Stop With The Excuses!

“Too busy to workout?” Sorry, I don’t think so.

This definitely has to be the number one excuse I hear when it comes to people not exercising.  What’s funny is that these same people tell me they would feel better, have more energy, and feel more confident if they would exercise, but they “just don’t have time”.

Well, I am here to call you out on it.  Look, sometimes a little tough love is needed and get ready because here it comes.  WE ARE ALL BUSY. You are not the only one with a spouse, children or a crazy job with long hours.  We all have obstacles in our lives. We all have things we absolutely have to get done each day. We have responsibilities that we cannot put off.  You know what else? We all have the same 24 hours in a day.

The difference between the people that “have time” to excise is that they make the time.  If something is important to you, you tend to make it work into your schedule.

If you are one who thinks you don’t “have time’, do me a favor.  For the next 3 or 4 days keep track of your time. That’s right, keep a “time journal”, if you will.

Write down every task you are working on and the start / finish time. Do this for everything. Keep this up over the next few days and you will be surprised at al the time you “find”.  Be aware of time suckers such as Facebook, TV, or mindlessly surfing the net.

As I said, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. How you spend those hours is up to you.  You will make time for things you deem important so stop with the excuses, lace up those shoes, and get with it!

NutriBullet Rocks My World!

Okay, so with rolling in the New Year, we also all make resolutions we are going to roll in with it.  One of mine was to start juicing again.  I used to have a juicer and love the benefits of juicing as well as the whole idea of squeezing all the yummy juice out of all my favorite fruits and veggies.  What I didn’t like was the mess, or how you had to use a million apples to get ¼ cup of juice!  The cleanup after was always a horrible experience and it made it such a hassle to be healthy!

 All of that changed the day I walked into Target and found the NutriBullet.  This thing is AMAZING! 

What makes it so cool is that it is not a blender, it’s not a juicer, but rather a “revolutionary exactor with patent cyclone technology” (yes, I might have watched the infomercial one too many times).  So what that means, is that you throw everything in there (kale, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, apples, pears, bananas…whatever, and it pulses the heck out of it leaving NO PULP.

Yep, you heard me…none!  It liquifies it all!  Clean up is a breeze because the cup you blend…uh hum..excuse me.. “extract”..in is the same one you drink out of.  So clean up is only rinsing out a cup and the blade. Simple!

I found mine at Target for $99 and I would highly suggest this to anyone wanting to get in some healthy drinks in throughout the day.  The NutriBullet gets 5 out of 5 Fitabulous Stars!!

Secret To Flat Abs

Are you trying to get flat abs but are getting frustrated? To get a nice flat belly there is much more than just doing crunches. Not only must you must work the entire core, but you must add cardio, eat clean and also make sure to drink plenty of water. Follow these rules and you will see results a lot quicker than performing crunches alone.

Cardio  The truth is you cannot spot reduce any part of your body and while doing crunches and core exercises may strengthen the muscles, if you have fat on top, you will never see them. To banish the bulge you must add cardio. Aim for at least 30 minutes 3-5 times per week.  This can be walking, exercise classes, bicycling, running…anything that gets the heart rate up and makes you sweat!

Water   If you want a flat belly you should be drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses per day. Your body requires plenty of water to function properly plus drinking water reduces the feeling of hunger. Drinking a glass of water before to a meal will help you eat a smaller amount therefore cutting back on calories. Not only that, but drinking plenty of water ensures all the waste and toxins are being flushed out of your body.

Eating Clean  Stay away from processed foods ad much as possible. Instead aim for the “whole” food. An example is instead of drinking fruit juice (that normally has tons of added sugar), eat the actual piece of fruit. Go for whole grains, lean meats, and lots of fruit and vegetables.

Paying attention to your water intake, eating “clean”,  performing your cardio, as well as your abdominal exercises will get you well on your way to having flatter abs. Just remember that Rome was not built in a day and either are “6-pack” abs!

Controlling Those Pesky Cravings!

So you are eating well and exercising and then it hits you…the thought that a chocolate bar would be really good right now. Or maybe it’s that bag of buttered popcorn that is calling your name. Yes, cravings, we all get them. For some it’s sweet for others it’s salty and everything in between. And it seems no matter how well you are doing with will power, these little buggers can come along and knock you off track.  Well, today I want to share with you a couple of ways that I myself deal with cravings and staying on course.

Avoid Triggers

If you drive past the same doughnut shop on you way to work every morning, and you get a doughnut from the same shop every morning, guess what…don’t drive past that doughnut shop in the morning.  Yes, this may require you find a different route but it will also save you from that morning urge.

De-Stress

Speaking of triggers, stress can often be one for many people. When we are stressed we tend to be more likely to reach for that bag of chips or that pack of cookies. To help with this, when you start feeling stressed, take a deep breath, relax, try to ‘let it go”. You may be surprised to find that once the stress starts to subside, the craving does as well.

Distract Yourself

Keeping yourself busy is a great way to curb a craving. When you feel like you want to reach for that bag of Oreos, reach for a mop instead and get busy. Clean your floors, take a walk, go clean another room, help your kids with homework, play with your dog…anything you can do to keep yourself distracted and focused on something else is what you want here. Normally if you can do this for about ten minutes, you will find your craving has gone!

Drink Plenty of  Water

You will hear me preach all the time about the benefits of getting enough water and this is no exception. When you feel a craving coming on try drinking a glass or two of water. Often times our bodies confuse thirst with hunger, so drink the water, wait, and see how you feel then.

Give In…Sometimes

Last but not least, sometimes ya just gotta have that piece of cake! If you have tried everything and that craving is still hanging over your head…go ahead. Just watch portion size, don’t go crazy, and enjoy it. To ensure you get right back on track, try and eat at least five healthy meals after that. This way you are still eating right eighty-percent of the time and just not-so-good twenty-percent.

Hope these tips help. I know cravings can be a struggle for many people and something that you really have to use ‘mind over matter”. I have no doubt you can do it!

Healthy Tips From Store to Kitchen Table

First, at the grocery store, make sure to shop the perimeter. This is where you will find all your fresh fruits and vegetables along with dairy and your proteins. When in the dairy department, make sure to look for low-fat options. When, in the meat section search out the leanest cuts of meat.

Now that you have all your wonderful fresh, healthy food it’s time to take it home and get it ready for the week. To do this, wash and prep your fruits and vegetables for easy access during your busy week. A great idea is to cut up some different vegetables and put them in a container so that you have them on hand to add to salads, soups, omelets or sandwiches.

Next, you will do the same thing to anything you had purchased in a large bag or container. Take some snack bag size Ziploc baggies and divide the bigger bag into single servings. Put these in your pantry for easy “on-the-go” snacks.

Now you have all your healthy food home and ready to go, let’s talk about some tips at dinner time. First thing; use a smaller plate. Smaller plates equal smaller portions. Next, make sure you put your food on the plate in the kitchen, Do not bring all the food from the kitchen and serve yourself at the table.  Put the correct portion on your plate and leave the rest in the kitchen. The last thing to think about is remember to really enjoy your dinner. Eat slowly. Put your fork down in between bites. This is not a race. Savor each bite, talk with your family and relax.