When the late night cravings strike, is it out of hunger or habit’ After awhile, it can be hard to tell. Are you reaching for the snacks because you didn’t eat enough during the day, didn’t drink enough water or is there simply a well-worn path to the refrigerator that you continue to follow’ Distinguishing the difference between a need for nutrition and a lapse into an old habit is important to eliminate those extra, and empty, calories at night. Let’s take a look at some ideas for breaking the late night snacking habit. I’ll also give you some healthy midnight snacks alternatives.
Much of our late night snacking originates from our routines, which can lead to bad eating habits. Turn those bad habits into good habits to eliminate mindless midnight snacking and eat healthier.

You know how it is with regular dieting—your long-lost skinny jeans make a temporary reappearance only to be retired to the back of your closet six months later. This frustrating scenario of weight cycling is all too familiar for most people.
Although decreased motivation and will-power greatly contribute to “falling off the wagon”, weight regain is also influenced by biological changes in the body in response to decreased intake of energy or calories. The main biological reason for weight regain is a slowing metabolism. A reduction in calorie intake can make the body become very efficient and work to conserve energy. Unfortunately, this means you are burning fewer calories. Loss of lean tissue (such as muscle) rather than fat mass during weight loss is also to blame for a lower
metabolic rate (more on this below).
In a world where yo-yo dieting has become the norm, how does one keep lost pounds off for good’
New research carried out by a group of scientists from the Netherlands reveals that a diet higher than normal in protein may be the key to sustaining permanent weight loss (1). Seventy-two overweight and obese men and women took part in the study, which compared the effects of two reduced-calorie diets after weight was previously lost, the only difference between the diets being that one counted as high protein intake (1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) and the other as normal protein intake (0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day). After six months, the group eating more protein was found to retain greater muscle mass and a higher rate of metabolism, helping to better keep that lost weight from returning.
Previous studies investigating the effect of energy-restricted, high protein diets on weight maintenance have reached similar conclusions (2). The fat-fighting power of protein lies in its ability to keep energy expenditure elevated as well as curb hunger despite reduced calorie intake.
Rev Up Your Metabolism with Protein
Energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned by the body, is greatly influenced by basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy, or rate of metabolism, required to support basic body functions when your body is at rest.
The greatest contributor to BMR is fat-free mass. Fat-free mass is largely made up of muscle, which is very energy demanding. Even when no work is being performed (such as when you are sleeping), muscle requires energy just to exist. Muscle cells and their components are constantly using calories to rebuild what is broken down during normal protein turnover. A higher protein diet not only increases energy-demanding protein synthesis and turnover, but has also shown to better preserve muscle during caloric restriction (1, 2). Keeping muscle mass and turnover rates high results in a higher BMR, faster metabolism, and greater energy expenditure.
The thermic effect of food (TEF) is another factor that affects energy expenditure and refers to the amount of energy needed to break down, absorb, and digest food. The TEF differs between nutrients, with protein requiring more calories for digestion and metabolism than both fat and carbohydrate combined. Specifically, 0 to 3 percent of the calories obtained from fat are used for fat digestion, 5 to 10 percent of calories from carbohydrate are used for carbohydrate digestion, and 20 to30 percent of calories from protein are used for protein digestion (2). This means that protein requires a substantial amount of calories for the body to metabolize and use it compared to the other macronutrients. Simply by eating more protein in place of carbohydrate or fat, a person will burn more calories.
Feel Fuller, Longer with Protein
Successfully committing to a reduced calorie diet can be difficult when you are bombarded by cravings and hunger pangs. Ravenous hunger will only encourage overeating and weight regain. Research has shown higher protein diets to be superior to low or standard protein diets in causing a feeling of fullness, thereby leading to lower calorie intake (2). A reduced calorie diet will lead to greater use of existing fat stores, as a person quickly burns through the energy provided by the food they consume, as well as the carbohydrate stored in the body (glycogen). This increased reliance on fat for fuel has been suggested to reduce appetite.
Protein may also boost satiety by sending hormonal messages to the brain signaling fullness. When protein is eaten, sensors located in the gut are activated. Hormones such as glucagon are released, sending a message to the brain saying, “I’m full!” (3).
Isagenix: Making the higher protein lifestyle easy
Sustaining weight loss over the long term is challenging but not impossible. A higher protein diet offers numerous metabolic advantages that will not only help a person lose weight, but may also prevent regaining pounds, or worse, surpassing your starting weight.
Isagenix offers a variety of convenient and delicious higher protein meals and snacks that can aid weight maintenance efforts. Incorporating these Isagenix snacks and meal replacements in your reduced calorie diet will not only help you get into those skinny jeans, but stay in them, too.
References:
1) Soenen S, et al. Normal Protein Intake Is Required for Body Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance, and Elevated Protein Intake for Additional Preservation of Resting Energy Expenditure and Fat Free Mass. J Nutr. 2013 Feb 27. [Epub ahead of print]
2) Westerterp-Plantenga MS, et al. Dietary protein – its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 2:S105-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002589.
3) Belza A, et al. Contribution of gastroenteropancreatic appetite hormones to protein-induced satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Mar 6. [Epub ahead of print]

