!
101 Ways To Work Out On The Ball
Check out this great book I discovered, 101 Ways To Work Our On The Ball-Sculpt your ideal Body with Pilates, Yoga, and More. This book has it all, stretching, abs, pilates, yoga, upper and lower body moves (with or without weights). Each move is demonstrated with pictures and a detailed discription on how to preciously work through each exercise. A definite for any home gym or trainer!!
Teach Yourself to Meditate in 10 Simple Lessons
Meditation has always fascinated me. While researching how and where to start I came across this book. The process is slow but so worth it. Definetly a good read!!
The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person
After reading Judith’s book, I came to realize eating is a way of life. We don’t go on a diet we make lifestyle changes, but we have to want to make these changes. No one can do it for us. Losing weight is a psychological process. You have to train your brain to make healthier choices, stay positive and remember to do this for yourself first. Until you make that decsion the weight never stays off.
I love Pilates! I try to incorporate it into every workout I do or I use different pilate exercises during trainging sessions. You can really feel the burn!!! Read on for the history of pilates and why it is so beneficial for your workout!
Are you wondering what all the fuss over Pilates is about? Used traditionally by dancers for deep body conditioning and injury rehabilitation, Pilates (pronounced Pi-lah-teez), is a 70-year-old exercise technique first developed by German immigrant Joseph Pilates. Only recently has it migrated from its long-held position at the fringes of traditional fitness methods such as aerobics and weight training. Hollywood has been a key factor in turning the spotlight on Pilates, as numerous models and actresses pay homage to Pilates for their beautifully toned, fit bodies.
Focusing on the Core
The abdominal and back muscles are often collectively referred to as the body’s core. Pilates exercises are designed to strengthen this core by developing pelvic stability and abdominal control. In addition, the exercises improve flexibility and joint mobility, and build strength. How can one exercise technique claim to do so much? The Reformer, a wooden contraption with various cables, pulleys, springs and sliding boards attached, lies at the foundation of Pilates. Primarily using one’s own body weight as resistance, participants are put through a series of progressive, range-of-motion exercises. Despite the appearance of this, and several other equally unusual-looking devices, Pilates exercises are very low impact. Instructors, who typically work one-on-one or with small groups of two or three participants, offer reminders to engage the abdominals, the back, the upper legs and buttocks to stabilize the body’s core. Exercise sessions are designed according to individual flexibility and strength limitations. Pilates exercises are not limited to specialized machines, however. In fact, many gyms across the country now offer Pilates floor-work classes that feature exercises that also stress the stabilization and strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles.
Connecting with Pilates
The mind/body connection associated with yoga and meditation also plays an integral part in Pilates. Unlike exercise techniques that emphasize numerous repetitions in a single direction, Pilates exercises are performed with very few, but extremely precise, repetitions in several planes of motion.
So, what will all this focus and stabilization get you? Well, according to its adherents, Pilates can help you develop long, strong muscles, a flat stomach and a strong back, and improve posture. Of course, these changes are dependent upon other lifestyle factors, such as a well-balanced diet and regular aerobic exercise. (Though some may claim that Pilates is all you need to develop stamina and endurance as well, an additional cardiovascular component may be advisable.) An initial Pilates session typically includes a body assessment, which allows the instructor to pinpoint strength and flexibility weak spots. This is also the time to become familiar with Pilates’ unique breathing patterns, which don’t always follow the exhale-on-exertion pattern of traditional exercise. Sessions typically run 60 minutes, at a cost of $50 or more for private sessions, and $8 to $25 for group sessions. If you’re more comfortable exercising at home, there are numerous Pilates and Pilates-type videos currently available.
Several home versions of the Reformer also are currently available on the market. Whether you work out at a studio or on your living room floor, Pilates is an excellent way to challenge your muscles, improve flexibility and incorporate the mind/body element into one effective exercise session.
This ACE Fit Fact is taken from ACE FitnessMatters® magazine. Want more information like this delivered directly to your home? ACE FitnessMatters, the bi-monthly magazine from the American Council on Exercise (ACE), is the source for the most accurate, up-to-date fitness information you need to live a healthy, active life. Subscribe to ACE FitnessMatters Magazine online or call 1-888-825-3636.
The American Council on Exercise® of San Diego, California (ACE®) does not endorse or promote the companies, products or services that reside on this Web site. ACE does not receive revenue generated from any organizations that advertise on this Web site. Copyright 2003 American Council on Exercise. All Rights Reserved.
