I get this question all the time. I heard you shouldn’t eat after 7pm.  Well guess what you typically go to the gym after a long day at work and you don’t eat you’ll STARVE!!! So you can eat, but don’t go on a bender. Make sure you have some protein and a vegetable, you want to stay away from starchy carbohydrates they may make you feel bloated and keep an eye on your proteins.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tyra Banks, Brittney Spears, you name it they have all been portrayed in the media as being heaven forbid FAT!!! What exactly does Fat mean’ They are human aren’t they allow to have their weight fluctuate.  As a women, do we all know when we hit a weight that we are unhappy with. Do they put this news other their to make others feel better about themselves, what would you do if you weren’t exactly at your “ideal weight” and you were splashed all over the news.  Does any really think her Daisy Duke body was sustainable.  If she feels comfortable at the weight she’s at and it’s healthy, so BE IT!!

So what do, some days I push through and then other days, I give myself a pass and then say come hell or high water, you must dust yourself off and get in the ring again.

Another tool, I use to get motivated to workout is itrain, it’s a program that provides me my own virtual trainer, talking me through interval training, spinning, strength training and stretching.  My favorite is the itread program I owe all of them.  It really motivates me to get on the treadmill on a cold snowy day and trust me here in Boston we have had a number of them.

I also keep this quote on my desk.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig Zigler

Tell me how do you dust yourself off and start again’

I know, I know there is this big peanut butter recall, but I love the stuff actually if there is a nut that can be whipped into smooth creamy awesomeness, then sign me up!

It’s National Peanut Brittle Day! So enjoy.

Peanut Brittle Protein Shake Recipe
Here’s a fun way to satisfy a junk food craving without sending your blood sugar sky-high with real peanut brittle. At the same time, you’ll be nourishing your body with lots of protein and healthy unsaturated fat.
Prep Time: 2 hours,
Ingredients:

* 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
* 2 tbsp sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix (dry)
* 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
* 8 oz. water (or low-fat milk)
* 3-6 ice cubes

Preparation:
Add all ingredients to blender, whip, and serve. I like to use chunky peanut peanut butter and add it last so that it it stays chunky (like peanut brittle) but it tastes just as good with a smoother consistency.

Nutritional Information for added ingredients (excludes protein powder & use of milk:

Calories – 121 Carbohydrates – 7g Protein – 4g Fat – 8g Fiber – 1g

Source

In Boston, hospitals are seeing a rise blood pressure of folks who had it under control just a few months ago they are also seeing the pounds come back on it their obesity clinic patients, many are reporting increases in migraine, tummy troubles, you need .  The stress of the economy takes it toll not only on your wallet, but your health.

Face it we’re STRESSED OUT, by the fear of the unknown.  So we cut back because we are unsure if today is the day I will lose my job, my house, my 401k or something else.  When times get uncertain do you reach for the comfort foods, do you just shut down and pray things are going to get better’

Because of the economy have you cut back on your exercise programs, cut back on eating healthy foods because they are too expensive’

Talk to me what have you cut back on and how is it affecting your health’

It’s National Compliment Day. Make this a day that you don’t beat yourself up. You give yourself a compliment.  Take a look in the mirror and find one thing you can compliment yourself.

Come on, you can find something. How about you work today to compliment 5 things about yourself. Now are you ready to take it a step further.  How about you compliment 5 people you meet today.

It’s National Pie Day and yes you can have your pie and eat it too.

Jello Pudding Pie

• package sugar-free Jello
• 1/4
  cup water
• 2 (8 oz.) cups fat free yogurt
• 1 (8 oz.) carton fat free Cool Whip
• lowfat graham cracker crust
  

Boil
the water and dissolve Jello.  Whisk in the yogurt.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Pour into crust and chill at least 3 hours.
You can make a number of flavors of this pie: My favorite is orange (orange Jello and Mandarin orange yogurt)

The original recipe was for Key Lime (lime Jello and Key Lime yogurt)

You can try any combination, as long as you match the Jello and yogurt flavors.

Serves 8.  One serving = 3 Weight Watchers Winning Points.

Source

"Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat." -Jill Johnson

So, it’s t-minus 21 days since New Year’s when said by end of the month you were going to lose 30 pounds, workout everyday, eat nothing but salads, cure cancer and secure a ticket to Obama’s inguration.

Well how are you doing on your resoultions.  Well this is National Healthy Weigth week. Meaning that losing 30 pounds in 1 month woudl not be considered a healthy wegith.

So here are 5 suggestions for setting a healthy weight loss goal.

1. Calories in = calories out: you need to burn more calories than you consume and to lose a pound a week you need to reduce you rconsumption by 500 calories
2. Make time in your day for activity — just 10 -20 minutes a day will get your heart pumping
3. Change take time so don’t expect huge results overnight — there is no magic pill
4. Share your goals to help go have accountability
5. Give yourself permission to not be perfect

Do you have any other tips’

Today is Rid The World of Fad Diets Day.

What is a fad diet’

1. A diet that gets really popular and then falls out of favor.
2. Offers a quick fix
3. Eliminates food groups

There have been so many over the years, so I thought I list a few a get your input how many of these have you tried and what were your results’

• Atkins – For this diet how much bacon and pork rinds did you eat’
• Cabbage Soup — Really — I mean don’t you only eat that on St. Patrick’s day’
• The Zone Diet — 30/30/30 — I tried and let me tell could keep the math straight.
• Grapefruit Diet — when you eat these combined with a protein it will burn fat.
• South Beach — This diet is like the energizer bunny! I think I will have to come up with a new category for this one.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

This week is healthy week, so what does that mean’ That means this week we are going to focus on what we can do to reach our healthy weight and maintain it.

With January comes everyone thoughts of losing those last 10 pounds, within weeks of January 1st.

Stop right their, thoughts like that are self-defeating.  Ideal weight loss is any where from 1-2 pounds per week.

So, what are you thoughts around healthy weight’

45% of people make a new year’s resolution yet less than 10% keep any of them.  Is it because they pick to many or is it because they aren’t ready to change’  Do we set our bars so high that when we don’t reach them we get disappointed and give up’ 

In order to make changes we go though 5 stages of change.

1. Pre-contemplation — someday you will (insert the topic)
2. Contemplation — someday soon I will do it
3. Action — today is the day so watch out
4. Maintenance — I got this

What stage are you in’  Don’t be afraid change is hard! You will get discouraged, you may question yourself, may be afraid to look like a fool, but guess what nothing easy is ever worth it

So, get moving!!!

Researchers now say that butt fat, yes you heard correctly, butt fat may now protect  you from getting type 2 diabetes. Interesting.  So, stop wishing your J.Lo away and and embrace it, stick it out and say baby got back!