The “processed-food industry” have most of us hooked on junk food and their large ad campaigns and creative packaging convinces us to eat more hyper-processed foods, more often, every year. Scientists have found the balance of sugar, salt and fat that puts our bodies into the “bliss point” that point where we cant’ resist the taste and can’t get enough of it. They know just how much sugar, salt and fat to add to make it craving more and more.
Tip 1: All meals should include protein. Meals with a higher percentage of protein makes you feel more satiated (full) . Which leads to fewer calories eaten over all.
Tip 2: Make sure you are getting enough. This helps you to feel more full, but also enables you to release the toxins — sorry if this is TMI, but you should be going to the “bathroom” at least 1/day. If you are not check to see if you are drinking enough water as well as what you are eating. If you would like me to take a look at a 3 day food journal. Just send it to me in an email — it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. I will tell you that most people aren’t eating enough and/or dehydrated.
Tip 3: Don’t go more 3 hours without eating. The goal of this is to ensure our insulin levels don’t fluctuate wildly through out the day. By eating foods like whole grains, and fibrous fruits and vegetables that produce only a steady release of sugars and don’t spike your insulin.
Tip 4: Enjoy something intense. Many people believe that when you are engaging in a healthy lifestyle and eating according to clean eating guidelines, that the food must be bland. There are so many fun spices, herbs and marinades that can make food taste AMAZING!! Plus you don’t need to be a Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray to make it taste great.
Tip 5: Shop the perimeter: In any grocery store you will see that on the outer aisles (the perimeter) you will see your natural foods ~ fruits and veggies, your dairy and lean proteins. Every thing in the middle is highly processed foods– with the exception of the cleaning and paper goods.
To hear more about this book click here. To purchase the book from Amazon, click here.
Want to get balanced with your eating” I know I sure did. Like many of you I live a “busy” life. I’m working crazy hours and sometimes don’t have the time to make myself a healthy meal. I know it’s sometimes easier to reach for the highly processed versions of food that we think are healthy because it says so on the label. Instead I’ve turned Isagenix. It has helped to stabilize my blood sugar and give me healthy alternatives when I’m unable to eat whole foods.
You can fight fire with fire—with Isagenix products that are delicious, yet are nutritionally designed to have the exact opposite goal of the products of the big food companies: to get you to stop overeating salt, sugar and fat, and become more focused on balanced eating.
If you have any questions, about how Isagenix products can help you or how to just live a healthier lifestyle I‘d love to hear from you.
I love this time of year. It signals that warmer weather is coming and the National college basketball tournament is starting. Good friends and I have been playing along with the March Madness brackets for years. It’s so fun guessing who’s going to be the Cinderella story and what sure thing team will fall first. The first weekend of the March Madness tournament I”m glued to the TV with my bracket sheet. My husband tells me I need to get new school and look my tournament brackets on my phone or ipad, but I like paper. I like highlighting my winners and crossing on my losers with black marker.
This who event got me thinking what if during the March Madness Tournament — we got fit. Each day during the tournament I’m going to post a fitness challenge. Of course you will accept the challenge and you will post your comments here or on my Facebook wall. We’ll create a community of support cheering you to meet your fitness goals.
The March Fitness Tournament starts Tuesday, March 19th and end Monday, April 8th. Check back every day for a challenge!!!