Hi Everyone!! Hope you are having a great week. I touched on this tip a few weeks ago, but find it so interesting. Yes, exercise and eating are huge when it comes to losing or maintaning weight, but this article shows us one more reason to not stress over the little things. Remember, next time you start to get worked up over something (in with the pink and out with the blue) take a few minutes to breathe ask yourself is it worth my health and extra weight. Hope you enjoy!!
Rubman’s Digestion Connection: How to Banish Belly Fat
More than half of all American adults are overweight and it’s hard to turn on the TV without encountering a commercial for another weight loss remedy. A new kind of product being touted is cortisol-control aids, such as Relacore and CortiSlim, which promise to banish the spare tire around your middle by reducing your levels of this “stress hormone.”
Interestingly, in this case, the commercials have it half-right, says contributing medical editor and digestion guru Andrew L. Rubman, ND. Cortisol levels are very relevant to weight control. Even if you have a perfect diet (and who does?), if your cortisol is not held in check, you are likely to get fat — and you’ll get the worst kind of fat, which is excess abdominal fat. This type of fat causes the spare tire or dreaded “apple-shaped” body that puts you at higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.
But, says Dr. Rubman, those commercials have the other half wrong. He does not believe these remedies are any kind of a solution. He says that he finds many of these products do not work, because they fail to address lifestyle-related methods. Instead, he recommends that you learn to naturally even out your cortisol levels — and thus glucose (blood sugar) levels, since the interaction between the two is what usually leads to fat accumulation.
THE CORTISOL CONNECTION: STRESS AND THE SPARE TIRE
Cortisol is a hormone normally secreted by the adrenal glands to regulate carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure. In the often-cited “fight or flight” response, when you perceive a threat — whether it’s an oncoming car or an argument with your partner — your body shifts into high gear, pumping out extra stress hormones to help you withstand the attack. Cortisol boosts your energy level during such stressful periods… yet too much of this hormone keeps the appetite stimulated and glucose production revved up. Excess glucose gets converted into fat, which the body stores in the belly for easy access.
This isn’t really a problem if stress is a rare occurrence — you cope with the problem, life calms down and cortisol levels go back to normal. However when you live in a state of constant, chronic stress (you know, problems at the office, overdue bills, college tuition, aging parents… life as usual for a lot of us these days) your body produces a steady stream of cortisol, which can create excess belly fat.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
A surprising “diet trick” to make belly fat go away is to add a third mantra to the classic “eat less, exercise more” weight-loss formula. To banish belly fat and return to an optimal weight, Dr. Rubman says it’s also essential to reduce stress. Though that may be easier said than done, Dr. Rubman says consistent practice of the following strategies can help your spare tire melt.
Emphasize high-quality, low-glycemic carbohydrates in your diet. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast a carbohydrate raises your blood sugar. To keep blood sugar on an even keel, the majority of carbs you consume should be healthful, low-glycemic ones, such as most fresh veggies and fruits.
Make sweets only an occasional treat. The goal, of course, is to cut back on high-glycemic carbs. These lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels, which cause food cravings. Avoid these by saying no to candy, cookies and soft drinks, as well as fast foods, processed foods, chips and white bread.
Monitor food combinations. When hunger strikes, quiet your appetite and boost your energy with a healthful protein/carb combo. For example, try nut butter and whole-wheat crackers… low-fat yogurt and granola… a fruit salad sprinkled with walnuts… or turkey breast, lettuce and tomato tucked into a pita. Protein/carb combinations tend to reduce the impact of high-glycemic index foods by slowing their absorption and thereby reducing the speed at which they’re converted to glucose and then fat.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise three to five times a week can help people lose weight and ward off heart disease and diabetes — it also keeps stress in check. My personal favorites are biking, skiing (a cross-country ski machine works too) and brisk walking.
Practice effective stress management. A great diet and regular exercise can be unfairly sidetracked by the high levels of cortisol that accompany ongoing stress, so it, too, needs to be regulated. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and Tai Chi really do bring results. Personally, I find that just taking short breaks can smooth out my day enormously — instead of pouring a cup of energy in the form of coffee or tea, I head outdoors for a 10-minute walk in the fresh air and sunshine.
Really, you can think of that spare tire as “excess baggage” you don’t need to lug around. In addition to eating right and exercising regularly, anything you can do to reduce stress will lighten your load — in every way.
Source(s):
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
Have a great Week!