There are times when we can’t get out to the gym or having a gym membership just isn’t in the cards. Here are 10 exercises that can be done at home to give you a satisfying workout no matter the size of your home gym. You will need a few basic home gym necessities.
Yes, you can get fancier, but you can start with the basics. Here are 10 exercises that can be done at home.
There are many exercises available on DVD which can be incorporated using bands and other exercise equipment. Always stretch before starting any exercise routine to prevent injury.

Spring official starts on March 21st, my fingers are crossed that we are going to start to see a nice warm up. Now is the time to start your fitness spring cleansing!
You declutter your closets, so why not declutter your fitness routine and your eating habits’ Taking these 5 steps will get you reach for bikini season.
Here are a 5 things to do right now to get ready for spring fitness cleansing and achieve that beach-ready body just in time for warmer temperatures.
Bonus — Eat 4-5 mini-meals. When you eat at regular intervals during the day you minimize your insulin spikes. This minimizes the potential of you binging. Each meal you should include at least a protein and veggies. Enough with this having a carrot sticks or nuts and that’s a “snack” not filling enough. Enjoy mini-meals — they won’t make you fat. Have trouble fitting in all these meals’ I have some suggestions, shoot me an email or call and I can help you configure a menu that works for your busy life.
I found this interesting post. After this you may be running to get a Brita.
http://michaelashcroft.net/2011/10/05/some-interesting-facts-about-bottled-water/
Late last year, Angelike N.’s world shifted in almost every sense.
She had a baby. Her father passed away from a sudden bout of cancer. She accepted a promotion and relocated with her husband to another state.
So, when Oxygen magazine came knocking to see if she could get into peak condition for the cover of their March 2013 issue in just a month, it would have been easy for her to turn it down. Thankfully, she knew preparing for another Oxygen cover would be easier this time around because she had Isagenix®.
“Before a child, I used to prep and carry my food everywhere. I was a ‘chew your food’ athlete and did too much cardio and weight training,” admits 34-year-old Angelike of North Carolina. “It was a difficult lifestyle to maintain and it was made even more impossible when you have to carry a diaper bag, a stroller and manage a full-time executive career. Isagenix changed my life.”
“I trusted my Isagenix products,” continues Angelike, who started using Isagenix when her daughter Ella was six weeks old and kicked it into gear in September. “I honestly feel like the products did most of the work since my schedule was very haphazard and unpredictable.”Between late board meetings, driving long distances to support her 19 team members and working from her home office, Angelike was able to cobble together a consistent cardio and weight training regimen that included key Isagenix products such as Ionix® Supreme, Want More Energy’®, IsaPro® and IsaLean® Shakes. She skipped the boxed lunches in board meetings and on planes and opted for IsaLean Bars or an IsaLean Shake instead.
When she stepped on set for her big photo shoot with Oxygen magazine, she felt better than ever.
“I was really proud and that’s the first time I could really say that,” shares Angelike. “I was proud of all of the components of truly being ‘healthy’ coming together and shooting in my best form ever, especially after bouncing back from having a child and all of the adversity I had faced.”
Her passion for Isagenix products has caught on with her husband, mother, in-laws, and other friends. And, though she initially said “no” to creating a business because of a “lack of time,” the 2-Star Golden Circle and her husband have earned good money…even having no idea what they were doing.
She could have earned money through lucrative sponsorships with other supplement companies, but it’s never been about the money. When she’d turn over bottles and notice scary ingredients that were unhealthy, she’d turn the companies down flat.
“I just wasn’t willing to make those compromises for the sake of vanity. This is about your health,” says Angelike.
Now, as she reflects on her journey with Isagenix, she says she hopes her experience will shine a light of hope for others facing tough obstacles.
“I know people are on their knees every night praying for better health, financial freedom or freedom from their bad habit,” says Angelike. “I feel like somewhere down the line, I’ll be able to help someone else going through turmoil; to help lift them up, edify them and help them get the fight back against the things that life throws at them.”

For the past few months, I’ve been traveling for work and the holidays. My workout schedule and my eating has been all over the place. Have anyone else had the same experience’ Come on, I can’t be alone with this. You woke up on January 1st and you had tight clothes. I’ll raise my hand to that one.
Then you made the resolution that you are going to get back on the wagon. You’ll hit the gym, eat healthy and give up booze, sugar, what ever your vices are. You feeling me so far AND THEN here we are ½ way through January and you feel like you are spinning your wheels. You want you to button your pants, you want to take a pic and feel like you don’t need Photoshop or make sure you are on your best side.
I understand you. As I said earlier I had a tough holiday season like most of you and now it’s time to get my milkshake back in order. I’ve a very structured person and without structure I fall off the rails. I’m ready to get my groove back. Who’s with me’
I have a proposition for you. Let’s get back on track together. Join me for my 30-day Girlfriend Project.
During the Girlfriend Project, you’ll improve your overall health, increase your energy levels and most importantly drop some pounds and inches. Now I have your interest.
You will go through this program with me. With The Girlfriend Project, you’ll get a:
So.. who’s with me” The program starts Sunday, January 27th We’ll have a kick off call at 8pm EST. You want in’ Shoot me an email and we’ll take it from there.
*Order the Total Health and Wellness Pak from Isagenix to enhance your results and give you a competitive advantage.
Rules ( I told you I like structure so there have to rules)

All over the news they are talking about the flu epidemic. In fact I was riding on the T the other day and saw multiple people wearing hospital type masks, if that doesn’t’ freak you out I don’t know what will.
Have you ever heard the expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'” It makes sense. The best way to keep our bodies healthy is not to get sick in the first place. Keeping our immune systems running smoothly is our best defense against disease.
It’s a common misconception that we have no control over our immune systems. Eating the right foods and taking care of our bodies allows us to fight off infection more quickly and efficiently. Here are some of the ways we can boost our immunity:
Your immune system is an amazing thing. When you take good care of it, it takes good care of you. With a healthy diet, adequate rest, and frequent exercise, we can ensure that our immune systems are operating as they should. Then we can spend less time fighting off illness and more time enjoying life. Fingers crossed you survive this flu epidemic.

Today is all about instant gratification, if we don’t get results in a short amount of time when give up. To survive 2013 and get lean you will need discipline. Do you have the discipline it takes to make your dreams come true’
Discipline – “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t” – Jerry Rice. I just love this quote. Do you have your goals written down’ Are they in a place where you can see them and get you fired up to take action’
Inspiration – This is what keeps you going. What inspires you to dream. I create a vision board every year and place it at my desk so that I can see if over and over again.
Sacrifice – What are you willing to let go of to make your dreams come true’
Coach – Do you have someone to help you’ Someone who can give you advice and guidance when you are feeling stuck’ Someone to share your highs and your lows.
Intuition – Get out of your head and do what you need to move toward your goals.
Plan – Remember the old proverb — falling to plan is planning to fail. You want to be successful with anything you need to plan. Set up your action plan and move forward.
Laser focus – Do you believe you can’ Do you have the strength to stand up to the naysayers and all the negative Nelly’s
No Excuses – Are you will to put your excuses aside and make this happen’ One of the best books I’ve read about this is Wayne Dyer’s book Excuses Be Gone.
Energy – Do you have to energy to stay the course. Do you have the energy to say no to treats, the energy to get up consistently in the early AM to get your workouts in’
If you are ready to be DISCIPLINED in 2013, join me and my fitness mentor, a special guest on Dr. Oz and Oxygen cover model will coach you during your first 30 days to help you achieve your 2013 fitness goals. Click here to learn more.

Here were are less than 1 week away from New Year’s. Most of us will wake up on New Year’s Day and say
I’m tried of being fat, having no energy or tried of looking the way I look. If any of these will be your resolution this year. I have a solution for you. During the month of January I will be hosting a Resolution Jump Start group with a number of my mentors, Cathy Savage, well known fitness and figure coach, Lori Harder Oxygen magazine cover model, and my business mentor, Holly DeMott. These three women who I have changed my life and I know we can do the same for you.
The Jump Start Your Resolution includes a private Facebook page, weekly conference calls with top fitness industry experts and weekly emails from me to help keep you motivated. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of watch this video.
Are you ready to meet your resolution this year”’